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The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

Long overdue re-application


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"This is just another boring night", thought the group of youngsters as they scurried around the neighborhood.

 

"Perhaps we should go out to the old trainyard." said Josh, the quote unquote leader of the pack.

 

The rest of the gang agreed, and quickly they started running towards the woods that led to the trainyard. The air was cold that evening, a good 10 to 15 degrees cooler than any average summer night. The wind whistled throughout the wooded area, echoing dark voices while whipping through the branches.

 

Suddenly, a small Y-shaped branch broke, falling on top of Henry's head.

 

"Ow," he replied, "that really hurt. But where did it come from?"

 

Sarah, being the natural loudmouth, blurted quickly, "It fell out of the tree. What do you think branches just materialize over your head due to some sort of evil magic?"

 

The group began to burst into laughter, all excluding Henry of course. The loud roar of laughter could be heard echoing throughout the tiny forest. Quietly, he sniffled to himself, trying to think of the perfect comeback for Sarah.

 

"Jeez, Sarah. What did I ever do so wrong to you," exclaimed Henry, "Am I just that much prettier than you?"

 

The entourage grew silent, looking at the normally timid Henry attempting to stand up for himself. Upon further inspection of what was just said, the party cackled even louder this time, pointing at Henry and falling over in hysterical laughter.

 

"Quiet, you guys. We should get going to the trainyard, Mom says I have to be home by 10." whined Henry.

 

"Awww, poor baby has to be in home so Mommy can tuck him in." teased Ryan, the natural bully of the youngsters.

 

Giggling, the group continued trekking their way through the broken twigs and dried undergrowth. It seemed like this walk was taking longer than it ever had before. As they kept walking, more and more things became familiar, almost as if they had been walking in circles. Henry, worried that he was late, looked down at his watch to check the time, but oddly, the hands were spinning wildly out of control.

 

"Guys, guys, look at this! My watch is going crazy!" screamed Henry, in an almost panic state.

 

"Henry, your watch is just junk. That's what you get for wearing a quarter machine jewelry." retorted Josh, being surprisingly bitter.

 

Ryan quickly looked down at her digital watch, totally sure his was working fine, since it was an expensive one he got for christmas. After glancing twice, he realized it was flashing random numbers.

 

"Um, Josh, it's not just his watch. Even my awesome Fossil isn't working right. This is kinda spooky. It seems like we've been walking forever, and we still aren't at the trainyard." remarked Ryan.

 

Sarah looked around at the rest of the group, starting to get worried just like the rest, "Maybe we should turn back. It's gotta be really late, and you know our parents have got to be worried."

 

"Agreed." exclaimed the party, quickly turning around the other way to head back.

 

After what seemed like hours of walking, the entourage took a break to rest in what seemed like a familiar clearing. Henry, huffing and puffing, sits down on a nearby log to catch his breath, and looks down at the ground.

 

"Hmm, hey... Doesn't this look like that stick that fell on me earlier?" questioned Henry.

 

"Nah Henry, it can't be, that was way back when we first came into the woods, and do you see the end of it anywhere?" remarked Josh, trying not sound worried or scared.

 

Henry, not believing Josh, propped the stick up against his seat, and got up to leave with the rest of the party. Again they walked countless steps, never once veering from their course until they once again came back to the same clearing.

 

"I'm telling you, this is the same stick. Look, I set it up against that log before we left. I know we've been here before." whined Henry.

 

"Man, this is really getting wierd guys. I just want to go home and go to bed. My feet are sore and I'm really tired." proclaimed Sarah.

 

"Well, it can't be that much further guys. We'll take a different way this time, I'm sure we'll get home soon." said Josh, now becoming unsure of himself.

 

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm really starting to freak out." said Ryan, in a squeaking timid voice.

 

Quickly, the party regrouped and mustered all their energy to finding a way out, over and over again, they would try, but kept somehow finding their way back into that oh too familiar clearing.

 

"Guys.. I want to go home! This isn't funny anymore." cried Henry loudly, breaking down to a blubbering baby.

 

"I suggest we just sleep here tonite. In the morning, we'll be able to see everything and find our way out." proclaimed Josh, hoping to alleviate everyone's worry.

 

"But I can't sleep on the ground, bugs will crawl on me and I'll get wet." whined Sarah, now more than ever shedding her tomboy mask, and showing her true prissy feminine side.

 

"I'm with Josh," said Ryan, "maybe we should just sleep here and wait for day. It'll be a lot easier to find our way out."

 

Reluctantly, everyone curled up underneath close trees and closed their eyes. Would they find their way out when the day came? Or would it still be dark, a never-ending maze of trees and broken branches? A million thoughts raced through their minds as they slipped away into dreamland.

 

 

This was my first attempt at a short story in many years, so bare with me. I thought re-applying to the pen with a story would be a change, seeing as I normally only write poetry. Perhaps this "rebirth" of myself can help me broaden my abilities as a writer, and make some new friends in the process.

 

You don't have to take this seriously if you don't want to, although for some reason, being an actual member of the Pen sounds like fun again... God I'm a yoyo.

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  • 2 weeks later...

X-Sabre sighs to himself and slumps back in his applicant easychair, adjusting a pair of earmuffs on his head in order to dead the sound of the pounding jackhammers hard at work in a nearby hallway. Glancing towards an AoA Christmas Avent Calender that hangs on the wall of the office, the eager applicant smirks as he notices that all of the chocolates have been taken out beforehand by the Elder of Initiates and replaced with normal Avent Calender chocolates, which didn't bear the slightest ressemblence to the figurine variety Tzimfemme cooked up for the AoA brand Calender. Noticing the current date, X-Sabre raises a brow and lifts himself from his seat as he realizes that Wyvern should show up any moment now...

 

As if on cue, the sounds of the jackhammers suddenly cease and the gentle echo of tapping footsteps are heard as several pairs of feet quickly make their way to the Office. X-Sabre jumps as the main entrance to the chamber rapidly slams open and the seven Elder Dwarves race in carrying Wyvern on their backs. Panting and wiping ink stains and loose leafs of paper from their dirty outfits, the dwarves haphazardly toss the unconcious form of Wyvern towards X-Sabre's feet, then nod and turn to depart from the office when the aggrevated applicant suddenly exclaims:

 

"Hey... wait a minute! How is Wyvern gonna respond to my application in this state? It doesn't even look like he can stand up."

 

The dwarves consider this statement for a moment, frowning and whispering amongst themselves before nodding and deciding to get to the application response themselves. Picking up the story segment and reading over it thoroughly, Bravery is the first to respond in saying:

 

"I really like the bravery that Josh shows in this piece in leading the party and maintaining such a brave composure..."

 

Nodding to this, Greedy then sniffles and hisses:

 

"Hmmmm... I suppose the Y-shaped branch could probably be passed for a cheap gambling shuffler if it was marketed correctly."

 

"Henry's watch might not work..." exclaims Shiny happily while tracing a finger down the page "but it's certainly shiny!"

 

Sexy scratches his chin before muttering "Well... Sarah has a good sense of fashion in not wanting to sleep with bugs and dirt, so it works for me."

 

Silly nods to this, then jumps up and down before scribbling something onto a piece of cardboard and holding up a sign that reads:

 

I like the manner in which they sleep, curled up closely next to trees...

 

Finally, the shadow of X-Sabre momentarily takes a life of it's own as Shady is formed, and the last of the dwarves whispers:

 

"Of timeframes warped, and children lost... a darkness falls, with horrid cost... a second segment, you shall promise... a new member, is now upon us."

 

With that, the Elder dwarves all nod and reach for the nearest stamp, labeling X-Sabre's reapplication ACCEPTED.

 

OOC: An nice intro to a story and an ACCEPTED application, X-Sabre... I'm glad you decided you wanted to become a member again. :) I apologize about the long wait in responding (darn exams), and look forward to reading more of your writing in the future. Welcome back!

 

Editors note: deleted and reposted due to it not showing up as a new post for some reason.

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