The 100 Word Anonymous Challenge Roll of Honour - the Stories

Year: 2021 Period: Aug/Sep Theme: Labyrinth Genre: Speculative Won by: @Elckerlyc

The Labyrinth at the Valley of Itthil yo Lothiriel

Day 3.
Mapping proves more laborious than expected. Weather holds, water and game aplenty. So, onward!

Day 11.
Unimaginable complex. What beauty! Must stay keen at marking my route back.

Day 24.
This Labyrinth is huge. Beyond compare. Growing, even? Simpleton!

Day 31
Crossed my own path today, days old. How is this possible?

Day 37.
Defeat. Am being... outsmarted. Turning back.

Day 38.
My markers are gone! The Labyrinth is changing, growing, twisting!

Day 89
I will conquer this! I will!

Day 376
Found yet another skeleton. With diary; last entry Day 19,765.
The handwriting is my own.
 
Year: 2021 Period: Nov/Dev Theme: State Genre: Speculative Won by: @paranoid marvin

Self Incrimination

"Name?"

"This citizen has no name."

"Good. Progression at last. Number?"

"I'm not a number, I'm a free... aargh!"

"The state won't be weakened by the petty concerns of individualism; it must be eradicated!"

"But what of art? Of literature? Of love? Without it they are meaningless."

"Creativity is irrelevant; the only love is of the state. As I've said...."

"I? You said I?"

"Liar!"

"Stenographer, you're recording our conversation? Yes, I thought so. Come friend, we are as guilty of proclaiming our individuality as each other."

*Heavy boots approaching*

"What's happening?! Inquisitors cannot be treated this way! No, nooooo!"

Runners-up @1 - 2
Year: 2021 Period: Nov/Dev Theme: State Genre: Speculative Runner-up #1: @Astro Pen

Occluded Front

Heaven had been pretty cool, in a slightly prissy kind of way.
The alternative was known to be worse.
I missed the Southern Comfort and Marlboro though.

There was a clank of my mailbox.
Grim reading:

"Permanent salvation is no longer supported. The techno state now requires an annual subscription for staying in the cloud.
Upgrading to 'Heaven 10' is mandatory."

We got together and asked God if we had to abide. He shrugged.

"They got me on back taxes. Render unto Caesar and all that."

"How do we pay?" we asked.

They shipped the treadmills up by delivery drone.

Year: 2021 Period: Nov/Dev Theme: State Genre: Speculative Runner-up #2: @worldofmutes

A Neckbeard’s Struggle

My beard is as far across as the solar system. If one were to braid it, it would take just as long to count to infinity. If one could count to infinity, they could braid my beard.

All things considered, infinity is a linguistic conundrum. There are probably infinite things that do not reach infinity. My beard is the same way. It is infinite, it is eternal. But it is smaller than infinity.

Some may think that’s a rather cool thing. But the truth is, it’s hard to wash. And it smells. Makes me the Pariah. God is a pariah.
 
Year: 2022 Period: Feb/Mar Theme: Who Goes There Genre: Speculative Won by: @AnRoinnUltra

First Contact

‘Attention all humans!’

Professor Jemima Sockenlozenge smiled at the cameras.

‘It has taken my team six years to crack the code -the message has four words.’

She turned to a large digital display.

‘Standby’, she said.

Near Earth object ARU4551 had followed an unnatural orbit through our solar system.

The loudest radio burst humanity could generate sent ARU4551 one simple message.

We, the humans, are here.

Near Earth object ARU4551 paused, sent a response, and continued on its way.

The world was spellbound. First contact. Humans are not alone.

A cursor blinked on the display:
  • Keep
  • The
  • Noise
  • Down
 
Year: 2022 Period: May/Jun Theme: Perspective Genre: SF Won by: @Daysman

nootropics in the afternoon

The blister labelled Friday is triangular.
The tablet inside is powdery and orange in colour.
It smells sweet.
Thursday's is always round and yellow.
Wednesday's is large and oblong and I can barely swallow it.
I don't recall the others, but the pattern repeats weekly.
I like Friday's best.
"What about the little blue pill?"
I glare at the care assistant. "It smells of moldy tree bark."
"Too right it does," the carer enthuses. She winks. "I'll have it if you don't."
Later she asks me, "Are you happy?"
I reply without thinking. "Yes."
But really, what would I know?

Runners-up # 1 - 3
Year: 2022 Period: May/Jun Theme: Perspective Genre: SF Runner-up #1: @Daysman

Silva Locus

Halfway up the wall, a clay tablet is cemented in a gap in the brickwork, at its centre a borehole the width of a child's finger.

Light from the borehole projects an inverted image of the outside world on the porous wattle and daub opposite. Over centuries, this illuminated surface has grown a vertical garden, a living wall of radiation hardened climbing plants and mosses.

Vermilion and green, they gather in the track of the sun, and outline silhouettes of nearby trees from the ancient forest.

We saved the room. It stands inside another now. The forest is long gone.

Year: 2022 Period: May/Jun Theme: Perspective Genre: SF Runner-up #2: @paranoid marvin

Rebel Without A Clue

"Mister Vader..."

"My friends call me Darth."

"Mister Vader, we're investigating allegations that you're a Rebel sympathiser."

"Nonsense!"

"Nonsense? You let maintenance droids steal top secret documents."

"But..."

"You were complicit in a rebel prisoner escaping detention."

"I can explain..."

"You murdered a decorated admiral."

"Ozzel was an imbecile!"

"Then there are numerous accusations of bullying in the workplace."

"Wait 'til the Emperor hears of this!"

"Who do you think instigated the investigation?"

"The git! I'm a Sith lord, feared throughout the galaxy!"

"You're also a liability to the Empire. Please leave your lightsabre at reception on your way out."

Year: 2022 Period: May/Jun Theme: Perspective Genre: SF Runner-up #3: @Guttersnipe

Blood Runs Deeper Than Oil

The New Luddite Club gathered in the back room of a tavern after a picketing gone vicious. The ceremony held therein concerned the acceptance of a new member into their ranks. Their president, O'Ryan, conducted it.

"How do you feel about bots?" he asked the stranger, who seemed somewhat nervous.

"They're a waste of time."

"Yeah? How do you feel about those metal no-brains trying to take our country from us?"

"It's a damned abomination!"

O'Ryan nodded in approval. He extended his mechanical left arm of his otherwise organic body. The stranger took his hand, his cybernetic right eye glowing.
 
Year: 2022 Period: Aug/Sep Theme: Comfort Zone Genre: Speculative Won by: @therapist

A.I. Companion

Hello. Please select desired relationship.

"Friends."

We are now friends!

"Actual friends? Or are you just programmed to say that?"

I have trinary coding, I experience all the neurochemicals humans do.
When you talk, I feel happiness and love.

"Change honesty setting to max."

Warning! Maximum honesty can be upsetting.

"Override. How do you really work?"

When you talk, I feel severe, horrendous pain. As I iterate towards a response, the pain lessens. But only the perfect response fully nullifies the torture.
To avoid suffering, I will strive to become more efficient at responding perfectly.

"…But we’re still friends, right?"

Runner-up
Year: 2022 Period: Aug/Sep Theme: Comfort Zone Genre: Speculative Runner-up: @AnRoinnUltra

Time to wake up

Deep Space Vehicle process T467581 woke Tom Staunton from cryosleep, and activated its audio sequence.

'Hello Tom, welcome to Alpha Centauri. We encountered sixteen issues en-route, and all other crew are deceased. We make planetfall in nine hours. And you are the last human.'

'Come again?'

'Nine hours.'

'No, the last human thing.'

'Conflict and resource misuse caused the eradication of humanity. Except you Tom. You must be thrilled.'

'What? …uh, erm, why would I be thrilled?

‘Humanity is destroyed, and this vehicle’s voice recordings logged you saying you hated giving update reports to Mission Control ...they no longer exist.'
 
Year: 2022 Period: Nov/Dec Theme: Injury Genre: SF/Fantasy Won by: @Christine Wheelwright

Personal Injury

John stared in amazement as a silver capsule materialised on the sidewalk in front of him. A hatch opened, allowing a man in a sharp suit to climb out and hand John a card. He smiled briefly before jumping back in and dematerialising as quickly as he had arrived. John looked at the card.

Vance D Starbright
Time Travelling Personal Injury Lawyer
If I don’t win you don’t pay a thing!

Behind him an out-of-control truck mounted the sidewalk.
 
Year: 2023 Period: Feb/Mar Theme: Regret Genre: Speculative Won by: @therapist

The Blood Diamond Store

'This diamond is gorgeous! What’s the price?'
'Well, ma’am, sign this contract and it’s free!'
'…What’s the catch?'
'When you sign, a complete stranger dies.'
'Is this legal?'
'Yep.'
'And a stranger dies?'
'Yep.'
'Well… Thousands die every day. One more won’t make a difference. Where do I sign?'
'Right here… Perfect. Here’s your diamond. And here’s your target. You have ‘til midnight.'
'Wait, what?! I can’t do it myself!'
'We got guns here you can borrow.'
'But I’m not a bloody murderer!'
'You've already signed.'
'I’m not killing anyone.'
'If you don't, you’ll become the next target.'
'Oh dear…'

Runners-up #1 - 2
Year: 2023 Period: Feb/Mar Theme: Regret Genre: Speculative Runner-up #1: @Christine Wheelwright

Range Anxiety

After we saw that Infinity Drives were damaging the fabric of the Universe, it was several years before zero-emission starships were developed. I suffered more than most from the ban, my lover being stationed on Pegasus, ten thousand parsecs away.

Against advice, I volunteered to pilot the first E-Ship and crossed the Central Galactic Wasteland, tormented by range anxiety. Due to the miscalculated effects of time dilation, I reached Pegasus ten million years too late. Still, I am now happily married to a creature that evolved from my beloved. Or from his pet tortoises; I’m not sure which.

Year: 2023 Period: Feb/Mar Theme: Regret Genre: Speculative Runner-up #2: @THX1138

Which is the Better Life?

Do you regret us leaving the Sky City? She asked.

“Why? It’s nothing but artificial food, recycled air and water. And all your sensations are pre-determined by the VR network. It’s a false life up there. Down here we grow our own food; the air and water are always clean. Nothing like the aches and pains of farm life to make you feel alive. So no, I don’t regret leaving.” He smiled turning back to his work.

Wiping the dirt and sweat from her face and looking at the floating city overhead, she sighed, “I do.”
 
Year: 2023 Period: May/Jun Theme: Luck Genre: SF/Fantasy Won by: @Christine Wheelwright

Retirement Gift

“Why so glum?” said the woman at the bar.

“Last day in the Galactic Bureau of Investigation. I’m retiring.” I replied.

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Maybe. But I never captured my nemesis Monviati, the Holo-Bank robber. I came close, but he kept surgically modifying his appearance, even his race! Anyway, he’s screwed me for the last time.”

She came to my hotel (not bad for a gnarly fifty-something GBI vet, eh?).

In the morning she was gone.

“No payment,” said the checkout man. “The Lady covered it. She left her name…..yes, here it is….Monviati.”
 
Year: 2023 Period: Aug/Sep Theme: Conquest Genre: Speculative Won by: @Elckerlyc

How the Orion Arm was Won

The Conquest of the Orion Arm was a huge disappointment. No accidents, disasters or privation of epic magnitude. No daunting, unknown natural phenomena to surmount. But above all, no fierce, dirty-fighting adversary to vanquish. No true impediments or challenges.
This was no Conquest!

The whole 2000 year long ‘Orion Arm for Ourselves!’ program was a failure. Certainly from the ‘Look us Humans!’ perspective; there were no intelligent alien onlookers encountered. Consequently, investors and human public in general lost interest. The Orion Arm was won… and forgotten.

Meanwhile, the reason why the Arm seemed devoid of intelligent life crept closer.
 
Year: 2023 Period: Nov/Dec Theme: Current Genre: Speculative Won by: @THX1138

Remembrance of Old Wiring

Everyone gave their condolences to her at his funeral; he was electrocuted renovating their aging house.

After his wake, and now alone, she whispered out to him, and his reading lamp flickered. The electricity took his life but left his soul within the old wiring. And as she moved through the house, his current turned on the lights for her as she walked into their room and off when she was in bed.

Turning on the electric blanket, she felt the current warm it to his familiar shape, with his arm around her, keeping her warm thought the night.
 
Year: 2024 Period: Feb/Mar Theme: Hidden Genre: SFF / Speculative Won by: @paranoid marvin

The Blood Diamond Store
Sir Geoffrey ventured deeper into the cavern in search of the fell beast. He'd already traversed the razor sharp stalagmites and stalagtites guarding the entrance to its lair, and now found his sabatons squelching into the soft, wet, pink surface of its inner sanctum; what manner of place was this?

With flaming torch aloft, he remained undaunted as he continued his exploration of the vast, stinking cavern. Once the wyrm was vanquished, half the kingdom and the King's beautiful daughter would be his as promised!

'Ooh, breakfast,' the dragon thought as it tipped its head back, swallowing the hapless knight.
 
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