Grab Bag Writing Challenge - June 2021
- award - behest - closure - court - doom - halt - hunch - judge - order - perspective - reckoning - select - standoff - stalemate - tally -
by Aurelia West
Yuna made her way through the halls of the castle, putting forth her best poker face, in hopes that no one could sense her internal reckoning. Her brain waves felt like they were starting and stopping at a breakneck pace, and each time they halted, they engaged in a standoff that felt removed from time. Muttering under her breath as she passed the open hall, she silently wished her thoughts were moving in a more wavelike fashion.
The predicament Yuna found herself in was not certain doom, but she sure wouldn't earn any awards for it. Earlier that day, she'd found herself, at the behest of a certain potions professor, running a message to the herbology class in the greenhouses. She was instructed not to peek at whatever order she was delivering, but understandably, her curiosity got the better of her, as it often did. Right as she was about to open the message, the professor came around the corner, having forgotten to tell her more about the response he requested. Seeing her with the scroll half open in the halls, he turned her right around and into his office.
The office had felt like a courtroom and the professor the judge. Yuna, of course, was the guilty party, the woman on trial. Her hands had sweat wildly as she racked her brain for even the slightest hunch of what he might want her to say. Luckily she didn't need to wait long. "Why did you open my message, Yuna?" the professor intoned, his voice carefully measured as if waiting to tally up her answer. "Um, curiosity at its finest, professor?" she offered weakly. Even she could sense that wasn't the answer he was looking for.
"And how much of my message did you happen to see?" he asked, a reasonable follow up from her perspective. "Nothing sir, I promise!" she said, waving her hands to emphasize how little she had actually meddled. She gestured to the scroll that still sat only half open on his desk. "Well, that's good to hear, but I suppose we are at a stalemate," the professor replied, once again carefully selecting his words, seemingly to get the most guilt-ridden response from Yuna. The ball was in his court and he knew it. She bowed her head.
"I promise you it won't happen again," she uttered. Though she was then allowed to go, she felt no sense of closure regarding the matter, and now worried he would bring it up next class. She'd always had an acute sense of curiosity, something no professor had hesitated to bring to the spotlight on numerous occasions. She could kiss her position on the Quidditch Pitch goodbye if too many professors considered her a nosy troublemaker, so she decided she'd really try to reign in her nosiness, at least until the staff forgot about this incident...
Yuna made her way through the halls of the castle, putting forth her best poker face, in hopes that no one could sense her internal reckoning. Her brain waves felt like they were starting and stopping at a breakneck pace, and each time they halted, they engaged in a standoff that felt removed from time. Muttering under her breath as she passed the open hall, she silently wished her thoughts were moving in a more wavelike fashion.
The predicament Yuna found herself in was not certain doom, but she sure wouldn't earn any awards for it. Earlier that day, she'd found herself, at the behest of a certain potions professor, running a message to the herbology class in the greenhouses. She was instructed not to peek at whatever order she was delivering, but understandably, her curiosity got the better of her, as it often did. Right as she was about to open the message, the professor came around the corner, having forgotten to tell her more about the response he requested. Seeing her with the scroll half open in the halls, he turned her right around and into his office.
The office had felt like a courtroom and the professor the judge. Yuna, of course, was the guilty party, the woman on trial. Her hands had sweat wildly as she racked her brain for even the slightest hunch of what he might want her to say. Luckily she didn't need to wait long. "Why did you open my message, Yuna?" the professor intoned, his voice carefully measured as if waiting to tally up her answer. "Um, curiosity at its finest, professor?" she offered weakly. Even she could sense that wasn't the answer he was looking for.
"And how much of my message did you happen to see?" he asked, a reasonable follow up from her perspective. "Nothing sir, I promise!" she said, waving her hands to emphasize how little she had actually meddled. She gestured to the scroll that still sat only half open on his desk. "Well, that's good to hear, but I suppose we are at a stalemate," the professor replied, once again carefully selecting his words, seemingly to get the most guilt-ridden response from Yuna. The ball was in his court and he knew it. She bowed her head.
"I promise you it won't happen again," she uttered. Though she was then allowed to go, she felt no sense of closure regarding the matter, and now worried he would bring it up next class. She'd always had an acute sense of curiosity, something no professor had hesitated to bring to the spotlight on numerous occasions. She could kiss her position on the Quidditch Pitch goodbye if too many professors considered her a nosy troublemaker, so she decided she'd really try to reign in her nosiness, at least until the staff forgot about this incident...
by February Fortescue
Golden Leaf Dewshine was a Standard Poodle, apricot in color, and very well loved by a mom and dad and four happy children who called her Goldie. More than anything in the world, she loved doing tricks and pleasing her human family, which was the highlight of her summer. She could romp outside and play to her heart's content. Once the weather began to cool, she went to live with Jill, who was a professional dog handler. You see, along with being a family pet, Golden Leaf Dewshine was a show dog. She had been competing in the Westminster Kennel Club for the previous five years, and won Best in Breed twice. She was now six years old, and at the behest of her family, she had a hunch this would be her final year of competition. While Goldie loved showing off for the judge and the audience, and winning awards for Jill, she was ready to be a full time family pet. From her perspective, playing with the kids was simply more fun.
It was finally the end of January and nearing February. Time for the Westminster Kennel Club competition! Golden Leaf Dewshine had been primped and coiffed and her gorgeous apricot fur made outstanding. She had been practicing her gait and making sure to walk and stand exactly as Jill directed. She would walk when signaled to walk, and halt when signaled to halt. Goldie and Jill's hard work paid off: for the third year in a row, Golden Leaf Dewshine won Best in Breed in the Standard Poodle Division. Only a couple more days left, she'd compete for Best in Show, she'd have her closure, and it would all be over. Back home with the family! But for now, Goldie set her sights on being selected Best in Show. She knew if she didn't win, she'd never get another chance, and she didn't want feelings of sadness and doom following her home.
Finally, it was the day of reckoning. Golden Leaf Dewshine and Jill Davenport stepped into the ring with the other dogs, and Goldie showed off her form and her skills. When the judge ordered the dogs to walk around for their finale, she pranced like she had never pranced before. Goldie suspected the court of public opinion wanted the Pekinese to win because of those cute short little legs, but then again, if someone tallied the votes, the Golden Retriever would have a real shot. Those are always popular breeds. Good thing the winner isn't selected by popular vote – there would definitely be a stalemate! The judge called 5 dogs to the front. He briefly looked a little uncertain, and Goldie hoped he wasn't having a mental standoff in his head! He then placed the dogs, and guess what? Golden Leaf Dewshine won Best in Show! She was retiring a winner!
Golden Leaf Dewshine was a Standard Poodle, apricot in color, and very well loved by a mom and dad and four happy children who called her Goldie. More than anything in the world, she loved doing tricks and pleasing her human family, which was the highlight of her summer. She could romp outside and play to her heart's content. Once the weather began to cool, she went to live with Jill, who was a professional dog handler. You see, along with being a family pet, Golden Leaf Dewshine was a show dog. She had been competing in the Westminster Kennel Club for the previous five years, and won Best in Breed twice. She was now six years old, and at the behest of her family, she had a hunch this would be her final year of competition. While Goldie loved showing off for the judge and the audience, and winning awards for Jill, she was ready to be a full time family pet. From her perspective, playing with the kids was simply more fun.
It was finally the end of January and nearing February. Time for the Westminster Kennel Club competition! Golden Leaf Dewshine had been primped and coiffed and her gorgeous apricot fur made outstanding. She had been practicing her gait and making sure to walk and stand exactly as Jill directed. She would walk when signaled to walk, and halt when signaled to halt. Goldie and Jill's hard work paid off: for the third year in a row, Golden Leaf Dewshine won Best in Breed in the Standard Poodle Division. Only a couple more days left, she'd compete for Best in Show, she'd have her closure, and it would all be over. Back home with the family! But for now, Goldie set her sights on being selected Best in Show. She knew if she didn't win, she'd never get another chance, and she didn't want feelings of sadness and doom following her home.
Finally, it was the day of reckoning. Golden Leaf Dewshine and Jill Davenport stepped into the ring with the other dogs, and Goldie showed off her form and her skills. When the judge ordered the dogs to walk around for their finale, she pranced like she had never pranced before. Goldie suspected the court of public opinion wanted the Pekinese to win because of those cute short little legs, but then again, if someone tallied the votes, the Golden Retriever would have a real shot. Those are always popular breeds. Good thing the winner isn't selected by popular vote – there would definitely be a stalemate! The judge called 5 dogs to the front. He briefly looked a little uncertain, and Goldie hoped he wasn't having a mental standoff in his head! He then placed the dogs, and guess what? Golden Leaf Dewshine won Best in Show! She was retiring a winner!
by Hannah Lovegood
Rosie got an award for being the most honest in her class. She was the only student in a class of 50 that hadn't lied. Rosie's best friend's name is Blueberry. Blueberry decided to go to a basketball game with Rosie and then Rosie decided to take Blueberry along to a football game. When the basketball game ended, they left the court to head to the football game. The two of them had a lot of fun because it was just them two. Their moms had stuff to do so they got to hang out together by themselves. The entire game, they were both keeping a points tally.
Then, after the game, they went to the annual spelling bee where they judged the competition with their friend Jax. The theme of the competition this year was purple so everyone had to wear purple and black, the school colors. At the end they had a stalemate because they couldn't decide who had won.
After the competition, Blueberry and Rosie ordered a limousine to drive them home with a driver. Then the girls had a standoff with each other because they couldn't decide what they should do together. Blueberry wanted to walk around London and go shopping, while Rosie wanted to have a pool party at her house. Then Luna came over and said, “Blueberry, I'll take you walking around and Rosie you can go home and get the pool set up and we'll be back as soon as we can.” They agreed to that.
Before Blueberry left, Rosie behest them to be back in an hour. Blueberry got mad at one of the shop owners because they wouldn't let her in. She said that she would make sure that the shop faced closure. Rosie reckoned that she was doomed to see her friends from school because she was walking on the richer side of the city and she knew her friends didn't go out to the other side of the city. Rosie halted by a really pretty candy store that she saw. She thought, “I really want to buy something there to show my friends that I am as rich as they are but I don't have any money.”
Then, Rosie saw some of her friends coming her way so she hunched down and pretended to tie her shoe. All of her friends walked by and nobody noticed her. Once they turned the corner, she ran into the candy store and everybody was in the back. She snuck around and selected the newest candy, the Strawberry Popping Bubble Popping Jazz, and ran out the door and back to her house. In her perspective, it was like borrowing something from the store because she knew she would probably return one of the candies.
Blueberry was waiting with Jax and Logan and Isabelle for the pool party. Rosie said hi to everybody and then she ran inside and got into her swimsuit. In her haste to get her swimsuit on, she had left the new candy on the seat by the pool. Blueberry saw it but didn't say anything because she knew the other kids would see it, rip it open, and eat it all up. Rosie came back and Blueberry told her she'd left the candy on the seat. Rosie grabbed the candy and ran inside. She came back with some pool toys and they splashed around for a while.
Rosie got an award for being the most honest in her class. She was the only student in a class of 50 that hadn't lied. Rosie's best friend's name is Blueberry. Blueberry decided to go to a basketball game with Rosie and then Rosie decided to take Blueberry along to a football game. When the basketball game ended, they left the court to head to the football game. The two of them had a lot of fun because it was just them two. Their moms had stuff to do so they got to hang out together by themselves. The entire game, they were both keeping a points tally.
Then, after the game, they went to the annual spelling bee where they judged the competition with their friend Jax. The theme of the competition this year was purple so everyone had to wear purple and black, the school colors. At the end they had a stalemate because they couldn't decide who had won.
After the competition, Blueberry and Rosie ordered a limousine to drive them home with a driver. Then the girls had a standoff with each other because they couldn't decide what they should do together. Blueberry wanted to walk around London and go shopping, while Rosie wanted to have a pool party at her house. Then Luna came over and said, “Blueberry, I'll take you walking around and Rosie you can go home and get the pool set up and we'll be back as soon as we can.” They agreed to that.
Before Blueberry left, Rosie behest them to be back in an hour. Blueberry got mad at one of the shop owners because they wouldn't let her in. She said that she would make sure that the shop faced closure. Rosie reckoned that she was doomed to see her friends from school because she was walking on the richer side of the city and she knew her friends didn't go out to the other side of the city. Rosie halted by a really pretty candy store that she saw. She thought, “I really want to buy something there to show my friends that I am as rich as they are but I don't have any money.”
Then, Rosie saw some of her friends coming her way so she hunched down and pretended to tie her shoe. All of her friends walked by and nobody noticed her. Once they turned the corner, she ran into the candy store and everybody was in the back. She snuck around and selected the newest candy, the Strawberry Popping Bubble Popping Jazz, and ran out the door and back to her house. In her perspective, it was like borrowing something from the store because she knew she would probably return one of the candies.
Blueberry was waiting with Jax and Logan and Isabelle for the pool party. Rosie said hi to everybody and then she ran inside and got into her swimsuit. In her haste to get her swimsuit on, she had left the new candy on the seat by the pool. Blueberry saw it but didn't say anything because she knew the other kids would see it, rip it open, and eat it all up. Rosie came back and Blueberry told her she'd left the candy on the seat. Rosie grabbed the candy and ran inside. She came back with some pool toys and they splashed around for a while.
by Prof. Sky Alton
"Can you spare a minute?" Priya asked, sticking her head around the flap of the tent.
"No," Matilda grimaced, sensing impending doom. "But you’d better explain anyway."
"There’s a bit of a problem in the baking tent," Priya said, rolling her eyes skywards. "There’s a stalemate in the cake contest. Doesn’t look like the judges will be backing down any time soon."
Matilda grimaced. She had a hunch about what would be causing the problem and it was definitely not a standoff she wanted to get in the middle of. And that was without accounting for the issue with the porter loos, the incident at the pony ride (resulting in its early closure and some very unhappy parents), the disputed waggiest tail contest and Mrs. Alconbry’s 'stolen' hat. The village fate was always full of minor crises but this year’s tally was already off the scale.
She got up from her rickety camping chair and reluctantly followed Priya out. They made their way across the field towards the large marquee, trying to ignore Mrs. Alconbry who was holding court near the tombola and making some very pointed remarks about security. There would be an almighty reckoning later if they didn’t manage to find that pesky hat.
The baking tent was full of trestle tables, all neatly lined up and covered in crisp gingham cloths. There were all manner of cakes on stands and enough plates of scones, tarts and biscuits to feed a small army. Matilda didn’t have time to admire the tasty treats though because there was a very intense argument happening at the other end of the tent.
Tessa James was the louder of the two. John Richards’s strategy seemed to be to let her argue herself breathless and then make a snide remark that set her going again. Matilda and Priya halted a few feet away and waited to be noticed. When that didn’t work, Matilda cleared her throat.
"I understand you’re having a bit of a problem selecting a winner?" Matilda said cautiously.
"Only because John is stuck in the past," Tessa snapped.
"Our job as judges is to enforce standards," John sniffed, "And pineapple curd in place of strawberry jam in a Victoria sponge is not standard. That is not a Victoria sponge, therefore I cannot, in good conscience, award it first place in a Victoria sponge competition."
"From my perspective, not to award it first place would be to penalise genuine culinary innovation for stuffy old tradition."
"From my perspective," John said, wagging his finger, "I’m upholding standards at the behest of the organisers."
Matilda wanted to laugh… or possibly cry. She forced herself to take a deep breath. Just sort it out, she ordered herself. Just sort it out, find that dratted woman’s hat, survive the rest of the day and then you never have to deal with any of this again. Until next year….
"Can you spare a minute?" Priya asked, sticking her head around the flap of the tent.
"No," Matilda grimaced, sensing impending doom. "But you’d better explain anyway."
"There’s a bit of a problem in the baking tent," Priya said, rolling her eyes skywards. "There’s a stalemate in the cake contest. Doesn’t look like the judges will be backing down any time soon."
Matilda grimaced. She had a hunch about what would be causing the problem and it was definitely not a standoff she wanted to get in the middle of. And that was without accounting for the issue with the porter loos, the incident at the pony ride (resulting in its early closure and some very unhappy parents), the disputed waggiest tail contest and Mrs. Alconbry’s 'stolen' hat. The village fate was always full of minor crises but this year’s tally was already off the scale.
She got up from her rickety camping chair and reluctantly followed Priya out. They made their way across the field towards the large marquee, trying to ignore Mrs. Alconbry who was holding court near the tombola and making some very pointed remarks about security. There would be an almighty reckoning later if they didn’t manage to find that pesky hat.
The baking tent was full of trestle tables, all neatly lined up and covered in crisp gingham cloths. There were all manner of cakes on stands and enough plates of scones, tarts and biscuits to feed a small army. Matilda didn’t have time to admire the tasty treats though because there was a very intense argument happening at the other end of the tent.
Tessa James was the louder of the two. John Richards’s strategy seemed to be to let her argue herself breathless and then make a snide remark that set her going again. Matilda and Priya halted a few feet away and waited to be noticed. When that didn’t work, Matilda cleared her throat.
"I understand you’re having a bit of a problem selecting a winner?" Matilda said cautiously.
"Only because John is stuck in the past," Tessa snapped.
"Our job as judges is to enforce standards," John sniffed, "And pineapple curd in place of strawberry jam in a Victoria sponge is not standard. That is not a Victoria sponge, therefore I cannot, in good conscience, award it first place in a Victoria sponge competition."
"From my perspective, not to award it first place would be to penalise genuine culinary innovation for stuffy old tradition."
"From my perspective," John said, wagging his finger, "I’m upholding standards at the behest of the organisers."
Matilda wanted to laugh… or possibly cry. She forced herself to take a deep breath. Just sort it out, she ordered herself. Just sort it out, find that dratted woman’s hat, survive the rest of the day and then you never have to deal with any of this again. Until next year….