Exercise 2 Story 5 The Button and The Sign

The Button and The Sign

Two men argue over their fate, as they contemplate the unknown consequences should they ignore a blatant warning and interact with the only other thing that exists in their world. 

‘I’m going to press it.’

‘What?’

‘You heard me. I’m going to press the button.’

‘That’s what you said yesterday.’

‘Well, I mean it today.’

Cronag rolls his eyes. Brushak has never followed up with his actions. His words hold no weight. But this felt different. An aura of determination emanates around Brushak, something Cronag has never observed before. Intrigued and frightened, he watches his friend closely, despite his apparent lack of interest. 

‘Press it, I’m going to press it… press it.’

‘You know we’re not supposed to.’

‘Press it, set us… free.’

‘The sign, Brushak. It tells us not to.’

Cronag stares at the sign above the button in question.

NONE SHALL TOUCH THE BUTTON AND EXPECT TO LIVE

A piercing chill runs down his spine. How long have they been stuck here? In this cursed white limbo? They had no want for food or water, in fact, they had no want for anything. There was nothing in here, in this white desolate landscape. Hunger, thirst, knowledge, they did not exist. There was nothing, save the big red shiny button, and that haunting sign above it.

Cronag snaps out of thought. He sees Brushak dangerously close to the button, the sign looming threateningly above him.

‘Brushak. Brushak! Brushak come back here!’

‘I must press the button Cronag. It is the only way.’

 Cronag had never heard his friend speak with such confidence before. He was proud at least, for a second or two. Anger and fear then fills his heart, and he begins to sprint towards Brushak.

‘You fool, you’ll kill us all!’

‘No. No, I won’t. I’ll set us free.’

‘Do you not see or remember what the sign says? Touch that button and you’ll doom us both!’

Cronag sees a flash of anger on Brushak’s gentle visage. His face contorts in indigination and frustration.

‘Yes I see that damnable sign. I see it! I say, screw it and screw what it says! Screw them both!’

Brushak’s voice echoes over the white empty landscape. Cronag half expects some unseen calamity to take them both for their lack of respect. Hiding his shock at Brushak’s outburst, he attempts to calm his friend.

‘Brushak... hush, please…’

‘Throughout my existence in this place I have lead a life of insecurity and indecision! I have never kept my word, never held a promise to heart! I’m…I’m pathetic!’

‘Brushak…’

‘No! Do not try to stop me. I have never felt surer about anything else before. This is, this is the only way out Cronag. I will press that button and free us!’

Brushak sprints the remaining distance towards the button, sprints under the sign and he reaches…

‘BRUSHAK, NO!’

Cronag closes his eyes involuntarily. Fear fills him to the bone. What will happen now? What horrible fate awaits them? What…

‘Cronag. Cronag! I need help my friend.’

Brushak was pushing down on the button, but his weight was not enough to depress it. The scene almost made Cronag burst into laughter. He would have, if not for the circumstances. In the unknown expanse of time they had both spent here he had never felt the urge to chuckle before. It felt good.

He walks towards Brushak, cringing at the sign as he passes under it.

‘Please, Cronag, help me. You have to trust me.’

‘What if we die Brushak?’

‘See, I have touched the button and nothing has happened! It is a farce.’

‘It is good to see you full of confidence my friend, but I fear what will happen.’

‘I too, fear the unknown. But I do not let it govern what my heart tells me. This is the only way out of this accursed place.’

Cronag stares at his friend. There was wisdom in his words, and he wondered at the sudden change. How does he know pressing the button would free them? But then, Cronag knew in his heart. No matter how they search there would be nothing here, nothing but this button. Pressing the button might free them, kill them, or even do nothing at all. Perhaps that is what he feared the most, that the button would do nothing at all. One thing was certain though.

Nothing would definitely happen if they did not press the button. They would never know.

‘Alright Brushak,’ Cronag breathes heavily. ‘we will press the button.’

Brushak smiles at him. They place their hands on the red, smooth, shiny surface.

 ‘Goodbye my friend, perhaps we will see each other again.’

‘Perhaps.’

They push down together. 

Exercise 2 Story 4 Seedreal™

  

One sentence summary:

Binky the hamster has to protect her precious golden sunflower seed from hamster ninjas and their master, the diabolical Master Hojo!

  Binky the hamster has always lead an easy and boring life.

  WELL NOT ANYMORE!

  She had the Golden Sunflower Seed in her possession now! Oh bless her luck. She had found it from one of the many Seedreal™ boxes now littering her entire cage, after what, eight days of hoping and anticipation? Joy. What timing too, today was the last day of the promotion. 

  What’s so special about a golden sunflower seed? What kind of question is that?! THE golden sunflower seed, mind you, was a super awesome state of the art supercalifragilisticexpialidocious transformable super action figure of the one and only Captain Seed™ !  The Golden Sunflower Seed was coveted by every hamster in the wide world, and there was only one in existence.

  It got all the more sweeter when Binky discovered that her arch-nemesis, the evil Master Hojo, Overlord of the other half of the bedroom, wetter of the carpet, had not found the golden seed. He threw away his last box of Seedreal™  in disgust. Oooh, how he puffed those his little hamster cheeks of his. Glee, Binky thought.

  Suddenly, Hojo was aware of Binky’s seed. She stared at him across the room, gave him the stink-eye and proceeded to push the seed into her mouth pouch. She stuffed more seeds in for extra security.

  She has the Golden Seed! How dare she! It rightly belonged to him, the bestest hamster in the entire house! Had he not searched the hardest? He would claim it for his own.  HIS OWN! He gave a diabolical laugh, then squealed as he choked on fur in his throat. He growled and glared at Binky as she giggled, her full mouth pouch jiggling with all the seeds in there.

  Hojo whistled sharply, and a multitude of hamster ninjas, clad in deepest black jumped out from under the hamster bedding around him. He signaled towards her cage, and to the sunflower seed. He would have it, and his hamster ninjas would get it!

  The ninjas nod and literally slip out of the cage, hurling themselves at Binky’s abode.  She starts. Not again. She pulls a lever next to her. Catapults filled with large acorns start to fire at the ninjas from her cage.  Some find their mark, sending squealing bundles of fur in black tumbling down from the table they were running on. But the rest keep coming, jumping and dodging, spitting and throwing black sunflower seeds at her.
  She takes cover behind her dish bowl. Pushing her tiny hands into her cheeks she beings to spit and shoot seeds from her mouth at the relentless ninjas with such a ferocity that they hesitate.  Hojo eggs them on, promising to take away their supply of Seedreals™ if they failed. They charge again, and are promptly cut down by Binky’s seed spray.

  Reveling in her victory, she gives one final spit, and she almost smacks herself for her silliness. She just spat out the Golden Sunflower Seed!

  It hits the last ninja on the nose, clangs outside the cage, clatters around on the wooden shelf outside, bounces into and out of an ashtray, flies into some bonsai, teeters on the edge of the shelf and....

  Fishbowl.

  Plop. Binky and Hojo stare. Then they scream.