Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
- normsherman
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Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
Of all the ghosts that endlessly chase him, it is theirs alone he cannot turn to face.
It’s been almost 13 years now since the tragedy that took his wife and 8-year old daughter, and while Pacman hadn’t been home the night the gas stove caught fire, he imagines it all as if he had been. He imagines their screams drowning out in flame and he imagines their baleful disembodied eyes watching him-- his infidelity-- from the dark corner of a strange woman’s room.
Pacman swallows another handful of yellow pills, and chases them down with a pineapple.
It’s been almost 13 years now since the tragedy that took his wife and 8-year old daughter, and while Pacman hadn’t been home the night the gas stove caught fire, he imagines it all as if he had been. He imagines their screams drowning out in flame and he imagines their baleful disembodied eyes watching him-- his infidelity-- from the dark corner of a strange woman’s room.
Pacman swallows another handful of yellow pills, and chases them down with a pineapple.
"Give us all some Jelly"
- ROU Killing Time
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Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
Wokka Wokka Wokka... Nyu nyu nyu nyu nyuuuuu!
:thumbs:
:thumbs:
"Never fuck with The Culture"
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
- ROU Killing Time
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Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
I'd change one line (the first "imagines") to "he hears their screams" to avoid the double imagine use.
"Never fuck with The Culture"
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
- unseentangerine
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Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
That's a 103 word drabble. I think that he really meant to convey a continuation of one thought across two sentences. In which case the use of two of the same word is most appropriate.ROU Killing Time wrote:I'd change one line (the first "imagines") to "he hears their screams" to avoid the double imagine use.
Many on the forum have asked me, so here's my answer: a spoonful of lighter fluid. And you'll need to wash it out really well when you're done.
- ROU Killing Time
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Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
Oh I quite agree it's allowable, although personally, when I only have 100 words to work with, I have a tendency to try and use as many unique words as possible.unseentangerine wrote:That's a 103 word drabble. I think that he really meant to convey a continuation of one thought across two sentences. In which case the use of two of the same word is most appropriate.ROU Killing Time wrote:I'd change one line (the first "imagines") to "he hears their screams" to avoid the double imagine use.

#tongueincheek
"Never fuck with The Culture"
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
- normsherman
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Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
Haha, yah that was the idea (going by the ol "3 times and it's intentional" doctrine'). Intensity through repetition or whatever.unseentangerine wrote: I think that he really meant to convey a continuation of one thought across two sentences. In which case the use of two of the same word is most appropriate.
Had a weird dream about catching Inky and Blinky's disembodied eyes watching you before fleeing into the darkness back to base and decided that was probably the creepiest part to the whole Pacman mythos.
"Give us all some Jelly"
- ROU Killing Time
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Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
nyu.nyu,nyu,nyu...
please insert another quarter...
please insert another quarter...

"Never fuck with The Culture"
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
- AbbawithanI
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Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
Drowning himself in bad fruit cocktails, no doubt, whose cherry syrupyness has soured over these many quartered years. Love it!
- MonsieurMoustache
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Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
Well, there was a game concept I didn't think was all that weird until Norm Sherman found a way for it to make sense. It's great to have you posting here, Norm, I love your drabble work.
- pondspider
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Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
Yeah... Welcome to the forum, NormMonsieurMoustache wrote:... It's great to have you posting here, Norm, I love your drabble work.

Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
He used to hang out here a lot.
But it came down to producing the stories or not.
But it came down to producing the stories or not.
Never judge anyone until you have biopsied their brain.
"Be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle."
Known Some Call Is Air Am
"Be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle."
Known Some Call Is Air Am
Spoiler:
- Chairman Goodchild
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Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
Pills will chase away the ghosts, but only for awhile. They always come back, harder and stronger than ever before. Then you run out of pills, and you can't get anymore, and those ghosts are right behind you, breathing down your neck. They're all you think about.
Then, finally, finally you can get more pills. You just tease yourself with them, you don't want to pop them too fast, because as much as you need them, you have to pace yourself or you'll run out again. Then you find yourself propped up against a wall somewhere, just staring at one until you can't help yourself anymore. Then you take it, and that rush just kicks in, it's like you're invincible.
But here's the thing: those pills don't work so well anymore. You keep on taking them, and they keep on working less and less. Then, one day, they don't work at all. But you can't stop taking them.
If it sounds like I know what I'm talking about, I do. And in the end, what do I have to show for it?
A high score of 350,000.
Then, finally, finally you can get more pills. You just tease yourself with them, you don't want to pop them too fast, because as much as you need them, you have to pace yourself or you'll run out again. Then you find yourself propped up against a wall somewhere, just staring at one until you can't help yourself anymore. Then you take it, and that rush just kicks in, it's like you're invincible.
But here's the thing: those pills don't work so well anymore. You keep on taking them, and they keep on working less and less. Then, one day, they don't work at all. But you can't stop taking them.
If it sounds like I know what I'm talking about, I do. And in the end, what do I have to show for it?
A high score of 350,000.
Re: Grief is a Winding Road; Regret, an Endless Labyrinth
Player channeling inner lab rat.
Never judge anyone until you have biopsied their brain.
"Be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle."
Known Some Call Is Air Am
"Be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle."
Known Some Call Is Air Am
Spoiler: