FLASH CHALLENGE: June '10

[kailhofer]

The "Obsession" Challenge:



Obsessions touch us all in life. Sometimes, they are harmless, like only using cast-iron cookware or never touching a wooden spoon. They can also become an overwhelming compulsion, like excessive hand washing and all the other forms of OCD.

Brilliant inventors are often obsessed, and use that drive to succeed. Other times you encounter a fruitcake who is certain he can change his stove into a time machine if he could just set the knobs right. The point is, obsessions can be good or bad, and they can blur the boundaries between brilliant and bonkers.

What a marvelous trait for us to use as authors in creating character personalities and depth. The motivations of an obsessed individual are all different from the average Joe. The way it is expressed is different. I mean, it could be a dark, secret compulsion to conquer the world, or maybe just to get that great parking spot under the oak tree. In either case, that character isn't helping just to be a nice guy.

And it's interesting to read how it colors character actions, too. Let's see what we can do with that.


I challenge you to create your best tale of obsessed individuals in a SF/F setting.

See the story after the rules for an example.



RULES




CHALLENGE REQUIREMENTS: (1) Your science fiction or fantasy story must center on at least one obsessed character; (2) Stories may be serious or light-hearted; (3) One entry per author; and (4) This is a Rated 'PG-13' challenge.

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 human being may be used as a character, but can be referred to, as in "Ethelred the Unready had declared it would be so." Characters, except as noted above, must be used in their original appearance only. All non-copyrighted settings are ok. Famous, unique sites like Stonehenge may be used over and again. No fan fiction or sequels, so don't bother putting your story in the Land of Oz or that great place you thought up three challenges ago.

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 hat 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), Thursday, June 24th, 2010. The stories will then be posted for voting at around 10 p.m. Voting will close on June 30, 2010 at approximately 10 p.m., GMT-6.

VOTING: Stories are rated on a scale of 0-10 in whole numbers in 6 different categories by filling in scores in a form that is posted by me immediately following the post containing the stories for this challenge. Voters copy and paste the form into a PM and send it to me for tallying. One vote per user (that is, per ip address), and authors may not vote for their own story.

Every effort will be made to keep the voting fair. In the past, some voters have abstained from voting for some of the stories while voting for the others. Since total points scored decides the winner, this put the stories that weren't voted on at a disadvantage. Should this happen again, the skipped stories will be given marks equaling whatever the story's average is at the time of contest close. IF YOU WISH TO SCORE A ZERO FOR A STORY, YOU MUST ENTER A ZERO IN THAT POSITION ON THE VOTING FORM. A challenge entrant who does not vote for the other stories will receive a 10% deduction in their own score at the time of contest close, and the other stories will be given marks equaling whatever their story's average is at the time of contest close.

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: Aphelion Webzine will not try to make a dime off you or your stories. Really. We want to see you succeed but nothing about that will line Aphelion's pockets. We love fiction and we love seeing authors get better to the point where people do pay them for their stories. That's why we're in this.

I'll try to do my best lawyer impersonation: 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 them 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.


Example story, not eligible for entry:


A Sister's Passion

By:
N.J. Kailhofer



Sister Catherine frowned at the half-melted ice sculpture in the middle of her plain, side table. Mr. Theopolous the custodian had made it especially for the occasion, although she was not at all sure the image of a grim reaper was a good choice, but Theopolous had strange tastes. Encircling it were half-empty plates of crackers and simple dips. Light from the rose-scented candles flickered against the stone walls, illuminating her room along with a single oil lamp on the bedside table. The smell was a welcome change from the ever-present incense that permeated every inch of the Convent.

An oversized, black leather trunk stamped with 'Sister Margaret' sat open on the floor, mostly full. She told me at the conference in Utah everyone bought a lot when she had one of these parties. And they are such good products, too. I do not know why someone would not want one…

A knock on the door jolted her out of her musings. "Sister?"

For a moment, Sister Catherine considered hiding the evidence of the party, but she knew it would not do any good. She opened the door.

"Mother Superior," she welcomed. "We don't see you in this wing very often."

The ancient nun's deep-set eyes swept the room. Clutching her Bible to her chest with worn, bony fingers, she said, "From the sight of this room, it may have been too long."

"I'm sure I have no idea to what you are referring."

Mother Superior walked into the chamber and began examining objects from the sample case.

"Sister Catherine," she said, "you have been here with us for forty-seven years, but I have been here for far longer. In all those years, I have needed only one tool, the one our Lord intended."

Her fingers drummed her Bible, the hint obvious.

Sister Catherine's temper flared. "With all due respect, Mother Superior, just because something is new doesn't mean it won’t work as well or even better than the old, outdated, traditional tools of two thousand years ago. I mean, in this age of internet access, you won't even allow us electric lights!"

The old nun's eyes narrowed to slits. "Is that so?"

Sister Catherine looked down, feeling the cold glare. "I apologize. My zeal to do good works with these tools got the better of me. It's just…"

"Just what?"

"That they work. It makes our task easier that we may better guide the souls who come to us. Technology is not evil. If only you would allow me to prove that to you!"

Mother Superior paused in thought. "Very well. Let the two of us go out into the world and you can try to prove the value of these things to me to my satisfaction… or you will never use them again."

[align=center]***[/align]

The City was unaware of the two Sisters on its sidewalk, quietly observing those who bustled by. The cacophony of a thousand noises assaulted their ears and exhaust from the cars rushing by burned at their nostrils.

Mother Superior bristled. "One approaches."

Sister Catherine looked up from the iPhone she had taken from Sister Margaret's case. "There are three on this side of the street alone."

Mother Superior raised a thin eyebrow.

"There's an App for that." Sister Catherine smiled. "And across the street is an escapee."

Mother Superior's eyes burned with intensity. "Where?"

Sister Catherine pointed. "There. The gray-haired man in the red shirt with rings on each of his fingers."

Mother Superior withdrew a small rod from the folds of her robes. Instantly, it grew in taller than her and a long, curved blade sprang from the tip. She flew unseen across the street and swung her full-sized scythe in an arc, slicing the invisible spirit inside the man in two. Just as quick, she reached into his chest as he stood there and pulled out a ball of white-hot energy. His body fell to the ground.

People on the street saw him fall. A young man moved to help him, stepping right through Mother Superior's black habit as if she were not there, unseen and unheard. He knelt beside the escapee's body.

"This guy is dead!" the man announced to the gathering crowd.

Sister Catherine landed beside her invisible superior and held out what looked like a plastic cup. "Put it in here."

"What?"

"Put it in and I'll put the lid on so it won't escape again. You'll see."

Doubtfully, the old nun dropped the energy ball into the cup and her younger partner clamped on the lid. Inside, they could see the light moving back and forth, battering against the sides.

"See? ReaperWare keeps the souls safe and secure. These vessels go inside a larger, flexible carrier that can be worn as a large purse or a backpack for those times when you want to be visible, and your hands stay free for the scythe. Instead of one soul per trip, this holds fourteen. Our productivity will soar! We can give it to everyone in the Convent--"

Mother Superior's scythe plunged into Sister Catherine and the old nun plucked a bright blue ball of light from her chest. She held her Sister's soul in her hand and bent low over her astonished face.

"Sorry, my dear. I have held the record for most reaping for over two thousand years. I am not about to lose it to some upstart. ReaperWare indeed!"

She picked up the soul carrier and placed Catherine in one of the vessels, next to the escapee. The carrier zipped closed, and she put it over her back.

She mused, "It is awfully comfortable, though. I think Sister Margaret has a date with the Well of Souls, too, before she sells these to anyone else."

[align=center]The End[/align]

[kailhofer]

What? Nuns can't be grim reapers?

[kailhofer]

It's hard to say anything of value in 1000 words or less.

You mean, like Hamlet's "to be or not to be" soliloquy? Or Marc Anthony's from Julius Caesar? Shakespeare's sonnet 18, "Shall I compare thee to a summer day?" The preamble to the Constitution? Heck the whole Declaration of Independence isn't even 1400 words and that includes that long grievance list... Many fairy tales that have lasted through the ages, like The Little Match Seller. Nursery rhymes are still repeated to children, long after Old King Cole.

My point is, the right words, even if there are less than 1000 of them, can move all the stones in Rome.

Nate

[kailhofer]

BTW, 3 in so far...

[kailhofer]

I'll miss AlienSkin - had my first sale there.

I agree. There's a framed $5 bill on my wall, for the first money I made writing (several years ago now)... from AlienSkin also.

Nate

[kailhofer]

You'll know soon, Bill. I'm working on posting them now.

[kailhofer]

No new votes in. Everyone held their positions in the race today.