The Good: My Sisyphus characters have come to life and are being obnoxious in my head.
The Bad: None of this is story worthy.
The Ugly: The deadline is TONIGHT. No, I didn't procrastinate. I really have been pecking away at this damn story ever since Prompt Day. My mind and body simply called in DEAD because I've been really sick and burnt out what with chronic health issues 'n' general shitty crap. That's why I've been so unusually silent on this thread, where in the past I've been a pretty active participant in the insanity. I used up all my spoons these past few months to shower and eat. I still feel the silent judgment of the Sisyphants.
I'm sorry giftee. :-|
BUT!
You should know that EVERY SINGLE YEAR I've done this challenge, for various COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND TOTALLY VALID AND BEYOND MY CONTROL REASONS THAT I COULD PROBABLY WRITE A BOOK ABOUT OKAY, SERIOUSLY, I've always been a last-minute down-to-the-wire Sisyphant.
My fingers are typing away. I can't guarantee that it will fit the prompt (it ran away from me, okay), but you WILL get SOMETHING tomorrow because BY HELLFIRE AND STORMSHADOW, I Do Not Want To Be That Guy.
Also, thanks a lot giftee. Your prompt gosh darned Big Banged and exploded into a novel idea. (No sarcasm - I really am a novel writer rather than a short story writer, so I'm very pleased about this!) I have no idea how long the actual story you get tomorrow will be, but if you want, to make up for its current shittiness, you can have the first crack at the novel when I do eventually write it!
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ION - I haven't had a chance to catch up on this thread, but I know this worry comes up every single year, so I'll say this again--
I don't care what I get. I don't care how far off the prompt you went*, dear gifter. I'm just pleased as punch that somebody actually took the time out to write a story for ME! You are GREAT for VOLUNTEERING to DO THIS SHIZZ!
Therefore, know this: I am going to absolutely love whatever I get, and will probably be raving about it somewhere spoiler-free as soon as your beauteous bodacious text burns through my eyeballs and into my brain.
No stressesesesseeses, okay?
* Seriously. I literally CAN'T, because I've forgotten what my prompt even was. No! Don't remind me! And I'm not going to go look! Not until AFTER I've read my gift! >:-D