Sci-Fi Competitions and Challenges

Short Story SmackDown

Those of you who have followed Ooorah over the years will know what this is all about and for those of you who haven't, or are sitting there wondering what or who the frell Ooorah is, this is going to be an entirely new and wholly exciting concept for you.

In the simplest, purest terms, a Short Story Smackdown or to use the vernacular, a SmackDown, is a friendly contest between peers and fellow writers.

In reality, an SD is a brutal and competitive, harsh (but fair, of course) and hugely rewarding competition in which the victors truly do take all the spoils which, in this case, means that should you be victorious, not only will you snag the ultimate prize of Bragging Rights but the winning story will also receive a shoutout and a much sought after feature spot on a reading list on the ScienceFiction profile.

To qualify for this contest, you must write a story from the prompt below. This qualifying entry will not be judged. Instead, think of it more as a commitment to take part. You have until June 25th at midnight, wherever in the world you are, to write and submit your entry for qualification.

You will all then be split into 10 groups with as even numbers as possible, and compete directly against those in your group for three two-week rounds comprising of picture prompts, quote prompts and musical prompts.

The winner of each group, that being the contestant who accumulates the highest score over the course of those three rounds, will then progress to the SmackDown itself where the (fun kind of) brutality really begins!

Over the course of five rounds of varying length, sub-genre and prompt style, those ten contestants will fight tooth and claw to avoid the dreaded elimination and claim the ultimate prize for themselves!

Qualifying Prompt

"We're remaking the world, Frank. I don't know why you can't get your head around the fact this is a good thing. We're doing this for everyone. For us, for our ancestors and for our kids.

"We're remaking the world the way it should've always been and don't worry, Frank, I feel kinda' bad for the people who've gotta' die to make it all possible, too. It's not just you carrying that weight, it's every single one of us. But we all knew what we were signing up for, we all knew there was gonna' be blood on our hands. All of us, each and every single one of us, knew we were gonna' carry the trauma of committing genocide to our graves.

"And you know what, Frank? I'm all right with that. There's plenty enough inhibitors for me to be able to say I honestly don't give a damn about anyone I've killed an' those who're still to meet their end at my hand.

"Do I know what I'm doing is murder? Sure, 'course I do. I'm not an idiot, Frank. There's no denying that we're bad, bad boys an' girls. There ain't even a circle of Hell for what we're guilty of.

"Thing is, Frank, it's the way it's gotta' be. Come the twenty-first century, FUBAR ain't even gonna' come close to cutting it with regard to the state of the world an' you know that just as well as I do. That's why you're here, same as me an' same as every bloody grunt who signed on for this gig.

"We all know, Frank, that the only way to save the world is to make sure that by the time the twenty-first century rolls around, though a lot earlier would be a lot bloody better, Earth ain't the only planet we've got an' we do that by going back a hundred thousand years an' carrying on developing our technology.

"Masters reckons that within a few generations we'll have colonised the Inner Solar System. Mercury, Venus, Mars, the Asteroid Belt... They'll all be ours and there'll be no need pillage the resources of any of 'em. That's his best guess, anyways.

"Ain't gonna' make any difference to you an' I of course, Frank. I mean it ain't like we're gonna' be around to see that. You an' me an' every other screw-up here, we ain't gonna' live that long. We'll be long gone, dead an' buried with trees planted an' park benches erected in our honour.

"See, Frank... Future generations are gonna' see us as heroes. Us; lads an' lassies like you an' me. It'll take time but soon enough our grandkids' grandkids' grandkids'll forget all about the atrocities we gon' done to give 'em a fightin' chance an' they'll immortalise us, Frank, I guarantee it.

"Don't you wanna' be immortalised, Frank? Don't you wanna' die knowin' your name's right up there with the names we remember? Don't you wanna' live forever, Frank?"

"Nope," the man replied, his expression exactly the same stoic, disinterested expression it had been since his incarceration thirty-six hours prior.

"Nope? That's all you gotta' say for yourself?"

"Depends," said Frank, flatly. "What time is it?"

"Almost three. Why? What's that got to do with anything? You got somewhere to be, Frank?"

"Nah." Frank smiled. Doing so felt unnatural after hardly changing the alignment of his facial muscles for several hours. "Just that you're right about one thing, Davey boy."

"And what's that, Frank? What's the one thing I'm right about?"

"You and me, we ain't gonna' be 'round for none of it." He stared deep into the other man's eyes, perhaps searching for a flicker that would allude to there being remnants of some level of humanity, but Frank saw nothing except the darkened, empty soul of the man for whose children he was Godfather.

"Oh and one more thing, Dave."

"What's that, Frank?"

Frank grinned, inhaling slowly and deeply before he replied and when he did so, he ensured eye contact with Dave was maintained...

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To qualify for this contest, one that is guaranteed to be both fun and challenging, all you need to do is continue the story from the prompt posted above; finish the story in no more than 500 words.

It is not necessary to include the prompt in your story, simply pick up where the above leaves off.

Nothing could be simpler, right?

We strongly recommend creating a new SmackDown book on your profile, solely for entries to this contest. This is by no means necessary or required, but it will make it easier for your fellow contestants to locate your work, should they wish to do so.

When your 500 words are complete post a link to the story in the comments' section below and most importantly, submit it to us via this submission form.

Don't forget to read and support your fellow authors! Spread the Wattpad Scifi love!

Your story must be suitable for everyone which means PG-13.

Your entry must be a new story, not one you have previously written.   

Only submissions written in English will be accepted as we do not currently have other language capabilities.

The closing date for this qualification round is June 25th at midnight, wherever in the world you are.