The Barn

(a barn as seen to a woman who just received news that her son was hurt in war. Do
not use: death, war, parent, child etc.)

I walked out onto the cold, soggy grass and starred at the rotting barn. The
paint, peeling and cracking, needed desperately to be redone. The door creaked and
swayed back and forth aimlessly on it rusted hinges. The fall leaves crunched as I
walked towards the old barn. Hay mixed with dust spotted the concrete floor and
stood in a heap by the corner. The shutters banged rapidly as the wind picked up.
Light, shown only through the small holes formed by a tireless woodpeckers life
work, illuminated an array of farm tools dulled by lack of use. Dust clung to
spider webs up above, pulling them down on the middle. I began to walk back home
as small rain drops clattered on the metal rooftop.

Bottle

(a bottle as seen by a recovering alcoholic. Do not use: alcohol, beer, drink,

AA, etc.)

The patio table stood bare, except for the bottle. Light shown through the
glass, scattering color about. It's neck curved up to a perfectly rounded mouth.
The once clear label, now browning at the edges, was impenetrable by the incoming
morning light. Fresh dew drops clung to it. Every once in a while, one would
slide slowly, down the curves, to the table. The array of colors emitted ceased
and for a brief moment, as a cloud passed over head, the bottle stood in its own
shadow.

Acorn

(An acorn as seen by a starving squirrel in the winter. Do not use: hungry,
squirrel, food, etc.)

The snow glistened atop the cold earth. Blinding light reflected every which
way, making the entire yard a hazy white. Icicles clung, growing with each snow
storm, to a tree causing a thin, shiny layer of ice to encase the bark of every
branch. A single acorn sat underneath the bare, drawn in oak. With its rounded,
smooth appearance and deep brown coloring, the acorn stood clearly in view. It had
fallen onto its side, making the stem and criss-cross pattern top indent ever so
slightly into the newly fallen snow. The acorn and tree were the only things that
broke the sight of whiteness.

Wedding cake

(as seen by a soon-to-be bride. Do not use: wedding, marriage, wife, husband
etc.)

The cake stood on display, rotating on a type of turn table. Its true white
frosting glistened, almost sparkling. The colors of edible ribbon intertwined,
forming thin swirls. Layer after layer, each smaller than the last, stacked up
until only a tiny cake the size of ones hand remained. Purple and pink frosting,
connected by the ribbon, circle the entire display, shrinking as they neared the
top. Sugar, white and in small sand like granules, dusted the dessert.