Heather Huffman, author of the Sprinkled Inspiration Substack shares writing prompts every day, but my favorite is her monthly audio newsletter writing challenge. Each month Heather shares a prompt, asks us to write a story and then call in to record ourselves reading the story aloud for her audio newsletter. The story below was my June entry for the prompt SUMMERTIME. You can hear my reading of this story on Heather’s Sprinkled Inspiration Substack page.
This is a 3 minute read.
K.I.T.
Mom was at work. Dad was still sleeping. I had to keep quiet while he was still on the night shift. The hum of the A/C unit in my window and the glow of my super cool neon phone were the only things keeping me company on that summer vacation.
The yearbook on my nightstand was still opened to page 23 where I had abandoned it the night before. The three terrifying, bubbly letters stared back at me. I didn’t know how to “K.I.T.”
Don’t get me wrong — I knew how to use my phone and how to talk to Nancy, but even though her handwriting looked just as friendly as she was all throughout fifth grade, we never hung out after school. What would I say if I called her up? What would she want to hear?
What if she was just being polite?
I closed the yearbook. Alvin and the Chipmunks was about to come on. I guess that was something to do. Simon was my favorite chipmunk, Theodore was Nancy’s. I felt sad for a minute when I remembered we were going to two different middle schools and might never see each other again.
I reached over to the tiny TV my dad set up on my dresser on the last day of school when my phone started to blink. I leapt for it so I could grab it before the ring could wake my dad.
“Hello?” I said.
“Laura? Is that you?” a nervous voice asked.
“Nancy?” I asked in a near-squeak.
“Yes!” she squealed. “K.I.T!” She cheered.
“K.I.T!” I said back with a giggle.
I had no idea it could be so simple.
How incredibly sweet!!!! I will remember this story when my shyness makes me hesitate to reach out to someone.