Straighter

ROU Killing Time · Post by **ROU Killing Time** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 7:50 am

The straighteners worked without end.

On the sub-atomic plane they would flatten probabilities to a linear distribution.

They moved on to the realms of geometry.

Triangle was ripped wide and bent to one hundred and eighty degrees.

Circle was pierced, torn, and drawn taut.

Mighty Hexagon was crushed.

They came to the macro universe and found more curves than they ever imagined could exist.

They were appalled, but delighted at the work ahead of them.

To honor his work in fractals, they chose Mandelbrot to start their task of straightening our world.

They straightened his muscles.

They straightened his bones.

Phenopath · Post by **Phenopath** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:21 am

This one was a bit too subtle for me... I had to wikipedia the pay-off.

Although I was pleasingly reminded of the Doozers.

Algernon Sydney is Dead · Post by **Algernon Sydney is Dead** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:10 am

ROU Killing Time wrote:The straighteners worked without end.

On the sub-atomic plane they would flatten probabilities to a linear distribution.

They would have to stop right there. If they could "flatten probabilities", that alone would destroy the known universe! Atomic matter would be impossible (or at least have a very short half-life). Depending on which theory you used, even subatomic matter and gravity would be completely alien to us. Light would probably be unchanged (at least below gamma energies).

Mandelbrot could not be straightened. He would have been poisoned to death by radiation from his own body -- in the nanoseconds before it disintegrated.

eric_marsh · Post by **eric_marsh** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 1:39 pm

I like the references to science and fractals.

strawman · Post by **strawman** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 1:53 pm

It all works out, ASID. They got hired to fill some openings at the University of East Anglia

TheJebi · Post by **TheJebi** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 6:53 pm

ROU Killing Time wrote:
They moved on to the realms of geometry.

Triangle was ripped wide and bent to one hundred and eighty degrees.

Circle was pierced, torn, and drawn taut.

Mighty Hexagon was crushed.

They came to the macro universe and found more curves than they ever imagined could exist.

They were appalled, but delighted at the work ahead of them.

I really like this section allot. It connects with me on a some higher level then most of the stuff that I read.

ROU Killing Time · Post by **ROU Killing Time** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:37 pm

Well, I'll deflect Algernon's dragging silly things like "logic" into this by pleading a genre of fantasy/horror.

Phenopath may be correct that the payoff is aimed at too small an audience. Perhaps changing it to "Mandelbrot" instead of "Benoit" would clear it up for a wider number of readers.

Thx Jebi. I was going for a "monster from the abstract" feel here.

Algernon Sydney is Dead · Post by **Algernon Sydney is Dead** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:55 pm

ROU Killing Time wrote:Well, I'll deflect Algernon's dragging silly things like "logic" into this by pleading a genre of fantasy/horror.

Sorry, but that genre is reserved for politics, the IPCC, and the Oprah Winfrey show.

juliasd · Post by **juliasd** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:21 pm

ROU Killing Time wrote:They straightened his muscles.

They straightened his bones.

That section is perfect for the horror genre. Reminds me of Stephen King's "Thinner".

themorg · Post by **themorg** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:48 am

ROU Killing Time wrote:Well, I'll deflect Algernon's dragging silly things like "logic" into this by pleading a genre of fantasy/horror.

I don't believe you have to preface it is Fantasy/Horror because you already did.

ROU Killing Time wrote:They moved on to the realms of geometry.

It would be similar for me to say i was the ruler of the realms of cheese where the Blue cheese Elves live and sang Bree songs. I also thing Alegrnon's right about logic...in general.

Maybe dedicate this to the Hadron Collider (that is almost up and working) and your realms of geometry may be proven.

Post by **normsherman** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 8:32 am

Agree this was a kickass drabble, but the payoff comes to those who get it.
The first part of this story could be a great murder mystery simply about "angle-murder." geometry suspense--- now that's a genre that will sell.
fun nucleii here

tbaker2500 · Post by **tbaker2500** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 6:21 pm

Benoit was a presenter at this years Ig Nobel awards. Very fun.
Rou- fun stuff.
ASID- You're being too pedantic.

ROU Killing Time · Post by **ROU Killing Time** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 7:54 pm

normsherman wrote:Agree this was a kickass drabble, but the payoff comes to those who get it.
The first part of this story could be a great murder mystery simply about "angle-murder." geometry suspense--- now that's a genre that will sell.
fun nucleii here

Norm, good to see you down in the drabble-dungeon. Have a cookie

Personally, I kind of liked the simple language surrounding the geometric atrocities that occurred.

I was also thinking there might be a short in there. My first thought wasn't "murder mystery" as much as a potential for a frontier lawman in a geometric wild west, huntin down a madobject that's intent on tryin to 'straighten-up' all of them good folkshapes of Geome Vale..

(western gives a great opportunity for a horrid "stringem-up" pun at the end of the story too...)

mrgoldenbrown · Post by **mrgoldenbrown** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 6:12 am

I like the fractal punchline. Nice one.

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