I’m taking part in the #30words30days challenge on X again, after taking a break for a while. This time I decided to follow up on my book, The Long Road to Meet Baby Brother so I am writing each 30 word story as a continuation of the previous days one, thus creating a longer story. I saw someone do this in a previous round so I stole the idea as I thought it was cool.
What’s challenging and interesting here is that you get a new word every day that you need to interpret/use in your story. Here are my contributions to date. I’ll update as I add more.

Seek
Mae, five, was seeking to teach her baby brother everything. Her mum had only arrived home with him from hospital. He needed food, so Mae decided to feed him pancakes.

Discover
To her dismay, Mae discovers that her brother Alfie is too young for pancakes. Apparently Alfie has no teeth yet. Mae is puzzled. Why didn’t they give him any teeth?

Feather
Having given up on feeding Alfie, Mae went outside. Soon a feather caught her attention and she quickly grabbed it. Twirling the feather she had an idea. She ran inside.

Shiver
Inside, Mae saw Alfie shivering. He’s a little sick, Mae’s mother Emma said. He’ll be ok soon. Here Mae said, I brought a present, handing over the feather. Alfie smiled.

Ground
”Where did you find that?” Mae’s mother asked.
”It was laying on the ground, a bird must have dropped it.” Mae responds. ”Maybe Alfie can learn to fly,” she continues.

Channel
Dashing to her room, Mae channels her energy on how she can teach Alfie to fly.
Soon after, a bang, followed by a heartfelt cry. ”Mum, I need a plaster!”

Electric
Suddenly the house was plunged into darkness.
”Mum! I can’t see anything!” Mae shouted. ”What happened?”
”The electrics went,” her mum answered.
”What’s that?”
”It’s an invisible force.”
”Really? Wow!”

Radio
Soon the power was back on. Mae having forgotten about her accident started singing. Her mother smiled as she heard ”All we hear is Radio ga ga” from Mae’s room.

Silt
When out walking the next day, Mae spotted a frog sitting in the silt in the river.
”So cute. Can I bring it home?”
”No love. We better leave it.”

Reveal
Soon the Irish weather revealed itself, and while Emma was trying to get the kids home, Mae was jumping in every puddle she could find.
”I love muddy puddles mum!”

Yarn
Back home, lunch served, Mae was spinning a yarn to her big brother Jamie about their walk.
”We saw unicorns, they were so cute…”
Jamie focused on his phone, yawning.

Grain
That evening, Mae poked at her cereal.
”What’s this, mum?”
”It’s grain.”
Mae looked puzzled.
”Like sand?”
”Sort of.”
Mae frowned.
”Then why don’t people build castles with it?”

Memory
“Mommy, remember when I used to go play with Freddie?”
“Yes, he was a nice cat.”
“I miss him.”
“But you’ll always have the memory.”
“Can I have a cat?”

Swivel
Mae swiveled on the breakfast bar chair.
”Jamie, are you playing football today?”
”Mmmm.”
”Can I come?”
”It’s only for boys.”
”That’s not fair.”
”Join the girls team.”
”Mum, can I?”

Flood
Mae’s boots were mucky as she ran under the floodlights, kicking the ball.
Laughter echoed as the others ran around in total chaos.
Jamie watched on, proud of his sister.

Single
Mae took barely a single breath on the way home, so excited was she talking about football.
The family nodded, tried to speak, but couldn’t get a single word in.

Lace
Mae kicked off her football boots without even opening the laces, and ran to her room.
Emma peaked around the door, finding Mae doing pushups.
”I need to get stronger.”

Pine

A strong scent of pine spread through the house. Emma found the source in Mae’s room.

“Why did you bring in so many branches?”

“I’m building a hut.”

Emma sighed.

Expedition

”A hut? Why do you want a hut? And why in here?”

”Because I’m taking Alfie on an expedition to see unicorns and you won’t allow me take him outside.”

Slice

Emma thought for a second.

”Perhaps we could go and have a slice of cake first, and draw up some plans for this hut?”

”Yea, I’d love some cake Mummy.”

Wiggle

Beside them, Alfie wiggled excitedly as if to say: I want some cake too.

Mae noticed, and tried to sneak a morsel to him.

One look from Emma stopped her.

Paste

Cake eaten and the hut forgotten, Mae was busy in the kitchen.

Into a bowl went ketchup, water, pepper and juice.

”What’s that?”

”My secret paste to help Alfie grow.”

Frame

Mae’s shiny long red hair framed her face beautifully as she stood in the hall the next morning, ready for her first day at school.

”Are you excited?”

”YES mummy!”

Wave

At the school gates, Mae ran into the yard. So eager was she to start school that Emma’s frantic waves of goodbyes went unanswered.

Emma walked home, eyes welling up.

Smooth

In the afternoon, when Emma collected Mae, she could not but laugh. Mae’s normally neat hair was now pointing in all directions. Emma smoothed it out.

“Good day then?”

“Yeah.”

Essence

When they get home, Alfie is fast asleep.

Mae watches him and asks: “Mum, what’s the most important thing for a baby?”

“Love, Mae. Love is the essence of everything.”

Organ

”Does an organ have games on it mummy?”

”No honey. Why do you ask?”

”Teacher said she’ll play it for us tomorrow.”

”That should be fun. Some music.”

”Probably boring.”

Check

”Mummy!”

”What honey?

”I need to check something.”

”No honey, you need to sleep.”

”But mummy. It’s important.”

”What is it now?”

”I think I forgot to kiss Alfie goodnight.”

Pickle

”Perhaps you could talk to her about it. I understand why she defended that girl but it did land her in a pickle,” Mae’s teacher said to Emma.

Emma sighed.

Connect


”What did she do?”
”Let’s just say the flat of her hand connected with the boys cheek. No damage. Just tears.”
Emma smiled inwardly
”Oh dear. I talk to her.”