Creative setting piece

Life was fairly boring before the Day of the Crimson Cloud. I remember it so clearly, where it all began -my naivety and utter stupidity that is.

Cold metal gnawed into my bones, numbing me from the inside out. Even from the Watch Tower I still couldn’t see the end of the city. Infinitely, it just spanned out into the distance as far as I could see. I pressed my back against the wall and gazed up at the sky. I loved the sky. You could witness different wonders everyday –new planets being born, others imploding and unique star formations that only happen once in a lifetime! The sky was a strange maroon today, and that bizarre old rhyme was bothering me.

‘Red sky at night, shepherds delight. Red sky in morning, shepherds warning,’ my mother told me after watching the weather report. Though I knew it was just one of those stories that parents told to scare their children, but it somehow felt like my gut was advising me to go home. Why the sky changes colour everyday, I don’t know. Recently, the sky had been a rainbow of rather caliginous colours –deep reds, dark blues, and mysterious purples.

I don’t mean to lay the blame or point the finger for getting distracted, but just as I hauled myself up, the beauty of the heavens still captivated my utter attention. A single ring of stardust stretched across from one horizon to the other, the electric blue moon was but a mere speck in the distance. Amongst the perplexing swirls of star dust, the isolated specks glistened out of sync with one another, like a children fighting over a switch.

A sudden crackling snapped me out of my trance, but the city seemed perfectly fine. I should never have let myself get so distracted. Iit was already past curfew. My heart skipped a beat, for in the distance came the booming again. This time I turned. The torrid landscape merged with a vehement volcano in the distance. Only a barren tundra of dust lay between us. The wild weather cackles, split seconds after the crimson light flashed.

Shaken, I made my way quickly back to the stiff door. Unfortunately it was on the cold side of the tower, the side that never sees any stars bright enough to warm the icy metal. My heart faltered when the door wouldn’t budge. After a few urgent tugs the door creaked open just enough for me to slip through. The height made me nauseous, looking down the middle of the spiral staircase, I couldn’t see the bottom. Regardless of this, I was bounding down the stairs two at a time -well that is until I missed the stair and shot forward tumbling down to the next landing. Once my head had finished spinning, I took notice of the hard metal sheet. It had been leaning on the wall, and had fallen on my head upon collision. Leaping to my feet, I didn’t think twice before grabbing it and throwing it down on the stairs in front of me. I jumped on. My dull blonde hair was whooshed off my face, my eyes wide open, fully aware of the impending hurricane of deadly radiance. It was vital that I made it back to the city before the shield closed. Uh oh, I gulped, my breath hitching in my throat. The base was nearing, and stairs running out. My legs pushed outwards and I leapt up, just before the random piece of aluminium crashed down the door.

The lightning storm was halfway across the desert, and approaching rapidly. I had two hundred meters, at least, until I would be within the area covered by the protective dome that closed when disasters like this occurred. By disasters, I don’t mean tornados and tsunamis, I mean hailing moonstones, and lightning hurricanes -like this one. Why didn’t I just heed the warning in the rhyme?! My feet stumbled over small galactic rocks, but I kept sprinting. Above the city, from the tip of the most eminent skyscraper, a translucent turquoise energy spread in all directions. The hungry blue virus engulfing the city from the head to tail. I pushed my body harder, as I tried my best not to think about the inglorious doom I would meet if I didn’t make it back before the dome reached the ground. Behind me the lightning storm was becoming more raucous, and in front the gates were so close, but the dome was closing faster than I could move. Heart pounding, muscles burning, I pushed myself to my maximum. The city limits were just within an arm’s reach when a dull thunk echoed as the dome anchored to the ground. I collapsed against the solid turquoise shield, a huffing big bad wolf. Squinting, I could barely make out the distorted spires and towers through the translucent shell.

Despair. Despair, and misery. I was not quick enough to get to safety in time. I was alone, at the mercy of the crimson cloud.

Describing settings #2

Darkness. That is all that I can see. A black sheet covering my eyes. I turn around in a circle and see nothing but pitch black. The damp smell of wet wool reaches my nose not long after I stand up. Blindly, my hand shoots forward expecting to find empty space, only to be surprised upon hitting the solid object. Fumbling around it seems like it is a brick wall of sorts –icy damp blocks, enclosed with a seal. In despair or desperation, I glance up -a silent accusation asking the greater power, if there is one. Why the hell am I -wait a second, my eyes are blinded with bright white light. My vision now blurry -an improvement from nothing- there are tall orange splodges swaying, making me dizzy. After blinking rapidly for a few seconds things become clearer. The opening is quite small, either that or I am quite far down. The orange splodges I saw before are in fact trees, it must be autumn. In the very center of the ring of trees is a lovely baby-blue. The small patch of sky gives me hope.

Describing settings #1

Whoosh. Zip. Poof. Cold cast-iron door slides open slowly and dramatically. They crane their necks desperately trying to get a glimpse of outside. When the door finally strikes the ground, they shove each other and tumble chaotically out. Hastily, Celina takes in the breath-taking landscape. Snow sits high up on the untouched tips of the mountains, carefully watching over the terrain.

Doctor Death

The others were inside the house with Doctor Death. Frankly, I would prefer to be inside rather than out here alone. Guilt, the soul feeling consuming me. I have always promised myself I would be there for her. Her shoulder to cry on, her crutch to help her stand strong. She has influenced me in so many ways, we grew up together. We are two intertwining ribbons, of hope and love. Air whistles in as I suck in so much my lungs nearly burst. Feet shuffle closer to the wooden oak door. Biting my lip, I open the door -and find myself staring Doctor Death in the eyes.

Task 2

I wake up to the early morning sunlight streaming in my miniscule cell window. Eerie silence seems to echo in the desolate dungeon. Flicking the dust off the rags I call my clothes, I stand. I have carefully planned out how I will evade death. Above me a rat scurries along a drainpipe. Footsteps approach my cell door -which I have my back to. A soft whimper causes me to spin on my heel. It can’t be. Sure enough, my little sister Marie stands there trembling.

“Don’t go” she begs me quietly so the guards do not hear. Small droplets of water glisten as they roll down her pale cheeks. Under the folds of her gown she reveals a rag covering something. Upon hugging me she slips it into my hands, so slyly there’s no way the guards would see. They are dragging her away now so I can only manage to say

“Be strong”. I hope they don’t hurt her. I take a deep breath, death will not catch me. Fortunately the guards didn’t see me sneak out of the cell, unfortunately they notice me after I kill the second one of them. Their lifeless bodies crumpled to the concrete. Now they will sleep eternally on the little I had, as a cell-bed. Immediately they wake from their shock and unlike the movies, they all rush at me at once. Whirling around, I slash at the short fat one’s throat. Quickly, I duck as another throws a punch where my head was a splint second ago. They suddenly stop attacking me and back away, I raise my eyebrows. I see it before I feel it. A massive gaping hole in my midriff, staining my clothes crimson. I collapse gasping for breath, coughing blood.

Task 1

– Use a variation of sentence types

– Include the following items:

1. Wooden chair
2. Shot gun
3. T-shirt covered with blood
4. Braces
5. Drink bottle
6. Curly hair

“Where in the world can you find a fire breathing donkey?” the chocolate skinned girl, with a wide grin that could put the Joker to shame, asks randomly. Trust Naomi to be the peculiar one!

“Um, I have no idea. How on earth did you think that up?” Caitlyn calls back. The two troublesome teens slung their backpacks on their shoulders as they ran out the house. Slick ebony curls bounce, as they approach Caitlyn’s silver Mercedes C63. Naomi manically yells out that she ‘bagsies shotgun‘ as she dramatically throws open the passenger door. Caitlyn merely rolls her eyes at her best friends behaviour. Messily, she ties her blonde -boring, straight, long- hair up. On the freshly mowed grass sits an old broken wooden chair.

We have been driving for the past five minutes -correction, we have been stuck in traffic not driving. Red pixelated light flickers green, and my foot (suddenly very heavy) floors it. We zoom across the intersection, when out of nowhere -BAM! A black Toyota smashes into the rear of our car sending us spiralling out of control. Shrieks tear through the crisp air. I don’t even realise I’m screaming. Naomi braces herself with her hands out in front of her. Finally, we stop spinning. Gasping I spare a glance to my left, I curse under my breath. Naomi’s yellow shirt is soaked in blood, and she is out cold. I grab the drink bottle from the back seat and pour its contents over her forehead. The water washes most of the scratch, that runs from one ear across her forehead. Naomi’s eyes flicker open, and massive brown orbs stare at me in shock. Somehow I manage to reassure her and calm her down.

Hero/Villain piece

A mop of dark brown hair (with a random blonde streak) is swished out of his sea blue eyes, and streamlines out behind him as he speeds towards trouble. If you get close enough you would be able to see the mischief glinting in his mysterious eyes. The sirens echo in the distance, but they will take too long, whereas the Blast is far faster than any car. Scrawny limbs pump continuously, determination turns his eyes several shades darker. The dark night sky is the perfect cover for the smugglers, but Tyler will not let them get away this time. Cars whoosh past in the bat of an eyelid. Suddenly, he stops, and judging by his research the gang are just around the corner. Those intelligent eyes flicker across the street to the reflection, in it he can make out four bulky men in fancy tuxedos. The men looked out of place and uncomfortable, the one in the bowler hat keeps glancing at his wristwatch. Then the man turns, revealing his scraggly beard and a tattoo he swore never to forget–

➿

Sea spray splashed over the side of the deck, the weather was so wild and murky Tyler could hardly make out the horizon line! The modest boat Imperial Sunset was tossed about violently by the waves. He screws his eyes up and tries in vain to wipe off the water. Tyler has always loved going sailing with his mother, as it was a nice break where neither of them would be victim to the abuse of his father. A shrill scream tears through the night sky, panic bubbles up inside him. Tyler has never heard his mother scream but that howl of pain and anger could only belong to one person. He stumbles across the chamber and reaches the cabin. A large overweight man lounges on a chair with a few other scary men. There is a boy who looks about his age, facing away from him. He has a strange tattoo of barbed wire twisting in a chilling beautiful way. Tyler is paralyzed in shock at the shiny metal object in the boys hand. He starts to protest, but the words choke in his throat as the boy pulls the trigger, and his mother’s soft whimpers were snuffed out with the flame of her soul. The big man throws Tyler over his shoulder and tosses the screaming wreck of a boy overboard. Despite the icy water his blood boils. Rage fumes off Tyler, as he swears he will never stop until that boy is brought to justice.

➿

Inkling city has been raided by gangs like these for years, but the particular criminals that really got on Tyler’s nerve were the sea lord smugglers -especially the ones who had murdered his mother in cold blood. He takes in a shaky breath pulling his navy-blue hood over his face and strides around the corner. The Blast stealthily disables two of the men, and one gaps it. The tattoo man merely watches with distaste as if he couldn’t care.

“You should have run” Tyler’s deep voice is steady and controlled despite is nearly overwhelming wrath.

Random piece

Fiery flames of the phoenix are beginning to dissipate, at the end of a long, oppressive day. The vibrant orb no longer emitting such blinding lethal rays. Comfortingly, the blanket of darkness encloses the land shadows. Shadows creep onto the land, engulfing it in pure darkness, chasing away the sun. All hope of daylight, or of hope itself, extinguished. Life seems to stop, to lie dormant, waiting for the rebirth of the great phoenix and safety of the light.

Random recipe piece

Dim light flickers, as her feet carry her towards the house again. Thunderous growling of an engine drowns out the light pitter-patter of her feet. She gets distracted as she can see her breath, rubbing her purple hands together she tries in vain to warm up. The clouds shift over quickly above, covering the moon so that none of the radiant, white light can escape. Her heart jump starts as she sees a man in a black parka round the corner, she quickens her pace. Adrenaline pulses through her, it may seem paranoid but she walks so fast her legs almost trip over each other. The engine she heard earlier is a lot closer now, craning her neck she looks up the street and sees to bright yellow orbs hurdling towards her. If she were not so terrified she might even make a pathetic joke about ‘walking towards the light’. Sweat soaks through her light shirt, the breeze was freezing. Something slams into her from the side, her face meets the concrete pavement. Glancing up, she sees it’s the man from earlier. The car zooms past fast, but not so fast that she didn’t notice that there was no one in the car.

“Hey, you alright?” the man, whose face is still obscured by the hood. She nods stiffly, and gets to her feet, brushing the gravel off her jeans. Her left hand brushes her tender face lightly and sees warm red liquid smeared across her fingers. “Here” the man grunts, she looks up and he offers her a clean white tissue. The quick smile she shoots at him is more like a grimace. She decides to carry on walking up the road, as she needed to analyse the house just one more time. The scuffing feet indicates that the man is following her, but she trusts him slightly more now.

She is relieved to see the fluorescent tape surrounding the house. As she approaches the door, ducking under the tape, she spots something utterly out of the ordinary. A rainbow plastic bag of jellybeans. Her eyebrows shoot sky high, but she walks through the open door. Once the man catches up with her, he pulls a matchbook out of his back pocket, and strikes a match. The dim glow lights up the cobwebs, insects shrinking away to the darkest corners. Broken floorboards creak under her shoes. Climbing the stairs is a bit of a challenge as the wood is half rotting away, but it is the only way upstairs. The window gets nearer and nearer, she can now see the grey tarp covering the body from the crazy weather. This victim had been defenestrated through this very window. Even at this time of night there are no more clues than there were during the day, her efforts had been in vain.

Random piece

Fiery flames of the phoenix are beginning to dissipate, at the end of a long, oppressive day. The vibrant orb no longer emitting such blinding lethal rays. Comfortingly, the blanket of darkness encloses the land shadows. Shadows creep onto the land, engulfing it in pure darkness, chasing away the sun. All hope of daylight, or of hope itself, extinguished. Life seems to stop, to lie dormant, waiting for the rebirth of the great phoenix and safety of the light.