22. Our Time

December 5, 2020November 21, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 2 Comments

The cat stalks a cockroach through the hallway as the girls sleep.

Chrissy tiptoes out of her bedroom.

Chrissy pours herself a bowl of cereal. The clock reads 3:27AM.

Chrissy sidles up to the Ashley, who is in the living room eating cereal and watching TV.

Ashley: What are YOU doing here?

Chrissy: I want to watch TV, too.

Ashley: No. You go away. I wake up before everyone else. I get first pick of breakfast cereals. I watch TV alone. This is MY time. Go away!

Chrissy reaches into her pocket angrily.

Chrissy pulls out the note she found earlier. "Hey Ash, are you really talking with Brian? He is soooooooo cute...."

Ashley drops her spoon in shock.

Chrissy reads on. "My mom won't let me date boys yet either. Are you going to--"

Ashley lunges at Chrissy.

Ashley struggles to get the note from Chrissy as Chrissy reads on: "Are you going to go to the dance together? I bet he tries to--|

Chrissy pulls the note away from Ashley.

Chrissy re-pockets the note. "Welcome to Our Time."

Ashley glares at Chrissy as she sits beside her, blissfully eating cereal and watching TV.

21. Take Note

November 28, 2020November 21, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ Leave a comment

Nicki comes home from school with a note taped to her back that says IKKY NIKKI

Nicki takes off her backpack and sees the note.

Nicki crumbles the note, tosses it on the floor. "That's not even how you spell my name!"

Doogie the dog sniffs at the note.

Doogie eats the note in front of the door as Charlotte walks in, her nose buried in a book about ghosts.

Charlotte trips over Doogie.

Charlotte apologizes to Doogie, leaving the door wide open. Lizards and flies come in.

Charlotte and Doogie leave.

Ashley walks in the open door reading a love note.

Ashley tucks in the note in her back pocket as she walks away.

The note falls out and lands in the front hallway.

The note rests on the floor.

Chrissy throws the door open as she arrives home from school.

Chrissy sees the note on the floor.

Chrissy picks up the note.

Chrissy reads the note.

Chrissy grins with evil power.

20. Lucky Sweater

November 21, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 2 Comments

Nicki searches frantically through her dresser drawers.

Nicki looks through a dirty laundry basket

Nicki looks in the washing machine

Nicki looks in the dryer

Nicki yells, WHERE IS IT?

Nicki confront Chrissy: WHERE IS IT? I know you took it!

Chrissy: Whoa... what are you talking about?

Nicki: My lucky test-taking sweater! WHERE. IS. IT?!

Chrissy: Sorry, I really wouldn't know.

Nicki: I know you have it! You are always taking my stuff and now I'm going to FAIL! AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!

Chrissy smirks as Nicki leaves the room.

Chrissy opens her backpack. "Lucky-testing sweater... how dumb."

Chrissy looks at the vocabulary test she just aced.

Chrissy hugs the lucky sweater,

5. Are We Out of the Woods Yet

August 3, 2020August 2, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 4 Comments

Mom, holding a box of winter clothes: Come here, girls! Let's see who fits into what this year!

The girls start pulling clothes from the box.

Charlotte, holding a jacket that fits: Sigh... Another year, another broken zipper.

Ashley holds up a pair of patched overalls

Nicki: Hush! We all wear hand-me-downs, even me. Don't complain.

Charlotte: Yes, but mine are hand-me-downs of hand-me-downs of hand-me-downs of--

Nicki: Okay! We get it.

Ashley holds up an ugly dress: Hey, they aren't ALL hand-me-downs.

Chrissy, wearing one of the ugly matching dresses: Yeah, just be glad Mom doesn't sew ALL our clothes. (Mom sticks her tongue out at the girls in the background.)

Map of the woods behind the house.

The girls play on a frozen pond.

The girls cross a rickety bridge

Nicki: Okay Chrissy, Charlotte... this is your half of the woods today. Don't go past the second creek.

Chrissy: That's not fair! Why can't we come with your guys?

You guys are too little. We're exploring a new section of the woods today. It could be dangerous.

Ashley: We thinks we found a way to the old pumpkin patch!

Nicki gives Ashley a silencing look.

Chrissy and Charlotte watch their sisters walk away.

Chrissy: FINE. I have a better idea. Let's go find Duck Island.

Charlotte: But that's beyond the second creek! Nicki will get mad!

Chrissy: Charlotte. It's not a big deal. Nicki isn't the boss of us. And they're going in the opposite direction anyway. C'mon!

Chrissy and Charlotte drudge through the snow.

They cross the second creek.

They go deeper into the woods

And deeper

And deeper...

A few hours later, Mom is in the kitchen baking cookies. Ashley sits at the kitchen table eating cookies.

Mom, on the phone: Oh my goodness! Yes, yes, of course! I'll be there in 2 minutes!

Mom: Ashley, did you know your sisters were 2 miles away! That was Mrs. Thibeault. She found them crying in her backyard.

Mom puts on her coat. "I cannot believe this. Didn't I ask you girls to keep an eye on your sisters?

Mom sticks a winter hat on the baby. "Didn't I tell you two not to let them wander off??"

Mom: And just where IS Nicki, anyway?

Ashley: Oh, shoot! I totally forgot!

Nicki hangs from a log above an icy river, looking terrified.

Mom: Oh, you girls are in BIG trouble when I get home.

That evening, the girls have been sent to their room. They glare at each other from their beds.

Nicki: I told you to stay in your half of the woods.

Chrissy: Well, it's not fair! Why should we have to do what you say all the time?

Nicki: Because I am the first-born.

Chrissy: THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING!

Nicki: It means I am the smartest!

Chrissy: Nuh-uh! First is the worst!

Ashley chimes in: Second is the best!

Charlotte, pointing at Chrissy: Third is the one with the hair chest!

Chrissy: TREASURE chest!

Chrissy, shouting: AND FOURTH IS THE ONE WHO FORGOT TO GET DRESSED!

Nicki, burying her face into her pillow. "UGH!"

Dad appears at the door. "Quiet! I don't want to hear any more talking, shouting, or singing. Just quiet.

The girls looks miserable.

Ashley whispers to her stuffed dog toy: Second is the best!

Perpetual Grocery List

December 14, 2016 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 5 Comments

Omnomnomnom

list1 list2 list3 list4 list5 list6 list7

Good Neighbors

July 10, 2016July 10, 2016 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 13 Comments

Ashley always had the best social skills growing up.

neighbors1 neighbors2 neighbors3 neighbors4 neighbors5 neighbors6 neighbors7 neighbors8

…and she still does.

A Good Role Model

December 27, 2015December 28, 2015 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 15 Comments

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