There is a persistent fog that has settled over the city. The tops of the buildings are shrouded in it. During the early morning hours, 4 AM to be precise and rather unexpectedly, a train rolls down the tracks. There hasn't been a train in years, but it rolls through once at 4 AM and then at 4 PM. The early morning train's whistle blows several times, and at least 50 cars roll through fairly quickly and a bright red caboose ends the procession. Strangely, Munny Pang is standing on the caboose's platform, and as the train moves by, he is throwing orange peels onto the tracks.
At 4 PM, however, the train creeps along the tracks and eventually stops. The train is quite long and blocks all the roads that cross it in town. Once the train stops, the door to the boxcar opens and a small man accompanied by a young boy of about 13 get out and make their way to the small park next to Only Way street. The boy, whose mouth is covered by duct tape, sets-up a small tent under a very old oak tree. The old man sits on a blue blanket spread by the boy and takes off his worn-out hiking boots. As they walk to the park, people observe that the old man is blind and the young boy is helping him travel. Because the fog is so dense, they really just look like shadowy figures.
Your character, for some reason, must go through the park. Once he or she does, the old man shouts a prophecy at your character. (You've drawn a prophecy from the coffee cup and should use it in some way.)
1) "The truth with all its power lives inside me."
2) "How terrible--to see the truth/when the truth is only pain to him who sees."
3) "What will come will come/Even if I shroud it all in silence."
4) "So, you mock my blindness? Let me tell you..."
5) "Your great good fortune, true, it was your ruin."
6) Ah, but aren't you the best man[woman] alive at solving riddles?"
Because it is Wednesday, the bells at St. Cecilia's church begin to ring at noon. Instead of stopping in the usual 10 minutes, one bell in the tower keeps ringing in a soft, yet persistent tone, as if calling people to church. In the grave yard across the street, a nun, a priest and a policeman stand over an old grave that has been recently disturbed. The headstone is a cross that appears to have some red paint brushed across it. On one arm of the cross, a jade pendant dangles at the end of a silver necklace.
Throughout the day and into the evening a woman can be seen walking around the streets. Her appearance contrasts those around her in the fog. Her outfit is various shades of red. Her boots are burnt sienna and the color makes her look as if she isn't actually touching the ground when she walks. The long, maroon skirt is stitched with sparkling beads and the scarf wrapped around her head is of such a bright salmon color that it appears to be glowing. Around her neck sways a large tooth of some kind, attached to an old leather string. She doesn't seem to have a direction, and she stops various people and asks them a question. (What question does your character answer?)
DO I HAVE TO INCLUDE ALL OF THIS IN MY BLOG? Of course not. This is a creative writing exercise to make you think about literature and the choices an author makes. Many of the details are drawn from your suggestions. But you must include the prophecy. You should try to capture the mood and tone of the post and include as many elements as possible while keeping your word count to 450 - 500 words.
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