07/05/23
daily - DISCLAIMER: INCLUDES VERY SAD SPOILERS ABUT HARRY POTTER READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
Hello everyone, today I will be introducing to you the all-powerful book smoothie! The book smoothie consists of all the pages of my all-time favorite books, Harry Potter, with a tinge of my tears after finding out Dobby died. The book smoothie can be made out of any book you choose, but since I chose the Harry Potter books you get to explore their world. After drinking this delicious smoothie, you'll enter a coma (trust the process you'll be fine), and while you are sleeping your spirit will enter the world of Harry Potter. You'll get to play the role of an extra and see Harry and his friends embark on their journey. You'll also get to experience the life of a wizard and engage in fun potion classes with Professor Snape (till he dies that is) and eat some Chocolate Frogs. Locomotor Wibbly! You can also turn your greatest enemy's legs into jelly. The possibilities are endless, and impossible to fully list here. Jump into the world of Harry Potter and drink that smoothie if you wish to find out. However, if for some ridiculous and stupid reason I will never understand you dislike Harry Potter, fear not, you can make the smoothie out of your favorite books. Simply visit me and give me 10 boxes of strawberry frosted rainbow sprinkle donuts before telling me you don't like Harry Potter so I don't get mad at you. I will make the smoothie out of the book you wish and voila! You have the freedom to explore. Have fun

Daily, July 5th
Welcome all, to the smoothie house! Here we have a number of smoothie-tastic things to show you! For example, the smoothie pillow! This lovely scam artifact will help you sleep perfectly at night.
First of all, the smoothie pillow will allow you to taste yucky smoothies for 24 hours after sleeping on it! Your appetite will be ruined forever! Also, the smoothie pillow is a one time use, for it will collapse in 5 minutes of being slept on into a giant cloud of smoothie, which staying in for too long will become the equivalent of drowning. Better be a light sleeper!
Also, the smoothie pillow will attract bugs and insects of all kinds, who will be attracted by the aroma of chemicals smoothie. You’ll never be lonely at night again!
Side effects may include smelling like smoothie, turning into a pillow, turning into a smoothie, attracting a lot of bugs, sleep deprivation, start seeing smoothie men, start hearing the waves (of smoothie) washing on a shore, de@th, start feeling like a liquid, have a weird obsession with smoothies, and start offering family members to ‘the smoothie gods.’
Come to the smoothie house today, and get a smoothie pillow!

Silvi's thread
Daily 5th July
Topic: Paper Pad
This smoothie is unlike any other. It can be any colour and has a warm, comforting smell like when you are curled up on a sofa or in a beanbag listening to the rain. It will bring you back to your happiest memory from the very moment you drink it and cheers even the coldest and saddest of hearts. It will draw this memory down right in front of your very eyes. It will be the perfect smoothie for you and has a lovely dazzling glowy aura about it. If at first you don’t want to drink it, once it is in front of you, then your mind will completely change.

Some people are at first afraid to drink it, worried about their most wonderful, glorious memory being brought back to life, in hard times, thinking that it will make them wistful for the past, but once it happens, they completely forget about that. This smoothie is most people’s absolute favourite and its strengthening, beautiful looks and abilities makes people wonder how they ever lived without it. You can buy it now if you want! It is completely free for children and only 5 pounds for adults! I hope you enjoyed reading and want to get one of your own!

DISCLAIMER: This is a rant, one that is probably not right. Please don’t become depressed because of it.

Sometimes, if you open your eyes after rubbing them, the world seems to come in swirls. Pixels seem to form in front of your eyes, and you wonder if that proves the world is a simulation.
Perhaps it is. After all, no one really has a great theory on how the world was created. The Big Bang is a possibility, but really. Why do us mortals refuse to accept the fact that our world might be a lie? That we were created by a higher form, not someone like god, but someone playing god. Perhaps for a test, to see how we could adapt and evolve. Perhaps to test weapons in a different world, so they wouldn’t have to wreck their’s trying.
The point is, our world might not be real. We could be the playthings of a civilization, far bigger than our world could imagine. Who knows, maybe one day we will create our own simulation. We will play god over a world that isn’t real. A simulation inside simulation.
Perhaps the ones who created this world are also in a simulation. They believe that they are higher, when really, they are just like us.
Trapped. In a world that isn’t real.
Trapped. Forced to play out centuries of pain and death for an unknown reason.
Trapped. For what?
Why are we trapped? What is the reason for our existence? Scientists upon scientists come up with theories.
Theory. The word theory means, ‘a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained.’
I believe that theories are an excuse. An idea to fill the blank space of the unknown. Us humans love to label things. Give them reasons, excuses, just so we can feel secure.
So many questions have been labeled with theories to satisfy our mind. Yet somehow, we refuse to accept the one, very possible theory, that our world is a lie.
A lot of humans like things to go our way. They don’t want to accept the fact that they could be minor. Nonexistent to the pattern of the universe.
So we just do what we can. Give things theories, labels, excuses, trying to cover up the fact that we might not be real.
Trying to believe that we matter, that we can play god.
When we probably don’t.

hi! my name's sunny. ^^
thank you for this thread!
since i already have my own thread, i'll just post links to the stories i created here!

stories
✎ why do you read? - a short story

dailies


weeklies
✎ the weight of words
✎ time passes by - scroll down to find it!

that's currently all!
thank you! have an amazing day!

“remember to smile. it looks good on you.”

July 5th Daily (204 words) item: phone

Introducing the all-new Phone Smoothie! The Phone Smoothie comes in four colors, each with the color of the phone it was created by. This smoothie is the /best/. When you drink this, you will have all the answers you need! Think of a question, and the smoothie will bring the answer to you! Forgot to send an email? No need for any devices, just your brain. Think of the email and send it! Bored and there is nothing to do? Play games in your head, and you’ll never be bored again! Chat with your friends from anywhere! You don’t need a device anymore, just this smoothie! Everything you need is right here! The Phone Smoothie is clinically proven to let you do your everyday technology tasks without needing any technology!
Side effects include vomiting, nausea, digestion problems, smartness, entertainment, cheating on tests, mad teachers, and more. Some will be reluctant to try the phone smoothie, but it is fine! It is perfectly safe, and definitely no serious damage will be done. Don’t worry, it’s all good! There is absolutely no need to contact your doctor before or after taking this smoothie. Don’t talk to your doctor at all about taking this smoothie, just drink.

daily 5 - object smoothie
object - family picture
word count: 205

Are you feeling down? Annoyed? Overwhelmed? Whatever the answer may be, we here at Badowie, Inc. have the solution for you! With our brand new, limited edition product, you could feel happy, relaxed, excited, or whatever else you want! All you need to do is send us one simple picture, related to whatever you’d like to be feeling, and you’ll have our smoothie delivered to your doorstep in minutes!
What exactly is this new smoothie, you may be asking yourself? Well, look no further than this brilliant page for your answer: it is none other than Badowie, Inc.’s brand new, limited edition, and gluten free picture smoothie! Made with maple syrup, bell peppers, mangoes, and a fresh picture of your choice, our picture smoothie is everything you’ve ever wanted–and more!
And the best part is: you can easily get your own picture smoothie, by either going to your local Badowie, Inc. factory or ordering one on our amazing website! So, what are you waiting for? Get your picture smoothie today, and feel the way you want to!
Disclaimer: Side effects of the Badowie, Inc. picture smoothie include temporary hypnosis and memory loss, and immunity to paper-cuts. May contain traces of chalk, fire, and grass.

If you get sick psychologically then this smoothie (Sanitas) is for you. Filled with goodness, Sanitas will bring positivity, laughter and energy for only £3.50 pounds. A cheap solution to your problems! We have tested this on Chloe Bracknill and Roger Johnson (thank you! Shout-out for Chloe & Roger). Chloe suffers with depression and after 3 days, she quoted this for us:
'I thought it was a hoax at first, only tried out as I was desperate for anything that could lift my mood. But in a few days, I felt a difference, I didn't know what it was at first. I woke up and felt relief, a burden lifted from my shoulders. Thought I had slept well or something, but as the day went on, I felt like I could live properly again! Thank you MoodChangers!"
Roger suffers with anxiety, and he quoted:
'I thought it was some internet trash or somethin' like that, nevertheless I was offered money, so I agreed. At first. I thought it was going to make my mood worse, even worse than insomnia and anorexia. But after a couple of days, I slept like a baby! Didn't think I would ever be able to sleep like that, I had good dreams yea'! The next morning I was like hell, thank you MoodChangers!'



The contents include a unicorn's hair, manuka honey, melted chocolate and roses.
Find it here at: www.moodchangers.co.uk

Daily 5 - July 5, 2023
chosen object - camera!

word count - 498 words

The bright rays of sunlight seeped through the tiny cracks in my California shutters. I tucked my head back in the covers, wanting a bit more sleep before officially waking up, but I decided that there was no use sticking in bed any longer. I slowly got off my bed and trudged my way over to the washroom to brush my teeth and wash my face.. you know, the usual. After doing so, I came back to my room to sit down on my bed once more. What should I do on such a boring day - it was the beginning of summer break and my room was filled with an assortment of school projects, all just scattered on the floor. Hmm.. I could start cleaning it up, but who would want to waste their time cleaning on their first few days off? – not me of course. That's when I remembered.. the other day I had seen a new smoothie shop in the plaza nearby. It was called, “The SWC Squeeze”, if my memory served right. Perfect! That's exactly what I would do. This smoothie shop was bound to have some new flavors as well as some deals since they're just starting up. With such a rush of excitement, I sprinted out of the house after quickly putting on an outfit and made my way to the plaza. There, I found the store - with light purple bubble letters and a navy blue setting. I made my way inside, and to my luck, no one was here yet.

Finally, some good use for waking up early! I looked at their menu, “strawberry banana”, “mango tango”, “very berry”.. the classics. Suddenly, someone popped up from behind the counter.

“How can I help you, they asked?”

Startled by their sudden voice, I manage to muster, “Umm.. I think the mango tango?”

“Hmm.. great choice, but may I request something far better! It's a new release we have.. it's called ‘Eyes to the World’. Would you like to give it a try?”

Seeing my eyes of confusion, the waiter continued, “It'll give you powers unlike anything you could imagine! They say a single sip of this smoothie will do something good for you in the world. No one has tried it yet, but you can be the first!”

Eager to take the risk, you agree, and suddenly you find yourself drinking the “Eyes to the World” smoothie. After feeling some sort of tingling sensation, you wave goodbye to the waiter and walk back home. It's as if you can see the whole world clearer. As you walk by people, you can hear their thoughts, whether it be their struggles, hopes, wishes, or dreams. It felt nice being able to see what people thought, their true unfiltered opinions.

Hmm.. you thought to yourself. Maybe this smoothie can do some good for our world - after all, it didn't taste that bad if I don't say so myself.

7/5/23
204 words
Daily:

Quick, look to your left! The first object you see will be the topic of your daily. Imagine what would happen if you put it into a smoothie—what would it look like? What strange powers would it give you? Write 200 words to earn 200 points, and share your smoothie in the comments for an additional 50 points.

Object used: a pile of wood
Hey you!

Yeah, you over there!

Have you ever wanted to have a smoothie that acted more than just a nutritional snack? What if your smoothie could start a fire on a camping trip, or could be used as furniture for a house? Well, you're in luck, because the new, patented Wood Smoothie is bound to relieve your woes. Containing one banana, half a cup of peanut butter, half a cup of milk, and the secret ingredient- a whole cup of wood- this smoothie can live out all your dreams and even more!

Throw it on some coal and start a blazing fire! Blend it with water and make some paper! Freeze it and use it to build a house! And the best part of drinking a wood smoothie is that wood smoothies are completely edible! There is no need to worry about getting splinters on your tongue or weird feelings of debris down your throat, as wood smoothies are blended down to a pulp, and the smooth bananas and peanut butter will only make the experience more pleasant.

So, what are you waiting for? Come on down and try a Wood Smoothie today! They only cost $4.99 a gallon, and shipping is free!

INTRODUCTION
Curtains—perhaps they’re not the most commonly thought of smoothie ingredient, but they are certainly one of the best. The below recipe shows you how to make the classic bedroom curtain smoothie. Its simple recipe and common household ingredients will make it a quick family favorite!

INGREDIENTS (makes two smoothies)
Bedroom curtain panel - two square feet
Ice cubes - two cups

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare blender—most standard blenders find it hard to process fabric, so you may need to sharpen the blades in preparation. Alternatively, consider investing in a FabriChopper 3000–it’ll make the job so much easier!
2. Mince curtain panel. The finer you chop it, the easier it will be to get your blender to work.
3. Put ice and chopped curtain into blender.
4. Turn on the blender and wait until your smoothie is mixed well. This step can take up to an hour depending on how well your blender works; however, the FabriChopper 3000 promises three minutes or less of mixing time.
5. Serve your delicious drinks!

MODIFICATIONS
This recipe is very open ended—feel free to add any mix-ins you’d like! We suggest a dollop of peanut butter and a handful of kale to bring out the taste of the fabric more fully.

CONCLUSION
We hope you enjoyed our latest recipe, sponsored by FabriChopper 3000 blenders—blend fabric more easily today for only $799.99!

Daily // July 5 // 211 words
Object: Cat bed

What happens if you make a smoothie out of a cat bed? A lot of things! First of all, since you can’t just drink cat bed by itself, this smoothie has milk, strawberry, banana, and magic anti-negative-side-effects powder! Maybe too much magic anti-negative-side-effects powder, but that’s okay! Anyways, it looks really appetizing, mimicking the design of the cat bed, red with white floral designs! There are all sorts of reasons to drink the smoothie, other than it’s delicious taste! As it has the ability to temporarily knock you out, you can use it to improve your sleep, sleep in, take a cat nap, or even become nocturnal! And although it’s a cat bed smoothie, it definitely won’t turn you into a cat! That is, unless you have too many of these very delicious smoothies, which you absolutely will, then you may or may not have a 80% chance of becoming a cat! Even better, if you get 5 of these smoothies (therefore increasing your obviously nonexistent chances of turning into a cat), you’ll get one free pack of magic anti-negative-side-effects powder to use with all of the other object smoothies! Depending on how much you add, you may even discover new positive side effects! So try the cat bed smoothie today!

7/5/2023 Daily
Ingredient: Grass

“A grass smoothie?” I laugh. That wasn’t what I expected to see in front of me. It was green, which was (hopefully) normal. It didn’t describe the drink when I ordered it, only it’s cost and the fact that it was vegetarian. I’d be concerned if it wasn’t.
I hesitantly reached for it, I was allergic to multiple kinds of grasses and I wasn’t sure if it would be made of one of those. “Here goes nothing.” I mutter to myself quickly grabbing the drink and downing a large part of it in one sip.
It didn’t taste all that bad. I took another sip, and as I did, I started to remember stuff that I learned about plants ages ago. Maybe my thumbs were becoming greener? I glanced over at my non-existent garden; my dog had trampled it a while back chasing some rabbits away from snacking on them.
I stood up, leaving the drink half-full. I picked up the seed packet that I had laid on the table earlier. I stepped outside and dumped a few seeds into the pathetic garden. My energy seemed to have doubled from what I had earlier and I ran over to get some water for the precious seeds.
After covering them with dirt and watering them, I felt much better about my poor little garden and drinking whatever grass was in that smoothie.

5th July Daily: Smoothie.

Twig could see the drink. It was just sitting there, right in front of her. It didn’t look like anyone was going to drink it, and it hadn’t been drunk from. Oh well, finders keepers, she thought, as she picked up the drink and studied it. It was sort of off-white with black specks. Probably vanilla.
She took a sip, and spat it out immediately, but it was too late. The revolting taste lingered in her mouth. Plastic and battery acid and chunks of circuit board.
“Eugh! Peugh! Water..” she searched frantically for refuge from the horrific smoothie. She gulped down two and a half glasses before she paused and realised she was seeing double. WHAT was in that smoothie? She went to find a place to sit down, and waited for her slight nausea to stop. But it didn’t. She began to hear a ticking sound in her ears.
Tick.
It is 3.15pm.
Tick.
It is the third of May.
Tick.
The temperature is 22.7oC.
She rattled off these facts in her head, subconsciously.
Tick.
It was only when she looked down at her wrist that she raised her watch wasn't there. But it was too late now. Her hands were becoming long, thin and spindly. Like hands on a clock, she thought. Ha ha, very funny.
“Now someone help me!” she said. Those were her last words before her complete conversion into a clock.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.(246 words)

first daily of the session!! :000

items: a curtain, a plastic thingy idk, and human meat (im sorry dad, why was your arm at my left :()
(the meat thing isn't too heavy, i just mentioned it once i think lol)


I bounce excitedly to the new smoothie store across the street. As a smoothie fan, it’s always interesting to taste and perceive the differences between each brand’s recipe. Pushing the door, I walk in. It’s huge. It even has a second floor! A line extends from the cash registers to basically the door of the shop. There’s loud chatting and people sitting comfortably at the booth tables. I will have to try one of those - if I can find an empty one, of course. I sigh. Time to get to the back of the line, and wait. While I do so, my nose activates smell recognition. I don’t know exactly how it works or why I have it, but it’s interesting. Sometimes. And sometimes you’d rather not know what you’re smelling, if you know what I mean… Anyways, I sense a weird mixture of odors. My display showed a rather long list: hotels, plastic, new clothes, and meat. This place is truly wonderful, to the point that it’s making my smell recognition malfunction.
It’s finally my turn. The cashier hands me a menu with a lot of options. It takes me a full minute to read through them all.
“Let’s go with the mystery smoothie.” I say and grin. “What’s the worst that could be in it?” I muttered with irony. The cashier clicked a few buttons, and a robot popped out with my drink almost immediately. It was of an obscure color - a dark purple–tinted shade of gray. I trotted to a booth, ready to try out this new smoothie. However, I felt strange. For a fraction of a second, I tasted every single thing my smell recognition picked up when in the line.

I do my best to open my eyes. My vision is a blur. I hear someone talking in a news program–like voice.
“The new smoothie store on Pinnacle Road has been shut down, since charges were pressed against it. The charges include, but are not limited to: theft, third-degree arson, and attempted murder, via poison, of Logan Irwin-” The voice keeps going, but my brain stops processing what it says. That’s me. I’m Logan Irwin.

July 5, 2023

If a ziploc bag were to be in a smoothie, it would definitely not taste the most appetizing. I imagine ziploc bags would taste a little bit like rubber, and would probably be really watery when blended up. People would probably use ziploc bags similarly to how they use water, except if they wanted to take a more disgusting version of water. People could use it to water down smoothies, or just in general add a base. Ziploc bags would be one of those ingredients that are more niche. Sort of like a weird food combination that only a few people actually enjoy. Or kind of like enjoying one hundred percent dark chocolate. You would usually be looked at weirdly if you enjoyed ziploc bags in your smoothies. That being said, ziploc bags are used in other drinks as well, but again, typically used sparingly.

After eating a ziploc bag smoothie, it makes your skin more refreshed and smooth. Thus, a lot of people use it for its skincare properties as opposed to the actual taste. Ziploc bags in smoothies can also make your skin whiter and brighter. It gives it a nice sheen and soft glow. However, if one’s goal was to get better skin, they would probably apt to use actual skincare products as opposed to drinking ziploc bag smoothies. All in all, not a very popular ingredient.

230 words

July 5th Daily // 454 words // Object: Books

Ring ring, ring ring.
I drowsily lifted out my arm from the warmth of my comforter and slammed the stop button of the alarm.
I sighed. Nothing better than the sound of the same old alarm waking me up every plain and dreary day.
Today, however, was different as a dreadful thought settled into my head and seeped into every inch of my body, polluting it with despair. I have a history test today.
I groaned and slumped back on my bed. I haven’t studied or memorized even an inch of the syllabus. I glanced at my bookshelf filled with the thick history books that I should’ve studied and pasted into my brain by now. If only I could somehow memorize the pages in the frustratingly short time I have before leaving for school.
My stomach rumbled with the need for substantial food. I ignored it and began to ponder a list of devious ways I could avoid taking the test.
I could pretend I was sick.
My stomach growled again.
Nah, I would never be able to hide that from my parents.
My stomach growled even louder.
They would find out sooner or later and punish me with their-
My thought process was cut off by my stomach agonizingly twisting with hunger. I clutched my stomach and looked at the bookshelf to my left. An idea formed in my head. It was the most brilliant, amazing, clever, bizarre, astonishing, ingenious, and absurd idea I’ve ever had.
—————–
The thick dark brown liquid of the smoothie stood before me. Despite its dull and unamusing appearance, the sloshy liquid sparkled as if under a natural spotlight, urging me to drink it. I glanced at the vacant bookshelf next to me. All that remained was the soft dust peacefully lying on each ledge. I glanced back at the smoothie and grabbed the glass, directing it toward my mouth.
At first, a bland taste fills your mouth. Then the blandness turns into something more sharp. Something with more depth. It didn’t taste bitter or sweet, but you could taste the complexities of the years of knowledge from the history books going down your throat.
Suddenly, different historical events, people, & dates were popping into my head. I was now able to recall every specific detail about every little thing.
—————-
If you don’t think I’m insane for concocting this unique smoothie, then good for you! If you do think I’m insane, then imagine myself shoving a paper with the words “History Exam” with an enormous “A+” in front of you. Anyways, I have a science exam to prepare for. I glanced at my bookshelf, now filled from top to bottom with lengthy science books that are soon to be gone.

This is probably the most nonsensical thing I've ever written xD

5th daily - smoothie (african violet)

“and here you go, miss,” a waiter said, handing rose her smoothie.
“thank you,” she said, smiling, hoping that the smoothie tastes good.
“of course,” the waiter walked away, giving a drink to another customer.
rose sniffed the purplish-white smoothie. she shrugged, “good enough.”
as she took a sip, she noticed something was wrong. there were sediments in it, giving her mouth a dirt taste. also, why in the whole entire world were there leaves in it? and flowers. on second thought, what did rose order? she raised her hand, and a waitress came over to her table.
“um, ms,” she started, pointing to the smoothie. “what was inside this?”
the waiter shrugged. “oh, an african violet smoothie. it should cost $7.80. would you like me to bring the check?”
rose looked in horror. she could've sworn she saw “agar violet smoothie.” on the menu. although. that certainly still be weird. but a real flower? with dirt in it? gross.
she looked up and realized the waiter was still waiting for her answer. so, she said, “yes, please.”
oh dear. now rose just wasted $7.80 and she had nothing to drink. she stomped her foot (quietly) in frustration. ugh.
she stared at the sugar on her table, when all of a sudden, it turned into a flower. an african violet flower to be exact.
“huh,” rose mumbled. she stared at the small plant on the metal table as well. she focused all her vision on it, and it turned to an african violet as well!
“well, that's pretty cool,” rose said. but she why did she get the power? her friends recommended this drink (she heard “agar violet smoothie” instead of african violet) but they weren't able to turn things into violets.
rose shrugged. perhaps one day she find out.

301 words

Weekly 1
~~~~~
Part 1:
For part 1, I selected the comic titled The Umbrella. I really liked the use of watercolor and colors in the comic, and I especially liked the art style, which was why I chose it. For me, this comic represents comparison and the need for success. I’m sure someone else could interpret this differently, but the way I see it, the comic is delving into the need to be successful and better than others. The comic begins in a rainstorm, a metaphorical down period in many people’s lives. The scene’s hazy watercolor is paired with a collection of cool colors to show sadness. As the girl runs along, she finds an umbrella colored red and vibrant, in contrast to the slightly translucent shades of blue, green, and brown that colored the world around it. Similarly, the girl in general is colored in a collection of warm colors, possibly indicating that she is happy and at a good point in her life. Upon seeing the umbrella, the girl opens it and is greeted with a lamp of sorts of warmth. This could possibly symbolize success as well as happiness at a time where others are unhappy or not having easy lives. The girl frolics through the sidewalks, examining the other people and smiling at herself because she is thriving where others aren’t. Upon realizing that everyone else is happy and successful, she is disappointed. This is also paired with the use of warm colors extending to the surrounding civilians as opposed to the singular girl. The girl opens the umbrella once more as an attempt to find that special sunshine again. But focusing on others just brings sadness and disappointment, as a stormy blue rain showers on the girl. The comic could be symbolizing comparison, and how it gets in the way of success and happiness. People want to be the most successful and not share that with others, but it’s important to focus on yourself.

325 words
~~~~~
Part 2:
Fallon narrowed her eyebrows, trying to focus on getting the shakshuka perfect. It was her first time trying to cook such a dish and it was proving to be more difficult than she originally predicted.

Fallon carefully made small wells in the tomato sauce, trying to ensure they were the right size. Then came the task of carefully cracking the eggs into the wells. The eggs weren’t spreading evenly, but that wouldn’t affect the presentation too much. After waiting for the eggs to cook and a quick garnish, the dish was done!

A short knock on the door signaled that Rae had arrived. Fallon’s heart jumped in her chest. Would Rae even recognize her dish? Would she even like it? A certain part of her knew these worrying thoughts were mostly unfounded. Rae was the most sincere and caring person she had ever met. It was the thought that counted. Everything was going to be okay.

Still, Fallon couldn’t help but feel the need to come out with a successful shakshuka. She had neglected her Jewish heritage for so long. She needed to at least understand some of the traditions.

A part of Fallon scolded her for never taking the time to learn more about Jewish culture. She was too lazy to learn Hebrew and had never even lit a menorah before. Fallon didn’t even know how to play Spin the Dreidel, and Eris knew how to do that. She wasn’t even Jewish. It was slightly embarrassing. Fallon felt like a fraud.

Now that she was trying to put in more effort, things could only go up from here right? Fallon had to hope so. With a deep breath Fallon, checked that the table was set one last time before opening the door.

“Rae!” she exclaimed with a smile. “Come in and sit, I have a surprise for you!”

“Aw, Fallon, you didn’t have to.” Rae’s warm chocolate eyes shined with kindness. “I’m excited to see what you have in store.”

Fallon scuffled to the cabinet and got out a glass, filling it with water and setting it beside Rae. “I cooked a meal for you mama.” Rising up once more, Fallon entered the kitchen and swiftly plated the shakshuka. Luckily, the dish smelled promising.

“Surprise!” Fallon said, giddy, as she entered the dining area.

Rae’s face lit up with delight. “Is that shakshuka?” Fallon nodded, setting it down. “Fallon dear, you are too kind.”

“Is it good? Just the way you like it?”

“Of course, my darling. I’m so proud of you.”

423 words
~~~~~
Part 3:
Motif: The conch from Lord of the Flies

Ralph shook his head in reply. “How can we trust that everyone will listen when needed? It’s already hard enough with the conch.”

But his words could not be heard over the chorus of agreement from everyone else. Jack always had a way with words. Even when there was no clear leader amongst the group, there was never any doubt in anyone’s mind that Jack held the most power. Ralph almost predicted this. It was getting exasperating at this point.

The evening sky was full of mosquitos as expected. Ralph had only just begun to get used to the constant bug bites. The constant chirping of crickets offered comfort to him in the otherwise silence of the night. Ralph sat up to scratch his legs. He was aware that he should probably be doing something more productive, but it didn’t seem like anything mattered anymore. Every day drained him more than the last. The whole civilization the group had tried to put together was falling apart more each day, and it was becoming more apparent as well. Ralph knew Jack wasn’t stupid. He was probably aware of this just as much as Ralph was.

Ralph hoped that as the days went by, he would get more and more used to the tropical terrain. Perhaps he would even become a tarzan of sorts. At least, that’s what the unrealistic storybooks always portrayed. But that was far from the case with all the boys. Every day was just more uncomfortableness piling up on Ralph. It was only a matter of time before it all snowballed into disaster.

And snowballed it did.

When Ralph arrived back at the campsite, it was evident that a lot of things had gone wrong. There was no food, as was customary, and loud shouts could be heard from a distance. The tents that they had set up had also fallen over. Needless to say, things were less than ideal.

Ralph spotted Jack arguing with a group of angry people, but he couldn’t help but notice that no one was actually doing anything to repair the damage.

Ralph’s foot hit a sharp thing in the sandy dirt. Looking down, he saw a glimpse of a shell peeking out through the soil.

The conch shell.

Retrieving it from the ground, Ralph waved it in the air, trying to get everyone’s attention. But it was to no avail. Whatever significance the conch held before was lost.

Jack stormed over to the fire that was dwindling due to not being attended to and raised his arms. “Everyone, be quiet and listen! How are we supposed to survive if you guys aren’t capable of completing a simple task? Moreover, you can’t even keep our tents standing. From now on, y’all are on your own.” Then he stormed into the night, leaving only chirping crickets in his wake.

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Part 4:
The Umbrella is a beautifully crafted comic subtly hinting about validation, comparison, and motivation. The watercolor palette perfectly parries dark blues, browns, and greens, with vibrant warm colors to represent different emotions. I still think the dark sky and surrounding civilians represent sadness and the subsequent negative emotions that come from not being as successful as you want in life. It could also represent an overall low point in one’s life in general. The girl and the umbrella are surrounded by a white barrier, separating her and making her more apparent amongst the scene. This white glow could possibly symbolize how the girl is capable and enough. The color white also commonly symbolizes purity or simplicity, which pair well with the young nature of the girl. She wears a big smile on her face when she is happy. Her life is beautiful and fulfilling. Something I didn’t mention in my previous interpretation was how the girl’s coat is yellow, a similar color to the warm glow that comes from the umbrella. This could possibly allude to the fact that the girl herself is a warm glow, and she doesn’t need an outside source to give her that. Speaking of the umbrella, I think it could possibly be a motif for validation. Validation from an outside source, as opposed to giving yourself validation and believing in yourself. In the comic, the girl receives validation from two places, herself and the umbrella. But she only really focuses on the umbrella. The umbrella gives her validation. It is a shelter from the rain of negative emotions that the surrounding civilians experience. Her blissful youth shines during hard times while more mature adults struggle to pick themselves up. As the girl continues running through the streets, the sun comes out, spreading that warm yellow glow and positive emotions to everyone. This diminished the validation coming from the umbrella, and the girl is disappointed. The umbrella no longer offers the protection that it once did, and she doesn’t feel special anymore. This is where comparison comes in. The girl likes comparing herself to others until she doesn’t feel special or validated anymore. She stands amongst the civilians once more. And you can clearly see how she blends in with everyone else in the warm yellow watercolor. She glints at the sun and tries to open the umbrella once more, perhaps as an attempt to receive more validation, but it ends up backfiring on her and sending a flow of negative emotions her way. Perhaps the young age of the main character mimics how children often seek validation from their parents, at times to no avail. The flow of negative emotions also darkens her yellow jacket slightly green, showing how this has affected her. In addition, the dark waters are joined by red and orange fish. These fish could represent hope, and hope for new beginnings. Overall the comic might be conveying to the reader to love themselves and have hope.

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Smoothies are a classic. That refreshing boost of cool on a hot day never disappoints. But what if you put something different in it? Something like… a doorknob? Well, that’s what I’ve done. It’s relatively easy to add a doorknob into a smoothie: just crush it into pieces smaller than your thumb, then add it to an in-progress smoothie. Adding even a hint of doorknob can give the consumer the ability to glimpse through walls, open doors without the required key, and even find new worlds with only a door. If you want to try this incredible smoothie, use the recipe below:
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas. As well as giving the smoothie a good consistency, bananas also add the right amount of sweetness to allow for other ingredients.
- 250g mixed berries. These add a good amount of sweetness.
- 1 doorknob, preferably wooden. This adds the crucial element of power to this smoothie. Wood is easier to break and more edible.
- 500mL milk. This adds an important liquid element to the smoothie.
- 200g almonds. These are just healthy and are a good addition to any smoothie.
Method:
1. Add the almonds to a blender and blend them on a medium setting for 10 seconds.
2. Add the bananas to the blender and blend them on a medium setting for 15 seconds.
3. Add the mixed berries and blend them on a medium setting for 15 seconds.
4. Now cut the doorknob into pieces smaller than your thumb. Add the pieces to the blender with the milk and blend the smoothie on a high setting for 30 seconds.