Summary

The narrative is a collaborative, serialized story titled "Two Headed Horse Tails," exploring themes of redemption, heroism, and the complexities of human relationships, co-written by Fox and Smillew.

Abstract

"Two Headed Horse Tails" is an ongoing narrative project that unfolds through a series of interconnected stories. The protagonist encounters a chaotic scene involving violence and a plea for innocence from Marcella, a former cult member. Despite the danger, Marcella saves the protagonist's life, echoing a pattern of heroism. In a laboratory setting, the protagonist comforts a waking individual, possibly Marcella, discussing past failures and the burden of being a hero. The story delves into the characters' pasts, including the protagonist's inability to pass "the Dream" and Marcella's troubled relationship with her father. The authors invite readers to engage with the concept of "Two Headed Horse Tails," which involves a collaborative writing process where two writers alternately contribute to the tale in 50-word increments, adhering to or breaking established rules. The project is part of a larger series, with this installment being the seventeenth tale.

Opinions

The protagonist views Marcella as a recurring savior in their life, indicating a deep bond and possibly a shared history.
Marcella's actions suggest a desire for redemption and to break away from her past, as seen by her desperate claim of innocence and her protective actions towards the protagonist.
The protagonist's failure to pass "the Dream" reflects a personal struggle and a sense of inadequacy, contrasting with their trust in Marcella's potential for success.
The story implies that the protagonist and Marcella are part of a larger narrative framework, with their individual stories contributing to a collective tale.
The authors express a collaborative and interactive approach to storytelling, encouraging reader participation and the breaking of conventional writing rules.
The narrative suggests that personal legacies and familial influences, such as the protagonist's failure and Marcella's absent hero father, shape individual aspirations and the pursuit of heroism.

Two headed horse tails

Last Hope

Just one more dream

The man walking behind my dog and I was barking. He grumbled and coughed unintelligible curses and wild hand-gestures. I threw up my own silent guttural requests for Heaven’s healing. Then I stumbled upon Ambulance sirens, and two winter-jacketed vagrants writhing on the ground — the smells of gunpowder.

Finally! I had waited so long for this. There she was, my chance at redemption, ragdolled on the floor.

Hiding between the vagrants as she was, one could barely notice her shaved eyebrows and her missing left ear.

But she saw me.

Her hands raised in tune with her shriek.

“I didn’t shoot them”, she said, small pistol still trembling in one raised hand.

I was frozen. Afraid and unafraid. At peace, unsure though about this fate.

Marcella had been a portion of the cult we once knew. I’d given her rocks from every place I’d travelled. And written poetry.

“GET DOWN!” She yelled.

Years of cult training kicked in. I was halfway to the ground when the small pistol fired. The explosive bullet ripped barking man’s face. His revolver fell on the vagrants with a soft thump.

“Aren’t you tired of saving my life, Marcella?” I asked, hugging her.

The Machine lights blinked in my laboratory. She was waking finally. Her eyes fluttered, half-open now.

“Did I do it again?”

I brushed her tiny cheek with rugged fingers.

“Yeah, but we’ll get there.”

“Why do I insist on being the hero?”

“Because your father wasn’t one”, I said.

“What about you? How did you pass the Dream?”

“I wish I could tell you, but I failed. I tried relentlessly from eighteen to twenty-one. Three years of hell. For nothing. But you still have time, I trust you.”

“Why me?” she asked, hoping for solace I couldn’t give.

This story was co-written by Fox (the artist) and Smillew (top writer in satire).

It was our seventeenth tale! Here are the previous ones:

We call the concept the Two Headed Horse Tails.

As Fox (poet and digital art expert) describes it, Two Headed Horse Tails can be a tug of war. Two people (one of them could be YOU) are trying to get a tale into the corral, sometimes even against each other’s will.

Here are the rules (follow them or break them):

300 words total.
Someone starts and writes 50 words. Then the other takes the lead and writes 50 more. Till the 300 count is reached.
You can switch back and forth as to who starts the piece. (or not! We do.)

What about finding yourself another horse writer and giving it a try?

Follows us on Twitter, we follow back! Except for Fox, he’s not on Twitter.

Hi Reader!

Tell us a tiny tale, filled with heart.

Updated Submission Guidelines

As we grow, our mandate grows with us

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