October 2016 75-word Writing Challenge -- VICTORY TO HEX!

[chrispenycate]

Drouthy Dance

As barbecue smoke flies to cloudless sky
And maidens, matrons, flounce their new-permed locks
White costumed males wave willow clubs and cry:
"Howzat?" in chorus to brown-grazing flocks
Their cars, impeccaclean, washing-line aligned
Get picnic baskets loaded, or beach chairs and towels.
Open-air restaurants forgo, with howls,
Protective shelter against rain and wind.
And vegetation wilts, with harvest shrivelled
In desiccation absolute, endevilled.
While hot, galoshed inhabitants declaim:
"It isn't Manchester without the rain."​

 

[AJB]

Wish

Byron stared at his stinging hand like a giant gazing across a scorched desert. The pain seethed with each subtle movement, but he would not stop. It worked before. It must work again.

Three wishes. His wife was awed. She brought wealth and health and gifted him with the power of flight.

Her fall replays itself in his mind.

Byron continued to rub the lamp with his blistered hand. He now only wanted one wish.

 

[LittleStar]

The First Step

"I don't have a problem."

Admit before healing.​

"Whatever. Hi, I'm Di. I'm eighteen minutes without a drink. Now what?"

He's weak!​

"Hey, I didn't ask for this!"

Can't accept responsibility.​

"If I don't drink, the wine vanishes. You don't want a sober maenad."

Only blames others.​

"I can't just pour libations to dad and rid temptation. Look, I don't have a problem. I was born a God of wine... I don't know anything else."

 

[johnnyjet]

A Valley Full of Dry Bones

The valley was filled with the bones of those who fought a furious and hopeless battle. Nothing was alive on the barren desert as far as Nathan could see. A hot wind stirred up angry dust devils.

Nathan kicked a pile of bones. The bones continued to move, connecting with other bones. Soon a fully formed skeleton of his alien enemy stood before him.

He hefted his sword.

When would this futility end?

 

[AstroZon]

Terraforming

Tobson flew low over the vast parched plane. It was obvious to everyone onboard that the terraforming effort didn't take. "Suit up," Tobson ordered. "We're going to land and take measurements."

Camila read the soil samples, "Not even a trace of water."

"We've diverted over a thousand comets straight into this planet," Tobson sighed. "There should be some sign of water."

"The natural process takes millions of years," Camila stated. "Evidently, we can't hurry nature."

 

[Clockworkbot]

The Eight-legged War

The Locust-King rose from his throne, and advanced towards the familiar shape of General Molothrax, offering a forelimb in greeting.

“Hail, master of my armies. How do you fare against the Arachnid scourge?”

At his touch, the General tipped lightly onto the ground, an empty carapace.

Now, behind the King, twitched mouthparts designed perfectly for dissolving and digesting the insides of prey. In a chitinous voice, the assassin answered.

“Your General, Sire, is rather...dry.”

 

[LordOfWizards]

Stupid Aliens

“It’s the only transmission from the S-12, captain”.

The captain paced, his locks covering his face as they dangled.

“Captain… What if we let Tahaken listen to it?” Katerina suggested.

Katerina called Tahaken over, then tapped on the console.

Tahaken immediately reacted, pulling back and shaking her head.

“Please tell us, what are they saying?”

Looking apprehensive, she said, “No water, Stupid aliens!”

“They’re flying one of Earth’s ships, and they’re calling us aliens!!?”

 

[Hex]

Summer Queen

No rain. Crops dead. Riverbed all bones and dust.

Thomas, using rooster guts and faith, summoned the Immortal and when she wouldn’t help, he opened her, neck to belly, turning her emptying flood on the land to save us.

But emptying is not ending. When summer comes, she comes too, unseen, dust-mouthed, creeping through the dry leaves, seeking moisture in the curve of stalk, the skitter of wings, in the wet explosion of human breath.

 

[Coast]

The South Ridge

It’s all just beeps and buzzes to me.

Don't say inlet.

“G15 Fault. Blocked condensor inlet,” the droid translates.

I contemplate head-butting the chiller bar or kicking the droid, but I haven’t got the energy for either. I’ve checked the inlet three times now.

I need to fix this thing. I can't afford to spend credits on new vaporators. Although, I could sell that scrappy old T-16 the previous owners left behind…

 

[Parson]

The New Martian​

Dave hated living on Mars. But he was stuck there until he could purchase enough water to fill his supply tank. Otherwise, he would be forced to sell his ship to make a life on Mars. At the price of water, Mars could have been Dune.

Writing paid for Dave's lifestyle. Another best seller would solve his problems. Lately, his ideas were drying up. Was there no better idea than a dry Science Fiction story?

 

[crystal haven]

Hung out to dry

“You want what?” Liam asked.

“I know you heard me, Liam. Pick up that cloth and help me dry the dishes. I’ve spent all day cooking. I’m exhausted.”

“So it’s true then. All the domestic robots have gone on strike.”

Angela flapped the cloth at him. “Dry!”

Liam snatched the offending article out of her hand. “Where is it going to end? That’s the worry. We’ll be having to dress ourselves next. Dark ages!”

 

[Bowler1]

Eternal Thirst

Time moves slowly, like wind-blown sand.

A blinding sun blazes above and the very air simmers in a heat haze.

My knife feels hot, my hand steady.

Thirst, real thirst drives me on. Blood lust for revenge, timeless and eternal, like the desert that surrounds me.

I wait - silent and still, the very desert at night.

My sacred oath binds me. My bleached bones or my enemy’s life blood belong to this dry desert.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Will’o the Wind

The vowels of the zephyrs call Coleridge as the sand migrates in crests and troughs rivalling the combers of Hawaii.

Eee ooo eee…

East: sand; west: sand; the only feature on the miniature planetoid beyond the hypnotic sine curves is the drop pod behind him.

Then:
Drip…drip…drip…

He staggers towards it, fleeting days ephemeral, until finally, on his last reserves he sees a feature ahead…

His drop pod?

Eee ooo eee…

 

[Glen]

Pub with no Beer

‘G’day mate!’
‘G’day!’
‘A cold one!’
‘Sorry, mate, we’re out!’
‘Out!?’
‘On account of the apocalypse.’
‘Apocalypse!?’
‘Didn’t you know!?’
‘Been out bush!’
‘It’s been the end of the world, two weeks Tuesday, mate.’
‘Fair dinkum!?’
‘We’ve had no delivery for a week.’
‘Stone the crows! I’m drier’n a dead dingoes donger and you’ve no amber fluid?!’
‘That’s quite a speech.’
‘Crikey!’
‘I can make you a cup of tea,’
’Strewth!!!’

 

[Stephen Thompson]

Ouroboros





I love this ship. My dad gave it to me.

It’s a copy of the one he used to use.

I know why he left; his mind was failing, he didn’t want us to see dementia eat him.

I wanted to restore his backup but he begged me not to; “I know I only lasted 240 years, but I’m tired now, sweetie.”

I miss him...


I love this ship. My dad gave it to me...

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Terrable

Just one day. Was that too much to ask?

Khushk was dripping - he was always dripping - as he gazed, resigned, to the island a mile away. The one he would have to swim to, again, to pluck that strange fruit, before swimming back. Again.

He cursed. Again.

Damned planet, damned water everywhere, damned rain that never stops, and that damned Sun. He sobbed.

Just one damned day when he could be dry again.

 

[ratsy]

Dust to Dust

Sand slid back down the hole as I dug with my sword. The small body wrapped in my cloak lay unmoving beside me.

I reached for my wineskin and a lonely drop hit my tongue.

Dust blew hard as I finished; the small hole large enough for my son.

I lowered him in. He felt so light.

I hated the dry desert.

My cheeks were wet.

My sword wasn’t. It needed blood.

 

[mosaix]

A Lesson From History?

“So, ladies and gentlemen, unless we address global warming our planet will become a dusty, waterless world.”

Laughter and hoots of derision. “Bloody scientists! What do they know?”

****

“They didn't believe you, professor.”

“No.”

“So that's it. We're finished.”

“Probably. But there may be a chance, a small chance, for a lucky few.”

“How?”

The professor raised his arm toward the night sky and pointed at a blue, twinkling planet. The third from the Sun.

 

[paranoid marvin]

On the Rocks

Barefoot they headed along Turner Road towards the black tower, when suddenly bells rang out in alarm. Jameson groaned whilst their leader Captain Morgan , a famous grouse from Oyster Bay cursed loudly . Jack, Daniel's brother whispered to Gordon's wife 'I told you we should have set off after dark'. Too late, the bitter truth hit them; heroic quests and alcohol don't mix.

 

[StilLearning]

Who Will Remember Us?

“We gather,” creaks venerable Curiosity Rover, “to remember Humanity.” Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, cruising overhead, relays the ceremony across the solar system.

It’s depressing but, dutifully, I tell the story:

The T’cho bioweapons.

The last humans uploading sentience programming to we few space probes, or rovers, advanced enough for it…

Us upgrading the rest…

Dry, hardy, machines inheriting the solar system from wet, vulnerable biology. Because humanity wanted someone to remember them.

So, today, we do.