For every yin, there is a yang. For every point, there is a counterpoint. But, in today's polarized America, it can be difficult to see the other side of any story. In today's writing exercise, you are invited to see the world from a perspective that is not your own. Today's writing prompt is to walk in someone else's shoes for awhile.
Here is our scenario:
It's late on a dark, damp, night on a four-lane road through a suburban office park that is largely empty at this late hour. A silver Chrysler 300 with two black occupants has just been pulled over by a police officer from the suburban city. The Chrysler has deeply tinted windows. A backup police cruiser has just pulled in behind the first officer. The officers get out to approach the vehicle. Something is about to go very wrong. Someone is going to die or get seriously injured.
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Chrysler 300 photo by SsmIntrigue / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
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Write a short story or flashfiction story that ends in tragedy. You can write the story either from the perspective of the African-American driver and passenger or from the perspective of the police officers. But, the challenge is to write it from the perspective that you have the least affinity for. Let the reader know what your characters are scared of, what they have to live for, and what goes wrong. Challenge your own perspective. Play with the scenario. But, write from a perspective that is diametrically opposed to your own and write a story where to opposite perspective is not necessarily bringing an attitude of malice. For today's writing prompt, just
write from another perspective.
If you are a moderate that sees both sides, then pick a side, write a tragedy for all involved, or write the scenario where everyone does everything right and tragedy is averted.