Write about smoke

So one issue I have with these assignments is that I frequently know what I would like to write about but that the prompt doesn't match my pre-concieved thoughts so then should I shoehorn what I want to write about to the prompt or am I missing the point of the exercise which is to stretch your writing muscles. If you always just walk around the block, you'll never see what's over in the next town or over the next ridge.

So I'm not sure what I want to do. Keep writing what I want to write? Keep shoe horning what I want to write to match the prompt, or try and branch out and grow with the prompt and see where it takes me.

I'm skipping my specific next one 'cause I didn't like it and going to the one after. I'm so far behind its not like if I skip one anyone will notice ;-).
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Write about smoke.


Sally yanked Mr. Buns from his seat, presumably so he could more easily access the black board. Mudsy, Tizzy and Ms. Whiskers all sat that their desks watching Mr. Buns be marched up, chalk in hand.

"Mr. Buns, I will not have you disturbing the rest of the class with your outbursts. I asked you a question. What is smoke?"

"If you don't know I certainly don't..." Mr. Buns replied. He aped a grin for the other three students.

"I know I know" Mudsy yelled from the center of the room where the student's shared table was, still covered in detritus from their make shift lunch.

"Its not your turn Mudsy and remember to raise your hand." Sally said. She gave the class as stern a look as she could muster, eye brows furrowed down, lips pursed.

"I think its time for tea." Mr. Buns said as he sat in front of the chalk board. He couldn't even seem to comply enough with Sally's wishes to hold onto the chalk, it kept dropping to the floor.

"It won't be time for tea until recess. So once more Mr. Buns, what is smoke? And I would like an answer before I get cross with you."

Mr. Buns looked up at her with his large black shiny eyes, seemingly on the verge of tears. (Sally was on to this trick as he tried it often to get out of trouble). Mr. Buns said: "Once more Ms. Sally, if you don't know I certainly don't, so why do you ask this stuff?"

"You must know." Sally's resolve was beginning to waiver. If these guys didn't know then hope was waning rapidly. This group of students were the best and the brightest. Huphalumps was too busy getting ready for nap time. Ralph hadn't even bothered getting dressed this morning. She was going to have to talk to his parents about that.

"But we know what it smells like. It smells like the camp fire daddy made last year." Sally said to the class.

"But it also smells kind of like leaves. Remember that time Daddy put all those leaves in the trash bin and threw in the match?" Ms. Whiskers said.

"Or it smells like Aunt Veruca's clothes and hair" Tizzy blurted out.

Sally crossed her arms and thought about that.

"Can I go back to my seat now?" Mr. Buns asked?

"I suppose". She escorted Mr. Buns back to his seat around the tea table, went back to the chalkboard and picked up the piece of chalk from where Mr. Buns had so carelessly left it.

Mudsy's arm was straining against gravity.

"OH, OH OH Ms. Sally I know."

"Very well, Mudsy. What do you think smoke is?"

"Ms. Sally," Mudsy paused, because he was very proper. "Smoke is a gas and comprises a collection of airborne solid and liquid particulates and gasses that are emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis, together with the quantity of air that is entrained or otherwise mixed into the mass."

Mudsy looked at the others around the table, a smug grin creeping from between his tusks and under his trunk. The others around him just stared blankly at him.

Mr. Buns was first to break the silence, "What was that? I don't even know what the *#$%)@ half those words even mean."

"Language Mr. Buns!" Sally scolded, but then added "But, I agree with Mr. Buns." Sally said. Mudsy's cocksure grin started to fade. Was he wrong? It had seemed so obvious at the time.

"Would you care to expand on your answer?" she asked.

Mudsy slumped down and stared at the floor crestfallen. He had been sure it was the right answer.

"But he sounds oh so smart." Tizzy said. Ms. Whiskers nodded eagerly in agreement.

"Well, uh." Mudsy continued. "It is commonly an unwanted by-product of fires including stoves, candles, oil lamps and fireplaces, but may also be used for pest control, communication, defensive and offensive capabilities in the military, cocking or smoking..."

"That is enough, Mudsy. All right so now we know what it is. Would anyone like to tell the class what airborne, particulates or pyrolysis means?"

The class looked up at Ms. Sally, blank eyes all around. She sighed. This was going to be a long day...