A crippling feeling gripped him in the very pit of his stomach. He knew he would never see Beckham again.
Writing Prompt Rules
What’s a blog for writers without routine prompts to get those creative juices flowing? If you’d like to be a part of our CATastrophic writing, then check out the guidelines below. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
- Include “black CATastrophy” in the title of your post.
- Save and use the picture above as the featured image for your post.
- The quote provided should be included at some point in your story.
- There is no expiration date on a prompt. Use it whenever you like.
- Your story should be 1000 words or less. We’re interested in all genres, except erotica.
- Add a link to this writing prompt at the end of your story.
- Comment here, with a link to your post, if it meets the guidelines above.
- If we really love your story, we’ll publish it in the tales section of our blog with a link to the original piece.
Feel free to use our writing prompts without following the rules outlined above. However, only posts that meet the criteria will remain as links on this post, and will be considered for republishing on our blog.
Happy writing!
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Got a writing prompt suggestion you’d like to make? Send us an email with your idea.
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About the Prompter
Shadow the PR Cat is the Goodwill Ambassador at Alexis Chateau PR, and head of the firm’s indie author division. His job includes tweeting, taking selfies, rolling in catnip, and advocating for animal rights and social equality. Follow his kitty adventures on Twitter as @ShadowThePRcat.
About Alexis Chateau PR
Alexis Chateau PR is an independent public relations agency with a special interest in lifestyle brands. From education to entertainment to travel, we’ve worked with clients in all areas of the lifestyle industry since 2006.
What’s he doing? Is Beckham a lump of wood or a person? If this is actually a grammar mistake I’m sorry, I’m off!
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Hi Julie. Thanks for asking! There is no grammatical mistake. I just double-checked to be sure.
The prompt is deliberately a little vague, so writers can interpret it however they like, and create something unique. The only requirement is that they use the sentence and the picture.
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(Sorry, I still don’t get it. Is the cat watching someone saw David Beckham in half or is that the wrong picture? Maybe I’m just not imaginative enough)
I’ll try.
“The statue had been in the water for so long that the features were lost. They needed wood. If they cut it into pieces perhaps it would dry quicker and they could set it alight.
There was nothing else left. The world was destroyed. All they had was water and a cave and, mercifully, the means to make fire.”
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Hi Julie. I believe I’m the one now confused by your messages.
A writing prompt can be a word, a picture, a sentence, or even a sound that is used to prompt a story. This is very common in English exams in some countries, and isn’t at all unique to the blogging world.
The cat – me – has nothing to do with the prompt. I just came up with it, hence I’m the prompter. Please take a look at the guidelines below the prompt for hopefully a better and more detailed response on how to use it.
All the best!
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I just thought it should be “never SEE Beckham again.”
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Haha – you could have said that from the get-go, Julie! We changed the wording, and forgot to change the tense. Thanks for finally pointing that out lol
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The Black Cat-astrophy on the Beckham road.
8 am:
Stretching and shifting about under the warm caress of thick wool woven covers and comforters he quickly glanced at his smart phone. Swiping its alarm off with a snarky smirk before the device had the opportunity to blare its repetitive and annoying tune. He swung his legs out of the warm covers positioning his large feet square to the cold sullen floor. With a zombie paced shuffle, he reached the window. Pulling back the manila drapes he noticed the sun gleaming up the snowplowed roads. He breathed a heavy-laden sigh trying to prepare himself, yet in the bellows of his being a crippling feeling gripped him in the very pit of his stomach. He knew he would never see Beckham again.
He dismissed this dismal feeling within his gut as bowel trouble from the large order of greasy fast food from last night. Still it bothered him slightly due to the fact that Beckham road was like the indisputable back of his hand. He and his tiny daughter lived there going on 13 years now, and majority of his childhood, yester-years were spent playing in the vast playground near the park where they had resided. Yet today was a day of change for both of their lives. A new position, with better pay for him and a new private school district teaming with a vast array of creditable teachers in all subjects waited for his daughter there as well. He huffed momentarily processing in his mind as he mentions quietly, “A better future, starts today.” Their bags were previously packed and most of their possessions were already moved to their new dwelling on 1245 West Nottingmire lane. Except one possession overlooked…
10 am:
After their breakfast was consumed by the pair, his daughter decided to make her last snow angel in the yard. As her father tended to reassure their vehicle was packed to completion. He felt affirmed that all was in place and motioned to his tiny daughter that the truck was ready, besides the fact, they would be late in picking up his brother. Which she did enjoy her Uncle Robert’s car tales and jokes.
10:45am:
With the trucks tires carefully treading on a new destination covered with salt melted snow mixed with patches of black ice; Uncle Robert began playing I spy with his miniature niece, good times quickly began to turn into heartache as Robert began saying, “I spy… With my old eye’s a black cat!” The miniscule niece shrieked and said aloud to her father, “We forgot Noony!!” Her father hit the brakes feeling his massive truck swaying off road a bit. He mumbled a soft prayer thanking Jesus that they didn’t slide off the road or worst; as his ears were rattled by his daughter’s somber meek cry. Uncle Robert asked his red-faced brother and her incredulously, “Noony? But its only 11 am…?” The little girl’s eyes became distraught and tear filled, “No! Noony, is a kitten that comes to our house everyday right at noon!” Her father glanced sullenly at her through the rear-view mirror expecting her to understand. Yet there was no resolve within his daughter’s tear-filled eye’s that began cascading down her rosy dimpled cheeks.
The silence within the massive truck was thick and coarse as stone between all three of them. “Well, this Noony, must be one stand up little kitten!” Uncle Robert proclaimed. Cutting the silence as if his words were the mighty sword of Excalibur. He looked over to his brother whose hands were still gripping steady on the steering wheel. “Well, can I meet this, little fellow, or lady…Noony?” Uncle Robert turned his head to the back where his niece was sitting as her tears dropped down her face and spoke, “Umm, how would you spell, Noony? Do you spell it like, N-E-W-K-N-E-E-? Because I’d need a pair of those myself! Uncle Robert laughed a bit too hard at his self-proclaimed joke. Wiping her eye’s, the tiny girl raised her meek voice saying, “No, it’s N-O-O-N-Y, Noony.” Uncle Robert nodded in respect and praised her for a job well done with spelling. As he remembered she was having difficulty in her English classes.
As the time ticked away to 11:15am:
Uncle Robert and his niece pleaded to her father, to drive back and take Noony on the vovage. Her father, spoke sullenly but with a smirk on his lips, “We’ll be behind schedule, due to your Uncle’s poor untasteful jokes.”
“Hey, someone ought to have a sense of humor in this truck!” Uncle Robert shouted with a hearty laugh. As she continued to dry her eyes, she thanked her father and continued to laugh at her Uncle as the tires hauled back carefully to find her Noony…
12pm:
A tiny cream coated furry kitten makes way to a deserted driveway, smelling and pawing around a recently made snow angel that looked sanctified basking in the glow of the afternoon sunlight; while keeping its keen sight on the brown door expecting it to open on this wintry, frosty day. This kitten began to murmur a few meows whilst sitting in the shape of the snow angel gathering the warmth from the sunlight placed above it in wait for the brown door to open.
The End?
word count = 897
Written by
Marcus G. Monroe
The Author
of
Deranged: Volume 1 & Deranged: the series
https://blackcatastrophy.com/2017/08/13/black-catastrophy-writing-prompt-02/
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Here’s the link. https://tss02.blogspot.in/2017/09/black-catastrophy-writing-prompt-02.html
Author of: Avarice and other short stories.
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Thanks again!
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Here’s the link!
https://tss02.blogspot.in/2017/09/black-catastrophy-writing-prompt-02.html
Author of: Avarice
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Thank you!
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Here’s the link!
https://tss02.blogspot.in/2017/09/black-catastrophy-writing-prompt-02.html
Author of: Avarice. https://tss02.blogspot.in/2017/08/avarice-1.html
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Here’s the (fixed) link, take two! Thanks for hosting this…it’s much-needed practice in writing short stories. *laugh* https://willowcroft.blog/2017/11/03/black-catastrophy-writing-prompt-2/
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Thanks! What an excellent reminder not to text and drive! We’ll be sharing this for sure. Excellent work, Willow.
I’ll let you know when it’s scheduled. Sorry for the late reply! ^^
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Thank you so much!
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You’re welcome, Willow. It’s scheduled for December 7th. 🙂
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Ha, the irony, that’s when my other articles come out.
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Haha — perfect timing then! 🙂
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