Exercises

Quick story writing technique (see here for description).

Phrase: the violence of the storm
Action: made his move
Noun: leather pants

Reginald disengaged his personal flotation device and strode from the sea. Holiday makers scattered like sandblasted paint—not surprising considering Reginald wore the latest in shark synthsuits. It’s not every day you see a six foot shark swaggering on his tail fins up onto the beach, after all.

The reality check crew would be back later to clean up the mess, thought Reginald. Unfortunately, the violence of the storm that he had just negotiated meant his spinal column link was waterlogged and out of action, meaning he was on his own for the nonce. Nothing that an experienced agent like Reginald wasn&rsquot used to. He unzipped the synthsuit to reveal an immacualte Armani suit, discarding it just in time to hit the promenade and avoid sand damage to his Italian shoes.

Things would have worked perfectly had not Herr Brunschtikler already made his move. From an eagle’s perch on the highest tower of the thirteenth century fortress that clutched the nearby promontory like a wino’s hand, the evil mastermind reached into his tight leather pants and extracted the one bullet he had been saving for Agent Reginald these seventeen years. With undisguised relish he fitted it neatly into the clip and, in turn, into the Kalashnikov he so lovingly cradled on the tower wall.

by Peter Gifford

Phrase: friends are forever
Action: removing his pants
Noun: parsley

There wasn’t much time. Adrienne knew that if they didn’t make it out of the tunnel, it would soon fill with the thickest black slime and smother them all. Or both. Or however many were crawling through. There was no turning back. Provisions were low. Body temperatures fell and their hands were clammy. Then, at last, the light at the end of the tunnel. Adrienne kissed Alexander and felt boundless happioness.

“Friends are forever!” she cried as they walked, faster now, toward the light.

But something was wrong. They kept walking, but the light seemed further away than ever. Axel said as much, and was cuffed over the head by Adrienne and quickly shut up.

The path veered upward, left, right. The light lead them ever onwards. Rats crossed their path, and the odd trickle of water wet their hair. Axel was so annoyed by this he ended up removing his wig.

At last they stopped, ate the last of the vegemite toast and drank the cold tea. Andrew was so disgusted he almost spat it out, but Adrienne reminded him he needed his strength. The light ahead now glowed a warm orange instead of the harsh fluorescent violet of previosly. Then, Axel noticed parsley growing from the brick walls, and Adrienne knew they were close.

They pressed on. And up. Reached the end. Looked out. And looked over a vast red white light of nothingness. There was no-where.

“is this all!” cried Axel. Andrew cuffed his ear. Adrienne instructed them all to hold hands.

“Close your eyes and count to three,” she said.

And on three, they all jumped.

by Karen Goldrick