Author Topic: PodCastle Miniature 68: Machine Washable  (Read 5292 times)

Ocicat

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on: April 23, 2012, 11:20:39 AM
PodCastle Miniature 68: Machine Washable

by Keffy R.M. Kehrli

Read by Marguerite Kenner

Originally published in Sybil’s Garage

Dear Mom,

Instead of washing a load of clothes, I keep going to the store and buying more underwear.

I know you don’t even believe in weird things like monsters or ghosts, and neither do I, but-–

No, scratch that.

_I don’t even know where to start!_

Rated PG Contains Some Dirty Laundry.

Listen to this week’s PodCastle!



jenfullmoon

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Reply #1 on: April 23, 2012, 05:14:07 PM
Well...I have to give props to the reader for really acting this one out, but mostly the story was getting on my nerves. And I normally like silly teenage heroines. But after awhile I was like, man, stop yer whining already!



Mex5150

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Reply #2 on: April 23, 2012, 05:14:33 PM
Hi

Although I'm not a huge fan of the letter/phone call/e-mail format, it worked well here, there were several chuckles along the way, and a genuine belly laugh at the end.

Great stuff.

-Mex



danooli

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Reply #3 on: April 24, 2012, 11:02:09 AM
Ew!  The thought of a zombie in my washing machine is terrifying!  Eeek.

Anyway, it was cute.  I am a fan of Marguerite Kenner from Cast of Wonders and she did a great job channeling a whiny and spoiled college kid.  Loved it!  I really liked not knowing if I should trust that there was really a zombie or if she was just trying to wheedle new appliances from her mom. 

On a side note...the link for Sybil's Garage takes you to Marguerite Kenner's page :) 



Devoted135

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Reply #4 on: April 24, 2012, 01:43:04 PM
This story was super fun! Marguerite Kenner did a fantastic job bringing the character to life. I liked the use of emails and voicemails - the only thing missing was a midnight text: OMG! Zombie hand totes* almost grabbed me on my way to the dishwasher!



*Disclaimer: under no circumstance would I actually use the "word" totes in real life. :P



Lionman

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Reply #5 on: April 25, 2012, 02:58:33 AM
This was well read, very creative...but the word that keeps coming to my mind was: dumb.  I was wondering how I could get my time back when it was over. :-/

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childoftyranny

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Reply #6 on: April 25, 2012, 05:08:51 PM
Have you no soul, no cries or plaints for our zombie protagonist locked away in a wet hole for months as a time? Crying and crying out, knowing that you could be heard only to have the spin cycle started again to block out your voice. As well as having to deal with a whiny college student all that time, truly this was a story of terror.



Max e^{i pi}

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Reply #7 on: April 29, 2012, 01:26:53 PM
This was a lot of fun, and great reading!
I love the letter format of stories, and this worked very well in this case.
I just have one question: Where did that zombie come from? How did it end up in the washing machine? How was our heroine so unprepared for the zombie apocalypse? Where did the rest of the zombie go? Did she really not open her fridge for two weeks?
OK, it was more than one question :P But I still loved it.

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Sgarre1

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Reply #8 on: April 29, 2012, 03:18:39 PM
Quote
I love the letter format of stories, and this worked very well in this case.

Epistolary



Max e^{i pi}

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Reply #9 on: April 29, 2012, 04:21:38 PM
Quote
I love the letter format of stories, and this worked very well in this case.

Epistolary
I will never ever remember what it is called.
I can't even remember how many times people have told me what it is called.
All I remember is "Bram Stoker's Dracula".

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Anarquistador

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Reply #10 on: May 01, 2012, 12:16:07 PM
Yeah, this was easily the whiniest fantasy heroine outside of an Indiana Jones movie.

You've got a zombie in your washing machine? Big Deal! Shoot it in the head and get on with your life! It's not even a WHOLE zombie, for crying out loud. Banish a few mid-level demons, THEN you can complain, girlie.

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Unblinking

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Reply #11 on: May 15, 2012, 01:45:38 PM
I got a lot of laughs out of this.  Was the protagonist whiny?  Certainly, but I could handle listening to her for a flash story (a novella starring her I wouldn't want to read).  This was a good example of flash fiction, it has a fun idea, it gets in, explores it, and gets out before the novelty wears off.  I particularly thought it was pretty morbid that she just ran the washer constantly to keep its moans from bothering her, rather than dealing with it herself or finding someone else to deal with it.



Scattercat

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Reply #12 on: May 25, 2012, 01:18:14 AM
I LOLed. 

Also, I prefer to imagine the zombie smiling to itself as it spins around and around and around...



LaShawn

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Reply #13 on: June 11, 2012, 04:30:27 PM
Heh heh. I love the fact that the parents doesn't cave in to her demands. In fact, they seem to be celebrating her being gone. Though the whole paying for the apartment is a little rich. Still, cute story. I also LOLed.


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