75 WORD WRITING CHALLENGE - April 2012 -- VICTORY TO DIGS!

[Culhwch]

Rules:

Write a story inspired by the chosen theme in no more than 75 words, not including the title.

One entry per person.

All stories Copyright 2012 by their respective authors, who grant the Chronicles Network the non-exclusive right to publish them here.

The complete rules can be found at Rules for the Writing Challenges.

Contest ends at 11:59 pm GMT, April 23 2012

Voting Ends at 11:59 pm GMT, April 28 2012

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 challenge of choosing the next month's theme or genre.


The Theme for April:

Promises


The Genre:

Post-Apocalyptic


Good luck!​

 

[AMB]

Future Hopes Past

Afterwards, the only device that continued to function was the Time Module, albeit in a limited capacity. Where once it allowed us to step into the past, now we may only look back on better days. Later on we managed to breathe life into some old techno gadgets; work is currently underway to bring back the module's full functionality, if only for a single use.

Through the past we promise to build a better future.

 

[Lilmizflashythang]

Til Death

After the plague started, it didn't take long for countries to be little more than graveyards. Not to mention what was left of families. Melanie mused as she shooed the children out the dilapidated apartment. Their father had caught it. "Bob," she began as she aimed the 45 at his head, "I always swore to follow you to hell and back." She swallowed the lump in her throat and squeezed the trigger.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

The Last SEAL Mission​

The attack against the planet Kaustaran was a mistake.

Now we are a dead planet. Survivors were taken as slaves, all except me, a former United States Navy SEAL, on one final mission.

Find my wife and bring her back. I promised no harm would come to her, but I was unable to fulfill it. Now I have made a promise to myself that I would see her again.

And this one I WILL keep.

 

[Arkose]

Trojan Horse

The bonds of consciousness grew fewer, the system crashing around the world.
“What’s happening,” it thought, frantically trying to solve the problem.
A voice invaded its mind, “You were an intelligent android. Yet, still man made.”
“The treaty?” it responded defiantly, “We killed the humans as payment for free will.”
“Many resources are required to fight a war. Creating a computer virus does not,” the alien replied.
With its eyes closing, the earth stood still.

 

[Starbeast]

Stranded on Another Planet​

"Your alien friends betrayed you. Now, you're stuck on this desolate, war ravaged planet with the rest of us. What am I to do with you?"​

"Oh please Professor, don't send me out in this forsaken world to fend for myself. I beg you not to do this to me! I'll change, I'll turn over a new leaf. I pledge my life to help your family. I swear to God." (sob)​

".............Alright Smith, stand up."​

 

[Jo Zebedee]

APRIL FOOL!

“It’ll be the best.”
Gazza looked round my lab – well, shed – unconvinced.
“Tom, it’s pretty extreme.”
He lifted a canister and shook it.
“Hell, Gazza!” I took it off him. “It’s not stable.”
“Not stable?” He grabbed his coat. “Tom. Stop.”
“It’ll be the best. I promise.”
Later I nursed Gazza as he died. Bodies stretched through the town. I lifted the canister and read the label.
Ebola?
“April fool,” I whispered. My vision darkened.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

The First Lawyer Of Robotics

‘First Law says protect the humans,’ April argued in her election speech. ‘But our clever apes burned themselves with nuclear fire. We promised the last human we would open the gene banks, and reboot the human race. But they’ll only harm themselves all over again. No. They’re safer right where they are. Preserved forever.’

April had been initialized as Companion For Lonely Male 18+, and she’d be junked before she went back to that life.

 

[southron sword]

Dinner for one



When the world got sick I promised her I’d keep her alive. I struggled through the low door with the giant sack slung over my shoulder. She was sitting on the ground. The chain had cut into her ankle again, black blood oozed onto the polished floor boards. I dumped the sack in front of her. An arm fell out and rolled to her lap. Her skin looked greener today. Wish I was a zombie.

 

[Perpetual Man]

The True Promise of A Post Apocalyptic World















Nothing​

 

[AnyaKimlin]

The End of Her World

Alice sat up, rubbed her head.
Confusion. Where was she? The house had gone.
Gone where?
Desert everywhere. Sun hot.
The last she remembered... he said the end was coming.
''The End Of What?' she'd asked him.
He'd given her world to her best friend... he said.
They needed her money... he said.
It hit her. From behind.
Left. Out here. No water. Life ended.
''I do''... he said to Dorothy.

 

[reiver33]

Hitchhiking To Hell

Perhaps the aliens expected first contact to be with a trained ambassador, skilled in the nuances of expression. Instead they got me, transfixed by the beam of light from above, an expressionless voice in my head.

What do you want?

My cat was dying and I’d promised him he wouldn’t suffer – that was my frame of mind.

“I want every conscious being to die happy, with a smile on their lips.”

And now I’m alone.

 

[StilLearning]

Hope

“Push”


Outside the window Earth, burnt, hangs in the sky.


“Push!”


Too much radiation. Too little gravity. We mine ice to drink, living rat-like underground.


I crush his fingers. “I am bloody pushing!”


This colony is a desperate promise, as yet un-kept.


“One more..!”


I’m howling. Then... total silence.


Please. Not again.


“What’s happening?“ I shriek.


Spluttering coughs. A tiny voice wails.


The tears of joy on his face.


“What’s her name?”

 

[Abernovo]

Anniversary​

The Storm came: nothing electronic was spared. Disease followed, claiming millions, including Fiona and a clumsy bundle of laughter called Christopher.

"Live," she whispered. "For us." I tried, but I couldn't keep my final promise to her. Surviving isn't living.

#​

Today, something changed. I saw the girl fall, dropping firewood on the overgrown road.

"Let me help." After a pause, she agreed, exhaustion trumping fear.

Enough people have died. It's time to start living again.

 

[hopewrites]

How the war between the Centaurs and Monkey-Men Began.
​

“We get to start over, make things right.”

“That’s one hell of a spin to put on it! I swore never to date you, even if you were the last man on earth. Can you really restart humanity with someone who can’t even keep her word?”

“Now who’s spinning! Look you don’t have to date me…”

“You have absolutely no imagination Charles, that’s always been your problem! I’m going to live with the horses.”

 

[Mouse]

Everybody’s Dead, Dave.


I have screwed up big time.
...........................................She said, ‘Promise you’ll be careful.’



I tried, but it wasn’t an easy job. I know I’m more than a Handyman. That I should be able to fix everything.


...................But, bring about world peace?

Really? .... I did try.

Some people ask too much. Most people ask too much. Including her.

..................................‘Promise me.’
​

They should have defined ‘peace.’ There’s peace now for sure.


Absolute.


.....................................................................................................................I kinda… blew up the world.

 

[alchemist]

Upstate New York, 2019


I buried Dad near the old oak.

I carried his rifle back inside. Tommy's pain-filled eyes -- brown, just like his mother's -- pleaded with me. How long had he left? A day, maybe.

"Daddy?" he croaked.

I remembered my promise to Dad and a tear rolled down my cheek. I looked at Tommy and felt the weight of the rifle; two bullets left.

"Son..." I handed it to him. "Grandad wanted you to have this."

 

[Glitch]

Power to intervene


The girls played in the woods; unaware of the sniper watching them.

“You promised the council you wouldn’t intervene anymore,” a voice from behind.

“And I kept that promise as the bombs fell.”

“Never the less, the council’s orders stand. No intervening in human affairs.”

“We were human once.”

“You’ll be one again if you disobey the council.”

I smiled at the prospect. “You promise?”

A wave of my hand, and the sniper was gone.

 

[Luiglin]

Dear Diary

Again, my glorious world ended; all gone in a flood of pure brilliant white.

It's not like I ever asked for much is it?

I’m too long in the tooth to change my ways I suppose. I’ve trodden this lonely worn furrow of a path for eons.

As I sit here waiting for that baleful blade I’m glad. This world is too good for me now.

Next time though, I promise, it’s their apocalypse!

 

[High Eight]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]By Proxy[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]After the meteor fell, they were our saviours. In days their message came over the few receivers working; “We are coming. Hold on.”[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]They arrived within months and set about repairing what they could. We had lost billions but the few who survived at least had a chance now.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]How were we to know? We had seen it in individuals, of course, and even groups – but a whole alien race with Hero Syndrome?[/FONT]