The exercise:
Today we write about: bubbles.
This morning we installed the linoleum in the kitchen, this afternoon we put in the new counter, and this evening we almost finished installing the new kitchen sink. After yesterday's frustrations, today went amazingly well. Other than a few air bubbles in the linoleum that I'm hoping will work themselves out.
At some point this week we'll start putting in the laminate. It's been a long time coming.
Mine:
Henri Durand lives in a well protected mansion in the middle of the countryside west of Toulouse. It is equipped with state of the art security equipment and guards patrol the perimeter twenty-four hours a day. A ten foot wall surrounds the heart of the property and the man has not been seen outside them in the last ten years.
Henri is responsible for hundreds of innocent men and women dying every week. He used to take a more direct role in those murders, but now he sits in his sanctuary and keeps his hands clean, waving his telephone and mouse like a demonic orchestra conductor might move his baton.
He believes he is safe there. Untouchable, even.
That sounds like a pretty busy day! But it does start to sound like you're getting close to only having the painting left to do :)
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of having the kitchen take up half the house. I can't think of anything better, actually, so I'll definitely be wanting an invite to see that!
You tell an intriguing little tale today, dropping lots of hints about what's going on, whetting the reader's appetite. I'd like to know more!
Oh, and someone asked what was going on with Bad Kitty -- I'm intending to reveal more over the next couple of weeks, where the prompts allow!
Bubbles
Bad Kitty enjoyed her showers, and even more enjoyed singing while she was showering. She had just hit the chorus to River Deep, Mountain High, her voice seemingly effortlessly reaching its maximum volume and making the glass shower enclosure rattle alarmingly, when the door swung open and a dark shape loomed at her.
She screamed, still at the top of her lungs, and turned the water off. The bubbles from her shower-gel clung to her, preserving her modesty. The shape resolved itself into the Assassin, pulling ear-plugs from his ears.
"What. Are. You. Doing?" She spat the words at though each were evil-tasting, and her claws unretracted with a soft snick.
"I was getting ready to visit the Council of Nastiness," said the Assassin inserting his little finger into his ear and twisting it to and fro, "when you started caterwauling at such a volume I was fairly certain you were being tortured."
"You came to rescue me?" Bad Kitty didn't know what caterwauling meant, but liked the first syllable of it.
"No. I came to see if I'd still be getting paid for my contract."
Bad Kitty's bubbles started sliding down her damp torso like a movie-starlet losing her dress on the red carpet.
"Such lovely bubbles," said the Assassin reflectively. "I think I have a much more... interesting idea... of how to kill Dr. Septopus for you."
"Then go and do it," hissed Bad Kitty. "And leave me to my shower."
Marc – You had me thinking that the man in your character must be a sanctuary guard in town! Fantastic story and it certainly had me thinking all day long!
ReplyDeleteGreg – Fantastic continuation from previous Assassin prompt! I feel that it has a lot of potential now that it has been written in such a way :)
Bubbles
She sat on the wooden stool while washing her clothes. She stared at the running water tap right in front of her. She starts to dream. In her short lived dream, she lived in a bungalow. It has plenty of supplies, food, water, clothing and many more. It should last her throughout her whole life. Then she bore a twin just not long after she got married. Her husband named them after her, Lauren Dotty and Dolly Dotty. They’re both adorable child. They’re not afraid of strangers which made them exceptionally popular among their neighbor. They tend to gather around for a feast at least twice a month. Then smile filled her face as she was dreaming more and more about the entire wonderful event which has yet to happen. Then this passerby kid blows a series of bubbles off his bubble ring stick. It flows all the way and it hit her eyes spot on. She stumbles and rocked the wooden stool and fell to her right! She was instantly brought back to reality.
Bubble
ReplyDeleteFloating prism
Drifting along, catching
Light – a rainbow thing of beauty
Created of soap and breath – caught in the air
Skyward on a sudden updraft
Down towards the grass,
Sparkling along
Pop!
Bubbles
ReplyDeleteI pricked up my ears, flicked the flies away with my tail and watched him from across the paddock. It had not been the first time that the little human was being mischievous. But I liked that. It was part of the reason why we got along just fine, except that he had no clue that I was on to him. He was a curious little thing. He seemed to be throwing a bar of soap in a makeshift rubber pool that lay on the grass in his garden. Water gushed in the pool from a hose nearby and he dived right in, splashing about and sending millions of bubbles flying and laughter filling the air. The bubbles seemed to fascinate him and the more bubbles he could conjure, the more animated he became. It would soon be time for his daily riding lesson and he would be making his way to the paddock. I was in good spirits and trotted about in anticipation. Perhaps today would be the day we jump over that fence after all.
Very enjoyable all of these! Marc, I'd love to hear the rest of that story!
ReplyDeleteSinatra in song:
ReplyDeleteBubbles bubbles everywhere!
Eyes on champagne glass.
Don’t burst my bubble
implored the addict, dying --
bubble in his vein
Marc- I am quite sure you are aching to kill something. Perhaps you should aim this restlessness at a dragon or perhaps a corrupt knight?
ReplyDeleteGreg- Anybody who interrupts a sweet cat's shower should know they won't survive long after their mission.
Zhongming- The wonderful power of daydreams and the sadly strong pull of reality.... always, it seems, at the wrong times.
Morgana- You've painted such a pretty picture, but what I liked most was the rhythm. It read like a bubble floating and lasted about as long as a bubble does. Well done!
Watermark- I have been starting to write more stories where animals are the characters. I enjoyed reading it. It made me smile and makes me want to write another animal lead story again..... or maybe add to one I started some time ago.
Alleycatadventures- I didn't count the syllables, but if they are haiku, I enjoyed the second most. It is very vivid and dark.
------
My body tensed every time the little blob of pink was snapped. Charlene, her spunky blonde pigtails bouncing just above her purple uniform, seemed oblivious. She just kept yammering on about how Josh was the greatest boyfriend in the world. I kept offering noncommittal "mmm-hmm's" as I watched her mouth open and close, her tongue pushing and plodding the blob from one corner to the next. Mostly, I wished she'd shut her mouth.
"Stacey? Hello! Earth to Stacey?" she called. The little blob was stuffed between her teeth and cheek so she could snap her fingers in my face. "Are you listening to me?" Her face was filled with incredulity; one eyebrow arched higher then the other, her head tipped, her lips still smacking, and her hands out as if weighing the heft of good and evil.
"I'm sorry? What? I mean, I'm sorry I'm just a little distracted right now. SAT's being this weekend and all. You were talking about Josh, right?"
"Well, yeah...." Charlene chewed on her gum again. "So, what do you think I should do? Josh is the quarterback and I am the head cheerleader so I think people kind of expect us to, but....." she trailed off, expecting me to fill in the blanks and provide some guidance.
I could still see her jaw moving up and down. Suddenly, she pursed her lips and I watched as a small stream of pink poked out and then expanded. It grew less opaque as it ballooned in size and hid Charlene's pretty face. Without thinking, I picked up my fork and stabbed it into the thin wall. POP! The bubble deflated rapidly, blasting itself back onto Charlene's face.
"What the hell!" she yelled, covered in sticky pink goo. As she began peeling and scraping it off her face, I bust out laughing. Tension slipped through my fingertips and I finally found myself ready to pay attention to her problems.
Greg - then you shall get an invite the moment the house is ready :)
ReplyDeleteLoved the earplugs and the pinky in the ear.
Zhongming - that was really great!
Morganna - I think Heather said it best. Just like a bubble :)
Watermark - I really enjoyed that. I quite like this horse of yours :)
Allycat - two very good, and very different haiku. The second one is just so grim... love it.
Heather - ah, that's where these murderous impulses have been coming from! :P
That was a fun little story, with a very satisfying conclusion.