[Scene: The bullpen, on July 1st. Lucy is sitting at her desk, working on a report. Everyone is hard at work at their desk in preparation for the long weekend. Lucy suddenly looks up from her papers, a pensive expression on her face. She gets up and walks over to Sue’s desk, thus getting her attention. She speaks so everyone in the bullpen hears her and signs for Sue as well.]

Lucy: We should really do something for Independence Day. Myles, you have the bigger house so you should volunteer it.
Myles: I also happen to have the neighbor from hell so, no thank you. Besides, I believe the true spirit of this event is lost in the celebrations of the popular mass...
(Bobby throws an eraser at him from across his desk.)
Bobby: And here I thought you only ruined it for the rest of us around Christmas.
(Myles looks at him with mild irritation.)
Dimitrius: Well, I have something planned in the afternoon. Davey is reading an essay he wrote on the Declaration of Independence in front of his whole school.
Jack: How did that happen?
Dimitrius: Detention would have been my guess but it seems it was so "intensely motivational" that his teacher talked to the principal and, the rest as they say is history.
Bobby: Would you mind taking Ebenezer here with you then? The intense emotion might get him to share his house with the popular mass.
(His dimples appear as he grins over at Myles. Lucy walks back to her desk now that the idea has been pitched.)
Tara: I just love all the fireworks. Reminds me of when I was young.
(Myles glances down at Tara's pen, taking in the purple feathers and glittery ink.)
Myles: Your pen seems to make the statement you never left those years behind.
(Tara flashes a bright smile at Myles and goes back to her computer.)
Tara: You're just jealous because I won't let you borrow it. And Bobby, I want my pen back; you know, the one with the Tasmanian Devil sitting on top?
(Bobby appears innocent.)
Bobby: I would never dare take your pens, sheila.
Tara: Right. That's what you also said about my stapler and we know how that story ended.
Myles: What is this? Better Home and Office day at the Bullpen?
(Jack walks over to Sue's desk, motioning to Levi so he'll alert her to his presence. Sue looks up and smiles.)
Jack: And what will you be doing on Independence Day?
Sue: Oh, I don't know. I might wash my hair.
(She grins at him.)
Jack: Your hair looks fine to me.
(Bobby, who had been straining to hear, snickers.)
Bobby: Still getting in touch with your feminine hairdresser side, Sparky?
(Jack rolls his eyes.)
Sue: Then I might go and take Levi for a stroll in the park.
(Lucy puts her elbows on her desk, looking slyly at Jack.)
Lucy: Where chance encounters are known to happen.
Jack: I don't know what you mean...
Lucy: Sure, you don't.
(She smirks as she gets back to her papers. Jack looks down at Sue who smiles innocently back at him.)
Bobby: Hey, look who’s here?
(Jack turns towards the door and Sue follows his lead, spotting Howie walking in with his friend Ottis. Howie saunters over to Sue, looking hurt.)
Howie: So word on the street is that you almost left for New York without even saying goodbye? I thought we were family. How could you almost do this to me Sue? I would have told you if I had gone anywhere. In fact, I told you when we went to Phoenix.
(He motions from Ottis to himself, and back.)
Jack: She already knew, we’re the ones who sent you there in the first place.
(Howie shrugs it off.)
Howie: That’s just a detail Jackie Boy. I’m talking about the principle here. You don’t leave old friends without saying goodbye.
Bobby: Well, the sheila did honor the principle. She’s here, isn’t she?
(Jack looks at Bobby and mouths: I don’t think that’s helping.)

/*/

The challenge here is to write a story that will continue with at least one of the options given to you in the scene setting. You can either:

1 Have the team try to convince Myles to lend his home for a party and have it happen there
2 Move the celebrations somewhere else and have the party happen there.
3 Take it to David Gans’ big day in school and his Independence Day essay. If you choose to do this, you DO have to write an essay on the meaning of Independence Day. And you need to have Davey present it.
4 Jack tries to get to spend time with Sue while owning up to it.
5 Sue has to deal with Howie and his hurt feelings.

No matter what you choose to do, only one or more of those themes, you need to include that part of the Declaration of Independence in it, somewhere:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."


How to enter:
To submit an entry, simply open a new thread under this category. The thread subject needs to be the title of your story, with your story rating as sub-header. Then, just start posting and have fun with it.

Additional challenge info:
That challenge is post-Endings & Beginnings as you might have guessed. You may decide to explore any relationships if you so choose or not. It’s all up to you. While I gave a list of themes to explore, you are not limited to those. You may add up to it and build around the setting of your choice. The only limit is your imagination.

While I am very aware Independence Day is only a US celebration, try and imagine that as your own national holiday – only celebrating the Independence and equality of mankind.

Closing date:
You have until July 4th at midnight wherever you are to submit and complete your story. You may also submit more than one story to this challenge as long as they all are completed by closing date.

LEVI Awards:
As in our previous challenge, you will have the opportunity to vote for some of your favorite moments for the LEVI Awards which will be awarded after the challenge closes. I’ve added a list of the LEVI categories for this challenge on a separate post to follow, along with a brief summary of the rules, for quick and easy reference.

As with previous challenges, we are running a new writers LEVI category. To be eligible for the new writer award, you must have previously posted no more than 2 stories/scenes on this board. I would encourage each and every one of you to consider entering this competition – it is the ideal place to dip your toes in the writing waters for the first time. I can guarantee you a warm and supportive reception!

I hope the response to this challenge is as great – or why not make it even better! – than the Valentine Challenge. I’m very excited to read all the wonderful stories and authors!


TERMS AND CONDITIONS: All submissions are final. Entered material becomes the property of www.stfbeyefanfic.com. www.stfbeyefanfic.com reserves the right to publish submissions at any time. By opening a thread you are agreeing to these terms and conditions. Stories will be catalogued and stored in archives unless it is deemed by Administration otherwise.

Quick recap on the rules for this particular challenge:
1 You must explore at least one of the themes given to you in the setting post, but you can also add on to them.
2 You can submit more than one entry, as long as they are all completed by the end of the challenge.
3 Entries must be completed by midnight on Monday July 4 to be eligible.
4 Rating for entries is maximum PG-17
5 If you choose to explore Davey’s school presentation, you need to write an essay on the meaning of Independence Day.
6 Whatever the story setting, you need to include this portion of the Declaration of Independence in it: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
7 Have fun!!!!

LEVI Categories for this challenge:
Best Fuzzy moment
Best Funny moment
Best Cliff-hanger
Best Entry by a New Writer
Best Independence Day essay
Best Overall story

Hey, I'm sorta new and this is the first time I've ever posted so HI! I was just wondering if what I (If I decide to enter) write has to be in script form or whether it can be a proper story, like in 3rd person.

Thanx
Jennie

I'm guessing that it depends on you!

I am so so so excited for this!!! I am gleaming right now!

I want to enter, I just have to think on how to continue the story!

Thank you Jacynthe for that.

It can be the way you choose it to be. Preferably, it would be prose style, but if someone is more confortable doing it script style, then this is the way they should go.

Far be it from me to put a leash on writers' creativity!

My pleasure Regina. It was a fun challenge to come up with - even though I never thought that school would be out for the summer... so this means it's either a special school event in the summer for Davey or the poor boy is spending his vacation in summer school. :whistle:

Oh we are never done with school. Most of the time it comes back to haunt you... like this story!

:whistle: :whistle:

This is going to be fun! Quick question: Do we have to put a copy of the scene into our story as the first post or will it just be taken for granted that this was the opening scene? (If we have to put in that scene first and we're writing in third person, can we re-write it in third person?)

You don't have to write the opening scene in your story, just pick up from there.

Does it matter how often we post? Such as a couple times a day or not everyday.

I don't think so, because I'm doing the same...the not everyday because of school and all...

Jay, you have a lot of questions!

To qualify for the New Writers Category, we can't post more than 2 stories/scenes before we post our entry for the Challenge, right?

So, is it okay if we immediately start posting our third story/scene after we finish posting our entry for the Challenge?

Am I even making sense?

Mel

It does not matter how often or how little you post. All that matters is that the story is more than just one post and is completely by the end of the challenge.

If you write a third story after you finish posting your challenge, it means by the time the contest is over for everyone, you'll have 3 stories, and as such won't qualify for the new writers category.

I would advise to keep writing that third story of yours outside of the forum and to start posting it when the votes open for the challenge. Or you could just post it and not qualify for the new writers category. Those are 2 options.