So, I made the final round of NYCMidnight’s “Tweet Me a Story” contest. So, the remaining writers all got the same word last night to use in our 140-character stories. So, the word was “tear.”
Here’s what I submitted, with titles added afterward for fun:
Last Call
“Aren’t you skydiving?”
“Yup.”
“You’re calling from midair? That’s sweet!”
“I love you…” he said, watching the tear in the fabric spread.
Father Knows Best
“But I loved him, daddy!”
“Wipe that tear away, honey. Other boys will respect you more.”
“How do you know?”
“Because they’ll see his body.”
Anything for You
“You said you were too happy to write tear jerking songs?”
“Yeah?”
“I just stole your truck to go sleep with your sister.”
“Oh, I love you!”
Interestingly, all of them are about love, one way or another. Noticed that after I submitted them. Here’s what I didn’t submit, and why.
Whatever Works
She watched him slowly tear out a coupon. For an hour.
“This saves me money,” he said.
“Clipping for an hour?”
“Not shopping for an hour.”
Cute, but not as good as the other three and not much of a story, anyway.
Poetic Injustice
A single tear dripped, fell.
“How many more?” the demon asked his partner.
“A million.”
They both grinned. “Welcome to hell, Mr. Cheney.”
Well, I liked it, but it’s a bit snarky. Besides, it might cost me votes in the red states.
God Darn It
Scientists clapped as the tear in space grew.
“Beat that, religion!” they said, never noticing the needle and thread coming from the sky.
Not a great story, but it would be a great Gahan Wilson comic.
25 finalist stories will be chosen by the judges and posted Friday night, June 12, and then the voting begins, which means that’s when I’ll be pimping like crazy asking you to do the right thing.