A Cast Of Characters

Post by **dng** » Mon Feb 06, 2023 9:26 pm

Never

Post by **dng** » Sat Feb 18, 2023 2:24 pm

Tale Number 97

https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... of-a-poet/

Post by **blombluss** » Sun Feb 19, 2023 9:16 pm

Loikes!

Post by **dng** » Sun Feb 19, 2023 10:13 pm

thanks

Post by **dng** » Sat Mar 04, 2023 6:53 pm

due to illness and being away and general ennui i probably missed out some of these. anyway, today here is tale #99

https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... of-clouds/

"I dreamt I was a cloud and then the wind blew me apart and then I was two clouds and then the wind blew again and I was four clouds!"

Post by **dng** » Sat Mar 04, 2023 6:54 pm

the longest tale of all

Post by **blombluss** » Mon Mar 06, 2023 2:55 am

I liked it!

Post by **dng** » Sat Mar 18, 2023 12:26 pm

#100: Infinity Explained (continuing): https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... ontinuing/

#101: Hide and Seek - https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... -and-seek/

Post by **blombluss** » Sun Mar 19, 2023 12:48 pm

Hide and Seek pleases me. Infinity Explained starts well, then dips a bit, then the cliffhanger at the end thrills and arous me!

Post by **dng** » Sun Mar 19, 2023 12:53 pm

good man

Post by **dng** » Fri Mar 24, 2023 2:17 pm

For some reason I have collectedt hese into two anthology ebooks now

https://www.patreon.com/posts/80481541

https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... lumes-1-2/

if you're into that sort of thing

Post by **dng** » Fri Mar 24, 2023 2:17 pm

and a preview from the future

Tales From The Town #107: A Skeleton In A Spacesuit

The skeleton in the spacesuit stands at the entrance to the pier. The stitches are unravelling, the helmet fogged, the insignia faded to the point of illegibility, but still it works. Put in a pound and it laughs and laughs. It even gives an awkward little wave.

No one has ever put in a pound nor ever will.

Post by **dng** » Fri Mar 24, 2023 3:50 pm

And also a list of episodes

https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... are-about/

Post by **blombluss** » Sat Mar 25, 2023 6:20 am

dng wrote: ↑Fri Mar 24, 2023 2:17 pm and a preview from the future

Tales From The Town #107: A Skeleton In A Spacesuit

The skeleton in the spacesuit stands at the entrance to the pier. The stitches are unravelling, the helmet fogged, the insignia faded to the point of illegibility, but still it works. Put in a pound and it laughs and laughs. It even gives an awkward little wave.

No one has ever put in a pound nor ever will.

Awwwww! I still lurves yoo skellington inna spacesuit, even if noone else does!

Post by **dng** » Sat Mar 25, 2023 4:55 pm

The football

https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... -town-102/

Post by **blombluss** » Sun Mar 26, 2023 3:51 pm

That stroy resonates with me.

Huzzah!

Post by **dng** » Sat Apr 01, 2023 11:47 am

tale 103: A Dream Of The Watch

https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... -town-103/

a sequel to tale 91 (the watch)

https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... the-watch/

Post by **dng** » Sat Apr 01, 2023 11:48 am

also that's the 999th post on accumulation of things

Post by **dng** » Sat Apr 01, 2023 11:48 am

thats a lot of posts

Post by **dng** » Sat Apr 01, 2023 11:48 am

in a little less than 5 years

Post by **blombluss** » Sun Apr 02, 2023 11:45 am

dng wrote: ↑Sat Apr 01, 2023 11:47 am tale 103: A Dream Of The Watch

https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... -town-103/

Good stuff!

Post by **dng** » Mon Apr 10, 2023 8:55 pm

Tale #104: Ants

https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... -104-ants/

“I don’t like ants,” Claire said, as she watched them carry the picnic away piece by piece. “I don’t like ants at all.”

It was, she thought, very important that everybody knew that.

Post by **blombluss** » Tue Apr 11, 2023 1:52 pm

I like both text and drawing.

Post by **dng** » Tue Apr 11, 2023 7:02 pm

Hooray, thank you

Post by **dng** » Sun Apr 16, 2023 12:58 am

#105: https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... -town-105/

Post by **blombluss** » Sun Apr 16, 2023 10:35 am

I wish I were Hana! Nice one, Davuss!

Post by **dng** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 5:22 pm

106: radio broadcasts

https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... -town-106/

Post by **blombluss** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 10:22 pm

Good stuff! The Last Broadcast with it's implode/explode-y goodness was bets! Hurrah!

Post by **dng** » Sun Apr 23, 2023 9:23 pm

dng wrote: ↑Fri Mar 24, 2023 2:17 pm and a preview from the future

Tales From The Town #107: A Skeleton In A Spacesuit

The skeleton in the spacesuit stands at the entrance to the pier. The stitches are unravelling, the helmet fogged, the insignia faded to the point of illegibility, but still it works. Put in a pound and it laughs and laughs. It even gives an awkward little wave.

No one has ever put in a pound nor ever will.

Post by **vom** » Mon Apr 24, 2023 9:29 am

hooray

Post by **blombluss** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 2:11 pm

I approve of this endeavour! Also - slightly arous.

Post by **dng** » Sat May 06, 2023 9:54 am

Tales From The Town #108: Seven Unrelated Incidents From Around The Town On A Bank Holiday Weekend In Early May

1. Lucy stood on the pier and looked out to sea. She did not care what was currently occurring behind her. The smoke of flames and ghosts neither mingle nor mix.

2. The dogs ran beneath the moons at noon, howling at every single one with a joy that was hard for any human heart to possess.

3. Yulia lay in a boat at the harbour and dreamed a dream of a dream within a dream, waking luxuriously from each one over the course of an especially decadent hour. Even the mermaid was jealous.

4. Smoke billowed up like volcanic clouds from the centre of town. Alarms sounded and were subsequently ignored.

5. The blinds in the mayor’s office opened briefly for a moment, then closed again before anyone had noticed.

6. The whale looked at the penguin and the penguin looked at the whale and the whale looked at the penguin and the penguin looked at the whale and not once did they blink or back down.

7. Edith’s barbecue clearly did not go as planned, but she insisted afterwards that in fact it absolutely had.

Post by **dng** » Sat May 06, 2023 9:55 am

thats the last of anything i've got written. so i'll have to write some new things now

Post by **dng** » Sat May 06, 2023 9:55 am

kind of frightening

Post by **blombluss** » Sat May 06, 2023 7:55 pm

Best line: "The smoke of flames and ghosts neither mingle nor mix." Yeah!

Tres bon wordage from 1-7!

Post by **blombluss** » Sat May 06, 2023 8:02 pm

dng wrote: ↑Sat May 06, 2023 9:55 amkind of frightening

I bloomin' hatt writing, sometimes. I've never found it particularly easy, and I require absolute silence and zero distractions, otherwise I'm creating nowt!

Post by **dng** » Sat May 13, 2023 11:30 am

Tale #109: Market Stall

"How much is that?"

"A pound."

"How much is that?"

"A pound."

"How much is that?"

"A pound. Everything's a pound," Simon said, simultaneously pointing to the sign that said, "Everything £1".

"Oh," said Claire. She opened up her palm a fraction and counted out her coins again. "Urgh. Wait, how much is that?"

"A pound."

"They can't ALL be a pound!?"

"A pound."

"This is so unfair!"

"A pound. Everything's a pound."

"I told Daniel we shouldn't have bought those penny sweets!"

"A pound."

"But we bought those penny sweets!"

"A pound."

"I DON'T EVEN LIKE PENNY SWEETS!"

"A pound," said Simon, dreaming of pounds. "Everything's a pound."

Post by **blombluss** » Sat May 13, 2023 11:35 am

That pleased my eyebaals and brane. Bless you for pleasing my eyebaals and brane, Davuss.

Post by **dng** » Sat May 13, 2023 12:01 pm

i forgot to draw a picture

Post by **dng** » Sat May 13, 2023 12:01 pm

so just imagine a picture of a pound

Post by **dng** » Sat May 13, 2023 12:02 pm

(i will draw it later maybe)

Post by **vom** » Sat May 13, 2023 12:25 pm

have you got change for a two pound

Post by **dng** » Sat May 13, 2023 8:05 pm

Multipounds shall be refused at the proprietor’s discretion

Post by **blombluss** » Sun May 14, 2023 11:53 am

dng wrote: ↑Sat May 13, 2023 12:01 pm so just imagine a picture of a pound

It is impossible.

Post by **dng** » Fri May 19, 2023 2:35 pm

Tales From The Town #110: Summer Snow

Late afternoon turned to early evening. Cherry blossom falling like summer snow.

***

When Eleonora first came to the town, everything was knee deep in snow for a whole week. Ever since she always thought the town, the true town, only exists in winter. The rest of the year all she sees is the bones beneath its fur.

***

Anna and Oya dreamt of confetti at a wedding both were too lazy to organise.

***

“On the moon we made our own snow,” Selene said wistfully. “By throwing dust up into the sky and letting gravity do the rest.”

***

Early evening turned to night. Shooting stars sparkling like celestial snow.

Post by **dng** » Fri May 19, 2023 2:41 pm

Tales From The Town #111: Captain Crabclaw

“And now, Captain Crabclaw, you die!” the Admiral said with a gloating laugh. He lowered his sword which signalled to his guards it was time to raise their swords and poke Captain Crabclaw in the belly so that she stepped back that final step and fell off the gangplank and into the ocean with a loud, satisfying splash as she definitely died. “And so ends the tale of Captain Crabclaw. IN DEATH! There’s no coming back from that!”

“No!” whimpered Daniel.

“NOOOOOOOOO!” bellowed Claire.

“YES!” Ethel exulted, exultingly.

On screen there was much rejoicing, all the Admiral’s guards and soldiers and the bo’sun and some sort of swabbie cheering loudly and giving the Admiral a series of triumphant hurrahs before saluting him because Admirals like being saluted. Then he turned round and marched off towards his cabin.

Outside the door stood Captain Crabclaw, dripping wet, but smiling and definitely totally alive.

“NOOOOO!” wailed Ethel.

“YES!” Daniel cried.

“IN YOUR FACE ETHEL!” Claire shouted, throwing a cushion on the floor and stamping merrily on it for good measure.

“Captain Crabclaw!” the Admiral spluttered. “But how? You’re supposed to be dead!”

“You forgot one tiny detail, Admiral Humanhands!” Captain Crabclaw explained. “I can swim!”

“And so can I,” said her merman, as the camera moved over very slightly to show he was there too now.

Then the merman swung his long flowing totally amazing hair round and grabbed on to the mast and him and Captain Crabclaw swung across the deck in each other’s arms, Captain Crablcaw kicking absolutely everyone into the sea. Even the swabbie. And the bo’sun. And the Admiral’s snooty son and both of their wives.

And that was the end of that for another week. The incredible theme song played over the end credits and they made sure to click at exactly the right time so it went back to the theme song and played all of it instead of skipping on to the next episode, especially as this was the last episode and there wasn’t any more yet they’d have to wait for the new series NEXT YEAR!

“I wish I was Captain Crabclaw,” said Claire, as she mimed kicking absolutely everyone into the sea.

“I wish I was her merman,” said Daniel, as he swung his long hair that was like a viking’s hair around in the celebrated merman style.

“I wish I was whoever finally gets to kill Captain Crabclaw off for good,” said Ethel, swinging imaginary muskets around and firing at Claire in the way that would usually annoy Claire considerably but didn’t today because Claire was too busy kicking imaginary people into a dreamt up sea to notice.

“I wish I was in an entirely different cartoon altogether,” Tina said wistfully, as she looked briefly up from her book and then looked back down at her book and continued reading her book which was a good book that she liked a lot it was nice.

Post by **dng** » Fri May 19, 2023 2:45 pm

Tales From The Town #112: Nests

Something put nests up all around the town. Weird contortions of twig and wire, string and sinew, thorns, charging cables, washing lines, shoelaces, school ties, the horrible mesh bags they put oranges in at the supermarket.

No one knew why. No one dared ask. The nests were taken down, and everyone hoped that whatever had made them wouldn’t make them again.

But they would. They would.

Post by **dng** » Fri May 19, 2023 2:48 pm

Tales From The Town #113: The Swan

The swan sailed across the lake like a destroyer, sinking its enemies at will, all hissing, pecking, wing-flapping belligerence.

Claire was, not for the first time, completely in love.

Post by **dng** » Fri May 19, 2023 2:52 pm

Tales From The Town #114: The Dreams Of A Broken Watch

It dreamt it was a metronome.
It dreamt it was an egg timer.
It dreamt it was a stopwatch.

It dreamt it was the display on a VCR
in the 1980s
green
and pristine

and the numbers on a clock radio
glowing red
in the early morning gloom

But what it dreamt of most often
what it dreamt of right now
was of its own magnificence

huge and looming
on the side of some infinite tower
high above the town

ticking
tocking
relentlessly
measuring out the lives of everyone below
regulating the beats of their hearts
until they matched the timing
of its own

______

(a sequel to this: https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... the-watch/

and this: https://accumulationofthings.com/things ... -town-103/ )

Post by **dng** » Fri May 19, 2023 3:10 pm

Tales From The Town #115: Character Traits

“Stop being weird, Claire,” Ethel said.

“I’m not being weird,” Claire said, from inside the bin. “I’m being loud.”

To prove her point, she kicked the metal bin as hard as she could while standing inside it, causing it to gong like a bell.

“You can be two things at once, you know?” Tina said, quietly and seriously.

“You can’t,” Claire said.

“You can,” Ethel said. “And you are.”

“Don’t be stupid. I’m not weird at all,” Claire said. “Daniel’s weird.”

“Daniel’s not weird he’s whimsical,” Tina said.

“Bringing the cat to the shops isn’t whimsical, it’s weird,” Claire said. “Really weird.”

“She wanted to see where cat biscuits came from,” Daniel said. “And now she knows.”

The cat meowed to let everyone know she did know now and everyone crouched down to stroke her except Claire, who began kicking the inside of the bin again until she had everyone’s attention.

“Daniel’s weird, I’m loud, Tina’s, urgh, thoughtful, and Ethel’s contrary,” Claire said.

“I’m not contrary!”

“You are!” Claire declared, banging the bin lid against the side of the bin to finalise the pronouncement. “And that’s that!”

“What about Mum?” Tina asked.

“Mum’s exasperated,” Agnes said, emerging from the shop with several carrier bags full of spilt cat biscuits. “And Daniel, if the cat ever wants to know where fish come from, don’t you dare take her to the pet shop, okay?”