The first thing she noticed was the smell. Bubble gum. Not any type of gum, but the stick that comes with baseball cards and hockey cards.
Unique didn’t care for the cards, she always gave them to her brothers. The stick of gum was what she wanted. She would carefully remove it from the package which was immediately snagged by a nearby brother. She would lift the stick toward her nose and inhale. Slowly. Deeply. She would engulf herself with the sweet-sweet smell.
Unique did not want this moment to pass. She did not want this scent to vanish. She didn’t move. She was afraid any slight motion would create a change of air making the magic fade away. She did, however, move just enough to see her hands. To say they glowed would be putting it mildly.
Unique had a light emanating from within. The smell, the light – she knew she was no longer. Her fingers sparkled, when she moved they reminded her of fireflies dancing in the night. She inhaled deeply once again. The fragrance remained and covered her like a warm bubble gum blanket. Somehow she knew the smell would remain with her forever.
Her entire body smiled. Unique knew without a doubt she was no longer just a regular girl.
…………………………………………….
Trifecta Prompt – Light: a source of light: as
a : a celestial body
b : candle
c : an electric light
This is a follow-up story to Unique: Story of a Girl. I want to see how many shorts I can create about Unique. Are you with me and want to see her as she was growing up?
Image: I just learned today, thanks to the WordPress lessons, that we can access banks of images free to share and they suggest the images too! Yay, I so love WordPress! ❤
my cyber house rules 
Ooh! I like it and was taken right there with Unique. However, the gum was always stale in those cards and I actually collected the cards, not the gum 😉 But regardless, great piece and I wanted to know more…
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Thanks Abby! I actually don’t think Unique chewed it. She really just wanted the.stick for the scent… Not sure, I’ll have to write pieces from her childhood. 😉
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Ah yes, reading your words allowed me to smell the smell. Yes, the gum was brittle—probably months or years old, but the smell lingered.
I’m smiling, remembering
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Brittle yes. Who knows how long the piece was in there yet that smell was always so present! Mmmm…
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Even though I already know how her ends, yes! More please!
Fun entry.
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I decided to really create something with Unique. I had a friend read the first part and 3 days later she said the character was still with her. I want to write bit by bit her story. Her 5th birthday, her first day of school, her first friend, waking up in a house with x brothers, etc. I think it will be a story that starts with the ending. Maybe. Not sure. But I am intrigued by Unique!
Thanks Guap! Your words are always so encouraging, allowing me to believe in my story telling…
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Stories that start with endings can be fantastic (ever see Memento?).
I’m looking forward to seeing how you develop Unique and tie it all together, to make the opening (end) inevitable.
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I LOVED Memento. That character was … wow. And that self-tattooing? Ouch! I also love Pulp Fiction. That one is all over the place in the timeline, oh and Michael Clayton? After watching it 10 times I was still trying to put pieces together. Remarkable…
All like the Dude’s rug and how IT ties the room together! 😉
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Liked Pulp fiction, but I still have no idea what the hell is going on there.
And hey, the Dude abides.
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The bums lost Mr Lebowski! The.bums lost…
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I still buy gum for the smell and love the way Orbit brightens the aroma in my purse! Is it the light that made you think of Avatar? I just remember the beings were blue.
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Well, you know how in Avatar when they move their hands glittering lights follow like a trail? I saw this happening when she looked down at her hands. But I need to remove the comparison. This story takes place in the 80s if I am following up on the first Unique installment. Avatar was YEARS away from being invented. I need to change the reference! Thanks for asking that question… 😉
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I don’t remember that part, but I never saw it from beginning to end. Xanadu was from 1980 – they were glittery!
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Bubblegum is always one of those smells that can immediately take me back to my childhood.
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Right?
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I really like Unique, she is such a special little girl, a girl on the verge of womanhood, of “knowing” and I love that about her.
do you remember the moment where you were no longer a child and yet your toe was only just in the world or adulthood? That is where I see her, becoming comfortable with her own magic.
Marr, she is brilliant. I love everything about this girl.
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15 years old. I think that is when I felt the way you describe the toe into adulthood phase but still being young. I like to hold regular conversations with my 15-yr old self. She keeps me in check. 😉
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That’s when we wanted to be adults but were still by all rights girls trying to grow up too soon.
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yes, me too. That 15/16 yr old Kir , god how I wish I could just hug her and tell her that she’s so much more than she sees in the mirror.
I really loved this piece Marr.
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Yes. Hugging our 15-16 yr old self and telling them they are badass would be such a beneficial thing to do! Forget the fact that it would scare the crap outta your 15-yr self, once the poop in the pants effect would dissipate, then the healing would begin and the convincing of being that and so much more stuff. Yes. I agree with you 😉
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I’d make the experience better by just giving her some killer shoes and a cupcake. 😉
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A really interesting and unique (hah) take on the prompt.
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Ha! Thanks… 😉
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very cool…first i have a strong nostalgia to the bubble gum in ball cards…i miss it…
really interesting turn though with the magic coursing through her…i def miss that gum though….
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Mmm that gum was delish!
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sonofa – just as it gets going, it stops. “knock knock knock.” yes? “more please.”
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Is it too short? Should I delve more into this phase? I didn’t want to go too new-agey…
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well, would it be disappointing if i wanted to know more? read more? i think you’ll be okay with that request. right?
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😀
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I’m not too sure what to think of this… but I sure like it.
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I’ve always been fascinated with the strong connection between scents and memories. I can see how just the fragrance of the gum could hold magical properties. And yes – more about Unique, please!
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You’ve created a memorable character in so few words. Hopefully we haven’t seen the last of her.
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No. We haven’t seen the last of her. She will become my pet project as I add bits and pieces leading to her sudden death.
Thank you so much for such a nice comment!
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A cool piece. I remember the scent of the gum.. but of course, I was after the baseball cards. LOL
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I like Unique because I also liked the smell and of that bubble gum…………
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My favorite line ” Her entire body smiled.” This was so good.
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Thanks Joe! It was the only way to express her sincere feeling…
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Looks interesting, I look forward to looking around. Is this a story line running through challenges you participate in? I’ve got one myself 🙂
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It started on a Studio 30 Plus prompt and then I just loved the character too much to stop. That and I need an occupation so why not write a book? Right?
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Right!
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This is a different take on the prompt. I like it! (:
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Different? How so? Said the girl with her head leaned off to the side. 😉 Thanks Draug!
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Her own unique heaven.
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YES! Exactly! 😀
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🙂
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This one really hooked into me. I could smell the gum as I read it. I still have unopened packs of baseball cards (with gum). Some of them are about 40 years old. I’m sure the gum is petrified by now.
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I remember too. I did n’t know they still made it!
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There is this plastic container called “gum tape” it’s pretty much the same gum, comes in a long roll. *ecstasy*
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They still sell it here in Phila!
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Hey there just wanted to give you a quick heads up.
The words in your post seem to be running off the screen in Opera.
I’m not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with web browser compatibility but I thought I’d post to let you
know. The design look great though! Hope you get the problem solved soon.
Thanks
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