July 2010 Writing Challenge — The Judge wins!!

[thwilli]

Regret

Zane could count the number of people he had killed in his lifetime on one hand. Four, he thought as he approached the small rust covered door at the end of the dimly lit hallway. The face of each victim burned in his mind as he paused for a moment. He knew that if his disguise didn’t hold than his fifth victim would soon join them.

 

[chopper]

"Oranges and Lemons" by Disc Guy Zed

Alone at last, sweet king - a blessed relief!

I'm hurt - you didn't recognise me.

Nervous? I don't see why - I did what you commanded. I exterminated the entire Imperial bloodline.

All but one.

You.

Well, you did specify the entire bloodline. No exceptions, you said.

Now, what shall we do with you?

Oh, don't be like that.

Run, then - but you can't hide. Not from me.

I have a candle, to light you to bed...

 

[Heoru]

The Goblins Trap
​

The goblin Havink stood over the Knight; lured to a trap by a maiden’s screams. He dragged that poor soul to it’s cave, where a spell was spoken. the Knight looked for an escape, but there were none. All he saw was a stand adorned with the clothes of a maiden.
“Tonight a stew you will be. Your bones apart of my pile. And your armor will provide many a meal to come.” Said Hayink.

 

[No One]

Aw, go on then...

Cry Wolf

There was once a shepherd boy, who kept his flock not far from a village. It amused him to cry “Wolf! Wolf!” and watch as the villagers dashed out in his defense.
Then one day a great and terrible wolf truly appeared and the shepherd boy cried out again. The villagers ignored his cries, took up no arms, and the great wolf slaughtered the sheep.
Then the shepherd boy laughed and led his flock elsewhere.

 

[Hilarious Joke]

The End of the World

Two people were left: the barmaid, and the man with the sad eyes.

She had to know. For months the man had been staring at her.

“What do you want?” she finally asked. “Who are you?”

“Want? You are the only thing I want,” he said, before leaning over to brush his lips across hers. Coldly, so coldly, her heart broke.

“And I am the End,” he breathed into her mouth.

The world went black.

 

[Culhwch]

Time Is The Best Disguise

Centuries had passed since he’d last walked these streets. He’d been scorned, then. Feared. Hated. He was different, so they had cast him out into the cold, constant darkness beyond the walls.

In the dark, he was not alone. Nor idle.

The hardest part had been re-entering the city. Once through the gates, no one spared him a second glance.

That would be their downfall. They would all pay, for the sins of their fathers.

 

[Peter Graham]

1665

They went to great lengths to keep us out - the village was closed to outsiders, money was washed in pots of vinegar and everyone had a garland of sweet herbs hanging from the door to keep off bad miasmas.

But no-one thought about the fleas. After all, they'd been there forever. “Fleas bite,” they said. “But flea bites can’t really hurt you.”

They were wrong.

 

[Sephiroth]

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY

Stigmata. Sap of betrayal coats his cyber-limbs. His is the feed that offers salvation, the code that heals all ills. The name he perverts has crossed two thousand years, from analogue to digital, intact.

Red pixels wash away our sins. The taste of wine and metal.

We are his. Deceived. The world’s last virtual scam.

Through the cloud his virus spreads. Machine to mind, we bear his mark.

Press ‘Down’ to worship, O wretched avatars.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

The July Challenge is closed.

Good stories everyone!

Voting will begin when Culhwch posts a link to the poll. Watch this thread.

 

[Culhwch]

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 Thursday, July 29th 2010 (GMT)

The winner will decide the challenge theme for August!

Good Luck Everyone!!!

To vote, follow this link: July Writing Challenge - DISGUISE - Poll​

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

And we have a tie. Culhwch will be posting the tie-breaker poll in a new thread.

 

[Culhwch]

With apologies for my lateness, the poll is now up:

http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/528337-july-writing-challenge-tiebreaker-poll.html

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

And the Winner, with a decisive victory is:


The Judge