Date: Thu, 14 Nov 1996 06:21:22 -0600 From: Danny Lloyd Subject: INT: EmJays: The Beginning of Time In trying to think of an idea for an interactive story about the EMJays, I attempted to come up with a theme that would be a bit interesting, a story-line that would contain a number of thrilling and compelling elements, and involve a really intriguing set of characters (mostly us writers, of course) and conflicts and things like that. Something with some scope. After much thought on the subject, I finally came up with: ---- The Beginning of Time It was a long *time* ago. Wow, I mean a long *time* ago. I'll tell you what happened. Things were going along just fine, when someone had this strange idea: to begin *time*. "Look," this mysterious, still-unidentified person (some have said it was Anthony) said, "we either do it or someone else is going to have to. We've been thinking about it for a long *time* and by golly, it's *time* we quit beating around the bush, and begun *time*. Know what I mean?" Who could argue? The writers in the small room showed their silent approval, realizing that a good story depends on the element of *time*, otherwise there would be no *time* for the characters to do anything. They continued to listen to the speaker. "Now, this is what we're going to do. If we hurry up and begin *time* quickly, before too much more *time* elapses, we'll be able to do so in such a way to allow the EMJay awards to arrive on schedule. "You, Woof, and you C.K., and you Danny, and you Catherine, Travis, Randy, the 'other' Dan, and you Audrey - all of you take care of plot structure and choice of characters. Be sure to throw in some wars and blood and stuff, you know, like us writers like to do. And don't forget love and pain and joy and confusion and good stuff like that. "And you, Chris, Barbara, MLH, both Pats, all the Bills, all the Carols (and CarolEs), all the Marks, both Elizabeths, both Anthonys (this reference in the sacred scrolls to BOTH Anthony's seems to indicate the speaker wasn't Father Anthony, but there is still some doubt), Phanny, Robin, Tink, Merideth, Jeannie, LL and KD - you all work on style and setting and such. After all, we do want the setting to be green, with some oceans, and maybe some mountains and nice things like that. "Now you, Chris and Christopher, Clem, Kate, Junko, Daffid, Laura, Leigh, Clive, Collin, Jason, James, Margarret and Mary Jane, you all tackle the issue of good and evil. I mean throw in some of each, but be careful, by GOLLY, be gosh darn carefull, OK!!??? "And you, Michael, Mike, Muck, Pierre, Prauphet (nice name, maybe you can help decide what will happen), Rani, Ra-Ra-Ra-Ros Sho-shon-Na (wasn't that a song?), Sharron C., Streetwrites, Teena, Jeena and James - you all work on the definition of *time* itself. And be sure to toss in some confusion as to when centuries end and things like that. A little prank now and then never hurt a universe. "And you, Jane, Hixon, John, Joe, Donna, Deborah, Benjamin, Ashok, Angel (another nice name, but since we have only one Angel, I'm afraid the world will have to get by, as she can only help and guide just so many people at a time, so I guess we'll be in for a lot of tough times in the universe, but hey, that's life), A. Christopher, -Tianna (nice dash you have there), Terry, Todd, Youngblood, Phares, Peter, Oksana, Lelie, Larry, Krystan, Jody, Dustin, Joanne, Jackie, Gene and Zak, you all throw in things like Art, expression, intuition, beauty, universal conciousness, stuff like that. "Now, have I left anyone out?" The speaker paused to look at the weathered faces before him, realizing the monumental task he had assigned. "Well, if I did, the rest of you fill in the gaps with things like mysteries, the unexpected, weird coincidences and such. "And by the way, you people in charge of wars, I forgot to say, be sure and write *time's* grand story in a way which will cause the last war to end by 1920. It could be called something like the 'Great War', the 'War to End all Wars'. Be sure and make that the last one. Don't forget, now. "And, hmmmm, let's see, oh yes, people our universe-story with good and not-so-good, but emphasize the good and give everyone a chance to be truly happy in their lives. Don't forget that one either." The speaker had the feeling that not all ears in the room were tuned to what he was saying. But he hoped for the best and said, "Ok, get to it." -The End- and the -Begining- ------------------------------ The on-going chronicles of Master Sleuth Sherman Home I first laid eyes on Mr. Home in the fall of 1979, a night I shall certainly never forget. I was on-foot, which is my typical and preferred mode of travel, returning from a late-evening conference with an associate. I suddenly saw him there, a tall sihloette on the foggy street corner ahead. The neighborhood was deserted except for myself and the mysterious figure beneath the light pole. I might add that this looming street light was in a state of malfunction, a circumstance that added to the enigmatic feel of the moment, the pole's tall darkness mirroring that of the man's image beneath it. His presense there was in itself not an unusual type of occurence, even in the post-midnight realm of this quiet neighborhood. Often there would be an extra, out-of-place feature dotting the unpredictable landscape of this town. Downing was and is a very small, but restless, community. --To be continued--