Prompt: Setting Out

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Prof. Sky Alton
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Prompt: Setting Out

Post by Prof. Sky Alton »

I always love stepping out of my house on a crisp autumn day. It doesn’t matter if I’m going to a class or to do some shopping: there’s just a certain tang of wildness and unpredictability in the air.

To celebrate the new term, this month’s prompt is to write a story (200 words or more) about someone setting out on a journey. It could be an ordinary commute to work or the beginning of a most extraordinary quest, it’s entirely up to you. Remember, you’ll now earn 20 beans for responding, as well as it counting towards your chance of snagging a coveted Quill and Ink award.

There is no deadline as such for these prompts but if you’d like it to count towards your chance of earning the award for a specific year, we’ll need it by the end of that school year. If you’re comfortable sharing, then post below. If not, email your story to us via hol.bookclub @ gmail.com (without the spaces). Oh and remember it’s a good idea to check through your piece carefully for spelling and grammatical errors as they make it harder for people to properly enjoy your work.
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"Growing up doesn't have to mean I lose the cape, the faith, the dream. I'm so done with that... I'm taking it back."
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Shiloh Adlar
Cleansweep One
Posts: 551
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 2:02 am
Location: USA

Re: September Prompt: Setting Out

Post by Shiloh Adlar »

I have no idea where this came from, but enjoy it anyway.

Chosen
It never crossed her mind that she would be the one chosen for this task, but she was. She, Anvia, the daughter of a stable hand and a dairymaid, the girl who could not perform the simplest of turns with a sword, sew, or cook. Her mind wandered far. How did they expect her to carry out this task? She was unprepared for such a long road, and a long road it was. Her hands shook as she told herself all that she would be leaving behind; her family, her friends, a safe place, if you could call what is was now safe.

Qrinas had once been a beautiful city but only recently had everything in the city started wilting and shrivelling away. The gardens that once bloomed high and colorful were now faded and limp, the buildings that reflected the sun now stood murky in its light, decaying from the outside in. The people were falling ill. It started with the elderly, a mysterious illness that swept past their notice until the first child was discovered to carry the same symptoms. It spread like wildfire until only a small percentage were not affected, these few happened to be all female and only those in their early teens.

The sages of Qrinas had looked through all of the ancient scrolls and only one was found to be of use. It spoke of an oracle that they must seek to receive advice from the gods on how to proceed. This oracle it named was known to speak only to those of the female kind, and only those who were of age to wed but had not yet taken a husband. The sages thought of the coincidence this was with the plague over the city and those citizens who had not been affected. Amazing that they were the only ones the oracle would speak to. The problem now was to find one who had not yet wed as children were often betrothed when they were young.

Anvia, unlike the other girls had never been betrothed to marry. She was an outcast, unwanted in other families. She was the obvious choice by the sages, and they sought her out immediately to send her away on the mission. Now she stood at the edge of the city gates looking out onto the fields and road beyond. Her heart quickened in its pace as she guided her horse through, and the gate was sealed behind her.

This was the start of her journey. She took a deep breath, refusing to look back, and lead her horse down the road, her destination in her mind’s eye. She would complete this mission set out for her, and rid the city of the plague that had befallen it. The gods knew for what reason, but she was the only one who could.
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Shiloh Adlar, Seventh Year
"Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world." -Voltaire
Bull J. Johnson
Cleansweep One
Posts: 548
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 12:12 pm

Re: September Prompt: Setting Out

Post by Bull J. Johnson »

One day I woke up late for school and hurried to put on my clothes. First I put on my jeans, then I put on my shirt, last I put on my hat and ran out the door. When I got there it was time for math class. I snuck in and sat in the last desk in the last row. The teacher saw and called me up front to tell him why I was late again.

I walked up slowly to the front of the class scared at what the teacher might do to me.

"Sorry Sir I didn't mean to come late again, but my alarm clock didn't go off this morning it won't happen again."

The teacher looked at me with a mean look in his face and then said very dangerously. "You have done this to many times already mister. This time your sorry won't get you out of you detention. Your going to write a thousand word essay in detention for a week. Understood me young man?"

I replied, "Yes Sir I'm sorry." Then I hanged my head down and went back to my seat. Where my friend Bobby whispered to me. "I'm sorry that Mr. Brown got so mad at you. I'll see you after detention."
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