The first of my Prospect-L Giant Squid snippets: > In a message dated 07/10/2000 1:52:42 PM Mountain Daylight Time, > (poster A) writes: > > I think the problem here is that we're looking at a pretty artificial > > scenario. I mean, barring the type of wacko out-there villain who > > generally shows up only in fuck-or-die stories or the old Batman tv > > series, it's highly unlikely that you're going to get Jim walking into a > > warehouse and on this side is Blair suspended over the burning cauldron of > > death and on the other side are 20 five-year-olds about to be eaten by a > > giant squid, and he only has time to save Blair or them. > (spewing coffee in every direction.) > I laughed so hard I almost choked. Someone, please, > write me a Giant Squid of Death story! > > (Poster B), who does NOT intend this as a CheesyChallenge > post. To which I responded with the following: ***** The Lady or the Tiger: TS Edition by Beth H (c) July 2000 "Jim," croaked Blair urgently yet tenderly, as the rope which kept him from falling into the Burning Cauldron of Death began to fray "Don't zone on me, man. You know that we can do anything as long as we work together, don't you? There may still be a solution and . . . ." "A solution!" choked Jim, as tears started to roll down his [sweet]cheeks. "There's no solution that I can live with. I'm a Sentinel, dammmit! I can't let these children die! But Blair . . . oh God, Blair . . . if I save them then . . . oh Blair . . . I . . . I . . . ." "I love you too, man. Um . . . that is what you were going to say, isn't it?" "Oh for heaven's sake," boomed the Giant Squid, "I don't know how much more of this slush I can take! I shall free you all -- if only to stop this inane dialogue -- but first you must do something for me." "What do you want me to do?" gasped Jim, "I'll do anything to save the life of the man I love . . . anything!" "You must," began the Giant Squid, "beta my internet joke challenge story." "Oh. Yeah, well . . . I'd really like to," said Jim, herding the twenty small children before him and edging toward the exit of the cave, "but um . . . is that my cell phone ringing? Must be Simon. Gotta run." "Stop!" said the Giant Squid, but it was too late, for with a final, 'See ya, Chief,' the Sentinel of the Great City scooped up his remaining small charges in the crook of his arm and fled the lair of the Squid for the debatable safety of Greater Cascade. "Damn," the Giant Squid muttered. "Happens every time! Hey!" he exclaimed, as he turned to look at Blair, "How about you, boy? Care to read my story in exchange for your freedom?" "Okay," thought Blair, "all I have to do is slide this Swiss Army Knife (that I got for my Bar Mitzvah) out of my pocket and start hacking at the rope. I bet it won't be too bad. The cauldron's bubbling. It'll probably all be over in a few minutes . . . ." **** Return to random snippets Return to main page