Once upon a time there was a little mouse named Harriet. She had lovely long whiskers, coal-black eyes that shone like diamonds and a long tail that curled like a question mark. The apartment where she lived was warm and cozy, and situated in a wall inside a baker's shop. She had two good friends, Cayde, a large white raven and Bonnet, the doberman that lived with the Butcher next door.

One day....

One day Harriet woke up to a strange smell. It was unlike what she was used to. Usually delicious aroma's wafted into her room, those of freshly baked bread and pastries. Usually she would get up and take a peek out a crack in the wall to see what the day would be like. Today was similiar to the past days, cold and blusery, with a thin viel of falling snow. Usually she would then slip down to the floor and eat a breakfast of still warm crumbs.
But today was different, there were no smells. Entering the kitchen she saw that no one was around, usually by this time the baker and his wife had already been up for hours, but she saw no one.
Keeping a sharp lookout she darted across the floor to their room. The large oaken door left plenty of room for a small with to walk under. A quick survey of the room revealed nothing from her low position. Hugging the wall she ran quickly to a nearby chair. Her claws found purchase in the rough wood as she scurried up one of the legs. Atop a pile of worn clothes she commanded an excellent view of the room. She directed her gaze on the two sleeping forms on the bed. That's where they were, sleeping! Or they looked like they were sleeping. They had never been still sleeping when she got up! What could it be? She shuddered, were they dead?
"Calm down" she told herself, "Getting panicked won't help anybody."
Taking stock of her situation she decided there was only one course of action, to go and consult her friends, who were older and more experienced with humans.
Moving down off the chair and out the door she decide to visit Bonnet first, she was closer after all. The butchers shop that was Bonnet's home was just beside her baker shop.
She scurried quickly threw the new fallen snow, the silence all around her ominous. "Where was everybody?" she thought. A small hole in the back of the house served as a door. She quickly made her way to Bonnet quarters but was greeted with a dismal sight.
Completely unlike her usual bouncy self Bonnet was lying despondently on the floor moaning to herself.
"What's the matter Bonnet?" Harriet asked.
Her friend answered in a sad slow voice "I don't know, but the butcher isn't up yet. Usually they're up about early but not today, they're just lying there. I think they might be dead."
Harriet shivered even in the warmth of the house.
"Oh no" she said, "the baker too. I was hoping you would know what to do."
Bonnet slowly shook her head, and then rested back on her paws.
"I didn't see anybody else out either" Harriet said, "I wonder if this… thing has effected everyone."
Bonnet didnt even answer.
"Come on!" Harriet said, "we can't just give up! Lets go ask Cayde, he might know something we can do, he older than both of us out together."
Bonnet shrugged and got to her feet. "Nothing to lose." She said.
So the dog and the mouse slipped outside and headed for their feathery friends roosting place. But before they had quite reached it, they were greeted by the object of the search.
"Greetings my friends! What brings you out and about at this hour?" Cayde said.
"We came to ask you for help," Harriet explained "Both the butcher and the baker haven't got up this morning. Neither has anyone else apparently. We don't know what's happening."
The bird studied them for a moment and then burst out laughing.
"It's not funny!" Said Bonnet angrily "just because you don't rely on any humans doesn't make it less serious."
Cayde wiped his eyes with his wing. "No that's not it at all. I'm laughing that you are so worked up about nothing. It can all be explained by one thing, you see, today is Christmas."

The End

I made the deadline! :) But now its bedtime.

Oh brother, so many spelling errors in mine XP

in for dd:

Once upon a time there was a little mouse named Harriet. She had lovely long whiskers, coal-black eyes that shone like diamonds and a long tail that curled like a question mark. The apartment where she lived was warm and cozy, and situated in a wall inside a baker's shop. She had two good friends, Cayde, a large white raven and Bonnet, the doberman that lived with the Butcher next door.

One day, at evening in his apartment, Harriet was about to put on his dress and then go to the night shift at the mouse transvestite bar called "shaved ratty ladies", located under the tows morgue and accessible through city sewerage tunnels. It wasn't the job that he liked, but „Good payment and better than welfare.“ he said to himself. 7 months passed already since Harriet got his PhD in Southamerican Rat and Mouse Literature, but he still didn't manage to find an appropriate job. He often said to Bonnet: “Vegetate for so long and dancing in front of all this disgusting horny and old lab rats can't be good for me!”.

It looked like this would be a common evening at the bar for Harriet. But as he went, dressed up and ready for work, towards his apartment door, Cayde appeared and knocked nervously at the door. It was unusual!

Cayde should be at his “enlightened ravens committee” meeting at that time, like he always is. A bunch of strange, paranoid ravens with even stranger views about everything. Cayde was a sort of this tinfoil hat wearing, unemployed and always paranoid Ravens that were able to find fitting conspiracy theories, no matter what you were talking about. He used to sleep during the day, while get drunk and hang out at night in the city, aside from the meetings, together with Bonnet, who was unemployed too.

And Bonnet wasn't much clever, even for a dog. That's how Cayde got him to wear a tinfoil hat too, to “not get brain manipulation microwaves, send out by human governments”. Harriet joined them at night when his shifts end up earlier. He had fun discussing Cayde's paranoid theories and watching how Cayde managed to bring Bonnet to do silly stuff. Just 2 weeks ago Cayde brought Bonnet to dig under the fence of the police car parking area and stuff some tinfoil covered pastry into the mufflers of the cars. Cayde said: “That will lame their mobile manipulation wave transmitters and keep them in one place.”.

Harriet opened the door, Cayde came in and didn't wear his Tinfoil hat. Cayde started immediately telling what happened: “I can't find Bonnet, he's not at home, he disappeared since we hung out yesterday!”. “What? Are you sure?” asked Harriet. “Yes! I can't remember what happened at night, we were drunk as hell. I woke up alone one hour ago in shady back alley without my tinfoil hat and next to me was an open manhole cover! I searched the streets and looked at the butcher too, but Bonnet disappeared!” Harriet started worrying, “I really hope they didn't blow something up!” he thought. Cayde continued: “We discussed this at the committee last week, the government kidnaps dogs at night on the streets for genetic enhancement experiments in their secret lab under the sewerage tunnels.”

Harriet was sceptical about that theory as always, but he had to go through the tunnels anyway, so he said to Cayde: “Ok, lets go through the sewerage and search for Bonnet.”. Cayde was afraid of going to search the tunnels alone, so he was happy about Harriets assistance. Wandering through the dungeon-like old, dark tunnels was scary, but Harriet is used to that. They searched quite some tunnels without any trace. Harriet was already late for work now and so he gave up, he said to Cayde: “Lets go to the bar, i'm already late for work. We'll see what we can do after my shift is over, ok? And don't drink tonight!” As they entered the small tunnel with the bar entrance, they saw Bonnet lying and sleeping the alcohol off. Next to him there was a crowbar, 2 tinfoil hats, some copper wire, an empty bag and an adhesive.

Harriet just thought “Hell, this two never learn. I don't know how Cayde brought Bonnet to get into the tunnels drunk and why he forgot him, but there is surely no government involved!”. He turned his angry face to Cayde, who looked like he started to remember certain details about yesterday after he saw all the stuff near Bonnet, and said “Government, heh? Man you two should finally get a job and drink less! What was Bonnet supposed to do with a crowbar, wire and adhesive down here anyway? Wait! I don't wanna hear it now, tell me when my shift is over. Now wake Bonnet, go sure that he reaches his home safely and no more silly stuff tonight! AND NO MORE Alcohol for you both tonight, do you copy!”. Clayde just nodded his head. Harriet walked relaxed and happy, that nothing worse happened, into the bar and left Clayde, who was trying to wake Bonnet.

End

Well that seems funny! I will give it a try: (I am german, so excuse some errors and wrong use of words)


[i]Once upon a time there was a little mouse named Harriet. She had lovely long whiskers, coal-black eyes that shone like diamonds and a long tail that curled like a question mark. The apartment where she lived was warm and cozy, and situated in a wall inside a baker's shop. She had two good friends, Cayde, a large white raven and Bonnet, the doberman that lived with the Butcher next door.

One day....[/i]

Harriet crawled like a smooth shadow between some hollowy walls, unlike the apartment, that place was dark and cold, but it was worth the unpleasantness. It was the shortest way to the baker´s shop.
Harriet loved those cream filled croissants, so she was about to herself one.
the bakery was empty. no sign of the chubby old baker lady. Harriet asked herself every single day, how she was ever be able to bake all those cakes, croissants, buns, cookies, and everything else. she had somehow the time and power to make the best lemonade in town. it was mind bending.
Harriet spotted her beloved cream filled croissants with her coal-black eyes. she vibrated with her long whiskers, and - she started to run. she was light, fast and very very silent. She grabbed the croissant with her mouht and - her friend Cayde waited outside, looked at her from the window, sitting in the dark on a pole with a GOG advertise on it. Harriet just ran back to the small hole between two desks. she had her croissant.

After she ate the sweet cream filled croissant up, Harriet went outside. It was cold and windy in that dark alley. There was a thick layer of snow everywhere. Harriet hated it.
"Hey Cayde! Whats up? What are you doing here?"
"Did you heard the news, CRAAAHHH!"
"No, what news?"
"They want to sell the bakery.", it was Bonnet. A dobermann, with a french accent. She had big fat steak in her mouth and started to eat it.
"What? Really? Oh no....", Harriet realised that this was probably the last croissant she got. "But why?", she asked.
"CRAAAAH! Well, the old lady is sick. She cant do it anymore. Not alone. For years, she worked with passion - but its all consumed now."
Bonnet added: "For years she got more depressed, every winter. She started to got sick when the cold started, then she felt hopeless, burned out."
"Poor lady...", Harriet was not that long arround, to know this. "We have to do something! It sounds like, she gave all her passion and love into the bakery. She deserved to get also passion and love!"
Bonnet finished her Steak: "Well the butcher is also lonely, maybe...."
"CRAAH! CRAAH! No. The butcher is too ... butcher´ry and stuff. The old woman is too much a lady for that old -"
"Old what?!"
"Crah... croaaah.... nothing?"
"Sounds better."

Harriet thought about it. She lived just between those two humans. And both seemed nice. Maybe... it could work!
"Bonnet! Start barking! Cayde, lift me up!"

Cayde lifted Harriet to the top of the bakery, where the old woman sat and just gazed outside in the cold. When Bonnet started barking, the old woman got curious.
Then Cayde let Harriet down right next to the woman. And flew away. into the dark. "Aww... you are a little cute mouse, arent you? Just look at that curled tail, so cute..."
Harriet started beeping and jumping.
"What? does the dog makes you nervous? Bonnet is a good dog, she would never do anytihing to a little tiny creature like you... come with me, i shall bring Bonnet back to her owner. A good, strong man, with a pure heart. Very lovely.." Harriet jumped on one of her shoulders. "... unfortunately i never got to a quick chat. we work a lot, you know..."

Harriet and the old woman came to the alley. You could hear the snow crack under the slippers.
"All right Bonnet, everything is fine. Dont scare the mouse..."
"Bonnet! Whats going on my girl?" It was the old butcher.
"Ah... Ms. Dough.", he said.
"Hello... Mr. Chopper.", she said.
Bonnet stopped barking and got slow and lazy back in her home. And so did Harriet.


Harriet watched those two old lonely hearts talking for a while. It seemed not that cold anymore outside. Ms. Dough offered Mr. Chopper something sweet. She said "This is probably the best croissants on the entire world. I made it myself." Mr. Chopper laughed, and he seemed to enjoy it.
Then he said: "I dont know about croissants - but you, ms. dough, are withouth doubt the best woman in the world. sweeter than everything you ever selled combined."
She blushed. "And you, mr. chopper, are a kind soul. Want to drink a cup of tea on the rooftop?"
"Yeah. sure."

Harriet was happy.
And she would got herself a lot of croissants...

Though competition :)

Thank for the wish. Let's see how Crewdroog responds to it first, before I make further plans. :)

I had one story published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction many years ago. I'm not a great writer. I think that my stories tend to strike people more as "nice" than "wow". I think I write decently enough to get published, but I don't write much, especially in recent years, and don't submit much.

I'm happy that Crewdroog posted this competition, because it gave me an excuse to write and I like what I ended up with.

Very nice stories so far.

A bit long (completely fills an A4 page in my editor), and somewhat inspired by a famous rhyme (hope that isn't an issue :D). Here is my story:

Once upon a time there was a little mouse named Harriet. She had lovely long whiskers, coal-black eyes that shone like diamonds and a long tail that curled like a question mark. The apartment where she lived was warm and cozy, and situated in a wall inside a baker's shop. She had two good friends, Cayde, a large white raven and Bonnet, the doberman that lived with the Butcher next door.

One day, Harriet and Bonnet were sharing a strawberry muffin in the cool storage of the butcher's shop. Harriet had smuggled it out of the yesterday's leftovers and snuck it over to enjoy with Bonnet and Cayde on the hot summer's day. Cayde hadn't arrived yet, but Cayde was a wild spirit, and they knew she would arrive eventually, so they had saved a little for her as well. Finally they heard a familiar *tap tap tap*. Cayde was banging on one of the pipes from the roof. Bonnet nudged a little latch so a small window opened and Cayde stepped in.

Cayde was in a state of excitement, she wasn't interested in the strawberry muffin. She told the others about the strange day she had had. First as she was flying about, she found a huge candycane just lying on a roadside near the bakery. Then when she approached the butcher's shop, she was almost overwhelmed and attacked by a huge swarm of bees!

Harriet nodded knowingly. She explained that the baker had gotten a huge vat of honey recently, and the bees were angry. All this talk had now made Bonnet excited as well. He had a bit of a sweet tooth, and was now raring to investigate the candycane. Although Harriet was not an adventurous sort, and preferred the cosy atmosphere of home, she agreed to go with her friends. Cayde hopped out of the window, Bonnet and Harriet stepped out through the doggy-door, and they were off!

It was a quite a hot day, but thankfully they didn't have long to go. They soon came to the spot. And what a beautiful candycane it was! Bigger than Cayde, and so many pretty colours in a swirly design. Bonnet gave it a lick right there and then, but then made a face. Turns out, it wasn't a candycane, it was a big fat candlestick! Bonnet was very disappointed. Still, Harriet thought it would be a shame to leave such a pretty candle out in the sun to melt, so she asked Bonnet to carry it back with them. Bonnet gingerly picked up the candle, making sure not to damage it, and they all set off back home. This time on the way back, they almost ran into the swarm of bees, but were able to sneak past them without being found out. This reminded Bonnet about the vat of honey, which he was hoping could be a consolation prize now. All three of them got into the bakery, and there it was, a huge vat of honey just sitting in the middle of the room, next to the counter! Bonnet gently put down the candle and nudged the lid off the vat of honey.

Suddenly, a man banged the door open! Startled, Harriet, Bonnet and Cayde made a run for it. Harriet ran for her hidey-hole, and Cayde and Bonnet escaped through the door. Sadly, as he ran by, Bonnet knocked the candle into the vat. Watching from her hole, Harriet saw the man, who she recognised as the candlestick maker, give a snarl of anger and run in after his candle, followed by the butcher and baker.

Unfortunately, they were all a bit clumsy, and as the candlestick maker tried getting his candle out, the baker crashed into him, and then the butcher crashed into the baker, knocking them all over along with the vat of honey! There they sat, drenched in a sweet sticky mess, when suddenly a dangerous buzzing was heard. With a yell of recognition, the baker said “Quick, we need to wash off this honey!”. The three of them scrambled to the washroom and slammed the door shut just as the bees came in. Harriet went through a passageway in her hole and came out to where they were, and couldn't help laughing at the marvellous sight! Three grown men, a butcher, a baker and a candlestick maker, squashed inside a bathtub, scrubbing and rubbing themselves, trying to get rid of the honey.

What a day that was!

I know dd, it's ok, I appreciate the effort. However, I was reading your brief synopsis of the first story, and I almost want to allow you enter based on that, however, I'm probably biased b/c you had a bunnysaurus in it :) You just concentrate on getting better and read any more stories that get submitted for fun :)

and now I just read the second one, wow dd, that's an awesome plot. maybe when you are feeling better, flesh it out more?

FOR EVERYONE ELSE:
the GA is running to a close, you have until TODAY at 11:59 PM EST to submit your awesomely amazing story. No editing after this time either.

And thank you all who took the time to write something, I am so excited to read what you've done with the character(s). :)
Lol, you have until 11:59 PM EST not AM. Now mind you I am saying this without having read your story, but if you want to fix anything up you are free to until 11:59 PM EST

:)

I am sorry, but you do not meet multiple requirements for this GA. Please see the rules.

Actually, I had an idea - Harriet is cursed and no longer able to uncurl her tail, she's stuck with her tail shaped into a question-mark. Cayde flies all around town and finds quirky characters that suggest all sorts of rituals to lift the curse, and our trio of course performs them one after another, and all fail one after another. Then Cayde finds a shaman who reveals to him that the curse can only be lifted if Harriet drank a potion, the most important ingredient of which is tooth-powder from a certain tyrannosaur named Crewdroog. So, Cayde flies off to find Crewdroog and convince her to sacrifice a tooth. The adventure ends with Harriet drinking the potion and feeling something happening with her tail, but what that means is left to the reader's i̶n̶t̶e̶r̶p̶r̶e̶t̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ imagination...

But I never got around writing all the details.

Oh well, I didn't intend to enter anyway, and my writing is not good enough to enter for someone else.


Congrats on the milestones, and good luck to all the entrants!

i may made some mistakes, what is the gender of all 3? are they all 3 male?

they are whatever gender you want.

puh, ok then thanks

I thought you might have named him after the inept pirate, Stede Bonnet.