At the intersection of writing and life with the author of the Cameron Ballack mysteries

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Torching the Envelope

Toward the end of the school year, I mentioned an innovative group activity we used in my Ethics classes, dividing into clusters of 3-4 students and--in rotating sequences--drawing select words out of cups and writing five different 100-word stories called drabbles about some of the Ten Commandments.

While I mentioned the fun of trying something new, it's only fair to  state that one group managed to pull off a story that was named Best Overall. It's exactly one hundred words, arranged in a hilarious story about theft (the eighth commandment) and done so in thirty-three sentences of three words each, followed by a monosyllabic ending word.

I'm not making this up.

So it's only fair to share the creativity of Johnny Hardin, Elisabeth Harding, and Nate Applebaum. It's entitled simply "8".

Patrick walked in. He was shifty. He saw novel. Novel looked good. Novel was prayer. Patrick likes novel. Patrick steals novel. Patrick walks out. Godfrey is storeclerk. Godfrey sees Patrick. "NO LIKE THIEVES!" "Hey," Godfrey screams. Godfrey calls police. Patrick runs out. Police tackle Patrick. Patrick breaks leg. Patrick is sad. Patrick visits court. Judge is angry. Jury is unforgiving. Patrick sues police. Leg is broken. Patrick is guilty. Sentenced to die. Patrick attempted escaping. Police tackle Patrick. Break other leg. Patrick is shot. Godfrey feels bad.  Godfrey quits job. Names kid Patrick. Patrick breaks leg. Lives happily forever. Fin.

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