Closing Announcement

TL/DR at the bottom, following this symbol "-0-"

Again comes the sound of ringing bells. Again heads turned or poked out of windows at the crier’s approach. His passage is slow, allowing all residents of Vocalia to know of his coming, and rush their stories, all crafted with such care, to the collection box upon the village green.

People gather there, awaiting his words, awaiting the announcement of another tournament’s shuttering. They are eager for the results, and yet the good residents of Vocalia are a patient people, long used to tempering their eagerness for news.

Persons scurry ahead of the crier as he makes his slow, ringing way down the winding streets. On either side, those who did not expect his coming gaze in fascination, whispering questions that they dare not ask aloud.

He wears a somber tunic this day. Not one to announce a beginning, but rather one to announce an ending.

Sliding from his saddle, the crier approaches the box and looks into it for a long moment. Reaching out, he gently closes the lid, the click of its shutting ringing out across the silent village green, echoing in the heads of all who witness him. Turning back to the crowd, the crier reaches up and removes his bell shaped helm and places a red flower in its holder above his left eye.

“Hear ye! Hear ye!” he proclaims, his strong voice carrying easily to the watching crowd. Perhaps it is larger than before, perhaps smaller. None have thought to count the number of waiting, listening ears; nor is it considered good manners to do so. Such tournaments are for the enjoyment and education of the participants, never to be a measure of worth, stature, or elsewise.

“It is now, at this time, that I declare the Seven Days Before Tournament to be closed!”

A sigh passes through the crowd as the crier opens a scroll. From the fore of the audience, having pushed forward to ensure a better view this time around, a woman with flaming hair shouts in joy, “how long must we wait to hear the names of our victors?”

“From the pen of the challenge patron himself do I now read unto thee! Hark, and listen well!” Clearing his throat, a well timed dramatic pause to cover the briefest of conversational buzzes that rose into the air like a host of bees. “Thank you, one and all for your esteemed submissions! I look forward with greatest anticipation to read each story that you have created for my tournament.

“Think not with despair, should my review take longer than a week. It is to be expected that, on occasion, that most hated fiend of the material world gets in the way of our creative pursuits. However, in recognition of the effort and passion put into these creations,” here the crier lays his hand upon the box, as instructed to do in his written proclamation, “I do hereby promise to you that I shall announce the winners before Sunday the 18th of August this year of our common era 2024.”

Contented whispers drift through the crowd, mixed with mild disappointment. Much as each Vocalian wishes dearly for announcements to be swift, each good soul remains ever considerate of the time their fellows give to their craft.

“It is good,” proclaims the raven haired woman, “that he should take such time for consideration. Many is the time that decisions come to in haste are woeful.”

“Please, dear crier,” contributes the thatcher, “convey this message: we did enjoy the challenge, and though we are eager, we patiently await the verdict. However the laurels shall fall.”

“So shall it be, good people,” the crier bows. “Look to my coming with the announcement of the victors before the 18th day of this month.” And with great ceremony removes again his bell-helm and retrieves his red flower, announcing to all that the notification has reached its conclusion.

Remounting his horse, he accepts the box as it is handed up to him and flicks the reins. “Until our next meeting, good people, farewell!”

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TL/DR begins now.

Wow it’s raining a lot today. Perfect weather to stay inside and read or write.

What’s that?

Oh! Hello, dear reader! Hopefully you’re enjoying a day as lovely as I am. Strange a creature though it makes me, I dare to say that I love the dark and the rain. Something about it is just so magical to me 😊 Though I have learned that most of my friends are solar powered, which is a novel concept. How can their energy be directly related to the sun? Madness.

But, on to more important news!

Thank you all so very much for joining me in this weird little quest of mine! It was the first time I’ve ever issued a challenge!

I cannot wait to read all of your amazing entries! While I might have been a little too enthusiastic with my prompt, I dare say that it was an unqualified success! Especially since, as I had always hoped, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves!

Even as I begin the process of going through your submissions, I am already thinking about what other challenges I can throw your way. So, in the next few months, keep an eye out for that I suppose.

As for the length of time it will take me to evaluate all the entries, I don’t know exactly how long that will take. I’m hoping no more than a week, as the crier said, ‘Sunday the 18th’ but since I’ve never done this before, that might be too ambitious.

Once again, thank you all for joining me 😊 and best of luck to all!

Yours,

Alex

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You can find the full list of entrants here: LINK

To the Victors