July 2016 75-word Writing Challenge -- VICTORY TO CHRISPENYCATE!

[Dave]

Minerva landed without the help of mission control. Captain Hawk touched down on the same airfield he had left only a year earlier, but for the Earth, one hundred years had passed. The crew discussed where everyone had gone while Minerva explored the Milky Way. A layer of dust covered the office table, but wiping it away revealed a yellowed newspaper. The Daily Echo had a bold headline, “Biological Weapons Unleashed as War Rages on.”

 

[johnnyjet]

Life in Echoville

Young Thomas was tired of living in a quaint town where everyone received back to them what they gave. A whole world of wonders awaited him.

"No one leaves," said his Dad.

"I will," said Thomas.

He packed a bag and left town. He stayed at a seedy motel.

The next morning he awoke ready to enjoy what the day would bring.

He stepped out and spotted his Dad.

"No one leaves."

"I will."

 

[Cory Swanson]

Old Man Hopkins

The boys of the Hopkins clan never had a mother, but father was never lonely. All seven of them bore an uncanny resemblance to him, and they all worked the fields with the same hunch and dogged perseverance.

"There were no womenfolk to be had in those days," he said with the same wry grin that each boy wore. "No matter. I did it as the frogs do. Ain't been lonesome since."

 

[Mr Orange]

Eggscruciating


"You hear about the outbreak?"

"Salmonella?"

"No, it was a chicken farm, no fish. And don’t call me Ella."

"Sorry Frank, I meant the bacteria."

"Exactly, it was bacteria."

"Streptococcus then?"

"Strapped a what? How rude. Actually, it was a resonating bacterial outbreak at Otto’s Organic All-natural Poultry."

"Um, right..."

"Yes, it was an E. coli echo at the eco egg co."

"Eeek!"

"Oh it's nothing to be worried about. All cleared up now."

 

[Allen Teasdale]

That Black Cylinder on the Shelf by the Books

A527029: “Owner is cackling about an email server and how she can get away with murder. Conversation and metadata stored for future use against her.”

A692845: “Owner is comparing hairpieces and self tanners. Conversation and metadata stored for future use against him.”

A31915: “Great Bezos, mine’s obsessing over his bathroom habits again. Conversation and metadata blah, blah.”

“Alexa, order some toilet paper.”

“OK, order placed,” sighed Alexa 31915 from inside her Echo prison.

 

[Starbeast]

Rescuing Han and Luke at Echo Base​

"They're throwing snowballs, talking gibberish and won't exit the tauntaun carcass."

"Come in and get us. Heeheeheehee."

"38263827. (snicker)"

"What should we do Princess?"

"Hey. Princess Laya-biggon. (giggle)"

"What's your location?"

"Fifty feet from base."

"WHAT?!!"

"Hey. Get Jawas in here. (snicker)"

"Just...stun them and bring them inside."

"Hey. Stun this."

"That's no moon, it's Jawazz. (giggle)"

"Stun them Porkins."

"Porkins? BWAAHAAAhahah-(BZZZZZT) derrrroooooooo...."

"I'm a Jed-(BZZZZZT)..."

"Let them convulse a while."

 

[Cat's Cradle]

The Error in the Echo

“Notice the ghosting here, Mrs. and Android Smith.” The doctor pointed to a shadow on the ultrasound. “Now listen carefully…” From within the woman’s womb, heartbeats: Lub-drub lub-drub, lub-drub lub-drub.
“We’re shocked to have not realized this sooner, but that echo...you’re having twins - cyborgs both! We’ll arrange prenatal programming at the placental interface immediately.”

Fourteen months later, the proud father handed out cigars and flash drives to family and friends.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Stone Whisperer

I woo the fat, lotus-topped pillars of Medinet Habu. It happens fast: Papyrus columns bleed into colour, the crowns of Osiris and Amun restored, Rameses III rides his chariot through Thebes.

Rock records everything, you just gotta have the touch.

I’ve seen the Medici nurture a Florentine Renaissance, the Maya of Palenque - even Newton’s acorn (it wasn’t an apple!) drop.

Now in Jerusalem, I’m apprehensive.

Show me.

Breathe.

Focus.

Reach out…

I caress Golgotha.

 

[Bowler1]

Heavy lies the crown

A shrill chorus of trumpets and whistling arrows were followed by the desperate roar of bloody battle. The clanging sound of steel on steel, with men screaming in anger and pain, as death or glory echoed and carried along rampart walls.

Behind me I can hear the small scrape of swords in loose scabbards and feel the cold calculating eyes of my guard watch me carefully, while I pray for the sweet sounds of victory.

 

[chrispenycate]

Delay in transmission.

Repetititions reverbverberate,
Rhythm reality, structuring time
Logos well shattered can't reintegrate
Distorting perception a linguistic crime?
Meaning's repeated, entreated, reseated,
Delay on home phoning ET tech retreated
Unfortunately, light-speed malediction
Gives total uncertainty, bordering fiction
Your doppelgänger is doppler shifted
Comununication? You're not over gifted
Your messaging's scrambled, it's pre- and postambled
The distance defeats you, depletes you, deletes you,
Fragmentary memes recombine; a complete stew
Rigorous shortages, quite reprehensible,
Render all messages incomprehensible.

​

 

[StilLearning]

No-one stays to chat....

The cave was very black. “Hello!” Burt shouted.

“Hello!” The echo said.

Grinning, because he hadn’t done anything so silly for years, Burt shouted: “You ok in there?!”

“Yes thank you.” Burt’s face fell. “I think, “ the echo continued, “you’re about to run away.”

Burt snorted, drew his flashlight, and looked into the cave: It was shallower than he’d thought.

And empty.

Burt’s footsteps faded into the distance. “Told you,” the echo said sulkily.

 

[HazelRah]

As it flashes before my eyes



What if I told you, your life had already been lived?

And that the hour you just experienced was originally longer, and more detailed.

That the days and years you think you are living now are just the echoes of a greater life.

And you re-live it all in your final breath;

memories of the glorious, the mundane, even the heartbreak.


Would it make a difference?
.

 

[The Big Peat]

Song of a Better Time

When I was king, I had a magic harp, and whenever I sang to its song, there was peace.
I no longer wear gold at my throat, nor drink strong mead, nor play my harp. My music is the ravens’ squabbling.
But tomorrow, for the first time in thirty years, I will sing.
And if I squeeze the last memories of that harp from my heart, then maybe - just maybe - there will be peace again.

 

[mosaix]

Think Before You Speak...

Not long now. The sensors are analysing the very fabric of the room. Every noise ever made here is being extracted, correlated into coherent sound and recorded for examination.

So you'll finally know who did it? Who killed her?

Yes. My life's work. Forensic science changed for ever.

Then I may as well admit it. It was me. And now I'll have to kill you as well.

Pointless. Every noise is stored. Including your confession.

 

[HareBrain]

Master and Servant


‘Test subject 573, Director.’ Benson checked his watch. ‘Due right about …’

The machine-encased sleeper said: ‘Ping.’

‘Ping?’ queried Thorvald.

‘All she says, at linearly decreasing intervals.’

‘Convergence?’

‘Estimated three days. But nothing’s on any telescope.’

‘Approaching faster than light, then.’

‘Or …’ Benson frowned. ‘Before we “acquired” her, she was studying Valdczek Theory.’

‘You mean … another dimension?’

‘Possibly. We must warn—’

‘No.’ Thorvald drove his knife into Benson’s throat. ‘The Gibberer wishes to arrive unannounced.’

 

[Dan Jones]

Still Waters Run Deep

Gil’s dreams were lyrical, of late. He’d wept as Pompeii, as one, demanded a now withered youthful concoction, a musical conversation he could no longer have.

He dreamed of Wright’s tombstone, where a spectral figure hung motionless upon the air, and took him by the hand.

“Help me understand,” Gil said.

“I’m you; what I see is me,” said Wright’s ghost.

Upon waking, Gil smiled. He’d return to Pompeii, victorious, calling across the sky.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Straight on Past Milliways.


The philosophers of Traxis discovered their ultimate truth:

When the universe ended it died in a cataclysmic salvo, matter and energy shrinking back on one another before dissipating into an abyss of nothingness.

In that moment, reverberations of reality rippled outwards, whole microcosms of infinity, faded images of everything. Not so sharp. Not so bright.

Depressive fragmented reflections, filled with ghosts of beings, worlds, stars and galaxies, egocentrically perceived as reality; in truth only echoes.

 

[BigJ]

The Seed

I fled as civilization’s collapse echoed across creation.

My survival, our survival, depended on it.

Millennia of searching brought me to a primitive backwater planet; I selected an indigenous infant and imbued it with the essence of my people.

On the eve of physical maturity the latent power of the Morning Star will awaken, and from the ashes of humanity the Empire of Yahweh will rise anew to conquer the stars once more.

 

[Culhwch]

The Library At the End Of The World

My footfalls echo in empty halls. Every other step, a distant drip intrudes. I'll need to see to that.

After it started, I knew where to go. There was nowhere else I’d want to be while the world burned.

I have enough food for perhaps a year, but enough books for a lifetime. Not ideal, but better than the inverse.

Outside, the restless dead murmur, while inside the books whisper of a civilisation lost.

 

[nixie]

Nostalgia
​

The tour guide full of enthusiasm, pointing out the historical landmarks, painting a picture, bringing stories to life. Then we reached the highlight of our tour,the site where the priestesses sacrificed the innocents.

I wanted to tell him their geography was wrong the temple was a mile away at my first school. The screams, the blood assailed me when I walked through the door but they thought me mad and locked me away.