This month's
Words for Wednesday prompts are supplied by
messymimi and can be found on
her blog as well as
River's blog.
This week's prompts are: attention, vague, orbit, game, think, insistence and/or
single, brand, barrel, bless, stake, cap. Additional optional prompt is Charlotte's colour of the month -
Steel Blue.
The aim of
Words for Wednesday is to use one or all of the prompts to write something – ie, a story, a poem, an essay or any forms of writing, fiction or nonfiction – basically write anything you want.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Fiction: Bungee Jumping & Maybe MerfolkAs he jumped off the bridge's deck, Hawken Decker had a vague idea he might be heading toward his death. All his life, Hawken had been blessed. His family always supported him no matter what he did. But this was to be his last stunt, the last time he did anything this stupid. As he barreled through his unwanted thoughts, he wondered if his sister would miss him.
Moments ago Hawken stood on the bridge's deck and peering down at the water and drenched in sweat. He had removed his brand new baseball cap and wiped his forehead about five times. Everyone had been orbiting around him like he was a star except there were only twelve people including two professional bungee jumpers who set up the equipments. A few passerby had paid Hawken some glances but they didn't linger, not in the 95°F heat. Maybe Hawken shouldn't have invited Bethany Price since she kept chatting on her phone. His best friend Stella Prickling's insistence grin made Hawken wanted to smack her. She had held a thumbs up and lifted the camera to her eye. Stella was always gaming Hawken into believing every stunt was the greatest thing Hawken would ever do but Stella had no stakes in them except earning a few bucks for posting the videos online.
Bungee jumping wasn't dangerous but if the rope somehow failed, Hawken might just crush his brain against the side of the bridge or he might drown in the river below and if not, he might be unable to swim to safety.
Hawken was a fool. Twenty-six years old and what did he have to show for? Just some dumb stunts. Hawken could blame Stella for living like this but he chose to do these stunts. Sometimes Hawken wanted to go back and unmade the decision to be friends with Stella in second grade. When Hawken had tripped and fell over his tray of lunch, Stella had helped him cleaned up and even shared her lunch. Hawken still could remember the ham sandwich that had caused him a stomachache but Stella's kindness stayed with him.
Flying through the air, Hawken was surprised how heavenly it was before he started dipping into the water. He didn't hear a snap but he was certain the rope had broke and he was loose in the water. The freezing liquid was soothing to his hot body but as he sank farther down, he cursed. A strange power surged through him and he swam upward only to slow down as his arms and legs ached while tangled in some rope. Unable to hold his breath any longer, he slacked his mouth. His vision started darkening and then he blacked out.
