Wednesday's Words on a Friday



On Wednesdays, Delores, from Under The Porch Light, has a word challenge meme which she calls “Words for Wednesday”.

She puts up a selection of six words which we then use in a short story, or a poem.

I’m hopeless at poetry so I always do a story.

It’s a fun challenge…why not join in?

This week's words are:

1. embezzle
2. disintegrate
3. retroactive
4. duster
5. spellbound
6. untimely

we also have : a wish, a wand, a wizard :: a dark and moonless night 

Here is my story: 

It was probably no use at all trying to explain, a six year old couldn't possibly understand.
Could she? I'd give it a try...
Her father's untimely dismissal after accusations of embezzlement meant our bank accounts had been frozen while investigations were underway; her plans for a wizard themed birthday party were disintegrating

What could I do? How could I make this happen for her? 
I'd planned on hiring costumes, special effects and a "real" wizard to perform a few magic tricks, "spells" he called them. The demonstration afternoon at the store had looked quite impressive. If only I could make a wish and have it all happen!

Sally was about to turn seven and had been spellbound by tales of fairies, witches and wizards as long as I could remember. Probably her birthday had a lot to do with that. October 31st. Halloween.
I already had her costume, a wizard outfit she had worn to book week at school last term, she was happy to wear it again, it even had a wand included, I just needed to glue a new crystal star on the tip of the wand. A new star was out of the question now, I'd have to get one from the Christmas decorations box stored in the shed. 
I decided to ask the wizard himself, perhaps he could suggest a few tips on how to do this; a few books from the library would come in handy too. I wasn't sure about the food however. Was there such a thing as Wizard food? The caterer I'd planned on hiring had been optimistic, saying he could supply such things as "magical smoking jellies" etc, there was dry ice involved somehow, but I could never do such a thing myself at home. 

(thank you cakewrecks.com)


I dragged my duster across the dining room table as I thought. I still had a few weeks to plan and organise, perhaps by then the real embezzler would be caught, or at least Jonah would be found innocent. He would get his job back, the pay rise he was supposed to have received would be made retroactive, (a nice boost to the budget).....damn, there I was going off into dreams again. 
The phone rang and I rushed to answer it, I knew it was Mum, she had said she'd call today if any of her friends had any ideas. I'd spilled the beans to her last Monday, crying my eyes out as I stammered out the words and Mum had hung up on me only to appear at my door within the hour, bringing hugs, scones and bustling about my kitchen making me cups of tea. 

At the end of the phone call, I was much cheerier. A visit to the Wizard would not be necessary after all. I could phone the caterer and tell him the plans were definitely off.
Mum's friend Joan had been extremely helpful. 
A few years ago they had been living in Sacramento, USA, and her children had been very enthusiastic about Halloween. Joan still had their costumes, a couple of wizard cloaks, a witches outfit, and all the cake tins used to make crescent moon shaped cakes and star shaped cookie cutters too. 
Mum asked if it was convenient, could she and Joan come to visit on the weekend? Joan would bring "the goods" as mum called them and between the three of us we could work something out. Joan had even suggested black paper to cover the ceiling to create a dark and moonless night theme for the party. 

I was looking forward now to Sally arriving home from school; it was Maggie's turn to carpool and they would be here by three-thirty.  I'd have to forego the Wizard and his "spells", but maybe the three of us could find someone who knew a few magic tricks and would work for cake.

Comments

  1. What a terrific story...I love it....and I love the way you used the prompts.

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  2. A great story all by itself but using the prompts makes it rush along even better.

    Well done!

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  3. Great story, from the given words. Very creative, the story natural, didn't seem contrived so the words could be fit into it.

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  4. Another good tale, River. Sometimes, oft times, I wish I had a magic wand! :)

    We've a cyclone Category 5 bearing down on the Qld coast at present...heavy rain falling here. The wind has died down considerably, but no doubt it will pick up again in a couple or so hours. Me and my two furry rascals are snuggled up inside...we ain't goin' nowhere! :)

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  5. ... great story, River... I wish I could join Sally at her party..... Nanna to the rescue... I love it...
    Hugs ... Barb xxx

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  6. Delores; thank you. The real embezzler is the man in the comment I left at your site, he gets caught because his fingerprints are on the window he broke in through.

    Friko; this one turned out better than I'd hoped. Thank you.

    Strayer; thank you, I do try for natural and easy flowing words.

    fishducky; thank you, I like it too.

    Lee; thank you, I'd LOVE a magic wand. I saw you had a cyclone ripping people's roofs off etc, stay safe okay?

    Barbara; I'm sure you'd be welcome, do you know any magic tricks?

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, River. We just received some good rain...no damages or flooding here where I live. Some areas further north weren't so fortunate, but luckily, the main thing is, no lives were lost.

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  7. It sounds like it will really be a magical party!

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  8. Are you putting all these short stories in a book would be great reading, just big enough for before sleep reading.
    Merle..........

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  9. Marty Damon; any seven year old birthday party turns out pretty magical really, the kids bring their own magic and excitement.

    Merle; I have them all printed and stashed in a folder, but many of them aren't complete, so I don't know if putting them in a book can be done. I've had an idea or two about it though.

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  10. Great story..so far. We do need to know how the party turned out and if they found someone to work for cake.
    I agree that your short stories should be compiled into a book.

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  11. You are so clever with these words and themes - I always admire the way you weave the story around them so effortlessly (well ... that's how it seems to me, the reader). I'm already looking forward to the next one!

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  12. Oh thank goodness! I think Sally's party will actually turn out better than it would have originally.
    The other commenters are quite right, you are very clever at these, River!

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  13. Hey, I'll work for cake! I don't even care what kind it is.

    Great story! Hard to believe, but you just keep better and better at these. I hope you continue this one on a later post. :)

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  14. Mimsie; thank you. I haven't worked on a chapter two, so don't know yet how the party turns out. I think probably the stories that seem to have a good ending point could go into a book, but who would publish such a thing?

    Red Nomad OZ; thank you too. If I'm going to be truthful here, most of these stories are effortless, one or two of the word prompts triggers a thought and the words just flow onto the paper, usually taking a half hour to pull together. Occasionally, there'll be one that I have to think on overnight.

    Jackie K; Sally's party has more of a community effort simply because her mum can't afford a caterer and a "real" wizard, so it has a much more friendly family feel which makes it happier. now if only I could get a chapter two sorted; I always come unstuck at this point.

    Susan; bring your bag of magic tricks! The cake is Devil's Food to suit the theme. I'd like a chapter two myself.

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