I find myself in the midst of writers much better than I. At least they seem so to my mind as I read their submissions. While this could (should?) discourage me, it makes me want to write better and for that I am thankful.
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I am wowed often by the other Trifecta/Trifextra submissions, but it only keeps me at the keyboard. After reading the other submissions this week I found myself talking to myself. That conversation is above.
🙂
Sally you can do this. You know you can. You’ve worked hard to temper the beast – this is just a test. You always – ALWAYS! – ace tests so why not this one, too?
Sally’s shoulders sagged. The inner encourager was right and she knew it. But it’s hard! So hard she wanted to shout. Why can’t I be like the others? Why must I keep falling down when they just skip merrily along?
Her eyes slid back over her shoulder for another look into the bakery case. Sally could feel the saliva begin as she eyed tray after tray of brightly iced cakes, cupcakes and meringues.
“Steven if you don’t get me out of here this minute I cannot answer for what will happen. Dieting is a bit. . . , erm, beast and your daily stops for “just one cupcake and a mocha†are about to do me in. I almost cursed just then. That’s how upset I am. You say you love me? Then show it and get me out of here right now.
Steven paid for his snack, placed it into Sally’s lap and pushed her chair out into the sunlight. “Fine, Sally, we’re going. Look in the bag; I bought you a cookie, too. It’s your favorite kind.â€
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Author’s note: Every nine seconds a woman in the U.S. is abused in some fashion. Abuse is insidious and can be verbal, emotional, physical, sexual, and a myriad of other ways. Caregiver abuse is often more under-reported than abuse of the “able bodied.†Even tempting someone with forbidden sweets, taking them places over which they have no control can be an abusive action.
If you are – or if you know someone who is – abused, the national hotline number is 1-800-799-SAFE.
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Trifecta’s Week 11 Challenge is BEAST, using the third definition.
beast noun \ˈbēst\
1 a: a four-footed mammal as distinguished from a human being
b: a lower animal as distinguished from a human being
c: an animal as distinguished from a plant
d : an animal under human control
2: a contemptible person
3: something formidably difficult to control or deal with
She stood – frozen – those eyes held her against her own will. She couldn’t blink; could only watch mesmerized by the thing in front of her.
“Don’t move, Rachel,†reverberated in her skull.
“So this is how I meet my end, she thought; held in the sway of the grizzly’s glare – afraid to step either right or left – afraid to move at all.â€
Unbidden a tear trickled down her cheek and Rachel felt the tremor of her knees begin.
The standoff seemed to have gone on for hours, but was probably only minutes.
She couldn’t say what happened or why, but just as suddenly as it appeared, the bear disappeared into the brush. Only then did Rachel feel her body relax enough that she could move forward again.
The trail had never seemed so long as today. Rachel was more than thankful to reach her car safely.
“Next time,†she said aloud, “next time I listen to what ‘they’ say and bring a friend or two on my hike.â€
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I started with this being a serpent, but since I live in Alaska I thought it should be a bear. Bears are one very good reason I do NOT wander trails around here. Call me chicken – that’s okay – I can cluck with the best of them.
The Trifecta challenge this week was SWAY, using the third definition.
sway noun \ˈswÄ\
1 : the action or an instance of swaying or of being swayed : an oscillating, fluctuating, or sweeping motion
2 : an inclination or deflection caused by or as if by swaying
3 a : a controlling influence
b : sovereign power : dominion
c : the ability to exercise influence or authority : dominance
With all apologies to the writers of Christmas carols world-wide, this is what popped out when I sat to write for the current Trifecta challenge. Sing along with me now:
Up on the roof-top
Dental pause
In with a wad
Of icky gauze
Working around
My cheeks and gums
Why, oh why does
The dentist hum?
Ho, ho, ho
Here we go
Ho, ho, ho
Give me more
Novocain or
Numbing gel
Good lord, just look
At my cheek swell
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All in good fun – hoping you all have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.
A little nonsensical, but poignant poem for the letter E – A to Z home
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Elisa
Eleventy-ten one hundred and two
Elisa bent to tie her shoe
Even now I see her face
Encouraging me to join her race
Eleventy-ten one hundred and two
Elisa no longer can reach her shoe
Even lines and wrinkles trace
Endearing pages upon her face
Eleventy-ten one hundred and two
Elisa wants to come with you
Even’ tide has slowed her pace
Eventually she’ll lose the race
Eleventy-ten one hundred and two
Elisa sidles away from you
Emitting a sensuous grace
Ending a long, well-run race