I love to write, obviously.  I love to write in all kinds of different formats.  I also love a challenge.  So today’s “interest” was to write a short story using a prompt I found online.

I searched through many different sites, but I really enjoyed writersdigest.com.  So, I picked the following prompt, and then I wrote the following story in under 500 words.  Enjoy.  🙂

You’ve just moved into a new house and are fixing it up. In the process of painting you find an odd crack in the wall. As you explore further, you find out it’s a secret passageway—and you have no idea where it leads. You decide to grab a flashlight and go exploring.

“She knew what another crack in the wall above the bookshelf would mean to her husband.  It would mean faulty foundation issues and another argument with her about renovating this house.  But she had fallen in love with this house, a house they inherited from his grandmother when she passed away.  The quiet farmhouse meant peace.  It meant hope.

And this crack was going to ruin all of that.

Just as she was contemplating whether she could hide the crack, a gust of wind ran through the house.  No, wait, it came from inside the house, behind the bookshelf to be exact.  She probed every inch of the built-in bookshelf until she found the small button.  One push, and the bookshelf became a door, opening to a small, dark path.

The flashlight from the kitchen cast a yellowish haze along the passageway.  She thought about calling her husband, but it was close to midnight.  He was sure to be asleep.  She followed the path until it opened to a large room.

The room was sparse, except for a long conference table surrounded by chairs.  In front of each chair was a neatly placed folder.  She noticed a name at each setting, all names of her husband’s family members.  His sister, mother, father, even a couple of cousins had a place at this table.

She found her husband’s seat and folder.  The front of it read “Top Secret”.  She opened it flat and read through the papers.  It was a dossier on an individual they code-named Griffin.  It had his personal information, a schedule of his daily routines, and a picture.  It was the picture that made her heart pound.  She knew that man, and quickly, she was realizing what this was all about.  Her fingers traced over the signed order to kill on sight.

In a moment, she rushed from the room, back through the library, carefully leaving everything the way she found it.  She grabbed her keys and headed to the car.  She needed to think.  She had to figure out what to do.

But she knew what she had to do, and she had to do it fast.  She dug through her purse to find her phone.  She dialed the familiar number and waited.

“Yes,” grumbled the tired voice on the other end.

“I’m sorry to wake you, but I have confirmation on the location of the eagle’s nest.  They have information of your whereabouts.  I’m awaiting new orders.”

Suddenly, the voice was direct and professional, “Gather as much information as you can.  Do not call again until I have secured a way out for the both of us.  I will contact you soon.”

“Yes sir.”

The call ended.  She dialed one more familiar number.  It went to voicemail.  Claudia smiled. “Hey honey, I’ve almost finished painting the house.  I can wait to see you again.  Love you!”

With that, Claudia returned to finish painting the house before her husband came home.”