MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #199: A rainy Disaster

Sumax's Challenge

You wake up from a nightmare.
You have had a vision of a disaster that you know will happen that very day.
You know you have to inform the relevant authorities, but will they believe you?
Using 1,000 words or more, in both narrative and dialogue, describe the scene as you try to convince the powers-that-be of what is going to happen.

The day dawned and I could hear the birds singing outside the bedroom window, but that did not help. After the night I had behind me, nothing more could help.

“That was weird” was the first thought that passed through my head. “It is as if nothing has happened, but it could” and the dream did not leave me any rest throughout the morning. This was not a dream I was sure. “This will become reality, but who is going to believe me?”

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained”, was my first thought. “They will either ignore me or laugh, but no-one is going to believe me; I am sure” and so I checked on the computer for the telephone number. It was a big organisation and I knew this was not going to be easy.

I heard the telephone ringing on the other side and a voice said “European Organisation for Nuclear Research, Geneva; can I help you?”

“Er, yes, well, can you give me the department for this atom splitting machine that you have built.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand. You mean the Hadron Collider? This is not just a department, but an organisation, and the gentlemen are busy at the moment organising the final tests.”

“That is why I am calling, to put a stop to these final tests. They are dangerous beyond imagination.”

“I am sorry madam, I do not quite understand. Are you an expert for technical research on this level?”

It was then that I had to think quickly and tell a few untruths. No problem, they could not see me when I start going red through shame, but this was really a matter of life and death, well almost.”

“Listen I am Dr. Jeanette Renault, and was one of the designers of this system, but a mistake has been made. You must not, repeat, must not switch the collider on. Please give me the chief of the department.”

“Just a moment please doctor, I will see what I can do.”

“Hello, hello”

“Public relations, Hadron collider here. Can I help you.?”

“No, I am trying to help you. Do not switch this machine on.”

“Who is speaking?”

“Professor Dr. Jeanette Renault, I helped to develop this machine. Please switch it off.”

“Just a moment, are you asking me to switch a billion franc machine off, just at your request. What is the reason? Another one of these suspicions that the town of Geneva will fall into a black hole, or perhaps the world? I don’t remember you name from our staff.”

Now this is where the problems are going to start. How do I say it was because of a dream? They are never going to believe it. It was then that I saw the daily newspaper. Admittedly I had already spilt some strawberry jam on it in my excitement, but I could still see the picture of a man laughing happily standing in front of this machine, telling the world of its advantages.

“Please connect me with director Peter Schmitt.”

“Mr. Schmitt is busy.”

“You must tell him to come to the phone. I was witness to a car accident this morning involving his son. I took his son to the hospital.”

“Oh, I see, in that case, just a moment please.”

Well let’s hope that Mr. Schmitt will now have time for me.

“Schmitt, my son is injured? What has happened?”

“Mr. Schmitt, everything is ok. I just have to talk to you about something important to do with the experiment you are starting today.”

“Oh no, not another one of those end of the world people. My time is too precious to talk about black holes, death and destruction. Or do you have another idea?”

“Well, yes I do actually. No, no, please do not hang up. This is important. I had a dream last night and it was so realistic. Please listen.”

“Young lady, my scientific work is not built on dreams, it is reality. There will be no black holes and no-one will disappear; goodbye.”

“No, no, please wait. No black holes, but a hole that will let something in.”

“Will let something in? Now I must say that is a new angle. Perhaps we will have some little green men arriving climbing out of the collider. How stupid do you think we are?”

“No, in my dream it happened that the collider started splitting the atoms and then it started raining; pink rain for a week.”

“Well, I must say, this is an interesting theory. We will have pink rain, and the world comes to an end.”

“No, no end of the world, the pink rain contains seeds.”

“Tell me young lady, what was the name of the book you read. I would like to borrow it. Sounds really good.”

“I am not joking. The seeds land on the earth and start to germinate. That is where the problem begins.”

“Oh, I see, they grow into pink beanstalks and reach to the sky. If you climb one you meet a giant sitting on a pot of gold.”

“Mr. Schmitt, I don’t think you are taking me seriously. Everyone knows that is the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. No, they grow and when fully grown they begin to walk and…”

“Yes, yes, yes, a very good story, but quite a bit of fantasy. Just a moment Miss I have work to do. “What did you say Fritz, oh yes I am coming, you are ready for the switch on.” Please excuse me Miss, but I have other important work to do and the progress of science cannot be stopped by a dream that someone had concerning pink men.”

Well I did what I could, but no-one believed me. I decided to go into action, climbed into my car and drove to Geneva. It was a lovely day for a drive, not a cloud in the sky, one of those days it made you happy to be alive. Eventually I reached the centre of nuclear operations, but I could see this was not going to be easy; a barrier was stopping my entry with the car. I then parked the car behind a near bye building and walked the rest. I noticed some men walking into the building so I just joined them, pretending to belong to the group. Luckily I had dressed in a white overall before I left home as I was sure it would help. Everyone at this place was walking around in a white overall, so it just suited the scene. Once inside the building I had to find the right office. I decided to go downwards as I had heard that this monster machine was somewhere deep in the bowels of the earth.

I again saw a group of very intelligent looking elderly men and followed them. We descended in the lift, so far down I had a funny feeling I might meet someone with horns shovelling coal. However, this was not the case, and I soon found myself standing next to a large steel tube. At the side of the tube was a nicely covered table with a crisp white tablecloth and there was plenty of goodies to eat, scallops, shrimps, beef tartar, naturally with enough champagne to keep everyone happy. I decided to join in, the food was good and no-one seemed to notice that I did not belong. Then the speech begun. I decided it was time to stop eating, although I was enjoying it, to see if this was what I had to stop. It was. The man giving the speech was Mr. Schmitt, it seems, and so I called out in a loud clear voice “Stop”. He dropped his glass of champagne through the shock of my voice and asked what the **** was going on.

“I called you Mr. Schmitt, about the collider. I warned that it was dangerous.”

“How did you get here, and are you the woman with the pink rain?”

“Yes Mr. Schmitt, this experiment must stop. It is a danger to civilisation.”

“Sorry Miss, but we have already switched on. You see there is no danger. We are all at home down here.”

It was then that I felt quite faint. Well I did faint. You would as well if you suddenly saw that the so-called scientists were changing into pink men with four arms drinking champagne and toasting on the future. It was just too much for me. I came to my senses lying on my back in one of the green fields surrounding the nuclear centre. And pink rain was falling from the sky.

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #197: Get your computer under control

Sumax's Challenge

Use the acrostic format in an educational manner.

Carefully read the instructions
Operate the switches with care
Mouse handling as if it was alive
Practice makes perfect so do your share
Under no circumstances switch it off
Take your time to shut it down
Excel and word are two different things
Remember Bill Gates was not a clown

MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #196: Fridge Talk

Mystydragon's Challenge

Write a story about the food in your refrigerator.
What does the food do in there when we close the door?

"Move over, it’s getting very cramped in here. If you are not careful I might fall, and there we have the mess”

“You might be an egg like the rest of us, but there are only enough places for six of us, and you are number seven; In this case six is company, and seven a crowd.”

“Is it my fault that the owner of this fridge is not more careful? She squeezed me in here. I was quite comfortable in my egg box, had it all to myself and then it happened. Taken out of the egg box, egg box thrown away and I have to sit on top of six strange eggs. I am sure we didn’t even come from the same chicken.”

“What’s that noise going on next door? Here I am trying to recover from the knife injuries I got this morning and all you eggs can do is complain.”

“Butter, you have always something to say. We eggs are simple folk. Just crack us open and then we are gone.”

“Exactly, just nice and easy. Imagine being butter. A piece of your flesh is hacked out and if you have some bad luck, you get the remains of the jam on your coat. Just look. I was nice and yellow this morning and now have a big red mark from the jam they ate for breakfast; just disgusting.”

“Excuse me, but that happens to be one of the most perfect stains you can have.”

“Oh, listen, big mouth jam is talking. At least you could apologise” spoke the butter quite annoyed.

“I do not apologise to any one, and especially not an inferior butter pack. We jams have a long life. Butter is inferior really, get too warm and you melt away. Your main job in life is to make a nice base for us jams.”

Jam was never very popular in the fridge. He was sticky and if the human did not clean his pot, he had stains running down the sides.

“Jam just stay where you are” said the butter. “I have enough red stains for today. What are you, strawberry or cherry?”

“I am raspberry actually; this year’s crop.”

“Can we ‘ave a bit of quiet up there on the top shelf. “We cheeses were ‘aving a nice sleep, maturing well; all that talking just excites us.”

“Yes camembert you are right.” Spoke the cheddar. “Did I ever tell you that you have such a sexy French accent.”

“You are making me blush cheddar. I might get a little bit too soft at the edges when you are so flattering. Such nice compliments from a sturdy English cheese we do not ‘ave every day.”

“I always did have a soft spot for you French cheeses. You have a sort of dignity that we cheddars don’t have."

“Oh, monsieur, you are really too kind.”

“Hey, salad, did you hear that; sounds like there is a love affair going on in the cheese drawer.”

“Who cares, tomatoes, we always come together in a bowl and don’t need all that talk about going soft and blushing. I heard that we get drowned in some sort of liquid before we are finally eaten.”

“Yes, it seems so salad, but that is our destiny I suppose.”

“Look out everyone, looks like someone will be chosen” the pickled onions called from their glass on the top shelf.

“Someone put the light out, it’s blinding me” said the cucumber.

“Can someone tell me how a cucumber can be blinded by a light” and the radish spoke up.

“Of course we can” answered the cucumber. “We delicate plants are very sensitive to light.”

“So who’s gone” asked the pickled onions. “One of us must have left this place, the door was opened.”

“Hello everyone, I just arrived.”

“Oh no, minced meat; move over, you stink” said the camembert cheese.

“I do not stink” answered the meat, “and you can talk you big hunk of yellow fat. If you weren’t wrapped up in paper, your smell would penetrate through all the cracks in the fridge door.”

“Oh, how cruel, I will ‘ave to cry.”

“See what you have done minced meat, my little friend the camembert is crying because of you. If I could move I would flatten you.”

“Just listen to the cheddar; I am just as British as you are. Come from a genuine English cow, so stop showing off. We don’t need that French stuff in a fridge.”

“And now listen to me you troublesome bunch of food. You are all in the same boat. You are keeping nice and cool and waiting to be chosen for a meal. You do not know who goes first, it is up to the humans, so I would just keep still and wait.”

“Who said that?” spoke all the food together in the fridge.

“Why, me of course, the fridge.”

“But a fridge cannot speak”

“Neither can cheese, meat, vegetable, butter, eggs or jam.”

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #195: Who is really guilty?

Kittigory's Challenge

Write about a forbidden love.
Begin the story in the middle somewhere, and stop before there is a resolution.
However, be sure that your reader can figure out some important things that came before, as well as how it is likely to end, from what you write.
The expected ending does NOT have to be "happily ever after".

“You are late Jean. I don’t have all day you know, they are quite strict with times in this place. Stop fiddling with your hands and sit still. So how are things are at home?”

“Fine Steve, just fine. The kids are spending the week with mum and dad.”

“You mean your mum and dad. Oh, that’s just fine. They will probably hate me even more when I come out of this place.”

Since Steve had been put away in prison, contact with him seemed even worse than before, although she knew she had nothing to fear at the moment. The beatings, swearing and drinking were something of the past, she hoped. She remembered so well the evening when he punched her in the face because she had forgotten to fill up the fridge with beer. He stamped out of the house and banged the door to the car driving off in a temper.

You don’t drive when you are drunk” was her last thought. The next time she saw Steve was in prison. He had killed a man on the street, drove over him, and now was sitting out his just reward in prison. He had been sentenced to ten years, but Jean sometimes wished he had got life. She felt guilty herself. She married Steve because she loved him, but it seemed there were two Steves in her life, one for good days and the other for bad. She left the prison after visiting time was over. It was just an hour, but those hours seemed to be the longest in her life.

She walked to the car park and climbed into a car. It was then that she had to let herself go and started to cry, just cry away the shame and the anger, everything at once. The driver of the car put his arm around her.

“Was it that bad Jean? Did you tell him, about us? How did he take it?”

“No Phil, I just could not bring it over my lips. You should have seen him. Sitting at that table, his eyes still full of hate. I am sure he still thinks that the man he killed was to blame for the accident. I remember his words at the trial “he just walked into my car, did not look right or left”. I think if I had told him what we are planning today, it would have increased his anger even more. He really seems to be under the impression that everyone else is wrong. In a way I feel sorry for him. I am sure that with professional help he could become the Steve I married again.”

“Forget that Jean. That will never happen. He will not leave that prison for ten years and that is enough time for us to build a new life. You suffered enough under his hands and now I am here to take care of you and the kids.”

“If only it was so easy. He asked how the kids were today and I told him they were staying with my parents. He was not happy about that.”

“Perhaps you should have told him the truth. The kids are fine and enjoying life at my parent’s farm. They are really happy with the animals. At last they can relax and enjoy life.”

“You know, Phil, ten years are not so long. One day he will come out and even sooner than we think, if he behaves himself in that prison and gets the help he needs. What will we do then?”

“We will think about that when the day is here. In the meanwhile you are staying with me. I love you Jean and I will not let that freak come between us. The divorce papers are ready. I set them up myself in the office this morning. All you have to do is sign and the rest takes care of itself. You are now together with a lawyer Jean, and have no further worries. Things will go nice and smoothly from now on.”

Then they drove off and Jean had stopped crying. It was true, Phil was a lawyer and a good one. He was certainly the right man to help under difficult circumstances, but she still had a guilty feeling. A plan began to grow in her mind. “What would be my chances if I shot Steve on the day he is released and arrives at my door?” Of course, she had not mentioned the idea to Phil, she did not want to trouble him. He was such a good man. The kids loved him and she felt so happy in his arms. Ten years was enough time to work out the details. She slept well that night, hoping that everything would be fine eventually.

On that day it was the last time that she visited Steve in prison.

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #193: This is MY Land

Shadowlight’s Challenge

Use each of the following words in any order in a poem or story, any genre, fiction or non-fiction.
Keep the word count for stories between 500 and 1,500 words and try to use at least two of the five senses.
If you choose to write a poem, keep the piece between four and 20 lines.

Word List
Cat
Fief
Scapegoat
Fortress
Humor

"What was that for a noise, sounded like a heard of horses was charging into the home.”

“It was me coming through the cat flap Mrs. Human,” meowed my chief cat Nera. “I got annoyed with the ginger tom cat next door. We had a small disagreement, but I am sure he has now got the point.”

“The point of what, Nera? There was enough noise when you crashed through the cat flap.”

“It is very logical Mrs. Human. If you examine the land surrounding the cat flap as far as you can see, then who does it belong to?”

“Nera, part of it is my garden, and the rest is for all to use that live here: green meadows and fields. I am not aware that it actually belongs to anyone.”

“Typical human.”

“What rubbish is she talking?” and Tabby cat arrived. “Everything a cat’s eye sees outside is ours.”

“Thank you Tabby, exactly. Mrs. Human it is our fief.”

“Your what?”

“Fief, Mrs Human. We cats, myself, Tabby and our adopted brother Fluffy live here. You pay the money and we make sure it is mouse and rat free, as well as keeping it nicely perfumed with our scent. We are also prepared to defend it against any invaders. We just had an invader so I showed him he was not welcome; he is still licking his wounds and snarling through his teeth.”

“This all sounds a bit mediaeval to me.”

“It might to a human, but to a highly sensitive and intelligent race as we felines, it is one of the principals of our beliefs. After all it is the ginger tom next door that digs holes in your garden for his waste disposal.”

“Just a minute Nera, you don’t have to make him a scapegoat for everything. I definitely saw you marking your territory yesterday evening next to the rose bush. I am not colour blind and can tell the difference between a ginger cat and a long haired black cat. Nera you were burying your organic refuse, not the ginger tom. You don’t have to blame him to justify your misdeeds.”

“Mrs. Human, there is a difference in marking territory and using it as a waste disposal unit.”

“Nera, Mrs. Human is just, well, human. You cannot expect too much from her. Through our careful planning we have made our home comparable to a fortress. No wandering strange tom, or she cat for that matter, can cross our marked boundaries without a fight. We are always ready to protect what we have built up over the many years we have been here.” And Tabby stamped her paw on the ground.

“Cats, you must be joking. This place belongs to me and Mr. Human and we decide who comes and goes.”

“And who guards it through the night. You and Mr. Human just disappear. I have never noticed you searching for mice in the evening when they come out, or chasing rebel cats away from our revere.”

“Yes, Nera” added Tabby “Strange animals humans; they sleep during the night when they should be on guard, and during the day they are awake when nothing happens” Nera nodded in approval of Tabby’s statement and cleaned her whiskers.

“So, stop that whisker cleaning and paw stamping. Up to now I have said nothing, but now I am slowly losing my sense of humour.”

Nera glared at me with her yellow eyes. “This is serious Mrs. Human, we are not joking. We don’t even have the word for humour in our cat language, or have you ever seen a cat laughing? What we do is serious. If it wasn’t for me and my sister Tabby, you would be overrun by other strange cats, all marking their territory in your garden. Think of the smell, just disgusting. Not to mention having mice in your garden cupboard, eating their breakfast, dinner and tea.”

“To be quite honest Nera and Tabby, you do not always smell like a rose either.”

“We are not here to be insulted Mrs. Human. If that is the idea of a human sense of humour, then forget it. Come on Tabby, let’s go to bed, it is daylight outside and we will revise the situation this evening.”

“Yes, Nera, you are right. Unthankful animals, those humans; just do not appreciate all the work we invest in keeping our home protected from smelly, ginger tom cats.”

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #192: The Earthquake

Sassyangelac’s Challenge

Write a story in which your main character goes mad from sleep deprivation. You may write it in the first person. Your character may be choosing sleeplessness if you like that angle better than him/her/you being unwillingly sleepless. The cause(s) of the sleep deprivation is up to you; it (they) may be real or imagined. However the symptoms or side effects your character experiences should be real (hallucinations, paranoia, loss of short-term memory, tantrums, psychosis, etc.) and the ensuing madness should crescendo on Halloween night

I will try to write it down exactly, but my thoughts are still a hazy cloud. They said I should sleep, relax, but how can I, there are things that the human body just cannot cope with.

A normal day’s work, I had two operations in the hospital to perform, each one as complicated as the other and a need for concentration. Perhaps routine, but when a human life hangs on a surgical mistake, there is no such thing as routine any more. I removed my mask, the patients were now being cared for by others on the hospital staff and I made my way to the canteen for a cup of coffee.

It was then that I noticed a noise from outside the hospital. We were on a hill overlooking the city and were used to the sound of the traffic, but this was different. It seemed that all the dogs in the town decided to bark in unison. It frightened me, this brought bad memories. It was not the first time. The windows began to vibrate, as if there was some mighty strength pushing and pulling at an exceptional speed. A few moments of tranquillity, no dog barks, no window shaking, but the floor became independent with a rocking motion. Time to leave, it was an earthquake. Warnings had been given that there would be another coming probably, but as always you just pushed it onto another day. Just forgot that the pendulum was moving over your head.

People rushing in all directions, beds being pushed out into the open and hoping that the lift would still be functioning. I did what I could, prepared patients for a transfer, even managed to get my last operations safely out of the hospital. What does safe mean, you just hope that the earth tremors cease. I looked down from the hill at the town, and my heart was in my mouth. It was then I started running, running. I reached our house, the place where it had been standing.

Yes, the house was there, but transformed into a heap of loose bricks and mortar, nothing really recognisable as a house except for the children’s swing in the garden swaying to and fro, and the remains of the Halloween decorations, torn and collapsed. Suddenly the white plastic skeleton had another meaning. Maria, Angela were my first thoughts. My wife must be somewhere under the rubble and my daughter. I was mad with fright. I began to dig, with my hands. People said we will help, but they had their own trouble. I had no time, just dig. Finger nails breaking, searching and searching, listening, but nothing. The earth trembled again, but I did not notice it. Others said seek refuge, but no-one could tell me where, and without my wife Maria and my child Angela, I could not stop.

Night came, someone passed by and asked if I wanted something to drink. I could have killed that person with my bare hands. You do not drink when you are digging, moving earth, hoping for a sound, a baby crying perhaps. I think someone had placed some oil lamps on the ground, although I did not notice it.

The next morning approached, skies grey with dust clouds that had arisen from the winds blowing across the areas flattened by the earthquake. I heard a voice next to me

“Take a rest, relax, there cannot be anyone under that house. It has been so long and the complete roof collapsed as well as the top floor of the building.”

“Leave me, go, it is not your business. My wife and child are here. Maria, Angela” I called, but heard nothing. Just dig, my hands had no feelings any more, my eyes were staring into an emptiness, but my actions were regular, as if my body had become a machine. One stone after the other, put to one side. Then suddenly as if someone had tied a red bandage around my eyes, I saw something that brought me out of my stupor. Red, red, the material of Maria’s dress. A White arm showed above the mound of rubble. Dig, dig, dig. No time for thoughts. Maria, Maria, Angela I was calling, but no answer and then I heard it. I returned to a realistic world, no longer in the dream of digging for something. A child was crying somewhere in the dirt and grime of a destroyed house.

I felt others around me and I began to remove one stone after the other on Maria’s body. She came out of the destruction, she was complete, but she was dead. I clutched her body to me, my eyes were filled with tears. I was too late for Maria. It was then that I heard the cry of a child. Angela, my Angela. I saw her brown curls, could smell her sweet breath. She was lying in the remains of the house, in the place beneath where he mother was found and she was alive.

I knew no more, I took her in my arms and walked carrying her.

It is now All Souls day, we had found Maria and Angela on the evening of Halloween, perhaps it was fate. They told me I had been digging, stone after stone for near two days without food or sleep. Maria is no longer, but Angela is alive. She was a little dehydrated but alive and now I should sleep, but I could not sleep; visions of my Maria and Angela in a house that collapsed around them. They told me to drink and eat, I could not. It was then I moved my head and saw Angela sleeping peacefully in a cot next to my bed. I closed my eyes. This happened ten years ago. Angela looks so much like her mother. We do not celebrate Halloween any more, but we visit Maria’s grave on All Souls Day. I can now sleep better, but sometime wake bathed in sweat, my fingers and hands numb. My doctor told me it was in the imagination, there was no physical reason why I had no feeling in my hands any more.

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #191: Couplets done, Battle is won

Lilangelwolf's Challenge

Sitting at my desk, what shall I write
Something for Halloween? Let’s have a fright

Nights are dark, keep windows closed
Vampire might visit, or a corpse decomposed

But after the fright, there will be a treat
The ghouls go to rest, ghosts take their sheet

The Winter arrives and with it the snow
Cats sleep night and day, they don’t want to go

Their paws get so cold, their whiskers will freeze
temperatures are sinking, below zero degrees

Cats curl up keep warm, in front of the fire
The humans will look, for what they require

Christmas will come, a turkey to cook
Relax in the evening and read a good book

New Year arrives with a glass of champagne
This couplet is long, exhausting my brain

Time passes by, the years make me older
Feel very tired, rheumatism in the shoulder

The end of the tunnel has much light in plenty
My couplet is done, the lines are now twenty.

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #190: Curing a Cat Allergy

Sanctuaryrose’s Challenge

A black cat follows you wherever you go. Then one night while you are sleeping somehow this black cat sneaks into your house and sits upon your pillow beside you and when you wake up because you feel the weight of the cat and it watching you the cat speaks. "So are you ready to go now?" Feel free to get creative with this.

"But mummy why not, they are so sweet, Jenny now has two. Look at that nice black one watching us from the street corner. Oh please mummy.”

“No Jimmy, I would love to have a kitten as well, but it just will not work. I am allergic. Their fur just tickles my nose all the time, so I am afraid the answer is no.” although Penny Taylor would have liked to have adopted a little kitten for her son. She always had to sneeze and her eyes began to produce tears when she was near a cat. Penny and her son crossed the main road and she saw from the corner of her eye that the black cat followed them across the road.

“Look mum, that black cat is still following us, isn’t it a bit dangerous for him? If he was mine I would not let him roam around in such dangerous places.”

“I must say one thing Jimmy, you really would know how to look after a cat. Busy traffic is certainly not a place for cats.”

They continued on their way, but it seemed to Penny that the cat was still following them, although when she turned her head to look he did not seem to be there. She noticed two pointed ears and a pointed nose suddenly disappearing behind a wall. Eventually they arrived home and Penny unpacked her shopping in the kitchen. In the meanwhile the black cat that was following decided to make himself comfortable in the front garden, his yellow eyes observing the house all the time.

Penny and her son Jimmy lived alone in their house. It was Penny’s parents’ home. Her father died a few years ago and her mother was now living with Penny’s sister. Jimmy had a father, but he sort of disappeared when he was told his girlfriend was going to be a mother. It was a disappointment at the time, but Penny had a lot of support from the family and today she could not imagine her life without Jimmy.

“Mum, you know that cat that was following us?”

“You mean the black one?”

“Yes, that’s the one, well I think he is still there, sitting in the garden.”

“Where Jimmy?” Penny looked out of the window. The cat noticed the curtains moving so he hopped behind a tree. He definitely did not want to be seen yet.

“I can’t see anything Jimmy” Penny answered. If only Penny knew.

Eventually it was Jimmy’s bedtime and Penny also had an early night. The weather was warm and as usual she left the bedroom window open. Seeing his chance at last, the cat climbed the ivy clinging to the wall and soon reached Penny’s bedroom. He made himself comfortable on Penny’s pillow, knowing that she would soon wake, feeling his weight next to her head. Then his mission would almost be accomplished. The first order he had received was to make contact.

Penny turned in her bed, feeling that something was wrong somewhere and opened her eyes to find herself staring into two yellow eyes belonging to the black cat.

“Please be calm” said the cat “I have been given orders to organise your journey. So are you ready to go now?”

“Aaaaatishoo” was all that Penny could say at that moment. She reached out for her handkerchief and wiped the moisture from her eyes. A cat! The allergy!

“Did I hear you talking to me, a cat – aaatishoooo. No that cannot be and what are you doing here.”

“Stay cool human, I have been given my orders. Your little boy would like a kitten to adopt him, but it seems that you have told him it is not possible. My master wants to see you, we have exactly the ideal kitten that would like to move in with you and Jimmy and so we have to put things right. Just get ready, I will wait outside the bedroom door.”

“Do what, get ready, but just a minute” and the cat left the room and closed the door behind him by standing on his back legs and pulling the door to close.

“Did I see that correctly” thought Penny rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Cats can push things but not pull. She decided to get herself ready and opened the bedroom door.

“Ok female human, let’s go. Just follow me. We will be entering another dimension, it will not hurt, but might get a bit windy.”

“I must be crazy following a cat, aatishoo” and Penny suddenly felt as if she was being carried by a gust of air, as if she was floating. Her floating journey landed with a gentle thump.

“Master, it is here as you ordered; the human called woman who cannot live with cats.”

“Come closer human woman, you have a problem with the feline species.”

Penny found herself sitting on a large cushion in a room that seemed to be fitted out with cushions all over the floor. Here and there was a raised seat which could be reached by climbing a ladder, although she herself would be too tall and heavy to use them. The general impression was the ideal room for a cat. Sitting on the highest perch in the room was a rather large grey furred cat. He actually looked more the size of a lion than a cat. His eyes were very large, like two saucers glistening yellow in the reflection of the moonlight that seemed to be coming through a window. She looked out of the window she saw there was not just one moon, but four.

“Human speak up, what is your problem with us?”

“Aatishoo” answered Penny.

“Speak no further human woman, I believe you are one of the unlucky that is allergic to the cat.”

“Before I speak anything, I want to know where I am and what is going on.”

“You mean my servant did not introduce himself. Bonzo, where are your manners. When speaking to a subordinate race, the first thing to do is to introduce yourself.”

“But master, I really had no time, the dimension curtain was getting thinner and I really did not want to use the spaceship. You know how those weaker races are when travelling with a transport they do not know.”

“Bonzo you are forgiven, but just bear in mind in future that we do not kidnap other species. We invite them. And now to yourself human woman, I believe you have the name of Penny and kitten, sorry son, is Jimmy. Strange names these humans have.

Allow me to introduce myself. The humans know me as Bast. I discovered your world once on a trip from our planet Koshka and organised a few items for the race known as Egyptians. They seemed to be having a problem with mice infestation in their corn chambers. However, that is now history. Now and again we have to keep an eye on our colonies and it seems that some of the species human are allergic to the feline nation. For this reason our Koshkan scientists have developed a substance against this problem.

Bonzo please bring the liquid for this human to drink.”

“Just a minute, are you joking. A couple of cats are going to give me something to drink to cure my cat allergy. I just don’t believe this.”

“Human” said Bast looking at Penny direct in the eyes “I do not make jokes. Have you asked how you arrived here, have you not wondered how my servant Bonzo and even myself can walk on two legs instead of the usual four, can carry a glass of liquid in our paws and open and close doors with no problem.”

“Come to think of it, I admit you seem to be quite civilised for a ..”

“You wanted to say for a cat. We are Koshkans, descendants of one of the oldest races in the universe; however, now to come to the point. Bonzo bring me our new Earth agent.”

Bonzo left the room and returned carrying a sweet little kitten in his teeth. At least Penny thought he really did look sweet. Long grey fur, bright little blue eyes, and a little pink tongue. In the meanwhile Penny decided to drink the liquid. It tasted quite good, a sort of alcoholic milky taste, but as she was still alive she decided it must be ok.

“Human, you will take this feline agent with you when you return to Earth. It will be a present for your son Jimmy. You will take great care of this citizen of Koshka. He is to be fed regularly, and when he is older you may let him free to roam in your garden. If he wishes to go out in the evening, then he may do so. It will be to make a report to Bonzo who is one of our best agents on Earth.

Tomorrow when you awake, you will not remember this journey, or anything that has happened. The Koshkan, known as kitten, will already be living in your home and is to be a surprise for human kitten Jimmy. Is that clear.”

Penny nodded, she had no choice, but she noticed with pleasure that her sneezing had stopped and that the presence of so many cats (or should she say Koshkans) did not bother her at all.

“You may go” said Bast “or do you have any further questions?”

Now what does a subordinate race in the universe ask such a superior Master on planet Koshka, but Penny had one question.

“Do you mind if I call the kitten Koshka?”

“It may be done” answered Bast, thinking that these humans were not so stupid after all.

Bonzo returned to earth with Penny.

The next morning Penny was greeted by a very excited Jimmy when he entered the kitchen.

“Oh, mummy, how sweet, I have my kitten after all. What a wonderful surprise.”

“Yes Jimmy, I decided to take a chance and it seems that I am not as allergic as I thought. Up to now I have not sneezed once. It is like a wonder.”

“What shall I call my kitten, mummy?” Jimmy asked

“You may choose a name Jimmy.”

“What about Koshka, it seems to suit him.”

And that was how Penny’s family were adopted by a little grey kitten with blue eyes called Koshka.

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #187: Who sent it?????

Sumax's Challenge
A shoebox-size parcel is received in the mail. The handwriting is unknown to the recipient.
Write a short story telling us what the parcel contains, why it was sent, and who sent it?

No free samples or gimmick sales promotions allowed

Donald Grant opened the door to see who was there. It was the postman with a shoebox sized parcel, it was even registered. He signed, closed the door and put the parcel on the table. It was then that the problems began for Donald.

“Who would send me a parcel?” was his first thought. He had a closer look at the box. It had been wrapped carefully in brown packing paper, probably to ensure that it arrived safely and was also bound with string. He scrutinized the handwriting on the box, but was even more left in doubt, he just could not recognise it.

Donald was not used to receiving parcels, especially when they looked so anonymous. Of course, he got the usual rubbish from advertising companies and there was the odd item that he might have ordered, but this parcel was no such thing. It had no sender on it and the address was written in a bright red ink. He shook the parcel and it seemed that something inside was moving. It sounded like a single object, something quite hard.

“Shall I open it? No, I will have some dinner first. No good opening parcels on an empty stomach” and so he prepared a meal. He lived on his own in a small apartment, but he was a very neat person. He hated people that were messy. Just could not envisage that anyone could live somewhere that was not tidy. No, in Donald’s world everything was in its place.

Donald had never married, but this also had its reasons. There was just no woman good enough for his tastes. He had met a few, gone out with them, but he soon noticed that they were not up to his organised standards. All they had to do was open their handbag and Donald could see how untidy the owner was. Generally when the lady had to search for something, perhaps a handkerchief, or her purse he felt sick just looking. No, he must have order in his life.

Another thing that really annoyed him were stains. You think you have found someone on your own level of intelligence and then taking a closer look you find that your date is wearing a blouse with a stain on the sleeve, or even worse on the collar. Such things should not be allowed.

After dinner Donald was just about to have a sleep when the parcel again caught his eye. Still on the table with an inviting shape as if saying “Please open me”, but Donald was tired.

It was soon evening and the parcel was still not opened.

“Donald don’t be silly” he said to himself. It is just a normal cardboard box, although the writing in red ink does look strange.

To take his mind off the unknown parcel, he decided to switch the television on. He just caught the news.

“Typical” he thought “what the human race is coming to” when they were bringing a report about a corpse that had again been discovered sitting on a park bench. It was the fifth found body found over the last six months. The strange thing was that the corpses were all so well organised. They were sitting nicely arranged and there were no clues, just a cut throat, but no blood. It seemed that the murderer had taken time to clean up the place of the crime.

Donald decided to change the television station and watch something more relaxing. He was annoyed but after changing through at least ten stations showing horror and murder, he eventually found something to his taste: a hospital series, showing his favourite nurses and doctors, all such nice clean antiseptic people.

He was getting ready for bed but then decided no, that parcel must be opened. If it was a time bomb it would have exploded some time ago. He removed the parcel to the kitchen and put his special rubber gloves on, after all you never know, perhaps someone was sending him some sort of powder infected with a virus disease. You just cannot trust anyone these days.

He took the scissors and cut the string and then removed the packing paper, folding it neatly, in case he might need it again. He also rolled the string into a ball and placed it in one of the drawers in the kitchen, where other such bundles of string were kept. The parcel was ready to be opened. He lifted the lid.

Now Donald’s problem was that he was one of those so called split personality types. Today he was honest organised Donald, going through his daily routine and keeping everything in order. When he sent himself the parcel containing the Swiss officer's army knife, covered in blood from his last victim, he was not Donald the nice, but his other half, Donald the ripper I suppose you could say. Donald the ripper would have recognised the handwriting on the parcel immediately, but, of course, Donald the nice did not know of the existence of his other half who also had a different style of writing. He was naturally horrified at what he found in the parcel.

When he woke up the next morning he took another look at the knife and cleaned it completely, he even sterilised it, he had to be careful with any evidence that could be found. “That will come in handy this evening” was his last thought. The box was still lying in the kitchen on the table; he just threw it onto the floor, not bothering about the mess

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #186 A Surprise at the Graveyard

Mysty's challenge

Write a story or a poem about a zombie birthday party.

It most contain zombies and birthday cake - beyond that imagination is the limit!

Here we are at the graveyard filming the great occasion. We are a little early viewers, as we know that zombies prefer to appear only when the sun has completely disappeared and the moon is high in the sky. Thanks to advanced technology we are now able to film occasions in the so-called underworld.

Today we are celebrating a birthday, not just a birthday, but that of the most well known zombie living here, if we may use the term. He is not the oldest, but he has been active for so long that he is the idol of the cemetery. Yes, Rasputin just did not want to lie down and die as we all know. After many attempts by poison he still came back for more. After overcoming death and becoming one of the first recognised zombies, he decided to leave his home country as he just did not feel wanted, and after long travels eventually found his home in our little graveyard which is said to have originated from the days of the Great Plague.

As the camera sways over the grass and stones, we can see a phosphorescence surrounding some of the graves. These are those belonging to the “grufties” the colleagues and fellow zombies in the Rasputin group. As the sun has slowly disappeared from view and the fiery appearance of the sky has now turned dismal, we can here the creaking and rattling of bones. The moon is now ascending and I believe that I can see the first zombie appearing out of his gruft. Yes it is Deadly Earnest, the spokesman for the group.”

“Good evening, may I ask you a few questions on this honourable occasion.”

“You may, but I might be a bit short on answers. You look very tasty, can you come nearer. Is that a camera, am I being filmed?”

“Yes, thousands of people are watching you through the country at this very moment. Am I near enough? Please stop gnawing at my hand, I need it to hold the microphone.”

“Tasty, tasty, I just love a gnaw on a finger bone. Ok, I get the message, I can wait, Ha…Ha…Ha, zombie joke.”

Taking a few steps away from Deadly Earnest, I will continue. “Does Rasputin know that his birthday is being celebrated this evening?”

“Of course, he does, he gave out orders that we should not spare any expense. My friend the chef will be able to give details. He is very good at preparing specialities and is at this moment arising from his grave. In his time he was a well known person, serving last meals to the victims ready to be hanged; Mort come here and introduce yourself. This nice tasty gentleman is making a television film about Rasputin’s birthday party.”

“Good evening, I am pleased to meet you.”

“Your name is Mortimer?”

“Yes, but they all call me Mort, suits the situation much better, don’t you think Ha…Ha…Ha.”

“Ok Mort, what are you planning to cook for Rasputin on his birthday?”

“Cook, cook??? Are you out of your mind? We will not cook for Rasputin, the food just has to be prepared. Just pep it up a bit. You know what they say, food must be a feast for the eyes. First of all as a starter I will be preparing a blood sausage. An original recipe gathered from one of my fellow zombies, used to be one of the best butchers in town in the days before he arrived here. As a main course it will be fresh cut steak, one of my colleagues is at the moment shopping for the steak. No need to get the food too early, it has to be fresh, a nice healthy red colour.”

“And will Rasputin have a birthday cake?”

“Of course, but that is not my department. The ladies will be arranging that little surprise. Here comes Lucretia, I am sure she can give you more details.”

Cameraman, your camera in this direction please. Then just kick them away, I told you to wear a long sleeved shirt and not a t-shirt. They seem to be developing quite an appetite for arms at the moment.”

“Hello, I am Lucretia, you can forget the Borgia bit, that was my name in the olden days. Today one name is enough. Yes, my girl friends and I had to do a lot of thinking about a cake. Good old Raspy does not have such a sweet tooth, but we finally found the solution. We decided on a sandwich cake containing a raw liver paté and decorated with a wonderful sticky sauce made from the fruit of deadly nightshade.

Do I notice a cut on your finger Mr. Interviewer. Oh dear. Can I lick it clean for you.”

“No, no thank you it will be ok, I will just cover it with a plaster.”

“Oh, what a shame, you should let it dry out in the air.”

"Thank you Lucretia, no problem and here comes the man himself. Good evening sir, Mr. Rasputin and may I wish you a happy birthday from our viewers all over the country. This is indeed a great occasion, how many years is it?”

“Good evening, fellow zombies stop sniffing around this television man and his crew, they are here to make a programme about me. Unfortunately we must let them go home afterwards in one piece.

You were asking how many years? You know after a while years just do not count any more. As long as there are always little delicacies walking around to spice up death, then the years are not so important. So if you will excuse me, my fellow zombies are calling. The table is laid; Lucretia what a wonderful cake. I can smell it from here; just beautiful and filled with raw liver. You see Mr. Interviewer, even in death the ladies worship my presence and spoil me. So if you will excuse me, I would now partake of my birthday food.”

“Then I will leave you to your party, and thank you for the interview: just one further question. Are their other festivities planned this evening?”

“Of course, my friends and I will take a walk into town, it might be that we develop hunger early in the morning.”

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #184: Fotune favours Fools

Caffeinatedjo's Challenge

Take any familiar proverb/saying, such as:

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
People in glass houses should not throw stones.

Then write either a story about your choice or write what it means to you.

Please Note: You DO NOT have to use the phrase/saying in your piece.

Perhaps a small explanation. We have a saying in German which is a bit of a favourite of mine - sounds so good "Der dümmste Bauer hat die dicksten Kartoffeln" which translated means "the most stupid farmer has the biggest potatoes". I had to search and it seems in English it would be "Fortune favours Fools".

My first acquaintance with Cedric was when I started school as a six year old. It was obvious in the first year that Cedric was perhaps not as quick to understand things as the rest of the class. We were all reading the second book about the adventures of Janet and John and poor Cedric was still studying the developments of the cat sitting on the mat in the first book. He just was not as fast as the rest of us in picking up the pieces. There was talk about him staying in the first class for two years.

At this time it was approaching Easter and custom was that each one of us in the class had to grow a daffodil at home. The bulbs were supplied by the school and on a certain day we had to bring them for judging. Mine had a flower on it, but was very reluctant to open. Others had no flowers, and some just died of thirst. Not Cedric’s however. He brought his daffodil to school showing proudly three flowers and they were big, being surrounded by a mass of green healthy fleshy leaves. Needless to say Cedric’s plant won the first class certificate. He could still not multiply five by five, but his daffodil was the biggest and the best.

Somehow he stayed in our class, battling his way through years of maths and learning how to express himself correctly in english, accompanied by low marks. Of course, someone had to be last in the class, but it always seemed to be Cedric. I would add that his results in the daffodil competition were maintained. We were somehow all convinced that one day he would become a gardener.

When school was finished, most of us continued to college. On my first day in college, who did I see: it was Cedric.

“Hi Cedric, glad to see you” I said suppressing my surprise at him actually being there.

“Hi” was the answer “I think we are in the same class” and we were.

Apparently he failed miserably at the written entrance examinations, but exceeded in the physical tests. He could run faster and jump higher than anyone in the class. After a test with the football team, the college decided that they had to have Cedric and so he was signed in. Again he was the bottom of the class in all the examinations, but saved many matches on the football field and brought many trophies to fill the glass cabinet shown proudly at the entrance to the college.

One day our college days came to an end. We all proudly received our certificates. Cedric unfortunately received none, but was given free entrance to the local football stadium as a compensation. He was very happy.

Our ways really did now split and it was at least twenty years until we had a college reunion. I had got married in the meanwhile and was the father of two children. Life had been good to me, I had a job, a wonderful wife, but it was not easy making ends meet sometimes with a growing family.

When I arrived at the hall with my wife where the reunion was being held, I parked my middle class car on the parking space and was climbing out just as a Rolls Royce with chauffeur parked next to me.

“Hello, said a familiar voice. How are you keeping? Let me introduce my wife Sabrina.”

OK, you are not going to believe this, or perhaps you do, but I was looking into Cedric’s face. Perhaps somewhat more round, a little less hair, but the same eyes resembling that of a faithful dog that was looking for a master.

“Oh fine thanks, Cedric.” It was then that I noticed Sabrina. A curvaceous blond, immaculate make-up and dressed in something that did not look like it fell off the back of a lorry, if you know what I mean. The lady was top quality, although I still preferred my average housewife model who also gave Sabrina her hand, being social. I just had the feeling that my wife had a sort of automatic dislike of her, but women are funny sometimes.

“Nice car” I said “and a chauffeur. Looks like you are doing well Cedric.”

“Oh, that; yes , well I did have a bit of luck on the national lottery."

“You mean you won something.”

“Sort of, I won the lot. Just shortly afterwards I met Sabrina. She was the answer to my dreams so we got married and we have been together since.”

“Well that’s fine Cedric, glad that everything went well.” Although I did have a funny feeling about Sabrina, but she was looking at Cedric with money signs reflecting in her eyes so I suppose they were happy together.

“I was just lucky, especially when my uncle Leo died in America.”

Now I was losing the thread somewhere.

“Your uncle Leo.”

“Yes, the family really forgot him as he wandered of many years ago. He never got married and struck lucky on his farm. Started digging and oil came out of the ground. There was no-one around to take over after his death.”

“Don’t tell me Cedric. You inherited it all.”

“Yes, I suppose I did.”

Otherwise my wife and I had a lovely evening seeing old school and college friends and talking about old times. Someone wanted to warm up the old story about Cedric having the best daffodils, but I said to forget it. It might be embarrassing for him.”

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challeng #177: The Great Fire of London 1666

Sassyangelac's Challenge

Write a narrative of an event of historical significance from the perspective of a disabled witness.
The significance can be real or imagined as long as it is explained.
The disability should not be imagined but must also be explained.

Extracts from Josephine Fitzpatrick’s diary September 1666

Day 1
As I sit here at the window I can see the fire raging on the North bank of the River Thames. My beloved London is one sea of flames. The smell of burnt wood is in the air and there are showers of glimmering ashes falling on the roof tops. My mother has told me to shut the window as the smoke and fumes are causing a greater irritation to my throat. If I were not confined to my bed I would be able to see more. My father is preparing to go to London. His warehouses on the river are being threatened by the fire and he must see what he can save. I can only hope that the fire will spare him and that he returns home safe and well.

Day 2
The sky was illuminated throughout the night from the flames of the buildings burning in the city. My father has returned, but tells us that all is lost. He was not able to reach our property due to the heat of the fire. All buildings on the North central bank of the River Thames have been destroyed as well as the merchandise in the warehouses. They were wooden buildings, as all buildings in that part of London and there was no chance of rescue. He tells us that there are rumours circulating that the whole fire began in one of the King’s bakeries in Pudding Lane and spread with great ferocity throughout the night. My father said that efforts were being made to stop the fire with buckets of water, but the fire was so great this was not possible. Even blowing up buildings with gunpowder in its path helped very little. It seems there have been luckily very few casualties, thanks to God. I look again from the window, but I still see flames licking their way to the sky. When will this fire end?

Day 3
I had a troubled night. Partly because of the worry of the fire, and my cough was a great disturbance. Mother told me that if this cough continues, she will send me to Aunt Betty in the country. I have now been confined for the past week to my bed due to this cough. It seems that I have a constant irritation in my throat and now the smoke and fumes that have been carried by the winds, have caused it to increase. As I look through the window I can see that the flames are no longer so strong. My mother said that the high winds we had have receded and are no longer giving food to the flames. My father has again departed to see if he can now take measure of the damage to our property.

Day 4
Good news at last. London is no longer burning, but my father tells us that the core of London town is no longer and through the heat radiating from the remains of the wooden buildings it is not possible to near the damage. Even our St. Pauls cathedral has become a victim to the flames. He had a meeting with some of the town clerks and they are already discussing steps on how the damaged part of London can be rebuilt. This will be an enormous task. I overheard my mother and father talking about the thousands of burnt bodies of rats that were to be seen. Many rats were seen pouring into the river Thames from the burning banks of the river. This may be one positive result of the fire; one of the reasons I always hated visiting London. There were always so many rats crawling along the sides of the streets and in the ditches.

Day 5
It is now decided. I am to spend some time with Aunt Betty accompanied by my mother. The coach will leave today. Father will now have to stay away from the family. There is nothing more left to rescue from the cinders of the warehouses, but he expects a ship tomorrow bringing some goods. He will have to travel further down the stream of the river as there is no possibility of the goods entering the port of London, everything has been destroyed. Life must go on and I am sure our London will be rebuilt some day.

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #176: Safety in my Life

Caghs' Challenge

Write a story about what safety means to you, without it becoming an ‘essay’
It must flow in natural form, not sound like something you’d hand in as homework.

Safety! When I hear the word I feel that there is some monster around the corner waiting to pounce. I am surprised that the nurse did not drop me when she took me out of my cot in the maternity hospital. That would have at least put me in the picture from the beginning. I must say I do admire my mother by bringing me through my childhood without any spectacular accidents. Well I did nearly fall down a cliff once but just managed to save myself by hanging onto a plant that was growing out of the steep slope. I kept that one to myself otherwise mum might have got worried. I had many falls when training with my roller skates. Even then mum was spared with the actual view of the accident, but that was because she would shut the door and go inside. She just had to clean the blood off of my legs when I ran in crying after falling on the concrete.

So I actually managed to get through childhood in one peace. I did nearly fall off a bus once. It was one of those old London busses with the open deck when you got on it. I jumped on the bus and it started when I was not prepared. I found myself hanging on the pole with one hand with the top half of my body hanging down towards the road. No problem, the bus conductor pulled me up.

I managed to get through married life and the birth of my sons with no great problem as I think I was too preoccupied with making sure that they were safe. The real trouble started when I reached middle age, sort of fifty years old. There was no warning, it just happened. My first “accident” was walking up three steps with a cup in my hand at work. Nothing special you might think, but as I reached the top step I fell and dropped the cup on the floor which broke. OK, you can mend china, but unfortunately I managed to fall cutting my nose on the edges of the broken cup. My work colleague took me straight away to the doctor as an emergency, but a plaster healed all problems, sticking the cut together. Another little problem was when I was cleaning the kitchen machine. The one with the laser edges. I managed cut through the middle of my thumb. It was a straight line and looked perfect, the only problem being that it seemed to have cut through one of the main arteries (do we have arteries in the thumb?). No problem, but it was still bleeding when I got to the doctor. Again, it is amazing what a piece of sticky tape can do to mend an injury. The doc decided there was no need for stitches. He was probably keeping that idea for later.

The things that come to my memory when talking of safety; I was on my way to my car after a visit to the physio therapy. I had problems with a fall that I had in the bath, nothing serious, just broke a piece of bone off my back. I did have some problems afterwards with one of my legs so needed therapy. There again the doc in the emergency department of the hospital decided that the bone could stay as there was no immediate danger from it. So, where was I. Yes I was on my way to the car to go to work, but alas there was street work being done. The lid from a manhole had been removed and …. No, I did not fall down the manhole but tripped on the edge of the cover. Result: I was lying on the floor like a nun that had just given her vows, sort of spread out. It is really amazing the help you get from passers bye when something like that happens. You are ignored; after all you could be an embarrassment. I picked myself up and found that apart from a few dirt stains on the jacket I was wearing I was movable. However, my knee was hurting. Luckily this accident happened just a few doors away from my doctor’s surgery, so I decided to pay him a visit just to make sure. He did not even seem surprised to see me. I was attended to by him and his assistant. Did I see a slight smile on his face as if to say “here she is again”. At least I got a new pair of glasses from the insurance after this accident as they did happen to get broke when I landed on the ground.

Then came the day when I visited my father in England. I was there for only five days, three of which I spent in an English hospital. Yes the jinx was upon me again. I tripped and fell on Tower Bridge in London; a famous landmark, which is now really etched in my mind. Unfortunately I broke the lower half of my left arm and it had to be operated. I returned to Switzerland with my arm in a sling. I think it was then that Mr. Swiss started to get worried about me.

Just to finalise things, I did it again. This year on a memorable day in June, I managed to fall on the concrete floor of our patio and again broke my left arm, but this time it was the top half. I had my first ride in an ambulance and spent a week in hospital accompanied by a three hour operation.

Needless to say my husband now gets worried when I leave the house alone. He is always prepared to hear that some mishap has occurred and I might not come home straight away, making a detour to the local hospital.

And now you expect me to talk about safety. Perhaps if when I leave home I tie a pillow to my back and one at the front, wear a helmet and strong leather boots I might be lucky. I must perhaps avoid walking on streets and stick to a wheelchair, although I am sure a wheel would fall off, or the breaks would not work. The safety laws for me have not yet been written. I do actually belong to our local first aid group in the village, but no longer attend the exercises. I know everything about accidents and how to deal with them, but the problem is they always happen to me.

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #175: Sonnet The Accident

Mystydragon's Challenge

Write a poem from one of the following formats:
Couplet
Quatrain
Sonnet

Life’s surprises can be not wanted
A slip, a fall, can change all its targets
In one moment fate can take you to another place
Can turn the thread of the screw
All being changed with just one false step
The bed in hospital after
A broken limb, a broken thought, having to face
an accident changing your life for a while
Perhaps for ever, changing your perspective
Being chained to a place with no choice
Is this an unwanted lesson in life with no rhyme?
Or do you learn from the patterns now surrounding
Learn to overcome the pain in time
seeing that others suffer even more

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #170: Just leave it to Phil

Sumax's Challenge

There's an empty room with a smashed plate on the floor and food dripping down the wall near the door.
In a short story, tell us what might have happened ... and don't make it the obvious wife/husband or sibling argument..

"Well what do you think Kate?“

Kate looked at Phil as if he was something from another planet.

“Phil are you serious? First of all I have to help you to empty the room. Most of the furniture is in the living room and the rest in the cellar because I thought you were going to do some redecorating. We decided when we bought the house that this room would be a sort of study for you and me. You have your desk and drawing board on the one side of the room and I have my sewing machine and needles and threads on the other side. This does not look like you are going to go ahead with this.”

Phil had to think quick to make sure Kate got convinced that what he was now going to do was one of the best ideas he had ever had. He knew she was not happy when he decided to turn the garden into a rose garden. The plants all died with mildew. His next idea was tropical fish. Unfortunately there was a power cut one night due to an electric storm and they were all dead in the morning as the water had got too cold. His new plan was so good that he just wanted to surprise Kate. “So how do I convince her.”

“Phil you owe me an explanation and answer, and now please. I thought I at last had somewhere where I could make my own clothes and now the room is empty. What happens next?”

“It’s my new hobby Kate.”

“What is your new hobby Phil? Do you need the complete room?”

“Not quite, just part of one wall will do, but until I have finished the preparations it is better when the room is empty. This evening you will see what it is all about.”

Later in the evening Phil and Kate sat down to the evening meal.

“Phil what are you doing? Did you invite someone to dinner that you have put three plates on the table.”

“It’s all part of the new me. I will now be successful in life, I am sure. My name will be in the magazines, television, just let me get on with it. I will do the cooking this evening.”

Kate was glad to let him get on with it so Phil started frying the eggs, bacon and potatoes for the evening meal and arranged them on the three plates. On the one plate he garnished the food with two large spoonfuls of tomato ketchup.

“Phil what the ....”

“Just wait Kate and watch. Now give me that plate with the ketchup.”

Kate knew that Phil was a bit of an individualist at the best of times. It was Phil’s idea to arrive at their wedding by parachute where they both landed outside the church. They did at least have something completely different in the wedding photo album, so she was not really surprised.

Phil now carried the plate into the empty room and walked across the room. He then pulled his arm backwards, the one where the hand contained the plate and threw it with all his might. The plate hit the wall next to the door and naturally broke, some of the pieces remaining stuck between the wall and the mixture of egg, bacon and ketchup and the remainder landing on the floor. The food was now running down the wall.

“Do you see Kate, how great that looks? Now if I had not emptied the room everything would have been messy.”

“Great Phil, just wonderful; so can we now wash the wall down, sweep the crockery chips away and put the furniture back in the room. Or did you want to lick the sauce off the wall?”

“Kate honey, we now leave it all to dry until tomorrow morning and then phase two of my plan will be realised.”

Kate decided to say nothing, after all Phil had his good side as well. She was just curious to know what would happen “tomorrow morning with phase two”. Phil was up early in the morning and Kate was still sleeping when she heard the noise of an electric saw which did wake her quite abruptly. She arose from the bed; no she shot out of the bed, and ran to where the noise was coming from. Phil was sawing the dried up remains of last night’s dinner for the third guest out of the wall.

“Don’t worry Kate; I will fill in the hole with plaster when I am finished. Now look at that, it really looks good. I am sure that is going to be a winner.”

“A winner?”

“Honey that’s the surprise; down at the local art gallery they are running a competition for the most modern and impressive work of art and that is my entry. I have at last discovered my artistic vain.”

What could Kate do?

“How much is the prize money Phil?” She was a practical person.

“Ten thousand and a contract which confirms that the next art works I produce will be exhibited at their gallery.”

Yes Phil won (Kate knew he would) and he became well known for his “action” works of art. So if your husband starts cooking just stay cool like Kate. You never know!

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #169: Human Language Crash Course for Felines

Potashtam's Challenge

An animal that you know, or your pet, learns to talk.
Describe how they learnt and a conversation you then have with them.

“Now this looks like an interesting task Mrs. Human.”

My big black long furred overweight cat Nera was poking her nose into my computer again.

“What do you mean Nera? I just have to tell everyone how I taught you and your litter sister Tabby to speak and understand what I say.”

“Huh, that I don’t laugh. You taught us what to say? Mrs. Human I don’t remember Tabby and I sitting down and you taking pains to explain verbs, nouns and adjectives to us. It was just learning by doing as far as we cats are concerned.”

Nera was looking at me with her needle like stare, waiting for my further words so I continued.

“Nera what was the first word that I taught you.”

“Let’s just say Mrs. Human that the word we most often heard when we took over your place was “NO”. You said it so often that it just had to stay in our sensitive feline ears.”

“Nera is right” said my short haired striped cat Tabby, who just arrived on the scene. “I remember that you were always saying No when we first arrived and took charge.”

“You took charge! Tabby, Nera, what was the first things you did when you arrived? You sharpened your claws on the carpet and that is definitely No.”

“Mrs. Human” said Nera “that was part of the taking over process. We didn’t mean it personally, we were just leaving our wonderful perfume in certain places to be sure that you knew who this place now belonged to.”

“Nera is right.” Tabby always supported Nera when she said something.

“But cats, I could not have you making holes in the carpet.”

“But you said NO rather loudly Mrs. Human, and so we learnt the word NO. You also said NO when we circled down onto your bed for a comfortable sleep. You even said NO when it was human feeding time and we hopped onto the table to see if we could eat it as well. Our life at the beginning seemed to be a complete NO. Your body language was also quite clear.”

“You are right Nera, as always" said Tabby. "If it is something us cats understand without having to learn, it is body language. We grow up with it from the first lick our mother gave us. Mrs. Human you never licked us. If you did that at the beginning the case would have been clear and we would not have had to learn these stupid human words.”

“Sorry to disappoint you Nera and Tabby, but we humans do not lick each other. We have other ways and means of showing affection.”

Nera looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face and her and Tabby rubbed noses together.

“Mrs. Human” said Nera in an asking tone “that is one of those words where Tabby and I still have problems.”

“Which word do you mean?” I asked

“Affection.”

“Affection is when you like someone.”

“Like someone?” questioned Tabby. “What is liking, explain please.”

“Tabby, Nera I like you both although you can be a bit difficult sometimes.”

“Difficult? Tabby do you understand what she is talking about?”

“Not really Nera, I would suggest that you stay with the basics Mrs. Human.”

“What are the basics?”

“Something like eat, sleep, smell, eat, tuna fish, chicken, bird, mouse. Sorry I said “eat” twice, but just to underline its importance in the language. You know the words that mean something to a feline. All those other words like … um…..”

“Tabby wants to say that we need no unnecessary words and that even includes NO. We just learn the important things to get us through life. After all our human servants have to understand our needs.”

“But Nera, Tabby, I notice you can always express your feelings in our language when necessary.”

“That is exactly what we mean Mrs. Human. No good learning things that are superfluous, we just need the rudimentary words to get what we want.”

“Well that was a long word, rudimentary.”

“Mrs. Human we are not stupid. We store these things to make sure we are understood. By the way we would prefer it when you and Mr. Human would remain in one language. It can get confusing when you speak two different languages.”

“You notice that as well, very good.”

“Of course we notice that. You speak to us in one human language and suddenly you change into another. It is a good job you complement it with body talk now and again. And something else Mrs. Human, Tabby and I would be pleased if you would not raise your voice to us. We cats have sensitive ears.”

“I never raise my voice Nera.”

“Mrs. Human, I can understand Nera’s point of view” said Tabby. “You sometimes shout at me as well; always when Nera or myself make ourselves comfortable on the armchair in the evening. That was when we learnt the word “move” and sometimes you even gave us a push. Cats do not raise their voices but just give a swipe with their paw to the offender.”

“Thank you Tabby, yes you are right; nothing more annoying that having a nice cat nap and you are told to move; quite insulting for two noble felines such as we are. So you see how degrading it is to have the first two words in a foreign language being “no” and “move” and Nera stamped her paw on the ground just to make her point.

“But Nera, I like the word “come”. That usually means that food is ready, although the noise of the can opener does just as well” added Tabby

“Actually Mrs. Human, I don’t see the use for all these words really; actions speak much louder and are more precise. The opening of a can means food, opening the door means you can go out, and opening a cage means a visit to the vet.”

“I don’t like that last one Nera.”

“Neither do I” answered Nera.

I decided it was time to end the conversation. Did I say conversation, I sometimes wonder if it was worth the effort to demonstrate to these two felines how to speak.

“Between you and me Tabby" continued Nera, "I think Mrs. Human is right. We cats got on for thousands of years without speech, body talk shows all, with a meow now and again just to keep the voice box lubricated; seems to me that those humans don’t understand each other either sometimes.”

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #164 The Swiss Hero

Caghs' Challenge

In 25 words or less, write a poem about a war hero/war heroes

Hero Winkelried very brave man
saved the Swiss from the Habsburg clan
spears he took in open arm
said “Who pushed me” he wasn’t calm

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #162: How Supercat save Tom and Jerry

Caffeinatedjo's Challenge

Write a first person story as a superhero/heroine. You can choose the more traditional ones such as Superman, Superwoman, etc. or make up your own.

*You have 3 superpowers, Describe those. You also have one flaw or weakness. Describe that flaw.
*You have just returned from a quest in which you assisted a fairytale or cartoon character.
Describe that quest.

No limits to the length.

I decided to have a sleep. Nothing really out of the ordinary as I sleep most of the time to ensure that my energy is conserved when I am needed to help felinity. Since I arrived on earth from the planet Koshka I had performed many tasks, helping the cats of the world to stand against evil doings from humans, suspicious that the cats could take over. This was a joke of course; earth cats were not built the same as Koshkans and could never achieve the super intelligence that my race had. Nevertheless with a little help I managed to ensure that the cats of the earth still existed and retained their feline rights.

I arrived during the crimes of the middle ages. President Bast of Koshka heard by telepathy from the earth cats that all black cats were being destroyed in fires lit by humans. They were accused of wizardry of all things. It was then that Bast decided to send his best cat, that being me, Supercat, to rescue the black cats. The humans thought that the black cats had been wiped out, but they were hiding in a special catcave constructed by myself until the danger had passed.

Today things are different. Cats on earth have put their humans in their place, and when necessary I intervene to show the humans the correct way to handle a cat. There are still situations where I am needed, but the earth cats are gradually becoming independent enough to look after themselves. I had just completed a phenomenal task and was satisfied. At last I had rid the feline world of a threat. I remember when it began.

I, Supercat, was dreaming of a nice organised cat world when I felt something pulling on my whiskers. I opened one of my large green eyes to see what it was and was astonished to say the least.

“Please don’t eat me Supercat, but we have a problem.”

Standing before me was a small brown mouse with long eyelashes and a long brown curl on her head. On mouse standards, she was probably judged as being beautiful.

“Don’t worry little mouse, I won’t eat you, I am Supercat and a vegetarian. My main diet consists of vegetables and pasta. French fries are also welcome.

“You don’t eat mice. Oh, how wonderful.”

“How can I help you, although I am usually only available for help in feline matters. Rodentia are not my case. Perhaps you should ask one of your mouse friends.”

“That is the problem Supercat. It’s Jerry, he has been kidnapped.”

I was immediately awake, my ears pointing in the direction of the little mouse.”

“You said what???”

Jerry, my husband has been kidnapped by Black Cat. It is a disaster. Tom, the cat, is almost out of his mind. I mean what can Tom do without Jerry? He has no real purpose in his life any more.”

“You said Black Cat, the meanest feline ever born. I thought I froze him with my super breath when he tried to take over the Persian cats last year. He wanted them for their super luxury fur.”

“It seems he is back again Supercat, and says he will only release Jerry if Supercat is brave enough to fight him.”

This was serious. Tom had been kidnapped. This would disarrange the cat and mouse world completely; Jerry without his partner Tom, who had chased him through miles of cartoon film in all languages, throughout the world.

What choice did I have? I made my decision.

“Little mouse, tell me where I can find Black cat and I will do what I can.”

“Thank you so much Supercat, By the way my name is Marilyn.”

“Ok Marilyn, let’s get ready.”

I then took a bite in some carrots I had piled up in a corner and I washed them down with milk, flavoured with a pinch of tarragon. I had a good cat stretch and immediately my legs became twice as long and my teeth doubled in their amount. I was ready for a fight. I took Marilyn the mouse in my paws and put her between my ears. It was time for a cat flight once again. It was an advantage for me in the earth’s atmosphere. Not only could I freeze people with my breath, but I could fly. The gravity on planet Koshka was different to that of the earth.

“Supercat you must fly towards the high mountain in the distance. Black cat is keeping Jerry prisoner in his lair in the mountain cave.”

In a few moments Marilyn and I had arrived and stood at the entrance to the cave.

“Black Cat come out, I am ready for you” and I extended my paws into the cave; another superpower I possessed.

When I withdrew my paws I discovered that were full of black hair and I knew I was in the right place.

“Come out and fight like a cat” I called.

It was then that Black Cat appeared at the mouth of the cage holding Jerry between his fangs.

“Is that your answer, Black Cat, kidnapping a mouse small enough to be held in your mouth?”

“You will see Supercat. I am all powerful and will take over as soon as we have finished our fight.”

It was then that Black Cat dropped Jerry out of his mouth into a small mouse cage and spit with all his might. He then threw a steak hitting me on the nose. That was the worst thing that could have happened. Black Cat had probably been watching me for some time and knew that I was allergic to meat. I am a vegetarian as already mentioned.

I felt like I was suffocating laying on my back with my paws in the air.

“So, Supercat, it looks like your icy breath and gift of flying are of no use now. Amazing what a piece of fresh meat can do to a cat”, but Black Cat did not realise that I had yet another power. It was then that I concentrated with all my telepathic strength and I called the rats for help. Now the rats were glad to be able to assist, remembering when I saved them from the scientist that wanted to carry out experiments with them in the laboratories of Silicon Valley. I then flew through the window, bent the iron bars on the cages with my teeth and the rats were able to escape.

Black Cat was just ready to take his last fatal bite on my neck with his sharp teeth when he heard the pattering of many feet and a squeaking that nearly split his ear drums.

“Over our dead bodies will you harm a whisker on Supercat” said a voice and Black Cat was confronted with so many rats that he could not count them any more. Before he could make a move the rats were upon him. At the end of the fight all that was left of Black Cat was some wisps of black fur.

Some days later there was a squeak at the door of my catcave and I had visitors.

“Thank you, thank you” said Marilyn and Jerry.

“And many thanks from me” said a loud voice in the background and Tom the cat appeared, his paws carrying a bowl of spaghetti with tomato sauce.

“Oh that was nothing, I am glad that Jerry is safely at home again and what do you have there? My favourite dish, I could die for spaghetti and tomato sauce.”

“Well, it was the least I could do” answered Tom.

“So what about it Jerry.”

“I am ready when you are Tom” was the answer

and I watched as Tom chased Jerry out of the catcave whilst Marilyn looked on with tears of thankfulness in her eyes.

Yes the memories of this little episode were still in my mind as I returned to my catnap.

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