Calling all creative writers! This is a column run by Nathaniel Lee to inspire readers to write. The column includes writing prompts, pieces by the coordinators, and occasional submissions from readers.
This month: Short stories from Nathaniel Lee and Casey Leigh.
Below are a set of prompts for different styles of writing beyond journalism. The idea is that you can create some kind of creative writing piece inspired by one of the prompts, but it doesn't have to be. You can submit any piece of writing you would like to share! All submissions should be school-appropriate. You can also suggest prompts to be featured in the next issue.
Here are some prompts to inspire your writing this month! If you try one, let us know how it goes. :)
1. Write about a character who risks everything to pursue their heart’s desires.
2. Write about a character who’s never encountered a problem they couldn’t buy their way out of — until they do.
3. Write about someone seeking an oasis in a desert — whether literally, or figuratively.
4. Write a story where someone finds comfort in an unexpected event, place, or person.
5. Start your story with one character trying to convince another that they make the best grilled cheese in the world.
If you have any prompt ideas in mind that you haven't seen on here yet or would like to see someone else respond to, drop them in the Google Form below and they will be listed in the next issue!
You may have heard of Bond. James Bond. Agent 007. The greatest spy in Britain. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of Jim Blond, Agent 006. Trained by the best of the best, he passed his exams with flying colors. Literally. After every exam, he ran through the building wearing the Union Jack as a cape. A bit of an odd duck, I’d say. Anyways, back to the story. He made it through the Secret Agent School for the Semi-Useful, or SASS, and graduated to become a full agent. Agent 006. He quickly became the best agent. Then, Bond came along and took that from him. A wonderful story, perhaps another time. Back to 006. Jim Blond was slightly angry. He was twice as good as Bond. Bond was just a foolish man who thought he could waltz in and take everything. Bond this, Bond that. Believe me, it was rather annoying when he went around muttering threats about James Bond. But then, he received a mission. They said no one else could do it. This was his chance! But, he declined? What? That’s not what my script said! Oh, boy. Now I have to improvise. He said he was retiring. WHAT! Who wrote this?! Why would you do that?! When I get my hands on the author…oh, right. You’re still here. Well, since Jim Blond is RETIRING, I guess I’ll tell you a different story. Wait, they’re telling me to tell you about one of Blond’s past missions. Fine. But, I’m having a word with the author once I’m done, and it won’t be pretty. So, how about his first mission? Alright, let’s go.
Jim Blond is in a plane, ready to skydive. Wait, he’s saying something. What’s he saying? I can’t hear over the engine. Probably unimportant. And now, he jumps! Wait, what's that sound? It almost sounds like…right. Something I forgot to mention. The reason James Bond took his place. Jim Blond has…a condition. It’s very common among spies. It’s called: Themesonious. Whenever a spy with this condition is doing something…awesome, their “Theme Song” plays. It’s very annoying. It has caused a great many deaths. Um, anyways, that’s his only weakness. It alerts his enemies and tells them where he is. So, he’s been captured once, or twice. Maybe closer to twenty times. Blimey! I didn’t know that! Hasn’t he only done five missions? How could he…nevermind. Back to the story!
He deploys his parachute and lands, epically, making his theme song get louder. Great. He already has a disguise on, so he walks over to the front gate. He shows his badge to the guard and enters. Let’s follow him. No, the gate is closed. Guard, could you please let us in? What do you mean, no? I’m the narrator! How am I supposed to narrate if I can’t see what he’s doing? Fine. I’ll just climb the…nope, the gate’s electrified. Wonderful. Well, let’s just leave. Not! Ha! A punch to the throat will make you let us in! Kick! Knee! Punch! Oh joy, this is fun! Punch again! This move is called the Wakatashi, and I learned it from Kung-Fu Panda 3! Pick up and throw! And now lock you in the trunk of that car. That was fun. Let’s go inside now. Wait! Here he comes! With a swarm of enemies charging after him. I took out this one! You’re welcome! Oh dear, we’d better run. They’re pulling out Tasers. And handcuffs. No! I can’t go back to jail! Not again! Hurry! We need to get out of here! Blond! What’s your escape plan? What do you mean you don’t have one?
Okay, everyone, get in that car. Wait! Wrong car. That’s the one that we locked the guard in. This one! Now, Blond, drive us out of here! What? Fine since you don’t know how to drive, I’ll do it. Yeehaw! Now this is podracing! And now we’ve smashed through the gate! Oh goody! You’re all clear kid, now let's blow this thing and go home! Wait, you didn’t place the explosive? It’s a time bomb! It’ll explode in a few seconds! Give me that gun. Now steer while I go up on the roof. Just shove this bomb in here: ready, aim, and FIRE! Boom! And it exploded as it reached the enemies. Perfect tim—TURN RIGHT WE’RE ABOUT TO CRASH! That was close.
Now, they said that a helicopter would be waiting about a mile north. We’re going in the right direction. Okay, I’m just going to say: I’m never narrating one of your missions again. That was…terrible. Okay, now I’m going to spend the rest of the day laying down in a dark room. Oh my gosh, I think I might have had at least three heart attacks back there. Oh, wait. The reader is still reading. That’s kind of the point, but now the story is done! The end! Time to pass out! Reader, I hope this got your heart racing. It definitely got MY heart racing. Um…why are you still reading? There are so many other things you could be doing! Like going for a walk, riding your bike, etc. Well, this is The Narrator, signing off. Maybe I’ll do this again. Maybe I’ll narrate something like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Something calm. But, we’ll see. Now, shoo. The End.
British Slang Translations:
Mate - friend
Knackered - tired, some consider it impolite
Crikey - exclamation (like wow)
Fit - not athletic, but attractive
Scouse - the dialect from Liverpool
Dodgy - anything concerning
Snogging - kissing
Melt - coward
Banter - joking or teasing
To mug off (or mugging off) - to make a fool out of someone
“Oi, mate!” I turned to face my friend, Dexter Holland. He was wearing his classic outfit: white t-shirt, black leather jacket, and ripped jeans.
“How was your summer?” I asked.
“Busy,” he replied. “I’m absolutely knackered.”
“Mr. Holland!” Mrs. Jones said. “Mind your tongue.” She was one of the teachers and happened to be walking by.
“Sorry, Miss J,” Dexter said. She shook her head and walked away as our other friend, Callum Shaw, walked up. He was wearing black jeans, a black t-shirt, and had his black hair sticking up in spikes, a look that was only good on him.
“How was your summer?” I asked.
“Pretty good,” he replied. “Annie and I hung out a bit.” Callum was distant, and didn’t seem to like people, but somehow he had a girlfriend when Dex and I didn’t. The bell rang, interrupting our conversation. Dex went to his guitar class, Callum went to maths, and I went to history, taught by Mr. Parker.
“Morning, Jaiden,” my cousin, Skyler, said. She was a couple of months older than me, and never let me forget it. She wasn’t in a relationship, but she had multiple boys trying to get that coveted spot. Her long brown hair was in a braid over her shoulder.
“Class, quiet down,” Mr. Parker said. “We have a new student. Please welcome Noah Palmer.”
The class went quiet as they noticed the guy standing in the doorway. His black hair hung over his eyes slightly. He wore a black sweatshirt and jeans. His skin was lightly tanned, and he looked very athletic.
“Crikey, he looks fit,” Skyler whispered to me.
“Mr. Palmer,” Mr. Parker said, “you can go sit there, next to Skyler. Skyler, please raise your hand.” Skyler raised her hand so fast I thought she was going to fly out of her chair.
Noah sat down and looked at Skyler, “Aye, mate. How’s it going?” His Scouse accent was very strong.
“Great,” Skyler said, beaming. Noah smiled back briefly, and I caught a glimpse of his teeth. It may have been a trick of the light, but they looked awfully sharp.
-----
At lunch, I walked outside and saw Skyler and Noah talking.
“They seem to be getting along well,” Dex said from beside me.
“Maybe a little too well. Doesn’t he seem strange?” I asked.
“No, he’s a great guy. I talked to him in my maths class.”
“I don’t know, he seems a bit dodgy. Have you noticed that no other girls have talked to him?”
“Maybe he can only seduce one girl at a time with his spell,” Dex said sarcastically.
“That’s messed up,” I said. “At least they’re not snogging.”
“Yet.”
“Shut up,” I said. “I'm going to go talk to Lil.”
“Are you gonna ask her to the dance?”
“No!”
“Just go and ask her out! Stop being such a melt!”
“I’ll ask her out when you have a girlfriend,” I said.
Mrs. Jones walked up. “What’s going on?”
“Just a bit of friendly banter, right Jai?”
“Yeah,” I said. “See you later Dex.”
I went up to Lil. She was sitting at a table working on maths homework. She jumped when I said hello: “Sorry, I didn’t realise you were there.”
I mustered all my courage. “Areyougoingtothedance?”
“Pardon?” she said with a laugh.
“Are you going to the dance?” I asked slower.
“Uh, probably not, I’ve got all kinds of work to do, and the play is coming up. I’m just so busy.”
“So, I’ll pick you up at six?”
She laughed, “Sure, I’ll be ready.”
I inwardly sighed with relief, “What are you doing right now?”
“I’m just thinking. That new guy, Noah Palmer, have you met him?”
“Yeah, he’s in my history class.”
“I think it’s all an act. In my science class, I gave the wrong answer to a question, and he started making fun of me. I told him to stop mugging me off, and he just laughed at me.”
“He seems to be interested in my cousin,” I said.
Lil gasped, “No! Sky can’t be with that creep. While he was laughing, I noticed that his teeth looked sharp.”
“I noticed the same thing when he smiled. I thought it was a trick of the light.”
“I have a theory,” she said.
“What?”
“I think he’s a vampire.”
