The next weekly challenge topic is: Together
LISA
The Weekly Shop
You’ve met Paul before I think, he’s just doing his weekly shop at the local hardware store. He likes their range (they sell plastic sheeting by the metre) but isn’t sure about the staff. Since the latest Netflix trend for true crime documentaries he always gets a comment when he buys cable ties.
Today’s no exception, as he lifts his massive bottles of acid back into the trolley.
“Did you find all you wanted today Mr Dahmer?” She giggles as she says it.
He thinks of that laughter as he waits in the car park for her shift to end.
RICHARD
Boldly gone.
With the probe at this range, messages take several weeks to reach us. That means, if the aliens are able to get their act together quickly enough after first contact, they could be orbiting earth before we have a chance to prepare.
That’s assuming the aliens can travel at near light speed, if they’re able to travel at all; for all we know, they could be a bunch of hairy apes, throwing bones around and incapable of speech.
Better that, than a warlike race that’s already seen us coming, and are gathering their forces in space… Just beyond our view.
TOM
Date Stamp 2523 Ministry of Defense Classified Your Eyes Only:
Designed for primary cooking, defrosting, and reheating, the “Radarange” heats food by microwave energy generated at 2450 megacycles, produced by QK-390 continuous wave, air-cooled magnetrons. In model 1161, two magnetrons produce a maximum of 1600 watts. The food in the “Radarange” oven is penetrated by the microwaves to a depth of about 2 1/2 inches. The microwave energy sets up molecular friction deep within the food. No physical change takes place in the food, except the normal changes caused by the heat. The stainless steel of the oven resist microwave penetration, they do not get hot.
The reason for my absence
For a decade and a half, we got our internet service from Mediacom. The relationship was combative. Being the last power pole in our corner of the county the company often sent us letters stating we were not on any of their service maps. Thus, no equipment was present at that power pole. To one part of the company, we didn’t exist. But to the billing department we did. Try as we may we couldn’t get a second line added, because there was no first line present. So we ran lines to the max of the physical limit of the fiber optics.
In the exit installment we will address the wisdom of redundant systems. To be continued
SERENDIPIDY
Beyond the range of human senses there exists an entirely different world, about which we know little, and understand less.
Very occasionally, our two worlds collide, leading to ghostly experiences, alien encounters, and all manner of strange and unsettling phenomenon. Barely tangible, often unbelievable, and always disturbing.
But, it works both ways, and just as we experience strange connections with ‘the other side’, we are just as intriguing to those who meet with us.
Just imagine waking up one dark night, and there, hovering in a corner of your room, is the utterly terrifying, unexplained, ghostly presence of…
LIZZIE
I was setting up the new store display. Pillows and whatever… Plus the robot, of course. The boss loved the robot.
That’s when a customer asked “What’s the price range?”
How do I know?!
“We don’t sell peace and quiet, sir.”
He opened his mouth as if to say something. Then, he gave up.
Stupid customers.
“Anything else, sir?”
That’s when he snatched the robot and ran!
The range on the tracker was huge. I didn’t bother chasing him. The boss would find it.
I, however, had trouble finding a new job.
Peace and quiet… I wish someone sold that.
NORVAL JOE
Billbert thought about what the old man had said. If he was the stronger of the pair, and he amplified Sabrina, if he could touch her, maybe she would be able to bring in a tornado or something.
As he concentrated on moving toward her, Billbert realized he was floating just above the floor. The dark knights influence over his powers was only when they touched him. They didn’t have a range effect.
Billbert shot forward, scooped up Sabrina and blasted through the cabin door to freedom.
Then the old man called after them, “I still have your other friend.”
PLANET Z
Home on the range.
Where the deer and antelope play.
What do they play?
Tag? No.
Poker? No. Dogs play poker.
You know, the painting.
Deer play Russian Roulette.
They saw The Deer Hunter, and deer are impressionable.
And invite the antelope into their games.
They can’t get a hold of revolvers, so they use hunting rifles left by careless hunters.
Somehow, they get them loaded and pointed at their heads.
And pull the trigger.
Nobody wins. The deer. the antelope.
Or the hunters.
Can’t even do anything with the heads.
All blown apart, nothing left to stuff and mount.