August / September 100 Word Anonymous Challenge

[elvet]

“Spectacular New Labyrinth Opens!”

“Well done!“ said the sphinx.
“That was it?” I queried the sphinx. It was made of wood and had a placard hung around its neck, which read,
“YOUR FREE CERTIFICATE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT IS AVAILABLE AT THE EXIT.”
“This was it? The spectacular labyrinth? Seriously?”
“Well done!”
“Yeah, thanks a lot,” I muttered, looking for the exit. “Where’s this exit than?”
“Well done!”
A scribble at the bottom of the placard caught my eye. I squinted. “PTO.”
I turned the placard.
“THE EXIT IS CURRENTLY INACCESSIBLE DUE TO CONSTRUCTION ERRORS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING.”
“Well done!” said the sphinx.

 

[elvet]

Haunter of the Dark

“They say what lurks below is a horror beyond mortal ken,” Jamil’s brow furrowed. “In the darkness it sneaks, sliming its way through long, twisting corridors, its one hairy appendage trailing thick, filthy mucus along stone floors.”

“All who cross its path are forever banished to the timeless void!” said Byron.

“That’s right!” said Jamil. “Worst of all its voice: a deep and gravelly timbre; a thick wheeze and a roar that will turn your blood to ice! Worse than any mammal of land or s--”

“Oy! You kids! Clear off! School finished an hour ago!” shouted the Janitor.

 

[elvet]

Poor Minataur​

The beast , devoid of language, bellowed his bovine disapproval.

Through the cool gloom ruler-straight light-tracks rayed dust into glowing gold lines, reflected off a jewel in a mosaic, or illuminated a thread spun by his sister, Ariadne.

He required no light, navigated by scent, and touch.

But the tiny holes were not imperfections of workmanship Daedealus had been rigorous before flight, here in the masonry corridors and in the lava tubed, The stuffy subterranean maze had been equipped with ventilation but no risk of escape.

He hated, Captivity, mother. father, sister, invading heroes and lack of heifer.

 

[elvet]

A Labyrinth Answers the Inner Questions

A civilization once lived here. That was, so far, unique. Outside of earth, no other civilization had been found. Epsilon 5 was Sylvia’s big opportunity.

Sylvia, an xeno-archeologist, was fortunate to work with a spade. Many questions about the “Silons” seemed answered: looks, size, technology, etc. The current questions seemed unanswerable. Who were they? What were their dreams?

Her spade slowly uncovered a mosaic. Was it a circuitous path? Leading to a central resting place?

Inexplicably moved, Sylvia slowly walked the path. Ancient words filled her with peace. “I am the Way.” Insight struck. The “Silons” were her spiritual family.

 

[elvet]

No Clew

I've been here for what feels like an eternity. Walls and floors have shifted, opening into a pit.
An endless series of staircases have led me up and down. I've been moving every day, sleeping
minimally and eating scraps of food at each checkpoint. Finally, I exit the labyrinth and step into
the light.

Just then, I fall into a hole and find myself lost again. I hear a booming voice.

"In five years, you've completed only one labyrinth. Let's see how you fare in the next nine."

It's dark. I hear the sound of bees.

 

[elvet]

Tarry​

Reis traced the ancient carving with his good hand.

Aticus, merchant and Reis's employer, looked on. "Found another yggdrasil glyph?"

Reis smiled. "No… I carved this."

Aticus looked confused. "But we've never visited this world."

"How many worlds have we seen?"

"One hundred and twelve," Aticus announced with some pride.

"Well, I've made 64 unique glyphs, and encountered this one twice… last time, maybe, thirty thousand years ago?"

"Explain."

"The Guild suspects the Ch-ah-krym network connects habitable epochs across a small number of isolated planets. Now we've proof."

"But the Portals saved humankind!"

"Without doubt… but to what end?"

 

[elvet]

At the Charitable Office of Medical Services for Displaced Citizens, Terran Branch

“Alright, I see you filed XP-640, but not your exoplanetary birth confirmation...”

“I was born here, it’s my son who -”

“Ahhh, then you should submit form NPX-212: Native Parents of Exoplanetary Children…”

“I’ve submitted NPX-212! It required a complementary XP-640! Before that I needed PPX-533 to prove I was off-world when my son was born, and -”

“You were off-world? Why didn’t you say so, you need NPX-300…”

“Please, my son will die without this surgery! I’ve spent days trapped in this bureaucratic maze, can’t you just -”

“Give you special treatment? No. Now, if you’ll complete NPX-300 for me…”

 

[elvet]

The guide

“Finally,” said Graham, a tear to his bloodshot eye. “Six hundred and … something days. I dunno what to say.”

“It’s been a pleasure being your guide.”

I’d never seen him smile ‘til now. He twisted forward, trudging, straining each muscle. His body turned to shadow, then to a faint glow as the white light enveloped him and itself.

Footsteps behind me. No time to rest.

“Where am I?” fretted the newcomer. “What the hell is this place? How’d I get here?”

I lifted my head and strained a smile. “Hello. Welcome to the Labyrinth. I’ll be your guide.”

 

[elvet]

Umbridge on a station platform

People say the Mage's daughter carries her weight in grudges. She certainly escorts a heavy bag when she travels. Knowing her slightly, I enquired about it once.

We were waiting for a train…

Seems as a child she demanded her father build her a palace, but received a memory palace instead: an endless mental maze to immortalize her life, storing every uttered word, every whispered slight, every promise broken.

"And your bag?" I asked.

Boarding the train, she explained. "I declutter from time to time, returning things to their owners. You must remember what you did? The bag is yours."

 

[elvet]

Exiting Namibar Offworld Processing

- 'Earth?, nobody goes to Earth', said Clerk LR777.
'I live there'
'Tsk, go to Desk LR781'
- 'You need an Offworld License, go to Desk LR641', said Clerk LR781
- 'Get this validated at Desk LR329', said Clerk LR641.
- 'Who told you to bring this here?', asked Clerk LR329.
'Clerk LR641'
'I doubt it, this needs to go to Desk LR777'
- 'You again, what's up this time?', asked Clerk LR777.
'Erm, I think I'm supposed to bring this here'
'You're not ...and anyway you filled it in wrong'
'but I didn't fill anything in'
'Tsk, that's a typical Earthling thing to say'.

 

[elvet]

The Bongerlon of Chunticle

Zork Dangleberg had been delighted with the VR experience.
But three hours of swinging a virtual pickaxe in a virtual tunnel had made him grumpy.
'What kinda name is 'noob123' anyway?, could ya not have come up with something better?'
'But I'm the 123rd noob, it is a fitting name for one who serves the Bongerlon'
'Whatever you say dork -this is bullsh**, three hours digging through rock, I dunno about you but my arms are sore'
'Yes, they are always so'
'Ah, to hell with this! -Labarinth of Chunticle me hole, GAME OVER'
'What game do you speak of?'

 

[elvet]

A Brave New World

A drainage system, designed to flush away his detritus, now became man's final refuge from the terror patrolling the streets above.

The vast labyrinth of interconnecting tunnels and chambers beneath the city had been transformed; shops, hospitals, barracks and schools lining the thoroughfares of newly constructed towns and villages in this subterranean haven.

Exhausted by his travails the artilleryman rested, and not for the first time pondered the fate of the friendly stranger from Maybury Hill.

 

[elvet]

Just Waiting…

“It’s vast!”

“True. Walls that are lost in the clouds stretch more than a mile in each direction. And it’s roofed over in the same impenetrable material. No windows. The only entrance admits either a single human or a single robot then closes. After a while it opens again with no sign of the unfortunate explorer.

We’re missing two crew and numerous robots. We’ve tried drills, pneumatic hammers, high explosives and lasers - not even a scratch. We’d try thermonuclear stuff if we had any.”

“Have you tried talking to it?”

A clear, gentle voice speaks. “Welcome to the Galactic Federation.”

 

[elvet]

HELLRAISER
LAMEBRAINS in the LABYRINTH​

“You had to buy that pawn shop puzzle box.”

“I’m sorry, Moe.” SLAP!

“So am I. Recede, Larry. And you, Curly. You played with it. Now we’re stuck in Cenobite city. You, political ignoramus.”

“Casting aspersions, eh?”

“What's that mean?”

“You use aspirin as fishing bait.”

“What's that mean?”

“I don’t know.” SLAP!

“We gotta get outta here.”

“Hey, Moe! There’s a phone booth over there.”

“Great work Larry. Curly. You call a cop.”

“I’ll call Batman.” SLAP! “OW!”

#

“Moe...Curly’s back. He looks really different.”

“NYAH! Curly...is that you?”

“Yesss. You’re both victims...of MY circumstance!”

CRUNCH! SQUISH!

 

[elvet]

What's a Labyrinth.

"What's a labyrinth?"
"It's a puzzle or riddle."
"I thought it was a complex enigma."
"No its more intricate than that."
"Is it fiddly like a maze."
"I suppose it could be."
"This is so complicated."
"It can be a winding, twisting network of paths."
"You can easily get lost here."
"No you can't! Hang on a minute."
"We are lost, admit it."
"Yes, help help."
"Help us, please, someone help us."72

A millennium passes by and two skeletons are found in a room a mile underground by two people.

A conversation starts.

"What's a labyrinth?"

 

[elvet]

8 Bit Heroes


The agent had infiltrated the professor's secret underground bunker. His mission? Comb the labyrinth of rooms and corridors to locate the hidden codes allowing access to the bunker's inner sanctum; then prevent the evil genius within from unleashing nuclear armageddon. His weapons? Only his keen intellect and athletic prowess, enabling him to somersault over the deadly robots patrolling the bunker's chambers.

But were was his controller? He knew the countdown would be activated the moment he took another step, and so he waited. Was there anyone out there still willing to take up the challenge of this impossible mission?

 

[elvet]

Mirror! Mirror!

"Why'd anyone steal a funhouse mirror?
"Haven't the foggiest, Sarge."
"It's not like they're enchanted, is it?"
"Well…"
"Constable?"
"This is one of the Mage's business ventures."
"Someone mention me?"
"Oh, my giddy aunts! Didn't see you there, sir."
"Nooo, I'm incognito. Your Constable contacted me. You're quite right about the mirrors."
"You made a maze of magical mirrors?"
"They warp you, not your reflection."
"And if I pocketed a mirror shard?"
"Ahhh, yes, that might work too…"
"Sarge! In the crowd!"
"Dillon the dip, but taller. He's got exceedingly long arms."
"He's legging it, Sarge! We'll never catch him..."

 

[elvet]

Lost in thought​

Confusion reigned, perhaps for the better; if she believed her senses, reason was hopelessly unfindable. Logic was linear - experience avoided this limitation. Philosophy competed with n-dimensional topology, no obvious winner.

Should the corridor of conscience veer to the left, carefully keep the left hemisphere of the brain, the calculating side, never losing contact with that wall. The right hand lobe, handling imagination and fantasy can take its own chances - it has several more available dimensions to escape into.

Mentality is as convoluted as any example of the maze-builder's art, in more dimensions and lousy maps.

Wisdom is folly..

 

[elvet]

Contrails

Scribbles on the sky, spreading from a silver tip back to merge with the cirrus mares tails rippling across th hard blue sky.

Sky graffiti , obscene commentaries on seaside tourist destination, Signposts aplenty, but no label where they lead. To warmer climes, no doubt, bluer seas reflecting from hotter skies, encouraging less clothing. It hardly matters as, debarking on a baking dusty runway you discover your rubbish, colourful waste international.

Much desired tourism destroying the paths for its own attraction. Wherever you travell your garbage, your diseases, get there faster.

Local inhabitants are now lost refugees where you were.​

 

[elvet]

The Starship and George

'George!'
There it was again, the first human voice since the party. I'd set out for a shindig to mark crossing the Heliopause, and ended up lost in the bowels of a Starship. A flagon of space grog and twelve pills saw to that.
'George!'
The voice was getting closer. Three days wandering a maze of uniform corridors had me believing I'd never get out. Then I heard it call.
'Hello?'
'George?'
'No -dya know a way outta here mate?'
'Of course, but I'm not leaving without George.'
'Is he a friend of yours?'
'No.'
'Who's George then?'
'I'm George.'