The exercise:
The challenge for today shall be: the dare.
Struggling my way into my next writing project. The start is always the hardest part, it seems.
Mine:
"It's just a harmless garter snake."
That didn't change how Bobby felt about it.
"Ain't like it's poisonous or nothin'."
Still. It just seemed kinda pointless and mean.
"Look, we'll catch it for you and everthin'. All you gotta do is stuff it through Mrs. Thompson's mail slot, ring her door bell, and run like stink."
But what if she has a heart attack?
"Don't be a chicken, Bobby. Do you want the whole school thinkin' you're a big wussy?"
Heh, based on your aversion to poor old Mr. Wiggles last year, I'd say that daring you to put a snake through someone's letterbox would be a cruel thing to do as well! Bobby seems like a thoughtful kid – so he'll never make it to graduation :)
ReplyDeleteAnd since I remember someone commented yesterday: Miss Snippet is determined to supplement her teaching salary and views the children as cheap labour. So far she's been exactly right!
The dare
"I dare you...." Josephine tilted her head back and stared up at the ceiling while she thought of the next dare. Rob waited, slightly anxious and excited at the same time. So far she'd dared him to prank-call his sister, eat a tablespoon of Marmite and run naked out of the front door, round the house, and in the back door again. Easy stuff.
"I dare you... to go downstairs and put washing-up liquid in the egg-white carton," she said finally, tilting her head back down and grinning at him.
"I can't do that!" he said. "It's Shrove Tuesday tomorrow. Think of the pancakes!"
"I am thinking of the pancakes," she said, and her laughter was so infectious that he had to join in.
And then, of course, he had to go downstairs and adulterate the egg whites.
@Marc - Bobby's dare makes me think of my grandma, only no one had to dare her to pick up the garden snake and show it to the twins across the street... For some reason they didn't like it and my grandmother was chastized fro showing it to them (I suspect she was under 13 at the time, not that she changed much).
ReplyDelete@Greg - mmmm Shrove Tuesday. I just hope there will be no soap int he pancakes I'll be taking part in tonight. I wonder how that tradition started?
The Dare
Back in the darkness of the Auditorium three children gathered about playing a game of Truth or Dare.
Cathy picked truth for the tenth time. Her play mates groaned.
"Come on pick a dare, for once," Lisa groaned.
"Next time," cathry stated looking to Hadry who was thinking.
Hardy smiled in the dim light. "Okay truth. Will you marry me?"
"Um," Cathy bit her lip, at the age of 14 it was a little early to be thinking of marriage, especially when Hardy was 12. "When the time is right?"
*giggles* based on a mash up of true storeis *more giggles*
@Cathryn: I think I'd pick truth most times as well! I love the question Hardy asks though, and Cathy's answer is perfect!
ReplyDeleteAs for Shrove Tuesday... the pancakes originate from needing to use food up before Lent started. I don't know why eggs and milk were supposed to be given up, but I know it's a pretty much Christian thing. Then it got somehow linked with the various Carnival traditions and it all gets complicated trying to track it after that so I haven't :)
Eating worms is one thing but this is down right rediculas. I knew I should have continued picking truth.
ReplyDeleteWhy did I ever let Lisa get to me? I didn't even want to play this stupid game. But I chose dare just to shut her up, and now here I am locked in a closet with a Bill Gates mini me. -sigh-
What am I standing on? It feels kinda squishy. Gosh, it's really dark in here. I can't see a thing. Where is that little creeper anyway?
Ew, I hope that was one of the coats that just brushed up against my leg. This is so awkward, he's not even talking; I wish he'd say something; at least talking would make the minutes go by faster.
"Hey Michelle, can I......."
"Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!"
Seriously? good grief, someone onlock the door and get me the hell out of here!
Anthony glanced at his watch and then leaned forward and dropped his controller on the Coffee table.
ReplyDelete“That's it fellas. My time is up.”
Reggie and Maurice glanced away from the screen and nodded but Arnie stabbed at the pause button making a ridiculous face.
“But dude! We're just getting to the good part!”
“Yah,” replied Anthony, “starting to stand up. “That's what you said forty-five minutes ago.”
Arnie made a face that could only properly be called a pout. He gestured at Anthony and made a whipcracking noise.
“Man, she sure is sucking the life out of you.”
Anthony rolled his eyes.
“Sucks to be you Arn. Not to mention that it's your fault.”
Reggie nodded and laughed when he saw Arnie scowling.
“You were the dumbass that dared old Tony here to go and talk to that smokin Hot girl at the Con. Next thing we all know Tony is bound to be a married man.”
Arnie's pouty face returned.
Anthony laughed and nodded at Reggie.
“The thing is Arn, Reg and Mo both managed to escape puberty. They understand there is a give and take thing happening in relationships. She doesn't mind that I hang out with complete losers like you.”
Maurice set down his cider and snorted a laugh.
“Ouch...your truth...it burns us!”
“And,” Anthony continued, “there is only so much of this,” he gestured at the gaming gear, “I can handle before I start feeling like a complete console tard.”
Anthony grabbed his coat from one of the chairs surrounding the dining room table.
“How bout this? You get over how some chick keeps stealing one of your boyfriends and we'll set up a game of Twilight Imperium so she can kick all our asses.”
Anthony smiled as Reggie and Maurice howled with laughter at Arnie who sat sputtering and cursing as Anthony walked out the door.
Greg - so, so pleased you haven't forgotten about Mr. Wiggles.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the cooks will be in for an interesting morning!
Cathryn - that's a pretty good answer to a very awkward question :)
Krystin - hah, I think I feel worse for the boy stuck in there with her :)
GZ - ah, the deadly dare that comes back to you in the ass. Poor Arnie, he does seem rather stuck in his rut.