The Contradictite

[Author's Note: This is another writing exercise from Jeff VanderMeer's Wonderbook . The exercise was to consider the same story from different points in time. After writing my notes and some ideas for temporal placement, I enjoyed all of the scenarios, so I wrote them into a single story.] The Night Before Aboard the HMS Water Skunk , First Mate Skipper found the words first, and he immediately sought out Captain Blythe to show him. The captain lifted his eyepatch so as to see the scrawled message as best as possible. His mouth moved as he read the words. “Krakens Attack at Dawn,” he said to Skipper when they were back in the captain’s quarters. “What do you suppose it means?”  Akimobshanks meowed from his perch on the tabletop.  “Indeed,” said Skipper. “It is an omen to be sure.” “Yes, yes,” said Blythe. “But who wrote it?” “Someone, I presume,” said Skipper. “Or else it might not have been written.” “You mean the message may have just appeared, as if by bedeviltr

[Author's Note: This is a story I wrote a long time ago. It was a collaboration between me and another author by the name of Brian Jackson. Unfortunately, I've lost contact with Brian. I do hope he doesn't mind my posting my version of the story here.]     The envelope sat at his table. He tried not to stare at it while he ate his dinner. He told himself, "Just three more bites of the Salisbury steak, and you can open it. Just two more. One more bite." With gravy still dripping from his chin, he cleared his dishes to the sink and scrubbed his hands. Drying them with the utmost care, he picked up the envelope and carried it to his couch. Plopping down on the cushions, he ran his finger through the glue-sealed lip of the envelope. A soft-news program played on the television in front of him, but his attention fell instead on the stack of glossy cards resting in his hands.     He’d had a falling out with the folks at Photo Village, and hoped that this recent set of p