Two-week creativity challenge: Once upon a time...

I hope driftingmarlin44 hasn't lost his temper yet. Drew Lee9's story serves as a warning; lust, desire, and pure stupidity are all holding hands while wandering through the Appalachian Mountains. 🤣

Megan Gray4 said:I just hope driftingmarlin44 didn't lose his mind over this. Honestly, Drew Lee9’s story is basically a cocktail of pure desire and sheer stupidity, wandering aimlessly through the Appalachian Mountains. 🤣

Pure provocation. 🤣

What can you even get high on... two snails? I promised all you nature lovers a little story... it was supposed to be about olives and how I crushed a Strongbow—the Red Berries one—after a day of harvesting... but nope, nothing came of it... just margaritas before the pigs... honestly, man, it's just not worth it... my sincere apologies to the true fans of my life and work... we can't always have everything we want...

When I was a kid, Cat loved the rain. It never felt cold to me; people were always nagging me to layer up, change clothes, or get warm. I remember gathering all the neighborhood kids to splash around in whatever containers we could find that had filled up with rainwater, right up until our moms, grandmas, aunts, or whoever was babysitting us finally caught up to us.
We were soaked and happy, turning it into one of those core memories. Just the kind of good stuff childhood is supposed to be about.

Now, Cat hates the rain. The smell, the sound, even just the slightest hint that it might start falling.
To me, rain feels like losing things one by one. Like a row of dominoes that, once they’re finally lined up perfectly, suddenly start crashing down in this unstoppable, synchronized mess.
The first few dominoes bring anxiety, then certainty, then habit—and then that one final domino falls, and nothing is ever the same again.
The change itself... if you're looking at it from someone else's perspective, it might seem subtle. I'm not talking about the pain, because honestly, that just becomes a constant companion. I'm talking about how you start viewing every single day from start to finish. You start questioning yourself about things you never gave a thought to before, searching for courage, wondering if you actually have any left.
Every day, through every new experience whether it sucks or it doesn't, you realize how lucky you are to still be standing, even if you're a little more broken than the dominoes that fell. Sometimes, I actually manage to feel grateful for that.
And every time I'm standing there by a candle, making some sort of offering in our little ritual, I decide to just stand tall under the sky, no matter what kind of rain or fury it decides to throw my way.

Drew Lee9 said:that would be a sin—you should at least share them with someone once in a while.🤣

anyway, you're a pretty attractive young mom.🙏 👍

I might give that some thought.😁

Thanks 🕺

Megan Gray4, those snails of yours are great.😁
Michelle Bennett14, I'm liking the story.👍

Flawless, I'm still waiting on that second one—the one that was promised.😁

Drew Ross2 said:I'll give it some thought in about 😁

Thanks 🕺

Megan Gray4, those snails are awesome 😁
Michelle Bennett14, I dig the story 👍

Flawless, I'm still waiting on that second one you promised 😁

thanks, same to yours 🙂 she actually motivated me to think about it...

Cat, your story is pretty engaging—it’s almost nostalgic. It sounds like you’ve revisited your childhood, though I can't quite reach that far back myself.🤷 😁
I’ve always had a soft spot for the rain, personally.😉

Drew Ross2, don't overthink it. Just dive in.🙂 😘
It looks like I might have to extend the deadline, perhaps
since some people clearly need more time.🙂

Where are Accalia, Mia, and Duxi? Come on, get online. And that goes for everyone else, too.

Drew Lee9 said:Cat, your story is pretty interesting, kind of nostalgic too. It’s like you went back to being a kid again, which I wish I could do, but my mind just doesn't reach that far back.🤷 😁
Anyway, I actually love the rain.😉

Louise, don't overthink it, just let it go.🙂 😘
Looks like I might have to extend the contest deadline, maybe
some people just need more time.🙂

Ugh, thanks... honestly, it's a little sad because it's so gloomy, but this week has just been stuck on loop in my head. It's an anniversary, so please bear with me—I really tried not to make it too depressing.🙂

Michelle Bennett14 said:Thanks... I guess I feel a little bad because it’s such a gloomy day, but this week has just been playing on loop in my head. It's an anniversary, so bear with me—I tried not to make things too depressing. 🙂

I didn't see sadness, just nostalgia. Everything is fine. 👍

Creatives are something else entirely. It’s always refreshing to see that level of ingenuity, especially as people approach their milestone anniversaries—whether they choose to lean into the nostalgia or just spice things up with a bit of humor 🙂

Megan Gray4 said:Creative types are something else. It’s always a pleasant surprise to see that level of flair, especially when people start hitting those milestone anniversaries—whether they choose to lean into the nostalgia or just use a bit of humor to cope. 🙂

We're still waiting on you 🙂🙂

Drew Lee9 said:we're waiting on you too🙂🙂

Ben, you lost the bet... I signed up on the first page with the snails🎉

driftingmarlin44 said:What could you even make from that? Two snails? I promised the nature lovers a story... it was supposed to be about olives and how I downed a Strongbow Red Berries one day after harvesting them. But forget all that. It’s just margaritas before pigs. It isn't worth the effort. To those who genuinely appreciate my work, I offer a sincere apology. We can't always get exactly what we want.

Lucky are the fools and the crazy ones; they own their entire world and fear absolutely nothing.🙂

Megan Gray4 said:Good for the crazy ones and the fools; they own their little world and aren't afraid of anything.🙂

Forgive me, age is starting to catch up with me.😵 😳

Drew Lee9 said:Sorry, age catches up with you eventually.😵 😳

You're pushing into the wrong thread.🤣
That little quote was meant for you.😘

Megan Gray4 said:You're posting in the wrong thread. 🤣
That peanut quote was yours. 😘

I saw it, but I couldn't be bothered to fix it.
Besides, I know you're a smart girl; you'll figure it out. 😉

I want to tell you a story about a guy named Derek. During the chaos of the war, he was forced to leave his hometown of San Francisco in his early twenties and head off into the unknown reaches of foreign lands.
For a while, there was absolutely nothing. He completely vanished. All contact was lost, and his family searched for him in vain—they even went so far as to consult psychics just to try and track him down or find out if he was even still alive.
Then, one day, he suddenly reached out to his brother. After traveling from San Francisco to New York City and then on to Chicago, he called to say he was currently in Germany. He claimed he had to flee the country immediately because an Egyptian pharaoh was relentlessly hunting him down, determined to kill him.
Based on everything his brother knew, Derek had always been a bit eccentric—someone who marched to the beat of his own drum and possessed an incredibly sensitive soul. But the person he heard over the phone sounded like a complete stranger compared to the brother he had grown up with back in San Francisco.
A couple of days passed. Then, Derek called again, claiming he was in Budapest, waiting for a train to New York City. He said it would only be seconds before he moved on, because the pharaoh was right on his heels.
His brother told us all this, totally lost, having no idea where on earth the guy actually was.
The very next day, Derek called again. Now he was at the train station in New York City. He claimed he’d had to jump from a moving train near Buffalo because the pharaoh had nearly caught him mid-transit. He said he’d finished the trek on foot, hopped onto another train, and was now waiting for his brother to come pick him up from Chicago.
He described his surroundings so clearly that his brother realized Derek had actually made it.
So, he hopped in his Peggy and drove toward New York City, still feeling deeply uncertain about what to expect when he arrived.
Meanwhile, three of us were sitting around at a cafe in Chicago, just waiting.
Less than two hours later, we spotted Derek’s brother walking in. He was quite tall, with long, wavy hair and a sort of old-fashioned, cinematic beauty—almost as if he were walking on clouds, looking like someone not quite from this world.
He had a bundle of belongings in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
It was a presence that felt both eerie and divine at the same time.
They sat down, and our friend introduced him: "This is my cousin, Derek."
The waiter came over to ask for drink orders, and Derek ordered a tea.
We exchanged a few introductory words and quickly realized the guy was completely out of it. His brother was at a loss; after years of silence, Derek had just reappeared with no money, no place to live, and zero connection to the real world or current events.
The waiter returned with the orders and set the tea down in front of Derek.
We sat there in silence, waiting for someone to break the tension in that heavy atmosphere. Suddenly, Derek broke the quiet by raising the hand he’d been fidgeting with and waving nervously.
"Here it is," he muttered. Then he lowered his hand, gave a strangely peaceful smile, and tossed whatever he had been holding onto the table.
It was a little sugar packet that came with the tea, and printed on it was an Egyptian pharaoh.
Derek stayed with us for a short while—maybe ten days. He was wild, totally off the rails by any normal standard. Then, one morning, he simply announced he was heading to Mexico.
And sure enough, he continued to check in with his brother every now and then, claiming to be calling from Miami.

Wow, he missed the mark on the epic story and ended up writing something completely useless. Not even a single useful point to be found here.
🙏

Drew Lee9, am I allowed to post anything else this week, or do I have the right to stay silent since I've already exhausted my five minutes of fame?
😁