Saturday, January 24, 2009

Raven's 47

Today I face another Raven's Challenge.
10 Word Challenge: air tight seal, bitter cold, draft card, diner, paragon of virtue, broken computer monitor, CPR, a love of folk music, scatter-brained, can of worms


Stan Hanson was concerned about the amount of time Carol was spending with the new boy she met at the concert to raise money for the homeless. They were meeting every day,to go to the concerts at the Tower Center, and he was not sure if it was their love of folk music. She was only thirteen, and sometimes a little scatter- brained. Stan was going to check on the computer to see if he could find any information on Mark Clark, but he had a broken computer monitor. Mark was vague about were he was living, and Stan had not met either parent. Then there was that rumor that Carol and Mark had gone up to the second floor of the Tower Center, and had got rid of the ghost. Professional ghost hunters were driven away, so that could not be true. Carol had not said anything about it. Maybe if he asked Mark to come to the diner . They could have something to eat . While they were eating and chatting he could get some answers to his questions.
Lunch with the Hansons should be an easy thing to do, but for Mark it was not. Eating was a problem because he was not in his true form and he had no need for food of the humanoid version. The best solution was to transform this body to be able to eat. He knew that this diner thing was a way for Mr. Hanson to find some information about him, information he did not want to give. In his true form of a blue crystal, he had no need of shelter ,so for practical purposes he was homeless. If Mr Hanson asked about his parents, his answers could open another can of worms. He wanted to keep seeing Carol, and he wanted her to accompany him as he investigated the tower. He would go to the diner with the Hansons.
Mr. Hanson and family met Mark at the diner. The weather had become suddenly bitter cold forcing the use of protective outside clothing , which only the Hansons were wearing . Mark had no protective clothing, and gave no indications that he was in any way uncomfortable. Mark noticed the questioning looks as they entered the diner.
Sitting down at a table,Mark tried to decide if a good offense was better than a good defense. He broke the rule against mind reading of humanoids. Mr Hanson was not a paragon of virtue, he did not have a draft card, a law in Couldbe. That did not help Mark think of how to truthfully handle Mr. Hanson's questions. Their hot drinks were brought to the table in cups with air tight seals. Mrs Hanson took a few sips and she began to have trouble breathing. She fell to the floor. Mr Hanson moved quickly to her side giving her CPR. Chairs and table pushed aside. Aid was called and soon attendance were on hand, and she was transported to the hospital. Carol gave Mark a angry look as she jumped into the transport car with her father and mother.
Mark had moved back against the counter. He was thinking to himself I am not to blame. Mind searching caused problems in humanoid brains. Was that the reason Mrs. Hanson had an attack? No,no he was not to blame. He was concerned for Mrs.Hanson health, but mostly the possible now break-up of himself and Carol.
Mark moved to back behind the diner to shape shift into his true form, and moved to the hospital through the walls. He now took the form of a nurse, and looked for the room that Mrs. Hanson was taken to.
Mrs. Hanson was in cased in a machine that would diagnose, and possibly heal her. The family was in a side room waiting for the results. In an hours time, Mrs. Hanson was able to go home.
There was no resolution of Mark and Carol's relationship. Mark was determine to restore that relationship.

Mini Challenge:

California here I come, Springtime in Alberta, panorama, etchings, miracle foot repair,

Looking at the panorama of the North American map, Sandy Shore was looking where to travel to next. Would it be California here I come, or spring time in Alberta?Did she travel so much because of the Gypsy curse? The Gypsy curse was to have an unseen penguin haunt you. Did the curse also give you wander lust?
It did not matter where she would go that penguin would also be there. Traveling cost money, and she had not done a picture lately. She was short of traveling expenses. Could she sell her etchings?
As she was about to make a phone call, the door bell rang and the letter carrier stood holding a large box. She handed Sandy the package and her mail. Sandy put the package on the kitchen table and opened it. It was full of small packages containing a miracle foot repair lotion. She search for an invoice. She found the sheet but apparently she had no bill. She could not locate who sent the package, but she suspected the penguin. He or she wanted her to sell the lotion to get money for a trip. Sandy wanted no part of going door to door selling foot lotion.
Sandy went to her computer to research the Gypsy Curse. There was nothing to help her remove her penguin ,except a small side note about care of those children who were left or abandoned by their parents.
Sandy went to Family Services to check to see how she could assist them. They told her about monetary donations and things like diapers, and basic needs. They mentioned about a mentoring program. Sandy gave a monetary donation and signed up in the mentoring program. It took some time while they checked her out and found a match. Her life felt fuller as she found a new companion to share some time . She also had very healthy feet.

9 comments:

Dr.John said...

Best yet. I enjoyed both stories.
The last one leaves the door open to getting rid of the penguin but doesn't require it. Well done.

Melli said...

Ohhhhhh goodness! You know... young Mark just makes some foolish mistakes - but hopefully he will learn from them. I'm not sure his motives for restoring that relationship are right though... I wonder if Carol will.

Wow! This penguin certainly has moved Sandy's life into avenues she might not have pursued otherwise. I wonder if it's the curse that gave her wanderlust or if she's JUST trying to run away from the penguin!? Either way - healthy feet is a plus! I wish I had some of that lotion...

Akelamalu said...

I love the idea of a machine that can diagnose and possibly heal! How good would that be? :)

Great stories, the first one was my favourite :)

Dianne said...

you know how much I love the penguin but Dr John is right - the young mentee could be the perfect place for the penguin to move on - or not ;)

Richard said...

The love life of a young Zonic is tough. Loved this week's story.

Rich

Anonymous said...

I don't understand what happened to Carol and Mark's relationship. Did Carol suspect Mark had something to do with her mother's sudden illness? Why? And how did Mark figure that out?

And if Mark can't eat human food, how did he live with a family for years and the father not suspect he was an alien? Did I miss an episode somewhere?

bettygram said...

Quilly:
Carol just suspects Mark might be to blame, because of his evasiveness and his producing a tuna on rye sandwich. Carol gave Mark a angry look, and his guilt.
His father does know he doesn't want others to know.

Anonymous said...

Very nice stories. I made mine short because I thought it had to be a paragraph. Next time I will make it longer.

Raven said...

Poor Mark, trying so hard and having so many bumps on the road to finding a place to belong... I enjoyed both stories. I'm awfully fond of that penguin so I hope he/she sticks around. I'm kind of hoping Sandy will embrace the magic... and now of course we are all waiting to find out what's going to happen... the mark of a good story.