Short Story Contests discussion

Instructions:
Please do not use a story previously used on goodreads. After the week's contest, you are welcome to put it on your profile writings, but please refrain from using stories you have already put on there.

You have until Saturday afternoon to post a story on here. Please post it directly onto this topic, rather than posting a link. Also, please do not discuss stories on here. You must go to Weekly Short Story Contest Discussion for that. This will avoid any clutter and confusion, so that people can simply come on here and read the story, without having to read comments on the story.

This week's Topic is Rapids. If anyone has any objections to this topic, please go to the Objections post. The rules are pretty loose. You could write about rapids, water, pretty much anything. Just have the word in the story :)

Weekly stories must be at least 500 words long to 2,500 words long. (if the whole story won't fit in one post, divide it into two)

Good luck!

Clare

P.S. PLEASE say if you would like to have your story on Short Story Galore, if you win. This way it wouldn't take me ages to get your consent afterwards. This includes adding a link to your stories. If you want to have your story on the Short Story Galore, but not the link, just say so.

You still have the guidelines from pink, instead of Rapids.

It's always the same guidelines, just a different prompt.

"You may write about colors, plants/fragrant flower, etc. You may use variant meanings, decorate with holes, using pinking shears, stabbing skin with a weapon, use pink as a noun like Pink elephants or pink-slip, about anything or just have the word in the story"

It is not the same guidelines haha, seeing as it uses the word pink about 12 times.

Oh, I skipped that part lol

Maybe she means to make it harder by applying the pink theme to this as well.

Christy wrote: "Oh, I skipped that part lol

Maybe she means to make it harder by applying the pink theme to this as well."

No.

Have more faith in yourself boy, you could do it if that were the case.

I already have my story idea, I just need to see exactly how she wants me to use it.

Well, you can rest assured, the pink part are just suggestions. The guidelines are the word count, due date, ect.

I'm sure this is helpful. I hope this is better than random pink definitions I pick out.

This week's Topic is Rapids. If anyone has any objections to this topic, please go to the Objections post. The rules are pretty loose. You may write about the turbulent part of a riverbed, fast-moving waters or waterfalls etc., or about anything but just have the word in the story; there is also another meaning for rapids which is having a chance to deal with posting random topics on online forums.

As always, good luck to everyone!!

Christy wrote: "Well, you can rest assured, the pink part are just suggestions. The guidelines are the word count, due date, ect."

The pink part are not suggestions, they are verbatim shit from last week that she forgot to replace.

I've made that mistake once, and dude Monolith corrected me by pointing it out (course he would).

Title: The Legend of the Exile
Author: Joelle
Words: 653


The dam held the water back. It kept the little village from being squashed by the water flow. The river started up in the mountain and cascaded all the way down to this part of the valley and then to the ocean a couple miles off. They built the dam so they could build the village. It's slightly shady handiwork, but its held.

The village wouldn't even be here, but there was no where else for the exiled to go. They needed somewhere to be, but the 'exiled' thing in the old town worked really well because there wasn't really anywhere else to go. It was follow the rules and stay here living or break the rules and leave to die. Most made the easy choice of living, but others didn't care much for the town. They wanted to have their own place to be. They didn't want to be at the bottom of the social chain anymore. So they took the risk and got themselves exiled.

The exiled all gathered and started their trek into the jungle on the same day. There was nowhere for them to go. They had to make a place. So they built the dam and made their new village in the now-dry riverbed. That was only about twenty years before and the dam has held strong, save for a few repairs they had to do. Every exile has gone there and their children live there with them. They live peacefully under the waterfalls that torrent down the mountain.

The old town tries to keep this "legend" from their people, but something that grand cannot be kept from anyone. So whenever life became too unbearable in the old town they would commit a crime and get sent into the jungle. They knew to follow the sound of the water to find the village. Where they could start over. They would build a new stone house for them and their families to live in. They would get one of the abounding jobs that their were. Farming, gathering, building, hunting. Anything that needed doing. The original exiled came to power and ran the village. They took pride in what they had created and ruled justly. They tossed out the 'exile' punishment because they knew the same thing could happen again. They had even begun a militia several years after they founded the village. They wouldn't want a new village rising against them.

Then the dam collapsed. There was no warning. Just the creak of the wood about to give. Then the rapids ripped through with a thundering crash. They took back the space they had been denied for twenty years. People screamed. They ran from the water they knew they would never escape. In an instant all the crops and livestock were swept away. The water rushed into the streets and picked up everyone there. In a matter of moments all but the stone houses had been washed away.

Everyone and everything in that riverbed perished. The 'Legend of the Exile' perished along with them. Never again a thing to embrace. Now a thought to be pushed away. Again, exile was feared. There was no where to go. The riverbed held too many bad memories. The jungle was thick with sacred trees. The danger of that riverbed was to never be forgotten. From that day when all those live were rushed down the river to the ocean.

----------

At least, that's how it could have gone. How these ruins became ruins. How the rapids came to be over this little village. The current shifted to reveal it a couple months ago and more history has been revealed. I am an archaeologist's daughter and ask a lot of 'what if' questions. I usually end up answering them myself. I am the kind of person that wonders about the past. Why is this here? Am I right? Or am I totally wrong?

Lonely Soul

Author: SiNgUrL

Words: 1022 words

I’ve gone to the woods alone looking for something until I found the river and sat there.

I was thinking of Troy, my best friend. I left him in our old town. We just moved here in this new town a week ago because my mom remarried and she wanted us to relocate with Uncle Christopher.

The river was calm and it didn’t look deep. I sat on the edge letting my feet feel the current when I heard a beautiful voice. It was singing an unknown song and I couldn’t understand anything from it because the singer was uttering a different language. Her voice was beautiful, captivating and heart-melting. So I stood up and followed the mystical voice.

It was coming from the river and I couldn’t stop myself from walking deep in the waters, now getting angrier turning into rapids that were beating up my body. It was too late to go back now, I was deep in the rapids when something caught my feet and pulled me deeper down the bottom.

I was drowning. This mustn’t be happening. I could still hear the singing voice now filled with pure loneliness and melancholy. I couldn’t feel anything but pity for the singing girl. The rapids were still beating up my body. The pressure under the water was choking me when I saw a light.

It was a very bright light and I saw the girl’s long golden hair. She looked human except for the gills and the scales on her whole body. She was very beautiful. No, very beautiful wouldn’t fit her appearance. She looked more than that and any man who would see her wouldn’t be frightened but be captivated with her beauty. Her eyes were pure of longing and sadness that made my heart break into pieces. How could someone so beautiful be so sad? It was a devastating scene.

She continued singing and even with the rapids beating up my body with anger her voice still lulled me into unconsciousness. I couldn’t open my eyes anymore. In the darkness was still her heavenly voice.

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

I woke up coughing out water. My lungs and whole body was hurting. I opened my eyes and Troy was there holding me.

“Where am I? The girl…” I asked immediately. She was the first thing that came up in my mind.

“What girl?” Troy asked me when I saw that we weren’t alone. There was an old man behind him who looked like a fisherman.

“I don’t… I can’t be sure if I was…I was… What happened anyway?” my thoughts were still blurry and I couldn’t figure out what to say or ask.

“You drowned and…” Troy held me tight in his arms now and trailed off.

“You mustn’t be lurking here alone, young lady!” the old man said while he puffed out the smoke from his cigar.

“This part is very dangerous. I bet you saw her, that bloody mermaid can still be here!” he spat.

“Mermaid?” Troy and I asked almost at the same time. Troy looked confused and I was scared.

“Neh! Everyone kept laughing at me whenever I told the tale about this river!” he shook his head and spat again.

“Told ‘em not to be lurking around here but they thought I only wanted this place for myself! Bloody idiots didn’t listen and what did they get?” he laughed mockingly.

“They lost three boys and a girl! I know that mermaid had them!” he smoked.

“What happened?” I straightened up still holding Troy’s hand.

“To those bloody kids? Well, served them right. They were lured by the beauty of that bloody creature’s voice and appearance!” he looked at us maybe looking for any sign that we would be laughing at him but I couldn’t laugh at him. I knew he was telling an inexplicable truth.

“Could’ve saved them if they didn’t laugh at me but they pissed me off and called me a crazy bastard!” he added.

“You didn’t save them because they laughed at you?” Troy asked in disbelief.

“I tried to but bloody kids had a gun and fired at me. Shot me in the shoulder,” he rubbed his left shoulder. He tried saving them but they shooed him off.

“You saw her, right?” he winced at me and I nodded in answer.

“Lucky, we got to you just in time!”

“What does she want with people? That… that mermaid?” I asked nervously.

“She’s alone. My dad’s best friend died protecting her a very long time ago. They were lovers – Edwin and her. Since then she got angry with people who get close to this part of the river and sings that cursed song which hypnotizes people causing them to follow it then they drown,” he shook his head and flicked away his cigar and stepped on it.

“When she sings the song, the calmness of the river is replaced by her anger and sadness then the deadly rapids come and drown people away,” he let out a deep breath then looked at me again and smiled.

“That’s… really sad,” I uttered. I felt pity for the mermaid. She was only lonely.

“Sad?” he grunted.

“Maybe. But she already killed four kids and some are still missing until now,” he said.

“But… but you. I mean she doesn’t hurt you or…?” Troy trailed off. I knew that like me he was curious to know why he was still alive even though he lives near this part of the forest that he told us was dangerous.

“Edwin, her lover gave me this pendant made of seashell that she only knew where to get. It helps me ignore her voice and appearance. I can’t leave this place. I protect the people from her,” he spat again.

And I realized he wasn’t that bad. He looked like a snob but he still cared for other people. I bet he also cared for the mermaid but he wouldn’t admit it to anyone. The poor lonely soul living in the river who wants a revenge that couldn’t be fulfilled whether how many she kills because she lost the only one she dared to love.

Then I realized Troy was with me once again. My near death experience and the tale of the river made me realize how important my life is and how I wanted to share it wholly with him, my best friend, Troy.

Davis wrote: "Christy wrote: "The pink part are not suggestions, they are verbatim shit from l..."

Explain to me how they aren't suggestions.

BECAUSE THEY ARE FROM LAST WEEK!

Christy, read the first post, they don't make sense in context. However, post 11 has suggestions.

Don't get bent out of shape you two, I just so enjoy hearing Davis talk.

Christy wrote: "Don't get bent out of shape you two, I just so enjoy hearing Davis talk."

I'm sure.

You amaze me with your aggression.

Whatever.

That's not what your dad said last night.

Christy wrote: "That's not what your dad said last night."

How eloquently mature.

It wasn't meant to be, but I always welcome a compliment.

I think you and I are going to be fast friends, Davis.

*groan*

AND you convey guttural responses in a forum conversation?

I think you're the ONE, Davis. The one.

Christy wrote: "AND you convey guttural responses in a forum conversation?

I think you're the ONE, Davis. The one."

Yes, please attempt to try and appear clever after showing your lack of any sort inference skills, please continue.

I would do anything for you, Davis. Anything.

lol.

Christy wrote: "I would do anything for you, Davis. Anything."

Please continue attempting to cover up the fact that you thought we had to write about rapids and pink, I'm finding it quite hilarious.

No, no, I admitted I was mistaken, I won't claim any different.

I find you fascinating Davis. I hope you do indeed find this entertaining, because my only wish is to make you happy.

Ugh, children.

Children!

I hadn't even thought of that, Davis, but if you think you're ready...

We'll have to wait for your balls to drop first, of course, but I can wait.

Randi's story
ACW: 907

WHITE-WATER RAFTING RACE


Chrisilla got up woke to the ring of her alarm clock. She didn't want to get up. Usually she is an early morning go-getter sort, but not since she entered Toby, Marissa, and herself in the white-water rafting race in the Colorado Rapids.

Chrisilla had been white-water rafting once, and only once. It was the thrill of her life. She just wanted to recapture that thrill of excitement. She guessed she could have just gone on another run with Toby and Marissa, but she involuntarily entered them to be her partners in the race. How will she ever make it up to them?

Toby got up about two hours before his alarm went off. Usually you must literally drag him out of bed around 12 noon, or he would never get up. However, since Chrisilla entered her into this darn race without asking, he is to uptight about the race and ticked off at Chrisilla for entering him in it before talking to him.

Toby had been white-water rafting many times, FOR FUN. He didn't go for this forced effort stuff. It was more of a pain than a thrill. He went for the thrill.

Marissa woke up just before her alarm went off. That was her usual routine in the morning. The race didn't seem to be causing her the distress Chrisilla and Toby were feeling.

It turned out that Marissa had been in about three other races. She won two out of the three. She had actually been pretty excited about being in another race. She wasn't about to tell Chrisilla any of this, though, since Chrisilla entered her without asking first.

Toby and Chrisilla certainly wouldn't have been Marissa choices for partners in this race, but since they were, she was going to drill them within an inch of their lives to get ready for this little shindig.

Today they were going clothes shopping for the affair. They needed t-shirts that don't soak in so much water that they cling to you, vests with lots of pockets and bouyant, and utility multi-pocketed Bermuda shorts that don't cling, plus hats to keep the sun off of their heads. They also needed some sturdy socks and some water-proof shoes.

They had already bought the intertube, SPF45, oars, snacks, water bottles, and everything else they needed for the jaunt. The clothes were the last thing to buy. After today, the real fun starts.

They shopped at several sporting goods stores and finally got all of the clothes they needed. It was, once again, an extravagent shopping trip. They had better be through buying things, because they were all going broke.

For the next month, they went out day after day, hour after hour to practice their skills for the race. They went down the California Rapids to practice for the Colorado Rapids.

Finally, the day they hopped on the plane to Colorado was here. They got there the requested week early. They checked in at the hotel, and plopped on the beds and relaxed for the first time in two months.

They decided they could allow themselves the luxury of relaxing, because they were kick-ass ready for the race. They were prepared for anything and everything Mother Nature could throw at them. It was a grueling month, but because of it, they were ready.

They had to end their rest to go to the invitational dinner honoring all of the participants. It was a catered affair.

The participants were given the rules and regulations to the race before they ate. They read them before and during their dinners, so they knew what questions they had to ask.

During the week, the participants checked in, registered, were interviewed, got to sightsee, had parties in their honor, etc.

It was a short race. It was supposed to be mostly for beginners. They allowed Marissa, though, since her partners, or at least one, was a rank amateur. It was an eight-mile race to the finish.

The time had arrived. The race was about to start. On your mark, get set, GO! They all got off evenly. No false starts.

The contestants were jostled, twisted, jolted, jumped, turned, etc.. They almost lost one or two here and there.

The end was near. Jocquin, CaraLee, and Carpenter were first on the route to the finish line. Rounding the bend next, were Marissa, Toby, and Chrisilla. The others were still in the stretch.

Marissa, Toby, and Chrisilla caught up with Jocquin, CaraLee, and Carpenter. Back and forth they went. Then came the finish line. The winners were Jocquin, CaraLee, and Carpenter. Marissa, Toby, and Chrisilla were a close second.

Marissa was more than happy with second place, considering the consequences. Toby and Chrisilla thought that coming in second was the worst thing that ever happened to them. As a matter of fact, they didn't even come to the ceremonies, because they were so upset.

The next day, they checked out and returned to California. All of their friends and neighbors through them a party that night. Only Marissa went.

Finally Toby and Chrisilla realized that the two of them were the least experienced of all of the participants in the race. It really was a good thing to come in second. How lucky they had been to have a pro with them.

The two of them decided to go to the party after all, but it was just breaking up. They were being such crybabies, they missed all of the fun stuff. They missed the closing ceremonies dinner and ceremonies and a big party. They wished they hadn't been so childish and upset. They missed the best part of all, the after race ceremonies, where they could have shown off their medals.

I like the new name Popularandi.

Christy, ha-ha you make me merry. You're thinking about children? lol

I guess you guys can forget about the pink episode. I made that mistake once and someone pointed it out later, I think he called himself Jeeves or monolith. He's a member of the group.

I wasn't thinking about children until Davis brought it up.

I now can't get my mind off of it!

babysit

Next time I'm with Davis's dad I'll ask, but I don't think thats the most romantic setting for my impregnation...

I can't think of an appropriate place, hum, I remember a stage play the lead actor Shawn had to drink cool-aid colored water from a port bottle, playing Higgins, but on the last night's stage, playing the My Fair Lady in front of a huge crowd, his mouth explodes spurting the drink because someone spiked the bottle with different alcohol. There's just no privacy in today's world.

Awesome short story randi, lol a moral ending for the bad sports. Maybe they just returned home and cleared out their attic space, eh!

Christy, please grow up before you attempt to speak to me again, thank you.

Alright Davis, I noted you were harassing Christy very meaninglessly also. I apologize if it helps, that I said anything to encourage either of the two of you to be randomly posting under the contest topic, and will remind you both this is not the comment topic, it's a contest. Refer the differences elsewhere, and if it's about someone's short story please discuss it under discussion topic. The quick link I believe is, http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/6...

I agree, thank you for calling me out Arthur, I apologize.

Oh my gosh, you guys!!! So sorry about the misdirection! Ak, I forgot to change it :( I've been super busy... Sorry again, for all the confusion!!

omg, hahah, I've been reading all the comments, and I feel really stupid for forgeting about it!!! Sorry!!!

Christy is the stupid one, not you.

Um, could you guys battle it out somewhere else? I mean, no offence, but this is the topic for 'short stories'... You're more than welcome to scoot over to the Topic Discussion and have at it! :D lol....

Haha, no, I think we're done. She admitted defeat.

lol alriiiight...