If you’re struggling to come up with an idea for a story, think about a colour, say blue, and then see where your mind takes you. The first word that came into my mind was balloon. I then started thinking about a woman who didn’t like the balloon…and so on. Here’s the story:
The Blue Balloon
Jennifer hated the bright blue balloon. She stared at it, tears falling freely down her face. She stabbed it with her nail, wanting to burst it, to banish it from her mind. But up it bounced, buoying gently towards her.
She pushed it away, then pulled at her sweater sleeves before wrapping her arms round herself.
“Jenny…” a voice softly spoke. Hands reached out.
Jenny turned away from her husband.
“Jenny!” more urgently this time.
She clenched her fists, swinging round.
“If you hadn’t insisted on buying that balloon, he wouldn’t have…” her breath caught in her throat.
This time, she allowed the arms to enfold her and the loving lips to brush her hair.
“It’s alright, he’s been found.”
Her head snapped up, eyes searching the scene before her and finding khaki trousers and a red top.
“Blue balloon!” the little boy said, his eyes alight.
***
Esther Chilton 
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