He ran into the room, his heart pounding, and his clothes soaking wet.
"The Internet. It's gone!"
"You mean the link's dead? Bloody broadband…"
"No, it's gone. 404s everywhere," the bearer of bad tidings paused to pant some relief into his lungs, "there's nothing left. All the World's knowledge is…"
"… gone."
They looked at each other.
"Hell, what are we going to do this afternoon?"
"I don't know. Work? Maybe?"
They sniggered.
13 days later, when Society had collapsed, one was eating the other, barely able to remember what a 404 was. He was surprised they'd lasted that long. Clubs and sticks didn't time out.
Some of my pieces are more performance - the 6 minutes are getting an idea out that's been rehearsed in thought - but this was more of a doodle, to see where it would go, so could do with being a bit tighter.
Nice idea. Would like to see it fleshed out a bit, maybe take it from a quick 6 minute piece into something more polished maybe, not necessarily longer, but, I don't know, tighter?
I liked the ending "Clubs and sticks didn't time out."
There is an audio version of this story, recorded for #AudioMo, at http://audioboo.fm/boos/1049987-audiomo-9th-november-a-property-to-die-for-the-day-the-net-stood-still-two-six-minute-stories
No Internet, now that's what I call a horror story. Great beginning and I agree with Jimbo about that closing line.
I do all sorts of things. Mostly badly. Mostly better than others. I tell stories. Occasionally, I lie.
He ran into the room, his heart pounding, and his clothes soaking wet.