Continuing Series, Mystery, Original Series, Phrase Prompt, Recurring Character, Short Story, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Glove in the Leaves: A Minnie Ming Mystery

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle using
Brenda’s prompt words shown below,

and Fandango’s Story Starter, the
underlined paragraph of my story.

letters, urged, exist, pranks, view, incessantly,
west, fools, lunatic, bones, ghastly, vast

Continue reading “The Glove in the Leaves: A Minnie Ming Mystery” →
Mini Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Kindness Of Strangers

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
Di’s prompt words are shown here:

crutch,
wool, warmth, settle, kind, dog,
lonely, secure, push, hand, slip, press

Continue reading “The Kindness Of Strangers” →
Scary Story, Short Story, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Letters Beneath

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

letters, urged, exist, pranks, view, incessantly,
west, fools, lunatic, bones, ghastly, vast

Continue reading “The Letters Beneath” →
Exaggerated Poem, Lampoon, Poetry, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Fishing Widow

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
Di’s prompt words are shown here:

habit,
life, charm, thorough, chart, cast,
memory, settle, wary, amuse, fist, carry

Continue reading “Fishing Widow” →
Poetry, Quatrain, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Acorn Quest

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

anchor, search, moment, laugh, find, inhibits,
comfort, always, want, squirrel, spaz, auto

Continue reading “The Acorn Quest” →
Continuing Series, Mystery, Noir, Original Series, Recurring Character, Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Big Push: A Case For Dirk Malone

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

show, backbone, beings, believe, bit, storm,
stream, ring, scratch, tempting, devil, hunch

Continue reading “The Big Push: A Case For Dirk Malone” →
Poetry, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Backyard Captains

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
Di’s prompt words are shown here:

must,
wake, shake, make, shock, smile,
brave, walk, plan, hands, pants, sad

Continue reading “Backyard Captains” →
Short Story, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Tell

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
Di’s prompt words are shown below.

tome, words, come, think, read, change,
because,
tired, process, original, safe, gamble

Continue reading “The Tell” →
Continuing Series, Mystery, Original Series, Recurring Character, Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

A Toast To Treachery: A Minnie Ming Mystery

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

swallow, tag, find, music, swelling, bell,
delirium, spell, pales, knowing, just, senses

Continue reading “A Toast To Treachery: A Minnie Ming Mystery” →
Continuing Series, Mystery, Noir, Original Series, Recurring Character, Short Story, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Silk Exchange: A Minnie Ming Mystery

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

casualties, phase, profit, drop, folly, cold,
hungry, dawn, complicit, evil, stream, reckoning

Continue reading “The Silk Exchange: A Minnie Ming Mystery” →
Short Story, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Same Old Song

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
Di’s prompt words are shown below.

machine,
tremble, quietly, detect, firm, hurt,
noise, hurry, pace, pressed, let, music

Continue reading “Same Old Song” →
Continuing Series, Mystery, Noir, Original Series, Recurring Character, Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

A Bullet’s Worth: A Case For Dirk Malone

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

firm, vice, world, wind, cares, someone, 
worth, wound, word, here, seem, spiral

Continue reading “A Bullet’s Worth: A Case For Dirk Malone” →
Children's Story, Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Smoke Rings

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
Di’s prompt words are shown below.

child,
protect, solitude, anger, searching, haven,
cost, frustration, why, judge, safety, notice

Continue reading “Smoke Rings” →
Short Story, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Perfect Strangers

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.

smug,
noise, celebration, assumed, gentle, quiet,
reserved, delivered, surprised, guest, one, unkind

Continue reading “Perfect Strangers” →
Short Story, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

That Special Day

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

plumes, tufts, mosses, fantasy, fabric, filtering,
threads, forest, cracks, layer, ruffle, flow

Continue reading “That Special Day” →
Adventure, Mystery, Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Telltale Trail

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
these are our prompt words:

biscuit, passed, duke, found, slight, princess,
curved, sheet, alone, downhill, happy, companion

Continue reading “Telltale Trail” →
Mystery, Original Series, Recurring Character, Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Silver Compass: A Minnie Ming Mystery

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

velvet ~ compass ~ echo ~ random ~ rust ~ silver
shadow ~ pebble ~ stone ~ drone ~ clip ~ dry

Continue reading “The Silver Compass: A Minnie Ming Mystery” →
Flash, Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Larry’s Bad Surprise

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.

cash
~ huge ~ monkey ~ much ~ grin ~ shovel
birthday ~ carry ~ took ~ back ~ trailer ~ grab

Continue reading “Larry’s Bad Surprise” →
Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Icing On The Cake

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

waves – cake – strays – strand – churning
spot – buzz – colors – sudden – early – stirring

Continue reading “The Icing On The Cake” →
Poetry, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

First Day Rush

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.

dashing ~ morning ~ bed ~ forecast ~ always
 sighed ~ give  ~ neck ~ head ~ warmth ~ laid ~ part

Image by Me & Gemini

Mom dashing in at morning light,
Clothes laid out from last night.
“Five more minutes,” one sleepyhead sighed,
Warmth still calling from the bedside.

Check the forecast, grab a snack,
And please don’t forget your backpack!
Always rushing …. the bus won’t wait
The trickiest part is not to be late.

Neck craning back,
give one final wave bye ….
they’re off to high school
And Mom wants to cry.

NAR©2026
#MLMM
#Wordle

This is “School Days” by Chuck Berry

Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated, and may not be used without permission. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.

Continuing Series, Longer Stories, Noir, Original Series, Recurring Character, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Lady In Red: A Dirk Malone Story

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

siren ~ chanting ~ startled ~ pulse ~ sighs ~ night
basket ~ answers ~ heart ~ shape ~ badge ~ stay

Continue reading “Lady In Red: A Dirk Malone Story” →
Fable, Fantasy, Nursery Rhyme, Poetry, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Three Little Doves: A Nursery Rhyme

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.

once ~
three ~ haven ~peace ~ thoughts
why ~ angry ~ if ~ final ~ love ~ none ~ dream

Continue reading “Three Little Doves: A Nursery Rhyme” →
Poetry, Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Distant Melodies

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

keys ~ drumming ~ rare ~ morning ~ lazy ~ humming
odd ~ whispers ~ open ~ chain ~ urge ~ ghosts

Continue reading “Distant Melodies” →
Continuing Series, Mystery, Noir, Original Series, Recurring Character, Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Paid In Full: A Dirk Malone Story

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.

light ~
cast ~ street ~ tickle ~ sensitive ~ view
cool ~ pigeon ~ dance ~ attract ~ evening ~ glow

Continue reading “Paid In Full: A Dirk Malone Story” →
Scary Story, Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Rite Of St. Aldric

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

screams ~ desolate ~ temples ~ bone ~ sparks ~ pit
voices ~ follow ~ underworld ~ spiral ~ weave ~ current

Continue reading “The Rite Of St. Aldric” →
Mini Story, Mystery, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Empire Of Secrets

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

wild ~ cross ~ left ~ staff ~ last ~ split
burial ~ grind ~ space ~ land ~ room ~ hood

Continue reading “Empire Of Secrets” →
Mystery, Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Loft

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.

cheers ~
choir ~ grand ~ ill ~ man ~ place
reserved ~
rest ~ stool ~ together ~ turn ~ twinkle

Continue reading “The Loft” →
Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Wild Roses

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.

change ~
known ~ fault ~ seen ~ money ~ silence
flowers ~
excited ~ irritated ~ hand ~ table ~ kept

Continue reading “Wild Roses” →
Poetry, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Backyard Buzz

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

home ~ world ~ denied ~ bees ~ pleas ~ forgotten
folklore ~
wonder ~ strum ~ fallow ~ sigh ~ sky

Continue reading “Backyard Buzz” →
Very Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Explanation

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.

town ~ anxiety ~ box ~ half ~ wrong ~ sound
today ~ full ~ bench ~ running ~ message ~ again

Continue reading “The Explanation” →