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Challenge: Write a Short Story in a Week

Ok cool so Who is going to set up the rules? Are were going to have a theme or is it going to be open write what you want?

Hopefully more people will join in this time :)
 
Write a short story with a well defined plot ie beginning, middle and end, with at least 2 characters (or more if you can :) ) in 500 words or less.
 
Short Story Challenge:​
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422 words​
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Good Providence

In the beginning there was an egg. It appeared to be quite an ordinary egg laid by a very ordinary hen. There it sat in the nest, to all intents and purposes, a perfectly normal chicken egg.

"Mom, look at the egg Hennyetta laid," yelled Sue.

"I thought she was long past laying and I was going to pop her in the pot on Sunday," said her mother bustling out the kitchen to look.

They both gazed at the egg in mild disbelief. "Well done Hennyetta" said Mrs Smith, "Now you just hatch that egg like a good hen."

A few days passed and the egg hatched. Out of the egg came a small bedraggled chick which quickly attached itself to its adoptive mother, for Hennyretta had had no part in the laying of this particular egg.

"I wish that chick of Hennyetta's would grow," commented Sue, "it's awfully small."

The following morning the chick was twice the size it was but no-one noticed.

"I wish these chickens would lay more" grumbled Mrs Smith "we need the income."

The next day there were twice as many eggs as usual.

"I wish that Peggy Pig would have more piglets this time" said John, gazing at the rotund pig, "she gets so fat and then only has one or two piglets"

The next day Peggy Pig had a fine litter of eight fat healthy piglets.

"I wish the sun would shine and ripen the corn," moaned Mr Smith.

The sun shone for an entire week, not only ripening the corn but allowing for an early harvest as well.

But no-one noticed.

"Have you noticed how well things have been going lately?" Mrs Smith asked Mr Smith, "the hens have been laying so many eggs, your harvest was so good, Peggy Pig had eight piglets ..."

"It's almost like we have our own genie granting wishes," said Sue.

"Don't jinx it!" said John.

"What are we going to do with that ugly chick of Hennyetta's?" asked Mrs Smith "It was so clever of her to produce an egg but really it is an ugly useless chicken. I think all it's good for is the pot when it's a bit fatter."

A few weeks later the family sat down to a meal of chicken stew. "Things have been going so well lately," said Mr Smith, "we can afford a holiday this year. I really hope next year is as good."

Outside Hennyetta clucked disconsolately for her chick which was nowhere to be found.
Click to expand...
 
Conversation in a forest​
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In forest of Nee was a magical old acorn tree called Fred. It was on a quiet day, when a young man came down the path.

The young man stopped in front of him and looked around as he was lost. After a moment Fred decided to ask if the young man was lost, 'Hello, are you lost'?

The young man looked about wildly, 'S-S-Someone there'?

Fred rustled his leaves and said 'Well that would depend on what kind of someone you were thinking of'. The young man looked at Fred in horror and then kicked one of Fred's roots and ran down the path screaming.

Fred said, 'Ow'! and started to mutter about the unstableness of some people.

A lavender coloured horse stepped out from behind Fred and said to him, 'And what was that all about'?

Some of Fred’s branches creaked in surprise at his sudden appearance, 'My! I did not see you there'!

The horse turned to him and said, 'I am sorry to have startled you, I was just passing by when I saw the strange behavior of that person and thought to comment on it'.

'It is quite alright, I am just shaken by that kick, just look at my root! All of the bark is all peeling!

The lavender horse dutifully looked at the wounded root but could not see anything wrong but he still said, 'Why that is just awful! I just don’t understand half of the things that are going on these days.'

Fred rustled in agreement, 'Oh where is my head? We are talking and I don’t even know your name! Mine is Fred'.

'It is nice to meet you, I'm Ben.'

'Well the forest is changing Ben, why I remember back when I was just a young tree...' Fred stopped speaking as the sound of a scream reached them. It seemed to be getting closer. Then from around the bend in the path the young man came running down the path with half-dozen Flying Fish chasing him.

When the sound of his scream had faded Ben said, 'I totally agree with you, it's just not the same any more. Why I remember a time when it would have been a Fire-breathing dragon not a few Flying Fish that were chasing him'.

'Yes, well I suppose things change.' They stood there in silence for a moment thinking about the way things used to be.

With a sigh Ben turned to Fred and said, 'I would love to stay but I must be on my way. It would be very bad form to be late.'

'Oh my yes. I wish you a good journey and if you are passing this way again feel free to pop in for a quick chat.' Ben left and Fred spent the rest of the day pondering how much things had changed since he was a sapling.

THE END​
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480 words​
 
THE STORY OF RAJAN

Rajan was lying on the grass, watching the swans gracefully circle the golden lake. The birds called out to one another and Rajan jerked up in surprise. He could understand their speech and their words horrified him.
“The king will die on the coming full moon night,” they said.
Rajan grabbed a swan as it passed him by and almost strangled it. “I’m the king’s loyal minister. His security is my concern. Tell me all.”
The swan could not answer because he was choking but the two other swans hurried forward. “It’s a curse,” they said. “The king will die this full moon night unless someone willingly dies in his place.”
“I must save the king, I must tell him what you have told me,” Rajan flung the bird away and rushed into the palace.
“Wait!” “ Stop!” “ Don’t be foolish!” the swans called after him.
By the next day, the king’s men announced everywhere in the kingdom, “Whoever dies in the king’s place will earn untold riches for his family and also become a national hero.”
Two days passed by yet no one came forward to die in the king’s place.
The king had three sons. Many people expected one of them to give his life and save the king.
They hatched a plan to save their good name. “Dear father”, they told the king, “no one is coming forward because everyone knows Rajan’s story is just a ploy to gain favour with you. No man can understand what birds speak.”
The king sent for Rajan. ‘Rajan, can you prove your story?’
‘Your majesty, I myself heard the swans talking.”
‘Rajan, no one in the kingdom believes you. Find me one person who is prepared to die and I will accept you have spoken the truth.’
“Do you believe your own tale?” asked one prince.
“Will you die for the king?’ asked another.
Rajan knew he was trapped. He had to die and he knew his death would be in vain. The king's death could be averted only by a WILLING sacrifice, a sacrifice without any regret, and his death would not be that.
On full moon night, amid a festive atmosphere of lights and music, and praises from every quarter for the supreme sacrifice he was making, Rajan was executed.
The king was seated on a dais, under a under a huge umbrella. After Rajan’s noble ‘sacrifice’, he stood up to address his people. The umbrella suddenly broke and its heavy metal rod hit him on the head. He dropped down, dead!
The king's sons immediately announced, ‘Rajan was a traitor. Our beloved father has died in spite of the sacrifice. In fact the sacrifice has caused his death.’ They declared Rajan's family enemies of the kingdom and banished them.
The swans saw everything. “We warned Rajan. He was foolish not to listen.”
“Yes, he should have known about the selfishness of men. Everybody does.”
And they continued to glide among the lilies.


Whew! 497 words
 
I'm not too happy with mine. I'm going through a phase, I hope temporary, where I'm really bereft of ideas. For this challenge, I culled out something out of an earlier story of mine.

Meadow, I liked your post, especially the ambiguity about the chick. Was it making the wishes come true? Would the Smiths realize it and perhaps cluck louder than Henreyetta in the coming months?

Sparhawk, your story has a sort of dreamy quality about it. It's nice in the best sense of the word.
 
thank you Gita, yours had a thoughtful moral to it ... mine was a little Roald Dahl inspired even though I haven't read him in years. The chick was indeed creating the luck ... if you want it to be ... :)
 
lol I think you and I are in the same boat Gita, I had no idea what I was writing or where the plot was going! I am just glad that it made some sort if sense in the end :D

I really would not have said that your story was edited down from a longer story.
 
Sparhawk I agree with Gita, yours had a sort of .... existential sort of quality to it. It's just there, with lots of deeper meaning if you look for it.
 
yes indeed it is but I have a cold clogging up the old noggin so I haven't been writing diddly squat this week.
 
How about creating a story in the oral tradition which incorporates the following elements:

1. repetition of phrases to emphasize points or themes

2. interaction with the audience

3. strong rhythm and meter

4. music, costume, and props

5. idiomatic expressions

6. strong imagery

7. techniques such as onomatopoeia (creating sounds that imitate sounds found in nature)

It can be any length.
 
So let's do it though it has become something like a personal indulgence, with the same three participants every time. Unless we have someone else joining, Sparhawk should issue the challenge this time.

And yes, GET WELL SOON:):)
 
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