It's time for May's challenge, and as we spiring into springtime, it's time to get inventive with the challenge. Your prompt for May is:
Invention
And that can be any kind of invention: an actual contraption, a plan, a scheme, a lie, a tall tale, a methodology, a red-herring, or even a crossover with something fitting the prompt.
So, what are we waiting for? Get writing.
rachel741
Posts : 102 Join date : 2019-09-15 Age : 50 Location : United Kingdom
Subject: Re: Invention Sun May 08, 2022 12:11 am
LOL. Stealing an idea from the long, illustrious writing history of ASJ!
Typing fiercely, deep in the throes of yet another hurt Kid story, the writer failed to notice she had company, until a warm huff of breath by her ear made her jump. She turned quickly to be faced with a disgruntled, but still devilishly handsome curly haired cowboy frowning at her.
"Don't you ever get bored of tormenting me?"
Looking up into deep blue eyes, the writer's thoughts went quickly in a totally different direction, that involved satin sheets and chocolate. But with true dedication to her craft she wrestled her mind back onto the matter at hand. "I'm only following a fine old tradition of hurt comfort."
The Kid's frown deepened then his expression cleared a little as he said hopefully. "Well, maybe you can invent a new tradition of just writing the comfort. You seem a real nice lady." He squinted at the screen, winced and added ruefully. "Most times anyways."
Feeling mildly guilty and somewhat influenced by the kicked puppy expression on the Kid's face she briefly considered his words before shaking her head. "I'm British, Kid, we do love our traditions, you know, trooping the colour, changing the guard, tormenting handsome gunslingers. Besides, I don't have the imagination." This was a lie of course, she was very good at imagining things that involved anything but torment, but her victim, um muse didn't need to know that.
The Kid frowned and blew out a heavy breath as he eyed the typing on the screen again. " That don't make no sense, cos you're real good at inventing new ways of hurting me! I thought you liked me."
The writer's heart softened slightly at the real sense of dismayed, puzzled, hurt in the Kid's voice and as she read what she'd written could see his point and gave in for once. "Well Kid, what do you suggest?"
The Kid's face brightened and he sat down next to her. As he leaned over, her heart sped up and she decided that she'd agree to just about anything so long as he stayed right where he was. "Well I figure I'm about due a long weekend with a pretty gal and a warm bath."
fledge23, Nebraska Wildfire and Kattayl like this post
Kattayl
Posts : 47 Join date : 2020-08-10 Age : 69 Location : Los Angeles, Ca
Subject: Re: Invention Tue May 17, 2022 7:51 pm
Invention is the Mother of Amnesty
May 2022 Challenge
Breathing a quiet sigh of relief, Hannibal Heyes, Jed ‘Kid’ Curry, and the Devil’s Hole Gang returned to their hidden hideout. Firing two shots into the air, Heyes did not wait for an answer, just led them at full speed home. It had been a long hard ride. Holding up the train had gone according to plan, but when they got to the point to transfer horses, there were none. Heyes’ anger at the missing Leonard brothers, with the horses that were already paid for, was uncontrolled. It was not directed at those with him, but at the Leonards, the roads, the posse, and the world. Having to stop to rest and feed the horses had cost them time and allowed the posse to get that much closer.
In the end, they had pushed the horses as hard as they could, lost the posse and made it to Devil’s Hole. Heyes handed his horse over to the McWinter boys in their stable and strode to his cabin. He stopped when he saw that the porch was stacked with boxes, blocking the entrance.
Curry was already standing, hands on hip, annoyed at the boxes. Luke McWinter came and stood between the two leaders that he idolized.
“Went down and picked up the supplies and mail. All them boxes, except one, are addressed to Kyle Murtry.” Luke went up to the porch and found the box he was looking for. “This one here’s addressed to H. H. Smith.”
Taking the package, Heyes smiled. He knew it was the books he had ordered from Chicago. He had let Luke know to look for packages with that alias. “And all the others are for Kyle?”
“KYLE!” yelled Curry, without turning to look at the bunkhouse. “Get over here, NOW!”
Running over, Kyle had his usual smile. “Yah, Kid, what’d ya want.”
Pointing to the boxes, Curry simply said, “That!”
“Yippee, it finally came.” Kyle jumped up on the porch fingering the boxes. I’ll move them to the storage shack right now. Goin’ to set it up in there.”
As Kyle carried the first and largest box down the porch stairs, Heyes stopped him. “Set what up?”
“Goin’ make me a lot of money with this here new invention. Spent most of my take from the Park Hill bank job to order it. A real purty girl in the saloon in Colorado helped me with all the readin’ and writin’ parts.” Pushing past Heyes, Kyle headed for the shed.
Heyes and Curry started to follow him. “You’re welcome to see it, but would you mind carryin’ some boxes if you’re comin’ this way.” Kyle smiled a smile wide enough to show his brown tobacco-stained teeth.
Not sharing Kyle’s enthusiasm, Heyes walked up on the porch and kicked the remaining boxes from in front of the door. “Too tired to care.” With a sorry smile to Kyle, Curry followed him inside.
“Heyes, ain’t you curious what’s in them boxes? Thought you were always.”
“No, Kid, just curious if my bed is cleared off. I’m beat. Can’t keep my eyes open.”
Curry nodded, feeling the same way. Hearing Kyle on the porch picking up more of the boxes, he shook his head, hung his holster on the headboard near his right hand and immediately fell asleep.
An hour later, Heyes stormed into Curry’s bedroom yelling, “Okay, Kid, let’s go.”
Jerking awake, Curry looked at his cousin with dream-filled eyes. “Huh?”
“I know you won’t sleep until we find out what Kyle’s up to, so let’s go.”
Giving Heyes an incredulous look, Curry turned towards the wall. “Havin’ a nice dream about the North sisters. Goin’ to finish it first.”
Understanding that Curry could sleep almost anytime, Heyes sighed. As exhausted as he was, not knowing what invention was in Kyle’s boxes had kept him awake. Barefoot, with only his pants over his long johns, Heyes made a show of stomping out of the leader’s cabin and over to the storage shed.
The camp was quiet, all the men worn out from the perilous ride home. The only sounds were the young McWinter boys doing their chores. The door to the shed was wide open.
“Kyle!”
With every box torn open, Kyle was sleeping on the floor surrounded by machine parts, rolls of wire and papers. Papers were even clutched in Kyle’s hands.
“Kyle, wake up!” Heyes stepped gingerly into the shed picking up papers as he entered. “What is all this? Looks like a mess to me.”
Looking downtrodden, Kyle answered, “Aww, Heyes, it’s a four-stage safety pin machine, but I can’t read the instructions to get it together. Thought it would come with pictures.” He threw the papers in his hand in the air. “Only one picture and I can’t make out what it means.”
Curiosity aroused, Heyes took charge. “Put all the pieces against that wall. Try to keep what came in each box together. Then bring all of those papers over here. Go to the cabin and get me paper and pencil.”
“Thanks, Heyes.” Kyle hurried to move the parts and then stack the papers on a table near the wall.
As he hurried out the door to fetch the paper and pencil, he heard Heyes yell after him. “Kyle, do NOT wake the Kid.”
ASJ*****ASJ
When Curry woke, he was hungry, more than hungry, ravenous. Finding Heyes’ room empty, he headed to the bunkhouse for coffee and food. Disappointed that there was no smell of breakfast wafting on the air, he sighed and looked around. Maybe everyone slept late today.
“Lobo, where is everyone?” Curry asked as he entered a near empty bunkhouse without even coffee brewing.
“The storage shed. Heyes’ been helping Kyle put together all them mechanical pieces. They ain’t lettin’ no one in there. It was Kyle’s turn to cook so there ain’t no breakfast either.”
Growling, Curry walked over and started coffee. Then, with purpose, he strode to the storage shed. With the gang loitering by the door, Curry forced his way through and tried the handle. When he found it locked, he banged on the door. “Heyes, Kyle, open this door.”
A curious whirring noise stopped, and Curry heard footsteps approach the door. Opening the door a crack, part of Kyle’s smiling face appeared. “Heyes don’t want anyone in here yet. Sorry, Kid.”
“Kyle, you were supposed to make breakfast today.”
“Oh, yeah.” He smiled sheepishly. “Maybe someone else could do it this mornin’.” He closed the door, but his voice could still be heard. “Heyes, how much longer you need?”
Curry couldn’t hear Heyes answer but Kyle opened the crack again. “Heyes says in half an hour he’ll have a gang meetin’ and would you start breakfast…at least the coffee.”
“Coffee’s on. Heyes been here all night?” Curry attempted to see around Kyle as the whirring sound started again.
“Yup, all night.” The door slammed shut.
ASJ***ASJ
Sitting around the table in the bunkhouse, Heyes paced at the head of the table. “Kyle decided that any man who wants to buy into his company, he can for one thousand dollars.”
A whistle went up around the table as anxious looks were exchanged, but Heyes ignored it all. “Here’s your cuts from the train robbery. That gives most of you more than enough for this.” He turned to the McWinter boys. “If you want to buy in, you will have to combine all your money and that will give you a half share.”
The brothers looked at each other and at the money in their hands. Luke McWinter spoke for them. “Think we’ll pass, sir. Never had this much money before. Thanks for askin’ us, though.” His brothers nodded, stood as one and left.
Distributing their cuts to the rest of the gang, Heyes watched each one count their share.
“Hey, mine’s light!” Curry exclaimed.
“Already took your buy-in out of your share, Kid.” Heyes gave him a sincere smile. “Knew you wouldn't want to miss the opportunity.”
“I guess not. Still have enough to enjoy the next trip to town.”
Clapping his hands, Heyes asked, “So, who else is in?”
“Heyes you ain’t told us what it is we’re buying into,” demanded Wheat, scowling.
“This!” Heyes plopped a small box on the table.
“What’s that?” asked Hank.
Excited, Kyle answered, “Safety pins, our first box of safety pins!”
No one said anything. Everyone stared at the little box.
“Safety pins?” Curry opened the box and glared at the safety pins. “You took a thousand dollars out of my share to buy safety pins?”
“Kyle didn’t buy safety pins; he bought a machine to make safety pins.”
Looking unsure, Wheat threw a thousand dollars on the table. “Well, I guess, seeing as it’s Kyle and he’s my partner and all…I’m in.”
Preacher laid a thousand on the table. “Well, the Lord giveth and he taketh away. I’m in.”
“You won’t regret it. This is going to make us money, legal money.” Heyes’ excitement was catching.
“Might be time for something legal. I’m in, too.” Lom Trevors dropped his money into the stack.
As Heyes picked up their money, he looked at the other gang members who shook their heads no. “Don’t say we didn’t invite you to get rich. Kid, Wheat, Preacher, Lom come see how we make safety pins.”
Picking up the box, Curry read the printed letters. “DHG Safety Pins. DHG, Heyes?”
“Was Kyle’s idea, DHG, Devil’s Hole Gang,” he laughed. “When we are here, we can take turns running the machine. Got ten boxes now. Two more and I’ll take them over to Cat River Crossing and see if they sell.”
ASJ*****ASJ
Five years later…Amnesty Days
“He’s in there alone,” Heyes said, taking a quick peek in the window.
“Give me a minute. I’m goin; in the back door,” Curry answered.
Counting to ten, Heyes opened the door to the Porterville Sheriff’s office. “Hi Lom!”
“Heyes.” Lom stood up to greet him. “Kid, with you?”
“Right here, Lom.”
Turning Lom saw Kid standing behind him, gun drawn. “No need for the gun, Kid. How are you?”
“Broke, hungry, dirty and tired of lookin’ over my shoulder for trouble,” Curry answered. “Any news from our friend?”
Turning away so he did not have to look them in the eyes, Lom answered, “Sorry, boys, no.”
Curry’s shoulders slumped. Heyes dropped down into a chair.
“But I have an idea,” Lom added.
Two sets of tired eyes, one blue, one brown stared at him, waiting.
“First, Kyle and Wheat were in here and dropped these off for you.” He handed them each an envelope. “And I heard through channels that this governor is not above taking campaign donations.”
Heyes answered, “ALL politicians take campaign donations.”
“Not campaign donations, campaign ‘donations’.”
Too tired to play games, Curry said, “You mean a bribe, Lom?”
“Lom, didn’t you hear what the Kid told you. We’re broke. Flat broke. Not a nickel between us,” Heyes said, annoyed.
“Open your envelopes. They’re from Kyle. He sold DHG and those are your cuts.” He held up a third envelope. “I got one, too.”
Intrigued, Heyes tore the end off of his envelope and a check dropped out. “What’s DHG?”
Laughing, Lom said, “Our safety pin business.”
Curry was reading his check. “This is for five thousand dollars! Ain’t made out to anyone though.”
“We each got five thousand. He didn’t think you could cash them if he put your names on them,” Lom said. “Think fifteen thousand might be enough to make a campaign ‘donation’ to the governor.”
“Lom, you don’t have to…”
Heyes was cut off when Lom said, “Worth it to get you two amnesty and off of my worry list.”
ASJ***ASJ
Two months later, Heyes and Curry returned to Porterville at dusk, searching faces for anyone who might give them trouble.
“Looks like he’s alone but I’ll wait until you get around back,” Heyes told Curry.
“Hi Lom,” he said as he entered the office.
Lom gave him a rare smile and nodded to the three men standing to the side. “Where’s the Kid?”
‘Ah, he went around…”
“I’m right here. Seems Lom finally got a lock on that back door.” Curry grinned as he entered the now crowded office through the front door.
“Now that we’re all here,” Lom spoke loudly to assure everyone’s attention. He opened a bottle of the good whiskey and handed each of them a glass. “To Heyes, the Kid, Preacher, Wheat, and Kyle, who received their amnesties today, thanks to a machine that makes safety pins, and a greedy, about to be ex, governor!”
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