This is the arena thread for Writer's Volleyball 2009. Only volleyball posts are to be made in this thread.
Guidelines, commentary and discussion (by spectators and participants) are to be posted in the Writer's Volleyball 2009 - Rules & Commentary thread, which is set aside for that purpose.
STATUS: Let the games begin.
On honor of Superbowl Sunday ... LET THE GAMES BEGIN !
Writer's Volleyball 2009
Moderator: Ghost
Writer's Volleyball 2009
Last edited by Darb on Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:16 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Genre: Real life daytime drama
Rupert Murdock: “C’mon Sheila, can’t it sit tight til tomorrow ? I’ve been waiting for this all week !â€
Rupert Murdock: “C’mon Sheila, can’t it sit tight til tomorrow ? I’ve been waiting for this all week !â€
Last edited by Darb on Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Genre: Science Fiction
Wendi: "The time machine is still in the lab, but I'm not sure we have enough energy to use it."
Rupert: "Oh, I'll use it!"
Rupert gets up off the 24 piece sectional, glances at the super hi-definition visual wall and wonders when people will stop calling them TVs. His hover shoes carry him into the lab where........
Wendi: "The time machine is still in the lab, but I'm not sure we have enough energy to use it."
Rupert: "Oh, I'll use it!"
Rupert gets up off the 24 piece sectional, glances at the super hi-definition visual wall and wonders when people will stop calling them TVs. His hover shoes carry him into the lab where........
Gas Station Attendant: “I … I … â€
Last edited by Darb on Sun Mar 01, 2009 1:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Genre: Fantasy (Silmarillion Spoof)
Title: "The Duel in the Depths"
Rupert healed rapidly and discovered, to his pleasure, that something about the evil ambiance of The Inferno gave him strength, in much the same way his missing Ring of Power did. He flexed his hand and locked eyes with Malacoda, and so began a duel of iron wills ...
Malacoda crooned with power,
He sang a song enchanted,
Of burning reek and tortured souls
in pools of tar implanted.
Rupert stood amidst the reek,
And calmly sang in answer,
Of demons small
And easy jobs
That HE could better master !
Suddenly the demon swayed
His reddened eyes gone wide !
Never before
a mortal soul
had he ever been denied !
He sang of rage,
He sang of fear
Of all hope lost who enter here !
Of powers old
steeped in lore,
their origins forged in days of yore
Rupert, calm, unveiled a smile
And hummed of pensions BROKEN !
Of trust funds raided,
Dow’s collapse
And Portfolios worth a token !
His song, it swelled,
his voice, it boomed !
Of conspiracies right-wing vast !
Of senate panels
And gitmo beatings
And democrats agast !
The demon staggered,
his scythe clutched tight
he called his allies near !
… but it was
at Rupert’s feet
that they knelt in abject fear.
Title: "The Duel in the Depths"
Rupert healed rapidly and discovered, to his pleasure, that something about the evil ambiance of The Inferno gave him strength, in much the same way his missing Ring of Power did. He flexed his hand and locked eyes with Malacoda, and so began a duel of iron wills ...
Malacoda crooned with power,
He sang a song enchanted,
Of burning reek and tortured souls
in pools of tar implanted.
Rupert stood amidst the reek,
And calmly sang in answer,
Of demons small
And easy jobs
That HE could better master !
Suddenly the demon swayed
His reddened eyes gone wide !
Never before
a mortal soul
had he ever been denied !
He sang of rage,
He sang of fear
Of all hope lost who enter here !
Of powers old
steeped in lore,
their origins forged in days of yore
Rupert, calm, unveiled a smile
And hummed of pensions BROKEN !
Of trust funds raided,
Dow’s collapse
And Portfolios worth a token !
His song, it swelled,
his voice, it boomed !
Of conspiracies right-wing vast !
Of senate panels
And gitmo beatings
And democrats agast !
The demon staggered,
his scythe clutched tight
he called his allies near !
… but it was
at Rupert’s feet
that they knelt in abject fear.
-
KiltanneN
- Legionnaire
- Posts: 3957
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 10:47 pm
- Location: A Kiwi Living in the NY Area - No Longer!
Genre: Religious Epiphany
While kneeling in fear at the foot of the one who was clearly more powerful than the demon Lord - Arken recited his Mantra.
"One will rise, Walls will tumble, The Demon will wail."
As he did so, he felt a wrench in his - soul.
--
"Arken, ye be gloin' !! - Kin ye no stop? Ye fool antics be bringin' Malacoda's Doom Eetself upon us!"
This last muttered by Arken's sometime friend and neighbour in the Army of the Undead.
--
Arken heard the complaint of Will Walten as if through a great distance - and all around him he saw the light cast - from his own glowing form. Then in an instant, he realised:
"Arken is not my name" he breathed - more to himself than anyone.
"My name is Gabriel" He said with confidence as he rose to his feet, and stretched his wings out to their full span. His words reached the ears of but a few of the Army, but next He shed the appearance of the Undead, and his beauty was such that man & woman alike gasped in delight.
"I am Archangel, And I am sent to limit thee to this Demesne Rupert Murdock. No more shall thy honeyed words Ensnare the faithful & faithless alike!" This pronouncement thundered throughout the entire realm, and struck a dagger blade of icy cold fear into the heart of the Usurper.
With that, the Archangel Gabriel drew his Sword of Light, and stepped forth. His step fell like the crack of Doom.
Malacoda Wailed his despair.
Rupert turned and raised his venomous pen, ready to strike...
While kneeling in fear at the foot of the one who was clearly more powerful than the demon Lord - Arken recited his Mantra.
"One will rise, Walls will tumble, The Demon will wail."
As he did so, he felt a wrench in his - soul.
--
"Arken, ye be gloin' !! - Kin ye no stop? Ye fool antics be bringin' Malacoda's Doom Eetself upon us!"
This last muttered by Arken's sometime friend and neighbour in the Army of the Undead.
--
Arken heard the complaint of Will Walten as if through a great distance - and all around him he saw the light cast - from his own glowing form. Then in an instant, he realised:
"Arken is not my name" he breathed - more to himself than anyone.
"My name is Gabriel" He said with confidence as he rose to his feet, and stretched his wings out to their full span. His words reached the ears of but a few of the Army, but next He shed the appearance of the Undead, and his beauty was such that man & woman alike gasped in delight.
"I am Archangel, And I am sent to limit thee to this Demesne Rupert Murdock. No more shall thy honeyed words Ensnare the faithful & faithless alike!" This pronouncement thundered throughout the entire realm, and struck a dagger blade of icy cold fear into the heart of the Usurper.
With that, the Archangel Gabriel drew his Sword of Light, and stepped forth. His step fell like the crack of Doom.
Malacoda Wailed his despair.
Rupert turned and raised his venomous pen, ready to strike...
Last edited by KiltanneN on Mon Mar 02, 2009 2:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The wonderful thing about not planning
Is that failure comes as a complete surprise
And is not preceded by a period of worry or depression
Is that failure comes as a complete surprise
And is not preceded by a period of worry or depression
Genre: The Book of Fate (tribute to Neil Gaiman’s “Sandmanâ€
Last edited by Darb on Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
GENRE: Happy Hour
Gabriel walked into his 1 bedroom 3rd floor walk-up apartment in Flatbush, slammed the door, and tossed Dawnbringer into the umbrella bin with a rattle.
"Tough day at the office, Dear ?" inquired Magdalene, from the kitchen.
"Yeah. Blasted devils are at it again, down in Malebolge. Why can't they just leave well enough alone ? Things are hard enough without them constantly mucking up the works, and it's not like I'm getting paid for this." Gabriel wandered over to the fridge, opened the door, and popped the top on a can of Budweiser. After draining it in one long pull, he crushed the can against his forehead while belching thunderously, and tossed the crumpled can into the trash.
"Anything good on the boob tube tonite ?" he inquired.
"I think the history channel's doing another special on Lost Secrets of the Bible, love."
"Boooring. I think I'll watch Southpark ... I love when they have Jesus, Satan and Saddam Hussein do guest appearances."
Gabriel walked into his 1 bedroom 3rd floor walk-up apartment in Flatbush, slammed the door, and tossed Dawnbringer into the umbrella bin with a rattle.
"Tough day at the office, Dear ?" inquired Magdalene, from the kitchen.
"Yeah. Blasted devils are at it again, down in Malebolge. Why can't they just leave well enough alone ? Things are hard enough without them constantly mucking up the works, and it's not like I'm getting paid for this." Gabriel wandered over to the fridge, opened the door, and popped the top on a can of Budweiser. After draining it in one long pull, he crushed the can against his forehead while belching thunderously, and tossed the crumpled can into the trash.
"Anything good on the boob tube tonite ?" he inquired.
"I think the history channel's doing another special on Lost Secrets of the Bible, love."
"Boooring. I think I'll watch Southpark ... I love when they have Jesus, Satan and Saddam Hussein do guest appearances."
Genre: Il n'est "pun" bec que de Par(ad)is
"You look so tense, Love, do you think a back-rub will help soothe you?" offered his wife. "And I could use some decontractant gel, too".
With a seraphic grin, he let out a cheer. "Rub my back? And gel? Oh, thanks so much, Dear, that is just what I need."
"OK, but don't cheer so loudly", she parried. "You'll wake up the twins."
"And how are my cherubic daughters Angelina and Seraphina this evening?"
"Asleep, now, but they gave me a hell of a time earlier. They cried quite devilishly, for what seemed like an eternity. Some belly trouble, apparently"
"Maybe you should have given them some purgatory medecine?"
"I finally gave each of them a pair o' dice, to distract them. That more or less kept their troubles in limbo"
The entrance bell rings. She goes and opens the door to two winged characters, armed to the teeth.
"Hi, Magda, good evening!"
"Hello, Magda. Gaby home yet?"
"Yes, he just got back. Come in, come in..."
Gabriel, rummaging in the closet: "I completely forgot! No Southpark tonight... But, damnation..., where is it?"
"Are you looking for your bow, Dear? Don't make such a big comedy of searching it. I took it out and cleaned it for you"
"How did you divine I'll need it, Love?"
"Mike and Rafe called a bit earlier to know when you'll be back, so I knew you had your common training in archery, Angel. But I won't let the two of you take him out right now, he has nor Eaden anything since he got back. Want to have for dinner with us? I prepared a lot of deviled eggs... and I have Devil's food cake for dessert. Gaby always pines for chocolate, he won't let me make angel cake. Imagine!"
"You look so tense, Love, do you think a back-rub will help soothe you?" offered his wife. "And I could use some decontractant gel, too".
With a seraphic grin, he let out a cheer. "Rub my back? And gel? Oh, thanks so much, Dear, that is just what I need."
"OK, but don't cheer so loudly", she parried. "You'll wake up the twins."
"And how are my cherubic daughters Angelina and Seraphina this evening?"
"Asleep, now, but they gave me a hell of a time earlier. They cried quite devilishly, for what seemed like an eternity. Some belly trouble, apparently"
"Maybe you should have given them some purgatory medecine?"
"I finally gave each of them a pair o' dice, to distract them. That more or less kept their troubles in limbo"
The entrance bell rings. She goes and opens the door to two winged characters, armed to the teeth.
"Hi, Magda, good evening!"
"Hello, Magda. Gaby home yet?"
"Yes, he just got back. Come in, come in..."
Gabriel, rummaging in the closet: "I completely forgot! No Southpark tonight... But, damnation..., where is it?"
"Are you looking for your bow, Dear? Don't make such a big comedy of searching it. I took it out and cleaned it for you"
"How did you divine I'll need it, Love?"
"Mike and Rafe called a bit earlier to know when you'll be back, so I knew you had your common training in archery, Angel. But I won't let the two of you take him out right now, he has nor Eaden anything since he got back. Want to have for dinner with us? I prepared a lot of deviled eggs... and I have Devil's food cake for dessert. Gaby always pines for chocolate, he won't let me make angel cake. Imagine!"
Human is as human does....Animals don't weep, Nine
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
Meanwhile, back at the Drive-in-Dell Oasis gas station, in Nowhere USA (pop. 141) …
Genre: Memoir
(from “The Bluebook of Westmarchâ€
Genre: Memoir
(from “The Bluebook of Westmarchâ€
Last edited by Darb on Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Genre: Zagat Guide Restaurant Review {Rated PG-13 due to suggestive repartee}
Freddo’s stomach grumbled, loud enough to be heard over Shadowfax’s engine rumble. “Hey Cangolf, grab the Zagat Guide from the passenger door, and find us a place to eat. I’m famished, and 'fax needs gas soon anyway.â€
Freddo’s stomach grumbled, loud enough to be heard over Shadowfax’s engine rumble. “Hey Cangolf, grab the Zagat Guide from the passenger door, and find us a place to eat. I’m famished, and 'fax needs gas soon anyway.â€
Genre: Inanimorph
The ruling ring, Rupert’s Ring, stirred in its slumber.
Still dangling on it's chain around Freddo's neck, The Ring felt the distant echoing pull of its master's call. It was weak … so very very weak … and tenuous … and after a time the call faltered and faded, but it had been enough to stir it. Like called to like, and Rupert had forged part of his own soul into the ring, and after a fashion it had a sort of half-awareness, and will, of its own. A will that began to exert itself, once again.
Unseen, behind Freddo's shirt, The runes on the ring began to glimmer redly, and scroll counter-clockwise, backwards, like an evil ticker tape, in tiny fiery letters of Times New Roman 6-point newsprint font.
... TFEL NRUT ...
Freddo blinked while driving. There was a fork in the road approaching. There were no street lights, the road was pitch black, and his windshield was streaked with rain.
... ODDERF TFEL NRUT ...
Freddo couldn’t see any road signs, but just as he was about to bear right, he suddenly changed his mind and bore left instead. The strange feeling left him almost as soon as it came. Cangolf and Kate were both asleep, and he had only the occasional flash of animal eyes in the darkness, lit briefly by Shadowfax's headlights, to keep him company. Wild eyes. Hunted eyes. Unblinking non-human eyes.
Sfter blinking away his fatigue, and rubbing his own eyrd, he looked over at the dashboard. The radio stared back at him, with a placid green glow. He touched the ON button, and the radio came on low, with Chris Isaak crooning "Wicked Game"
Somehow, deep in his soul, Freddo knew that there were dark times ahead, and the dark rain-streaked roadway, filled with unfriendly eyes, was just a taste of what lay in store for them all.
The ruling ring, Rupert’s Ring, stirred in its slumber.
Still dangling on it's chain around Freddo's neck, The Ring felt the distant echoing pull of its master's call. It was weak … so very very weak … and tenuous … and after a time the call faltered and faded, but it had been enough to stir it. Like called to like, and Rupert had forged part of his own soul into the ring, and after a fashion it had a sort of half-awareness, and will, of its own. A will that began to exert itself, once again.
Unseen, behind Freddo's shirt, The runes on the ring began to glimmer redly, and scroll counter-clockwise, backwards, like an evil ticker tape, in tiny fiery letters of Times New Roman 6-point newsprint font.
... TFEL NRUT ...
Freddo blinked while driving. There was a fork in the road approaching. There were no street lights, the road was pitch black, and his windshield was streaked with rain.
... ODDERF TFEL NRUT ...
Freddo couldn’t see any road signs, but just as he was about to bear right, he suddenly changed his mind and bore left instead. The strange feeling left him almost as soon as it came. Cangolf and Kate were both asleep, and he had only the occasional flash of animal eyes in the darkness, lit briefly by Shadowfax's headlights, to keep him company. Wild eyes. Hunted eyes. Unblinking non-human eyes.
Sfter blinking away his fatigue, and rubbing his own eyrd, he looked over at the dashboard. The radio stared back at him, with a placid green glow. He touched the ON button, and the radio came on low, with Chris Isaak crooning "Wicked Game"
- ... world was on fire and no one could save me but you.
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do.
I never dreamed that I'd love somebody like you.
And I never dreamed that I'd loose somebody like you no,
No, I want to fall in love. (This world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I want to fall in love. (This world is only gonna break your heart)
With you. (This world is only gonna break your heart)
With you. (This world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I... (This world is only gonna break your heart)
(This world is only gonna break your heart)
Nobody loves no one.
Somehow, deep in his soul, Freddo knew that there were dark times ahead, and the dark rain-streaked roadway, filled with unfriendly eyes, was just a taste of what lay in store for them all.
Genre: X by X
REETS
THGIR
(5x2)
Freddo got to another fork. There was no doubt, there, the rightmost road was clearly indicated by signs "Entrance Forbidden" "Dead End" "Road Under Contruction"
Unhesitantly, he took that direction. The road became quite bumpy.
THGIE
SELIM
REETS
THGIR
NIAGA
DEEPS
NEVES
SELIM
(5x8)
The road was getting worse and worse, but Freddo kept driving, till, after eight miles he got to another fork. Unhesitantly, he chose the right branch again, though that was not a road but the mere indication of trail that soon petered off. But he drove further on the flat plain, driving faster and faster...
Suddenly, Cangolf woke up. From the absence of reflection from the headlights a few hundreds yards ahead, he seized the situation in a second, grabbed the wheel and caused Shadowfax to swerve crazily into a U-turn.
"Are you mad? What were you doing??? Didn't you see you were speeding straight to a cliff? We would have ended 600 feet below, had you driven like that just another two seconds!"
Cangolf turned to noone in particular and bemoaned "I knew I should have remained a pedestrian."
REETS
THGIR
(5x2)
Freddo got to another fork. There was no doubt, there, the rightmost road was clearly indicated by signs "Entrance Forbidden" "Dead End" "Road Under Contruction"
Unhesitantly, he took that direction. The road became quite bumpy.
THGIE
SELIM
REETS
THGIR
NIAGA
DEEPS
NEVES
SELIM
(5x8)
The road was getting worse and worse, but Freddo kept driving, till, after eight miles he got to another fork. Unhesitantly, he chose the right branch again, though that was not a road but the mere indication of trail that soon petered off. But he drove further on the flat plain, driving faster and faster...
Suddenly, Cangolf woke up. From the absence of reflection from the headlights a few hundreds yards ahead, he seized the situation in a second, grabbed the wheel and caused Shadowfax to swerve crazily into a U-turn.
"Are you mad? What were you doing??? Didn't you see you were speeding straight to a cliff? We would have ended 600 feet below, had you driven like that just another two seconds!"
Cangolf turned to noone in particular and bemoaned "I knew I should have remained a pedestrian."
Last edited by voralfred on Sun Mar 15, 2009 4:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
Human is as human does....Animals don't weep, Nine
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
[genre - ???]
We were all tired and hungry. We’d pulled into town after a long day of avoiding NSS scouts on the back roads of Utah and Nevada. Beautiful, if you’re into stark desolation. We'd pulled into the only restaurant and ordered dinner.
“If you’re to believe this, George is deeply in love with Ginny.â€
We were all tired and hungry. We’d pulled into town after a long day of avoiding NSS scouts on the back roads of Utah and Nevada. Beautiful, if you’re into stark desolation. We'd pulled into the only restaurant and ordered dinner.
“If you’re to believe this, George is deeply in love with Ginny.â€
-
The Egoist
- Alphabet Soup, Esq.
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:59 pm
- Location: Long Island, NY, USA
"Aww, to heck with the #$%&ing salad ... gimme a bacon double cheese burger, with fries and ketchup !"
Genre: Mythology & Folklore
Meanwhile, still flustered by the piercing eyes and forwardness of the tall handsome stranger in the cowboy hat, Kate turned her attention to her pocketbook, and rummaged around for her well worn Rider-Waite tarot deck. She didn't believe in fortune telling for a hot second, and she didn't know much about the many different types of oneiromantic card spreads, but none the less, at various moments in her life, she occasionally experienced a sort of 'witchy' sensation. This was one of those moments, and whenever they occured, she always felt her hackles rise at some of the uncanny coincidences that subsequently occured.
She slipped the cards out of their case while the others continued chatting, and began shuffling. Just as the stranger was invited to sit down, she impulsively dealt a circle of cards, one in the direction of each person at the table.
Cangolf:
The Stranger:
Freddo:
Herself:
Fascinated, she laid down a card showing the most immediate influence on their adventure:
... followed by two cards showing the primary forces acting on their fate:
... followed by a single card showing the larger sign that lay in store for them all:
Kate blinked, suddenly racked by fear. She nervously gathered the cards back up ...
Genre: Mythology & Folklore
Meanwhile, still flustered by the piercing eyes and forwardness of the tall handsome stranger in the cowboy hat, Kate turned her attention to her pocketbook, and rummaged around for her well worn Rider-Waite tarot deck. She didn't believe in fortune telling for a hot second, and she didn't know much about the many different types of oneiromantic card spreads, but none the less, at various moments in her life, she occasionally experienced a sort of 'witchy' sensation. This was one of those moments, and whenever they occured, she always felt her hackles rise at some of the uncanny coincidences that subsequently occured.
She slipped the cards out of their case while the others continued chatting, and began shuffling. Just as the stranger was invited to sit down, she impulsively dealt a circle of cards, one in the direction of each person at the table.
Cangolf:
The Stranger:
Freddo:
Herself:
Fascinated, she laid down a card showing the most immediate influence on their adventure:
... followed by two cards showing the primary forces acting on their fate:
... followed by a single card showing the larger sign that lay in store for them all:
Kate blinked, suddenly racked by fear. She nervously gathered the cards back up ...
Genre: spoonerism and WotD crossover
While Freddo was watching Kate swiftly manipulating the multicoloured cards, his mind suddenly conjured the image of a huge crowned octopus, loose in the Amazon rainforest, holding a brrightly colourred trropical birrd in each of her appendages:
He shook the disturbing vision off, and attributed it to hypoglycemia. "And a special thick whippy chocobanana shake, to chase the food down".
"You don't have special thick whippy chocobanana shakes? Only malted shakes? I'll take two malted, in that case, to multiply my sugar intake." he ordered, looking defiantly at Kate, feeling a tumult in his heart for standing up to her repeated barbs, or, maybe due to the propinquity of the attractive young woman. But, certainly, promiscuity was not on his mind... or was it?
While Freddo was watching Kate swiftly manipulating the multicoloured cards, his mind suddenly conjured the image of a huge crowned octopus, loose in the Amazon rainforest, holding a brrightly colourred trropical birrd in each of her appendages:
Spoiler: show
"You don't have special thick whippy chocobanana shakes? Only malted shakes? I'll take two malted, in that case, to multiply my sugar intake." he ordered, looking defiantly at Kate, feeling a tumult in his heart for standing up to her repeated barbs, or, maybe due to the propinquity of the attractive young woman. But, certainly, promiscuity was not on his mind... or was it?
Human is as human does....Animals don't weep, Nine
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]