Death By Scrabble
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Cerys Butler, Grade 6, Southern Vales Christian College
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Short Story
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2011
Excellence Award in the 'Step Write Up 2011' competition
A day at home, just my wife and I. I hate my wife! We're playing Scrabble.That's how bad it is. It is a boiling hot day and all I can think of to do with my wife is play Scrabble. I should be out doing exercise, spending money, meeting people; I don't think I've spoken to anyone except my wife this week. We start the game. My letters are rubbish, I play appropriately. With the 'N' on the pink star '22' points.
I watch my wife's smug expression as she moves her letters. Clack, clack, clack. If she wasn't around right now I would be climbing hills, and going on adventures. I'd be in Hollywood filming all the stars. I'd be sailing the Pacific. I don't know, but I'd be doing something other than this. She plays with the 'J' on the double-letter score. '30' points, she's beating me already. I was angry; we carry on playing. The game is nearing the end. She is still winning.
My rack is 'AQWEUK' plus the 'B' I am chewing, due to stress. Then it hits me, that perfect word - 'QUAKE' for 19 points. I wonder if the strength of the word 'quake' will be enough to secure a victory for me. I could feel the trembling of anticipation running through my veins, whilst I'm chewing the 'B'. My wife plays 'death' for '34' points. It scared me, I gasped, and the 'B' I was chewing went down my throat. I go purple and try to cough it out. I go red, then blue, and all my wife does is just sit there staring at me gasp for air... As I gasp for my last breath my wife begins to grin.
My wife just sits there watching and says, 'I Win.'