3WW #22

Welcome to Three Word Wednesday.

Each week, I will post three (or more) random words. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write something using all of those words. It can be a few lines, a story, a poem, anything. This is a writing exercise. It doesn't have to be perfect. The idea is to let your mind wander and write what it will. I'll also attempt to write something using the same three words.

Be sure to leave a comment if you participate.

This week's words are:
Drum
Secrecy
Ante

From his seat atop the wooden stool, Carter Conway had a clear view across the street of his closest competitor and biggest rival. Lacey McCrary had been outside three times in the last twenty minutes, talking to her brother Evan. Smiling. Giggling. Something was going on over there. But what? Carter hated the secrecy.

But he couldn't worry about it now. It was early afternoon and sales had been extremely slow today. All week, actually. The summer sun forcing his eyes into a permanent squint, Carter tried to think of ways to drum up some business.

This was July, usually his busiest month. But not this year. Not with Evan putting in across the street. And that stupid Hawaiian Shaved Ice stand going up three streets over. Didn't anyone drink plain, refreshing, delicious lemonade anymore?

Maybe he was getting too old for the grind. Besides, there was probably some enterprising eight-year-old on the block ready to take over. Or maybe this street just wasn't big enough to support two lemonade stands. But then what would he do? He'd have to go back to delivering papers. He let out a long sigh. Being eleven shouldn't be this hard.

Carter's train of thought was broken when a door opened across the street. Lacey came out of the house again. This time she was carrying something in her arms. What was she carrying?

Carter watched intently as Evan got up and started writing something on his sign. When he was done, Carter could hardly believe his eyes. On the sign, just beneath the words "Lemonade 25 Cents," Evan had written: "Free Cookies."

That did it! Evan was upping the ante. Well, two can play at this game. Carter ran towards his house. With visions of Nestle Toll House cookies in his head, he burst through the front door calling, "Mom!"

"Let's call in sick, leave this town. Don't matter where we go, let's just go now.
I'm thirsty for a glass of lemonade..."