November 18, 2011 :: Today's Words: 3,374 :: Total Words: 17,089

Lila grinned “Sounds great!” she pulled her hand out of her pocket and held out a small Halloween-sized box of Smarties. “Want some?”

Timothy took the box of chocolate and opened it up. “I love Smarties, thanks!”

Your character has a sudden craving for Popplers ice-cream.

Robin was watching a rerun of Futurama when she suddenly got another craving. “This is ridiculous,” she muttered to her stomach. “Popplers aren’t even real. You just want some because they’re in the cartoon.”

The craving didn’t go away.

She sighed.

At the very least, she could get some ice cream. And maybe the craving would be satisfied with deep-fried shrimp.

One could only hope.

A mysterious stranger gives your character a quest. They must deliver box of Hershey's chocolate bars to Adhafera.

Robin finally found her contact at the consulate after three days. She had seen what she was interested in seeing in Armenia and was beginning to get bored.

Well, actually, the contact found her.

Robin was sitting in the kitchen at a table, out of the way, with her tablet. She was watching the kitchen staff and conversing with them while trying to get some work done. She’d offered to help but that was nixed since she didn’t have the right papers and certification to work in a commercial kitchen.

The rail-thin blond man entered the room and looked around. When he spotted her, he came and sat across from her at the table.

“Robin McIntyre?” he said softly.

She looked up at him and nodded. “Can I help you?”

“Possibly. Are the raccoons in the garbage again?”

“No, but I found a furry mask and a tail in the gutter.”

He nodded once and stood. She followed suit, and they left the kitchen together. In the hallway, he passed her a note. “I’ll talk to you shortly,” he said, then left through a stairwell door.

Robin opened the note.

You have what I need. Meet me in ten minutes in the garden on the roof. Bring your package.

The note wasn’t signed.

Robin shrugged and tucked it into her pocket. She went to her room and got her jacket; she had her purse and the iPad with her, since she didn’t really trust the staff to leave her things alone and avoid snooping.

She arrived at the roof garden to find a light misty rain falling. She pulled her hood up over her head to keep herself somewhat dry, and looked around for the blond man.

He was standing in the corner of the garden under a chimney topper that overhung the chimney by about a foot. Robin joined him.

“You have what I need?” he asked quietly. His eyes darted around nervously.

Robin patted her purse. “I do.”

He held out a gloved hand. “Thank you. You have served our country well.”

Robin was just beginning to pull the iPad out of her purse when she heard a soft, mushy “thunk.” She looked up in time to see the blond man’s eyes widen and then go dull. She looked down as he began to crumple against the chimney and saw red bleeding across his shirt and jacket.

Robin shoved the iPad into her purse and slipped around to the back of the chimney. Then she got down on the ground and began to move cautiously back across the roof to the door. Based on the direction the bullet had come from, she should be safe as long as she stayed down and kept the chimney and the dead man behind her.

She got through the door just as a flurry of bullets let loose into the brick surrounding it. She stood leaning against the door, breathing heavily, as they pelted against the metal. The vibrations were disconcerting.

She walked down a few steps and pulled out her tablet. She pulled up her e-mail app and found the contact information for her handler.

“Compromised. Need assistance.”

Shortly after, she received a response: New plan. Wait in room for new contact.

Robin wasn’t sure she wanted to wait for a new contact, but she didn’t really have a choice, so she crept down the stairs to her room and locked herself in.

After about six hours, her tablet buzzed. She’d been sitting on the bed watching mindless TV again, so she welcomed the diversion.

Contact coming. Has mission.

Robin sighed. This kind of thing was why she’d quit two years ago, and why she’d be happy to move on after this mission was over.

Finally there was a knock on the door.

“Hello?” she called.

“Robin McIntyre, I need to talk to you,” came the response.

Robin opened the door and let the visitor in, then closed the door again. She turned around to find a gun in her face.

“Give me the iPad,” he said.

Robin inched around the room slowly. The gun moved with her. She picked up her purse and reached inside. “What happened to my new contact?” she asked.

The man smirked. “No new contact,” he said. “Just me.”

Robin nodded, then twisted her purse and shot him in the knee with her gun, which had a special hole in the purse for shooting through.

The man yelped and dropped his gun, and she stepped forward and kicked it away. She pulled her gun out of her purse and aimed it. “Where were you to take the iPad?” she asked.

“Eritrea,” he muttered. “For a man named Adhafera.”

She rolled her eyes. “Is that the truth?” she asked, and found his hand with her foot.

“Yes!” he breathed through the pain.

“Good,” she said, and shot him again.

She collected her things and left the room.

She needed some chocolate. Preferably Hershey’s.

Your character just received a delivery from Dsiban. When they open it, they find timmy rapid fire pillow cannon. Why was it sent to them?

Timothy got home from the library to find a big box on the front step. He opened the door and dragged it inside. “Mom? We have a package!” he called.

His mother came into the living room. “Oh my,” she said. “What is that?”

“I don’t know.”

They looked over the box and finally found the shipping information.

Timothy’s mother frowned. “It says it’s from… Dsiban? I don’t know where that is.”

“I learned that in school, it’s a star!”

“Well, it’s addressed to you, but I don’t know if we should open it. I’m going to call someone.”

Timothy’s mother went and made a phone call. It turned out she was talking to Jill. When she came back, she said that they weren’t to open it and had to wait for someone Jill was going to bring over.

That didn’t take very long.

Jill brought a whole team of people with her and they examined the box all over. They listened to it with stethoscopes and they x-rayed it and all kinds of other things. Finally some of the people nodded at Jill, and she nodded at Timothy’s mother, who nodded to Timothy. “Okay, honey, you can open it now.”

Timothy looked at all of the adults and wondered what they were so afraid of. He opened the box and pulled out…

“…a pillow cannon?” he asked incredulously. What was he supposed to use it for? “I don’t get it,” he said.

“That’s so cool!” said a voice from the doorway. Timothy looked up and saw Lila standing in the entrance to the house.

“Lila? What are you doing here?”

“I saw all these people going into your house, and I was curious. What’s going on?” she asked, stepping inside.

Timothy turned to his mother. “This is my new friend Lila,” he explained. “We met at the park today and went to the library together.”

Timothy’s mother nodded. “I see. It’s nice to meet you, Lila.”

Jill and the people she had brought with her were packing up equipment. She turned to Timothy’s mother. “We’re lucky this time, but remember to call if something else happens.”

Timothy’s mother nodded. “Absolutely. Thank you.”

Jill turned to Timothy. “Have fun with your pillow cannon,” she said.

Timothy patted the box. “Once I figure out what to do with it, you bet.”

Jill smiled at Lila and then she and her team were gone. Timothy’s mother looked at the two children in her living room. “Lila, would you like a snack?”

“That would be great. I’m allergic to peanuts, though.”

“Not a problem. I’ll be right back.”

Timothy’s mother went into the kitchen and Timothy and Lila started looking at the box. “We should open it and see how to use it!” Lila said, scraping at the end of a piece of tape.

Timothy joined her. “That sounds great!”

A new character arrives, wearing a persimmon piece of clothing, and carrying something for frazzled nerves.

Travis was worried about Alaina. She hadn’t said much of anything since getting back to the plane with her two companions. He knew that she’d had something going on with a guy in Bhutan way back when, but that was decades ago and he figured the guy would be dead by now, what with the rebellion and all.

When they finally touched down in Eritrea, he tried to talk to her before she deplaned.

“So Alaina,” he said cautiously, “I know sometimes this job sucks and it’s pretty lonely. How’re you doing this time around?”

She sighed and hoisted her pack. “I’m fine, Travis. Worry about Apollo. Worry about our travel. Don’t worry about me.”

She took a step toward the exit, but another woman stepped aboard instead. Her shapely dress was persimmon-coloured, and she was holding a bottle of spirits. “Alaina,” she said in a deep, full alto. “I heard you were coming from Bhutan. Care for a drink?”

Alaina dropped her pack. “Paula?”

“The one and only.”

The two women closed the distance between them quickly, and Travis sat down in a seat to stay out of the way. They hugged.

“How did you know?” asked Alaina.

“Got a call.”

“From…?”

“You know.” Alaina sighed. “Right.”

They moved further back, to a few seats that faced a table, and sat down with the bottle on the table between them. Travis ventured over. “Do you… need glasses?” he asked cautiously.

“Nope,” said Alaina, opening the bottle. “This’ll do.” She took a swig.

Travis nodded and left them to their reminiscing. Paula was a good egg, and the two had been very close way back when. Obviously still were. He was certain that this would get Alaina’s head back in the game.

Your character loses their prized possession: a can of orange soda. How do they react?

Achird checked his new hiding place behind the door. He wanted to be sure that his orange Fanta would be there when he wanted it.

So far, so good.

He checked the desk compartment and then looked under the bed: his new routine to keep people from finding his stash.

Yet later, when he returned to his cell after exercising, he found no Fanta waiting for him in the small box that he had so carefully hidden behind a stone in the wall behind the door.

He couldn’t turn to Nanna this time. He drank some water and lay down on his bed, waiting for dinner.

Your character loses their prized possession: Champagne. How do they react?

Paula and Alaina made short work of the bottle of spirits. Alaina stood up on unsteady feet. “I think there’s some champagne in the back,” she slurred. She stumbled down the aisle to the galley, where she began going through the cupboards and the fridge.

“Can’t find any,” she called back to her friend.

Paula joined her. “Are you sure there was some?”

“Yeah, there was. I put it here myself.” Alaina opened another cupboard and pawed through the contents. “Someone must have stolen it!”

“Like who, though?”

“I dunno. Probably Travis, he likes liquor. Or maybe Apollo, I don’t know what he likes but he’s that type, you know?”

Paula frowned a little. “I think you’re done, hon,” she said softly.

“Nah, I’m fine.”

Paula stood up and took Alaina’s hand. “Let’s go find where you’re supposed to sleep tonight, shall we?”

Alaina allowed herself to be pulled up to her feet. “I don’t wanna sleep tonight,” she murmured, then yawned.

“Yeah, well, I think we’re both gonna sleep tonight. Let’s go.”

Paula hauled Alaina down the aisle, stopping briefly to pick up Alaina’s pack. They tumbled out of the plane together, nearly falling headlong down the stairs, but Apollo was waiting for them and caught them before any serious damage was done.

“Where are we sleeping?” Paula asked.

Alaina waved her hand at Apollo. “Hi Apollo, you’re a strong guy. I’m impressed.”

Apollo raised an eyebrow and pointed at a tall building. “Hotel. There’s a driver waiting for you.”

Alaina pulled herself upright and nodded emphatically. “Thank you so much, Apollo. You’re a good guy. I’ll make sure you come off good in my report.”

Apollo watched the women stumble off toward the car, shaking his head.

Paula and Alaina reached the car without incident. The driver opened the door for them and they found seats in the back, giggling as they got themselves sorted out.

“Hello,” said a soft voice.

Alaina tried to stop giggling. “Hello,” she said. “Who are you?”

“I am tired of waiting. You have something for me?”

Alaina reached into her pack and pulled out the box. “I do.”

The man took the box and opened it. He nodded once, then tapped the window between them and the driver. “I thank you for your service,” he said as the car began moving.

They pulled to a stop in front of a hotel. “Enjoy your stay,” the man said as they got out. “Eritrea is lovely this time of year.”

Alaina hoisted her pack and looked at Paula. “Suddenly I’m sober,” she said. “I need to make a plan for tomorrow. Want to come with me and help, like old times?”

Paula nodded. “Why else do you think I was contacted?” she asked.

They linked arms and headed into the hotel together.

Your character has a sudden craving for orange tuna ice-cream.

Robin was on her way to the airport when the next craving hit.

“Not again,” she groaned quietly. Her driver glanced at her in the rear-view mirror.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she said. “Just annoyed.”

“Where are you going this time?”

“I have an idea but I can’t really say anything to anyone. You understand.”

“What if I’m asked?”

“As far as you know, I’m going home.”

The driver nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

They arrived at the airport and Robin took a deep breath before she stepped out of the car. She put on her tourist persona, lifted her head, and thrust back her shoulders. She took hold of her suitcase handle and strode through the terminal to the ticket counters.

“Yes, I need a ticket to Ethiopia,” she said authoritatively.

“Ethiopia?” asked the clerk.

“Yes, Ethiopia,” she said irritably. “I simply must see what people have been talking about all these years, first hand.”

The clerk looked incredulous but tapped at a keyboard and named a price.

“Is that first class?”

“Of course.”

Robin slid her CSIS-given credit card across the counter. “Perfect.”

The clerk ran the card through the machine and nodded. “Okay, Ms Turnbull, you’re all set. Do you prefer a window seat or an aisle seat?”

“Aisle, please.”

The clerk nodded and tapped a few keys. The ticket printed and she handed it to Robin, along with the credit card. Robin checked her suitcase and then headed for security. It was time to find orange ice cream and tuna.

Your character dreams about Vorshan_Saintrowe and an iTunes gift card.

Alaina slept fitfully. She and Paula worked out a plan together and then fell asleep a little after midnight.

She dreamed she was sitting next to her cabin, in a camp chair. A cat came and hopped up to sit on her knee. She petted it absentmindedly, and the cat settled down and began to purr.

She looked down at the cat and realized it was one she knew.

Her mother’s cat, who died of old age 15 years ago.

“Vorshan?” she asked hesitantly, but there was no mistaking the white paws and chest and golden fur.

The cat looked up at her and closed his eyes, purring louder.

Alaina sighed and leaned back in the chair, burying her fingers in the cat’s fur and rubbing his cheek with her fingertips. She closed her eyes and listened to the purring and took in the other sounds and smells of the forest.

Suddenly the purring stopped, and Vorshan hopped off her lap. She opened her eyes and watched as he trotted off into the bushes. Two seconds later, he returned, carrying something in his mouth. He hopped back up to her lap and dropped what he was carrying into her hand.

Alaina looked down.

She was holding an iTunes gift card.

“What on earth…?” she asked.

Vorshan merely settled back in for more pets and began purring. Alaina sighed and tucked the card into her pocket, then resumed petting the cat.

Your character has a sudden craving for lightbulb ice-cream.

Robin was standing at the car rental counter, waiting for someone to bring her car around, when the next craving hit.

“Excuse me,” she said to the clerk, “do you have any idea where I might find some ice cream nearby?”

The clerk raised an eyebrow. “Ice cream?”

“Yes, I have a weird craving.”

The clerk shrugged and pulled out a map of the city. “There’s an ice cream place here, here, and over here,” she said, pointing.

Robin nodded and accepted the map. “Thank you so much.”

Her car arrived and she took her suitcase out and loaded it in the trunk. She was driving to Eritrea, but first she needed some ice cream. She hoped that the local language had a somewhat normal food item that sounded like “lightbulb” because she was absolutely not prepared to eat actual lightbulbs.

Did your character just see Serperior? Or was it something else?

Timothy and Lila were experimenting with the pillow cannon when he saw the green snake-like thing.

“Wait!”

Lila dropped the pillow she was holding and looked expectantly at Timothy. He pointed across the living room at the Serperior. “Do you see that?”

Lila squinted in the direction he was pointing and her mouth dropped open. She stepped closer to him, slowly, and whispered, “Is that Serperior?”

Timothy shrugged. “It looks like it. Every time I ask them, it seems like they are. But then they disappear.”

Lila got down on her hands and knees and crawled across the room. She reached out a cautious hand and touched the snake. It didn’t move. She picked it up and carried it over to Timothy.

“It’s breathing!”

Timothy reached out and petted the Serperior. “It’s real!”

“Should we keep it?”

Timothy shook his head. “I don’t have a real Pokéball, do you?”

Lila shook her head. “Do you know what they eat?”

“Nope. We should probably let it go.”

Lila nodded and took the Serperior back to where she had picked it up, and set it down carefully. “Thank you for letting us touch you,” she said quietly.

The Pokémon inclined its head and then slithered away. It disappeared through the wall, and that was the end of that.

Your character loses their prized possession: a fridge. How do they react?

Fred Smith walked into the lab whistling. It was going to be a good day. He changed from his outdoor jacket to his lab coat and wandered over to the fridge where he’d set some samples to germinate overnight.

Except the fridge wasn’t there.

Fred stared at the empty spot where his fridge had been just yesterday. There were dust bunnies piled up along the baseboard and gum wrappers scattered around on the floor.

He reached out and felt the air where the fridge had been.

Nope, it wasn’t invisible.

He went to the phone and picked it up, then paused. Who to call?