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"I must consult the bones..."
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No, this post has nothing to do with the Rolling Stones
song , but everything to do with a neat little bit of coolness that I picked up at the store today.
It's called Rory's Story Cubes and comes with nine, six sided, dice with various pictures on each side, a small 'rules' (though they're more like
guidelines) sheet, and an orange drawstring bag.
Described as a
"pocket sized creative story generator" the
instructions guidelines suggest the following uses:
- Party game or ice breaker
- Problem solving
- Creative inspiration
- Speaking and listening skills
- Mental workout
- Literacy development
The flip-side of the sheet describes three styles of play, whether solo or with friends, and those are only scratching the surface. I thought they'd be neat for doing some flash fiction or even giving the old creative juices a jump start when stuck for a scene in an even longer story.
I always like coming across these nifty little surprises in helping foster creativity. For about $8.00, I didn't think I could go wrong.
If you're interested in finding out more about the Story Cubes check out their site,
here.
The above picture is a roll I did prior to typing this up and, since this is a 'writing' blog and all, I figured I'd try a little flash fiction for an inaugural run
Once upon a time there was a
very unsuccessful actor [
twin masks] who wasn't sure what his life would be like if he wasn't able to do the thing he loved most....acting. Time and time again, he was told "Look kid, you're just no good." Laying in bed one night, he made a decision. Not wanting to give up his dream, yet knowing he had to make money, he decided to try his hand at being a private investigator [
magnifying glass]. There he could make his own hours and still try to land acting jobs.
Getting his license was easy enough, getting paying clients....well, that was another story. He printed up business cards and began spreading the word that he was available for work. The main problem being that people in town all knew him as 'that bad actor fellow'. A break came his way when a young woman, from the nearby Dakota Indian reservation [
wigwam] arrived wanting to hire him for a mysterious case. You see, the reservation was remote enough that, while word had gotten out about a new investigator in town, the fact that he had also been a failed actor had not. She told the tale of how she was the guardian of the last bit of the "Tree of Life" [
tree]. This mystical tree had been under her tribe's protection for centuries, each protector being a member of her bloodline. The tree had many amazing qualities. It could cure the sick, make the old young, extend one's life, and even raise the dead. Thieves, war, and the ravages of time itself had taken it's toll on the tree, reducing the once proud object to a mere leaf. When the detective expressed his skepticism, the woman implored him to help her. The police were of no use and every other investigator had laughed her out of their offices.
He was her last hope.
Knowing a little bit what it was like to have your hopes and dreams dashed he, reluctantly, took the case. Though he wasn't the best actor out there, he had determination and decided that if it was the last thing he'd do, he'd find that Leaf of Life.
The case started off easy, at first, then things began to get tougher. Trails cooled and the weeks began turning into months. The months into years....many moons, as the Indians would say [
moon]. The case took him all over the world [
planet] and it affected his health. His determination never wavered, though, and he finally did find the Leaf....but, the toll it took on his body was evident [
cane]as he came back to the Dakota woman battered and broken, but with a new found gleam in his eye.
She smiled and thanked the detective as he handed over the leaf, noting his new demeanor, while feeling bad for his sorry physical condition.
"Aww...don't feel bad, sweetheart", he told her with a wry grin, "this was the best thing that ever happened to me. It gave me something I had been missing all those years while I was trying to become an actor. It gave me new insight into life....it gave me character. One could say it gave me a more magnetic personality." [
magnet]
"My tribe is grateful to you." she said.
"Not for returning the leaf, anyone could have done that, but for doing what no one else was willing to do for us."
"Believing."
The detective smiled as she took his hand and placed the leaf in it.
"Take this", she said, "eat it and it will cure you. As the Tree's protector it is not only my right.....but my honor to give this to you. Take this and follow your dream. You are ready now."
Not knowing what to say, he simply ate the leaf. The change was almost immediate as his broken body began healing itself. Old wounds were healed as old skin was made young again. The gleam in his eye became even brighter and he stood proud and tall. He now knew he could do
anything he set his mind to...his confidence and resolve seemed to be made from the finest tempered steel. There was absolutely nothing he couldn't accomplish.
Then, he woke up. He had, it seemed, dreamed the whole thing.
Still in his old bed, in his old apartment, still a failed actor.
Or was he?
He shook his head and smiled. No, he wasn't a failure....he was only untapped potential. He somehow knew that life was his oyster. All he had to do was find the right knife to pry open the shell.
The years he dreamed, the experiences, the things he had learned....they couldn't be real could they?
In the end, it didn't matter. He knew what he should do. He gave up his pursuit of acting and dedicated his life to helping others find their dreams. While the man never became famous, he did become fulfilled. He married, had a family....children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren [
house].
To some, he had been a failed actor but, in their eyes, he was the biggest star in the world.
The End
(Trivia Question: Which movie is the picture caption from?)
