Not So Bad After All...A Short Story

It's Back!

Last week I wrote about the possible demise of the Weekly Writing Blog Hop. It appears reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated. Thanks to Leanne and Tena for bringing it back! And they've changed things up a big--they went retro!

When I first began writing these short stories, the rules were one picture, five random words. It changed to two pictures and no random words (which I liked...), but the original format was fun, too. It's been a while, so here are the rules:

1) Use the photo and the 5 words provided in your story
2) Keep your word count 500 words or less.
3) You have until next Tuesday to link up your post.
4) Add your story (Blue Link) at Leanne's site: HERE.

5) Have fun, don’t stress, let those creative juices flow.

 

Your five (randomly generated) words:

Screwdriver

Saucepan

Barrel

Spine

Comb

Here's what I came up with this time. Enjoy!

Not So Bad After All

"Did you pick up the goat cheese?" Becky asked Tyler as he came in from an emergency shopping run. She heard her boyfriend of three years curse and she knew he forgot...again.

"I'll be right back," Tyler said and he swore again as he closed the door harder than was needed. Becky shook her head. "Just great," she said as she stirred the pepperoni sauce, in preparation for tonight's dinner with their friends, the Johnsons, burps of red bubbled up from the saucepan Becky inherited from her grandmother after she passed away two years previous. Every time she used it, the memories of her favorite grams almost made her cry.

Becky checked the cat clock on the wall, its black tail emanating from its mechanical spine and swinging in tandem with its googly eyes, both moving as the seconds ticked down until their dinner guests would arrive. 

"Crap! Where is he? They're going to be here any minute," Becky said to the black and white smiling cat knowing it knew as much as she did. Tyler had been getting on on her nerves lately. Was it when he drained her iPhone battery playing Flappy Birds leaving her unable to make a call when she got a flat tire? Was it when he used a screwdriver to pry open her jewelry box (which he destroyed, by the way...) after she lost the key? Maybe Tyler borrowing her comb to remove a burr in their neighbor's dog's fur. Yeah, that was probably it. Maybe it was a combination of everything, the forgotten goat cheese--an integral ingredient in the night's meal--just adding to the fun, barrel of monkeys fun.

The sauce continued percolating as Becky checked the table. Hor devours, wine, even the silverware was placed correctly on the table. Wait, that was Tyler's assignment. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

She returned to the stove when Tyler opened the door. This time she didn't ask him if he remembered the goat cheese.

Word Count: 338