RuneScape Forum Archive | Leb's Ensemble of Short Shorts

Borna Coric

Posts: 3,785 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Hello there, and thank you for clicking on my thread. To those of you who don't know me, I am Leb, a long-time member of these here Stories Forums. This is my remade version of "-A Collection of Short Shorts-" which died some time ago.
Though I have only recently become active again, and my past five years of work on these forums has been lost, I decided to open this thread in hopes of some inspiration to write again.
While this might not be as regularly added to as I would like, I hope that those of you who choose to read a few of my works will be entertained by them. I really enjoy any feedback I can get, or simply a post saying hi -- activity is something I value greatly.
I am sure I will think of something else to add to this eventually, but until then...
Welcome to Leb's Ensemble of Short Shorts!

Leb
~^~Member of the Incredibly Gifted Authors~^~
Member of the Guild of Unique Authors
Featured in the Gielinor Globe, August 2011
Featured in the Gielinor Globe, September 2011
Winner of SlayerSpark's Contest
Runner-Up, Round One -- Official H'ween Story Contest -- 2011
Winner, Round Two -- Official H'ween Story Contest -- 2011
Winner of Xanthian93's Survivor Two Contest

23-Jun-2011 12:38:06 - Last edited on 26-Jun-2012 06:33:06 by Borna Coric

Borna Coric

Posts: 3,785 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

-Contents-
- Page 1, Posts 6-7: Valley of Shadows (June, 2011)
- Page 1, Posts 8-9: Vagary (July, 2011)
- Pages 1 and 2, Posts 10 and 1: The Poltergeist (2006)
- Page 2, Posts 2-3: Behind You (August, 2011)
- Page 2, Posts 4-5: False Reflection (September, 2011)
- Page 2, Posts 6-10: The Curse (October, 2011)
- Page 3, Posts 1-2: A Calm Tempest (October, 2011)
- Page 3, Posts 3-8: Nightmare at Draynor Manor (October, 2011)
- Page 3, Post 9: Epitaph (October, 2011)
- Pages 3 and 4, Posts 10 and 1-2: Conversations Between Heaven and Hell (October, 2011)
- Page 4, Posts 3-4: Thanatophobia (November, 2011)

23-Jun-2011 12:38:21 - Last edited on 19-Nov-2011 15:24:12 by Borna Coric

Borna Coric

Posts: 3,785 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

-Reader List-
- Wintry Elf
- WolfLord7777
- Poller5
- Pac the God
- Aeraie
- Eedamame
- Logan Shafts
- Snowbuster
- I am Worf
- 197monkey197
- Mors Et Vita
- Sonicfanx1
- Lady Railly
- Sir Stifle
- Polymath
- Vi Teutonica
- Bryan Mellow
- Eliot590
- Cozmic
- Tomato Gurl
- Thread
- Yam42
- Romantically
Thank you everyone!

23-Jun-2011 12:38:22 - Last edited on 23-Aug-2012 09:19:35 by Borna Coric

Borna Coric

Posts: 3,785 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

-Favourite Comments-

- Good stuff, Leb! I particularly like your use of personification and lush description in both of the stories that I read. I definitely look forward to seeing more. -Wintry Elf
- Nice work. I liked both of the stories you have up at the moment, although I preferred the second one (Thats just my personal preference, no real difference in the actual writing). -WolfLord7777
- I intend to, ahem, *heck out your short shorts in the near future. -Poller5
- I like this thread idea. I wonder who you got it from? Nice work though, Leb. You don't disappoint. -Aeraie
- I thoroughly enjoyed what you have written thus far. Can't wait for more. -Eedamame
- Haha, these are great. Do you have any longer stories? -Logan Shafts
- You are a very talented writer, this is shown especially in 'Vagary' - the amount of metaphors, similes and masterful use of personification is excellent. -Snowbuster
- You, my friend, are gifted. I personally liked "The Poltergeist" the best. But the consistent imagery and description in all of your stories is simply incredible. -I am Worf
- Well from reading your stories i am a changed man! I throughy enjoyed all the stories. -197monkey197
- Next, I have to say this is easily some of the best writing on the forums. From the intense descriptions in "Vagary" to the brilliant experiment into the second person of "Behind You," your vocabulary and style are just amazing. -Mors Et Vita
- I'll profile this to read later. if i know you, it'd be the best ive ever seen on this forums. ((Please see reviews on Page Nine)) -Sonicfanx1
- Looking at these stories, I find new words I haven't heard of or used before...I see new phrases...My stories are nowhere near as good as yours, not even the one you wrote 5 years ago. These have inspired *me* to write more. Thank you.

-Lady Railly

23-Jun-2011 12:38:23 - Last edited on 11-Oct-2011 05:53:37 by Borna Coric

Borna Coric

Posts: 3,785 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

- Once again, I am thoroughly amazed at your work. I absolutely adore the repetitive structure of this new piece, and your vocabulary and description served you brilliantly. -Mors Et Vita
- Very well done stories. I hope you make more

-Sir Stifle
- I just realized that I haven't posted yet in this thread. Well, anyway, the real reason why I'm here is because of your story named 'Vagary.' I've read it like thirty times, starting two months ago, and it's still a thrill for me. -Polymath
- Love them all, great stories! -Vi Teutonica
- What I can only do is leave you this word~~~~ Awesome!!! -Tomato Gurl
- It's good to see someone sharing a small collection of their art with us. -Bryan Mellow
- hey Lebbeh, great job with your stories! -Eliot590
- I love you... -Thread
- Leb, I read your stories quite some time ago and failed to comment. I think that they are certainly some of the best on here. I really enjoyed the abstract quality of "Conversations Between Heaven and Hell". This is a great collection you have here! -Yam42
- Your work really just is fantastic. I enjoyed all of the stories immensely, but the horror ones really stood out for me. -Romantically

-Endorsements-
The Novelists' Guild
QFC: 49-50-973-63383797
Description: An active and organised guild with a variety of ranks to suit each member. You can aim to be a Writer, or aim for the coveted Wordsmith rank.
The Incredibly Gifted Authors
QFC: 49-50-561-60783913
Description: Possibly the oldest and most prestigious guild, membership in itself is something to aim for. Run by the infamous Wolfeh, I'd suggest this guild to any serious writers.
August Newletter
QFC: 254-255-110-63045568
Description: This features my short story, Vagary.
September Newsletter
QFC: 254-255-116-63140317
Description: This features my short story, Valley of Shadows.

23-Jun-2011 12:38:25 - Last edited on 23-Aug-2012 09:20:12 by Borna Coric

Borna Coric

Posts: 3,785 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Reading this again now, the syntax is horrid. Probably worth skipping. An entry that achieved me 1st place in SlayerSpark's Story Contest, it was also featured in the Gielinor Globe for September 2011. The challenge was that the story had to somehow include a gem.
_______________________________________________________________________

-Valley of Shadows-

The stars glinted dreamily through the thick blanket of black, casting little light on the crisp landscape. Low-lying mist swept the valley in routine shifts, catching all life and taking it prisoner. A deafening silence rang through the lowlands, the type of silence that would chill any man to the bone and send shivers up his spine. The stillness of the dusk hung with a heavy eeriness, coercing a palpable fear out of any normal being.

The Shadow moved stealthily across the valley wall, its silhouette as black as the night in the sharp beams of moonlight. Disappearing back into the abyss, anyone trying to find it would quickly be deceived by their own eyes. A single cloud drifted contently across the sky, briefly obscuring the view of the stars before disappearing beyond the sloping hills.

Almost as if on cue, the silence of the night shattered like glass as a stout man clad in chainmail came stumbling out of a cave opening carved into the rocky wall of the valley. The man darted his eyes to the left before running to his right, following the path of a calm river, his panting resonating through the now stirred landscape. The long grass resisted his every step and the man almost fell numerous times as he clutched a small, red box in both outstretched arms.

23-Jun-2011 12:38:26 - Last edited on 21-Jun-2013 15:10:43 by Borna Coric

Borna Coric

Posts: 3,785 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The man slowed slightly to examine his surroundings, fighting the adrenaline that told him to run and reached for a small, steel dagger. Controlling his breathing, the man listened for any movement in the undergrowth. Nothing. Putting his dagger back into its sheath, the man began to walk down the river bank, his reflection mirrored perfectly in the silver surface of the water.

He smirked confidently to himself, holding the treasure which he had plundered carefully to his chest, sending reassuring warmth through his body. The Shadow looked for his overconfidence, and it too smiled...an evil smile.

As the man admired the gorged moon that showered him in bright light, his Shadow reached for the dagger that he had just placed back into the sheath. In a quick, flicking motion, the Shadow leapt from where it lay on the ground and plunged the sharp dagger directly between the man’s shoulder blades, causing him to grunt and fall forward as a jet of crimson liquid shot across the pristine scenery, dyeing the lush grass red.

The man’s body splashed clumsily into the shallow waters of the river, disrupting the calm surface before Damis plucked the small box from his dead hands and laughed to himself. Damis opened the chest briskly, the Shadow Diamond glimmering in the white light, before closing it and slowly walking back to its home.

23-Jun-2011 12:38:27 - Last edited on 21-Jun-2013 15:11:14 by Borna Coric

Borna Coric

Posts: 3,785 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

This entry has been featured in the August edition of the Gielinor Globe, 2011. It was also my entry into the Novelists' Guild. It personifies the four seasons, using strong aspects of nature in each. This achieved me a score of 92/100 in the guild (91 in idea, 93 in execution) and reclaimed my rank of Novelist.
_______________________________________________________________________

-Vagary-

A single snowflake, drifting contently through the air. Beyond its microscopic beauty lie a thousand meanings – the cold and the eerie...the dawn of winter. Death. It rests underneath the blankets of snow, poised and ready to latch itself onto anything living. Spirits and hopes; it kills those too. When the trees shake hard, and the wind howls like wolves...that’s when you know it’s happened. The one word, measly and seemingly insignificant; it instils fear in the greatest of warriors. Drained of all life, their once mighty grips are crippled, iron fists frozen into place.
Starved.
Like vultures, desperate beings feast off the frozen corpses. Tearing flesh with knives, jaws locked into place...savage is the only fitting word. Survival of the fittest; that was their reasoning. Why join the weak when you could live?
Then the white turns to green, leaving the desolation for the regrowth and birth of new life. Icy tombs melt to form new rivers, pure and cleansing. The canvas is no longer blank; it fills with new hues – blues, violets, yellows and reds. Resuscitated. Nature has deployed its defibrillator. Revived. The memories of the cold turn to pictures of warmth and hospitality, much food making itself available. It’s almost as if the page has been turned. A new chapter. The story of spring.
Nourished.
Birds rejoice in the renewed landscape. Over the rolling green hills, songs are heard; they intermix with the serenity. Or perhaps they are the source of such an atmosphere. Life. Life meant spring. Life was spring.

23-Jun-2011 12:38:29 - Last edited on 07-Dec-2011 13:11:21 by Borna Coric

Borna Coric

Posts: 3,785 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

A sweeping fire engulfs the hushed surroundings. In its wake, blistered earth is left to burn eternally. The malicious and scathing gaze of the sun penetrates deep into the soils, scorching and destroying any greenery. The revenge of death. No bird can fly high enough to avoid the flames that reach for them. Everything smoulders, thick clouds of fetid smoke curling upward as they attack the heavens. Summer. To truly personify evil, one must use that word. It melts the coldest of ice and the most ambitious of dreams. It crushes desires, disregards emotion and drags everything to hell. The devil smiles.
Sated.
In amongst the blackened terrain, small seedlings sprout from roasted seeds. Beacons of light in a pitch black room. Nature’s Braille. From the harshest of deaths comes the newest of life; it pushes through the concrete slab. The cracked pot is reassembled.
In perfect rhythm to the music, an orange leaf waltzes to the forest floor. Some say it is the fall; this is the opposite. The busy environment is one that brings opulence and richness. Autumn is exactly this. It is the time when all become affluent, free from the dangers that so frequently present themselves. Liberty. Fruits grow in abundance, collected in routine fashion and stockpiled for the coming weeks. Gluttony. An icy breath flutters past the back of a neck. Deep sleep. Buried away, hoarded food is the only life support.
Gorged.
An antique lamp falls clumsily into the hands of an adventurer, a soft scraping sound whispering to him as the clay brushes across his palms. Walking over the fragmented remains of the effigy, he continues on his way.

23-Jun-2011 12:38:30 - Last edited on 25-Jul-2011 14:29:54 by Borna Coric

Borna Coric

Posts: 3,785 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

ARCHIVED. This is, while definitely not my best or favourite work, a piece that got me accepted into TIGA. I explore a lot of personification in this. Please note that if you're looking for a good read in a single story, I'd skip this one. I find it nice to show how much I have improved, from writing this one to today. This was written over five years ago.
_______________________________________________________________________

-The Poltergeist-

A little girl was alone, wrapped up in the rough blanket of her bed. The wind tapped at her window and the trees danced with excitement. All she could do was peep out from a hole in the blanket and watch as the fearsome silhouettes laughed at her.
The moon, crescent shaped and shining with the stars, was the only thing that comforted her. It watched over her and protected her.
A being of translucent material floated menacingly through her house hallways. It grinned as it felt the familiar aura of fear. The wet floors created a claustrophobic feeling, a feeling the being loved greatly. Droplets of water fell from the ceiling, dyed black from the fetid stone. At last, it found the door.
The poltergeist stopped to stare at the charmed door. The girl was in here; it could feel it. The only thing that prevented its dinner was the magic that engulfed the room. It would be no problem though. Even now, the lesser deities were blocking the passages of the moon. The girl would be powerless without the creature she called “father”.
The girl, pale as ever, quivered with the thoughts of the poltergeist. The wind was tapping harder at her window and the trees were reaching towards her room with rough-barked branches. She imagined the poltergeist grabbing her soul with its long, thin fingers and tearing it away from her.

23-Jun-2011 12:38:32 - Last edited on 07-Dec-2011 13:11:36 by Borna Coric