1. Your story’s first sentence must be a question.
2. Your story must include something being pulled.
3. Your story must include the words POST, TEAR and THUNDER.
   (Longer words are okay as long as they BEGIN with these words above.)

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‘Have you ever wondered what would happen if you pulled on the threads of reality?’, asked Owen.

Simon had frozen in place, equally terrified and curious at the idea. He eyed the lever, which sat silent and inviting, wondering whether he could handle the consequences of his own terrible actions. He had to, he must. His life’s work had led to this moment, and he couldn’t walk away simply out of fear, no matter the impact it had on mankind. 

He did know what might happen should he pull the lever, but only in theory. In practice it could be much more disastrous than he had imagined.

‘I would tear the fabric of time itself, ripping hour from hour, minute from minute, second from second, until time dissolves. And everything with it…at worst’, he answered quietly.

Thunder rolled outside the laboratory window, the world’s angry response to potential implosion at the hands of two young and volatile scientists.

‘Or the machine might do nothing, nothing at all. And you and I will stand here like posts, observing as nothing takes place.’

Owen nodded. Silence sank over them for several long and deep minutes. Sweat had made Owen’s shirt cling to his back. Simon slowly paced toward the lever, Owen watching closely for signs of what was to come.

‘What are you doing?,’ he said pressingly.

Simon looked at him, an unstable confidence in his voice.

‘Finding out the truth.’

With an overwhelming clunk he pulled the lever down. For a few seconds nothing happened. Then a blinding light engulfed them and the laboratory, and everything and everyone in it, was gone.

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Image courtesy of the Austrian National Library.