#504 – Choose a Family Story for Which You were not Present…

…Choose the narrator of the piece and write the event in his or her voice.

I don’t remember where we were coming from, I think it was Park Lake or something, but me, my brother and your brother were in the camper while grandpa drove us home.  Me and your brother dared my brother to get into the cupboard and he actually did it.  As soon as the door was closed, we tied a rope around the handle so he couldn’t get out.

Suddenly, we were on the gravel road and the whole camper is just shaking and jumping all over the place.  We can hear my brother getting all slammed around inside the cupboard and he’s crying to get out.  Finally, we hit this big bump and we can hear his body actually hit the bottom of the cupboard with a thud.  Now he’s pounding on the door, trying to get it open yelling, “Let me out!  Let me out!”

So we untie the rope and the door opens up and my brother’s laying there inside the cupboard all flipped upside down.  He looked pissed.  We asked if he was okay and he just looks at us and says, “The hell do you think?!”

Behind the Random: This is one of my favorite stories my cousin told me about the torment he and my brother put his through.  They were evil masterminds and would constantly torment me and others.  The story does lose some of it’s flair though because my cousin is very active when he talks, especially when he tells a story, and it really emphasizes the tale when he’s throwing his body around.

#67 – What Would You Be Doing…

…if you weren’t doing this?

That’s the question, isn’t it?  What would I be doing right now if I wasn’t sitting at my computer writing about what I would be doing if I wasn’t doing this.  More than likely, I’d still be sitting at my computer, either playing a video game or reading through some of my D&D manuals to work on the next adventure I’m running or just killing time on Facebook.I probably wouldn’t be writing though.  That’s the whole point of this after all; to establish that habit of writing everyday so that, when I’m done this project (and it’s coming sooner everyday) I have the skills and practice to finally delve into creating a project I’ll try and get published.

I’ll admit it, I’m terrible at keeping up on things.  So many of my projects sit untouched on my computer.  I keep saying I’ll come back to them but I never seem to get around to it.  So this project is teaching me work ethic when it comes to my writing and even though it feels like a chore sometimes (let’s face it, not every prompt is a grand slam), I honestly couldn’t imagine not doing my prompts.

This upcoming February is going to be bittersweet.

Behind the Random: More than once, I’ve thought about quitting the prompts.  Sometimes it was too stressful trying to find the time to sit down and write them and others I was getting a string of annoying and/or boring prompts that just took the fun out of it.  In the end though, I’m glad I’ve persevered and I’m now approaching the endgame.  It’s been an eye-opening experience, to say the least.

#39 – If Each Decade of Your Life…

…was represented by a pop song, what would they be?

The first decade of my life would set the tone for my interests in pop culture, back in the 80’s when such a thing was just beginning to take hold of the world.  I absorbed everything I could, even things I was considered too young to watch like Aliens and Terminator.  Ninja Turtles, Transformers, He-Man, RoboCop, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Muppets, and everything else in between.  I read about their stories and learned about their impact on the media world while collecting the toys and talking about them with friends.  It was a journey that began with the Ghostbusters, making it only fitting that the Ray Parker Jr. song represent that time of my life.

As I went into the 90’s and entered that strange awkward stage of puberty as well as beginning life in a new school, I soon became the target of bullies.  Several unfortunate decisions left me a ridiculed pariah within the school system.  To be friends with me was considered social suicide and I often found myself alone.  However, there were those who would treat me with quiet dignity and respect, some even standing up for me from time to time.  Talking with me was a guilty pleasure a few of my classmates developed, though most wouldn’t admit it openly.  That’s why the Los del Rio one-hit wonder Macarena best fits that period of my time, though I hope I wasn’t quite as annoying.

Officially considered an adult in the 2000’s, it was a time of realization that I was going about life all wrong.  Some chance encounters with several people who would come to be amazing catalysts of change, I finally reached out and accepted the help that I never knew that I needed.  I was still very much a mess of a person, but at least it was a start.  My life was beginning to repair itself and become something that I could at least live with.  The song Bent by Matchbox Twenty sums it up pretty nicely on how I was those years.

The 2010 saw a huge shift for me in every sense.  Life changed drastically, almost too quickly for me to adapt, and I had to hang on by the skin of my nails.  I went back to school (briefly for some upgrading), I left the city of my birth for the first time ever, and I found myself quite suddenly in a relationship with a woman that I have loved for longer than I care admit.  She is the best part of the decade for me so far and has made my life more interesting than I could ever have imagined.  I know I don’t say it enough, but I do think it.  I love her and that’s why Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars is the song I’ve picked for the 2010’s, dedicated to her.

Behind the Random: To make this a little bit more interesting, I decided to only use songs that were from that decade as well.  This actually seemed a bit unnecessary since I don’t really have a large taste in music.  I scoured Top 100 hit lists from each decade and only a handful of songs actually sparked any recognition, even less I could recall hearing.  Still, I managed to blunder my way through it and it was kind of fun justifying each song.

#414 – The Last Time You Changed Your Mind About Something Important

I stared at my daily prompt, conflicted.  I had to write about the last time I changed my mind about something important, but the last important decision I had to make was actually a pretty personal affair.  Should I put it out on the internet for anybody to stumble on?  Was I comfortable with that?  I hummed and hawed over it for the better part of the day, trying to decide on what I can do to fulfill today’s challenge while maintaining my privacy.

Finally, I made a decision.  Clearly I wasn’t going to be able to do both, so it had to be one or the other.  I’m a bit of a stickler for following rules, so I would talk about my very personal decision I made though I would try and make it vague enough that people wouldn’t get all the information.

With my decision made, I sat down at my computer to finish today’s prompts when I was hit by a sudden realization.  The decision to override my sense of privacy in exchange for fulfilling today’s challenge was an important one and it was made before the post was even started.

A loophole.  A glorious beautiful loophole that allowed me to complete my task and maintain my private life.  Sorry folks, maybe next time.

Behind the Random: I do kind of feel bad about dangling this secret in front of my readers then pulling it away.  I then realize that it’s still my life and I don’t have to put anything on the internet I don’t want out there.  I hope it was at least good for a chuckle for some.

#416 – Your Worst Experience in a Bar

It was my 21st birthday and I went out with some people I knew to the bar.  I was never a big fan of the bar, especially night clubs but I was young, stupid, and impressionable with no real friends at the time.  So that’s how I found myself at the bar that night, listening to terrible terrible music and watching people trying their best to either get in each others pants or smash in their faces.  At the time, I was the only one employed amongst those in attendance, thus the only one with any money to spend.  So I ended up paying for myself and everyone else, which begs the question of why I agreed to go out even more.  Over time, people began to disappear and within an hour, I found myself alone and broke at this sleazy overpriced bar on my birthday and I wasn’t even drunk.

That kind of soured me on celebrating birthdays for a while.

Behind the Random: There is a silver lining about that night.  While I was wandering around, I ran into the owner who was a regular of mine at the restaurant I worked at.  As a show of appreciation, he bought me a beer and didn’t even know it was my birthday.  Other than that though, it was a pretty disappointing and depressing night.  Sadly though, still not the worst birthday I’ve had…

#395 – Pick a Dictator…

…and write about an imaginary morning or day of his life, focusing on the banalities.

Fidel Castro yawned and stretched as he woke up, feeling his muscles strain and pop.  His eyes bleary and mind groggy, he turned himself until he was sitting on his large bed.  On the bedside table, his alarm clock declared it 5:45AM, 15 minutes before his alarm was set to go off.  As he stood up, his knees cracked loudly and traveled down his legs into his feet with each sleepy step he took towards the bathroom.

After relieving himself at the toilet, emptying his bladder from his drinks he enjoyed the night before.  The pressure in his bladder subsided and the urgency faded away.  Satisified, he gave his little dictator an extra shake for good luck the tucked him back away.

Castro stepped over to the large sink and inspected himself in the mirror, as he did every morning.  It seemed another grey hair had slipped into his black beard.  Before too long, it would be more ash than not.  He sighs, reminding himself that even he can’t control aging.  Not yet anyways, he chuckles wryly as he turns on the tap and picks up his toothbrush.

As Castro tops the bristles with a smidge of toothpaste and begins scrubbing the plaque from his teeth, his mind wanders over the day he has in store for him.  The meetings he has set up, the papers he needs signed, liberties to crush.  Normal activities of the leader of a country seeking to control what he has.  He made a mental note to check with his secretary about his surprise birthday gift to his general.

After he was happy with his brushing, Castro spit and rinsed his mouth out.  A shot of mouthwash, a moment of gargling and swishing and another load of spit was sent into the sink.  Beside the counter hung a towel that he used to wipe the little bit of spittle that inevitably got caught in his beard every morning.

Behind the mirror was a cabinet that contained his other toiletries.  A quick spray of antiperspirant and a little of that expensive cologne the leader of Peru got him for Christmas last year.

One more quick check to ensure his pearly whites were world class quality, Castro gave himself a grin and a thumbs up.  He was ready to face the day.

Behind the Random: Naturally, my first thought was to do Hitler but then everyone is going to do Hitler first.  He’s the go-to bad guy in the class of world leaders.  So I humm’d and haw’d a bit about who else I could do and realized that you never hear about Castro anymore.  In fact, I had to Google to check if he’s even still alive or not (he is in case you were wondering yourself).  So I did.  It was a challenge, but when you want to learn to write fiction you have to learn to write the mundane as well as the fantastic…*grumble*

#407 – Suddenly, you can Hear Everyone’s Thoughts…

…and you are shocked by what they think about you.  Write their thoughts.

To say I was surprised would be an understatement.  My telepathy returned to me so suddenly, I nearly passed out from the cacophony of noise that crashed down on me like tidal wave, threatening to sweep me away into madness.  Fortunately, like riding a bike, old instincts kicked in and I was able to push back the wall of voices and hold them at bay.  Confusion gave way to revelation as the reality of the world around me became truth.

Finally, I understand why I feel so alienated to those around me.  My general distrust of people constantly gnawing away at me.  Still, I never would have thought, in my wildest dreams, that what I learned was even remotely a possibility.  How could I?

I mean, how often do you learn that you’re actually a pan-dimensional being trapped on this planet and held by similar beings who have disguised themselves as friends and family only to keep me in my place?  That you are serving a billion year sentence on this planet for crimes you don’t ever remember committing in the first place, brainwashed into obedience?

I don’t know how long I’ve been chained to this time, but I can feel my power returning.  I don’t think they know that I’ve slipped my proverbial leash yet, so I’ll continue acting like .  Then, when the moment is right and I have the power to break out of this temporal prison, I’ll get my answers and eventually vengeance against them and everyone else who thought that they could control me.

Time will burn before my might and I will laugh.

Behind the Random: I’m a big fan of the hero of the story being revealed to be the villain all along, especially when they have no idea all along.  It rarely surprises me, it’s still makes for a fun spin on events.

In other news, this post marks the beginning of the end for 642 as we enter the double digits.  Only 99 prompts remain.  I’m both excited and apprehensive about what’s going to happen when I’m done.

#621 – Write a Scene…

…set in a different location, using all the details from #620.

Log #926102

26.54.3192

Invisible to the naked eye, the ship landed with barely a whisper.  I checked to make sure the cloaking technology was holding before I set out to explore this new world unexplored world.  All the readings indicated what scientists at home had theorized; the atmosphere of the planet was similar to ours, creating a hospitable environment.

Our long range satellites had discovered the planet two years ago and billions of dollars were spent to send one man and one ship across the galaxy.  It was a point of pride for me that I was chosen.  I was going to be a hero.

I checked the airlocks of my suit.  Despite what all the equipment was telling me, who knew what kind of airborne alien germs would be in the air.  The suit would also keep me invisible from both the denizens of this world and their primitive equipment.  Satisfied that I was ready, I waited for the entry hatch to slide open with a hiss and ventured out.I had landed in the middle of a green strip of land surrounded by what was believed to be the dwellings of the inhabitants of this world.  Vegetation similar to my own planets, of various types and sizes.  From what I was able to surmise, it was in the middle of the fertile season for this area of the planet.Before one domicile, there appeared to be an ornate symbol.  From the top of a large rock, water sprayed upwards and into a well around it.  I studied it for a moment, curious about the purpose of this display.  Was it a place of worship or mysticism?  Surely it wasn’t something as pedestrian as mere decoration.  It seemed like such a waste of time, energy, and material.My sensors detected something in the air.  At first, I thought my fears of a dangerous bacteria was confirmed and I brought up the HUD in my visor.  Instead, I was alerted that strange noxious elements were mingling in the air, moved by the wind from an industrial area we’d spotted not too far away.  It seemed odd that living spaces would be kept so close to a dangerous environment, but we knew next to nothing about the people who called this world home.  Perhaps they were immune to the poisons floating about them?  That was the popular opinion within our brain tank.Strange vehicles rumbled past me as I explored the land.  Some were large and box-ish while others were more compact, clearly made for speed.  The alien life forms piloting the vehicles did so with their appendages, manipulating a wheel to control the machines movements.  It was odd to observe, like watching an infant learn to walk.  From what I could surmise, none of them had flight capability.  Whatever our sensors detected soaring through the skies, it was not these contraptions.Further exploration uncovered several large buildings nestled closely with the much smaller holdings.  A thorough scan revealed that it was a place of gathering for the pursuit of knowledge.  It appeared to target the younger of the species, as archaic as that sounds.  It’s strange to think of a race not utilizing sub-neuro transmissions to educate.  Very eye opening.Speaking of the youth, they were everywhere I looked.  Running and frolicking without abandon about the lesser vegetation with no clear control.  They would make a noise I can only describe as annoying and loud.  Odd metallic structures were scattered around the living area, serving a place for the young to congregate and interact.  Their purpose remains a mystery to me and I will investigate later.I attempted to make a soil extraction, but discovered that, despite the abundance of vegetation in the area, the ground was uneven.  Further investigation revealed that the plantlife was far more unruly than I suspected.  It grew at a fantastic rate and spread quickly.  So much so that I had the opportunity to observe some of the native lifeforms engage in a control effort to quell the swelling ranks.  Why the species don’t simply eliminate the problem is just another question I have no answers for.During my mission, I’ve had opportunity to inspect the alien forms closer.  They appear to vary in size, shape, and color.  They also differ by gender, but thus far I have only encountered two.  Curiously, they don’t all speak in a common language but instead on insisting to use dialects alien to each other.  The sensors of my suit picked up more elements in the air, each coming from a different area and mingling together to create a cacophony of olfactory overload.  According to readings, the sources are organic in nature and may actually be the dietary requirements these people consume, though once again the variety of it surprises me.  I’d like to thank the creator of the suit at this point, protecting me from whatever oddities this backwards people subject themselves to.I investigated the area for three days, monitoring the area from the safety of my ship when the sun dropped below the horizon.  Oddly, even in times of rest, the denizens of this world remain active, though not as in great of numbers.  It appears that the cover of darkness is an excellent opportunity for the alien forms to engage in activities considered taboo by the majority.  This was actually quite fascinating, as it gave me a chance to watch local protection services in action.  Over the three days, I managed to capture over a dozen interactions between the transgressors and the oppressors.This has been, perhaps, the most important piece of information.  While there is still much more observing to do, which will be easier once our satellite has achieved orbit and can begin it’s own global observations.  With some luck and patience, we will learn everything we need to know about this planet so we can prepare our own forces for initial landfall.I will report back once I have learned more.  Hail the All Earth Empire and may it’s universal influence continue to expand across the cosmos.

Behind the Random: Well, that’s what I get for not following the directions.  The way I did the original post made it a lot harder to do this one but I think I managed to muddle my way through it okay.

#275 – You, a Grown Adult, are Afraid of the Dark…

…explain why this is a legitimate concern, so friends won’t laugh at you.

Something about the dark has a way of changing things.  The blacker it is, the more alien the world becomes around you.  Sometimes it can make the world seem to shrink around you, crushing down on you, and other times it can make stretch out to infinity, making you feel lost and alone yet completely at the mercy of whatever is out there.

It’s that unknown factor.  Anything could be in the dark and you wouldn’t know because you can’t see it.  It can be something as simple as an object on the ground we might step on like a child’s toy or it could be someone watching you, waiting for the moment that you’re at your most vulnerable.  And you would never know it was there until it was too late.

Behind the Random: As an agoraphobic, I can understand and relate to a person with a fear of the dark.  I have trouble walking through a wide open field in the dark even more than during the day just because of that mysterious shroud surrounding me.  The shadows will play tricks on my mind, always moving in the corner of my eye and taking on shapes of people or worse then vanishing when I look over.  So to all you Achluophobics out there, I understand you.

#126 – What is the Place or Object from your Childhood…

…that you most think about when you think about home?

I call it the ghost farm.  Surrounded by old decrepit barns and sheds that still stank of the animals that once lived there years before I was ever born, it was like the scene right out of a horror movie.  All over the property, rusted broken farming equipment were scattered and abandoned.  Twisted trees surround the property, blocking the view from the dirt road that passed it, one sporting a battered tire hanging from a frayed rope that swayed in the wind.

At the forefront of the property, a small two bedroom house stood, its white painted boards chipped and faded from years of elements and neglect with cracked dirty windows.  The only source of water was an old well at the front of the house, at the end of the long gravel driveway.

Like a horror movie, it was a place of evil and fear where nightmares are made.

Behind the Random: I play it up a little bit about the one year I spent living on that forsaken farm and make it more dire than it actually was, but it was still one of the worst years of my early life.  So much so that when I think about my childhood, I usually end up there.