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Prompt: 035. dear diary

1. The last bits of her left in the world were a stuffed lion and her diary. Every entry was started with the words “Dear Diary” and ended with her signing “Love, From Me”.

A. The last bits of her left in the world were a stuffed lion and her diary. Every entry was started with the words “Dear Diary” and ended with her signing “Love, From Me”.

It was too painful for them to see the lion or the diary. They put them in a box along with their memories of her and tried to get on with their lives.

They never spoke of her, and gradually people began to forget that she’d ever existed. And that was sad, but a relief as well. She’d become a burden bearing down on them and sometimes the memories were too painful.

It felt good to smile.

2. “Dear Diary, today I met the man of my dreams” was spoken into the dark stillness, followed by a disbelieving laugh.

A. “Dear Diary, today I met the man of my dreams” was spoken into the dark stillness, followed by a disbelieving laugh. “Oh man, I can’t believe she actually wrote this crap. I’m going to make her life hell.”

“We shouldn’t be reading her diary. You should put it back.”

“Oh wah. Don’t worry about it. As long as she doesn’t know we looked at it, we’ll be fine.”

3. “Oh dear, I think you’re going to need a new diary. It looks like someone spilled coffee on this one.”

A. “Oh dear, I think you’re going to need a new diary. It looks like someone spilled coffee on this one.”

He stared at the black and white striped diary in his hands and felt helpless tears brimming in his eyes. He’d only been allowed to have it because it didn’t look too girly, but it still made him feel like he’d have pretty things someday. There was no way he was ever going to have anything so nice again.

“Since that’s looking a bit worse for wear, why don’t you take this one.” A white diary with blue and black polka dots all over it was waved under his nose. “I already paid for it.”

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Prompt: 034. colors

1. Everyone is assigned a color at birth, and those colors decide their future. Red for courage, blue for healing, green for growing, yellow for nurturing, mauve for romance, and brown for the lowest work.

A. Everyone is assigned a color at birth, and those colors decide their future. Red for courage, blue for healing, green for growing, yellow for nurturing, mauve for romance, and brown for the lowest work.

Caterine had begun her life wrapped in a mauve blanket and had grown up surrounded by beauty and an ethic of hard work and emotionally satisfying companionship. She trained and learned in the Chapter House, and when it was time for her to make her Final Choice, she decided to stay a mauve.

2. Hitting the button made the four colors of paint swirl and mix together over the paper. The toddler cheered and hit the button again and again, the innocent delight drawing smiles from the watching adults.

A. Hitting the button made the four colors of paint swirl and mix together over the paper. The toddler cheered and hit the button again and again, the innocent delight drawing smiles from the watching adults.

When she was satisfied with her artwork, she politely asked her uncle to take the frame off and lay it out for the paper to dry. While he did that, she climbed up on a stool to get the second frame and a new sheet of paper off the counter. It was with some bemusement that he watched her reload her paint toy and go back to pushing the button with a bright laugh.

3. Everyone was born colorblind. It was the natural state of their people. But a select few developed into Guardians, and the first step in the Change was the sudden ability to perceive colors.

A. Everyone was born colorblind. It was the natural state of their people. But a select few developed into Guardians, and the first step in the Change was the sudden ability to perceive colors. It separated them from other people.

They were required to attend training schools where they received a topnotch education and were prepared for the physical changes they were still to go through before they would become Guardians.

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Prompt: 033. great literature

1. The book was all well and good, but she wouldn’t call it great literature. More like toilet paper wrapped in a glossy cover.

A. The book was all well and good, but she wouldn’t call it great literature. More like toilet paper wrapped in a glossy cover. She snorted to herself, covering her mouth with the side of her hand.

Along with the rest of the students, Sadie sat with her back straight, her shoulders back, and her face attentively turned forward. To all appearances, she was a diligent student; when really she spent her time making snarky mental comments or daydreaming.

2. It was when she couldn’t answer 80% of the test questions that she began reading as many of the so-called great literature books as she could.

A. It was when she couldn’t answer 80% of the test questions that she began reading as many of the so-called great literature books as she could. They weren’t exactly to her taste, but she spent the time thinking on the reading and taking the practice quizzes. And it all paid off.

She walked into the retest with determination in her stride, and she crushed it. Which allowed her entrance into Professor Holloway’s course.

3. Walking through the door he was forced to join in a discussion about what constituted great literature.

A. Walking through the door he was forced to join in a discussion about what constituted great literature. It was embarrassing to admit that the closest thing he’d ever read to a classic was Stephen King’s Cujo, so he didn’t.

He sat quietly in his chair and absorbed the discussion happening around him. He took notes, planning to make his own study guide. They were a found of information he wouldn’t have been able to find anywhere else.

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Prompt: 032. jewel heist

1. Considering he’d barely been released from prison, joining in on a jewel heist had to be the most idiotic thing he’d ever let his cousin talk him into doing.

A. Considering he’d barely been released from prison, joining in on a jewel heist had to be the most idiotic thing he’d ever let his cousin talk him into doing.

To be honest, he’d wanted to say No and stay home. But it was the thought of home that had him agreeing to go along with Brandon’s idiotic plan. Because his family was always hungry, always smelly, always desperate, always poor.

He’d been tired of being poor before he’d been Sent Up. And coming back to that same life didn’t make it any better, especially when he saw his nephew’s hungry face.

2. He hadn’t planned on being part of a jewel heist, but he hadn’t been given a choice. They had his family.

A.He hadn’t planned on being part of a jewel heist, but he hadn’t been given a choice. They had his family. So he did as he was told, and along with the other parents robbed the jewel depository.

They made a fast getaway in the van they’d been given and eluded police. They exchanged the van for a four-door car and drove to the rendezvous point where they were supposed to exchange the jewels for their children.

3. The surveillance video was like watching a heist movie. The jewel thieves were professionals. It was going to be hard catching them.

A. The surveillance video was like watching a heist movie. The jewel thieves were professionals. It was going to be hard catching them.

Jackie stood off to one side as the museum was taken over by police and federal agents. She’d never been in a situation like this before, and she was trying to see everything that she could.