The Cardboard Box Adventures - Part 12 (630 hits)
Category: GeneralLabels: cardboard_box_adventures
Rating: 2 on 25 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by <brdn_nkd.at.yahoo.com> (View user info) at 2006-01-11 12:32:18 EST
Part 11 - http://www.ubersite.com/m/82100
I assembled the whole crew around bigs, tied to a chair sitting on the makings of a bon fire he looked terrified. I was really enjoying myself, I'd riled up the gang until they were chanting, shouting, and dancing around our prisoner. After the chase with Ben ended with me in possession of bigs I thought for sure we'd pull the harvest off. After all, Ben will want to save the old man so he had to come to get him.
Needless to say when bigs disappeared, chair and all, I was furious. "How?! How is it possible?!"
My crew, interrupted from their reverie by my shouting turned and noticed that bigs was gone. They looked up at me waiting for my instruction.
"Prepare for an assault. He's gone to sanctuary."
My people scattered immediately following my order. My anger kept me from relishing their immediate action however, more than that though I could feel a seed of doubt and fear growing. Many of our hosts fought the harvest. Many of them were able to create for a short time. Some even created and tried to defend sanctuary, their own castle in their minds. Never before had I encountered a child like Ben, able to manipulate every bit of his world to fit his needs.
While my crew scrambled for gear in preparation I had a decision to make. It had come time, in for a penny in for a pound. I had already crossed the line that would have allowed me to take my whole crew away from here without a harvest. The little pure imagination I had left was enough for me and a few of my best to leave, if we assault sanctuary and fail then we are all trapped, more importantly I am trapped. The arrogance of the undefeated and frankly my anger prevailed and I decided that I was not leaving without this harvest. Ben will have to defeat the undefeatable.
I quickly donned my battle gear and summoned my people once again. I told them of the danger of failure and stressed that without victory we would be here until our host died which would also be the end of us. This was no small thing to me or my crew. We have had countless harvests and have lived prosperously for over six hundred years. I was ready and my crew was ready, we set out to Ben's sanctuary.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Ben, it's time to end this. You should probably send your dad home since he insists even now that he doesn't remember his visit from the bangers, and then I will help you."
"Dad, I'm not going home, I will help Ben any way I can."
"Then go home, without the memories, without recognition there is nothing you can do to help. Ben, send him now.
I pushed dad home in my mind.
"You said he came back on his own that means that you have to put up and maintain a block; can you find a way to block him Ben? He may try to come back again if we're gone too long and that will only make your job, our job, harder."
"Can I just close the door? Will I be able to open it later?"
"Ben, the door is yours, add a knob and a lock and then keep the key close to you."
I imagined a knob with a key hole in it and then found the key in my pocket. I closed the door and turned the lock. "Now what granddad?"
"Now we get to kick some ass" granddad winked at me knowing the A word would make me giggle a little and then knelt and gave me a hug. "You can stop them Ben, you just have to figure out how and I might have an idea for you.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
We approached Ben's sanctuary without concern for stealth. As we climbed the hill I ordered the catapults ready, as we crested the hill I ordered the stop.
"Ben, the time has come! You will deliver us to the source or you and your dad will die here. Come to me now."
I looked around at my crew, several thousand strong and felt pride in our long standing success. Surely this could end no differently than before.
"Ben, this is your last chance! Come out now or we're coming in to get you!"
I waited a few moments more for some indication that Ben was paying attention and when no response came from the castle I ordered a barrage. The catapults sent their ammunition at the castle with a loud spring and a whistle and then the castle shuddered. Seeing the projectiles explode against the castle wall without so much as denting or scratching it was horrible. As I searched for any sign of damage I saw Ben come to one of the windows. My crew began chanting and shouting, stomping their feet. I looked at Ben angry that he was making me work so hard when suddenly an old man I didn't recognize walked up behind Ben.
It took a second to register but it hit me like a sack of bricks. I knew the man behind Ben and in that instant I knew we were done.
User Reviews
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2006-04-12 02:37:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Glorifying imagination is only a good thing.
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2006-03-15 20:49:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-01-18 15:56:43 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Nellypaal (user info) at 2006-01-13 06:29:17 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Why do granddads always kick ass so much?
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-01-12 11:37:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by The_Yellow_Dart (user info) at 2006-01-11 22:27:26 (#)
Ranking: 2
I have a question about continuity. It's nothing big, but how can Ben be the first imagination that pickle encountered with such resistence, or the first failure, when the grandfather clearly said that defeating the bangers is how we get artists, musicians, etc.? Did they not beat them too?
*sorry if this doesn't make sense
Um..... Pickle's crew had yet to be defeated, yeah, that's it.
Nice catch, If I ever rewrite this I'll have to fix that for sure or have an explanation of why he's so much stronger. Damn you and your reading comprehension, thank you for pointing that out.
Thanks for reading, B
Submitted by The_Yellow_Dart (user info) at 2006-01-11 22:27:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I have a question about continuity. It's nothing big, but how can Ben be the first imagination that pickle encountered with such resistence, or the first failure, when the grandfather clearly said that defeating the bangers is how we get artists, musicians, etc.? Did they not beat them too?
*sorry if this doesn't make sense
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-01-11 22:16:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Serious_Melvin (user info) at 2006-01-11 21:50:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This story has been incredibly good. One thing I want to say: there is something approachable and friendly about the name "Cardboard Box Adventures" (so in my humble opinion I don't think that should be abandoned).
Submitted by thorpe (user info) at 2006-01-11 21:07:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Serious_Melvin (user info) at 2006-01-11 20:53:19 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by AshK (user info) at 2006-01-11 17:47:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Possibly Cardboard Box Adventure. I think Imagination Harvest sounds a little harsh. Harsh damnit!
Do a series and call it The Books of Banger.
Just don't call it In a Pickle. That would be teh suxxors.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-01-11 15:51:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I was kinda thinking that leaves a sequel, just the Granddad story itself could be the next book. Maybe it's a series of kids books. I wish I had the drive to pursue that, who knows. I'm not sure my original "Carboard Box Adventures" title really stands, something like "Imagination Harvest" might be better. When I started writing this I thought Ben was going on several different adventures, hence the name, instead as this wrote itself it has turned out to be far different from that.
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-01-11 15:30:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
i swear to holy fuck, if you end this series without telling about ben's life as an adult with an imagination, or without telling about grandad's life with an imagination, i'm going to cry.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-01-11 15:06:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
that would be a good name. Unfortunately now I can't use it cause it'd be too obvious or something. Thanks all for the comments and thanks for reading.
Bob, thanks for the mention on BAMF's post.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2006-01-11 14:25:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I was this close -->|| from registering the UberName "Pickle" because of this series.
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2006-01-11 14:17:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This seems to be coming together quite nicely and reaching a conclusion.
When it does I shall retire to a corner and weep.
-Dave
Submitted by the_thorne (user info) at 2006-01-11 13:55:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
DOWN WITH PICKLE!!!
Submitted by Phinch (user info) at 2006-01-11 13:54:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
interesting use of whitespace.
Submitted by Pentameter (user info) at 2006-01-11 13:04:17 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by The_Yellow_Dart (user info) at 2006-01-11 13:01:16 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I WANT PICKLE TO WIN THOUGH!!! <weeps>
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-01-11 12:55:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2006-01-11 12:53:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by wookie (user info) at 2006-01-11 12:39:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by AshK (user info) at 2006-01-11 12:37:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I've run out of great things to say.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-01-11 12:34:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
now with formatting for readability. Not sure how the middle one got posted, piece of crap.
thanks for reading.