500 Words or Less - Azure's Short Story Competition Nov '17

[Macy Moretti]

Hello, one and all! Alex Azure here, and on behalf of the Azure estate, I would like to welcome you all to a grand little contest! A contest seems like a great way for a new user like me to see the writing styles of the role players here. The rules are simple: Write a short story in 500 words or less that fits the theme. Brevity is appreciated. Be short, precise, parsimonious, and succinct. Loquaciousness is discouraged.

Er... That is to say, don't be like me. Use small sentences instead. Or, if you're going to have long sentences, make them darn good ones. This particular contest shall last until 11:59 PM Central time on December 6. Please keep content PG-13 for submissions, and simply reply to the thread with your entry.

Oh, should there be some sort of prize? Probably. Ah... Yeah, the tall of an "estate" was an act. The "Azure Estate" can provide a sketch to the first place winner of whatever they want, digitally and in color. If there's a large enough turnout, second place will get a black and white sketch.

And this contest's theme is...

A Crystal Prison

Now, get to writing!

Note: The theme is a link to a TV Tropes wiki page. Click the link to see a description of the trope. My plan so far is to select a trope at random to use as the theme for these contests. You can either play the trope as it is described, or you can subvert it and do as close to the opposite as you can get.

Another note: This was posted at 11:59 PM Central in Nov 6. You have one month.​

 

[Midheaven]

The sparkle of the diamonds were reflected in her eyes. She looked up, smiling, but in a stale appreciation.
“It’s beautiful.” She confirmed. He removed the necklace from its satin box, and she turned her back to him, lifting her blonde hair, and showing him her flawless neck. With both hands, he fastened the ornament around her. His gaze wandered briefly up and down her back left bare by her evening dress.

Antonia watched all this out of the corner of her eye as she hung autumn garlands around the bookshelves in the dining hall. Mister Davin always reminded her of a wolf, but when his cars did well at the derby, he became like one claiming the kill for himself, and marking his territory. His mistress Claire, was only the latest in a short series of ladies of the house. Antonia’s eyes met Claire’s for a second, and something passed between them in moment of mutual womanhood. She and Davin would most likely spend all evening out in town, and both would come back worn. Claire enjoyed night life. She hated being at the house. She called it home, but Antonia doubted that she meant it.

 

[MoltenLightning]

There was no air. There was no need for it, however, as her lungs ceased to require oxygen. Her blood was frozen with her, heart suspended mid-beat. Her fingers clasped onto her hips, as if she never stopped disapproving of the fluid and free world around her. Arms were locked like handles at her sides, hair spilling over her elbows like a bronze, cascading waterfall stuck to hang off of the thin limbs the woman possessed. Her attire was casual, a sweater hung loosely over her torso with jeans that enveloped her ankles. She wore beaten up sneakers and had something stuck in her pockets. She looked quite out of place in the encapsulating crystal, one of which seemed like it was straight from another world. One of her fingers sparkled inside the magenta gem, refracting even more light. It appeared to be a ring.

A man in a dashing outfit appeared from the shadows, holding a strange device in his palm. His lips parted and revealed gleaming, white teeth. "She accepted," he simply said, before a loud humming noise sounded through the air. A blue beam tore through the ceiling of the building the two occupied, causing the crystal the girl inhabited to begin floating. The man grabbed onto it, gazing at the girl's immobile face. "You'll like it where we're going... It's only fit for a queen such as yourself, after all..." the man whispered, unable to contain the smile on his face. His body suddenly contorted, showing off his purple skin and mandibles. He started cackling, his 7 eyes shining with jubilation. "Our wedding awaits us..." He assured the frozen female, stroking the crystal with his 3 spindly fingers. Then, they disappeared into the milky blue light above...

 

[Macy Moretti]

Entries close at 11:59 PM Central time tonight! Thanks to everyone who has posted so far. I will be sending critiques through PMs to all who entered.

Once the deadline is hit, I'll make another post declaring the winner.

@Midheaven and @MoltenLightning let me know if yoy woyld rather not recieve critiques.​

 

[Macy Moretti]

And the winner is...

@MoltenLightning !!!

Second place goes to...

@Midheaven !!!

PMs will be going out shortly with critiques. Molten, Mid, to claim your prize, simply respond to the PM with what you wish for me to draw. Provide reference images if necessary.

Thank you both for participating.​

 

[Ninasilverrose]

Hello, one and all! Alex Azure here, and on behalf of the Azure estate, I would like to welcome you all to a grand little contest! A contest seems like a great way for a new user like me to see the writing styles of the role players here. The rules are simple: Write a short story in 500 words or less that fits the theme. Brevity is appreciated. Be short, precise, parsimonious, and succinct. Loquaciousness is discouraged.

Er... That is to say, don't be like me. Use small sentences instead. Or, if you're going to have long sentences, make them darn good ones. This particular contest shall last until 11:59 PM Central time on December 6. Please keep content PG-13 for submissions, and simply reply to the thread with your entry.

Oh, should there be some sort of prize? Probably. Ah... Yeah, the tall of an "estate" was an act. The "Azure Estate" can provide a sketch to the first place winner of whatever they want, digitally and in color. If there's a large enough turnout, second place will get a black and white sketch.

And this contest's theme is...

A Crystal Prison

Now, get to writing!

Note: The theme is a link to a TV Tropes wiki page. Click the link to see a description of the trope. My plan so far is to select a trope at random to use as the theme for these contests. You can either play the trope as it is described, or you can subvert it and do as close to the opposite as you can get.

Another note: This was posted at 11:59 PM Central in Nov 6. You have one month.​

All she saw was darkness. She lunged to go back, to see her family again, as it felt like she had been in the dark for years. Determined, she grabbed at the hem of her dress and flew at the invisible wall between the world and her. Not even a Crack. How many times had she tried this? Why didn't it ever work? She let out a frustrated sigh and crumbled to the cold and hard floor. Luna tried hard to recall the events beforehand in hopes that it might help her escape, but alas, it was no use. She hung her head and her cheeks wet with the familiar burning sensation, tried once more. Memories flooded back like flowing water, filling her vision with colorful aroma's. Glancing at the pitch black walls, she gently gave it a tap. The wall broke into pieces before her very eyes, and with a gentle hiss of "yes!" she gathered her skirts and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

 

[Siege]

The Crystal was dark... even though in reality, it was light outside...
She sat there, all alone in the dark, wondering how she could escape this hellish prison.
She had attempted so many things...
And yet... She sat there, crying... weeping... drowning almost in her own tears... She was reminded of her family who must be worried about her... so... with a big breath of air... She rushed at the wall...
And broke through it... tumbling to the ground...
She cried more, but in tears of joy as she lifted her skirt... and ran.

(I know I'm late... but I still wanted to do this.)

 

[The Impostor]

Hello, one and all! Alex Azure here, and on behalf of the Azure estate, I would like to welcome you all to a grand little contest! A contest seems like a great way for a new user like me to see the writing styles of the role players here. The rules are simple: Write a short story in 500 words or less that fits the theme. Brevity is appreciated. Be short, precise, parsimonious, and succinct. Loquaciousness is discouraged.

Er... That is to say, don't be like me. Use small sentences instead. Or, if you're going to have long sentences, make them darn good ones. This particular contest shall last until 11:59 PM Central time on December 6. Please keep content PG-13 for submissions, and simply reply to the thread with your entry.

Oh, should there be some sort of prize? Probably. Ah... Yeah, the tall of an "estate" was an act. The "Azure Estate" can provide a sketch to the first place winner of whatever they want, digitally and in color. If there's a large enough turnout, second place will get a black and white sketch.

And this contest's theme is...

A Crystal Prison

Now, get to writing!

Note: The theme is a link to a TV Tropes wiki page. Click the link to see a description of the trope. My plan so far is to select a trope at random to use as the theme for these contests. You can either play the trope as it is described, or you can subvert it and do as close to the opposite as you can get.

Another note: This was posted at 11:59 PM Central in Nov 6. You have one month.​

A Crystal Prison- 500 words or less

 

[The Impostor]

A Crystal Prison- View attachment 9226
Jenna new Brian like the back of her hand and that was the problem. He was too predictable. She wanted adventure and romance. She wanted hard fantastic, demented love. She was only twenty with her whole life ahead of her so why in the world would she marry a boring insignificant worm like Brian? Yet she was going to marry him because she had to. She was gifted to him by her late father Boristeen and there was no escaping it. Tomorrow at twelve noon she would be Mrs. Brian Benjamin Petre and that was that.


It was 9 o'clock in the evening and a knock came at the door. Jenna found Brian standing there in the glistening snow holding a single red rose. “Come walk with me my love”, he said as he held out his hand for hers. Jenna slipped on her coat and walked outside. He kissed her hand then held her arm in his as they walked under the moonlit wood. As they walked Jenna delicately explained to Brian that she did not love him and really did not want to marry him but was willing to anyway for her fathers sake.


Brian was more upset than he dared to let on as they walked across the frozen lake. Suddenly Jenna slipped and fell cracking the ice. Water slowly seeped up from beneath making the ice mushy. Hurrying to reach the edge of the lake Jenna fell again, this time she fell right through into the icy waters below. For a moment she bobbed up and down trying to heave herself up and out, all the while screaming for Brian to help her; but he wouldn't. Soon ice formed over the opening and sadly Brian tossed the rose atop Jenna's Crystal Prison and walked away. “If I can't have you my love, then no one shall.” He felt somewhat relieved now knowing he wouldn't have to face the disgrace and humiliation of her rejection anymore.