And so we start with the first prompt. The idea behind
these short stories goes as follows: on the internet (where else?), one in need
of inspiration can find a lot of so called prompts. These are tidbits and
little story ideas. They can be used to start a full-fledged story with, or
just for practice. I usually do it for the latter. At the end of each of these
stories, you can find the original prompt. It's more fun to read the story
first though.
Driftwood
The sun prickling the skin, the sand playing
hide-and-seek between your toes, you know the feeling. Around you people are
going about their daily activities, as far as those go on a beach. Some kids to
your left are making a sandcastle, complete with a moat and walls. A couple of
Germans not far off from you down the beach are digging their way to the
proverbial China. Nobody knows why. Every now and then, when a stronger wind
passes by, you get a waft of fish smell, to go along with the shouts of the woman
trying to sell them. Besides these disturbances, you feel pleased. This being
your first day off in a long time, you have been looking forward to this. Just
you, the beach, the sun and a good book. With one last look on the water, where
you notice a few boats, some big, some small and return to your book. While you
are immersed in your book, a wondrous world full of magical things, adventure
and the stuff that fills your dreams, you notice, somewhere, the volume of life
on the beach is increasing. You pay it no heed, you are too busy with an
immense battle between a woman riding a dragon and an army, totally futile,
trying to win. They are engulfed in the flames, cooked alive in their wearable
tin cans. Not much later though, you can no longer ignore the sounds around
you. When you look up, you notice a huge boat is closing in on the shore,
coming what looks like directly at you.
''How could you not have noticed this before? How long
was I reading?'' you wonder.
''That boat will run aground'' you hear yourself think.
Still, it's coming right at you. Reluctantly, you
decide to stand up to get a better view. Even the Germans stopped digging. You
are trying to spot any activity on the boat, but from bow to stern, it is
desolated, nobody in sight. It is still moving towards the beach. People are
now slowly moving out of the way. You, on the other hand, decide to get a bit
closer. The ship is moving real slow now, but since it's still making ripples,
it's still moving. Just when you set your first foot forward, the ship comes to
a complete stop with a loud thud, barely ten meters of the beach. The people
gathered at the beach fall silent, in utter amazement. It's like a ship from
one of your novels, a full three masts, patched together sails and an actual
mermaid on the bowsprit. ''And is that...?'' You decide you must be mistaken.
For a few minutes nothing seems to happen. Then someone extends an arm and
points to something you can't really see, nor can you hear what he's
exclaiming. You run out to see, the wet sand is making your steps heavy, your
heart pounding with near-childish excitement. Just when you arrive on the
shoreline, trying to see what happens between the heads of the multitude of
tourists, a rope ladder is thrown over the side. A man appears over the railing.
''Ahoy!'' he shouts.
Your heart skips a beat. He's wearing an eye patch, a
black piece of cloth for a hat, sturdy, but very much outworn boots, a dirty
shirt and an actual parrot on his shoulder. He's a...
''PIRATE!'' a kid shouts, somewhere in the crowd.
''Look mommy! An actual pirate!''
''Ay, that be me'' he shouts back. ''And I be looking
for a special someone'' he continues.
''The brothel's are down the street'' somebody shouts
back.
''It has been a long trip, ay, that be true, but
that's not what I meant.'' The person who I am looking for is him.''
He's pointing in your general direction. You're
wondering who he's talking about. Some people point to themselves asking if
they mean them.
''Not any of you dry-back scallywags. The one I mean
is him, in the red'' still pointing in your direction, dirty fingers and all. A
sting hits your heart like a thunderbolt when you realize you are wearing red
shorts.
''I've been told you have what it takes, boy'', he
says gruffly, all the while pasting a big dollop of spit on the deck.
''M-m-m-m-me..??'' you stutter out, knees shaking.
''Very much so,'' the pirate responds, hands
confidently in his sides. ''I have a treasure map and I need help. Are ya' in?''
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The prompt was:
''One day, while reading your favourite book
on the beach, you notice a boat slowly drifting to shore. It eventually lands
near your spot. A person, draped in pirate clothes, yells to you from the boat,
“I have a treasure map and I need help. Are you in?”''
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