View Thread
 October Ficlet Prompts
|
|
| M1795537OCVirn |
Posted on 02-10-2026 10:23
|
 Admin  Posts: 15887 Joined: 14.01.22 |
Travisina sends us: 1. It's spooky season! We know that it doesn't take much to scare Vila, but what about our other heroes / villains? What natural - or supernatural - manifestations would frighten them? (NB I happen to think that Vila is as brave as anyone else, he's just - as Michael Keating put it - careful, with a strong sense of self preservation). 2. Forever Autumn (cue song by the Moody Blues) - and with apologies to our Australian friends for whom October is springtime: The Liberator encounters a planet with a climate that seems to be permanently locked into leaf-fall, shorter days, full moons and endless harvests. But it wasn't always like this - the elders remember times when trees were bare, or full of blossom, when fields were green and fruit unripe. What's going on - and can our heroes do anything about it? That should get our band of ficleteers thinking! "You're not sulking, I hope?"
|
|
|
|
| Cygnus Bazza |
Posted on 05-10-2026 13:20
|
 Alpha Grade  Posts: 7559 Joined: 14.06.22 |
GHOST TOAST “How on Goth can it possibly be an unauthorised autobiography? How can ANY autobiography be unauthorised???” “Not ‘an’ unauthorised autobiography, Blake. ‘The’ unauthorised autobiography. Apparently” “But if I’d written this autobiography, why on Horizon wouldn’t I authorise it?” “Maybe because – hard as it is to believe where you’re concerned, Blake - it was full of sh*t? There’s even one of your fave photos of yourself emblazoned on the front cover.” “What photo, Jenna?” “Something from your special ‘One for the Ladies…’ file. Dripping in narcissism, ego and self-regard.” “I think you’ll have to narrow it down a bit.” “It’s that shot of you down that mine on Horizon, with your shirt gratuitously off.” “Ah, yes. I like that one. I’m having souvenir coasters and keyrings made. I call it the six-pack shot!” “Party seven, more like. Anyway, come and see for yourself. A big carton of these books has just appeared by the teleport. Cally and I ripped it open and there they were, all with the same cover, all with the same title. ‘Roj Blake: Lust for Glory’. And, just underneath, the subtitle: ‘The Man - The Misfit - The Messiah Complex - The Inability to Avoid Collapsing Ceilings’.” “I can’t take a look at the moment. I’m speaking to you from our new on-ship beauty salon, the pamper-bot’s just initiated the second element of the back, sack and crack programme and I’m – OOH! – I’m – OOH! OOH! – I just need to – ARRRRGH! BLIMEY O’REILLY! GO EASY! – hang on in there – YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-OWWWWWWWWWW! CHRIIIIIIST ON A BIIIIIKE!!! – for – SWEEEEEEEEET BABY JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH!!! – the next few minutes…” “No worries. Sounds like a ripper. So to speak. I’ll have a word with Avon when he’s back from his latest interactive session with his online Leather Club.” “Online – HOLYYYYYY EFFFFFFFFIN’ MOLEYYYYYYY!!! – Leather Club?” “Yes, Hell4Leather: The Non-Judgemental Forum for Like-Minded Lovers of the Leather Look. I believe the parent website’s called ‘Chafe Haven’.” “But he’ll give our – YEEE-OOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!!! I THINK I’M LOSING CONSCIOUSNESS… – location away…” “Don’t worry, Blake. It’s all anonymous. They hide behind aliases. Avon uses the nom de guerre ‘Steve Stud’. He says it’s ‘suitably ambiguous’. Actually, as luck would have it, here he is now. Avon! Do you know anything about this box of unauthorised autobiographies that’s just appeared?” “‘Roj Blake: Lust for Glory’? Of course I do, Jenna. I wrote it.” “YOU WROTE IT?” “Yep. I ghosted it for Blake. Even though he didn’t know it. For some inexplicable reason, where Blake’s concerned, I thought vanity publishing would fit the bill. Perfect, in terms of telling the story of a fine leader of men. And women. But I couldn’t find a fine leader of men – and women – so I substantially lowered my sights and wrote a dead-cert bestseller about Blakey boy instead.” “You did what?” “Wrote a book about Blake. From his perspective. How else are we to broadcast his uniquely instructive story? It’s not as if anyone’s ever going to make a 52-part TV series named after him. Even if he’s not in 24 of them and those 24 are, generally, a bit better than the other 28. Apart from a w*nky one where there are magic tricks, they get the dressing-up box out and it all goes very kids-party but without the blancmange, Tizer and tantrums.” “Judging from the title, it doesn’t sound like a terribly flattering portrait.” “It’s just the facts, Jenna. Just the cold, bare facts. With that shirtless shot of him sporting that cheesy smile on the front. Hardly my fault if Blake ends up, in the public’s estimation…toast. Welsh rarebit, if you will. I’m already planning the second, updated edition. Where the Welsh Rarebit is further perked up by a slice of prime Gouda. Sort of. And Blake’s toasted ghost will speak out from beyond the grave, bewailing his fate as he finally ends up...” “You don’t mean…” “Yes. That’s right………………………………………………….. Brown bread……...” Edited by Cygnus Bazza on 05-10-2026 15:33 |
|
|
|
| Jump to Forum |