Yay! Writing DID happen!
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The Word for Wednesday challenge started a long time ago. Now it has turned into a movable feast with Elephant's Child as our coordinator; and the Words are provided by a number of people.
The prompts for September are provided by Sean Jeating and can be found @ Elephant's Child.
The general idea of this challenge is to make us write. Poems, stories, subtitles, tales, jokes, haiku, crosswords, puns, ... you're the boss.
Use all Words, some Words, one Word, or even none of them if that makes your creative juices flow. Anything goes, only please nothing rude or vulgar.
It is also a challenge, where the old saying "The more the merrier" holds true.
So Please, remember to follow the links, go back and read other peoples' stories. And please leave a comment after reading. Challenges like this one thrives on interaction, feedback and encouragement. And we ALL need encouragement.
This week's prompts are:
Catch
Hurry
Panting
Running
Train
and/or
Forehead
Minutes
Saved
Seats
Sweat
A short story, nothing special, but I'm writing again, yay!
Susan had to catch the train to get to Unicorn Farm in time. She was in a hurry because her bike had had a flat tyre and now she was panting, running towards the railway station. She could see the train still standing at the platform, she validated her ticket and ran on. The man with the whistle was ready to announce the departure. As he saw Susan coming panting along, he lowered the whistle and smiled at her. As soon as she was aboard, he blew the whistle, and the train slowly sat in motion, chug-chugging along. Susan rested her forehead against the cool window pane, her mouth tasted blood and her breathing was laboured. It took several minutes before she noticed that she was not alone in the compartment. The conductor that has saved her from being too late had come in and was ready to look at her ticket. She handed him her ticket, and was told that she would have to move to another compartment, as those seats were reserved. Susan thanked him for his kindness in waiting and picked up her small suitcase in her sweaty grip and moved to the next compartment. She wondered why anybody wanted to reserve seats on this train, and decided to spy on them to see who did this.
This story might be continued
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Today is also the first Wednesday of the month. Time for the monthly Question from the Insecure Writers' Support Group
October 2 question - Ghost stories fit right in during this month. What's your favourite classic ghostly tale? Tell us about it and why it sends chills up your spine.
My answer - I do not like scary ghost stories, and my favourite ghosts are Casper the Friendly Ghost, Nearly Headless Nick, and Persephone, called Percy, from my Susan-story.
Actually I wrote a story about Percy and other ghosts a year ago. Susan here expresses my view on ghosts in a very fine way.
I'm the same, I don't like scary stories, not at least, not the very scary kind. I prefer wholesome ghosts.
SvarSletHave a lovely day.
Wholesome ghoests - yes please!
SletI wondered whether Casper would get a look in. I rarely read horror stories - other of course than the news which is more than enough for me.
SvarSletThe news is the most scary of all stories!
SletGlad to read the updated version. I worry about Susan tasting blood after exertion though. And am glad to read of a kind conductor - and that Susan remembered to thank him.
SvarSletThank you. Tasting blood after an unusual expenditure of energy is not unnormal, and totally harmless in healthy individuals.
SletThanking people is a thing Susan was taught early - and that I wish I had been taught a bit more - we differ there.
I'm always fascinated by what people come up with using the prompts! Great job.
SvarSlethttps://substack.com/home/post/p-149546624
I am too. I'll be over and read later.
SletYay, Casper! Gotta love that friendly ghost. He is a great choice!
SvarSletThank you, friendly ghosts are the best!
SletI like your use of the words and I am glad the conductor saw Susan running for the train and lowered his whistle until she was on.
SvarSletFriendly people are soo nice and worthy of praise. You get to appreciate this more as you grow older, I think.
SletI'm glad Susan got to the train. As far as who saves seats, possibly those who love a window view, but maybe we'll find out more later.
SvarSletScary stories are not for me, the scariest I like is A Christmas Carol, which has some rather disturbing images in it when you think about it. At least it comes to a good end.
It's a very short trip, with trains running every 20 minutes all day, practically a commute express ;) No-one normally reserves places for this 30 minutes trip. I hope t tell more of the eccentric persons doing this at a later date.
SletA Christmas Carol is "good scary" ... scary not just to scare, but to teach us a lesson.