Whisperings Amongst the Trees: A Random Generator Short Story

Taking An Interesting First Sentence to Create A Scene

We are back at it! As you may know last year, I published my second prompt book, 100 First Sentences: Creative Prompts That Do The Hard Part For You. Inside includes 100 first sentences to help write your next story. As we all know the first sentence is what grabs the readers attention and makes them keep reading the story.

While creating my new prompt book I thought some of the sentences would be fun to use in some of my upcoming random generator series. So, I opened my prompt book, and chose one that stood out to me.

The trees whispered warnings all night.

This instantly caught my attention due to the moody vibe it was giving off and decided to give it a go. Thus, my short opening scene to Whisperings Amongst the Trees.

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Whisperings Amongst the Trees

The trees whispered warnings all night. The kind that kept you up as a child, scared of what dangers lied underneath-ready to snatch you from the protection of your covers. Except, like your mother who soothed you to sleep, the warnings hushed to a muted white noise as the years passed. The sounds lulling you to sleep instead of your mother. Because the warnings the trees were so instant of screeching every night became true, and each time you faced them, it wasn't as bad as what they made them out to be. Instead, you grew and learned from your mistakes braving the next warning with open arms, excited to see what new experience would be thrown your way.

So comforting you became friends with the oaks and pines, the sycamores, walnuts, cherry, and any whose branches were reaching out to you. So now as you slept you slept in the peace comforted by their protection. Until one night when their soft hushes became screeches to your ears again jolting you from sleep.

She's here.

All those nights scared awake as a child were back, tossing and turning to try and get an ounce of shut eye, but the trees only repeated their cries.

She's here. She's here. She's here.

Even the pillow crushed over your head couldn't keep the voices at bay. Instead, they amplified the more you resisted.

I KNOW! You screamed one night, exhausted from the endless chants. I know, you said softly this time crumpling in on yourself.

You understood they were trying to protect you. That had been their only purpose since the day you were born. You followed their warnings, executing every trial they put in your path. You had trained your whole life for this day, and yet you felt like you could have done so much more.

One day, you realized you no longer needed their protection and decided to speak back.

Hush, you said softly hoping they would hear you now. It is time to do this on my own.

And just like that, the rustling fell silent. Your protection was gone and you were ready to face Her alone.

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Final Thoughts

I know this is not my best work, honestly it kind of sucks. But it has great bones. I tried to stick with the moody theme the first sentence brought creating an opening scene or epilogue to a more fantasy type of story. I'm not sure where this one could go, but I think the tree aspect has a cool take and one that could tangle it's way through an entire novel.

I did have fun writing this one even with it not being my best. I was at a park, under the shade of some oak trees which made it even better.

What would you do with this first sentence? Tell me in the comments below and don't forget to check out my latest prompt book available now on Amazon for only $10.99, 100 First Sentences: Creative Prompts That Do The Hard Part For You.