July 2018 75-word Writing Challenge -- VICTORY TO THEDUSTYZEBRA!

[TheDustyZebra]

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 2018 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, 23 July 2018​

Voting ends at 11:59 pm GMT, 28 July 2018​

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:

Twist


Genre:

Open



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, as long as it doesn't involve the author explaining the plot​

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

 

[Cat's Cradle]

At Play

The funnel of wind and flying sand spins so quickly it seems woven of cotton candy. A cloud of sparkling diamonds shadows its every move.

The cloud turns suddenly golden. “Mother stop! I know what you are – a tornado!”

“You’re so wise, darling. Now, I’ll guess you!” She coalesces into silvered pearls, as the little cloud poofs into an eagle.

“Dearest, I know you already.”

“Yes,” she cries, taking wing, “but try and catch me!”

 

[nixie]

Another World​

"Morning Juni....oh he's gone"

Beep Beep
"Get off the bloody road you idiot"
Beep Beep

Juniper froze in terror as metal monsters swerved round him.

"Mummy look a green man with funny ears"
"Ssshh"

"Sir you have too move"

"What, where am I?"

"Cuff him, you don't have to say anything but anything you do say may be used in evidence"

Juniper gulped

"But, but you're not real, you're a human tale"

 

[Ashleyne]

ROMANCE IS DEAD

"Coffin detected." Digbot's voice alerts Gravekeeper Alf.

He sips cider, frothing on his tongue, the drill vibrating below.

"Coffin open." Digbot hoist itself up.

Clenching the scalpel in his teeth, Gravekeeper Alf dangles his feet, slips, winds himself landing on her body.

"The most beautiful face I've ever seen." He drips a tear onto her hair. 'I miss you."

He slams the lid, kisses her cheekbone, then slashes his throat open.

Dirt hammers the roof.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

March 2, 2003

The King snapped his fingers. A peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwich appeared.

"Thank you very much."

The Jester popped up.

"Doctor Winston O'Boogie, at your service. New arrival, Your Majesty."

"Quit the clowning, John. Where's the newcomer?"

"He's got all the saints and angels dancing."

The Jester wriggled his hips.

"I got in trouble for doing something like that on TV. What's his name?"

"Hank. Listen to him!"

Come on baby . . .

 

[Travis Woodward]

Luck be a lady

The Queen left the Cromwell’s deck and sat next to the two diamonds that rested on the table. Identical in every way, with perfect, sharp edges. It was time to decide. A fortune rested on this deal. There were a dozen points in her favour, but if another monarch caught her by surprise then she would lose everything. She needed a score and one… one word is all it would take.

“Twist” the player said.

 

[D.A. Xiaolin Spires]

String Theory: Yanking the Chords​

Strings shimmied, lined up, resonating to the concordant beat of the universe.

A giant alloy appendage reached in, grabbing the fine hairs, giving them a jerk. The pansophical AI crooned electric falsetto.

Disharmony clattered throughout the endless realm.

The gargantuan hand bunched, bent, twisted the strings again. Some snagged.

***​

Khadijah was driving when the road coiled, forking into helixes. She accelerated, clinging to life, on the frayed road.

She sped topsy-turvy, towards a world unfathomable.

 

[Calliopenjo]

MISINTERPRETATION


I couldn’t believe it. I never told anyone she cheated on that final. I was working something out in my head and voiced my thoughts.

I said, “I loved Tabitha. How her smile could make a dark moment light. Someone so honorable would never cheat, not even a test. No, she wouldn’t.”

How could that be interpreted as cheating on an exam as important as the Spell Casting II final?

 

[Peter V]

What the Dickens?


“It’s your fault I’m in this mess.” Oliver regarded me desperately through iron bars. “Get me out Dodger.”

“I said ‘pick a pocket or two’, not steal the bleedin’ Crown Jewels mate. Tell me where you’ve hid ‘em and I will go hire some help to bust you out.”

*​

Passing the gallows on my way out I felt guilty; Oliver would hang in the morning.

As for me?

No more working for bloomin' Fagin!

 

[Luiglin]

Mavis and Beryl Keep Their Hand In

A ratchet clunk heralded a heartfelt scream.

The foreheads of two plump grey haired figures creased in mutual contemplation. Before them hung a man, an intricate contraption forcing his shoulders and hips in opposite directions.

"Well, Mavis?"

"We've nothing to lose, Beryl. Do it."

Clunk, snap. Clunk, squelchy pop.

"Sorry, ladies," said the Tome of Chronicles adjudicator. "The world record remains sixteen twists."

"Oh dear. Mavis, get the mop. I'll make the tea."

 

[Cathbad]

Canning Season

“It’s canning season!” Mary said, shrugging. “You’ll appreciate me come winter, Mark!”

“I do appreciate you,” Mark replied. He picked up one of the mason jars. “Oh, I love these! You have any not sealed yet?”

Mary handed him an open jar.

Mark popped a few into his mouth.

“Go easy on those pickled eyeballs,” Mary admonished. “I’ve set out some fingers and toes I mean to fry up with that salesman’s liver for dinner!”

 

[Harliebunny]

Lucy

Abigale sighed, the playpen was empty. Again.

‘Lucy?’

She saw something furry beside the playpen, a decapitated rat! Where…?

‘Maisy! What have you done?!’ The cat stared at Abigale from her bed unmoving.

Abigale rounded the sofa, her two toothed toddler had her hand in a hole searching.

‘Lucy!’ Abigale lunged forward, Lucy withdrew her hand. Another rat! Abigale squealed. Lucy smacked the rat hard on the floor.

‘Lucy no!’ defiantly, she bit down

 

[Hugh]

Last Summer​

Scabs came into the sundown. “Twist, anyone? Twist? Twist?”

Everyone gave him the wall-eye. Scabs is bad news. Real bad news.

He saw me at the back. “Hey, Fats! Twist? C’mon Fats, Twist?”

There’s something endearing about Scabs, something sweetly pleading, and I could go a Twist.

He put some fizzers on the table. “Take a look, Fats!”

Suddenly polizei were everywhere, Scabs nowhere.

Just me, Twist, polizei.

I should have stayed in bed.

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Casino Vulgaire

"M'sieur?"

Bond glanced at his cards.

"Twist."

The dealer turned over a card.

"Twist."

A murmur arose around the table.

"Twist."

With an imperceptibly raised eyebrow, the dealer flipped another.

"Twist."

Gasps from the audience.

"Twist."

The dealer, clearly puzzled, dealt another.

"Twist."

Somewhere, a laugh was stifled.

"Twist."

Frowning, the dealer looked at his fellow players for help.

"Mr Bond," said Le Chiffre, "I don't think you fully understand the rules of bridge."

 

[Danny McG]

Dawn of the blood drinking Bunyip: Twist Creek, Yakandandah, Victoria, Australia, 1865.

She watched as William Nicholls wielded the shovel, smashing the head of Selina Baxter until blood sprayed.

She watched as the constable was summoned and led the killer away.

She watched until night and then moved warily from the creek bushes to lap at the blood on the bench.

Ecstasy! The young Bunyip had, for the first time, tasted what would become her lifelong craving

 

[Graymalkin]

The snitch at Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility

Detective Monetti woke on impact, disoriented and groggy. What had happened?
She could just see the faint grey of moon outside the SUV. But so incredibly dim as though someone had cut the entire dockside power supply.
She suddenly realised she was tied to the steering wheel, and cold water rose about her ankles.
With growing horror, Monetti began to struggle as her informant floated out of the dark, trailing ghostly bubbles across the windscreen.

 

[jackwin]

No Good Spy

Running down staircase, Codebreaking key in her brassiere.
KGB on her heels.

Plan blown, if she escapes, plans already sent and codes would be changed.

She lights her last cigarette, tosses crumpled pack in the sand-filled ashtray as she exits,
smiles, turns the corner.

Is machine-gunned down. Key recovered, Attack plan remains unchanged. "Long live the Fatherland"

Early next morning, the old janitor empties the ashtray, removes the wax impression and sends it to London.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Tim's Totally Twisted Tale

Tumultuous tearaway teacher Talamut transcended temporal teachings, threw together the terrific time tube.
Timorous traits traversed Talamut’s trunk, too tenacious the teacher tumbled toward the tube.

Twisting, turning, time truncating, transposing, torso tangibly torqueing, tortured transformation

Temporal travel turned, transferred to tower.

Tolling tintinnabulum triggered terrible tinnitus, trapped twenty times ten twelvemonth thereupon.

Twisted, the tutor, to Talamut told; “Thit! ThI’m Thwasimodo!”

 

[Pedro Del Mar]

Battle of Mariner Valley

'Stick or twist' Commander Baker thought to himself. The garrison and his band of men was surrounded on all sides by Orcs numbering in the thousands. 'Do I stick and repel the Orcs? I've some minor defences, better artillery but I'm outnumbered 25 to 1. Or twist and risk attrition with a retreat to the nearest space colony over 50 miles away?'

"Men, we will stand to the last and defend this garrison!" He shouted.

 

[johnnyjet]

Twist Open

"Twist open," the bottle said.

I mumbled, "Easier said than done."

The bottle repeated, "Twist open."

"Okay, now you're annoying me. Look, I tried everything. I need these pills now."

"Follow the directions, stupid."

"Now you're getting personal?"

I slammed the bottle against the wall. It hit the floor and rolled to my feet.

"This bottle is permanently locked. Please contact your pharmacy for assistance."

Damn, I should have read the fine print.