The BLF Game

[Brynn]

Perhaps you've heard of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. No?

The idea is to write with some talent - talent that has subtle shadows of genius even, but then somewhere along the way it goes terribly wrong until the stink of failure fills the room.

Early posts here betray a judging system, and someone can still arbitrarily decide to elect a winner if they feel like it, but appropriate pomposity and pretension is strongly encouraged.
Anyone interested can change the category suggestion for the next go-round. It is for inspiration purposes only, and not a requirement for posting if you are inspired without it, but do try it if you can.
The round will go until it can't go anymore. Then someone can change it.

The game is shamelessly stolen from this site:
http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/
The rules are childishly simple:

* One sentence only. You may submit as many entries as you wish.
* Sentences may be of any length. Pithiness encouraged. Commenting in the one-sentence style of BLF is welcome as well.
* All literary categories allowed, from "general" to detective, western, science fiction, romance, travel and so on, including “It was a dark and stormy night….”

Some stunning examples from the official 2005 BLFC winners:
http://www2.sjsu.edu/depts/english/2005.htm

In honor of Bulwer-Lytton, in this first round, sentences must begin with
”It was a dark and stormy night…”