Writing Prompt #7: Footprints in the Snow

Writing Prompt: The footprints in the snow suddenly stopped.

Amelia Lockhart giggled as she followed the light footprints through the snow. Sunlight gleamed through the bare trees, making the white world around her sparkle like the stars on a cloudless night. She stopped and looked all around. Her dark ringlets floated around her cherubic face.

"Jack," she called. "Jack, where are you?"

Laughter up ahead spurred her into motion. With another giggle, she took off towards her friend's laughter.

The footprints in the snow suddenly stopped. Again, Amelia stopped running and looked around. She squinted in the bright sunlight and propped her tiny fists on her hips.

"Jack! Come out right now, Mister, or I'm never playing with you again!"

Nearby, Jack Frost chuckled under his breath. Mia always said that to try to get him to come out of hiding because she always liked to win. Sometimes he let her. Most of the time, he never wanted their game to end. He watched now as Mia turned first left and then right, squinting hard. She looked directly at him, but the sunlight was so bright her little eyes couldn't see him. Jack lifted one hand and wiggled his fingers. Snow swirled all around her. Mia screamed.

"Jack, that isn't funny!"

Jack dropped his hand and the snow fell back to the ground. Mia sat on her bottom with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her small shoulders shook like she was crying. Jack studied her from his spot in the trees. She'd pulled this trick on him before; he had to be sure she was really upset this time. Her shoulders continued to shake. A faint sniffle reached his ears. Last time, she'd made a big production with her crocodile tears. His features softened and he stepped out from his hiding spot to go to her. Her head lifted as he knelt down next to her. His pale hand hovered over her shoulder and then dropped when she gave him her biggest smile.

"Got you again!" She squealed with laughter as Jack's slim fingers zeroed in on her sides to tickle her. Mia laughed out loud as she squirmed away from him, kicking up snow as she tried to escape. Jack wouldn't let her. The snow helped by gently holding her in place while he tickled.

"Stop. Stop, I can't breathe," she begged ten minutes later. Jack pulled his hands away. Mia continued to squirm and laugh. Jack sat back on his haunches and watched her, contentedly smiling. This little girl lit up his dark world. He hoped he'd never lose her.

"Amelia! Amelia, are you out here?"

Mia stopped laughing and sat up at the sound of her mother's voice. Her brown eyes widened as she looked up at Jack.

"I have to go home. Can we play tomorrow?"

"Of course we can. We can play any day that is Winter."

She nodded and scrambled to her feet as her mother called for her again. "See you tomorrow, Jack."

"Good night, Mia."

Writing Prompt #6: A Mysterious Box

Writing Prompt: A mysterious box was sitting on the doorstep.

Anna crept down the stairs, holding tightly to the banister as she inched from step to step. She'd heard the postman stop at their house, but nothing had been pushed through the mail slot on the front door. She'd sat at the top of the stairs for ten minutes, waiting for one of her parents to come out to check the mail. Neither of them came. When she couldn't take it any longer, she made her way quietly down the stairs.

Anna took a deep breath and softly let it hiss past her parted lips. Her foot touched the bottom landing. She froze and quickly looked towards the living room to the right. The television played softly, tuned to a news station which meant Papa was in there. Mama must have been reading a book. She could easily picture both of her parents, Mama's feet folded under herself and Papa reading the paper while listening to the television.

Knowing neither of them would come to check the mail, Anna silently moved to the door, gently turned the knob, and, as quietly as she could, pulled open the door. She blinked in the bright midday sun and then blinked again when she spotted a box on the doorstep. The box looked to be completely covered in postage stamps. Curiosity got the better of her and she reached out and snatched up the small package. It easily fit into her small hands. She looked both ways down the quiet street before hurriedly pulling the box inside and closing the door. She nearly dropped the box when it began to vibrate in her hands. Barely stifling a squeak, she put the box on the floor just inside the door.

Papa's chair creaked in the other room. Anna's heart raced as she first looked down the hall towards the living room, and then, seeing his shadow, raced as quietly as she could back to the top of the stairs.

"Anna, is that you?"

She froze at the sound of his voice, just two steps from the top landing. Her shoulders slumped. She had tried so hard not to get caught. Papa appeared at the bottom of the stairs as she slowly turned around.

"Yes, Papa," she admitted quietly, her head hung low. He sighed.

"Did you bring this package inside?"

"Yes, Papa."

"Are you supposed to be out of your room right now?"

"No, Papa."

"That's right. Go back to your room. Your mother will hear of this. We will deal with you later."

Anna couldn't hide the shudder that ran through her at his words. Unable to speak, she turned on a heel, ran up the last few steps, and hurried down the hall to her bedroom.

Writing Prompt #5: Farewell

Picture Prompt:

She grasped the straps of his doublet as if that would keep him from leaving. Alvir's chin fell to his chest and his hands went to Serene's slender hips. Tears trickled from her big, silver eyes. Her silver-white hair floated around them like a cloak, the wind having fun where no fun was to be had.

"Don't leave me," she begged, her voice barely more than a whisper. Alvir's pointed ears picked up the tremble of fear and sorrow in her words. His heart ached as much as hers, but they both knew this was the way it must be.

"I cannot be with you if I do not leave you first."

Her shoulders tensed. He tensed in automatic response. They'd spent so much time together, knowing each other's energies so well that they might as well have been one entity. Alvir turned in his lover's desperate embrace. He gently removed her arms from around him; the fact that he could contested to the truth of his words. Her large silver eyes begged him to stay. Her slender fingers tangled with his.

Please stay.

The whisper in his mind surprised him. He closed his eyes and bent down to lay his forehead to hers. Their breaths mingled between them. He breathed her in, gently kissed her forehead, and took a step back as he straightened. Their hands fell apart. She lowered her eyes. He reached out to her, but let his hand fall short of touching; he knew if he held her now, he would never leave. He had to leave. This was the price to pay to be with her.

He would be with her.

Her head whipped up as if she heard his vow. Determination replaced her fear and sorrow. I will wait for you. Even if you never return, I will wait for the day we can be together eternally.

Her promised whispered through his mind as Alvir turned on his heel and fled for his mission. No matter how long it took for him to complete, he knew he would return to her one day.

Writing Prompt #4: Shadow Dragons

Note: There is no actual prompt with this exercise. I have characters in my head that want out so I'm going to share them with you. This is unedited and I truly have no idea what will happen, but here we go....

Hundreds of years wasted. Callum Blackthorn sighed as he stared out at the darkening sky from the mouth of the cave, a frown pulling down his lips. He ran a hand through his black hair and turned away from the night sky. Shadows slipped towards him from deeper in the cave. They caressed his fingertips, his palms, his ankles. He let them comfort him; they had been the only comfort he found since his father's death.

Lysander Blackthorn was the first Shadow Dragon. A powerful beast that lived thousands of years--until humanity killed him. The invention of tools, the progression of power, led the stupid humans to forget their magical roots. As more and more forgot about the dragons, about the magic they allowed the world to consume, the dragons faded away. Lysander faded away, his body withering and then disappearing until it was nothing more than the shadows he once controlled.

Callum crushed the shadows in his palm. The humans would pay for forgetting the dragons. They would pay for killing his father.

Callum's body shook and convulsed as his bones elongated and his muscles exploded beneath his skin. In moments, a twenty-foot tall black dragon stood where Callum had been, his clothes a tattered mess beneath his massive claws. With a wild roar, Callum flapped his wings and lifted himself up into the night sky.

Writing Prompt #3: "You're Late."

Writing Prompt: He stared at the bodies on the ground, at the girl covered in blood. Her eyes narrowed as she stood up. "You're Late."

"Yes, but I didn't mean to be late. I ran into Araxas demons in the hall. You could've waited another five minutes." He frowned as she licked her lips, the tip of her tongue playing with the tips of her fangs. A playful smile brightened her gray eyes.

"You were late and I couldn't wait," she singsonged as she pranced around him, her bloody blonde hair floating around her slender shoulders.

"For being nearly two-hundred-years-old, you sure are a pain in the ass." He shook his head, a growl of disgust issued rumbling in his chest.

"Yes, but I'm your pain in the ass." She hooked her arms around his neck and sweetly smiled up at him, even went so far as batting her eyelashes at him. He rolled his eyes. She smirked; he was still a sucker for old fashioned flirting.

"Would you like me to find you a snack? I'm sure at least one of them ran off. We could hunt them down and enjoy every last drop together once we find them."

He pushed her away, his eyes narrowed and brows pulled down. "I wanted to enjoy this meal with you, not hunt for more. I thought you'd gotten a handle on your hunger."

She carelessly shrugged. "I guess you thought wrong. I'm going to hunt down the others. Even if you wont join me, I'm still hungry."

He shook his head and hid the small smile playing at his lips as she rushed from the small room. That's girl's appetite would never be satisfied.

Writing Prompt #2: Jump off a pier

Writing Prompt: She stood at the end of the pier, took a deep breath, and jumped into the freezing ocean. She was going to get answers, no matter what it took. 

Her eyes adjusted as she pushed herself deeper into the ocean. The water pushed against her, so cold it felt warm on her skin. She blinked water from her eyes.

Pain suddenly lanced through her. She arched her back and grasped her neck as searing pain ripped through her. The skin under her fingers became too hot to hold, burning her palms. She let go, her mouth open in a silent scream.

As suddenly as it came, the pain disappeared. She touched her neck. Her fingers brushed over raised ridges on both sides. Gills, she realized, startled. Determination warred with anger as she angled herself towards the deep ocean once again. This was the reason she needed answers. This wasn't the first time she'd grown gills and webbed hands and feet. She could barely acknowledge those now.

Just when she thought she'd reach the ocean floor, a city came into view. Made up of seashell huts and luminescent anemones, it could easily be compared to a quaint village above water. Her head whipped around as she looked for her destination. It had to be the biggest hut. A few faces appeared in windows on some of the huts as she began swimming around. Eyes widened and children were pulled back. She wondered what was so terrifying about her. She longed for a way to see her reflection, to see what all these underwater people saw.

Her destination came into view a few strokes later. She swam hard for the large seashell and dived down to an opening she just knew was there. Memories flooded her mind as she swam through and suddenly found herself on dry land. She faltered under the suddenly onslaught and fell to her hands and knees, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She saw herself as a child begging to play in the deep ocean, swimming through underwater fauna, and playing hide-and-seek with schools of fish. These memories were foreign and needed to be answered for.

"I see you have finally returned, child."

The deep male voice startled her out of her false memories. She gasped and her head shot up. Her eyes widened as she took in the man's wide shoulders, dark colored skin, and iridescent hair that fell to his waist. He wore pants made out of leaves and nothing on his feet. A long shell necklace hung around his neck. He crossed his arms and his eyes glowed as he assessed her.

"What do you mean? Where have I returned to?" Her voice shook as she forced out the words, even though she feared she already knew the answers. This was the reason she grew webbed limbs and gills whenever she swam in the ocean. This was the reason she'd always felt different, like something was missing from her life.

"You are home."

She shuddered as his words reverberated through her soul. Home. Such a familiar and foreign concept. She'd never felt like she understood the word unless she was in the water; now she knew why. She had to know something else.

"Why do the people here fear me?"

He gave a hearty chuckle. "They do not fear you. They are surprised you've come home. You were once the star of our community, the one everyone loved and doted upon. You will be that again."

She scrunched her face, confused. "But why?"

"Because you are my daughter and I am the king."

Writing Prompt #1 - Stood Up

Prompt #1: Stood Up


I glance at my phone and frown when I see the time. Todd was already thirty minutes late. Where was he? My heartbeat picks up as I scan the crowded room. People seated near me glance over, a couple women give me sympathetic looks. I throw my shoulders back and lift my head, and send my boyfriend another text.

Where are you? Are you on your way? People are staring.

I put the phone face-down on the table again. This was supposed to be our night. Date night. The only night during the week we could both get away to spend time together. My mind immediately begins making excuses for him. Maybe he got caught up at the office. Maybe traffic was a lot worse than it was for me. Maybe he just forgot to call to cancel.

The waitress, Shelly, stops by the table again. She gives me a perky grin, but her blue eyes travel to the packed room around us. I shrink a little in my seat. I was taking up space, sitting here and not even ordering when there was probably a line out the door waiting to get in.

"I just need a few more minutes. I'm sure he'll be here soon."

Her grin fades as she offers to get me another glass of wine. I know I should. I reach around for my purse, my hand on my phone on the table. Sudden movement at my table makes my heart stutter and I relax. Finally. Now I don't look like a pathetic loser who got stood up.

"Sorry I'm late, babe. Traffic was a bitch."

My head whips up at the unfamiliar voice. The man sitting across from me grins as he leans in. "I'm Michael. Just go with it," he adds quietly. A smile lifts my lips and I give a little nod.

"I'm just glad you're finally here. I wasn't sure what you would want, so I haven't ordered yet."

He smiles and doesn't even bother to look at the menu, instead turning his attention to the astonished waitress. "Pinot Grigio and the chicken alfredo for both of us."

I open my mouth to protest as Shelly bounces away to another table, but quickly close it when Michael turns his attention back to me. He raises his eyebrows at me. "Is that all right?"

I'm taken aback. "Yeah, it's fine. I'm just not used to having someone order for me."

"Obviously, whoever stood you up doesn't do a lot of things for you."

My cheeks heat up as I think of all the little things I wish Todd would do. Even putting down the toilet seat is too much for him some days. The buzz of my phone still on the table distracts me from my sudden anger. I turn it over and find a message from Todd.

Sorry, babe. Totally forgot about tonight. I'm stuck at work. Tomorrow night okay for you?

I don't even bother answering; I just slip my phone into my purse and turn my attention to the man across from me. Shelly returns with his wine right then, giving me a moment to check him out. Dark brown hair spiky in front, chiseled jaw, bright blue eyes, a slightly crooked nose, and a fantastic smile. He's gorgeous--not that looks are everything. Todd is gorgeous too, but he's also married to his job. I frown as Shelly flounces away from our table.

"Everything all right?"

I shrug one shoulder. "This is the one night a week we get together and he just told me he forgot about it. How could you forget?" I brought my eyes up to meet his.

He kindly smiled. "I would never forget."