Here's an experimental bounty that might be a blast or might fall flat on its face. Let's find out! Please read these instructions carefully. Here's how it works:

We'll set the scene and start the story (see below). Then every entrant to the bounty will continue the scene by adding one or two lines via individual bounty submissions (not as a replies to the other submissions). That means that you'll need to read the submissions above yours, and continue from where they left off. Here's an example:

• Entrant 1: John and Mary were new to the town; they'd wanted a quiet retreat away from the stresses of the big city.

• Entrant 2: That was until the day that changed everything. It was John who noticed it first.

• Entrant 3: "Look out!" he yelled, as the giant, green-glowing meteor blew up the post office.

If you've already entered the bounty, feel free to continue to add to the story by adding a normal 'reply' to the bounty (not to the bounty submissions). However, be sure to give others a fair chance at adding to the scene too; we want this story to have as many authors as possible.

Got it? Well then, follow on from here:

'Eliza and Clara looked out over the swamp. It was another stagnant summer day, the same as the last and no doubt the same as the next. At least, so they thought. It started off as a ripple amidst the reeds.'

When we're done we'll have Hollywood knocking on our doors for the rights. Let's do this!