Cresting the ridge of low hills, earth opened before us. Dropping deep and wide, the canyon was long and verdant, where the earth behind us was scorched and barren.
A serpentine silver river snaked the miles of the secret valley. Hawks soared below us.
âYou said we were going somewhere special, this is not !â
âWe are, just keep driving - youâll see...â
She put her foot down, angrily heading towards the shimmering, golden veil, she looked at him, her eyes betraying her fear but certain he wouldnât betray her....
Beyond the hills stretched an abyss. She sensed the emptiness and it made her nervous.He had insisted she take the wheel, despite the cataracts that blinded her. She heard him yawn and without a second thought, she jammed her foot hard on the gas and over the final hill.
âNow youâre really scaring meâ she said. âIf weâre almost there, why not tell me where where is?â âItâs a secret, youâll know when we get thereâ he said with a sly devilish grin she couldnât help but notice!â Watch out, she screamed and before they knew it, kaboom kaboom!
My 50 Words :
His âalmost thereâ totalled exactly 136 minutes last time. Not that sheâd been counting. Sheâd promised herself sheâd forget the last time.
Feeling tired, exhausted and at this point done with mundane travel âsurprisesâ, she pulled over, with tears rolling down her face.
It was beautiful, butâŚ
âNearly there, huh?â
My 50 words:
Cresting the ridge of low hills, earth opened before us. Dropping deep and wide, the canyon was long and verdant, where the earth behind us was scorched and barren.
A serpentine silver river snaked the miles of the secret valley. Hawks soared below us.
âThe end of the world. Homeâ
[MY 50 WORDS]
They crested the final ridge and looked into the valley. There were trees bleached as bone and a bulbous minaret of sun-baked brick.
âDoesnât look good,â she said as they slalomed down the track.
âWeâve failed,â he said. A single tear snailed down his cheek.
The well was dry.
[My 50 words]
âWhere?â
âThe end of the world. You know what the wizard saidâŚâ
âOh, cut it out! That wasnât a wizard!â
âHe said, go to the end of the world. Then youâll find it.â
âFind what?â
âErm. He didnât say.â
Both fell silent as they stared at the empty, shifting sands.
Your 50 plus my 50 result in this:
âAre you sure this is the way? Weâre, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere?â she said, gripping the steering wheel of their camper van.
âWould you say weâve reached the end of the world?â
âYouâd have to be blind not to think so!â
He smiled. âWeâre almost there then.â
She stared out the windshield, watching the dust blow across the Texas landscape.
âYou still havenât told me whatâs out here.â
âSee it for yourself.â He got out.
âWhat is there to see in the dark?â She followed.
âLook up.â
She looked up, awestruck by the bright universe above her.
[My 50 words]
Her hand trails across the inside of the dusty windshield and she looks down at the grit between her fingertips.
âThey knowâŚâ
âWeâll be okayâweâre almost at the perimeterâtheyâre expecting us.â
One of her trembling hands bunches the shirt that covers her protruding stomach.
âThey have to knowâŚâ
âWeâre almost where ?â
âYou said we were going somewhere special, this is not !â
âWe are, just keep driving - youâll see...â
She put her foot down, angrily heading towards the shimmering, golden veil, she looked at him, her eyes betraying her fear but certain he wouldnât betray her....
Or would he?
50 words, straight up, no edit!
[My 50 words]
She looked to him. âNow what?â
âFloor it.â
âAre you sure?â
He nodded.
Ever obedient, she did as was told.
The van picked up speed, then crashed through the invisible wall. Both unharmed, they marveled at the breathtaking view.
âThe clouds.â She gasped. âProfessor!â
âYes,â he said. âWe found Hyperborea.â
50 words (per google doc word count)
Beyond the hills stretched an abyss. She sensed the emptiness and it made her nervous.He had insisted she take the wheel, despite the cataracts that blinded her. She heard him yawn and without a second thought, she jammed her foot hard on the gas and over the final hill.
(My 50 words)
âNow youâre really scaring meâ she said. âIf weâre almost there, why not tell me where where is?â âItâs a secret, youâll know when we get thereâ he said with a sly devilish grin she couldnât help but notice!â Watch out, she screamed and before they knew it, kaboom kaboom!
[MY 50 WORDS]
The hills bent towards them before she could respond. The road climbed to vertical and then overhead. The van did not fall.
"You're scaring me!" she cried, her hair vertical beneath her.
"Good, that means we'll break out of this loop."
"wha--?" the sky shattered.
"Welcome back to the beginning."
I even counted by hand and I think this is 49 words. Not 50. We could uncontract a contraction? Is that even a word? Uncontract?
I thought it was 49 but then OpenOffice told me 50. I don't know what it's counting as a word that isn't a word. I will uncontract something đ
[my 50 words]
âWhat?â she said. âYouâre not making sense-â
Then the car crossed the Line. The hills vanished. In their place stretched a yawning void. Absolute empty nothingness.
âHow do we go there?â she asked.
âNot us,â he said. âIt just wants you.â
He pushed her in before she could ask why.
Love this idea!!
I hope to see an entry đ