June 2015 75-word Writing Challenge -- VICTORY TO KERRYBUCHANAN!

[jastius]

Second Star to the Right and Straight on Until Morning...

　
Hidden by quasar, the Pirate's EMF wave hit, crippling the ship.
Half the passengers left behind, the last lifepods launched... a bloodbath.
Molly, our children, hadn't made their cut.
The leftover shuttle's fried autopilot meant half a lifetime drop-shifting out by deadstick.
I bundled my family into cryogenics, promising they'd wake on a new world come morning.
Blasting the shuttle to Alpha Centauri, that morning was fifty years away.
But we'd get there. Together.

 

[Sancho]

It lies in the lap of the Googelator
"Hey Zena! How go the Temporal Displacement repairs?"
"Close Bruce, I just need Argon gas for the force field."
Bruce turned to Diana, "Arty Miss! Ditch the Holocam and get the gas from the USS Imperious. Also, ask the locals for more copper."

She nodded and raising her Googelator, waved over a tanned man.
"Automedan! ILnEeaaAD ...Phhzzzzttt cO... erd'y see?......
"I understand, O Great Artemis. With Athena's Aegis on our side, Agamemnon cannot lose!"
"What?"

 

[Mr Orange]

Salvage of the SEU Heavenly Maria


"…ship empty... words gouged in wall... "

tic toc
wach the cloc
din dong
they at th airlock

"Visuals received, Hansen. You’re breaking up."

"...log... corrupted file... sending audio..."

"Hansen, we're getting strange readings. Be careful"

“…grownups won't wake up. The big clock has gone blank…”

“…something’s banging on a pipe somewhere… the airlock door is open… I’m...”

“…scared…”

"Hansen, we've lost visual on the Heavenly, readings are off the scale… Hansen?"

…Dong...

…Dong...

…Dong...

 

[Ihe]

THE SOLDIER'S RETURN

Algon's blade reflected dusty suns. His childhood home awaited behind a curtain of windblown things and squandered years, untouched by the bloodbath of the Ascension Wars.

First sight of debris stopped his feet. Second sight of fire stung his eyes. Third sight of steel pierced his heart. The king's broken promise of guarding frontiers. Algon's broken promise of early arrival. Helena's broken promise of being there upon his return.

War holds no promise. Marauders dissent.

 

[StilLearning]

Power suited Eurovision agents tore my door off its hinges. Guns aimed, they piled inside.
I gently put down my (now debris filled) cup of tea, and met the gazes behind the barrels.

"Ahem. Don't you think this is a bit of an overreaction? All I tweeted was that we could discuss letting the Americas compete?"

There was a massed sound of safeties clicking off: Nil pois.

I let them cuff me.

 

[Xenosia]

Caffeine Fantasy Journey

Shasta! Shasta! Lemon lime twist,
Caffine fantasy, phenomenal.
Y'all take a gander of this!

Dragons breath, fire elementals,
Burning, smoking clouds of thought.
Filling with elemental water,
Within a deep seated well I sought.

Every single drop metaphysical,
Oracle bloodlines you inquisition.
"Tap, tap." Spiritual voodoo,
Unwordly V8 crazy glue cohesion.

Next, sprinkling of pixie eye crust.
My wand now titled "Sparkling wonder!"
My mentality packaged and delivered.
"Ring! Ring! My being no longer asunder.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Blesséd Matricide

The triple suns merged over the twelve armies on the battlefield; a sustained scream halted the eldritch melee.

Can it be? The child arrives? Piego thought, The one born of gold, who would unite worlds?
The warriors faltered, wonderstruck, their gold swords fading from bloody hands. Piego raced towards the screaming. In the golden barley a babe cried, around it lay the torn remains of its mother.

For the child was born in gold armour.

 

[Culhwch]

Aftermath

He arrived precisely when he meant to, of course; that’s what wizards did. Striding past charred corpses, he made for the tattered remnants of the king’s pavilion. Inside, the king clung grimly to life -- and to the relic.

‘Y-you ... never came,’ the king stammered.

‘I never intended to.’

‘You planned a-all this ... death ... for th-this thing?’

‘It seemed the easiest way.’

‘E-easy?’

‘Easy for me,’ the wizard said, taking the relic.

 

[HareBrain]

Arriviste


All applauded his entrance. Euphoric, he mingled with stars and tycoons, until a shattered-looking waiter he’d shoved past whispered, “You accepted Mephistopheles’ bargain. I can always tell.”

He sneered. “So? Who wouldn’t? A lifetime of celebrity parties, guaranteed!”

“Quite.” The waiter indicated the other overworked, ignored staff. “Us too.”

Sweat chilled him. “What?”

“We never saw beyond the guests either.” The waiter smirked grimly. “Enjoy your hour of luxury. I’ll be waiting, with your mop.”

 

[Warren_Paul]

The Dear Departed


Embers rise into the sky like fireflies. The flames grow higher, enveloping the body.

She’s gone. The thought haunts her mind. She notices black soot on her hands, sees the marks where she’s clutched at her skirts. They’re her best clothes. Mother’s going to scold me. Then she remembers, Mother can’t scold her anymore. She’s gone.

She turns to Father. He smiles, holds out his hand. Her transparent fingers clasp around it.

I’m home.

 

[AJB]

Long Shadow

Denton stared with furrowed brows as atoms within the teleport capsule churned and blurred, rearranging themselves into a recognisable figure.

Was this really Lyra? He had come to terms with her being across the Galaxy, out of reach. Destroyed and resurrected, will she bring her memories with her? Is this just a shadow of what he really wanted? Even shadows can tell stories, dance and sway to their surroundings.

Denton waited for her to respond.

 

[Bob Senior]

Guaranteed To Arrive On Time


"I'm going to propose to Julia Saturday night, hope that China-man has my suit ready," said Charles.

"Suit not ready," said Mr. Chin.
"You,re going to ruin everything!"
"Suit not ready!"
"Curse you Mr. Chin, you're ruining my life!"
"Curse you too, suit be ready when you need it!"


Saturday afternoon at the funeral parlor; "what happened to this guy?, looks like his head exploded."
"Don't know, but here suit," said Mr. Chin.

 

[Grimward]

Harbinger's Chords

Darkness.
Impenetrable Mist.
Softly breaking waves.
First chord finds clouds,
Sable yields to deep grey.
Second chord limns sea from sky.
Mantled in purple, fingertips sparking wave crests.
Third chord wakens horizon's roses, bids stars sleep.
Shoreline emerges from night's shroud and joins vigil.
Fourth chord chases velvet with brighter ochre,
summons chorus from myriad avian throats.
Fifth chord drapes purest argent,
settles sea, launches fish.
Sixth chord rides,
vanguard to
Dawn.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Kisses


“In splendid finery, I shall come to her—”

That coat is loud, but it won’t wake her.

“Silence, wicked fairy godmother. I shall gallop madly to her rescue—”

The horse won’t wake her, either.

“You shan’t discourage me. With mighty fanfare of trumpets, I shall awaken the sleeping princess—”

You can’t disturb her with loud noises. For 100 years, she’s lain, awaiting her heart’s desire.

“Then I shall whisper softly in her ear: chocolate.”

Damn.

 

[crystal haven]

Debt Management

The seed arrived from the internet: £1000. Special price.

Bells of gold I expected – debt problems over. Its shoots spread high and wide. I did not expect the teeth.

It devoured my runner beans; they didn’t run fast enough!

In panic I contacted the seed company.

“You ticked the wrong box,” a woman said. “We have an exterminator – only five hundred pounds.”

The seed looked like the last one. I planted it anyway.

 

[mosaix]

We've Got Mail...

"Surely we should have had a response by now."

"Well, there's a round trip of 17.6 light years and then they have to decode our message and then come up with a suitable reply. I'm not too concerned."

**

"It's arrived."

"Read it! Read it!"

"Dear Sir, my name is George Edze. Apologies for contacting you this way. I need your prompt and honourable assistance to facilitate transferring US$20.5M out of Nigeria to our mutual benefit..."

 

[Parson]

Is this the Bard I See before Me? ​

I have the manuscripts in my hand. I spent hours copying them, but it will be worth it. My target will walk by in a moment and then I will laugh at my pompous professors.

I know, I have marooned myself in the sixteenth century, but they called my brilliant plays “drivel.” Now, they shall bow to my genius. A tranquilizer, a body dumped into the river; and I, Shakespeare, shall make my historical entrance.

 

[Ursa major]

​

Busman's Holiday
​

Take a short break,” they said. “Escape the city and all those people who think you can solve their problems.”

Think? I can and do. All too easily. What drove me to distraction was the pettiness of the tasks.

But now I’m here, the village looks perfect. Suspiciously so, like an old picture brought to life.

Excellent! I’m going to enjoy my stay here: it’ll be good to cross wands with a rival.

​

 

[Ursa major]

This Challenge is now closed to new entries, and voting is open at the link below:

POLL -- JUNE 2015 75 Word Challenge -- READ FIRST POST!​