366 Days of Writing Prompts (2020)

Days 181 - 187

181. Discovery

"Maybe not."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Sam dug through his hand. "Do you have any extra soil? I have a few seeds with me. We could plant it right on the thermos."

"I don't see how that would solve our problem. We don't have access to sunlight in here."

"These Fossil Flowers make energy from heat on their roots. Their leaves hold almost all of the nutrition we could get from it. It might not fill our stomachs, but drinking some tea should keep up from death."

He inspected the seeds. "I've never heard of Fossil Flowers before."

"We discovered them a little under a year ago, when we went on that expedition and lost our way. I named them Fossil Flowers because of their altitude they grow at and their gorgeous white petals." Sam looked over at me and smiled.

182. Complain

It was too hot

Then it was too cold

It was too hard

Then it was too soft

It was too spicy

Then it was too bland

It was too women

Then it was too man

Now it's too subtle

Next it'll be to bold

Just make up your mind already

This is getting too old

183. Gratitude

Be thankful for having an education

Others do not

Be thankful for having roof over your head

Others do not

Be thankful for having food in your stomach

Others do not

Be thankful for having family and friends

Others do not

Be thankful for having someone who cares

Others do not

Be thankful for still having a life

Others do not

184. Chemistry

"So he passed this to me in chem class. I think he likes me."

He passed the note around. Tom looked it over front to back. "Because he gave you a study guide?" He passed it to Jess.

"I think it's a code. On Friday he said he liked the book I was reading and it was one of those mysteries with like codes and that stuff. Prime numbers."

Jess looked up at him and passed it to me. "So you think this list is a code?"

"Yeah. Like, maybe if we find the numbers of the elements we can decode it." He pulled his chem notebook up."

I smiled as I realized what we were looking at. "Charlie?"

"Yes?"

"Stop. You don't need to look the atomic numbers up or anything."

"Why?"

I bit my lip. "Write the symbol down for each one. I'll even read it to you."

"The symbol?"

"The one or two letters above the name."

"Oh. We're lucky to have a senior with us. I would never had guessed thats what those where called."

I shook my head. "Iodine. Lithium, Potassium, Elementium."

"That one's not on here."

"Just put E. Yttrium, Oxygen, Uranium."

"Is that it?"

"Yup. Read it."

"ILi KEY OU? ILi KEY OU. I Lik EYOU. I LiKEY OU. Oh! I like you! That makes a ton more sense."

185. Applause

It was good, but was it good enough. A second felt like a hundred years as silence filled the space. Then there it was. Clapping. Hands slapped against each other. Deep voices shouted incoherent signs of acceptance and acknowledgement. I opened my eyes. The crowd was standing now. Clapping. Presumably for me.

186. Old Endings Into New Beginnings

Be loved

Be loved

It was as if I was

wishing it into existence

For me

For her

For him

Be loved

Be loved

Be loved

187. Longing

"But you don't understand."

"I do understand. You want to go in that house, but we are NOT trespassing."

"I don't just want to go in. I HAVE to go in. I don't know why, but I NEED to go in that building. Now."

Jack patted my head. "Calm down, babe. Hold up. Ok? Sit down and I'll see what I can do."

I took a seat on the curb and stared at the house. It drew every ounce of my attention. It was calling me. Something in that house needed me. I just knew it.

Jack grabbed my hand and helped me to my feet. "I texted Kalvin about the house. He said it's owned by an organization. They requested that the police not respond to trespassing calls unless someone says there's weapons, screaming, blood, or illicit substances. He also said that the local teens, gangs, cults, and overall scary population stay away from the house, so it's probably safe."

"So we're going?"

He sighed. "We're going."