My writing group on Monday’s that I run has decided to have writing prompts for the weeks that we meet (NaNo months excluded, so that means July will be excluded). We met for the first time on June 17th with our writing prompts in hand, and I have to say it was one of the best experiences ever. The point of the writing prompts is to keep them limited and to inspire. One such person was inspired to write a short story from the prompt.

I will share my prompts here: note that they will all be unedited, un-critiqued and so on and so forth. But I want to share them with you! They’re fabulously fun.

If you want to join in, take the prompt, write something on it and add the link in the comments part of whichever prompt you choose to write on. I’ll edit this document with links to your writings. The point is to have fun and to grow! So here we go.

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PROMPT: 500 words on “Under the Sea” or “Merfolk”

The water above him was clear and dark; the night sky casting shadows through the liquid floating around his slick body. He glided along just underneath the surface and opened his eyes, staring at the stars as they flew past with his speed. Flapping his tail, he moved faster to the other side of the large lake. Jameson hadn’t known why he wanted to take the stroll that night, but it had felt pleasing to move toward the surface of the water and stare at the world just on the other side.

There was so much to it that he couldn’t see. He took a deep breath, the water filling his lungs before leaving quickly in a sigh. He licked his lips and folded his body in half before barreling toward the floor of the lake. Jameson dodged two trout swimming in the opposite direction as he was, barely missing them as he avoided their immeasurable size.

He took another quick breath and went further into the water, deeper into the lake that was his home. The rock at the bottom that harbored his entire race was in sight, and he maintained his pace, having no reason to get there any faster. Jameson slid under the side and found his best friend waiting for him with a grim smile on his face.

“Thought you weren’t coming back this time.”

Jameson shrugged and moved to the lump of mud that was his residence. His friend followed and plopped down on the hill of dirt, resting back.

“Thought you might stay out until it was light.”

“You know I can’t. It’s instant death.” Jameson risked a glance at his friend before taking a school of the soggy mud into his hand and sliding it between his lips, sucking the nutrients from it before spitting out the excess minerals.

Maybe he should go out into the light. Jameson bit his lip and stared at the entrance of their community that he could just see the corner of from where he sat. With no more conversation going on, his friend left without another word, going on his way. Pulling up another scoop of mud, Jameson sucked on it before he made his final decision. He wanted to see the light.

Swimming back to the entrance of their community, he moved his tail up and down to propel him forward. The light should come soon—their community had to be home before it started to break the surface and reach them.

His breath came in short rasps as he swam hard toward the surface of the clear water. Risking a glance down, Jameson could still see the rock that they all hid under. Cowards. The word ricocheted around his head as he swam under a fish blocking his path. He would breach the surface.

He got there just as light started to shine through. Looking down at his hand, the dark skin started to glimmer and shine, sparkling in the faint light as it hit him. Jameson furrowed his brow as cold took over and froze him until he felt nothing more.