Group Story: The Time Capsule
The second of our two prompts for today is this opening sentence of a story:
Thomas hadn’t expected to be alive when the town’s time capsule was opened.
Starting with this sentence, begin creating a story.
Every 20 minutes I will suggest that you go back and check out this page and give you a few minutes to add to one of the storylines. I encourage everyone to participate!
After all, the point, Principal Pratt ecstatically explained at school on Monday, was for the capsule to be opened in the year 2122. Each grade was to pick something to put in the capsule to commemorate 2022. The younger kids had no idea what a time capsule even was -- they said things like "a cookie!" or "a goldfish!" The older ones were just as unhelpful. "A burning flag." "A burning globe." Burning seemed to be popular. Thomas could not roll his eyes hard enough at the whole thing, though he was at least polite enough not to make any crude suggestions the way a few others had.
ReplyDeleteThe thing he expected least of all was that he would actually be IN the time capsule himself. And yet, when he woke up Tuesday, there he was in the year 2122...
And he was stuck inside. He could hear the commotion through the box, as the school tried desperately to pry the box open.
Delete"We need to see what's inside!" A child complained, smacking the box. Thomas winced.
"Well I simply don't know what to do, maybe we should use the hammer or something," a teacher chimed in. Murmurs of agreement followed.
Bang.
Thomas screamed, as the hammer hit dangerously close to his head, but still the box did not break. The children all screamed in response.
"What was that?" A student cried.
A cool, authoritative voice -- another teacher, Thomas supposed -- said, "Hush. Give me the hammer."
DeleteThomas braced himself for another blow, but instead the cool-voice person must have used the claw side to open the lid. Smart, whoever it was. Indeed the first face he saw was calm, a little amused, but not at all surprised -- not at all like the dozen other faces peering at him in various degrees of shock and fear.
"Ah. You made it through after all."
That voice, that face -- Thomas KNEW this person. And suddenly he knew at least part of the reason why (if not how) he had ended up in the time capsule, transported 100 years in the future.
Thomas hadn’t expected to be alive when the town’s time capsule was opened, so he was surprised to see the peek of sunlight streaming through after all those years. He felt as if he was being blinded, squinting horribly, trying to adjust to the light.
ReplyDelete“Um, Mister Mayor?” the voice which had opened the time capsule whispered hesitantly.
“Go on now, let’s show off the time capsule. See what’s in there!” the mayor said excitedly, rushing his assistant.
Thomas tried to stand up but found that he couldn’t his legs aching with stiffness from the years of hibernation. He fell out of the time capsule, tipping the box over. The crowd gasped and murmured, staring at him with awe.
“Oh my,” the mayor said, helping Thomas out. The assistant shot the mayor a panicked look, which the mayor ignored. Staff members came rushing up, all of which the mayor brushed off. The mayor put his arm around Thomas, and he was brought to the podium. The crowd quieted down, and the whole room fell silent.
“Hello there! Now, what is your name sir?” the mayor said, angling the microphone towards Thomas.
Thomas had not spoken in years. He tried to speak, but all that came out of him was a croak. The audience murmured and a few laughs spread amongst the crowd. He tried again.
“M-my name,” Thomas whispered, as the crowd quieted. He cleared his throat. “My name is Thomas Jones.”
"Thomas Jones," the mayor repeated. He peered more closely at Thomas's face. "Thomas Jones, what year is it?"
Delete"What, don't you know?" Thomas blurted. The crowd chuckled.
The mayor laughed too, though with a shade of annoyance. "I know, dear sir, but I'd like to hear what you think it is!"
It was then that Thomas became aware of his surroundings -- and the people. He realized immediately that the last thing he should say at that moment was the truth.
The sunlight and popping flashes made Thomas feel naked. He glanced back at the flourescent blue walls of the coffin-sized capsule he emerged from. With some discomfort, he realized his growing desire to crawl back inside, like some goblin retreating to its cave.
Delete"Thomas! Over here!" The cameras continued to pop as people called his name from every side, each wanting to get the magic shot to make it on the front of TIME, or whatever magazines were popular this far into the future. Thomas wondered if TIME was still around
"Is TIME still a thing?" He shocked himself with how clear his words were. Then he realized how crazy he must have sounded just then, as everyone in the crowd started laughing.
"TIME, like the magazine..." He felt dizzy, and now alone, as the mayor began to laugh as well. Thomas felt small. What year was this? What happened to his family? He began to climb out of the hole in the ground he had been set in.
He’d always heard stories, the first time he heard about it he was 12, now he was 32 with a wife and kids. Written in the prophecies, if the town were ever in great trouble whatever was inside the capsule would be the only thing to save them. Working in the mayor’s office, he was always running the ins and outs of the town making sure everything was safe. This however, came as a surprise, whatever this thing was, it was ruining the town. He didn’t think the time capsule would ever have to be opened in his lifetime and now he had to be the one to open it.
ReplyDeleteThe truth was the town was definitely in trouble. That statement, Thomas realized, as he asserted it in his mind, made it seem like the problem was clear. It wasn't. It started as a sort of ... greyness. Everyone was becoming grey. Colors were washing out, people's voices flattening. Music seemed to lose its harmony, and then even its melody. The song Thomas listened to on his way to the mayor's office that morning seemed at most two notes. What was happening to them?
Delete(Part 3) It started with the weather, the town was almost always sunny and rain always came in light waves. Then suddenly, it was always gray and rainy and it hasn’t stopped since. Next there was Susie, the town's most joyous and colorful person. She began to keep to herself more tending to her dying garden, and her clothes became gray. Even her house along with all the others began to turn white. Soon it started happening to everyone. Next was the music along with all other forms of entertainment. It became simple and boring, soon every song sounded the same. It was happening to everyone but Thomas and his family which is exactly why he had to open the capsule. Everyone else became slow and robotic, it's like everyone was becoming the exact same.
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DeleteThe time capsule, he knew, was buried behind the schoolhouse in a grove of maple trees. It shouldn't be too hard to find or dig up, Thomas thought, hoisting his shovel over his shoulder and closing the garage door. As soon as he turned around, he nearly leapt out of his skin. Two dozen grey-faced, grey-clad neighbors stood in a semicircle before him.
Delete"You can't do this, Thomas," said one (which one? they all looked the same).
"We will stop you," said an identical monotone.
Thomas stood, stunned. They WANTED to be this way? Why? He left the "why" unanswered as they started to crowd in on him. Impulsively, he swung the shovel in an arc, pushing them back, and began to run.
(part 5) As he ran, he began to hear *thump, thump, thump* looking over his shoulder, still running he had found the answer. They were marching in an organized fashion like soldiers, stiff and gray; with each step their speed increased. He turned his head around and continued to run. They seemed to be running with him now but they still looked to be marching in their organized fashion. Finally, the thumping had faded and he began to relax. He finally made it home and sat down at his desk chair. I have to fix this and fix it soon, the world is madness. But he couldn’t go back there again and dig it up in plain sight, or else they might find him. Who knows what they’ll try to do this time. Suddenly he had it, he would buy a gray suit and disguise himself as one of them. The only problem was, they knew who he was and his voice was still normal. Got it! A mask with a speaker that would distort his voice. It seemed fitting considering this was like some sort of pandemic anyway. Next he devised a plan to go dig it up during designated dinner time (yes literally everyone does the exact same thing at the same time). This way, it would be dark and he had less of a likelihood of getting caught since nobody would be out.
DeleteFound poem: A life in last words
ReplyDelete1. Birth
Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow.
Water.
Help.
I am just going outside and may be some time.
I like to look at your face.
You’re the only one I like.
I feel great.
Let’s have a party.
2. Life
This is no way to live.
It must have been the coffee.
Where’s my clock.
I’m bored of it all.
Fuck you.
I’m losing it.
I should have asked for a stunt double.
3. Death
Looks like a good night to fly.
Tomorrow at sunrise, I shall no longer be here.
Friends, applaud, the comedy is over.
I am about to–or I am going to–die; either expression is used.
I am so happy. I am so happy. I have loved my life.
Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.
“Looks like a good night to fly.”
ReplyDelete“I must go in, the fog is rising.”
“I’m going, but I’m going in the name of the Lord.”
...
“I’m bored of it all.”
“Dying is boring.”
…
“I should have never switched from Scotch to Martini’s.”
I’m bored of it all,
ReplyDeleteIt must have been the office.
This is no way to live.
F-ck you.
Let’s have a party.