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Prompt: 029. snakes

1. It was the sound of hissing that woke her. Then came the rasp of scales against the comforter. And in the darkness she realized that her bed was full of snakes.

A. It was the sound of hissing that woke her. Then came the rasp of scales against the comforter. And in the darkness she realized that her bed was full of snakes. She could feel them shifting around her, rubbing against her legs and arms.

Her breath hitched and caught in a silent open-mouthed scream. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest. Her every muscle drew into a tight line and her body went rigid on the bed.

A snake slithered up and across her right thigh to settle over her pelvis.

2. All he remembered about the man that attacked him was the tattoo across his chest of two snakes twined around a broadsword. Everything else was lost to the concussion and shock.

A. All he remembered about the man that attacked him was the tattoo across his chest of two snakes twined around a broadsword. Everything else was lost to the concussion and shock.

He’d woken in the hospital with the memory of nearly six weeks completely wiped away. It was still disturbing to think that he’d woken up dozens of times during those weeks, had had conversations and made connections with the people at the hospital, and now he didn’t remember any of it.

He was simply looking forward to the day when they would release him to go home.

3. “Well, it looks like you’ve got a nest of snakes in the crawlspace under your house. You’re gonna have to call someone to get rid of them, and no one’s going to be working on your pipes until you do.”

A. “Well, it looks like you’ve got a nest of snakes in the crawlspace under your house. You’re gonna have to call someone to get rid of them, and no one’s going to be working on your pipes until you do.” He hitched his belt up. “I’m real sorry, but we don’t mess around with rattlers.”

The yellow sheet he tore off his carbon notepad and held out had a scribbled phone number and a printed name on it. “Call them. They’ll clear out your snake problem and won’t try to bankrupt you doing it.”

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Prompt: 028. dragons

1. It was said that the Lands of Always Summer were ruled by dragons that could take on human features to seduce beautiful youths and maidens.

A. It was said that the Lands of Always Summer were ruled by dragons that could take on human features to seduce beautiful youths and maidens. They would come out of the South with flaring wings to take on human form when their feet touched ground, garbed in silk and finery no mortal could match. Their voices were said to be overpoweringly seductive; a single word and a human’s will would be subverted.

They said a lot of things to excuse away their fears and weakness.

Every year strangers came and more and more of their young people went away. There town was dwindling to nothing. That was the truth of the matter.

But this year he–Martin Matthews!–would rid them all of the dragon scourge.

2. The stolen passwords got them past the outer defenses and into the Hoard; the secure stronghold of Baetheron the Black, the Dragon with the smallest Territory in all the Earthly Domains.

A. The stolen passwords got them past the outer defenses and into the Hoard; the secure stronghold of Baetheron the Black, the Dragon with the smallest Territory in all the Earthly Domains.

It was said that he’d begun his reign as a human and had earned his position in the Hierarchy. He had the most to prove, and his ruthlessness was becoming legendary. But they were being paid quite a lot of money to test his defenses and steal a bauble for their client.

The fortune they were making on this job was worth risking his wrath.

3. Dragons are a highly intelligent species with a penchant for stealing young maidens.

Dragons are a highly intelligent species with a penchant for stealing young maidens. It’s not known why they prefer young female humans, but it was a weakness hunters didn’t hesitate to exploit.

Dozens of dragons met their end when they accepted the bait of seemingly helpless women left as sacrifices. They would land to take their prey, and the dragon hunters would leap out of hiding to slash through leathery wings and stab into the tender flesh between breast and belly.

Only lately have the dragons become wary of the maiden baited traps.

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Prompt: 027. mount

1. The little girl looked equal parts terrified and exhilarated as the groom helped her mount the horse.

A. The little girl looked equal parts terrified and exhilarated as the groom helped her mount the horse. Her mother stood off to the side, her smile wide even as her fingers had a white knuckled grip on the fence post.

She’d vowed that her little girl would do all the things she’d only dreamed of growing up. It was why she’d striven so hard to succeed in her life and career–she’d gotten pregnant and realized that she needed to do better. She wasn’t alone anymore, there was someone counting on her.

They’d come so far, from living in a studio apartment that shared a bathroom to having their own house, bought and paid for. They never had to worry that paying the electric bill would short-change their grocery budget. They weren’t rich, but they were comfortable enough to afford a day trip to a local horse camp and one-on-one riding lessons for her daughter.

2. He mounted the stairs one at a time, pausing to catch his breath when he needed to. Cracking half his ribcage was the most painful thing he’d ever experienced, and even while healing his ribs still hurt.

A. He mounted the stairs one at a time, pausing to catch his breath when he needed to. Cracking half his ribcage was the most painful thing he’d ever experienced, and even while healing his ribs still hurt. He was lucky to be alive, and he knew it.

The unsub had had him dead to rights. But instead of killing him the creep had broken his ribs with a mallet, and while he’d laid there helpless on the floor, the unsub had leaned real close. And sniffed his hair.

Just thinking about it gave him the creeps.

3. Squaring her shoulders and putting a firm expression on her face, she preceded to mount the stage and approach the microphone. There was a whole roomful of people wanting to hear what she had to say.

A. Squaring her shoulders and putting a firm expression on her face, she preceded to mount the stage and approach the microphone. There was a whole roomful of people wanting to hear what she had to say.

She’d never felt so important or terrified before in her life.

“Hello, excuse me.” She tapped the microphone to test that it was working. It was, and her little taps sounded LOUD. She drew in a deep breath. “Welcome everybody. Unfortunately Mrs. Lanchester couldn’t be here this evening, but she asked that I take her place to introduce our talented young singers.”

The curtain lifted to reveal three bleachers full of young people dressed in white shirts and black pants. They were arranged by height with the tallest in the back row.

“First we’ll have a performance, and afterward we can begin the bidding.”

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Prompt: 026. wristwatch

1. She stared at the wristwatch with a sense of dread. Her ears filled with a buzzing sound as they spoke.

A. She stared at the wristwatch with a sense of dread. Her ears filled with a buzzing sound as they spoke. Trying to say that he was dead. That he was never coming back to her. That she would never get to say goodbye to him.

When the officer tried to hand it to her, she took a step back. She crossed her arms in front of her and shook her head back and forth. As though not accepting that the watch was his would somehow make everything all right again. He would come walking through the door, smile at her, and tell her that there’d been a big misunderstanding. He was fine.

2. “Somebody stole my grandfather’s watch. It was in my jewelry box and it’s gone.”

A. “Somebody stole my grandfather’s watch. It was in my jewelry box and it’s gone.” She looked around the room, trying to catch a glimpse of guilt on any of her three roommates’ faces. But she didn’t see anything but dim interest.

She could tell that they were already disregarding what she had to say. They didn’t even have enough respect for her to give her a minute of undivided attention. Her grandfather’s watch, an heirloom from her family, was missing and not a single one of them could even pretend to care.

It made her angry.

3. He checked his wristwatch one more time. There were only ten minutes left.

A. He checked his wristwatch one more time. There were only ten minutes left. It made him nervous. Things could go wrong so easily.

He stared through the windshield at the building across the street. He wasn’t sure what his contact looked like and he was worried that he was going to miss her.

Until he saw her.

And realized that anyone that missed her had to be blind.

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