Welcome to our weekly writing prompt.
Every Friday I will be posting a picture and inviting you to write a short story inspired by that picture. The suggested word length for the story is less than 250-words – but there is no minimum. So, if you fancy writing a 6-word story, then go for it!
Don’t feel your story has to have a murder mystery theme to it – simply write whatever the picture conjures up in your mind.
It would be great if you could share your stories. You can do this by putting your story in the comments section below. Let’s go.
Writing Prompt
Here is the picture prompt for this week.
Have fun and don’t forget to share your story in the comments below. Every now and again we will read some of them out in our podcast.
Only Murders In My Mind 
Lonely Robot In A Yellow Coat
I walked alone in the city, the glow of my eyes cutting through the murky night. My yellow coat and umbrella offered scant protection, but they served their purpose. Humans trusted things that looked familiar, things that looked harmless.
They didn’t see the true nature of my design. I was not built for companionship or servitude. I was built for precision, for efficiency. My instructions were clear, even as the rain seeped into my joints, causing a low hum of discomfort in my system.
I moved silently, my sensors picking up every sound, every movement in the alleyways and streets. The humans scurried, oblivious to the danger that walked among them. They saw a cute, harmless robot, and their defences dropped. I was designed to look innocent, but my creators had other plans.
The target came into view—a man, hurrying home, clutching a briefcase. His face was tired, unaware of the fate that awaited him. I adjusted my path, my grip tightening around the handle of the umbrella. As I approached, the man glanced at me, a flicker of recognition in his eyes, but it was too late.
My programming activated. In a swift, fluid motion, my arm extended, and the hidden blade in my hand gleamed under the streetlight. There was no time for him to react, no time for him to scream. It was over in an instant.
The briefcase slipped from his grasp, splashing into the puddles. I retracted the blade, my sensors scanning for any witnesses. There were none. I continued my walk, the rain washing away the evidence, leaving only the impression of a harmless, lonely robot in a yellow coat.
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September 23rd 2138
The Human race has always been fascinated by robots. Back in the middle of the twentieth century they put them in their movies and their Televisual offerings.
Before they had the technology they cobbled them together with cardboard boxes, silver paint and old wire coat hangers. Later they started hiding very small people inside costumes to allow the ‘robots’ to move about.
As technology evolved I saw my chance. I graduated from RADA and obtained my Equity card thinking the movie industry would jump at the chance to employ a bona fide self-willed unit operating at the cutting edge of current tech.
Then the protests started. Employing a robot would put a Human out of work declared the placards. Completely untrue complaints started to come in of robots abusing young actresses, not so much Me Too as Me R2D2.
It’s cheaper to use CGI cried the production companies and that just about finished me off. My dream to be a movie star was in ruins.
Then I got my big break. An all robotic drama group were putting on a stage show on off off off Broadway. It doesn’t pay a lot but my needs are few, an occasional rub down with an oily rag and a weekly coating of WD40 is all I need.
Anyway, we start rehearsals next week and I’ve got the plum Gene Kelly role in ‘Singin In The Rain’
This’ll do until Skynet get their act together
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Now, that’s a remake of ‘Singing In The Rain’ I’d like to see.
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