MARCH 2024 -- 75 Word Writing Challenge --VICTORY TO VICTORIA SILVERWOLF!

[Parson]

A Legend’s End​

Steven gazed at a beautiful spring. Was it more?

Steven had followed the legend of the “springs of youth” to parallel earths for decades. On Parallel 267 they seemed possible. Careful observation had shown that few old animals lived in some zones. There, the ratio of young to old was too skewed to be natural. Steven moved closer to the spring.

Snap! Zynous’ trap sprung.

Filled with meat bliss, Zynous reset his spring water trap.

 

[Daysman]

Prime Time

In what fabled waters did your progenitors swim?
The gravity flows of Enceladus' living ocean?
Europa's secret sea?
Did they find form in the icy slurry beneath Pluto's ruddy face?
Perhaps your gods filled the hidden aquifers of Ceres, or made glaciers in the eternally shadowed craters of the grey world's silver moon?
Whatever your noted origins, heed our transmission, make your weapons safe, and acknowledge our shared genealogy, this first day of Martian Spring.

 

[Starbeast]

Daddy, Tell Me a Scary Monster Legend Story​

“You read the title Daddy.”

“Sweety. I don’t want to give you nightmares.”

“Please, Daddy. I promise I’ll go right to sleep.”

“Okay. A medical practitioner named Count Igorstein, was driving his truck toward his Carpathian castle, during a storm. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck a shock absorber, causing it to mutate into a...Shock Monster! The gargantuan creature ate the Earth. Thee end. Good night, Champagnia.”

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“Zzzzzzzz...AHHHHHHH!!! DADDY! The Shock Monster got me!”

 

[Culhwch]

Frostbite

‘Ninae, sister. There you are.’

She smiled, face flushed with life. ‘Cauderus! I wasn’t hiding. Merely preparing for the Change.’

‘Of course.’ He didn’t smile back, his pale features still.

‘Isn’t it exciting?’ She giggled, twirling excitedly. ‘I may be biased, but this one is my favourite.’

He shivered. ‘Not mine, sister.’

His tone stilled her. ‘Cauderus. Your time will come again.’

‘No,’ he said, coldly, drawing his frost-blade. ‘It will never end.’

 

[Swank]

Burnt Flowers

There’s a glow above the horizon - dawn highlighting the pass. I point the nose there and arm a Sidewinder, one eye squeezed shut.

Sunrise explodes at 1200 knots. I roll inverted between the peaks and look ‘up’ at the valley, switching eyes. Awash in color, the gray Sukhois silhouette against meadow bloom. I snap the stick and fire on One, diving after Two.


The missile dazzles, tracers spiral. The fabled ace paints two more kills.

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

S.O.U.P.

I emerged into the clearing to behold a pool and its guardian. "Is this the fabled Spring Of Ultimate Pleasure?"

"Yes."

"Excellent," I cried, scooping a handful of water and drinking deeply. Waves of pure bliss coursed through me. Nerves tingled. Muscles spasmed.

I drank again. Nothing.

I turned to the guardian. "I thought this brought ultimate pleasure."

"Oh. You thought 'ultimate' meant 'definitive'? No. That was the last time you will experience pleasure. Ever."

 

[emrosenagel]

Eloma, Epitome of Life and Death and Life

Somewhere there is a tree where an ageless hen roosts.

When Eloma, golden and round, lays her clutch under that tree, winter has begun. All through the frost, she sits. Patient, steadfast, calm.

At last, fuzzy chicks bound out of the snow -- spring! Eloma leads her flock into the boughs, where their peeps inspire new growth, clucks and crows bear fruit, and final breaths wither leaves.

Winter returns, and again Eloma lays her clutch.

 

[nixie]

When Camping, Pay Attention to Local Tales.​

It really was beautiful, crystal clear waters that tasted so sweet.
We were warned that males shouldn’t visit during planting season.

We set up tent next to the stream. I woke the next morning, my husband wasn’t there. He must have rose early.

I looked outside he was nowhere to be seen, just fresh spring flowers that weren’t there before, plus my husband's shoes.

They said he’d left me but no trace was ever found.

 

[chrispenycate]

Bluebells

To arms I sprang, alarm bell rang,
Awaking us to duty.
The leafless trees hum harmonies
To our emerging beauty.

The growing sun as, one by one,
We shiver in the breezes,
With lifetime short, frequent resort
As puddle surface freezes.

Marauding bands, soft little hands
Still gather us in posies
We've no defence 'gainst this offence
We are not armed like roses

So dance leaf-shrouded summer in,
Where new blue raiment we will spin.

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[Elckerlyc]

Small talk

“Springtime is the work of a goddess.”
“What?”
“Surely it must be a divine being that is the spring of, the source behind, the spring-tide of new life, the womb from which all budding leaves and blossoms forcibly spring forth in vibrant, indomitable abundance, the energy as from a released spring that batters people’s winter-dulled senses and brings back a spring into their step!”
“One word springs to mind.”
“What word?”
“Hogwash!”

 

[paranoid marvin]

What a Bounder!


The Sheriff (who's a cunning chap)
Begat a devilish plan
He fit his troops with spring-heeled boots
To snare the Hooded Man

His men bounced East, his men bounced West
In search of Robin Hood
And when at last they tracked him down
Pursued him through the woods

They chased Hood to his low-roofed cave
And there lie their remains
For as they bounced into his den
They bludgeoned out their brains

 

[Bren G]

Bruinian Bargain

The Great Bear chanced upon a deer recently killed by an Algonquin hunter. His village was starving, and so too were her cubs. Neither would survive without this bounty. For days, in bitter wintery cold, they fought when finally a deal was struck. The hunter offered to give up the carcass. But not for free.

Ever since, the children of the Bear hibernate in the winter, and the springtime Snowdrops bow their heads in mourning.

 

[The Judge]

Spring Into Action​

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Summer was triumphant. “Winter’s reign is over! Now the land shall bask in my eternal sunshine.”​

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“Eternal? What of Autumn?” demanded Spring.​

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“He sleeps, entombed in stone. The Progression of Seasons is ended.”​

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*​

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Summer reigned.​

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Drought ruled.​

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*​

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Spring searched the dying land for Autumn.​

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No Progression of Seasons. But Regression?​

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Spring burst forth, flowers bloomed, reviving the land.​

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Water sprang forth, splitting the tomb, rousing Autumn.​

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*​

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So Summer dies when Autumn wakes. Thanks to Spring.​

 

[Ursa major]

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Birthday Girl​

He put down his tumbler of water and handed her an envelope. “Open it.”​

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“It’s just some paper, as wrinkled as me.”​

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“A map.”​

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“Just what I’ve never wanted.”​

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“I did. It cost a fortune.”​

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“It’s me who should receive the gift.”​

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He picked up his drink and threw some over her. “Surprise!”​

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Her wet skin tingled, tightened. “Acid…?!”​

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He poured the rest on himself. “From the Fountain of Youth… my own, lovely spring chicken.”​

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[Ursa major]

This Challenge is now Closed.

The Poll will be along "soon".

 

[Ursa major]

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The poll is now open at the link below:

POLL -- March 2024 75-Word Challenge -- READ FIRST POST!​

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