Friday November 25th, 2011

The exercise:

Space week draws nearer to its conclusion with four lines of prose about: the escort.

I'm sticking directly to the challenge, but I'm willing to let you guys slide if you wish to expand a little since this could be a rather constricting day. But maybe keep it to four paragraphs?

Alternatively you could view this as a chance to ramp up the tension with just four lines as we head into the final two days. Up to each of you though, as always.

Mine:

"Mechanic Second Class Higgins," Sanchez replied with a strained smile, struggling to contain her contempt for the incompetent grease monkey who had interrupted her thoughts.

"Heading for the Engine Room?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder for no apparent reason.

"Yes," came the reply after two soft hisses from her IES and no reasonable lies coming to mind.

"Me too," Higgins said a little too eagerly, "and I'll be happy to escort you!"

8 comments:

Greg said...

I'm thinking more about the difficulties of 4-line poem day! Four lines to build tension I think I can handle, for all it looks like my little crew are just going to roast inside their asteroid. But then mining has always been a very dangerous occupation.
I think you're building your tension masterly – all this writing practice clearly pays off!

The escort
"Alanna escorted the keychest...?"
Mogadef nodded, blinking as well to keep back tears. "The Corporation insisted, they wanted it back on the first flight out but I fought them on that, said it was too valuable to us."
"Could you have left the keys anywhere else?" asked Marylee, her voice forlorn and hopeless.

Unknown said...

jake and tom sit in one of the holding areas, reclining on armchairs and flipping through magazines: launch is coming up in less than 24 hours, now.

a door opens at the far side of the room, and three people walk in. one is sergeant pepper.


'time for some speed dating, boys - you're playing escort to these civilians on the mission,' he laughs, causing the two astronauts to groan.

Anonymous said...

Outer Space part 5 The Escort 

Anna guided her ship vertically several miles in order to reach a better vantage point for the hyperspace jump through the portal and into the wormhole.
The excitement of their first intergalactic venture fed the crew with a burst of adrenalin which would serve them well as they recited the mantra that enabled them to literally think their way back to Earth. 
The ship took up the extra surge and interpreted it as extra vibration, like a car riding on extra cylinders, but no one could forsee what would happen when the rogue obsidian sphere rolled to the centre of the floor, causing a spark on the edge of the opening portal - it was enough to glitch the mission homeward - the slight tilt caused them to veer off course in space and time, landing them on a single planet in the nearby Sirius star system in a time Earth equivalent 1 BC.
Anna wished she had her mentor present to escort them out of this mess!

Cathryn Leigh said...

Well the moment I read the prompt I knew who my escort will be. Now let’s see if I can get my idea out in four lines. :} *Elo types furiously below* He he that was easier than expected and you have to wait till tomorrow to find out what she see *snickers*

Contact Continued
A howl echoed through the woods making Lolita shiver more.

The felines that had been peering over her now turned about face.

You will let us escort her back to the village,” A mental voice sounding a lot like Lupita spoke.

Slowly Lolita rose to find a startling sight.

g2 (la pianista irlandesa) said...

Mine doesn't exactly fit with Escort, more hints at a possible one. I also decided to do the equivalent of four four-line paragraphs, because I'm cool like that.

Or something. X)
- - - - - - - - - -
Luckily Mark had left his bike by the front porch, so instead of bolting through the woods on foot Ime and I rode through. It didn't occur to me until much later to wonder if I really had dropped into a movie set: I was escaping with an alien on a bike under a full moon. It didn't even occur to me how strange such an idea was; it seemed like the natural thing to do at the time.

Ime was silent for the ride, poking out of my backpack and watching the dark trees whiz by. Undertones of nervousness shaded my head, but they were brightened by warm swirls and bubbles of curiosity and adventure; I never understood entirely why Ime's emotions echoed in my head, but I certainly was growing to like it.

After a time we made it out of the trees and emerged into a clearing bordering a small apple orchard. I sighed with relief as I dismounted the bike. I walked it down the row of trees, and up a small hill to the dark house, where I chained it to the porch railing. I set my backpack down to let Ime out, and stooped to pick up a few small rocks.

It took a number of well-aimed tosses at a second story window for a light to turn on and a figure to stagger to the window and open it.

"Whoever you are,” a familiar voice grumbled sleepily, “you clearly don't understand the value of a good night's sleep, so just buzz—"

"Thomas, you nut, it's me, Sara. Put on a robe and get down here; we need some help."

"We? Sara, who’s—"

"Just get down here, it's a long story."

Marc said...

Greg - well I still see some hope for their survival, even if you don't :P

JorJack - hah, nice use of speed dating :)

Writebite - an excellent twist! What's next for our unfortunate adventurers?

Elor - I do enjoy a good cliffhanger or two :)

g2 - loved the E.T. reference :)

And you've definitely got me hooked, wanting more each time!

Aaron said...

4 paragraphs right?
The Escort

The instruments on the guardian told Epsilon 442 he would contact the anomaly in forty five seconds. If friendly he would escort them back to Eden. If hostile he would protect Eden as best he could.

Suddenly there it was on his view screen. Until that moment he had still felt calm excitement. It was the other guardian. But that didn’t make any sense.

Epsilon 442 opened a radio channel to the other guardian before the connection had formed he spoke his thoughts aloud, “This doesn’t make any sense. How could a guardian have behaved like the anomaly had. Disappearing and reappearing. Instantaneous change in direction. No guardian could do that. That was why the Deltas had feared the anomaly.”

The radio connection completed, a voice immediately cried, “Help me! Gaia kidnapped me. Gaia has turned on us. Gaia---“ Then the radio went silent and Epsilon 442 felt fear for the first time.

Marc said...

Aaron - woooah! Great way to ramp up the tension!

Fantastic :D