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[One Two Three]

One Two Three

One two three. The rhythm is almost hypnotic.

Red, blue, green.

Again and again and again.

Her hands hurt, her arms, her head from the constant pounding. How much longer could it be? She knows exactly, of course.

This is not the only rhythm she has to follow. One two. Left right, is the other. One leg in front of the other on the thin cable, with only her sense of balance carrying her forward. It isn't far now, only a few steps remain, only a couple passings of the clubs from one hand to the other.

If the clubs fall, she falls. Their rhythm gives her balance.

And then she grabs nothing. Slowly, the club spins and spins and spins down. And she follows. Her foot slips from the rope and before the other two clubs finish their spins, the net catches her.

[Earth]

Earth

The planet rises up above. It almost looks like home. Over blue oceans hang white clouds, grey and brown mountains protrude from a green mass of trees.

The spaceship came from behind the sun and followed its light to the planet. Now there, it slowly drifts into an orbit.

When it is time to wake the colonists, it moves from the illuminated side of the planet to the one covered in darkness.

Darkness is not what they see from their windows as they open their many eyes. Nets of light cover the surface, specks large and small on all continents, in some regions closer together, in some further from each other.

They did not expect that. Their journey had taken centuries.

-We can't go back, we can't live in the orbit. The ship's not made for either.

-We are not invaders.

-So, we die?


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

I like competition, by the way. Writing really short stories can be fun. It's an interesting challenge to put a narrative into exactly 144 words, though I usually prefer to allow a story to choose its own length and not force it.

[The Boat]

The Boat

The boat sways gently on the water. A soft breeze blows through the sails and the waves move it up and down like a pram. Two people lie under the sails, their hands entwined, looking at each other.

Suddenly, the wind swells and the water roars like thunder. A giant wave, topped with foam as high as mountains, rushes towards the tiny sailboat. Froth engulfs it, drenching the people and the sails alike.

Their thick cloth is suddenly filled with water, dragging them down. The boat dips its mast into the foam, only to stand erect a moment later again.

For now, the wave is gone, gone towards the shore where it roars against the coast, and for just a second, the boat feels safe again.

Then the child laughs and hits the bathwater a second time and a new wave topples the toy.


-------------------------------------
(144 words + title)

As this is a competition for very short texts, I'll try to get in a couple this time. Which means I'll post them right when I'm done. Let's see how many I'll come up with.

Edit: added two words to comply with the rules.

Sorry, I got busy.


Here are the results:

3rd place: Stupot with 5 points.

2nd place: Baron with 6 points.

1st place: Mandle with 7 points.

We have a winner! Mandle, congratulations, over to you.

It seems all our agents have returned to base and it is now time for their debriefing.

Here is a list of our spies and their missions:

Stupot - The Vial Room
Baron - With my little Eye
Mandle - Friday Spyday

Please read their mission reports carefully and offer them constructive and detailed feedback here in this secure debriefing room. You may also send your opinion of who of the three did the best, second best and third best job at fulfilling their mission to their commander through the usual secret channels. The final debriefing with mission control will take place on 2. March.

(Or, if you want it in clearer words: Leave your comments about the stories in this thread and send me a PM with your choice of 1st 2nd and 3rd place until 2. March)

Is anyone else working on something?

With the forums down for quite some time, I think it's a good idea to give this contest a bit more time, should there be someone who hasn't realised yet that the forums are back.

Therefore, deadline extended to 24th.

We must have some amazing spies in this forum! It's about halftime of the competition and I don't see a single one. Top grades for hiding! Now, can you fulfill the other demands of your mission and get the final report to mission control by the time of the deadline before the world ends?

A Spy!

Is he working for a foreign government? Is she a corporate spy trying to find business secrets? Is it a student trying to get the questions for the next test from their teacher?

Whatever it is, your story must contain some kind of spying or espionage. It can be high-tech and full of action, or based on psychological warfare or something similar. It can be about the spy trying to get information or someone trying to stop a spy. You get the idea, I'm sure.

Deadline: 22. February

Thanks, guys.

Next round coming right up.

You forgot to set a voting deadline and to change the topic title to reflect that voting is now open.

Anyways, I don't have a whole lot to say for either story:

Mandle:

Spoiler

It's not an entry, but otherwise I would have voted for your story. I liked it. There's honestly not a lot else I can add. Usually, I don't like mysteries without explanation or even an attempt by the protagonists to solve them, because in this way it is just a background event and plot device, but the story is so short that I don't really mind. I enjoyed it, overall.

[close]

Baron:

Spoiler

I really don't like the incel vibes I get from your protaganist, so I'm really glad that his plan didn't work out. Poor Jane, though, she really didn't deserve to get vomit all over herself, while Clarence deserves what he got (I don't condone violence, but he did pick a fight he knew he couldn't win, so...) The story does give Clarence what he deserves and I don't get the impression I'm supposed to like him, neither is one supposed to like Butch. But Jane seems nice enough and what does she get out of this story? Vomit. Which leaves an overall sour taste in my mouth.

[close]

Sending my vote in now.

[not an entry]

This is not an entry, more a joke and a bit of frustration I needed to get out of me. But it kinda fits the topic too, so I thought I'd post it:


Judgy Paper


Alright, paper, the plan for this round is to write a poem. You're with me so far?

Do you have an idea?

Yes, actually, a great one!

Well, go ahead. Let me hear it.

Yes, well, I had this line in my head ...remember, remember, we'll meet in December...

That seems familiar...

Stupid paper. But well, I mean there's not a whole lot that rhymes with December. I think the Anastasia Animated Movie used this rhyme but other than that... – Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

Good idea. What's the topic?

Well, I thought I'd have twelve stanzas, each referring to one month. The story's basically this guy going to war and the promise he makes his girlfriend, the promise to come back. Four stanzas about his promise, four about their time together before he needs to make his promise and four about reality and the fact that he doesn't return setting in. It ends with one of them dying, but I...

A bit depressing, don't you think? Your competition keeps commenting on...

Yes, yes, I know, but come on, the topic is Men plan, God laughs. This has to be either tragic or humorous.

And you do better with tragedy.

Exactly. Anyway, one stanza per month, that should work out fine. I've already got December, now let's have a look at the other months... Hm, not a lot of words that rhyme with the other months. June – moon, that works. May – stay. March...

march.

Yes, I just said March.

No, I mean March – march. That works, doesn't it?

Well, I guess. It'll have to do, until I find something better. August, April, October, January. Not exactly great. What rhymes with April?

*shrug.

You're particularly helpful today.

I'm not supposed to be helpful. I'm just a piece of paper. But anyway, have you checked rhymezone?

Not yet, let's see: aprill and apryl? Are these even words?

*shrug.

Alright, alright, let's forget about this. It's not like I need to have the names of the months at the end of a verse, do I? Anyway, there's a lot that rhymes with January and February, but the rhythm for these words is just – off.

How so?

Well, it doesn't fit at all with what I have so far.

*shrug.

Stop shrugging!

I can't help it! There's a breeze. Close the window, would you?

...

...

...

Where have you been?

I went and closed the window, as you asked me to... And then I went and made dinner... And I might have played on my phone a bit.

In other words, you were procrastinating?

Who taught you such words? Unbelievable. Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

Sure, I was just waiting for you! It might be a good idea to start writing the actual poem. There's a lot of notes on my surface, but not a whole lot of text. And what you do have... Well, it doesn't fit your original plan, does it?

You're fairly judgy today, aren't you, paper? *looks at paper. But not wrong. I guess I have to scrap a lot of this. This line doesn't work, neither does that, how about...

Are you about done? It tickles when you cross out your words.

It does, does it now? Maybe I should start from scratch with a nice, clean sheet... *scrunches up the paper and throws it against the wall.


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

Anastasia: Once upon a December Lovely Animated Musical
rhymezone.com is a website that helps with finding rhymes. Aprill and Apryl are indeed the only rhymes offered for April. Both seem to only exist as names, and as miss-spellings/alternate spellings of April at that (or, at least I couldn't find any other meaning)

I'll work up a theme and make a new post soon!!

If you need inspiration for a new topic or would like to know what has already been one, have a look at the Competition Topics Master List!
(It doesn't hurt to promote it from time to time, even if you don't need it.  )

Congrats on the win.

[The Temple under the Sea]

The Temple under the Sea


,,Remember, remember,
we'll meet in December,
when the land is covered in snow
in one year, as it is now,
with the willow as roof and as shade.
Remember: my love shall not fade."

He followed the river down to the valley
to meet friend or foe, a fiend or an ally.
This spring, the willow was heavy with catkin
and a shudder ran over her skin
when she whispered his promise onto the tree:
"We'll meet here or in the temple under the sea."

She waited a year for him to return
while the army cleared scrub and fern
to better march past her home to the war.
But she did not forget what he swore.
When they felled the willow, she planted a spruce,
waiting for him and awaiting a truce.


"And if I'm not there by then
then wait one more year and again,
we'll meet at the edge of the grove,
I'll kneel and I'll kiss your glove,
between the willow and the stream,
at the edge of the forest of evergreen."

A second year she waited for him,
no matter the news, no matter how grim.
The spruce did not live through the cold,
died young as the forest died old,
but she sat by the river where she knew to be
as otherwise there was only the sea.

This summer the forest turned brown and black.
It offered wood and brought charcoal back.
The trees were shipped down the water
to help with the weapons and slaughter.
An evergreen forest became barren land,
but she promised to wait 'til the end.


"But if I don't come this year,
wait once more and I'll sure be there.
Because even though I followed the river,
with sword in hand and with bow and with quiver,
I'll meet you when summer has passed-by trice
and the land again is covered in ice."

A third time spring became summer and fall
and still she waited for him to call,
even as the river became sluggish and dry
she dared not to despair and to cry,
for loosing all hope does not set you free
it only leaves you with the shadows under the sea.

An enemy's dam took the river away.
The earth in its bed was red as blood from the clay.
He told her to wait and she promised him so,
but after three years, what was left of his vow?
The river was dammed, the forest now coal,
the willow was gone and swallowed whole.


,,And if I cannot return to you,
then I promise you forever anew
that there is a place to meet for us both.
Remember forever my promise and oath:
We'll meet here or in the temple under the sea,
where all pain is forgotten and dreams are free."

Summer had turned into winter once more,
one year was gone, then two, three, four,
and still she waited and still she hoped.
But fate would have it that she then choked.
She was not murdered by the enemy's hands.
Her death was futile, as every life ends.

And that was the winter he did return
only to see her dead body and learn
that she had stayed faithful for all this time.
For this, there is no reason and rhyme
no place without pain where dreams are free,
no temple, just shadows under the sea.

Considering that the member has a large banner saying "Future Vintage Gaming" in their signature, I think a lot of people know who it is.    (It's selmiak btw)

All good points. Could The Divine Comedy be split into separate volumes in the library? Could this be the Dante from just the Hell volume?

I mean, it's technically possible, of course, but I don't see why it would be. (I had a quick look in my edition (german, but it's verse, so the number of lines and therefore the length of the book should be the same in most languages) and each part is about 150 pages long, with an additional about 150 pages of notes, so that's all in all 544 pages long. There's really no reason to seperate this in three volumes of 150 pages each.)

But in the end, you could obviously write it into your story that this Dante is indeed just from the hell-part, but you would need to mention it.

Ladyhawke?

Correct, your turn.

Congrats, Mandle, a deserved win, though I'd really like some more votes.

Thanks for the summery, it's an interesting idea. I just have one note:

Out of all the characters present, the one with the most motive to not want to return to his book is Dante. He is bloody sick of spending his entire existence in Hell.

He doesn't, though. He spends the first part in hell, though not as someone banned and stuck there, but as a visitor, and then he visits purgatory and paradise. And in the end he understands god and his divinity. So... the motive doesn't work...

The idea to see if one can escape a book is still great and to use murder and vampiric transformation as a method is pretty good, just probably not with Dante as the murderer, not with this motivation. 

No and no.

Nope.


(Sorry, the scene is a bit dark and blurry. I promise, the next one will be clearer.)

It was the logo that gave it away, though I was sure I had seen the movie after the first picture.


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