Great stories this week! Thanks to everyone who came out this week and to our judge @CdnZmbiRyter for providing a fun prompt and making the tough calls!
Entries:
- Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon
- Miranda Boers | @PurpleQueenNL
- Keira Packard | @laststop_intown
- Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
- Toni Wyatt | @Toni1777
- Nancy Porter | @ModernBard1024
- April Barnett | @AuthorABarnett
- Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
- Nellie Batz | @solimond
- Robert Mahone | @Computilizer
- Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman
- Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
- J Whitworth Hazzard | @zombiemechanics
- Phoenix Lavan | @PhoenixLavan
- ML Gammella | @MLGammella
- David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
- Charles W Jones | @ChuckWesJ
- Jeff Tsuruoka | @JTsuruoka
- McKenzie | @Love_Kenzie_
- @LupusAnthropos
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On to the Winners!
Julianne Says: What a fun way to spend a Monday night! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the stories submitted and found it hard to choose just one winner in each of the categories! I want to thank all of the participants for taking the time to craft a tale based on the prompts and I hope you understand that even if I couldn’t name you in one of the categories, that you are a winner to me! Without further ado…
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Honorable Mentions
Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
Julianne Says: I loved [the] shift from humour to seriousness in such a short period of time. Wonderfully executed in 200 words and a wonderful throwback to my youth spent watching episodes of Star Trek (whether intentionally implied or a happy accident).
Nellie Batz | @solimond
Julianne Says: I am a sucker for post-apocalyptic stories and this had the feel that something PA was about to happen. 🙂 It speaks highly to the human experience with respects to gawking and I love that in PA fiction – well done!
Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman
Julianne Says: an interesting use of the pretending theme, IMHO and the last line was really poignant “We paid for our own obliteration”. It was beautifully written and incredibly thought provoking for only 177 words!
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Week 28 Judge’s Pet
Phoenix Lavan | @PhoenixLavan
Julianne Says: I loved this use of the theme “pretending”. It was something that hadn’t crossed my mind when I was searching for a theme with different possibilities so I loved that it was outside my own thought box! Well constructed and well written, it left me wanting to read more. Well done!
It found me. I knew it would. I was just hoping I would have more time. Driving down the highway wearing my human skin, I see the smoke rise above the trees. It is coming from where my house is located. I pull off onto the shoulder as a wave of black flames surges outward, destroying everything in its path.
I face it, putting my hands in my trench coat pockets. It howls and screams as it almost instantly turns everything it touches to ash. When the hundred yard wall of death reaches me, it converges, focusing all of its energy on me.
My human clothes and skin are melted away in an instant, revealing my true form. Alabaster scales on long clawed hands hold the creature at bay. But only just. I’m afraid I sustained too much damage in our last encounter; I won’t be able to escape this time. “Why do you come after me?” I can’t even hear my own voice over the explosive fury of the creature’s shrieks.
“You do not belong here.” The calamitous voice sends the vehicles behind me flying. The shadowy flames of its body press harder, blood colored eyes piercing through me.
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Week 28 Champ
McKenzie | @Love_Kenzie_
Julianne Says: The overall feel of this story was wicked and creepy! Hands down the best, IMHO! The juxtaposition of the tension, innocence and evil was palpable. I still have goosebumps! Let’s hope I don’t see those blue eyes when I close mine tonight… I’d consider this for a WIP McKenzie if you haven’t already – you’ve got some room to work this!
“What do you see?”
“Ummm,” Lucy cocked her head. “A baby giraffe.”
“What about this one?” Lewis pulled out another photo. We watched from the dark side of the two-way mirror.
The General grunted. “She’s dangerous, Mr. President.”
“Empty words. That’s all you’ve had for me for three days,” I said slowly. “I need proof –her parents want her back and I don’t see why they shouldn’t.”
The General rubbed his forehead. He had dark circles under his eyes and had already consumed three cups of coffee.
“She’s caused too much damage, I can’t– what is he doing?!”
Lewis was holding a picture of an explosion behind a highway.
“That’s you,” Lucy said sweetly. I leaned closer to the glass. The General ordered Lewis out. They couldn’t get the door open.
“Me?”
Lucy nodded. Lewis swallowed, glanced towards the mirror and showed her the next picture. The picture of the destruction they said she had caused.
“Get him out of there!”
“Those are dead people.”
Lewis frowned.
“Lucy…”
“What? I thought we were pretending!” She giggled and the camera feed crackled as black smoke trickled into the room. When the room exploded, all you could see was her blue eyes.
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Congratulations, Phoenix and Kenzie. Claim your badges and display them with pride! (If you need any alterations for color/background, just let me know).
Pass on the great news. Google Plus, Twitter, FB, smoke signals. I’m not picky. Check out all of this week’s offerings here, and be sure to come back next #MenageMonday!
