Wednesday's Words on a Friday

On Wednesdays, assorted people have been taking monthly turns at putting up a selection of words which is called “Words for Wednesday”.

This month the meme continues here, at Elephant’s Child’s blog, with words supplied by Elephant’s Child in place of Jacqui, who is sadly unable to be with us.

Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write.   

Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or images.   What we do with those prompts is up to us:  a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore...

Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog.  We would really like it if as many people as possible joined in with this fun meme.

If you are posting on your own blog - let us know so that we can come along and read your masterpiece.

It’s a fun challenge…why not join in?

This week's words are:

1. prank

2. arms

3. regret

4. light

5. hostility 

6. crime

and/or:

1. astronaut

2. wolf

3. prophesy

4. guillotine

5. bootlegger

6. adorable

Here is my story:

It had been more than a year now since Flash Jack and Hound Dog had been tried and sent to prison, each for fifteen years with a non-parole period of twelve years.

The hostility between gangs and the crime rate in the small city had fallen dramatically with their incarceration, a few months later, the gangs themselves had dispersed. Made of mostly younger boys held in thrall by the swaggering confidence of their 'leaders' and the gifts bestowed by them, it was relatively easy to send them home to the welcoming arms of their families.

There were, however, a couple of older boys who still spoke with admiration of Flash Jack and Hound Dog and continued to play pranks within the community. These pranks weren't anything illegal so far, but the possibility of the boys' behaviour escalating with each prank they got away with was high. 
They seemed to have no regrets at all, even in light of new evidence showing the two older criminals had been consorting with small arms dealers and had been planning a series of robberies. It appeared they'd wanted to recreate the era of the Bootleggers of the 1920s, with all the monetary gain they'd heard about.

The break room at the Police Station was buzzing with conversations on how to stop these youngsters before they got out of control. Phil and Greg were only fourteen, still young enough to change their ways, but another year or so would see them entrenched in bad behaviour, possibly eventually following Flash Jack and Hound Dog to prison. Nobody wanted that, except maybe Phil and Greg who were still enchanted by being the "bad boys".

Sergeant Harrison's idea was to hold a city funded Halloween party, with a costume competition for children under ten, 'spooky' foods, jack'o'lanterns, "The whole works!" he so happily expounded.

There would be "trick or treat" doors staged around the city square, for children to knock at and be showered with treats.
Sergeant Harrison's extra idea was to have Phil and Greg each in charge of a small band of younger children for the trick or treating circuit. Perhaps a sense of responsibility would help them realise that good was better than bad.

It was also decided that possibly a "Big Brother" program could be started with Phil and Greg coming under the wing of an older officer, then learning to help out with younger children.
"Anything to keep them occupied enough to not think up fresh trouble," said Constable James.

It was decided the party should begin at dusk, with the trick or treat segment first, then inside the square on the grass other attractions would be held. 

Miss Tranmore was in favour of a gypsy tent where children could hear their personal prophesy. Her mother still had all the necessary equipment from her career as a party planner. The idea was well received and Miss Tranmore went to her computer to begin designing the flyers to be placed in letterboxes and shop windows all over town.
The old guillotine was dusted off and used to cut the flyers into interesting shapes that would attract attention.

Six weeks later, the square was alight with spooky orange lanterns throwing shadows as the children finished the trick or treat doors and lined up for the costume judging. 

"Look at them," gushed Miss Tranmore. "They're so adorable. There's an astronaut,  a pirate, a princess and a Big Bad Wolf holding hands with a tiny Red Riding Hood. I'm so glad I'm not a judge, I could never decide a winner."