3.15.22 daily
two dailies in 3 hours lets go

“Hey Amy?” A voice suddenly calls. My eyes turn to face the person since I can't move my head. The make-up lady is fixing me up right now, so I don't dare move.

“Yeah?” I ask. I finally can see it was just the stage manager. He walks in front of me and beams. "Your going to do amazing tonight.“ He reassures me. ”Everything will be perfect.“

I try and muster a smile. ”Uh, thanks.“ I quickly blurt out. I knew he was trying to flatter me, but I couldn't be bothered by his attempt right now. I needed to focus. Suddenly, the make-up lady moves away from me, finished with me. I stand up and face the stage manager.

”I'm so proud of you.“ He says. ”Your performance will be perfect.“ I'm not sure exactly how to react to that, so I just try and smile. After all, being an actor means you should be able to smile on cue.

All of a sudden, we can hear the announcer starting to talk, and the lights dimming. The manager turns towards me. ”It's time. Now go out there, and break a leg.“ He says while patting me on my back. I give him a weird look before walking away.

I walk towards the lead actor, who's looking a bit jumpy. ”You alright?“ I asked her. She, Rinanna, looks up at me and bites her lip. ”Yeah, I'll be alright.“ She reassures me. I nod.

”Hey, we need the twelve of you on stage now.“ One member of the stage crew calls. Rinanna lets out a sigh, as ten people step forward and head back stage. I quickly turn to Rinanna. ”You'll be fine, just calm down. Just be relaxed, and break a leg.“ I told her. She nods, and starts following the group out. I quickly follow them.

”Welcome, friends, students, teachers, parents, staff members, and guests, to Starshine School's special preformance of the one and only Encanto!" The announcer starts. The crowd claps and cheers. The twelve of us are on backstage, waiting for the play to start. Rinanna is going to be the first one to go out.

The announcer says a few opening words that I wasn't really paying attention to, since I was trying to remember all my lines. At least I'm not a main main character. Dolores doesn't have to do much compared to some other characters. The announcer walks off stage, finally, and jestures for Rinanna to go out there to start.

Slowly, the music starts to come in, as Rinanna skips onto stage. The crowd starts clapping a little. She smiles at the crowd. Rinanna is about to start dancing as the moment comes on cue, and when she does….. she trips!

Rinanna fell off the six inch high stage. Everyone gasps.

Oh well…. poor luck indeed.
———-
545 words

Thanks for reading||Back to contents

~badowie's daily - march 15~

“Hey! I'm coming to go get something from the barn! Could you wait there a bit longer?”
“Okay,” I reply. “But I've already been here for hours, and I was just about to leave. Try to be quick!”
“Whoa, hold your horses!” he says. “I still have a few chores to finish!”
“Alright then,” I say. “But I don't know how much longer the horses can stay.”

A minute passes. I'm still waiting.
“Are you ready yet?” I ask. “These horses really don't want to stay here much longer!”
“Soon, soon. Just let me pick something up really quickly.”
“Okay…”
So I continue waiting. Another minute passes, and eventually, one of the horses just can't stay any longer. It bursts out of my grip and sprints away as I continue biding my time.

More time passes, and little by little more horses run off. I just can't hold them all. “COME ON!” I scream after what seems like ten minutes. “You said you just had to pick up one more thing!”
“I'm here, okay? I'm actually here.” And sure enough, fifteen minutes late, he comes through the door of the barn. “Wait, where are all the horses? I told you to hold them!” I shake my head. "It was on you. You were all like, ‘hold your horses!!’ and I was all like ‘sure!!’ and then… fifteen minutes later, look where we're at!“
”Oh well,“ he sighs, then laughs. ”Just couldn't hold them much longer! Guess it was on me after all.“
”So are you at least gonna do what you came for so I can leave?“
”Oh yeah, I should… wait, what was I supposed to do?" I just shake my head again, leaving the barn without a word. I open the door to our house, slump on the couch, and watch him fumble around from the window. Next time, maybe he can hold his own horses.

_
hmm is this my first time writing in first person?

waiting on a m i r a c l e ~

Daily March 15

Idiom used - “Under the weather.” (I Googled a few, and thought this one would be fun.)

I try to get the rain away. But it is still over my head. Why won't it just leave? My emotions have been controlling the weather for two weeks now.
How did this happen? Well…
Legend has it that if you wish on a certain star, at a certain time, on a certain day of the week, you will wake up the next morning to find it had come true. So, with a little bit of Googling, I found out what it was. I'm not going to say, though, because trust me, there can be consequences.
I had stared up at the star and told it my wish: I wanted one of the Gifts from the movie Encanto. I could get all the gossip with Dolores', become the master of April Fools' with Camilo's, possibly get my crush to like me back with Isabela's, never again be lonely with Antonio's, and always know what was ahead with Bruno's. Heck, I could even put Luisa's or Julieta's to use, even though there's not much use for strength for me, and I'm a horrible cook.
But I got Pepa's. Pepa's! Except, for some reason, it wasn't as bad when I was sick last week, literally under the weather. It seemed to calm down, if that makes sense. I could have emotions again for a few days!
But then, of course, I had to go back to school once I was back to health.
It was really hard to stay positive sometimes, but I managed to keep my classmates from noticing, for the most part. Though I did have to whisper “Clear skies” under my breath quite a few times to keep it under control.
Why did I ever want a Gift?
Wait, hold on. I've been going into a narrative for the last few minutes while waiting for the time. Last week, I couldn't wish the weather out of my control because I was sick and went to bed early. I can't miss it this week.
The clock finally shows the time to make the wish, and I stare up at the star, close my eyes, and give my request:
“I wish to no longer have the wea-”
I stop short. Where is the star? It had disappeared while my eyes were closed.
And then I remember something.
Not only would it only work on a certain day of the week, but it had to be the third week of the month.
No! I think, as a cloud forms over my head and it starts to drizzle.
I really should have done my research.

(432 words!)

daily for March 15 - 451 words!
the idiom i chose was ‘break a leg’ as in what people say for good luck to get into a cast in a play/movie/etc
—
I took a deep breath as I stepped back from my little circle of friends. They were all beaming at me; honestly, their smiles were so bright and cheerful I bet the show lights envied them.
Even though I was a theater kid in my little group of theater kid friends, I was still really nervous when I stepped into the tiny room behind the stage. That’s where you audition, which is exactly what I was trying to do. I looked back at my friends, and Lucy hollered and waved at me energetically.
“Yeah, you can do it! Go break a leg, Miah!” She yelled. I gave her a thumbs-up, then turned around to walk into the auditioning room. I didn’t know what she was saying; I didn’t get much of the figurative language and sarcasm that most people around me used. It’s like my brain could never decide if somebody was being serious or not; I guess I just couldn’t really differentiate the tones in people’s voices. Like, what? ‘Break a leg’? Is that supposed to be a positive thing to say?
I didn’t have time to decide, since in that next moment the lady who was leading the auditions greeted me.
“Oh, hey gal! You’re Miah, right?” She said cheerfully. Before I could reply, she continued. “All you gotta do is dance and sing. The main point of this audition is to make sure that you can dance well and sing clearly at the same time. Go on!” She gave me a wink-why? I don’t know-and nodded towards the open floor in front of her. I took a deep breath again. I knew what I was going to do; I had already practiced a whole lot. But I was still nervous, as always. Either way, I stepped forward and started my part. I did a dance style that was similar to breakdancing, and sang a song that was like rap, but there weren't any curse words and I never got on the floor for more than two seconds. The lady just watched me, nodding and writing things down on her paper. I stood up, almost onto my tippy-toes, and did a half-spin before I suddenly lost balance and fell forward. I let out a small shout, and crashed into a small table that was in front of the auditioning lady. I leaned back just in time, but my leg caught in between the legs of the table and it bent the wrong way. The lady let out a small ‘oh!’ and called for security. The last thing I thought of before I slipped into a state of half-consciousness was what Lucy had told me earlier. Go break a leg.

Random Story I just wrote based off of a dream I had last night :>

(681 words not counting the “THE END”)
——————
Me and my friend Alice were at my house watching TV when suddenly there were dragon things outside everywhere! They stood on two legs and looked more like Chinese dragons but with more stubby bodies. They looked like something you’d see in the children's book, “Dragons Love Tacos” by Adam Rubin. They were solely bright green with no other colors and spikes on their backs and stood taller than a 2-story house. The sight of them sent chills down mine and Alice’s spines. Also, not to mention the fact that when they saw human flesh, they automatically went to go eat it. The creatures ran around outside with people screaming and trying to run away. Alice and I were just watching horrified.
After we fully sucked in what was going on we shut the blinds of the closest windows. After all, even the sight of a human caused the creatures to want to eat it. Inside, me and Alice were just watching the news on the couch. We didn’t know what to do.
Some time passes and the creatures (whom I’m now going to call Greenos, don’t question, there are some exceptions) left. They must’ve gotten bored or something. All they did was eat people who happened to be outside. They never broke houses to get to the humans. Peaceful-ish creatures. We can respect that.
Regardless, they were gone. This meant that we had time to actually think about a plan and what we were going to do. Alice and I just thought to stay inside and to close all the curtains.
Some more time passes and we get invited to a party. I’m not quite sure why I got invited to a party, after there was just giant human flesh eating monsters everywhere. But I guess some people just don’t get it.
For some reason we accepted the invitation and went to the party! Nothing much happened. We danced, listened to music, and just overall had fun. No monsters, no screaming, and no deaths.
When we came back from the party I took a shower and when I finished, me and Alice went back to the couch. Suddenly there was a tractor coming down my street. In know I lived in a small town, but it wasn’t rural! There was an old man driving, but worst of all, there was one of the flesh-eating Greenos in a trailer behind the tractor! I stared out the window and soon enough the Greeno noticed me! It slithered-walked towards the window and I immediately closed the curtain again. Alice noticed what was happening and stared in shock.
Then, out of nowhere, my dog bulleted towards us. She’s not really the type to bark up storms at people and other animals but she will do a few barks. But more “I want to play/chase that!” than “INTRUDER ALERT INTRUDER ALERT!” She saw the Greeno and went to the window and started barking. The Greeno heard the barking and slither-walked away back to the tractor. Some more Greeno appear and some more dogs appear too. They started barking at the Greenos and the Greenos ran to the middle of the road.
While we (Alice, me, and my dog) were paying attention to what was going on outside, a baby Greeno made its way into my house (It was just a mini version of the adult). It casually walked up to me. It was only like 2 feet tall and adorable. I knelt on the ground completely forgetting that it could easily eat me. Alice was watching all the spectacle.
My sister walked into the room and knelt down across from me staring. I put my hands down and the Greeno walked into them. I lifted it up and….. It tried to bite my hand off! Not surprised; I should've known. However, before it successfully reached my hand, my dog barked. The mini Greeno froze in place. We all laughed. I named the creature Greeno hence why I’ve been calling them that (as of why, I mean they’re green, like that’s the only color on them)!
———————
Don't Question- My brain made this up + some extra things I added to floof it up lol

Setting
return to weekly

The story takes place in a distant castle. The castle is very tall but thin. However, when you enter inside, it seems like the whole place is as big as the whole universe. This place is magical, no one knows how until you get in. The staircase tricks you into going the wrong direction or opens up into holes that lets you fall into your doom. But the most dangerous area of this mysterious, magical castle is the dungeon, which is home to many creatures and contains a lot of magic. The source of the magic in the castle in on the very top of the highest castle tower, which getting there can take some time that's depending on the situation of the weather or nature. If the area is flooded or recently rained, getting there can take a milenmia to reach there. If the weather is sunny or dry, reaching the top can take a few minutes. Lastly if the weather is cold or humid, the tower takes around 5 years to climb. Even though the time can change in the castle, outside the castle still remains the same. The castle also doesn't increase the height not decrease it, instead the actual length of the castle remains the same, but the person who climbs up the castle can experience a long time to climb. This is the cause of the magic in the castle, where it is causing danger not only to the people residing in it, but to others as well since the magic is getting more powerful each decade. The castle can also teleport, if someone enters it, it will teleport to a random area all around the world, making it impossible to save the person who is trapped inside. Many believe that the castle is being controlled by am object that is placed up there for centuries, but no one knows what it is. In fact, no one had ever went up there, because the castle only appears during the rainy days, which makes it harder to climb up the castle top. The castle is causing terror to everyone around the world because many people, mainly children and adults, have been captured by this castle, and they never been seen again. Legend says that they are not able to escape the tower, but one day, a brave soul will save everyone in the castle with a special companion.

402 words

play sound [writing is life] until done

Weekly Setting
This story takes place in the middle of a crowded school hallway. There are lockers painted a metallic shade of blue lining both walls, with breaks in between for doors. Some are decorated on the outside, but those adornments will soon be taken down by a teacher, and the owner of the locker will be in big trouble. Balloons festoon one person’s locker, along with cutouts of the words ‘Happy Birthday’ glued on. There are a few pouches to catch letters slipped between the air vents on the lockers. Signs hang on classroom doors, reading “Language Arts - Mr. Boxby” and “Science - Mx. Chu.”The walls are painted a light blue, which supposedly enhances creativity and alertness, promotes tranquility, improves overall health, memory, and mood, and lessens fatigue and depression. All that said, it’s hard not to feel stressed with the giant statue of the school’s founder staring down at you from its perch above the principal’s door. Inspirational posters are hung up and down the hall, but most have been drawn on with permanent markers. It’s a common occurrence for people to be shoved into lockers and garbage cans. Rain beats against the small windows, a sound that can be heard from anywhere in the building. Clouds block the sun, making it feel like nighttime. A creaky classroom door swings open and shut, moved by the draft coming through an open window in the hallway. Through the door, the math classroom is visible. Digits of Pi are written across the walls, and a poster reads “What if algebra teachers are really pirates, and are using us to find the ‘x’?” Farther down the hallway, a lone piece of paper sits face-up on the blue-and-yellow checkered tile floor. On it, there’s a drawing of a cartoony ninja, surrounded by algebra notes scribbled out in sloppy handwriting. Some teacher has repurposed a locker into a little neighborhood library, with a small sign hanging from the door. The sign reads “Take one, give one!” but by the look of it, no one has been doing much taking or giving. The books on the shelf are titled things like ‘Bob the Bunny,’ ‘Trees and Friends,’ ‘Bewitched by my school,’ ‘Back to my Fish,’ and such titles. Muddy footprints cover the tiles, brought by students coming from P.E. or other outdoor activities, most likely canceled by the rain. A pair of cleats lies abandoned by a locker, along with a pair of wet, muddy socks.

Hi there!
My main-cabin Daily!

Once Upon a time there a boy who always comes late named Ryan. Ryan was a jolly-looking youngster and always had a pleasant smile but get's late wherever on Earth he goes.

One day. he got a newsletter to go to the one of the biggest companies in his country. When he opened, he found that he has been invited to a job interview. He was champ at the bit. He properly arranged them in his file in a tall order.

he was again late and his interviewer said, " Why did you come now? What is the use of coming so late? Better late than never.“
Ryan said, ” I am so sorry for this, my bike had a break off so I got to walk all the way.“ The interviewer said, ” fine, come in, let me interview you and if at all you get selected, don't be late.“(said looking at her like as if promising something) He said, ” sure ma'am, I will surely get selected and come early to the office and…“ Mam interrupted and said, ” please stop this nonsense. You are thinking as if you're promising on the world and Stop ironing my head!. Let's start the interview and I can't waste anymore time!"

The interview Began and Ryan all question in a wink of a eye. The interviewer was Shaken up. She said , " You are officially selected for the one and only highest rank in our company as you are sharp as a tack. Ryan was so happy that he asked when shall he join. and interviewer said, “ Join from tomorrow, we shall tell your team.”

Ryan as he promised on the World he began to come early to come to office early at first but after a month he started to come At the eleventh hour again!

March 15th Daily!

(My dad always says “and Bob's your Uncle” so I'm using that lol)

Good ol' Bob. Uncle Bob. My mom's brother. My father knew my mom had a brother, but didn't know his name was Bob. Yet, surprisingly, he always said “and Bob's your uncle” when he had answered a math question, or just simply solving something. It was hard to keep in my laughter every time he said it.
Now, that's one thing, but one day, something happened. It was quite terrifying.

One day, I was upstairs in my room, working on my homework. Ugh, algebra. How much I hated it. And how much it hated me. I was never able to do this thing. Every answer I made, incorrect…
“AAHHHH!!!!!” I screamed. My dad heard me from upstairs.
“Everything alright sweetie?” he asked from the bottom of the stairs.
“Yup!” I lied. My dad always could tell when I was lying, so he ran upstairs and slowly opened the door.
“Creeeeeak!” the door went as light was flowing across the room which came from the other side. My dad tiptoed in, and kneeled down near my desk. He put his hand on my desk to keep balance.
“Come on, what's wrong?” he asked, looking at my paper. It had no writing made by my pencil. It was exactly as it was when it was printed, but slightly crinkled. “Oh, yes, algebra, don't worry, I can help you with that!” he continued, smiling. “Could I take your pencil please?” I picked my pencil up and placed it in his hand. He began writing.

It was a few minutes later when he had finished solving one of the equations. “And, Bob's your uncle!” he exclaimed with pride, putting the pencil down. “Now you try!” he continued. I picked up the pencil as he walked away. “Just come for me if you need me!”
I started working on the second question. It sure wasn't easy. But, suddenly, a shadow appeared, then looked like it ran away. “What was that!?” I said panicking. I looked around.
“Looking for Bob?” a voice whispered. Suddenly, from out of the closet, someone comes out. It was Uncle Bob! I screamed, falling off of my chair. Bob was always kind of known as creepy person, but I never expected that bad.
“B-B-Bob!?” I said, trying to speak.
“Yep, it's me, your dad was talking about me?” Bob said, hovering over me.
“Y-yeah, but it-it was j-j-just a-a f-f-f-figure o-of s-s-sp-speech…” I stammered. “But, I have to focus on my homework…” I continued, turning around. Suddenly, Bob disappeared.

Every time my dad said “Bob's your uncle”, Bob appeared minutes later. What was going on? Why was he acting so creepy? Was our house haunted?

(And I suddenly lost interest, so I'm stopping there, 444 words XD)

Weekly 2 - Collaboration

Part 1: Short Collaborative Story
done with pi

pi: Sam scrolled through their recommended videos. As they went further and further down the list, their mind drifted away. Just as their fingers' movements became automatic, something happened that shocked them from their reverie.
honey: They scrolled back up, trying to find it again. Had that been their face on that thumbnail? It couldn't be - but when they spotted the video again, it was them! They scrunched their forehead as they wondered when the photo had been taken.
pi: Sam searched their brain for a time that the picture could've come from. They didn't go outside very often, so there weren't that many personalities…. Sam tried to contort their face to match the one in the picture. Glancing at the mirror, they saw that it looked nothing like the one in the thumbnail. How did the video's creators get that image when they couldn't even make that face?
honey: Several times, they moved their mouse to click the video and then moved it away again. As much as they wracked their brain, they couldn't remember anything that might have ended up in a Youtube video, and they weren't sure if they wanted to know. Maybe they had sleep-walked outside and somehow ended up climbing - on top of a building? Did that photo show them standing on top of a building? They rubbed their eyes.
pi: After a couple more seconds of indecision, they took a deep breath, closed their eyes, and clicked on the video. Only until they heard the nasally voice of the narrator did they reopen their eyes - and what they saw shocked them. “Breaking news - this young child has been seen stealing plants from other peoples' houses!”
honey: They… did really like plants. Not the ones they were allergic too, of course, which was a lot, but the other plants were wonderful. They didn't think it could be considered stealing if they saw dying plants and decided that they'd take better care of them. Maybe it was technically, but morally? They were saving the plants!
pi: In fact, Sam remembered reading a book where the main character made a garden by snipping bits of plants that were on the sidewalk. They had always followed that rule, so why were they being targetted now? They kept watching the video. “This dastardly flora-thief has been seen recently around the Greentree neighborhood, so beware of them!” Sam smiled. At least they got their pronouns right.
honey: They were going to have to be more discreet in their plant-saving endeavors, they realized. Perhaps they could assume a superhero identity… Super Plant! No, that wasn't any good. After brainstorming ideas on an index card, they decided on The Plant Rescuer. It worked for the time being, at least. They found a green hoodie lying in their closet and wrote “Plant Rescuer” in black block letters on the back.
pi: Sam looked at the hoodie. The letters looked a little wonky - they had never been the best at penmanship - but it would have to do. Donning it, and putting on a face mask both for safety and for anonymity, Sam went outside.
It was dusk: the night beginning to set in, and the last remnants of the sun illuminating the wispy clouds in a beautiful sunset. Soon, it would be perfect conditions for plant-rescue.
honey: They stood up straight and looked ahead as they walked, trying to look inconspicuous. They were going to Aspen Way, where they knew there would be a house with a dying garden. Several times, they passed others going for evening walks and sped up. No one seemed to think anything out of the ordinary was going on, fortunately.
Only the streetlights illuminated Aspen Way when they arrived. They crept along the street and stopped in front of a familiar house. This was where plants needed rescuing.
pi: Wait a moment… Sam blinked at the house. Wait, this- this- this was their house! Sam could see the little window with their foster plants. They could even see their father puttering around in the kitchen, preparing a week's worth of breakfasts ahead of time. This couldn't be right. How had they gotten back here? What was happening?? The plants at their house were well-taken care of… right?





Sam woke up. “God, that was so weird,” they said, and jumped onto the floor - inadvertently stepping on a little succulent.

Part 2: Character
562 words

Jay, 16, human, he/they

Personality and Traits: Jay is unmotivated for most things, including school work. He doesn’t want to work towards a future that he’s unsure about, and he doesn’t see the point in doing tedious assignments when he could be learning things he actually enjoys. They do like learning about things and read a lot of books about the topics they’re interested in, but those aren’t the topics they’re learning about in school. He doesn’t enjoy planning too far ahead either - he knows that he’ll be forced to make decisions that will impact him for life, and he doesn’t want that. They figure that they’ll make those choices when they need to, and until then, they’ll keep working towards what they’re interested in.
Jay also cares a lot about those around them. They’re often willing to pay attention to things that they’re not interested in if it will help their friends, and they’re very attentive to what their friends say. He participates in a lot of clubs dedicated to helping people, and wants to help people become interested in the topics that he is interested in. Helping others is one of the things that he manages to dedicate time to without becoming distracted with reading a book. They make a point to be in tune with their family’s emotions, and try to be there for them.

Wants, Hopes, and Strengths: Jay’s main goal in life is to get to study something he’s interested in with other people interested in it. He doesn’t get to do that at school because his interests (namely geology, but also a few other topics) aren’t taught in classes. They enjoy talking about the topics they’re interested in with others who are also interested in it. He’s not sure how he wants to get there yet - Does he want to go to college? Or simply find friends who are interested in the topic in another way? - much less what he would want to do to get to any possible option, but he does know that this is what would make him happy. He thinks he would be good at any job involving this - he loves talking about his interests and he’s good at leading discussions about them.
They’re also good at collecting information - they take notes when reading, and memorize a lot of the things they read so that they can recall them later in a discussion. They have a fantastic memory. This comes in very handy in school - even though they don’t particularly enjoy it, they usually don’t have a hard time with keeping up.

Dislikes and Fears: They really do not like school. They hate that they have to spend time learning about things they’re not interested in. They would rather spend that time on learning about things they think are useful or interesting. They’ve gotten used to not being able to do that, but it still annoys them.
He is scared that school, and someday work, is going to get in the way of him learning about the things he wants to learn about. He feels like those are a waste of time, but he knows he will have to prioritize them at some point. Not being able to spend time on his interests might also separate him and his friends, so he’s scared about that as well.

Part 3: Setting
400 words

The story will happen at a bridge that crosses over a canyon. The bridge is cobalt blue, and the canyon is so deep that you can’t see the bottom. Cars and pedestrians can cross over the canyon here, but the bridge is about three miles long and has a terrifying view into the canyon, so most people don’t walk over it. The story starts in the middle of the bridge. It’s winter, but the canyon is in a place with a similar climate to central California so there isn’t any exciting weather like snow or rain; it’s just cold and windy. It takes place in 2018. There are a few clouds in the sky, but the sun is shining. It is not warm though. It feels like you should be able to get by with just a light sweater, but if you try to do that, you will probably be cold.
The bridge has tall pillars on the sides that reach up far above a human’s head when they walk on the bridge. It is hard to imagine how this bridge was built, given how deep the canyon is and how tall it is even if you only count the parts above the edge of the canyon. On one end of the bridge is a redwood forest and on the other side is a beach, and then the ocean. You can smell the salty ocean air even from the center of the bridge and it is foggy. You can’t see the horizon through it. The bridge is slippery from the fog too. The bridge is mostly sleek, but there are a few parts that shake in the wind, just a bit, as you cross over. There are handrails that most people crossing the bridge on foot hold onto tightly, and at those parts, they cling to them with both hands. Despite the nauseating shaking, deaths are extremely rare. There are nets below the bridge to catch people who do happen to fall so they don’t fall thousands of feet into the canyon, but they rarely see any use. They’re just a precaution, and they help people feel more comfortable crossing the bridge on rainy days especially. Rain is not unheard of, but it’s usually just foggy. There are signs along the bridge reminding people to stop and steady themselves if they feel nauseous and informing them of the safety precautions.

Part 4: Premise
151 words

Your character is seeing things. Specifically butterflies. The butterflies of all shapes, sizes, and colors land on all their belongings, their home, and even on their arms. But when they go to brush them off, they disappear. When they go to the library, they dig through dusty, forgotten shelves in the back. They find a book that informs them of a curse that causes a person to see butterflies everywhere. The book is mostly falling apart and several pages are missing, but they learn that they must journey to find a wizard who can cure the curse. However, your character decides that there has to be a simpler way to cure it. They go to talk to their friend and bring them the book. The friend gives them advice about what to do if they are not going to find a wizard, and then they set off on a quest together.

Part 5: Final Story
2286 words
Character from Luna, setting from Alba, premise from Robin

Rai slid their fingernails through the small gap between the two halves of their locket. When it had been gifted to them, they had tried to open it in every way they could think of - plying the two halves apart, breaking the hinges, picking the lock - but at this point, it was just a habit. They leaned back against the bus seat. They’d be at their stop soon, but maybe they could get some rest before then. When their eyelids slid shut, their hands were still wrapped around the locket.
Rai was jolted awake when the bus stopped.
“Everybody out!” the driver shouted.
Rai reached up and grabbed their locket instinctively. Still there, they assured themself. They stepped out into the aisle where they were pushed along by the crowd heading towards the door. Rai tried to see out the window to find out what was wrong, but the people around them blocked their view. Finally, they stepped out into the cold winter air.
Most of the bus riders left quickly, grumbling about how they would need to walk home or catch another bus now, but Rai hung around along with a few others.
“Do you know what happened?” they asked a bearded man standing a few feet away.
The man didn’t answer. His arms hung limp at his sides as he stared into space.
Rai waited a few seconds, and then asked, “Are you okay?” a bit louder.
This time, he glanced over at them. His eyes were emotionless and his mouth formed a straight line. Rai tapped his hand.
“Are you okay?” they asked again.
The man’s eyes began to water a bit. He nodded, just once. Then he shook his head.
“Can I help you get home?” Rai stared into his eyes.
They glanced at their watch. They needed to be home in twenty minutes if they were going to make it to their online French class. Oh well, they decided. I can miss one week.
The man didn’t respond. Rai jogged over to the bus driver. He was on the phone, so they stood near him until he hung up.
“Can I help you?” he asked.
“Yeah, there’s a man over there who I think needs…something,” they explained. “I’m not sure what’s wrong.”
The bus driver glanced over to where they pointed and nodded. “I’ll…go check.”
As he turned to walk away, Rai called out, “Also, what happened?”
“I didn’t see someone crossing the street and hit them,” the bus driver said with a grimace.
“Oh,” Rai said, fiddling with their locket. They checked their watch - ten minutes until they needed to be home - and started walking down the street.
They walked through the front door fifteen minutes after their class started. They pulled off their shoes, said hello to their dad who was cooking dinner, and rushed to their room. As they opened the Zoom meeting, they began to regret not leaving the bus immediately. Now they were late to French, and who knew how much they had missed.
By the time the class ended, Rai was exhausted. They rubbed their eyes as they shut their computer and leaned back in their desk chair.
“Time for dinner!” their dad called from the kitchen.
Rai yawned and headed to the dining room. They were mostly silent during dinner, too tired to pay much attention to what their parents were saying.
“I’m going over to Yesenia’s,” they said as they cleared their plate.
“Alright!” Their mom waved.
Rai grabbed a bag and stepped out the door. As they pulled it shut, they shuddered. They went back inside and speedwalked to their room. There, they took off their locket. The spot where the chain had rested felt cold and exposed. They ran their fingers along the impression on the back of their neck. They couldn’t remember the last time they had taken it off. They left the locket on their desk and picked up their bag again. As they walked down the street, they thought about the locket. They had just had a gut feeling that they needed to leave it at home - they weren’t sure why, or what was going to happen, but they were sure it would be safer lying on their desk.
Rai was lost in thought when a driver honked their horn. They shook their head, trying to clear their mind. They had been about to walk into traffic, they realized.
“Thank you!” they shouted to the driver.
They hit the crosswalk button and waited. When it turned green, they speed-walked across the street. They were supposed to be at Yesenia’s house soon, and they’d been walking slower than normal.
Rai stumbled right before they reached the sidewalk. They put their hands out in front of them to catch themself if they hit the ground, but they were able to steady themself. Their breathing sped up and they reached up to grab their locket. Of course, it wasn’t there. They looked down to see what had tripped them.
It was a silver key.
They picked it up. It matched the shape of the keyhole on their locket - or at least, they thought it did. They stepped up onto the sidewalk to examine it further. It was the same color as well.
Anxious to try opening the locket, they got out their phone to text Yesenia. Something came up, does 7:30 work instead?
They pushed the crosswalk button several times. Aftter what felt like at least fifteen minutes, it turned green and they sprinted across the street. They jogged the rest of the way home.
“Forgot something,” Rai called to their parents as they ran to their room. They sat down at their desk and pulled the key out of their bag. But the locket wasn’t there. Hadn’t they set it down right next to their laptop? Their hands instinctively went to their neck to rub it. It still wasn’t there.
“Have you guys seen my locket?” Rai asked their parents.
“Weren’t you wearing it when you left?” their dad said.
Rai shook their head and looked to their mom.
“Nope.” She shrugged.
Rai dashed back to their room, grinding their teeth together as they tried to remember where it had gone. They moved everything off their desk, and then back on. It wasn’t under the desk, it wasn’t in their bag, it wasn’t on a shelf.
It was 7:25. Rai sighed and decided they would just go to Yesenia’s. They could search for the locket later. Why did it have to disappear when they had finally acquired the key?
They didn’t have time to walk through the busy city streets. It was risky to go through the forest at night, and Rai didn’t like it even in the daytime, but they didn’t want to be late. They put the key in their bag and found a flashlight.
The forest was colder than the city had been. A few times, the path became overgrown and they had to turn back and find a different path. The path through the forest wasn’t as much of a shortcut as they’d thought it would be.
Rai came to a long wooden plank nailed to a tree. They shined their flashlight on it. The words Welcome to the Forest of Everadia were carved into it in cursive. On the few occasions they had come into the forest before, they hadn’t come across any signposts. Rai realized they had must have gone much further off the trail than they had intended. They gritted their teeth. They could get back home. This would be fine. They pulled out their phone to find out where they were and text their parents, but they didn’t have any signal. It was already 8 pm.
They examined the sign further. Some of the wood was rotting and it was covered in cobwebs. In smaller letters, it said where the lost go to find themselves. Against their better judgement, Rai walked past the sign and into the Forest of Everadia. They were lost, after all.
Not far past the sign, the trail became much neater. The bushes were cut back from the path and there weren’t any tree roots poking up. The canopy was thinner too; a gibbous moon shined down on Rai as they walked. They came to a clearing after which the trail split in three, and a tall sign post stood in the center. The arrows read Worthless, Wantings, and Wheresoever.
They knew they should go back before they got lost deeper in the forest, but they continued on the path labeled Wantings. You’re already this far in, they told themself. What’s the harm in going a bit further? You can turn back soon.
About an hour later, they heard rushing water. They ran along the path until a wide river came into view. Empty sailboats floated downstream and the water sparkled with starlight. Rai stood by the edge. They almost dipped their finger in the water, but decided against it.
“You don’t know what’s in there,” they whispered to themself. “Don’t do anything stupid. You still have responsibilities and you can’t get lost out here forever.”
They stared into the water. The riverbed was covered in blue-green rocks, and the reflection of the sky made it appear like stars lay among them. It almost sounded like the river was singing a lullaby.
Something sparkling on the far side of the river caught their eye. It floated along the bank on the river’s surface.
It was their locket!
Rai reached out to grab the edge of the nearest sailboat, but it was heavier than they were expecting and they had to let go. They tried again with a few others, but were unsuccessful. Finally, they resorted to waiting for a boat to float past near enough to the bank.
Just as they thought the locket was going to be too far away for them to catch up to it, a boat slid against the shore where they were standing. They made sure their bag was zipped and stepped in. The boat carried them along faster than they were expecting. They soon caught up with the locket and the currents pushed the boat towards it. As they reached to grab it, their fingers skimmed the surface of the water. They pulled the locket up and dried it and their fingers on their jeans. The boat floated away from the banks and down the center of the river. The river’s song filled Rai’s head as they pulled the key out of their bag.
They finally had both the locket, and the means to open it, and as they realized just how long they’d waited for this, they wondered if they wanted the wondering to end. Do you really want to know what’s inside? they asked themself.
Yes, they could almost hear the river answer. Unlock it. You deserve this moment.
They pushed the key into the lock and turned it. The locket made a clicking sound as it opened. A square of nearly transparent paper fell out. In miniscule handwriting, it read:



Rai read it several times. They couldn’t figure out what it was supposed to mean. They weren’t stuck here forever…were they? Finally, they put the paper back inside the locket and closed it. The lock clicked and they hung the locket around their neck.
The boat was still floating, and the banks of the river were covered in trees. Rai stuck their hand into the water, trying to use it as a paddle. They hardly changed the boat’s path. They gritted their teeth and sat up straight. This would be fine. They would get back home. Their phone was dead, so they didn’t know what time it was, but the moon was high in the sky.
Maybe the slip of paper had something about how to get home. Anything. They unlocked the locket again and reread it.



That had to be the Forest of Everadia. Whatever that was. They weren’t even sure if they were still in the woods behind their house anymore. They began to remember how they had gotten there in the first place. What was Yesenia thinking now?



That first sign had said Where the lost go to find themselves, hadn’t it? Were they the lost? Were they now found?



Rai could only guess what the last line meant. They couldn’t be stuck here. They had to get home to their parents, apologize to Yesenia for never showing up…
They let out a loud sigh. Analyzing the poem wasn’t getting them anywhere. They shut it back inside the locket and looked around at the trees in desperation. They let out a loud sigh, and the river seemed to sigh back. A state that stays forever, it sang in its hideous, patronizing voice. Rai threw the key into the river as hard as they could.
The boat sped up.
It brought them to a silver pool with a clear view of the night sky. Birch trees surrounded it and small berry bushes grew around their roots. The boat slowed to a stop at the banks. Rai stepped out.
“Thank you,” they said to the boat.
The wind blew fallen leaves towards a gap in the trees, and Rai followed. They walked along the trail until they came to the sign welcoming them to the Forest of Everadia. They continued on the path that the leaves took, until the city lights came into view. At that point, Rai ran towards their house.


okay so notes:
- this was so fun omg
- there is an excessive amount of exposition oops. at some point im going to edit this and then ill cut that out or make it more useful
- i definitely shouldve paid more attention to luna's description of rai and made the story work better for showing who they are as a person. oops (that's why there's so much exposition i was trying to include that)
- it took me so long to get to the actual setting :sob: bc of the excessive exposition
- I LOVE MYSTERIOUS FORESTS they are the best setting thank you alba
- i wrote that poem at the end before i decided how it ended and had no plans for what it meant i just thought it sounded cool and relevant. and then i ended up having them try to figure out what it meant and it didn't go too badly! good job me i guess?
- edit: also i did the last part while listening to effervescent and it is SO GOOD i love that song

daily 15 (almost halfway through the month sob )
idiom: every cloud has a silver lining

Money doesn’t grow on trees, but clouds do have silver linings. And really, isn’t that even better? From the day scientists discovered that clouds, those strange molecular mixes of floating water, actually have silver particles contained within their depths, silver – or Skylver – has been being sourced fresh from the cloud. It’s revolutionised metalwork – so many more things can now be made of silver, since its value has now dramatically dropped due to easy access. To be a jeweller who works in silver is a spiritual practise, as you dedicate your life to what is now known as the ‘sky’s gift’. Old wives tales say the fairies used to fly up inside the clouds and use the silver lining as mirrors; and who knows? The latter was true, so why not the first…?

Silver does not really fall to the earth with rain, though rarely minute particles are found after a rainstorm. These are a rarity, sold for high prices at auctions, and go through a rigorous testing process to confirm they are real, unaltered Skylver. As in the fine art market, even professionals can and have been fooled by dupes and fakes, and for some the hyper-inflated prices of what is really just common silver is viewed as desecration of the sky’s gift.

Scientists who study this phenomenon are known as astrometallurgists. Nobody really knows why clouds contain silver, and there is no concrete scientific solution to the question despite the hours and millions invested into the research. However, their work is perceived as honourable and they are paid well and highly respected in society. To be an astrometallurgist, you need expert-level knowledge of not only metal, but geography, chemistry, physics and biology. This makes it a highly specialised profession, and thus very few people end up on this career path.

(301)

A Little Bit Of Deja Vu = I tried to do like a mid story cut where I suddenly cut into a story and continue from the previous paragraph. Like um.. a cliffhanger but at the front ( and back.)

….. “Who are you?” I asked before demanding to see the man clad in blues identity card. When he refused, I shook my head vigorously and informed him that I would not let him in if he didn't. Much to my chagrin, he stood rooted to the ground and glared at me, seeming to show defiance . He even tried to push the door to get in to my mansion! Alarmed, I speedily slammed the door with a deafening clash .Immediately, I felt deja vu and vividly recalled the previous weeks traumatizing events.

PART #4:

PREMISE

You wake up, and you are trapped somewhere (I can’t say where, because this would be your setting). You don’t know where, you don’t know how, you don’t know why. All you know is that there’s no way out.

Or is there?

Somebody comes over to you, and offers to help. They explain why you are here - apparently you have committed treason against the autocratic and all-powerful ruler/king of your setting - someone you

A) didn’t know existed, and
B) have never met, nor said anything against.

Now that you hear of how evil this ruler is, you feel it is your ‘duty’ - perhaps your character is a very ‘be the hero’ kind of person - to rebel against them. But of course, no one will join you, because they are all so scared of being banished, or killed for their treason. At last, one person helps you, but you still need to rally the others, along with not being killed.

What do you do?

Daily 15/3
Idiom: Spill the beans
Word count: 354
bubbles is a fish by the way

I scrape my fork across my plate and wince. Lia puts some more beans in her taco.
“So,” Dad begins. “How was school today?”
I start talking before Lia can even open her mouth. “Good.” Same answer as always.
“Anything else?” Dad presses, like he always does. “What did you do today?”
“School,” I state bluntly, and I notice Lia raise her eyebrows.
Don't say a word, I hiss to Lia with my eyes. If you do, I'll tell Dad that you're the one that let Bubbles starve. I don't think she knows exactly what I'm saying, but I'm sure she gets the idea. All I have to do is get through dinner without Dad finding out; how hard can it be? We're almost done.
“Does anyone want more beans?” I ask, and when no one responds, I pick up the bowl of beans to put back in the fridge. I can see Lia debating with herself from the way her face scrunches up. Awkwardly, I say, “Alright… I'm really tired, can I go to bed?”
“Sure,” Dad shrugs. “I guess you've got a lot of exams coming up, it's best to get some rest.”
I let out a sigh of relief. I'm just passing Lia when she stands up abruptly, pushing her chair back with a screech. The chair knocks me off balance, and the bowl of beans flies out of my hands, the beans landing on the floor and the bowl breaking into fragments the size of my thumb.
“Kym skipped school today,” Lia blurts out, and I clench my fists, glaring at her so hard that my eyes might fall out.
Dad looks at me with a mixture of disbelief and anger. “Kym did what?”
“I… I don't know what you're talking about,” I deadpan, even though it's too late. Not even bothering to pick up the beans, and forgetting to tell Dad about Bubbles, I race up the stairs to my room.
Lia is right behind me. “Guess you're not so perfect after all, huh?” she smirks.
“Dad wouldn't have to know,” I fume, "if you hadn't spilled the beans!"

Bull in a china shop (301/300 words)
My apologies for the cringe

Some people say I'm clumsy, but that's not exactly true. It's not in my nature to be the graceful, dancing butterfly that everyone expects of me. It's simply not who I am.
However, I can still make my way in the world without knocking into things. I've gotten better at that since I opened the shop.
Hi, my name is Angus, and I am the owner and sole proprietor of Betty Lou's Fine China. It is the daintiest little high-end shop that you could possibly think of, full of delicately spun china with airy little flower designs painted all over it.
Betty Lou's Fine China is definitely not a place where you would think I would work, let alone own.
For I am a bull.
That's right.
I'm enormous, with silky brown fur, polished ivory horns, and soft amber eyes. I'm a gentle fellow, never one for the dramatics and bullfights of my cousins across the pond. I would never hurt a fly.
Ok, that's a lie, but I would only hurt a fly if it was biting me. The heat can get dreadful in our little town around the summertime, and the flies are always attracted to me. I know I'm sweet, I know I'm docile, but I still do not like horseflies. Who does?
Anyways, that's me. The bull in the china shop. I know it sounds like a recipe for disaster, but I've made it work. I've taken those etiquette classes where you're forced to balance a book on top of your head. (It didn't work very well because of the horns, but oh well.) I learned what fork to use when, and I learned all about how to write a very proper and professional business email.
So, I've managed. And so far, I haven't broken any china.

Character - Weekly 2, Part 2
Name: “Princess” Alice
Age: 22
Species: Ghost

Personality & Traits:
“Princess” Alice, as most people know her, is a very bright and optimistic person. She tries to see the best in every situation, and when she can’t, she’s always the one to try and improve it. She also always tries to see the best in people, looking past their flaws and into their good qualities. However, if she finds a person with too many bad qualities, she won’t hesitate to leave them for good. Too many bad scenarios from the past have taught Alice that it isn’t worth sticking around people who only spend their time hurting others.

Alice is extremely brave. She is confident in herself, although it took her a long time to get there. She stands up in all kinds of situations, fighting for what she has learned to be right.

If Alice took the MBTI personality test, she would most likely get the result of ENFP-A. Extraverted and always happy to communicate with people, she follows intuition when interacting with others. Although utilising both a combination of “Thinking” and “Feeling”, Alice does tend to lean more towards the “Feeling” side in life. Although she works efficiently, she would still be considered a “Prospecting” type as she is still quite prone to dreaming despite being driven. Confident and secure in herself, she is definitely “Assertive.”
218 words

Wants, Hopes and Strengths: Alice wants nothing more in life to improve the world around her. She knows this sounds cringey to others, but it’s honestly true. Having seen so many bad things, Alice just loves to fix everything wrong with society. And she’s great at it, too – her optimism and positivity always succeed in shining a light on others, and her bravery in standing up for everyone gets her far in the world. But this can also be her downfall at times.

Besides improving the world around her, Alice is also keen to work on herself. She hopes that she will always continue to be herself despite it all. She is great at breaking conventional standards and simply doing whatever she wants to do. She values freedom almost more than anything, and is constantly trying to seek it, hoping that one day, everyone will be able to find it too.

In the past, all Alice wanted was to succeed in being what everyone else wanted her to be. She was a huge people-pleaser and follower of rules and standards, but is completely the opposite now. Although she still tries to please others around her, she is great at being careful not to do so at her own expense if unnecessary; she hates letting herself get taken advantage of.
215 words

Dislikes and Fears: Alice is very opposed to anyone or anything that tries to control anyone else, especially her. She hates authority and being told what to do. Although she does try to see the best in everyone, she struggles to like and interact with those who can come across as pushy, bossy, or demanding. Protective of those around her, she also hates anyone who tries to control or just directly hurt the ones she loves, and even the ones she just knows.

Alice is a fairly fearless person, but she does have one deep-rooted fear, and that is reverting back to the old person she once was. She hates her past self, where she was meek and passive and let people tread all over her. Her biggest fear is going back to being that way, and she takes a lot of care to ensure that doesn’t happen.
145 words

Setting - Weekly 2, Part 3

The Ala Desert is a very unique place, with an abundance of different species of cacti dotting the landscape, covering soaring sand dunes that slope down to the hundreds of rivers below. That’s what makes this place so unique – unlike other deserts which are extremely arid and dry, the Ala Desert is covered in water. Braided rivers run through the entire landscape, branching off into tiny streams which are home to thousands of different “Marine-Desert” species. The combination of a marine and desert environment has resulted in the development of many interesting species, with creatures found in this place not found anywhere else in the world.

The rivers throughout the desert run down from the mountains, gushing from such heights that they never stop flowing to the desert, even in the driest months. Despite its rapid flowing pace up in the mountains, by the time the river reaches the Ala Desert, it’s calm and the flow is only slight, picking up when the wind is heavy. The river and all it’s off-branches are enveloped by high-rise sand dunes that sweep down on angle to the water below. Cacti and a variety of shrubs tend to grow at the riverbank, soaking up the only water they can get in the landscape, as rain is extremely rare in these parts.

Those who live in the Ala Desert must learn to be very adaptable. The harsh environment of the desert puts a test to everyone who lives there. Most who live in this area build their homes right by the riverside, as the water and plants there provide the only resources that are even somewhat accessible to use throughout the day. The problem is, the constant wind and even the flow of the river are continually changing the landscape throughout the day, so much so that the river can be flowing in an entirely different place by the next day than it was at the previous. Because of this fact, most who live in the landscape must build their houses out of mobile materials in the early morning before beginning their day, then “unpacking” their homes and moving them away from the river to stay safe from erosion during the night. They then must wake up early in the morning to move their homes again. The homes here are quite unusual due to their required mobility. A variety of materials are used, mainly cactus stalks and damp sand and mud that can be easily transported throughout the day, with simply gaps for windows, the houses looking like they come from another world.
430 words

Weekly #2
Setting:

Our story will take place in a dark forest. The trees are tall as skyscrapers, and spaced out just enough to walk through. The leaves render it almost impossible to see the sky above, though here and there small rays of light fight their way down to the forest floor. Despite the lack of sunlight, there's an eerie, if not quite magical glow about the thin mist that curls itself around tree trunks and dances along the roots. Small saplings push through the soft, mossy ground, though it is hard to find older ones who have survived for so long without sunlight. Last years leaves lay scattered along the ground, moving as if by an unseen wind. It is warm, and the dark is almost comforting, if it were not for the fact that there are unnerving sounds here and there. Ominous hoots and playful rustles. Things you wouldn't normally worry about were it not for the fact this place is said to be haunted. Looking past that, it's quite a beautiful sight, the varieties of trees and the way that everything seems to be a path if you want it to. The green treetops and the dancing mist. Though that thought can't last long, for the growls of a nearby animal are enough to bring back the slightly dangerous feel everything has. It is mid-morning in that time of year where it seems to neither be spring nor quite summer, though in the forest, it might as well have been fall. The scenery hardly changes throughout the whole year, and neither does the temperature. The only clues to what time of year it is are the saplings. In the fall, you can find lovely, almost glowing mushrooms, but now there seems only to be scraggly, not yet ripe berries on the bushes. Boulders of varying size are dotted among the trees, and sometimes you can find the biggest breaks in the foliage if you climb to the top of the large ones. The forest can't quite seem to choose if it's light or dark, giving a combination where it is easy to see but dark enough to be unnerving. The forest floor is soft, mossy, and a bit damp, with spots of dry dirt here and there. The mist is almost shiny, yet hard to see if you don't focus on it. Despite its nature, it doesn't feel cold.

Premise - Weekly 2, Part 4

Your character is having a very normal day that they would usually have, when unexpectedly, they stumble across their old childhood diary. Expecting to find a series of cute little stories about old childhood friends, maybe a few, passionate, dramatic entries written when they were angry at their parents once or twice, your character is shocked to find something else entirely. None of the stories they thought would be there can be found within the pages. In fact, most of the stories written don’t match up with what your character remembers about their childhood at all. These stories, in the handwriting of your character’s younger self, recount things that they don’t ever remember happening. Some of the recounts are worrying, and your character is puzzled and rather distressed at their findings. Feeling confused and lied to about the past, your character must set out to discover the truth about what actually happened, and why they remember things so differently.
160 words

Daily 3/15/22 - 300 words
Letting the cat out of the bag

“Are you ready for mom’s surprise party?” I call out to my younger sister, hanging up more colorful streamers as I stroll down the hallway. When I turn the phone corner and open the door though, instead of setting up for the party, my sister appears to be putting something strange into a bag made of rough, brown burlap. “What are you doing?” I ask, confused, “Is that your present for mom?” She shakes her head no, and continues trying to force the fluffy, orange item into the bag, which seems to resist entering the sack, which of course would be impossible… right? Wait… fluffy?” I ask in confusion and worry, tearing the bag out of her hands and peering at the tiny orange cat inside. “Is that… Muffin?” I ask her, concerned for the well-being of the cat, and she nods guiltily, then changes her mind and shakes her head, unsure of whether she should tell me the truth or not. “We’ll figure this out after the surprise party,” I reply to her shortly, annoyed. “What surprise party?” asks a voice as she enters the room, confused - my mom. “Oh no,” I mutter understand my breath. I fumble for an excuse, an explanation that would keep the celebration a surprise, and Muffin seizes the opportunity to leap out of the bag, darting nimbly out of the room. “I thought you said she was at the store,” I hiss to my sister, and she whispers back, “I thought she was too - that’s what she said!” My sister continues speaking more loudly, now annoyed with me, “You ruined it, and it’s all your fault! You let the cat out of the bag!” She storms off, and I still can’t help wondering traitorously whether she means it literally, figuratively, or both.