It’s Thursday again and so I’m here to give you a new story challenge. Can you tell a story in 34 words using the following words in it somewhere:
- STORM
- BOOKWORM
- LIMBO
The previous challenge was to write a story in 66 words using the following six words in it somewhere:
- UNDERDOG
- DECORATE
- LOLLIPOP
- HEXAGON
- MONEY
- PHOTOGRAPH
Here are your creative stories:
Susan Batten:
Georgie sat cross-legged on her bare studio floor, sucking a lollipop to cheer herself up and pondering how to decorate her new living space. She was tired of being the underdog. She wanted to wow them all with a feature wall celebrating the hexagon, like a bee hive. When she’d made some sketches she took a photograph. There, it wouldn’t need much money after all.
I’m pondering how to decorate our new duplex while considering the money that will have to be spent on this venture. I’m thinking a rug in the shape of a hexagon in the living room, beach-style photographs in the guest rooms, and a jar of lollipops on the bar for guests. Does that make me the underdog of the designing world? I would surely hope not!
Tony:
Lollipop at the corner of the lips, outsider walks to decorate his silences.
In Hexagon, silver clicks, but the photograph resists.
He frames the shadow, refuses the brilliance, prefers the step on the side, the fertile margins, the patience of the streets, a free, humble, and tenacious gaze in the face of the noise, which persists, moves forward slowly, dreams of open horizons, without a flag, without a master, with heart, night after night, again, always, standing, here, now.
Eye for the Prize
The prize was a 10″ hexagon-shaped lollipop for the best untouched photograph. Kim was an underdog. So little money for a fancy camera yet certain her perceptive “eye” could decorate the mind of anyone. Her patience was her strength, so she waited all night beside the nest of eggs. As the sun rose, a baby duckling popped into the world, and she perfectly captured the moment.
The photograph was a classic. Madeline fingered the money she received from winning the contest. Always having been the underdog in such exalted company, she practically swooned when they called her name. The hexagon shaped crystal award would decorate her mantle. It was the first of many she would receive as she published photos for the “Saturday Evening Post”. Madeline treated herself with a watermelon lollipop.
Jake was the underdog in the Decorate a Cake Contest. He planned to use a giant lollipop centered in a hexagon made of gumdrops for the topping. He ran out of money and submitted a photograph from Instagram. He remains the underdog.
Megan was the underdog in the competition to decorate a hexagon lollipop. The winner would have their photograph in the newspaper and prize money as well. She steadied her hands, adding tiny sugar stars that shimmered like hope. When the judges circled back, they paused, whispered, and finally smiled—choosing Megan’s design, proving quiet determination can outshine expectation.
Ex-Sergeant-Major Chicken wanted to pay with a photograph of a hexagonal coin.
“This is not money!” I told the uniformed and be-ribboned, old Tom Fool.
I called the Underdog Manager.
“Mr. Lollipop” – it was his name – “This decorated war-hero wants to pay for his lunch with a photograph of some money!”
“That will do nicely.” said Mr. Lollipop. “Please give him this photograph of some change.”
The photograph of five year old Stella holding her decorated hexagon lollipop in one hand and prize money in the other made the front page of the local Echo.
All the other kids had entered fancy creations, no doubt with parental help, but this was all Stella’s own work and she’d shown them all that being considered the underdog didn’t mean she didn’t stand a chance!
Murray Clarke:
Lisa hoped that they had sufficient money to decorate their hexagon-shaped bedroom – which was beginning to look a tad shabby. But firstly, she needed to take a photograph to show to the new owner of “The Paint Shop”. He was a very odd-looking little man – always sucking on a cherry-flavoured lollipop! Many of his customers considered him to be something of an underdog in the town.
The photograph was old and worn. It wasn’t worth any money but did have a unique hexagon phonebooth image. This would work good to copy off of and decorate the cake with. Sweet Polly Purebred, a television news reporter was excited for the opportunity of presenting a gift to her hero. She placed a giant lollipop in the center for Underdog, the love of her life.
The underdog booth sat between flashing stages. I decorate my jacket with a hexagon pin, clutching a lollipop while saving money for one photograph. When the crowd roared elsewhere, a stranger framed me laughing, sugar-stained grin defiant. That picture traveled far, proving small joys win nights, and unlikely heroes glow without spotlights, dancing alone yet seen by dawn, memories lingered, brave hearts humming softly together forever.
“Under dog lies lollipop.” Borys had never unlearned his heavy Russian accent which came with its own grammatical challenges. “It make good picture for decorate house,” he added. He took out his old Zorki, focussed manually and took the photograph just in time before the dog ran away. He had it developed and sold it to an art gallery in a hexagonal frame for good money.
I saw an ad on a bulletin board was a colorful photograph showing a dog wearing a blue cape. His red shirt had a white hexagon with letter U on the front. It said anyone could hire this dog named Underdog to solve crimes for you, for cash money. I tore down the photo to decorate my room, and went on my way, licking my lollipop.
Squirreljan:
“Suck it and twirl. A bit more to your left. Now pout.”
I tuned him out and wished I could bin every single hexagon-framed photograph hanging on the walls and re-decorate in beautiful, relaxing blues. Only three more shoots and I’d have enough money. Until then, I was still the underdog and had to perform. At least I was sucking on my favourite Swizzel double lollipop.
Lollipop Woman
Mary was the underdog.
Every year the children would vote on the local lollipop men and women. She was the first female to get a job ferrying the across the road. She spent her own money to decorate a hexagon; A hand scribed school was showered with glitter. Stickers were inserted in the school to show their brilliant learning.
Her photograph was in all the papers.
The underdog in the Apprentice was George. He made big mistakes when told to decorate Sir Alan’s Office. He thought lollipop and hexagon shaped chandeliers in green glass looked good.
Even so after all the, rounds, he won the money and had his photograph taken with his new boss.
Sir Alan said he admired his courage and tenacity in the face of his patronising fellow contestants!
Creativity
Today’s assignment in class was to have the most creative photograph gallery. My money budget was thin as ice, but, if there is one thing I learned in life is that the most creative folks went to their local thrifty nifty store. Anyway, being the underdog, I hoped nobody would decorate their frames with pastel striped lollipops and plaid buttons in the shape of wooden hexagons.
Best in Show
Nobody expected the underdog bloodhound to win Best in Show. Minutes before judging, Otto escaped backstage and ransacked the snack stand, emerging with a lollipop stuck to his head, looking a lot like a unicorn.
The judges gasped. “Remarkable! He’s managed to decorate himself as The Amazing Unidog!
Otto posed on the hexagon-shaped platform while his owner happily accepted the prize money.
The photograph went viral.
Oversized confections hanging from the ceiling. A huge photograph of a flying dog wearing goggles and a cape with the words Underdog Publications on it. A dancing lollipop in the shape of a hexagon, winking at everyone. The start of the campaign to promote the book titled, “Make Thou$ands – Sell Sweets Online.” The money used to decorate the bookstore would undoubtedly exceed the initial budget.
The Lollipop Therapist Sweettooth
He lay inside the chalk hexagon drawn on the table, staring at the decorated walls. From the photographs other lollipops were staring back at him. He had spent some money hoping for a cure from being an underdog because of his mint flavor. Slowly he started to wonder if this was a scam. Then the girl that was in all the pictures entered the room: “Yummy!”
The Birthday Cake
I came across an old photograph of my brother licking a giant hexogonal shaped lollipop while watching Underdog on tv. My brother was a huge fan of that cartoon, so I gathered up some money and took that photo down to the local bakery, so they could decorate a chocolate, vanilla iced 60th birthday cake for him, adding that photo to the top using edible icing.
Crocker slammed the file down. “The kid’s a total underdog, Theo. No money, no priors.”
Kojak leaned against the hexagon-tiled wall, unwrapping a lollipop. “Who loves ya, baby?”
He studied the photograph from the crime scene. “They didn’t just kill him; they tried to decorate the truth.” He took a long drag of the candy and squinted. “Something stinks, and it ain’t the trash.”
Rall:
she was an underdog
she had neither money nor connections
made a few bob by taking photographs lived in a hexagon shack decorated
with lollypop designs and was perfectly happy with her lot
Dolly Pop the Lollipop Lady
Every Day, Dolly the lollipop lady stood on Hexagon Ally crossing, helping children cross the road. She was gentle and unassuming, many considered her an underdog. But, she didn’t care, she didn’t do it for the job for money, only smiles.
The one morning she amazed everyone by fearlessly saving a toddler from an ongoing motorbike. She was decorated for bravery and had her photograph in the papers – magic!
The underdog painter chose to decorate a quiet alley with a hexagon mural. A child traded a lollipop for a photograph of the work. No money changed hands, but pride did. When rain came, colors bled, strangers smiled, and the artist realized winning was never applause, only making something sweet, shared, and briefly alive. At dusk neighbors gathered, telling stories, laughing softly, remembering courage together tonight.
–
On Maple Street, an underdog puppy found a shiny lollipop beside a chalk hexagon. He tried to decorate his tiny doghouse with it, believing it was treasure worth more than money. A kind girl snapped a photograph of his sugary masterpiece and shared it online. Soon, neighbors brought treats, proving even the smallest hero can sparkle. He wagged proudly, sticky paws shining in sunset that evening.
apt to lose
shit show to choose
underdog to the maximum
decorate the wall with loser s sparse
a photograph of both present and past events
a stop sign with hexagon instead of octo gone
as ye brits sing of my job
lollipop we luv ye!
***
Image credit: Pinterest
Esther Chilton 
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