Monday, January 21, 2013

Week Four: WoE Friends and a Heart Challenge

Write at the Merge this week gave us a picture of a brick-paved heart and my favorite quote from Groucho Marx:

"When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying 'Damn, that was fun!'"

I return to the hijinks of Sticky and his friends and their quest for chocolate, the result of the last week's link up.

I offer the following in response: Operation: Chocolate





A full moon smiled from atop the midnight sky, and stars kept their silent vigil over the world below. Sticky pressed against the windowpane of the farmhouse he frequently visited. His friends mirrored him, eager faces squished to peer inside. “This is where I found the secret figerie pie,” he explained, his whisper fogging the glass. “The farmer lady is sure to have chocolate.”

“What’s a chocolate anyway?” Pocker asked as he wedged himself between Topple and Lily-fathri.

“The Seeress showed me," Sticky replied. "It’s brown and lumpy, or black and smooth, or even sometimes, it’s so scared it turns white.”

Topple peeled away from the window and crossed his arms. “Aw, I never get to see the Seeress use the Pearl. That’s not fair. You get in trouble all the time and yet you get to see her use the Pearl.”

Uh-oh. If he feels slighted, he’ll use all his flight energies on camouflage to be stubborn and he’ll get us caught. Sticky thought, exchanging glances with his sister.

Sellamina didn’t hesitate. “Topple, the Seeress thinks you’re far too important, keeping watch for balinogs.”

“Oh,” he said, relaxing. “That makes sense.”

“Let’s go find some chocolate.” Sticky focused his desire for the window to open, magic surging through his heart. When enough energy was collected, he tapped the glass and the window opened a crack.

They crawled across the sill, mindful to avoid anything that could snag their wings, leaving a trail of foot and hand prints in the fine layer of dust. A poof of magic escaped Lily, dampening her silvery shimmer, and all the dust and prints disappeared from the surface. “Well, it needed cleaning,” she stated when she caught their looks. “And we shouldn’t leave tracks behind anyway.”

“Yeah or the balinogs could find us.” Topple agreed, causing a tired sigh from Sellamina.

Sticky shrugged and pointed towards a jar at the far end of the room. “I think that’s where the chocolate is.”

They flew single-file through the airspace to the cold granite countertop. Bright, metallic bobbles glittered inside the jar. With a bit of convincing, Topple helped Sticky and Pocker pool their energies to open the lid. The hiss of a vacuum destroyed pushed a bloom of nutty sweetness into the air. Sticky understood in one sniff why the Seeress was so keen to have one. He salivated instantly, “Ooh, it’s edible.”

“They look like little bells. Do all chocolates look like little bells?” Lily breathed.

Pocker looked just as awestruck. “Are they called chocolate because they’re made of chalk?”

Topple frowned, “Chalk never smelled like that.”

Sticky attempted to haul a bell out by its white paper string, but halfway through the effort, the metallic wrapper unraveled and the chocolate fell to the countertop. “Chalk never looked like that,” he said.


Sellamina bit into the brown lump and glowed. No trace of balinog poisoning remained in her skin, and she shimmered brighter than Sticky remembered. “And chalk never tasted like that!”

30 comments:

  1. Shelton, I am never disappointed when I read your postings. I truly enjoy each and every one of them. Your vivid descriptions of characters and scenery and props bring each of your works to life. Thank you so much for sharing.

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    1. Thanks! I'm truly blushing now from such wonderful compliments. It's nice to know that I deliver a consistently vivid product and that I haven't failed you yet.

      I'm thrilled that you always enjoy your visits here. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  2. My favorite line was about the chocolate getting so scared it turned white. The innocence in that line just gave me a smile. Your narrative is so descriptive that I could see the scene in my head. Great job.

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    1. Thanks! I think I once heard a child say that white chocolate was scared...I can't remember for sure. It just seemed to be the best way to describe it. :)

      I'm happy I brought a smile for you. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  3. When I saw it was Sticky again...woot! I really enjoy the pixies! I could see the whole thing, such visual details, and you made me feel like eating chocolate. The description of white chocolate was perfect!

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    1. Thanks! I'm tickled pink that Sticky and his friends have fans! That makes me a very proud mommy indeed.

      I'm happy you enjoyed your stay. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  4. Oh the joy of discovery! Happy little pixies!!

    I'll never again look at Hershey kisses in the same way-now that I've found the wonderful world of Sticky!

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    1. Thanks! If this is your first Sticky story and you're craving more (shameless plug), I think I've reverse-tagged all "Sticky's World" that have made it on my blog. And check out WoE: Precipice, available where fine literature is sold. There's a Sticky story in there as well.

      And someday, hopefully this year, I'll have enough stories to pull together a "Sticky's Adventures" compilation. Keep you fingers crossed!

      I'm thrilled you enjoyed your stay. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  5. I love these stories! Sticky and friends are such a great combination of wisdom and child-like innocence. Well done!!

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    1. Thanks! I'm so pleased that Sticky is receiving such warm receptions. I'm certainly having fun recording his adventures!

      I'm happy you enjoyed your stay. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  6. What a delightful midnight adventure! I would love to join them for a little chocolate sneaking ... imagining what it would be like to taste this treat for the very first time! Such a fun and playful post .... I enjoyed it's sweetness!

    Visiting from WOE.

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    1. Thanks! I'm surprised Sticky came from my imagination sometimes. I don't remember ever being that sweet. :)

      I'm beyond thrilled that you enjoyed your stay. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  7. Chocolate is lovely, of course, and now it's even more magical. Sticky is such a fun read.
    ~Angela

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    1. Thanks! I think I'm stuck on chocolate. This is two posts in a row...

      I'm so glad you had a fun visit. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  8. I love these! The dynamics between the group are priceless, especially with the soothing of Topple's ego. I was irrationally worried that they would find and bring the wrong thing back so I was glad for Sellamina's taste test.

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    1. Thanks! It's not an irrational fear: Sticky isn't necessarily as savvy as he thinks he is so it's not out of the realm of possibility that he find the wrong thing...I just don't know if I can do that to him yet! :)

      I'm happy you enjoyed your stay. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  9. Chocolate is definitely worth a daring expedition like this! Charming read, the pixies are always fun.

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    1. Thanks! I figured, chocolate has magical properties, pixies have magical properties...it's all good.

      I'm happy you were charmed and had a fun time. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!~

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  10. Pixies and chocolate all in one post! Squeee!
    I'm becoming quite enamored of this crew. Cant wait for more.

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    1. Thanks! I win! I got a "Squee"!

      I'm happy you're enamored 'cause I'm not tired of the pixie crew either. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  11. I love to read about the pixies and their discoveries of our world. I will eat a Hershey's kiss in their honor!

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    1. Thanks! I couldn't have asked for a better tribute. A Kiss toast to all!

      I'm glad you enjoyed your stay. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  12. So adorable! Loved this especially, the innocence of children (fairy or otherwise): "sometimes, it’s so scared it turns white."

    The one teeny tiny concrit I'd offer is that Topple redirects just a tad too easily. I think it might just need a sentence where he thinks about it and then preens his wings or something, so we see it visually.

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    1. Thanks! Excellent suggestion for when I revisit. Since pixies only have room in their heads for one thought at a time, it would make sense either way I think, but allowing him to mull the idea over would lead to a little more character development.

      I'm pleased you enjoyed your stay. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  13. I know everyone else is saying it, but I LOVED the line about chocolate getting so scared it turned white. And the ending where she glowed...that's a little bit how I feel when I eat a good piece of chocolate. :)

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    1. Thanks! Chocolate has a glowy affect on everyone I think. And now, if the pixies don't forget, they've discovered a cure for balinog poisoning!

      I'm thrilled you loved your visit. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  14. The line about the chocolate getting scared was my favorite too.

    The only concrit I have is I don't think you need the italics paragraph. It would read tighter if you just said "Sticky exchanged a worried look with his sister." and followed with her explanation.

    I love how childlike they are, so full of wonder. A delightful read.

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    1. Thanks! Excellent advice! The italics are what remained of a conversation fork...I thought about that after the edits and the posting of course...If I see another opportunity to post this piece in this format, I'll do a better edit. Thanks for keeping me honest.

      I'm thrilled you enjoyed your visit. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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  15. I love your fairies. Sticky is such a cutie, and there world is so full of humor and light.

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    1. Thanks! I'm pleased they have a fan and that you find their world as beautiful as they do.

      I'm thrilled you enjoyed your visit. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!

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