Prompt: 055. khaki pants

1. The khaki pants she wore with her uniform polo were the least flattering things in her wardrobe.

A. The khaki pants she wore with her uniform polo were the least flattering things in her wardrobe. Which was why she’d chosen them from the discount rack.

She was hoping that her boss would finally lose interest in harassing her. She was tired of him constantly trying to cop a feel when she bent over or standing too close when he talked to her. It wasn’t like she’d ever done anything to encourage him in his pursuits; had in fact tried her best to get him to stop.

She really needed this job, otherwise she would have quit a long time ago.

2. It was picture day and his mom had threatened his life if the picture wasn’t a good one. She’d even chosen his outfit, which was why he was wearing khaki pants and a shirt with a collar when he’d rather be in a tee shirt and jeans.

A. It was picture day and his mom had threatened his life if the picture wasn’t a good one. She’d even chosen his outfit, which was why he was wearing khaki pants and a shirt with a collar when he’d rather be in a tee shirt and jeans.

The only relief he got was seeing all the other kids in their parent-chosen “best”. They looked as miserable as he felt, and some of them were wearing outfits much worse than his own.

3. The fire was caused by someone throwing a pair of khaki pants over the electrical wires hanging between their store and the pole. It knocked out the power for their half of the street.

A. The fire was caused by someone throwing a pair of khaki pants over the electrical wires hanging between their store and the pole. It knocked out the power for their half of the street and inconvenienced them for over two days.

By the time new wires had been strung and the pole had been repaired, all of the freezers had defrosted and they’d lost thousands of dollars of profits. The children enjoyed the impromptu barbecue and ice cream party, not noticing the stress their parents were under.

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Prompt: 054. veil

1. There had always been a veil of secrecy between the Tyrant and even his most closest of family.

A. There had always been a veil of secrecy between the Tyrant and even his most closest of family members. They existed within the bubble of his influence, protected from the growing resentment of the citizenry, unknowing of the evils he had committed.

State news and curated relationships were their only contact with the outside world. All they had ever known was the adoration laid upon him by loyalists and mouthpieces. They basked in the spillover of that love, never noticing that the smiles were fake.

It wasn’t until the Monday Night Massacre that the veil finally slipped.

2. “Maybe I wear the veil because I’m ugly,” she said.

A. “Maybe I wear the veil because I’m ugly,” she said. Her gaze over the curtain-like royal blue cloth was direct. The shape of her eyes was lovely.

“Are you?”

The corners of her eyes crinkled in a smile. “Would you run from me if I was hideous?” she asked. “Would you not like me anymore?”

3. The funeral veil was silk embroidered with flowers and birds, symbolizing the ascension of the soul into the afterlife.

A. The funeral veil was silk embroidered with flowers and birds, symbolizing the ascension of the soul into the afterlife. Beneath the veil, the shape of the face was lumpy and malformed, a remnant of the leprosy that had eventually killed him.

Her brother had been such a lovely boy. She hadn’t seen his face in ten years, since he’d begun hiding it behind a pure gold mask. But his voice had been her salvation, reminding her that she wasn’t alone.

And now that he was dead, she was Empress of the North. A figurehead to the usurpers that had killed her parents and allowed her brother to waste away.

Her husband would keep her locked in the palace until she died.

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Prompt: 053. peanuts

1. “We make peanuts a day while they make millions. It’s not fair how they treat us.”

A. “We make peanuts a day while they make millions. It’s not fair how they treat us.”

“But what can we do about it? We’re not important enough for them to care.”

“We’ll be important enough if we go on strike. We’ll be the most important people they need then.”

“What if they just fire us all and hire new people?”

“We won’t let them. I’m tired of being treated like a second-class citizen by a bunch of people that have never truly had to work a day in their lives.”

2. The first crop of peanuts was met with cheers. And fifteen years after the end of the Old World, the first new jar of peanut butter was filled.

A. The first crop of peanuts was met with cheers. And two hours later–fifteen years after the end of the Old World–the first new jar of peanut butter was filled.

It was a day of joy for the community. There was a potluck and every person got a smear of peanut butter on a slice of Gillian B’s delicious potato bread. Nobody had to work and there were smiles everywhere. They began to believe for the first time that they were going to survive.

3. They chose an orange and black kitten with lopsided ears and wide eyes from the box in front of the grocery store. It was quickly dubbed Peanuts and taken to its new home.

A. They chose an orange and black kitten with lopsided ears and wide eyes from the box in front of the grocery store. It was quickly dubbed Peanuts and taken to its new home where it was bathed and cuddled.

They set up a box with some bedding in the living room and fed Peanuts flaked salmon leftover from last night’s dinner. The children were admonished to not scare him and to give him time to adapt to his new life with them. If they were patient and kind, he would be happy to be their new family member.

The children were adorably serious in their treatment of him.

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Prompt: 052. full-length mirror

1. She stood in front of the full-length mirror and examined her appearance critically.

A. She stood in front of the full-length mirror and examined her appearance critically. She turned from side to side, trying to see herself from as many angles as possible. Finally she decided that she was satisfied with her new human body.

She lifted her arms and rose up on her toes. She twirled once and landed flat-footed. She opened her mouth wide and stuck out her tongue.

Using her hands, she familiarized herself with the form. Soft skin, short rough hairs, longer curls coming from the scalp. She could already see some improvements that she would be making.

“But this could work,” she said, testing out the voice.

2. A long black framed full-length mirror stood against the wall. Shadows gathered beneath the reflective surface, a miasma of dark emotion collected from a house of pain.

A. A long black framed full-length mirror stood against the wall. Shadows gathered beneath the reflective surface, a miasma of dark emotion collected from a house of pain.

The mirror had been bought at auction as part of a quick sale. The previous owner and his family had been murdered in their home. His parents had saved personal items and sold everything else. They were desperate to be rid of anything to do with that terrible time.

3. There was a full-length mirror hanging from the closet door. He stood in front of it, flexing in his boxer briefs.

A. There was a full-length mirror hanging from the closet door. He stood in front of it, flexing in his boxer briefs. He was pleased to see that his visits to the gym were beginning to pay off. There were lines of definition beginning to show along his abdominals. He was still short and scrawny, but he thought that he would look all right someday. He’d just have to keep working at it.

The door jerked open–

“Hey, can I borrow your… What are you doing? Where are your clothes?”

–and he shrieked at the top of his lungs, hands slapping against the front of his underwear.

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