This story is for the following challenge, which is from the mind of music4evah and is posted on the Madrigal forums. Hope you like it, Muse!
Challenge Name: A Change From Gray
Challenge Description: This is all about writing. REALLY writing. Writing from your heart, and not trying to be like somebody else. When you're doing this challenge, I want you to remember to let your own voice show in what you write.
The main theme for the challenge is change. Not only from the cliched stuff that you regularly seen in the fandom, but I really want you to focus on a moment of change in one of the character's lives. It can be Amy, Natalie, Jonah, or even one of the past characters- Like Gideon Cahill. ANYONE that's been mentioned in the series. Be creative, and maybe write for someone new! It's a change, isn't it? ;) Write about a change in their life, whether for better or for worse. It doesn't have to be a huge change. It can be small. An everyday thing. Whatever you think meets the challenge best, do it. However, there are a few changes that I will not allow:
- Irina's son dying
- The clue hunt starting
- The clue hunt ending
Those are the only things that I really don't want to see, mainly because I think they'd be extremely over-used and cliched in the blink of an eye. I was tempted to put Grace's death on that list as well, but for some reason, I didn't. I just hope THAT idea doesn't become cliched in the blink of an eye...
Challenge Criteria: This must be a poem. I don't really care what kind of poetry it is. If you've seen Joelle8's free verses, and you want to do something similar, go for it! If you want the whole "Roses are red, violets are blue" thing, do it. Poems aren't very common in the 39 Clues archive- It's a bit of a change. (See where I'm going with this? ;) ) ANY STYLE OF POETRY IS WELCOME. However, I will not allow swear words. I'm sorry if you really want to do this but hate poems, but it's gotta' be one for this challenge. It's a change for most people, and therefore, a challenge. (This IS a challenge, after all.) Be creative with your writing.
And just to shake things up a bit- The word 'change' may NOT be used in the title. Or in the summary.
No word length is required. One of the genres must be poetry, obviously. The other one is up to you, depending on what sort of change you want to write about. All pairings (if you choose to use any) are accepted. But please, refrain from any slash, or anything disgusting, like Dan/Natalie.
Challenge Entry Due Date: There's no deadline for now. I don't really want one. I'm terrible with those things, anyways... Such a procrastinator, that I am.
For Better or Worse
(*)
The Black Plague-
evilmurderingunstoppable
And there was
N o t h i n g
We could do
A b o u t I t
(And I was
t e r r i f i e d
That it would hit
My family
My e v e r y t h i n g
too.)
(*)
He said that his serum would
E n d I t A l l
(panicdeathtears)
And that e v e r y t h i n g would be
B e t t e r
So I told him to
Give it to our children
So they would be safe.
H e D i d
(And everything changed)
(*)
Suddenly
Jane loved to s i n g
And w r i t e
And d r a w
Katherine was addicted to
readinglearningknowledge
T h o m a s became the
Roughandtumble
Don'tmesswithme
Town bully
And Luke started to
Spycheatlie
About
E v e r y t h i n g
To
E v e r y o n e
(And it was so different, because
Before
Jane found art b o r i n g
Katherine was lazy
T h o m a s did charity
And Luke was honest and peaceful
And where did my babies go?)
(*)
Gideon said that it was
An a c c i d e n t and
He hadn't expected the side effects.
But I knew better
Because n o w when he
L o o k e d at our children
He smirked
(Just like Luke's new one)
(*)
Most of my children
L o v e d
Their new selves.
Not Luke.
He h a t e d himself
(cruelviolentsly)
Now
And one day
He told me
And asked me
What he could do
To stop his father from
G i v i n g the serum to
(condemning the fate of)
Everyone else.
I hugged him
And chuckled sadly
And said,
"I'm s o r r y , dear-
That would only happen
If someone burned down
His l a b o r a t o r y . "
(*)
Luke did.
(*)
My lifehomefamily has been
T
O
R
N
Apart
For better or worse
And I just have to hope
Fate knows what it's d o i n g
(Because I know
F o r A F a c t
That I don't)
Is this about a non-cliche change? Yes. Is this a poem? Obviously. Is it about one of the mentioned 39 Clues characters? Yup- Olivia, if you're a bit thick. Is it from the heart? I think so. If I was in this situation, then this is how I would feel. Olivia just wanted to help her family- and in the end, everything went wrong, and she don't know what to do about it.
So did I follow the rules? Yes. Will you vote for this when the time comes? I hope so.
Thanks for reading; hope you liked it! Please review!
-Joelle8
P.S. DISCLAIMER: I don't own the 39 Clues, nor do I feel like making this disclaimer creative.
P.P.S. I don't think this needs an explanation... but if you're confused about why Gideon smirked, it was because he was smug that his experiment worked, and what his children had lacked before they now had.