May 2016 75-word Writing Challenge -- VICTORY TO STILLEARNING!

[mosaix]

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

NO links, commentary or extraneous material in the posts, please -- the stories must stand on their own


WHEN WRITING YOUR STORY, PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS A FAMILY-FRIENDLY FORUM

All stories Copyright 2016 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, May 23, 2016
​

Voting Ends at 11:59 pm GMT, May 28, 2016


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 next month's theme and genre



Theme:

Tomorrow

Genre:

Science Fiction or Fantasy



This thread to be used for entries only.

Please keep all comments to the DISCUSSION THREAD

We invite (and indeed hope for) lively discussion and speculation about the stories as they are posted, so long as it doesn't involve the author explaining the plot.


** Please do not use the "Like" button in this thread! **​

 

[Ashleyne]

Esrever - Ever and Ever

I lost my husband tomorrow, my first day at college.

I'm sitting in my old bedroom.

The World Army said we'd go back three years, before America was nuked, before Russia was attacked. We'd all remember what happened and we'd change things. That was fifty years ahead.

No matter how many years it is until we get married, he'll always be my husband. I can't cry for him... just gotta go through the motions.

 

[reiver33]

Yesterday’s Cabaret

“The morning will come when the world is mine…”

You’ve brought me to this period, why?

We’ve identified a crude form of viral nationalism. Where better to develop the infection currently undermining our socialist utopia than in the past?

But we can’t extract a test subject, the effect on the time-line could be-

I was thinking more of personal exposure. The person being you.

It would be an honour, comrade.

“…tomorrow belongs to me!”

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Reflections

In all of Serenissima there was no mirror to rival that of Count Alberto. It had been created in ancient times from a pool of quicksilver, enchanted into solidity by an unknown magician. Those who gazed into the mirror saw themselves truly. A priest beheld a fox in scarlet robes; a harlot looked upon a shining angel. Many asked Alberto what he saw in his wonderful mirror. “I will look tomorrow,” he always said.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Suffering

Brondrund burps liquid fire into her mouth, and works it over the bitter root with her tongue. She spits steaming ooze onto one scimitar talon, then treats the knight’s wounds.
“Ay-eee! Shameful monster! Finish this – kill me!”
She studies his proud face. “Tomorrow.”
~
~
“Lulnk...Strillant…Yolu.” Brondrund’s talon torments a gangrenous gash. ”My children you’ve slaughtered.”
He screams...vomits...whispers: “When will you kill me?”
She reseals his wounds as he weeps.
“Tomorrow and tomorrow.”

 

[Gawian]

Wars End

He couldn’t stop coughing as he injected his last dose of anti-radiation meds into his neck.

Four days on the poisonous plateau, and the final round in his sidearm was looking like an appetising meal. He slowly dragged himself up to peer over the rock, stifling his coughs with the sleeve of his worn and filthy jacket.

No-one was coming to save him, and no-one would enact his last wishes. There would be no tomorrow…

 

[Cathbad]

Just in Time​

11:55PM… Finally get the back off the Quantumizer. Gotta hurry!

11:53… So many damn wires! Sifting through them. I’m sweating, praying it’s an easy fix.

11:57… Find it! Blue wire on a green connector. I smile. Humanity is saved.

11:58… Screw won’t come loose. Reach for my wire cutters, pulling wires back out of the way.

11:59… Cutters in place. One snip and…


11:55PM… Finally got the back off the Quantumizer. Gotta hurry!

 

[hopewrites]

Meanwhile on Tomorrow Isle

"We got another one."
"Husband or teenager?" She grabs an acclamation kit.
"Kid."
"Damnit, we're running out of rooms for them to clean... Tell me it's not a 'clean my room'..."
Soft laugh, "'brush my teeth' haven't had one of those in a while. The 'clean the bathroom's will be grumpy..."
"If people knew procrastination stopped them here on the way to heaven..."
"Would it have motivated you?"
Grimace, "probably not."

 

[J5V]

Timely Dispatch

Just before midnight, Kim received his contract, "Kill Anthonus tomorrow."

Intertemporal courier business must be competitive! At least it maintained honour: we don’t kill a sleeping time traveller.

Hector’s questionable analysis reported only seventeen remained across all known subjective timelines: enough chases to keep me employed until retirement.

Anthonus wouldn’t breed on this tour, so Kim had a choice of tomorrows.

Straightening his new co-pilot uniform, he grinned, “I’ll take my time: Universal tomorrow.”

 

[dst62]

BEFORE HAND

At first I thought it was only a dream. Then I saw the sun in the sky turn red, Just like in my dream. I told the Captain of the fort what I’d seen the dreamed before. We set up an ambush and let the Goblin's come in before mowing them down with arrows and cutting them down with swords. I’m now considered a hero.

 

[Bowler1]

No more tomorrows

My son’s carefree laugh lets me know I’ve made it back to another perfect morning.

His unexpected fall skins a knee, easily cured by my loving cuddle. These slight differences in the timeline make each and every day special.

By the time I tuck him into his once safe bed, the first flash of fiery destruction lights up the night sky.

I know our horrific end ahead, so I go back, time and time again.

 

[Luiglin]

Upon the eve of paradise

"Tomorrow," he whispered, rough hands stroking her ebony hair.

She clasped him tight, head pressed against his muscled chest, revelling in the scent of his skin.

"Tomorrow," she murmured breathlessly.

He tilted her head and she devoured his face; the strong brow, eyes of dark fire and tusks as white as fresh snow.

"Tomorrow you will dine on human flesh, my darling."

She knew then they'd be one love, one orc, for all eternity.

 

[nixie]

Star Traveller.​

Yesterday, I bought a starship and travelled to the stars, other worlds opened up to me. Myths and legends became real, unicorns, centaurs, and other fabulous creatures roamed free , winged horses flew above. I even visited Camelot, jousted with is majesty and drank tea at his table.

Today, I looked into the glass to decide my next adventure but the truth was laid out before my eyes.

Tomorrow, I'll be dead.

 

[Vaz]

Child of God


Six Sols have passed. My son claims he saw it fall from the heavens, a gift of gods.

My heart is as calloused as his feet, blacker than the brine that seeps from his bones. This was no gift of the gods but fruit from the devils branch.

His eyes are sightless as spider’s eggs. I see clear truth's sharp edge.

First light will be blinding, when he's back where he belongs, amongst the stars.

 

[Calliopenjo]

What if?

Tomorrow, defined as a day away from the present. The power it held. On one side, hope things changed for the better. A wish, tomorrow the birds would be inspired to sing and the bees flew from flower to flower. What if tomorrow never came because motivation never happened? Tomorrow, despair grew from the darkness of the destruction of life. Tomorrow didn’t exist anymore because it had been destroyed.

 

[Glen]

“Do Not Press” (the red button)

‘Jenkins, I’ve told you before, don’t put off today what you can do tomorrow.’
‘Not yet.’
‘Wait! I meant, don’t let today take up too much of yesterday...’
‘Hard to say. Are you thinking backwards?’
‘I didn’t say it right....Hurry!, are you in time backwards moving?’
‘You’re normally so punctilious, even though we’ve just met...’
‘the continuum destabilising engine engage you Did? god Oh my!’
‘You haven’t yet told me that many times, Smythe.’

 

[Shyrka]

Finding Tomorrow

They come at night.

Can’t stand the sunlight. Burns ‘em right up, like hair caught in a candle. Infestations never last long, colonists just have to hang on ‘til dawn. Problem solved.

Marshall reckons we can fortify the ore processors, hold out there. I ain’t so sure.

See, Umbra don’ like to pirouette like one o’ those fancy rim-ward planets. Night is long. Months long.

Terminator’s four thousand miles east.

Wish me luck.

 

[Venusian Broon]

The Eternal Optimist


Why try and survive?

The lab virus that turned virtually everyone into zombies was hard. But then the aliens, attracted by our radio signals, invaded and lessened that threat. Mind you, they’re not keen on any terran life. Then some genius warped space-time to call for help. A race of intelligent dinosaurs answered. Unfortunately they hate humans as well.

Life is hard. Why bother?

You never know. It might get better tomorrow.

 

[Heijan Xavier]

A Thousand Moments of Self-Loathing Clarity


Last night, you helped me escape a thousand loathing alien eyes.

You were unafraid.

You knew me.


This moment, flashing lights outside turn your ceiling a thousand languid colors.

You gaze down at me, smiling at the hallucinations of a thousand labored hopes.

I glare up at you, grimacing at the pallid faces of a thousand longing strangers.


Tomorrow began a thousand loathsome moments ago.

Sleep Lenya.

I must escape again.

From you this time.

 

[Duttster]

The Arrival

It was too soon.

Yet it was too late to anything now. Cowering beneath the window, she peered over the windowsill to see the all too familiar faded red ship drop into the garden. Engines shutting down, the back split open to reveal an isolated figure stood in the gloom.

Stepping out into the light, the postman lifted his visor and strode towards the front door. Parcel in hand.

It was supposed to be tomorrow.