-I wanna know why...
I wasn't able to come up with a question in this form to put together a story idea I thought I could work with in the time frame I had. I will look into using this thought process in the future though as a writing exercise.

-Who is your main character?
Elizabeth 'Lizzy'

-10 Facts
1. She's 16.
2. She loves tacos.
3. Her father is retired Special Operations.
4. Her mom is a nurse.
5. Her father has worked to teach her survival skills throughout her life.
6. She's a very "girly" girl.
7. She's visiting her aunt in New Hampshire.
8. She's athletic.
9. She has long brown hair.
10. She knows more than she thinks.

-Outside goal?
To get back home to her parents.

-Outside obstacle?
Crumbling society

-Inside goal?
To be strong

-Inside obstacle?
She's very scared and doesn't believe in herself.

-Supporting character?
Her dad's voice (in her head)

-3 paragraphs describing time and place of your story?
Lizzy slowed the jeep and pulled off to the side of the road. She'd been driving all night and with the first light breaking over the horizon she knew she could be seen more easily. Climbing out of the front seat she holstered the 1911 she'd had in her lap, and checked that the AR-15 was loaded. Sitting inside a group of trees, she watched the sun rise, allowing her to see the destruction of the city. She had seen some of it on the news before everything went black, but it was nothing compared to what she saw now. Buildings on fire, cars off the road, bodies in the streets, and as night shifted to day gun shots could be heard off in the distance.

-Outside goal vs inside goal?
Making her way through the crumbling infrastructure of the "new' country while being very afraid of what will happen and worried she won't make it.

-One paragraph summary?
The cyber attack came out of nowhere, and cause and economic crash that made 2008 feel like Warren Buffet unknowingly dropping a penny out of his pocket. The Government's attempt to save it left citizens with no financial resources and that lead to chaos. Having just lost her aunt to an attack, Lizzy must fight her way back home in an attempt to find her parents.

-Beginning scene:
Feeling at beginning? Happy and excited to see her aunt after her long drive.
Feeling at the end? Scared about what was happening, worried about her parents.
Decision made? To stay put with her aunt, hopefully to wait out the situation.
How they changed? Her initial want to leave and get to her parents was outweighed by her knowing it was safer to stay put for now.
-Middle scene:
Feeling at beginning? Scared.
Feeling at the end? Stronger.
Decision made? To fight back.
How they changed? Realizing the power she had and using it.
-End scene:
Feeling at the beginning? Worried her parents may not have survived.
Feeling at the end? Better knowing she was with her parents.
Decision made? To keep looking for her parents.
How they changed? She realizes that she is strong enough to face the challenges before her.

First draft (1 paragraph beginning, middle, and end)
Beginning
"Aunt Julie!!" Lizzy yelled climbing out from the front seat of the BMW she was so proud of owning.
"Lizzy, I'm so glad you made it!" Aunt Julie called back, closing the screen door behind her as she stepped out on her porch.
"I can't believe your parents let you make this drive on your own!"
"They made the deal Aunt Julie, I just lived by it."
Lizzy's parents had made the deal, six months driving with no issues and she could make the drive from Virginia to her New Hampshire. It had been a bit longer that she had imagined before taking it, but she was so excited to be spending time with her aunt, as it had been a few years since they had seen each other.
"Come on in hun, I've got dinner all ready."

Middle
Lizzy's heart raced. How did they see her? She had been careful. No headlights, parked like a broken down car before sunrise, but still, somehow they saw her. The pickup slowed and cut sharp to the right blocking an entire traffic lane. The driver ducked down and slid out the passenger side of the vehicle as Lizzy watched carefully through her rifle scope from the group of trees as the driver repeatedly peeked over the hood and around the front of the pickup with his AK-47.
"Just one?" she thought to herself.
"Remember Lizzy, it's really hard to put a location on one shot."
"Very funny dad." she whispered, recalling the random conversation she had had with her dad on one of the many trips to the shooting range.

End
Lizzy dropped to the ground and rolled underneath the vehicle next to her. This close to home and she was not about to go down now. She pulled the slide back on her 1911, checking the chamber, then checking the magazine.
"Shit" she said under her breath.
"Empty."
A round from the gunman hit the front tire of the vehicle causing it to drop a few inches towards Lizzy's head. She slid back to the rear of the vehicle. More rounds continued, hitting the vehicle and the ground around it. She moved out from under the vehicle and pressed herself against the back of it. Foot steps became louder as the gunman moved closer. She searched the ground around her for anything she could use to attack.
Nothing.
The gunman was two cars away now, still firing at her.
A shot hits the rear window.
Lizzy crouched low, hoping that she could spring out with enough force to knock the gunman to the ground when he reached the back of the vehicle.
He was closer now.
4 steps.
3. steps.
Lizzy took a deep breath and lunged forward hitting the gunman as he came from around the side of the vehicle, and knocking them both into the next car and to the ground. Lizzy tried scrambling back to her feet, but the gunman kicked and knocked her back to the ground. Getting up, the gunman started kicking, first to her legs, and then twice to her ribs. The gunman stopped, only long enough to pick up his rifle again. Two more kicks to her ribs, and he raised the rifle.
"Bitch." he said.
A gunshot rang out.

John Hughes

5

29