Taking a Risk!

The night before last I submitted an excerpt of my undersea fantasy novel to a short story contest. I would've liked to shine in up a bit more, but I've discovered I can postpone submissions endlessly in my quest for perfection. So I looked my fears right in the eye and submitted in spite of them! Here's the story opening:

Kailey stared out the window at the ocean dancing just beyond the school grounds, cool, inviting, and utterly forbidden. For years, she’d dreamed of swimming those waters, diving with dolphins, weaving kelp through her hair. Of course, she never told this to anyone. Her classmates already thought she was crazy. She blamed it on her parents’ strict rules. Twelve years without field trips, sleepovers or seaside picnics were enough to make anyone flip.

She dug in her pocket, withdrawing a wrinkled paper. Last night she’d signed it, desperate to go anywhere that wasn’t home, school, or her parents’ shop. She knew she shouldn’t forge her dad’s signature, but really, it was his fault for being overprotective. Besides, her twin brother, Finn, did it, too, agreeing that it was high time they went on a perfectly safe school outing. Their parents would never know.

            Kailey turned in the permission slip then boarded the bus with the rest of the sixth grade. An hour later, she strolled into Synergy Power Plant. But when the tour guide passed out orange safety helmets, Kailey wanted to crawl back home. The other kids might look silly, but she’d be downright hideous. Bright colors only emphasized the faint green tinge to her skin that made her look perpetually ill.

            “Nice,” Finn said as he elbowed past her with his friends. “You look like you’re gonna puke.”

            Kailey gritted her teeth and followed the class into a cavernous room dripping with wires. As the guide pointed out crews who shoveled coal or manned machines, a strange worker caught her eye. He creeped her out, with his tangled green hair and dark eyes that narrowed when he saw her expression. You’d think he’d be used to it, she thought, if he’s gonna dye his hair like that.

            Across the room, Finn listened with rapt attention. He soaked this stuff up, yet she didn’t understand half of it. So unfair. It seemed to her that their genetic gifts could’ve been split a bit more evenly. She scuffed her foot against the floor, dislodging a rusty nail. A sly grin crossed her face—time to liven things up. But that green-haired creep followed her every move. She glared until he looked away then shoved the nail into a box of coiling wires.

It livened up more than she expected, vibrating out of its brackets and sputtering flames. The creep lunged forward as the room exploded with light. Great crackling rays arched toward the walls, jumping from place to place like the jerking legs of a giant spider.

            Then it hit.

            A bolt of electricity, forked like lightning, struck Kailey square in the chest. The guide screamed then everything went black.

What are some times you've taken risks and how did they turn out?

What if political debates were held at underwater venues?

Potential voter prepping for undersea event

·         What to wear:

·         Formal diving gear comes across as too highbrow. Instead, candidates should wear swim trunks or bathing suits, thus endearing themselves to the common swimmer. Unfortunately, those with bulging bellies run the risk of offending the health-conscious surf crowd. These candidates should  sport dreadlocks to camouflage their girth and reel in the surf vote, although polling indicates that surfers are not easily lured. Thong bikinis and speedos must be avoided at all cost.

·         To best manage hair: Crew cuts are recommended so that billowing bangs won’t detract from a candidate’s message. However, fishtail braids are appropriate for any candidates not interested in shorter styles.

·         Preventing drift:

·         The entire venue must be anchored. This will prevent the debate from shifting all over the ocean floor. This may also keep candidates from drifting with ever changing political currents.

·         For their safety, candidates must be tethered  to their podiums to keep them from floating away or surfacing at inappropriate times. Ideally, this will inspire them to be equally tethered to their ideas, keeping in mind that flipping and flopping are only acceptable underwater.

·         Health concerns:

·         Helmets or facemasks with built-in microphones and oxygen supply must be provided. Any candidate who loses their train of thought or speaks aggressively or irrationally must have their oxygen levels checked to be sure that their supply is adequate.

Where would you like to see political debates? On the moon? At Hogwarts or Mt. Olympus?