Every once in a while, Schprock will pop his head in the office to say Jason Evans is having another short story contest. The deadline for this contest is 11 PM tonight. The deal is, you write a story of no more than 250 words inspired by a photo he provides. I've done a couple of them, even tried to do something similar here. So I thought I'd give this new one a try. Here's the image. The story's called "Vision Quest."
Vision Quest
A guy could learn a lot about himself out in the woods. Legend says the Wampanoag sent their young out here on vision quests, alone to fend for themselves for weeks. Armed with only your wits and a sleeping bag, you find out what you’re really made of.
I mean, everyone’s heard the stories…campfire tales of Shrieking Susie, the vengeful spirit of a murdered young woman said to haunt these parts. Her mournful cry is enough to stop all who hear it dead in their tracks; frozen and helpless as she drags them into the darkness to roam the woods with her forever. That’s what they say.
But those are just stories. Right? Just silly children’s ghost stories that…wait…did you hear that? Probably just the wind. Nothing to worry about.
Anyway, there’s a lot more tangible threats out here. Like crazed transients hopped up on amphetamines. Groups of them. They had a thing on the news. They stalk around out here, wait for some poor sap to set up camp, and BAM! Next thing you know, you’re aching, bleeding, and minus one wallet. And that’s if you’re lucky. My cousin’s friend was camping out here a few years ago; woke up without a kidney. True story.
Or bears! My God, there’s bears out here! And poisonous snakes! What was I thinking? I could be eaten by a freaking bear. Best case scenario, a mosquito bites me and I die of Malaria. Maybe West Nile Virus.
Screw this, I’m going home.
13 comments:
You gave up on your vision quest before finding out what your power animal is? Go back in the woods and finish the job.
I don't think there are posionous snakes in the North East... you big baby.
Didn't the Spartans do the same thing with their kids? What is that anyhow!?
Hey just because a story is written in the first person doesn't mean it's autobiographical.
Also, copperheads and timber rattlesnakes are indigenous to the Northeast, although the rattlesnake is endangered.
That doesn't keep me from driving off the road to run one over.
They're only endangered in the Northeast. You can run over as many as you want in Nebraska.
Crap... here I thought this was going to be a post about wrestling.
Well I didn't win. But I did read the top entries and now I know what they're looking for. So my next entry will be chock full of hard nipples.
Now I feel bad for not entering this one. You could have had some real fun with this having more words to play with.
You were giving me crap about not posting and I've done so twice since then. And from you? Nothing. No comment. Nada.
I'm hurt, John. Hurt.
John Hurt?
You missed a really awesome Joe-flip-out today...he was even stamping his feet
Good story - I used to do this with a local magazine. They would print the picture and then you had until the next month to write a story in 2,000 words or less.
It can actually be very inspiring having someone focus your input to one single image.
Ben O.
I had a dream that I wrote a new post. It seemed pretty real.
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