Curious Incidents of a Flailing Mermaid

Day one: Magical chalk!

So today, "30-Day Blogging Challenge" has given us a pretty interesting prompt to get us started. You get a piece of magical chalk. Anything you draw comes to life. Either describe what you will do with the chalk or create a list of rules for using the magical chalk.

You see this piece of chalk? Yeah, this one: it turns out to be a magical piece of chalk. Who knew? I mean, I definitely didn't realise when I took it out of that kid's box - I just fancied taking a walk down memory lane and having a little hopscotch tournament with myself.

This is where it starts to get tricky. So, I wander home with said chalk and start drawing up the hopscotch boxes. All very well, but every line that I drew started rising out of the ground, clattering down like lead piping until all I was left with a pile of metal rods and numbers.
It occurs to me that everything you draw with this piece of chalk, come to life! This is all pretty cool and exciting. However, I have two rather significant problems when it comes to deciding how to use this remarkable item.

Before I go on, I should point out that I don't think the kid I took the chalk from had any idea of the capabilities of this chalk - I was sure to take a piece that looked like it had never even used and, therefore, held no kind of weird sentimental value to the kid.

Anyway, back to my problems. Firstly, I cannot draw; at all, nothing, nada. Which is a bit unfortunate given that I have a magical drawing implement. I mean, the scrap metal market is rather lucrative these days, I believe. So, I could just keep drawing lines and numbers on the floor and just sell what I get. But, this would feel like such a waste of chalk. Although, I am now wondering whether the chalk also works with your thoughts as well as what you draw. Surely, it has to, right?
Sure, I seem to be able to draw lines and numbers - they are what led me to this predicament. However, if I try to draw any thing else, all I will get is to jelly!! To be honest jelly is definitely not up there on my list of desserts. Therefore, I cannot see myself being overjoyed with a free mountain of jelly for very long. So, I am definitely going to give the ol' imagination thing a whirl later!

My second problem somewhat corresponds with the first in that, when one cannot draw for one's self, who on earth does one contact to do the drawing for them? If I asked someone to draw me something with my magic chalk I would, inevitably get the stare of doom. You know the types of stares you get when someone thinks you are, without doubt, the craziest person they know! Yet, I can’t exactly ask someone to draw something without giving them the low down on the chalk. If I did this, the person would either a) have a heart attack when the thing they were drawing started joining reality, or b) the person would steal the chalk for their own gain.

Neither death nor thievery is an option. Thus, I suppose its up to me to figure this out for myself!

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Right, I sat staring at the chalk on my desk for a good hour or two before slapping myself around the face for being a chicken and wasting time. After this, I bit the bullet and decided to use the chalk. Unfortunately, I was starving so the only thing I could think about was CAKE – a big fat chocolaty chocolate CAKE. It dawned on me that this was a great opportunity to test out the imagination theory I talked about earlier. So, I drew: I drew my big fat wobbly lined chocolate cake… it worked! It definitely worked! And ooohhh my goodness it was good cake! Although, I have to be honest, I do feel a little bit sick right now!

Needless to say, I now had some major decisions to make; a piece of chalk only goes so far!

I was still feeling excessively guilty about taking the kid’s magic chalk, whether or not he knew it was magic. Because of this, I drew a box of new chalk that I’ll replace next time he’s outside when I pass by. I am not sure if his chalk is magical or not; I’ll leave that for the kid to discover.

Now what? I thought about what I really wanted. I couldn’t think of anything, other than a library. Now that would be cool. I drew my house as it was but made it slightly bigger and added a small library full of books. I ran to check out my creation… it was better than the cake, and that’s saying something.
I added my garden to the picture and drew a tree – the tree wasn’t there before. It was a money tree.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “money, typical!” But hear me out, will you?!!

As I drew, I said over and over that the money from the tree could not be used for myself. Instead, I could only get money off the tree if I was giving it to someone else or charity. The tree would also know if I was being taken advantage of and stop me from taking money.

Pleased with the few, but significant, additions to my life I looked, once again at the chalk. Only three quarters of it was left; it definitely wouldn’t last forever. Therefore, I decided not to waste it on a wimb because what I want today may not be what I want tomorrow. So, I wrapped the chalk up in a fluffy sock and tuck it into my drawer.

I wonder what I’ll draw tomorrow.


Disclaimer: If anyone finds this, I’m not mad! This actually happened. The cake was great!