PROMPT: There is an emu loose on the Highway.
It is always fun to create a prompt and hear the various ways the writers of The Blue Bottles Writing Studio, develop their stories. Sometimes the themes are similar and sometimes vastly different. Here is a portion of one of my stories.
Ernie pulls out of Bedrock RV Center and turned on the radio. It splutters with static for a minute and then goes quiet. A moment later, a man with a loud voice come on, “This is the Rains County Sheriff’s Office. This is to inform you there is an emu loose on the county road. If you see the animal, please call the sheriff’s office.”
“Did you hear that, Ethel? That is our next adventure.”
From the back of the RV came a muffled voice, “What’s that, Ernie?”
“There’s an emu loose on the highway. Let’s go catch it.”
“Of course there are cars on the highway, Ernie, don’t be silly.”
“You’re not listening, Ethel.”
“Pay attention to the traffic, Ernie, and let’s get out of here. You’re taking me on an adventure, aren’t you?”
“That’s what I’m saying, Ethel. We’ll get that emu and take it to the sheriff’s office.”
“Good God, Ernie, pull over, pull over. Why is the sheriff chasing us? We can’t get locked up. Tommy would be unhappy.”
As Ethel moves towards the front of the RV, she suddenly screams, “Loo-ok, look out the window Ernie. There is an ugly animal running alongside us.”
Ernie brakes sharply, and the back of the RV swerves left and right and shudders to a stop at the edge of the road.
“You trying to kill us, Ernie?”
“Calm down, Ethel, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. There is an emu loose on the highway. This is our chance to do a good deed, and maybe make a little money. We’re gonna catch that darn emu and take it to the sheriff’s office. Tommy should like that.”
“Let’s not mention Tommy.”
“Get some bread, Ethel, and that rope under the bed.”
“You want to do that now, Ernie?”
“You need to put in your hearing aids, Ethel.”
“Ok, Ok, don’t hassle me.”
“Buckle up, me cowgirl, and let’s go get us a long-necked bird. I’ll drive ahead of the bird, and while you give it some bread, I’ll lasso it with the rope.”
“You want me to do what, Ernie? I’m not opening no door for that creature. You see those huge eyes and that beak? It looks prehistoric.”
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