JapanForum.com - September Short Story Competition

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September Short Story Competition

You know, I've been thinking about doing this for a while, and I've finally decided to just go ahead. I'm quite bored right now and I want something fun to read...

This month, I'm going to start up a Short Story competition, and, if it gains any popularity at all, I'll consider carrying it on into next month, and so on.

An SSC basically involves the choosing of a topic for the month (normally it would be by the last months winner, but in this case I'll just come up with one), then writers post stories that relate to the topic by the deadline, then I'll open a poll thread so that the people may vote to determine the winner.

This months deadline is the 26th, that gives everyone a fair amount of time to come up with a story, and about four days of voting time. I think that's fair.

The rules are simple. Keep it within reasonable PG-13 limits, follow the basic rules of JF, don't copy other peoples works (duh...), be creative, try to stick as close to the topic as possible, and just overall do your best. Oh, and NO BASHING. PERIOD. I don't care if it sucks (not that I'm saying anyone's story's gonna suck), just don't say anything.

I know there's gotta be some creative people out there, so let's see you all jump in and make some of these competitions AWESOME.

I think the theme this month should be... I'm gonna go with

Quote:

The End Of The World.

It just seems appropriate, what with that big event that might happen on the tenth. Oh well. Anyways... You may begin thinking... NOW!

((Oh, BTW, if someone wants to do this with a Poetry competition, the position is open. I don't like poetry very much, lol :mtongue: )

Do we submit our stories here?

What event is supposed to happen on ther 10th?

Yes, submit your stories here so that all may see them.

Thank you, I forgot to mention this...

Begin all story posts with the words "Short Story Entry," followed by an empty line and a line of asterisks (these thingys: *)

This is more for my convenience so I can pick out the stories from any other clutter that may appear.

Example:

Short Story Entry

*********************

Also, from the point when you post your story to the deadline, you may post only ONE story, but you may edit, fine tune, and perfect your story as much as you want until the deadline arrives.

Basically, you have until I open the voting thread to do all you want to your story, including completely rewriting it, but you may have only one story post.

As for the tenth, read this thread: http://www.japanforum.com/forum/gene...end-world.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarleyGee (Post 577210)

What event is supposed to happen on ther 10th?

LHC, Google it ;_;

Time vortexes will eat us all

What do we win for the competition?

Bragging rights, lol...

I guess I could make a little signature thing or something to give to the winner.

Other than that, mostly just the ability to come up with the next months theme.

Come on people, I know there's gotta be some creative minds out there that can write a decent story...

BTW, I'm only staying out of this one since this is the first. From next month on, I'll be writing my own stories for these.

Hum...bragging rights hum.....Now the question is should I post it now or a minute before the deadline.

Who are the judges?

yeah who's going to judge which stories end up on the poll and which dont?

Just to clarify, about the theme, just write about the "end of the world." It doesn't have to have anything to do with the LHC or anything like that, just End of the World.

As for which stories get put up, all of them. The judges for who wins are the people.

But ALL the stories are going to be put in the poll, and if I get too many for a poll, I'll just have people post their votes.

That help?

O_o hmm okay works for me

is it okay if we have a "not to good grammar"? I'm afraid mine is bad T___T
BUt i want to join the contest..

I think I'll be joining this!

Okay this is mine. I hope it isn't the only entry! Get posting everyone ~

Quote:

Amy pressed her face against the window. Ice crept upon it, glistening in the bright morning sun, while wood worm ate away at the mahogany panes, leaving decaying slabs of wood scattered across the sill and gathering on the floor. Amy saw her pallid reflection in the glass, the ghostly grey eyes staring back. The ashen skin so pale looked limp and tired, the dark grey lines beneath her eyes indicated lost sleep, sleep that needed to be regained. The only sign of life lay upon the vivid colour on her lips, the crimson flow of life and blood.

Her awakening left her ravenous. She had slept so long she had forgotten what it was like to be quenched with full life. Her depressed expression was more than just melancholy; it was of devastation and betrayal. She barely remembered anything but the hot blood sizzling on her lips, the only essence of her existence.

Why now? Something must have woken her from her beautiful slumber. She was so content lying there, unable to think, unable to breathe, unable to lust for the blood of her life. Once she drank no more in reality, she thought that the ritual was to end and the curse lifted, but revived was she and hungry, more so than she had ever felt.

Her expression of devastation turned to that of deep anger. Enraged, she turned from the window, and made to find the person who had risen her. There, she would find her first meal.

Running down the flight of dusty spiral stairs, she hauled away the mahogany chest of draws that was blocking the main entranceway, sending a billowing cloud of dust and cobwebs whirling into the air. The atmosphere was musty and damp, the house untouched for hundreds of years. Sifts of light shone through the patched up windows, something Amy had not seen since she last closed her eyes.

Finally, the heavy door opened to reveal bursts of blinding icy sunlight – but wait? The land before her eyes stretched out for miles and miles, baron, plain, and still. Nothing stirred, nothing made a sound. The whole landscape had been transformed into vast piles of rubble and sand. What had once been a bustling village was now desolate and lonely. No-one was to be seen beyond the horizon, there were no fields, mountains, trees or birds. Just nothing, like the limbo between heaven and hell, with a sprinkle of icy mist. ‘So this is why I was awoken,’ whispered Amy to herself, her eyes wide with awe, ‘This is the end of the world.’

Nice! Our first entry, and definately a strong competitor.

Grammer issues are excusable, so long as you can get your point across. If people can understand what you're trying to say, go for it.

Oh thisnis going to be quite interesting. I have a question though.
Can we choose the area/world to work in?

Here's my entry. Its been a while since I've wrote anything like this, makes me wonder why I ever stopped.

Quote:

Dawn. The sun rising over the mountains revealed what was once a beautiful land now ruined. All that was left was a wasteland. Fields of wheat, maize and other crops all destroyed. Some of the fires still burned in the distance where the locals had been unable to put out the fires. Bodies of those who had tried to save their livelihood lay strewn around, most burned beyond recognition. But some, some where different. Some of the bodies were slightly paler, almost as if the life had been drained right out of them.

Khalos kneeled next to one of these bodies, examining it closely. He had seen many corpses in his life, and this one wasn’t one of the nicest. Still he kept his composure whilst he worked; checking the pockets of what was once a peasant. His partner on the other hand was still violently throwing up what small breakfast she’d had when they first saw the fires. She’d been travelling with him for a few years now, but still had trouble when it came to fresh corpses of the living. Wiping her mouth she turned, the dark leather of her cloak rustling slightly in the wind.

“Found anything?” she asked, still standing a little way from the body.
“Yes. It was as we feared.” Khalos rose, turning towards her. “The wounds on his neck are too similar to yours for it to be anything other than one of them.”
She shuddered, remembering the experience. It had been 5 years and still it gave her nightmares. Not that she would admit it anyway.
“What happens now?” she asked, knowing the answer but hoping, pleading that it would be different. He gave her an appraising look, already knowing that she was afraid of the answer. Calmly he walked past her, picking up his pack and slinging it over his shoulder in the process.
“We go after whatever it was that did this. Maybe we can get some recompense for the destruction to the crops here. Either way it ends here.”
Following after him, she notices the small group of peasants trying to find any crops left after the fires.
“And what of the locals? Can we not help them, in some way?” Her voice was no longer pleading, she believed that these people needed there help above all else now. Khalos looked at the peasants, at the way they worked in the fields.
“No. All we can do to help is ensure no-one else suffers the same fate,” He looked at her, noticing a single strand of red hair had fallen past her hood, his gaze boring deep into her, “For these people, the world has just ended.”

here's mine

Short Stoy Entry: As the world ends

***************

Alexia woke with a start, not remembering where she was, she looked around saw a chair over turned, a small table with two of its legs broken, she looked at the walls, they were painted a lavender color and the window was to her left, the bed she was in bore white sheets and a blue comforter but otherwise the room was plain. Then she began to remember, the night before was slightly blurry, she’d been walking the entire day before and well into the night when she found the empty house. She got up, stretched and ignored the complaint that her legs gave her and went to look out the window of the house she was in, and with the rising sun she saw the devastation of town. Since she was close to passing out the night before, and the fact the she couldn’t see much, she never got to study her surroundings well. Most of the buildings were either burned down or collapsed. Bodies of the dead littered the roads, some with burns, others crushed between cars or crushed by the debris of the collapsed buildings. She looked away, flashes of her mother’s face and screams threaten to take her, she pushed the memories back but not fast enough, she saw it all over again.

Two weeks ago the world was going about its business, when something happened. No one new what or why but whatever it was, was causing fires to spring up everywhere, buildings to collapse, massive sinkholes were devastating the bigger cities, volcanoes were erupting, tsunami’s were threatening the worlds shores, in some places the land was reforming, rock pushing up from underground creating small mountains everywhere and people and animals were dropping dead like death was having a race with itself to see how many it could kill. Alexia was at her second job when it all began, listening on the radio as the strange events spread itself across the world like a ripple, then she her own building started to shake and at the same time got a call on her cell, it was one of her parents neighbors, her parents house was on fire. She rushed to her parents but she was late, their house was burning down, as was the rest of the neighborhood. She heard and saw her mother scream as she tried to run thru the window to get out, she ran to help he but a firefighter grabbed her and got her away form the scene. At the same moment the house collapsed.

Alexia let the memory sink in, for the first time in six years, she cried. Tears were flowing there way out and running down her cheek. In the line of work she never showed her true emotions, but now she let herself cry a bit as she remembered the events of that day. She had ran back to her apartment building which was still standing and being evacuated and ran up to her second floor apartment. By now her assassin/military training was kicked on and was speeding thru everything she needed before she left. She ransacked her closet for clothes, maps, guns, some ammo, radio and her favorite boots. She grabbed a bag dumped everything in it, quickly changed into her black jeans, black shirt and out the door she left. Since then she’d been traveling towards her headquarters only to find it in ruins and everyone dead. She’d been listening to the radio, someone had broadcasted a very interesting theory as to what happened and she was headed towards the broadcasters location, she kept the radio on the same channel but occasionally heard the other ones, and of course everyone had a multitude of theories, but they all agreed on one thing, it was the end of the world.

Wo.w that's a VERY short story. Is there any limit on how many words? Since my stories are usually effective when they are long. But if you give me the room, I can make my stories short, et long enough to give me room. IS there a set limit?

I may enterrrrs o.o :p someone needs to be the last too

Story moved to the fourth page.

Any length is allowed, so long as it fits in one post. :)

Alright! Some REALLY good entries so far. Can't wait to see who else decides to enter.

@ Salvanas

That was pretty good

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eiri (Post 583769)

@ Salvanas

That was pretty good

Thank you, I really enjoyed yours and other peoples too. Although, I know for a fact that I could do better. OH well, I'll leave that next months short story competition.

yeah, I also look foward to reading what other ppl write

Wow everyone's story are amazing! Oku-san great job! (-_^)b

Here's mine, i'm sorry if it's bad m(>_<)m gomen~

short story enrty

************

The clunk forces me to open my eyes, it’s come from a red painted drilling machine not so far from my supine body. I wipe my eyes, feels like i have been fallen asleep for years, my both eyelid are heavy.

“Are you ok?” Suddenly I hear a voice whisper in my ear. It’s a very soft voice and cause a warm feeling in my cheek when that someone’s gasp touch my right cheek.

I look around and to my surprise i find a girl with white straight hair with black empire dress sit in my right side, and she’s staring at me with her grey beautifull lustrous eyes. No heavy make up as I thought she’s just got home from a hallowen party. Only glossy pink lips and thick eyeliner decorating her innocent face.

“Do you believe in fairytale?” said her as she touch my face.

“…” I could hardly breath as her face come closer to mine when she ask that sentence.’’

Do I believe in fairytale…..why?

“Because what I’m about to tell you is not reallity…” suddenly she answer the question which I speak in my mind as if she could read my mind, or she really can.

“I …I don’t know…” I see her face look dissapointed as she hear my answer. I’ve just conscious from my faint, and I find a girl in odd appearance and ask me if I believe in fairytale. I even find bizzare view around me and no one be nice enough to explain to me what’s going on during I faint. I just need to know where I’m at.

“I wish you could belive in fairytale, prince….” She kiss my lips soft and I open my eyes wide. I never kiss someone before, is this a dream? My fantasy dream?

She then caressing her long hair as she awaken from her position. “Look around you prince, everyone are about to dissapear, the drilling machine will go far inside this world and crash whatever exist. I live here to protect you, but I will no longer be here if that machine destroy all. You must wake up.” Said her in really sorrowfull view.

“I don’t understand?” I awaken from my position and approaching her. “Tell me what’s going on? I’ve woke up, you see I’m standing in front of you now.”

“No” she take my hands and throw deep sight into my eyes.

“You woke up in this world, the world which formed by your soul, everything was exist here but now it’s about to end. I was having many friends, your happiness form, your fright form, your sadness form…, they’re all dissapear one by one, your world are about to end..if you don’t wake up in your real world.” She again touched my face but now in a cold feel.

“…..” I kept quite, and she continue her words.

“You were hit by a car this evening, come..” she took my hand and inviting me to a place with plain. There’s only a mirror hanging in.. nothing!

“Look into it” she point at the mirror.

In mixed feeling of worry, afraid, curious, I take step closer to the mirror and look into it, in a glimpse I see faces I recognize…my mom, dad…and my little sister Haylie. I see they’re all crying, surrounding someone’s body that lying on a bed with white blanket covered his body untill chest. I move forward to the mirror to make sure my sight. And how surprise I am to find that lying body is.. me.

I move back and my cold sweat start to flow in my forehead. My body shaking, if this is a dream then I want to get out from here quick.

“This isn’t a dream..” she surprise me by suddenly be in my left side, in split second.

“…..am…am I dead?” my voice start to sound brittle when I ask that question.

She smile, “No…you’re just..unconcious, that’s why I take you here to make you wake up, so you can save this world”

“Okay, I process it…but who are you anyway …” because all of this odd things I forgot to ask who she is.

“I’m the love…of you” she point her forefinger precise to my chest.

“This is the world inside of you, if you die, we are all gonna die too. I’ve lost the happiness, sadness, fright, shy, clumsy…, but you can bring them back. You just need to collect your power, a willing to live…”

I stare her grey eyes, “…I belive you……I want to live, tell me what should I do? I forgot many things including how I can hit by a car, I will listening..”

She nod slowly. Suddenly from the place we stand emerge water from the soil that slowly freeze, forming a lader to nowhere.

“Come..” she give out her hand and I take it.

“If we come to the last step, you must jump” said her.

I’m quickly let go her hand and move back, “Wow no thanks, I’m afraid of high”

She again smile, “It’s okay, you wouldn’t feel the pain”

I swallow my spit, I already said I belive her so I cannot move back. I then took her hand and follow her step.

Not so long we came into last step as she say, it feel we experience it in short time but amazingly we’ve passed like thousand steps, I couldn’t see the land again. All I see is grey clouds. Covering all including the tip of lader.

“Now jump prince…” said her, still in soft voice.

“Well….okay I might not the bravest guy in the world, but ..uh.. yeah okay I’ll jump” I take my position, I need several time to make sure my decision untill I finally do it. I jump.

“Whoaaaa…” I scream as I feel my body being pulled by gravitation.

Whatever it is, I want it to over….

Suddenly I been surrounded by deep dark, I feel my body light like feather. When I look around I see there’s white dot towards me. Move so fast like an arrow making straight line approaching me. I’m panic but nothing I can do, in split second that dot penetrate my chest. And I couldn’t feel my body.

***

“Toby…honey..” I feel someone’s hand caressing my forehead.

I open my eyes slowly and I find mom’s face, she look thin, I can see wrinkle at the edge of her vulnerable eyes.

“Tobias” She hold my hand and take it in front of her lips and started to kiss it many time. “Thank god, Tobias” said her.

“I’ll call the doctor!” I look dad quickly run out from the room.

“What …happen….” Ask me. I almost choke as I feel my throat dry.

“You were coma for two years, do you remember? You were hit by a car when you walk home from school?”

I’m very surprise this isn’t dream.

“We’re very thankgod you finally woke up, you must be lonely there during sleeping..”

I smile, “No mom, ....when everything start to fade, ...love still accompany me…”

I remember her, though she’s not real but I’m so glad to know that she’s in my soul.

“I believe in fairytale…I believe in you..”

~owari~

......pretty interesting, I like it

Quote:

......pretty interesting, I like it

is this compliment to my story? if so thank you so much, i like your story :)

yeah its a compliment :)

A nice story Koyuki :)

And thank you.

@ Eiri : Again, thank you :)

@Oku-san : Thank you! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Altaru (Post 583762)

Any length is allowed, so long as it fits in one post. :)

Alright! Some REALLY good entries so far. Can't wait to see who else decides to enter.

Any length allowed? You know some short stories can be pretty long. Does JF have a limit to the post? I'm working on one, but everyone will hate me for being so looooooong!

Quote:

Originally Posted by xceeding (Post 584342)

Any length allowed? You know some short stories can be pretty long. Does JF have a limit to the post? I'm working on one, but everyone will hate me for being so looooooong!

I'm looking forward to it really my friend.

well heres mine...havent written any stories like this in 10 years...please let me know what you guys think...

Short story entry

***********
The end is the beginning is the end

I heard it before i felt it....

rumbling getting ever closer, ever nearer...until everything in the house is shaking.
I havent felt anything like this since i was 10 years old...the memories of it comes back to me...
Stumbling out of my room i see my mum & dad....the very people that i wouldnt think would be
in the same room with one another...running trying to get as many possesions as they can

Mom i yell. MOM! WE HAVE TO GET OUT NOW
But were would we go? she asks look outside...
all the while the rumbling is still going on....tears are pouring out of my face...why isnt this stopping?
then i see it...
over the horizon some 5 miles away....the earth is rising like a tsunami...the reason? the biggest beast i have ever seen...colossus in animal form borne from the very depths of hell....
as he advances there is really nothing else that we can do. running is no longer an option
& this beast will surely destroy what is left of this world....as i see many other beasts like these heading towards this town as though this was their intended target
then...
a heavy silence fills my ears..the rumbling stops & the beast disappears...i don't want to believe that he is gone...& soon my self fulfilled prophecy comes to life...he comes up from under the earth
as though he was a dolphin & the earth is its ocean...& at this point I truly wonder if this the end of the wo-BAM!!!!

I decided to edit my story and add more parts into it.

---------Title: 'Not today. Not tonight.'

The sun, descending into the mist that crept over the horizon like a giant hulking beast, was a deep red as it set for the last time in Darius' time. Drinking in the sight, Darius let out a small, silent sigh. There would be no point in thinking that he would survive this endless night.

The landscape in front of him stood barren and ashen. What once used to be the fabled 'Garden's of the Eisen', where flowers of every kind had bloomed, and the birds of the world once sang, day and night, now was silent and grey. Where ponds and lakes once glistened in the sunlight, now only stood craters and poisonous swamps and bogs. It was a sad sight to behold, how low and corrupt everything had fallen.

The Larulian's had arrived 15 years ago. Huge, slimy creatures with the minds to grasp such complex and powerful technology, that could only be classed as futuristic. Their arrival, at first was peaceful, and the human's had established a proper trade system with the Larulian's. Soon, the Human's took examples of the Larulian technology, and started to build upon it and made it their own type. Ten years ago, the Human race truly peaked and prospered. But peace was not to be held, at first, a feud between a high ranking Human and Larulian started to sprout, and by the third year of the feud the whole world was thrown into war.

As a result, all but Eisen, the main capital of the Human's world, was destroyed. And now, Darius the General of the Militian Army, stood alone on the hills of the Eisen, looking upon the final battlefield.

A dark haired man jogged from the army who stood outside the capital gates and stopped beside him. "My Lord Xer'quil. The army has assembled, awaiting your command..." Laguna, his second in command, and childhood friend. "Pardon my musing my Lord, for it may not be my place to speak, but I think we might stand a chance!"
A small chuckle emanated from Darius' cracked, closed lips. Even nearing forty, Laguna still had his childish outlooks on life, ever believing in hope, one that Darius was glad to have at times. But not here. Not today. Not tonight. "Laguna, can you remember the day when we sat on the swings, talking about how we dreamed of being on the front lines of the army, staring death in the eye, together?"

At first no sound came from beside him, but gradually Laguna spoke, his voice strong yet doubtful at where this conversation would lead. "Ofcourse, Darius. That was the day we decided to join the Militian Army. But, little did we know that we would rise so high." He grinned at the thought.
"Aye." Darius replied, "We were naive, we believed in honor and all that what not. That was thirty years ago. We have grown from that point on, Laguna. You of all people should know that we have no hope today."
Not a word came form Laguna, but Darius could feel the sadness and depression that weighed heavy onto the air. He could smell the fear, taste the tears that fell from the soft cheeks of the women in the city. Even out here.

Turning, Darius regarded his friend carefully. Although his friend's hair and smooth face was opposite to Darius' features, who's face was creviced with wrinkles and hair shot with silver, his eyes and tall body mirrored Darius' build. Their eyes, forever sharp to the truth and their bodies built to take the damage, they were fine candidates for the higher positions. "At times, Laguna, I wish we had not climbed so high, sometimes I wish-"
"Regrets are not for today, Old man. You told me that yourself. Not today. Not today." Laguna replied, "What did you expect, Darius? Old man, we have grown and lived our lives already. It is our job to lead these men, our brothers to their graves. No one said it would be easy."

Old man. Hah, even though they were the same age, Darius' looks always provoked the humourous nickname from Laguna.

A roar, filling the air with mechanical hatred, shattered the very air around the humans causing many to look around in fear and many to stumble to the ground.

"They've arrived." Laguna said with a sigh.
"They're late." Darius replied sarcastically.

The night sky, void of stars suddenly lit up with lights. Moving lights. The roar of the ships that started to descend onto the battlefield blocked out the chance to think. Darius had never been able to think in such noise. Some of the lighter ships started to whiz over their heads, their light pitched engines giving a melody to the roars of the transporter ships. Soon, those ships would land, and they would be chest deep with Larulian's.

As the ships started to land, he could hear the charge of the buster rifles his men used. It seemed to him that the men were ready for a battle. A battle they could not win.

"Laguna, get the men." Darius' long dark hair whipped about him in a frenzy as the roars of the beasts reached his ears. He heard Laguna turn his back and jog down the hill towards the army. Taking a huge gulp of air, and smelling the last fresh air he will encounter from this point on, Darius came to terms with his past and his life.

"It's a good day to die, a good night." With a laugh, he hefted his Blast Charger, charging it to fully automatic.

The transporter gates were opened and slowly, hordes of Larulian's started to march onto the city. Like predator's calmly approaching their trapped and doomed prey. Judging their speed and distance, Darius decided he had enough for one last speech and so turned to his men with a grin on his face. Raising his voice so he could be heard, he lifted a clenched fist into the air.

"Men. Our time is near. But let's show these beasts, that although outnumbered, we fight like ten of their slimy kind! I don't know about you, my brothers, but I'll be DAMNED if I don't take sixteen of those bastards with me!" With a roar, Darius led the final charge of humanity down to slopes of the Eisen. His roar, amplified by his brother's roars, started the beginning of the end. The battle for a victory that didn't exist. The end of the world.

----------------

There, I'm much more happier with that. Abit longer, but short enough for more detail.

Sweet baby bits this is amazing! I'm going to get started right away, and I'll have it ready in a few days!

Wow...sorry, got a bit fan-boyish there.

I'm gathering around 500-800 words is the limit?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThirdSight (Post 585830)

Sweet baby bits this is amazing! I'm going to get started right away, and I'll have it ready in a few days!

Wow...sorry, got a bit fan-boyish there.

I'm gathering around 500-800 words is the limit?

I don't think there's a set limit, as long as it's not a novel. I'm looking forward to read yours.

@Eiri- i like your story alot!XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD

*Bump*

About 7 more days friends. I'd like to see as many entries as possible. ;)

...i dont think this is going to get any more posts...unless you tell ppl about in the general discussions page or something >_>