APRIL 2010 WRITING CHALLENGE -- Boneman our victorious winner!

[Interference]

Oh, Flip

On reflection, the gun didn't bother me, nor that the man holding it looked like me. But he pointed it at my wife, and that just wasn't on.

I lurched forward, reaching for the gun as it fired. Glass shattered around us as I clasped my hand about his wrist and pulled him towards me. So that's how I look when I'm startled.

On reflection, there are perils with opening channels to a Mirror Universe.



xxx


(I wrote before I read -- sorry )

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

(I wrote before I read -- sorry )

We've had quite a few aliens; I think we can stand a few mirror universes.

 

[The Judge]

Eek. I wrote a mirror one, too. I'm glad I didn't post in white hot excitement now!

 

[Sephiroth]

THE DÉBUTANTE
​

The capsule doors slid open to a vision of opulence that hurt Saritha’s eyes after so long spent in the wretched warrens.

A portly gentleman extended one pallid hand.

“Welcome to Concepción.” His oily gaze crept over her bare skin. “I trust we shall enjoy your stay.”

Sasha was right, she thought. Horror rose in hot, prickling waves.

He grabbed her wrist as she bit down on the bitter pill.

I’m coming, sister.

 

[chrispenycate]

The Key​

It all smelt dry, and exciting ; everything so ancient, but so new to me. Even the dusty sunlight felt worn out. Terror fought with the anticipation of learning about this place, desired for so long.

All around the beings looked down at me silently, giants, judging my suitability for entrance. Courageously I advanced, presenting in jewelled claws my passport.

My first very own library ticket, key to a thousand worlds.

 

[HareBrain]

(Hope I'm not stretching "another world" too far ...)


SURVEY TEAM


Five of us killed by Croydon gangs. Mutant anteaters snaffle Elsie in Knightsbridge. How long since Collapse? We know only our goal.

James decapitated. Sonic frisbee.

Fighting for the terminal room exhausts our ammo. Knackered, bloodied survivors, we face the screen.

Which do you choose?

The images hover: Tracker, Snickers, Twix.

I hit Snickers. Peanuts for scarce protein.

Reality breaks in. Headset off. Market researchers log my demographics.

Come civilisation’s fall, Mars will be prepared.

 

[RcGrant]

Midnight Feast

Witching hour; the air was brittle.

There was a flicker of light when Cecilia opened the door; from inside the fridge, a growl.

Eyes gazed back at her from under foil blankets, hidden between the eggs and congealing liver.

'I told you no!' Mother yanked on Cecilia's wrist.

'But...'

The kitchen was plunged back into darkness.

In the fridge, the monsters groaned. Better luck next time.

 

[Ursa major]

As we're all plunging in early, I might as well join in.


Dwarf World

“Nice enough.”

“To buy?” asked Halek.

“Too small.”

“A planet?”

“Planetoid!”

“This model meets all our other customers’ requirements. And your budget—“

“Is adequate. More than. I need only three attributes: spheroidal; not a moon; no planetesimals.”

Humans! thought Halek. Wealthy but thick. “I don’t understand. Why these three characteristics when others are far more important?”

“I’m very rich. I’d lose face if I was seen as being no better than a Plutocrat.”

 

[reiver33]

To Walk The Years

They’re cutting through the bulkhead door but I’ll have bled to death long before they reach me. To save me or stop me? It hardly matters now.

Only three leavers stand between Now and Then.

First interlock.

With a bit of a mind flip.

Unbidden, a snatch of an old, old song in my head. Second interlock.

You’re into the time slip.

Reality starts to side-slip. Third interlock.

And nothing will ever be the same.

 

[Parson]

The End

The Landscape looked slate gray. But one could never trust remote views. Xyon sighed. Time to push the button.

Twenty years in flight, twenty months of survey, and now the end. Would the seeds sprout? He would never know. But down the corridor of time Project Exodus was mounting. Earth was dying; and Terra-forming problematic. Seedships used every bit of available material. Xyon pushed. The poison and the descent began. The end was a beginning.

------------------------

(Bear could you not restrain yourself --- a "plutocrat?! indeed.)

 

[Boneman]

DECISIONS, DECISIONS.


Cast out into the darkness, he waited.
The others did not understand. Could not understand.
There had to be a new beginning.
He rested in the darkness and made his plans. There were thousands of decisions to make, each one spawing another thousand decisions. Time was immaterial. It had to be right. Finally, there were no more decisions, no more choices.
Yet, he hesitated. Then he spoke.
"Let there be light."
And there was light.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Ha! I like that. I think we have an early contender...

 

[MattyK]

Jeff and Graham Explore a Planet
​

‘Where’d that planet come from?’ said Jeff, ‘shall we take a look?’

‘Yup,’ replied Graham, thoughtfully.

They piloted their small shuttle down to the surface and miles below their orbiting ship, the two astronauts set about exploring the planet.

‘Hmm, looks like Earth,’ said Jeff, ‘not very interesting really, is it?’

‘Nope,’ said Graham with little enthusiasm.

Six hours later, they returned to the ship.

‘Well that was boring,’ said Jeff.

‘Yup,’ said Graham, dryly.

 

[The Judge]

Sympathetic Magic


The planet had been probed, searched, examined, studied. No sentient life. Not for aeons.

She gazed at the cave paintings for a last time before embarkation: animals of red and black pigment; the short, bulbous hunters a lurid yellow. Below them, a small mark, the imprint of something like a hand. A signature? A gesture of farewell?

On impulse she touched her palm to the mark.

“Welcome,” came a voice. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

 

[Peter Graham]

Fifty years ago, I promised Teddy I’d take him to Valyndria.

My brother said you got to Narnia through a wardrobe and to Wonderland through a rabbit hole, but you could only get to Valyndria from our attic.

So on the day our house caught fire, that’s where I went. I couldn’t wait to meet the Goblin King and brave Lamorna. But I forgot Teddy.

My brother was wrong.

I’m still looking for Teddy.

 

[Dang]

The Survivor
Bodies strewn around twisted in agony as their lives had faded. The survivor lay there besides a smoking flare launcher.
Fading vision, falling apart, and dying...
A humming accompanied the rescuers. Black strands emerged and figures began their descent. Searching through the wreckage they reached him. The moment arrived and now they realised it.
The shell he wore collapsed. This last human had sustained him enough.
“Leach!” yelled the marine. Too late the bomb detonated...

 

[Toby Frost]

Foraging Party

The prisoners search the shells of houses, are robbed by overseers as they leave. A girl finds no food, just dusty magazines. She opens one, sees families, the pre-bomb world. Geiger counters tick.

The overseer calls his prisoners back. The girl puts down the paper, sighs. Something silver glints behind the freezer. She reaches in and feels a pistol-grip.

The overseer calls. She turns to the door, gun in hand, and takes a deep breath.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

For those who are wondering, I just moved a whole series of posts commenting on the stories themselves to a new thread http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/527139-some-of-your-favorite-stories-in-the-writing.html -- which ought to hold us all until the voting starts in two and a half weeks. Please post your comments there. (The new thread, of course, is not to be confused with an older thread devoted to our questions, answers, and suggestions about how the Challenge should be run in the future. At least ... please don't confuse it. Gosh, this is generating more work all of the time. However, it should all be sorted out in time for next month's challenge.)

So, to everyone who has not yet contributed a story, please post yours here. I think I speak for all of us when I say, we are eagerly awaiting them.

 

[Quokka]

Tickets Please


“Repeat Check.”

Why do I always get the faulty Auto-Guards thought the passenger.

“Did you pack your pod yourself?”

“Yep”

“Do you have anything to declare?”

“Mercurian Air sucks.”

“Do you have anything to declare?”

“No.”

“You will not be allowed to exit the capsule at any point.”

Whilst flying Mercurian Air?

“Ok.”

“Have you completed vaccination 47?”

“Yes… well no… well you see...”

Why do I always get the faulty passengers thought the Auto-Guard.

 

[Faraway]

The Seeker
​

The Centauri move to cripple Sol society was ingenious. We are in debt to them for ending the colony wars – but why did the Solsphere AIs agree to emigrate to Centauri netspace? What was the offering?

I find no answers. Conversing with the Centauri is... strange. I am leaving for Sol. Yes, I know the hazards of wormgates without AI control, but my kinetic deflectors are strong and we need answers. Wish me luck.