#Writober Day 6: Abandoned Amusement Park – Scooby-Doo Where Are You?

Today’s inspiration is a location with a theme. This series of images is from an abandoned amusement park. You can choose one image from the series, several images or all of the images to inspire your story. I find photography of abandoned places fascinating. How is it that beautiful buildings crumble when humans stop coming to them? It’s as if the walls and ceilings are held up by human breath and attention. I know there are more practical reasons, but  . . .

And don’t forget to head over to #pessimisticmoustache while you’re on Twitter. There are so many fun things to describe in these pictures.

#vss: very short story

Obediah could tell the voices he heard in the abandoned haunted horrors ride were ghosts of carnies because they were always yelling at him to keep his hands inside the ride.

#OctPoWriMo

Today’s prompt: While I was pacing the room

Pace has many meanings other than walking nervously back and forth. It makes me think of rhythm and speed, of the idioms set the pace (show leadership) and put through one’s paces (make to show off a skill). So, though the phrase While I was pacing the room brings to mind a specific image, the idea of pacing can mean many things.

 

The Still Ferris Wheel

 

The blinking lights a staccato dance in the night

Dings and whistles a frenetic pacemaker on the fritz

All on a mission to get the blood pumping and stomach swirling

 

The Ferris Wheel had once slowed the frantic pace

Showing the amused the big picture

 

Now still, abandoned

Each new leaf sets the pace

Slowing the race toward the inevitable

 

#FlashFicHive

Today is good practice for #PitchWars and writing loglines. Write a bunch, like 20 or 30 until you find the best one that: Introduces the protagonist, the antagonist and the conflict. Have fun with it.

This is a great exercise to get today’s story ideas flowing. Let’s see:

The Sasquatch Squad has heard a rumor that Bigfoot has been hanging around the abandoned amusement park. Could the Squatch be squatting in the funhouse? Imagine him in those warped mirrors. That would be funny.

Well, that is 35 words and I didn’t get to the plot. I’ll try again:

Brie thinks she is brilliant. No one ever comes out to the abandoned amusement park and her parents will never look for her here. Finally free from their constant judgement and nagging, she feels like she could live here forever. But when night falls, she sees a light glowing in that horrible Scaredy Cat ride. She hears two distinct voices. Maybe great minds think alike and they are kids on the run too. Or maybe they’re not like her at all. She decides to investigate in the daylight.

Again, fun but that’s 88 words. A 25 word summary will be a challenge. What else have I got?

The rolling clouds dissipated as quickly as they appeared leaving behind a glowing, triangular ship in the abandoned “Cool Zone”. Though Brie had come to the park to be alone, she had her fingers crossed for friendly alien.

Back down to 38 words. I don’t know if it’s all the mucous from this stupid cold making me feel like a kid home sick from school, or my original mention of Scooby-Doo in the title of this post, but my story ideas appear to be for kids today.

If you end up writing some flash fiction for kids this #Writober, I recommend sharing them over at The Story Den. My friend Christopher Bailey created this website for kids to read and share stories.

I hope you’ll head over to #FlashFicHive and share your 25 word summary of your story and right here in the comments as well.

Happy #Writober Writing and Reading!