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Prompt: 039. lemon tree

1. Opening the door to a tall, slender woman holding a potted lemon tree was a new experience.

A. Opening the door to a tall, slender woman holding a potted lemon tree was a new experience. She took it to be a result of moving to such a hoity-toity neighborhood.

The last place she’d lived, she was greeted by someone helping themself to several boxes off the moving truck. She’d never gotten any of that stuff back.

“Hello?” she said.

2. There were lemon trees in the backyard and a hammock waiting for someone to settle in for a nap.

A. There were lemon trees in the backyard and a hammock waiting for someone to settle in for a nap. It was everything that they’d dreamed of when they’d imagined the house they wanted.

“What’s wrong with this place?”

“What?”

“Well, it’s absolutely perfect and lovely and everything that a person would want in a house. It even has a yard! Why is the price so low?”

“Uh… I didn’t want to mention anything, but there may have been a murder or two. Or five over the course of two years.”

3. He woke tangled in the branches of a lemon tree.

A. He woke tangled in the branches of a lemon tree. His mouth tasted heavily of alcohol and his stomach cramped with the need to vomit.

Where am I? he thought, then grimaced at the loudness of his own internal voice. He felt like he was dying.

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Prompt: 038. smartphone

1. He’d never had a smartphone before, and probably wouldn’t have one now if he hadn’t won the Tech Pak $10,000 Giveaway.

A. He’d never had a smartphone before, and probably wouldn’t have one now if he hadn’t won the Tech Pak $10,000 Giveaway. He’d used the money to pay off his more pressing debts and allowed himself the luxury of buying something he’s always wanted, but never thought he’d be able to afford.

Just holding the phone in his hand made his heart beat a little faster with excitement. He’d ordered it online as an unlocked phone so that he could keep his usual provider, and he thought that he’d gotten a good deal on the price–less than $200!–which made his frugal spirit proud.

2. He stared down at his smartphone’s shattered screen in disbelief that something like this could have happened.

A. He stared down at his smartphone’s shattered screen in disbelief that something like this could have happened. One minute he was walking down the stairs, then his phone had rung, and instead of waiting until he was safely at the bottom he’d fumbled it right out of his pocket and bouncing down ten cement steps.

His mind flashed back to being in the store, looking at the hard cases and scoffing at the idea he might need one. He was always so careful, nothing bad was going to happen. It had seemed like a waste of money, as had the phone insurance that would have cost him an extra $20.

3. She kept her eyes focused on her smartphone screen and pushed her right earbud tighter into her ear. His eyes seemed to burn against the side of her face and more than anything she wanted to run.

A. She kept her eyes focused on her smartphone screen and pushed her right earbud tighter into her ear. His eyes seemed to burn against the side of her face and more than anything she wanted to run. But she forced herself to keep her cool and pretend that he wasn’t there, staring at her from from his seat across the aisle.

Honestly, she didn’t know what was with this guy. She’d seen him while she was waiting in line and had thought nothing about his too-intimate smile (creeps were creeps). But this was getting ridiculous. He was seriously beginning to spook her.

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Prompt: 037. cellphone

1. It was fifteen year old history wrapped in a plastic case. But the pictures saved on the memory card were still blackmail gold.

A. It was fifteen year old history wrapped in a plastic case. But the pictures saved on the memory card were still blackmail gold.

He hadn’t meant to become a creep, but she was the only person he knew that had gotten rich in the years since high school graduation. And there she was, prominently displayed in some old pictures he’d forgotten he’d ever taken–beautiful, young, and wildly uninhibited.

2. The prepaid cellphone made an odd sound before dying, plunging the interior of the box into darkness. The occupant’s breath came louder in panic as the realization sunk in.

A. The prepaid cellphone made an odd sound before dying, plunging the interior of the box into darkness. Jackie’s breath came louder in panic as the realization sunk in.

Buried alive! I’ve been buried alive!

One minute she was enjoying the first real vacation she’d had in her entire life. The next she was waking up in a box buried underground.

It didn’t seem fair.

3. “The cellphone signal is jumping from tower to tower. It looks like they’re heading to the east end of the city.”

A. “The cellphone signal is jumping from tower to tower. It looks like they’re heading to the east end of the city.”

Sitting on the smallest couch in the living room, he wrapped an arm around his wife and closed his eyes. He prayed silently that the police would catch the kidnapper, that their baby would be home with them soon.

He dreaded being told that she was found, but dead. He didn’t know what he would do if that happened. He might just fall to pieces.

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Prompt: 036. backpack

1. The backpack was found on a park bench by a young man that thought there might be something worth money inside. Instead, he was shocked to find a bomb.

A. The backpack was found on a park bench by a young man that thought there might be something worth money inside. Instead, he was shocked to find a bomb. He’d immediately called the police and the park was closed down.

Another five bombs were found at various points around the city. They were disarmed and an investigation was started to find the culprits that had wanted to hurt so many people.

2. They were wandering through the backpack section of the department store. The cart was already loaded down with school supplies and groceries.

A. They were wandering through the backpack section of the department store. The cart was already loaded down with school supplies and groceries. It made him nervous that they were running out of money for this shopping trip.

He really wanted to get a good backpack. He didn’t want to spend the next school year being made fun of. The other kids already picked on him bit; he didn’t need to give them ammunition to use against him.

3. He didn’t mean to steal the backpack. It just kind of happened.

A. He didn’t mean to steal the backpack. It just kind of happened. When everyone scattered at the security guard’s arrival, he hadn’t paused to think. He’d just scooped up the backpack and run. He’d figured he’d give it back at school the next day.

Only Audrie didn’t show up and it turned out she’d never made it home. Her parents were frantically questioning everyone she might know to figure out what had happened to her.