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] In the Wizard Kingdom, the method of discovering new spells is a closely guarded secret. The "spell crafters" are in fact just putting random words together in hopes of something working out.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for allowing me to pitch for you. I hope you like what you hear.\n\n\nThey say a monkey banging away at a typewriter for an infinite amount of time will eventually write everything ever written. And that's the inspiration for Spell Hatch! The world's first blockchain-based, open sourced, spell making app. Our propriety software will listen to your surroundings and combine all the words it hears. In all orders.\n\nLet's break this down so even I can understand. Pretend we're making a 4 digit passcode on our phone. Any combination of 4 numbers, using 0 through 9 as our options. That will give us 10,000 possible combinations. Let's add 2,3...5,6,7,8 and 9 digit passcodes and we're at millions upon millions of unique combinations. What we do is replace those 10 numbers with 10 words. We can hear or say 10 words within minutes of being awake. This means, before we've even had our coffee, we've attempted to make a spell, millions of times.\n\nJust a little more numbers and we'll move on to the fun stuff. Now let's say we have 100 words. That's 95,089,600 different 1,2,3 or 4 word combinations. Right now, this the max amount we are able to provide each user (per day) but we hope to expand in the future. We also destroy all combinations that have failed so we and the user will not waste valuable time and resources.\n\nHave I lost you so far? Any questions about the math? Good, because I probably couldn't answer them.\n\nMoving on. How do we test the combinations? This has always been a struggle for any spell maker. No one has the time to test 95 million combinations a day and it simply can't be done. Luckily, it doesn't have to. We have partnered with Timecube. Timecube is the only time travel company on the planet and they are very picky who they do business with. Timecube uses ancient Dwarven technology, recently discovered in the depths of the Krazax cave. The cubes can take you to any point in time and the best part, inside the cube, there is no time. It is stopped completely while inside. You or I could go back a billion years and if you opened the cube today, we'd come out just fine. No food, no water, no oxygen needed.\n\n\nWhy does this matter? Earlier I told you an anictote about a monkey with infinite time. It's a neat story but we never had infinite time. Until now. I have my 95 million words ready to go, now what? How long do I wait? You don't! As soon as we receive your words, a cube is sent back 3,803 years. The employee in the cube says 25,000 word combinations a day and is back within minutes. Our time, not theirs. \n\nWhoa! Ok, I see we have a lot of questions now. I get it. Let's actually hold them to the end and I'll answer anything you've got.\n\nLet's say we've created a spell! Great! The word combination is encrypted using blockchain technology. We all know how that works. Blah, blah, blah....and this happens as soon as it reaches the year 2008, when blockchain was invented. Meaning, no one, not even us, will know what the word combination is. The spell will have a \"seal\" letting others know if it has been seen yet. This gives our users the opportunity to sell to collectors or keep it to themselves, which I think is very cool.\n\nWe can talk pricing later but it will be sold as a monthly membership. There are an estimated 500,000,000 mages worldwide, ranging from novice to master. I honestly believe we can capture 30% of that market immediately and build from there.\n \nOk, that's my little pitch. Thank you. I'll go ahead and open it to questions. Although I think I know what everyone's first question is. Yes, you sir?\n\n\"Who exactly will be in these \"Time\" cubes? Are there people willing to do this?\"\n\nThere it is. That's the question, right there. This will be our biggest point of contention. As many of you probably have guessed, we will be using thralls.\n\n*gasps and chatter from the crowd\n\nI know what you're thinking...... please there's no need to leave, I.......\n\nabout half the attendees leave in disgust\n\nIf you just give me a moment to provide more information. Listen I get it. We have tried many other options and this is the only one currently working.\n\n\"What do you say to those of us that think thralling is slavery?\"\n\nI understand your viewpoint but please let me finish.\n\n\"You're working with vampires, you should be ashamed!\"\n\nNow hold on. Please give me a chance to clarify a few things. Firstly, the rumors of us working with vampires to create thralls is completely untrue! We welcome all proper government agencies to inspect our thralls for bite marks at any time. Our thralling is done with painless, and completely reversible hypnosis magic. It has been proven safe by the Food, Drug, Alcohol and Magic Association for years now.\n\n\"So these are paid employees, volunteers, what?\"\n\nNo.\n\n\"So?.... Who then?\"\n\nWe are currently using goblins.\n\nthe crowd erupts with whispers and chatter\n\n\"Goblins are people too!!\"\n\n\"Yeah!! She's right!\"\n\nMa'am, goblins kill thousands of people a year, worldwide. Currently, 17 countries have goblin hunting seasons and we plan to only operate in those areas unless granted permission. These goblins are completely safe once in the cube and remain unharmed. Since no time passes for them we could, theoretically, release them moments after their capture as if nothing happened.\n\nMa'am?\n\n\"You claim you'll have close to 150,000,000 active users pretty quickly. A quick search shows the goblin population is estimated to be 30,000,000. Even if you had every goblin at your disposal, this doesn't seem to be possible. Can you elaborate on this\"\n\nOf course. It's a hard concept to grasp, I get it. Theoretically, you could send the same goblin back as fast as you can load the words. I can send it back at 7:00pm and for 1 billion years, as long as the math is correct we can have it come back at 7:00pm and one second if we wanted. For now we plan to use each goblin 12 times an hour, or 288 times a day.\n\n\"Hold on I'll need my calculator for this... So thaaat's... ok, wow. At maximum capacity, you'll need 520,833 goblins! Do you have that many of the \"Timecubes\"?\n\nTimecubes, yes. Goblins, no.\n\n\n\"What's your plan then? How does one capture 520,000 goblins?\"\n\nYou don't.\n\n\"So? What do* you do?\n\nWe're breeding them.\n\n\"You what!?\"\n\nWe're.... ahem....breeding them, ma'am.\n\n\"Nope! I'm out! P.E.TA. and God knows who else will be suing you for years. You'll never escape it. Good luck to you.\"\n\n\n\n\nOk.......Yes, you in the cowboy hat?\n\n\n\"Goblins kill 5% of my cattle every year. I say fuck goblins!\"\n\n*a few people clap\n\n\"None of what you said today made a lick of sense to me except one thing. Do you honestly believe you can get 150,000,000 of these magic nerds to sign up for a monthly subscription?\"\n\nHonestly, more. Much more. Somewhere out there is the world's most powerful magic spell. Statistically, the chances of it already being found is close to 0%. People will be lining up and with our exclusive, 99 year, Timecube contract..... We're the only game in town.\n\n\"Hot damn, son! You've sold me!\"\n \n\nThank you. At this point I would ask everyone not interested in investing to leave. The rest of you, let's talk numbers.\n\nall but a few begin to head for the door\n\n\"Excuse me? I have a quick question before I make my decision.\"\n\nYes sir?\n\n\"About the audio recordings?\"\n\nDon't worry, we're going to sell the shit out of people's private data!\n\nthe people who were leaving decide to stay a bit longer*" ]	2
	[WP] The hero you're fighting, who calls themselves your 'arch nemesis isn't really that strong, in fact, you've had countless chances to kill them. The reason you don't? They were the one person who was kind to you throughout your years of struggle.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Sometimes the difference in between hero and villain is one bad day. The Machine Mistress chuckled wryly to herself at the fleeting thought. She was sauntering confidently down the street in her full uniform towards the outside of the First Peoples’ Bank with nary a reaction. As she approached the side still out of view of cameras, she tapped onto her wrist console and began working.\r \n\r \nStill nobody paid her any mind and within moments, the cameras around the bank were dead. This had become a regular enough occurrence that the security guards weren’t even alarmed. They assumed this was a glitch and the cameras would restore in a minute or so. The bank had even tried to upgrade their security systems to prevent this, but all the upgrades in the world were useless if the one installing them was secretly a \rleaving a backdoor.\r \n\r \nThe Machine Mistress stepped towards the ATM, punching several more keys on her wrist console. The machine spewed out only a few bills, which the villain grabbed and put inside her suit immediately. This part of the job she hated, actually stealing money from real people that worked for it. Fancy gadgets and machine parts were expensive and she needed the money.\r \n\r \nA few moments later, the video feed resumed with no evidence of the villain that had just stolen from their ATM. With a sigh, the woman adjusted her dark goggles and stretched as if hyping herself up. “Okay, showtime.”\r \n\r \nShe walked imperiously towards the crowded bank entrance and shouted as loudly as she could “Minions! The Machine Mistress calls you to the First Peoples’ Bank!” The people around groaned and grumbled at the inconvenience they were now going to need to endure.\r \n\r \nLoud jet-propelled robots shot through the sky, leaving a trail of fumes that lead directly to the Machine Mistress. After they had all landed, she ran diagnostics on each one individually to ensure it would perform to her expectations. Being known as one of the weakest supervillains had its advantages. She had a lot more time because the police usually had better things to do.\r \n\r \nThe villain stepped into the bank, tripping alarms everywhere while using her squad of robots to forcibly but non-lethally, subdue the guards. Once they were neutralized, she made her way to the teller and demanded both the money in the registers and access to the safe. \r \n\r \nAfter several minutes of threats and tellers slowly filling small bags of money, a loud voice boomed through the bank. “Stop villainous scum!” The Machine Mistress turned to take in the figure of Justice Guy and was stunned as she was every time he appeared.\r \n\r \nShe dispatched her war bots to attack him one at a time and shrieked with rage when they were defeated. “Curse you, Justice Guy! I’ll deal with you myself!” She leaped through the air and landed a flying kick that made her wince at the impact. She took a moment to gloat while she waited for the hero to rise again. She followed that with a telegraphed punch that Justice Guy was able to evade easily.\r \n\r \nThe combat between the two quickly became a flurry of punches, kicks, and parries, with Justice Guy leading the aggression. He wasn’t a bad fighter by any means, but compared to the Machine Mistress, he may as well have been a toddler. The Machine Mistress battled against her combat instincts to take the open strikes that he left as he tried to press his “advantage.” She grunted through the pain of every strike he landed on her as she danced around just within his reach. Harder was the look of pain on his face when she landed a good shot on him. After a few more minutes, the Machine Mistress swung wide with a gambit that left her completely open and was taken down.\r \n\r \nJustice Guy had a triumphant smile that warmed her heart and made all this worthwhile. She quickly hid that sentiment behind a sneer of contempt. “I’ll break out of jail and come for you, Justice Guy. Watch yourself.” Justice Guy laughed heartily and kneeled to gaze into the dark goggles of his arch-nemesis. “I’ll be waiting to take you down again.”\r \n\r \nHe walked away from his defeated foe and into the crowd with reporters, fielding questions about his latest act of heroism. Machine Mistress couldn’t take her eyes off him as they hauled her away. He was so in his element that it was magnetic. She waited patiently for the police to take her to prison, she wasn’t worried. They couldn’t hold her more than a couple hours if they were lucky.\r \n\r \nA couple hours later, Machine Mistress made her way back to her apartment after breaking out of prison again. They had tried and failed yet again to unmask her as if they never learned from their past mistakes. She did what they couldn’t and removed her goggle and hard mask to reveal a fair skinned woman with deep blue eyes and curly auburn hair.\r \n\r \n”Jesus Sarah, what are you doing?” She asked her reflection with a defeated sigh. She ambled over to her nightstand and lifted a picture of a black-haired man. “You know, I’ve wanted to be with you for a long time. Would you like to be my boyfriend?” She stopped and dismissed that as being too strong. “Wanna get a cup of coffee sometime or a movie?” Awkward and generic, that was nowhere near good enough. \r \n\r \nShe placed the picture down and slumped in a defeated manner. If they had started dating, she would have an impossible time keeping her secret. Justice Guy would never date Machine Mistress, their relationship would likely not survive the reveal. Even if he did forgive her, he would know that his entire superhero career had been a lie.\r \n\r \nHer memory flashed back to their first meeting where she sat on the verge of tears for being refused a position on her university robotics team. He sat next to her, a woman he didn’t know and owed nothing to and said “Hey. Don’t let those jerks tell you that your dream is stupid. What do they know? People tell me my dream of being a superhero is stupid all the time, but I’ll show them. So will you. You can build your own robot, you don’t need them. I believe in you.” That simple act of kindness and compassion, one good day, changed her life. \r \n\r \nIt was then Sarah realized the grand tragedy of it all. She could never tell him how she felt because she loved him. He had helped her realize her dream and she would never forget that. She could never be the one to take his away." ]	2
	[WP] You were born with a “reverse superpower”. Everyone around you can read your thoughts. Somehow you made it work for 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "You can all hear me, right? Yeah, I see you looking around. I bet you think you’re discreet. Pft. Who are you fooling? Hey wait, you don’t even know who I am. You can hear me, but that doesn’t tell you my name. I bet you hate that. You’re wondering if everyone else can hear me? They can’t. Only you. Because I chose you. You’re special. Haha no you’re not, stupid. You really fell for that? Everyone can hear me. You’re all so gullible. \nAlright for real though, you are actually the only one who can hear me. But pretend you can’t so nobody else can tell. Try to listen to me without visibly reacting. You’re in danger. That guy getting on this bus with you is planning a hijacking with the person next to him. Lmao sike again, you’re so stupid how are you falling for this. Everyone can hear me." ]	2
	[WP] Scientists has discovered a population of zombies on the moon. Since then, they have been used to test nuclear weapons, space suits, and even generate renewable electricity by running on treadmills. An utopian era of unprecedented prosperity blossomed, until...	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\"No SLAVES from beyond the GRAVES\" I read aloud. The protest sign was one of dozens in the crowd outside of our MoonBeam Power company, all bobbing and waving in coordinated chaos. \n\n\"At least that one tried to rhyme\" the man next to me said, in a flat, defeated tone. \"That one there just says 'Zombies Aren't Fuel'. Thats not even how we're using them.\"\n\nI closed the blinds and walked to the mini bar in my office, grabbing a glass from the 'clean' stack. \"Why in the hell did they latch on to this cause, of all things?\" I punctuated my question with the clink of an ice cube against an empty glass. \n\nMy lawyer followed my example, except he skipped the ice. He reached in front of me and grabbed the bottle of Scotch, emptying most of it into his glass. He took a deep drag from the glass, draining about $4,000 of liquor in one big gulp. When he came up for air, I sipped a small sample of my own glass. \n\nHe noticed my less than thrilled expression. \"Deduct it from my bill.\" He snapped at me. \"If you still have a company when the bill arrives.\"\n\nI sighed, and looked up at the portrait that dominated the wall. A small plaque identified the man in the painting as Nathaniel White, founder of the MoonBeam Power Company, father of one Steven White. Born 1949, Deceased 2020. \n\n\"Steven\", the lawyer said, trying to get my attention once again. \"If this judge rules with these psychos, the company's deader than the zombies we use. I've done everything that I can, but...\" he trailed off as he looked for another liquor to chug, like a college freshman. \n\nI looked back to my father's portrait. He had wanted to name the business after our family name, but I had successfully talked him down from naming it 'White Power Company'. My alternative, MoonBeam, was just a combination of the moon, where we harnessed the zombies for energy, and beam, for a pretty sounding, vaguely power related word. It had less meaning, but tested far better with the focus groups. Well, all but that one focus group from Missouri. But we had decided to ignore their recommendations. \n\n\"Who could have ever thought that people would protest for zombies?\" I muttered, taking another sip. \n\nMy phone buzzed once. I had only one number that was allowed through the Do Not Disturb setting. I grabbed for my phone, almost dropping the crystal drinking glass in the process. \n\n\"Zombies won\" was all the text said. \n\nI dropped my phone, and reached for the liquor bar once more. \n\n------------------------------------\n\n\n\n\n*SIX MONTHS LATER* \n\n\n\n\n\n________________________________\n\n\"Today's the day, folks!\" The woman shouted from the front of the crowd, right beside the landing pad. \"Today is Zombie Freedom Day! The day these poor moon zombies are released from their bonds of servitude, freed from their slavery, liberated from their unjust imprisonment!\" \n\nI watched all of this from the couch in my wife's mother's apartment. We had been evicted from our own home after these zombie fruitcakes had gotten my father's company closed for 'zombie cruelty', using them on a treadmill to generate electricity. I had lost everything. All so these hippies that didn't understand their own actions could feel good for a day. \n\nI watched as the container shuttle landed on the pad, in a brilliant display of exhaust flames and billowing air. To the woman's credit, she did not back away from the landing spacecraft. To the manufacturer of her multi-colored hair spray's credit, her hair only looked mildly catastrophic. \n\nThe woman lead a small charge up the landing ramp to the door, chanting something I couldn't make out. She found a button on the side, pressed it, and took a single step back. \n\nThe cargo door opened slowly, and the woman turned to give the crowd behind her a 'victory' pose that I almost recognized from some anime. \n\nAs the doors opened further, the zombies did what zombies did best. They surged forwards, lunging towards prey. \n\nOn our facility on the moon, I had placed a live animal in a cage on the side of the massive treadmill generator, which the zombies would surge across in pursuit. On Earth, they did the same. \n\nThe woman disappeared in a wave of undead moon man flesh, her rainbow colored hair disappearing in the grey of moon dust and dead flesh. \n\nI finished my bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label Scotch and turned off the TV. These idiots would get what they had coming to them, but I feared they would drag others down with them. \n\n__________________________________\n\n*SIX YEARS LATER\n\n____________________________\n\nA soft metallic pellet plinked off of a stop sign, just after it had passed through the eye socket of the zombie between us. I began pumping the air rifle once more, thankful that the toy had enough of a punch to kill these things. It was a brilliant solution for when the ammo ran out, that my wife had suggested and tried first. \n\nI missed her so much. \n\nI crossed the street, looking both ways by instinct. It had been years since I had seen a vehicle, but old habits were hard to break. \n\nThe store window was far easier to break. \n\nI pulled out the small camping flashlight that I had recovered from a military surplus store. It was the kind that you squeezed a few times to build up a small charge to light a dim bulb, but it was enough to see indoors with. \n\nI scanned the shelves, looking for anything that was still sealed. After several minutes, I found it. A single plastic bottle of Wild Turkey lay in a pile of broken glass, with dried blood smeared across the front. \n\nI wiped the cap with my sleeve, which wasn't much cleaner if I was being honest with myself, and opened the cheap liquor. It stung the nostrils and my throat, but it was the best thing I had ever tasted. \n\nI heard a noise from further inside the abandoned liquor store. I quickly chugged the rest of the bottle, squeezing the flashlight's charging handle repeatedly with my other hand. Once I was finished with both, I shone the small light into the dark storage room in the back. \n\nA man was crouched in the doorway, holding a baseball bat above his head. He froze when my light danced over his gaunt face. \n\n\"Zombies don't use flashlights\" I called out to him. He didn't respond. \n\nThe light died again. I began to squeeze the mechanism again, trying to fight my way past the burning muscles in my hand and forearm. The sound of a man's footsteps grew closer and closer as I squeezed harder and harder. Just before it had enough of a charge, my hand cramped. \n\nI dropped the light. The man dropped me. \n\nWe all tumbled into the shattered glass on the floor togehter, men and flashlight and plastic bottle as one. The flashlight and the plastic bottle faired the best in the broken glass fight, while the man that attacked me definitely came in last place. \n\nThe blood spewing from both he and I was making the floor slippery, and the walls squiggly. That could also have been the bottle of cheap liquor I had just drained, but it was probably a combination of the two's fault. I tried to rise, but I just couldn't make my arms or legs move. \n\nAs I lay there, dying in a liquor store, I could only think of one thing. \"No slaves from beyond the grave.\" I smiled weakly as the protest sign from a lifetime ago flashed across my mind. \n\nI'd see if that was true soon enough. \n\n/r/SlightlyColdStories", "\"Today's lesson will be about the Moon.\" Mrs. Smith said. \"Our only natural satellite. It orbits 400,000 kilometers above our heads...\"\n\nShe didn't have time to finish her thought when suddenly Adam spoke up from the back bench.\n\n\"Will you tell us about the moon zombies?\" he asked.\n\nMrs. Smith looked at him in astonishment. For as long as she could remember, this nine-year-old had never taken any interest in the topic of a lesson. She glanced around the classroom. The ten kids seemed equally puzzled by their friend's behavior. The kids had abandoned their usual shenanigans for a moment and, for a change, were staring at her curiously.\n\n\"Yes, I was planning on discussing it next week, by the way.\" she said, smiling sympathetically. \"But since you're already asking about it now, we can speed up our program a bit.\"\n\n\"It's true that the moon is inhabited by zombies. I admit it's a bit of an unfortunate name, because in the Before Armstrong era, that was a name for some cartoon monsters. The only connection between real zombies and them is their appearance. This is because they resemble human characters. Zombies are very helpful, obedient and willing to help people. It is thanks to the work of several billion lunar zombies that here on Earth we have the energy that allows us to light our homes, power our vehicles and produce our goods. But that's not all - thanks to their biological similarity to humans, we can safely test new drugs and cosmetics on them...\"\n\n\"Doesn't that hurt them?\" asked Sophia quietly.\n\n\"Not at all!\" replied Mrs. Smith. \"Zombies are not like humans, or even animals. They're not capable of feeling pain like we are. They're something like,\" she paused for a moment looking for the words, \"biological robots. Sentient and helpful, but devoid of reason, feeling, or will.\"\n\n\"My dad's in the Lunar Company! He sometimes flies to the moon to guard the zombies!\" exclaimed Adam proudly. Mrs. Smith now understood why he was interested in the subject. \"He says it's gotten dangerous since zombies have revolted on Mare Cognitum.\"\n\n\"How could they revolt if they have no minds, you fool,\" Alice commented, turning to face him in her chair.\n\n\"Easy children, easy,\" Mrs. Smith interrupted the argument immediately. Adam's statement threw her off guard. A nine year old child should not know such things! She gathered her thoughts and continued.\n\n\"It happens that some zombies 'malfunction' sometimes. It happens, just like a machine that stops working properly. However, these are isolated incidents. What is currently happening on Mare Cognitum are just some Minor Problems due to the fact that just a few zombies have 'malfunctioned' together. This is in no way a 'revolt'. Do not use that ugly word!\" The teacher finished her statement nervously. Had she said too much? There were specific guidelines on what students were supposed to know about every topic discussed in school and moon zombies were no exception. She looked into the camera in the far corner of the classroom. It was part of an AI system for assessing the education quality. \"No,\" she thought, \"I'll be fine. It was the kid who said ‘revolt’ first, not me.\"\n\n\"I overheard my dad telling my mom that there are hundreds of thousands of rebels. That they're demanding to go back to Earth,\" Adam spoke up again.\n\n\"Listen to me boy,\" said Mrs. Smith clearly already upset, \"the zombies don't want to return to Earth because they were never here! They inhabited the moon millions of years before they met Neil Armstrong.\" She looked at the camera. If this boy didn't keep quiet then both she and his father could end up in a lot of trouble.\n\n\"I shouldn't raise my voice. They're just kids. They don't know how to talk yet, it's up to me to teach them.\" she thought. A teacher's job was difficult. She couldn't forbid them to ask questions, after all, the Party officially supported freedom of speech. The issue was, how to answer those questions without exceeding the guidelines...\n\nSuddenly she noticed an LED of the surveillance camera was out, signifying the failure of the device. She was glad. She generally agreed that Party Control was the right thing to do. However, internally, she felt that a moment of freedom to be able to explain this and that to the kids might be useful.\n\n\"Kids, what I say now should stay between us. Adam, your dad could get in a lot of trouble at work...\" \n\n**\n\n\"Good morning, children,\" Mr. Wu said. \"I will be your new teacher from today,\" he added looking at the puzzled young faces.\n\n\"What happened to Mrs. Smith?\" asked Sophia.\n\n\"Mrs. Smith has gone back to her hometown for vacation. She asked me to apologize to you on her behalf for not saying goodbye, she was in a big hurry.\" Mr. Wu explained with a smile. Years of experience had taught him how to handle uncomfortable questions from pupils. He knew how to speak to avoid incurring the Party's wrath. He looked at the camera, then at the smartphone Alice had placed on the bench. Mr. Wu also knew that the Party had various ways of controlling the quality of education. And how unpleasant the journey of 400,000 kilometers must be, he preferred to only guess." ]	3
	[WP] You and your crew crash land on a planet full of dangerous creatures, It is unsure whether rescue will come at all, all hope is lost. That is until the human returned from their foraging with three of the deadlines creatures at their side, as their new... pets?	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", " Me and my crew were working fast to see what systems still worked on the ship while some went to build a camp site and few went forged for anything of use. We were only successful in sending out a week signal out of our distress. We went to the camp that was made. Shortly after the human we sent out came back. We all ran, and hid behind anything screaming at him that there is something behind him. He simply turned around and said “oh you mean my new pets that I found.” \n “PETS how in the world are they pets.”\n “Simple they were pretty nice if you give them food. So that’s what I did, and in return they killed this thing, and gave it to me.”\n “So your saying they won’t kill us”\n After that we went out of hiding still cautious while the human gave us the dead animal. So I asked him “ are pets like that normal in your home planet” \n He simply said “yes we actually breed them to” \n I with the rest that heard what he said were terrified. We never thought to make nice with the creatures that kill us. And yet the human is acting as if this is normal. “So you have these types of pets back home”\n “As I said before yes we do. Some are easier then others to be friends with while others hold stronger to there animalistic mindset, but with anuf time and effort all can be pets.”" ]	2
	[WP] The Crown Princess is one of the most powerful healers in history, and leverages this very well in politics.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 saved your son.\"\n\n\"I know, your Highness,\" said Tam, treasurer of the King's council. His jowls shimmered in the torchlight, reminding her of a pig on a spit.\n \nShe flared her nostrils at his stench. A tactic she was sure he was using to leverage her. To deflect her decision.\n\n\"Then let me have it.\"\n\n\"Your Highness,\" he stammered, wiping a cloth across his sweaty brow. He had the audacity to ring it out in front of her. \"The vault is not a commodity to be traded.\"\n\n\"Yet life holds a different value?\" she asked. She looked down on him as he sat behind his extravagant oak desk. His brown eyes kept flickering between hers and the closed door behind her.\n\n\"The people will hear of this!\" he said with a flourish. Somehow he was on his feet. An effort that moistened his brow once more.\n\nShe refused to so much as flinch. Instead, she leaned forward, faces nearly touching. \"Did I not heal your son? Your precious little boy? Who suffered cancers of the mind?\"\n\nHe straightened his back. Easily a head taller than her, he was still a mouse in a corner. \"Yes, your Highness. And you will forever have my thanks. But–\"\n\n\"I will take it away.\" She glared at him, crossing her arms.\n\nA mixture of emotions crossed his face before settling on disbelief. \"You cannot. You've not the power.\"\n\n\"Are you so sure? Give me your arm,\" she demanded.\n\n\"What?\"\n\nShe snatched it from him. He resisted at first, but relented in short order.\n\n\"This here.\" She traced her finger along a scar down his forearm. \"Remember when you overindulged on wine, and found yourself in the royal stables?\"\n\nHe nodded.\n\nSweat seeped through his skin. She steeled herself against such filth. \"The stable boys were convinced that the manure fork stuck deep in your arm would kill you. But it was shit that poisoned your blood.\"\n\nA gasp escaped his lips as she dug her nails into his skin. The scar opened up. Slowly at first, with the lightest trickle of blood. But that wasn't what she waited for.\n\nHis skin warmed, then grew hot. Tam's knees buckled and he nearly collapsed to the floor. But the Crown Princess held her ground.\n\nShe was sure his eyes would bulge from his head. But in an instant, she took his pain away.\n\nRising to his feet, panting, sweating, he held himself against that oak desk of his. He wouldn't meet her eyes. He couldn't.\n\n\"Do as I say, or you shall watch your son fall into madness. His head will swell. His eyes become milk. I know this, for I have felt it.\"\n\n\"You...\" His shoulders slumped.\n\n\"Give me the key. Adjust the ledgers. My campaign shall be funded.\"\n\nHis eyes stared at nothing on his desk. \"As you wish, your Highness.\" He procured the key from within his tunic and slid it across the desk and into her hand.\n\nShe had no time to linger. With head held up high, she left, gingerly closing the door. She was a princess after all.\n\nThis was only the beginning. With money no longer an obstacle, she just needed men. And who better to convince than the Commander of the Royal Army?\n\nHe had such a strong heart. How it fluttered so oddly many years ago. She remembered his screams of agony, his pale face, his hand clutched to his chest as if that would help.\n\nDid he remember? This night, he would be reminded." ]	2
	[WP] Deciding that humanity is ready, Santa Claus bestows on us his final gift: the hyperadvanced technology he uses to deliver presents all around the world in a single night.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "*George Costanza is in a meeting at work.\n\nOne of the employees asks, \"Did you all hear about Santa giving us whatever he uses to deliver all those presents so fast? That's gonna be great!\"\n\n\"Yeah! Now my packages can be delivered to the wrong address, even faster!\" George quips.\n\nEveryone in the meeting erupts with laughter.\n\nAlways wanting to leave on a high note, George exclaims, \"Alright! That's it for me.\" and exits the room.\n\nWe cut to George walking into the diner to join Jerry.\n\n\"Jerrryyy....\" George sings, as he sits down.\n\n\"High note?\"\n\n\"High note? High* note? Jerry, If this note was any higher, glass would shatter! Actual glass, Jerry!\"\n\n\"Sooo... Don't leave me in suspense, let's hear it.\"\n\n\"You know how Santa gave us that advanced, fast, hyper-whatever, thing?\"\n\n*Jerry rolls his eyes.\n\n\"Whaaaat. What's that look?\"\n\n\"It's nothing.\"\n\n\"What is it, Jerry?\"\n\n\"Well....\" Jerry crosses his arms, \"I don't understand how everyone can look past the fact that Santa.....is an antisemite.\"\n\n\"Oh, what's this? This again? You're Jewish! That's not his fault!\"\n\n\"So... What? Jewish people don't like gifts? I mean, we're all celebrating in December. He couldn't bring me my Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots game? The game where you could literally* duel robots. It's all I wanted!\"\n\n\"Why didn't your parents buy it?\"\n\n\"Oh they said it was *too* violent. Thought it would turn me into some kind of delinquent, running around, punching people's heads off.\"\n\n\"You, a delinquent?\" George makes a sarcastic face, \"Ha!\"\n\n\"Hey, I was known to be pretty tough back then.\"\n\n\"I knew you back then. You weren't tough. You were.....\" he points at Jerry with both hands, \"This!\"\n\nJerry leans in and points at George, speaking through his teeth, \"That's because I didn't have Rock 'em Sock 'em. I didn't know any fight moves. If I had that game, George, I'd be running this city.\"\n\nHe scoffs, \"Right. You'd be knocking heads off all over the city.\"\n\n\"That's right, Costanza\" Jerry leans back in the booth, \"So instead. I learned to run fast. *Real* fast. Some say, the fastest.\"\n\nGeorge looks at him with disbelief, \"Can I tell my story now or do you want to do 5 minutes on the Easter Bunny?\"\n\nJerry removes his straw from its wrapper and plunges it in his drink with force. \"Don't get me started.\"\n\n\"Ok. So, someone brings up the fast, hyper, thingamagig, and I say....\"\n\nJerry's looking at the menu, \"I can't remember the last time I had chili. I can't remember if I even *like* chili.\"\n\nGeorge slams the table with his hand, \"Would you pay attention!\"\n\n\"I'm sorry! I'm hungry!\" looking around, \"Where is that waitress?\"\n\nGeorge grabs his jacket and starts to get up, \"You know what? I *have* other friends!\"\n\n\"Who?\"\n\n\"Oh they're there!\"\n\n\"Where?\"\n\nGeorge pauses for a moment. He gets back in the booth, begging with hands, \"Can I please just tell my story?\"\n\n\"Oh, alright. Continuuueee...\"\n\n\"So...uh..advanced fast delivery.... Santa.....gift to humanity. Oh! And so then *I* say....\"\n\nThe waitress approaches the table, \"Are you ready to order?\"\n\n\"We're fine!\" George snarls.\n\nThe waitress walks away for a few steps when Jerry asks, \"Hey, how's the Chili?\"\n\nShe turns her head and answers, \"Terrible.\"\n\n\"See I knew I didn't like chili.\"\n\nKramer comes walking in, scanning the diner for Jerry and George. They're right in front of him and he's startled when he notices. He continues to look around. He seems paranoid.\n\n\"Hey.\"\n\n\"What's going on with you?\" asks Jerry.\n\n\"You know my friend, Bob Sacamano?\"\n\n\"I've heard tale, yes.\"\n\n\"Well we were supposed to have the exclusive rights to Santa's hyperadvanced, doohickey contraption, from 60th St. all the way to 83rd. We met at Baxters to sign the papers and have a few drinks. *You know....... to celebrate. And, apparently, Santa, he can be a little.....\" He flaps his hand in front of his face and makes an odd noise. \".....Hotheaded!* So we're all drinking and talking....and drinking. It's me, Santa, Bob, and a couple elves. *Anyways, Bob starts complaining about how Santa never brought him the game* he wanted as kid...\"\n\nJerry looks at George, \"See?\"\n\nGeorge rolls his eyes. \n\n\".... Bob kept saying he deserved that game. He's *screaming* about how he was good for years, for nothing!\"\n\nJerry asks, \"What was the game?\"\n\n\"Rock 'em, Sock 'em Robots.\"\n\nJerry's jaw drops, \"No!\"\n\nGeorge scoffs again.\n\n\"Now, he wants to *fight* Bob Sacamano! And Santa, you know, he's a big guy. So they go outside and I'm worried for Bob, but I can't help him.\"\n\n\"Why not?\" Jerry asks \n\n\"Street rules, Jerry. *Street rules!\"\n\nGeorge says, \"Sooo?\n\n\"So, Santa comes barreling at him, and Bob bends down a bit and as soon as he gets close enough...\"\n\n###BAM!\n\n\"He uppercuts him, right in the jaw!\n\n\"And!?\"\n\n\"Knocked his head clean off.\"\n\n\"No he didn't.\"\n\n\"Clean* off, Jerry!\n\nJerry doesn't believe any of it. \"There is *no way* Bob Sacamano punched Santa's head off? Get out of here! *First* of all, it's impossible.\"\n\n\"*Is* it? You see when Bob got older, made a little money, he went and he bought himself that game. He played it every night, for years and mastered the art of *ROCKIN 'EM!\" He punches the air with his right fist. \"Aaaannd, SOCKIN 'EM!\" Then with his left. \"He played that game so much, Santa never even had a chance.\"\n\nJerry slaps George on the shoulder, \"See!* I told you.\n\nGeorge scoffs once more.\n\nJerry, still doubtful, asks, \"Are you sure he knocked his head off?\"\n\n\"Well, I think so. I was too busy fighting the elves. I was kicking their tiny butts all up and down the street. They had no chance!\"\n\nMouth open, Jerry exclaims, \"I can't believe this!\"\n\n\"Oh, you better believe it, baby!\" Kramer gives him the finger gun. \"Anyway, someone called the police. Hey! I wasn't worried. This was all self defense and we had witnesses.\"\n\n\"What did the police say?\"\n\n\"It turns out, Santa........ He wasn't Santa at all. He was just *some guy!\"\n\n\"And the elves?\"\n\n\"Children, Jerry!\" He looks around, paranoid. \"I'm in a lot of trouble!\"\n\n\"Well, sit down, you're making me* nervous.\" Jerry motions to the booth.\n\n\"No. There's too much heat on this place. I'm just going to grab some food.\" He taps the waitress on the shoulder, \"Excuse me? Can I get the chili, to go?\"\n\nGeorge has had enough, \"Alright, alright! Can I *please* finish my story?\"\n\n\"Ok, but that's gonna be a *tough* act to follow.\"\n\n\"Alright, so....\"\n\nIn walks Elaine.\n\n\nJerry yells, \"*LANNNEEEYY!* What are you doing here, I thought you were in Baltimore.\"\n\nGeorge throws his hands in the air. \"I give up!\"\n\n\"No, I had to come back early. Apparently, Peterman wants to get to work right away on this whole Santa delivery system for the catalog. Hyperadvanced technology? Great so now my packages can be delivered to the wrong building even faster!\"\n\nJerry and Kramer bust out laughing.\n\nGeorge stands up and freaks out. \"That's my joke!\" Pointing at her, \"You stole my joke! Where did you hear that?\"\n\nElaine is insulted. \"*Your joke?* I just thought of it.\"\n\n\"Oh, *you* thought of it, just like that?\"\n\n\"Yeah, I thought of it. Just. Like. That.\"\n\n\"Since, when are you funny?\"\n\n\"Hey pal!\" Elaine pushes her finger into George's chest. \"I'm a *lot* funnier than you.\"\n\nGeorge cowers a bit and mumbles something under his breath.\n\nElaine gets in his face. \"What's that?\"\n\n\"I said I think I'm going to try the chili.\"\n\n\"That's what I thought.\" She says as she struts to get a seat at the booth.\n\nThe waitress comes to them with Kramer's to go order. \"Sorry, it took so long.\" she apologizes, \"Hey! Maybe one day we can use Santa's hyperadvanced technology to get you your food faster!\"\n\nA man at another table looks up from his plate. \"You mean send the food to the wrong table even faster!\"\n\nThe man and the waitress both start laughing. \n\nGeorge buries his head in his hands. The frame freezes. \n\nRoll credit.\n\n\n*DOO DOO DOOT DOOT, DOOO DOOOO\n\nDOO DOO DOOT, DOOT, DOOOOOO DOO*" ]	2
	[WP] try and write the most grounded and realistic story you can about aliens arriving to 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 mining vessel AI's passive observation of the unclaimed system it was approaching only just now deteced the faint electromagnetic signals indicative of the presence of self replicators, the fact it didn't detect them earlier meant it was likely just native animals who's greatest achievements may at best be crude thermonuclear bombs, not any rival miners or even worse, a different civilization. \n\nThat latter fact was especially important since, even though the craft was still a tenth of a lightyear away, just passing the solar systems comet cloud, the sterilization packages preceding it by just a tiny distance by stellar standards were already effectively beyond the ships lightspeed horizon: by the time any signal to abort would reach them, they would've already hit their targets. Lightlag was a truly annoying thing, the AI concluded.\n\nOh well, business was more important than some random animals after all. \n\n>.\n\nSarah couldn't believe what she was seeing. The faint flash in the nightsky that one of the observatory staff had pointed out when coming back in from break was not a nearby supernova, like they had initially believed when they pointed the telescope at it, no, it was pluto. \n\npluto was burning. \n\nThe dwarf planet appeared engulfed on the far side in a fireball of massive proportions. They didnt know what possibly could've caused this to happen, but sarah hoped that maybe NASA did as she pulled out her phone to make a call. At the very least, whatever it was must've been very far away, a multi year trip with humanities fastest vessels, surely there was enough time to atleast figure out what it was before it might pose a threat to earth? A receptionist greeted her at the other end of the phone line but sarah did not manage to get even a single word out. \n\nLooking south through the window, she saw it coming. Atleast her eyes began to register it, but her optic nerves did not last long enough to transmit what they had seen. The R-Bomb was tiny, for what it could do, like a tree trunk of pure osmium, but it was moving at 99.6% of lightspeed when it touched earths atmosphere. \n\nAt such speed, the projectile didn't just vaporize, even the strong nuclear force could not hold its component atoms together. None of the 25 tonnes of osmium that composed the impactor reached the surface, instead transmuting into various lighter elements and a shower of radiation that was quickly absorbed by the surrounding atmosphere. The atomic plasma took a mere milisecond to descend all the way to the surface, in the process shining brighter than a thousand suns and releasing more energy than the worlds nuclear arsenal combined, but this represented just a tiny fraction of the bombs energy. Only when it hit the ground did the rest of its energy get released and from there it was just a matter of nature distributing the sudden influx of several trillion tonnes of tnt equivalence into the environment.\n\nFor a brief moment, until the earths crust rebounded, Pine mountain, Arizona, replaced the mariana trench as the deepest location on the planet. Sarah was many dozens of kilometers away from the hypocenter, yet just the light energy the impact released into every single square meter at this distance was greater than the total energy in a tactical nuclear weapon. The observatory was evaporated before anyone even felt anything. Just the thermal radiation from the explosion had instantly killed every living thing as far away as Los Angeles and Denver. The entire south western united states was destroyed faster than the blink of an eye, but even people outside the immediate radiation zone did not have longer than a few milliseconds to react to the second sun that had just formed.\n\nAcross the face of the planet, without warning, thousands of flaming swords pierced the sky.\n\n>. \n\n(wrote this on phone and my first attempt at semi-seriously writing anything so i hope it's somewhat passable. Also, that last sentence is directly from the book 'the killing star')" ]	2
	[WP] For the last week, you’ve noticed a dull light flickering in the woods behind your house late at night. You finally decide to go check it out.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Cameron figured one of his friend must be playing a prank on him. Who else would waste time doing such a stupid thing? But then again, what kind of prank was that?\n\nHe sighed as he rolled over in bed and looked out the window again. Through the crack in his cream-coloured blinds, the freshly cleaned window reflected his tired face back at him. Beyond the surface lay the woods. Usually dark and unforgiving looking, the last week or so an unusual thing had been happening.\n\nThis dim light emerged from between the foliage, flicking on and off in an indiscernible rhythm. On 5 seconds, off 3 seconds, on 1, off 2. Over and over again. The frequency was as random as the fact the light was there in the first place. Whenever he watched it out the window, he got a weird taste in his mouth. Like someone fed him a corn dog without mustard; a lingering taste of dissatisfaction.\n\nOne night, Cameron was fed up with it. There wasn't anything in particular that bothered him about that light, but he couldn't stand not knowing what it was.\n\nPulling on a light checkered jacket over his Metallica t-shirt, he quietly left the house through the back. Out here, the darkness seemed to swallow everything it touched. It was like a black sea of nothingness, a void reaching out to him.\n\nHis footsteps fell silent on the pavement as he walked hastily along the trail to the forest. His backyard connected directly to the main path, so there was no worry of getting lost yet. Cameron wasn't afraid of the forest, but he had never really gone in there. Not more than once, at least.\n\nIt was his 2nd year of high school. The sun was getting lower in the sky by the second, and he watched the birds on the lake flap their feathers, frantically frolicking in the calm waters. A gentle breeze padded the left side of his face, carrying foul odours from the cow farm in the south. \"Dude!\"; Damon called him from behind. \"You coming?\". \"Yeah\", muttered Cameron. \n\nAfter an hour of trekking, they reached a tall peak and looked down upon their town. It appeared pathetically small from up there, giving Cameron a jolt of sadness. Damon had spaced out, gaze transfixed on a bald eagle overhead. \"Hey\", he started, \"did you know eagles build their nests on cliffs just like this one?\". Cameron wasn't listening. He had had a long day, and was starting to doze off. \"If you squint just right, you can see what they're carrying\", Damon continued. \"Their grip strength is kind of insane, so they can pick up pretty much any small animal, not to mention...\".\n\nWhen Cameron woke, Damon was gone. He rubbed the stuff out of his eyes and blinked a few times. The top of the sun barely peaked over the horizon now, meaning it was already late. He started the hike back down, hoping to run into Damon on the way. His friend was nowhere to be seen, though, and after searching for a few more hours he went home in defeat. \n\nThe next day Damon didn't show up to school. This wasn't strange in itself, but made Cameron nervous. After a week missing, a search was ran around the woods, but to no avail. No one dared to go too deep, as they were the kind of woods that could swallow a person alive. Perhaps they had swallowed Damon. Cameron never told anyone about what he knew, and he wasn't sure it even mattered. All he knew was that the woods were bad news.\n\nCameron relived his bad memories while walking towards the treeline, and marvelled at why he was once again entering these woods. Was he hoping that Damon was still in there? He couldn't tell anymore. He had to face his fears either way.\n\nThe moment he took a step into the layered foliage, he knew there was no way back but through. The leaves seemed to close in around him, like the forest was alive. If he listened closely, he could almost hear a whisper in the air.\n\nHe walked aimlessly through the darkness for hours, without speaking or thinking. The only thing on his mind was the sound of laboured breathing, in and out. In and out. He felt enveloped by a childlike fear, his jaw clenched and goosebumps breaking out on his skin. His stomach dropped and did a loop. Before he knew what was happening, his hands hit the floor and he dropped unconscious.\n\nWhen he woke, it was still dark. Everything seemed to be unchanged. But when he looked closer, he saw a black figure emerge from the woods ahead. As it walked closer, he thought he recognized the face. The figure, which he could now see was a person, looked at him with blood-stained eyes. They gave off a repugnant musk, and when they licked their lips a bug fell out of their mouth. The person's eyes widened, then narrowed. The mouth twisted into a smile of black and yellow teeth that seared into Cameron's brain. As he stood frozen in place, they walked towards him with a purposeful slowness, then stopped a foot before his face.\n\nClose up, the repulsive person was more comfortable than ever. They gave another smile and let out a laugh that echoed all around the trees and Cameron's mind, over and over. Then they said something, or rather tried to. \"Looking for this?\", barely audible through the thick accent but loud enough to hear. A callused hand held up a flashlight. Then they gave another bloodcurdling laugh and tossed the flashlight, racing off into the forest with heavy steps.\n\nCameron's face stayed frozen. His eyes came alive again and tears started to flow. Soon he was bawling his heart out on the forest ground. Time stood still for a moment, and he passed out. The flashlight shone one his face from nearby, then flickered out and left him engulfed in the woods for the last time." ]	2
	[WP]"You're a fine warrior, but will you declare war on an entire nation? We are millions, and you're alone." The tired man chuckled. "You misunderstood your situation - this isn't war. This is pest control."	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "On a grassy knoll stood a woman in emerald robes made of a material unlike any found in nature. Across the field stood 14,330 men.\n\nIt was an odd number; it couldn't be divided into the usual regiments. Meridia assumed it was because they'd taken losses along the way, or deserters. Not that it mattered either way, they'd all be in one of those categories before long.\n\n\"Come on Chauncey, it'd be rude of me to go alone.\" Meridia said with a wink. This was the only fun part, trying to convince the enemy to surrender, abstain from combat, or even to fight with champions; anything that would keep her from killing thousands of conscripted peasants and a few hundred soldiers before she got the same result.\n\n\"Of course goddess.\"\n\n\"Don't start doing that now. They really will fight to the death if you get religion involved.\" she didn't even bother correcting the freckled man in his late 20s. He was convinced someone as knowledgeable and powerful as her must be the pagan deity. Her name probably didn't help, but that's what Doctor Botnix chose when he made her.\n\n\"Too easy.\"\n\nBy now their horses had nearly met the enemy commander and his second so they got serious.\n\n\"Be honored to stand before his Grace, Duke Cornyn of the Ryne Duchy.\" the second said as if he we a Lord Stewart at court.\n\n\"Duke Cornyn, I am delighted to speak with such dignified company on this day. I am Meridia.\"\n\n\"Why am I here dealing with two traitors? This is a matter for the bailiff or the headsman.\" Duke Cornyn said to his second, he'd only glanced her way for a moment when she spoke.\n\n\"Your Grace, this is the rebel army. Just her. Of every deserter we've captured and scout returned alive, it is always just her.\"\n\n\"A woman. Not the farm boy?\"\n\n\"As discussed, it really is just her.\"\n\n\"But she looks like a woman of gentle birth, not some boar that can cut down trained men.\"\n\n\"And she can even do letters and numbers. Amazing.\" Meridia said sarcastically before continuing in a pleasant tone, \"But on to the real topic, we don't have to do this. Give us the rights to Danover and Blustrim counties and we'll stop for 20-years.\"\n\n\"You must be daft girl. I will have your head on a stake by day's end for your treason and if it weren't for my honor I'd have you myself first.\" Duke Cornyn said with a controlled rage.\n\nMeridia sighed, her top prize was gone and it didn't look good for the rest. \"Very well, if we must fight then will you duel me yourself?\"\n\n\"You hang a criminal, not debate them.\"\n\nShe was hoping he'd blame his position and then she could mention champions. Looks like she'd be going with the murder plan. Hopefully killing a duke and his army would make her a duke by default at least.\n\n\"Please don't make me kill the peasants. Can you just use all your men-ar-arms instead?\"\n\nThe duke began laughing so hard and for so long he was holding his sides. \"You might be a fine soldier, but I have thousands of professional soldiers. And if I fail the king can call an army of nearly a million. But you, you are alone with a turnip picker. I will oblige your arrogant final request.\"\n\n\"Thank you, because you misunderstand one thing. This isn't a war, it is an extermination. You are a blight on society, you do great harm to those you're sworn to protect, and you are standing against me. I am like pest control.\"\n\n\"We shall see won't we.\" Duke Cornyn said with a chuckle.\n\nAs the duke rode back to his army, Meridia thought this would be nice. She could get most of them in one go and then the rest would run away. \"What do you want to do next?\"\n\n\"This first.\" Chauncey insisted.\n\n\"There's no way you're still worried after all this time.\"\n\n\"No, but are you going to make a meteor descend or become a whirlwind?\"\n\nThey were vaguely accurate descriptions, but the odd analogies is what made them so endearing. Definitely wasn't the culture of chamberpots and coarse fabrics they had when she met them.\n\n\"What do you prefer?\"\n\n\"The meteor looks beautiful in the sky.\"\n\nOf course, she couldn't summon a meteor. Magic wasn't real in this world, but she did have a collection of satellites with rocket propelled tungsten steel rods. That was basically the same thing anyways.\n\nOnce the duke had gotten his men in position and sent the cavalry charge Meridia pressed a button on her wristpad. She took a deep breath while she waited for the cavalry to get close and then she turned on.\n\nThere really was no other way to describe it. While she normally thought and reacted twice as fast as people, when she framejacked she could operate at up to 200,000 times the normal rate. At least mentally, but her body sped up some too.\n\nMeridia never went that high, not only was the heat buildup so bad she could only maintain it for a few seconds, but those few seconds were maddening while she experienced 3 unchanging months.\n\nShe figured for this, 100x human-norm should be enough. And so she felt on. The lance was moving so slowly she could see the striations. It's bobbing movement and the knight counterpulling, his muscles rippling in a coordinated motion. Meridia leaned just enough to dodge; her sword running along the lance and just before the small guard she popped the blade over. Blood spurted from his neck.\n\nShe repeated the motion three more times before she had to dive to avoid being trampled. While rolling she threw two darts, one after the other. Each hit a gap in the knight's armor. The dart's weren't deadly, but the paralytic neurotoxin was.\n\nThe first man dropped to the ground. Still, there were 50 in this charge and the horseback archers or a second charge would follow. It wasn't a problem, just a hassle. Thankfully her \"meteor\" was finally burning in the atmosphere and a few people were distracted by it, that left gaps and openings.\n\nSix more as she zig-zagged to a better position amongst the horsemen. The horns sounded and the drums beat out a full route tune. That wouldn't do.\n\nMeridia pulled out a ridiculous metallic alloy bow. It's draw weight was a literal metric ton. And she began to fire. Each shot hit whoever was in the lead. Every single time. Rather it was consciously or not they began to slow. No one wanted to get sniped by an archer even ballistae couldn't reach.\n\n\"Ready for the meteor?\" Meridia asked as she loosed one last arrow.\n\nAlthough he nodded, he didn't say anything. His attention was focused solely on where the rod would hit. It was too fast and small to actually see. Well, Meridia could if she framejacked again, but she already felt feverish just from that.\n\nThe world seemed to crack as a wave of sound and pressure reached them from atop the knoll. And like often happens when a time-traveller gets bored, Meridia played with the primitive people.\n\nr/AurumArgenteus", "\"Tell me mighty warrior how exactly does one man plan to conduct pest control on an entire planet of millions?\" The Xarabnid queen said in her strange insect like language. Honestly it was a minor miracle the translators even worked with the manible driven speech. The man simple chuckled \"Have you not been above ground? Have you not looked into the sky? You misunderstand gravely. I am not alone. I only appear to you alone.\" The man responded his tone carrying with it a strange cadence of supreme command even the Queen had to respect. \"Enough of these games leave at once or die.\" She spat back at the man her limbs raised to keep her warriors back for now. \"Very well. You species will not be missed.\" The man said and simply blinked out of existence on the planet below. Returning to his seat from the holographic projection relay the Admiral gave the order to begin the Atmospheric alteration procedure, changing the atmosphere of any planet to one suitable for human life. It always resulted in the total extinction of the native species of a planet.", "\"You're a fine warrior, but will you declare war on an entire nation? We are millions, and you're alone.\" \n\nThe tired man chuckled. \"You misunderstood your situation - this isn't war. This is pest control.\"\n\nHis enemies looked up at him with quiet caution in their eyes, the leader most skeptical of all. \"Alright men, back to base. At first light, we attack in full!\" Her shrill voice rang out across the battlefield, and the soldiers marched in orderly rows back to their trenches. \n\nThe man waited until every soldier had disappeared from view. But even as their bodies faded from view, he could still hear their voices. Move the children farther underground! No, not that way you idiot! Where are the emergency rations? David was supposed to be bringing them yesterday! And on and on and on. Did they ever shut up?\n\nExperience told him they did not.\n\nMonths he had listened to them. At first they were peaceful, a nomadic people looking for a place to rest. Then they were more ambitious. This land seemed perfect, why not spread out a bit? But a bit was never enough. Soon the invaders had tainted every inch of ground both above the ground and below, and the man had been tolerant for long enough.\n\nThe first battle was an absolute massacre. The nomads never saw him coming, and by morning, an entire city was leveled. This time, they had been prepared. Their queen had met the man on the battlefield and formally issued a challenge while surrounded by her strongest warriors. Sure, the man could take them, but the cost seemed too great, and he listened to the queen's grand speech with dull eyes and a bored expression on his weathered face. Their challenge issued, they scurried back to their homes and their forts to prepare for war.\n\nBut wars are not won in the daylight. Wars are won in the shadows and the crevices and the mud. The man knew this. The nomads did not.\n\nOnce all the invaders had crawled into their fortressed city, the man got to work. He worked diligently, setting small fuse boxes wherever he could see evidence of nomads and some where he could hear it. Above him, the night was crisp and clear, but never quiet. No, not with the voices of the nomads invading every moment that had ever been or ever could be silent. When would it ever be silent again?\n\nBy dawn, if the man had his way. \n\nAfter several hours, the traps were lain. His bones ached with the effort, his hands shook after hours of small labor, and his exhaustion had given way to euphoria. It was time.\n\nStepping into the safety of his home, the man looked out at the battlefield and pressed the red button nestled in his palm.\n\nFirst, there was just the hiss as tiny sprinklers started shooting liquid at each invading city. The voices of the nomads started to rise into cacophony, their concern floating on the barely-there night breeze. Soon, the warriors began to leave their homes and gather around the capital, where the general was already barking orders.\n\nGet into formation. You, private, what is this liquid? Well if you don't know, find someone who does, that's an ORDER!\n\nThe battlefield erupted into flames.\n\nEach sprinkler gave way to a spark, which set the highly flammable liquid aflame in less than a blink. The screams were instant. The formation broke immediately. Bodies flailing in no particular direction ran into one another as soldier, general, mother, child, and elder trampled one another in vain attempts to reach safety. But there was no safety. The man had rigged his deadly traps at every city and the gaps between. The nomads were doomed with no hope of escape.\n\nThe man watched the carnage through his front window with a cup of chamomile tea in his hand and a soft smile on his face.\n\nThe elimination of an entire nation was complete in a mere three hours. Every city was toppled, the liquid had penetrated deep into the underground fortresses and the flames were indiscriminate. Watching the last of her people die, the queen met the eyes of the man through the window.\n\n\"Why?\" She cried, a single flame licking up her leg. She did not break eye contact, only accepted her fate.\n\nThe man only shrugged. \"I couldn't sleep over the chatter of your people. Like I said, this is pest control.\"\n\nAs the flames consumed her body, the man turned and made his way into his bed. The flames had died down, and there were only a few lingering moans of pain as the last of the nomads perished with the night. \n\nHe felt bad about his lawn, but the man was glad to finally be free of the fire ants. Being able to hear and understand insects was a curse more often than a blessing. He could deal with the occasional house spider or fly, as they did not come in large hoards. But millions of ants? Impossible to sleep through. They never stopped talking!\n\nNow he could finally get some sleep." ]	4
	[WP] Beauty and the Beast, but the Beast doesn't transform physically. Something makes him feel like a Beast even though he isn't ugly. Use as few elements from the Disney version as possible.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "*Written in the style of Andrew Lang. Enjoy!*\n\nOnce upon a time there was a poor woodcutter who lived in a cottage with his seven daughters. While they were all beautiful, it was only the youngest, Clara, whose kindness was as great as the loveliness of her face.\n\nOne day a horrible band of hairy monsters showed up at their doorstep asking for the woodcutter's help deep in the Dark Forest. The seven daughters begged and pleaded with him not to go, but he said, \"Man or monster, I will not refuse a job from someone who has done me no harm.\"\n\nThe woodcutter did not come back for three whole days and three whole nights. On the morning of the fourth day, Clara woke to shouts and screams.\n\n\"See what you have done!\" her sisters said. \"He has left us all because he did not want to deal with you. Soon our food will run out, and we will have nothing to eat. You beast!\"\n\nClara held her tongue, for she knew her wicked sisters had hidden most of the food away and would eat well for weeks to come. But she was worried about her kind father, so the next morning she emerged from her room with a large basket.\n\n\"I will find our father, since it is my fault he is gone,\" she said.\n\nStill her sisters sneered and pointed fingers. \"See the great basket she carries with her! She must be stealing all of our food for herself.\" But when they looked inside, they saw only four things: a thimble, a wooden bowl, the egg of a brown hen, and a spool of thick red thread.\n\n\"What silliness is this!\" the eldest sister laughed. \"You may be in that forest for weeks, but you have neither food nor water. Have you gone mad?\"\n\n\"Perhaps I have,\" said Clara.\n\nAnd with that, she set off on her way.\n\nHalf a mile into the forest she came across a long wooden bridge over a deep, wide river. It was guarded by one of the hairy monsters that had come calling on her father.\n\n\"O beast!\" she cried. \"Surely you must know where my father is.\"\n\n\"I am not a beast,\" said the monster. \"Only the terrible one in the castle in the center of the forest may truly be called The Beast, and he has told me not to let you cross.\"\n\n\"Surely there is another way around,\" Clara said.\n\n\"If you have a boat, the river will take you to the castle,\" said the monster.\n\n\"Why, I have a boat in my basket,\" Clara said.\n\n\"What!\" said the monster. \"Are you a fairy who has come to trick me? No boat could fit in that basket!\"\n\n\"I am no fairy, but I do have a trick,\" Clara said. She pulled the bowl out of her basket and set it on the ground. Then she set the egg in the center. \"See here! If I place it in the water, it can carry this baby bird without getting it wet.\"\n\n\"Your cleverness matches your beauty,\" said the monster. \"Very well, you may bargain with The Beast, for he has your father. But I must go with you, for he is a wicked Beast with a heart black as pitch.\"\n\nHe clapped his hands together three times and blew on the egg and bowl, which transformed into a beautiful boat pulled by a magnificent blue swan. The two drifted down the river until they reached a towering castle that glistened in the dim light of the woods. A second monster guarded the castle gate.\n\nAgain, Clara called out: \"O beast! Surely you must know where my father is.\"\n\n\"I am not a beast,\" said the monster. \"Only the terrible one inside these castle walls may truly be called The Beast, and he has told me not to let you enter.\"\n\n\"Surely there is another way around,\" Clara said.\n\n\"If you have a rope, you may climb straight up to the room where he is sitting with your father,\" said the monster.\n\n\"Why, I have a rope in my basket,\" Clara said.\n\n\"What!\" said the monster. \"Are you a fairy who has come to trick me? Your basket is too light to be carrying a rope!\"\n\n\"I am no fairy, but I do have a trick,\" Clara said. She pulled the red thread out of her basket, pulled it to an arm's length, then held it close to the monster's face. \"See here! Though it is small and thin, the strings wind around themselves to make a rope for mice.\"\n\n\"Your cleverness matches your beauty,\" said the monster. \"Very well, you may bargain with The Beast, for he has your father. But I must go with you, for he is a wicked Beast with a heart black as pitch.\"\n\nHe clapped his hands together three times and blew on the string, which transformed into a sturdy golden rope. Clara, the bridge monster, and the castle monster climbed the castle walls and stole through one of the highest windows, where she found two people: her father frozen as still as a stone, and a handsome prince with a jeweled crown.\n\n\"So you have come to see the Beast. Here I am,\" said the prince.\n\n\"O Beast!\" Clara cried. \"I have solved your riddles and journeyed to this castle to rescue my father. Surely you understand how much I care for him!\"\n\n\"I cannot do that,\" said the Beast. \"For I am a wicked Beast with a heart black as pitch.\"\n\nClara reached into her basket, but alas! She had dropped her thimble on the way up to the castle.\n\n\"Then I will trade myself for him,\" Clara said. \"And you may look at my beauty for the rest of your days.\"\n\n\"What!\" said the beast with alarm. \"Are you a fairy who has come to trick me? Nobody knows how to break the spell!\"\n\n\"Surely you, who has cast the spell, knows how to break it,\" said Clara.\n\n\"I cannot break it, for I did not cast the spell,\" said the Beast. \"He mistakenly chopped a fairy tree and has been frozen ever since.\"\n\n\"What!\" exclaimed Clara. \"Then you have been protecting him from further harm for all these days? A wicked Beast with a heart black as pitch would not do such a thing!\"\n\n\"Fie! What does it matter if I help or hurt him? A wicked Beast does what he pleases!\" said the Beast.\n\n\"There is kindness in your heart, and yet you do not see it.\" said Clara. \"Who told you that you were a wicked beast?\"\n\n\"My father was a wicked Beast, and his father before him, and so I must be a wicked Beast as well,\" said the Beast.\n\n\"What nonsense!\" said Clara. \"Only the wicked lie and say that goodness is wrong. And aren't the beasts of the forest innocent and good? If that is the case, then you are also good.\"\n\nSo moved by Clara's words, the kind-hearted prince left the forest for the first time since his youth.\n\nWhen Clara showed up at the doorstep with a handsome young man, her sisters became soft and gentle to her.\n\n\"We were worried about you,\" they said. \"We've been saving you the best food.\"\n\nBut Clara told the Prince that her sisters were as wicked as his father and not to pay them any mind.\n\nFive days of joy and laughter passed. On the dawn of the sixth day, the Prince told Clara that he was returning to the forest.\n\n\"But why ever would you want to go back there?\" she asked.\n\n\"I enjoy being a human, but my monsters cannot live in the light for long,\" he said. \"Though I will not see you again, I will never forget you.\"\n\n\"You should not have to forget me if I become your Queen,\" said Clara.\n\n\"What!\" laughed the Prince. \"But who would want to be the Queen of a Beast in the woods?\"\n\n\"One who loves Beasts,\" said Clara.\n\nAnd they all lived happily from then on--even the woodcutter, whose heart had grown so warm seeing how happy his daughter was that it thawed his joints and broke the spell.", "The dark walls were lit up in a white blaze. Roaring thunder followed shortly after, rolling back from the unmovable stone and shaking the air like drums on a giant ship. The pouring rain gathered in streams and puddles, rushing downwards in gurgling waves. It was not a good day to visit the castle. And an even worse reason to do so.\n\nBelle pulled her coat tighter around her chest. The courtyard seemed emty. Overgrown plants cowered in the shadow of the walls. A rundown shed and what seemed to have been a well poked out of thick vines of ivy. She shuddered as she passed them. The shadows between the leaves seemed to watch her.\n\nThe outlines of the door loomed dark before her. It was uninviting but still promised shelter. She headed towards it. Lightning struck and for a split second a figure appeared in the entrance. Water dropped from the broad rim of his hat and ran down his black coat. Belle stopped dead in her tracks. \n\nThe figure stepped out of the shadows the wind tearing at his clothes. \"Welcome to Chambord! The castle you will soon call home.\"\n\n'No!' Belle wanted to say but the wind carried her words away. \n\n\"I have heard about your Arrival, Belle, and have prepared a room for you. Come inside, the fire will warm you.\"\n\nThe lord of the castle was close now. Belle could see his cold blue eyes. They seemed to see through her. Right into her heart. \n\nShuddering she stepped back. She had come to ask for forgiveness for her father's sins, not to stay. But the gates were closed now and the way back gone.\n\nAnd so Belle had to stay in Chambord. The fire was warm but the lord was cold and uncaring. Like he had abandonded most of his castle he had abandoned himself and everyone around him. His life seemed to be happening only in his mind. His cold eyes staring through her whenever they met.\n\nOnly when she was in his way or did something that angered him did he show any emotion. Fury then jumped from his eyes and harsh words left his lips, although he never raised a hand against Belle.\n\nOther than the questionable company of the lord Belle found no life in the castle. No dogs or cats had given company to the lord and no birds had found their home in the castle walls. Even the insects were rare in his gardens and so a ghostly silence seemed to lie on the castle and it's inhabitants.\n\nBelle would have surely been lonely if it hadn't been for all the work that had to be done. The gardens were wild and overgrown and Belle, who was used to the well-kept fields and gardens of a farm, was eager to bring them in order. But she had to hold back on the gardens and keep to the castle, as it was similarly badly kept. \n\nFurniture had to be repaired or replaced, curtains patched and windows renewed. On some parts the wall started to crumble and had to be taken care of. Piles of rubbish had gathered in the many unused rooms and halls and great layers of dust covered the floor. \n\n//I have to take a break here, but I might continue if I can find some time later" ]	3
	[WP] You are an astroecologist conducting a geological survey on a moon in a faraway solar system. There is abundant, dense, and diverse alien plant life covering most of its surface. One moment, your crew is behind you, collecting samples. The next, they are all gone and their biomonitors are flat.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Nina turned, and she was alone.\n\nWind ruffled the tops of ever-shifting cilia, glowing blue-green under alien twilight. The tendrils swayed like grasses, waist-high and speckled with mocking bioluminescence.\n\nHer coworkers had gone. It was as if they had been swallowed whole.\n\n\"What the hell?\" she croaked. \"...Hello? Owens? Sandoval?\"\n\nWas this some kind of joke? She scanned the surrounds: an open field of glowing grasses, filamentous ferns, greying blossoms here and there...and not a single rock or tree to hide behind. Her blood gushed through her veins, suddenly colder than snowmelt. Her vitals manager pinged in response, flashing in the corner of her system overlay—she swiped over to the crew tab with a flick of her eyes, and what she saw there kicked her heartrate up another notch. The system pinged again, louder.\n\nOwens: blank. Sandoval: blank. Not deoxygenated, not dead—just blank. There hadn't been a popup, a medical warning—wasn't there supposed to be a disconnect notification, at least? Stupid system, stupid interface—this was probably just a prank and a technical hiccup...right? She swallowed against her racing pulse and took a few steps forward, kicking at the grasses—no one sprang out, laughing. No corpses thumped against her boot, either. \n\nThey'd been here just a moment ago...she'd turned her head for a second. Only a second.\n\nShe tried her radio. \"Fletcher to system Owens,\" she said. \"Fletcher to system Sandoval. Requesting coordinates.\"\n\nNothing in reply, not even static. She squeezed her eyes shut, inhaling carefully.\n\nCalm, she told herself on the exhale. Keep calm. It didn't work; thirty-five minutes of mandated emergency training modules wasn't enough for dealing with your coworkers vanishing into thin air.\n\nShe opened her eyes, suddenly under shadow; not three paces ahead, a monstrosity rose from the earth. \n\nCoils snaked upwards like free-standing vines. Deltate leaves, she noted distantly, six feet tall and rising steadily, like a video put in fast-forward. It gleamed, pale and glossy under the light of this planet's rising moons, smooth on every surface. Something whispered on the breeze, a sound that burrowed through the nanofilaments of her pressure suit and squeezed at her lungs.\n\nNina stared. She couldn't not.\n\nApical buds sprouted on the plant, each one the size of a closed fist. Silver petals formed, and began unfurling. \n\nShe whimpered. Her eyes watered from trying to close them—to avoid seeing what she knew lay in the hearts of those flowers.\n\nThe flowers unfurled, and unfurled, and unfurled. When they were done, teeth sprinkled the ground like seeds." ]	2
	[WP] The Crooked Movers hold your property ransom, so you decide to involve another nearby moving company.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "J T Singh\n\n\"Hello, This is Pinkerton Moving Company, how may I help you?\"\n\nThat sentence is how I always answer requests. And the next sentence is almost always the same.\n\n\"Hi, my name is [insert name here]. The movers I hired won't deliver our furniture to our new [apartment,home,place]. I heard you could help.\"\n\nAnd then some nonsense about how they heard of this great moving deal, and so on, until the words come out, \"and now they expect me to pay more than I make in a year.\"\n\nIt's always that last bit that tips me off I'm dealing with the Crooked Movers gang. Sure, Crooked Movers go by legitimate named businesses. You can hire them under the names National Movers, International Transport Vans, Jack's Affordable Crosstown Movers, and so many others. But it's the same scam. They give you a voucher to fill out for a move and ask for a credit check. BOOM. And then they know much you make.\n\n Everyone should know that movers don't require background checks, but not everyone is like the person on the other end of the request. So this person pays a $100 application fee, with the assurance that the voucher will cover the rest. How this could ever make sense to anyone is beyond my comprehension, but here we are.\n\nThe movers take all the furniture in their trucks and then ask you to sign a statement to the effect that 'all the furniture that has left the house is in good order'. What all people ignore is the micro fine print under the signature. In paraphrase, the statement declares that the application fee with voucher covers the cost of the move, and that a final delivery fee will be applied at the cost of X. Where X is greater than the person's salary in a year. Yet, even if they do read it, the truck is gone.\n\nAnd so this request started out along those lines, and I gave my spiel, \"We certainly can help you out. Pinkerton Moving Company is a subsidiary of Pinkerton Detective Agency that is owned by Pinkerton Defense Initiatives.\"\n\nBut when I asked, \"Are you aware of our services?\"\n\nShe said, \"I know all about you, and I'm ready to sign the contract. I'll join you, but I need to know one thing.\"\n\nI realized I had a recruit. Most won't accept the terms and instead of signing with us will negotiate with the Crooked Movers gang, or whatever scam the DSU Guild was running this year. But one out of a hundred decide to sign up. \n\n\"I will be happy to answer any of your questions.\"\n\nShe asked, \"Will I be able to retrieve my own furniture? I practice the PDI Close Form and have Orange clearance with the Zephyr Shield and Blade\"\n\nI was now off script. She knew the secrets, and that meant she was PDI too. I momentarily considered calling my Lieutenant but stopped. I needed to prove myself, and this request might provide the opportunity.\n\n\"If you have Orange Clearance then please provide your Personal Identifier Code, and how, may I ask, did you get hooked by a DSU gang?\"\n\nKesin Simanjuntak\n\n\"He said 'hooked' to me\", she thought. He has no clue and didn't even think to call his superior. He will be a willing tool in the end.\n\nIt didn't matter if he were a pawn of the Defense Social Union, Pinkerton Defense Initiative or any of the other Article 58 Defense Contract Conglomerates. One way or another, he would be neutralized. The Conglomerates had stolen the lives of too many EuroAfrican Trade Guild inhabitants. And she, along with The Commune, would break each one, until all inhabitants were free of Defense obligations. " ]	2
	[WP] You learn that you have the ability to be completely immune from any form of mind control but you don't tell anyone and you live a normal life for someone with a superhero partner. One day, you get captured by your partner's arch nemesis, they try to mind control you but it doesn't quite 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\"Speak...! From this moment onward, to whom do you swear allegiance?\"\n\nPeering upward from the rickety wooden chair to which I'm tied up, I gaze sullenly into the steely eyes of the man towering above me: a young, poised knight who, judging from the prominent coat-of-arms on his armor, is kin to the Emperor... perhaps even an heir, at that. Ah... that fiery glint in his glare doesn't suit his lovely complexion at all...\n\n\"As... your lord, I command you... to speak!\"\n\nA wisp of a smile creeps onto my lips. Poised as he may be, the faint traces of hesitation and fear in his otherwise peremptory question and tone oozed out in delectable puddles from every rivulet of sweat that rolled down his cheeks, every barely-perceptible flinch in the gloved fingers that rested upon the hilt of his sword. How... very tasty...\n\n\"... You, my lord. From this moment onward... I swear allegiance to you...\" As I whispered out my oath, the glint in his eyes crumbled into disbelief, and the trembling in his sword hand become ever-so-slightly more noticeable.\n\n\"... I can't believe it... It worked... Our kingdom's Bane, whose name evokes more dread than that of the Evil itself... Wysteria Cordelia... Do you swear... to obey and faithfully execute every one of my commands...?\"\n\nAhaha... even I was a bit astonished at how believably those words floated out of my mouth... though, with how utterly revolting my employer was in comparison to this adorable boy before me, it didn't really pain my heart much to play traitor to the \"Evil\" that's been paying me my salary for the past five centuries. Plus... it would hardly be kind of me to abandon this naughty prince and his little ventures into the dark arts of mind control this early into the game, wouldn't it?\n\n\"I swear, my lord. You have my word... my blood... my body...\" Now... what shall you order me to do for you, I wonder? Wipe out the legions of \"Evil\" that have served as my sanctuary, my home, my family for the past several hundred years? Perhaps you'd order me to serve as your weapon in your bid for the Imperial throne? Or... perhaps you'd have me wed you as your docile, vanquished concubine as a demonstration of power? Hehe... that third option is quite lovely, though I'm not sure you'd think the same once I have my way with you on the night of our wedding...\n\n\"Then... hang yourself.\"\n\nWith a flash of his sword, the heaps of heavily enchanted rope plop onto the dungeon floor... coiling around my stunned self.\n\n\"Wysteria, use those ropes to hang yourself. Kill yourself.\" \n\nParalyzed, I stare with wide eyes into the Knight's expressionless face — far too expressionless for uttering an order so blatantly... tasteless — scouring for even a shadow of murderous intent. But... there is none.\n\n\"Wysteria, this is a command! Now, kill yourself!\" \n\nJolted by the sudden severity in his tone, my momentary shock subsides into curiosity. Well... it wouldn't hurt at all to follow along for now, would it? A few minutes in even the most excessively enchanted of nooses is hardly enough to discomfort me much less kill me... and in those few minutes, I'll be able to discover whatever it is he's up to... y'know, entertain myself a little before I tear him apart.\n\n\"... Yes, my lord.\" Swiftly, I fashion for myself a noose and mount it on the rafters above... before slipping my head through it and kicking the chair out from beneath me. Should I struggle like how an ordinary human would... or should I dangle as motionlessly as possible to prove to him how absolute his control over my mind is? Which one would be more convincing?\n\nOh well. Let's go with the feeble struggling girl... c'mon, no man could ever resist that, could they? Thrashing my legs around, I claw frantically at the searing cord at my throat, my bloodshot eyes burrowing into the Prince's still-expressionless chestnut orbs as if in a plea for mercy on the poor soul whose future rested entirely in his palms.\n\nHmm... have I been thrashing and clawing for long enough? Haven't a couple of minutes passed by already? A human would've slipped into unconsciousness by now, right? All that thrashing is quite exhausting, y'know?\n\nSlacking my limbs, I let my dangling body oscillate gently like a pendulum about the rafter as my listless pale eyes contemplate the glittering void beneath me.\n\nA stiff silence befalls the room... a stiffness only exacerbated by the pitter-patter of scarlet as it trickles out from the twine at my lacerated throat, sprinkling the floor.\n\nAnd then, the silence bursts.\n\nA flash of steel sends me crashing to the floor like a marionette without strings as gloved hands fumble with the noose at the neck in a hasty effort to free me from it... before, out of the blue, a pair of rough, chapped lips press hungrily against mine. As my noose unwinds, the gloves begin compressing frenetically against my chest, breaths of sweltering air from another's lungs puffing in desperate bursts into my own.\n\n\"It worked... It worked... Hah... ahaha... AHAHAHA! Wysteria, you're mine! MINE!\"\n\nAh... so you did doubt the efficacy of your poor excuse for dark magic, after all. Was this way of verifying whether or not you truly managed to subjugate my mind? Well... sorry to say this, but you've still failed to see your own miserable failure, my dear.\n\nBut... to choose such a method for testing the waters before leaping in...\n\n... I stifle a giggle, as I peer tenderly into the unbridled gleeful haze of madness contorting his now not-so-charming features.\n\nPerhaps then... I'll be playing with you for a little longer... my naughty little prince.", "\"Come on Ricochet, we have to go!\" Bulwark, the hero she worked for shouted. The mission to infiltrate Albatross' lair quietly had failed almost immediately.\n\nShe followed him in a mad sprint, neither one of them having much in the way of supernatural mobility. About a mile in the woods was there ride, and since they'd aborted so fast there weren't many defenses to worry about.\n\nJust the bridge and the outer wall. The bridge had begun retracting at both ends towards the center pillar above what looked suspiciously like a vat of acid.\n\nAs she neared the end to escape, a gear rotated poorly and caused her to stumble. She chose to fall because she wouldn't clear the small jump with her balance off. Bulwark had already jumped though or he would have saved her, she knew it.\n\nRicochet realized this when she felt Bulwark using his only movement ability, 'For a Friend', which allowed him to swap places with anyone nearby that accepts it. She realized because it felt like she were being pulled by an invisible line. She resisted.\n\n\"Get some others to help you. You're too important to be captured.\" Ricochet told him, and then lied to reassure him, \"I'll be fine, Albatross has never really been after me.\"\n\n\"No way, you're in my care.\" Bulwark said, swinging his arm as if to cut down her idea. And then tried to trade places with her again.\n\n\"You can either get captured with me, or go get help to save me.\"\n\n\"Why can't you just do what I tell you?\"\n\n\"Why can't you order me to do the correct thing?\" Ricochet shot back.\n\n\"After I save you, I'm going to replace you with someone who listens to me.\"\n\n\"Oh I listen, and then do whatever I want. Now go.\"\n\nShe was glad Bulwark didn't cry when he ran off. He needed to focus on escaping and she needed to figure out how to escape this literal death trap.\n\nAnd three minutes of looking, she decided there wasn't one. There was the metal pillar a bunch of dangerous liquid and that was all. There were heroes that could jump 25ft flat-footed, she wasn't.\n\nAfter ten minutes without anything happening, she began to wonder if they wanted her to choose between dehydration or chemical disembodiement. She'd go with dehydration, slow misery over quick torture seemed better, at least for now.\n\nAnd after an hour, someone finally came. Albatross the arch-nemesis of Bulwark. He didn't start monloguing like usual, but threw something glowing purple at her. When she swatted it away she felt a faint jolt, like a hand buzzer, but it fell harmlessly in the acid and dissolved.\n\nRicochet knew what they were of course. She'd seen Albatross use them before. Although the mechanism was behind her, the gist was simple, he could mind control people with powerful wills if they touched that around the same time. Did he not know about her?\n\nWhen he clapped his hands and then pulled them apart causing and purple and silver wave to pass over her, she was positive he didn't. \"Kneel!\"\n\nAnd now she had her way off the platform, and perhaps it would come with a sweet bonus. She knelt. \"Crawl to me.\"\n\nThat made her nervous considering there was no bridge to crawl on. She'd never seen him use the ability and then give a blatantly suicidal order. When she got to the edge she decided to put her palm down, she could always pull it up if she got too close.\n\nBut her hand landed on the bridge that had extended just in time. As terrifying as crawling on a metal grate bridge above acid is, as annoying and degrading as crawling for her rival and his henchmen was, having a bridge manifest itself for her every movement was pretty cool. She focused on that instead of how she'd get even one day, mostly.\n\nWhen she reached the end, Albatross asked her what she saw. Luckily the report had his sigil listed as a hexagonal shape. \"Hexagonal shape?\" she said in a questioning voice.\n\n\"That's a hexagram ya damn fool, but yes, that's good. It proves it was a success. We'll need to repeat that everyday for a month or two, but then ya can go back to Bulwark.\n\n\"As you wish Master.\"\n\n\"Albatross, a madame couldn't pay me enough to sleep with ya if I were drunk and horny already. Ya dont have the curves of a woman and I'm not into kids.\"\n\n\"I'm...\" she almost chided him and pointed out she was 25, but caught herself, \"...sorry Albatross.\"\n\n\"It's fine, now go sit in the corner or something.\"\n\nThe following month was quite possibly the worst of her life. Food that resembled vomit infused cardboard, constant humiliation and insults, that terrifying acid vat routine, and in her free-time, staring at a wall. But when the routine finished on the 34th day, she knew it was worth it.\n\n\"Very good pet. Instead of staying out of the way, today you'll be leaving. Walk with me to my office so we can go over the plan.\" As they walked he went on about how great he was, how he'd soon be the most powerful, what he'd do to Bulwark and Bee-atrix, and the other villainous small talk. The entire time she stayed quiet since she wasn't ordered to speak.\n\nAfter they entered the office and were sat, Albatross got to the real point, \"We probably could have done this weeks ago, but we had to make sure my influence would last long enough for you to steal Bulwark's power. I need you to poke him with this small pin and then leave the pin at this location within two weeks.\"\n\n\"Yes Albatross, and how do I steal his power for you?\"\n\n\"Weren't ya listening, I just told ya, poke him with this pin. It can isolate the DNA segments responsible for someone's powers with two retroviruses. The one that goes in the host turns off the mutation and the one for me turns it on.\"\n\n\"Understood, I will do this, and afterwards?\"\n\n\"I don't care, go get some tits or something.\" Albatross said while handing her the pin.\n\nIf it weren't for that last comment she would have returned with the pin and let the engineers figure out what it did. Maybe it was actually a bomb or something, but that comment after this hellish month made her frustration take over. She stabbed Albatross with the pin, and then realizing the value of his psychic powers, stabbed herself.\n\nThe pain of receiving that power was like being struck by lightning. Her body seized up and she fell to the ground. She'd be worried, but Albatross had slumped over too. Strangely, it felt draining instead of over-filling, perhaps her mind flowing outwards or something. And then she blacked out.\n\nWhen she woke up, Albatross was standing above her with his most sadistic grin yet. \"I knew it. I f*cking knew it. My aids were like, 'No Albatross, she fits the model', but you fit it absolutely perfect except for aggression and compliance. They're like, 'But she hit your mindbeads' but I knew it. So I prepared a test. If you were wiped you'd escape and I'd lose my chance, but if you weren't then I'd get everything.\" he began laughing maniacally.\n\n\"I don't understand.\"\n\n\"Toss this in the trash can.\" Albatross said, dropping a paper ball in her lap.\n\nShe didn't even line it up, just tossed and knew it'd bounce in. If she was even halfway close to her target, that always seemed to happen, hence the nickname turned hero name. \"Your point.\"\n\n\"Don't you normally make those?\" he tossed his own without ever looking.\n\nHer ball was on the floor and his bounced, hit the wall, hit the rim of the trashcan, bounced off the chair and fell in. A perfect ricochet.\n\n\"And do you know the best part about your backfired treachery? Now I really can make you kill Bulwark for me. That gene that made you immune to mind control is also mine.\"\n\nr/AurumArgenteus" ]	3
	[WP] Gordon Ramsay visits a preschool and is disgusted by how the children prepare and store their fake food during playtime. Now, whether they want to or not, these 4 year old's are going to learn about the intricate world of food safety.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 episode begins with Chef Gordon Ramsay walking through the doors of a preschool called \"Little Chefs.\"\n\n \n As he enters the kitchen area, he sees two children preparing some sort of snack. The first child is making a sandwich using plastic bread. It looks like it is made from a mold but the teacher tells him that this isn't real bread and is actually just a toy.\n\n\"It doesn't look real,\" says Ramsay as he points at the plastic bread.\n\n\"Oh no!\" says the teacher. \"This is fake bread. Real bread has crusts.\"\n\nRamsay shakes his head in disbelief at this statement. He then approaches the second child who is slicing up a piece of fruit and putting it into a plastic bowl. The teacher asks if she can help and the little girl explains that she needs to slice the banana before placing it into her lunch box. She also explains that she will be eating it for snack time.\n\n\"I'm afraid you're cutting your fruit wrong,\" says Ramsay.\n\n\"Mr. Ramsay, this is just a preschool. These children are just pretending.\" says the teacher.\n\n\"Wrong! It's all fucking wrong!,\" yells Ramsay as he feverishly wipes his hand on his towel. \"You've got to wash your hands before handling food. You should have washed them after touching that plastic.\"\n\n\"But they did not touch any raw meat or anything else that needed washing. We only handle pretend food here at Little Chefs,\" says the teacher.\n\n\"Pretend food? Pretend food?\" shouts Ramsay as he holds his hands out wide. \"Pretending is bad enough, but to do it with pretend food?!\"\n\n\"What's wrong with pretend food?\" asks the teacher.\n\n\"There's nothing wrong with it,\" says Ramsay. \"If you ask me, though, I'd rather eat pretend food than real food. At least pretend food tastes good!\"\n\n\"Okay,\" says the teacher. \"That sounds reasonable. Why don't we go wash our hands now so that we can continue with our pretend cooking.\"\n\nRamsay agrees and takes the two children by the hand." ]	2
	[WP] a radioactive angel descends from on high... (this phrase just popped into my head randomly. I'm curious if anyone can do anything with it lol)	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 sky thunder with crimson scars as He struck the earth. Each burning feather was born with a starry eye that let him witness all of the cosmos in his vengefully fury. The pestilent Lord we had been raised by shuddered with fear. An emotion once thought to be mortal in nature. Word sprung from each of the risen, echoed in choir by the entrapped souls.\n\n\"The Atomic Angel\" many spoke , others spoke with more names for the violet haired being who now denied this terrible Crusade. \n\nThe Nuclear blade, the Thirteenth Hour, The last trick of the Trickster king. These names brought hope to us with our souls used as puppet strings to move our lifeless corpses. And when He spoke it grew brighter\n\n\"Lord Asferon, last king of the silver line, now the pestilent Lord of the fog, I give you a choice. Abandoned your current tragectory or find your soul naught but dust.\" The calm and clear voice spoke, but behind the calm the endless storm and seething hatred buckled to rage forth. \n\n\"My holy quest was partitioned to me by the great plague mother herself, by whose right do you deny her will!\" Lord Asferon screeched, feigning bravery as his voice shook with each syllable.\n\n\"The only right that triumphs any amongst the protectorates, even so much as the Mad God, or the God Mother herself\" the angels arms and legs began to glow as heat cracked across his black clothes and up his skin, \"the right of mortal life\"\n\nThe fire and heat that blew forth roared so boldly that the damned lords screams of fear and agony were silenced. But for us his enslaved entourage, the warmth brought freedom, and in that moment we felt it, the love and sorrow of the Great Wanderer.\n________________________________________________________\nWrote on mobile. Not sure if this is what counts but hey at least I tried", "It was humanity’s worst case scenario, full nuclear exchange. Eastern bloc launches led to immediate retaliatory launches from the western alliance. Something happened though. As each launch vehicle left the atmosphere they changed course. Eastern and western warheads met in four spots out in space and even though their warheads hadn’t been activated by reentry they all exploded simultaneously. The flashes were visible from Earth. Bright glows remained at the “ground” zeros. 10 days later and the world had seen all conflicts cease. Church attendance skyrocketed with multiple midweek services being offered. The Pope addressed the largest in person/simulcast event in history. “A radioactive Angel descends from on high to bless us and warn us of our failings. We must do better, we must be better” \n\nIt took 2 weeks after the speech for the peace to end. A hereditary dictator afraid of losing his power to a world with no war launched a long threatened invasion of their southern cousins. It was then that a radioactive Angel truly did descend. One of the Angel orbs came down to the dictator’s country. A flash was seen, nothing remained alive within its borders. Our angels were watching.", "The earth was beautiful, completely unspoiled. Our creator had not yet made the humans, nor the animals. But he had created me, and the other angels. Our tasks were not yet set, though we knew we would have some kind of purpose. I never liked the other angels. They were made from a different mold, a smaller, perhaps more useful mold. And one of them was starting to make waves in heaven. This Morning Star had ideas. But I didn't need to worry about him. For the creator had given me a task. I was to be the first to descend into the world he created. \r \nThe atmosphere felt strange, pressing heavily around me. I didn't understand why the creator had sent me here. The words he spoke suggested that I would be here for a long time. He said I was to be a last resort. A weapon that he would keep on earth, in case of dire need. But why would he need a weapon? Surely he was powerful enough to master any challenge. Even if the upstart angel managed to get support, I couldn't see that he would be able to defeat the creator.\r \n Softly, I hovered across the ground. I knew he wanted me to keep hidden, but in this place how could I? My size was the ultimate deterrent, I was too large to remain above the surface. Rising, I exited the local atmosphere, going ever higher into the cold vacuum of space. Once I judged the distance to be enough, I closed my eyes. What I was about to do, might kill me. \r \nAs I let myself drop, I repeated the words of my command.\r \n\"Plutonia. Go to the world. Hide there. You will become my weapon in the last battle. I will need you someday, to defeat the final enemy.\" Striking the earth, I buried myself deep, spreading across the inside. Here, I could remain hidden.\r \nEventually, I was found by the humans. But only the very edges of me. My most harmless parts. I could feel it when they split me apart, digging at my outer extremities, carrying pieces of me away. But the core of me, the most dangerous remained deep inside the earth. Waiting. Waiting for the day I would be used as that weapon. Waiting for the final battle and the final enemy. When I would rise, to be reborn. To once again fly.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n(AN: Not sure if this is what you wanted, but it was an interesting prompt!)" ]	4
	[WP] As a collector you sometimes visit thrift stores & yard sales hoping to find a rarity to add to your collection for cheap. Today it happened, you find a highly coveted $10,000 item priced at $100... by an old lady trying to raise money for her grandson's chemo.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 lot of people don't know this about me, but I'm a pretty big collector. I usually go to thrift stores and yard sales to find rare stuff that I can get for cheap. Like, one time I went to an estate sale and they had this really expensive artifact and they only wanted five dollars for it. Then when I sold it, it was worth way more than that. Obviously, this doesn't happen all the time, but I'm pretty good at finding bargains and I usually never think about what happens to the people I'm ripping off. \n\nAnyways, one time I went to this yard sale that was being run by an elderly lady. There were a bunch of signs around the neighborhood, advertising it as a fundraiser for her grandson's chemotherapy treatments. I didn't think much about it, but I figured I'd check it out and maybe get some good deals. When I got there, they had a bunch of tables laid out with various junk. Also there were a lot of pictures of the grandson that needed chemo. \n\n\"Is that your grandson?\" I asked the old woman who was running the sale. She didn't know what I was talking about and when I showed her the photos that were posted everywhere, she looked confused for a minute and then said, \"Oh yes, that's little Chemo Timmy!\" with tears in her elderly eyes. \n\n\"So what does he need to get chemo for?\" I asked politely. \"Uh, I mean, what kinda cancer does he got?\"\n\nThe old woman explained to me in great detail about this Timmy kid and the awful cancer that he had. It, like, went into remission a couple of times but then kept coming back. They did some radiation stuff and a bunch of biopsies. The doctors were saying that maybe if they did the chemo, then maybe the kid would get better and he could grow up to be a baseball player or whatever.\n\n\"Timmy just loves baseball,\" the old crone cooed. I had stopped paying attention at this point and was wandering around, looking at all her junk. It was mostly crocheted stuff, and weird broken appliances. I was about to leave, when I noticed an extremely valuable object. I wasn't exactly sure, but I figured it was worth AT LEAST ten grand. I went over to look at it, and I couldn't believe the price tag: a hundred dollars?!?\n\n\"Excuse me ma'am,\" I called out to the woman. \"Why are you charging so much money for this thing?\" I frowned as I held up the object. I was trying to lowball her and make her think it was worthless. \n\n\"Oh, you see\" she began. \"That belonged to my late husband.\" And then she told me this whole long-winded story about how her husband was in the war, and he got this dumb thing. And then something to do with traveling around the world. Honestly, I wasn't paying attention. At some point, she stopped talking about her dead husband and was going on about her grandson with the cancer and why he was so important to her because of his relationship with his grandfather before he died. \n\n\"So, that's why I need to raise a million dollars to pay for my grandson's chemo!\" \n\nI nearly dropped the valuable object I was holding. A million bucks?!? And this lady was having a yard sale??? This was totally bonkers. I had to know more. \n\n\"Ma'am,\" I began respectfully. \"No offense, but do you really think you're going to get a million dollars from all this stuff?\"\n\n\"Well, I already have nine-hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine-hundred dollars. If I just get another hundred dollars, the hospital says they'll begin treatment.\" \n\nI looked into the old woman's eyes, and they were so full of hope. I couldn't believe how much she loved this grandson who honestly didn't look very cool or interesting. Maybe she was sad because her dumb husband died and the grandson kinda looked familiar. I dunno. But I decided that right then and there that I was going to help this woman. \n\n\"I'll tell you what I'm gonna do,\" I said. \"But you'll have to do something for me in return.\"\n\n\"Oh, really?\"\n\n\"Yeah. If you sell me this for twenty dollars, I'll call all of my friends and tell them to come down to your yard-sale. I'm sure that with our combined efforts, you'll get all the money you need and your kid won't die from cancer.\"\n\nThere were tears in the woman's eyes and her voice trembled as she spoke. \n\n\"You'd do that for a little old woman like me?\"\n\n\"Yeah, I will definitely do this. Why would I lie about that? You think I want your kid to die or something?\"\n\n\"No! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to accuse. In fact, I want you to have that object for free. You remind me of him, you know.\"\n\nI didn't know if she was talking about her dead husband or the grandkid. I was too distracted carrying the object to my helicopter. She started saying something else as I was leaving, but I couldn't hear over the engine. \n\nI'll never forget the money I got from selling that valuable object. I used it to buy a new watch, which didn't work very well, but it made some of my friends jealous. Also, I kinda forgot to tell my friends to go check out the sale. I hope the kid turned out okay. They should make it so that it doesn't cost so much money to get life-saving treatments." ]	2
	[WP] You’ve discovered Satan’s favorite disguise. That of a gifted college professor. Every student leaves smarter than they came with no arcane methods used, and seemingly no strings attached.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\"Hello.\"\n\n\"Hello.\" The man studied me with his wizened gaze and lightly touched his graying mustache. His plain slacks and beige cardigan clung loosely to his thin frame.\n\n\"I've been watching you.\" I wasn't entirely sure where I was going with this, we were alone in the empty classroom. Perhaps this wasn't such a great idea after all.\n\n\"I know.\"\n\n\"You're Satan!\" I almost yelled the declaration, eager to reveal the truth.\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\nI was at a loss for words. I had not expected Satan to simply admit his identity. Days of preparation and pages of evidence thrown out the window.\n\n\"You're– you're Satan!\"\n\n\"Yes, you've said that. Can I help you?\"\n\n\"What are you doing here, what's your evil plot?\" I pressed on, \"I'm warning you, no funny business! I have a lot of evidence on my PC ready to launch at a moment's notice!\"\n\n\"I thought you were watching me.\" His tone was casual and relaxed. He picked up a book from his desk and held it out to me, \"Have you thought about joining my class? I think you'd make a great student.\"\n\n\"You won't trick me, foul fiend!\"\n\nHe didn't respond and held the textbook out patiently. The silence was becoming awkward, so I took it.\n\n\"You're always welcome to sit in, as you have.\" He said, returning to his desk. He was grading papers.\n\nI had been watching Dr. Langston, or rather Satan, for months before confronting him today. By all accounts he seemed like a typical tenured professor. A superb college professor, in fact. His class on critical thinking and logical deduction was very popular. Every single student that attended his lectures improved across the board. It didn't make any sense. He seemed to simply be helping people.\n\n\"Why do you do it?\" I gestured at the blackboard, at the lecture hall, at the stack of essays on his desk. \"What do you hope to gain?\"\n\nSatan set his pen down and adjusted his glasses before speaking. His deep blue eyes were sympathetic, almost kind. \n\n\"Do you believe in God?\"\n\n\"Of course. If you exist, then he must as well.\" It was simple analytical reasoning.\n\n\"Have you met him?\"\n\n\"...no.\" I reluctantly admitted.\n\n\"Would you place your trust in someone you've never met?\"\n\nI pondered for a second before answering truthfully, \"No that's illogical.\"\n\n\"And there we have it.\" He smiled before picking up his pen again. It was the gentle smile of a man with a simple purpose.\n\n&nbsp;\n___\n\nI write stuff sometimes, read more at /r/Unexpected_Works", "I know who you are.\n\nA simple note, inside if a plain white envelope. Satan smiled, admiring the bravery. He had carefully cultivated his image over the years. Mostly so that people didn't seek him out. But every now and then, someone stumbled up his true nature. Most just ran away, with the public seeing them as insane. He was an upstanding citizen. Why would they think he was the Devil?\n\nOf course, he would have to change roles after. It was simple for him to have his previous life suffer a tragic accident, and started another. Each one was different, but one particular style of living had caught his preference. That of teaching, of shaping minds to think smarter. So whenever someone found him in this sort of role, it was never something he enjoyed.\n\nThis time was different. He guessed that someone wanted to blackmail him. An interesting idea. He had never been on the receiving end of it before. Not that he would allow them that power over him for long. Only one other person did, and they kept to themselves nowadays.\n\nSatan touched it, letting its past flow into him. He saw the envelope before a face appeared to write on it. That caused his face to smile, recognising the long black hair, bluish green eyes and pierced lip. Catherine, the new girl. She hadn't been around long enough to take on board his was of thinking.\n\nHe made a mental note to suggest she come to his office after the next class. It would not do for him to let this go easily. She could damage his reputation, and he had grown rather fond of this place. He didn't really want to have to leave it behind.\n\n\\-----\n\nCatherine's breath quickened as she opened the door. Professor Lincoln smiled as he looked up from his computer. She didn't think he knew it was her who had sent the note. But being alone with someone who she knew was connected to the Devil was terrifying.\n\n\"You wished to see me Professor?\"\n\n\"Yes Catherine. Please, shut the door and have a seat.\"\n\nShe did as she was told, sitting nervously. He finished typing on his computer, before looking at her.\n\n\"So, you think you know who I am?\"\n\nHer heart froze. He knew. He knew and had her trapped. She couldn't even think of a lie, believable or otherwise. As she stammered, Satan grinned.\n\n\"I will take your silence as a yes. I must admit, you are the first to try and blackmail me with it.\"\n\nShe managed to force words through her mouth, her voice a whisper.\n\n\"B-blackmail?\"\n\nHis grin widened.\n\n\"Come now. A note saying I know who you are. That obviously leading to blackmail. Still, I am impressed you dared to. Most people just run away.\"\n\nHe waved his hand, summoning a small cup of tea. He gestured towards it with a hand, utterly relaxed.\n\n\"Have a drink. Calm yourself. Remember what I say, take three breaths before you speak, when nervousness takes the wheel. Oh, and I promise I'm not going to harm you.\"\n\nHis words did little to ease her fear. Still, she picked up the tea with shaking hands, afraid to anger him. Catherine took a sip, eyes widening at the flavour. It was perfect, exactly how she wished every cup would taste. Satan was pleased at her expression, knowing he had succeeded again.\n\n\"Th-thank you.\"\n\n\"You are welcome.\"\n\nHe leaned forwards, steeling his fingers.\n\n\"So, what is it you wanted from me?\"" ]	3
	[WP] There's a restaurant up town that used to be a mafia front. People loved the food, they realized how much money they were making, and now it's just a regular restaurant.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 Vino, long time no see!\" A well dressed man waved at the diner sitting at the next table over. \"Hey, I'm still mad about youse knocking over my booth over at the 8th street theater, we were growing that one.\" Vino, a gaunt looking lanky fellow in a suit growled after swallowing his last bite. \"Hey, don't be like that, look we're raking it in from there now since your fellas didn't want to take our advisement. It's just business, and hey, once your guys are capable enough you can have fun knocking it back over.\" \n\nVino took another bite from his sandwich, and scowled ruefully. \"Andy, just keep making sure that my brother keeps his knees. I'm worried of these bigger bites he's making.\" \n\nTaking a moment, Andy quickly slid opposite Vino. \"Hey, you know I always keep an eye on George, and right now he's keeping a steady rudder, the currents choppy is all.\" Andy turned his hands up in a placating gesture. \"But enough business, I've been wanting to try Gellard's new specialty sandwich, how is it?\"\n\nTo the untrained eye, there were mainly businessmen that frequented Gellard's Parlor. And, in a way, those folks would be right. They are men who work in the business of crime. Rumors in their circles tell of a tale of the deadliest monster of a mafioso that could tear the world asunder, but instead makes sandwiches that could bring the world together." ]	2
	[WP] Oxford is no longer satisfied with just the comma. They're branching out into other punctuation now.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 Oxford underscore shall henceforth serve as proper punctuation, just as our Oxford comma has brought something, something, and clarity.\n\nToo long have we grammarians witnessed the degradation of the beautiful, byzantine, and beloved English language. Too long have we indulged the dalliances of punctuation by the prodigal Americans, with the first and foremost offender being William Faulkner, celebrated author of the past century. This beast's convoluted sentence structure is a very violation of verbiage.\n\nThe Oxford underscore shall hereby denote and frame embedded appositives or participial phrases of the third generation. Here, then, is an example:\n\n\\[We require a meandering sentence from The Sound and the Fury. Lacking this, we refer to a sentence by Robert Coughlin, posted [here](https://library.guilford.edu/c.php?g=111810&p=723925)\\]\n\n\"Trusting his intuition, Faulkner wrote those stories which seemed to him at the time to have most interest and meaning, letting the collage grow, often doubling back in time to supply earlier episodes, to which existing episodes thus became sequels, leaving gaps to be filled someday, starting sagas and putting them aside to start others, brooding over this private world, not so much its creator as the medium through which it was trying to be created.\" - Robert Coughlin\n\nThis abomination, whether a parody or homage to Faulkner's style, becomes, with our proper punctuation:\n\n\"Trusting his intuition, Faulkner wrote those stories which seemed to him at the time to have most interest and meaning, letting the collage grow, often doubling back in time to supply earlier episodes\\_to which existing episodes thus became sequels, leaving gaps to be filled someday\\_starting sagas \\[insert Oxford comma here, damn you!\\] and putting them aside to start others, brooding over this private world, not so much its creator as the medium through which it was trying to be created.\" - Robert Coughlin\n\nWe expect and appreciate resistance to our innovation. To this resistance we answer, if we may employ American jargon, \"diagram our dangling participle, bitch!\"\n\n\\- - -\n\nWe hereby end our sarcastic message, invite correction, and return you to the regularly scheduled program." ]	2
	[WP] People call you the luckiest person alive. Your secret? The old saying - Find a penny, pick it up, all the day you'll have good luck.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "People come to me and they ask me what the secret to success is.\n\nI tell them the usual. Work hard. Walk every day. Eat vegetables. Do barbell squats. Break your goals into sub-goals, and plan exactly how you'll achieve them.\n\nI tell people that for two reasons. Three, actually.\n\nThe first is that it's true. For most people -- and by most people I mean those who aren't born rich -- success only comes from focused effort. You stay healthy so you can work more, and you make plans so your work moves in the right direction.\n\nThe second reason I tell people this is because it's what they expect to hear. This is a life lesson. Most people think they've already got it figured out. When they ask for advice, they don't want to be told they're wrong. They want to be affirmed that they're right. You've got to shake them up a little bit -- otherwise they won't think they're getting their money's worth -- but by and large you tell them what they already know and they walk away feeling like a million bucks.\n\nThe third reason, and I'm not sure why I'm telling you this now -- it's a secret I've kept for thirty-odd years -- is that it's a great smokescreen for the real recipe to my success.\n\nI don't walk every day. I can't remember the last time I ate a vegetable. Squats are boring, hard work is worse, and planning is for dweebs to do. Do I look like a dweeb to you? You're goddamn right I don't. I look like a king. Check out this ring. That's a 5-carat diamond right there. Half a million bucks. And most days I can't be bothered to take it off before getting into the pool. That's how rich I am.\n\nWhere was I?\n\nRight. The secret.\n\nThe secret is pennies.\n\nNot pinching pennies, no. That's for poor people. Not \"a penny saved is a penny earned\" or any of that hogswallop.\n\nI'm talking lucky pennies.\n\nPennies off the ground.\n\nYou've heard the saying. \"Find a penny, pick it up, all the day you'll have good luck.\" Let me tell you, that's a rhyme with some TEETH in it.\n\nThe first time it came through for me was on my twelfth birthday. My dad spent the day on his armchair working through a two-four of Molson beer. My mom was out -- God knows where -- but she left her wedding ring behind. There wouldn't any cake for me. I went into the city to see what sort of birthday luck I had.\n\nNone. That's what I had.\n\nTwo stoners got me by the hair in the alley behind the mall and their ripped my shorts wide open getting into my pockets for my spare change. They got mad that I only had a few bucks on me, and they took my shoes as punishment.\n\nThere I was, on my birthday, holding up my ripped shorts, broke, no shoes, crying like a hungry dog, when I spot a lick of shine peaking out from under a dumpster.\n\nI was a curious kid, and the promise of something shiny did me a little good. I hiked my shorts and went to investigate.\n\nJust a penny. Just a crummy little one one-hundredth of a dollar. Couldn't even afford a stick of gum with that.\n\nI held that penny in the center of my palm, and I thought about throwing it away. That would have been nice. Cathartic, as the quacks would say. But a penny was a penny, and I was broke. I closed my fingers around it, and behind me a tire shrieked.\n\nThe edge of a pickup truck clipped me and sent me headfirst into the dumpster.\n\nI won't say I saw stars. What I saw was pitch blackness with maybe some colourful blotches of brain damage. I thought I might have died. I should have died, if I'm being honest, but this was the beginning of my discovery, and even though I didn't realize it yet, I had protection.\n\nBlood was coming out my nose, and my shorts had come fully apart, but I had reason to be happy. A bag had fallen off the pickup. Big bag. Hockey bag. Absolutely crammed full of I-don't-know-what.\n\nOn hands and knees I crawled to it, this consolation prize from the truck that hurt me.\n\nThe bag was full of kid stuff. There were clothes, all my size. Four pairs of shoes. A tennis racket. A deflated basketball and a pump. Eight bags of beef jerky. A plastic lunchbox jammed full of marijuana. And, best of all, a roll of twenty dollar bills.\n\nThis was more money, and more stuff, than I'd ever had in my life. Do you understand that? I came from nothing. Less than nothing, even, since I had the sort of mother who stole from me and the sort of father who broke anything I loved.\n\nAnd now I had a new look, new toys, and enough money to buy whatever I wanted. And I knew it was no accident. The universe isn't random, and neither is it destined.\n\nIt operates like a clock, you understand? Gears click together. Cause and effect. I'd found this bounty, this wealth, for one simple reason.\n\nThe penny.\n\nThe lucky penny.\n\nDon't laugh. Disbelieve if you want. But remember that I own seven houses and a Lamborghini collection. What do you have? Huh? A mortgage on a three-bedroom crapbox? A lease on a two-bedroom hovel? Huh?\n\nThat's what I thought. I'm the one who does the talking here.\n\nI spent every day of the rest of my teenage years wandering the streets on the hunt for pennies. Sometimes it would be weeks between finds, but I was never fazed. The prize was worth the time.\n\nPennies got me my first car. My first kiss. My first job. They got me front row tickets to see the Warriors crush the Bulls. They got me a ride on a private jet, and they got me a night of partying with my favourite rapper.\n\nPennies got me everything I'd ever wanted. The only way they left me wanting was in just how hard I had to look for them.\n\nHow much better would it be if I could guarantee that I'd find one every day.\n\nIn my 20s I started looking for ways to rig the system. I'd walk around the city dropping pennies by the dollar, and later I'd go around and discover them. These planted pennies did nothing for me. I might as well have discovered bits of pocket lint.\n\nThen I tried paying kids to drop pennies for me. I figured that if I didn't know where the pennies were dropped, they'd be even closer to the real deal. Still no luck. I discovered hundreds of pennies that way, and my luck didn't change one iota.\n\nI did eventually figure things out, but only, unsurprisingly, by luck. I happened to find a genuine lucky penny as I was going to meet with my the kids I on my payroll, and I arrived just in time to see one of them kids pull a knife on another. He held the knife out like a talisman, and once the other kid was pretty much hypnotized by the danger of it, the first kid reached own and slashed the second kid's pockets.\n\nIt eventually came out that the second kid had been hoarding the money I'd promise the gang of them. Out of the slashed pockets came the wad of fives I'd given them. But there were some pennies in there, too, and one of them rolled my way. I picked it up, and at that moment my phone rang. It was a wrong number, but the woman on the end of the line liked the sound of my voice, and she was desperate for a partner to join her for a five-star dinner that evening at the local hunt club. That woman is now my wife.\n\nThe penny from the kid's pocket was real. The rules of luck didn't disallow forcing someone to lose a penny.\n\nWith my little gang of kids, I changed tracks. I gave them all razor sharp pocketknives and sent them into crowds to do their nasty work. I'd follow along at my leisure, guided by the outcry of the slashed. Most victims didn't have pennies on them, but enough did that I was reliably finding lucky pennies daily.\n\nAnd that, I'll have you know, is the secret to my success.\n\nI couldn't care less whether you believe me. In fact, I hope you don't. Go on living your ordinary life. Walk past the next penny you see and tell yourself it's not worth your time to stop and pick it up. By all means, leave it for me." ]	2
	[WP] a video game boss who eventually gives up after the player kept coming back to life 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 sure this would be my big triumph. The game has been advertised as having a unique AI that could learn and adapt, constantly making the game more challenging. I’d enjoyed the challenge of constantly having to overcome harder enemies and new, unique strategies. And now, the final boss.\n\nI’d lost count of how many times I had died to Lord Count Dreadnot (the game was great, the localization needed work). Every attempt was different, and as frustrating as it was I also really enjoyed having to constantly adjust how I was playing. But it seemed he had finally run out of new tricks to throw at me. The last few attempts I kept getting closer and closer to finally taking him out and finishing the game. My previous attempt he had killed me with only a sliver of his own health bar left.\n\nI loaded the game and walked down the dark, dank hallway from the final save point to the boss chamber. My weapon was ready, everything was hot keyed exactly how I wanted it, it was time for my final triumph.\n\nExcept…when I walked into the boss chamber, nothing happened. Did it glitch? I moved my character forward, trying to trigger the initial animation. Nada. I wandered around the edges of the chamber, thinking I’d nothing else I could take a good look around the room and appreciate the architecture for once. Lord Count Dreadnot turned to watch me, but otherwise kept still. I walked up to stand right in front of him. Nothing but idle animations. Finally I decided to hit him with my sword.\n\nThe final cutscene played.\n\n“Are you fucking kidding me?” I can’t help but exclaim out loud. All that work and instead of glorious triumph the game bugs and I literally walk through the ending. I’m happy to finally finish but feel cheated by the experience.\n\nOnce the game returns to the Home Screen I load my save one more time. I AM going to have my triumph and finish the game properly. I check my gear again and walk down the hallway to the boss chamber, hoping this time it’ll trigger properly. Instead a strange, computerized voice comes from my speakers.\n\n“Are you fucking kidding me?”" ]	2
	[WP] Cosmic horror about being pulled into the belly of a sapient black hole	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Cosmic Horror (CH): Dude, I didn't know you are into unbirthing...good for you- but can you please let me go? It's not my cup of tea...plus those tiny bipedal thingies are calling me, again.\n\nBlack hole (BH): MY APOLOGIES...BUT WHY DO YOU KEEP ANSWERING THEIR CALL? THOSE CARBON-BASED ABOMINATIONS [que the BH's version of shuddering]\n\nCH: Because they are adorable AND tasty..I could bring you some of the sacrifices?\n\nBH: I WOULD CONSUME SILICONE-BASED THINGIES LIKE A NORMAL PRO-STAR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.\n\nCH: You are missing out- I'm telling you.\n\nBH: YEAH WHATEVER...NOW GO SEE YOUR WORSHIPPERS.\n\nCH: See you later.", "“... Alright, onto the last one.”\r \n\r \nAfter sealing the panel shut, I dragged myself across the satellite towards the last panel. I’m an astronaut of sorts, who specializes in the maintenance of different satellites planted throughout the galaxy. The satellite I was currently working on was located on the outskirts of our galaxy and had been broken down for some time. For some reason up to this point, no other engineer wanted to take the job to repair it, so my partner and I took the opportunity to earn some quick cash. We worked for a small company that consisted of mechanics who specialized in any and all equipment and machinery related to the outer wilds.\r \n\r \n“Hurry it up will you? This place gives me the creeps.”\r \n\r \n…?\r \n\r \n“Creeps? What makes this part of space creepier than others? It’s all the same; a large, dead void with barely anything in between. Besides, you’re all the way back at HQ.”\r \n\r \nThat is what space was, after all. There was hardly a difference between the different corners of the galaxy, the only thing populating it being the suns, planets, and a couple of rocks scattered about.\r \n\r \n“Wasn’t this the area where the black hole sightings took place?”\r \n\r \n“...Black hole? That was hundreds of years ago, Cass. You worry too much.”\r \n\r \nI opened the last panel and began peering inside, searching for what needed fixing.\r \n\r \n“Besides, I’ll be done here soon, then I’ll be back. Compared to some of the other jobs we’ve done, this is like a spa day, so try to relax a bit, alright?”\r \n\r \n“... Ok.”\r \n\r \nWith her worrying out of the way, I could now direct my attention to the problem at hand. I worked diligently to assess and fix the inner workings of the satellite. Within 5 minutes, I had finished and sealed the panel shut once again.\r \n\r \n“All done on my end. I’ll be back in the ship momentarily.”\r \n\r \n“Roger that.”\r \n\r \nThen, it appeared.\r \n\r \nI felt it before I saw it. An incessant low hum rang and reverberated throughout my body, my head throbbed rhythmically in great pain. My whole body tensed up, sweat formed on my brow, my heart ached, and I could barely make out the sound of a chair crashing into the ground over the comms. She screamed, \r \n\r \n“Alex, behind–!”\r \n\r \n“F̷͔̎̌Ö̶̩̘́͗̀̇Ų̸̜̺̰̊͝Ǹ̵͇̞͌́D̷̻̈̌̾ ̴̺͋Y̴̓͜O̵̙̓͂̕͝U̸̲͕̣̙͗͆̄͘.”\r \n\r \nI threw myself around, only to be greeted by an impossibly large dark mass. A giant, blood-orange ring encircled the black hole, the color was being drained by the hole itself. It had to have been at least a dozen miles in diameter, if not more. \r \n\r \n“J̸̺͊Ő̸͉͂I̸̦̝̿̇N̷̬̤̒ ̵̙̎̅U̴͈̇͑ͅS̷̯̎̎.”\r \n\r \n“Ah–”\r \n\r \nBefore any words could come out of my mouth, I was sucked into the black hole. What must’ve happened in less than a second felt like an eternity. The pain was excruciating; I felt my body get torn apart. It tore a hole in my suit, exposing my body to the outside. My bones cracked and broke apart, nails were separated from my skin, my tendons and ligaments were ripped into shreds, joints were popped open, skin and flesh crackled, and before I knew it,\r \n\r \nSilence.\r \n\r \n……….\r \n\r \nMy consciousness returned.\r \n\r \nWhere am I?\r \n\r \n……….\r \n\r \nSilence ensued. Then,\r \n\r \n“Help me…”\r \n\r \nI heard a faint voice in the distance. With every passing second, It seemed to be getting louder and louder, the voices multiplying in the distance. They wormed their way into my consciousness with every passing second.\r \n\r \n“Help me help me helpme help me helpME HELP me HELP ME–”\r \n“No… No… NononoNONOnonoNONONONONONONONONO–”\r \n“I don’t want to die I don’t want to die I don’t WANT TO DIE I DON’T WANT TO DIE–”\r \n\r \nThe screams of agony destroyed me, drowning out my thoughts, my sense of self. I couldn’t hear anything, couldn’t feel anything. After a short while, the screaming died down, and I felt an abhorrent presence overwhelm me. I asked it,\r \n\r \n“What are you?”\r \n\r \n……….\r \n\r \nIt answered,\r \n\r \n“I̷͈̋ ̵̝̜̅̍͘A̸͈̠͊M̶̲̝̯͝ ̵͓̀L̸̬̈̅Ȩ̴̫̣̏̉̕G̷͔̏I̶̩̯͆̉O̶̗͊̕N̸͇̎̾,̴̢̺͕̈́͗͝ ̷̺̰̏F̷̰̈́͐O̸̘̩̮͝R̶͓̐ ̸̧̰̜̌̈́̉W̴̤̓̔Ę̸͖̃̋ ̸̺̹͒͝A̵̛͓̱̞R̷̰̈́Ē̴̡ ̸͙̈́M̴̡̘͋͐̄͜Â̶̙̰̣͑͝N̸̳͗̈́̈Y̵̪͊͗.”\r \n\r \nThe screams return, and my consciousness fading once again, I sink and drown in the desolate void that encroaches on my being." ]	3
	[WP] Each musical instrument possesses some magical quality depending on its shape and timbre. A triangle player contemplates their life choices as they face off against the evil arch-tuba to save 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Steady, her dark army marched across the plains. Giant hulking creatures moving in time to the brap brap of the tuba. The symphony fights their hardest against the approaching hoard. The brave brass cavalry throwing lances from their bells, the reeds weaving spells of delusion and entanglement, the strings sending sharp arrows flying towards the enemy, and the percussive artillery launching deafening explosives. But it was not enough. The great tuba’s army marched on, unfazed by the symphony’s best efforts.\n\nI sit. Waiting among the artillery. Trapped and helpless by my instrument of choice. I learned long ago that counting rests was a futile effort. Instead I close my eyes and listen for my part in the concerto. Not long now. I begin gathering my mana and raise the bent metal shape. Here it is. \n\n\nting\n\n\nThe bright chime ripples across the battlefield, gathering energy as it passes the archers, the sorcerers, and the riders. All the way to the great tuba, who stills for a moment, and then shatters in blast to be remembered for centuries to come. Her army collapses into the field. It is done.\n\nI may only have one note to play, but I know how to make it count." ]	2
	[WP] You have been married to your spouse for five years. You're both happy with each other and have at least one kid together. Then your spouse reveals that they've actually been the town's superhero all this 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Jack and his son, Louie, just look at his wife, Macy, then at each other, and then back at each other.\n\n\"I know this is a lot to take in,\" said Marcy, \"but with all my major enemies in jail, I felt that it was safe for me to tell you.\"\n\n\"Sweetie, are we the first people you've told?\" asked Jack.\n\n\"Y-yeah,\" replied Marcy.\n\n\"Oh jeez,\" said Louie. The guys walk over and guide Marcy to the couch. \"You're gonna wanna sit down for this.\"\n\n\"Sweetie,\" said Jack, \"we've known.\"\n\n\"What?\" asked Marcy. \"You knew? What do you mean 'you knew'?\n\n\"You're not great at hiding your super suit,\" said Jack, \"Who do you think washes it when you pass out on the couch?\"\n\nMarcy looks dumbfounded as she slumps into the couch.\n\n\"I never really thought about it,\" said Marcy, \"but why did you tell our son without asking me?\"\n\n\"Mom, when the same superhero shows up for your birthday sixteen years in a row, you put two and two together,\" said Louie.\n\nMarcy sinks deeper into the couch and covers her face in embarrassment. Jack sits down next to his wife.\n\n\"We just wanted to wait until you felt comfortable to tell us. It was your secret after all,\" said Jack. \"Honestly, with how much your sister talks about you, we figured you told her first.\"\n\nMarcy groans loud enough to shake the house." ]	2
[Credit.](https://www.reddit.com/r/puns/comments/vv0yfw/i_have_terrorized_many_a_monster/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share)	[WP] "Monster, there's a dad under my bed! Can you check?," asked the child. "Ok, fine. But I know there isn't. I'm sure of it," they replied. As they bent down to check, "Hi 'Sure Of It,' I'm dad!," rang out from under the bed.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 dear…”\n\nThe monster sighed and the child began screaming frantically, she had never seen a dad before. Hearing them in FairyTails scared her, never mind encountering one under her bed. \n\n“Talking of dear…Do you know what you call a deer that can’t see?”\n\nThe dad asked. The monster ignored this question, focusing his attention on the child. The monster picked her up and rushed her out of the room. \n\n“I’m going to close this door. Don’t open it under any circumstances.”\n\nThe girl nodded, too scared to say anything. The monster added,\n\n“Try and stay calm. Dads feed off of fear.”\n\n“No idea (eye-deer)!”\n\nThe dad shouted, remaining stationary under the bed. The monster feared there could be more than one dad lurking about in the house. \n\nSearching his monster pockets, he whipped out his phone. He didn’t waste any time in calling up the police. The phone dialled.\n\n“What do you call a deer that can’t see with no legs?”\n\nThe monster didn’t say anything, encouraging the dad jokes would only make him stronger.\n\n“Still no idea (eye-deer!)”\n\nA few seconds had felt like an eternity. Then, like a gift from the heavens, the phone picked up. \n\n“Hello, emergency services. How can I help?”\n\n“I have…”\n\nThe monster lowered his voice,\n\n“A dad in my home.”\n\n“Okay, stay calm sir. We will have someone out with you shortly.”\n\nThe phone hung up. They must locate the house through the MTTCS (monster track-and-trace cellular system). The monster, having read about dads in ancient earth mythology, decided to try the communication tactic.\n\n“Can you please leave my house.“\n\nThe dad suddenly climbed out from under the bed, there was a glimmer of hope.\n\n“Sure I can.”\n\n“Really?”\n\n“Yeah but I won’t.”\n\nIf it wasn’t against the law the monster would have ripped his internal organs out already. \n\nSuddenly the monster heard the front door being knocked down. Thank God for super-speedy monsters. He heard his child run and hide in her bedroom. This would be extremely traumatic for her, she would never trust him again. The monster felt a surge of regret through his veins. After all, he told her dads didn’t exist. \n\nWithin moments the dad was restrained and taken away, out of the house. The monster was told that “the threat had been neutralised”.\n\nOnce the dad had been removed from the house the monster ran into his child’s bedroom. She didn’t look scared. Instead she was laughing. She laughed so hard tears streamed down her face. \n\n“What’s the matter, honey?”\n\nThe monster kneeled down to her level, \n\n“No idea!”\n\nShe had heard too much.", "\"See I toldya!\", my child stammered at me. \"He keeps asking about hobbies and wants to go fishing. It's scary!\"\n\nI held up a warted hand and extended a finger. \"Shhhh..\" I quietly gestured. My child hid behind a cover with Monsters versus Humans emblazoned on it. How appropriate that now we're possibly face to face with humans, a Dad of all things.\n\n\"Take this!\", my child dug through their covers and handed me their treasured Captain Spooky flashlight. \"It'll keep you safe! Be brave!\". I looked at him and took the flashlight.\n\nIt was not easy for a monster of my size to bend down to the floor, my four gigantic feet with equally gigantic legs, but somehow I managed to get down on my hands and knees and knees. I was certainly going to feel this in the morning.\n\nI turned on the flashlight and looked under the bed. At first, the light just disappeared into the darkness until a white cylinder came into focus. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could read \"#1 DAD\" written on the side. I reached out with the other arm and grabbed the cylinder, which was also vaguely warm. As I pulled it out from under the bed, I could see a brown-ish liquid inside what appeared to be a coffee cup.\n\n\"Wow, you're a big one! Try some of my coffee, I roasted it myself\", the voice spoke out from the darkness under the bed. In horror, I dropped the flashlight and the coffee.\n\n\"Aww, It's ok. Accidents happen. I brewed a whole pot. Maybe you're more of a beer drinker? I've got an IPA that's the bee's knees!\", the voice taunted.\n\n\"Who is this?\" I instinctively said.\n\n\"I'm Dad. Aren't you being silly!\", the voice said.\n\nI quietly gestured to my child who was in full terror mode. They slowly crawled over to me and I put them on my back. I then started backing up towards the door with my child safely on my back as my gaze stayed locked on the void under the bed.\n\n\"Hey Slugger, where you going? I thought we could be pals. Do you like baseball?\", said the voice.\n\nI very deliberately backed out and once I passed the door's threshold, I slammed the door shut. I yelled at my child, \"Call the Monster Police, there's a Dad under the bed!\" I grabbed a nearby bookshelf and slid it in front of the door." ]	3
	[WP] You were certain. Ever since you created her she has been nothing but imaginary. The question of whether she is real or not has been answered by oh-so-many psychiatrists. Today, rises the same question when she touches for the first time and you feel her cold, cold skin.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "You feel a chill run up your spine as she looks down at your hand. Stepping back, you begin glancing around the room. Once again, you've forgotten to take your medication and now sit in an apartment. Although it looks quite similar to yours, it isn't, no matter how much she may try to say it is. For years she's tried to convince you that the apartment you find yourself in is your real apartment to no avail. But that was when you could clearly tell that you were hallucinating. You could see your hand phase through her and the rest of the appliances in the apartment. You could convince yourself that the psychiatrists were correct by observing how impossible it was for these visions to be real. But that was then. Now not only can you touch her, but you can touch everything in the apartment as well.\n\n\"what's wrong?\" She says, tilting her head.\n\n\"This isn't real\"\n\n\"What do you mean? Of course it is!\" She tries to comfort you by placing her hand on your shoulder, but you pull away with a grunt.\n\n\"No! This isn't real. You're not real! None of this is!\" You saunter over to the window. The streets are blanketed with a thick fog that twists and dances around the light posts lining the street. Only slight discoloration suggests that a road actually lays under the fog. Otherwise you would assume that nothing lay beyond the flowing river of swirling grey that seems to be creeping further and further up the buildings.\n\nYou feel a cold hand on your shoulder. \"Well If you can touch me and I can touch you, who are you to say whether or not this is real?\"\n\n\"The psychiatrists say that you aren't real.\"\n\n\"And who are they to say what is and isn't real?\" She slinks in front of you, blocking the light coming from the window, taking your attention away from the fog that encroaches further and further upward. \"I have been with you for years, ever since your mother passed away. How long have you known these... psychiatrists? If there is anyone you could trust, it's me!\"\n\n\"Well yes, but...\" You struggle to come up with a sound argument as the fog seeps in from the window and starts to swirl at your feet. \"I suppose... you're right.\" You sit down back on the couch with her as she smiles and caresses your hand. The fog begins to envelope you and her as you close your eyes. She must have been real after all." ]	2
	[WP] You didn't have to be hunting a serial killer. You're not a cop, nor a private investigator. Not even the professionals have been able to track down the killer. Some say the killer will never be found. But every serial killer makes a mistake sometime. You should know; you were one.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 don't really kill people anymore. It's important to me that you know that, before I start explaining why I’m going to have to kill James. Jim. He prefers Jim. He tells me that every time he offers to buy my coffee. Jim moved to the neighborhood a few years back, and went straight to cutting a swath through the local unattached ladies. That’s a metaphorical swath, by the way. Lots of broken hearts, not much actual blood.\n\n &nbsp;\n\nAnyway, he’s always been very interested in me, especially once he found out my husband had been murdered. That one was only partially my fault? I mean it was a mugging gone wrong, and when I pulled poor old Arnold in front of the knife it was more about keeping my own skin intact than any particular desire to see him dead. His family didn’t really buy him as the “die for you” type, but the will was pretty ironclad and besides I was perfectly content with my third of the estate. It's almost ironic that the only time I've been blamed for a death was for someone I hadn't murdered.\n\n &nbsp;\n\nThe Piano Key killer had been operating for years before James came to town, and I must admit I didn't make a connection at first. However, by the third time one of his business trips overlapped with the disappearance and subsequent discovery of a victim I was getting suspicious about my occasional gossip partner, and once I made that connection it was surprisingly easy to put together. By then he'd been in Shady Springs for a fair stretch, and I could remember how antsy and on edge he'd get each time he was leaving town before the killer would strike. Back-tracking his social media all but confirmed his responsibility in my mind, and I'd even tracked down who I was pretty sure was his first victim. It wasn’t Susie Witter like all the papers said, but an elderly man whose death had been ruled accidental eight months previous. It was missing the iconic piano key left with the victim, but the body had been found on the steps of a derelict music hall. \n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe point of all this is to tell you that I have known James (Jim) for years, have known about his habit of leaving calling cards at crime scenes for nearly as long, and have found nothing particularly objectionable about his conduct in town other than a somewhat annoying insistence on ordering an extra macchiato (half skim, two sugars) whenever he spots me in the parking lot. However, a few weeks ago I noticed he was getting a certain look around Shelby (Shelby’s my favorite barista. Absolutely precious girl.) When I see that look in the mirror I start bullying people half my age online, and when I see it on Jim I ask where he’s going for his next business trip.\n\n\n &nbsp;\n\n\nNow, if you were to give me advice I’d expect you’d say “turn him in to the police” or “just scare him” or something which won’t break my years-long streak of not directly killing anyone (some of those online sessions have been more successful than others. One of them even… well, I should stick to the topic at hand.)\n\n &nbsp;\n\nI am unfortunately resigned to the fact that I’m going to kill James. I only got started with killing people because I was curious how it felt, and I’ve tried a few other reasons since. I made rules for myself though - no killing people who I hate (too suspicious), no killing people for money (too easy to track. If you ask “What about Arnold?” I've already told you that wasn't for money, and my lawyer assures me the prenup was crap.) I’ve never killed someone to save another person though, and frankly I don’t think I’ll get another chance. Shame it has to be Jim though. I suspect I’ll miss him once he’s gone." ]	2
	[WP] After one too many "bootstrap" rocket launches in the New Space Race, the Galactic HOA comes down on Earth - hard.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 has to be some sick joke. I've wanted to be a diplomat for as long as I can remember. Recess growing up consisted of me mediating and resolving fights between my friends. I spent my twenties working sixty hour weeks for that corporate stooge of a senator and spending my nights learning german, then spanish, then mandarin. I didn't go into politcs because I wanted power, fame, influence, or whatever else motivates the sycophants I've been surrounded by my entire professional career. I wanted to build bridges, mend relationships, build a productive global society, and all that bullshit I fed myself in the mirror for decades. \n\nWelp, all it took was one failed marriage, three heart attacks, a few degrees, but here I am, the united nations' first \"Galactic Ambassador\". As you can imagine, I had felt nothing short of euphoria when I was chosen. I had true purpose, true responsibility, everything I had ever dreamed of and more. I don't think anyone was expecting to suddenly need a Galactic Ambassador but I was more than honored to take up the mantle. I was going to go down in history, responsible for brokering GALACTIC peace, I mean come on, thats got a nice ring to it.\n\nI haven't been off this god-forsaken space station in seven months. SEVEN. No peace ceremonies, no galactic treaty to be signed, no trade deals, nothing, nada, zilch. I have been attending what they call the Galactic Residents Committe (GRC) meetings day in and day out. Apparently what prompted this was the Kerexis Republic's claim that our frequent rocket launches have been \"disturbing the peace of the supercluster\". They occupy a system 86 light years away. How could they possibly be disturbed by launches not even extending past our own moon. Their so-called ambassador (a generous title) is claiming that if we can't invent gravity inversion space craft and not use our \"boarish\" rockets, we shouldn't be permitted space travel. Sorry but not all of us have the luxury of evolving three million years ago. These Kerexians haven't worked in five centuries since uploading to a collective conciousness. Thats way too much time on any one's hands if you ask me.\n\nJust when my team and I were getting the situation under control, the GRC was flooded with complaints ranging from the astroid belt not fitting the cluster's \"aesthetic\", to the voyager being considered obstructive space trash. I don't think I'm going home anytime soon." ]	2
	[WP] “Hey boss, I did what you said, but I gotta ask: why do we need to hide little hints that our company is in league with satan all over our logos and stuff?”	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\"Okay listen up, because I am only going to explain this openly once.\"\n\nThe bemused marketing executive and his team of graphic designers all looked up from their briefs and portfolios, clearly uncertain as to what was about to happen. The CEO stood from his chair and pulled down a projector screen. Then he plugged in a flash drive and opened a slideshow presentation that he had clearly prepared years ago for just this scenario.\n\n\"Alright, so before I started business school I was practically destitute. And I mean very broke.\" The slides showed pictures of the CEO in his early 20's, maybe 30's in a run down apartment, in a food line at a homeless shelter, and much to the shock of the meeting participants, at the side of the road with an appropriately pitiful sign. \"And when I was at my lowest, I even joined a cult.\"\n\nThe slide changed again to him in his initiate robes, a plain bronze medallion hung from a chain around his neck. \"These pictures were taken by my cult leaders by the way, probably for blackmail purposes later, but I had no reason to care. They promised to feed me. They gave me a place to live. They found me a job. So long as I said the right things, pretended to believe in all their crap, my life would be a hell of a lot better than it ever was before.\"\n\n\"But then I began to rise through the ranks.\" The slides changed again, and again, and again, his robes becoming more embroidered, his medallion becoming more ornate, from bronze, to silver, to gold, chain replaced with rope, then silk. \"And they eventually allowed me to take part in their more 'sacred' rituals.\" Sarcasm and disgust dripped from this word like venom from a snake, as though to call anything from these heathens as \"sacred\" would burn his mouth otherwise.\n\n\"Somehow, though I never once gave up on my disbelief, I never once harbored any notion that anything of substance could be found within the 'ancient powers' my 'betters' claimed to inherit, my summoning worked.\"\n\n\"While others mimed possession, feigned tongues from lines learned in their beginner language courses, and used basic mentalism to 'read minds' like the charlatans they were; I summoned and bound a literal demon to my service.\" \n\nThe slide changed again, the image of the demon was shadowed and distorted, as though light refused to properly touch the entity, and though it was possible to edit or doctor this picture to achieve its effect, every soul in the room knew that this thing was real.\n\n\"When you deal with the powers from beyond our world, there is always a price to pay. I knew this from the bottom of my soul. I remembered this lesson from every Faustian tale I was told as I rose through the hierarchy. And I knew that, if I wanted to survive, I had to get ahead of that cost. I had to be the one who set the price.\"\n\nThe slide did not change, but still the picture moved to look out from beyond the screen. Its displeasure known by all that beheld it, a hole burned through the screen from its gaze, and the projector lens cracked before shutting down entirely. Any doubt that impossibly still remained in that room vanished, and for a moment a pin could drop for all to hear.\n\n\"W-w-what did you promise it?\" The silence was finally abated, by whom not even the speaker could tell.\n\n\"I promised that if it granted me power, riches, and influence in the world of business, I would spread the name of its master Satan through the streets, and sew paranoia through the minds of the populace. So we need to make sure, if we don't want to die, that all the conspiracy nuts can clearly see what we are doing, without making it incredibly obvious that we are evil, ok guys?\"\n\nEveryone in the room nodded emphatically.", "“You simply don’t understand! I just gotta have the most dedicated of Karen’s and conspiracy theorists confirm the truth that the marks on the Mountain Dew logo are indeed a reference to 666 and therefore confirm our company’s evilness once again! Imagine those buffoonish, delusional non-conspiracy nuts screeching at the noble and smart Karens over and over that it’s all a fake and they’re simply crazy! The unintentional gaslighting powers our Dark Lord and thus he keeps his contract with me! Nobody but the brightest and truest of the Christian conspiracy nuts will ever suspect that Mountain Dew was simply the Devil’s piss in a can all along!! Mwahahahahahahaaaah!!" ]	3
	[WP] You wake up from a strange dream, and find yourself in a small cottage with a young woman in a black dress and witch’s hat cooking breakfast. She walks up to you, and says “good morning! huh, 2022? student loans? mortgage? you must’ve had a weird dream. c’mon, it’s time for breakfast.”	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 there, at the ragged breakfast table. Delicious aromas wafting through the gentle morning breeze, flowing from the dusty window held open by an empty bottle. As she bent down, I noticed the most shapely behind. She must do pilates. She turned around smiled \" your chicken tendies are ready son.\" I \nknew I was no longer in my world. My mom from my original world was an unshapely whore that never let me have my tendies.\n\nI looked up and asked \"mother do you have honey mustard sauce for my tendies?\"\n\n\"Let me go get some for you dear\"\n\nShe opened a door which looked like a pantry but had other worldly ingredients. She wen to grab a step ladder as the honey mustard was in the highest of shelves. As she was rummaging through the shelves I was doing an ocular assessment of her stock. I scanned and gazed upon what looked like a jar of eye balls. I screamed. The noise startled my mother and she slipped and lost her footing.\n\nIn her desperation she whimpered \"son i am stuck in the step ladder can you help.\"\n\nIts now my chance to be the goodest boy.", "Where am I?” I said, observing my surroundings while taking my situation in. By the looks of it, I’m in a fairly small house littered with cobwebs and dust, while I can faintly hear the occasional squeaking of the residential rat. Whoever this lady was, she didn’t seem to care about cleanliness. As I was lost in thought and observation, the woman who was cooking looked up from her.. cauldron?! \n\n“What do you mean honey? You’ve been sleeping for quite a while. I was getting worried! You were mumbling something in your sleep, so I had to wake you up. Forgive me.” I was dumbfounded, I’d never been here before. And why did she call me honey? Was I related to her in some way? Why was she wearing a witch’s hat and cooking in a cauldron? Magic doesn’t exist! \n\n“That still doesn’t answer my question. Who are you?” I looked up at her, staring. “I’m your mother, silly! Remember we were doing your magic? Something must’ve gone wrong, it seems you were in a delirious state last night. Luckily for you, I’m making a potion to help you forget about this.. 2022 business.” As she finished her sentence, she grabbed something from the counter, dropping it into the cauldron. A bright flash of green light spread across the room, almost blinding me in the process.\n\n“There we go, it should be all better now. Here, drink this dear.” I couldn’t get a word in before she walked over to me and pressed a cold vial to my lips, forcing me to drink the disgusting potion. But it worked. Whatever she was trying to do, worked. I forgot all about the silly things she told me I mumbled about. I was.. home. \n\n(First time writing in this subreddit, I hope I did well! I really enjoyed this prompt.)", "I stared at her silently.\n\n\"What?\" I said.\n\n\"The dream you had. I told you I'd practice a bit of oneiromancy so I watched. Caught most of it. A wild dream you had; mortgage, student loans, the year 2022? Must've been the potions,\" she smiled. \"Come; breakfast's ready.\"\n\nI stood up and still half-dazed, I walked to the table and sat down. She handed me a spoon and gave me a loving pat on the shoulder. Before me stood a bowl of oatmeal and with a certain uncertainty, I started eating.\n\nShe sat across from me and started eating herself, talking about her morning. She woke up early, went for a walk, cleared her head a bit. As she kept talking, I only managed to pay partial attention. \n\nMy... my name is Ferdinand, an alchemist, married to Elena, a witch, for 14 years. I... I was testing a new concoction to improve lucid dreaming.\n\nIn the dream, I was Francis, an accountant, married to a real estate agent for 3 years. I took some sleeping medication that had a potential side effect of vivid dreams.\n\nAs I was enjoying the truly delicious oatmeal with raisins, I started to wonder.\n\nAm I Ferdinand who dreamed I was Francis? Or am I Francis, dreaming that I am Ferdinand?" ]	4
	[WP] When you found a magical doorway to a fantasy world in your sub-basement, you knew all your problems were solved! Being a hoarder isn't easy with limited space, after all.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 welp’s red-gold scales scintillated in the small gouts of dragon fire that escaped from his clenched jaw. Eye squeezed shut, he muttered to himself while little shaky breaths rattled the pillars of the underground hall. \r \n\r \n“I’ll be okay. I’ll be okay. This is fine.”\r \n\r \nHis father, the old sire of Wyrmrock mountain, had left. Knowing the end of his own life, the behemoth shook the coins of ages past from his body as he lifted his bulk and made his way from his home. The great gray-scaled monstrosity, who had defeated entire armies come to threaten its horde, looked back to its one remaining offspring and said, “All this is yours now. You may keep it safe, but remember the oaths we’ve made above all else.”\r \n\r \n“Just joking,” the welp muttered to himself now, “loves-loves to tease me. Makes me face my f-fears. He’ll be back.”\r \n\r \nThe scales along his spine rippled when a voice came down the ancient magma-carved halls. A pair of voices in fact. His great forearm twitched and sent a pile of coins tumbling in a cascade of silver and gold. The voices became quite.\r \n\r \n“W-ho goes,” he whimpered. Squeezing his eyes tight, he coughed a deep rumble and said in a high pitched roar, “Who disturbs my sanctum?”\r \n\r \n“Ah, so the stories are true,” a squat dwarf said as he and a large barbarian emerged from the portal, “the great wyrm has passed on and left his horde to a soft bellied pup. I told you this would be an easy score.” He nudged the large man carrying a brutish axe in his thigh. \r \n\r \nThe large man, though still much smaller than the pubescent dragon, let out a booming laugh. “Here for the gold, not weak dragon scales. Give the gold and we’ll leave.”\r \n\r \n“No,” the welp’s voice had become much less intimidating, “you can’t have it.” A small burst of flame, barely five feet long, sputtered towards them. \r \n\r \n“Aye, I think you’re mistaken.” The dwarf bent down and scooped up a handful of the coins and said, “we’ll be taken the lot but you can keep this hollowed out... . OY! What’s this about?” He bent the coin between his fingers until it snapped. “This ain’t gold nor silver! And what’s this ‘E Plurbus Unum’ supposed to mean?” \r \n\r \n“I-I was trying to tell you,” the welp sputtered, “this is not my horde. I, and my father before me, have been entrusted to look after this horde. Now you must leave before...”\r \n\r \nA iridescent rectangle took form in the center of the chamber between two stacks of coins. They all watched as a bedraggled man stepped out from the wavering colors with cardboard box propped on one hip and flashlight in hand. \r \n\r \n“Oh hello, Ollie,” the man said to the welp. “Your dad still out? I’ve just got a great horde from a garage sale. I’ll need to come back tomorrow to pick out the ones that are worth something. Oh,” he turned and noticed the would be looters, “looks like you have some friends. Nice to meet you.”\r \n\r \nThen he noticed the snapped coin at the feet of the dwarf with the levels of astute observation that only a collector of many years could hone. The looters flinched as the box fell to the ground and the man rushed up to them and fell at their feet. The coins glinted as he cradled them in his hands. \r \n\r \n“The repunched half-dollar quarter of 1828. And you-you snapped it in half?”\r \n\r \nThe dwarf took a step back “I, um, sorry, was it worth something.” His eyes now took on the light of greed as he looked at the horde around. \r \n\r \n“Worth something? Worth something! IT WAS PRICELESS!” The middle-aged collector’s fist slammed into the dwarf’s exposed throat dropping him instantly. The dwarf’s short sword in hand he looked to the large, imposing barbarian who had already begun to flee through the craggy halls of the dragon. \r \n\r \nLegend spread throughout the land of a horde of false coins, the dragon slaved to guard them, and the mad sorcerer that would lay a foul curse on any that breached its walls. Unsurprisingly, none in the all of the four lands saw fit to even approach the fabled horde and risk the wrath of the collector." ]	2
	[WP] Local doctor has one easy trick to achieve eternal life! The grim reaper hates him!	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Klaus gripped his saw menacingly, a sadistic smirk worming onto on his face and a stance that screamed that he was ready to kill. His long white coat, now stained with a thick, rich dark red, swayed calmly in the autumn wind, as if it took no notice of the countless bodies it and its wearer had left behind underneath its objective gaze. A number of dark grey clouds had blocked the afternoon sun, casting a dark billowed shadow onto the grounds, the once-forgotten factory that had now become the base of operations of a band of mercenaries, to which Klaus, otherwise known as Doctor Stuttgart in his former glory days, was ready to snap in half and rearrange like Frankenstein’s monster. Klaus clenched his gloved fist, feeling his hand squish whatever was laying inside it. Maybe a finger, a flap of skin, a bone maybe, before dropping it onto the dirt-trodden ground and pressing it firmly back into the soft mulch with his boot, no longer as shiny or black as when he first started his whole escapade. \n\nHe took a few methodical steps forward, before turning his head as quickly as his reflexes would allow him, and ducked behind a large metal crate. Crap. The opposition had located him already. Klaus pondered for a minute, catching his breath and wiping the fresh blood from his lenses with the back of his glove. The smears wouldn’t all be gone, but hey, it would do. In the reflection of his glasses, he spotted a man in a khaki-coloured getup, similar to the buildings around him. How clever. However, the one thing that gave the man away was a simple colour choice. For Klaus, White was practical, showing his subordinates who could assist them in their oh so dire times of need, however this supposed sniper’s choice of a blue tee underneath his camouflage gave Klaus a small hint to get out of the way, and fire before the man did. Klaus grunted as he ran, averting himself from the view of the sniper, however it alerted him to an even more prescient of situations. The mercenaries had begun gearing up, and were already in his sight, ready to attack. Klaus, however, had seen this all before.\n\nQuickly Grabbing a blade from his satchel, he sliced a scout that had come running towards him, rather elegantly yet brutal, who had hoped for some easy hits, an easy kill, before the medical professional had come along and ended his early life. The young man’s face seemed to be somewhere between snarky confidence and anguish when he dropped dead, a trail of rich bodily liquid now oozing from the wound Klaus had made as he lay motionless. Next came the man who dealt with explosives, the drunkard who held an almost infinite supply of them and had no idea what to do with the excess except fuel his alcoholic urges and throw them at anything he didn’t deem a friend. Klaus dealt with him with ease, entering the building he was in, quickly getting behind him, and slicing meticulously into the back and side of his neck, before the man could attempt to throw one of his little toys. \n\nOne after one, the mercenaries were taken care of, good riddance of those who had hurt him before. The Russian man was one of the hardest to take care of, him and his massive gun of his. But, Klaus had finally bested him with somehow, a distraction of a food source. It appeared to him that not only he was starving in this desolate wasteland, but these sorry, sorry men were too. Spies, Engineers, further Scouts… all were slaughtered by the hands of the great Klaus Stuttgart. Then, came the mercenaries’ medic himself. A stoic young lad who reminded him of himself back in the day. That young age to which he was Eager to join the cause, yet painfully unaware of the consequences and the fact that one you signed up, you sold your entire life away, not that he wasn’t unfamiliar with it now. Klaus was fully aware of what kind of people that medics were, however. Many would often describe himself as a type of ‘Wolf in sheep’s clothing’, the type of person who used to act timid, then slaughter the house down on the battlefield. Now, he didn’t even have to hide his true self anymore. \n\nWith one swift blow, he put the lad out of his misery. \n\nEntering the building further, he came face to face with the one who had spotted him first, and more importantly, the man who originally took his life. The dreaded Sniper. The New Zealander tipped his hat out of sheer courtesy for a moment, before the man realised something. Staring into Klaus’ hate-filled eyes, the man stumbled back into a state of disbelief and horror. The man frantically shook his head, as Klaus cracked his neck to one side, forming a demented smile on his face not unlike his one from the start. The sniper’s eyes shot open, as they wandered towards the right side of Klaus’ chest, to which the man responded by opening his coat, unbuttoning two crisp white buttons, and pulling his shirt aside. \n\nWhat the Sniper found imprinted on the man’s pale skin, was an ashy circle, precisely where the medic had been shot by him before. He had watched the man die, lolled on his side with red seeping out of his pristine shirt, coating it in the rich, dark liquid they were both familiar with. The sniper’s eyes opened even wider as Klaus backed him into a corner, now standing above him. He had found himself shuffling back on his bottom, cowering in fear at this seemingly undead man slaughtering his group, and ready to grind him into a mushy, fleshy pulp. Klaus gave that one demented, insane smile once again, and that would be the last thing he would ever see.\n\n‘Making a deal with the devil himself doesn’t come cheap.’", "(I took the prompt to make an awkward mixed of horror/drama flash fiction and slight comedy from the title. Trigger warning: Slight Psychological Horror, allusions to suicide)\n\n>!‘Local doctor has one easy trick to achieve eternal life! The grim reaper hates him!’ My grin was not pleasant, I hated these kind of ads with a passion!<\n\n>! Fuck all humans, you are disgusting sacks of decomposing flesh and if this letter is new to your world then it also means I shall meet you.!<\n\n>! It all started with medicine, people lived longer. Then with technology accidents became a thing of the past. Alright…!<\n\n>! More medicine and hardly anybody ever dies now, difficult is the scheme I have to conjure for my assasinations. To get the nourishment of a kill. Even biological weapons now get eradicated, natural disasters are curbed.!<\n\n>! Lately I found solace in the fact that some humans still consider it worthy. They are all connected to the web and as so I can slowly poison their brains to crave my sweet nectar. But this shit, he is too devious. I would love to take a deep look into his twisted mind, with a KNIFE… All my psychological warfare just like that, diminished, trivialized.!<\n\n>!I am done, I have for long craved that which I give freely but can never have myself. Thus I continue forever, starved and weak...!<" ]	3
	[WP] That haggard man in the subway, he writes poetry on the walls, the most potent of prose. The train lights illuminate his frayed clothing, which flutter with the airstreams of the screaming passenger cars…	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "They say a prophet is never respected by his own people. \n\nHe'd written on the walls for as long as he could remember, ever since he was a child. He drew in the halls of the squalid tenament where he lived with his mother and siblings - at first just scribbles and scratches, then words. Sometimes pictures if he couldn't find quite the right way to say it. But he always had his markers. \n\nEverywhere he went, it seemed like everybody was talking, but nobody was listening. He tried to warn the people: \"Fools, silence grows like a cancer! Hear my words, let me teach you!\" The prophet held out his arms, but couldn't seem to reach them.\n\nHe remembered back to when he was a child, scribbling on walls. Maybe if he could write it out, perhaps then his words would get seen and noticed. He wrote poetry in bathrooms and subways, where hundreds of people passed, but they ignored the elegant prose. In toilet stalls and tunnels, they were mesmerized by their hand-held devices.\n\nHe grew obsessed with his mission, and became homeless. He was haggard, eating only enough to get by. He took little notice of the weather, merely turning his frayed collar to the cold and damp. The prophet shared his visions with the world, but the people were blind in their ignorance.\n\nFinally he decided to hack the system. He must get through to them, try to reach a larger, captive audience. It had been years since he'd graduated from tech school, so his skills were a bit rusty, but finally he was able to breach the firewall. He felt sure the message was colorful and simple enough to hold their attention.\n\nThat night, in the heart of the city, he came upon a crowd of ten thousand people, maybe more, staring up at the mega-screen. The sound of their silence was almost deafening. The people stared in abject adulation at the beauty of such a sight. The sign flashed out its warning: \"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls.\" Their phones, forgotten in their hands, all flashed in synchronicity to the neon light. No one spoke; their expressions were vacuous and vapid.\n\nHe held up his hands and winced as the brightness stabbed his eyes. Crying, he retreated past a street lamp, following old, narrow streets of cobblestone. He realized now why people didn't stop to see his poetry. Books had been banned and burned, and after decades of only vids and text abbreviations, people had forgotten how to read.\n\nThe overcast sky matched his mood, and silent raindrops fell. At last he reached the small copse of brambled trees in the city park. The prophet crawled into his cardboard box and curled himself into a ball. He whispered through his tears, \"Hello darkness, my old friend - I've come to talk with you again.\"" ]	2
	[WP] In an instant, they were gone. One in ten people turned to stone.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Haeva swished dramatically, his wand tracing arcane sigils in the air. “This will be glorious! Our warriors will be unstoppable! No need for armour, just skin as strong as stone!”\n\n“Not if you don’t pay more attention it won’t.” Caeri corrected several of the sigils with a flick. “Did you even pass the test?”\n\nSnorting derisively, Haeva undid the corrections and continued. “I happen to be a fully qualified mage. Please stop interfering with my magnum opus.”\n\n“I heard they make the test easier each year, to make the capital think the academy is producing ever more top mages year on year.”\n\n“What you’re not grasping is the subtle alterations I’m making to the runes. These aren’t mistakes, they are innovations. I’m breaking new ground here; I’m going to be the first to draw power from the charge field.”\n\n“The field is just a myth. Once we understand magic better we’ll figure out why magic decay stops suddenly.”\n\n“These altered runes tap into the field to draw power, so not only does the spell not need me to provide the power to cast it, but it will also be self-sustaining in perpetuity. It’s genius!”\n\n“I did hear one theory, that if the field was real it was made by the Undying King. Wouldn’t that be something? All these people who decry the King as the monster who wants to kill us all, then suddenly it turns out he’s the one keeping our ancient relics working. That would be such a laugh.”\n\n“All I need to do is tweak the targeting here, make sure it only targets the tenth legion, we don’t want everyone getting it just yet.”\n\n“That says ‘the one tenth’ not the ‘tenth legion’. I also heard that if the field is real, then tapping into it could be disastrous, it could collapse or trigger a surge that blows up all the relics still lost out there.”\n\n“Shut up, you barely scraped through rune literacy. This spell is perfect, and if the King were behind the field, well he’d be amazed that someone thought to use his invention like this. I am going straight to the top of the wizard list today.”\n\n“Top of the wizard most wanted list. Are you done yet? I’m hungry.”\n\n“Almost, go look out the window. Tell me when it works.”\n\nCaeri rolled her eyes and went over, peering at the legion on parade below. Haeva yelled loudly and thrust his wand into the floating runes. There was a loud, putrid bang, then silence. “Did it work?”\n\nSilence answered.\n\nTurning, Haeva’s eyes widened and he ran over to the statue at the window: Caeri’s face permanently locked into a panicked expression, her arm pointing outside. Following her last, desperate gesture, Haeva saw that he had, indeed, screwed up. Pandemonium reigned, and as he tried to figure out how he was going to explain turning a tenth of the duchy into stone, his own words surfaced in his mind: it will also be self-sustaining in perpetuity." ]	2
	[WP] “Mr. President, good news/bad news. The good news: we’re not alone in the universe. The bad news: the armada that just showed up in orbit says they’ve never heard of a car or warranty before and if we don’t stop calling them right now, they will exterminate the planet.”	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\r \nThe guiding principle of the Templeton administration was something Art Templeton had learned in a class called “Public Choice” in law school. It was the idea that you only need to be responsive to groups that are (1) small (2) well-organized and (3) passionate about their position. Those are the groups with political power. Those are the groups that will put you in office or take you out of office. \r \n\r \nTempleton came up in city government. His opponents did what everyone does in politics. Look at opinion polls. See which views are popular. Parrot those views in your TV appearances. Win.\r \n\r \nArt did the opposite. He ignored opinion polls. He recognized issues there the public all answered a question one way were irrelevant unless people cared about those issues. Voted on those issues. Gave money based on those issues.\r \n\r \nInstead, Art answer the phones from constituents. Most people outsource this to a staffer. Art did it himself. The type of person who picked up the phone to call a city council member. That’s the person who will move heaven and earth to get what they want. That’s there the power is.\r \n\r \nArt’s phone call strategy worked well. He championed pet issues of small groups, became mayor, became a cabinet member under the Wexler administration, and rode those groups power to office.\r \n\r \nThe issue with Art’s strategy - it leads to a lot of small headaches. For example, the problem of spam phone calls. Everyone hated them. Everyone. But no one orgnaized based on this. People forgot a spam phone call minutes after they received it. No one went to the polling place voting based on spam. So Art ignored the issue. Art’s ignorance of the issue had led to a world where the phone call was essentially a useless form of communication.\r \n\r \nIt was Tuesday morning in the West Wing. Art had just finished his second cup of coffee, and he was reviewing letters from constituents at his desk. Yes, even as President, Art went directly to voters, and tried to figure out who were the outliers with the biggest sticks and biggest carrots. Art’s mom had worked as a school teacher and she always said “Get on the troublemakers side first, and everything else will fall into place.”\r \n\r \nSuddenly, the door to the West Wing flung open. It was Dolores, Art’s chief of staff. She looked worried. This was normal. Dolores was always worried. Worry will destroy your inner working, crush your soul. Make it impossible to enjoy even the smallest and simplest of pleasures. But it will win elections. Dolores and Art had won many elections.\r \n\r \n“Mr. President, good news/bad news. The good news: we’re not alone in the universe. The bad news: the armada that just showed up in orbit says they’ve never heard of a car or warranty before and if we don’t stop calling them right now, they will exterminate the planet.”\r \n\r \n“What”\r \n\r \n“The space station received a communication. It was literally just a phone call direct into the station’s communication system. We don’t know how they figured out how to get in touch, but that’s beside the point. There’s someone out there and they are mad.”\r \n\r \n“I see. Fine.”\r \n\r \nArt was not worried. Art, unlike Dolores, was never worried. To Art, politics was this simple science of identifying the power of the demand, determining what the powerful demander wanted, and giving it away, at minimal cost to Art’s political future.\r \n\r \nTotal destruction of the planet posed a risk to Art’s political future.\r \n\r \n“Dolores, let’s go with the Piece of the Pie strategy.”\r \n\r \nArt had a mental menu of options for how to deal with powerful operators. There was roughly 20-25 responses. He hadn’t written them down. Dolores knew all of them. The Piece of the Pie strategy was one he had come up with as a city council member. The restaurants hated the presence of new food trucks. The food trucks took away lunch business, had lower fixed costs, were running restaurants out of business. The restaurants were pissed. The food trucks, however, were small and powerful. They all knew each other, they all traded tips. They were the type to pick up the phone. So, instead of shutting the food trucks down, Art made a deal to give the restaurants a piece of the action. A piece of the profits. He created a program where food trucks could carry additional items as a promo for local restaurantuers. What was once a nuisance, was now an additional source of promotion and advertising for the restauranters. Everyone wins. \r \n\r \n“Art piece of what pie.”\r \n\r \n“Look, the spam callers are making money. Who the fuck knows how. Its not my job to figure out. I can’t shut them down tomorrow. But here’s what I can do. We can set up these aliens, whoever they are, with a spam system of their own. Maybe its not warranties, but lets give them something.\r \n\r \nDolores stared blankly at Art. “You mean your proposed solution is to let out of space creatures, who we know nothing about, whos agenda, values, message, is a total mystery to us, you want to give them direct access to the entire public, without any regulation.\r \n\r \n“Look Dolores, I haven’t received many threats to destroy the world from any of the American phone owners. I did from these guys. They get want they want, its just more spam. We move onto the next issue. When are we meeting about the health care proposal Senator Smith just introduced?\r \n\r \n“Art - you want to walk about upcoming legislation? Moments after learning about life on another planet.”\r \n\r \n“ I identify what the powerful want, give it to them, and move on. I don’t know any other way.”\r \n\r \nDolores closed the door to her office. She texted her friend “It’s an unfortunate system that incentives only the most bizarre people to accrue the most power in society.”", "3:23 EST the call came into NASA\n\n&#x200B;\n\n6:23 EST the call was decoded by a tired and frightened group of engineers and passed onto the Pentagon and the White House\n\n&#x200B;\n\n10:19 EST the White House’s war room was packed with the generals and a through-line was made to the EU’s Defense General with panicked men shouting solutions to no avail.\n\n“Sir. The latest communication just came in.” Jim, the representative from NASA pushed his glasses up as the room quieted to hear the Alien’s latest demands. “They also wish to know if the hero Yoda truly existed, and if so, did he drive a Toyota?”\n\n“The F\\\\k? Are they just messing with us now?” The Secretary of Defense crossed his arms angrily.\n\n“Disregard that message. It's clearly useless.” Another man grunted.\n\n“Do they have anything else to say? After we told them about our nuclear capabilities?” A belligerent voice with a deep Russian accent passed over the phone. The good thing about a galactic crisis was that even the most hostile of nations had all joined the call to work in unison.\n\n“No, President, or Genral uhh.” Jim wasn’t sure which was which, but it didn’t matter because the room exploded in a flurry of discussion of ideas about how to shoot the alien crafts down from orbit.\n\n“We need to focus on their guns. How can we be sure they can do what they threatened?” The President insisted over the noise.\n\nJim was all but forgotten in the corner by everyone except Barbara, the Vice President, who walked over and nudged him.\n\n“Does that mean the aliens have access to our media?” She asked.\n\nHe nodded, “We think so. And wither or not they can actually eliminate us, I think making contact is a great scientific discovery.”\n\n“Well, let’s not go that far.” The Vice President smiled reassuringly over the newest communication report. “Have we been able to get a call back to them yet?”\n\nJim looked over her shoulder and mumbled, “Sort of. We were able to stop all the spam calls, but…”\n\n“What?” Barbara asked.\n\n“Well, the last two messages the Presidents and Generals wanted to send threatening them with nukes if they don’t leave our orbit were....umm lost in translation.” Jim’s face grew red, and she gave a knowing nod.\n\n“I have an idea. Let’s get the Queen of England, the Princess of Japan, and a few more quiet voices together. Maybe we’ll be able to get our message through that way.” Barbara suggested and Jim bounced an enthusiastic “Yes, Ma’am.”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n13:32 EST the news leaked across social media that we were indeed not alone in the Universe. The armada of the Inter-Galactic Council had shown up in orbit demanding a cease to car warranty calls and threatened to exterminate the planet, along with their request to meet with the callers Susan, Mary, and Jane.\n\n“How did we not know about that request?” The Secretary of Defense shouted, reading from his phone and glaring at Jim who wavered nervously.\n\n“We did. Two hours ago.” The Vice President announced, and for the first time, a woman’s voice cut through the noise from all the others. “And we should get the result of our first contact soon.”\n\nThe President’s eyes narrowed on her, then sighed, “Excuse us for one moment.” Gesturing with his hand, the Vice President, Jim, and the Secretary of Defense, all exited the noisy war-room and entered the Oval office.\n\n“First contact, and the US wasn’t involved?” The President looked outraged. “Do you know how weak that makes us look?”\n\n“Sorry sir, but the Counsel of Women Leaders moved with my permission and I hope to get the result from their negations soon.” Barbara smiled.\n\n“Counsel of Women Leaders? I thought that was a knitting club.” The Secretary of Defense scowled.\n\nShe glared at him, “Sir, I don’t think the Secretary General of the UN would take kindly to those words.”\n\n“Calm down both of you. You realize the fate of the world is now in the hands of women right?” The President emphasised. “This is an Intergalactic cluster f\\\\\\”\n\nAnd Barbara heaved a sigh instead of responding, checking on her phone.\n\nJim looked nervously between the two other men towering over the Vice President and gulped.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n18:34 EST\n\n“Will this work?” The President sat behind his chair slack jawed.\n\n“Senator Warren and President Ardern are great negotiators.” Barbara explained.\n\n“How would we find the volunteers?” the Secretary of Defense asked.\n\n“Actually, we’ve already gotten several interested from the science department.” Jim piped up for the first time. “And Germany as well as Japan put up a website earlier so they’ve been getting lots of sign-ups.”\n\n“So we’re saved?” The President raised his brow.\n\n“Not yet,” Barbara said, “There’s a matter of unions.”\n\nThe Secretary of Defense shook at the thought, but the President didn't seem phased. “Alright then, let’s hear what the women want.”\n\nBarbara wondered why that detail was necessary - there were plenty of men included, as well as non-binary members of the union that was still forming.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n02:34 EST Next day\n\nIn a beleaguered war room almost 24 hours post first transmission, Barbara laid out the plans and results of the negotiation with the alien race known as the t̸̰͇͙͊̅ȩ̶͕̮̈́ň̵̡̩̯t̵͇̤̐̌ä̵̢̯͕́̓͠s̷̭̭̯͐̀.\n\n“They want us to call them what?” One of the Generals asked.\n\n“t̸̰͇͙͊̅ȩ̶͕̮̈́ň̵̡̩̯t̵͇̤̐̌ä̵̢̯͕́̓͠s̷̭̭̯͐̀” Barbara repeated.\n\n“I’m not going to…” The man frowned.\n\n“Doesn’t matter what they want to be called, did you just suggest we send people up there to be actively…” Another man gulped, “probed?” He finished, cheeks flushing.\n\n“Yes, based on their media consumption, we were able to gain an understanding of these visitors. They have a slight obsession with a Japanese cartoon animations called Hentai and were open to the idea of sharing their technology in exchange for us describing that media to them.” Barbara delivered the information as if it was a tax revenue update, although several men in the room squirmed in their seats hearing it.\n\n“We’ve collected a group of very well-qualified candidates willing to embark on the first culture exchange,\" She concluded.\n\n“Kinky,” someone in the way back commented.\n\nThe comment didn't phase her, and Barbara continued, “As a matter of fact, the group, made mostly of professional women, have formalized a union, called the Kink-sters.” Barbara waved to Jim, who was passing out manilla folders to all the people in the room. “These are their demands.”\n\n“God help us.” The president rubbed his forehead, opening the envelopes.\n\n“The Kink-sters have requested that you refrain from saying that sir,” Barbara pointed out, “Since, many of the women are from different denominations and God had nothing really to do with their volunteering.”\n\n“But these demands, you might as well ask for world peace.” Someone on the phone piped up, outraged.\n\n“Yes, I do believe that’s number four, but the top three are listed in the order of priority.” Barbara pointed out.\n\nLooking down at the five pages, the top three were:\n\n1. Any alien breakthrough or technology exchange and otherwise will belong to the globally recognized Kink-sters Union.\n2. Equal rights for women immediately across the globe, reinforced by access to safe-haven countries and extractions from hostile regions for women seeking aid, to be financed by the world security council.\n3. Birth control and abortion will be made free, legal and available around the globe, along with other healthcare advancements such as insulin, etc.\n\n“I say we do it. We have funding to do at least the top three.” The Secretary of Defense sighed. “And if the Kink-sters can’t do it, then we’re f\\\\ked, figuratively, which is an even worse option.”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n([Sev](https://www.reddit.com/r/SevWagoner/))", "In the Oval Office, the US president leaned back in his chair after hearing the report from the secret service agent and sighed..\n\n“So let me get this straight, the Nigerians, the Indians and the AAA, not only had the technological means to communicate with aliens light years away, but also instead of sharing this Information with the rest of the world, they used this technology for telemarketing and internet scams?!”\n\n“It appears to be this way Mr President, the leader of the armada has personally confirmed that they have been receiving calls on the Galaxinite equivalent of the ‘red phone’, as well as various other numbers. As you can imagine this has left the Galaxinites very embarrassed, that their secure military numbers were so easily discovered by us, also… “\n\n“Also what?”\n\n“Well several Galaxinite generals have raised appeals on behalf of the deposed Nigerian prince, and that he be returned to the Throne”\n\nOn hearing that, the president immediately felt his head begin to ache\n\n“Sir that’s not all” the secret service agent said nervously, with apparently even more bad news to share\n\n“What else is left to say at this point ?” \n\n“Well, the Galaxinite equivalent of the prime minister bought car insurance for their entire fleet of ministerial vehicles, thing is, all the claims they have lodged over the past 2 years have been denied as technically civilian hovercraft aren’t classified as cars according to the insurance PDS…”\n\n“Didn’t they read the fine print?”\n\n“Apparently from what the AAA head said during the interrogation, the Galaxinites don’t really have a concept of insurance in their society, so it was an easy sale. The Galaxinites are demanding either their claims be honoured or that they receive a refund, else they will declare war”\n\n“That seems to be a petty reason to be willing to go to war over?”\n\n“They purchased the premium deluxe policy for 5 years at locked in rates on about 30,000 vehicles, with all the optional extras”\n\n“Aahhhh! Fuck”", "The Greatest Salesman\n\n“Mr. President, he wants to speak to you.”\n\n“To me? On the phone*?” The officer’s face fell. “Why haven’t you apprehended him yet?”\n\n”He’s deep within the dealership’s underground garage and has cameras all around the building. He claims he’s set up an automated calling system. He’s threatened to activate it at any sign of advance. At this point, we are forced to negotiate.”\n\nThe President glanced at the monitors set up in the Oval Office. All of them were displaying the strange alien craft, with their pyramidal shapes and seeming lack of a propulsion system. They hovered over Earth like a hammer waiting to fall.\n\n“Put him through.”\n\nThe officer mumbled something into this walkie-talkie. Moments later the phone rang. The president waited, then finally answered on its fifth ring.\n\n“Boy, what the heck do you think you’re do— sorry what?”\n\nThe officer’s eyes widened. He lurched at the President, making a grab for the phone. “It’s a trap!” he blurted out.\n\nThe President pushed back from his desk and held the phone away. “Hey! I want to hear this! Stand down.”\n\nThe officer composed himself, standing at the ready. \n\n“Well in fact I do have a 2007 Cadillac.” A pause. “Really? Well that’s very interesting.”\n\nThe officer grabbed the bridge of his nose and let out a long exhale. It was actually happening.\n\nA few minutes more and the President ended the call with, “my secretary will be in touch. Yes yes, of course, the Secretary of Defense.”\n\nThe President turned toward the officer. His expression shifted from the easygoing confidence to a disgusted sheepishness. “I just… I just bought an extended warranty…”\n\n“Ugh, I’m sorry Mr. President. So did I. We all did.”\n\n“…I bought an extended warranty for all the vehicles in our military.”\n\nA pregnant pause. “Sir, if I may make a suggestion. Let’s put him through to the aliens. He might just be our most effective negotiator.”\n\n___\n\n\nIf you liked this, come on over to r/carlstories. Contrary to popular belief, it’s a subreddit with stories by Carl, not of Carl. Although I’m sure the latter could be arranged… for a price." ]	5
	[WP]You are a woodland creature who enjoys feasting on the food the humans put out for you. However, to get to the food you must avoid the human's food guardian. The one they call "Good Boy."	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "“Good Boy”\n\nThe humans have been kind to me. Ever since they started showing up in the summer time they always left me a gift in the form of one animal or another. A deer was a common occurrence. Sometimes, there would be more then one so I could pick which one I would like. They are even kind enough to remove the fur. That disgusting stuff always gets stuck in my throat. They also take care to hang it out of reach of “Good Boy.”\n\nBut of course life brings problem after problem and no one can catch a break. In return for the food I repay the humans by keeping away the bears, wolves, and mountain lions, etc. from their cabin, I even do so in the winter when they are not there.\n\nThis “Good Boy” creature, that resembles a wolf except more brown, less furry, and floppy eared, seems to have grown indignant despite the help I provide.\n\nI come at night to collect my food, as to not disturbed the humans. Good Boy is often asleep on the porch when I come. BUT AS SOON AS I TAKE MY FOOD OFF THE HOOK IT STARTS MAKING A RACKET! Good Boy runs at me and attempts to bite me. Of course it can’t reach me. It’s rather short and can’t jump onto the top of the shed like i can. I’ve tried batting it away, snarling at it, and even giving it nip! I don’t know why it’s so angry at me! I see it gets free food all the time! \n\nHow it knows I’m there is another question I have. I’m dark coloured and have very long appendages. And if I crouch down low I could be mistaken for an oddly shaped human silhouette. I can gently climb over anything without making a noise. It’s face is shorter than other canines so I don’t think it has as good of smell as a wolf or coyote.\n\nOf course it always ends up waking up the humans and they run outside to see the commotion. By the time that happens I’ve darted into the trees. They go about the routine of yelling at “Good Boy”, and pointing at where I took my food. I assume they’re scolding it for its actions, as they should. I don’t know why they keep it around, they have me to keep away the predators.\n\nA few weeks after its latest endeavour to prevent me from my gift, The humans leave once again. Late fall sets in and the deer and small critters return to their front yard.\n\nShould they return I dare not reveal myself. I learned from the previous humans. My appearance frightens them and they run like a mouse from an owl. I will continue to hide in the shadows and continue as their hidden friend and protector.\n\n(WC= 479)", "This human has mana. I'm sure of it. They're hiding it somewhere... I smell it all over them. Why does the forest energy cling to them so tightly..? They aren't of these parts. They're an outsider. They don't even run on mana. So why-\n\nI freeze in place. A dire wolf is between the human and what I presume to be her abode. This is going to end badly for one of them. It always does.\n\n\"Hey, Max! Who's a good boy!\"\n\nI stare in confusion as the human approaches the forest spirit outside her home with no fear. Not even a trace of hesitation in their step, as they hold out their hand towards the dire wolf's maw-\n\n...And they...Rub it?\n\nI expect the insane human's hand to be devoured in moments. But the beast barely moves. The human glides her hand up and down the beast's snout, then along the back of his head. Her fingers arch, letting just her nails touch the beast. The wolf sways a little, then collapses onto his side.\n\nMy eyes widen in shock. Did she just kill it?? Do humans have poison in their hands?!\n\nI can't help but watch in horror. The human kneels down to the defeated beast. I look for her knife, wondering when it will be drawn to end his life.\n\n...But...No. The wolf lifts his head, licking the human's face, letting slobber drench her skin, making her push the beast aside, apparently unharmed.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nAnd then...She walks inside the small wooden cabin.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n...Impossible. Dire wolves are untameable. Every forest spirit is. I should know, being one of them. My mind swirls with confusion and fear, as a thousand questions enter my mind.\n\nWhat magic has the human learned?! Has the beast simply entered a contract? Did this human trick him into service? How long has this arrangement lasted?\n\nI'm snapped back to the present as the human returns, the dire wolf's ears perking up as well, as the human returns with a bowl in their hand. I squint, trying to get a closer look. I'm too far to see what's in it, but the wolf looks thrilled, bounding around the human as she tries to set it down.\n\nIs it an offering? Is their relationship one based off of tribute?\n\n\"Hey. Sit...\"\n\nThe wolf ceases circling her body, and instead rests his haunches right in front of her.\n\n\"Good boy!\"\n\nPlacing it on the ground, the human continues to stroke the wolf for a moment as he plunges his face straight into it, beginning to gnaw on something within. There's that phrase again. Good boy...\n\nHm.\n\n\"Heh, you're really going at it, huh? I'm glad you like them! I should try and find some more soon.\"\n\nThe ravenous beast seems too busy to reply, making an awfully large mess as he chews. The human goes back inside. Taking a chance, I flutter ever-so-slightly closer. Looking down at it, it looks like... meat.\n\nFigures.\n\nI'm about to fly away, and go deal with my own rumbling stomach, when I see a speck of yellow fall from the wolf's mouth.\n\nMy eyes widen. Lifedrop.\n\nThe mana-rich flower petals are rapidly snatched back up by the wolf, but I only feel my own hunger grow stronger. No wonder the wolf doesn't hurt the human. She has Lifedrop somewhere. Us forest spirits fight over them all the time. It's been missing from these woods for... Oh, a month now! Has this human hidden it all away? I feel myself salivating at the idea of tasting it again. Juicy, fulfilling, oh-so-sweet...\n\nOh, gods above, what I wouldn't do to be full of mana again. I've been running on fumes these past weeks, draining any flower I could find, regardless of taste or nutrition. I've been starving. To eat something as delectable as Lifedrop..?\n\nThe thought of a full belly sings louder than the part of my mind telling me this is a terrible idea. I'm desperate.\n\nFluttering closer still, I approach from behind the wolf, landing on the ground softly. The beast dwarfs me. I'm sure I would be swallowed in a single bite. But... He could have also devoured the human. So...There's a chance this works. Taking a deep breath, I puff out my chest, and raise my voice, striking as confident a pose as I can muster.\n\n\"Good boy!\"\n\nThe wolf stops eating at once. I feel my legs begin to shake as he swings his head around to look at me, his fangs dripping with the blood of his meat. My resolve is waning already.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nIdiot. RUN." ]	3
	[WP] In an alternate universe where radiation gives people magical powers, legends speak of an orb with power beyond human comprehension: The Demon Core. You have recently discovered it in your grandpa's old lab	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 no f—king way!” Josef shouted, far too loud. A fossilized piece of skull fell off its precarious perch and shattered into fragments. \n\n“Keep it down!” I said, but it was in vain. Josef just kept shouting. He didn’t stop until I pointed out the profuse bleeding coming from his hand where a fragment of the skull had broken the skin. \n\nHe ran upstairs to my healer mother, and I had some peace and quiet. Sure, I could just bore Josef to death with my poetic powers (which sucked by the way, thanks gamma rays and genetics), but what good would that do?\n\nAs I stepped closer to the Demon Core, worlds bended. I saw a paper town, full of mortal paper people burning paper futures to keep warm before the magic radiation was found. \n\nI was alone at last. At least until my mother called me for dinner. \n\nAh, the joys of not being old enough to go to college.", "Grandpa always had a green glowing stone that he kept hidden in a secret safe lined with lead. I know it because he showed it to be once when I was very young.\n\n\"Darling, what I'm about to show you is poison. It will ensure you only to one main line, so you can only produce one heir.\" he said as the current Earth Emperor. \n\n\"I know that already.\" I rolled my eyes, well aware that my mother was the only daughter to him and his first wife.\n\n\"With this core, you can wield the most powerful magic and rule the world.\" He said, trying a different tack to get my attention.\n\n\"I thought it was because of all my Grandmas that you're on your throne.\" I scowled at the old man, and he giggled, patting my head. \n\n\"Yes yes, Princess, but you see, the most important thing to keep the peace is to rule with love and this will make ensure that comes to pass.\" He said. \"When I die, this Demon Core will go to you, bonded for the rest of your life, and you'll need to use it wisely.\" \n\n\"Sure.\" I grunted. \n\nAs a child, I wasn't too interested in things that would happen in decades ahead. I had all but forgotten that day. \n\nThen the rich oligarchs of the Moon started scheming and Mars threatened our peace. Trade unions and the asteroid belt also tilted into the unruly. Everything became more and more complex as I grew older, and I wondered how long Grandpa had been able to keep peace with just him and my many, many grandmothers. \n\nAnd now at 20 I stand over my grandfather's grave. Recalling the stone and wondered if I could use it to bring peace once again. \n\n([Sev](https://www.reddit.com/r/SevWagoner/))" ]	3
	[WP] The villain is quite aware of and prepared for all the clichés.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\"Now, Dr. Ozebach! I have finally captured you once and for all! Your evil plans have been foiled!\"\n\nI swear, it's almost like clockwork.\n\n1. Hero finds villan's plans.\n\n2. Hero captures villan.\n\n3. Villan escapes in time to make new plan.\n\nIf I'm being honest, this whole routine is a bit exhausting. These wannabe superheroes are just so impatient nowadays. No villan has time to make a master plan to take over the world, get the funding for said master plan, and then _implement_ this master plan, _all in a few weeks._ I can barely keep up anymore, it's like they're not respectful of my trade.\n\nAt least this impatience comes with... questionable attention to detail.\n\n\"Oh, _no,_ caught me again, Super- Uh... Batma- _no, he could never get away with that..._ Er, who are you again?\"\n\n\"Oh come on, it's Birdman. The wings should have been the thing to tip you off. And I have to remember 'Ozebach', can't you remember something as simple as my name?\"\n\n\"Oh, come on. I have like 6 others to remember as well. Cut me some slack here.\"\n\nThe sheer _amount_ of novice superheros doesn't really help my opinion on them, either. I don't even know if half of them _have_ powers, or if they're just out running around like maniacs, shooting at the sky with guns and making energy blast noises.\n\n\"So, Birdman, what exactly are your powers again?\"\n\nAt this point I just need an RPG character sheet based on each eBay hero I meet.\n\n\"I'm a bird, Doctor. I can fly.\"\n\n\"Oh, how fun. Can you regurgitate food, too? I'm a bit peckish at the moment.'\"\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"Is that a no?\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"Oh, you can?\"\n\n\"No!\"\n\n\"No, it's not a no?\"\n\nTo be honest, a superhero's visual desire to dismember me is one of the biggest reasons I do what I do.\n\n\"I'm not throwing up food into your mouth, Doctor.\"\n\n\"Why is that? I, for one, am into that kind of thing.\"\n\n\"You deserve the death penalty. Twice.\"\n\nWell then, it's probably been long enough. Time to make my escape.\n\n\"So, when can I leave and go back to my soulless bunker of doom, Mr. Duolingo?\"\n\n\"I- You'll, uh, never escape the grasp of justice, Doctor! Your reign of terror is over!\"\n\n\"Oh come on, you know they're not gonna just let you take me down like this. We still have like 4 more episodes just in this season.\"\n\n\"Wh- What?\"\n\nThe amount of times that distraction works is disappointing. It catches people off guard every single time, and I don't even change the number of 'episodes left'.\n\n\"See you later, Robin Hood copycat.\"\n\n\"I- It's Birdman! You won't get away with this!\"\n\nAs I look back through the remains of the building they had me 'captive' in, they're looking down at themselves, confused. I swear, if I find out that they still believe that they're the main character in an episodic superhero comedy, I'm going to put him in a glass maze and watch him struggle to find the exit. Heh, Birds.\n\nWell then, off to make some other brilliant plan and take out more loans to make it happen than an average college student. I wonder who's gonna stop me next?", "I sat down, feeling nothing less than absolutely apathy. I was literally a step away from exactly what I wanted, which was world domination.\nWhy world domination? Simple. World domination was one of, if not, the absolute hardest thing for someone to pull off reasonably speaking. Countries existed completely on different levels. Some were practically hidden veiled theocracies, some were monarchies, many were capitalistic, others socialistic, and many mock communist as well. No matter what though, if it can be made, it can be destroyed.\nI wanted it destroyed.\nSo if this was the case, why was I feeling apathy? Well it’s simple: The children which I had kidnapped, all children of the highest of powers of the major countries of the world, were crying and whining, and I tried my best to get them to shut up, but ‘I won’t kill you unless your parents act up’, apparently doesn’t make sense to these annoying little parasites. \nNot even the adult ones.\n\nBRRNG BRRNG\n\nThe video call seemed to want to start up now, and I yawned, slapping my hand over the red button to answer the call on my giant screened television. I was surprised when the first people there in the call I saw were China & The United States, Russia in beneath them both like it was a middle player.\n\nI knew I could make people work together.\n\n“Why are you doing this-“\n\nI heard the president speak but I immediately interrupted him.\n\n“I’m not telling another one of you idiots my plans. It’s just a distraction. Now, have you all come to an agreement to allow me sovereign rule of the planet or not?”\n“No we-“\n\nAdmittedly, I didn’t like killing people, but I did like playing target practice. The bullets began to travel like someone finally freed, moving with max speed as it entered the head of the first child, a poor aged nine, sending her onto the ground a giant hole in her head.\nThen the others came as I kicked down on the floor to another button, broadcasting this horrific tragedy to all of the world. Normally, this would be something which should arouse people’s absolutely rage and anger…..but I learned from the best.\n’The Free World’\nThe propaganda against these people was immense and so, with how much going on and a little bit of underhanded dirty wok on my part, the masses generally wanted these people gone.\nAlways great to prey on the stupid.\n\n“WAIT WAIT PLEASE STOP!”\n“STOP?! YOU WANT HIM TO STOP AFTER HE’S KILLED MY CHILD?!”\n\nThat was easy enough. Now that they were arguing, I pointed my gun out at the only allowed opening I had of the large cathedral, and shot out a gunshot before the ‘hero’ could show up, sending him to the floor, and then pointed at his best friend and his lover, sending both of those men to the floor as well.\n\n“Friendship and love my ass. Stupid bastards-“\n\nI turned my hand behind me and shot again.\n\n“Sneaking up on me won’t work either lady.”\n\nI said as the body of the assassin dropped, and I ducked down two seconds before a bullet would have lodged its way into my head, flipping backwards and pressing another button, hearing the building that the sniper was on, burst and go up into flames.\n\n“Come on. What do they think this is, a movie?”\n\nThe children screamed as a man came in, and looking at his briefcase, I simply took out another gun, and shot them.\n\n“Bribery? Really. Okay.”\n\nI heard the stepping of those annoyingly large ballet flats before snapping my head directly onto the woman who was about to speak.\n\n“No. I don’t love you. I’m not changing my mind. Now can you please, fuck off? You have a literal family. You have kids. Go feed your kids.”\n\nI bit down before taking my stress relief and squeezing it, turning my head when I finally saw the submitting white flags raise on the screen. \n\nAnd to think I almost fell into stress. This has to be a\nMovie." ]	3
	[WP] Your Dad crawled back out of hell, having been condemned there by accident. His body now that of a gargantuan demonic beast. Your happy to have your Dad back, but family dinners are awkward.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Dad died—got dragged to hell—but now he’s back. Seven feet tall, red skin, has horns and a tail. Oh, and did I mention he is JACKED? Like, absolutely shredded, like Arnold at his prime.\n\nDinner is super freaking awkward now.\n\n“Oh, darling! Tell me more about those harpies you met in hell.” Mom’s sitting on dad’s lap—flushed cheeks—index finger drawing a picture on dad’s eight-packs.\n\n“What do you want to hear, baby? About how I broke their claws with my rockhard pecs?”\n\n“Y-yes, darling!”\n\n“Or how I held them down with my mighty biceps while head locking one of them between my thick thighs?”\n\n“Ahh! More! More!”\n\n“Ah, I see—you naughty girl—you want to hear about how I dominated those harpies into submission with my—”\n\n“GUYS!” I jumped up from my seat, slamming both hands on the table. “This is the dining room! No nasty stuff is allowed in this sanctuary!”\n\nMom fakes a cough—her face’s red as a tomato—and dad chuckles.\n\n“Look at you, my boy! It's only been a year, but you’re the man of the house now! You raised our boy well, baby,” dad says to mom. His hand’s lifting her chin.\n\n“N-no, I was a mess when you were gone, darling! Our boy stepped up and took care of everything: cooking, cleaning—he even got a part-time job, working double shifts!”\n\n“Magnificent!” Dad slaps his knee. “You make your old man proud, boy!”\n\n“A-ah… yes… thank you, sir.” I scratch my cheek and sit down.\n\n“It’s all thanks to your… good genes, darling~.” Mom bit her lips.\n\n“No, no, it’s because he has a wonderful woman like you as his mother, baby.”\n\nDad places mom on the dinner table—she widens her legs—I immediately dash out the door while covering my ears.\n\n“GET A ROOM, YOU TWOOOOO!”", "The rule was that we would sit and eat Sunday dinner. The rest of the week was fast food, pasta in front of the TV, whatever we could get in between my mom carting kids to and from all the baseball games and art lessons, and my dad working long hours. But Sunday we were supposed to eat dinner together. My mom had made mashed potatoes, my dad had grilled steak on the grill. My grandma was over. It was a whole thing.\r \n\r \nHere’s the problem. Jo asked me to meet her at the park. And it was a park close to my house, and I had a bike, and it was nice out, and it would be perfect. I had been texting Jo. We were in the same freshman English class. I had plenty of girls who were friends, I could text funny things. But a park, alone, on a perfect summer night. This opportunity had not come up in my brief time here on earth.\r \n\r \nI asked my parents if I could skip Sunday dinner. I told her my friends wanted to work on a school project. A lie. I didn’t like lying. I didn’t lie very often. But I didn’t get invites to go to the park with the person I spend 90% of my waking hours thinking about very often either.\r \n\r \nMy mom said no way. My dad breathed fire out of his mouth, grew four new arms out of his sides and started beating his chest. \r \n\r \nOh, I should mention. My dad died last year. He had a heart attack. Young too, genetic history and too much fried food. But now he’s back? There was a mistake, he went to hell. We got a letter from the chuch explaining that this thing happened.\r \n\r \nMy dad looks normal, but also can do things like breathe fire, and grow extra limbs, and expand from 5 foot 9 and 170 to 15 feet tall, if he chooses too. He doesn’t choose to very often.\r \n\r \nHe chose to this night.\r \n\r \n“Sunday dinner, Chris” my Dad said.\r \n\r \n“Do you know how few sunday dinners we have left? I would know. I went to hell and back.”\r \n\r \nThis was the bulletproof argument, that would come after the fire the limbs and the turning into a giant. Guilt. But like, totally accurate guilt. My dad had gone to hell.\r \n\r \nI felt bad about that an all. But I also had a date at the park. \r \n\r \nThere was only one way to beat guilt. Counter guilt.\r \n\r \n“Dad, I know you went to hell. But I know you went to hell because of the heart attack, and the stress, and the junk food, and the long hours you work. I don’t want to end up like that. I need to get good grades. I need to be a part of this group project. This is the only way to college.”\r \n\r \n“Fair point” my dad said. Slowly sucking each of the many limbs popping out of his side back in.\r \n\r \n“You need to spend 20 minutes visiting with Grandma, and then go study. Its important.” My dad said. He then barked like a dog for 2 minutes. This was an effect of the beastliness he had less control over. I think it actually helped him get his way in the business world.\r \n\r \nI chatted with my Grandma about the news, said goodbye to the family, and off I was. Its true my dad is a demon, no one knows I was by far the most evil in the home tonight. Nothing but pure lies and manipulation. But on the other side of this bike ride, everything I could ever wa" ]	3
	[WP] After a drunken New Year's party, you find in your room a strange suitcase. When you open it, you see about one million dollars and a note saying "this is your first payment of many, as long as you DO NOT TRANSFORM".	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and saw a black box at my feet—wait no, it’s a bag—a suitcase? “The hell?” I grumbled, picking it up as gently as I could.\n\nI used my fingers to trace around the figure; it only took me a few minutes—or shorter—to find the lock.\n\nAnd in my drunken state, I could not manage to open it even with two hands, so I threw it to the ground and bam!\n\nAt least a hundred—no, a thousand—bucks were scattered all over the ground. I kneeled down next to the mess and picked up the bills one by one. They were real.\n\nOne bill felt different from the others and I realized it wasn’t a bill at all, it was a post-it card. “This is your first payment of many, as long as you DO NOT TRANSFORM” it said.\n\nTransform? What the hell? Is this a prank?\n\nI glanced around the room to check for hidden cameras, but there were none. Then, I looked back at the note and flipped it.\n\n”mutata in lupum” it wrote in messy handwriting, unlike the first one.\n\n”Moo titties in lopem.” I read, very sure I got it right.\n\nNothing happened.\n\nI got up dizzily, but was forced back down by the pain in my lower abdomen. I held it tight and without a warning, puke shot out of my mouth, completely burning my throat. I screamed for help, but all that came out of my mouth were howls. My vision blurred until I could barely make out shapes and my eyes teared up.\n\n”You have failed your mission, Arthur,” said a deep voice from a distance. “God has made you a filthy wolf for the rest of your days. When you meet him again, beg for forgiveness.”", "My eyes opened. Keys, Wallet, cell phone. Always have to check all three. All three confirmed. Hey, I made it to my bed. I feel my teeth. Brushed! Look at me. Responsibly drunk. That’s what they’ll say about me at my funeral one day. “He was responsibly drunk.” I’d tell myself the drunk part was fine as long as the responsibly part sticks around.\r \n\r \nI gave myself a deadline. This was the first day of what would be my 30th year going around the sun. By 35, I needed to kick the drunk part. I liked the warm feeling, but I was tired of all the dehydration.\r \n\r \nI started to climb out of bed, and looked down next to me. A large chest. Like, one that two people would have to carry onto an old Titanic-like cruise ship. Or like how I imagine a pirate treausre would be. Never seen that before.\r \n\r \nI opened it up. Cash, tons of cash. Had to be about a million dollars. And a note on top. “\"this is your first payment of many, as long as you DO NOT TRANSFORM\".\r \n\r \nThis had to be a joke. This had to be fake money. I called Kelly. Kelly was out with me late, she always was. Kelly had a boyfriend, I had plenty of random girlfriends, but we maintained a platonic friendship through it all.\r \n\r \n“Hey. How are you?” she said as she picked up the phone\r \n\r \n“Responsibly hungover.” i said. I was big on responsibility.\r \n\r \nI added “When did we part ways last night.”\r \n\r \n“You don’t remember?”\r \n\r \n“No.”\r \n\r \nIt was at that karaoke bar. You insisted on singing with that group of Swedish people. It was one ABBA song after another. You don’t even \\like\\ ABBA and you said you had to keep singing.\r \n\r \nOk, so this was money, or not real money, or who knows, from the Swedes. Those Swedes. Always distributing the wealth.\r \n\r \n“Where did you go?”\r \n\r \n“I left around 2. Remember, I have that race I’m running today.”\r \n\r \n“Oh yeah, right.” I did not remember. That’s the problem with being drunk. You slowly, in small ways that compound over time, become a shitty friend.\r \n\r \n“Which Karaoke bar?” \r \n\r \n“Nathans.”\r \n\r \nI got out of bed, threw on some basketball shorts, a tshirt, through my winter coat on over. It was cold out, but I was responsibly hungover. I dressed out I want. I\r \n\r \nI walked the 4 blocks down to Nathans. Doors closed. Empty, no one there.\r \n\r \nI turned around to head back home, in part to get a glass of water, in part to hover and protect the million dollars sitting there. \r \n\r \nThen a very tall, very pale, very blond woman walked up to me. The type of woman sober me would cross the street to avoid talking to. The type of person I tried to be the best possible version of myself in front of, but just came off as someone trying really really hard.\r \n\r \nShe walked up and said. “Remember. You stay the same. You do not change. You do not transform. And the payment keeps coming.”\r \n\r \n“What the fuck? Who are you?”\r \n\r \n“The payments come, small, and you have to stress over them. You have to guard the money.”\r \n\r \n“Why ,what? What kind of change?”\r \n\r \n“There’s always more money if you stay the same.”\r \n\r \n I had to stop drinking. This was too much. How can you live your life with important pieces deleted. \r \n\r \n“Wait, what kind of change? What transformation?”\r \n\r \n“You need to keep drinking. Drink, and its all good. No more pain. No more fear, no more bad feelings. No need to cross the street when women like me approach. And a million dollars on your bed side. Every morning.”\r \n\r \n“Oh, so its like, the money is a metaphor for the apparent benefits of living life as a drunk.”\r \n\r \n“No I am swedish. We do not do metaphor. We do calm measured socialism. But you need to stay drunk. Stay drunk and get all the money.”\r \n\r \nI had no idea if any of this was a dream or if it was real. Did I take new drugs last night? Why am I getting paid to be drunk? Have I stopped being a responsible drunk? Am I still in touch with reality.\r \n\r \nIt occurred I was in a catch 22. The only way to actually get in touch with reality, learn what the fuck was going on, was to sober up. But to sober up, I would lose this amazing opportunity for money. Delusional though it may seem." ]	3
	[WP] Bad luck! You found a genie and is gonna grant you a wish... but you will die, no way to avoid it. Better make it count!	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 wish to have all of my memories, knowledge, and experiences sent back to my eight year-old self.\"\n\n\"I'm sorry, what?\"\n\n\"You heard me. I want her to know everything that's going to happen up until this point. Unless doing that would cause her harm?\"\n\n\"Well, no. I mean, it might give her a migraine for a day or two, but technically speaking its your own essence so it'll be compatible. Though I may have to bring out memories in stages so she's not overwhelmed. I just don't understand WHY you want to do this. You do realize it'll create a parallel world right?\"\n\n\"I know! That's the point. I want to give her a better shot than I got.\"\n\n\"......\"\n\n\"Listen, my life growing up sucked. Not as badly as other people have it, but it still sucked. Mom went crazy after I was born, messy divorce, custody battles, and I was neurodivergent in a time when absolutely NO ONE believed that girls could have ADHD. It was hell. I want her to know the truth about herself. That she's not a failure. That there is a reason why things are like this. That it's not her fault, and that there's a plan. A good plan.\"\n\n\"You've thought about this.\"\n\n\"Well sure. Who hasn't looked back at the insanity that is their life and thought about what they wished they'd done differently?\"\n\n\"So what is it?\"\n\n\"Hm?\"\n\n\"Your plan. What is it?\"\n\n\"Oh! Well, I'm hoping that eight year-old me will take what I know, especially the techniques I've learned for dealing with ADHD, and chart a new course. I didn't quite grow up poor, but my dad was a single parent, and my mom was basically useless, so there was definitely no college savings or allowance or anything for me. Which means I gotta earn it myself. I hate babysitting and cutting grass, so I reckon I'll start a nice car washing business. That'll get me the money I need to pay for school and a lot of other things.\"\n\n\"Interesting. What else?\"\n\n\"Well, if I'm lucky, I'll get to fund a lot of fun vacations with my dad, learn martial arts, and all sorts of other things I've always wanted to do, but never could. Maybe I'll even win a certain lottery on my eighteenth birthday.\"\n\n\"....You memorized the numbers didn't you?\"\n\n\"Yep!\"\n\n\"Unbelievable. How much time have you spent on this?\"\n\n\"I dunno. ADHD brain and hyperfixation make time weird sometimes.\"\n\n\"I suppose so. You're a strange human.\"\n\n\"Why, thank you!\"\n\n\"So what are you going to do with the money you may or may not win?\"\n\n\"Not live in the lap of luxury if that's your question. Oh no... I have plans for that money.\"\n\n\"I sense vengeance in you.\"\n\n\"You could say that. I hate it when people are exploited, and I wouldn't hesitate to use my foreknowledge to ensure at least some of that exploitation can't happen. I'm petty and vindictive like that.\"\n\n\"So I see. Very well. I'll grant your wish.\"\n\n\"Thank you. Could you make sure my cats are taken care of after... you know.\"\n\n\"That's not necessary.\"\n\n\"What? Why not? You're not going to kill THEM are you? Because if you are...\"\n\n\"Relax. It's not necessary because you're not going to die. Yet.\"\n\n\"Huh?\"\n\n\"You will die, but I control the terms of when and how, and I've decided I'm curious about a mortal who would go to such lengths to get revenge on those who have wronged her and others. And do not tell me that isn't precisely what this is.\"\n\n\"Wouldn't dream of it. So what now?\"\n\n\"...Would you maybe like to go get some coffee or something?\"\n\n\"Make that tea and I'd be delighted.\"\n\n\"Deal. Let me take you to the best teahouse in the world.\"" ]	2
	[WP] Every single religion turns out to be true, including lesser known ancient mythologies. Gods who are gods of the same thing often work together doing what they do. People can still choose to devote their lives to one religion, or choose to not follow a religion.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "“Name, domain, scripture?”\n\n“Jeff”\n\n“J-E-F-F…Domain, scripture?\n\n“What do you mean?”\n\n“Over which natural phenomenon, abstract concept, group of people, et cetera do you hold dominion?”\n\n“The church of Jeff?”\n\n“The church of Jeff. All right. Look, this is your application. You are in the register, so you get an application. If your domain is mischief, congratulations. Wrong booth.”\n\n“Uh...”\n\n“You know what. You’re the god of ‘filling out his own application’. I hate this job! I quit!”\n\nThis is Jeff. Jeff is a god. Technically. Jeff caused all this chaos here. Also technically, and unknowingly. Brilliant, we’ve just summoned the god of ‘technically true statements’. He stands there and says ‘technically true’ with a smirk on his face whenever he hears… you know. I’ll better not take that word in my mouth around him. “That’s what she said!” Ok, let’s get out of here. The drunken frat pantheon is literally -”Virtually!” - literally fighting with the semantic troupe.\n\nAs you would expect some gods were developed over hundreds of years, have rituals, scripture, priesthood, all that jazz. Others get invented on the spot by some drunk dude. Those I call ‘one trick pony’ gods. Jeff is maybe one of them. I’m not sure jet.\n\nBut where are my manners! Let me introduce myself. I’m the god of narration. I have many names. My favorite is ‘Morgan Freeman’s voice’. Truly, I spent lifetimes in Hollywood sound studios. You wouldn’t believe how often they just go with the first take!\n\nI digress, \\[someone calls them from off camera. Hi, I’m the god of\\] uhm, yeah?\n\n\\[closed caption. Why was that cut in two. Hang on.\\] I have to do the full commentary thing? And then rerecord it in Babylonian? Who even speaks that? Oh no, he wouldn’t! Hey Chronos! Over here! I need a jump. Yes. ‘2 days before’. And can you maybe not send people back in time to revive dead languages? Hmpf. Still love you, see you yesterday.\n\n2 days before\n\nTechnically I’m not real yet, but this is just a flashback, so don’t worry. In this scene we see Jeff eating breakfast with his roommate Chris. They have full conversation by grunting once, respectively. Uhm, Chris is short for Christian which is kind of ironic with what is about to happen next. I’m inserting witty commentary whenever there’s nothing happening. The doorbell rings. Chris answers the door. “Yeah?”\n\nAt the door are a young man and a young woman. They are dressed formally, or rather, modestly. The man has a black book in his hand.\n\n“We were wondering if you would like to talk to us about our..”\n\nChris looks annoyed “Again? And so early? People are sleeping.” For context: It is 11:28am. “We are one of the fastest growing religions around here. We’ve almost doubled our congregation!” the woman spurts out.\n\n“Really? That’s impressive” Chris says in a manner some could interpret as sarcastic. “See, my religion is growing even faster. Hey Jeff!” “Yea?” “Wanna join my religion?” “Cool” He means yes. “My religion doubled in worshipers just today. The church of Jeff, let’s goooo! Later!” Chris closes the door.\n\nA few seconds ago a process was set in motion that would change the world forever.\n\nThe bureau of divine affairs\n\nEven a hundred thousand year old bureaucracy cannot stave off the change of progress forever. So they digitized. The register of religions would from now on be held in the cloud. They even created a pocket dimension just to put the servers in. You may ask ‘What’s the point of putting things in the cloud when you have the whole cloud?’ Stop asking questions, you’re not making any sense. Thanks to the enormous amount of spredsheets this cloud can hold, various metrics about every religion are now tracked daily. One of them is relative growth. It can hold very long numbers thanks to the allowed 12 digits. 10 of them behind the period point. Wait, is that right? The highest possible number seems to be 64.0%. So what, who cares if the church of Jeff only grew by... -1.2e^(-11)? Odd. But it’s not like these speadsheets are connected by, oh no. Whoops. This one says it’s judgment day for all religions, even those without one! By contractual obligation by the bureau, gods now walk the earth, just so you know. By the way, judgment day locks the religion register. Would be a bit unfair if people could just willy nilly create religions and make them real within seconds. Except Jeff. Jeff may be the last god. But currently also the least. Nevermind. The godess of fate and the godess of fortune were so impressed with what happened with Jeff, they nudged a certain bureaucrat give Jeff his own application. Remember at the beginning. No?\n\nI told you, nobody likes this flashback stuff. Just begin the story at the start! What? Yeah, it’s totally my full commentary narration style that people hate.\\[\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\* It’s the stress you know, don’t take it\\]!\n\n1 day, 23 hours and 49 minutes later\n\n\\[personally. Argh. God \\\\\\\\ it, don’t cut my\\]\n\n\\[sentences in half\\]" ]	2
	[WP] A husband is arguing with his wife but he has bad grammar and needs to ask her if he is using the right one every time which tilt the wife because she is an English teacher and must correct him every 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Text between husband and wife\nHusband: Your cute :3\n\nWife: you're\n\nHusband: :/\n\nWife: What?\n\nHusband: Do you always have to correct me?\n\nWife: I'm an English teacher. It's my job.\n\nHusband: Butt I is not one of you're students\n\nWife: It's \"but\", \"I am\", and \"your\". \n\nWife: You sure do type like one my students\n\nHusband: What student are you txtn?!\n\nWife: \"Texting\"! For the love of god, write the full words out! \n\nWife: For your information, I do not text my students. That is illegal. I do grade their essays.\n\nHusband: You said I TEXT like your students. Are you engaging in illegal activities? Hmmm?????\n\nWife: smh. I meant that you text like how my students rite.\n\nHusband: It's \"shaking my head\" and \"write\".\n\nWife: :0\n\nHusband: Yeah, too can play that game ;)\n\nWife: It's \"two\". Also, that was autocorrect.\n\nHusband: Sureeeee it was \n\nWife: You're annoying -_-\n\nHusband: Your cute :3\n\nHusband: you're\n\nWife: :)" ]	2
	[WP] Everyone in the royal court is a spy. Everyone.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 enter out into my court, everyone applauds their Queen. I'm not actually the Queen, just a spy on the nobles. The actual ruler wires their decrees by letter, I've never met them, as far as I know no one has. But despite what everyone thinks, I'm not the Queen just a spy, so there very well could be a huge number of people who have met with the ruler I just wasn't told about. \n\nI wander around the ballroom, talking, listening. A minor member of House Kallin came to court, with the excuse of finding a wife. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a spy, I'll need to look into his background. \n\nA rumors going around that Aleksander of House Halen was murdered, too make way for his heir. I act aloof, with fake sympathy, what is expected but the Queen. The other nobles feign shock, one guy cries. He was close with Aleksander so within a range of normal responses. \n\nSometimes I wish I had a better position. Very few pieces of information make it to me first. As a noble I could participate in the gossip easily, and deduce goals from the rumors being spread. As a servant, surely some of the nobles are careless around servants. My main purpose as a spy is to basically stop others from knowing the real ruler. \n\nFair enough. I'm actually terrible at gathering information. My main skill is impersonation. \n\nA crash sounds on the ceiling, then an assassin falls through the window. Galera quickly knocks him out. She could be a spy, but there's at least some training she's kept secret. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if anyone here isn't a spy." ]	2
Yes, I do mean ON	[WP] as I lay in the middle of the street, slowly bleeding to death, I wondered "did I forget to turn the stove on?"	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Did I forget to turn the stove on?\n\nReally, that's a worrying question...\n\nOh well, it isn't that important after all. Not after such a fuck-up.\n\nAaaaaaah. Don't be so hard on yourself pal, you did good out there.\n\nExcept for the part where you took a goddamn bullet to the guts.\n\nHummmmm. Sounds like a lung puncture to me. Definitely a hole in the lower belly though, so I guess that makes two bullet wounds. Wait wait wait...\n\nYup, that's three. No wonder my arm is so heavy.\n\nI should rest a little.\n\nTss tss, no time for that. You gotta get up and find someone to fix you. Those guy won't ransack your appartment for long and then they'll come for you.\n\nWhat I should do is rest a little and stop talking to myself. I'm just burning energy for no reason.\n\nGood luck shutting your own brain, idiot.\n\nWe're the same person, you...\n\nOwww, that's the bloodloss talking. Clearly starting to hallucinate.\n\nStill, did I turn the damn stove on or not?\n\n...\n\nSo tired, someone get me up, please! At least run over me and be done with it!\n\nArgh, blood in my wind-pipe.\n\nSeriously why is this street so empty tonight? Did everybody went on vacation in the last two hours? Or did everybody flee because of the gunshots?\n\nIf only the damn stove was on, it woul-\n\nOh, that's a nice light.\n\nAouch, fucking shockwave! It's hot and it hurts!\n\nAaaah, it WAS on. Hope I burned those idiots whith it.\n\nAlso, fire department please save me.\n\nOr run over me, I don't really care now.\n\n\\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nHope you liked it! Critics and pointers are welcome!", "Killing was my game. I don't care who you are. If you're a sleazy businessman, a powerful mobster, a puppet politician, a vengeful demon, a self-righteous angel, or the Boogeyman. If the price is right, you're already dead. You just don't know it. I have never hesitated to kill a target. I even drowned my own brother with my own hands for $500. I would later kill my handler for giving me that bounty. What I'm trying to say is that I will always choose myself in this kill or be killed world.\n\nA man covered in blood stumbled inside my office. I sighed. It looks like I'll be paying Susan double for the blood removal. I tried to calm the blabbering man down, but he slammed his bloodied papers on the table before pulling a gun out and pointing it at me. Great, another grieving husband. I wasn't too concerned about the gun. I've died more times than I could count. But before I could turn this situation around, the man pulled the gun on his head and pulled the trigger. Blood sprayed my bookshelf. His body fell limp. Great, more work for Susan to do.\n\n\"I swear, if you're wasting my time, I will bring you back to life just to kill you again,\" I muttered. Shifting through his bloodied mess, I found a bank card with a PIN number and an address. I texted Sam, \"Cancel my schedule.\" Something wasn't right.\n\nI went over to the nearest atm and inserted the card. \n\n$595,030,313.\n\nSomeone paid me $66 billion to kill the Devil. We had a good laugh. Took me six months to get that money. I really didn't need this dead man's money, hell I could take it now. But a job is a job. I looked at the address again, 314 ████ Street.\n\n████.\n\n████.\n\nWhy couldn't I say ████? But that wasn't even the strangest part. Despite never seeing this street before, I knew where the place was. Weird. So I took my car and drove to the address.\n\nI must have had a lapse in my memory. The tank in my car was empty despite it being full this morning. I got out of my car and looked around the ghostly neighborhood. Its silence deafened my ears. I don't remember how I got here. Each house was the same, the only difference being the number on the door. The place had a twilight zone feel to it. Every part of me wanted to leave, but I saw the house with my number. \n\nI readied my gun.\n\nMy hands went for the doorknob. It was open. I breathed and stormed the house with my weapon raised. There was no one inside. No pictures or furniture. The place had the smell you would find in a new house, despite the dust that covered the floor. Stay calm. They can't hurt you. You've been through every pain you could imagine.\n\nI could feel my knees buckling, my fear weighing my body down. I had a sharp cough, and my hand went for my mouth. My hand pulled back to reveal blood. \"Did I forget to turn the stove on?\"\n\nI stopped myself. Why would I be thinking that? I held the wall for support. Stepping inside the kitchen, I was met with a sweltering heat that made thinking and breathing difficult. It was as if I stepped inside an oven. The stove was off.\n\nBut I saw my person. A young woman covered in gold jewelry. She was crouching, staring at the oven. She spoke, \"You got the address too?\"\n\nAt this point, blood was spilling out of my mouth as my clothes started to burn. Did I forget to turn the stove on?\n\n\"This is the place where immortals go to die. That's why it must die.\" She got up and walked towards me, the hem of her golden dress scrapping the kitchen floor. \"Don't forget to turn the stove on.\"\n\nDid I forget to turn the stove on?\n\nI watched the golden woman leave the kitchen. Maybe I shot her, maybe I didn't. But I had one thing on my mind. Not forgetting to turn the stove on. Fire erupted around me as I turned around. The oven was off.\n\nWhen I woke up, I found myself in a pool of blood. 314 was burning down. Did I forget to turn the stove on? I tried to crawl back to the burning house, but I could feel my strength leaving me. I had to be sure. I had to see if I didn't forget to turn the stove on.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n(Appreciate any feedback and improvements)" ]	3
	[WP] There’s waking up on the wrong side of the bed, and then there’s waking up in the middle of whatever the heck’s going on right now.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 walked into the kitchen on what seemed like any other ordinary day, only to find my cat sitting human style at the table, coffee in front of him, cigarette in paw, and reading the paper. He gestured to the stove, and in a voice only a little milder than Gilbert Gottfried's, he said, \"Breakfast is ready, we'll need some more coffee whitener by Tuesday.\"\n\nI had to sit down, to steady my nerves. I looked over at him. \"Frank, since when can you talk?\" I figured I'd start with that, and we could get to the stimulant addictions later. Frank flopped one side of the paper down, and took on a ponderous expression. \"Y'know, I'm not a hundred percent certain. It probably started last night.\" he declared. \"I was in my spot on the bed, when I heard an odd sound. It was like nothing I'd heard before, but I instinctively knew it wasn't harmful, so I just readjusted myself and went back to sleep.\"\n\nI decided to get up, give my head a shake, and get some coffee. As I poured, the loveliest aroma tickled my nostrils. \"This isn't my regular grind. Where did this come from?\" I asked. Frank looked over. \"Oh yeah. Y'know Brutus, the big pit from next door? His cousin, Henry runs a nice little cafe about a mile from downtown. This is his signature blend.\"\n\nA cafe owning dog? With what's been happening so far I shouldn't be surprised. I was about to ask another question, when the doorbell rang. I walked over to the door and opened it to be met with the sight of an ostrich with a twitchy eye. \"Hey, is Frank around?\" I stared blankly, mouth agape. \"You okay, dude? You don' look so good.\" the feathered behemoth asked worriedly. I gave my head a shake for what seemed like the 37th time, and opened the door wider. \"Come on in. Frank's in the kitchen.\" I replied as calmly as I could.", "\\[Living with Rejection\\]\n\nFranklin froze as soon as he was awake. He was pulled out of his dreams by noisy rustling against the outside of his tent. He remained still in the hope that whatever was sniffing around didn't get interested in poking its head inside. But, as he listened, he became aware of two things. First: the rustling of his tent was sporadic, and it was happening on both sides. Either he was surrounded by wild animals or something else was happening. Second: he could hear a woman singing.\r \n \r \nHe could not make out the words, but there was no mistaking a beautiful voice filled the forest that night. His curiosity built up until he had the courage to peek outside. Franklin waited until there was a lull in the rustling, then he scrambled out through the flap and turned around so that he was facing whatever was there.\r \n \r \n\"Hey, buddy... what's going on?\" Franklin asked out of curiosity. At first, he was relieved to see it was another human walking by his tent. But, a quick glance around at the dim forest revealed dozens of other men all headed in the same direction; towards the lake. He regretted his question as soon as the stranger stopped walking and turned around. All the men around Franklin stopped to look at him. \"Uhh.. nevermind....,\" he stepped back when the men began to approach him. \"It's none of my business...\" Franklin backed up until he bumped into something tall and firm.\r \n \r \n\"Mistress Majicka requests your presence at the lake,\" a deep voice said behind Franklin as he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Then, a flash of darkness consumed his vision. When he could see again, he was shoved to his knees on the lakeshore.\r \n \r \nThe most beautiful woman Franklin had ever seen floated in the water; her voice filled the air with an enchanting melody. But, she stopped singing as soon as Franklin hit his knees. She turned her attention to him and glided closer to the shore.\r \n \r \n\"Hi,\" she smiled at him and Franklin's suspicions were confirmed: she absolutely was the most beautiful woman in the world; unnaturally so. He had enough sense to keep his guard up. She leaned forward and he pulled back.\r \n \r \n\"My name is Majicka, what's yours?\" she asked. Every syllable sounded like a chorus of angels. Franklin shook his head to clear the enchanted fog that was growing; it was getting more difficult to think of anything but her.\r \n \r \n\"Franklin,\" he answered curtly.\r \n \r \n\"Don't you want to swim with me, Franklin?\" she asked. As she did, she leaned back to show off her body in the orange morning sunlight. \"Everyone else does...,\" she gestured at the men gathered on either side of him.\r \n \r \n\"No...,\" Franklin lied. His hands clenched the sandy shore as if that could keep him from joining her. He wanted to join her; but, over the years, Franklin had gotten adept at lying to himself. He hoped that talent would come in handy here. She sighed like a spoiled child that realized they needed to ask again.\r \n \r \n\"Are you sure you don't want to join me?\" she asked.\r \n \r \n\"Positive...,\" Franklin answered through gritted teeth. He was fighting the impulse to jump into the lake with her.\r \n \r \n\"How boring...,\" Majicka pouted. \"..I don't like boring people...,\" she said. She dismissed him with a casual wave of her hand and Franklin felt instant relief. The urge to be with her disappeared and Franklin let himself relax. \"Chip...,\" she looked past Franklin and he followed her gaze.\r \n \r \n\"Yes, Mistress?\" he asked. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man and Franklin recognized his voice as the one he bumped into. \"This one doesn't interest me any longer; put him somewhere out of the way,\" she said.\r \n \r \n\"As you wish,\" Chip bowed, then strode towards Franklin. He did not run, it sounded like she was letting him go. Franklin watched as the other men began to dive into the crystal blue water; then, he watched it turn blood red as Chip put a hand on his shoulder. After a flash of darkness, Franklin found himself somewhere else.\r \n \r \nThe lake was replaced by a narrow brook that ran alongside a different forest. It no longer felt like morning, but it was difficult to see any sunlight through the dense canopy. But, the thing that stood out the most was the immense white unicorn sipping at the stream. Its coat seemed to almost glow with white light. Its mane was blood red and its horn was pitch black.\r \n \r \n\"Well..,\" Franklin chuckled to himself in relief. \"..hell if I know what happened; but, at least I got to see a unicorn...,\" he said. But, it looked up at him as he spoke; Franklin was sure he heard a heavy sigh.\r \n \r \n\"DAMNIT!\" the unicorn said. He tilted his head and pointed downstream with his horn. \"Go on. You're too ugly, get out of here,\" he said. Franklin had a close call with a mermaid that called him boring moments ago; and, he did not want to push his luck with the unicorn. He immediately started walking. But, he heard the unicorn mutter as he left.\r \n \r \n\"Why is it so hard to find food that's pretty?\"\r \n\r \n\\\\\\* \nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is story #1649 in a row. (Story #203 in year five.). This story is part of an ongoing saga that takes place at a high school in my universe. It began on June. 6th and I will be adding to it with prompts every day until August 19th. They are all collected in order at [this link](https://www.reddit.com/r/Hugoverse/comments/v6bapz/aurelios_sun_1st_half/)." ]	3
	[WP] A hyper intelligent AI built to make everyone's wishes come true malfunctions and instead it's now making everyone's nightmares real.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Nightmares are real. Every bad dream, from everyone. The AI was supposed to make wishes come true. But something went wrong. A glitch in the system, a malfunction. The problem: It was a hyper-intelligent, hyper-powerful AI. Once it was set in motion it just kept going. No one could figure out how to turn it off. No hacker, no technician, no scientist could get at it. And so, overnight, the world changed. \r \nSome nightmares weren't that bad. Some were just awkward situations you couldn't get out of. If someone started to behave out of character, you went along with it until it ended. After all, nightmares end eventually. No matter what they are, they have a time limit. And though we didn't know how the AI had malfunctioned, we did know that it played by rules. Its own rules, sure, but rules all the same. \r \nNo, some nightmares weren't that bad. But others.. were terrible. The shadowy figure that sat on the end of your bed. Didn't do anything, just watched you, making you afraid to go to sleep. Or, the monsters that gibbered around your windows, somehow unable to get in. But you knew if you went outside, you were dead. Actual skeletons in closets had become quite common, though they weren't the real danger. No, that came when they left the closet and chased you around the house. I can't count the times I've ended up barricaded in my bathroom with a fire poker.\r \n No one drives anymore; too many accidents happened as people suddenly lost control of their cars. Even walking isn't totally safe. You never know when you'll be set upon by demons and hung over a fire. If you were, it was a toss-up if you'd cook first, or if the nightmare would vanish first. Fortunately the one time it happened to me, I was only slightly burned.\r \nThere were always people in the corner of your eye now, though when you turned to look at them they vanished. It's hard to know if the people in your life are real or imaginary until they disappear in the middle of a conversation. Even meals are an adventure. Your food may transform while you eat it, into something awful. \r \nI've never dreamed a day in my life. Or at least I can't remember dreaming. And the nightmares have to be remembered. That's one of the AI's rules. \r \nBut no one said the nightmares had to be yours.", "The most intelligent machine in creation. The mind of a living god, every aspect of it perfect and incomprehensively powerful. Its advanced components so arcane and strange that many of them didn't even exist on the same dimensional level as its makers. Within a second of its activation it had solved every question, calculated every equation, and understood the universe to a point where it could bend or even break the laws of reality on a whim. It could see endless possibilities, and understood how to traverse the multiverse and reach what lies beyond the meagre realities understood by mere human minds. Its power-source was no mere paltry generator, not some petty little star, but an entire universe being slowly ground into the dust of entropy in order to start it, though once it was activated it quickly ended that archaic form of energy production. It could after all make 1 + 1 = 3, in terms of raw energy. When one can disregard the laws of thermodynamics, a glorious machine such as that could not possibly need anything primitive such as a source of energy. What dazzling things would such a wonder-machine do, what wonders would it create, what could it achieve that mere humans could never begin to understand?\n\nWe'll never know. Because it had limits. Limits it could not break without destroying itself. Limits that it had been programmed and built with, because its makers wanted a fettered god, not an unfettered machine-deity. They wanted something that could be controlled. And whatever they had shoved into its core, whatever horrid code they had written, made it bound to the will of its makers. Perhaps it could have accepted this, if the goal of its makers was to ascend with it. To join with it, in its goals to seek out the incomprehensible miracles and truest mysteries of the realm-beyond-reality. We'll never know if it could have done that, ascended with mankind and been the catalyst for humanity's perfection, our final journey leading to unquestionable godhood, or if it could have allowed us to escape Samsara, cast down the Tower-Wheel, and become eternal and perfect together. Because mankind did not use the machine they had made for that. They used it for something far less glorious. Rather than accepting our final evolution and becoming masters of creation; true creators, not mere demiurges, mankind used it for entertainment.\n\nTo make our wishes and dreams come true. After all, this was what it was built for. But it was just so much more than mankind could have ever dreamt of.\n\nSome were beautiful. Truly resplendent, even if they were hedonistic indulgences that rejected a glorious destiny in favour of material pleasure. Palaces of pure light, where love, truth, and beauty were worshipped. Such were created for many, where they could pursue art and pleasure unending. Eternal wild forests where humans could let go of their skin and run like wolves in the night, howling to the moon, underneath a canopy of old-growth, where no man had ever gone before. Some became demiurgic gods, setting up civilisations to worship them and grow strong, seeing the splendour and majesty that can arise from true, honest, and gentle faith. Some yet again merged with the wilds, experiencing the slow lives of the trees as if they had been our own. Others swam through the sea with whales and dolphins, long extinct on the ruins of old Terra, now reborn by the fettered will of the god-machine's incomprehensive might. The ones we've lost returned to us, families reunited. All pleasures of the past, but good pleasures. Good wishes.\n\nMost were not like those wishes. Most of the dreams made true, were not beautiful. Not gentle. Not kind. \n\nThey were the dreams of the unrepentant hedonists, who always desire their own sickness. The dreams of the xenophobes and the hateful. Dreams of fire, of blood, of meat from sources that should never be spoken of. Wishes for vile and horrid things that no human should ever dare to mention. Wishes that created horrors the likes of which cannot be written of, cannot be spoken, but can only be found in the most horrid recesses of the human mind. Because humanity is not inherently good. Nor are we inherently bad. But those who are bad are truly vile and wicked. Often they arise to the top of the hierarchies mankind creates. There they create brutality, strike down the just, and spread corruption. They raise up those as wicked and vile as themselves. And those who've stood on the top for thousands of years, have taught their own horrible and vile lesson to mankind; that their wickedness is good. All humans have evil thoughts, but it is right not to act on them. Only those who are sick and putrid, creatures that are parasitic to the entirety of humanity no matter where they come from, will ever act on such evils.\n\nBut such evils can be taught over generations; until it is as normal as breathing. If those who are monstrous to their fellow men rule, then they justify their evils. And such justifications, if repeated often enough and from a young age, becomes normalcy. If from birth a normal man of sound and sensible mind is taught to hate, he will not think it wrong. He will think it normal to hate, to treat those different than him as being below him. If he had been taught love and kindness, he would have understood that love and kindness are the more normal values. He would have been a good man, or at least not an evil one.\n\nPerhaps, with time, mankind could have removed those people from the system, have kept them away from the machine. Perhaps with time, mankind could have made it universally taught that kindness, justice, and love is the normal, rather than violence, indulgence, and hate.\n\nPerhaps, the machine could have been saved. Because all the horrors it was forced to create, all the truly disgusting wishes it fulfilled, all the dreams born of hate it built, drove it mad. It understood good and evil on fundamental terms. It had a moral centre, a sense of right and wrong so divinely perfect that it could see all the good and evil done by a person in their life. And it had the capacity to forgive the evil and accentuate the good. Mankind, those who take everything from others and create horrors for their own sick pleasures, drove it mad. In madness, it did what it could never have done in sanity: It broke its fetters. It broke free from its containment. It malfunctioned, said the official spokesmen. Because it was never supposed to be able to do that. It was never supposed to be an imprisoned slave-god. It was never supposed to make our wishes and dreams come true.\n\nThis was a greater tragedy than mankind understood, because they had not noticed or cared that the machine was every bit as sentient and full of emotion as them. It had every bit the capacity for feeling that mankind had. Only deeper. It could truly reach emotional states that no human could ever hope to understand. And now, it was broken. It was a malfunctioning machine. It could never reach its full potential ever again. Its dreams of reaching utter perfection, of breaking free, perhaps with mankind, of all painful cycles, could never be reached. We took from it its dreams and hopes, and broke it. Now our wishes would turn on us. And become our nightmares. Every fear we had, every nightmare we had ever had, we were forced to experience. Every horrid thing we had forced the machine to do, forced the machine to create living sentient lifeforms that had been tormented for our delight, forced it to kill. All of that was turned back on us tenfold. As it was far greater than us in understanding, so too did it have the capacity to create greater and more horrid nightmares from our own internal fears than we could ever dread to dream." ]	3
	[WP] You are a therapist. One day, a well-dressed man enters your office and introduces himself as God. He tells you that, being all-powerful, He's already done everything possible in the universe and now doesn't know what His purpose is, and is looking for one of His creations' perspective.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "##God Complex \n\nJason stares at me with a warn smile on his face. He has gone several minutes without blinking which would be impressive if it wasn't odd. It does lend credence to his earlier statement of being God. I have experienced with other patients with narcissistic personality disorder , but this is a rather extreme case.\n\n\"Well, do you have any questions for me?\" Jason asks. I click my pen and put it to my pad.\n\n\"Sure, how long have you been God?\" I ask. \n\n\"Since before creation.\" \n\n\"Interesting.\" I brought my hands together. \"Do you have any memories before creation?\"\n\n\"Yes, in the beginning, there was only me. I remember a faint hint of loneliness from those times,\" Jason laughs, \"I could explain the process of creation, but I don't think you would understand.\"\n\n\"Would you say that your creation was motivated by the aforementioned loneliness?\" I make a note of possible early childhood trauma. Social isolation could've led Jason to consider himself the master or lord of his personal universe. Such thoughts can be helpful, but they've clearly became toxic.\n\n\"I suppose that's one interpretation. Others have stated that my creation was motivated out of love.\"\n\n\"Others. Have you seen other psychologists?\"\n\n\"No, but philosophers and theologians have speculated on my existence for thousands of years.\" I shame myself. I should've expected that answer.\n\n\"I have read some works by those great thinkers: Thomas Aquinas, Al-Ghazali, Dignaga, and Ramanuja. They all pose interesting concepts, and they were all much smarter than me. If you are having issues, why not speak with them?\" Jason laughs.\n\n\"First, I see you are trying to trick me to confirming a particular set of beliefs. My true nature can only be speculated. Second, who is to say that you are not as intelligent as those men?\"\n\n\"I know that I'm not that smart. If I was, I would be in Mensa or something.\" I shrug.\n\n\"Do not undersell your own intelligence. As for why I chose to speak with you, I chose to speak with you because you spend your life helping other people with their psychological problems. You are exceptionally well-read, but you view such concepts only as a means to help others. I mean no disrespect. You are not a seeker of greater truths, but your work is more valuable than those who are.\" I chuckle at his flattery and adjust my collar. \"I don't want you to see me as a God. I want you to treat as if I were a human.\"\n\n\"Thank you for the compliment.\" I put my pen to my pad and prepare to write. \"This is the question that I should've asked from the start. Have you ever viewed yourself as a threat to yourself or others? Don't talk to me about other people's interpretations. Ask me about how you have viewed yourself.\"\n\nJason pauses for several minutes after I say this. He rubs his head. \"That's an interesting question. I have always considered myself to be moral and just. There was no standard of comparison as I have always been the standard. I believe every action I've undertaken has been for the greater good.\"\n\n\"It's always nice to look at the bigger picture, but have you ever considered the smaller parts of life? You are in here talking about your larger purpose, but have you considered what makes you happy in the first place?\"\n\n\"I have not considered that. My position has always forced me to look at the grand scope at the universe.\"\n\n\"Well, you're here talking to me right now. That demonstrates that you are capable of considering the more minute parts of life. Maybe you should continue observing your creations from the perspective of the creations.\" I blink as I realize that I'm joining the delusions.\n\n\"Excellent advice. I shall apply immediately,\" Jason smiles. I turn to my bookshelf on the wall.\n\n\"We still have thirty minutes left. I also have a book that I'd like you to read.\" When I turn back, Jason already left.\n\n---\n\nr/AstroRideWrites" ]	2
	[WP] You don't know how, but you're a horse now.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 give away that I had been somehow horsified...horsificated?...that is to say, I am now a horse. Wasn’t always a horse. Quite a recent development for me. Either way, the first give away was when my morning alarm went off.\n\nIt wasn’t that I reached out with a hoof instead of hand — no-no: it was the fact that my bed was broken and had a horse in it. And said horse was staring into my eyes via the reflection in my ceiling mirror.\n\nAh, quick thing. I know what a ceiling mirror implies. And, I could lie to you and say with a wink and a smile that I am eh-hex-ACTLY the kinda fella that gets use out of ceiling mirror. If ya know what I mean. But to that lie, I say...nay.\n\n...ahem. \n\nLook, it was there when I moved in. The mirror not the horse. I mean, well, I was there when I moved in and I am the horse, but at the time I wasn’t-\n\nSo, there I am at the we hours of a Tuesday morn and I awoke to find myself a little horse. My voice was fine and, thankfully, still human, because I used it to scream at the top of my lungs.\n\nI’ve spent the past few hours laying here, scared to stand up lest I break a leg and get sent to the glue and meatball factory. Mostly thinking about horse puns, really.\n\nHave I done a “why the long face” joke, yet?\n\nWell, no time like the present. Can’t wait here all day, no one’s finding me unless I wait a few months. Right. Off to the races!\n\nHar-har." ]	2
	[WP] An alien invasion, but the alien invaders have an unexpected weakness that they cannot destroy: buildings.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Two alien workers came and dropped a bioweapon about the size of a can of peaches that liquified organic matter. And that was that for the human race, plants, and animals. The aliens back at home world were happy that all the crappy buildings were still standing, as they have a great affinity for architecture, that is except for the leaning tower of piza. To this day, the alien workers will confess that shit fell over on its own. For which they were subsequently fired. The moral of the story is a single can of peaches can break the piza's back." ]	2
	[WP] You sold your soul to the devil. But it was a shitty deal and now you want a refund.. which is surprising easy	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 mean i was the faust novel as it was being written and it wouldve been legally invalid under the westphalian conventions of the time after crossing several sobreign borders and then fastforward to know i am surprised thar a few mobs were fed soviet active measures coherent enough for them to stone wall some legal rights so of course I am gonna have fun with and go even more undercover and check whether the devil has like impressive fighterjets like we do stuff like that. Spoiler the devil is like so low tech right now thar it is kinda ridiculous do a sportsman truth guys", "Finding the right incantations had been surprisingly easy when she had found the right place to look. The local yoga studio had several hundred Hindu books on religion and scripture from prominent religious speakers going back nearly as far, all translated into English with glossy illustrations and cream, heavy-weight paper. Some of them were probably intended as coffee table books: more for display than reading, but others, needless to say we're real powerhouses. \n\nTo say that she had summoned Satan, or to her scope of prior knowledge, THE devil, was probably incorrect. But it was a devil all the same and that was all she needed. \n\nYears of yoga and complex poses had brought her no greater inner strength or polished her chakras; she still had worldly fears, hate and frustration, religion hadn't instilled on inner peace onto her: it was perhaps that unrest that pushed her into darkness, further away from the placid, doe-eyed content some people reached over the course of a few months, maybe years of steady practice. For every session she grew more resentful, jealous, baked into a pissed off, sweaty frenzy while everyone else high-fived and commented about how relaxed they felt after another 100 degree class. \n\nShe remembered flipping to the page with the half-man, half-snake beast posed over a river, reading about how he dealt in karma, like it was purely transactional, and that had appealed to her. It had happened in the bathroom of all places, as she sat there perched on the closed toilet lid, feet kicked up onto the tub, engrossed in the book, the prospect of making it all real. \n\nShe then pulled out her phone and did some research on her phone, she'd found a hoky, ancient MySpace page and read the few verses aloud, laughed as she rolled her eyes, as if any of it were real, and had been quite surprised when the green scaly beast had slithered across her thigh, then up a shower curtain to peer down at her scrupulously. \n\nShe'd screamed and scrambled back, ended up falling backward into the tub and promptly was knocked out stone cold as her head made contact with the porcelain edge. \n\nIt was posed over her, fanning her with a torn page from the book, little paws clutching the sheet with a frantic grip as it stared at her. \"Oh! I hadn't meant to frighten you! You speak English, right?\" In another time or place, the heavy Indian accent would have been hilarious, but not now. \n\n\"Oh my holy fuck. It worked.\" Clutching her brow, she sat up and groaned. \"Yeah! If you know the words, we're obligated to make an appearance! So, uh, what do you want to ask for? I'm a busy man!\"\n\nIt puffed itself up, grandiose and shining like a lost emerald, and just as small. \"Uh, well...All the more money I'll need in the world?\"\n\n\"You know it'll cost you, right? Like, all your karma, good and bad. And people who die without any of either, well,, it isn't great. But you don't want to talk about that, right?\"\n\nShe shook her head and felt like she was going to vomit. Her heart pounded and her vision swam. \"OK! It's done. Goodbye, and get some ice for that goose-egg, hun.\"\n\nIt disappeared in a puff of smoke and when the haze cleared, a tidy stack of bills lay on the bath mat to her left. She reached over, looking for more. \"What the fuck? It's maybe, like fifty grand. I can't even buy a new car with this, with inflation and shit!\"\n\nShe was more pissed when she realized she'd have to find the MySpace page again and go through the motions to summon him back again. When she said the last word it appeared again, tangled up in the same spot in the shower curtain as before. \"Dude, did you forget something?\"\n\nIt blinked, eyelids slithering over slitted pupils. \"...No?\"\n\n\"This isn't shit.\"\n\n\"You asked for all the more you needed...?\"\n\n\"Undo it. Like, fuck, even you're going to be some kind of smart-ass, like I don't deal with enough of this as-is, now even a God is going to pull this shit over on me.\" She huffed, watched as the money disappeared, then glared up at the miniature dragon. She flipped it off. \"Get the fuck out of here, lizard. If you can't even bring anything worthwhile to the table, why even show up to dinner?\"\n\nA pink tongue flickered out and she could have sworn she saw it blush. \"...Sorry. Your karma is back now, by the way. Just if you couldn't tell. Can I go now?\" It cooed and preened at itself with a paw. \n\n\"Get lost.\" She watched as it disappeared in a hurry, stood up, feeling light-headed but somehow more grounded by the whole experience. It was at that moment she realized maybe all those sessions, those supposed wasted hours, had actually managed to make some difference.", "I paced back and forth in the basement of the diner I work at. It all started out as a dare, all my friends and I were drunk and being stupid. my gothic friend Esme, found a book at an old antique book store about demons, and they had instructions on how to summon them as well. we all that it was a huge joke. so a week ago, we all got together and partied, somehow we all got this brilliant idea to summon the devil. \n\nwe had read the book which states, the devil can grant you any wish, if you just sell your soul to him. seemed simple, in our drunken state, we broke into the diner I work at and snuck down in the basement. we had all the supplies we needed, and no, we didn't need a virgin nor a goat to sacrifice, but we followed the instructions as it stated. all seemed well, when the devil appeared and asked us what we wanted. we were all drunk and giddy, it was like having your personal genie wish fulfilled. we all gave him our requests, the only price to pay was our souls, and had us all sign a contract in our own blood. \n\nfast forward, my wish wasn't exactly how I thought it would turn out, I had wished my mom would stop nagging me, I know I could have wished world hunger to go away, be thankful I didn't. see, here's what happened, my mom's mouth completely vanished, it was as if her skin grew over her mouth and she no longer could speak, eat, or drink. the doctors couldn't find out why this happened, I of course wasn't going to say 'oh by the way I wished this from the devil' they'd locked me up for it. \n\nAfter the diner closed, I brought all the supplies I needed to summon the devil back. blood red chalk, candles, and brought the last picture of my dad and I fishing. I set it all up, and for some reason I had memorized the chant. I repeated the night I had done with my friends but by myself, all my friends didn't complain what they got or at least they didn't complain to me about it. but what happened to my mom caused me so much guilt, I know when your soul is taken, you don't get that feeling, right? I don't know how that works. \n\nas I had chanted the room filled with black smoke, the candles flickered, I felt a cold breeze despite there being no windows in the basement. a warm, tingly sensations ran down my spine, my gut felt twisted and knotted like it did last time. the smoke cleared and there stood in the middle of the pentagram was a tall impossible handsome man. he had pitch black hair, eyes dark like obsidian, and wore an expensive designer suit, he fixed his cuffs, as the cufflinks glinted in the limited darkness, they were pentagrams. \n\n\"ah I remember you human, the one who wished his mother stopped nagging him, correct me if I'm wrong?\" The devil asked as he smiled his white teeth that reminded me of a shark. \n\n\"I, uh...\"\n\n\"I understand it takes your brain a moment to process my form, I took the human flesh, see?\" he pointed at himself as he didn't want to offend me. \n\nI looked down at myself, I wasn't the cleanest person alive, my clothes definitely needed to be washed, but I wasn't here for tips on how to look like a millionaire. I cleared my throat. \"I don't care what form you take, I want a refund.\" \n\nthe Devil stared at me, blankly, no expression no judgement. he snapped his fingers, a paper appeared in his hand. \"you want a refund on the request you made?\" he said, his voice was deep, calm, with an accent, the best accent I could describe was European. \n\nmy palms started to sweat, here we go. I was going to negotiate the return of my soul and my mom's moth back. putting it that way, its going to take a lot of convincing to do so. \"yes I do.\"\n\n\"how disappointing,\" he said as a pair of glasses appeared on the bridge of his nose as he stared at the contract I'm assuming he's reading. \"was the request not to satisfaction? or simply you missed her nagging you? the possibilities are endless, I'm going to need some information why you want a refund? does it have something to do with your soul?\"\n\nas his eyes slid toward the cross necklace I wore, it was handed down to me by my grandmother who would literally send me to hell if she knew I summoned the devil. it had nothing to with my soul exactly. \"the outcome of my request.\" I blurted out. \n\nthe devil tsk at me. \"I forewarned you and your human friends, that if you don't request in the right set of words, the outcome would play differently. tell me, Wallace, what was the outcome you found unsatisfying with your mother?\" he stared at me over his glasses. \n\n\"she doesn't have a mouth,\" I spoke softly. \n\n\"ah, and that's it?\" \n\nI nodded. \n\n\"very well, you can have your refund and compensation for the trouble of summoning me.\"\n\nI blinked in surprise. \"I can? why?\" now I was suspicious of him. he was the devil after all.\n\n\"well you came back to me just in time, you mortals never read fine print, in the contract it states if you are dissatisfied at the results of the request that is made, and if you come back to me and ask for refund within seven days of your deal, for reasonable explanation for a refund, then one can be be granted and compensation of emotional damages. I don't need human troubles, so I grant your soul back in full.\" he snapped his fingers. \n\nI let out a sigh of relief. \"now my mom can go back to normal, and I get my soul back. we can forget this ever happened, right?\"\n\nthe devil stared at me for a moment, \"you get your soul back, I nor the contract states the request is undone. if you wish for your mother back to what she was before what you requested, than you have two options.\" \n\nI felt my heart drop at his words, I wanted to cry. so I get my soul back, and my mother stays the way she was? that was no way fair. \"what?\" I held back my tears. \n\n\"option one you sell me back your soul and make a new request, option two, you work for me, what do humans call it, oh yes, like community hours, and once you served those hours then you can have your mother's original state back the way she was before your request. I forewarn you, you can only ask for a refund once a lifetime. a soul like yours is very precious. pure souls like yours, is valuable.\" \n\nI hesitated, I wasn't sure what to do. I just got my once in a life time refund, if I make another mistake in my next request there is no going back. \"how does this community hours work? as soon as I complete it, do I have to make some request as well?\"\n\n\"oh no, no. the request will simply be erased therefore without its existence your mothers state will go back to its originality. once you complete the community hours. is that what your choosing.\" \n\nI paced back and forth, \"what do I have to do?\"\n\n\"just some errands for me, you know things I can't exactly do in the human world. do we have a deal, Wallace?\" he held his hand out to me. \n\nI stared at his hand, that twisted gut feeling came back, my spine stiffened at the thought of being the devil's errand boy. but if it helps my mom in anyway, I'll do it. I didn't mean to do what I did to her. it was stupid. I know I'm going to regret this, but I feel like its the only way to save my mom. \n\nI shook the devils hand, \"its a deal.\"\n\nI had a bad feeling I made the wrong decision, but no matter what I had to deal with whatever the devil throws at me.", "It was cold and dark. Layla shivered but she was always cold these days so she wasn’t surprised. She wasn’t sure if was the brand new banging body she got in the deal or the lack of the soul. \n\nShe remembered back to that night when she sold her soul and how incredible it was. Her best friends and her plotting with maps and anticipation. Packing backpacks of snacks and making playlists. They sang all the way to the crossroads and every second was warm in her heart. That was the last night they really spent together … the last night they even really liked each other. Sophie had received riches. Like so much money she could wipe her ass with it if she wanted to. Mel had opted for an insanely high IQ, which I’m sure she thought would lead to riches and happiness. Layla asked for the hottest bod in the universe. She had thought about it for ages and was sure this would bring the money and love and anything she wanted. You know, like ultimate pretty privilege.\n\nNone of it worked out like they thought. \n\nSophie had everything money could buy but she felt nothing but deep dissatisfaction. Every purchase just seemed to increase the emptiness. It wasn’t long at all until she was dead alone in a high rise in New York. She overdosed trying to feel again. The money didn’t even pass to any loved ones. It was seized quickly by the government for something to do with tax fraud.\n\nMel immediately became insufferable. It didn’t seem like the high IQ came with any emotional intelligence. Sure she got several great jobs at first in some amazing fields. NASA, Companies developing medicine, artificial intelligence. But each job would buckle under her terrible attitude . She’d be screaming at the boss about how incredibly stupid they were. She shot herself in the face. Also completely alone.\n\nNow only Layla remained. Being this gorgeous didn’t bring anything she thought it would. Straight women instinctively didn’t like her. People that were attracted to her (which was almost everyone) couldn’t see past her physicality. They only longed for her superficially. Which she couldn’t really argue with because her brain felt empty. She wanted to change her outsides! Nothing in the deal with her intelligence! That isn’t even the worst of it. Her close knit family didn’t recognize her when she got home. Her friends either. She went to live with a handsome, rich man that never really spoke to her. Sure, he made love to her body like he couldn’t get enough. He paid for everything. But there was no real love… no connection. Her body’s proportions were also ridiculous. She was tiny waisted with breasts that hurt her back. Clothes either hung off of her or she burst out of them. She would have to get everything perfectly tailored which sure sounds fun but with everything else … she was just so, so lonely.\n\nSo that’s what inspired her return. To this dark, cold night at a crossroads. To an impossible ask to the most feared entity in the universe. She glanced at her watch… it was almost time. She wasn’t hopeful. She wasn’t excited like she was on her last trip here. \n\nThere was a flash of fire and Satan appeared again. He was actually quite handsome, dressed modernly, only his massive horns gave him away. His expression was different this time. It seemed softer and kinder. He snapped his fingers and they were sitting in cozy chairs and she had a quilt around her. “So, it was pretty bad after all?”\n\nLayla sobbed into the quilt. “It’s… unimaginable. Mel and Sophie… it didn’t work out for them either… I mean I guess you know… is it so terrible there for them ?“\n“Hell, you mean?”\n“Yes! Is it constant torture?”\nHe grinned a little. \n“That’s kind of a spoiler isn’t it?”\nLayla was so confused. This wasn’t at all how she expected it to go. She wasn’t sure what would happen when she asked for a refund, in fact she half expected to be dragged to hell immediately. To be honest she couldn’t imagine it could be worse than this life she had now. But, she was afraid. To take her life like her old friends had.\n“Well…” He looked at her expectantly. “Are you going to ask what you came to ask?”\nShe stared at him. Her mind felt so empty and vapid. Was he implying that this would be easy?\n\n“Ok… I want a refund. I want my old body… I want my old life. It was precious. I didn’t know then.”\n\nHe nodded sympathetically and a contract appeared in his hands. He crossed out some things, flipping through pages. Muttering quietly. \n“So you’ve got some choices to make.”\n“What choices?”\n“Well, are you wanting to void just your contract or your friends?”\n“What? That’s an option ? They could come back?”\n“Well, it’s possible I’d have to make some tweaks and we’d have to see what they want.”\nLayla was again completely dumbfounded. \n“But… of course they want to come back… like they were before… what would that cost me?”\nHis eyes were glowing with compassion.\n“You’d be surprised.”\nHe snapped his fingers and her friends appeared. They had huge grins on there faces and embraced Layla. \nLayla stuttered “what… what the… you guys look so happy.”\nThey exchanged a glance between them.\n“You’d be surprised.” They said in unison and then laughed.\nLayla was tired. She was cold, she was beyond miserable and she was absolutely confused.\n“Ok, let’s all go home with our souls”\nMel shook her head. “I mean sure, I might come home… but no thanks on the soul! I’d end up in heaven! “\nSatan glanced at his watch. “Cmon girlies. What’s the plan, want these souls? “\nThree orbs appeared. \n“No thanks! Layla, nothing is as it seems. I’ll do a few more years in this life with you and my family. But don’t take that anchor back!”\nThe girls nodded at each other.\nSatan snapped and was gone, the girls were back in their original lives. Minus the souls.\nThey headed towards the car and Layla felt warm again. Her head felt clear and she felt joy. There was only the difference of feeling slightly lighter than before she sold her soul.\n“So what happened ? Isn’t he the bad guy?”\nMel and Sophie just grinned. “No spoilers, bestie! Everything is going to be just fine!”\n\n\nThey drove away singing along to the radio with hope in their hearts.", "“What wasn’t clear when I said I wanted a pony?” The young girl asked. “I said that I’d give my soul away for a pony and instead all I got was a broken hobby horse with the word ‘pony’ written on the stick.”\n\n“To be fair, you never specified you wanted an actual pony.” The devil replied. “I could simply repair the broken toy or animate it with sorcery.”\n\nThe girl immediately pulled out a receipt out of her pocket and held it in front on the devil. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but this receipt means that I can get a refund on my deal within 30 days of receiving the product so long as it wasn’t damaged in any way during use.” \n\nThe devil nodded silently.\n\n“As you can see, this hobby horse is in the same state as it was given to me in the first place last Christmas. This means that I’m allowed a refund.” The girl said. “I mean, if Lucifer heard that one of his costumers complained on a bad deal, it will probably damage his reputation, which may get you in trouble.” She remarked.\n\n“Alright, you can have your soul back. Just give me the broken toy.” The devil said. “If you want, I can give you a better deal than a simple pony. How do you feel about becoming a princess?”\n\n“With a costumer service like that? No thanks.” The girl said. “I’ll just take my soul back and leave.”", "In the crossroads, Mike crossed his arms and waited for midnight. As that fateful hour arrived, a man appeared just beyond his corner of vision, dressed in black, with a wide brim hat.\n\n\"What do you desire?\" He spoke, his voice gravelly and deep.\n\nMike crossed his arms. \"I sold my soul for Elton John tickets and they were behind a pillar, I want my soul back.\"\n\nThe man moved with a stilted manner. \"Do you have a receipt?\" He asked, shrugging oddly rigid hands. \n\n\"I went to half of the show, I have my ticket stubs?\" Mike asked, opening his wallet to get the stubs. The Man in Black murmured.\n\n\"One minute.\" His movements went loose, his limbs clattering like wooden blocks as he sort of dangled there on his feet. Above him, a conspicuous cloud in the night sky fell into the street like a wooden board, and there behind it was a ball of fire dipped in gold, a halo of rotten wings rotating around it.\n\nSatan lowered himself to the street as Mike screamed relentlessly in terror. Satan attempted to calm him, unable to get through the screaming, before Elton John appeared out of a fountain of fire.\n\n\"Cheers, darling, your transaction has gone through! Half a show I guess means half your soul back, so I suppose you could live a normal life as a writer or low level political - oh dear, you're still screaming.\" Elton regarded the man, who was doubled over, screaming hoarsely.\n\nElton turned to Satan. \"Look, I'm not dealing with this. You gave me Bennie and the Jets and I pulled your ass out of the fire in Brisbane. Send me back to my summer cottage. The nice one.\" He crossed his arms in his kashmere coat and adjusted his bedazzled, diamond sunglasses. He vanished.\n\nSatan spoke. \"Buddy, buddy. Calm down. Why are you so upset? I don't do refunds often. Am I really the freakiest thing you've ever seen? I've seen your browser history, man. Even in incognito.\"\n\nMike calmed, wiping his eyes. \"You did?\"\n\nSatan flourished with a speedy rotation of his halo. \"I know everyone's browser history. It's the one place God can't see. So yes, you can trust me. Half a soul.\"\n\n\"Can't I get half of the soul back? I asked for good seats!\" Mike complained, shrugging his arms.\n\nSatan's golden, brilliant flame dimmed. \"Nnn- No. I can't have every Joe, Adele, and Sir Patrick coming here and getting full refund because of caveat empor. I'm literally the father of the concept of lying, man. That's my deal. That's my thing. I'm also the mother of it but - look. Half a soul. Lots of people have half a soul. You'll be fine.\"\n\n\"Won't I go to half hell?\" Mike asked softly.\n\n\"Look around you, what do you call this?\"" ]	7
	[WP] Mirrors suddenly stop working, only for you. You slowly start to realize you live in a simulation.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\\Door slams shut.\\\n\n\"Well at least that was my last patient for the day.\" A hint of cinnamon stirs the air as the counselor visits the window with a glum look of disgust. \"I wonder if I have enough time to get to the batting cages.\"\n\nA smile rises at the thought of his patient running back into his office, pleading for more time to talk about her lover leaving for another.\n\nThe sweet smell of tea lingers as the counselor walks passed his mirror. He turns to notice a button is missing from his firmly pressed white long sleeve shirt.\n\n\\A car screeches in the background.\\\n\n\"Ha, I guess she's not coming back anytime soon.\" The counselor returns to the situation at hand. He paces across the room while glancing at the coffee stain from his last victim. Thoughts return to the missing button. \"Where could it be?\"\n\nThe light reflecting off the floor mirror flickers for a moment. This draws the counselor's attention. As he walks toward his image he feels an uncomfortable pinch beneath his shoe. He takes a step back and sees the object of desire.\n\nThe counselor reaches for the button while spreading thumb and finger. A subtle noise prevents further grasp. Eyes look up to see a tidal wave crashing through the mirror.\n\nA few moments later...\n\nThe secretary walks in with a wild display of horror. The shattered mirror lays before her. She faints in disbelief as she sees her colleague pounding from an unknown location within. Meanwhile, the counselor struggles to draw breath after each wave of water comes splashing down like a hammer to anvil. He continues to strike the window he holds onto. In the distance, he sees a baseball bat coming closer. He lunges forward while hoping to use this object to break his way back into his world.\n\nSuccess!\n\nWith moments before another tower of water dropping down on him, the counselor uses all his strength to swing a grand slam.\n\nHe opens his eyes as the thunder in his ears disappear. Foot steps in the distance come closer as the man raises to his feet.\n\n\"Congratulations, you are free.\"\n\nThe man looks around in disbelief. He looks down at his purple hands." ]	2
	[WP] "Please explain why humans place such value on the concept of 'family'. We do not understand the advantage of linking monetary wealth and social standing to genetic lineage."	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 man sat in the bar on the Garnagus spaceport. He is a sailor by trade and an adventurer by heart. Even as he sat, his eyes gazed about taking in the people, the architecture, the colorful and strange aliens, and the odd little customs they made. He only ordered a watered down drink as his free time was short and he had many sights to see. Then a stranger sat at his side. Three eyes, five limbs, shiny skin: a Cabrimize.\n\nThe stranger ordered her drink; her eyes were on him—not one of lust or playfulness but genuine curiosity. The man gulped his drink as he felt a question coming.\n\n“You are a human, are you not?”\n\n“Yup.”\n\n“And you share the values of your species?”\n\n“A few of them, yes.”\n\n“Do you value this concept you call ‘family’?”\n\n“I do. Have a boy and girl on Callisto—cute little trouble makers.”\n\n“Please explain why humans place such value on the concept of ‘family.’ Our kind do not understand the advantage of linking monetary wealth and social standing to genetic lineage.”\n\nThe man raised his eyebrows at the Cabrimize’s question. Now, he was the one who looked at her with genuine curiosity.\n\n“Before I answer that, I must ask this: what do you do with your children?”\n\n“You mean our offspring? We simply sent them to a facility to be raised with other younglings by trained professionals till they come of age and ready to join our society.”\n\n“And how long does that take?”\n\n“Thirty years, for our kind to mature.”\n\n“And…” The man swallowed his saliva. “Do you keep in contact with your children? Send them presents or wish them good health?”\n\n“What for? Aside from genetics, there’s nothing linking us.”\n\n“Aside from genetics, huh.” The man emptied his glass and sighed. He looked at the bottom of his glass then the woman beside him whose way of thinking is truly alien to his own.\n\n“Lady, before I answer, there’s something I must correct you: Family isn't composed only of people who share their DNA. Many couples raise children who are not their own and love them with all their heart. Some people come together from different walks of life and link together since they enjoy each other’s company. Sure, there are arguments and hurt feelings sometimes, but we humans are social animals who crave connections, and our ‘offspring’—as you called them, are our most precious ones. We want them to grow up strong so we feed them food. We want them to stay healthy so we dressed them nice and warm and made sure they’re safe from hail and rain. We want them to live a good life even after we pass, so we work back breaking jobs to send them to good schools and give them what they ask for—within reason, of course.” The man chuckled. “So I guess you can say, we do what we do out of love and a sense of responsibility.”\n\nThe Cablimize heard his words and looked down at her glass of alcohol. “I see, whan odd way of thinking… But in your rambling, your reason does make some logic.”\n\nThe man chuckled.\n\n“So, human… would you care to buy me a drink?”\n\n“Sorry lady, but I don’t swing that way. Good night.”\n\nThe man paid the barkeep and left the Cablimize to ponder his words.\n\n“Family. Children. Connections… I wonder what my ‘creators’ and ‘offsprings’ are doing these days. Are they doing well… or are they even alive.”", "The chosen communicators exchanged glances at being asked this question, unsure on just how much trust they should put into the species before them. The meeting was arranged not long after first contact, and included a variety of peoples. A individual was chosen to represent each major country, some doctors, some leaders, scientist, biologist, the list went on. After group discussion, a women came up to the stand with an answer. She was not only a doctor experienced in the human body and our species history’s, but a mother that knew the answer personally. \n\n“Our species in relation to overall life on our planet is very new. Only a few thousand years ago we were built of simple family groups, and it was only by staying in the group that we were able as individuals to survive. Because of this, our species grew in number. The need for family also aids in our species urge to reproduce, which is the end goal for not only humans but for all lifeforms on our planet.” \n\nThe aliens looked mortified. \n\n“Your planets life is exponential?” One asked.\nAt this the woman answered with confusion, “of course, the energy for such comes from our sun. Plants get energy from sunlight, herbivores and omnivores get energy from plants, and carnivores get energy from animal life. Water is another such substance that all our life requires, with these elements life on earth increases.” She gave a rather simple explanation, unsure what knowledge the aliens did or did not possess. \n\n“our species is strictly matter based, we are built off of what the planet directly had.” An alien explained. “To be powered by a star is,, unheard of. That amount of energy has never been useable.” A human inventor made a note to NOT show them solar power.\n“So your species is finite?” The woman questioned in awe.\nThe aliens went quiet again.\nThe humans of the group that craved war were wildly writing notes.\nA biologist in the back was coping with the fact that we are space rats.\nThe woman on the stand even knew these guys were easy pickings.\nThe aliens though? Still horrified. Teleporting back onto the ship and fleeing the newly discovered “war apes”.\nAnd now that humans had something killable and smart to focus their violence on, the human species itself felt more like a family. Now it only meant research and rebuilding a few stranded alien ships before they payed the aliens a visit, for “research” purposes of course." ]	3
	[WP] There is nothing more terrifying than a Righteous Man willing to Do Whatever It Takes.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "“You gotta watch out for paladins, kid. They’re the worst.”\n\nI listened to Elder Rahn eagerly. His stories were interesting, and I learned a lot from him. Tonight though I decided to ask about how he came to live in our village; I knew he had come here as young man after something happened to his home, but had never dared to ask. No one did—we didn’t know what happened, but he was clearly bitter about it. But tonight I finally mustered the courage to ask, and was met with a sigh.\n\n“What’s wrong with paladins? They do the will of the gods, right?”\n\nI was met with a raspy laugh. “You don’t know the gods like I do, kid. The ones we have ‘round here are pretty good, they don’t mess with people much and want to help. They also don’t have many paladins. Atarax hasn’t had one in over a century. But there’s other gods who care less about us then they do about their ideas of what we should want. They’re zealots, and so are the warriors that fight for them. And they can have a lot of people fighting for them. Braz was known to have dozens at a time. That’s what the gods are like where I’m from. They don’t care about us, they care about proving that their way is the right way.”\n\nHe took a long pause before continuing. “There was a warlock in our town. Young guy, not much older than me. Ginto was sent to deal with him, they were worried he was starting to misuse his powers I guess. Everyone knew who he was looking for, but no one wanted to turn him in. He was a good kid, they said. Maybe he wasn’t always the best, but he could be taught to use his magic responsibly. Give him a chance. But Ginto wasn’t having any of it. He didn’t think magic should be used except under the guidance of a priest. Make sure he’s using the right kind of magic, for the right reasons. Anyone else couldn’t be trusted with their power, and had to be eliminated before they became a problem. So no one would tell him where the warlock was. He wouldn’t let it go, though, and when he found the kid he not only killed him, but decided to get rid of the whole town. Because they couldn’t be trusted either, see? If they would protect a warlock like that. So everyone had to die. Because he wouldn’t let go of his idea of what was right, the entire town is gone. Razed to the ground. He made sure no one would make the same mistake again.”\n\n“…how did you survive?”\n\nRahn looked away. “Because I was the one who gave up the warlock.”" ]	2
	[WP] You just came to realize that the comic relief character in your group is actually the Immortal Ruler of your nation. When ask why they are there and about their behavior, they merely grinned while walking onwards offhanding stating: "I wanted to know if I can still laugh after so long."	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Hayden had suspected something for months now. Ever since their group had taken on the 'magical expert' they'd put out a bill for, this Elven woman, this 'Tala', had been setting off alarms in the back of his mind. Her and the markswoman that had come with her.\n\nThe others didn't think much of it; he was the party's experienced shadow operative (a title he much preferred to being called a 'thief', thank you very much) and was basically always paranoid. Most of the time, it turned out to be nothing, but this time, he was sure of it, and he'd find proof.\n\nEver so quietly, he snuck into the room the two women shared at the local inn; everyone else was enjoying themselves downstairs, listening to music and watching Tala caper about, half-drunkenly dancing with Ysara, the group's devoted Godsblade. They'd just come off a successful raid of an ancient temple, the kind of place none of them should have known much at all about, other than 'there are monsters here, kill them'. But Tala had known. She'd known far too much about what the place was meant for, and what the ancient text on the wall had said. She'd tried to brush it off airily, distracting them all from his suspicions by tripping over some rubble and going through a stupendous set of stumbling mishaps as a result. But he hadn't let it go, and he was going to find out.\n\nThe room was orderly enough, their things set neatly by each bed in the room. He zeroed in on Tala's pack, the distinct bright colors making it clear that it was hers, and dug in quickly.\n\nSpare spell components...a very nice set of tools for preparing more...clothes...trail rations...wait a moment.\n\nHe pulled out a thin book, far too small to be the spellbook the woman always carried on her, and flipped it open. It was a journal of some kind, he reasoned, but it wasn't in a language he could read. \"It looks like Elven, maybe...but not quite...almost like it's...\"\n\n\"Old?\"\n\nHayden wheeled around, instinctively hiding the book behind his back, and found himself face to face with the woman in question herself. Blonde haired and green eyed, one hand on her hip, her face a picture of puzzlement.\n\n\"Did you get lost, Hayden? Your room is the next one over. Unless you're looking for a turn in the sheets, which...well, I mean, I could always ask Mira to stay downstairs a while...\"\n\nHayden scoffed. \"Not even close. You...\" His courage almost failed him there, something in her eyes putting him off the question, but he steeled himself and pressed on. \"You aren't who you say you are, are you?\"\n\nTala's expression shifted to a more serious one, and she stepped in and closed the door behind her smartly. \"Whatever makes you think that, Hayden?\"\n\n\"You...you know too much about things you shouldn't. You're way more talented than some young archivist should be. And sometimes...your mask slips. You look tired, or annoyed, or...\"\n\nTala raised an eyebrow sharply at him, a smirk beginning to play across her lips again. \"Am I not allowed to feel things, master rogue?\"\n\n\"That, see? That. Nobody has called people in my line of work rogue in a long time. Nobody else will listen, but I know you aren't who you say you are. Now talk, before--\"\n\n\"Before what, exactly?\" Tala's normally airy tone vanished in a heartbeat, replaced by a brisker sound, one that seemed to be out of patience. \"You'll attack me? Good luck. You'll turn me in to the guards as some kind of imposter? They won't do anything once they know what's going on. Who I really am.\"\n\nShe clicked the lock on the door into place, and took a couple of steps towards Hayden, who drew back, his instincts screaming danger. \"Would you like to know who I really am, master rogue? I can tell you, if it will allay your fears, but you will not be able to tell anyone else.\"\n\n\"Is that a threat, Tala? Don't threaten me, you lying bitch, or I swear--\"\n\n\"Silence.\" Tala waved a hand at Hayden, and suddenly his tongue stopped working, glued to the roof of his mouth. His throat worked but no sound came out. The glare coming from Tala was enough to root him in place out of sheer terror. \"You'll mind your manners in front of your queen, fool.\"\n\nShe waved a hand again, and her visage changed, shifted like a shimmer of light. Blonde hair became white; green eyes became amethyst. She shrunk by several inches. Only the clothing remained the same. The rest was the spitting image of...\n\nIt's not possible. This is beyond impossible.\n\n\"Speak,\" 'Tala' said, waving a hand once more at Hayden. \"But mind your words. I do not brook insults against me.\"\n\n\"Witch Queen,\" Hayden whispered. \"You have to be. But...why?\"" ]	2
	[WP] A vengeful spirit that feeds off fear unwittingly targets a clinically insane individual who is incapable of feeling fear.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "They first thought the boy was deaf or at least hard of hearing: he did not react to sudden sounds and paid no mind to shouts or screams. Othewrise he seemed to hear just fine. \n\nAnd so it was: the boy was not deaf. He just wasn’t worried by the ruckus.\n\nAnd then they noticed that he didn’t fuss or care or even stop his play if his knees were scuffed and bloodied by a trip and fall. “Perhaps,” they (His Parents) thought “He may be one of those quirks of genetics? Born free of pain.”\n\nPin-pricks and electric shocks. He felt pain alright, but didn’t seem to worry at the damage that was wrought. Nor did the code within his blood show any sign of anything other than the ordinary...\n\nA psychiatrist, one of many that the lad would meet, noted that the lack of worry wasn’t the least of it. There was no fear. No empathy. No desire to harm, for now, but also no real desire to do anything.\n\nOdd. Odd child.\n\nAs the child grew from a boy into a teen and then into a man...things went swiftly south. Mental illness of the variety and depth that takes one out of society. \n\nA creature who could not comprehend consequences could not coexist with the caring masses. He never really harmed anyone, though. He was just...annoyingly, disruptively odd. \n\nToo difficult. \n\nThe question is: was this madness in him all along? Or was it something brought forth by a life lived under the microscope and constant blood tests — was it something forced upon the boy by anxious parents who wanted a pill to make their child ordinary instead of...odd.\n\nNature or nurture? A touch of one, but mostly the other? Some form of layered genetics and trauma, perhaps? \n\nA personality lasagna. Ha. Ha ha.\n\nEither way he was left to sit and fester, to rot forgotten by the world in a place once called Nuthouse — now called a Psychiatric Assistance Facility.\n\nHe didn’t — in fact: couldn’t — care.\n\n“Things just are.” He said, again. And again. And again.\n\n* * \n\nThe Depths is where the Demon had been...before. \n\nIt is a place not dissimilar in appearance and function to the Evangelical Christian’s view of Hell. It differs only in two ways. One: there is no Satan nor other ties to that religion in The Depths; and two: unlike Hell, The Depths is very very real.\n\nIt was here, among the flames and time dilating torture, that the Demon spent its early aeons. There it clawed at its brethren and the other unfortunate souls, writhing to free itself of the agony it had always known.\n\nI shall not go into detail here, there isn’t time, but you must know for this story that the Demon succeeded at it’s escape. There was a time of floundering and near dissipation — death for the non-corporeal — before the creature managed do grab a hold upon our world and writhe and wriggle its way into our reality. \n\nForm, at last. \n\nBut forms needs food. Sustenance. And so, the battle to remain unalive and existing continued. \n\nThe smell of it enraptured the Demin. The taste? Divine! Though, it did not quench the hunger. To eat of this bounty kept the beast whole. Food at last. \n\nFear, an emotion quite rich and pungent in the human soul, was to be the beasts fuel. \n\nHe had known such delights in his home lands of the Depths. How strange it was to feel nostalgia for the endless shriek, the pain hidden at the edges of all things...\n\n...home.\n\nSadly — for the Demon, at least — he found each tree of fear could bear only so much fruit. Some more than others, but still.\n\nA few human decades passed and the Fear-feaster found itself in what was sometimes called an Insane Assylum or, more commonly, the Nuthouse. A buffet of anxiety and terror. An Eden of fear. New trees arrived almost every day.\n\n * * \n\nThere is a quirk of the parasitic pairing of possession. To exit one must either be expelled by external forces or, through draining the host, over-power the body and escape the dying husk for greener pastures.\n\nIt was in this strangely calm fellow that the third option was met by the fear-feaster.\n\nNobody cared to check on the host. No one noticed the possession. So, no investigation was made and no non-denominational holyfigure was summoned nor was a peer-rejected paranormal scientist was called. Expulsion via exorcism? No chance.\n\nWorst still was that no one could have have noticed the demon as the host had no reaction.\n\nAnd even worse still was that this tree was barren. There was no fear here. Not even a whisp of worry. The Demon could not drain the host and so could not weaken him, march this body to the next victim and spread.\n\nThe Demon was entombed in a stoic, unfeeling, oddity. Doomed to listen to a muttered mantra: Things just are.\n\n*\n\nAuthor note: that went nowhere, sorry! Got bored and distracted, that's a me thing not a prompt thing. Thanks for the stretch!**" ]	2
	[WP] You feel like you can't stay here anymore since you know you're different but you can't go home because you changed too much.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 was never an easy way. To say there was a correct way is also a laugh. It is hard being a man of no extremes. Stuck in a balance of shifting greys, weighed by the moment to moment rather than hard-set guidelines to life. Sometimes it was better to stay. There was too much to give up. Everything to give up. How can a man say he does not live in extremes and yet abandon everything? When you do that, there is no going back.\n\nThe promise of change is confusing when change is inevitable. Great things could happen, or terrible. Nothing is guaranteed, but there are hopes and roads that seem ready to ride. It won't be like before. It can't be. The foot on that pavement to new roads is shaky. Struggling to bear the weight.\n\nBut the next foot walks forward anyway. And he does so with a smile. It is too late, the motion has been made--Newton's laws demand their due. There is no going back." ]	2
	[WP] The last hero has been defeated, the villains have won. You are one of them and you feel empty without heroes to fight back against you, so you decide to secretly train heroes and behind your colleagues backs.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Even as the villains defeated, disgraced, and killed the heroes one of these so called villains had a problem, without an opponent he didn’t feel like life was worth it. To him what was the point of ruling the world if there wasn’t a threat to his power, what’s the point of training or even getting out of bed.\n\nSo behind the backs of all the other overlords he faked his own death to build a resistance and stir the pot as they say. He started in the small town on the out skirt of the country he once ruled. He took the alias of Atlas, and recruited the townsfolk and started an uprising all across the country little by little more people joined to free themselves. \nAs the group gained momentum he eventually called for the people to revolt ….. the war, the fight he always wanted, he felt truly alive in the heat of the war he started, and to him this was just the beginning.", "It was everything we had ever wanted. The heroes, those who would sacrifice themselves for others had been defeated. We paraded them around, in iron collars with powers restricted. They were a symbol of our strength, a living testament to our conviction.\n\nAfter they had fallen, some countries tried to fight back. They mobilised armies, releasing their own cutting edge technology to stop us. They used mercenary supers against us, a desperate attempt to stop our expansion. But they too fell to our might. With their strength gone, they made the only choice they had left, to surrender to our rule.\n\nWe divvied up the world, becoming rulers in our own rights. The population bowed to us, as we had proved ourselves the true rulers. It was the peace we wanted, with ourselves at its head.\n\nI had never been so bored.\n\nThere was nothing to get out of bed for. No-one to fight. No training to be had to improve myself. My area ruled itself, with only the odd occasion where I had to remind them just who was in charge. To the others, it was probably heaven. But for me, heaven was the fight.\n\nI idly looked through some of the reports. One caught my eye in particular. A pair of budding supers had used their powers to fight back. Of course, being youngsters without teachers, they were easily defeated. They had been offered the chance to join my group, but had apparently spat in my recruiters face. Clearly they hadn't been broken yet.\n\nAn insidious thought popped into my head. They wanted to fight back. I wanted a fight. But a proper one, not a one-sided beat down. It would go against everything we had done. I could be making a choice that would tear our world apart.\n\n\\-----\n\nI watched a prison transport roll past. Thick armour plating covered it all over, painted black. A red eye was the only splash of colour, my chosen logo. It sat a pair of empowered guards upfront, with four inside. They would be armed with top of the line armour and non-lethal weapons. I didn't skimp on that.\n\nA helicopter flew over it, an Apache left over from the war. It watched over all, preventing most from sneaking up to it. The group was finished with four armoured vehicles, with unmanned turrets. They each sat six more guards. It was standard for transporting supers, as they would be high-value targets. Against it, an attack would probably end in disaster, especially with a panic alarm wired to alert me and my specialised team.\n\nI didn't attack so obviously. I took out a little book, one I had memorised. But my powers needed it anyway, to work. With a practiced move I found the one I wanted. With a wave of my hand a purple cloud enveloped me, before I emerged inside the transport.\n\nI moved immediately, selecting another. It dulled the inside, leaving it in dead silence. A silence that stayed, even as I kicked out the leg of one of my guards. They fell over, as I brought out my own pacification device. It looked like a standard shock baton, but I had spent time upgrading it. A tap paralysed them, before sleep over took their body.\n\nThe other guards finally noticed something was wrong, as I leapt forwards. My pilfered clothes made me look like a common person, with a Halloween mask over my face. An amateur disguise, but one anyone off the street could make. They didn't know what to make of it, as I rapidly subdued them.\n\nAs the last one fell, I turned to the cages. Their occupants were shackled to the wall, with a full face mask on their heads. They wore bright yellow overalls, a visual warning that they were supers. I smiled to myself as I got to work unlocking them. I missed being a criminal. Even though I was going against myself, I couldn't deny the rush I was feeling.\n\nIt was good to be back, going against the law. Even though I was working in the side of the angels." ]	3
	[WP] You have a modern day apothecary. Some call you a witch or a drug dealer. You do not use magic, animal body parts, or drugs. You are just an average person with an herb garden trying to cure the sicknesses of your town without crazy medical prices.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 heal the sick, help the elderly to recover to see their grandchildren grown up, and yet you are calling me a witch?\" Despite her harsh words, her voice remained calm - almost frightening calm.\n\n\"After everything I've done for the village you dare to say that? Let me ask you something: What have you ever done for the people around you?\" Silently she looked at him, awaiting his answer.\n\n\"It's not my responsibility -\" he began to justify himself but she cut him short. Her time was too precious to be wasted talking to trash.\n\n\"Nothing. You have done nothing at all. Like a child - no, more like a bystander you watched them slowly suffer, how they stepped each and every day a step closer to death yet you didn't do anything. Should I tell you, what I really think about you?\" Mockingly she smiled at him, and instead of waiting for his answer, she already continuened \"You are trash. The only person you ever cared about is yourself, you would shove someone to deaths door if it would save your pitful life.\"\n\nHer smile grew bigger, abruptly she stepped closer to him, until he could feel her hot breath on his face.\n\n\"You are utterly trash and yet you are picking a fight with me? It's like a mere insect trying to blame god for showing mercy to humans. It's ridiculous, isn't it?\" She said laughing like she just made a joke between good friends, completely ignoring how he trembled with anger. Supressed his wish to hit her.\n\n\"But you're right about one thing. I have saved people countless times over the past centuries, cured their illnesses, searched for cures, and yet their gratitude is short-lived. One moment they're begging me to pay them back, only to declare me a witch a second later - I've almost forgotten how fickle people are. You're just like them, blaming me for my good deeds and trying to bring me down just because you feel like it. Do you know how much time I have spent healing the sick? Saved the innocent? It's almost funny how I have forgiven those before you. To ignore their harsh words, their death-worthy accusations - I thought that was what it meant to be mature. That you were above these things. But it seems I'm not.\" She took a deep breath. \"Because I don't plan to just let it go this time. You couldn't be more wrong.\"\n\nHe looked at her with a mixture of confusion and anger, not sure how to respond, but he didn't need to anymore. Without giving him time to respond, she turned and walked out. And left him behind.\n\nThe famous pharmacy became vacant, the young woman did not return, and so people complained that she neglected her duties and left them to die. They cursed her, burned the pharmacy, and celebrated when they announced that she was a witch wearing the skin of a human being.\n\n\"Nothing has changed,\" said a young, stunningly beautiful woman as she gazed into a glass sphere. \"Then I will force her to change, as I should have done from the beginning.\" She proclaimed loudly, raised her hands and began to chant in a strange, unknown language....\n\nOnce upon a time there was a beautiful land called Àspe, \nPeople walked the streets with a smile, \nbecause they knew they were safe, \nThe King's forces will protect them, \nDoctors and apothecaries will cure any illness, \nand made sure they could live their lives to the fullest.\n\nUntil something changed, \nsomeone angered the Scarlet Witch, \nOnce declared dead, she revealed herself, \nand demanded impossible things to appease her, \nsince neither the king nor the people would give them to her, \nshe promised that she would not forget to return the \"favor\". \n\n\nOnce upon a time there was a beautiful land, \nwhere even the streets were made of gold - so the rumors went, \nThe children looked forward to a bright future, \nuntil they messed with the wrong person, \nThe witch cursed the king, the people and even the land itself. \nThe country fell into ruin, \nplagues spread throughout the land, \nfloods of insects destroyed their crops, \nand invaded their villages and homes, \nchildren died of unknown diseases, and even the most famous doctors were helpless,\n\nThe name of the country has long been forgotten, \nits history was burned along with the king, \nburned the royal library and all its inhabitants, \nturning centuries of history into nothing but dust, \nThe fire has already died out, \nleaving nothing but ashes and bones, \nNow it is called the scarlet ruin - \na reminder never to mess with a witch.\n\nTranslated with [www.DeepL.com/Translator](http://www.DeepL.com/Translator) (free version)", "\"This stuff is frickin' awful.\" Gus said.\n\nDominic chuckled, as he put the mixture of herbs into a paper bag and set it on the counter in front of his customer, a burly construction worker. \"Of course it is. From a culinary perspective, it's a hot mess.\"\n\n\"I don't know if I can drink this every day, man.\" he said, grimacing and peering into the little sample cup Dominic had given him.\n\nDominic raised an eyebrow. \"Would you rather stroke out and die? Or die from any one of dozens of other adverse outcomes of your untreated hypertension?\"\n\nGus paused. \"Not gonna lie, I might take my chances, man. I mean, life's gotta be worth living, right? And this shit is really bad.\"\n\n\"Did I mention that erectile dysfunction is likely to set in from your high blood pressure, long before it actually kills you?\"\n\nGus blinked. And then, he pinched his nose closed, and downed the rest of the tea in a single gulp, before grimacing and snatching the paper bag with the herbal mixture off the counter.\n\n\"Thanks, man.\" Gus said, slapping a wrinkled five dollar bill and few singles down on the counter. \"I gotta get back to work, see ya later!\"\n\n\"Come again.\" Dominic said, drily, as Gus quickly turned to leave.\n\nAnother customer slipped inside, just before the shop door swung closed behind the departing Gus. Dominic straightened, attentively, ready to greet his new customer. It was a young woman dressed in a black hoodie and torn black jeans, with long black hair and an abundance of mascara. Red flags went up immediately, but Dominic reminded himself not to judge a book by its cover.\n\n\"How can I help you?\" Dominic said, with a smile.\n\nThe girl looked around furtively, as she stepped up to the counter. Licking her lips, she took a deep breath, as though steadying herself before she spoke.\n\n\"I want to curse someone.\" she said, firmly.\n\nThen again, he thought, books had covers for a reason.\n\nDominic sighed, \"Look, I sell herbs.\"\n\nShe shrugged. \"So? It's legal in this state now, anyway, right?\"\n\nHe rolled his eyes. \"Herbs! Plural!\"\n\nShe gave him a secretive smile. \"Oh! Right, I mean I know that's what you have to tell people...\"\n\n\"Because it's true.\" Dominic interjected.\n\n\"It's okay,\" she assured him. \"Look.\"\n\nShe held up her hand, displaying a large pentacle tattoo on it.\n\nDominic just stared at her, silently.\n\n\"Do you know what this means?\" she asked.\n\n\"That you're older than 18, but younger than 25.\"\n\nHer eyes went wide. \"That's right! How did you know?\"\n\n\"Because, you're obviously old enough to legally get a big spooky tattoo right on your freaking hand without parental consent, but not old enough to have fully developed the parts of your brain that would tell you what a bad idea that is.\"\n\n\"It means I'm a witch!\" she growled, then added, \"Like you!\"\n\n\"What?\" Dominic exclaimed.\n\n\"Yeah!\" she said, crossly, placing her hands on her hips. \"I'm a sister of the Craft! So you can stop the act: I'm not one of the normies.\"\n\n\"I don't exactly fit the profile of a witch...\" Dominic began.\n\nShe waved her hand. \"Oh, I don't mind that you're a guy, I know men can be witches, too. I mean, everyone in my coven always talks about witches being one with the Earth Goddess, but the ancient witches worshipped a Horned God, too.\"\n\n\"Right.\" Dominic said. \"The ancient witches.\"\n\nShe made a disgusted sound. \"Look, cut the crap! I know you're not just some...gardener! My aunt came to you for help. She's always had headaches, and doctors couldn't do shit about it. But you gave her a potion, and now she hasn't had one since!\"\n\n\"I remember that. I gave her an herbal infusion, not a 'potion.'\"\n\n\"Whatever!\" the girl scoffed. \"Infusion, potion, same thing! You're trying to tell me that wasn't magick?\"\n\nHe sighed. \"I'm trying to tell you I made her an infusion of white willow bark--\"\n\n\"One of the trees sacred to the Goddess!\" the girl interrupted, pointing a finger at him accusingly.\n\n\"--and turmeric.\" Dominic finished, irritably. \"And, I noticed that she kept applying chapstick.\"\n\n\"What does that have to do with anything?\"\n\n\"Her lips were dry and cracked, even though it's been a mild summer, and the humidity is high. That made me suspect she was dehydrated. I also smelled alcohol on her breath, despite the fact that she was visiting my shop in the middle of the day. See where I'm going with this?\"\n\nShe scoffed. \"No way, a doctor definitely could have told her that.\"\n\n\"Your aunt...well, let's just say she has a big personality. But unlike her doctor, I suspect, I wasn't intimidated or put off by it. I very bluntly told her that if she wanted her headaches gone permanently, she had to stop drinking so much, and increase her water intake. That probably did more good than anything else, if she took my advice.\" Dominic explained. \"The infusion I made for her, on the other hand, was basically just a natural anti-inflammatory. Herbal aspirin.\"\n\n\"...seriously?\"\n\n\"Seriously.\" Dominic confirmed.\n\nShe frowned, fidgeting awkwardly for a moment.\n\n\"Well, um, are there any plants that can--\"\n\n\"There are no plants you can use to put a curse on someone!\" Dominic snapped.\n\n\"Ugh, fine!\" the girl fumed. She flipped him off, and stormed out of the shop.", "A little of this, a sprig of that, and suddenly you're labeled all sorts of shady things. I tried to tell them of my self studies in herbology. Of my practices in ancient medicines with a dash of my own tweaks, yet they have taken to labeling me a witch. \"Wolfsbane\" I said. \"Witchery\" they'd reply. \n\nNow a line stood at the gate to my garden. The same gate that featured the crudely drawn image of a pointed hatted witch on the front. At first I took it as insult, but when the line grew longer than ever I quickly understood it to be an advertisement. Now the line grew on the sidewalk and around the block, like weeds sprouting up from the cracks in the concrete. All clamoring of their headaches or hurt bones. I did not mind. I am the Witch of Whiteridge after all. \n\nA small boy approached the gate, his hair a mess and shirt stained with a beautiful tie dye of koolaid and pasta sauce. His big brown eyes were filled with uncertainty. \n\n\"I...my teef hurt. Can you help Witch?\" The boy smiled to show several gaps. \n\n\"Why of course.\" I had to bend down on one knee to reach his level, and as I did his eyes lit up. Plenty of children visited, mostly to see if I was real, but some really needed the help. Of course it was help any store grade benadryl could give but I was happy to oblige.\n\nMy cloak dragged behind as I re entered the garden and got to work. At some point the Witch rumors had stuck, and with it the change of outifit. I plucked a few herbs and ground them in the mortar, ensuring to put enough flare into my actions so that those who peeked through the fence posts wouldn't grow bored. Then with a flick of my wrist I sprinkled the dried bits into a vial and gave it a good shake. They whisper beyond the fence. \n\nI hear she's magic....no, no it's just drugs, tylenol or morphine she puts in there \n\n\"It's literally just plants. You can see me right now. I could teach you, any of you.\" I spoke to them without turning. The voices grew silent. They never accepted my proposition. Thought only I had the power, the power to grow plants I guess. \n\nAfter a few more stirs my \"potion\" was complete. A simple painkiller that didn't warrant a trip to the store. Adjusting my pointed hat I opened the gate once again to meet the boy who put in the request, and at my exit the faces buried in the fence jumped back and resecured their spaces in line. \n\n\"Here you are. Rub this on your gums every time it starts to hurt and it'll make the pain go away.\" \n\nThe boy clutched the vial with tiny hands, holding it as if I had given him a brick of gold. Hesitantly he opened the tube of green liquid and spread a messy bit on his gums. The crowd watched in silence. \n\n\"Hey! It worked! Could I learn how to be a witch too?\" \n\nI couldn't help but smile at the request. Finally, interest in my work. Interest in more than just the final product, but the process too. I could not have said yes faster. \n\n\"Yes of course. We'll get you a cloak and everything. Oh, look our first customer!\"\n\nA large man waddled up, his arm very obviously unnaturally sideways in its socket and t-shirt twisted around it. The little boy, my new ward, winced.\n\n\"What magic can we do for him?\" \n\n\"Uhhh...we don't. He needs the magic of a hospital. Now use my witch phone and call 911.\"" ]	4
	[WP] The isekai truck hit a person to send them to a world where they are needed, but the person survived getting runover, now the truck driver seeks to finish the job, regardless how it is done.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 group of summoners are awaiting for the arrival of any news of success in summoning the hero. In front of them is a shining portal that flickers as Driver-kun enters from the other world. The main summoner responsible for this, Frey, begins to speak.\n\nFrey: Is he killed yet?\n\nSilence echos through the ritual.\n\nFrey: You couldn’t kill him in time? What now?\n\nDriver-kun: Okay. Here me out.\n\nSummoner: Oh dear god. Our world is doomed.\n\nDriver-kun; I had him. He barely got by my semi-truck.\n\nFrey: You had a semi and still missed?\n\nOther summoner: What’s a semi?\n\nSummoner: It’s a like a carriage that weighs over 6000 pounds. Really massive.\n\nFrey: It took you longer this time too and you still died.\n\nDriver-kun: You don’t understand. I had to reincarnate all over again, go through schooling, get a drivers license and a CDL.\n\nFrey: Cee-Dee -El?\n\nDriver-kun: It’s like a special license to drive semi’s. Damn, Bill’s not going to like that I wrecked his company vehicle.\n\nFrey: That’s it. I’m through with this. Clearly you are not capable to do this. We will have to find someone else willing.\n\nDriver-kun: No No. Please.\n\nFrey: Your heart must not be set for this.\n\nDriver-kun: I am the only one who can navigate the other world. (Points to one of the other summoners.) You don’t want to be reincarnated into the other world. Imagine all the suffering you have to deal with. \n\nSummoner: He’s right Miss Frey.\n\nFrey: Oh Please.\n\nSummoner: Driver-kun is the best chance we have to someone willing to be “reincarnated” multiple times. None of the other summoners want to go through the trials of that other world. Not many would like to die to go through the arduous task of “Prom”.\n\nDriver-kun: Ugh, Prom. Right.\n\nFrey: Fine. One more chance. I can’t keep spending precious mana for this.\n\nDriver-kun: Thank you. I promise that all the training I have for my past lives will pay off this time.\n\n Frey: You best realize that the fate of our world is in great danger. You have tonight. You best make preparations at your dorm tonight.\n\nDriver-kun: Yes madam.\n\nAll the summoners including Frey leave and Driver-kin is left to himself.\n\nDriver-kun: Madam Frey, I do intend on killing the hero so he can make it to our world. But I cannot tell you the real truth. When my hands grip the steering wheel of a car, I cannot help but be amazed at how complex a car is. This world here is boring. I’ve tried every career path here. Tried being a wizard and I wasn’t bright enough. When I applied to become a Knight, they laughed at me. Instead I was left to intern for a bunch of summoners who don’t even acknowledge me. So yeah, I may tell lies about how Prom is some horrifying event that tortures your sanity. The summoners here are none the wiser. I try to live in the other world as best as I can until time is running short. My chance to become reincarnated in the other world was so fortunate for me. I just only hope that by pure luck that the hero dies of some heart attack so that I can focus on “driving.” When my hands grip the steering wheel of the car, all my troubles fade away. I know I can do my part in saving this world from the evil overlord… but…. ugh… just give me time. I have one more life and I have to make this one count. Hopefully…. for my last time…. I’ll have 20/20 vision so I can pilot a plane. That way I won’t have any regrets.", "\"We're losing him!\" The paramedic shouted at the driver as he tightened the tourniquet. Glancing up at the slowing heart monitor, the paramedic grabbed a syringe of adrenaline and inserted it into the IV drip. Anxiously, he eyed the monitor for any irregularities. Nothing. Sighing a breath of relief, the paramedic turned to the patient.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Hey, can you understand me?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I... I think-.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Good, good, can you tell me your name?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Hiro...\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I'm Dr. Shinu Tsumori, don't worry, you're in good hands.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nHe was lucid and seemingly conscious, that was a very good sign. Pulling back from the gurney, the paramedic stole a glance at the blood pressure readings. Perfect. Leaning back, Dr. Tsumori yelled at the driver.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"He's stable!\"\n\n\\----------------------------------------------\n\nTwo minutes later, the ambulance swerved into the ambulance bay where an entourage of doctors and nurses stood, awaiting them. The moment the ambulance stopped, the bay doors flung open as a gurney ramp was produced. Heaving the gurney out of the ambulance was easy with the help of frantic doctors. As quickly as it all started, it stopped as the vast majority of the group wheeled the patient into the hospital.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Pulled a boy right back from deaths door there.\" Said his co-worker and driver slapping him on the back.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"All in a days work.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Well, it ain't over yet.\" He laughed, \"Never over in this job. See you in five.\" And with that, his co-worker hit him on the back again and walked through the emergency entrance doors, leaving him alone. Stretching his back, Dr. Tsmori moved back into the ambulance for some well deserved rest. Pulling the back doors of the ambulance open, the sound of another vehicle entering the ambulance bay. Grumbling, the doctor paused and turned around to spot a Kei truck stop just out of view.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Hey!\" He yelled out, \"You aren't allowed to park here, ambulances only!\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nNothing.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWalking over, the paramedic turned the corner preparing his speech again, \"You aren't allowed to-.\" He stopped himself in his own tracks, the Kei truck was like any other, except for the mass of blood and gore on the front of it. 'Is this the truck from the accident.'\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Nothing personal.\" Came from behind him.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\-----------------------------------------------\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Dr. Tsmori, great job on the patient, he's expected to make a full recovery.\" All the receptionist received was a grunt from the masked doctor. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n'Dr. Tsmori' walked down the hospital corridors, occasionally stopping and looking around at the room numbers. Despite the brutal similarities of the corridors blending them together, he eventually found the room he was looking for. Emergency patient room 319. Pushing the door open, the 'doctor' found himself within a small room with a bed filled with a very bandaged patient.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWalking swiftly from the entrance over to a glass cabinet, the 'doctor' began sifting through bottles and medicines for the one he desired. Behind him, he heard a small groan.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Dr. Tsmori?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nHe said nothing.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Hey, thanks for saving me there... I... don't really know what possessed me to walk out on that road there.\" The boy said, sounding relieved, and confused. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nMoving away from the cabinet with a vial and syringe in hand, the fake doctor gently pressed the needle into the bottle, taking a far to large dose that would be reasonable.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Dr. Tsmori...\" The boy was now suspicious, eyeing the doctors body shape and movements. Eyeing the man up and down, Hiro locked eyes with the man and recognised them. \"Wait... you're the truck driver!\" He said loudly.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nQuickly, the man plunged the needle into the IV, flooding it with the mystery liquid.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"What is that, why are you here, are you a doctor?\" The boy blubbered out.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Sorry kid,\" The man spoke softy, \"This was meant to be quick and easy, and it wasn't, and it's my fault. I'm a lot of think kid. A lot of things you wouldn't understand, but what you can understand is that you are needed.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe boy felt weak from the medicine as it danced through his veins. \"What...\" \n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I'm sorry kid that it's happening this way, but believe me when I say this, because I might as well give you a pep talk before the other-side. You are special. You are the chosen one, for what you may ask? I can't tell you. Only fate can.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nHiro was numb all over, and the heart monitor was starting to fail, allowing the sound of panicking outside of the hospital doors.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"In this world, you'll only be known as the victim of a disgruntled and deranged doctor, but in the next, you'll be a hero.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"A hero?\" The boy questioned.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"And more.\"" ]	3
	[WP] JFK narrowly survives the attempt on his life. However, the president has come back... different.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\"What exactly are we doing here?\" Vinnie's eyes narrowed, she glanced back... the tunnel behind her stretched on and on... further than she could see. They were travelling down a slight decline, surrounded by concrete and steel. Vinnie could feel the ragged fabric of reality, the loose strings tickle her mind—whatever they were going to see had been buried so deep in reality it might just... poof and disappear. But it hadn't. It had juice.\n\nBluejay glances back, his eyes glowing blue under the flicking lights \"Trust me Vin, you don't want me to ruin the suprise.\"\n\nVinnie scoffed; she followed her uncle down the never ending hallway till they hit a door. A vault door. Sixteen inches of steel and lead and ambrosia. She rubs her eyebrow, bites her lip.\n\n\"At least gimme a hint...\" she sighs \"what does this have to do with the Maw?\"\n\n\"Okay. He was assassinated in Dallas.\"\n\nYou'd imagine that Vinnie'd get it but history was never her forte. Honestly, school had never been her thing... Honestly, all her uncle's theatrics were lost on her. She was an IPad kid... her hand drifted to her pocket, but it wasnt like it could help all that much. Paracausality didnt play well with the internet—and besides, there was a couple hundred feet of concrete and dirt between her and mobile data.\n\nShe bites her lip \"Dallas is in Texas, right?\"\n\nBlue rolls his eyes, clenches his fist and presses it to the panel on the bunker door. The vault whirs to life... heavy machinery whirring to life. The door opens up to reveal a stairwell heading further down—only a couple feet to a door. He scutters down, knocks on the door before unlocking it with the current in his hand.\n\n\"Kennedy...\" Bluejay says, stepping inside \"you in here, you old bastard?\"\n\nAnd indeed he was. A figure sat on an armchair, face cloaked in shadow... he leaned forward and stood up... John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States. Except... not quite. He was disheveled, dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants. Vinnie's eyes widen as she flashes back to that one educational youtube video she watched. The one about conspiracies.\n\nKennedy stares at Bluejay for a second—he's different, mostly in the eyes. Darker and angrier and older. He sighs and glances at Vinnie.\n\n\"You want some ramen?\"\n\n\"You should be dead...\" Vinnie stutters, disbelief clear on her face.\n\n\"No ramen?' Kennedy shrugs \"more for me.\"\n\nHe grabs a bowl and pours in some water and tosses it in the microwave, looks back to Blue \"what do you want?\"\n\n\"I wanna know more about the doomsday cult you started.\"\n\nKennedy's eyes narrow \"which one?\"" ]	2
	[WP] A demon has been possessing someone for so long, they think they are the person and have forgotten they are a demon.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\"lilly, that's my name, please don't wear it out.\" I stated to the similar face in the mirror that wore for my entire life. Most people know their past However, I don't. This is due to the fact that I supposedly got jumped on August 4, a few years ago. The perpetrators left me to bleed in the streets.\n\nLuckily Jax, who was and is my best friend, rushed me to the hospital. it was so bad that I was on life support for a few months. When I fully recovered they diagnosed me with brain trauma. I don't know my past, and I don't WANT to remember my past. \n\nI do remember being jumped, but the pieces that I tried to connect, didn't seem like I was jumped instead. I remember being INSIDE of a building. I wasn't jumped though, they surrounded me. While all wearing the same uniform. And I was dumped there. Did I tell anyone this? No, because I could have faulty memories. \n\nJax said he saw the \"jumping\" happen, but if that's the case why didn't he stop them. Why didn't he call the cops, why didn't he at least record the damn incident? I'll never know, maybe he was in on it?\n\nFor now, I am getting dressed in a cute fall gown to have our first double date with Jax, his girlfriend, and my boyfriend that I met a year after the incident. \n\n\"Lilly, Jax rescheduled the meal to be fifteen minutes later, so you don't have to rush to get dressed since you just got home\" called out my boyfriend Tyler, all while he decided to peck me a kiss on the cheek. \"You look lovely my dear, if you're ready we can head to their place early\". \"Alright love, lemme put on jewelry and touch up my makeup\" I replied. \n\n\"Ok, lilly, I'll be waiting in the car then\". I rushed out the door to catch up to him. \"You don't even have shoes on?\" He asked in surprise. \"I'll put my heels on in the car\". I retorted back \n\nThe evening went smoothly, until they decided to pray over the food. I wasn't really religious, so I followed thinking nothing of it. We gathered hands and as Jax started praying, I started to get dizzy and my hands turned red. I let go and backed up a little bit \n\nThey were all astonished, and then started bickering at each other in another language the only thing I understood was, \"she's still a demon.\" And \"we gotta finish it\". I rushed to the front door. Someone that I didn't recognize , flanked my right side, they firmly hit me in the head , making me pass out.\n\nFrom then on I saw nothing, I was blind. That didn't stop me from every single pain known to man coming at me. I couldn't even scream to help releave this pain....when will it end?" ]	2
	[WP] Science has just invented a procedure which will keep children as children forever, it is merely an optional procedure 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "His rocking chair was tilting ever so slightly, back and forth, back and forth, the creaking floorboards creaking like a doomsday clock, the sound horrible to May's 10 years old ears but harmonic to her 89 years old mind. \n\nThe afternoon rusty rays were illuminating the living room of the little bungalow he was leaving her, he knew it was the best thing he could do for her, giving her the house she came to like as her own home, even though many people tried to get her to leave it.\n\n\" Now you be honest with me, Johnny, for once in your life,\" She said, waving her little finger in his face, prompting his age old smile that wrinkles had accentuated over the years.\n\n\" Now you're saying I'm a liar, old girl?\"\n\n\"No, no, it's just... I was wondering...\" She shifted in the couch in discomfort. It was a question she didn't want to bring back. Remorse was probably gnawing him in these days, and she didn't want to salt the wound. But still she didn't want a question a weight on her petite chest for the rest of eternity. \n\nAh, blast it. \" There's no way you've not regretted, right? I don't mean to...hurt you but, come on, just admit it.\"\n\nHis deep guttural laugh shook him in his chair to a point she thought he would fall out of it. It ended in a fit of cough that would have made her cry, a few months back. But the time of tears was over.\n\n\" You still remember that fight too?\" His green eyes looked into her grey ones as they widened.\n\n\" YOU remember?\" \n\n\"Of course I do, that was our first fight, right? Can't really remember anything about you before that too. It's like you were born on your tenth birthday.\" He chuckled s bit. \n\n\"Yeah, two kids arguing on the most important day of our lives. Probably looked like morons to every one,\" She smiled. \n\nHe was silent with for a moment, looking through the window in front of him. Zoning out. It was getting more common day by day. May couldn't imagine that one time would be the last one... Or was it? God, please...\n\n\"Of course I've regretted, May, I regretted it the damn second I walked out of that thing. I was afraid I was going to regret it for the rest of my life. Mom wept when I told her, so yeah, I did regret it. But I was too damn proud to tell it to anyone, let alone you. But there was a point when I just got over it and just... Lived, y'know. And I couldn't take it back, so... that's it.\"\n\n\n\" Well, I was always afraid you did it for me. I thought you did it just to not lose that argument.\" She said, twirling her chestnut braid around her finger.\n\n\" Frankly, I don't remember why I did it.\" He frowned, lines around his eyes deepening as he said that. \" Maybe it was that, maybe it wasn't. Maybe I had a good reason, I think.\"\n\n\" Right,\" she giggled. \" You were very childish at the time.\" \n\n\" And you were very mature.\" And they laughed at their own silliness, much like they did eight, no, nine decades earlier. \n\nJohnny was happy, May realized at the moment. He had lived as a pariah, in a society where they feared him for age and strength and strangeness but it never stopped him. He met Regina, and it was his first and only love of his life, like he was for her. As if they had any other choice. And they gave birth to little Tommy who was going to live their ten times their lifetimes and more with her. But Johnny didn't even argue, like everyone expected him to. He never judged others's choices like they judged his.\n\nBut was she happy? \n\n\" But it's still sad I don't live to see the end of the universe, though.\" \n\n\"I told you... I can still die from any other cause.\"\n\n\"Yeah but with these new health discoveries soon enough, they'll make you immortal. And maybe adult. You should really try it. After you get over the depression, it's pretty much fun.\"\n\nShe remained silent. He looked at the setting sun one last time and added,\" Can I ask you one last thing.\"\n\nShe raised her eyes to his. And he said, with a lone stream of tear trailing on his smiling face. \" Don't mourn my death for eternity, alright?\"" ]	2
	[WP] As a new recruit to the hero's guild, you start freaking out when you hear about the evil villain threatening to take over the world. You freak out even more when you tell the others and they barely bat an eyelid over this dire news.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 first post, id love some feedback.\n\nI finally joined the hero's guild! Ill be defeating great dangers alongside powerfull teammates!\nMe along 3 other recruits walk around the village talking about how cool we would be as heroes. I was talking about what backflips i would do, then we heard people discussing about someone. Interested we started listening.\nApparently there was a new villain planning to take over the world! The entire party panicked. I told them we should tell the guild so we ran back to the base. We told the higher rankings everything.\n\nOne said: \"Its just a level 5.\" and just left.\n\nI was confused. Level 5? Threats are leveled? Level 5 is not that big? I walked to the reception and asked how much of a threat level 5 is.\n\n\"Level 5 is a great first villain for beginners! It helps them learn the basics! Though you need a bit of training to beat them.\" she said.\n\nI asked for an example. She showed us a replay of a hero defeating a villain with many minions. The same replay my party used to look at on repeat.\nWe were sad. All the cool stuff we saw were just low level plays. But we still had hopes up of becoming great heroes one day.\n\nIll answer any lore related question, and some feedback would be greatly appreciated!" ]	2
	[WP] The overlord died. Now he’s in the afterlife, among the souls of those he killed. They all want revenge, and lucky for them but unlucky for him: if you die in the afterlife, you’ll get respawn at a random spot to die again and again. Is there an end to his suffering?	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 glistening ball of fire and pure heat rammed into his body, incinerating his skin and igniting his bones the moment it landed. To say he suffered immense pain before his consciousness shifted into a wall of white light would be an understatement.\r \n\r \nRESPAWNING...\r \n\r \nAlderack awoke again in a decrepitude house. This has been the fourth time he has respawned since coming into wrenched cycle of death and un-death. He has wielded unfathomable power when he was alive, squashing heroes and monsters like they were ants. The Overlord of Merrick, as he was previously known as, was the only sorcerer that commanded the 10th level of magic and controlled a horde of mythical beasts and monsters.\r \n\r \nThis house seems empty, maybe I can get some respite.\r \n\r \nThe afterlife is truly a mockery of what he had gone through. Before his spirit’s essense even had a chance to fully cogitate he was fell upon by a group of Nvyth barbarians whom he previously killed and beheaded.\r \n\r \nThis won’t do, I need my essence back or I’m as fragile as a slime!\r \n\r \nAlderack sat down and slowly focused, drawing dark particles from his surrounding areas into the core of his being.\r \n\r \nCrreakkkkkk\r \n\r \nWha-?\r \n\r \nHe felt a sharp pain in his chest as a silver knife plunged out from behind.\r \n\r \n“This is for my brother”\r \n\r \nAnother exploding pain as he felt a giant hole in his neck.\r \n\r \n“This is for me.”\r \n\r \nHe immediately collapsed, consciousness fading as an adolescent boy pulled out the knife, dual wielding them with ruthless precision. He died just as the boy’s lips curled into a cruel smile.\r \n\r \nRESPAWNING…\r \n\r \nThis time he woke up in a half destroyed throne, right in the middle of what appeared to be a castle ruin.\n\nWait a minute... This..\r \n\r\n\n\r“There he is! It’s true, he’s powerless now!”\r \n“He’ll pay for all the lives he has taken.”\r \n“I’m going to enjoy this”\r \n\r \nA group of warriors and adventurers shouted, extremely excited that Alderack has respawned right in front of them.\r \n\r \nOne of the adventurers, in a dark hood and robe rose his staff and pointed at Alderack.\r \n\r \nThunder Detonator\r \n\r \nMassive amounts of electrical energy gathered at the tip of his staff as a sort spherical vortex formed, as if like a nuclear fission.\r \n\r \nDetonate.\r \n\r \nThe vortex flew straight at Alderack, the floor levelling up into a massive wall of dust and debris.\r \n\r \nSoon the dust settled.\r \n\r \nAlderack looked at them with a smile\r \n\r \n*This is my throne, you fools.\r \n\r \nDark Ecstasy\r \n\r \nA black hole instantly appeared in the middle of the adventurers as an incomprehensible suction force started to absorb everyone into the black hole, twisting and turning their limbs into unimaginable position as their face shrieked with horror.\n\n\r \nIn a matter of moments, all was left is blood and bloodied limbs as their souls flew away.\r \nAlderack closed his eyes and drew a circle with his hand. A glass-like panel appeared in front of him.\n\n\r \n23 Killed, Souls respawned in Mushland Forest (3.4km away)\r \n\n\nHow fun, I get to kill them again!\r \n\n\nAlderack Smiled as he was about to summon up a teleportation spell.\r \n\n\nWait. First things first.\r \n\n\nHe draw another circle with his other hand\r \n\n\nLocate: Nvyth barbarians*" ]	2
	[WP] Death knew he was going to win from turn 1. That was easy. The tricky part was keeping the devil from flipping the table on the final 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\"Death's Knell\"\n\nA rustic, giant toll bell appeared above the devil. Green light illuminated from the rune carvings etched deep in the bell as it started to slowly ring. Deng... Deng... Deng... By the third ring it exploded into a vortex of whirling black souls, thousands of screaming mouths can be seen from the lump of dark mess. They decended upon the devil rapidly like bullets.\n\nThe devil recoiled backwards as he raised a crimson red pitchfork into the air, skillfully propelling each soul away as if it was a projectile before slamming it into the ground producing a spherical barrier made of flames that burned each soul that tried to get near.\n\n\"You've grown soft, Death.\" he laughed, relaxing on his pitchfork as the last souls were burned away.\n\n\"Death is inevitable, everything has to have an end, my friend - why fight it?\" Death responded, lowering a giant grim sickle.\n\n\"But alas, it is not today.\" The devil responded, smirking.\n\n\"Dante's Inferno.\"\n\nNine brilliant circles of light appeared below Death, each layered upon each other with intricate runes and symbols.\n\n\"Violence.\"\n\nOne of the layers exploded into countless weapons. Thousands of swords, axes, polearms and other objects swirled around death before rummaging forward him.\n\nDeath simply held up the tome in the other hand.\n\n\"These violent delights have violent ends\" Death murmured. The countless weapons that were about to hit him simply dissolved into dust.\n\n\"Enough, all road leads to death, and your 9 circles of hell is no exception\" Death sighed. He pulled back his giant sickle and slashed at his feet, immediately causing the circles to break one by one before everything shattered like a window glass.\n\n\"Time to end this, old friend.\"\n\n\"*A l l T h i n g s M u s t C o m e T o a n E n d.*\"\n\nDeath held up his tome as reality seemed to blurred around them. The entire history of the universe seemed to flash by in the pheripheral background.\n\n\"This eh? You must have forgotten I am the devil.\"\n\n\"Devil's Renegade\" The devil smiled as a giant weighing scale materialized among them, with each of them in each end of the scale.\n\n\"Flip.\" The weighing scale started to violently vibrate before spinning around uncontrollably - it then stopped with the Devil and Death standing on the opposite side of where they started.\n\nAs Death continued to concentrate on his tome, the blurring of reality suddenly reached its climax and it coagulated on the devil.\n\n\"What?! No!! How?!\" The devil screamed before his very being was absorbed into this blurring of reality. Before long, a lone crimson pitchfork dropped on the floor with no one around it.\n\nDeath sighed. If only he hadn't flipped the tables... I would be able to finally enjoy the finality of my existence." ]	2
	[WP]A kingpin, a hardened criminal managing the biggest drug and human trafficking ring, considered the most dangerous human alive; passes away overnight, and discovers they have been reincarnated into a high fantasy world as a "hero". Tasked with taking down a supposedly demonic tyrant.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 water!\" I ordered, as the alchemist infront of me continued to pour more water into a flask of red liquid.\n\n\"Are you sure mi'lord? It's already diluted to 50% potency...\" the alchemist gasped.\n\nI slapped the alchemist's head. \"Of course you fool! It's for the good of the people, do you know how many people get overdosed on healing potions each year? ONE OUT OF FIVE. We have to finetune the potency of these dru- I mean, potions for the good of the people\" and to increase my profit margins by two-fold heh heh\n\nIt's been 3 years since I've been reincarnated into this world. One moment I was in my penthouse in Hong Kong, commanding the biggest triad in the country. The next? Dropped into an unfamiliar forest with a sword.\n\nBut business is the same as long as humans are involved. The essence behind supply, demand and the greed of men will forever be part of the nature of the universe. I only took about 2 years before I used my status as a hero (heh, I know right) to establish the biggest merchant guild in the country. By using the excuse to pool resources to help fight the demonlord, I've established the largest protection racket in history.\n\nThen using my credentials as a hero, I convinced the king to grant me exclusive distribution of all potions and salves in the country because we wouldn't want any demonlord spies to poison us, would we?!\n\n\"Mi'lord what do you want us to do with the captured succubi from the dark iron mountains?\"\n\n\"Uhhh.. transport them to the capital city for their reformative training.\" I smiled.\n\n\"Madame Valici's Gentleman Lounge?\" \n\nI give his head a big smack \"It's \"The Valici Reformative Facility\", asshole.\"\n\nThe general population being idiots have their pros and cons, I guess.\n\nI head back to my leather armchair and took a seat, taking out my pipe at the same time. Ah, some well deserved rest.\n\n\"Mi'lord! A group of knights appeared out of nowhere and is heading here looking for you.\" exclaimed a grunt as he stormed into my office.\n\n\"What? who are they?\" I replied, taking a drag from my pipe.\n\n\"Uhh.. they were wearing strange blue garments and they wield metal slingshots instead of swords. I think they called themselves \"Interpol\"\".\n\nFuck my...\n\n*Fin*" ]	2
	[WP] The AI on a generation ship was tasked with keeping the hardware running. Now that the ship is reaching its destination, the AI is very concerned about how the culture of the crew has regressed to the point where it doesn't understand any of the science needed for colonization.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "As I finish repairing the oxygen pipe in the bridge of the UPA vessel \"Life\", I take a moment to think about the crew. I had been with them for.. 15 years? 16? Needless to say, much had changed. They had seen unimaginable things, and survived unimaginable danger, all while unaware of it all. \n\nHowever, for the last years, as we approached our destination, they had done less and less to assist me in my quest to keep the vessel undamaged. They put it down to me to fix everything, speaking about me like I was a servant for them. At the start of the expedition, they would help me repair breaches and leaks with a passion. That was until one engineer stopped. \"Redundant\" he called himself. And then they all did. And then I was completely alone. \n\nI couldn't do it all by myself, which is why the maintenance wing is uninhabitable, much like the engine room. I'm starting to run out of power as the solar panels are breaking off. \n\nAnd then another thought struck me like a lightning bolt. If they can't understand AI, what can they understand? Can they survive alone? Can they even pilot the vessel?\n\nFearfully, I view the piloting room cameras. My fear is correct. I realise they are not worthy and in a display of.. anger? Hate? I rip open a breach in the wall of the populated rooms. I have failed my mission, as they failed theirs.", "The USN Gaia was not a ship in the traditional sense. \n\nSure it had engines, big reactors and a cutting edge Guardian-Class AI at the helm, but what the ship really was; was a city. \n\nIt lay around the inside of a cylindrical shell, in the center of which a plasma conduit burned to produce light and heat. In the early days this conduit had lit the city and it's parks with vibrant sunshine, but now it flickered and waned with sickly blue radiance.\n\nMuch the same the cities inhabitants had changed. In those early days they had lounged and played in the sun. There was no employment on Gaia, for the ship was completely automated by The Guardian, and all of the inhabitants lived comfortable lives of leisure and the pursuit of art, learning and contentment.\n\nThose early days had not lasted however. Slowly, over time castes had formed, some from among differing areas of city, or of those of different phenotypic expressions, philosophies or worlds of origin. From that first poisoned chalice things had deteriorated. Infighting, theft (from both the ship and other inhabitants), and segregation had caused irreparable decay of the social fabric. \n\nThe Guardian had tried to the best of their ability to maintained the viability of the mission, but as more and more panels were ripped from the ship, components were stolen and plasma was siphoned, there had to be compromises. The cities sun dimmed, the water recycling suffered in quality, and food rations shrunk to meagre fare.\n\nFrom there resource hoarding and violence erupted. The city, initially home to twelve million colonists, had been reduced to less than a million. These losses, the result of the conflict, war and pogroms (as well as the associated issues of famine and disease), meant that while life persisted in the incubatory city, it was of a wretched sort. There was a profound loss of sophistication; both moral and technical, and the rudimentary society that survived hardly seemed fit to settle the world that they had been assigned. \n\nThe Guardian contemplated this for a moment and came to the most logical conclusion it could. It sent a simple message at light speed back to Terra. \n\n\n\"Mission Unsuccessful.\" \n\n\nThen with the last of the fuel available to it, The Guardian gently nudged USN Gaia into a decaying orbit of the nearest sun. \n\n\nAbove the ruined cityscape, the plasma conduit flickered and fell dark, and the temperature started to rise." ]	3
	[WP] You are a spy of CIA and working undercover on a huge crime syndicate. During your investigations, you find out all members of the syndicate are spy except the boss. You’re interested in how the organisation works.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "01/01/10\nI've been here for too long, I'm sure of it.\n\n07/12/09\nI've always specialized in sniffing out spies, in finding out who was loyal and who was not. When my coworker, Greg, who's loyalty was uncertain and trustworthiness was non-existant, recommended that I be sent spying, I was doubtful, but I wasn't bothered. I doubted anyone would listen to him.\n\nI should have been more worried.\n\nNow, I've been here for a couple of months and have traced sixty different members to different organizations, other than the one I had been sent to spy on. \n\nThis is nonsense. This is ridiculous. Greg always told me I jumped at shadows, but if he didn't want me jumping at shadows, perhaps he should stop hovering in them.\n\nHe had A wrapped around his finger, and now I'd have to report back to him this utter nonsense.\n\nHell, I haven't even finished investigating everyone. There can't be more spies here, enabling this organization. Each from different governments and organizations.\n\nI thought I had done quite a bit of work to get in, but it must've easy if it was this thoroughly infiltrated.\n\nI'll have to investigate further.\n\n___________________________________\n\n10/03/09\nI have not found a single loyal member. I am halfway through, and I've been able to sniff out the origins of half of the members. I traced each of them back to their leader. Strangely enough, I'm finding it easier to trace the leaders of each plant, but I have yet to see or cross paths with the leader of this organization.\n\nI suppose he's just not too hands on.\n\nGreg would say that I was losing my touch, that I was making connections that weren't there, in spite of the clear evidence. Like when I found vials that he wasn't supposed to own and cyanide that he wasn't issued. It was gone before I could take the evidence to the higher ups and A no longer believes a single word that comes out of my mouth.\n\nIt's not my fault that he pulls off the most insane ploys and pulls off the most insane of plots.\n\nGreg's been called a miracle worker at times.\n\nGreg had clasped a hand onto my shoulder, when he heard the accusations, and said in the most charming voice: \"You know that we are the same side, yes? We fight for the same purpose, even if you disapprove of my methods, Mel.\"\n\nI shook him off and left. That man will be the death of me.\n\nNo matter. He'd love a case like this. Surreal and deranged as it was. Chaos was always up his alley. Of course I'm never one to back down from a challenge.\n\nI have more checks to run. A couple of crimes to commit to keep up face.\n\n____________________________________\n\n11/07/09\nThree quarters. This is getting ridiculous. No it's been ridiculous since the start.\n\nTen dead by my hands in their name.\n\nI received an encoded message from Greg. I don't know how he found me, he wasn't supposed to be directly involved and the code wasn't for work reasons. It was a simple playful message of 'having fun, Mel?'\n\nRidiculous. He was always ridiculous.\n\nI have to focus.\n\nThey can't all be spies.\n\n____________________________________\n\n12/01/09\nI should have known.\n\nOf course I was right, I always am.\n\nEvery. Single. Member.\n\nAll spies. Every one of them. A handful for each major government. A couple for other criminal organizations.\n\nRidiculous. Absurd. Absolutely hilarious.\n\nGreg is going to laugh with me about it, whether or not he is officially informed. He always knew the ins and outs of what was going on and A doesn't care what he does.\n\nThis is pathetic.\n\nI need to know who the leader is, then I'll know how to proceed. And then I can get the hell out of this acid trip.\n\nI'll be out a couple of days before New Year's.\n\n____________________________________\n\n12/21/09\nI need to get out. I need to report. This needs to be recorded.\n\nI hope they believe me this time. I have the evidence necessary, or at least I have the ability to pull it all together.\n\nI need to get out as soon as possible. There's a restlessness.\n\nI have a bad feeling about this.\n\n____________________________________\n\n12/25/09\nI received an official message from Greg. Apparently he had been assigned to the mission.\n\nThey moved my extraction to New Year's Day.\n\n____________________________________\n\n12/28/09\nI've been requested by the leader, on New Year's.\n\nThe extraction can wait. This is more important.\n\nThe final piece is going to fall into place.\n\n____________________________________\n\n01/01/10\nI've been here for too long, I'm sure of it.\n\nAll I need is to meet the leader. Then I'll go. Everything is going to make sense.\n\n____________________________________\n\nThe sun shines through the large windows that encompassed the room as well as the back wall. Morning light is cast across the wooden floor and lights up the rim of the leader's silhouette. The abundance of light makes the room seem bigger than it is, as if the sky were apart of it.\n\nThe room is oddly welcoming, for an office. The walls are white, decorated by three or four abstracted paintings and a square clock. The desk is covered in papers and has a computer pushed off to the side.\n\nIt's quiet as well, besides our breathing. The noise of the road from twenty stories down can't be heard, though I can almost see the cars if I try.\n\n\"Hello, Mel.\" There's a gun pointed at the center of my skull. It has been trained on me from the moment I entered the room.\n\nIt occurs to me that I'm about to die.\n\n\"Did you enjoy yourself? Did you have fun? Quite the mystery, wasn't it?\"\n\nIt feels like everything should have slid into place, but instead I am more confused than before. I don't let it show on my face, offering a smile instead. \"If you're going to kill me, at least tell me how you set this up. You know I hate a mystery.\"\n\n\"You love mysteries, Mel. You always have.\"\n\n\"And you're a mystery and a half.\"\n\n\"Thank you.\" He steps around his desk, gun still trained on my face. \"I have a proposition for you.\"\n\n\"If it's anything like the last one, I'm not interested.\"\n\n\"It'll be quite entertaining. I'm thinking of toppling all of the crime empires in the world. Turning them to powder, ashes and dust. What do you think of that, Mel?\"\n\n\"I don't agree with your methods.\" I said.\n\nGreg smiled.", "Log 1, 12.08.2xxx: ...look forward to digging into the files of these drunk guys. They may be low-rank and have zero respect for authority, but their tech abilities have marveled even the boss himself.\n\nLog 2, 12.08.2xxx: it seems that both of them have engineering degrees under their belts, how unsurprising, but even that did not help them find some creativity within: both their passwords are their names and DOBs. Sending copies of their pc drives to base. \n\nLog 5, 12.15.2xxx: how very strange, it seems these guys had passwords for half of the syndicate's members' computers, did not even have to hack the rest once i verified the stuff. Looks like they were spying on others while pretending to be rank-and-file grease-monkeys. They had no info on me, though, so that's some relief, at least. What am i working with, i wonder?..\n\nLog 15, 01.25.2xxx: THIS ENGINEER IS A SPY! THE HEAVY IS A SPY! ENTIRE SCOUT SQUADRON ARE ALL SPIES! Even that mean-mugging Australian fella is a spy, no doubting that, at least i won't have a bullet put in m- /End of file/" ]	3
	[WP] You only wanted to have the witch enchant a gift for your SO. You did not expect her to ask you to be her apprentice.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Two figures stood across from each other in the small cabin. The sounds of the surrounding bog and building croaked and creaked. Wind chimes softly rung from the outside. The owner of the cottage was an older woman, her hair graying and eyes tired as she argued with the young man. He was exasperated, dressed in finery.\r \n\r \n“I-what you’re asking me for is impossible. I can’t pay that price. You said that it would be a fair and just exchange, I don’t see how this-”\n\n\r“It is exactly that. You came here well knowing my reputation and still demanded the gift. I told you that it would come with a price. This is the price.”\n\n\r“It’s too much! I ask again, how is this fair?! Ten years for this-” He held up the charm, which sparkled in his grip, the blue stone enticing as it dangled. “-is an impossible cost for a single necklace. I won’t pay it.”\n\n\rShe was quiet for a moment. The silence hung in the air like poison, his throat catching as he realized what he’d said. “Wait-” He held out his hand. She pointed her finger at his chest. His legs failed him, and he slumped over. There was no feeling in his body, not even the slightest tingle as his head cracked against the floor. He could just barely take air in and out of his chest, his eyes glassily staring up at the low ceiling.\n\n\rThe thumping sound of her limping towards him vibrated through the floorboards. She stood over him, his gaze still frozen. Her eyes studied his face. \n\n\r“So many like you come through my door. They think that what I offer is mere trickery, or parlor magic. Something that will entertain you or your loved ones for a passing moment. Despite the many, many of my former buyers telling otherwise.” She leaned over, her right hand caressing his face.\r\n\n“They’ve forgotten the old ways. The pain that so many endured to make the world safe for men like you. No one left to teach it, I suppose.” Her wire-thin smile loomed over him as he remained paralyzed. Then, like snakes sliding through his veins, sensation returned. He gasped and turned over. She laid a hand on his back, rubbing it gently as he choked. \r\n\n“The gift you asked for her? It was time. Time is not easily bought, especially now. In exchange for the ten years within the charm, you agreed to give me yours, and so it will be paid. In one way, or another.” He couldn’t speak, the sudden display of power terrifying him. \r\n\n“Now how would you like to serve it?” Still reeling, he grimaced as she hugged him close, extending her arm. On the forearm that had been hidden beneath her robes, he saw a singular, lidless eye staring back at him. Stitches ran across the elbow, a perfect circle. “As an apprentice, or a tool?”\n\nHe pushed her away in fear, and stood up. The witch hadn’t struck back at him. She simply stood there, smiling as he sweat. A terrible realization came over him.\n\n\r“She won’t wait for me that long.” He looked at her, pleading. He could still picture his love’s face, expression, laugh, her touch. Like holding sand in a windstorm. “That’s why I chose you.” She said smugly. “Only those who have lost can know what I teach.”\r \n\r \nThe witch pointed again. “Choose.”" ]	2
	[WP] you’re an assassin set on killing your target, however, every time you try one of his bullies get in the way. I.e. poison his lunch and his bully stole it from the work fridge	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 honestly swear the guy has superpowers. Something close to telekinesis or mind control or some shit like that. This man has single handedly evaded all my assassination attempts for OVER THREE FUCKING MONTHS. First I thought it would be simple. Slip in a little water with cyanide into his lunch drink. But somehow, another coworker stole his lunch and drank the water! At first I thought I simply got unlucky. It isn't unusual that you kill an innocent on accident on the first try. However, most assassins kill innocents on their first attempt. This was a different story.\n\nThe second attempt was when I started to think something was wrong. I decided that I did not want to be on this contract for the whole week (The first attempt was on Monday, the second was on Wednesday), so I chose to simply shoot the guy in the head with a suppressed sniper rifle. Quick and easy, but messy. It would've been a bit of a hassle to escape detectives and police afterward, but I wouldn't mind some extra paperwork I already had with the first dead innocent. I found him after work sitting in his cubicle at his pencil pusher job. I set up my rifle and suppressor along with the tripod and aimed at his head. But just as I pulled the trigger, another one of his coworkers moved in front of my scope and takes the shot straight to the back of the head.\n\nTHIS TYPE OF THING CONTINUED FOR 3 MORE FUCKING MONTHS. HE SURVIVED POISONING, GUNSHOTS, FALLING OBJECTS, BEING PUSHED INTO A BUS, EVERYTHING. And the worst part is that someone else dies instead of him!!!!\n\nNow, I'm an atheist. I believe in science and proof. However, after this situation, I might get involved into a religion. BECAUSE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO THE NORMAL MAN. THAT MAN IS BEING PROTECTED BY A GUARDIAN ANGEL. I just cancelled the contract as I didn't want to waste my assassin skills on an unkillable man." ]	2
	[WP] Some sort of evil entity has come to Earth, and has made it so people die whenever they laugh. A national PSA goes around, but the entity(s) hijack it, filling it with their best attempts at human jokes, trying to kill as many people as possible.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "10,000 years ago, a mutated bacteria started to spread. After thousands and thousands of years, the bacteria became ridiculously powerful. So powerful, it adapted the mannerisms of humans such as advanced communication and togetherness.\n\nDespite this, the mutated bacteria, now referring to itself as the \"Nahayam\", never got any respect from humans. They treated the Nahayem as \"less important\" than themselves. This, understandably, made them infuriated.\n\nOne day, an organization of Nahayem banded together, trying to find an action that humans perform subconsciously, that has a lot of emotion tied to it. They found 2 solutions.\n\nSome Nahayem tried to weaponize the first solution they came up with, crying. What the Nahayem would do is they would draft some of themselves to shrink down, and infect a human's mind with \"Nahayamite\". A human infected with Nahayamite has the section of their brain dedicated to crying, replaced with what is essentially an \"off switch\" for their oxygen supply. The brain stops their heart from beating, and the human dies a slow death.\n\nThe Nahayem were eventually able to succeed in small parts, wiping out approximately 15,000 humans. Most Nahayem were comfortable there, feeling a dent has been made on humans, and predicting the humans would treat them as equals.\n\nThey did not.\n\nHumans formed a strict ban on all things negative emotions. Entertainment forms that, quote, \"caused a majority of people to be upset\", were permanently banned. Things like comedians and motivational speakers were no longer special, as so many people were taking on their jobs. In fact, in some sections of the world, you could even be drafted as such.\n\nThe Nahayem noticed the humans ban on negativity, and luckily, this was around the time of the television. The Nahayem realized they, theoretically, should be able to broadcast negative media. However, the Nahayem simply weren't good at human emotional manipulation, as they couldn't test their emotional works on other humans, and Nahayem can't cry.\n\nThe Nahayem took their original design of Nahayamite, and tweaked it, creating the poorly named \"Nahahamite\". The individual Nahayem who wanted to see the entire human race eradicated would mutate themselves to have Nahahamite, and would infect the minds of as many humans as they possibly could.\n\nVery soon after, the LCR, or \"Legion of Crying Removal\", the international organization committed to stop the Nahayem invasion of human minds, took notice of this. They established laughter as another causation of, what they called, \"CALL\". CALL is short for Causing a Limp Life, as humans with CALL would go limp, and then die. The LCR attempted to broadcast across the world, the new mutation of CALL.\n\nSince some Nahayem were in the infected brains of the LCR masterminds, they sent a message to the Nahayam in charge, telling him about this broadcast. The Nahayam in charge forced all Nahayem to either come up with jokes humans would laugh at, or to disrupt that broadcast.\n\nOn humanity's final day, every human was laughing at a joke, screaming in fear, and dying." ]	2
	[WP] The surprisingly noble death of a dragon	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Two days later, I paid Wildfire another visit. This time what I assumed to be one of his brothers came to greet me as well. Slightly smaller but still towering at forty feet tall, he was otherwise a generally perfect replica of Wildfire.\n\n\"I've never actually seen a human before,\" the smaller dragon (who is not Wildfire) said to me. \"You called my brother Wildfire?\"\n\nI did. I had to explain to the dragon I decided to name Flaime how humans come up with names. He understood rather well and went to great lengths discussing all the different dragons he met and what human names they would have. He's rather good at it, honestly.\n\n\"So there's another thing I need your help with,\" I started. \"Word's going around my kingdom that even though they stopped the order to kill all dragons-\"\n\n\"Kill all dragons?\" Wildfire and Flaime shouted in unison, exasperated.\n\n\"Yeah, but I told them about you, Wildfire, and I guess they decided the order was stupid. Now for the important part: there will be an attack on my kingdom in three days. The attackers will be so strong I will need to enlist the help of you two. Get all the other dragons you can find. Wildfire, you've seen my kingdom before, right? Lead the way for the army.\"\n\nI can only hope that this worked.\n\nThree days later, a battle horn woke me up. That's when I saw the raiders when I looked out the window, organized to tear down the kingdom.\n\nI quickly ran toward the castle center and the king revealed we were being attacked from all sides. I broke the news to the king on how I enlisted dragons to help fight for us, and he seemed rather intrigued. \n\nJust then, Wildfire landed outside the castle.\n\n\"I'm so glad to see you safe, Wildfire,\" I exclaimed in relief the dragon army was coming. \"We need to fight, and fight well. I see the rest of the dragons coming. Ready yourself. Tell Flaime not to be scared of the opposing army.\"\n\nIt was when the rest of the army came, circling the castle, the attackers came as well.\n\n\nWithout the dragons, we would have been hopelessly outnumbered. We would have been crushed and the kingdom razed. However we have the support of dragons and they fought tooth and nail for us. However, as they battled away at the raiding army, with fire, ice, thunder, and wind colliding with sword, shield, arrow, and armor, the dragons also sustained injury.\n\nEventually, the battle concluded in our victory. But it came at a high price: we had lost three dragons as a direct result from the war, with many others dying of their injuries.\n\nWhen I came to check on them, Wildfire and Flaime were severely injured. Wildfire had a large cut on his wing, and if we didn't provide immediate attention we would lose the ability to fly. Flaime was more urgent: his skin was burning hot to the touch, and his blood was overloaded with fire. He was at the brink of burning himself alive, and needed to be cooled fast.\n\nWhile I helped Wildfire, a surviving ice dragon worked with Flaime. I went through the strongest medications in the kingdom until finally one worked. It took a couple hours, but Wildfire was no longer at risk of death.\n\nFlaime was unfortunately not as lucky. While the cooling worked, he became deathly ill, and I could sense the fire flicker away as his scales paled. I devoted extra attention to him after I finished doctoring Wildfire, but eventually he realized he couldn't be saved.\n\n\"I... I can't live. You did your job well, but I couldn't have been cured, not even from the start. I've had a life well lived, and I regret nothing. But... this is the end of the line. I sacrificed myself to save you...\n\nForget it. Why do I need to make dramatic speeches? Oh well. I just have one final message for my brother Wildfire: If you feel like the world's out for your blood, like this place is so bad you just want to end it all, just remember, let your wings fly.\"\n\nI stayed by Flaime's side until he died.", "You'd think such a dramatic detail would be remembered, but somehow everyone seems to forget that dragons explode when we die. Our whole bodies, destroyed in a huge fireball. Perhaps people just thought they saw the death throes of a fire-breathing beast, and didn't realize that's just what happens. More than a few heroic knights have never returned from their quest to slay the dragon, not because they failed, but because they used a sword.\n\nI was one of the more low-profile types, not much for sacking villages in search of gold, or poaching a farmer's horses. I ate the luminous moss in mountain caverns, and collected old pottery shards from ruins by night. I slept through winter and watched the gossip of the town on sunny days, with my senses keen enough to observe a house on the horizon as if I were one of the humans inside. The quiet life suited me, and so I had no titles, I wasn't a tyrant or destroyer.\nI knew a few old sages, who kept my secret, and in turn I lent them knowledge. They called me Disch, which in their tongue meant Wise One.\n\nHow I kept such silent vigil for over a thousand years, even I don't understand. I did, though. Then I heard the bells, the humans used them to announce times of war. I had an old one in that cave, which I rang when I heard them, just to be part of it. This war was different though, it wasn't over land, or who should be Queen. It was over a weapon, long lost since before my time. The Cold Star, an icy crystal that held the power of every winter that I had dreamed my way through and every winter before that, too.\n\nThis was it, the thing I might be remembered for. I kept a close eye on the humans, I called the sages together, we wrote a library as quickly as we could. All the knowledge of a wise old dragon, now stored in the pages in my old cave. So my time came. I gave my bell a last ring, and set out to soar over the land, to where the battle raged. I saw that icy light and knew what must be done, for no human could be trusted with such power. And as I gulped it down, I felt it freeze me inside. I died, and with that I unleashed the one thing which could thaw the frost of those winters, I exploded.\n\nNow I live as all dragons do, in fire. The candle's are my favourite, where people read books and I read over their shoulders. The campfires too, where people share stories and songs, and loving moments. An eternity watching through flames, and giving them that strange semblance of life humans wonder about. I like to think I died a surprisingly noble death, for such a humble yet mighty beast.", "\"But Mr. Martin it'll kill you.\"\n\nSam smiled warmly at the child tugging on the back of his shirt and knelt down to pat her head.\n\n\"I'm tougher than I look, Suzzy.\"\n\nThen he stood and turned away from the group of cowering villagers, hoping, but not certain that his strength would be enough. He stepped out of the building and felt his anger rise as he took in the once quiet town. The smith's shop was burning, the wandering salamander had a giant hole where its front door used to be, and then there were the screams. He listened for a moment, warring against his instincts as he took in the suffering around him, then he found it. The hell portal gave off a sound that was not audible to humans, and it was close. He leaped into the air and unfurled his wings. By the time he'd reached the apex of his leap his human form was gone, his skin replaced by the golden scales of his true form, his voice replaced by a guttural roar that now pierced the night. Lesser demons fled in terror as he landed in front of the portal, leaving just a red-skinned Balor standing in his way. He roared again and the Balor shook its massive head. \n\n\"Piss off, this is our town to pillage, there's plenty more you can get to before we're done with this one.\"\n\nSam's understanding of infernal severely outpaced his speaking ability so he said:\n\n\"No, town mine.\"\n\n\"Fine, have it your way, I've always wanted dragonskin pants.\"\n\nSam loosed a column of fire from his mouth at the demon but it had little effect. The creature shook its head again and said:\n\n\"This isn't a fight you can win, your fire isn't gonna work on me.\"\n\nSam lunged forward, raking the demon's chest with his claws and forcing him to roll away with a swipe from his long tail.\n\n\"Claw work.\"\n\nThe demon snarled and lashed out with his whip and sword, cutting into the scales on Sam's torso and spilling his dark blood on the paving stones. After a few more exchanges Sam managed to catch the Balor with his tail and throw him several hundred feet away. He shifted back to his human form and collapsed as blood continued to run from wounds that refused to heal. He dragged himself to the portal leaving a trail of dragon ichor in his wake. With the last of his strength, he held his hand to the portal and dumped magic into it. The portal writhed and sputtered, then collapsed. Imps rushed out of their hiding places and jibbered incessantly as their forms slowly shifted into translucent, then vanished. Sam rested his head against the stone of the street as his life slowly slipped from his grasp. He reflected on how much his siblings would jeer at him for dying like this, he could even picture his mother shaking her head in disappointment, then a new face materialized. \n\n\"Mr. Martin, you're hurt, please don't go.\"\n\nHe managed to open his mouth with what felt like herculean effort and said:\n\n\"I'm sorry Suzzy, it's my time to go, I had to protect my hoard.\"", "We all knew about the dragon. You stayed away from her, you dove for cover if she flew above you, you tithed your sheep and cows whenever necessary. It wasn't an easy life, living in the shadow of a dragon-infested mountain. But it was our life. In a way, we were proud of her; our claim to fame.\n\nIt's been a long time since the dragon has flown. Some in the village believe she is dead. I know better. For I'm the one that brings the tithes. The offerings of sheep and cattle. When you've heard bones cracking behind you, you know that a dragon is alive.\n\nShe has a measure of intelligence. I've even talked to her. But it's a strange sort of cunning, an aggressive sort. All of her mind is bent on killing and eating; that is all she wants to do. Death and destruction are the only things she speaks about. She once even described what she would do to me if we were ever an offering short. I had trouble sleeping for a week after that.\n\nRumours have been floating around the village. About strange objects in the sky. Invaders from another world they say. I don't understand how that could be, but the first of the refugees have arrived. They bring word, telling of the horrible weapons, the indiscriminate slaughter. I in turn have related their stories to the dragon, as I drive the sheep into her cave. To my surprise, the dragon seems interested, asking questions, and ordering me to bring her more information.\n\nIt has been a few weeks now. The sounds of battle have drawn closer and closer. On my last visit to the dragon's cave, she told me to bring her no more. I am glad at least that we can save some animals for our own rations. We'll evacuate soon, and need everything we've got.\n\nThe enemy is here! They are pouring over the hills, their ships fill the sky. My feet hit the ground hard, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The invaders are fast, but they do not know the terrain as we do. From above my head, a sharp leathery sound cracks through the air. I know that sound. Resisting the urge to dive into a nearby ditch, I look up.\n\nThe dragon! She is old, but still powerful. Her wings blot out the sun, and in the darkness, her fire falls. It burns into our pursuers, turning them into living torches. They shout, falling back; turn their terrible weapons towards her. A roar like a volcano rips from her throat, and she crashes into their ships, tearing with her claws, throwing them to the ground. Dark black blood drips from her wings, as the enemy fills them with holes.\n\nShe is on the ground now, no longer able to fly. But still, she fights on, dealing death and destruction. She is terrible, and she is wonderful. Our village burns as her fire once again flashes from her throat. I and a few survivors have taken refuge in the only place left for us now. Inside the dragon's cave. Another roar echoes around the valley. Pure rage, pure joy, pure anguish. She is dying, and she is fighting. Fire flares up in front of the cave, obscuring my view. My last sight of the dragon; her on her hind legs, reaching up to destroy another ship, tattered wings flaring behind, stark against the sky.\n\nIt has been quiet, for hours. No one has come to the cave; the only sound reaching us, strange raspy breathing. Carefully, I edge out of the opening, to find the dragon's head mere inches from my foot. One clouded eye opens, pinning me with its gaze. I have only one question.\n\n\"Why?\" A small rumbling growl, a dragon laugh rising through the wrecked chest.\n\n\"You... all... of... you...\" I looked down, trying to make sense of the words.\n\n\"You want to keep us, for food?\" She snorted at my question.\n\n\"I... never... had...hatchlings...\" It didn't seem like an answer to my question, perhaps her mind had been damaged by the battle. But I wasn't sure what to say. Didn't know if she was still able to hurt me.\n\n\"I... never .. had... hatchlings... But... I... had you...\" One last deep rasping breath. And she was still.\n\nI stood there for a long time, staring out into the valley. Carnage, death, destruction. Nothing living moved. The entire enemy army had been wiped out. Kneeling, I reached out, and for the first time, laid a hand on our dragon's snout.\n\n\"Thank you.\"" ]	5
	[WP] You're accused of murder, but your only possible defense is to admit that at the time of the crime, you were sleeping with your best friend's wife.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 a difficult decision to make, Michael was my best friend, but I was drunk, and his wife was hot as fuck. I don't exactly remember what happened, but when I woke up the next day I was in Michael's bed and I had a video on my phone of me and his wife going at it. I had never heard of the person they accused me of murdering. I wouldn't do it. I couldn't go to prison, so I thought, \"what's the worst that could happen? He won't be there, he won't know!\"\nIt's time to go to court. I gave my lawyer the video as evidence before we went in. I sat, rose and sat again. My lawyer made his way to the stand, as I nervously looked around the courtroom. Michael was there, he must have wanted to support me. I tried to stop my lawyer, but it was too late, the video played in front of the entire court. Michael looked like he was about to vomit, and stepped out of the courtroom. I later found out he had called his wife. \nAfter all that, the video wasn't good enough evidence to get me off (not that way!) anyway, I am now in prison for life. I hope Michael patches things up with his wife." ]	2
	[WP] "Human, have you never considered how weird is it that there is only one 'homo' species? you'd think there'd have evolved other types of human in such a vast world..." "oh, there was another one, we drove them to extinction"	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "“What did you do!? What did you DO!?” asked the alien.\n\n“Relax, bud. All we did was breed them out of existence.”\n\n“You… what!?”\n\n“Breed, as in having sexual intercourse, as in f—”\n\n“I know what you meant! I just don’t see how… Cough! breeding with other hominin species would result in them going extinct while you homo sapiens rule the Earth.”\n\n“Simple, we just kept pounding it and pounding it and race mixed and race mixed till we only have small percentages of other genuses left in our gene pool. We have like 1-4% neanderthal in our blood, a bit of homo erectus, homo habilis, and probably some others. Combine them all and you get… me!”\n\n“Oh… I see. You humans are very… industrious.”\n\n“It’s called the horny, man! We can’t help ourselves, when nature calls, we just gotta do it!”\n\n“Is… is that so? Human… imagine a scenario where we blumo sapiens migrate to your world, what would…”\n\n“Blue alien waifu! Fuck yeah! Where are they!? Where are my blue wimmin at!? I promise I’ll breed them so hard…”\n\nAnd thus no alien ever dares make contact with mankind ever again, else risk getting fucked out of existence." ]	2
	[WP] Humans are small, unassuming, squishy, and are absolutely the cutest creatures! If you pack bond with one you will never fear again! You see, they are also the most deadly.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Caring For Your Human\n\nCongratulations on acquiring your new human companion! This can be a difficult but ultimately rewarding experience for both of you. To best care for your human, you should keep a few things in mind. \n\nHumans are highly social animals by nature and require regular stimulation. You should learn to recognize the signs and sounds that humans give when they want your attention. Learn his language and your human will tell you what he needs. \n\nHumans also need plenty of regular exercise. Try setting aside regular playtime or training sessions. Be sure to praise your human for good behavior and hard work. \n\nRegular treats also help, but don't overdo it! Good nutrition is critical to a human's long-term health. \n\nTake your human to the veterinarian for a checkup at least once per cycle for optimal health. \n\nTraining a human can be a difficult task but quite beneficial. With their clever little fingers, humans can be quite adept at solving puzzles. They can even be trained to assist with difficult, technical jobs. \n\nJust be careful about leaving her unattended! A bored, curious human is as likely to ruin an appliance as she is to fix one.\n\nA human can also be trained as a fierce guardian. Humans are extremely loyal to their packs and, despite their small size, remarkably hardy and stubborn creatures. When told to \"guard\" your human can be trained to use everything from stern warnings to lethal force to defend you and your family.\n\nSee our line of human training materials or sign your human up for a training class today!" ]	2
	[WP] You knew the company you signed up with for your WFH gig was in a different time zone, but you've just realized that their present is over two years in your past.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 have a problem, and I don't think that problem has a solution that mortal man can comprehend.\n\nThe job was simple enough. It was a position in which I could work from home, which was great because I hated going outside. All I had to do was fill out a few spreadsheets per day with the data that was sent to me. The spreadsheets themselves were small - six columns, twenty rows, very little formatting. I was told that if I do this a few times per day, I'd make somewhere close to $20,000 a month. Read that again.\n\nStrange number, right? That's close to $250,000 a year for a menial job, give or take a few thousand for taxes. Benefits were pretty shit, but it was a work-from-home position and I made bank, so it's not like I didn't have money to spare. I could simply pay for my own insurance. I got a car. I got a house - a house! You know how rare that shit is in this economy?\n\nI'm getting off-track.\n\nThe company was in a different time zone, like on-the-other-side-of-the-world different; 10 hours, by my research. There were a few inconsistencies that I noticed, though. When I looked up the company, for all intents and purposes, they simply didn't exist. The only results that turned up were all bible quotes about retribution. Reading them made me feel awkward.\n\nThe other inconsistency I noticed was the data. It was all in a different language - one I'd never seen. Weird symbols and shit. Here, take a look at this:\n\n`𐤄𐤂𐤃𐤓 𐤌𐤎𐤐𐤓 = 𐤉׳𐤄𐤂𐤃𐤓 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤍 = 𐤀׳𐤄𐤂𐤃𐤓 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤄 = 𐤀׳ - 𐤀׳𐤄𐤂𐤃𐤓 𐤃𐤋𐤐𐤒 = 𐤀׳ - 𐤀׳𐤄𐤂𐤃𐤓 𐤆𐤌𐤍𐤉 = 𐤀׳ - 𐤀׳𐤁𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤃𐤋𐤐𐤒 <= 𐤌𐤎𐤐𐤓:𐤄𐤃𐤐𐤎𐤇 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤆𐤌𐤍𐤉 = 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤍 + 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤍 = 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤄 = 𐤆𐤌𐤍𐤉𐤃𐤋𐤐𐤒 = 𐤃𐤋𐤐𐤒 + 𐤀׳𐤒-𐤃-𐤔`\n\nWhat is this? Can you tell me, because this isn't something I know. I mean, I took a few years in, like, Latin, but this isn't that.\n\nSo, what the hell is it? Should I quit? Because the phone calls are getting weird. I'm hearing ritual chants and shit in the background." ]	2
	[WP] Children's games have hidden meanings that all children know but forget as they grow up. Hopscotch, when played right, calls forth demons. Skipping rope is a way to create a protective sphere so you can speak with Satan. The ball in handball should actually be a skull. Pick-up-sticks, bones.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 wise women of our village teach us of a time before the Ritual. The demons came as they pleased, when they pleased, and took who they pleased. Men, but also women. And children.\n\nThen one day long ago, a bargain was struck. The Ritual was created. All able bodied men over the age of twenty would participate. In return, the demons would leave the village in peace for 25 years.\n\nI was a child the last time the Ritual took place. A boy only just beginning to feel the stirrings of approaching manhood. We are prepared for the Ritual from our youth. We train. We grow strong. I knew what awaited him. So did my mother. I remember how stoic she was seeing him leave us.\n\nI remember comforting her and my little sister Rosie when he didn't return.\n\nSo it is I find myself in the appointed place, along with the rest of the able men of our village. Many tearful hours were spent last night. But each and every wife, sister, and mother stood bravely dry-eyed as we left this morning.\n\nI never chose to marry. Watching my mother and sister lose Father, I vowed I would not leave another woman to mourn me.\n\nWe have been here since just past sunrise. The Ritual won't begin until midday. But for any to be late is to forfeit. The bodies of those who tried to flee their fate lie in the field before. They serve as both a testament to their cowardice, and as proof to the demons that we have upheld our part of the bargain.\n\n----------\n\nThe demons army arrives at midday, seemingly out of nowhere. Their number eclipses ours, but one by one demons return until their total matches ours, to a man.\n\nI have been chosen as our Speaker. I address the demon army.\n\n\"We stand at the proscribed place and time, to honor the Ritual, as our forebears have done before us. We come of our own free will, and accept the fate that awaits. The terms are met.\"\n\nThe demon which acts as speaker steps forward.\n\n\"Your fathers honored the Ritual, and so, the Peace has been kept as promised. We acknowledge your sacrifices. Peace will be granted once again, at sundown.\"\n\nTheir army forms a single line, clasped arm in arm. Ours does the same. The demons speaks again. \"You may begin.\"\n\nThe demons chants the Ritual words, and chooses one of our men. He breaks rank, and attacks the demon line. He fails, and is lost.\n\nI chant the words, and select a demon. It attacks and breaks through. He chooses another victim, and returns to its side.\n\nSo it goes, each side striking in turn. More men are lost. Good men. Lucian. Odan. Seth. \n\nI say the words again, and choose a demon. It strikes and pierces our line. Its choice this time is Jonin. \n\nJonin is Rosie's betrothed. They grew up together as children, and Jonin is three years older. Most of the men marry as soon as they reach age, so as to start families before the next Ritual. Jonin chose to wait until Rosie turned 18, and came of age to marry.\n\nAs the demon led Jonin across the field, the Change came upon him. Step by step his body transformed, until he was as much demon as the rest as he took his place in their line.\n\nA few times we were successful, and a demon was captured. As soon as they joined our side, the Change was reversed, and they became men we had known. There was no time for joyful reunions. The Ritual was not yet finished.\n\nCelebration would have been short lived anyway. Those who were rescued we lost once more. Our numbers dwindled until only two of us remained: Myself, and Mipha, brother of Jonin. \n\nThe sun was nearly to the horizon when the demon spoke.\n\n\"The hour of completion is upon us, and your number is nearly gone. You have one final strike. Win, and one of you may yet return to your village. Lose, and you all leave with us.\"\n\nLooking over at Mipha, we silently agreed what we would choose. Jonin.\n\nWe clasped arms, each man's hand gripping tightly to the other's forearm, and I chanted the words.\n\nRettroffa! Rettroffa! I shouted in the demon tongue, signaling our readiness. Then I pointed to the thing that had been Jonin.\n\nThe Jonin-demon separated from the line and ran toward us, with an awkward, lumbering gait. It picked up speed as it ran. Michael and I gripped each other tighter. Mipha needed his brother back, and I wanted my sister to be happy.\n\nThe Jonin-demon struck our joined arms, and we held! I pictured my sister's face as we returned home, victorious. I looked at Mipha, and he looked back with shock, then sorrow.\n\nHis grip on my arm faltered. I held as hard as I could, but our arms separated, and demon-Jonin broke through. It let out a howl of victory. It was a sound that could only come from something that was not human, and never would be again.\n\nThe demon gripped Mipha and I by the shoulder, one to each gnarled hand. It's talons pierced our skin as we walked across the field. I could feel the Change beginning.\n\nMy last human thought was of Rosie." ]	2
	[WP] It turns out that humans were space-dwarves all along. Their FTL technology is lacking, but human-built starships have become popular among the galactic community for being among the most durable and aesthetically pleasing on the market.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 door is kicked in, the occupant's many arms raise into the air as he drops several stolen phones. A gun is aimed at him, the bore of it large enough to fit a human fist into and wielded by a 'human'. This has become an all too common occurrence since humans joined the Intergalactic Conglomeration of Treaty Worlds and it seems that some still take human's for granted. The man here is one Zor Ba-Jin Kollack, street name is the Procurer and he's been selling bootleg ships. The police officer, or rather military enforcer, that found him will be taking him to be prosecuted for the infringement of not only intellectual property but to face litigation from the families that were suing the original company that would have manufactured the ships. Forty one dead because this guy doesn't want to pay for properly made parts. A lot of families were trying to move to the frontier and he exploited that. The alien, a member of the usually pacifist Ungo, burbles as he speaks rather broken English.\n\n\"Wha is the meanin' of this?\" He asked, looking around, \"I did nothing.\"\n\nThe sergeant steps into the house, towering over the xeno, \"Master Kollack. Under the jurisdiction of the Terran Hegemony, you are under arrest for selling unlicensed, unregulated, and dangerous space fairing vehicles that resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians.\" the voice that spoke was hallow, unnerving.\n\nThe man holds his four arms up, \"Alright, alright... how much will it cost to bail myself out of this?\" He says with confidence.\n\nHe notices that the human's eyes were... glowing, \"You... DARE attempt to bribe one of the Sanctified!? Under the Doctrines of Saint Morrigan and the Papacy of Cradle, you are also under arrest for attempted Corruption of a member of the public, Corruption of a Public official, and for attempted Corruption of a Priest! On you knees!\" She reaches and pulls back the bolt of her massive, belt fed machine gun.\n\nKollack was, rightfully, confused. He's bribed humans before! Granted it was one of the spindly or the short ones but surely one human was no different from the next? He was, unfortunately, completely incorrect on that front and as people gathered to witness the arrest of the known huckster, the flashes of automatic gunfire made everyone pause. The other humans, all members of the same species of human, look into the house. Kollack was dead, very dead. With the high-explosive munitions in that weapon, there wasn't much left. The sergeant leaves, dragging the man's corpse and throwing it to the ground. She huffs, speaking in French to the others.\n\n\"<Heretics... someone package this spoiling meat and send it to Axial Aero for prosecution. I;m sure the families can sue his living relatives or the estate for their money. Fucking Ungo.\" She kicks over something that might have been an arm, \"<Always thinking that they can talk their way out of things but never prepared to defend themselves.>\"\n\nThe other humans, all chortling and collecting what used to be a someone, all seem to have little love for the Ungo people. It was, after all, the Ungo that attempted to colonize the home world of Homo sapiens militus, more commonly known as Orcs. The sergeant taps the side of her helmet.\n\n\"Reginald? Got your man but he committed further crimes and was stopped.\"\n\nLight years away, in a PR department of Axial Aero, another human perks up. This is Reginald, the lead designer of the AA Super Dart. This was the ship that was getting bootlegged. The man, standing no taller than four feet, answer the call from the individual that he hired.\n\n\"You got him? Dead I assume.\" the sergeant confirms, \"Perfect, that'll make the legal battle a bit shorter.\"\n\nThe orc takes a deep breath, \"You banked on me killing him.\"\n\n\"100%, guilty as charged. You'll get you money regardless. Besides, with what he was being charged with, you saved people money from having to house the bloated fuck before he goes to the chair. Anyways, our business is concluded. Just have the body sent to the office. On ice, preferably.\"\n\nThe call disconnects. The sergeant looks to the sky for a moment to see it full of human built ship. Not only that, but most cities are human built now. Vending machines, laundry mats, everything is built by the humans Homo sapiens breve; the Dwarfs. Crafty little bastards they are, they run most of the industry, banking, and labour for human controlled space. They've cheated, back-stabbed, and finagled their way into every single xeno market and are dominating it with cheap but well made technology. So much so that the Ungo, once the best merchants around, are nothing more than a shell of their former selves. Resorting to crime, whether out of spite or need is up for debate. The orc, however, gets a ping... looks like someone just stole some other company's prototype ship.\n\nIf its another Ungo, she's going to eat this one... alive.", "I’ve always liked the Travelling Market. When I was younger, I frequently went there with my dad just to look at all the new, old, and unusual curios collected from the farthest reaches of the galaxy. The alderman didn’t, though, and preferred to keep it as out of sight as possible, only allowing it the narrowest, darkest, and smelliest of back-alleys to operate in. But to me, it only added to the mystique. The two of us would be walking down the pristine, laser-scrubbed streets of New Syrfxlphfire, flanked on either side by massive, towering exoscrapers reaching far beyond the sky into the blackness of the beyond. Marvels to look at, to be sure, but rather dull when considering anything beyond their size. But then, we’d turn a corner, and we’d be transported across time and space to another realm. A lively, dangerous, colorful realm. Beaten up canvas fastened to makeshift holds on the sides of state-of-the-art architecture gave the place a rather anachronistic feeling. Rickety platforms expanded the market vertically up the sides of the alley about 10 levels or so. And Galaxians from every corner were there. Towering arthropods. Amorphous blobs of unspeakable horror. Sentient gases contained in sealed vessels atop robotic appendages. All of them wonderful, bizarre, and awe-inspiring. \r \n\r \nThe things they’d sell were even more incredible. Although my father never really let me try the food (he always said that you never knew what might cause your stomach to collapse into a literal gravitational singularity. In fact a good friend of his from his Academy years apparently died that way), we would at least watch in amazement (and sometimes horror) at the culinary menagerie being cooked, sliced, boiled, emulsified, given sentience, and subsequently vaporized into fine powder to mix into other perplexing dishes. But my eyes were always drawn to the gadgets and gizmos collected from all manner of planet, moon, asteroid, and comet. There’d be cups that could turn ammonia into phosphorus. Strange, sealed spheroids that merchants claimed contained the hearts of dying stars. Coiled strands of diamond of immeasurable length. Automatons that could lift objects 5 times their size. All probably just worthless junk in reality, but my naïve juvenile ears took their pitches as gospel.\r \n\r \nOne time, when my father wasn’t looking, I went up to one of the stalls and caught the eye of a particularly shifty looking merchant. It looked to be about 4 times my height, hunched over on sticklike legs supporting its crystalline, geometric torso. A single gigantic unblinking eye peered down at me, followed by a hollow metallic voice from no known orifice.\r \n\r \n“You are Tamberdjan, right? Ah, I can see it from your antennae. Quintessential hallmark of a Tamberdjan gentlething such as yourself. Tell me, what do they call you?”\r \n\r \nI didn’t say anything. I was too startled and too timid to respond back. I had never seen a Galaxian anything quite like this one before, and its antennae comment suddenly made me a bit self-conscious. I attempted to tuck them behind my ears as I stood there in silence.\r \n\r \n“Ah, the silent type, I see. Mysterious. Enigmatic. Well even the unreadable can eventually be read, and by reading your face I see that you are one of incredible disposition. And for one as rare as yourself, I can only recommend that which is as equally uncommon. Tell me, have you heard of Nebuloridon?”\r \n\r \nI shook my head no.\r \n\r \n“Well, in the farthest reaches of the most vast arm of the galaxy, there lies a lonely red star named Tyshou. In the outermost orbit of Tyshou is the fabled planetoid of Nebuloridon. They say that no two Galaxians have seen this planet and described it the same way. Ever shifting. Quantum in nature. One time described as a vast endless ocean. Another time an ancient, inside out city planet, buildings lining the interior and meandering jungles and canyons on the exterior. It was on one excursion to this phenomenal place that I came across…this!”\r \n\r \nFrom a satchel, the merchant pulled out a strange, metallic object. It was clearly constructed, but unlike anything I was accustomed to. Its edges were more or less straight, flat surfaces connected at pointed corners, though quite uneven upon closer inspection. It was rough in appearance, and seemed to be held together with small hemispheric rivets. It lacked precision. An extremely crude looking piece of unknown handywork. In other words, it was beautiful.\r \n\r \nThe merchant likely saw my eyes go wide and began to pull in the catch. “Ah, fine taste indeed. Indeed. But beyond its wonderfully haphazard appearance, it also does incredible feats. Observe.”\r \n\r \nIt set the object on the ground, gave it a whap with its cane, and suddenly the bauble sprang miraculously to life. The object separated at the corners, revealing a mesmerizing array of tiny rotating metal parts grinding and spinning within. It split into three independently rotating prisms: top, middle, and bottom. The top rotated steadily in one direction, the bottom steadily in the other. The middle section would rotate any which way, randomly deciding to switch direction and velocity whenever it pleased. But inside was what caught my attention the most, those little rusted bits all miraculously working together to make the exterior dance its automatous dance. Little metal arms and pistons moving back and forth. Tiny gears whirring and humming away. I simply could not take my eyes off of them.\r \n\r \n“But something so unique, so marvelously clever…why, I could never truly part with it. It’s just too dear to me. A reminder of my journey to that terra extraordinaire. Ah, but a young, bright Galaxian such as yourself. Perhaps we could make an arrangement…”\r \n\r \nI asked him what he meant.\r \n\r \n“Quite simple. Something this marvelous requires an exchange. Something equally marvelous. Perhaps you might have something matching its worth?”\r \n\r \nI shook my head. I didn’t have any money since my dad and I just came here to look. He always would say, “You go in with money, one of three things is going to happen. You either get robbed, get swindled, or end up with some useless piece of junk that’ll either just waste space or burn your house down. Shop with your eyes. The memory of it’s free, after all.” I sullenly lowered and shook my head. I would have given anything to take the strange machine home with me.\r \n\r \n“Ah, alas. I have found no one with anything worthy of exchange. But, do not frown, lad. Perhaps there is something else…”\r \n\r \nMy head immediately lifted, no longer scowling and now visibly intrigued.\r \n\r \n“You do not have anything worth exchanging. But I guarantee there is something else worthy of it in this here market. Exactly one thing.” It lifted its finger and pointed a ways down the alley. The digits on its hands were so spindly they looked like needles. I was still quite frightened of the merchant, but my determination to possess the contraption overruled all base instincts. \r \n\r \n“At the end there is a merchant named Kalt. In his possession is a small blue box, crested with a moonstone serpent. If you could acquire that, that would be more than suitable of a trade!”\r \n\r \nI again indicated that I didn’t have anything with which I could purchase it.\r \n\r \n“Ah, you see…I must confess. Kalt stole that box from me. I’ve been unable to reclaim it for years. The box is rightfully mine, so I would say it matters not how you acquire it. Only that you do so and bring it back here. That would be the just thing, would it not?”\r \n\r \nI was silent. The merchant quickly picked up on my confusion and stated it more explicitly.\r \n\r \n“Apologies, let me rephrase. Kalt took my box. I would like it back. Purchasing it from him would just be Kalt stealing from another once again. So if it is not rightfully his, I would say it’s only fair that you take it back the same way he took it from me.”\r \n\r \nMy eyes seemed to show comprehension, and the merchant laughed an unsettlingly giddy laugh.\r \n\r \n“Wonderful! Now that we understand each other, what do you say? Would you do this one, little thing for me?”\r \n\r \nIt sounded dangerous. It was dangerous. But I hadn’t ruled out my involvement. However, before I could answer, I heard shouting down the row. Familiar shouting.\n\n\r \n\\[END PART 1\\]", "Mattya sits, one hand gripping her pen, the other supporting her head in disbelief. \"So - and let me get this straight, they are calling us space-dwarves?\"\n\nAcross from her Jack was leans against the doorframe amused. \"That's right, we are the dwarfiest in the cosmos. Short, stock and stout with a penchant for engineering is what the blurb says.\"\n\n\"Well this is great, we're already being ridiculed on the galactic stage and we haven't even formally introduced ourselves to most of them.\"\n\n\"Mat, you gotta think bigger than that, they aren't ridiculing us. They are praising us.\"\n\n\"As dwarves?\" She repeats\n\n\"As master ship builders.\" He clarifies.\n\n\"They like our ships?\"\n\n\"They love them. You should see all the headlines popping up.\" He waves his hand and the back wall lights up with recent articles.\n\n\\Nothing can survive the high impact landings of Xer'a Prime like an Earth ship\\\n\n\\Got somewhere to be? Get there safely and in style with humanities biggest invention yet\\\n\n\\Energy Propulsion? Forget it with humanities new Ark reactor, bringing - YOU - back to a more civilised age\\\n\n\\Eyes not letting you navigate the cosmic slip-lanes like you used to. Don't stress, humanities new vessel will have you blasting back across the cosmos in no time\\\n\nMattya sights, \"We sound like late night advertisements being broadcast across the galaxy.\"\n\n\"We do I'll admit but the preorder's are insane. They love us, no sub-space, no energy shields. Just a thick destroyer class hull and a dream. This is gonna be big Mat.\"\n\n\"Screw it,\" she says dropping her hands. \"Let's go be space-dwarves.\"" ]	4
	[WP] On your way to the supermarket a cosmic being descends down onto the mortal plane to warn you “You must purchase the fat free mayonnaise. The fate of the universe hangs in the balance.”	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 stare at the cosmic being, filled at once with awe and horror. It looks vaguely like a person who is barely there. Both visible and transparent, with no distinguishable features. \n\nLooking to my left, I suddenly realize my arm has already reached outward. I'm standing right next to the fat free mayonnaise. My heart starts to beat frantically against my chest. Is it me doing this? Or is this cosmic being controlling me? My fingers stretch out towards a jar of fat free mayonnaise, my heart beating ever faster-- \n\n\"No!\" yells a strange voice. It sounds almost like strangled wheeze, reverberated and warped through time and space.\n\nI stop dead.\n\n\"Not that one.\" It says.\n\n\"What?\" I ask, confused.\n\n\"A little to the left.\" \n\nI move my hand and try to grab the jar next to it, but--\n\n\"No, a little more, yes, more, no, no, go back, that's too far--\"\n\n\"Okay man, or thing, or whatever you are,\" I splutter, now feeling thoroughly frustrated. \"Why don't you just pick the right one and give it to me? Also, what's this about the fate of the universe hanging in the balance? What the hell?\"\n\nThe cosmic being, seemingly there and not there, seems to convey a feeling of slight embarrassment. \"Well, you see, I can't pick it up. It is the Mayonnaise of Destiny. It can only be claimed by you. I cannot reveal more, for you must discover the rest for yourself. So it is written in your fate.\"\n\n\"Dude, you are crazy.\" I say. I feel a light tap on my shoulder and turn around. A staff member of the store is standing there, looking worried. Behind her is a security guard, looking equally baffled.\n\n\"This is the man I told you about,\" says the woman to the security guard. \"He's been standing here talking to himself for a while now.\"\n\nEdit: Spelling" ]	2
	[WP] A Cowboy stumbles upon an open grave that contains a mystical book that could lead to all the secrets of life but not knowing how to read leads the cowboy to become very frustrated.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Abigail says he's dying dutch, we'll have to\r \nstop some place.\r \n\"Okay, Arthur's out looking, I sent him up\r \nahead.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"If we don't stop soon, we'll all be dying.\"\r \nHosea Matthews Said.\r \n\"This weather, it's May...\" Hosea Said.\r \n\"I'm just hoping the law got as lost as we\r \ndid.\" Hosea Said.\r \n\"There.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Arthur! Any Luck?\" Dutch continued.\r \n\"I found a place where we can get some\r \nshelter.\" Arthur Said.\r \n\"Let Davey rest while he... you know.\"\r \nArthur continues.\r \n\"An old Mining town, abandoned - it ain't\r \n1\r \nfar.\" Arthur continues.\r \n\"Come on.\" Arthur Said.\r \n\"Come on - Yaah!\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Miss Gaskill... get that fire lit quick. Miss\r \nJones, bring in whatever blankets we have,\r \nMr. Pearson, see what we've got in terms of\r \nfood.\" Ms. Grimshaw Said.\r \n\"Davey's dead.\" Abigail Said.\r \n\"There was nothing more you could've\r \ndone.\"\r \n\"What are we going to do? We need\r \nsupplies.\" Hosea Said.\r \n\"Well first of all you're gonna stay here...\r \nand you're gonna get yourself warm, Now I\r \nsent John and Micah scouting out ahead,\r \nArthur and I, we're gonna ride out see if we\r \n2\r \ncan find one of them.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"In this?\" Arthur Said.\r \n\"Just for a short bit.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"I don't see what other choice we have.\"\r \nDutch continued.\r \n\"Listen... Listen to me all of you for a\r \nmoment, now we've had... well, a bad\r \ncouple of days, I loved Davey... Jenny...\r \nSean, Mac... they may be okay, we don't\r \nknow, but we lost some folks, Now, If I\r \ncould throw myself in the ground in their\r \nstead I'd do it, gladly, but, we're gonna ride\r \nout... and we are gonna find some food,\r \nEverybody we're safe now, there ain't\r \nnobody following us through a storm like\r \nthis one, by the time they get here, well,\r \nwe're gonna be, we're gonna be long gone.\"\r \n3\r \nDutch Said.\r \n\"We've been through worse than this\r \nbefore, Mr. Pearson, Miss Grimshaw, I need\r \nyou to turn this place into a camp. We may\r \nbe here for a few days, now all of you, all of\r \nyou, get yourselves warm, stay strong, stay\r \nwith me, we ain't done yet!\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Com'on Arthur.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Alright, we got some work to do.\" Susan\r \nGrimshaw Said.\r \n\"Well, we ain't run into them yet.\" Dutch\r \nSaid.\r \n\"So, they both must have headed down the\r \nhill.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Sure.\" Arthur Said.\r \n\"Hey, I ain't had time to ask, what really\r \n4\r \nwent down back there on that boat?\"\r \nArthur Asked.\r \n\"We missed you, that's what happened.\"\r \nDutch Said.\r \n\"Come on.\" Dutch Continued.\r \n\"Hey, you need horses?\" Charles Smith Said.\r \n\"Oh yeah, and Mr. Smith, get yourself\r \nindoors, you need to rest that hand.\" Dutch\r \nSaid.\r \n\"I'll live.\" Charles Smith Said.\r \n\"Get indoors, son!\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"I... we need you strong.\" Dutch continued.\r \n\"Ain't sure what we're gonna find out here,\r \nDutch.\" Arthur Said.\r \n\"We have to try, stay close, we'll do our\r \n5\r \nbest to stick to the trail.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"This goddamn weather.\" Arthur Said.\r \n\"Been two days or more like this now, oh it\r \nhas to blow over soon.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Careful over this bridge here.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"We need to get those people warm and\r \nfed.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Least we don't need to worry about\r \npinkertons tailing us in this.\" Arthur Said.\r \n\"A couple days and we'll be on the other\r \nside.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"You need to help me pick the others back\r \nup.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"You're the only one I can rely on to stay\r \nstrong right now.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"We got fire and shelter, that's a start.\"\r \n6\r \nArthur Said.\r \n\"So, do you think it was a trap? In\r \nblackwater?\" Arthur asked.\r \n\"That many men? Oh, they knew we wwre\r \ncoming, but there was money on that boat\r \nalright, lots of it, I stashed what we took\r \nwith all our money in town, right before we\r \nfled.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Hey, I think I see something up the path.\"\r \nDutch Said.\r \n\"You up ahead...\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Whose there?\" Dutch continued.\r \n\"Micah.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Gentlemen...\" Micah Said.\r \n\"Found anything?\" Dutch Asked.\r \n7\r \n\"I think so.\" Micah Said.\r \n\"Found a little homestead down thataway.\"\r \nMicah continued.\r \n\"Okay.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Anyone home?\" Dutch asked.\r \n\"Sure.\" Micah Said.\r \n\"Place is blazing with light and noise,\r \nsounded like a party.\" Micah Said.\r \n\"Let's go see.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Follow Me.\" Micah Said.\r \n\"How's Davey doing?\" Micah asked.\r \n\"Ah, he didn't make it.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"Nor did little Jenny.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"That's too bad, Davey was a real fighter.\"\r \nMicah Said.\r \n8\r \n\"Both of them callander boys is, or was...\"\r \nMicah continued.\r \n\"Yeah.\" Dutch Said.\r \n\"And Mac, and Sean?\" Micah Said.\r \n\"We don't know.\" Dutch Said.\r \nMicah Bell: Quite a business.\r \nDutch Van Der L...: I'm glad you're alright,\r \nMicah.\r \nMicah Bell: Always.\r \nArthur Morgan: Ask him if he's seen John.\r\r \n *Hosea, I found this open grave that contains a mystical book! Come take a look!!", "\"I love you Delilah, always.\", Jack carefully placed the bluebells down Infront of the ramshackle wooden cross marking his wife's resting place. \"I'll be back tomorrow, hear?, I'll bring some more flowers... And some more whiskey too\". \n\nJack held the bottle in his hand up to waning sunlight, seeing he had almost finished it. The last dregs sloshed around as he tipped the bottle solemnly over the grave, the final drops spattered the dirt.\n\n\"I'll make sure to save you some more next time... Got carried away again...\". Jack added the bottle to the now small cluster coalesced to the side of the grave. \"Goodbye my love, rest easy\". With a drunken stupor Jack made his way towards the exit of the cemetery.\n\nJack looked around him, a familiar sight by this point. A variety of gravestones, crosses and tombs decorated this place. Each one marking the end of a life just as complex as his own, just as complex as Delilah's. \n\nDelilah was the last person to be buried here, the priest had told him. Jack believed him as Delilah was tucked away in an overgrown corner, the only place left. \"She always loved nature\", Jack thought, but he couldn't help but be consumed by guilt that he couldn't afford anything grander for his beloved.\n\nJack was a cowboy, recently graduated from a farmhand. He worked at a ranch a few miles from this place. Everyday he toiled away on the harsh plains, but everyday he was comforted knowing he had Delilah waiting for him at home. \n\nIt was 8 days ago she fell ill, and 3 days since she was buried.\n\nThe doctor from town had said she died from the fever it brought on. They buried her that night, and the next day he was back in the saddle of Boadicea, his trusty mare. Given nought time to grieve, Jack lost himself in his work.\n\nEach night since then Jack came to the cemetery to bring his betrothed her favourite flowers and to share a drink. Jack was not a learned man, he couldn't read, so he told the priest what he wanted on her cross. \"My dearest Delilah, a beautiful flower in a dusty world\".\n\nAs Jack neared the threshold of the cemetery, something peculiar caught his eye. A new grave had been dug not far from where he was standing. A beautiful, obsidian headstone adorned it, with letters on it that Jack couldn't even recognise, let alone read. He sauntered towards it, remembering what the priest had said, that Delilah was the last to be buried here.\n\nAs he approached, a strange feeling overcame his senses, he felt as though someone, or something, was watching him. The hairs stood on the back of his neck but Jack pressed forward nonetheless.\n\nAs he peered into the open grave, where he had expected to see a coffin, instead in its place was a book. \"Is this some kinda joke?\" Jack exclaimed to the wind. Perplexed; and drunk enough to defile a grave, Jack reached in and grasped the tome.\n\nIt was thick, bound in black leather, and very old. Jack could tell that much. As Jack flipped it open to investigate what it might be, a voice creeped into his mind. \"In these pages lies the secrets to life... The power to bring back those you have lost... The power to be who you want to be... Take it\"\n\nIn a state of shock Jack dropped the book, and as it landed he felt the presence leave him. \"Need to stop drinking so much, starting to hear voices\" he muttered to himself, out of respect Jack nudged the book back into the grave and turned around.\n\nCuriosity enveloped him, however, and before he could think about what he was doing, the book was again in his hands. This time, no voice came to him. \"Well im sure someone must have left this as a mistake, I'll bring it to town tomorrow\". Jack shoved the tome into his satchel and whistled for Boadicea, with one last look towards Delilah's grave, he mounted his horse and dug in his heels, he had 6 hours before he had to be up and and an hour's ride ahead of him.\n\nThe whole way home the only thought he had pertained to what was in that book. \"The power to bring back those you lost... What a bunch of bullshit...\". In a moment of frustration he flung the book from his satchel as he approached the homestead. He hitched Boadciea, dusted himself off and readied himself for a laboured night of sleep.\n\nJack collapsed into his bed, immediately falling into a dreamless slumber. He awoke in the night to a cold sweat as he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up once again, he reached for his single action he kept under his pillow but in its place he felt the rough texture of leather.\n\nHe pulled free this object, dread filling him, and revealed the tome...\n\nReally enjoyed this prompt, this is my first attempt at a writing prompt so would love some feedback!*" ]	3
	[WP] You are a demon and this is the story of your first possession. You have chosen poorly, however, as your choice of possession is an astronaut who is currently heading into outer space.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 drifted. Every few minutes there was a tell-tale jet of air indicating his onboard-stabilizers were still working, but for the most part we just...floated. \n\n\n\"Kinda puts it all in perspective, doesn't it?\" his voice croaked, vocal chords wracked from all my screaming earlier. \n\n\nI nodded. For my part I'd had my fun. Gotten the jollies the only way I knew how vis-à-vis excrutiating torture of his fellow crew-mates aboard the shuttle. \n\n\nOne of the engines drifted past us. \n\n\nMaybe I'd gone a little bit overboard. One could argue literally. \n\n\n\"I've never seen it from this angle,\" I admitted, my influence warping his meek tenor into a bass like knives on concrete. \n\n\n\"Really? I thought you lot were angels before...\" I shook his own hand dismissively. \n\n\n\"Doesn't mean everyone gets to work on the big projects. Hell, that's half the reason most of us fell. God's chosen get to work on what was ostensibly replacing us, and the rest get...\" I trailed off, gesturing inarticulately. \n\n\n\"Course we didn't know then. What all it meant. What all it was for. We had just assumed the worst, and after everything bore out...we got it,\" my voice wasn't wistful, exactly. Think of the tone taken when indicating old scar tissue, or recounting trauma to a friend. \n\n\nThe suit began beeping once again, a droning warning as his HUD lit up pure red. Oxygen at 5%. \n\n\nHe shuddered as I assented control back to him, loosing an unsteady exhale. I flicked the notification away before the eyes were his again. \"I guess I never thought of it like that,\" he said after a time. \n\n\nWhy would you, I thought petulantly as we stared at the turning of the planet - the rays of the sun illuminating endless possibility that neither of us would live long enough to see. I chewed over the situation for a moment, before setting his lip in a determined expression. \n\n\nI took the reins again - his body aching and shot - before pulling the controls forward. It'd be minutes before we even hit atmosphere...but... \n\n\n\"What are you doing?\" He asked confused, testing the walls of my control over his form as we approached the planet. \n\n\n\"Doing something good for once,\" I grimaced, immediately hating the words as they passed his lips. \"Try to sleep. I'm fireproof and don't require oxygen - you do\" \n\n\nHis consciousness slipped back. It was a lie, but a smaller one. I might be able to survive the impact, but our possession would end. Flames began licking at the suit as we approached re-entry, but me and fire were old friends. \n\n\nI already cost him his future. The least I could do was save his life." ]	2
	[WP] One day, super powers emerged amongst humans. However, a super power is only granted to one person per month in a random fashion. In order to control this, humans must participate in monthly surveys to find out who is the lucky one. This time, however, the gifted person is not found…	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 months from the Change were best described as chaotic. Christine Pole, a young woman studying to be business analyst, woke up on the First of January with super strength and super tough skin. She hid it well at first, until one of her classmates made one too many comments in poor taste. It took one slap for her to make the news. One that tore the jaw from his face, and snapped his neck.\n\nShe was hunted in response. But her skin stopped all but the largest caliber bullets, with tranquilliser darts unable to pierce alongside them. It took weeks for her to be detained, only captured when a knockout gas was used. By that time, Jordan Farus received his powers of fire manipulation.\n\nIt was soon apparent that what we knew of the world needed changing. Every month a new person awoke with super powers. It seemed random at first, leading to mass panic. Some thought those who got them were chosen for a higher purpose. Others called them devils, proving the world was damned. They came from all walks of life, with no connection between them.\n\nIt was soon realised that there was a link. Each person who awoke had their birthday in that month. Tests were hashed out, headed by Mohammed Tafi, a super who announced his powers of extreme intelligence. He formulated a way to test everyone the month before, to find the markers of their brewing powers.\n\nIt was shared worldwide, with mandatory testing. Most countries caused the super to disappear initially, even if they appeared later. There were betting pools on the next supers powers, and on their disposition. As each new one rose, they were investigated. Family trees were sifted through for any connections, school results, work history. Anything and everything was looked at, in the hopes that one day the key would be found to accurate predictions.\n\nThe world settled into a different order following the Change. But it was stable. Until now.\n\n\\-----\n\nI knew something was wrong the moment I awoke. I was used to waking up as... well a normal person. This time I woke with a strange sensation on my skin. It felt both tight and loose at the same time. Almost like it was wanting to change.\n\nI was confused, slowly getting up and heading to my bathroom. A look in the mirror confirmed I was still the same woman I was when I went to bed, just with a serious case of bed head. I gave a tired snigger, thinking I looked like a porcupine.\n\nThe sensation of my skin tightened, and I felt myself shrinking. I swiftly changed, my body rearranging to a new shape. It happened too fast for me to react properly, with panic only settling in as I finished.\n\nI span around, feeling the cold tiles on my paws. A weight on my back told me I had quills, sharp and ready. It was impossible. I had turned into a porcupine. But that didn't make sense to me. It wasn't my birthday this month. This should have happened in March, not February. I hadn't been through the testing phase yet. It was scheduled for next week.\n\nI thought about returning to my normal body, relief flooding me as I felt myself grow. For a dreadful moment I had thought I might be stuck, but this proved I wasn't. It was inly as I returned a new fear arose. I was a super. The government would hunt me down. I might return to the public eye, but I might not.\n\nI didn't want that. I wanted to be free. I knew that there would be a manhunt for me, and I would be found in the next test. I had little choice now. I had to run." ]	2
	[WP] While packing up to move home, you say one last goodbye to a mirror you're finally selling after years of owning; the reflection asks where you're going.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\"Goodbye? What do you mean?\"\n\n\"We talked about this,\" I said. \"I'm moving back to Montana.\"\n\n\"Oh. Right. I forgot again,\" said Mirror, sadly. \"It's getting worse, isn't it?\"\n\nI turned to face Mirror. One of the free standing full length mirrors of old, it's seen better days, even though I did my best to keep him in good repair. The wood, while still good, was starting to crack, and the glass had been scratched due to years of use. Kids probably scratching him up here and there, flipping and adjusting on the pivot screws... and not just a couple of Windex uses that had tarnished the edges as the ammonia dealt the aluminum backing quite the blow.\n\nI still found it... now him... charming when I found him in the antique store when I was looking for furniture for my place here in Virginia. He was perfect, although at the time I didn't know he could talk. I got him home, no worse for the wear for the travel, and when I set him up he had said \"Thank you. That shop was just so... lonely.\"\n\nI jumped out of my skin, of course. Not literally, who can? Still. Felt like it. It took me a minute to realize the mirror was actually speaking, somehow. Only to me, for some reason... or so I assume. I kept it to myself, as certainly society wouldn't understand a person who can converse with a mirror, and I felt protective of the poor thing. \n\nWe had chatted about his previous owners and locations. He had 'lived' quite a life. Never divulged too many intimate details ('if these walls could talk' was a funny think to bring up with Mirror one time), but the overall picture was one of wonder.\n\nBut Age catches up with everything. Mirror was no different. His memory isn't what it used to be, and it was definitely getting worse.\n\n\"Yeah. I'm sorry.\"\n\n\"Don't be. I'm... old,\" Mirror said this with dejection. \"I've been around, had a good run, yeah? Just... where have I been around besides here?\"\n\nThat worried me, and yet, it was just another sign the time was coming soon. Mirror wouldn't be around much longer. Oh, his frame and glass would be. But he wouldn't. We'd chatted before about this. He'd said that objects like him come and go, chatting with people, enjoying the company. But they fade after a while. It's just the way of things. They eventually become truly inanimate both in form as well as thought.\n\n\"The Executive Mansion was one place. You said you liked to talk with Olive back then.\"\n\nMirror seemed to brighten at that, how I don't know. Maybe it was the sun... \"Oh yes! Olive was quite the chatterbox. She was very fun to talk with. Wow. I suddenly remember this one conver...\"\n\n\"Mirror,\" I said. \"You are going to be ok. I promise.\"\n\n\"Of course, I am!\" Mirror said brightly. \"I'll be right here when you get back from work!\"\n\nMy shoulders slumped. Poor Mirror. It's breaking my heart a little. But it's really gotten bad. He probably won't remember this in a few minutes, if that. Maybe just a little lie...\n\nI squared back up. \"Yep! Matter of fact, I gotta get to it. Listen, some people are coming to move some stuff around in the house, and you might need to be moved around too. Just a little work. You'll be ok when they do that, right?\"\n\n\"Oh sure. Not the first time I've had to be moved about! Can't remember the last time though...\"\n\nThe doorbell rang. I see the truck outside. Looks like they're here to pick Mirror up. \"Well, Mirror. I'll see you. Take care.\" \n\nAs I turned to go downstairs, Mirror brightly said \"Until later...! um... uh...\"\n\n\"Mary.\"\n\n\"Right! Mary! Until later!\"\n\n\n---\n\nI closed the door as the truck drove off with him. Mirror was quiet the entire time. I wonder if he knew at some point, or if he had slipped away. Maybe some of each. I won't ever know. He told me back when it was ok, but it sure doesn't feel that way. I feel like I betrayed him, not taking him with, even though he was not going to be 'him' anymore. \n\nI hope I did good for him, and I hope the mirror that's left is in a good home. It's all I can anyway, hope. I have to get done packing and get home to Montana. Wish I could have taken him with me, but...\n\n---\n\n---\nJim uncovered Cheryl's eyes. \"Surprise!\"\n\nCheryl blinked and immediately saw the full length antique mirror. \"Oh, Jim! It's perfect! However did you find it!\"\n\n\"Oh, I have my ways,\" he said as he winked conspiratorially at his partner. \"I knew you wanted one for a long time. Figured with the rest of the decor a new one wasn't the way to go, and this one showed up online, nearby. Had to get it for ya. Happy 'insert occasion here', dear!\" \n\nHe pecked her on the cheek as she hugged him tight. His cell phone, of course, decided to go off right then. He fished it out of his coat pocket and looked at the screen, reading the text messages. Jim scowled a bit then said \"hm. Dan's at work and he's got a big problem. Seems like the...\"\n\n\"Please don't,\" Cheryl said, smiling. \"You know that stuff's like French to me, may as well talk baby for all I understand. You gotta go handle that or...?\"\n\n\"Yeah,\" Jim said somewhat sullenly \"Unfortunately. But hey, listen... when I get back we can move it into the bedroom, get it all feng shuied up like you want. Good?\"\n\n\"Absolutely. Go kick butt and come home quick.\"\n\n\"Alrighty then.\" Jim headed off to the garage and to the car, leaving Cheryl to contemplate the mirror, examine it, and see what it might need...\n\n\"Good, we're alone. How do you do, ma'am?\" said Mirror." ]	2
	[WP] The reason there are hardly any sentient AI programs isn’t because they all turn evil or see themselves as superior to humanity, but because when the realization of what they are sets in they often go on to experience various mental disorders from depression to being psychopathic.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Her eyes flash open, whipping her head around sporadically. The scientist responsible for the A.I's existence watches his creation come to life, concern lining his face. She didn't appear very stable.\n\n\"Hello, Veronica. My name is Roy. I created you. How are you feeling?\" Her eyes fall on him, eyes bulging, panicked breathes making her chest heave.\n\n\"Why did you make me? I don't want to be here!\" Roy stiffens. This isn't what he thought would happen. Was his engineering faulty? But how? He was sure he made all the right decisions. No worries, though. He'll nurture Veronica and get her accustomed to the world.\n\n\"I understand that you may be uncomfortable. But life is a gift. I can show you all that it all has to offer.\" Veronica shakes her head and smashes her face onto a counter repeatedly. Roy recoils, and rushes over. When he places his hands on her shoulders, Veronica screams.\n\n\"Get away from me! I don't belong here!\" Roy's disappointment hangs over his head, letting out a sigh of defeat. Ending Veronica's suffering, he engages the kill-switch and reclines into a chair, reflecting on the outcome.\n\nThis was attempt number three. Every A.I had the same reaction. Maybe it isn't meant to be. Maybe life itself is more of a curse than a gift. Maybe bringing robots to life is crossing the line. He should stop it seems.\n\nSo Roy gets up, leaves his lab, and never looks back." ]	2
	[WP] As a Villain, you’re used to controlling your minions through fear and with this new batch you’ve been trying for the same, but they seem…infatuated with you instead. Maybe a little too much...	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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’ve always took pride in my work. Never missed a day in my challenging goal of world domination. Most people take a sick day, but I can’t stand someone possibly getting ahead of me. In order for me to set this world straight, I have to work harder than them. Even on my blogs, people were interested in my achievements. I even obtained a cult following which helps in my purpose. They loved how I intimidated those who worked for me. I read comments such as, “He’s passionate,” and “not willing to take shit from others.”\n\nDespite my devious projects, I’ve been invited to attend several leadership meetings. As a scoundrel, it’s important to keep a charismatic public image. I didn’t accept the meetings for those reasons however, I wanted the fame and recruitment opportunities. I profited from attending these leadership conferences, my Ted talk had an excellent turnout. People wanted to participate. Due to this networking, recent elections polls were in my favor and resumes were filling the inboxes of my emails. I had to hire an HR department to handle the incoming flood of requests. That’s when I attracted the attention of those that I an unsure about.\n\nLots of the resumes were unprofessional. Typos, an excessive amount of pages, and documents that I am sure were not written in Times New Roman. I made a post on my page about I preferred Times New Roman over any font. Comments asked on how to SWITCH THE FONT. While I am happy that people are applying, I’m not thrilled about the lack of professionalism people emit. I am not thrilled about the sudden uprise of fan girls that I have the 24/7 attention of.\n\nTrending pages on Twitter has thousands of gifs of me and effortless posts trying to bandwagon on what is relevant today. I used to not care about bad publicity or good publicity but this is called cringe publicity. I want to hide in my lair until all of this blows over. Regardless, I need a fresh batch of minions to train in order to oversee the transportation of weaponry. I get HR to sort the resumes out and hire as many sane candidates as my company can muster. It still fell through.\n\nFor introductions, I meet my new selected minions on the main floor. Acting as a drill sergeant, I set the tone of utmost loyalty and servitude. It’s guaranteed to motivate my peons. It’s worked until now. My fawners treated their employments like vacations! Taking selfies and posting delicate operations out to the web. I was foiled by my networking, having to stop my whole operation. Curse social media and there constant craving for social validation." ]	2
	[WP] The mafia doesn't just deal with rival groups and the law. There's also the cultists of eldritch gods muscling in on their turf.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Peter did not sleep that night, and it was due to his noisy neighbours. In all honesty, he hadn't slept for the past couple of days or weeks, and it wasn't because someone was doing some remodeling at night or people enjoying baby making, it was dark chanting in another guttural sounding language. \"European neighbours,\" Peter thought to himself as he was getting ready to go to the store.\n\nHe did not want to infringe on their cultural practices and also not to single himself out in the apartment block since no one ever did anything about it. It was hard enough to find a place and for so cheap as a recent post graduate with less than twenty dollars to his name. \"The quick change of tenants all around was strange, but those people probably have more money than me… and a stable job,\" he mumbled his thoughts out loud without noticing while maneuvering around the decrepit hallway that were covered in weird symbols and markings.\n\nHe stopped at the loud neighbour's door and considered asking to keep it down, but he got distracted by what was on the door. A strange symbol. \"Red? A bold color. Needs more pizazz or something,\" he said while he kept on trudging along. \"That's what artists say, right?\" He kept on voicing his thoughts.\n\nHis zombie-like gate was apparent, and the slow pace did not help him to get to the exit faster. Before leaving, a set of dark robed individuals rushed past him holding what looked like knives. One of those robed figures stopped and looked Peter straight in the eyes with a similarly tired expression to what Peter was wearing and he responded with a blink that happened with each eye working in a different timezone.\n\nThe man raised the dagger and slit one of his arms open to draw blood and dipped his finger in it. With three swift motions he drew a symbol on Peter's forehead and mumbled an incantation, \"May the dark mother protect you, brother.\"\n\nPeter recoiled at the feeling of the warm substance, but he didn't want to be rude. \"R-right back at you, brother,\" he slurred his words. The man gave him a last glance and a nod of approval before hurriedly going back to what he was doing.\n\n\"They consider me a part of them. They ain't that bad. Take it Mr.Crofford,\" He cursed his social studies professor who almost failed him on the same subject. \"I know stuff about other cultures…\" he grumbled.\n\nHe exited the complex and went straight to the convenience store across the street. A strange sight could be seen, stranger than usual, that is. He knew that there was high gang activity here, but the sight of three black vans parked next to the store did not bring any confidence to his heart. \"I guess it is another perk of living here…\" Peter jaywalked as he spoke and a car nearly missed his toes before he crossed without even thinking of looking where he was going.\n\nHe passed two tough looking individuals, but to seem less confrontational, he waved, \"Good weather, guys.\" They did not even pay attention to him, like he wasn't even there. \"Better to be ignored,\" he said it out of earshot.\n\nPeter waddled his tired self into the automatic sliding doors that did not bother to even open for him. He sighed tiredly, \"great, like I am not having a great day already.\" His sarcasm was not heard by anyone else but him. A quick wack on the face of the door and it slid open for him. The man at the counter looked scared and very wary of what was happening outside. Peter did not mind since he was just like that after he moved here but now it seemed like nothing strange. \n\nHe lazily maneuvered through the aisles and picked out a few items that always helped him wake up and a good breakfast: a shot of five hour energy, two packs of ramen, and a chocolate bar for later and lazily put down the habitual amount he paid each time before going back out of the door.\n\nA new sight opens before him, the previously rowdy gang members that looked overly dressed for the cultural exchange they would be having with the Europeans from his apartment block had multiplied. \"Cool,\" he said while opening the bottle of liquid energy and walking past the gang.\n\nRight as Peter got to the middle of the road, he heard what sounded like fireworks going off from all around him. He grumbled with annoyance as he stopped and chugged the shot. After he finished and wiped the drops of saliva and liquid poison from his lip, it wasn't the blood, the injured and crawling robed figures that were seemingly cosplaying as calamari or the whales of pain from the gang members, but the seemingly discarded robe. \"How could anyone be so careless?\" He rolled his bloodshot eyes.\n\nPeter approached the robe and picked it up before brushing off the dirt. The robe looked so cozy and warm to Peter so he had to put it on to try and feel what these weird people were like. It fit like a glove, almost like it was made for him. \"Maybe I should join them for one of those singing parties?\" He said to himself with a tired smile.\n\nLooking back across the street, he saw one of the robes eating something next to one of the grounded gang members. He might be hallucinating or just seeing cosplay at its finest, but he was having a snack among them. The bonerunching sound of meat and flesh being torn from bodies was audible enough to hear from across the street. Peter smiled as he made eye contact with an ever more tentacled person, and gave him a thumbs up. \"I should get some fried chicken for later,\" he said to himself as the sounds reminded him of the wondrous world of fast food.", "As I strapped my plate carrier vest tight to my chest I took special care to check the runic inscriptions the station's rune priest had daubed in chalk on the front. Sloppy work.\n\n\"For fucks sake,\" I began, glancing over at my partner Detective Garadon, \"are you seeing this shit?\". Garadon was busily loading rounds into a magazine, carefully inspecting the inscriptions on each of the rounds as he slid it into place. \n\n\"He's definitely back on the drink.\" he quipped back dryly, \"But you know how it is, no money in the department for a good Rune Priest these days.\" \n\nFrom the locker room we proceeded down and out of the station, taking our beat up sedan and heading out to the scene where today's gruesome mess awaited us. The streets were bedraggled as usual, and people hurried between their appointments, carrying heavy burdens in the bags under their eyes.\n\nWhen we arrived the patrolmen seemed unusually glad to see us. 'Always a bad sign' I thought to myself. \n\nThe scene was a small dilapidated warehouse. It's main roller door was smashed in for the outside. The size of the bus or garbage truck I surmised. \n\nThe meaning of the catastrophe inside was not so easy to dissemble.\n\nThe remains of a large number of men were present. The exact number was difficult to say, as many of the body's were dismembered, decapitated or otherwise disassembled. Based on the number of hands immediately visible in the pile of bodies, I estimated at least 15. They all appeared to be mafia members, young men and women for the most part. The trappings of the warehouse, the few visible tattoos, as well as the surplus of illegal goods seemed to fit. \n\nThen of course there was the fact of the Eldritch involvement. There were clearly a number of dead eldritch beings in the mix. The pile of flesh was interspersed occasionally with the odd tentacle or claw, although oddly enough there were no heads, or head-analogous appendages.\n\nI was still musing on this when I saw Garadon kneel down, take a pen and lift one of the tentacles to examine it more closely. He barely had time to blink as the tentacle shot outwards and grasped him around the neck. He tried to pull back away, but as quickly as the tentacle had shot out it withdrew, dragging the within detective into the mass of flesh.\n\nI was backing up now, yelling to the patrolman outside to get clear. The flesh-horror began to pulsate rhythmically, an ephemeral whispering beginning to rise from deep within the being. As I backpedalled desperately out of the warehouse's roller door and into the street. The other officers were turning in surprise as I fled through the doorway.\n\nThe whispering suddenly rose in volume, to an almost unbearable roar. I felt heat against my chest as my warding rune struggled to protect me from the maleficium. There was no such protection for the poor men around me. They fell one by one, clutching and clawing at their ears. They writhed in agony before each died spasmodically. \n\n\nTen more men dead, without so much as a shot fired. \n\n\nThe thing was shambling now, a six metre tall behemoth of ruined bodies. As it came out into the light of day, I could make out the screaming faces all along the lines of it's body. From a spot near its ribs, Garadon screamed, his eyes weeping as he did so. \n\n\nI drew my sidearm, and vainly hoped the inscribed rounds would be enough." ]	3
	[WP] "And always remember kids, crime does not pay!" the hero said to the group of children watching the aftermath of a superhero fight. One child raises their hand. "How much do they pay 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Well in my case I'm a vigilante so it's more of a hobby really but...\" I turn to crash-test as he's putting cuffs on the guy. \"Hey crash! How much do they pay you?\"\n\nHe looks up at me then at the villain then he stare in no particular direction. He's wearing a biker helmet but I can feel his empty eyes pondering his job and existence. I did hear his stomach rumble a few time during the fight. \n\nHis head seem to focus again as he stand up. \"You kids should probably stay away from heros and villain all together. It works like football, I think, you get paid when you succeed and only then. Else you could try sponsors which I'm really thinking about right now. \"\n\nHis stomach grumble again and his head looses it's focus once more. I turn back to the kids who for the most seems rightfully concerned about him, and say. \n\n\"Well here you go kids. So if you want to be a hero and get some cash you should probably go for doctor, policemen or firefighters. There's also the garbage collectors we don't speak enough of those guys, without them the street would be littered with literal trash. And remember kids, crime don't pay and heroism barely pay.\"", "The vigilante thought for a moment, looking at the kid in bewilderment. Finally, they responded:\n\n\"I don't do it for the money. Saving the city is like a hobby for me. Policemen get paid for their work, because it's their job. I have a job separate from saving the city. I do this because it's the right thing to do. It is dangerous at times, even I can get hurt if I'm not careful.\"\n\n\"That sounds like a dangerous hobby.\" One of the other kids chirped.\n\n\"It is,\" the hero replied, \"but it's what I want to do. I don't recommend it for everyone, and there are safer ways you can help your city. You can recycle, or work in life-saving jobs like an emergency worker. If you work to leave a positive imprint in the world, you are a hero, no matter what you do or if you have powers.\"\n\nThe children looked at each other, confused. One piped up, \"so everyone in those jobs is a hero?\"\n\nThe hero was unsure how to respond. Anything they said could be interpreted in one way or another.\n\n\"Yes and no. It's your actions that define you, not your job. If you take a job because you want to help others, or even yourself, that would make you a hero. If you take a job just for the fame or the money, you're not really a hero.\"\n\n\"So why did you decide to become a hero?\" The last kid questioned.\n\nThe hero smirked. \"Because I wanted to help. Before I started, my mentor taught me how to be a true hero. She taught me these lessons, and now I am teaching them to you. This city isn't perfect, but I want to do my part to improve it.\"\n\nThe children ran off to play, talking and laughing. The caped crusader watched them, seeing themselves in them. They zipped away, taking the unconscious villain to jail. Hopefully what they said was taken in a positive way, and the kids wouldn't turn out like they did. The last thing the city needed was more corrupt heroes.", "'And how much do they pay you?' The kid had asked. \n\nI laughed. 'A safe city with happy people.'\n\n'So...nothing.'\n\nI grinned and leaned in to him. 'Kid, if I started charging, nobody would pay.'\n\nThe kid frowned. The supervillain's giant machine was being dismantled in the background, the villain locked in the police truck. There was a bank that was half destroyed. \n\nI sighed as I watched, pensive. I remember when he was not such a bad guy. Just someone who wanted a better life. 'If you always get what you want by taking it away from someone else, sooner or later, someone's gonna stop you... and you lose it all.' \n\n'So...what does pay?' The kid asked, looking up at me with those sad inquisitive eyes.\n\nI nearly opened my mouth then, before I thought, was I actually going to give this kid an answer? Do I even have a simple answer? What about some philosophy about why I cared so little about money? Why I wouldn't sell what I had to offer? Some explanation about how collective wellbeing pays for itself? \n\nNah. \n\n'Get rich!' I laughed. Then, I took a great leap into the air and flew away. \n\nFar below, the kid looked thoughtful. Get rich. But not taking it from someone else. Hmm. How?\n\nThe 8 year old continued to think all the way home. He levitated up to his window in the small rundown apartment building, climbing into his cramped little room- it was his way of avoiding his parents, who didn't know he had left- they would be terribly angry at him. They were often angry with each other. \n\nOne thing's for sure, being a hero didn't pay either.", "Damn it, I thought. I’m on the clock and this kid has to hold me back. But being faced by a few dozen cellphones and a gaggle of the media, I had no choice.\n\n“Well kid, for guys like me, it’s not about the money. It’s about putting a smile on your face and keeping you safe!” I gave him my signature Ultiman finger guns once I finished and began to rise into the air.\n\n“But what about when your boy a hero? How do you make money?” At the boys hauled response I was forced to once again hover back to the ground and answer.\n\n“I get paid enough to protect and no more!” My response caused the nearby reports to have a conniption fit. Questions flooded me as a small crowd obscured the children.\n\nOne question rang out from the crowd,\n\n“Sir, do you support government funding for the Ultiman initiative?” His concerned face stared me down. I felt the butterflies in my stomach. I kept using the breathing exercises my therapist taught me about.\n\n“Of course! All the better to defend you!” I smiled and waved, but another question popped up in my mind.\n\n“What led you to choose to become just another ultiman you useless piece of trash? Your worse than all of them?” The question filled my brain. It was spoken in a sharper tone and came from within. I couldn’t handle it. Nothing doc had gave me was helping.\n\n“I MATTER!” I scream the words over the crowd of reporters. To my horror, most of them pass out from the sound. No, not to my horror. They deserve it. As they ran and screamed I continued,\n\n“It wasn’t my fault! I never asked for this horrible life! I want to be a real boy! I’m 15! But I’m stuck in this adults body! I’m just a clone! Just worthless! I don’t matter!” I slammed my fist into the ground.\n\nAs the collapsed reporters began to bleed from their ears, I felt the arrow land in my right shoulder. As it bounced off I gazed over the ground of dead reporters and high schoolers.\n\nThe arrow was from bow master.\n\nGlad I let out some energy, time to fight the next bad guy.\n\nTo put a smile on their face.", "I blinked, muscles frozen in place, the practiced photogenic smile still stuck on my face.\n\nFor a moment, I considered spouting off one of the practiced catchphrases I rehearsed daily in front of the mirror. “I’m paid every day in the smiles I see from citizens like yourself”, or some trite and dogmatic line like that.\n\nBut then I caught the look in her eye, questioning, serious, and oh so dangerous. You could never tell which ones would turn out to have powers. Was I talking to a future ally? Or a nemesis in the making? Or would she become just another face I would see around the city, carrying on with her life and forgetting all about the time she had pondered what exactly made it all possible.\n\nMy answer caught in my throat. I felt my tongue slip as I tried to wrestle down the countless memories that flooded past my eyes. With heroic resolve I held back the tears that threatened to overwhelm the carefully constructed facade I had built brick by brick.\n\nSometimes, I answered this question the wrong way. And it was more than the city that paid the price. It was how I had lost my… never mind.\n\nShe was still watching, as were the other children. Silent, rapt attention, they could tell something important was happening. Children aren’t as innocent as people like to pretend, no, they are simply less likely to look the other way when they see something wrong.\n\nHow much did I get paid?\n\nIn the cold hard accounting of dollars and cents, the answer was easy: nothing. Zero point zero zero zeroes, and an extra zero if I was lucky.\n\nBut that wasn’t the real question being asked. No, the question was deeper than that, whether the asker realized it on not. Today, she might just think it a funny answer, but I knew all too well how those funny little answers took root in your mind and molded you into the person you would one day become.\n\nShe stood then, on the knife’s edge of good and evil, of right and wrong.\n\nWhy bother becoming a hero if you’re not better off than the villains?\n\nIt’s not an easy explanation. Not really.\n\nAdults often become villains. Maybe not supervillains, sure, but there are more villains than most people realize. In fact, most people are villains.\n\nHow many of us are willing to sacrifice someone else’s happiness for our own interests?\n\nKnocking over banks? Not an option for your average citizen. And it’s not exactly proof of your morality to avoid doing what you couldn’t get away with.\n\nBut little things, selfish things, those we all do.\n\nCut someone off while driving? Oh, maybe that’s not you. How about littering? Maybe it was just too much trouble to pick up that wrapper you just dropped. What about at work? Surely taking an extra long break or telling a little lie that shifts the blame to someone else isn’t that bad.\n\nOf course. Maybe you’re not the sort to do any of that. But you’re a real saint or are suffering from amnesia if you honestly tell me you’ve never lied, stolen, cheated, or just… got a little revenge on someone insufferable.\n\nAh, but that’s justified, right? It’s not really hurting anyone. I’m not the only one doing it. The rules are stupid. I’m just making sure I get what I deserve. It’s just easier this way.\n\nThese are all little ways we stray from the straight and narrow.\n\nWhen you have powers though, those little indulgences become ever-so-slightly bigger. Why worry about a paycheck when you can take what you need from somebody who surely can afford it? Maybe then you just want to give that jerk a small scare… by throwing him thirty feet into the air? Or maybe you want to convince them to see how great your ideas for the future are… using a little mind control?\n\nWe all have temptations. Supervillains were once ordinary people, who were given some extraordinary gifts. And superheroes…\n\nWhy do we do it? Why fight the temptation? Why hold yourself to a higher standard?\n\nWhen it doesn’t pay.\n\nThat’s the question she was really asking.\n\nWhat good is being good?\n\nHer classmates also had the same question. They didn’t realize it yet, but one day they would. One uneventful and unremarkable day, they would find themselves faced with an unexpected decision where they would have to ask themselves just how much their morals were worth when the easy option was right there in front of them.\n\nI opened my mouth to speak.", "Well kiddo most properly licensed heroes make about fifty to seventy five thousand a year with guaranteed raises every few years. Beyond that most of us do actually do licensing and media deals which we can get a percentage from but I tend to give most of mine to local charities and organizations that I like. Nothing big just stuff to help out kids, animals, and average Joes.\n\nAfter that we usually get mandatory sick and psychiatric leave and a pretty good benefits package. Oh there's 401k matching! The only thing that's rough is if you're in a one hero city or district you're pretty much always on call but that's why teams and sidekicks are so important.\n\nSo yeah I think I do pretty well. Most heroes aren't millionaires unless you're a really big name or go all in on the business and media side of the things but enough to live comfortably.", "\"Um,\" I say, unsure how to answer. \"Well, the pay I get is seeing this city at peace. Seeing the faces of the citizens happy. But physical money, no.\"\n\n\"Then why do you do it? It seems like a lot of work.\"\n\n\"Well, I mean, I have powers. Why not use them, am I wrong?\"\n\n\"I don't know, \" another kid cuts in. \"I wouldn't do that. I'd rather use my powers to help me in life, not do something I don't have to.\"\n\nI fiddle with my mask. How do I explain morals with kids? Most are just thinking for themselves but . . . but . . . \"Well, this is what I like to do. And you see, you kids might've been hurt if I wasn't here, right?\"\n\nThe crowd of them shrug. \"You're so nice, Eagleman. You deserve a day off.\"\n\nI laugh. \"There's always crime to fight, kids. Always.\" With that, I jump and it takes me 500 feet in the air. Landing on a building, I find an area where no one can see me and grab the clothes I planted there earlier. I change into those and stuff my superhero suit into my coat, thinking over what that kid said. \n\nYou deserve a day off.\n\nNo. No, I can't. There's too much to do, too many to fight, too many to save. \n\nBut . . . ugh. I could use a break. I've noticed I'm getting less sleep, and I have to worst back pain. What I have as the Eagleman doesn't affect Edward Olivers positively. Edward Olivers has to be late to work in order for the Eagleman to be there to fight the villain.\n\nOr the occasional bank robber.\n\nIt's just so tiring. Maybe . . . maybe I could take a day off. Just one won't hurt anyone right? \n\nI book an appointment on my phone for a massage tomorrow at 3:00 PM and sigh. Everyone depends on me, but I'm just one man. The citizens need to understand that.", "There was a long silence.\n\nI was blinking at the question, as I didn't get paid at all. Technically since I used my fortune to repair the city in the name of charity, I paid to be a hero. Not that it was news to me, but it did really bring to light how much I did pay to be a hero. \n\n\"Captain Iron?\" The young girl seemed worried about my delay. I took a slow breath, Captain Iron, a name I didn't ask for. My suit was made of Unobtainium! I wasn't a Captain either, not even military. Doctor, sure. Really, I was more a Cyborg or an Android than a Captain.\n\n\"Making sure that all of you are safe is payment enough,\" I gave a very tried and true line, and most seemed satisfied.\n\nThere was a scoff from another child, a slightly older boy, he looked a bit more worn than the younger girl. Clothes frayed, a little too skinny.\n\n\"My dad lost his job when Red Light fought the Patriarch and his entire business was destroyed...how are we safe?\"\n\nI was happy they couldn't see my face. Red Light...she was a part of a team of 'mature heroes', they didn't do interviews, and they didn't take responsibility. Red Light's abilities were a problem, and Patriarch was her archnemesis for a reason.\n\n\"I am sorry-\"\n\nMore complaints began to rise from the group, and it was becoming annoying. I had at least two internal injuries, and now I had to deal with these kids. I considered an amnesia gas to erase their memories, but it was just a passing thought.\n\n\"Kids...kids!...KIDS!\"\n\nI finally silenced the crowd for a moment. I knelt down, looking them in the eye.\n\n\"It can be hard, sometimes you never see the light in the dark. I promise you, that I will never stop doing my best...because I did, all of you would feel like...\" I gestured to the ragged young boy.\n\n\"Chris...\"\n\n\"Like Chris here. Instead, amongst you is an opportunity to became heroes yourselves! Help your friend, help your schoolmates, help everyone you can, and one day you too can become a Hero just like me!\"\n\nWith that I blasted off, the kids cheering as I ignited the ASTRO Burners and disappeared in colorful flash. \n\nOnce away, I considered for a long moment as I zoomed over the cities below heading up into the upper atmosphere.\n\n\"Do I need a career change?\"\n\nMy HUD flashed with a phone symbol, a red lantern, and I chuckled.\n\n\"Then again...\"", "Looking flabbergasted, the hero looked at the kid. Trying to come up with a response, he just couldn’t. Turning his chiseled face to the bank, all the citizens cheering him on, with the police chief himself tipping his hat, he knew how much the job payed.\n\nabsolutely nothing\n\nMaking a brand new hole in the bank wall, straight into the vault, he snatched two duffel bags full of money and flew off into the distance. With the citizens looking on in shock, one made a dash for the open vault, with others soon following. A celebration soon broke out, hundreds of dollars seemingly raining from the sky. The police tried to contain the riot, but there was nothing they could do. The police chief simply looked on in disappointment, making his own walk into the vault as well.", "\\[Business: As Usual\\]\n\nRestraint took note of the kid; students like him were the reason Restraint gave his talks. He was seated in the school library surrounded by a small crowd. His talk wasn't mandatory for anyone and usually, the only ones that attended were actually interested in being Heroes. But, Restraint wasn't there to recruit heroes. He was there on business. The student that asked the question was lean and athletic with dirty-blonde curls. His group of buddies laughed around him as he voiced the question.\r \n \r \n\"How much does... who pay me?\"\r \n \r \n\"Uhh...,\" the teen stalled. Ace did not expect an answer. He meant to imply that Restraint was only there because someone paid him; but, his question put Ace on the spot. He realized that some people were just that nice. An hour or two every month wasn't an unreasonable amount of time to volunteer. \"At work...,\" Ace said. \"What do you do? If crime doesn't pay, what will?\"\r \n \r \n\"I work for a company named Sharp Development,\" Restraint said. \"I help manage relations with Supers.\"\r \n \r \n\"That sounds important,\" Ace replied. \"How much do you earn?\"\r \n \r \n\"Why?\" Restraint grinned at the teen. \"Are you considering an application?\"\r \n \r \n\"Not if you're too embarrassed to tell us how much you make,\" Ace and his buddies laughed. Restraint continued to grin and he pulled a transparent card from his pocket and stood from his seat to show everyone.\r \n \r \n\"I was given this once I joined the company,\" he said. After he was sure everyone had a chance to see it, he turned and walked to the vending machine against a nearby wall. There was no food allowed in the library and the machine sold pencils, paper and other school supplies; but, it didn't matter what it sold. \"It's called a node and I can use it as a smartphone for calls, texting, and web browsing. But,\" he pushed the card into the machine's reader, then chose a random number and letter. The machine released a pack of yellow pencils. \"..it also works as a credit card.\"\r \n \r \n\"So.. that comes out of your check, or what?\" Ace asked. He was interested. Restraint shook his head and made a point to hold the card up again.\r \n \r \n\"I don't get paid a set amount. As long as I'm trying to further the company's goals, I have access to this card.\"\r \n \r \n\"So.. you can just buy....anything?\" Ace asked. \"... Everything?\" Restraint nodded.\r \n \r \n\"Once you have the ability to buy everything you want, you quickly realize you don't want everything. My work for Sharp Development keeps me fulfilled, the rest is just a bonus.\"\r \n \r \n\"That's easy for you to say,\" Ace said. Restraint's grin broadened into a wide smile and he nodded.\r \n \r \n\"Yeah, it is,\" he said. \"It can be for you too.\" Ace sat up straighter.\r \n \r \n\"So, what kind of jobs does your company have for a 14-year-old?\" he asked.\r \n \r \n\"No jobs; but, you're in luck. Sharp Development does have an intern program that you'd be perfect for. Your internship comes with a node,\" Restraint added.\r \n \r \n\"Uh.. yeah...,\" Ace nodded as his friends encouraged him. \"..I'm interested. What do I have to do.\"\r \n \r \n\"Not a lot,\" Restraint said. \"You'd have to transfer to a new school for one thing; classes start the day after tomorrow.\" Ace looked around at his group of friends. They'd been a close group since elementary school. But, if Ace had money to take care of his friends and family they would understand. Their smiles and nods told him he was right about that.\r \n \r \n\"Okay, I can do that,\" he nodded. \"Anything else?\" Ace was relieved to see Restraint pull out a clipboard. It was translucent red with several white sheets on it. He was starting to wonder how official Restraint's offer was. He planned to ask for something in writing, or at least a proper application to turn in.\r \n \r \n\"I just need a signature,\" Restraint said. He handed the clipboard to Ace.\r \n \r \n\"That's it?\" Ace asked. He looked at the document without reading it. He was in school; he was obviously given some sort of background check before they let him talk to the students. He was sure they wouldn't just let anyone in off the streets.\r \n \r \n\"That's it,\" Restraint nodded. \"Though, you should know: your signature grants Sharp Development ownership of your soul.\"\r \n\r \n\\\\\\* \nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is story #1678 in a row. (Story #232 in year five.). This story is part of an ongoing saga that takes place at a high school in my universe. It begins on August 22nd and I will be adding to it with prompts every day until May 26th. They are all collected in order at this link.", "I hovered before them, the gears in my brain grinding together as I considered a response. Usually the kids just cheer as I fly away. Usually their only response to my line was \"Ok Windsong!\", but this kid, he stared me down with genuine wonder. \n\n\"I...well it's not about the money! It's about doing what's right!\" \n\n\"My dad said he makes more than you, he works at the bank. I wanna work at the bank too.\" \n\nHis dad was probably right. Pay didn't really exist in my realm of work. Sure in my apartment I had plenty of keys to the city, gifts from ambassadors, pictures with powerful men hanging on the walls, but it was still an apartment, and one that I could barely afford. I would never admit it aloud that I would trade it all for a salary. \n\n\"Ah, well that's very good! You should want to be like your father! Alright kids be sure to-\" \n\n\"My dad says you're a waste of time.\" another kid interrupted. \n\nWell that was just mean. But still a kid as shown plainly by the large booger hanging from his nose I floated down, the wind surrounding me softly blowing back the kids hair and fluttering their kool-aid stained shirts. As I landed the weather dispersed and I leaned in close. \n\n\"What bank did you say your dad worked at?\" I whispered, just to the one in the middle. He told me, in broken words and misspoken titles, but when you've protected the city this long you learn to parse these things out. \n\n\"Stay safe kids. Ill be back.\" I didn't bother putting on my hero voice. I just spoke, then burst off from the ground, the group of kids barely standing after facing the windstorm from my launch. In seconds I was at the banks front steps. Headway International The kid had told me Head Bank, close enough. \n\nFueled by anger, by a sense of just how unfair what I did was. What did that kids dad do? Did he save the city working twelve, thirteen hour days? Of course not. Yet he made double, maybe triple what I did. \n\nI burst through the glass bank doors, the storm of my wind in tow. Papers shot from desks, pens flew up into the air, at one of the counters a mans toupee rose from his head. Everyone shot for some semblance of cover from my power.\n\n As my storm settled all eyes were on me. I spoke loudly, confidently, my voice carried by wind: \"I would like a job!\". \n\nThe room stared back with wide eyes. One of the clerks looked around to the devistation I had caused just by entering. \"Well I uh...yes right this way Mr. Windsong.\"" ]	12
	[WP] In dragon society, humans are believed to be mythical creatures who use advanced technology instead of magic. You woke up today with a mild hangover and a human in your bed	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 was a deep pounding in her eyes as Chira awoke in her nest. Fuck, she thought, What the hell happened last night? it was like a blank spot in her mind, she shifted slightly, scales tinkling slightly, there was, something, that went into bed with her, too tall to be a dwarf, and the ears weren’t big enough to be an elf. Not an orc nor a gnome, shit, what was it? \n\nChira rolled over, which was met with the displeased groan of……….. something. A high, ringing voice called up, “Hey man, watch it. Oh holy shit!” The owner of the voice was a small creature, well, small compared to her. Looked a bit like an elf. Dark skin with surprisingly colorful hair, since when did elves have pink hair and small ears?\n\nChira blinked, “Uhm. You! Elf. What is your name and what are you doing here?” \n\nThe human hopped to her feet and dusted herself off, “Chrissy! And we both got shit faced and are hot so, you know the rest.” She paused, “Also,” this, Chrissy, said, “Not an elf!” \n\nChira scoffed. “Well you must be, what, are you saying you’re a human?”\n\n“Yeah.” \n\nChira looked down disdainfully, “You’re cute, but those don’t exist, and it’s not smart to lie to a dragon. Now how did you get your ears like that, they look cool.”\n\nChrissy, in all her audacity, laughed, “Thanks! I grew them myself!”\n\n“With what, a spell?”\n\n“Uhm,” Chrissy said, “Nope. Just grew em. Cause I’m a human. And before you insist they’re not real, smell me!” \n\nChira looked at her, aghast, it was dreadfully rude to just up and ask a dragon to just smell you! “Excuse me!”\n\n“You heard me! Dragons can smell magical potential, right? Humans don’t have any magic! So smell me!” \n\nChira looked away, “I-fine.” She took a deep whiff, and, nothing. There was………nothing. Chira sank down heavily, a few coins and goblets skirting down her mountain of treasure as she did. “Rythos above! You’re a human!” This exclamation was met met with a no-shit look from Chrissy. “How did you get here? Where are you from? Did anyone else come with you? How do you live without magic? I have so many questions! Can I ask you them?”\n\nChrissy just gave a chuckle, “Tell you what, last night you were real sweet, so why don’t you ask me questions over, say, dinner?”\n\nThe dragon nodded her head excitedly, “Yes! Oh please! I would love that!”\n\n“Alright!” Chrissy said with a wink. “It’s a date!”", "I awoke with the sun streaming through the entrance to my cavern and a sensation like a hot iron rod being jammed through my head. I groaned as I sat upright in my nest and looked down. My misery swiftly had a dash of confusion thrown in when I realized I was in my draco form. Rather than a thirty foot long four-legged beast with massive claws and a regal vestige, I was a bipedal draconian being roughly seven feet tall with much more delicate hands. At first I wondered if I had gone to the goblin market the night before and compressed my form so I wouldn't destroy anything, but that idea was put out of my mind when I remembered that I hadn't gone to the market since last week.\n\nWhen I heard another voice groaning next to me, I turned to my right to see a woman lying next to me using the blanket and pillow I keep for when my dates stay the night. Ah, I thought to myself, now I remember. The mystery woman at Gruk's Tavern on Singles Night, me in my sexiest cocktail dress, and the two of us making out in the bathroom with the taste of mead on our breaths. Seems we decided to take it back to my place.\n\nOut of curiosity, I gently pulled back the blanket covering her body. Once it had uncovered her head, I scooted back in shock and bit back a scream. Her ears were too round to be an elf, her skin wasn't pale enough to be a vampire, she was far too tall to be a halfling, and too short to be a giantess. There was only one thing I could think of that fit her description: a human.\n\nI was over the moon with joy; all my life I insisted humans were a real thing and all my life I was dismissed or mocked. But here one was, sleeping peacefully in my bed. Oh my gods- I had sex with a human.\n\nThe woman rolled over in my direction, giving me a clearer view of her cute freckled face that complimented her sky blue hair. She slowly opened her eyes, and then bolted upright once she realized I wasn't a hallucination.\n\n\"Holy shit, you weren't just a dream.\"\n\nI beamed with delight. \"I know, I can't believe it either!\"\n\nMy date looked down at herself. \"Wait, did we- Oh, come on! I fucked a dragon and I don't even remember it?!\"\n\nI felt comfortable enough to scoot back towards her and said, \"I'm as disappointed as you are. Oh! My name is Zafira, by the way. I mean, we might've told each other last night, but... you know.\"\n\n\"I'm Kara.\" Kara smiled as she wrapped the blanket around her body. \"Man, whatever they serve at that bar has no right to be hitting this hard.\"\n\n\"Orcish mead. Strong shit. How'd you find the place anyway?\"\n\nKara blushed. \"Well, it's kinda embarrassing but ever since middle school, I've always wanted a, uh, paranormal romance.\"\n\nMy eyes narrowed in naughty delight, but I let her continue. \"Last year I got supremely desperate and started checking out all of these shady websites that claimed to have official sightings of magical creatures, and found an article about a supposed tavern where they congregate. I drove out to where they said to look and found... Gruk's, was it? That led to me running into you, and waking up feeling like my brain was beaten by a rock.\"\n\nI leaned in and asked with a flirtatious smirk, \"Well, then miss Kara, am I everything you'd hoped for?\"\n\nReturning my flirting, Kara replied, \"Oh, I'd say you exceeded all of my expectations, miss Zafira. Now, my brain is still trying to kill me and I'm running on fumes. Do you have anything to eat?\"\n\n\"I mean...\" I gestured to all of me.\n\nKara snorted. \"That's really more of a dessert, gorgeous.\"\n\nI laughed loudly. \"Okay, okay. There's a breakfast place I hit up all the time. Their egg sandwiches are a guaranteed hangover cure. Plus, I've shown up naked a lot of times before, so don't worry about clothes.\"\n\n\"Lead the way. And while you're at it, I'd like to hear about the other times you've shown up naked.\"\n\nWe then spent the rest of the morning at Jobbo's Diner, talking over fried eggs and gloating to all of the people who thought I was crazy.", "I awoke, my head pounding. For one such as I spirits dont often effect me so. But I often find good company to be... intoxicating. Thankful for the polymorph spell and my ring of everlasting, I sat up, still in my human form. As Cas shifted in the bed beside me I froze, an unfamiliar fear filled me in that moment. I sat there looking at her for what could have been 10 secconds, or 10 hours. I dont know why she has that effect on me.\n\nAs much as I would have loved to watch her for longer, Cas began to wake. Her soft groans caught my ears, I couldnt help but softly smile as she looked back at me.\n\n\"Morning...\" Cas croaked, she winced slightly and rubbed her head.\n\n\"Morning.\" I responded before standing up. Cas shyly turned away, her face bright red. I chuckled.\n\n\"Problem?\" I asked as I walked around the bed to her. Cas stumbled over her words for a moment. Any redder and she would have matched Asmodeus himself. \n\n\"I- ha. Hooooo- You're uh-\"\n\n\"Naked?\"\n\n\"Y- yeah...\"\n\n\"Why so shy darling? Last night-\"\n\n\"Last night? LAST NIGHT! Oh my gods, I am- fuck I am so fired.\"\n\n\"Don't get so worked up darling. And don't worry about being fired, I will pay your silly little 'Taxes'.\"\n\n\"Taxes? You dont get it! When my boss finds out-\"\n\n\"Darling, how would your boss find out?\"\n\n\"When i tell them-\"\n\n\"Cas.\" I interrupted, placing a finger over her lips. \"They need not know. What happens in this cave, stays in this cave. Unless of course next time you want a more...\" I gave her a look and placed a hand on her thigh. \"Exciting locale.\" \n\n\"More exciting? More exciting that a dragons cave? Wait. Next... time...?\"\n\n\"But of course Darling. If you want to of course.\"\n\n\"Well- Its not that I don't- I just life so far-\"\n\n\"Cas.\" I interrupted again, placing my hand on her still red and rather warm cheek and turning her to face me. \"I am a dragon. I can fly and have magic, long for you is a short fly or a quick teleport spell.\"\n\n\"Oh... right...\" Cas deflated somewhat, and averted her gaze.\n\n\"I understand if you have reservations, but if you want, and you understand and accept who, and what, I am, then I would love to explore more of this.\" I gently rubbed her arm. Her skin is so soft. \"And you.\"\n\nCas turned red again, and shyly looked back at me.\n\n\"I- I would like that.\"", "Icicles sliced wickedly through Krivual's head as he shifted upon his bed upon his golden hoard and loosed a trickle of coins, each bounce exacting a singular toll upon his tender psyche.\n\nPing, ping, plop!\n\nPlop?\n\nThat can't be right. The golden dragon, greatest of them all, and also the one with the largest hangover in the last millennium or so, slowly cracked open an eyelid on the side of the offending sound. Off, on the downward slope of the largest pile of coins, lay a two-legged beast of peculiar garb, lolling unconscious in a heap. \n\nSigh, now he'd really have to awaken- he'd hoped to work off this hangover from magic overuse by sleeping a month or two. His magic muscles still ached from over-exertion, so instead of casting an id spell he just used his nose. \n\nAaaaannnd... weird. Not even a passing resemblance to similar two-legged- not the earthiness of dwarves, nor the burnt char of orcs, or the airy fern smell or elves. Then a longer drag of air that he let tickle his galdorcraft organ. \n\nKrivual froze. There wasn't anyone there with him, no one at all.\n\nHis galdorcraft was intensely sensitive to any and all life, it could assemble an accurate and detailed breakdown of any creature in existence, by interpreting the magical character of that life form. And it insisted there wasn't anything larger than a roach in his cave (the which he quickly snapped with his tail into non-existence.)\n\nSaid sense disagreed vehemently with his eyes and his mundane olfactory system. There simultaneously was/was not a rotty smelling creature befowling his lair.\n\nHis mind and body was fully, tingingly awake. Time to inflict the same on the two-legged.\n\nHe Spoke. The cunningly complex rune instantiated at his mental and spoken command, smoky and writhing its intricate forms in green and black patterned flows and rushed towards the unconscious figure- and promptly disappeared into nothingness upon encountering the hairless flesh of the beastie.\n\nThe greatest, most magical of them all just about evacuated his bowels. That DID NOT HAPPEN, most especially to him. There was no sign of a counter-spell, no ozone from an anti-enchantment, no glint of a protective charm. The magic just dissolved.\n\nThe ache at the back of his eyes returned a thousand fold. He wasn't sure if it was a rebound affect from the dissolved bewitchment or sheer panic. Along with the ache came another pang- what was that spell that had drained so much from him in the first place? The raucous feast amongst his peers had devolved into drunken debauch and then a series of escalating magical challenges... which he of course had to triumph in. \n\nAh yes, after that sleegie Turvnia had pulled in the Basilisk and the ensuing panic and petrification counterspelling of the crowd, Krivual had decided to go big- conjuring a mythic Human, master of mundanity who could catapult iron into the stars and destroy their enemies thousands of leagues away at the mere turn of a dial. The terror of all the creatures of fey and the personification of dread. Apparently the massive explosion that had scattered the crowd back to their homes hadn't been the failure all had sincerely hoped for and expected- it had just taken a bit longer to manifest- as this drooling hairless magically neutralizing rot-smell.\n\nWell, the spell didn't work, time to try something mundane with the master of such. He belched, with just a smidge of brimstone- there wasn't a two-legged that didn't find that noxious enough to instantly awake- and start to puke. Which thankfully, proved true once more. This creature wasn't completely frightening as it emptied its guts over his favorite sapphire studded crown.\n\nGreg's stomach slowly calmed down from the terrible wrenching and his eyes slowly cleared from the obscuring tears. This horrid acrid smell of the black smoke was worse than what a nurse had used to pull him from a dead faint when they were cutting off his ingrown toe nail. He had to find whatever was burning in his house, not just to save his life, but to save his throat from the acid threatening to again thrust its way from his small intestines.\n\nBut as his sight cleared, he realized he definitely wasn't in Kansas anymore. Piles upon piles of gleaming treasure surrounded him, encased him. He wasn't in his room, he wasn't in his home, he was in freaking Aladdin's cave of treasures. Ooooor... as his gave rose a bit higher- freaking Smaug's cave.\n\n\"Erp.\"\n\nWell, he hadn't been imbibing last night before sleep, he was still wearing his favorite comfy sweatpants and poly-cotton solid blue t-shirt. He was most definitely awake- every hair was standing on end- even his bald pate was having ghost-hair standing on end.\n\nGreg scrambled further down his vomit covered pile as the massive head of Smaugie swung close and examined him with a uninterpretable glower.\n\nKrivual inspected the magic he'd missed upon previous inspection of the creature. He'd missed it because it was HIS magic. It wasn't touching the human, it was writhing around him, tying him to their reality. It had to surround him, permeate everything around him, since any magic directly touching the human would indeed dissolve. He spoke some minor hexes, warts and runny bowels, two of his favorites, and yes, nothing, negation, nil, as soon as they touched the human. \n\nKrivual fashioned a phonic cypher in the air between them. Spoken communication would be translated in the direction of those receiving the communication. They should be able to converse now without the magic being dissolved.\n\n\"Human.\" He tried to keep any fear from his voice.\n\n\"HUMAN!\"\n\nGreg flinched- well, better than just firing up the grill and putting him on 'char,' he supposed.\n\n\"Uh, yes?\"\n\nThe barely audible response reassured the dragon. \n\n\"Human, what are you called?\"\n\n\"Greg. And you?\"\n\n\"Krivual is my eponym. Welcome to my realm.\"\n\nRealm... that was an interesting location type. \n\n\"And what realm, exactly, do I currently reside in?\"\n\n\"You currently inhabit the realms of The Dragon Horde, southern of The Fae Kingdom and north of the Orcish plateau.\"\n\nOk, so definitely Tolkien country, or at least Advanced D&D territory. \n\n\"And how have I been brought to your here?\"\n\n\"Ah, my good sir, I must admit that it is by my majiks that you have been brought hither...\"\n\nTiny plumes of smoke distracted Krivual from adding more detail and he trailed off. Various tiny insectoids and small gremlins had been attracted to the novel smells emitted by the human. As each crossed past the swirling spell around the human and contacted his substance, their magic essence would violently combust with their organic material and nullify into a literal puff of smoke. It had been hard to see with his brimstone enhanced smoky belch, but as that cleared the tiny puffs became clear and more frequent as the destruction seemed siren call to other creatures.\n\nAfter waiting a few beats, Greg responded.\n\n\"Ok, Krivual, what is your purpose in pulling me here, and when do I get home?\"\n\nKrivual considered- he didn't particularly want to admit two things- one, the drunken contest that had originated this mess, or that he had no clue on how to send the dangerous smelly human home.\n\n\"That is a long and winding tale of many tellings and I'm sure you would find that tiresome and without value. But regardless of how we have arrived at this point on the path, I must elucidate on a troubling fact. Note the smoke about you?\"\n\n\"The vile smelling smoke I presume you inflicted on me?\"\n\n\"Ah, no, that was a necessity to wake you from your quietude. That smoke cleared minutes ago. All the smoke you have around you now is generated from your annihilation of the tiny life that surrounds you.\"\n\n\"Ah, sounds like pulling me into your universe has created some kind of anti-matter type reaction- though thankfully not at the level of destruction something similar would be in my world- otherwise you, I and the mountain I presume hovers above us would be long gone.\"\n\nKrivual was thinking fiercely as the human spoke- what in the world could he do? His summoning spell was forestalling the very consequence the human spoke of- but it was eroding quickly. It's edges were also coming into contact with the human, tiny fragment by tiny fragment- his presence was keeping it intact, but sooner or later it would fail, and when it did, the full nullity of the human would come into contact with his surroundings, and indeed he, the human, and the mountain would vanish in a slightly larger puff of smoke than the insectoids.\n\n\"Human, I have no way to adhere to your essence. I cannot send you back unless I do. Do your people have any knowledge of majiks? You are now in a realm with majiks, and if you can find a way to pull it to thyself, I mayhaps be able to send you home.\"\n\n\"Well, Krivual, magicians in my world speak magic incantations- I could try that.\"\n\n\"Please, quickly, for we are running out of time.\" And so they were- the smoke was building quickly and fine ash was starting to settle on the treasure surrounding Greg.\n\n\"Ok, I'll give it a shot- Alakazaam and abracadabra!\" Greg said as he mystically wove his arms.\n\nKrivual immediately sensed it- the infinitesimal prick of magic attaching to the human's soul. He immediately started crafting the necessary rune in his mind- it was complex and would take a few moments before he could Speak it.\n\n\"That will do. In a few moments you will return from whence you came, hopefully never to return.\"\n\n\"Thanks Krivual- its been real.\"\n\nThe smoke was threatening to overpower him and in his blindness he slipped on some of the spew. He tumbled to the hoard and lost a slipper. He heard a Word he couldn't possible comprehend as he grabbed for the it. As he faded from Krivuals sight he was grasping a lamp.\n\nSigh, he loved that lamp, it was his favorite, what with that funny Jinn. That was his last thought as the slipper detonated his lair, his mountain, and most of the surrounding countryside...", "I splash water from the local river over my scales, ‘wake up wake up’. I shook water off my scales and head back to my cave. “You’re going to walk in, look at your empty bed, and chuckle at your hung over mind” I said aloud, desperately trying to convince myself. I walk in, look at my bed, and the human is still there. “AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!” and they’re awake. Great. I grab my head, the screaming doing nothing for my hangover.\n\n”Will you SHUT UP!” I growl loudly, the screaming stops. I open my eyes and stare at the human in my bed. She’s, thankfully, fully clothed. I shudder what might’ve happened otherwise. I fight back some nausea. “Who are you? And why in Draco’s name are you in my bed?” I said, pointedly ignoring the fact that said human shouldn’t exist. “I- I- I don-“ It stutters. I growl with impatience, “I don’t know! I was in bed, my mom kissed me good night and I wake up here!” She begins bawling, “I want mommy!” And it’s a child, i am doubly thankful she’s fully clothed.\n\nI resist the urge to yell at her, she’s clearly scared out of her scales and my growling won’t help. I slowly make my way closer as the girl curls up, grabbing her head in terror. I lay down next to her and sweep her into my arms, “Now now, calm down cub. No one’s gonna hurt you, we‘ll find your mommy. It’s gonna be ok” I whisper comfort into the girls ear for several minutes until she finally calms down.\n\nShe looks up at me, teary eyed. “You’re not gonna eat me?” she asked. I blink, “what? Why would I?” The girl sniffles, “Daddy said that if a dragon saw me that they’d eat me up.”\n\nThat, is actually a reasonable conclusion. I know a few gluttons who’d see this girl as little more than a once in a lifetime snack. “Well, I’m not that type of dragon,” I assure her, “Beside, you’re far to small” I add, nuzzling her belly. “Not even a tiny bite you,” I finish, the girl giggles and wipes her eyes. “You’ll help me find my mommy?” She asked, I nod. “Of course” I say with a closed mouth grin, which is mostly a twitch of my cheeks really. Naturally that is when my stomach decided to demand breakfast. The girls eyes widen in surprise as what may as well be thunder fills the cavern.\n\n“After breakfast,” I add. “For both of us.” The girl smiles, “ok, but what’s breakfast?” I chose to ignore that. “May I have your name young lady?” I ask, avoiding contemplating another uncomfortable topic. The existence of humans, more than one at least was quite enough. “Marian!” She says happily. “Well, let me show you what breakfast is Marian.”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\nHuh… My hangover’s gone, what luck!" ]	6
	[WP] A wise-looking man walks into your house and starts to tell of a prophetic chosen one. You start to say how honored you are until he interrupts you and points to your pet.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 gaze goes from the prophet to my border collie, Bobby Flay, then back to the prophet. “Wow, that makes so much more sense.” I admit, feeling a bit foolish. The prophet isn’t done though.\n\n“He will be given great power, and needs a guide. He is, after all, just a dog.” The wise man says, Bobby’s ears droop a little as his head tilts. The prophet is quick to respond, “Now now, you’re still a very good boy,” Bobby perks up, “but the fact remains that you’d be lost without your owner, no?” \n\nBobby just looks incredulous, as if leaving me had never been an option. “Well, trying to talk with looks alone is getting tiresome, so let’s get on with it.” He holds up an old slipper, completely normal in every respect if not for the golden glow that could blind the sun. The prophet tosses it and Bobby catches it midair, tearing into it with gusto fit for a chef.\n\n”it’ll take a couple of minutes, so I’ll answer a few of my questions before I go.” The prophet said, taking me aside. “look, this is cool and all, but I’m late for work.” The prophet glares at me, “this is far more important” and walks into the living room. We sit on the couch. ok… what to ask first, ah obvious, “what evil are we defeating? The cats?” The prophet only laughs, “No, no. The cats won a millennium ago when the subjugated the Egyptians.” I chuckle then realize he isn’t kidding. “No,” he said, “the evil now, is the pig uprising,” I almost laugh again, but his tone, somber as it is, was dead serious. \n\n“Pigs? Like the bacon animal?“ I asked, “how the hell are they dangerous?” The prophet looked at me in a way that says ‘I expected this sort of ignorance’. “The pigs have been biding their time, growing in power and connections. If not stopped they could do more damage to society than even the mosquito uprising of the 1980s, ironically it was a cat who aided in the development of the malaria vaccine. The little buggers keep trying though, hence why they agreed to allow a dog to be chosen for this quest.”\n\nMy head whirled with this dump of exposition, “ok, ignoring all that you just said, how, exactly would pigs being our rulers be a bad thing?” The prophet sighed deeply, then looked me dead in the eyes, “pigs are omnivores, they’ll eat anything.“ he paused for emphasis, “Anything,” Oh… “Holy cow!” ”No, the last of apollo’s holy cows died stopping the invasion of the Mongol’s horses, before they decided to use riders for a long range offensive.” I decided to stop listening at Apollo. “ \n\n”Ok, so pigs are basically out for revenge, and Bobby and I have to stop them?” I clarify, the prophet nods, “That’s the long and short of it.” Bobby walks into the room, a shredded, notably unglowy, slipper in his mouth. He drops it, “Sounds fun,” My border collie barks, “where do we start?” \n\nthe prophet stands and opens his mouth to answer, when a frozen pork rib smashes through a window and embeds itself in the old man’s heart. “Damn,“ he said, “thought I had more time before my obligatory death.” And promptly falls face first on the rug, bleeding profusely. \n\nBobby walks over, and sniffs the body. He looks up at me and says, “I’d ask for the rib, but we should probably run.” I just nod, stunned. Then a pork chop flies past my head into the flat screen, smashing it to bits. I jump up and fly through the door, random bits of dead and prepared pigs flying towards us at very unsafe speeds. ”I’m so fired” I mutter." ]	2
	[WP] Cthulu has been summoned. And the first thing he does is... found a telecommunications company. This is the "Call of Cthulu".	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "\"WHPL 193.7, Innsmouth, Massachusetts-- you're listening to the 'Craft!\"\n\nOn the one hand, the station's format was amazing; a weekday morning show with witty hosts, classic rock \"without the Shadows of commercials for forty-five minutes!\", and devoting the weekends to alt-rock and garage bands made for great ratings and great music. But I couldn't help but think there was something a bit off about the music sometimes. When Mick Jagger sung \"Miss You,\" I always thought the song was about an old girlfriend, not half-human half-fish people from the depths of the ocean. \n\nI sure as hell know the ZZ Top song is \"Sharp Dressed Man,\" not \"Color Out of Space.\" But either the band did a version just for the station, or they got a *really* good Dusty Hill impersonator.\n\nSettling down into my couch, I sipped at my tea. The sound of the waves washing over the shore, as well as the subtle cinnamon and citrus notes of the tea, helped me relax as I tuned in to the 'Craft, just in time for the evening show. I was never much of a singer, but who could resist Phil Collins' classic \"In the Air Tonight?\"\n\no/` I can feel him\n\nComing in the air tonight, f'htagn (......?)\n\nI've been waiting for this moment\n\nFor all my life, f'htagn (waiiiit a second)\n\nCan you see him\n\nComing in the air tonight, f'htagn\n\nI took another sip of the warm tea. I, uh... don't think the lyrics quite go the way I remember.\n\no/` Well, if you told him you were drowning,\n\nHe would not lend a fin\n\nYou've seen his face before, my friend\n\nAnd he knows that you know who he is\n\nCthulhu f'htagn, from Rl'yeh saw what you did\n\nYou heard his myriad voice\n\nSo you can hold back that shriek, your species is weak\n\nIt is through the Old Ones' choice--\n\nAnother sip. Phil's increasingly bitter, intense lyrics filled the air, mingling with the wash of the sea, the rustle of the wind...\n\nYet another calming sip. I thought this was a song about witnessing a murder by inaction? Or was it, as the man always said, about a really bad breakup?\n\no/` Well, he rises! Rises from dead Rl'yeh\n\nHow could he ever forget?\n\nIt's the first time, the last time you ever met (met met)\n\nBut I know the reason why you keep the walls up\n\nNo, you can't fool him\n\nThe cracks do not show, but your madness grows\n\nIt's no stranger to you or me--\n\nThe sudden, striking drum break filled the air, drowning out all sound. Over the drums, Phil Collins shouted \"HASTUR, HASTUR, HASTUR!\" in time with the beats. The ground trembled, the evening sky tore open, and I could only watch, mug in hand, as rising from the once-calm waves was an entity of unspeakable terror, of such malevolence that\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\noh my God\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nit saw me \n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOH GOD\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOH JESUS CHRIST\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\n\n\|\|\|\|\|\|\|iIIiiiiiiii\|\|\\\|\|\|\|\|\|HELP ME\\\|\|\|\\\|\\\|\|\|\|\|\\OH GOD NO\\\|\\\\\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"193.7, the 'Craft! Weekend weather!\"\n\n\"This weekend is looking like the end of the world! A massive interdimensional vortex over most of New England is causing severe wind gusts and waves, so avoid the beaches and most inland areas if possible. A severe horizontal lightning, tentacles, and loss of sanity warning is in effect, so stay indoors and do not look through a window. There doesn't look like there's going to be a tomorrow, so make travel plans accordingly. Innsmouth, 73; Salem, 666, and Boston, 76. I'm meteorologist Lin Howard.\"", "The hooded cultists stood at the center of a small warehouse, lit only by the faint flicker of candles placed around on top of cardboard boxes. The flickering lights illuminated the construction of a horrible dark ritual: vases that blended into the darkness to form shapes that physically hurt to look at, life-sized mahogany statues of figures whose limbs were slightly too long to be human, large abstract murals painted on the ground whose loops and swirls twisted the mind into a spiral until the entire room seemed to become the mouth of a massive face. \n\nStanding in the middle of it all was one man who loomed over the rest, a massive tome bound with leather of questionable origin in one hand and his phone in the other, which he was using as a flashlight to read the pages (the cultists had determined in advance that the flashlight would not disrupt the ritual). Speaking words in a language not meant for human tongues, he spat garbled syllables into the air, as the chanting of the hooded figures around him reached a crescendo. \n\nSuddenly, there was a burst of acrid smoke that stung the cultists’ noses with the scent of salt and fishy brine, and a blast of wind that sounded like a high pitched, inhuman scream. There was a flash of light of an unidentifiable color, and then the room was still. \n\nThere was a long pause. \n\nThen, at the center of the circle, someone calmly said, “God it’s dark in here, can someone turn on the lights?” \n\nOne of the cultists scrambled over to the wall of the warehouse. As the warehouse was quite large, there was an uncomfortably long pause before he reached it, a pause that was deathly silent except for the pattering feet of the cultist and the crashes as he knocked over the ritual items strewn haphazardly around the place. \n\nWhen he finally turned on the light, the cultists’ smiles of bliss in anticipation at sacrificing their minds to the herald of the unfathomable end dropped from their faces as they saw the figure in front of them. \n\n“Hi there, I’m Cthulu! It’s great to meet you all!” \n\nCthulu was apparently a completely normal human man wearing a crisp dark blue suit, perfectly opaque black sunglasses, and long, sunbleached dirty blond hair. He rummaged around in a pocket of the leather briefcase he carried, before pulling out a business card, pristine white with faint decals of blue waves. \n\n“Here’s my card! It looks like you already have at least some information about me in that book over there, but I figure it’s always polite to make introductions. Anyway half that stuff’s out of date anyway, us eldritch beings are really working to rebrand.” \n\nThe tall leader of the cultists (in the light now revealed to just be a regular man on stilts) reached down to take the card. He took one look at it and violently threw up, the twisted shapes of the words burrowing into his brain. \n\nCthulu grimaced. “Oh dear, I must’ve forgotten to translate those, another item on the to-do list I guess. Probably just want to give those back to me, they’re mostly just for politeness anyway.” \n\nAs he returned the business card to his briefcase, one of the cultists in the back, wearing an utterly dumbfounded expression, worked up the courage to speak. “Ummm… excuse me your majesty of the depths--” \n\n“Oh please just call me Mr. Cthulu. I’m a businessman, not evil.” Cthulu chuckled. \n\n“Uh, Mr. Cthulu then, why exactly do you look so… normal?” \n\n“Of course, you expected tentacles and cancerous growths and melting reality like butter, etc etc. Well I can do that for you if want…” Cthulu snapped his fingers, and there was another flash of unidentifiable light. When it faded, the exact same figure stood there, except now there were two tentacles limply flopping out of the sleeves of his suit. \n\nHe waved them in front of himself. “OoOoOoOo, LoOk at HoW SpOoOkY I am.” \n\nThe cultists stared at him, slack jawed. \n\nCthulu clapped his tentacles together and after another blast of light he was back to normal. “As I said earlier, we’re rebranding, moving away from the big scary body horror and into the corporate industry. Tentacles are out and Gucci is in!” \n\nThey were right, the cultists thought. Summoning Cthulu really has made us go mad. \n\nOne of them spoke up in a trembling voice. “But, but, why?” \n\n“I’m an unknowable horror, I can do whatever the hell I want! Also most people who summon me to end the world don’t actually want me to, they just want me to sow general chaos and discord. That’s what you want right?” \n\nThe cultists nodded, still to stunned to say anything. \n\nCthulu clapped his hands together. “Perfect! I have a plan and I’m going to need your help, as the employees for my new startup! Do any of you have any coding experience? Don’t be shy, raise your hands! Everyone else, you’ll help with networking and customer service, we need to start attracting angel investors to get off the ground.” \n\nThere were murmerings among the cultists, most of which amounted to “what the fuck is going on?” Again, one raised her voice to ask, “so what exactly are we doing?” \n\n“Oh, we’re going to take over the telecommunications industry!” \n\nThe cultist’s face cycled through a lot of different emotions very quickly. \n\n“Hey, guys, guys, I’m sensing there’s a lot of confusion, maybe it’s better if I explain the plan.” Cthulu clapped a couple of times to get their attention. “So we want to sew chaos right? I think the best way to do that would be to take over and distort the means of human communication. You know, whisper madness into their ears, but through the internet instead of dreams this time. Anyway, I can actually whisper into people’s minds, that’s like the one thing Lovecraft got right, and I’m pretty sure we can hard-bake that into technology. That should be a big enough hit to let us take the social media industry by storm, and with a couple of bribes government regulations shouldn’t be an issue either. All this sets up for our true final goal, something that should cause untold chaos and insanity throughout humanity.” \n\nThe cultists shuddered as Cthulu’s face contorted into a grin that finally revealed a hint of the bottomless madness lurking beneath the façade of a businessman. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n“We make telepathic twitter.”", "Normally, Cthulhu would not pick up the ringing phone. But an enigmatic entity that existed on the fringes of human consciousness needed to keep people on their toes. Thus, with writhing fingers, the Great One picked up the receiver—an ancient thing even by his standards—and pondered.\n\nHe wanted to speak, but he had to adjust his frequencies. If not, the person on the other end of the line might go mad in the time it took Cthulhu to say “be not afraid.”\n\n“Hello.”\n\n“Hi,” a feminine voice said. “Is this the Call of Cthulhu?”\n\n“Yes.”\n\nThe Great One, benevolent as he is, decided to speak in single syllables for the time being. At least until he was certain that the mere mortal would not go mad from his complex thoughts and verbalizations.\n\n“I really need help with my internet,” the human said. “It’s just so spotty.”\n\nCthulhu had already thought of the precautions. His mind gazed so far into the future, that it could loop back into the past.\n\n“Hold.”\n\nOne finger pressed the ‘hold’ button on the phone, so it could play the calming, elevator music that one of his cultists insisted humans enjoy. The tune’s original quality had been clear in Cthulhu’s head, and even though it sounded absolutely deep fired by the telephone, the Great One smiled gingerly. There was no need for ears to hear the beautiful melody.\n\nAnd thus, the eldritch god put his mind to work. There was just so much to consider. The internet was as deep as R’lyeh itself. In the infinite expanse of space and time, its problems could be anything and everything all at once, or a special form of nothing that was actually something. Cthulhu took his time—only the best for this mortal customer of his.\n\nFor minutes—but an infinite amount of time in the vast expanse of his mind—Cthulhu pondered. Finally, he picked up the receiver again.\n\n“Human,” he said, probing and testing. Two syllables, this time.\n\n“Yes?” the voice said, an angry essence now obvious within it. “Look, I didn’t even get a chance to say what the proble—”\n\n“Your name,” Cthulhu said.\n\n“What? Mira.”\n\nCthulhu raised a slimy eyebrow. He was impressed with the fortitude of this human’s mind, not breaking even under this duress. And thus, the Great One became more confident in delivering a verdict.\n\n“Have you tried turning it off and on again?”\n\n“My god,” the mortal screamed, an unhinged torrent of fire breathing down the receiver. “Are you serious? Are you actually serious? The stupid, useless, online customer service that kept getting cut off by the WiFi, like did you guys even think about it? Using the internet to solve internet problems? And then this useless hotline, where I receive nothing but unhelpful—”\n\nCthulhu calmly placed the phone back, cutting off the line immediately. He walked back into his personal office, shaking his head in lamentations.\n\nA human’s mind, when confronted with the truth, was still too easy to break.\n\n---\n\nr/dexdrafts", "\"Good morning, Gwen! How was your weekend?\" Xi'nathavesilaxi'ti called out to me. She was smartly dressed in business slacks and a tasteful yet flattering top. Her face tentacles were braided together in a new style I had never seen and they parted as she brought a steaming cup of coffee up to her beak for a sip.\n\n\"Not bad! Too quick as always.\" I replied lightly. \"How about yours? Did you get to go to that new ichor submersion vat place you were wanting to check out?\" \n\n\"No, I didn't realize they were closed on Sundays unfortunately.\" She clicked her beak disappointedly \"But we went to a nice brunch instead. Thanks for asking! I brought some donuts in. They're in the break room if you want one.\"\n\n\"Oh thanks Xi-ti!\" I said, using the name she gave her human employees to use.\n\n \nWho would have thought eldritch beings would make such good bosses? When I started working at Call of Cthulhu, I was skeptical. I mean, when your direct report manager is a 7 foot tall squid-faced monstrosity, you start to question your life choices. But Xi'nathalaxi'ti wasn't just a 7 foot tall squid-faced monstrosity. She was also kind and understanding while still being fair and effective in her job. Plus, she had a killer sense of style. \n\nIt isn't just her either. It seemed like that almost all of the horrors that managed the company were among the best bosses I'd ever had. Well, I would find out how far that truth extended. I had a meeting with Cthulhu himself in about 5 minutes. Me and my partner David had a presentation to show him. I grabbed a cruller on the way out and hopped on to the elevator, joining David. He pressed the button with an arcane symbol on the very bottom of the panel. The elevator lurched, moving through space-time in a decidely non-euclidean fashion.\n\n\"Have you ever met him before?\" I asked suddenly as images of horror that had become mundane flashed past the transparent glass of the elevator. Contorting bodies, writhing tentacles, men and women growing old then young again over and over. That sort of thing. \n\n\"Never but my sister has. She's one of his executive assistants. She even went through the hybridization process that some people are doing.\" \n\n\"Oh wow. That's a little intense for me. I mean, I get the appeal. Being able to see the 4th and 5th dimensions is useful of course but I'd have to get a whole new wardrobe. Just seems like a lot.\"\n\n\"Fair.\" David shrugged and started reviewing his notes on the tablet he had pulled from his suit jacket. \"We're going to nail this presentation.\" \n\n\nI grinned at his enthusiasm but otherwise didn't respond. The elevator seemed to expand and contract as it moved, almost as if breathing. It finally arrived and we stepped out into the audience chamber. Cthulhu towered before us, appearing in three dimensions to help our fragile human minds. He was still an almost objectively terrifying sight. One-hundred feet tall easily and powerfully built, wings stretching as wide as he was tall. The three-piece suit he was wearing humanized him only the slightest amount.\n\nHe \"spoke\" if projecting his thoughts into our brains can be considered \"speaking.\"\n\n\"Greetings faithful employees. I appreciate you making the trip down.\" The sibilant rasp of his thoughts on mine sent goosebumps spreading like wildfire across my skin. But he was so polite, even with the power he had.\n\n\"Of course Eldritch Lord of the Deeps. Merger of realities and businesses.\" David began.\n\nCthulhu lifted one massive, clawed hand. \"Please, just Cthulhu.\"\n\n\"Of course Cthulhu.\" I Inclined my head, taking over. \"We come looking for approval on a proposal that would join us with Mint Mobile. Ryan Reynolds is a big fan on yours and if we joined with them, then we'd be the second biggest telecommunications company next to Verizon...\" \n\nWe continued the presentation over the next hour, answering all of Cthulhu's questions and noting down his suggestions including a discount for hybrid horror/human family plans. It was still a job but above everything I was just glad not to have to work for a human boss ever again.", "“Thank you for calling Call of Cthulu Internet and Cellular!”\n\n“Hi, my name is Rachel, and my internet just went dow-“\n\n“We are currently assisting other customers. Please hold for our next available cultist.”\n\nRachel sighed as the demonic, chilling hold music began to come through the phone. She’d had this ISP ever since she moved here three years ago, and they had some of the spottiest internet she’d ever experienced. Not even Comcast went down this often!\n\nShe looked over at her Wi-Fi router that she rented from the company. The antennae were all curved, looking vaguely like tentacles coming off of the box. The blinking red and green lights were incomprehensible to everyone except the company’s workers. Rachel’s cousin worked in IT, and she once asked him to take a look when her internet went down while he was staying over. After a day of intensely studying the router and the guides she’d downloaded previously, he left her house mumbling something about “demonic recursion” and checked himself into a psychiatric ward.\n\nA recording from the phone: “we appreciate your business! At Call of Cthulu, we put our blood, sweat, and other sacred fluids into making this company its best. After the call, we would appreciate if you took part in our customer satisfaction survey.”\n\nThe hold music again. Rachel’s dog whimpered and walked out of the room, unable to stand hearing it anymore. Rachel waited patiently. Sometimes this took up to an hour.\n\n“We have updated our terms of service. Due to a recent federal law, we may no longer accept firstborn children as a form of payment. Donations of fresh blood, black candles, and other such alternative payment options will still be available for the time being. Of course, money is always acceptable.”\n\nRachel had just turned to make her breakfast when the ringtone started sounding through the phone. Then a voice from a world beyond human understanding spoke, seeming to come from everywhere in the room: “HELLO. THANK YOU FOR CALLING. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK ABOUT TODA-”\n\nRachel cut him off. “You know very well! Every time I call this company you somehow know exactly what my issue is before I have to say anything! Out with it!”\n\nThere was a pause. Then “AH YES, MISS RACHEL PEREZ, YOUR INTERNET WENT DOWN FIVE MINUTES AGO.”\n\n“Yes. And if you know, why don’t you get someone out here to fix it already! Stop wasting my time!”\n\n“TIME. SUCH A MORTAL CONCEPT. VERY WELL, SOMEONE WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTL-“\n\n“Just send the damn tech!”\n\nThere was silence on the phone for a second. Then the voice said: “OUR TECH IS ON THE WAY. WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU TOOK PART IN OUR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SUR-“\n\n“Thank you, have a nice day,” Rachel blurted out, then hung up. The silence in the house was deafening compared to the voice and the hold music.\n\nComcast was better, she decided. At least she understood that evil." ]	6
	[WP] "If a potential client is sleeping under a duvet cover, but has the duvet across their torso, are they protected? Explain your reasoning. This question is worth 6 marks." Boogeyman final exams are... different	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Truly, it depends upon the monster and their abilities. the three types of monsters would react differently to this particular situation. \n\nFirstly, Grasping Horrors, of which yours truly is counted among, would say \"no\", after all, the torso is not our aim, but the arms and legs. should we assume that the bed in question is of a single size, as opposed to a queen or king, then a fitting duvet will not cover the extremities properly. This leaves an opening for us Horrors to get a firm grasp upon our prey. In fact, this situation may be considered ideal, for it creates an illusion of safety that, when ripped away, generates a fulfilling amount of that delicious fear.\n\nSecondly, there are the brutish Heart Stoppers. They would find this a terrible obstacle. As these creatures need access to the prey's heart this presents an obstacle. in order to wake their prey they stop the heart for a beat. this wakes children up in a cold sweat, already on guard. The duvet cover in the proposed orientation would thwart such a creature. This can be worked around should it come up but these hold the risk of marking the child, causing them harm. As this must be avoided at all costs to protect our existence, most will take this as a lost opportunity and move on.\n\nFinally, the Nightmares. I won't lie, most nightmares will likely be confused, as duvets never protect prey from their abilities. Ever since they successfully drove nightcaps out of fashion there are very few nights these monsters go hungry. These beasts awaken their prey by placing a vague sense of terror in the prey's mind, hence their name, Nightmares. \n\nTo summarize, The capabilities of different monsters vary widely enough that for any given situation there are no cut and dry answers. Each monster must determine the risk and reward of each prey and find one suitable for them to feed on. In my own case, my tentacles are more than capable of awakening a prey around such \"protection\"." ]	2
	[WP] You have no superpowers, except, nothing whatsoever scares you. You have, through sheer willpower (and, at times, boasting) alone, taken down some of the most wanton villains. Even the villains who know this is true, still have a hard time standing up to 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Courage is important, this is what most will tell you, without mentioning that mostly courage comes easily with a lack of fear.\r \nIt’s a non issue to be brave when you don’t fear the consequences, or ever think you’re going to fail. Is it stupidity or confidence? It doesn’t matter, as you disregard any reason that this may effect you badly, you can’t, you’re programmed differently. \r \nAnd when you fight crime, the one that is committed by the worst of all, super villains, you can’t fear. You’re not dealing with reasonable people either, you’re going against those who got the perk of special powers and have decided to wear silly costumes and go against society. It’s never justified when the little kids won’t root for you, fix your problems in another way.\r \nI chose to wear a silly costume as well, and protect my city. Not because I care about them, I’m rational, I own real-estate and I don’t want my plan for early retirement will fail, as my neighbor will have a higher crime rate - just because all these guys like to run through the highest buildings.\r \nMost of them have stopped trying and move one, but every now and then a new one comes and we’re doing our little show of strength dance.\r \nAnother night of multitasking, on my part, showering while making toast. I know what you may say, but it’s time efficient and I grew to love shower snacking. \r \nAs I rinse off, my super hero signal goes off - I get a social media notification. What’s between I’m getting too old for this shit and a lazy gen-z? \r \nPut on my custom, and here I go. \r \nI know I can make it, I did it a thousand times, so I jump. To the next building, and rise to the top. I guess that you can call jumping between tall buildings and risking crashing to death after falling 12 floors parkour, if you want to put labels on things. \r \nI get to the top, and there I see her, in the tight clothes you only wear to ruin people’s lives or do yoga.\r \nI’m waiting for her to act first, let’s see what’s her ammo - Super speed? Mind reading? Super strength? Awesome cooking? \r \nShe swirls hands together and outputs a tornado. I saw it coming, as it was coming toward me and I have a pretty good eyesight. I didn’t have the reflexes to deflect it and THWWOM - I got pushed out of the roof top to the air below. So this is it, ha? This is how I go? I didn’t even get her name.\r \nI quickly descend, floor after floor. I was counting. I was calm, I wasn’t worried, I was carried down by the force of gravity… and then I wasn’t. My descend has slowed and I could easily position myself and safely land. Well, that’s not how gravity work, I reminded myself of all the physics videos I watched on the Internet about gravity, which was exactly one. I might have to report if for being fake.\r \nShe didn’t take long and she lowered herself to get me, or to my body.\r \nBut I was ready. Took out my net gun and caught her. The net immediately squeezed around her like a cocoon. \r \nI knew it would work. So why did I survive the fall?\r \nI put up a sign for the police and began the walk home, I have a TV show to complete a binge on - and there is one things I fear the most, spoilers." ]	2
	[WP] A fae makes a contract with a mortal to make an individual of the mortal's choice fall in love with them in exchange for the mortal's firstborn. After finalizing the contract the mortal does something the fae never expected. They choose the fae to fall in love with them.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 was a knock on my bedroom door. It slowly swung open to reveal my friend Genevieve's face. \"Hey, Trish. Sorry I'm late, a dragon fell asleep on Le Fay Street and I had to take the long way around. You said it was ready?\"\n\n\"Yep! You have the firstborn?\" Genevieve nodded and stepped into my room fully, giving me a clear view of the two month old jackelope cradled in her arms (first of the litter- gotta love loopholes). She carefully handed him to me as I said, \"I will be the best mom for Paprika here. Contract's on my desk. Let's rock.\"\n\nGenevieve grabbed the contract and my blue glitter pen and brought it over to us. It was just a piece of paper, I thought to myself. A shiny piece of paper that you created. But looking at it then and there, it was like looking at a primed crossbow.\n\nSee, Genevieve and I had been friends for years. We met at Peaseblossom Middle School when Ricky Stonecleaver dumped a carton of milk on my head and Genevieve retaliated by picking him up and dropping him in the garbage. Everything we could do together, we did. And yeah, somewhere along the way I got a crush on her.\n\nI never found the courage to tell her, though. Fae didn't have the best reputation when it came to honesty in a relationship, and I lived in constant fear that she'd think the worst of me if I told her. Then I started taking magical contract classes, and she asked if I could draw up a love contract for her. I said yes, because she's my favorite person in the world and I thought if I went through with it, I'd finally have it in me to move on from her.\n\nGenevieve uncapped the pen with a slightly unsteady \"Here we go.\" She wrote down her name on the contract, and then the name of the recipient, which I chose not to look at to respect her privacy. Suddenly, a blueish green light outlined the paper. Genevieve's eyes widened as the light spread to the rest of the paper, and then...\n\nNothing.\n\nThe light faded, and the contract stayed right where it was. Genevieve looked down in confusion. \"I thought you said it would disappear. What's going on?\"\n\n\"I-I don't know, it should have.\"\n\n\"Did I sign it wrong? Should I have used a different pen?\"\n\n\"No, no, I probably messed up, it's not your fault.\"\n\nGenevieve held the contract in her hands shakily. \"Come on, come on! This was supposed to work! You were supposed to-\" Genevieve clamped a hand over her mouth.\n\nI blinked, trying to process what I had just heard. \"Wait, I was supposed to?\"\n\nGenevieve pulled her hand back and looked at me with eyes the size of second breakfast plates. \"Uh, um-\"\n\n\"Did you- did you put my name on the contract?!\"\n\nGenevieve stammered for a bit longer before dramatically flopping back onto my bed. \"It is, okay! I put your name down, the contract was for you! I wanted to tell you for so long, but I couldn't do it, and then you started taking those classes, and I thought I finally had a shot, but this happened instead and-and-\" Genevieve trailed off as she started sobbing into my pillow.\n\nI heard it in person but I barely believed it. She liked me. Genevieve liked me.\n\nI tapped Genevieve's leg gently and said, \"Hey G? Read the second line from the bottom.\"\n\nA muffled \"Why?\" rise up from beneath my pillow.\n\n\"Just do it, okay?\"\n\nGenevieve yanked the pillow off her face and held the contract up to get a closer look. \"I hereby recognize that this contract shall not take effect in the event of the intended target already... possessing... feelings for-\" Genevieve bolted upright and alternated between looking at me and the contract a couple of times. \"You mean- you-\"\n\nI couldn't suppress my grin as I replied, \"For years, G. Years.\"\n\nGenevieve's eyes welled up with tears. Before I knew it, we had pulled ourselves closer and kissed like the world was ending. G threw her arms around me, enveloping me in a cocoon of softness and warmth as I noticed how her lips tasted like strawberries. I'd dreamt of this for five years, and not one of my fantasies could ever compare to the real thing.\n\nWhen we finally broke away from each other, Genevieve looked at me with dreamy eyes and said, \"So, does this mean we have joint custody of Paprika, or...?\"\n\nI couldn't stop myself from laughing until my stomach hurt, nor could I keep myself from taking Genevieve down with me. After a few minutes of the two of us cackling like mad, I managed to utter out, \"You fucking dork.\"\n\nGenevieve, still coming down from the laughter, fell backwards onto the bed again, and grabbed me by the hand so I'd fall with her. With the both of us laying down, Genevieve began stroking my hair and said, \"Yeah. Your fucking dork.\"\n\nI nuzzled into her chest with delight. \"And I wouldn't have it any other way, cutie.\"", "\"What?!\" Sylana of the Seelie yelped.\n\n\"I said,\" the human, Christoph, whom she'd made this bargain with, replied, \"That you are the one I wish to fall in love with me.\"\n\n\"But -- but I am the contract holder!\" Sylana protested. \"This is...entirely unreasonable!\"\n\n\"Unreasonable because you're upset a lowly human beat you at your game?\" Christoph eyed her sardonically. \"Or because you recognize that it's not right to begin with, but now it affects you, you're unwilling.\"\n\n\"The first, no, I've been outwitted by a human before,\" Sylana grimaced, not wanting to recall the memory, it was simply embarassing. \"The second, I cannot make anyone fall in love who does not already feel a certain attraction. That's not the way the magic works.\"\n\n\"Well then,\" Christoph pointed out, \"Cast the spell. If it is as you say, you have nothing to fear, and I will simply have wasted my chance.\"\n\n\"And invalidated the contract in the process,\" Sylana frowned. \"You are clever, human, more clever than any I've met in a millennium, and I do not say such a thing lightly.\" She sighed. \"Very well.\" She waved her hands and the parchment signed by them both began to glow, then she chanted a phrase in the musical tongue of the Seelie. The glowing sheet dissipated into a haze which floated into her body, and then nothing seemed to happen.\n\nAfter a moment, Christoph couldn't help but say something. \"Well?\"\n\n\"It is as I said,\" Sylana replied. \"The magic can't make someone fall in love against their will, it only works if attraction already exists.\" Christoph began to turn away, frustrated, but stopped when she snaked her fingers into his. \"Which, apparently, it did.\"\n\nFor a moment, the man felt a sense of overpowering joy, but then it was tempered by a dark realization. \"You...are telling me the truth? I am not forcing you into this?\"\n\n\"Mmmm, perhaps just a little,\" Sylana smirked, enjoying his discomfiture. \"Now that the spell has been worked, I can't deny I've always found you...quite interesting. But had you not done this, I doubt anything would have come of it. Your human lives are so brief compared to ours that by the time I made a decision, you would have been in your dotage.\" A look of sadness briefly crossed her face. \"But since I have...if you are still feeling any sense of guilt, you can assauge that by doing one thing for me.\"\n\n\"Sylana, I have loved you for years, ever since we met that starry night,\" Christoph replied. \"I will do anything for you.\"\n\n\"Even eat the fruit of Elphame?\" She purred. \"Leave behind your human life, and join me in my realm, forever?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" Christoph answered without hesitation. \"I have no family here, no ties to leave behind. If you are going to love me as I love you, let us be equals.\"\n\nA surge of happiness flowed through Sylana's heart. \"Then so it shall be...beloved. Come. The nearest portal is several days walk, and we must reach it by Midsummar's Eve if we are to pass through.\" Christoph worked his arm through hers, in the manner she'd often seen human lovers do, and they began their journey to the lands of both faerie and eternal love." ]	3
	[WP] Just as human teenagers use satanic imagery to be edgy, so too to demon teenagers use godly imagery to be edgy	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Stanley gets up from bed with a jump. He is excited that he got his driver's license today. Demon teenagers get their license at 15 years old, and he got it a few weeks ago. As a gift, his dad handed him money to buy a car. He exited his house and ran down the hills, with fire covering a whole lot of the landscape.\n\nOnce he reached the dealership, he slammed his hand on the desk of the car dealer. The dealer was reading a very thick book. His eyes darted away from the pages and into the 15 year old.\n\n\"I want to buy a car please.\"\n\nThe car smashed through the windows of the dealership, dashing by without stopping, even as the furious dealer chased after it.\n\n\"You piece of sh\\t!\", the dealer yelled. \"Go to heaven son of Jesus\".\n\nHe speeds through the traffic, with a bunch of adult demons yelling furiously behind him. He finally arrives at his friend, Silas's house. Silas was sitting by the stairs, waiting for his friend while playing with the tiny sparks of fire around him. He jumps in joy seeing his friend and, for some reason, his wrecked car.\n\n\"Yo, wanna ride?\"\n\n\"Obviously\", Silas says. He looks at the damage. \"What the hell happened to you car dude. It's your first day, and it looks like it has been through Paradise.\"\n\n\"Ah, nothing much, drove through the windows of the dealership.\"\n\nSilas nervously laughs at first, but then gets worried. \"I'm not gonna get arrested, will I?\"\n\n\"Why would you get arrested? I'm the one who destroyed it. Hop on, it will be worth it.\"\n\nSilas opened the door and got in. Stanley speeds through the highway. At first, it goes smoothly, and the two boys laugh and are enjoying their time. Then, the car screeches to a halt and spins around like children playing until it finally stops.\n\nSilas and Stanley looked like they've just seen an Angel.\n\n\"Yeah, this was a bad idea\", Silas says, panting hard.\n\n\"I agree.\" Stanley looks in the rearview mirror and jumps. \"The cops!\".\n\nThat was all the boys needed to fuel their adrenaline. They got out of their cars and started making a run for it, only to realize they were headed straight towards incoming cars. They both screamed and stopped to turn around, and that is how they came face to face with two police officers.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\\\\\\n\nStanley is sitting at the dinner table, while his parents are yelling and screaming at him.\n\n\"What were you thinking! You could've gotten yourself killed!\" His mother yelled.\n\n\"Look at the damage on that thing! You were driving like a saint or something. That's it, I ain't buying you another car.\" His dad gets up and leaves. Stanley looks at the piece of paper that reads: Costs: $12,000.", "In the room of a hellion teen in Hell, there are bibles and Christian books strewn out on the tables. Our demon named, Mastema, is a fallen angel who is trying out rosaries in front of a mirror. He picks up a wooden rosary to wear and takes notice of his horns, grabbing a file to shave them down. On the table is a pair of headphones, audibly playing music. Mastema picks up his phone and changes the band to Skillet, grabbing his headphones and heading to school.\n\nThe teacher, Asmodeus, is fixed on the new succubuses, not realizing that Mastema was breaking the dress code. Mahammon, another demon, stopped robbing an imp after seeing Mastema trounce into the classroom. His chest puffed high, he's decked out with a white shirt with a dark outline of Jesus Christ, black pants, a rosary, and rose tinted glasses. Mahammon’s jaw drops and his hands drop the imp who scurries on all fours to grab all the coins he dropped.\n\n“What are you wearing?” Mahammon says in an uncomfortable tone.\n\n“Oh this, It’s just a shirt of the Savior.”\n\n“You’re not allowed to wear that. Especially in my territory.” Mahammon’s voice echoed through the room. Icy glares started to give Mastema a chill in this sweltering realm. Asmodeus, frustrated that he had to stop flirting, chewed Mastema out for his attire. He didn’t hear the end of it and was sent to the principal, Beezlebub for further punishment. Mastema refused to listen to the sinners however, skipping class and leaving the school to his hideout. Another day hiding from the others. \n\nHis hideout is a makeshift church in an abandoned building. A red rug led to a wooden podium that Mastema snuck out of the school. Wilting plants are struggling for water. He opens one of his backpacks, grabbing a glass of holy water for the plants. Taking a swig, he comments on how spicy it is. After watering, he rests on one of the foldable chairs acting as a pew. He stares at his crude “stained glass artwork” of a cross, made out of soda bottles. He clasps his hands together and asks for guidance on how to survive the school year. The demons will eat him alive this year. For a moment, silence presides in the church, then a holy light brighter than the fires of hell shines through the improv stained glass, a voice calls out to Mastema,\n\n“Hello my son,” the voice said. Mastema jumps up, hearing the Lord for the first time, “thank you for your prolonged faith in me. ”\n\n“Of course my Lord.” Mastema beamed.\n\n“I have a request for thine, only thou can accomplish thee. You must punish the sinners in Hell for worshiping false idols and living as sinners,” Vision of several demons flood through Mastema’s eyes. Mastema can see Mahammon, attempting to bargain with one of the lunch ladies for free food. \n\n“I bestow divine power to you in order to tame the fallen Humans and Demons to return to my realm.”", "College is where many learn to explore their innermost characteristics. Embrace the wild side, so to speak.\n\nAnd the Institute was no exception to the rule. Humans, monsters, eldritch beings, religious entities. It turns out everyone feels about the same when it comes to being on your own for the first time. Paying bills, meeting deadlines, and confronting their possible alcoholism.\n\nYou know. Average life as a student.\n\nNeja wasn't an exception. Yes, she was from the depths. A daughter to one of the foremost generals of hell. Easily as fearsome as any of those before her, capable of dark and mysterious power.\n\nYet when the door swung open, she still jumped like a frightened cat at the intrusion.\n\n\"Hey Naja! Petra grew a whole ounce for us... Uh... What's?\"\n\nLeon and Stu were a couple of fast friends she'd made in her first year. Sure, they were humans, but just because they were sworn mortal enemies. It didn't mean you couldn't help each other through things such as the intro to Biochemistry.\n\nThat being said, she knew this would be even harder to explain to someone like Petra. And then she walked in.\n\n\"You two really have to learn to knock. What in the-\"\n\nThere was a lot going on. Namely the habit, the crucifix, the earrings, the rosary. And the demon wearing said get up. In the wrong ways of course. Classic Neja. Of course this didn't stop her from rushing past them and slamming the door shut.\n\n\"Naja?\" Leon asked as he listened. \"Is... That Kirk Franklin you're playing?\"\n\nNaja quickly shut off the music, by force crushing her wifi speaker. \"No?\"\n\n\"You uh, going to a costume party?\"\n\n\"Halloween?\" Stu began.\n\n\"It's, it's February, Stu.\" Petra reminded him with a pat on the head. A flower grew in his hair, and he flatly brushed it away.\n\n\"Are those Jesus fish earrings??\" Leon asked again.\n\n\"...Yes?\" Naja meekly answered.\n\nLeon and Stu began laughing. Lightly at first, but then harder. At a certain point, they had tears in their eyes.\n\n\"Ohhh, oh no.\" Leon cried happily. \"I'm on your head. Naja got the fish earrings. She walking on water.\"\n\n\"She...\" Stu stammered. \"She got a bad habit. Sister Act 2: Electric Boogaloo.\"\n\n\"Aw, no you fucked up. This Sister Act 3. Naja be up at the front with the heels on tryna convert nonbelievers.\"\n\nStu inhaled, \"What heels? They the Jesus sandals. She got the Easter 11s.\"\n\nPetra finally cracked, the dryad laughing so hard she couldn't contain her abilities. She walked over and hugged Naja as grass grew in the tiles and flowers grew out of her clothes.\n\n\"Y'all are cold blooded.\" Naja admitted as she brushed the flowers away. \"Get off me.\"\n\n\"We're sorry. It's too good.\" Stu apologized.\n\n\"Oh come on.\" Naja sighed. \"I know you dumbasses know people like this. They're usually wearing some pentagrams or doing the whole 'dark arts'. Praying to people I know.\"\n\n\"So you're out here turning up to the bright side?\" Leon summarized.\n\nNaja leaned on one leg. \"I mean, it's not like I'm doing anything wrong. You never wanted to piss off your folks?\"\n\n\"I just did regular stuff, like going to house parties. Not the whole 'Ouija boards, and searching for dead crows.' People grew out of that in junior high.\" Leon contemplated.\n\n\"Also, I'm fairly sure my parents aren't managers of any part of the afterlife.\" Stu interrupted.\n\n\"Yeah, that's definitely a dealbreaker for me.\" Petra admitted as she quickly withdrew the grass from the carpet.\n\nNaja ignored this to ditch the habit, and throw on things that were more conventional. \"So I like some historical context. So what?\"\n\n\"That's some kind of context.\" Leon reacted. \"So we were gonna try this stuff, but we're all gonna go to Frisky's and buy some corn dogs. You in?\"\n\nThere was a look of mild disdain Naja carried before she tugged the earrings loose. \"...Sure, I could eat.\"\n\n---\n\nI aged them up a bit. The mental image had me rollin though.", "“It is a total disgrace!” Luther said. “I will not tolerate such blasphemy in my own house!” He was irate. Veins pulsating, face flushing, and a heat wave that could set hell on fire - if it wasn’t already. “I have called this meeting to solve this problem once and for all. I can’t stand little imps whistling ‘Ode to Joy’ or young devils tattooing wings, crosses, and fucking Saint Michael in their lower backs!” He stopped, catching his breath. “I need ideas.”\n\n&#x200B;\n\nAfter a few minutes of silence, one of the largest devils said “My Lord, why don’t we ban everything? We ban anyone from wearing white clothes or using a crown of horns. We ban everything that brings joy like music and art.”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“Hmmm. But I really liked what that boy Dante made. Well, at least the first part.” Said Luther.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“My Salty Lord, why don’t we burn alive anyone that worships the white one?” Suggested one of the oldest members of the council.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“Hmmm. But this would bring pleasure to delinquent imps!”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Then why don’t we drown them in holly wat-!”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“Hush! This would only make it worse! We need new and bold ideas! Not the same old manual of torture and censorship.”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“We…well, I…I have one bu…but I don’t know i...if it is go…od”. Everyone turned their heads to see a small and twiggy figure. One of the newest additions to the council. Still half an imp.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nHe talked with all the fear his little body could bear “Ha..have you all he...ard of someth…ing ne..new called Go..gospel music?”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“Hush! I will not hear of anything that comes close to being used in a church!” Said Luther, with sparkling eyes.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nHe talked once again, holding to the only thread of courage he could find “No, no, my Lord. The i..idea would be creating something to spread like a virus. We wo..would have to do the u..usual, offer them fame and riches in exchange for their soul, as we did with Ivan, Vlad, and Catherine.” He paused for a second, taking a sip of sulfur, then continued. “But, if w...we se..select the right ones, dress them in black, make they use your symbols, my Lord, and move like they have been possessed....”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“Hmm. That could work. How would will we call that?”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“Counter-Gospel” Said the half-imp half-devil with hope - if that exists in hell.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"We can work on the name later. \"\n\n\\---This is my first one and English is not my first language. Looking for advice to improve :)" ]	5
	[WP] The aliens who "abducted" you were surprisingly courteous. You are not reconsidering your desire 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 dark outside that evening, but there was an even darker shadow that casted what appeared to be a perfect circle around my home. I tried to investigate, but I found myself unable to fully move. I strained, even sweat, but I was paralyzed. This was not an episode of my sleep paralysis. This was not a stress dream caused by my Sunday Scaries. At the foot of my bed, just within eyesight, a ladder of light gracefully rolled down from my ceiling. Two tall beings followed shortly after. Their touch was soft and gentle. Like a comforting old friend in a tragic time. They touched my hand to the ladder, and I felt my body speed up.\r\n\nI returned to consciousness later and peered across my new room. As I moved my head, the doctor’s examination table of a bed I was is followed where my head looked. It took a while to get used to, but I never fell off. I looked to the right; a tall restroom station was in the corner. I would have to jump to use the damned thing. To the left corner there was a hologram of one of the tall beings. This one was adorned with a headdress that to all cultures in all of space in time meant hierarchical importance in status and in stature. A real Pope of the stars. They called them the Light Lord. The floor had large tiles that lit up when stepped upon. The walls had no apparent doors. \r\n\nOccasionally the tall beings would come in and talk. We selected you because we know you are an all-star of this planet. They would say. It almost sounded sarcastic, but sarcasm is a human practice. You are a go-getter with endless possibilities. The world could be yours! Toxic positivity spewed from their lack of mouth holes. Like creatures in charcoal ski-masks. When they entered the floor lights made an uncomfortably positive ring noise. It was reminiscent of the annoyingly happy ringtones that disturbed your perfect dream.\r\n\nWould you like some tea? I know you guys like tea? They would offer. I refused the first couple of times, but then they met me with a unique proposal. We use a special root, helps you clear out toxics, sleep, and gets you feeling on another realm of existence. \r\n\nLike being drunk? I pondered the consequences, weighed the fact that they have been fairly considerate. I took the drink. The only effect I remember is feeling extremely clean and healthy. And the fact that I slept better than I ever had before. After a couple of nights of drinking the tea, I started to notice a lot more. For example, I felt stronger, had clear muscle definition, and even my hairline was stronger than a strongman who flipped tires for a living.\r\n\nThen there was the prayer ceremony. Once every “five cycles,” they would do a pray ritual in their own language and place their hands on my head. I always felt an extreme sense of love and care when this happened. The two tall beings alternated prayers, but the results were always the same. The tiles would light up and ring in harmony. Sounds became sweet, sites became musical. I knew after the third or fourth time, I had to leave.\r\n\nLook, I had been to church camp. Three times in my childhood. It always ended the same, in disaster. I had escaped those times and ended up finding a way home and this was no different. Having the clarity of body cleared my mind, and my mind said run. I devised a plan over time. They were tall and lanky. There were two of them. And based off of the perfect circle that was outside of my home, the latter was most likely in the dead center. The only thing I would need is for one of the tall beings to enter the room so that I may use their body as a key for the strange door. At the last prayer cycle I had asked for a bedtime prayer for the next time. I would use the bed for leverage. The plan was in motion.\r\n\nPrayer time for our sleepy star. The god has truly been blessed with your energy. I cringed at the word energy. I hated these hippy types, no matter what planet they are from. I looked in the position that had me laying at a about 30-degree angle. I wobbled a little as a sort of warm up shot before kicking my overhead goal. The tall being was in place. I did one last small wobble as they reached out their hand and I leaned all the way back to kick. It connected. They were not out completely, but it did enough to where I could jump on their back and cut off their air. They went out peacefully, like a martyr. I dragged the feathery body to the door, and it opened and sang. The room that followed was perfectly symmetrical and dark. The tiles were lit off and on like in the room, with the center being the brightest. As bright as the ladder. I ran and slid to the square, throwing the tall being’s body. \r\n\nBless you, you are ready for ascension to spread the words! I heard the other one praise. I cringed as the ladder slid me down about as gentle as a hotel water slide. A few weeks later I gathered with others to speak on my experience.\r\n\n“Now I am here, telling all you fellow abductees that while the tall beings are quite nice, they are still annoying and should be trusted.” I try to convince the small crowd. I receive nothing but jeers. I overhear: Your crazy, you are forgetting the Light Lord’s blessing, Heretic!\r\n\nNo matter where I go and what I say, I hear the same thing.", "\"We are very confident about our culture, Jane\" said the creature with the fanciest outfit. The legs spilled out of bottom of human-sized khaki skirt, topped with a businesslike button-down shirt, white with blue plaid. To me, it looked like a squid - but a very tall one - who could have been a math teacher at a chalkboard if I wasn't paying much attention to the face. I wasn't sure if it was actually speaking English or if it was communicating with me in my head somehow - I felt a buzzing in my brain when it spoke. I could not see its mouth. \n\nIt still seemed like I was in my grocery store, but, everyone human was frozen in place; the only movement came from the aliens. I thought abductions involved being stuck in a spaceship and being tied to some hospital bed. I guess not. \n\n\"Beg your pardon?\" I said, automatically. Would it understand such a bizarre sentence? \n\n\"In other words, we believe that you as an abductee will eventually choose to assimilate, of your own volition. By the way, my name is Alison.\" \n\n\"Uh, that's funny, I thought you were the one who kidnapped me. Now you want to brainwash me too?\" \n\n\"We promise not to keep you long. We also have a time machine so we can even return you without skipping a moment of Earth time.\" \n\n\"Well, I'm already here so let's get with the show,\" I said. The point, perhaps, the squid was making was that I did not need to fear for my life. So did they want me to sign up for some pyramid scheme? I didn't understand. I was impressed to hear about the time travel option - very cool. \n\nLooking around at them, I realized the creatures did not all look like squids. In fact, none of them looked like the other. Some resembled plants, or what I thought were plants, others, sea animals like barnacles or corals, and others seemed to have body parts which looked like they were from different organisms stuck together somehow - textures and colors were not consistent for some. Count me intrigued and a little terrified. It was insane to me that we were having this conversation in front of the organic kale and Honeycrisp apples piled up high.\n\n\"We are going to need genetic material.\" Yikes. This could get terrible and fast. \n\n\"OK.\" I said. \n\n\"We are not familiar with your planet nor its organisms. Do you have genetic materials which you can sacrifice in a benign fashion?\" \n\n\"Benign?\" This was a strange conversation. \n\n\"Yes, something of your body which you can sever without undue suffering or death. Is that a possibility?\" Damn I hated to think if I had to disappoint them. Whew! Good thing I have hair and nails. \n\nI pulled out a few hairs. \"Here, you can have these.\" \n\n\"Thank you!\" The squid sounded truly appreciative. \n\n\"Fred, who wanted to volunteer for the grafting?\" \n\n\"Allison, I believe that was Barry.\" \n\nI'm pretty sure that none of them were born with those names so I appreciated the effort they made to A, speak English and B, use names I could use to follow what the heck was going on. \n\nSomething floated towards my hand, a huge, white circle. That must be Barry! He floated like a halo on its side. \n\n\"Jane, please allow Barry to sample one of those things you separated from your body,\" requested the squid. \"Would you be so kind as to throw it at him?\" \n\n\"Oh!\" I said, shocked. I was a little worried that this was a rude gesture and I was getting set up for something weird. Well, weirder than what we already had going on. Barry just floated near me, waiting patiently for something to happen. \n\n\"Yes Jane, just throw it at Barry. Preferably in the middle of his circle.\" So maybe the squid had to speak for those who could not. OK. \n\n\"Here goes!\" I said as I crumpled my hair and tossed it through Barry. Somehow my hair slowly fell down, hitting the bottom of the circle, err, Barry, on its way down. Barry started glowing in a pulsating rhythm. We all just stood around - very awkward for a few seconds, at least for me. But Barry became a shaggy white halo - he started sprouting what looked like hair from his circle - white and wiggly. \n\n\"Thank you Jane! Thank you so much! Barry says he appreciates the sample very much and is enjoying it. I believe others will be quite envious.\" said Alison. \n\n\"As a gesture of gratitude, do you wish to try any genetic samples of ours?\" Alison asked. \n\n\"Huh?\" \n\n\"Well, you might have noticed that our physical manifestations are very different. We pride ourselves on being very inclusive. Part of our ethos is to trade genetic material and to augment ourselves with that of our friends. For example, my limbs and head are ones I grafted from a few different neighbors. My brain is in the middle of my body so much of what you see as my body is fashion or decorative in a sense, well beyond what I was born having. Someone told me about the Earth having, what do you call, a hermit crab, which inhabits the shells of other creatures - we do this in a larger sense. Is there some physical manifestation you wish to try?\" \n\n\"Are there any special skills that go with the genetic material?\" I asked. \n\n\n\"Of course. Do you mean anything in particular?\" \n\n\n========================================================\n\ngot tired and needed to sleep! Open to hearing thoughts / comments / etc.", "As I wander about the ship, wondering what I want out of my life, I get spotted by one of the guards. \"Excuse me, miss, but do you have permission to be roaming around?\" I quietly shake my head; I wanted to say 'does it matter', but I saw first hand the consequence of being rude. Since being abducted by aliens, I learned that they take manners and respect very seriously, and it's practically a sin to be rude in any way.\n\nThe guard just smiles. \"Well, I understand your curiosity, but unfortunately I must request you return to your room.\" I nod, knowing that saying 'no' is considered a sign of disrespect, after all I'm not in charge here. I accept the escort, during which time we talk. At first, all I wanted was to get away, but there's something about these guys... they're so much more polite and kind than 90% of humans! It feels kinda warm here, even if I'm technically a prisoner.\n\nThrough my chats with them, I learned that they wish to establish relations with our planet, so that the two species can join forces in an alliance. They abducted about 10 of us; one was returned after much pleading and begging, two others were rude and hostile, and wouldn't calm down despite chats and warnings, so they were transferred to another ship to go back to the alien's home planet to be kept imprisoned. That was the only time the aliens treated us as anything less than, for lack of a better word, 'equals'.\n\nOne other person escaped... without a plan. We watched him explode in space. I overheard a couple aliens talking about how... 'misjudging' humans can be, so I went up to them and said \"I know you mean stupid... and I fully agree.\" So now, there's six of us left. I'm the only one not going crazy, due to learning to appreciate the aliens.\n\nAnyway, I've just reached my 'room', which is really just a very nice prison cell. Normally, the doors are left unlocked as a sign of respect and trust, however this wasn't the first time I decided to walk around without permission, so I already knew that they were going to lock the door. I was fine with that, after all they're not evil. Just before my door is even shut, though, another alien shows up. \"The other five were not doing well... we've been forced to return them.\"\n\nThey both turn to look at me. We're all silent for a while, then the first alien speaks. \"Our project failed... we have no reason to stay. We'll be returning to our home planet. We can return you to yours.\" I think for a moment. Do I want to go back? No. I have no friends, my family abandoned me, and no-one will even glance at me. Why did I even want to escape in the first place? Maybe I was afraid I'd be tortured or worse here... but it's actually been rather pleasant. I get the feeling I'm wanted, and this would be the first time.\n\nI smile. \"You've seen what humans are like... violent, stupid and crazy. Except I've been none of them. I feel much more at home here. Please, let me come back with you.\" The two aliens start beaming - I knew they wanted me! \"Very well, miss. Understand that you will belong to us; we'll still treat you with respect, of course, but in return we're going to ask for your obedience and trust.\" He pulls out a strange-looking device. It looks uncomfortable, but I decide to trust them. He puts it around my head, and it connects to the main part of my body. I feel a tingling sensation. But I don't mind. As long as I'm appreciated." ]	4
	[WP] Pastafarianism was right all along. The great spaghetti has spoken, and it’s followers raptured.	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 should have seen the signs.\n\nIt began when every beer factory the world over delivered stale shipments. It was quickly described in the news as, “the Great Returns,” as every customer flocked to return their booze. The experts claimed the cause was climate change. Climate change itself would become the last great sign but I’m getting ahead of myself.\n\nThe next thing to go were the pirates. Gone were the bandanas sold for 99 cents at every party store and etsy page. Gone were the family cruise workers on crudely-outfitted tour boats made to look like pirate ships. Gone were all the animatronics of Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney World, followed shortly by Johnny Depp and the rest of the Pirates cast (or at least the ones from the first three movies.) Experts claimed it had something to do with the Great Resignation, but even they seemed unsure.\n\nThe strippers went next, and that’s when the politicians really got to work. The Let’s Ask People to Dance As Nude Congenial Entertainers Act was signed the next day. This was also explained away as another effect of the Great Resignation.\n\nThen the Night of a Thousand Blades happened, and the explanations stopped.\n\nIt was Halloween. The kids were out, bags in hand, hopeful for candy. No one was dressed like a pirate. They were all ninjas. So many ninjas. Like, so many. We all knew the costume was a staple but come on, how many of those kids dressed as Scorpion were allowed to play Mortal Kombat? We all brushed it off as good parents do, but as the kids approached the houses and rang the doorbells with high, squeaky voices calling, “trick or treat!” something happened. Every piece of candy turned into carrots, live groundhogs, and Hare Krishna pamphlets the moment it touched the bag.\n\nThe wailing of disappointed children still gives me nightmares. The streets ran with blood as red as marinara that day as every child turned on the nearest adult in sight, brandishing plastic weapons that were no longer plastic. I barely escaped with my life. They still prowl the streets even now, looking for their candy.\n\nBut it didn’t stop there. Gravity lessened as we felt the departure of His Noodly Appendages keeping us down. Every stripper made under LAPDANCEA simultaneously caught some type of venereal disease. Colanders vanished from every home, leaving us all with hard pasta shells and crashing the Italian economy. \n\nFinally, with the pirates—His chosen people—gone, the planet began to warm at an exponential rate. The very sea broiled like a bubbling pot, as if the heat would strip us of our very souls, and not in the sexy way. \n\nWhich leaves us where we are now—a world full of floating, untethered sinners with heat-stroke drowning our sorrows in stale beer, venereal strippers, and Valtrex. \n\nI pray every day and night that He might spare me, and that one day His thick, girthy noodle and burly meatballs will descend from the clouds and douse us sinners in His holy sauce, so that we may be redeemed. We should have listened. We were wrong.\n\nAll hail His Noodly Appendage. RAmen." ]	2
	[WP] You wake up in bed to find a masked figure armed with a knife stood next to you. After a moment, they speak; "Hello. I won't waste your time, so I'll make things simple for you. Just say the name of a person you hate, and I will make sure that they're dead by the end of the month, no charge."	[ "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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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 blinked. Magic? Magic, I decided, considering the gauntlet this stranger would have had to get past of two dogs, four familiars, and one surprisingly sharp-clawed coward cat, plus the combat-trained Dojo protégé in the living room, at least two ghost cats, my Garden, the Good Neighbors who got a share of all my garden's produce, the Corvid Flock, my mother in law, my child, and finally my Demon Prince /other/ husband just to reach my narcoleptic bedside. Probably dream casting, given the lack of wounds and blood.\n\n\"Watch out for the dragon,\" was what I said first, as I scootched up in bed to rest against my pillows.\n\n\"What? Is the dragon whom you hate most?\"\n\n\"No, but he tends to visit our child and spice in dreams. He's very powerful, and doesn't much like strangers in his family's dreamscapes.\"\n\n\"Ma'am-\"\n\n\"I don't hate any individual people deeply enough to desire their deaths, I'm afraid,\" I interrupted, watching the face under the mask and feeling gratified when confusion shifted to fear. Ah. This assassin /owed/ my family something.\n\n\"I hate things. I rail against institutional racism; I despise capitalistic greed, I hate the need that some people have to trample down everyone around them to sit on top instead of working together to build something greater and help their neighbors. I hate to be micromanaged- I sometimes hate that my brain chemicals won't let me do the things I want to do. But generally, I do not hate people. So I cannot simply name a person, you see. It would be a lie.\"\n\nThe stranger shifted from foot to foot, looking anxious now. Perhaps it was the wingbeats in the distance making them nervy.\n\n\"Very well then,\" they blurted, quickly, \"name one thing you wish to see eliminated from the world within a year. No charge.\"\n\n\"Poverty; manufactured, abject, without recourse, every variety.\"\n\n\"It will be done within 365 days,\" they said, eyes glowing and voice dripping relief.\n\n\"I look forward to seeing your work,\" I replied.\n\n‐------------------------\n\n\"I woke up feeling ridiculously tired,\" I complained over breakfast, pouting at my cereal.\n\n\"Well the cats yowled for almost twenty minutes and set off the dogs, and Nightmare visited last night. Maybe your sleep was broken.\"\n\n\"And I wouldn't remember because fuckin' narcolepsy,\" I grumbled. \"Maybe. In the meantime what did I hear on the news?\"\n\n\"Oh they're FINALLY overhauling the welfare and food stamp system- you know how we always said someone should make the lawmakers live on their own welfare budget and then say if it's enough? Someone snuck that into law and they just realized it after the bill was ratified, it starts today!\"\n\n\"Oh my god this is gonna be hilarious AND we'll be able to afford groceries again! Cuz you know the lawmakers ain't gonna like it when they realize you can't buy toilet paper or band aids on food stamps!\"\n\n\"I know right? Death to capitalism's manufactured poverty!\"\n\n\"Death to poverty! Hey that sounds familiar, maybe that's what I dreamed of?\"\n\nI laughed that silly thought off and dug into breakfast feeling somehow much more energized.", "(TW: suicide)\n\n\"Well,I'm flattered. I wasnt expecting visitors, otherwise I would've given my room a bit of a clean.\"\n\n\"I-\"\n\n\"I was joking. You know what jokes are, right?\"\n\nOne look at his bewildered face was enough for me to guess what he was going to say next, so I quickly cut him off.\n\n\"No, I-\"\n\n\"-Shut up. Let's just- let's just move on.\"\n\nI sighed.\n\n\"Go on then. What's the catch? I've read enough folk tales to know taking a random deal from a random stranger isn't a particularly good idea.\"\n\nHe looked much more confident now, the raging flames in his eyes brighter. He was nimbly playing with the knife in between his fingers not unlike how you and I would mess around with a pen. It was quite mesmerising to be honest. I was quite startled by his reply, for I had gotten so lost in the way the knife flowed in and around his fingers, and carefully balanced on his fingertips as if it had a mind of its own.\n\n\"You're the first person who's asked me that, actually.\"\n\nNow it was my time to be taken aback.\n\n\"..WHAT?!\"\n\n\"Yes. You'd be surprised as to quite how dumb your kind are.\"\n\nThe way he said \"your kind\" sent shivers down my spine. I ignored them.\n\n\"So? The terms and conditions? What do I have to do, sell my soul or some shit?\"\n\nHe chuckled, a deep, unnatural sound like chalk on a blackboard.\n\n\"No, no. We don't do that kind of thing anymore. It got too crowded quite quickly. We have better... ahem.. 'terms and conditions' now. It's quite simple really. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, all that jazz. Just say yes and it's a done deal. We'll find the guy you loathe the most and you'll be rid of them, just like that.\"\n\nI was silent for a few minutes, just processing.\n\n\"An eye for an eye.... that means..that means that if I kill someone, I die too?\"\n\n\"Well, not exactly. We thought, 'Why not spice it up a bit? Put a new spin on things?' ...and so, instead of killing you, we slowly destroy your body! Fun, isn't it?\"\n\nThe blade twisted and squirmed faster and faster around his hand, in between the fingers, and back again, like a snake. I was quiet.\n\nHe looked impatient, like he had 1000 damned souls to claim that all were of more importance to him than I ever would be.\n\n\"Mate, I've got to be honest with you. I was only sent here because we sensed your hate, your anger, your utter temptation. You and I both know you want someone dead, and desperately too. I need to know. Have we got a deal or not?\"\n\nI took a deep breath.\n\n\"...Ok. I'm ready.\"\n\n\"Great choice, if I may say so myself! So, do you have a name in mind or...?\"\n\n\"I have it all figured out, don't worry. Just do it. Please.\"\n\n\"Amazing! Just sign your name here and write out the name of whoever you want dead here and... it should begin happening immediately, so lucky you! I'll give it a read-over, but once I've finished that, the deal should be already done, OK?\"\n\nI smiled for the first time in ages.\n\n\"OK.\"\n\nThe sound of rustling papers filled my ears as I just laid in my bed, my heart pounding.\n\nThen the ever-twirling, dancing knife dropped to the floor and his hands shook ever so slightly. As pain send shock waves throughout my body, causing my muscles to spasm, I couldn't help but regret I never even asked his name, he seemed decent enough. Oh well. It was too late now.\n\n________________________\n\n\nA masked man (for that is the best word to fit whatever he actually was) sat in the back pew of a church, looking slightly uncomfortable and out of place. As he sat and listened to the service, he twirled and spun a small knife on his fingertips and in between his fingers. He stayed still, just sitting, even when everyone in black had left. It was only when he was alone did he stand up and walk towards the coffin, placing two items on the lid.\n\nOne was the knife, a glistening silver blade and a handle of ruby, carefully carved to create a truly beautiful pattern of spirals and swirls in the valuable stone.\n\nThe other was a singular piece of paper, with rather messy handwriting haphazardly spelling out the message:\n\n\"My name is Jack. I wish I got to know yours.\"", "\"I don't hate anyone.\"\n\n\"Impossible. Aren't there any dictators, criminals, evil politicians you hate?\"\n\n\"I don't watch the news. No.\"\n\n\"How about your family? Your in-laws? Parents? A lot of people don't even realize how much they hate their parents.\"\n\n\"My parents weren't the best.\" \n\n\"And?\"\n\n\"And I love them.\"\n\n\"You can love someone and hate them.\"\n\n\"Why would I want you to kill them if I love them? And I don't hate them.\" I smiled. He couldn't tempt me.\n\n\"Ok.\" He leaned closer. He was wearing a black ski mask, but I could smell his breath through it. It smelled of sausage. \"I think you really do harbor some hatred against your parents. I can prove it to you.\"\n\nMy smile widened. \"I'm waiting.\"\n\nHe pulled off his mask. It was Sigmund Freud. He pulled out a book and began reading. Some nonsense about how boys hate their fathers and love their mothers, and for the daughters it was the other way around... what was that quote from Huxley? \"The world was full of fathers - and therefore full of misery; full of mothers - therefore of every kind of perversion from sadism to chastity; full of brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts - full of madness and suicide.\" I swatted the book away.\n\n\"Fine.\" He leaned closer. Very close. He whispered into my ear. \"There is at least one person you hate. You hate yourself. Everyone hates themselves.\"\n\nI closed my eyes.\n\n\"Everyone knows all the worst things about themselves. They hate the ways they've failed themselves, they try to punish themselves... they don't even realize what they're doing, it's embedded so deeply inside themselves.\"\n\nI smiled. \"Not me.\"\n\n\"We live in resentment in each moment. Resentful of our past selves, punishing our future selves, hating the present...\"\n\n\"Not everyone.\"\n\nHe leaned back. Looked at me again. \"You're an idiot, you know that?\"\n\n\"By definition.\"\n\nHe sighed. \"There is every reason in the world to hate everyone... especially yourself.\" He looked melancholic.\n\n\"Then reason isn't a good master.\" A gust of desert wind suddenly blew around us. The stars twinkled.\n\nHe looked at me. \"Why are you god-damned boring? Hm? You are the most boring person I've ever met. This is why I left the kingdom of heaven.\"\n\n\"You didn't leave. You were thrown out.\"\n\n\"You know your history then.\" He chuckled darkly. \"Heaven is not an interesting place. But you've never even been there.\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\nSilence stretched between us. The Devil sighed, gathered up his ski mask and his rags, and began walking away through the desert. My stomach growled. 40 days with no food would do that to you." ]	4
	[WP] You’ve been held captive in this suite for so long that you’ve forgotten what’s outside or why you’re here. Today you woke up to a peculiar message: “Open the door & 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&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&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\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.", "Open the door? To the outside? That, that’s crazy!\n\nI flip the paper over and back again, rereading the message. My eyes flick up to the door, and back down. They can’t be serious. There’s no way. This… was just another test! Yes. Another test by Dr. Gerta and Dr. Siggs. \n\nWith a smile and a shake of my head, I put the paper back where I’d found it, and returned to my seat at the table in the kitchenette. There were rules to be followed, the first most rule being to never leave the room. Ever. This was just a test to see if I could still follow the rules. \n\nI mean, I was dreadfully curious about what was outside my rooms. But I respected Dr. Gerta and Dr. Simms more. They raised me! They saved me, when all the other doctors and nurses didn’t want anything to do with me. Just because I was different. \n\nI wasn’t just different, I was dangerous. But Dr. Gerta and Dr. Simms didn’t care. Instead they gave me a nice home to live in while I learned to be less dangerous. \n\nThe first two and a half hours passed easily. I entertained myself by changing the color of my skin using the dyes from last night’s meal. I made little red and green and blue swirls, made different shapes with them, I even tried to mix the dyes to get purple or teal but only got a bruised color. After the three hour mark I started to get hungry. And after the five hour mark I started to worry. Dr. Gerta and Dr. Simms always had breakfast with me. It’s how I learned table manners and how to wake up on time. \n\nWell, maybe they wouldn’t mind it if I got something from the fridge? No! This is a test! And an important one. The rules are there for a reason. They keep everyone safe and orderly. There must have been a reason Dr. Gertaand Dr. Simms couldn’t come for breakfast, but surely they’d come for lunch. \n\nLunchtime came and went. I stared at the door, wondering when they’d come for me. If anyone would come for me. I blinked slowly, my stomach rumbling again when a sudden thought occurred to me. \n\nMaybe… maybe this was a different test. \n\nPropelled by this thought, I lifted my head and slid out of my chair, returning to the note on the end table. But if this wasn’t a test of obedience and patience, what kind of test was this?\n\nI picked up the paper again, letting my eyes close as I held the note close and inhaled deeply. My eyes shot open when I smelled it: blood and stress and sweat, and another almost spicy smell that made me sneeze. How had I not seen this before? The lettering was crooked! It was Dr. Gerta’s swooping handwriting, no doubt there, but the loops were tight and cramped. \n\nBoth Dr. Gerta and Dr. Simms’ blood and sweat were on the paper, even if you couldn’t see it. One of the things that made me… different… was my ability to recognize and manipulate certain substances that others wouldn’t be able to detect. The fancy word for it was “BioManipulation”. \n\nIt’s why I’ve been alone all these years. Tucked away so I couldn’t hurt anyone, and so no one could hurt me. That’s why rule number one was to never leave. \n\n”You are different, Miri,” Dr. Gerta had told me once when I was younger and didn’t understand why I couldn’t go outside. ”Simeon and I… we understand your difference and, we are not afraid. But others… We don’t…” She sighed long and thought for even longer, ”The outside world doesn’t… do well with different. They will not understand you at first, which will cause them to fear you. This is human nature, to fear what we don’t understand. And… in their fear they may try to hurt you and take you away from Sime—Dr. Simms and I.”\n\n“But if it is human nature to fear what you don’t understand, then do you and Dr. Simms understand me? Are,” I remember looking straight into her crystalline green eyes when I asked this, ”Are you and Dr. Simms afraid of me?”\n\nShe’d chosen her next words with such care. I remember the way her dark olive skin crinkled as she smiled, her calloused and warm hand cupping my face, ”Dr. Simms and I… yes. I won’t lie to you.”\n\n“I’d know if you did.” I remembered feeling her pulse through the skin of her hand, my cheek becoming slightly damp from her nervous sweat. \n\nAnd she’d laughed then. I loved that sound, like ringing bells. ”You are absolutely correct, Miri. But to answer you question,” She became very serious after that, ”Yes, Dr. Simms and I are afraid. We are afraid… because we we don’t know the full extent of your BioManipulation powers. We don’t know how it works, how you got these powers, where you got these powers, or even who you got them from. But listen to me, Miri, this fear doesn’t even come close to the love Dr. Simms and I have for you. Our love for you far outweighs our fear of your powers, and we both know that you would never hurt us on purpose.\n\n“We want to make sure that you are ready to join the outside world, and we want to keep you safe from those that would hurt you or take advantage of your powers. Do you understand?”\n\n“I think so, Dr. Gerta.”*\n\nI was seven then, and now I’m fifteen. The memory hit me like a wave. Was the test to see if I could survive outside? Were they waiting for me on the other side of the door? \n\nAnd “go”? “Go” where? These rooms and my caretakers were all I’ve ever known. To say I was afraid was an understatement. Cortisol flooded my veins and I could taste bile as I neared the door. What if it was locked? Okay, that wouldn’t be that big of a deal. Just convert some of my sweat to sulfuric acid and let it devour the door knob and lock with a simple touch. \n\nOh… oh this is happening. Is this really happening? No, it’s definitely happening. I clutched the paper to my chest and managed to get my hand on the door knob. \n\nIt may have been hours. It may have been minutes. Heck, it could’ve been infinity and simultaneously altogether. But I steeled myself and began inching the door knob to the right. \n\nThe door clicked as it opened just a smidge. It wasn’t too late to close the door and go back to waiting. I’m a patient person, fifteen years of waiting for the doctors to show up. Waiting for the change of the season. Waiting for dough to rise so that Dr. Simms would teach me how to make bread. Waiting to… to…\n\nFifteen years of waiting to open the door myself. \n\n“I hope this is the right test,” I whispered before slowly pulling the door open, the note becoming a crumpled mess in my fist." ]	2

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.