LISA
Line
Sam had worked at the museum for decades, so long he was like one of the artefacts. One day, in the Modern Master’s Gallery he noticed a nasty smear on one of the pictures. The painter was a local man, long dead and one of the founders of the modern movement The piece was called Line. As the title suggests it was a single black line on a white canvas.
Sam had every good intention as he approached it with his bright orange duster.
But as he left the painting it was less of a line, more of a nothing.
LIZZIE
Every good intention starts with a candle, he thought… at first. The solemn emptiness was cold and the minute light gave him hope, a nervous flicker betraying the uncertainty of the moment. Was he really good enough? Was he worthy? He shifted his weight from one leg to the other. Every good intention starts with a candle. But he doesn’t think that anymore. The nervous flicker turned into a blazing nightmare. No one asked. So, he never mentioned his candle. And when someone said “Shall we light a candle, Father?”, he always remembered the cold horror, crawling up his back.
RICHARD
Every good intention
It always starts with good intentions, but every good intention has a downside.
Be nice to someone: They’ll take advantage. They’ll spread the word you’re a pushover, and before you know it everyone’s taking you for a ride.
So, you stop being a nice guy, and what happens? People treat you like crap and make out you’re doing them wrong.
You can’t win.
I try though, goodness knows I try, but it just comes out wrong.
Like this story. I had every good intention to write something positive and uplifting, but I guess, today is just one of those days!
SERENDIPIDY
You know how it is when starting a relationship. You try to show your best side, smile cheerfully, consider the other person’s feelings, and, difficult though it is, you don’t fart in bed.
You’ve every good intention to cover up the real you, but it’s not long before the cracks begin to show.
And I’m not talking about farting in bed, this time.
You see, cannibalism is a compulsion, not a choice: You can only keep it under wraps for so long.
Up to the second meet up, in my case.
Yes, I’m sorry to say, I ate my date!
NORVAL JOE
Sabrina reached out to Billbert. “You need to take my hand.”
Billbert clutched the bed sheet closer to his chest. “Can’t this wait until later? Like, after I get dressed?”
Sabrina sighed and shook her head. “The sooner we make contact, the sooner you’ll be safe.”
Billbert hadn’t know he was in any danger. “Safe from what?”
She blinked her eyes dramatically. “Demons, of course.”
Billbert gasped. “Demons! You never mentioned demons before.”
“I had every good intention of telling you, but the time never seemed right,” Sabrina shrugged. “Once we’ve connected magically, demons will start trying to kill us.”
PLANET Z
I didn’t mean to hurt you.
But you were going to leave me.
And I didn’t know what to do.
So, I locked you in the basement.
And threw away the key.
Which, I guess, wasn’t a smart idea.
Seeing as how I couldn’t open the door to give you food and water.
I tried to slip them under the door, but other than thin tortillas, I couldn’t get any food under the door.
I’d axe down the door, but my axe is in the basement.
Oh, what’s that noise?
You found it.
And you’re chopping down the door to-