Writing Challenge 5

The story must have a salamander at the end.

The damp leaves piled under the rotting log held beneath them damp soil, loamy detritus and an orange and black salmander.

5-26-11

A character will take a bath, but the intention behind the action is not what it seems. A character becomes energetic during the story. The story must involve a cloak at the end. The story is set on a wrecked ship. During the story, an old friend shows up.

After sitting in the invigorating cold water bath, and having swabbed the decks, Louis donned his cloak and walked to the stern to watch his old friend, the sunset.

5-26-11

The story must have a dragon in it. The story must involve a costume in it.

Thirty feet in a row. Fifteen pairs of shoes, walking in syncopation. A parade within a parade, confined to the dragon costume. Larger than any single performer, smaller than a mechanical float, more colorful and more delicate than a kite, floating a foot off the ground.

5-24-11

A character lends someone money. A character is sad throughout most of the story. The story must have a doctor in it. The story must involve a casual outfit in the beginning. During the story, an organization begins recruiting.

-I guess I'm just really bummed out about being asked to leave the VFW.

-Dude, Korea was a conflict, not a war. Veterans of Foreign WARS, not Conflicts.

-I wore my casual outfit and everything.

-Look, I'm a doctor, so I can afford this. Take this twenty bucks, get a hair cut and a beer, you'll feel better in the morning. I think AA is recruiting anyway, you'll fit right in.

5-23-11

The story ends during a concert. The story takes place at noon exactly. A character is depressed throughout most of the story. During the story, a character finds a long-lost relative.

There's gotta be something else. Something besides being known everywhere I go, and not knowing who, or why, these people know me. How can they see through me so easily? How can I be sitting at this piano, rattling off Rachmaninoff's third, and feel so fraudulent?

At the core of this piece, a skill- something learned and practiced. The performance nothing more than an instrument of the written music. Static and tactile on the page, contained within five lines and four spaces, the notes are the identity of something written long ago, a statement meant for appreciation and identification.

I could look into the audience and see their faces, so strained to show satisfaction and a lack of contempt, hiding so clearly the genuine sense of discontent with their own admission to the performance. Somewhere, out there, she is watching and listening, her watch slowly holding its hands overhead, true north, noon.

- with inspiration from Shine.

5-22-11