Biweeklies : Forum : Challenge 1


Challenge 1

15 Years Ago


The day starts out perfectly, you're at home, relaxing with friends. Music and laughter blare in the background, life couldn't get any better, you think as you sip your favorite drink. Everyone’s happy and you simply can't remember a sweeter time.

Suddenly, the music stops and the lights go out.

Screams from the streets below cause you to rush like a bolt of lightning to the window, to witness the streets, clogged with frantic out goers. Sirens reach your ears in waves of confusion, then the announcement is heard through speakers of military units, ordering a nation wide evacuation. America is under attack and you have six hours to be out or die trying.

 

The Challenge:

For Poems- tell me how you feel.

For Story writers- I'd like to know how this story ends.

[no subject]

15 Years Ago


Okay, I'm not certain what you are looking for from each of us, so I hope that I am close. As one who primarily writes short stories, I tend to set up the situation such that the reader goes down the path that is most obvious, and then use my ending to drop some stark truth on their heads like an anvil.

I see myself opening this story as you specify, but without any references to era. For example, I'd leave out the sirens and speakers as theye indicate a timeline. I would let the reader imagine Russians or Communist Chinese or Middle Eastern terrorists as the unwanted invaders. My hope would be that the reader would develop feelings of indignation at the nerve of outsiders daring to come and take our property. Then I would close it with the invaders telling the reader and all of his family and friends that if they just go peacefully unto the reservations, they will not be hurt.

This way I would use the story to remind all of the self-righteous, people who claim that America always has and always will defend freedom, of the imperialist attitudes that were used to justify the robbery and atrocities foisted upon the Native Americans or as I like to refer to them ... the only true Americans.