A Month of Prompts

[Lord Gregorio]

Just now, Witless of Shinovar said:

That's a cool haiku

Don't know about that. But thanks anyway.  

[The cheeseman]

Prompt for January 23.

Death and all his friends

[Lord Gregorio]

1/23/2023 - Death and all his friends

Well. 

Spoiler

VR #1302

*click

"I think...I think I'm seeing things."

"Day....something. Trying to cure Anne."

"This cold white lab is driving me crazy. Her body lies on the bed. She's near as cold as the room. I don't know what's wrong. She's awfully sick."

"I need to work faster. There's an answer...There's an answer here somewhere. I can't have lost. I can't lose to some plant!"

(The voice grows loud and frantic)

"Someone's been trying to get to her. I can't let them. They can't have her!"

(Metal things banging together in the background follows)

"The walls to the lab have grown weaker. Holes have appeared. The stupid plants..."

"Blasted things. I named their leader Death. Fitting name I think. Trying to kill my Anne. I stand in defiance of Death and his companions. Monsters."

[RaeTheRaven]

19/1/2023 Stars keep secrets

I used some creative license and changed it from "stars have secrets" to "stars keep secrets" because... this is... a fictionalisation of a true story that happened on the day of this prompt. So it seemed fitting.

Spoiler

He sits hunched over, head resting in his hands, his elbows digging into his thighs. His eyes start burning, threatening to spill out the secrets he's been holding on to so tightly. He fixes his eyes on the ceiling, lip curled in a grimace in an attempt to keep hold of his emotions. 

"Are you okay?" 

"Yeah." he whispers, barely audible. 

A few long moments pass in silence as he regains his composure. The burning behind his eyes slowly subsides and he glances at her sidelong. 

"You wanna talk about it?" she finally asks.

"It's just... I... it's..." he struggles for the words, but they won't come. He's held on to them too tightly for too long. He can't let them out now. "I don't know." is all he can manage. 

She sighs and places something on the table in front of him. Without another word, she stands and walks away. He picks up the object on the table. He recognises it as the keychain he had given her. Engraved on one side are the words "The stars keep secrets for fear of the dark...". He flips it over to read the familiar words on the other side "...but if they didn't what wonders they'd spark!". A verse from a poem they both loved. A reminder that fear always stands in the way of good things. 

He watches as she walks away, wishing he'd said something. 

 

[The Wandering Wizard]

@The Bookwyrm do you have a new prompt?

[The Bookwyrm]

@InfiniteInsanity does.

[InfiniteInsanity]

January 25  Bright Blue Butterflies

[Medium]

oh this

this is gonna be romantic and fun

1/25/23

Bright Blue Butterflies

Spoiler

"You know," She said, taking my hand, "Blue technically doesn't exist in nature."

I frowned, puffing my hair out of my face. "What do you mean?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Organisms that seem blue aren't actually blue. It's the way they interact with light and the way we percieve them. Regardless," She said, "They are still beautiful."

It was the beginning of the Winter season. My first Winter with her. My siblings had all said, "Just you wait. She'll leave you by Autumn."

Well, Autumn was past. And she was still here.

But my favorite part of the Winter season, the part I wanted to share most with someone, and was overjoyed that I now could, were the butterflies.

The bright, blue, butterflies, coming in droves, by the thousands, to mold with the sky and bring it down to earth to cover the trees.

And among the heaven on earth, two girls, both in love, watched them.

And left knowing they'd be able to say they'd kissed in the sky. The sky full of butterflies.

 

[Szeth's Facepalm]

39 minutes ago, CalanoCorvus said:

oh this

this is gonna be romantic and fun

1/25/23

Bright Blue Butterflies

  Hide contents

"You know," She said, taking my hand, "Blue technically doesn't exist in nature."

I frowned, puffing my hair out of my face. "What do you mean?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Organisms that seem blue aren't actually blue. It's the way they interact with light and the way we percieve them. Regardless," She said, "They are still beautiful."

It was the beginning of the Winter season. My first Winter with her. My siblings had all said, "Just you wait. She'll leave you by Autumn."

Well, Autumn was past. And she was still here.

But my favorite part of the Winter season, the part I wanted to share most with someone, and was overjoyed that I now could, were the butterflies.

The bright, blue, butterflies, coming in droves, by the thousands, to mold with the sky and bring it down to earth to cover the trees.

And among the heaven on earth, two girls, both in love, watched them.

And left knowing they'd be able to say they'd kissed in the sky. The sky full of butterflies.

 

dude what no i was gonna write a saphic blue butterflies story c'mon

now it's just gonna look like i'm copying you ;-;

that was so cute tho

[Medium]

10 minutes ago, Szeth's Facepalm said:

dude what no i was gonna write a saphic blue butterflies story c'mon

now it's just gonna look like i'm copying you ;-;

that was so cute tho

nah bro you also write a sapphic story :]

they are my favorite to write

thank you

[Szeth's Facepalm]

7 minutes ago, CalanoCorvus said:

sapphic

NOOOO YOU SPELLED IT RIGHT

I HAVE BEEN OUT SAPPHIC-ED BY A DUDE 

*cris*

alr i shall still write it :3

[Medium]

1 minute ago, Szeth's Facepalm said:

NOOOO YOU SPELLED IT RIGHT

I HAVE BEEN OUT SAPPHIC-ED BY A DUDE 

*cris*

alr i shall still write it :3

haha im more lesbian.

why?

i drive a subaru outback. the most lesbian car ever.

Edited January 25, 2023 by CalanoCorvus

[Lord Gregorio]

1/25/23 - Bright Blue Butterflies

Spoiler

Mark was soon able to go outside to do some work. He began chopping wood while Jared went to set traps. Hunting was no longer a great option. It was impossible to know what was out there.

Mark spent a lot of time for the next week carving out arrows. It was fun, but he got splinters and his fingers went sore from all the knife carving. They eventually needed to build some of their own traps after Jared's metal ones ended up torn apart by something. It had to have been strong to have torn apart metal like it had. Jared had brought back a heap of metal scraps. It wasn't recognizable anymore as a cage.

It gave Mark the shivers, but Jared had just said they needed to learn how to make traps anyway. He'd brushed it off as helping them to learn to be more self reliant. Mark didn't have time for this. Sitting around trying to bend wood and learn knots. He had to get out there and find what was going on with the monstrous wolves. Mark slammed the axe down into the wood. The two ends flew apart, one landed in a puddle of water. It was getting warmer. Snow was starting to melt a little during the day. It didn't help that it had rained yesterday. 

Mark set another log on the chopping block. Thunk. Jared better be back soon. They'd been outside for long enough. He'd taken the rifle, though there were only a couple bullets left. Thunk. Spring was coming. It couldn't come any slower. Mark couldn't stand waiting around in the cold anymore. He had to get out there. Eventually Mark had a darn good pile of firewood. He began hauling it to the small wood garage by the front door. When he'd gotten most of them in Jared came and helped finish. He carried a dead white hare. 

A few hours later

They ate the hare, then started a fire inside the cabin to warm it up. "Do you think it's travel-able up that mountain?" said Mark.

Jared shrugged, "I mean it's do-able. It's still pretty cold up there. The snow's deep. It'll be some time till the snow all melts away. By then it may be closer to summer than winter."

"We've got to get up there before all the snow melts. Soon if we can. If you don't want to go of course I'll go alone."

"Hold on. Don't get so excited. You aren't going that far from this cabin. You'd die."

"Oh come on. We could take the gun. How many bullets do we have?"

"Five, Mark, Five."

"Well. That's enough to kill at least three wolves, right?"

"If I was careful I could kill five."

"Then let's go!"

"No Mark," Jared shook his head and threw another log in the wood stove. Mark sighed and went to his chair in the corner. Taking his knife and beginning his arrow carving. Jared mumbled to himself as he went to the front door. He stepped outside, though he left the door open. Mark heard him cursing. In a strangely un-scared tone.

"What's wrong?" Mark asked, standing. He started to move to the door, but Jared stepped in and shut the door.

"There was a butterfly out there," Jared said, "A pretty big one. One I've never seen around here, not even in the summer."

"A butterfly?" Mark laughed, "I think you're missing summer a little much."

Jared grinned, "I guess so. Come on, it's getting dark out there. I'm going to check the perimeter. If there's any dangerous creatures nearby, you'll know."

"Only sound the girly scream alarm if it's dangerous, alright. Don't do it for harmless butterflies."

Jared shook his head as he shut the door behind him.

[The cheeseman]

I should see what an AI can make from these prompts. . .

[Lord Gregorio]

27 minutes ago, phillycheesesteak said:

I should see what an AI can make from these prompts. . .

I kind of tried that, but not really.

[Wittles]

1/25/2023

Bright Blue butterflies

Spoiler

Martis lay underneath a tree. He looked up at the clouds. He felt so peaceful there, sometimes it was nice to just escape from the world. He closed his eyes, soft warm sunlight washed over him. 

A sound off to the right snapped him out of his peace. He looked over, annoyed, to see what had caused it. He smiled as he saw a blue butterfly fluttering toward him. It landed on his outstretched hand. 

"You can come out now." Martis said.

Enli swung down from the tree. He smirked, "I thought I was getting better."

Martis grinned, "You were obvious, you even used your butterfly as a distraction."

Enli just shook his head and said, "Admit it, I surprised you a little bit."

Martis rolled his eyes and responded with, "Fine, I wasn't expecting you to drop out of the tree." He leaned back against the tree, eyes staring back up at the clouds.

Enli sat down next to him. "It sure is a beautiful day today. I'm glad I can spend it with you." He settled into place next to Martis, who moved closer to him and reached for his hand.

His head rested on Martis' shoulder. They laid there for a long while. The warmth of the sun made them sleepy. Enli closed his eyes. His breathing grew steady and even. Martis began to fall asleep, but before he did, whispered to Enli "I knew you were there the whole time." With that, he fell asleep. 

The blue butterfly landed on the intertwined hands of the couple and rested with them.

 

[The cheeseman]

1/25/2023

Bright Blue Butterflies.

Spoiler

The fighting had moved on from where Eread lay, paralyzed. He had fallen when he had taken a mace to the upper back, breaking his spine and making him unable to move from the neck down. Fortunately, he was able to move from the neck up. He was unable to breath, and as he slowly suffocated, his thinking slowed from lack of oxygen, he saw some poppies.

So Eread lay in the grass, staring at a few flowers.

I'm going to die here, he realized, and that's. . . fine. The thought surprised him. Eread had always thought that when the Night Walker came for him, he would go kicking and screaming. He smiled weakly. Well, now I can't kick or scream. It was a morbid thought, yes, but he had always entertained his squadmates with his gallows humor.

Suddenly, some blue things fluttered down next to the flowers.

What. . . what are those? Eread was sure he'd seen things like that before, those four-winged creatures that flitted around and occasionally landed on the poppies.

Oh, they're butterflies. His smile widened a little, then he blinked hard as he started to grow very tired, his thoughts coming slowly, like molasses through a small hole. They're bright. . . blue. . . butter. . . but. . .

And so, content with how he had lived and how he had died, and thinking of the bright blue butterflies, Eread, soldier of Neldomark, husband, father, son, passed from this life to the next.

 

Edited January 26, 2023 by phillycheesesteak
Saving myself from the Inner Editor

[Wittles]

5 minutes ago, phillycheesesteak said:

1/25/2023

Bright Blue Butterflies.

  Reveal hidden contents

The fighting had moved on from where Eread lay, paralyzed. He had fallen when he had taken a mace to the upper back, breaking his spine and making him unable to move from the neck down. Fortunately, he was able to move from the neck up. He was unable to breath, and as he slowly suffocated, his thinking slowed from lack of oxygen, he saw some poppies.

So Eread lay in the grass, staring at a few flowers.

I'm going to die here, he realized, and that's. . . fine. The thought surprised him. Eread had always thought that when the Night Walker came for him, he would go kicking and screaming. He smiled weakly. Well, now I can't kick or scream. It was a morbid thought, yes, but he had always entertained his squadmates with his gallows humor.

Suddenly, some blue things fluttered down next to the flowers.

What. . . what are those? Eread was sure he'd seen things like that before, those four-winged creatures that flitted around and occasionally landed on the poppies.

Oh, they're butterflies. His smile widened a little, then he blinked hard as he started to grow very tired, his thoughts coming slowly, like molasses through a small hole. They're bright. . . blue. . . butter. . . but. . .

And so, content with how he had lived and how he had died, and thinking of the bright blue butterflies, Eread, soldier of Neldomark, husband, father, son, passed from this life to the next.

 

Right in the feels! Good job

 

[The cheeseman]

Just now, Witless of Shinovar said:

Right in the feels! Good job

 

Thanks!

I guess I'm not a romantic.

[Wittles]

Just now, phillycheesesteak said:

Thanks!

I guess I'm not a romantic.

It still worked 

[The cheeseman]

*bows* I thank you again, Witless. Tell me, did you wear white on the day you were to. . . uh, lose a Wit?

[Wittles]

Yes actually, although I was able to maintain my wits, I just had to sign a contract with them that states that I will only get my wits back when it is an inopportune time for me

Edited January 26, 2023 by Witless of Shinovar

[Medium]

Prompt for day 26:

Trying.

[Shadowed]

Haven’t done one of these yet since I didn’t really have the time, but it seems fun so imma give it a go. *deep breath*

This is written in a format that I’ve written a few of now. It’s very fun to write.

Trying

Spoiler

Dr Clarke’s Diary

26/01/23. Patient: Milly Watts, age 15. Diagnosis: Severe anxiety and panic disorder.

Transcript of therapy session, commencing at 6:00 PM:

Dr. Clarke: Hi Milly,  take a seat.

[…]

Dr. Clarke: So, what would you like to start with?

Milly: (shrugs) I had a panic attack yesterday.

Dr. Clarke: Okay, thank you for telling me that. Do you have any ideas why?

Milly: I don’t really know… I was in this super loud shop in town and it just made me really stressed. 

Dr. Clarke: That’s great, Milly. Do you know what happened next?

Milly: Not really. Everything just went fuzzy and I started crying. I remember I was breathing really quickly, and I felt like… it sounds silly.

Dr. Clarke: Go on, you’re doing really well.

Milly: Well, I felt like something was crushing me, like the air had suddenly got heavier, you know? And… like I was in an ocean.

Dr. Clarke: An ocean?

Milly: It felt like there were these waves of anxiety that kept washing over me. I felt one wave, and then I thought it was over, and then another one would come, you know what I mean? Is that… normal? Is there something wrong with me for feeling that?

Dr. Clarke: No, that’s actually more common than you’d think. You’d probably be surprised by how many of your classmates experience similar things, but are too scared to get help.

Milly: Yeah, like my friend Rebekah. She gets them sometimes, as well. She doesn’t want to tell anyone, though. Thinks it’ll make her look weak, and make her boyfriend leave her. I asked her if I could help her, and she said no. And then I asked if maybe she could try to help herself, and she said one thing. The same thing she always says. 

Dr. Clarke: And what’s that?

Milly: She says… ‘I’m trying.’

[END TRANSCRIPT]

NOTES: Milly then went on to tell me how similar her friend Rebekah’s situation was to the one she had been in before she reached out. She told me that she had always used the phrase ‘I’m trying’ to her friends and family, to reassure them.

The therapist in me screams that it’s unhealthy and mentally straining to do that, but another part of me would do the same, if it could.

Therapists need therapy too, and Lord knows I’m trying just as hard as anyone. 
We all are.

[END LOG]

 

[Medium]

1/26/23

Trying

Spoiler

Rhoda breathed out, raggedly. She sat, eyes closed, breathing heavily and hoarsely as a million thoughts echoed through her mind, bouncing off her skull and only being amplified.

She hissed through her teeth, whimpering slightly, her whole body shaking.

She didn't want to be alone, she didn't want to be alone, she didn't want to be alo-

Somebody's arms wrapped around her, and she opened her eyes to see Lomi, bending down to put their arms around her.

"Shhh," whispered Lomi, ever the optimistic comforter. Somehow, they always knew exactly what to say. "It's okay."

Rhoda just breathed harder, shook more, felt too much.

Lomi's grip tightened, and they shifted their position, so that they were holding Rhoda completely in their arms, creating a shell.

Rhoda pressed her face into Lomi's chest, attempting to shove all the emotions out.

Lomi held her.

"I'm here," They said, "You can let it out. I understand you're trying."

Rhoda did just that.