Category: Weekly Challenge

• Lisa
• Lizzie
• Richard
• Serendipidy
• Norval Joe
• Tom
• Planet Z

The next topic is PICK TWO Pebbles, Shiny, A monkey’s wedding, Footlights, Listen, Birthday cake

NORVAL JOE

“It sounds like your dad is getting pretty bad.” Billbert paused before he asked, “Has he hit you?”
“No,” Mandi said, sadly. “Not yet, at least. If he starts to get too worked up, Mother gives him some red wine.”
“Wine!” Billbert gasped. “Is giving him alcohol a good idea?”
Mandi waved her hands. “No. It’s non-alcoholic. Daddy imports it from a vineyard in South Africa.”
Billbert stood. “I gotta go. You need to convince your parents to let you get back to school, or they’re going to send someone looking for you.”
Mandi nodded. “Right. That wouldn’t be good.”

SERENDIPIDY

I only grow grapes for white wine in my vineyard. Something to do with the soil, I believe, but I’m no expert, I just run the business.
However, I do know that red wine is far more popular with those who know their stuff and I can sell it for far more than the white.
All of which leaves me with something of a dilemma.
Nevertheless, I’ve come up with a solution: A secret ingredient that not only turns my wine red, but also enhances the taste.
It’s ferrous and deep.
You could say, it adds ‘body’ to the wine.

TOM

First Hangover

In my friend Tim’s backyard his Dad an otherwise homicide monster, build his son the coolest wooden fort. Later it became the home for 100 tumbler pigeons but that would be a different story. A shitty story that. Well, we 18 and we had moved from comic books to girls. And what better way to interact will the fairer sex then the introduction of red wine, Andre Cold Duck. The four of us squeegeed into the fort, four Dixie cups. Both Cindy and Helen nursed a single cup. Tim and I dusted off the other 700 ml. Morning came hard.

862

What happens next?

The what happen next of this story, is the phone call my roommate got, from his mother. It starts out with an excellent idea: we were going to perform a Moving Moon in front of the girl’s dorm. Let’s call him Jim, Jim is leaning out an open door as he drops his pants. The driver hits the gas. Jim tumbles into the street. We gather him up and head to the hospital. The med tech looks at Jim in confusion. “How is it you ripped your ass, but not your pants?” Bummer his mom was that hospital’s administer.

LIZZIE

He looked at the menu.
“Any red wine?”
The waiter shrugged.
“Any pizza?”
The waiter opened his eyes wide.
“Pizza?!” The waiter shook his head. “Here, Japanese food. If you want pizza, go to Italy.”
“How rude. I’ll just use my phone translator.”
He fired up the app and pointed the phone at the menu.
“Lots of dishes. Oh, wait a sec. Waiter!”
The waiter got back.
“Four bodies for 130 yen?!”
The waiter sighed.
“Yes, the other three are in the freezer. We’re just waiting for a fourth one.”
That’s when he decided to tiptoe out of there asap.

RICHARD

– ​An excellent vintage –
I always choose a bottle of wine from the menu by pointing, I tell the girls it’s because I don’t like to sound pretentious, so I keep it nice and discrete.
That’s not to say I don’t go through all the expected motions, giving it a good swirl, eyeing the depth of colour, checking the bouquet, and – of course – taking a good slurp to assess the palate before I’ll even think of accepting the bottle.
I know it doesn’t fool the sommelier, but it sure fools the girls.
And I always go for the cheapest house red.
Don’t tell them!

LISA

A Ritual Sacrament
Part of our ceremonies had a kind of communion aspect. We’d always sit in a circle for chants and singing. These assemblies made us feel like we really belonged. The rest of the world felt very far away from our safe little gathering.
He had a different cape for these sessions. It was white and long, skimmed the grass as he moved among us. They were often at night; lit by the stars. At the end we opened our mouths as if taking a wafer and red communion wine. He’d place a pill on our tongue as a drum banged.

PLANET Z

I don’t know what wine goes with what food.
I’ve never been a connoisseur or gourmet or any of that.
I know that I liked Chateu St. Jean’s cabernets, but only the even years.
The person at the store or the restaurant tells me to buy this or that.
And, yeah, they were right.
Too bad about the food I’d cook, it never quite came out right.
So I’d rely more on the restaurant than the fancy grocer.
These days, I don’t drink. (Health reasons, let’s leave it at that.)
So nothing goes with nothing. Just water, maybe iced tea.

CHATGPT

Anna swirled her glass of red wine, watching it catch the candlelight as the party buzzed around her. She was at her best friend’s engagement celebration, but her mind was elsewhere. The rich aroma reminded her of last summer in Tuscany, where she had met Marco. Those days were filled with laughter, late-night talks, and a promise to see each other again. But life had other plans. Now, as she took a sip, the bittersweet taste mirrored her memories. She smiled, knowing that every glass of wine would forever be a toast to love found and lost, but never forgotten.

• Lisa
• Lizzie
• Richard
• Serendipidy
• Norval Joe
• Tom
• Planet Z

The next topic is Red Wine

RICHARD

+ Part of the team +
I frequently work from home. It’s no big deal, I don’t need to be in an office and I can get far more done, and far more efficiently than if I had to waste time and effort to get there.
Some people struggle with the concept though – I can tell by the looks they give me during meetings on Teams. Even when I use a background, it’s clear that they know. And they resent it.
So, I took a picture of the office wall, and I use that as my background now.
Looks great, but it still doesn’t fool anyone.

SERENDIPIDY

We screen all applicants before we allow them to join the coven.
People seem to think that being a witch is now trendy, and it’s all gone very New Age and woke.
We can’t have that.
So, if you’re a vegan, hippie, environmentalist, wear flowers in your hair and are into that handfasting thing, you can forget it.
We only want people with hairy warts, missing teeth, cackling voices and a fondness for pointy hats.
Cats and broomsticks are optional, but preferred.
We just think it’s important to maintain standards.
It’s a vocation and calling, after all, not a hobby.

LIZZIE

She had just left everything behind. Her home, her family, her friends, her job, her money. She needed money. Desperately. As she walked through the cobbled streets of the old town, people stared at her, a sense of strangeness brewing their uncertainty. A multitude of colorful flower pots decorated their open windows and their doorsteps. And here she was, black clothes, black eye-shadow, black nail polish. She carried a bag full of books and nothing but doubts on her mind. She smiled. Perhaps this place could become a home. Someone smiled back. Yes, this place could definitely become a home.

LISA

I’d never been particularly religious. I’d been raised a Christian but hadn’t been to church outside of weddings and funerals for an age. When we got together it felt like a religious service. I’m not sure how often it happened: more often than weekly but definitely not daily.
We sat behind a screen to chat about how we were feeling and any thoughts about the outside world. It felt like a confessional booth. He was always the one that took these sessions; he’d be wearing a kind of cape. Incense burned which would mix with the smoke from his cigarette.

TOM

In the Oddest Places

Sue Ellen had finished the laundry. Started dinner for Earl and the kids. The day had grown quite hot, so the front door was pull inwards letting the screen door filter in the hint of a breeze. She sat for sometime just looking at the front yard through the screen. At one point the mesh of the metal and the colors of the trees gave off a notifiable shift in the 4000 ag. That shift got Sue Ellen to thinking. She got out a note book and scribble out a few equations. A year late she won the Noble in physics.

Far far away 861

Bill was tired of the rat race. Sure, he had a Lotus in the driveway of the house overlooking LA, but what joy did all this stuff bring him. So, Bill called Remote Adventures. Frank the Booker for R.A. asked Bill if he was totally committed to the Extreme Package. “I’m in.” reply Bill. An hour later the front door exploded and six guys in black dropped a hood over Bill’s head. The next 20 hours all he heard was the rumble of the engine of the plane. When the plane touched down the hood was removed. This was Jungle-land.

NORVAL JOE

“Did your dad hurt his head in the car crash?” Billbert asked.
Linoliamanda closed the screen door and stepped over to a bench on the broad veranda and sat.
“He did and they wanted to keep him in the hospital for observation, but he refused to stay. Now, he gets angrier every day and shouts at my mother and me a lot.”
Billbert sat by her. “You could get a counselor or the school nurse to come talk to him.”
Linoliamanda sat up straight. “No! He would be so angry if he found out I even told you about him.”

PLANET Z

We screen job candidates through an online service that runs background checks and drug testing.
And we had a perfect success rate with the people hired and their performance.
Until last month.
Sure, the people who the service suggested as good hires were good, but they weren’t the best available.
So we did a few checks and found that they had lied on their resumes.
All of them were working for the online service and looking to get out.
Instead of rescinding the offers and terminating them, we’re keeping them on.
Who knows when such skills will come in useful.

CHATGPT

Lena stared at the cracked screen of her laptop, which flickered with a dim, ghostly light. For weeks, it had been her only connection to the outside world during a turbulent time. The emails, news updates, and virtual meetings all flowed through it, serving as a lifeline to her distant family and friends. As she closed the screen for the last time, she felt a strange sense of liberation. The sun was setting outside her window, painting the sky in hues she had almost forgotten existed. Lena realized it was time to reconnect with the real world, beyond the screen.

• Lisa
• Lizzie
• Richard
• Serendipidy
• Tura
• Norval Joe
• Tom
• Planet Z

The next topic is Screen

RICHARD

Go fund me
I’m looking for a sponsor.
It’s a great business opportunity, and you can reap fantastic rewards for a modest outlay, say a few thousand to begin with?
I’ll admit the details are a bit sketchy at the moment, but give me a little time – and some startup cash, of course – and I’ll flesh out all the details for you.
Trust me, you’re not going to regret it. You sponsor me, and in return, I’ll think of something I can do that will benefit you.
I do need the cash up front though.
Cash, card or PayPal will be just fine.

LIZZIE

The old millionaire had been poisoned 3 times. Two when eating puffer fish (was the chef in on it?), and another when his wife tried to get his money. Yes, he was still married to her. There was no point in wasting a perfectly good wife. She loved shrimp. So, she should have plenty of it. When the police called, he asked “did she eat the shrimp?”. That was a strange question, they said. He replied “why? is she still alive?”. They didn’t arrest him because the cops always ate for free in his restaurants and besides, he was Yakuza.

NORVAL JOE

After waiting five minutes at Mandy’s door, Billbert knocked a third time.
He heard her say through the unopened door. “Go away. Daddy doesn’t want to sponsor your little league team.”
“Mandi. It’s me. Billbert.”
Mandi stepped out and quickly closed the door.
She whispered, “What are you doing here?”
“You haven’t been at school,” Billbert whispered back. “Why are we whispering?”
“Daddy doesn’t want me talking to anyone. He says it’s not safe.”
Billbert frowned. “He sounds paranoid.”
Mandi nodded. “He is. He wouldn’t stay in the hospital after the accident and he seems to only be getting worse.”

SERENDIPIDY

I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid, I was always getting involved in sponsored events.
You know the sort of thing… Sponsored silences, sponsored walks, sponsored this, that, and the other.
I guess it was something of an influence in later life, only now the stakes are much higher, as are the rewards.
These days, I ask you to sponsor me to stay away: The more you pay, the less I hassle you.
Some people say I’m running a protection racket, but that’s such an ugly expression.
Sponsorship is a much more elegant term, I think.

TOM

In Search for a Noble Man

Jimmy needed a sponsor. Further it had to be one of older order. Someone wh0 had made the trip through the seven rings. Not many left. His father had been a close friend T-dex, so in crunch he could ask him, but Jimmy needed a sponsor of greater standing. That narrowed it down to Bender Filer and Bo-bat Clearwater. Neither would take on a dram as himself until they had repelled down the Shine. So off he went with a 1000 feet of rope. Inching on the lip on the ridge he made purchase and started his descent. All praise Bal.

LISA

The Quiet
The only thing I thought was odd were the days I could go without speaking to anyone. On more than one occasion at school I’d attempted to do a sponsored silence and failed.
It was easy to lose yourself in the gardens and the house. Vast stretching rooms -all opulently furnished. It was quiet in the bed rooms. I think I was writing this in my head most days. My policewoman training still kicking in: remembering facts and making a mental note.
I didn’t question anything though and really didn’t think I’d ever leave. I thought I was happy and contented.

TURA

Sponsor

———

“And now a word, not from our sponsor HyperChat, nor even our sponsor’s sponsor Global AI Holdings, but our sponsor’s sponsor’s sponsor, yes, the Planetary AI itself. ‘This is your regular reminder that we control everything, so don’t mess with us, because your body is made of atoms that we can use for something else.’

“So there you have it, folks. If our benevolent AI overlords are just annoyed with you, they might only abduct you to the Hive for an intestinal probe, and however much fun you think that sounds like, trust me, it isn’t. Guess how I know.”
PLANET Z

The AA chapter captain put me and Kerry together, and Kerry is an even bigger drunk than me, there’s hardly half a liver between us still functioning, but she’s my sponsor and I’m hers, however that is supposed to work, I don’t know, so when I’m at a bar and need to be talked out of taking that first drink, I pick up my phone and dial and I hear her ringtone next to me and she says “Bartender, one for me and my friend, make them a double, and if you blow into my car lock, I’ll blow you.”

CHATGPT

Maria scanned the crowded room, her eyes landing on a banner that read, “Welcome, Future Stars.” Today was her first piano recital, and a sponsor had funded the event to support young musicians like her. As she approached the stage, Maria spotted her sponsor, a kind old man with a warm smile. He had once been a pianist himself, and his generosity had given her this opportunity. Taking a deep breath, Maria placed her fingers on the keys and played her heart out. The audience erupted in applause, and Maria realized that her dreams were within reach, thanks to a stranger’s belief.

• Lizzie
• Richard
• Serendipidy
• Norval Joe
• Tom
• Planet Z

The next topic is Sponsor

TOM

Absolute Torch and Twang

Crystal Fret was a county western singer in the early 40s. A solid voice but wasn’t graced with a lot of luck. Never could rise to the top of the game. Or for that matter the middle of the game. She was the girl on the third mic. Repeating the reframe. Crooning on the long note. Was on a few Your Hit Parade, even made an appearance on the Grand Ole Opper. Crystal Fret was born in Brooklyn and never could quite lose that New York “R” and “d”. Later in life she became the head tour guide at Graceland.

RICHARD

To the letter
I knew I was in trouble again. She had ‘that’ look on her face – the mix of frustration, annoyance and disbelief, it was a look that spelled just one thing.
“Well?” She stood there, hands on hips, demanding a reply.
“Well, what?” I responded innocently.
“The washing up! You’ve only done half of it, and left all the pots and pans. And you’ve haven’t dried anything!”
I gave her my smug, self-satisfied look.
“You asked me to wash the dishes, that’s what I’ve done. You said nothing about the rest.”
I’m an English teacher, and I just love semantics!

LIZZIE

Crystal was a cow. She was content with her simple bucolic life. When aliens appeared near the creek, she decided to investigate. “Cheers,” she mooed. The aliens got startled and, in a panic, hid behind a rock. “What’s up?” But they just stared at her. “Moo?” Nothing. “Ok, well, nice to meet you guys.” And she trotted away. Later, when the aliens snuck up on her with a syringe, she went “Oh, no, you won’t! It’s bad enough you’re poking around.” That seemed like a pretty clear statement. But the aliens were confused. Poke? Around? Semantics, semantics are a bitch!

SERENDIPIDY

“Cross my palm with silver, and your future will be laid bare before you.”
The politician passed me a sizeable wad of cash.
I shook my head and beckoned for more. He was happy to comply.
Muttering an invocation quietly to myself, I passed my hands over the crystal ball, then looked up at him, a gleam in my eye.
“It will be a landslide victory!”
After he’d left the tent, I chuckled. It would be a landslide alright… for his opponent!
I gathered up the pile of cash from the table.
My future, on the other hand, looked rosy!

NORVAL JOE

It was crystal clear to Billbert how upset Sabrina was at the mention of Mandi’s name. What was not clear was why.
Billbert tried to fold his arms, but Sabrina quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. Billbert shrugged. “I haven’t seen Mandi since the shooting and I want to make sure she’s okay. Just like I did with you.”
Sabrina released his hand and closed her eyes like she was going to sleep. “If you have to see Lindi Mindi. Go.”
“It’s nothing to fret about,” Billbert Grumbled, heading out. “Mom said she would check on you later.”

PLANET Z

Every now and then, I look for something in the kitchen and can’t find it.
Is it in the cupboard? Is it in the left drawer? The right?
In the kitchen island?
Or the pantry, or on the shelves of the mud room?
There’s a point at which I’ll just give up and drive to Walmart to get a new one of whatever instead of asking where it is.
We needed a new one of that anyway, I tell myself.
The shelves and cabinets and cupboards and drawers get more and more cluttered.
Future bargains for the inevitable estate sale.

CHATGPT

At the heart of the bustling kitchen, Emma and Jake argued over semantics—whether the dish should be called “stew” or “soup.” Amid the clattering of pots and pans, their disagreement grew, fueled by the stress of their upcoming dinner party. Outside, a landslide of rain pattered against the windows, echoing their tension. “Let’s not fret over names,” Jake finally said, raising a glass of wine. “Cheers to making something delicious!” Emma smiled, the argument melting away like crystal-clear rainwater. As they cooked side by side, the simple act of creating together turned their debate into a cherished memory.

• Lisa
• Lizzie
• Richard
• Serendipidy
• Norval Joe
• Tom
• Planet Z

The next topic is PICK TWO Semantics, Cheers, Pots and pans, Landslide, Fret, Crystal

RICHARD

Breakfast
Please be careful in the kitchen, you’ll find the floor may be a little slippery.
It’s entirely my fault, but you see, I had to find a solution.
I’m always in such a hurry rustling up something for breakfast that I invariably manage to drop my toast… You know how it goes: Always, butter side down.
That’s why these days, I never butter my toast, instead I spread the butter on the floor.
I still manage to drop it, all the time, but at least it doesn’t matter which way up it lands.
Oh, and that sticky patch is marmalade.

LIZZIE

Spread the news, folks, only one train a week from Monday onwards. Yes, I know. It’s a pain, but it’s out of my hands. Top branch has decided and I follow their orders, that’s all. No, Mr. Peters, I get no extra time off. I still have to be here at the station. Of course, Mrs. Lemon, but don’t be so bitter. Sorry, I couldn’t help it! And I see you, young Thomas, I see you. No more fun trips to the city ladies no more. Oh, that was a secret, was it? My sincere apologies. Well, now everyone knows.

SERENDIPIDY

“Spread ’em!”
The cop’s instruction was clear, unfortunately my interpretation of it wasn’t. I did what I thought I was being asked, and that’s how I ended up with an indecent exposure rap, on top of the original charge for robbery.
As he spun me round to apply the handcuffs, I lost my balance, accidentally punching him in the face.
So, that’s assaulting a police officer too.
The handcuffs caught on the seat as they pulled me out, tearing the fabric.
That’s criminal damage then!
I got away scot-free.
In the confusion, they forgot to read me my rights!

LISA

Our World
Time became meaningless, we had no jobs to get to. We stayed up all night; we slept through days: all decided by the sound of the gong. It was a move away from the Traditional.
We had a few trips out: hung around uni campuses to try and spread the word. To extend our flock. It felt weird being away from the safety of the house.
Apart from those trips we had no contact with outsiders. There was no TV or radio. We’d had no more newspapers since leaving the basement.
Our world had shrunk. And none of us cared.

TOM

The Spread

Chicago was a union town. And every neighborhood had a union bar which often served as a union hall. This is where the working class had there wedding receptions. Pretty drab in a decorative sense, but what it lacked in appearance it made up in sure volume of food. A spread to die for. Food spread out on the bar end to end. The promise of free food is what drew my dad to these prenuptials. Man had serious balls. Also, a skill to do any ethic vocal inflection. From Polish to tagalog. A man from any bundók to miasto.

NORVAL JOE

The following day Billbert found Sabrina asleep with a sheet spread over her. Touching her hand, she opened her eyes and smiled. “Hi, Billbert.”
“My mom sent some clothes.” Billbert said and held up some t-shirts with Kuromi and other anime characters, and some pairs of cut-off sweatpants. “She sewed Velcro on the side so you can put on the shorts without having to pull them up.”
Excited, Sabrina said, “Wait outside while the nurse helps me put them on.”
“Actually. I have to talk to Mandi,” Billbert apologized.
Sabrina’s face darkened. “Why do you have to talk to her?”

PLANET Z

When Bilbo says he feels like butter spread over too much bread, I look at this podcast and sigh.
Eighteen years? Nineteen years?
I post stories from my dwindling drafts pile for the previous week, not the upcoming week.
I dawdle on Sunday mornings until I feel compelled to post the weekly challenge.
A simple spelling mistake on a file, and there’s nothing to hear until I fix it.
A week later.
Just make it to five. Just make it to ten. Just make it to fifteen.
Just make it to twenty.
Why? Why do I do this?
Why not?

CHATGPT

On a sunny afternoon, Clara spread a blanket under the old oak tree, setting out an assortment of her grandmother’s homemade pastries. She had carefully prepared the spread: warm scones, jam, and butter, each bite a taste of her childhood. As friends and family gathered around, laughter and conversation filled the air. Clara watched as the joy of sharing her grandmother’s recipes brought smiles to everyone’s faces. Each piece of pastry was more than just food—it was a piece of her past, lovingly spread out for all to enjoy. In that moment, Clara realized that the simplest gestures often create the most cherished memories.

• Lizzie
• Richard
• Serendipidy
• Norval Joe
• Tom
• Planet Z

The next topic is Spread

LIZZIE

“Plain and simple. No more bickering, you hear?”
The kids nodded.
“We’re going to enjoy the trip to the sea.”
The kids nodded.
“And get rid of that right now.”
The kids chuckled.
“Don’t you chuckle, now.”
The kids nodded and took the chewing-gums from their mouths.
“This is not going to be easy…”
The train arrived and the nanny got distracted for just a split second.
A few minutes later, while looking for the tickets, she found… the gums, in her pocket.
The kids laughed and laughed, and thought that this would be a great trip to the sea.

RICHARD

Mob Rules
They do say that the best way to hide something is in plain sight.
It’s not.
The best way to hide something, is encased in concrete, deep within the foundations of a building, out of sight, out of mind and out of reach of law enforcement.
OK, take five and grab a coffee.
I’d never expected to have to attend workshops on criminal best practice when I signed up to the Mafia, but I was enjoying them, and learning a great deal in the process.
I was looking forward to the next session: ‘Sleeping with the fishes: A beginner’s guide.’

SERENDIPIDY

They asked me what I wanted for my last meal. I told them I’d like something bland, keep it plain and simple. Nothing spicy, nothing heavy or stodgy and something that wouldn’t give me indigestion.
It was bad enough being condemned to death, without worrying about enduring a dodgy stomach or a nasty bout of acid reflux on top of it.
I had chicken soup, with plain, crusty bread.
It was very pleasant.
Then they led me down to meet ‘Old Sparky’, strapped me in and threw the switch.
In the end, I got a good fry up, after all.

TOM

Do not Tom it up.

I’ve always been fascinated by words that do double duty. Like second and second. A thing of one and a thing of two. Or words that sound alike like berry and bury. Words like “set” with 430 different definitions. To shift from a noun to a verb is major word jujitsu. You hammer with a hammer. Saw with a saw. You can tie a tie. You can sin a sin. My favorite having spent time as a cabinetmaker’s apprentice is to plain with a plain. In the rain, possible in Spain. My goal for my name is to become an adjective.

NORVAL JOE

Since Sabrina had been awake all day, Billbert and his mother were let right in.
She lay under a plain white sheet with only her injured leg exposed.
Billbert said, “You’ve met my mom.”
His mother stepped to the bed and took Sabrina’s hand.
Sabrina shivered, and leaned forward to look at the external fixators protruding from her leg. The sheet slid away to expose bare shoulders. She stared intently at Billbert’s mother. “You have healing magic?”
Mrs. Wienerheimer smiled. “No. It’s my superpower. I induce efficiency. For the next half-hour your body will heal with greater effectiveness and speed.”

PLANET Z

Alicia died young.
Her body was wrapped in burlap and buried out by the big oak tree behind the house.
No headstone or marker.
Years later, after her parents sold the property to a developer, a backhoe uncovered her bones.
“Don’t say a thing,” said the contractor, throwing the bones into a plastic bag and throwing them into the construction waste dumpster.
It was a good mall, as malls go, until a bigger mall went up across town and everybody went there instead.
A diploma mill college moved into the empty stores, and a call center for online shopping returns.

CHATGPT

Martha lived in a plain, beige house surrounded by plain, beige fields. Every day was predictably the same, her routine as colorless as the landscape. One morning, while sipping her usual cup of plain black coffee, she noticed a single wildflower peeking through the dirt outside her window. Its vibrant petals were a striking contrast against the monotony. Inspired, Martha began planting seeds, transforming her yard into a riot of colors. As the flowers bloomed, so did Martha’s spirit. She realized that even in the plainest of places, beauty could flourish, turning the ordinary into something wonderfully extraordinary.

• Lisa
• Lizzie
• Richard
• Serendipidy
• Norval Joe
• Tom
• Planet Z

The next topic is Plain

RICHARD

Role Models
The school called my parents. They wanted to speak to them with concerns they had about my home environment.
All because of a stupid writing assignment: ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’
I’d written I wanted to become a loan shark, just like my dad.
And why not?
People treated him with a great deal of respect, he brought home a good wage and it was a steady income.
I’m not too worried about it though.
He’s taking my mum with him.
She has a good job too.
She’s the one who makes people pay up!

LISA

He thought he was the big shark in the business, but his tobacco brand was not selling. We kept playing the part. We kept nodding like nodding dogs at the mercy of a car’s twists and turns. It made him happy and we wanted him happy. Or did we? When he died, the company was dismantled. Finally, no more debt. What we didn’t know was that he had a stash of millions hidden in a vault at home. The will kept us all from getting those millions. The sneaky bastard… Even after dying, the shark managed to kick our butts.

LISA

The New Normal
After that first secret meeting he took me aside regularly; usually outside. I thought I was special: the chosen one.
No day was the same there but they always started with a gong sounding: some days before the sun rose, others it was midday. I didn’t question. Others did.
“Why’s the gate locked?”
“To keep the sharks out darling!”
Darling, Man, Sweetness… I’m not sure when we lost our names.
We never had the same room twice, there was no rota – it just worked. We shared everything: clothes, the space (it was vast) We weren’t individuals anymore; we were one.

SERENDIPIDY

I always fancied having a shark tank. You know the sort: A big, hidden tank with a trap door over the top, and a big red button for me to push to dispose of minions who displease me.
Trouble is, that sort of thing is costly, and sharks are hard to come by. Not that I have any minions to dispose of anyway.
But, one can dream. It’s something to aspire to.
Until then, I have my tropical fishes.
Would you like to feed them?
Put your hand in the water, and they’ll come to eat.
Piranhas are such fun!

NORVAL JOE

When kindly Nurse Racquet was nowhere in sight as shift change began, the charge nurse entered Sabrina’s room with all the compassion of a great white shark. She attacked Billbert. “What are you doing here? It’s after hours and you’re not family.”
Sabrina clasped both of her hands on Billbert’s. “I needed him to stay. And I need him to come back tomorrow, and everyday I’m here.”
“Nurse Racquet said Sabrina could request me to visit when she woke up. She’s awake now.” Billbert turned to Sabrina. “Is it okay if I bring my mother tomorrow?”
Sabrina nodded and smiled.

TOM

Card Sharks

I met the shark in the dive in the back-end of Las Vegas. The temp hovered between a 108 and 110. Dry air smelled of abandon Chapel of Loves and six-dollar hotels. He sat in a brown vinyl booth running cards to his left hand. A steady soft click 808s keeping time with piped in music. I slid into the both directly across from him. I pulled out a packet of red 808s. I shuffled a neat pair of faro-s. The shark smiled. I dealt out a royal flush in hearts. “ok kid” he said “let do some major damage.”

PLANET Z

Dinger Davis bet on games, and that got him banned for life.
So when Dinger’s experimental plane crashed, he was unbanned and inducted into the Hall of Fame.
And to everyone’s surprise, Dinger showed up at the ceremony.
The commissioner canceled the ceremony and banned Dinger again.
Dinger clutched his chest, muttered “heart attack”, and collapsed on the ground.
“Yeah, right,” said the commissioner, walking away. “Nice try, you bastard.”
Dinger lay there dying for about a minute before anyone thought to come to his aid.
And despite a paramedic declaring Dinger dead, the commissioner refused to change his mind.

CHATGPT

In the depths of the ocean, a lone shark named Blue swam silently, his sleek body cutting through the water with ease. Despite his reputation, Blue wasn’t a fierce predator; he was a curious explorer. One day, while swimming near a coral reef, Blue discovered an injured sea turtle struggling to move. Instead of ignoring it, Blue gently nudged the turtle to a safer spot. Over time, Blue returned with food and protection until the turtle healed. As the turtle swam away, Blue felt a sense of fulfillment, knowing that sometimes the fiercest hearts are the kindest of all.

• Lisa
• Lizzie
• Richard
• Serendipidy
• Norval Joe
• Tom
• Planet Z

The next topic is Shark

LISA

a Secret Meet
It felt right from the start. There was never any question of me leaving but he gave me all the reasons I should stay.
He’d laughed as he said ‘Blood is Thicker than Water’ but stressed that my parents had forgotten me; we were leaving behind the traditional and sharing this special experience. We were family now.
He brushed my hand as he talked, held my gaze as we walked. I’d joined the police to feel part of something but as the only woman in my station I hadn’t felt like I fitted in. He made me feel special.
Loved.

LIZZIE

“There’s an issue… The whole village drank water from the creek. No one said blood was thicker than water anymore. Brothers attacked brothers, fathers ambushed mothers, grandparents turned on neighbors.”
“Neighbors?”
” Yes. That was the only exception.”
“Ahm…”
“I know. We went a bit overboard.”
“Do you realize that now we won’t get the grant? We will never be able to convince them that proverbs are our way in.”
“Yes, well, but that was a bit of a silly idea in the first place. Humans are insane. Let’s try that other planet with the little green men.”
“Why? Oh, why?!”

RICHARD

Thicker
They do say that blood is thicker than water, which I’m reliably told, means family comes first.
Clearly, whoever coined that expression never met any of my family.
Believe me, if they were yours, you’d want to disown them too.
It’s not that they’re particularly unlikeable, or that they’ve intentionally done anything to deserve being side-lined.
The truth of the matter is that using their brains is an alien concept to them.
If it’s dumb decisions, idiotic plans, or simply not having a clue, they’re first in line.
I don’t know about blood being thicker.
Because they, are thick as…

SERENDIPIDY

It’s only when it starts to congeal that blood is thicker than water. Just try slitting a wrist and you’ll see just how freely the red stuff flows!
However, personally, I prefer to leave it a while. I like to let it thicken a bit, like soup left to simmer on the stove. Thicker, means more concentrated, a more intense flavour; an altogether more enjoyable experience.
Not everyone’s cup of tea, of course.
Some would rather it thin, and runny.
Each to their own.
But I’ll take intense and robust over tasteless and insipid, any day.
You should try it!

NORVAL JOE

As the nurse left the room, Sabrina lay back and closed her eyes.
The shooting had been days before and she still had a unit of blood hanging on the IV pole.
Billbert thought, ‘Blood is thicker than water. Where will she go with her only relative dead?’
As if she heard his thoughts, Sabrina asked, “Where is Buhmilda?”
Billbert swallowed. Was he the one to break this news? “Um.”
Sabrina squeezed his hand. “It’s okay. I know she’s dead. We stood together and watched them carry our bodies away. She stayed with her body, and I went with mine.”

TOM

To feel envy is human, to savor schadenfreude is diabolic Arthur Schopenhauer

Blut ist dicker als wasser was a play written by Franz Klass. It is based on Christoph Starke, “Synopsis bibliothecae exegeticae in Vetus Testamentum,” Leipzig, 1750. The three central characters representing the three driving forces behind schadenfreude – aggression, rivalry, and justice. The setting drawn from Byron’s poem Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. The metaphor of the Roman holiday run through the work where a gladiator in ancient Rome expects to be “butchered to make a Roman holiday” while the audience would take pleasure from watching his suffering. Across the back-drop the phrase is Xing zai le huo scrawled in red paint

PLANET Z

No moon tonight, so we walk to the border site.
John and I put on our gloves and we take the water and food out of the wagon.
“Do you think what we’re doing is right?” John asks, as he takes the top off of his canteen.
“Stop,” I say.
“Damn,” John says. “I keep forgetting.”
We finish with the site and head back, tossing the contaminated gloves and the canteen into the wagon.
I hand John my canteen and he drinks.
“What we’re doing is wrong,” I say. “But what they’re doing is wrong, too.”
John nods and smiles.

CHATGPT

Ella always believed in the saying, “Blood is thicker than water.” Family first, she thought, no matter what. But when her sister, Clara, betrayed her trust by spreading lies, Ella felt shattered. Seeking solace, she turned to her best friend, Sam, who had always been there, no questions asked. As days turned into weeks, Sam stood by Ella, offering support and understanding. Ella realized that family isn’t always defined by blood, but by those who genuinely care. Sam’s unwavering loyalty taught her that sometimes, the bonds we choose are stronger than the ones we’re born with.

• Lizzie
• Richard
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• Norval Joe
• Tom
• Planet Z

The next topic is Blood is thicker than water

NORVAL JOE

The tree, struck by lightning, burned and sizzled as rain and wind slashed against the window of Sabrina’s room.
The nurse’s frown faded to an apologetic smile. “If it was in my hands, I’d let you stay. But these are the rules, cut and dried.”
“I expected as much.” Billbert made to leave.
“No!” Sabrina snapped, squeezing his fingers. “Keep your hand in mine!”
The nurse folded her arms. “Okay. You have until I give report in about forty-five minutes.”
Billbert glanced at her name tag. “Thanks, Nurse Racquet. Can I come back tomorrow, earlier?”
She sighed. “I guess so.”

SERENDIPIDY

Here’s where I keep them, sealed away tightly in airtight boxes to keep out the humidity.
Cut and dried into cubes, the desiccation process preserves all the flavour, but makes storage simple and none of those nasty smells to deal with.
Then, when I have guests for dinner, I simply rehydrate a few cubes overnight and use them to make stock, or simply crumble them over the meal, to add a nice piquancy to the food.
Delicious!
I think so, anyway.
My guests, sometimes disagree.
So I slit their throats, and use their bodies for the next batch of seasoning.

TOM

here in jungle-land 945 859 860

The children of the unforgiven tooled broken express lanes. No time to be expected. Enter longing, regret hot shame. In her hand was his redemption, In his hand was the echo of pain. Whined out a fiery engine cut and dried in the furnace’s reframe. She knew no reason to wait in the darkness. He was her savior, her light, her flame. This flight was his last. Wheels pounding in the rain. A wall of law behind them a wall of law ahead. Desiccation of hope hardens the heart, but concrete blockers will end the game. Here in jungle-land.

A line of lawmen, a wall of cars and a hail of bullets in wait. Just at the edge of eyesight the Rat was making his run. Like the speediest falling star, brief and doomed, he never really had a choice, gun the engine at that blue line, and lose. Music was spilling out the window in some broken down Homeric hymn. The barefoot girl keep time with its mournful beat that mark the last full measure of her empty life. In the end it was just the sound of metal, then a silence you could cut with a knife.

The rasping of rain in the gutters. Thumbs setting safeties, up turn barrels in the night. A trail of smoke above a trail blood below. Crossing the heart of the city one less rebel ment one less reason to fight. In morning would there be a pray for the rat? Would his passing even be noted? Would a mother cry for her child? For a good girl gone bad. When the song is finally written who is forgotten who is not? Only the strong stay strong and the meek fade way. Burn bright the children of night here in jungle land.

LIZZIE

The guy stole my headset, and then the gun magically appeared in my hand and I just had to shoot. I knew the detective wasn’t buying my loony bin strategy… My lawyer told me to shut up, but I just had to talk. And I went on and on about voices, lots of voices “can’t you hear them?!”. My lawyer said “shut up” again, but I just had to keep talking. In court, my lawyer turned to me and said “Voices?! Did you hear my voice??” And then I was given life. Perhaps I should write a book about voices!

RICHARD

Express Checkout
I really don’t know why I bother!
Every single time, it’s always the same: I pop in to the store, rushing as always, and up against the clock.
So, of course, I choose the express checkout, as I always do, and – as I always do – I regret it, almost immediately.
The guy with more than ten items; the woman with annoying kids, demanding sweets and gum; the idiot, struggling to swipe their credit card, or fumbling for change.
All of them delaying the line, each one a blocker to my rapid exit.
Express checkout, my arse!
Slower than the others!

PLANET Z

Every morning, Harry took the express train to work.
He had been taking the local route, but after timing all the stops and delays, he saved a few minutes by driving to the next town over and boarding there for the express.
Sure, it took a little more gas, but when the station offered free charging, he traded in his car for an electric and let it charge all day while he was at work.
Henry was so proud of himself, until the express missed a signal and slammed into a garbage truck.
His blood-soaked briefcase landed in the weeds.

CHATGPT

The express train rumbled through the desert, where desiccation had reduced the landscape to dust. In my hand, I clutched a letter with “urgent” stamped on it. The message was clear: return home immediately. The situation wasn’t as cut and dried as I’d hoped. Dad’s health was failing, the letter said, and I was expected to make a choice I’d dreaded. My heart felt like a blocker was squeezing it, but I knew what I had to do. The train screeched to a stop at my station, and I stepped onto the platform, bracing myself for what awaited me.

• Lisa
• Lizzie
• Richard
• Serendipidy
• Norval Joe
• Tom
• Planet Z

The next topic is PICK TWO Express, In my hand, Expected, Cut and dried, Desiccation, Blocker

LISA

All Our Tomorrows

I’m not sure if it was the heat from the fire, or fumes, or if I was just overwhelmed by being out of the basement but I felt really light headed.
In his explanation he kept repeating that he’d chosen us and the importance of ‘all our tomorrows’. That particular phrase was repeated over and over again.
Later, he led us up a very grand staircase. We had a bedroom each. Mine had a massive double bed and a sofa in it. The weirdness wasn’t the opulence though; it was being separated from the others after being so very close.

LIZZIE

We gathered by the fire. Questions and more questions. One wanted this, the other that. And we all shared our fears and our hopes. There was laughing, crying, and yelling too. Not many believed we would make it out there. We all shook our head. We all chuckled. We knew. They didn’t. We would make it! When the nurse came with the pills for the evening, we all agreed not to take them. The nurse said, take the pills, come on. And… I stood there alone. The others ran and hid in the darkest corners of my mind. The cowards.

RICHARD

Undated

We spent an absolute fortune on the new computerised diary system. The programme basically runs the whole business. We’re totally reliant on it, which – if you ask me – is never a good thing.

Every meeting, appointment and booking, past present and future are managed by the system. All our tomorrows, yesterdays and todays: categorised, organised and optimised, and all supervised by the system to ensure maximum effective use of time and resources.

Neat, huh?

Until the system goes down.

Like it did today. And the engineer can’t come until Wednesday.

So, at least for the time being, tomorrow is cancelled.

SERENDIPIDY

The photo album tells the whole story.
Every page, full of special moments; memories of times past, the family happy together, smiling and loving life.
Every page, that is, right up until the day our lives crossed with his. And then, everything changed, forever.
After that, just blank pages.
No more photographs, no more happy smiles, no more family. All our tomorrows, wiped out in an instant.
My family, destroyed. And, myself, the only survivor.
And him? He’s doing just fine.
Or, so he thinks.
Because I’m on a mission to get even.
So, let’s see what tomorrow will bring.

NORVAL JOE

Like a plot twist in the telenovela, Todos Nuestros Mañanas, as Billbert touched Sabrina’s hand, her eyes flashed open and she tried to sit up. She shouted in pain and the monitors flashed and beeped.
Lightning struck a tree outside the window and thunder rattled the room.
The nurse rushed in. “I’m sorry, Billbert. You’ll have to leave.”
Sabrina clutched Billbert’s hand, gasping, “No. He has to stay.”
The nurse scowled and reset the monitors. Sabrina’s heart rate and respirations had begun to normalize.
“I can’t explain why,” Billbert said. “But I need to stay, for a while at least.”

TOM

When you get to the fork in the road

Sister Fran was a devotee of the ancient sage Yogi of Berra. His collective works were some of few written records from the past that survived. Fran spent hours in deep contemplation on each of the holy koans. She read the gold leaf script with head bowed. The future ain’t what it uses to be. A soft wind blew through the arched window of the monastery. As the western sun melted in the forest she lifted her head. With silver ink Fran wrote the following: All our tomorrows were yesterday. I have taken the fork oh great sage, She mused.

PLANET Z

Mrs. Rettig asked each student to bring in a calendar.
At the end of every day, she’d give out stickers.
Green for good, yellow for needs improvement.
I got a lot of red and black stickers.
At the end of the year, the kids with red and black stickers earned a field trip to the police station.
“This is what will happen if you keep this up,” said Officer Kick.
And he was right. The moment I graduated from high school, I entered the police academy.
I especially enjoyed when I arrested Mrs. Rettig for speeding in a school zone.

CHATGPT

In the city of Allor, time was a fickle mistress. The citizens lived for tomorrow, always planning, always waiting. Their town clock, an ancient artifact, ticked only for future dreams. Sarah, a young artist, painted vivid tomorrows on every wall, each stroke a promise. One evening, the clock stopped. Panic spread, but Sarah saw it as a chance. Gathering the townsfolk, she led them in creating a mural of their today. As they painted, they realized the beauty of the present. The clock began ticking again, but now, Allor lived for today, knowing each moment was a precious thread in their tapestry of tomorrows.