November 2010 Writing Challenge -- KARN WINS!!!

[The Judge]

The Golden Touch

My god, grateful, offers reward. I choose gold. Dionysus bestows. A touch: Staining, transmuting, turning all golden.

My greed mounts. I touch all around. Dirt becomes gilt. Apples, oak leaves: Sublime, golden.

My gluttony roused, I touch food. Dishes, goblets, glitter. As does meat, wine: Sinister, golden.

My girl-child approaches. I will not touch. “Daughter, no!” A moment’s contact: She dies; golden.

My grief overwhelms. I touch all. Despair, guilt. Alone. Silence is... isn’t... golden.

 

[Croaker]

When Life Hands You Lemons

“Lemonade?” was the first word I’d heard in ten years.

After a decade long nap, vomit, urine, feces, bacon, and coffee were all odors I’d have expected. But this time… lemons.

“Up long?” I croaked.

“Lid just popped.”

“What’s with the lemons?”

“Dunno… I’m guessing that,” Eddy replied, pointing.

Like it knew it was no longer alone, a mustard fog boiled out of the casket next to Eddy, gathered itself, and shot straight toward him.

 

[Chel]

Casualties of war

It looks peaceful. Maybe two hundred families? No strategic value at all, no rebel leaders there. But what else can I do? I have my orders.

The old wizard mumbled his spell, sighed, watched a ball of flames lift from his palms and grow bigger as it sped towards the sleeping village. Before it hit, he turned to the guard with the knife against his daughter's throat.

How many more villages is her life worth?

 

[Ursa major]

Close Encounters of the Eighth Kind

Jeff had always wanted to talk to aliens. Was it his aptitude for languages, or simply because Earth was too boring for words? Either way, when the opportunity had arisen to learn an alien lingo and culture, he’d grabbed it.

Now sitting at his desk in Walsall, he took his first ever call. “Habitats Direct, Customer Services,” he said in his newly-acquired tongue. “I’m Qarzlong, in the Epsilon Eridani system. How may I help you?”

 

[Oxman]

A Kind of Rebirth

The miners toiled as usual; sweat glistening on their dusty Chilean bodies. They shared anxious glances as the low rumblings of the rockfall began.
Darkness. Fear. No contact for seventeen days. Change.
We made a mistake. They were never meant to get out, no matter how wrong that sounds. We let something wrong out into the world from the bowels of the earth. And now we have to deal with the consequences.
It has begun.

***Just a note to say I hope I didn't cause any offence with the factual basis of this story. I would just like to say I am very relieved all the Chilean miners got out safe and unscathed and wouldn't have posted such a story if the true events had wound up differently.

 

[RSliwinski]

Another Cheap Trick

"Human probe 461 reporting Sire"

"Greetings, 461, have you made contact?"

"In a way Sire... I've located a group of seekers and seers. Most do not know me, but I am able to interact with them, and study their ways just the same"

"What!? How is this possible? I warn you 461, you are not to fail in your mission! "

"It is easy Sire. Each lunar cycle I merely write a story, and click "Submit".

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Le' go me Prince​

The rain battered her, but at last the drenched maiden found her way to the castle.

She knocked on the door, and it was opened to her.

They pounded her with suspicious questions, believing not in her origins.

When her head hit the pillow, the multitude of mattresses could do nothing to cushion the blows.

Black and blue, she proudly beat them all and won her prince.

The wedding made a big impression on everyone.

 

[Hilarious Joke]

Untitled

You could talk of the intricate ballet of mitochondria, the delicate dance of electrons, the quiescent questing of quarks.

You could taste it in the deliberateness of supernova, the wobble of gas giants, of pocketed moons.

You could smell it in the rot, hear it in a child’s laugh, feel it in the grip of your grandmother’s hand.

One day you might catch it in the wind,

And finally, fleetingly, finitely,

You might touch it.

 

[Who?]

The Question

We’d known for years it was coming. All the preparation, blood sweat and tears were all about this glorious momentous night.
The darkness was shattered. Nobody could speak, the feeling of excitement, expectation and fear permeated the atmosphere.
The craft settled and fell silent. Our eyes adjusted to the light and we could see the creature approaching.
“We have a question” it said.
“Anything” I answered.
“Is it true that Katy Price is a celebrity?”

 

[R M Tobias]

Vacuum Voodoo.


“A single tone," said Rochefort, manipulating the theremin. "Changed in pitch by the position of my hands."

"And this?" Anja pulled a pin from a straw doll

"Just some old voodoo," Rochefort gazed at his trophied mantle.

Somewhere in St Petersberg, a once great violinist was suddenly cured of his popping ear.

“Fetch tea and my horsehair bow,” he called to his daughter from his bedchambers, “And contact the luthier. I shall play again!”

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

This Challenge is officially closed. (I am so sorry that I came in a few minutes late to do this. Things ... happened.) As usual, there is such a wealth of great stories here!

Cul should be along soon with the poll.

 

[Culhwch]

My sincere apologies for being even later. Caught up at work.

The voting link:

November Writing Challenge - CONTACT - Poll | Polldaddy.com (poll 4120598)

By now you all should know the rules, but:

- one vote per person;
- any member of the Chrons can vote;
- voting ends on Sunday, 28th of November at midnight.

Vote away!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Ooops, sorry to be late again. In a closely fought race,

KARN IS OUR WINNER!

Congratulations, and we look forward to your December theme.