Weekly Wordzzle Challenge # 178

Still going with the story of Fred Johnson,  Paragon of Virtue. Here are links to the previous episodes.  If you need/want to catch up, click here for the 1st installment, 2nd installment, 3rd installment, 4th installment, 5th installment, 6th installment, 7th installment., 8th installment, 9th installment, 10th installment, 11th installment, 12th installment, 13th installment, 14th installment, 15th installment, 16th installment, 17th installment,

Will probably post my exercises tomorrow.   Running late and am all shaky and freaked out because Angel caught a mouse (despite the fact that my kitchen smells like a peppermint factory). Mercifully (and unfortunately), Angel is not a killer so she carried it around and now (last I saw it) it has run under the refrigerator. I am not happy. I don't want to go on a killing binge. I just want the mice to go away. Sigh.


Saturday afternoon. Still sitting here waiting for some inspiration. Still tired, still obsessed with concern about mice. Being neurotic is a nuisance. Sorry to be posting so late.... or not posting to be more accurate. Hopefully there'll be something soon.


Saturday 6:15 pm:  Well, once again, I struggled and am not that trilled with my end product. But it's done. I'm thrilled with that.

Words for this week's 10 word challenge were: chestnut, burdensome, taxes, mystery, candy, charitable. teddy bear, roof, smear   And for the mini: historical, hysterical, purple, purist, gelding

My mega:

As it turned out, there was a good deal of mystery surrounding the historical truth about Psycho's mother. Born Amelia Purist, she had been renowned for both her beauty and her generosity of spirit. There had been rumors that Psycho's father had forced her into marriage by threatening her aging parents. The people had loved her and when she gave birth to her son, there had been a rise of hope in the Kingdom that perhaps the reign of evil and terror might see and end. As a child, Psycho had seemed to have his mother's sweet disposition and his own childish laughter had reflected and magnified his mother's own melodic laugh. But Amelia had disappeared when Psycho was three along with his treasured purple teddy bear,Candy. Some believed that Psycho's father had killed her, but nobody was ever able to prove it. He had gone to great lengths to smear her reputation, insisting that she had abandoned both him and her child following a hysterical rant in which she bemoaned the burdensome curse of motherhood and had supposedly suggested that they throw their young child off the roof to be rid of him. She had then allegedly stolen the Count's favorite chestnut gelding and ridden off into the mists never to be heard from again. Or this was the story Psycho's father had driven into his head and heart day after day. Hearing the story, Fred, who thought himself rather jaded, shook his head in disbelief.  "It taxes the imagination to think a father could be so bereft of compassion or charitable feeling that - even if it were true - he would tell such a story to his son.

My mini: 

As the afternoon moved on, the Paragon of Virtue was still contemplating the story of Psycho's mother.. McFlash had taken him to a secret room in the Fortress' archives and shown him a portrait of Amelia Purist. Dressed in royal purple, she was seated on the same chestnut gelding she had allegedly stolen. If there had been any doubt in his mind about the historical accuracy of the tale of this woman  Her green eyes - her whole being - radiated a comforting warmth and love. The kind of hysterical rant Psycho's father had attributed to her was not possible in such a person... nor was it possible that she would ever have abandoned her child. The painting itself was quite remarkable... it was as though Amelia and her steed were alive within it... And then an idea struck him. She was the answer. "McFlash," he whispered. "Do think the dragons might know what really happened? Somehow, I think she is the answer. I don't know why, but I think she still lives. Imprisoned somewhere, maybe?"  McFlash looked startled by the question, but hopeful as well. "Paragon... reach out with your mind. Paraphrase will know or she will find out. I am sure of it."


My 10-word:

After reaching out to Paraphrase with his question, Fred felt a mix of exhaustion and mental confusion. "It taxes my energy a bit," he muttered to McFlash. "the mental communication. I don't quite trust it yet. I could swear the dragon replied that the purple teddy bear, Candy, is a key to the mystery of what happened to Amelia Purist. And something about a chestnut tree, I think. I feel more confused than ever about my task as Paragon. Burdensome as it was before, now I find my heart wanting to feel charitable towards Psycho despite the fact that I think he would as happily throw me off the roof as look at me. I must be cautious... How, I wonder, can I open Psycho's heart to the truth about his mother without making him more angry and dangerous?"  Taking one last glance at the painting, he thought for a brief instant that the cheeks were smeared with tears. Must have been my imagination, he thought. "Well, I'd better go get ready and see what Confetti has made for tonight's dinner. I hope it has extra magic in it. I need the help."

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Words for next week's 10-word challenge:  rumble, grumble, tumble, mumble humble,stumble, fumble, bumble, crumble, jumble

And for the mini: mice, twice, splice,  price, slice spice 

Thanks you for playing.  Newcomers can check here for some guidelines to make the game more fun. There are no rules, just some general guidelines and tricks.