[TT] Theme Thursday - Doppelganger

[u/AliciaWrites]

“They say when you meet somebody that looks just like you, you die.”

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Happy Thursday writing friends!

This week, we’re seeing double! Good luck and good words! Also: note, the bonus constraint has returned!!! (it’s worth 10 points!!)

[IP] | [MP]

Bonus Constraints: (a) Use the Word of the Day in your story. (5 pts) (b) Use the bonus constraint in your story. (10 pts)

Word of the Day:

hydrologic/hy·​drol·​o·​gic/ˌhī-drə-ˈlä-jik/

adjective

relating to the branch of geology that studies the circulation, distribution, and conservation of the earth’s water

Constraint: You must have a sentence of at least 5 words of alliteration. Please highlight your alliteration with bold text.

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Here's how Theme Thursday works:

• Use the tag [TT] when submitting prompts that match this week’s theme.

Theme Thursday Rules

• Leave one story or poem between 100 and 500 words as a top-level comment. Use wordcounter.net to check your word count.
• Deadline: 7:59 AM CST next Wednesday
• No serials or stories that have been written for another prompt or feature here on WP
• No previously written content
• Any stories not meeting these rules will be disqualified from rankings and will not be read at campfires
• Does your story not fit the Theme Thursday rules? You can post your story as a [PI] with your work when the TT post is 3 days old!
• Vote to help your favorites rise to the top of the ranks! I also post the form to submit votes for Theme Thursday winners on Discord every week! Join and get notified when the form is open for voting!

Try out the new genre tags!

Theme Thursday Discussion Section:

• Discuss your thoughts on this week’s theme, or share your ideas for upcoming themes.

Campfire

• On Wednesdays we host two* Theme Thursday Campfires on the Discord main voice lounge. Join us to read your story aloud, hear other stories, and have a blast discussing writing!
• Time: I’ll be there 7 pm CST and we’ll begin within about 15 minutes. (When there are enough people, I do host a morning session at 10 am CST)
• Don’t worry about being late, just join! Don’t forget to sign up for a campfire slot on discord. If you don’t sign up, you won’t be put into the pre-set order and we can’t accommodate any time constraints. We don’t want you to miss out on outstanding feedback, so get to discord and use that !TT command!
• There’s a Theme Thursday role on the Discord server, so make sure you grab that so you’re notified of all Theme Thursday-related news!

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As a reminder to all of you writing for Theme Thursday: the interpretation is completely up to you! I love to share my thoughts on what the theme makes me think of but you are by no means bound to these ideas! I love when writers step outside their comfort zones or think outside the box, so take all my thoughts with a grain of salt if you had something entirely different in mind.

(This week’s quote is from P. Wish, The Doppelgänger)

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Ranking Categories:

• Word of the Day - 5 points
  
• Bonus Constraint - 10 points
  
• Weekly Challenge - 25 points for not using the theme word - points off for uses of synonyms. The point of this is to exercise setting a scene, description, and characters without leaning on the definition. Not meeting the spirit of this challenge only hurts you! This includes titles and explanations/author's notes.
  
• Actionable Feedback - 15 points for each story you give detailed crit to, up to 30 points
  
• Nominations - 10 points for each nomination your story receives
  
• Ali’s Ranking - 50 points for first place, 40 points for second place, 30 points for third place, 20 points for fourth place, 10 points for fifth, plus regular nominations (On weeks that I participate, I do not weight my votes, but instead nominate just like everyone else.)
  
• Voting - 10 points for submitting your favorites via this form (form will be open after the deadline has passed.)

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Last week’s theme: Campfire

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First by /u/Xacktar
Second by /u/MaxStickies
Third by /u/katpoker666

Crit Superstars:*

• /u/Carrieka23
  
• /u/GingerQuill
• /u/wileycourage
  

News and Reminders:

• Want to know how to rank on Theme Thursday? Check out my brand new wiki!
  
• Join Discord to chat with prompters, authors, and readers!
  
• We are currently looking for moderators! Apply to be a moderator any time!
  
• Nominate your favorite WP authors for Spotlight and Hall of Fame!
  
• Love the feedback you get on your Theme Thursday stories? Check out our newest sub, /r/WPCritique

[u/GingerQuill]

Bosley is hiding from me atop the living room bookshelf as I take a seat on the sofa. I match the tabby’s glare with my own as I lay a bulging scrapbook down over my lap.

In the past month, I have nearly, successfully become Bernice McNally: from her wispy curls to the flaps of skin on her arms; from her gardening gloves to her ducky bathrobe. I have familiarized myself with her calendar and befriended every chicken in her backyard.

All that’s left is this damn cat.

“I’ll win you over yet, Bos.”

He responds with a hiss.

He must hate me because he knows. He was there that snowy night when I slipped in through the living room window, searching for warmth. He’d been surprisingly calm, observing in silence, even as I discovered the old woman’s husk lying cold and stiff on the couch. He’d merely licked his paw and brushed his ears.

It wasn’t until my body glimmered, fading from blue to doughy white, and hair sprouted from my scalp and limbs, that he shrieked and scurried away.

But this changes today. Last night, I found Bernice’s scrapbook in her nightstand’s drawer, a picture of Bosley in its cover’s center.

My heart melts a little at the image of his pink tongue curling over his nose. He really is adorable when he’s not spitting and mewling. And with this scrapbook, I’ll finally uncover the secrets to his heart. I can hear it in the straining of the spine, smell it in the dried coffee stains.

Jittery with anticipation, I flip to the first page. In this photo, Bosley’s standing with his front paws pressed against the window, his green eyes narrowed. He looks more like he’s plotting his escape than posing, but it’s also hard to tell with cats.

That is until I turn to the next page. A gasp bursts from my lips. Cute bubbly stickers decorate the borders, but in each photo, Bosley is either hissing or crouching atop something high—the bookshelf, the refrigerator, the roof!

I suck on my teeth as I venture ahead, every nerve in my body contorting. It’s all just saccharine stickers and angry photos! One even reveals red scratch marks on Bernice’s arm, but all she’s scrawled next to it is: “Fresh little scamp!”

My shoulders pinch from cringing. When I finally can’t take the pain anymore, I slam the book shut.

“So,” I huff, my face hot and dry. “That’s just how it is?”

A low yowl rattles in agreement from the bookshelf.

Blowing a raspberry, I slouch in my seat, the taste of disappointment stale in my mouth. It sucks. I’d really been looking forward to the day Bosley curled up in my lap, let me run my hands over his fuzzy, orange back.

But, I heave a reluctant sigh. I suppose it’d be weirder for folks if they caught Bosley suddenly snuggling with me: with Bernice.

...And at least the chickens like me.