3rd Write Campaign Challenge
And here we are wrapping up the 3rd and final Campaign Challenge. Rachael Harrie is one amazing woman to do this. I want to thank her for her hard work and dedication. This undertaking sure has made it a challenge just for her. Please stop by her blog and thank her too.
Here are the rules for the 3rd challenge:
Write a blog post in 300 words or less, excluding the title. The post can be in any format, whether flash fiction, non-fiction, humorous blog musings, poem, etc. The blog post should show:
- that it’s morning,
- that a man or a woman (or both) is at the beach
- that the MC (main character) is bored
- that something stinks behind where he/she is sitting
- that something surprising happens.
Just for fun, see if you can involve all five senses AND include these random words: “synbatec,” “wastopaneer,” and “tacise.” (NB. these words are completely made up and are not intended to have any meaning other than the one you give them).
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A Proposal
“Couldn’t you have found another program?” Liz rested her chin on her knees as she drew them to her chest. With her finger, she swirled the black sand at her feet.
Patterns of chaos mimicked the pinks and purples that bled from the sky into the water. The first sun was about to peek over the horizon. Liz watched as the water swelled across the distance, gaining momentum but not height, until it tingled their feet and fizzled away her marks. A small sigh escaped past her lips.
A BUZOT! from behind made them both jump to their feet. A thin stream of white smoke filtered through the sand dune, exposing a control panel. Salt mixed with burnt sulfur danced at the back of Liz’s throat and almost made her gag.
“Synbatec westopaneer tacise?” Matt shook his head.
“What?” Liz cocked her head and scrunched her brow.
“Synbatec westopaneer tacise?” Matt’s face began to flush. He fidgeted with the silver plate embedded behind his right ear. As his finger slid over the plate, the hologram squelched and flickered. He clapped both hands around his head and squeezed his eyes shut. “Fheskkha!”
Liz knew that pain all too well. Her universal translator was always on the fritz.
“Here, let me.” Liz scooted closer and took her tiny sonic screwdriver out of her belt. It clicked on and a blue light coursed with the high pitch whirl. She touched it to the plate behind Matt’s ear. “Now, keep talking.”
“Synbatec westopaneer tacise? “Synbatec westopaneer tacise?”
Liz upped the pitch of the screwdriver as Matt continued. “Synbatec westopaneer tacise? Will you westopaneer tacise?”
“Almost got it.” Liz hit the screwdriver against the palm of her hand.
“Will you westopaneer me?”
Liz added a second frequency and the screwdriver sung.
“Will you marry me?”
*******
300 words, excluding the title. I think I’ve covered all 5 senses. Did you know they were on a beach? It was morning? Could you tell Liz was bored? At first at least? And did you notice the stench behind them? And how about that ending? Was it a surprise?
Hope you like this. If you do, please vote for #62. And if you want to read the other entries, don’t forget to visit Rachael’s blog post. I’m sure there will be plenty more before the challenge closes.
Thursday, November 3rd 2011 at 04:48 |
Brillaint entry Jai and congratulations!!! 😀
Thursday, October 27th 2011 at 22:55 |
OH I wasn't expecting that! Great job!
Wednesday, October 26th 2011 at 11:40 |
Thank you all for your wonderful comments! And what a wonderful surprise from Cheryl! Thank you so much for moving me on to round 2! Here's hoping!
Sunday, October 23rd 2011 at 16:59 |
Sweet story.mood(now following)Moody Writing@mooderinono. 79
Sunday, October 23rd 2011 at 12:29 |
That ending was awesome. I love how you used the words for a technical problem.
Sunday, October 23rd 2011 at 10:02 |
That was a nice twist 🙂
Saturday, October 22nd 2011 at 09:02 |
Great take on the prompt! And congrats on making it through to the next round!(My entry at no.#47)
Saturday, October 22nd 2011 at 00:34 |
Hi Jai, I am here to let you know I am one of the first round judges and you made it through to the next round. Well done!
Friday, October 21st 2011 at 22:48 |
I love what you did with the challenge words, and also the twist at the end. Great job. Mine is #25.
Friday, October 21st 2011 at 14:07 |
Very creative interpretation, love it!
Friday, October 21st 2011 at 13:20 |
This is fantastic. What vivid details and powerful use of imagery. I love it and I was smiling when the translation was finally made, "will you marry me?" This is awesome. You write beautifully and with such imagination.I started blogging late and I missed the deadline to join this campaign. I have, however enjoyed reading the entries.I am a new follower and very happy to be here.
Friday, October 21st 2011 at 13:09 |
how sweet!and i love the black sand!
Friday, October 21st 2011 at 10:39 |
Okay, so this is really good. Nice job!
Thursday, October 20th 2011 at 19:45 |
Very cute! I liked it! (I'm #75)
Thursday, October 20th 2011 at 19:02 |
Nice surprise at the end! Great job :DI'm entry #69 🙂
Thursday, October 20th 2011 at 12:41 |
Nice. A very original take on the challenge. Mine is #56
Thursday, October 20th 2011 at 10:10 |
Loved it! The ending was a lovely surprise too. I really enjoyed the way you handled those words, so original!
Wednesday, October 19th 2011 at 22:57 |
This was so unexpected. I loved the use of your words 🙂
Wednesday, October 19th 2011 at 19:33 |
Nice inventive and plausible way to use those words. Good job.
Wednesday, October 19th 2011 at 17:00 |
Now THAT was adorable! I want to know what the answer is. 🙂
Wednesday, October 19th 2011 at 16:29 |
So, so cute. This got a big smile out of me. 🙂 I'm #66.
Wednesday, October 19th 2011 at 14:30 |
I like it, great job!!
Wednesday, October 19th 2011 at 12:32 |
Awesome LJ!
Wednesday, October 19th 2011 at 12:21 |
Hey Lady Jai-somehow I am thinking that he is a clone or droid similar to the Terminator. Good Job!
Wednesday, October 19th 2011 at 12:20 |
That is awesome, hon. Vivid imagery, like I was there. Love this line: Salt mixed with burnt sulfur danced at the back of Liz’s throat and almost made her gag. Great work!
Wednesday, October 19th 2011 at 11:57 |
Wow, how creative to use the words like that! Loved the story & the proposal! ; )
Wednesday, October 19th 2011 at 11:33 |
Oh cool!! Great surprise at the end 🙂 Love the imagery, too! "chaos mimicked the pinks and purples that bled from the sky into the water." Wonderful line, there, I could really picture everything.I'm entry #5