Arrivals and Departures

As Tolstoy’s axiom goes, “All great literature is one of two stories; a man [or woman] goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town.”

Free write for ten minutes about each of these scenarios. Then turn one–or both–into a more developed piece. Feel free to write an autobiographical piece or fiction or fiction formed around a seed of truth.

You don’t need to post the whole story here. But let’s see if you can come up with a strong opening that will grab the reader.