Writing became such a process of discovery that I couldn't wait to get to work in the morning: I wanted to know what I was going to say. ~Sharon O'Brien
I'm loving the book The Write-Brain Workbook, by Bonnie Neubauer. Here's today's prompt:
Think about a personal truth that very few people know. Now write down the ultimate dare to which you'd be willing to subject yourself to in order for this to remain a secret. Be sure to write the dare down.
For this story you are now a being in the year 3030, named RoTon. Write from RoTon's point of view making sure to incorporate the aforementioned dare somewhere in the piece. Start with:
The lights went twink and the carrialet began to...
Bonnie always tags a "Take the Next Step" suggestion at the end of each exercise. Sometimes it's an encouraging bit about the writing process, sometimes it's a suggestion on how to deepen or expand the exercise.
Take the next step: Think of something you have now because you dared to overcome obstacles in the past. It sure looks different in hindsight, doesn't it? Write a lesson you learned to help yourself overcome a current creative obstacle.
Later
The lights went twink and the carrialet began its decent. One minute we were above ground surrounded by the lush foliage of a tropical moon, and the next we were plunging into the deep cavern of a fire hill. Through the clear floor of the carrialet I can see the undulating orange glow beneath us. I turn to Masxi, choose the first eye I find to gaze into. See her pupil dilate and contract.
“RoTon,” her voice is a soft purr, despite her fear. “Keep your focus.”
What she means is, don’t lose your mind.
We’ve heard stories, but as far as we know the two of us are the only survivors of Mentor to make this descent. The twelve others were not deemed suitable. Maybe because they’re crazy as woftags. If watching your planet crystalize doesn’t do that to you, losing everyone you know will. That’s why Masxi and I are ‘suitable.’ We were there when they came during the second orbit and pulled our people from their silks, paralyzed in half-sleep. We were there when they conveyered them like machine parts onto arbitrary pods. Relocation destination confidential. We were there, but we were together, Masxi and I.
“Did you remember the ice?” I say and she smiles with effort. It’s not funny.
It was by chance rather than design that we remained together, eventually arriving on this moon for this purpose. I never thought of her as anything other than a schoolmate on Mentor, but I owe her my life. And she owes me hers.TBC
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