Discussion thread -- September 2015 75-word Writing Challenge

[Jo Zebedee]

Ratsy,

If we’re already in, can we pretend that we haven’t submitted anything yet, so we can have cake and fizzy wine.

Other the other hand, if we’re not already in, can we pretend that we have submitted something already, so we can ask silly questions?

Put simply, I want cake and fizzy wine but I'm not saying whether I’m in or not yet?

I feel your pain. Cake and fizzy wine does such things to me too.

 

[Droflet]

Good or bad things, Jo?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Good or bad things, Jo?

Bad, Droflet. Very bad.

 

[Luiglin]

Put simply, I want cake and fizzy wine but I'm not saying whether I’m in or not yet?

You want the cake... you can't handle the cake!

 

[Bowler1]

I have something, but spit and polish is not taking well - BUT - I'm in a better mood. Now I can happily shoot people. A world of difference to angrily shooting people, or at least for the shooter.

 

[Droflet]

Perhaps, Bowler, you should consider changing you name to Ronnie Ray Gun?

 

[Bowler1]

Perhaps, Bowler, you should consider changing you name to Ronnie Ray Gun?

Hmmm, no!

Posted. This is the first time I struggled to get to 75 words, instead of cutting words down to 75 words. Right... I'm off to the shoot range.

 

[Saharren]

Please tell me that the shoot range isn't a downtown plaza.

 

[Vaz]

Is the cake a lie?

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Item: Bowler1: This apocalyptic vision depicts a struggle for freedom, while also raising questions about who will watch the watchers.

Item: ratsy: This emotional story deals profoundly with facing the consequences of one's action and taking responsibility for them.

 

[Mr Orange]

Is the cake a lie?

I think it's cybercake. Or maybe cookies. Don't accept it.

 

[Juliana]

I think it's cybercake. Or maybe cookies. Don't accept it.

I suspect it may be one of those fake cakes that restaurants keep in their display. I hear the mod staffroom has a whole shelf of them, most disappointing. I'm not even sure they serve real coffee and tea.

 

[Phyrebrat]

I'm not even sure they serve ... tea.

No tea? Why bother breathing, even?

pH

 

[Perpetual Man]

Saharren – Quite often there has to be give and take if a person is to survive in the harshest of situations. Someone determined to save another might find, even against their wishes, that their sacrifice is the thing most needed.

Bowler – A view of tomorrow that could be frighteningly real. People becoming trapped by the technological advancements they so desire, the very thing bringing the impossible zombie outbreak. But help is at hand… turns everything on its head, fun too!

Ratsy – people can get trapped. When offered an escape from a mundane existence it is all too easy to take the easy route, wealth and promises the perfect lure. But sometimes there is a way out for those with the tenacity to try it!

 

[Mad Alice]

willwallace – Sometimes a story comes along that just eludes me, and unfortunately this ins one. Oh it makes sense, some beautiful description, a battle for control from within the cybersphere itself, but it seems that there is a fairly decent punchline. I just don’t get it. What is porn?

DG Jones – It is amazing what some people will do as part of their job, the end justifies the means springs to mind, but there are those who have a moment of clarity, feel guilt and remorse and what they have done and are prepared to offer the ultimate form of self-judgement.

Mr Orange – A double redemption as anger leads to lashing out, which fails and so the same mistake may be made again. Perhaps. I mean what happens if it is burned this time? Perhaps there should be an infinite supply of vouchers to redeem.

Ihe – A tricky story that gives an unusual take, while offering the chance for a lost soul to find some measure of peace, while leaving those left behind questions. Virtual insanity perhaps.

TitaniumTi – A real life process is updated for the cyber age. Is it a scam or an acceptable practice? It does not matter because a victim becomes the abuser as he sets himself free by ensnaring others who are just as he once was. But then he does not stop…

HazelRah – What we do for love. Saving someone, by any means even if it means that they become little more than a memory engraved in silicon, an electric memory might be enough, unless the process starts to fail… the feel of a progressive digital loop works a dream.

Venusian Broon – Many are the times that people have been drawn into religious cults and their promises and ideologies only to find their personalities subsumed beyond recognition. This updates it for the cyber age, lost forever with all control handed over to those that want it.

Juliana – A beautifully constructed story, that is wonderful in its updated fairy tale form, a rhyming, flowing masterpiece with a strong story and a perfect payoff.

johnnyjet – Jealousy come from many sources and in many forms. Is it possible for an artificial life form to feel such an emotion? One way or another it happens here and quite scarily shows just what the consequences might be when a powerful personality is pushed too far. What are the words of penitence?

Saharren – Quite often there has to be give and take if a person is to survive in the harshest of situations. Someone determined to save another might find, even against their wishes, that their sacrifice is the thing most needed.

Bowler – A view of tomorrow that could be frighteningly real. People becoming trapped by the technological advancements they so desire, the very thing bringing the impossible zombie outbreak. But help is at hand… turns everything on its head, fun too!

Ratsy – people can get trapped. When offered an escape from a mundane existence it is all too easy to take the easy route, wealth and promises the perfect lure. But sometimes there is a way out for those with the tenacity to try it!

OOH! Now I know me and Little Star are going to win... Our stories have left Tim James speechless!
Yay us! Goes and raids cake and fizzy wine table in celebratory excess.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Uh I've not missed two have I?

 

[Mad Alice]

Refuses to give back cake and fizzy wine. (Noooo! We were winning!!)
Fine then. Hands over cake. All the sugar flowers have been nicked off the top.

 

[Perpetual Man]

LittleStar – A slightly ambiguous tale that takes us into the realms of perfect beauty – in one set of eyes anyway – can it be enough to actually alter the core programming of that designed to destroy? Be it human hand or a specific program only our imaginations can give the answer…

Mad Alice – a rather clever, multi-layered story that can be taken in many different ways, on the surface it is simply a man who doomed many saving those he can, but it could be taken that all we live in is a virtual world, and the rescue is coming from a god like programmer, determined to save what he can…

Sorry about that Mad Alice and LittleStar, I try not to miss any but sometimes I get distracted and...

If I do miss anyone, it is not done maliciously, just let me know and I'll correct the oversight.

 

[Saharren]

People sure do like cake and fizzy wine around here. Anyway, thanks for the review, Tim. It's fun seeing that I've managed to paint an accurate image of that world with just that tiny bit of dialog. A few more of these challenges and I might find myself redoing some of my old writing, just to see if I can tighten them up.

 

[Bowler1]

Yeah... reviews. Thanks for making the time guys and much appreciated.