Vocabulary Stories

E-PRIME #1 

             Once upon a time, there lived a nefarious ¹ muse ² by the name of Wanda. Known for her vacuous ³ soul, Wanda did not have friends and didn’t seem to care. Even her family found her insipid ⁴ and their opinion didn’t change after Wanda attempted to beguile ⁵ her brother to do her chores. This allocation ⁶ outraged Wanda’s parents, who stood akimbo ⁷ in response. With witchery as an avocation ⁸, Wanda moved out of her family’s house and into a hospice ⁹, where she would begin a new life. Before she moved out of her parent’s house, her mother admonished ¹⁰ her to not stray away from her good habits.

            Contrary to her mother’s wishes, Wanda began living a plight ¹¹ unlike any other. She teamed up with another witch-like woman, Sharon. Sharon quickly vacillated ¹² Wanda into a “hardcore” witch.  Wanda, subversive ¹³ through the whole conversion, gave up any good habits she had retained before moving out of her parent’s house. It did not take long for Wanda’s mom to realize how much she had changed. She sent Wanda an epistle ¹⁴, acting as a suppliant ¹⁵, begging Wanda not to succumb to Sharon’s evil ways.

            Wanda’s mother could not understand how after all the Christian ascetic¹⁶ teachings Wanda learned from her family that she could start a life practice in the devil’s shadow. How could someone once pure turn into a black soul? Knowing that Wanda needed some personal space to develop into her own person, Wanda’s mother decided not to interlope ¹⁷into her daughter’s decision and hoped she would take the right path. Unperturbed by her mother’s uneasiness, Wanda continued practicing her dark magic. By dint ¹⁸of curiosity and the desire to possess power, Wanda quickly perfected the incantations that Sharon shared with her. Sharon now felt that Wanda had completed the proper preparation for her ultimate task of evil. Sharon enjoined¹⁹ Wanda with her final task to finalize her studies of witchcraft. If Wanda carried through with this task then she would have the extraordinary power she always dreamed of claiming. Wanda did not see how people saw witches as envoys ^{2 º}of evil. She just thought practicing witchcraft would make her life more advantageous.

            Wanda had the wrong impression however because Sharon just so happened to work for the devil and lived a licentious ²¹ life. For her final test in witchcraft, Wanda had to create a “Lahtel” potion made from snake venom and give it to her mother. Sharon told Wanda that this potion would convince Wanda’s mother to support Wanda’s practice in magic which made it the ultimate spell because it had the power to affect mind power. Of course Sharon lied, the potion would actually kill Wanda’s mother. Because Sharon felt threatened by Wanda’s mother she thought putting her in a moribund ²² state would result in the end of her worries.  Wanda’s inexorable ²³ desires for power blinded her from Sharon’s evil plot.

            Wanda began working on the potion and adventured out into the wilderness to find a snake to obtain venom. Searching for hours and hours on end had Wanda in a state of lassitude ²⁴. But she carried on with making the potion and brewed the murderous concoction in her giant crass ²⁵ cauldron. Knowing that her evil plot neared its completion, Sharon experienced vicarious ²⁶ thrills as she sat back and watched Wanda at work. Something had come over Wanda and she now experienced an uneasy feeling as she kept working on the spell. Seeing Wanda’s sudden change in mood caused Sharon to question Wanda, but Wanda acted reticent ²⁷ and didn’t respond to Sharon. The torrid²⁸ heat and fumes from the brewing concoction claimed responsibility for her following actions. Wanda began acting very capriciously²⁹ and turned to Sharon only to yell about having to do all the work in the potion room; with one swift motion turns around and stabs Sharon with a stick of butter. This presumptuous³⁰ act made Wanda corroborate³¹ that she didn’t need to make this potion to have extraordinary power. After cleaning up the scene in a tedium³² manor, Wanda ponders about the disparities³³ between Star Wars and Star Trek.

Upon hearing the news of Sharon’s death, the Pope and his entire retinue³⁴ holds an immediate press conference to discuss the pecuniary³⁵ of her debt. Since Sharon has no family the state’s funding will have to defray³⁶ it all. The efficacy³⁷ of the Pope’s far-reaching influence scares Wanda, so she quickly leaves town in order to avoid the risk of capture. She returns home and tells her mother about her wicked ways and malicious deeds. Her mother quickly dismisses her faults and accepts her back. Upon entering the kitchen, Wanda sees her cousin at the dinner table. She became aware of something very strange going on. At that moment her mother demands that she marry her cousin for the impetus³⁸ effect it will have on family gossip. She protests with much disgust and iterates that her akinment³⁹ with him will surely produce deformed children. Her mother spews shock and anger at this unnecessary foreshadowing and jumps off the balcony. This physiognomy⁴⁰ makes Wanda realize that she exists as the only sane person in the story, and proceeds in killing her cousin so that the thought of having to look at his repulsive facial features would never haunt her again.

THE END

 E-PRIME #2

                The choleric (1) mafia leader, Sasha Malapovich entered the capacious (2) courtroom and the trial began. Witness after witness went to the podium to testify against him. Little to the judges’ knowledge, they all received payment by Sasha. After successfully committing surfeit (3) accounts of perjury (4), the “witnesses” portrayed the vicious boss as nothing ore than a harmless figure. While giving his alibi, the voluble (5) Russian spoke with poise and elegance. In turn , the pusillanimous (6) jury mitigated (7) his charges to a large fine and some community service. In hearing this, the victim’s father stood up and attempted to expectorate (8) on Sasha, while shouting multiple affronts (9) in his direction, betweenhis ribald (10) cries for justice. The courthouse police quickly intervened and prostrated (11) him to the ground. This commotion caused quite the ruckus and a few minutes passed before the judge could allayencumbered (13) Sasha with guilt for his actions nor made him pity the indolent (14). Sasha could now consider himself a free man and continue his criminal ways on the streets of Chicago. Due to the feckless (15) trial, trepidation (16) developed for the citizens of Chicago once again. The city had now transformed into a lugubrious (17) state of living. (12) the crowd. This event neither

                Sasha and his crew went into a small diner that nightr and went to have a talk with the owner, Nikita. Sasha had amity (18) with the owner ever since he started climbing the ranks as a youth. Their meetings did not ever take place in diurnal (19) hours and the two always had them in secret. Just because he had freedom from his prison cell did not mean the authorities stopped wathcing his every move. After a brief sit down with Nikita, Sasha cajoled(20) the man to an impasse (21). Nikita must travel to Russia to pick up a package and, in turn, receive a 14 million dollar deposit into his bank account, accompanied by Malapovich’s protection. Despite his censure (22) towards the presented activities, Nikita took the peremptory (23) offer and if he refused the arduous (24), Sasha would kill him.

                The next day, Sasha and Nikita left for the airport, even though Nikita knew Sasha had planned on doing more than they discussed. Sasha acted as if he dissembled (25) the real plan. Their plane landed and they went to go meet the man with the package. By now, Nikita’s heart palpitated (26) faster than the speed of light because of the risk factors involved. Once they reached their destination, they say a phlegmatic (27) man waiting for them with a small package. Nikita quickly palpated (28) the package, then quickly left. All Nikita needed to complete now was the money transfer and Sasha would extricate (29) him from the situation. While heading back into the car, the package split and diamonds inundated (30) all over the seat. Since no one accompanied Nikita at this moment, propitious (31) conditions had developed for Nikita to take the diamonds. Their perspicuity (32) increased Nikita’s wanting of them. As time passed, Nikita developed a strong adulation (33) for them, it grew too difficult to not acquiesce (34) to his conscience. Although the preposterous (35) act of disobeying Sasha resulted in dissimulation (36), Nikita only really had his happiness as a priority. Once Sasha drifted into a blasé (37) attitude and drifted off course, Nikita grabbed the diamonds and ran. He never heard from Sasha again; a gestalt (38) he hoped would continue. The thought of what happened in those past weeks became an ignominious (39) memory for Nikita and he found it droll that he succumbed (40) to it.

THE END

 E-PRIME #3

In the ostentatious (1) world of Hollywood, there lived a “celebrity” unlike no other, Billy-Blue Thomas. Never officially casted for a major role, or even a minor role, his sanguine (2) attitude kept him afloat. In fact, for as unsuccessful as his career appeared, he remained jocund (3). He kept with his usual routine; auditioning for any role his agent, Rosita-Red Wilson, could get her hands on.

One day, Rosita hooked Billy up with an amazing director, working on a movie starring Brad Pitt, the paradigm (4) of all Hollywood celebrities. Billy prepared non-stop to impress the director with his “talent,” pulling all-nighters, watching several Brad Pitt movies, and even performing on the sidewalks of the city. When the day of the audition finally arrived, Rosita escorted him into the room; admonishing (5) the director of Billy’s acting habits. She prognosticated (6) the outcome to resemble his previous, usually resulting in tears and the occasional remonstrance (7) against the director’s final decision. As Rosita takes her seat and Billy begins his audition, ennui (8) overcomes the director. Any onlooker would have thought Billy suffered from a malady (9). Halfway through Billy’s audition, the director stops him. “You got the part!” he exclaims. Rosita’s jaw drops instantly! You would have assumed she and the director acted in collusion (10) to get him the part, but no, Billy had definitely done this on his own. “Shooting begins tomorrow,” the director began, “Brad will arrive early to rehearse lines with you.” To Billy, every statement sounded nebulous (11); he could just not get over the fact that he got the role!

The next day, Billy headed to the set, only to find the one and only, Brad Pitt! He appeared corpulent (12) but still urbane (13), which startled Billy. Billy later found out the extra weight only existed because of Brad’s role for the film. Brad walked over to Billy with an unctuous (14) manner and Billy attempted to maintain his aplomb (15). But as soon as Brad introduced himself Billy let out a barrage (16) of questions and became so overwhelmed his words turned into inscrutable (17) din (18). Billy became cognizant (19) of his annoying behavior due to the austere (20) expression on Brad’s face and quickly recollected his composure. Brad knew that Billy had little experience in the acting world and exonerated (21) Billy’s unprofessional rant with a personal story of his own. Brad told Billy that he too had acted “foolishly” on his first set for his first major role. Although some people may have taken Brad’s choice of words as derisive (22), Billy knew Brad only had good intentions in mind.

All of a sudden the director entered the set and immediately shouted orders. He had a very lean and effeminate (23) build and Billy thought that because of this the director tried to overcompensate his infirmities (24) and insecurities by acting very brazen (25) and controlling. Billy could not believe some of the things the director said or did. One of the director’s personal assistants had brought him some raisins and the director screamed at him saying “You idiot! I didn’t want these gross wizened (26) things! That’s disgusting! Bring me grapes this instant you incompetent little twerp!” After this, the idea of strict business manifested (27) itself to Billy.

This nuance (28) hit Bill hard. He was somewhat elegiac (29) at the fact that acting was such a passion for him, but was now revealed to be quite a stressful environment. At the sound of the first food break Billy stridently (30) stormed off the stage. At this sight, Brad ran after him to discover the problem. Billy went on about how profligate (31) the director presented himself and how he wanted to come up with a scintillate (32) plan to vitiate (33) his power and authority over what seemed to affect everyone. To add fuel to the fire, Brad decided to hint much sedition (34) to the already emotional Billy. The ambulatory (35) stage actors built up the courage and went to confronted the director. By fortuitous (36) events, the director quickly and submissively succumbed to the schism (37) of actors and their demands of a fecund (38) atmosphere. In reality, this came very vehemently (39) because you can’t make a movie without actors; and the director did not want to lose everything. This hegemony (40) improved the overall cheerfulness of the people on and off the set, and the film went on to assuming the title of #1 movie of all time in ticket sales.

THE END

E-PRIME #4

As soon as the bell rang at precisely 1:54 PM, the kids jolted out of the classrooms, for winter break had finally begun! Their deposition (1) from school for the next two weeks started with the first jumps for joy that took place along the school campus. This reaction did not confound (2) a single teacher; they understood the student’s felicity (3) perfectly. During the first week of school, students had an eager attitude to learn, even pedantic (4)! However, as the year progressed, the mien (5) changed. Responses to questions transformed from enthusiastic to laconic (6) and the countenance (7) on their faces, which appeared joyful and jubilant in September, reflected that of the weather in winter as the year progressed.

The kids gamboled (8) their way home in a big group and as they approached Benjamin’s house, he separated from the group and walked inside. For as long as he could remember, winter held nothing but disappointment. It never got the least bit cold, but this year, he hoped its mutability (9) would take full force and bring snow to the ground! He fell asleep that night instantly, not having slept in nights due to projects, homework, and finals during that last week of school. Just as his head hit his pillow, nascent (10) dreams occupied his mind.

He entered a world with ubiquitous (11) snow! He wandered around this strange, new town, but halted as he heard footsteps drawing nearer. He turned around and saw a man on a horse, which he assumed an emissary (12), because the man portrayed no signs of brigand (13) like habits. Benjamin gradually picked up the pace as he walked, for he never took a liking to horses, or many other animals, for that matter. He quailed (14) against horses ever since he fell off of one a couple years back. That unforgettable plight (15) always stuck with him, so you could imagine his fright as the man caught up with him.

“You there!” sounded a voice analogous (16) to that of a noble knight’s coming from a couple feet back. Benjamin turned and saw the venerable (17) man sitting atop the horse, waiting for a response. “Uh, uh, yeah?” Obliquely (18) replied Benjamin as he tried to avoid confronting the large and intimidating horse staring him in the face. “Young man, may I ask the reason for your presence here in this war zone?” Benjamin paused for a second and took a brief glance about the town. Seeing little activity, especially nothing war like taking place, Benjamin incredulously (19) answered the man. “Well Sir, honestly, I’m lost and I have no idea how I got here.” Benjamin knew due to this fatuous (20) reasoning the man would think that he either had mental issues or furtively (21) fabricated the veracity (22) about his presence.

The two then suddenly experienced a loud BOOM! The type of boom that typically resulted from a pernicious (23) bomb. Benjamin and the mysterious man’s doubts about whether or no they just heard a boom quickly vanished when they noticed a huge fire starting from where they thought the loud noise had come from. They knew that only incendiary (24) missiles, bombs, and explosives could cause such a fast uproar of fire. The magnanimous (25) man then hastily introduced himself to Benjamin, “My mother named me Arthur and if you do not come with me now, you will die! Hop on and we will go somewhere safe.” Benjamin knew that Arthur did not give him an ultimatum, (26) he had only told Benjamin the truth about their current predicament. Benjamin knew he needed to go with Arthur or he would indeed die but his fear of getting on the horse made him turn febrile (27) and he seriously contemplated staying there and risk dying than having to ride a horse. This nonplused (28) feeling became all too present due to the intensity of the overwhelming stimulus. His mind raced for a possible explanation and for a proper course of action. The horseman’s impatience and sardonic (29) attitude enraged Benjamin, and in the midst of his fear he mustered up the courage to get on the horse. The feeling of the galloping steed made him writhe (30) and tense in his place. Arthur then filled him in on the current battle, but with all of Benjamin’s repartees (31), the horseman responded with much disdain (32). In sight of the circumstance, Benjamin realized his immaturity; and decided to put aside his personal agendas and feigned (33) the personality of a conquering warrior.

            The two soon arrived to the camp and Arthur became as sort of curator (34), explaining both the do’s and don’t and the expectations of fellow soldiers. The men soon came to like Benjamin’s newly expressed attitude and epigram (35). They would drink and carry on discursive (36) speech and boastful opinions deep into the night. Daylight broke the next morning and Benjamin approached Arthur with a wry (37) smile. He then pleaded with Arthur to let him fight. After many rhetorical (38) points, he succumbed to Benjamin’s wishes and let him choose a weapon. Soon after, the men suited up and mounted their horses; including Benjamin.

They gathered atop a hill and at the base of the valley lie the enemy. As Arthur initiated the charge, the ethereal (39) mane of the now majestic creature that blindly and loyally followed his directing pulls and tugs had his attention. This interminable (40) new view would present itself as the difference between a confident soldier and a fearful young schoolboy.

THE END

E-PRIME #5

Alicia knew what would greet her as soon as she walked into the front door of her house. Alicia’s daily routine consisted of the same events after school. Her mother always greeted Alicia when she got home. However, the usual kind of greeting a child’s loving parents would give them like a hug or a kiss never greeted her, but instead the kind of greeting she received would come from a miserably, heartless woman. She knew her mother, and her mother only dealt with things in a very deprecating (1) deportment (2), and that is describing her nicely. Alicia would most likely have to beseech (3) forgiveness and mercy from her mother or simply capitulate (4) herself to her. Although Alicia never did anything wrong she still suffered. Pathos (5) did not exist in her mother’s eyes. Alicia used to feel timorous (6) before she saw her mother but now she knew what to expect. Her mother would beat Alicia until her mother could no longer physically exhaust her body. Alicia would then carry on and do her homework as if nothing happened, as time went on the beatings seem to gain more and more brevity (7). Many teachers from school acted solicitous (8), Alicia’s entire visage (9) including her habiliments (10) and lineaments (11), always showed signs of bereft (12) care. Alicia imputed (13) a lot of her mother’s behavior to her lack of temperance (14). Alicia was always in some type of pain because she also suffered from gout (15), and this was very irksome (16) to her body. The sundry (17) amount of injuries made her move ponderously (18) around and by no means did she every have transcendent (19) feelings or joy throughout her gloomy days.

However there was some sense of hope that Alicia possessed, “Big Bubba”. He may have been a tall and goofy farm boy, and certainly was dumb s a rock; but Alicia trusted him with everything. She could see the compassion in his eyes when they spoke of the tragic experiences that waited for Alicia after school. One day her was so exasperated and fed up with it all that he became very frank with Alicia; an act that clearly caught her by surprise. He would normally just embrace her and be someone to talk and listen to through her bad times, but now he became a very vocal and his intercession (20) began of why she should run away. She was very scared at this notion. She could only think of the beating that would take place if she was caught. But after much discussion and persistence, Big Bubba got through to her. The turning point occured when he explained how her harsh beatings are only a presage (21) to what could happen in the near future. The sound of this real possibility rushed through her ears and inside her brain instantly ceased the prolixity (22) excuses she was saying, and at that moment they were in accordance (23).

That night, as her mother was so accustomed to sleeping passed out on the couch, she tip toed around the house and gathered her things; and unlike her prodigal (24) mother, Alicia was quite scrupulous (25) and was very careful to choose what she did and did not take with her. She finally gleaned (26) all of her prized belongings and quickly escaped out through the bathroom window. Big Bubba waited outside in his daddy’s rusty and almost primeval (27) looking pick-up truck; but that didn’t matter to Alicia because he saved her from her long life of psychological bondage. The ride back to Big Bubba’s house held few words. They did converse but it was only for brief instances and mostly revolved around how this was an astute (28) and salubrious (29) decision for Alicia.

The next few weeks were very weird for her, but her bruises and welts slowly faded away. Alicia liked the different, albeit (30) gratis (31) nature that Big Bubba’s parents had. They owned both some property in which was regularly rented out for expositions (32) and also a few, small viands (33). When Alicia got home from school, his parents would have her out at either location to do upkeep. This sinecure (34) helped with keeping Alicia’s mind off her rugged past and Bug Bubba always stood near by to watch after her. Stocking the shelves or walking the property to check for obfuscated (35) holes or divots that could potentials injury someone did not excite her but she did get to use all sorts of accouterments (36) so that did excite Alicia because she always found interest in little gadgets. The most interesting thing to Alicia at the property was the parapet (37) that they put all the trash down into. It was very deep and smelled like french fries.

Over time, her pertinacity (38) toward her new life was solid and no longer impugned (39) herself because through this new and loving family, she reached a state of contentment and security within herself. She no longer wondered if the instanced she endured could control her life, but instead accepted the fact that bad things happen to good people.

She now lives with a new vigor on life and has copious (40) amounts of joy.

                                                                                    THE END

E-Prime #6