Writing Prompt – Day 14

Hope everyone is having a good day! As for me, I hear there’s a snowstorm coming tomorrow possibly so we shall see what the weather brings! I’m just glad I’m cozied up inside getting ready for another writing prompt. (:

I’m also super excited because I picked up a new book since I finished the other one a few days ago. I’ll let you guys know if it happens to be another good one!

Are you comfy and ready for today’s writing practice?

Oh, and also, I haven’t had any suggestions yet for a new prompt. I’m getting a little lonely here pals!

If you think of one, send it my way through the comments below or you can contact me here. & be sure to provide me with a link to your blog page if you’d like me to give you a shout out with a clickable link to your site when I use your prompt!

Alrighty, the moment you’ve been waiting for…

Here’s the prompt!

One day the national news channel shuts off. And the next day after that, too.

my example :

Darryl filled his mug with hot coffee and walked over to the couch. Grabbing the remote, he took a seat and pulled the lever for the footrest to pop up. He took a sip of his black coffee and placed it on the coaster next to him.

“Hey honey, good morning,” Margaret said. Her slippers were skidding across the floor as she made her way to the seat next to him. She gave him a kiss and wrapped a throw blanket around her.

Darryl smiled, taking in his sleepy wife. “Mornin’. I hope you slept well. Coffee’s made if you want me to grab you some?”

She rested her head on his shoulder and snuggled into him. “No,” she yawned. “It’s my day off. I don’t need to get jacked up on coffee today.”

Darryl laughed and kissed the top of her head. He turned the TV on and clicked through the channels. They didn’t have Netflix or Hulu or any of the gazillion streaming services out there. They lived a simple life – basic channels, flip cell phones used for calling and occasional texts only, tending to their own garden in their small backyard to grow an assortment of fruits and vegetables instead of reaching for fast food and processed junk. The world was losing its way, with over-stimulation, instant-gratification, and cramming unknown chemicals into food. They wanted an uncomplicated life, as possible as they could make it in such a busy, toxic world.

“I thought you would have the news turned on by now. I half-expected to come out here and hear you hollering at the TV already,” Margaret laughed.

Darryl gave her shoulder a light squeeze. “Ha Ha. Very funny. I had a late start to my morning. I just sat down with my coffee right before you came out. But the funny thing is…” His words trailed off as he continued flipping through channels.

Margaret leaned off of him so she could look up at him. “What?”

“Well, I don’t know. It’s odd. I can’t find the news channel on here.”

Looking at the TV herself, Margaret replied, “That’s not possible honey. But… let me see that remote.” She grabbed the remote from his hands and started clicking buttons until she came to the same conclusion.

He gave her a look saying I told you so, and she appeared as puzzled as she felt.

“That’s odd.” She rubbed her eyes.

***

The next morning, Margaret was already on the couch waiting for Darryl as he sat down, placed his coffee on the table, and perched his legs up on the leg rest like he did every morning.

“Morning sunshine,” Darryl said.

His wife smiled. “Morning handsome.”

“Alright, let’s see what the heck is going on with the news channel today.” He thumbed through the channels until he landed on the news. “There. It’s… Maggie are you seeing this?”

“I am,” she said slowly.

The news channel was glitching in and out and there were flashes of news reporters mixed with random flashes of color and eerie visuals that didn’t make out to be anything describable.

“What on earth is going on?” Darryl put the leg rest down and walked up to the TV. He tapped at the screen as if that would magically fix it. He sighed and walked back to his seat. “Welp,” he said, taking a sip of coffee. “Either our television is broke, or the news is broke.”

Margaret laughed and grabbed the remote. “Who knows. But, the images are a bit… unsettling. Don’t you think?”

She looked at Darryl when he didn’t answer. The smile on her face slowly faded and her whole face went pale. Darryl was in some kind of trance staring at the images flashing across the screen. Margaret’s blood ran cold as his head slowly turned to face her. His eyes had the same images from the news channel flashing through them. The sides of his mouth curved up into a contorted smile.

She screamed and the remote slipped through her fingers and fell on the floor, clicking the TV off. In an instant, Darryl was back to himself.

“Honey… oh my God, are you okay? What’s wrong?” He pulled her in and held her tight.

Margaret sobbed in his arms.

And just when she was almost calm enough to explain to Darryl what she just witnessed, she glanced over in horror to see the TV had just turned itself back on.

---

Ooooh, spooky!

What the heck is going on? What’s going to happen to Darryl and Margaret? What is the world coming to?! The dang News Channel, always ruining everyone’s day. Lol!

I have to tell you, fifteen minutes just wasn’t enough for me. So I’ve been writing closer to a half hour. And I enjoy that amount of time. So if you are wondering if I really wrote all that in 15… that’s negative my friend. I’ll do fifteen if I’m in a crunch for time but if all is well, I’ll stick with the half hour.

What amount of time have you chosen? Let me know in the comments below. & also, I would love to see how yours turned out! Throw it in the comment section below to show us where the prompt took you. (:

Lastly, tomorrow is the final prompt of the week. See you pals then! (;

We have a calling to write & together we will make our dreams come true – one prompt at a time!