"1600 AD" RESULTS & Priizewinners

[Bad City Blue]

Well that was a close one.

In 3rd Place was Modern Panther

In 2nd place was some loser called Bad City Blue

And in 1st place... RAGGEDMAN! with 'Barbs'

Congratulations, Raggy, you win a 2000AD graphic novel.

PM me your details pleas.

The winning voter, who also gets one, is...

DAN BANKS - send me the details, banksy

Thanks to all who entered, and to Rebellion for providing prizes.

Catch ya later when I have a theme for the next one.

See Y'all


Barbs

There was pain, so he was alive. He tries to move but the barbs dig deeper and the tendrils tighten. The thorn bush hangs him ragged across the battlefield. Satan's bunting.

Far away, the continuing boom of canon and musket. Around him, the rattling of the wounded, dying slow in the dirt.

Then, voices approaching. Half-heard words echoing through the yellow fog.

A soft voice '...it will be a mercy...'

A harsh answer '...waste of ammunition... Use the knife...'

A weak cry.

No. Please God no.  Let him not be real. Remain legend, a campfire ghost story. Dear Lord. Let him not be real.

A solitary figure steps out of the fog.

Stripped to the waist, skin dyed with indigo, filthy with gore. Hair hacked to the skull with knife. Teeth black and broken. Eyes poisoned yellow orbs. His forehead daubed with a crude red skull. Red skull on the stock of his carbine.

The Carrion King of the Battlefield. The Wandering Trooper.

Trapped in the briar Daniel Franks is too scared to scream.

'What have we here Rogue?' hisses the apparition. Then answers himself in the gentle voice.
'Musketeer, one of us'.

Franks knew the legend, an elite parliamentarian force betrayed at Adwalton, wildfire raining down on their caravan while they slept, all devoured. Save one.

The apparition touches the painted skulls on his forehead, carbine and knapsack in an obscene parody of a veneration.
'The ghosts of my dead comrades, I carry them, while I live, they live.'

Then, in the voice of the gun 'Leave him. He's worthless.'

'Wait Gunner. Perhaps he has news of him. The Traitorous General we hunt.
The devil that damned us all. '

The lies tear out of Franks in sobs.
'Yes...yes... the traitor. I've seen him.
Cut me free I will lead you.... I will take you to him.'

'Don't trust him Rogue' hisses gun voice.

But the demon swings his knapsack down, scrabbles at the drawstring.
'Quartermaster, provide me with blade.'

Franks sobs at the sight of the muscle knife but the demon begins to saw at the branches, whispering 'They blame me you know, for their deaths, but when we find the traitor, when we find the general they will understand... '

A branch gives and Franks splays in the mud, his hand sinks in ooze yards from the butt of his abandoned, empty musket.
'It's a trick Rogue' screams the gun's voice 'He reaches for his weapon!'
'No Gunner! Fire not'! cries the gentle madman scrabbling back to his carbine. Picking it up. 'Disobey not my orders Gunner'! He shouts while his fingers tighten on the trigger.

Daniel Franks spasms as the lead ball breaks through him.

'He was another traitor Rogue. They deserve death.  They all deserve death' snarls the gun voice.  And the indigo man falls silent, stripping Franks' body of useful things, stuffing them into his knapsack.

Then the Wandering Trooper, the Traitorous General, alone with his madness walks off into the yellow fog.

[RaggedMan]

Blimey. That was unexpected. But feel very happy and proud, particularly against stiff competition, there's a lot of talent on this forum. Thanks to everyone who read and thanks to everyone who voted.

[Echidna]

Congrats, RaggedMan - a well deserved win, and on your first attempt too!

Having suggested the theme this time around I was chuffed to see everyone getting into the spirit of it and producing such a great crop of stories. Well done everyone, and thanks as always to BCB and Rebellion

[Dan Banks]

Sound as! That'll be a lovely little Christmas present. Congrats Raggs! And cheers to BCB for organising this shindig!

[The Legendary Shark]

Well done, RaggedMan - a deserving winner in a strong field.

[Heath C Ackley]

Well done Ragged!

[Eamonn Clarke]

well done, Ragged.
Thanks as always to BCB, and to Echidna for a good theme that delivered the best crop of stories we've had this year.

[Jacqusie]

Well done Raggedman, 'Barbs' was a fab little story.

Congrats too to all who entered, really creative stuff this time, keep up the great scribbling peeps!

Si

[JayzusB.Christ]

I must admit I don't usually look at the short story thread, but the title attracted me as I love those alternate universe stories.  I wasn't disappointed; Raggedman's story was a well-deserved win.

You can almost smell the blood, sweat and shit of the battlefield off it.  You managed to throw in two 2000 stories, and the [spoiler]quintuple perdonality[/spoiler] twist is just lovely.

I wish it was in the prog, illustrated by Cam Kennedy, Chris Weston, John Hicklenton or even Mike Hadley.

[RaggedMan]

Thanks all for the positive feedback.
Jayzus, those artists would be a dream. I'd throw Mr Nick Dyer into that mix as another artist that understands dirt and the tactile nature of things.