It’s once again time for my Story of Starter prompt.
Here’s how it works. Every so often I’m going to give you a “teaser” sentence or sentence fragment and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to build a story (prose or poetry) around that sentence/fragment. It doesn’t have to be the first sentence in your story, and you don’t even have to use it in your post at all if you don’t want to. The purpose of the teaser is to spark your imagination and to get your storytelling juices flowing.
This week’s Story Starter teaser is:
Steven had a bad day and just needed something to make him feel better.
If you care to write and post a story built from this story starter teaser, be sure to link back to this post and tag your post with #FSS. I would also encourage you to read and enjoy what your fellow bloggers do with their stories.
The train clattered along the tracks The children were happy as can be Cheering and screaming with excitement As the train made a big figure eight Around the whole amusement park Some parents squeezed into the small seats To ride the train with their kids Others stood on the sidelines Waving and snapping photos on their smartphones Creating forever memories etched In the minds of both young and old As the train clattered along the tracks
Written for Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Story Starter Saturday Mix. Photo credit: adventurecity.com
Gary pushed “send” on the email and hoped for the best.
Satisfied, he put down his smartphone, went to the refrigerator, pulled out a bottle of Corona Light, and sat down on his sofa, feeling like he accomplished what he set out to do. After all, it was Saturday, and his response would be the first one his boss would get, giving him a leg up on his coworkers. He was confident that they would all wait until the end of the day on Monday to get their responses in, since that was the deadline their boss had set in his email.
Gary opened up his second bottle of beer when his phone rang. The name on the phone’s screen was that of David Winthrop, his coworker and friend. Gary accepted the call and said, “Hey Dave, how’s it hanging?”
“Things are good Gary, thanks for asking,” David said. “Hey buddy, I just wanted to thank you for giving us a sneak peak at your response to the boss’s request for efficiency ideas he asked us to come up with. You had a few really good ones in there and I hope you don’t mind my borrowing some of them.”
“Wait,” Gary said, “What are you talking about? How did you get that document, Dave? I sent it to our boss, not to you or anyone else.”
“Gary, Gary, Gary,” David said. “Sorry, old pal, but you tapped “Send All” instead of “Send,” so the whole distribution list got your email with your attached document. Be more careful next time, buddy.”
Written for Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Story Starter Saturday Mix. Photo credit: getfxhere.com
She threw back the glass of wine and stormed out of the room.
“Sharon wait!” Nick called out as he ran after her. He finally caught up with her on the street just outside the restaurant and touched her shoulder.
Sharon spun around so she was facing Nick. Looking directly into his eyes, she said, “What? There’s nothing left to say, is there, Nick?” Sharon tried not to cry but her eyes started to well over. “We’ve been together for almost a year and a half and I was expecting an engagement ring. I was not prepared for you to announce that we need to take a break from each other.”
“It’s not that I don’t love you,” Nick said. “I do with all my heart. But I think the prudent thing for us to do as a couple is to take a few months off so we can make sure this is what we both want.”
“The prudent thing to do? Are you serious, Nick?” Sharon said. “Well, if you’re not sure whether or not you want to marry me, then by all means, take as much time as you need to consider your options. But just so you know, this option,” Sharon said, pointing to herself with her thumb, “is off the table.” And for the second time in five minutes, Sharon turned around and stormed away.
Written for Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Story Starter Saturday Mix. Photo credit: inspirationalblog.com
Like I told the officer, Detective, there was no way he was doing it. And that was that, I thought. Things weren’t great between them; she was beginning to grate on his nerves. Then he called me yesterday and told me about her ultimatum. I asked him what he was going to do and he said he was going to let her expire. “Her,” not “it.”
(Exactly 66 words)
Written for Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Story Starter Saturday Mix, where the story starter is “There was no way he was doing it. And that was that…”
In a fit of rage, she smashed her champagne glass on the marble floor and stared defiantly at him.
“What the hell, Caroline?” Marcus asked. “What is your problem?”
“My problem is that you’re flirting with every woman at this party,” Caroline said. “Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?”
“Flirting? Caroline, this is a party of people I work with. I’m not flirting, I’m just talking, socializing, being friendly,” Marcus said. “This is what normal people do at parties. Even married couples. We came here together. We’ll be leaving together. Please don’t let your insecurities and jealousy ruin this party for both of us.”
“Well how would you like it if I started throwing myself at other men, hanging all over them, giving them that come hither look?”
“Go ahead and do what you want to do, Caroline,” Marcus said. “Laugh and sing, have fun. But while we’re apart, don’t give your heart to anyone. If someone asks you if you’re alone and wants to take you home, say no. Remember, it’s me who will be taking you home and in whose arms you’re gonna be, so, my darling, save the last dance for me.”
Written for Mindlovemisory Story Starter Saturday Mix. Image credit: Leonardo.Ai.
The couch sagged sadly in the middle and groaned as he eased his heavy frame into it. It was never Arnold’s intent to live out the rest of his life as a couch potato, but after his wife, his soulmate, died last year, he lost all motivation to go out and do things. He’d rather binge-watch old TV shows and wait for death to reunite him with his bride.
He popped open a beer, grabbed the remote, and searched for Breaking Bad. Ah, it’s on Netflix. “Good,” he said. “No commercials.”
(Exactly 91 words)
Written for Sammi Cox’s Weekend Writing Prompt, where the challenge is “intent” in exactly 91 words. Also for Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Story Starter Saturday Mix, where the opening sentence is “The couch sagged sadly in the middle and groaned as he eased his heavy frame into it.”Image credit: Bing Image Creator.
“Damn it,” she thought, as the heel on her shoe snapped clean off. This was supposed to be Sally’s big opportunity. She’d been working so hard, and waiting so long for this day to come. But things couldn’t be going any worse. Her flight to Chicago was delayed. By the time it landed at O’Hare, four more inches of snow had fallen and taxis stopped picking up arriving passengers and taking them into the city. She had no choice but to take the subway, and even that was delayed.
If all had gone according to plan, Sally would have arrived in plenty of time to get to her room, freshen up, and pull herself together for her lunch interview. But as it was, she was already 40 minutes late for the noon meeting, and now she had to change her outfit to something more casual because the only pair of high heels she brought on this trip were useless. At least she packed another somewhat business-appropriate outfit with her, and not just a sweatshirt and jeans.
Sally had texted Beth, the woman she was meeting for lunch, letting her know that her flight was delayed. Beth texted Sally back and said she’d meet her at the hotel restaurant at 2:00.
At 2:00 sharp, Sally walked into the hotel restaurant. She told the hostess who she was there to meet and was escorted to Beth’s table. “I’m so sorry I’m late,” Sally apologized. “Between the weather, the flight delay, and having my heel break when I got to the hotel, it’s been a trying day.”
“Listen, Sally,” Beth said, “I’m looking for the kind of woman who can roll with the punches and who jumps right back up after being knocked down. Your day hasn’t gotten off to a good start, but you made it here and that’s the important thing. So let’s talk about the job opportunity how we can make it work for both of us.”
Written for the Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Saturday Mix Story Starter prompt, where the story starter is “Damn it,” she thought, as the heel on her shoe snapped clean off. Photo credit: iStockPhoto.com.
This was the last game of the season for his team and Archie knew that a handful of college scouts would in the stands. All he needed to do was to distinguish himself as the great defensive back he knew he was and he was sure that scholarship offers would be heading his way.
But the game was in the middle of the third quarter already and, so far, the other team’s quarterback had been damn near perfect, never missing his targeted receiver. If anything, he was making Archie look bad.
Still, Archie fully expected that at some point, the opposing team’s quarterback was bound to throw a stinker that Archie could pick off and maybe even run back for a touchdown. As the fourth quarter was about to start, however, he knew his opportunity to shine was running out of time.
And then it happened. The quarterback was forced out of the pocket and had to make a rushed pass on the run. Archie immediately saw that this was a pass that he could intercept. Things seemed to be happening in slow motion for Archie. He had the time to follow the ball’s inflight trajectory and to plan out precisely when to time his jump.
That instant finally came and Archie leaped into the air and grabbed at the football with fervor. It was in his grasp and all he had to do was tighten his fingers around the ball to secure it. Archie was so sure that he’d be able to successfully complete the interception that he started to focus on his path to the end zone once he came down with the ball in his grip.
The realization, as Archie’s feet were about to once again make contact with the ground after his spectacular leap, that the ball had slipped through his fingers and had fallen harmlessly onto the field for an incompleted pass, rather than the magnificent interception that would turn the game around and make Archie a hero, was devastating.
Poor Archie didn’t receive any calls from college scouts after that game. But Archie did learn from that game the truth of the old adage about not counting your chickens before they hatch.
Written for Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Story Starter — Saturday Mix, where the story starter is: Archie leaped into the air and grabbed at it with fervor… I didn’t start my story with that line, but I did incorporate it and built the story around it.
Bella barked furiously, as simultaneously, a knock rapped at the front door. I looked at my doorbell camera on my iPhone and saw that the guy from DoorDash had left a bag with my dinner right outside my front dog. As I played the 30 second recording, I saw that he had placed the bag outside the door and knocked once until he heard Bella’s barking. Then he turned around and ran back to his car about as fast as I’d ever seen any delivery person retreat to his or her vehicle.
Maybe it was the sign on the door that said “Beware of Dog.” Or maybe it was her loud, deep, menacing barking that anyone approaching the house heard. It was indeed a frighten bark.
What nobody knows is that Bella is a sweetheart. All she wants to do is jump up on visitors and lick them. She wouldn’t hurt a fly. On the other hand no one would know that to look at her. She is an American Staffordshire Terrier — a close relative of the American Pit Bull — and is 70 ponds of pure muscle.
And Bella is a great guard dog!
Written for the Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Story Starter Saturday Mix. The story starter this week is the opening sentence in red.
Facts, Fictions & Fantasies 