I had decided to get new windows installed to improve the energy efficiency of my home, but I hadn’t anticipated how disruptive the installation process would be to my workday.
Three people had arrived for the installation, two men and a woman. The woman stood out with a tattoo over her eyebrow and a brunette ponytail. I watched them set up ladders and mark the windows, the sun flashing off their tools.
“Excuse me, sir,” the woman said, knocking on my door.
I stood from my desk and greeted her with a smile. I confirmed the work order.
She continued, “We’re going to need to move some furniture away from the windows to make room for the installation. Is that okay?”
I nodded, grateful for the warning. I moved my chair and desk to the center of the room. I started a business meeting, this one I was simply attending. The installers carefully maneuvered my couch and coffee table out of the way. They began removing the old windows.
Trying to focus on my work, the whirl of drills and pounding hammers filled my one level, small home. I muted myself during the meeting.
I couldn’t tear my attention from the workers’ efficiency. They moved with purpose, each person knew their role. It seemed like a dance they had practiced for years. They were considerate of noise while I presented a template for my coworkers during one meeting but they continued to work and transformed my home.
Before I knew it, the installation was complete. I marveled at the sight of my new windows, the sunlight streaming through them, illuminating my home in a way it never had before.
“Thank you,” I said, shaking each hand. “You all did a fantastic job.”
The woman smiled. “Glad we could help. Enjoy the new windows!”
As they packed up their tools and drove away, I settled back into my chair, the hustle of the suburb outside was now muted. I looked out of my new windows and I noticed something strange.
The windows emanate a curious blue glow. I approached the nearest window and placed my hand on the glass. A strange energy crackled from the window.
A flash.
The blinding light threw me back two feet. I stumbled. When I regained my footing, I noticed something different about the world outside.
The trees in my yard were no longer green but a vivid shade of blue. I stepped outside and the air was electrified like a lightning storm without rain or clouds. I realized that I wasn’t in my own world anymore.
My mind raced with questions. Had the installation team been aliens in disguise? Had they intentionally installed the windows to transport me to this new world?
I wandered through this new landscape. Wonder and amazement traded seats in my mind at the changed sights around me. I was in my familiar yard; the size, the fence, the schoolyard behind the fence. But the vegetation flickered. The old and the new fought for visual domance. Boundaries of reality were blurred by electric glitches.
Tension grew in my shoulders. The uncertainty made me miss the familiarity of my old life. I longed to return to my own world and the comfort of my routine.
I approached one of the blue trees and touched its bark, hoping to find a way back home. The tree glowed brightly, and suddenly I found myself transported back to my own world.
My stomach churned and my mouth dried, but I was back inside my home with my hand on the window. The green leaves on my tree were back. The blue glow on the window was gone. I took a deep breath and smiled.
Was it all just my imagination? Had I imagined the whole thing, or had I really traveled to a parallel universe through my new windows?
I shook my head, realizing that I would never know the truth. One thing was certain – my new windows had brought a bit of excitement and mystery into my life, and for that, I was grateful.
The Prompt:
Initial Prompt: You are a writer. There’s a house where new windows are being installed. There are three installers; two males and a female. The homeowner is trying to work from home. The homeowner’s name is Howie. write the scene include sensory detail. Include dialogue. include active verbs. avoid overuse of words. don’t repeat words.
V2: okay. include a science fiction twist
V3: write this in first person
Initial Response:
Howie sat at his desk, trying to focus on his work as the sound of drills and hammers filled his home. He had decided to get new windows installed to improve the energy efficiency of his home, but he hadn’t anticipated how disruptive the installation process would be.
As he tried to ignore the noise, he noticed movement outside of his window. Three people had arrived to install the new windows, two men and a woman. The woman stood out to Howie with her bright orange safety vest and blonde ponytail.
He watched as they set up ladders and began measuring the windows, the sun shining off their tools. The sound of the drills and hammers intensified as they began removing the old windows.
“Excuse me, sir,” the woman said, knocking on his door. “We’re going to need to move some furniture away from the windows to make room for the installation. Is that okay?”
Howie nodded, grateful for the warning. He moved his chair and desk to the center of the room, watching as the installers carefully maneuvered a couch and coffee table out of the way.
As they worked, Howie couldn’t help but admire their efficiency. They moved with purpose, each person knowing their role and working together seamlessly. The sound of the drills and hammers was deafening, but Howie found himself fascinated by their skilled hands and the way they transformed his home.
Before he knew it, the installation was complete. Howie marveled at the sight of his new windows, the sunlight streaming through them, illuminating his home in a way it never had before.
“Thank you,” Howie said, shaking each of their hands. “You all did a fantastic job.”
The woman smiled. “Glad we could help. Enjoy the new windows!”
As they packed up their tools and drove away, Howie settled back into his chair, the sound of the world outside now muted. He couldn’t help but feel grateful for the team of skilled workers who had transformed his home with their hands and tools.