He had been collecting boxes for a while, getting ready for the big move.
There were large ones, small ones, and lots of other sizes in between, all of which he was going to need to pack up his precious belongings and get them safely to his new home.
Many hours of work would have to be faced soon, full of bubble wrap and packing tape.
But before all that, it was time to build the most amazing fort ever… 😎
Two men dragged a heavy cloth sack, which writhed and bulged, emitting muffled yelps and soft moans. Bump! Over the low, blocky gravestones, epitaphs weatherworn and blotched with lichen. With a comically synchronized *oomph* the men lifted their cargo into a rough pine casket perched at the edge of an open grave. The nail gun made short work of securing the lid. A light shove sent the casket tumbling over the brink. The cries faded with each shovelful of dirt.
The cubic volume of this container is eighty cubic mg. It's four by four by five. Just enough for eighty words. No more and no less. I'm very picky about the details. Without them there is no tension. No adversary for my imagination to do battle. I'm a captive contestant and the constraint is constructive. I will expand and contract as needed. Like gas. Like a blood vessel. Like an accordian playing a tarantella, jumping around but sticking the landing.
“Why did you do that?” scolded Sally, as I opened her gift and watched, immobile, as the kitten jumped from the box and scampered away.
“Well, a box is really just a cuboid that opens. Why do we focus so on what’s inside it? When it might be the six planes of the box are marking the boundaries to the space that’s around the box, outside. Like a donut hole. Think bigger!”
As you’ll remember, I ordered a really interesting specimen. I posted about it and received a large number of responses, ranging from excitement to... uh... threats, including one offer to have my brain exorcised. LOL! You guys!
Well it’s finally here!
Slit with the boxcutter... there we go!
Rather a lot of... bugs? Wonder where they came from?
Never mind, let’s scoop out the packing peas... eggs?
PROMPT: BOX
THE BOXES
He had been collecting boxes for a while, getting ready for the big move.
There were large ones, small ones, and lots of other sizes in between, all of which he was going to need to pack up his precious belongings and get them safely to his new home.
Many hours of work would have to be faced soon, full of bubble wrap and packing tape.
But before all that, it was time to build the most amazing fort ever… 😎
You write so well… so terrifying and haunting. Loved it.❤️
Two men dragged a heavy cloth sack, which writhed and bulged, emitting muffled yelps and soft moans. Bump! Over the low, blocky gravestones, epitaphs weatherworn and blotched with lichen. With a comically synchronized *oomph* the men lifted their cargo into a rough pine casket perched at the edge of an open grave. The nail gun made short work of securing the lid. A light shove sent the casket tumbling over the brink. The cries faded with each shovelful of dirt.
Good one!
Johnny, nooo!
Sorry Miguel, you said cats and boxes, now I'm stuck on cat-boxes. Im not gonna write about that.
Haha. You can write about whatever you want to :D That was just a top up challenge! :)
https://open.substack.com/pub/loganthelobotomizer/p/stomp?r=1p2eyi&utm_medium=ios
Dammit, you wrote another story that made me sad. Although, not as sad as the other one.
Nooo. 😭
“I’m telling you. My three cats will fit precisely into these seven boxes.”
“That’s impossible man. I mean, I know cats are liquid, but you just can’t do it.”
“It follows a strict mathematical formula. Take the number of boxes you have, take away one and divide by two. Seven boxes, three cats.”
“So, if I open any of these boxes at random, I’ll find a cat?”
“Science says yes.”
“Ok. I’ll try it. One cat…two…three…four?…oh fuck it.”
Lmao. What a formula
ROFL 🤣
Just to prove that I did it...😊 https://substack.com/@cbmason/note/c-64072475
Fantastic story!
Thanks 🥰
You are very welcome.
for Miguel
In a box, in a box, the Cat sat so sly,
With a grin on his face and a twinkle in his eye.
He juggled some yarn, he twirled a small clock,
This Cat knew his tricks, he was sharp as a hawk.
.
He popped up and down, made quite the fuss,
Jumping and flipping, not missing the bus.
With laughter and cheer, he turned up the pox,
Oh, what a day with the Cat in the Box!
Love it! Thank you Gloria.
Wow! What a fun rhyme! Definitely Dr. Seuss vibes
Lovely! It's like a little Dr. Seuss tale! Haha... 😎
You got it in 1!!
80mg Box
She clutched it to her, as tho it was the most fragile item in the universe. It was not fragile.
Panting and gasping beside the filthy dumpster, the metal grew warm against her. Not cold anymore.
The whispers came now, repeating, repeating. Endless cries for a savior. No one would answer.
Was it wicked to steal? Sinning to want?
Hidden behind yesterday’s trash she felt safe. Safety is an illusion.
The box held his soul. And her sanity fell away.
The cubic volume of this container is eighty cubic mg. It's four by four by five. Just enough for eighty words. No more and no less. I'm very picky about the details. Without them there is no tension. No adversary for my imagination to do battle. I'm a captive contestant and the constraint is constructive. I will expand and contract as needed. Like gas. Like a blood vessel. Like an accordian playing a tarantella, jumping around but sticking the landing.
Way to stick that landing, Jon!
“Why did you do that?” scolded Sally, as I opened her gift and watched, immobile, as the kitten jumped from the box and scampered away.
“Well, a box is really just a cuboid that opens. Why do we focus so on what’s inside it? When it might be the six planes of the box are marking the boundaries to the space that’s around the box, outside. Like a donut hole. Think bigger!”
“Is that really your answer?”
“Also, I’m allergic?”
Hi everyone, welcome to my unboxing video.
As you’ll remember, I ordered a really interesting specimen. I posted about it and received a large number of responses, ranging from excitement to... uh... threats, including one offer to have my brain exorcised. LOL! You guys!
Well it’s finally here!
Slit with the boxcutter... there we go!
Rather a lot of... bugs? Wonder where they came from?
Never mind, let’s scoop out the packing peas... eggs?
And here we...
Uh...
TEETH!
I immediately thought of Brad Pitt screaming “What's in the box?” at the end of the movie Seven (1995)😅
😔