Esther Chilton

Here’s your new Thursday story challenge:

Can you tell a story in 61 words using the following words in it somewhere:

• BABY
• ICE-SKATING
• ALBUM
• SALAD
• FRIGHT
• CAMERA

Last week’s challenge was to write a story in 77 words using the following seven words in it somewhere:

• WISHY-WASHY
• MARSHMALLOW
• IMPOUND
• EAGLE
• VIOLIN
• BALCONY
• ROSTER

Here are your hilarious stories:

Nicola Daly:

So, this year I’m finding costumes for Madame Wishy-Washy, Eddie the Eagle, a marshmallow and a roster – what on earth’s a roster – oh, a rooster. I wish teachers would learn how to spell. That’s four of you, what about you, Sam? You’re to be a violin up on the balcony. Ok-ay. And you need a costume too? Of course you do. And you, Ellie? An Impounded Imp. Right. And will I help with the scenery painting? Tomorrow??!!!’

L Wie:

Sweet Dreams

The marshmallow sat nervously on the train. An eagle accompanied them high up in the air. From a compartment down the corridor violin music could be heard. Performing The Nutcracker not on a wishy-washy school stage, but with your friends watching from the balcony was a dream come true.

It checked the roster: Rehearsal at 5 in pink skirts! Sweet!

Suddenly the journey stopped. Due to new EU health regulations the whole Sweet Dance Company was impounded.

Rall:

rostered on night duty
for the entire week
am going to
provide a medical certificate
stating why i can’t do night duty anymore
must not be some wishy washy excuse
like i’m scared of the dark

there it goes again
the neighbour’s dog
barking incessantly
tempted to report it
and have it impounded
pay back time
going to practise the violin
on the balcony every night

time to relax
listen to the eagles
eat marshmallows by the fire

Squirreljan:

The roster stated that when Eagle flew over the balcony, Esme would play the violin. If Eagle judged the music wishy washy, then the violin would be impounded and Esme punished.

That evening, Esme was sad, and her mournful, lingering notes echoed through the trees. Eagle wept tears from his beak and downgraded Esme’s punishment to a weekend of eating marshmallows. He did confiscate the violin though, as he couldn’t risk feeling that intense emotion ever again.

Kim Smyth:

I was taking a peek at how many violins we had on the roster. From the balcony, I had an eagle-eye view. Once that job was complete, I snagged a bus and had a snack of three marshmallows on my way to get my car out of the impound. That cost a fortune! On my way home, I was feeling wishy-washy about my numbers, so I headed back to the theater. Turns out I was absolutely correct!

Christopher Farley:

The eagle perched on the wooden balcony, his claw marks had scratched his place. He looked down at the roster, and frowned. Violin practice was to begin in an hour. It wasn’t the violin but the player that ruffled his feathers. The wishy-washer wheatear would be back, screeching his may through Mozart; who at least was deaf, thought the eagle. There was no time to impound the instrument. Thinking quickly, he shoved a marshmallow under the strings.

Graeme Sandford:

After thirty years, Wishy-Washy was sad to be leaving the pantomime circuit, but her washtub, Soapy, had been impounded, and her balcony bra costume just wasn’t cutting it anymore, 

So, in a brave career change, she took the Drag name ‘Marshmallow Muffin’, and practiced her new act, which involved playing a Stradivarius (copy) violin whilst balanced upon a unicycle. On her first night, she was rostered to perform after Ginger Biscuit and her trained (but bald) Eagle. 

Annette Rochelle-Aben:

Heart Strings Attached

With an eagle eye, he checked the impound lot’s roster, in search of his towed vehicle. What the hell would he do without that violin? He could imagine his wheelchair bound sister out on her bedroom balcony, serenading the marshmallow moon with a song she had written that day. This was no time to be wishy-washy; he had to take responsibility for not paying parking tickets so he could buy her that instrument. Now, he had nothing.

Mark Fraidenburg:

The detective studied the old roster again, another wishy-washy lead in a cold case growing colder by the hour. From the precinct balcony, an eagle circled the impound lot three stories below.

Inside, they’d catalogued the evidence carefully: one burnt marshmallow, one shattered violin.

“He was here tonight,” she whispered.

The killer always left music behind. But this time felt different. The instrument’s strings were still warm.

She wasn’t chasing him anymore.

He was waiting for her.

Pensitivity101:

He hated rosters. He was convinced the Director had it in for him as tonight it was his turn to play the violin from the balcony rather than the orchestra’s pit in front of the stage.

It was a wishy-washy amateur production of a pathetic love story that held as much appeal as a soggy marshmallow. 

Maybe he could sneak in some excitement from the score of the Impounded Eagle‘s escape which he’d co-written a month ago.

Murray Clarke:

Eddie the Eagle, a full-time teacher, having retired from skiing, decided to spend an evening at the theatre. He purchased a balcony seat from which to listen to Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto is D major, opus 35” – the composer’s only concerto. Eddie took with him an enormous bag of marshmallows which he’d impounded from a mischievous pupil at school. He found the lead violist’s playing somewhat wish-washy, and decided his name should be removed from the orchestral roster.

iMartist:

A Naught at the Office

I won tickets to see Black Violin play at the Met from private balcony seats. The show was on the same night as an Eagles Game I wanted to go to. I can be quite wishy-washy at times but then I heard about the roster of guest stars like Dj Marshmallow er mellow joining Black Violin. I just had to go. Then I realized my car was impounded because i forgot to pay my fines. Life Sucks!

Christine Mallaband-brown:

Wishy-washy the community police officer stopped off for hot chocolate with marshmallows on her tea break. Then she had to impound a golden eagle which had bounced off a group of
violin players. Their strings throwing it upwards onto the olde tea shoppe balcony where it tried to roost. She tried to write her report later but autocorrect kept trying to convert the word to roster. By the end she was flustered as the eagle kept screeching!

Silly Frog’s Blog:

Utopian Officials

The government officials gathered on the balcony, with rosters in hand, observing the final crowd of impounded men milling below. Violin music played on a loudspeaker to keep their ‘savage’ tendencies ‘in check’.

When one man dropped to his knees sobbing, the codeword “MARSHMALLOW!” came over the walkie-talkie.

“That wishy-washy Toxic Masculinity Intake Crew must have missed him due to the eagle prominently displayed on his shirt. He’s a useful “keeper”.”

The rest would be disposed of.

John W. Howell:

“Alright you wishy-washy marshmallow men, listen up. I am your worst nightmare. My nickname is Eagle and I’m in charge of this impound where you have unfortunately found yourself included on its unholy roster. Your complaints and tears will be applauded as I sit in the balcony playing ‘My Heart Cries for You’ on the world’s smallest violin. Suffering is my favorite word so let’s get on with it.”

Let’s Write:

Life’s A Divine Comedy

Monty, who was a little wishy-washy, was sat on the balcony playing his violin while munching marshmallows. An eagle swooped by and pooped on his head, he tried to impound the creature by throwing marshmallows but just ended in a sticky mess. Meanwhile, his flat-mate finished the house-roster and shouted that he was on clean-up duties. Monty replied, ‘I’ve got to clean myself up first!’ Picked up his violin and sighed, ‘What a divine comedy!’ and began playing…

The Bag Lady:

Harry sat on his balcony, playing his violin, badly, of course. He never took more lessons after the kids at school found out and called him a wishy-washy marshmallow. It was true enough, Harry thought. Maybe he should have tried the tuba! Never listed in the marching band roster, but did dress up as the school mascot, the Evergreen Eagle. They stopped ridiculing him then until the new football coach decided to impound the old eagle costume.

Lily’s Corner:

Decisions, Decisions

I headed home to my apartment, the one balcony covered in foliage and wishy-washy marshmallow lights. Wondering what else I should bring on this journey, I decided to take my violin. I looked at my roster to see if I was the only one going. Finally, I grabbed my eagle feathered pen to let my buddy know that I didn’t have the time to get my car at the city’s impound. No more street racing for me.

Therapy Bits:

Eleanor, a wishy-washy dreamer, watched the moon from her balcony, clutching a marshmallow instead of courage. Below, the city’s noise roared like an impound lot of lost hopes. She longed to join the roster of performers at the old theater, where her violin could finally sing. Just then, an eagle soared past, fierce and free. Its shadow crossed her bow, and she realized—dreams weren’t meant to perch safely; they were meant to leap and fly.

Ann Edall-Robson:

The marshmallow clouds of sunrise touch the horizon. Gran sipped a coffee, and listened to the wishy-washy crowing of Roster, the aging rooster. 

The bird sounded much like the recording of her grandson playing Twinkle Twinkle on the violin. 

A screech came from the barnyard. Feathers flew. Squawking ensued. An eagle lifted off over the farm equipment impound lot with the rooster flailing in its talons.

Coffee on the balcony was going to be more enjoyable.

Teleportingweena:

These three parts cover the last three weeks’ challenges – and are fab!

Part 1

Gerry Gerbil screamed like a banshee as he hurtled down the zip-line. It was a wonderland of new experiences for this little after-shaver adventurer. This was certainly a thrill, but even more so was his runaway escapade from home. He feared the trouble he’d be in when he got back. He would be grounded!

Part 2

Gerry was already in trouble, so figured he would stay at the carnival. He entered the portal of a sideshow tent and began to drool. Prizes were  fluffy slippers! He wanted some, but he had to bust balloons with a dart. He was a good marksman.

Part 3

Gerry Gerbil psyched himself up for the challenge. He told himself not to be wishy-washy, just take a stance, aim the dart, and throw. Glancing at the winner’s roster, he saw only two had won before him. The carnival barker sat in the balcony playing a violin dirge to distract him. He took a breath, said a wish that an eagle would fly over, grab those marshmallow soft slippers out of impound and bring them to him.

Dawgy Daddy Responds:

Next Stop – Esther Avenue

I had a wishy-washy feeling as I looked out the dirty glass pane of the subway. The impound was a block away and I needed to claim my limo from the tow yard. I was running late for the violin solo being preformed by Joe Walsh of the Eagles fame. I would sit in the balcony during the show holding the roster which was sticky from the smores made of marshmallow and graham crackers I was eating.

The Elephant’s Trunk:

Dirk Malone, PI: The Snitch

Under the city’s grimy shadow, detective Dirk Malone tracked a wishy-washy informant to a dingy balcony overlooking the impound lot. The snitch, soft as marshmallow, spilled about a robbery roster – thieves planning to hit Eagle Eye Antiques. Malone, haunted by the sensual violin played by a provocative blonde from a past case, staked out the joint. Midnight struck; the crew arrived. Malone swooped in, hard as steel, busting the heist before their greedy hands touched the goods.

Utahan15:

time travel

i did so open to unravel

the portal

i fool i did sweat and drool

the change of the season

was the gist of the reason

no slippers just socks

and such it is as was were

***