No Guts – No Glory – Photo Prompt – January 2019

No Guts – No Glory – Photo Prompt – January 2019

New Year, New Feature: a Speculative Fiction Writing Prompt

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Diana, of Myths of the Mirror, has created a new, monthly photo prompt. We are challenged to write something about it. Find out the details, and join in at the above link. Thanks, Diana!

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No Guts – No Glory

The blurb showed up on everyone’s internet connection around the world.

“Hey, Jake, look at this.” Belinda passed her laptop over to him. “What do you think?”

“Probably a scam,” he said.

“But look at what it says. Read it.”

Jake sighed, but read out loud…

No Guts – No Glory

Expedition to find the Man in the Moon

No experience necessary

To enter contest fill out attached form

 

“Let’s do it,” Belinda said. She was getting excited.

Jake had his doubts, but for a lark, they both filled out the blank spaces and hit enter.

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Two weeks later they were notified. They would join seventeen other teens for an experience of a lifetime.

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Meeting with the contest sponsors, and the other participant winners, Jake and Belinda finished their week long orientation. It wasn’t easy.

“Why are we doing this again?” Jake asked.

“For the glory, silly, and they said something about the Man in the Moon grants wishes?” Belinda shrugged. “Maybe there’s a secret portal to outer space, and we can just keep on traveling around the universe,” Belinda said.

“Mmm-hmm, you’re full of it,” Jake said, rolling his eyes.

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Two weeks later they were on the moon, trudging through moon dust, and trying to avoid craters. So far, their oxygen tanks were holding up, and most everyone was enjoying the adventure. They had seen no sign of a Man in the Moon, though.

Their guide called a meeting on their third week. They would end the expedition, if nothing was sighted the next day. That was the last the group saw or heard from him. Taking a wrong turn towards his tent, he fell into a deep chasm. They heard his screams, and then nothing.

The group took a vote…push on for one more day was the verdict, then turn back.

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Dispatch from the Moon # 1 – We have found the Man in the Moon… Our guide has perished…please advise…

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Contest Sponsors … Government has cut funding for this endeavor. Cannot bring you home. However, xyzabcII@@zz! Man caz##*( Moon #^&1>> CVae #ntrance #@!&& Teleport xx33!**z>> Home… (transmission garbled and cut off)

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Dispatch from the Moon # 2 – Repeat…Repeat Message … Help!

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Nothing further was heard from the sponsors.

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To be continued?

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Thanks for visiting! Peace ☮️

© 2019 BS