GEORGE S KARAGIANNIS: Shifting the Goalposts

Artistic, Submissions, Touching, , , , ,

When I visited my blind brother, he was sharpening his shooting skills. He was so embarrassed; he couldn’t hit a thing.

I pulled my pen out and placed it in his sweaty palm. I said, “Take this pen, brother, so that you may draw targets around the holes you make.”

George S. Karagiannis was born in Thessaloniki, Greece and is currently a PhD student at the University of Toronto in Canada. He enjoys writing science-fiction (in an non-professional level, so far) in the subgenres of hard science fiction, bizzarro and apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic settings.

The Italian Mouse

Amusing, Touching, , , , , ,

“Please, Clarissa,” pleaded Sergio, “don’t leave me! I’ll make you better spaghetti, better pizza, better wine!”

“Always food with you,” said Clarissa wearily. “Always wine… Don’t you understand me? What I really want are children… and pets!”

Sergio bought her a mouse. She kept it, and got rid of him.

I’m Glad You’re the Special One

Amusing, Odd, , ,

“You have an ability that nobody else has. Don’t you think that’s at least a little bit awesome?”

“No, not really.”

“But your ability is so cool!”

“Really? Do you actually wish you could do what I can do?”

“…No. I guess not. But I’m glad you can do it!”

This is how I think most people would react to the special abilities people have in my web serial, Special People. It’s kind of like having a friend with an “awesome” moustache: it’s cool that they have it, but I’d never grow one like that myself.

This story was based on the prompt “nobody has” at TypeTrigger.

Tell It

Artistic, ,

There are some days when I don’t really want to tell the story. Some days I wish it would just step up to the plate, be a man, and tell itself.

But of course it isn’t a man; it’s a story. So I’m stuck here doing its telling for it.

This story was based on the prompt “tell the story” at TypeTrigger.

The Challenge

Amusing, , , ,

She arrived atop of hill wheezing like a cracked bellows. Her ragged breathing stoked her brother’s competitive fires, and like a shot he was off again, skidding across the snow aboard the rusty old toboggan.

THWUMP! He hit the jump. The sled broke cleanly in two.

He hooted: “I win!”

This story was based on the prompt “wheezing” at TypeTrigger.

OLIVER JOLLY: The Frustration of the Unknown Character

Amusing, Submissions, , ,

Unknown really hated it. Of all the places she could imagine being imagined into, inside the mind of a writer who only specialised in 50-word stories was probably the most restricting existence possible.

“Quick,” she thought to herself, “I must do something memorable!”

But there were only ten words left.

Oliver is 24, and lives in England. He dislikes the cold, that is, unless he is too warm.

Patience: A Virtue That Can Hurt You

Amusing, Submissions, ,

Through the hole in the baseboard Mac Mouse could see the cheese rind lying tantalizingly near, a mere scamper away.

“No!” cried Ma, grasping his tail. “It ain’t worth it!”

Mac fumed. “You can’t hold me forever, Ma.”

Caractacus Cat grinned silently. Mac’s patience was what he was counting on.

Confidence

Amusing, , , , ,

When I scored the first goal, my confidence went shooting through the roof.

When I coughed the ball up, resulting in a goal against, my confidence went plummeting into the earth.

When I was handed my big fat paycheck after the game, my confidence wasn’t really affected in either direction.

This story was based on the prompt “went shooting” at TypeTrigger.

General Coriando and his Amazing Porky Pachyderms

Amusing, , , , ,

Charging into battle astride a fat, stubborn elephant had never been high on General Coriando’s list of Things To Accomplish In Life. As arrows whizzed past his ears, he lamented, “I could’ve been a baker, or a tailor! I could’ve joined the circus!”

The elephant was thinking the same thing.

Impudence

Amusing, Puns and Wordplay, , , , , ,

“I have never before encountered such impudence!” blustered the King. “It is an affront! It is an outrage! Insulting! Degrading! Disrespectful! I should have you put in the stocks, clapped in irons, hanged, beheaded! You’re just so very, very… Well, impudent!”

“My most humble and sincere apologies,” said the imp.

This story was based on the prompt “never before” at TypeTrigger.