Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-24987453-20150120221923

The fliers began appearing all over the city. Dashboards, telephone poles, brick walls, and even the board at the community center were covered with the square papers.



Party at the Observatory

Tuesday, October 27

Free of Charge

7:00 P.M.

No R.S.V.P. Required

First 1,000 to call are Invited

165-555-7985



The fliers shocked many of the cities residents, as the observatory had not been opened to the public for years. This was because the Professor lived in the observatory, a strange and reclusive man. Nobody knew exactly how old he was. Some of the locals believed he was well over one hundred.

Soon, the party became the talk of the town. Old and young alike were filled with excitement and anticipation. For the first time in many years, the city's inhabitants had seen a light shine from the top of the observatory, which lay atop a cliff about fifteen miles North of the city. The lack of light and activity from the observatory led many to believe that the Professor had passed away.

Finally, the night of October 27th arrived. The lucky one thousand callers made their way up Highway 1, past the strip malls and glowing neon signs of the tacky restaurants. The signs glowed even brighter than normal on this night. The guests arrived at the narrow, unlit driveway that led to the observatory. After parking in the field adjacent to the observatory, the guests waited at the observatory's grand entrance. The dome towered above, the telescope slowly swiveling as it scanned the sky.

At seven o'clock sharp, the massive doors opened, and a tiny man stepped out. He was no more than four feet tall. He wore a white lab coat and a set of goggles that obscured his eyes. His hair was wiry, similar to a broken spring protruding from an old mattress. The wiry hair was the color of moonlight and shone brightly, casting a dim light onto the observatory's front porch.

“Come in, come in,” said the Professor in a small, squeaky voice.

The guests entered the observatory to find a massive wooden table set with a delicious feast. As the guests filed in, the Professor gave each guest a small card. The doors were locked.

<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom:0in">

<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom:0in">Schedule:

<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom:0in">7:00-10:00 Dinner

<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom:0in">10:00-12:00 Tour

<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom:0in">12:00 Waiting

<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom:0in">

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">Many of the guests seemed puzzled by the “waiting” block in the schedule. When the professor was asked its significance, he replied by saying “you'll see”.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">After dinner, the Professor conducted a grand tour of the observatory. The guests were led through rooms filled with marvelous contraptions, telescopes, aircraft, vehicles, and many other devices of indeterminate function. Finally, the Professor led the guests to the observatory's dome.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">“This is the most important part of the tour,” explained the Professor excitedly. “You will now realize why I am hosting this party tonight. Come on, look through the telescope!”

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">A young female guest walked up to the telescope's eyepiece and gazed through. She nearly fainted in shock.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">The telescope's eyepiece displayed an image of a fireball, rapidly increasing in size.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">“The fireball that you have seen is a comet. It is hurtling towards our planet. Within five hours, it will collide, releasing a burst of energy that will destroy everything that you know. Crops, cities, houses, countries, all will be reduced to rubble. You are the lucky one thousand men and women. You are to be the survivors.”

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">Several gusts screamed and panicked.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">“What are we to do!” shouted one guest.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">“Everyone calm down!” shouted the Professor. “There is a bunker in the cellar. We will stay in the bunker.”

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">The Professor quickly led the guests down into the cellar. A small metal door marked the entrance to the bunker. The door was unlocked, and the guests hurried down the ten flights of stairs. Another door sat at the bottom of the stairs. When the door was opened, an expansive room was revealed. The room was lined with food and other provisions, clothing, and clean drinking water. The room was dimly light with chemical lamps. Another door at the end of the long room contained one thousand hammock beds.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">“Make yourself comfortable. We will be here until we die,” said the Professor.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">Just as the guests were settling in, a massive explosion shook the entire bunker. The shock wave knocked everyone to the ground. Some people had broken legs and other injuries. Several were dead. After a period of five seconds, the chemical lamps exploded. Soon, the room was filled with poisonous gas from the outside air. The bunker's pressure sealed door had been breached and outside air filled the room. A searing hot blast of air incinerated everything within the bunker, killing everyone instantaneously. The scene faded to black.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">The velvet curtains closed, and the audience applauded. A man wearing a black tuxedo stepped out onto the stage of the college auditorium.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">“The film you have just watched is a depiction of what will happen when a comet collides with a planet very much like our own. The footage was found in the wreckage following the impact. The planet in the film was once known as Earth.” <ac_metadata title="The Scientist&#039;s Party (Unreviewed)"> </ac_metadata>