Writing Exercise
In the room you are in, find an object that you think is interesting. Create a backstory about the item. Then write a short story based around that item and the backstory.
Side Note
I chose a Newsies Musical Bobble-head for this exercise. I was gifted the bobble-head from a friend because I am a huge fan of Disney and one of my favorite movies is the Newsies. I have never seen the musical of The Newsies yet, but I look forward to checking it out soon. I am also making up new characters for this exercise.
Back Story
The Newsies bobble-head was given as a gift, but what they don’t know is there was a curse placed on it. The curse caused whoever owned it to dance until they died. It was cursed because the original owner, a dancer, was murdered out of jealousy and she didn’t want anyone to be happy again.
My Story
Irvin handed a red bag to his girlfriend, Sona, with a grin on his face. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Sona. I hope you like what I got you.”
Sona’s jade green eyes lit up and she accepted the bag from him. “Oh, Irvin, thank you.” She held up a big blue bag to Irvin. “Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”
Irvin took the bag from her and sat it on his lap. His blue-gray gaze stared at her and he motioned for her to open the bag he given her first.
Sona laughed at his impatience and moved her long dark brown hair she had braided a few minutes ago behind her shoulder. She pulled out the pink tissue paper before she carefully removed the bobble-head from the bottom. Sona squealed when she saw that it was a bobble-head from one of her favorite musicals. “Oh, Irvin, I love it!” Sona sat the bobble-head down on the coffee table and gave him a tight hug.
Irvin smiled and gave Sona a quick kiss before he opened his gift from her. His eyes grew wide when he saw a book that he had been wanting for a few months. “Sona, you remembered.”
Sona picked up her new bobble-head and gently tapped it on the head, watching the head bobbed up and down. “Of course, I remembered. I know how much you wanted it. I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it. And I’m glad you love the bobble-head figurine.” Irvin stood up and stretched, still holding onto the book. “Let’s put these away and get ready for our dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant.”
Sona jumped to her feet and walked behind her husband to their room. She left the bobble-head on the coffee table since she didn’t know where she wanted to place it just yet. Once in the room, she put on her new red dress with a black belt, her black boots, and a black denim jacket. Sona brushed her hair, put on her makeup, and headed to the garage.
Irvin dressed in a nice red buttoned shirt, a nice pair of blue jeans, and his black shoes. he brushed his own hair, mentally taking a note that he needed a hair cut, and followed Sona to the garage. In minutes, the happy couple were on the road, chatting away about what they wanted to do the next day.
Sona and Irvin enjoyed their dinner, but Sona couldn’t stop talking about her new bobble-head. She even asked Irvin to hurry up when they had finished their meal and were back in their car.
Irvin thought it was a bit strange but he just chalked it up to his wife just being excited for the bobble-head. Once they were home, Sona hurried off to fetch the bobble-head. Irvin watched her run off as he hung the car keys by the door. She shook his head and went into the bedroom to change and get ready for bed.
Music blared in the other room, startling Irvin. “Sona?” He walked out of their bedroom and followed the music until he was in the living room.
Sona stood in the middle of the room, grasping tightly to the bobble-head. She stared to dance, bobbing her head like the bobble-head, and ignored Irvin. Irvin walked closer and waved his hand in front of her face, but she didn’t see him. Sona’s eyes were glazed over as she danced.
“Sona?” Irvin tapped her on the shoulder. When she still didn’t answer, Irvin shook her.
Sona looked at him for a minute, seeing him for the first time since she had begun to dance. He grinned at her and hugged her, worried about her behavior, but happy that she was looking at him.
Sona hugged him tight for a moment before she let him go and grabbed the nearest object. The nearest object happened to be a coffee mug she had forgotten to put away that morning. Sona dumped out the cold coffee onto the floor without a second thought.
“Sona? What are you doing?” He quickly headed into the kitchen, grabbed some paper towels, and returned to the spot. He knelt down, blotting the area with the paper towels on the spilled coffee.
Sona looked at the bobble-head and started to dance again. As she swayed to the music, she moved closer and closer to Irvin. Irvin didn’t notice, too busy cleaning the mess she had made.
Sona glanced down at him for a moment before she slammed the coffee mug down on the top of his head as hard as she could muster. Irvin yelped and dropped to the floor, shocked and in pain. He groaned as he lay on the ground, blood trickling down his head from the deep cut. Sona continued to dance when she slammed the mug down on Irvin’s head again.
This time the mug shattered except for the handle that was still grasped in her hand. Sona laughed while Irvin groaned on the floor, twitching from the hit, and watched as more blood flowed out of his head. Sona didn’t skip a beat with her dancing and leaned down closer. Irvin looked up at his wife, but he couldn’t move. He had to blink them a few times and then kept them closed as blood seeped down his face.
Sona hummed to the song and slammed the handle deep into her husband’s neck. Irvin gagged and coughed, choking on his blood. The handle went in so deep that it stopped the air from reaching his lungs. Sona stood back up and stared at the bobble-head again as she danced around the living room, being careful as to not step into the bloody mess she had made.
A week later, the neighbors grew concerned because the music hadn’t stopped, the lights were always on, and they hadn’t seen either Irvin or Sona leave for work. The police went to the house and knocked on the door, but no one answered. they tried the handle and the unlocked door opened. They walked around the house, calling out Irvin and Sona’s names, but received no answers.
The two officers entered the living room in order to turn off the blaring music and gasped in horror. They saw Irvin on the ground in a dried pool of blood, eyes still open and dried out. The bobble-head was lying on the ground with a grin on its face as it stared up at the ceiling. Laid out on the floor not too far from the bobble-head was Sona. Her opened eyes were glazed over and lifeless. Her feet were nothing more than dried blood and bones, the skin having been danced clean off. There was what looked like puke around her slightly opened mouth and it was obvious she hadn’t eaten, slept, drank water, or used the restroom before she died. She had literally danced herself to death.
One officer picked up the bobble-head while her partner turned off the loud music and called for back up.
