One night, when I was home from college for winter break, I was driving home from some outing or another. Over the song coming from my radio, I heard fire sirens in the distance, but didn’t think much of it. As I crested a hill near the house my family was renting, I saw the flash of emergency vehicle lights and my heart began pounding. Were those fire trucks in our driveway? Was that an ambulance? Was someone hurt?

Without thinking, I sped up, whipping around the curve toward the house and pulling into the driveway. There was smoke coming from the basement doors and everyone was standing around. There was my mother, my stepfather, my siblings. I counted off, mentally inventorying my family to make sure everyone was safe. It ended up being nothing serious — an issue with the furnace — but ever since that day I can’t help but tense every time I hear a siren or see those flashing lights.

This week’s {Creativity Corner} prompt is a story spark.

The sounds of sirens fill your ears as several emergency vehicles pass you on your way home. You don’t think anything of it until you pull onto your block and see the police cars and an ambulance parked in front of your neighbor’s home. The yard is cordoned off with yellow caution tape and you pass the scene slowly, wondering what is going on…

Finish the story in 750 words or less. It can be serious or silly, a mystery, sci-fi or a romance. You could even use the prompt to remind you of an experience you had and write about that instead. Whatever you choose, have fun with it.

When you’re finished, please feel free to share something about your letter-writing experience in the comments. Remember, these are exercises. The results don’t have to be perfect. But to benefit from them, you actually have to do the work. Now head to your corners and come out writing!

(Image by MSVG)