So, since so many people here are doing some lovely writing, I thought it might be fun to do something a bit more collaborative.
Exquisite corpse is a game where one person will contribute something - just a little fragment of a story, and then hand it down to another person to add another fragment. This process continues until the story completes, and then you’ve got a story made from many. Originally the game was made for art, but the process is pretty easy to replicate for storytelling.
You can make your part of the story as long or as short as you like, but of course remember that you want to give the next person a chance to add their contribution to the story.
Ok, as a starter, here’s a the first bit of a story:
The newest song to hit the Top 100 charts had been haunting me for days. I’d listened to it over and over again, even played it backwards and in slow motion, before it hit me. Right there, in the middle of the lyrics! It was a grave warning - …
(and now the next person would continue the story)
Might be good if you decide to reply, and you just throw up a quick post saying “I’ll go next!” and then you can either re-reply or edit your other post when you’ve finished?
I immediately got out my safety blanket and started to prepare for the worst. What could it be? Clowns, evil shop owners or a new batch of cars which “fell off a truck”. I decided I must know more and picked up the phone to call…
Her. She would know. She would understand what the words on the record meant and why i had finally appreciated they were there. Her phone rang. Once. Twice. No answer. Voicemail, shit. “Hi, this is…”
… “Hi, this is Meg. I’m probably at the lighthouse right now, but I’ll call you back the moment I have cell service. Leave a message!” Her voice is high and cheerful, as though she doesn’t have a care in the world. “Hey, I think something strange is happening, and you’ll have a better Idea of what’s going on. Call me ASAP.” I hang up and rake my hand through my hair. I wonder if anyone else has heard this warning…
…it spews it’s contents into my passenger seat, I groan laboriously and begin reassembling my emergency kit. Knives, telescoping staves, food, water, medication, healing magiq; all of these items return to my bag. I think to myself, ‘I hope this hinderance doesn’t allow them to catch me.’ I finish reorganizing my bag and turn to open the door when…
A strange light from beneath the water. The phosphorescent glow intrigues and terrifies me at the same time. As I’m contemplating the various possibilities, suddenly…
The light dissipates, fading into the night and plunging the pier into a choking, stifling darkness. Behind me a noise, a rustle in the grass. I whipped around afraid, my heart pounding, my mind frozen as I contemplated what could happen.
(Let’s continue this it was so much fun and the story isn’t finished yet.)
Thankfully, what was coming towards me was a familiar face. “Meg.” I breathed with relief. One last glance at the water to make sure whatever I had seen was gone, and then I walked towards her as she looked at me with confusion. Except, I quickly became the confused one when she spoke and told me …
Her voice was monotonous and flat, no hint of emotion, “What’s wrong” she asked me. Her eyes looked devoid, there was no light behind them. Her movements where mechanical each one looked calculated and none were wasted. To an outsider this would not be odd, but we had been friends for years, Meg spoke with action and wild movements and laughter, something was most definitely wrong.
I don’t know why I didn’t run, I should’ve run but I never was the brightest bulb. Instead I just stood there a look of shock on my face as she ran forward with inhuman speed and slit my throat. With my last moments I saw her pick up my phone. “Hmm who’s next.” she said, my blood still dripping from her intensely sharp nails. (Thus ending the saga of our beloved hero)
