I wanted to do something different this week. An exercise I learned from the podcast Writing Excuses. Write an entire scene/story in only dialog to reveal the story. It’s not as easy as it sounds.
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#picturefiction #flashfiction
“He is coming, isn’t he?”
“Mary, these things are never sure but that seemed to be the plan,” said Professor Harcort.
“But, what about-”
“Aw c’mon Mary give it a rest,” Iggy said. “You read the same things we all did. We just have to trust the Prof and go to meet him.”
“Always the teacher’s faithful servant aren’t you Igor?”
“Don’t call me that. My name is Ignatius or just Iggy. You know I hate it when people call me Igor. I’m not some freaking hunchback nut case.”
“Will you both just can it,” the twins, Harry and Barry chorused.
“People please,” Professor Harcort said. “There is no reason for argument. We know that everything indicates he is arriving today. The best thing – the scientific thing to do is to use the empirical method and simply go forth to meet him. If he arrives on time we celebrate, if not we go back and verify when he is actually arriving. We all know that he is arriving, it’s just a matter of determining when.”
“Yeah, look at this fog. It’s a sure sign,” Iggy said. “The letters said it would be after the vernal equinox when the world was shrouded in mystery. Doesn’t this look like a shroud to you? Professor Harcort showed us all the calculations last week.”
“Know it all teacher’s pet,” Mary whispered.
“It’s just a little further to the beach,” Professor Harcort said. “Can we just contain our anxiety until then? Once we’re there we shall either experience the truth of our calculations or we can discuss where we erred.”
“Of course sir.”
“Uh-huh. Uh-huh.”
“Whatever.”
“I hear the surf,” Harry said several minutes later.
“Finally, I was getting tired of walking,” Mary said. “EEEEEE what the heck was that?”
“What was what?” Harcort asked.
“AAAAH,” Iggy shouted. “Something just flew by my head.”
“It was probably just a seagull,” the professor said.
“That was no bird,” Mary said. “Did you see the wings on that thing?”
“I can’t see a thing,” Barry said.
“Me neither,” from Harry.
“It was big,” Iggy said.
“Yeah, like a man,” supplied Mary. “And those wings. It was like a bat, right Ig?”
“It was a bat?” Harry asked.
“Didn’t you listen you microcephalic twit? I said it was man sized.”
“Silence,” Harcort shouted. “It might be one of the old one’s heralds.”
“Of course,” Iggy said. “His coming is heralded by the winged messengers.”
“From the outer darkness on leathern wings,” he quoted. “Born of distant stars they precede the coming of the Great One. Woe unto those who fail to heed their call.”
“Well done Ingatius,” the professor said. “It’s good to see at least someone was paying attention in class.
“Hurry now the fog is thickening. It’s almost time. We must be on the beach to greet him.”
“Harry, I can’t see you,” Barry’s voice was receding.
“This way brother, just follow the sound of the surf.”
“Hey I think it’s this way- oof,” Iggy said. “Careful, there’s a chain across the beach entrance.”
“Hurry everyone,” the professor said. “Here, everyone over the chain. Take my hand Mary. There you go. Harry, you next. Where’s Barry?”
“Barry,” Harry shouted.
“I’m coming. I’m- aaaaaaaaaa.” Barry screamed.
“Barry!”
“No, Harry, stay with us,” the professor pleaded. “Can’t you hear, it’s the herald. It has him. Harry, come back.”
“EEEEEEEEE,” Harry’s voice suddenly cut off.
“What do we do?” Mary said.
“ We continue,” the professor said.
“Woe unto those who fail to heed their call,” Iggy repeated.
“Look, the fog is thinning,” Harcort said.
“Professor, look. There’s something in the water,” Iggy said.
“It’s him,” Harcort said. “Is he not magnificent. The sheer scale of him. Look, see the barnacles and other sea life. He has slept for aeons and the world has grown upon him. Look the eye!”
“Ph’nglui mglw’nfah Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn,” quoted Iggy.
“Ia! Cthulhu Fthagn,” screamed Mary.
“Ia! Come master and take us,” Harcort screamed.
They all screamed.
