Member since:
July 16, 2011

WWE, Wednesday Writing Essentials Challenge, 9/19/12, cucumbers

September 19, 2012 10:50 AM UTC (Updated: September 19, 2012 10:53 AM UTC)

views: 0 | 12 people recommend this | comments: 47

Today's challenge is to finish this story. Feel free to re-word what I've written, but it needs an ending and I'm so sick of putting up bread and butter pickles, I can't seem to finish it.

~~~~~

The townspeople say I'm mad, but I'm not really crazy. Just scared. That day haunts my dreams, leaving me housebound; afraid to go outside. When I look out the window, my day mares begin.

It all started when I invited the towns folks to see my lovely garden. One of them screamed, saying, "It's got his leg." Then they all screamed and ran away, leaving me wondering why my ankle was aching. I looked down and a vine had wrapped around my foot and began constricting my ankle. Quickly I pulled my machete from my jeans pocket and hacked it away, but there was still vine on my leg. I ran inside and started pulling it off my leg and at the same time it grew cucumbers. Finally, I got it off and slung it out the back door.

Winter's on now. Snow covers the ground, yet they grow.

~~~~~

The Rules:

Keep in mind, this is a monitored group and there are only a couple of rules, which are:

Make sure you put this (WWE, 9/19/12, Cucumbers) in your title.

Be sure to tag it with WWE, Gather Writing Essentials, Cucumbers. Post to Gather Writing Essential.

I ask that you make your submission(s) by next Tuesday afternoon.

There is a limit of three submissions from each member per day. If you’re extremely prolific, spread out your work and post only three submissions per day.

Most important:

Put this challenge statement at the beginning or end of your submission so readers will know what you’re supposed to do and won’t think you’re crazy.

Challenge:

Finish the attack of the cucumber story. You can re-word what I wrote or use your own words, but stick to the theme.

*****

BELOW ARE RESPONSES TO PRIOR CHALLENGES AND AS ALWAYS, THEY'RE WONDERFUL. JUST LOOK AT WHAT DIANE'S TWO LITTLE WORDS DID!

Fishing, by Karen Vaughan

A Deserved F Grade Reviewed, by William Dotani

A Deserved Grade Review Part Two, by William Dotani

Cast Your Net on the Other Side, by Stacey (Jesus is coming soon-are you ready? ) U.

Fish & Green, by G.M. Jackson

Spike Went Fishing, by Amanda S.

The Shark, by Deborah A.

The Last Resort, by Ms Lee P.

Those fish they bite, by Angela A.

SPEARFISHING (Green Fishing), by Irina Dimitric

Fishing Green _ No Fish Were Hurt, by Kevin E.

Going Fishing, by Ms Lee P.

The Lady With a Lot of Green Caught, by Kevin E.

Fishing In A Store Not Paying The Green, by Kevin E.

Lake Gregory, by Len Maxwell

Find more about: wwe, wednesday writing essentials challenge, cucumbers

Find Gather groups: The Triple Name Club, The Surreal Circus, Gather's Luminous Writers and Artists, Comedy appreciation, Writers Get Noticed, Gather Writing Essential

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12 people recommend this post

Len Maxwell

Liz H.

stephen berwaldt

Irina Dimitric

William Dotani

Angela A.

JOHN BECK Sep 19, 2012, 1:01pm UTC

Interesting start to the story. I doubt that I could do it justice.

Pam Brittain Sep 19, 2012, 1:31pm UTC

Feel free to use your own words. Pleeeeaaaaassssseeeee.

JOHN BECK Sep 19, 2012, 7:20pm UTC

OK, but I used yours as well. (Or as Len advises, "Okay".)

Pam Brittain Sep 19, 2012, 7:36pm UTC

I've gone over to the "okay" just to keep Len off my back.

reply to this comment

Bill's Spirit Sep 19, 2012, 2:36pm UTC

Ho-ho-ho, I like the way this one goes.
All twilight zone, maybe alien creepy style.

Cool, Pam !!

Thank you for sharing this with The Surreal Circus

Now Featured

Pam Brittain Sep 19, 2012, 3:13pm UTC

Bill, will you write creepy for us? Glad you like the dare.

Pam Brittain Sep 19, 2012, 3:16pm UTC

Bill, thank you for the honor.

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G.M. Jackson Sep 19, 2012, 3:48pm UTC

Very good opening! I'm wondering what happens next.

Pam Brittain Sep 19, 2012, 3:59pm UTC

Ummmm, please do tell. Glad you liked the opening.

reply to this comment

Barbary Chaapel Sep 19, 2012, 5:04pm UTC

Interesting fact I just happen to know from experience:

If you are in copperhead country and you suddenly get a strong whiff of cucumbers, watch closely where you are stepping and leave the area quickly. You've just caught scent of a deadly copperhead snake. This happened once when we were picking wild blackberries not far from our kitchen door.

Pam Brittain Sep 19, 2012, 5:06pm UTC

Barbary, are you serious? We had them in Missouri, but I'd never heard of how they smell.

Barbary Chaapel Sep 19, 2012, 5:43pm UTC

Yes, indeed. Probably only smell like cucs when riled.

Granny Janny Sep 20, 2012, 12:39am UTC

Cucumbers have such a mild smell....hmmmm.

Pam Brittain Sep 20, 2012, 1:46pm UTC

That would mean that copperhead rattle snakes smell mild too?

Barbary Chaapel Sep 20, 2012, 3:38pm UTC

Copperhead snakes are their own individual type, not related to the rattlesnake, although we do have both in WV. A copperhead is relatively short with a wedge shaped head and quite sneaky in its hiding habit, like under an empty bucket, etc.

In our yard when Bill was building our little LOON sailboat he had his hands full of fiberglass and could just watch a copperhead glide over top his shoes, oblivious of him, with a frog hanging out of its mouth.

A neighbor baled a rattlesnake when he was haying the field down the road from us.

Barbary Chaapel Sep 20, 2012, 3:38pm UTC

P.S. Rattlers don't smell of cucumbers.

Pam Brittain Sep 20, 2012, 3:58pm UTC

Oh, what we called copperheads in Missouri I thought were rattlers. I was young then, what did I know?

reply to this comment

Larry H. Sep 19, 2012, 6:21pm UTC

THANKS FOR SHARING.

Pam Brittain Sep 19, 2012, 7:12pm UTC

Thanks for dropping by, Larry.

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Angela A. Sep 19, 2012, 8:23pm UTC

Sounds like the vines didn't like your prompt or something. Ha, ha

Pam Brittain Sep 19, 2012, 9:00pm UTC

Hey, Angela. Give me a suggestion for next Wednesday. Please?

Angela A. Sep 19, 2012, 9:02pm UTC

My horrifying story is done. I did it within five seconds of seeing your prompt. I was inspired.
TheCucumberLady

Angela A. Sep 19, 2012, 9:08pm UTC

You know all of my suggestions will probably have to do with romance. Lol...Here is an idea, a romantic space comedy set on Mars?

Pam Brittain Sep 19, 2012, 9:20pm UTC

I'm on my way over. So, what do you want to see next week?

Pam Brittain Sep 19, 2012, 9:27pm UTC

That could be a lot of fun. I already have it in my beginning post for next Wednesday.

Angela A. Sep 20, 2012, 9:09am UTC

Thank ye Pam, I hope ye likey me post. ;)

reply to this comment

Irina Dimitric Sep 20, 2012, 3:28am UTC

Oh, Pam, it's winter and they still grow, how wonderful, I love cucumbers. However, I wouldn't enjoy them growing around my ankles. What a spooky "daymare"!

Pam Brittain Sep 20, 2012, 1:50pm UTC

I put up 40 pints of pickles so far and they keep on growing. My friends won't visit me. It really is a daymare. Are you going to finish this story for me?

Irina Dimitric Sep 20, 2012, 10:15pm UTC

You ARE amazing. I don't do any pickling. I'm afraid I won't be able to finish your story as I know nothing about pickling.

reply to this comment

stephen berwaldt Sep 20, 2012, 7:11am UTC

There you go again...leaving us in a pickle...
There's sure to be a few good conclusions to this one gherkin in the shadows... :)

Thank you submitting to Gathers Luminous Writers and Artists. Now Featured.

Pam Brittain Sep 20, 2012, 1:51pm UTC

I had to read this twice. Thanks, stephen, for making me laugh.

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Ms Lee P. Sep 20, 2012, 11:40am UTC

LOL! Your story reminds of the "Kudzu" plant that the government planted in the 30's and 40's to control soil erosion in the south. The vine worked, it fact it worked too well ... if not maintained and tended properly the plant would absolutely take over the area where it was planted. I've driven down roads in the south where the vine is still growing and the fields look as if they have topiary statues in the middle of them. The kudzu swallows everything in this path, trees, telephone poles, rocks, abandoned buildings, etc. The plant grows at the rate of about two feet per day. The government decided that they had to come up with a chemical that could kill this vine as it was resistant to most known herbicides. You can still see this plant in many fields in parts of Georgia and Alabama and it's amazing that it is still surviving. ..... Your story reminds me of the Kudzu plant. LOL!

Pam Brittain Sep 20, 2012, 1:53pm UTC

That picture shows up in my nightmares. Are they related to the cucumber? Yikes, it looks like they're on a march right straight toward me.

Ms Lee P. Sep 20, 2012, 2:23pm UTC

I shall tell you about my "Papa" (my grandfather) and the cucumber field in a true story .... your story is my "nightmare", LOL! Who knew that two people could have the same nightmare .... LOL! I am going to write the story and exercise that devil, it's a lesson about what happens in our childhood can stay with us forever ... stay tuned.

Pam Brittain Sep 20, 2012, 2:31pm UTC

Cool!

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Liz H. Sep 20, 2012, 5:49pm UTC

This should stimulate a lot of responses! Really fun prompt, lots of possibilities in how to address this!!
Hope I get my act together enough to drop one by, too!

Pam Brittain Sep 20, 2012, 6:49pm UTC

I'm jumping up and down. I can't wait to see your story. Actually, I've been amazed at the imaginative responses to this prompt.

Liz H. Sep 21, 2012, 2:59pm UTC

Here it is. This was FUN!: Cuke's Revenge

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Ms Lee P. Sep 22, 2012, 12:00pm UTC

Okay, okay, I finally found a moment (or maybe two moments) to write my cucumber story. Click here to read.

Pam Brittain Sep 22, 2012, 6:17pm UTC

I love it and my husband asked if it was written by you, his favorite author.

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Katryn D. Sep 22, 2012, 5:59pm UTC

OK - you talked me into it...I wrote a submission ;)

Pam Brittain Sep 22, 2012, 6:18pm UTC

Can't wait to read it and I'm on my way over.

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Kevin E. Sep 24, 2012, 6:44pm UTC

Stay tuned to late tonight or early tomorrow another one is coming!

Pam Brittain Sep 24, 2012, 9:28pm UTC

Uh oh!

reply to this comment

Len Maxwell Sep 24, 2012, 7:57pm UTC

Huh? You want me to finish a story that includes snow on the ground? Snow? What's that?

No promises, but I'll think on it.

Pam Brittain Sep 24, 2012, 9:29pm UTC

Ummmm. I clearly remember a Len challenge last winter and the prompt was ice, causing me to write "The Ice Woman Cometh".

Len Maxwell Sep 24, 2012, 10:07pm UTC

Nope don't remember that. And you can't force me to admit I do remember it even though I don't remember it. I stand on whatever amendment it is that allows me to not tell the truth to a woman.

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