The Prompt Project’ are posts that are essentially a way for me to exercise my creative muscles, without all the pressure that comes from writing my WIP for example.

I post what I write on the spot, I don’t impose a word limit or time it, just go with whatever my brain spits out for as long it keeps up the momentum. I’ll literally see prompt, write and then post the results.

Here’s Prompt project number 4, this ones a Pinterest find again:

“This can’t get any worse, can it?”

“Sure it can- just give it a minute.”

The sea was crashing into the rocks around the bay, sending plumes of water up into the air to spray annoyingly down onto Jordan. He was in a bad mood and the weather wasn’t helping. The grey sky made his drawn features look sickly, as though he’d barely slept. In all fairness, he hadn’t slept at all, so in that sense the weather was complimenting his features a little bit.

He’d given up just before dawn and decided to run down to the beach front for coffee and breakfast, thinking he could sit on the quay and watch dawn break. However, the English sky line had others ideas and all his efforts were rewarded with was a weakly yellow sky and slightly lighter shades of grey. Hardly the awe inspiring vista he’d been craving and now the tide was in and his socks were soggy.

“Well, isn’t that the face you want to be greeted with first thing in the morning?” Oh, no. Not her. Jordan closed his eyes and breathed deeply, he could not be bothered to deal with this today. “Your services are required, oh great one.” Katerina was a girl, who you might have called pretty if you’d never had the misfortune to interact with her enough to realise she was such an arrogant, elitist that it negated all her redeeming qualities. He opened his eyes warily to find her trying to duck under the peak of his cap to grin stupidly in at him.

Katerina had been born and raised in a magical family, she was from a strong bloodline who practiced combat magic and had made a fortune doing so. Jordan had grown up the foster system, he’d grown up knowing he could do things other people couldn’t but had, rather sensibly he’d thought, never told anyone about his ‘gifts’- it seemed like it would lead to awkward questions. Then The Guild had found him and explained what he was and what he could potentially become. So they offered training in exchange for his ‘services’.

“Come on, this way grumposauras.” She strode off on those ridiculously long legs of hers, not bothering to check if Jordan was trailing behind her. Katerina knew he would follow but he was sure she pranced away like that just for the sheer pleasure of seeing him struggling to keep up.

‘Slow down will you?” Katerina glanced back and grinned, slowing to match his pace. She bounced on her heels as she walked, like a bloody golden retriever, clearly enjoying the scowl this received.

“So I take it we had another bad night, hey?”

“Did my sunny disposition give it away?”

“Frankly, there’s not a blind bit of difference to a normal day. You just look like shit, is all.”

“Cheers.”

“You’re welcome.” Katerina nodded at someone in a parked car across the street, who peeled away seconds later and she crossed the street to where the car had been. “So, we’ll have back up this time. Like I promised.” Jordan didn’t try to hide it when he rolled his eyes. “No, seriously, you had a point. Can’t train you if I get you killed and then what use are you?”

She took an alley, followed by another. until they were in a dingy back street, far enough from the sea front to lose the ever present hushing of the waves. A huge sprawling garage was open to the street, the whole place filled with cars in various states of repair. She marched her way through to the back office, ignoring the stares that followed them; Katerina was hardly inconspicuous and she had no intention of trying to be.

“Hi, Phil.”

“Ah, fuck.” Said the guy behind the desk, trying to look for a non existent exit in in his by two by four little office. He was mid fifties, paunchy and had one of those complexions that made Jordan think of words like ‘ruddy’ or ‘alcoholic’.

“I know. I am dazzingly, aren’t I? This is my new pal Jordan, you might have heard about him.” Katerina leaned on the door frame, turning sideways so Jordan could sidle in after her. The bloke met Joran’s gaze and his eyes widened in panic.

“You’re the new empath they found aren’t ya?” Jordan said nothing. “Shit. Naw, I’m not doing this. I have rights. You can’t just waltz in here without evidence.”

“Well, you see, one, you’re not under human jurisdiction, are you Pete? Two, I don’t need evidence, I need suspicions and then I walk in with my new friend here and kaboom, solid evidence in the bag.” He moved to get up from the desk and Katerina’s hand lit up with lightening, which she held in her palm, looking at him calmly. “I wouldn’t.” Pete sat. His ruddy hue turning blotchy.

“I’m not answering any questions.”

“That’s okay Pete, co-operation really isn’t necessary.” Katerina caught Jordan’s eye to check he was good to go and he gave a slight nod in return. “Pete, have you been selling cars unfit for the road, using your powers to hoodwink humans to buy stolen, or damaged cars?”

“Fuck off.” Pete growled. “I ain’t answering.”

“He’s lying.” Jordan said, embarrassed to hear his voice crack nervously. “He’s sold at least two today that he’s sure will cause accidents but he doesn’t care, he hates the humans.” He looked from the sweating guy, to the wall behind him, feeling a little bit of confidence kick in as he blanched. “He doesn’t even have a clever way to hide the evidence, there’s a ledger, where they track their shortcuts and profit, it’s in a safe in the wall.”

“Nah, he’s lying, there ain’t no empath who can read that much from a person. Not off one question and with no eye contact, it’s a scam to make me confess.” Pete was even blotchier now, sweat pooling on his upper lip.

“Sorry, I’m afraid that the reason Jordan here is such a special friend of mine, is that what he sees is absolute, infallible and eligible for submission as evidence for a warrant and later within your trial, under section 116 of The Guild’s Charter.”

Katerina spotted the way Pete’s eyes kept drifting to a point behind them in the doorway before Jordan did but she was still too late to prevent the energy blast sent from behind by a workman, who had been sneaking up on them. She flew into the wall behind Pete’s desk, crumpling, unconscious, on the floor. Jordan was also flung into a filling cabinet, which he lay collapsed like wet tissues paper at the foot of, not bothering to try to get away as Pete shuffled from behind the desk, sniggering as he looked down at him.

“Fucking useless, twat.” Then he aimed a kick at Jordan’s jaw, which sent him reeling into darkness.

When he came to, Jordan found himself tied to a pillar next to Katerina, who was jostling against his shoulder, fiddling with her zip-ties.

“Quit it.” He moaned and Katerina fell back again the stone with a huff. Jordan craned round to see her, she had one hell of a bruise coming up on her forehead but otherwise seemed undamaged. “You lied about the back up, didn’t you?”

“There’s a distinct possibility that I may have.”

“Who was in the car then?”

“Someone I arrested a couple years ago. It’s just fun to scare them every now again, you know?”

“Does The Guild even know where we are?” A pause.

“Umm, Well, I got up really early to come find you, so…”

“Well, then,”

“Yep.” Katerina didn’t say sorry, she just wasn’t the type.

“This can’t get any worse, can it?”

“Sure it can- just give it a minute.”

It was then Pete and about twenty of his pals filled into view, sporting tyre irons, bats and hammers,

“See.” Katerina said.

***********************************************************************


Did you enjoy that? I like these fun little creative exercises, so give it a like if I should keep at it.