Brilliant work again this past week, and one or two new faces! Be sure to read and comment! Rewriters, don’t forget to pingback, and don’t worry if I don’t respond right away. I might not get the chance to read up ’til Friday or Saturday, though I try to approve pingbacks daily. Thanks for bearing with me. : )
Marantha
Sonia
EDIT: I missed Rashmi’s awesome piece! and Indigo Spider’s, too!
—
The Rules
There are none. Read the prompts, get inspired, write something. No word count minimum or maximum. You don’t have to include the exact prompt in your piece, and you can interpret the prompt(s) any way you like.
OR
No really; I need rules!
Okay; write 200-500 words on the prompt of your choice. You may either use the prompt as the title of your piece or work it into the body of your piece. You must complete it before6 pm CSTon the Monday following this post.
The Prompts:
The exits of the world*
You don’t think of it as murder
Postcard from hell
In a better place
Life in a box
If you want to share your Inspiration Monday piece, post it on your blog and link back to today’s post; I’ll include a link to your piece in the next Inspiration Monday post. No blog? Email your piece to me at stephanie (at) balcomagency (dot) com.
Happy writing!
—
*Today’s first prompt brought to you by the original Trock band, Chameleon Circuit, from their song, Exterminate Regenerate.
NOTE: It occurs to me that all the prompts this week seem to be about death. This was not intentional. Please feel free to interpret them differently!
Pingback: You Don’t Think of It as Murder | Kay Camden
This happened fast for me. Wow. Great prompts. I might have to try another later…
http://kaycamden.com/2011/04/25/you-dont-think-of-it-as-murder/
HERE IS MY FIRST OFFERING, I AM GOING TO SEE IF ANYTHING “STRIKES ME” IN RESPONSE TO THE OTHER FOUR. I HOPE YOU WILL LIKE THIS ONE.
BLESSINGS
MARANTHA JENELLE
INSPIRATION MONDAY IX
PROMPT: YOU DON’T THINK OF IT AS MURDER
SHADOW WALKER
Firda slid from shadow to shadow over through the alleyways, little more than a shadow herself. Her sharply pointed elongated ears swiveled independently, alert to any sound that might indicate she had been discovered.
She started to creep forward, then froze and immediately went into camouflage, her body becoming one with her surroundings, as sounds of merriment came from the mouth of the alley way and moments later a group of young Zarmin passed by the opening, all too plainly tipsy.
She waited, the only motion coming from her the constant swiveling of her ears as she tracked the progress of the youth till she figured they were far enough away for it to be safe for her to move again.
She was so close, after so many season cycles of tracking her quarry…the one responsible for not only the murder of her family and her mate…but the destruction of the entire hatchery…
A hatchery in which her first clutch of four eggs had been within about two moon cycles of hatching. Her sharply tilted yellow eyes narrowed at the memory and her lips drew back over razor sharp triangular shaped teeth in a silent snarl.
She flickered her forked tongue rapidly, testing the air currents, but when she sensed no further threat, she moved once more, sliding along the alley till she was right beneath the window of the one she was tracking.
Placing her four fingered sharply taloned hands flat against the wall she began to climb, freezing and fading several times when noises came from the windows of the building.
Once she reached the window, she cautiously peered into the dimly lit room and a low hiss escaped as she spied the one she had been tracking for so long. He had a female with him, so she hung there, invisible from the ground, completely blending in with the texture of the wall upon which she clung.
While she waited for her quarry to finish what was about to prove to be his last act in this life, she thought back to how it had all begun…
She and about sixteen of her den mates had gone on a hunting raid in a valley about four sun-times from the den, leaving her mate and the other males to protect the den and the clutches. The females of her kind were the hunters while the males were the protectors and guards of the den.
As alpha female, she was the leader of the hunting expedition and she and her group had been tracking a large herd of ghalarin when all at once every single one of them that was mate bonded had doubled over in agony, clutching their heads, a clear indication that their mates were experiencing an extremely high level of emotion.
The moment they had been able to see and move beyond the crippling pain, they had taken flight, headed back to the den…
And come upon a scene of carnage.
The entire den had been slaughtered and every single egg in the hatchery had been crushed and split open. The ones that had been closest to hatching were completely empty.
And there was only one person that Firda knew of for absolute certain that would have cause to steal those young, the one she was currently observing.
The other females had, to the last, committed suicide when they discovered their mates bodies. It was instinctive, and she herself would have also except for the rage…that…oh that had kept her alive.
She had tracked her quarry and time after time come so close to destroying him, but some force must have been watching over him, for he always seemed to escape.
But this time he would not, for she knew one thing about his species, and that was when they performed the breeding act, it left the males completely paralyzed for about an hour, unable to move, though they were awake and conscious.
That was why they always strangled their partners even as they were breeding with them.
And they never bred with there own kind except by prearrangement and only after the female had been well and thoroughly screened for breed-ability, bloodline, genetics and political affiliations…not just of the female herself but of her entire family going back at least three generations.
So Firda clung there, peeking now and then to see if the two had finished. Her patience was rewarded when all at once an eerie ear splitting almost ultra-sonic howl pierced the night, an indication that her quarry had accomplished his task.
She peeked around cautiously and watched as the guard came in, walked up to the bed and rolled his employer off of the female, then picked the female’s body up and threw it over his shoulder…he and the other guards would be eating well that night…and fresh meat was rare, as his employer only required a female one every other moon cycle.
Firda waited patiently till the second moon had already begun its slide behind the first, larger moon, then she slid like a shadow into the room, her form flowing like mist over the window ledge.
She glided, still in camouflage up to stand next to the bed, where she simply stood staring down at the one who had destroyed everything she had ever loved, her double hearts burning with the need for revenge.
She wanted him to know his death was imminent so she mind-moved him to where he was lying flat on his back.
The moment he saw her his eyes grew panicked despite his paralyzed condition. Her tongue flickered like the storm streaks that sometimes split trees in their fury as they descended.
She slowly leaned over him and placed her right hand right over his heart, her fingertips slightly curled, pressing hard enough the talons formed indents on his bare skin.
Her pupils now narrowed to thin slits in eyes that had gone an eerie glowing bright emerald green, she gave him a parody of a smile, deliberately showing her teeth and was satisfied when the scent of his fear reached her flickering tongue.
Her mind-speak, when it came, held a note of deadly purpose, “Ah, I see you recognize me for what I am. You attacked my den and slew all within, but your greatest crime was destroying those eggs and stealing what hatchlings which were fully formed. And oh yes, I know why you wanted them…for their skins and their claws. Well, you want our claws so much, then you shall have one final set…mine!”
And as she uttered that final word, the end of her central claw opened and a lethal looking stinger shot out and lanced straight into his heart, delivering a dose of poison so lethal its effects were apparent even before the stinger had retracted and she had withdrawn her hand.
As Firda stepped back, his body was already decomposing, dissolving from within. In mere moments all that remained was a skeleton lying in a pool of ooze on the bed.
Firda returned to the window, her wings already beginning to flare, preparing to fly. She turned for one last look at the one who had been the destroyer for so long and was now the destroyed, her hearts finally at peace. She would seek out another den, but she would never mate again, for her kind only mated once and it was for life.
And as she launched skywards and flew over the town, headed for the mountains to the east, she thought of one of the key tenets of her kind…never kill unless it is for food or you were in danger…all else was murder and punishable by death.
She smiled grimly…but then, you don’t think of it as murder when it is justifiable repayment for attempted genocide…rather you could almost think of it as justice.
Marantha, this was really fascinating. Some really awesome lines, like “Her tongue flickered like the storm streaks that sometimes split trees in their fury as they descended.” – and “a parody of a smile.” LOVE THAT!
However – make sure you post it on your own blog (otherwise I’ll have nothing to link to for next InMon!) and JUST leave a link in the comments here (otherwise people will just read it here and not visit your awesome blog!). Thanks!
Okay, got it, and sorry about the late response, we have been under tornado watch for most of the day and it just cleared about half an hour ago.
I am glad you liked this. I just came in, drawn to see if one of the remaining four triggered something, and they are whispering, but just haven’t quite gotten brave enough to tell me about what.
Don’t you just love it though, when mere words, a collection of symbols and tiny marks, can fire your imagination and take you to places other than our mundane little lives!
cyber hugs, and I left something for everyone here on wordpress on my pages, it is a little gift I made for all of you.
marantha
Oh, by the way, there will be a few small changes on the one on my blog, as I just noticed some things I need to “tweek” a little.
marantha
This is gripping. I found myself unable to stop reading.
…”all at once every single one of them that was mate bonded had doubled over in agony, clutching their heads, a clear indication that their mates were experiencing an extremely high level of emotion…” I really like this. The transfer of feelings from one mate to another.
She scared me at the beginning…(suspense is hard for me. I don’t even like scary movies) but at the end of your story I felt so sad for her and understood why she had to do what she did.
Powerful writing, Marantha.
Thank you so much. I am thoroughly enjoying these prompts, they actually kick start my imagination with regards to my story I am currently working on (nearly two thirds done, despite three title changes! Whew! Though not bad considering it now sits at around three hundred and eight four pages and is in its eleventh “reincarnation” since the first words were written on 11-20-2010!), but there is one rather odd thing I have been noticing in the stories that have sprung from most of the prompts that I have responded to…they are nearly all either horror or sci-fi! And the only thing, out of my four previous books, that I wrote was inspirational and fantasy. I didn’t thing I could write anything else.
Looks like I might have been wrong. One of the ones I did in response to a prompt, “Bedeviled”, as a matter of fact, is doing its level best to take on a life of its own in the back of my mind behind the other three or four projects I currently am working on! And it is getting a tad pushy too, I might add, even jumping in now and them when I am working on THE IHMAEERAN CHRONICLES (formerly “mayna’s unicorn” then “child of destiny”). Weird, huh?
Once again, thank you so much for you continued support. I’m really sorry I haven’t been in to read and comment on your own very wonderful work lately, but I have been fighting a severe bout of mania and depression combined and have been working on my book, just trying to keep level. I use both my writing and art talents as coping skills. Those two talents and my strong faith in God, along with faithful adherence to my medication regime, are all that keep me out of a straight jacket.
To me there is no feeling like taking a blank piece of paper or a blank online document or “canvas”, and with the brushes of my heart paint a picture of my dreams.
Also, I would like to present you with a little gift I made for all of those who have shown me so much kindness, support, encouragement and acceptance here on wordpress. The link I will be giving in this message will open into another page that will have my gift. Simply click the link, then, when it opens, just save the gift to a desired location on your computer, but be sure when you fill in the file name part of the save operation that you write the file name using this guideline…”file name.jpg”. That will save it as a jpg image and you can then load it onto a post if you desire when you create a new posting page.
Wishing you peace, joy, good health and always and ever, loads of love from all around you.
Here is the link to my gift for you…
http://1wordywoman.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/radically-awesome-blogger-award-2.jpg
marantha jenelle
You need to fix Indigo Spider’s link. It points to Rashmi’s! Sorry to be the one to point it out, I hate a nag. 🙂
Thanks for watching out for me Kay 🙂
Sorry about that! I was doing too much copy/pasting and lost track somehow. Fixed it now.
Thank you!!! I fixed it. What is UP with me this week??
Pingback: Life in a Box – Three Portraits « stillfugue
These are great fun! Thanks for the opportunity!
I got mine done before Sunday!
http://stillfugue.com/2011/04/26/life-in-a-box-three-portraits/
Pingback: A Story For This Week’s ‘Inspiration Monday’ – Life In A Box | Short Stories
Hi. My first attempt this week.
I seem to be going through a somewhat ‘silly’ phase at the moment – hopefully I will grow out of it soon!
http://mjshorts.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/a-story-for-this-weeks-inspiration-monday-life-in-a-box/
Pingback: Postcards from Hell | Sonia G Medeiros is Doing the Write Thing
My offering is up at my blog: http://doingthewritething.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/postcards-from-hell/
Here is my second prompt response, but I don’t think I will be able to do any of the other remaining ones. I just hope you will all like this one.
http://1wordywoman.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/inspiration-monday-ixprompt-postcard-from-hellpaybacks/
Blessings to all,
marantha
i don’t know why it didn’t put the hyphen between the words “hell” and “paybacks” for the second word was supposed to be the title.
oh well, i hope the link works.
marantha
if not, send me a message and i will see if i can fix it.
Working on mine. I think it’s pretty good….it’s longer though. 800 words and I think I may be about half done.
Well, here it is. I cut it shorter than I thought I would, but it’s done.
http://jinxwritings.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/in-a-better-place/
Well, it looks like I was wrong! I WAS inspired by the last three prompts!
The exits of the world*
In a better place
Life in a box
They are all three in this story. I hope you all will like it.
http://1wordywoman.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/inspiration-monday-ix-prompts-the-exits-of-the-world-in-a-better-place-life-in-a-box-world-walker/
blessings and best wishes to all,
marantha jenelle
Here’s my attempt for the week! Enjoy! http://drewlanecomposer.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/inspiration-monday-ix-life-in-a-box/
Drew
Pingback: Another ‘Life In A Box’ Story (Inspiration Monday) | Short Stories
Another story for ‘Life in a box.’
http://mjshorts.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/another-life-in-a-box-story-inspiration-monday/
Uh, could someone tell me a little bit about those “pingback” thingahoochies? I have several of them that have shown up on my blog, but I don’t know what they are, what their purpose is, or how to used them myself. Could someone please fill this “dum-dum” in?
marantha
A pingback is just a link to or from your blog. If you’re seeing pingbacks in your comments section, it means people are linking to your blog – click “approve”!
To make one yourself, when you are writing a new post, just highlight the text you want to link, and click the little chain icon at the top of the text box. A window will pop up- just copy and paste the URL (web address) you want to link to. On your inmon posts, for instance, you’d say “I wrote this based on an Inspiration Monday prompt” – highlight “inspiration monday,” click the chainlink button, paste in the URL to my InMon post (looks something like http://bekindrewrite.wordpress.com/inspiration-monday-ix) and click “okay.”
Hi Stephanie! I found your challenge a few days ago and couldn’t resist coming up with a story. In fact, it is the first one I’ve posted on my brand new blog! You can find it here:
http://shorttalerepository.blogspot.com/2011/04/paradise-in-box.html
Congrats on the new blog and welcome to the Rewriters!
Pingback: Life in a Box | usaukwoods
Well I finally completed it, it is not Monday but at least it is not Sunday! Here it is:
http://usaukwoods.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/life-in-a-box/
Pingback: Inspiration Monday-IX-Life in a Box | A New Day Dawns
Here’s a link to my post.
http://pattisjarrett.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/inspiration-monday-ix-life-in-a-box/
Pingback: In a Better Place « My Words Whisper
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Pingback: Exits and Entrances « The Mirror of Truth
Pingback: The Exits Of The World (Inspiration Monday) | Short Stories
Wow – it is amazing to see the level of participation in both its growth and talent. Brilliant prompts and awesome writers.
Here is my humble offering. It is featured as a special guest blog on blueskypoet’s blog. I thought it would add an interesting twist, somehow! Please be sure to check out the rest of her work too.
The Salmon
“You don’t think of it as murder, darling.”
Mike was off his head again.
It wasn’t the manic look in his eyes or the menacing undertone in his nonchalant babbling…
Cool! I’m heading over.
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Pingback: The Girl in Handcuffs « Of Course New York
Pingback: InMon IX: Exits of the World | Indigo Spider
Pingback: Taming the Time Bully | INspired Ink™
What a wonderful idea! I am excited to play along – here is my post with IN A BETTER PLACE and POSTCARD FROM HELL
http://fredibakercoaches.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/taming-the-time-bully/
Thanks! I
Welcome to InMon, Fredi!
Pingback: Inspiration Monday | this unruly life
I still can’t figure out how to linkback. Here’s my piece for the week.
http://unrulylife.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/inspiration-monday-2/
Got it! Thanks.
Pingback: Don’t Murder Your Dreams! | INspired Ink™
So many great prompts, so little time! Here’s another one from me – Don’t Murder Your Dreams. And, I am another one that doesn’t know how or what the whole pingback thins is…thanks for your patience with a newbie
http://fredibakercoaches.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/dont-murder-your-dreams/
No problem; you got the pingbacks working fine!
Pingback: Postcard from Hell | Find an Outlet
Pingback: Wish You Were Here | Short Stories
Just squeezing one more in before the next Monday comes around!
http://mjshorts.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/wish-you-were-here/
Hi Stephanie,
I’m hoping there were no problems with pingbacks this week, but just in case, here are the links to my two entries:
http://indigospider.wordpress.com/2011/04/29/inmon-ix-exits-of-the-world/
http://indigospider.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/inmon-ix-freiheit-statt-angst/
I got the first one but not the second. Thanks for linking here!
Pingback: The Wonder of Spring or Postcard from Hell? « My Words Whisper
Pingback: Life in a Box (flash fiction) « Blue Sky Musings
Pingback: The Exits of This World have Become the Kingdoms of Heretics! « blogsense-by-barb
OK, well … I’m new to this, but here’s my blog entry:
http://blogsensebybarb.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/the-exits-of-this-world-have-become-the-kingdoms-of-heretics/
Thanks!
I finally had time to read all the entries! Yay!
Woohoo! I know, 28 this week! More than ever, and all great of course.
Pingback: Ants in the Mailbox – Postcards from Hell, Part 2 (a 500-word story) | Sonia G Medeiros