The Reality Buzz
Open Floor => Weekly Contest => Topic started by: ponytail on October 19, 2014, 12:33:00 PM
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I will put in the next starting sentence for this weeks new paragraph contest...
Lightning cracked across the sky and a fitful wind began to stir the dead leaves next to the old shack.
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Lightning cracked across the sky and a fitful wind began to stir the dead leaves next to the old shack.
Thank God this old shack had a fireplace or Annie would certainly have frozen last night
The temperature had dipped way past freezing, and with the wind howling Annie was really cold.
Now, with the dawn, it had warmed a bit, but, this lightning made Annie very afraid.
Where was her Daddy? He left a few days ago and promised he'd be back very soon.
It was all her fault. She just knew it.
She hadn't listened to him when he told her ...again...."Don't go into the woods !!!". But, being an adventuresome little girl, of course she didn't listen.
Annie had fallen and really hurt her leg. She couldn't walk, so it was definitely broken
Storms like the one right now had been happening for days and knocked out the telephone lines.
They needed help and fast, and Mr. Jenkins wasn't coming back for 3 weeks to pick them up.
Daddy told her to stay there and he would go for help. This time she listened to him !
This trip to an isolated island was supposed to be fun , but, thanks to Annie, both she and Daddy were in danger..
Oh how she wished she had been a better little girl and obeyed !
Now... maybe Daddy was in trouble.
Annie trembled as the lightning cracked again.
With tears rolling down her face , she promised God that from now on she would always, always pay attention to her Daddy... oh how she wished this storm would stop !
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Lightning cracked across the sky and a fitful wind began to stir the dead leaves next to the old shack. This would be Martin's home for as long as he could hold out here. He had been here only once in his life and that was the time he and his grandfather had come upon it while hunting years ago. They entered it for shelter during a storm just like this one but the storm was nothing compared to what he feared most. He entered the shack and placed his shotgun and rifle carefully on the old table that still stood after all these years. He looked around at his new home, at the fireplace, the pots and pan, the old mattress in the corner and thought of his nice home he had to leave. He knew they would have soon come for him as they had already started going from house to house and taking guns, bow and arrows, and taking some people away with them. Martin had tried to organize the people when the government had closed all the churches and taken over the newspapers but people were either afraid or didn't want to get involved. Martin knew if he didn't flee they would take him away too so he left the comforts of his home. His only hope now was to lay low and hope that some way, somehow there would be freedom in his country again.
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^^^
:sign0098: Snowbird!
Lightning cracked across the sky and a fitful wind began to stir the dead leaves next to the old shack. Little Lila squared her little shoulders and crept fearfully towards the door. So the other kids thought she was a baby, thought that she was too young to play with them, well she would show them! Not one of the big kids was brave enough to even go near old man Wheaton's place, every kid in town feared him, but she, but SHE 'little' Lila was going to go right up his door and she was going to knock on it. At first the only things knocking were her own knees as she stood on the little porch, but desperation made her brave and she raised her shaking little fist and knocked on the door. For the longest time no one answered and she was glad, but then she heard them... slow ...shuffling ...footsteps! The door opened... a man stood in the doorway. A cranky looking old man with a long white beard, wearing a shabby flannel robe over shabby pink bunny slippers; the man glowered at her (she'd read about people glowering before in books, but never realized how frightening it could be!) and then something strange happened. The old man's face shook and quivered and finally Lila realized that he was trying so very hard not to laugh! The old man grinned at her, "Well kid, I guess my cover has finally been blown. Too bad, I really enjoy my peace and quiet and having all the neighborhood kids scared of me was working a treat until you came along. But bravery, as my own father once told me, should be rewarded. Do you by any chance like to read, little girl?" Lila nodded eagerly, "Well then," the old man said, turning sideways so that Lila could see into the room beyond which was absolutely piled with books, "You may choose any book you like from my shelves and when you finish that book you can come back for another and another... whenever you like and let me tell you, you'll find ever so much more on my shelves than they have in the rinky-dink little library the town council never seems to have the funds to fix up." The old man smiled at her and it seemed to Lila that he wasn't so old or so shabby anymore. In fact he turned out to be rather a nice old man after all.
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Lightning cracked across the sky and a fitful wind began to stir the dead leaves next to the old shack. Pete looked at the looming clouds closing in from the west and crossed his fingers. Maybe this time their luck would hold, maybe this time they would actually get some rain. He ran his eyes over the scraggly rows of corn stalks bending in crazily towards each other. Not much there, maybe not even enough to matter if the rains did fall tonight. This used to be a valley of plenty but no more, not since he was a little boy of 7 years. Year after year of drought had taken it's toll on the land, the people, and their spirit. Pete turned, stirring up puffs of dust with each footfall, and started back. The wind strengthened suddenly, and with it came the fresh smell of rain. A drop of water hit his shoulder, and then another.
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The winner of this week's paragraph contest is....Snowbird! Congratulations lady! I have always been a sucker for doomsday stories.... You may put up the starting sentence for a new one.
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Thank you Ponytail. I am honored.
The started sentence will be: When they started courting, her family tried to warn her, but she knew better.
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When they started courting, her family tried to warn her, but she knew better. Vampires indeed! As she'd tried to explain to her family, Transylvania was a real place, not some fictitious land full of blood sucking monsters and her Vlad was from a very old and distinguished family, a family which had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with vampires! The Dracul dynasty had long suffered from this false association with the story of Dracula thanks to author Bram Stoker, who had shamelessly used his family, specifically his famous ancestor of the same name, Vlad Tepes, as a basis for his novel. Her Vlad told her that her family would react this way. He and his family have been experiencing this kind of prejudice for over one hundred years now thanks to Stoker. Now here she was, a lowly American girl living in a fairytale (if somewhat dilapidated) castle... she should be happy. She'd expected to be happy! But her husband had changed. No longer did he court her favor or compliment her small beauty. He rarely even left the castle grounds! And he wouldn't allow her to leave either. He seemed to be obsessed with some ancient book he found behind a wall shortly before he'd come to America where he met her a few years ago and it was truly startling to his wife just how much her husband resembled the portrait of his infamous ancestor, Vlad Tepes, popularly known as Vlad the Impaler and notoriously known as Count Dracula.
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When they started courting, her family tried to warn her, but she knew better. Now here she was 39 years later, trying to look bereaved, accepting all the condolences, still pretending while wearing her new black dress she bought for the occasion. She wished she had not paid so much for the coffin but she was afraid if she had purchased the cheaper one people would think she had not cared for him. but what she really wanted to do was spend that money the miserable miser had tucked away on herself. But she would with what was left. As soon as a little time had passed she was going to town and buy her some pretty clothes, maybe a necklace or two, maybe even some red shoes. Then she would be free and wouldn't have to pretend anymore. As she looked down at that stone-cold hard face she thought to herself, "Why did you wait so long?"
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And our winner is Outlast
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I'll try something slightly different and hope it doesn't blow up in my face. :-\
Insert any former Survivors name here looked around in astonishment, "Wow! They've really changed-up the Survivor format this season..."
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Rupert looked around in astonishment, "Wow! They've really changed up the Survivor format this season..." In the distance he could see a large cornucopia loaded up with weapons, food stuffs, and creature comforts a la Hunger Games. His fellow contestants were perched on pedestals surrounding the display, and some of them looked very, very determined. A horn blasted, and everyone made a beeline for the center, but Rupert noticed a small bag close by and opted for that, hoping to make it to the fringe of the jungle before all hell broke loose.
(With apologies to both shows!)
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Izzy looked around in astonishment, "Wow! They've really changed-up the Survivor format this season..." They had all been dropped in the middle of a jungle somewhere in South America. There was no beach in site as there had been in the previous shows. Now Jeff gathered them together by a murky river. "This year," he began, "there will be no immunity challenge. Instead we have what we call a survival challenge and you will understand why when I explain. First you must swim across this river with flesh eating fish and maybe an alligator or two. Those who make it across alive will then use a rope to cross a deep gorge. Those who do not fall from the rope will be the winners of this challenge and will continue playing the game. Good luck. I will meet the ones who survive on the other side of the gorge."
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Coach looked around in astonishment, "Wow! They've really changed-up the Survivor format this season... The indomitable Dragon Slayer grinned as the flames licked at his feet. This was his kind of adventure. Outside the burning ship Jeff Probst got his cue from production... "I'm standing in front of The Mary Wade a famous cargo ship anchored in Brisbane harbor. Inside are 100 of the most entertaining and notorious past Survivor players and as you can see the game has already started as we have set the derelict ship alight and let the 100 Survivors the exact tools they'll need in order to escape. The first 16 to do so will be the official contestants of Survivor: Extreme! Australia..."
(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/Outlasts/18%20Tocantins/th_15_67_zps8678490e.jpg) (http://s164.photobucket.com/user/Outlasts/media/18%20Tocantins/15_67_zps8678490e.jpg.html)(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/Outlasts/18%20Tocantins/th_15_73_zps3d8e75ef.jpg) (http://s164.photobucket.com/user/Outlasts/media/18%20Tocantins/15_73_zps3d8e75ef.jpg.html)
Parvati looked around in astonishment, "Wow! They've really changed-up the Survivor format this season..." she tugged at her prairie bonnet and hoisted her hoe. "Like how am I supposed to play if I have to wear this Little House on the Prairie outfit all the time? And where are all the cute boys? The only people I've seen since we started are Twila and Tina and Holly and Jane and... "
(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/Outlasts/20%20Heros%20vs%20Villains/th_James-1.jpg) (http://s164.photobucket.com/user/Outlasts/media/20%20Heros%20vs%20Villains/James-1.jpg.html)(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/Outlasts/20%20Heros%20vs%20Villains/th_loveColbycheckingoutJT.jpg) (http://s164.photobucket.com/user/Outlasts/media/20%20Heros%20vs%20Villains/loveColbycheckingoutJT.jpg.html)
Colby looked around in astonishment, "Wow! They've really changed-up the Survivor format this season... all the times I've been on teevee I ain't never seen this many shirtless dudes. Burton, James, Savage, JT... and what's with all the baby oil challenges? Seems like every time we hit challenge beach Probst just has to oil us up before hand..."
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It a tough choice between the five entries, but since I have to choose... I pick... Ponytail! :great:
Congratulations Ponytail! Please post the new sentence when you're ready. :cheer:
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Thanks Outtie! Here we go.... I like Outtie's idea of filling in the blank, so I will continue the trend.
His fingers closed around the ....... and he took a step forward into the darkness.
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His fingers closed around the bed post and he took a step forward into the darkness. He reached out for what should have been a dresser a few feet to his left but it was not there. Marge had done it again. She delighted in moving the furniture to disorient him ever since he had come home from the hospital after being blinded in the accident. She told him a few days before the accident that she would be leaving him as soon as she could find an apartment. He told her to go ahead and leave but she said it would make her look bad to their friends and family to leave a blind man. She was trapped now and moving the furniture every few days was her way of getting back at him.
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His fingers closed around the gun, and he took a step forward into the darkness.
No one would even suspect that he had been at her house, because he was last seen going up the long road to his farmhouse which was quite aways away.
He was trembling. He felt in shock.
This was not what he wanted to happen when he came by to talk about... how he had inoperable brain cancer.
He wanted compassion and thought he'd have it because they had such a wonderful divorce. They had remained such wonderful friends. Everyone remarked about them...but...
... when he told her , his life felt like it drained from his body.
She laughed and she felt....nothing. She said...that she was over him and had met another man.
Well, if he were going to die...so was she...and his passions took hold and ...... he found his hands wrapped about ...the gun in his holster.
Now, he found himself standing over his only love with his hands wrapped around a gun.... as he took steps forward into the darkness.
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His fingers closed around the screwdriver and he took a step forward into the darkness. The gravity well plummeted below his feet; looks like the antigravs won't be able to handle a return trip. The dark side of the moon lived up to its name, but Keith didn't have time to worry about tripping in the darkness. He switched on his helmet light and bounded lightly in the low gravity. He only had 10 minutes left to save the world...
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His fingers closed around the door knob as he took a step forward into the darkness. He had been intending to get the electricity upgraded but just had not taken the time. Fumbling down the stairs to the fuse box, he moved slowly. The last thing he wanted was to make a misstep and fall. He was going to call the electrician tomorrow he told himself! Counting the steps he knew he was getting close to the bottom when he heard it. The shuffling sounds of someone moving around! "Who is there" he shouted. A chill went down his spine. The reality that someone had cut the power lines was becoming evident. Two more steps and he would be near the flashlight. One more step . . .
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His fingers closed around the bagel and he stepped into the darkness. Where was that &*(%^$#*! toaster? He stubbed his toe on the island in the kitchen and hopped his way towards where he thought the refrigerator was. Then he tripped over his daughter’s Hot Wheels and smacked the tile floor, face first. He thought he might have broken his nose but by now he was more determined than ever to have his toasted bagel. He crawled around the kitchen until he found the lower cupboard with the paper towels and stuffed one up each nostril. Luckily, he found the emergency flashlight, turned it on and managed to toast his bagel and coat it with cream cheese. Just as he was about to take his first bite of heaven the kitchen lights came on. “Honey,†she said as she walked across the kitchen and snatched the bagel from his mouth, “you know you’re on a gluten-free diet.â€
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This weeks winner is.....Merry Prankster! Congrats MP! I am a big fan of bagels and cream cheese (especially the strawberry whipped kind).........so not only did I laugh, I drooled a little, too.
Please start us off with a new sentence.
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:08: Great job, MP !!
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Thank you. The Prankster also likes the Outlast variation. This week's starter sentence is:
She found [a][the]___________ at the bottom of her bottomless shoulder bag and stared at it in disbelief.
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She found a pistol at the bottom of her bottomless shoulder bag and stared at it in disbelief. She was about as afraid of guns as she was of him. She pulled it out with a trembling hand and looked at him. He would never frightened her again as she was determined to defend herself. Never would she be intimidated by him again she thought as she looked into his beady eyes and fired a shot right into the head of the little gray mouse.
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She found a magic wand at the bottom of her bottomless shoulder bag and stared at it in disbelief. This hadn't been there yesterday. Or had it? It was a rather large bag after all and she had become rather forgetful of late. But why was it there? Drat! She knew there was something she had to do. Some spell she needed to cast with her best wand... if only she could remember what it was. What she needed was a memory potion, but such things were hard to come by. Perhaps she should write to her sister in Suffolk and ask if she had any left. So she did, but as she slipped her letter into the mailbox she saw that a package had already arrived from her sister and inside was a memory potion! Now if she could only find a magic wand around here somewhere...
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She found a tooth pick at the bottom of her bottomless shoulder bag and stared at it in disbelief. On further inspection, she also found a pile of wood shavings, some with blue paint on them. So much for that nice monogrammed pen her son had sent her from Muir Woods. Nothing in this house was sacred anymore...her oak coffee table--gone. The legs on her living room furniture--nothing but sawdust. She thought she had gotten rid of everything, but leave it to Spanky to find the one thing she had left in the house that was made of wood. Dang that pet beaver....
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She found the little round compact container at the bottom of her bottomless shoulder bag and stared at it in disbelief. This could not be right! She took those pills religiously every morning! How could she have missed one! Now she had to face the possibility that one night of frivolity and wanton sex could mean 20 years of responsibility. How would she explain this to her family? She would stop by the pharmacy on her way home from work and buy a home test. The tears began to well up in her eyes. This was not what she had planned for her future.
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Wow! You guys have made this a really tough choice. The Prankster needs to think, always a difficult endeavor for him. He will announce his selection this evening, right after watching his Redskins get skunked once again.
Congratulations trouble405! Please provide the starter sentence for this week's contest.
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trouble405 is the winner. Congratulations! Please provide the starter sentence for this week's contest.
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Oh my goodness! Thank you. Gosh I think it is harder to think of a starting sentence!!!
Ok here it is - - - -
It would happen at the family traditional Thanksgiving dinner, he/she decided.
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It would happen at the family traditional Thanksgiving dinner, she decided. This was HER year. She clutched her favorite board game to her chest and vowed that this time THIS TIME would be different. This time they WOULD play with her instead of watching the boring football game ALL DAY LONG! ...she sighed as she watched her turkey stuffed family sit bleary eyed in front of the TV. I guess I'll go and get my book out and spend the next six hours or so reading. Again. ...then the most beautiful thing happened. The polar vortex roared into town and the power suddenly cut off. She smiled widely in the dark listening to the cries and curses and calls for candles from her distraught loved ones. It's a Thanksgiving miracle, she whispered with happy tears in her eyes.
_ -SNOWGLOBE _Rainbow_ -SNOWGLOBE
Happy Thanksgiving!
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It would happen at the family traditional Thanksgiving dinner she decided. It would not be easy but she was determined to tell them. They had asked the same questions for the last several years since she had turned twenty. "Have you met a nice man?" "Don't you think it is about time to settle down and have a family?" "When are you going to give us a grandchild or great grandchild?" She was the only child of her parents and they were also only children. Both set of her grandparents always had Thanksgiving with her family. She was tired of all the pressure they had put her through and she finally was going to tell them that she didn't want the life they planned for her. She would tell them her plans to enter a convent and become a nun.
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It would happen at the family traditional Thanksgiving dinner he decided. No more lurking around the perimeters of the kitchen, no more sweeping the floor for fallen bits and scraps, no more sneaking under the table to find the kids with brussels sprouts in their hands that they wanted to get rid of. This year he was going to make his move. When that turkey platter came out, he was going to demand his fair share-- aarooooo!...he deserved it. Grrrr....arf!
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And the winner of this weeks paragraph contest is . . . . . .
I love them all!!! Outtie somehow I think this might have had a bit of a personal touch??? Snowbird I hope my asking my daughter that every year doesn't make her join a convent!!! and Ponytail my furbabies love brussel sprouts!
It is so hard to choose but I think the winner this week is Outlast!!! Congratulations!
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Thank you Trouble. I'm glad you liked it (and that I do in fact have two cousins who like to play games on Thanksgiving). :88:
The package was waiting for me when I came home. Though it was addressed to me, something seemed off. For starters, it was covered in __blank__ and it was postmarked ___pick any date from the distant past___
That's right TWO blanks to fill in this time. Outtie variation 2.0 ...sorry I think I may be turning this awesome game into Madlibs. Which can also be awesome. :043:
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The package was waiting for me when I came home. Though it was addressed to me, something seemed off. For starters, it was covered in newspaper and it was postmarked Dec. 7, 1960. The town on the return addressed seemed familiar but there was no name included. What significance was that town to me? Was it a place from my past that I had forgotten about? At my age that was a possibility. I tore the newspaper wrapping from the package and found a small box inside of a larger one. I opened the little box and there to my astonishment was a ring with a note. I read the note with trembling hands as it was coming back to me. "Will you marry me?" it said and was signed by the man I always thought had jilted me. Now I understood. I had failed to acknowledge his ring and he thought the same thing. How different would my life have been if only it had not been lost in the mail all this time?
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The package was waiting for me when I came home. Though it was addressed to me, something seemed off. For starters, it was covered in crude hieroglyphs and it was postmarked 30 B.C. ...this had to be a joke right? For starters the post office didn't even exist back then and even if it did I'm pretty sure they weren't putting 'B.C.' on their packages. What can I say? I can't resist a mystery, so I opened the package. Inside I found a (rubber) adder, an ancient curse against those who open sacred packages, a black wig, some kind of linen toga... and a note from my kooky sister inviting me to her Egyptian themed murder/mystery dinner.
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The package was waiting for me when I came home. Though it was addressed to me, something seemed off. For starters, it was covered in a strange goldish paper that twinkled and it was postmarked December 24, 1843. The year was so off putting because the wrappings looked too futuristic to have had glitter. The present is boring enough in this small town but the past had to be sad. Not knowing what to think, I carefully opened the package. Inside was a note from my grandmother who died in 1989. The note said: This was intended for you on graduation. You are the only family member who would understand. It was my great great whatever grandmother's silver pin that came over on the Mayflower to fend off witches. The note continued: "This is the real reason she was charged with the crime of casting spells. They wanted her treasure."
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The package was waiting for me when I came home. Though it was addressed to me, Eva Sanders, something seemed off. For starters, it was covered in oiled cloth and it was postmarked December 1, 1933. I opened it very carefully and as soon as I cracked open the box, i was assailed by a heavenly smell. Fruity, spicy, rich, and buttery with just a hint of rum. Hmmmm....I picked out the card and read: Sis, sorry I can't be there with you for the holidays, please enjoy! Think of you always. Yours, Henry....Now what the heck? Henry was my great uncle, and my namesake Eva Rose was my grandma. What happened in all those years to delay the delivery of this delicious morsel? Oh well. I sat down at the table and cut a big slice. I guess it's true what they say about fruitcake. I have the proof right in front of me.
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And the scintillating winner is...
LindaM!
Welcome to the board and to the weekly contest Linda! :king:
Please post the starting sentence for this week's paragraph and remember you don't have to leave any blank spaces or nonsense like that. Unless you're weird like some of the rest of us. :039:
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The Christmas song, ________________, was ringing in my head as the mall blasted it to all. I looked around and suddenly there were only _______________...
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The Christmas song, Jingle Bells, was ringing in my head as the mall blasted it to all. I looked around and suddenly there were only men's stores in site. "Well, this is convenient," I said to myself, "as I am here to find a gift for my husband." I wanted to be creative with my gift to him, no shirt, no slacks, no socks, no underwear, not even a nice
sports coat. This year I wanted to get him something different, something extra special. I walked into the first store and looked around. "This must be an underwear store," I decided as all I saw was underwear. I walked out and went into the store next door, the same thing, underwear here, underwear there, nothing but underwear. As I went from store to store I became more desperate as they all contained only underwear. Then I felt someone shaking my shoulder, "Wake up honey," my husband was saying, "you must be having another one of your Christmas nightmares."
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The Christmas song,"I'll Be Home Fro Christmas, was ringing in my head as the mall blasted it to all. I looked around and suddenly there were only my reflections in the mall windows. And, I saw a tear fall down my cheek.
All the racing around for weeks had hardened me to the true meaning of the holiday.
No one seemed to help around the house and no one seemingly appreciated all the work that fell onto me ...to make it another magical holiday for ....Them!
Momentarily, I was transported back in time to a quieter, more simple day when I was a child and Perry Como was on the radio singing this beautiful song.
I hadn't a worry in the world except whether I would pass that final test before a two week vacation. I was at home with Mama and Daddy and my little sister and we were trimming our Christmas tree..... and I felt safe and happy.
I was jolted from my daydream by a hand tugging at my coat...."Grandma, Grandma, can we go see" Sanny" Claus"? I turned around to see several pair of big, innocent looking eyes quizzingly looking up at me...and was awakened to the realization that ....sure it was a lot a work. But, some day THESE would be their memories.,,and, that it was up to me, to make them.
I thought to myself...wake up, stop complaining and being grumpy....look what you have here. You are so blessed.
Now, as the next song blasted through the mall, and we made our way to the long "North Pole" line, I thanked God and knew it was going to be another magical Christmas!
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The Christmas song, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree , was ringing in my head as the mall blasted it to all. I looked around and suddenly there were only mannequins dressed in Santa suits everywhere. Some seemed eerily animated while others were mere statues. What happened to all the shoppers, I wondered. I looked at my watch and realized it was 10:05PM. How did that happen? I just came to the mall to get one last gift but that was hours ago. What happened during the last 4 hours? As I wandered the food court I felt a tapping on my shoulder. In startled fear I turned and saw a robotic Santa standing behind me. "We were wondering if you were going to make it back in time." Said the Santa. "What are you talking about? Who are you? What is going on?" I whispered. "Oh now Elizabeth" Santa said. "Surely you remember your human vacation is over. You must return to your original mannequin form at 10:00 PM. It is my turn to go on my human vacation now!" As I looked around I noticed I was now regenerating in my red velvet Santa suit. "No NO NO" I tried to shout but it was no use. I was locked inside this porcelain body for another year.
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^^^
I love it Trouble!
The Christmas song, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, was ringing in my head as the mall blasted it to all. I looked around and suddenly there were only kids around and all of them were staring at me. A hulking boy who said he was ten, but didn't look a day under thirty shoved me towards a bench and the next thing I knew a line was forming to my right. I suddenly remembered all the signs I'd passed going into the mall about Santa coming to the mall today. That does it. The minute I can shake these little scamps off and escape to my car, I am going home and shaving off my white beard. Movember is definitely over for this guy.
:a035:
The Christmas song, Chiron Beta Prime was ringing in my head as the mall blasted it to all. I looked around and suddenly there were only robots everywhere I looked. I blinked and the robots became people again. Ok so maybe I panicked a little. A normal person would've called their doctor and gotten their head examined, but not me. I'm a sci-fi geek and a person who hates going to the doctor, so my first instinct was obviously to sneak over to the mall's rotunda and hide in the kids' playhouse so I could observe the robotic patrons without being observed by them in return. My plan was working perfectly until a kid crawled through the window into the playhouse. I tried to explain, but just my luck, I'd been found by the one kid with no imagination. He screamed the house down and now here I am, locked up in mall-jail trying to explain to some Paul Blart wannabe that we've been invaded by robot overlords and all he does is laugh and offer me some soylent green. That is so not funny!
-Shiver-
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The Christmas song 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer' was ringing through my head as the mall blasted it to all. I looked around and suddenly there were only a few shoppers left...my, how time flies when you're pressed for time...tomorrow all my children and grandchildren would be gathering at my house for Christmas Day, and I still had lots to do. There was a light snow beginning to fall as I left, so I hurriedly crawled into the car and started down the road, windshield wipers going full blast. A sudden thumpity thump scared me enough to make me veer to side the road and stop. I got out to see what was going on, and saw a shaggy lump a few yards back. As I carefully picked my way back, I could see a faint, glowing red light flicker on and off. Uh-oh...this could not be good. I got closer and was just in time to see the poor reindeer's eyes glaze over, and his flickering red light go completely out. What had I done? How could this be? Every child in the world would hate me...waaahhhh, RUDOLPH!
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And this week's paragraph winner is . . .
TROUBLE!
All were so good it was hard to choose but she just made my night with her piece.
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Congratulations, trouble ! :08:
I didn't want to post this until the winner was announced...but, on New Years Day the Sci FY channel runs a Twilight Zone marathon.
They run for almost 2 days...! I love it and watch every year, although I have seen them countless times .
One particular story which stars an actress named Anne Francis is similar to this story.
She plays a girl who is actually a mannequin.
The espisode starts off with her shopping and then getting off the elevator on a floor that really was not ... a floor....but....in the Twilight Zone.
This floor contained all the store props and "live" mannequins.
She finally realized her "live' time was over and that she would have to return to her old form and the last scene shows her on the main floor...as a mannequin.
If anyone else enjoyed the Twilight Zone...of course, in black and white... check it out on New Years Eve and Day.
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Bacali that is exactly the story that was in my mind! I was always terrified of Twilight Zone as a kid. This episode, the one with Burgess Meredith and the broken glasses, the Talking Tina episode and one where a kid rolled into the wall and was lost in a third dimension. If I remember the mannequin one right she went in to get a thimble. I love to sew but have never bought a thimble because of this!!!
Let's make this next paragraph go with a holiday theme!!
"Only two weeks left before Christmas and all he/she could think of was . . ."
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Trouble your piece combined several thoughts into one. It reminded me of the 9th (or is it 10th) Doctor's premiere. Eccleston had to fight mannequins and your story made me smile.
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This story is probably nonsense and doubly so to people who haven't seen the ABC show 'Once Upon a Time'. Sorry non-Oncers!
Only two weeks left before Christmas and all he could think of was how he was going to get his Christmas present to his only grandson. Grandma hadn't been run over by a reindeer, but she had kicked grandpa out of town, over, a... let's call it a misunderstanding. Now he was in New York, barred from his own home at Christmas and completely unable to mail anything home because his town was invisible to all outsiders due to a curse (mind you, it was a completely separate curse which wouldn't allow grandpa to go back home), so Grandpa Gold needed a plan and he needed it fast. His solution came in the form of an adorable red-headed orphan whose dog stole grandpa's cane, thus earning it's mistress a little lesson in respect for one's elders. So grandpa Gold cornered little orphan Annie and ripped out her heart so that he could use it to force her to do his bidding, which wasn't anything evil after all. He just wanted her to go into a cursed town and bring his grandson his Christmas gift. He even slipped her heart into her backpack wrapped up for Christmas, complete with a note asking Regina to put the little girl's heart back in... 'please'....he's not really a bad guy after all. ...and that's how Henry got his Christmas present and how Storybrook Maine's population (not to mention the overcrowded Charming household) grew by one when Little Orphan Annie was adopted by Snow White and Prince Charming.
Because my first story probably made no sense at all to Trouble. Here's a bonus paragraph!
Only two weeks left before Christmas and all she could think of was how she was going to convince her son that Santa could still find him on Christmas even though they moved to a new state after he mailed his letter. She's tried logic, 'Jonny, we left a forwarding address.' and she tried magic, 'Jonny, Santa knows when you're sleeping and he knows when you're awake... I'm sure he knows that you've moved to Michigan too.' Now here she was two weeks later, on Christmas Eve, nibbling on Cookies and drinking milk, waiting for her husband to slide down the chimney so that he could 'accidentally' wake Jonny up and tell him to go back to bed 'ho ho ho'. ...but something must've gone wrong. She hadn't heard her husband's heavy Santa boots on the roof in at least 20 minutes and she could almost swear she heard some very un-christmasy language coming from the empty fireplace. The mother sighed, dialed 911 and wondered if she could convince her three year old that Santa was driving a fire truck this year.
:a035:
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Only two weeks left before Christmas and all she could think of was that doll in the window of Roses department store that made Hattie's eyes smile each time she looked at it. With Paul off fighting in the Pacific it was up to her alone to give their little girl a happy Christmas. It had been over a month since she had heard from Paul but she knew how erratic the mail service was considering he was out in the middle of the ocean. Still she worried. How could she help it? Almost daily there was some bad news about the war. She had struggled just to keep the household running and putting food on the table for herself and Hattie. The only way for her to get Hattie that doll was to pawn her wedding band. Would Paul understand? Would he approve of her doing such a thing to make Hattie happy? Finally the day before Christmas she made her decision. She walked out of her apartment and down the stairs headed to the pawn shop. The mailman was just placing the mail in the boxes by the front door and as she walked up he handed her a letter. She smiled as she recognized the writing on the envelope and hurriedly tore it open. Inside was a note with money folded inside of it. As she counted it she found it was the exact amount she needed to get Hattie's doll.
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Only two weeks left before Christmas and all she could think of was whether or not she had time to get that dang suit fixed up for the night. Too many slides down too many chimneys. Too many cookies and too many cups of cocoa. Too many hoof prints from too many excitable reindeer ready to get their speed on. All year long she had been nagging him about this, and now, when time was short, he finally crawls out of it long enough so she might, just might be able to get it ready for another year.... Men!!
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Thank you for the wonderful Christmas stories! Outlast you are correct - the first paragraph didn't make a lot of sense to me but I loved the second paragraph. I loved that she let him sit in the chimney over 20 minutes before calling 911. Snowbird your paragraph was so heartwarming. The mom willing to sacrifice everything for the light in her child's eyes while dad is in the service. so sweet!! and Ponytail your story made me giggle at the exasperated "men". I choose them all!!! But since I must select only one I am going to choose the tug at my heartstrings story!
Congratulations Snowbird!!
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I feel so honored to have won with such great paragraphs. I am glad I didn't have to picked the winner but I will next week. So here is a new starter for all you authors out there.
Let's see what you do with this old familiar sentence.
"It was the night before Christmas when all through the house...."
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It was the night before Christmas and all through the house Mommy was frantically trying to get the kids to go to bed! She had so many things to do before morning and none of it could be started if those sweet dimpled darlings don't go to sleep!! There was wrapping to be done and stockings to be filled as well as breakfast and dinner prep to be done! If one more child asked for one more drink of water she was going to SCREAM!!! Every five minutes someone was needing to potty, get a drink or ask if Santa had been there yet. Suddenly she had an idea!! She quietly took a bell off the tree and the next time one of the children asked a question she began ringing the bell loudly! "oh no" she said "Santa just flew over and didn't stop because you were still awake!!" SILENCE then a little voice saying "will he come back?". "only if you hurry and go to sleep" said the Mommy. All was quiet and suddenly a little voice said "mommy?" and the bell started to ring again! "there he goes again! You children better get to sleep or you will miss Christmas" and it worked!!! Once they were quiet they drifted off into their blissful sleep and Mommy was able to start the long nights work ahead of her!
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Twas the night before Christmas and all thru the house
Not a creature was stirring except for me and my spouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
My feet were freezing, because they were bare!
The cats were all cuddled snug in their bed
While visions of catnip danced in their heads.
And hubby in his jersey and I in his lap
Had just settled ourselves amidst the gift-wrap.
When out on the lawn their arose such a clatter
We sprang to our feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the shotgun he flew like a flash
While I for the baseball bat made a dash.
The moon shown o'er our nativity in the snow
When movement within it made me cry, 'Oh no!'
What to my wondering eye should appear?
But a wee babe wrapped in a thin blanket, 'Oh dear!'
With a tiny little cry so lively and quick
I knew in a moment that he wasn't sick.
I looked at my husband and could see he felt the same
'Well,' he said, 'I guess we should give him a name.'
How about Keith or Rocker
Or Tony or Spencer?
Perhaps Aras or Tyson
Or Ozzy or Benjamin?
To public or private school halls?
Or to home school would be cool.
Oh dash it! Let's have him try them all!
Then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of little hoofs
As we held our boy and showed him around
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes--how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"
...as you can plainly see I got very very lazy at the end and just copied the poem because I've always loved it and as I said I got lazy. :040:
Oh well! I gave it a go anyway! Merry Christmas to all and God bless us every one! :88:
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I love the Once story. I just now got around to reading it.