The gelatinous goo coated plants, trees, and rocks, its gentle beginnings unnoticed. “It’s nature’s way,” was a constant refrain heard in villages.
A scientist pounded his fists on the counter, “It’s done it again. Every time.” He spoke into his recorder, “It’s a ghastly, vile, revolting, parasitic pile of snot,” he paused, “capable of burning through equipment.”
His assistant laughed, “That’s your scientific analysis? That’s winning.”
The malfunctioning of communication systems prompted finger-pointing. Climbing buildings, oozing over rooftops, and dripping through ceilings, the slime devoured the global economy.
“Where are the little green men?” a man shook in the corner.
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Genre: Sci-Fi (100 words)
Photo Copyright: Madison Woods
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Click here for more stories from the Fictioneers and here if you’d like to join in on this challenge.
Thanks to the lovely Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting and to Madison Woods for this delightful photo. I hope you weren’t eating or anything like that.
AmyReeseWrites 
Good one Amy, so where are those little green men with the runny noses?
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Thanks, Michael. I think they infested the planet with this stuff to do their dirty work. I’m sure they’ll pop in later.
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Pile of snot. Loved your images in this one….
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Thanks, Audra. Pile of snot, it’s so delightful!
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Wow, I hope that’s not really how we’re going to go. Yuk!
janet
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Good thing it’s just fiction, Janet. It does seem pretty bleak and yucky!
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As far as I can tell, almost all (or all) stories about the future are bleak in outcome and generally dark and rainy. 🙂
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Ewwwwwww! That snotty stuff is gross. I would hate to be covered in it by little green men of any kind. It certainly does look vile. Yuck!
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Thank you, Michelle. Sorry, if I disgusted you. It’s not pretty. Just before seeing this prompt, I watched one of those UFO documentaries, and it kind of lead me into this direction. What if aliens aren’t people at all? Although according to the documentary, they can operate UFOs, and from the looks of it, some really big ships.
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Oh that’s yummy. Good slow start – ‘its gentle beginnings’ and then its insidious creeping. The scientist has a great voice. Pity he couldn’t do anything.
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I think the slime is pretty clever to avoid scientific analysis. Not knowing is a powerless state to be in. Thanks for your great comments. I wasn’t sure I wanted the scientist talking, but I think it kind of mixed it up. Otherwise, it’s such doom and dread. Thanks, Sarah.
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Amy, That’s not a very dignified way to go. They should have used some of that stuff the janitor in our school building used to use to clean up when kids got sick. It was very absorbing and effective.:D Well written. 🙂 —Susan
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Oh, it would be nice if a disinfectant could wipe them out. I think I know the stuff you’re talking about. It’s yellowish and in one of those squirt bottles. I guess that one didn’t work for them, because I’m sure they would have tried it. 🙂 Thanks so much, Susan.
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When the aliens are coming we are always looking for the little green men.. but alas they are in the form of gory snot…
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I’ll take the little green men over gory snot. What about you? Let’s hope if we ever meet them, they’ll be nice and help us.
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For sure I agre
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“Nature’s way” or a “parasitic pile of snot” – you decide! I don’t want to be overrun by that horrible stuff.
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It would be a tough way to go, Alistair! Maybe they’ll fight it off or become friends with it. Just kidding. It’s way too yucky.
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Eww, run away snot. 🙂 It’s sounds like a gooier version of kudzu in the south, just climbing over everything. Hopefully they find some way of getting rid of it.
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Run away snot. Ha ha. 🙂 Maybe they’l find a way to turn it into a plant, like kudzu. That should would be a lot more pleasant.
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the devouring slime would be so horrible and i bet the odor comes across just as bad. i’m running away from it – quickly!!
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The odor, yes! It must be bad…no flowery, jasmine smell here. You would think there would somewhere to run. Get out quick!
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Science can’t fix everything. Glad the scientist realized that and called it what it was.
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Alicia, you’re right. Sometimes, science can’t do the job. This guy was at a loss for lab work and had to rely on sight alone, and well, we know it wasn’t pretty.
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I think I’m going to barf! In other words, good job with the prompt, Amy!
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I will take your barfing as a compliment. Thanks so much, Perry!
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Dear Amy, Maybe the little green men are really ‘green’ to them. – maybe their green is our red. Silly notion I know – but hey this creepy gory gook – really disgusting! Good story as always, Amy! Nan 🙂
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Dear Amy.
This is snot the way I want to go. Well written and fun. Okay, not exactly ‘fun.’ 😉 But you get the idea, right?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Why snot is this snot the way you want to go? It’s only fun when we can observe it from afar. I would snot want to get caught up in this. Okay, I’m having lots of fun! I think I get the idea. 🙂
Shalom,
Amy
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Love it! And snot is such a great word – I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in short fiction before, Amy. Well done 😀
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Thanks, Dianne. That’s what this challenge does for me, bring up things like snot. You just never know where it will take you. 🙂
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Woof. Scary. Remind me to invest in the facial tissue industry.
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I’m not sure it would do you any good here, but it’s worth a shot, Patrick.
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I love this story. The disaster creeps up – catches everyone unawares; and of course there are always the deniers – ‘nature’s way’ indeed. Marg
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Thanks, Marg. I imagine an alien invasion could happen quietly and gradually, and before anyone knew what was happening, it would be too late. I’m sure they would be smart enough to know that our initial reaction to them would be violence, probably. Thanks so much for reading.
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This tale is snot to be sniffed at!
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It’s snot pretty, but you’re right!
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It’s going to take a lot of Kleenex to combat that mess. I think I’ll buy some stock in tissue companies.
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Russell, you better start stocking up on that tissue! Don’t forget the disinfectant.
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So the green men have noses… that makes them a little more relatable! 😉 Creepy and clever, Amy.
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Or, the green men are something else entirely! We like to think they’re like us, but maybe they’re not, maybe they can’t even walk. Thanks, Dawn.
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True, true! But it sounds like they have noses. Bahaha!
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Yeah, it’s kind of hard to not think that! It’s like a subliminal message with this photo.
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Coincidentally, after reading this, Amy, I “ah-chooed”, but it was not an impressive voluminous spray like what was produced by my favorite little green man, The Great Gazoo.
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Oh, I remember the Great Gazoo. Love that little green man. Bless you! I hope your week is starting off sneeze free.
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For a picture caption, may I suggest: “Captain Kirk. Surrender the Enterprise. We have you surrounded.”
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Perfect! I love it, Mark.
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Wipe your nose, don’t blow,…. or the the whole global economy will collapse,…… and that is nothing to sneeze at.
Actually the image and description reminds me of when I saw the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers on the old B&W TV when I was a kid. Scary stuff, slime, soap suds, plant pods and film noir aesthetic. 😀
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In light of everything going on in the world, your statement is spot on! I have an Ebola story, too, called Close to Home.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers is such a classic. Yeah, got to love all the slimy, yucky stuff! Thanks so much. 🙂
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