Characters | Teen Ink

Characters

July 14, 2011
By CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius


Have you ever wondered why your perfect plans are shattered? Why a seemingly perfect romance ended? Why good luck strikes at strange times? Why life seems like a bunch of meaningless chaos?

There is a very simple answer to all of these questions. We were created by an ancient race of aliens and are nothing but characters in their stories, created to alleviate their boredom.

As soon as they are old enough to write, they are given a computer software program and a manual with only the most basic rules of their writing universe. In order to create a new character, they must collaborate with other aliens to make sure two human parents give birth to a child. This child will be under their control from the moment it is born until the moment it dies.

You are always subject to the whims of your creator. Everything you say, everything you do is controlled by them. Usually, the aliens have jotted down things they want to happen during your lifetime. But some aliens detest this and make random decisions as to where your life will go. This is where chaos comes from.

Our planet is relatively new, but the aliens have become bored with it. The best writers among them have declared that the Earth is a cliché, boring universe. They have decided they want to write in a new, more exciting world, so they have taken a special vote. It was this vote that decided how our world will end.

“Why don’t we let a black hole swallow their planet?”

“Nah, we’ve done that already.”

“What if the Earth spontaneously combusts?”

“That’s way too cliché!”

“Okay, why don’t we knock their planet out of orbit and send it crashing into the sun?”


“That’s a stupid idea.”


“Fine. How about we give all their world leaders bad cases of paranoia and see what happens?”

“Sure. Why not?”

And so, our world will not end with a bang, but with slow decay. Our increasingly paranoid world leaders will declare war on each other and humanity will slowly die out. But, since the aliens lost all interest in us, we have gained something we never had before: free will. It is now up to us to decide our fates—and the fate of our planet.


The author's comments:
This was just a random idea that sprang into my head a few days ago. Feedback is greatly appreciated!

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This article has 330 comments.


on Oct. 3 2011 at 8:42 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

Thanks.  I don't believe what I wrote, so you didn't have to get all preachy with me.  This is fiction for a reason.  Anyway, thank you for the feedback!

on Oct. 3 2011 at 5:35 pm
GzusFreak10 GOLD, Staten Island, New York
17 articles 0 photos 102 comments

This was really good. As a Christian, i hafta say that this isn't exactly what happened, is happening, or will happen, but a lot of the parts are right. Very good work!

(Written as a response to "feedback for feedback")


on Oct. 2 2011 at 9:26 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

Thank you so much for the critique, Thorn!  I really appreciate it. :)

Thorn BRONZE said...
on Oct. 2 2011 at 9:20 pm
Thorn BRONZE, Baltimore, Maryland
1 article 0 photos 100 comments

Hmm...

That was interesting.

I definitely liked it.

There seems to be something missing, though. Try working out transitions. Or maybe if you could make it sound a little more relaxed, like someone just spewing the facts.

"Yeah, well, we're controlled by these bored aliens with nothing better to do. Ironic, huh?"

Right now the whole thing's kinda rigid. If you added a bit more flow and personality, it would add the perfect bit of wit to your cynicism.

Best of luck.

-Thorn


on Oct. 2 2011 at 5:31 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

Thanks!  And yes, I'm very cynical.  :)

Steph0804 GOLD said...
on Oct. 1 2011 at 11:34 am
Steph0804 GOLD, Seoul, Other
12 articles 4 photos 206 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog: you understand it better, but the frog dies in the process." -E.B. White

I love it! It seems really cynical about the universe and all, but hey, we've all had bad moods. I love the dialogue; it was hilarious!

on Sep. 17 2011 at 1:20 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

Thank you!  I didn't want to use italics for the dialogue because they don't show up here on Teen Ink and that would confuse them.  But thanks for the advice!

on Sep. 17 2011 at 1:06 pm
CarsonFaircloth, Nowhere, New Hampshire
0 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Hello! Congratz on winning my contest! :)

 

I really do love the idea behind this story. There are so many unexplained and random things in life, and sometimes it does seem as if things are out of control. "Fate" has always frightened people, as it was out of their hands. I found it very interesting that you took a new spin of this, and made it not fate that controlled our lives, but other beings writing each and every one of our stories.

 

As a writer, I find this especially inspiring. After all, I do put my characters through quite a bit. The idea that humans---"writer" humans---could actually be living their lives as characters themselves presents a nice dose of irony!

 

The one thing I would suggest changing?

 

When you're writing the dialogue of the other beings, I would suggest taking out the quotations and italic the words instead. Seeing as how you're really only using the dialogue to show how "in control" the other beings are, the dialogue isn't necessary. People will get the same impact---and a greater one---without the quotations.

 

Either way: wonderful concept!


on Sep. 16 2011 at 12:03 am
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

Thank you! :)

on Sep. 15 2011 at 9:18 pm
Pretzel..Dream GOLD, Longmont, Colorado
11 articles 2 photos 66 comments

Favorite Quote:
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. ~Thomas Edison

This is awesome kind of freaky but still awesome!

on Sep. 11 2011 at 5:19 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

I guess so! :)

julian GOLD said...
on Sep. 11 2011 at 2:10 pm
julian GOLD, Eugene, Oregon
17 articles 17 photos 223 comments

Favorite Quote:
The goal is not about living forever, the goal is about creating something that can.

OMG, I had the same exact idea!! Not about the world ending part, but about our world being created and run by an alien species with high tech computers. This is so weird!! haha, I guess great minds think alike! But anyway, great piece, and great idea. And yeah, it's really weird how similar our ideas are!!!

on Sep. 9 2011 at 8:01 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

Thank you! :)

on Sep. 9 2011 at 7:22 pm
flyingpinkgiraffes, Chardon, Ohio
0 articles 0 photos 103 comments
that was a great story, totally loved it!  

on Sep. 5 2011 at 10:07 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

Thanks for commenting! :)

on Sep. 5 2011 at 10:02 pm
InsaneKitten BRONZE, Miami, Florida
3 articles 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
Even shadows need light..... "Melissa Marr, Ink Exchange" :D

I love this idea XD

I'm glad they didn't go with crashing into the sun :D


on Aug. 31 2011 at 4:26 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

I could do a follow up, but I don't really want to.  This is going to be a stand-alone.  It's just a random idea I had while I was bored at work! :)

on Aug. 31 2011 at 12:10 pm
ItsAshMal SILVER, Guilford, Connecticut
8 articles 0 photos 44 comments
What a fun Idea! It's also a bit creepy, and I think it has the potential to be so interesting. Could you do a follow up sort of thing on this, maybe about the aliens or something?

on Aug. 30 2011 at 8:16 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

Wow, thanks!  Especially since I didn't insert any symbolism.  And I'm actually writing a novel right now.

on Aug. 30 2011 at 8:07 pm
ChocoMint SILVER, Bloomington, Indiana
7 articles 0 photos 129 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time." - Anonymous

"Love starts with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear." - Anonymous

Too cool!  I love the symbolism!  You are a great writer.  Ever considered beginning a novel?  =+)