The mulberry bush stopped rustling after Henry and Ron crawled under. Neither had to wait long before seeing what they sought.
A turkey hen strutted out, leading the parade of her babies.
"Ooh, look at those #goblets!" An elbow bumped Ron's ribs.
"Goblets?" Ron whispered.
"Yeah don't be dumb." Henry rolled his eyes. "Dogs have puppies. Cats have kittens. Bears have cubs. Fish have fry. 'raptors have eyas. Turkeys gobble, therefore goblets."
"Tell me again why I hang out with you?"
#wss366
"Is it really *me*, though?"
"If you don't like it, wear a wig."
"I can't! They're itchy!"
"You do this *every time* you get a new #haircut. Maybe you just need "different" hair?"
"It's not the *hair*; it's the *style*. I'm not the same every day, y'know. This is just part of the process. Of life!"
"Incessant complaining?"
"Yes! That's the fun part."
"...this right here, *this* is why I'm bald."
"Why don't *you* get a wig, then?"
"...."
"...."
"...."
"Say it."
"But, they're so itchy!"
---
"#Haircut, haircut,
How short you want it?
Cut it to the shoulders
Cut it to the chin
Shave it all off
Slip the razor right IN!"
--and then the twirlers would make the rope go super fast & the jumper would jump super fast, until they couldn't keep up & the rope lashed their legs.
"Kind of bloodthirsty rhyme," said the visitor, shuddering.
"Ehhh, the Disturbances hit harder here than in some places," said the guide. "Anyway, kids are naturally bloodthirsty."
Abby looked in the mirror. "Should I get a #haircut? My bangs are getting long."
Barb came up from behind, put her arms around her, and looked over her shoulder. "Mmm…" she hummed. "I like 'em long." Then she slid her hands down and stroked under her belly. "A shave might be nice, though."
An old bell announced Joey's arrival. Mario stood and smoothed his white hair.
"'Ey, itsa good to see you Joseph. C'mon up." A cape dusted off the barber chair, inviting Joey to sit.
"'Ow you want eet?" An unbreakable comb ran across Joey's scalp.
Joey raised his chin, "Buzzed."
"Not your usual #haircut?" The old Italian raised an eyebrow.
Joey stared at himself in the mirror then at Mario, "I've got business."
With a nod, the clipper began humming and brown hair began to fall.
#wss366
exile
everything north
of the Mass Pike
#wss366
While checking out the cereal section, Chris asked Steven, "How come the supermarket uses numbers for their aisles?"
Steven shrugged, "Numbers are easy?"
"No," Chris snorted. "If they used the alphabet nobody would return from the X aisle."
Later in the frozen section, "Do you know what one calls an island with four peninsulas?"
Steven rolled his eyes, "I regret this already but what?"
"An X isle."
#wss366
Sam watched from the campus's edge as a crowd of gathered under a green flag. Someone tapped his shoulder.
"Hurry up, you'll be late for La Kongreso!" It was Sue. Dark hair, light eyes, pale skin. She was damp from running.
Sam shook his head, "I can't. They #exiled me."
"What?" She took his hand but his hand slipped out. "What happened?"
"I spoke English in front of someone who only spoke Czech."
Her stare burned into him, "Krokodilulaĉo!" with a sneer before turning her back on him.
#wss366
living in *exile*,
my hugs don't have the same "oomph!",
you know what i mean?
She startled awake as the boat moved steadily on, rocking gently in it's downriver sail. Slowly, she stretched, then gave gramma's rescued jar of sourdough starter a loving pet. It was buried deep within her bags--a makeshift shelter from the wind's bite--the only thing she'd managed to take with her in her exile.
Her wife turned, let go of the rudder to take her hand. "We're almost there."
"Almost home," she murmured, and wearily closed her eyes. #MastoPrompt #MicroPrompt #WSS366
"So, you're going to join a commune?"
"What? No!"
"But you are doing a back-to-nature thing?"
"I don't know. I mean, I'll plan a garden. Raise some chickens. Maybe try learn to hunt."
"Sounds like joining a commune to me."
"It's nothing like a commune!"
"How is it different?"
"Well, I'll be alone, for one thing. It's called internal self #exile. "
"I dunno, dude. Sounds like a lame, lonely commune to me."
Curtiss tried to will himself to sleep, as he knew experienced soldiers were supposed to be able to do. But he couldn't, his mind whirling with dark thoughts throughout the flight.
Shortly before sunrise, Curtiss shivered as he disembarked alone from *Cherry's Chastity*. The aerodrome was deserted and the buildings were all locked. At the edge of the field, he saw a sign for the Westland Military Academy. Empty-handed, he began walking. His thoughts were dark as he began his #exile.
As Sergeant Baker strode into the barracks, the men quieted down.
"Next week we're having exercises with those farmboys from Butterfield Arsenal," he said. "Squad Six has been assigned to #screen the left flank."
"Who's going to lead?" Flypaper asked.
"Who do you want?"
The men looked at one another, then with one voice they said, "Curtains."
"Looks like it's all you, boy," Baker said to Curtains. "Don't embarrass us."
"Has he ever?" laughed Roughneck.
"I'll do my best, Sergeant."
So far today in the #wss366 hashtag we have contributions from @extraspecialbitter, @FrostPoem, @tobadzistsini, and me. Will @stevendbrewer join us? Let me check the ~ screen ~ of the magic 8-ball for a prediction.
Hmm: my first answer was "concentrate and ask again," but my second answer was "without a doubt"! --don't make the magic 8 ball a liar, @stevendbrewer !
(And anyone else with a question for the magic 8 ball, you can ask it at the link below)
https://magic-8ball.com
Her tongue slipped back in then out again followed by a blink where her eyes sunk all the way into her skull, "You sweet and wonderful kreet." She touched his shoulder, "I like you too. But you don't need to..."
"I don't!" Beat. "But I wanna." He met her gaze.
"Thank you, but..." she paused, "We have the interstellar language of love."
Eric and Kira fell on each other in laughter. 8/8
#wss366
"Chattr?" She thumbed and her tongue stuck out a tiny bit, "You're learning Kapapa?"
Pidgin chirped, "You're really making a splash, Eric!" and Kira rolled her eyes in a very human way then closed the #screen.
Looking at his shoes, "Iunno. I just wanted go reach out." His voice softened a bit more, "Let you know I like you." 7/x
#wss366
Narrator: Krink have no concept of personal space. 6/x
#wss366