Invasion of the QzzQargs!
It’s Friday Fictioneers time, the weekly 100 word photo prompt writing challenge hosted by Rochelle. This week’s photo was contributed by Erin Leary.
To read this week’s other stories or to contribute your own, click on the blue frog.
The two Space Troopers peered down the Great Wooden Cliff of Trevellis Prime at the QzzQarg flying saucer invasion fleet far below.
“Target lock, fire one!” announced the first. The Great Ball of Destruction hurtled downwards, smashing into three of the saucers. Pieces flew everywhere.
The Troopers celebrated.
Another moment and the final two saucers disintegrated.
“Boys…” came a voice.
“Message from the Commander!” said the second Trooper.
“… stop playing with your football and come inside! Dinner’s ready. And bring some of those mushrooms next to the fence, they’ll make a nice garnish.”
The Troopers looked down at the devastation.
“Oh, crap.”
You know, the lady who wrote “Hunting the Wild Mushroom” died after eating the wrong one. Really, not making this up. Just saying. Maybe the lads had the right idea?
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Sounds like that guy who popularised jogging who died of a heart attack while out jogging (or is that just an urban myth?).
I you’re gonna eat mushrooms, buy them from the supermarket, I say.
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I don’t know about your jogger, but my local politician who canoed for fresh air and exercise, had a heart attack in the middle of the river. Good story though. 🙂
BTW, why don’t your pictures ever carry over to the reader? Is it possible someone’s even less technologically adroit than me? 😕 🙂
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I didn’t know they didn’t! I never use the reader anyway but of course I don’t follow myself so I wouldn’t have noticed. It’s possible that my theme doesn’t integrate properly. Something worth bearing in mind as I should really change themes to a more modern one anyway. Thanks for letting me know!
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Ha.. what did we say of playing with the food.. love the twist here.
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And they’re playing with food that hasn’t even made it to the dinner table yet!
I’m glad you liked it.
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I love this! I love the imagination of boys this age anyway but you told it so wonderfully it felt real.
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Everything can become something more exciting when you’re little! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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Very cute and very real. Love it.
janet
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I’m glad it came across as real to you, and that you enjoyed it 🙂
Ali
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The Great Ball of Destruction! Ha! This story is hilarious. Made me laugh out loud. Thanks, Alicia
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I thought little kids might use such a name for their main weapon 🙂
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This is very imaginative, and it made me laugh!
At first, I thought it was an ode to Starship Troopers, but that twist at the end is brilliant.
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When I wrote the word “Troopers” that film did flash through my head. Glad you liked the twist!
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LOL love it! Your crazy writing mind takes you into some wonderful places, and drags us right along with you. I can imagine you doing this sort of thing when you were a kid, D-man.
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I’m sure I did many similar things to this! My childhood days were back before mobile phones and computers, so we were always outside making up games.
Glad you liked it 🙂
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aww! Boys games!!! Love them. (I reckon wild mushrooms are to played with and not eaten)
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Yeah, they explode in quite a satisfactory way when you kick ’em 🙂 Safer than eating them, too.
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boys and their fantasy games!.. good one !
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They love their little games of imagination 🙂
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You caught a moment from my childhood there. We never could see a toadstool/mushroom without picking/destroying it. Good one.
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There’s something fascinating about mushrooms that makes you want to give them a good kick 🙂
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Reading this has started my day with a smile. Thanks.
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That’s a good way to start the day 🙂
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Dear Draliman,
I convey upon you the Order of the Loon for your steadfast and stirring tale of the Defense of Trellis Prime and the destruction of the QzzQarg Saucer Invasion.
Your imagination is awesome. You are awesome and we’re not worthy.
Aloha,
Doug
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Dear Doug,
I’m glad you enjoyed my story! I’ve always had a bit of an imagination, and I’m happy to have been inducted into the Order of the Loon 🙂
Ali
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Hilarious. 😀 I seem to remember that the story about the jogger dying while jogging was true. I don’t seem to have difficulty getting pictures from your blog. I don’t know some may have a problem. Poor Mom. She better plan another dish. Well done, Ali. 🙂 — Suzanne
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I wonder if they’ll make up some excuse about the mushrooms and then she’ll see the evidence squashed on the football? 🙂
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Who cares about garnish, these saucers have to be destroyed. The boys know their priorities. I love this. 🙂
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Yeah, who cares about dinner when the planet’s in danger!
I’m glad you liked it 🙂
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Loved this story! I think it’s my favorite this week. I love that they stay in character and view mom’s voice as a “message from the Commander.” Maybe they can say they were helping her by chopping the mushrooms???
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I’m glad you enjoyed it!
The lads are very dedicated – they won’t break character for anything. Let’s hope they can come up with a decent excuse like chopping the mushrooms 🙂
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I’m sure there’s more fungi growing on the tree trunk. Just grab some of that, mother won’t know the difference!
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And one mushroom is as good as another 🙂
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great twist, but, hopefully, the mushrooms are the real deal. 🙂
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Let’s hope so! I’m sure mum knows what she’s doing 🙂
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Love your story’s about boys and their deeds. Raising three boys, I feel like a survivor.
Jim Fixx was the runners name.
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I can only imagine. You must feel worn out sometimes!
Thanks, that name rings a bell with me now.
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Any story with multiple zzz’s in the title demands instant attention. Great story, with the twist back to reality a perfect ending.
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Thanks! I often like to bung a little twist in at the end.
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Dear Ali,
I can only echo Doug’s eloquent words. The Order of the Loon is an auspicious group. I suspect one day you’ll be the Emperor. I love the story.
So tell me, as a child were you a young Walter Mitty?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
So I have your vote for Emperor then?! I’m glad you liked my story!
I haven’t seen the film, but from reading the Wiki entry I was indeed very much like Walter Mitty. And, um, still am… 😉
Ali
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I see we were on the same page with this one! Oops, there goes dinner. Mushrooms are so strange, it’s not too surprising kids would let their imaginations run wild. Nicely told, Ali.
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We were! Kids can find great possibilities for fun in pretty much anything, I reckon.
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Fun and funny ending. You did a lot in very few words – to another dimension and home in time for dinner.
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That’s kids – endlessly flitting between different worlds. Glad you liked it!
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Nice job. I enjoyed the read and the twist at the end. Definitely something my cousins and I might have done! Mother would not have called for the mushrooms to be eaten however. Until college, I did not know mushrooms were actually food- I thought the were only smoked?
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I know, right? Seems a waste to chop them up and cook them.
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Great stuff. Had me going for a while – I even reached for my lazer zapper.
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You would have been a welcome addition to the defence force 🙂
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oh crap is right! i hear mushrooms love that:) another great story!
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Ha! Yes, it’s their favourite thing 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed my story!
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Haha! I laughed out loud. Wonderful story, love the way you weave fiction and real life!
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Glad you liked it! I like to mix things around a bit.
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I loved your twist to the prompt. It sounds just like something boys that age would do. 😀
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Definitely typical boys games for sure!
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I’d have loved to have seen the boys’ faces when Mum asked for the mushrooms. That Great Ball of Destruction had a lot to answer for. The imaginations of kids never cease to amaze me. A wonderful interpretation of the prompt with a brilliant ending. 🙂
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I can imagine them looking at the mushrooms, looking at each other, looking back at the mushrooms…
I’m glad you liked it!
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Lots of fun. I enjoyed this – you had me in till the end. Nicely done.
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked it and that the end was a surprise!
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ha-ha absolutely brilliant take. i loved it 🙂
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Glad you liked it 🙂 People have seen quite a few different things in the mushrooms.
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very cute,
from one of the fleet who’s already at the dinner table. 😉
Randy
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Don’t wait for the mushrooms, they ain’t coming, just tuck in 🙂
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Great job this week, draliman. I remember playing such games. My dad used to grow watermelons. We fed the ones that were shriveled on one end to the hogs. It was fun to toss them onto a giant rock in the hog pen and watch them splatter in all directions. We were destroying the enemy and feeding the hogs at the same time.
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Thanks!
That does sound like a lot of fun. There’s nothing better than watching something splatter to bits (and not get told off at the same time) 🙂
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could be worse, mum could have three space troopers like we do 🙂
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Heh, multiple mischief 🙂
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Mom should just stick to parsley as a garnish, it sounds like.
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Parsley’s good. I like parsley. I’m not sure one can actually use mushrooms as a garnish per se, but I decided to use the “poetic licence” card 🙂
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