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June 21, 2005

Volume 2, Issue 21

June 21 is the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, also known in pagan circles as Midsummer's Eve. Midsummer is when the sun is at the height of its power, the faeries are most active, and the future can be uncovered with ease...

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Stripped to the waist, he ducked low and entered the sweat lodge. He had built it himself, in his back yard here in the suburbs, to keep some of his native customs alive. He sat on the ground inside, dipped a gourd into the water skin hanging on the wall, poured the water over the hot stones. Good sweat tonight, he thought, the full moon occurring so close to the summer solstice. Tomorrow he would go to court to fight the homeowners association to keep his lodge, but tonight he leaned back and let the moist heat cleanse his spirit.

Posted by: hnumpah at June 21, 2005 5:24 AM · Permalink

Les Nessman wanted an office with a door. He wanted so much he could taste it.

The others mocked him as he laid tape on the floor, indicating where the walls of his office ought to go. They scoffed at the dotted line of tape where the door would be.

His colleagues would feign knocking on the invisible door, just to appease Les.

Les was the butt of many jokes, none the least of which over his name (remember the character named Steel?).

But tell me: who gets the last laugh: where is the ‘100 Words’ issue on Dr. Fever?

Posted by: Charlie on the Pennsylvania Turnpike at June 21, 2005 5:53 AM · Permalink

I was going to write another "Mannequin" themed story to try to top my -3 of yesterday, but thought better of it.

Posted by: marc at June 21, 2005 6:44 AM · Permalink

Brilliant strategy. :)

Posted by: Sekimori at June 21, 2005 6:48 AM · Permalink

Mannequin 2: Electric Bugaloo has a nice ring to it....

Posted by: michele at June 21, 2005 7:30 AM · Permalink

Ross stood near the mound waiting. There were six of them around him now and the queen was coming. He had never believed the stories his grandfather had told him of the faeries. But the board was breathing down his neck and he was desperate. Late one night, he’d remembered the stories of the queen and midsummer’s eve. She could tell him what he needed to know and all it would cost him was a drive up to the family farm. He was wrong.

He was beginning to feel drowsy now. Too late, memories of other stories came to mind.

Posted by: DocMac at June 21, 2005 8:02 AM · Permalink

"When the seances failed, we thought that Avil might've somehow..."

"No, your uncle is dead, be sure. I saw him die myself. But he died on Midsummer, so his spirit went not to heaven, hell or earth, but to the Sunset Lands."

"Sunset...?"

"For want of a better name, the Faerie kingdoms. Although since the purges in the year of the long October precious few of the fey live there, and them as slaves. Places not on any map. Avalon, Roanoke, Lemuria. Former Presteria, the Atlanean colonies, Shadow-Pompeii. Knowing Avil, though, his spirit likely found it's way to New London."

Posted by: Jeff R. at June 21, 2005 8:39 AM · Permalink

Psst! Wanna know a secret? Yeah, yeah, the faeries are gonna be flitting and twirling and whatever other cutesy thing they do. Well, it's all fake. Faeries can't fly. A dead cow has as much vertical as your average faerie. It's all wires. While all those pretty boys and tarts are flying around the glen it's me and my boys down here working our faerie asses off pulling on the ropes, turning the mobile wheels hidden in the branches. They say the future is easier to see tonight. Well, I know mine. A bucket of Bud and a sore back.

Posted by: marc at June 21, 2005 8:41 AM · Permalink

Translucent wings? Female? You really believe that crap, don't you?

I've seen faeries for real and they look nothing like that. The ones I saw were made of electricity. They were like...like little sparks that hummed. They didn't fly to and fro, you know. They didn't stray further than an inch from any computer or wire. Anytime they got near a computer, they grew brighter and louder.

I don't know what they were up to, but whatever they did made the computers run perfectly.

You think I'm crazy, don't you? I know what I saw that night. I know better.

Posted by: Shawn at June 21, 2005 9:14 AM · Permalink

Allison sat quietly, a small fire her only companion. The day was drawing to a close, and soon the magic of Midsummer's Eve would descend. She waited patiently for the first of the faeries to arrive.

Just off to her right, something flickered into view. She sat very still, and soon the curious faerie danced in front of her face.

Quick as a wink, Allison snatched the faerie from the air, and skewered it on a small spit. Allison smiled. The fire was now hot enough, and nothing tasted quite as good as roast faerie on a warm Midsummer's Eve.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at June 21, 2005 9:16 AM · Permalink

He steeped off the bus, and walked toward concrete structure. The flowers were blooming, the sun was warm. It did not take long before he saw the faeries dancing amongst the dew covered leaves.

“Come and play with us,” they beckoned to him.

“I cannot, I have to serve my time.”

Even sealed inside the cold room, with its unnatural light and stale air, they found him, and danced on his head. It seamed like an eternity, finally his time came and he was free.

He walked out of the office, pulled off his shoes and danced with the faeries.

Posted by: dark_indy at June 21, 2005 12:41 PM · Permalink

"Move out into the light," he said. Don't be shy."

"Yeah!" he cried as directed photon burst reduced a random person to ash.

He'd grown quite bitter over the millenia. He had provided life to everything on the planet, and light before there was life. The humans used to worship him, but now they chose to worship the earth or some invisible god instead. As if the earth would be anything but a lifeless ball of dirt without him.

He searched for another target. There were so many to choose from.

"I'm the sun, you insignificant specs. Feel my wrath."

Posted by: david at June 21, 2005 1:11 PM · Permalink

"Goddammit, it's hot," spat Pa as he wiped his greasy brow with a filthy hankerchief. "But, there's thing's need bein' done."

The sun sat high above us, seeming to mock me as we walked towards my treehouse.

"Make believe houses ain't no thing for a boy of thirteen," he said, hefting the sledgehammer in the air. "Boys your age should be out foolin' with girls."

With that, he swung.

As I watched my dress-up chest and tea set fall to the ground, I could see the future. I gripped my own hammer and knew: I would be a vengeful fairy.

Posted by: Adam at June 21, 2005 3:51 PM · Permalink

Jimmy remembered the air-holes, this time. Last night's fireflies hadn't lasted long. He caught something much bigger Midsummer's night. At first he thought it was a glowing dragonfly, but those don't have people arms and legs and faces. And they don't talk.

"Release me, and I'll give you a chest full of gold."

"Don' wan' gold."

"Well, what do you want?"

"Tewwl me my future."

This would be tricky. Thistlethwait couldn't lie, and the kid's future would be short and painful indeed once he was out of the jar.

"You'll...be famous. Worldwide."

Wednesday's Headline: CHILD EATEN BY ANTS AT PICNIC

Posted by: Jeff R. at June 21, 2005 4:48 PM · Permalink

The toll of years -- eyes now milky that had once darkly enchanted young men into gifting her with poetry and pearls. Flesh hung from arms that had comforted children and gripped her husband with passion.

Sunset found her in the field and the tiny voices cried in exuberant greeting.

Welcome! Sister! Happy Day!

Their faerie songs sparkled the air, their wings beating perfume across her face. Tiny hands helped her to the grass as many danced above her in gilded patterns.

Soft as a lover's sigh she was swept up into the sun's last offering.

Life changed and went on.

Posted by: Darleen at June 21, 2005 5:48 PM · Permalink

No one had told her about this, she fumed to herself. Sitting out here under the hot sun, having to listen to these squabbles. If she had known about this she never would have consented to becoming the May Queen. At least her reign would only last one year.

She gave herself a shake, and refocused on the issue. "Enough" she exclaimed. "Let me get this straight. You faeries claim that you filled a facitlities request form for the woodland glade tonight for a bonfire, correct?"

She had barely gotten the words out before the witches began their expected protest.....

Posted by: Gahrie at June 21, 2005 6:37 PM · Permalink

The sun’s power melts down the barriers once each year. Magic rebuilds them, of course, even though usually takes most of the night. People once knew of this event and used it every so often to contact us. We were free to frolic among them then, albeit furtively.

Now our lives have changed. I still serve King Oberon but my duty now is to keep faerie folk from crossing until the barriers are reestablished.

Yet I yearn to break through myself, to build a life in the world I once knew. How does this sound? Puck – Landscaping and Lawn Service.

Posted by: Jim Parkinson at June 21, 2005 6:51 PM · Permalink