Walk the Plank (flash fiction challenge)

YaBuccaner's has a writing challenge called Walk the Plank .  The rules are:

"All ye buccaneers out there that are up for the task, well, all you need to do is write a short flash fiction story in 200 words or fewer, excluding the title, around this month's theme of ADVENTURE!
For an extra challenge, begin your story with the words, “I set sail” (these three words will be included in the word count).
And for an even bigger challenge, use the same beginning words and end with the words: "my adventure continues!" (also included in the word count)."
For those who want to prove their Flash Fiction prowess, hit all of the above challenges, PLUS, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!"




I decided to give it a try and I accepted every challenge.
Here it is!

 

  I set sail as the sun began to rise.  I’d never been away from land.  Now that I thought about it, I had never even been above ground.   The rocking motion of the boat made my insides feel all jiggly.  I ached to see the boat, to see the water.  I could feel the vibration of voices.  Someone was talking.  What were they saying?

   My senses were so limited.  I tried to look around me.  All I could make out was light and shadows.  The longer we sailed, the more light there was.  I’d always wanted more out of life then what I was given.  Now I had it.  I was going somewhere and I was getting nothing out of it.  I’d never been so mad at my inability to truly experience life.

  I felt fingers against my skin.  My body was being manipulated like I was clay.  Cold metal pressed against me.  I flew through the air.  I had to be getting close to the water.  I was going to drown.   I didn’t. I was rescued.  Now I am hanging from the mouth of a gull.  I may only be an earthworm but my adventure continues.

Monster

   Once upon a time there was a woman.  A monster lived in her house.  It seemed harmless at first, but soon it began to grow.  Instead of fighting it off the moment she noticed it, the woman shoved it in a room.  Every now and again she would open the door just enough to peek inside. The monster never spoke. It never moved.  It only got bigger.  Every time she checked on it she gasped at its size and slammed the door.  After awhile the woman began to avoid the room all together.  If she didn't see the monster maybe it wasn't  there at all. 
No, she could feel its presence.
 She couldn't relax. 
She could barely think.
She knew it was there, waiting for her.
Straightening her shoulders, she marched to the room.  Her hand hesitated as she reached for the door knob.
"I can do this." she told herself.  She pushed but the monster had grown so large that it was leaning against the door. 
 Now that she had made her mind up to face the beast the woman wasn't about to be discouraged.  She stepped back.
She threw herself at the door.
It swung open.  Her body sailed into the room and crumpled up next to her enemy.  She could smell its stench. She could feel it curl around her.  She was going to die.  This, this thing was going to be the end of her.
The same courage that had given her the strength to open the door filled her.  She stood.  She wrapped her arms around the beast.
She forced it into the washing machine. 


I was going to write a normal post but this more accurately portrays my mood... 
I'm off to conquer my own laundry monster.  Happy Monday!