Two Minute Writing Prompts

Mushrooms

Instantly recognisable, brightly dressed in nature’s siren song shade of red. The warning tone softened slightly by white flecks, some like dots from a distance, but less decisive up close. And there was something about their fairy-tale appeal that pulled children towards them, fingers outstretched, yearning to touch.

Gorgeous

Arthur wasn’t sure what to expect when the door to the suite was opened. The anticipation had caused his palms to sweat, and he rubbed them together briskly. When the door pulled back to reveal her standing there, his hands involuntarily grasped together before reaching towards her, one word on his lips.

Telephone

‘Can you get that?’
‘You’re closer.’
‘I got it last time.’
‘But you know who it’ll be.’
‘So do you.’
‘It’s your turn to talk to her.’
‘Don’t want to.’
‘Just get it — otherwise she’ll call back.’
’Told you to get an answering machine.’
‘Pick it up — I can’t stand the ringing.’
‘Fine. Hello?’

Shout

Ben looked at the murky dregs in the bottom of the schooner glass. Didn’t bear thinking about whether it was sediment from the beer, or a less than clean glass to begin with. But you couldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, or so they said. When it was his turn to shout, he’d chance his luck on one of those premixed drinks in a bottle or a can.

This was a ‘warm up’ prompt activity that we used in our writing group recently, inspired by an exercise in The Writing Book by Kate Grenville. It encourages improvisation, and the tight time frame supports getting words down quickly on the page.

Photo: Fly agaric mushroom spotted in a local park