expatiate | regimen | cameo

He stuck with his daily regimen of expatiating the first thoughts that he awoke with. He made it a point to sneak in a small cameo for someone he idolized, sending them the result.

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shirk | referendum | trunk

It was an easy referendum for the men. They agreed it was time to punish the shirk. They trekked to Wasi's house, gathering stones as they approached. The closer they got, they realized he had carved not a false god into the trunk of his wilting tree. He had engraved the image of his wife, whom they had stoned for neglecting to wear her burkha outside one evening, a month ago to the day.

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mealymouthed | artless | overblown

When the courtroom doors burst open, the Senators artless charm began to wear off. The assistant D.A. was bringing the evidence the Senator thought they lost. He suddenly found himself mealymouthed, making overblown claims about the officer who arrested him.

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shoddy | sly | pulchritude

They couldn't see the pulchritude that she saw. Each season, this sly girl would offer to clean up the hundreds of pounds of shoddy that would normally go to waste. This season saw no sign of her at the farm. Bewildered, the farmers got word of her creation just outside the village. Never could they have imagined just what she had created, from what they had discarded.

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absolve | wispy | efface

As the wispy trail from my turret disappeared, my next round locked in. I froze. Having carried out orders to efface one of this cultures greatest historic structures, I couldn't fire another round. There was non duress. No cover fired needed. Just blind orders by a power hungry leader. I may be dishonorably discharged, even jailed, but my heart will absolve itself. That was the first time I saw Lady Liberty with my own eyes. Now I took part in her destruction, this gift we once gave them.

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wary | cartographer | magnitude

The cartographer laid the last piece of the world on the courtyard. Had his thirteen year journey been worthwhile? He climbed to the balcony to overlook his creation. Wary of the magnitude his discoveries may have on the beliefs of the masses, he ran back down, rolled them all up and immediately requested the presence of the Queen.

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static | coroner | hew

The coroner pulled up, weaved through the crowd and approached the officer on duty.

"Where's the body?"
"Up there."
"Seriously? Isn't that Xavier? He's just doing another public stunt."
"He's been standing static in that box on the pole for two weeks."
"I hate magicians. Call me back when you get him out...and only if he's dead."
"You don't understand. We've been hewing at that thing all morning, but it just keeps breaking everything we throw at it with no reaction from Xavier."
"Maybe this public stunt." He slips on his sunglasses, "Became a private affair."

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exuberance | congruence | demerit

I took him as my apprentice because his style had a congruence with mine. Clean cuts. Beautiful patchwork. But on our first time out with him in the lead, I noticed a demerit that could lead to our eventual discovery. His exuberance. As he was so excited when I found him, it was time that I lost him.

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eschew | discord | vivisection

One by one, the villagers walked out of His temple. As the last one closed the doors, he hammered a small parchment to the front.

God,

Our discord in your practices has given us no choice but to eschew your worship until you bring us a life worth living.

We will look for your sign,
Joseph

As Joseph walked away, He reached down, snatched him and proceeded with another vivisection. Why can they not realize that by giving them the ability to eschew Him, He gave them the ability to create their own life worth living.

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figure | bully | automaton

Billy the bully had gone too far. The soaked, deformed figure limped closer, letting out a fierce growl, as he cowered in the corner of the pool house. This was no ordinary toy, Billy realized. This was a prototype Archimedes Automaton Teddy who he had pushed too far.

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unassuming | equanimity | qualified

Perhaps it was my equanimity while going through the trials that gained me their trust. After repeated requests, I finally became qualified to deliver the weekly supply of food and water to their leader at the peak of the mountain. Would this unassuming man truly have the answers I seek? They loaded me up and I began my journey as the one before me ended his.

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vitriolic | cantata | regicide

Looking through the spotlights during his last cantata, he realized his voice had become vitriolic. They no longer had tears of exhaustive praise. They had tears of disappointment. After the show, he retired to his room, said goodbye to the Colonel and committed self-regicide.

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theocracy | transcendent | abeyance

It was with his sworn statement, "I solemnly swear to serve this Nation, under God," our freedom of choice fell into abeyance. His hand was to become transcendent as his theocracy ate away our democracy.

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polarize | parameter | irrepressible

I've learned to set parameters growing up that kept him away. But as I grew older, and weaker, his thoughts became more irrepressible. Bringing me to tears each time he would try to break through my barriers. I just couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to see if I could polarize his soul from mine and find out who he was.

I had my assistant lock the door behind her. I set up the video camera, lied down and closed my eyes. My breath slowing. My thoughts fading. His thoughts rising.

I was lost. Now it was my time to break through his barriers.

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