How We Write – The Cookie Conspiracy
The prompt was: The Cookie Conspiracy.
That immediately brought to mind children and fresh-baked cookies. But how do the kids get the cookies? And where are they?
Following those questions led Orion to a new ship and introduced a new cast of characters into her Farseeker Chronicles. The ship, Sun’s Glow, created for this story, would become the home of Kieran Thorgood, whom you met in last week’s short story, Eros Day.
We don’t know what adventures Kieran and the children and crew of Sun’s Glow will get into, but we do know they are (former and probably current) rebels. Kieran was a rebel hired to teach this brood of children. He’s also connected to Gayan Villson, of another covert rebel ship, the Tempest’s Kin.
In all probability, Sun’s Glow will turn up for the climactic space battle that Orion has been plotting for several years now. Stay tuned!
Photo by: Chocolate Monster Mel
THE COOKIE CONSPIRACY
“Do you smell it?” Ruby demanded, popping around the bulkhead at the top of the stairs. “Mom’s making cookies!”
Chase inhaled deeply. The scent of baking cookies filled him, borne on the ship’s currents of recycled air.
Such blessed change from the reek of oil, people, and machinery, Chase thought.
Chase nodded, dropping his pencil, homework forgotten. “As if I could miss it! I sure wish I could get one while they’re hot.” His mouth watered at the very thought. Chocolate chip, if his nose knew anything. His very favorite kind in the whole universe.
“Me too,” she said. “But you know Mom.” Her voice took on the tones of their mother in dictator mode: “No cookies until after supper. That’s the rule!”
Chase giggled momentarily at how accurate her imitation of their mother was. He eyed his twin sister. I hope she’s not here with one of her infernal plots again. He looked around the little communications space he’d chosen for doing his homework. I picked this place because Ruby and the younger twins won’t usually venture onto the bridge for fear that mother will give them more chores.
He sighed, shoulders slumping. “Yeah, that’s exactly what she’d say.”
“Got an idea,” Ruby said, her voice dropping to a whisper. “If I get the twins to scream bloody murder in the cargo hold, like they’re hurt, mom’ll come running. You can slip in and grab some cookies before she gets back. Hide ‘em here till things settle down. Then we’ll sneak up later and eat ’em.”
Chase nodded. Yup. She’s at it again. He gave a mental shrug. This one might work. He chewed on his lower lip. If mom doesn’t see through it and paddle the lot of us.
“Go,” he said, shooing her out the door. “I’ll be ready.”
Ruby grinned and slipped down the stairs.
The high-pitched screams jolted him out of his spelling lesson. Waiting to the count of one hundred, he padded down the stairs, through the passageway and into the empty Commons. Moving quickly to the kitchen, he pulled a bowl from the rack and scooped up as many cookies as it would hold, then bolted back toward the bridge.
He pushed the cookie trove into the shadowed recesses of the comm station, but the scent wouldn’t let him alone.
That smell!
His mouth watered.
Just one, he told himself.
He snatched one.
He opened his mouth, ready to chomp down on the warm gooey sweetness.
“Ahem.”
He froze in mid-bite, eyes wide.
His mother stood in the doorway, her work-roughened hand held out to him.
Meekly, he laid the warm cookie on it.
“The rest?” It sounded like a question, but looking at her face, Chase knew it wasn’t. He drew out the bowl and handed it to her.
“Humpf,” she snorted. “Thought this little cookie conspiracy would work, did you? Well, think again. No cookies for any of you tonight. Your father and I will get seconds, though.”
She turned and stomped away, leaving him only the delicious scent of chocolate chip cookies.