Round Robin

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the next DiaLJ challenge. This time we're going for something a little bit different…

A Round Robin.

To those of you not in the know, a Round Robin is basically a joint story writing enterprise. In a few moments, I will post the first paragraph of, what I hope will prove to be, a communal magnum opus. *g*

Your task will then be to contribute, moving the story along to what generally turns out to be an unlikely and ridiculous conclusion.

Rules are this….

1. Only one section at a time, please, posted as a comment under the original post with one section equalling approx. 200 words. Less is fine, more could be problematic. Remember we're going for frequent changes here, not one person trying to complete the entire tale.

2. It might be that you post your 200 words just as someone else does, but to avoid it getting confusing all we can say is - hard luck. Please delete your contribution and try again with another section, otherwise it'll get confusing.

3. To that end, please *please* check where the story has got to before you contribute and follow on from the last comment/section written.

4. Please no story hogging! Only one contribution per person in a row!

5. The mod - that's me *g* - has the final say in the event of any confusion or problems.


This challenge will run until the 2nd of February, however if the first story stalls out, one of the mods will begin another. And if it proves popular, we can run it for a little longer.

Sound like fun? Then get your writing hats on, cos here it comes….

Comments

[elizabethoshea.livejournal.com]

Gosh. Difficult. This could be as nere-racking as bidding on eBay: scribbling away, hoping desperately that you're going to be the first to post... I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with!

Now I see what you meant by 'something special' for January .

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with!

If anyone does. *LOL* Knowing my luck, we'll all sit here with bated breath waiting for the other guy to do something.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Knowing my luck, we'll all sit here with bated breath waiting for the other guy to do something.

Nah, Veronica got the ball rolling beautifully, and I just jumped in behind her. *g* This is a terrific idea - January's going to be such FUN!!

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

And I forgot to say - your use of the word 'Rhubarb' in the first one was inspired!

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

It's one of those words. *LOL*

And she has done, hasn't she. *g* And you're no slouch yourself. De-ball him with a teaspoon. *heeee*

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Eeep! I've never done a round robin before!

But I've gone and given it my best shot. :-p It's always good to try new things, right?

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

Oooooo. Poison! Nice one :D

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Well, I figured it was either that, or a mad bomber. Or possibly LSD spiked punch, and a streaker...

But there's no saying those can't show up later, right? ;-)

I keep checking back to see if anyone else is going to post. This could get addictive! I wanna know what happens next!

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Like it, like it - the plot thickens!! And yes, absolutely addictive.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

You're tracking the post, right?!

*waits for someone to write the next bit...*

*taps fingers*

*patiently, honest*

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Well, yah! Of course I'm tracking! And I loved, loved, loved your bit! Too funny! The wedding, all the secret service types, the groom mother - hee!

But I promised myself I'd let other people write. One post a day. No hogging. That's my limit, and I'm sticking to it.

Besides, that gives me all night to try to figure out how to work in a streaker. Because naked people always make every story better. Them, and zombies. Zombies also improve stories. ;-)

[izzie7.livejournal.com]

Whee! I think I managed to get mine in without clashing - & I got to elucidate. I've always wanted to do that:)

Can't wait for the streaking zombie, Rebel!

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

streaking zombie

*snorfle*

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Wot? You mean you actually want...

Things were proceeding in a predictable manner, when suddenly there was a renewed commotion from the far end of the room.

"He's alive!" screamed a woman.

Doyle and Bodie rushed forward just in time to see the groom sit up. It might have been a relief except his expression was disturbing blank, his head was canted to one side, and he was drooling.

Ignoring the doctor's attempts to make his lie back down, the groom stood.

"What's he doing?" asked Bodie, baffled.

"He's...," Doyle stared. "He's..."

"What!"

"He's getting naked!"

So far I've been trying to be good, and go with the overall theme and atmosphere established in the beginning. I'll only resort to this if I get desperate. ;-)

[izzie7.livejournal.com]

Well, you know, you could go down the parallel universe route with this. I think it definitely has promise, in a weird, late-at-night kind of way.

It would be worth it, just to see where it (the story or the zombie!) ends up :)

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

I'll leave that decision up to the mods! ;-) Besides, I already wrote my bit. Both bits, actually.

C'mon, it's your turn!

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Well, this is cracking on at quite the pace now - great, great fun. Loved this is the last bit:

"Political assassination my arse," he said. "It was clearly Colonel Bufton-Tufton in the conservatory with the cocktail shaker."

And I'm still holding my breath for Rebel's zombies...*g*

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Okay, if it's zombies you want, then it's zombies you get.

Or not. I left it open!

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Very cool, Rebel, very cool! Though I couldn't quite bring myself to make them real.*g*

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Lol! Well... we don't *know* for sure yet, do we? Could be anything lurking in those halls. Even naked zombies. ;-)

I love your last bit! Especially Bodie wondering if he could get Doyle to manhandle him some more if he makes more noise. And the licking! Hee!

[crimson-37.livejournal.com]

OK, you got your next bit. *runs off to find something bullet-proof to hide behind.*

Not as good at this as you lot, but I wanted to play too. ;)Is that ok? Didn't want to spoil the chance of your zombies/ghosties so left it to the next persons playful imagination. ;D

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Okay, you get the prize for best icon EVER!! Just brilliant - and your bit was excellent too - this is such fun!

[crimson-37.livejournal.com]

this is such fun!

Isn't it just! I find I want to jump in all the time, but this was the first time I had the confidence to do it. And thank you. :)

My icon? YEAY! I won a prize! Thank you. I made it ages ago in the hope one day it would have a use. ;)And now I have found one!

I find this round robin thing has one draw back. I want to leave feedback all the time and I can't. It's making feel like a child taking sweets at the sweetshop and not paying or saying thank you.

Loved your bits in this too btw, your Bodie is a cunning, sexy little so and so. I love it. :)

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

*squeee!* Dark things jumping out of shadows! And scratching Bodie!

Oh... I hope that's not how the virus is transmitted!

And you played with Borislav! Yay!

[crimson-37.livejournal.com]

Ooh thanks for including the thuds in the study, I thought that was left way behind.

I thought we needed a bit of action, a bit of suspense, a bit of drama, a bit of angst. Have to have angst, even if it's just a smidgen.;P

Oh... I hope that's not how the virus is transmitted!

Well... um... they could catch the cat and get an antidote made up, couldn't they? He may start to shiver soon. Eeks!

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Yay! That was great! Very spooky, very dramatic! I loved the whole rolling into the empty room bit.

Besides, even if it *wasn't* good - and it was quite good, BTW - it wouldn't matter particularly. This is a round robin! If everyone sat around feeling inadequate it'd die of neglect, poor birdie.

*does happy dance*

[crimson-37.livejournal.com]

Thank you. *g* It's just I don't normally write. Well, not publically. That was my third try I keep on being beaten to the post, quite literally.
I'd love to see this keep going, I want to see how it turns out.

I love what you have posted so far BTW. Are you thinking of doing anymore? I can't help but want to see this take a spooky turn. What with all the talk of zombies etc. *g*

-and it was fun. :)

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Of course I'll do more!

The hard part for me is that I promised myself that I wouldn't post more than once a day, so as not to hog the story and make a pest of myself. But that means other people have to post stuff, too.

A spooky turn would be neat, especially if we could also somehow work in the Russians, MI6 and the poisoned groom. I hope you'll keep on writing!

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Ooo... empty graves now - love it! (And I'm sure Rebel's sitting on her hands.*g*)

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Very much, so, yes!

;-)

[crimson-37.livejournal.com]

Oh this is getting good. I'm gonna sit back for the minute, I'm getting way out of my depth.

The boys are split! Ray may or may not be injured? Bodie may or not be poisoned? There is a cat that may or may not be carrying a virus still loose in the house. The time is ticking on and they are due into HQ to see The Cow in the morning. Is Borislav working there on his own? Who unearthed the graves? SO many questions. Oh, where will it go next?

Eeks! Says an excited Crimson, perched on the edge of her seat waiting for the next post.

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Nooo! Don't sit back! Dive in there!

It's only 200 words, right? The story can't continue if everyone's sitting around with bated breath waiting for someone else to post.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Tell EH to jump in, too!! She must've done enough reading over your shoulder by now, Rebel. The more the merrier!

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

I've been trying to convince her, but tragically she's not a huge Pros fan - except for Cowley, whom she worships. And she's also a perfectionist, which means she can sometimes take a week to write 200 words.

Her favorite character in the current story is Borislav, whom she named and gave the orphanage backstory. And I have to admit, I'm becoming rather fond of the little guy myself. If he survives this story, maybe I'll use him somewhere else. In a Man from UNCLE fic, maybe.

I loved your latest contribution, BTW! I can't blame Boris for skedaddling. He's got a job to do, after all, and he doesn't need two guys constantly hanging around asking him questions. ("I am 'clean up person', you understand, da?") Decent of him not to do any permanent harm to Doyle. ;-)

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Unless, of course, Boris was lying about the whole Hungarian orphanage thing. ;-) And all those accents could be more the result of his peculiar sense of humour, than genuine reflections of where he's from...

And I still don't know whether Bodie's turning into a cat, or coming down with the mystery virus, or maybe is just fine except for the risk of contracting a nasty case of toxoplasmosis!

[crimson-37.livejournal.com]

Is that a huge hint? LOL I know which one

I'm a little confused at the moment will jump back in as soon as I get back with the flow again. Did Ray Call out 'Bodie?' Or did he dream he did while he was unconscious?

Help brain on meltdown.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Ray called out 'Bodie?' as he was coming round. Sorry, my bad for not making it crystal clear. ( typing pretty fast once an idea hits can do that *g*) I just didn't want my boys parted - though, of course, someone else can..

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

That works, too! :-)

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

My theory is that he *did* call out "Bodie!". Because he landed on top of Borislav - in... an alcove? A side passage? But then, while he was still somewhat off balance, Boris clocked him and took off. And Bodie stumbled over his unconscious body.

I'm not clear on Bodie's here-again-and-gone night vision, and I'm a bit worried about the sudden ache in his arm when he helped Doyle up off the ground. Of course, that could be due to the cat scratch, or simply an over-active imagination (though I'm not convinced Bodie has one... certainly not generally on the job, anyway).

But that's just my take on it! YMMV!

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

I'm not clear on Bodie's here-again-and-gone night vision, and I'm a bit worried about the sudden ache in his arm when he helped Doyle up off the ground.

With the ache in his arm, I was just going for the possible getting-sick angle if smn wanted to exploit it, rather than the Bodie-turning-into-a-cat angle..*g*

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

That could make for some interesting chapters, as different writers edge toward and away from were-Bodie! Maybe he is, and maaaybe he isn't! And no one willing to outright commit. *Checks Bodie's sore arm for suddenly sprouting fur or claws.* Nope, nothing yet!

A plain 'ol sick Bodie could be very fun, and so could a were-Bodie. Or both! Either way, I hope there's a lab with a handy antidote neatly labeled in the freezer somewhere down those steps! (But we can't make it that easy, can we?)

And I still think there might be zombies wandering around somewhere... ;-)

[crimson-37.livejournal.com]

So are we going for plain old sick Bodie. Please let's go with plain old sick Bodie, I'm happy with that. :) We can cure than that one way or another, but I don't see us being able to bring him back from Were-cat quite so easily.

I'm still all for the occasional Zombie appearances. lol...

Please no cat Bodie. The night vision thing could be a symptom of the illness, yes?

[myrebelcat.livejournal.com]

Well, if that's what you want, then you need to get in there and post the next 200 words, establishing firmly that either...

1. Ray got knocked over the head harder than we think, and is suffering from a subdermal hematoma, and will shortly collapse into a drooling, twitching heap.

2. Or, Bodie's night vision is pleasant side effect of what is shortly going to be a very unpleasant bout of... something nasty. The symptoms of which could resemble the flu? Tetanus? Rabies?

3. OR, one side effect of the virus is insanity, and Bodie only *thinks* he can see clearly and that he's headed back upstairs. Actually, he's leading them down a pitch black hallway, further into the bowels of the building.

Um..., anything else? Anyway, if you don't want were-Bodie, then get in there and beat that particular plot bunny to death! ;-)

Good luck!