Weekly Short Stories Contest and Company! discussion
Brainstormin' Help
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Get to Know Your Character(Popcorn Served)
Me: *writing furiously*Emmie: What are you writing? *asks hopefully and peaks over Bailey's shoulder*
Me: Essay for school.
Emmie: ...oh.
Me: *sigh* look I'm sorry I'm not working on your story right now. But don't worry; I have your's safe and locked away.
Emmie: Is it in the file cabinet that says "Big Story Ideas" on it?
Me: Yes. And no you can't get into it. It's locked remember?
Emmie: *scoffs* I'm sure I could get into it if I wanted to.
Me: No you can't. It only opens to me and can tell that you're not me. I made it that way. Besides, you'll ruin all that I have planned for you.
Emmie: Well, I already know some details.
Me: Yea, but only because I allowed you to know them. Now, if you'd be so kind, I'd like to finish my essay. I have another one to do after this.
Emmie: Fine, I'll go find Milly and Vanalor. Flying around on a dragon is more fun than sitting here being frustrated with you. *walks away annoyed*
Me: You can be frustrated, just know that I write what happens to you!
Emmie: Yea, I'm really scared. You know I'm too awesome to get rid of. *walks away and disappears into further parts of Bailey's mind to find Milly and Vanalor*
Me: *shakes head* Ugh. Characters. *returns to essay*
Bailey wrote: "Me: *writing furiously*Emmie: What are you writing? *asks hopefully and peaks over Bailey's shoulder*
Me: Essay for school.
Emmie: ...oh.
Me: *sigh* look I'm sorry I'm not working on your story r..."
Hahaha! very nice!!
Guy: [Shifts restlessly. Changes music on computer to Zoë Keating. Turns to the poem he is writing, but doesn’t see how to progress it. Watches Zoë play her cello. Smiles at the irony of listening to Path while writing a poem about being lost in the path of words.]Neve: [Looks up from the reading Gone Girl, distracted by Guy’s restlessness. After a moment turns back to the book.]
Guy: What?!
Neve: What?
Guy: Are you making fun of me? [Stands up. Turns and actually looks at her.] And, hey! What are you doing here? With me, I mean. You don’t even like me.
Neve: [Sets Gone Girl down, with a smile.] I see. When was the last time you … [She pauses. Shrugs.] You know.
Guy: [Glares at her.] What?! [Paces around the room.] Stop watching me! [Sits down at the computer, struggles to ignore her. Spins in his chair. Growls.] What are you doing here?!
Neve: Reading, silly! [Picks up Gone Girl.] Now go write. Or whatever it is you do on that computer.
Guy: [Grumbles. Turns back and forth in the chair, and spins in full circles, until he feels a little dizzy. Stands up. Sits down. Looks at Neve.] Where is Sophia? [Pauses. Turns back to the computer to turn up the next Zoë song, Lost. Recognizes the irony of that, but is not amused.] Would you like tea? [Starts towards the kitchen.] Or Rooibos?
Neve: Hrmph. [Waves her hand at him, to dismiss him.]
Guy: [Stops. Goes back to the computer, turns up the volume and restarts the song.]
Neve: [Without looking up.] Do you have to have it that loud?
Guy: [As he walks to the kitchen.] This is my room, if you don’t like it you can f* off!
Neve: [To herself, out loud, without stopping reading.] Sheesh! Take a pill.
Guy: [While in the kitchen, Zoë's next song, Sun Will Set comes on. He stops to listen with awe at the simple heartful beauty and elegance of this music.]
Guy, thankyou for sharing the links - beautiful - I'm going to share some of those tracks with a group of young people I'm working with today.
Nicky wrote: "Guy, thankyou for sharing the links - beautiful - I'm going to share some of those tracks with a group of young people I'm working with today."You are welcome. Keating is one of the most impressive musicians I have been blessed with discovering. I have listened to her for the last 90 minutes, tonight, unable to not repeat each song several times before moving on to the next. Before her I was indifferent to the cello. I have never heard the cello sound the way she makes it sing. :-)
Mewly: Yer as bad as my parents.Me: Huh?
Mewly: You give me a life I didn't ask for then ditch me.
Me: They didn't "ditch"you.
Mewly: How would you know?
Me: Because I didn't write that.
Mewly: Maybe you should then, cause that's what happened.
Me: Who's writing this story anyway?
Mewly: It's already writ, yer just telling it.
Emmie: *sneaks up to where Bailey is laying in bed, asleep. Milly and Vanalor are behind her.*Milly: *whispers* "Think we should wake her?"
Emmie: " I don't know. I mean, it is her spring break. Shouldn't we just let her sleep?"
Milly: "Yea, we could. But then where does that leave us? Still locked away in her mind. Not that I'm complaining, seeing as she gave me a generous room here. Even gave Vanalor a space big enough for him."
Emmie: "I don't complain either. Beautiful rooms, great food, wonderful service, and free range through the mind. Well, not the entire mind...like the 'Big Story Ideas' cabinet..."
Milly: "We describe her mind as if it's a hotel or something...Vanalor, poke her with your tail."
Vanalor: "I would rather not do that. Lady Bailey can be...well, quite temperamental when she first wakes from her sleep."
Milly: "Scaredy-scales. It's not like she's going to do anything to you. You're one of her main characters, and one of her 'faaaavorites.'"
Bailey: *cracks one eye open* "You're all my favorites. Now, I'd listen to Vanalor and not disturb me. It's true I am not a very pleasing person when I first wake up. Luckily for you, I wasn't entirely asleep when you all came in. Now, go along and find something quiet to do." *the three characters look at each other, sigh, and then start to walk away. Bailey closes her eyes, but says one last thing.* "Oh and there's a difference between my mind and a hotel. Hotel's charge you, I'm letting you stay for free. Merely for yours and my enjoyment and comfort. Also, so I can keep a close eye on you all. But if you wish to stay, and not be kicked out (or killed actually) due to a result of morning crankiness while writing, then go on. Even writers need sleep every now and then." *goes back to sleep*
:) This is funny, Alex! The best part was:
''Al: Then what is the point? I'm at a good part in this book, so hurry up.''
Poor Frank! He needs a nice nurse, like Jerica Porter--but not one who winds up dead in somebody’s car.
LOL! Funny popcorn Al. Just what the doctor ordered this afternoon. (Work is going insane.)
Al wrote: "Frank: You told Ajay that the "real" Frank was just a lonely old man with a high libido. [He looks at Al and waits for an answer.]Al: [She doesn't look up from the book Dragon Tears.] I might have..."
I just hate it when a lonely, pervy, old man interrupts my reading!
Connie wrote: "Al wrote: "Frank: You told Ajay that the "real" Frank was just a lonely old man with a high libido. [He looks at Al and waits for an answer.]Al: [She doesn't look up from the book Dragon Tears.] I..."
Wait. Don't anyone tell my husband I said that.
Guy: Twiddling his thumbs? Really? [Shakes head, with a smile.]
Miss Chief: Where have you been?Connie: The word transformation thread, but there was nothing much to do.
Miss Chief: Why not?
Connie: The word was "cleft". All I could do was add or drop a letter. So I 'left'.
Miss Chief: You should go to the Haiku thread, you know they're having fun over there.
Connie: I don't have time for that today, I need to get some things done.
Miss Chief:(pouts)
Connie: If your going to do that I'm leaving. (goes to the word association thread where the last entry #16627 says .....mischief
Miss Chief: Surprise!
Connie: OMG, stop following me!!
Miss Chief: Actually, I was here first. Come on lets go.
Connie: (Smiles,types Haiku, and they leave together for the Haiku thread.)
Miss Chief: Looks like someone may be taking them down a new 'path'.
Connie: Yes, but it's all very clever.
Miss Chief: We should go back and read the old posts and look for those gems.
Connie: (sighs) I can't. I really do need to get some things done today.
Guy: [Out loud, to no one in particular, while reading popcorn.] Well, reading Connie's popcorn was funny. 'Miss Chief' is a nice play on words. [The Professor walks in.] But what is really amazing is that I used the phrase 'Miss Chief' last night to help the student I'm tutoring remember how to spell 'mischievous'. Isn't —Professor: Don't say it! It is not! that is just a coincidence. You and that stupid fushigi bullshit. I'm aghast that you get anyone to buy it.
Guy: [Pauses.]
Professor: [Looks at him for a while. Silence. After another while.] Well!
Guy: Well what?
Professor: Don't play dumb with me! You know very well well what.
Guy: I get that a lot.
Professor: What?
Guy: That.
Professor: What?
Professor: That!!!
Guy: Hmmm. I am tempted to cite a transcription of Epictetus I read yesterday to you. But then doing that would violate what Epictetus suggests doing it it. And I did like it because Jun—
Professor: Jung!? Epictetus!? Can't you just simply speak your own words? You think you are erudite. I assure you, you are not! You haven't even really finished a proper university schooling.
Guy: [Shrugs. Goes back to reading WSS. Haiku. He smiles at the current bounce of the balls it has taken.]
[Pause.]
Professor: Okay, okay! You win. What did you read yesterday?
Guy: [Looks at him. Starts to open his mouth to say something,then closes it.] Okay. [Gets up to get the book, The Art of Living. "Don't declare yourself to be a wise person or discuss your spiritual aspirations with people who won't appreciate them. Show your character and your commitment to personal nobility though your actions." [He starts to laugh.]
Professor: That's bullshit!
Guy: [Laughs harder.]
Professor: And it doesn't even apply! You are just being stupid!
Guy: [Tears of laughter.] OMG! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Professor: What!? WHAT!? [After a minute or two, looks around.] What did I come in here for? [Scratches his head. Looks around. Looks at Guy who is chuckling now, getting himself under control. The Professor shrugs.] Ass! [Leaves.]
Me: *walks in and sees Milly laid out on the couch, Emmie in the chair with her head back, and Vanalor blowing smoke, creating a smiley face in the air*"Ummm, what are you doing?"
*all three look at each other and then back at me. Vanalor finishes his smoke smiley face*
Milly, Emmie, and Vanalor: "Bored."
Me: "Don't worry guys. I'll be done with this semester of school after today, so I'll have a full summer to spend working on your stories!"
(Ah, summer how I have missed it so. I mean what I say. I will be spending a good amount of my summer writing my book ideas, maybe even get a full rough draft to one or maybe more. I will be focusing primarily on Milly and Emmie's stories, with Milly's being planned as a trilogy and I know Emmie will have her book and maybe a sequel to it. But yea, other than finding a job and losing some weight, I will be focusing on writing for the summer!)
Mewly: Ye're not much of a writer.Me: I never said I was.
Mewly:Then why did you write me?
Me: I don't know. One day I was just imagining what would happen to my car after I dropped it off and my imagination got carried away.
Mewly:So ye're an imangner then?
Me: I don't know.
Mewly:What's the difference?
Me: I don't know.
Mewly: You don't know much do ya?
Me: I never said I did.
Mewly: Ye're useles.
Me: Maybe. Probably.
Mewly:Damn,girl. Why you let me talk down at ya like that and never get riled up?
Me:Because I don't need to. I can shut you up anytime I want.
Mewly: How's that?
Me: (silence)
Mewly: I said how ya gonna do that?
Me: Like this.
Mewly: *********** (reaches up to feel his mouth moving but no sound coming out, widens eyes in wonder)
Me: (holding my finger over the delete key and arching eyebrows at him)
Mewly: (shakes his head vigorously from side to side, eyes widen in fear)
Me:(hit back space key instea
Mewly: (shrugs shoulders in defeat)
Me:(feels suddenly smug and powerful/smiles wickedly)
Connie wrote: "Mewly: Ye're not much of a writer.Me: I never said I was.
Mewly:Then why did you write me?
Me: I don't know. One day I was just imagining what would happen to my car after I dropped it off and my ..."
Haha! I love this. How evil we are to our characters when we want to be :D
Pandora: [Is sitting quietly, cross legged. She is looking into the garden through the open sliding patio door. The sound of the chickadees in spring fills the room.]Guy: [Is sitting beside her, but he is restless. His eyes are closed and he shifts his legs or hands or toes. He can’t seem to get comfortable.]
Sophia: [Is flipping through the pages of The Way of Chuang Tzu, but doesn’t seem to be able to concentrate. She looks up at the two of them from time to time. She opens her mouth to say something, but stops herself. She closes the book and flips it open, randomly. She smiles at what her eyes light upon:
…She looks at Pandora and Guy and feels joy in the moment.]
How should you treat a bird?
As yourself
Or as a bird?
Ought not a bird to nest in deep woodland
Or fly over meadow and marsh?
Ought it not to swim on river and pond,
Feed on eels and fish,
Fly in formation with other waterfowl,
And rest in the reeds?
Bad enough for a sea bird
To be surrounded by men
And frightened by their voices!
That was not enough!
They killed it with music!
Play all the symphonies you like
On the marshlands of Thung-Ting.
The birds will fly away
In all directions;
The animals will hide;
The fish will dive to the bottom;
But men
Will gather around to listen.
Water is for fish
And air for men.
Natures differ, and needs with them.
Hence the wise men of old
Did not lay down
One measure for all.
[Xviii. 5.] p104
Neve: [Walks in, her eyes focused on her smart phone and with headphones in her ears. She doesn’t say anything, but sits next to Sophia on the couch.]
Sophia: [Neve has her music turned loud enough for Sophia to just make out the sound of David Byrne’s cover of Take Me to the River, and for some reason that makes her leave the moment and wonder what was up with Frank and Al.]
Me: So you really want a divorce?Jo: No, but he does.
Me: How do you know?
Jo: My gut instinct tells me so.
Me: Your gut instinct also told you you would win the lottery.
Jo: This is different! I can...I can feel it! He ignores me, he snaps at me, he forgot our anniversary! I am telling you he has a girlfriend. That slutty secretary he has! I have seen how she looks at him. What do you think they do together all those hours?
Me: Working?
Jo: Are you frigging kidding me? Have you seen her? She always wears mini skirts, mini dresses, and I am betting no underwear!
Me: She wears underwear. We shop from the same Victoria Secret store.
Jo: You never told me!
Me: You never asked.
Jo: That slut, she shops for him!
Me: I doubt it.
Jo: Are you really that naive or are you pretending to be? Who else would she shop for?
Me (coughing to clear my throat). She gets a good discount at Victoria's Secret because her girlfriend Susan works there. Your husband's secretary is gay.
Mewly: I kinda like that Chuang Tzu's way of thinking.Me: Me too, only I apply it to people as well.
Mewly: Huh?
Me: "How should you treat a person, as yourself, or as that person?"
Mewly: What are you talking about girl?
Me: R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what that means to me.
Mewly; Stop it. Ya know I ain't good at spellin.
Me: Sorry.
Mewly: Now tell it plain so I can get yer meaning.
Me: Sometimes people "do onto others" exactly what they would like themselves, but it isn't anything close to what the other person wants or needs.
Mewly: Are you saying Jesus was wrong. That's blasphmy girl!
Me: I don't really know what Jesus said.
Mewly: Ain't you read the Bible?
Me: Yes. But but Jesus didn't write the Bible. Other people did.
Mewly:The Bible is the word of God woman. You better watch yourself.
Me: The Bible was written by men. Lots and lots of men.
Mewly:You sayin God ain't real, men just made him up?
Me: I'm saying I prefer to think and speak for myself.
Connie wrote: "Mewly: I kinda like that Chuang Tzu's way of thinking.Me: Me too, only I apply it to people as well.
Mewly: Huh?
Me: "How should you treat a person, as yourself, or as that person?"
Mewly: What a..."
LOL witty dialogue!
Connie wrote: "Mewly: I kinda like that Chuang Tzu's way of thinking.Me: Me too, only I apply it to people as well.
Mewly: Huh?
Me: "How should you treat a person, as yourself, or as that person?"
Mewly: What a..."
Lol! Yes.
Connie: (poking around the WSSCC threads looking for a distraction)Miss Chief: I think I'm bored.
Connie: How can you be bored when we have so much to do?
Miss Chief: Like what?
Connie: Seriously? Must I make you a list?
Miss Chief: Make what ever list you want, I'm not doing it.
Connie: Obviously, that's why were here!
Miss Chief: You're Welcome.
Connie: [Feeling twitchy from her third cup of coffee]Let's go for a run and burn some of this off so we can't sort our heads out.
Miss Chief: Run all you want sweetie. Those things will be waiting when you get back.
Connie: So you do know we have important stuff that needs to get done!!
Miss Chief: There's no we here sweetie. It's all you.
Connie: Come with me. Please.....it'll be more fun.
Miss Chief: No thanks.
Connie: I promise I'll do all the work. All you have to do is find a way to make it seem like fun.
Miss Chief: I suppose that could be interesting....
Connie: I mean fun for both of us. Not fun for you......finding ways to get me in trouble.
Miss Chief: Hmmm.......make my breakfast while I think about it.
Connie: Okay.
Miss Chief: Not Raisin Bran.
Connie: Okay.
Miss Chief: No oatmeal.
Connie: Okay.
Miss Chief: And absolutely no prunes.
Connie: I thought you liked prunes?
Miss Chief: I do.....I just don't like the idea of them.
Connie:[sighs heavily, realizing breakfast will most likely be her last opportunity for fun today] Okay.
Miss Chief: Really?.........an egg sandwich.....that's the best you can do?Connie: Our cholestrol is high.....we shouldn't eat them
Miss Chief: I wanted to have a little fun. I don't have a death wish.
Connie: What then....?
Miss Chief: Foot Loops, Cocoa Puffs.....
Connie: We don't have those in the house. Besides, we need protein for our run.
Miss Chief: [shakes her head sadly] You're hopeless. You're on your own sweetie....I'm outta here
I think I found my latest favorite Popcorn from Al. Awesome!
Detective Mallard is away typing on his typewriter. He hears a sigh just outside of his office and a person steps through the doorway holding a book.Detective Mallard: (Typing away without turning around). You okay...?
Me: You could tell it was me? That's funny.
Detective Mallard: Well if you wanted cheering up I'm glad I solved your problem.
Me: (Squint at him). Very funny. (Lifts up book). It's strange but I have not written anything for the group the WSS yet. I don't know if I am having writer's bloc or what?
Detective Mallard: Uh huh.
Me: Yeah, it's been... seven months??! Is that right?? How could it be seven months? I've been really slacking off!!
Detective Mallard: Is this that writing contest you have talked about before?
Me: Yeah. You seem to lack observation today. Are you alright, "copper?"
Detective Mallard: Haven't had my coffee yet.
Me: You mean you haven't had your coffee for this new hour? I see the empty mug by your desk.
Detective Mallard: (Struggles with words). Oh... yes. Forgot that was there.
Me: Hmm, so you lied, huh? Not a nice habit to do while you're on duty.
He stops turns around and stares at me with no expression.
Me: Okay, I'll stop picking on you. But to get back to what I was talking about, this week's story was "Buried Alive."
Mallard's eyebrows go up.
Me: Yeah but that's not the crazy part yet. I was thinking of what kind of story to write and got to this sentence while I was reading.
Mallard: Wait, you were reading when you said you were planning your story?
Me: Okay I was mostly reading. I hadn't gotten the idea yet but that's not important. I got really creeped out when I read this sentence in the book:
"For a terrifying moment, he thought he'd been buried alive, the sound of his own hyperventilation like someone screaming in his ear."
Isn't that freaky?
Mallard: Define freaky.
Me: Like it is strange. It was strange, wasn't it?
Mallard: Hmm. I guess that does go outside the realm of logic.
I pause.
Me: Wow you are king of taking the interest out of things!
[Hello CJ! Nice popcorn — I was thinking it was time for one of us to post something! :-) ]
Hi Guy!And Al, great popcorn. Harris is funny! :D
Det. Mallard walks through an office but hears in a room next to him music.Det. Mallard: What is that...?
With caution he goes towards its source. His friend CJ is looking at a book. The music pumps out of it. Very thrilling yet familiar music. Then he hears the sound of an older man talking out of the book.
((Music: bum, buh-bum, buh-bum-BUM/ dum, duh-dum, duh-dum-dum... Repeats incessantly))
Voice: Hello CJ. This is your mission should you choose to accept it...
CJ: Okay.
Det. Mallard: What in the world is going on?
Voice: As you know it was only a few days ago you borrowed a book. This book will keep track of your OCD tendencies...
Det. Mallard: What on earth...?
Voice: to help you with your challenge. Your mission... is to read this book...
((Music: Horns play and start to swell))
Det. Mallard: Where is that music coming fr--?
Me: Oh, it's music in 5/4 time.
Voice: ... before the end of this month.
Me: That's gonna be easy.
Voice: While you seem to have a natural slow reading pace.
Me: Oh... oh yeah.
Det. Mallard: I'm going to get some extra authority on this..!
Detective leaves the room to call someone on phone.
Me: Give me something harder, boss!
((Music: Ends Dun, dun, dun Dun! Duh- DUUUUUNNNN!!))
Voice: This book will then self-destruct after the 31st.
Me: Wait, what--?
Detective Mallard seems anxious searching around the perimeter of a house. He quickly gets inside as the door is left unlocked. He walks in on a person cooking by a stove.Det. Mallard: There you are! Why have you disappeared?
CJ: Oh, I don't know. I was just getting away from it all. You know... after the explosion?
Det. Mallard: I heard a little of what happened.
CJ: Yeah well an officer came into your office where I was with the book. He said it was a strange situation but they had to go by normal protocol and the bomb squad was only a few moments away.
With tented fingers he listened intently.
CJ: (Continues) Then only one guy came. He said the people thought it was the stupidest and unreal situation they ever heard of so he was there.
Det. Mallard: So they didn't cut off the bomb??
CJ: Well I was there reading with sweat going down my face book in hand. He told me if he had just the right tools, he would have been able to shut it off completely.
Det. Mallard: And?
CJ: He was only able to delay the bomb an hour past 12:00 midnight.
Det. Mallard: Oh MY!
CJ: Yeah, it was nuts. When I got to the final page he yelled at me, "Don't go on Goodreads, you nut. Get rid of it!!" So around ten seconds before I tossed it just outside your window.
Det. Mallard: Oh... that explains the smell. I thought someone was having some sort of vegan barbecue nearby.
Det. Mallard: So, what are you doing here?CJ: Just making some rice pudding.
Det. Mallard: Hmm.
CJ: You don't like rice pudding, I'm guessing?
Det. Mallard: Well, when in Rome...
CJ: If you call this house Rome that is the nicest compliment I have ever heard. Though someone was close and said this place was "ancient" so there you go.
Det. Mallard: I should make some coffee. Do you mind if I use your machine?
CJ: Go ahead.
(After some fidgeting).
CJ: Whoa, don't be so generous pouring out the coffee! You want to get grounds all over the floor?
He glanced at me and I shut up.
CJ: Just... please be careful. We have mice.
Det. Mallard: Mice eat everything?
CJ: Yeah I think so. And the last thing we need is mice running around addicted to coffee.
Det. Mallard walked off as the water began percolating.
CJ: (Continues) We don't need them getting smart, planning out their chance to rob the house of food...
Hanzleberry wrote: "Lol, Amanda! I love what you said there. Haha.
I wish I could have conversations with my characters, but... I don't... have any... :/ "
Or you can have a conversation with movie characters in your head.
My characters were INSPIRED BY(not stolen) by the movies "The Avengers 1" "Thor 2: The Dark World", "The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron".
I wish I could have conversations with my characters, but... I don't... have any... :/ "
Or you can have a conversation with movie characters in your head.
My characters were INSPIRED BY(not stolen) by the movies "The Avengers 1" "Thor 2: The Dark World", "The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron".
Guy: [Sitting in front of the computer in the empty common room at the monastery. His hands are on the keyboard, but they aren’t moving. His eyes are closed. He is crying.]Neve: [Music in ears, humming to Snowblink, walks in to use the computer, while typing away on her smart phone. She looks up long enough to see Guy at the computer, shrugs, and returns to her smartphone and stands for a moment, before turning around and leaving.]
Guy: [Begins to type. He wants to write a poem, but the thoughts are disjointed. Without too many corrections, he wrote:
He used to think that he had somewhere important to go.Then he stopped. He had nowhere to go with it. He looked at his hands, and touched the tears on his cheeks. That they were there surprised him, a little. He hadn’t been paying attention to his crying. He heard footsteps. He quickly wiped his eyes while hurrying to the counter to get a Kleenex. He filled the tissue, loudly, just in time to see Sophia walk in.] Hello Sophe. [He forces a smile.]
More recently he used to wonder that he used to think that,
and would struggle to remember where that place was.
Time heals all wounds
and he no longer struggled with either thought or wonder.
Instead he looked up from his book to read from his computer screen
its meaningful text.
The clock had long since been dismissed,
unnoticed in the corner of the screen
and forgotten with dead hands on the wall behind him.
Sophia: Hello. [It was hesitant.] ‘Sophe’? [She looks at him, sees he’s been crying.] No one calls me ‘Sophe.’ What’s wrong?
Guy: Nothing. [Shakes his head.] Nothing.
Sophia: Hmmmm. [She goes to the small stove, checks the kettle for water. Goes to the sink, adds enough for a couple of cups and puts it on the stove and turns it on high.] Tea.
Guy: Thank you.
Oh, why didn't I see this? Lol! Poor Frank! I've missed your popcorns, Al :)
The ship docked at a mysterious island. Some of the pirates went trolling for treasures. Andy is sitting on the wooden floor, doing her nails. Leslie is picking empty water bottles and other trash after finishing two cups of coffee.
Andy: Leslie, what are you doing?
Leslie: (Glances over her shoulder) What do you think?
Andy: (pouts) No need to be sarcastic.
Leslie: (Straightens up) Well, I’d appreciate some help. (Looks out over the ocean I think the mice did this on purpose.
Andy: (Stands up and picks an empty tub of popcorn) Why would they do this? (throws the tub near Leslie) Ewww, that’s so sticky!
Leslie: (Rolls her eyes) Hmm, diversion tactic?
Andy:(Furrows her brows) Diversion tactic?
Leslie: (Picks up a Kraft notebook) Well, the Captain hid the espresso beans. I’m sure they’re searching all the cabins below while we’re busy up here cleaning after their mess. (Scans the notebook) Hmm, this is interesting.
Andy: (Rushes to Leslie and peers over her shoulder) What? Let me see! (Attempts to grab the notebook but Leslie hides it under her shirt) Let me see!
Leslie: No, you’re not allowed to see this list.
Andy: (Frowns) And you are?
Leslie: (Arches an eyebrow) I found it.
Andy: (Sighs) Fine, just tell me what kind of list is written in there.
Leslie:(rubs her chin before smirking) It’s a list of people who will be thrown overboard.
Andy: (widens her eyes) Seriously? Am I included?
Leslie: (turns around and picks a paper cup) I think I saw your name.
Andy: Leslie!
Leslie: (grabs the black garbage bag and runs away, leaving Andy behind) Don’t worry, the sharks don’t bite!
Andy: Leslie, what are you doing?
Leslie: (Glances over her shoulder) What do you think?
Andy: (pouts) No need to be sarcastic.
Leslie: (Straightens up) Well, I’d appreciate some help. (Looks out over the ocean I think the mice did this on purpose.
Andy: (Stands up and picks an empty tub of popcorn) Why would they do this? (throws the tub near Leslie) Ewww, that’s so sticky!
Leslie: (Rolls her eyes) Hmm, diversion tactic?
Andy:(Furrows her brows) Diversion tactic?
Leslie: (Picks up a Kraft notebook) Well, the Captain hid the espresso beans. I’m sure they’re searching all the cabins below while we’re busy up here cleaning after their mess. (Scans the notebook) Hmm, this is interesting.
Andy: (Rushes to Leslie and peers over her shoulder) What? Let me see! (Attempts to grab the notebook but Leslie hides it under her shirt) Let me see!
Leslie: No, you’re not allowed to see this list.
Andy: (Frowns) And you are?
Leslie: (Arches an eyebrow) I found it.
Andy: (Sighs) Fine, just tell me what kind of list is written in there.
Leslie:(rubs her chin before smirking) It’s a list of people who will be thrown overboard.
Andy: (widens her eyes) Seriously? Am I included?
Leslie: (turns around and picks a paper cup) I think I saw your name.
Andy: Leslie!
Leslie: (grabs the black garbage bag and runs away, leaving Andy behind) Don’t worry, the sharks don’t bite!
Ok, I take back what I said, I don't miss you, Frank hahaha goodluck to you and Andy :D
Detective Mallard: Apparently this chat discussion on here isn't too strong.Me: Quiet, Mallard! It is a popular thread. It's just sometimes people post on a lot of other discussions and as a result this one and others have slid off the current discusses. Happens all the time.
Detective Mallard: Well consider myself not a member if people are treating the thread like a popularity contest.
Me: You have got to stop making assumptions. It's a good sign for a group if lots of chats cause others to temporarily go away. It means a group is really active if you think about it. You probably have lost sleep last night or something, you are surprisingly extra negative today. Look, Mallard, remember that you're off from work. Lighten up!
Detective Mallard: Are any of our chats on here?
Me: You want to check them out?
Detective Mallard: No... I just wanted to see if our "records" were possibly still available.
Me: (Pause, to members) I smell a new member coming soon..! ;)
(Det.'s eyes look around slightly uncomfortable, trying to not think of what was said)
(Detective Mallard comes in to see my at the computer again).Detective Mallard: I see you are at work again.
Me: Yep. (Sips from cup filled with ice)
Detective Mallard: You have any more coffee?
Me: Yes it's in the kitchen but we are running out and grocery day is tomorrow unfortunately.
Detective Mallard: But... coffee!
Me: Yes, believe it or not it is something that runs out from time to time.
Detective Mallard: I don't understand.
Me: What?
Detective Mallard: Can I take some or should I leave it?
Me: (Happily) Listen to what your heart says...!
(So Mallard rushes into the kitchen, grabbing two large cups and drinks them both of over the course of about twenty minutes.
The coffee's then gone).
Me: (Sigh, to self) Should have replaced "heart" with conscience...
Detective Mallard: You made a mistake...Me: What, what is it now?
Detective Mallard: I am just stating facts: you made a mistake in your cracked story. Um, no wait, now that I think of it not that, the other one, the one that ended with the mirror.
Me: Oh, so you're reading the stories on here now?
Detective Mallard: Well it's only sometimes. I don't usually read anything that's not a case analysis or procedural work but here it is an exception.
Me: Okay mister smart guy just what did I get wrong...?
Detective Mallard: In the religious story, you said that Saul spoke to Jeremiah who was dead as he tried to contact him. You should have said it was in fact Samuel he connected with, well... according to the source.
Me: Oh wow I should get on that.
Detective Mallard: You should get the records straight.
Me: Yeah I guess so.... But really?? I got something wrong like that again...?
Detective Mallard: What are you saying?
Me: I did that once before. Never mind it's embarrassing.
Me: (continues) Well I should go over that later because I---
wait, wait a minute?! Edwin? When did you suddenly become a bible scholar?
Detective Mallard: I once took a course on biblical studies. Believe me it wasn't my idea.
Me: Oh. That's neat though. You like non-fiction so I can figure you would like this too, right?...
Detective Mallard: In this case, I don't believe everything I read.
Me: Oh. (Pauses to think about it) Oh!!
Well, that's a downer...
(Detective looks straight at screen, reads)
(Pauses) Detective: Are you recording me..?
Just giving a possibly desperate post to try and resurrect this thread. It was one of my favorites and I hope people will be able to see this one if they haven't before!(Note: I miss hearing the journeys and quips these "people" have been on. For example. I miss M's talkative mice. Here's hoping I hear their exploits again someday... ) :)
Surprise! For any eagle-eyed members you might have noticed a tiny change here. I changed the folder of this thread over from Games to Brainstormin' Help.Why? At least 2 reasons:
1. It seems more like something that may help your characters "grow" more (it sure helped mine!) by conversating with them and figuring them out more.
2. It was tough for me to keep finding this thread as it's one of my personal favorites.
Sorry that second one sounds a little selfish. Oh well, lol!
Me: Wow...
Det. Mallard: What is it?
Me: I just noticed that (I look over to him). Wait, what are you doing at my house?! Sorry for being a little rude but you scared me.
Det. Mallard: Me? Oh, I was off from work and I don't know what to do with myself. Just was wondering what you were doing.
Me: Oh okay. Anyway I was just surprised that I really haven't been on here in a while. I was looking at Word Association in this writing group here with some time to spare and it said that I missed a thousand messages! One thousand fifty to be exact.
Det. Mallard: (Sarcastic) Interesting. Well I guess it's time I should go off now.
Me: Already? Didn't you just get here? If you stay I have a case for you...
Det. Mallard: What is it?
Me: Can you find my lost sock? I haven't found it in ages!
Det. Mallard: Bothered over a lost sock? I guess both of us have nothing to do on their time off it seems. I've gotta go...