December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE -- VICTORY TO TYWIN

[Culhwch]

Rules:

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

One entry per person.

All stories Copyright 2013 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, December 23 2013

Voting Ends at 11:59 pm GMT, December 28 2013


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 and genre!



Theme:

FAITH


Genre:

SCIENCE FICTION​

This thread to be used for entries only. Please keep all comments to the Discussion Thread.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

THE TIME-TRAVEL CONUNDRUM


"Mum," Aisling said. "Santa can't fly around the world like that. He's not real."

I froze. She'd lost so much childhood: days out ruined by tantrums; no sleepovers; everything run to Aidan's locked-in, autistic needs that the doctors said couldn't bring joy.

"Of course Santa can," I say.

"Prove it."

Aidan hands me paper and mutters, "Quantum maths."

I smile. "Aidan's done the maths. He's never wrong."

Her eyes light up, faith restored.

 

[Boneman]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Keep the faith, brother.​

Near-immortality. The scientists came up with the wonder drug so mankind could survive the thousand-year journey as they departed Earth for distant planets.​

I was one of the testers, and I'm eleven hundred and eighty three years old. Immune to disease, I've developed a brain that no super computer can match. I've created a paradise for those left behind, and I watch over them benevolently, and they flourish.​

Worship me, if you will.​

 

[Mith]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Rudolph The Red Nosed Android​

It upset me to constantly watch them die. I couldn’t face that any more, it broke my heart.

So I contracted the help of a visionary man.

He designed me something beautiful, with a glowing red nose.

“I call him Rudolph, he’s an android. Have faith and believe in him and he will fly forever Santa.”

I did believe and he did fly. Now I no longer have to suffer watching my reindeer die.

 

[BetaWolf]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

The Godless Ones

She seated herself on a mossy stone rising above the permafrost. The commander bent one knee before Her and removed his helmet, taking the first human breath on Her world. His people were assembled in a thick arc behind him.

Could One love so many, who had no children of Her own? He looked at Her expectantly, while she considered the great vessel that had come from beyond the stars.

Yes, I will have faith.

 

[martin321]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

One Beamed Every Minute

"You just gotta have faith in the technology, buddy."

"What if something goes wrong?"

"Never goes wrong. Trust me. You got the money?"

"And there's no returning?"

"You won't want to, once you've seen Paradise. Nobody's ever asked for a refund."

Brin handed the credits to the man, who ushered him towards the teleportation device.

Bright, blue light. Brin's body disassociated into a glowing cloud of molecules. The vacuum system disposed of the gas.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Teddy Boldly Goes

Kirsta held tight to Teddy – one ear missing but she didn’t care. Nobody had asked Kirsta if she wanted to travel halfway across the universe, away from those she loved. Daddy promised her everything would be all right and she trusted him but it still hurt. Teddy still smelled of grandpa’s aftershave. Closing her eyes, she let the scent remind her of home. Everything would be all right it had to be.

 

[Droflet]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

[FONT=&quot]Belief System[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]My ship convulsed as enemy beam weapons clawed at her. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]What a fool I’ve been[/FONT][FONT=&quot], I thought. To believe in the ravings of a fool. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]“Captain, the bulkheads are buckling.”[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]“Understood.” [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The bishop turned to face me. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]“Is there nothing to be done?” he asked. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]“You could pray,” I sneered. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]His face contorted with the utter astonishment of a man whose beliefs have shattered. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]“Where’s your God now, your eminence?” I shouted. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Then … oblivion. [/FONT]

 

[Bowler1]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

A Broken Faith

‘They told me there’s no Santa.
They made fun of me… and… I cried.’

‘Who made fun of you?’

‘All the other kids in my class did.’

NannyBot hugged Timmy, while checking stored memories.
Confirmed - NannyBot’s owners had said Santa exists. Yet… online. ‘The other kids are wrong. I will tell them so.’

Little Timmy smiled and dried his eyes. ‘What will you tell them?’

‘I will explain the naughty list, and its consequences.’

 

[ratsy]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Never Lose Faith

The screen glowed blue as he pressed the comm-switch.

“Come in – I’ve had a malfunction. Rover is on minimal life support. Over.”

Jack had been doing this for hours with no reply.

Strange constellations littered the space out of his cockpit.

After a time his oxygen sensor beeped rapidly, as if the gasping wasn’t enough to alarm him.

Hands clasped together, he prayed.

As he lay writhing, his ship beeped. Help was there.

 

[Karn Maeshalanadae]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

The Fate of Earth in the Hands of One
​

“Leave me.”

The last member of my squad grabbed my hand, trying to force me from the wreckage of our crashed spaceship. “Come on. We can’t fend these monsters off forever!”

I pushed her hand away. “The planet can still be saved,” I replied, gasping for air. “But it’ll be up to you…”

“I can’t do it alone, damn it!”

I smiled up at her. “Yes you can. I have faith in you.”

 

[Glen]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

My faith

I’ve maybe five minutes. It might not be enough, the air is already stale. My cognition is impaired. Disoriented. I had just one burn to get the right trajectory to the station. Anxious. Spinning, I see the earth, my wrecked ship, the Anomaly. Everything has changed. The Anomaly could spread and kill me like it killed my crew.

Fearful. I hold on, try to control my breathing.

I have my faith.

 

[Brev]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Appetite for War.


Far away...in time...Humanity's first Alien interaction...They hoped for advancement in technologies; helpful, friendly alliance. Instead...


Thomas Haarlicker; foremost Admiral in the human Fleet. '…approaching interlopers, they have five appendages, inorganic traits, horned features, and...impressive teeth...Hello fellow astronaut, I'm Thomas...'

Honoured Fonixalut; Alien. 'I taste...Hooman...flesh...'

'Aiii!'

'Ingest. Taste.'

'Holy fu-! Abort! Initiate tactical...help!'

'Flesh!'


Avoiding ingestion, terrified Haarlicker fled.
And inevitably, the human Fleet attacked. Initiating the Horizonkrieg.

 

[RoninJedi84]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Ye Of Little Faith

“We’ve included everything: distance from the sun, flora, fauna, water canopy - even an atmosphere if the canopy is compromised. They never meet expectations, Anael.”

“The Boss disagrees, Saraqael. He says their souls can’t be simulated.”

“Anything can…” Saraqael stopped himself, head shaking. “How does He know it will work?”

“He believes, Saraqael. It’s different. Have faith.”

Saraqael sighed, and pressed “begin”, watching the dark view screen.

Then a booming voice called, “Let there be light!”

 

[Remedy]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Like Father, Like Son

All the children were excited for Santa. Except Thomas.

Thomas’ father died last year, working on a machine – a machine to take him to his wife.

Strict grandparents kept Thomas from the cellar where it happened. But they couldn’t watch him always.

Christmas eve, he broke in, made adjustments and strapped himself into the machine.

Thomas had no faith in Father Christmas. His dad had known best.

Flicking the switch, Thomas joined his parents.

 

[Mischov]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Elfworks: There's Magic In Their Little Hands

Bring wire, they said, and leave with a hull full of the best toys in the galaxy.

Sounded too good, but I wanted to believe.

They had little hands, just like the slogan said. It wasn't profitable to let the clones mature.

Did you know that about the only thing you can't recycle out of a body is wire?

It's sell the toys or lose my ship, but I'll never be back to Santa's Workshop.

 

[Juliana]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Leap of Faith​

My comlink crackled with her guttural voice.

“Take the jump!”

Below, twisted metal burnt.

Seven years of war between our species and we were all that was left. Two enemy captains, facing each other across the void.

I looked into those haunting blue eyes, once so alien but now achingly familiar. She stretched out a hand, imploring, urgent.

“Take... The… Bloody… Jump!”

I closed my eyes and fell into her waiting arms.

 

[Starbeast]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

It's A Wonderful Life on Moon Base Alpha​

Christmas Eve​

"George Bailey?"​

"I prayed for a miracle, Henry. An Angel told me you took Billy's money."​

"You're mad."​

"I'm mad alright. Madder than hell. You scurvy little spider. I'm gonna...!"​

"I've got the money! Here's ten thousand more."​

(pockets it) "I'm gonna pinch you."​

"What? EEEEEEEEEYAHHHHHHOOOOOUCH! My superfluous third nipple!"
(transforms into hideous creature) "RRRRRRRAAAAAGGGHHH!"​

"You're an illegal alien!"​

"Here's a million dollars."​

"Hot dog! Merry Christmas Mr Potter."​

"Happy New Year George."​

 

[BigJ]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

The Third Interstellar Crusade

“My Lord, we were not expecting you.”

“I wished to congratulate you personally, General, on your triumph over the aliens today.”

“Thank you, my Lord.”

“I trust the rituals are being observed?”

“Of course, my Lord.”

“Excellent. I wish to witness the blessing of our fallen.”

“As you wish, my Lord.”

“Remember, General, it is our unyielding faith that will grant victory over these two-legged vermin. By the Everlasting Light.”

“By the Everlasting Light.”

 

[Perpetual Man]

Re: December 2013 -- SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE

Revelation 21:4



Alone.

She was impaled on the steel bar as flames from the crashed ship crept closer.

“Momma!” her plaintive cry filled the alien landscape.

No reply came from the mangled corpse. One of many.

“Momma!” she wept, remembering what she had been taught. Closing her eyes she whimpered, “As I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to.....”

And God reached out, wrapped her in his embrace and took her home.