Winning entry for 3/12, by Lazarus

The Assignment: By day, your character leads a seemingly normal life. But by night...


"Black and Gold Soup"

By day, head of the largest soup company in the world.
By night, working a night shift as a bank guard? Yes. Sad, shocking, stunning - but true.

“Lafe, hand me that shovel.” Chicken Soup grunted, throwing the pick aside.
“Here you go.” Lafe Crick said lazily from his position atop a pile of moneybags, tossing a shovel to C$.

C$ leaned on his shovel for a minute, pulling a can of soup out of his pocket. His pocketknife blade ripped through the lid.
“Slurrrrrp.”

The Campbell Soup company had lost money steadily for the past three years due to its CEO eating up half the output of the company. Creative accounting practices kept it afloat, but unless some hard cash was injected into the company soon - it was going nowhere but down.

Jed Clampett’s money would certainly take care of that problem, though…

“Get digging, you lazy bum.” C$ growled at Lafe, pushing his shovel into the dirt.
Lafe moaned something about his sore back and slowly picked up a spade.

The two night watchmen continued digging their tunnel - which led from the vault to the outside.

As C$ raised his shovel , he heard footsteps.
“Hide, Lafe!” he whispered.
“…Lafe?”
C$ turned around. Lafe was asleep on a pile of coins, snoring loudly. C$ sighed disgustedly and dragged him behind a pile of moneybags, crouching down. He opened another can of soup and ate quietly -waiting.

The third guard walked into the vault, looking round suspiciously.
C$ peeked over the top of his hiding place.
“Darn - the other guard.” he muttered.

Gary Coleman spotted the hole, shovels… and the empty soup cans. He pulled out his radio. “Time to call the cops.”
Summoning all of his strength into his arms, C$ heaved Lafe Crick into the air. He torpedoed down on Coleman. The radio flew out of the guard's hand and smashed against the floor.

C$ grabbed a can of soup and lunged at the guard. Coleman went for his pistol.
"Hold it!" he squeaked, aiming.
C$ hurled the soup can into Coleman's face, diving behind an empty box.
A gunshot rang out.

Mr. Drydesdale heard the commotion and rushed into the vault.
He tripped over Lafe and sailed through the air, landing with a thump in the tunnel. Unfortunately, his legs became stuck in the narrow hole.
"HELP!"
“Well, get ‘im out.” C$ ordered, handing Gary Coleman a trowel(biggest shovel he could handle) and pushing him into the hole.
"Just because I'm short, people think they can shove me around..." Gary muttered under his breath.

They waited while below Coleman dug around the trapped Drydesdale. C$ leaned over the opening.
“How’s it coming?” he yelled.
A stream of black liquid shot out and splashed into his face.
“OIL! We’re rich!” Lafe Crick exclaimed. “Nobody else is gonna git it either.” he growled, swinging the vault door shut.
The vault door - which automatically locked...
“You DUMMY! We’re trapped!”
C$ sat down disgustedly with a bowl of soup, shaking his head.

Winning Entry for 2/14, by ChickenSoup

Assignment: Your character got dumped last Valentine's day. What happens this year?


The cold winter wind caused my overcoat to flutter. I looked around, feeling depressed. I remembered the last time I had come here--I had taken my old girlfriend on a walk through the park. I also remember what eventually happened that chilly afternoon...

I remember it as though it had happened only moments earlier. We had walked through the smallish park, trying to spot what little wildlife would come out in the single-digit weather. She acted as though she was having a good time, but the air around her was tense. She flinched when I took her hand in mine, and the impression was not lost on me. I pulled her aside, thinking that I had done something wrong. It turned out that she had fallen in love with someone else, and although she would be happy to stay friends, she would prefer to keep it at that.

I never saw her again.

So this February I strolled down the same little lane that had taken my heart away a year before. It seemed even colder today, and it wasn't just because of the temperature. I felt somewhat depressed as I kicked half-heartedly at a mound of snow on the gravel path, and I sat dejectedly at the first bench I could find. It was cold and icy, but I didn't care. I was reveling too much in my self-pity.

And as though on cue, a small break in the clouds parted and a single beam of sunlight shone through the dreary morn and landed on my lap. I looked upwards, and for reasons I cannot explain I felt a surge of boundless joy, as though my less than perfect memories has melted away like the ice on my bench.

I stood, brushed the dusty snow off of my coat, and continued on my day, happier than I had felt in a long time. I guess God works in ways we never expect.

Winning Entry for 1/27, by Lazarus

Assignment: Write a story involving a new year's resolution.

"Sometimes things don't turn out the way we expected."

Spence Gordon slid into the quiet British pub and sat down on a bar stool. “The usual, Charlie.” he said to the bartender.
"Here you go." the bartender said as he handed Spence his usual, a lager beer.
"Ah - thanks."
Spence took a swig and sputtered.
"What do you put in that - soap?"

“He puts strychnine in it.” another patron of the bar said, his eyes twinkling.
“Hello, Fitz.” Spence said, nodding to him.
“Still at your secret agent work, Spence?”
“Righto.”

Spence wiped his mouth and leaned his elbows on the bar, staring up at the bartender.
"Did you make a New-years resolution, Charlie?"
"Yup - to hire a new bouncer. Moe couldn't pitch a flea out of a dog pound." the bartender growled.
“I made one that I would stop picking up stray hounds.” Mr. Fitzhugh commented.

"Mine was that I would find this IRA terrorist: Tommy O‘Dale.”
"I've heard bobbies talk about O'Dale. He's a bad 'un." the bartender responded.
“He‘s a ruthless terrorist.” Spence said grimly. “Bombings - robberies - kidnappings.”

"But we finally caught up with him.”
“How?” Charlie asked curiously, polishing a glass.

“Well, three MI6 agents were kidnapped in Belfast several days ago.”
"One of the agents escaped and phoned MI6 the location of the place he’d been held.”
"The man behind the operation was Tommy O'Dale."

"We went in - captured the whole bunch. One of his men talked - told us where Tommy was hiding out...”

He pulled a silenced Walther PPK out of his jacket and set it on the bar.

Charlie looked down at it and then raised his eyes to Spence.
Spence stared coldly back at him.
“Hello - Tommy.”
“You aren’t with MI6, are you?” Charlie-Tommy asked.
Spence shook his head. “Nope - I’m an assassin. A little girl got paralyzed by one of your bombs. That little girl’s father happens to be very rich - and very angry too.”

Mr. Fitzhugh watched the two men with appraising eyes over his glass of wine.

“Now I’m afraid I’ll have to kill you.” Spence told Tommy, raising his gun.

“Can I have your lager?” Mr. Fitzhugh asked, reaching for it.
“Get your hands away from that!” Spence said irritably, slapping his hand with the PPK.

As Spence turned towards the old man, Tommy quickly ran out the back door.
“He’s getting away!” Fitzhugh yelled.
The assassin dashed out, his gun raised. Behind him Fitzhugh gulped down the lager.

A black Audi raced past Spence with Tommy at the wheel.

He took careful aim at the back tyres and fired once - twice - three times.

He missed.

The Audi swerved around a corner and was gone.
Tucking the PPK into his coat, Spence ground his teeth in a silent snarl of rage.
“Well, you did it.” Mr. Fitzhugh said, walking up beside him.
“Did what?” Spence snapped.
“You broke your New-years resolution. Cheers!” and with that the old man tipped his hat and walked away.

Winning Entry for 12/9, by cc.slim

Assignment: Your character runs into someone he/she hasn't seen in a long time.


Team gather around the coach blared before blowing his whistle. I gathered a couple of basketballs and tossed them to Link the assistant coach and hustled over to the huddle of players.
Team, today we are going to work on ball handling skills and hustle with these drills. Baby hands take these three and Chairman and work on inside control, lay-ups on three and you bozo’s up here with me boomed Coach Carter.

Hey Baby hands that’s a basketball not a handful of teat shouted Josh as the rest of us chuckled because we knew Tim alias Baby hands worked on his family dairy and we knew he knew the difference because as a team leader he knew how to handle the basketball.
Quiet Josh we know you’re here to keep from going home and working with your daddy so we’ll see if I can’t replace what you’re avoiding growled the coach. Ok, you six work on doing the crisscross with lay-ups until I get back. Nathan, come with me the coach said as he turned towards the locker room.

Now what could have I done I thought, my grades are fine and I practiced hard at every practice. Nathan, I got word from Sally that you needed to leave early to go home and let me tell you that I’m sorry for your loss and we’ll see you when you get back the coach said in a softly. Also congratulations on the scholarship to Oklahoma University. Thanks coach, I want to play my last year in high school so I’ll hurry back I replied. Great now get out of here Coach Carter said as he slapped my back.

I chuckle to myself because hearing Coach Carter talking soft and how Sally is always looking out for us students.
As I enter down into the locker room I hear a familiar voice.
I turned and was face to face with my childhood friend William. I squared him up for he has grown in the two years since we’ve seen each other. You have aged well Nathan, he retorted first with his patented sideways smile. Look whose talking old man I snapped back as I went to hug him. Whoa slow down there Nathan this is a two hundred dollar suit and freshly starched and I don’t want it wrinkled so Here, lets see if you still have that sissy grip of a handshake. Now, working hard at the mill I have developed quite a grip along with upper body strength. Quickly I grasp his hand and give him my almost famous smile. Oh ok that’s has changed since I left as he quickly shaking off my hand. Nathan, I have an appointment that I can’t be late for but I just had to see you he said briskly as he turned to leave adding stop by Mickey’s around seven tonight and we’ll talk more as the locker door closed behind him before I could reply.

My minds starts racing.

Winning Entry for 10/9, by cc.slim

Assignment: Choose a favorite story or novel, or use your own original story, and write a monologue prologue for it.



How many of you have burdens!? I do! But just the other day I thought I gave all mine to Jesus Christ!The word “burden” was spoken in a conversation and it caught my interest. A quick glace at myself was to say nope no “burden” here!But could I have missed something?So I looked at this word “burden” to be sure that Jesus had all that I could give him.I looked in the bible; I looked in the dictionary. In both books the word “burden” is defined to be a heavy or unmanageable load. So I had to dig higher for a burden that is above the responsibility of being a Christian.One word stood out that could cause a burden. So I studied that one word and I found astonishing results! In the bible this word’s meaning has already doubled its adversary! In the dictionary this one word that could cause a “burden” quadruples its opposite.How can this single most powerful word ever be a “burden”?How can the greatest gift ever to be given be my “burden”?I asked and I received.I give and I will be given.Ah Ha, Love can be a” burden”!When a Christian does not live up to their responsibilities to give Love, Love thenBecomes a “burden”! All the power and might of Love is stuck inside of you, waiting to be given and you don’t give.So here I am, full to the top like a tall drink of water and the only time I lose any of this water is when I am sloshing here or sloshing there but never really giving out plentiful refreshment wherever I go.So I stand before you as “A Messenger with a Burden of Love”.

Winning Entry for 9/22, by Strong Fortress

Assignment: Write a monologue for a Biblical character of your choice.


Have you ever just felt so small, like everyone looked down on you? Let me tell you that I can relate. It was bad enough that the Midianites invaded our land and ruined our crops. Talk about oppression. But to add to that, try being the least in your family of the weakest clan. You’re treating like nothing. I didn’t think much of myself in those days. I believed what everyone thought of me, but that changed one day….That was the day the angel of the LORD appeared and called me to fight our oppressors. I looked to see who was behind me, I mean, he couldn’t be talking to me. I told him he must be mistaken because I am so insignificant. He simply replied the LORD would be with me.Soon after, the LORD called me to summon an army. Wow, was it a powerful show of force; I was sure we could win, even if I was leading it. But the LORD told me I had too many soldiers, so I cut down the number from 32,000 to 10,000 and then to 300 soldiers.“How could we win?” I prayed to the LORD. “Our numbers are so small!” But, you know what, we won that battle and the LORD let me know why. He said that the numbers had to be small because it was the only way our people would know that it was the LORD of Abraham, not them that did this, so they would turn from Baal back to Him. He said I needed to learn this lesson as well.You see, it does not matter what other men think when they see you, but how the LORD sees you. The LORD called me, Gideon, a “mighty warrior!” What is He calling you?

Winning Entry for 9/16/06, by notashamed

Assignment: Create a story which features the following objects: A pencil, a dune buggy and a seismograph (instrument for detecting earthquakes).


Woody could tell that the day was going to be special when he woke up. He got out of bed and started his normal morning routines: doing a crossword, balancing his checkbook, and getting all the fuzz off his head. He wanted to go for a ride today. His roommate always had the keys to the dune buggy, and so he couldn’t get a ride without him. His roommate always seemed to have all the fun and be in control of everything in Woody’s life. Woody didn’t mind though. He was not a take charge sort of guy.

Woody lived high on a tabletop plateau. It seemed like there were always earthquakes were he lived. He always wished he had access to a seismograph, but that just wasn’t his lot in life. He knew the frequent earthquakes were a result of the four shaky legs of his plateau. The dog would run by and it would shake, or a door would slam and once again he would feel like he needed to hang on for dear life.

That all changed on this day though. Woody was right that today was going to stand out among all the days of his life. His roommate picked him up (so he did get to ride in the dune buggy after all) and drove a long while. His roommate stopped to get gas, and Woody fell out of the car onto the pavement! Then his roommate drove off without him. Woody didn’t mind though. He was excited to have this new experience. Here he was, only a small pencil, in a great big world. He did not know what would happen next, but he couldn’t wait to find out.


forum link

A new start for Assignment: Writing!

I am so pleased to announce that this writing contest has found a new home with the Christian Gamer's Alliance. Come check it out!

Assignment: Writing! Forum

Contest rules and guidelines haven't changed much - 300 word contest, pm'ed to me and reposted anonymously. Open to everyone, and voting/critiquing isn't limited to contestants, so come join in on the fun!

Assignment winner for Feb 14, 2006

The assignment for this week: Someone asks your character what love is. How does he/she respond?

The winner: Bob Blackman!

WHAT IS LOVE
In iambic octameter

Please, what is love, I asked the sage
Is it concrete or just a dream?
Is it a play upon a stage,
Or is it more, something supreme?

The sage, he sat and thought a while
His silence, minutes, days, a week.
Concentration without a smile,
T'was mute this bard of words mystique.

In February, upon the ides
He whispered soft, much like a bird
A mystery this sage provides
Conundrum were, the words I heard.

I shake my head, acquire bearing
My mind, it twists, resists and squirms
Said he, "love is one half sharing,
Sharing struggles, labor and germs."

"Second half of love is bearing
Lovers sorrow, sadness, woes.
Tempers wearing, silent swearing."
Confusion and frustration grows.

"Love is Hoping without a cause
It's trusting with no guarantees
It's worrying without a pause
Measureless stress without degrees."

He said that Love's a dreadful word
A word of bane of trial and pain
Theater of the most absurd
Yet still I long, to it attain.

Assignment winner for Jan 20, 2006

The assignment was to write a story based on the above photograph.

The winning entry was written by Bob Blackman.

Hippopotamus and the Tortoise

Howard the hippopotamus was grazing alone in the great field by the
river's edge.  He always grazed alone. He liked it that way because
the thing Howard hated most was sharing.  If another hippo, or any
other animal entered the field where he was grazing, Howard, being the
biggest of all the animals, rudely chased them away.  On this
particular day, Howard had discovered a patch of particularly lush
green grasses. As he nibbled away, with his eyes to the ground his
forward movement was abruptly halted when he bumped into a large tortoise.

Howard sized the tortoise up. He noted two things. First, that they
were relatively equal in size, and second, he was much more agile then
the slow moving tortoise.  He immediately decided that of the two of
them, he, the hippopotamus was obviously superior.

"Get out of my field!" Howard demanded.

The tortoise raised his head, turned it in Howard's direction, stared
for half a minute then returned to munching on the grass.  This made
Howard exceedingly angry. A few foolish animals had from time to time
argued with him, but none had ever ignored him. He raised to his full
height and puffed out his chest. "You will depart my field
immediately, or experience the power of my wrath," he shouted.

The tortoise continued to ignore him, causing Howard to shake with
anger. He backed off a couple of yards, pawed the ground, and grunted
loudly.

The tortoise turned his head toward Howard, and spoke softly, "Young
hippopotamus, you are rude and obnoxious. You may well be the owner of
this field, though I sincerely doubt it. None-the-less, until you
soften your tone and respectfully say please, I shall continue to
ignore your unpleasant self.

Howard was overcome with anger. He pawed the ground again, lowered he
head and charged. He did not see the tortoise quietly ease his body to
the grass and draw his legs into his shell.  The force with which
Howard crashed against the tortoise shook a nearby tree and the sound
of the collision thundered across the field. Howard's hind legs flew
into the air and he tumbled tail over snout, onto the grass on the
other side of the tortoise.

The tortoise rose, turned to face him and said quietly, "Now that you
have gotten that out off your system, my offer remains. I have eaten
my fill and if you ask politely, I will gladly relinquish this field
to you."

Howard sat dazed and stared at the tortoise for several minutes then
humbly said, "If you don't mind sir, I should like to eat some of the
grass from your field."

The tortoise smiled, said, "Enjoy," then strolled slowly away.

The assignment: Your character comes across someone from his/her past who doesn't remember your character – and your character wants to take advantage of the situation.

The winner: Debra Wilson (dmwilson1955)

An Unlikely Stranger

It was hard to believe that one of her classmates had passed away. There hadn't been a huge crowd at the funeral and now she satquietly off in a corner; waiting – as she always did – for someone else to make the first move.

"Oh my gosh!" the middle age stranger exclaimed as she reached out and literally yanked Renee from her seat and embraced her in a hug that signified they must have once been best of friends. "I can't believe it … I was hoping you would come."

Renee searched her memory, desperately trying to place the face,the voice. She came up blank. She tried to hide it because thiswoman obviously knew her and it would be embarrassing to have toadmit that she didn't have a clue who she was speaking with.

"How are you?" Renee asked, stalling for time.

"I'm great, how about you?" Before Renee could answer the woman continued, "What has it been, twenty years? Remember when…" and off she went into a detailed description of a past Renee had long tried to put behind her. She looked around, praying no one was listening to their conversation. This woman was recounting a time when she was young and stupid and had done things that brought her shame for years to come.

The stranger seemed oblivious to the distress she was creating in Renee. She could feel her palms breaking out in a sweat and though she longed to escape she was mesmerized by the detail in which the woman recounted her sins. Over and over she went through her memory trying to place the face. She had never had many friends, usually just two or three close friends. Perhaps one of them had betrayed her. How else would this stranger know so much about her?

"Oh my, I've gone on and on and haven't given you achance to say a thing, how stupid of me! So, how are Leah & Jess?"

"You know them too?" Renee asked, puzzled.

"Well, of course. They were your best friends. Ah – you have no idea who I am, do you?" With the realization the stranger threw back her head and laughed.

"I'm sorry," Renee apologized, "I'm trying to remember. I never really had many friends. I'm sure you remember that unless I was drinking, I was pretty much a loner."

"Sure, I remember, but I was beginning to think you had forgotten."

"Frankly, my collage days are something I would prefer to forget."

"Well then, I guess I best be on my way." Renee detected rejection and anger in the voice of the stranger.

"Please, I didn't mean to offend you. Won't you tell me who you are?"

"That's easy. Remember the old saying, `Your past willcome back to haunt you?'" With that said, years began to melt away from the strangers face and Renee stood staring at a reflection of herself – twenty years ago. It was in that moment she realized that she was the classmate who had died.