Category: Weekly Challenge

Welcome to the Weekly Challenge Number One Hundred And Eighty, where I post a topic and then challenge you to come up with a 100 word story based on that topic.
The topic this week was… was…. um…
It’s Wings!
The excellent theme music is by Guy David.
VOTING

Which were the best stories this week?
	Steven
	Guy
	Cary
	Lynda
	Josh
	Terry
	Norval Joe
	Anima
	TJ
	Justin
	JRadimus
	Planet Z
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Go ahead and listen to them and then vote for your favorites (multiple selections are allowed):

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Steven

“We don’t have penguins,” she IM’d. Her avatar’s tail twitched.
He panned his cam over the alife chickens and turtles covering their
parcel. The virtual eggs filled his inventory.
“The people next to us have penguins,” she continued. “And scripted
flexiwings.”
He rezzed his own wings. “I got these from Yadni’s…”
“I don’t want some freebie crap,” she said, and logged off.
He made his wings stretch and flap. They’d been free,
but with full permissions. With them, he could do anything.
The neighbors watched the wings carry him over their chickens,
turtles, and penguins, heading east, never to return.

Guy David

Dragon soup is our specialty. Trolls and Orcs love them. They come all the way from Orgrimmar to sample out cuisine. I can tell you, some good fights are fought over the seasoning of dragon wings. Our place is a lively establishment. Not a dull moment. You should come around, try our bat wings. You are going to love it. Those wings are spicy. Just take the Darkriver road to the northern tower. You can’t miss it. While you’re at it, could you bring me some vampire blood on the way? It would be great for our Night Elf Gumbo.

Cary

“Hey”
“Hey”
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“I was wondering what those things on your side are.”
“What things? Oh! Not really sure, never noticed them before.”
“Well they look kind of cool. What do they do?”
“Hmmm. Good question. Not really sure, but they are snazzy, aren’t they.”
“Yea. Where do I get some, you reckon?”
“Hey! Where are you going?”
“Seems like down. Well it was nice talking to you. If you find out where I can get a pair of those at, let me know,” as he disappears into a puff of dust.

Lynda

Red Bulls are so good, I drank a hundred of them and I didn’t get wings, but I cleaned my gutters and I didn’t even need a ladder to get to the roof, I just jumped! Then I helped change a tire by totally ripping off the tire, and then I threw the tire, and the tire flew all the way across town to the dump and killed a hobo, but I don’t feel bad about that–I can’t feel anything but pure unadulterated caffeine rushing through my veins, busting up my brain and I think I’m having a heartattack!

Josh

The day i tried to fly, was the day i met God.
“Poor creature,” he said, “did I not give thee sense to know thou art not a winged bird?”
i stared into indescribable eyes and saw everything – comprehending nothing.
“My child, did I not give thee legs to carry thyself across solid earth?”
i marveled at bottomless robes, praying to see what was beyond.
“I am Creator of the Universe, Life, Knowledge. Yet thou art compelled, dissatisfied by what I know not. What could exist that I would not bestow unto thee?
“Lord,” i said “…curiosity.”

Terry

Orville climbed the hill looking for his brother, Wilbur, after leaving their Buffalo bicycle shop.
He was rather excited to see the new wing design they had been perfecting for the past six months.
Today was going to be the grand introduction and they had invited all of their friends and neighbors.
Seeing Wilbur standing in front of a large crown of people, he headed toward him.
As he walked up to Wilbur he asked, “Are the wings ready?”
“Just about” answered Wilbur, “All that’s left is to toss them in the hot sauce and put them in a bowl”

Norval Joe

Steel cables ran side by side, up the eastern slope of Half Dome; poles maintained them at waist level. Jeff stood at the bottom, paralized by fear, and peered up. The other boys were out of site, probably already on top.
They had hiked through the night to watch the sunrise from the top.
“If I had wings, I could fly up there,” he said to the ground.
He grasped the cable with both sweaty hands, placed shaking feet against the granite and began to climb.
As the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, Jeff’s shadow stretched across the summit.

Anima

Eduardo sat in the garden enjoying the last of the September sun. Spring in Rio was simply wonderful! The flowers were starting to bloom – the orchids and the amaryllis, the begonias and hibiscus, the color riot of red and orange and purple were almost too much for the senses.
Silently, a butterfly landed on his knee. Eduardo was able to transfer it to his forefinger, where the spindly insect clung tenaciously. It slowly opened and closed its powder-worn and tattered wings.
“Where do you come from, beautiful thing? Far away, no?”
Meanwhile, in Houston, a tornado was brewing.

TJ

Elmer Popplewood was mesmerized. For the first time, there in the dark, watching “Up,” he saw so clearly what those upgrades to his furnace and the oversized windmill installations to his Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired cantilevered roof extensions had been leading to all along. He’d been creating a flying house!
Some extensive termite activity later he connected the treadmill to the decorative rooftop rotors, and he hit the oil painting of a big red button in his living room that said “LAUNCH!”
At first, nothing happened.
Oh, of course.
He added the liquid hydrogen to the furnace.
And … he flew!

Justin

Gahamut and Raul, demon and angel, fought on a plateau. Viciously struck, Raul fell off the edge. He did not yet have wings.
Robert looked into his Arby’s bag and realized no one had asked if he wanted sauce. Exiting, he glanced at the ‘good service’ bell, leaving it unrung.
Raul’s shoulder blades tingled, but then nothing.
Rick almost rang, but an alert employee said hello first.
The ground grinned at Raul.
Jeremy looked at the annoying alarm. It would ring any second, if he could just…
Wings burst from Raul’s back, his fingertips slid across dirt, then he soared.

JRadimus

The pain was indescribably excruciating. She passed out at least four times during the first seven-hour session, but lost count after that. By the end, she thought she was going to die, but she didn’t. This wasn’t Tabitha’s first tattoo by any stretch, but it was her first enchanted tattoo, and thus, her most complex, expensive and painful, one by far. After thirteen tortuous sessions, it was done. Full-sized angel wings sprawled across her back. And when the moonlight kissed the ink, all the pain was forgotten as she flexed her feathery new outgrowths and took flight.

Planet Z

Welcome to Three Buckets Icehouse.
There’s only one thing on the menu: Bucket of beer and a bucket of wings.
I know, that’s only two buckets.
We used to give out a third bucket for throwing up in, but we eventually figured out what was wrong with the wing recipe that was making everyone sick after a couple of em.
Now, by the time you feel sick, you’re either on your last beer or last wing.
“Where’s the third bucket?” you ask.
The bartender’s pointin’ to the bucket that has TIPS written on it.
Don’t throw up in it.

Welcome to the Weekly Challenge Number One Hundred And Seventy-Nine, where I post a topic and then challenge you to come up with a 100 word story based on that topic.
The topic this week was… was…. um…
It’s Who Knows? and Magic Toaster.!
The excellent theme music is by Guy David.
VOTING

Which were the best stories this week?
	Steven
	TJ
	Norval Joe
	JRadimus
	Lynda
	Jeffrey
	Guy
	Anima
	Justin
	Terry
	Z
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Go ahead and listen to them and then vote for your favorites (multiple selections are allowed):

---

Steven

Bob gapes at the holoscreen. “Sally, have you seen the artificial life sim?”
Sally peers over his shoulder. “What?”
“Up in the sky,” he says.
Above the simulated people walking virtual streets, a blue and red
figure swoops down. It lifts a car over its head, stopping it from
hitting a jaywalking alife boy.
“That one,” Bob continued, “is using a software exploit! It does
things the others can’t!”
“Huh,” Sally said.
Bob’s face was red. “Who could have known about that flaw? Who could
have installed the exploit?”
“I dunno,” Sally said, hiding the install CD behind her back.

TJ

The third rummage sale I visited seemed a little picked over already, but a flash of weathered metal drew me further into the garage. A toaster sat on a workbench looking broken, but I dusted it off with my sleeve. A genie appeared. “For freeing me from toaster. I grant you three wish.” I wished for power, money, fame! Just then, I was zapped by a short in the power cord, fell backward into the cash table, just as someone snapped a vidcap and uploaded it to YouTube. “Who’s that guy?” someone asked as the genie vanished. Shrug. “Who knows?”

Norval Joe

“Yeah, I guess you can call me Jasmine. I’ll call you Aladdin.” She shouted over her shoulder. The rush of wind made it hard to hear and her long black hair whipped his face.
He held her tightly on his lap.
He shouted back, “One thing they don’t point out in the movie is how cold it is flying around on a magic carpet.”
“Who knows,” she said, “press that lever down and it might warm us up.”
“Right. Try it when it’s your turn to fly this thing. Magic toaster or not, it would probably just burn my butt.”

J Radimus

“Whose turn is to load the toaster?”
“It’s mine,” chirped Emma.
Mom handed Emma the slices of bread, which she carefully loaded into the slots. “I hope it’s Eggs ‘Bunny-Duck’ today,” wished Emma, not quite wrapping her tongue around ‘Benedict’.
“No,” interjected Alex, “it’s gonna be chocolate cake!” He always hoped the toaster would return chocolate cake.
“We’ll see in 2 minutes,” Mom sang cheerfully.
The bell dinged, and the children squealed. Mom opened the toaster door, and pulled out … 4 slices of unevenly toasted bread.
“I think the toaster’s … magic, or something. It somehow cooked our bread.”
Beyond all expectation, I just couldn’t get my head around any ideas for the pirate theme. I had something specific in mind from the original, and the change completely through my creative gears out of kilter. The only thing I could think of was to retell the old joke about the captain and his Brown Pants.

Lynda

Life was never the same for Alex after his brother was poisoned by their father. He kept to himself a lot before then, but after his brother began communicating through the toaster, things turned around.
At first he tried to convince himself there was nothing magic about the toaster, he’d been drinking the first time it spoke, maybe he was developing schizophrenia, who knows? Sure, he’d like to do what the toaster told him and throw it in the tub with dad, but it made great toast. Browned evenly, not too burnt. It didn’t even need to be plugged in.

Jeffrey

We have a magic Toaster. Its not like the one in the kidie movies, no our magic toaster does weird things. Last week, it burned images of famous art works in all of our toast. It was cool at first, but it is a little hard to eat when the Mona Lisa is staring back at you.
This week it has been experimenting with geometric patterns. We have been trying to eat our way around the patterned to cut out the shapes, but our mom tells us to quit playing with our food. Who knew it could be this cool.

Guy

The Who sang about a magic bus. The Who Knows sang about a magic toaster. They had a small audience. They struggled, trying to make it, but they never did. For every band that makes it, there are thousands who don’t. There is someone that hears those bends before anyone else, and that’s you – the audience. You can put a musician on the throne, but you can also be the judge, the jury, and sometimes – the executioners. Like many others, The Who Knows never recorded anything and disappeared into oblivion before they could contribute their musical vision to the world.

Anima

“Go ahead, ask a question.”
“This is silly. I’m not going to ask a question.”
“Who knows, maybe you’ll get the answer you want from the toaster… You don’t like my opinion, or Brenda’s or Shellie’s. All you have to do is shake it a bit while you ask your question aloud.”
“Ok already! You’re not going to leave me alone until I ask, are you? Sheesh. Magic Toaster, is this the right hairstyle for me?”
“Now you push the lever down…”
(tick tick tick… clunk)
“What’s it say?”
“Dislodge the burnt toast with a knife for the best results….”

Justin

Has this ever happened to you?
“My toast isn’t toasted the way I like!”
Don’t wake up every morning to toast you don’t love, get the toast you deserve with the Magic Toaster!
Designed in Germany with the best in metaphysical science, this toaster will toast your bread just like you want, every time!
Check this out, the bread goes in these slots and you press this switch, and in just seconds your toast pops out, perfect!
Check this, are you following my camera guy? This toast is golden on both sides. How does it work? Who knows, it magic!

Terry

Dan began the construction by fastening sheets of plywood
together forming a rectangular box,
Tommy, Dan’s little brother asked question after
question as he watched the construction and finally
asked, “What’s it going to be?”
Dan, casually answered as he attached
the final hinge on the door, “Who knows,
maybe a magic toaster”.
“Let me try it!” Tommy yelled.
Dan motioned Tommy inside, closed the door
and knocked three times on it before reopening
it.
Tommy was no longer inside the box!
Quietly, Dan snickered, “well looks like
no more questions tonight, at least I got the magic part right”.

Z

The flea market in Zagreb.
Stjoytch spreads bedsheet on ground, lays the appliances down on it.
This blender. It blends.
This eggbeater. It beats eggs.
This rice cooker. It cooks rice.
He put down silver box. No cord, no buttons.
This magic toaster.
How you get bread in magic toaster with no slots?
How it toast without power?
Stjoytch say who knows? 200 kuna, take it or go.
I buy it.
It sit in kitchen for a year, do nothing.
Maybe I go to flea market, spread bedsheet next to Stjoytch.
But Stjoytch gave bargain. I sell for 250 kuna.

Welcome to the Weekly Challenge Number One Hundred And Seventy-Eight, where I post a topic and then challenge you to come up with a 100 word story based on that topic.
The topic this week was… was…. um…
It’s TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY!
The excellent theme music is by…. The Hit Crew – Pirate Party Music (Guy David did the rest)
VOTING

Which were the stories you liked best?
	Guy David from http://nightguy.guydavid.com
	Lewis from http://dedricmauriac.wordpress.com/
	Lynda from http://sisterpepperspray.blogspot.com/
	Steven from http://ideatrash.net
	Jeffrey from http://GreatHites.blogspot.com
	Anima from http://zabbadabba.com
	Steve
	Mike
	Norval Joe from http://norvalsoutlook.blogspot.com
	Justin from http://www.thespaceturtle.com
	Terry Tee from http://www.terrytee.com/
	TJ from http://tjaman.libsyn.com
	Danny from http://dannymachal.com
	Planet Z
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Go ahead and listen to them and then vote for your favorites (multiple selections are allowed):

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Guy David

Henrietta was celebrating her 92nd birthday when the storm troopers broke
in. “You are under arrest for downloading 1024 songs from Pirate Bay” said
the lead trooper. “But I don’t have a computer” said Henrietta. “Tell it to
the court” said the trooper. “Will you be OK?” asked a concerned guest. “I
will survive, probably” sighed Henrietta, then the storm trooper took her
harmonica, exclaiming “you are not going to get a chance to play your
pirated music.” “Not the harmonica, please, it’s a gift from my dear friend
Philip” begged Henrietta, but they took her away without another word.

Lewis

A ship over the helm bin spyed flying the queens flag.
The cap’n bin orderin I an’ me harties to board the ship.
I bin plunderin the seven seas all me life.
Never did I see a dog be small fer the number o sharp-tongued wenches aboard.
A boxom wench twice shivered me timbers before days end.
Harr, the treasures bin good to me and me mates.
Me harties bin looting the cargo of sugar and spices.
Jim Lad pried one open.
Arrr.
A large chest with no booty.
Tis no one wanted fer tem selves but the capn’s squire.

Lynda

It be a hard life for Capn’ Swallow since the international shanty composers began demandin’ royalties. He near lost his ship after we were caught playin’ Barnacles, Me Hearties without askin’. Askin’ Two-Legged Davy if ye can sing his songs t’ain’t a wise move if ye hope to live another day.
I understand why the captain had to run me through five times afore setting me out to sea. There be sharks circling me leaky dingy lookin’ friendlier than the last face I saw. No matter, I got me parrot, a bottle o’grog, and me harmonica. I’ll survive. Probably.

Steven

Smoke billowed from the ship’s wreckage. Captain Saunders and his
crew baked on the sun blasted island beach. In the near distance, the
pirate ship sailed back out to sea.
“This is a right mess, Cap’n,” his first mate said. He stroked the
grey stubble of his beard. “Those pirates marooned us here, wrecked
our ship, and stole all our cargo!” He stomped his boot in the sand.
“And them pirates was just women!”
Captain Saunders sighed. “They stole more than our cargo, Smitty.”
He touched the ragged hole in his chest and smiled.
“She stole far more than that.”

Jeffrey

“Pirates! Get your pirates here! Hello sir in the market for a
pirate today?”
“Yes, what have you got?”
“Well as the sign says we gots pirates of every kind, We have the
mean kind.”
“Aye!”
“The more gentle kind.”
“Aye.”
“The kind who you don’t want to meet in a back alley.”
“Aye.”
“The Kind who don’t say aye”
“Eye, spell e y e cause that’s…”
“Oh Shut up, and then we have your kind that questions your every
move.”
“Aye?”
“Dumb ones”
“Aye.”
“And our special model today, the ones that can bake.”
“Pie”
“MMM blueberry my favorite.”

Anima

“As you are aware, the last twelve months have been hard on pirating.
On a positive note, jolly good work on trimming back the deadwood from your
departments, although I think Pegleg Willie took fright for a turn there.
However, pillaging must increase by fifteen percent or there will be NO
cruise of the Azores. And wenching will cease until further notice: please
substitute frolicking with trollops, on a limited basis. The goat will still
be available for those who are so inclined.
Lastly: The scurvy dog who fed me parrot laxatives had best not let me learn
his name!”

Steve Y.

The unlicensed sea captain stormed about his similarly unlicensed ship, quite vexed at the latest haul. Not only had the merchant vessel they raided turned out to be a
disguse for larcenous sorts such as themselves, but the cargo they absconded itself
was ersatz. Whole crates of illegally made duplicates of bobbleheads featuring
players of Pittsburgh’s baseball team that were of such poor craftsmanship that
fencing them was an unlikely prospect. Truly, not In all of his years of looting
and pillaging across the seas had he ever expected a day when pirates would pirate
pirated Pirates from other pirates.

Mike P.

Napster. Limewire. Gnutella. BitTorrent. WinMX. The Pirate Bay.
Isohunt. Mininova.
Ninjas still use traditional swords. I suppose there’s something to
be said for that. After all, there’s a foundry in Japan that has been
making swords for centuries, and now they’re the only place in the
world that can make the core of a nuclear reactor in one solid piece.
Pirates used to use swords, too. Then they switched to guns – ‘cause
hey, why not threaten someone more than five feet away? And now…
One of you guys is gonna go extinct. It might be the one who isn’t adapting.

Norval Joe

Red Beard held his cutlass, its razor sharp tip at the hollow of the stranger’s throat. “Ye say ye be a pirate? Where’s your parrot?”
“A pirate don’t need a parrot,” he replied.
Black Beard jabbed his saber into the man’s back. “”Ye say ye be a pirate. Where’s your peg leg?”
“A pirate don’t need a peg leg,” he said.
“Yer eye patch?” Yellow Beard asked.
“Got good eye sight, I do.” He nodded.
“So where’s your booty, scurvy dog?” No Beard asked.
He held up a small black box. “Here it be. 500 gigabytes of music from Napster.

Justin

“What a beautiful sight, to see the exploding starship of Captain Barnabas Clay. Many of Fenton Fleet fell before his blaster pistol and photon missiles. I tried to kick Barnabas off like the flea dog he was. Little by little I stole his fortune, I stole his pride, then I killed his family, yet he persisted. I rigged his ship with explosives and now he will die alone, for everyone knows a captain goes down with his ship.”
“One move and your dead, Fenton. You failed to realize that in space, there is no down where my ship could go.”

Terry Tee

We be sailing two days out of Jamaica
on smooth, wave less seas.
It was a month since our last prize,
the crew was eager for treasure.
We be changing watch, when the lookout
in the crow’s nest spied sails on the port side.
The crew cleared for action happily as we
targeted a plump little ship riding low in the water.
We quickly overhauled the “Santa Pauline”,
had her along side, boarded and over powering
the crew fast.
Crowding the crew on the poop deck,
we ripped the hatches from the hold,
eager to claim our prize and treasure.

TJ

A friend links me to this huge Slovenian choir. Perpetuum Jazzile. They can make it sound like it’s raining. They also make a sound like they’re Toto, singing “Africa” – one of my favorite songs growing up.Wow, that takes me back. I reach to download. But I remember Laurence saying that stealing music is WRONG! So I dutifully head to iTunes to see if I can buy it. I cannot. About a zillion people sing “Africa” who aren’t Toto, however. So I compromise. I buy Toto’s copy, but I load Perpetuum Jazzile’s cover onto my Shuffle, and promote them here. Arrrrr.

Danny

“Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!” Salty Steve cried in pain holding his eye during his shift on the night watch.
A bung had popped out of a barrel and shattered on impact. He looked on in panic as grog spilled out onto the deck and did the only thing he could. That night, the air dropped below freezing temperatures.
Morning.
A knock on Captain’s door.
“Captain! Steve stuck it in the grog sir!”
The wooden door creaks open.
“I reckon any time is right for grog. Steve’s put a cock-valve in it then?” the Captain asked.
“Nay sir, no valve.”

Planet Z

So, you think toiletpapering my trees and egging my car for homecoming is funny?
You earned that F last year, Jimmy. And you’ll get another if you keep this shit up.
But enough about you. Let’s talk about me. And my favorite hobby.
In my spare time, I made ships in bottles.
This one’s a pirate ship. Isn’t it beautiful?
Here’s a Q-tip. Swab the poopdeck.
Do a good job of it, and not one cannon out of place.
No, if you screw up, I won’t make you walk the plank. I’ll just beat you with the tire iron again.

Welcome to the Weekly Challenge Number One Hundred And Seventy-Seven, where I post a topic and then challenge you to come up with a 100 word story based on that topic.
The topic this week was… was…. um…
It’s Peas in a pod.
The excellent theme music is by Guy David
VOTING

Which were the best stories this week?
	Guy David from http://nightguy.guydavid.com/
	Lynda from http://sisterpepperspray.blogspot.com/
	Anima from http://zabbaabba.com/
	Lewis from http://dedricmauriac.wordpress.com
	Danny from http://dannymachal.com/
	JRadimus
	Norval Joe from http://www.norvalsoutlook.blogspot.com/
	TJ from http://tjaman.libsyn.com/
	Justin from http://www.thespaceturtle.com/
	Planet Z
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Go ahead and listen to them and then vote for your favorites (multiple selections are allowed):

---

Guy David

I live in a pod. The smell of peas drives me crazy, but the rent is good. The landlord is reasonably flexible. The living space is a little dense, but I get alone. It’s amazing how spacious a place can seem if you organize the furniture just right. Still, one day I hope to buy my very own carrot. Sure, it’s long and a little thin, but I like the the space better and anyway, green is not really my color. Another reason: if I forget my keys – I can eat my way in. Try doing that with a pod.

Lynda

That airplane flying over reminds me of a nice man I met who was supposed to become the first man to fly to Mars. He had to turn back on account of broken facilities, and was called Pete “Pees In A Pod” Carter from then on.
Me an’ Jenny were like peas in a pod, ‘cept we weren’t green an’ we didn’t grow out of the ground. Well, Jenny’s in the ground now, but it wasn’t like you could serve us with shrimp. I like shrimp. Shrimp’s like peas ’cause you gotta pull the strings out before you eat ’em….

Anima

“We’re having peas – how do you like ‘em? In the pod or shelled?”
“I don’t like peas.”
“Why not – they’re good for you, and see how bright green! These are fresh, not canned. I bet you’ve only ever had canned.”
“NO! I don’t like Peas! Or Eggs or Teas, for that matter. They’re foul in the mouth!”
“Then what do you like?”
“I like vowels. Vowels, Eh- Eee! Aye! Oh! Eww!, and sometimes Why? These fill the soul with expression. Much better than peas. Peas just fill the mouth. You can have my share.”
“Fine, more for me (freakin’ voweletarian).”

Lewis

The professor guided his android daughter, Sally, into the cloning
machine. He closed the door and turned it on. The machine started
making loud noises until it came to a complete stop. Sally stepped out
of the machine. Than, Sally stepped out of it again. The two girls
were like peas in a pod. He couldn’t tell one from the other. The two
girls looked at each other, and then looked at the professor. The
giggled and then pushed him into the machine and ran it in reverse.
The professor came out, only half the man he used to be.

Danny

The Starship Peaseria sat in dead-space for forty hours under a constant barrage of high intensity laser bursts from the Admiral’s large freighter. Their engines burned up on the last light jump. Now all power was being directed to their shields while they plotted an escape.
The Admiral’s orders were to not destroy the Peaseria but they would not be taken, and time was precious. So he ordered the use of the microwave cannon to cook the crew inside and followed up with an accelerated particle ray to vaporize the ship.
Two crew members in an escape pod got out.

JRadimus

Penelope and her sisters were roused from their sleep by the golden-green light filtering through their pod wall.
“M-morr-ning,” she yawned. She got the usual grumbles and murmurs in reply. The others didn’t like mornings as much as Penelope.
As the familiar sounds of machinery starting up for the day reached them, they heard the giants moving through the rows of pod plants around them, and shadows crisscrossed their view.
Something wasn’t right, though; suddenly, she remembered: “It’s Harvest Day!” she screamed. A hand’s shadow slid over the pod, blocking the light, and their pod was torn from its stem.

Norval Joe

The starship was rocked repeatedly by wave after wave of EM pulse bombs from the alien armada.
The klaxon boomed the “whang, whang, whang” sound of abandon ship.
Emergency lights along the passage directed the personnel to the evacuation bay.
All six seats were filled and the small, round, self contained, escape vehicle burst from within the mother ship and began to warp to the closest hospitable planet.
Lieutenant Parker spoke into his transmitter, “for the record. ID check. Phillips?”
“Present, sir.”
“Peterson?”
“Here.”
“Pollard?”
“Here, sir.”
“Pratchett?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Peacock?”
“Yup.”
Parker said, “Escape Pod 3412 full and ejected.”

TJ

Keystrokes clicked, pop music played, and in the shade of a lakeside willow, the late afternoon sun dappled Kaylynn’s laptop monitor as she composed a Sweet 16 “thank you” e-mail to her Aunt Viv. She watched as Paul, a boy in her class, ran along the beach with his dog, and as couples lounged together on beach blankets. Alone. Just then a stray blue Frisbee floated into view, narrowly missing her. Douglas, another classmate, ran up to see if she was OK. She was, but was so distracted she hit “send,” without spellchecking, thanking her aunt for the new iPPod.

Justin

This haul of ore would bring me back into the black, if I could survive the trip back to the space station. I cursed as my radar lit with red. Alarms blared as incoming fire assaulted my ship. Bits of my hauler blew apart around me. Soon I found myself floating in my escape pod. I briefly had a moment wondering how up to date my clone was when a beam of light shot towards me. I expected to become a frozen corpse, but the sadistic pirate hadn’t aimed to kill me. Instead, his sharpshooting destroyed the pod’s toilet system.

Planet Z

The hawthorn has beautiful flowers in the spring and brown peapods in the fall.
They rattle when you shake them.
Year-round, large sharp curved spikes.
“Be careful,” says my mother.
Our first spring, I reach for a flower, and my hand it comes away bleeding, scratched by a thorn.
Our first summer, filling the bird feeder and then watching the squirrels empty it.
Our first fall, the dog eats some of the fallen pods. Vomits. A lot.
Our first winter, we mostly stayed inside. It was too damn cold.
A snowman, tied to the trunk, blindfolded.
Ready. Aim. Fire.

Welcome to the Weekly Challenge Number One Hundred And Seventy-Six, where I post a topic and then challenge you to come up with a 100 word story based on that topic.
The topic this week was… was…. um…
It’s On the line.
The excellent theme music is by Guy David
VOTING

Which were your favorite stories this week?
	Justin from http://www.thespaceturtle.com
	Norval Joe from http://www.norvalsoutlook.blogspot.com
	TJ from http://tjaman.libsyn.com
	Guy David from http://nightguy.guydavid.com
	Anima from http://zabbadabba.com
	Lynda from http://sisterpepperspray.blogspot.com/
	Planet Z
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Go ahead and listen to them and then vote for your favorites (multiple selections are allowed):

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Justin

Steve’s entire research grant hung on a thin line. The slightest failure would topple it over and ruin his chance at research. The music industry would revolutionize marketing if it had a way to quantify a bands target market. His first test was to see if his apparatus would indeed measure a certain quality of a specific musical genre. In the back of a hole in the wall he attended a show of the emo punk band Razor Winged Butterfly Kisses. With the needle deep in the red, he discovered that he could indeed measure a band’s anguish in angstroms.

Norval Joe

“You’re gonna let me win.” Ed threatened the five other boys.
Each put a toe on the line and waited.
“Bang.”
Ed sprinted forward. Tim knew the bigger boy would soon fade.
Halfway around the quarter mile track Ed slowed. Tim moved to pass. Ed’s elbow to his nose put him back in place.
On the final stretch Tim went wide with a burst of speed. Blood ran freely from his nose. He shot past Ed to the finish line.
No one cheered or patted him on the back
PE was over. It was back to the classroom for math.

TJ

One definition of insanity is doing a thing repeatedly, expecting different results. As Carl fled the auditorium, pursued by bloodthirsty mob, it seemed insanity as well to perform the same act to the approval of one audience and the inflamed outrage of another. Their applause thundered on the line “Couple it with something – make it a word and a blow” as Mercutio in “R&J.” Less so in an increasingly awkward swordfight in “Hamlet.” And while his wife seemed to approve at home, the reaction was markedly different upon his delivery of them in comic breakaway doublet. Shakespeare for Kids indeed.

Guy David

“Enil enohp eht, Enil eht no” said the inscription. “What does it mean?” asked Suzy. The archeologist raised his glasses to his forehead and said “it’s in some long forgotten tongue.” He looked at it again, turning the strange writing this way and that. Suzy took a peek over his shoulder. The scribbling began to turn and move. It glowed slightly, then rearranged itself. The inscription now said “Sorry, but we’re not in right now. If you care to scribble a message we’ll be sure to get back to you as soon as possible.” “Some things never change” said Suzy.

Anima

Malicious little imp.
You stand, teetering on the brink of innocence, a smile curling your lips. However, the evil glint in your eye belies your true nature. You raise your right leg, left toes on the line, ready to hopscotch me into a nervous breakdown. Will it be now? Or now? Or now?
I hear my own mother – “Just wait ‘til you have kids of your own, – you’ll see.” I should have listened.
The bandages have hardly been off a week… Why must you and your faerie friends sing that song?
Step on a crack, break your mother’s back…

Lynda

Look at them down there fiddling with their shiny things–totally not real blackberries, by the way. Harvey chipped his beak on one of those things in April and he hasn’t been the same since.
They think they’re tweeting? They don’t know the first thing about tweeting! When we sit up here on the line, we’re one with the whole world, able to send out the alarm for worm sightings or where to get bread with one sound.
Well, here comes what you get for not looking up and admiring the bird over your head!
HA! I just pooped.

Planet Z

I called the operator and asked for help.
“It’s an emergency,” I said.
She said “Please stay on the line while I connect you” but it sounded like “Please stay on the lion.”
I looked around for a lion.
None nearby.
I pondered hanging up and calling someone to ask where the nearest lion is, but I didn’t know who to call to ask about lions.
“One moment please” said the operator, and then, after a brief series of clicks, I heard the unmistakable roar of a lion.
I hung up the phone.
Good.
Now the damn movie can start.

Welcome to the Weekly Challenge Number One Hundred And Seventy-Five, where I post a topic and then challenge you to come up with a 100 word story based on that topic.
The topic this week was… was…. um…
It’s A Full Set.
The excellent theme music is by Guy David
VOTING

Which were the best stories of the week?
	Lynda from http://sisterpepperspray.blogspot.com/
	J Radimus
	Danny from http://dannymachal.com
	Erin from http://www.connected2christ.com
	Norval Joe from http://www.norvalsoutlook.blogspot.com
	Justin from http://www.thespaceturtle.com
	JDavidBozdin
	Anima from http://zabbadabba.com
	Guy David from http://www.guydavid.com
	TJ from http://tjaman.libsyn.com
	Planet X from http://planetxpodcast.com
	Planet Z
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Go ahead and listen to them and then vote for your favorites (multiple selections are allowed):

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Lynda

Call me obsessed, but my completionist mentality has served me well. I put myself through school by selling my comic book collection, my original redline Hot Wheels paid for my first real car, my house was paid for with stamps, and the early marketing for my home business was financed by scalping Star Wars figures on the Internet.
I think selling my rookie Babe Ruth card to buy identical implants and veneers for all of my girlfriends was a poor investment, though, because all I got in return was a full set of sexually transmitted diseases. Who would want that?

J Radimus

“His Collection, though impressively sized, was effortlessly collected. Causing a plane crash in adverse weather brought his single-biggest haul. His next specimen was a case of patience over effort. The reckless gunplay could have figured more prominently, but waiting for fried banana sandwiches to do their damage took all the legwork out of it. He gathered most cases by simply waiting for those fatal partners “Depression” and “Drugs” or “Alcohol” to take their toll. He thought his latest specimen was going to be toughest of all. Alas, a lifetime of eccentricity and a skoche of greed played together nicely.”

Danny

Christmas came early for Tommy.
Two front teeth; man Santa rocked the Casbah this year. He had a full set of pearly whites before any of his friends.
On Christmas day, after all the presents were open, a single card remained in the tree.
To Tommy:
We regret to inform you that your federal health plan mandates a recall on your teeth. Times are tough and so is beef jerky to a senior citizen.
From Santa.
The brass bell on top of the tree suddenly came free and fell hard onto Tommy’s mouth ringing loudly.
A president got his wings.

Erin

That pesky door to door sells man was getting on my nerves. Who would have thought buying one book to get rid of him, only encouraged him to keep coming back until he sold the full set. I didn’t have time for this Single and Soap operas that was me, life really didn’t show any signs get any better.The door bell rang. I sighed deeply and went to the door to tell him off for the last time. He smiled and instead of passing me along the usual brochures and cheap gimmicks, a rose and chocolates he had in hand.

Norval Joe

One thing I hate about being a twin is all the questions.
How do people tell you apart? Are you identical? And then there’s always, “Who’s the oldest?”
We’re not sure who was born first.
My parents are compulsive collectors. Whether it’s depression era glass, souvenir thimbles or the latest beanie baby, they are always looking to add to their collections.
One day they stopped at a garage sale and there was a kid there that looked just like me.
You see, originally I was an only child, but my Mom and Dad just had to have the full set.

Justin

“Ok ladies, the time has come for us to go to war! The time to sit around and play bingo and watch daytime television is past. We will take what is ours. We will go to the front lines and we will fight! We will face the enemy and when they rise against us, we will strike them asunder. We will tear down doors and break into the store rooms. We will find objectives and we will take them until none are left! Listen up Grandma’s, the Beanie Baby Happy Meals are coming, and we will collect every single one!

JDavidBozdin

They were grand, ornate; figures of nobility. Alabaster and ebony warriors.
They gazed on her short round body and her red skin deepened with embarrassment and rage.
Why had this power, curse, been bestowed upon her?
She wanted to return to her own, where she was considered equal and their games innocent.
Fate, not choice forced her move and she slid across the patterned floor toward his Majesty.
Leaning into his ear she whispered “Check…mate”, and slid the blade between his ribs.
Regardless of her bloody victory, they all knew a checker made queen, would never make a full set.

Anima

Pam and Jimbo deserve each other. She’s dumb as a box of rocks and he’s mean as a snake. ‘Tween the two of them, they don’t have a full set of teeth.
His idea of fun is to shoot his .45 at the dump. Pam packs snack cakes and lemonade when they go out.
“You got one!”
“Think I got his tail. I was thinkin’, fer yer birthday, whad’ja say to a fur coat?”
“Really?! Can I get a white rabbit one, from Frank’s Fur Market?”
“I’ze thinking grey, to match yer eyes – and I pert near got enough rats!”

Guy David

There was nothing left to do but go on playing. The stage have been set and there was no way out of it. We went bravely through our set, playing one song after the other to the sounds of echoing boos and an endless stream of flying tomatoes and body parts. Somehow, we managed to get through our whole set without a scratch. Later, as we set at our hotel room counting our money, our lead singer said “Never again. Never shell we sing to a crowd of orcs and trolls. From now on, it’s strictly human and elven audiences.”

TJ Aman

The President locked his steely gaze on the Dragon, screeching above the streets of Manhattan, fireballs and explosions in its wake. Taking a deep breath he leapt from Marine One, a length of cable in one hand, the enchanted sword from the capstone of the Washington Monument in the other. With a zzzzing the cable caught beneath the Dragon’s jaw as our nation’s president tightened his grip and plunged the sword home. The fiery beast crashed dead in Central Park. Miraculously, no lives were lost.
Tonight on FOX News, a full set of playground equipment crushed by Obama’s irresponsible show-boating.

Planet X

Dr. Odd observed the monkeys as they sat at the typewriters, replying to all of his fan mail.
Keeping a full set of notes on which was typing the fastest, which had the least amount of errors.
Lynda had already finished her third letter,
Jeffery hardly completed his second,
Justin had pulled the ribbon off his machine and was eating it,
and Guy, well Guy was just sitting there on top of the machine keeping beat to some imaginary music.
This was much more productive than with computers, then they had spent all their time watching porn on the internet.

Planet Z

Hyped as The Perfect Woman by every sports magazine, columnist, and television commentator, Eve the Automation was escorted to center court at Wimbledon, her silver skin shining in the summer sun.
Play.
Each supersonic ace and wicked return blasted past the Williams sister on the other end of the court, resulting in a full 6-0 set.
Before the next humiliating set was complete, the other sister ran from the sidelines and swung her racket at Eve’s head.
A dumb move on her part. Eve’s chassis and programming originated in a DARPA project, and the grass shone with freshly spilled blood.

Welcome to the Weekly Challenge Number One Hundred And Seventy-Four, where I post a topic and then challenge you to come up with a 100 word story based on that topic.
The topic this week was… was…. um…
It’s Over the falls in a barrel.
The excellent theme music is by Guy David
VOTING

Which were the best this week?
	Lynda from http://sisterpepperspray.blogspot.com/
	Josh
	TJ from http://tjaman.libsyn.com
	Guy David from http://www.guydavid.com/
	Jeffrey from http://greathites.blogspot.com
	Danny from http://dannymachal.com/
	Anima from http://zabbadabba.com
	Norval Joe from http://www.norvalsoutlook.blogspot.com/
	Justin from http://www.thespaceturtle.com
	Planet Z
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Go ahead and listen to them and then vote for your favorites (multiple selections are allowed):

---

Lynda

I killed my fifth husband on our wedding night. You know how it is.
To cover it up, I thought I’d take him to Niagara, do the whole traditional over the falls bit. People die doing that all the time.
The hippie by the side of the road guaranteed his magic barrel would change my life. Didn’t tell me it would bring that old bastard back from the dead and keep me from dying when we hit the rocks. The doctor tells me I’ll probably be like this for the rest of my life. My husband visits me every day.

Josh

The power was off, so were our computers. Management was telling us that we can go home, in my mind I’m already gone; paddling through the break, warm saltwater and sparkling sunshine bathing my body. Dolphins leap from the aquamarine and urge me to join them. Throwing our heads back we laugh and click at our good fortunes. Suddenly A dark wave rises and barrels above us enveloping and sucking me over the falls. I surface gasping and see to my horror that someone had harpooned the dolphins ,a shark gnawed my leg and the power was back on.

TJ

One of my favorite short-lived productions ever was Bryan Fuller’s “Wonderfalls,” centered around Niagara Falls souvenir shopgirl Jaye Tyler, a post-grad slacker with an undemanding job and a highly demanding family. There’s a twist of fate regarding a Maid of the Mist who went over the falls to save her tribe with the words “I surrender to destiny.” When inanimate objects – or “muses – begin to talk to her, Jaye finds she too must surrender to destiny to help those around her in her own unique and quirky way. The DVD set brings great closure to some fantastic storytelling in “Wonderfalls.”

Guy David

I should have guessed it was a bad idea to sneak up to a live show in a barrel. First of all, I couldn’t see a thing. What’s worst, my barrel was hanging by a thread and I could feel it slowly snapping to the sound of throbbing guitars. As I fell on Mark E. Smith, I discovered how tough his head really is. After they took both me and the barrel to the emergency room, the live show continued as if nothing happened. I later saw the pictures in the newspaper. I did take The Fall much too seriously.

Jeff

This was nothing new to Jack. He had done crazy things all his life. In the 1920’s he had even gone of the falls in a barrel. But, that was before the world had gone sue crazy. How had his wife put it? “Look I did something stupid, and you didn’t stop me, it is your fault.”
But, this was a new one even for him. He never thought he would do something like this. His right hand still ached some from the book worth of waivers he had to sign to pull this off as he gripped the plunger.

Danny

“…. he crawled in and sealed it up from the inside. I kicked him right into the river like he told me. Right has he went over the falls though, a flying saucer appeared and beamed him up. It was the craziest thing. Never saw Kirby again.”
The grandchildren rolled their eyes.
“They came for me the next night and …. where are you going?”
“Outside to play Grandpa, we are too old for your stories.”
Kickball in the backyard was short lived when the lights appeared in the sky. Grandpa put on his foil hat.

Anima

Go ahead – nail the lid shut!
I sit on the edge of Niagra Falls, getting closed into a wooden barrel. How do these things happen to me? Don’t answer that, I KNOW how they happen. If I live, remind to never EVER play “Truth or Dare” with the Knievel clan again.
I picked “Dare”, because I didn’t want to risk having to tell the truth about which of the show girls I had been sleeping with (none of them). Or worse, that Uncle Evel might ask which of the show horses I fancy… (all of them…). Minor peccadillos ….

Norval

Students milled through the University cafeteria unaware of Andrew sitting alone a table.
He spoke to his food. “Low calorie meals taste ok if you put enough butter on them.”
He watched her approach, balancing a large green salad in one hand, an armload of books in the other.
They both wore the uniform of the perpetual dieter; sweat pants and a loose t-shirt. Though hers were a feminine pink.
“May I eat lunch with you,” she asked?
He looked into her eyes. His heart felt like it went over a waterfall in a barrel.
He fell deeply in love.

Justin

One day boredom had sucked away several hours, so I decided to make a flying barrel. When I finished it, I decided to fly it to the river and go fishing. I dropped my line in the deepest waters. I fooled all the smart fish because I had no boat. I caught a huge fish. It pulled me like a balloon down the river. I saw it when it leaped down the waterfall. I soared, scales glinting in the sun. I shot skyward, fish in tow. Ocean bound, I hoped to use my prize to catch an even bigger fish.

Planet Z

Yuri of Kyyv, inventor Iron Beak of Baba Yega, great cannon of empire. Make boat for soldier, swim underwater like sturgeon fish
He call it submarine.
Soldier get in barrel, barrel go in river, not sink but buoyancy. When barrel get to city, soldier come out and burn city.
War is win.
He get five hundred troops to storm Karelia.
Submarine placed in Suna River, troops float downstream.
Kivach waterfall break barrel, drown all soldier, and Yuri executed by Tsar Rudolva.
Yuri funeral very popular, good times. Much vodka drink, much barrel of pickles.
Surprise barrel have drowned soldier.
Disgusting!

Welcome to the Weekly Challenge Number One Hundred And Seventy-Three, where I post a topic and then challenge you to come up with a 100 word story based on that topic.
The topic this week was… was…. um…
It’s Over/Under.
The excellent theme music is by Guy David
VOTING

Which were the best stories this week?
	Caledonia
	Danny
	Guy David
	Justin
	Erin
	Dedric
	TJ
	Lynda
	Norval Joe
	Planet Z
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Go ahead and listen to them and then vote for your favorites (multiple selections are allowed):

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Caledonia

The delicate needle pokes its sharp nose through the simple fabric. Up and over the needle goes before diving once more to begin again. The needle pulls the bright floss over and under. Stitch after stitch, the pattern expanding even as the floss changes color. Over. Under.
The hand that plies the needle works on. The brain that drives the hand wanders among random thoughts: stitches of childhood – samplers of possibility, stitches of young adulthood – forms of achievement, stitches of middle age – when every pattern seems to change. Over. Under.
Only the stitches remain constant.

Danny

Four boys walk across an old decommissioned railway bridge in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. Vern, keeps tossing rocks over the railway to listen to the splash they make as they hit the river below.
“Dude, your disturbing the fish, cut it out,” says Gordie.
“Just one more.” Vern picks up a rock as big as his palm and tosses it. No splash.
He looks over the side of the railing. He sees his rock floating on something bare and bloated.
“You guys wanna go see a dead body?” he says to the others.

Guy David

It was no place for a submarine. The crew scratched their heads in bewilderment as it hovered over the city much in the way bricks don’t, then it started falling. As they fell, it became clear they where headed for the river running throughout this city. The religious amongst them said a prayer, begging their gods not to miss the river. The ones who had no god just stared in disbelief. As they went under, all of them, regarding of religion heaved a sigh of relief. It was then that the giant squid swallowed them whole, submarine, craw and all.

Justin

The needle goes over and under, binding two hides together. The hunt for this had been difficult, but it’s always more satisfying when they run. A simple kill is boring, the trophy lackluster. The sun’s about to rise. I hurry to finish so I can protect myself from the light. My old covering had withered with time. I bite back a yelp when the needle goes too deep and pricks a nerve. I finish and examine myself in the mirror. The seams are invisible, as are my eyes. I put on the sunglasses. I stretch. The new skin fits perfectly.

Erin

You don’t even realize it’s happening but then you catch yourself saying things like “Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk”, “Go to your room and think about what you did!”, and “As long as you live under my roof, you’ll do as I say,” just to name a few sayings.
I often wondered as a child why my mom said these funny phrases and doubted I ever would. I learned something about motherhood, it has a way of repeating itself as soon as you pop that kid out. I find myself sounding more and more life my mother each and everyday.

Dedric

Somewhere in the middle of Gotcha City, there is a woman leaving a sub shop. After peering at her purchase, she cries out in distress.
Ahh! I ordered a bologna sandwich, but they didn’t put any condiments on it. What do I do?
Look! It’s a bird, it’s a plane! Bloody Hell Governor, what is that thing?
It’s Underwood!
Hello ma’am, I heard your call and came as fast as I could. I brought you to this Grey Poupon.
No, I can’t accept this from you.
Why not? It is a gift!
But your under wear is over your pants.

TJ

Shae
Shae’s eyes narrowed at the retreating back of Marcus, her boyfriend of six months, disappearing into the crowd up on the mezzanine. Typical. Make a cheap date for this stupid mall food court and then, what … ducking out? Just more avoidance, extra shifts at work, avoiding her calls … enough is enough. She stormed off.
Marcus
So late, that stupid flat tire! Looking down over the food court where they’d met he spied Shae. He waved, and headed for the escalator to make a grand entrance, patting his pocket. The ring inside nestled against his dead cell phone.

Lynda

Over and under we tumbled, around and around in the darkness for an hour. Just as I was warming up the buzzer went off, the door opened, and she stole my mate away, leaving me lying there as the hot metal cooled.
I didn’t think much of the wet clothes dumped on top of me until the man they belonged to brought me home. He knew what I was but he didn’t care. He even let his kids play with me, and now instead of spending my days on stinky feet, I have curly hair and the shiniest button eyes.

Norval Joe

Overall, Bill was under the impression that the orchestral overture was underperformed.
He purchased tickets to the Broadway production “Under The Elms” over Julies objection; it wasn’t her kind of play.
Their relationship was over and Julie didn’t want Bill to feel under any obligation to take her on the expensive date.
When the play was over they walked under his umbrella, through the rain, to the subway.
They overheard a couple argue. The undertone of hostility in their voices was clear.
Bill said to Julie, “I understand your diffidence, but I will overcome your indifference and win your love.”

Planet Z

Bob’s department is over budget.
Mine is under budget, and we sit in shabby rags around our mud huts praying to The Office Gods for Bob’s people to be struck down for their arrogance.
A footman in silks delivers a scented memo, sealed with gold leaf and Bob’s royal symbol.
Great. Another meeting about budget issues.
I smear dung on a rock, put it near the fire to dry, and scratch a confirmation message with a dried twig.
Or maybe it’s a trap? The last meeting was just a ruse, drawing us out for hunting.
We prepare war-paint and spears.

Welcome to the Weekly Challenge Number One Hundred And Seventy-Two, where I post a topic and then challenge you to come up with a 100 word story based on that topic.
The topic this week was… was…. um…
It’s The Walls Shuddered.
The excellent theme music is by Guy David
VOTING

Which were the best stories this week?
	Lynda from http://sisterpepperspray.blogspot.com/
	Anima from http://zabbadabba.com/
	Steve
	Justin from http://www.thespaceturtle.com/
	Jeff from http://greathites.blogspot.com/
	Rocky
	Guy David from http://www.guydavid.com/
	Norval Joe from http://www.norvalsoutlook.blogspot.com/
	TJ from http://tjaman.libsyn.net/
	Planet Z
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Go ahead and listen to them and then vote for your favorites (multiple selections are allowed):

---

Anima

The walls shuddered at the thought of the realtor. What had that hussy said? It would be best to raze the house, and start over? Damn her eyes.
Certainly, it would be wonderful to be polished and primped, like before. Then, She had been swathed in brilliant jewel toned paints, and sported stained glass, marbled front steps and gas lamps. She and her sisters had been the talk of the town. Now she stood alone, windows boarded over, gingerbread broken, porches swayed back: a faded granddame among a sea of prefabs and student tenements.
The once proud painted lady wept.

Lynda

Only two designers remained. For weeks every kind of degradation had been inflicted on the false walls of studio 7, from kitschy mirrors to neon animal prints, the wooden framework and sheetrock thought they’d felt it all.
When hobo chic was announced as the theme that would decide the champion, the vivacious male designer rushed off to collect every old newspaper in the building, while the grim art school girl merely announced she’d be creating eye-catching patterns using an assortment of urines.
As newspaper was torn and squirt guns were filled under the harsh spotlights, the walls shuddered imperceptibly.

Steve Y.

The walls shuddered as the zombies surged through the narrow channels, arms flailing against the old wooden walls as they charged mindlessly towards the bait. The survivors ran back and forth as fast as they could, hauling the contraption’s heavy ropes back and forth to keep it moving. Just when it seemed all hope was lost, the blue team managed to synchronize their efforts, leading their zombies into position to deflect a shot and knock the medicine ball into the opposing goal. It had taken quite a lot of resources to organize Zombie Foosball, but it was totally worth it.

Justin

I sat down on a bar stool in the greasy spoon. I looked at the chalked menu board and decided on The Frankenstein Burger. Half pound of burger with a slab of ham, and slathered in avocado, lettuce, pickles. Munster cheese melted down over all of it. Heaped beside it all were steak fries, which I drowned in catchup. I eat it a tasty bite at a time, savoring the flavor. I downed it all with root beer. I was back on the road with the radio tuned to Rascal Splats when the walls of my bowels began to quiver.

Jeff

The walls, they did Shake
It was not every day that you got to see something like this so Jack stood feet rooted to the ground starring, despite the obvious danger to life and limb. He had never seen anything like it, and if he thought about it he would probably would never see anything like it again. The walls were bleeding at the 53rd Precinct, and he had no explanation. He thought that he had seen every form of combustion known to man, this was something new. Then the roof exploded, and out shot, but what was it? it was time to call someone.

Rocky

I was told there would be days like this. My mother was right!
It started three days ago. Don’t know where it came from, but one day in the meeting room at work, the walls shuddered. It actually happened twice, but the first time, nobody seemed to notice.
And then again last night, standing in the frozen food aisle, standing amid some senior citizens, the walls shuddered. You wouldn’t believe the panic and chaos that exploded after that.
I believe it’s over now. There was one more shudder a few minutes ago, but I think I’m safe now. My job is done here.

Guy David

The saying used to go “on the internet nobody knows you’re a dog”. This is not the case anymore, which is why I wasn’t surprised when the walls shuddered and the secret police stepped in. It was a risk any hacker of my caliber is always prepared for. I quickly took out the can and sprayed them with my special virus. They froze in place like so many statues. My government’s decision to replace all of the police force with robots was something I always approved of. I quickly packed everything and left the private room at the internet café.

Norval Joe

Two French explorers struck out from Cape Town with a band of bush men. The leader of the band of bush men divided the supplies and spoke to his fellows in a language of clicks.
Each of the band carried a long spear to fend against large animals.
Pierre Le Roux smiled at his companion Henry De Wallis. “There may be lions about, but it is the snakes that will kill you.
One morning Henry awoke to find his companion dead, his body bloated from the poisonous bite of a Cape Cobra.
Sickened by the sight, Henry Du Wallis shuddered.

TJ

Pietro countered the “less is more” aesthete with ornamentation reminiscent of Versailles, challenged the expectations of the cognoscenti, and in defiance of everything appropriate, crammed his palette with influences ranging from ’50s kitsch, plastic lawn flamingos, velvet Elvises, dogs playing poker — a celebration of chintz like nothing so much as a rummage sale in a John Waters film.
So why did they call him in to redecorate their daughter’s room while she was visiting Mexico? Who knows? All anyone knew for sure was as Pietro approached with armloads of fuschia pinatas and gaily colored sombreri, indeed, the very walls shuddered.

Planet Z

He’s four hundred pounds. She’s even bigger.
They live upstairs.
Every night, half a ton of sweaty, sloppy sex rocks their bed and hammers the floor like an angry army of screaming Vikings.
The plaster falls. The walls shudder.
They only stop when the pizza guy arrives.
Two large pizzas each, and a sixpack of diet Coke.
Five minutes later, when they’re done with dinner, they’re back at it.
For a while, I’d practice the tuba while they did it. Baby Elephant Walk.
The phone rang.
They had called to invite me upstairs to play for them while they… ewwwwwwwwww.

Welcome to the Weekly Challenge Number One Hundred And Seventy-One, where I post a topic and then challenge you to come up with a 100 word story based on that topic.
The topic this week was… was…. um…
It’s Unprepared.
The excellent theme music is by Guy David
VOTING

Which were the best this week?
	Elizabeth
	Dedric from http://www.lewismoten.com
	TJ from http://tjaman.libsyn.com
	Guy David from http://www.guydavid.com/
	Anima from http://zabbadabba.com
	Lynda from http://sisterpepperspray.blogspot.com
	Norval Joe from http://www.norvalsoutlook.blogspot.com
	Elly from http://www.connected2christ.com
	Justin from http://www.thespaceturtle.com
	Jeffrey from http://greathites.blogspot.com/
	Planet X from http://planetxpodcast.com
	Danny from http://dannymachal.com
	Planet Z
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Go ahead and listen to them and then vote for your favorites (multiple selections are allowed):

---

Elizabeth

“What do you mean you don’t have a fire extinguisher?” I asked Gary in a low, growl of a voice.
“Um, I, uh.”, he replied. Then he just looked around nervously. The fire leapt even farther away from the candle in the sink and started quickly eating the walls around us.
“And you can’t just psychically put out the fire too?”
“Not really.”
“Fine!” I muttered, thinking of how much the dorm would charge us for this. “But if we get out of here, I’m showing you my magical powers.” And then I showed him my claws.

Lewis

As the night turned into morning, a man was still working tirelessly
completing his latest project. A crowd of spectators had gathered
talking amongst themselves questioning what it was that the man was
doing.
“Eureka! I have finally finished.”
His tools fell to the ground, and the man started to walk away. Some
reporters quickly went after him to ask about his feat. Some of the
onlookers started to walk up to a large contraption of wires, pipes,
screws, and duct tape.
The reporters were unprepared for the man’s response.
“It is a machine to program the time on VCR’s.”

TJ

Her mother’s lemon pepper chicken and rice always received rave reviews and Sally was determined to impress her husband’s supervisor and his wife.
“This meal could make or break his promotion,” Sally fretted. “Now what’s the recipe?”
The secret was chicken stock simmered into the rice for an hour at three-hundred fifty degrees.
She’d already set the chicken breasts to marinate with peppercorns and lemon slices in the refrigerator.
She got the rest of her house ready, set the table, one last primp in the mirror … she froze, horrified.
The chicken was still in the refrigerator.
“Honey, I’m home!”

Guy David

I unbuttoned her shirt and kissed her neck slowly and softly, delighting in her sweet moans. She responded by nibbling softly at my ear. I took off my own shirt and rubbed my bare chest against her erect nipples. She reached out and unbuttoned my pants, sending her hand inside, grabbing my penis who reacted by stiffening and rising, meeting her hand half way. I shivered, waves of pleasure crawling up and down my spine, and grabbed her firm buttocks. She breathed harder as I started pulling her pants off. I was unprepared for the firm member I found there.

Anima

Unprepared? Me?
I am the epitome of preparedness. I have ready bags in the closet: red is for beach, blue for mountains and the duffel has arctic gear; my pantry is stocked with food for a year, and there is a sheet cake in the freezer in case company drops in. I’ve started my doctorate thesis, even though I have not been accepted to grad school yet. My car is current on all factory suggested maintenance, but I have a bicycle as backup. I even have a second bike as backup to my backup.
My pants? Of course I put…

Lynda

I came here totally unprepared. I had never been a human before. I had no idea what I was meant to do. Looking around me, I noticed I wasn’t alone. It didn’t make me feel any better.
Those around me taught me how to dress and how to think. I learned their language, ate their food and drank their drink. I felt safe.
Then one day the sun illuminated another path, and I wondered if I could be someone else in this lifetime.
I’m totally unprepared for what comes next. So is everyone else. I feel okay about it. Alive.

Norval Joe

I had a crappy week. It started on Saturday when Lawrence left my audio out of the podcast. But that’s ok. He said I didn’t have to pay the entry fee this week. This gives me enough money to take my wife to a movie tonight. Then Jeff left me out of the poll at Great Hites. I told Mick Bordet that I would write my 100 word story about two Scotsmen, imitatingIrishmen, telling limericks, but I was too unprepared to get that done. Well, I guess I better get into my story. No. Wait. Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred.

Elly

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on with her soft skin, and golden curls. He often wondered how he ever got so lucky as to have such a beauty in his life. Her baby blue eyes twinkled as they followed him across the darkened room. He haste-fully continued searching through his pant pockets. No, not there either. He smiled sheepishly at her and continued his search, finally finding one in the dresser drawer. Slowly sliding her undergarments down, he braced himself by placing the clothes pin on his nose, only to have forgotten the wipes.

Justin

Apparently when you die, there is a waiting area.
“Oh no you didn’t!”
You wait there for judgment until after the apocalypse.
“I taught you so much better!”
I died in a car accident.
“I told you to drive carefully!”
I wasn’t prepared for the long wait.
“You weren’t much prepared for a whole lot of things apparently!”
So I’m waiting here for who knows how long, listening to my late mother constantly berate me.
“Don’t talk that way to me boy! You’ve shamed our family. I can’t believe you died in a dirty pair of underpants! Lord have mercy!”

Jeffrey

I was prepared for the werewolf. I mean it was not like he was stealthy or anything. I had heard him howling every night for the last three weeks. So I went out and bought the silver bullets that I would need to stop him. What I was not prepared for was the toupee.
“You wear a toupee?” I asked as he bent down to pick it up.
“Well a wolf has to keep up appearances, and it was a mid life crisis thing you know.”
So now I prowl the streets and drink the blood of innocent bald men.

Planet X

Jimmy leafed through one set of photographs and compared them to another set for the hundredth time. Always with the same results, it had cost him his job, but was unmistakable proof of his quest of the last two years. He had thought at first that Lois was playing a joke when she told him during the big celebration party after Lex’s ultimate defeat.
Jimmy had spent weeks on end gathering all photographs, newspaper articles, and interview recordings until he had undeniable proof. But, even with all this Jimmy still was unprepared to acknowledge that Clark Kent was indeed, Superman.

Danny

Charlitok stood in line with the other veteran soldiers.
The commander is awarding accommodations.
Charlitok is proudly advancing to join an elite group who dawn the freshly killed head of a mighty grizzly bear.
Charlitok digs his heals into the soft earth, holds his head high, and tenses his muscles in attention.
As his commander lowers the head of the bear he feels a massive weight of responsibility, to protect his brethren soldiers and the tribe.
“Good job Charlie, next scout rank is Webelos right?” his Mom said.
The applause and screams from the tribe echo in Charlitok’s ears.

Planet Z

Yes, the motto of the Boy Scouts is “Be Prepared.”
My motto is “Get In, Get Out, Get Receipts.”
Planning just bogs you down in hand-wringing and debate while carrying tools for every occasion just gets in the way.
No plan survives battle anyway, right? Why bother planning?
Instead, you need to be free to maneuver, quick to think, and scrounge what you need on the spot.
So when the lady came up to the window asking for three Big Macs and fries, I sprang into action.
“BRING ME A COW, A SACK OF POTATOES, AND A SLEDGEHAMMER!” I shouted.