Friday January 28th, 2011

The exercise:

Four lines of prose about: it's time to go.

We're out of here bright and early tomorrow morning, due back on Monday, February 14th. I will be doing my best to avoid computers while I'm away, so you likely won't be hearing anything from me besides the posts I've scheduled to go up in my absence.

A couple of blog notes: 

- The 'days in a row' counter is going to be stuck on 964 until I get back (since I update it manually) - if you see it change, it means I caved and logged in. So feel free to yell at me if that happens.

- All of the scheduled posts will be going up at noon Pacific (go here to figure out what that means for you). I figured the least I could do while I was gone was to give you a consistent posting time, and that seemed as good a time as any.

- I will be responding to all of your comments when I return. But I'm going to be nice to myself and give it a week or so to get through them all. Well, assuming that there are a lot to get through. Don't make me beg.

Alright, I think that's everything. I hope all of you keep yourselves safe and well for the next sixteen days and I'll see you when I get back.

Mine:

Pierre looked at the name on the call display on his ringing phone and gulped, drops of sweat appearing immediately on his forehead. He knew this would not be good news.

"Ah... hello, Henri... how are you d-?"

"Meet me downstairs by the front door in forty-five seconds or you're fired."

4 comments:

Greg said...

Yelling at you: check. I have your mobile number, so no matter where you are or what time it is, you can be yelled at :)
Have a great time on your honeymoon, and try not to think about us until you get back. We'll keep the blog nice and warm for you.

@David: well, I'll have a think about Charles and see if I can't come up with something a bit longer for you all; I'm a bit pressed for time at the moment though, so the snippets are likely to continue for a couple of weeks.

It's time to go
The snow seemed less cold beneath him now, though that might just be that he was so numb that he couldn't feel it anymore. He clacked his beak sadly, then stopped, worried that it might have frozen and would snap off. The coyote's jaws were around his neck, and its breath was warm. The puzzling thing, from Dr. Septopus's point of view, was that as it had grabbed him he could have sworn it had said "It's time to go."

David said...

Comments on yesterday @Heather - I knew exactly where you were going with it, and that's what made it so good. If it was a twist, it would be just clever, but knowing where this was going - anticipation was painful.

@zhongming - thanks for the spiritual reminder.

Today - @Marc - poor Henri, that's not a way to go.


@Greg - will the Dr. ever escape the coyote, especially one so intelligent.

Here's mine:

“Thanks for the coffee,” I weakly offered my hostess, indicating it was time to leave.

The incessant giggling from the other room slapped us across the face.

“Don’t forget your wife,” her reddened face spat out.

“I already have.”

Zhongming said...

Marc - Have fun, man! Hope we don't have to yell at you within the next sixteen days, haha!

I think Henri is in deep shit :D

Greg - hmm, I wonder how would a normal person react to such pain other than yelling for help and deal with the pain. Dr.? I think he's on different level :)

David - you're welcome! 

I think most people have trouble controlling their desire and your prose have just shown it. :)

---

It's time to go

"I know it's hard for you to part with us especially we're so close together but I think it's about time to go..." 

"B..u..t, I.. just can't leave.."

"Listen to me, it's perfectly alright and natural to die and its just a matter of time for anyone so you have our permission to leave... Is there anything else you wish to talk about?"

"Ah... Ahh... Ahhh, good...bye..."

Marc said...

Greg - a coyote rescue! Excellent :)

David - love the dialogue.

Zhongming - very touching; nicely done.