20-Min Prompt (Aug 10, 2025)

 Prompt: Set your story before dawn or after midnight. Your character is awake for a reason. 

Meg lay in bed. Around her were rustlings and people shifting in their bed. Every so often there was a groan or someone would mumble in their sleep. Meg could not sleep. The day was beyond anything she had ever experienced, and this seemed to be the only time she could reflect back without interruptions. 

The world had turned upside down in the last 24-hours. What started like every other day, school and classes, teasing and worries about the upcoming exams, have all been blown to pieces. She had no idea where her father was, where her brother was, where her mom and her mom's husband are. She tried to call them on her cell but there was nothing. She tried to connect to the internet, but the lines remained unconnected. 

Meg lay in bed and went over the gathering. What they said didn't make sense - a coup, an overthrow. The man was in a military uniform, but it was obvious that he was not the leader. He was one of the generals. The leader seemed to be the prime minister. 

PM Johnson came on the screen in the auditorium. 

"There is a national emergency. We have had to stop the threat of a military coup. The leader of the opposition and his henchmen have been captured and will be taken care of. When I was elected, I made it clear that your safety against the rising fascist contingent would be my primary concern. So long as you support our leadership, you have nothing to fear. 

Over the next few weeks, there will be many changes in our nation. We have been preparing for this for a while, so everything will go smoothly. It will be imperative that each of you become mentally and physically ready for the New World. There is much to be excited for. No longer will there be opposition. No longer will we be afraid that climate change will be our destruction. No longer will there be discrimination or hate. You can embrace absolute joy and indulge in whatever you wish. All conflict is behind us!" 

The auditorium sat in stunned silence. Slowly a few people started to clap and cheer. Soon all the young people were caught up in the exuberance. Freedom! Does this mean no more school? Does this mean no more worries about their future or getting a job or buying a home? What does this really mean? But for now - it was exciting! 

After the speech, they all reconvened in a space where food was given to them. It was like a big picnic! 

Meg sat off to the side with Natalie and ___. "What do you think about all of this?" she said to her friends. 

Natalie said, "How can this be bad? For so long, there was only fear about the horrible things in our world, and now PM Johnson seems to have everything under control. Didn't he say he would do that when he was being elected?" 

"Yes, but ..." Meg's voice trailed off. She was remembering the concerns her father had. 

And now, as she lay in bed, going over the events of the day, and remembering her father's obstinate beliefs on the dangers ahead, she had a hard time believing him. Everything did seem to be going in a good direction, wasn't it? And, if PM Johnston had everything under control, then they had nothing to fear. Her father always seemed to be a little off the rails with his conspiracy theories. But she did wonder where he was tonight, 

20-Min Prompt (Aug 4, 2025)

 Prompt: "Create a scene of chaos."

Meg watched out the windows as the bus drove through the town. People were running down the street, with what seemed to be blankets or clothing in their grasp. Some with children in their arms, a suitcase or bag in their hands. Others with boxes of things she couldn't make out. And she saw people in uniforms. With guns. What was going on?

Mere minutes ago, she was sitting in her math class, when the alarm went off. Everyone was startled, even Mrs. Evans, the teacher. And then they gathered in the gym, to be told it was an emergency, and that they had to leave the building. No one seemed to know what was going on. Even on the bus, everyone was clue-less. 

The bus eased through a wire fence. When were there wire fences in Malton? The fence entry was heavily guarded with military. Maybe there was an uprising? A war? No one seemed to know. 

The door slid open and a tall man in uniform came on the bus and stood at the front. 

"Students of Malton High, can I please have your attention," he said in a firm voice. The bus went silent. "We need you to disembark and go orderly into the white building ahead of you. Once you enter, please go to your left into the main auditorium. You will be instructed from there. Are there any questions?" 

Several hands went up.

"Yes?" 

"What's going on?" Jordan asked. He was the star basketball player and it was obvious that he was concerned. 

"You will find out in due time," the man said. 

"When will we be going home?" Sandy, a grade 12 student and the school president, asked. 

"You will find that out in due time as well," the man said. 

Meg wondered, What good was asking if there are questions when the answer is the same thing? And, where is everyone else? Have all the students been brought here? She looked behind, and it seemed there were no other busses behind them. 

The students were muttering among themselves as they disembarked from the bus. Meg heard words of 'government' and 'war' and 'coup' and 'chaos' but no one knew any more than anyone else. As she looked around, she realized there were no teachers with them. Only students from Grade 11 and 12. Odd. 

Once they were all in the auditorium, they found rows and rows of seats, and many other young adults already in the seats. They all looked to be the same age. 

"Please find a seat in this area," a young man in uniform motioned to a section central left to the main stage. There was a flag on the stage, but not one Meg had ever seen before. And there were three seats, two were already occupied with men in what seemed to be battle fatigues. And the chair in the centre was empty. Meg's classmates sat where indicated and as the room filled up, the chatter also began to die down. A sense of expectancy was building. 

"What do you think this is all about?" Katie, Meg's best friend, whispered to her.

"I have no clue. Have you heard anything on any of the socials?" Meg whispered back. 

Suddenly, Jordan, who was sitting in front of them turned around. "Something has been building," he said. "My father works for the city, and he mentioned to my mother the other day to get ready. I didn't know what he was talking about, but it was obviously this."

"Ready? Ready for what?" Katie asked. 

"Well, you know there's been a building of tension and anger," he started. "So many ..." 

He was cut off when a man in formal military attire took centre stage and raised his hands. The room hushed to silence. 

(From: https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/creative-writing-prompts-for-writers)