Forum game: Write a short story using only dialogue.

[Hwo Thumb]

I wasn't sure whether this goes under forum games or short stories, because it's really both. Anyway, it's exactly what the title says. Write a story (Anywhere from a few words to a few pages) that is told entirely with dialogue.

You may use speaking verbs, but that's it. No action verbs, and no descriptions of anything besides the dialogue.

Ok:
"Lorum Ipsum." He said.
Ok:
"Lorum Ipsum." He said with a heavy sigh.
Not ok:
"Lorum Ipsum." He said, taking a few steps towards me.
Not ok:
The man stood in the center of the dimly lit room. "Lorum Ipsum." He said.

Naturally you can bend the rules a bit (You're the author, not me!) but for the most part, try to stick to that.

[YesNo]

This is an interesting challenge. It is like writing a script for a graphic novel or play without the stage directions or description of the setting. I'll see if I can come up with something. Looking forward to reading examples you might have.

[Hwo Thumb]

Okay, I'll post the first one, taken from a story I'm writing. Some stuff has been changed to make more sense out of context, and names are different too.

“Judge Scott, may I speak with you for a minute?”

“Of course, David.”

“I think you should know something about the trial.”

“Oh, that. Listen, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to-”

“You should know that there might be a... a very powerful party... which will be watching this trial and that this hypothetical party may or may not be extremely interested in the outcome of this hearing.”

“Wait, what? What are you trying to say?”

“I'm saying that there could possibly be certain... benefits... if you give a swift and decisive rule against the Mister Jacobson.”

“Uh, with all due respect, David... I don't know if it's entirely ethical for me to let you continue. What you're offering... well, it isn't exactly legal.”

“Offering? Scott, my friend, I'm simply posing a hypothetical situation in which you could become a very rich man if you were to have Jacobson found guilty. This is just a friendly chat. No suggestions or offers.”

“I don't believe this. I'm sorry, David, you've been my friend and all, but I can't do this. If anyone found out... I'd lose everything. And so would you.”

“Scott, I control every recording device here. I could bury any hypothetical evidence so deep that nobody will ever find it. No one will ever know.”

“Please, don't make me tell you again.”

“One last thing. This hypothetical party, if they were to learn that you ruled in favor of the boy, they might be.... most displeased. And powerful people can do unpleasant things to someone in your position.”

“Jesus Christ, David, are you threatening...? Fine, fine I'll do it. But I'm never going to forget this.”

“You won't regret it, either.”

[YesNo]

I liked the "forget-regret" pairing in the last two lines. The dialogue kept me interested in what would happen next.

[Hwo Thumb]

Just thought of another one - semi inappropriate short about aliens

"Eric?"

"Hmmph."

"Listen, Eric, about what happened on Taro..."

"I don't particularly want to talk about it, Frai."

"Okay." A pause. "But, listen, if it helps..."

Eric sighed. "What?"

"I didn't... I didn't know the Katamains had their genitals there either. I mean, anyone could have made that mistake."

Frai waited for a response, then said, "And it does sorta look like a belly button. So if-"

"Are you done?" Eric interrupted again.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Good night."

"Good night."

[YesNo]

I see you like aliens. The genital part reminded me of Scary Movie 3.

Here's one I posted in a different thread long ago which has only dialog. I modified it a bit to make sure it was clear that Jane was reciting the poetry she wrote.

It is called "Heavenly Bodies".


"I wish I had a heavenly body, but I'm a big, fat black hole. I suck the goodness from the Boston Creme universe."

"Jane! What are you talking about? Fat? You're 5 feet 6, 110 pounds, gorgeous. You hate donuts."

"I'm writing a poem, Brian. Don't bug me."

"Again?"

"A girl's got to have poetry. Besides, you don't want me to flunk this class, do you?"

"What are they making you write about this time?"

"It has to be about stars or something heavenly or whatever and also about love.


In silence we decide what's true.
I wonder and you wonder, too.
Through distances we're ever bound...


Brian, I'm curious. Am I your only sunshine? Or do you get any light from some two-bit binary that brightens your night after I go to bed?"

"Baby, you're the only one. Just look around you. There's no one else in sight."

"Like I said, she comes out when I can't see her."

"There's no one else but you. And, well, how about me. Am I your only one?"

"Brian, get real. I'm 110 pounds. I'm hot. I've got comets whistling after me and who knows what I'm likely to pick up while circling the galaxy. I've got old planets who spin on my smiles. And then there's Mars."

"So, it's true about Mars?"

"Stop being so jealous. It doesn't matter anymore and nothing can be done about it now anyway. That thing with Mars ended long ago.


The silence warned you to refrain
From seeking what might cause you pain,
From finding what should stay well hid
About the things a lover did.


Brian, I'm just kidding. Can't you take a joke? I'm busy. You're my only Earth, the only one. Let me finish this stupid thing."

[Hwo Thumb]

I see you like aliens.

Yes I do, and I also like your story.

[S.E. Lizard]

Excerpt from The Complete Infinite


- Do you think that she is still alive?

- Of course she is!

- Man, you talked about a massacre which is beyond description!

- That is what you think... Not even a drop of blood flowed. I got
scared and run away just because she was not moving anymore. I forced
myself not to think about the fact that she was breathing or not. I tried
not to care.

- Have you ever seen her after that?

- I am not sure. Maybe... it was her if I am not wrong. She has not
changed at all.

- And what are you going to do now?

- What shall I do? What can I do? I will not do anything regarding this
matter.

- Nothing? It means that you are going to start a lamentable cycle.

- What cycle? Can you tell me what I have started and what am I going
to start again?

- I mean... you will be exactly like a disabled or a crippled person, or
like a blind man. You will not be able to see, to work or to walk anymore
because that creature is chasing you permanently.

- But she is not chasing me and she would never do anything bad to
me.

- Then why did you want to kill her? Is this a passion of yours about
I do not know? Now you are killing your time with the soul neutralization?
I had no idea that you get bored so badly... or maybe you are doing
this daily to anybody, but you did not tell me until now.

- Understand that she did nothing wrong! I imagined things that
reality cannot materialize. What is her fault? Could be the fact that she
cut off all the pieces of reality that surrounded me? And if I look out the
window, now I remind of reality, so you can see that I have lost nothing.

- I agree. You have lost nothing. However, we should do something.
But what can we do?

- Anything. I told you long time ago that the chaos generated by madness
can be sweet. Now you can break your own glass without worry about
your drink, eat the shards and enjoy their sweet taste. Or first, are you
asking yourself what the bartender would think about this? Just for your
information: he does not see us because he is too bored of our dialogue.

- Shards are not sweet. You just want to avoid the subject of our conversation.

- I do not avoid anything. Just because the subject flew away it does
not mean that I got rid of it.

- Back to our discussion, you said long time ago that she did some terrible
things to you, now you say she did nothing bad. So, what she really
did?

- Horrible things, nice things, terrible things, beautiful things...

- This can be said only by an empty man, who cannot lean on anything.

- I am not an empty man. I am too much for this place.

- Anyway... wouldn’t you like if she could disappear forever?

- She can do whatever she wants. I would love to see how she finds out that
happiness is not an impossible state.

- Is it because you care about something in this world?

- Of course...

- Then why don’t you tell her to go far away, or just to stop living?

- I do not want to.

- It is ridiculous. You are a loser.

- No. It is the most beautiful thing I had to deal with, something I have met
before I was born.

- So beautiful that you did not know how to get rid of it.

- Over time there are many different shocks and perceptions arise
from their shadows.

- They are called “excuses”.

- Why “excuses”? What do you not understand? She is just one of
those creatures that never die.

- You once said that she is an useless creature.

- If you want to lie yourself in a reliable way, you start doing that by
lying others.

- I do not understand.

- This is not the only thing that you do not understand.

- Should I get ready? I see that another philosophical lesson is ready to
start.

- Nothing starts. There is no knowledge about relativism in the prison
of souls.

- I am increasingly persuaded that you are good only at making bad
jokes.

- And it is all wrong, all are cheap, you have price tags on you, but I do
not like this huge fair at all.

- And you are an animal that will die alone and hungry because you
are only feeding your own stupidity.

- A great way to die!

- But you do not want that!

- You do not know what I want and I wonder why you do not go away.

- Should I go?

- Yes, because we speak different languages. Trivial words told by ugly
dreamers cannot be ever understood by the people around them, no
matter how much they would dream. You still do not understand what I
say, which means that you must go.

- Fine. You will remain here all alone, thinking that everything belongs
to you.

- Nothing belongs to me, neither I nor water nor air nor fire nor you.

- Simple people...

[Delta40]

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“What do you mean nothing? You’ve got that look!’

“So what? Just because I’m not talking to you doesn’t mean I’m s hitty”

“Ok then”

“Bastard!”

“Alright! Either say what’s bothering you or stop b itching”

“My Father should have never kept his peace when we were married”

“This is your Father’s fault? You’re the one with a face long enough to trip over!”

“You didn’t used to mind my face”

“Hah! That was before I knew what you were really like. Let me read the paper.”

“You don’t love me. You’ve never loved me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Just what I said. I’m here all day keeping house for you and you can barely speak to me when you get home. I’m just a slave.”

“A slave with a very big house and fancy holdiays…”

“You’re not taking me seriously.”

“Yes I am. You’re just getting emotional.”

“When was the last time you said I love you then?”

“Probably the last time we made love.”

“Two years ago. You know, I don’t feel like you gave me two years worth that night.”

“Yeah? Well it’s all a bloke who is getting worked to death by the missus can manage.”

“You probably love the dog more than me.”

“I would if he could cook. Then again, he doesn’t talk back. Hey! Maybe I do!”

“Cook you own damn dinner.”

“What did I say wrong?”

“Nothing.”

[Hwo Thumb]

"Okay, look; It's not a difficult concept."

"Oh, so now I'm stupid?"

"I never said that. I just- Never mind, can we just get to work?"

"That depends, do you think I'm stupid?"

"No!"

"Then why are you being condescending?"

"I'm not!"

"And now you're lying to me!"

"I am not!"

"Another lie!"

"Christ, James, can we just get back to your lesson?"

"No! Apparently I'm too stupid to understand it!"

"Or you're just trying to avoid work by picking fights."

"So now I'm stupid and lazy and overly aggressive?"

"Shut up, James! Please, can we just finish this?"

"And now I'm stupid and lazy and overly aggressive and I talk too much?"

"Would it shut you up if I said yes?

"Yes!"

"Then yes!"

"Fine!"

"Okay then!"

"Good!"


A pause, and then; "So what's the answer to number six again?"

[MANICHAEAN]

AN EVENING AT HOME WITH THE MISSUS.
(This was an old one of mine.)
19.3.11.

“You don’t love me anymore!”
“What are you talking about?”
“I said you don’t love me anymore. You never tell me you love me.”
“Yes I do.”
“Do what? Love me, or tell me?”
“Oh, give it a break. Of course I love you.”
“You’re just saying that. You never want to talk. I might as well not be here.”
“Ok, I love you. Is that all right now?”
“You’re just saying it.”
“No I’m not!”
“No need to shout.”
“I’m not shouting!”
“Yes you are. Look at you, just like your father.”
“What are you talking about woman? What’s my father got to do with it?”
“My mother was right. Said you would turn out like your father.”
“What the hell does your mother know about my father, interfering old biddy!”
“No need to talk about my mother like that. She only had my best interest at heart. Said I never should have married you.”
“If you don’t stop going on, I’m going down the pub for a bit of peace and quiet.”
“See, just like your father again. Heavy drinker. Your poor mother, how she put up with him I don’t know.”
“I’ve had enough of this. I’m going to bed then. You coming up?”
“Oh changed your tune have you? Now you’re after something.”
“I’m not after nothing. I just asked if you were coming up to bed.”
“I know your game. You’ve been on those Vigra tablets again. If only your mother, God rest her soul, had known you were on drugs.”
“I’m not on drugs & I only used Viagra once. My mate gave it to me to try.”
“Oh yes, oh yes. And I’m there like a piece of meat, being used while you dance around like an 18 year old. It was disgusting!”
“I said I only tried it once and anyway it gave me a headache.”
“Well I’ve got a headache now and you’re not getting up to any of your kinky stuff with me. Doing it with the lights on! It was so humiliating. I felt used.”

[Hwo Thumb]

OH LOOK ANOTHER THING WITH ALIENS

"How goes the research project?"
"Eh, not well."
"Did something happen?"
"Well, we were spotted."
"Oh, crap."
"Twice."
"Oh, crap"
"Yeah. I mean, the creatures only caught a glimpse of us, but they started shooting at us right away."
"Was anyone hurt?"
"Are you kidding me? The kinetic shields absorbed everything they sent our way."
"Good."
"No, not good. Now they think we're some sort of monsters."
"Didn't they think that before? Isn't that why they started shooting?"
"Yeah, but now they think we're monsters with indestructible magic armor."
"Heh. Not entirely untrue."
"Come one, be serious. This is a problem! They've actually started to integrate us into their culture."
"You're kidding."
"I wish! So now the stories tell of 'gigantic, fire breathing, flying beasts with scales made of diamond.' because apparently laser guns, spaceships, and shields are those things."
"This would be hilarious if it weren't so serious."
"We've decided to pull all research on Sol-3 for a while. Give them time to forget about us before we can start looking into the human's situation again."
"That sucks. That's an expensive mistake if I've ever heard one."
"The Dray-gon high command is going to be pissed with they find out."
"Well, at least nobody got hurt. In twenty years or so, they'll forget all about us."

[Delta40]

AN EVENING AT HOME WITH THE MISSUS.
(This was an old one of mine.)
19.3.11.

“You don’t love me anymore!”
“What are you talking about?”
“I said you don’t love me anymore. You never tell me you love me.”
“Yes I do.”
“Do what? Love me, or tell me?”
“Oh, give it a break. Of course I love you.”
“You’re just saying that. You never want to talk. I might as well not be here.”
“Ok, I love you. Is that all right now?”
“You’re just saying it.”
“No I’m not!”
“No need to shout.”
“I’m not shouting!”
“Yes you are. Look at you, just like your father.”
“What are you talking about woman? What’s my father got to do with it?”
“My mother was right. Said you would turn out like your father.”
“What the hell does your mother know about my father, interfering old biddy!”
“No need to talk about my mother like that. She only had my best interest at heart. Said I never should have married you.”
“If you don’t stop going on, I’m going down the pub for a bit of peace and quiet.”
“See, just like your father again. Heavy drinker. Your poor mother, how she put up with him I don’t know.”
“I’ve had enough of this. I’m going to bed then. You coming up?”
“Oh changed your tune have you? Now you’re after something.”
“I’m not after nothing. I just asked if you were coming up to bed.”
“I know your game. You’ve been on those Vigra tablets again. If only your mother, God rest her soul, had known you were on drugs.”
“I’m not on drugs & I only used Viagra once. My mate gave it to me to try.”
“Oh yes, oh yes. And I’m there like a piece of meat, being used while you dance around like an 18 year old. It was disgusting!”
“I said I only tried it once and anyway it gave me a headache.”
“Well I’ve got a headache now and you’re not getting up to any of your kinky stuff with me. Doing it with the lights on! It was so humiliating. I felt used.”

Lol this sounded like such a similar theme to the one I posted!

[YesNo]

"Is Bob up to any new experiments, Martha?"

"He was doing one when you stopped by his office, Sylvia."

"I never went to see Bob. Did he tell you that?"

"You wore a mini-skirt with high heals and asked Bob out for a drink."

"Did he tell you THAT?"

"No. That's what I figured you'd be doing. You sat down on his bench...."

"Wait....Nothing happened, Martha. I swear!"

"You sat right on the precise spot where he was materializing an Einsteinian time-loop portal."

"What?"

"That portal's now up your butt..."

"??...!!...??...?!...!"

"...assuming a miracle occurred and Bob's experiment succeeded."

[wrc]

"I see you packed my clothes." he said.
"That's right." she hissed.
"What if I won't go?"
"See this!"
"Where did you get that gun?"
"I bought it. You can either leave or get shot."
"I'm sure we can work this out."
"Leave or die!"
"Ok, ok. I'm leaving."
Slamming of the door. Then squeak of it opening again.
"I guess this is the end of our love affair."
Explosion of gun.
"Leave or die."
The door slams shut.
"What a creep..." she mumbled.

[YesNo]

She sounds mad, wrc! Welcome! I hope to read more stories.

[JAHolland]

"You need to stop and get ahold of yourself"

"I know, I know...but I can't help it, it just hurts so much"

"Pain is relative, everyone has to deal with it in their own way"

"Yes I know, but mine...it's just so raw. The memories shake me to my very core."

"That's why I'm here."

"Yes, and I'm grateful. I truly am. When I went to dinner tonight and found myself being accosted by that vile man, the stench of alcohol on his rank breath .....all I could think of....."

"I know"

"I really don't remember what happened after his leering"

"No worries, I took care of it"

"Like you always do...and please don't take this the wrong way...but sometimes it bothers me that I can't remember"

"You can't remember because you can't handle it. Again, that's why I'm here"

"I know, I know. But do you think, maybe just once you could let me see and be a part of it?"

"With your blood phobia, do you really think that's a good idea?"

"There's blood?"

"How else do you think I get rid of them?"

"I think you're right, it's best I don't know"

"Plausible deniability. It's how all great insanity pleas begin"


My take on a serial killer split personality conversation. I have way too much time on my hands.

[YesNo]

Nice one, JAHolland. I didn't realize the guy was talking to himself. Also welcome! I'm going to have to see if I can come up with something as well.