FLASH CHALLENGE: January '11

[kailhofer]

The "Leftovers" Challenge (Part 2):



In November, entrants to this contest set out to create a story opener of a thousand words that would be gripping enough to continue in this part of the challenge. Eight writers took up that task, and of those Michele Dutcher's "The Vanishing Stone" was the most popular amid some very good competition.

Now it's time to complicate things. Literally.

It's time to add to the story Michele started. It's time to add complications, to add rising action, and in general, add a middle to this story. Will Miriam get her baby back? Where did the three fairies go, and why? Will she join them? Why did the "star" explode? What were the men circled around the Vanishing Stone really up to, and is there a way to stop them? Or should Miriam help them instead?

Who of you out there is willing to take up the challenge? Anyone, not just those who submitted the first time, may enter.

Note: Your task is to add to the action, not to complete it. I want you to add a "middle" section to this story, even if you yourself don't know a way to complete it, as long as your new "middle" is still under a thousand words up to the point where you stopped. Whatever you might think Michele was intending is unimportant. Write your own piece. Go with it as you will. The vote this time will also just be for which one we liked best instead of scored by category. Then in February (or March, if I can think of a really challenging Valentines theme for Feb.), we'll see which of us can best write an ending.


It will be fun. Give it a try!

A copy of Michele's story is at the end of this post.



RULES



CHALLENGE REQUIREMENTS: (1) Your story piece must attempt to add a middle of the story opener "The Vanishing Stone" as written by Michele Dutcher for the November 2010 challenge here in the Aphelion forum; (2) The story piece you submit must be a middle section only. Do not attempt to end the overall story, but it is ok if your story submission can be considered a standalone piece as well; (3) Characters and settings used in the opening part of "The Vanishing Stone" may be used again by all entrants, but it is not required so long as the reader can see an obvious continuation from the first part. (Obvious to me as Judge, that is.); (4) One entry per author; and (5) This is a Rated 'PG-13' challenge. (Basically, think, "Could I see or hear this on CSI?" If so, it's ok.)

FORMATTING: 1,000 words or less, not counting title, byline, or "The End". Give your story a title and a byline. Leave an extra line between paragraphs, just like when you see them in the 'zine. I will allow different colors, but not changed fonts or sizes, artwork, or any other embedded or external links. You are responsible for doing your own formatting.

CHARACTERS & SETTING: No copyrighted characters or settings, or references thereto. Famous, non-copyrighted fictional characters like Santa Claus, or religious figures such as the Devil, named angels such as Gabriel, or gods like Thor, etc. as supporting characters at best and at my discretion. The Wicked Witch and Dracula may be in the public domain, but don't expect me to allow them. No person that was ever a "real life" human being may be used as a character, but can be referred to, as in "President Kennedy had declared it would be so." Except as noted above under non-copyrighted fictional persons, character names may not be copied from fiction or real life, even if changed, i.e. Char-les Darween. All non-copyrighted settings are ok. Famous, unique sites like Stonehenge may be used over and again. No fan fiction, so don't bother putting your story in the Land of Oz or that great place you thought up two challenges ago (unless you're Michele, in this case).

DISQUALIFICATIONS/REFUSALS: If, in my judgment, any requirement or rule is missed, I won't post the story for voting, but authors are free to resubmit with changes until the deadline. Should a story be initially accepted and posted in the challenge, but then later judged by me to be in violation, the story may be disqualified and removed from contention at any time prior to contest end. Authors who feel a story may be in violation should send me a PM and state their case.

HOW TO ENTER: Stories must be sent by PRIVATE MESSAGE, and NOT posted into a thread. Just click the 'PM' button at the bottom of this post and paste your story in the message.

DO NOT send a regular email to me.

CONTEST PROCEDURE: Stories will be posted "blind"--without the author's name on them. All the story titles are literally tossed into a pith helmet and chosen at in random order. When the poll closes after the voting week, I'll post a list of the stories and who wrote them. The winner is chosen based on total points scored. All entries are reposted in the Flash Archive with the author's byline included after the challenge is concluded.

Entries from new authors are strongly encouraged. C'mon. Give it a try!

NOTE: ONLY REGISTERED MEMBERS who have posted at least one message may submit a story. Without that one post, the system may not let you send a PM.

DEADLINE: Stories should be in by 9 p.m. Central Standard Time (GMT-6), Friday, January 21, 2010. These story "middles" will then be posted for voting the morning of the 22nd. Voting will close on Jan. 28, 2010 at 10 p.m., GMT-6. The winner will be announced on Jan. 29, in the morning.

NEW! VOTING: The poll feature did not match the official vote last time, so we'll be back to voting by PM again. One vote per user (that is, per IP address), and authors may vote for their own story, if they feel it truly deserves it.

If more than two stories are tied at the end of voting, there will be a succession of one-day runoff votes until a single winner is chosen or the number of winners is reduced to two.

WHAT YOU WIN: Writers get improved short fiction skills, increasing their chances in the marketplace, without the lengthy investment in time a longer story would take. That, as well as bragging rights and pride--there is stiff competition each month amongst some great stories.

LEGAL STUFF: By entering this or any challenge you are technically granting Aphelion: The Webzine of Science Fiction and Fantasy perpetual electronic rights only to post and archive your challenge entry. Aphelion would rather not lay any claim on the stories at all, but by posting them on a public site, they'd legally count as being published no matter what.

Ok. A real lawyer would have been less interesting. I tried.


Part I:



The Vanishing Stone

By:
Michele Dutcher



Wenvoe What’s On, monthly magazine
Wenvoe Wales
March 27th; 2013

New Mystery Near Tinkinswood Cairn

Due to unprecedented floods and mudslides Thursday night, strange skeletons seem to have been torn out of the hills near the megaliths, being carried past shocked bystanders this morning. Onlookers had been pointing at the wreckage of homes floating downstream when metallic skeletons were noticed. Policewoman Clement pulled a total of three of the armatures ashore.

They appear to be human-like metal chassis, no more than three feet tall, obviously artificially made.

The metal components were sent directly to the Celtic Research Centre at University in Aberystwyth.

The disturbing discoveries were, of course, the only talk of the local pubs and kitchen tables – giving residents a much-needed break from the sorrow over the recent fire in Cardiff Square which destroyed four turn-of-the-last century row-houses.

Saint Lythans, Wales 1378 A.D.

Miriam rushed up the path towards the monolith she knew was nestled at the top of Colby’s Knob. Holding her sister’s newborn close, she peaked into its blankets and saw the baby was sleeping peacefully.

“You’ll be better off anywheres but here, my little love.” Her gray-green skirt brushed along the dirt path as she grabbed onto the trunk of a small tree, pulling herself forward. “When I was a wee child, I saw my brother put a twig on the stone and watched it be gone away.” She was talking to herself more than the baby she carried, but the girl cooed in her sleep anyway. “The Connells just can’t feed one more mouth. If only you had been born a boy – we could have leased you out for farm-work.”

Miriam stopped suddenly as she reached the crown of the hill. In the cloud-covered moonlight, she could see a dozen men circling the Vanishing Stone. The megaliths that supported the horizontal stone shot twelve feet into the air. The Vanishing Stone itself weighed in at 40 tons. She could hear the men chanting.

“That is not dead which can eternal lie
And with strange Aeons even death may die.
Goat of a thousand young, come to us, we worship you.”

Miriam drew a deep breath, holding it, hoping these devotees would not see her hiding in the midnight mist. She began to back down the path, forcing herself to find her footing. Suddenly the moon shot out from behind a cloud and the baby began to wake. Now she and the men stood face-to-face. By the time she had turned to run, the worshipers were upon her, pulling the baby from her arms and dragging the pair towards the flat hut-like stones, which were snuggled into a manmade hillside.

The small, crying bundle was tossed from man to man until it reached the arms of a town official. He held it over his head as though offering the baby to the stars.

“Behold! We call upon the messenger of doom to slash with grim delight this victim you hath chosen. May your great black shape rise from the brackish pits and vomit forth pestilence upon our enemies and good fortune upon thine faithful.”

The official climbed a herring-bone stone embankment, placing the baby near the center of the crowning stone. All eyes watched as the ground beneath it began to illuminate and hum. The three standing stones were flashing now in synchronicity, faster and faster until the monolith was ablaze with continual light.

Suddenly the bundle was gone as well as the light. The darkness and the sound of crickets were all that remained. Than came brief shouts of victory from the men, and the quiet sobs of agony from the woman. The small band of men slowly left the site, leaving the monolith with its secrets.

But Miriam stayed behind a moment longer, her knees still too weak to hold up her body. And there, in the late night moonlight she saw what seemed to be three small children join hands by the stones and begin to dance with wild abandon. No, no, as she looked again, it became obvious were not children at all, but rather some species of fairy without wings. They danced, circling round and round, till they came to a huge boulder where a doorway suddenly appeared and they disappeared into the base of the mountain.

What appeared to be a small star exploded in the distance.


[align=center]To Be Continued…[/align]

[kailhofer]

Bump.

[Lester Curtis]

Bump.

What??! We're not allowed to forget?

[Lester Curtis]

Don't know right now if I'll be able to participate in this one . . . I'd like to, and I have an inkling of something developing . . . my novel project gave me a rude surprise recently (see my latest post in the Workshop forum). Wish me luck.

[kailhofer]

That's TWO in. C'mon out there! I know more of you have it in you to add a middle section to this.

Give it a try.

[kailhofer]

I never said I didn't get another after that. Omitting certain details can lead to more submissions. It's a wiley editor thing.

And, by the way, so far yours is putting a smackdown on the competition. Sorry, competition, but there's still plenty of time remaining.

[kailhofer]

For all folks know, my story isn't even in the running.

Really, Dude. You need to learn how to keep 'em close to the vest.

Bill

Whether I say Bill is off to the lead in an Aphelion Downs race version or just say it, I'm pretty sure the faithful can figure out which Bill I mean. Unless you let that evil twin out of the lab again...