Day 228 Writing Short Stories

Drawn

The world was drawn from the lines none of us knew. The reality of things became clear too late for us to do anything. It was the silence that got to us, and the knowing that it would end soon, and there was nothing we could do about it. We had decided not to inform others. There was no point in their last moments being in terror. It was a heavy burden to some of us, and others took it lightly.

I remember watching my family around the dinner table and wanting nothing more than to cry and hug them and tell them I love them and tell them the truth, but I couldn’t. I had taken my vows, promising to others. It took only one word to make it spread.

Sometimes I wondered how we could keep the entire universe ending wrapped up while wishing our calculations and understanding to be wrong. Yet, with every day that passed, the acceleration of total extinction became more apparent. The laws of physics that we thought were constant and unchangeable behaved erratically. People did notice. But there was no way they would calculate the cause before the week ran its course, to the ultimate end.

Now, the midnight clock, as we named the event, was drawing near. I had gathered my family. We were watching a movie my son had picked. There had been a fight, but there always were. People had so many different wants and needs. But now, everyone of us was sitting quietly next to each other and spending our last minutes together.

They thought tomorrow would come. I knew better.

My wristwatch chimed. I saw my coworkers leaving their last words behind. Some of them were scared. They confessed to their loved ones, a priest, or someone else to hear their last prayers. I forgave them even when I was determined to keep my silence.

I glanced at my family. They looked so peaceful and happy. This was the best it could ever get, being together with those who loved you unconditionally.

I drew my husband’s hand over my shoulder and fought against the tears wanting to come out. I swallowed them as I put my head against my husband’s shoulder.

The clock on my wrist began its countdown. In ten seconds, I wouldn’t remember anything. There would be no I, no fear, no need, just buff and gone.

I tore my eyes away from the watch and focused on my family, reliving all we had done together and all we wished to do yet. It had been a good run.

My watch made a little noise when the clock ran out. For a second, I thought it had been a mistake, but then there was nothing.

No sound.

No touch.

Just nothing.

Quitting Smoking

A prompt about turning grumpy when trying to quit smoking and having to suffer through the boss’s dinner party.

Snobby Sales Representative

A snobby salesperson abuses customers and is especially vicious towards a bookish-looking woman, who is the store owner’s daughter.

The prompts are from the book A Year of Creative Writing Prompts.

Today’s prompts didn’t treat me right. I couldn’t find the spark to write about the last two prompts. Writing all these prompts has taught me that I’m not a literary fiction writer. I’m clearly made for the strange. Even as a kid, the speculative has always made my brain feel like it is tingling. Like it is getting the nourishment it needs. That’s why I love reading sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books. They make me come alive. They make more sense of the world than anything else I have come across.

Thank you for reading ❤ Have a speculative day!