September 2010 Writing Challenge — HOOPY VICTORIOUS!

[Mouse]

The Writing Challenge for September 2010:

RULES:​

Write a story inspired by the chosen theme in no more than 75 words
The title is not part of the word count
It should be a story, not simply description
It can be prose or poetry

One entry per person

All stories Copyright 2010 by their respective authors, who grant the Chronicles Network the non-exclusive right to publish them here.

​

Contest ends 11:59 pm GMT, September 23, 2010

Voting ends 11:59 pm GMT, September 28, 2010
(September 30 in the case of a tie)


You do not have to submit a story in order to vote -- in fact, we encourage all Chrons members to take part in choosing a winner​

The Magnificent Prize:​

The Dignified Congratulations/Grovelling Admiration of Your Peers
and the privilege of choosing next month's theme or genre​

This month's theme:
____________________​

Seven Deadly Sins
(Behave, please!)


Stories should be Science Fiction or Fantasy​

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

*Shakes his finger at Mouse* Seven deadly sins!?! Really?!?

Ah, well, I have mine here. 75 words on the dot.

With You Forever
​

Cerrana knew it was wrong, but she couldn’t help herself.

She chanted out the long incantation, bringing forth a succubus with eyes, hair, and wings as dark as midnight. Grinning joyfully, Cerrana ran into the demoness’ embrace.

Her soul echoed in lust as the succubus dragged it down into Hell. The spirit smiled in satisfaction, staring at the beautiful demoness who had long since corrupted her. At least now I can be with you forever.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Just Desserts

Since when has having a healthy appetite ever been a crime? Sure , I may have spent more time with a bowl of crisps in my lap than I did with my wife ; or my children come to think of it.

Imagine my delight when my ticker eventually waved the white flag and the Big Cheese sent me here ; a 24 hour 'all you can eat' diner. What a guy! Hang on , where's the exit....?

 

[dustinzgirl]

...Sweets to the Sweet...

How sweet the shivers of lust against the back of her throat were as she lay about in slothful despair;

How silent the envious heartbeat quickening with gluttonous greed as she scraped the bottomless pit of extravagance;

How envious was her wrath as she threw the empty carton of ice cream across the kitchen floor;

How glorious was her prideful, vain scream of malcontent on the morning’s scales.

 

[reiver33]

A tad predictable this one, I'm afraid, but I'm spoiled (soiled?) for choice by the subject matter...

The Oppenheimer Insight

Many believe that if one does what God does enough times, one will become as God is.

True, but almost impossible to achieve. The Devine remains an aspiration, whereas the Infernal is at your fingertips.

Once I was Major Leon Volta, in a missile bunker east of the Urals; bad tempered, embittered, angry at life itself.

Now I arise, reborn, as Amon, Lord of Wrath.

The End of Days?

Don’t blink, or you’ll miss it.

 

[Allanon]

Well, I think this is better than last month's entry but that's not up to me to decide. Again it took about ten minutes to write and half an hour to edit down! here goes.....

Whispers

“It’s mine! They can’t take it, they’ve to ask. I’ll say no!

I can get more but then I won’t have it all. That’s what I want, ALL of it! I deserve it. You understand I know you do.

It’s settled, I’ll get more tomorrow. Wait, what if it’s gone? I’ll go now. You coming? No? Look after this then.”

As he leaves the empty room a cold wind whispers past. “Take it all child……”

 

[Talysia]

Envying the Stars their Light

They shone so beautifully, so brightly. Looking down on the world from her place in the heavens, the lives of the humans seemed almost like starlight; glimmering with energy and experiences, but then gone so quickly, as if covered by a cloud. They managed to fit so much into their short spans. She didn't even have that. Left alone as a caretaker, yet unable to intervene. She could only watch.

It just wasn't fair.

 

[mosaix]

Monthly Editorial Meeting Of The Chronicles SFF Magazine...

“I’m absolutely furious! A few days to go and you lot haven’t done anything!

What do you want, a bonus?

Kevin, stop eating all the biscuits and you two at the back, can’t you keep your hands off each other for five minutes?

Remember how you all felt when Mouse won? Imagine how you’ll feel if we win in September!

Come on, 'Seven Deadly Sins'. Ideas please! Is there something staring us in the face?"

 

[digs]

An Excerpt from Archpope Pius XIII's Divine Manifesto

The Second Sino-American War: while the bloated world sloughed its Godless children, we prayed - and amidst our obeisance the Lord's messenger appeared, bearing His Final Covenant.

Blessed the greedy and lustful, who accumulate and propagate.
Blessed the gluttonous and slothful, free the burdens of hunger and toil.
Blessed the envious and the proud, who spurn mediocrity.
Blessed the wrathful, who shall wreak My vengeance.

And wrathful we rose, blazing, like a phoenix from humanity's ashes.

 

[Deathfrommassive]

(This is to make it longer than 7 charactures)
Sloth

 

[Chel]

All-knowing


“In conclusion,” Death said, “I find you guilty of all seven deadly sins.”

“What about Pride?” he protested. “I'm not, and never was, proud of what I did.”

Death smiled and pushed him into the void. As he fell, forever, Death's last words rang in his ears over and over.

“You are now. You are proud over not having felt pride for all your other sins.”

 

[StormFeather]

Temptation

Velvety kisses, satin and lace
Fingers caress, hearts start to race

An offering up, a gluttonous feast
Releasing another, more vengeful beast

Wrong kind of hunger, differing need
No satisfaction for this endless greed

Prideful disdain, a toss of the head
Sneering contempt for the tears that are shed

Once envious eyes, no longer blind
Stare horrified at the sloth that they find

The whispering promise of sweetest salvation
Have truthfully led to darkest damnation

 

[chrispenycate]

Seven deadly virtues.​

It’s different for kittens.

Sloth means not climbing curtains, gluttony not pushing bits you’re not sure about off the dish. Pride is part of us, not imposed sin.

The wrath of kitten classed ‘cute’. And greed? ‘I want’ when I get is left in barefoot passageway, encouraging taking the name in vain. Even when age renders lust appropriate, a quick yowl, no festering desire.

So you must envy us; we have no need.

 

[Dale R]

SKIN DEEP


I'm the most beautiful in the world!
The sash draped over her bared shoulder said so.

Looking down, the sea of faces captivated by her perfection.

Her father, burger in hand, sauce dripping from chin.
disgusting pig
Well, he wouldn't be doing so well out of her glory as he thought.

There, Markus, his roving eyes revealing just how much he coveted her.
He could have her, until she became bored.

The incantation had worked!

 

[HareBrain]

Magister


It was hard digging, but by midnight, in a Harrogate cemetery, Stackk had exhumed the only man in England to die of envy.

Now he had all seven.

In his sanctum, power swirled round the septet of skulls.

‘Come forth, Warriors o’ Wickedness!’

Candles guttered, expired. Incense coalesced. His undead army …

But a single figure emerged: a fat, lazy tyrant who enslaved Stackk and stole his dirty magazines.

Still, thought Stackk, hoovering, better’n nowt.

 

[Vertigo]

Last Ruin Cafe

A belch from a diner, waistband barely containing his swollen belly, greeted the newcomer's arrival. A serving girl, smoothly dodging groping advances, threw him a lascivious smile and the barkeep reluctantly stirred from idly contemplating the fight erupting in the corner. As he sat, his neighbours fingered their threadbare clothes, avariciously eyeing his rich, red cloak.

With recruits such as these waiting to join his legions, how could he fail to regain his rightful place?

 

[mygoditsraining]

Auld Mahoun’s Lament

The boss threw me out. Ideas above my station, apparently.

I might have hit rock bottom, but that hasn’t dulled my spirits any.

Some day I’m going to show him. I’ll show them all.

People keep telling me I can’t do it, that I’m destined for failure.

They might even be right.

Guess I’m just a glutton for punishment.

 

[Boneman]

The Homecoming
​

"I've found them!" shouted Wrath.

"Not again," moaned Sloth. "Leave us alone."

"Shut it, and listen! We can be ourselves again!"

"It's easy for you," said Envy. "You're energy personified."

"Any food?" asked Gluttony, hopeful.

"All you can eat!"

"I can eat loads," said Greed. "Bet there's no money."

"Or desire," added Lust. "I'm turning into Sloth."

"I'd never do that," said Pride.

"Listen, stupid. I've found humans!! Who's coming with me?"

The room emptied.



​

 

[Precise Calibre]

Between a Rock and a Hard Place



Picuro's crusade led the fleet halfway across the system. A thousand gilded warships would teach others never to insult him again!


Rage!


His hands hovered over command consoles, ready to unleash bombardments to wipe Sodora clean of envious scum. Only glancing at his wife shook his resolve. Aspasia gazed at him with tearful eyes. She would never let him touch her again if he did...


It was her family down there...


Picuro's hands shook.


Uncertainty...

 

[Ursa major]

Warning: The following may contain wordplay


Researching the Roots of Evil

Were sins conjured up here? Ridiculous! It looked less damned than the Social Democratic headquarters (with or without Angry Moira). But it must be. Set in the Black Country, it was a domain of Worse Ester, a source of wickedness; the Severn flowed just to the west.

Damn those “No to Time Travel” extremists. Damn their alterations to the historical databases.

What was left? Finding a big tent of swords, somewhere in Revolving France. Hopeless!