Welcome to the #SatSunTails microfiction competition.
Be warned – the prompts aren’t easy, but that’s so you can write to the best of your ability.
If you haven’t had a go before at this writing challenge, then please don’t hesitate to try this weekend.
Rules!
- Post stories in the comments
- Stories must be 150 words (margin of 5 words either side) AND based on the picture and written prompts.
- If you title your entry this is not counted in your word count.
- Only one entry allowed (so make it count)
- End each entry with word count and name/twitter handle (if you forget these REPLY TO YOUR OWN COMMENT with them before judging closes)
- Monday 11am GMT is the expected closing time for entries BUT the competition will be open until I put a ‘competition closed’ comment so you may be able to slip something in (because I’m extra kind like that). Got that?
If you do not comply with these rules your story will be disqualified from judging. Good spelling and grammar will also help to make a better impression on judges – the odd typo, however, will be overlooked so please don’t worry about that.
For tips, read through the critiques from last week’s entries.
Winners!
There will be ONE OVERALL WINNER and THREE RUNNERS UP. After that there will be THREE CRITIQUES of three stories that didn’t make it.
It would also be nice to those participating if you could promote your fellow competitors and those who win.
Today’s Prompt!
The following may be used as a sentence in your story OR provide a basis for it:-
“uncommonly incredulous”
And here is your picture prompt:
& good luck!
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Incubation Situation
In the 8256 millennia Senior Nurturer Relnik Tark had been in the field, nothing could come close to the challenge he faced today…a meeting with the Grand Nurturer himself.
Tark’s most recent effort had been nothing short of a spectacular failure and he could scarce be surprised to be called on it. He knocked and heard a grunt he assumed was permission to enter.
“Ah. Tark. I find myself in an uncommonly incredulous state of disbelief that one of my people could flummox things up on this level but it seems you have.”
“Five billion years of nurturing and incubation went into this? You invested five billion years’ worth of departmental time and resources into…this? When you complete your work and crack the planet open the best you have to offer is THIS?
!
He slammed the specimen plate with the breached planet and the sad, lifeless fetus down in front of Tark with undisguised contempt.
155 words @klingorengi
Higher Learning
“…and that, my liege, is how we know the world to be egg shaped,” said Sir Bedevere.
King Arthur pondered for a moment, speaking over the clopping of his squire’s coconuts. “This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere. Explain to me again how the yolk is a fiery eye.”
“Well, you see…”
“Course’…” King Arthur interrupted.
“Pardon, my liege?”
King Arthur, “oh, no…nothing. Nothing. Go on.”
“Yes, my liege, so…”
“Nattering ninny…” King Arthur interrupted again, silencing the Knight scientist. They rode in silence while Sir Bedevere contemplated how to explain the “St. Martin of Antioch’s Greater Yolk Theory.”
“If I might begin again, It is an indisputable truth…”
“Bollocks,” the King snapped.
“What?”
“Rubbish.”
“I haven’t even told…”
“You tripe-faced nincompoop,” King Arthur sang out loud, stretching the last syllable for three full bars. “Surely, you didn’t expect me to believe your pseudo-scientific nonsense. Everyone knows the world is BANANA shaped!”
@zombiemechanics
155 words
Sam loved breakfast. Especially eggs. It was the best part of his day. He stomped his hooves on the ground in excitement. The zealots had warned everyone about genetically modified crops. "We don't know what will happen when they are set loose in the wild." Genetically modified corn got into the food market. Chickens, cows, humans, pigs. They all ate that stuff. And before anyone knew it, everything became genetically modified.
He looked at the 3.5 Kg, world colored egg on his table. Baked at 120 C for 3 days. It looked delicious. He stood before it, stretched his neck, and bent at his waist, slamming his bright yellow chicken beak into it, cracking it crack open. The eggs contents leaked out, leaving a flaming mess of glop on the table top. He looked at his mate, and squeeled with delight at the uncommonly incredulous quality of his meal.
150 words
@LurchMunster
Dara marched from the lab, frustration boiling up inside her. The prof’s words ringing in her ears. “That’s ridiculous. Just get out!”
The sun blazed across the city as she rushed to the park; a beautiful morning that failed to lift the darkness enveloping her existence. The nightmares had grown stronger over the last month, chasing away all hope of sleep. Still no one listened.
She slumped down onto a park bench, and greedily drank in the happiness playing out around her. They were all innocent; unaware of the danger pressing in on them.
Dara leapt to her feet, and ran for home. Two hours later she stood outside the lab; beretta pistol ready.
She refused to spend one more night watching the world crack open, and spill it’s guts because of one man’s ego.
Cassandra’s curse be damned, she had to stop him. And this time he’d stop being so uncommonly incredulous.
153 words
@tollykit
The Warehouse
The warehouse was filled to the brim with eggs, every shape and size. Moose had been told that they represented each and every world in the known and unknown universe. He picked up the closest one, a small blue and white sphere, and started throwing it from hand to hand as he wandered along the rows.
"Careful, Moose! You don't want to drop that." Sully walked towards him, "If you do and it breaks, the planet's soul will die and so will the planet.'
Looking at him with uncommonly incredulous belief, Moose let the egg fall to the ground. It cracked open and yellow, fiery liquid spilled out along with a small embryo. Then the warehouse was filled with the sound of millions of voices screaming in pain, increasing in volume until it ended, suddenly.
"Ah, well, that's Earth gone then. Help me clear up Moose, maybe no one will notice."
151 Words
@lejamez
All it would take was just one human from this lousy planet to care.
Creeda surveyed the latest consignment through the mirrored glass. Each wired to monitor every emotional flicker.
Varti was prosecuting today; he liked to put on a performance.
“This is your planet,” he began, spinning the glistening sphere in mid-air. “For many years you have abused its natural resources, polluted the ground with your toxins. You have not maintained the equilibrium and for that crime you world is on its final warning. If no one can be found as caretaker, your planet will be destroyed.”
The sphere cracked showing the extent of the toxic damage. Its molten core spewed out into a lifeless puddle. The stench was said to be overpowering to humans and yet most remained unmoved.
Uncommonly the monitor bleeped, Creeda scanned the faces with incredulity. Just one betrayed emotion, a single tear of compassion.
“Stop the trial!” She yelled.
155 words
@reravelling
God sat alone in a field of grass. God cried into His beard. God cried so hard & long that the hairs washed off His face & turned into long white flowers. God plucked some of the flowers & offered them to a stranger.
“They’re free” said God, “What are you up to right now? Maybe we could hang out?”
The stranger took a flower & backed away. “Yeah sorry. I would, but I just don’t believe in you.”
God became frustrated by how uncommonly incredulous the stranger had been. Wasn’t He trying hard enough?
God stomped up & down angrily. The world cracked & a kind of burning goo poured out. Millions died. God scooped up the goo & whipped it into a shining omelet. God served the omelet to the survivors floating on the remains of the North Pole.
They all ate & ate until they floated away, but they still didn't believe.
155 words
@anothertower
Competition closed!