{"submission_id":"233207","keywords":[{"keyword_id":"91837","keyword_name":"farmers market","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"3"},{"keyword_id":"123","keyword_name":"female","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"519806"},{"keyword_id":"165","keyword_name":"male","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"639770"},{"keyword_id":"420","keyword_name":"mouse","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"26891"},{"keyword_id":"91836","keyword_name":"opening up","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"1"},{"keyword_id":"1037","keyword_name":"oryx","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"112"},{"keyword_id":"452","keyword_name":"rat","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"10829"}],"hidden":"f","scraps":"f","favorite":"f","favorites_count":"0","create_datetime":"2012-04-21 19:14:11.867848+02","create_datetime_usertime":"21 Apr 2012 19:14 CEST","last_file_update_datetime":"2012-04-21 19:11:55.550134+02","last_file_update_datetime_usertime":"21 Apr 2012 19:11 CEST","username":"MicahWeil","user_id":"12771","user_icon_file_name":"5828_MicahWeil_micahcoon.gif","user_icon_url_large":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/usericons/large/5/5828_MicahWeil_micahcoon.gif","user_icon_url_medium":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/usericons/medium/5/5828_MicahWeil_micahcoon.gif","user_icon_url_small":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/usericons/small/5/5828_MicahWeil_micahcoon.gif","file_name":"299547_MicahWeil_market.doc","file_url_full":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/full/299/299547_MicahWeil_market.doc","file_url_screen":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/299/299547_MicahWeil_market.doc","file_url_preview":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/299/299547_MicahWeil_market.doc","files":[{"file_id":"299547","file_name":"299547_MicahWeil_market.doc","file_url_full":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/full/299/299547_MicahWeil_market.doc","file_url_screen":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/299/299547_MicahWeil_market.doc","file_url_preview":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/299/299547_MicahWeil_market.doc","mimetype":"application/msword","submission_id":"233207","user_id":"12771","submission_file_order":"0","full_size_x":null,"full_size_y":null,"screen_size_x":null,"screen_size_y":null,"preview_size_x":null,"preview_size_y":null,"initial_file_md5":"a12a2b39f78ffaf7c07dafc881b39a0c","full_file_md5":"a12a2b39f78ffaf7c07dafc881b39a0c","large_file_md5":"","small_file_md5":"","thumbnail_md5":"","deleted":"f","create_datetime":"2012-04-21 19:11:55.550134+02","create_datetime_usertime":"21 Apr 2012 19:11 CEST"}],"pools":[{"pool_id":"10461","name":"Middleton - Vaughn and Charis","description":"Tales of the small city of Middleton, featuring Vaughn (a paranoid rat) and Charis (a well meaning oryx)","count":"2","submission_left_submission_id":"233198","submission_left_file_name":"299539_MicahWeil_panic.doc"}],"description":"Farmers Markets are one of the few places that Vaughn can find peace. Everyone there knows and helps to protect him when the cops come to harass. The food is, arguably, much healthier than stuff bought in stores anyway. This trip is like no other, and he is rather enjoying himself...\n\n...and then Charis shows up...","description_bbcode_parsed":"Farmers Markets are one of the few places that Vaughn can find peace. Everyone there knows and helps to protect him when the cops come to harass. The food is, arguably, much healthier than stuff bought in stores anyway. This trip is like no other, and he is rather enjoying himself...

...and then Charis shows up...","writing":"Market\n\nShortie by Micah Weil\n\n\tEven a recluse such as himself knew the importance of having to go grocery shopping. Vaughn, however, didn't like going to grocery stores. The cops watched those, and everyone who shopped at them seemed rude and nasty by comparison. He didn't want to deal with it. Lucky for him, he only had to shop at them for such a short time during the year, a mere three months that made up the winter. Spring was always a welcome sight, with warmer weather and the markets. \n\n\tHe loved the markets dearly. The produce was always so fresh, so tasty. It made him a very happy rat. The stalls were always manned by friendly people, willing to appreciate his situation. There were no discounts; he refused them. They gave him the chance for, even for the hour he usually spent gathering what he needed for the week, a chance to have a peaceful mind.\n\n\tIt was the fourth market of the year. The berry farmers, providers of his favorite treats, were starting to make a show of their work. There wasn't a whole lot to choose from, and everything was sour. It was still nice to see everything out there. He turned a corner, towards where the bread was, and stopped in his tracks. He clutched his bags of food and turned away sharply, hoping the figure hadn't seen him.\n\n\t“Vaughn?” He winced when she spoke. He was never going to be that lucky. He tried to ignore her, even as she approached him. “Vaughn! It's nice to see you again.”\n\n\tHe turned to look over his shoulder at her. “H-hello Charis.” He offered a genuine smile to the long horned oryx, despite the fear coursing through his body at the moment.\n\n\t“I didn't know you liked to shop at the farmers markets.” She smiled sweetly to him. She was wearing a red skirt and a clean, white blouse today, he noted to himself. It was cute, even though he didn't care for such things.\n\n\t“Almost exclusively.” He sighed and set the bags down at his feet. He was resigning himself to the conversation he was about to have. “I like it better than the supermarkets. Everything's fresher.”\n\n\tShe nodded. “I'll agree to that.” She smiled and offered her hand. “I still haven't thanked you properly for the other night. You really saved my hide.” He nodded and looked away from the hand. “Are you okay?”\n\n\t“I...” He shook his head. “I still need to get bread for the week.” He picked up his bags, his nerve quickly being lost. “Excuse me.” He stepped around her and started for the bread stall he usually visited: the one with the spectacular multigrain loaf that lasted him all week. He was quick to to get there, knowing that the old tortoise couple that ran it was going to have it waiting for him as he approached. He was quick to hand off the money. He ran the remains of his list through his head. He already had veggies, his bread...all he needed was his meat for the week. He didn't eat a lot of it, but it was still a nice touch to his diet. A treat for him.\n\n\t“You know, the banana bread is really good next stall over.” He jumped a bit, almost fumbling the loaf in his arm when Charis spoke up again. He put everything down again to rearrange a spot for the bread. She smiled sweetly to him. “You should try it.”\n\n\t“P-please don't sneak up on me like that!” He picked up his bags and started away again.\n\n\t“Vaughn!” He stopped and turned to look at her. She approached him slowly, not wanting to startle him again. “Do I...”\n\n\t“No, you don't upset me.” He shook his head. “I just like food shopping alone. It's peaceful. Nobody hassling me. Friendly faces.”\n\n\t“Is my face not friendly enough?”\n\n\tHe frowned. “Your face is friendly.” He shook his head. This was going to be costly for him. “Would you like to go get something from the snack booth? The cookies are usually good. Or maybe some lemonade?”\n\n\t“Lemonade sounds great.” She took one of the bags from him. “Let me help you.” He winced and nodded. “You should stop doing that.” He didn't make a sound or a movement to indicate that he heard her.\n\n\tHe only visited the treat table once a month. He never understood why himself; it was a quirk of his. It wasn't something that the church mouse tending to the large selection of treats ever seemed to pay attention to. “Good afternoon, Vaughn!” She greeted him with a wide smile, something he found to be rather upsetting. “Is it time for your usual danish?”\n\n\t“I am a bit early this month, ma'am,” he said politely, his head lowered as he gazed over the various pastries.\n\n\t“Early?” Her gaze turned towards Charis. “Oh! You have a friend with you today.” She offered the same smile to the oryx. “It's nice to meet you, miss...”\n\n\t“Charis.” She offered a hand, which was happily taken. “Nice to meet you too.”\n\n\t“Vaughn doesn't have many friends, you know. At least, none that he takes here.”\n\n\t“Well, we only met once. I just happened to see him shopping.” He shut his eyes and looked away from the conversation.\n\n\t“Oh! Well he usually gets a cheese danish from me. Keep 'em special for him. What would you like, dear?”\n\n\t“He said you have lemonade.”\n\n\t“Best in town.” She poured her a big glass and handed it over. “And as for our Vaughn.” She handed him a danish. “There ya go.”\n\n\t“Th-thank you.” He handed her a bill. “Keep the change.”\n\n\t“So generous, dear.” She put it into her lockbox. “Thank you kindly.” The rat nodded and quickly hustled away from the table, sinking his teeth into the danish.\n\n\tCharis sighed and looked to the woman. “You seem to know him quite well.”\n\n\tShe nodded. “Poor thing. Always so...bothered.”\n\n\t“I noticed that when I met him. He said the cops were after him for some reason. Sounded like they were persecuting him.”\n\n\t“I have no idea about the details, dear. I do know that they showed up here a couple of times to hassle him. He's such a sweet boy. There's no reason they should be doing that.” She frowned. “They know he shops the markets, so they show up on occasion.”\n\n\t“So what do you guys do?”\n\n\t“Back way out. Always have one for him, just in case.” She looked over towards the fruits. “Sometimes, one of us will give him a ride back to his place.”\n\n\t“Ch-charis?” The ladies looked towards the rat. “I think it's time to go.”\n\n\tShe nodded. “Okay, gimme a second.” She offered her hand to the church mouse. “It was nice meeting you, miss.”\n\n\t“You too, Charis. I hope to see you again.”\n\n\tCharis insisted on walking him home. It bothered him and reassured him at the same time. She didn't mind that he preferred to go down the back alleys instead of sticking to the streets. Rather, she didn't question his choices to go those routes. She didn't mind hiding with him when he heard sirens passing by. She followed him right up to his apartment and waited for him to invite her in. “It was nice seeing you again, Vaughn,” she said as she went into his kitchen area and set the bag down. “I wish we could do this more often.”\n\n\tHe looked at her as he started unpacking everything into his fridge. “...it was nice to see you too, Charis.” He sighed as he put all of his veggies away. “I know...I know you do want to see me more often, but I don't want you getting in any trouble.”\n\n\t“Why would I?” She handed him the second bag. \n\n\t“The cops...”\n\n\t“They're after you. Do you know why?” He shook his head. “Do the people at the market know?”\n\n\t“...no. The only ones that do are the cops.” He shut the fridge and grabbed the bags. “Thank you for your help.”\n\n\t“It's okay.” She smiled and patted his shoulder. “I should be going now. I'll see you again soon?” She turned for the door. She was not about to make him miserable with her presence. She'd probably see him again, soon enough, as she had said.\n\n\t“Would you like to stay?” She stopped and looked at him. “I mean...it's not fair to you, right?”\n\n\tShe smiled. “If you'd like me to stay-”\n\n\t“You're good company. I don't mind at all.” He lowered his head. “Please?”\n\n\t“Vaughn...” She shut the front door, locked it up, and went to sit down. “I'd be happy to stay.”\n\n\tHis demeanor perked right up. “Do you want anything to eat?” She shook her head and patted to a spot on the dilapidated couch she sat on. He was quick to take her orders, and sat with her. “What do you want to do?”\n\n\t“Talk.”\n\n\t“Talk about what?” She smiled and set her hand on his. He jerked back at her touch. “...I don't...”\n\n\t“Tell me what you do know. I want to help.” He looked at her. All she could do was smile back. “I won't tell anyone what you tell me here. I promise.”\n\n\t“...I don't remember much. How I got into this mess...” He smiled to her. “But...this is what I remember from before that...” She smiled and leaned back, listening to him. \n\n\tThe stuff was all trivial to his situation, mostly about his childhood and schooling. As he spoke, though, she could see cracks in his shell. He needed to talk to someone, she already knew that. She didn't know how badly he needed it. It was a true service to him. When the time finally did come for her to leave, she promised him she'd be back soon with some stuff he needed. It hurt a little bit when she heard the lock click. He needed help. As she walked down the stairs to the streets, she knew she'd help him. She just had to figure out how. She turned towards the corner, heading home. She had favors to call in...\n\nEND\n\n","writing_bbcode_parsed":"Market

Shortie by Micah Weil

\tEven a recluse such as himself knew the importance of having to go grocery shopping. Vaughn, however, didn't like going to grocery stores. The cops watched those, and everyone who shopped at them seemed rude and nasty by comparison. He didn't want to deal with it. Lucky for him, he only had to shop at them for such a short time during the year, a mere three months that made up the winter. Spring was always a welcome sight, with warmer weather and the markets.

\tHe loved the markets dearly. The produce was always so fresh, so tasty. It made him a very happy rat. The stalls were always manned by friendly people, willing to appreciate his situation. There were no discounts; he refused them. They gave him the chance for, even for the hour he usually spent gathering what he needed for the week, a chance to have a peaceful mind.

\tIt was the fourth market of the year. The berry farmers, providers of his favorite treats, were starting to make a show of their work. There wasn't a whole lot to choose from, and everything was sour. It was still nice to see everything out there. He turned a corner, towards where the bread was, and stopped in his tracks. He clutched his bags of food and turned away sharply, hoping the figure hadn't seen him.

\t“Vaughn?” He winced when she spoke. He was never going to be that lucky. He tried to ignore her, even as she approached him. “Vaughn! It's nice to see you again.”

\tHe turned to look over his shoulder at her. “H-hello Charis.” He offered a genuine smile to the long horned oryx, despite the fear coursing through his body at the moment.

\t“I didn't know you liked to shop at the farmers markets.” She smiled sweetly to him. She was wearing a red skirt and a clean, white blouse today, he noted to himself. It was cute, even though he didn't care for such things.

\t“Almost exclusively.” He sighed and set the bags down at his feet. He was resigning himself to the conversation he was about to have. “I like it better than the supermarkets. Everything's fresher.”

\tShe nodded. “I'll agree to that.” She smiled and offered her hand. “I still haven't thanked you properly for the other night. You really saved my hide.” He nodded and looked away from the hand. “Are you okay?”

\t“I...” He shook his head. “I still need to get bread for the week.” He picked up his bags, his nerve quickly being lost. “Excuse me.” He stepped around her and started for the bread stall he usually visited: the one with the spectacular multigrain loaf that lasted him all week. He was quick to to get there, knowing that the old tortoise couple that ran it was going to have it waiting for him as he approached. He was quick to hand off the money. He ran the remains of his list through his head. He already had veggies, his bread...all he needed was his meat for the week. He didn't eat a lot of it, but it was still a nice touch to his diet. A treat for him.

\t“You know, the banana bread is really good next stall over.” He jumped a bit, almost fumbling the loaf in his arm when Charis spoke up again. He put everything down again to rearrange a spot for the bread. She smiled sweetly to him. “You should try it.”

\t“P-please don't sneak up on me like that!” He picked up his bags and started away again.

\t“Vaughn!” He stopped and turned to look at her. She approached him slowly, not wanting to startle him again. “Do I...”

\t“No, you don't upset me.” He shook his head. “I just like food shopping alone. It's peaceful. Nobody hassling me. Friendly faces.”

\t“Is my face not friendly enough?”

\tHe frowned. “Your face is friendly.” He shook his head. This was going to be costly for him. “Would you like to go get something from the snack booth? The cookies are usually good. Or maybe some lemonade?”

\t“Lemonade sounds great.” She took one of the bags from him. “Let me help you.” He winced and nodded. “You should stop doing that.” He didn't make a sound or a movement to indicate that he heard her.

\tHe only visited the treat table once a month. He never understood why himself; it was a quirk of his. It wasn't something that the church mouse tending to the large selection of treats ever seemed to pay attention to. “Good afternoon, Vaughn!” She greeted him with a wide smile, something he found to be rather upsetting. “Is it time for your usual danish?”

\t“I am a bit early this month, ma'am,” he said politely, his head lowered as he gazed over the various pastries.

\t“Early?” Her gaze turned towards Charis. “Oh! You have a friend with you today.” She offered the same smile to the oryx. “It's nice to meet you, miss...”

\t“Charis.” She offered a hand, which was happily taken. “Nice to meet you too.”

\t“Vaughn doesn't have many friends, you know. At least, none that he takes here.”

\t“Well, we only met once. I just happened to see him shopping.” He shut his eyes and looked away from the conversation.

\t“Oh! Well he usually gets a cheese danish from me. Keep 'em special for him. What would you like, dear?”

\t“He said you have lemonade.”

\t“Best in town.” She poured her a big glass and handed it over. “And as for our Vaughn.” She handed him a danish. “There ya go.”

\t“Th-thank you.” He handed her a bill. “Keep the change.”

\t“So generous, dear.” She put it into her lockbox. “Thank you kindly.” The rat nodded and quickly hustled away from the table, sinking his teeth into the danish.

\tCharis sighed and looked to the woman. “You seem to know him quite well.”

\tShe nodded. “Poor thing. Always so...bothered.”

\t“I noticed that when I met him. He said the cops were after him for some reason. Sounded like they were persecuting him.”

\t“I have no idea about the details, dear. I do know that they showed up here a couple of times to hassle him. He's such a sweet boy. There's no reason they should be doing that.” She frowned. “They know he shops the markets, so they show up on occasion.”

\t“So what do you guys do?”

\t“Back way out. Always have one for him, just in case.” She looked over towards the fruits. “Sometimes, one of us will give him a ride back to his place.”

\t“Ch-charis?” The ladies looked towards the rat. “I think it's time to go.”

\tShe nodded. “Okay, gimme a second.” She offered her hand to the church mouse. “It was nice meeting you, miss.”

\t“You too, Charis. I hope to see you again.”

\tCharis insisted on walking him home. It bothered him and reassured him at the same time. She didn't mind that he preferred to go down the back alleys instead of sticking to the streets. Rather, she didn't question his choices to go those routes. She didn't mind hiding with him when he heard sirens passing by. She followed him right up to his apartment and waited for him to invite her in. “It was nice seeing you again, Vaughn,” she said as she went into his kitchen area and set the bag down. “I wish we could do this more often.”

\tHe looked at her as he started unpacking everything into his fridge. “...it was nice to see you too, Charis.” He sighed as he put all of his veggies away. “I know...I know you do want to see me more often, but I don't want you getting in any trouble.”

\t“Why would I?” She handed him the second bag.

\t“The cops...”

\t“They're after you. Do you know why?” He shook his head. “Do the people at the market know?”

\t“...no. The only ones that do are the cops.” He shut the fridge and grabbed the bags. “Thank you for your help.”

\t“It's okay.” She smiled and patted his shoulder. “I should be going now. I'll see you again soon?” She turned for the door. She was not about to make him miserable with her presence. She'd probably see him again, soon enough, as she had said.

\t“Would you like to stay?” She stopped and looked at him. “I mean...it's not fair to you, right?”

\tShe smiled. “If you'd like me to stay-”

\t“You're good company. I don't mind at all.” He lowered his head. “Please?”

\t“Vaughn...” She shut the front door, locked it up, and went to sit down. “I'd be happy to stay.”

\tHis demeanor perked right up. “Do you want anything to eat?” She shook her head and patted to a spot on the dilapidated couch she sat on. He was quick to take her orders, and sat with her. “What do you want to do?”

\t“Talk.”

\t“Talk about what?” She smiled and set her hand on his. He jerked back at her touch. “...I don't...”

\t“Tell me what you do know. I want to help.” He looked at her. All she could do was smile back. “I won't tell anyone what you tell me here. I promise.”

\t“...I don't remember much. How I got into this mess...” He smiled to her. “But...this is what I remember from before that...” She smiled and leaned back, listening to him.

\tThe stuff was all trivial to his situation, mostly about his childhood and schooling. As he spoke, though, she could see cracks in his shell. He needed to talk to someone, she already knew that. She didn't know how badly he needed it. It was a true service to him. When the time finally did come for her to leave, she promised him she'd be back soon with some stuff he needed. It hurt a little bit when she heard the lock click. He needed help. As she walked down the stairs to the streets, she knew she'd help him. She just had to figure out how. She turned towards the corner, heading home. She had favors to call in...

END

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