{"id":677,"date":"2017-05-31T07:00:23","date_gmt":"2017-05-31T07:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/?p=677"},"modified":"2025-03-30T16:24:02","modified_gmt":"2025-03-30T16:24:02","slug":"playtime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/playtime\/","title":{"rendered":"Playtime"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<aside class=\"other-formats\">Other formats: <a title=\"Playtime (PDF)\" href=\"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/ebooks\/en\/pdf\/playtime.pdf\">PDF<\/a> | <a title=\"El recreo (espa\u00f1ol)\" href=\"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/es\/el-recreo\/\">espa\u00f1ol<\/a> | <a title=\"Leikhl\u00e9 (\u00edslenska)\" href=\"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/is\/leikhle\/\">\u00edslenska<\/a><\/aside>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/W22-1.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/W22-1.png?resize=300%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Playtime \u2014 Illustration by B\u00f6rkur Sigurbj\u00f6rnsson\" class=\"wp-image-891\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/W22-1.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/W22-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/W22-1.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/W22-1.png?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/W22-1.png?w=1025&amp;ssl=1 1025w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Illustration by B\u00f6rkur Sigurbj\u00f6rnsson<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>I stacked plastic cups into a house-of-cards-like structure, punctured one cup with a hole punch, chained a few rubber bands together, threaded them through the holes and strapped the cup on my head like a cowboy hat. I looked at myself in the mirror, winked, shot my own reflection with the index finger and blew away the smoke. I was on fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I grabbed the rest of the rubber bands, took five steps away from the desk and started to shoot my ammunition at the stack of cups. I loved having my own private office. It was so much fun to be able to close the door and fool around when no one could see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had almost shot down all the cups when my play was interrupted by the intercom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYes!\u201d I said in the harsh voice I always use when I don&#8217;t want to be disturbed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMr. Prime Minister,\u201d said the intercom. \u201cThe Queen is on the line. She says it&#8217;s urgent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI see,\u201d I sighed, pausing for a moment. \u201cOk, I&#8217;ll take it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-group book-ad has-text-color has-background\" style=\"color:#000000;background-color:#65aab1\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:33% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1348\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Flash_52.png?resize=1024%2C1348&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Flash 52 \u2014 Cover by Ana Pi\u00f1eyro\" class=\"wp-image-1294 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Flash_52.png?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Flash_52.png?resize=228%2C300&amp;ssl=1 228w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Flash_52.png?resize=778%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 778w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Flash_52.png?resize=768%2C1011&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Flash_52.png?resize=900%2C1185&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Flash_52.png?resize=500%2C658&amp;ssl=1 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Flash 52<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This piece of flash fiction appeared in the flash fiction collection Flash 52.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you enjoyed the story, we encourage you to support the publication by buying a copy of the book. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Flash 52<\/em> is available as paperbacks from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/9935933741\">Amazon<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/flash-52-b-rkur-sigurbj-rnsson\/1127580259\">Barnes and Noble<\/a> and e-books from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Flash-52-B%C3%B6rkur-Sigurbj%C3%B6rnsson-ebook\/dp\/B077SXHPPW\">Kindle Store<\/a>,  <a href=\"https:\/\/books.apple.com\/us\/book\/flash-52\/id1318217780\">Apple Books<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kobo.com\/us\/en\/ebook\/flash-52\">Kobo<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storytel.com\/in\/books\/flash-52-2028503\">Storytel<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also support the author through <a href=\"https:\/\/patreon.com\/UrbanVolcano\">Patreon<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/buymeacoffee.com\/borkur\">Buy Me a Coffee<\/a> or by rating the book on <a title=\"Flash fiction collection Flash 52 on Goodreads\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/36695952-flash-52\">Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-499968f5 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/flash-52\/\" style=\"border-radius:50px;color:#ffffff;background-color:#000000\">book details<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A flash fiction by B\u00f6rkur Sigurbj\u00f6rnsson. A cowboy hesitates when his play is interrupted.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":891,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[28],"tags":[38],"class_list":["post-677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-flash-fiction","tag-games","col-md-6 col-sm-6"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/W22-1.png?fit=1025%2C1025&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=677"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2278,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677\/revisions\/2278"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/891"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urbanvolcano.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}