Some
of my writer friends and I were chatting about those movements that you
accidentally build into your manuscript eleventy billion times. Every writer
has one. Each of my friends named theirs. And I wondered....could I write a
one-page story and use every single one?
Play
along! Try to find them all. And note what you find in the comments. :-)
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| Photo credit RVWithTito via Flickr |
Jello
bit her lip as Dax leaned against his locker after school. When he handed his little brother,
Hunter, a set of keys and ran a hand through his disheveled hair, she couldn't prevent
a sigh from escaping her lips. He might have been an ass when it came to
teachers, but he was super sweet with little kids.
The
high school principal, Mrs. Buff, strode purposefully down the hall. Her lips
pursed then dropped open: "Dax Bruenings!"
He
jumped, meeting Jello's eyes across the hall. Like every time, his gaze made
her insides quiver. When Mrs. Buff stood before him, Jello couldn't make out
the principal's words, but her furious tone was unmistakeable. Not again.
Dax
studied his shoes, and a scowl crept over little Hunter's face. The boy's eyes began
to glisten as he soaked up every presumably nasty word directed at his big,
idiot brother.
Despite
giving Hunter's shoulder a gentle shove, the boy stood his ground. Dax glanced
up, his eyes beseeching, begging for
rescue.
Jello
swallowed down a gulp. Mrs. Buff wasn't exactly the forgiving type, and Jello'd
already had one run-in with her this year. But Dax needed her, and he'd already
had two detentions this month.
The
stack of books in her hands trembled, but Jello sneaked up behind the
principal. One deep breath for courage
and—
BLAM!
Jello's
books slammed onto the floor. Mrs. Buff jumped half a foot high. The stack slid
apart, with a couple books thudding against the back of Mrs. Buff's legs. Jello
winced.
Mrs.
Buff spun to Jello, both eyebrows arched until they were barely visible under
her bangs. She exhaled a deep breath. "A bit clumsy today, Ms. Whistler?"
Behind
the principal's back, Dax and his brother tiptoed down the hall.
"Ohh,
well, I—uhh," Jello stammered.
Dax
raised a hand in thanks as he disappeared around the corner. The principal
shook her head at Jello. "Now, Dax—" she began, pivoting back toward
the locker on the ball of her foot.
Jello
retrieved her books from the floor and slunk back to her own locker.
"Where
is that boy?" Mrs. Buff fumed. She stalked off angrily, and Jello released
a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Once
her books were stowed in her bag, Jello's phone buzzed. Dax.
Hunter keeps saying you're
the best, Jell. And he's right. See you tonight.
So, did you spot them all? And which overused phrases did I miss?
