Unsolved Mystery

"Milo! Don't forget to take your prom dress and lock the main door before you leave." Mom shouted while leaving for work at at noon. 

Milo heard her and dozed off. 

The alarm clock blared at 4 pm, which made her spring up with a jolt.

"Gosh! I'm late. Let me wear my dress here instead." she locked the door behind her. 

Hours ticked by, and Mom returned from work to find the dress in her closet.

 She rushed to her school with knitted eyebrows to find Milo in one. 

"Whose dress are you wearing? Who left this behind dress?" 

 In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about “the one who left the dress.” A 1940s-era dress still hangs in an abandoned house. Who left it and why? You can take any perspective and write in any genre. It can be a ghost story. Or not. Go where the prompt leads!

Freedom from the Body

Mohan was lying with tears trickling down his cheeks. 

His body was screeching in pain; the malignant growth had penetrated his bones, thus making it unbearable. 

He wanted to go places and reach new avenues, but destiny had other plans. 

"It's just a matter of time," the docs said.

The family was stroking his legs with the hope of giving him some relief. 

After coming to terms with the present, he tipped the hospital attendants and spoke words of wisdom to his children. 

He finally breathed his last with a smile as he got freedom from the diseased body. 

 In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about what freedom feels like. Whose point of view do you use? Does the idea of freedom cause tension or bring hope? Let the reader feel the freedom. Go where the prompt leads!

The Game of Sitolia

 "Hurry up, and stack it," Pran shouted at his pal, trying to pile the stones in order. Pran's eyes were wide, and his mouth was slurry as he called, "He is aiming the ball at us. Run if you can't stack them." 

Jay raised his hands and shouted, "Done!" 

"Darn it!" shouted Parv at Vishnu, "Couldn't you have been two seconds faster? They won since they could stack the stones on time. They get to hit the pile one more time while we'll have to chase the ball." he lamented. 

"Come on, Parv. It's just a game; lighten up!" 

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Sitolia is a game with two teams with a minimum of 2-3 players in each team. They take turns to hit the stack of seven stones, and if they can stack it back before the other team hits them with a ball. They get a point, and a chance to hit the stack once more. 

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that features stone-stacking. How does the activity fit into a story? Who is involved? What is the tone? Do the stones have special meaning? Go where the prompt leads!

Energy Medicine

"How can I help you today?" asked the practitioner as she registered her client for her upcoming healing session.

"Oh! I've been having anxiety, lower back pain, and difficulty expressing myself," said Kisna with a long deep sigh!

With a confident nod, Dolly gave a gentle smile and said, "I know exactly which chakra is acting up. Lay on the table, and I'll be back to start your session." 

With dim lights and a piece of gentle background music, Dolly started brushing Kisna's dense aura with a murmur, "Up and away!" 

That was followed by chakra balancing and grounding. 

 In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the phrase, “up and away.” You can imagine a story from the photo of hot air balloons, a flying superhero, a natural wonder, or any other direction your inspiration goes. Go where the prompt leads!

A Musical Night

 

"I see a clear sky. The rainy season is behind us!" said Mali with a breath of sigh! 

"We can now sleep in peace." clapped an elated ten-year-old Loli. 

"The pitter-patter and the mosquitoes have gone with it." 

"Yes!" 

The mother-daughter finished their only meal of the day, consisting of broth and bread.  

The duo lay on their cots, and the mom was about to hit the snooze button when the tip-tap noise widened her eyes, and she looked at her leaky roof. 

"Ugh! get the utensils, Loli. Courtesy of the water fall; tonight will be another musical night." 

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the phrase, water falls. Where is the water coming from? How does it shape a story? Who does it involve? Go where the prompt leads!

Sugar = Happiness

 "No, mom. I can't have this. I've given up sugar." Pari said with a stern face alternating between her mom and the Jalebi. 

"You're so skinny that I fear that you might disappear from the face of this planet one day. And now you want to adapt to this new regime," argued her mom with a dirty look.

Pari gave a loud snort, " I'll never disappear physically, but yes, I'm sure my weight will reduce by giving up sugar, and all my health issues might go into remission." 

"Sugar gives happiness, my child?" 

"Aah! that's just a perception." 

: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about disappearance. It can be an event, act, or subtle theme. Who or what disappears? Does it fade or explode? Can it be explained or experienced? Go where the prompt leads!

Mask Up !

 
"Jeez! Why is everybody staring at me?" muttered Alisha as she chewed her gum frantically when she dragged a cart into the store, "Hope, I wore my pants?" and she quickly gave a downward glance at her legs, "Phew! I can't forget the day when I stepped out to water my plants in just my panties."

A tap on her shoulder, "Excuse me, Miss. You need to mask up!" 

Alisha was apologetic, and with a gaped mouth, she quickly pulled it from her purse, "Gosh! This is the new norm, and it's high time I embrace the new change." 

 In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story to reflect the theme, “ready for a change.” Who is ready and why? How does the change unfold? What happened to initiate the change? Go where the prompt leads!