Last challenge: “Bad Parents“
AND WE’RE BACK.
Sorry — little holiday interruption last week.
This week, a bit of a quirky one.
You ever play those old-school Infocomm text adventures?
(Zork: “You are eaten by a grue.”)
I was a huge fan.
Now, there’s a Twitter account / bot that, if you tweet the word “inventory” to this particular Twitter bot — @YouAreCarrying — it will tweet back at you a randomized list of inventory items, taken, I believe, from old Infocomm games.
(Example:)
@ChuckWendig a chair, a broken clockwork canary, a green eyed rock, a veil, a skeleton key, a ransom note, a pretzel, a manhole cover.
— YOU ARE CARRYING: (@YouAreCarrying) July 11, 2014
So, I want you to do that.
(Or, if you don’t have a Twitter account, go pluck a tweet from the YouAreCarrying page.)
Take all the items listed in the response tweet (your “inventory”) and use them all — in some way, oblique, abstract or overt — in a flash fiction. We’ll up the word count to 2000 words for this one. Due by next Friday (7/18), noon EST. Post at your online space; drop a link below so folks can follow it back. And that’s it. Go forth. Get your inventory. Write a story.
Mark Gardner says:
I like this sort of flash… I still have 3 hours left at work 🙁
July 11, 2014 — 3:57 PM
Mark Gardner says:
Well, now. I tried a different genre for this flash. I don’t have twitter, so I just grabbed the result of Wishbringer’s tweet: an old bone, a letter, a rusty key, a white lab coat, a broom, a ticket, a dead branch, a gold coin. I finished at 1,836 words:
http://article94.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/the-key/
July 11, 2014 — 9:07 PM
Jake says:
That was wonderful. I’m glad I clicked that link. Keep it up!
July 14, 2014 — 6:07 PM
Mark Gardner says:
Thanks Jake!
July 14, 2014 — 9:50 PM
colinjkeats says:
That was nice. I wanted the old hag come back though…
July 18, 2014 — 3:49 AM
jjtoner says:
Brilliant story. JJ
July 18, 2014 — 4:02 PM
Pavowski says:
Neat. I guess this gives me a reason to finally create a twitter account….
July 11, 2014 — 3:58 PM
Pavowski says:
My list of items was: a crucifix, a jade figurine, a soccer ball, an ionic diffusion rasp (!), a veil, a coin, a pearl necklace, a manuscript, and Chaos (capital letters included). That’s right, one of my items was CHAOS.
Anyway, another dark one, and my apologies if it doesn’t hold together as well as I thought it did — I have been on some pretty serious painkillers for the past forty-eight hours. They may have affected my judgment and / or creativity and / or ability to tell if what I’m writing is any good or utter crap.
“Powdered Chaos” is here: https://pavorisms.wordpress.com/2014/07/12/powdered-chaos/
July 12, 2014 — 3:31 PM
hxcsasquatch says:
*slow claps* loved it.
July 14, 2014 — 8:53 PM
Hannah says:
This was really great–the pacing was quick, which I think worked really well.
July 18, 2014 — 12:07 PM
Pavowski says:
Thanks for that — I was afraid it moved a bit slowly, actually.
July 18, 2014 — 12:14 PM
jjtoner says:
Fantastic! JJ
July 18, 2014 — 4:03 PM
JP Juniper says:
I feel like I hit some kind of random inventory generation jackpot:
https://twitter.com/JP_Juniper/status/487692309312442368
Bourbon! A BRASS EGG!
July 11, 2014 — 4:28 PM
JP Juniper says:
Here’s the story, a touch long at 2070-ish words: http://www.jpjuniper.com/stories/2014/7/13/the-brass-egg
July 13, 2014 — 10:15 PM
mikes75 says:
That was fantastic!
July 16, 2014 — 1:08 PM
jjtoner says:
Superb historical fiction. JJ.
(I tried to comment on your website, but didn’t want to create yet another account!)
July 18, 2014 — 4:02 PM
colinjkeats says:
Beautiful beginning. You packed a lot into this one. It would be a lovely novella. As always, I’m a fan
July 18, 2014 — 3:57 AM
Hannah says:
Wow, this was amazing! Your description of the bourbon and the brass egg were so vivid without being overdone.
July 18, 2014 — 12:12 PM
Suzie says:
I got:
a gold coin, a platinum bar, a key, a tool chest, Emergency Oxygen Gear, a shim, a ZORK owner’s manual
Going to have to sleep on that one. ZORK owner’s manual is very specific!
July 11, 2014 — 6:41 PM
Suzie says:
And here’s my final story, a little bit post-apocalyptic: http://suziehunt.co.uk/fiction/flash-fiction/zork-owners-manual
July 13, 2014 — 11:04 AM
JP Juniper says:
Some really lovely turns of phrase and twists of plot here. The Stupendous War might be my new favorite phrase.
July 14, 2014 — 3:05 PM
Suzie says:
Haha, thanks 🙂 It was a lot of fun to write.
July 15, 2014 — 9:55 AM
colinjkeats says:
well done!
July 18, 2014 — 4:03 AM
Suzie says:
Thank you!
July 19, 2014 — 9:06 AM
Hannah says:
This was a fun read even if I’m not entirely familiar with ZORK! I liked the meta aspect.
July 18, 2014 — 12:37 PM
Suzie says:
Haha, I couldn’t really think how else to do it, with that ZORK OWner’s Manual. Glad you enjoyed it anyway, even without the background 🙂
July 19, 2014 — 9:07 AM
Hannah says:
Yeah, that one is pretty specific! The post-apocalyptic setting lent itself well–the character didn’t understand what ZORKs were either!
July 21, 2014 — 8:10 PM
jjtoner says:
Wonderful! I loved the way you built the world with such ease. I loved the robot, the man, and their fractured relationship. The phrase to caught my attention was: Often just a small interbred family. There’s a whole world in that phrase alone. JJ (tried to comment on yr website and git a 404 error ?!)
July 18, 2014 — 4:28 PM
Suzie says:
Thank you! I love post-apocalyptic worlds, they are my favourite 🙂 (I’ll have a look at what’s going on with the comments!)
July 19, 2014 — 9:08 AM
Raven Blackburn says:
Chinese food, a chalice, a steel box, a note, a gold rod, a gold leaf scroll, a stiletto, a silver bullet.
Ohhh nice.
July 11, 2014 — 7:45 PM
Jess Mahler says:
This will be interesting:
a lamp, a black pearl necklace, a safety line, clothes, a wand, a manila folder, a curved metal bar.
July 11, 2014 — 7:58 PM
mikes75 says:
OK, I’ve got:
A pair of sticks, a business card, a brass bell, a pumpkin, a massive chain, your gown, an earthworm, a key, a bearskin rug.
July 11, 2014 — 8:18 PM
mikes75 says:
Here it is, “How The Determined Earn Their Admittance.” I totally cheated on the business card, though. Oh, well, the rest is solid.
http://untitledunited.com/2014/07/16/a-youarecarrying-flash-fiction-challenge/
July 16, 2014 — 9:57 PM
colinjkeats says:
good stuff!
July 18, 2014 — 4:07 AM
Hannah says:
It took me longer than it should have to figure out Ella–but I LOVED the twist when I did.
July 18, 2014 — 12:44 PM
jjtoner says:
A good story. Great writing! JJ
July 18, 2014 — 4:40 PM
Joseph D. Stirling says:
Oh boy, how fun this is going to be!
So my inventory is: a screwdriver, a maid’s note, an ID card, a mysterious envelope, a pinch of spices, a jeweled brooch, and a flag of Quendor.
Lots of the things to play with! I’ll be back in a while with the results. 🙂
July 11, 2014 — 8:21 PM
L.S. Engler says:
Oh, now this is awesome. I have a feeling I am going to be pulling an awful lot of prompts from this. I practically learned how to read playing Zork…
July 11, 2014 — 8:52 PM
decayingorbits says:
This is a very cool FF project. The response I received is even better:
YouAreCarrying: @Decaying_Orbits a red boot, a flexible black circle, a chest, a camera bag, a white hemisphere, a telegram, a green aluminum Yale key.
A guy could have a good time in Vegas with all that stuff.
July 11, 2014 — 9:24 PM
Sean Lance (@Zenkrak) says:
YouAreCarrying: @Zenkrak a yellow punch card, a cup, a packing crate, a saucer, a perfect rose, a disk, a towel, a ribbon, a loose pile of junk mail.
How did they know?!?!
July 11, 2014 — 10:38 PM
Mari says:
YouAreCarrying: @mari_no_yumei a broken brass lantern, a red match, a lantern, a hermit, a diamond cluster, a screwdriver, a book of riddles
Well, I always wanted my own hermit to carry. Looking forward to writing this story.
July 11, 2014 — 11:27 PM
Mari says:
Some paranormal adventuring and normal swearing.
For lack of a better title at this time…
http://ghostsinthemachines.wordpress.com/2014/07/12/monsterland/
July 12, 2014 — 5:28 PM
authordjdavis says:
How do you fit a hermit into your pocket? Or does he ride on your back? Maybe the answer is in that book of riddles. 😉
July 12, 2014 — 6:09 PM
Mark Gardner says:
Could be a crab.
July 13, 2014 — 12:06 AM
Adrienne says:
Here we go: a fragment, a thin piece of paper, a bag, a bottle of cough medicine, a fiery orb, a green silk ribbon, a dark potion
Should be fun!
July 12, 2014 — 1:58 AM
Adrienne says:
Almost two hours late and I apologize. It was a fun challenge 🙂
http://thepaddedcastle.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/potion-problems/
July 18, 2014 — 1:49 PM
colinjkeats says:
OK got a cane, a clear potion, a cloud of orange smoke, a blood-stained paper towel, a battleaxe, floor wax, a wet overcoat.
This looks like a job for Quicksilver, Elf of the Urinals…
July 12, 2014 — 3:29 AM
angelacavanaugh says:
My items: a glittery orb, a broken brick, treasure, a can of grue repellent, a brass latern, a limp weed, a silver ornament.
http://angelacavanaugh.wordpress.com/2014/07/12/flash-fiction-friday-grue/
July 12, 2014 — 4:47 AM
Mark Gardner says:
The orb sounds like the beginning of many an adventure.
July 12, 2014 — 9:14 AM
antipelican says:
Woo, I had a strange list. I may have taken a loose approach to using my items, which were:
a six-pack of beer, spices, a clear crystal sphere, a suit of armour, Orkan of Thriff, a pacquet of paper, a torque, a memo.
And the resulting story-thing is here: http://booksishouldhavereadalongtimeago.wordpress.com/other-stuff/flash-fiction/great-acting/
July 12, 2014 — 7:22 AM
Mark Gardner says:
Too bad Peter didn’t stay long enough to learn a lesson…
July 12, 2014 — 9:23 AM
Mozette says:
Okay, I don’t have a Twitter account ,but made do with what Chuck suggested….
I got Deidrie’s necklace, a magazine, the second clue, a tourist brochure, the second contact lens, a maid’s note
Enjoy!
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/post-mortem.html
Let me know what you think!
Oh! And look out for my niece who is having a go at this flash fiction Friday thing too… she loves to write.
July 12, 2014 — 9:26 AM
Jinia Parker says:
Loved it!
July 12, 2014 — 10:45 AM
Mark Gardner says:
Great mystery! We don’t really know how it ends for you protagonist…
July 12, 2014 — 1:13 PM
Mozette says:
And guys there’s another one there I wrote last week… I thought Chuck’s blog had stuffed up the flash fiction date thing again, so I wrote one myself called ‘Due Date’ which nobody has looked at yet… go! Look! Let me know what you think! 😀
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/due-date.html
July 12, 2014 — 8:14 PM
Mozette says:
I wanted to leave it up to you guys to wonder about that… does she die? Doesn’t she die? Does he run, or not? After all he’s a cop doing the dirty and she has him cornered… if he commits another crime, his Captain will know exactly who did it and how to catch him. 🙂
July 12, 2014 — 9:19 PM
John Bryant (@wordtypes) says:
Gears are turning:
a rusty bucket, a morgia root, a cigarette case, a green lance, a Robot Use Authorization Form JZ-59-G, a skeleton.
July 12, 2014 — 10:23 AM
Iain Ropp says:
My first time doing one of Chuck’s flash fiction challenges. I got: a pair of muddy boots, a broken brick, a detonator, a garter, a letter, a large emerald, a knapsack, a four-gloop vial, a note.
Now just to figure out what the hell a “four-gloop vial” is…
July 12, 2014 — 12:27 PM
authordjdavis says:
I got: a pair of rubber boots, an orange wire, a blaster, a train ticket, a purchase and sale agreement, a black cable.
And here it be.
http://www.authordjdavis.com/?p=115
July 12, 2014 — 1:50 PM
Adrienne says:
I really liked this. I had to go back and read the first part, and now I want a third! Great job 🙂
July 19, 2014 — 1:51 AM
authordjdavis says:
Thanks! I didn’t intend to do a part two on that story, but it just fit so well. I’m seriously considering writing an entire novella based on those short stories.
July 19, 2014 — 11:01 AM
Catkins says:
I don’t have a twitter so I picked one at random with my eyes shut. Hit the jackpot! I am carrying: A cane, a wicker hamper, a muddy handgun, a notice, wild oats, a bottle of cheap scotch, a veil, a dead skink http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skink (click link for skink) and a spade.
I’m thinking grave-digging witch, with a limp and a fondness for budget booze. Posting story later 🙂
July 12, 2014 — 3:14 PM
Catkins says:
Okay, here’s my story, just in time 🙂 It’s called The Gravedigger’s assistant : http://the-room-of-lost-things.tumblr.com/post/92148644079/the-gravediggers-assistant
July 18, 2014 — 10:57 AM
Kurt Bali says:
I have: a bar of food, an elephant prod, a blue cable, a shipping carton, a rump roast, a longsword, giant nail clippers, a steak knife.
This should be…interesting…
July 12, 2014 — 4:58 PM
Samantha Millea says:
Ok I got a flexible black circle, a recipe cartridge, a clove of garlic, a matchbook, a wristwatch, a chair, a hermit.
Should be interesting…
July 13, 2014 — 6:54 AM
drewkrull says:
I feel like I’m late to the party, but here’s my piece, A Kerrnish Birthday. As a light-hearted fantasy piece, it’s a bit of a step outside of my comfort zone, so insights and critique are appreciated.
http://drewkrull.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/a-kerrnish-birthday/
July 14, 2014 — 9:56 PM
Adrienne says:
I loved the imagery. Great job!
July 19, 2014 — 2:01 AM
drewkrull says:
I can’t say I’m terribly familiar with Zork, but I think going post-apocalyptic was a good way to use the Owner’s Manual.
I’m just glad all of the items in my inventory were generic.
July 15, 2014 — 11:19 AM
Allison Maruska says:
I had to swipe someone else’s list, as I don’t have a Twitter account. I’m not listing the items because it’s more fun to make you guess. 🙂 Checks in a 1,920 words.
http://allisonmaruska.com/2014/07/15/flash-fiction-challenge-the-locked-chest/
July 15, 2014 — 2:08 PM
Helen Espinosa says:
My list was: a nightshirt, a tail, a handful of aspirin tablets, a canvas bag, a powder horn, salivating hedge shears, and a horseshoe
And here is the finished product: https://helenespinosa.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/the-forest-behind-my-house/
July 15, 2014 — 8:43 PM
Scott says:
I really enjoyed this one.
My list: a bike, a battered lantern, a sheet of paper, a bottle of cheap scotch, a key, a shovel, a large key, a magic boat
My story: http://scottlyerly.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/inventory-flash-fiction-challenge/
July 15, 2014 — 10:28 PM
Matthew X. Gomez says:
http://mxgomez.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/do-not-disturb/
A bizarre mix of sci-fi/fantasyhorror.
My words were: a pile of napkins, a blue punch card, a dark potion, a broom, a small machine, a hardhat, a flashlight, a diploma.
July 17, 2014 — 9:30 PM
momdude says:
For better or for worse, I think I may like this one as much as anything else I’ve written here for the last year. I went into my adventure game holding “a piece of ripped fabric, a shiny key, a big stick a piece of paper, a nasty knife, a black pearl necklace.”
http://pauljwillett.com/2014/07/17/flash-fiction-amusement/
July 18, 2014 — 3:04 AM
colinjkeats says:
Under the wire, crazy week. Here is my offering as it were. Haven’t written fantasy in along time. I call it Sucks to Be You.
http://colinjkeats.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/sucks-to-be-you/
July 18, 2014 — 3:45 AM
Beth Turnage says:
Fun read. Loved the “dwarf hardener.” Good job.
July 18, 2014 — 2:06 PM
jjtoner says:
A fine sliver of toves! Amazing. JJ
July 18, 2014 — 5:24 PM
Vicente L Ruiz says:
Arriving almost late to the party… here’s my entry. I don’t have a title for it.
Ah, this is what I got: “a black rod, a walkie-talkie, a clear potion, a banknote, an earring, a matchbook, a silver rod, a wooden key.” I twisted almost all of those…
https://plus.google.com/u/0/107723033976421966282/posts/aojvBxHznDe
July 18, 2014 — 7:41 AM
Beth Turnage says:
Hi Vicente, Fun story. IMO could use a polish. There are three colons relatively close together, one of them making one sentence a run-on. “You mad her go mad.” I assume this is “You her go mad,” thought
“You made her mad,” is simpler. I would have liked an explanation of what the clear potion was since it was used to threaten the troll.
July 18, 2014 — 1:54 PM
Vicente L Ruiz says:
In fact, I was frequently interrupted when writing it and should definitely have given it a second pass at least. The original intention for the sentence you mention was probably “You made her go mad”. Quite possibly your option is better.
And actually, in my mind when both men (unnamed on purpose) sit together, the clear potion would have been revelaed to be gin… but I forgot about it completely! Whatever it was that could affect a troll would have been left unexplained anyway, however. 🙂
Thanks for your comments, they’re much appreciated.
July 19, 2014 — 10:47 AM
Nikki says:
Whew, actually made the deadline this time! 🙂 My inventory: an arrow, a teapot decorated with sad bats, a brass token, a cake frosted with blue letters and a wooden life ring (preserver).
Here’s my post: http://nixdesk.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/artemis-rescue/
July 18, 2014 — 9:50 AM
Beth Turnage says:
Tough set of inventory items to work in. But you made it work. Charming story.
July 18, 2014 — 1:25 PM
Karen McCoy says:
I’m carrying a grouper nest, a quill, a dead rat, a white cable, a flashlight, a molecular hyperwave pincer (yay hitchhikers guide!), a lobster and a green rod.
This is fiction, but it’s based on a rather large kernel of truth: http://www.karenbmccoy.com/images/Best%20Man.pdf
July 18, 2014 — 10:11 AM
Beth Turnage says:
Hi Karen, Geez, we’ve all been there haven’t we, facing the one “that got away” and finding well, what your character found. I like the beginning very much. I would have preferred the ending a little subtler. Instead of her saying those things, thinking them, and then giving the Best Man an enigmatic smile sliding away from him. Solid story.
July 18, 2014 — 1:13 PM
Beth Turnage says:
My inventory: a two liter bottle of Classic Coke, a trash basket, a cake, a glass analysis, a pound note, a leaflet, a granola cluster
Cake–The Continuing Adventures of Alice Out of Wonderland: http://bethturnage.com/?p=136
July 18, 2014 — 10:14 AM
Karen McCoy says:
Great Alice retelling! I love all the cultural references you use–and loved the suspense at the end. There were a couple spots that were a bit more telling than showing, but overall, a wonderful story!
P.S. I agree about my ending–could have been stronger. I also got word-count confused, thinking 1,000 instead of 2,000. This will teach me to follow directions more closely. 🙂
July 18, 2014 — 7:12 PM
Beth Turnage says:
Karen–Thank you!
July 18, 2014 — 9:17 PM
Hannah says:
Squeaking in last minute with “Dirty Secrets”
http://secondstaronther.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/dirty-secrets/
Disclaimer: I hate titles. Hopefully the story is better than the title.
July 18, 2014 — 11:34 AM
Beth Turnage says:
Hannah, I thought the title was perfect. And for so few words you got out a lot of story. Good job.
July 18, 2014 — 12:17 PM
Hannah says:
Thank you! I got to about 1700 words and realized I needed to wrap it up soon–sometimes I think having 2,000 words is trickier than 1,000. Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reading!
July 18, 2014 — 12:39 PM
Anson Ash says:
Over a couple minutes. I’ve never done one of these before, so there’s that. Be gentle.
http://fictional.ansonash.com/fiction/terrible-minds-the-case-of-the-golden-canary.html
July 18, 2014 — 12:07 PM
Beth Turnage says:
Anson– Second person is always hard to carry off. Brave move. I think you did okay with it, though personally I thought it was a little jarring. My preference though. Couple small typos “dinner” for “diner”, “You’re employer?” for “Your employer?” “He’s seven Mr. Glade.” for “He’s seven, Mr. Glade.” “Noon” for “noon”. I know it’s a piece of flash but the ending felt to me a little unfinished. Someone paying off such a large debt? There’s gotta to be more to that, and more to the story. 😉
July 18, 2014 — 12:41 PM
Anson Ash says:
Thanks Beth. I usually go through a few edits but I just finished at the wire. I do appreciate the keen eye. And second person was jarring for me. I kept wanting to drift into first. I may apply the edits and credit your assist. 🙂
July 18, 2014 — 2:38 PM