swim_read_repeat's big book of challenges

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ση тнє єιgнтн ∂αу σƒ ¢няιѕтмαѕ, му тяυє ℓσνє gανє тσ мє 

єιgнт мαι∂ѕ α-мιℓкιηg 

ѕєνєη ѕωαηѕ α-ѕωιммιηg, ѕιχ gєєѕє α-ℓαуιηg

ƒινє gσℓ∂ яιηgѕ 

ƒσυя ¢αℓℓιηg вιя∂ѕ, тняєє ƒяєη¢н нєηѕ, тωσ тυятℓє ∂σνєѕ, αη∂ α ραятяι∂gє ιη α ρєαя тяєє

Title: Oh What Fun

Prompt: Chaotic Christmas tree decorating - everything that could go wrong does.

Synopsis: A group of friends attempts to surprise a family by decorating the tree and persevere through the face of many struggles.

Requirements: [Word Count] 1000+

"Are you sure we're allowed to be here?" my best friend Alex asks, running his hand through his sandy hair.

"No," Julie and I say together.

Alex groans, "I'm so tired of your illegal schemes." But we all know he's joking, since he's one of the first people to join in on said illegal schemes every time. "When you say 'I have an idea', you really mean 'I have a terrible plan that Alex won't like but will still go along with'."

Julie slings a slender arm around his shoulders. "And you go along with it every single time," she points out.

"Yeah," he grumbles. "Because I'm really that stupid."

"You're not stupid," our fourth - and final, at the moment - member of the squad says. Rhea pulls her hood off, revealing her dark curls and piercing eyes. Her dark skin seems to glow in the sunlight, and, raising her hand, she swings a key ring around a slender finger.

"It's not breaking and entering if we have a key," I point out.

"Yeah," Alex mutters. "It's just entering."

"Shut up," we all chorus.

Rhea unlocks the door, and we all pile into the small entryway. We're sneaking into our fifth Musketeer's house, not for any nefarious purpose, but to perform a bit of Christmas magic.

Lio and his family were out of town, but they would be back at precisely 4:30 this afternoon. As it's 7:30 in the morning, we have 9 hours to get a tree, decorate it, and get out of the house. Easy peasy.

We have a plan too, perfectly organized so that we can divide and conquer. Rhea takes Alex to the Christmas tree farm, while Julie and I untangle the lights and ornaments.

"Woah," Julie says, pulling a gigantic ball of string lights out of the box. I look up from where I'm organizing the ornaments and snicker.

"It's bigger than your head," I laugh.

"It's bigger than your brain," she retorts.

Just then, I get a text from Alex: Ally, we have a problem.

What kind of problem? I reply.

Rhea jumps in, sending two pictures into the groupchat. Which of these trees = better option? Pick ur poison

Both trees are bad. No, bad is an understatement. They both look like that tree from Charlie Brown, but even skinnier and more dead looking.

Uhhhhh, I reply. The first one?