Prompt:
write a 150 word story about something extremely average that happens to us in
our daily lives. Then write three variations on this story using any style we
want.
150
Word Exercise: Base Story
Elaina sat in the dark, slumped over
her desk. She was anything but a morning person; she wouldn’t even be up now if
it weren’t for her boyfriend. They liked to talk before they went to school
every day.
She quietly turned on her laptop,
hoping the other occupants of the house – namely, her younger sister, Bailey –
wouldn’t hear.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Elaina froze until the steps faded back into the living room. She heard
mumbling, and then a slam as the front door closed.
She sighed and went to turn on her
TV when the door opened again with a creak.
“ELAINA! COME LOCK UP BEHIND ME!”
She started to reply in a scathing
manner (of course she’d lock the door, she wasn’t stupid) but Bailey had
already shut the door again.
Slowly, a bit miffed that her sister
acted as though she were the older sibling, Elaina pulled on her clothes and
prepared to leave for school.
She never did lock the door.
150
Word Exercise: Draft 1 – Videogame Style
*PLAYER
ONE: Elaina_ HAS ENTERED THE GAME*
PRESS
[ ] TO SELECT
NEW
GAME_
[LOAD
GAME_]
Loading
Saved File…Do not remove Memory Card in Slot A…
[FILE
1 – 5:15 hours. Location: Bedroom.]
Loading…Do
not remove Memory Card…
CUTSCENE
Narrator:
“Elaina was not a morning person, but she got up before dawn each day to talk
to her boyfriend, Simon, before school. They had to be quiet, though…”
*PLAYER
TWO: Bailey_ HAS ENTERED THE GAME*
Elaina:
[Sigh. I’m tired]
I think I’ll go back to bed.
Bailey
WALKS DOWN HALLWAY
Elaina:
I should talk to her…
[Oh no! She might hear me!]
Bailey
EXITS HOUSE
Elaina:
Finally I can watch TV.
[I should get ready for school]
Bailey
ENTERS HOUSE
[ELAINA! COME LOCK UP!]
Elaina:
[…of course]
DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!
Bailey
EXITS HOUSE
Elaina:
[All right, time to leave]
Screw school.
Elaina
EXITS HOUSE
SAVE
GAME? Yes_
[No]
---ERROR
HAS OCCURRED. ALL UNSAVED DATA WILL BE LOST---
150
Word Exercise: Draft 2 – Space Pirate (Firefly)
Elaina Starkiller entered the
communications room early. Her shift wouldn’t start until 0700 hours, but she
wanted to send a Wave to her boyfriend Simon on the videophone before he
started classes at the Academy. She certainly didn’t like being up this early,
but in this galaxy there was no sun to differentiate between night and day.
Just as she fired up the equipment, she
heard footsteps on the bridge. She hoped it wasn’t the captain; although they
were sisters, they didn’t get along very well.
Elaina sighed as she heard the footsteps
fade and the door to the shuttle pods close with a metallic thud.
The Wave failed to connect just as she
heard the door open again.
“ELAINA! SEAL THE PORTS BEHIND ME!”
She started to shout some comment along
the lines of “Sir yes sir!” in return, but the door clanged shut before she
could. Instead she sighed and prepared for her shift.
It was only when the nearby moon exploded
that she remembered that she never sealed the ports.
150
Word Exercise: Draft 3 – Pre-Television Radio Program
“Up next, start your day off with the
horror story that’s sweeping the nation! Get ready for the next installment of
Elaina and Bailey, Sisters in Crime! Brought to you by Safe-T Locks, the most
affordable door bolts you’ll ever LOCK eyes on!”
“Our story begins early one morning in the
dark before the dawn. Elaina Atkins was writing a letter to her boyfriend who
was serving on the front lines. She had to finish before she left for school.
Suddenly, she froze as she heard footsteps in the hall!
“I mustn’t let Bailey know I’m awake, lest
she give me some chore!” Elaina thought.
The footsteps faded, and Elaina heard the
front door slam. Happily she began to write again, only to be interrupted
by…the door!
“ELAINA! COME LOCK THE DOOR AFTER ME!”
Elaina did hate it so when Bailey told her
what to do, and she nearly gathered the nerve to tell her off – but Bailey was
already gone.
Alas, Elaina never did lock the door…
Tune in tomorrow at 5 am to find out what
creatures of the night snuck through that unlocked door! Thanks for listening,
folks!”
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