The Spot Writers – “The Interview” by Chiara De Giorgi

Welcome to the Spot Writers. This month’s prompt is to write a story involving a penguin.

This week’s contribution comes from Chiara De Giorgi. Chiara is an Italian author and currently lives in Berlin, Germany. She writes fiction, with a focus on children’s literature and science fiction.

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“The interview”

by Chiara De Giorgi

On a world far from ours, covered in ice, penguins were once the most evolved species. They lived in penguin-friendly communities and were equipped with extraordinarily advanced technology. One day, a space mission successfully returned home, and the crew members became world heroes. They were constantly invited to talk shows and various events. One of them became a star for teenagers around the globe, because he sparked in them the desire to dream big. His name was Lieutenant Flip Flipper. This is the transcript of the interview he released when the popular tv show ‘Frostbite’ invited him over shortly after his return.

Frostbite: So, Lieutenant Flipper… or what shall we call you?

Flip: ‘Lieutenant’ is fine, for the time being… or even just Flip, I don’t care for titles. Besides, Space Command had to invent a brand-new position to authorize my actions during the mission. My new qualification wouldn’t mean anything to anyone outside the Force.

Frostbite: How intriguing! Can you tell us what happened out there, or is it classified?

Flip: I can tell you most of it. It was an exploratory, reconnaissance mission. We set out to study an icy asteroid: our telescopes had detected enormous similarities with our planet, so there was a chance of discovering life forms similar to those we have here.

Frostbite: More and more intriguing! What were your expectations when you left?

Flip: Well… We were open to all possibilities, but we thought it most likely to find a species similar to us, but less advanced.

Frostbite: Why less advanced?

Flip: Well, it’s not like anyone has ever visited us from up there, is it?

Frostbite: (laughs) That’s right! So… What did you find?

Flip: This is what happened. When we were about to enter the orbit of the asteroid, we were attacked. We did not see it coming, our radars did not detect any presence. And yet. BUMP! A giant ice monster struck the ship repeatedly, causing some of our security systems to freeze.

Frostbite: Oh, my! An ice monster?

Flip: That’s right. It was scary and we had no idea how to deal with it. Our ship was not a warship, the few weapons we had on board were not adequate for such a threat. Two possible scenarios lay before us: we would crash on the icy asteroid with our damaged spaceship and remain stranded there until another mission could reach us – provided it made it in time before we ran out of supplies and provided it was not torn to pieces by the ice monster.

Frostbite: Brrr… That sounds scary. What was the second option?

Flip: Our engines could fail before we entered the gravitational field of the icy asteroid, and we would drift into infinite space forever. Sixteen penguins trapped for eternity in that tin can.

Frostbite: Another terrible option. What did you do in the end? Because the spaceship came home and all of you are in good health, thankfully.

Flip: I managed to convince Commander Frostbeak to let me fight the ice monster. Before joining the Force and the space programme, I trained with Master Iceblade until I became his most promising disciple.

Frostbite: (gasps) Master Iceblade! Which means you are…

Flip: Yes. I am a ninja warrior astronaut. Or, as the Force named me, Cosmic Ninja Flipper.

Frostbite: Please, tell us what happened next!

Flip: Sure! Thanks to the advanced ninja fighting techniques I learned from Master Iceblade and my trusted swords, I exited the ship and began to slice up the monster. In the meantime, the mechanics on board worked on fixing the ship’s systems, so that we could enter the asteroid’s atmosphere.

Frostbite: You make it sound awfully easy.

Flip: (sighs) It was not easy. The cable that kept me attached to the spaceship snapped almost immediately, so I had to propel myself and space-slide on my belly in such a way that I always stayed at a reasonable distance from the ship, otherwise I would be lost in Space. At the same time, I had to skip the icicles that the monster threw at me, and make sure it did not do further damage to the ship. Every bit that I sliced off it, I had to redirect so that it would not hit the ship. I had to be in several places at the same time, and my focus had to be perfect otherwise we would all end up dead. I used each and every one of the tricks Master Iceblade taught me.

Frostbite: This is an incredible tale, Lieutenant Flipper – or should I say Cosmic Ninja Flipper – and yours was an incredible feat!

Flip: I must agree here. When, finally, the ice monster was reduced to a bunch of innocuous ice splinters and the spaceship had safely entered the asteroid’s atmosphere, I allowed myself a moment to silently thank my Master for all his teachings.

Frostbite: Of course. Did you talk to him, once you were back home?

Flip: Yes, we met, and I could properly thank him.

Frostbite: He must have been so proud of you, Cosmic Ninja Flipper!

Flip: (blushes) Thank you. I did what anyone in my position would do.

Frostbite: Don’t be so modest. And you have another great accomplishment to add to your list, don’t you?

Flip: (smiles) So I’m told.

Frostbite: Yes! Thanks to your heroic deed, millions of young penguins now want to follow in your steps. The Force has never had so many requests to join, and the same is true for the ninja schools around the globe. It looks like you are the spiritual father of an entire generation of explorers and defenders of the penguins. How does that make you feel?

Flip: (hesitates) To be honest, this makes me happier than the victory over the ice monster. To create is always better than to destroy.

Frostbite: Well said, Cosmic Ninja. Thank you for sharing your story with us. I expect this is just the beginning and your actions will become the stuff of legends.

Flip: That would be very cool.

Frostbite: Before we close this interview… Would you mind giving us a demonstration of your skills?

Flip: I’d like that.

Frostbite: That’s fantastic!

(Props: An ice cube launcher is brought in.)

Flip: (cracks his neck and stretches his wings while bouncing slightly) Start launching the ice cubes! Anytime…

(A merciless hail of ice cubes comes crashing down on Cosmic Ninja Flipper, who, with astonishing agility, spins and flashes in between the cubes, slicing them cleanly and precisely with two swords that no one saw him take. Soon he is standing amidst a mountain of ice shards. He is not even out of breath. The swords are gone, and no one saw him put them away.)

Frostbite: Wow, that was almost mesmerizing. You are certainly the hero of the day.

Flip: I know! And you haven’t seen anything yet! Watch here.

(He spins around in the middle of the pile of ice shavings faster and faster, until the shavings are lifted and begin to swirl, forming a vortex.)

Frostbite: (lifts wings in front of beak for protection, all feathers ruffled) What are you doing? Is this how it’s supposed to be?

Flip: Yes, yes. No reason to be alarmed.

(The ice shards, still swirling, assemble to form a large, thick, and frightening ice creature.)

Frostbite: (with a frightened voice) I don’t mean to question your actions, Lieutenant Cosmic Ninja, but will you at least explain to us and to our public what is happening here in the studio right now?

Flip: Of course! I’m afraid I left out a very small detail in my story just now. When, out there in Space, I smashed the ice monster to smithereens, it reassembled itself in less than one second. I sliced him up again and again and it pieced itself back together every time. After ten times of this happening, I was exhausted, absolutely unable to slice the monster up an eleventh time. So, I formed an alliance with it. Our pact was that it would let us go, and in return I would help it reconstitute itself here on our planet. A ninja astronaut does not break his word. So, here’s the monster. Soon, all the ice covering the planet we call ‘home’ will give rise to more ice monsters. That is all.

Frostbite: But… But…

Flip: Yeah, I know. I said there was no reason to worry… What can I say. I lied. An astronaut ninja should not lie, but… Well, I’m sure you understand, given the circumstances.

(The ice monster crunches down the left camera and the camera-penguin. The public screams.)

Frostbite: What… What will happen to our world?

Flip: (sighs) I suppose our era has come to an end. Posterity will remember today as the beginning of a new era for our planet. And I will have been its initiator. Eventually, my deeds will truly become the stuff of legend.

(The last camera goes off.)

This is how ice monsters are said to have become the dominant species on the ice planet. Legend? Truth? One day, perhaps, all doubts will be resolved. Meanwhile, many young ice monsters dream of becoming Cosmic Ninjas and conquering new planets.

***

The Spot Writers—Our Members:

Val Muller: http://www.valmuller.com/blog/

Catherine A. MacKenzie: https://writingwicket.wordpress.com/wicker-chitter/

Phil Yeats: https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com

Chiara De Giorgi: https://chiaradegiorgi.blogspot.com/

The Spot Writers – “Motivation” by Phil Yeats

Welcome to the Spot Writers. This month’s prompt is to write a story involving a penguin.

This week’s story was written by Phil Yeats. In September, 2021, he published The Souring Seas, the first volume in a precautionary tale about the hazards of ignoring human-induced climate change. The second volume, Building Houses of Cards, appeared in May 2022. He’s now published They All Come Tumbling Down, the final volume in his The Road to Environmental Armageddon trilogy. For information about these books, or his older soft-boiled mysteries, visit his website https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com/

Motivation

by Phil Yeats

Completing the online version of the Dale Carnegie self improvement course was the last requirement. With that confidence building step in place, he could venture forth and save the world.

Just weeks later, he swam into the moon pool of the tourist ship. For hours, he entertained the punters alongside the other penguins, diving and leaping for the fish they threw at him.

At the end of their daily show, the lights dimmed and the other penguins swam from the pool. Our hero did not. He waited, perched on an inconspicuous ledge, waiting for the massive underwater doors to slide into place. The ship’s sojourn in Antarctic waters had ended for another season. Destination, New York City.

The trip, with a port call in Rio to drop off the tourists, seemed endless. Our hero, an emperor penguin, remained cooped up in the closed pool, bored out of his bird skull, but not hungry. His accomplice, the ship’s chief cook, kept him supplied with fish.

Finally, the ship slowed for the last time and the underwater doors slid open. The emperor dove in and headed toward shore. The water was horrid; far too hot, and it tasted awful. His instincts said return to the moon pool, but he had an important task, and time was tight.

As the water became increasingly brackish, he searched for the East River. Next stop, the United Nations headquarters on the river’s western bank. It soon came into view. He clambered ashore and walked with as much dignity as a penguin could muster to the massive building. He had an invitation to address the UN General Assembly, the first Antarctic native to receive that honour.

Global warming had reached a critical point for the world’s penguins. He, as the representative of the mighty Emperor Penguins, was there to convince the delegates the time for action was now. And with the confidence he’d developed during the Dale Carnegie course, he knew he’d do his fellow penguins proud.

***

The Spot Writers—Our Members:

Val Muller: http://www.valmuller.com/blog/

Catherine A. MacKenzie: https://writingwicket.wordpress.com/wicker-chitter/

Phil Yeats: https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com/

Chiara De Giorgi: https://chiaradegiorgi.blogspot.com/

The Spot Writers – “On a Penguin Quest” by Cathy MacKenzie

Welcome to The Spot Writers. The prompt for this cycle is a story featuring a penguin. Today’s post comes from Cathy MacKenzie.

Along with several short story collections, books of poetry, and two novels, Cathy has published three anthologies under her imprint, MacKenzie Publishing. The latest one is titled NO ONE SHOULD KISS A FROG, available on Amazon and other retailers—300 pages of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry by 75 authors around the world.  She also has a call out for submissions for another anthology to be published early in 2024, to be titled SUCH A LOSS. Contact SuchALossAnthology@gmail.com for submission guidelines.

Cathy continues with her Melvin sagas, a character she can’t seem to get rid of…

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“On a Penguin Quest”

“Dad, do we have penguins here?”

“Hmm, not sure, son. Haven’t seen any that I remember.” Melvin paused, remembering Kailani, confused why the mention of penguins would bring up her memory. Where had she gone? It had been eons since he’d seen her.

“Dad, you thinking?”

“What? Oh, sorry.” He shook his head, belched, and yelled, “Hey, Google, does Nova Scotia have any penguins?”

“Sorry, I don’t have any information about that.”

Melvin scratched his head. “Hey, Google, really no info?”

“Sorry, I don’t have any information about that.”

William laughed. “Hey, Dad, whatcha gonna do now that Google can’t help you?”

Melvin threw his son one of Marie’s looks. “I just can’t believe Google doesn’t know that,” he mumbled.

“I’m kinda surprised, too, Dad. I thought Google knew everything.”

“Yeah, me, too. I guess there’s not a person on earth who knows everything, robot or human.”

“So what now, Dad?”

“Hmm… What about the encyclopaedias? Why don’t you go grab the ‘P’ volume. ‘P’ for penguins.”

“Daaad! Mom got rid of those years ago. Don’t you remember? You were helping tear out the pages to go into the compost bin. And the covers went into the garbage.”

Melvin scratched his head. “Oh, vaguely…”

“We’re no further ahead, Dad. All I want to know is if Nova Scotia has penguins or not.”

“William, you’re exasperating. I haven’t a clue. Ask your mother since Google apparently doesn’t have a clue either.”

***

“Mom, does Nova Scotia have penguins?”

Marie turned from the sink. “Penguins?”

“Yeah, penguins.”

“Haven’t seen any around here, not that I’ve ever looked. Have you seen any?”

“No. That’s why I’m asking you.”

“Well, I don’t know. Ask Google.”

“Dad asked Google. She said she didn’t know.”

“Really? Google didn’t know?”

“She didn’t, Mom. Isn’t that weird? I thought Google knew everything.”

“Hmm, I thought she did, too.”

“How do you know Google is a girl, Mom?”

“William! Her voice! Haven’t you heard her? She’s not a man. Same as Alexa. Or Siri. All women. That should be a sign for you men!”

“Yeah, I guess…”

“But back to penguins. Go on the computer. The computer knows more than Google. And we threw away the encyclopaedia’s, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember. Dad didn’t, though. I had to remind him.”

“I’m still upset about that. I didn’t want to get rid of them.” Marie flailed her arms toward the den. “All that empty space on the bookshelves now. They looked so good there. It’s good to have books in a home, William.”

“Yeah, I know. You’ve said that before. Dad doesn’t agree, though.”

“Your father doesn’t read, that’s his problem.”

“I read, Mom.”

“You do, William. I’m proud of you. Hmm, just thought of something. Isn’t the computer Google? If Google Home doesn’t know, how will the computer Google know?”

“Interesting question, Mom. Let me go check.”

***

William went to the family computer and typed:  Does Nova Scotia have penguins?

Hmm. Two links to explore.

After reading, he scribbled on a scrap of paper and raced out of the room.

“Mom, look what I found.”

His mother, still at the sink, turned to face him. “What?”

“It’s from a site about penguins: Their colonies could be found encircling Newfoundland and its coastal islands, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, on the remote islands of Nova Scotia and, probably, on Machias Seal Island. That’s it, Mom. That’s all I could find. But it says we do have them.”

“Really? Tell your father. With his imagination, I’m sure he’ll spout a far-fetched tale.”

***

“Dad? Are you sure you’ve never seen any penguins?”

Melvin glanced up from the television, remote clenched in his meaty hand. “I already told you I haven’t.”

“I googled, and we do have them. On some remote islands. Somewhere.”

His father’s eyes widened. “Hmm, on second thought, maybe I have.” He thought of Kailani. If mermaids were real, weren’t penguins? Whether they existed in Nova Scotia or not—even Canada—he didn’t have a clue. But they were sweet little creatures. And every penguin meme on Facebook showed a male and a female, backs to the camera, waddling hand in hand into the sunset. If one didn’t want to believe in romance, so be it. “I think I did see one once. Down on the shore and—”

What the hell…

William had vanished from the room so fast that Melvin wondered if his son had been there at all. Had he imagined his further questioning about penguins?

***

William had watched his father closely. He could always tell when he was lying. His right eye twitched, and he’d clench his right thumb and index finger.

He hadn’t seen the twitch. Hadn’t seen the pinching of his father’s two fingers. His father must’ve really seen a penguin!

William slipped out the patio door and raced to the lake. It was still warm though summer was technically over. The start of school, to him, marked the end of summer and the start of fall, and school had begun this very day: Thursday, September 7. He was now ten, in Grade Five. First day hadn’t been too bad. Better than he had expected. His parents had been “threatening” to send him to Kings, but if they were serious, they’d have to wait until September 2024 since grades at that supposedly prestigious school (but what did he know?) didn’t start until Grade Six. No need to dwell on that at the moment, he thought; his interest at this moment was penguins.

He’d had a dream the other night. There’d been a mermaid. And a penguin. Which got him to thinking about penguins since he’d never seen any. Mermaids? Well, he’d seen a lot of them. Male and female. He’d never told his parents. They’d never believe him and think him crazier than they already thought. No, his sightings best remain his—and his alone.

The waves had left froth on the sand. He removed his sandals and stepped through it and into the lukewarm water. He dreaded the thought of winter. Next summer, he’d spend more time at the lake. By then, hopefully the loss of his sisters wouldn’t keep him away. The three of them loved frolicking in the lake. Wouldn’t they want him to continue having fun? Wasn’t it time to stop mourning? Not that anyone knew he was mourning. For all anyone knew, he was over their deaths.

But he wasn’t. He missed them terribly. Though he’d been the middle child—didn’t everyone know about “middle child syndrome”?—now that he was the only child, he felt more disconnected. Being on only child wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, and he’d give anything to have his siblings back in his life. An impossibility, of course. Genies and three wishes and magic didn’t exist in the real world.

He raised his arm to shade his eyes from the glare of the early evening sun, which was about to begin its descent beyond the horizon.

He blinked. What?

What was that?

He blinked again.

A penguin? No, not one—several! All waddling on the nearest island, where he and his sisters had often kayaked to. One time, when his father had accompanied them, they’d even parked their kayaks on the rocks and gone ashore. No sign of penguins then.

Had to be an illusion. It was the sun going down, throwing shadows.

He blinked. Looked again. Yes! Penguins.

He almost jumped with joy. Wait until his parents heard about this.

“Hey, William…”

He scanned the area. Was he now hearing things, too?

“William, it’s me. Kailani.”

“Kailani? Who are you?”

“I’m a mermaid. You do believe in mermaids, right?”

“I do. Never really believed in penguins, though. And I did make up lies about seeing loads of mermaids, males and females.”

“Well, we do exist. Aren’t I proof?”

His eyes widened. It was true. A mermaid truly was in front of him. Almost human looking, too, except she had a tail instead of legs. Her long blonde hair—conveniently, he thought— covered her chest and reached her waist where the colourful scales formed. He averted his eyes. Afraid what else he might see. “Yeah, you’re proof. I guess…”

“But you can’t tell, okay? Those penguins over there are real, too. But no one will believe you. So you must keep all this a secret. Can you do that?”

“Yeah, sure. No one would ever believe me anyhow.”

“You’re right. No one would. And they’d think you were just another crazy kid, right?”

“Yep, they would.”

“Toodle-do. I’m off. Have a good school year. Study hard. Make new friends. Enjoy life!”

William watched as the mermaid disappeared into the sunset. Seconds later, when he looked toward the island, the penguins had disappeared, too.

He rubbed his eyes. Had to be his imagination.

He scanned the area again. Nothing.

All an illusion.

Deflated, he sighed and headed for home. He’d never again believe in mermaids. Penguins, perhaps, but more research was in order as to their habitats.

Then—a sudden gust of wind almost knocked him over. By the time he turned around, the wind had died down.

“Ow!” he mumbled, stubbing his toe. He reached down to pick up the rock, to throw it into the lake. Dratted rock.

Wait…what! What was that shimmering in the little bit of remaining sun?

Even though he knew it was going to hurt his bare knees, he knelt on the sand and scooped up several strands of long blonde hair.

***

The Spot Writers—Our Members:

Val Muller: http://www.valmuller.com/blog/

Catherine A. MacKenzie: https://writingwicket.wordpress.com/wicker-chitter/

Phil Yeats: https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com

Chiara De Giorgi: https://chiaradegiorgi.blogspot.ca/