Hello all! It's been a while since we did an open ended writing challenge, so I thought it might be a nice change for the month of September.

This month's challenge theme: Temptation

This challenge is open to both prose and poetry entries based on the above theme. Simply submit your entry to this thread! I look forward to reading what everyone comes up with. And as always, be creative!

David L.
Writer's Forum Moderator

Hey David,

What on earth is "an open ended writing challenge"?

Hanna

Well by open-ended, I just meant that it didn't have to stick to a particular format. For example, the last two challenges we had were poetry challenges that had to stick to a pretty strict format based on shape, number of syllables, etc.

In this case, no such restrictions apply. Just write something based on the theme. =)

David L.

I've lost track again! what does one do with a job where one is constantly travelling?? Tsk!

Good to see things happening! I hope I'll get time this month to write. All the themes are really nice and it shouldn't be too hard to come up with something.

It's good to be back though. I wish I had a clone to handle all my work while I painted and wrote. :)

Bests, hanevi.

It occurs to me that my Story Pix Challenge entry could work for this Challenge as well. But I think I'll have to do another. I don't want to sell this one short. Besides: practice, practice, practice!

~jon

The Future Betrayed

Ste. Therese, Quebec 2040

Authorities reported today that a former Gitmo prison guard has been discovered  working at the GM Camaro plant here. This reporter attempted to contact Bombardier to see if the Learjet he had leased for just this occasion is ready to do the deportation journey. Now the story has turned murky. It seems that the potential deprtee is a woman and that she is not even a citizen of the U.S. Rumors of Morrocan or Tunisian ties can not be verified. The embassies of all these countries report that they do not accpet criminals of any nationality on a case for case basis under any circumstances. Now it seems there will be no flight and I will lose my lese deposti I made in 2004 when I predicted the possibility based on unspecified contacts. ( I will not allow this to be considered to have been generated by a trend) Someone told me point blank that several former Gitmo guards were being granted special work visas for IT specialties in the Canadien provinces. The age of the alleged former guard has been questioned as the Reeve should have weeded out any undesirables long before this. DNA tests have been authoized comparing with saliva in bite marks on several former prisoners at the Gitmo facility. Temporary quarters have been secured at the train station for the suspect. No one wants to show favoritism in this. A search of the woman's home has revealed many antiques and her garage is filled with several old Crown Victorias and Plymouth Satellites. On the walls are Nazi posters and her video recorder contains many late 2003 and 2004 atrocity videos off television. She says she has them to build her revulsion for "that kind of creep11??" Also found was a book, "Punishment, I Don't think So" subtitle Cruel and Unusual by Stumpy Givens 2010 Thaldora Books, Vancouver, BC. I tried to resist Temptation by Hedda would turn over in her grave if I ignored this juicy tidbit. The sketch of her is a bit rough as Drew drew it.

Now there is confirmation that the way the miscreant was found is that she had been obtaining pelts from the pound to use as imprints for the naugahyde of the seats in the cars built at the factory where she was eventually revealed. The Royal Doghandler had not sniffed her out. In fact it was the Royal Doghandler who had originally gotten her placed. The whole unarmed thing. The whole Satan as the master of the world held harmless by the fact that haemorhoids prove part of the body is still captive in Eden. Now we can see why from 2001 until 2040 no one even suspected that someone from Gitmo was in a position to influence aggression. Everyone knew the Arabs would not be patient. They would not have an "after the ball is over" smug self-importance of the Holocaust victim. They should have outed the war criminal immediately. No stress could keep their actions in check. The rule of "lame brain" that rules that mental patients must be in a wheelchair to receive respect like amputees and polio victims held. Handicapped Accessible and Handicapped Parking had no place for those who cannot defend themselves for conscientious or other self seving reasons. "Failed to fight" is still a reason for brainwashing. Once cornered in the arachnoid mater the minds eye will see the adversary.

There were earlier hints. The tank in the photos of the 2006 coup appears to be a Walker "Bulldog." That makes the driver the Royal Dog Handler and the connection is made. The fact the coup was bloodless confirms the sanction was already ineffect at that time.  There is no need to search in Korea for who ate the dog or in Lebanon for who kicked the dog.

Pay the bet. The Muslim chieftain of the Thai coup did use dogs. Mounties are you listening? Expert witnesses need not be suppressed due to long perceived perceptions. A spirited search for dog lovers in secular Turkey should begin at once.

Hopes were dashed. Aibos were banned from public places in Peking. No robo dogs were going to reimpose imperialism there. Canada was more subtle. They have never had any robots so Aibo issues were handled more discretely. The inevitable rush to 2040 had begun. There was to be no further intrusion into the development of "road rage."

By 2010 the hush kit was still holding. But as the MacDonald-Detweiller Canadian built "robot arms" reached majority and the Space Shuttle faded the idea of a remote outpost that took care of it self screeched to a halt. The "robot arm" was Man-U-el! without astronauts to control it the powerful precision motors ground to a halt. In indian Springs the UAV outpost was closed and the eyes and ears near earth were dulled and dimmed. As a special favor to the Pope a cannine outpost was openned in the Vatican. No more licking and nuzzling. Finally man's best friend would have a role to play in Tribunal. Terror was on the run. Walk on the edge of a sword was overruled. The Baptist headless ones could not leave their heads in anthills to feast for eternity. The kidnapped would no longer pimp for Rahab.

About 2011 furniture stores began to leave leashes and collars draped over their displays. A skilled researcher determined that the rhinestone and studded collars were suitable only for harriers and foxhounds except for a few that fit bloodhounds. Looking further he found bridels and saddle girth ribbons hung in display windows now included in furniture stores.  Furniture stores had never had display windows. The subtle shift of power from department stores to discount stores had ben assumed final. Now there was something afoot.

Time was running out. The deportation hearing was in one hour. The an investigator reported he had found aplace that would take her. In Hanoi, some folowers of Bertand Russell had founded a guild street known as Kennilworth Road. They had a stock of Bi-Centtential and Garrison vintage U.S. flags from 1976. Upon her arrival she tested them. Can I just fly this flag anywhere in the world? She asked. Of course said the mongers. Take one of the Rattlesnake ones or a Plush Pony and fly it from the staff of Hanoi city hall. No one will even notice it and certainly not salute. Want to fly a 50 state garrison flag over the main railroad bridge? Go ahead. The flag is the symbol of what is still left in Eden. No sweat! No bread. High brow!

A Shore too far-

You paint me a picture with your smile

Because you know the vignette satisfies me a little while

You know I’m so easily charmed beneath your guile

That my heart is chained in denial

Later I know you’ll call me before I sleep

Wondering what secrets I try to keep

But what if I told you these painful things

Would it change anything

between you and me?

Dreaming your whisper, I’m unprepared

To smell your jasmine perfume in the air

And the scent of your long dark hair

Blowing in on the wind from somewhere

But when I wake to the morning light

I wonder if you slept alone last night

As close to me as you know you are

I’m drowning and you’re a shore too far

I think some things should just be left unsaid

As  thoughts of you run through my head,

Some things can just never be

anything other than temptation and fantasy

Daniel C. Nielsen

Might have to polish this one up a bit.  Not bad though for a fifteen minute spurt of creativity eh?

If I could go back,

**     certainly I would.**

Just for a second

**      if only I could.**

I would choose the path

**      that then seemed no fun.**

Instead of being here,

**      on the run.**

Running from all the choices I've made

**      waiting for the hurt to somehow fade.**

I didnt know what it was back then

**       yet today is seems so clear.**

It wasn't a strength or weakness,

**      just a simple fascination,**

With how pretty danger can look -

**      When its covered in Temptation.**

©Tima C Cooke

SHARDS IN HER EYES

In the briefest of glittering glances
I spy the shards in her eyes.

Crystalline inclusions in the ice-blue iris;
vitreous splinters
rip-reflecting, slash-refracting;
scatter spitting pyrotechnic slivers
of shattered psychic spectra
shredded sensations
and scattered semblances
of sybaritic reality.

Amid the debris of these clinical incisions:
reflected? yes refracted? yes
I perceive a passing glimpse
of reconstructed ancient cruelties
past born and present pressed
into servile slavery.
Her intent is cut glass clear.

In that mere second’s glance,
less any scintillating second chance,
there were shards in her eyes

and one of them was me.

Attached Link: Operation Cookie

~jon