Welcome to the beginning of a new week! Scroll down to read Leather Vest by Olzhasbek Zhakenov, a great example of a dark comedy about a lazy cowboy, the prompt for last week.

Muse on Monday is a weekly writing challenge to help you improve your writing and have fun, open to anyone of any age. The goal is to write a story based on the prompts below. You can submit it using this link for a chance to have it published next Monday when the new prompt comes out. You just need to submit it before 12:00pm EST next Sunday.

If you have an idea for a prompt for a future week, please send it to us at greenwalledtreehouse@gmail.com! It can be in this form or anything else.

(click the headings of each prompt for a description of it.)

Story Prompt: September 13, 2021

SETTING: a petting zoo

CHARACTERS: a firefighter, toddlers

CONFLICT: any

GENRE: any

TONE: any

OTHER ELEMENTS: a venomous sheep, a clock

Leather Vest

The creaky door opened. The dawn light hit John’s eye like a bullet. The street was deserted. There was not even a tumbleweed. At that moment of ghost quiet, John cursed fate for having to get up from the couch for the first time in a month. All this because of the damn leather vest that he lost. John idly mounted his horse and rode to the workshop, which was in the near village, for a new one.

Walled in somber thoughts, John, in the distance, hears disturbing screams. He reluctantly begins to listen.

“Who are you? This village is only for one cowboy! If you want to get here, then beat me in the duel,” ominously yelled a stranger in a leather vest.

John lazily approached him and got off the horse. Confidently and fearlessly, he glanced at the stranger’s diabolical face.

“I will have a duel with you if you take off your leather vest.”

“Easily.” Grinning, the stranger threw it out. Suddenly, both drew their Colts from their holsters.

“Beg for mercy! I got the fastest hand in the whole wild west.”

“And I prefer a woman,” John said calmly.

“I will destroy you!” shouted the creepy man.

Shot. The sound of a body falling to the ground was echoed. Resigned with death stranger questioned:

“Why did I take off my vest, you would have killed me anyway?” he muttered softly.

“The vest is intact.” John blithely responded.

He idly put it on himself, mounted his horse, and rode home.

Good luck and happy writing! Come back next Monday for another story prompt.