1 @StoryADayMay Steffie at the Stove

shortstorymonthx240Today is the first of the month, so I have a new Hot Flash. It’s also Wednesday, so I have a food post for you. It’s also the first day of Story A Day in May, so I have the first of 31 short story attempts. I got up at 6:00 this morning, so I hope you appreciate it. That’s 6:00 in the AM!!!

One of the writing groups I belong to had a writing challenge I hadn’t done yet, so I took that as my prompt. Write a story using the words: caramel, binder, Stonehenge.

Steffie at the Stove

by Marian Allen

Steffie was an international spy, but sometimes she liked to pretend she was the star of a cooking show. Nothing calmed her down at the end of a mission more than messing about in the kitchen.

Today, she didn’t even need to take down the old blue binder, its denim covering faded and threadbare, filled with the recipes she’d been collecting since high school. She knew what she had a taste for.

“There are many uses for caramel,” she said aloud, smiling for the imaginary camera. “One can make caramels, of course, which make lovely gifts, wrapped in twists of cellophane and piled into a pretty box.”

She measured equal amounts of butter and brown sugar into a ceramic saucepan, turned the heat to medium high, and began the stirring that would continue for three minutes after the candy came to a boil.

“One can pour it over popped corn, one can use it to make Soda Cracker Candy, one can top ice cream with it.” Or one can cook it longer than three minutes, producing a substance so hard and sticky that, had Stonehenge been put together with it, Stonehenge would still be complete.

Caramel needed attention. That was why she didn’t realize Donhoff had infiltrated her home base until she felt his Glock at her temple. She granted him the right to his triumphant grin.

“I have caught you unaware! Few can claim that. Now, where is –”

She tossed the pot over her shoulder, wiping the grin off Donhoff’s face with a coat of scalding, clinging (but delicious!) syrup.

He screamed and dropped his gun. Fortunately, she never went anywhere–not even to the kitchen–without her own. She fired twice: once in the heart and once in the head.

As she waited for the Agency clean-up crew to arrive, she said, “Yes, one can always put caramel to some good use. Till next time, this is Steffie At The Stove saying, Let’s get cooking!

~  *  ~

During May, the daily writing prompt will be the one I used for my story. You’re welcome to use them yourselves. You’re also welcome to drop a link to your Story A Day post so I can come read yours. 🙂

MA

About

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but now live in the woods in southern Indiana. Though I only write fiction, I love to read non-fiction. The more I learn about this world, the more fantastic I see it is.

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One thought on “1 @StoryADayMay Steffie at the Stove

  1. Jacqueline Seewaldj

    May 1, 2013 at 2:36pm

    I really enjoyed the story! My last novel DEATH LEGACY is a spy thriller. I find the genre very appealing, especially when there’s humor.

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      May 1, 2013 at 6:48pm

      My mother LOVES spy thrillers! Give her a John LeCarre and she’s happy as a clam. 🙂

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  2. Bob Sanchez

    May 1, 2013 at 8:46pm

    A story a day? My poor noggin is boggled!
    That Steffie’s quite a gal.

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      May 1, 2013 at 9:41pm

      Oh, no, Bob — I’ve never boggled a noggin before! Hmmm…. I think you just invented our next virtual cocktail for the BBTCafe! The Boggled Noggin. We will speak more of this anon. ~grin~

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      May 2, 2013 at 6:21am

      I’m pleased to meet you, Nikita! My cat, a Russian blue named Katya, says to tell you, “Mrrow.” I’ll be right over to read your story!

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  3. judy pierce

    May 2, 2013 at 8:00am

    That is a good one! Not having read your stories before, I was a little surprised at the ending! Very clever. Did make me hungry for some Talenti salty caramel gelato,though. Look forward to reading more.

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      May 2, 2013 at 9:59am

      Oh, Judy, you never know where my stories are going to go. ~grin~ That gelato sounds DELISH! Send me some through the matter transporter, will ya?

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  4. Jane

    May 2, 2013 at 9:12am

    I think that Steffie has a future on the Food Network.
    Gr-reat!
    Caramels….yum.

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  5. Perry Block

    May 2, 2013 at 9:14am

    Wow, sounds delicious! I could use a good cook like that around the house. (Very Quentin Tarantino of you here, Marian.)

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      May 2, 2013 at 10:02am

      Yeah, I don’t watch violence, but I totally know how it’s done. 😉

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  6. Maryann Miller

    May 2, 2013 at 10:54am

    Loved your story. It was well worth coming over to read. So glad you got up early to create this treat for us. Take a nap now. (smile)

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      May 2, 2013 at 2:16pm

      Trying for a new story every day this month! I hope I don’t get addicted to it. heh!

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  7. Mitchel Reverra

    May 6, 2013 at 9:30am

    That is a good one! Not having read your stories before, I was a little surprised at the ending! Very clever. Did make me hungry for some Talenti salty caramel gelato,though. Look forward to reading more.Thank you so much!

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