Furious Fiction - September Monthly Entry
Ahoy readers! As time as gone on, I have found myself greatly missing writing, the writing community, and the creativity of having an extensive prompt. Previously in my creating writing class, taken about a year ago, my professor had introduced us to the Australian Writer Center’s Furious Fiction.
Beginning on the first weekend of every month, the AWC organization runs a contest in a short-story prompt style. I am challenging myself to enter every story for the rest of the 2020 year, in order to boost my story telling morale. For these entries, I will post the prompt, along with my entry, on this blog, to keep track of my progress.
The Prompt:
Your story should be INSPIRED by the picture above.
Your story’s first word must begin with the letters SHO.
Your story must include the following words: SCORE, SLICE, SPRINKLE, STAMP and SWITCH (plurals and past-tense variations allowed).
The picture should “inspire” your story – interpret this how you wish.
Show business was not easy, and Melissa was having trouble finding a role. Her acting career included a few walk-on roles in cable sitcoms, one uncredited understudy role, and a one line voiceover in a Disney cartoon.
She was daydreaming of the day her “credits” on imdb said 5, instead of 3. Who was keeping score anyways?
Melissa’s agent, who tended to take more money than he earned her, had found an audition. A commercial for the credit company Cruise Credit, had placed a casting call:
COMMERCIAL ROLE – CRUISE CREDIT
Actress, Young (20’s) of high class
The role included the actress lounging on a boat, eating a cupcake, laughing with her best friend beside her. The actress turns to the camera, and agrees the cruise was the best credit card reward.
Melissa Furget looked nothing like a young, rich girl. She was nearing her late thirties, with large wrinkles and a bird nose, and she preferred roles where she got to act more homely. She tried to stare at the walls, forgetting who she truly was, but every wall had a large mural of a cruise boat. The nerves would not shake. Did people no longer want to see relatable actors on commercials?
Once she heard the words “Melissa Furget,” she would make her way to the casting room and recite her one line. Verbatum, as if the words were stamped into her brain. And pray, that the casting agents would see her and think Melissa was the most beautiful, rich looking girl in the world.
“Since I switched to Cruise Card,” she mouthed to herself, before groaning. The company was called Cruise Credit. She needed to get this right.
It did not help that Melissa had accidentally sliced the one-page long script in half with a knife, studying the lines while cutting vegetables. Melissa could not memorize the most important line to save herself, and the longer she sat in the waiting room, the more anxious she got.
The casting door opened, and a young, blonde woman walked out. Her smile was flawless, and she held a red cupcake, covered in the whitest, pearl-like sprinkles Melissa had ever seen.
“Did the company give you that?”
“Oh no,” the woman said, flashing her teeth. “I’m a method actress. I bring props to help myself get roles.”
Melissa thought to herself and began digging in her purse. What if she did the same? What if she proved she was invested in the company? She pulled out her wallet and found it. Her “Cruise Credit” maxed out credit card. It was white, with the company’s red and white circular life-float logo.
The casting door opened.
“Melissa Furget.”
She stood and marched to the door. Melissa had found her ambiance. Now was her time to shine. She entered the room, dropped her purse, and marched front and center before the casting agents.
“Here at Cruise Card…”
And mentally, she let out a large groan.
