LaDonna

Oh wow this is a great honor to be chosen amongst all of you scholars.
OK, then, for ThinkWrite 7. This is the new 10 words for the word list.
warfare arachnophobia angelic kinsman romance monastery benevolent shallow thug believe
The same rules apply 200 words, 3-word penalty for changing a word. I'll pass the torch on Saturday the 6th around 2pm TD time.
Don’t worry about the grammar and punctuation (I won’t catch it anyway) just bring me into the story. Good luck

Arw65

Ok, so I'm not usually a writer but here it goes.


“I can’t believe I’m here again” Joy thought to herself. Looking back, she’d have seen it coming. Romance always ended this way. Though I suppose warfare of the heart would be more accurate.

It began two weeks ago. She was in the monastery, cleaning up after the congregation just like every Monday. The brown spider had her hopping up on a chair. She hated when her arachnophobia got the better of her. There he was, an angelic knight to rescue her. He gently swept the spider into a cup and relocated it outside. This benevolent stranger became her world. Over the next week he learned everything about her, shallow and deep, her dreams, desires, kinsman and all the little things that people usually keep to themselves- personal information-birthday, bank account, and the like. Just incase. Her brain kept telling her to shut up, or to tell him to leave, but her heart was infatuated with trusting someone. When she got the call from the bank, informing her that her account had been emptied and was now going to be closed, her brain won the fight. She called him but no answer. This thug in angels clothing had stole her world.

LaDonna

warfare
arachnophobia
angelic
kinsman
romance
monastery
benevolent
shallow
thug
believe

LaDonna

Still learning how to post in the forums this should make the word list easier to follow.

Arw65 Thank you for the entry. Great story.

Dragon

LaDonna, great word list! I can't wait to get going.

Arw65, good story, sad that this happens to so many people who dare to trust someone with all of themselves.

ZeroMerc

----------------------------------
200 words excluding title
----------------------------------

~~~The Prophecy III~~~

While working in the study of her benevolent late grand-uncle unrest began to set in about the journey ahead. After Mathias brought her the list of her grand-uncles contacts she realized that of the two lists Mathias was talking about; one was business the other was family.

The business contact list was nothing special; it was in fact quite shallow. The list of her kinsmen was quite another all together. This was really more of a journal than a list. It was hard for Tomori to believe the words; while most of her family appeared to be quite angelic to the world there was quite a bit of warfare going on internally. Certain family members were in inappropriate romance with others, one of her uncle’s who she had never met had apparently spent his entire live in a monastery due to severe arachnophobia, and yet others were living the life of a simple thug.

She was not sure that her grand-uncles business contacts could be of much use to her in finding out the secrets of the prophecy; but her family. Her family would be the key as there seemed to be someone from every single possible walk of life.

anotherronism

“Crouching in the Mud on the Last Night of the War” by Ron

I crawled past another empty pillbox.

The ditch was too shallow; ‘Belly Warfare’

“Stay safe.” Mom said. That sums it up. It would be stupid to die at the end.

My kinsman – each – fought in every American war.

On warm evenings the old coots would settle into their dusty rockers.

Spinning romance tales about war they imbued them with an angelic glow of patriotism. Any thug in battle became a beacon of trust and honor; cruel men - benevolent officers.

They made us believe; us boys.

The women told the girls other tales: About worrying and raising children alone: About telegrams and Pastors in black cars: About husbands and sons lost.

My mother tried everything to stop me. She put whiskey in my juice the morning of my physical. She revealed my arachnophobia to the recruiter who just laughed.

At the bus she cried. “Just stay safe boy. Come home in the end.”

She would not wipe the tears spilling onto her blouse.

I heard gunfire; the flashes revealed a shelled monastery – GI’s crouched behind.

I’d hate to make Momma cry again. It would be stupid to die now.

But there were boys over there. They had mothers too.

I stood.

ZeroMerc

that was awesome. very intense. wow.

that gets a rock my socks vote!!

LaDonna

ZeroMerc
I went back and read the Prophecy I, II you are doing a excellent job of using the words of each challenge in the continuation of your story, I can’t wait until the next one.

anotherronism
I have a great respect for our military and people who put themselves in harm’s way to protect us. I don’t feel they get the recognition they deserve. Well done.

anotherronism

“The Politics of Genetic Research” by Ron

Two tired feet shuffled along the worn path. The feet stopped at a plant: “Ahhh… Hello old friend.” he said in German.

“Brother Mendel!” gasped a breathless overweight monk. “Your kinsman has arrived!” He indicated the path.

Few visited the monastery and always caused excitement.

The two monks had just started down when a dapper gentleman met them.

“Ahh…Cousin.” said the old man.

“Brother.” replied the gentleman.

“Brother.” said the fat monk.

“Brother.”

“Brothers.”

The fat monk left.

“You must speak to the Abbot before you leave. He is anxious for news.”

“What need for news men of cloth?”

“Our needs are many, cousin. Many…”

The gentleman eyed the garden. “Still the peas cousin?”

“Still?”

“We’de’ve thought you’d’ve given this up.”

“We?”

“Yes, ‘We.’, your father isn’t so rich any more. He’s benevolent towards you but warfare taps him.”

“Yet ‘he’ does not come.”

“Cousin: You believe this angelic romance I know. But it’s shallow – uncertain. You’re a man of science. Why remain?”

“Because… My work is unfinished. Peas - yes. I’d try spiders but my arachnophobia – you know about that. So it’s honeybees. fauna will prove what flora has shown.”

“But Gregor. The money is gone.”

“Begone thug. Begone!”

anotherronism

Dang. That should read "Fauna"...

My grammar is so bad MS Word underlines everything I type so I miss the obvious sometimes. Gawd! I wish we could edit our posts on this site...

anotherronism

“1990” by Ron

1990 was a good year. “Arachnophobia” was a summer hit. Madonna was cool. Sinead O’Connor was bald. Nelson Mandela was released.

The Exxon Valdez had it’s accident. But 1990 was still a good year.

I was 24. I was still married. She was 35. Yeah. I know…

The SR-71 Blackbird was retired. John Poindexter was guilty.

I sat in the cockpit of an SR-71 once. It’s the ugliest plane ever. (Well – there’s the ‘Warthog’) But who said warfare is pretty? She is angelic in her haughty curves.

I lost a kinsman in 1990. We all knew it beforehand. Someone dies in our family every year ending in zero. It’s a curse...

Our romance was extensive. She was married to my co-worker and friend.

On reflection – I should have joined a monastery. Things would’ve turned out better I believe.

One could say our relationship was shallow: Me, the young thug and her, the sincere mother of three who wanted nothing more than love in her and her kid’s lives.

Her father was a lay pastor in the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

He and his wife were kind and benevolent towards me.

But they never spoke to me when we broke up.

SabraAngel

Ron, your first story nearly had me in tears. Wonderful!
Merc, very nice, I can't wait for your next!

For the life of me I can't remember the Username who posted first, I am deeply sorry. I liked your piece too. It sounds like something that might actually have happened to someone.

And now I shall add my piece. I must say, this was rather slow going. I had some trouble getting back in to 'Dreamland' because of my work on 'Nightfall' but after several hours of starting at a blank word page with the word list and some lovely 'warfare' like music I can say i finally got the inspiration for this weeks episodes. I pray you enjoy the product of my labors.

~Dreamland part 5~

Raphael stood at the edge of the cliff. Behind him was the monastery he had just visited. Bodies were strewn everywhere. He had come here for answers, but did he get them? No! All he had gotten was shallow talk about how he had let his anger turn him into a mere thug.

“I am not a thug!” He had screamed to the benevolent monk. But he had only smiled.

“To believe that this revenge will set you free is idiotic. Romance is not about death and destruction. Wouldn't your beloved Christina prefer you to be angelic in your actions instead?”

Raphael's anger had flooded his mind then and the slaughter begun. He left none alive. If they were not going to help, why should they remain alive?

Gazing out from the cliff Raphael knew that the elders of Dreamland had made this a mindless warfare. “They can't beat me” He whispered. With that he set out to visit Tony's kinsman. His arachnophobia had him trapped inside his home, playing games with his mind would not only be fun, but should prohibit Tony from being able to guide his actions. “Lets see you get passed this.”

Dragon

Not one of my better stories I'll throw it out there anyways. 200 words not including title.

Tale of a Desiccated Soul

They called her The Spider Queen. She had learned early the tricks of sorcerous warfare. Having discovered her enemies crippling arachnophobia she used it to her own advantage. Until no one stood in her way. No benevolent king, no shallow thug, no angelic hero kept her from what she rightfully stole. And so it was for centuries, she held her throne with the power of fear until no one would guess that there was once romance in her heart. No one would believe that she had known a love so great that its loss had twisted her into the cold, heartless creature she was now. Where once she had weaved webs of intrigue to bring more territory under her sway, she now withdrew into herself becoming more like the spider she once used so ruthlessly. A brown recluse waiting for prey to wander into her grasp, until the day she retreated into nothingness. Her last thought in this world of her one love, forced into the monastery by his kinsman who’d told her she was simply not a powerful enough ally for their family. Freed from oppression her people would never know, she’d once been as human as they were.

ZeroMerc

Angel that was amazing. You use the words very well.

And you Dragon! If that was not "one of your better stories" as you put it I would love to see some of your better work. and try to get it published. that was awesome!!

Dragon

Here's one inspired by my Margaritaville picture.
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=44174
Random Memories of the Night Before

I recall liquor. Yes there was definitely liquor involved. Of course there always is isn’t there. My mother often chides me for the constant warfare I wage on my liver. Liquor is the way most of my stories begin and last night was no different. To my credit I remember the beginning of the evening in great detail. We started with Margaritas, memory intact so far, then moved on to Daquiris, kinda buzzed but my recall is still there. I definitely remember some benevolent soul buying rounds of Belinis for our table and that’s where things start getting hazy. I’m not sure if it was before or after the Mojitos that I found myself in the shallow end of a pool somewhere kissing a young, angelic thug. Romance is easy after that many drinks. After that there are some patchy memories of standing outside a monastery screaming wildly about my arachnophobia, though in hindsight, I believe it my have been a bank rather than a monastery and perhaps acrophobia. I’ve never had a particular problem with spiders, but heights scare the crap out of me. Thank God my kinsman was there to drag me home before I did something stupid.

LaDonna

It is amazing how many totally different stories can come from the same 10 words.
In the beginning I thought it would be easy to choose just one, boy was I wrong I love them all!
Keep them coming there great.

SabraAngel

~Dreamland Part 6~

Tony slowly walked back from this mornings meeting. The news was disturbing. Raphael had destroyed a monastery and now was on to find his kinsman who battled with Arachnophobia. He walked past his home to the tower where the Dreamer Caleb slept. It was time. Milton's words rang in his ears....

“Don't try and be angelic and get yourself killed. This warfare is of the heart and mind. Sour romance is shallow. Do not believe the lies that will be whispered in your host's ears. Remain faithful and benevolent.”

With a sigh he entered Caleb's mind and urged him to get up, he needed to be moving quickly if he was to stop Raphael before he killed more people. Caleb woke with a start. The urgency he felt reminded him of the day before and he panicked. Feeling like nothing more than a common thug Caleb hid himself away in his bathroom, determined not to listen to the voice in his head. Patiently Tony waited till Caleb calmed before being more clear. Then, quiet clearly he spoke;

“Caleb, I know you are scared, but people need your help or more will die. The time for valor is now.”

Dragon

Monastery

I was born in a monastery, unlikely I know, but true. My mother, in her youth, sought to avoid an arranged marriage to a wealthy thug her kinsman had set up. She disguised herself as a boy and came to the monastery to avoid the warfare that would surely ensue after her disappearance. While hiding amongst the acolytes who had promised themselves to Gods service she was discovered by an elderly monk. Being a benevolent soul he kept her secret. Being slightly less than angelic, he fell in love with her and a secret romance arose. Unfortunately for the monk, my mother was shallow and was only using him to keep from being found out. Her plan backfired rather spectacularly when her pregnancy became obvious. After my birth they evicted her. The monk was thrown into a spidery pit in the cellar, his arachnophobia was his penance for the sin of loving careless woman. So that’s how I came to be raised by monks, a solitary girl child among a flock of solemn men. I believe they did their best by me, but I often wonder about the family I may never know and the mother I don’t wish to.

LaDonna

Well, the time has come for the decision making. I have gone thru all the stories. This was very difficult for me to choose.
Anotherronisms “Crouching in the Mud on the Last Night of the War” was so passionate.
ZeroMercs The Prophecy series made me want to put up a new word list just to see how she could work them in.
SabraAngels Dreamland series is also brilliant and leaves you wanting for more.
Dragon I enjoyed your diverse stories very much and I love the accompanying picture with the story.
Arw65 Very good story and as Dragon said “sad that this happens to so many people who dare to trust someone with all of themselves.” Arw65 this story actually hit very close to home and it stirred emotion in me.
I want to thank all of you who took the time to write these wonderful stories.
So without further ado I pass the torch to Arw65.