When I didn't want to write something serious I would sit down at my computer and jab away at the keyboard for a few minutes and come up with a line or so of akljd ;lkd kdklsj iean kajdn.

Then I would use the spell checker to see what kind of interesting-sounding words I could come up with: auld lake idols yearn kids. See where I got that from? Then I would choose one of the words and write a short story about it.

Using the following random words, I wrote this story.

Maine anise din kind askew dank heal nobody mania nova

Do you smell that? It doesn't exactly smell like a spice kitchen, but the anise seeds in those cookies are more pungent than the dough. Nobody loves those cookies more than me. I guess you think it's a close race. It isn't. Outside it's Christmas cookie mania, but they only pretend to like the anise ones. Sorry to break it to you, but chocolate chip is their favorite.

Do you hear the din outside? A few more minutes and they'll break the door down with your upholstered armchairs, your potted trees and your out of place park benches in the halls. Your dim, cozy house will be left askew and I'll be the one to clean it. It may take some time; I'll have to stay awhile.

You say I'm kind, but you know that's not it. You know I just want to stay and heal you. You can teach me how to make those cookies and I'll teach you how to recognize scum when you see it. Inside the morose dankness of your mind there's something waiting to bloom and make you lively, I suppose. Your thoughts and fears will explode outward like a supernova and dazzle the crowds.

You say you can't be healed, but I know you can. But if you want to wait, I can teach you later. There's the timer, and there's the battering ram.

You're beautiful, sister, but all they want are those cookies.

Here's my challenge to you. Using all the words I'm about to give you, write a short story of your own and send it to me at . It shouldn't be too long, but more than three sentences would be nice. The deadline is, we'll say, June 21st because that's just before I go to summer camp. I'll pick a winner and they'll get recognition here, and free publicity courtesy of me. When I post the winner I'll post the next chapter of this.

Landform milk ankle incline London lily abode