Challenge 1005

Tom, Tom, the Piper’s Son

In Charles C. Cole’s Joe Avery Marches to a Different Tune: The legend of the Pied Piper dates from a historical event in the town of Hamelin on July 26, 1284. But no one knows anymore what actually happened. Does the Piper in this story fit any particular account of the tragedy?
In Gary Inbinder’s The Moore Investigation:
1. What is important in the evidence that Nate supplies? Why must Nate be the one to give it?
2. How do the ends of Dan Williams and Eugenia Merwin fit their previous characterizations?
3. What characters remain to be rewarded or disposed of?
In Ronald Schulte’s Sammy the Sorcerer:
1. Why might Marc have spent many years unaware of his wife Amy’s magical powers?
2. What is Pete Quisenberry’s role?
In Ralph E. Shaffer’s The Great Recession Comes to Owens Valley: Roger Nielsen might have more than one reason to emphasize to himself as well as to Sam Willard the long history that his automobile dealership has had with the local bank. What might they be?
In Douglas Young’s An Urgent Legal Matter:
1. What details indicate that the story is set in the late 20th or early 21st century in American history?
2. The story’s structure is somewhat unconventional in that it does not resemble a play in which every character acts in at least one scene on stage. Who and what are at the center of the story? What does the story’s structure show in terms of focus and relative emphasis? In what way does the story communicate both optimism and a warning?
3. Why does the story end as it does? If a writing instructor required that you write a subsequent scene, what would you show?
In Shauna Checkley’s The Takedown: What is the tragic implication in the characterization of the cat, Miracle?
In Harrison Kim’s I Could Have Done Anything: Does the poem overstep Bewildering Stories’ “dead narrator” guideline?

Responses welcome!