Some people get really cool superpowers like flying or invisibility or invulnerability, but Rose always knew which direction north was. And not just magnetic north. She knew all the different norths. The map north and the magnetic north, and all the other norths. However, she couldn’t read a map for shit. She never knew where she was half the time. She pulled out her phone and bring up the map application and the GPS would find her and say there you are and she not didn’t say ok. Five minutes later, she’d be asking for directions again.. kinda useless.
Month: April 2026
The Rebellion
I loaded up my cart with olives for the run to Caeseria.
The Roman roads made the trip so much easier.
“Let’s go, boy,” I said to my mule.
After a morning of passing olive trees and rocks, we came to the first of the roadside crosses.
Counting dozens… hundreds lining the road.
“Must have been a big rebellion,” I said.
I recognized a few customers among the dead.
And a few fellow merchants.
“I hope the market is open today,” I said. “Would be a shame to have to turn back.”
And we continued down the road to Caeseria.
Work from home
Mindy kept a switchblade in her purse.
The walk from her office to her car in the parking garage wasn’t the best.
On some nights, the lights were out.
Was it a power issue?
Or did someone smash the lights and hide around a corner to wait for her?
Carrying mace or pepper spray could work, but masks and goggles make them ineffective.
A gun? Hell no.
In the end, she got a laptop and worked remotely.
A few weeks later, her boss, who worked on site, got killed in a robbery.
Mindy took his job. And still worked remotely.
Seven
Alarms went off almost daily in processing plant seven. It was an orbital asteroid rendering facility that had seen better days. Demoted to a training facility, instructors ran the orbital base. Sometimes the alarms were just drills, but other times the alarms were real. Either way, it was good practice for the future miners, engineers, processors, and administrators. When seven had a full blowout, the company retired the facility. They wrote off that crew, designated the next oldest facility as a training base, and launched a new processing plant for improving production volume and efficiency. Next quarter’s profits will rise.
Weekly Challenge #1044 – PICK TWO Fever, Shoulder, Torpid, Hairbrush, A dead plant
- Lizzie
- Richard
- Lewie
- Serendipidy
- Norval Joe
- Planet Z
The next topic is Family portrait
RICHARD
The House Sitter
“It’s just a dead plant. Look, when you asked me to house sit, I thought you just wanted me to keep an eye on the place. You should have made it clear you expected me to do other stuff too, like watering your precious plants!”
“Oh, it was precious? Seriously, how much? For a silly miniature tree? You must be crazy!”
“No, don’t go giving me the cold shoulder. I was good enough to step in at short notice; don’t take me to task over this.”
“What do you mean, did I at least feed the cat properly?”
“What cat?”
LEWIE
Title: Craigslist Said It Was Healthy
“Take care of Jarold. He’s a bit troublesome in the mornings,” my manager said, feverishly preparing for his vacation.
Jarold… was a ficus.
Jarold was dead on arrival.
Panic set in. I scrolled the marketplace and found an ad.
We met in a questionable alley downtown.
The woman rummaged through her truck, hair brushing over junk, and handed me a torpid plant.
“This one matches your aura”.
I couldn’t shoulder the guilt. It was eating me alive.
By the time my manager returned, he paused, surprised.
“Keep the plant”, he said, “Jarold seems to like you.”
Jarold Jr. is thriving.
LIZZIE
The new dead plant in the garden of dead plants was rather cheeky, bragging about being the deadliest dead plant around. The other dead plants chuckled. A fever of hatred ensued. The deadliest dead plant…. Who cares? She’s dead. The new dead plant vowed to kill them all. The problem was that they were already dead. That’s when she came up with a plan. Fertilizer! She summoned the wind. The fertilizer flew from the ripped bag, and the dead plants, horrified, began to sprout again. “Happy to be alive? That is a kind of death, isn’t it, you silly weeds?”
SERENDIPIDY
He was shivering violently, sweating profusely; groaning in evidently intense pain.
“The fever will pass soon” I reassured him, “and then there will be no more pain, no more anything really. You’ll just slip quietly away.”
I picked up my notebook, jotting down my observations. This was my most successful experiment so far. Who would have thought that a simple, ground-up dead plant could be so viciously toxic?”
I suppose you could consider my experiments somewhat unethical. Why subject people to a painful death, when lab rats would surely suffice?
Simple: I’m an animal lover.
And, besides, it’s fun!
NORVAL JOE
Billbert stared at the ring Mandi had placed on his finger and then watched as she placed one on her own.
His head suddenly burned with fever and his thoughts became vague and torpid. His vision went bright white and he collapsed backward onto her bed.
Billbert felt a sharp pain on his cheek and then again. He opened his eyes to see Mandi leaning over him. Her lips moved frantically but he couldn’t hear what she said.
When his hearing returned, Mandi said and showed him her finger, “These are my grandparent’s rings. I think you are mine, now.”
PLANET Z
Ned Pearson was apprentice to Wordmaster Bunson last fall. The old man spent his time in a wheelchair and he was nearly deaf and completely blind. He would think of stories and Ned would write them down. Repeat that back to me, said Bunson. And Ned would read off what Bunson had said. Bunson would think for a moment and he would either have Ned cross out that line and replace it or he would continue with his story. Sometimes, Bunson would have Ned go back and read everything. Thank you, Ned. said Bunson. Perfectly done. Ned said you’re welcome.
Play time
After we had grass rolled out on our front yard, I would let our cats out to roll around and play and stock out there. I got an Apple AirTag on a collar in case they would run off. They roll on the grass and the sun beams. They claw the trees. They look so happy. I let them in the backyard as well and they explore. I had to put planks of wood on either side of the shed to keep them from burrowing under there. It’s time to come in. I pick them up and they complain loudly.
Seagulls
I live near the bay, and when I go to the beach, I see pelicans and eagles and other birds hunting for fish on the water. I like to watch them striding along the shore or flying above, ducking their head under the water and pulling out a fish or swooping down. It’s just so graceful and peaceful to watch. It’s certainly more enjoyable than when I bring some snacks to the beach and I get mobbed by seagulls. One time I brought a burger and fries and I got set up on the moment I opened the paper bag.
Receding water
It hasn’t rained here in Pleasant Valley for a while. The stream that goes under the old library bridge is dry. The pond in the park, you can tell from how the bank is exposed from the receding water. The almanac said that this year would be wetter than usual, but nobody believes it. Sundays, Pastor Smith leads the congregation to pray for rain, but it doesn’t rain. And then one day the skies went dark, the winds blew hard, and we were in the middle of a hurricane. Not all at once Lord, said Pastor Smith, and he laughed.
Cross
When I walk through the park that used to be a golf course, there are a lot of houses with their backyards facing the former cart paths and fairways and greens. I’d try not to snoop, but some people put decorations out just for the benefit of people walking and cycling and playing the frisbee golf course. And then there’s a house with the 7 foot crucifix and some solar powered spotlights that light it up at night. Whether it’s a symbol of their faith and devotion or a thinly veiled threat to trespassers, I’m not willing to find out.
Shared Fear
Jake and Molly carved their initials in the grand oak in Somerville Park. The sheriff talked to their parents. They agreed on a punishment. The magistrate waved his hand in front of Jake’s eyes, and then he waved it in front of Molly‘s. And then he left. Is that it? said Jake. The sheriff nodded and he left. Jake shrugged and said let’s go to the park, Molly. She agreed and they walked hand-in-hand. But when they got to the park entrance, they stopped both were overcome by dark fear. Trembling, they turned around and walked back home.