WHEN SUDDENLY...! Add the Next Line - A story written by Our Community 📖

“Frozen!”

But nobody here said the word, as they were indeed all frozen -

Duck @Pandita and Duck Hu Tao nestling in still-blindfolded @SamMe 's lap,

Murderous-looking Sha Ji diving for Duck Hu Tao,

Proteus waving his arms and clutching his hanky while falling to his knees,

@sft1965 marvelling at how Proteus’ big ears flapped while he was falling,

Sleepy and Lancelot canoodling, with their hands on each other in inappropriate places,

@Pike reaching towards @nevarmaor 's neck to collect the rent on his Monopoly hotel, even as @nevarmaor had tripped and was falling backward with an “oh no, not again” look on his face,

@akionna summoning several magical frying pans, including one very fast one that had just connected with Thor’s nose,

and @PlayForFun sitting quietly in one corner, trying to work out how many wins exactly they had on the counting thread.

So who uttered the word “frozen?” why it was none other than…

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The entire SGG development staff.

“What did you do?” gasped the intern, waving a Proteus-like hanky.

The lead developer just shrugged. “Maybe I spilled coffee …”

“That @sleepyhead likes coffee …” murmured the project manager.

“He also likes Rigard, Lancelot, romantic walks on the beach …” Notes shuffled slowly.

Everyone turned in surprise.

“Why are you here?” asked a random developer.

“Free smoothies today!” Hu Tao waved a giant pink cup. “Also, I don’t like being a duck.”

“I thought you were snuggling with @Pandita?” muttered a cranky developer.

“She seems to like @nevarmaor more.” Hu Tao sniffled. “She was dreaming of him singing to her.”

“He is a hottie …” agreed the intern. “If he were drenched in maple syrup, I would–”

Frying pans shimmered and swirled in the room.

“Go ahead …” @Rook purred. “Finish that sentence.”

“I thought you retired?” The project manager scribbled in her notebook. “This pushes the deadline.”

“Listen up!” @sft1965 clapped his hands. “You guys drowned the server in coffee … and froze this thread!”

“Actually the coffee froze Ninja Tower …” @SamMe corrected.

“This should help!” @Mistress_of_Shadows chucked a keg of beer all over the server.

But nothing changed the way everyone thought.

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Instead of Ninja Tower opening its doors…

It grew an engine, and flew away!

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“Well, this is interesting” @nevarmaor thought, or would have if he wasn’t still frozen. “Hmm, why are we still frozen?” he continued would have thinking.

“It’s them Time Bandits in the tower” @sft1965 would have thought if he too wasn’t still frozen. “That tower is off to raid the Major Portals.” Thus, in a truly (Monty) Pythonesque move he conflated two unrelated themes into one … or he would have if he’d been just a little bit thawed.

“This is ridicul …” the project manager began as he was pushed out of the way by the interns running to catch up to the tower. “Wait for us, Crimson Ninja Assurance.”

The lead developer moaned loudly. “Oh no. Now who’s going to do all the grunt work to get Season 5 out the door?”

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“We need to raise a requisition for MORE interns!” said the HR officer who had appeared out of nowhere.

“Wait, remember, cost-cutting!” snapped the Financial Planner.

“No more changing the numbers, the General Assembly is tomorrow!” argued the Investor Relationship Manager.

“What a nightmare!” sobbed the Public Relations Specialist.

“Quiet, I’m researching the law on compensations!” the Legal Counsel waved a stack of briefs and journals.

“Oh be quiet, you’re not doing the hard work!” said the Programmer.

“We did OUR part, you do yours!” raged the Network Engineer.

“I hate all of you,” Sleepyhead grumbled.

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@Tea the frozen duck kept dreaming of songs long walks on the beach and bamboo and panda parties she quacked inside her head (as they we all still frozen)

Slowly she felt a drip *ponders quickly… was my dreaming of @nevarmaor singing…… and the ocean really warming me up.

Or am I a different magical kind of frozen ? …

wonders if @SamMe has the power to unfreeze them all and help us think of something else to do since the tower is broken.

Will @sleepyhead ever get enough coffee to wake completely up?

Stay tuned :panda_face::two_hearts:

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“I got this!” winked someone dressed all in red…

It was Russell!

“Time to heat things up,” he cackled.

“Why is he talking like that?” @akionna rubbed her temples.

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Russell began twirling and dancing to the beat, spinning his fire round and round.

“Hey, chicka, how you doing?” Russell leered as he danced around Sonya!

“Uh oh, stay away from him, sister,” Seshat stepped in protectively between Russell and Sonya.

“Hey, where did you all suddenly come from?” @akionna asked

“We heroes are her to regain center stage,” Myztero posed dramatically.

“After all, this story began 2588 posts ago with us,” Hu Tao smiled calmly.

“Ooooh, I hate to say it, but you posters were hogging all the screen time,” Proteus clutched his tear-stained hanky.

@nevarmaor @Pike @sft1965 and @Pandita all gasped!

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“Dont mind if i get some screen time.” Photon said.

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“Screen time? Screen time!?!”

A dapper, mustachioed, top-hatted gentleman sauntered onto the scene, megaphone to mouth.

“No one gets screen time without passing the audition! Now, where is that script?”

A harried, wild-haired assistant rushed up. “Here, sir.”

Hu Tao leaned over and whispered to Proteus “Didn’t he leave 80 days ago?”

“What was that?!? Project and enunciate or you will never make the cut! What kind of imbecilic no-talent nincompoops have they sent me this time?”

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“Here, you can have @Photon to star in whatever you’re shooting.” Seshat shoved @Photon at the Director.

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“Hey!” yelled @Photon. “I resemble that remark!”

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Seshat scoffed. “You wanted your screen time @Photon , now you deal with the yelling, arrogant nitwit over there. We have better things to do!”

Then Seshat strutted outside. Sonya followed, clapping her hands. Russell drooled after her. Proteus walked out, wringing his handkerchief. Hu Tao was thumbing through his notepad slowly.

“Hey, where are you all going?!” @nevarmaor asked.

Absentmindedly, Hu Tao said, “We’re going to…”

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“Disneyland?” @nevarmaor excitedly jumped up and down, clapping his hands.

“No … wardrobe. I hear we all are getting costumes.”

“That man!” the director yelled into the microphone in a fog, pointing at @nevarmaor. “He’s perfect for the role of Chauncey Gardiner.”

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"“Ooogh, I’ve always wanted to be in the movies!” @nevarmaor rubbed his hands, thinking of stardom… oh, the mansion he would buy…

The Director drooped to his knees. “And this stunning beauty…!”

Seshat began to smile, and patted her hair. “Well, I…”

The Director grabbed onto Sonya.

“Oh, me?” Sonya’s eyes widened. “I couldn’t act!”

“She only has one emotion: childlike wonder!” Seshat snapped.

The Director seemed mesmerized. “No, no, you will be my muse!”

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“Mews? I’m no cat like @rook flinging frying pans left and right!” Sonya stood tall. “I am a lady.”

“Yeah, lady” snickered @sft1965. “Like Eliza Dooli … oof …” he continued as Sonya elbowed him in the ribs.

“I am too a lady!” she whined, stamping her feet petulantly.

“No, no, not mews, muse … like artistic inspiration …” The Director took Sonya by the arm and led her to a make-up chair. “Lidenbrok” he yelled into the megaphone. “Lidenbrok! Wardrobe and makeup! NOW! We need grace here!”

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Was it the “w” word that triggered the ‘awaiting approval’?

I have no clue, sometimes my post will also be waiting approval, and I’ll reread it again and again and not figure out why…

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Prof Lidenbrock appeared, with her cute oversized spectacles and immaculately-styled hair. “Ah, yes, I’ll make your beauty shine even more, dear!”

“How…!” Seshat gripped her bow angrily. “I just fought you in battle not an hour ago, HOW are you looking so effortlessly put together?!”

“Indeed!” Proteus wrung his hanky. “I need a whole day in the spa just to look so relaxed!”

Prof Lidenbrock giggled. “My dear, all this effort is about looking effortless!” She tugged at Seshat’s cloak. “I can teach you how to wash and hang this so it will flow naturally. And you my dear…” She peered at Proteus. “Some eye cream will do wonders for your natural glow!”

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“My natural glow is just fine.” Proteus said. “Are you sure?” Lidenbrock asked. “He will need a lot of make up.” Hu Tao said, while drinking a smoothie."

“No, no, no. No smoothies until we get this done.” The Director said. The director then takes a way the smoothie.

Photon, Seshat, Proteus, Sonya, @sleepyhead, and @nevarmaor all started to back away. “Why are you all backing away?” The Director asked. “Lets just say, Hu Tao doesn’t like someone taking away his smoothie.” Seshat said to the Director.

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