The following picture was used as a writing prompt. Here are two separate responses from two different individuals. This activity shows how every individual individual can view an image in a unique way and gain inspiration.
The Boinks by Cooper Franks
Sophie looked out the window, letting her eyes take a rest from the blue screen that she had been staring at for hours. She couldn’t believe it had been 2 years since the Boinks had landed on planet Earth. Nobody was prepared for their arrival after all, as they seemed to materialize with the setting sun that one summer morning. Many thought they were harmless, as the military had not taken any aggressive action. Instead, they had quarantined these unidentified aliens for several months—studying them. They would simply bounce off the glass walls that the scientists had constructed. This was how they earned the name “Boinks.” After a while, life seemed to go back to normal, and humans accepted this new creature, as if it was just some other newly discovered species. Until one day, a Boink bounced a little too hard off the corner of its glass container, and escaped. A scientist, not thinking, immediately grabbed the Boink, and in an instant, transformed into a cat. This was the start of it all.
Nobody could do a thing to contain the Boink without becoming a cat. And eventually, the Boinks multiplied. Divided like the mitosis of cells, and eventually filled the air like pollen in the spring wind. Soon people were popping out hairballs and craving catnip. There was no escape. Humans had no choice but to stay inside.
Sophie sighed and focused on the clouds beyond the bouncing Boinks. Sophie was lucky, and had hidden inside her house before she became a cat. Her dog, Sydney, would have never forgiven her. She was grateful for this, but not all escaped the fate of turning into a feline.
She swiveled back in her chair, and turned to her friend, Nuha, who was now a cat. She could still speak if she tried with all her might, but an occasional meow made it difficult to carry on a conversation. Her group of friends still included Nuha, of course, as they knew the struggles that came with becoming a cat.
“So what’s new,” Sophie asked the group.
“Well I—” started her friend Isabel.
Meow.
Trapped Inside by Jack McLane
Outside Sammy watched the slow and dry world go by. She glanced at Hank, her dog and he looked back at her, scared for what's to come. Sammy and Hank had been locked inside their apartment for about 43 days now, each day feeling longer than the past.
“You know what Hank” Hank’s ears perked up, “lets go get some more supplies”.
Hank put a smile on his face and went to grab a mask. Sammy stood up from her chair and noticed something outside. She walked towards the window, stepping over Hank’s chew toys. She pressed her face to the window and looked out. Her heart dropped. Hank came trotting back and dropped the mask by Sammy’s feet.
“Maybe we should stay here Hank” Sammy said still with her face pressed to the window.
Hank barked at her in disapproval.
“Don’t be mad at me! It’s not my fault…” she nodded her head out the window and Hank looked outside to see the Bacteria floating, like balloons from a parade that had been let loose.
Hank whined and dove under the desk in fear, curling up to hide. Sammy hung her head and walked over to her desk, “Hey buddy, it's going to be ok. Everything is going to be fine. We’ll be out of this lockdown in just a couple weeks” she said with a fake smile.
Hank’s ears perked up again and came out from under the desk with a smile on his face. He laid down and started chewing his bone again, peacefully as if the last 5 minutes didn’t happen.
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