Discussion thread -- July 2018 75-word Writing Challenge

[-K2-]

Yes, congratulations @TheDustyZebra , well done! In fact, congratulations to all that participated, excellent works, one and all!

K2

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Many congratulations!

 

[-K2-]

@-K2- .... Hot Dose: .... K2 leaves me with the distinct impression that magic mushrooms were central to this story.

So did you figure it out (though not a riddle, hopefully a subject most would be ignorant of)?

The glaring hint was skin feeling like warm cashmere (and the title). The subject of the story is overdosing on smack. Swirling down ever deeper from the hot-dose (toilet analogy), on the floor looking up yet feeling like floating and/or spirit leaving their body. Finally realizing that it is too late, yet embracing the feeling instead of fighting it. The outcome inevitable.

K2

 

[Harpo]

Well done TDZ, a well-deserved win!
Thanks to everyone for the votes and mentions - especially as I'd never had any votes in the 75 before, so I'm extremely happy to come second.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Wowzers! I'm blown away by the late surge my story came up with! Commiserations to my worthy opponent, Harpo -- that's a fine collection of votes you ...err... collected, my friend.

Thanks to Stable, MRG, johnnyjet, Shyrka, jack, and CC for the kind mentions, as well as to our resident reviewers for their always stellar efforts for all of us.

Thanks and hugs and cake to mosaix, Parson, Ursa, HB, TJ, Mr O, TBP and Joshua for the lovely votes!

I have to admit that I was so time-crunched this time around, I was rewriting and formatting all day at work in between copious phone calls because it was Monday and that's what Mondays do at my work, and when I finally managed to post my story (worrying horribly that I was off in the daylight savings thing somehow again and that I had posted a few minutes late instead of almost an hour prior to the deadline) I totally forgot that I hadn't titled it! Since Ursa was out and the posting of the (thankfully already done except for my own story) poll fell to me, I took the liberty of snagging my first line to use as my title in the poll. Which makes this one of only a few times that my story didn't come out to precisely 75 words -- a couple of times I've erred on the side of caution because I posted at the last minute (shocking, I know) and didn't have time to ask about some hyphenated thing or another, but otherwise I make it a point of pride to hit 75 every time. One of these days, one or both of those things will come back to bite me in the butt.

I also have to admit that I haven't the slightest clue what I might want to pick for the next theme, but I'll come up with something. Thanks again, everyone!

 

[Starbeast]

Congratulations TheDustyZebra


Well done to everyone.​

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Thanks!

Beastie, you want me to pop your story back up here now?

 

[Starbeast]

Thanks!

Beastie, you want me to pop your story back up here now?

Nah. It's ok. Forget about it.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

No way! Do I need to get a grassroots protest going here, to convince you, or should I just overrule you because I can?

 

[Starbeast]

@TheDustyZebra - It's not going to matter. Go ahead if you want to.

 

[Parson]

Congratulations TDZ! --- Well deserved, and I might say well written and well illustrated. It reminded me of years ago when @Mouse entered a story in the shape of a mouse, which like yours was both highly appropriate to the story but did not overshadow it.

 

[Parson]

Parson, thanks for the listing. I really liked your story, made a whole bunch of car tunes come to mind, didn't know you were a car guy. Hot Rod Lincoln, Coupe de Ville that Little Nash Rambler all motivatin' over the hill.

Thanks for the kind words. And, of course, I know the song(s) you are referring to. I must confess I am really not a car guy. But I did grow up in the sticks of the U.S. and so had to know a little to make conversation with so many of my friends.

The story by the way is a true one. Or perhaps it would be better to say it was based on a true story. The only real difference was that it was male and not a female group doing the twist. I thought it took daring to a whole new level to flip that 180 and meet the local patrol man. --- I WAS NOT DRIVING!!!

 

[Starbeast]

Special Order 939​

"What's wrong?"

"Since I was young, I wanted to be an astronaut, discovering life elsewhere. Now here I am, an astronaut on Mars, assigned to destroy alien evidence."

"Hey. Another creature."

"It's waving. He's hurt."

"Must'a been in that structure we demolished. Kill it."

"I can't."

"Do it."

"No."

"Kill it."

"NO! They never harmed us."

"Orders." ZZZZAP! "It's gone, let's go."

"No."

"Don't shoot yourself!"

ZZZZAP!

"Damn. Now I have'ta fill out a report."

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Starbeast -- A darkly comic satire of irrational officialdom.

 

[Bob Senior]

Picture as requested Dusty

 

[Starbeast]

Starbeast -- A darkly comic satire of irrational officialdom.

Thank you for reviewing my story a second time.

I meant it as an ugly reflection of governmental "dirty work", that the public isn't supposed to see. I wrote it with a sad heart, and angry emotions.

 

[mosaix]

Congratulations, TDZ!

 

[Danny McG]

@TheDustyZebra

"Well done Ma-am"
*Tips hat brim up with forefinger and rides off into the sunset as the music swells*

 

[nixie]

Congratulations Dusty.

 

[Joshua Jones]

Thank you for reviewing my story a second time.

I meant it as an ugly reflection of governmental "dirty work", that the public isn't supposed to see. I wrote it with a sad heart, and angry emotions.

I hope this doesn't rub salt in the wound, but I would have shortlisted it.