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Wednesday, March 21, 2007

3 Word Wednesday #28

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.

Leave a comment if you participate.

This week's words are:
Lounged
Slice
Knot


Arriving home from school, Karen twisted her key in the door. The cave-like darkness of the apartment provided an extreme contrast to the sunshiny spring afternoon. Setting her books on the table, she walked straight to the bedroom, flung open the door and put on the light.

Justin was lying there shirtless, watching Montel. There were several bottles on the table beside the bed, along with a half-eaten slice of pizza.

"I thought you were going to look for a job today!"

"I'm waiting to hear back from a couple of applications I filled out."

"Oh, whatever!" she huffed and turned to leave.

"Turn off the light."

"Turn it off yourself!" she slammed the door.

Karen went and stood at the front door, looking out as she picked at the hole in the screen. Anytime she would stand here, she would always think how someday she was going to leave. Everything beyond that door represented freedom, from this place, this relationship, and all her discontent. She had hopes and dreams. Or at least, she once had. Now she could barely remember what they were.

Justin didn't seem to aspire to much of anything beyond this. He had worked a handful of part-time jobs, but never stayed at any one of them for more than a couple of months. And he hadn't worked at all in six weeks. Now he just lounged around the house, not even getting out of bed before 2 PM most days.

They had been dating for thirteen months, if you could call it dating. They hadn't been on anything even slightly resembling date since her brother got them tickets to a basketball game. And that was in January. Yet here she was, still.

What kept her here? Everytime she thought about leaving, she would get a knot in her stomach. Her throat would become parched. And she would always lie and tell herself that she never knew what tomorrow held in store.

Walking back to the bedroom, Karen opened the door to find Justin in the exact same position as before. And the knot in her stomach gone.

"She burns all her notes. And she knows, she's been here too few years to feel this old..."

34 comments:

  1. I'm first! Woo hoo... I'm going for brevity this week!

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  2. Oops... here's the link.

    http://coocooblog.blogspot.com/

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  3. I played too:

    http://readingtoknow.blogspot.com/2007/03/3-word-wednesday.html

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  4. She lounged quietly, sucking on her grapefruit slice. Nursing the sour taste that knotted her tastebuds.

    :)

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  5. I posted mine!

    Last week's words were great, too. It killed me that I didn't have time (but it at least triggered an idea for an entire short story that's in my TBW file).

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  6. ok so here it is...I decided to skip on the rap this week...and a warning...its raining outside... :*)

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  7. Mine is up, I am continuing from last week's entry. :D
    http://almostsomewhatpositive.blogspot.com/2007/03/3ww.html

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  8. asking questions this time. Thought it might be interesting to write.

    So, what if I lounged around all day, not putting my slice in here, or there?

    Would it untie the knot if I, for a single, solitary day, just didn't?

    Not that I'm that essential to anyone's plan...but would it matter if I just didn't do the things that make me... me?

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  9. Boy, there sure are a lot of comments for a story that hasn't been published yet!

    I was starting to feel a little behind... so it's a good thing mine's done and I now feel like I can comment!

    Because I would NEVER hassle you to finish a story before mine was up or anything.

    0:-)

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  10. Jill: Congrats on being first :)

    Carrie: Thanks for participating. I'll be by to read yours shortly.

    Xinh: Ah, two weeks in a row for you.

    DCChick: Ugh, I don't know how people can eat that stuff. Although I used to suck on lemons, so...

    Gay: Wonderful. Thanks for playing :)

    ATag: So I'm guessing rain influenced your story? By the way, I think A-Tag would be a perfect rap name :)

    Actonbell: Yay! Thanks for playing. I can't wait to read. And you're welcome :)

    Mert: Thanks for participating agian. I always think of continuing a story, but then I never do.

    Sylvia: I love those! Especially Would it untie the knot if I, for a single, solitary day, just didn't?

    Hmmm...

    TC: Yes, it's not often you're the 11th commenter ;)

    And feel free to hassle me anytime. It keeps things interesting.

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  11. but if there's nothing there to make things change, if it's the same for you i'll just hang

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  12. As frustrating as it is... I absolutely LOVE when you end the story and never tell us what happens.

    Anticipation kills!

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  13. it's not often you're the 11th commenter

    Well, not for my first comment, no. 0:-)

    To start, that's probably the best ending I've read in a long time. It's filled with so much hope it's amazing.

    Hope for what, her to go... or to stay? That's our choice, and well, it doesn't hurt us to do the work every once in awhile.

    I thought the description of her walking into the room as vivid enough that I could have been walking beside her, filming the scene: great work!

    For me, though, the part that struck the biggest chord was her questioning what she was still doing there. She knew she should have gotten out months ago, so what was holding her? Only she'll ever know, and that's probably the way it's supposed to be - in her case, and in everyone else's.

    Great story this week, Bone. It's amazing.

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  14. I liked. I related. More tomorrow as I just posted mine, and I'm exhausted

    courtingdestiny.com/

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  15. I thought maybe, if I tied my hair into a knot, grabed a slice of pineapple pizza and lounged back a bit, in my sofa, I might come up a little story, but nope , all that came to me was an urge to, actually, eat some of the pizza.

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  16. He lounged in the den. I sliced cucumber in the kitchen. Sonny ties a knot in Port Charles. Which is real and which is not?

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  17. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  18. I would say I'm speechless, because I mostly am, but:

    The ending, as everyone else is saying, was the best part. Only the weak of mind care to have a writer choose an ending for them.

    The lyric is a perfect match.

    I'll Hang.

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  19. Big Man: Welcome back. Thanks for playing.

    Katie: Hey, you get an A+ for lyric recognition! :)

    Blondie: Well, I'm glad you love the frustration. I can't tell you everything ;-)

    TC: the part that struck the biggest chord was her questioning what she was still doing there.

    I figured that would be a situation that's very relatable. I know it is to me.

    Thanks much! :)

    Pia: She came. She liked. She related :)

    GirlFPS: Yeah, I think that a lot of times myself... surely a story will come eventually.

    East of Oregon: Well, Sonny and Port Charles are real. For sure. I don't know anything about any cucumber. But I do like them :)

    Avery: Thank you. I thought the lyric fit pretty well, too :)

    You started a blog!

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  20. I keep forgetting to do this TWW thing! :-( One day I'll remember :-)

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  21. ...and you said you liked my imagery...I cant ever even pick out a single line to comment on, its all great! But I have to say I loved how the song worked in... ;)

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  22. She's still there because she's too afraid or proud to admit defeat. She really wanted this to work, but she wasn't ever expecting him to do this to her. I mean who expects their "happily ever after" to become a parasite?

    There's no love left there. She'll find herself looking at other guys, maybe even flirting with them. But she won't betray him, even though she can't love him anymore.

    Eventually he'll do something really foolish. He'll give her an ultimatum, and she'll finally leave.

    She won't be upset because she loved him...she'll be upset because it didn't work and she'll feel like a failure...just like she sees her own mother. After she gets over her failure, she'll get mad at herself for ever getting in the relationship in the first place. There were signs all along that she chose to ignore.

    No, I wasn't trying to do 3WW. Yes, I know this story...too well.

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  23. Have I said this before, I like the ambiguous endings. I'd like to think she left him but maybe not. I also like that you don't ever write smut, which let's just face it, is great and all over blogs. Your writing is more intellectual yet still appeals to the "every man". Like Thom Jones or Ethan Cain. (look them up if you have never heard or read them, I think you will like them.)

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  24. Bone... just so you don't get freaked out. That was me adding you to myspace! :)

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  25. Did you use the word 'slice?' I couldn't find it.

    Mine: While my boyfriend lounged in his canoe fishing, I paddled my kayak up next to him and silently sliced the knot on the rope to his anchor.

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  26. Ambiguous endings are the best endings in short short stories.

    There is always more than one possible ending to a story.

    A short short story doesn't allow for in depth character development--though I think Bone did a great job with both characters.

    Many of us, men and women, can relate to the woman maybe too much.

    I would like to think that she did one thing. I'm pretty sure she won't.

    Life's ambiguous. Nothing comes tied in neat bundles and truly good writing reflects that.

    Yes, Bone that's you, a truly good writer.

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  27. *sigh*
    love that song.

    -a.nort

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  28. Carlos: You could always play on a Thursday or Friday, as some have been known to do.

    Actonbell: Why, thank you :)

    TagAlong: Thanks. I do enjoy the details in your stories.

    Renee: There were signs all along that she chose to ignore.

    I think most everyone has been there.

    HotPink: Wow, thank you! That really means a lot. Yes, smut is everywhere.

    DC: Oh OK. I mean, what is MySpace?

    Mappy: Yes. Second paragraph: "along with a half-eaten slice of pizza."

    Thanks for participating.

    Pia: Thank you. I wonder if it says anything about us depending on whether we tend to think she's staying or leaving?

    And yes, I noticed you posted twice, 'tor :)

    A. Nort: Me, too. I wore out that CD.

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  29. Very good! Short and sweet...I like it :-)

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  30. Ah ha! Perhaps I was distracted by the mention of pizza and visions of all it's cheesy goodness! :)

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  31. Arlene: Thank you. Less is usually more :)

    MappyB: Ah, yes. That's understandable. I had to read someone else's post like three times before I found "slice."

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