Cedar Sanderson

Week 51 of Odd Prompts

We are coming down to the wire with 2020. Let’s finish strong! There’s nothing magical about the end of a year… or is there? It’s a time to reflect, to look back at what we’ve accomplished. In an extraordinary year, I suspect we’ve done some extraordinary things.

Here’s the prompts for this week, and I’m looking forward to what everyone comes up with!

PrompterPromptPromptee
Becky JonesWalking through the Christmas section of the local hardware store, you notice that the cute elf figurine sleeping in the wreath is breathing.nother Mike
Leigh KimmelIt was supposed to be an ordinary delivery job — until you got an address that was nowhere in this world.Cedar Sanderson
nother MikeIt was always a proud day when another young dragon first blew flame across the room, but it did make teaching elementary school classes for young dragons hard on teachers.Fiona Grey
Fiona Grey“I got him!” She waved her prize in the air and wiggled her hips, grinning at her mentor. He gave her a wistful smile, wishing they were as safe as she clearly believed. “I’m afraid they hunt in packs.”Becky Jones
Cedar SandersonWhat if, when you found that thing in the last place you looked, you didn’t stop looking? What would you find?Leigh Kimmel

And of course, the spares. Spare prompts are like that extra Christmas cookie. Take one! Decorate it, show it off, and gobble it up.

SpareAs they turned the corner, a large purple alligator, standing on its hind feet on the sidewalk, waved one paw at them and opened its gaping jaws…
SpareWhen you walked into the restroom in the restaurant, there was a child standing at the sink. When it turned to look at you, you realized it had green, scaly skin, odd black eyes, and a mouth that seemed to reach back almost to its ears… which wiggled as you watched. It reached toward you…
SpareThe field had a large sign, saying “Watch out for Free Roaming Imaginations”
SpareA hiccup and a hippo
SpareBrain sparks and human neurocircuits

Don’t forget to check the comments for responses. There is some good reading to be had, and it’s always fun to see where people went with a prompt. Usually, it’s someplace you weren’t expecting it to go. Which is, if I think about it, a lot like this year.

21 comments

  2. Since someone accused me of committing pottery (poetry?)
    And today has been quite blottery (plottery?)
    Here’s some ragged rhymes and thoughts,
    For this week’s odd prompts…

    An elf on the shelf? No, in the wreath!
    And look, it’s breathing, sneezing, showing its teeth!
    You’ve got to believe, there’s an elf up there,
    On the Christmas wreath, ever so fair,

    When you find the elf in the wreath,
    Don’t be surprised by what’s beneath,
    A tiny little drum that goes baddadum,
    Playing Christmas songs with a dash of rum,

    And then if you can, smile and laugh,
    When the elf in the wreath raises its staff,
    And declares quite boldly, “I will go with you!”
    And you don’t know quite what to do…

    The elf on the wreath is breathing slow,
    And now that you know
    Just what kind of mayhem
    Comes if you say, “Ahem.”

    It’s up to you to decide,
    Will you just let it ride,
    Or will you invite him inside,
    To celebrate Christmas with a guide?

    For the elf on the wreath,
    Makes you show your teeth,
    In a smile as big as you can stretch,
    When you say, “Hey, let’s fetch!”

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  8. Becky Jones prompted…

    Walking through the Christmas section of the local hardware store, you notice that the cute elf figurine sleeping in the wreath is breathing.

    And another quick sketch…

    The Elf in the Wreath

    Gil ducked into the hardware store to get away from the incipient panic as he faced the blaring Christmas muzak and the hustling crowds. He had forgotten that the Christmas shopping rush was on, and he couldn’t take it. But the hardware store wasn’t really crowded, and they didn’t have a neverending torrent of music.

    As he walked past the shelves, he could feel his breathing slowing, his heart quit thumping. The tools, racked on the walls, somehow made him feel comfortable. Even the shelves of plastic boxes, full of screws, nuts and bolts, even nails, weren’t really anything he needed, but he looked them over slowly, and smiled as he recognized a piece of metal with ridges as a fastener for framing.

    There was a small section, near the door, of Christmas goods. He chuckled at the small Santa, popping out of a plastic brick chimney again and again. And there was a nice wreath up there. It almost looked handmade. He started to reach out, to touch it and see if the greens were real or plastic. Then he realized that in the curve of the wreath, almost hidden, there was a small figure curled up. Green tights, folded soft shoes, a curly head of black hair. Huh, someone spent some time on…

    It was breathing. He saw the chest, in that tight green shirt, moving. And when he leaned closer, he could hear it. A little burbling breath, not quite a snore.

    He shook his head, and looked around. Was there a camera somewhere? No…

    Then he leaned forward and gently touched the small shoulder. That was not plastic.

    The figure shook, and turned its head toward him. The eyelids opened, with long black eyelashes sweeping aside, and bright green eyes looked at him and blinked.

    The elf’s jaw dropped.

    “No! You’re not supposed to see me!”

    Gil smiled, and lifted his hand.

    “Hello? I’m Gil. Can I help you?”

    The elf bit his lower lip, and blinked.

    “Well… I’m lost. I mean, I was supposed to keep up, but the others ran so fast, and I got lost. Then I found myself in here, and thought I would rest a little. I guess I overslept.”

    Gil chuckled.

    “I guess. Tell you what, why don’t you come home with me, and we’ll try to find out where you should be.”

    The elf smiled. His teeth were so white, and his smile so inviting.

    “Really? You don’t mind that I’m… well, I’m not like you?”

    Gil laughed.

    “You should meet my cooking crew. We have trolls, and we cook for all kinds of people.”

    ….

    [Gotta get back to work, but… there’s another version!]

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    • Once upon a time I made the mistake of going to larger mall (maul?) sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The PA was LOUD to be heard over the crowd, so the crowd was loud to let people hear other over the PA, and… ouch. I wound up going into Sears, I think it was was, and thew power tools… where I could find earplugs. Clerk was a bit taken aback… “Would you like a bag?” “No need. I’ll be wearing them here.”

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