The Lie Detector
The three children sat in a row, faces stubborn.
Lily flicked her long ponytail and huffed. “This is ridiculous.”
Lucy and Lea sat stone faced beside her.
Their parents stood before them, watching the three bulbs of the glowing machine.
“This,” their father declared, “is a lie detector.”
The three children exchanged wary glances.
“Someone,” their mother said, hands on hips, “thought it would be funny to fill the washing machine with a year’s supply of strawberry jam.”
Lily smirked. “That is funny.”
Lucy giggled before catching his mother’s glare and quickly looking at the floor.
Lea, unbothered, picked her nose.
“One by one, you’ll be tested. The bulb will light up if you’re lying” said Father.
Lily rolled her eyes. The wires were wrapped around her wrist like a hospital monitor.
“Did you put the jam in the washing machine?” their mother asked.
“No.”
Silence. No flash.
Lucy went next. Same question. “No.”
Still no flash.
Then came Lea. Her fingers drummed on the table. Her grin was almost too wide.
“Did you put the jam in the washing machine?”
“No.”
The bulb flashed bright.
Lily gasped. Lucy covered her mouth. Their mother folded her arms.
“Lea,” their father said sternly. “Tell the truth.”
She wiggled in her seat, looking up with wide, innocent eyes. “I didn’t do it.”
Flash!
Their parents sighed. “Lea.”
“Okay, okay!” Lea threw her hands in the air. “It was me. But Lucy dared me to!”
Lucy’s jaw dropped. “I did not!”
Flash!
Lily snorted. “Oh, this is getting good.”
Lucy scowled. “Fine! I may have suggested it, but I didn’t think she’d actually do it!”
No Flash.
Lea shrugged. “I thought it’d be fun.”
Their father rubbed his temples. Their mother pinched the bridge of her nose.
Lily, leaning back in her chair, smirked. “Well, at least we solved the mystery.”
Their parents exchanged exhausted glances. Then their father pointed at Lucy and Lea.
“You’re both cleaning the machine.”
Lucy groaned. Lea just grinned. “Can I put peanut butter in next time?”
Midjourney, Photoshop, ChatGPT (edited)
The Lie Detector
The three children sat in a row, faces stubborn.
Lily flicked her long ponytail and huffed. “This is ridiculous.”
Lucy and Lea sat stone faced beside her.
Their parents stood before them, watching the three bulbs of the glowing machine.
“This,” their father declared, “is a lie detector.”
The three children exchanged wary glances.
“Someone,” their mother said, hands on hips, “thought it would be funny to fill the washing machine with a year’s supply of strawberry jam.”
Lily smirked. “That is funny.”
Lucy giggled before catching his mother’s glare and quickly looking at the floor.
Lea, unbothered, picked her nose.
“One by one, you’ll be tested. The bulb will light up if you’re lying” said Father.
Lily rolled her eyes. The wires were wrapped around her wrist like a hospital monitor.
“Did you put the jam in the washing machine?” their mother asked.
“No.”
Silence. No flash.
Lucy went next. Same question. “No.”
Still no flash.
Then came Lea. Her fingers drummed on the table. Her grin was almost too wide.
“Did you put the jam in the washing machine?”
“No.”
The bulb flashed bright.
Lily gasped. Lucy covered her mouth. Their mother folded her arms.
“Lea,” their father said sternly. “Tell the truth.”
She wiggled in her seat, looking up with wide, innocent eyes. “I didn’t do it.”
Flash!
Their parents sighed. “Lea.”
“Okay, okay!” Lea threw her hands in the air. “It was me. But Lucy dared me to!”
Lucy’s jaw dropped. “I did not!”
Flash!
Lily snorted. “Oh, this is getting good.”
Lucy scowled. “Fine! I may have suggested it, but I didn’t think she’d actually do it!”
No Flash.
Lea shrugged. “I thought it’d be fun.”
Their father rubbed his temples. Their mother pinched the bridge of her nose.
Lily, leaning back in her chair, smirked. “Well, at least we solved the mystery.”
Their parents exchanged exhausted glances. Then their father pointed at Lucy and Lea.
“You’re both cleaning the machine.”
Lucy groaned. Lea just grinned. “Can I put peanut butter in next time?”
Midjourney, Photoshop, ChatGPT (edited)