Constellation of Shorts

2 | Prickly Curiosity

Word Count: 256

Revision Status: Not to be edited as of 10/13

Genre: Fiction 

Prompt: A writing exercise consisting of a five minute brainstorming session followed by a 15 minute writing sprint. 

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There was something intriguing about the small, potted cactus that sat atop her chipping windowsill. With its green trunk lined with spikes, it very well was an ordinary cactus. But there was something else to it, something that caused her to still as she moved across her room.

Her feet softly padded across the wood floor, gaze fixed on the succulent all the while. After kneeling before the window, she leant her head forward until her face was only a hair away from one of its needles. Her blue eyes bore into the plant, watching its each and every nonexistent movement. The long list of unfinished tasks tacked to her wall called to her, but she couldn't rise to her feet, almost as if her knees were blocks of ice.

Tentatively, she reached an index finger out towards the nearest spike, stopping just as it grazed her skin, a slight movement away from piercing her. With a sigh, she let her hand fall back down to her side, her eyes preforming the remainder of her observation.

Though, it seemed her eyes could not satisfy her for she grew bored quickly, but still could not manage to even advert her gaze. In the span of a breath, her hand seized the trunk. A yelp echoed throughout her apartment.

Hundreds of tiny needles had embedded themselves in her skin. A crease formed between her brows as a frown brought out the slight wrinkles of her face. She was not looking forward to plucking them out from her palm.