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Writing Prompts – Creative Copy Challenge #351

Posted: August 26, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Copy Challenges | Tags: |31 Comments

This is a writing prompt. Bet you can’t do it! Take the 10 random words below and crush writer’s block by creating a cohesive, creative short story! And remember: after (if) you finish entering your submission into the comment field, highlight your words and click the bold button to make them stand out and help you determine if you forgot any words. (If you’ve missed previous writing prompts, we BET YOU CAN’T do those, either.) NOTE: Our bolding plugin is gone, so you’ll have to put and around each of your words if you want them to stand out, but NOT REQUIRED THOUGH.

  1. zebra
  2. African Queen
  3. bleeding
  4. stellar
  5. Billy
  6. pregnant
  7. rapid
  8. convert
  9. swig
  10. vertical

NOTE: Don’t copy and paste from MS Word. Use a program like notepad that removes formatting or just type in the comment field itself. Also, finish your submission, THEN bold the words. Thanks. (And don’t forget to tweet this and share it with your friends.)

31 Comments on “Writing Prompts – Creative Copy Challenge #351”

  1. Anklebuster says:
    August 27, 2014 at 1:59 am

    Billy groaned. He had over one hundred VHS tapes to convert. His computer was so slow that, after ten days, he was only up to African Queen in his girlfriend’s collection. He took another swig of Gatorade.

    “At this rate,” he muttered, “the baby will be here before I get to Zebra Lounge!”

    “I heard that, Billy. I’m only six weeks pregnant.” Celia plumped her pillows and re-settled her rail-thin body on the sofa. She was sure that she wasn’t pregnant, not after all the bleeding she had done last night. But, she was not about to tell him that.

    Billy grinned proudly. “Yeah, girl. I hit you with that super sperm, for sure! Doing it vertical does not keep you from getting knocked up. You better warn your friends!”

    She snorted. “Riiight. So, did you tell anyone? You know I want to wait until the right time to make an announcement. Maybe we should get married, first?”

    Billy’s grin dissolved like snow in July. “Um, let’s not make no rapid decisions here, babe. I just got laid off. You’re not going to be able to finish at Community and your daddy is cutting you off.”

    Celia sat up. Oh, no he isn’t trying to squirm out of this! “Billy…”

    “I’m just saying. Neither of us have given stellar performances lately. Speaking of which…” He held up a torn box labelled Alone in the Dark.

    Celia laughed. “I got ripped-off on eBay. I thought the seller had the 1982 movie. Don’t burn that one.”

    Billy relaxed, smiled and quipped, “I will indeed burn this – right in the incinerator with the rest of the trash!” He set the box aside and grabbed Along Came a Spider.

    Reply
  2. bbanne says:
    August 27, 2014 at 7:43 pm

    This sounds like the start of a ‘promising’ relationship, doesn’t it? I bet Billy is burning more than movies after a while!

    Reply
  3. bbanne says:
    August 27, 2014 at 8:10 pm

    It was unfortunate that she looked like a pregnant zebra in her black and white striped jumpsuit. Billy watched her as her generous hips moved in time with the music. She really was one good looking woman, if you liked the African Queen type. Of course, he shouldn’t really be looking.

    Billy sucked another swig from his drink, struggling to stay vertical on the chair. It wasn’t the liquor that was affecting him; it was the sheer exhaustion of getting there.

    The rhythm of the drum beat thundered in his head and the sound dripped, bleeding from his ears. If this relationship was to continue, he knew that one of them would have to convert; he to the music or she to the silence.

    The beat shifted and slowed, but the rapid pulse inside his brain only accelerated. She was looking at directly at him. Her body slowed to a sway and those stellar eyes needled into him, pinning him to the chair like a moth to a specimen board.

    He felt his body start to sweat and he slid his fingers into the tight white collar around his missionary neck and began to pray. If only he knew what he was praying for…

    Reply
  4. Cathy Miller says:
    August 29, 2014 at 4:27 pm

    Blood dripped down the window in a zebra-like pattern. Death’s syncopated slide to the floor danced like rain on the African Queen‘s riveted sheet iron. It was as if the house was bleeding from too many tragedies.

    The stellar remnants of the evening sky wept for Billy and his pregnant wife as the rapid loss of blood sealed their fate. And the fate of their unborn child.

    The scene was enough to convert any man into a trembling mass of repulsion. But not Detective Brett Connors. Murder made him angry. The death of a child was a bitter swig to an already heinous brew.

    The vertical line dissecting his brow deepened with resolve as the image burned another hole in his soul.

    “Tell me what you found so far.”

    Reply
    • Anklebuster says:
      August 30, 2014 at 1:04 am

      Move over, James Patterson! Ms. Miller is coming through!
      I really enjoy these “Body on the First Page” setups.

      Cheers,

      Mitch

      Reply
    • kathleenMK says:
      October 27, 2014 at 3:01 pm

      Cathy~~ I would have to agree with Mitch.. Mr. Patterson is stepping aside right now!

      I said, “Yuck” at Blood dripped down the window in a zebra-like pattern. I saw it, deep and dark red!

      And then … … burned another hole in his soul. So true.Murder has a way of doing just that.

      Bravo,
      Kathleen

      Reply
  5. bbanne says:
    August 29, 2014 at 6:19 pm

    “a bitter swig to an already heinous brew.” Exquisite line, Cathy. You have such a gift for writing.

    Reply
  6. kathleenMK says:
    October 27, 2014 at 2:48 pm

    “’Tis that a Zebra?” Matilda asked.
    “No missy, dat African Queen ain’t no zebra. Can’t yah see, she only has two legs,” Billy, Shane’s buddy said as he elbowed Bobby. “The stripes is right and all, but…” [And then Kathleen decided this was goin’ nowhere good…stopping before she got herself and the boys in trouble without permission.

    “Yah think the African Queen will have a zebra in it?” Ryan asked the bartender.
    “Not sure Ryan. Why you askin’,” Shannon responded over the urethane covered oak.
    “Billy really wants to see himself one. He’s been doin’ a stellar job at school this week… Staying vertical … on all his grades and all. An’ I’za just thinkin’ how I can give him a pregnant pause in life. He needs a break from all them paper cuts. His fingers have been bleeding he’s been turning so many pages,” Ryan says lifting his right hand up to his face. He begins moving them closer and farther away from his eyes. Repeating this motion, squinting as he tries to get them into focus. Shannon pushes his glasses closer to him, hoping he might get the notion to put them back on.
    “But I thought you said he can’t sit long enough to watch a movie,” Shannon said trying to keep the conversation going.
    “He’s rapidly becomin’ a convert, ‘cuz he’s learning he can see the world sittin’ still an’ all.”

    “Well that’s good. He’s learnin’ a new skill at thirty and all,” Shannon said, tryin’ to hide her smirk. As she shook her head. Oh Lord… let other customers come in tonight. And soon. I know it’s only Tuesday, but goodness, please! Before I take a swig of golden courage. It didn’t usually take Tequila to ease her mood around her customers. She’d learn to suffer fools over the years, but if Ryan was all she was going to have to convers-ate with all night… something was going to have to change her tolerance level. ‘Cuz if not Lord, well, I believe I will start bleeding from my ears. I need more stimulating conversation tonight Lord, please.

    Reply

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