Discussion -- 300 Word Challenge #7

[TheDustyZebra]

Perpetual Man -- Love Like Old Leather
DEO -- Tanarath and Melanthae
*Hex -- The Best Boots in the World*
Stephen4444 -- Las Botas
Robjwhite -- A Hare's Breadth
stormcrow -- Black Jack's Night
Glen -- I Got You Babe
*TSP -- Peat's Dragon*
Brev -- One Small Step...
*alchemist -- Sins of the Flesh*
Boneman -- The Last Post
paranoid marvin -- Taking Stock
HB -- Charlie Fundle and the Boots of Love
Ursa -- Memories Cards are Made of This
TJ -- Hide and Safe
mosaix -- Thanks for All the Fish
Phyrebrat -- Beeching's Axe

And a special award for the best line goes to Luiglin for "I neither cast nor reel in aspersions." I love it! I hope I can find some occasion to use it before it escapes my memory.

Thanks for the votes, Perpetual Man and Mouse! And for the mentions, Juliana, johnnyjet and stormcrow.

 

[Perpetual Man]

A pleasure TDZ, I really enjoyed it, and thanks for the mention

 

[Ursa major]

Thanks for the mention, TDZ.

 

[Luiglin]

After much deliberation and madness invoking arguing with myself the votes are ...

Springs - liked it straight after it was posted, plus my other half is Irish and also enjoyed it.

SciFrac - loved the language throughout this

BigJ - a redundant barbarian made me smile

 

[Boneman]

TDZ, thanks for boldly mentioning me, where no one has gone before...!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Luiglin, thanks ever so much, yay!

 

[stormcrow]

TDZ - Thank You for the 'listing!

 

[Kylara]

Wow!

So many mentions/shortlistings!

Thanks to springs, Starbeast, DEO, Hex, TacticalLoco, johnnyjet, Perp, Spurring Platty, and stormcrow! Thank you! I don't think I've ever had such a lot of mentions and in such august company!

And a great deal of thanks and jumping up and down to Juliana for the vote! (an actual vote! WOW Thanks!) I seem to be getting rather effusive so I'll stop now...

Thank you!

 

[Phyrebrat]

Here is my shortlist:

Bowler1 – Bad Dog – although this was creepy and tense, it’s sad. I would love to see it as one of those old Russian puppet animations. For some reason it put me in mind of that style.

KshRox – Homecoming. The ******* is back…of sorts. I like this because of the tension between loyalty and contempt.

Billhafan – 300 words for 300 miles. A nice little tale (in a sea of rather sad ones) and the line following the last semi-colon is beautiful.

Hex – The Best Boots in the World – In ritual magic magic/Wicca there is a tenet that directs – to paraphrase – ‘be careful what you ask for’; you often end up getting something quite unexpected because of a poorly worded petition! This is Roald Dahl! I love it.

RobjWhite – A Hare’s Breadth – A tale that would fit in with Aesop or Bradbury.

Stormcrow – Black Jack’s Night – This is a nice folk tale that put me in mind of The Dark Tower mythology. I like the premise, and the vignette peek of the world in which the tale sits. (Ps. Why does this make me think of Twin Peaks?)

Tactical Loco – Feast of the Workers – I have to admit that if I had only one vote, it would go to TL. This is a beautiful, poetic and almost heartbreaking piece. The way the end switches the mantra, or pattern, is wonderfully sad. I hope I'm not sharing too much when I say that this made me feel the same way as I did when I was coming to terms with the loss of my brother last year. There is a sad acceptance implied in the last line which is just beautiful.

The Holy Drunk – Nectar. Haha, this is the stuff I like. Horror. Good and honest horror. The picture of her skin alive underneath is great and there is something strangely chilling in the use of a simple kettle to administer the nectar.

HareBrain – Charlie Fundle and the Boots of Love. I found this quite chilling, too. I am pretty sure that was not the intention HB, but there was something going through my mind when reading it along the lines of ‘this is how a serial killer is born’. Of course you have the pun at the end but underneath is this current of disturbing perverseness...

My three votes are:
Tactical Loco
The Holy Drunk
Hex

Thanks to all for another entertaining challenge!

pH

 

[stormcrow]

Arroo-ga!!

Crystal Haven - Thank You for your vote! Really glad you liked my story.

- worth a merry skip, I reckon -

Phyrebrat - Thank you for the 'listing and your comments! That's high praise indeed!


Kylara - I like effusive! Imagine a world without...!

 

[kshRox]

Phyre!
Thanks so much for the short list!

When I read I find characters that can tease me outside my comfort zone and empathize with them are the ones that stay with me longer.

 

[TacticalLoco]

Phyrebrat, thank you so much for your words and vote. I've never heard such things said about anything I've created as I have about this piece. Just unbelievable.

 

[Hex]

Yipyip! Votes!

Thank you TDZ and Phyre.

And mentions too! Yey! Where are the pigtails?

 

[HareBrain]

there was something going through my mind when reading it along the lines of ‘this is how a serial killer is born’.

At this point I'd like to assure everyone that my story wasn't autobiographical.

Thanks for the shortlisting!

 

[Bowler1]

Thank you, Phyrebrat, I'm glad you liked my entry.

I also agree that TacticalLoco has got a great entry this month and if there were single votes, this would be my choice as well. This morning when I checked the voting there were three leading entries of six votes each, a proper bookies race to the finish.

Come on, TacticalLoco, my money is on you... (no pressure...).

 

[TacticalLoco]

Bowler1: "Come on, TacticalLoco, my money is on you... (no pressure...)."

Ha ha! Well I'm panting, if not necessarily sprinting towards having something firery and steam punky for the 75 worder. err, I hope.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Oh, I have just realised I got a sneaky vote! Thanks so much, Crystal Haven.

(I am thinking of producing a follow up book in time for Christmas: 500 ways Ryanair might cause the end of the world. All suggestions welcome. )

 

[David Evil Overlord]

I could probably suggest a few, since I work at an airport...

 

[alchemist]

Oh, I have just realised I got a sneaky vote! Thanks so much, Crystal Haven.

(I am thinking of producing a follow up book in time for Christmas: 500 ways Ryanair might cause the end of the world. All suggestions welcome. )

1. The amount of bull**** Michael O'Leary produces causes irreversible global warming.

 

[Ursa major]

I could probably suggest a few, since I work at an airport...

Is the airport named after the city it's in, or after a city a long way away?