Monthly Prompt Post - May '18 « Writing « Forum

Monthly Prompt Post - May '18

Deadline: May 31st

idk, make my rank something about the Shenmue's sock drawer

Welcome to May of 2018! Today I am happy to present to you another edition of Monthly Prompt Post! Hoorah!

The idea is simple. I give you a prompt, and you give me a story. The story can be about the Mother series or something completely original, as well as everything in between! Get your story done on time and you will receive this wonderful badge.

In addition, we now have upgrade badges! Your badge will change the more you participate!

For participating five times, you get this baby!

Ten time participation will upgrade to this!

I want to throw yet another upgrade badge into the mix!
For anyone who participates a whopping TWENTY times will get this wonderful badge:

I hope you guys are excited!

You can check the link below to see how many times you’ve participated thus far. If you notice a mistake, just let me know.
(If you happen to already be due for a badge upgrade, let me know because I am probably not going to give badges for inactive users unless requested)

There are a few rules:

Your story must be at least 500 words in length (this does not include the title’s of stories and must be full words. Any words being spaced out for the flavor of the story will not be included in the word count.)
Your story must be proofread for spelling and grammar errors. Small errors are fine, but avoid them if at all possible.
You may interpret the prompt any way you like, but it must be an identifiable influence in your story – you can’t just stick in the prompt randomly.
Please don’t reuse stories from the past just because they fit the prompt. This event is about practicing and giving yourself a reason to write, after all!
You can submit as many stories as you want, but keep in mind, only one counts toward participation that month.
All other forum rules apply

Breaking these rules will result in you not receiving a badge.

New prompts will be released on the 1st of each month. The deadline is is on the last day of the month, so get these entries in by May 31st, 11:59PM

This month’s prompt is: Books

Also, I urge you to consider writing a something relating to the Mother-series. Doing so would qualify you to win the Fanfiction of the Month and get another nifty badge! Your work will also be added to Starmen’s archive!

To see if you qualify for an upgrade, check the list below. If you did a prompt, but do not see your entry on the list, it may be because you did not meet the requirements. However, if you are sure that you did, just let me know!

Even if you have already received a badge, I urge you to participate anyway, not only for upgrades, but for the experience as well! Also, consider reviewing other’s entries; I am sure the author’s would appreciate some feedback, even if it is just a few nice words! (These reviews can count toward the Review Badge, by the way!)
Now, show me what you can do!

Because the character limit cannot possibly handle all the work you guys have done, I have moved the participation count to its own separate thread to avoid cluttering the thread. You can view your progress here.

Struthio Camelus

“Your mother says you’re doing well in classes.” The old man flashed Iris a glance through his square-framed lenses, then smiled. It was almost difficult to see his face through all the dust in the air. At the bookstore, it was a bit musty, with the scent of yellowing paper wafting all over the building. It was a tolerable odor, one that Iris had grown comfortable with. It enveloped her, a blanket of familiarity, just like the purple jacket she always wore.

There were no uniforms to be worn at a small corner business like this one. Besides, if she put on any other clothes, others might’ve taken more than a second to recognize her.

“Yeah, I’m doing alright. Thanks.” Iris didn’t really want to go on that topic, but she didn’t want to offend Hodge, either. He was one of her mother’s church buddies. Well, and her boss.

They stood in silence for a bit more. The store was devoid of customers, and they lingered, stickering old paperbacks that’d been donated the day before.

“Um…” Iris wasn’t sure if she wanted to know the answer, but she asked anyway. “What else did she tell you?”

“Only good things,” Hodge said. And then, more silence. Every once in a while, there’d be the roar of a truck engine outside. Maybe a few chirping birds here and there. But always the people, silently strolling along the sidewalks of this small town. They’d peek through the bookstore’s smudged glass. Iris recognized each of their faces, but she couldn’t quite think of all their names.

Hodge finished slapping labels on a stack of dusty books. With a grunt, the old man hoisted them up, tossing the pile on a cart. He wheeled them away without another word. Hodge would be putting them on the shelf now, where anyone would be free to see them.

Books. Iris eyed her own collection. With dull rhythm, she’d take a sticker, put it on the front cover, and move on to the next. Stories upon stories upon stories. They were all here, words engraved into paper, and no eraser could smudge them away. Immortalized retellings, stacked up on displays like dominoes. They were vaults of knowledge and happenings, things once trapped inside a single person’s head.

But once they came out, everyone could know. Or — even worse — everyone would know.

More pedestrians, sauntering by the storefront. Some merely glanced. One turned and waved, grinning, but Iris hadn’t figured out who it was.

They couldn’t know. No, if they knew her dark little secret, what would happen to all those anonymous smiles and hellos? They’d fade away, deteriorating to scowls. And then she’d be an outsider, someone wishing they could simply be normal.

Well, the more Iris thought about it, the more she realized that’s exactly what she already was.

She moved her hand, mindlessly stickering, but the labels had run out. Her stack of books, too, was complete. No longer could she keep them to herself. It was time to put them on the shelf.

Still lingering. Still writing.
EarthBound: Faraway Skies
MOTHER: Origins

idk, make my rank something about the Shenmue's sock drawer

“When there are agonizing screams ripping your sanity to threads, do not be fooled. I have learned silence is non-existential. I am”…

I scribbled into the small book, quickly placing the words in my head onto paper so I had proof of their existence. I breathed heavily, trying to calm my nerves, but of course, the effort was futile.

I really don’t see the point in doing that, the figure on my bed sighed, looking at the objects in my hand and shaking her head in disapproval. It seems like a waste of time to me. Who are you even writing this for?

“I don’t know,” I muttered softly. “For myself, maybe?”

Are you writing down your teenage angst for future pleasure?

I huffed, “I wish I could chalk this up to just being young, angry, and naive.”

The girl laughed heartily.

Yeah, I bet you do.

“I’ve looked back at older entries. I still feel the same way I did then.”

Is that so?

She plucked the book from my hands without much resistance and scanned through the pages. I just watched her.

Man, it would suck if anyone saw this, she expressed, continuing to flip through the book’s contents. You sound like a nut case.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “I can’t dispute that.”

What, you’ve come to terms with it?

“It’s not like I can deny it,” I shrugged, falling back onto the bed and closing my eyes for a long moment. “Despite my best efforts, you won’t go away. I’ve nearly gone deaf trying to block it all out and that’s gotten me nowhere.”

It sure sounds like you’re giving up.

“I wouldn’t say that. More like I’m not going to waste my time hoping things will change.”

You’ve gotten more pessimistic.

“You think?”

She continued to look through the book, slowly glancing over the hastily written words.

Your entries recently lead me to believe you are giving up, she spoke softly, not taking her dark eyes off the paper.

“No, it’s not like that,” I explained. “If anything, it’s just a reminder of the curse I was dealt with. Despite how I feel, there can be no outcome.”

She raised her head from the book and slowly turned toward me, her lips pursed into a twisted smile, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Hell, you’re a total masochist, aren’t you?

“Am I?”

How much longer do you think you can hold on?

“I don’t really think there’s anything left to hold on to.”

Why do you say that?

“There’s nothing there.”

You don’t even rely on the sense of pain anymore…

“Why would I?”

Living things bleed .

“Exactly.”

She cocked her head up and cackled loudly, filling the room with laughter that only seemed to amplify. I breathed deeply and closed my eyes once more.

You poor cursed being! What must it be like to want something so much and despite long reaching for it, you’ll never be granted pardon! Oh, how little do those power-starved people know!

“Careful, your crazy is rearing its ugly head again,” I pointed out, but this only made her erupt into laughter once again.

“empty."

Site Projects: AVATAR/RANK GUIDE / BADGE OWNER’S GUIDE! / FANWORK ARCHIVE
Personal Projects: Video Game Merch Database
~ living each day for her ~

Starmen.Net

Writing