Pick a door. Any door, as long as you realize the consequences of that choice. For once you step inside, there is no turning back.
How brave are you? How will you survive? The worlds beyond are nothing like the mortal world. The creatures within do not obey our rules, follow our laws. They have their own rules and laws that will seem strange and harsh to our delicate sensibilities. Kill or be killed, a delicacy to be savored or discarded as they see fit. Fantastical beasts who guard their realms and treasures with zealous glee.
Pick a door, but I caution you to pick wisely because there is a catch. What ever realm you choose is what you will become now and forever more. Go ahead. Reach out, wrap your fingers around the ancient orb, give it a twist and step into a realm where mischief and mayhem reign supreme, and your life will never be the same.
This prompt is from a the author Kellie Elmore. She writes some pretty amazing poetry. You might want to look her up on Amazon. Every Friday she used to put up a prompt for those of us who loved a challenge. Many short stories, poems and one actual novel has been born during Kellie’s Free Write Friday’s. (FWF) After a hiatus she has once again began posting prompts for FWF. YEAH! This is the first one. If you would like to join or read past FWF (yes, even mine are there) please click here. As for now, here is the prompt and then my contribution. I hope you enjoy.
Source: We Heart It
Memory Prompt:
Write about your earliest memory. Good, bad, happy or sad. Before you begin, take time to dwell in that memory. Absorb everything you can about it. What you see, what you smell, what you hear and mostly, how you feel. Let it resonate. Marinate your mind in that one moment. Then begin.
I had just turned two the month before. I stood at the window of my maternal grandmother’s house waiting for my paternal grandmother to bring my mom home and bring my new baby sister. I had the perfect view of the sidewalk that connected the house to the garage and the driveway. I remember being really excited and that it seemed to take forever! Then they were here! I ran out the door and down the sidewalk to meet them halfway. I had a sister! The next memory I have is of sitting on my grandmother’s green couch and my mom putting my new sister in my lap. Once she was settled, my sister took a hold of my finger and refused to let go. She had a pretty strong grip for someone so small.
Give me time
to unlock what has been
closed for so long.
Hidden behind a door
thick and impenetrable.
Emotions locked away
kept safe from
those who wish me harm.
Teach me to trust
with senses dulled from pain.
Show me love
in its truest form
and maybe then
my heart will open
once more.
This is a freewrite from the website Writing Outside the Lines. If you would like to see other submissions or try it out yourself go to this link. This week’s is a word bank and I love word banks. I never know what will come if it.
Out there, somewhere, was my freedom. I didn’t know how it would come, or when, just that it would. How many years had I been trapped here, trying to escape a destiny I did not want. Too many. I wanted to leave in the worst way, but they would find me if I did. That was the last thing any of us wanted, because if they found me they would find them and then all the years of fighting, of searching for the answer that would free us would have been wasted. I had to wait here and be patient like I was asked me to.
So I sat here, night after night staring out into the dark sky that held my freedom and waited.
A voice whispered in the night at the edge of my conscious, begging me to listen. The harder I strained the more the words slipped away. A sudden foreboding consumed me. Something was not right. I stood, the blanket that I had wrapped around me to ward off the early spring chill pooled in the dirt at my feet. They had found me! How I had no idea because this planet was well protected with a strange anomaly that was part of the middle of the universe. A left over of the beginning of time, this planet was hidden from view from every known technology and from those that created it. A rare find in such a vast space.
Finally the words became clear, the voice so familiar, so much a part of me, that it made my knees week with longing. There was only one word and I heeded it without question.
“Run!”
Copyright 2016 Heidi Barnes
This is for a Free Write I participate in called Writing Outside the Lines. Go have a look and see if any strike your fancy and give it a try. It’s a lot of fun and helps clear your mind of the words that are bouncing around your head so you maybe can focus a little better. 🙂
Caius watched with mixed feelings as Kara lay over Tania’s broken body sobbing. On one hand this was his brother who lay on the cold hard earth covered in blood. On the other Kara was now free to be his. It sounded cold and uncaring, but their entire existence had been one cold and uncaring moment after the next. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. There were some moments where there had been warmth and laughter. Moments when the light out weighted the dark and Kara loved him as much as she loved his brother. But even then it had ended in tragedy. Instead of Kara leaning over Tanis’s cooling dead corpse, it had been his, and it was Tanis who had comforted Kara.
The thought of Kara in his brother’s arms did not bring the wave of jealousy that usually followed. Instead it only brought a sort of sadness that seeped into Caius’s bones and settled deep inside. This was not the first time they were at this time and space, and the Gods help them, it would not be the last. In fact, it was the Gods that had cursed them with this life. Life and death. Birth and rebirth. Over and over until one life blurred into another and they had lost count how many centuries had passed since the beginning of their existence. All so the universe could stay in existence and the inhabitants could continue their evolution until time itself had no meaning.
They had come to the end of this lifetime. One of them no longer existed, and the two that were left only had a finite amount of time to do what needed to be done before the others found them and started the cycle all over again. The hardest deaths were when it was Kara lying there. Though that had only happened once, that Caius could remember, once was enough. The black lash of that catastrophe had sent them millenniums back in time. There were still worlds in the outer regions that were still reeling from it.
Kara was the glue that kept everything together. The reason Tanis and Caius fought to own her heart. And once that fight was ended, the unrelenting jealousy that spurned them on disappeared. Jealousy, hatred, love, all rolled into one confusing emotion. How can one hate their brother as much as they loved them?
That was a discussion for another time. Now they had no time. Not if they wanted to end this vicious cycle of live and death they were trapped in.
“Kara,” he called softly, kneeling down beside her and gently placing his hand on her back. “We need to leave or there won’t be enough time.”
Lifting her head, she turned her blue eyes to Caius. The anguish in them tore at his heart. Forever in the middle, Kara was the one who suffered the most. It was the reason Caius was desperate to get her away from here. If they stayed too long, there would only be more misery to heap onto what was already burying them.
Intricate braids held her long brown hair away from her face. The rest cascaded down her back in thick curls. Her leather battle gear was splattered with the blood of Caius’s army and Tanis’s. She had fought bravely, but the exhaustion from the battle and the weight of their burden made her frightfully pale.
“Why?” she asked, her voice hoarse with her tears. “They will only find us and it will be far worse than if we just stay and wait for the enviable.”
“That is not true and you know it,” Caius snapped in frustration.
“Isn’t it? We have battled for our very existence, for the universes existence since the beginning of time. I for one am tired. Let them come. Then maybe I can sleep.”
Her voice and expression were so defeated that it frightened Caius. This was not the brave warrior that Caius knew Kara to be. Had the elders finally broken her? If they had, Caius would reign down his own kind of hell upon their heads for daring to hurt what he loved.
“You don’t meant that….”
Kara jumped to there feet and backed away from him. Anger and the horror of their lives rolling off her in waves.
“I can’t do this anymore!” she yelled. “Let them have me! I won’t play their sick game any longer!” Raising her arms to her sides and turning in a slow circle, she screamed to the heavens, “You hear me you cowards! I won’t fight your battles anymore!”
The sky grew dark. Thunder shook the ground beneath them as lightening streaked through the sky. The gods apparently did not appreciate being called cowards.
Caius jumped up and wrapped his arms round Kara, holding her close. “Kara! Shush!” he hissed.
“No!” she screamed struggling to get free of him, but Caius would not let go. “I will not stay quiet any longer!”
Another clap of thunder as a bolt of lightening struck right beside them, sending Caius and Kara flying through the air.
The sudden silence was deafening.
When Caius came to, the skies were filled with dark clouds and a light rain was falling, beginning the cleaning of the battle field. The sound of carrion fighting over corpses in growls, yips, squawks and screams that all blended in his mind spurring the headache into something epic. Every part of his body ached, the smell of burnt flesh permeated his senses, and yet for some reason he was still alive. What the hell had happened?
Among all the chaos, one thought broke through the pain and agony and sent his heart racing. Where was Kara?
After searching what seemed like an eternity, he found her lying in the mud at the edge of the battle field. Her clothes and skin were burnt along her back where the lightening bolt had struck. It was then that Caius realized that she had taken the brunt of the strike. It was the only explanation as to why he was still alive and she stared lifelessly into the sky.
Tears streaming down his face, Caius closed Kara’s eyes then gently picked her lifeless body and carried her to where Tanis lay. Lying her down next to his brother, he brushed the hair from her face, memorizing every feature to hold him over for what was to come. Leaning down he kissed her forehead before resting his cheek against hers.
“I promise you I will fix this,” he whispered in her ear. “When I see you again, I will fix this.”
With one last kiss, Caius, step back and disappeared from the field to a cave on a small planet that those who controlled their lives could not find him. Here would begin a quest that would lead him to places he never thought he would travel so he could save the one woman who owned his heart and the brother that owned hers. What he did not expect was how long it would take, and the demon he would awaken that wanted to destroy them all.
Colors, colors, colors. So many pretty colors, and each one has a specific meaning. The question is… which one would you choose?
Blue you can fly. Being afraid of heights that might pose a problem. Although I do fly in my dreams and that is pretty cool. Orange you can run at the speed of sound. Think of all the wonderful things you would miss. Yellow is the one everyone thinks about but is not too sure if it’s a good idea. The ability to read minds. Do you really want to know what others are thinking? I wouldn’t want you to know where my mind wanders. It can be a very scary place at times. Even for me. Pink gives the ability to heal. That would be cool. But think about it. If you could heal any non-fatal wound, and you were careful, couldn’t you live forever? Grey. The ability to move objects with your mind. Now that would be cool. Especially on those nights when I’m exhausted, I just settle myself down on the couch under my favorite fluffy blankie to watch my favorite show and realize the remote is out of reach. Whaalaa! It’s suddenly in my hot little hands. *sigh* Heaven! Purple. The ability to walk through walls. Well, you’d have to be careful with that one. What if you were ten stories up and you didn’t realize it was the outside wall and…. well, you get where this is going. Clean up on aisle 4! Green allows you to shapeshift. That could be cool if not a little painful. I can see it now. I shift into a great big snake and sneak up on my husband who is afraid of snakes and tap him on the shoulder with my tail. When he turns around I say, “Hellosssss.” He he he. That might get me the $10,000 on Funniest Home Videos! (Yes, I have been told I am evil. Muuaahhhaa! 😉 )
Last but not least, Red. The ability to turn invisible. Think of all you could hear, all you could do and no one would be the wiser. You would be the most sought after secret agent ever!
But which one to pick? Better yet…. why?
I guess for me it would Indigo, the ability to jump into a story and live it. Granted, some of them are pretty scary and the heroine or hero don’t have it very easy mentally or physically. But think of the ability to escape, to really escape. Isn’t that why we read? To escape into someone else life if only for a moment in time?
Did I just cheat the question? Probably. And maybe one of the colors above suits you better. Then again, I tend to escape into my own mind quite a bit and play with my imaginary friends, and the thought of actually doing that has always been a dream of mine.
So, which color would you choose?
Copyright 2015 Heidi Barnes
This is a free write prompt #21 from Writing Outside the Lines. Go give a look. Maybe you’ll find one to inspire you to write something.
Elusive as mist through the trees The more you reach The further it recedes. Memories of times gone by Happiness with sadness combined. These are what make me Who I am, Yet as time moves on The harder they are to retain. Help me remember, Don’t let me lose myself. For if I can’t remember who I am, How can I become the person That is me?
Copyright 2015 Heidi Barnes
The prompt if from Writing Outside the Lines #19. Go take a look at the other wonderful writings and maybe try out a few of the prompts. See where your muse takes you. 🙂
When I saw this picture I wondered why more people don’t have these qualities. The ability to love, have patience and understanding. See the beauty around us instead of all the ugliness. To be kind to others even though kindness may not be given. I realize that not everyone can have face every circumstance life throws at us with courage, and strength in any of those qualities can run out rather quickly. Lord knows my patience on some days is very thin, and there are times when forgiveness either takes a very long time or is non-existence.
Faith has many meanings and can be a fickle thing. I have faith that the human race can pretty much screw up anything. However, I also have faith that they can fix it. It may take a while, longer than most people would like, and we will fall on our collective faces numerous times on the way, but we will eventually get there. That is where the patience comes in. As far as Faith in whichever religion you may believe in, you know, it’s okay. As long as you don’t use it as an excuse to annihilate another because they don’t believe exactly the way you do, who am I to tell you how to believe? We should all have the freedom to choose, and to take that freedom away because they don’t see eye to eye with you, in my opinion, is wrong. (There is a can of worms I probably shouldn’t have open. *sigh* Oh well.)
I do want to say thank you to all those who serve in our military forces. Because of you, we have the freedom to live the way we want to, feel the way we want to, say the things we want to say without fear. Thank you for all you sacrifice to keep us safe.
I know I have left a few pieces out of this write. Maybe you can answer for yourself what you are passionate about and motivate yourself to follow that passion. I love to write. Have since I was 14. It’s helped me heal in a lot of ways. But it took a long time before I had the courage to allow others to read that writing. I guess the message here is never give up on your dream. It may take awhile, but eventually you’ll get there. (Huh. Guess I didn’t leave them out. 🙂 )
Cold
Clear
Cleansing
Washing away the dirt and grime
Washing away grief and pain
Laughter fills the air with glee
Tears of joy given merrily
I see your joy
I feel your pain
Know I will be with you
No matter what causes the rain
Spider webs glisten in the moonlight
Tales of woe and dark mysteries
Spin around the firelight.
Misty mountains call weary travelers
Come to my forest
Rest yourselves
Fear not the darkness or tales of plight.
I hear your voice
I see your burden,
Heavy with doubt and dread.
Come and I will chase away
Those who shall
Try to lead you astray.
Come to me
And know no fear.
Come to me
And all will be clear.
Spider webs glisten in the moonlight
Whispers of peace and contentment
Dance around the firelight.
The idea is to look at the picture and then write what comes to mind. This picture might give me a couple more poems because I love the color and the way the sun comes through the lace of the leaf, but for this Free Write the poem above is the one that popped into my head first.
If you would like to see others from Annie’s Writing Challenge click here and it will take you to this particular prompt. Then take a look around the site, read the other prompts and submissions and then, maybe, try one yourself. It doesn’t have to be a poem. It could very well be a memory you’d like to share, or maybe a short story, maybe even the start of a longer one. Lord knows it’s happened to me a couple of times. Ask Annie. I think I’ve left her hanging more than a few times. he he he
To See What I See 