Under the Mango Tree: 101 Tales (5)

GAME OF MASH

Challenge No.96. - In the Listings.

Find a listing for a home for sale anywhere that piques your curiosity. Take a look at the photos. What type of story do you envision taking place inside this home? Do you see a murder mystery taking place in a Victorian mansion? A rom-com in the high-rise urban condo? A fairy tale in a country cottage?

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Without exception, it is a fact verified by every student, that one never has enough cash. It should be added to the immutable laws of physics. Mitchell St Brice was no exception to this rule. So, when he saw the advertisement by Professor Daniels for 'normal' candidates for an Extra Sensory Perception experiment, Mitchell thought 'why not?' He had not one ESP bone in his body and no one in his family had any either.

He signed up.

On the appointed day he arrived and was hooked up to all sorts of monitoring equipment.

"Comfortable?" Daniels asked.

"Yes. Just a bit apprehensive." Mitchell replied.

"No worries. As I said before, many students have done this. It's an annual experiment. The only complaints I get is that folks are disappointed that they have no powers." She smiled.

"So what happens now?"

"We'll set a benchmark of sorts."

"Of sorts?"

Daniels' smile deepened. "I will be presenting you with a series of photos. You in turn tell me what comes to mind. But first, we must ensure that you cannot see the photos."

She positioned an adapted podium between them. "Note the slot. When I tell you to, you'll slip your hands through the space. Can you see beyond the barrier?"

"Not a thing."

"Great. Second, we'll do a practice run with one photo. That will give us our benchmark after which, the experiment will commence. Any questions?"

"When do I get paid?"

"Very important question. The moment we are done."

"Cool. I'm ready."

"Great. Here's the first one. Tell me-" she stopped Mitchell had howled.

"What's wrong!" She flew to his side.

"Why'd you do that!" He was cradling his hand.

"Do what? What happened?"

"You put a lighted match under my hand! You burned me."

Professor Daniels looked at Mitchell in shock. "I did no such thing."

Mitchell didn't believe her. "Look at my hand." He shoved it at her. "See the burn?"

"You look at it. It's fine." She pushed it back.

"I don't understand."

"Are you sure you have no paranormal abilities?" She held up the test photo.

Mitchell took it from her cautiously. "I don't understand." The test photo was of a lighted match stick.

"Do you want to stop?"

"No. But no more surprises."

"I'll reselect the photos." She promised. They ran through four more photos.

"A murder that remains a mystery took place in a Victorian mansion."

"A romance in a high-rise urban condominium."

"A fairy tale doll's house in a country cottage."

"A shack where a 'rags to riches' story started."

"Thank you, Mitchell." Daniels removed the barrier.

"Are you sure you have no paranormal abilities?" She repeated.

"I don't." He insisted.

"Well, we just played a version on MASH. Do you know the game?"

"Sure. Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House." He grinned impishly. "Oh yeah."

"You just scored four out of four." Daniels spread the photos of the buildings with their history attached.

© 4 June 2022