Prompt Word: Mouse Minervie and Chip 32 Minervie stood in the Gathering Wood, next to a tree on a gentle hill. Between tree roots, among an overgrowth of native plants was a hole. “Come out and face me, and we’ll talk. If I have to come for you, you WILL be sorry,” Minervie warned. A horned rabbit came up, breathing very fast, and stood there, then after about 15 seconds moved off to one side....

Prompt Word: Land Penny Collins, Business Manager 6 McMahon pointed from the left as the men nodded along, “This is Mr. Archos, Mr. Juniper, and Mr. Ventes.” Mr. Ventes added, “I’m not a boss, I’m the lawyer.” He lifted his briefcase some, “There are a few things for you to sign, I’ll go over them with you, later.” Penny was mostly overwhelmed, as Joan Ismail circled around and came up next to her....

Background The band Europe had one big hit: The Final Countdown. It is a pervasive earworm for many, especially the keyboard bit. Anyway, one day, my wife and I were at a restaurant, and it was well after 9PM. Suddenly, a few tables over a baby started crying uncontrollably, and we both got tense from the grating sound. For levity, I sang at her, “It’s the Baby Meltdown.” Then I wrote a verse for the song, too....

Prompt Word: Hive Minervie and Chip 31 Minervie said sternly, “Stop.” Chip froze. Quietly, she said, “Back up towards me slowly.” Chip did as he was told, and Minervie picked him up very carefully, and started backing up herself. At about 10 paces further back, she set him back down, and stayed crouching, and pointed at the side of the tree they’d backed away from, “Do you see that?” “The tree?...