Good Choice

And now we finally come to the last one on the last day of the year. I'll end this series on a sweet note.

Challenge 11: In fifty words write a love story with a foreigner and a bottle.

Good Choice

“What do I do with her?!” he asked, voice panicky.

“Just be natural,” came the tired reply. “She’s yours too.”

Dale glanced down at the crinkly-eyed, blanket-swaddled baby. For a second, she seemed so small, so strange, so…foreign.  But as the warm bottle arrived, he smiled, glad he’d returned.

Flying High

Only one more to go, but before I get there, a little taste of something slightly longer. This is the "Cheating" Challenge, and was supposed to be 200 words maximum. Maximum?! What is this craziness? It's supposed to be 200 words EXACTLY. So that's what I did.

See if you can spot the Tom Swifty ;)

Challenge: Write a short scene in which a character "cheats."

Flying High

As Dorian settled the helmet on his head, he could feel the adrenaline rush starting. One strong kick and the motor began to thrum. He looked out over the scene in front of him and grinned. This was going to be fun.

With a twist of his wrist, the bike growled and came to life. Dorian leaned forward excitedly as he sped down the slope and then up again off the ramp.

Yes! Finally, he was flying again!

The familiar black-robed figure appeared floating by his side. “This time, you really are coming with me,” said Death grimly.

The audience cheered for their newly returned hero, then gasped as the realization struck them: with this trajectory, Dorian would never clear the last truck.

Dorian had been waiting for this. The stadium fell silent, he pressed the button, and the release from the hidden canister of compressed nitrogen pushed him to safety. The tire spun in the air two inches from the edge of the truck, and he landed to an eruption of cheers.

Pulling off the helmet, he looked to his left. The reaper was gone, and he had once again cheated death. Now that was what life was about.

When You Have Eliminated the Impossible...

Based on a great Sherlock Holmes quote.

Challenge 6: In fifty words, write a whodunnit.

When You Have Eliminated the Impossible...

Davis dug through the cupboard, searching for his carefully hidden box of Marshmallow Pebbles. Pouring them into the bowl, he noticed a distinct lack of the chewy, colorful title objects.

He considered the possibilities. Jimmy was on vacation, Barry couldn’t reach the top shelf, which meant…had he been sleepwalking?

His Ears Will Be Ringing

Challenge 3: In fifty words write a story with three mood changes and apple pie (in any quantity).

His Ears Will Be Ringing

“I got you a present!”

Sherry put on the lovely green ring, admiring the color as it turned blue.

“Now, you’ve gotta promise not to get mad,” Jerry continued, eyes flicking to the ring. “I’ve gotta tell you something.”

“…'Kay.”

“I…kinda ate the whole apple pie.”

The ring turned black.

Packed Bleachers

One of my favorites, for sheer how-on-earth-did-I-come-up-with-this?

Challenge 2: In fifty words write a cliffhanger including a rubber duck and a vegetable.

Packed Bleachers

The Millikanville Town Fair’s final, nail-biting event had arrived: the Oddly Shaped Vegetable contest. The Obama-mato had been rejected on the grounds that it was a fruit, but the dragon carrot, the anatomically precise cabbage brain, and Mrs. Winston’s rubber-duck turnip were still in the running.

“And the winner is…”

Pirates of the Sea++

New Challenge 1: In fifty words write a story that includes a pirate and rubber gloves.

Pirates of the Sea++

“Zack, what are you doing?”

“Hold up, mom, I’m seeding the last season of Chuck.”

“You’re 25! If you’re not going to get a job, you can at least help out around the house!” She entered, flinging a pair of rubber gloves at him. “Clean the bathroom.”

“Mommm –”

“Now."

“Fiiine…”

On-the-Job Training

50 Words was gone for a while, but returned in its second generation with a whole new set of challenges.

Challenge 1: In fifty words write a story that includes a pirate and rubber gloves.

On-the-Job Training

“This is a stick-up,” said the cutlass at his throat. “Rubber gloves behind your head.”

“…you serious?”

“I’m dead serious. And you’re plain dead unless I get my booty.”

“You’re probably new at this –”

“The loot, dammit!”

“Look! I’ve been trying to tell you – this is a fishing boat!”

Time Waits For No Man

Challenge 28: Story must be centered around the phrase "Be careful what you wish for".

Time Waits For No Man

More time, that’s all he’d wanted. Time to finish his presentation, time to play with his kids…

He’d chuckled as his daughter urged him to toss a coin into the well. He’d humored her.

Well, now he had time. All of history, in fact, if this really was the Paleozoic.

Breakout

Challenge 27: Story must include someone seated, someone standing, and a view of the horizon.

Breakout

Dorian sat at the balcony’s edge, legs dangling between the posts. Gazing through the bars of his prison, he followed the endless cornfields till they met the sky. In two weeks he’d graduate and be done with this place.

First things first. Sighing, he rose and returned to his desk.

A Warm, Fuzzy Feeling

A silly one.

Challenge 27: Story must include someone seated, someone standing, and a view of the horizon.

A Warm, Fuzzy Feeling

She leaned on the railing, gazing at the sunset. A cool breeze whipped past her, and she shivered.

He quickly wrapped her in a blanketed embrace, whispering in her ear, “At least your feet are warm.”

She giggled, for this was indeed true. Charlie the retriever was sitting on them.

Two Halves of a Rainbow

Bit of a reference to something you might know ;)

Challenge 27: Story must include someone seated, someone standing, and a view of the horizon.

Two Halves of a Rainbow

Reds and pinks and oranges. Sunset colors.

Davy, standing behind her chair, placed his hands on her shoulders as they stared at the sea.

Would today be the day they would see the sky’s rainbow enhanced?

There it was!

The green flash!

Five years of waiting. It was finally time.

Gone

Another one I'm proud to have written, though of the past rather than the future.

Challenge 27: Story must include someone seated, someone standing, and a view of the horizon.

Gone

Eyes glazed, hands trembling, she rummaged through the records.

She placed the needle and stumbled back, collapsing into the armchair.

Music wafted out. Their song.

She reached for the picture frame beside her. A happy couple, beaming at the photographer as the sun set behind them.

Teary-eyed, she smiled, remembering.

Childhood Dreams Fulfilled

This one is my absolute favorite of the 50-word stories I've written.

Challenge 27: Story must include someone seated, someone standing, and a view of the horizon.

Childhood Dreams Fulfilled

“It’s beautiful,” Gary remarked. “I’ve wanted to see this sunset since I was little.”

Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room, Sally looked up at him.

On the ceiling above her, Gary stood upside down, staring out the window at the curvature of the Earth.

“I know. Me too."

Judge a Horse By Its Cover

As my excuse, it was Christmas time, and, well, you know how I like re-lyricking songs.

Challenge 26: Story must include a horse, a prize and a happy ending.

Judge a Horse By Its Cover

Polly the mini dwarf horse
Was a very tiny mare.
Maybe you even saw her,
And didn’t notice she was there.

All of the purebred stallions
Designated her last place.
Whenever they ran derbies,
She could barely even race.

Judge by covers, broncos – look,
Now she’s on the Guinness Book!

Ring-Around-the-Horsie

Challenge 26: Story must include a horse, a prize, and a happy ending.

Ring-Around-the-Horsie

“Please mom, two more dollars?”

“Okay, fine. But this is your last try, Marty.”

The money was exchanged for three rings.

Swoosh. Miss.

Boink. Oh man, that just bounced off the bottle!

Tink-toink. Finally!

“Here you go, little man. We ran out of goldfish, so you get the seahorse.”

“Cool!”

A Tempting Heist

Not one of my favorites, because it requires you to know something about Dali (or look it up), but I wrote it, so here it is.

Challenge 26: Story must include a horse, a prize, and a happy ending.

A Tempting Heist

Francis strode purposefully through dark halls, weaving between statues, through archways, past Impressionist paintings.

Upon arrival, he gazed reverently at his prize, Dalí’s rendition of The Temptation of St. Anthony.

The plan was perfect, his part simple – just walk out with the painting. Time to take this long-legged horse home.

Time to Go

Challenge 26: Story must include a horse, a prize and a happy ending.
 
Time to Go

She returned home that night to, “You’re late again, you bitch!”
As usual.
Gathering her things, she strode toward the door. Brutal arms grabbed her. An elbow in the thigh – Charlie horses weren’t debilitating, but they hurt – he loosened his grip, and she wrenched herself away with her prize: freedom.

Someday

Given that there have been no new challenges or progress on the book since 2010, I get the feeling that 50 Words on the Rocks: Short Stories to Sip On is probably not getting published. So how about I continue putting up the stories I wrote?

This time, though, you're going to get them one at a time, to sip on, as they were meant to be taken in.

Challenge 26: Story must include a horse, a prize and a happy ending.

Someday

“They won first place and lived happily ever after.”

A snuggle, a goodnight kiss. As I tiptoed out, closing the door, a tiny voice mumbled, “Mommy?”

“Yes, honey?”

“Can I have a horsey too?”

“Someday, dear.”

“…always someday…”

Someday, darling, you’ll understand why I saved for your college tuition instead.