The Unicorn Challenge — write a max 250 word story based on the photo prompt.
Here goes nothing —
When Lilly saw Gemma in the grocery store, she knew this would not be the quick trip that Mom promised.
“Ella!” she exclaimed, rushing over to them. “Have I got a story for you!”
Mom glanced down at Lilly and said, “Why don’t you go get some cherries while Gemma and I talk?”
Lilly did not need to be asked twice. She loved cherries.
Still within sight of her mom, she went to the large display in the produce section. She grabbed a bag and started filling it with fruit. Then she spied something in the cherry bin.
She went back to her mom and tugged on her sleeve.
“And then I saw them –,” Gemma was saying, but Ella put up her hand to pause the story.
“What do you need, honey?” she asked Lilly.
“What if there’s something besides cherries in the cherry bin?” Lilly asked.
“That happens sometimes,” Mom said. “The fruit gets mixed up. Just put cherries in the bag.”
“But what if I want to get something besides cherries?” she asked.
“Put each different thing in its own bag,” her mother replied.
Lilly nodded and headed back.
She heard Gemma continuing, “The two of them were…”
Lilly finished filling the cherry bag and then put her other item in a different bag. She shrugged as she did it, but Mom had said.
“Ready?” Mom asked, coming alongside Lilly. She nodded her approval at the cherries, then screamed — when she saw the large snail in a bag.
Hot Dogs and Marmalade 
Haha! They deserved that. 🐌
Kids do the darnedest things when the adults aren’t paying attention.
Yup! That’s why they are kids 😜
Hahaha!! Lovely twist!
Thank you! Slimy twist, right?
In all my years shopping at farmers markets, I’ve never come across a snail in any fruit or vegetable crate. I did a double take when I looked at todays photo!
Nice write, Sally!
Which is why the photo’s there, NGE!
I literally did a double take,
then pulled out the magnifying glass!
Thank you! I also have never seen a snail in with fruits, although they are plentiful in my garden! Now worms are a different story…
Agreed!
Girls will be girls, I guess.
Neat portrayal of a moment in time.
A boy would have just put the snail in his pocket, right?
Every time, Sally!
She did what she was told. I hope the grocer didn’t charge Mom for it!
Yeah — I was wondering what the price per pound for snails would be
Such a great portrayal of a child’s mind.
It took me right back to episodes from my own childhood…
It’s a fine story that brings out that reaction in readers, I thing.
Nice one, Sally.
Or even, I think!
Hope she enjoyed the snail.
In a that-was-delicious way? Or, in a I-love-my-new-pet way?
Which ever way made her happy.
I almost spit my coffee onto the keyboard…I should have looked closer at the image before reading! At least she asked first…. Loved the twist, Sally!
hehehe