Shorter Stories #3

WHEN: Sunday 27th May
WHO: Damien and Regan
WHAT: Write a short story in under ten minutes that includes these things:

Setting: Bach at New Years (picked by Daaaaamo)
Character: The Strangler (picked by wig)
Object: Beach Ball (picked by Wee-Dey)
Action: Hiding (picked by lizard)

njoy the results:



The world is a large beach ball. People live on the inside of this beach ball. There is a curious reverse gravity effect where all physical matter is drawn towards the outside rather than the middle. It is a really cool place to live!
The people constantly debate on how their world came to be. Just who was the creator of the beach ball? Who gave breath to their world?
Ocean currents can be dangerous. If you get caught in a rip it is better to preserve your energy and let it take you rather than fight it if the rip is too strong. If you always swim between the flags you should theoretically never encounter a rip.
Back in Qozuilda (this is the name of the Beach Ball Planet), it was New Years Eve. The people were ready to welcome in 1424ABU (After Blow Up).
Johnny and Sarah were partying it up at a bach in Pass Arthur. The bach was in the woods and the team was playing spotlight. There were 14 people on the team. When I say “team” I mean high school friends celebrating the end of the year in style.
However, 15 people were playing spotlight; The Strangler had turned up unannounced. He had a face made of mildew and great dental hygiene. He was hiding.
The Strangler had picked an excellent spot, inside a log. He was so happy. His first time playing spotlight, and what success! Torchlights danced over his still body.
After years of marginalisation, The Strangler finally felt that he had a place in the world. That place was constricted within an airtight log.
Johnny and Sarah were “in”. Both “in” love (this was a high school romance after all) and “in” in spotlight. They held the torches and found their 12 friends. The team then retreated back to the bach and started consuming stupid amounts of alcohol. Johnny would later fall into an alcohol-induced coma, nearly dying of alcohol poisoning. If it wasn’t for Sarah’s diligence he probably would have died. Soulmates? Maybe.
Meanwhile, out in the forest, The Strangler waited to be found. He tried to move, only to find he was utterly paralyzed within the log. Four hours later, he was found by Death.
Regan


They were all really good friends. This is the first New Years they were all together and it was going to be perfect. The only thing was Howard. He was Jonny’s friend who had tagged along. Emma, Rachael and Steve didn’t know him very well and he had been a bit awkward to start with. Being at a lovely little bach at this time of the year was perfect: usually nothing would go wrong but Howard could find a way. The thing that started him off badly was the incident with Emma’s beach ball. She only got it out on special occasions and she was very particular about things like this.
The other three were playing a simple game of “keep it off the ground”. Howard had been hiding away all day it seemed and had only come out for the last half hour or so. He got brave enough to join in and began to hit it around. He hit the ball so hard it popped on impact. Flying like an empty sausage skin, it wrapped around Rachael’s neck. She fell to the ground gasping for breath.
Howard was never seen for the rest of the trip. Steve only referred to him as The Strangler from then on.
Damien









Other rounds here!!