Prompt: 086. dartboard

1. Someone had taped a picture of the deputy mayor to the dartboard.

A. Someone had taped a picture of the deputy mayor to the dartboard. There was a dart sticking out from between the grayish-blue eyes, one that had left streaks of what looked like blood to drip off the ends of the paper and puddle on the floor.

On seeing the dartboard, the mayor insisted that his deputy receive extra security. He was near panicked at the thought of his favorite employee being harmed. Everyone could tell that he was concerned.

2. Having drunk more alcohol than she ever had in her life, she somehow found herself throwing darts at a dartboard while a crowd of people cheered.

A. Having drunk more alcohol than she ever had in her life, she somehow found herself throwing darts at a dartboard while a crowd of people cheered. Or maybe they were jeering, she didn’t know anymore. She’d drunk several fruity cocktails before letting herself be talked into downing shots, and now she was having trouble getting her eyes to focus and her ears were ringing.

Her stomach felt warm with almost-indigestion and she had to catch herself several times to keep from listing to the left.

3. Pulling the metal-tipped dart out of the makeshift dartboard, he seethed on realizing he was going to lose his $800 security deposit because of Wayne.

A. Pulling the metal-tipped dart out of the makeshift dartboard, he seethed on realizing he was going to lose his $800 security deposit because of Wayne. The dart had gone through the dark wood of the door, taking out a thumb-sized chunk. There was no way he was going to be able to hide the damage.

“Dude, I’m sorry, man. I didn’t think it was going to go all the way through like that.”

“Really? You didn’t think a metal dart would go through a piece of printer paper glued to a cereal box?”

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Prompt: 085. forgot to set the parking brake

1. The car was already rolling by the time he realized he hadn’t set the parking brake. Then it was moving too fast for him to stop.

A. The car was already rolling by the time he realized he hadn’t set the parking brake. Then it was moving too fast for him to stop it.

All he could do was step out of the way and watch as it slammed into a tree with a horrifying crack of splitting wood and the shatter of tail lights.

He stood there, ashen-faced, as the door of the picturesque house slammed open and the owner came running out. “My tree! What happened? What did you do?!?”

2. The Chief yelled himself hoarse when he discovered that someone forgot to set the parking brake on the rig.

A. The Chief yelled himself hoarse when he discovered that someone forgot to set the parking brake on the rig. Alden was fired and Orlando was going to have his wages garnished. It was a disaster for them all though, as they were going to be one truck short for upcoming holiday deliveries.

They would either end up working extra shifts or some orders would have to be canceled. Either way, the likeliness of there being bonuses this year were going down.

3. The bed frame had scraped a furrow into the hardwood floor. She’d forgotten to set the parking brake when she’d set up the bed.

A. The bed frame had scraped a furrow into the hardwood floor. She’d forgotten to set the parking brake when she’d set up the bed and his jumping on the mattress had caused the frame to shift around.

She stared at the large marks dug into the floor. They were obvious to see and there wasn’t a chance the landlord would miss them. He would probably insist that she pay to have the flooring in the entire apartment replaced.

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Prompt: 084. invitation

1. The invitation was waiting in the mailbox.

A. The invitation was waiting in the mailbox. It was a deceptively innocent white greeting card envelope with the addresses written on the front in a flowing black script that took her memories straight back in time to Before.

“What’s wrong?” His hand came to rest on her shoulder as he peered at the invitation she held. “You got some bad mail?”

“The worst,” she said hoarsely. Her throat felt tight and dry. “It’s an invitation. It’s time for the Reunion. I knew this day would come, I just didn’t think it would be so soon.”

2. They’d told him he had an open invitation to drop by, but he made sure to call first.

A. They’d told him he had an open invitation to drop by, but he made sure to call first. He didn’t want to show up and find out they hadn’t really meant it. Or worse, he didn’t want to show up and find them mid-coitus, their faces passion flushed as they tried to pretend he hadn’t interrupted them.

Sometimes he looked at them together, the two people he loved the best in the world, and he hated them. For being happy. For having each other. For not realizing how they were killing him a bit at a time.

3. The whole afternoon was spent soothing her upset child. It seemed the entire class had received a birthday invitation–except her kid.

A. The whole afternoon was spent soothing her upset child. It seemed the entire class had received a birthday invitation—except her kid. She wasn’t sure who she should be angry at: the spoiled birthday brat or the brat’s parents.

All she knew was that she was angry and had to hide it. Because her kid was counting on her to be an example of a better person—a role she already struggled to perform.

Being nice was always something she had to put extra work into. Given her druthers, she was sour like wine left to vinegar; traces of sweetness and kindness spoiled by bad storage and time.

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Prompt: 083. orchids

1. The house was large and immaculate, with polished wood furniture and stainless steel fixtures. Glass bowls and vases held perfectly formed orchids in shades of pink, purple, and blue.

A. The house was large and immaculate, with polished wood furniture and stainless steel fixtures. Glass bowls and vases held perfectly formed orchids in shades of pink, purple, and blue. It was a dream home ripped straight from a magazine.

And every look around made her want to throw her head back and scream: “Let me go home, you monster!” But she held her silence, with a bitter heart.

She dreamed of being home again. Of her mother’s smile and her brother’s laugh. Yet always she awoke in this prison, with her perfect clothes and her lovely hair and the stifling loneliness and ever growing despair.

2. He tended to the prize-winning orchids with endless patience and care. Their heady perfume put him in a daze he had no desire to break from.

A. He tended to the prize-winning orchids with endless patience and care. Their heady perfume put him in a daze he had no desire to break from. It was in these moments that he allowed himself to fantasize about being someone else; someone without all of his cares and responsibilities.

He would mist the velvet petals and putter around the greenhouse. Nobody else was allowed inside, and it was relief. He needed the time with his own thoughts, away from all the grasping desires and thunderous voices of people refusing to leave him alone.

3. The presents were elegantly wrapped in orchid print paper and silk ribbon.

A. The presents were elegantly wrapped in orchid print paper and silk ribbon. They rested on the table with the wedding invitations and car keys. The bags had been packed and stacked near the door. They had readied everything for their trip. Yet they were still home.

She stood next to the couch, trying not to loom over him, but unable to tear her eyes away from his face. “You can’t keep doing this. We RSVP’d. Everyone is expecting us.”

He wrapped his arms tighter around himself and sunk further into the couch. His eyes were shamefully focused on his feet. “I’m sorry. I swear that I am.”

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