Fiction: The Cupcake Tragedy

This month's Words for Wednesday prompts are provided by Sean Jeating and posted at River's blog over here. This week's prompts are: long, monk, novice, spiritual, time and/or ants, boy, compassion, stream, trapped.

Fiction: The Cupcake Tragedy
Penny Picnickle's mission was to bake 500 cupcakes in different varieties of flavor and design for a place in the Women's Culinarian Society (WCS) to please her would-be mother-in-law. Not long ago, Penny would have dismissed doing such dumb things to please another but this could change her life. She had to go through three baking competitions to become one of eight lucky candidates.
    It took Penny a lot of sleepless pacing, a bit of meditation and a whole lot of tea to make the cupcakes in five days. Thankfully, her cousin Nicky had all the supplies she needed. Sometimes Penny thought he must be a spiritual monk. He never broke into a temper nor had a flicker of ire toward anyone or anything. It was as if he had all the compassion and patience in the world. In the last two days, his calmness kept Penny from freaking out. He also got her the ten trucks to move the cupcakes to the Kinsfolk Hall's massive kitchen.
    Penny just got enough time to take her seat before the dinner started. Looking around the table at the other candidates - Kindra, Jane, Elinor, Marian, Emma, Fanny - Penny wondered what their missions were but none of them appeared exhausted. She noted another candidate was missing. "Where's Anita?"
    "You'll see," said Kindra with a sneer that made Penny want to slap her. Kindra always made everyone feel like ants with the way she held her head up and peering down. The other women stared at the table. Anita's dream was to be a member of WCS like her grandmother so Penny didn't understand why she wasn't here.
    The dinner started with Katherine Kooker, the president of WCS, walking onto the stage and making her annual speech. More speakers followed and then it was time to introduce the candidates and their missions with test tasting by the ten judges. First, Kooker announced Anita Sanchez was disqualified due to her inability to complete her mission.
    "What was her mission?" whispered Penny.
    Kindra's grin widened. "Bake 100 birthday cakes, what else?"
    Penny was furious. Why was she and Anita were the only ones to have to make more than one dish? Even a novice could make all those single dishes without fail. 
    After each candidate had their dish tasted and scored by the judges, it was Penny's turn. All the while as the cupcakes were passed out at each table, she kept a smile on her face.
    At every table, as people started on their cupcake, a stream of laughter and chatter went around the room but also a lot of cursing and spitting and even cupcake throwing. A few, including a small boy, were going all around the tables, grabbing cupcakes and stuffing them into their already-full mouths. A small woman holding a poodle was depositing cupcakes into her large handbag. The ten judges on the stage were demurely nibbling on their cupcakes but they had twisted features as if they tasted something vile. 
    Penny couldn't understand it. Not everyone liked sweets but this was not normal reaction. She had to dodge a few times when cupcakes came flying toward her.
    By the end of the evening, Penny was trapped under the table until the room became quiet and the police came. Tables and chairs were upturned and squashed food and broken dinnerware were everywhere. Most everyone was covered in cupcake mush. A few were still eating cupcakes. After some talks with the policemen, they were allowed to leave.
    When she got home, Penny went straight to bed. As she sank into a deep sleep, images of cupcakes flying swept through her head.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

The next morning, the news reported 'The cupcake tragedy' at the annual WCS dinner. It seemed cupcakes spiked with hallucinogen caused a riot. There were even video footage of people throwing cupcakes about. Penny almost choke on her tea when they showed Kindra getting hit by a cupcake.
    As she was cleaning up the mess from making cupcakes, a call came from WCS. Unfortunately, they had rescinded Penny's candidacy and they hung up with that. Just when Penny was going to make something to eat, her aunt Marge called. Penny told her about the WCS's rejection.
    "Don't fret, they don't deserve you. But we at WICKS welcomes you."
    "WICKS? Your association? Isn't that for..."
    "Witches Inspirational Craft and Kickass Society. Penny dear, I believe you have finally come into your powers."
    "What in pig's heaven are you talking about?" Penny was sure it had skipped her just like it did with her cousin.
    "I always thought you have amazing baking skills but they do not cause such reactions. Did you feel anything while you were making those cupcakes? Were you feeling especially frustrated? Maybe an urge to do something wicked to those cupcakes? Perhaps a little tingling here and there?"
    Penny did feel her fingers tingling while she was making the last few batches. But she remained silent.       
    "Penny, you're not answering. I take that as an affirmation. Those people ate your cupcakes and their joy or sorrow were magically enhanced and that's why they behaved that way. Don't tell me it's drugs like the news reported. I know those WCS ladies, they don't even allow coffee in their little dinners. Of course a little chaos does make life more enthralling. Keep it up." She laughed. "Don't bother cleaning your kitchen. I'll come over and make you some of my wicked pies. And tell Theo what you really think of his mother." Marge ended the call.
    A moment later, Theo called and asked if she had been accepted into WCS. She told him no. Then she was breaking up with him and telling him where his mother could stick her wise counsel. He grunted and hung up. She didn't need Theo's mother's approval or even Theo. It was time she let go of that future. Now she had to worry about her witchy future.