Category: StoryADay

THE PROMPT

Write a story set at a party

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Robin glanced at the list she had prepared this morning to ensure she didn’t forget anything for tonight’s party. She and Randy had invited their closest friends to tonight’s New Year’s Eve party. Everyone on the list had said they were coming, so they expected a good-sized crowd.

They decided not to have mixed drinks unless someone wanted to bring their own. They were putting out a punch spiked with alcohol. Robin had fruit soaking in vodka in a huge bowl. They would add the fruit to the punch to give it a kick. 

They had two small children, the oldest a 2-year-old toddler. Although they planned on putting them to bed before the party, they were mindful that their toddler didn’t sleep well and might be up during the party. They hoped she wouldn’t wake her little sister, who could usually sleep through anything.

Robin set up the punch bowl and filled it with juice, ginger ale, and the alcohol-soaked fruit 30 minutes before the guests arrived. She set the bowl on the coffee table with cups and a ladle.

At 11 PM, the guests started arriving. Some had bags with them containing what they wanted to drink. Most of them were unhappy that it was a BYOB party and that they had to bring their own drinks.

The party was in full swing when Sharon, the two-year-old toddler, wandered into the living room. She had woken up and heard the noise in the living room, so she came to see what was happening. Her little sister, Karen, was still sleeping, and besides, she was in the crib and couldn’t climb out yet. 

Suddenly, there was a cry from one of the guests. “Robin or Randy, your daughter is going around and drinking from the cups set out on the coffee table. She appears to be drunk. What is wrong with you? Surely, you knew that she could possibly wake up. Why weren’t you paying attention to what she was doing? The alcohol could cause her serious harm, and who knows how much she has had,” the anxious guest said.

Robin rushed to her daughter and removed the cup in her hand. “No, Sharon, you can’t drink that. Mommy will get you a drink of juice.” Robin led her by the hand into the kitchen.

As Robin handed Sharon a cup of juice, Sharon resisted it. “No, Mommy, I want the fruit drink. It was good.”

Robin explained to Sharon that she couldn’t have the fruit drink. It was for the grownups only. Sharon started crying.

After Sharon’s interruption and the ball having dropped on another new year, the guests started to pack up and leave. Randy and Robin tried to get the guests to stay longer, but most of them were disgusted that they had been subjected to the situation of a toddler getting drunk, and no one had stopped her. She should have had someone else watching her, so she didn’t attend the grownup party serving unattended alcohol. Robin heard them discussing going to another party where they knew there wouldn’t be children. The night was still young, and they could party all night if they wanted.

Robin set about putting the punch away so Sharon wouldn’t get into it again, and Randy picked up all the cups with the punch still in them. They had messed up big time, and Sharon was stumbling around, and they were concerned that she was in danger from having drunk so much alcohol. They really had no idea how much she had drunk since they hadn’t realized she was doing it until they had it pointed out to them. They considered calling their pediatrician and asking if they needed to bring her in, but they were embarrassed that it had happened and that so many people had seen it. They hoped it would be okay because they decided not to take her to the emergency room. They could tell she was getting sleepy, so they put her to bed and decided to keep taking turns to keep an eye on her in case there were any problems with her due to her alcohol consumption. They had learned a valuable lesson and hoped their stupidity didn’t cause Sharon any problems.

Tessa

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.wordpress.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.wordpress.com

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THE PROMPT

Write a story in the point of view you found most satisfying, this month. Your character has just received some news they feel strongly about.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

“Mom, you’re going to be a grandmother,” Daisy told me excitedly. I don’t know what she is so happy about, as she is in her senior year of high school and is only 17 years old. She is a child herself. I immediately think of her father and his reaction. He will be livid about this as he tried to make sure she was on birth control before something like this happened. I guess that was a bust.

“Daisy, tell me that you’re teasing me. I am too young to be a grandmother, and you are way too young to be a mother.” I burst out, turning to face my only daughter.

“I am sorry, Mom, but it’s not a joke. I didn’t plan it this way as I planned to graduate and go to college, but all that has changed now.”

“Oh no, you are still going to graduate from high school, and perhaps we can work it out for you to go to college as well. You need your education. You know your father isn’t going to take this well at all.”

“I didn’t plan it this way, Mom, believe me, but I am so excited about it. Surely, you can talk Dad into accepting the news, too. I don’t know how I can go to school in this condition.”

While waiting for my husband to come home from work, I called the school guidance counselor and talked about my daughter’s condition and the fact that we wanted her to graduate with her class in June. I was told about the school’s program for pregnant teenagers and that Daisy would be eligible.

“Daisy, I talked to your guidance counselor and he told me about the school’s program for pregnant teenagers to get home tutors so they can still graduate with their class. You are now enrolled in that program and I expect your father would agree with the program as well, although I am sure he will not be happy about this situation you have found yourself in.”

Just then, her father entered the house. I called him into Daisy’s bedroom and told him that Daisy had some news.

“Dad, I am two months pregnant, and I didn’t mean for it to happen, but I guess the condoms didn’t work. I want this baby, and Mom found out I can still graduate from high school with my class.”

“What?” Roger Clement shouted at Daisy and then slid a look over to me. “I thought you put her on birth control. We talked about this.”

“I did, Roger, but the first appointment I could get her was in 3 months. I can’t help it if she couldn’t wait. At least she can still graduate high school, although I don’t know what this will do to her college plans.”

“No!” Roger yelled at the two of us. “This is not acceptable. She is too young to have a child, and my colleagues at work will give me grief about this situation. You will have to get rid of the baby. Either by adoption or an abortion. I don’t care which, but you are not having a baby out of wedlock.”

“I will not give up my baby,” Daisy shouted, tears streaming down her face. I am excited about this even though I hadn’t planned on having a baby so young. I really did want to go to college first before I had a child, but I am already in love with this baby and will not give it up, do you hear me?”

Roger looked at me and told me that I had better fix this situation. He was not happy with things as they were.

“I am sorry, Roger, but she is going on the school’s teenage pregnancy program and will have a home tutor so she can graduate high school with her class. They also told me that once she was released to return to school, there would be a program so that all the new mothers can tell their peers just how hard it is being a teenage mother and go to school. I don’t agree with you about the adoption or abortion if that is not what Daisy wants. We will have our first grandchild in 7 months, and I don’t know how you can be so hard-hearted. That’s our flesh and blood.”

“Fine,” Roger shouted at the two of them. “But don’t expect me to help support this child.”

I turned to Daisy. “He’ll come around eventually. Don’t worry about it, but you will have to go to work to bring in an income once the child is born. The baby’s father can care for the child when he is not working. If you both are working, I will fill in when needed, but I expect the two of you to bring in an income for this baby’s needs, and once you graduate high school, you will either have to pay rent or find your own place. You can only stay here free while you finish school. I hope you understand the seriousness of this matter. Having a baby is no joke and will require you to take responsibility for its care.”

Tessa

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.wordpress.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.wordpress.com

THE PROMPT

Take an opening line from a book you love and rewrite it to create a similar, but different opening for your story

THINGS TO CONSIDER

“Nice dress. Take it off. I want to see what’s under the outer wrapping,” my boyfriend, Carl, watched me without blinking.

“I bought this dress just for you,” I was blushing at his open admiration as I peeled the dress over my head leaving me in my lacy lingerie, also bought just for him.

Just then, my mother and father walked in the door without knocking. I grabbed the dress and ran for our bedroom. I can’t even seduce my boyfriend in my own house without my parents interrupting.

Tessa

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.wordpress.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.wordpress.com

THE PROMPT

Correct an injustice in a story someone else wrote (Fan Fiction)

THINGS TO CONSIDER

I haven’t read Cinderella in about 40 or so years and it is possible that some of the original story has leaked into this piece I wrote. I don’t feel like reading it to see what the actual story was. Hopefully some of the story is my piece and not just the story told in a slightly different way.

**********

Cinderella was lost in thought, the sponge in her hand dangling above the dirty water bucket. She was dressed in her normal attire of rags, as her evil stepsisters made sure they gave her all their hand-me-down clothing that was many sizes too large for her as she was very petite. The clothing was also worn out, and they always made sure to cut each piece up before passing it down to her to wear. They ensured she had nothing nice to wear, so she rarely left the house. She was essentially a prisoner in her own home. 

The sisters, consumed by jealousy, were still trying to unravel the mystery of how Cinderella managed to obtain that exquisite dress and attend the ball. Had they known she had a means to get there, they would have gone to great lengths to keep her away. They couldn’t bear the thought of anyone recognizing Cinderella’s beauty, which they begrudgingly admitted was superior to their own. This jealousy fueled their mistreatment of Cinderella, as there was no love lost between them.

As Cinderella was daydreaming about the fun she had last night dancing with the most handsome man, the sisters burst into the room, their voices filled with excitement. Now was their chance, as the prince was making his way from house to house, trying on the glass slipper that had been left by Cinderella as she rushed out of the ball. He would marry whatever girl the slipper fit perfectly, and they were determined to be that girl. 

They were rushing to bathe and get dressed in their best finery to be ready for the prince’s visit. They noticed Cinderella sitting there in their bathroom, daydreaming. “Get up and finish up the cleaning in here. We need to get ready,” the sisters barked at her.

She finished cleaning and turned to leave. “By the way,” Anastasia said, “you need to stay outside in the garden this afternoon from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM and do not show your face at all. The prince is stopping to see us, but you are not welcome. Besides, you look absolutely filthy and horrible.”

Cinderella headed for her room, tears streaming down her face. She was the girl the slipper fit, and it should have been her meeting with the prince, but her horrible stepsisters were determined to keep her from even getting a chance to try the slipper on.

Looking at the clock, she headed out to the garden. It was at the side of the house, and she could see the prince when he rode up to their door. She wanted to call out to him, but her stepsisters had warned her about interfering in their visit.

She turned around and started to weed the flower bed at her side. She cried quietly. She could hear her stepsisters yelling at the prince to keep trying to put the slipper on, as it had to fit. It was one of theirs, they insisted, although it couldn’t belong to both of them anyhow. That didn’t stop them from trying to jam their foot in the slipper. 

“I am sorry, but the slipper doesn’t fit either of you. Are there any more young ladies in this household?” the prince asked.

“No, these are my only two daughters,” their mother said. “I am sure if you try again, you will see that the slipper fits one of them.

“It is obvious the slipper doesn’t fit either of them. I am sorry, but I have to leave now. I have other young women to speak to.” The prince turned to leave. As he headed out the front door, he heard someone crying in the side garden. He headed toward the sound and found a young girl weeding the garden. She was beautiful despite her dirty face and clothes. He pulled the slipper out of the box and asked to try it on her. 

Cinderella stopped crying and removed the old shoe from her foot. Just then, her stepmother came running around the side of the house and said, “Don’t put that on her. There was no way she was at the ball last night she is just the maid here.” Cinderella gasped.

The prince paid her no mind and slipped the glass slipper onto her foot. It fit perfectly, and as the shoe made contact with her foot, the fairy Godmother appeared. She tapped her wand on Cinderella’s shoulder, and Cinderella appeared in the beautiful ball gown with the other shoe on her foot. 

“It is you,” the prince exclaimed. “You will be my princess. Come with me now. I will provide everything you need. You are nobody’s maid.” He silenced the stepsisters and their mother. “You should be ashamed of yourselves. Lying to me like that. She was here all along and should have had her chance to try on the slipper. I wanted every female in the kingdom to try on the shoe. I have found her now despite your spitefulness.”

Cinderella smiled, and she happily followed the prince to his carriage, where he helped her aboard. The fairy Godmother smiled happily at the couple before disappearing.

Tessa

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.wordpress.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.wordpress.com

THE PROMPT

Rewrite a story that you wrote over the past few weeks

THINGS TO CONSIDER

**********

Old Story: (see the new story below in new POV)

Arlene panicked when she realized she had sent the text to her boss, rather than to her boyfriend. She tried to think if she could possibly unsend the text, but she wasn’t very smart when it came to smart phones and didn’t know if it was possible to unsend or not.

Her boss texted her back almost immediately. Her face turned ashen, pale, almost colorness if that is possible in her embarrassment. She was terrified to open the text.

She had mistakenly sent her boss the text meant for her boyfriend David. The text contained a nude picture of her taken in a moment when she wasn’t thinking clearly. He had always begged her to send him nude pictures in return for some of him. She had always refused and didn’t think it was appropriate. Now in her haste at his begging for one she had mistakenly sent the text including the nude picture to her boss. She could only imagine what he was thinking right now and here was a text from him that she was terrified to open.

Arlene needed her job and she was almost positive her boss was firing her. After all he was married and had never even hinted that he might be interested in her and she could only imagine what he must be thinking right now.

She moved to open the text and get it over with. She could hardly believe what she was reading. Mr. Connelly had written back just a quick message. “Just say when, baby!”

He wasn’t firing her, but he obviously expected her to sleep with him. Now what?

NEW STORY:

Aaron Connelly heard the beep on his cell phone signaling a new text. He wasn’t expecting a text from his employee, Arlene. This was out of character for her. She just did her work and kept to herself.

He opened the text and stared in surprise. She had sent him a nude picture of herself. He felt himself getting excited and while he was surprised to see the picture, he was interested. His wife didn’t have to know about it. She was busy with her own life.

He quickly texted her back, “Just say when, baby!” and waited for her response with anticipation.

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.wordpress.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.wordpress.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.wordpress.com

THE PROMPT

Write a story in a cypher: where the first word of each sentence is the REAL message.

As an alternative to this you might try Grant Faulkner’s prompt from a StoryADay 2022…

**********

I chose the second choice of using A-Z.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

**********

Advancing to the head of the line soon I hope.

Been waiting in line for what seems like hours.

Cats and dogs running loose, looking for food.

Daring the people in line to yell at them.

Eating some snacks while we wait.

Fearing the concert will be canceled.

Groping in my pocket to make sure I have the tickets.

Handing Joey his ticket so I won’t lose it.

Instantly he grabbed it and checked the time.

Just as I thought, he said.

Knew you had the wrong time.

Loser, he said, we are late and at the end of the line.

My mouth dropped open, fearing he was right.

Now what, the good seats will be gone.

Only you could be late every time, he said.

People ahead of us are waiting patiently.

Queued, not at all bothered by the wait.

Raising our voices so we could hear each other.

Should have stayed home since we will be last inside.

Thanks a lot Amy, Joey sputters out.

Useless criticism as I will never change.

Vacations with you never go as planned he said.

Why do you come with me then?

‘xpectations that you will change one of these days.

Yes we are finally moving.

Zooming to the entrance finally.

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.wordpress.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.wordpress.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.wordpress.com

THE PROMPT

Write a flash fiction story. Limit it to 1000 words. Your character finds and everyday object that changes their understanding of their past.

**********

Not sure this is what the prompt was asking for, but it will have to do.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

**********

Jane strode into her grandmother’s bedroom, her steps echoing her determination. The rumor was that she had kept a diary, and Jane was determined to find it. She had many questions about the family that needed answering since her friends were asking her about her grandmother’s life. Jane had been complaining about never meeting her grandmother, and they fired up her enthusiasm to learn more about her. Her mother refused to talk about her. She said they weren’t on great terms at the end of her grandmother’s life, and she didn’t want to talk about it, and it wasn’t any of Jane’s business.

Jane couldn’t understand why her mother was so secretive, but one day, her mother slipped and told her that her grandmother was always writing in a diary. Jane made it her quest to find the diary if possible. She hoped to learn more about her somehow.

She looked under the pillow, which was a very obvious place to hide a diary. Everyone would look there first. Of course, it wasn’t there. 

She then tried under the mattress, and again, no sign of a diary. Now, in the dim light, a shadow of doubt crept in. Where would she hide it if not in the places everyone thinks to look first? She looked around the room again. 

As she scanned the room, she saw a jewelry box perched on top of a chest of drawers. Intrigued, she made her way to it and lifted the lid. Among the glimmering jewels, her fingers brushed against something flat and leathery. She pulled out a small book. The book that would soon change her understanding of her past, she hoped.

Upon opening the book, she found what looked to be cursive writing in a long flowing script. This had to be the elusive diary.

She took the book to the lounge and settled down to read it. Her grandmother had died not long after her 5th birthday, so they never had a relationship, and she always felt sorry for herself when her friends would talk about their grandparents.

Maybe this book would tell her something that would answer some of her questions, but if her grandmother had been writing in a diary all her life, she would have many of these books lying around. Perhaps in the attic, Jane thought. And who knew which book would contain the information she sought? 

On page one, she saw the book’s starting date—the year she died. This must be the last one she kept. She scanned the entries quickly and found they abruptly stopped the day before her death.

She went to page one and began to read. Her grandmother talked about the estrangement between her mother and herself. She wanted a relationship with her daughter, but her daughter, Jane’s mother, refused to allow her into her life. Her grandmother seemed to have overstepped her bounds and tried to tell her daughter how to raise her child, and that was unforgivable, according to Jane’s mother. She knew what was best for her child. 

She mentioned several confrontations between the two and then the day her mother told her mother to butt out of her life, and if she didn’t stop it, she would make her find another place to stay. Jane couldn’t imagine being estranged from her mother for any reason. 

Her grandmother mentioned that the friends she grew up with had started to come around, and they were talking about where they had all grown up in a local orphanage. Jane was surprised to find out that her grandmother had been an orphan. She wondered if her mother knew about it. Maybe she would have felt differently if she had known her mother had been an orphan. Obviously, her grandmother didn’t want anyone to know, and these friends pressed her to tell others about her life in the orphanage. The pressure from these women must have brought on her anxiety that had sprung up during the days before the car accident that took her life. 

Jane hopped up from the lounge, clutching the book, and went searching for her mother. She found her in the kitchen making dinner. 

“Mom, I found grandmother’s diary, which says she grew up in an orphanage. Did you know this? That must have been horrible for her.”

“What are you talking about, Jane? My mother had a family. She never mentioned being in an orphanage. Although I never did meet her parents, who would have been my grandparents. Maybe she did grow up in an orphanage. Oh I had been so horrible to her. I never should have forced her to stay away from you. I thought she was just a busybody who didn’t think I knew how to raise a child on my own and here she had no one to help her. I can’t even ask her for forgiveness now. What have I done?”

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.wordpress.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.wordpress.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.wordpress.com

THE PROMPT

Write a Hermit Crab story – that is a story which is told in another form. Write a story about a character who has just received some unexpectedly good news.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

**********

Susie stared unbelievingly at the small stick in her hand. She wasn’t completely shocked at the results because, let’s face it, the symptoms were all there. She felt her breakfast begin to rise in her throat, and she ran to the bathroom just in time. She vomited her breakfast as she did each and every morning. 

After cleaning herself up, she returned to the small stick and decided to do another test. She had been trying to get pregnant again for years, and she simply couldn’t believe she might finally be pregnant with her second child. She definitely felt pregnant; she remembered the horrible morning sickness from before. She quit eating breakfast for months until the morning sickness had finally stopped. Thankfully, it was only three months out of her life.

The pregnancy test came with two tests. She opened the second test, repeated the steps, and ended by peeing on the stick. She anxiously waited for the result. The second test also showed up positive. 

She was very excited and called her husband at work and told him. She couldn’t wait for him to come home. He was surprised but happy. He knew this meant a lot to Susie, and he was ready for a new baby as well.       

Next on her list to call was her mother. She knew her mother would be happy to be a new grandmother again. This would be her second grandchild, as her siblings hadn’t started having children yet. She concluded the conversation and ended up running to the bathroom yet again to vomit. This was her least favorite part of being pregnant. 

After cleaning herself up, she ate some crackers in an effort to stop the morning sickness. She prepared herself to call her doctor to make an appointment. She knew he would have to verify the test results, but she was fairly confident now that she was indeed pregnant.       

Tessa – 

Advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses

New Author’s Website – http://www.tessadeanauthor.wordpress.com

Author – Old Writing –  http://www.finallyawriter.wordpress.com

About my life –  http://www.tessacandoit.wordpress.com