Writing Wednesday: Improv Prompt
The character, scene and conflict were dictated by my almost 7-year-old. Here we go.
The floorboards creaked as a light flickered on. A low grunt echoed through the store. Toys lining the shelves shook as the rhythmic thumping of footsteps treaded toward the register. A blue and orange toy arm claw squeaked as it pulled a lever below the register. A hatch in the floor opened up, revealing a winding ramp into the lair below.
The emptiness and darkness of the hideout contradicted the bright and overly packed toy store above. A Tyrannosaurus Rex plopped down onto a bed of hay as he tossed his trusty arm claw beside him. A sigh bellowed through the room. His eyes drooped closed, with just the sound of his heavy breathing lulling him to sleep.
BRRRRIIIINGGG. It was the phone. A red light flashed on the panel. Another emergency, this city was full of them. The Tyrannosaurus shut his eyes tighter, pretending he didn’t hear it, but the sound pierced his ear holes. Hot breath seeped out of his nostrils as he grabbed his arm claw. He used it to knock the phone off the hook and pressed the speaker button.
“SD,” he groaned.
“Super Dino! Super Dino, the Hawk Heathens are terrorizing the dog park again.” It was the mayor. It was always the mayor. He couldn’t do anything without Super Dino’s help, and without Super Dino, he could kiss re-election goodbye.
SD’s body ached, his bones were tired, and even more so, his spirit was broken. The king of dinosaurs was done. The city was plagued with petty crime and even more petty citizens. There was no appreciation anymore, and certainly no vacation days for a superhero. SD never asked for this, though he may have enjoyed it in the beginning; the adoration, the merchandising deals, even a cartoon in his likeness. The money was pouring in, but what good was money when you had no time to spend it, and even more so, no one to spend it with.
“Super Dino? Are you there? Hello?!” The mayor was frantic.
SD fantasized hanging up the phone, hanging up his superhero status, and running away. He could go to one of the islands inhabited by dinosaurs, but they weren’t like him. They were prehistoric; barely considered sentient, and they certainly didn’t have the high intelligence SD had. Maybe he could escape to a tropical island, nap on the beach and listen to the lapping waves.
Or, he could answer the phone, like he always did, and continue to save the humans who created him. Even though he would never be one of them, he would never fit in, it was the closest he would ever get to love. The only solace he had was the sound of a cheering crowd, no matter how fast it dissipated.
“Super Dino!! Please!” The mayor yelped.
SD painfully pulled up his sore legs, lifting his heavy head into the air. “I’ll be right there.”
Character: Super Dino
Scene: Secret lab in a toy store.
Conflict: He wants to relax but there are too many bad guys.
Submitted by: My almost 7-year-old
If you have a prompt you’d like to submit, check out my Facebook page for updates!
