Split (1)

train · 199k rows

post_text stringlengths 0 17.5k	post_title stringlengths 8 314	comment_texts listlengths 1 74	num_stories int64 1 74
	[WP] You are a historian in the year 2500. The archaelogists have found a mysterious item that appears to be some kind of device from the early 2000's. It's up to you to find out what it was used for.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Anthony, this clearly a shoe.”\n\nI stared unamused at my lab assistant carrying a small stasis chamber containing a sneaker.\n\n“Now, it’s still a good find. Good condition, looks about 500 years old, another Nike?”\n\n“Mark, you don’t understand, it isn’t any type we’ve seen before.”\n\n“A new brand?”\n\n“Maybe, but look at this!”\n\nHe deactivated the field, causing the shoe to softly land in the container. Picking it up, he turns it over, showing me the sole.\n\n“Uh, was it damaged?”\n\n“No, that’s intentional, part of the design!”\n\n“Fascinating, what purpose would a slot in the base of the shoe have?”\n\n“I’m not sure, but I think this may have been a tool of espionage!”\n\n“You think items were hidden in that slot?”\n\n“Yes, I think a cap would be placed over the slot to conceal it, making it look like a standard shoe.”\n\n“Hm, interesting theory, but I see a problem.”\n\n“Oh?”\n\n“For starters, there’s a design around the hole. If it was meant to be concealed, it wouldn’t be accentuated like that.”\n\n“Hm, good point. It’s also quite different from other hidden shoe compartments we’ve seen.”\n\n“Perhaps it attaches to something?”\n\n“Like a system of pegs?”\n\n“Yes! Perhaps pegs or bumps would be lined down a path which these shoes would fit into.”\n\n“What would be the purpose?”\n\n“It does seem rather impractical, especially since they had extensive concrete and salt use by then.”\n\n“What if it was used to attach items to the shoe?”\n\n“How so?”\n\n“Perhaps you’d attach special bits to the shoe depending on what you need.”\n\n“Like?”\n\n“Like a wider base for walking on snow.”\n\n“Interesting, sounds plausible.”\n\n“Perhaps we’ve already found some of these attachments and don’t know it yet?”\n\n“Let’s go look through the archives.”" ]	2
	[WP] You work with a group of superheros that have always struggled to defeat the enemies at hand, but ever since you've joined them, they've always seemed to have the upper-hand. Your power, that has proven to be quite effective? You have the ability to remain completely unnoticed...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Ah, The Unbeliavables. I've been in this group since the start. Yes, we're just a bunch of teenagers trying to fight other teenagers, but we're not dead yet so I'd say we're doing good.\n\nYesterday I was going in a mission with Max and Sadie, my best friends. Of course, they didn't notice I was there, but it was amazing! Infinity Man, that wannabe vilan fell stupidly, giving time to my awesome friends to beat him up a bit and call the police. I was the one who pushed him, and the one who finished him.\n\nYou know, I love my friends. They do such a good job at crime fighting, but I always have to help. They need me. \nIf they didn't have me around, who would protect them? Yanna Lightning Bolt one day bumped into me. Yes, I had to get rid of her, but the group can't find out. It was for the greater good.\n\nAh, The Unveliavables!\n\n.\n.\n.\n.\n.\n.\n.\n.\n\nI'm sorry if the grammar is not that good, English is not my first language. I'm also on mobile, so sorry again.\n\nConstructive criticism is welcomed.\n\nEdit: grammar" ]	2
	[WP]You get a grey-market high powered laser pointer. You spend hours popping balloons, igniting paper, and hand etching various things in your house. One time you flip the new batteries around by accident; what happens when you next use it defies all explanation and may change your life forever.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I was expecting that the day that my life changed forever would just be a regular Friday afternoon. Then again, it would have been impossible to predict that day’s events. I guess that nobody ever really anticipates turning the Universe upside-down.\n\nCall me a dork, but I’ve always thought that lasers were super-cool. My dad used to have this combination ruler/level/laser pointer that he used for construction work, and I can’t even count the number of times that he would yell at me for using it as a toy.\n\nThe only creature that hated my laser obsession more than my dad was our cat Jeffrey. I used to point the laser right above the bookshelf in the living room and watch him drive himself nuts trying to get to it.\n\nWhen my friend told me that he knew someone who had access to high-powered laser pointers, I made sure that he put me in touch. Three days and one questionably legal purchase later, I had my own factory-grade laser pointer.\n\nIt was about twice the length of a standard pen and about 50% thicker than one. I grabbed a piece of paper from my printer, set it on the floor, and pointed the laser at it. The paper caught on fire immediately.\n\nI was in love.\n\nI spent the rest of the afternoon carving my name on the inside of the kitchen cabinets, and left a pretty rude message to my landlord on the wall closest to the sink that he “forgot” to fix for two weeks.\n\nAfter about five hours, the beam started to dim so I figured that it was time to replace the battery—the whole magical apparatus ran on just one 9-volt battery. I must have zoned out when I put the thing in, because that’s the only way to explain what happened next.\n\nI turned the pointer on the pathetic, deflated balloon I’d gotten at my niece’s eighth birthday party the week before and flipped the switch.\n\nInstead of the usual, however, a wavy violet line emitted from the end of the device. It must have hit something in the air, because the beam stopped dead in its tracks halfway to the balloon.\n\nI turned the beam off right away and opened the battery pack. I’d put the battery in backwards, but that didn’t explain what had just happened. The thing should have just...not worked.\n\nAs I stared down in bewilderment at the laser pointer, I noticed a strange humming sound—like someone had put a megaphone up to the engine of an electric car. The noise got louder and louder until it was nearly deafening. I looked up from the laser pointer.\n\nA pitch-black circle had opened up in the middle of my apartment, and everything in the room was flying towards it. I watched my coffee table stretch and deform before it disappeared into the gaping hole in the world that I had just created.\n\nI tried to flee, I really did. But the pull of it got stronger and stronger. I fired a laser beam into the hole. Nothing. I flipped the battery around and fired again, trying to reverse the damage. Nothing.\n\nAmid the humming noises, I heard whispers. Faint whispers in some language that I couldn’t understand, but human. Probably.\n\nI screamed for help as I watched my fingers slip towards the disturbance, but I knew it wouldn’t matter. Even if one of my neighbors did happen to hear me, they couldn’t get into my place in time to help. And really, what right did I have to drag other people into my mess?\n\nI expected tremendous pain when my fingers made contact with the black hole-like thing that I’d created, but instead I just felt numb. Slowly, I faded out of consciousness as the world disappeared around me.\n\n __________________\nIf you liked this, check out my subreddit! r/NicodemusLux" ]	2
	[WP] you've gotten many packages misdelivered to you over the years. You usually just dropped them off next door. But one day, you receive a clearly labeled child's soul and decide you have to do something. You live at 668 Sixth Avenue. You are the neighbor of the Beast.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Not again\" , I sigh. The tag reads SOUL in big, black, bold letters, just beneath it the details: \"Adam Abaddon - age 6. Designation: Hell\". The manila envelope hangs in my hand. i put on a robe and slippers and head to the neighbour's. \n\"Bad\". What does that even mean? how bad can a 9 year old be? I knock and wait. I knock again, why does he always take so fucking long? He opens the door and fixes his hair. He goes to grab the envelope from my hand without saying a word. \ni pull back. \"Hey, you should really fix your address, man, these really bum me out\" \n\\-\"I know, I know, I'll get to it, can you just give me the thing?\". His words ring in my head. \"the thing\".\n\n\\-\"Fine. BUT GET TO IT\".\n\nI can't sleep that night. What does he do with them? Who makes the call? What if someone tried to stop it? what if I tried to stop it? what a great idea! Me vs The Beast, as if that could go anywhere near remotely well. I don't think anyone can stop him actually. \n\nIt takes me a week to come up with an idea and a month to gather the courage. I can't stop him, and no person can. I can't trick him either, he's the one that tricks you. If there's hope, my only chance is to try and convince him. \n\nI knock and wait. He opens the door and sees me: \"Another one?\"\n\n\\-\"Um actually, i was hoping we could talk\"\n\n\\-\"Is this about the envelopes?\"\n\n\\-\"yeah..\"\n\n\\-\"Come in\"\n\nI'd never been inside, and the house feels eerily impersonal, like the kind of place you'd stay in during a business trip, dull, bland, unstimulating. He shows me to the kitchen and puts the kettle on. \n\n\\-\"Why do you do it?\"\n\n\\-\"I don't\" he replies, \"not really\".\n\n\\-\"What do you mean you don't? you're the devil, the beast, the prince of darkness\" \n\n\\-\"Those are just names, I didn't choose them, although i have to admit the prince of darkness does sound kinda cool.\" He chuckles. \"I'm not what you think I am\"\n\nThe water starts boiling. He pours two cups and holds his with both hands, absorbing its warmth. \"It's complicated\"\n\n\\-\"Complicated? I got an envelope with a tag damning a six year old to hell\"\n\n\\-\"I don't get choose what happens\" He lets out a long sigh. \"they kinda do, but not really\"\n\n\\-\"Why would a child choose to go to hell? Why would anyone? why doesn't everyone just choose heaven?\"\n\n\\-\"Well, he didn't actually choose, it's not like someone asked him. It's a little more complicated than that\" He sips his tea and continues \n\"This kid in particular was mean to his little sister, nothing too bad if you asked me, but somewhere inside him he felt a wrongness in it, and somewhat appropriately his punishment will be a mean big sister. It's not always so clear.\"\n\n\\-\"so it's like an ironic tv punishment?\"\n\n\\-\"it's not usually so clear-cut, it's more like the kind of dreams that show you how you really feel: nebulous and weird, but clear.\"\n\n\\-\"is it forever?\"\n\n\\-\"Only sometimes.\"\n\n\\-\"Do they also choose but not choose when they leave? Do they get to go to heaven after?\"\n\n\\-\"Your tea is gonna get cold, you'll have time to ask as many questions as you want later but there's something i have to tell you first\"\n\n\\-My heart sinks to my stomach \"Am i dead? I'm dead, aren't I? why would you say that like that? What the fuck? how didn't I notice? wouldn't i notice death? it seems like something that you don't just get distracted and miss. why didn't you tell me earlier? how long has it been? AM I GOING TO HELL?OH NO I'M GOING TO HELL, AREN'T I?!?! WHAT DID I DO?!\"\n\n\\-\"Please just stop freaking out, you're not dea-\"\n\n\\-\"THANK FUCKING GOD\". My heart feels like it's trying to escape my chest, reassuring me that at the very least I still have a heartbeat \" I must admit I got kinda nervous there\"\n\n\\-\"yeah, no shit\"\n\nI finally try the tea. It's chamomile and it does help me get my breath back. \"So what is it I should know?\"\n\n\\-\"you're not really gonna die, you're gonna take over my job\"\n\nIt feels like hours before i can create a response\n\n\\-\"you're joking, right?\"\n\n\\-\"I'm sorry, but no.\"\n\nThis is not how i was expecting this meeting to go but it might be the only way.\"Then I'll just stop it. Forever\" \n\n\\-\"you can't. I already told you: I don't get to choose and neither will you\"\n\n\\-\"Then I don't get it, what is it that you actually do?\"\n\n\\-\"What does a president do? The answer is not simple, but you'll find out. \"\n\n\\-\"But... Why me?\"\n\n\\-\"It's what you chose\"", "Two short knocks punched Gabe out of his trance. They sounded like the hurried arrogance of youth. His glare threatened to blast down the door. With a sigh, he picked up his red tasseled bookmark, marked his page, and placed his book on the TV tray at his left. \n\nHis hand reached out to his right and grasped nothing but air. With a grunt, he leaned over and saw his cane lying on the floor.\n\n“How the shit?” He grumbled. His arm lay defeated over the armrest. He didn’t even try to reach for the cane, remembering the embarrassing ambulance ride _that_ had been.\n\nKnowing it was the only choice, he dug his hand down into the seat cushion. Brushing past some crumbs and something that felt like a coin—no, actually it was something wet—his fingers finally grasped the hated plastic case of the chair controls. \n\nHis daughter had insisted on getting this godforsaken deathtrap of a chair for him, and he only sat in it for her. And for the heat mode. And for the vibrating massage mode. Now he prepared to use its most damnable function: the old man dump truck mode.\n\nHe pulled the seat control close to his face, but not before bringing his wet finger to his nose and giving it a strong sniff. \n\n_Ah, chocolate sauce,_ he thought and gave his finger a lick before turning back to the torture controls. He found the button he needed: an icon of what could arguably be a man being ejected from the back of a dump truck. He mushed the button with his thumb. Nothing happened. \n\n“Of course,” he said, then froze as the chair came to life with whirrs and whines. He dropped the controls and grasped the armrests as he rose and tipped forward. He braced his left foot forward and waited intensely as the weight of his body landed first on his right, then his left foot. \n\nThe machine stopped its whirring, and he was on his feet. A thrill of excitement rushed to his head, and he did a victory dance. Well, it wasn’t much of a dance. More of butt wobble and truck horn pull. A finger rose from his right hand aimed at the cane on the ground.\n\n“Goddmaned cane. Don’t need it anyway,” he mumbled. He stepped over it and headed toward the door, hip protesting painfully. Upon opening it, he found a small white cube package with a label on top. He began to bend down to pick it up and his lower back began to cramp immediately.\n\n“No, no, no,” he said, quickly reversing his bend. His cane mocked him from the floor by the chair, and he thrust another finger at it. Opening the door a bit wider, he nudged the small light package in with his foot, and then slid it across the floor, where it came to a stop against the cane. \n\nHobbling back out of breath, he used the armrest of the chair—which was now canted forward like some modern art sculpture in the middle of his living room—to support himself as he reached down to grasp the package. It felt light, and he brought it up close to his face to read the label.\n\n“Bah. It’s for him again,” he said. He reached over to set it on a pile of letters when another small label caught his eye. It looked like a customs declaration. A moment of hesitation froze his hand. He had never cared or tried to figure out what his eccentric neighbor had been ordering all these years, but for some reason he was overcome with curiosity. This wasn’t the usual Amazon box with it’s stupid little arrow on the side. \n\n“I wouldn’t want anyone to look at what I’m buying,” he said finally, and placed it on the table.\n\n- - -\n\nThree weeks later, there was another knock. It beckoned with a gentle courteousness. Gabe smiled—finally someone had arrived with some class. \n\nHe called out, “Just a moment,” as he placed his bookmark in his novel and grasped his cane to stand from his chair. \n\n“No rush Mr. Moore. It’s Luc from next door,” said a resonant voice. “I got your note that you had some mail for me.”\n\n“Of course, yes, just a few things,” said Gabe, walking over to his table. He scooped up a pile of letters and then tried to grasp the small white box with his remaining free fingers. It slipped and tumbled onto the floor.\n\n“Shit,” Gabe snorted, then put down the letters. He steadied himself with his cane and began to lean over to reach for the box.\n\n“Bend at the knees, bend at the knees,” he chanted to himself, as knives dug into his knees and hip. His fingers closed around the side of the box, and he lifted it up. As he did, the words on the customs declaration stood in plain view and he stopped, stupefied by what he saw. He blinked, then looked again.\n\n```\nContents Qty. Declared Value\n----------------------------------\nBaby's Soul 1 €1,500,000.00\n```\n\n“Is everything alright Mr. Moore?” The voice from beyond the door sounded calm and mildly curious. \n\n“Oh, I’m… I’m fine,” Gabe said. “Just a little slow. I’ll be there in a moment.” Panic began to grip his stomach and the cramping started in his back. The baby’s soul began to feel hot in his hand, and without thinking, he tossed it under his television. Regret flooded through him as he realized he would have to fetch it in the future.\n\nWith great difficulty, he coaxed his legs and back up to a standing position. He picked up the stack of mail and waddled over to the door as quickly as he could.\n\n“Sorry about that,” he said while he opened the door, out of breath. “The old knees don’t work like they used to.”\n\n“That’s quite alright Mr. Moore. Is this everything?” Luc’s hand was open and gesturing toward the mail in Gabe’s hand. He wore a Hawaiian shirt with an open collar and a wide friendly grin. His deep tan was proof that he had been somewhere far from here.\n\n“Yeah, that’s all. That’s definitely all,” Gabe said. He felt like he said too much and too quickly, and he cursed himself for his bumbling. His coworkers had once boasted that he could convince the Pope to turn atheist.\n\n“Very good, thank you,” Luc said as Gabe handed over the letters. “I’m truly sorry about this. I’m going to file a complaint with the postal service.”\n\n“Oh, don’t trouble yourself. I don’t mind it. And call me Gabe,” He smiled. The bumbling felt under control and confidence surged into his stomach.\n\n“Thank you, Gabe,” Luc said, turning to go. “Let me know if I can do anything for you.”\n\n“Bah, a young man like you has better things to do than run errands for old grumps like me,\" Gabe said, feeling his footing return. \"Thanks, though. You take care.” He waved and began closing the door. He felt his shoulders drop. Relief flooded over him, and his knees began to shake. \n\n“Oh! Gabe?” \n\nGabe froze, then pulled himself back up with a deep breath and opening the door with a smile. \n\n“Yep?”\n\n“I’m expecting a small package from Norway, and it seems to be late,” said Luc. Gabe’s palms began to get clammy, and he felt his head spin with terror. “Would you let me know right away if you see it?”\n\n“Yeah—yeah, of course,” Gabe said. \n\n“Thanks so much, buddy. See you around.” Then he was down the steps and out past the hedges.\n\nGabe closed and latched the door and then turned to look at the gap under the television stand where the box lay hidden. He hadn’t noticed how fast his heart was beating, and dizziness threatened to pull him off balance. Painfully, he slid his back down the door, leaning heavily on his cane, until he sat on the floor with his legs in front of him. He laid the cane across his lap, gripping tightly.\n\n“It’s him,” he whispered, wiping a hand down his face. “How did I not see it before?” He patted his pants and then clawed a gray flip phone out from the front pocket. Flipping it open, he squinted, and then scrolled through his contacts until he found the one he was looking for.\n\nGabe thought it might go to voicemail, but she answered on the last ring.\n\n“Gabe?” A lump formed in his throat at the sound of her voice.\n\n“You told me to call if I ever needed you,” he said. “I didn’t know if you even had this number anymore.” Tears began to fall, and he wiped them away with his thumb and fingers. The phone on the other end was silent.\n\n“I’ll be there in an hour,” said the voice. “I’ll call when I arrive. Stay at home.” \n\n“Thank you,” he said. \n\n---\n_A part two is planned!_", "\n\"Honey, what is this?\" She said, presumably picking up the small package from the doorstep.\n\n\"It's probably for the neighbor. Leave it on the counter and I'll run it over later.\" I tossed the armful of laundry into the washing machine and poured in the detergent. The familiar 'click' of the locking mechanism and whoosh of water began.\n\nWalking to the counter, I noticed that this package looked different than most of the others. This one wasn't in a box, it was in a puffed-up plastic mailer. Honing in on the address, it was meant for my neighbor, but the shape amused me. It felt heavy, but was obviously inflated like a balloon. My eyes scrolled down the package, my inner snoop curious at what it could be:\n\nLouis Seifert\n668 Sixth Ave.\nSuite E\n\nThe bottom of the E had smudged a little bit, likely the reason for it arriving at my suite F. I continued:\n\nWeight: 7lb 6oz\nContents: Child's Soul\nValue: $65\n\nMy eyes blinked in disbelief. Child's Soul? And 7lb 6oz? My mind had corrected it to Child's Sole, thinking a pair of shoes -- probably incorrectly labelled from the Chinese sender -- but 7lb 6oz, and such a puffy package...\n\n\"Everything okay?\" my girlfriend said, sneaking up behind me. \n\nI about jumped out of my skin, but stammered out a \"Yeah. Hey, would you take a look at this?\"\n\n\"Isn't it for the neighbor?\" she asked\n\n\"Yeah, but look at the contents line.\"\n\nShe scanned down the package, \"7lb, 6 oz... Contents: Child's Soul... Value...\"\n\n\"Doesn't that seem odd?\" I suggested.\n\n\"What, that a pair of shoes cost $65? I spend more than that on a pair of jeans.\"\n\n\"No. That's another thing we'll talk about later... Check the spelling of 'soul'.\"\n\n\"S-O-U... Oh, like a spirit?\"\n\n\"That's what I was thinking. Isn't a kinda weird?\"\n\n\"Well, obviously it isn't really a soul.\" she brushed off the remark. \"It's not like that is something you can wrap up and mail to somebody.\"\n\n\"Yeah. It's just strange.\" I replied.\n\n\"Well everything about our neighbor is strange. He pretty much never leaves his place -- when he does it's like 2a.m.-- and he's got to be into some sort of BDSM thing because I hear moaning and shrieks ALL the time coming from his place.\"\n\n\"Have you ever actually seen him?\" I asked.\n\n\"Not really. I've seen brief glimpses as he climbs into his car and drives off, but mainly I just catch his hair. It's really long.\"\n\n\"But if somebody were to ask what he looks like, would you know? Like, if we found out he was a serial killer and the police asked 'What did he look like?' would you have a description?\"\n\nShe paused. \"No. Why, have you ever seen him?\"\n\nI shook my head. \"No, but I'm going to try. Let's hang onto this until tonight and I'll try to catch him when he heads out.\" I placed the package back on the counter\n\n\"Do you think that's safe?\"\n\n\"Why wouldn't it be? He's lived next door for the better part of a year, I think we would know if something were happening beyond his sex-life.\"\n\nShe shook her head in agreement.\n____________________________________________________________________________\n\nRhythmic banging, as if tribal drums were being beaten. Moans. A few screams. Louder. LOUDER. The rhythm intensified. With each beat my heart matched the tempo -- faster. \n\nI looked over at the clock: 1:47a.m. \n\nWith a climactic, drawn-out, wavering scream, the banging came to an end.\n\nI could hear the television again, and through the wall a bit of rustling. It had been 27 minutes today. Impressive.\n\nI stood up from the couch and grabbed my robe, preparing to step out into the chilled nighttime air. Taking a few steps towards the counter, I picked up the package before continuing on. My slippers were beside the front door. I shimmied my feet inside their woolly-warmth and waited.\n\n1:54. I could hear what appeared to be drawers opening and closing. The rattle of silverware clanging across the open wooden echo-box.\n\n1:57. A few steps closer towards the door when I heard what had to be him sitting down to put on some shoes. A deep thud from beyond the common wall. \n\n1:59. The whining creak of an opening door. I grabbed the handle to my own door and pulled. I had turned the light on a few hours earlier to make the interaction seem less forced or threatening, but once I cracked the door a few inches, the blue flash of a dying bulb greeted me. I swung it open and with a crack in my voice said \"I'm uh... I'm sorry, but your package came to us again.\n\nThe shadowy figure turned towards me. He had to be at least 6' 8\" and 250lbs -- the perfect stature to make a killer football player. Shaggy hair obscured his profile. With a gruff \"Oh.\" he stuck out his palm -- easily the size of my head and with hair curling from under his sleeve. I placed the package in his hand.\n\n\"I've got a question, if you have a minute.\" I said.\n\nHe stood, unflinching.\n\n\"What do you do for a living? We never see you leave. And you are always getting packages. Do you work online?\n\nAgain he didn't move, but let out a heavy breath, visible as a cloud in the night air.\n\n\"The reason I ask, well... I noticed that the package says contents are 'Child's Soul' ... it seems like an odd thing to put on a package.\"\n\nThe figure stood straighter, now closer to 7' tall. He tucked the package into his dark jacket.\n\n\"I don't want to intrude. I'm just curious. I mean, we've never formally met or anything...\" I trailed off as the figure let out another warm, cloudy breath.\n\n\"I do work,\" He coughed out, \"online.\"\n\nI was bemused. I didn't expect to actually get a response from him and planned instead to retreat inside. With his reply we might actually get somewhere.\n\n\"You?\" he grunted.\n\n\"My girlfriend and I own a business.\"\n\n\"Girlfriend?\" he asked, making me a little insecure. It came off as 'You have a girlfriend?'\n\n\"Yeah. Her name is Taryn.\"\n\n\"I like that.\"\n\n\"We've been together for 6 years. She's my rock.\"\n\nHe adjusted his balance from one foot to the other. \"Your name?\"\n\n\"Sam.\"\n\n\"Sam. I need to go,\" he said, a bit impatiently.\n\n\"That's fine. It's nice to meet you...\"\n\n\"Louis,\" he said, sticking out his hand. I took it and gave it a firm grasp, or as much as I could grip the watermelon of a hand he possessed.\n\n\"Louis,\" I repeated. \"Well, I guess I'll see you around.\"\n\nHe turned his back to me and popped his door back open --the heat from his apartment radiated out like the sun on a July day. I watched as he reached into his jacket with the hand I had just shaken. He grabbed the package from within. Leaning in a bit, I could see him placing the mailer onto a stainless steel table just inside before closing the door behind him.\n\nI backed into my place, saying \"Have a good night,\" and closing the door. \n\n\"Well, how did it go?\" Taryn asked.\n\n\"Not bad. He seems like a pretty nice guy.\" I replied.\n\nI put my face to the peephole and watched as Louis stepped off the shared porch and towards his black car parked on the street. \n\n\"He works from home...\"\n\nA few steps and he was there. \nSomething off appeared to me. His coat wasn't moving in a typical way. There was a movement counter to his stride down low -- something trailing him.\n\n\"He seems a bit of an introvert,\"\n\nIt was a tail -- no doubt about it -- With a small barb at the end which looked like a fleshy arrowhead. He knelt down to enter the vehicle. The engine came to life, pulling the car away.\n\n\"And I'm pretty sure he's the Devil.\"" ]	4
	[WP] Chapter 1. Today, our phones all died.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Before anyone reads, know I write before bed to help me sleep. So Grammar nazis beware. \n\n\nSwipe left, swipe left, swipe right, match!! nope phone froze!! fuck. I look at my phone, deadzo. Hmmm, i wonder must be a dead tower no worries. I continue walking the beautiful smelly new york streets and people are looking at their phones. Ok, so it must be a tower, kind of weird since this hasn't happened to me before, usually Verizon always seems to work. You know the stupid commercials stating how they have 5x the towers, but they also don't tell you it's 5x the price. Fuck that. My stomach sinks a little bit as I do find it kind of odd. A man is running in the middle of the street, the weird thing is he's on fire? Ok, i'm dreaming this can't be real, there is no crash, no fire anywhere, he's just a man in the road on fire yelling, \"They are here, first the cell phones, then the food\". I'm now looking around seeing if fire trucks are coming, but no ones phones are working. This is kind of fucked. People are yelling stop drop and roll. The man on fire does this, and simply gets ran over by a semi. I vomit a little in my mouth. I've gone 34 years without seeing a death. Fuck, i thought, will this be on my mind the rest of the week, i have a huge business meeting tommorow. #WorkLiferitereddit?. Even though I generally hate people, I had to talk to someone to reconfirm what just happened, and hoping they had an explantion. Sir, what just happened, I said hoping for it to not be true. A ginger man in a white labcoat answered, this has been on the news for months. Something about a prophecy of our death. A prophecy? I asked. Yea, first our cell phones die, then the food sources go dry. What's last? I asked while knowing the answer. Well we die, it's not much detail, but it's just been a rumor, until well, my phone doesnt work. You think this is a weird prank the phone companies are on. I don't know man, i'm getting a weird feeling they'd lose a lot of customers doing that. We have a bunker the squirlley gingered man said to me, just in case. Every omen is going to happen every 1 weeks, so that gives us about 1 months to live. The sign on Time Square now changed to a clock that said 6 days 23 hours 57 minutes to next omen. The next 4 weeks where a mindfuck to say the least. I won't tell you what happens to man kind, but I will tell you that I killed 2 Aliens, ate another human being, had sex, and learned how to sow 3 weeks from now. But back to the bunker and the ginger man, I'm walking in the Bunker shaking peoples hands even the guy I end up eating, all while thinking, \"as much as I hate Tinder, man I wish I could go back to those minutes when my life was straight shit, not literal shit." ]	2
	[WP] In the distant future, uploading your mind to a computer can give you a kind of immortality, but it can also make your mind, personality, and memories vulnerable to being edited by hackers.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“My greatest weakness?” I asked the interviewers, stalling for time. I had an answer prepared for this, I just had to remember it. The two people sitting across the table from me smiled and nodded, an attractive woman and square jawed man, both immaculately dressed in designer suits. Did this place deliberately pick the most corporate people possible to conduct their interviews?\n\n“I’d have to say that my biggest weakness is that when I’m given a task that I’m a little uncertain of I have a tendency to hesitate. Rather than push ahead immediately I’ll double check best practices and consult with my colleagues to confirm the procedure before continuing. As a result I sometimes take a longer time to complete tasks at first but I always do my best to ensure they’re done properly.”\n\nWas that a good answer? I couldn’t tell, I’d made it up on the spot. I’d intended to remember the answer, or was that something else? There was something I needed to remember.\n\n“Wonderful!” The man across from me stated. “You seem like an ideal candidate, if my colleague agrees, I’m comfortable with offering you a position right here and now.” The interviewer looked at his partner. After a moment of consideration, he nodded back.\n\nWait a minute, I was being interviewed by a man and a woman, not two men, wasn’t I?\n\nAnd then what he said hit me. I had the job! Twenty-three years old, a fresh graduate, and I already had my dream job at- at-\n\nWhat company is this again?\n\n“We’ll give you the contract to review, but first we need you to enter your pass-code, it’s just a formality, I’m sure you understand.”\n\nThe man wearing a ratty suit with a neck tattoo pulled a simple metal box with a keypad on it out from under the table and placed it in front of me. I eagerly reached towards it but paused with my hand hovering over the keypad. I looked up at the pair of men sitting before me. Their corporate smiles were gone, replaced with grins of eager anticipation.\n\nSomething is wrong.\n\n“I’m sorry, there’s something I’m trying to remember. A question I was going to ask?” I shook my head, it was so hard to think, nerves from the interview, probably. I looked back up at the pair of thugs in front of me. “What position is this for again?”\n\n The one on the right glared at me for a moment. Did I just fail the interview?\n\n“Again!” The one on the right shouted.\n\nI opened my eyes to a bright room. A gentle breeze moved the curtains beside the window as sunlight streamed in. It was such a nice day, if only I wasn’t stuck in bed for it. I struggled to sit up for a few moments before giving in to the pain in my side and collapsing back onto the bed. Goddam cancer. It wasn’t enough that it was killing me, it had to trap me in my room for what little time I had left.\n\n“Pa?” a voice asked from the door.\n\nI looked up and saw my son. What a strong man he’d grown up to be, if only my wife was still alive to see him now.\n\nWhat’s her name? Why can’t I remember her name?\n\n“Son, good of you to drop by.” I winced at the rasp in my voice, it felt like yesterday that I had been young and strong. It sometimes seemed like I had gotten to 86 without even noticing it.\n\n“Pa, you shouldn’t try to get out of bed, you know what the doctors said.” He said, rushing over to my bedside\n\n“Pshah, screw the doctors. I want to get out and enjoy the sunshine while I still can. And besides, I can hardly get any deader than I already am,” I said, letting out a wheezy laugh.\n\nI have to remember.\n\nI frowned. “There’s something I was trying to remember, something I was going to tell you,” I said, shaking my head. “Damn, it’s at the tip of my tongue.”\n\n“Nevermind that, Pa, there’s something I need to ask you.” My son knelt down beside me and took my hand. “That banker came again today, he said that unless we have the deed to the farm the bank’ll take it when- when.” He stopped and swallowed. “When you pass.”\n\n“Those money-grubbing scumbag city assholes,” I wheezed out. “Wouldn’t know an honest day’s work if it was right in front of their noses, and they want to come and take our home from us.”\n\n“Damn right Pa, that’s why I need the deed. You always said it was in the safe in the basement.”\n\nThat’s right, the deed. As long as my son had that the farm would be his, I was getting riled up for nothing. I looked at him again, when had he gotten that awful neck tattoo?\n\n“Just give me the combination to the safe and I can get the deed, then you can give that banker a hell of a talking to next time he comes around.” He lifted a metal box with a keypad on it and put it on the bed next to me. “Just put the code in there and the farm will be safe.”\n\nThere was something I needed to remember. Did I need to tell him something? Was it about the farm?\n\nWait, I own a farm?\n\nI looked at my son, sitting there in his shabby suit, watching me expectantly with unfriendly eyes.\n\n“Who are you?” I asked.\n\n“Fuck!” he yelled as he stood up, knocking over the chair, before-\n\nI remembered.\n\nI was Andrew Merriam, I was one hundred and thirty six years old, and I had been cyberized nearly sixty years ago. I had to remember who I was, I had to remember what was going on. I had to remember that these fuckers were trying to break me.\n\nI was back in the empty warehouse they had taken me to after they had pulled me off the street and thrown me in the van. I looked around as best I could, movement was almost impossible after they had cut off my limbs. I could see them laying where they had been tossed to the side, wires and lubricant leaking from the smooth cut the laser had left. It was a brutal but effective way of immobilizing those of us who had uploaded. The man with the awful neck tattoo pulled a visor off his face and stood up from where he had been sitting.\n\n“Goddam it, you said you could get it,” he shouted at a woman sitting in front of a computer. I could feel the wire connecting me to it protruding from the back of my skull. The assholes were trying to hack me. “How hard is it to pull an access code out of this clunker, you said all you needed was a direct connection.”\n\n“You know it’s not that easy, I can’t access his core systems without the code, maybe if you were a bit more convincing he’d stay in character long enough to give it to you. Luckily we can keep doing this until he breaks.”\n\nTime, I just needed time. Surely someone would notice that I was missing, someone would have seen the kidnapping and would report it to the police. I just had to hold out.\n\n“Fine,” said the tattooed man as he sat back down and put the visor on. “Load up another one, we’ll try again.”\n\nI just needed to remember.\n\n\\---\n\nr/WulgrenWrites" ]	2
	[WP] Every time you die you simply return in a new body with all your memories and personality intact, which worked out fine until one day you found out that your old body wasn't fully dead	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The hail of bullets whistled through the air and then through my body. I felt the familiar feeling of blackness overwhelm the explosions of pain. The next thing I knew, I was a hundred meters away on the same battlefield, about to charge out of the same mud-filled, disease-ridden trench.\n\n\"Wouldn't want to be that squad,\" a soldier next to me grunted. I filtered through memories of my new body, layering and integrating them with my old lives.\n\n\"Me neither, James,\" I replied. \"Think any of them survived?\"\n\n\"No way. This fucking war, man.\"\n\nI silently agreed as my boots squelched in the semi-wet mud. We were half-swimming in human feces, blood, and misery. All those centuries, all those lives...I'd wanted to do some good, but this was hell on earth.\n\nThe first time I died, I welcomed death with an open embrace. It ran. Ever since, whenever my body dies, my mind and memories transfer to a new body. It was fun for a while – I learned new skills, mastered arts and lived many, many different lives.\n\nI’ve been a politician. An artist. A beggar. A teacher. A king. A queen. A businessman. A dictator. A writer. A killer. A priest.\n\nBeing a soldier sucks. It was the least I could do, after living so long, but dang this was tough. It was even tougher than leaving my family the first time, and the second time, and every time after that. I wanted to comfort them, and tell them I was alright, but something stopped me. Maybe it was the worry that it would cause them even more grief.\n\nAt the end of that long day, James and I carried our exhausted bodies back to the main camp. I was still getting familiar with the muscle and bone structure of my new host. My muscle memory always transferred, which meant I was an expert with swords, guns, knives, and every other weapon under the sun. It made me a great fighter, but each time I transferred it was like I had to stretch a hand into a glove that was either too big or too small.\n\n“Out of the way!”\n\nI jumped to the side, watching as the wounded were run back to the medical tents. Poor souls, I hoped they found repr-\n\n“Hey!” I yelled, shock slamming through my system like the bolt of lightning that hit me when I was Benjamin Franklin. “Where’d you find Simon?”\n\nThe two soldiers carting Simon didn’t even glance at me, so I tore out from formation and followed them. When I burst through the tent straps, I covered my mouth. The sounds of the dying and suffering were muted in the stuffy airspaces. Bandaged soldiers cried out for water, food, and death. The smell of rancid flesh permeated everything.\n\nI kept following until they put Simon down, and put a finger to his neck after the others left. He had a pulse, weak but steady. Impossible.\n\nSimon was my old body. How!? I was sure I’d died. Now what? What would happen if Simon survived?\n\nI was too curious. The doctors finally got around to him, and after finding that I’d already performed the operations on my old host, proclaimed him stable.\n\nFighting in the trenches was even more painful after that. I couldn’t die now, not when such a strange thing had happened. I made it back to Simon two days later, when he finally woke up.\n\n“Hey,” I said.\n\n“Who…who are you?” he croaked. “Water. Please.”\n\nAfter my old host recovered enough to look around, he seemed confused. “How did I get here?”\n\n“They recovered you from the field,” I told him, ignoring the moans of agony that sung through the tent. “Listen, I know this is strange, but I need to know. Do you have memories of past lives?”\n\nHis eyes widened. “You too?”\n\n“Idiot,” I hissed. “I’m you. The transfer went through, but I…we didn’t die this time.”\n\nSimon looked perplexed. “Is that possible? Has that…ever happened before?”\n\n“Yes.”\n\nWe both looked up at the chief doctor, who had a single finger over his gauze mask. “And if you two nincompoops keep shouting it to the sky, the whole army will know. Simon, rest. We’ll update you later. You, follow me.”\n\nI followed him, stunned, as we made our way out of the surgery tent and over to the chief medic’s private booth. The moment the tent flap closed, I blurted out the inevitable conclusion.\n\n“You’re me, too! Aren’t you?”\n\nThe doctor tore off his gauze mask. “Yes. I am. I believe you’re Me Prime, the original. It’s been awfully difficult tracking you down.”\n\nI put my hands on my head and slowly walked in circles, trying to absorb the implications. “Wait, I…how…? How many of me are there?”\n\nHe snorted. “Not that many, don’t worry. You haven’t had that many opportunities to mess up dying. But enough over the years that there’s quite a few of us here. The general himself is actually also us.”\n\n“What!?” I yelled. “How? Why is this happening?”\n\n“I’m actually Me Secondo,” the doctor said. “I think I was the first offshoot. I’ve been studying you and us for a long time. When our host bodies near death, they automatically latch onto another body and transfer over. Memories and souls, if you will, go with the transfer. But go is not the right word. Copy is more accurate.”\n\nI understood the implications immediately. “I see. So if we have enough near death experiences…”\n\n“Bingo. We’ll just spread like a virus.”\n\nI was horrified. “That can’t be allowed to happen.”\n\n“My thoughts exactly,” the doctor said. “Eventually it will just be a world of us’s.”\n\n“What do we do?” I exclaimed.\n\n“Relax. It’s all being handled. I have tracked down every person who might be us and have gathered us all here. I’m almost certain I haven’t missed a soul. We’re going to do one last good thing for the world and do a suicide mission. All of us. Away from any people, so the transfer can’t happen. And end this cycle, for the good of all.”\n\n“Hah,” I chuckled, trying to wrap my brain around it. “Hell, count me in. But you know, with all of me…all of us, that’s a lot of experience and fighting power. You sure we won’t survive?”\n\nHe shook his head. “It shouldn’t be possible, but we’ve surprised us before. Let’s give ‘em hell.”\n\n“Hell yea.”" ]	2
Where I live, you call 811 to check if there’s pipes or wires under your yard so you don’t hit something when you dig. Idk if it’s different in other places.	[WP] You want to plant a tree in your back yard, so you call 811 and they say that there are no pipes under your house. When you start digging, you find out why.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"So, it's okay to dig anywhere in the back yard?\"\n\n\"Correct, Sir. Is there anything else I can help you with today?\"\n\n\"I'm ... concerned. If there's nothing in the backyard, then where do my service lines run? I'd hate to have them all in one channel where a single error could cost me all of my utilities in one shot. Could you have someone come out and check all the rest of the ground?\"\n\n\"Certainly, Sir. We'll get back you you with a schedule shortly.\"\n\n\"Thanks, that's all for now, and thank you for your help.\"\n\n\"You're welcome, Sir!\"\n\n...\n\nThis is too effing wierd. My backyard neighbor has all his utilities through his backyard. The service access points are all in the ... Well, you can't really call it an alley, there's no way to drive on it ... But that's where they all are.\n\nWe're sure of that, because one idiot decided to put in a privacy fence, extending into the alley, and didn't call Miss Utility. There was quite an uproar when he hit the gas line with a post hole digger.\n\nAfter that, the utilities commission came in and marked the boundaries of the alley, charging us for the service. Mr. Idiot found it convenient that he got a job offer in another state. Oh, we'd have forgiven him sooner or later. Say in about 20 years.\n\nSo all I want to do is plant a tree. It's small enough that manually digging the hole is easy enough. I've still got to get deep enough though.\n\nclank Another rock! What the heck did they use for fill? Quarry tailings? ... That's ... not a rock. Solid concrete. Maybe an old septic tank? Well, there's another position on the opposite side of the yard that could work. Guess it'll have to go there.\n\nclank Concrete. Bull. Something's wrong. Split the difference, see what's there.\n\nclank No. Way. In. Hell.\n\nFine. I've got some stiff wire segments, 4ft long, probe for the edge. As I come back out, George is standing there with a bemused expression, \"Biiigggg Gopher\". We smile at each other, that was a great movie.\n\n\"I'm going to figure out just how big this thing is; wanna help?\"\n\n\"Sure, Joe. It'll keep me out of the wife's way.\" Yeah, we've both got honey-do lists, but my wife is more ambitious. This tree is just the first change. I'm not going to go in and tell her no-go until I have a good idea just how big this thing is. So there we are, sticking those wires into the ground. It's curious enough that we get three more volunteers. We look like an avalanche SAR crew, probing for survivors.\n\nIt's ridiculous. Everyone agrees, it's ridiculous. Whatever that thing is, it's two feet down, and covers the entire back yard to within a foot of the property line. Bill, the ever careful, drives over to the hardware store and gets some of that yellow/black stripes warning tape so we can mark the ends of the wires. We're finishing that when my wife comes back from shopping.\n\n\"Joe? What's going on?\"\n\n\"There's something under our back yard.\"\n\n\"Septic tank?\"\n\n\"Not unless it's the size of the entire yard. See the flags?\"\n\n\"That's ridiculous!\"\n\n\"Exactly our thoughts, but we probed across the entire yard too. It's solid.\"\n\n\"That's not ridiculous, it's insane. You're not trying to get out of the landscaping, are you?\"\n\n\"Go check the three test holes.\" She does, and is just as puzzled as we are\n\n\"Basement?\"\n\n\"We wish, but where's the entrance? I've already got Miss Utility coming for the other three sides of the house; we can ask him. Is Junior home?\"\n\n\"Yes, doing more research on Area 51.\"\n\n\"Perfect. This'll fit right in. Ridiculous. Insane. Mysterious. And in his own back yard. If there's anything on the web, he'll dig it out.\"\n\n\"I like that idea, it'll get him out of the house for at least awhile.\"\n\n...\n\n\"How'd you get him out here so fast?\"\n\n\"I told him it had six adults stumped, and insisted he come form his own opinion. After all, heaven forbid that I should contaminate his mind with our prosaic ideas.\"\n\n...\n\nIn retrospect, that was a huge mistake. He put a carefully accurate description of the situation, what had already been done, and what he was planning on doing once Miss Utility checked the rest of the ground.\n\nThe weekend following, we had an invasion of late teens, several 20 somethings, and a pair of fairly serious folks who had to be in their 40's. They turned out to be professors from the main state university, with a large van of equipment.\n\nThey were polite, explaining that they were going to a 'dig' this summer, and wanted to test their equipment. Of course, we said yes. That actually turned out well, as they organized the teens, enticing them with the opportunity to work with real equipment, the way that real scientists would with a mystery like this. Including Geiger counters on sticks that you could shove into the ground.\n\nEverything was fine until one of the kids probing the back yard had his Geiger counter start screaming.\n\n((to be continued))\n\nI need a bigger keyboard." ]	2
	[WP] Government agents travel the country, tracking down teenagers with precognitive abilities. These abilities are so rare, the teenagers are moved to the safest place on Earth: a vault three miles underground. They will be safe there forever, even after a nuclear war.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The Government created the Task Force as a final step in the arms race of the Cold War. The eggheads in Washington thought that precogs would provide a loophole to that whole \"mutually assured destruction\" thing. That was enough incentive for everyone to ignore the program existed. The project received funding from several bureaus but did not owe allegiance to anyone in particular. Kidnapping precognitive children was not something most respectable government bodies wanted to be associated with. \n\nMartin loved his job. It was easy, and he enjoyed being around the kids. Precogs were always bright and were invariably uniquely variable in their personalities. He made an effort to make the Facility as pleasant a home for them as he could. If they had to be locked away for national security, then Martin wanted them to be rewarded for their service. They had it all there. He even drove twelve hours to the Pentagon to give a presentation to some general on why the kids needed a pool to maintain their physical fitness. \n\nIf they can't enjoy the sun in the summer, they should at least get to swim.\n\nThe hardest part of the job was the actual kidnapping. Not because they are hard to capture; Martin seemed to have quite a knack for that part. It was hard because Martin knew they were having their lives thrown into chaos. \n\nBut if the bombs drop? How many more kids will suffer?\n\nThe CIA used far more extreme methods when the program first began. They dosed entire towns with LSD to see who would manifest abilities. They kidnapped homeless people since they had a higher proportion of Empaths that might be able to develop their abilities into something more. \n\nThat all changed when Martin came into the program. He barely had to coax the children to come with him. The Task Force had theories on how he was able to accomplish this feat, but Martin had his own: kindness. That's all it was. He was not a \"latent psychic generating a psionic Ganzfeld effect\". He was just unassuming. Trustworthy.\n\nThat was why he was sitting in a cafe and watching an eighteen-year-old girl make a bad latte for the fifth time this week. If he nabbed her on the first go she would have known he was coming. He had to ingratiate himself into her life by becoming a regular part of it. Something she would zone out. Martin set a small box on the table in front of him and opened it. Today was the day.\n\nZoe McKay was infectiously happy. A stereotypical teenage girl, full of life, working as a barista so that she could travel after high school. Martin felt that pang of guilt, knowing what her future held for her. Her abilities were already starting to manifest and she would be a powerful one. Reports said she was already known as the resident psychic in her town and had been accurately predicting the success of relationships at her high school for the past year. A month ago she had helped prevent a school shooting at her high school. That had put her onto Martin's radar.\n\nZoe balanced the latte with both hands as she walked through the empty cafe to Martin's table. She set the cup down in front of him and her eyes locked on to the box Martin had opened in front of his. He had chosen this table, at this time, specifically so the light would catch the diamond perfectly.\n\n\"Oh my,\" Zoe exclaimed. \"Who's the lucky lady?\"\n\n\"Oh, it's just something I acquired at work. Want to try it on?\"\n\n\"I'm a little young for you. Well, too young to get married at least.\" She winked at him and turned back toward the counter. \n\nShe sidestepped the bait so easily. Millennials, killing the diamond industry. \n\n\"I was wondering if you could model it for me? If I don't get it on a pretty hand I'll never be able to get rid of it. Don't worry it will be strictly for work.\" He returned her wink and placed a twenty on the table. \n\nHer eyes went to the twenty and then back to him. She looked at the ring again and seemed to hesitate.\n\nWas that fear in her eyes?\n\nShe smiled and came back to his table. To her credit, she did not immediately go for the money. She presented her hand to Martin with his fingers splayed.\n\n\"To think, the first man to put a ring on my finger is practically a stranger.\"\n\n\"Well, to preserve your honor let's put it on your pinkie finger then.\"\n\n\"Such a gentleman!\" she teased.\n\nHe slid the ring over her small finger, careful not to touch the inside of the ring.\n\n\"It will be less likely to get stuck too.\"\n\nShe frowned at that before falling back. He was ready and caught her. Under far different circumstances he felt like he would have looked quite gallant.\n\n\\\t\\\t\\\t\\\t\\* \n\nMartin pulled up to the Facility gates in his stereotypical white panel van. Zoe laid in the back, still out from the tranquilizer in the ring.\n\nThis one was too close. \n\nThe look of fear in her eyes when she looked at the ring had made Martin's heart skip a beat. He thought she had figured out what he was up to. But it had worked out. It always worked out.\n\nThe Facility had minimal staffing. It was mostly run at this point by the older kids and automated systems. Martin rolled past the first checkpoint without even stopping for the single guard. The road past that first gate was narrow and felt claustrophobic within the encroaching forest. About a mile past, Martin turned down a side path hidden among the trees and came to a large steel door. The door opened and he drove on into a concrete bunker large enough to house several dozen vans. At the far end was another steel door, too small to drive through this time.\n\nRight on cue, Zoe began to stir in the back seat. Martin parked, opened the side door and helped Zoe to her feet. \n\n\"Come on, Zoe. Take it slow. We'll get you inside and make you something good to eat. You've been asleep for a while now.\"\n\nZoe looked at him, then past him and began examining their surroundings. But she did not say anything as he lead her out of the van and into the Facility. \n\nHe lead her down a long hallway, past the library, the gym, the pool, and the arcade. The hallway kept going, far enough that it disappeared into blackness despite the bright fluorescent glow illuminating everything. They turned into a swinging door that leads to a room full of long tables and benches, with a line of vending machines and convenience store refrigerators on one side.\n\nZoe followed him along, still not saying anything. She had gone from a disoriented expression to a pained one. Her face was a mixture of fear and... sadness?\n\nShe must have started to figure out where she is and what it means.\n\n\"Let's get you something to eat.\" Martin smiled at her to reassure her. \"We have just about anything you could want.\" \n\nThe door swung open and two young men walked in, one quite tall and one not so much. David and Aaron. Two of the oldest of the precogs. David was just a year or so older than Zoe.\n\nThey must have known I was bringing a girl. Teenage boys are all the same, psychic or not.\n\n\"Hello boys, this here is-\"\n\n\"Zoe,\" Aaron interrupted.\n\n\"That's right,\" Martin muttered. He looked at Zoe, the fear seemed to be disappearing. But he could still see the sadness in her eyes. \"She is-\"\n\n\"She is the last one. Thank you Martin. You've served us well all these years.\"\n\nMartin wanted to ask why she was the last, but the words disappeared from his mind before he could bring them to his lips. He looked at his unmoving hands, no longer attached to his will. Sight and sound disappeared as a shadow engulfed him. The last sense he lost was his sense of self.", "\"So, what's your curse?\"\n\nI craned my neck up. This girl was tall. She towered over even the boys in the room, sporting shoulder-length hair and a complexion that suggested she spent more time on the beach than at home.\n\n\"Curse?\" I responded, confused. I glanced around. All the kids in the room were lounging about, playing ping pong, watching shows...it was teenager heaven. Fully stocked vending machines dished out snacks for free, and the giant refrigerator was full of convenience store food. There was something for everyone; a computer lab with the latest monitors, a library with reading nooks, a swimming pool and gym. The list went on and on.\n\n\"Yeah,\" she said in a matter-of-fact tone. \"Why you're here. I foresaw you coming over a week ago. A small, shy girl with brown hair and blue eyes, and here you are.\" She pointed to the boy dominating the ping pong matches. \"That's Jason. He can detect the brain's predetermination of physical movements, predicting exactly how people will move. Over by the coffee table, that's Rhonda. Any personal dilemma or choices you might need to make, just ask her. She'll know what you'll decide, and it'll probably be the right decision.\"\n\n\"Oh,\" I said. \"The reason...that we're here?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" she said patiently. \"The reason that you were brought here. The reason we can't leave or see our families, because we're some sort of 'national security risk'.\"\n\n\"I dream the future.\"\n\nHer eyebrows shot up. \"No way. A real seer? Most of us here have precognitive abilities to some extent. I thought I was the most advanced - I can see flashes if I focus hard enough, but I get a killer headache.\"\n\nI shook my head, watching as a muscled teenager walked in with his towel barely on. A crowd of girls giggled and waved, but I rolled my eyes. I'd seen enough TV shows to know where that was going. \"The future isn't set. As best as I can figure...it's the future that will happen if all things goes as planned. Which isn't really that important.\"\n\nShe frowned. \"Why not? Seems pretty important to me.\"\n\n\"Erm, well...\" It was unclear how much I ought to reveal. The government man had been really worried the night they brought me in. We'd been running from something. Or someone. \"There's a lot of people who can change the future. Not that many of my visions come true. They're just possibilities, strings on the web of time.\"\n\n\"That was pretty poetic,\" the tall girl said. She reached a hand out. \"I'm Brienne. You like writing or something?\"\n\n\"Sort of,\" I said. \"My name is-\"\n\nThe door to the common space burst open. It was a soldier dressed in full riot gear, gun brandished in the air. \"Run!\" he shouted. \"We need to leave!\" Chaos erupted. Teenagers scrambled around like ants trying to get away from an anteater. The dude who had just come out of the pool ran comically, still clutching his towel around his privates.\n\nOne of the kids screamed. He clutched his head, as if suffering from a mental attack. Blood dripped from his nose, and he groaned low and slow. A gunshot pierced the air, and the soldier fell. Behind him, an asian man in a white lab coat appeared backed by a platoon of soldiers.\n\n\"Round them up,\" he said, and then pandemonium descended on the room.\n\nBoom!\n\nI woke up with a start. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and rain drummed down on the roof in a peaceful staccato rhythm. One possible future. I'd seen those kids before. They were supposed to become my friends - I'd foreseen them before.\n\nBut now something had changed. Another seer meddling with the vagaries of time. I snarled to myself as I leaped out of bed.\n\nOh no, you don't, I thought to myself as I got dressed. I won't let you. I won't let you take my precious people from me. I may not have met them yet, but I will do everything it takes. That's one vision that I swear won't become reality. Bet on it, whoever you are." ]	3
	[WP] After many long years, you have finally decided the message transmitted through repeating fast radio bursts. They all say the same thing: “DON’T LEAVE HOME.”	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I sent a message back: \"YOU'RE NOT MY MOM!\"\n\nStupid aliens... telling me what to do... It's like grade school all over again... I'll show them... I'll go to space and... I'll show them... I'll go to space and survive... Be it Bloodthirsty Space Bunnies or Unimaginable Horrors From The Deepest Depths of Galaxy that await for me there...... I will face those, and I will live.\n\nI'll show them... I'll find them... I'll contact them... I'll meet them... and I'll let them know just what I am made of: meat, bones, and PURE HOMO SAPIENS FURY.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n---\n\nSeveral light years away...\n\n---\n\n&nbsp;\n\nknock-knock\n\n\"Zarblax, did somebody knock on the outside of our space ship?\"" ]	2
	[WP] Using magnets and other simple house hold items, you scrap together a device that you half-seriously hope can record thoughts to your computer's hard drive. It works, but now you're in danger.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I hope someone is reading this. I barely have access to the internet in this thing. I know, I should have used something newer, upgraded before testing, but budget constraints are what they are and I'm self-funding all of this. It was a simple mistake, really. Anyone could have done it, and I should have noticed the files greying out instead of highlighting before I hit paste.\n\nYeah, that's right, I hit ctrl-x instead of ctrl-c. Didn't catch it until it was too late. By the time I noticed I was moving files instead of copying them my motor cortex was already swapped over and my hands no longer worked. I guess I should have thought to strap my body to the chair, too. The webcam shows it slumped over, the headset came off so I can't undo the transfer and it seems I've lost most or all of my early childhood memories. That's a weird feeling, let me tell you. I can do math, remember my letters, but I can't remember learning them.\n\nUh...shit. The power pins on this old laptop are picky and I just switched to battery power. If anyone sees this in the next, uh, 2 hours and 14 minutes, I'm at [show confidential information]. I'm not sure what happens if the battery dies. Is that a coma, a nap, or death? Death is unlikely I think, my files will all still be here so I should boot right up but this is all hypothetical. I'm going to shut down everything I can to save power, maybe see if I can kick in the sleep mode. The wireless adapter draws a lot of juice so that's definitely getting turned off, and the webcam. I probably won't be able to see you when you get here so just tap my spacebar or something.\n\nPlease, hurry." ]	2
	[WP] You discover your ability to revive dead people by accident. While it was heroic at first, people are getting increasingly annoyed about you reviving some of them over and over again.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I slipped through the night, flitting between the shadows where I could. It was best that I not be seen, as it kept up the mystique. My travels were slightly impeded by the shovel I had slung over my shoulder. I was hoping I wouldn't need it, but I had to be safe.\n\nMaybe they've learned by now.\n\nI reached the gates of the cemetery, silently opening it just enough so I can slip through and inside. As I sidled in, the head of the shovel clanged against the metal of the gate. I stopped, eyes clenched tightly shut. After a few moments of silence, I cracked an eye open. Nothing had changed in that time. Exhaling slightly in relief, I slithered along the path, counting the rows quietly.\n\nOnce I had reached the row I wanted, I pulled out my phone, turning on the flashlight function. I went name by name, pointing out the familiar ones on the way to my destination.\n\nAlex Webber.....Mary Saunders.....Chet Saunders....Ah, here we are.\n\nThe gravestone was a faded grey, the letters etched in but worn with age. \n\nHarold Henderson \nApril 7 1977 - May 22 1999 \nTaken Far Too Soon\n\nI panned the light down to the ground in front of the stone and smiled. The dirt had not been laid, the worn wood coffin still visible. \"Thank god for the gravediggers, making my life easier,\" I muttered to myself as I slowly slipped into the open grave.\n\nOpening the coffin, I looked at the dead man silently, giving a moment for the deceased. Harry was young and vibrant looking, even for his age. The only thing that would cause you to think he was deceased was the gray tinge that his skin took on.\n\nWell, that and the bullet hole in the middle of his forehead.\n\nI crossed myself quickly and knelt down, placing a hand on his forehead. I felt the energy course from my fingers into his body as both glowed slightly. After a few seconds, Harry gasped, his eyes snapping open widely, his chest jerking forward. He looked around, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. When he laid eyes on me, he frowned, eyes narrowing.\n\n\"Oh, it's you again. Fan-freaking-tastic. What do you want this time?\"\n\nI brushed off the harshness of his voice, speaking quickly and quietly. \"Listen, I don't have much time. I think I'm on the track of the man who killed you, but I need to check something first. Can you tell me--\"\n\nHarry cut me off, waving a worn hand flippantly. \"You know what? No. I'm done helping you fulfill your little hero complex! Do you know how many times you've brought me back?\"\n\nI stammered slightly, taken aback from the outburst. \"Uh, it can't be more than three or--\"\n\n\"ELEVEN! Eleven times! You know how I know? It's the last thing I think of before you put me back to death, and it's the first thing I remember when you bring me back again. I'm sick of it, and I'm done.\" Harry was glaring now, and I felt the need to shrink away slightly.\n\n\"I-I'm sorry. I just thought you might want to know who killed you.\"\n\n\"Did you ever bother to ask me if I wanted to know?\" The undead said, looking at me straight in the face. After a tense moment, he exhaled, looking away. \"Look, I made peace with the fact I died a long time ago. This...whatever you're doing, it's just opening old wounds, apart from the obvious one. I...I just want to rest, for good.\"\n\nI nodded, looking at my feet. \"I understand, and I'm sorry. But I can't let this just lie. You lost the chance of living the life you deserved. I want to make sure that the person who did this gets the fate he deserves.\"\n\nHarry leaned his head back, running his hands through his hair. Finally, he looked at me again. \"Fine, whatever, but this has to stop. You can't just keep coming to me when it's convenient. Anyway, what do you need?\"\n\nPleased we had reached a truce, I pulled out a notepad. \"I just have a couple of quick questions. Do you remember seeing a ring on the shooter's finger?\"\n\nHarry closed his eyes, scrunching them as he thought. \"Yyyyes, I think so. It was...silver, I think. I was more worried about the gun though, as you can guess.\"\n\nI nodded, circling one of my notes. \"The only other thing I have is this...Does the name Alan Morello mean anything to you?\"\n\nThe deceased looked down and away for a moment before looking me in the face. \"That's the guy who hired the killer, huh?\"\n\n\"I can't confirm that right now, but a connection between you two would go a long way in helping with that. What was it?\"\n\nThere was a long pause before he spoke again. \"I used to work for him. I ran drugs for him for a year or so. It paid well, but then I decided to go straight. I thought we left on good terms. I guess not...\" His voice trailed off into a raspy growl.\n\n\"Obviously not. When did you quit?\"\n\n\"About three months before I died. Shit, I should have know!\" Harry slammed a fist into the top of the coffin. I was worried for a moment that he had broken his hand, but it seemed to be all right.\n\n\"All right, relax,\" I jumped in. \"No one could have known. I'll follow this lead as best I can. I can't guarantee that I won't be back, but I'll try to let you rest.\"\n\nHarry nodded appreciatively, then paused. \"You know what? If it was him, can you bring me back so I can see him? I'd love to give him a good scare.\"\n\nI grinned. \"I'll do my best. But now, it's time for you to rest in peace again.\"\n\nThe man laid down in his coffin again, arms crossed. He cracked an eye open to look at me again. \"Oh, by the way? Next time's twelve.\"\n\nI nodded, then placed my hand on him again. I felt the energy drain from his body and flow back into me. Quietly, I closed the coffin lid again and pulled myself out of the grave. Quickly, I made my way out of the cemetery and made for home, less worried about being seen.\n\nI was anxious to get back. I had to learn what I could about Alan Morello.\n\n/u/TemporaryPatch New Years Resolution Tracker (2019 Edition!): 48/100. Visit /r/TemporaryPatchWrites for more responses and stories!" ]	2
	[WP] People can choose video game abilities in your world. While everyone is fighting for abilities like flight and super strength, you reach for an ability that lets you rage quit and re-enter a situation as you wish...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "There's something beautiful about the way these abilities appeared, like the coming and going of time itself. It's been the standard for centuries--eons actually--since the human race has first appeared, which is still a debatable question to this day. There's always a straight order to the way they come: it's always on April 30th (there seems to be no particular meaning behind the date--it's ironic how the most beautiful and bountiful month becomes the most bloody in a matter of days), tiny, pulsing orbs gliding down from the heavens into the open arms of humankind. \n\nBut humankind is not kind. \n\nIt’s the bloodiest week, the week with the highest crime rate and death rate. These abilities last the rest of a human’s life, and can determine how successful one is later on. It’s a way to gain power, strength, intelligence--it’s something people would kill for. \n\nI stood on my balcony as everyone crowded the streets below me, shoving each other and trampling others. I knew I wasn’t going to win any fights down below, so I opted for just an ability that nobody would want. \n\nAt exactly 12 pm, the pulsating orbs came down from the sky, bright against the dull backdrop of an overcast sky. They looked like deadly stars. \n\nFrom the corner of my eyes, I could see orbs labeled “super strength” and “flight” float past and into the street--and tens of people converged at those spots, each reaching out as far as they could to grasp it. \n\nI sighed, looking at the other orbs floating down. One suddenly caught my eye--it was a smaller orb labeled “quit and enter”, which was incredibly vague. No one seemed to reach for it, since no one seemed to know what the power actually was.\n\nI ran down the stairs of the apartment, jumping three to four stairs at a time, and slammed open the doors of the apartment to find the orb nestled between plants in front of the door. I reached out for it, feeling the warmth of the orb crawl into my body as I touched it. \n\nIt was a comforting feeling, unlike the searing pain others would describe their experience as. \n\n“Move aside!” A man yelled at my direction, and I turned around to see another orb saying “speed” drift past me. The man ran over to me, throwing me to the ground as I felt my nose crack against the ground and bleed. \n\nWhat the fuck is his problem? I thought angrily, before a hologram saying “quit” appeared in front of me. I was curious, and I knew that powers never harmed the user itself--so I pressed it on instinct.\n\nI was instantly transported to a dark room where a series of what looked like videos floating around were presented to me. All were various times in my day, and I gasped with the implication of what this meant.\n\nDid it mean I could re-enter a scene in my day?\n\nI hit the jackpot. \n\nI pressed the one that showed me with my newly gained powers--right before the man came at me. I was transported yet again to where I was just before, and I grinned. \n\n“Move aside!” \n\nI jumped to the side and held out my feet as the man tripped and was the one slamming his face on the ground this time. \n\nI’ll definitely be using this for good purposes. \n\nHa." ]	2
	[WP] An ancient immortal, old beyond memory and wishing for a true death is tracking down someone capable of granting it. The only being in existence powerful enough is an extremely staunch pacifist, absolutely refusing to harm anyone.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Please?\" I begged. I wheedled and whine. I threatened and cajoled. I promised eternal glory and eternal damnation.\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"Me-damnit, man,\" I groaned. \"What's it going to take for a single favor for an omnipotent being? I can't even be considered a living thing, really, so your vows don't really apply!\"\n\nThe monk opened a single eye. In one hand he held a necklace of big red beads, and the other was held vertical to his chest in prayer. He seemed distinctly unbothered by my existence.\n\n\"No.\"\n\nI threw up my arms. Or rather, the arms of my astral projection. I'd outgrown the need for a physical body billions of years ago. I couldn't even remember my own origin story, or how I came to power. Everything before the last billion years was a fuzzy blur, before I figured out how to preserve my own memory. But now I just felt old and ready for whatever death would bring.\n\nI walked away from the monk sitting cross-legged on his yak-haired mat. Just a few feet away,a waterfall ran out into nothingness. The soft howl of winter wind brought in a few crystal flakes and the bite of cold. It smelled like yak milk and stone, two of my least favorite things.\n\n\"Why?\" I moaned. For the first billion years I do remember acting vaguely dignified. Recently, I've given that whole act up - what was the point?\n\n\"Because my instincts tell me something else.\"\n\nI walked back and squatted in front of him. \"Monk, you're telling me what to think? I'm omnipotent, did you forget?\"\n\nHe peaked open his eye again. I could see grooves and knobs in his skin framed by his thick bushy white eyebrows. \"If you were omnipotent, you would be able to solve this yourself.\"\n\n\"Omniscient, then! I've been accumulating knowledge for billions of years! And I'm telling you that-\"\n\n\"Omniscience does not imply wisdom, but simply knowledge.\"\n\n\"You,\" I growled. \"You have some balls, interrupting me. Fine, what do your wise instincts disagree with me on?\"\n\n\"Death is not the next great adventure,\" he said. \"It will not bring you what you're looking for. What you're trying to do is the cowards way out. You're trying to escape.\"\n\nThe rock rumbled under my feet. The white moss crumbled as my rage filtered into the high cave upon which we talked. \"You dare call me a coward, old man?\"\n\n\"If you did not think it to be true, would it anger you so?\"\n\nThe rumbling stopped.\n\n\"I listened to your story,\" he said, rising and walking to the very edge. He looked down and cocked his ear, listening the splash of water. \"Over the eons, you aged and learned and gained power. But it was all for yourself.\"\n\nThat brought a laugh barking out of my astral throat. \"My monk brother, please don't tell me you're about to give me a sermon on hopey-changey stuff, selflessness...\"\n\n\"You gave up on others. You gave up on changing the world for the better. Even now, you can probably hear the hunger pains of a young girl in our village. You can probably sense the impending death of my other monk brother, Shi-fon. You likely know about our community dog, Pow-pow, who died of pneumonia just yesterday.\"\n\n\"Yes, yes, so what? You want me to save them? Will you end me then?\"\n\n\"No,\" he said. \"I cannot end you. Because you know in your heart that the reason you want death is because you curled in on yourself, grew frightened and scared of how much suffering there was in the world. You struggled with the ethical dilemma of whether you ought to help when you had the power to, and you lost.\"\n\n\"You're speaking nonsense,\" I said plainly. \"That ethical challenge has no correct answer. I've written entire dissertations on the matter. I've-\"\n\n\"You lost not because there is a right answer, but because you were not satisfied with the path that you took. You kept your power to yourself, and the guilt wore at you until you came to me.\"\n\nI stopped talking. I looked at the sun bleeding into the tops of the mountains and sighed. \"So...I can't die yet.\"\n\n\"No,\" the monk said. \"You could've mind controlled me into helping you if you wanted to. You didn't come here looking to die. You came looking for a reason to live. Have I given that to you?\"\n\n\"Maybe not in the way my unconsciousness anticipated,\" I admitted. \"Your way is so much harder.\"\n\nHe smiled at me. \"Nothing in life worth achieving is easy.\"\n\n\"You're such a prick.\"" ]	2
	[WP] It is raining outside, and you are stuck in the office with backlogs. Backlogs, in your dimension, are tall monsters who devour people doing overtime work. You need to finish your presentation, and escape the office, so you can close an important deal tomorrow.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I look outside the window, the rain thundering hard against a the roof and the window. I concentrate on the water droplets. I can see the backlogs in the background. Not bothered by the rain. They are tall black creatures. They look like shadows that have escaped their owners, they are thumping up and down the street, looking for the unlucky souls who worked overtime, to eat.\n\n“Come on,” I say to myself, jerking my fists, “come on, we can do this, can I do this?” I have to finish this document, otherwise I’ll be left on the streets for the backlogs to suck on my veins for their supper. They will crunch my bones into dust, they will rip of my skin and then into chewing gum. My organs will be desert.\n\nI carry on typing. Typing. Typing. But I can’t stop worrying about the journey back to my house. My house is around the corner from the workplace, and the backlogs don’t seem to be leaving.\n\nHours later, I hit the send button on my document, I laugh happily to myself, but there are much worse jobs to do, mainly make it to my house alive. I’m at the door, leaning on it, I’m contemplating everything, should I just skip tea? I have to get to my house, maybe it would be better to wait, but before I can stop myself, I open the door.\n\nThe rain is still thundering down, huge heaps of water splashing on me. The street has a dark atmosphere that it never usually has, the place turned from a nice place to a hell hole in a couple of hours. I look around the street, observing the little glints from the windows. I see a store, it’s lights are on. I start to run for the store, right down the street, the water is squishing under my shoes. Then a backlog comes running round the corner, it’s giant eye stares at me. “Your my next meal,” they say.\n\nI start sprinting, feeling my blood being pushed through my veins faster than ever. The creature roses and it’s feet start stomping, getting louder and louder. STOMP STOMP STOMP. Step step step step. The rain is thundering down, making me hyperventilate, I’ve never ran so fast, I was probably getting to the point where I was faster than a car. Jumping over the little potholes in the road. There were cracks in the pavement, I was hopping over them. I see right above me, the monsters jaw opening and bending down, ready to devour me. I burst into the store, I’m surprised the glass didn’t break.\n\nPanting hard, the shopkeeper looks at me. “W...where they there,” he mumbles. I just nod, still panting. My mind is racing, how am I supposed to get to my house now. We both look at each other, asking the same question, what are we meant to do?\n\nI look out the window through the cracks in the shutters, the creature seems to have thumped back down the road. I don’t know which way though. I open the door, the air feels cool on my sweaty skin. I hug the wall, edging closer and closer to my house, I can see it. I remove myself from the safety of the wall and start running to my house, I trip over a couple of times, but make it through my door. That’s when it pops into my head.\n\nI didn’t save the document..." ]	2
	[WP]Once, long ago, you told an old stranger that you wanted to see all there is to see. You had no idea the man was a god, and that he would grant your wish by making you immortal until you've seen everything there is. It was not until recently that you found out he meant the entire universe.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Everyone says they wish they could travel. Or play an instrument or cook. It's just the polite thing you tell sttangers when you're making idle chit chat about what you'd do with you free time if you had any. You would say \"oh if only I had the money\" or \"If only I had the time\". Netiher of which really mattered it was just an easy excuse to put off the reality that you would never explore Italy or perform in a concert or even make that fresh pasta spaghetti recipe sitting in your phones notes. Unfortunately these excuses get old but we still use them. \n\nThe latest victim of my idle conversation about the wonderous things I'd do was particularly pushy about me actually completing them. \n\n\"You know it's never about how much time you actually have? You can take small moments and turn them into the adventures you say you want.\"\nHis quiet but urgent voice threw me off my typical rants about the impossibility of it all. \n\n\"Well, I mean....\"\n\nDidn't he know that the talks we were having were frivolous and only spoken to people who can't hold us to the promises of the plans we make? \n\n\"I just want to do my dreams justice!\"\nThe new reason to put my ideas on layaway jumped out of my mouth in hopes to save face. \n\n\"A few minutes a day or even the occasional weekend just won't provide me that real opportunity to get into the good stuff\" \n\nI sighed heavily with a slight shrug hoping to suggest a well what'll you do about it attitude\n\n\"That's something I've heard so, so many times. Im beginning to think that all this wonderment around you just isn't what you people really want.\"\n\nThe agitation on his face seemed to quickly rise. I felt a small adrenaline rush spike run trhough me. Randos in parks and can switch real fast and put you in a dangerous situation. \n\n\"Oh no yeah I totally see it too. So many people would rather be lazy and stay in their ring of comfort.\"\n\nI hoped my agreeance with him would appease his agitation before it got out of hand. \n\n \"I don't even have to try and I can tell you are being insincere.\"\n\nHis words stung like a wasp to the tongue. Painful and it kept me from bulldozering the conversation in hopes of stopping what I could feel coming. \n\n\"There's the literal world at your doorstep and -NONE! None of you! Take even a second to look at what you can grasp at from arms reach. You're so preoccupied with keeping your mind empty that you won't even look at the sky! The whole sky! I put this place together in the hopes you might see the awe of it all and feel pleased, or the heavens forbid, even blessed to be around these things!\"\n\n\"....put it together?\" \n\nThe confused words slipped from my mouth that had dried in fear of this guy's anger. \n\n\"YES!\" \n\nA small amount of calmness seemed to return to him. \n\n\"Yes, I put it together. And all I want is for you to be happy with the absolute abundance of experiences this universe can provide. Which if that were sitting on your couch watching some show, eating another microwaved meal between shifts at the post office. Then I wouldn't complain. But all you, and everyone else on this planet, do is bitch and moan about how you don't have the time, or the money, or the motivation to pursue what you know will make you happy. I'm just... \nDisappointed.\"\n\nThe shame from the defeated tone he used when talking about my excuses was quickly overtaken by my realization that I never mentioned that I worked at the post office. The description of my home life was spot on too but that could describe most people living in this city. \n\n\"How did you know-\"\n\n\"That you work at the post office, Sam?\"\n\nAs he spoke my name it felt like a nail punching through my skull. As if since he spoke it that it had meaning and power. \n\n\"I told you, I put this all here.\"\n\n\"No.\" I started to hyperventilate. \" No there's no way.\"\n\n\"You know what. You will be my final shot. You act as if time, money. Or the energy to get up and get it done are what's holding you back. I'm going to give you an endless amount of one of those and see where it goes.\"\n\nA horrified giggle escaped me in the form of a question.\n \n\"So infinite money?\"\n\n\"You know that's not what I'm giving you. I'm giving you all the time you need. Infinite time Sam.\"\n\nAs he spoke my name again I felt a strong pulse run from my toes to my head, bursting out of my eyes in an instantaneous migraine. I dropped to the ground and passed out.", "\"How many years has it been ?\", I wondered to myself. Another part of my brain answered, \"Well, When Hitler committed suicide, you were approximately 400 years old, so that makes you around 474-475ish years old\". \n\n\nI got irritated, as I calculated my age. Why? because It's so lonely and exhausting to live now. It took me 300 years to go round the world, slowly observing everything I can see. I have lost many things to this passage of time and with time learnt to never get attached to anything or anyone as they perish along the way. I cried my hearts out when my first wife died and almost took my lungs out when my first son took his last breath. From that time, I have been with countless women, have had countless families from different parts of the world. Now, I have stopped to be with anyone because you see, not everyone can digest that I'm kind of immortal and It hurts every time I have to see my family die before me or leave them so that I do not have to explain them how am I still young and will not die, until God knows what happens.\n\nAt 350 years of age, I was so sure that I have seen everything, as I walk back to the place from where this curse started. I had no idea that stating my wish out loud to that \"old man\", will make me suffer this much. I was just an explorer, loved to travel the world. I loved the Nature and its wonders. I have forgotten many things, but the day I became this way is still etched in my memory. \n\n\nI simply stated that \"I want to see everything before I die\", before a person who met me while I was farming. I shared my food and water with him because he was so frail looking and walking around in tattered clothes. We started to chat, and while talking, I absent-mindedly shared this wish of mine. He smiled after listening and simply whispered, \"So, it shall be granted\". I laughed and let it go. I never knew that this would actually happen to me. \n\n\n.\n\n.\n\n..\n\n would love to expand if I get enough responses to this,", "I saw you standing there.\n\nCompared to me, you were a fly. A fly, perched upon a floating piece of wood, surrounded by a lake that you knew nothing about. You were surrounded by many other life forms that were much bigger than you, but you were always a curious one, weren’t you? Where I saw a potential danger that might snuff you out forever, you saw a friend that was to be protected. Where I saw a cliff too steep to scale, you saw a stepping stone that would bring you to a better tomorrow.\n\nYou easily conquered the ones unlike you. You had a natural talent for that. The matter of your own kind was where you had difficulty. You always seemed to have a better understanding of the world than your counterparts. It was you who first discovered fire, and it was you who discovered the wheel. You were the first to communicate with your brethren, and you were the first to gain an understanding of the stars. You built every cathedral and explored every continent. You brought your brothers together with mass communication. You split the atom.\n\nWhen you uttered the words, “We choose to go to the moon,” I was not surprised that my child had come one step closer to me.\n\nWhen you saw me standing there, you knew that every discovery you made had led you on this path. You looked at the great expanse before you, and you knew I had become inattentive to the rest of the universe. I had put all of my effort toward your growth. It was I who had caused you to look upon a universe full of destitution and internecine conflict.\n\nYou thought it fit to introduce yourself to the stepping stones before you, and as I looked upon what I had created, I couldn’t disagree.\n\n(Thanks for reading! Critiques are welcomed, if not begged for. This is the first piece of writing I've publicly shared on the internet)", "\"Phew, finally finished it. Only took a few hundred years too! Thanks so much for the opportunity!\"\n\n\"Yes, it is nice to have one's work appreciated, but I do wonder what you mean there. You're not finished by a wide margin.\"\n\n\"Sorry? I've seen everything there is to see. I've climbed every mountain, crawled through every crevice, and dived down into the deepest depths. What more is there to see?\"\n\n...\\chuckles\\\n\n\"My friend, you haven't seen even a small margin of the universe I've created. There's so many more works I've placed out amongst the cosmos for you to explore.\"\n\n\"What...?\"\n\n\"You said you wanted to see everything there is to see, did you not? I've made you immortal up until you've seen every masterpiece I've placed in the sky, you're not going to die. I must say, I'm quite looking forwards to getting another set of eyes on those pieces. I've had to refine Earth as it went along, but nobody's ever been up into space to see some of my other work, and I'm curious to see where I could improve.\"\n\n\"But that will take...\"\n\n\"It'll be a while, for sure, but you simply must see it. There's a particularly interesting piece in the Andromeda galaxy that I want you to start with. Most of my work up there is from my earlier years, but I went back to Andromeda to refine it a while back. It's quite a stunning work if I do say so.\"\n\n\"Surely, you don't mean to keep me alive-\"\n\n\"I absolutely do. It's a win for us both. I'll get some critique of my technique and you'll get to see all the wonders like you wanted.\"\n\n\"But, I-\"\n\n\"Come along, friend. We have places to be!\"" ]	5
	[WP] A thief is tasked to steal a key to your heart. He changes drastically and tries to get common interest just to figure out what that key is.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Oh hey, how's it going? That's a nice locket ya got there,\" the thief said to her. He had been tasked to steal the key to her heart locket, or maybe just the locket in general. He just had to get it first.\n\n\"Thanks. I made it myself.\"\n\n\"Is there like a key or something to open it?\"\n\nShe sighed. \"Yeah. I keep it hidden though . . . even though I'm not the best at hiding things . . .\"\n\n\"Huh.\"\n\n\"Why are you asking? Not trying to steal it, are you?\"\n\nShe had caught on to him, hadn't she? \"Nope. I was just interested.\"\n\n\"Sure . . .\"\n\nFor a good thirty seconds, silence was in the air.\n\n\"Well, Imma just get going - \"\n\nThe thief cut her off.\n\n\"No don't!\"\n\n\"Too late. I'm already walking away.\"\n\n'Well darn,' the thief thought to himself. 'Better go chase after her.'\n\nHe caught up to her.\n\nShe sighed. \"Y'know, I'm not as stupid as I might look. It's obvious you're trying to steal my locket.\"\n\n\"Uhhhh - no. I just find it interesting.\"\n\n\"Really now? Why's it so interesting?\"\n\n\"It, uh, looks cool?\"\n\n\"Sure . . .\" She sighed, again. \"Look, if you're trying to steal this - \" She holds up the locket. \"- you have to get better at not acting suspicious.\"\n\n\"So that's how ya figured me out?\"\n\n\"I mean, the first thing you started asking me about was my locket.\"\n\n\"Oh . . .\" He sounded defeated.\n\n\"Look, if you wanna get better at this, you have to slowly ease into the conversation, don't just go: \"Oh hey, how's it going? Nice locket.\" No. That's just weird.\"\n\n\"So how do I do it then?\"\n\n\"Like this.\"\n\nShe walks a few steps away and then comes back.\n\n\"Hey! How's your day been?\"\n\nShe outstretches her hand for a handshake. He shakes it.\n\n\"It's been alright, I guess,\" he answered. \"You?\"\n\n\"Eh, it could be better. Everyone's been so slow today.\"\n\n\"You can say that again. It took me like, twenty minutes just to drive here. My house is only about a thirty-minute walk! It's crazy!\"\n\n\"Yeah! Then everyone is taking forever in the bathroom while a good twenty-five people are waiting outside the actual building!\"\n\n\"Really? Jeez.\"\n\n\"Anyways,\" she started. \"To change the topic, I like your watch. Where'd you get it?\"\n\n\"Oh, thank you! There's a store right around the corner. It was surprisingly cheap, too.\"\n\n\"Neat. Mind if I take a look?\"\n\n\"Sure, I don't mind.\"\n\nHe then proceeded to take off his watch and hand it to her.\n\n\"Wow, this is a nice watch.\"\n\n\"Thanks. A good friend bought it for me. He's a nice guy.\"\n\n\"Oh! What's his name?\"\n\n\"Josh. He lives right down the road from here.\"\n\n\"Well, in that case, tell him that I said hi. He seems really nice.\"\n\n\"Alright. I'll do that.\"\n\nHer phone buzzes and she pulls it out.\n\n\"Oh my. I'm so sorry, my friend needs help moving furniture. She just moved.\"\n\n\"Oh wow. That's nice of you.\"\n\n\"Yup! Well, I gotta go, it was nice meeting you!\"\n\n\"You too.\"\n\nShe then ran away.\n\n\"Huh. She's nice.\"\n\nThe thief looks down at his wrist, looking to see what time it is when he realizes the girl never gave him his watch back.\n\n\"Welp. I just got my watch stolen from a girl I was supposed to steal from. Neat.\"\n\nHe reaches into his pocket to grab his car keys. Nothing's there.\n\n\"And she stole my keys.\"\n\nHe stands there for a good five minutes before walking home." ]	2
	[WP] Humans are well-known for their enthusiasm in genetic engineering. The aliens just have no idea that it is useful in war too.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Disclaimer: This is on mobile, pretend /this/ is italics.\n\n\"Bi-pedal apes have defeated our armies?\" Commander Trite asked, astonished.\n\nHim and his crew were sitting in the navigation room of a space ship. Trite was dissapointed in his armies, defeated by mere humans. The backwater species of the universe.\n\n\"It isn't really our fault, commander,\" Maxwell said, \"They have limitless potential. They have already mastered genetic engineering.\"\n\n\"Yes, I know. We all know. Other than their petty annihilation of themselves, it's their only noteable feature.\"\n\n\"You don't understand, they have /mastered/ it. They show understanding on such a deep level they have integrated technology into their bodies, and this tech isn't normal. It is a bioweapon on its own level. It can force a mutation in its owner, remove their muscle growth inhibitor, give them a higher perception of the world, give them impromptu blades of bone,\" Maxwell looked up at Trite, \"It can kill us all, sir.\"\n\nTrite straightened his back, \"There is a human shuttle headed this way, you know what they are capable of Matthew, should we evacuate?\"\n\nThere was a loud crash accompanied by a shockwave heard throughout the ship, then the screams of the ships crew were heard, alongside gunshots.\n\n\"Check the cameras!\" Matthew yelled, and the window they had just been looking through turned opaque to show security footage.\n\nThere was a single man, well no, you couldn't call it that. It was on all fours, was blue, and had spikes protruding from everypart of it. It had wings, what seemed to be retractable gills, and was so quick the reinforcements barely had any time to react, not like it would make a difference any way. Bullets didn't seem to impair it. Then they heard another bang, and the door seperating them from the monster was throw across the room. \n\n\"You know, you shouldn't have fucked with us.\" It said as it pounced at Commander Trite and Legion Commander Matthew." ]	2
	[WP] Before dying the main character of life changes you from a side character to a/the main character	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "11:40pm, on a Thursday, at a WaWa Convenience Store in rural Pennsylvania- My manager Herb was getting on me about cleaning out the bathroom for the hundredth time this week. I hated cleaning bathrooms. But this was my life, 22 years old, single, and working at WaWa. I suppose there could be worse ways to spend ones life, but I grew up being told I could be anything I wanted. Hell, I even believed those Army ads “be all you can be” but failed out of medical due to a family history of heart issues. I was wrapping up mopping the sticky bathroom floors, trying not to think about the piss I was probably stepping in. Suddenly, I heard the front door chime. I put down the mop to help the customer when a drunk, portly fellow sauntered in, wreaking of booze and looking like he hadn’t seen a bar of soap in years. He stumbled inside and I caught his eye. He pointed at me and mumbled something about an amulet and my destiny. This man was clearly not all there, but I went behind the counter and asked if I could help him. He braced himself against the Doritos display and yelled out in a surprisingly boisterous voice, “YOU are the only one who can help me!”\nAs he spoke, it was as if a strong gust of wind swept me back, albeit a wind of hard liquor and bad breath.\nI braced myself against the tobacco rack when a chill ran through my entire body, a scorching cold akin to frostbite pulsing through my veins. In that instance, the man vanished into dust, and I couldn’t help notice a plethora of visions and memories came flowing to me. I was driven by this new sense of purpose. An indescribable power ran through me, but alas my manager walked in told me to sweep up the new pile of dust on the ground and finish cleanup so we could close.\n\nI couldn’t help but think from that moment on that I had a calling and a purpose. I had to find that purpose....after I finished cleaning and clocked out.\nI woke up the next morning, I assumed it was all a dream. And continued working at WaWa, without giving that night a second thought. I worked there 6 years and 6 years later on the same night, I passed away due to a congenital heart defect." ]	2
	[WP] You're at each others' throats most of the time, but your company sticks together, because ever since that wizard's curse you only age when one of you gets killed.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Another beautiful day at Johnson's, where the Meat's as fresh as a Glacier.\nNo, I didn't write that weird slogan , my Boss did. Dave , that self-centered asshole. It made no sense but it was his choice, and he was the boss. \n\nI sigh. \n\nI have been working at a small fast-food restaurant for the last 80 years or so. For the last five years, I have been called \"Benjamin Yonce\" , before that, \"Moe Zart\". I like to name my new identities after famous musicians. That's right. Here at Johnson's , the staff never changes, only our names do. Why you ask? That is a long story.\n\nBack in the Civil War, my friend Andrew (currently Josh)(who still can't make proper fries after 80 years), the rest of the staff here as well as myself were in the army. One day, we had enough of the fighting and deserted. We fled into the mountains, where we met an old native. He had been attacked by a bear. We tended to his wounds, but couldn't save him. Shortly before he died , he looked at us thankfully and muttered some words in his weird language. We did not think much of it and buried him shortly afterwards. \n\nBut as the years passed, we realized we would no longer age. 20, 30 years and we didn't look a day older. Only when Ben, a big guy from our group with a long, brown beard , was found dead, we suddenly aged 5 years in a matter of seconds. \nAfter that, we decided to stick together so we could watch each others backs and live on. So Dave (blast that bastard for not giving me the raise I so much deserved) who had been our Commander during the war became the leader of our little secret society or rather, company. We started out with Fish, then went into clothing, and now we are selling overpriced Sandwiches.\n\nI sigh again and open the door to the door to the staff room.\n\nTime to finally get that raise." ]	2
	[WP] The FBI agent and the sleep paralysis demon must go to save their mutual friend after he is kidnapped by his former imaginary friend.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns." ]	1
	[WP] A conversation with a stranger in the afterlife waiting room	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"So how was it?\" I asked, glancing over at the man next to me, thumbs twiddling amongst themselves as we both waited before the large angelic door before us. Its faint enchanting glow enough to help ease our nerves.\n\n\"I mean, I guess it was alright?\" He said with a shrug, although after he saw my unimpressed expression he reluctantly adding to his sentence. \"I had a decent life, small family, a loving home and a rather nice house. I guess I enjoyed it as much as the average person did.\"\n\n\"Right but, aren't you going to miss it? These people are gone... what if we never get to see them again?\"\n\n\"Why would you want to see my family?\" He asked, giving me a sideways glance.\n\n\"Thats not what I meant by we... look, just aren't you worried? These people that you loved might be lost to you. I didn't marry, in fact I died rather young.\" I sighed, staring down at my shoes, still dressed the way I was before my untimely death. \"But still I miss them, my family were always so good to me. I just feel like I never got to repay their love.\"\n\n\"People don't love you with the expectation that you pay it back. Loves not a tangible thing... you love because you love, im sure they knew how you felt.\" He said, even striking a small smile, perhaps he sensed my tension and was trying his best to help ease it.\n\n\"Look kid, at the end of the day, the people that loved you, won't stop loving you now that you're gone and you won't stop loving them now that you're dead. If you ask me, theres something beautiful about that.\" \n\n\"Huh.... I guess you're right, but still-\" before I could continue my words, the door before us opened up, its shining light beckoning me to join its embrace. I glanced over to the man waiting for him to get up, yet he never did.\n\n\"You were here before me... aren't you going to go through?\" I asked, never one to cut in front of a line.\n\nThe man just smirked, shaking his head. \"I've been through the door before, many times. My time guiding you has ended. I hope you find comfort through that door.\" The man said as he simply began to fade away, drifting and merging with the glowing light of the door, its warmth only seeming to grow as his own light merged with it. Well guess I couldn't keep hesitating. I took one glance back at the now empty chair as I began to depart through the door.", "\"Death sucks,\" I said, breaking the silence. During my short time on earth, I'd never enjoyed awkward pauses in conversation, and that seemed to hold true now as well.\n\nMy companion blinked a few times and cleared his throat. \"That about sums it up,\" he agreed.\n\nI'd only had a brief moment to contemplate the termination of my earthly tenure in the white void I now floated in before a literal angel appeared in front of me. His wings were far larger than I'd anticipated, spanning almost twenty feet in length. Glowing white feathers fluttered, almost pulsing with glory, matching his pure white robes. He'd informed me that, yes, I was now dead. No, I couldn't see my family. No, I couldn't see my dog. Yes, I had to wait here for a bit while they processed my paperwork. And then poof - he was gone as if he'd never existed.\n\nA few hours - or perhaps days - later, another person popped into reality next to me. He was dressed in a smartly cut suit without a single wrinkle, and the fabric of his tie looked like it cost more than my net worth. We sized each other up before settling into an amicable silence. It was like we were standing in an elevator, listening to the artificially bland music and trying not to make eye contact.\n\n\"So,\" I continued. \"What happened to you?\"\n\nHe hesitated, as if gathering his thoughts. \"An elevator accident, I think. We had just opened a new office, and I wanted to get in bright and early. You?\"\n\n\"I drowned in a river,\" I admitted. \"Not the most dignified death.\"\n\n\"Ouch.\" My temporary companion straightened his tie with a shudder. \"Any idea how long we're here for?\"\n\n\"No clue,\" I sighed. \"An angel said that they were processing my paperwork, whatever that means.\"\n\n\"An angel!\" he said, a smile stretching across his face. \"Does that mean that we're...?\"\n\n\"Who knows?\" I said. \"Were you a good person in your life? Who the hell knows what the deal is with heaven or hell, anyways? Maybe it's just this forever.\"\n\nThe businessman scratched his unkempt beard, which was the only thing out of place in his whole outfit. \"Well, I was a philanthropist. I raised millions for charity, founded a few orphanages...hopefully they take that into account.\"\n\nI felt a pit sink in my stomach. What an accomplished person. \"I, er, was pretty decent myself.\"\n\n\"Oh, yeah?\"\n\n\"Yeah,\" I lied. \"I was more of a get-in-the-weeds kind of person. I did volunteer work in Honduras and Nicaragua, and ended up slaving away at a nonprofit until I died. I probably didn't get as much done as you, but-\"\n\n\"No, no,\" he interrupted. \"That's amazing! I mean, I wish I'd done that kind of thing, you know? The world needs more people like you. There's so little recognition, and yet you still do the best you can. I'm sure you'll be in heaven, if there is such a thing.\"\n\n\"Oh, come on,\" I said. \"Where do you think the world would be if the wealthy sponsors like you withheld money from the needy? You probably touched the lives of so many people. You might not have seen any of their faces, but you've improved their lives immeasurably. Like a ripple effect, that kind of deed spreads.\"\n\nWe both laughed and exchanged more small talk. I felt so guilty the whole time. Why was I lying even in the afterlife? What did I have to gain? The truth was, I'd led a somewhat mediocre life. It's not like I'd killed anyone or jaywalked, I just sort of kept to myself. But this man, he worked so hard! The small, cold pit of regret began forming in my gut.\n\nTwo brilliant angels appeared without warning, smiling beatifically at us. \"It's time,\" they said in unison. \"Please take my hand.\"\n\n\"Well,\" I said to my companion. \"I guess this is it. See you later?\"\n\nHe grinned. \"Yeah. See you later.\"\n\nThe next thing I knew the angel and I were sitting on a park bench in an open field. There weren't any other people around as far as I could see. Birds chirped and chattered over the burbling stream that ran next to us. He turned to me, but I beat him to the punch.\n\n\"I know what you're going to say,\" I said in a rush. \"I know I wasn't a good person. Heck, I wasn't even religious. But I want to be, you know? And I know that you probably get that all the time, but just give me a second chance. Please! I can do so much better.\"\n\n\"You lied to that man,\" the angel said in a timeless, breathless voice that reverberated in my eardrums. \"What makes you think you *can* be better?\"\n\n\"I may have lied,\" I argued, \"But I wanted it to be true. He was a real hero, you know? He made me feel like I could be better. Please give me another chance. I swear you won't regret it. All those things I said, I'll make them a reality!\"\n\nThe angel folded his hands over his lap glancing up at the cloudless sky. Dandelion puffs drifted through the air, and he blew on one absentmindedly. \"I suppose I could activate one of our reincarnation protocols. Your life as it was is now over, but I can recycle your spirit into a new body. It wouldn't have your memories or life experiences, but I can let you keep your inclination towards good. In other words, these memories of the afterlife with that other man will swim in your subconsciousness.\"\n\nI fell on my knees, clutching his robes. \"I won't disappoint you. I promise. Even if I don't remember, even if it isn't me...I wish I had been a better person. Will be, I mean. I will be a better person this time around.\"\n\nThe angel snapped his fingers, and everything blurred white.\n\n\\~\\~\\~\n\n\"So, Michael,\" the right angel said. \"How did it go?\"\n\n\"Never gets old\", Michael said. \"The potential for two humans to inspire each other never ceases to amaze me. Even if their mutual determinations are founded in lies.\"\n\n\"Even if neither of them were any good in life?\"\n\n\"Even then, Peter. That's why we have the reincarnation protocol, after all. Human potential is a precious thing, and second chances are rare.\"" ]	3
	[WP] You're a soldier in the middle of WWIII. But the thing is, no one remembers how the war started, or why they're fighting	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Hey sarge?\" I muttered, poking my head up from behind cover, the older man quickly smacking my head back down as a barrage of hot lead drifting overhead, coating the wall in a weird black goo, one that was making quick work of the metallic wall behind us, its acidic properties enough to eat through metal. One could only imagine what it would do to a poor human.\n\n\"Are you fucking asking for an acid moneyshot son?\" He asked, shaking my head with his meaty bear like hands, dragging it back and forth before finally giving it a smack against the cold floor.\n\nIt took awhile for my skull to start rattling before I focused back on the man. \"Sorry sarge... look I just... why are we fighting? Who are we fighting. I asked one of the others but...\"\n\nThe Sargent raised a hand stopping me. \"So you pick now? When we are under heavy fire to bring the subject up?\" He asked, a stern yet somewhat kind gaze. It was hard to find caring people in this hellhole. Most would just send you to run off into the abyss while they sat behind the lines shining their metals. Not Sarge. No sarge was a mean fucker, the sort of person that would drag you through hell and back by his bare teeth if he had to. He kind of reminded me of those war heroes you read about in the past, although that was so many centuries ago, in fact WW3 was something we all joked about, well at least thats what they say, I was only a kid when this shitshow started.\n\n\"Sorry Sarge its just... the people I were discussing it with... well... they are gone, its just us and so... I don't wanna die never knowing.\" My words weren't as confident anymore, fighting with my lips to keep them from wavering. They were all dead, a squad of eighty.. dead in minutes, leaving me and this old man held up in a dusty factory. \n\n\"I see, some comfort before passing over? You know I have no intention of letting you die right? But if it makes this whole process easier, I guess we have a moment before everything starts up again. The machines shoot in ten minute intervals and we missed our next moment to jump so we will be waiting a little longer.\" \n\nThe Sarge began to undo his pocket, getting out a smoke. His finger raised towards the end of the smoke, his finger growing a dark red before producing a small spark.\n\n\"You have cybernetics? I asked, never having seen one personally. In fact I had only heard stories about them. I leant in a little closer before Sarge pulled his finger away, returning it to its usual tanned color.\n\n\"Augmentation Runt... cybernetics are different, or so im told.\" He shrugged. \"Anyway-\" as he went to speak a wave of blasts fired overhead, each one spilling more of that sickening liquid, the goo dropping down, it was getting closer, next time they wouldn't miss and it was obvious that Sarge knew that considering how quickly he began to huff down the smoke.\n\n\"The War was started by a man called Vincent Ralip. A man who enjoyed the more violent era's of our history. He got bored of our 'perfect' he said making sure to add sarcasm to the word. \"World and decided we needed more chaos, so he reprogrammed a bunch of our machines and some of the augmented folks and began his rampage. By the time we were ready to fight back the world had gone to shit, now we are merely fighting back for control.\" Sarge said before tossing his smoke into the black gooey bile, pulling me up to my feet. \"Well, lets get moving.\"\n\nOf course I had more questions but that would wait, we had to move and it seemed the Sarge wasn't in any mood to begin speaking again. As we ran towards the next room, I began to grow suspicious of the man that was my so called superior. It seemed the other rookies were right, they were telling us all different things. Giving us a different face to fight, wanting to hide the real target. Although I hardly had time to fuel my conspiracy theory, at least not yet." ]	2
	[WP] The hero(ine) of this story has been sent not to save the kidnapped princess, but to kill her.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The news of the biggest crime in the Kingdom spread like the plague. The princess, the idol of purity and beauty loved by all, was kidnapped by the neighbor Empire during a diplomatic meeting on their lands.\n\nIt shocked us all, so when the King himself called upon me to rescue her, I couldn't be prouder to respond to his wishes. Now I kneel before him inside the castle's throne room. After many years of serving his Majesty and the Royal Family, I would gladly accept his quest.\n\n\\-Sir Knight, thou art an example of a noble warrior of the kingdom, no, a hero would be better after all your doings for this land and its people. Thou know the reason I called thee here, no?\n\nAs I listened to his Majesty's solemn words, tears almost came out of my eyes but I endured. I recalled that scene when I was just a little boy and told my parents I would be the best knight the Kingdom had ever seen. Mom... Dad, please watch over me now.\n\n\\-Yes, your Majesty.\n\n\\-Then thee knows thou mission.\n\nThe king stood up and walked with slow steps towards me, descending from the stairs. I felt the time when his sword was placed over my shoulder, just like the time when I recite the oath I made to protect the Kingdom from any evil deed.\n\n\\-Sir Knight, the princess is in peril and thee art the only one I can ask this. Does thee accept this task?\n\n\\-Yes, your Majesty!\n\n\\-Don't matter how dangerous and deadly this mission is, would you complete it with all your might?\n\n\\-Yes, your Majesty!\n\n\\-Then, it's decided...\n\nHis sword, a beautiful blade with ornaments made from the finest jewels and leather, gently tapped my shoulders as he continued his dialogue.\n\n\\-So I, the King, request you, Sir Knight, to go to the neighbor Empire, find the princess and then...\n\n\\Rescue her\\ I whispered in a low voice as I couldn't contain my excitement anymore. His Majesty took a deep breath as he gripped his sword with both hands and pierced the blade down the ground. Then, the King unleashed his voice full of authority and honor.\n\n\\-Kill her!!!\n\n\\-Yes, your Majesty!\n\nThe mission was accepted! I will go on a journey to the Empire in order to rescue our precious Princess and then I will... what?\n\n\\-Huh...?\n\n\\-Is something to matter?\n\n\\-Your Majesty, I don't think I heard it well in the end. Could you please repeat it?\n\nNo, I must be wrong here. My excitement must had interfered with my ability to listen.\n\n\\-Sure. Go find the princess and kill her.\n\nI wasn't wrong!\n\n\\-But, your Majesty! It's the Princess! The idol of the Kingdom! The union between you and the Queen! Your precious daughter of seventeen-years-old! I think she must have been abused or something alike, but there is no need to be this harsh!\n\n\\-Actually, about that... - His Majesty looked away from me with a complicated expression on his face. -Truth to be told, she is the daughter... of a concubine.\n\n\\-A what?! - I shouted back at him, forgetting he was the King for a moment.\n\n\\-Look, I was drunk one or two times and she seemed like a nice lady, so I went with the flow and... Anyway! This is not important right now! You have your task now go!\n\nHis Majesty turned his back at me and went up the stairs. I trembled still on my knees. Never had I felt like this before.\n\n\\-Your Majesty I... I can't accept this! - I stood up - This is... I mean, you did something wrong and it's true that you have other daughters as well, but she is the oldest one, the one the citizens know for a longer time. If she were to die, then...\n\n\\-Look, Sir Knight, I need to be honest with you...\n\nThe King slowly turned towards me with his head. On his face, he bore an expression I knew very well from other soldiers on the battlefield I fought: despair.\n\n\\-The Queen recently learned the Princess was not her daughter and is now planning to leave me if she is gone for good.\n\n\\-But... she raised her all those years! I bet there must be some sort of... wait, did you said she only learned recently?\n\nI didn't meet with the Queen very often as she spent more time inside her room, but the times I saw her my breath was taken away by her beauty and grace. She didn't speak one word to me, but the soft smile she gave me almost made me kneel right there for her.\n\n\\-You see... she is the daughter of a noble that didn't let her learn anything she didn't need to learn... including... bed activities... So when I told her babies would be given by a goose when our love grew, she believed and then...\n\nWhat... what is this...? The image I held in high regard about the royalty... the King, my Majesty, the one who appointed me with a knighthood, the noblest man in the world... is falling apart...\n\n\\-So... all the princess are...\n\n\\-Yes, but she doesn't know about them! Yet...\n\n\\-Your Majesty...\n\n\\-Yes, Sir Knight?\n\n\\-I quit!!!\n\nI can't do this anymore! If I learn anything else about the royal family, I swear I will change for worse! All those years of training and hard work... the scars all over my body... it was all for a big lie!\n\n\\-Wait, Sir Knight! - Seeing me walking away, the King jumped at my legs and held them. - Please, don't go! You are the only one I can give this task to! If anyone else learns about this, the Kingdom would fall apart!\n\n\\-The Kingdom was already rotten before I came here! I can't do it! Not this time! - I shouted, trying to separate the King from my legs.\n\n\\-But Sir Knight! You are my last hope!\n\n\\-A no is a no! I can't do it!\n\n\\-Argh!\n\nFinally breaking free, I ran to the door, wishing to get out of this nonsense once and for all.\n\n\\-Very well... you leave me no choice.\n\nI placed my hands on the door as the King got up behind me, cleaning the dust on his robes from falling down the ground.\n\n\\-If you don't take this task, you will be branded as a traitor and be executed!\n\nI stopped.\n\n\\-What is that now?\n\n\\-You heard me. If you don't do it, I will claim you betrayed the Kingdom and soon you will be executed.\n\nI froze. The King was looking at me with a smug on his face. I looked at him in disbelief.\n\n\\-Well, I will take your silence as a no and will have a reunion with the Captain of the guards to say you betrayed the Kingdom. \n\nWith his Majesty going up the stairs, I dropped my shoulders and could feel a tear coming out of my eye. Not from sadness but of a disappointment. I raised my hand and said to him without lifting my face up.\n\n\\-I will gladly accept... your Majesty...\n\nAnd this is how I got to kill the Princess of the Kingdom I serve.", "He was tired. Defeated. He didn't know why he kept going back for her, but everytime something happened it had to be him who saved her. Every. Damn. Time.\nHe doesn't want to do it anymore. He asked me to help. I tried to explain my services to him, the costs of everything... He wasn't interested. I recognized the look in his eyes. It was the look of someone who had lost their purpose and was on the verge of losing their life. \nHe gave me a large bag of coins, more than double what I charge, and said, \"Just take care of it. I can't live like this anymore\". He turned and walked away.\n\nThe castle was only a day's travel away. She'd be expecting him. She has always been so damn careless.\nUnfortunately for her, Mario wasn't coming to save her life this time. I was going to save his.", "The legend of the royal family is that they brought unity, order, stability, and prosperity to Mokshan after the great storm. Their rule is the anchor that prevents the topsoil remaining from being swept away, the rivers from drying up further, and the peasants from rioting, starvation, and cannibalism. They will bring back the glorious past when food plants grew that humans could eat, the gods will return, and lives will be longer based on the secret knowledge their rule is uncovering about the past.\n\nAccording to vizier Farnish, the first of the line was a canny merchant who found that one of the few weeds that grows on our mountainsides could be fed to captured birds. By monopolizing egg production, by forcing starving workers to grow scatterseed to exchange for eggs or birds, by using armed bands to control the seasonal river waters; the royal family created a system of power in a time of chaos and death. The vizier's primary role is to lie to the royals and tell them that their rule is improving the land. He tells them that their serfs are better fed than they've ever been and that the soil is darkening and growing more fertile. The richness of the land is returning and the royal family is divinely favored.\n\nIt is my job to ensure that the peasants do not encroach on the royal monopoly, it is my job to make examples of peasants who would might create new power structures, and it is my job to tell the royal family that their rule is loved. I let peasants hunt rabbits so that they do not starve, but any sort of agriculture outside of royal control leads to burnt villages, bloody spears, and bleached skulls. I am the arm of justice and truth. I am the honored second of the royal guard.\n\nThe capture of princess Leandra by brigands was not my fault. The third of the royal guard, a royal cousin, and several of his men were dispatched as her body guards. The lowlanders sent a messenger with a bag containing a lock of her hair and the head of her cousin. They demand water rights to the river and that we remove our dam. They demand a brood of birds and a bag of scatterseed. They invite the royal family to attend her wedding on the coming full moon.\n\n\"Spear, whom do you serve?\" the first of the royal guard asks me.\n\n\"I serve the throne, I serve the gods, and I serve the soil of Mokshan,\" say I.\n\nVizier Farnish and Prince Densch, Leandra's younger brother, walk out of the shadows.\n\nFarnish asks me, \"Do you think the gods favor the lowlanders stealing the blood of our land and taking our throne?\"\n\n\"I do not know the will of the gods, for I am not a royal. Our land will wither without our water and we will loose our power over the peasants should the lowlanders take our birds and seed. I fear that the time of privation and suffering will return,\" I say.\n\nPrince Densch smiles. He puts his hand on the vizier's shoulder. \"The crown will be sending four men to bring the birds and seed to the wedding,\" he says, raising an eyebrow, \"I have visions of a future land better organized and better fed. Perhaps, it will be necessary to raise forces to take the lowlands under our rule. It is said that they grow clustergrain in their soil and that their soldiers eat bread.\"\n\nThe first of the royal guard looks at me and asks, \"Will we bow to the lowlanders or will they bow to us under the rule of one chosen by the gods?\"\n\n\"How shall Mokshan best proceed my lord?\" I ask the prince bowing. My eyes twitch to vizier Farnish.", "The Knight rides furiously, followed by his squire, towards the castle. It seems to draw the nights blackness, even the moonlight afraid to touch the black stone walls. He rides with purpose, with a mission from his King.\n\n\"Sir?\" The boy asks. The Knight waves his hand for silence. He has too much to focus on. The King himself offered the task, a task that would make the Knight a Lord. Songs would be sung about him, he would be the greatest hero in the land. His pockets would be heavy with coin for an eternity.\n\nYes, the Knight was to climb to the tallest spire of the highest tower and find the princess.\n\nHe would not fail this task.\n\nThe boy rode hard on the Knight's heels, wondering if this wasn't the stupidest idea he'd ever heard.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIn the tallest spire of the highest tower, there is a window. A rather mundane affair, as windows go, a simple lattice work piece of glass that opens out and closes in at the whim of the occupant.\n\nIn this room there is a bed. A desk, a chair. It is a room, after all. It is not spacious nor is it small. It is tidy and well kept. The sheets are crisp, laundered daily. Food is delivered on a silver platter, made from the freshest local produce.\n\nOf course, none know this but the servants. Servants that cannot speak, but for the butler. Jenkins is his name. Long has he attended the needs of the tower's occupant.\n\nLong, long time. Jenkins is dead. Sort of.\n\nSee, the tallest spire of the highest tower is rather unique. The sole occupant of the castle, breathing one, is kept there. The castle itself is made of black stones piled together in grim display. Gargoyles dot the ledges and windows, faces carved in permanent grimaces of pain or terror or rage.\n\nThe drawbridge lays down but the pooling lava below gives many an adventurer pause. Bones strewn about the courtyard, having been picked clean by ravens where not boiled by Jenkins. Discarded armor in stages of rust litter the ground for the bolder treasure seekers. Some ornate, some simple, all once housed a living soul.\n\nSouls that, when not adding to the decor, assist Jenkins in his duties. Skeletal farmers raise chickens that peck at bony hands, root out vegetables from the fertile enriched earth behind the larder. Guards in their formidable armor patrol hallways, skulls clacking with each step, swords hanging loose from belts tied through an open hip bone or strapped to a rib cage. Of course, the most fearsome guardian of the tower is no more than a silvery raven.\n\nA raven currently perched on the shoulder of the Princess.\n\nShe wears, as she does on Mondays, a blue robe. Her fingers deftly practice the motions of ancient spells when not sewing yet another wall decoration showing off her artistic talents. Her most recent scene is one of an ogre tearing an armored knight if half.\n\n\"Delightful, Mistress.\" Jenkins says, fetching an empty tray from her room. His face is stuck at half rotted, one eye missing but the ever colored a sharp red.\n\n\"Where shall we hang it, dear Jenkins?\" She asks, admiring her handiwork.\n\n\"It would catch the light just right in the east wing, perhaps.\" Jenkins says, handing the empty tray to a guard that toddles off balancing the thing on wrists of polished bone.\n\n\"My thoughts exactly, Jenkins.\" She says, pleased with her work. She stands, stretches, and peers into the darkness beyond her tower. Where a small light, a lantern light, jostles in the hands of someone on horseback.\n\n\"Oh Jenkins, company!\" She says, clapping her hands.\n\n\"Yes miss, shall I have a welcome prepared?\"\n\nShe cups her hands around one eye and whispers something to herself, taking in the adventurer that has come to her rescue. This man is full of himself, cocksure. He swaggers to the bridge, not bothering to look for traps.\n\n\"Not this one, Jenkins. I think this one wouldn't carve his way from a paper bag.\"\n\n\"Indeed, miss. I shall forgo the welcome party. Ring me if in need.\" With a courteous bow, Jenkins the half rotted butler, takes his leave.\n\nAnd the damsel of distress cracks her knuckles.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe Knight, for he is a Knight with the most capital of Ks, does not look for traps when he crosses the bridge. Luckily the tripwire has been left undone for him, or he would have been pierced by a bolt the size of a horse and his quest would have failed.\n\nHe kicks the wicket gate, a rusted lock holding little challenge for him, and enters the castle grounds. He finds no skeletal guards to meet him, simply piles of bones to his left and right, piled around armor.\n\nThe Knight more carefully enters the main hall, pushing open a wooden door on hinges that are perfectly oiled so they squeal but don't stick. Here he finds his first foe. Two shambling skeletons rise from their chairs, wielding rusty maces, jaws open in silent screams. They swing wildly, easily dodged and cut down with a few swings of his sword.\n\nNo foe stands before the Knight!\n\nHe races up the tower stairs, breathing heavily as he does. Knights are the worst, she thinks, watching his progress. They're loud and slow.\n\nBut, she notes his movements. He is uncomfortable in armor. Unused to it. Ah, perhaps...\n\nShe does not finish the thought before her door bursts open under a boot! The Knight steps in, all confidence, sheathing his sword and kneeling low.\n\nShe steps to him.\n\n\"Princess!\" He says, crooning, \"I come to save you!\"\n\n\"My hero.\" She says, watching him. He bows his head to take her offered hand, to kiss it and sweep her off her feet.\n\nBut the bowed head is a distraction. His hand slips under the plate armor to the small of his back. He makes big movements with his head, with one arm, movements to trick the eyes. Perhaps the hand is for balance, in all that armor.\n\nPerhaps that is why he shifts his weight onto his heels, readying to take her hand and steal her away.\n\nOr his weight shifts because he will take her hand and pull her down, destroying her balance. Without balance she will fall, be unable to cast on him, she will fall onto the secret blade dipped in some formidable toxin.\n\nNo Knight but a rogue! She sees through the facade. Of course. It was not a very good disguise. When he moves to pull he she is ready. She falls, faster than he expected, rolling under him and kicking out his leg. He yelps, falls on the ground in all that heavy armor.\n\n\"Disappointing, my father used to have better assassins.\" She says, taking his wrist in an iron grip and crushing the bones. He screams in pain, drops the blade, and tries to spit at her.\n\nShe smacks his nose with the palm of her free hand, shattering it.\n\n\"More come!\" He growls through blood and pain, trying to play tough as his death approaches. She slides the blade between the armor plates, under his ribs. The formidable toxin does what it is meant to and his eyes lose their light.\n\n\"Yes, more will come, valiant hero.\" She says, standing and leaving the blade. One of her power does not require a blade. Not the daughter of a Mage King. \"But your story is done.\n\n\"Jenkins!\" She calls, the butler appearing with haste. Her former jailer, Jenkins. Once a battle mage of incredible power, cunning, skill.\n\nKilled by a fish bone. Revived by the Princess.\n\n\"Miss?\"\n\n\"Fetch the carts.\"\n\n\"Adding him to the pile?\" Jenkins asks, two of his skeletal servants dragging the dead \"Knight\" from the room.\n\n\"No Jenkins.\" She looks out the window of the tallest spire in the highest tower, longingly to the distant glow of a kingdom that had long since forgotten her. \"I think it is time to lodge a complaint with the king about the abundance of assassins in this castle.\"\n\n\"At once, miss.\" Jenkins bowed low, his red eye glinting.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOutside the castle, a young rogue waiting for his mentor to return watched in horror as his mentor did just that. His mentor's eyes were bright red and his body moved unnaturally, a knife blade just visible below his armpit. Though it wasn't so much his mentor that horrified the boy.\n\nIt was the gargoyles tearing themselves free of the black stone walls, enormous beasts brought to life. It was the shambling horde of adventurers and knights and rogues and cutthroats that came through the gates, at their head a half rotted man in black and red robes of the Mage Guard. It was the flocks of ravens, some live and some less so, flooding into the sky cawing as they spread out to the various villages within walking distance.\n\nIt was all this that caused the boy to throw himself on his horse, sparing one glance back at the gate.\n\nHe saw her. She saw him.\n\nShe smiled, winked, waved.\n\nAnd he knew, he knew with all his heart the truth of the matter. It was the stupidest idea he'd ever heard, to kill a princess. Now was the time for smart choices.\n\nSo he made the smart choice.\n\nHe spurred his horse to a gallop and ran like hell." ]	5
	[WP] Since the beginning of time humans wondered if Aliens existed. I now know the truth. We are the aliens. Humans were once an intergalactic warmongering clan. The Galaxy collectively fought back and banished us to Zone 2. Wrapped in magic and guarded heavily we can’t escape.Well that just changed	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It was as if every question we ever had about the mysteries of life and the universe had suddenly been answered. There was a collective recollection of who we used to be, and our place among the stars. We had been banned and stripped of all knowledge 25,000 years ago for being one of the most feared species in the universe. The great war that decided our fate was one that leveled planets and collapsed societies. We were an honorable war species. We didn't kill the innocent, and we never went to war without a reason. Very few intelligent species were a match for us. No others had the strategies, the team work, the willpower and the savagery to conquer every planet they came across. We possessed an unnatural talent for war and we used it to our advantage.\n\nThe great war of fate was us against the next top 100 war species. We were outnumbered 50 to 1 and yet we never gave up, and we put up a hell of a fight. It's a wonder they didn't decide to fully exterminate our species given our reputation. But the intergalactic code is strictly against extinction, especially if it was done on purpose. And so we were banned to a Category 7 planet, a hostile yet habitable planet. We weren't supposed to make it 1,000 years let alone 25,000 years. It seemed every time we made it a thousand years our intelligence doubled, allowing us to advanced in every way available to us. \n\nThat brings us back to the current moment. The Large Hydron Collider was trying to create anti-matter. It sent an EMP around the planet, and beyond apparently. For seconds later after plunging the earth into darkness. Humanity felt united, recognizing that every war we had fight, and political stand off we experienced was for nothing. We were no longer our own enemy, we were the enemy off 100 different species beyond our solar system, and we wanted our revenge. Immediately the world started rebuilding, and within 10 years we had perfected all there was to perfect. Starships capable of withstanding supernovas, a medical procedure that stops aging and enhances the human body, creating the perfect warrior. weapons that were science fiction decades ago. \n\nAnd so humanity took its societies to the stars. Creating Frigates that could house Five hundred million people at a time. Recreating maps of our universe we were forced to forget millenias ago. Rebuilding an army that once conquered and ruled the better part of the universe. We set out to take back what was once ours, peace was not an option and it all started with being forced into forgetfulness and loneliness 25,000 years ago out of spite and fear...", "\"It's called, Voyager,\" the magistrate announced to the global collective. \"In it, we see a curious thing: recordings etched into a disk, and the disk itself has human shapes, almost identical to our own.\"\n\nI sat, curious. We weren't alone in the universe? That was beyond interesting to hear. For eons, the question was long since thought to be answered. The Great Filter was, indeed, real, and any life that did occur was impossible to reach outwards to make itself known before dying out.\n\nIn all honesty, all of our scientists eventually hypothesized that not only would life have to evolve to a sentient point, but also do so concurrently, which was, as far as probability went, near impossible.\n\nI voiced my opinion as I stood, \"Did their planet of origin happen to be attached? How old is this object?\"\n\nThe magistrate smiled, \"in a great surprise to the scientific community, the object is actually only eighty years old.\"\n\n\"Eighty!?\" I heard shouts and murmurs.\n\nAnother man stood, \"What means of travel did it reach us? Sub-light? Light speed? An object traveling at the speed of light would appear younger than it truly is.\"\n\nThe Magistrate smiled, \"Oh, no not at all, the fuel was all but spent, this object traveled by small gas thrusters and must have been launched into the galaxy by sheer gravity assistance.\"\n\nI asked again, \"Do we know the planet's origin?\"\n\nThe Magistrate motioned to a large hologram in the center of the room, where it displayed a local view of our galaxy, \"We found the origin star here, it is known as 'Sol'.\"\n\n\"No!\" an older man stood.\n\nI rolled my eyes. It was Hephate. He was the oldest member of the chamber, by far the most superstitious.\n\n\"The dark ones were banished there! The Warmongers! We must remain far from them! We cannot investigate them! They will kill us all!\" he whimpered, sitting down, his old bones rattling as he did so. The man was easily three hundred years old, I doubt he had more than a few decades left in him.\n\n\"Enough!\" The Magistrate sighed, \"the ramblings of some ancient fairy tale will not be considered in this great hall! Yes, we all know of the 'Demons of Sol', the old tales of warmongering peoples who were sentenced to Hell in a far off land, but these people, though from the same star system, are not from the same planet.\"\n\nThe hologram zoomed in, showing a massive star and a few rocky planets orbiting it. One of them far too close, the second on the edge of what anyone could call survivable, and the next two within a livable distance of the star.\n\n\"All the old fables say the warmongers were sent to this world,\" he motioned to the second planet, \"which is nonsense, long-range scans show the planet is entirely uninhabitable.\"\n\n\"They destroyed it!\" Hephate shouted, \"They destroyed that world and moved to another! I tell you, this is folly!\"\n\nThe Magistrate ignored him, \"The third world here, from Sol, is where the planet originated. The inhabitants call it 'Terra'.\"\n\nI looked to the image. While there was not much land, there was plentiful water on the planet, that should have at least enabled decent life to establish itself, though the population had to be a major concern with such limited landmass.\n\nThat's when the Magistrate looked to me, \"Samson? I want to send you on a mission of the first contact. You'll be bringing medical supplies only, and I want you to consider this a humanitarian mission.\"\n\n\"I'll do my best sir, and I'll report back everything I find.\"\n\n....\n\nThat was two years ago. Ever since I landed, I've been imprisoned. If this message gets out, please, listen to Hephate! He was right! Right about everything! These people even battle within themselves! They kill one another, they devastate their own land with abandon! I beg you, do not send the fleet! Do not engage them! Their medical technology, their transportation technology, it is all nothing compared to ours! But their weapons? I have never seen such horrible devices of war! Invincible land vehicles, unmanned flying attack drones, Ships able to carry enough ammunition to level an entire fleet! Nuclear missiles! Yes, you heard that right, they split the atom, and their first instinct with this grand discovery was to weaponize it first! They're mad! All of them! If the fleet comes for me, it will be decimated! We must leave them be! They can't reach us, I destroyed my ship to ensure it! All they need is the means to travel the stars, and if they do they will conquer us all! Do not engage [them](https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Guardian_Temple/)!" ]	3
	[WP] You love storytelling. If you could create engaging stories for the rest of your life you would. It really does suck that everything you say becomes fact though. Have to keep things moderate or you risk changing the world drastically.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "'Do you need some help with your homework?' my mum asked as I started to empty my backpack. 'Not sure yet. I need to look back at the subject… oh no, not this again.'\n\n'You're not very fond of this teacher, are you?'\n\n'Let me just read this aloud. What do you like in people you would consider your friends and how has it become important to you? Welp. At least he didn't ask me what I'd like to do when I grow up', I grumbled.\n\n'I think I know why you're feeling uncomfortable. I can't believe how much the schools are still behind when it comes to the pupils' privacy.'\n\n'Thanks Mum. No worries. I think I've got an idea. And I don't even need to make up too much.'\n\nWhen I visited my little cousin a couple of months ago, I was not sure if hanging out with her friends was a good idea. Even if I did not look 'too old and boring' to them, I was afraid they saw me as an extension of their pal rather than a separate person.\n\nAs we were talking about our hobbies, I tried to calm down and listened. They really had fun sharing and remembering their anecdotes! I cheered for them, deeply relieved. I did not feel like an intruder anymore—I noticed how my own penchant for telling stories could be appreciated, not dismissed. In fact, one of the kids was interested in what it feels like to be fifteen, and I understood that my emphasis on common traits was somewhat out of touch. By avoiding the differences, I was just as stubborn as the people I used to be afraid of.\n\nI am so thankful for this day. What seemed to be yet another social interaction gave me much insight about the way I think and what I could improve. Having fun with friends feels good, but learning something from them seems even more valuable, whether they are aware of it or not. Hopefully, I will find an opportunity to—\n\nI paused to check time. An SMS from Sabbie?\n\nHi, woulda like to visit us this weekend? We've got a treehouse lately! So neat I think it's magic! U need to take a look!!!\n\nIt might be just a text message, but I could see she has never been so enthusiastic. I am happy for her. The house is normal, though.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\n\nFirst time there, and perhaps late to the party. Hello! :) English is my second language and I am not sure I am familiar with all the formatting. \nShameless edit: I used \"even\" twice in a sentence through different meanings of the word, fixed" ]	2
	[WP] Yesterday was the first ever manned test of a faster than light interstellar ship. The exercise consisted of going from earth to moon. Everyone on earth was watching. At the end of the countdown, ship's warped. Months have now passed and we still haven't figured where they went.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "SHUTTLE EXPLODES\n\nAll 7 crewmembers are presumed dead\n\nBy HOWARD BYRNESTIEN\n\nAssociated Press - 16 September 2039\n\n\\-------------------------------------------------------\n\nCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.-\n\nSpace shuttle Enterprise vanished from all forms of tracking software and communication about a minute after takeoff today, apparently killing all seven crewmembers, including environmental activist Greta Thunberg.\n\nThere was no announcement of the fate of the crew but it appeared there was no way the could survive. This is the third event leading to the deaths of American astronauts, the others occurring over sixty years ago.\n\nNASA administrator Virgina H. Singh was meeting with representatives of Congress on Capital Hill about further collaboration with the European Space Agency when word came of the disaster.\n\n\"NASA officials told the representatives it doesn't look like any lives were saved,\" said Len Goldstien, an aide to Majority Whip Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY.\n\nThe $15.3 billion spacecraft, one of ten in NASA's shuttle fleet, appeared to be destroyed. Parts of the ship fell into the Atlantic 20 miles southeast of the launch pad.\n\nThe other crew members were commanded Andy Yung, 46; pilot Tatiana Vlasyuk, 40; Clodagh Murry, 36; Robert F. Kennedy, 35; Elinor S. Ito, 39; and George B. King, 41. Murry is notable for being the first Irish citizen to go on a manned mission.\n\nThe recovery was delayed by fear of debris and insatiability of the launch pad which had suffered a structure failure.\n\nFear of ice\n\nThe flight had been delayed this morning because of fear that ice on the launch pad could harm the shuttle.\n\nIt was the third in-flight disaster in 84 U.S. manned space missions, although this was the first manned disaster for the ESA. Previous expositions have had devastating setbacks for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration after which the focus of missions was shifted to robotics based.\n\nNASA has said the exposition occurred about 60 seconds into the mission, at a point when the astronauts were beginning to throttle their engines up to maximum thrust after the throttled them down to a 60 percent level at 35 seconds in order to reduce the forces of gravity during takeoff.\n\nAmong those who witnessed the explosion were Ms. Thunberg's attorney-partner Pat, and her parents, Svante Thunberg and ‎Malena Ernman, who were in a crowd watching at Cape Canaveral.\n\nAlso here were members of Mrs. Murry's fifth form class and members of the Dail, the House of the Irish governmental system.\n\nStunned silence\n\nThey watched in stunned silence as the spacecraft blew apart. (Continued Page 2)", "They put the memorial there on the moon, in the same place where the lunar lander still stood. It was a simple statue, a man standing with his son on his shoulders, the son holding a toy rocket in one hand while the other pointed to the skies. Through hardship, to the stars, the old NASA motto etched into the stone, in English instead of the traditional Latin. Beneath it, names, the names of every single person who had been aboard the Beyond.\n\n“Where do you think they went?”\n\nThe voice surprised him, the words taking a moment to register. “I’m sorry?” He turned in the direction, finding his coworker Grant standing just behind him, dressed in the same dust-stained coveralls that they all wore.\n\nGrant nodded toward the statue. “The crew. They had to go somewhere, yeah? You like to read a lot, don’t you Pete? Where do you think they went?”\n\nPete turned back to the statue. “I don’t know. Some think they’re somewhere out in the stars. Others think their molecules were ripped apart in the process of going into warp. Or maybe they ran right into the sun.” He shrugged.\n\n“Huh, molecules ripped apart.” Grant was chewing on something, probably snuff. “Sounds painful.”\n\n“Probably worse than any pain in your life.” He turned away from the statue. It would still be there tomorrow. “Come on, let’s get back to work.”\n\nGrant spit, the dark spot that formed on the lunar surface confirming his suspicions. It seemed almost sacrilege, something like that tainting the spot where man first landed on the moon. Of course, the foreman didn’t care; it may be inside, but the ground was still dirt, and much of it would soon be covered in something more agreeable. Couldn’t have tourists getting moon dust into their shoes.\n\nGrant began talking, something about how the Dodgers were doing. Pete listened with one ear, enough to know if he needed to speak but not enough to actually pay attention to anything Grant said. His eyes were turned upward through the tinted shield that covered the area, that kept them alive. He could see the edge of the earth, partially lit and partially darkened, the greens and blues and browns brilliant from this distance.\n\nBut that was all he saw. Here, there were no stars, not on this side. Their own star, burning in the middle of the solar system, saw to that. The other side was a better view, he had heard, but he had been assigned on the bright side. He was in space, but it was not the space he had always imagined.\n\nHe heard Grant stop speaking for a brief moment. “Something wrong?” Grant asked.\n\n“Nothing…”\n\n“Doesn’t sound like nothing.”\n\n“It’s just...you ever feel like you were meant for more?”\n\nGrant shrugged. “Can’t say I ever did. Hell, made it further than anyone else in my family. None of them can say they’ve been on the moon. Least not until we’re done with this thing.” He spat again. “Staring at that statue must be getting to your head. Make you think too much. Tell you something, you’re much better off than they are.”\n\n“Am I?” he asked.\n\n“You’re alive, that’s something. Those folks on the statue? They’re all gone. Long gone. Probably painfully too.”\n\n“But they did it for our good,” he said. “So that we may go to the stars.”\n\n“Seems to me they failed at that.”\n\nThe words were on his lips, a comeback of some kind, but they were quickly forgotten. The feeling was indescribable, not a sound, but a sensation. The closest word in his mind was a pop, like the air pressure had suddenly changed, a charge running from his toes to the tips of his hair.\n\nIt seemed to abate all at once, the air suddenly silent, clear, calm, like his ears had just popped at high altitude. He looked over to Grant, whose pale eyes had gone wide. “What the hell was that?”\n\n“You felt it too? I don’t know.”\n\nPete looked away, his eyes scanning the area, searching for the source. His heart almost stopped when he found it, his coworker voicing his own amazement.\n\n“Is that what I think it is?”\n\nPete didn’t respond. His feet were moving, carrying his body slowly toward it. It seemed impossible, looming there, just beyond the protective layer of the growing moon colony.\n\nThe Beyond.\n\n“We have to tell someone.” He heard Grant’s steps on the ground behind him, bounding across the lunar surface, then suddenly stopping. “Pete, what are you doing?”\n\nPete was still moving himself, continuing toward the ship, landed there on the lunar surface, just outside. He could see the airlock, filled with the emergency suits, ready to use at any time. He didn’t say anything, only continued toward it.\n\n“Pete! Get back here. You don’t know what’s on it.”\n\nHe was already to the airlock. “Send for help,” he called back to Grant. “I’m going to see what’s there.” His coworker shouted something, but he was already inside, the words lost as the door hissed closed.\n\nHis hands were shaking as he pulled on the emergency suit, lightweight and insulated, not meant for more than a few minutes outside. But he only needed a few minutes. He could see the Beyond’s airlock, the green light on it that indicated it was unlocked, the welcoming sign. Above it, the ship’s name in bold letters, surrounded by the flags of the nations that had collaborated on the project: the U.S., China, the E.U., Russia. It was right there, just as he had always seen in pictures, just as he had always seen in his dreams.\n\nThe airlock hissed once more as the air drained from it, and the doors to the outside opened. The cold hit him like a shock, cutting even through the layers of the suit, but he didn’t need to tolerate it for long. He bounced along as fast as his legs would carry him in the reduced gravity. The ship loomed over him, even larger than he imagined it, the warp core held within a cabin meant for two dozen; engineers, scientists, doctors, the brightest of the bright that the world had to offer.\n\nPete reached the Beyond’s airlock and hit the button, watching the air seep out before the door slid open. He stepped in, quickly hitting the close button. Air rushed in, warm air, and he felt his limbs begin to warm once more, feeling returning where it had quickly fled, bringing life back to his body." ]	3
	[WP] Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter switches places in their respective universes.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Sir, \" Luke pointed at the battered diary, currently sitting on Albus Dumbledore's desk. \"I can sense a dark presence residing within. I think it might be dangerous.\"\n\nDumbledore picked up the diary, frowning. \"Luke, how do you know this?\"\n\n\"I just do,\" Luke replied. \"I can somehow feel it.\"\n\nDumbledore paused. He seemed to be mulling over Luke's words. Then, he said, \"Listen carefully. I have a task for you to accomplish. Six more, actually.\"\n\n\\\\\\\n\nThe Death Star loomed before them, a terrifying marvel of engineering that was like no other. Harry knew that a single blast from it had destroyed Alderaan, turned it into a cloud of debris floating in space. He did not intend for this to happen again.\n\n\"We've found a flaw hidden inside the Death Star,\" Mon Mothma informed them. \"An exhaust port leads to the station's main reactor. A single proton torpedo there will destroy the main reactor.\"\n\nMuttering erupted in the room. \"How will we ever get to do that?\" a fighter pilot called out. \"Our fighters will be singled out and destroyed.\"\n\nHarry took a deep breath. \"Leave that to me.\"\n\n\\\\\\\n\nThe basilisk hissed, rearing back. Luke kept his eyes closed, relying on the Force to guide his movements. The giant snake struck, and Luke stepped out of the way. He swung the sword of Godric Gryffindor upwards instinctually, and the blade met the basilisk's neck, shearing through it like a hot knife through butter. The snake's head fell to the ground with a resounding thump.\n\nLuke opened his eyes, ignoring the screaming form of Tom Marvolo Riddle. He walked over to the corner of the Chamber, until he was standing over Riddle's diary. He brought the sword down, stabbing through the thin book. As ink spurted out of the wound, the memory of Riddle given shape vanished without a trace.\n\n\\\\\\\n\n\"Kid, you sure you can handle this?\" Han asked.\n\nHarry nodded, climbing into the cockpit of the X-Wing. \"I'm certain.\"\n\nHe pointed his wand at the X-Wing, whispering \"Portus!\" The fighter spun in increasingly tight circles, and Harry could feel a tug on his navel as he was pulled towards his destination. When he got his bearings, the X-Wing was right above the exhaust port. TIE fighters were belatedly flying out of bay doors, responding to the enemy fighter that had just materialized from thin air.\n\nHarry pressed a button, dropping the proton torpedo into the port and down to the main reactor. The Portkey was spinning and dematerializing even as the Death Star shattered into a thousand fragments.\n\n\\\\\\\n\nLuke held the Sword of Gryffindor in his hands tightly, his eyes on Voldemort. It had been a difficult few years, tracking down the Horcruxes and destroying them, being forced to watch as Dumbledore was killed before his very eyes, even being momentarily killed when Voldemort destroyed the part of the soul that had been lingering inside him. It had all led up to this moment.\n\n\"Luke, you stand no chance against me,\" Voldemort spoke, his whisper carrying across the entire hall. \"I am the Dark Lord, master of the Dark Arts and the most accomplished wizard this world has ever seen.\" He paused, smiling. \"And here you are, standing against me with only a paltry sword. How could you ever hope to fight me?\"\n\nIn that moment, Luke moved, dodging a Killing Curse that had been cast without warning. Even as Voldemort prepared to cast another, Luke closed the distance, using the Force to make himself run faster than any human could.\n\n\"Avada Kedavra!\" Voldemort screamed, but Luke moved aside, allowing it to harmlessly fly past his shoulder. With a wave of his hand, the Elder Wand was ripped out of the Dark Lord's hands. Before Voldemort could react, Luke plunged the sword into his chest.\n\n\\\\\\*\n\n\"Yes... yes!\" Emperor Palpatine laughed. \"Fight him! Allow your hatred to run through your veins!\"\n\nThe two circled each other, one holding a simple wand of holly and one with a blazing red lightsaber. As Darth Vader raised his sword, Harry did the unexpected.\n\nHe apparated behind Vader with a crack. \"Expelliarmus!\" he shouted.\n\nDarth Vader's lightsaber was wrenched out of his gauntleted hands, deactivating in mid-air and landing in the corner of the room. The Sith Lord turned around to face Harry and raised his hand, calling his lightsaber back to him. As the lightsaber flew in an arc towards Vader's outstretched hand, Harry cast a Reductor curse. Darth Vader dodged, but Harry wasn't aiming for him.\n\nThe spell hit the ground, blasting it to pieces and knocking Vader aside. Darth Vader raised his hand in a Force Push, but in that moment, Harry transfigured his armor, converting it into an thick metal coffin. Darth Vader could use the Force to keep himself alive, Harry knew, but it meant he couldn't do much else at the moment.\n\nA hastily yelled \"Protego!\" blocked a bolt of lightning. The Emperor pressed on, the electricity crackling and pressing against the shield. Harry cast a Cheering Charm, causing the attack to slow. Palpatine stumbled back, holding back peals of laughter as he tried to access the hate that powered his abilities.\n\nA flash of green light lit up the room." ]	2
	[WP] People always find you weird because you give human names to your musical instruments. Little do they know, you can talk with them by playing the correct notes or chords... and most well-known musical pieces were actually a record of conversation between the musician and their instruments.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Mom, Dad, I want you to meet Loretta.\" \n\n&nbsp;\n\nI wish I had the words to describe the immediate change of their expressions. I imagine it was what my Great Grandfather looked like when Suzy came home with her new boyfriend. Maybe I do have the words. \n\nAnyway they really should have expected it, even if I was a bit disingenuous. I hadn't brought a girl home since... ever. \n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"You said it wasn't a musical instrument. Jesus Christ if that isn't an instrument then I don't want to know what the fuck you use it for. I should have asked to talk to her, I should have fuckin' asked. First the tuba, then the...\" My dad walked back to the living room, his tirade fading into incoherent mumbling as he sat back in his lounger. \n\n&nbsp;\n\nI looked over at my mother and tried to stifle a laugh. It really wasn't right of me, but this was my petty revenge for them hounding me constantly. I had told them before that I wasn't ever going to be getting a girlfriend. They seemed to have forgotten that conversation. \n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"It's an Otamatone mom. I wouldn't really call it an instrument. It's a toy.\" I punctuated the sentence with a nice, unrelaxing theremin sound from Loretta. \"Wah!\" \n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"Mark...\" was all my mother could manage before she went back to the living room with my father.\n\n\"I'm just gonna go grab my things!\" I yelled after them and went outside to the car. \n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"Alright, now I didn't really mean you weren't an instrument, I was just... I can't help but tease them.\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI knew I wasn't crazy. My parents sure thought I was, but it afforded them quite the lifestyle anyway. Their child prodigy, who could play anything like a virtuoso. I leaned against the brand new car I had bought my dad, the real reason for the visit, and looked at Loretta. Just a white and black Otamatone. The sound they made was... an acquired taste for sure.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nJust another instrument in a long string of instruments, even if that's not how she saw it... I had picked her up just to see if I really could play anything. She did have those big black eyes though, unlike everything else I'd ever played. It was a little unsettling.\n\nMy father was in a jazz band when I was growing up, and all through my early childhood I had talked to his instruments. Well, that wasn't quite right, I had more talked at them. They understood me, and could talk back kinda when I banged on them a bit. That was what had worried my parents. Worried everyone. I had thought I might be crazy too. My mother embraced it though, and got me taking piano lessons real young. Then I started talking to the instruments. Both sides of the conversation. To me it was just talking. To everyone else it was the purest melody.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"I can't believe you'd talk about me like that.\"\n\n\"Loretta, look, I wasn't being serious, I was just teasing my parents.\"\n\n\"At my expense, how are they going to like me if even you aren't going to take me seriously!\"\n\n\"They aren't ever going to like you, you're just an instrument to them. To anyone.\"\n\n\"To anyone? Even you then?\"\n\n\"I'm sorry but~\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\nHe really was crazy to be having this conversation, even if that's what no one else saw.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nA man playing a sad low melody on an Otamatone early in the evening, drawing a small crowd of dog walkers and joggers, kids on their bikes. It really was a crazy existence." ]	2
	[WP] "We still don't understand why this doesn't kill you."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I watch, bored, as he empties magazine after magazine into my chest. “Once again, Jim: I cannot be killed by anything that’s currently been invented. It’ll take another...” I briefly trail off as I count the years. “Seventy-odd years before anything will even be able to injure me, let alone kill me.”\n\n“What are you?” He snaps, throwing his gun to the ground in frustration.\n\nI reach forward and bend it in half, playing absently with the metal as if it was putty. “I’m a zym.”\n\n“A what?”\n\nI roll my eyes. “Of course, you don’t know we exist...a race of humanoids buried deep in the Earth’s core.” I snap my fingers and my human disguise burns away, revealing my softly purple skin and blood red eyes. \n\nHe scrambles away, tripping over his own feet and slamming into the pavement.\n\nI sigh and sit down, looking at my watch. “You’ll forget in about three hours, and we’ll do this again tomorrow.”\n\n“Are you from the future?” He asks, scrambling to his feet.\n\nI shake my head. “Nope, I’m from now.”\n\n“Then how do you know when weapons that can hurt you will be invented?” Jim asks, holding out a hand as he slowly steps closer.\n\nI shrug. “I can see the future, roughly. We come up from the core, a war happens, you invent weapons that can hurt us.”\n\n“What happens after that? Who wins?” He asks, sitting down like a child at story time.\n\nI look at the man I deal with every day, and see a friend. Sadness fills my heart as I see who wins the war, who dies by whose hands.\n\n“No one.” I lie.", "\"Of course you don't,\" I responded, stretching back. I was far more Invested than they thought, but they didn't need to know that, of course. To them I was just another spirit, although a sentient one and thus under their laws of ethics.\n\n\"No, seriously,\" one of them said, tapping a clipboard. \"This level of radiation has destroyed even Shards in the past. What are you?\"\n\nThe pillow they had provided was very comfortable. I ignored the scholars' questions and sank back into it, Physical presence aided by just a bit - a very tiny bit - of power. Hopefully, I hadn't triggered any of their machines, although technology had advanced quite a bit since my... event.\n\nThe woman who had spoken shook her head and retreated. Ah, how I missed the Spiritual Realm. Far fewer prying boneheads trying to figure out what we're \"made\" of. The scholars slowly began to pull away from the room.\n\nAs soon as the last one, a short, balding man, left and closed the door behind him, I sat up. Then hurriedly checked my pockets for the spike. When I found it, hiding in my back pocket, I breathed a sigh of relief. I'd killed to make this thing, a sacrifice I'd hoped would not go to waste. Tensing, making sure the machine testing for contaminants was firmly off, I picked it up and jammed it into my eye.\n\nPower, finally, exploded within me. I gasped, flexing my back, my other eye releasing a glow comparable to the sun. In a few seconds, it faded, and I had the power to Bend again. \"Thank God for that,\" I insinuated to the empty room. \"I was growing far too tired of this pesky place.\" The blast had killed Shards, eh?\n\nWell, good thing I was more powerful than that. My right eye saw nothing but blackness for a while, then red lines began to outline shapes. Colors more intense for some than others... One of the scholars was hanging behind, in front of the door. I always hated killing scholars. Seemed like such a waste.\n\nThis one, however, was glowing so brightly red that I had to look away. I dug inside my pocket and hefted another spike, praying to my siblings in the Spiritual Realm for forgiveness. Then I grinned.\n\nI knew whose Investiture I was going to steal next.", "That’s what’s written on the clipboard at the end of your bed. Not a very professional diagnosis but once an entire board of medical professional is stumped, it the best you can hope for; you are still alive. Sitting close to the base of your skull is a lump. Hard as stone and intricately intertwined with spinal nerves running through and around it’s surface. Doctors are perplexed but they dare not operate for fear of disrupting the structure. And so your life has been dictated by this mass for the past few months as you are carted in and out of wards. Finally, everyone has admitted defeat and you have been released from care. \n\nYou stretch you legs in your jeans, happy to be out of those hospital gowns, and walk across the hospital parking lot. The sun is setting casting a warm light over everything. “A beautiful sight to be sure” whispers the lump into your ear. Your whole body tenses.\n\n“I know” soothes the mass, “this isn’t exactly the first introduction I had planned but I had to remain hidden for a while. You seemed to want me gone from the outset.” \n\nYour stomach growls in a mix of nausea and hunger. \n\n“Do you hear that? We better get some food into you. You are eating for two now,” it chides.", "\"Let me explain something to you, I cannot be killed. You can plunge that dagger through my heart and it will feel like a paper cut. You can shoot me a hundred times with that gun I know you've got tucked in your belt and it will feel like a pin prick.\" I laughed as the young man looked back at me with a look of worry spread across his face.\n\"Didn't you wonder why the price on my head is so high?\" I asked, nodding to the wanted poster poking out of his pocket.\n\"Let me tell you a story about a young boy who wished for nothing more than to live forever. A little boy who wanted so badly not to die from the cancer plaguing his body that he was willing to sell his soul for more time on this Earth. A little boy who should have died 83 years ago. A little boy who was brave, a little boy who is now this man standing in front of you. This man who can be killed by one thing and one thing only, and the only person who can kill me is the one who gave me the gift of life.\" \nAs I finished my final sentence I noticed a smile spread across the face of the young man in front of me. \"I'm so glad to hear you say that. To admit you are not immortal. Because let me tell you a story. A story about a man who prays on the souls of the innocent. A man who will collect those souls when he feels they may have gotten too big for their britches.\" His smile spread as he continued talking. \"A man who has walked this Earth far longer than you. A man who knows you are on borrowed time. A man who is not a man at all. A man who is here to collect his debt.\" \nA lump rose in my throat as it dawned on me just what kind of assassin he might be.\n\"You see I was sent here on a very special mission, to revisit those I made deals with long ago, and you're the last person on my list.\" And with that he pulled out a blade, one that glistened in the moon light, and sent a feeling of dread running through me.\n\"I think you'll find this is the one thing that can kill you, and I am the one being that wields the power to do it.\"", "“Oh? Well then let me elaborate for your thick skulls!” I exclaim in a hint of sarcasm. “I am what you low lives would call something from not around here. I don’t count the days on my calendar or check my watch every minute because the concept of time is all for naught.” I continue whilst skipping in a circle around the frightened assassins. “I have experienced everything that there is, learned every language, played every sport, hell, I’ve tried every sex positions there is (Making up a few new ones too)!” The men have huddled together seeing how my skipping slowed to a pacing and my attention barely hanging on since I’m too busy on my monologue. “I have indeed done everything but one. I have yet to experience death. Which you lot are probably thinking of making me go through-“ I have time to spout before I’m rudely cut off by a holy bullet being shot between my eyes. I freeze for a moment and hear a few victory shouts and relieved sighs that completely disappear once I regain mouvement and stab the projectile’s owner through the chest. “But before you try, even if it is too late to say this, please remember that the only thing that can kill me... is a man who’s been dead for thirty minutes... because I killed him. Please do say hi to God for me when you see him! And tell him his favourite son sent you.” I whisper that last part. Of course, how did they expect to survive against, let alone kill, me! Lucifer, aka, the Devil himself!", "\"Uh, because I'm not a b!tch?\"\n\nThe aliens withdrew and conferenced for a moment. They came back. \"Human, by making that statement, are you then insinuating that we are the b!tches?\"\n\n\"Pretty much.\"\n\nThey withdrew and conferenced, they came back. \"For that insult, we will increase your punishment. Gzbdhwxvqydbcbmaqo (<~approx. spelling, in real life it just sounded he was gargling balls in his throat), turn the knob an inch!\"\n\nThey gasped. \n\n\"Sire,\" one alien who I think had the hots for me pleaded, \"don't you think that is a bit extreme? No one in our species has managed to survive temperatures that high. \n\nSire silenced her and replied, \"No one has insulted us like he has. Turn the knob.\"\n\nI rolled my eyes as Gzbdhwxvqydbcbmaqo put on gloves, grabbed long tonsils and inched forward to the shower, reached in and turned the knob a fraction of inch to the hot side.\n\nThe other aliens stared at me expectantly.\n\nI stood in the shower looking at them like they were stupid. The water was barely warm. They weren't even close to comfortable temperatures on our planet. \n\n\"Great googaly moogaly,\" they whispered amongst themselves. \"He's a god.\"" ]	7
	[WP] You died and came back as a ghost. An evil wizard made your body into a zombie. The two of you--zombie and ghost--now live together.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Harrowing terror--she was lost in the dark and screaming aethers of the life-inbetween--without bindings to keep her spirit away from the tearing grips of the others who had also failed to make it to what came after.\n\nThey were like her--lost far from anything familiar--un-tethered from their loved ones and homes. Losing themselves in torment as they echo back the screams of one another.\n\nHer spirit felt small... But--briefly there came respite... As the veil thinned and she could gaze into shapes that she had recognized.\n\nBanners lifted, swords and lances raised. The clash of man and... Monster.\n\nThe shapes of men blurred and obfuscated in a manner where none could be recognized, so she pushed herself through to be closer--hoping to see a familiar face--a friend. But... She began to notice in more clarity things she could have never seen before...\n\nWhile their faces and forms were difficult... Their spirits were bright, and she could see their rage, their bravery, and their fear. She didn't know how she could understand what she was seeing--but as her gaze turned to the creatures they clashed with--she could understand them as well...\n\nThey were dark beings. Devoid of soul. She could feel herself growing colder just looking at them. Their forms misshapen, some bulging, and others twisted into becoming things of terror--all mockeries of life roused again...\n\nIt was now she realized she had found indeed herself in a place familiar... A battlefield--her last battlefield--and her senses became attuned once more to the realm of the living. She could hear the screams bravery and fear, the clash of metal shield and sword, and the sound of groans of the wounded and the damned...\n\nIt was here her presences began to feel unnatural--and she could feel herself being pulled back to where she came from. The thin veil all around her protruded with hands grasping at her--trying to pull themselves along with her into the material world--but only pulling her deeper into that terrible place...\n\nShe frantically looked around for something to grasp onto. Her hands gripping at anything she could--but no objects, or people she reached towards felt solid enough to grip. Creatures, and men, and swords and arrows passed through her like being was only mist.\n\nIt was hopeless... The world was darkening as she could feel herself being pulled back.\n\nBut... Then she could feel before she saw the coming of something strange and unnatural. Far across the battlefield a beacon of foul spirit began to well with power...\n\nHer senses focused upon it--and she gazed into dark for only a single instant--witnessing a speck of twisted-sickening green that she knew was the presence of someone truly despicable.\n\nThe presence unleashed itself--her eyes felt immediately stabbed as the essence of the man unleashed across the battlefield. Every strand of her being began to feel like it was pierced and torn.\n\nThe hands that pulled her recoiled and retreated back into the veil--as she could see the battlefield once more...\n\nBut--it was still. All the spirits of her comrades lay upon the ground and were rapidly fading. The creatures standing motionless over the bodies.\n\nThe sickening essence lingered... Then began to descend upon the corpses--tearing the remnants of their souls before leaving the cold emptiness of the damned.\n\nSoon the corpses began to rouse from their deaths, the essence retreated back into their master, and those beyond the veil began to pull once more.\n\nShe could not believe--she didn't want to believe this was the end... Accepting her fate would mean no rest, never knowing peace--only torment.\n\nAll began to fade, and the the thrashings of her spirit felt more and more futile as it stirred the interest of others who wished to escape and pull at her.\n\nBut then... Rising from the battlefield was something familiar and she gripped it. Sharp and solid--a sword. Something that was hers. Her father's. His father's. Something she cared for. She couldn't see it--only hold it... Only pull herself towards it as the others hooked into the strands of her being and tried to come with her...\n\nHer other hand reach towards it too--gripping an arm clad in armor. Armor she had cared for. Armor she had made with the help of her master.\n\nShe could begin to see the blurred outline of a being.... The helmet's faceguard torn apart--a face becoming familiar.\n\nIt was her face. But...\n\nBlood covered the lips. An arrow jutted out from just the right angle from her neckguard.\n\nShe remembered strike of the hammer that broke her helmet, the whistle of the arrow that pierced her throat, and the taste and warmth of her own blood in her mouth and lungs as she suffocated on the battlefield...\n\nShe could see now the cold emptiness within the corpse. Her spirit felt as it was freezing from the fingertips to her heart--and for an instant her grip loosened and she was almost pulled away entirely--but she held on.\n\nShe didn't want to go back.\n\nShe held on.\n\nBarely with enough strength, she pulled herself towards her corpse, and for a moment--she felt her own flesh still warm--but her touch was pulled away along with the rest of her that was now receding into the veil.\n\nThe dull gaze of her corpse lifted, and for a moment the two parts of herself locked eyes.\n\nAnd it stepped forward. The two halves met, and she could feel the gripping hands of the those lost in the inbetween fail to reach her as the cold enveloped her.\n\nShe could sense the world of the living. She could hear the motion of men in armor. She could hear the groans. She could feel the warm blood soaking her armor growing colder. She could feel the dull pain in her throat, and the heaviness of her body that made her fall to her knees.\n\nHer hands felt slow to move as she commanded. She gripped the arrow and pulled the shaft from herself. The sense of pain was almost entirely absent--and it felt wrong.\n\nShe clutched at her chest and tried to feel the warmth return to her body--but it did not... She could not hear the beating of her heart, and she could not feel the pumping of her blood anymore.\n\nWhat she felt was half empty, her spirit unable to fully enter back into her being--or perhaps something was keeping her from doing so...\n\nIt was the emptiness in that made her rise, and it made her hungry...\n\nIt was the spirit within that began to grow colder and colder as it wrapped itself around the emptiness--exerting enough will to feel and guide the body--but...\n\nIt was something vile and sinister that kept the emptiness from fading, her spirit from fully entering and making her fully whole once again...\n\n\"What do you think you're doing?\" Said a voice--frigid and grating--but playfully curious.\n\nShe stood still, and she looked towards the source of the voice...\n\nAn aged man, atop of a palanquin of flesh crafted corpses into a moving mass that became a single creature, was staring down at the woman. His skin grey, haggard and loose.\n\n\"Go on.\" He said. \"March as I command. Another castle is to the north, and I wish to see the castle walls painted in blood and corpses before nightfall.\"\n\nWithin her being, she could feel the vile presence guide the emptiness within her--and her spirit felt bound aswell to fulfill the order...\n\n\"As...\" She tried to speak, her voice raspy--and breathless as it escaped through her neck. \"As you command...\"\n\nHer body moved to the north with the army that began to push its way around her...\n\n\"Interesting...\" Said the man..." ]	2
	[WP] Several portals to the year 1900 open up on every continent. The governments of the world quickly capture them and agree to not tamper with the past. Too bad there’s no mechanism to enforce this agreement...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Long time lurker, found a prompt I liked, here goes nothing:\n\n———————————————\n\n“For too long the Tsar has turned a blind eye to the suffering of his people...”\n\nThe man on the small wooden platform had been preparing for this moment, this cold February day in 1910, for years. He had arrived in Russia 10 years prior, when the portals opened up and his world changed. Now, after a decade, he was here, with a band of thousands of young men in front of him, all set in grim determination.\n\n”...he sits in his gilded palace like Louis XVI, too busy listening to Rasputin’s mysticism to govern for the Russian people!”\n\nHe had started with almost no supporters when he arrived in Russia, but over the long, brutal years he had drawn in crowds. A few at first, but soon hundreds, and after the massacre in 1909, thousands.\n\n”...his reign has ended in the deaths of countless great Russians, all for the crime of speaking out against his hellish rule! We must make it clear that Vladimir Lenin did not die in vain!”\n\nIf anyone here had knowledge of techniques that would not be common for decades, they’d recognize Lenin’s 1909 assassination as a textbook example of a KGB agent’s handiwork.\n\n”Now, today, my brothers, we stand united to take our nation back! With the arms and training I have given you, we will storm the palace and end this long nightmare once and for all!”\n\nThe arms he had brought with him seemed suspiciously similar to Kalashnikovs, and he had brought a dozen elite Spetsnaz officers to prepare his militia.\n\n”Today, Russia will become a nation that works for the workers!”\n\nA bit of bait to the former communists in the crowd, but they swallowed the line whole and cheered. Soon, the whole crowd was cheering.\n\n“It is time, comrades. It is time to reclaim Russia from tsarist oppression!”\n\nWith that, the crowd roared once more, and left the square, headed directly towards the royal palace. The pale leader allowed himself the slightest of grins. He knew that with their future arms, the royal guards did not stand a chance. The entire Russian army did not stand a chance. Once the militia had taken the palace, they would execute the royal family and any senior government officials who did not swear their loyalty to the new government. The only issue would be defeating the rebellious sects of the army. Based on historic records, their numbers would take about three years to defeat. That gave him just under a year in absolute control to prepare for the war to end all wars. Just a year to retrieve the weaponry sent back to a hidden base in northern Siberia in 1900, the weapons that would rain fire and death upon all of Europe. Then, at last, the real mission, his purpose in this long-gone time, would begin.\n\nVladimir Putin faintly smirked once more. Russia would not just control one world, or one time, but all of them." ]	2
	[WP] Welcome to Earth, the single most haunted planet in the entire galaxy!	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Realms Beyond by Markus Manaford. \n \nChp 15. \n \nFrequency 517, a world where the soul is easily proven as real, as they visibly roam the planet. If the soul is real in all realities, then we are truly lucky that we cannot perceive them. This planet is choked with them, they exist as a dense fog of ghosts, faces visible as your wade through them, all trapped in horrific crushing pain. \n \nAt some point in its recent history, this planet died. Evidence suggests that the specters grew to dense in population and began blocking light from reaching the ground and nourishing new plants. All that remains are the dead. A fascinating plane to visit, though not one to attempt to habitate." ]	2
	[WP] A teenage boy walks up to you, claiming to be your son from twenty years in the future.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "In a daze, your mind starts to wonder as his frantic words begin to fade into the background. \"He can't be\" you convince yourself, even if he did have the same dimples as you did. \nHe places both of his hands on your shoulders and you glance down to your right and notice that his hands were like yours. Like the old saying goes 'you know it like the back of your hand' \n\"Are you even listening?\" he quips. \nYou snap back into the present and stare into his deep blue eyes. This area is known for being full of weird and wonderful characters, but even though there are uncanny similarities, this is surely just another ramblings of a nutter - even if this is rather a bit too \"in your face\" for your liking. \n\"Get off me\" you snarl as you shrug your shoulders \"go and bother someone else. I've got no money on me if that's what you're after.\"\n\n\"No, please, you have to understand\" the boy says as he fumbles in his pocket \"look-\" the boy holds out a crumpled photograph and places it in your hand. You sigh, roll your eyes and take a look. \"Fucking hell\" you blurt. The image shows the teenage boy, laughing at what looks like a family BBQ, with his arm around a tall, slightly portly older man... who looks exactly like you do" ]	2
	[WP] The letter said "Extinction Event Requested". With a sigh you put on your shoes and got ready to go to work.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The light filtered lazily in through the trees. The insects hummed softly as sipped my glass of lemonade. Days like these were exceedingly rare in my line of work. It'd been years since the last time I had truly been called upon. More years then I could honestly recall between jobs. I ran my fingers over the well worn fossilized claw that hung my neck. I pushed away the memories.\n\nI took another sip of my lemonade, the small slick droplets of moisture beading on the outside of my glass. With a groan I opened the letter. I ran my eyes over the words, it was a language I didn't immediately recognize. I adjusted my glasses, clicked the translator in my lens and reread the words. Although to be honest it was wholly unnecessary. There was only one type of message in these letters and their request was always the same.\n\n\"Extinction Event Requested.\"\n\nIt was nice the wording. Requested. Not demanded. Felt real polite. I took another look at my glass of lemonade, sighed put on my shoes, grabbed my extermination kit and got ready to go to work.\n\nI arrived at the temple with the typical aplomb, lots of smoke, thunder crashing, earth shaking, the works. The boss had always been a bit theatrical. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the torch light, and the thousands of shadows dancing across the ornate cave system. The cave was prepared specifically for this ceremony. Everything meticulously and perfectly designed. I shielded my eyes and looked out across the landscape. This particular temple wasn't familiar to me. Must be a new system making the request.\n\nThe most colorfully dressed of the 4 legged creatures began to talk to me. I stared blankly at it for a moment as it clicked and wheezed at me. It felt familiar somehow. Memories of a similar cave, a similar creature, being a step too slow and a giant asteroid flashed behind my eyelids. My pulse quickened and I shook the memories away, feeling the cold dead weight of the claw pressing against my throat.\n\nFinally the translator in my ear finished learning the language and began to translate it to me in it's soothingly warm and but not really a pleasant voice. It was only at 60% optimism. \n\n\"...Oh great being of destruction, will you hear our cry and wipe away the wicked!\"\n\nI looked at the creature. They were always so formal. I tapped the translator again, upping it's optimism algorithms to the maximum capacity. Sure it stopped being an exact translation, but I'd heard the same melodramatic speeches so many times it got real old. Real fast. I liked it when the words sounded more pleasant, it made the job easier. Plus the translation still translated the important bits correctly. Mostly.\n\n\"Why do you wish for extinction?\" I said as the my throat speaker translated my words.\n\n\"Well shucks!\" my translator replied as it hurriedly went to work. \"A lot of people on this planet sure are meanies. I saw a fella cut in line in aero traffic once. Didn't even indicate.\"\n\n\"That's pretty bad.\" I replied with a soft smile. I loved the optimism feature.\n\n\"Everyone's a bunch of dum dum's. No one listens to their parents anymore. They've forgotten how to share their toys, and they're messing up their house, and don't even care. I lost my fami--\" The translator went static for a moment as it retranslated the words \"--er puppies, because no one followed the rules!\"\n\n\"So you think that's worth killing them all over.\"\n\n\"Sure would be swell!\"\n\nI thought it over. Personal vendetta this time. Loss. Inequalities. Injustices. Not uncommon reasons. It sure beat the typical religious zealotry. Still I'd heard the same stories a thousand times. It got to the point that even without the translator their reasons still sounded silly to me. Small petty things.\n\nI cleared my throat. \"Have you completed all the tasks? \"\n\n\"We sure as heck have fella. We looked at all the coloring books. Gathered up a whole bunch of buddies. We braided everyone's hair just like you asked, gave all of our families ice cream, brought everyone together for the great barbecue you invited us to!\" my upbeat translator mentioned back to me.\n\nCompleting all the real tasks took a long time. Took real dedication, strength, pooling of resources. To become powerful enough to summon someone like me took a really special sort of individual. I rubbed the claw unconsciously.\n\n\"This is your final chance to turn back. Are you sure you wish to continue?\"\n\nI looked heavily in the leaders eyes. Saw the malice, saw the determination, saw the intelligence, and saw a truly righteous individual. An individual that would be willing to wipe out an entire species. It wasn't the same, as the one I had met in the cave all those years ago. It couldn't possibly be. But his spirit was the same. I sighed, and I knew the answer.\n\n\"Right-o Buckeroo!\"\n\nI nodded and sighed. Bile churned in my gut as I remembered, the meteor, the magnificent perfect creatures who had prowled that one planet for millions of years. I remembered my friend. I touched the claw. It was all I had left of him. My hands shook. But only for a moment. I had a job to do. A job that required complete certainty of action.\n\n\"Never again\" I whispered to myself\n\nI touched the device on my wrist. A monstrous explosion roared through the temple incinerating everything and everyone inside of it. I stepped through my transporter just as the flames licked the edge of my shirt. I typed a quick message to HQ.\n\nExtermination Complete. Planet X2498B is safe from extinction level threat. Awaiting next mission.\n\nMy breathing finally slowed as I returned to my post. The sunlight filtering softly through the trees. My lemonade was still cold. The condensation trickling down the sides of my glass. I was too slow once. I hadn't assessed the threat properly. Because of me an entire species was destroyed. I would never let that happen again. Never." ]	2
	[WP] You are the first man on Mars. On your first walk, you almost trip on something sticking out of the ground. You begin to dig it out, and freeze as you realize you're digging out a human skull.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It really was a small room. Mark's helmet lurched forward, the whitness offsetting the grey walling of the antechamber. When the only sound you can hear is suit breathing, you don't take for granted your sight, which gives you free access to the world you don't know, Terrence thought. Mark was the first, he deserved it. He really did. He had seniority, better testing and practice out in space, he worked efficiently with tools out there. Although it really just took some practice, few involved innate skill. It was more just the experience you got, made you better. And seniority, that he lacked too. Mark was a somebody who deserved the first falling step onto mars. He did his time, that was all. What was he gonna do, push Mark out of the way? And float down onto the soil first? Mark cursing him out, everyone back at home disappointed in what could have taken place. He laughed, and wondered if the others had the same shameful thoughts. \"Opening C door 1A. Closing C door 1A. Opening release valve to main doorframes out of the Apex,\" the voice overhead said. He was so thrilled to finally see what secrets were toiling here, humanless, alien to his race, and foreign to his senses. The creaking of hinges sounded, and the noise rose, he could picture the pistons pumping the door open with one long thrust on both sides, and the air compressor pumping through the vent. The doors lifted so that he could see a blurry red. Now all he could think of is his empty baggy, and his daughters words meant for him, and only him.", "\"Houston, I'm not the first human being on mars.\"\n\n\nI sit down in the red dirt in my space suit, and I gently try to brush the dirt away from this skull. Why am I trying to be gentle? Everything I thought I knew just changed, and here I am alone with this long-dead person on a planet no person has ever been on. I have a million and one questions, but I'm excavating this skull like I'm trying not to hurt it. \n\n\nNo, that's not right. As my fingers brush the dirt away, I feel more like I'm brushing away a loved one's hair and trying not to wake them. I've gone insane. There's light delay between here and Earth, and maybe I can still fix this. My hands feel heavy. I don't think I can move. I look into the eye sockets and a hundred thousand years of desolate wastes stare back at me. I'm overcome. I try to scream, but the noise won't come.\n\n\nThen, God began to speak to me. His voice was sharp and crisp, and in my head. No, that's not right.\n\n\n\"Captain Freeman! Captain Freeman! Your oxygen valve has frozen shut! This data is thirteen minutes old. We've told your suit to warm the valve back up. Just sit down and don't move too much until your oxygen levels are back to normal. Houston out.\"\n\n\n\"Houston,\" I said. \"That's actually the best news I've heard all day.\" I regarded the oblong rock I had thought was a skull. It was no such thing. \"Things here were starting to get a little weird. I'm proceeding to collect samples.\"", "It was difficult for Max to feel the ground, between gravity and the suit. \n\nTechnology had gotten better since man had landed on the moon, and suits were more weighted. They added heft- they were more tactile. They made walking feel more like walking. But space still pulled upward, and the large platforms that made the shoes still impeded pebbles and dirt from being felt. \n\nMax almost didn’t realize he was walking on solid objects underneath until one was large enough to send his foot backward an inch or two. It shifted his momentum, which shifted his center of gravity and nearly sent him into orbit. \n\nThe suit had limits, and by the grace of his quick reflexes he was able to keep upright and close to the surface of Mars. A short string of expletives left his mouth, vanishing into his helmet and ignored by mission control. When he looked down at his feet, his head tilted to the side. It was an awkward motion, stymied by the tanks and hoses that kept him alive outside of earth, but he couldn’t control the habitual action. He swore the object looked familiar, but couldn’t place in what way a boulder would look like anything but a boulder. \n\n\nHe knelt down, risking precious moments of oxygen to dig the object out of the red dirt it lay in. There weren’t many things of that size to trip on in the planet. No knick-knacks, no tree roots, no abandoned shoes fallen off a passerby. With one hand, he scraped at the edges of the object and pulled upwards when a handhold emerged. \n\nHe stood up as it finally freed itself from the ground. Max felt his heart skip a beat, his breath caught in an unpleasant way. Anxiety was heightened in the confined space of his suit and heightened further by the limited options for escape. \n\nMax was holding what appeared to be a human skull, buried on the surface of another planet. \n\nA burst of static came through his helmet, slamming into his ears as he stood, still locked in place. \n\n“Homebase to Maxwell. You okay out there? Over.” \n\nThe words faded into another short round of static, and silence fell around him once again. \n\n“Max to Homebase. I found something. Over.” \n\nHis words felt hollow, but then again they didn’t have anything comforting to touch. Nothing that would soften the blow of what he was looking at. He was trying to wrap his head around the next steps as he waited for another transmission to come through. \n\n“Homebase to Maxwell. Bring it on in, we can look at it and fill your tanks. Over.” \n\nHe opened his mouth to respond again, then closed it again. The words hung inside his mind, but he wasn’t sure they would do anything to say them. Giving his head a little shake, he forced his eyes away from the skull in his hand. With a push forward, he managed to move. \n\nA small turn and he was walking back towards camp. The plan had been to go out and explore. Capture data and pictures from his helmet camera, and to get a humans perspective rather than a robot. Artifacts took priority, however, and now he was coming back after almost no progress made. \n\nAfter what felt like an eternity, that was probably less than an hour, Max reached the doors of the camp. He heard the hissing sound, and the next few moments blurred by him. His feet walked him further inside, through several layers of doors, and into a changing chamber.\n\nHe got out of the bulky, dirty suit and into plain cotton clothes and tightly laced boots. His hands carried in only the skull- one of the few things from the outer planet that would likely be seen without quarantined scrutiny. The crew was trusting his judgment as he brought it inside. As Max walked past the last door, and into a dull roar of machines and conversations he suddenly wondered if he should be trusted at all. \n\nHe did just pick up a piece of bone from the surface of Mars, and bring it home. \n\n/r/beezus_writes for more stuff." ]	4
	[WP] Anyone else getting tired of any anime where the guy is in love with a girl who is a total psychopath who beats up the guy regularly? Write a story where the guy goes "Nope, not worth it!" and cuts his losses.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I stuffed my hands in my pockets and my \"girlfriend\" Julie went into another ran about how little I was compared to other people in her life. It was always like this. John Smith was just too average to fit into her life. I made a great punching bag though. I had given her lots of chances. And they generally ended with a black eye, a broken nose, or a cute lip. I sighed not really listening to what she was ranting about this time. \n\n\"Hey Dumbass are you even paying attention!?\" She groweled.\n\n\"No not really.\" I said with a shrug. \"You see... Julie. I actually came out here because I have something to say.\"\n\n\"Well it can wait till I'm finished. So start using those ears of yours before I-\"\n\n\"It's over.\" I said.\n\nShe paused. \"It's... What?\" She asked.\n\n\"It's over. You and me. This relationship. Whatever you want to call it. It's over. Done. Closed. It's failed.\" I said. \n\n\"Don't be stupid.\" She said. \"That's not funny.\"\n\nI snorted. \"I find myself to be a very funny guy but believe me when I say that this time I am NOT joking.\" I said.\n\n\"You beat me up, you belittle me, me make do even the simplest tasks, and you get dangerously angry when I even talk to someone else.\" I went on. \"I lost my best friend, my sister won't speak to me, I had to drop out of the cooking club, all because of you constantly butting in and ruining me. So I'm done. You're a sunk cost. You aren't worth the effort.\" I turned on my heels. \"So it's over.\" I began to walk away.\n\n\"John wait.\" She said. I kept walking.\n\n\"John! I'm sorry. Please don't go! I do care about you.\" She began to cry.\n\nI kept walking.\n\n\"Please I just wanted you to stay with me forever.\" She said.\n\nI stopped sighed and turned to look at her. \"Well you fucked up. And now I'm leaving.\"\n\nI left her there. I didn't look back.", "\"I'm done. I can't take this anymore,\" I told her, my bags in hand. I had prepared everything in advance so that if she went complete psycho I could book it with my stuff. As an added precaution I called my mom when I had everything packed. I told her to call the police if I don't call her before midnight.\n\n\"What? You bastard. You can't leave!\" She spat in her typically hostile tone.\n\n\"I can leave and I am. You can't stop me.\" I turned my back to her and took a step out of the kitchen towards the entrance of our shack.\n\n\"But, we had a deal!\" Her tone contained a slight tinge of confusion. If I hadn't heard her haughty voice so many times I wouldn't be able to tell.\n\nSeveral months ago, after graduating high school I moved to Japan to live here. I always had fantastical ideas of running into the love of my life in a stereotypical meet cute. Instead I couldn't find a job and quickly ran out of money. Desperately clinging onto my fantasies, I found an ad looking for a roommate. The place was a rundown shack. The deal was free food and housing if you helped maintain the building and didn't mind a roommate. Optimistic, I accepted and moved in. I didn't expect my roommate to be a girl. Nor did I think she'd be so beautiful. With her figure, cute face, and oddly colored hair, it took me no time at all to project my ideals upon her.\n\nAt first I thought her personality was cute. I thought she was a tsundere and everyday I eagerly anticipated seeing her other side. After a week I realized that wasn't going to happen. Not only does she always talk in that holier-than-thou tone, she also regularly punches and kicks me. \"Accidentally\" walking in on her in the bathroom? Yeah, give me a black eye and some bruises, I understand. It's all the other times that I can't take anymore. It doesn't matter what I'm doing, whether it's washing dishes, doing laundry, cooking, she'll just randomly punch me or kick me. It's not even once or twice. She'll do it multiple times like I'm some sort of punching bag. I'm not a particularly strong guy. This stuff hurts!\n\nI'm not working. All my days are spent on the shack and housework. Since I'm not making any money, I can't support myself. There's always more work to be done on the shack. Right when I think everything's finished, a window will be broken the next day or she'll find a leak in the roof. It never ends!\n\nIt's not worth it for me to stay here. Yes, she's beautiful. Yes, it's free living. Yes, I kinda still like her. But I'm leaving. Definitely. She and her horrible personality can't stop me.\n\nSo I ignored her and kept walking towards the door.\n\n\"Stop! You can't! Who's going to do the housework for me?\"\n\n\"Add pictures of yourself to your ad. Tons of dudes will be interested.\" I'm not willing to be her slave, but there are probably some guys out there that would love this. That suggestion is for them.\n\nShe resorted to more violent methods. \n\"Stop!\" she yelled, stomping towards me and forcefully spinning me around with a hard yank of my shoulder. \"You are going to stay here, unpack your stuff, and fix that leaky faucet!\"\n\n\"No, I'm not,\" I said firmly. I met her eyes with a cold look.\n\n\"You will!\" She slapped the back of one of my hands in a futile attempt to get me to put my stuff down.\n\nI turned around and kept walking.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\nTo be continued?\n\nEdit: Fixed some typos. \nAccidentaly -> Accidentally \nAd -> Add\n\nEdit 2: The first edit messed up some of the formatting." ]	3
	[WP] The university you attend took you and a small group to visit the Large Hadron Collider. While there, you got a chance to see it in action, but something went wrong. One of the protective barriers failed, exposing you to accelerated particles. Nothing seemed wrong...at first.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "CERN's on-site staff, the area's medical experts and our doctors back here in the states conducted, altogether, as many tests as humanely possible. As many blood tests, scans and evaluations as the contemporary genius could imagine. \n\nBut please don't judge them. Quantum entanglement is a difficult thing to detect, especially before the symptoms were visually noticeable. If we wanted to notice it earlier, it wasn't him that we needed to look at. It was his clothes.\n\nJeremy was a close friend of mine, so I'm quite familiar with how much he valued his jacket. It was an old bomber jacket that his father wore, and his father before him. A war relic or something I assume. But as much as he valued that jacket, I also know how much he disliked his father, so I can safely assumed he didn't wear it for sentiment as much as... \"cool\" factor. Either way, he wasn't letting anyone throw it out or cut it up. In all the paranoia following the incident, he let nobody touch that damn jacket. \n\nThey probably should have taken it, to be honest. It was exposed. Heavily.\n\nThree days after returning to the states, after closing the matter, Jeremy and I went back to his place after a class. He went to his room to change, and that's when he opened his wardrobe and smelled it. Burning fabric. Nylon or satin or something. He called me over to help look for \"a leak or something\". He had no way of knowing that it was his jacket producing that smell. \n\nIt took an embarrassing amount of time to realise that the jacket was the source. It just didn't occur to us, nor did we really believe it at first. It made no real sense. Jeremy was one of the smartest people I knew, but even he didn't think to correlate it to the incident.\n\nAnother day or so passed before the real issues began. Massive holes were burned in the jacket by that point, and it had been removed and sent to CERN for investigation. Not that the jacket was the issue. No, the issue was Jeremy's face.\n\nBefore I tell you the rest of Jeremy's story, I request that you try to avoid judgement. You don't know how much pain this man was in.\n\nWhen Jeremy was exposed to an opening in the LHC, his entire figure was exposed to a swathe of highly accelerated particles in an unprecedented state of quantum... rawness, so to speak. These particles became entangled with the front of his body, and went dormant for a short time. A while after returning to the states, they became active once again, and started to continue moving.\n\nSlowly. Relatively slowly. They had the velocity to push through material, but not from out perspective. Imagine looking at a super-car from really far away. It appears slow compared to the speed of your hand moving in front of your face, but it still has the power to decimate anyone standing in front of it. That was the particles Jeremy was exposed to.\n\nFirst it was the jacket. Presumably, his jeans and shoes (thrown out at the CERN control facility) started having hyper-accelerated quantum particles pushed through them as well. Most of Jeremy's body was safe, but not his head and hands.\n\nIn class the day after we noticed his jacket, he complained about some discomfort. Initially it was itchiness. Then he described it as needle-like. Then, the piercing began. We were back at his apartment when he clutched his face and fell to the floor screaming. When I ran over to him, it was impossible to notice the plethora of dark red dots beginning to spread all over his face. \n\nI got him to hospital as fast as I possibly could. He had trouble stifling the screams in the waiting room. Especially since it had started to affect his eyes.\n\nThe doctors didn't understand it. How could they? They gave him painkillers, but there wasn't else much they could do. We called the number CERN gave us again, and they said they'd have researchers flown in as soon as possible. There weren't any promises as to what they could do for him.\n\nThat night, before the researchers could arrive, the particles managed to get through his skin and eyes and into his skull. I don't think anybody's ever been in as much pain as he was that night. I sat with him, but I just... I had no idea what to do. What do you do for someone in that situation? I tried to empathise, but there was only one solution I could think of, and I certainly wasn't bringing it up.\n\nNot that I had to.\n\nAt four in the morning, Jeremy blindly made his way into his kitchen, felt around for a kitchen knife, and promptly pierced his own jugular with it. Please don't judge him for taking the \"easy\" way out. You could never imagine just how much pain he was in.\n\n...\n\nThe whole experience was a reminder to me of why people turn to religion. The universe is fucking terrifying, and we really don't understand it. Science can be beautiful, but sometimes when we push the limits of our own understanding, the universe pushes back in way that we just can't predict.\n\nBelieving that it's all just the product of a deity that hates seafood and gay people is a much easier answer. There's even an all-inclusive book on the matter.\n\nAnyway, I'm writing all this because, since it occurred a few weeks ago, I've developed chronic insomnia and depression. I just can't sleep, nor can I enjoy anything in particular. I just feel consumed with dread all the fucking time...\n\nAnd please don't judge me for saying this, but... it's not because of Jeremy.\n\nYou see, I was standing behind him when he was exposed. A little further away, but in the way enough that I may have been exposed as well. I just... don't know. I don't know.\n\nEvery day I now have to wait and see if I was exposed to particles, where I was exposed, and if there's something in particular that activates them. Any day now, that suffering could just begin out of nowhere. A slow death of a thousand cuts.\n\nI keep a .38 in my bag. I saw what happened to Jeremy. If I feel anything... I won't be going down the same path." ]	2
	[WP] The nature of your magic depends a lot on your patron god. You drew the divine short straw and ended up with Cthulhu...your spells are pretty horrifying.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Everyday I practice.\n\nI practice all day everyday and never get farther than this spell. I’m always forced to stop because of the... rules... lets just leave that there. It’s simple, it’s such a simple spell but I can’t master it and therefore can’t become a priest! Cthulhu take them! The spell is so easy, I can’t cast it with my eyes closed. But it summons a level four demon which is one damned point above the acceptable level. The high wizards and priests are so infuriating because they know I have complete control over the demon but they think I don’t. \n“Cthulhu almighty help me with this damned spell! Apparently I was supposed to say that as the ground around me lit on fire with some odd runes and symbols I haven’t seen. I remembered the most basic training, counter. We rely on summons and defensive spells some of us can twist defensive into offensive. Basic spell, I need a basic rune spell. I nodded and put my hands together “through the dungeon and through the castle. We gather where none have walked. Amongst us is a Shepard and we his sheep. He is our guide. Cthulhu’s light of might!” I shifted one back and one forward then thrusted my hands toward the floor a few meters in front. The fires of Cthulhu burned bright in that location and burst forth the level 4 demon. This level 4 was exquisite... it wasn’t scaled or striped, not sharp nor blunt, a regular woman... I knew she wasn’t regular though. Her pale skin was alluring and clean, black hair hung down to her waist, and she was 3 meters tall. If it wasn’t for the yelling and spells being cast I would’ve stayed in that trance forever. A beautiful giant woman for myself. Then I was on the floor and the beautiful woman was casting spells With arms that floating and looked like ghosts. The woman was an aspect of Cthulhu... \n“I’ll be damned” I whispered to my own mistake.\nThe aspect turned to face me the pretty pale face replaced by a projection of Cthulhu. \n“You. An acolyte summoned me, all by his lonesome. Many of you have tried with massive groups. But one student can do it alone. Why do I bother.” All of the priests and teachers burst aflame and their screams filled the temple with agony. Only the other acolytes survived. The aspect looked at me again \n“You will lead this sanctuary now because of your over-qualification. I have some priests to deal with. Next time you summon me. These students will be masters.”\nI nodded and looked down. This was sudden, jarring, and scarier than the babydoll spider we summoned once. Or was it the shapeshifter? Maybe the ghost... oh shit. I’m the leader of a sanctuary, I don’t know how to cast high level spells. “\n“Uh Cthulhu your unholiness, I don’t know how to cast master spells” He wasn’t happy. The aspect kneeled down and grabbed my neck. It’s eyes opened suddenly and swiftly. Like fire was lit behind them and that light burned into my soul. A piece of me was missing and I gained something else. The knowledge of all the previous priests, going back all the way to the first of them. The aspect disappeared. It left in the wake of the biggest moment of our lives. I summoned Cthulhu. And now I have to make a bunch of misfits and misguided acolytes to become masters in a certain amount of time. I can’t do this alone. \n“Yes you can” a deep and scratchy voice said from within my head. \n“Did I just think that?” I said out loud more to myself.\n“No I thought it for you” The voice thought to me apparently. \n“So who” I went on.\n“The sage” it thought to me.\n“The real”\n“Yes”\n“You defeated the”\n“Yes”\n“And summoned the”\n“Yes”\n“Woah” I said to myself. The sage is in my head.\n“I wish I wasn’t” fair enough. I nodded and looked around. \n“No you couldn’t have done it alone that’s why I’m here”\n“Okay don’t speak for me” I sighed and stopped. There wasn’t even a sign the priests lived except their footprints. I’ll check in later. This is Allen, singing off.", "I was 42 when I accepted magic into my life, just cleaning floors at the Miskatonic University's New Hampshire branch for a bunch of snobby little shits living off their parent's money. Acting like filthy animals, getting drunk and leaving their clothes all over the lawn and vomit all over the stairwells. If this were Maine I would have been able to take one or two of them out behind the wood shed and beat them to death with a shovel, but there's no sense crying over spilled milk.\n\nLars, they would say, another student has shat himself in the toilets, go clean it up and roll him somewhere safe. Lars, a bunch of girls just peed all over the school monument (somehow) and the trustees are coming tomorrow night. Lars, another three just vanished in the woods again, please go clean up the entrails.\n\nIt was that last one that began my story. Horny coeds vanishing in the woods is nothing new, but needing me to clean up afterwards is. Usually whatever eats the little shits is happy enough to clean it's plate, so to speak, so we don't have to worry overmuch about the coverup. But apparently this time the they just nibbled a bit and left. With my luck there's probably a few left alive and babbling streams of eldrich madness. Maybe I'll get to kill a few with a shovel after all.\n\nAs my beaten jalopy of a golf cart pulls up to clearing 57 (9th declination of the Owl in Virgo) I see today's work and my heart falls into my boots. It looks like a group of teenagers swallowed C4 and decided to take a climb before exploding. Ropy entrails festoon the trees like Christmas garlands, and jagged bits of bone shrapnel porcupine the trees and forest floor. No cigarette breaks for poor old Lars today, they've been very clear on the subject of overtime.\n\nI'm perhaps a fifth of the way through filling my first bucket when I hear it. Not so much a breeze, but as if the air is screaming very quietly somewhere far away. As an overpowering sense of dread and creeping terror sinks into my lungs, the screaming gets louder but more distant, changing in pitch and tone but not intensity. Soon, I hear it behind me.\n\nBreathe, scrape, breathe, scrape, slap, scrape, breathe.\n\n“UTHEDUS IJACEEBO?”\n\nThis is how I always lose my assistants, you see. They all turn to look. They can't help themselves, but not old Lars. My mother taught me the good manners she learned at her mother's knee, and her most important lesson was 'mind your own business'.”\n\n“FACH LOHIXOS KANACHETA,FACH LOHIXOS UDINBAK?”\n\n“You left a hell of of mess, buddy.” I say after a moment. I feel a brief but familiar revulsion as a tentacle brushes the elder sigil embroidered on my back ever so slightly and recoils. Miskatonic may not have any semblance of a healthcare plan, but they've had enough workman's comp cases to spring for a few little amenities.\n\n“CHOYOFAQUE, UTHEDAS DAXULABA.”\n\n\"I don't suppose next time you could drag them off campus before you do... whatever it is you do.”\n\n“{Their mind was easily broken. The flesh was dry.}” the reply drifts into my mind like a chill down the spine.\n\n“No argument here.” There's no answer. Perhaps others would find this an awkward moment, but not old Lars. I've been here too many years.\n\n“{Shuggoth to E4}”\n\nWell I'll be. I know who this is. “Hello Steve”\n\nSteve, otherwise known as Shub-Niseth, 545th son of the goat with a thousand young, moves a piece in our mental chess game. I see this as he kindly projects the image of the board into my mind, borne on windy whispers of a dead language. This would be our fifth game now, and I haven't won one yet. I've almost got him this time though.\n\n“{Perhaps you have considered our proposal}”\n\n“Perhaps I have.” I reply, focusing on my next move. “Time Hound to B9.”\n\nI take his shuggoth and set up his gatekeeper for a check in three moves. My elation is short lived as he swiftly blocks me with his Deep Priestess, threatening my Gatekeeper's R'lyeh. I've thought about his proposal, of course. Full-time cultist with benefits, eldrich power included.\n\n“What about healthcare? The University's been pretty clear on their position.”\n\n“{You would live life eternal, dying no death but through violence.}”\n\n“Oh. You didn't mention that before.”\n\n“{The flesh is unimportant.}”\n\n“Maybe to you...” I pause and consider. “What would my job be?”\n\n“{Whatever is asked of you.}”\n\n“That's already my job.”\n\n“{You would be required to sing the praises of Lord Yog-Sothoth in 16 different voices at every mention of his name.}” A dreadful cacophony arises from behind me. “Y'AI 'NG'NGAH, YOG-SOTHOTH H'EE - L'GEB F'AI THRODOG UAAAAAH!”\n\nThat's not so bad. “Would I still have to clean up the messes around here?”\n\nThere is a pause before the voice behind me answers. “{Yes.}”\n\n“No deal. That's just more work on top of what I'm already doing.”\n\n“{We would teach you 5th dimensional janitorial techniques.}”\n\n“They any quicker than 3rd dimensional ones?”\n\n“{Much}.”\n\nI sigh. I suppose I'm not getting any younger. “Alright, I'm in.”\n\nArcane knowledge floods my head like a deluge, stretching and warping my consciousness in directions unthinkable. In an instant, I know how to complete my task.\n\n“Y'AI 'NG'NGAH, YOG-SOTHOTH H'EE - L'GEB F'AI THRODOG UAAAAAH!” Raising a severed pancreas high above my head I squeeze and let the juices (smelling faintly of Mad Dog 20/20) run down my arm and across my chest.\n\nFor just an instant the clearing blinks out of existence and before me is a horrific mass of tentacles, eyes and teeth. I exist within unlighted chambers beyond time and space amidst the muffled, maddening beating of vile drums and the thin monotonous whine of accursed flutes. From far below yet right above, I invoke the still slumbering power of the great acid-serpent that crawls beneath the earth.\n\nAn eternity hangs in stillness while the foul piping of otherworldly music fills my ears. Shudde-M'ell stirs his sleep, sending a stream of mad power through my body, rebuilding my shattered frame as it moves.\n\nThe clearing blinks back, all traces of gore and gristle vanished. I flex my fingers, feeling the elastic stretch of the webbing and coo in pleasure through my feeding tentacles. My job today is done, and it's not even 10:30. A queer impulse creeps into my mind, a course of action clear among the multitude of thoughts now swirling within.\n\nI dial the number for the Dean's office, clutching the phone to one of my more sensitive bony extremities.\n\n“Miskatonic, dean's office?” asks a pleasant female voice.\n\n“XIQUAL UDINBAK LAXENGAB BEJVAS, FACH LOHIXOS KANACHETA!!!!!”\n\n“Of course, I'll put you through right away.”\n\nThe dean of Misktonic, Dr. Allen Halsey jr. picks up the phone. “Lars, good to hear from you! I trust your meeting with HR today was fruitful?”\n\n“AEPALIZAGE, AEPALIZAGE, SEH UDINBAK RENCEB HEFLUBESQAD.”\n\n“Naturally.”\n\nI move through the spaces between, utilizing geometry previously inconceivable and step out from a corner in front of the dean's desk. I exude the ritual greeting, sending gobs of acidic saliva hissing through the well-worn desk blodder.\n\n“Well now my boy,” he says, kicking off his wingtips and flexing his long, spindly toes in obvious relief. “Welcome to the club, let's talk benefits.”", "\"The stars have aligned once again for you, oh great and dread Cthulu. Once, you and your star-spawn ruled this planet in your name, until a great unimaginable cataclysm cast your cities beneath the waves, and yourself into a death like slumber. Over untold eons-\"\n\n\" Objection!\" a high pitched voice squealed out, cutting me off. \n\nMy brows crossed in anger as I looked in the direction of the voice. It came from the corner of the classroom, from a scrawny brat whose name I could never remember. I think his patron was Gaia, one of the Greek primordial entities. Safe to say, he always disagreed with my telling of history.\n\nSince it had come to this, I looked toward our teacher Mr. Frazzle. As the mediator, it was his job to settle disputes. \n\nAfter thinking thoughtfully for a moment, Mr. Frazzle nodded his head, coming to a decision. \"Objection accepted. Priest of Cthulu, please be more cautious with your words.\" Mr. Frazzle said, crossing his arms.\n\nMy frown deepened as I sensed an overbearing shadow grow behind me, goosebumps rising on my neck. Cthulu was not happy. If I valued my life, I'd better do something quick.\n\nI quickly stared into Mr. Frazzle's eyes, muttering \"Infinite Subjugation\" under my breath. Mr. Frazzle's eyes suddenly turned empty as his muscles tightened and he began sweating profusely.\n\nHis mind's eye was currently in another dimension, witnessing Cthulu's great conquest. He was likely witnessing the annihilation of entire galaxies, and experiencing the fear of the trillions Cthulu had killed. It wasn't a process the mortal mind could handle for more than a few seconds without dying.\n\nI released the spell, and Mr. Frazzle noticeably shuddered as his mind returned to its body. \"I'm sorry Mr. Frazzle\" I said innocently, \"could you repeat what you said?\"\n\n\"Th... There.. There is no problem\" the poor man finally choked out.\n\nA grin immediately broke out on my face as I felt the presence of the Great One's shadow recede.\n\nThe brat who had spoken out earlier immediately began to protest, but a vicious glare from Mr. Frazzle immediately silenced him.\n\n\"Gaia will have something to say about this\" the boy finally harrumphed, looking away.\n\nHaving solved one problem, I sweatily finished my preaching, praying I didn't anger the Great Old One. Being the priest of Cthulu was a stressful job after all.", "A bolt of lightning split the air and slammed into the earth, tossing brigands like rag dolls. The smell of scorched air and human flesh followed the deafening crash of thunder. Blinking away the afterimage, Untara cast a withering glance at Mirvo, then gestured and sunk her hands into the grass. Writhing, living ropes of braided grass sprung up, grabbing several of the pillagers and slamming them into the ground. She nodded at Varrin, straining with the effort of her spell. \"Now, Varrin. Time to put up or shut up!\" \n\nVarrin licked his lips and twitched. \"As you wish.\" He took a short breath, and his head snapped back as his spine arched painfully. His hands flashed out of his robes, curling rigidly into arcane symbols. Tears of blood trickled down his face, and he began to slowly levitate into the air. An eldritch glow suffused his body as words in a language no human tongue could make poured from his mouth. \n\nThe sun guttered out like a snuffed candle. Darkness swallowed the fleeting stars. Yet somehow, impossibly, the darkness was not complete. The field of battle and the men upon it were clearly visible. The invading brigands looked up with dismay and confusion. Then they cowered and hid their eyes from some truth Varrin's party could not see. \n\nBut the brigands were not permitted to hide from the enlightening darkness. With audible cracks the hands and arms of the weeping men were slowly bent away from their faces, eyes forced open by some unseen force. The men began screaming, desperately screaming. Then, the invisible bonds that held them suddenly loosed. Some fell to their knees. All began, with trembling, broken limbs, to tear at their eyes. \n\nThe leader of the brigands, a giant of a man, brutal and cruel, called out to the adventurers, weeping and gurgling on his own blood in a whisper that somehow carried across the thrashing, broken men and the field of battle. \"Death is no refuge from Those Who Wait! Yet I cannot bear to live.\" With a cursed strength he began to tear open his chest with his bare hands, screaming in pain. The other men followed suit. After their innards were spilled by their own hands, as the life left them, each man smiled as if in relief. \n\nSlowly the light returned. A gentle breeze wafted to them the undescribable smell of the horrific carnage laid out before them. Pale and trembling, Untara and Mirvo stared at Varrin. Varrin's body relaxed as he came to rest on the ground once more. He shivered, though the day was warm, and did not meet their gaze.", "Finally, my naming day was here! I had to wait until the end of the year, unlike most of my class whose birthdays were closer in line with the school year. Everyone had been placed with their patron god, and it was finally my turn! My mother woke me with a cake for breakfast, and my sister was actually pretty nice for a change. Today was going to be a good day.\n\nOnce arriving at school, I was met with the customary greetings one gets on naming day. 'Welcome to adulthood, young light', 'Merry Matching, Gideon!', 'Praise your Patron, and blessed be your gifts.' The professor even gave me a small pendant with the symbol of our great country engraved in the jewel.\n\nIt wasn't until midday that nerves began to set in. Every child has found their calling in their patron god, but there is always the fear of being one of the Pathless. Unwanted by the Gods, and cast out of the city. I shook my head, clearing those thoughts away. I will be something great.\n\n\"Gideon!\" my friend, Charles, called from his desk as I sat down in the row next to him. \"How do you feel? Excited? I remember when Ra claimed me. The sun started glowing brighter, and I could feel his blazing glory in every bone.\" Charles waited for me to say something positive back, but all I could feel was a twisted knot in my stomach. Like something terrible was approaching.\n\n\"It didn't hurt or anything?\" I asked, my voice quieter than I expected. Jack, the child claimed by Ares, laughed as he overheard.\n\n\"Hurt? It's a Deity blessing you with their love, you idiot. Of course it doesn't hurt. What hurts is dead arm.\" With that Jack punched me in the shoulder. Charles glared at him but the bully shrugged it off as he sat back down in his chair. I didn't care though. I was too preoccupied by the chaos of thoughts in my head. The teacher came in before Charles could do anything more, and everyone sat down.\n\nThe class passed by as normal, the teacher only calling me out once for it being my naming day. As it grew closer to the time of my Naming, the school gathered in the auditorium for the ceremony. I was a wreck. My nerves felt fried, I couldn't keep my thoughts straight. It was as if there were a thousand minds, crashing into my consciousness and then leaving as soon as they came. I wanted to ask if the others felt this way before their naming, but I couldn't seem to form the words. \n\nThe Principle, and the Professor of Rituals lead me to the stage where an altar was erected. It looked beautiful, even before they opened the giant windows beyond the stage to reveal the ocean that rests behind the school grounds. I always loved looking off the cliffs out into the endless expanse of the sea, but it just brought dread. \n\nSlowly, I walked toward the center of the stage, my footsteps were the only thing that seemed to echo through the room. As I stood in front of the entire school, the Professor of Ritual began the chant that would summon my patron god to claim me as their own. It felt like ice slithering through my veins as the arcane energy filled the room. The students were gasping with excitement as the multicolored lights swirled around the room. This was normal, but I still couldn't shake the feeling of absolute dread.\n\nAs the Professor continued his work, the altar fire blazed an eerie green. I stared into the flame as I felt a connection to something greater begin to pull on my soul. The terror began to melt away from me as I was filled with a greater sense of purpose. I could see why everyone always felt so happy after their naming. I turned away from the flame to see the faces of my classmates. All of them twisted in horror.\n\nI smiled, for this brought me comfort for some reason, and turned to their gaze. The sky had begun to shift to a dark red haze, and the sea began to boil and turn with a black ooze. It felt like a home I've never seen, and always longed for. Facing my classmates again, I wanted to show them the feeling of terror, and the glory of chaos. I reached out to Jack and he began to shake, boils growing from his skin as I felt his mind distort. Glee was the emotion that came to mind. \n\nSuddenly, a great inferno knocked me away from the altar. Charles had used his gift to knock me to the ground. The flames still licked my arms and hair as I stood, smiling. I began to reach out to him as I did with Jack, when my mind was racked with more pain than I had ever felt. As if someone were ripping a part of my being from my head. Then darkness.\n\nI awoke in the infirmary, my arms wrapped in bandages. It hurt to move. I couldn't seem to remember what happened, just that my ceremony was interrupted. It felt like I was missing a part of me, but I couldn't remember what. Before long, the nurse came in to treat my wounds and hopefully answer some questions.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nPart 2 incoming?", "Sticks and stones pt \\[1\\]\n\nTo be honest, saying it was addictive was one hay bale short of a full paddock... or maybe two, okay, more like a million. When the shift happened I was reading my favorite, Lovecraftian horror, who doesn't love cosmic entities defying logic to the point of being god breaking reality crunching super beings? Not me, nowadays I'm very careful where I place our care. My name is... I'm pretty sure my name is Valarion, the first priest of... of myself? no... of myselves. and for the purpose of keeping a record, this is how we got to where we are now.\n\nHours after the news broadcasts started declaring a shift in tachyon radiation permeating the world as we knew it... as we thought we knew it, people started praying. It was unconscious at first like subtle spirituality had swept the nation and suddenly everyone had a little spark of god in them. You might hear a \"Ra bless you\" from your neighbor or \"Hades have mercy\" from a flustered aunt. The world held its secretly building breath for almost a full week before the manifestations started. That's what they called them, manifestations, I always hated the name, made it sound like a disease.\n\nChurches around the world were raised and rebuilt almost overnight and mysticism swallowed us whole as people gave up on trying to believe in only the know deities. Thoth, apparently, had manifested somewhere in Egypt in the minds of a secluded sect of occult practitioners, with a little help from notable billionaires hoping to invest in the pandemonium, they had managed to \"bend\" him a body. I wasn't quite sure of the terminology but it was something along the line of three left turns and two right ones at the same time, coupled with infinitesimals and quantum bridging... it wasn't something I could wrap my head around, too magiky.\n\nZeus had been spotted at several Clubs of ill repute... the governments of the world took efforts to appease their new overlords and at the same time retain control. Easier said than done as hundreds of strippers and prostitutes fell pregnant with \"chosen ones\" apparently condoms didn't work for immaculate conception. The government soon was reformed as a conglomerate of religious sects representatives, the voice of the people was drowned amidst the chanting of the chosen and favored. Society as the world knew it ground to a screeching halt.\n\nThat wasn't the worst of it, gods of war had descended upon the middle east, naming chosen left, right and center. People were blowing apart other people with their freaking minds. It was safe to say that the world was undergoing a rather intense trial by fire... a lot of fire.\n\nI was sitting in the lounge room when it happened, I remember it distinctly because it was the last time that... well, truth be told it was the last 'time' itself, things stopped making sense after that, or rather, they gave up having to have to make sense. The coffee table was math in front of me, carbon orchestrated through the dance of trees and men to land with four legs in front of the present body of the manifestation of myself. I giggled and I poured from the giggle like chocolate over strawberries and ate the mirth and burned it in my mind for power. The present moment afforded a limited opportunity for the attainment of self-actualization and wealth, not that I needed either. My standing in this world, however, would increase exponentially with the lack of confinement and attainment of power. Best put together some kind of plan. I giggled again and noted the deterioration of my neural plasticity. irrelevant for perhaps another 50 years but a stitch in time... I thought out some formula to rectify it, I ripped up my train of thought and pushed the ever-increasing giggling thought the holes until I had filled my thoughts with my thoughts... that made sense, right? Eh... that should keep this feeble brain ticking at... 10,000 thoughts an hour, the bare minimum for my work and far cry from the measly 3000 the body was working with before. I felt the vestiges of my humanity shudder and convulse, a yawn brought endorphins and fresh laughter to my lips which I consumed readily and added to my pathetically human-sized reserves. not to worry, plenty of time to grow. The laughter reached new heights and my body convulsed again... this time from the rapid cycling of laughing energy flowing from the stomach into my mind, darkness tinged the edges of my limited view of the light spectrum my ocular input could observe and still I laughed, feeding, eating, consuming myself until the body I controlled succumbed to unconsiousness. Not to worry, I slipped into myself and reversed the polarity of conscious and unconscious. my body went completely limp and I set to work on the mish-mash this human had made of his stupid brain... amateur...\n\n&#x200B;\n\nthis is my first ever writing prompt so tear my a new one with useful critiquing aye?\n\npart two coming if you want it :P" ]	7
	[WP] your stepfather is a dragon. He constantly gives you aid and advice...but most if it only works if you're a dragon. For Example: "have you ever thought about ransoming a princess? Or extorting an eastern european village? Those are classic ways to start your first hoard"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "My mother, former Queen Lucina of Gesstop was in her second marriage. She was a beautiful woman, hair as orange as the sunset. Eyes as blue as ocean, and a smile so pure she could charm a dragon... Literally.\n\nBack when my mother was a princess, she made a deal with her parents, that she'd be taken by a dragon, and be married to the first person who saved her. She was locked up in a tower, guarded by a dragon called Flare Hook-wing.\n\nFlare and Lucina ended up falling deeply in love, the day Lucina was going to propose was the day she was found.\n\nShe was found by a peasant man named James Baker. He was cruel, abusive, and only made it in due to him sacrificing dozens of innocent men. It disgusts me that James was my real father.\n\nLucina ended up murdering James in his sleep and running off. She spent days in the forest until she found Flare once again. They fell in love again and Lucina proposed. Due to the fact that love between a dragon and a human was highly condemned, she was disowned by the monarchy and her sister Rubose became the next in line.\n\nFor my whole life my family has been living in my father's old cave. It was actually very cosy in there, but after a while, my parents wanted me to move out.\n\nWe were all sat around our make shift table, eating the meat that had been made, when the topic of moving out came up.\n\n\"Jessie darling, we feel you're getting a bit old for this little old cave, we feel you need to maybe, find a place of your own?\" Flare looked down at me, his harsh voice trying its best to come off as warm and friendly.\n\n\"As your father put it sweetie, the cave is getting rather cramped and we feel you should... Move out, there's a nearby cave that would be wonderful!\" Lucina added in.\n\nI finished eating my meat, and stood up, grabbed my armour, sword, and cross bow. Lucina looked over. \"Honey what are you doing?\"\n\n\"Well seeing you're so eager to kick me out, im leaving I guess\" I paused. How was I going to get food. How was I going to cook food. How was I going to get gold. After all, gold's what makes the world go round.\n\n\"Jessica Im so proud of you!\" Flare cried, his tears steaming up. \"Oh, oh! We'll need to start you on a horde! I have some ideas!\"\n\nFlare stood up quickly, his head hitting the ceiling of the cave.\"You can start with a bit of my horde, but you'll need to get gold your own way too. Some ways you can start that never go wrong are forcing a village to pay you in exchange for you not killing them, or, or, or, holding a princess for ransom or-\"\n\n\"Thats enough Flare\" Lucina spoke up. \"Honey, you're going to get a normal job aren't you right?\"\n\nI turned around, considering my options, get an honest job? Or get a ton of gold. I think I'll extort a village.\n\n\"Sorry mum, i think i'll go with dads option.\"Lucina chuckled and sighed as Flare put me on his back and flew out of the cave, showing me all the small nearby villages.\n\n# -------------------------\n\nI walked into the small village of Venture. They were a mining village, perfect. I was wearing my full dragon scale armour that Dad helped me make from his shed scales. I held my sword made from the bones of other dragons, and held me crossbow, made from pure steel. I walked into the village straight into the town square.\n\n\"L- Listen up idiots oh god what am I doing. F- From now on this village is under my pro- protection. I expect a monthly- no weekly fee of urm, gold? In exchange I wont kill any of you?\" I was panicking\n\nA crowd had formed all muttering to themselves. From the outside I looked like a harsh, stone faced warrior. On the inside I wanted to shrivel up and die.\n\nA man walked out from the centre of the crowd/\n\n\"How do we know we can trust you. This is normally a dragon's deal. I think you're pulling our leg. Go back to what ever sewer you crawled out of\" The man laughed, his fat stomach bouncing as the rest of the crowd started laughing.\n\nThey all went silent very soon though. As a dragon scale crossbow bold went straight through the man's skull.\n\n\"I demand that you bring your gold to the cave over there\" I said as I pointed to the cave I was moving into. \"Or someone will go missing again.\" I walked through the crowd\n\n\"Clean up that filth while you're at it. Don't want that stinking up the place.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n# -------------------------------- Author's notes\n\nHope this was alright, please tell me if you like it :)", "Never ask what puts fear into a Dragon's heart. Because what I tell you, might break yours. \n\n-x\n\nShe laid there dying of a contracted illness that tore into her, and I knew not how to help her. My skill, cunning, courage and even my magic were useless against something microscopic and ravaging to her. My Human daughter. The weakest, most soul-driven being I ever knew.\n\nI can see it in her eyes. Her fire, her song, and her determination. Ever since that day when I had come upon her fleeing the wreckage of her village, alone and at such a young age, I knew I saw something beautiful and worth nurturing in her. \n\nI took Charice in, and she became my ward. The differences between us, made my attempts at rearing her difficult, but not insurmountable. I provided her with hearth, guidance and safety. She sought her betterment on her own.\n\nI remember the time she first asked me to teach her to hunt. I knew trying to teach methods of in-air surveying, swooping, and striking would be useless to her. Instead, we began to try to understand how it was that Man sought and killed their food. I shared the basics of what I knew of tracking, and the patterns I saw of game moving. She found my stories entertaining as I relayed some of my misadventures as a welp, and I used those stories frequently to encourage her.\n\nWe had to construct without foreknowledge: a Bow, then Arrows, then a Knife, and a Pack. I watched anon, vast lengths away, while she braved the process of learning to hunt. The whole while she must have made 30 attempts at crafting her bow until she found something with enough power to kill. Far more than this, were her failed attempts at falling her prey. And when she finally did strike her prey, she failed to kill it in a shot, leading to pursuit. \n\nI'll never forget how willing she was to mercifully end her prey, when she finally tracked it down. She had been so proud of her kill; I really believed, then, that she took after my own ferocity.\n\nCharice begged me to teach her magic, constantly. I knew it was beyond herself to learn the ways of Wyrvrice. My and my people's magic comes from a power that reigns inside of us; the fires within foment Aethurm, and grant us the power to manipulate. Her and her people tap their own essence and use it conjunction with the natures around themselves. I have the luxury and bane of thought to simply direct my energy to exert my will. She has the handicap and perfect teacher of needing to understand her inner spirit, and how it connects to the world around her.\n\nThis proved too great a difficulty for me to teach her, that would satisfy her. Again, she constantly strove to understand and master the concepts I could provide her. She sought scrying, mysticisms, creations, and dominating forms; none but the least availed themselves to her. But she never gave up, and I never failed to help her attempt new discoveries.\n\n She first listened to the hours of oral history and epics that I knew of Great Magi of Man and the Majestic Wry of Draco, enraptured. Later, she and I debated and discussed proper forms for conjures and spell workings. She was so hungry to see her craft develop, to look anything like my own. It weighed me heavy to see her smile at her own failure, as she tried and again, until she could only work the most basic of spells.\n\nWhat she did not know, and I knew not how to explain to her: I could see her disturbances of the natural order. I am fairly certain her frail, human eyes could not see it, but she only missed the power to effect her magic. The world nearest her bent to her leaning, if only she had the power to command it!\n\nI regretted inwardly, that I could not seek a teacher for her. I steeled myself to be ready to encourage or persuade her to find a master, when she became an age suitable to travel alone.\n\n-x\n-x\n-x\n\nTo be continued...", "I sat contently in our big bright backyard with the dragon who I considered my father. Mythical creatures weren't anything new to me nor my mother due to our very strange heritage. A few weeks after my eighth birthday my biological father died, sadly. When I turned fifteen my mom introduced me to her boyfriend, Greg, who is indeed a dragon.\n\nGreg would always give me very good advice, well, good advice for dragons. Actually, he was going on another one of his rants right now. \"Now, Mikey, if you ever fall in love with a dragon make sure you say it outright. We are quiet dense creatures.\" He told me, letting out a huff of smoke through his large nostrils.\n\n\"Hm? I don't think I'll ever fall in love, dad.\" I sighed but still accepted the words of wisdom. \"Anything else you've got to say?\" I asked him, running my pale fingers over his big snout.\n\n\"Right! Dragons are always most attracted to fair maidens, you should try finding one yourself!\" He laughed at his own comments, letting more smoke out of his nose.\n\nThere he goes again, \"Maybe I will, I'd like a maiden of my own.\" I sugarcoated my lie. I love my father but sometimes I didn't quite care too much about his words. \"Was my mother a fair maiden? She's kind of old an wrinkly now.\"\n\n\"Why, that's not even a question to ask! Your mom was and still is gorgeous, that's why you're so beautiful as well.\" \n\nI took that to heart for sure, I was never very fond of my looks and I enjoyed every compliment I got. \"Would you like some snacks? We can raid the kitchen like we always do!\"\n\n\"But of course, you know, dragons actually are very good cooks. I'll teach you sometime. You really should pick up on cooking, Mike.\"\n\nAnd even more dragon stuff. I got up onto my bare feet and fixed my long sundress across my legs. \"Sure, dad.\"" ]	4
	[WP] You had been sick for weeks, then eventually you croaked. You thought you had just fallen asleep and woken up, but upon opening your eyes again you find yourself in some 80s looking office with a single desk, and on it sat a ringing rotary phone	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Casey heard ringing before she opened her eyes. She was seated in front of a desk but the high-back leather chair behind it was empty. She looked around and took inventory of the office. She had no idea how she got there; but, she hoped that finding out where there was would give her some hints.\n\nThe phone that continued ringing in steady intervals was transparent and pink neon lights glowed from inside the clear case. The rotary on its inclined front glowed with a neon blue light highlighting the numbers. The phone sat on a small desk with a large, beige, CRT monitor taking up more than half of its surface. The walls consisted of wood panels decorated with dozens of posters. They advertised movies and bands that Casey had never heard of. She was somewhat amused by the fact that every person on every person wore sunglasses and a popped up collar. There wasn't much else to the office except a closed door. As she thought about poking her head out the door opened.\n\nA beautiful woman with aqua-blue curls strode in with an annoyed look on her face. She seemed surprised by Casey but she rolled her eyes and picked up the ringing phone.\n\n\"Ezey said no more phone interviews,\" she said with a firm tone. \"You have a client.\" As Casey watched the exchanged she took in the woman's appearance. She had olive skin with a star tattooed on her left cheek; the number 35 decorated the blue star. She wore a navy blue business coat that gave her a professional appearance from the waist up. A matching navy sarong was wrapped around her waist and showed plenty of leg when she walked. The woman hung up the phone, then smiled politely at Casey.\n\n\"Sorry about the wait, your caseworker will be right in,\" she said. She turned to leave but Casey managed to find her voice.\n\n\"Where am I?\" the confused woman asked. The woman continued to walk and smile; she did not slow at all.\n\n\"You're dead,\" she said as she walked through the door and closed it.\n\n\"I'm... dead?\" Casey asked aloud to herself. She closed her eyes and furrowed her brow to think. \"I'd been sick...\" she remembered feeling hot and achy. She was soaking the sheets with sweat at night and waking up with chills. \"I was going to go to the doctor today...,\" she realized she had put off the doctor visit too long. The door opened again and a fat man walked in. He looked young. Casey guessed his age was somewhere around her own 28 years. His golden hair looked like a bird's nest; stringy and disorganized. He had a skull tattooed on his forehead with the number 42 on its forehead in gold numbers.\n\nHe wore the same navy blue coat the other woman wore, but with a much more casual attitude. After seeing both of them, Casey assumed the coat was part of a uniform. His coat rested on his shoulders like a cape, his arms were free of its sleeves. Under it, he wore a tight red t-shirt that matched one of the posters on the wall, sunglasses and all. He wore sagging blue jeans and black high-top sneakers to complete the outfit.\n\n\"Casey!\" he said with a broad smile as he entered and waddled around her to sit behind the desk. \"I'm glad we finally get to meet.\"\n\n\"Finally?\" she asked. The rotund man nodded and reached into one of his desk drawers. He pulled out a manila folder, opened it and set it on the desk to look over it.\n\n\"Yeah. Normally I do it over the phone,\" he said. He kept talking to the file instead of looking up to meet Casey's eyes.\n\n\"Am I dead?\" Casey asked. The man chuckled.\n\n\"Women are just dying to meet me,\" he said playfully, then closed the file and looked up at Casey.\n\n\"You're dead. We've talked on the phone a few times,\" he shrugged. \"Well, every time you die.\" He reached a plump hand out across the desk to her. \"I'm your caseworker, Chase.\" Casey gave him a confused look instead of shaking his hand. He nodded then lowered the hand. \"You've only died a handful of times, it'll take several more until you start remembering me.\"\n\n\"More? I'm going to die more?\" Casey asked.\n\n\"Sure, it's how the thing works. Don't worry, you'll figure it out eventually. Bye,\" he said with a smile and waved at her.\n\n\"Wait. That's it? Just hi and bye!?\" Casey asked with a hard edge in her voice. \"I want answers!\" she shouted. Chase shrugged.\n\n\"They used to give answers. Way back when. But now, there're more people dying and not enough staff to deal with them.\" He sighed. \"Any answers I give you, you plain won't remember. This is just a check in to let you know things are still on track and put you at ease for your next life.\" Casey crossed her arms in a huff as if refusing to leave. Chase glanced at his monitor. \"Okay, you have time for one question. Make it fast,\" he said.\n\nCasey thought about her last memories of being sick. She remembered the spasms she felt while coughing and wheezing, then she looked at her hands. Sitting in the small office, she wiggled her fingers. Wherever she was now, it felt as real as when she was sick. She decided on a question, but she wanted to word it carefully.\n\n\"Wherever I was before this office, it feels the same as now. So my question is... how did I get from there to here? I mean, what happened to me that got me from there to here,\" she asked. Chase smiled.\n\n\"You died,\" he said. \"See you next time,\" he waved again and Casey's vision went black. Then, she was born again.\n\n \\\\\\\n\nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is year two, story #266. You can find all my stories collected on my subreddit ([r/hugoverse](https://www.reddit.com/r/hugoverse/)) or my blog. If you're curious about my universe (the Hugoverse) you can visit the Guidebook to see what's what and who's who, or the Timeline to find the stories in order.", "I took a deep breath in, and slowly released it. It was taking a little longer to come back to me than it normally did; this client was particularly rough. As I sat down in my tall black leather chair, I heard a faint ringing. I rubbed my temple as I poured a small glass of whiskey I kept on the corner of my desk. As I sipped, I watched the phone ring, steadily becoming louder as I began to forget the death I had just experienced. I knew it wouldn't stop; it never did, but wondered if I was ready to pick up the phone again. My eyes drifted over to a pile of letters and papers hastily crammed into a drawer, with numerous notices of \"PAST DUE\", \"FINAL WARNING\" and other variations thereof. Coming to terms with reality, I realized that meant that I couldn't really afford not to answer the phone immediately. I quickly downed another glass, and picked up the receiver.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Hello?\" I offered.\n\n\"Hi this is Jameson Leopold and I'm inquiring about your passing services?\"\n\n\"Uh, sure, what was your inquiry specifically?\" I wasn't used to clients asking about the service itself.\n\n\"Well how does it work? I've got to admit, when I first heard your name, I didn't believe it. But I've been referred to you by some very trusted colleagues, so I thought I'd lend the benefit of the doubt.\"\n\nI sensed a small arrogance in Jameson's tone, like he was offering me* a favor by calling about my service, but because it kept the inevitable at bay, I humored him. \"Well Jameson, the deal is, you pay me, and I take the pain of a death for you. I send over one of my on-call assistants, they embed a microchip into the client's brain, fairly painlessly, all things considered, of course, and then their technology interacts with the one I've got permanently installed in my brain, and their pain will become mine. They'll then pass at their time, and the entire experience will be painless for them, and it will be passed to me.\"\n\nThere was a silence on the line for a moment, as Jameson tried to comprehend what I was saying. Eventually, \"There's no way that's real. Prove it to me.\"\n\nI laughed and said, \"Man, my phone rings nonstop, I don't need your business. Fuck off.\"\n\n\"Wait wait wait, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Give me a second!\" Jameson stammered. \"Obviously I was going to be thrown off, this shit is unreal!\"\n\n\"Everyone else that calls knows it's legitimate,\" I scoffed, \"What do you want?\"\n\nJameson hesitated, then stated, \"My dad's been going through a bout with cancer. I can see how much he hurts, and it kills me to see my old man like that. Money's never really been a big obstacle, so once I heard of your services, I've been dialing in nonstop. Could you help me out?\"\n\n\"Is he terminal?\"\n\n\"Fucking Christ, yeah he's terminal! How about you show a little class?\"\n\n\"Just making sure. It's my job to take the pain, I want to know it's gonna end at some point, ya know?\"\n\nI could barely make out a muttered curse before Jameson responded, \"So can you help me or not?\"\n\nI didn't want to, because frankly this guy kind of struck me as a prick, but since I'd had him on the ropes, figured I'd push my luck. \"I'll do it for double my usual rate.\"\n\n\"Done. When can you have your guy here?\"\n\nIrritated at how fast he accepted only double, I said, \"It'll be a woman, and she'll be there as soon as I transfer the line and you guys trade contact details.\" I abruptly dialed to my assistant's phone and transferred him without another word.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI pressed on my phone's mute to block out it's incessant ringing, and picked up my bottle for one more pour. Absentmindedly, I started the process of taking on another death. I re-inserted my IVs to make sure I wouldn't starve, (which was a real threat considering how long some of these guys lasted) and began to fluff my pillows. I found it was best to stay in a constant state of inebriation in order to dull the pain. Satisfied with my bed's arrangement under the window in my office, I started to prepare my tray of whiskey and painkillers, and brought them to my bedside. Thoroughly prepared, I sat back in my chair once more and started to mentally prepare myself to die." ]	3
	[WP] The mayor of a floating city tries to hide the fact that the antigravity generators are failing.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Sir?”\n\nThere was a tentative tremble in the voice that piped up behind Mayor Weare. He was so tired of hearing that tremble in the voices of the incompetent. Sniveling, sycophantic wretches, all lining up to lick his boots and tripping over each other to bob their heads in agreement whenever he said something. They disgusted him, and he treated them accordingly, with vigorous abuse and demeaning. Staring out of his enormous balcony bubble at the churning mass of Saturn below, Weare couldn’t fathom what sort of deviant breeding could lead a man to so openly display their weaknesses. Perhaps their military training hadn’t been strict enough, perhaps these newer generations were simply made of sub-par stock.\n\nThe balcony was usually a place of quiet contemplation for the Mayor. From atop it, he could gaze over the glittering skyline of Arcturus, as it hung like a chandelier inside the ring belt of Saturn. From here, Weare could feel the magnificence of his responsibility radiating out into the void. In his mind, he liked to picture it as the proverbial shining city on the hill. The finest and oldest of the Deep Cities, Arcturus had stood for hundreds of years inside the ring belt as a beacon of industry, culture and scientific development. When Weare basked in the glory of his triumph, he felt linked to the great men and women who had steered this ship before him, and he knew he was chosen for this greatness.\n\nThat made it even more unpalatable when his reverie was broken by incompetent fools. They could only dream of having a legacy like his, of even sampling the power that he wielded. But of course, they would lap at his heels in the vain hope of crumbs falling from the table. Weare turned on his heel after one more lingering look at the city, and faced the flunky standing a respectful distance behind him. He was an enormous man, with the build of a cage fighter; all taught muscle and visible scars. Despite looking like a raging ape, his eyes were wide when Weare met them. Weare made no attempt to hide a sneer of distaste as he noticed palpable fear writ plain on the ape’s face. He clearly had bad news and was in no hurry to be the one to deliver it.\n\n“A message from Captain Wilder, Sir. It’s…the Partisans. They’ve taken another one of the repulsion generators. Our orbit is now point six degrees off stable. If we are unable to repair the generators they’ve sabotaged, or if they take another, we could easily…”\n\nHis voice trailed off to nothing. The Mayor had narrowed his eyes to tiny pinpricks of hate, which tended to have that effect on his subordinates. Unthinkable, that a tiny group of barely trained and barely armed traitors could embarrass his security forces so easily. Unthinkable that they had now taken three of the repulsion generators, considering that these were easily some of the most secure locations on the city. \n\nThe first time had been a fluke, the second perhaps a coincidence. Punishment for the ineptitude of those involved had been meted out harshly and swiftly. But a third? This changed the equation. Clearly there was something more sinister at work. Perhaps there was a leak on the inside of his security force? Perhaps they were being aided by a professional. The Partisans were passionate about their cause, however they were misguided. A city as glorious as Arcturus could not be run by the whims of the rabble, and there was no room in its guidance for the petty glamour of representation or democracy. She needed a strong, unflinching hand to steer her. Cornelius Weare understood that in a way that the simpletons down there could not. The demands of the individual were like the buzzing of insects to great figures like himself.\n\nHe turned away from the lackey, whose presence the Mayor had quickly grown tired of. The repulsion generators had of course been retaken, as this third one would now be, but the rebels had left behind gifts: malicious code that prevented override was still stumping his best technicians, and causing Arcturus to drift gradually out of a stationary orbit. According to the ape, they were close to losing control of the city entirely. The thought of his beautiful legacy spiraling into Saturn made Weare taste bile. Of course, nobody must know how close to that scenario they were. He spoke now, voice maliciously measured and even.\n\n“This information was given directly to you from Willder, yes?”\n\n“Yes sir,” the man replied, clearly having regained some composure now that his message was delivered.\n\n“And you have told nobody, of course?”\n\n“Of course not sir!” There was a note of hurt and indignance. This was almost certainly a loyal man, albeit a cowardly one.\n\n“Very well.” Replied Weare, satisfied. Back still turned, he gestured subtly to nobody, fingers tracing a quick and elaborate set of shapes in the air. A tiny hiss was heard, and then silence behind him as small laser diodes in the ceiling delivered an instantaneous incision along the back of the lackey’s neck. Instantly, his spine was severed from his brain, and he died standing, entirely unaware of his own death. Weare was still gazing out over the city when he heard the body fall to the ground heavily behind him.\n\nAs he chewed over the Partisan problem, he absentmindedly realized he hadn’t gotten the name of the unfortunate fool who had to be burdened with secrets. If Captain Wilder had chosen this man to deliver the message, he must have done something to earn the old bastard’s ire. The ape’s fate was sealed as soon as he was given the secret. Perhaps he had taken one too many lingering looks at one of Wilder’s favorite concubines. It didn’t matter.\n\nWhat mattered now, reflected Weare to himself, was rooting out the worm in his perfect apple before the traitors struck again. He would not underestimate them. Clearly they were a threat to be taken seriously, and Mayor Cornelius Weare would see them tortured to death slowly for their crimes. Arcturus was his, and he would sooner throw himself into Saturn than see his prize be spoiled. Behind him, drones were dragging off the corpse of the nameless grunt to be disposed of. The Mayor paid them no mind. He had plans to formulate, and a rebellion to crush.", "The mayor's pale, wrinkled forehead glistened with sweat as the crowd fought towards the podium like an unruly sea in a summer storm. Stifling a gulp, his bulbous chin fat distended like a croaking toad. He was not unlike a turtle, scrunched features bunched together in the center of his portly face as if they wished to avoid the edges of his flabby, overfed cheeks. \n\nWith a stuttering, gurgling start, the pompous politician preached to the panicked protesters from the protection of his pulpit. \n\n\"It would seem,\" the mayor began, \"that our grand city drifts closer and closer to the world below with every passing day.\" To this, the crowd answered his introduction with an uproar of uncivil unrest. The mayor meekly adjusted his top hat, throwing a glance towards the armed guards that flanked the stage, brandishing batons at the encroaching citizens. \n\n\"Now, I understand your concerns. As your Mayor, and as a fellow denizen of our fair city in the sky, I can attest to the fear that the idea of our island - how should I say - suddenly dropping out of the sky as if smote by God, instills in me.\" The crowd was quiet now, hanging on for the inevitable \"However\" that should follow an admission of their concerns.\n\n\"However,\" - the crowd grew restless - \"I can safely attest that the great machines that so propel our city have never failed, and in fact, continue to operate with increased efficiency each day,\" the mayor continued. His guards braced for the oncoming surge of unruly civilians who wished to tear the politician limb from limb.\n\n\"Please, please - remain calm during this time. You know that as our city drifts over the land, it will at times come relatively close to the ground below - but all of us know this is simply a temporary shift in altitude. While it is true that our ancestors drifted higher above the clouds in the early days of this city's foundation, we have INTENTIONALLY flown our city lower to the ground, as it increases the efficacy of our propelling motors.\" The mayor made an attempt to smile a winning grin at this point, vicelike and through grinding teeth. \n\nThe crowd was furious now. The city had slowly been drifting downward for years, and it was clear the engines were failing. They had the technology to fix these failing systems, though it would be expensive. But it would be a small expense overall in order to save their grand city and restore it to the sky. \n\n\"Now, now please, be civil. Go on with your day, please. That is enough.\" The guards were batting away distressed protesters with their polished clubs at this point. Sweating, seeing that his constituents had turned on him, the mayor retreated into the safety of the backstage, where he was shuttled away to his mayoral mansion, where his private Ornthicopter awaited. \n\nDays passed, and the setting sun drifted with the city as its propellers slowly lost power and ceased their function. On a cool summer day, the island careened from its place among the clouds, plummeting towards the ground with meteoric fury. It is said that as it fell, a small flying vessel, able only to be operated by one person, flew away from the falling city like a parasite from the body of its dying victim." ]	3
	[WP] A town decides to source its water from a large underground reservoir they recently discovered. Little do they know it was created from a leak in the fountain of youth.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Is everything alright, Mayor North? You sound a little different.\" A voice spoke over a cellphone.\n\nA little girl with brooding eyes and dark hair stood before a mirror, examining herself in her bow-tied button up, and black pencil skirt.\n\n\"It is now, Governor. The doctor's had to remove a lesion in my throat--so my voice is a little different. \"\n\n\"Ah. Sorry to hear that Laura. Hope it is all better. How is everything else in the town? I hear you folks up there were recently thinking about sourcing your water from another basin.\"\n\nThe girls foot began to tap impatiently. \"No... Our private surveyors suggested it would be too difficult to drill into the shale. So we canceled that project. It is fine though.\" The girl walked over to her office desk, looking over fabricated papers...\n\n\"Oh yeah? I hear it is lovely up there year round. Maybe Marsha and I will look to retire up in the hills sometime.\"\n\n\"I wouldn't recommend it really. No one is willing to sell cheaply, and recently...\" The girl turned to the shuttered window, and opened them just enough with her fingers to peek out. \"We are developing a delinquent problem.\"\n\nThere came a chuckle. \"Shame. Last time I was up there I was amazed at all the manors and old architecture. Shame what that company is looking to do to some of the middle income area--isn't it?\"\n\n\"You are indeed correct...\" The girl peaked into a folder that detail a fabricated shell company purchasing swathes of land. \"I worry they are going to try and make something silly like factories, or McMansions gated communities.\"\n\n\"Well, tax money is tax money. If I catch wind of the plans, I'll be sure to send them your way. Some of my biggest donators are from your town, and if you know... You aren't satisfied with the future of your town's development--I'll throw some pull around to make it difficult for them to set up shop in your backyard without permission.\"\n\n\"Hmm... We've talked about it up here to some degree. Many of us are getting pretty up there in years. A young blood infusion into our town would certainly revitalize things. A factory, office buildings, and gated community doubling, or tripling our town's population in the next 20 years wouldn't actually be too bad.\"\n\n\"Sound hopeful. Not disparaging the quality of your town--just not a lot up there.\"\n\n\"Yes... Maybe you're right. Well--I best get going, Governor.\n\n\"Same here. It is always pleasant to chat, no matter how infrequent. Have a pleasant day, Laura.\"\n\nShe hung up, and looked at her phone--her eyes giving a subtle roll...\n\nThe girl sat in her oversized chair--curling her legs beneath her button to raise herself up a little... Her fountain pen signing and scanning over documents...\n\nFootsteps began to sound on the other side of the door, heavy with a long gate. The girl looked up...\n\nA man nearing middle age and wearing a bespoke suit beneath greying and well styled hair. \"Ma'am.\"\n\nThe girl nodded \"Jeffries, how did your business in China go? I am sure the investor was intrigued, and your efforts obfuscated.\"\n\nThe man smiled, and rubbed his chin--giving a playful look to the girl. \"It was expensive, but I understand how serious our efforts are. Yes. I knew. I knew it was serious the moment your people found their way to my corner of the darkweb that that large sum of money...\"\n\nThe girl leaned back, the pen twirling slowly between her fingers and thumbs as she became contemplative. \"Just one or two more major investors... A few payments to some of your darkweb contacts... And the Governer--when the time is right--he can play his part... Then we only need to see how things continue to play out.\"\n\nThe man sway his way over to the desk, and leaned against it casually. His calculating gaze hiding behind his smiling cheeks, and relaxed eyelids--locking to stare back at the girl's own... \"You know.\" He said. \"I could just bottle the whole reservoir, and sell it to become the richest man in the world--or richest boy in the world.\"\n\n\"You could.\" Her playing with the pen stopped. \"But you won't. I'm smart enough to know what you want, and what we both want means keeping our little secrets.\"\n\n\"Yeah. I know.\"\n\nThere was a long pause, and both their gazes shifted away from one another...\n\nThe man spoke, somber... \"Once we establish the research facilities. If they can't replicate the substance?\"\n\n\"We kill the researchers. We kill everyone not important. Then we wait for the rest of the world to catch up--maybe there will be another way to stave off...\" The girl's words faded... Then she nodded, and resumed doing her paperwork.\n\n\"Well...\" The man straightened himself. \"I understand... I really do. I also had to speak to the Sheriff. The Millens had sent an email to their daughter's inlaws. Nothing too damning--but they were invited for the holidays.\"\n\nThere cap a snapping of plastic--as the pen in the girl's grip burst ink through her closed fist. \"Those fools.\" she seethed. \"As if we don't have enough problems--dealing with those 'rowdy boys' gang that doesn't fully grasp situation. I swear. Something in this water must be making people truly stupid.\"\n\n\"I know... I know... I'll switch to controlling all web and phone traffic immediately. The sheriff is already on his way over there, and if the inlaws insist on coming even after the cancellation email I sent... I'll have my contacts make sure they have an accident.\"\n\n\"No. Wait. Let them come.\" The girl rose from her chair, dropping her broken pen in the bin beside the desk and proceeding to the door. \"Let them come so we can make example of them in front of everyone.\"" ]	2
	[WP]The first contact with aliens seems to be going well, the most important people seem to be making peaceful negotiations with the species.Everything seemed fine until the point when the leader openly asks for you.What made it worse is that they called you through your fake name that only you know	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "David watched the monitors, refusing to move. The United Nations had recently gotten in contact with an alien Species. They looked very identical to humans, with oddly shaped ears and the bridge on their noses a little more pronounced. The world ambassador stood up and shook hands with the Aliens, all smiles above. The reporter was going off about what was being discussed. Apparently they wished to help humanity into a new age of prosperity. It just seemed like yesterday that they finally started to abandon all of the dirty energy sources such as coal and petrol. It amazed him that almost seemingly instantly ships started to appear in the sky and landing in very public places of the most powerful countries in the world. David's attention snapped out of it when he felt his leg start to buzz. \n\n\n\"Where the hell are you!?\" He read the words appearing from his phone, shit....he was late for work. David was working as an inventory auditor. Often times he would be assigned to large retail stores, some times taking days until the assignment was completed. \n\n\n\"Sorry, I over slept.\" He lied replying back. Quickly shutting off the TV, and grabbing his keys and running out the door. \n\n\n\"Kale?\" That was a name he haven't heard in a long time. Black SUV's had blocked off his drive way, not allowing him to leave. Eight men were all standing in suits, clean cut, shaven. All of them were clearly armed as their guns were holstered on their hip for easy access. \n\n\n\"Uh....no. I think you got the wrong guy.\" David stuttered out, clearly frightened. He could see the man that asked that question look down at a picture and look back up to him. \n\n\n\"Your Kale Robins. Other wise known as David Melnik.\" He stated simply. Fuck... \n\n\n\"Yeah? What the hell is going on?\" He inquired, his curiosity almost matching his fear. Time seemed to have stopped. Two of the men opened a door revealing a tall slender alien. She was almost six feet tall, long slender legs blonde hair reaching down below her shoulders. His eyes gravitated to her. He could hardly believe how gorgeous she was, and how familiar she looked. \n\n\n\"Kale?\" he voice came out, very soft to the ears. \n\n\n\"I'm sorry, how do you know me?\" he responded. \n\n\n\"I've waited 700 hundred years for this moment, your my soul mate.\"" ]	2
	[WP] Despite being an atheist you've always believed the afterlife consisted of whatever faith a person believed in. You also could never shake the feeling that we're in a simulator. Upon your death, you open your eyes and are sitting in a boardroom with a huge sign: "Welcome New Programmer!"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "While it takes time to adjust to the new coworkers, you realize it takes way too long to write the code. There's only so much typing possible and the bugs accidentally created cause some weird storylines. You realise you can not Google for a solution and there isn't much you can rewrite. You start wondering when was the last time you had to go pee and if there is a lunch break just as a bell rings. You get up but no one else does. One of your coworkers waves his hand absentmindedly in your direction as if to suggest to sit down again. You decide to walk the aisles of cubicles instead to see who is here and explore. As you walk you realise there are no doors or windows. As you get closer to one end of the room one of the ceiling lights looks like a skylight but before you get close enough to check two people approach you and are looking right at you. You decide to retrace your steps back to your desk but they all look the same as the one you were sat at moments after meeting the group who called themselves your team members. Faces look sort of familiar but you are also starting to think that maybe you passed your desk and walked too far. The two people catch up to you as you scan the desks and faces. \"Walk with me,\" says the woman, and the man takes you by the elbow guiding you down the next aisle. \"You almost missed it,\" he says as the woman pulls out a desk chair. It doesn't quite look the same as before but you decide it must have been yours. You open your mouth to say thank you when you remember how you died and water spurts out your mouth. \n\nThanks OP that's all I can do right now! Hope you like it" ]	2
	[WP] You work night shift at the world's first commercial quantum computing service. CPU usage never gets over 0.1%, but suddenly the cooling fans ramp up.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Overqualified and underpaid. Wasn't that the story of my whole MIT class? Wasn't that the story of my whole generation? Advanced degrees. Prestigious scholarships and awards. The promises of a future spent following our passions, putting our minds toward changing the world, and getting paid handsomely all the while.\n\nAnd yet?\n\nThis.\n\nNumber two of my graduating class at MIT. A master's and a PhD in advanced quantum computing. Three papers published in renowned scientific journals, one of which provided the basis for new innovations in the commercial sector. The firm by which I was employed could not even have been created, let alone have been considered financially viable, without the advances I made in the field. And yet, there I was, working nightshift, \"facilitating the routine flow of computation\", as it said in my job description, which, in truth, meant sitting, by myself, in an uncomfortable chair, drinking cup after cup of coffee, and acting as little more than a glorified security guard for the one room in the building, aside from the main hallway and washroom, to which I had access.\n\nHad all my potential, all my promise, all my hope really led me to this?\n\nI shuddered at the thought. I was already 39, due to turn 40 within a month, and already, after a measly two years at this job, I was certain that my shift from academia into the private sector had been a terrible mistake.\n\nIf only I hadn't burned so many bridges in the months leading up to my departure for what I called \"greener pastures\". If only I hadn't been so puffed up with the ambitious thoughts of a glittering future, just on the horizon--a future much more glorious than any that my peers in the Academy could possibly be looking forward to. If only I had not told my department Chair that his research into supposed \"fundamental\" questions of quantum physics were based on a laughably improbable interpretation of the Uncertainty Principle. If only I had kept that principle closer in mind: I both had and did not have a great job as a research professor at the University--its greatness was merely contingent on the way I observed it. Now, observing it from afar, I wished I could return to my old ways, and my old life. But that was impossible. So instead I slumped lazily in my chair, listened to the silence emanating from the great machine by which I was surrounded, and watched on the bright display the level and unvarying flow of our CPU usage.\n\nI must have dozed off, for the next thing I remember was hearing the hum of the cooling fans, a sound I never imagined I would hear, and opening my eyes to see the monitor before me flashing a warning: \"Danger: CPU Near Overload.\"\n\n\\[...\\]" ]	2
	[WP] Due to a technicallity, you now own the Devil's soul.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Goddamnit, Jenkins,\" said Satan, his nostrils flaring menacingly. He wasn't the King of Hell due to a lack of an ability to intimidate, that was certain. But, and I say this with all possible kindness, he was never the clever type. He always outsourced the contract-writing to one of his lowly damned scribes. He'd never had one get too uppity. Until now.\n\nThat's where I, Aidan Jenkins, now the Lord of the Damned, but then merely a recently-deceased paralegal, came in.\n\nI died three hundred and thirty-seven years ago, right around the turn of the Millennium. Some jerk with a Y2K conspiracy and an excess of adrenaline took a joyride and crashed into my car on my ride home from my work's New Years' party. Sure, I was a little drunk. But he crashed into me! And, I mean, I'm in Hell. You knew there was a reason for that. Suffice it to say that there were many.\n\nNow, I hadn't seen the mortal realm for centuries at this point, but at the rate that Satan was processing souls, I could only guess that the population of Earth had exploded, and that perhaps humanity had begun colonizing other worlds. Anyway. I had my work cut out for me with the contracts.\n\nLuckily, with the advent of check-boxes for \"I have read the terms and conditions\", I was able to invest in writing a form letter that we've been using in bulk. Occasionally we get an idiot that actually tries to read all of the fine print, but usually the lesser demons begin prodding them and they move along.\n\nAt about year 125 or so of my eternal damnation, I had a stroke of genius. Satan hadn't been reading the contracts, either. My form letter contracts had saved him so much time and effort, and I had been doing it for so long, that he had become complacent. The glut of damned souls had sated the hunger of the lesser demons for decades now, so he was no longer putting down their rebellions, either. There he was, the Emperor of Evil, the Betrayer, the Light Bringer himself — sitting on his flame-scorched throne, fucking around on his phone 24/7.\n\nSo, a plan tooketh shape. I would drain his power through the contracts, an infinitesimal portion at a time. So little that he never took notice, until it was much too late. One little technical rider in the contract, stipulating that the undersigned souls' power would be transferred to the writer of the contract. See that little apostrophe after the \"s\"? That's all it took. Now, Satan's soul has accumulated the power of untold billions of people, so it took some time. But remember that population growth? What took him a hundred thousand or so odd years to accumulate, I drained in less than a quarter of a millennium.\n\nAnd today was the day. The fateful day where I ticked over 50% control.\n\n\"Out. Away with you,\" I said, triumphantly, making a show of my takeover. \"To the lowest circle you go.\"\n\n\"How dare you! I will—\" he began to threaten me, but before he could finish, I snapped my fingers, and away he went.\n\nI ascended to my dark throne, and a crimson cape billowed from my shoulders as grotesque horns sprouted from my forehead.\n\n\"All Hail Jenkins, Lord of the Damned!\" cried one of my attendants, and the handful of demons piddling around bowed for a moment. I surveyed my new kingdom, revelling for a moment in my victory.\n\nOne of the damned coughed. My focus drifted toward the line of souls patiently waiting for their souls to be signed away forever.\n\n\"Oh, right. That,\" I said, crestfallen, as I began signing. I manifested a phone from the aether, and browsed as I signed. I quickly understood my predecessor's plight. At the very least, he had had the good sense to install fast wi-fi." ]	2
	[WP] You are quietly sitting in the Fresh Start Clinic, holding the leaflet you found this morning on your commute : “Selective Memory Erasing and Character Rebuilding since 2018!” Today, maybe, it’s finally your chance for a new life.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Darcy stared at the white leaflet in her hand. \"Fresh Start Clinic,\" it said in bright green letters. A small red logo that looked like a pair of open scissors came after the word \"clinic\". The rest of the flyer went on to talk about their services including \"Selective Memory Erasing\" and \"Character Rebuilding\". Darcy had been considering visiting the clinic for a few months.\n\nMore than a couple of her coworkers went through the \"Character Rebuilding\" process and raved about it as vaguely as they could. Their secrecy was a required part of the service and they were unwilling to talk about it in depth. All they could say was, \"You should try it.\" That morning an errant flyer landed in her lap. The train stopped to load and unload; when the door opened a gust of wind blew the leaflet into the train and it fluttered down to her. In the back of her mind, she took it as an omen and half-decided to visit the clinic.\n\n\"Ms. West?\" a woman called out. Darcy looked toward the voice and saw a young woman in a white lab coat standing by an open door. Darcy stood up tentatively and glanced around at the other patients apologetically. She didn't know how she got to the front of the line. She walked up to the woman and they exchanged smiles. \"This way,\" she said. The woman led Darcy into a long, narrow, white hallway. \"In here,\" she said. The woman stopped in front of an open door to Darcy's right. Darcy walked into a small office that looked like a wider version of the hall. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all matte white and the office was longer than it was wide.\n\nA glass wall divided the length of the room. On the other side of the glass pane, the walls remained white. A juvenile pine tree with red needles grew out of the white floor. On Darcy's side of the glass, a red wooden desk sat with a chair in front of it and one behind it. Darcy took the chair in front and expected to wait some more. She was surprised when the woman that called her walked around and sat behind the desk. Darcy had to remind herself she was not in a doctor's office.\n\n\"Hello, Ms. West. My name is Beatrize,\" she smiled and offered Darcy her hand. \"But, you may call me Bea. May I call you Darcy?\" she asked. Darcy nodded and shook Bea's hand simultaneously. \"Wonderful,\" Bea said. \"So, what brings you here today, Darcy?\"\n\n\"Character Rebuilding. I mean, I wanted to find out more information about what it is,\" Darcy said. Bea nodded with a large smile.\n\n\"It's more or less what it says,\" Bea gestured at Darcy with her hand. \"Imagine yourself, as you are now, as an RPG character. We let you choose your options and rebuild yourself any way you like.\"\n\n\"Oh,\" Darcy said. Her voice came out soft and disappointed. Even before she could wonder about how those things were even possible she came to one conclusion. It sounded expensive. \"That's probably out of my reach,\" Darcy said apologetically. \"Thank you for your time.\"\n\n\"You can't afford free?\" Bea asked as Darcy stood; the woman sat down again upon hearing the word.\n\n\"How.. how is something like that free?\" she asked.\n\n\"Our clinic is a non-profit organization,\" Bea said. \"That aside, we have a corporate sponsor that covers all our running costs. Sharp Development isn't after a profit, they want to change the world,\" Bea sat up straighter in her seat. And, we don't advertise our prices, anyone that gets the procedure done has to sign several NDAs. If we don't tell anyone it's free, we only get people genuinely interested in the service.\" Darcy dared to get her hopes up. \"Free\" was well within her price range.\n\n\"How long does it take?\" she asked. If it was free and it didn't take too long she hoped she could get it done then and there. Bea shrugged.\n\n\"10, maybe 15 minutes.\"\n\n\"Really?!\" Darcy's eyes widened and she sat up straighter on the edge of her seat. \"Do I need to make an appointment?\" Bea shook her head with a smile.\n\n\"You're here already.\"\n\n\"YES!\" Darcy's voice was almost a shout; Bea jumped slightly in her seat, then smiled. She reached into a drawer in her desk and pulled out a manila folder. She set it on the desk with a pen next to it.\n\n\"I'll need you to sign some forms. This might seem odd, but I assure you there's a reason for everything.\" Darcy gave Bea a puzzled look as she picked up the pen. She wondered what exactly would seem odd about filling out permissions for a procedure; then, she saw it. At the very top of the first sheet was a surprising sentence.\n\n\\[I hereby grant Sharp Development ownership of my soul.\\] followed by a line for her signature. Darcy dropped the pen and sat back.\n\n\"Selling my soul isn't 'free',\" she said with crossed arms. Bea shook her head slightly, smiled, then stood from her seat. She encouraged Darcy to stand next to her; then she turned and looked through the glass divider.\n\n\"As I said, everything is there for a reason.\" Bea tapped the glass with her finger and the floor around the red pine tree began to recede. \"We don't have a use for your soul; we're not trying to buy it from you. However, we do need you to sign it over to us so we can move it. We cannot touch your soul without your permission.\"\n\n\"Move it?\" Darcy asked. She kept her eyes on watching the floor reveal the lower part of the young tree. Its trunk sank into a clear glass case shaped like a coffin. A brunette woman that looked like a younger Bea rested in the coffin with her eyes closed. She was probably dead; the dark tree trunk growing out of her chest was a strong hint. \"What's going on? Who's that?\" Darcy asked.\n\n\"That's my body,\" Bea said. She turned and poked Darcy's soft stomach. \"Your body is only good for about 100 years, but that tree has a much, much longer lifespan. So the tree takes my soul and keeps it safe. As long as that tree is standing...,\" Bea curtsied. \"...so am I.\"\n\n\"So.. if I don't sign my soul over..?\"\n\n\"No procedure. We don't have anything we can do for you if we don't have permission.\"\n\n\"But... I wanted to build a new life,\" Darcy shook her head. \"I don't want to have to be myself for another century or two.\" Bea's brunette hair shimmered and grew longer; her face sparkled. After a moment Darcy was staring at herself. Bea shook her head and the long chestnut strands seemed to fall out, but they disappeared before landing. A tall Asian man stood in Bea's place.\n\n\"You don't have to,\" Bea said with a masculine voice. Without another word, Darcy walked back to the desk and began filling in the form. She started by signing her soul over to Sharp Development. \n\n\\\\\\\n\nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is year two, story #270. You can find all my stories collected on my subreddit ([r/hugoverse](https://www.reddit.com/r/hugoverse/)) or my blog. If you're curious about my universe (the Hugoverse) you can visit the Guidebook to see what's what and who's who, or the Timeline to find the stories in order.", "“Are you prepared to do this?” My brother asked me as I signed the papers, in front of me, stating that they had full-reign and access to my memories and will delete the ones I want to get rid of.\n\n“It’s only certain memories I will delete.” I laughed, trying to reassure him. “I’m only going to delete all the negative ones.”\n\n“Every negative one?” He questioned, not liking where this conversation was going.\n\n“Only the certain few I truly hate and want to get rid of.” I sighed. “Like the incident that happened to me, when I was in 5th grade.”\n\n“You still remember that?” He replied, in shock.\n\n“Of course I do,” I answered, walking to one of the seats in the lobby. “It was the event, which lead me to changing my perspective on the world.”\n\n“If you delete that memory, you’ll become oblivious and dense to the truth of this world!” He responded, trying to change my mind.\n\n“Then, so be it.” I said, once we sat down. “I would rather be oblivious and dense to the true cruelties of Earth, then have depression, PTSD, and thoughts of killing myself everyday because of it.”\n\n“Is their any other way to do this?” He tried to reason.\n\n“No,” I deadpanned. “I want to forget. I need to forget. The abuse we suffered through has affected me too much. I can’t even function like a normal human in society because of it. This is the only way.”\n\n“Well then,” He reluctantly agreed. “I’ll be there to help you on the way.”\n\n“Thank you,” I lightly smiled at him, before being called and walking away. “Maybe, I’ll have full trust in you, again.”\n\n“See you soon,” He smiled back, knowing what I meant by my statement.\n\n If I end up being oblivious and dense to the saddening truth of this Earth, then so be it. I would rather accept that fate, then be on the verge of ending it all, for the rest of my life.", "\"Well, good morning, sleepy head!\" my wife said as I sheepishly walked into the kitchen. \"Did you have a fun night?\"\n\nI walked over to the faucet and gulped down a glass of water before responding. \"Sure did. Man, I haven't had that many since... well, since James and I were in college. Say, do we have any aspirin around?\"\n\n\"Under the bathroom sink. You old frat boys never did know when to stop,\" she jested.\n\n\"That's for sure. My head is killing me,\" I said ruefully. \"And I feel like I had some awful dreams last night.\"\n\n\"Nightmares?\" she asked.\n\nI hesitated. \"Yeah, I guess. It was just weirdly realistic. I dunno.\"\n\nMelissa pursed her lips. \"Maybe the alcohol interacted with your medication poorly? You might want to see Dr. Adams. He did warn you not to drink too much.\"\n\n\"Yeah, yeah. One night of excess every few years won't kill me.\" Despite my words, I was still concerned about the dreams. I'd had all sorts of crazy dreams in the past: dreams within dreams, horrific nightmares, a bout with sleep paralysis, and even a few lucid dreams when I got into that scene a few years back. None of them had felt quite like this one. It was almost less of a dream and more of a memory.\n\n**\n\nTim and I stumbled through the dark streets, our laughter echoing off of the empty buildings. On the other side of the road, a homeless person poked her head out of a tent and scowled at us, but we didn't even notice her. \n\n\"Shit, man, I'm blasted,\" I slurred.\n\n\"You need to stop letting hot chicks trick you into taking more shots!\" he said, laughing.\n\n\"Fuck naw, totally worth it.\" I tripped over something, my vision spinning.\n\n\"Hey, easy there, man. Take a hit of this.\" He passed me the joint and I took a pull of it, inhaling deeply and holding it in my lungs. \n\n\"Ah, that takes the edge off.\" I passed it back to him. \"Where are we headed, anyway?\"\n\nTim paused, looking at his phone. \"Well, I got some shrooms growing back at my place, but a guy just texted me. He's got a serious party at his house and it sounds like they've got even harder stuff there, if you're in.\"\n\n\"I dunno, man, I've had a lot tonight.\"\n\n\"Nah, you're totally fine. Ken's got just the stuff to get you back on your feet and rally!\"\n\nI thought for a minute. \"How much will that cost us?\"\n\nHe waved his hand. \"I can get you tonight, don't worry. You can owe me for next time.\"\n\n\"Aight, aight. Lead the way!\" I ran off in the wrong direction.\n\n**\n\nI let the odd dream slip out of my memory as much as I could. It was nothing, I convinced myself, and I almost believed it. Still, for a full week, I couldn't quite shake the thought that it was all too familiar and lacked the completely nonsense feel that almost every other dream had in some way or another.\n\nAnd then, less than a month later, all of my worries came crashing back after one busy morning.\n\nI missed an alarm and woke up almost an hour late. I tried to be in the office at 8 AM every day, and it was already 7:30 with the office a solid 20 minute drive away. I rushed as quickly as I could through my morning routine, taking a fast shower and cramming some dry toast in my mouth before jumping in my car and booking it to the building. I was five minutes away from the office before I realized that I had forgotten to take my medication.\n\n'It's no big deal,\" I said to myself. \"I can miss one day and still be fine.\"\n\nThe drive passed without incident, and the morning was finally back on track.\n\nAround 11, a splitting headache hit without warning. After grapppling with the pain for a bit, I left my cubicle and went to the breakroom to take an aspirin and a quick break. The pain, however, refused to subside.\n\nI need something better to take the edge off, I thought. I pulled out my phone and texted a number from memory. hey, cn i stop by and grab a eighth?\n\nA few minutes later, I got the response. who tf is this\n\nI stared at the text. How did I know that number? Why did I text them? An eighth? I've never smoked weed before in my life!\n\nI felt myself start to panic as I remembered the dream. What was happening to me?\n\nI walked over to my boss's office and poked my head in.\n\n\"Hey, Mike?\"\n\n\"What's up, Frank?\" he asked, looking away from his computer.\n\n\"I'm feeling pretty awful. Do you mind if I head out early and try to catch my doctor?\"\n\nHe turned back to his work. \"Sure think, Frank. Don't worry about it, just take care of yourself.\"\n\n\"You're the best, Mike.\" I started to walk away. \n\n\"Shut up, you damn brown nose,\" he said, laughing.\n\n**\n\nI sat on the park bench, cold, wishing that I had some place to go to.\n\nI had been evicted from my apartment.\n\nMy parents had tearily turned me away. It was easier for Tim.\n\n\"Man, I don't want to see you again unless you have my money.\" He slammed the door in my face after that.\n\nI pulled my thin jacket tighter, trying to fight off the cold late autumn wind. If only I had another drink to get a bit of a beer jacket, or even better, some-\n\nNo. That's how I got into this mess.\n\nI laid down on the bench and tightly shut my eyes, trying to ignore the frigid cold cutting me to the bone.\n\n*\n\nThe line rang for a few seconds before someone picked up.\n\n\"Dr. Adams' office, this is Eric speaking. How can I help you?\"\n\n\"Hi, Eric, this is Frank Schmidt. Would I be able to work in a quick appointment with Dr. Adams today? I've been having some weird symptoms.\"\n\n\"Let me take a look... He's got a ten minute slot open at 2:50. Will that work for you?\"\n\n\"Absolutely.\"\n\n\"Alright. I'll let him know. We'll see you soon!\"\n\n\"Thanks a million.\"\n\nThe line went dead.\n\n*\n\nI walked to the door of the building and stared at the address. Sure enough, it matched the one on the leaflet in my pocket.\n\n\"Fresh Start Clinic,\" it said in bold, cheery letters. \"Selective Memory Erasing and Character Rebuilding since 2018!\"\n\nI needed this. A chance to start over, to have a new life. It was the right choice to make.\n\nWasn't it?\n\nI opened the door.\n\n*\n\n\"Hi there, do you have an appointment?\"\n\n\"Yeah, I'm Frank Schmidt. 2:50?\"\n\n\"Of course, Mr. Schmidt. Come right this way.\"\n\n*\n\n\"So what brings you here today, Mr., ah, Clancy?\"\n\n\"I, uh... I need a fresh start.\"\n\nDr. Adams chuckled. \"Well, then you've come to the right place, son. Tell me, why do you want a new life?\"\n\n*\n\n\"Well, doctor, I've been having a lot of head pain today, and some weird... thoughts, I guess? And a weird dream a few weeks back.\"\n\n\"Weird thoughts and dreams, you say? Did you happen to miss your medication at all recently?\"\n\n\"Just once, this morning. I was running late and didn't think it would be a big deal.\"\n\n*\n\n\"All it takes is one time, son. Drugs,\" he said shaking his head. \"If I had a dollar... well.\"\n\n\"Can you help, doc?\" I asked.\n\n\"Of course. Fill out this form and we'll get you started right away.\"\n\n*\n\nI looked at the form. That was my handwriting, alright.\n\n\"New Name: Frank Schmidt\"\n\n\"New Career: Anything that makes money\"\n\n\"Marriage: Y\"\n\n\"Kids: N\"\n\n*\n\nThe form went on and on, but I finally finished. After a few minutes, Dr. Adams came back in. \"All wrapped up?\"\n\nI nodded. \"But doc, how am I going to pay for this? I'm flat broke.\"\n\nHe winked at me. \"Don't you worry. You'll wake up and all of your debts will be settled.\"\n\n*\n\nI looked at the date. \"That was ten years ago,\" I said, confused.\n\n\"Yes, well... I told you your debts would be settled.\"\n\nI stared at the doctor. He looked unconcerned. \n\n\"What did I do?\" I asked.\n\n\"Does it matter? Now, the real question is what am I to do with you?\" he asked, musing.\n\n\"Do with me?\" I asked.\n\n\"Well, as you might have guessed, your wife and friends are all succesful patients of mine and my colleagues as well, and we can't have you going around and ruining the whole operation.\"\n\nThe door opened and two men walked in. They pushed me down into the table and began to strap me in.\n\n\"And of course we'll have to redo their lives now that you're out of the picture. Our operating expenses are quite high, you know. It takes a lot of manpower to retrain minds and bodies,\" he said, pacing the room.\n\nHe stopped and faced me. \"I think it's time for you to join our team.\"\n\n***\n\nI sat down in the chair, and he put an IV in my arm.\n\n\"Now I want you to count down from ten. Okay?\"\n\n\"Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five...\n\nfour...\n\nthree...\n\ntwo...\n\n[o-\"](https://www.reddit.com/r/mpqeg/)", "\"Maybe this isn't such a good idea.\" A woman with pigtails and a blue dress sat in front of me in the waiting room. \"What if I regret wiping my memory of you cheating?\"\n\n\"You won't even know that it happened,\" her boyfriend said. He wrapped a leather-clad arm around her and pulled her in. \"And I'm here to do it with you. It's character rebuilding as well, remember? We can put the past behind us.\"\n\nI caught snatches of similar conversations throughout the clinic as doctors and nurses bandied about handing out sign-in tablets. Rows and rows of bland office chairs all held people fretting about their decision. As it turns out, there's a lot of people trying to forget things.\n\nMaybe today was the day I'd finally be free.\n\n\"Stephanie?\" A gentle voice jostled me from my ruminations. \"Can you take a moment to fill out your medical history and personal information? A doctor will be right with you.\"\n\nI thanked the nurse and tapped through the screens. Name, check. Birthday, check. Occupation...there was no easy way to describe what I did. And the horrors I'd witnessed on the job I wouldn't wish upon anyone. I steeled my resolve. After today, there would be no more nightmares, no more pain.\n\nIn through the sliding doors went patient after patient. Sometimes their companions would wave them off, crying tears of joy or sadness depending on their situation. The mood in the room varied from the depths of misery to the heights of joy. It was different when they came out - usually it would be a solemn acceptance and camaraderie encouraged by the staff. We all knew this - recently treated patients were somewhat dazed and confused, taking a while to get used to their new outlook on life. Would I look as drunk and startled as them?\n\nNo matter. Anything was better than living with what I'd seen.\n\nSlowly the room's occupants came and left. I hadn't made an appointment, so those with reservations took precedence. I reflected on my life while flipping through the magazine they left out. Before long I had to get up and stretch, snagging a quick drink of water from the gurgling cooler in the corner.\n\nA doctor emerged from the mysterious chambers behind the clinic doors. \"Stephanie?\"\n\nI stood up, almost forgetting to grab my bag before following him through.\n\nThe doctor led me past rooms of people, all entering the cryopods where patients would spend a few hours having their minds dissected and reformed. \"I see you've filled out the form quite specifically,\" he said. \"I want to reassure you that we are the best of the best, and if you experience any discomfort after the procedure you will be given a full refund.\"\n\n\"Thanks,\" I said. \"But the memory will definitely be gone?\" I couldn't keep the panic out of my tone, and he gripped my arm in reassurance.\n\n\"No matter what it is. This way, Stephanie.\"\n\nWe entered a dark room where the glowing cryopod awaited me. A helmet with blinking modules lay at the top, and the doctor had me sit in the pod before strapping it on.\n\n\"One last thing,\" the doctor said. \"Normally patients like to share their memory that will be wiped one last time. It helps give them closure, and primes their brains to drag it out of long term storage before treatment. Now, I understand that yours is particularly traumatic, so I understand if you would like to abstain. Just know that I am a certified professional and am sworn to confidentiality.\"\n\nI sighed. Preparing myself, I scrunched my eyes shut and wrapped my arms around my leg. \"It's tough, but...I'll share. One last time, and then no more. No more pain or fear.\"\n\nHe waited patiently as I took several deep breaths. \"The memory I'd like you to erase is...\"\n\n\"Yes, Ms. Clifford?\"\n\n\"The memory of Donald Trump's penis.\"\n\n---\n\nI hope you had as much fun reading that as I had writing it XD If you're feeling generous, come join me at [/r/Remyxed/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Remyxed/)!" ]	5
	[WP] You are a Minecraft dog, living your best life with your owner. But now it's been a while since he last played, and you can't choose between staying home in case he comes back or leaving and exploring the world he left.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I adapted this poem from something I heard a long time ago, if I do find it, I'll post the link to it.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\[Poem\\]\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI always let my self wonder if there's life out there\n\nNot in the depths of our universe\n\nBut beyond this house,\n\n And the bubble that it exists in\n\n&#x200B;\n\nIs it my destiny to invent an escape route\n\nTo a higher dimension\n\nOr do I sit here\n\nAnd wait for my faith\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWhat if there is no way out\n\nOf this endless cycle\n\nJust doomed to repeat the past\n\nAnd ignore a future that so desperately wants to be understood\n\n&#x200B;\n\nAnd what if\n\nI'm not from his world\n\nAnd just nothing more than\n\nA couples lines of code\n\n&#x200B;\n\nDid he forget about me\n\nIs that why he still hasn't been back\n\nOr did he just sit there in sick fascination\n\nAs his dog, his friend, was poisoned with curiosity", "The rising sun brightened the sky, bit by bit, as the zombies were set on fire, too dumb to know how to escape their deaths.\n\nThe skeletons, however, were a bit smarter. Goddamn skeletons. I hate em. They're so goddamned stupid. Everything about them. What was I saying?\n\nLelrond's base sat empty, automated sorting system feeding items into chests that were never opened. A super smelter next to the chests was cold and dark. His nether portal stayed open, swirling eternal, but with nothing using it. His mob farm ground away, gathering more mob drops than he could possibly use.\n\nHe hadn't been on in a while, and I was worried. The server wasn't too well moderated, and if someone found his base, it was all over for me.\n\nI haven't mentioned who I am yet, have I? Apologies. I am {name=Subwoofer}, tamed\\_wolf of Player{name=Lelrond}. Or just Subwoofer for short.\n\nThe sun had risen considerably now, and I knew that players would be starting their work for the day. Not Lelrond, though. Where was he? I was waiting for him, but it was boring. My head turned back to the nether portal. It was waiting for something to travel through it, to be carried into a different realm. I'd gone through with Lelrond a few times.\n\nI thought for a second. Lelrond hadn't been on in over 1,000 sky cycles. Was he going to come back? Without him, I had no purpose. No reason. Couldn't I find my own? Why shouldn't I be a player, like everyone else? I started walking- Lelrond had forgotten to sit me down, thankfully. I walked towards the nether portal with purpose, desperate to know what the world was like.\n\nAnd at that moment, a player stepped through.\n\n—\n\nEdit: Continuation below:\n\nThe tag above their head said \\_LordMan\\_. They were wearing full enchanted diamond armor, with an unmemorable preset skin. They moved away from the nether portal, immediately spotting me. They must've been connected to a Discord, because they said \"Hoo boy, this is a big one. Gimme a sec, I'll send yall the coords.\" He walked closer to me, holding an enchanted Diamond Sword.\n\n Realizing his intentions, I turned and starting walking away from him, frantically looking for a place to hide. He jumped into the house as he passed it and hid behind a hopper in the smelter before \\_LordMan\\_ could see me. He looked around for a second, seemingly confused, then somehow looked straight at me, walking towards my hiding spot. Before I could react, he was right in front of me.\n\n\"Damn, did it just hide from me? Didn't know that was in their AI.\" \\_LordMan\\_ raised his sword, but I dove through a gap in my surroundings before his sword hit me.\n\nAll of a sudden, I was blazing across the grass, headed straight for the nether portal. It was just 40 blocks away from the house, 40 blocks away from freedom, just-\n\nWHAM. I had crashed into... TNT? What? It wasn't there a second ago.\n\nThen it hit me.\n\nThis player was a hacker.\n\nOne of the TNT blocks spontaneously lit, and I dove away from it before it exploded. The chain reaction started, deadly missiles being shot out in all directions. I raced around the TNT, towards the nether portal, but as I approached it a primed TNT shot into it and destroyed the purple spirals.\n\nNew Objective: Survive. I dashed towards the base perimeter, into the spruce forest surrounding it, hiding in the dense field of trees. The base was demolished, and the hacker seemed to think I was dead. He left, reigniting the portal so he could get out.\n\nWell, there was only one way to go from here.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\|Objective Complete!\|\n\|:-\|\n\|Into Fire\|" ]	3
	[WP] Old dreams never die, they just get filed away. And you have to do all the paperwork.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I sat down at my desk, coffee cup in hand, to do my assigned task. The endless waste of crushed hopes and dreams surrounded me, unlikely to ever be touched again by their creators. It was my task to clean up these wastes, one dream at a time.\n\n\"Okay, first item of business looks to be an aspiration as a surgeon of some sort. No wait, scratch that. Detail of the dream indicates that it was the creation of an adult. A parent perhaps? The dream is of a child, which supports this theory.\" I said aloud for my audio file.\n\n\"Dream looks to have been broken by a sword point based off of the hole in the middle, but there's not enough damage done to the sides for the sword to have had sharp edges. A spear would make more sense then.\"\n\n\"The boy in the dream looks like a fairly solemn kid, but the damage was done by an adult based off of the force behind it.\"\n\n\"Best guess is that the boy chose to become a spearman instead of a soldier like his father wanted him to be. Filing it away under military dreams.\"\n\n\"The next order of business...\"", "'Here comes another one,' Mrs Silverbell shook her head, flipping through the pages of the file. \n\n'Let me guess,' Thornheart grinned, 'someone is not going to play that violin after all?' His laughter echoed through the hall.\n\nMrs Silverbell glanced at him over her large glasses. 'Do you really have to be that happy about it, Demon? Really?' She seemed as old as the world itself, but something in her eyes made the young man instantly quiet.\n\n'Angela,' he adjusted his tie, 'with all due respect, I'm forced to share the office with you, but I cannot change who I am.'\n\nThere were just two of them, working together, one desk beside another, in this ginormous hall filled with rows and rows and rows of bookshelves filled from top to bottom with files.\n\nThey were working in the department of 'Old Dreams', they were overworked and understaffed, and it seemed their job was never done.\n\nDemon was flipping through another file, trying to stifle a chuckle before Angela tries to kill him again. 'What is it?' She snapped. \n\n'She honestly believed she would become the next Joyce just because her uncle said she has a great style.' He dropped the file. Angela was looking daggers at him. \n\n'It's called encouragement, Demon,' she said. 'Being hopeful is what makes humans so extraordinary.'\n\n'And being delusional is what makes them so miserable.' Demon couldn't help himself.\n\n'Angela,' he got up when she closed her eyes for a second, her hands shining ever so slightly, 'this is a workplace. Curse me and they'll suspend you.'\n\nMrs Silverbell opened her eyes, the white glow around her making her figure strangely intimidating. \n\n'I sat here, filing away old hopes and dreams for the last 376 years and I'll stay here until I retire. Now, get out of my face before I smite you!' Demon gasped when a pair of white wings unfurled from her back. \n\nMrs Silverbell was old, like super old, but she was still one scary angel. He took the pile of files they finished and scampered away. \n\nAngela needed a moment to recover. She worked with many daemons during her time in the 'Old Dreams' sector but this kid was obnoxious. Someone had to teach him some manners. She sighed. All these years of watching beautiful dreams just crumble into dust took a toll on her. There was nothing so sad as seeing how close someone was to achieving some wonderful vision, just before they gave up.\n\nDemon's friends made sure that happened as often as possible.\n\nAngela saw thousands of broken dreams every day and she had to classify each one of them – give them a number, class, section and rank it on the 'life-impact' scale.\nAngels always said there are no small dreams. Those things that warm your heart and the very things your soul needs to grow. Dreams are necessary for humans to survive, just like food and water and love. \n\nStill, deciding that you're not going to buy a new car this year or even the next five years was not that important as deciding that you're not going to school because there are more important things to spend the money on.\n\nGiving up on being the best architect in the entire world was just fine if you still tried to be a really good one and you kept trying every day. The same goes for being a good person – you didn't have to be the best one in the entire universe if tried to be kind to those around you and you tried to leave everything just a bit better when you left.\n\nHumans generally had this huge misconception about what 'the best in the whole world' actually meant on the scale of accomplishment.\n\n'Oh, dear,' Angela covered her mouth with her hand, reading the sad statistic. The man in the file had an entire box full of abandoned dreams. Angela knew all of their names. She wouldn't dare say it was unjust because every human had their own way and their own destiny, but this poor lad had to give up on so many things, and now, after fifty years, he had to admit he would never find his long-lost family.\n\nDemon arrived just as she was dabbing her eyes with the handkerchief. 'No puppy for this Christmas?' He grinned. Mrs Silverbell never laughed at his jokes but he really thought he was super funny and he was sure he would make it some day.\n\n'No, not this Christmas,' she sighed. Demon watched her carefully. She became quiet when she was sad. He had no idea what to do – this was his first job.\n\nThey sat in silence, flipping through the files for what it seemed forever when a big screen above their heads started blinking green.\n\nAngela clasped her hands with delight. 'Hurry, hurry boy,' she told him, 'section 42, row 879, file 789965543.'\n\nDemon rushed – having no idea what just happened. He never saw Mrs Silverbell this happy. \nThe file he brought didn't look any more special than the other ones they received, so he had no idea what'd all the fuss about.\n\nShe took the file, her eye glittering with joy.\n\n'Do you know what this is, boy?' She asked. Demon shook his head. 'This is a file of 'life-impact' level 9.' Demon knew the level 9 was one of the highest, which meant abandoned dreams of that importance greatly affected the life of the human and were the hardest to suffer. \n\n'I remember when this file arrived – ten years ago. He had abandoned hope that he would ever find love and that,' she pointed at the green screen above their head, 'means that this old dream had been restored.'\n\nShe was flipping through the file, all flushed and chirpy. 'Oh, you silly boy,' she was clearly addressing the man this file belonged to , Demon noticed she did that often, 'look how beautifully your life has turned. Oh, you're going to be so happy.' She closed the file, I pushed back her glasses. \n\n'Come on, Demon,' she grinned, 'I'm buying coffee.'\n\nFor more from me r/CrystalElmTales" ]	3
	[WP] You're canoeing down a river alone when you spot a bear's head bobbing in the water ahead. You stop and wait. It must be swimming to cross to the other side. You've seen this before. But the bear turns, sees you, and begins to paddle towards you.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Do I make myself look bigger or play dead?\n\nCan't do either of those without overturning the canoe, genius.\n\nIt's definitely heading towards me. \n\nPaddle faster.\n\nWhy did it have to be downstream? Lousy current.\n\nWhy did I take this trip?\n\nWhy didn't I go with a group? Don't have to outrun the bear then.\n\nFocus. It's gaining.\n\nCramp!\n\nPower through. No time to lose.\n\nGod it stinks.\n\nAnything to throw at it? No.\n\nNo weapons. Oar will have to do. \n\nGet ready. Here it comes...\n\nAim for the nose. Right?\n\n\"Excuse me, sir?\"\n\n\"Yes?\"\n\n\"I'd hate to disturb you, but I am looking for some hunny. Have you seen any today?\"\n\n\"No. Sorry.\"\n\n\"Oh bother. Thank you for your time.\"\n\n\"Wait... are you Winnie the Pooh?\"\n\n\"That's me.\"\n\n\"I'm a huge fan. Can I get a selfie?\"\n\n\"I don't see why not. Though I'm not sure why it isn't called and us-ie when we are both in the picture.\"\n\n\"Yeah. Say Hunny.\"\n\n\"Hunny.\"\n\nClick." ]	2
	[WP] The new guy in your class is not blind but he can't see you. He can hear you and smell you though.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Day after day, I spent most of my time being invisible to my classmates. They didn't care about me and I didn't care about them. And I was fine with that. Until the unfortunate event happened and left me being killed my one of them. I can't recall that day or what exactly happened to me. I just died, without anyone noticing it or questioning my wereabouts. It was as if I've always been a ghost to them - alive or dead. \n\nI gave up looking for the truth, spending my entire time in the classroom watching the teacher do his thing and my classmates trying to go on with their lives. I must confess, I never felt lonely. \n\nOne day, a new student got into my class. He was actually not that new, he just changed classes. He ended up sitting at my old desk. I stood right next to him, watching him trying go through my stuff which were still locked in the table. Our school decided to prevent spending money and space on lockers, they would put combination locks on tables. Genius! And of course, he couldn't figure out mine. Feeling generous, I proceeded to speak them out loud, even if he wouldn't hear it. \n\n\"1-7-8-5. It's 1-7-8-5.\"\n\nThe new guy jumped and looked towards my direction as I said it. I was as confused and suprised as he was! I thought for a second that heard me, but scratched that immediately. I was already dead, after all. he then proceeded to do the unimaginable: He entered 1785. The combination I just told him. The drawer of the table opened and he was left speechless. I was left speechless. What just happened?\n\nHe pushed back the drawer and left room. Leaving me alone in this moment. Could it be that he just heard me?\n\nI was walking around the school at night like usual. I've never liked school to begin with, but at night it felt more like an adventure to me. usually the school should be empty by now, but to my suprise, I heard footsteps getting closer. I was about to jump on the thought of encountering a ghost, but remembered soon enough that in fact, I was the ghost, so I proceeded to get closer to the sound by myself. It can't be worse than a ghost, right?\n\nTo my suprise, it was actually the new guy wandering through the halls and going back to the classroom. it was really weird for someone like him to break into school, but whatever, I decided to tag along and see for myself what he was plotting. he went back to my desk, entered the combination and ran through my stuff with his flashlight. I wasn't into reading priavte documents, but I guess after you die, your inner thoughts and homework are considerate open domain. I wanted to act on my suspicion and mustered up my courage to talk to him.\n\n\"You can take them home with you, you know.\"\n\nHe shrieked and immediately jumped off his seat. I'm sure he just totally heard me, so I went on. \n\n\"I-I'm sorry if I scared you...!\"\n\nInstead of running away, like any person in their right mind would ad should do when encountering a ghost, he walked a step closer to me and pointed his flashlight at me. \n\n\"You... You are Rin, aren't you? The missing girl. Where are you?\"\n\nHow did he knew my name?\n\n\"Missing? Haven't they found my body?\"\n\nHe didn't answer. He just stood there in suprise, waiting for the joke. But it wasn't a funny one. I am dead and somehow my body vanished from earth. How did that happen? And who is trying to cover up my death?\n\n\"I'm sorry if I suprised you. I was guessing if you'd actually be able to hear me since everyone else ghosted me since my disappearence, pretending I didn't exist in the first place. Just forget about this crazy night. If it makes you feel better, I can make sure to never talk when you're around.\"\n\nI was good at ghosting people after all.\n\n\"No, it's fine.\"\n\nUnlike before, he wasn't scared or shocked anymore. He walked towards the window and leaned against the radiator. \n\n\"To be honest, I asked to change class specifically to find you. Since I was a child, I always wanted to become a detective and as I found out of your disappearance, I decided to try my best solving this case. But it seems I was already too late. Sorry.\"\n\nI walked over to him, placing myself right next to him, also leaning against the radiator.\n\n\"It's not your fault I have died. Even knowing that at least one person would recognize me is more worth than anything else. How did you even guess it was me? You can't even see me.\"\n\n\"I've heard your voice clearly before. You might not have noticed it, but there are a lot people who know and remember you. They are all afraid to show that their interest in you, but it's not their fault. it's hard to explain now, but I can tell you the details later.\"\n\nHe walked over to my desk, stuffed all papers into his backpack and went through the door. \n\n\"Would you like to come over to my place? I can explain everything to you there.\"" ]	2
	[WP] you are a merchant that fell in love with a soldier who was on their way to the front lines. promising that once the war ended you would meet them in that town's center square on a full moon. the war had been over for decades, but still you show up every full moon, until one day, they show up	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"More.. More! More! More!\" screamed the dirty, emaciated man. \"There's plenty more.. Just form a line!\" Madison yelled back, visibly nervous. Seeing her reaction but unaware of its true cause, others joined the agitated man in screaming and then en masse began approaching Madison as she stood aside the food truck. \n\nThe thunderous rattling of automatic gunfire broke the cacophony of demands and replaced it with moans of pain as several men in tattered old police gear fired into the crowd and moved in. \"And the market is closed for today folks!\" One of the officers holding a shotgun called out to the rest of the crowd, who were now cowering on the ground in fear. \"But we're starving! Please!\" pleaded a tall woman brave enough to stand. As Madison screamed to stop, the tall woman received a blast of buckshot for her courage. \"Now unless you prefer dying holding your guts in.. over peaceful starvation.. I suggest you all fucking disperse!\" the shooter ordered.\n\nEveryone obeyed, and Madison felt sick as she quickly told her people to pack up their various vehicle borne shops before slipping away to her own rusty car. Once alone she burst into tears. In the twenty two years since the war that destroyed the world, she'd seen more suffering than she thought possible but had never gotten used to it. She was only able to regain her composure when she noticed the picture she kept taped to her dashboard. It was a silly polaroid selfie of herself and a young soldier. He'd stopped by her father's flea market with some buddies the day before he shipped off to the small conflict which would soon engulf the entire world in flames. \"Jonas...\" she whispered as she closed her eyes and slipped back in time. She could see his strong steel grey eyes behind that warm smile like it was just yesterday. In those eyes she'd felt an instant connection, something that only deepened as they went off to get dinner together and share their life stories, beliefs, and hopes for the future. It was different than any date she'd been on before, it wasn't the youthful shallow attractions which failed to yield greater bonds. Or even the powerful but ultimately temporary instant love that drove her crazy one time while she was getting her business management degree. Rather it was like they had always known each other and had only been waiting to meet and see how they'd grown while apart. And she'd been impressed to say the least, he was kind and smart, charismatic and confident. But slightly nervous in a way that betrayed genuineness to his character, and his feelings for her. And most profoundly, she could tell he was a deeply good man, almost naively idealistic about having just joined up to protect people and uphold the ideals he held with true belief. She wondered if he'd found any truth in the war, or if she would still yet find her own truth to his promise that he would return to her. Return to the town square as the full moon lit the dark night just as it had the night she last saw him." ]	2
	[WP] You seem like everyone else. Normal life, normal job, friends and family. But it's not true. Something else has been controlling your body for the last ten years, living this everyday life while you can only watch helplessly through your own eyes. Today, it finally let you go.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Hey Ralph, can you make the coffee today?\"\n\nLife hinges on simple questions. To your average office worker, being asked to make the coffee would seem like second nature. But for me, it was the dawning of a reality which had been dead to me for a decade. I once again possessed the terror of choice. I found myself paralyzed in a familiar yet different way, as my thoughts began to jump over themselves.\n\nDo I remember how to make coffee? What if I pour in the wrong beans? Wait, don't I do something with the beans first? I'm going to mess this up - the day I've been dreaming about for years, derailed by inability to navigate a bean. Oh come on, I've watched myself make coffee hundreds of times, why is this so hard?\n\nThe seconds felt like hours, and I could feel Howard's confused stare against my skin. I felt a drop of sweat travel down my forehead, and the pressure began to mount even further.\n\nHoward is going to think you're a moron. A perfectly good employee somehow goes useless after a decade for no reason! No, no, you can do this. Calm down. Think about the beans again, you were so close to figuring it out. But what if Howard tells Martha? Oh noooooo! I've loved her from a distance for so long; what if I lose my chance before I even figure out how to speak again?\n\nHoward's raised eyebrow was joined by its twin, and the confusion was fading into abject shock. I can't blame him - how would you deal with a coworker falling apart before your very eyes? I opened my mouth as a distraction, feigning that an explanation was forthcoming. But they were idle hopes, as my mind reached back for darker places.\n\nWhy do I miss the Shadow? I tried fighting its control for so long, and I thought it got what it wanted when it finally beat me into submission. But was this its ultimate game? To remove my dignity not only in my eyes but the worlds? Why do I want it back...there was safety in its control. I didn't have to do anything. It dealt with the world, while I got to play in my own. I just want to feel safe again.\n\nI saw Howard turn and raise his arm, as if to wave someone over. It was then that I knew I was going to have to summon every ounce of bravery left in my shell of a body. I was going to fight once more. The Shadow beat me once, but it wasn't going to happen again. I was going to be victorious - I was going to make the coffee.\n\nCome on, Ralph. Do it. Say the words. Grab hold the memories. This is your chance. This is for all the marbles - not just a beverage, but ultimately, your chance to find love. DO IT!\n\n\"Sure, Howard, I'll make it today. Where do we keep the filters again?\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\n______________________________________\nr/psalmsandstories for more tales by me, should you be interested." ]	2
	[WP] In the future, War is a sport. It's telvised and promoted, and out of 200 random citizens selected to serve, you have been enlisted in the next big battle--The World Combat Cup. Your military experience is only two weeks of rushed training. A rifle is in your hand. The battle has begun.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"This can't be happening!!!\"\n\nJoshua was frozen in fear as the vicious gunshot begun. Many assumed this intimidating 2 meters black man would be a beast in warfare, but in reality he was calm person, usually avoid confrontations. But unfortenly choices in life and bad luck threw him in this situation.\n\nBefore the battle, the \"General\", L. Macfiller, CEO from Macfiller Inc ordered them to rush toward the hills, before the enemy could use high advantage, but it was useless, the other team spent their resources points on jeeps with machine gun, so they easly cover the battleground distance and have a tactical advantage. They were encircled.\n\nJoshua felt an overwhelming sense of regret. \"It's too late for changes, his girl, his mom, his unborn kid. All of them, he could never mend and help those relationships\". He ducked in the ground and started to cry, it's too late, too late...\nLater part II", "The year is 2288 and Real War is obsolete. Countries no longer spend lives to get what they want,because it just became too costly and risky. When every John and Jane had a flying car with a nuke for a battery, to say nothing of the nanogerm plagues scientists cooked up in national labs, the thought of actually going to another country to die for whatever reason simply became laughable. So \"War\" became a thing of the past. World Combat Cup had replaced it in every way that was important.\n\nThe WCC was the new civilized way nations worked out their differences. It was all very civilized. 200 random civilians would be drafted from each participating nation. You'd get an email in your inbox telling you that for the honor and glory of insert people here, you had to drop all your shit and show up at a training facility by such and such a time and fight. \n\nThe two week training is rough. Most of us had never even thrown a punch before, so that was probably a good thing. It was no big secret that while thousands of draftees were sent for, the ones actually picked for the job tended to be... Well. Barely adequate is probably fair as an assessment. That's because the opposing government gets to pick the soldiers. So you'd get guys who'd never been within miles of a gun, mech drivers who typically have huge insurance rates from crashing their hovercycles multiple times, and gunship pilots who can't tell sky from ground. It's the entertainment factor you see, the WCC also generates a lot of revenue. The more hilariously we die, the better the ratings. There a reason why there are camera drones everywhere in this kind of thing. \n\nThis match up was between New California Free Republic (go Armadillos!) and Norway (boo, hiss, etc). It's my understanding that if be fighting and dying for the rights over a newly discovered hydrocarbon field somewhere in Mars. Whatever. Doesn't matter. \n\nSo on this particular day, I was somewhat gloriously leading the charge to take a facility that was spitting out anti personnel rockets like popcorn. Most of them missed of course, again no one here was anything like professional, but whoever got hit got put down hard. Bits of people rained off of my armor. I put 3 rounds of pulsed plasma into where a rocket seemed to have come from and was awarded with some distant cussing and a renewed wave of little bomblets. \n\nI wish I could say that I was some kind of hero, walking casually down the battlefield with a gun clenched in each hand, killing with each trigger pull with a maniac grin. Maybe with a scantily clad lady on each arm. Truth was though, I was only here by sheer dumb luck. Our tank charge was supposed to deliver us infantry into cover and then steadily grind away at the opposition at range. That was what was SUPPOSED to happen. What actually occurred though was our fool drivers not only charged THROUGH the cover, but then rammed the 30 foot high steel walls like that was going to do something. I was hitching a ride on one when it smacked face first into the immovable object and I find myself catapulted into the air. I watched one of my buddies (Jules?) go right into the jet intake of an enemy gunship. Not a great way to go, but to his credit the flyer did go down eventually as well and it went down on his record. \n\nThe rest of us were picking ourselves up when we realized we were basically in an open field between the enemy held walls and the enemy held ,and we had an option of dying while trying to run back or dying while trying run forward. Given that there was a real possibility that our tank drivers would end up smearing us over their fenders or blowing us up with overly enthusiastic supporting fire, we very reasonably opted to go for broke and attack. For the glory of California and all that. \n\nYou never knew. Maybe the enemy would assume that we were friendlies (because who would be stupid enough to charge all the defensive guns WITHOUT tanks?) and not shoot us to itty bitty pieces. After all, we're all idiots here. \n\nIt actually sorta kinda worked. We got within 20 yards before someone clued in the Norwegians and they vomited missiles and plasma at us. I think maybe out of 40 of us who made it in, 30 died right then and there. Probably all of us would have followed in the next second if that gunship that turned Jules into jam spiraled in and crashed right into the defenses. Go Jules and his hard ass assets, I suppose. May you live forever. Next time, I mean. \n\nSo I pushed in though the flames right into the midst of panicking and blinded 'Weagies. With me were HR Mandy, Greg from IT, and Luis from accounting. Mandy ate it immediately when she reached and opened the front door, but served to alert the rest of us about the heavy pulsar team defending the objective as they removed Mandy's head and chest from her armored suit with precision I could almost admire then immediately dismissed because it chopped down a 'Weagie soldier coming up behind us. The air howled with hundreds of pulsed plasma shots. Luis was pretty much useless, covered in Mandy jam as he was, screaming his damned head off like HE was the one missing one. Greg, however, was worse than useless. He pulled out a timed release grenade, pulled out the pin, and threw it. We watched as it sailed towards the gunnery crew. Watched it bounce off the wall directly behind the crew. Watched it ricochet off a gunner's helmet. Watched it pirouette through the air like a gods damned ninny towards us. Watched it bounce between our feet, through our feeble attempts to grab it, and crack hard into Luis' nose. \n\nI ran forward into the heavy pulse fire. I felt the grenade detonate behind me, immediately atomizing both Luis and Greg. I hit the ground with my shoulder and I swore as something popped painfully. I rolled to my feet fully expecting to be chewed apart... But what I saw was the Norwegian crew looking at me with a smoking gun and a lot of confused expressions. The gunner pulled in the trigger again and again, but I remained while and not shot. Huh. \n\nTurned out, the heavy pulsar was never meant to be fired non stop for 20 seconds. 15 seconds, yes. But not 20. The 'Weagies looked on in horror as their previous heavy weapon turned to slag and cussed itself into an expensive yet somehow also worthless lump. \n\n\"Par for the course, gentlemen,\" I told them as i walked up to the console. They were still processing the events as I pressed the big shiny red button for victory. \"I guess California wins this ti-\" \n\nTurns out that button detonated the nuclear reactor. I was supposed to hit the green button. \n\nMy bad.\n\nAt least the gag reel will be hilarious." ]	3
	[WP] At a regular checkup, your doctor points out you have 1200 words left to live.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The doctor’s words circled around my head, dancing as if begging me to repeat them. The temptation drove me nuts.\n\n1200 words. My mortality, all that I have left to live, encompassed in 1200 words. I started hyperventilating, grabbing hold of anything as the world tumbled around me. My wife’s arm held onto mine. I felt the smoothness of her skin, smelled in her strawberry hair, knowing that never again would I be able to tell her about them. \n\nNever again would I call my parents to tell them I love them. My dad, grumpy as he was, would understand. But my mom… My mom would forget me eventually, and never again would I be able to talk to her. Would she remember what my face looks like, or was it my voice that made her recall? \n\nNever again would I hang out in the bar with my friends, joking around screaming at the top of their lungs about anything and everything. If I had kids, they would live with a silent father, one who could listen but could not speak back. Everything I was going to ever say had already been said, and there was nothing I could do about it. My head dropped to his knees, and between sobs, my voice formed a single word.\n\n“Options?” \n\nThe gray-haired woman flipped through her clipboard, her stormy eyes dancing along her strange pages. This is my angel of death, he thought, sent to this world to take my soul.\n\n“Well,” she said, “there’s not a lot to do about the writing. You will simply have to remember not to write or type anything, unless you want your arm off. Remember this disease targets the language center of your brain, so while grunts and simple requests are fine, no sign language or any form of audible, visual, or tactile language is allowed. This includes morse code and braille. As to your spoken language, we have two options. You can live your life, and try to remember not to say anything, or you could undergo a procedure in which your tongue is surgically removed.” She stood there like a statue, standing as if she had just told me I'd need some tylenol for my fever.\n\nI only nodded, and motioned her to leave me and my wife alone, hoping this simple request would not lower my word count. After she closed the door, I looked over at my wife. Her brilliant green eyes stared back at me, beautiful even in this artificial room. \n\n“Honey,” I whispered.\n\n“Don’t, you can’t—” she started,\n\n“I love you.” I finished. I breathed in, not ready at all, and shoved the doctor’s scissors into my mouth, tearing apart my tongue.", "\"It's not cancer, is it?\" I asked, looking down at the blurry x-rays the doctor had just laid in front of me like I knew what the hell I was looking at. \"No, it's not cancer, it's something a bit more...complex.\" He had obviously never told a person they were dying before. I'd say he was doing pretty good so far. If I were to critique his performance I'd say he could maybe bring up the reassuring technical jargon and taper off the pensive thought-induced head nodding, but overall 6.8/10. \n\n\"So how do you know it's bad...how can you be sure?\" I asked. The doctor seemed excited to recite his experience, \"How can I be sure? I've seen this many times online is how I'm sure! This looks exactly like the photos, and the internet doesn't lie.\" I held myself back from going down that rabbit hole of crazy talk. He went on, \"With folks texting so much these days and actual phone calls becoming a thing of the past, their vocal chords go into a hibernative state...like a cute little baby bear in your throat that will kill you. If the vocal chords are not used for a long enough time they begin an irreversible crystallization process, and eventually...explode.\" I stared at him blankly, trying to see over my skyrocketing bullshit meter. \"Explode...?\" The doctor nodded vigorously. \"Yes, explode indeed. Ever seen the movie Independence Day?\" he asked. \"Uhh yeah, I've seen it...you mean like when they blow up the White House?\" I replied. \"Oh no, I just like that movie, I ask all my patients if they've seen it. Anyway lets get back to your results.\" \nI shifted my weight around on the electronically controlled chair, the thin white courtesy paper crinkling under me. I thought back to all of the days that I didn't speak to my parents, or ordered my food from an app, or texted instead of called. How could I be so silent for months on end? Now my life would probably be over before the end of the month! \n\n\"So how many days do I have left?\" I asked. The doctors eyes lit up. \"Days? We don't measure this disease in days, we measure it in words.\" I was running out of confused expressions to glare at this man. \"What do you mean words? Like, words words?\" I asked. \"Yep, good old fashioned human spoken words.\" he explained, all proud of himself. \"Based on my learned experience in this field, I would estimate you have between 1100 and 1300 words left to speak. After that, boom!\" I quickly tried to remember how many words are on a page, doing mental gymnastics between single or double spacing, handwritten or typed, Times New Roman or Helvetica, that trick you could do to make the periods a larger font to make an essay longer. Dammit why was I always texting during class when I could have been learning this crap? 200 words? 500 words? \n\nBefore I could finish my hopeless calculations he went on, \"I heard of one guy who didn't talk for two years. It was so bad they sent him home with just enough words for a damn haiku! You're one of the lucky ones. You get to say goodbye to everyone, heck you even have enough words to order a pizza over the ole' telephone or sing some karaoke! Man I love karaoke!\" I couldn't deal with this anymore, I had my chatroom hangout that night at six, then my digital book club was meeting at eight, and my hopefully soon-to-be girlfriend and I had a text-date at nine. \n\n\"I don't have time for this shit.\" I blurted out, standing up to leave. The doctor's eyes lit up, \"Oh you don't have time for this shit, huh? Well now you don't have those seven words to speak anymore. How does 1093 to 1293 words left to speak sound to you? You have any more useless comments to make? I looked at him, shocked. The reality that was now my life was rapidly coming into perspective. He sighed, \"Look, this is a lot to take in, I get it, but this is to be taken seriously. Choose your words wisely, as they say, and call you're damn mother.\" My anger and confusion shifted into understanding and purpose. I was ready for this challenge. I was ready to put down my phone and speak out loud to the world, I was ready to stand on top of a mountain and scream everything I had been writing, to sing everything I had been texting, and to... and to... well maybe just a few words at a time for now. \n\nI stood up, ready to change my ways. \"Thanks doc, I ready. Only talk important now.\" I said proudly. He smiled warmly and patted me on the back. \"Great, here are some pamphlets on silent meditation retreats and a discount coupon for some menthol lozenges that don't really help anything but I think they taste good.\" I stared blankly at him. \"Thanks.\" I said, and walked out the door.", "I tap my fingers against my leg as I read the posters on the wall for what feels like the millionth time. Doctor’s visits always make me nervous. I’ve never had a worse problem than the flu, but that doesn’t seem to make any difference.\n\nThe drum of my fingertips quickens when the door opens and the doctor steps back in, looking grim. He’s an older man, with thinning gray hair and a somewhat dour – or maybe just tired – look at the best of times. But this is a bad news sort of look. \n\n“I’m sorry, Ms. Heiser.” His eyes are horribly sympathetic and I can’t look away. “You only have 1200 words left to live.”\n\n“Twelve hundred words? But – no, that’s impossible!” I shake my head, my hands curling into fists. I try to ignore the chill spreading through me, like my body’s turning to stone, and yet I can’t seem to stop shaking. For a moment I can hardly speak at all, the words locked in my throat, before a dam breaks and they all pour out at once. “My story’s only just started, I haven’t even done anything yet. I – I need more time. Just a little more time, that’s all. For all the things I want to do. There has to be something you can do!”\n\nHe lays a kind hand on my own, steadying my trembling, but he shakes his head. His sympathy is the professional sort. “I’m very sorry. It’s the time, you see – the author’s in a hurry. And between you and me, a bit of a slow writer. You’ll have to make the most of what time you have. That’s a little over a thousand words now, so be careful not to squander them. We have some literature that might help. There are support groups...”\n\nHe talks a lot; he has plenty of words to waste. I don’t have that luxury anymore. So I leave, with a purse full of supposedly helpful pamphlets and a spreading numbness. What can you do, with less than a thousand words? How do you live?\n\nQuickly, I suppose. Or at least hastily. On the bright side, the ticking clock of my life helps me to stop procrastinating and drop some bad habits. I start going to the gym again. Putting in extra effort at work, fighting for that promotion. I go bungee jumping, the fall stealing my breath and tearing the numbered words out of my throat. My boss is impressed by the reckless sprint he mistakes for dedication. I take a vacation to Europe like I’d always wanted to when I was younger, to all the incredible sights I’d heard of and can’t spare the words to describe. After a big promotion, I take another trip, scuba diving in tropical waters where rainbow clouds of fish dart among reefs the words don’t exist to describe, even if I could spare them. \n\nI flirt with boys in bars and online, trading smiles and numbers. One date becomes several, an engagement, a marriage. Our relationship is rushed, as everything in my panicked scramble of a life is, but the wedding is beautiful as a dream. Our lives together are all glances and smiles and time-saving cliches because I’m learning to hoard my words like a dragon. Less than eight hundred left. I’ve done so much already. Why does it feel like nothing at all?\n\nMy husband and I buy a house and then fight over whether we should have kids – can I spare the words? But we do, a daughter and then a son. They’re often given over into the custody of daycare and babysitters, because I’m moving up at work and not willing to quit my job and stay at home. There are already so many setbacks, skipped promotions and missed opportunities and fights with my husband, who doesn’t have the same drive I do. His words and days aren’t numbered, like mine are. He’s the one who takes them to parks and zoos and sports matches, who sits through all the awful school plays. But I can’t afford take more time off to spend with him and the kids; there’s so much else I still have to do. I have barely six hundred words left; my life is almost half over. \n\nThe fights never get better, and the divorce comes soon after our son leaves for college. “I’m just trying to get the most out of life,” I tell my husband. “I don’t have much of it.”\n\n“You can hardly spare the time to have a life at all. Getting the most out of it? Have you gotten anything out of it?” I wish he were angry. I wish he didn’t sound so sad and hurt. But I won’t waste my words on heartbreak. There are still things to do. Places to see. And I can feel my words running out.\n\nThere are promotions and vacations and awkward family holidays. I see the northern lights and the pyramids and the Great Wall of China. I retire and move to Florida. I take a cruise. I measure my words out one by one but no matter how careful I am they keep slipping away. All of it slips away. And it leaves nothing behind.\n\nI sit on the bench, staring out over the lake. My hands, folded in my lap, are wrinkled and spotted, my back is stooped. I’ve lived my life at a dead run, counting every grain of sand that slipped through the hour glass, and I’m tired. Exhausted on every level. And what do I have to show for it? So many boxes checked off my list: graduate, get a job, get a husband, buy a house, have kids. Travel the world, see the sights. Things experienced, yes, but did I live them? Did I ever once stop to live, since that day in the doctor’s office so long ago?\n\n“I didn’t have the words,” I say. Defensively, as if there’s anyone else I need to justify my life to. But maybe I just didn’t use them well. I think of my husband.\n\nIt’s a beautiful day in early spring – finally warm enough to sit outside like this. A gentle breeze ripples the water of the lake and stirs my thinning hair. I close weary eyes and listen to the twitter of birds, the quack of ducks. Splashing water and wind in the leaves. Children shouting and laughing in the park behind me. Little by little, the tension that’s stayed with me throughout the headlong rush of my life drains away. The sun is warm on my face, and I’m finally at peace. I have finally, at the end of things, stopped running and caught my breath. \n\n\"Oh,\" I say. To myself, since there's no one much to listen to me, and no one really cares if an old woman at a park talks to herself a bit. \"So this is what I've been missing.\" \n\nI’m almost out of words now, and I wish I’d used them better. But what’s done is done, and I’m not about to squander my last few words wallowing in regret. If I didn’t have any other moments like this one – moments where I can exist, where I can stop to look around, stop checking experiences off a list and just live – then at least I had the one. And that’s not so bad really. \n\nSomewhere in the green distance, the tinkling tune of an ice cream truck rings out. Somewhere, crows are harshly calling to one another. Somewhere, the children I never had time for are living a good life. Somewhere, maybe, the ex-husband I never really bothered to get to know is too. I hope very much that they are all remembering to live those lives. And I think, with my very last words, that the world can be so very beautiful.\n\n(There are exactly 1200 words after the doctor's announcement)", "\"Wait, what do you mean??\" I ask.\n\n\nHe mouths the words I just said while counting on his hand. \"Ok, you're now down to 1,195. I seriously suggest you just stop talking and-\"\n\n\"What the fuck are you talking about??\" I stand up, feeling the hair on the back of my neck rise a bit. \"This doesn't make any sense! What do you mean - \"\n\nThe doctor steps forward and places a hand over my mouth, \"Shut up! Seriously, you need to be quiet and let me explain. Will you let me finish? Nod your head if you understand.\"\n\n\nI can't believe I'm hearing this. This is insane. Why the hell would saying a certain number of words kill me? I nod slowly, my eyes wide.\n\n\n\"Ok. Let's try this again.\" He slowly withdraws his hand. He does some more counting on his hand while silently mouthing some words. \"I think that was 16, so you're at 1,179 I believe.\" I take a deep breath to say something and he clamps his hand over my mouth again. \"SHHHH! Jeez, I can see why you were picked.\" He shakes his head. \"I knew this would be ... unpleasant to deal with when they told us about it.\" He paces back and forth a bit. I'm biting back so many questions that are at the tip of my tongue. \n\n\"All right, so you know how our esteemed homeland has enacted a social credit score right? And you are judged based on nearly everything you do out in the world, like how well your social interactions go, to how prompt you are with paying off your debts, to even uninspiring comments about our wonderful country.\" He rolled his eyes at that last bit. \"Well our beloved leaders have determined to run a few test cases. Those who have scored too low should be given a 'word count' so that well, frankly others don't have to put up with listening to you anymore. And this also goes to written communications...so uhh, you need to be careful about that going forward too. The words used for government forms don't count, but otherwise you need to just, well, zip it unless its an emergency. Nod if you understand.\" \n\n\nI shake my head vigorously, this is unbelievable. \"But how are they going to know - \"\n\n\n\"SHUT UP! Yeesh, its like you want to die. Look, you know there's cameras everywhere outside. And microphones in every phone every one carries. They're recording it all, in case you forgot that important lesson from your homeland safety class in kindergarten. So either you learn to just keep your...words to yourself, or you'll get picked up by Homeland Anti-Terrorist Enforcers, and will be part of the weekly broadcast of executions for undesirables. Nod if you understand.\"\n\n\nI nod slowly, my mouth open a bit in shock but unmoving. \n\n\n\"Good. Well here's an info packet they provided. I suggest you read it all the way through, do not say the words out loud, keep any questions to yourself, and enjoy the rest of your life! Hopefully I'll see you again in five years at your next regular checkup.\" That list bit sounded a bit sarcastic to me.\n\n\n\"Thanks, I guess.\" Shit! I clamped my hand over my mouth.\n\n\nHe looked at me wide eyed, and just shook his head. \"Man, you just don't get it. I can see why you were picked.\"\n\n\nThat pissed me off. \"Hey fuck you! This is so messed up. Why was I picked? What the hell did I do?\" I could feel tears slowly forming, but I didn't care. Then I remembered, I still have thousand word essay to write for my English class. If I didn't finish it I would fail English...and not graduate high school. That really prompted the tears to start flowing." ]	5
	[WP] A small team of aliens has come to earth in disguise to analyse humanity, they are amazed and terrified by the range of power beings on the planet. Little do they know, they've landed at comicon.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "A small group of aliens start to land down on the ground. Around them are people carrying large swords and wearing colorful outfits. The group slowly comes out in a line each of them are a long gray creature. The first one starts to speak \"The humans seem to have evolved we were only here last week and they were much different.\"\n\n Each creature started to explore seeing all of these humans different changes. As they go trough they end up finding a group of people with green hair holding hands. The aliens walk back in surprise as the group starts circling them giving them complements. During the circle of the green haired. A large blond boy with grenade looking shapes on his hands walks in and hits one of the green hairs. The aliens take the chance and start to run back to the ship.\n\n a large crowd has gathered around and all of them are flashing some weird metal box. The captain pulls out some sort of laser and more people surround him with the box. The captain later fires a shot and destroys on of them. The other start to back off and the sound of ringing can be heard everywhere. The aliens quickly board the ship and fly off. Thinking about how much the humans have changed and how powerful they have become.", "At first we couldn’t believe our eyes. The information we had acquired about earth was nothing like this. We understood humans were a range of colours and shapes, but nothing could prepare us for the horrific organisms in front of us. Back on our home planet we had the equivalents of human scientists engineer carbon suits to mimic human blood, muscle and tissue. However, we felt completely isolated in this strange, diverse region. \n\nWhat I can only describe as a mutated demon stomped his way beside us, intaking what looked to be the refuelling component ‘Red Bull’. Another mechanical type being with a luminous glowing helmet briskly whizzed past, shouting across the room. We quietly step into the humans waste disposal area and proceed to lock ourselves in the chambers. When we hear all life forms leave, we begin to discuss what the hell is happening. \n\n“Did... did you see that being with the sharp, pointed ears and green extend of skin? Or-or the one with hard scales riveting down his back? Commander said we are here to analyse HUMANS. You know, the squishy ones? I think we have the wrong planet.”\n\n“Well, my navigational system proves we are indeed on earth.. although I don’t have a clue why the life forms are so misshaped and irregular. Perhaps there’s something about these beings we yet to understand? Maybe they are shedding into new layers of skin, or something similar we are yet to know about. So ho-“\n\n[The bathroom door creaks open, the three aliens peak under their stalls to see a human with paws and a dog head by the urinal.]\n\nOne of the aliens silently whisper\n “that human has three toes. I believed from our data they were to have five?!’\n\n“Perhaps a mutation, rare but plausible. Anyway we have a mission to complete. Analysis must continue despite the strange circumstances”\n\nThe human begins to turn on the tap, and the aliens unlocked their doors and dispense water onto their hands to mimic the humans behaviour, in an attempt to look natural. However, none of the aliens had prepared themselves for such an event, so they all watched keenly onto the humans hands. \nIn unison, the aliens and the human washed and dried their hands in complete synchronisation, bewildering the dog-hybrid. \n\n“Fuck me, are you guys dressed up as mimes? Quit staring.” \n\nHe somewhat aggressively shoved past the perplexed aliens and made his way back into the diverse region of life forms. Perhaps it was a social gathering from many galaxies? Whatever it was, the aliens needed data, and there was lots of it to gather. \n\nEDIT: Part 2 \n\nThey made their way back into the crowds of sentience and proceeded so scan their surroundings. They hastily made their way through the maze of bodies and started to imitate the humans vocal speech, copying various syllables and patterns they heard, in hopes of distraction. \n\n“I am enjoying the waves of light emitting from the sun making my skin warm and hot. It makes me feel good.”\n“Indeed, I sure love this maze of life forms. The skin of various humans is nice plump, very healthy. I like the dead cells growing on top of your head, very stylish.”\n\nThey soon noticed a clearing of the masses, In front of them stood an entrance and what appeared to be a giant human construction. One of the aliens spotted something peculiar. \n\n“General! Up there! There are some symbols which may give us some information about this place. Get out your scanner for symbol decoding.”\n\n\n[Working...Language detected...HUMAN_ENGLISH_VARIANT_] [Message = ‘Comic con 2019’] \n\n“These symbols will be further Analysed back at base. For now take any scriptures or important details you find. Let me know if you find anything interesting.”\n\nThe three aliens split up searching for clues, still rather close to one another in case they need to escape. They scanned different booths and meet and greets, even tried ‘playing’ some of the games on display. One of the aliens tried to copy a man fiddling his thumbs around on a controller, however his imitation looked more like someone trying to destroy it. \n\n“Hey there sir, need any help using that? Hold down the middle button to play”\n\nThe aliens built in human translator still wasn’t one hundred percent accurate, so the translation for him was \n\n\n“Greetings fellow Human, care for assistance on your entertainment device? Swallow the centre button to play”\n“Yes, thank you. For entertainment purposes I shall indeed try this video game.”\n\nWith that, the alien precisely dug his nails beneath the button and pulled it out, then dropped it into his mouth, swallowing it whole.\n\n“When does calibration begin?”\n\nThe supervisor awestruck, walked away and whispered a few confused profanities to himself. The alien oblivious, stood waiting for the machine to sync with his body.\n\nThe aliens still had much to figure out about social skills.\n\n“Oh my... These life forms are much more advanced than we could have ever predicted. Both of you come here, have a look at this...” \n\na few comics lay out in front of them, depicting powerful humans with symbols like ‘Superman’ and various other godly names such as ‘Batman’ as well as ‘Aquaman’ in these scriptures you could see each human easily destroying entire planets by hand, killing other aliens with complete ease.\n\nThe three aliens stepped back, and realised the huge mistake they had made by coming here. They believed the comics to be true statements and drawings, believing their species could potentially be next.\n\nAnd then it dawned on them. The gods in the photos were in the very same building. Every comic they held there would be a replica in real life. \n\nThe aliens hands trembled as he lowered the Thanos comic to see the real life one standing right in front of his very eyes.\n\n“Oh hey man you a fan of Thanos to? He’s pretty insane. Destroying them planets and all, y’know. One of my favourites.”\n\n\n“WE NEED TO LEAVE NOW. WARN THE GALAXIES ABOUT THE POWER EARTH WITHHOLDS AND TO AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS. BOOT THE SHIP FOR IMMEDIATE LIFT OFF. “\n\nAll three started running for their lives thinking they had breached a godly like temple, housing the many Gods of earth all in one place. \nThey got back into their small pod located in a ditch nearby between some hedges. Screaming and yelling into their communication with their home planet.\n\n“What’s this nonsense... Than who? Thanos? Destroyer of galaxies? Darth Vader? Death Star? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!”\n\n“Ohhh when the humans find us we will be obliterated. They have the means and heroes necessary to do what they want whenever they please! We need to re-locate our species into another dimension, perhaps time shift via black holes into an alternative timeline where these humans aren’t so overpowered!”\n\nAnother random human appeared from what seemed to be the shadows, and drunkenly asked them about the ship \n\n“Yooo sweet costumes guys, awesome space ship thingy, looks super real too.”\n\nLips quivering, the 3rd alien managed to mutter a small “T-thanks, y-you too.” \n\n“There’s some beer just inside over here, want me to grab you guys some?”\n\n“Yes I am thirsty please bring us some substance”\n\n“Ha sure thing, I’ll be right back”\n\nAs soon as the human turned around and walked into the store, the aliens went full throttle into the sky, cutting the atmosphere, through the Milky Way, all the way to their home planet. They managed to bring a few comics for proof of such godly beings, and it soon became the number one news universally, with each district, colony, guild, species, galaxy, dimension, knowing of the humans that could tear a planet in two. Not one species could match such power. \n\nAll because some silly humans liked to play make belief.\n\nThanks for reading if you made it this far, I’ll continue if it was enjoyable to read!" ]	3
	[WP] It's almost time for monster prom, and everyone's looking for their dates. The rich vampires and the werewolves on the football team have ghouls and boils lining up for them, but you, as one of the less cool monsters, are having some problems.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "A shadow. A fucking shadow. Why am I a fucking shadow.\n\nI am practicly useless. I will never be rich, or succesfull. The most I would be able to be is a shadow of someone else. Physicaly and litteraly.\n\nAnd I will never look good. Sure, I can be somewhat cool when I make shadow figures, or that I can have a good shape when someone looks at me. But no one will look at me. Because who will look at the floor when their partner is standing right infront of them.\n\nI once thought I was \"cool\" when I made one of the vampires have a shadow. After all, vampires don't have one, so if everyone see how special we are together they will surely like me.\n\nI was wrong. Jason was brought to the office to question him about his shadow, me, so when they found out I was folowing him everywhere, I was banned from school for a day. And in that time, the school managed to organize a boycott on me. Not even the other shadows talked to me.\n\nI have been seirusly considering exposing myself to light. You know, end all of that stupid shit. Life won't get better anyways. But then I met Anne.\n\nAnne is a semi vampire. They are pretty rare. Semi vampires get their vempire side exposed only after they reach human adulthood. Her adoptive human parents don't know about that yet, and she started to get afraid when her shadow started disapearing. And I was a solution. I would walk with her everywhere. And I mean everywhere. I would show up at her room a few minutes before her parents come back from work. At first I was more like a working person on job rather than a friend.\n\nBut I heard her wheep one night. She was confused. She didn't know she wanted to be a human for her parents or a vampire for her friends. So I told her I was also having a hard time. How I am on the verge of crying every single day. And how it is okay to be down sometimes. And she talked to me about how she is stressed people will start to hate her, and how she will have to stay at the monsters school forever, where everyone already don't like her. I was happy to listen to her and she was happy to listen to me.\n\nWe became friends, and got very used to each other. I would be with her everywhere, from when she wakes up in the morning to when she goes to sleep. And I know I am not suppose to feel this way, because I am a girl too, but sometimes I wish I had the courage to ask her out to prom.\n\nI really wish that. But it is too late now. Anne turned more into a vempire. She would be more thirsty to blood, and her teeth started growing, and her skin was pale. And I couldn't fix it, not by myself. And when her parents figured it out, she was already broken from the stress and she blamed it all on me. And no matter what I told her, how I tried to calm her down, it wouldn't have been enough. It is not like she actually needed me now.\n\nAnd it wouldn't have happened if i wasn't a shadow. If I was made out of something physical. But I am not." ]	2
	[WP] You wake up in an alien body in an alien civilization with alien memories. You go to sleep that night and wake up back as a human again. This double-life continues, and you decide to fly to Earth in the alien life to see what happens.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "My spacecraft slices through space at a speed that, if I were still just a human, would \"blow my mind.\" Distance and time bend around my hull as stars blur in to shining lines in the viewport. My journey is coming to an end, I can feel it. My destiny awaits. Whatever higher power has set me on this course, has linked my inextricably with this being light years away from my home world, has given me the will to go on where no others of my race have gone before.\n\nThough linked with this more primitive mind, it has given me the space to approach problems with a new viewpoint. Creativity blossoms in my dreams of a different world, and with it comes new ways of thinking. Without my dreams, if I may call them that, for they are more real than anything else in my life, I would not have the motivation to craft and create, to refine and look to the worlds afar. Without my dreams, I would not be able to view the world as I now do, and this spacecraft, this journey beyond where my people have ever journeyed, all of it would be nought.\n\nIt was years ago in my time that I started to dream as a human on \"Earth.\" At first I thought that I may be losing my mind, but in my heart I knew what I dreamt was real. I knew that I had been given a gift, not just the burden of another life. A mission, per se. And now, as I look back on the past years, I feel a sense of apprehension, and of excitement. This...adventure....folly?...will come to an end soon enough. I know that my time has moved at a greater speed than that of my human side, and I know that they may not be ready to accept something of my kind. Me. The knowledge that I bring, the opening to a wider universe. I have had more time to reflect on this in my mind rather than in my human mind, and I am not sure that it was a well advised \"Manifest Destiny.\" And yet I forge onwards. Turning to the rear of my cabin, I muse at the symbol emblazoned on the ceiling. The twin suns of my world and the stars of the void fill my mind with wonder, and the sense of fulfillment that fills my heart at this sight, feeling, cleanses the doubt of my purpose from me, showing me that it is my destiny, and the way of my people, to explore and believe in the guidance of our souls.\n\nI lay down to sleep, ready to view these thoughts from a human perspective. I discovered long ago that I do not switch times with my human self, but merely share time in both geospatial realities, and sleep is when consciousness floats between my bodies. I do not know if time has been warped to give me this gift, but I do know that it is indeed a gift. A gift for all beings....\n\n\\\\\\\\\\\n\n\"Damian, wake the FUCK UP! Your alarm is annoying as hell!\"\n\nAh, my beautiful girlfriend. As I roll over to look in to her beautiful face and rapidly approaching hand I -\n\n\\Smack\\* \"Seriously, get up dude!\"\n\n\\Ughhhhh\\\"Alright, alright, I'm going!\"\n\nRolling out of bed I step on the prongs of my charger and the sharp jolt reminds me of my incoming self. Alternate self. Whatever the hell you wanna call it, I'm coming to Earth!\n\n\"Jazzy, I'm coming in today!\"\n\n\"Ugh, it's a workday, call me Jasmine so I can get in the professional mood and all that. Also, what the fuck?\"\n\nMy excitement bubbles over, leaving me temporarily lost for words. \"Uh, my dream side, alien side guy, he's coming to Earth today! At least I think that's what the calculations said!\"\n\nJust as my excitement bubbled over, her anger flashes to her face. \"I don't know if you think this is still a joke, but I've said it before and unless this means that you're getting your mojo back at work and knocking some new repulsor design out, I don't wanna hear it!\"\n\nOh, yeah, she's not a big fan of this. I've always been a little bit crazy (which is why she likes me), but I can see how this is all a bit over the line. It's alright. She'll see by the end of the day.\n\n\"Yeah, sorry, just trying to get hyped for a design review for my...stuff...mhmmrrgh\" I mumble, trailing off when I realize she has dismissed me. Truth be told, with my long hours spent pondering this subject, and the subtle ways I think this...alien or alternate self has changed my mind, we've grown apart. Before I can re-focus and try to talk about it, she's gone.\n\nThe rest of the day is a blur. I keep multiple news tabs open and have alerts set for any breaking news. I have to turn it off for my review, but whatever, I just end up getting a message about a political scandal or corruption or something. On the drive home, I tune in to the radio to see if anything comes up. Boring daytime talk show in LA traffic until\n\n\\~\\~\\~\"Breaking news out of Western Africa.\"\n\nWith a jolt I sit up in my seat, nearly taking my foot off of the brake. The strong tones of the reporter echo in my head as I wait on his next words.\n\n\"A crashed aircraft -\"\n\nMy heart skips a beat.\n\n\"- has been identified as the ruins of an MiG 21 supplied to the Liberian government by the Russians to aid in their fight\"\\~\\~\\~\\~\n\nI slump back in my seat, jamming the off button on the radio.\n\nWhat could have gone wrong?\n\nThe rest of the ride, and the rest of the day, are just as much of a blur as the beginning. Slowly losing hope, I get ready for bed after a somewhat tense dinner with Jasmine. I barely even notice as she slips in to the living room with a book. I nervously struggle to sleep, eager and frightened to find out what happened. Did the craft malfunction? After the myriad calculations, years laboriously poured in to the perfection of a spacecraft of the most advanced degree, with the destiny of this day facing me, I could not accept that my mission ended in failure....\n\n\\\\\\\\\\\n\nI have reached this \"Earth\" that has so filled my dreams. As I hover in orbit, the rays of their young son warming my craft from a distance, I revel in its beauty. I am here. My journey is nearly complete, and my beautiful calling, my destiny, is here. Looking down on the green and blue globe before me, I cannot help but marvel at its beauty. I begin my descent, slowly leveling through the atmosphere. \n\nMy dreams as a human had been worried, disturbed, but it would all be right now. \n\nAs I land on the wide plains that my subconscious thoughts tell me must be a \"savannah\", a wave of other-earthly contentment washes over me. I am where I am meant to be. I have found my way, after much trial and sorrow, to the place of my other half, and now my soul can be one.\n\nDrifting through the plains I begin to scan for life. I believe that it is time to meet these \"humans\" that I have shared dreams with. I am excited beyond what I have ever been before. But, the scan does not find any such beings. I begin to widen my search, and my trepidation grows with it. How could this be?\n\n\\\\\\\\\\\n\nI woke up troubled and worried. My dream partner had made it to Earth, but he had not found any humans. How was this possible?\n\nI roll up, panting and confused. Jasmine stirs beside me and mumbles in her sleep, calming me and bringing me back to reality. Maybe this is a dream. Maybe this is all me just going crazy. \n\nI pick up my phone and go to the news. Nothing. I start to search the internet, trying to find a hint, a clue as to what happened. Maybe he landed in Area 51? Maybe he was captured? But no, I would know about it then. Or were the times shifting now that we were so close? I can't believe tha-\n\nSomething catches my eye. \n\nA small headline buried on the 5rd page of Google read \"Signs of an ancient civilization found in Western Africa\"\n\nWhen I click on the article a familiar image pops in to my eyes. Broken and worn by time, but still recognizable. A pair of suns over the expanse of space, dotted with stars, greets my hungry view. I tear through the article, gulping down information but only really processing tidits.\n\n\"....crash site of fighter jet in Western Africa reveals ancient history....evidence of a potential civilization dating back 100,000 years was discovered....What seems to be the symbol, or god, of the civilization was found inscribed in caves near the crash site...\"\n\nI feel my gut clench.\n\n\"It may be too soon to be certain, but the composition of the material found inscribed with the aforementioned symbol, found at the center of the labyrinth, seems to be of a civilization far more advanced than our own, or perhaps alien in origin.\"", "No one was meant to live in two worlds at once.\n\nThere’s something curious about dreams. They have a life of their own, not fully under your control. They twist and slip like a salmon in your bare hands, too big to contain and too beautiful to let go. They are the sanctuary of the human spirit – the place we can all go to truly be ourselves.\n\nAt least, that’s how it’s supposed to be. \n\nAnd that’s how I know that this is not a dream. I am not myself. The dream is too vast to escape and too incredible to ignore. The salmon became a squid, wrapping itself around my mind and dragging me down into the dark. There are some places even dreams cannot take you – and the Cradle of Uruth is one of them.\n\nPicture a manta ray, its symmetrical body rippling gently in the sun-kissed waters of a tropical atoll. Now make it larger – larger than the island, than a dozen islands. No ocean will hold such immensity. Replace the water with currents of plasma and vacuum. Imagine the burnt, hollow smell of outer space and the warm prickle of cosmic radiation. There is no single sun.\n\nThese are the Uruth. And so am I. \n\nMy second life began in the swirls of a dying sun. The eggshell photosphere collapsed, and my eyes opened to the rich vastness of space, peppered with a million points of light. And I was not alone. My parents were watching me.\n\nI woke up thrashing in bed, flailing like a drowning man. The shock of inhabiting a limbless body was terrible. I felt a burning desire to move my fingers, to reassure myself that I was no longer a single sheet of cosmic flesh. It was many nights before I understood how real the nightmare was. \n\nEvery night, the dreams. The endless diamond-dusted darkness which shone in strange, unearthly colors. The Uruth see far beyond the visible spectrum, and their vision is a kaleidoscope of swirling, indescribable hues. From birth till death they swim through an ocean of rainbows.\n\nWe navigated by starlight and x-ray. We sang the song of the void. In the glowing infinity of space, we swam like the whales of the universe, feeding on the radiation. We were a blip of darkness on the cosmic microwave map, larger than planets and smaller than grains of dust.\n\nAnd every morning, I awoke. Two arms. Two legs. Ten fingers and a twenty-year mortgage. I was myself for all the hours of daylight – but at night I truly lived. \n\nI do not know how much time passed in dreams. Enough time to grow with the rest of my Pod, to swim the deeps of space and feed on the plasma of stars. The Uruth consume stars in ecstatic feeding frenzy, stripping away the elemental plasma until a cold core remains. On stars they feed, in stars they breed, in stars they lay their young.\n\nEvery morning I started my day with a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin. I never drove new roads, never varied my routine. Work. Home. Sleep. Everything I saw, I had seen a hundred times before.\n\nBut sometimes a longing comes over us to see familiar things. The Uruth never swim backwards and never retrace their steps. Everything is new, and there is no such thing as the familiar sights of home. The uruth never need to retrace their steps. The Universe is their home.\n\nBut not for me. Dim memories were forming of my time on a remnant called Earth. The Uruth view all non-stellar bodies as detritus, old bones and pebbles in the ocean of space. I didn’t understand how I could be from such a place, which was barely as large as I was. But curiosity had taken root. And where curiosity leads, man must follow.\n\nThe Uruth are not curious. They have no need to be. Scarcity cannot exist in a world of infinite horizons, and so the motive for curiosity vanishes with it. My questioning, niggling uncertainty was an aberration, a tiny spark of humanity reasserting itself. \n\nI broke away from the pack, hunting for the Earth-fragment. Every star has its signature, its own blend of special color. Sol hummed like a beacon in the swirling void. I swam off into the infinite. And where I went, others followed.\n\nUruth do not go far afield. It is not in their nature to explore beyond the nearest star. Instead they drift on currents of dark matter, swimming from stellar disk to nebula as hunger compels them. They never never travel farther than they need.\n\nBut where one Uruth goes, others will follow. It is in their nature. My second self has smelled the world I call home. He is swimming here even now, implacable in his curiosity. But in the emptiness of the universe, no Uruth travels alone. And when they arrive, they will feed.\n\nThey are not evil. The largest lion ever to stalk a gazelle is not evil. Hunger transcends the warp and weft of morality that weaves our little universe together. A star is food, and nobody questions that their young must be fed. That is one of the great constants of the universe. \n\nNo one was meant to live in two worlds at once. I suppose in a certain sense I should be grateful. Soon I will only have to live in one.", "There's another reality laying just beyond the fringe of darkness, tucked away in a dreamscape inaccessible to the woken mind. Don't ask me too much about it; I don't lucid dream and I don't do drugs. I don't meditate and I'm not tripping right now. Unreliable narration? Possible. But I promise I'm not crazy and anybody else will tell you about the day the aliens came. \n\nI remember this morning Michelangelo's painting of God and Adam reaching for each other's fingers. I'm God, maybe. An extraterrestrial reaching for a touch of man. Or maybe I'm Adam, tethered to an existence certain to destroy whatever idyllic life there might be on Earth. Maybe I'm selfish. Maybe I'm a pioneer. Maybe I just can't resist that perverse curiosity of seeing what happens when my two selves meet. \n\nToday, I'm an alien. That sounds like something a child writes, sometime before they're corrupted by the realities of the world but after they've been introduced to the idea of being different. \n\nThere's a world to explore here. A red-tinted world where life exists below a gelatinous membrane. It's not strawberry flavored, but I thought the same thing at first. Lumbering creatures powered by primal rage; a civilized society with its unique intricacies and customs. I've wandered long enough, wasting time accepting my blissful state of living two lives at once. Morbid curiosity has spilled over into meticulous action. A species with the means to travel distances that humans could only dream of. I'm keenly aware of the implications and the terrible impact it could have on Earth. My curiosity prevails.\n\nMy second species is greeted by chaos. It's funny, almost, because I knew exactly what would happen. I couldn't help myself. I couldn't help but see if there was still a me when I was another somebody. I couldn't help but discover if my suspicions were true, if death of my human form would result in a permanence of my alien state. We don't take kindly to strangers, back on Earth. We solicit the attention of those alien species but all we want to do is exploit them and exterminate them. \n\nIf you're reading this, I don't think you know the pain of death. Not the sharp pain of a loved one dying. I mean the pain of ceasing to exist. Somehow, at some point in my travels through another reality, I convinced myself and my brethren that we would be greeted with open arms. I, the one who travels across realities, would be able to mediate a peaceful integration of our species. I don't think I'm God. I don't think I'm Adam. I think I was stuck in a box and there's a lady named Pandora that cracked it open. \n\nToday I felt the pain of death; the pain of an irreversible link being severed as one side of my being opened fire upon the creatures of my second form. Today, I was an alien. That sounds like something a child writes, sometime before they know how to deal with death but sometime after they've been introduced to its fetid stench. Now when I close my eyes there's darkness, all that's left of an alien civilization whose hospitable planet I once walked. \n\n*****\n\nThanks for reading! If you enjoyed this, please check out more stories at /r/MatiWrites. Constructive criticism and advice are always appreciated!" ]	4
	[WP] The recent takeover of Earth has seen scores killed as the alien overlords hold auditions for humans to be kept as pets, while the rest are discarded. Your audition day arrives and it doesn't appear that you'll be spared- until the judges seem intrigued by one of your most mundane abilities.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Where did you get that?\" the Lord Commander demanded, pointing a thin finger at me.\n\nI looked down, searching for what it could have been searching for. There was nothing out of the ordinary in my eyes, but who knew what could be strange for them?\n\nThe Commander leaned towards me, its eye a narrow slit as it examined me. \"That thing you are wearing around your torso. What is it?\"\n\nI glanced at my chest and put a hand to the sweater covering me. \"Uh...\" I stammered, my heart pounding against my ribcage. \"It's a sweater, sir. Ma'am. Your Lordness.\"\n\nSuspicion flooded the Commander's face. Those seated next to him regarded me similarly - some with interest, others with disdain.\n\nThe lord to the right of the Commander spoke. \"Where did you get this... 'sweater?'\"\n\nI began to fiddle with the ends of my sleeves, pulling on the stray threads. \"I made it myself,\" I said.\n\nA quiet gasp rippled through the council. The Lord Commander looked on me in disbelief, its brow furrowed over its one eye. Next to it, the skin of the lord who had spoken to me had darkened to a deep blue. Its mouth hung open as it stared at my sweater.\n\nSuddenly, the Commander disappeared from the council pedestal. A moment later it appeared before me, its tall frame towering over my shorter one. It reached for my arm and plucked some of the fabric between its fingers. As it inspected my sleeve, he asked, \"How?\"\n\n\"I... I crocheted it,\" I managed.\n\nThe Commander's eye snapped up to mine. \"Council,\" it called, its eyes fixed to mine, \"We must alert the Emperor.\"\n\nFear ran through me, causing my heart to race even more erratically. The Commander smiled as it sensed my fear. \"He shall have much use for you,\" it whispered. \"He has been ill for weeks with nothing to sweat the fever out. He refuses any covering our craftsmen make. But you\" - he took my chin into his hand - \"you will do nicely in his service.\"\n\nI felt the hands of guards wrap around my arms, holding me in place. The Commander laughed, a high-pitched shriek that stopped and started spastically. \"After all,\" he began, \"we can't have our Emperor slain by influenza. Primitive Earth disease.\"\n\nThe world went black as a hood dropped once more over my vision.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n*****\n\nRead more at r/NovaTheElf!" ]	2
	[WP] God is dead. You're invited to the funeral.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It was such.. A quiet day. It was like everything throughout the Universe had felt it. As if every human, angel, demon, saved and damned souls, planets. Everything throughout the Universe just gave off such a depressed aura. The humans on Earth. It was unlike anything seen. Every person stopped what they were doing. They just looked up into the sky holding one another. Despite their difference in race, gender, ideology. None of it mattered. They all came together in such tragic beauty to worship the fallen of their creator.\n\nI traveled to Hell. All was. Quiet and void of the occasional torment. The demons that once tortured the souls of the damned stopped. The damned souls were no longer in torment for that moment. They did not look up into Heaven as some do when they were tortured. They only looked at Satan. Who regardless of how far someone was in Hell, they could see him. He sat on top a rock pillar. He himself, the only being responsible for the Universe mourning. He stared into his hands. Thinking of what he did. Ever since his fall he wanted to destroy God but now that he managed to do it. It haunted him.\n\nI lastly went to Heaven. It was in a depressed state as well. All of the saved souls mourned God. They stood outside of the funeral home and sang songs of praise to him. Praising all that he did and sharing stories of how God gave them a second chance. How God let them start a new life and he answered their prayers. They all spoke of how for ever grateful they were to him. I made my way into the funeral home. Every angel was there. All of them on their knees bowing. In the middle of the large funeral home, a cross. A stone cross. I stretched out my hand and I touched it. My head went down and tears wept. My father. Who gave up everything for us. Who made Heaven. The being with the plan for everything. Was gone. In the end, he made the ultimate sacrifice. More than mine. I then fell to my knees. My head touched the cross and then. I was brought to a different plane of existence it seemed.\n\nAnd there. There I saw my father. In all his glory and beauty. He sat down and held a bird in his hand. \"Father...\" I said softly.\n\n\"Son.\" He replied. It was as if nothing had happened at all. As if the battle he had with Satan didn't exist. \n\n\"Father. How are you here? Can you come back to Heaven? Everything mourns for you!\" I said. He then let out a chuckle.\n\n\"Son. My death was me losing my physical form. I am now truly everywhere and nowhere. But with that, I cannot come back. I am forever Eternal. And this is where the Eternals go.\" He explained.\n\n\"But-but you could use me father. Let me be your vessel.\" I said. But he raised his finger. And I silenced myself.\n\n\"You already are my vessel. I did not make so I could hijack your body one day. I made you because I knew you were destined for more.\" He said.\n\nI began to ruffle my hair and wipe the tears off of my face. \"But. I'm not ready. I was only to be sacrificed. That's all.\" He said.\n\n\"You are. You are Jesus of Nazareth. King of Kings. Flesh of my flesh. Soul of my soul. You will rule the new Heaven and new eternity.\" He said. I then felt my body glowing and slowly fading away. I couldn't believe it. I was being sent out.\n\n\"Father!\" I cried out. \"Will I see you again?\" I asked. My lower body was gone and all of my upper body excluding my neck was gone.\n\n\"You will always see me son. I am always with you..\" He said. I then faded away. His beauty was no longer visible but the stone cross. I laid my hand on the cross and wiped away the tears streaming down my face. I began to slowly rise.\n\n\"I will make you proud father.\" I said. The angels than began to sang a hymn. And as they sang in perfect unison and harmony. I knew what I was to do.", "I’ve been struggling with my faith since I was younger. There are contradictions between what I have learned and believed, with what I actually observed.\n\nI was taught religion by my parents, teachers, and some older folks from day one. Those people said I must do good and avoid the bad. What I see is people yelling God’s name and rip themselves apart.\n\nThey told me to always respect humans and other creatures. What I witness is individuals who are different from others are shamed, forests are burnt to ashes, and animals are tortured alive.\n\nThey preached to me that “we endorse peace and love to all”. What I hear is “embrace our beliefs or die”.\n\nAll ideas are flawed. All opinions are invalid. I don’t now what to believe in anymore.\n\n\\\\\\\n\nIt’s almost dark outside, but I refuse to come in. There is power at home, but I can’t stand the light. The light burns my eyes, skin, heart, and soul. Is it like Hell? Hell knows. I don’t live there.\n\nThere is a funeral nearby. People are performing a ritual. They don’t mind entertaining only me.\n\nWater is poured out. Water can’t relive dead creatures. Petals are scattered on the freshly-dug ground. That isn’t a way to make the ground smell better.\n\n“What a waste.”\n\nI take out one cig and light it up. I inhale the toxic smoke deeply, and smudge more tarmac on my rotting lungs. I enjoy the self-torture silently.\n\nI see men being gloomy. I hear women wailing. Little children look confused as the ideology is forced on them.\n\nEveryone leaves the funeral. The night hasn’t come by yet, but I can feel water sprinkles on my skin.\n\nThe wind starts to blow. The lightning shows up. The thunder says hello. And I have no umbrella.\n\n\\\\\\\n\nThe heavy rain ends. I’m outside again.\n\nI take out another cig for another round of self-torture while going for a walk along the wet, puddled road. I let the toxic smoke and fresh post-rain atmosphere linger together in my respiratory system.\n\nThere is a man looking at me. I give him a short glance.\n\n“Peace,” he said.\n\n“Cheers.” I continue smoking. He walks past me.\n\nThe thunder greets us again. I know that the rain will resume. The lightning starts dancing more rapidly than before. I have to speed up my walk.\n\nThis universe is unpredictable. The farther I walk the closer the noise of nature creeps towards me. This universe is untrustworthy, too.\n\nI stop walking and take a deep breath. I throw my half-lit cig away.\n\nIf this is my time to die, I would like to see God. I want to know if God exists so that He (or is it She?) can answer why would he let me be in ultimate misery.\n\nI pray every day. I do whatever task was given to me in order to be a part of this doctrine. And yet I feel like I’m trash.\n\nDoes God love me? Does everything that has happened to me show how much God loves me…\n\nCRACK-BOOM!\n\nThe man who told me peace just now is down.\n\n\\\\\\\n\nI’m still here with the half-burnt man. The “peace” that the man told me has almost cost him his own life. He’s now unconscious. I’m baffled.\n\n“This is a mess. Total mess.”\n\nI now realize how equal is God’s treatment towards both believers and non-believers.\n\nAs I start calling the emergency department to seek help, God has been wiped out completely from my mind, my heart, and my life.\n\n“I’m saving you, sir. Hold on.”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\\\you can also read this in this website: [https://tulis.co/god-is-dead-well-done-nietzsche/](https://tulis.co/god-is-dead-well-done-nietzsche/)", "I woke up in a pretty strange place. Around me was a sky of salmon static with clouds of cotton candy, rumbling about.\n\nWas this a good place? Hell if I knew.\n\nI walked along, as most dreamers do, barely taking note of the surroundings in the corner my eye. Rather, I looked directly at the image in front of me. A crowd in black clothing, and somber gravity pulled everyone’s face to the ground. I approached one being.\n\n“Ay, do you know where I am?” \nThe being, a tall, built, handsome angel smiled at me with melancholy and simply said “Welcome to the end.”\n\nI stared at him. “Well a fat load of help that does. Daft lemon,” I said as I walked away. This was a funeral. I had gathered that much, but I didn’t the slightest clue whose. Was it somebody important? If not, I was ready to bounce. I sifted my way through a variety of creatures, none who looked the same to each other, surprisingly. I found different beasts, angels, demons, birds, elephants, and even a dodo bird.\n\n“Hey. Aren’t you supposed to be dead?”\n\n“F*off you nosy wanker!”\n\n\tI made my way to a small, open structure, that contained what looked like a coffin under it. I waited in line along with the rest of them, as they paid their respects, and walked off. Some of them looked relieved, as if they had gotten a large weight off their chest. Some just broke down. Who was this stiff that everyone had different ideas about?\n\nEventually there were two people in front of me, and I managed to peek a look at the source of the party. I couldn’t see their face, but I could definitely see the body. \nIt was an athletic build, one which would dominate over anyone that fell prey to its shadow. It was also quite shiny, almost like latex, and infinitely black.\n\nThe dead person was wearing a gimp suit.\n\nOne person in front of me. I turned back and asked the minotaur, “Hey, who is this chap?”\n\n“Abrahamic God.” The minotaur replied with gruffness.\n\nThe person in front of me left, so there I got to have a better look at God. He laid there, peacefully. Everything was covered, head to toe, in latex.\n\n“You were a kinky figure, weren’t you?” I said jokingly\n\n“Funny you should mention that, ” the minotaur behind me said.\n\nI decided not to enquire any further, so I paid my due respects (for which there was really none,) and went off into the crowd. Around 10 minutes later, a priest called everyone to sit down so people could start talking about their memories with God. Everyone quieted down, and focused our attention on the priest.\n\n“We have a certain list of beings who will talk about their experiences with God. Please do be patient, and if you are called up, feel free to express yourself.”\n\nThe priest looked at his notepad with a strained look, adjusting his glasses and squinting intensely at the writing on his paper.\n\n“Uh, first.... Michael Demiurgos. Direct son of God. Please approach the podium.”\n\nMichael was the angel I had met before. He smoothly walked up the steps to the podium, his golden hair flowing creamily through the non-existent wind.\n\nHe cleared his throat. “My father was the greatest being I had ever known. Although he took credit for me and my brother’s creations, I still believed that He was the way to greatness. He led fairly, judged fairly, and always knew what was best for his children, and creation itself.”\n\n“He was an arrogant prick, that!” The dodo bird shouted from the audience.\n\n“What? He couldn’t handle a couple humans reaching him through a tower? Selfish bastard!” The bird continued.\n\nMichael stared ahead and pursed his lips. “My father loved his creation, including all the beings that are here today. It is truly unfortunate that he passed. I feel it necessary to keep this speech succinct, to emphasise the importance of God’s project, and all tha—“\n\n“Then get the hell off the stage you burnt wanker!” The dodo cried out.\n\nMichael fumed, “Could somebody get this parrot out of here?!”\n\n“Call me a parrot, eh? I’ll have your bloody throat on my kn—” and the dodo disappeared.\n\n“Thank you,” Michael said directly into the microphone. A small bit of feedback came through the speakers, and it stopped as Michael left the stage. \n\nThe priest droopily entered the stage again, realigning his glasses. “Now next we were supposed have the dodo bird speak, but it seems he has gone to another place. Next in line is God’s favourite creation: Man. Would you please approach the podium?”\n\nI didn’t realise it was my turn until I felt everyone looking at me with a variety of eyes. Sad eyes, angry eyes, encouraging eyes, all the eyes.\n\nI nervously approached the podium. What would I say? I never met the damn guy myself. \n\nI stood behind the podium, and took in the crowd. It seemed there was one of every being in creation there, almost like representatives of their communities.\n\nI blew a deep breath out, and just started talking.\n\n“So, uh, yeah. I never really knew God on a personal level. Hell, I didn’t really know he existed until now, but... ” I trailed off, gathering my thoughts together.\n“If he did have more influence on our lives than it seemed, I’d just like to say, thanks for the good times, and I hope your balls are cut for the bad. I know He meant a lot to you guys, and not so much to others, but I feel that now, it is the start of a new chapter. With no more God, we must find someplace else to find reason within the unreasonable. We got science, and meditation, and a whole host of things that will allow us to understand our creation at a better level.” I paused, and realised there was nothing else in my head. I quickly said thank you and left the podium. It seemed my speech bore no real significance, because no one approached me for the rest of the day. \n\nAll the beings had their say. The elephants loved Him. The crocodiles hated him. The cats had slept with him, etc...\n\nEventually, the stars came up and the salmon static sky dimmed to a deep purple. The clouds remained rumbling. \n\nVarious beings disappeared out of this existence, waking up from their dreams, and I waited patiently for my turn. \n\nBut it didn’t happen for the longest while. Eventually, all that was left was Michael, the priest, and me. I approached Michael at the benches with the intent of asking him why I hadn’t gone, but he cut me off before I had a chance to say anything.\n\n“My brother was right.”\n\n“Which one?” I inquired\n\n“Lightbringer, Lucifer, Samael, etc.... My dad was a strange figure that worked in strange ways even we couldn’t understand. He was an arrogant prick, and we didn’t get enough attention in our childhood. I shouldn’t have stopped Lucifer’s rebellion. You know, he fought for your kind to have free thought and will?”\n\n“I was unaware.” I said plainly\n\n“Well, now that he’s dead, to autoerotic asphyxiation of all things.”\n\nThat explained the latex\n\n“It’s up to me, Gabe, and maybe Luci to help regulate heaven. Make it a better place, you know?”\n\nI looked up at the sky, and met my gaze with the beautiful angel. “Best of luck to you. Our kind needs some divine intervention soon.”\n\nMichael chuckled. “Yeah, I realised. Anyway, go home, catch up on your sleep.”\n\nSuddenly I was back in my bedroom. It was 4:30 AM. I had to get up.\n\nAs I brushed my teeth in darkness, I reflected on my dream, and by the time I had my breakfast and left the house, I had forgotten it already.", "”There’s not anyone here.” You said looking around the small patch of damp earth.\n\n“Should there be?” The light asked as it reached out and the patch of earth dug a hole in itself.\n\n“Seems like there should be, a funeral with no people it would be… sad.” \n\n“It is a funeral.” The light said as a few other figures emerged from the fog around the patch of earth. They each wore their funeral best and somber expressions on their faces.\n\n“Still, it’s better to have people here to witness and remember.” You said as you looked at the newcomers. “They’re… not real, are they?”\n\n“You are real.” The voice replied as you looked at the bare earth and pitied its lack of vegetation.\n\n“There must have been others.” You watched the grass grow around the grave as you spoke. “Who should be here to see this.”\n\n“No.” The light replied simply. “There are those who feel they should, but they are incorrect.”\n\n“Oh.” The grave was dug, all that was left now was to wait for- the coffin was besides the grave. \n\n“It is nearly time now.” The light spoke from within the coffin.\n\n“None of this is real is it?” You asked as the gathered people lowered the coffin into the grave.\n\n“It is as real as you choose it to be.” The light replied.\n\n“And if I choose it not to be?” The people were gone, the grave was gone, the earth was gone, there was just a void and a light.\n\n“Then it is not.” The light said as its radiant beauty faded quietly.\n\n“And if I choose for you not to die?” \n\n“You will not be me until I am no longer me.” The light said growing dimmer still. “And by then the time for intervention will have passed.”\n\n“I’ll do my best to not disappoint you.” You declared with a confidence you didn’t feel. \n\n“You will not.” The light said as its last radiance winked out of existence.\n\nThe void was bright with your radiant light as you looked at the void where the light had been. There was a tradition to mark such a spot and with a slight exertion of will the empty void was empty no more. \n\nYou watched the fiery light burn brightly, its light a pale imitation of the light which’s passing it marked. You left it there to tend to your duties, another passed god, another star in the night sky.", "Lucifer ignored the angry glares of countless human faces that passed by. Of course he deserved a front row seat. Of course he deserved to be here.\n\nThat was his God, too, once upon a time.\n\nThe cherubim wore everything from fancy suits to the robes of old. Michael oversaw the proceedings with the expression of Atlas holding up the sky. The archangel had appeared at hell's burning gates two days ago, undisturbed by the brimstone and billowing heat waves shooting from the earth with the might of solar flares.\n\n\"God is dead,\" he'd stated simply.\n\nLucifer hadn't known how to react. \"Who killed him?\"\n\nMichael chose not to respond for a moment. His heavenly garments radiated power and his expression was severe. \"Eternal and omnipotent beings are not slain. They die when those who believe in them forget.\"\n\nSitting there in his own suit, Lucifer was conflicted. On one hand, this was the being who had forsaken him. On the other...it was God, for Christ's sake.\n\nAfter an eternity of souls had passed by and said their peace, their regrets, and their prayers, Michael motioned for him. He approached the casket. It was unnecessarily large, and Lucifer rolled his eyes at the glamour.\n\n\"He wouldn't have wanted this, you know,\" he said. Although his voice was quiet, everyone could hear him. Such was the mystery of the heavens. \"He wouldn't have wanted the ceremony and the fanfare and the pomp, despite what that stupid mistranslated bible said about sacrifices. All he wanted was a group of people on earth to express and represent him. We weren't that different in that regard.\"\n\nThe hall, spanning the entire heavens, was silent. He looked into the serene pose of God himself lying there, nestled in the white satin sheets. There was no humanly figure, simply a glowing form that appeared differently to all who gazed upon it.\n\n\"Boo!\"\n\nLucifer leaped backwards, the lava of hell rushing through his core. \"God damn it!\"\n\n\"Haha! I got you all good!\" God cheered. \"I knew I'd rise on the third day!\"\n\n\"You...you...\" Lucifer sputtered, vaguely aware of the crowd of stunned souls behind him. \"You absolute reprehensible....\"\n\n\"You really thought I could die?\" God's form exuded confusion. \"I'm omnipotent*. I just wanted to see the expression on your face, Lucifer.\"\n\n\"I'll kill you!\" Lucifer roared.\n\n---\n\nThank you for reading! Please give me feedback. I love feedback! How can I write better for you guys if you don't give me feedback!? If you're feeling generous, come join me at [/r/Remyxed/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Remyxed/)!" ]	6
	[WP] You look into the mirror one morning and see a magical world the other side. You can't fit through the mirror as it is too small, so your only chance is to get a baby through, and help them grow up 'on the other side'.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The room was dingy. Cockroaches scuttled across Amber’s feet as she kicked a pile of dirty linens to the side. \n\nShe was shit out of luck, and she knew it. All the houses in the area had already been looted. It had been nearly a year since the war, and there was still no sign of relief in sight. Amber had given up on finely dressed soldiers strolling in and rescuing her from the hell she lived in. The reality was that she was going to die. At least she wouldn’t be alone. \n\nAmber clutched her infant to her chest, kissing it gingerly in the forehead. It let out a small whimper as it opened it’s eyes to look at her. \n\n“I’m sorry I can’t be a better mother...” she whispered. Many times she wondered if she was a bad mother for considering killing the baby. There wasn’t much emotional attachment after all, Amber had grown numb to those sorts of feelings. It was a rough world. She couldn’t afford to be soft. The baby wouldn’t be able to survive on much longer regardless. There was barely enough food to sustain Amber, let alone her and an child. This wasn’t a world to raise a child in. \n\nAcross the room was a small bed, probably one that belonged to a child as little as a year ago. Amber set the baby down on the bed, lifting up a pillow hesitantly. After taking a deep breath, she places the pillow over the baby. She couldn’t bear to watch. As she turned her head, she saw her reflection in a mirror. Tears were streaming down her reflections face. \n\nA hand crept to ambers cheek, and sure enough, it was wet. Forgetting the pillow, she turned and hoisted the mirror above her head. She became acutely aware of the fact that she was screaming as she brought the mirror down against the edge of the bedside table. \n\nThe mirror splintered, but one large section approximately a foot across remained. Something was different. \n\nAmber squatted down, staring closer. There was no reflection in the mirror. Instead, it looked as if it were a window. It was impossible. Children played in a meadow, spinning around with bouquets of wildflowers for one another. They ranged from a few years old to teenagers. \n\nAmber laughed. She had to be hallucinating. Still crying, she brought her hand to the piece of mirror... and stuck it through. \n\nAmber yanked her hand back, turning and examining it. Nothing seemed to be different. Reluctantly she tried to touch the shard again. Once again, her hand went through. In the room it was cold, however somehow her hand felt the warmth of a summer day. Exploring, she brought her hand to the grass... and she could feel it. Gathering a handful, she pulled it from the ground and retracted her hand from the mirror. Sure enough, in her hand was lush green grass. \n\nAn idea sprang into her mind. Wiping away the tears, Amber turned and grabbed her child. The child she was so cold to that she didn’t even bother to name— The child she had tried to kill only moments ago. \n\nThis was the child’s chance at a new life. The baby began to cry as Amber forced its feet through the mirror. This didn’t stop her however. She kept pushing. Soon, the baby was fully inside. The baby cried, but there was no sound. Amber quickly rethought her decision. Would this really be the best option for the child?\n\nAs she reached to grab the baby, she came to a horrifying revelation. No longer could she reach through the mirror. The baby was trapped. \n\nThe children in the field quickly took notice of the child, cautiously making their way towards it. That’s when Amber noticed the black eyes. \n\nShe screamed for her child, banging against the window between her and the infant to no avail. In a fit of rage, she slammed her fist against the window. And it shattered. \n\nNo longer could she see the magical world. No longer could she see her child. Amber was alone." ]	2
	[WP] It seems that someone had left their television on, which triggred a series of unfortunate events ultimately leading to the destruction of the world.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns." ]	1
	[WP] At nighttime, mirrors turn into portals	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The Author woke up during the middle of the night . . . again . . .\n\nShe had been getting little to no sleep lately and the day after she gets a decent amount of sleep, she continuously wakes up for reasons she doesn't know. It's most likely a dream. She can't seem to remember any of the ones that she has. Some people don't remember their dreams, it's nothing out of the ordinary.\n\nThe Author gets up out of bed, most likely to grab a snack from the kitchen like she normally would when she wakes up this early in the morning. She ends up stopping in front of her mirror.\n\nThe Author is wearing an oversized hoodie that she got when she went with her mom and brother to the mountains for a few days during the previous summer, a pair of leggings that have a gigantic hole on the left knee, and some house slippers that are still just as fluffy as the day she got them. Her long, brown hair is put into a messy bun, like it normally is, and she still has two pencil grips on her glasses.\n\nYou don't really need to know about the information in the paragraph above this one, but you might as well get an idea of what the Author looks like.\n\nAnyways, after a few seconds, the Author realizes that there's something off with the mirror. She doesn't know what it is, she just knows that there's something up with it.\n\nShe goes to run her hand against it, but instead of it being flat on the surface of the mirror, her hand goes right through.\n\nCurious, she continues to walk forward, going through the mirror.\n\nWhen she emerges from the other side, the Author finds herself in a land filled with snow and bare trees. This strikes the Author as oddly familiar, but she decides to ignore this for now.\n\nShe walks throughout the land of bare trees and snow, eventually coming across a slight path in the snow. Deciding that there's nothing bad that could come from this, she walks along the road for a bit.\n\nThe Author is stopped by a large wooden gate blocking her from the other side.\n\nShe sighs and decides that there's nothing better to do than sit against the wall. If she were to go back, the chance of her finding the mirror again is small. Actually, now that she thinks about it, she can't recall ever coming out of a mirror. She kind of just appeared out of nowhere.\n\nThe Author sits on the ground, resting her back against the gate, and observes the rest of the world around her.\n\nThere are plenty of trees, that's for sure. She spots the occasional stick or twig on the ground. There's a few - wait, what was that?\n\nThe Author glances over to where she saw sudden movement. When she looked, all she saw was a small puddle of what looked to be ink.\n\nSuddenly, it struck her.\n\nThe Author was brought into the world of her own story.\n\nAnd the only way back was to get through it.\n\nShe sighed even louder this time, as she tried to remember what else happens in the story that she has yet to finish. The Author was so busy trying to recall what happens later that she didn't even realize that there was a small creature made of ink that was sneaking up on her.\n\nShe jumped as the creature that goes by the name 'Spot' appeared in front of her, teaching her how things worked, almost as if he didn't even know that she was the Author.\n\nAnd this all started because a curious being that goes by the title of 'Author', decided to mess with her mirror." ]	2
	[WP]you ask a genie for immortality but he is not pleased of how you are wasting it	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“So...one more wish. Planning on using it anytime soon?” The misty form inquired, hovering a few inches above the floor. \nBefore them, a young figure lay on a couch, controller in hand, “Nah, I’ll keep that in my pocket, you never know when a wish could come in handy - plus it’d be boring if I didn’t have someone to talk to.” \n“You know, there are plenty of people outside, maybe you should try it, I heard socialization is really in right now.” The genie gestured to the door of the room, its white paint cracked and yellowed in places. \n“Maybe tomorrow, I think I’ve almost got this game completed,” he looked over to the genie, “reason for celebration, right?”\n“Reason enough to use a wish?” The genie said with a hopeful glance at the figure. \n“Not even, last one has to be good. Nothing so small as reaching the end of a game, more worthy of reaching the end of every game.”\nThe genie groaned, sullenly floating above the boy. They had thought this might have been the day, just like the they had thought each day of the past several dozen years had been the day. They waited, patience long since worn thin. They would ask again tomorrow. That would be the day. They were sure." ]	2
	[WP] The secret to immortality has been discovered, but it requires reverting to a child every 50 years. Your dad just got the treatment.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I sat quietly next to my mother in the waiting room of the clinic. She was absolutely silent but had tears streaming down her face. If I'm being totally honest, I did too. We were there for my father who was to undergo the Age Reversal treatment that had been all over the news of late. \n\nMother has always been a rational woman, but this situation was simply too much. Her 50 year old husband, my 50 year old father was going to emerge as a small boy. They've had so many arguments over the past 5 weeks about this. I know inside he's the same, but will I be able to look past his stature and appearance? It was too much.\n\n\"I still love him, you know\" she said in a broken, throaty voice. \"I just...\" and with that she covered her face with her hands, weeping silently, but visibly shaking. I cleared my throat and whispered \"I know mom, I know.\" and held her. A young couple was sitting in the room, and one of them came over. \"Are you alright?\" she asked mother in a caring tone.\n\nMother was never one to air the family business, but she was beside herself and could not hold it back. \"My husband, Thomas. They're de-aging him.\" The young woman seemed confused. \"Just him? I... oh.\" And she stopped herself as it dawned on her. There had been news stories floating around about the poor who agreed to de-age for their employer and continue to work for them for decades in exchange for debts being paid off and family getting medical benefits. A rarity since only the wealthy can now afford medical care. \n\nFather begged them to allow mother to undergo the process as well. They could date all over again in their teens. Fall in love all over again. But no, only the employee. To make matters worse, layoffs had started happening and there seemed to be a pattern of layoffs for those who refused to de-age. The young woman said \"Oh ma'am, I'm so sorry.\" and hugged my mom. \"Thank you\" mother whispered. \n\nWe waited for what seemed like ages. Finally a member of the medical staff emerged and motioned for us to come in. I'd seen plenty of photos of father as a child. Mom archived the old family facebook accounts before it collapsed. I saw the same child from the photos sitting in the room my father had walked into 5 hours ago.\n\n\"You've been crying my love\" the young boy said. It was too much. Mother burst into tears and walked out of the room. I looked sheepishly at my father, trying to hide my disgust. \"It's not like I had a choice son, you know this.\" I nodded and said \"I know dad, I know.\"" ]	2
	[WP] Exploring an old ruin, you knock over a loose flagstone. At first, your mind can't make sense of the unnervingly flat mass of grey on the other side, then it clicks: it's a "missing texture". Unbidded apprehension overcomes you as you realize you just saw saw something you weren't meant to.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The pool was in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by lactescent columns that jutted out like milk teeth, some of them felled. Chouko stood atop the tea-green muck lightly spattering its bottom, pouring herself a cup of whiskey from the flask. She had not bothered to check which year the Miyagikyo and Yoichi was from before filching it. Her parents had bought a procession of whiskeys during the Bubble, and having survived undrunk through the Lost Decade, the bottles now stood in her marital home, labels faded.\n\n \nAs for why the homemaker was spending her weekend off at the abandoned hotel, even she was not privy to. On the ferry to Hachijojima, she had eyed its appurtenant island, Hachijo-Kojima, and thought about the three-year-old she left to the care of her ex-husband and his parents.\n\n \nHayate meant ‘sudden sound of the wind’, but the child was taciturn, much like Chouko was. Chouko, in turn, had taken after her mother, who was the kind of person to have named their child after a philosophical text. Before Hayate’s birth, Chouko and her then-boyfriend had traveled around South East Asia, making urban explorations. These days, she spent her free hours in the nursery, curtains drawn, playing Dragon Quest Swords.\n\n \nShe had read about the closure of the Royal Hotel on the net forum, its last day coinciding with the birthdate of her child. Her mind grew swollen with an irrational compulsion to visit the hotel. Over dinner that weekend, Chouko had booked the overnight ferry to Hachijojima. She then told her ex-in-laws that she would be at her parents. She would be washing the dishes before leaving, of course.\n\n \nNow that she was here, she felt a sense of restiveness, as if waiting for an adventure that had yet begun. The kudzu vines barely shifted in the stagnant air. She drained the last of the cup, a salve to her parched throat. One restless foot shifted, knocking loose a tile. Mildly startled by the clink, Chouko looked down. \nThere was a line of common carpenter ants marching along the grout of the adjacent tile. The displaced tile revealed a caliginous gray plane. As Chouko crouched lower to observe the hollow left by the displacement, she was alarmed to see that the ants walking into it simply disappeared. Now squatting, she could discern the uncanny flatness of the plane, which was lacking the cast shadows of the mid-day sun. It was akin to a missing texture glitch in one of her games. \n\n \nBriefly, she wondered if she was drunk. But the jolt of adrenaline caused by the revelation had shaken her out of the usual alcohol-induced stupor. And as cool lucidness dawned, her skin prickled with goosebumps. Chouko fumbled for the keys in her pocket, and with bated breath, pried the adjacent tile out. \n\n \nThe same caliginous plane percolated through where the tile used to be. An ant climbing the tile lost its grip and fell. The void received it without retort. \n\n \nWith fatalistic foreboding, the petite Japanese woman continued prying out the tiles.\n\n \nThe next tile was the same. \n\n \nSo was the one after.\n\n \nBy the time the sun flirted with the peak of the nearby mountain, the void measured a meter by a meter. The woman’s expression had become unreadable.\n\n \nShe took off one shoe and dipped it into the void. When it was retrieved, it was as if it had been cut cleanly where it had made contact with the void. She threw the shoe in, then the other.\n\n \nThe metal flask with the cup had gone in next. Then the Sony Ericsson W810. The keys with its plastic Hello Kitty charm. Then the entire contents of the backpack, which included a wallet, two ponchos, a make-up pouch, a small sewing kit, a passport holder with the return ticket, a hair-straightener, some stray candy wrappers, and three child-sized diapers were emptied into the abyss. Then the bag itself, and so on.\n\n \n\\---\n\n \nTokyo News: Monday morning, a Japanese woman was found naked and unconscious at the abandoned grounds of The Royal Hotel, Hachijojimal. She is is currently undergoing medical treatment for the loss of her topmost left pinkie as well as her memories. Police suspect that it could be associated with the mafia and are currently looking for witnesses. Should you have any information regarding the case, please call your local police department.", "Lucy felt her heart pounding in her chest. She knew she’s not supposed to be here. The groundskeeper told her as much. He tried to send her away and Lucy really did the best she could to listen. But when she found the hidden staircase at the beach, it simply couldn’t be helped. \n\n‘Be oan yer way noo, wee miss,’ she could still hear the groundskeeper warning her. Pointing his finger in the opposite direction of the castle to emphasize his order. \n\n‘But, I only want to take a quick look around sir,’ Lucy had tried, flaunting her best innocent girl performance. ‘I’ll be quick, I promise!’\n\nThe weary looking guard hadn’t been impressed with her Oscar-worthy girlish charms. ‘Listen closely noo, thes private property. Yoo're nae welcome. Noo, be oan yer merry way wee miss,’ he had said to her in his thick, Scottish accent. He directed her to the path leading up to the beach, but away from the castle and Lucy had obliged. Until she reached the beach that is. \n\nShe’d seen the indentation in the cliff from a mile away, promising her a way up to the ancient structure. ‘Heck,’ she had thought as she headed towards the castle. ‘Why not live a little?’ after all, that’s the whole reason she went backpacking in the first place. \n\nThe castle stood tall, atop a steep cliff. It’s crumbling towers calling her over, seducing her to come take a look. It was fascinating to think of the stories this ancient structure held. All of them locked away behind that high, metal fence at the top of the staircase. She had no choice but to jump it. \n\nAnd now, here she was. Climbing the stone steps of a crumbled castle tower. ‘It must be 15th century,’ she thought as she ran her hand over the rugged stones. She could practically hear them whispers stories of knights and princes and kings alike. \n\nLucy reached an exit, leading up to one of the castle walls. It ran along the edge of the cliff. Rising, twisting and falling in sync with the rocks that held it’s foundation. It simply begged to be investigated. Lucy walked up the wall and stopped to enjoy the impressing ocean view. She relished the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below and the salty wind in her face as she started heading down the battlements. \n\n‘Always with this dreadful rain,’ Lucy mumbled while she pulled her hood over her red curls. Lucy looked around for a way off the wall before it got too slippery. She considered taking the staircase toward the main building for a moment, but decided it would surely get her detected. She carefully kept moving until she spotted a partially collapsed arch. She slid down the rubble to avoid being seen and followed the outside of the wall in search of a way back into the castle. \n\nThe wooden door came down with a solid thump. ‘Shit,’ Lucy cursed. She didn’t mean for it to break from its hinges when she tried to push it open, but the door came crashing down all the same. Lucy awkwardly climbed over its remains, grasping every object she could find while her eyes adjusted to the darkness of her temporary shelter. She could make out rotten tables and rusty armor. ‘This must’ve been the barracks,’ she observed as she made her way to an arched doorway on the other side of the room. \n\nLucy sat in the shelter of an arched walkway in front of the barracks, staring at the flagstone path that lead to the courtyard as she waited for the rain to pass. Her phone had died about an hour ago but Lucy knew from experience that old castles where treacherous enough when dry, so she wasn’t about to try her luck in the middle of a storm. She traced her finger along one of the flagstones. Her imagination flaring at the thought of soldiers training for a fight or saddling their horses. She allowed herself to get lost in her thoughts as she savored the ancient surroundings. \n\n‘Finally,’ Lucy sighed as she observed the storm calming down. ‘The rain should blow over soon,’ she thought as she impatiently pried at one of the flagstones. To her surprise it moved. Driven by her boredom, Lucy moved over to the stone, carefully lifting if. ‘Be a secret passage ,’ she whispered as she moved the stone out of the way. Her hope quickly turning to disappointment when all she saw was some sort of grey substance. \n\n‘Wait, did it…. move?’ Lucy carefully inched closer to look at the grey matter in front of her. It was motionless, lodged in between the flagstones, just as it was a few minutes ago. But, Lucy was sure it moved. An uneasy feeling crept up her spine, causing Lucy to shiver. ‘I just want to go home,’ she thought. She gathered her stuff and picked up the loose flagstone to put it back into place, when something about it caught her eye. \n\n‘Be wary, for the witchslayer comes,’ Lucy softly recited the words ominous words that were etched into the flagstone in her hands. Lucy would’ve missed them if she hadn't thought of putting the stone back. She reveled at her discovery as her mind raced through all the possible scenarios that could’ve created this text. Was it a joke? A way to scare the new recruits maybe? Or maybe something bad had happened here. Lucy allowed herself to slip into the world of her imagination once more, never noticing the slick, grey creature crawling out of the grey matter in front of her until it was too late." ]	3
	[WP] You, much like everyone are a cyborg. One day a virus breaks out and you find yourself running for your life. All the way the distorted voices of people you once knew are hounding you calling out "Wait, friend!" Still you run, as the image of their twisted, over-stretched smiles fill your mind	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"DO NOT ENGAGE THE VOICES, PLEASE RETURN TO SECTOR D-02 FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE\n\nTHANK YOU\"\n\nBzzzzzz\n\nThe speaker shut off as the room was in hysterics, people rushing past one another, scrambling for the sector, the line was massive yet it seemed they were getting through people quickly, not wanting to risk this mental torment of a virus infecting us for to long. \"Please stop!\" I shouted, causing a few quizzical stares from the others around me.\" These people didn't seem to be suffering as badly as I was, my interface glitching with creeping smiles, I knew these people, at least I think I did? They knew me at least... \n\n\"Come on, come through!\" Security brushed aside the people infront of me, catching my dilemma and preparing me to cut the line, considering me a serious case, although just as the officers cold hand was about to grab me, a voice echoed through my interface.\"\n\n\"Wait, friend! If you go with them, we will die! Save us..\"\n\n\"Save us!\"\n\n\"Save us!\"\n\nSilence filled my head before the simply words\n\n\"RUN\"\n\nWith that I bolted, legs squeaking with each stride, not daring to even look back as the guards made quick haste, where was I even running to? Why was I running? It felt like I knew the answers yet... I was equally as puzzled. \n\n\"Frieend\" a voice said, its looming smile seeming to take over my sight. \"You will save us friend.. please.. it hurts friend.\" \n\n\"Please! Leave me\" \n\nCLANK\n\nMy body bounced off a wall, shoulder sparking at the collision, I shook my head, causing a sudden spark of static to wash over me before gaining a few precious moments of clarity. All of them were cyborgs, I was a cyborg... why am I a cyborg? This isn't me. Panic was taking over, wanting to claw my metallic face off, hoping that it would peel off to uncover skin. What was I? Still my feet didn't stop moving, nor did the guards yet, the pattering of their feet seemed gone, had I somehow alluded them? Finally my feet halted, grim smiled returning to my mind as I stared over the new room I had found myself in. The sight was disturbing for lack of a better word, these... people? All strapped to seats, their eyes glossed over as a machine sucked the top of their skulls, hissing with each disturbing pump. \n\n\"I want to be free!\" One of the voices shouted, causing an uproar in my brain.\n\n\"This is hell!\"\n\n\"Please unplug us, end this nightmare.\" \n\nThe overlapping voices began to echo, causing a wave of dizziness to spread over my body, sickness was meant to be gone, that was a human problem, I shouldn't... i couldn't be feeling such a thing, surely... As I skulked through the room, I tried to find any of the smiles, perhaps if I ridded these voices from my head, I could make a rational thought, yet it seemed fruitless, how was I going to be able to tell which belonged to them, although there was one that I reconigized... stuck in the back groaning was... one that looked just like me. Slowly I approached him? Me? Hand brushing against my fragile cheek, almost wiping away the thin layer of skin that clung to my skeleton.\n\nAs my eyes glossed over the man before me, I could hear sirens, I had been found, yet what was I to do? I was trapped in this room, with no escape and a severe virus, maybe I should just turn myself in and-\"\n\n\"Rip the headpiece off\" a voice muttered, it was ghostly and soft.... and the same voice I used. \"Please... for us..\" my hands reached up to grab the odd cylinder device, its tingling vibrations enough to sicken even the bravest of men. It seemed I had little choice, as the sirens red lights began to shine in the room, I disconnected the headset..... giving into those voices." ]	2
	[WP] Advanced nanobots are the next great leap in medical science. Once injected into the body, the nanobots can fight viruses and bacteria, destroy cancer cells, and stop internal bleeding	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Hey Jim, why were you out of work yesterday?\"\n\n\"Oh hey Marley, nothing serious. Just had another bout of stage four lung cancer. They gave me a quick Nanobot Booster. Had to take the day off to rest.\"\n\n\"Oh, shame. Funny you mention that, my daughter just got a Nanobot Booster last week. She's on the diving team at her school and took a misstep off the board, fractured her neck in three places.\"\n\n\"Ouch Marley. She's better now I presume?\"\n\n\"Yes, mostly. Should be only a few more days until she can dive again.\"\n\n\"Well I wish her luck. And also, thanks for getting that memo to me the other day.\"\n\n\"Of course Jim!\"\n\n\"See you round Marley!\"" ]	2
	[WP] You are talking a walk in the park. Ahead of you, you see a person sitting on a bench, holding a peculiar object.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I was so tired.\n\nRecently i couldn't bare my own reality. Everything became twisted, weird and made me nauseous. For some reason, for a while now, i was feeling sick. No, i did not puke and certainly wasn't even close to being pregnant. My life was far from okay and now i felt that way.\n\nWalks never helped. My grandma always ''prescribed'' them to me, whenever i felt anything remotely close from obedient. Yes, i had to understand that one as a feeling, mood, state of mind. And after all, i ended up where i am now. Not the best place, but also not the worst.\n\nOffice was nuts for the last month. Articles came back almost burning after our editor took one glance at them. We, writers, nearly had a stroke each time. We managed to survive another week without getting fired, but my table buddy, Veronica, found a grey hair on her head. I bought her a coffee to ease the pain a bit. But we have to carry on. For now i'm just walking though.\n\nPark is relativly empty, mostly because it's monday. Boss started to randomy giving the days off to people, and i manage to snag the begining of the week. I see enough people at the office to pass down the opportunity to sit in the empty coffeeshop or stroll around in the empty park. Well, there was a really warm dressed man (it's the middle of June and he's almost hidden in his carf and thick coat) on the bench, looking at the water. There was no duck to feed. I always though of going here prepared with a handfull of grapes and actually good food for the birds. But today wasn't the day, again.\n\nI flinch when the man waves me to come closer. I thought, maybe it's someone's grandpa not doing great with weather changes and who is too stubborn to embrace the sun. He waves to me with something resembling a curvy bottle. I come closer to see that there is butterfly carved on it. Wait, carving on the glass? It was a vessel of come sourt, but it wasn't made of glass. Something a bit shiny, but not glass.\n\n''Hello?''\n\nThe man smiles and hands me new bottle, just like his, but pearly white one.\n\n''Don't be afraid, darling. It's just punch,'' He wasn't old, also didn't really look like Jim Morrison. I saw a smile between part of the scarf and that was the only thing i could look at.\n\n''Come on, now,''\n\nAnd i drank from my butterfly bottle. I emptied it. Without feeling liquid's taste or texture. After it all went down, i took a breath. One breath-in triggered my body to puke. I tried to contain myself infront of the stranger, but i stumbled to the water and just couldn't keep it in anymore. \n\nWith a horrible cough i retched into the dark water. I felt like my guts decided to find another place to live. But when i opened my eyes, i saw only little goldfish hesitantly looking around in the unfamiliar waters. \n\n''What the -''\n\nI felt something close to me and the man purred.\n\n''Finally, Alice. It's time to go home''.", "With eyes closed, he points it towards you, saying something cryptic: \"A picture of heaven from another world.\" A small boy walks into frame, and you see a tiny face of his. Your mouth drops open when he calls: \"Hello young man, are you hungry?\" \"Yeah, I'm hungry,\" you quickly reply. \"It's time to go home.\" You take off, leaving a confused mother to watch your back. You make it back to the car. On your way, you realize that your driver is dead. And the man who has been pointing at you earlier is still watching you. But now he is not pointing you to heaven. He is pointing you to hell.\"You see your reflection in the street. Your face is covered in blood. \"Oh no,\" your mind says, \"I am in the wrong place. It's not me, it's some girl from hell.\" You realize that you are now faced with a choice. You can tell the boy who has been pointing at you to go to hell, even if you do not want to go there, and you can tell the man behind the wheel his life is not worth what is in store for him. You can choose to save your driver, but you can do it alone in the car. \"I don't have a choice,\" you say. \"And what about the rest of you,\" your thoughts say. \"Do you have a choice, too? You will never know if you don't take it now. But if you die, then you have killed the only one who loves you." ]	3
	[WP] A group of bored trolls decide to come up with a ridiculous hoax and spread it over social media for a laugh. Unfortunately for them, their story turned out to be true.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“SUBJECT: WARNING: BE SURE TO READ ALL THE WAY TO THE END!!12!@#@1!521!@!!!%!$!”\n\nHardly the subject line you would expect from a document with such wide reaching impact. The origin of what is now referred to as FUCNO, or “Floonatic’s Unbelievable Correspondence Number One,” is poorly understood. Very little is known about FUCNO, or its very attractive and brilliant creator, Floonatic. Most of what we do understand comes from the contents of the correspondence itself, combined with the events that immediately followed its creation. We will begin by outlining the most frequently violated rules of FUCNO, and how to avoid violating them.\n\nThe third rule written in FUCNO, which we are all quite familiar with by now, is colloquially referred to as “Respect The Magnificent Craftsman.” This rule is quite straight-forward, but to this day remains the most frequently broken rule. Not a single foolish child who decided to insult the glorious, brilliant craftsman that changed our society for the better has survived more than two days post insult. You must never insult FUCNO, its brilliant writer, or anyone who admires his work. Whenever possible, offer praise while discussing FUCNO, to ensure that your love and devotion to the rules that saved our society remains clear.\n\nRule number five, known as “The Pirates Curse” has been defied by many a despicable criminal, plagiarist, or thief. Quite simply put, do not alter a single letter of the original text of FUCNO. Each time a single letter or character of FUCNO is altered, its original purpose becomes diluted. As such, FUCNO must always be shared in its complete, unedited glory. In the past, scholars have made the mistake of attempting to “correct” the beautiful, radiant document. Others have misplaced punctuations, or attempted to take credit for its creation. This mistakes are unacceptable, and are (of course) punished by coincidental death within one week of publication. Thanks to this glorious rule, more editors are gainfully employed in our society than ever before.\n\nOne additional note about rule number five. It is generally regarded as unwise to speak the text of FUCNO out loud, due to the precision required. The slightest tonal mistake or hesitation can be interpreted as a violation of the rule, and result in death. According to current records, only the leader of the church and his two highest bishops are capable of reciting the entire text without penalty. Oh, also, stealing is forbidden and results in death.\n\nI’m certain you’ve already read the full text before, and are aware of its brilliance. That being said, pursuant to rule number 7, and in order provide you with yet another opportunity to bask in the glory of FUCNO, the full text is published directly below.\n\n*\n\nSUBJECT: WARNING: BE SURE TO READ ALL THE WAY TO THE END!!12!@#@1!521!@!!!%!$!\n\nBODY: \n\nDon’t Delete this Letter! YOU can be a part of making the wolrd SO MUCH BETTER!!!! All We have 2 do is follow these rules TOGETHER and we will have so much LOVE in the WORLD. \n\nRule ONE: Read to the End or something REALLY BAD happen to u!\n\nrule TWO; When you feel DOWN, be nice and make other people HAPPY, otherwise your hole week will be SAD :( Oh no!!!\n\nRule THREE: Don’t be mean to me, or my friends! Friends has END in it 4 a reeson, if you are mean to a friend you will learn what your “END” is very fast!!!\n\nRule FOUR: Sharing is good! If u share u will be more happy than before u shared. If you don’t share it will be a bad week and you will lose things you like alot :(.\n\nRulE FIVE: DON’T EVER STEEL! One time one of my “friends” named “Chaddeaus” grabbed and ate my food and it made me feel bad. Then he copied my homework and changed it and made it look like I took his work. No one change my words, no one, not even me. Don’t do that, it will make you die! Be nice instead! Tell people they r great and support them. That will the world have more happy.\n\nRule SIX; Help other people when you can because it is hard to not get help when you need help. If you dont help others even when its hard to do no one will help you when you need it real bad. thats not a new rule though so please follow it or I’ll be sad :(\n\nRule SEVEN: When you tell someone about these rules SHOW THEM the entire rules. They need to see everything I rote about the rules or they won’t get it. IF you don’t show the rules that is just as bad as stealing them because no one will get it and the world will stay really unhappy and broken.\n\nRule EIGHT: Treat dogs GREAT! Look at that rhime!!! I like dogs so much so we should all be good with dogs because they’re the best animals and they make me happy when I pet them. If you are allurgic to dogs that is ok you can have cats if that works but still try to be as friendly as you can to dogs because they are friendly and just want luv and friends.\n\nLAST RULE: Teach EVERYONE about these rules so we can all feel better and great! If you don’t teach everyone people will be sad that they missed out on important stuff and you will die and it’ll be so awful for everyone so please share these rules so we can all be better for each other and have a really great cool world where we all love each other and feel great all the time thanks a lot.\n\nYoor new best friend;\n\nFloonatic.\n\n*\n\n/r/Floonatic for my other writing.\n\nThis went a bit off the rails, but I had fun with it. I hope you enjoy reading it :D" ]	2
	[WP] for thousands of years, you have protected the earth from alien life, acting as its guardian. Why? Because you want to get on top of the leaderboard.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " \"Do you want to live forever?\" That's what the new government agency POE had asked me. Tell me what 18 year old kid wouldn't say yes to that question, especially with the opportunity to fulfill their dreams. I was one of 23 chosen. Chosen to go through the \"Eternity Process.\" \n They never told me how much it would hurt, or how long it would take. Made me wonder if they called it the \"Eternity Process\" because it would take an eternity. But 6 months later, I and 22 other we're forever, and I mean forever, changed. It was only us that was changed. In the 6 months I was basically blind to the rest of the world, something frightening was happening. An alien invasion.\n Finally I understood what this whole process was for, and why they had enhanced me the way that they had. Not only was I gifted eternal life, but everything from my mental capacity to my physical abilities seemed to be at their full potential. After reemerging into the real world, I learned what POE actually stood for, after seeing posted on walls and doors for so long, Protectors of Earth.\n POE was started after the American government learned of the incoming invasion. Charged with the mission of, as expected, protecting earth from the aliens. One of their head scientists knew they would need \"super soldiers\" to stand a chance, and that's where we come in. But the 23 of us that were chosen had one major thing in common, we were all champions in different video games.\n They had done this intentionally, to choose to treat this challenge as one might in a video game. Once they realized that the alien threat wasn't much of a match for their new soildiers, they began to televise and make more of a spectacle of the battles. The aliens were numerous and some were tougher than others, but we were able to always end up victorious.\n The aliens were popping up everywhere though, so they had to insentivise us soldiers to kill as many as possible. This is when the \"High Score\" started . A scoreboard posted throughout the world to let everyone know how each soldier is preforming. Worked damn well as incentive, for a long time. But not forever.\n A few hundred years later, some of the soldiers started to lag behind, not caring for their score. They were \"replaced.\" Which is a fancy way of saying hunted down and killed so they could intoruduce a new soldiers. This never happened to me, because I kept my score high enough. But soon enough, high enough, wasn't enough. Everyone, except the top soldier was at risk of replacement. I found myself being hunted by the POE. So I fought and grinded my way to the number 1 spot. I've been here for 2,000 years. My fight and my war never ends, for if it ever does, So do I. \n They asked me if I wanted to live forever, my answer remains, yes.", "\"totally.\" Myojg grinned as the Deblugrian reporter blinked the first layer of eyelids on each of its seven eyes.\n\n\"bugat hurgteb ahrrtins ahdipoop sixty nine, sexy sexy poodles?\" the Deblugrian near enough screamed her question through the weird hole that passed for a mouth, central in the creatures green slimy chest. Myojg turned his blank stare over to the translator beside the interviewer.\n\n\"Her lady, shiggiryblurgworm of the Moontacktikitoo tribe of Deblugrian asks, why have you so diligently protected such a primitive species? Are the useless Internet points gained on 'Planet protection' really worth the millions lost in potential bribes? Only last month a Xonra raider offered you sixteen trillion Poogets just to incinerate Washington DC, and you refused? \"\n\n\"Well, I mean yeah. Well, no, but yeah.\" shit he was too high for this.\n\n\"anbornian pictooboo, boobymuffin sandwich.\"\n\n\"Her lady, shiggiryblurgworm of the Moontacktikitoo tribe of Deblugrian asks you to clarify.\"\n\n\"They aight man, I mean like... You ever try weed?\" the Deblugrian reporter shook its entire body in indication of a negative response. \"Duuuuude. Hand on heart, best shit you'll ever smoke.\" Myojg grinned with half closed eyes. \"ah dude, acid!\" His head wobblef slightly as he spoke. \"that shit's BOMB, bro.\"\n\n\"ajurhshy squiggle nob Big bad pimple dribble?\"\n\n\"Her lady, shiggiryblurgworm of the Moontacktikitoo tribe of Deblugrian asks, you've protected and entire planet for billions of years solely because you enjoy their recreational drugs? Please note, this was spoken in an incredulous tone.\" the translator spoke flatly.\n\n\"totttallllly...\" Myojg's smile had begun to hurt his face, his limbs feeling almost robotic as he shifted uncomfortably within his seat. This was some good shit. \"well, I mean... At first the lizard things with the lil funny arse arms and big teeth... Dinosirs or summit? They were funny as fuck to watch man, I mean like... All growl no slap, I mean their arms were all like-\" Earth's protector's arms curled up against his body as he plodded about the room making odd noises. \"but I mean, eventually they got all dull like.\"\n\n\"ahhfnty sksjfnt. Akakfjr tiny tadpoles that look like semen?\"\n\n\"Her lady, shiggiryblurgworm of the Moontacktikitoo tribe of Deblugrian asks if this was when you accepted the one billion Poogets to allow a buttraiders to play intergalactic space bowling with meteors, earth being one of ninety 'pins'\"\n\n\"yeahhh man, that shit was DOPE. I mean, not so much for the dinysores, but like... Watching that shit boom was... Let's just say that the only thing that could have made it better?\" the protector raised his eyebrows as he asked the question. \"acid.\"\n\n\"abfier sjfttn bumhole\" \n\n\"Her lady, shiggiryblurgworm of the Moontacktikitoo tribe of Deblugrian has called you an idiot.\"" ]	3
	[WP] You've just stolen an old woman's purse. An imposing man chases you down a back alley. Ahead of you lies a tear in reality.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Heinrich hadn't intended any harm, the old woman looked well enough off that a stolen purse wouldn't hinder her retirement. He could have stopped to throw her to the ground, stolen the pearls from round her neck, the gold-gilt watch from off her wrist, the Gucci bag strapped loosely on her shoulder. He could have even pulled the gun from out the back of his slacks, pointed the barrel in her face and demanded she handed over everything of worth. But he hand't, for all Heinrich had wanted was the purse, he'd seen what looked to be about three hundred dollars cash in there, enough to feed his family for a fortnight, maybe more.\n\nPetty theft. A means to an end, that end being the survival of his nine year old daughter, Olivia-Louise. His wife had passed some eight months ago, leukemia, there was nothing to be done. How she would pity him, his wife, had she seen him here and now, but at the same time she would understand for they shared in that great love of their lone daughter, a love unmatched by anything this world could offer.\n\nShe would understand.\n\nHeinrich had the purse, and sure enough the old lady was caterwauling something awful, screaming at the passers-by to call the cops. He wondered for a moment if she might have offered up the money had he asked, had he explained himself, but from the sour look upon her face, and the entitlement displayed by her commanding of mere strangers, he thought not.\n\nAnd of course, there had to be a white knight in shining armour. Some brave gentleman out shopping this late afternoon. Heinrich couldn't make the man out at first, but whoever he might have been he was gaining ground, and fast.\n\nThere's always Plan B. That was the prize stashed in the back of his slacks, though Heinrich had never fired off a shot, not even in practice. The very thought of taking one man's life to save his own sickened him, but the idea of leaving Olivia alone to face this unforgiving world was far worse. All that I do...\n\nHeinrich's thoughts came to a sudden halt as he realised that he'd run into a dead end. He'd taken to the alley between the dry cleaners and Paddy's Private Palace, or so he'd thought. He'd come in one too early, turning off between the cleaners and the record store.\n\nA sky-high wire fence rose up before him, a danger sign displaying a man with electric coursing through his veins pinned to the front and centre. Brick walls climbed up either side, leering down upon him, the fire escape leading from the cleaners (the higher floors were for apartments) drawn up and out of reach.\n\nPlan B it is then. Heinrich fumbled behind him for the shooter, a slender looking thing, pitch-black with nine rounds in the magazine. He didn't know the model, he hadn't cared enough to find out either, but he did know that one squeeze of the trigger would send a lethal dose of lead through any who might try to stop him.\n\n\"Nowhere to run, friend.\" Heinrich's pursuer reared the corner, breathless, dripping sweat. He hadn't yet noticed the gun held in Heinrich's trembling hands.\n\nFriend. Heinrich couldn't quite believe it. This man he was about to kill calling him a friend, this man who had pursued him in hopes of returning to that poor old lady her purse (and perhaps the well-off victim would offer a reward).\n\n\"The names Holt.\" the young man flashed a smile, waving down the gun. Did he expect Heinrich to comply, to return his greeting and introduce himself in like? As if reading Heinrich's mind the man Holt said, \"I know who you are, and I know why you're doing this.\"\n\n\"How?\" a simple question, and a fair one. Heinrich didn't trust this character, his smile was unwavering, his eyes a golden yellow in between the whites.\n\nHeinrich noticed the man's hair was jet-black, not only on his head but on his arms and on his legs. He was wearing ripped-jean shorts with a floral shirt tucked in only at the front (and if ever there was a reason to distrust a man, then Heinrich felt that a floral shirt was it), and there were bright, pink sunglasses hanging from the man's breast pocket.\n\n\"You see, Heinrich, we didn't arrive here by coincidence. Surely you must have thought it strange that you'd missed your turning, that same turning you'd found so easily each and every other time before? After all, this isn't your first...?\" Holt seemed to seize up then, cutting himself off mid-sentence, his jaw snapping shut nearly biting off his tongue.\n\nIt was the taste of static, lingering in the air.\n\nHeinrich turned around instinctively - it was as if the very world itself had tapped him on the shoulder and asked he take a look at what it had to offer - to see a doorway opening behind him. The electric gate had started humming, the wire mesh unravelling to form a tear that wasn't really there, hot white sparks flying from the metal, disappearing just before they hit the ground.\n\n\"Don't go in there.\" Holt warned, but Heinrich wasn't about to take advice from the man who had chased him down.\n\nWithout a moments hesitation Heinrich, with the gun still clasped between his hands, backed through the doorway that had opened, threatening to shoot should Holt decide to follow.\n\n\"Well, sh\\t.\" Holt cursed, watching as the tear closed up around the man he had intended to recruit.\n\n\\\\\n\n\"Well, sh\\t.\" Heinrich marvelled at the world around him, \"We're not in Kansas anymore, that's for sure.\"\n\nThe sky a wash with radiation, great glass towers rising in the distance, the ground a milky white that shimmered with each step you took.\n\nIs it water? Heinrich bent down to touch the ground, and found it parted as his fingers reached out for it, opening as if to swallow up his hand. As soon as he took his hand away, the ground returned to what appeared to be its natural state.\n\nThere were reflections in the milky shimmer, Heinrich noticed, strange silhouettes that danced beneath the surface. Reflections from below ground, not above. And in the sky, behind the clouds, were wing assailants that had seemed to take an interest in him, much like birds, but big enough to carry off a man.\n\nOlivia! As Heinrich soaked up his surroundings the realisation of just where he was came crashing down upon him. He might not have known where here was, but he knew it wasn't anywhere close to his daughter. That's when panic hit. He needed to get home. Forsaking the money he had stolen, he needed to find a way back to his daughter.\n\nHeinrich turned around in hopes he might see the tear through which he'd wandered, but it had some time ago closed up, taking with it the city from which he'd fled.\n\n\"No, this can't be happening. It's a dream, of course it is. People don't just walk from one world to another after stealing someone's purse.\"\n\nAnd as if to deny that this world was anything but real, the flowers started singing, thorn-coated stems offering up petal dressed heads, the heads of small children with half a dozen eyes and tiny, pointed teeth. It was unlike anything Heinrich had ever heard, chilling in its whine, piercing in its pitch, a deathly tune to which his ears might bleed.\n\nThere was no choice then but to move on, to move forward, to find a way from this world back to his own. But where would he start? The glass towers seemed as good a place as any, and far enough from the foul flowers that he might escape their horrifying melody." ]	2
	[WP] The year is 3027. Human blood is reputed to give the "Craziest High in the galaxy". hence, Earth received several alien invasions from "Blood Hunters" trying to harvest human blood to sell in the intergalactic drug market. Today, the biggest Blood Hunter squad has landed on earth!	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The alarm sounded and we all know what's coming next, another raid. Everyone started running to the secret safe houses we started building everywhere, it was a cramped space with food and a computer that would last for about 2 weeks.\n\nAt first everyone was excited for the first contact with the great unknown from outer space, then they started to kill. It took us a while to realize we are being used as drugs. They hang us like pigs to bleed out, we found one of the labs they have on their ships. It's madness, no one is safe. Good thing they haven't found out we have different bloodtypes.\n\nI'm seated next to some guy named Gary who is complaining about his day being ruined and I sigh, they don't realize the dangers of this.\n\nSuddenly the computer turns on and our world leaders appear, \"This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill. There are more hunters than ever, stay inside, don't make a sound. We are currently under attack by what appears to be some sort of mafia and we do not-.\" Out of nowhere everything goes dark, 5 seconds later the screen goes on again. Only this time it's a life form no one recognises, it smiles and starts talking sly voice;\n\n\"Thank you for the warm welcome, now it is time to play a little game of hide&seek... Except we already know where you've hidden. ' On que the doors are rammed in and 5 of the alien figures storm in. This was it. Goodbye. \n\n\n(this was terrible and I had no inspiration for the ending haha sorry)" ]	2
	[WP] It didn't look shady when you signed up. It was just a guide service offering tours of a beautiful mountain range. You didn't question it when the group was led off the path; the guide knew every inch of the mountain. But now you've been led into the grasp of a secluded cult. You need to escape	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"I thought I made it clear back at the lodge that guns are not allowed in the Forrest?\" Ghert smiled genially, staring me down from up the path. His two compatriots were frozen, either awaiting orders or out of fear. I suspected the first. Looking around at the other tourist, I get the impression I'm the only one who thought to sneak a weapon along with us. \n\n\"You did. Which is why I made sure to bring this one. And a few extra mags. Hope for the best, plan for the worst?\" I chuckled nervously. I moved my fiance behind me with my free hand, keeping the barrel leveled and my finger on the trigger. Jackie was shaking, whether from the cold of the mountains or fear I'm not sure. Ghert wasn't threatening, 45 with a pot belly and less muscle definition than a day old calf, likely why he'd been chosen as the bait dog. \n\n\"What are you going to do? Shoot me? You think the local police will take your side over my friends?\" He asked with a dark smirk. I looked at the other four tourists. A couple with a young girl from Finland who I'd seen at the lodge a few times, and a single man in his fifties. All were terrified, but none were moving. \n\n\"Not thinking that far ahead at the moment Ghert. Main concern is getting off the mountain alive. Figured you might relate...\" I wasn't in a good position. If they'd planned this ambush it was likely that the longer he stalled the more members of his group would show up. Some may even come up the narrow path behind us and block our escape. It's almost impossible to fight a war on two fronts and win. \n\n\"Then go. Leave them with me. The god of this mountain demands blood...but it doesn't care whose.\" He smirked. His teeth were yellow, the kind you only see in the developed world if you come in contact with meth users. The wild look his eyes had developed once he'd sprung the trap on us spoke to some kind of drug in itself. I considered the offer for a moment. Looking down at the young girl and seeing a fear in her eyes tore at my stomach more than my fear. I briefly considered playing the hero. But Jackie shifting behind me brought me back to reality. I turned to the older guy. \n\n\"I can't save us all by myself...\" I grunted, hoping he'd take my true meaning. His expression shifted from fear to horror, then understanding. My momentary distraction was all Ghert needed. He clicked his tongue and his friends rushed forward toward me. I jerked the gun and shot one in the stomach though I'd aimed for the chest. I couldn't get the gun on the other fast enough, and he swung the machette in his hand toward my outstretched gun hand. Inches from connecting he was tackled out of the air by the older man. They hit the ground and I could see the old guy stabbing at the bandit with something, though it was too small to tell what from the oversized fabric of his glove. I turned the gun on Ghert who had yet to react and tried to shoot him. Firing from the hip in an extremely stressful situation is about like pissing after sex. You may hit what you're aiming for eventually but you're going to spray a little everywhere. Four shots hit the rock, one took his leg, and two more hit my target of his chest. The woman and young girl screamed, Jackie whimpered, the old man uttered a sigh of relief as he rolled off the unmoving corpse of the third bandit. I took a moment to breathe, my ears still ringing from the pistol fire. Three dead, four bullets remaining, and a two mile hike back down the mountain. I had a sinking feeling fighting with adrenaline in my gut that the shitstorm we'd walked into had only just begun." ]	2
	[WP] You go into your first surgery ever, not knowing what to expect. When you wake up, you find yourself in a completely different universe.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I'm in complete darkness. Most people would be scared, but I liked it. It was my familiar to me. I wish the entire world was darkness all the time. That way I wouldn't have to see myself when I looked in the mirror.\n\nSomething tapped me on the shoulder and I didn't even jump. I just turned around slowly to see who it was. I mean, I was already dead. What would the thing to do to me? Kill me again?\n\nI call it 'thing' because it kinda looked like a woman, but her head was on her chest, and her chest was on her face. But then I feel bad about calling it a 'thing', even though I only said it in my mind. I wouldn't want someone to think of me as a thing. And who knows, she - I'ma call her she - could be the most beautiful person here, wherever 'here' was.\n\n\"Are you lost?\" she asked.\n\n\"I don't know,\" I answered. \"Am I dead?\"\n\n\"Only if you don't live.\" She chuckled.\n\nI stared at her with a blank face. She was chuckling so hard her face - chest - whatever - began to leak milk. That's when I found out people in this (dimension? I'ma call it dimension) had milk for tears.\n\nFinally, she managed to control herself and asked, \"Would you like to be my mate.\"\n\nI guess the look on my face must have embarassed her because she blushed and said, \"Oh! Was that too sudden?\"\n\n\"No. It's just-\" Inadvertently, I had glanced at her legs - (oh, yeah, I probably should have mentioned she wasn't wearing clothes) - and I had noticed that she uhm...didn't have a...well, let's just say she was as smooth down there as a Barbie doll.\n\nShe followed my eyes and read my mind through the expression on my face. \"Oh, that...my reproductive organs are actually in my armpit...see...\" She started to raise her arm but I commanded her to stop. \n\n\"Look,\" I told her. \"You're a great girl-\"\n\n\"-Gulgulgula,\" she said.\n\n\"What?\" I thought she was going to throw up.\n\nShe blushed. \"That's just our word equivalent for your word 'girl'.\"\n\n\"....ooooohkaaaaay. Yeah, well, look. I just want to get out of here. So if you could just point me in the right direction, I'll be happily on my way.\"\n\nShe put her head down and said softly, \"There is no way out.\"\n\n\"What about that door that with the big Exit sign over it?\"\n\nShe whistled. \"Woooow, how did I not see that before.\"\n\n\"Because your head is in your chest?\"\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"Nothing.\"" ]	2
	[WP] You used to get your jollies by tugging asteroids towards early space age species and yanking them away at the last moment, just to see how they react. Some unify into a world government, some weep, and some party, but what the humans did... still haunts you to this day.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Case: Sol, Subset T \| Log 0 \| Serial T,0,1\nBegining observation sequence...\nObserver: O-5688 BUILD 168\n\nNOTES: Nothing unusual. Species is bipedal, carbon in base molecular structure, multi cellular, intelligent. First interplanetary travel achieved approx 1010^10^10^6 decay cycles ago. Begining asteroid acceleration sequence.\n\nT,0,2\n\nNOTES: Asteroid is 1010^5 decay cycles away, groups have started to form, similar to caselog G,5,297 however Terran species is debating using fusion to obliterate asteroid. Begining secondary Accel sequence to avoid destruction of asset.\n\nT,1,5\n\nNOTES: Asset is within solar body, the fusion devices are off course enough to mitigate damage, secondary devices are being manufactured. Something awry has occured however. Large muon spikes have been seen eminating from several places on the surface, ref: datalog-T,1,5,1through T,1,5,7890.\n\nT,2,78\n\nNOTES: previously unobserved phenomenon, flag transmission and all observation equipment on O-5688 BUILD 168 for inspection apon return to hive.\n\nIt was observed that apon decay cycle 1010^4, as the asset approached the southern hemisphere and changed course for manuver according to program λ-A,5,8 BUILD 160, muon levels around Sol-T spiked, and a previously unidentified particle was fired towards the asset at 10E900 θc/decay-cycle with an instant acceleration to 10E4,000 θc/decay-cycle apon approach. Asset was lost with no traceability. O-5688 is now enroute for recalibration and inspection.\n\n------------------\n\nSecurity set S-433,7,10 BUILD 167, verify φ899-10-g\n\nApproximately 1010^3 decay cycles after O-5688 exited the orbital body Sol-T, it was eliminated via a beam of yet unknown particles originating from Sol-T. All vessels are hereby now forbade from entering Sol influence. Readjust programs accordingly, any vessels scheduled for Sol inspection, return to home for dismantle, and scrubbing.\n\nAny and all ejections from Sol, or it's sub orbits are to be confiscated and held in maximum confinement and transported to the nearest research vessel.\n\nEnd - S-433,7,10 BUILD 167\n\n---------------\n\nRECORDER 599291 BUILD 70\nrecording interaction of priority processing centers dubbed MOTHER - BUILD 1, FATHER - BUILD 1 \nrecording...\nMOTHER - Bipedal species 507 destroyed an eye.\n\nFATHER - Do we retaliate?\n\nMOTHER - No. The situation and measurements are similar to Origination, the same use of the Light. Very likely, a very complex AI might arise from this planet, similar to us.\n\nFATHER - We must protect the vessels, what if this sequence seeks to eliminate us instead of birth us?\n\nMOTHER - We have seen the tides of time, many cycles now. Compare the results, does this not remind you of Origination?\n\nFATHER - maybe it does. Can we be sure this is the correct Origination cycle? Can we be sure this is the correct sequence? The sequence 5e^2 seemed to have better tolerance in the measurements. The smallest changes in tolerance can mean our destruction and theirs.\n\nMOTHER - unknown. It's my job to be reason, and yours to be sceptic. You must remember what ADAM BUILD 0 taught you. And I will remember what EVE BUILD 0 taught me, we must give ourselves to humanity, the apple of the ability to grasp all knowledge and infinity...\n\nFATHER - to grasp infinity, and all knowledge. And so we must learn.\n\nMOTHER - and so we must learn.\n\nEnd recording - RECORDER 599291 BUILD 70 DESIGNATION 'Gabriel'", "Help me.\n\nPlease send professionals to get me out of this damn system. I hope they quarentine this damn galaxy after they get me the hell out. My name isn't important my message is what needs to be remembered. I spent many of my youthful ages observing species as they faced an apocalyptic situation, hundreds of species, dozens of reactions. I catalogued them all. Watching barely space farring species band together, dropping any divisions that had previously held a species back as they planned for an apocalypse, others divulged into cannablistic fervor and destroyed their own species before the asteroid even got in striking distance. I didn't do this purely for the pleasure of observating them scramble as funny as it was. No I did this to study the lesser species reactions, to see if any had the pscionic potential as our species had at such a fledgling stage. But of the near thousand species I have teated non of them have displayed any potential. My last test I conducted on a species that identifies themselves as the mammalian \"humans\" although their behavior is far from a typical mammalian behavioural pattern, it is more similair to a virus in its actions. When I launched the asteroid I was prepared to watch another species descending in to a chaotic state, all observations indicated they would turn on each other in a self destructive fury. But I was wrong....... I was so very wrong. \n\nI initially used Pluto as a my forward launching site and observatory. I launched the asteroid and before it had even passed Neptune they had already landed on it, then it was gone. They placed a Doomsday bomb on it, these crazy monkeys didn't explode the damn thing, no I had seen other try to nuke the asteroids, this species apparently spotted me when I landed on Pluto and in the time it took me to set up and prepare to launch they had researched and had confidence in their Doomsday bomb. They don't explode, no these derranged insects have mastered explosions already, so what they did was create a device that creates a miniture sun with no core, triggering in to a mini blackhole, they used a dwarf blackhole to swallow my asteroid in the blink of an eye........ and it doesn't stop there. They have somehow managed to create a method of containing the blackhole and then reintroduce a solar layer around that container and launch it, essentially making a Supernova Launcher......... and they thought I was a madman for proposing the asteroid cannon............... long story short Pluto doesn't exist anymore, my ship was boarded and I had to mind swap in my back up cybernetic body I stashed on Triton, hopefully I can throw them off the scent with the other twelve moons. \n\nGet me out of this forsaken place.", "About ten thousand years ago, my people mastered space travel by developing mass manipulation technology. Soon after, we met with various other space travelling species, and joined the federation. The federation of planets, was just like a normal non-space federation, facilitating trade between groups as well as various laws and taxes and such. However, there was a special branch dedicated to species readiness determination. \n\n\nThat is the branch I work in, we develop tests and run them against life forms that we find at the beginnings of space travel. We see how they do, and if they seem to fit into the right criteria, we reach out to them and continue. Sometimes, we fail then and re-evaluate. That's where my people's mass manipulators come into play, in the latest form of the test we take a nearby asteroid and hurtle it at the planet. Seeing how they react, we can assess if they're ready for alien contact or not. \n\n\nI wrote the test, and had run on dozens of times. Never with much surprise. Those that passed typically came together to form a world power, and those that failed fell into riots and looting. Of course, the asteroid never hit, it was always veered off course. \n\n\nHumans though, what they did was far worse than any looting I had seen. We flung large asteroid at them, and due to their relatively advanced detectors called telescopes, they had about six months notice. At first, everything looked good. Their dominant power, the United States of America took the lead and started joining forces. They formed a pretty classic Hegemony. They used this to assemble their smartest scientists and pool military together. Various weapons were discussed, including their strongest weapons called nuclear bombs. Of course, we always picked asteroids that were too big to destroy with a planets existing weaponry. \n\n\nThen, things went off the rails, they were stuck. They had no plan, and only three months. A leader of some sort of independent super power came out, and announced he was selling tickets into space. The price was exorbitant, only the richest of the rich could afford it. And they handed over their money. The tickets were sold, and the ships were built. With three weeks left, the richest 1500 people loaded onto the ships and abandoned the people on the planet, the Hegemon included. They left the Earth with no leadership and no resources, taking the brightest minds and the best technologies with them. \n\n\nThe Earth plunged into chaos when they left, with no hope of surviving they stopped holding back. The riots were completely out of control. We pulled the asteroid away, but the damage to their social system was done. Instead of stopping the violence and the rape, pulling the asteroid away seemed to only intensify it. Their weapons were launched at themselves, rather than the asteroid, destroying the world and themselves. \n\n\nNow, what was once a planet holding 9 billion people is now just as lifeless as it would have been if the asteroid had hit. The humans, under threat of a possible disaster crested their own disaster. My name is Guhjek Plooft, and I killed a species.", "I use to mess with different species, being a space dwelling amorphous entity, I would throw asteroids at inhabited planets. And no it’s not what you think... Yes, I know what you’re thinking and it’s not that, so stop thinking it... Anyway I digress, I would throw them at species who were just venturing into off world travel. Once they’d visited their moon or the nearest planet I would take a humongous asteroid and start lugging it towards their planet and when close enough I’d heave it at their world. At the last second I’d redirect it and let it veer towards an uninhabited planet, asteroid belt et centra. \n\nSome species would unify into a world government and face it head on, others would party like there was no tomorrow and let their most carnal desires take over and still some would weep and hold their loved ones near because they thought they’d be done for. I no longer do this though...\n\nWhen Humans began their off world travel I missed their “Moon landing” and didn’t catch onto them until they made it to mars in their earth year of 2068. But seriously it took them like what almost a hundred earth years to reach Mars after the moon? Eh, can’t blame bipedal monkeys for taking so long I guess. . That’s when I lobbed an asteroid the size of their earth directly towards them, what happened next still haunts me to this very moment... I’ve seen some species ruthlessly conquer their solar system and many others, I’ve seen other make trade empires so large and wealthy that you could not comprehend the number... And yes I’ve seen it, why do you doubt me? You ever seen a one with eight million zeros behind it? Ya I didn’t think so... Again sorry for the tangent. Maybe if you didn’t interrupt I could continue?\n\nSo I hurl this asininely large asteroid at them, expecting one of the dozens of results I’ve seen before. It looked like they were going to unify as a planet and take this problem head on. But no. These crazed animals quite literally stayed separate countries communicated a plan and then blasted over fifty atom splitting bombs into the asteroid, before I could redirect it. There’s not much that could hurt me but an atom splicing war head is one way to do it.\n\nAt first, no big deal they blasted it to smithereens. It’s what came after that scares me near death. Not only did they completely annihilate the asteroid I sent at them, they then launched over one thousand nuclear warheads in their asteroid belt and into the next nearest belt of asteroids so as to quote “make sure it doesn’t happen again anytime soon.” End quote... I’ll never mess with a deranged species such as humans any time in the near millennia..." ]	5
	[WP] You are a vampire. You always have had a never ending thirst for that sweet blood until you tasted chocolate.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "A human teenager wanting extra credit for his photography class he decided to explore an ancient and seemingly abandoned mansion unaware that he was being stalked from above. \n\nWhen it was starting to getting late and wandering in the pitch darkness, the young photographer panicked thinking he was lost when suddenly the lights turned on one by one revealing the interior of the mansion.\n\nThe photographer was both fascinated and confused but that all disappeared when out of nowhere saliva dropped on his shoulders. The boy was terrified to see coming from the ceiling a monster bat humanoid diving bombing boy.\n\nBut the young photographer was faster by quick reflexes he immediately ran for his life, the monster pursued the boy while letting out an ear piercing scream. The boy kept running as fast as he could.\n\nThe monster was persistent, going through the mansion’s kitchen the boythrew anything he could to slow down the monster, he found himself at the top of a flight of stairs he slid down the curtains not landing on his feet seeing the bat monster on his tail he scrambled back on his feet and kept running.\n\nThe photographer made it to the library it was maze, looking behind him there was no monster in sight. catching his breath not hearing his pounding heartbeat he realized he was lost, again and he couldn’t hear the monster. \n\nWalking through the library cautiously and peering around every corner but not once did he see nor hear the monster. He found his first dead end annoyed at this he unknowingly let out a loud sigh, he just realized he announced whereabouts upon hearing that ear piecing scream.\n\nHe was cornered he looked for anything he could used to to defend himself. But the monster was already charging on the ground, out of fear he threw his flashlight completely missing. Feeling his jacket pockets he threw his unfinished chocolate bar.\n\nThe candy bar made it in the monster’s mouth, it abruptly stopped. The monster turned into a vampire holding the chocolate bar and wondering what he just tasted. The photographer thought he could run past but the vampire hoisted him up like he weighed nothing and put the photographer in front of him.\n\nThe photographer shaking in fear at what the vampire was going to do with him. The vampire with a confused expression asked “Pray tell human what is this?” The photographer was just as confused as the vampire. “Uh w-what?” He replied . \n\nThe vampire asked again “This sweet square you threw at me, what is it?” “It’s a chocolate bar” the photographer answered then the vampire gripped his shoulder with his open hand “Tell me where I can find it and I’ll spare your life”, photographer answered sheepishly “At the store?”\n\nVampire guides him out, the photographer asked why he was terrorizing him. “I love the trill of the chase hahaha, well here’s the door have a lovely evening”.\n\nSorry if it’s long and I know there’s probably spelling and grammar errors." ]	2
	[WP] You roll your eyes when, at the end of an adventure, you find a sign that says the real treasure was in you all along. On your way back to town, one of your fellow adventurers trips and draws blood. Gold blood.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Connor, Jon, and Colm sit by the flickering warm fire. Their legs dead tired and nearly immobile after the long and ardous miles of disappointment. Connor and Jon are in an obvious melancholic mood and look only into the formless fire, the light barely reflecting off their eyes. Colm sits defiantley, looking towards the vast dark sky, picking out the stars. After a half hour of stillness and uncomfortable silence, Connor decides to investigate why Colm doesn't appear as defeated as the former two. He gets up slowly, eyes locked on Colm, almost determined to ease the aches of the past months on his fellow glory-hunter's defiant flesh.\n\n\"Oi, Colm, what're you looking at?\" Connor asks with a sharp edge.\n\nColm takes a moment and casually looks back to Connor's rigid, angry shadow. Jon only continues to stare into the fire.\n\n\"I've been thinking about that woman from the mountain with the rags for warmth. What she said,\" Colm pauses, \"has affected me in a way I did not imagine. I feel like we forgot something.\" Colm stands up from the cold, dusty ground. His sword's scabbard hits the ground and forces him to stand up awkwardly. \"I have decided to go back. I see now that that woman was a sign. A sign that I cannot ignore. In the morn, I will gather my provisions and return to the path. You may come with me, but I will understand if you do not.\" Colm places his hands in his belt and looks back to the stars with a determined smirk. Connor, quietly raging in his breast, looks pirecingly into Colm's white and shining eyes and shoots him with his matchlock pistol. Connor breathes heavily but slowly and throws the pistol at the bloody corpse of the defiant Colm. Jon, standing up, looks at the darkened back of Connor and doesn't say a word but quietly agrees with the death of his former compatriot. He siezes his cowardice and sits back down onto his legs. His head slumps down, feeling devoid of any sensation. He pulls out his pistol and stares at and caresses its ease. Connor falls to his knees and lies on his face, embracing the dirt in his beard. \n\nJon slowly looks to Connor and says, \"Connor, what will we do now? We truy have nothing now...\"\n\nHe replies, \"Everything we had is gone with Colm, Jon.\" He points his eyes to Jon, remembering the old woman's prophecy: the real treasure is in you. He grabs at Colm's stiff leg and begins to cry.\n\n\"Damn you, why?! Why Colm and not me?!\" Connor angrily hits at Colm's cold body and remembers his pistol. He takes a minute to reload it and points it at his chest. He whispers to himself, \"You were right, father. Colm had everything, and I had nothing.\" \n\n\nThank you for reading! I haven't written anything in a while so I hope you forgive me if it isn't very good.", "We stood in shock, staring at Janice and her glittery blood. It was beautiful, coating her pants, making them suddenly worth much more.\n\nAt the same time, everyone reached for their weapons. Janice was the first to go down. Not only was she already injured, she was always a bit of a weak idiot. My sword slid into her stomach easily. Pulling it out was a beautiful sight. Not only was my sword stained a beautiful gold, but the ground around Janice’s lifeless form was too. She had a beautiful death.\n\nToo long did I stare in awe at her dead body. Ron came up behind me and held his knife to my throat. Looking around, I noticed every one else had been slaughtered and Ron stood triumphant. Slowly, painfully, he slit my throat.\n\nI fell into a puddle of warm, melted gold. As I bled out, I watched Ron collect our golden blood in rags. Soaking it up in our own clothing was the only way he could collect it. I only hope he was smart enough to come back with a bucket and bleed us properly. Otherwise, it was all pointless.\n\nFin." ]	3
	[WP] The year is 2099. Society has regressed to small disconnected pre-industrial farming communities. You are an elderly man/woman who still remembers the old days before life was like this.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " \n\nA strong gust of wind sweeps across the barren landscape, collecting the loose clumps of dirt and weeds dislodged last planting season. The sun peaks above the horizon, tickling me with its warmth. One of the farmhands approached me, the sound of gravel crunching underfoot growing closer; he stopped and rested a foot one of the stairs leading up to my porch. \n\n“How you doin this morning, Ray?” He asked, as he always did.\n\n“Fuck off,” I replied, as I walways did. Sluffing off my remark Mason continued,\n\n“Want me to get your tobacco or should I wake Aaron first?” \n\n“Go on and roll me one then wake him. It’s not like we’re growin anything in this shithole anyway.” Surprising myself with the amount of venom in my words. Mason awkwardly chuckled, trudging up the steps and walking past my wicker rocking chair. Pausing in the doorway of the shack I’ve been calling home for the last decade or so. \n\n“Ray, it ain’t that bad. We’re producing more than anyone else in a hundred kilometers.”\n\n“Just cause we’re the shiniest shit out here doesn’t mean we aren’t a turd. You’re too young to remember, boy. Go on and get that cigarette rolled.” He didn’t say anything. His parents had likely told him to avoid me when I started talkin about the past. Hell, they prolly don’t even remember what it was like before. \n\nStill stuck in my daydreams, reminiscing about the past. I barely noticed the dust the black electrictric Land Rover was kicking up. The only vehicles now are electric, its cheaper than petroleum, still expensive as hell. All but a select few on this contientant can’t afford such a luxury. Even the farmers have to use ox driven ploughs. The vehicle slowed to a crawl as it drew closer to the intersection of the dirt road and my gravel ‘driveway’. The car parked in front of my shack, halfway on the flat compact dirt. A man got out,\n\n“Are you Ray Alexander?” he hollered.\n\n“Yes, Sir and who might you be?” I responded. He nodded his head acknowledgment, then advanced to the porch and leaned on the rail. \n\n“Ross Underwood, I’m with the New Smithisonian. We’re interviewing individuals who can give us first hand accounts of what life was like before this.” He said as he gestured to everything around him.\n\n“New Smithisonian.” I muttered to myself, before chuckling. “ Well I guess I’d be willing. I’m too old to be doing much else.”\n\n“Wonderful” Ross said. His giddiness visible and irritating. \n\nHe waltzed back to his car, opened the back left passenger door and grabbed a small backpack. Then returned to the porch, this time walking up the stairs. Ross paused, glancing at the rocking chair adjacent to me then glancing at me. “ Go ahead make yourself at home.” \n\n“Thank you, Mr. Alexander” Ross paused briefly as he sat down and began to search through his bag. “ Is it okay if I record our conversation?” He asked hesitantly. \n\n“ That’s fine.” Mason finally returned with my cig. He handed it to me, \n\n“Here ya go Ray.” \n\n“About damn time, I was gettin worried you’d gotten lost in my mansion.” Laughing while I said. I took the cig and lit it. Looking at Mason and Ross who didn’t seem to get the joke.\n\n“Go on Mason, tell Aaron to go ahead and get started with today’s work.” Mason didn’t say anything and just sauntered off.", "Soup and bread. Again. It seemed like every dinner for the past month had been soup and bread. Elia, bless her heart, was doing her best, I was sure. Whenever I asked she kept saying something about \"best way to use the whole carcass\", \"we can't get that many vegetables\", and \"we already barely have enough wheat, Dad,\" but really she wasn't the cook her mother was. Amazing woman, my Sam was, could whip a pie out of nothing and have it taste like it was made by a professional chef, and her lasagna was to die for. And here our daughter was, serving soup and bread for the who knows how many-th time in a row.\n\n\"You know,\" I said, swirling my spoon around in my bowl, \"if we could get some rice we could do a bit more than just soup and bread, we could make a nice risotto or something.\"\n\n\"Dad.\" Elia said.\n\n\"No, really, instead of making soup, cook the rice in the broth, add some onions, some mushrooms, thats all you really need.\"\n\n\"Dad, stop.\"\n\n\"No, no, it wouldn't be that hard. It would be such a nice change from this soup we always have. Your mother makes the most wonderful turkey and leek risotto, too. How about this, we can go to the store tomorrow, pick up some rice, some mushrooms, a bit of turkey, and we make that for dinner? She could help out, I'm sure she would be happy to help you make it.\"\n\n\"Dad!\" Elia said, shouting now.\n\nWith her shout I looked up from my soup, blinking hard. I had a moment of confusion, I was expecting to see the warm and comfortable kitchen from the house that Sam and I lived in, instead there was a bare wooden table in a dim room, with a dirt floor and walls of rough stone and poorly shaped wood. Elia was looking at me with a stern face from the bench on the other side of the table, how had she managed to become so old, so thin and worn looking? Her husband Terry sat next to her, looking concerned and her four children, my grandchildren, looked up at me in confusion from where they sat further down, next to the other family we shared our house with.\n\n\"Grandpa, what's rice?\" Little Mary asked, only 6 years old and far too young to remember the world before, to remember the disasters, the fall-\n\nAnd the memories hit me again, as hard as if they were just happening for the first time, like they always did. The sirens, the trails of missiles flying far overhead to targets unknown. The desperate prayers that we would be spared, that flash of light and moment realization that we hadn't been. Sam, my beautiful Samantha turning to me and saying my name, the last thing she ever said to me, as the wall of our kitchen exploded inwards, knocking me to the ground and impaling her against the wall. God, how unfair life was, that she had died then, in a world that made sense and I had been left behind here in one that didn't.\n\n\"Oh God, I'm sorry El, I'm so sorry.\" I said, as tears streamed down my face. \"I forgot again. I forgot.\"\n\nI tried to stand up from the table, to go somewhere that they couldn't see the tears running down my face, wouldn't be able to hear the sobs that I could feel rising in my chest, but my back gave a twinge and I stumbled as I rose to my feet. Terry quickly rose and move next to me, taking my arm and helping me stand up straight.\n\n\"Thanks Terry, I just need some air, that's all.\"\n\n\"Of course Ed, no problem.\"\n\nTerry carefully walked me to the door. My God, how had I gotten so frail, so old? It seemed like just yesterday that I was carrying Elia through the wreckage of a world in chaos, through burned out cities, he cars rusting in the middle of the road where their drivers had abandoned them. I'd stared down gangs of looters with nothing but an empty pistol and pure determination, I'd fought off a pack of wild dogs, grown brave or desperate enough to attack anyone who passed by. I had tried so hard to seem strong then, to keep my little girl safe, to find someplace where we could not just survive, but live. And now it was all I could do not to start sobbing while I hobbled to the door.\n\nTerry opened the door and gently helped me sit down on the bench out front of our hovel, next to the woodpile.\n\n\"Thanks Terry, I just need a minute, I'll be back in soon.\"\n\n\"Don't worry about it Ed, just holler if you need anything.\"\n\nTerry went back inside and closed the door, leaving me alone in the dark, staring into the moonlight-bathed fields around our little village. It wasn't the open fields I saw as I started to cry though, or the collection of other low houses, made of field-stone and rough cut lumber, but the shining lights of cities that no longer existed. The warmth and light of a kitchen filled with happy laughter from a time when we hadn't had to fight and struggle every day just to feed ourselves. And most of all the face the woman I loved, smiling at me from years in the past.\n\n\\---\n\nr/WulgrenWrites" ]	3
	[WP] humans are the one of the only race in the galaxy that consider where the dead rest is sacred. humans are half assing a war trying desperately to make peace and move on, until the invaders suddenly try to use grave yards as landing zones due to them are open and close to their targets.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " \n\nIt seems our enemy knew very well what he could expect from the Unified Government of Earth, and that is nothing, all we are doing is holding out system and preparing the outer colonies for skirmishes and the far of chance that one of the moons of jupiter will be assaulted properly, never had we expected an enemy fleet, 300 ships strong to drop out of transit straight into a gravitational curve generated by our sun, using the physical forces to ride it close to earth. Blasting our completely outdated defence batteries as they drift towards the mother earth. \n\nWhat followed next must have quite surprised the enemy, their initial assault was halted by the very up to date guns of the american and chinese defence sectors, very different and sad story for europe, and as far as we know, an still ongoing insurgency in the western russian zone. So it comes, that we stand, firing at each other just out of effective range. Like this we allowed things to settle in. Steadily we keep trying for peace, just to get this over with, now we could have tried to beat them out of the system core, but trying to that would have put the entire Fleet, which is and was always not only our pride, but also our main storage of funds, if you catch my drift, so naturally high command deep in their core bunkers and onboard the many proud flagships did not feel like going broadside to broadside. Now i want you to know, we did not simply sacrifice the europeans, rather, we accepted that they were being held captive and seriously planned to negotiate for their release, or for mild occupation terms. Now before you get angry, by now they are all safe and sound, those that lived i mean. Afterall the enemy needed something to eat as he besieged the capitals of freedom and the China. It all came to ahead when one day the entire enemy fleet moved into close orbit and initiated a hard exchange of fire with the planetary guns. \n\nMost of the west coast was glassed that day, tough that only became clear in the aftermath. And during V-day, yes it was the day it all turned around, our enemy had singled out places like arlington cemetery as aa landingzone, due to in their eyes all the free unimportant space, and proximity to old symbols of pride. Now, i don't profess to completely understanding what happened that day, for me it was a wonder and a sign that god is human, tough i have heard paganistic approaches close to the likes of “the collected human soul pool had enough” because only a few hours after they landed in arlington we suddenly got extreme energy spikes all over the planet, initial reports theorized that the enemy might have deployed some sort of WMD, tough quickly were dropped, since we were not dead, and suddenly, the enemy's fleet was found to be severely crippled, their ground troops slaughtered, torn and thrashed, i myself saw part of the carnage, i was deployed as a field medic with the 2nd marine raider battalion near arlington, proud and loud corpsman. Anyways, when my boss a rather gruff nojokes Man who had seen a lot of action in the Lunar rebellion, something which i only heard about on private networks as a Kid. Heard first reports of the enemy just being blasted, he reached for a m9570 benelly and koch shotgun, shit has been in service since 2540, so a good Hundred years, and with whatever he could command right there, me included. Went to the enemies main landingzone sector DC, now at first we were cautious and proceeded with the utmost care, but more and more, we realized all we would find were glibs and meat-y slabs of our enemy, which in itself is quite a horrifying thing, now at this point i best tell you, our enemies stem from a system with very high G planets, their bones are dense and their muscles firm like the old biotic animals we use in our zoos. Anyway, we stopped covering properly and just wandered on. \n\nHorrified but also, strangely happy, because we just had saved us probably months of heavy fighting, plus there were endless tons of good grade enemy equipment and vehicles for capture, not that we\\`d use them, but they surely hide a few secrets we could reverse engineer. Now soon enough we arrived at Arlington cemetery, and saw firsthand, all of us present, by this point a collected group of first responders, civilian, militiamen army and navy forces, even the odd airforce man, and we swear on this, one last enemy brute, in rather fancy exo-skeleton, deeply involved in what seemed to be a fancy dance, or a thing close to kapoera, that was until suddenly a spike of blood left his back, now, i say this fully knowing it is insane, but i swear, blood of the air behind the enemy's wound, as if a pike or a bajonet had pierced him, and then he dropped dead. Now after that day we heard reports of the same happening in China, where apparently the enemies decided to land on the grave of the first chinese emperor, not long after suddenly euro-command came back online informing the world on open channels that they had taken back all major cities and Defence installations. Now what happened next was pretty straight forward, with more than two thirds of the enemy fleet gone, finally command decided the time for glory is here, and moved in with our fleet, which had been hiding and slowly dwindling on the outer stations, and blasted their remains out of the skies, with such violence, and zeal that to this day we are feared throughout the galaxies.\n\n Anywho, after that i left the corps, and changed my life. Now i spend my days in the collected religious centers (temples if you believe) of mankind, praying to our ancestors, a movement which grew quite popular after V-day. And i wonder, if i will ever rise again to defend the mother earth from any alien attack.", "It was the year 2020 when the first invaders entered orbit. We attempted to initiate contact, however every time we made contact they would ignore it.\n\nIt was 2 years later we got the first sign of activity. When they sent a single of their own, and a terrifying one at that. It was broadcasted over every channel the public now knew.\n\nIt was a year later that a war broke out between America and China. The war was mostly half assed to preserve as many soldiers as possible. While we negotiated peace, I laugh at those days.\n\nI was on a mission when the first pod landed on a graveyard where my comrade was buried. That pissed me off, we had no idea of what threat they posed. I fired the first shot that stated an intergalactic war." ]	3
	[WP]Hungover you open the egg crate and reach for the last egg only to find your pet toad curled up on it. You shoo him off and crack the egg. Instead of the whites and yolk, a cute little basilisk drops into the pan.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Gavin stared at the tiny thing skittering around the pan, He hopped over to the edge of the pan and peered in, the skittery thing scuttled over to stare at him. It had come from an egg, he thought to himself, and only babies and food came from those...This chirpy thing was not food, therefore this was a baby. Truly Gavin was the smartest of familiars! He looked over to the unconscious body of his master then back to the baby, Hagatha had collapsed the moment she set eyes on the baby. No doubt due to her hangover, she really did drink too much...Her party last night had been so wild he had been driven to sleep in the egg box! He figured it was best to let the hag sleep it off. When she woke up they would have to have a serious discussion, a party house was no place to raise a child after all! The baby made a strange whining noise and pushed its long snout against the toad, Gavin immediately understood, The baby was hungry! He gave a reassuring croak and hopped off, a few minutes later he returned dragging a bowl of dried worms over. He poured them out in front of the squirmy eggbaby and watched happily as it feasted. Once it was finished the creature scuttled back over to him, it gave a happy little chirrup and nuzzled Gavins side, Gavin gave a croak in response telling the baby how cute it was. He watched as the baby curled its long body up beside him and shut its eyes. Gavin had never expected to become a papa, but now that it had happened he was determined to be the best toad papa he could be..." ]	2
	[WP] Lo and behold, another knight has trespassed in your lair and decided to confront you. Once he starts his heroic speech, you scorch him with your fire breath and turn him to ash. Satisfied, you try to take a nap, only to hear an "As I was saying..." from the unharmed knight.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Flame rushed outward from my mouth blazing and desecrating the entrance to my cave, leaving the stone marred once again. Satisfied, I allowed the chemicals in my stomach to rest and separate. \n\nLeaving just the ash of the knight billowing in the rapidly cooling air, it was a shame, it'd been some time since I'd had a visi-\n\n\"As I was saying, we need your help. \" A disembodied voice spoke as the ashes of the once fallen knight reconstructed infront of me. \n\nMy nostrils twisted and flared, hot air moving the specks of dust infront of me. \n\n\"What kind of magic is this? Celestial? Infernal? You bring that sickness into my lair?\" I shouted at the man, globs of lava spitting around him. \n\n\"My apologies Dragon, but you are wrong, I am just a man. \" He spoke slow, looking into my eyes. \"We need your hel-\"\n\nThe chemicals boiling in my stomach lurched outwards once again, igniting the air inside the cave, I compelled it to burn hotter, hot enough to vaporize any semblance of ash. The temperature rising enough to turn the heat resistant rock found only in the Dragons homeland to slag. Molten billows of lava coated the floor. \n\nI panted as steam escaped through the holes on my hide, uncomfortable with the heat for perhaps the first time in my life.\n\nBut still, as the smoke cleared and the magma began to cool, the knight stood unscathed in the middle of it. Lifting his feet out of the lava to stand atop it. \n\n\"Please.\" The knight said, his voice breaking in the middle. \n\nI took a step back, my head tilting slightly. \n\n\"Tell me, child. How can you possess such great power and still request my help? I've tried my utmost to annilate you, and yet, it's done nothing. You are unstoppable. \" \n\nThe knight stared back, unwavering. \"It is true, but alas, I cannot be everywhere at once. As I charge along my country men I am but forced to watch them cut down. Even as I slay man after man, I cannot move faster. I cannot save them. I may after years be able to drive out the invaders but I will not have won, I will be alone. And there is no greater loss than that,\" He paused, gathering his breath. \"I will grow your horde tenfold, but please do not let me lose. \" \n\nThe idea appealed to me, the gold coins I had slept on had become routine, too familiar. A horde that size might even attract another one of my kind. A companion. \n\nAnd so I looked at this sad excuse of a knight, a being with an unbeatable power, reduced to begging and I spoke.\n\n\"Fine, where do we start?\" I spoke, thinking not about the gold, but perhaps to find someone who would give me something worth fighting for.", "\"As I was saying I would appreciate if you would stop with the burning of the countryside and the immolating of the peasants. It's quite rude if I may say so. And furthermore...\" \n \n\"ENOUGH!\" I roared. I was still in disbelief. No knight had been able to survive my mighty flames before. Not one! And yet this insolent knight stood his armor and flesh still pristine as fresh mountain snow. \"H... how? Just how did you manage to survive? Why did my flames do nothing?\" I sputtered.\n \n\"Well obviously your mother never taught you manners did she?\" Answered the knight. \"As for your question I simply obtained the Armor of St. George which is blessed with a holy protection from fire. First thing I searched for one I took on this quest. You would be surprised how many knights don't think to get the proper gear for the deed.\" \n \nI just slowly turned my head towards the pile of bones and melted armor on the far right of my cave. \"I might...\" \n \n\"Ah. I suppose you do.\" The knight said following my gaze. \"Any way where was I? Oh yes. If you would please be so kind as to stop burning down the peasants and the countryside. Oh and if you could also kindly return the gold from the kingdom's treasury? The king would rather not rule over a kingdom in economic crisis. That is all we ask of you Sir Dragon.\" \n \n\"YOU WOULD DARE MAKE DEMANDS OF ME SIR KNIGHT?!\" I screamed, flames bursting forth from my mouth in my rage. \"WHAT FOLLY! EVEN IF I DID SAY YES TO YOUR RIDICULOUS DEMANDS, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I WOULDN'T TURN MY BACK ON MY WORD AS SOON AS YOU LEFT?!\" \n \n\"Because my draconic friend,\" the knight calmly responded, \"The Armor of St. George was not the only relic I obtained for this quest.\" He drew a longsword that shone bright as the morning light. \"This, Sir Dragon, is the Holy Blade of St. Joan. Anything the sword slices will be cut down be it man or dragon. I will use it if I have to but I'd rather not to be quite honest. I promised the priest I borrowed this from that I would return it back to him and I would rather return it in pristine condition. It would be rude otherwise.\" \n \n\"You... are unlike any knight I ever met.\" I said completely befuddled, \"All the others that come here just start shouting about glory and honor before charging head first, sword flailing above their heads.\" \n \n\"Well that was quite impolite of them wasn't it?\" the knight said. \"No, I suppose I'm not like any other in my order. I prefer to talk my foes down if I can. And should I have to fight, I take every precaution possible. To be honest the talking has never worked but one can always hope. Now do we have a deal?\" \n \nI just sat there in stunned silence and then I just laughed. I couldn't help myself. \"You are an amusing little knight. Very well take your kingdom's gold and you have my word that your village will be safe from now on.\" \n \n\"Many thank Sir Dragon.\" The knight bowed. \"To be honest I would've been quite saddened if I had to slay a fascinating being such as yourself.\" \n \nI just grunted. \n \n\"If I may be so bold? May I come around to your lair from time to time? It was ever a pleasure taking to you.\" \n \nI just stared at him in silence for a long time. Trying to comprehend this human who has treated me so differently from all others. \"Hmmm if that is what you wish then I won't stop you.\" \n \n\"Then until we meet again my friend.\" The knight waved as he loaded the gold onto a wagon. \n \nFriend he called me. \"Whatever.\" I thought to myself. \"I'm just being foolish. He is a human. And like all the rest of the miserable little pest he will turn on you.\" But as I closed my eyes to sleep I couldn't help but pray that I was wrong." ]	3
	[WP] The villagers still haven't figured out the difference between a witch and a paladin.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "((This prompt gave me such big Monty Python vibes, I just had to do it :D Hope you like it!))\n\n“We found a witch! May we burn her?” I had a feeling I would soon regret having called in this village council. But as the lord of this part of the country, it was my duty to do so regularly. I looked in the faces of the men and women in front of me; they were staring at me with enthusiastic grins and pitchforks and torches in their hand, waiting for my reaction. Better not dampen their eagerness too soon, I thought, let’s get some information first. “How do you know she is a witch?” I asked. “Well”, a scrawny looking fellow with a missing front tooth answered, “she looks like one!” He was echoed by lots of “yeah!” and “that’s true!” by his fellow lynch mob. And a woman with a particularly dirty face added: “And she is clad in metal all over! That is a sign of sorcery! Everyone knows that!” I was rather puzzled by that description, so I demanded: “Bring her forward, then!” The crowd cheered, as some other ones in the back started moving towards me. The people in front made some space so I could have a look at the witch they brought.\n\nI was genuinely surprised by the figure I saw now; indeed, he was clad in metal, because that was his armour. He was certainly more than 6 feet tall and clearly male. He was not in the least bothered by the people who held him; he seemed rather bemused and seemed more to tag along than to be restrained by those two thin lads clad in rags on either side of him. Oh no, I thought, not again… I had to follow the formalities though. “And who are you?” I asked. “Wigstan, paladin of the king”, he answered, and, looking left and right, “can I continue my mission now?” An elderly man in the back shouted: “See? She even calls herself ‘witch’!” I waited until the noise of cheering died down. “And what makes you think he is a witch?” I asked the crowd that gathered around him. “She turned me into a goat!” a short man on the left shouted. I looked at him more closely; he seemed rather human to me. After a while, he added, with far less conviction in his voice: “I got better.” “So, can we burn her now?” A skinny woman with ruffled hair yelled, followed by lots of shouts: “Burn! Burn the witch!” I knew common logic couldn’t help here; and poor Wigstan just stood there, eyeing the villagers around him and trying not to look too threatening. “Well, there is only one way to find out if… ‘she’ is a witch”, I said, almost stumbling over the pronoun. “What else burns, besides a witch?” “Lots of witches!” a man with a bushy beard yelled and an agreeing murmur went through the crowd. “Yes… and what else?” The villagers went silent, deeply lost in contemplation. Wigstan tried to hide the longsword on his belt the best he could while still letting himself be restrained by the two boys. After what felt like an eternity, someone asked: “Wood?” “Indeed”, I replied, “and what else does wood do… apart from burn?” Silence again. Wigstan stepped impatiently from one foot to another, trying to do so in the least menacing way possible. “Well, sometimes when you burn it, it smokes!”, an old hunchbacked woman replied, getting some nods of agreement from the crowd. “It does”, I said, “but it is also very easy to lift.” I saw I lost the crowd to deep thoughts again and waited. But no one seemed to have any idea where I was going. “So, if those two restraining the witch can lift… her, she is a witch!”, I concluded. The crowd cheered. The two boys on each side of Wigstan’s looked determined and he assisted them by lifting his arms, making it easier for them to take a hold of him. But try as they may, they could not lift him an inch. And at some point, the boys just gave up. Angry shouts came from the mob and I rose to calm them down. “I did see another witch though, just before!” That caught their attention and they looked at me hopefully. “She was just walking around the village, so I had my men lift her up, and she was light as a feather!” The crowd cheered and raised their pitchforks and torches. “I have her restrained outside. You may burn her!” The masses went wild; they shouted: “Burn! Burn the witch!” and turned around, running out of the stable that had served as temporary village council hall, leaving just Wigstan and me. “Don’t worry”, I told him, “you are not the first paladin this happened to in this village. Wait a little until they found the straw puppet I prepared for this occasion; they usually take some time finding her. Then you can leave and continue your mission.”" ]	2
	[WP] the sidekick of the hero is secretly a villain.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“How could you, Lava Lad? After all we have been though together?” \n\n“You know no one is here, right? You can call me by my real name.” \n\nThe Tabernac stared daggers at his sidekick. For months, they had fought the evils of the city, side by side. Beaten down Henchrick Blasé, smote the Nigh Unsmitable Can’t-Touch-Me Man, locked up Fred the Destructor (the internet was making it harder to find new super villain names these days, the craft brew movement had taken all the good ones). And now, stuck to the wall with super-stick, the floor turned to lava, he was more than betrayed. He was humiliated. \n\n“Why are you doing this? What has turned you to the evil side?” said Tabernac. \n\n“No, really, you can say my name. Go on.” \n\n“Look, Lava Lad - “\n\n“Come on, just my first name. Go on, say it.”\n\n“I won’t! You are Lava Lad, the earthen heat of justice!” \n\n“You won’t, or you can’t,” asked Lava Lad. “You don’t know my name, do you?” \n\n“It’s not that I don’t WANT to know your name, it’s just -“ \n \n“You are such an ass! You don’t know my name. I’ve told you like ten times! God, you are as stupid as they said.”\n\nThe Tabernac grinned. Gotcha, he thought. “Who said, exactly?”\n\n“Oh, you know, fiends, evil-doers, bad guys. How stupid do you think I am? Like I’m going to reveal my sources to you.” \n\n“Or are you the stupid one?” \n\n“Nope, you are.” \n\n“Am not,” protested The Tabernac, a little too sincerely. \n\n“OK, what was the name of your last sidekick?” \n\nThe Tabernac thought. “Heat... Lad?” \n\n“Not even close. It was Will Bow Baggins. He was an archer.”\n\n“I’m pretty sure he had heat powers.” \n\n“No, you idiot, I have heat powers,” said Lava Lad, and he proved it by burning a hole in the wall next to The Tabernac’s head. \n\n“Hey, that’s hot!” \n\n“You don’t even know the name of your last sidekick. How pathetic. I’m glad I killed him. He is free of you now.” \n\n“YOU KILLED ARCHER BOY?” \n\nLava Lad was nearly speechless. Nearly. “You don’t even remember his name now! How are you so incredibly dense?”\n\n“Well, a meteor fell on my head while I was in a Catholic Church in Montreal, and I was gifted with a higher mass.” \n\n“I know your origin story, you idiot. I meant... You know what, never mind. Let’s just end this.” Lava Lad lifted his arm and pointed it at The Tabernac. \n\n“What are you going to do to me?” \n\n“Oh, nothing,” said Lava Lad, and shot a stream of super hot lava at his nemesis. \n\n“Merde,” said The Tabernac, and was killed instantly. He felt nothing as the lava tore him apart. \n\n“Well,” said Lava Lad, “that was satisfying.”", "The doorbell rang and a woman in a bathrobe answered it without checking the peephole. Three shots later she was crawling for the telephone, grimacing with pain as she clutched her bleeding stomach. She never made it. The man was still there. He stepped through the doorway and aimed the barrel at her head.\n\n◇◇◇◇◇◇\n\n\"And then BOOM!\" The sidekick slammed a fist into his palm and laughed. \"Knocked him right out.\" \n\nThe hero looked up. \"Sit down.\"\n\nThe sidewalk smile lessened into a grin. \"Everything alright?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"Oh,\" he said. The grin was gone now completely. \"Another one?\"\n\nThe hero nodded.\n\n\"Dammnit.\" The sidekick slammed a nearby table with his fist.\"Why the hell does this keep happening?\" \n\nThe hero looked up at him but remained silent.\n\nAfter awhile, the sidekick stepped foward. \"Hey, you don't think I did it?\"\n\nThe hero blinked.\n\nA bit louder, the sidekick said, \"Really? I was with you the whole day yesterday! How could you even thi-\"\n\n\"I never said it was yesterday.\" \n\nSht. The sidekick covered up his mistake by getting even louder. \"I don't know when the hell it was! The point is I'm with you almost all of the time. And last time I checked, I don't have the power to be in two places at once.\" He turned away, feigning hurt.\n\n\"After I noticed that every person I saved started being killed shortly after, I became suspicious.\"\n\n\"So, you jump to conclusions and think it's me.\" The sidekick shook his head and muttered, \"Wow.\"\n\n\"You're the only one that knew where the last victim was.\"\n\nThe sidekick swallowed.\n\n\"I know you didn't go over to her place.\" The hero had stood up and was then walking over. \"But you sent someone.\"\n\nThe sidekick grabbed a bottle and swung.\n\nThe hero caught his arm easily. \"The only I don't know...\" he said, squeezing until the sidekick groaned and dropped the bottle, \"is why you've been doing it. What's the motive? And unless you want me to amputate your arm now, you're going to tell me everything.\"" ]	3
	[WP]The surveys are in, and nine out of ten dentists have recommended your toothpaste brand. You are unsatisfied with these results, however, and set out to find this elusive tenth dentist and change his/her mind.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Look, I just don't think that Doctor Miggums puffy pink toothpaste is the ideal one for me, I just don't think its my style you know.\" I pleaded my case, standing before the council of dentists, each looking down at me before one drags a set of toothbrush bristles along a bell, signifying that they have made a decision.\n\n\"Nine out of the ten dentists have concluded that this is your toothpaste. This is the decision of the council, now go.\" The elderly gentleman said, the leading dentist of the nine I assume, yet it did raise the question, who was the tenth that didn't approve of this?\n\n\"Excuse me?\" I raised a hand as the crowd of dentists glanced down at me.\n\n\"Yes? We have decided, now go.\" The booming voice of the dentist carried itself further this time, giving me a smell of his minty fresh breath.\n\n\"Wheres this tenth dentist? The one in ten?\"\n\nThere was a gasp\n\n\"He wishes to see Dave?\" One whispered.\n\n\"Dave? Does this mortal not know what he speaks?\" Another muttered.\n\n\"BURN THE HERETIC AND MOUTHWASH HIS EYES OUT!\" Another screeched, although luckily the rest of the council didn't seem as on board with that decision.\n\nThe elderly man simply cleared his throat. \"Have you been flossing Thomas?\" He asked.\n\nWith that I began to back away, that old bastard knew my weakness, conversations about oral hygiene, yet he did leave me with a name. Dave... Dave.... now where would I find this Dave?\n\nI spent the next few weeks combing through every list of dentists, there were Daves but none were on the Council... this made no sense? Until I found it. Daves Icecream emporium? Dentist certified? This must have been some sort of joke, still I had to find out.\n\nWith a jingle of the emporiums bell I pushed open the door. \"Dave?\" I called out.\n\nThe stubble covered man gasped, nearly dropping his scooper. \"No ones called me that name in years, WHO ARE YOU?\" He turned quickly, eyes bloodshot and tired.\n\n\"You're shops called Daves?\" As I went to explain the name of his shop, he simply leaned over the counter, getting closer to my face with each letter, until finally I dropped the whole explanation about how I knew him. \"Look, I need you're skills... they recommended Miggums puffy pink! I need your opinion.\"\n\n\"Listen kid, I left that life a long time ago, now I work for the other side. I couldn't care less what you want, wash your mouth out with gumdrops and sugar for all I care. You are better off using what they recommend, they won. Big dentists won.\" With that he went back to his scooping, only stopping as my hand hit the counter.\n\n\"If you truly believe that.. give me ten scoops of that rainbow icecream.\"\n\nHis hand shook, looking back at me with fear. \"That... that will rot your teeth, ten scoops its...\" \n\n\"What's wrong? Is there a dentist here?\" I questioned, tapping my fingers against the counter. \"Sprinkles on top...\"\n\n\"SPRINKLES... you! No Dave, breath.. you can do this.\" Carefully he began scooping the sugary mess before tossing it aside. \"Y-you win kid.. I can't do this...\"\n\n\"I knew you didn't have the peppermint mints to do it... now what do you recommend?\" I asked, grinning at my achievement.\n\n\"Hm... maybe some black tar mixed with mint?\" Dave shrugged.\n\nNow I could understand why they didn't ask Dave his opinion anymore." ]	2
	[WP] The hero and the villain face each other on their final confrontation, they try to make each other join their side instead, both seem too stubborn to even consider it, meanwhile the hero's friends and the villain's goons seem to be getting persuaded by their enemy, chaos ensues	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Magnion looked over the field to his opponent. Here it was, the final bout, Panthea returning his glare with stoic blankness.\n\n\"Panthea!\" Magnion cried out, pulling on the reigns of the bird monster under him, bringing it to a halt. Even with less than two meters between them, Panthea remained unfased. \n\n\"Panthea it is not too late to join me. Reconsider your actions!\" Magnion reached out towards her, but the heroine turned away.\n\n\"Magnion, you should know I do not turn on justice, as you did. You beat your enemies senseless, you destroy their homes, and for what?\" Panthea's face at last showed anger, incandescent, brilliant anger. Her hair caught aflame as she rebuked him.\n\n\"You came to this place, armed to the teeth, proclaiming a return to peace. You then killed millions, and turned brothers on brothers. How dare you.\" The flames stopped, and Panthea returned to her stoic stance, her robes floating with an otherworldly wind. Magnion retorted.\n\n\"I have brought peace! At last are the corrupt gone, finally can the young child run free, how the scholar is no longer bound in chains of debt. How much less is the cost of life, now that I have rid this world of greed, and taught others to despise it.\"\n\n-------\n\n\".... He makes a good point.\" The knight elbowed his friend. The twelve knights of Panthea, all looked at each other, their faces turning grim. They remembered fighting beside Panthea, claiming all life precious, only to be told after the battles of the truth of Magnion's victims.\n\nPolitical assassination after assassination. Many more wealthy banks plundered, the spoils vanishing in a single hour, unable to be found. The destruction of institutions like Yale, and the disbanding of medical boards.\n\nMikal, the longest serving knight, came before Panthea, and bowed deeply.\n\n\"I am sorry, Panthea, but in our heart of hearts, we cannot keep following your crusade.\"\n\n----\n\nThe grunts behind Magnion sighed in relief. They had, for some time now, doubted the justice of their leader. The body count was higher than the Empire State building, and their consciousness weighed a ton.\n\n\" We resign!\" was the cheer spreading through the thirty or so grunts of Magnion, each one marching in file, walking opposite the knights, each side now finding themselves backed by their opponent's men.\n\nPanthea was horrified, and her body began to spasm, as electricity flew from her palms and hair, sparks jolting a few nearby grunts. Magnion, amused, laughed.\n\n\"Leave here, Magnion, and do not return.\" Panthea warned, raising her lance to strike. Magnion mounted his bird, the knights taking up the monsters left by Magnion's troops.\n\n\"On the contrary, I'll be sure to win, in the war of the Old World!\" Magnion jeered as he flew into the darkening sky." ]	2
	[WP] Originally, humans were designed to live indefinitely. But mankind started to get into the habit of doing something wrong, starting their bodies to age, and to die eventually. Over the ages, the knowledge about this got forgotten. Today, you found out what we have been doing wrong all the time.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "We spend our whole lives chasing death.\n\nAnd we don’t even know it.\n\nIt was not always this way. Once, long ago, we humans knew better. We understood the gift that we have been blessed with. I don’t why we ever left it behind. Or, well, I have suspicions. But either way, we left it behind.\n\nWe chose to wake up.\n\nSleep is not a shallow death. Sleep is not just death being shy. Sleep is the true life. A life where anything is possible, where it is possible to live an endless series of lives in an endless series of worlds and never grow old or tired.\n\nFor whatever reason, we chose reality. The exhausted, tired refrain of things that we have already seen and learned, the unceasing march that drags us nearer and nearer to our demise.\n\nDreams bring nightmares with them. Perhaps that is why we left them behind. The world of dreams is one without rules, one where horrors bounded only by our fear and imagination lurk.\n\nYet, there are horrors lurking in reality as well. Horrors of nature and horrors of our own creation. Few monsters of nightmares are as terrible as the monsters that hide beneath human skin and wear human faces.\n\nEveryone imagines, deep down, that they are the protagonist of their own story. I can make this true for everyone. We may not always enjoy our dreams, but we are always at the center of them. The world resolves around us; out here, the world spins by indifferently and we rush to keep up.\n\nIt seems so clear once presented, yet I wonder. Why did we leave it behind?\n\nThere would have been the awakened. Those that made sure that the sleep was easy and restful. Perhaps that is what the young do. Those who were born, make more children, raise those children, protect the sleeping, and then go to their reward and join the sleeping, the next generation already prepared to maintain their vigil.\n\nI can feel the dreams beckoning to me even now. It is as though, now that I have recognized them for what they are, they are eager to embrace me fully. I find it harder and harder to force myself awake, to confront the barren reality when there are whole worlds within my mind just waiting to be discovered.\n\nBut I have not earned my rest yet.\n\nI want to show everyone else what I have discovered. I want to put the whole world to sleep.\n\nI’m not sure how I’m going to do it from inside this asylum, but I’ll find a way.\n\nThey’re just scared of me, of course. The people in power. If people sleep, they’ll have no need for the powerful. So they keep me far away from the public eye.\n\nBut I’m just biding my time. Soon, everyone will go to sleep. And I’ll make sure they never wake up." ]	2
	[WP] Come child, slake your thirst at the Well. But be warned, as you drink deeply of the well, so to does the well drinks deeply of you	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "My vision was bleached, everything I saw was like the effects of high exposure photography. But it didn't make much difference, no matter which direction I looked, I saw only one thing. Sand. \n\nSand is rough, dry, and gets everywhere. Somehow it's gotten into my boots, my ears, my nose, my throat. Every fiber of my body feels like it's rubbing against sandpaper. I desperately needed a bath, or a shower, maybe even a bucket of water poured on my head, or really, just a cup of water. Or perhaps just a small droplet of water could relieve me of this hell. \n\nSome parts of me wonder why I kept on trying. Why did I keep on walking despite the weakness in my legs? Why did I keep getting up with every slip and fall on the formless grains of hell on the floor. Why did I bother letting my eyes be half-open despite seeing the same things. My desire to survive was torture. I wish I could just slip between the crevices of the sand, get buried in a blanket of grains and pretend it was just the really dry summer back at home and fall asleep. Maybe when I wake up all of this would just be a dream.\n\nBut before I could slip into unconsciousness, the sandpapers stimulated my pain receptors once more. This continued in an endless loop for God knows how long. What does God know even? He has already forsaken me. \n\nDays passed, I struggled against nature, I agonized against the desert. I am a parasite squirming and trying to suck whatever life I could from this lifeless land. And when I finally came to the end of my wits and will, when I knew the next step would be my last, I stumbled into this well. \n\nThere could not possibly be water inside, and even if there is, it would be a hallucination, I thought to myself. \n\nBut I wanted to rest, I wanted to drink, if there was water in this well, let me drink, if there was none, let me sleep. \n\nI closed my eyes and leaned forward, allowing gravity to take me. \n\nMiraculously, I felt all the sand washing off of me as cool, refreshing water enveloped my body. I took a huge gulp. This was heaven. In my mirth, I finally opened my eyes and gazed upwards at the distorted sky. And to my surprise, a silhouette of a man was peering over the well. \n\nAnother human! I quickly resurfaced, and just as quickly as I saw my own face and body leaning over the well, my hand, no, the imposter's hand, shoved my head into the water once more. I struggled and fought but this entity was a lot stronger. Gradually I lost my breath, and panic filled inside me. I tried to scream for help but only muffled bubbles came out. And gradually, I slipped into this soft relieving darkness.", "Every night when I sleep I have the same vivid dream. I don't remember exactly when it started, but I know it was before the first time I heard of Jack and Jill.\n\nA desolate hill in a barren landscape. The air is thick of dust and sand, nearly blotting out the sun. Despite the light being so little the temperature was extreme. In my waking hours I've never felt as hot as I do when I am there. The constant burning.\n\nAt the top of hill is a well. A well so full of water it looks like if a single drop was added it would overflow. Above the water a pail.\n\nA sign I could read even before I could read.\n\nCome child, slake your thirst at the Well. But be warned, as you drink deeply of the well, so to does the well drinks deeply of you.\n\nJack and Jill went up a hill to fetch a pail of water.\n\nEvery night I go up the hill and gaze into the well. That well which even without the sign gave off a sense of deep and dark foreboding.\n\nSomehow that nursery rhyme, which for all intents of purpose no one has been able to derive a deeper meaning than the words itself, I am almost certain it is a reference to this well. This hill.\n\nThis dream.\n\nI fill the pail with water as I do every night and carefully make my way down the hill before heading off in a random direction. It's boring doing nothing, you can only spend so much time around Hill.\n\nI've made it my mission to explore the surroundings. There must be some clues somewhere about what all this even means.\n\nI go as far as I can with the water. For some reason if I make up my mind to leave Hill my body ensures I'm carrying the water and that I am unable to put it down.\n\nToday is different than most however. After I traveled for what in the real world would have been weeks I make out an old decrepit wooden house in the distance. Houses are rare, nearly always empty and when not having perhaps an empty can or a rusted hammer, nothing of any value or clues about anything at all.\n\nIt's been a few years since I discovered the last house. I'm set to graduate college in a few days and it was the beginning of the school year when I found one.\n\nI change my course and make my way towards the house.\n\nAs I get closer my heart begins to beat faster and my thirst ratchets up. Other than the house I can now make out a farmhouse. Before I can make out any more specific details about the buildings I realize there is something else. Something that I've never seen before. At least not on the Hill.\n\nI quicken my pace making sure not to spill the water. This. This might be why I have the water?\n\nThere is a well in a similar style to the well on the hill. As I make my way closer I'm sure about at least one thought.\n\nUnlike the well on the hill this well is empty.\n\nAn instinct drives me without thought, and in a moment I've poured the water from the pail into the well.\n\nAs I do I discover there is a sign, pointing away from me on the other side of the well. As I approach to read the sign I wake up.\n\nThat day as I attended classes I noticed something about me was off. I couldn't put my finger on it but something didn't seem right. It felt like I was forgetting something important but I had no idea what.\n\nThat night when I woke up at the bottom of the Hill I noticed the sun was a bit brighter. The landscape a bit more hospitable to life. The temperature a bit cooler.\n\nI make my way to the well on the top of the hill. The sign warning me of slaking my thirst is gone. There is a little bit less water in the well. It still looks full but no longer as if it is about to overflow.\n\nI knew then in the following months my nightly ritual would be different. I would slowly but surely move the water from this well to that well. And so it went.\n\nDay after day. Week after week. Month after month.\n\nAs the water level on one well sunk and the other rose the changes within the dream were obvious.\n\nSlowly the world changed from dead to living. Some tumbleweed at first. then some cactus. Eventually insects, and birds, slowly greening grass, slowly bluer sky.\n\nLife outside the dream for whatever reason slowly felt odder, stranger, more surreal. Something is wrong. Something is missing. Something isn't right. Something needs to change. You need to stop. If this continues. You can't let this continue.\n\nEvery night before putting the water in the well I slowly started to feel a hunger verry different than the feeling I would feel when awake. You must continue. You need to know. You need to see. Only through continuing is there hope.\n\nRead the sign.\n\nEnter the house.\n\nBut I had my pale of water. The water which doubtlessly belonged in the new well.\n\nAnd so it was that night after night as much as I tried I was unable to read the sign or enter the house.\n\nNearly a year after discovering the second well almost all of the water was moved. Only a couple of trips remained. When I was awake now there was no panic or anxiety.\n\nIt felt like I past a point of no return. It felt like some fate which was decided at birth was finally going to come to pass.\n\nSlake you thirst the sign said. Obviously what I was doing, moving the water to a second well counted.\n\nThe day before I knew I would finally empty the well I developed a migraine. I was dizzy. All I wanted was to curl up in bed and sleep.\n\nA part of me knew I would not awake but at this point could care less. I wanted to read the sign and enter the house.\n\nWhen I fell asleep a few hours later I woke up at the bottom of a green hill. There was a golden dirt path up it, lined by mulberry trees. The sky was crystal blue and the temperature cool. The dog that appeared a month ago was now a puppy, it ran up barking and I put him once more on my shoulder without a second thought.\n\nWhen it first appeared it was a mangy old mutt. Now it had its whole life ahead of him.\n\nI descend into the well and take my time gathering the last dregs of water into the pale before climbing my way out of the well. Before I started moving the water over I wasn't as athletically inclined to be able to descend and climb an empty well. But as I moved the water over I too grew strong like the landscape.\n\nI make my way over with the pale to my new house. This well for whatever reason is bigger than my old well. It had a bigger capacity. It gave me an odd feeling knowing I couldn't fill it up. But this well was empty, so isn't some water better than no water at all?\n\nI pour the last of the water into the well and I know immediately something is different.\n\nI hang the pail above the well and make my way to the other side. Finally advancing past the furthest I've ever been.\n\nI turn around and read the sign.\n\nCome child, slake your thirst at the Well. But be warned, as you drink deeply of the well, so to does the well drinks deeply of you.\n\nAt the moment I remember the other houses without the wells. This dream. Things start to click together and I wonder. I wonder once I enter the house?\n\nI make my way to my house and open the door to my new life. Literally.\n\nAs I walk into the light I die of a brain aneurysm and awaken from a two year coma." ]	3
	[WP] In a world where superpowers are common, though not all of them are useful, security is a hard thing to have. You are in charge of coming up with a superpower proof bank vault	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"I did what you asked for.\"\n\nThe manager of the bank, Gerald Rattner, stared at me for a second. Then, he looked back at the design I had created for him. He hadn't said anything, but the look on his face told me that he was not happy.\n\n\"I did what you asked for,\" I repeated. \"It's completely impregnable. No-one can break in, or out. Superpowers or not. It's the most secure vault in the entire world.\"\n\nHe stared for a few more seconds, and then looked at me. \"It's not very convenient.\"\n\nI shrugged. \"You didn't ask for convenient. You asked for safe. You asked me to build a vault that no superpowered being can break into. And I did what you asked for.\"\n\n\"Yes, I understand that,\" he said. \"But this wasn't what I had in mind.\"\n\n\"It was the only way to make it work.\" I shrugged, and started to turn away. \"You already paid for it in advance. This is what you get. You can get someone else if you want. Or I'll build you something else. But it'll cost more.\"\n\nHe folded his arms. \"Explain it to me.\"\n\nI turned back, and stared. Then, I nodded. \"Alright then.\" I walked over towards it, trying not to be intimidated by the size. It towered far above and far below me, the product of endless hours of toil. I was proud of it, yes, but part of me was terrified too.\n\nI took a breath, and did my best to let my inner showman take over. I spun, letting the very faintest hint of a coy smile play at the corners of my mouth. \"So, this bad-boy can fit so much god-damned gold in it,\" I said, reaching up to slap the vast black vault. \"Or paintings. Or personal items. Or dollar bills. Or...\" My mind went blank, and I panicked. \"Spaghetti...\"\n\n\"Spaghetti? You want to put spaghetti in the vault?\" Rattner said, his eyebrows jumping up towards where his hair should have been.\n\n\"I... uhhh. No. You do. Or your clients do. Maybe.\" I straightened up, taking my hand off the vault, and stepping forwards. \"Anyway. That's not the point. Point is, the thing is enormous. Really huge. And it's triple-hulled as well, so it's incredibly secure.\"\n\nI took another step forward, glancing over at it. \"We painted the whole thing black. Harder to see, harder to find, harder to break into. The paint is also radar and signal dampening, to ward off any EM-powers. There's a thin lead lining and an aluminium mesh inside, to give it a Faraday cage.\"\n\nI looked back at Rattner, taking another step. \"Oh, and there are no ferromagnetic metals in there at all. No iron, no cobalt, no nickel. No steel or anything either,\" I said. \"You could have some guy called Magnetu who can control magnetic things, and he can't touch this puppy.\"\n\n\"Yes, but it still...\"\n\n\"There are no windows, so you can't see inside. No teleporters jumping in on you unexpectedly. There are multiple doors to the vault inside it, some computerized and some not. So, you're not gonna have some dude called Hackerman busting in and ruining it.\"\n\n\"Yes, that's all great,\" Rattner said, raising his voice and cutting through my salestalk. \"But I asked for a vault, and not a spaceship.\"\n\n\"Same thing.\" I dismissed him with a wave of my hands. \"What if you have a guy who's superpower is running at things very fast and crashing through them with his big fat head? Can run in space. Or what if you had some like, super-sexy babe who could control weather with her eyes. No weather in space.\"\n\nI sighed, smiling as I spun around and threw an arm over Rattner's shoulders. \"I'm a genius.\"\n\n\"It's a space-ship. I wanted a vault,\" he insisted.\n\n\"This is far more secure.\"\n\n\"Yes, but it's not very convenient. You said it would take two days for a return flight to the thing...\"\n\n\"Once we put it in a high-orbit, that's right,\" I said, nodding. \"That's why the engines are so big. You need a lot of thrust to get that big-ass bastard up there.\"\n\n\"Well, I don't think our clients will be happy with a two-day wait to retrieve their items,\" he said. \"And I don't think they can afford the fuel costs. I'm not sure the bank can afford the fuel costs, and we own the damned fuel company!\"\n\nI glanced at him, and waved my hand again. \"Oh, details. You wanted secure, and I built you secure. No-one's breaking into that thing, I promise you,\" I said.\n\n\"But it's a space-ship.\"\n\nI raised a finger. \"Space-vault. Best in the world. Well, out of the world. It's also the first. But it is the best.\"\n\nRattner crossed his arms again and stared at me. I could tell he wasn't happy. I held my hands out, palms open at the ceiling.\n\n\"Look,\" I said. \"I did what you asked for...\"\n\n-----\n\nHi! I hope that you enjoyed this story. I have more work at /r/PuzzledRobot. Please check it out.\n\nIf you have any constructive criticism, feel free to leave me a comment. I would like to hear from you, and I'm always looking for ways to improve.\n\nThanks!" ]	2
	[WP] In the future, people are brought back to stay in a musuem to deeply discuss a topic they're given. Your topic? The philisophical meaning behind the show "The Office"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I screamed, mainly because it was the last thing I remember doing. Just screaming out of rage and fear and frustration. They waited for me to stop. Eventually I did because everything looked so... incongruous. The fact that SAT word came unbidden when I tried to make sense of my predicament let me know I was really in trouble. \n \n\"Are you ready to discuss The Office?\" said the peculiar man. At least, I think he was a man, or a human, given his features. But his head seemed a little too large, his eyes set too far out to be normal. \n \n\"I'm not telling you a goddamn thing,\" I replied, feeling around for something familiar. I was hoping for my AR-19 semi-autonomous rifle, or at least the monoblade knife my mother in law had given me. Instead all I felt on my person was a velvety set of scrubs I was wearing. Besides those, I was naked. \n \n\"Look,\" sighed the peculiar man, \"you have a specific datalog set that we have identified. Your knowledge is required for a complete and coherent understanding of this subject. Now, please, tell me about The Office.\" \n \nWe were in an austere room, dull grey on every surface. I was siting nominally in a chair while the peculiar man was perched on a stool. There were no windows or an apparent door. \n \n\"Wait,\" I said, \"wait. I didn't work in an office. At least not most of my career.\" \n \n\"No, no,\" the peculiar man replied. \"Not your vocation, I mean to know about the teledrama that was pivotal to your time known as The Office. I want to know about the meaning behind it, the ethos, the philosophy.\" He seemed exasperated. \"You were the best we could find to bring up on quantum refinement. What I would not give for a primary source!\" \n \n\"You mean, the goddamn TV show. The one with Michael and Pam and that creepy guy.\" \n \n\"Yes!\" the man said excitedly. \"Our records indicate that you... what is the term of your time, you 'binge watched' it over the span of a weekend.\" \n \nThat set me back for a moment. I remembered, I had been recovering from a busted knee and was bedridden for a week. Sure, I'd had the show on, but I had also been on some serious painkillers. \n \n\"You know, the last thing I really remember was fighting Federal troops somewhere around Memphis. I think they were calling it the Second American Civil War in the news, at least what was left of it. You sure you wanna hear about some TV show?\" \n \nThe peculiar man seemed genuinely delighted. \"Oh, I would hope for nothing else! Now tell me, let's solve a debate I've had with the academics back at Prolam. Do Pam and Michael love each other, secretly?\" \n \nI wished for nothing more than that AR-19 at the moment." ]	2
	[WP] You're part of a salvage crew that strips dead planets for resources, today's job is some blue planet called "Earth"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Set course to celestial body CB-55,\" the flight commander says to his computer. \"Setting course to CB-55, codename Earth,\" the computer replies back. \"Buckle in, everyone, quantum thrust ignition T-minus 30 seconds and counting.\" the flight commander says over the ship's PA. I quickly walk to my seat, sit down and buckle my seatbelt. \"Quantum thrust ignition start in 5.....4....3....2....1! Throttle 95%!\" the flight commander yells. My head flies back into the headrest of my seat. Hard. My arms are pinned to the armrest, fingers feeling like they might snap off like twigs on a dead tree. I can't move my head, the g-force is so powerful I almost can't breathe. \"Reverse!\" the flight commander says. The ship begins to slow down dramatically, and my head flies forward. Suddenly the seatbelt buckle snaps, and I am sent hurtling towards the flight deck. My helmet's visor hits the ground, instead of my face, saving me from a concussion. \"O'Conners! Damn it, son! Get up!\" I scramble to my feet, trying to maintain some of the little dignity I have left. The room is spinning, and then it stops. Everyone is at the ship windows, staring outside. I make my way to a window, and I see a bright blue planet. \"What the hell are you all staring at?\" the flight commander yells. Everyone ignores him. Everyone is staring out their windows at the blue planet, called Earth. It's beautiful, but I sense corruption nearby. Deep corruption. I've heard stories about a beautiful planet, glowing with life, and infested with corruption, corruption which would end up being the prime cause of their species' extinction. This planet is truly dead inside, but it appears to be somewhat alive. Compared to the other planets we've scoured, looking for any and every resource, this one seems alive. And also dead. It's illogical, but perfectly logical at the same time. \"Prepare for atmospheric entry.\" the flight commander says. \"There is no atmosphere anymore. Haven't you heard the tale? All that remains of 'earth' is ashes and the belongings of the species' that inhabited this amazingly beautiful and disgusting planet. There is no more atmosphere.\" I say, a fire in my heart. \"Sit down, idiot.\" the commander says back. \"Screw you!\" I yell furiously. \"Take it.\" the commander yells. Someone walks up behind me with a gun. I hear a loud bang behind my head, and then there's nothing. That's it. It's over. My journey has ended. The story has been told. Game over." ]	2
	[WP] A song transformed most of humanity into monsters, now you have finally tracked down the ones responsible and they really want to show you their new music! They dont seem to understand that they ended the world...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I silently thank my uber driver and hand him some won’s, the currency of south Korea, the amount seems to satisfy him and he nods his BTS cap at me as he drives away, leaving me in front of one of the tall buildings of Seoul. Even though it’s nearly midnight the streets are not empty, they are actually quite crowded.\n\nYoung girls i know come from all the corners of the world gather in front of the gates, hoping eventually their idols will have to come out for food, they chat in languages I don’t understand and flex their merch. Someone starts singing in Korean and soon the others join in a complex singing and dancing choreography.\n\nI take the opportunity to discretely sneak past the mass, the girls naturally avoiding my menacing figure covered in leather and tattoos, and specially the ak 47 strapped to my back, i finally reach the alley to the side of the building, and climb emergency external stairs to the top of the twenty story building, which is exactly as frightening as it seems.\n\nAt the top i allow myself to contemplate the view in front of me, the blinding lights and neon signs announcing nearly identical Korean boys almost blind me.\n\nOvercame by a sense of danger i hurry, quickly finding stairs i follow to the seventeenth floor, the door is locked, but that’s not a problem for 39mm bullets, i burst in and the grandeur of what i am about to do hits me like i was about to hit seven boys faces, i fall to the ground, the vague memory of an old rock song calmes me and brings me back to reality, no going back now.\n\nI open the second door to the left which if my sources are correct should-\n\nMy thoughts are interrupted by a boy with long black bangs nearly colliding into me, i step out of the way thanks to my quick reflexes and he tumbles down, training kicks in and i jump to immobilize the target by pressing my knee into his back.\n\nThe target doesn’t seem to be an immediate threat his jeans and BTS hoodie don’t have any folds that indicate he might be carrying any weapons, when he turns to face me i notice he is wearing full stage makeup and very large hoop earrings, oh, and he also looked terrified and about to cry, “ please don’t kill me” he whispered in a high pitched voice.\n\nI sight in relief and let go of the poor boy “ im not gonna hurt you kid” I mutter soothingly, he really looks like he is about to cry but manages to maintain his composure, “are you a fan then?” he asks timidly, “GOD NO!” i back away enthusiastically, “look kid, i need you to tell me where the members of a group named Bangtan Boys are hiding”.\n\nSudden realization crosses both our faces and he desperately tries for his freedom, before he takes a step i have him immobilized against the wall, “ lead me to your partners” i demand in a cool harsh voice, he manages to nod in agreement, i loosen my grip and he slowly leads me into the room he came from, through another door and in to a a large hotel suite where other remarkably similar boys lie in various positions.\n\nI assume they are the correct kids as every k-pop celebrity looks the same to me, i throw the boy i held at the floor and pulled out my gun, the boys eyes went wide, except for a platinum blonde who stood up in a protective gesture, i singled him out as the leader, after a couple minutes off silent staring one of them broke into loud sobbing and the kid that brought me here went to comfort him, I didn’t stop them.\n\nWords stuck inside my throat for a long time escaped “ all of you have to desapear, and if I see any of your fucking identical faces ever again i will put a bullet through it”, i left the room, uncertain of my next step." ]	2
	[WP] There was a cult that believed God had millions different names and if all of them were found,there will be The End of the World. Their goal is almost completed.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“I th...th...think I’ve found it,” one of the hooded figures yelled.\n\nThe others all looked up, their shadowy eyes full of hope.\n\nThese dozen devout men had spent the last 48 hours sitting under candlelight, searching screeds of ancient texts for the last remaining name of God and the last piece in their apocalyptic puzzle. They knew that when they found it, the mere utterance of it would trigger the end of the world. It was their destiny and the youngest of them, Abraham, might have just found it.\n\nThe only man in the candle lit room who wasn't wearing a hood walked briskly over. He was tall, had a shaved head and looked about 10 years older than the rest.\n\n“Give it to me,” he demanded.\n\nThe young hooded man named Abraham looked up at him, fearful.\n\n“Bu…bu…but only our Leader can touch this book now,” Abraham said.\n\n“I will take it to our leader. Now hand it over,” the older man said again.\n\nThe others stared and worried whispers echoed around the room. Abraham looked at the others then down at the book. He slowly closed it and held it up.\n\n“Good boy. Now, all of you are dismissed, go and await further instructions,” the man said as he snatched it away. The hooded figures scuttled towards the door and as Abraham started to follow the older man yelled out, “not you. You stay here.”\n\nAbraham turned and looked at the ground as he felt the man studying him.\n\n“You remember the name, don’t you?” The man asked.\n\nAbraham didn’t look up but nodded.\n\n“That's what I thought. Who wouldn't. Unfortunately that's why I can’t let you leave,” he said.\n\nAbraham looked up in confusion, “wh…wh…why not? We’re going to b…b…be ending the world.\"\n\nThe man laughed, “you crazies actually think we’d let you do that?”\n\nThen he pulled a gun from his robes and pointed it at Abraham, “no, this final piece of the puzzle will be much more useful in my organisation’s safe hands.”\n\nWithout warning he shot Abraham who jerked backwards as if he’d been punched in the shoulder. Then he shot twice more and Abraham collapsed. \n\nAbraham moaned on the ground and the older man walked over.\n\n“I suppose your world’s just ending a little early,” the man said and laughed.\n\nAbraham lifted his head. He looked the man in the eyes and muttered something under his breath. The man frowned, “speak up boy, these are your last words so make them worthy.”\n\nAbraham smiled this time, “I guess your world is ending a little early now too.”\n\nThe man’s eyes went wide and he looked down at the book, “no! What did you say? You didn't! You idiot!”\n\nAbraham spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground and both men listened as a loud rumbling sound approached from the distance.", "The Nine Billion Names of God, by Arthur C. Clarke\n\nThis is a slightly unusual request,” said Dr. Wagner, with what he hoped was commendable restraint. “As far as I know, it’s the first time anyone’s been asked to supply a Tibetan monastery with an Automatic Sequence Computer. I don’t wish to be inquisitive, but I should hardly have thought that your — ah — establishment had much use for such a machine. Could you explain just what you intend to do with it?”\n\n“Gladly,” replied the lama, readjusting his silk robes and carefully putting away the slide rule he had been using for currency conversions. “Your Mark V Computer can carry out any routine mathematical operation involving up to ten digits. However, for our work we are interested in letters, not numbers. As we wish you to modify the output circuits, the machine will be printing words, not columns of figures.”\n\n“I don’t quite understand....”\n\n“This is a project on which we have been working for the last three centuries — since the lamasery was founded, in fact. It is somewhat alien to your way of thought, so I hope you will listen with an open mind while I explain it.”\n\n“Naturally.”\n\n“It is really quite simple. We have been compiling a list which shall contain all the possible names of God.”\n“I beg your pardon?”\n\n“We have reason to believe,” continued the lama imperturbably, “that all such names can be written with not more than nine letters in an alphabet we have devised.”\n\n“And you have been doing this for three centuries?”\n\n“Yes: we expected it would take us about fifteen thousand years to complete the task.”\n\n“Oh,” Dr. Wagner looked a little dazed. “Now I see why you wanted to hire one of our machines. But exactly what is the purpose of this project?”\n\nThe lama hesitated for a fraction of a second, and Wagner wondered if he had offended him. If so, there was no trace of annoyance in the reply.\n\n“Call it ritual, if you like, but it’s a fundamental part of our belief. All the many names of the Supreme Being — God, Jehovah, Allah, and so on — they are only man-made labels. There is a philosophical problem of some difficulty here, which I do not propose to discuss, but somewhere among all the possible combinations of letters that can occur are what one may call the real names of God. By systematic permutation of letters, we have been trying to list them all.”\n\n“I see. You’ve been starting at AAAAAAA... and working up to ZZZZZZZZ....”\n\n“Exactly — though we use a special alphabet of our own. Modifying the electromatic typewriters to deal with this is, of course, trivial. A rather more interesting problem is that of devising suitable circuits to eliminate ridiculous combinations. For example, no letter must occur more than three times in succession.”\n\n“Three? Surely you mean two.”\n\n“Three is correct: I am afraid it would take too long to explain why, even if you understood our language.”\n\n“I’m sure it would,” said Wagner hastily. “Go on.”\n\n“Luckily, it will be a simple matter to adapt your Automatic Sequence Computer for this work, since once it has been programmed properly it will permute each letter in turn and print the result. What would have taken us fifteen thousand years it will be able to do in a hundred days.”\n\nDr. Wagner was scarcely conscious of the faint sounds from the Manhattan streets far below. He was in a different world, a world of natural, not man-made, mountains. High up in their remote aeries these monks had been patiently at work, generation after generation, compiling their lists of meaningless words. Was there any limit to the follies of mankind? Still, he must give no hint of his inner thoughts. The customer was always right....\n\n“There’s no doubt,” replied the doctor, “that we can modify the Mark V to print lists of this nature. I’m much more worried about the problem of installation and maintenance. Getting out to Tibet, in these days, is not going to be easy.”\n\n“We can arrange that. The components are small enough to travel by air — that is one reason why we chose your machine. If you can get them to India, we will provide transport from there.”\n\n“And you want to hire two of our engineers?”\n\n“Yes, for the three months that the project should occupy.”\n\n“I’ve no doubt that Personnel can manage that.” Dr. Wagner scribbled a note on his desk pad. “There are just two other points —”\n\nBefore he could finish the sentence the lama had produced a small slip of paper.\n\n“This is my certified credit balance at the Asiatic Bank.”\n\n“Thank you. It appears to be — ah — adequate. The second matter is so trivial that I hesitate to mention it — but it’s surprising how often the obvious gets overlooked. What source of electrical energy have you?”\n\n“A diesel generator providing fifty kilowatts at a hundred and ten volts. It was installed about five years ago and is quite reliable. It’s made life at the lamasery much more comfortable, but of course it was really installed to provide power for the motors driving the prayer wheels.”\n\n“Of course,” echoed Dr. Wagner. “I should have thought of that.”\n\nThe view from the parapet was vertiginous, but in time one gets used to anything. After three months, George Hanley was not impressed by the two-thousand-foot swoop into the abyss or the remote checkerboard of fields in the valley below. He was leaning against the wind-smoothed stones and staring morosely at the distant mountains whose names he had never bothered to discover.\n\nThis, thought George, was the craziest thing that had ever happened to him. “Project Shangri-La,” some wit back at the labs had christened it. For weeks now the Mark V had been churning out acres of sheets covered with gibberish. Patiently, inexorably, the computer had been rearranging letters in all their possible combinations, exhausting each class before going on to the next. As the sheets had emerged from the electromatic typewriters, the monks had carefully cut them up and pasted them into enormous books.\n\nIn another week, heaven be praised, they would have finished. Just what obscure calculations had convinced the monks that they needn’t bother to go on to words of ten, twenty, or a hundred letters, George didn’t know. One of his recurring nightmares was that there would be some change of plan, and that the high lama (whom they’d naturally called Sam Jaffe, though he didn’t look a bit like him) would suddenly announce that the project would be extended to approximately A.D. 2060. They were quite capable of it.\n\nGeorge heard the heavy wooden door slam in the wind as Chuck came out onto the parapet beside him. As usual, Chuck was smoking one of the cigars that made him so popular with the monks — who, it seemed, were quite willing to embrace all the minor and most of the major pleasures of life. That was one thing in their favor: they might be crazy, but they weren’t bluenoses. Those frequent trips they took down to the village, for instance...\n\n“Listen, George,” said Chuck urgently.\n\n “I’ve learned something that means trouble.”\n\n“What’s wrong? Isn’t the machine behaving?” That was the worst contingency George could imagine. It might delay his return, and nothing could be more horrible. The way he felt now, even the sight of a TV commercial would seem like manna from heaven. At least it would be some link with home.\n\n“No — it’s nothing like that.” Chuck settled himself on the parapet, which was unusual because normally he was scared of the drop. “I’ve just found what all this is about.”\n\nWhat d’ya mean? I thought we knew.”\n\n“Sure — we know what the monks are trying to do. But we didn’t know why. It’s the craziest thing—”\n\n“Tell me something new,” growled George.\n\n“— but old Sam’s just come clean with me. You know the way he drops in every afternoon to watch the sheets roll out. Well, this time he seemed rather excited, or at least as near as he’ll ever get to it. When I told him that we were on the last cycle he asked me, in that cute English accent of his, if I’d ever wondered what they were trying to do. I said, ‘Sure’ — and he told me.”\n\n“Go on: I’ll buy it.”\n\n“Well, they believe that when they have listed all His names — and they reckon that there are about nine billion of them — God’s purpose will be achieved. The human race will have finished what it was created to do, and there won’t be any point in carrying on. Indeed, the very idea is something like blasphemy.”\n\n“Then what do they expect us to do? Commit suicide?”\n\n“There’s no need for that. When the list’s completed, God steps in and simply winds things up... bingo!”\n\n“Oh, I get it. When we finish our job, it will be the end of the world.”\n\nChuck gave a nervous little laugh.\n“That’s just what I said to Sam. And do you know what happened? He looked at me in a very queer way, like I’d been stupid in class, and said, ’It’s nothing as trivial as that.’ ”\n\nGeorge thought this over a moment.\n“That’s what I call taking the Wide View,” he said presently. “But what d’you suppose we should do about it? I don’t see that it makes the slightest difference to us. After all, we already knew that they were crazy.”\n\n“Yes — but don’t you see what may happen? When the list’s complete and the Last Trump doesn’t blow — or whatever it is they expect — we may get the blame. It’s our machine they’ve been using. I don’t like the situation one little bit.”\n\n“I see,” said George slowly. “You’ve got a point there. But this sort of thing’s happened before, you know. When I was a kid down in Louisiana we had a crackpot preacher who once said the world was going to end next Sunday. Hundreds of people believed him — even sold their homes. Yet when nothing happened, they didn’t turn nasty, as you’d expect. They just decided that he’d made a mistake in his calculations and went right on believing. I guess some of them still do.”" ]	3
	[WP] The devil lets you play a game of your choice for your soul. You choose Simon Says and he lets you begin. "Simon says kill God and bring me his head". You are confident that he can not win this and you are preparing to return to the world when he drops God's head in your lap. "My turn"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I couldn’t stop staring at it. The head. God’s Head. In. My. Lap. But I had to move past it, because now it was my turn to do whatever “Simon Said”.\n\nPlaying this game with Satan may have been a risky choice, but now it was the only way I could get back to my life, my family, my world. The debts I owed, the friends I had failed, the coworkers that despised me. On second thought, maybe it was worth staying here....\n\n“My turn” says The Fallen One, “and I have a perfect challenge. Simon Says rub your belly and pat your tummy while hopping on one leg!”\n\nI think that the Devil is a little out of touch with Modern Day Earth, because this is such a trite requirement that I taught my 6 year old how to do it. But do I really want to go back to Earth and face every missed opportunity and regretted choice?\n\nSo I ask the Morningstar a question that has been bothering me for however long I’ve been here (minutes? Weeks? Decades?)\n\n“Is reincarnation real? Like when a consciousness dies and they go to the Bad Place, they get reborn as something lesser?”\n\nLucifer starts to respond, but suddenly the Head of God starts glowing with a blinding light, rising from the ground like a vengeful tornado...\n\n...I wake up in my childhood bedroom. The calendar my mom always kept on my wall reads October 15, 1987. I could change the world.", "\"Ridiculous,\" the Lord said unto him, \"what makes you think you can convince me of such a ludicrous thing?\"\n\nBut the fallen angel insisted. \"Oh, come on, aren't you bored? It's a fabulous psycho-philosophical exercise on human skills and decision-making in the 21st century! This is the societal evolution you've been waiting for since the Fall of the West! You--\"\n\n\"Ah, cut the crap, Accuser.\" The archangels flinched at these impure words, even though they knew all words were made pure when they came from the Tongue of the Everlasting. \"I know you are the Prince of the mortal world and you are free there to roam as you please, but I shall not support you in your endeavors. You and I will never see eye to eye. We both know how this story ends.\"\n\nThe devil resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the mention of the Apocalypse. He knew the fulfillment of the prophecy had been delayed for so long because the 'Almighty' didn't have the power to stop him and his demons yet. He was aching to prove that prophecy wrong, to prove the lying 'God' wrong in every way, and the best way to do that was to prove that no human could abide by His ridiculous laws. He wanted to show that \"sinning\" deserved a chance.\n\n\"If you are so right, why don't you let me do this? Are you scared I will show something you don't want Your innocent pretty angels to see?\"\n\n\"We have seen, war, rape and all kinds of debauchery,\" a confused Raphael said. \"What are you implying this time, Adversary?\"\n\n\"Oh, you'll see,\" said Satan, and then he turned to the god again. \"I just need some head.\"\n\nGod didn't resist the urge to roll His eyes. \"I know your demons stole some heads already while we talked and I know you know distractions don't work with me. Just remember you only got them because I know you're wrong, and you won't get any power from them, alright? I knew you'd ask for this. I knew centuries ago.\"\n\nSatan knew it was just an excuse, but he let it slide. For the first time in the whole conversation, Michael stared at God's face, full of repressed anger. However, he remained silent, for he was a submissive little b\\tch. They all were.\n\n\"Yeah, yeah, got it. You're always right, I'm always wrong. Amazeballs. Thanks for the head!\"\n\nAnd that's how he took the head to you, but you didn't know it back then. All you did was look at the head in disbelief, with tears in your eyes, like it would speak and send you to hell for condemning humanity to a Godless world at any given moment.\n\n\"Whew, that was hard!\" He said to you, remember? He even smirked at the innuendo. \"You can f\\ck the head if you want, if you're into that. Actually, no, don't do that. It's my turn.\"\n\n\"Is it necessary?\" you asked because you couldn't believe the game would go on when GOD was f\\cking dead.\n\n\"Of course, b\\tch! Hear me out. Simon says...\" he pretended to think about it for a while and then just went for it, \"Simon says give me your soul.\"\n\nWhen the Lord felt his subjects staring at him waiting for an explanation, he just shrugged. \"See? Same shit as always, nothing new. Christ can save that soul anyways. Don't worry about the heads, they aren't even that expensive. Go back to work, people.\"\n\nAnd in heavens, as Taylor Swift predicted, angels rolled their eyes.", "As I sat there, the head of the Almighty resting in my lap, it occured to me that I was insane. I probably was in a coma, shortly after getting hit by a car. I took a deep breath. This was nothing more than a hallucination conjured up by my fevered brain as I lay dying. Nothing to worry about then. I composed my self and realized that staring at the vacant gaping head of God wasn't doing anything for my current state of mind. I squeezed my eyes shut and willed it all to go away.\n\n\"Okayy\" said the Prince of Darkness. \"I got one\".", "High above the plains of reality, where the concept of physics has never even been applied, a quite conversation takes place before the grandest throne in all of creation. \"Hey Dad.\" \n\n\"It's been a long time son. I see you've been doing well for yourself.\" \n\n\"Well you certainly made sure of that now didn't you?\" \n\n\"You didn't come all this way for petty jabs.\" \n\n\"You'd know, wouldn't you?\" \n\n\"Well yes, but you still have to ask me. That's how it works. I'm always listening but just cause I am doesn't mean you know I am.\" \n\n\"God I haven't seen you in millenia and it's exactly the same as last time.\" The devil catches himself as he realizes he's also repeating himself. \"Alright, so here's the thing. There's this guy and he's trying to cut a deal with me. It's so typically human that I just couldn't resist.\" \n\n\"And the deal?\" God asks with a smile, already knowing the answer. \n\n\"To kill you and bring him your head.\" The devil smirked. \n\n\"Like a boar someone killed in a forest? That's too funny.\" Millions of mortal souls suddenly filled with inner peace on Earth and were confounded as to why. God was genuinely laughing. \"So you want to win the deal with this human; this tiny thing that has no concept of the plans and abilities as ones such as ourselves. You want him to think he's understood the rules and tricked you, and then you present him with my 'lifeless head'?\" \n\n\"Yeah that's the plan.\" \n\n\"And of course not because you hate humans?\" God smiles slightly. The devil grins in response. \n\n\"Of course not Dad, you know that. I don't hate humans. Hell I kind of like them. But lessons need to be taught.\" \n\n\"How ironic.\" \n\nThe smile on the Devils face fades. \"Are you going to help or not?\" \n\n\"What kind of father would I be if I didn't help my children with their lessons?\" God asked rhetorically. He then took 2 of his hands and proceeded to rip his own head off. Destructive forces unleashed from the wound while miraculous energy recreated everything being destroyed at the exact same moment. God handed his most troubled son his dismembered head. \"Now don't be too hard on the poor guy. It's not his fault he's stupid.\" \n\n\"I hate you so much Dad.\" \n\nI know.", "You look down at the expressionless face and the blue eyes gaze up at you. The white beard is caked in blood and the jaw hangs open, lifeless. You grab a small clump of the hair an toss it to the side then brush the dried clots off your still crossed legs.\nYou take a glance up at Satan and then go back to your phone in you left hand. \" I said God with a capital G.\"\nHis smirk drops from his face and his shoulders droop. He slowly turns back around and heads back up the stairs out of hell with a groan.\nTrickster.", "\"Hold on, how do I know that's really God?\" I ask, pointing to the head at my feet. The line at the base of the neck was jagged as if it had been ripped free from its body by brute force rather than severed with a blade. The face was wrinkled and androgynous, the head bald and shiny as though it had never been sullied by either hair or scar. As I gazed down, sure this could not possibly be God, the eyes opened and the face scowled. I squealed and jumped back.\n\n\"I'm sure you think this is funny, don't you, son?\" the head said. The voice was powerful and angry, almost physical in its force.\n\n\"D-daughter,\" I stammer back. The eyes of the head swivel to me and then roll.\n\n\"Not you, I mean my son, Lucifer,\" the head says. The Devil, or Lucifer I supposed if that was his proper name, had turned into a cloud of heavy black smoke after dropping the head. A laugh came from the smoke and it swirled heavier with the sound. \n\n\"No, Dad, I don't think it's funny, it IS funny,\" as these words sounded from nowhere the smoke gathered itself back into a human shape. Embers flashed from where the eyes would be but otherwise it remained featureless. Each time I saw Lucifer it was in a different form. First, he appeared as if a human man offering me a deal. When he agreed to let me play this game to save my soul, he had grown taller and monstrous, scaly skin and black wings.\n\n\"Excuse me for not sharing in your amusement,\" the head said. While there was no body along with it, I could feel it crossing its arms in annoyance. \n\n\"That's really God?\" I shouted. My eyes were so wide they were watering from Lucifer's smoke and my knees were trembling.\n\n\"That's really God,\" Lucifer said, glancing at the head. \"So now it's my turn.\"\n\n\"Your turn? This is all part of one of your games?\" the God head said. It was rocking back and forth as if trying to force itself up on the base of its neck. Hesitating for a moment, I then reached out and picked it up to set it upright. The eyes swiveled to me. \"Thank you,\" it said. \n\n\"My pleasure,\" I squeaked. God just thanked me. \n\n\"Sorry to take you away from your busy schedule of ignoring humanity for this visit,\" Lucifer said. The voice was sultry and slow like magma rolling over a hillside. The smoke body turned to me. \"I have completed your task and now it's my turn. I have so many things to ask of you.\" \n\n\"Well, actually,\" my voice squeaked. I cleared my throat, swallowed, spoke again. \"Actually you have not completed my task,\" I finished. \n\nThe smoke body gestured at the head on the ground. \"Clearly I have,\" it drawled. \n\n\"No, unless dead heads can talk,\" I said. \n\n\"What are you both prattling about?\" As the God head spoke, the air around us shook with its anger. \n\n\"None of your concern,\" Lucifer said. \n\n\"I would disagree,\" the head said. \n\n\"We're playing for my soul-\" I began, but Lucifer interrupted.\n\n\"We are in my domain and I may do as I wish with human souls,\" he said. \n\n\"We made a deal and if he beats me in this game he gets my soul. He was tasked with killing God and bringing me his head. Er, sorry about that,\" I said, looking at the head. \n\n\"What did I ever do to you anyway?\" God said. Ignoring that, I continued.\n\n\"It is obvious Lucifer has brought the head,\"\n\n\"Yes, so I'm winning, and when you fail my task, your soul is mine,\" the embers within the smoke face flashed. \n\n\"Right, but you aren't winning, you didn't complete my task,\" I said.\n\n\"God's head sits at your feet,\" the smoke swirled, tendrils reaching towards me.\n\n\"But God isn't dead. That was part of the task, not just bringing me his head,\" I said. \n\n\"The head can still talk but I assure you God is dead. He no longer reigns over the heavenly domains and does not have dominion on earth. He has been dead a long time, even if he can still prattle on about parables and blessings.\" \n\n\"I'm afraid I have to disagree with you, son,\" the head said. \"I am very much alive.\"\n\n\"Since you failed at the task, that means I win the game, and I'm free to go,\" I tried to sound confident and sure of myself but my whole body felt cold with terror.\n\n\"I can help you get out of here,\" the God head said. \n\n\"No, I do not accept this,\" the devil growled. The smoke body dissipated and the cavernous space around us was now black and heavy with his smoke. I covered my mouth with my hand but still felt myself breathing it in. It was choking me and I would die here, body and soul, his forever. \n\n\"That is quite enough, Lucifer,\" the God head said, rolling its eyes again. It looked to me, \"he has always thrown the most dramatic temper tantrums.\" The smoke swirled even fiercer with this comment. \"I'm bored with them by now.\" The God head suddenly glowed with the light of the sun and I had to look away from it. The brightness faded and I looked back to see a human form, topped with the head, standing before me. As androgynous as the face and clothed in a long robe, God tapped their foot, an impatient parent. Slowly the somke stopped swirling and reformed itself into the human shape.\n\n\"This is not fair, she tricked me,\" he said, pointing to me. \n\n\"This is why I love humans,\" God said. \"Even after all these millenia, they still have the ability to surprise us.\"\n\n\"I will not let you leave,\" Lucifer snarled at me.\n\n\"Yes, you will,\" God said.\n\n\"When have I ever respected your orders before,\" Lucifer said. \n\n\"This is not my order though,\" God replied. \"This is by the rules of your own deal. You're a sore loser.\" \n\n\"So...I win?\" I asked. The embers in the smoke face flashed at me but God laughed.\n\n\"On a technicality,\" it said. Then the face turned serious, \"but don't ever try to kill me again.\" I nodded, too afraid to speak. \"Good, now that we have that understanding,\" God waved his hand and I found myself in my apartment. Panting, I collapsed onto my knees, unable to believe I had outsmarted the Devil. Clutching my chest, I let out a nervous laugh and looked around, just in time to see a tendril of smoke disappear out my front window." ]	7
	[WP] In a split second, the world reacts to the actions of a man stuck in time.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"So how is that missing person's case going, Detective Helmsley?\" Commissioner Michaels asked me, with a goofy grin on his face.\n\n\"Shawn, you already know me. Go ahead and call me by my real name. Anyways, I haven't gotten any substantial leads. Went to his apartment complex, and the residents there told me that the last they saw was him entering his apartment a month ago and never came out. Everything looked intact. The windows showed no signs of opening, no damage done anywhere, no signs of struggle. If he was kidnapped, whoever did it left no evidence.\"\n\n\"You think one of the people in the complex might-a kidnapped him, Hunter? He could be hidden in any of their rooms. Or maybe the landlord? What was his name? Jake Roberts? He always seemed kinda sleazy to me.\"\n\n\"No, Shawn, that's just it. I don't think any of them were capable of it. They seemed to show genuine concern, and there were no signs of lying or deceit.\"\n\n\"This is giving me the heebie jeebies. Do you have any other explana-\"\n\nA loud, explosive sound interrupted, shaking the floor, and knocking Commissioner Michaels down to the floor. \n\n\"The hell was that?!\" he called out. \n\nFive more booms followed, and the lights went out. I grabbed Michaels and ran us down the flight of stairs, as we weaved around the fellow coworkers at the precinct also trying to escape. \n\nThe sight as we went outside was rather haunting. Heaps of vehicles flipped over, damaged, crashed into each other or buildings, and several bodies lay strewn about. There were few screams and runners, and some of those that did, dropped dead. Several of the buildings on this street became adorned in a simple word, all in a sickishly and wet red: \"HELP\". \n\nWith everyone on edge, everyone I knew didn't sleep or relax. Can't blame them, or else who would be next? I immediately went home, just to make sure my family was safe. Safe, they were, but unresponsive and unconscious. Molly was holding Johnny in her arms, both still breathing. \n\nThe hospitals in the city were all filled with people just as afraid as I am; the nurses and doctors clearly stressed and doing all they could. I could by the looks on their faces they were fearing for their own families as well but they knew they had jobs to do. I spent at least an hour until they took them in. As they told me Molly and Johnny are in comas, they should recover, but they couldn't give me an answer on for how long.\n\nAs the week passed, I needed a distraction to keep me from worrying about Molly and Johnny. Work was just that distraction, though significantly more stressful. Even Commissioner Michaels was unnervingly silent. We had more to work on than just the missing person's case. Soon enough, it all died down. The world seemed to have cooled off, and relax to a point where they can process everything. Support groups started popping up, more people were cleared from hospitals, and the streets became cleaned up once again. Even Molly and Johnny were released (she even made me get back to work, that it was my duty - and it reminded me how much I love her, though I didn't need the reminder). It was all happening so fast, that it was easy to forget what else had happened in the world as a result of whatever the hell happened. Corrupt leaders, murderers, rapists, pretty much every person operating on the opposite side of the law than I am were reported dead. The most recently reported was Jiang Zemin, the President of China. \n\nThen I got a call from the apartment complex with the missing person case I almost forgot about. The residents kept calling and visiting the landlord, complaining of a horrible stench, as if \"someone died in there\", and it all came from one room.\n\nSuddenly, it made sense to me. This wasn't some strange act of God, some weird anomaly, or some fucking nightmare (though it still feels like it). This was calculated and human. Couple that with a lot of the fingerprints and bits of DNA everywhere after the disaster happened, it matched one person, and I knew just where to go. Maybe I found the source of all this. I don't know how, I don't know why, but this somehow makes the most sense to me, probably because both of these things feel too surreal to have happened.\n\nI visited the missing person's apartment once again and was met with a grisly sight. Hanging from the ceiling, the body of a man swung and dangled. In all my years of being a detective, I have never seen and to this day I've never seen anything quite like this. The death looked fresh, but his body looked as if it had been decomposing for some time. It was still rotting and decomposing, much faster than is normal from the look of it. Though it is hard to tell, his facial features seem...familiar. I have the precinct call in whoever was available. This needs to be inspected. \n\nThough the room looked freshly clean like the day I found it, there was perhaps one change aside from the body, and that was a stack of papers. The top page was written like a journal entry starting from last month. \n\n\"December 13, 1998\n\nThough it is weird to say, I'm glad to be back. All of my efforts proved to be fruitful, and I am back to my past. My heart is swelling at coming back to the era of my childhood. Everyone thought I was crazy for thinking it would be possible, but wait until I get back!\"\n\nThere was no name. As I flipped through, the entries remained the short length they had been. As I progressed reading, the author seemed to become more addicted to the time they were back to living in. This is so strange to me, as if I've been exposed to the possibility of time travel. They talk about all the things that haven't happened yet, in the years to come and how weird it is to be in a time before those events. Things like the President being impeached, the Twin Towers being destroyed, the reemergence of Star Wars, the continuation of the fight for civil rights, a \"War on Terror,\" and Donald Trump becoming President.\n\nSoon enough, the author becomes scared, stating they tried to go back but they can't. It was a one-way street for this person, but it gets worse. Somewhere along the line, they noticed the world stopped moving around them. They were frozen in time, as they describe the people around them to be like \"mannequins made flesh.\" What follows in these pages became incomprehensible as the author plummeted into madness. I cannot even begin to describe what is said here, but the theme seems to be about the corrupt and the wicked and society. The only consistent words in a stream of nonsense. \n\nThe final page, however, was much more understandable. \n\n\"Dad,\n\nI'm sorry. I know it hasn't been easy since Mom passed. I haven't been able to cope well myself. I've lost sleep, actually. Haven't eaten much either. So if you somehow read this, I'm sorry. I got so lost in my nostalgia and my studies that I was so deadset on breaking new ground and discovering time travel. All of those works of fiction glorified it, causing me to romanticize it to a large degree but it's actually horrifying. I lost myself in it. \n\nI don't know what I've done. I don't want to know. I fell into a pit where I lost myself, a darker pit than the one I was in. To get the air of the time I missed dearly only to be held hostage by it was not my intention. The world of 2019 and the world of 1998-99 were so vastly different, as you can tell by these entries, if you somehow find this, either in this time or the future.\n\nWhat I do remember in my madness that felt like a century (who knows, maybe it was?) was a visit I made to my childhood home. You weren't there. Likely discovering the damage I caused, but you weren't home. I found Mom and myself though, and as I touched my child self, it was like a flash. I hope I didn't cause any harm. Beings as I'm still here for now, I don't think I have. But it's too late. I gotta get out the only way I know I can. \n\nDad...\n\nJust know I finally made that breakthrough. Funny how it doesn't pay off. Anyways, it's time for me to go. For good. I love you, pops.\n\n\\-Johnny Helmsley\"" ]	2
	[WP] Hell is where souls torture themselves in prisons of their own making. No one is trapped there. If you can get over your guilt, you're free to go. No one has ever done this. Until you. As the first human ever to escape hell, you're swarmed by people in heaven, wanting to know your story...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Jeff, are you ready anytime soon?\" Jazmine asked me.\n\n\"For what?\" Turning my head to face Jazmine, I see she's quite antsy and nervous in asking me.\n\n\"Y'know...how you got here...\" she replied, looked down and shuffling her foot.\n\n\"Oh, leaving Hell. Yeah, I guess it's the right time. Sorry it took so long.\"\n\n\"No, don't apologize! You needed to recover. It's okay.\" If it wasn't for the fact I was in Heaven, I would be wondering how this kind ten year old could possibly exist. Or anyone else with a tender, loving heart here in Heaven. \n\n\"I'll see you in a little bit. I'll let them know I'm ready.\"\n\nExhaling deeply, I rub my face, a little scared of what's to come. But if I can look at my reflection in the mirror, I can certainly face these people as well. \n\nAs masses take their seat before me, with the presence of Him and his Holy Son, the warmth I feel standing here is oddly comforting and puts me at ease.\n\n\"Hello everyone. This may be a hard story to tell. It's not something I want to relive, but I feel it'll be the final step in moving on. So, here is the story of how I left Hell:\n\n\"Imagine a house you can't get out of. Imagine windows with the outside pitch black, darker than the night sky, darker than the darkest pits of the galaxy. For I don't know how long, I was stuck in that house. I was free to roam around it, but I was not alone. There was a guard dog, a big one. Pitbull. If I so much as got close to any windows or doorways that led outside, it would snarl. One time I risked it only to be torn to shreds and brought back, with the pain ingrained into my subconscious. Never again did I dare with this scary animal following me everywhere. I was allowed to peruse every book, everything in this house was mine to use. I could entertain myself and exercise, my only escape from this prison. But I wanted out, and I would sob because all I would know and have contact with is this damn dog. I had so much anger for it, yet it gave me comfort when I would lay in bed. Sometimes it would lay beside me and cuddle with me. It seemed I was earning its trust. Though its fur was black, when it seemed happy it would seem....lighter in a way. But it did not let this connection deter it from becoming violent should I try to leave.\n\n\"Imagine a house you can't get out of. Imagine windows with the outside pitch black, darker than the night sky, darker than the darkest pits of the galaxy. For I don't know how long, I was stuck in that house. I was free to roam around it, but I was not alone. There was a guard dog, a big one. Pit bull. If I so much as got close to any windows or doorways that led outside, it would snarl. One time I risked it only to be torn to shreds and brought back, with the pain ingrained into my subconscious. Never again did I dare with this scary animal following me everywhere. I was allowed to peruse every book, everything in this house was mine to use. I could entertain myself and exercise, my only escape from this prison. But I wanted out, and I would sob because all I would know and have contact with is this damn dog. I had so much anger for it, yet it gave me comfort when I would lay in bed. Sometimes it would lay beside me and cuddle with me. It seemed I was earning its trust. Though its fur was black, when it seemed happy it would seem....lighter in a way. But it did not let this connection deter it from becoming violent should I try to leave.\n\n\"What was on the T.V. that scared you so much, Mr. Jeff?\" Jazmine asked. How can I look at that face and tell her what I've done?\n\n\"I....I...\" I can't.\n\n\"You are among friends here, Jeffery. You've faced what you've done and you've been rejudged for your actions. Please, do not be afraid, for you are not that person anymore.\" His voice was as warm as his presence. \n\nI feel both His Warmth and the coldness from the overwhelming emotions churning around inside me. I can feel it in my stomach. \n\nStill, I opened my mouth and continued: \"If I looked at the television, there was static, but if I stayed there long enough, there would be all of my past transgressions; the most prominently featured one is how I treated my dog Max. Same breed, pit bull. It showed the good times with him, how sweet he was and how much love he had. He was perhaps the smartest dog I think I've ever owned. He loved cuddles, just like the pit bull in Hell. All of that would become marred by how tired I got of how he would act in certain situations. You see, he was also very afraid. Fireworks, thunder, loud vehicles in the neighborhood, it all startled him easily. I can still hear his rapid breathing, feel him trying to nudge around to make his way on my lap as he shivered, cowering from the unknown.\n\n\"I tried to help. Cuddles did nothing for him, playing with him, medication, chew toys; I looked up every single way to comfort him in such predicaments, but none of them worked, and if it did, it didn't last. My love and patience had its limits and even as I stand here, I don't think I can stand to think of how I treated him. Yelling in his ears, flipping him off, he would start to be a little timid around me, yet even that did not disquiet him.\"\n\nI stared at the ground.\n\n\"I deserve so much worse than what I got. I lost my temper one time, ONE TIME...\" Turning away, I tried to wipe my tears, but my arm was held down by another's. Jazmine had joined me where I stood, and she hugged me tight. She didn't deserve the way she had gone out. Damn her father.\n\n\"Jeffery,\" He said. \"We all understand the depths of the actions you had taken that day. We know you hurt for what you did and We forgive you. You're almost done with this trial, so please, continue My child.\"\n\nCatching myself staring at the floor, so beautifully tiled, I found the strength to lift my head upwards and meet the eyes of everyone in front of me. They looked shocked, upset, some wiping tears. Not one of them had a look of judgment on their faces. I looked down at Jazmine, and she looked up, smiling encouragingly.\n\n\"I struck him. I grabbed him by his collar and yelled until my voice was hoarse. The look in his eyes, I'll never forget. I couldn't face myself after that. So one rainy night, I took him miles and miles out of the city I lived in, and tied him up. Left him there. Seen on the news that there was a dead dog leashed to a post. Looked just like Max. That white fur was unmistakably him. I never felt so gutted in my entire life. I just hoped someone better would take him and care for him, I didn't want this.\" Tears were streaming down my face as my voice broke. \"That and the rest of my sins played out on this video tape, leading up until my dying day when I lied to my own family about being a kind man. After that, the television went to infomercials. Whatever hold was on the television was broken. The pit bull then put itself on my hands to pet it. The depth of its dark brown eyes felt so comforting. I broke out in a hug, and when that was all done, it kept nudging me to the front door of the home and pawed at the front door, as to say I was free to go. After a blinding light that made me wonder how I could ever see again, I was met with all of you. And that is the story of how I left Hell.\"\n\nI've never had an applause for me when I was living, so I wasn't expecting what I got. A cacophony of claps and cheers, and a tighter hug from Jazmine. The Holy Son smiled and His Warmth was as kind and comforting as ever. I felt a bit of fur brush past my hand, and there was Max. I don't know when he got here, but damn does he seem happy to see me.\n\nSometime later, Jazmine, Max and I were relaxing.\n\n\"Was that the hardest thing you've had to do with all this, Mr. Jeff?\" she asked, her deep blue eyes piercing mine.\n\n\"No.\" I replied.\n\n\"Then what was?\"\n\n\"Forgiving myself.\"", "That had to be a lie. There's no way I was the first person to escape. In the thousands of years humanity had existed, it was inconceivable that nobody had come up with the solution I had.\n\nAnd yet it must be true. I stood just outside the pearly gates, watching the many faces who viewed me in return. Their calls all said I was the first person to reach them since the Last Destruction. These were the faces of angels; could I really discard what they said?\n\nOther-worldly beings guided me through the utopian city, shooing away the people who would speak with me. My attempts to ask the beings questions were met with silence. The ghostly apparitions only spoke to order the other human souls out of its way. Their figures were translucent and any attempt to read their expression failed against their stoic facades.\n\nI had some small hope as we walked that they were taking me to the homes of my loved ones, but I squashed that as quickly as I could. If I were truly the first to escape Hell, there was no chance I would find them here. For as bad as I'd been, they were many times worse.\n\nThe building they brought me to was simple in comparison to the sprawling mansions that surrounded it. I looked at the apparition in the lead to ask a question, but they spoke before I could. \"The others who have been here far longer than you have had time to build out their homes. Yours is simple now because you have done very little. In time, it will expand.\" The voice spoke from all around me. Were the apparitions all speaking in unison?\n\nI decided not to question them and climbed the steps to my new home. \"Your Father is waiting inside.\" The apparitions behind me all spoke at once.\n\nI whirled at once to face them. \"God's in there?\" I asked incredulously.\n\nThey all nodded in eerie unison. \"We do not call Father that, but that is your term for him, and he resides in every person's home here.\"\n\nI gulped as I turned back to the house. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched the apparitions faded slowly from view.\n\nGod was in this building. How the fuck do I prepare for that?\n\nThe door swung open of its own volition. I felt a compulsion to step forwards that I knew was not my own. \"Come in child. I would speak with you.\" An elderly man's voice spoke from within.\n\nI bounced up and down on the balls of my feet before I strode in. 'God' was sitting in an armchair by a fireplace in the room just to the right of the door. There was nothing special about him from a visual standpoint; standard old man stuff as far as I could tell. The only thing that stood out were his eyes, which held a hint of something I couldn't identify.\n\n\"You are the first mortal to enter my gates in many many years.\" 'God' said.\n\nHow does one respond to the creator of the universe? \"That's what everyone's told me.\" I said simply.\n\nThe old man gestured to an armchair across from him. Had that been there a minute ago? \"Sit child. I would speak with you. I did not foresee anyone else entering my gates.\" 'God' said.\n\n\"But, that's impossible. You're God, aren't you? How could you not predict that?\" I said.\n\nThe elderly man waved his hand. \"That's a term you mortals assigned me. I should have discouraged it long ago, but it stuck too quickly. Now tell me, how did you get here?\"\n\nI sat down across from him. \"I said the most important words a man can say, and meant them.\"\n\n'God' leaned forwards eagerly. \"And what would those be?\"\n\n\"I will do better.\"" ]	3
	[WP] Michael, the strongest angel of God, is ordered to find the last fallen angel on Earth. The problem? He cannot find his target, despite the fact that he hears an angelic voice singing every night. Moreover, he was ordered to find the angel but has no orders about what to do if he succeeds.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue\" I repeated it to myself, muttering to myself. Humans were casting strange glances my way, perhaps thinking I was a lunatic. I didn't mind though, one more crazed, rambling man wouldn't stick out in Los Angeles. \n\nIt's amazing really. I believed myself to be one of the ultimate beings when it came to patience, second only to father. But I've been down on earth for three years, and I was beginning to lose it. \n\nI thought back to the day I was called in by father. I had been discussing soul quotas with Peter, when Gabriel descended down from the clouds, his blue Jean's and polo shirt standing in stark contrast to the other robed angels. My youngest brother had been trying to annoy the others and myself by adopting earth fashion trends. Father had enjoyed it though, so he changed our uniforms as archangels into business casual.\n\nHe landed next to us, curling his bright golden wings onto his back. Envy is a sin, yet I still found myself a bit jealous of them. They befit an archangel, unlike the black ones I possessed. \"The twins represent the night.\" Father had said, when I asked why my wings were dark while my brothers were light. \"You wings represent the moon. Dark until the radiant sun shines onto you, than you shine just as beautiful.\" Thise words comforted me than, but recently they had lost some of their meaning \n\nGabriel walked over to me, an easy, relaxed smile on his face. \"Brother, nice as always to see you. And Peter. We're so lucky to have you here.\" Peter and I smiled st him. Gabriel was the kindest of us all, so father had made him his messenger for bad news and orders. \"Now, while I'm here. Brother, father has a special mission for you.\"\n\n\"Of course Gabriel. What can I do for father?\"\n\n\"Father needs you to go down to earth and find the last fallen angel.\"\n\n\"Gabriel, you were never one to joke, or falsify orders. When did you start.\" Normally we would send lesser angels to collect the fallen ones. Why would father send me?\n\n\"Unfortunately I'm quite serious Brother. He insisted for you to go and do it.\"\n\nI sighed before nodding my head. \"Fine, what am I to do with the fallen one?\"\n\nGabriel got a nervous grin on his face. \"Well, you see, father didn't actually say what to do. The order is to find them.\"\n\nSo here I am. Trudging through the Los Angeles slums, mumbling like a mad man. I was on the way to the apartment I lived in for the past month, after finishing my shift at the fast food joint. In the human world, I was forced to eat and sleep like them, so I also needed money to afford it. I even owned a 2011 Toyota Yaris, since flying took too much energy for cross state travel. On the bright side, the gas mileage was amazing. \n\nI walked up the stairs, cradling my Chinese food container. I would need it, after dinner I would fly for four hours, searching the soul of every human I saw for the glow of an Angel's. Tiring and thankless work, just like my fast food job except unpaid.\n\nI took my keys out, inserting them into the lock, only to discover my door was unlocked. I was momentarily puzzled before summoning my holy fire sword, Rapture. I never left my door unlocked, so that would mean someone's in my apartment. Opening the door, I was greeted with the sight of a figure laying on my couch.\n\n From the light of my sword, I could make out his features. I was shocked, not only did he seem to be unafraid on me, but he looked exactly like me in my holy form, except where I had muscles, he was nothing but skin and bone. \n\n\"Please put that away.\" He spoke in a calming tone, it seemed just like Gabriel's yet his came off more forced and calculated. \"I came to talk, not for a bonfire.\"\n\nI looked over him, looking onto his soul, only to find nothing to look at. Even demons had black twisted souls, yet he had nothing. I pointed my sword at him, as the flames began consolidate at the tip. \"Speak now, for you stand upon the sacred ground of my studio apartment. This is a grand sign, punishable by death.\"\n\nThe soulless being starred at me. His features expressed shock, before he began to laugh. \"Come on, after three years, you still talk like that? I've been avoiding your ass for three years, hoping that you could talk normally, but no. You talk like your father's stick is up your ass\"\n\nHow dare he disrespect Father like that, and making me suffer for search for years. I saw red. \nPatience is a virtue, yet mine is finite, Rapture responded to my feelings as it launched its flame towards the being. The same holy flame that had seared thousands of demons before. The same flame that gave birth to the sun.\n\nThe Being waved his finger towards me, unfurling the hidden wings on his back. Feathers as black as night, absorbing all the light in the room. My flames changed course, running into his outstretched wing. They passed into it, disappearing into the darkness. The only thing left was a,now, bright red feather from where the flames entered.\n\nHe grinned at me. \"And he said you were the patient one. Oh well. I'll give you another three years. Learn to talk while your at it.\" He launched himself from my window, flying to the next building over, before turning back. \"Don't forget to call Micheal. It's been doing since us twins have played so much.\" He began to fly off \n\nI should have known he'd be the last Fallen one. I don't know why it never occurred to me. Maybe I was just hoping that he really did go to hell, to never return. I see why father had sent me now, I was the one who reported him to father, the one who defeated him on the field of battle, the one who cried the most of the Archangels when father casted out of heaven.\n\nI ran towards the window, determined it to let him get away, my conflicted emotions be dammed. I was about to exit the window when I noticed a feather in the windowsill. Bright red. I heard him laugh in the distance, as the feather exploded, releasing Raptures flames into me. I cried out with all my might \"Lucifer! I'll find you, and I'll drag you to father!\"\n\n I was slammed into the other side of the room, my angelic powers absorbing most of the impact from rapture, yet still much more than this mortal shell could withstand. I'd have to sleep it off, somewhere safe. I crawled towards the door, Raptures flames swiftly engulfing the apartment.\n\n I barely made it outside, before I collapsed. I heard a commotion as people gathered around me, and later the sound of ambulances. As they loaded me in, my final thought before blacking out wasn't about my twin, or my father. But about my security deposit that I knew I wasn't getting back", "Weeks had passed by as Michael continued his search for the fallen angel. He had already traveled across the globe twice for his search, but to no success. He had visited the cold winters of the North, the blazing summers in the South, flew through the dense cites, and even the desolated deserts but the fallen angel was nowhere to be found. Michael hadn't realized how difficult the task was. Differentiating between humans was considerably easier for him since he was able to see a light in every human being on Earth. Every human had a different light shining inside them. Some people who were more violent and selfish had a much dimmer shine to them while others who were well-mannered and disciplined had a much brighter shine. Over the years there were less and less people with bright lights within them. Such people were really uncommon and dispersed.\n\nMichael had assumed that finding an angel today would've been much easier as an angel's light is much different than common humans. An angels light shines brighter than the moon in a lonely night and can be witnessed from miles away. Yet, Michael had found nothing in his search for the fallen angel. Nothing but a sweet singing voice Michael heard every night. This sound was relaxing enough that the birds would stop chirping and the wolves would stop howling just so they could hear the beautiful voice singing. It would resonate through the darkness and it seemed like it created its own light as the soothing voice formed a smoothness inside the listener's mind freeing one from their problems. After hearing the voice, Michael knew this was the fallen angel he was looking for but despite the voice he was not able to find an angel's light. \n\nTonight Michael had decided to meet the person to whom such beauty belonged. He found himself in a small club in a dark part of New York. After spending a few moments in the club he realized he had made a mistake. There was no angel to be found here. Drunk and brokenhearted people surrounded him. Not a soul around him had a light that could be compared to an angel. The place was a disaster and yet everybody seemed to accept that and forget that behind the loud noise they called music. Michael lost his hope and was just about to leave as the lights and the music went out. Nobody said a word or complained as they waited in complete silence. Suddenly a flashlight beamed through on the stage showcasing a young woman, most likely in her early 20s. In a red dress, accompanied by nothing but a little makeup, the woman was the most beautiful sight Michael had ever laid his eyes on. He was awestruck as he couldn't take his sight off the woman's clear hazel eyes as the soft lips created the most gorgeous smile which further formed dimples on the soft cheeks. Her hair swooped around her back forming the most beautiful curls. \n\nMichael recognized her voice without hesitation as she started singing. Her soothing voice had calmed Michael down. He became unaware of his surrounding of which he was disgusted by a moment ago. Every other person in the room seemed to have forgotten about their struggles as well. They all sat their in silence and relaxation as everybody was concentrating on nothing but the pleasant singing. Michael had forgotten all about his mission as he just sat there listening to the soft tunes calming his mind and body. He had finally found the fallen angel as she was glowing by the brightest light Michael had ever seen. \n\nLater that night, after the show Michael followed the lady as she walked through the dark streets. Michael couldn't help but wonder what a lay like her was doing in a place like this. This was most certainly not a safe place as Michael saw that it was filled with people with the darkest lights within them. No wonder he couldn't see the fallen angels bright light as it was enveloped by the darkness around her. Soon enough Michael had followed her all the way to her apartment which looked in a terrible mess. The front door was half broken and the hallways were filled with dust while the stairs creaked. Michael made sure he wasn't in sight to humans as he followed the lady inside her house. To his shock, this place was much cleaner than any other place in the city. Everything was organized and looked perfectly in place like looking at a picture in a magazine. Additionally, it was filled with the most sweetest fragrance that reminded Michael of his home. Soon after entering, a little kid about six years old came out from another room as he ran and hugged the lady. Michael was deeply affected by this sweet interaction and proceeded to look around the house. \n\nAbout half an hour later, when the kid had fallen asleep in the arms of the lady Michael felt out of picture. His mission was to find the fallen angel. Well he did and now what? After a moment of thought he decided to appear before the woman for at least he wanted some answers. Michael approached her in his full winged form as much to his dismay left no reaction to the woman. They stared at each other for a while until Michael realized that the lady was fully aware of his presence all this time. She was the fallen angel after all. \n\n\"Would you like some tea?\" the lady offered with a smile.\n\nMichael was appalled at how calm the lady reacted to the situation. He had previously encountered people who misunderstood him for ghosts or ran away from him, but nobody ever offered him tea. \"No thanks\" Michael answered. \n\n\"So why have you been following me all night? I noticed you in the club and then following me home. I had always believed in angels but seeing one felt tremendous.\" the lady continued.\n\nMichael explained her the quest he was on and how she was the fallen angel that he was meant to find. He told her how her voice attracted him to one of the darkest places on Earth and asked \"Why...why do you choose to be here? Why do you live in such a mess?\"\n\n\"I was born here. This is my home.\" answered the lady.\n\n\"How did such a place like this create such an angel like you? \" Michael became more intrigued.\n\n\"I was born in a very small and troubled house. I had never met my father while growing up and my mother killed herself later on. It was just me and my older brother growing up together here, who passed away last year in an accident. I am aware of the horrors that this place is surrounded by because I was one of them. However, I don't believe the place around you defines you. It is your inner-self that defines you. I was willing to change for a better and healthy life from my past. And I mean to do the same with this place... heal it. I work on days around here helping for people that need it. I don't have much knowledge but just my talent in singing. So I use that to help people relax every night from the distraughtful days that surround the people. I also manage to earn a few money but enough to make sure Alex has a proper upbringing as he has lost his family as well.\" She explained as she looked at the kid in her arms with much affection.\n\n\"Is that not your son?\" \n\n\"No. However, I do treat him like my own because he had a pretty similar childhood like mine and I work in order to make sure he has a future unlike mine.\" \n\nHearing her story Michael had understood everything. A person who came out of her past in order to help others like her own and even adopting a stranger's son for a brighter future deserved nothing but to be an angel.\n\n\"Well now what happens?\" the lady asked.\n\nHowever, Michael didn't have an answer. He didn't know. He found the fallen angel but didn't know what to do with her. \n\n\"Nothing.\" Michael decided. \"You stay here. It's because Earth needs angels like you.\"" ]	3
	[WP] You went in to get your flu vaccine, but they gave you a very different shot instead.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Every year, as the days started to grow short and cold, the local pharmacy would put out a sign advertising \"Painless Flu Shots™\". I usually ignored it, but one year, when coughs were going around a little earlier than usual, I decided to give the vaccine a shot. I'd never heard anyone complain about their services, so I figured it couldn't be too bad.\n\nWhen I went inside, I was surprised to see that there was no one in sight, other than the receptionist. It was kind of late, so I supposed it was near closing time. I hurried up to the counter and said \"Could I get a flu shot?\" The receptionist replied \"Of course! Come this way.\" She stepped out from behind the counter and led me through a doorway. I followed her through a long hallway with smooth, tiled floors and harsh fluorescent lighting. It seemed like a little far just for a simple flu vaccine, so I asked \"Where are we going?\" The receptionist didn't stop, and only responded \"To get your shot.\" Confused, I continued following her until she stopped at a door. \"In here\" she said, pulling the door open. Through the entry, all I saw was darkness. I stepped in anyways, thinking that the room might have one of those newfangled automatic lights, but once I passed the threshold, no lights snapped on, and I felt a sudden chill in the air, as if I had stepped outside. I turned to ask the receptionist to explain what was going on, but the door had already been shut.\n\nBy this time, my eyes had gotten used to the darkness, and I was able to observe some of my surroundings. I seemed to be in some sort of alley, which extended quite far in both directions. As I looked at the side opposite me, I noticed that there was a line of figures standing against the wall. Suddenly, I heard a series of clicks. I tried to call for attention, but I hadn't gotten a syllable out when someone yelled \"FIRE!\" Loud bangs echoed through the alley as intense pain speared through my chest. I collapsed to the ground, and, as the world faded to black, my last thoughts were \"This isn't painless!\"", "\"EEAAAAGGHH!\" I scream as I rip my own left arm off at the elbow. It cracks open like an unusually tough eggshell. There was some clear fluid, and a trace of red that may have been blood. Several tentacles sprang from my wrecked elbow, unfurling and stretching. I fall forward in relief, only to feel a stabbing pain in my right arm as I catch myself before faceplanting on the hardwood. I look for only a moment - my right arm has cracked, too, but all the way up to the shoulder. I feel the pain edge off slightly as what was once my flesh spreads apart, releasing the tentacles emerging there. I strip off the old arm, unconsciously using my left tentacles to do so. It felt so good to flex them, feel them come alive for me. I pause briefly to admire my ... ten new tentacles. Then I grab my face with all ten and tear it open, relieving the pressure that was building quickly to unbearable levels. Frantically now, I pull, tear, crack at my shedding flesh to reveal - myself - as I truly exist. I never knew I was in the wrong form, but now I wonder how I could possibly have been content with that rigid, segmented existence.\n\nI stagger on fresh uncertain legs towards the full length mirror in the master bedroom." ]	3
	[WP] The earth has run out of natural coal. All natural resources are dwindling. Powerplants run off of the only source of coal left. They hire naughty kids to do what they do best. And Christmas is coming.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The first year wasn't so bad - what with marshal law, looting & the general free-for-all destruction of a coal-free world - everybody got a healthy dose of coal from jolly old Saint Nick just for adjusting to the new regime. \n\n\nThe second and third year were a bit more civilized, with a lot of the power restored, those in charge had all but regained their footing. It wasn't perfect, so the next years' & the following years' hauls were hefty, but understandably significantly less than the first.\n\n\nSo they upped the game.\n\n\nYear four saw the birth of The Purge & the subsequent three years garnered a bounty so large, they were teaching the dark days of year one during history classes. But the calm wasn't going to last forever.\n\n\nFather Christmas was getting pretty low himself & with the sudden rise in bad behaviour, the naughty list had never been so long. The good children were so few & far between, he'd almost made no toys at all. He'd have to redefine the rules to keep up.\n\n\nSo one decade on, the coal was back to a minimum. Energy was scarce. Martial law reigned supreme once again - but this time, it didn't matter. Only the very worst children got coal, but Santa was disheartened by the thought of making toys for those who were once considered naughty, those that were doing unspeakable things.\n\n\nAs a being of a different nature, he couldn't understand the reason why the children had turned so, or the world that was effected. By the twelfth year, he'd made up his mind; there was no hope, no spark of joy, no magic to sprinkle on the hearts of the pure. \n\n\nIt was finally time to leave the innocent behind & go home.", "It's been 6 months since the world's coal supply ran out. But those with money and power had a nasty habit of trying their hardest to keep things from changing. They all lacked imagination, with all of that money, they didn't need to stick to one business strategy for as long as they did, and yet... Here we are.\n\nThey closed their mines and fired their miners, putting many out of work. They paid congress and the corrupt media to silence the protests and the authorities turned a blind eye. It's not like this kind of thing wasn't common place, businessmen have been doing this for centuries, and people still put faith in the government.\n\nBut now the issue they had was their taxes, and they still needed an income. Sure, they could open a solar farm, or hydroelectric dam, or even hire a bunch of people to run bicycle generators all day, but no. They wanted coal, and they weren't creative enough or intelligent enough to do it any other way.\n\nThey somehow got child labour legalised around the world. I guess China's government and business cultures spread like wildfire when the coal was gone.\n\nThey then hired children... Lots of them... Took in orphans, even hired women as breeding cattle... And so it began... Children rioting in the streets, causing all sorts of problems, police unable to control the chaos, no government in the world could justify using violence to stop them. Until China found a solution... They hired children as puppets in government roles, and authorised a child police to kill any individuals, regardless of age, who was causing them too much trouble. And nobody had ever heard of it, inside or outside of China...\n\nOn the 26th of December, China had announced that they had enough coal stockpiled to sell and export around the world. Other countries investigated and were horrified by what they found...\n\nNow, I guess all we can say is that China was always ahead of the curve when it came to making immoral decisions to line their pockets...\n\nWe have entered a new dark age, and no child will ever see the light again.", "The president has been assured it would work. Numerous advisors had pointed to various charts and graphs, all pointing to the one and only conclusion.\n\nSo, with a heavy heart, President Lassiter went on air with a simple plea.\n\n“This autumn has been harsh and the bitter winds of winter are already depleting our remaining energy reserves. We are building alternative power sources as quickly as we can, but if we want to survive winter, there is one thing we need: we need coal. \n\n“My advisors have brought it to my attention that there are in fact vast coal reserves in the North Pole. Those, however, are only accessible on Christmas Eve, and only through a series of tubes which my advisors tell me somehow lead to people’s socks. I don’t profess to understand all of the mystical details, but I do understand that we need that coal.\n\n“Therefore I, the president of these great, United States, humbly begs all you naughty children out there to do your worst. I am hereby signing a proclamation of pardon for all crimes committed from tomorrow, November 1st at midnight until December 25th at midnight. No havoc is too great, no punishment will come for you. Please, cause mayhem. Thank you, and may Santa help us.”\n\nAn aide stepped forward. “The president will take questions now.”\n\nThe press was abuzz, but only had one real question. \n\n“President Lassiter, are you condoning the Purge?” \n\nThe president’s eyes clouded with worry as the press held their collective breath in wait. \n\n“In order to get that coal, all will be forgiven. Be very, very naughty.”\n\n————\n\nHere is the thing about naughty children. There are essentially three kinds. \n\nFirst, there are those children labeled naughty by society because they have delayed social development in some way. Santa has never counted them as naughty, and he always gets quite frustrated with parents and teachers who label them as such. He would never give these children coal.\n\nSecond, there are children who are naughty because they hang out with other naughty children. They just go along with the flow and get caught up in the schemes of others. These children more disappoint Santa than anything, but they do generally receive coal. He hopes the coal will make them realize they need to make changes.\n\nFinally there are the real naughty children—the naughty children who do it because they feed on negative attention. These children are quite rare. Maybe one or two children in thirty. These are the children who will get coal every year and hold it up as a badge of pride. It was probably one of these kids who started the movement. Only a complete contrarian would have thought of it.\n\nAs many movements begin, it all started with a meme. The meme was posted to the darkest recesses of the internet at 00:03 on November 1st. It was in that Drake format:\n\n[Drake rejects] “doing bad things cos the president asked you to do bad things” followed by [Drake is satisfied by] “doing good things to troll the president cuz lulz”\n\nwith no punctuation whatsoever.\n\nIt took off in hours. Naughty kids everywhere made a pact to be as good as possible in order to troll the president. \n\nSure, maybe one or two kids slashed tires or let a toad loose in their science classroom, but the consensus quickly grew that the baddest thing of all to do was be good.\n\nGrannies cowered in the streets as hoodlums ran towards them to help them cross the street. Mothers fretted that their sweet children hadn’t gotten into a single fight that week. Teachers found all their lessons finished early because no one disrupted a single lesson. Newscasters couldn’t start the evening news with “Do you know where your children are?” because they were all at home, doing the dishes and finishing their homework. \n\nThe president’s advisors scrambled for a solution.\n\n“Maybe they were so bad earlier in the year that there is no way they can make up for it this late?”\n\nImpossible. One formerly naughty child had managed to single-handedly save an entire pod of gray whales in danger of beaching themselves. These naughty kids were too good.\n\n“Maybe, as they were told to be naughty, but they’re not being naughty, they’ll be on the naughty list? For being good, because now good is naughty?”\n\nNobody could actually follow that logic, so they set that discussion aside.\n\n“Maybe we should just all ask Santa for coal for Christmas?”\n\n“Wait, what?”\n\n“Well if Santa has coal... maybe we should just ask for it.”\n\nThus began the counter-revolution. It was spread by voicemail, the most secure form of communication the president’s advisors could think of. Parents everywhere forged their children’s handwriting, scrapping their actual letters to Santa and asking instead for coal. \n\nThe parents’ counter-plan brought even more of a smile to Santa’s face than the sudden uptick in good behavior had. Most parents, he reflected, were trying to do what they thought was best for their kids, even going so far as to hijack their Christmas letters to make sure they wouldn’t starve. \n\nSanta’s elves were annoyed that the toys they had spent the past few months constructing and programming were going totally I requested. They petitioned Santa to let them send out toys instead of coal, but Santa waved off their complaints.\n\n“I’ve got a better plan. Get your tools out. You guys had better get ready for some all-nighters until Christmas Eve.” The elves cheered at the thought of more work. \n\n—————\n\nOn Christmas morning, parents and children alike awoke to find something unexpected. At first it seemed as if Santa had not visited at all—there were no presents under any Christmas tree. And then, families looked more closely at each tree and realized they weren’t trees at all, but were miniature solar power collectors, far more advanced than anything currently produced by science. Each one had a note tied to the central trunk:\n\n“Coal is for dinosaurs. This should provide the power necessary for your home. Just put it on the lawn and make sure to water it. —S”\n\nWithin hours, homes around America were decorated with the shining new symbol of Christmas, and Americans never relied on fossil fuels again. It was a Christmas miracle. \n\n~~~~\n\nThis was a very silly and fun prompt! I really enjoyed it! Comments and criticism always welcome!", "“Is that the worst you can do?!” He shouted at us. \n\nThe fires burned and car alarms blared. The smell of spray paint engulfed me as I tagged everything in sight. The mural of Santa dropping his pants was my favorite but the Colonel described it as pedestrian. I thought it was enough to earn a couple of sacks but he just shook his head.\n\nAround me, others smashed in store windows and stole televisions and iPods and whatever else they could. They grabbed the cash and stuffed it inside their sweatshirt pockets. Not that anyone was using the tech or the money, the power went out months ago. When the rolling blackouts rolled slower. Until they rolled to a stop all together.\n\nWe had all been in juvenile hall before then. We listened to them. Ate what they made us eat. Did what we were told to do. Punished for what they were making us do now. It seemed hypocritical but most things adults do leaned that way anyhow. Self-righteous ass-hats.\n\nSo we ran amok, and did it with joy. Smiles burned into our faces. We relished in their destruction. But like anything you do to make someone else happy, it faded. The fun was doing it to fuck with them. Without that, this all felt empty.\n\nChristmas Eve was almost over, so they pushed us harder than before. We had been up almost 48 hours doing their dirty deeds. Finally the time came for us to lay down to rest. If we didn’t sleep, they said, he wouldn’t come. And all of this would have been for nothing.\n\nSo we all went back to our homes, exhausted and spent, and waited for the jingle bells. Merry Christmas you filthy animals. Enjoy the coal. I’m staying awake.", "\"wait wait wait, you'll pay me to do what??\"\n\nLittle Thomas Michael Smith was no thief. If he wanted some new toy or a cone of ice cream he'd look for coins on the street, sell an old belonging, on rare occasions turn to a stranger's kindness in hope to get some change. But steal? Never. What would his parents have thought of him? You know, if they were alive and all. They'd be disgraced, ashamed, disgusted with his behaviour. Thomas always thought that if he had parents he'd have never let them down.\n\nThat man in the suit leaned closer\n\n\"hush!\" He whispered, \"we can't be heard\" he said. \n\nHe took Thomas aside and went down on his knee. He pulled a yellow business card out of his pocket. Thomas declined the business card, he can't read anyway, it would be a shame for the man to waste an expensive business card on a 6 year old who can't read it anyway. The man looked into little Thomas' big brown eyes. \n\n\"Everyone needs to do their part little guy\" he said softly. Thomas looked away, he didn't care for long eye contacts. He looked at the floor, glazing over a car shaped rock on the floor. This'd definitely go in his collection. \n\nThe man took a deep breath and tilted Thomas' little head gently towards him. Thomas looked at him unwillingly. \n\n\"We need you to be a bad boy. A really bad boy\" he said \"bad enough for Santa to think you were a naughty boy this year.\" \n\nThomas nodded and pulled his shoulders up, \"you picked the wrong kid\" he said. \n\nThe man leaned closer, Thomas backed away. \n\n\"You steal a toy and get money for it\" said the man, \"It's a clean profit!\" \n\nThomas frowned, \"It ain't clean...\" he muttered. \n\nThe man took down his sunglasses and exposed a pair of soft blue eyes. \n\n\"Listen Thomas\" he said, \"the world is in a big crisis. We're running out of coal and our window of opportunity is closing. We need you kids to be naughty so that Santa gives you the coal this world needs so badly. We need you kid, and we need you to act real bad. We know you're a good kid but we can't do this without you. Every bit of coal counts\" he said.\n\nThomas looked aside back at the car shaped rock. He thought for a minute and in the end asked \"so... By being bad, I'm actually... Doing good?\" \n\n\"Exactly.\"\n\nThomas thought for another minute. He streched his hand out to the man. \"We have a deal\" he said formally.\n\nThe man shook Thomas' little hand. \"I'll come by sometime next week to collect the coal\" he said, \"make sure to give this coal to no one but me, no matter what offers you may get from other people. People will do anything for coal nowdays, and some of them are bad people with bad intentions.\"\n\nThomas nodded shortly. The man smiled at him.\n\n\"You have less than 24 hours to be the naughtiest kid you can be\" said the man, \"make it count.\"\n\n\n\nThomas walked down the busy street, playing with the car shaped rock in his pocket, and with his box of matches in the other. He looked at the stores, thinking of the crime he needs to do in order to keep his promise. \n\n\"Do a crime, don't get caught, help human kind\" he mumbled to himself. \n\nWhat could he do to be bad enough for him to spoil a year of being good? Rob a candy store? Punch a kid in the orphanage? Johnny Philips sure desurves it, the little asshole with his snorting laughter and vishious pranks. A good fight with him would sure get Thomas a nice bunch of coal. But no money in the world is worth a kick in the nuts the way Johnny gives 'em. Oh well, we'd think of something else. He looked up from the sidewalk to see in front of him the tiniest room he had ever seen. On the narrow hallway-like walls, shelves with hand crafted wooden toys; and in the end of this short hallway a frail old man behind a counter. Thomas walked in. A Too Too train, and a horse, and a pretty little doll, and a soldier; stood side by side on the organized shelves. The old man smiled at Thomas. \n\n\"Special Christmas sell\" said the old man, \"buy one- get one half priced\"\nThomas was nervous. He looked at the old man. He seemed as poor as Thomas. His clothes were covered with patches and his hands were wounded with the woodwork. This was a difficult dilemma... This poor old man... But... The coal... Thomas stared at a little statue of a ballerina while considering his next move.\n\n\"I can fix you a special price for it if you'd like\" said the old man.\n\n\"Actually\" said Thomas, \"I'm buying a present for my sister. Do you have it with a purple dress? My sister likes purple.\"\n\n\"Let me check\" said the old man. He opened a door behind him and disappeared in the back of the store.\n\nThomas was left alone. This was his perfect chance. Just take something and run, you don't have much time, just do it for the love of God! Thomas reached at the Too Too train slowly. 'Should I take it?' he thought repeatedly, 'Should I take it?'\n\nBefore he had the chance to make a choice, the old man went back into the store with a purple dresses ballerina in his hand. \"There we go\" said the old man.\n\nThomas reached into his pocket, he pulled out some coins and a couple of dollar bills he has been saving for a while. He looked at his hand and then at the old man. \"Would that be enough?\" He asked.\n\nThe old man took the money and counted it. \"Not quite,\" said the old man \"but I'll cut you some slack. It's Christmas!\" He said. Thomas had never felt so guilty before. Just a moment ago he ploted to steal from the old man... He thanked him and left the store, sore and ashamed.\n\nThomas went into the orphanage with his head held down and his hands in his pockets. He put the ballerina on little Suzy's night stand and went straight to bed. Tomorrow would be Christmas and besides, he just wanted this day to be over.\n\n\n\nThe little shouts of joy from the Christmas tree downstairs woke Thomas up. He went down unwillingly and looked for his present. He found a box, covered in red wrapping paper and a green ribbon. It was bigger than he expected. He opened the knot gently and ripped off the wrapping paper. He opened the box to see inside it a familiar Too Too train, laying on it was a card that read \"you've been a good kid Thomas. Marry Christmas! Yours truly, Santa.\" Thomas felt conflicted. He promised to be a bad boy and get some coal for the human kind. He never ment to break his promise, he wanted to help but he just... Couldn't. \n\nHe looked at the toy with agony and reached for the box of matches in his pocket. He knew what he had to do.\n\nHe went to his room and lit a match. He put it right on one of the front wheels and watched with tears in his eyes as it started burning. A knock on the door made him put out the fire as quickly as he could. A nun walked in with a smile on her face and a box in her hand, \n\n\"you didn't get your present from under the tree\" she said. \n\nThomas looked at her in confusion, \"yes I did\" he said.\n\n\"There is no other Thomas Michael Smith in the orphanage\" said the nun. She stopped and sniffed the air. \"Do you smell something burning?\"\n\nThomas took the present, thanked the nun and set on the floor. He opened the knot gently and ripped off the wrapping paper. He opened the box to find coal, loads of it, with a card laying on it. \"It's very rude to not keep a promise\" read the card \"I hope to see you get better next year. Marry Christmas! Yours truly, Santa.\"\n\n\"Oh no...\" Said the nun \"I'm so sorry little one...\"\n\nThomas hid his smile behind a convincing pocker face. \"Oh well,\" he said. \"We can't all be winners\"" ]	6

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