[donaldscrankshaw] Donald: The Office of Second Chances

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Posted by Donald:
The Office of Second Chances
http://www.donaldscrankshaw.com/posts/1201756114.shtml


   This is more a concept for a story than an actual story, but I really
   liked the idea when it struck me. So here's the intro.
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   As everyone knows, the world is always in danger. Anyone who watches
   television can tell you that mad scientists, evil overlords, alien
   invaders, and ancient monstrosities attempt to destroy it every other
   week. This is why heroes are necessary in the first place, but there
   are times when even they fail. Sometimes the plucky comic relief isnât
   plucky enough, the wise old mentor isnât that wise, the cryptic clues
   are too cryptic, or the ragtag band of heroes just canât manage to
   overcome their differences. For whatever reason, the naïve farmboys,
   the cynical loners, and the beautiful princesses, even with the help
   of their bumbling sidekicks, just donât have the wit, the courage, and
   the power needed to save the world. Considering that the odds are
   always against them, itâs inevitable that probability will eventually
   catch up. In that case, the world is indeed destroyed. Six thousand,
   seven hundred, and twelve times at last count.
   Thereâs a proper time for the end of the world, and woe on those who
   let it happen ahead of schedule. Fortunately, in the Department of
   World Saving in the Bureau of Heroism, thereâs the Office of Second
   Chances. When things go wrong and the world ends prematurely, itâs up
   to them to fix it. As soon as theyâre done assigning blame.
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   It seems like it could make a fun story to me. The problem is that
   when I started writing, it came out as people in an office talking,
   which, let's face it, isn't all that interesting unless you can do
   really snappy dialogue. While I can sometimes do good dialogue, what I
   ended up with just wasn't up to the task. One world-weary bureaucrat
   bemoaning the paperwork involved to another just didn't make a great
   story, even if the topic of conversation was surreal.
   I realized today what I actually did need to make it work: a character
   who doesn't fit in this office environment. I need to tell this story
   from the perspective of the failed hero, who has sacrificed and fought
   to save the world only to watch it end, and suddenly finds himself
   being interviewed by a bored paper-pusher asking him to file his claim
   and checking to see if his hero insurance covers the end of the world.
   That, I think, would work. And it lets me write some action scenes.
   This has been the first 226 words of a continuing story rated G.