Writing Resources from Fifteen Minutes of Fiction

Exclamations

There I was, minding my own business, when a tiny voice said, "Excuse me, Jeorge, do you have the time?"

"Jiminy Cricket!" I exclaimed (because that's what I often exclaim when I'm surprised).

"Excuse me," the voice said, "Please don't insult me like that; I'm not a cricket. I'm a cockroach!"

"Eek!" I exclaimed (because that's what I often exclaim when I'm frightened, and cockroaches definitely frighten me).

"Would you do me a tiny favor and not exclaim so loudly, please?" the cockroach said. "You're hurting my ears."

"Sorry," I said (without exclaiming at all - I just can't bring myself to be afraid of anyone who is so polite as that).

Besides, it's tough to exclaim with any sort of dramatic emphasis when your throat has that odd tickling sensation you get from scarfing down a cockroach.

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