“Do you prefer to work alone or #collaborate?” “Alone.” “Yukon gold or #russet potato?” “Uh, gold for mashed, russet for baked.” “Favorite #insect?” “Bumblebee.” “Do you have a #nemesis?” “Not since Jilly Smith in seventh grade. This is a very odd job interview.” “You’re hired.”
#vss365 #366FF #whistpr #vssmagic
I’m doing another one of these, a 250-word one. My prompts are: genre – SciFi, action – putting on a wetsuit, word (that must be included) – warning
Hogging the Spotlight
Pete shoved a foot into the wetsuit, almost falling over in his excitement. “The chemical analysis is back, Jez. That pool you found is water. Two years looking for life in this godforsaken galaxy, and I’m going to see it today.”
“Shouldn’t we send down the probe first?”
“Look, I outrank you. You’re just going to have to wait. Maybe I’ll name a species after you.” He pulled the zipper up and shrugged on his SCUBA gear. They could breathe under the portable biodome they’d set up over the site, but underwater was a different story.
“It’s not about that—”
“You’ll get your chance when you’re commander. It’s my day to shine.”
***
Jez monitored his vitals and watched the video feed from his goggles. Visibility wasn’t great even with his headlamp, and she strained her eyes looking for shapes in the murk. “Pete, what’s that off to your right?”
Suddenly the screen was filled with tiny greenish lights. “Well, look at this. Who’s a cute little bioluminescent life form? That’s right, you are.” He captured one in a sample flask. As he capped it, a warning blared. “They’re getting into the wetsuit,” he said, rubbing at his arms.
“Stay calm,” she said, watching his heart rate with concern.
“They’re going under my skin, Jez. It burns!”
“Turn around and swim back.”
But he just hung there, a green glow in the darkness.
It was sort of pretty in the light. He was right. It was his time to shine.
“I’m #pleased to meet you,” he said, doffing his #hat. “I can see your dis-#belief but I assure you my #talents are up to the job.” “You do have a #number of satisfied customers, but–” “No one expects a stylish assassin.” #366FF #whistpr #vssmagic #bravewrite #vss365
From deep within the #overgrown #forest, they heard a #rustling. Not a lost #dog or #cat; they heard #laughter too, an #enchanting song that drew them into the #kaleidoscopic light of late afternoon. They knew the #folklore, but they went anyway. How could they not?
He was sure she was his #muse, but she was from the other side. She kept him sated with #food and sex, dulling his creative drive. The gods didn’t want his story told, but they didn’t want to just smite him. This was the gentler way. #vssmagic #bravewrite
Four children went into the #forest #together. Only three came out. “It was only a #game, it was only a game,” were the only words little Peter ever said again. There was no trace of Lucy, no matter how hard they searched. #366FF #vss365 #whistpr
“Why don’t you go #forage for #native plants? Not the flowered one–it causes #seizures.” “Thank you for your #sacrifice, Steve.” “Or those #tangled vines over there that caused the #genocide when distilled. Right, everyone #excited for lunch?” #366FF #bravewrite #whistpr #vss365
She studied the radiator behind Grandmother’s dollhouse, looking for the source of the persistent #sussuration. She knelt down and bent close, her attention caught by the #wink of a #miniature figure in a tiny window, her dress the same #print as her own. #366FF #whistpr #vss365
“He’s not a #verbose man, Jean.” “Okay, Mom, where’s he from?” “#Scotland or #Spitzenburg or Saint Louis. Something with an S anyway.” “He’s moving in with you. Shouldn’t you know these things?” “I know enough,” she said with a #wink. #whistpr #vss365 #366FF
The door opened and music spilled out. “Hey, Joey, you brought the weed, right?” Joey hid the music store bag. He was sure Eric had asked him to bring #reeds. He’d been all excited for a clarinet-playing party. “I forgot something. Let me just run home real #quick.” #whistpr
Hahahaha I basically wrote a Far Side comic. I can picture it and everything.
Words words words 