"It is inspiring trainers such as yourself that show there is still hope for this world — use that status well, and you will see wonderful things in your future."

His words cause her to pause, steps halted and gaze taking a pause before lifting. There's a knowingness that lingers, that causes her to halt. She hasn't given her name after all, hasn't provided any personal information. "How do you know who I am?"

The optimism in his words only ignites her own thoughts. Is there really a great hope when teenagers like her keep being forced to face struggles that send adults running? Forced to carry the weight of their regions, or more?

DIALOGUE PROMPTS

i'm sorry if this is a bad time, but i need your help.

this is a matter of life and death.

trust me, if i could go to someone else, i would.

i know you don't owe me a thing, but i'm desperate.

this is the last time i ask you for help. i promise.

please don't make me do this by myself.

you're the only one who knows how to do this.

all right, all right, i'm sorry! now will you help me?

i didn't know who else to turn to.

this was the last place i wanted to go.

you know what i'm dealing with. you have all the answers.

please. this is worse than i imagined and i need your help.

you promised them you'd help me.

can we put our feelings aside? i really need your help.

i won't ever ask you for help ever again.

would you just listen to me for two seconds?

i'll explain everything. please come back inside.

i hate this just as much as you do.

i ran out of options.

i don't know how else to ask you.

you're the only person who will listen to me.

you've got to help me out with this.

this is my last chance.

just help me with this, and i'll be out of your hair for good.

i wouldn't come here for nothing.

you're the only person i can rely on.

i trust you to help me.

you helped them. why can't you help me? what makes me so different?

look. put our pasts aside and just help me, would you?

you're my last resort.

it all hangs in the balance.

this is do or die.

you promised me you'd help if it came down to it.

are you busy? i could use your help.

ACTION PROMPTS

[ stormy ] sender arrives at receiver's doorstep soaking wet

[ bloody ] sender arrives at receiver's doorstep bleeding and injured

[ call out ] sender calls out to receiver to help them in a moment of grave danger

[ text ] sender texts receiver asking for them to swing by and save them from a bad or awkward situation

[ call ] sender calls receiver in a time of need

[ wait ] sender is waiting in receiver's house when they come home, there to plead their case and ask for receiver's help

[ find ] sender locates receiver after hours of searching and pleads for their help

[ shout ] sender shouts receiver's name, desperate for help

[ panic ] sender approaches receiver in a panic and tries to explain to them what's going on

[ hide ] sender hides behind receiver's body

[ stranger ] sender desperately asks receiver, a stranger, for help with something

[ reluctant ] sender reluctantly asks for receiver's help

-Tahereh Mafi, "Shatter Me"

have you ever been too afraid to approach a mutual for plots and conversation? ever been intimidated by the idea of making that first step? then YOU need to know that ur valid and wonderful and it's natural but unnecessary to be afraid bc mutuals obviously wanna write with you if they followed you back. but u also need these prompts. ily. have some water. and some of these prompts--

" lovely/weird/terrible weather, huh? "

" hey! need some help? "

" sorry, i'm lost, could... could you help me? "

" i like your shirt! "

" woah, take it easy... you feeling okay? "

" oh my god, i'm so sorry! did i hurt you?! "

" you need to watch where you're going. "

" your shoelace is untied. "

" okay, don't panic, but i saw someone was following you for the last block. i thought i'd keep you company a while until they're gone? "

" walking home alone in the middle of the night is stupidly dangerous. come on. i'll keep you company a while. "

" hey! you left your wallet at the coffee shop. "

" see, normally people run AWAY from danger... who are you, again? other than the craziest person i've ever met. "

" engine trouble? "

" is this your dog? "

" don't i know you from somewhere...? "

" say, aren't you that one who was in the news this week? "

" i thought you looked familiar! "

" oh, man, i'm sorry! i'm so clumsy... "

" sorry, i've, uh... i've never eaten here before. what do you recommend? "

" excuse me? i could use a little help, if you don't mind... "

" oh! that was one nasty fall... are you alright? "

" come on. you'll catch your death, and my umbrella's big enough for two. "

" you know the host/hostess/couple/deceased? "

" not much of a party person, huh? "

" don't panic. i saw everything... you okay? "

" hey, uh... i just moved in next door. i thought i'd introduce myself. never know when you need a cup of sugar, right? "

" you're not from around here, huh? "

" help! help me! "

" was that person bothering you? "

feel free to change pronouns etc as needed.

CALM / QUESTIONING.

“ tell me, what happened?”

“ did you see anything?”

“ what do you remember?”

“ do you remember anything unusual?”

“ please, try to remember as much as you can.”

“ every detail is important.”

“ and what happened next?”

“ and what did you do when all this took place?”

“ what were you doing around __ am/pm?”

“ where were you around __ am/pm?”

“ can anyone verify that?”

“ was someone with you?”

“ and you had nothing to do with it?”

“ and you weren’t involved?”

“ did you see it happen?”

“ did you see who did it?”

“ did you see or hear anything? anything at all?”

CARING / UNDERSTANDING.

 “ you seem scared… is that why you don’t want to talk?”

“ did someone hurt you?”

“ it’s okay. you can tell me.”

“ you were just trying to defend yourself, weren’t you?”

“ we can take a break, if you want.”

“ everything will be okay, i promise. but you need to talk to me.”

“ it’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it. but it really would help if you did.”

SUSPICIOUS.

“ there is something you’re not telling me.”

“ i think you’re lying.”

“ you looked away just now when you said that. are you sure you’re telling the truth?”

“ except what you’re telling me doesn’t align with what we already know.”

“ seems to me like you know more than you’re letting in on.”

“ what aren’t you telling me?”

“ who are you trying to protect?”

“ so you really don’t know what any of it means? no clue at all?”

“ they must’ve told you more than that.”

“ you have to have seen more than that.”

“ and you want me to believe you don’t remember?”

“ and you want me to believe you had nothing to do with it?”

“ an accident? is that what you’re going with?”

DEMANDING.

“ i need you to tell me the truth.”

“ i need you to tell me what happened.”

“ i know you’re not telling me the truth.”

“ that doesn’t line up with the evidence. so… you wanna try that again?”

“ stop lying. i already know that’s not what happened.”

MAKING A DEAL / ASKING FOR HELP / DEMANDING HELP.

“ what do you want in exchange for this information?”

“ i’m listening…”

“ you’re coming with me.”

“ since you’re the only one who knows how to find them, i don’t really have a choice but to take you with me.”

“ fine. i’ll take you with me, but if you try anything…”

“ i can’t give you that. you know that.”

“ if we’re going to make a deal, you’re gonna have to ask for something a little more rational than that.”

“ okay. we have a deal.”

❛  i know we only just met but i already feel like i’ve known you my whole life.  ❜ ❛  umm, is this seat taken ?  ❜ ❛  don’t be alarmed now but there’s someone following you. pretend you know me and come with me. i’ll get you somewhere safe.  ❜ ❛  my friends ditched me here and now i could really use a ride home.  ❜ ❛  i don’t think we’ve met yet but you looked like you needed someone to talk to.  ❜ ❛  can you please pretend to be my boyfriend / girlfriend for a moment so my ex will leave me alone ?   ❜ ❛  are you always this straightforward with strangers ?  ❜ ❛  here, i noticed you lost this earlier.  ❜ ❛  i’m sorry, i must’ve mistaken you for somebody else.  ❜ ❛  so, what brings you here today ?  ❜ ❛  hi, my name is [name]. it’s nice meeting you.  ❜ ❛  you’re cute. how about i buy you a drink ?  ❜ ❛  can’t you watch where you are going ?!  ❜ ❛  i just moved into the apartment next to you, so i guess we’re gonna be neighbors now.  ❜ ❛  oh god, you’re [name], aren’t you ?  ❜ ❛  here, let me help you.  ❜ ❛  is there a reasons you’re here on your own ?  ❜ ❛  apparently we’re going to be working on this together now.  ❜ ❛  you look like you could use a hand with that.  ❜ ❛  what do people around here do to have some fun ?  ❜ ❛  looks like this will take a while, huh ?  ❜ ❛  oh god. please tell me you haven’t just heard me talk to myself.  ❜ ❛  excuse me, i think i’m lost.  ❜ ❛  i just wanted to say that i really like your outfit.  ❜ ❛  do you come here often ?  ❜ ❛  do you mind if i join you for a bit ?  ❜ ❛  you looked lonely so i got you a drink.  ❜ ❛  i don’t think we’ve met, i’m [name].  ❜ ❛  what the hell just happened there ?  ❜ ❛  have you seen this anywhere ? i must’ve lost it.  ❜ ❛  can i please use your phone ? i have to call someone to get me out of here.  ❜ ❛  seems like we’re gonna be spending a lot of time together.  ❜ ❛  come with me, and don’t ask any questions. it’s urgent.  ❜ ❛  i heard strange noises coming from your apartment and just wanted to make sure everything is alright.  ❜ ❛  i have a spare ticket, you wanna come in with me ?  ❜ ❛  you don’t know me but will you be my date for tonight ?  ❜ ❛  we’ve got some time to kill so why don’t you tell me a little about yourself ?  ❜ ❛  i don’t usually just walk up to strangers but my friends set me up to it.  ❜ ❛  i think our orders may have gotten mixed up.  ❜ ❛  do i have something on my face or why do you keep looking at me like that ?  ❜