March Writing Challenge-- First Sentence Prompt

3/18/2016

Hey y'all!
Where oh where has March gone? I can hardly believe we're already in the middle of the month. While this writing challenge is a bit late, it'll be a lot of fun. I'm really excited to see what you all write for this!

The prompt is this : start a story with the words "it was all a mistake."

If you want more prompts like the one above, check out my Prompts and Story Ideas board on Pinterest! I'm adding new prompts all the time. ;)

I can't wait to see what you come up with! Don't forget to share your flash fiction in the comments below!

You all have a lovely day.
<3
Victoria

4 Comments

K.H.L.

3/19/2016 05:05:52 am

How about a story about friends? Or about writing? Maybe one from a historical person's view, like Napoleon’s view on the War of 1812 or Adrienne de Noailles’ (Lafayette’s wife) view on the Revolutionary War? Maybe one with a recurring phrase (like “and that's a fact”)? Just ideas.
<3

Victoria

3/19/2016 10:57:08 am

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! :) I especially like the ideas of a story about writing or from a historical person's point of view. :) <3

K.H.L.

3/24/2016 10:22:14 am

ONE BIG MISTAKE
(and it's consequences)
It was all a mistake. Joel was far too slow to be much good. He should have taken Art or Chase.
“C’mon, Joel! Hurry up, can't ya?”
“Comin’, comin’,” Joel panted, scrambling over the rocky cliffs. Being proportionally broader and heavier than his little brother had its penalties—some rather heavy.
Charlie stamped his foot impatiently and looked about. All around he could only see cormorants sailing in the blue sky, and the sea pounding against the murderous rocks.
Heavy breathing attracted his attention down below, and he looked down to see Joel roll over onto the last rock. He groaned and lay still.
“C’mon, Joel.” Charlie nudged him with his booted toe.
“This is one big mistake, man,” Joel grunted. “Whatever possessed ya to leave so late? We'll be waaaaayyyy too late to catch th’ Ol’ Man.”
“Well, YOU were the one to oversleep,” Charlie retorted vindictively.
“An’ a jolly good job I did, too,” Joel growled. “Who wants to sit shiverin’ on a rock with an empty stomach?”
Charlie swept him a withering look and walked briskly on. Joel grunted as he hauled himself up and followed.
“Don't like this idea of yourn, Char,” he whispered as they stood overlooking the little log cabin. “Seems t’me it's ’nother o’ them mistakes of yourn.”
“Shut up, will ya? It'll be easy as pie.” Charlie scrabbled under the rock for the hammer and nails he had put there yesterday.
“Ya'll have your jacket tanned somethin’ awful if Pa sees ya with them thin’s,” Joel remarked comfortingly.
“Shut up,” Charlie retorted brusquely. He shifted the tools to his other hand and pondered. Joel flopped down and waited.
“Seems like t’easiest thin’ will be ta shinny up them corners,” Charlie announced.
“Shinny up them logs?! You in your right mind!?” Joel’s eyes bulged with mingled horror and astonishment.
“No; ya must, squealin’ like that near him!” Charlie threw him a look of disgust.
Joel muttered some incoherent reply which, to judge from his lowering eyebrows, expressed strong annoyance.
Charlie ran down the rock cliff, secure in the knowledge that the Old Man was inside and that no windows faced the back. Joel followed more cautiously. Once at the corner, Charlie prepared to mount. “You hand me the thin’s when I git up.”
“But Char—”
“SHUT yourn MOUTH!” Charlie hissed fiercely. Gripping the ends of the logs, which stick out crissed-crossed, with his hands, he scrambled up. He found it much more difficult that he had anticipated to get upon the roof, but it was less difficult than Joel had made it out as, for he managed at last.
“Gimme the wood!” he hissed to Joel, sticking his head over the roof. Joel rummaged among the accessories.
“Hurry up!” Charlie looked about, anxious to be off.
“Can't find it!” Joel also glanced nervously about.
Charlie snarled and looked up at the cliffs, hoping that he was not being overlooked. So far his plan was proving not quite so simple as he had pictured it.
“CHAR!” He looked down into Joel's horrified face. “WE FORGIT IT!”

K.H.L.

3/24/2016 10:28:47 am

Charlie stiffened in horror. At the same moment Joel looked about again, hissed “He's out!” and fled, leaving the tools behind. Charlie flipped over and felt desperately for the first log-end, but in his haste missed and fell heavily.
“Dear ME!” He looked up into the worried face of Mr. Resolute. “Are you all right, boy?”
“Yes—yes—” Charlie attempted to spring up but fell back with a cry.
“I hope you haven't broken your back. Thank God you haven't broken your neck!” Mr. Resolute knelt and gently felt over his body. When he reached his leg Charlie cried out again, causing faithful Joel to run up, desperate for his safety. Mr. Resolute looked up, mildly surprised at this addition to the party, but was too preoccupied with Charlie to say anything.
He then proceeded to set the leg and bind it firmly, an operation to which Charlie submitted with his usual pluck. He was then lifted gently and carried into the little cabin.
The boys looked about with wide eyes. The simple, homey look was new and almost bewildering to their eyes. Mr. Resolute brought out cocoa and biscuits*, dainties unheard-of.
“Now, my boy,” he said as they munched and drank, “will you kindly explain how you came to fall off my roof?”
Charlie's mouth froze on a chocolate biscuit. Joel's fell open and then snapped shut as he looked helplessly at Charlie.
“Fact is, parson,” the latter said at last, “it was all a mistake.”
“A big one,” Joel interrupted.
“Y’see, we thought ya were some ol’ city slicker, stiff n’ mean n’ all that. . . So we planned ta smoke y’out. Only we f’got the board, an’ then you came and I fell off tryin’ t’git away.”
“I see.” Mr. Resolute thoughtfully finished his shortbread.
“Y’see, parson folks don't come ta this here island. We'd never seen one an’ we listened t’men folks as said parsons were a pain n’ neck. ’Course we know that's wrong,” Joel added hastily.
“Well. . .” Mr. Resolute looked up and cupped his mug as he leaned forward. “I forgive you, and I hope you've learned not to take people for granted or try to harm innocent ones. Also,” and here his eyes twinkled, “not to climb on roofs.”
The boys grinned. “Sure thing, parson.”

“Joel?” Charlie said some time later as they waited for Mr. Resolute to return with their father.
“Yeah?”
“Ya were right. It was an big mistake of mine.”
“Aw, never mind. Turned out well, and Char—” Joel took a deep breath and frowned in concentration “—I'm gonna go to church t’morrow ta see why Mr. Resolute’s different than us folks. I've git a hankerin’ t’be like him.”
“Me too, Joel. An’ when we'll find out, let's tell Pa an’ Ma too.”

*Biscuits: English term for cookies.