Alternative Assured
The challenge here was to write a short story of about
500 words and use as many of the alternative terms for “said” as possible. The
list of 90 such words is not exhaustive, but fairly
comprehensive.
“Embarrassment?” Simon shrieked. “You couldn’t imagine!” he screamed and if that wasn’t enough emphasised:
“Embarrassment? Walking around
with your backside hanging out?” he explained and then demanded: “What could I have done?”
“I ask you,” he cried out.
Simon laughed
then grinned and giggled while drying himself.
“It was really quite funny,”
he pointed out. “All those women
must have got quite an eyeful,” Simon exclaimed.
“They were very lucky to see such a sight,” he bragged.
“I wouldn’t have done it deliberately,” he lied and denied being a show-off when
challenged.
“I am not a show-off,” Simon objected and asked, “don’t
you believe me?
“I don’t normally parade myself like that…,”
Simon began, but then spoiled his assertion when he claimed that it was an accident. He assured his friend Desmond
that it was totally out of character. “Des, you know me well enough that I
couldn’t do that,” he commented and expressed his fear that he would be ridiculed.
“Water rots the
material of my Speedos,” Simon complained and then described the way it can so easily occur and insisted, “there is no way
of knowing when it will happen only that it will.”
Over a cup of tea,
Caroline later mentioned that she’d have a great time
telling her friends about Simon’s lewd behaviour.
“You wou... wou..
wouldn’t do that, wou... wou...ld you Ca... Caroline?” Simon stammered.
“Of course I
wou... would,” she taunted Simon. “It would be fun.”
What a cow, thought Simon and then aloud he warned that he’d get even with her if
she dared and vowed never to speak to her again.
“That sounds like
a good idea,” replied Caroline and Simon responded by putting out his tongue.
“So,” sneered Caroline, “you not only wear your
backside on the outside of your Speedos, but your tongue on the outside of your
mouth.”
With a grin like a
Cheshire cat, Simon roared with laughter and admitted that walking around with your
backside showing through Speedos could conjure up bizarre images. He then announced his intention of approaching a
local paper so it could be notified about the story before anything untrue could be advised.
“Simon is so
gullible,” Caroline whispered to Desmond and added that she’d never really do as
she had indicated.
“Simon probably
realises that you are not serious about what you suggested,” Desmond revealed and agreed that it would be fun though.
They left the
centre only to meet a police officer. “Wait,” he commanded.
“Yes, what is it?”
Simon questioned and then uttered to his two friends, “I told you this would happen. I predicted it.”
“You have been
reported as walking around exposing yourself,” lectured the cop and then stated that Simon had allegedly boasted about his actions. “Come over
to my car,” he instructed.
Simon acknowledged the order by moving towards
the car and feared the worst. He had assumed the complaint had been made by
a member of the public and pleaded his innocence, “It was only an accident.”
“Yes, I know,” observed the cop as he took off his cap
to reveal himself as their friend Jason.
“I’ve been
set-up,” sputtered Simon. “You rotten pair,” he grunted.
“It was only a
joke,” Caroline answered
and scolded Simon with “You are such a
show-off”.
Used 62
terms:
Shrieked, Screamed,
Emphasised,
Explained,
Demanded, Cried,
Laughed, Grinned,
Giggled,
Pointed out,
Exclaimed,
Bragged, Lied, Denied,
Objected, Asked,
Began,
Claimed, Assured,
Commented,
Expressed,
Complained,
Described,
Insisted, Mentioned,
Stammered, Taunted,
Thought
Warned, Vowed,
Replied,
Responded,
Sneered, Roared,
Admitted,
Announced, Notified,
Advised,
Whispered, Added,
Indicated,
Suggested, Revealed,
Agreed, Commanded,
Questioned,
Uttered, Told,
Predicted, Lectured,
Stated, Boasted,
Instructed,
Acknowledged,
Feared,
Assumed, Pleaded,
Observed,
Sputtered,
Grunted, Answered,
Scolded.
Remainder 28
terms:
Approved, Argued,
Babbled,
Bargained, Called,
Decided, Dictated,
Estimated,
Moaned, Mumbled,
Murmured,
Nagged, Noted,
Ordered, Prayed,
Reassured, Related,
Repeated,
Requested,
Restated, Ruled,
Shouted, Snapped,
Sobbed, Spoke,
Stormed, Urged,
Wailed (28).
© Louis Brothnias (2007)