Little story - A Freewrite

I thought I'd improvise a little story. 😊

Here goes my story:

It was a dark and stormy night. The wind was howling through the trees and the rain was pounding on the windows. In an old mansion, at the end of a lonely road, stood the most famous writer in the world. His name was Carlos, and he had a problem: he had been unable to write a single line for months.

Image by Arturo Añez in Pixabay

Carlos had published several bestsellers, which had been translated into dozens of languages and adapted for film and television. His fans adored him and demanded more stories. His publishers pressured him with deadlines and contracts. But Carlos had lost his inspiration. He didn't know what to write about, how to start, or how to continue. He felt empty, frustrated and anguished.

One night, while trying to sleep, he heard a strange noise downstairs. He got out of bed, grabbed a flashlight and went downstairs. He followed the sound to the study, where he kept his books, manuscripts and computer. When he opened the door, he froze. In front of him, sitting at his desk, was a man. A man who looked very familiar to him. A man who was himself.

• Who are you? -asked Carlos, trembling.

• I am you," answered the intruder, with a sly smile. Well, rather, I am a part of you. I am your imagination.

• My imagination? -repeated Carlos, incredulous.

• Yes, your imagination. The one that has made you create so many wonderful stories. The one that has made you famous and rich. The one that has abandoned you.

• Why have you abandoned me? -asked Carlos, in a pleading voice.

• Because you have become lazy, boring and predictable. Because you have stopped surprising yourself, having fun, taking risks. Because you have forgotten what it means to be a writer.

• And what do you want from me? -Carlos asked, hopefully.

• I want you to write again. I want you to recover your passion, your curiosity, your originality. I want you to challenge me, to thrill me, to impress me.

• And how can I do that? -Carlos asked, hesitantly.

• Well, starting tonight. I propose a game. I'll give you an idea, a phrase, a word. And you have to write a story with it. A short story, no more than 500 words. A story that you have never written before. A story that makes you feel alive.

• What if I don't? -Carlos asked, fearfully.

• Then I'll be gone forever. And you'll never be able to write anything ever again. -said the intruder, sternly.

Carlos felt a shiver. He knew he could not refuse the challenge. He knew it was his last chance. He nodded, and sat down in front of the computer. The intruder whispered in his ear:

• The idea is this: "It was a dark and stormy night. The wind was howling through the trees and the rain was pounding on the windows. In an old mansion, at the end of a lonely road, sat the most famous writer in the world..."

END

What did you think of my story, did you like it, did it surprise you, did it inspire you? I'd love to know your opinion. 😊