December 2010 Writing Challenge: STORMFEATHER WINS!

[mosaix]

Re: December Writing Challenge

A Day Like Any Other

His father is long gone but he is her son and she loves him.

She washes and dresses him, brushes his hair, wipes a dribble from his chin and sits him in his chair.

She offers him a spoon of food. He reaches but knocks it to the floor with a flapping hand. She sighs, smiles and offers him another.

Twenty-six years old, gypsy-cursed in the womb, he is her son and she loves him.

 

[No One]

Re: December Writing Challenge

88 Degrees of Melancholy

He had sacrificed everything to assuage the terror in the shadows.

"Please me," it said, "and I will leave."

It had a taste for Happiness, Health, and Hope in varied forms, slaking a thirst with Serenity, filling its stomach with Generosity, its thoughts with Sublimity. These he gave and more besides. Eighty-seven times he pleased it.

"One last thing..." it said, taking his Mortality.

That night the terror died and he, undying, sought the shadows.

 

[StormFeather]

Re: December Writing Challenge

Ho Ho Ho!
​

Big jolly man, he brings festive cheer,
Entering houses one night every year.

Not quite the innocent man that he seems,
He visits your children to feed on their dreams.

He takes what he needs, his way to thrive,
Without their youth, he cannot survive.

Unknowingly given, a small sacrifice,
Stealing some moments off each of their lives.

He brings a trade, a sack filled with toys,
Delivering presents, to good girls and boys

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Re: December Writing Challenge

For the Greater Good


Although she had lived a thousand lifetimes; the certain knowledge of resurrection did not diminish
the pain of betrayal. The King expected her to pay the ultimate price, and it hurt.

So here she stood, naked, exposed. Praying for swift end and that her time in limbo would be short
as the cold clammy hand of death enveloped her and spirited her away.

Her only consolation was the jubilant cry of victory that followed.

“Mate!”

 

[Hilarious Joke]

Re: December Writing Challenge

Witch

I am barely holding myself together, I hunch in the moonlight.

It’s cold.

One day you’ll be back, I tell myself silently. I know it’s a lie.

I gently unfurl the restrained and feel it gather and spread from my chest to my toes and fingers. It is unbearable to feel so relieved.

I remind myself of the children, of the price paid.

Slowly, deliberately, I recede like a dream on waking.

 

[Parson]

Re: December Writing Challenge

Sacrifice Changes Everything


The crowd swirls dangerously.
“Sacrilegious!” they cry.
The Judge urges.
“Away with him!”
The Priests wail incessantly.
“Cleanse the temple!”
The word surges.
“Retribution will be ours!”

The end draws near.
“Alert the executioner!”
The command is clear.
“Fix the blade!”

They believe my death the end, but
Instead it is a beginning.
They believe old ways will return, but
Change begins with sacrifice.
They believe my name will fade away, but
Everyone will remember.

------

Yes, there is a little something hidden here. PM me if you find it.
​

 

[Star Girl]

Re: December Writing Challenge

Last Breath

Tears stained her cheeks, as she lay on the escape pod floor.
The air had grown thin; lying in silence would only save her minutes.

“Thank you.”

Her mind echoed, remembering those who died to protect her.
The War had destroyed her home world, and now her salvation.

In her last moments she watched the numbers on the air tank slowly collapse to zero.

Her eyes closed.

Did they sacrifice themselves for nothing?

 

[digs]

Re: December Writing Challenge

Log Entry #1962

I'm feigning breath, watching his cigarette pulse in the dark, and in two minds about killing him.

Biomechanical incompatibility detected.

Is this possible? I'm only a human veneer. A stolen persona grafted to a flesh-swaddled computer. A programmable assassin. A sentient explosive.

Disposable life flawlessly made to order.

Limbic system compromised.

Apparently firewalls can't account for humanity's infinite capacity for corruption.

Activating system override.

The explosion rips our bodies apart.

I wish I could stay.

 

[Moonbat]

Re: December Writing Challenge

An eye sack for an eye sack.

God looked upon His universe and smiled. He cast His unblinking focus over the plethora of gifts laid before Him. A battle scarred Alpaxian warrior posed before a herd of enslaved Smuggfish. The bat people of Loofer VII offered up tonnes of freshly excreted guano, the Mermids of planet Wet sung rousing tributes to His brilliance, whilst Goblarians punctured many eye sacks in escalated retribution. His focus turned to the Jews of Earth…
‘Abraham Waaaaaaait!!!!!’

 

[Jake Reynolds]

Re: December Writing Challenge

The Failed Apprentice

The old man hunched in the bed, flexing his weathered fingers, watching the dry skin ripple. Once, those hands could make magic dance a dazzling world. Still, dreams couldn’t feed the children, and so he had ignored the spark. He could have been the greatest of them all, if not for the burden of parenthood.

But, as he looked at them gathered in vigil, his dreams had been nothing compared to his hope for theirs.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: December Writing Challenge

S · a · c · r · i · f · i · c · e​

War had hammered the land, flattened the grain, watered the fields with blood. Sorrow was their harvest.

He heard the children weeping, starving in their millions. Only love could save them. Striding from mountaintop to mountaintop, he wondered: had he enough?

He wrote the word in mighty letters across the sky. And as his great heart stopped beating, the grass grew long, corn ripened, pumpkins appeared on the vine--

And the hills shouted for joy.

 

[Xelah]

Re: December Writing Challenge

Going to try this again

Cultists on Attica Station​

Grunting with exertion, chief Paddington fastened the final bolt, completing life support system repairs.

“Don't look now,” Denning called from below.

“What?” Paddington asked, immediately looking. “Oh bloody hell. Not those guys again. Where do they keep getting goats?”

“Better question: Why do they think sacrificing goats is a substitute for skilled mechanics? Oh, and should I fire this up?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

The system purred.

“It's a miracle!”

 

[alchemist]

Re: December Writing Challenge

Desperate Measures


"We're not going to make it!"

"We're too heavy. Somebody has to go."

"Who? Last in, first out?"

"Nice try. Let's see now…One of us is providing weight. The rest are providing thrust. Do the maths."

"What, me?"

"Yes. You, fat boy!"

"I can't. I'm the boss. And who'll do my job?"

"That doesn’t matter if we don't get over this mountain. Jump!"

"No! Stop! Rudolph, stop pushing! No! Yeeaaarrrggghh..."

 

[Jude]

Re: December Writing Challenge

The Turkey's Revenge ​

'Good King Wen-ces-las … ' sang the farmer.

The birds sensed death. The annual sacrifice. He walked among them with his axe. Assessing. Terry was the biggest. Snow fell, white and pure.

'On the feast of Stee-phen ...'

He struck fast. Blood spewed. Feathers flew. The snow became raspberry ripple.

He slashed again and again. Blood fountains.

Death.

Terry shook himself and stepped off the farmer's chest.

'Hooray!' cried the flock. 'Now he's really stuffed!'

 

[BookStop]

Re: December Writing Challenge

Volunteer for Greatness?

“Well, there is no way around it, I’m afraid. Someone’s got to go.”

Toy soldier pointed his bayonet at gingerbread man menacingly.

“Now, calm down. Next year we’ll get another tree. Balance you out, no tipping.

“Who volunteers?”

Santa peeked around back at the small, ahem.

Star waved her points as light bounced off the night sky, giving Santa an idea.

The ornaments murmured in agreement as Star took her place, balanced atop the tree.

 

[Chel]

Re: December Writing Challenge

Burden of Duty

The High Priest droned on. King Kheldaran's thoughts were far away; in the green valleys and rolling hills of Cerdania; with his people, the peaceful farmers and fishermen. Would they ever understand? Would they forgive?

His voice broke when he spoke the bitter words, when he sold his country and became the Prince Consort of Queen Beliana of Tavanos. What were his, and his beloved Marenia's, feelings worth compared to the lives of his people?

 

[HareBrain]

On a Long Road


Walking homeward, Abraham met a knowledgeable stranger.

‘You must hate Him,’ said the stranger.

Abraham frowned. ‘He relented.’

‘He tricked you. Your only son.’

‘Isaac was His to demand.’

‘He knows nothing of love. Only obedience and fear.’

‘I have been well-rewarded.’

‘By the betrayal that gnaws your heart.’

Abraham halted. ‘Were we to demand a sacrifice of Him, would we relent in turn?’

‘Let us demand one,’ said Satan. ‘And see justice done.’

 

[HoopyFrood]

15:13

My body was between him and the arrow. The moment it had left the bow, my feet moved to intervene.

Everyone has their role, my mother said. That was a year before she stayed to distract a manticore as her friends escaped.

He would go on. This was my end. I had known it all along, really.

But just when the going was getting good.

Screw that.

I stepped aside.

It’s my story now.

 

[Lenny]

Never Trust Little Birds

When the Agency called, he took up their offer immediately. A few years of his life helping the greater good didn’t sound too bad, really.

But the war was tough and he was used as bait; the flames were almost too strong, but he survived.

The enemy captured him and took his soul, then sent him back onto the field, defeated, as a weapon against his own side.
.
.
.
.
@monkeyfunk "you're" not "your", learn to english

 

[Deathfrommassive]

Suger and Spice

“Here is my daughter; she is willing to dedicate herself to a life of servitude to the temple”

Lifting her head the Priest looked deep into her eyes; in them he saw her future, how she would be the one to bring peace and unity to all the land.

She was the one.

*******​

“Priest, wherever did you get this wonderful meat? Now, ambassadors please sign here and the treaty will stop this relentless war