Writing Prompt

STORY STARTER

Write a story about the invention of a new word.

Think about why the word was needed, who might have thought of the new word, and how you might describe the thing it denotes.

Writings

“And” A Word To Change The World.

Kate walked into the dusty, old office to find James sitting in a rusty old brown chair with a journal opened up sitting upon the wooden desk and a writing pen in his hand. He seemed to look stumped on something.

“Hey!” Said Kate, walking over to sit on the desk. There was only one chair in the office and James was using it. James didn’t respond to Kate’s greeting. “Hello?” She said waving her hand in front to James and snapping to try and get his attention. “Uh, what? Oh hello Kate!” James said in surprise scratching his head. Kate rolled her eyes. “What are you up to?” “Nothing much, I’ve just been think…” James stopped in the middle of his sentence and got out of his seat and walked to the other side of the office. “I have got it! I think I know what to say!” “You’ve got what?” “I have made up a new word that’s I’ll help with the way we talk for the rest of time!” “What is it?” Kate asked looking a bit concerned for her friend. “The word is…’and.’” “‘And?’” “Yes, ‘and!’ It’s perfect!” “What would you use it for anyways James?” James took a deep breath. “Well Kate, the word ‘and’ is her to connect words of the same part of speech!” Kate looked confused, and she was concerned. “Did you bump your head on something?” She asked. James was offended that she would think that. “No! Anyways, before you leave, just give this new word a chance. Like for an example you could say, ‘I went to the part today and I also got ice there!’” He said I’m excitement. “You’ve gone crazy man! Like why would you ever name it… ‘and?’” “Well, um, it rhymes with man and a man named it?” James guessed. “Man and ‘and’ don’t rhyme.” “You just used ‘and’ in a sentence!” James laughed! Kate rolled her eyes and made her way out of the office. “Where are you going?” Ask James. “I’m leaving! You’re crazy!” “Already. Oh and could you spread the news about the new word ‘and?’” Kate huffed and walked out shutting the door. “Ha! I just used it again,” James said smiling in disbelief that he had make a new word up that would change the world.

Kind of Happiness

There has to be a word for it, Leo thought. Draped in linen damask, the sumptuous table was laden with heady red roses and platters of food. Guests, the wealthiest and most influential noble folk of Evermore, gathered round Leo’s table. Talk and laughter filled the air. Leo tried to catch the eye of Arabelle, his beloved , at the table’s opposite end. His wife was chatting with Lord Someone or Other and Leo only spied her creamy shoulder between the leaves of an overblown floral arrangement. Leo wondered if he should make a toast or chat up Lady What’s Her Face who was seated to his left. But the fine lady was shrieking giddily to the Archduchess of Whatever. Leo downed his red wine, dark and a little bitter. Leo pondered the dregs in the bottom of his crystal goblet. He remembered when he only drank his fine claret alone with his books and thoughts his only companions. His manse was his home and his cage. Long rides along the heath, collecting first editions, Leo enjoyed his life before love. But over the years his solitude weighed on his shoulders. He wanted the things, those feelings, that he had read about. Arabelle had been a gift. Leo picked out his love’s voice above the din. Leo smiled to himself. A servant refilled Leo’s glass. He drank deeply. Arabella brought warmth to his cool heart and her light made his old family mansion come alive. She was everything Leo wasn’t. Lady What’s Her Face was talking to him while deftly caressing his thigh. Leo shifted away and pretended to be interested in the guest to his right. Dropping his gruff countenance, Leo turned up his charm. The servants began to clear the table. Through the remains of a monumental asparagus salad, Leo peeped his wife still laughing, always laughing. She was the bell of the land and brought so many, many different things to his world. Of course their life together was wonderful. It was only the dessert course. The candles glowed brightly. Next would be the cheese, then cigars and ports with the gentleman, and then back with the ladies, and someone would play that damned concertina. Vanilla wafted into the dining room. Everyone applauded the massive baked Alaska. There has to be a word for it, Leo thought, this kind of happiness.

Amosapoo

“What is this?” I glanced up from my squatting position over an oddly shaped plant.

“Hmm.” Jackal leaned down beside me. His dark brown gaze analyzing the flower curiously. “My guess is some kind of mushroom. But no name comes to mind. How unusual.” His eyes grew distant as he tried to place the name.

I giggled.

“Your the god of death.not flowers goof.”

He grinned playfully. A rare site for me.

“May I?” Will had moved behind him. Jackal stood, backing into a tree. Will crouched. His hand gently grazing the hot green surface. I scanned his face eagerly. Anything on Astrix was fascinating to me. “How interesting.”

“What?” I bounced anxiously on my legs.

“This plant is foreign to Astrix.” Will raised his hands. A scroll appeared, shimmering as words flew up on the page. To fast for me to read. The few gold words I did catch were strange names. None I recognized but I had a feeling they were different species. “Kyoun” passed, confirming this. “There is nothing here matching this fungus.”

“Cool!” I clapped, a grin brightening my eyes. “A new species?”

“That would be exciting. Except we must consider the effects this might have on the surrounding wildlife.” Will touched it again. Blue eyes glowing with light.

I loved hearing how much he cared for the Forest. A twinge of guilt flickered in my chest. I should be the one to do that. I was the heir to the Forest Territory after all.

“From what I can tell this fungi reacts just as those on earth.” Will pulled away. A quill appeared in his free hand before scribbling his findings.

“So is that a good thing?” I tilted my head. Anxiety thrumming in my chest.

“Yes.” Will beamed down at me.

I sighed in relief. Unaware that I was holding my breath.

“This type collects carbon, water, and other nutrients and feed them into the trees. As well as other plants.”

“Okay Google.” I teased. “Should we give it a name?”

“That is a great idea.” Will stood, scroll disappearing, and leaned against a pink tree. Glittering, pink leaves sparkled from high above. “Why don’t you decide.”

“Hmm.” I reached out, touching the soft, bumpy surface. The feeling reminding me of the foamy clay I’d used once at school. I had a feeling trying to sculpt with it would only end in pieces.

A humdra, green cockroach body, orange dragonfly wings, and features, flew up to me. I sat back, shooing it away. Once gone I realized there was a strange oder. I sniffed my hand, recoiling in disgust.

“Yuck.”

Will smirked. I giggled.

“Alright. Well…” Letters scattered through my mind. Random words formed and shattered as I searched for the right weird one to give it. My eyes widened when one in particular caught my attention. “How about amosapoo.” I smiled over at them.

“Interesting.” Jackal made a sour face.

Will chuckled.

“What is your inspiration?” His scroll reappeared. He scribbled the name down.

“You know how we eat ambrosia.” I asked. They nodded. Eyes glittering in awareness. “And it smells gross. So amosapoo!”

“Interesting.” Jackal chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“Very well.” Will grinned, writing more things down. “There. Amosapoo.”

I giggled. He couldn’t keep from smiling when he said it. His scroll dissolved then we continued on our adventure.

Journey To The New World

It’s been a day since we’ve left, and I’m already restless. I check for a green light, making sure it’s completely safe to wander around the small living area, before I plop myself onto a couch and go to the first channel on the little TV a few feet from me. At first, it plays nothing but a black and white mess and the crackle of static, but clears to reveal a middle aged woman with a perfect helmet of curled blonde hair. Her reporter’s voice is robotic: as of today, Cohort 3482 is the first group of humans ever to launch a Mars Living mission— The message is cut off, and the screen goes dark. I turn my head and find another crew member I can’t name clutching the remote, with her finger still hovering over the off button. “Can’t believe they’re still broadcasting that same message. Ugh, I’m so sick of it.” She flips through stations until she finds a cartoon. Whereas most of the crew is through with the press, paparazzi, and whatever coverage snuck of us that’s now plastered over every channel, I can’t stop watching it. I can’t stop. I’m on a rocket plummeting through space, hurtling in an endless void of nothing, reminding me how small I am, reminding me of my insignificance. Insignificant. I was, of course, until the Mars Living team, a branch off of NASA, finished their thousand-year project plan; making a foreign rock, so far from our home on earth, inhabitable. And somehow, in all of that, I ended up here, on one of the three ships carrying a total of 302 volunteers. The Santa Maria, carrying a third of the crew, will be my home for the next seven months, until we reach what people call the New World. And maybe there, after all these years, I will finally be able to find what I haven’t on earth. A purpose. A will. A volition, pushing me to rise in the morning rather than ignoring the sun until the moon replaces it once again. They call it the New World. A fresh start. Then again, they said the same about Columbus.

Mripow. The Moment When Your Dreams Come True

As soon as we turn the corner, he sees it and freezes. A second later his hand comes flying up, covering his eyes. He turns around, trying to walk away, unable to process what he’s seeing.

Sam! Come on!

No way. No way you did that.

Let’s go find out.

I pull him along with me, and we near the edge of the pool.

How did you do this?

You told me that you had the same dream since you were in kindergarten and didn’t expect me to make it real?

It has literally never crossed my mind to do it for real.

Well, here we are.

This is amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you. He exclaims, he pulls me in close to him, but his eyes don’t leave the scene in front of him.

I’ll admit, I’ve done a pretty good job on this one.

Right there, in the middle of his parents pool, is a table, with two chairs that aren’t exactly thrones but come close enough to meeting the description. And the only thing on the table, is a giant plate of spaghetti and a bottle of sprite.

We walk across the little bridge that was installed with the table and sit in our thrones.

This is insane. This is just unbelievable. You literally made my wildest dream come true.

I thought it sounded like a good idea. I shrug.

His eyes are absolutely glowing with joy, nothing could make me happier. He’s been through so much, his goals and plans ripped away from him. When I asked him what his biggest dream was, I hadn’t meant it literally. But as soon as he answered and told me about this vision of his, I knew what I had to do.

This is beyond my dreams, this is the best pool throne spaghetti and sprite meal I could’ve ever imagined.

I think you need a better name for it.

How about a spool?

Like a spool of thread?

No like spaghetti in the pool.

Mmm, no.

Okay, the a ream.

A ream of paper?

A real dream.

But it’s just dream without the d.

Okay, what about. He thinks for a minute, a mripow.

A what? I ask, laughing.

A mripow.

What is that supposed to be?

It’s just a word, that five minutes ago, had no meaning. Now, it means being in a moment and realizing it’s a dream come true. A mripow.

How would you use that in a sentence?

You would say, I’m having a mripow. Or this is a mripow. I don’t know, whatever feels write in the moment.

Whatever you say, enjoy your mripow.

Thank you, seriously. No one has ever done something so kind for me.

I would do anything for you.

It’s now time for the bride and groom to exchange their vows, which they’ve prepared themselves. Samuel, you’ll go first.

I turn back to Adam, who hands me the small book Emma bought me to write my vows in, and open it to the first page. I didn’t write my vows there, but Emma did write my name with a heart so I just smile at her handwriting for second and smile, then I flip the page and take a deep breath.

Emma. I smile at her and she nods at me. I’ll be okay. Emma, I’ve loved you since I was 17 years old. You’ve been such a bright light in my life, you’ve shown me who I am as a person. You’ve made me the man I am today. I promise you, or I vow to you I guess I’m sorry I forgot to use the word vow.

She laughs and gently rests her hands on my shaky ones holding the small book.

Emma I promise you that I’ll always love you, that I’ll always get you pancakes when you’re sad, and Jess’ popcorn when you’re happy. When you’re overwhelmed, I’ll take you kayaking, when you’re overjoyed we’ll just drive. It’s no surprise to anyone here that you and I have had our ups and downs. We’ve been separated by hundreds of miles at times, and at others just by our own stubbornness. But at the end of the day there’s never been anyone who’s ever known who I am as a person like you do. There’s never been anyone who could comfort me, or read, or love me like you do. This moment is our mripow.

Her vows are obviously very similar. That is all thank you very much.