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 
I salvaged it from a box of old junk which was destined for the charity shop when my great uncle James passed away.
I don’t know why I kept it as it didn’t fit with the décor in my tiny flat.
It sat there on the small circular breakfast in the corner of the lounge.
I’d taken it to a few antique and curiosity shops but nobody could reveal its secrets.
Something about it drew me in, like a Siren’s song to unwary sailors.
I started to have trouble sleeping. Strange dreams were waking me drenched in a cold sweat.
In the mornings, my memory of the dreams was just out of reach.
I finally boxed it up and hid it in in the airing cupboard.
I slept soundly last night, but when I entered the lounge it was back on the table.
I made a cup of tea then heard a knock on the front door.
“Sorry to disturb you Miss, but I wondered if you heard anything untoward last night?” said the young police officer standing outside.
“No” I replied, “Why?”
“We’re just making enquiries” he said “One of your neighbours was found dead in her flat in suspicious circumstances”
“OMG” I exclaimed “I didn’t hear anything”
“No problem Miss, just contact the local police station if you think of anything”
I closed the door and went through to the bathroom.
There, hanging behind the door, was my dressing gown. But why was it covered in fresh blood?
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Another great story, Kevin. I think you are enjoying these weekly prompts.
Have you seen your story in our ‘Tiny Tales’ – I hope it meets with your approval.
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You’re right, I’m having a great time with these. I’ve always wanted to write but never managed to do anything about it.
The Tiny Tales story is brilliant. Just listening to someone else reading out my story is a real motivation. I wrote this one while I was waiting to see my consultant at Barts hospital this afternoon.
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The café bustled with the morning crowd, but no one noticed the peculiar customer in the corner. Perched delicately on a worn leather chair, the alien sipped its espresso, large eyes scanning the humans around it.
It had been observing Earth for decades, gathering intel on these primitive beings. Today marked the final phase of its mission. As the creature’s spindly fingers tapped against the coffee cup, it transmitted a coded signal to the mothership lurking beyond the atmosphere.
The invasion would begin at nightfall.
Humanity’s fate was sealed over a simple cup of coffee. The irony wasn’t lost on the alien as it watched people rush about their day, unaware of the impending doom. It almost felt a twinge of pity for these fragile creatures, so consumed by their trivial concerns.
A child at a nearby table pointed excitedly at the alien, tugging on her mother’s sleeve. The woman glanced over, her eyes widening in shock. But before she could react, the alien’s hypnotic gaze locked onto hers. In an instant, the memory of what she’d seen vanished from her mind.
The alien rose, leaving a generous tip. As it left, a shimmering field surrounded its body, rendering it invisible to human eyes. Soon, the streets would be filled with its kind, harvesting Earth’s resources and ruling over its population.
The creature paused, savouring its last moments of anonymity. It would miss these quaint rituals – the aroma of freshly ground beans, the warmth of the cup against its pallid skin. But sacrifices must be made for the greater good of its species.
With a final glance at the unsuspecting world around it, the alien vanished into the crowd, counting down the hours until Earth’s last sunrise.
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Love this one. I thought about going for a sci-fi theme but two of mine have been alien or robot themed so I went for a more horror related tale
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