Writing Prompt
Writings
Writings
WRITING OBSTACLE
Your protagonist receives life-changing news but can't verbally react.
Convey the emotional impact solely through the character's actions, expressions, and body language.
Writings
I sat in my office chair, inside my cubicle where I worked. I was filing some taxes when my boss came up. “Lizzie. We need to talk.” Joe said. Since I was mute, I signed with my hands, “What’s up?” “You’re fired.” Joe told me, looking g indifferent. “Why?!” I signed. “We caught you and Lucas making out in the hallway after work hours on the cameras. You know romantic coworker relationships are not allowed.” He told me. I hesitated, and Joe continued. “Lucas is fired too.” I suddenly felt a rush of anger then. Relationships were fine! And it was just that once. …and maybe twenty or so other times. And Lucas is hot! You can’t blame me! I crossed my arms, and shooed Joe away so I could pack up. My cheeks burned with embarrassment when my other coworkers stared at me, and I practically burned a hole in my stuff as I glared at them. I tossed picture after picture into the box, followed by every note or receipts I used for the company. I stormed out with my box and computer, and stopped at the edge of the sidewalk beside my car. When I looked back at Joe, who escorted me out, I set down my box in the car, walked to my door, opened it, and flipped Joe off as I got in. As I drove away, mentally thought, “Fuck you Joe.”
Life changing news we are going to kickstart your brain to wake you up
A twitch blurry eyes, hands to the heart legs wobble with excitement A smile I shudder the fear Breath calm breathing Hair prickle Feet wobble Chest expand Mummering in the Voice Heart beat races The beats of the machine rattles
TW: self-harm
My wounds are words That speak the story Of the things I feel, but can’t say
Reminders of the actions I took To take back control To stop feeling this way
The blood is release It’s exhale As it flows down my leg
Giving my pain attention
Concreteness
So it no longer has to beg
To others, it’s scary
It was to me at first too
I never understood
How this was something
That people could do
It happens when I feel trapped
When my feelings have no outlet
And they demand somewhere to flow
But while I want to open up I don’t want to be seen as dramatic So no one can know
A hijacker of pain, I feel ashamed Isn’t this stealing From people with real trauma?
I can’t tell anyone either
If I do they’ll just dismiss me
As living for the drama
I thought I’d grow out of it People think it’s just a teen thing Even writing this now Is a bit embarrassing
But how else will I release? When I’m deep in a void This is the easiest way I know how To fight back and to feel alive again To feel here in the now
I make light By making this rhyme but The dark truth is I like doing it
I know it’s insane But when I feel numb I find comfort In pain
————— A/n: 200 day posting streak!
I wrote this poem in my first week-ish on this app, but never posted it because it felt way too personal and revealing. But keeping this streak has pushed me to be vulnerable and put myself out there. So finally posting this feels like an apt way to celebrate.
I just want to say thank you so much to everyone on this app for being so inspiring and encouraging. I’m not sure how much longer I’m going to keep this streak (I’m running low on inspiration these days). But this community has made the difference between poem writing being a random whim in a desperate attempt to process my depression and something I’ve done for 200 days straight. Because of all the amazing writers here, I can say I write poems now 💜 📝 you all mean more to me than you know.
Simon and Carman stopped in their tracks when they saw their mother tearing up envelopes scattered across the coffee table so when he approached her, all the letters had 'Samantha Fletcher' written sloppily on them. His eyes widened and clenched his fists, biting hard on his tongue to supress his rage but his body moved on its own, snatching one letter out of her hand.
Within seconds, a stern hand slapped his face. But this time when he sighed and looked at his mother with a flat expression, a stronger backhanded slap came his way which made him stumble in surprise. Simon winced as he held onto his redden cheek and glared at the vile monster that was before him. Just when he was about to strike back at the beast, Carman's cries were enough to make both of them go their separate ways.
I start to laugh thinking this is probably just a joke. But I stop when I see her face. “Your- your serious?!” my emotions a mixture of disbelief and concern, “See! This is why I didn’t tell you!” This can’t be happening, I think, Cammy has never had hallucinations or anything of the sort! “Cammy…” I say slowly, “are your sure your OK?” “Yes Lis, I’m SURE.” She says rolling her eyes. I bite my lip and think, well, I might as well play along, it won’t hurt, and it might help me see what’s going on. “Okay… I believe you. But… if you aren’t human…then what are you?” “Well….um, I uh, I think I’m some kinda of shapeshifter?” She says wincing. “you think? What is that s’posed to mean?” “I just…I’m not sure what there-We-are called” “Ok hold up,” I say “who, exactly is we?” She bites her lip, obviously trying to decide something. “Okay.” She says after a very long ten seconds. “Meet me tomorrow, right after school and I’ll show you.”
I’ve been mute since I was born. And now, this is the time where I really wish more than anything else that I was able to talk.
Why me? What did I do to deserve this? I have 2 young children at home. They need me. I can’t leave them. But I will. In a few months. At least, that’s what the doctors said to me. It’s already hard being a mute mom. Especially when they need me the most. They’re too young to lose a parent. They’re too innocent.
I’m glad one of my children didn’t get this news, but they need a mother. What if they never get to experience the things that others do with their moms? What if they never get to say, “my mom told me….”
I can’t bear it. I’m going to have to tell them soon. I’ll have to write them a letter.
Sophie sat alone in the sterile doctor's office, her hands tightly clenched in her lap. The doctor's words hung in the air like a heavy cloud, suffocating her. She stared blankly at the floor, her eyes fixed on the scuffed linoleum tiles.
As the doctor continued to speak, Sophie's once-steady hands began to tremble uncontrollably. She bit down on her lower lip so hard that a metallic taste filled her mouth. Her heart felt like it was being crushed in a vice, and she struggled to breathe.
Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision, but she refused to let them fall. She pressed her trembling fingers to her lips, muffling the desperate sob that threatened to escape. Her shoulders shook with silent, suppressed grief.
The doctor's voice droned on, but the words were meaningless now. Sophie's world had narrowed down to this moment, this devastating revelation. She felt utterly alone, trapped in a nightmare from which she couldn't wake.
Finally, as the doctor concluded and left the room, Sophie's body collapsed inward. She slumped forward, her face buried in her trembling hands, and the sobs she had held back erupted in silent, wrenching waves of despair. Her whole being seemed to crumble under the weight of the life-changing news, leaving her utterly shattered and alone in her anguish.
Roast pork loin with an apricot mustard glaze braised with butter beans and aromatics. Soft thumping sounds seeped from the kitchen as Nathan hand whipped mashed yams. Syrupy warm nutmeg wafted into the dining room. Amy sniffed and bile roiled in her abdomen. Her head swimming, Amy took measured breaths to steady herself.
Grey green hydrangeas, peach carnations, and willow branches gracefully leaned from a silver pitcher on their dining room table. Amy smiled at Nathan’s floral arrangement. It was perfect. Nathan was perfect. They were so happy, Amy thought as her stomach grumbled. With a broad smile, Nathan walked in carrying bowls of mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed Brussels sprouts. Quickly Amy began drinking her glass of Chardonnay.
Amy had worked all her life, from a clerk in a convenience store to a secretary and all the way up to operations manager. She had a big house, a nice car, and plenty of friends. Amy had enjoyed her single life. She’d hoped for love and marriage but after forty-five Amy thought her chance had passed. Until Nathan. They met at the company holiday party and talked all night.
Candlelit dinners and walks on the beach, Nathan pursued her passionately. They were married after four months. Some of her girlfriends said she should wait. But Amy knew she was lucky in love at last. Ten years younger than her and very handsome Nathan was the smartest person Amy ever met. History, chemistry, literature, medicine, mathematics, her husband was a true renaissance man.
Nathan set down the side dishes and reached for the wine bottle. He topped off his wife’s glass. Their eyes met and Nathan beamed down at Amy. Amy returned his smile the best she could. Nathan’s eyes narrowed.
“Another one of little tummy aches? No worries you’re probably hungry,” Nathan said as stroked her thinning hair.
Nathan kissed her forehead and returned to the kitchen. Amy listened to her husband humming Vivaldi. He took such good care of her. Nathan told her he loved to pamper her. Sweat beaded on her brow as Amy thought about how lucky she was.
Amy vomited into her mouth a little. Covering her eyes, she swallowed. Damn Tammy, Amy thought. Tammy, the head of HR and her office bestie, had told her the company was considering giving someone in Nathan’s department a promotion and of course that triggered a review of credentials and someone didn’t have an advanced degree in fact someone didn’t have a college degree at all. Amy remembered the room spinning.
“Be careful of people who lie well. It comes from practice,” Tammy told her before leaving her office.
Damn Tammy. Amy held her sides, holding herself together. Maybe I should see a doctor, she thought, maybe it’s food poisoning. Nathan brought in the roast and Amy applauded. Chuckling, Nathan began making her plate. She looked at her heaping plate.
“Save the applause for when I get that promotion. Now eat all of it, no arguments love, you’ve lost a little weight. Dewitt says it’s a sure thing but you never can tell. Just wish me luck.”
When I was a teenager I was able to play the piano beautifully eventually I did learn how to do it with both hands and both my parents enjoyed hearing me play in the evenings and Sunday mornings. Twelve years later I'm twenty-one I have been in the military for four years now but I'll never forget the night I was sent off to a real battle it was raining that day when we ran and got our gear on it was when we were in the drop plane the staff drill Sargent was saying we might not return but that was the warning of every Special forces soldier knew as the Sargent was telling us the plan I could feel my heart racing and my hand shaking and beside me, I knew my battle buddy felt the same way, we all did but said nothing the E.T.A. Was thirty minutes as the mechanic's person was checking our parachutes I was silently praying this fight would go well and we wouldn't lose anyone before I knew it we were all standing in a line waiting for the drop doors to open and in an instant it opened and we dropped from the plane as we were falling I could see explosions down below I could see the smoke as the planes went down I quickly pulled my tab and released the parachute and floated down with the squadron once we hit the ground we all cut the ropes then ran a mile to the base as we were running I could hear the gunshots and screaming as we got close then we did what we had to we threw grenades into the enemy trenches and started shooting at the enemies. I was separated from my buddy fast but I did what I had to the field was a mess of bodies everywhere the medics dodging bullets just to get to the wounded. In the midst of the fight I heard my battle buddy screaming so I ran to him I was almost there when I got to him a grenade landed near us so I shielded my friend with my body then everything went black and the gunshots became muffled as the screaming died down
——————————————————
everything was a blur I saw glimpses of my drill sergeant above me yelling things I couldn't hear then everything faded away.
The next thing I knew I slowly opened my eyes and saw my sergeant talking to people in white outfits I closed my eyes again and I could hear the beeping of the heart monitor My entire body felt sore and my right forearm felt extremely painful I opened my eyes once again and tried to sit up but I was hooked to machines then my sergeant and doctor noticed I was conscious and rushed to my side
“Youre gonna be ok Soldier.” my sergeant said
He looked tired
Then the doctor looked at me with a sad expression
“I'm afraid you took a big hit and your right arm didn't make it but your gonna be ok—” I didn't hear the rest of what the doctor said but I looked down and saw a metal prostetic arm where my arm used to be I tried to talk but coughed up some blood then tried speaking again
“What about Kaneko?” I asked There was no response my doctor looked at my drill sergeant and the sergeant said
“I'm sorry, but your friend didn't make the flight home he died on the plane,” Sargent said with a sad expression
I couldn't believe it my best friend since college was gone just like that I started to wish I didn't survive either.
—————— A couple of months later I was discharged from the hospital the war was over and America won just like I knew it would but life didn't feel the same anymore I was forced to retire due to my inability to serve anymore so they sent me home my parents were glad to see me f course but it was hard settling in it felt weird eating with a prostatic arm and I would be so upsetting my fathers said it was just a phase and will learn to live with it one day I came into the living room and sat down at the piano bench I stared at it as I thought about all that had happened my mom saw me sitting there with tears in my eyes he said maybe playing a song would make me feel better but I just couldn't anymore at least I only played because Kaneko loved hearing pain music but now he's gone and part of me is too as I have to learn to live life without him.
Something was going on. I could tell from the nervous twitching of her hands. And from the look in her eyes that said clearly: I’m dying to tell you my secret, but I can’t. Cammy was the only person in the whole wide world that I knew better then the back of my hand, we’d been best friends since preschool. And that was before the year. “The year” was the only thing we practically never discussed. It was that year that destroyed are lives but also brang us closer together, I had received my life changing news two days after Halloween, I was sleeping over at Cammy’s when they received there morning newspaper, on the front page there was the scene of a car crash. At the time I didn’t realize it was my dad because I had just seen him last morning before I came over, I was thinking about how hard it would be if my dad was the one in the car crash or the other way around and how hard that would be for my dad, losing me. And that’s when I read his name. I read it five times before it sunk in. And then I started to cry. No, crying couldn’t begin to explain my emotions then. The next day I had moved all my stuff into Cammy’s house, Until further notice. There wasn’t anything else to do, my mother lived practically on the other side of the world and she didn’t have time with all her work to take care of me. So that was that. Marissa (Cammy’s mom) became my guardian, and then later in the year decided to become my adopted mother. And then death struck again. She got lung cancer. She didn’t last long. I comforted Cammy like she had comforted me when the same thing happened. Now we’re everything we’ve got left and that’s what’s made us so close. And that’s how 6 years later I can almost read her mind. I threw the book I had bean reading and said “Ok Cam, somethings going on and there’s no use trying to hide it!” It was an outburst, it happened all the time. I was one of those people who had no patience and were very…well, blunt. “I’m not hiding anything.” Cammy said obviously hiding something. I raised an eyebrow “Okay! Maybe I am hiding something…but I can’t tell you.” She said looking away “You can’t, or you won’t?” I say starting to worry about her. “I’m…I’m not allowed to.” “Cammy….you know you can tell me anything, right?” I say bending down so I’m eye level with her. “I know, it’s just…. Kallista,” I raise my eyebrows for half a second, she never calls me by my full name, but I raise them further when she finishes her sentence. “Kallista, I’m not human.”
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