Submission Deadline: Friday, June 19 by 11:59 PM Pacific.
Voting begins Saturday, June 20, and goes until Monday, June 22 at 11:59 PM Pacific.
Optional Secondary Objective: Alliteration
Really, alliteration is all about wonderful word choices - changing that which was once a simple sentence into pure poetry.
It doesn't suit every story, but with the perfect piece it can create a nice nod to your readers (and force fretting over which word to put in which place.)
Submission Guidelines:
- One entry per poster.
- All submissions must be written during the time of the challenge.
- Using the topic as the title of your piece is discouraged.
- Keep to the word count!
Voting Guidelines:
- Three votes per voter. Please denote in your voting your 1st (3 pts), 2nd (2 pts), and 3rd (1 pt) place votes.
- Please read all submissions before voting.
- You must vote in order to be eligible to win the challenge.
- When voting ends, the winner gets a collective pat on the back, and starts the new challenge.
Edit:
Jeez, already sold out by the time I got over here and posted. :/ Sorry guys. If you're interested, though, you can sign up for the waiting list.
Edit:
Jeez, already sold out by the time I got over here and posted. :/ Sorry guys. If you're interested, though, you can sign up for the waiting list.
Pros of my hour walk back from work. Perfect time to think out some ideas. Cons of hour long walk from work, too tired to actually write out these cool ideas
Anyone who writes a story that includes a description of wormhole travel involving folding a piece of paper and poking a hole in it will be fired into the sun.
Anyone who writes a story that includes a description of wormhole travel involving folding a piece of paper and poking a hole in it will be fired into the sun.
"So, imagine that spacetime is like the surface of a balloon."
"Ok."
"And as we inflate the balloon, everything moves farther apart from everything else. Just as happens with the expanding universe."
"All right, I think I get it."
"Now, when a wormhole is created, it's as though you've pinched two bits of the balloon's surface together, and then poked a hole right on through. Instantaneous travel between two bits of the balloon's surface!"
"Wow, that's, uh... that's great. But, um."
"Yes?"
"What happens when all the air rushes out of the universe?"
Well, the story I have planned will definitely include the folding of paper but as of now I have not planned of pushing any pens through it, so I should be good, right?
Anyone who writes a story that includes a description of wormhole travel involving folding a piece of paper and poking a hole in it will be fired into the sun.
People Were All Like, Oh, the Science in Interstellar is So Accurate! But Then It Portrayed Love as a Quantifiable Universal Force. Come On.
Algernon blinked repeatedly as the car trunk opened, blinded by the sodium glare of the street lamp directly overhead. The trip to wherever he was now had been an uncomfortable onecramped, hot, and filled with the despairing certainty that he was going to die.
A dark silhouette moved between him and the harsh light of the street lamp, the figure of a man with enviously broad shoulders with a halo of luscious hair illuminated from behind. His hand held a gleaming gun. Oh good, said the figure in an elocution that bespoke of magnificent intellect, the sort that would be prone to using words like elocution in his written prose without a second thought, youre awake. We wouldnt want you to be late for your trip now, would we?
What is this? Algernon protested as hands attached to thickly muscled biceps seized his own spindly arm and forcibly removed him from the trunk of the car. Where are we? Who are you?
Without the light shining directly into his eyes, Algernon could better see his predicament. He and the man with the superlative physical and mental qualities stood in an empty parking lot in what appeared to be some sort of derelict carnival or amusement park. This? This is your punishment, Algernon, the man said, thrusting the gun toward Algernons chest in emphasis. And this, he continued, waving his hand over their surroundings, is its stage.
With his free hand, the man pointed to the ridiculously well-defined pectoral muscles of his chest. And I am Nicholas N. You may have heard of me.
Algernon stared blankly. Who?
Nicholas N, Nicholas repeated. You seriously dont know who I am?
No, Algernon confirmed. Should I have?
A flicker of a frown crossed Nicholass face before his knowing smirk reasserted itself. Of course not, he said. I am the shadowy puppet master, working behind the scenes to manipulate the very world around you. Your every act in life is but an unwitting dance as I pull on the ends of the strings that entangle your every moment.
But Just a second ago you acted like I should know who you are.
Yes, I am an undisputed master of mind games. As I sow the seeds of madness, I will nurture them until your very sanity is shattered and you can no longer tell reality from feverish nightmares.
Mostly youre just making me confused.
You know what? Shut up. You have a flight to catch. With that, Nicholas spun Algernon about by the shoulder and jabbed the gun into the small of his back. March.
Algeron led the way through the ruins of the abandoned fairgrounds, his course corrected at sporadic intervals by instructions from the man with the gun to his back. I dont understand, he said after a time. Why are you doing this? What have ever I ever done to you?
Have you ever seen Interstellar? Nicholas asked. Or Event Horizon, perhaps?
Yeah, why?
Well thats why youre here, Nicholas explained. You have committed the egregious sin of creating a story where of the concept of wormhole travel is demonstrated by folding a piece of paper and poking a hole through it with a pen. It is literally the same trope utilized by every movies depiction of the same phenomenon. Your lack of imagination offends me so deeply, that I fear that this is the only course left available to us.
But isnt it like Only those two movies? Algernon asked. If its only been used twice, is it really that overused?
You know what? Shut up. Were here.
Here was a rusted-out carnival ride featuring articulated arms jutting out from a central rocket like spokes on a wheel. On the ends of the arm were comically small facsimiles of space shuttles, just large enough to seat an adult or maybe two small children. What is this? asked Algernon.
Do you like it? Nicholas asked as he stepped past Algernon with his arms spread wide in presentation. This is the solution to our little problem, a one way rocket to fire you and your pitifully unimaginative mind into the heart of the sun itself.
But its not a real rocket, Algernon protested.
Nicholas wheeled about and slapped Algernon across the face with the backside of his empty hand. You gibbering little imbecile, of course its a real rocket! Ive simply camouflaged it to look like a childrens ride at an amusement park! Brilliant, wouldnt you agree?
Algernon rubbed the burning handprint on his face. It is absolutely convincing, he said with complete honesty. He was beginning to question whether or not the gun was real too, at this point. But I dont understand, what good will this accomplish? Ive already written the story, its already out there. Nothing you can do can take it back. This honestly just doesnt seem to be a well thought out plan. I mean, whats your end game?
Nicholas offered a non-committal shrug. Yes, I will fully admit that Im not very good at ending things.
Wow Mike, I always suspected but never realized till now... I'm glad there are people in the world besides me that think Jimmy Neutron is the best sci fi film of the past century! 2001 A Space Odyssey could have really learned a lot from Jimmy.
I don't think I'll be able to cut my story to 2200 words. Is it alright if I submit anyway, and leave the legitimacy of my submission up to discretion?
Hey, so, I might say "sayonara" to y'all now... I'm not sure if I'll submit an entry for the next challenge since someone might be birthing a bebe! (But maybe not... maybe there will be another two weeks even after the next writing challenge deadline. Just don't know baby's agenda.) I'll be back as soon as everyone around here has recuperated. I think. I have no idea what parenting is all about.
