Normally on Saturdays, I post a writing prompt I worked on. However, this week I wanted to do something special. I want to share a poem I recently wrote. It’s special to me because I haven’t really been able to write poetry much in a very long time. This hit me hard and it didn’t go until I wrote it out. I hope you enjoy.

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

Write as much as you can in fifteen minutes using two words given to you. Words may be reused, but the writing/story will always be different.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of my writing may be more appropriate for mature audiences than for younger audiences or children. Please read with caution.**

Writing Prompt: Man and Hammock

It had been two months since the storm that had caused the entire ship of people to be deserted on the island. There were about a dozen of them. After several days of having to hear the whining of the lazy people, they finally got into a routine that made everybody happy. They were able to build a life that they could work with until they were able to be found. 

As time went on, rescue attempts were made. Sadly, not everybody could be taken. Six weeks, only two people had remained. Julianne and Frederick. Julianne didn’t mind being one of the last people left on the island if it meant she got to spend some intimate moments with him. She couldn’t deny the ever building attraction to him. His willingness to assist and please her didn’t hurt either.

She was laying in the hammock he had built her earlier in the week contemplating the life she lived before she was stranded. She had grown very bored. She was waiting on Federick to bring back a book and some food. She even found his company very boring right now. He was an attractive man, but he was not very clever. He would not be a man that she would fall in love with and spend the rest of her life with. He would be a man that she would have many great nights of pleasure. Nothing more.

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

Write as much as you can in fifteen minutes using two words given to you. Words may be reused, but the writing/story will always be different.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of my writing may be more appropriate for mature audiences than for younger audiences or children. Please read with caution.**

Writing Prompt: Heaven and Rose

The funeral seemed to go on forever. Rose was slowly losing the facade she was trying to hold strong to. She was shattered. She had experienced many loved ones dying in her life. None of them had impacted her as much as this one did. It’s one thing to watch somebody who’s suffered for a long time die. It’s quite another for someone who’s so young and full of life to just be gone with no warning. 

She heard the whispers around her before the funeral started. They couldn’t understand why she hadn’t shed a single tear. This was her sister after all. Why wasn’t she at least sad? She was disappointed with their judgmental attitudes, but she wasn’t going to let it get to her. She knew she cried. She cried so hard most nights that she stopped breathing. She was bound and determined not to show that in public though. She had to be strong. For her mother especially.

Rose listened as the preacher droned on and on about how Peyton was in Heaven now and that she was happy. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew Peyton would be just as annoyed as she was. She’d probably be more vocal about it than Rose was. That’s how Peyton was. They were twins. They looked exactly alike. 

Their personalities couldn’t be more different. Peyton was loud and vivacious. She was the party girl who spoke her mind with no regard to the consequences. Her grades were acceptable. She was lucky to have gotten accepted to two of the five schools she applied to. Rose was the practical one. She followed society guidelines and did as she was told. She followed every rule and kept to a strict schedule. Her grades were always top of the line in school. She was accepted into every school she applied to. 

Despite their differences, Rose and Petyon were extremely close. After the accident, everybody expected Rose to fall apart. Some were even convinced she would develop a personality change that would forever alter her as they knew it. They were shocked when she maintained composure. She did what she was supposed to. She took care of her family. She was the strong backbone that held everybody together.

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

Write as much as you can in fifteen minutes using two words given to you. Words may be reused, but the writing/story will always be different.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of my writing may be more appropriate for mature audiences than for younger audiences or children. Please read with caution.**

Writing Prompt: Pasta and Garlic

Stephanie pulled up her hair in a tight bun. She checked her uniform one more time to make sure that it was as pristine as Chef Joel required of all of his employees. They were in for a long day. The venue was booked solid all day long with multiple parties. She knew that there were three weddings and a 50th birthday party booked at least. 

Luckily, they already had most things prepped and ready to go for all events for the day. It wasn’t getting everything prepared in time that stressed her. It was Chef Joel. He had made it a point to wait for her at the end of the day yesterday to ask her on a date. She was too shocked to answer. He told her to think about it and that they could talk about it at the end of the day. 

She knew that she wouldn’t have to worry about dealing with it right away. They would all be too focused on preparing the dishes for the events. She promptly went into the kitchen and made sure that all of her belongings were placed in her locker. Once she locked them up, she went to wash her hands and begin her work. 

Shortly after she began prepping for her part of the dishes, Hector came in with all of the groceries they would need. The team dropped what they were doing and migrated to him to help him distribute all of the ingredients needed for the dishes. They soon became alarmed to discover that he had forgotten two very crucial items.

“Hector! How could you forget the pasta and the garlic? Garlic I could understand, but pasta?”

“I swear I had them. I must have left them at the checkout counter.”

“Well, regardless of what happened, you have to go back! Just take Stephanie with you. Now! Go!”

Stepanie and Hector looked at Chef Joel in shock. Stephanie tried to point out that she had too much to prep to have time to go to the store with him to get the ingredients and why couldn’t they send the assistant instead. He wasn’t hearing any of it and after a twenty minute argument, Hector and Stephanie were on their way to get the food. They were five minutes down the road when Hector broke the silence.

“I have a confession.”

“What’s up, Hector?”

“I didn’t forget either item.”

“What?!”

“I’m sorry! Look. I knew he’d send you and I really needed to talk to you.”

“You couldn’t have waited until the end of the day?”

“No because by then it wouldn’t matter.”

“What’s going on?”

“Look. Margie saw you. With Amber.”

“Oh no.”

“Yeah. Look. I don’t want to get in your business. I just want you to be careful. Chef Joel is really obsessed with you. Very unnaturally so. If he finds out….”

“I get it. Thank you for telling me. He actually asked me out last night. Told me to think about it.”

“I know. That’s why I needed to talk to you today. Before the end of the day. You can’t turn him down. I’m afraid of what will happen if you do.”

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

Write as much as you can in fifteen minutes using two words given to you. Words may be reused, but the writing/story will always be different.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of my writing may be more appropriate for mature audiences than for younger audiences or children. Please read with caution.**

Writing Prompt: Patience and Cake

Julie was frazzled. There were three hours left until the party. Only half of the decorations and food were prepared. She could have a lot done if she had help. She wasn’t allowed to ask for that though. Fuming, she set about preparing as best and as fast as she could. 

She was in the middle of preparing the ingredients for the cake when her husband walked in. He walked up to her and put his arms around her waist. She stiffened. She couldn’t help it. She was annoyed with him. He didn’t want to help prepare for the party, but he wouldn’t allow her to call her sisters over to help either. 

“Wow. This looks amazing, love. Better get a move on it though. Party will be starting before we know it!”

“I know! And I need help. I bloody told you this. But no. You’re too good to help me and heaven forbid I ask Cindy and Tracy to help.”

“If you ask them to help, they will expect to come to the party. These people are too important for us to have family and friends over.”

“Or me. Am I still allowed to go to my sister’s house? Or am I going to be forced to stay in the kitchen like a kitchen wench meant to serve?”

“Damn, Julie. What’s wrong with you? This is a huge occasion for me. I could get a big promotion if this goes well. Can’t you just have some patience and be understanding for me?”

“How understanding were you when I needed to go out of town for a meeting for my job?”

“That’s completely different and you know it. My job matters.”

“You did not just say my job doesn’t matter. Tell me you didn’t.”

“I’m not saying it doesn’t. I’m just saying that it doesn’t really matter if the woman works or not.”

“That view is so outdated. You need to get over yourself. We are supposed to be a team. I’m just as successful at what I do as you are.”

“Whatever you say honey.”

Julie screamed in frustration. She went back to preparing without saying a word. She had had enough of his condescending attitude. She wasn’t going to put up with it anymore. Tonight, she was going to her sister’s house and planning her exit from this loveless marriage once and for all. She was done with being treated as little more than property.

She spent the rest of the time getting everything prepared. About ten minutes before the guests were to arrive, she had everything prepared and set exactly as it should be. She called for Drew to come in to inspect everything before she left. 

“Darling, you really outdid yourself this time. Just think how much more you could have done if you hadn’t had to work part of the day.”

“Well, I had a project to do at work that is done by the end of next week. I couldn’t afford to take the time off.”

“One of these days you will realize we really don’t need you to work.” 

“I’m going to Cindy’s house tonight. Tracy and I are spending the night there. Please don’t wait up.”

“I don’t recall giving you permission to do so.”

“I don’t recall asking or needing permission to see my family. Have a terrific night.”

His response was cut off by the doorbell. She knew good and well he wouldn’t continue with the conversation with the company arriving. She promptly went to their bedroom and packed as much as she could and snuck out the back. Once she got in her car, she called Cindy and filled her in.

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

Write as much as you can in fifteen minutes using two words given to you. Words may be reused, but the writing/story will always be different.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of my writing may be more appropriate for mature audiences than for younger audiences or children. Please read with caution.**

Writing Prompt: Painting and School

Mona took one last look at the photos on the website. She knew without a doubt she had found what she had been looking for. She clicked out of the browser and phoned her boss to schedule a meeting. She had been looking for this for too long. She was beginning to lose all hope of finding it. 

Thirty minutes later, she was at the office showing her boss all the printouts of the school. She also gave him all the intel she could find on the staff and the layout of the building itself. It wasn’t your average school. It was a private school for paranormal students. She found it fitting that what she was looking for would be in a parnamorla finishing school. 

After pouring over all that she had presented him with it, her boss let out a low belly laugh. He confirmed that that was the exact piece that the client had been looking for. He was as amused as she was to find that it had been hidden in the school after all this time. Mona and her company had been searching for it for three years at least. 

She went home and packed a bag. The next day, she was going to take a road trip to see about retrieving the item no matter the cost. Personally, she didn’t see what was so important about it. It was just a painting to her. A gorgeous painting, but a painting nonetheless. After she had packed all of her necessities she’d need for the trip and loaded the car up, she locked up her house and went to sleep. She had a long drive ahead of her. 

**********

Roger chuckled to himself. He knew if he assigned Mona to the case that she would find it. Mona was a shark when it came to finding lost goods. She was Roger’s best agent. It’s why she lasted years after most people had come and gone. He couldn’t wait to tell the client the good news. He picked up the phone while he still had the nerve. It didn’t even ring when he heard the voice on the other line.

“This better be good.”

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

Write as much as you can in fifteen minutes using two words given to you. Words may be reused, but the writing/story will always be different.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of my writing may be more appropriate for mature audiences than for younger audiences or children. Please read with caution.**

Writing Prompt: Peace and Moth

Noel looked at the clock for the fifteenth time that day. It was four and Shirley still hadn’t shown up. She told him she’d be there before the sun even came up. Of course, Noel knew that she was exaggerating and wouldn’t be there that early. Still, he expected her to be there long before now. It was already mid afternoon. He would be clocking out and letting the next shift take over in about an hour. 

A small moth fluttered into the store and landed on Noel’s knuckles. It wasn’t like a normal moth. It was brightly colored and pulled all of Noel’s attention to it. He couldn’t help but to wonder why the moth looked so different and how it had even gotten into the store. Before he could continue his thought process, the moth resumed his flight disappearing from view. A door opening pulled his attention away from the moth entirely.

“Noel! Are you here?”

“Shir! You’re here. I was beginning to worry about you.”

“I know. I know. I’m so sorry. I was heading out the door this morning when I was met at the door by my Ladies’ Peace Society group. They just had to have an emergency meeting and my house was the best option.”

“Oh no! For them to call a meeting meant something very serious must have happened. They barely meet at all if they can help it.”

“Right? Since the major outbreak years ago, they are still hesitant to leave their house. It was very serious. One of our own has decided that she’s going to the press about Thomas.”

“No!”

“Yes! Another girl has come up pregnant in the group home that she helps run. Apparently the girl’s story is just horrifying and she has decided that everybody covering from Thomas has gone on long enough.”

“Are they for or against her going public with this.”

“It’s literally mixed.”

“What? How can it be mixed? Aren’t they always advocating for peace and growth? Wouldn’t seeing people like Thomas going down help the cause?”

“That’s what I would think, but some girls seem to think the opposite. They seem to think that going public would cause the opposite of peace and what we stand for. It got way out of hand. Half of us wound up leaving the group and I kicked everybody out.”

“Even Judith?”

“Maybe not Judith.”

“Are you to…?”

“Wow! Is it really time for you to be off already?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“I’m not. What do you want to do today? Would you like to go try that new restaurant?” 

“You didn’t tell her.”

She let out a sigh. “I didn’t tell her.”

“Oh.”

“Noel. Don’t.”

“No. I get it. Anyway. Once my replacement goes in, we should go try that place. I’m starving.”

“I’m not ashamed.”

“I know.”

“I have no reason to be ashamed of you, Noel.” 

“Don’t you?”

“What does that mean?”

“Everybody knows I wasn’t exactly born a man.”

“That doesn’t bother me. It never will.”

“It may bother them though, my love.”

“Well that’s their problem.”

“You mean that?”

“Always.”

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

Write as much as you can in fifteen minutes using two words given to you. Words may be reused, but the writing/story will always be different.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of my writing may be more appropriate for mature audiences than for younger audiences or children. Please read with caution.**

Writing Prompt: Luck and Canal

It had been many years since the land had been inhabited by any human. At least any being that would be considered a human. The island was filled with lush plants of all varieties. In the middle of the island, there was a canal that stretched from one end of the island to the other. Many of the animals on the island like to swim in this canal. 

If legend were to be believed, the reason there were no humans on this island is that there is a magical element in the canal that permanently alters the form of any being into another being. Many humans swam in the canal only to leave the canal as a variety of  animals from tigers to monkeys and every kind of island animal in between. Luck was on many of their sides when there were plenty of ways to get food without having to hunt other animals.

There was one monkey in particular who was very rambunctious and liked to stir up all of the other wildlife on the island. Despite him driving everybody nuts, he was still one of the most well loved animals by all. He may have played pranks now and then, but he was always willing to lend a hand when another needed help. 

Over the years, many people have visited the island. Some of them for pure curiosity. Some of them went to find a loved one who was last known to have gone there but never returned again. Once they entered the island, they never left. It was a mystery to anybody who had known where they were going and when they were planning to return. 

Everything changed when a very powerful witch named Vanessa arrived on the island. It was almost as if the island could sense her energy and didn’t want to mess with her power. In fact, the island wanted to team up with Vanessa and make their island stronger than it has ever been before. Vanessa was shocked to find the island speaking to her. She had spoken to plants and animals before, but never an entire land. 

At last somebody has come that can tame me. Are you up for the challenge?

As if an island could ever be tamed. What are you after?

You are very wise. I was seeing how greedy for power you were. I wish to make a deal with you.

I’m all ears. 

Many have come to this island to find themselves forever altered. I wish for you to use the power to turn them back so that I can rule over them. 

What’s in it for me?

I will let you have equal rule over them. Including turning them back into their animal form any time you wish. 

What did these humans do to deserve such punishment?

Nobody arrives on this island by mistake. Everybody who comes here has done something evil in their life. With the exception of you and those who look for their loved ones. 

I thought people got punished when they died.

Some deserve punishment before their life expectancy is over. Will you help me?

I’d be delighted to. I now see why I had such a strong calling to land here.

Indeed. 

Let us begin.

Vanessa closed her eyes and looked up at the sky. She held her arms out and opened her mouth and sang. After a few minutes, animals started turning into humans. All of them were naked and afraid. They didn’t know what to think. Some of them taking longer to adjust to human form as than others. Vanessa opened her mouth and laughed.

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

Write as much as you can in fifteen minutes using two words given to you. Words may be reused, but the writing/story will always be different.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of my writing may be more appropriate for mature audiences than for younger audiences or children. Please read with caution.**

Writing Prompt: Sky and Knife

Jordan lay on the ground panting. She had never fought so hard in her life. She knew the training would get more intense as she got older. She just underestimated how intense it would get. She stabbed her knife into the ground and struggled  to get up using the handle as leverage. She found herself eye to eye with Sky once she was fully standing. 

“Is that the best you can do? I expected better than that considering who your parents are.”

“Oh blow me, Sky. You know good and well that I just had a medical procedure last week and I am not at full strength.” 

“As if that is an excuse. Your mother fought a wendigo in the forest the night she gave birth to you.”

“Why are you so obsessed with my parents, Sky?”

“Because they are a legend, Jordan. Everybody knows how amazing they are. I just can’t understand how they could have had the misfortune to be blessed with a child as clumsy as you. They must be so devastated.”

“Actually, they are proud of me. Thank you very much. Not all talents take place in the battle field and the arena. Just because we all train to be warriors doesn’t mean that all of us will go on to be warriors.”

“We all strive to be warriors though. It’s the most prestigious position that we can be in with this clan.”

“Not everybody feels that way.”

“Jordan! How could you say such a thing? You of all people. You may not be as good as your parents, but you’re still one of the best warrior prospects this clan has.”

“I thought you just said I was clumsy and my parents must be so devastated.”

“Oh shush, Jordan. You knew what I meant. It baffles us all how well you pull through in combat despite how clumsy you are. You already know that though. Why be such a minx?”

“Because it irks you when I am the way I am. I can’t help it that I am quick to the draw despite how prone I am to accidents.”

“Touche. Will you eat lunch with me. I want to discuss the book I’m reading currently.”

“The mighty Sky is reading a book? I must alert the elders!”

“There’s nothing wrong with a warrior reading! We must exercise our mind as well as our muscles.”

“Oh I’m well aware of that, Sky. I just didn’t think you had time to do anything other than train.”

“I have more time for things in my leisure time than you think. Not that you would know. Not that you pay any attention to any of us after you’re done with training every day.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means once you have showered after training for the day, you disappear. Nobody knows where you go. It’s actually widely talked about when we get together on the weekends.”

“Wait… you all talk about me when I’m not around?”

“Yeah. It’s not like we say anything bad about you. We just don’t understand why you don’t want to hang out with your peers. You should want to get to know us.”

“I know you, Sky. We grew up together.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it. Why can’t you just tell me where you go every day.”

“It wouldn’t interest you.”

“How do you know?”

“I just do. Why is it so important to you?”

“Because it’s important to you.”

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea

Write as much as you can in fifteen minutes using two words given to you. Words may be reused, but the writing/story will always be different.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of my writing may be more appropriate for mature audiences than for younger audiences or children. Please read with caution.**

Writing Prompt: Rose and Attic

Emily let out a sigh of relief as she pulled into her driveway. It had been a long way. If she was being honest with herself, she had had many long days since the beginning of the month. This was not the way she thought she would be starting her year. She also didn’t think she’d start her year coming home to a rose on the counter with a note. 

Dear Emily:

I’m sorry it’s come down to this, but I just can’t stay anymore. I’m tired of the only reason you’re with me is because it feels safe. You may not want to confront who you really are, but I’m done pretending I mean more to you than I do. You’re one of the sweetest people I know. I know you care about me, but it’s not in the way I deserve to be cared for by somebody I’m in a committed relationship with. You really need to learn how to be okay with who you are. If you don’t, nobody will ever get to see you shine. I will always be your friend.

Love,

Todd

She’d read the letter dozens of times since she found it. In her heart, she knew he was right. She hadn’t really felt the spark with the two of them for a very long time. She cared about him, but she definitely wasn’t in love with him. Maybe she never was. Either way, it still stung that after ten years he couldn’t even bother telling her to her face. That’s one of the biggest reasons she didn’t feel ready to reach out to him yet. 

She had had her stuff packed up and was moved into her grandmother’s house before he even returned home that night. She just couldn’t face him. She was ashamed. She hadn’t even shed a single tear since she read the note. She felt frustrated that they couldn’t talk about it like adults, but she felt no sadness that they were breaking up like she felt she should. 

She even felt relieved that she had somewhere to go. Her grandmother had passed away a month ago and left the house to her. She hadn’t had a chance to decide what to do with it. She was thankful for that now. At least she had somewhere to go. She didn’t have to worry about him coming home and asking her to be the one to leave.

Pulling herself from her thoughts, she quickly set her things down on the counter and sat down. She took a long sip of her drink and laid her head down for a few minutes. She wasn’t tired. She was just very overwhelmed. Too much was happening all at once and she just wanted to be in the moment for a little while and just not think about it all. 

After a few moments, she got up to heat up some food. She was so glad she had leftovers from her dinner from the night before. She couldn’t cook right now if her life depended on it. As she ate, she planned out some things to do around the house. She needed to finish unpacking and cleaning up all the rooms. She had the next five days off and she planned to use them to the fullest. 

She found it odd that her grandmother had left the house to her. She was never allowed to set foot in the house growing up. Her grandmother would always come over to their house when she wanted to visit. She and Emily’s mom seemed adamant that the house just wasn’t suitable for children. At the time, she never really questioned it. She accepted it as it was. As she got older, she started to question it, but she was quickly shut down so she let it go. She never really thought about it again until she learned she had inherited the house. 

She decided to make a list of everything that needed to be done around the house. She planned to organize it by room and break it down into the five days she had off. She wanted to spend her mornings cleaning and her evenings writing or reading. That way she felt balanced. She spent several hours finishing the schedule to her liking before she finally went to bed bleary eyed and exhausted. 

The next day she woke up feeling very well rested. She had decided to sleep in. It was a luxury that she never really allowed herself before. She even cooked herself some eggs in bell peppers and had a few pieces of turkey sausage to go with it. She allowed herself to read on her ereader while she was eating. She was feeling better than she had in a long time.

Once she had finished breakfast and cleaned her dishes, she made her way up to the attic. That is where she planned to start her cleaning and organizing. She also planned to see if she could find any clues of her grandmother’s life there as well. Everything that was in the house was also left to her. She was intimidated by it as much as she was excited.

She started to walk into the attic and look around when she felt a force around her body. She was suddenly picked up off the floor and moved back. The door was closed in a hurry and she was moved down the steps and into the living room and set down. She was still baffled when she heard her grandmother’s voice loud and clear in the room around her.

I’m sorry my pet. You’re not ready to go there yet. When it’s time, I’ll lead you in there myself. Please trust me. Everything will come to light in time. I love you sweet pea.

Follow me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/StarsBooksAndTea