Secret Cave

Well... I totally slacked off on posting (ahem, and also writing) the other assignments that I've been giving my teens in their writing class. In my defense, I've been working on a romance short story and grading papers and a piece for the class that just isn't right yet (blech). So I haven't been a complete slacker.

Moving on! The assignment this past week was to take a photo that I gave them and write an ultra-short story about it--only 5-10 sentences allowed. This assignment was inspired by Erin Morgenstern's Flax-Golden Tales, which are told in 10 sentences. 

And now, without further ado, here is my own response to this assignment. Enjoy!

Yes, I am aware this cave is on water and my story doesn't mention water at all. Too bad. :)

I am not expecting it when I round the outcropping of stone, but there it is, sharp and sudden and stark. It gapes before me, this sudden cave, and beckons me enter.

But I do not know what I will find within.

Perhaps it is filled with treasure, rubies and sapphires rising in mounds to the ceiling, wealth beyond imagination. But it might instead hold a dragon, slumbering, waiting to destroy the one who dares disturb it.

I think, perhaps, it might hold both.

And I stand at the entrance, squinting, hoping for a glimpse of my unknown future.

And I think I won’t go in just yet.  

Twitter Stories

This week’s assignment (which prompted one of my students to cry, “Do you hate us?!”)* was to write a story suitable for a single tweet. So 140 characters or fewer. To prove that it wasn’t too difficult, I worked up several rough drafts on the drive to and from co-op. I think you can see from my examples below that not all Twitter stories are created equal. (My favorite is the last.) Enjoy!

Tumbleweed rolled by. Shootout music played. Trigger fingers itched. Only one question remained: Who would catch the most Pokemon?

***

“My dog ate my homework,” you said.
I scoffed.
You showed me the remains.
My advice: Next time write on paper, not ham.

***

Pistols at dawn. Twenty paces and turn. Bang! Bang! Too bad I bribed his second last night. He’s shooting blanks. I ride into the sunrise.

***

We almost didn’t meet, ships passing in the night. I never thought to be glad for an iceberg.

* Mwa ha ha.