Chicken Soup for the Immortal Soul…

The Alternate Third Holy Ground Highlander Forum Midweek Challenge

Archivist’s Note: The stories and vignettes offered here from various Rysher Forumlanders have not been edited or changed other than having a spell-check performed and being reformatted for this website.

An alternate MIDWEEK CHALLENGE

Posted by Leah CWPack on Wednesday, 19 April 2000, at 2:07 p.m.

...for those looking for something on a lighter note!

Write a short paragraph involving:

A) A bowl of chicken soup

--and--

B) A primal scream

Any HL character

Answer to Alternate Midweek Challenge

Posted by Viking Lass CWPack on Wednesday, 19 April 2000, at 2:35 p.m.

Methos was still wary of being in Cassandra's house alone with her. They had unexpectedly met in Logan Airport, in Boston and she had invited him to her house, just outside Boston. He thought perhaps she had asked him because a fight in an airport was impossible. He just wasn't sure why he said yes. She'd offered to cook dinner and he'd thought she was really great mood to be exhibiting such civility to him. Maybe she was giving him a last meal? He heard her call him from the kitchen and he took his seat at the table. He was quite hungry for the bowl of chicken soup she was about to give him. As he waited for Cassandra to ladle the soup from the pot into his awaiting soup bowl he felt something hot on his lap. A look of pure anguish crossed his face. Then he heard himself scream a primal scream evoking masculine pain. The pain was excruciating as the hot liquid seemed to be endlessly poured onto him. Cassandra heard the primal scream and then... sitting straight up in bed, she said, "Damn it was just a dream!"

Mid-Week Challenge response...

Posted by Titania on Wednesday, 19 April 2000, at 3:24 p.m.

Duncan carefully opened his eyes. The barge was filled with the weak light of a Paris winter's morning. Duncan tried to sit up, but fell back into the bed too weak to move. He sneezed thrice in a row and reached for the tissues next to the bed.

The sounds coming from the galley caused Duncan's headache to go from mild to throbbing. Duncan sniffled and tried to get comfortable while breathing through his mouth.

"MacLeod, here is the bowl of chicken soup I promised you." Maurice declared cheerfully while setting down the tray.

"It is much to gloomy in here. Sunshine helps chase away a cold, non?" Maurice declared while throwing back the curtains.

"Non." MacLeod replied as he was momentarily blinded by the light.

"Now, you sit up and I will feed you this fine soup." Maurice said as he carried the soup to MacLeod's bedside.

As MacLeod waved him off, Maurice exclaimed "Non, it is the least that I can I do after you chased away those muggers and jumped into the Seine after my bank deposit. I am in your debt. Now, open wide."

"Maurice I can feed my....AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!" Duncan broke off into a primal scream.

"Oh my, it seems the soup is a little too hot. Oops. My apologies MacLeod. I hope you didn't burn your hoohah."

FIN

Okay, I'll do this one, too!

Posted by Alaska Man on Wednesday, 19 April 2000, at 2:35 p.m.

Here it is:

--------------------------------------

"A Soup Observed", by Alaska Man

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he realized that maybe he over spiced his chicken tortilla soup. Oh well. Amanda seemed to like it. MacLeod, however, found himself wanting something to drink.

Picking up the bottle of Chablis, he offered to pour for Amanda.

"Wine?"

"Thank you, no. I'm fine."

Mumbling something under his breath, MacLeod proceeded to pour for himself. He had scarcely noticed that the wine was all over the table when he realized he could no longer hear very well. The blood-curdling scream came from Amanda.

Not bothering to clean up his mess, he looked to his guest. "Amanda! What's wrong with you?"

Tears began welling up in the beautiful Immortal's eyes as she indicated the front of her beautiful dress. A small spot of the soup's tomato-based broth appeared just below her left collar-bone.

"Amanda, it's not that bad...," he tried.

"But I just bought it!" came the reply.

MacLeod considered this, but continued to press on with his consolations. "Still, Amanda, it's just a dress."

Amanda stopped and fixed him with a hard stare. "It's from the Princess Di collection."

D'oh! MacLeod grimaced. How much had she spent? "How much, Amanda?"

She fidgeted. MacLeod realized the implications. "No, you didn't..." He looked at the spot. "You did!"

A primal scream was heard in the dojo.

"MacLeod, you've got other credit cards..."

--------------------------------------------

Leah's Mid Week Challenge! My Feeble attempt...

Posted by angeleyes on Wednesday, 19 April 2000, at 3:40 p.m.

[Sorry no spell checker here]

Richie bounced into the barge rubbing his hands together thinking. April may be great in Paris but the winter here is cold, damp and rotten!! Feeling hungry because he had spent so much time running that fool errand for Duncan. Richie decided to raid the pantry. Pasta, Pasta, Pasta, Garlic. Didn't Duncan have anything in a can that he could just open up and heat and eat?! Finally shoved in a back corner covered in dust Richie found it. A can of liquid gold. The soup that was always guaranteed to warm you body and soul - Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup!! After opening the can and heating it Richie sat down to a steaming hot bowl of soup and thought to himself "Mmm, Mmm, Good!" Just then he felt the presence of another immortal. He left the bowl sitting on the table and picked up his sword waiting for the door to open and reveal if it would be friend or foe. When the door opened Duncan and Amanda strolled in. Duncan asked Richie if he had found what he had sent him to find and Richie responded "No! I looked over half of Paris trying to find that book you wanted. Went to all the places on your list and all I got was cold, damp and hungry for my effort!" At which point Richie sat down to eat his bowl of soup. Duncan looked over and saw what Richie had in his bowl and roared "NO Richie Ye Dinna Open The Last can o' Soup!!! Aaaarrgh!! Dinna ye know what this means!! If ye open the last can of soup another baby Immortal will be born to the nearest Female Immortal when it's eaten!!" At which point Amanda let out a primal scream and fainted!!

Another answer to the midweek challenge...

Posted by Dinah on Wednesday, 19 April 2000, at 4:08 p.m.

I just hope it's grammatically alright. School English sometimes doesn't suffice:-)

„You did WHAT?!“ McLeod stared at his friend who had settled down in one of the chairs, trying to stretch out his long legs to get more comfortable but failed miserably.

The oldest immortal blinked innocently at the Highlander and shrugged. “I brought a backpack.”

“But why, Methos, WHY did you bring a damn b…”

“Don’t shout like this McLeod, the people are already looking.”

“Hrmpf.” Duncan thumped down on his own seat and tried to smile nicely at the scowling woman at his other side. She just snorted and turned her back on him.

The hall was nearly full and he leaned back, anticipating. He hadn’t been here for a long time and had been looking forward to it. However, bringing Methos with him hadn’t been a good idea. The older immortal was eyeing his neighbor and sniffed demonstratively. “I really think she put on to much perfume. Can’t we switch places?”

Without waiting for an answer he tried to climb over Duncan’s legs, grabbing the backrest of the front row, not even noticing that he knocked off an artistic artificial hairpiece. “Would you just stay put?” Now McLeod really had enough, grabbed his friend’s shoulders and pushed him back on his original seat.

“Listen to me. You are going to sit here, shut up and just *listen*. You lost the bet, you are stuck here. You fault. You can disappear in the break. But for now… Please?” The last word had been hard on him, but he just smiled and couldn’t hide a relieved sigh when Methos simply nodded and leaned back.

Slowly the murmurs in the hall ceased and the lights got dimmer. Duncan sighed contentedly and smiled when the orchestra started with the first soft notes, just floating with the music, even forgetting about the already bored man at his side.

After a few minutes Methos started to rummage in his bag, but McLeod decided to ignore it. Then he heard a soft plop and a distinctive scent came to his nose. Then it sounded like some liquid was poured and he heard someone slurp loudly.

“Methos, what are you doing?”

“Eating chicken soup. You want some?!”

Just when the opera-singer on stage started the first aria, a primal scream echoed through the holy halls of the Parisian Opera.

Okay...weakness sets in....Alternate Midweek Challenge?

Posted by vixen69 on Wednesday, 19 April 2000, at 5:28 p.m.

Camp of the Horsemen, 980 B.C.E.

Kronos and Methos looked up from the campfire in sudden surprise as the sound of a primal scream ripped through the cool, dry night air. Apprehensive, Methos rose to his feet, but Kronos simply smiled.

"It's probably nothing--much. You know how Caspian and Silas like to play--rough." Visions of torture and mayhem rollicked through his brain and the reflection of the firelight in his eyes was certainly not the only gleam to be seen. "But if you must..."

"That was Silas--and I *do* know how they like to play," Methos responded with a sneer, as very different images flickered through his mind. Only earlier that day, the two of them had come to blows. It was like separating two feuding children, at times. His hand to the hilt of his sword, he started to make for the direction of the sound, but then saw the two of them--Caspian and Silas--at each others throats, yet again.

Roused at the sight, and determined to take control of the situation, Kronos then leapt to his feet.

"How many times must you be told? We never--"

"Raise arms against each other--yes, Brother, but you don't understand," Silas responded, huffing with emotion. Caspian simply stood back, grinning like a fool. Under Methos' angry glare, he only shrugged.

"Well?" Methos demanded, waiting for some answer from the man. None was forthcoming, and he found himself looking away in disgust.

"Chicken soup," Silas grated, his voice deeper than usual. "He said it was chicken soup."

Kronos and Methos turned to each other in confusion. "And?" they asked, almost with one voice. But then a breeze wafted a certain scent their way, and an alternative presented itself. Chicken soup indeed.

Caspian snarled, showing teeth. "It isn't like the man was particularly *brave*."

(Sorry sorry--couldn't help myself...)

The right midweek challenge

Posted by Lone Writer MacWoW, MacAINT,c-i-w, 5th Horseman on Wednesday, 19 April 2000, at 9:14 p.m.

I got confused so I'll give this one a shot.

lw

Joe was coming out of the kitchen of Amanda's apartment to rejoin her and Nick for dinner. He had decided that he liked Nick and he wanted to make a special soup for him. He served them the soup, then Amanda let out a loud shriek. "Joe, you didn't use those special mushrooms I had in the back of my pantry?" "So." he answered. "Well, be prepared for an interesting evening." "Amanda, what so 'special' about those mushrooms?” asked Nick. "Let's just say, you'll be glad your immortal, Joe, I think you'd better have a sandwich."

Okay, I'll have a go at the Midweek Challenge...

Posted by SBO on Thursday, 20 April 2000, at 9:50 a.m.

But it's really hard reading all that have come before....

On his way back to MacLeod's from the grocery store, Methos, the oldest Immortal, decided he'd lived through every experience possible. As he got on to the dojo elevator, he felt the unmistakable presence of another of his kind, but was not alarmed--it was probably just MacLeod or perhaps even Amanda. It had been awhile since he'd seen her and it might be amusing to catch up.

He was not prepared, however, to see what he found when he reached the loft. MacLeod was seated at his computer, but rose when Methos came in. His face was ashen and he looked positively ill.

"MacLeod everything all right??" Without putting down the small grocery bag, Methos walked over to his friend still standing by the computer.

"Is there something you've been wanting to tell me, Methos. Another secret from your more recent past, perhaps?!"

"Whatever do you mean, MacLeod?"

"Look at this. On the Rysher Forum, some woman named Leah has posted some photos---they look an awful lot like you holding a baby!!! Care to explain yourself?

Methos looked at this thing on the screen called a "fru" and let out a primal scream. The grocery bag hit the floor releasing a flood of cans of beer and chicken soup ..."I can explain everything...really MacLeod..."

Giggles--SBO

A late entry to the Midweek Challenge

Posted by Chimera on Sunday, 23 April 2000, at 6:00 a.m.

Is it too late for this entry? I have been preoccupied this week preparing for my daughter's baby shower. Anyway, here is my take on the Midweek challenge. Happy Easter to all.

The clerk was watching her suspiciously. "Careless, Amanda," she chided herself mentally, "You're losing your touch." With an air insouciance, she wandered out of the jewelry store and drifted down the mall to a bookstore. She had seen everything she needed to see, anyway. The security system was done by amateurs!

Once in the bookstore, Amanda affected an interest in the vivid display of books. Just in case someone was still watching her. A title caught her eye, and though her shopping was meant to be a pretense, she picked up the book and purchased it. "MacLeod has been so morose lately, this is just the thing to cheer him up", she thought as she drove toward the barge with the her gift.

MacLeod was going through the motions of his kata when she entered. Amanda paused to enjoy the fluidity of his movements, the glistening play of muscles, and momentarily forgot why she was there. MacLeod finished his exercise and acknowledged her while toweling off.

"I bought you something, Duncan. You've been so moody lately, I thought this might help." She unwrapped the package and offered it to him. He suddenly howled like the Banshee, a primal scream. Unnerved, Amanda dropped the copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Following his glance, she noted six other copies of the same book ranked along his bookshelf, left no doubt by other well-meaning friends.

"What was that about?" she asked, somewhat testily.

"I said to myself, if anyone else gives me that book, I'll scream!"