DISCUSSION THREAD -- AUGUST 2022 -- 75 Word Writing Challenge

[Parson]

Thanks for kind words and the vote @Bowler1. I'm assuming no pitchforks for a minute or two anyway.

 

[Bowler1]

You're right, there's always RAY GUNS.

 

[Luiglin]

You're right, there's always RAY GUNS.

Isn't that a fire risk when trying to gather up the hay or straw?

 

[Aknot]

Shortlist:
Cat’s Cradle
Troyzan787
Parson
Elckerlyc

Vote:
Had a hard time picking a favorite but the last line of BigJ’s tipped the scale

 

[THX1138]

OK, as I went through this month's entries for fun, I seemed to have missed @Iwroteathing entry; while I am enjoying a cup of tea myself.
So, his entry is on my shortlist too.

 

[THX1138]

Isn't that a fire risk when trying to gather up the hay or straw?

That's what Freeze Ray pitchforks are for. (wha ha ha.)

 

[Bowler1]

That's what Freeze Ray pitchforks are for. (wha ha ha.)

Bowler1 looks on impressed - THX1138 has taken to their mob role and is a natural at it. The laugh adds menace without having to say anything more... excellent.

Wha...ha...ha....

 

[Bruce MacLean]

I really enjoyed these stories, with some of my highlights being:

@Cat's Cradle - the twist grabbed me, and kept hold
@Aknot - a classic downbeat ending!
@Eduardo Letavia - I love a good fight scene, and the kinetic dynamism flowed so well
@Starbeast - I got Enemy Mine and Project Hail Mary vibes from this, with a bit of Gulliver's Travels thrown in
@The Judge - using water to describe destroying the enemy...but with added self-sacrifice (damn, didn't think of that!)...this one got my vote

 

[Parson]

Thanks to @Aknot for the short listing. Much appreciated!!

----------

Off to vote. It's 3pm here and I'll see if I can finish up before before our early supper. I expect this to be a tough choice.

Shortlisted: Because

Old Friend by @THX1138 because it so easily shifted a mundane event into something of great poignancy and a deep undercurrent of sadness.

Στύξ by @Phyrebrat because it made me think of great literature and the depth of meaning that can be found in only a few words.

Just Covenant by @Bren G because it's ending came as a jaw dropping surprise.

A Tale of Two Ships by @Starbeast because it such a wonderful illustration of the Golden Rule.

And again... by @Hugh because it is so clever while being such an ordinary miracle.

Water Debt by @Elckerlyc because it paints a truly ghastly but believable future.

Okay now to choose only one .....

I voted for A Tale of Two Ships by @Starbeast.

Ha! Time to spare.

 

[THX1138]

Thank you @Parson for the shortlist and words!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

The snails are watching

 

[THX1138]

@Bowler1 ! Put melted butter and minced garlic into your water cannon and fire it at the giant snails! I'll use the Ray Gun to cook them to perfection!
THX1138 forgets that slime+butter=slicker and slides uncontrollably across Bowlers1's field; ray gun firing in random directions.
"Wha-ha, oh-noooo!"

 

[Bowler1]

A little bit of mob excitement there, with French cooking skills mixed in and shows how diverse a mob can be. We roll with the times (as Bowler1 takes a ray gun away from THX1138) here and love to eat snails, tuck in everyone there's tonnes of the stuff.

Mob action at its best, you never know what can happen. But there is our motto, what happens in the mob stays in the mob - unless you're a snail, but hey... we're doing our best here.

 

[Hugh]

I voted for @Victoria Silverwolf 's tall tale of life on the Mississippi back in the day. It made me chuckle unexpectedly.

Most of the stories that I ended up listing were posted towards the end of the month. Funny how that happens - sometimes the ones I like best are all early on.
I haven't managed a shortlist, but here's my long list, in no particular order:
@Daysman
@Peter V . I nearly wrote a story involving Charon myself, so it's great to see someone else did.
@The Judge
@Parson
@Jo Zebedee. Most impressive snails.
@Luiglin
@Astro Pen
@Elckerlyc
@Starbeast

Meantime it's great to see @Parson out in front. Let's hope he makes it to the clubhouse.

And many thanks indeed for your listings @Victoria Silverwolf and @Parson . As ever, much appreciated.

 

[Bowler1]

Pitchforks, get em here. Free snails with every pitchfork.

 

[farntfar]

Hard to choose out of such great entries.
So a long long list
@JS Wiig
@Eduardo Letavia
@M. Robert Gibson
@BigJ
@TheEndIsNigh
@mosaix
@Hugh
@Ursa major
@Cat's Cradle
@paranoid marvin
@BT Jones
@Stable
@johnnyjet
@Daysman
@Raz2k13
@Peter V
@Starbeast
@Parson
@Luiglin
@Christine Wheelwright

From which I eventually chose @mosaix for the vote.

 

[Bren G]

My Top 3:

@AnRoinnUltra - a a well crafted tale of H2O and Fe-'y'
@Hugh - a charming tale of hope and rebirth
@Peter V - Shows us to take control and keep two hands on the rudder

I couldn't easily pick a winner so I gave Peter V the nod as I recently saw Styx in concert. Rock on!

 

[THX1138]

@Jo Zebedee Thanks for the vote!

 

[Luiglin]

Top three for me

• @THX1138 - I must dust in here, it's getting in my eyes
• @Parson - the little things in life are often the most precious
• @Ursa major - cosmic, Marvin

And @Parson gets the select of the radio button and the click of the submit button.

 

[Ursa major]

I clearly have not been paying attention, as I was surprised to see this morning that I have "suddenly" received three votes.

Many, many thanks to Starbeast, BT Jones and Iwroteathing.