APRIL 2010 WRITING CHALLENGE -- Boneman our victorious winner!

[Precise Calibre]

Slip-walk

The planar schism begrudgingly accepted him, oily vapors ripping at his passing. The other side was like his world, yet not. The landscape was there; but gone were trees, grass and wildlife.


Roiling smoke whipped across rolling landscapes, illuminated by violet flashes from angry skies. Through windy smog, he could see... things, creatures! Hunched and hideous, their nature seemed to belie innate malice. A hundred sightless beasts turned to face him. Vicious maws quivered, anticipating...

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Planetfall
​

His life’s ambition to be fulfilled, though done in panic. Cost had been the major barrier; it was behind him, no longer a problem.

“May as well relax and enjoy the decent. Nothing else to do.”

The engines cut in; the ship slowed slightly and the hull grumbled in response.

Lights flicked on automatically, piercing the blackness, a good sign, not long now.

“So wonderful,” He thought, as the ship surrendered to the Mariana Trench.

 

[emilymarie070750]

“Riley,” I whispered, loving him one last time. My mind linking his like piece’s to a puzzle.

He could feel my torment despite that we were worlds apart – I had allowed him a gateway.

My last breath hissed through my clenched teeth. No longer could I feel my limbs, just the anesthetizing ache in my head.

There was no time no space as all life passed away with the slowing of my heart.

 

[Robin Goodfellow]

Error Error


“Critical systems failure,” The voice rang hollow. In front computers beeped, and colours flashed. It seemed all a blur. The monitor showed the eye. Jupiter’s eye. The Red Spot. Watching him. Calling him. “Critical Systems Failure, Emergency Shutdown.” The computers protest blended with the screams. But All he heard was, “Critical Systems Failure.”

“What is happening?” A Voice called. Young. New. Dead.

He looked to the voice, “The storm is calling. We got to close.”

 

[HoopyFrood]

The Archway

The archway was old, staggered; only its grip on the hillside seemed to hold it upright.

I looked through it and the hill was gone, replaced by an ocean of fields beneath an emerald sky.

Certainty gripped me. I had read of such endlessly.

I stepped through.

A futile gasp. Empty lungs. Visions of emerald dripped and ran with shimmering grey.

Kneeling on indifferent grass, my reaching hand clawed stone.


[I am naff at titles. I considered calling it "One Step Beyond" but thought that might detract somewhat from the story...]

 

[mosaix]

Now Look What You've Done

“Yes, Timmy, the Science Museum is a wonderful place.

Stop touching things…

Now where’ve you gone? How did you get in here? I’m sure it’s off limits.

No-one knows what it is. The display outside said it was found buried under Stone Henge.

Don’t push that! Don’t pull that! Stop turning that!

The noise! The lights! We must get out!

Oh dear, where are we?

Pity. I’d bought a lovely piece of fish for tea.”

 

[Wybren]

The Jumper

The last thing Yeva remembered before jumping was the wall of fire heading her way.
Now she found herself laying face down on soft white sand.

Slowly she pushed herself up, noting with interest that not only had she changed form,
but this new form appeared to be naked.

On a tree branch high above, a large bird was laughing.

“What the hell have I got myself into this time?” she said to herself.

 

[McMunchie]

Hi everyone. First post. Hope you enjoy it.

E. S. Pee Your Pants.

“The natives call it ‘arachnicia.’”

“Looks like a spider to me,” countered Duncan, impatient to find something even remotely interesting on this “foreign” planet.

Who are you calling ‘spider’?

Duncan gasped. He heard his stick fall to the forest floor with a soft thud.

“Son?”

His dad hadn’t heard it, couldn't hear it. Because somehow, without moving, this monster had crawled inside Duncan’s mind.

So — which one of you shall I have for lunch?

 

[J Riff]

Survivor

He had been walking for what seemed like weeks beneath the merciless alien sun. His oxygen supply could sustain him for years - acquiring food was another matter.
The twisted wreckage of his ship lay far behind. Ahead lay only endless scorching desert.
His lips cracked as he muttered, " Gonna die soon..."
He stumbled as he climbed the last dune. And then he saw them - more beautiful than anything he'd ever seen before.

The Golden Arches !

 

[Heoru]

A Little Curiosity
​

Before me is a spectacular beast, that is equally angry. Behind me the portal

that got me into this mess. My mind is racing with frantic questions. Will I be

able to close the door before it stampedes threw? Would I even get that far?

Why did I ever decide to test his device. Well I guess I had better resolve my

issues now, because coming back alive will be the challenge I face.

 

[Chel]

Epitaph

In Loving Memory
Amilia de Tremontaine
Beloved Queen, Wife and Mother
Lost in the Labyrinth, Lost to the world​

Sometimes she watched them visit the tombstone. Was the window in the wall a cruel joke of the gods?
Amilia turned to walk back into the maze. She was lost to the world, yes, but not the world to her.

 

[Hilarious Joke]

And then they rise, and start again

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
It falls on the damned and washes the blood from their hands and the tears from their filthy cheeks. Their shells of dried mud melt and they shed their sins like snakeskin.
And then they emerge, in this place of reckoning, fragile in the golden light, fresh and translucent.
And then they rise, and start again.

(First two lines: Act IV, Scene 1, Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare)

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Social Event​

Deep breath. Hands out of pockets...no, don't pick at fingernails. Look up, see the people, not the shoes. Faces. What are they saying, what are they...oh, too many people!
Arrrgh! No, turn around and go back in, you can do this. Remember what Miss Sarah told you.
Focus on one, listen, not talk. Here comes lady in blue. Smile, look at eyes, hold out hand, now "Hi, I'm Andy. How are you today?"

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I'm sorry, I just realized I totally lost sight of the SF/F part of the challenge--please disregard.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Don't worry about it. In the first post I said that it could be either science fiction or fantasy, not that it should be. So you're within the rules. It's a good reminder to be very specific about these things next time.

For anyone who has a story and hasn't submitted it yet -- it's less than four hours until this month's Challenge ends

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

And the Challenge is officially closed to entries ... NOW.

 

[Culhwch]

And so onto the voting...

The rules for the voting are as follows:

***Any member of the Chrons may cast a vote, even if they did not enter a story for the challenge***

*Please do not vote for yourself*
*You may only cast one vote*
*The poll will end at 11:59 pm on Friday, April 30th 2010 (GMT)*

The winner will decide the challenge theme for May!

Good Luck Everyone!!!

Vote!​

 

[dwndrgn]

No Detours

Selera turned, and saw the trees shiver. There was not a breath of wind around her. Watching closely, she saw it again. It was like the shaking of a wet dog. Hesitantly, taking care to step only on the path, she moved closer. And stopped, recalling the guide's warning, "Do not step off of the path to Allyria, you may find yourself Elsewhere." She turned, and resumed her trek. "Nice try! I despise being late!"


Author's note: I was under the impression that the challenge was to end at midnight! Dang. I must be all confused (nothing new!). Oh well - good luck to all the entries!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

It did end at midnight, but it would have been insanity to have it end at midnight everywhere, so I chose 12:00 GMT, so that everyone could look at the bottom of the page and adjust their local time accordingly.

Your story is a very good one. Perhaps it will fit another month's theme and you can enter it then.

I've changed the thread title to reflect that the challenge is closed and the voting has begun.

(For those who wish to vote, see Culhwch's message above, which provides a link to the poll.)

 

[Culhwch]

The poll is officially closed, and we have a tie...

Actually I think it's a pretty good indication of the quality of the entries to have such a congested leaderboard! I'll be back in a moment with a tiebreaker poll.