Prompt Sixty-Eight

Finding a bone in a parking lot.

Working at a restaurant means you never know when you’re going to go home, so I was not surprised when I had to stay until almost one in the morning. As soon as my manager said I could leave I practically ran to clock out and grab my things. Now how my job is set up is there’s the restaurant with a banquet hall and private dining room and a hotel right next door. There’s a big parking lot between the two buildings for restaurant/hotel patrons and a sketchy, poorly lit lot behind the hotel for overflow parking and employees. That’s where I park. I keep my eye out for drivers and creepy people so I don’t pay much attention to where I’m walking. You can imagine my shock when I heard a loud crack after my last step and looked down to find a bone beside my car! My first reaction was to panic because why was there a bone next to my car at one in the morning? My second was to take a closer look. I pulled out my cellphone and turned on the flashlight only to discover it was one of those oversized dog bones. Strangely, I was disappointed. Who doesn’t want to find the remains of a murder victim in a sketchy parking lot behind a hotel?

Prompt Sixty-Seven

You are a military officer responsible for going to people’s homes to tell them that a family member has died in combat, is a prisoner of war, injured, missing in action, and the like. Describe one of the notification scenes.

I stood quietly on the sidewalk, staring up the front walkway to the white house at the end. The lawn was empty and perfectly manicured. The swing on the porch swayed lazily in the breeze. I could see movement in one of the first floor windows and knew Mrs. Carter was home.

Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself and walked up the path to the front porch. I rung the doorbell and waited. Light and hurried footsteps made their way in my direction. The door opened and on the threshold stood not Mrs. Carter but a young boy of maybe five or six.

“Billy!” called a breathless voice from the other room. “What did I tell you about answering the door?” A woman entered the hallway and approached the front door. She smiled apologetically at me but it quickly disappeared as she took in my uniform to be replaced by a look of concern and fear. It was an expression I was all too familiar with.

“Mrs. Carter,” I began, watching her place her hands on her son’s shoulders.

“W-why don’t you go upstairs and play, Billy,” the other woman said, her voice shaking. The little boy ran away and I could hear his footsteps ascend the staircase.

“Mrs. Carter,” I said again now that I had her full attention. “I’m sorry to inform you that your husband Lieutenant Colonel Carter died in the line of duty.”

Her reaction was immediate. Her eyes swelled with tears, she covered her trembling lips with her hands, and she sank to the floor as her heaved with sobs. No matter how many times I had seen this happen I was still not used to this sight. My heart broke every time I watched another’s break.

Prompt Sixty-Six

An hour to go.

I try to not watch the clock at work because it tends to make the night move slower. I usually give myself a list of tasks to complete — and try to make the list longer — before checking the time. Most nights seem to drag but when the last hour comes I get really excited. My job is either really stressful or slow and boring so I always long for freedom. At this point in the night I’m super attentive, making sure everything is stocked and tables are properly set. I check and recheck and watch the clock like a hawk for when I can ask to leave. Unfortunately, our out times aren’t definite so I wait an extra 10-15 minutes before tracking down an ever-elusive manager.

Prompt Sixty-Five

Describe the biggest earthquake you’ve ever heard about.

Describe? I don’t know. The only one I can think of/remember is the one that happened in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2011. That was the year I studied in Wellington and the earthquake happened before that. I didn’t read up on it or see any pictures but I heard it was bad. Wish I could’ve traveled to the South Island to see. Researching now I read it was a 6.3 on the Richter scale. I did feel mild tremors when I was there and that gave some of us a scare.

Prompt Sixty-Four

Write a poem about a tomato.

An ode to the tomato
You are gross
I like ketchup and salsa but alone you are nothing to me
Bloody Mary?
No, thank you
Are you fruit or vegetable?
Make up you mind