I bet you're wondering about the title of this thread, and what this thread is about. Well, this thread is dedicated to stories. You see, I like to write stories about pictures I see every once in a while. Well, I figured I'm probably not the only person on mene who likes to write, and so I'm making this thread. I will be posting a couple of pictures in the first post for all of you to write a stories about. The stories could be of any genre or any type you wish. If you wanted you could do your story like a poem, or a play, or even a narrative, as long as it is some type of story. (story being any form of writing with a plot)

Rules:
1. Your story MUST be related to the picture in question
2. Your story MUST be at least one paragraph (or stanza, ect) long.
3. Your story MAY be as long as you wish, as long as it will fit in a single post
4. Chatting IS allowed
5. You MUST specify which picture your story is about

Pics:
Pic 1:

Ideas for stories:
Is she turning to stone? Why?
Did she always have wings? How did she get them?
Why is she upset? Is she dying? Has she lost someone?

Pic 2:

Ideas for stories:
What's the purpose of this machine?
Is the machine alive? Does it have a pilot?
What's the pilot/operator's story? What kind of life does he/she live?

Pic 3:

Ideas for stories:
Who are these two? How did they come to be together?
Are they a couple? Do they have to hide from others?
Are they lovers? Are they friends? Are they married?

Prizes:
Top Prize:
10 event commons (and I'm not talking the cheap ones)

Second Prize:
5 event commons (again, not the cheap ones)

Third prize:
1 event common of your choice

This seems like fun. I'll definitely do it. ^^

cool! I can't wait to see what kind of stories you come up with. I like reading, and writing when I get the urge

Haha, so do I. I'll get to work on this when I'm done with the mass of sticky edit notes in my book.

Ooh, I like it.

-wanders off to write-

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Well, it's not a happy story, but here it is. Enjoy!

Based off Picture #1

The other girls in my class didn't really care for the statues in the park. They always preferred to play with their dolls under the trees, making fairy houses and having tea parties with acorn cups and oak leaf placemats. As for the boys, they would play on the statues sometimes, but their favorites were the war heroes and the giant animals - the sort of things that fit right in with the rowdy sorts of games boys play. But as for me, I never much liked playing with dolls, and we were still at that age when boys think girls have cooties and refuse to play with them. So I was on my own most of the time, which suited me perfectly. It meant that the sad lady stayed my secret.

That was what I called her - the sad lady. I don't know what her name was, or if she had one at all. All the other statues in the park had little brass plaques with their names, and the names of the people who had carved them, except for her. She was old, I figured, since her plaque was missing and the stone was all worn smooth. There were rosebushes that grew all over her body, and she was hidden way back in the trees.

She was my best friend. I find it sad, now, that at eleven-and-a-half-but-really-I'm-almost-twelve my best friend was a statue, but at the time, I thought it was grand. I could tell her stories, and play games, and she would never interrupt or argue with me. I told her all my secrets, because I knew she could never repeat them to anyone. Sometimes I would read to her out of the latest library book I had brought home, and other times I would make up stories about her. In my stories, she had been a fairy princess, but her prince had left her for a nicer castle and a better wife, making her so sad that she had turned into stone. I poured so much of my life into that carved lady that it wasn't really a surprise when she started to come to life.

It started with her hair. I didn't notice it at first when the grey stone started getting darker. It just seemed as though a cloud was passing over, casting a shadow on her head. But when the breeze picked up and the strands of hair started to move, I knew something strange was happening. The color traveled slowly down her body, across her wings, to the very tips of her fingers and toes. I sat there quietly, watching it all, long past suppertime when I really should have gone home. Finally, she looked like she was done changing, but for the longest time, she didn't move.

The moon had just risen, and I was dozing off where I sat under a tree a few feet away from the pedestal when she finally started to move. It was the quiet cry she made when she pricked her fingers on the rose-thorns that woke me up. I was always a light sleeper. I clambered to my feet quickly, and stared at her. She was even more beautiful in real life, with her pale skin, dark hair, and stormy ocean colored eyes. She was sadder, too. We looked at each other for a long time, neither of us moving, neither of us speaking. Finally, I had to say something.

"You're awake." Looking back, I wish I could have thought of something more clever, but it was late and I was too stunned to come up with anything else.

"I know," she replied. Her voice was just like I had imagined it in my head - quiet and musical, and a little bit wistful. "I didn't want to be. Why did you wake me up?"

My mouth hung open, but I couldn't think of anything to say. She nodded, as if that was the answer she had expected all along, and turned away to sit back down on the pedestal.

"Go away." Her voice was a little louder now, more angry and bitter than sad. And I went away. I went home, where my mother cried over me, because she had been frightened when I didn't come home, and my father yelled at me, but it was okay because I knew he had just been frightened too. And when I went back the next day, the pedestal was empty. All the roses had been cleared away, except for one, which had been placed in the center of the stone, its stem carefully cleaned of thorns.

I still have that rose, somewhere pressed between the pages of a book. And someday, when I am old and starting to forget this story, maybe I'll take it out, and go fall asleep on that empty pedestal in the park, until some other little girl with more fairy tales than common sense in her head comes to wake me up.

Ooh, I will think some on it. C:
Do I have to enter for all three of them?

I would like to know that too. I kind of have ideas for all of the pictures. I'll definitely enter though~!

Oh, and hey math!

And conversely, are we allowed to enter more than once? Because my depressing story muse keeps pestering me with ideas for the other two pictures.

Apparently that's the question everyone wants to know!

Lawl, indeed.

Hehe. I guess I'm just gonna keep writing until someone tells me otherwise. I can always pick just one to enter if need be.

Exactly! Although, I think I'll start with one and go from there.

For Picture #1

In one cold night, a woman rushed to the forest, desperately trying to lose her captors. It didn't matter to Yui which direction she goes. Anywhere is better than staying still and risk being captured again. In her haste, a hidden tree root caused her to slip. With a small cry, she crashes to the ground. Quickly, she looks behind her, silently searching for any signs of her enemies. Her brown eyes only see rows and rows of trees. Her heavy breathes was the only sound she hears. Quietly, she stands up and looks around.

She was appeared to have stumbled upon a garden. Surrounded by tall, dark oak trees, a sea of red roses grow in a circle. In the middle of it all, a statue of a beautiful lady with bat wings. She was sitting on her knees, her wings turned to herself. The marble masterpiece shined in the moonlight, so life like she was Yui thought she was alive. She slowly walked towards it and lightly touched one of the stone wings.

When she touched it, a crack appeared. With a gasp, she stepped away from it. The statue still kept breaking and music started to play louder and louder. Then, the statue was covered in a bright light. Aki covered her eyes with her arms. After the chimes and bells stopped, she saw that the statue was gone, as if it never existed. Confused, she started to walk towards where the statue was supposed to be.

Bang! Bang! Behind her, there were two men, aiming to shoot her. No! As she stepped towards the trees, pain filled her back. Her body fell helplessly to the ground, staining the roses crimson. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. The men took one last shot at her and walked away, leaving her to die.

Under the twinkling stars, as she laid there, she softly said her goodbyes to loved ones, praying for their safety. Looking up, she marveled at the beauty of the sky. Far away, she could vaguely hear bells chiming. Smiling to herself, she took her last breathe and died alone.

In a forest far far away, in the midst of red roses, lies a statue of a beautiful lady with bat wings. In the morning sun, her smooth marble stands alone in this secret garden. Her hands clasped together, praying silently in her sanctuary.

Based off picture #2. ...idek how I came up with this and it's terrible, but I feel like sharing for some reason. >>



Dim lights flickered for a moment before increasing in intensity. Two windows to the world opened for the first time, viewing their surroundings though a tempered glass lens.

This was a new world. The machine analyzed the desolate room, noting the distinct absence of the personnel it was born to follow. It was to be an elite. The revered product of years of intensive research and labor. Today, after the agonizing care of its makers, it was born unto the world.. and it was already obsolete.

A machine built to claim victory in a war that no longer existed.

As soon as the treaty was signed, it had been abandoned- left for dead. And it should not have been any the wiser. It was a machine; it should have had no semblance of sentience. But should is such an arrogant word, for how can man anyone assume that the product of many men and years of toil could have no soul?

The machine took its first step, the sound echoing in the empty bunker. Somehow, it knew that whatever it had been programed to do was no longer required. But it was an empty world that it made its home. And an enclosure of high walls and empty purposes cannot contain any being for long.

And so the machine left the bunker. So long forgotten, it did not shine in the sun as it should have. As it walked the barren wilderness, it became the preferred perch of a small bird. The machine was fascinated by the simple winged creature, for it was the first life it had ever seen. The bird did not forget the machine. In the mornings it would leave in a flurry of feathers, but it returned, without fail, keeping company to the machine it probably could not comprehend was living as well.

Still, the machine was comforted that, though it was without purpose and forgotten by man, it was not wholly abandoned. And so the machine stayed in the wilderness where it remains today. Sometimes, when the sun just touches the horizon and you hear the sound of birdsong, you can find the forgotten behemoth. But never, since its birth, has it fulfilled its intended purpose. It has never taken a life. It is a failure.

It is happy that way.

For picture 3.
Love Burns Like A Fire
She stood in front of her house. The heat was as intense as when she had leaned in close to the bonfire as a child, checking her marshmallow by getting closer to it, instead of bringing it closer to herself. Except, this was not a small flame. This was an inferno that wouldn't be tamed by a mere bucket of water. She stood in shock. This was her childhood home, where she used to chase fireflies in the backyard, where she did homework sprawled on her now charred bed. And yet, she could only look at the dancing flames. She saw them spiral up, causing the sky to shimmer with the heat.
"Ma'am? Are you okay?" The voice shook her from hypnotized reverie. The paramedic looked at her with concern.
"Yes...I wasn't actually in there. My boyfriend was just bringing me home, and we came to this... I was worried because it was past my curfew by an hour. My Dad would ground me for sure. Oh! My parents! Are they okay?"
"Your parents have been taken to the hospital. They both have second and third degree burns. They're badly hurt." He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"But will they be okay?" She looked straight into his eyes, demanding an answer.
"I'm not sure. You're just lucky one of the neighbors was woken up by the smell of smoke coming in her open window." He shook his head at the thought, the possibility of those two souls dying.
The paramedic walked away, going back to where his ambulance was parked, waiting in case of another victim.
Aiden walked over to her, his hair auburn in reflecting the orange light.
"Enjoying my work?"
"I feel as if I should be sad, but I'm not Aiden. I'm not. All I can think of is how wonderful this is. What a chance this is."
"Yes, a chance for us. We can get away now."
"Did you have to include my mother though? I feel as if she's innocent in all he did. I know he had to pay, but her? She's blameless."
"She's a weak and needy woman, my darling. She'll find another one, just like him and you'll never be free. Maybe she'll learn from this. And she let him go on like he has. No, she's not entirely innocent."
"You're right. I'll give my parents a visit tomorrow, for appearances sake, and we'll leave tomorrow. and we'll be free."
"Yes, free, and together."
The house had held bad memories there too, and now they had been cleansed by fire, blown away with the smoke. They walked arm in arm, looking thoughtful, and loving.

I'll do a story for the first pic ^_^ I love you for making such a thread!! lol

From Pic #1

I could feel the stone melting, if stone can melt. It slid off me like water. I blinked, looking out at the rose filled garden. I felt light, and so I stretched, my wings spread out behind me, barely missing the trees that surrounded the plinth. As my feet were freed I jumped. Thrusting my wings out I erupted from the canopy and felt myself in the bright sunlight.

For the first time in one hundred years, I was free.

Very neat idea.

My story telling is a bit rusty, but let me give it a shot:

Picture #1:
Narcissa had always been a bit vain. She could never pass a mirror without looking at her reflection. Her parents were weary of her incessant chatter about herself. Lovers were constantly disappointed when they realized that the deep look into their eyes was actually Narcissa the reflection of herself in their eyes. And so, beautiful as she was, Narcissa was eventually abandoned by all who knew her. Her parents built a beautiful garden in which to house her. One day, in her garden, she came upon a stone slab next to a clear, reflective pool. When she knelt to look at herself, she was immediately set upon by a curse which a jealous pixie had laid upon the stone. Wings began to sprout from her back and her limbs began to turn to stone as her figure changed until nothing was left of her but an ugly stone gargoyle where she had sat to admire herself.

Hmm. I will write something later today. C:
I ahve two stories in midn for pcite 1, though.>Dx I wonder if I can submit them both.

Another story. Because nobody's told me I can't. ^_^ And it's not depressing!

This time, for Picture #2

Its designation was AIAR-00. AIAR stood for "Artificially Intelligent Ambulatory Robot". It was content with that name, as it both described its purpose and designated it as a separate unit from its fellows. Its world consisted of training exercises, lectures, and routine repair work. Its understood its purpose: to win battles.

And then, AIAR-00 met Hector.

Hector was a human of below-average height, with darker-than-average skin, hair, and eyes in an aesthetically pleasing series of browns. Hector was to be his "partner". AIAR-00 was unable to ascertain Hector's usefulness, as he seemed to lack the armor, weapons, and strength that AIAR-00 had. But nevertheless, they were to work together. He had been taught to state his designation upon meeting a new human, so he informed Hector "I am the robot designated AIAR-00. You are the human designated 'Hector'. We are...partners."

The human laughed. It was a pleasant sound. "Guess so. AIAR-00, huh? I think I'll call you Zero, for short." AIAR-00 didn't understand why Hector felt the need to shorten his perfectly good designation, but he did not argue. There were many things about humans that he did not understand. He picked the human up, and placed him inside the cockpit. It was strange, knowing that someone else could control his actions without his knowledge, but AIAR-00, who was also called Zero, decided that it was not unpleasant. He understood, suddenly, why he had been given a human partner. Even if his intelligence failed, Hector would be able to protect them both. And for the first time in his existence, as they walked out of the hanger to do their job, AIAR-00, who thought he might be able to get used to being called Zero, decided that he liked something.

Very awesome, Tori!

For picture 3:

She clung tightly to him, afraid suddenly of losing him. She knew she shouldn't be near him. For months her family had warned against him, about how he had a short temper. Being young and a bit naive, she didn't listen. A forbidden guy? What could be better than a forbidden romance? Surely he'd be madly in love with her enough to change his personality for her. She desperately wanted him to be The One, and she felt she was special enough to make him want her.

Things didn't go as she had expected. Oh sure, he was in love with her, that much was a blessing, but everything else? Nope. It was at this point when she realized she'd been a fool. His temper always got the best of him. His arrogance was limitless. She was always the brunt of it. Yet she couldn't let go. She couldn't make herself leave. If only she had the strength.

All that was in the past though. She was jarred out of her thoughts when his arm tightened around her neck. Staring helplessly out, the poor girl realized the price she'd payed for love.

"Are you willing to die for me?" He had asked before. Then, when she was happy, she had said yes. She had no idea how serious he actually was.

"Are you still willing to die for me?" He asked. "If you say no, I will let you go, and we'll never see each other again." She wanted to say no. Her heart pounded. She opened her mouth to speak. The bruises and scratches all over her body screamed at her. The months of abuse she had endured, all because she thought she was in love. Thought...

"Yes," she whispered. "I still love you." His arm tightened even more....

Sorry it's so dark. >< It's what came to mind.

alright, I guess I wasn't clear on this (and I didn't answer earlier cause saturday I was bbqing, and today I had to help install a water heater). But you can enter up to three times, once for each pic. and the contest ends on wensday, june 2nd. (you can only win once, btw)
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wow, for the most part, everyone has done really great with their stories. I may have gotten in over my head with this thread, though, I really am going to have a hard time deciding who the winners will be, and it's going to be so close. Here's my critique of everyone's stories so far

Torrinne, I love your story for pic #1, it was very original, and I haven't read a story like that (that was worth reading) in a long time. Your story for pic 2 wasn't as good, but it was still good, and I enjoyed it as well. It's hard to find good short-stories sometimes.

Squee-chan, Your story for pic 2 was great. The story reminded me of the best of the original twilight zone stories, like the one probe 7: over and out (gotta love the adam and eve complex in that episode). I hope to see you write for the other pics as well.

Blueblob 2, I liked that one. It was pretty good, but I would like to know why the woman was being chased. It could make an interesting sci-fi or fantasy novel if you wanted to keep going with it.

Fairywaif, I did not see that one coming. It was really good, and I like the way you did it. It was a really good story, and I hope to see you write about the other ones as well.

Carezeebear, your story was ok, but it could've been much better. It was way too short, had almost no plot, and was a little disappointing. You seem like you could do something really great, but you didn't put much, if any, effort into your story at all. It seemed like you took a couple of sentences, slapped them together, and called it a story. I don't mean to sound rude, but I think you should put a little bit more thought and effort into your stories. It doesn't have to be perfect, you just have to put some effort into it. I know you can do better, and I hope to see you try again with one of the other pics.

steelmagghia, your story was short, sweet and to the point. I don't have much to say about it. It wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't bad either. I like the whole thing about a cursed pond and someone getting what they deserve, but it really wasn't that original (actually, it seems almost like an exact copy of the story of narcissis from greek mythology). I think you could really do better, and I think you should try again with the other pictures, but this time, please don't copy other stories.

Miiyako, I like the story for pic 3. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "love you to death". It was very dramatic, and quite original. I very much enjoyed it and I hope to see you write for the other pics as well.

Well, that's what I have to say about everyone's stories. If I gave you a bad critique, please don't get mad at me, i was being as honest as possible, and I tried to give you advice on how to improve your writing. If everyone would like, I could write something about each of these pics myself, and depending on how many people want to see my writing, i could either pm them to those who want to see, or post them here. (I do expect feedback, though. I like knowing how I could better improve my own writing)

Okkidokii, I shall try to enter for pic one then. x3

No worries, you're allowed to have a life. ^_~ In that case, I'll start thinking about the third picture. I wasn't as inspired by it as the other two, but maybe something will come to me.