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Abstract

, and then began to shake violently. Her knees crumpled, and she fell to the ground with a mortal thud — dead, untouched by her pursuers.</p><p id="99de">But the rebrained mob continued. Writhing, reconstituted bodies of flesh and wires surged forward en masse. Second-hand eyes glared at Pavel.</p><p id="e875">Backed against the boardroom window, he marvelled at the abundance.</p><blockquote id="a20c"><p>I hope you enjoyed that gruesome tale! Many thanks once again to <a href="undefined">Jonathon Sawyer</a>, for yet another outstanding challenge and set of prompts.</p></blockquote><blockquote id="2930"><p>Normally I take my pick from among the constraints, but this time, I decided to go ‘full randomiser’ and roll dice for each one. <i>🎲 </i>Did it work for you?</p></blockquote><blockquote id="f948"><p>Scoreboard time…</p></blockquote><div id="3a42"><pre>Main theme: The dead come <span class="hljs-keyword">back</span> <span class="hljs-keyword">to</span> life, <span class="hljs-keyword">and</span> they’re angry! (<span class="hljs-number">2</span>pts)</pre></div><div id="e062"><pre><span class="hljs-attribute">Constraints</span>: <span class="hljs-attribute">Blood</span>. A LOT of blood! (<span class="hljs-number">1</span>pt) <span class="hljs-attribute">A</span> pumpkin! (okay... it's an orange squash, get it? – <span class="hljs-number">1</span>pt). <span class="hljs-attribute">Candy</span> corn, or your favorite Hallowe’en candy! (had to be Jolly Ranchers; <span class="hljs-number">1</span>pt). <span class="hljs-attribute">A</span> mundane ritual (like brushing your teeth) made EXTREME (the very elaborate door code... <span class="hljs-number">1</span>pt) <span class="hljs-attribute">This</span> box (<span class="hljs-number">1</span>pt)</pre></div><div id="90a0"><pre>Hardcore Constraint: Give the worst possible instructions <span class="hljs-keyword">to</span> someone facing a crisis! (Karen<span class="hljs-symbol">'s</span> directive <span class="hljs-keyword">to</span> <span class="hljs-string">"Stay there"</span>... <span class="hljs-number">2</span>pts)</pre></div><div id="b10e"><pre><span class="hljs-attribute">Literary</span> device: <span class="hljs-attribute">Create</span> your very own anthimeria! (<span class="hljs-string">"rebrained"</span> – <span class="hljs-number">5</span>pts).</pre></div><div id="076

Options

9"><pre>Kraken Lore Mega Bonus: Scare someone “<span class="hljs-built_in">to</span> death!” <span class="hljs-keyword">by</span> <span class="hljs-keyword">the</span> <span class="hljs-function"><span class="hljs-keyword">end</span> <span class="hljs-title">of</span> <span class="hljs-title">the</span> <span class="hljs-title">story</span>! (<span class="hljs-title">alas</span>, <span class="hljs-title">poor</span> <span class="hljs-title">Karen</span>... <span class="hljs-title">we</span> <span class="hljs-title">won</span>'<span class="hljs-title">t</span> <span class="hljs-title">miss</span> <span class="hljs-title">her</span>. <span class="hljs-title">10pts</span>).</span></pre></div><div id="6a6a"><pre><span class="hljs-attribute">TOTAL</span>: <span class="hljs-number">24</span>pts</pre></div><blockquote id="0053"><p>Thanks again! Maybe <a href="undefined">Anna Soldenhoff</a> and <a href="undefined">Zoe Carada</a> would like to give the same challenge a go…?</p></blockquote><blockquote id="020c"><p>You know, I don’t think I’ve ever written a treble drabble (is that even a thing?) before. I did write a double, and a 5-part story in drabbles. You can check them out below!</p></blockquote><div id="c8b5" class="link-block"> <a href="https://jfdanskin.medium.com/the-emperor-and-the-dragon-5385d36f4b91"> <div> <div> <h2>The Emperor and the Dragon</h2> <div><h3>A ‘double drabble’ fiction story</h3></div> <div><p>jfdanskin.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*bKK2gTY6Eeu59BJi4Rc3rA.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="71e3" class="link-block"> <a href="https://thekrakenlore.com/tooth-and-claw-b2d42397b7d9"> <div> <div> <h2>Tooth and Claw</h2> <div><h3>A series of 5 LitRPG drabbles</h3></div> <div><p>thekrakenlore.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*tf02QIdDjULqniGTTgrEPA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Fiction | Sci-Fi | Writing challenge responses

Rise of the Brains

A treble-drabble Monday Mashup response

This story is written as a treble drabble: three parts, each 100-words in length (i.e., each part is a drabble). It is my response to the Monday Mashup #35 writing challenge. More on that below!

When Pavel first looked at the ledger, he almost spat out the orange squash he had been drinking. “How much money?”

Karen chuckled drily. “I know, right? Those rich old bastards really wanted the best for those frozen brains of theirs.”

“And you really think it’s… technically possible?”

She sniffed. “With the monkey trials over, now is the right time, Pavel. Has to be. If we don’t go for it, some other mort-tech firm will swoop in. We gotta move if we are to get that cut.” She popped a Jolly Rancher into her mouth and began to chew energetically.

Karen put her card into the slot, then entered the security code. A light came on. She pressed each fingertip onto the pad in turn, stepped forward for the retinal scan, then pulled a combination of levers.

The door slid open.

Karen and Pavel stepped into the viewing gallery. Cybertronics. Animal organs. Lots and lots of blood. The lab had everything.

“Not going to actually watch, are you?” Pavel asked.

Karen hummed sharply. “Why not?” she asked, half-drooling as she spoke while chewing another sour candy. “That way, I see that it’s been done properly.

“I’ll leave you to it.”

Pavel knew something was wrong when he heard Karen’s sprinting footsteps. That woman never ran.

Reaching the door, Karen was panting, her face splattered with blood. “Stay there!” she yelped, holding up one hand. “Silent, and they won’t see you.”

She took one further step, and then began to shake violently. Her knees crumpled, and she fell to the ground with a mortal thud — dead, untouched by her pursuers.

But the rebrained mob continued. Writhing, reconstituted bodies of flesh and wires surged forward en masse. Second-hand eyes glared at Pavel.

Backed against the boardroom window, he marvelled at the abundance.

I hope you enjoyed that gruesome tale! Many thanks once again to Jonathon Sawyer, for yet another outstanding challenge and set of prompts.

Normally I take my pick from among the constraints, but this time, I decided to go ‘full randomiser’ and roll dice for each one. 🎲 Did it work for you?

Scoreboard time…

Main theme:
The dead come back to life, and they’re angry! (2pts)

Constraints:
Blood. A LOT of blood! (1pt)
A pumpkin! (okay... it's an orange squash, get it? – 1pt).
Candy corn, or your favorite Hallowe’en candy! (had to be Jolly Ranchers; 1pt).
A mundane ritual (like brushing your teeth) made EXTREME (the very elaborate door code... 1pt)
This box (1pt)

Hardcore Constraint:
Give the worst possible instructions to someone facing a crisis! (Karen's directive to "Stay there"... 2pts)

Literary device:
Create your very own anthimeria! ("rebrained" – 5pts).

Kraken Lore Mega Bonus:
Scare someone “to death!” by the end of the story! (alas, poor Karen... we won't miss her. 10pts).

TOTAL: 24pts

Thanks again! Maybe Anna Soldenhoff and Zoe Carada would like to give the same challenge a go…?

You know, I don’t think I’ve ever written a treble drabble (is that even a thing?) before. I did write a double, and a 5-part story in drabbles. You can check them out below!