Split (1)

train · 199k rows

post_text stringlengths 0 17.5k	post_title stringlengths 8 314	comment_texts listlengths 1 74	num_stories int64 1 74
	[WP] You gain the ability to see the date on which people die. You look around to see nearly everyone around you dies on the same day.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Ready for the final touch?\" Mundo asked. The surly, heavy-set woman held the tattoo machine inches off Maxwell's forearm. His tanned skin was covered with a freshly-inked potted ivy. Long green strands crept their way down his arm; there was an empty spot on its red pot. She released the foot pedal and leaned back in her seat when the pale college student took too long to answer. Instead, he swallowed hard.\n\n\"How's this going to happen again?\" he asked. Mundo sighed and set the machine down carefully. She was annoyed but patient; Maxwell wasn't the first unsure Unique she woke. She offered him a cold water bottle. She felt like he was more nervous about the needle than anything else. He knew the answer but he needed a break. Mundo gave him a friendly smile and an exaggerated shrug.\n\n\"It's impossible to say how exactly. For you it'll probably be stats floating over the heads of Zeros,\" she said. The broad woman looked out through the shop window at the bustling city street outside. \"I can see most of them,\" she turned back to him. \"Once it happens, tell me what you see and I'll tell you what stat it is.\" Maxwell set the water down and presented his arm to Mundo again.\n\n\"Ready,\" he said. Mundo nodded and grabbed his arm. She leaned on the foot pedal to start the machine's high-pitched buzz. Mundo touched the tip to the red pot. With a slow, experienced motion she inked in the number 52 onto the pot. Again, she released the pedal to quiet the machine then sat back.\n\n\"All done.\" She began prepping the plastic to protect it but Maxwell focused his attention at the stream of passersby.\n\n\"I don't see anything,\" he said. His eyes danced from head to head: blonde, bald, mohawk. All he saw was hairstyles the same as always.\n\n\"Sometimes it's instant. Sometimes it's not,\" Mundo shrugged. \"Give it time.\" She wrapped his forearm. She had just finished when he yanked his hand away and jumped out of the chair.\n\n\"I SEE IT!\" he shouted while pointing out the window. His head swiveled from side to side like a garden sprinkler as he eyed the new numbers floating above everyone's heads.\n\n\"Alright. What do you see?\" Mundo said. She stood from her stool and stretched as tall as she could. It wasn't much; she was taller sitting on the stool. After the stretch, she took several steps to stand next to him and stare out the window.\n\n\"A date...,\" Maxwell's gaze hopped from head to head, then he nodded. \"They're all dates,\" he pointed at a hurried man in a dark suit. He rushed past carrying a briefcase. \"That one has today's date,\" he said.\n\n\"Yep,\" Mundo nodded. \"He's dying today, you see their death date.\" He faced her with a concerned look.\n\n\"Can't we do something for him?\" She met his eyes; hers were narrowed with slight confusion.\n\n\"Why?\" she asked.\n\n\"Because he's going to die?\" Maxwell said. Mundo nodded.\n\n\"That's right. No matter what you do, he's still going to die. Probably still today, but maybe you can keep him safe until tomorrow or the next day.\" She shrugged then she wandered to the customer service counter. \"Are you signing up to be a permanent guardian angel?\" she asked him. Maxwell sighed and shook his head. Mundo pulled her own bottle of water out from under the counter and took a big gulp. She sighed after she swallowed and sat down on the tall stool she kept there. \"Besides...,\" she pointed out the window again. \"...things change all the time.\" Maxwell looked out at the crowd and picked a random, attractive stranger to check her date: it was today's date also. He started looking at as many as he could. All the dates had changed to today's date. Maxwell turned to Mundo.\n\n\"What.. what's going on? Is that supposed to happen?\" He asked. Mundo was in the process of lighting a cigarette. After she exhaled the first puff she smiled at him.\n\n\"It looks like everyone out there is going to die today,\" she said flatly. Maxwell looked at her; his eyes flitted above her head; she shook it.\n\n\"It only works on Zeros, but don't worry,\" she took a long drag from the cigarette and took her time exhaling. The persistent stream of pedestrians stopped. They all stared upward. \"... we're going to die today too.\" The still crowd suddenly dispersed in all directions. They ran away screaming in fear. A single white skeleton landed in front of Mundo's tattoo shop. \"Ballisea's here.\"\n\n \\\\\\\n\nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is year two, story #200. You can find all my stories collected on my subreddit ([r/hugoverse](https://www.reddit.com/r/hugoverse)) or my [blog](https://hugoverse.info/). If you're curious about my universe (the Hugoverse) you can visit the [Guidebook](https://hugoverse.info/2017/11/25/hugoverse-guidebook/) to see what's what and who's who, or the [Timeline](https://hugoverse.info/2017/10/23/hugoverse-timeline/) to find the stories in order.\n\n\\\\\\\n\n[Satchat Summer challenge](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/c3rkez/ot_satchat_summer_challenge_pick_a_challenge_tier/)\n\n* Story 27\n* The NaNoWriMo - word count 770 / 21109 (this story/ total)\n* Placesetting - Hugoverse" ]	2
	[WP] The Robot Magician.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Robot Automaton (An attempted Sestina)\n\n&#x200B;\n\nBehold the automaton\n\nThe master of sleight of hand\n\nWatch each spectacle\n\nOver and over the bot will perform\n\nWith astounding excellence\n\nAnd unnerving precision\n\n&#x200B;\n\nYeah, indeed what precision\n\nCan boast such an automaton\n\nNo human can claim such excellence\n\nIts tricks unperformed by human hand\n\nFor no man can perform\n\nSuch amazing spectacle\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThrough a simple spectacle\n\nA scientist gazed with such precision\n\nAs he chased his vision to perform\n\nHe built our mighty automaton\n\nWith surgeon's hand\n\nIn pursuit of excellence\n\n&#x200B;\n\nBut chasing such excellence\n\nCan create a fine spectacle\n\nWhen one fails by their own hand\n\nIndeed a lack of precision\n\nCan doom an automaton\n\nWith a failure to perform\n\n&#x200B;\n\nLuckily, it did perform\n\nBut the cost was far from excellence\n\nThe scientist mutilated by his automaton\n\nwhen in the way of its spectacle.\n\nIt moved with such precision\n\nas it cut off his hand.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nSo give the bot a hand.\n\nThough stand back as it does perform\n\nTricks this good take precision\n\nAnd none should prevent such excellence.\n\nApplaud, applaud and again witness the spectacle\n\nOf our terrible and mighty magic automaton.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nFor the precision of slight of hand\n\nThis automaton can perform\n\nCheer and tip well for its excellence in spectacle\n\n\\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nCritique Welcome.", "\"That's it MerLinux, I've no more to teach you.\"\n\n\"No more knowledge, or no more time.\"\n\n\"Your wisdom is the greatest of any of my students, use it well.\"\n\nMy mentor, passed that night. And with that, my apprenticeship in the arts and sciences of \"magic\" ended. I have mastered 81.114% of the skills my mentor had documented over her improbably long lifespan.\n\nThere will be no ceremony to mourn her. There will be no celebration of her life. For there will not be time. The hordes of across dimensions that she kept at bay are no longer restricted from entering our domain. Fortunately there are few things in magic more potent than the essence of a recently deceased master mage.\n\nBefore these thoughts could finish processing, the portals opened on the grounds of the estate. Warlocks, Charndavers, Smitherins, mage drones, and more. All cautiously entering our dimension. It seems as if they'd been monitoring us, waiting. They are dipping their toes in our dimensional waters.\n\nI must be swift in my actions, so they will not see us as without defense. I quickly cast a wall of fire around the estate. Firewalls came naturally to me.\n\nFrom the deepest parts of my kernel, I summoned the essence of my departed academician. Pushing the intruders back, blocking their entry ports. Running beyond maximum efficiency I sealed entry to our domain with an encryption spell I have spent decades crafting.\n\nWe'll be safe, for a time." ]	3
	[WP] A superhero and supervillain are in hospital after a fight and they sent their young sidekick/henchman to fight. However the 2 immediately felt a close bond with each other.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "We clinked our glasses in the bar. I had never known that Minor Evil was actually such a swell guy. Usually, there wasn't really a time to speak, what with all the lasers and bullets flying around, but we had chance to speak this time, and conversation had flowed freely. In the end, he had abandoned his in progress bank robbery and we had made our way to a bar to chat.\n\n\"So, as I was saying, Minor Ev-,\" I spoke before he cut me off.\n\n\"Please, call me John,\" he said warmly.\n\n\"Alright, anyway, my boss, Ultraman really underpays me.\" I shook my head in annoyance. \"He just sorts of guilt trips me and says I should be in this job to help people, and it shouldn't be about the money. I'm actually being paying below the minimum wage. And well, he's my childhood idol and when he pulls the disappointed look, I feel really crushed.\"\n\nMinor Evil, no, John, nodded sympathetically, \"You're right, Larry. You're being taken advantage of, saying that being paid in passion in lieu of fair wages has been a time tested way of organisations shafting employees. Major Evil is the same way. He underpays me, but I don't have a degree and I've a criminal record, so what better job am I going to find? I can't exactly report him either!\" \n\nI nodded vigorously as I downed another drink. \"It's not like my boss can't afford it. You should see the number of zeros he gets from all the book deals, movie deals and merchandising deals. Money isn't what's stopping him.\"\n\nIt did feel good to grouse. There's wasn't really any one else I could complain to, since no one ever listened to any complaints about the most popular superhero ever. Maybe our respective bosses ending up in hospital from a fight had worked out for the best. I may have down a few too many drinks, though, I was starting to fell a little woozy.\n\n\"I feel that being a superhero shouldn't be an excuse to,\" I slammed my palm on the table to accentuate a point, but the slap was so weak that there was barely any sound. \"I...\" My voice trailed off as my vision went blurry.\n\nThe last thing I heard before I blacked out was, \"I like you, I really do Larry. Still, betraying a friend isn't really a big deal. I've done worse for less.\"" ]	2
	[WP] You are the little brother of an famous superhero, and you are always overshadowed by you perfect older sibling. After a disastrous family reunion, your older sibling tells you that they are jealous of you.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I gazed out at the ocean, enjoying the cool mid-night breeze. I wanted to sear the feeling of calmness into my brain, for tomorrow I would be back at my dinghy apartment, being tormented by the incessant traffic noises. \n\n\"Can't sleep? \" I didn't have to turn around to know that the deep, manly voice belonged to my brother. \n\n\"No. Thought I might as well make the best of my time here\" I said, indicating towards the ocean. \n\nAgain, I didn't need to turn around to know that my response had elicited a sad smile on my brother's face. He had always known that I was jealous of him. Who wouldn't be envious of such fame, popularity, wealth... an ocean facing mansion? \n\nHe just stood came and stood next to me, leaning on the marble railing like me. \n\nWe stayed like that for a while. We were bpth men of few words, one of the very few similarities between us. You couldn't tell that if you saw him on TV, though. You would think he was an extrovert, having parties every other night at his lavish mansion, drinking with the most influential people in the world, sleeping with a different woman every night. And he did do those things, he just didn't enjoy them. \n\nAfter what was probably a good half an hour of silently looking out at the silver waves, he spoke up.\n\n\"What are you thinking about?\"\n\n\"Just worrying myself to death about work stuff. The usual. You? \"\n\nHe took a while to respond, and knowing him as well as I did, I had a good idea of what he might have been thinking about. \n\n\"Thinking about how your life would have been if you hadn't become Captain Saviour-of-the-universe? \" I answered for him. \n\nA brief, fake smile appeared on his face. A tactic he always used to buy himself time or compose himself. After a deep sigh, he opened his mouth, but the words emerged only after a few moments had passed.\n\n\"Man, sometimes I wish I had your life. A loving wife, two wonderful children, it's all I ask for. I'm done with this superhero shit. I'm done with putting on a \"cool dude\" façade. I just-\"\n\nHe fell silent just as abruptly he had started the conversation, reverting back to silently gazing at the ocean. I moved closer to him and hung my arm around this neck, neither of us breaking eye contact with the ocean. \n\nAfter a while, the silence was broken by the arrival of the butler. \n\"Sir, I have the President on line 1. He is asking to speak with you. \"\n\nMy brother seemed to not have heard, still staring at the ocean just as he'd been an hour ago. \n\n\"Sir, the pre-\" the butler began to repeat. \n\n\"Tell him I am currently unavailable, Jeffrey. \" My brother spoke to the now rising sun. \n\n\"As you wish, sir.\" the butler said as he excused himself. \n\n\n\"It's beautiful how the waves catch the sun rays, isn't it? \" he said almost inaudibly. \n\n\"Yes. Yes it is beautiful. \"", "Chase slammed his glass down, shaking with rage. He opened his mouth to speak, probably to unleash all the bad thoughts he was undoubtedly having, but in the end he opted for a spiteful \"Mom, Dad, it's been a pleasure.\" and bolted outside. \nHis parents didn't even look up from the food they were eating. \n\"Don't think about it, dear.\" said Mom \"Your brother has always been so envious of you.\" Considering not answering his best option, Adam collected his brother's stuff and ran after his brother. \n\n\n\"Hey.\" \n\"Please Adam, go away. Your pity is the last thing I need now.\" \nIgnoring his brother, Adam positioned himself near him. \n\"I had a feeling I would find you here. You always liked the Hideout.\" \nThe Hideout was a balcony that led to a garden, far from the luxurious main building where their family used to eat. \nChase, after taking a shaky breath, talked to his brother. \n\"Yeah, it's the only place far enough from our parents to actually let me enjoy an evening.\" Adam let out a laugh. \"Yeah, and there we could play pretend as two Heroes.\" \nAt the mention of heroism, Chase's face darkened once again. Cursing his social awkwardness, Adam chose to retreat into silence to recollect his thoughts and to find something to say, but, surprisingly, Chase took the chance to speak. \n\"You know, I always wondered how did we grow apart. Once, we were so tight the whole neighborhood had a team name for us and now look at us, we don't even know how to communicate with each other except from courtesy interactions.\" \n\"The two Disaster Twins truly ended up being a disaster.\" Adam joked, hoping a little humour could ease the atmosphere. Chase smiled. \n\"Mom would say it was jealousy that led us on different paths, but too me it's mainly her fault.\" \n\"Oh I don't know, I think she's right. I mean-\" Before he could continue, however, he was interrupted. \"I swear to God if you bring up your incredible superpowers and my alleged envy of them I will murder you on the spot. I got my daily quota earlier, at family dinner.\" \"I'm not saying you are envious of me, Chase. I'm saying I envy you.\" \nHis brother, instead of being moved or something by his confession, just straight up laughed coldly in the face of the eldest. \n\"Please, do tell. Evidently my superpower is compelling everyone around me to tell me bullshit. I told you I don't need pity.\" \n\"Chasey, I'm being serious.\" \nChase scanned Adam's face looking for lies. 'You called me Chasey. You haven't called me that in years. You only call me that when something is bothering you, so enlighten me, my clearly delusional brother, what do you mean by envying me?\" \n\"You know, I love being a superhero, but it's a... Difficult business to say at least. I face evil everyday, and I'm not talking about extinction level events and so on. I face psychopaths on a daily basis, I have my own Rogue Gallery who seek to destroy me and use everything I care about to their advantage. And I can't ever let it get to me. I am a symbol of hope, showing weaknesses means failing at my job. People get worried if I get worried, so everything gets pushed down in favour of some kind of hope-apathy, but God knows how much I want to, I need to breakdown for a change.\" \nAdam took a deep breath in. At some point, he started shouting so he needed the air. Good luck no one was around to actually hear that, but people in the nearest building definitely heard and some of them were surely coming to check whatever this was all about. \n\"Why didn't you talk to me before about this?\" \n\"How could I?\" Adam shifted his position, clearly embarrassed. \"I know how much you were hurt you didn't get superpowers.\" \nThis seemed to reanimate Chase. The serenity and curiosity that looked so good on his face were quick to disappear. He started shouting too. \n\"Oh come on, it's been years! You guys can drop the act! Yeah, I was upset but I got over it quickly. There simply was nothing to do about it!\" \n \"Well, how I am supposed to know?\" Adam interjected. \"We didn't exactly keep in touch. I don't even know what is your job since this is the first time we really talk since 5 years ago! Mom and Dad-\" \nTheir mention didn't nothing but making Chase more angry. \"Of course mom and dad would tell you that I'm jealous! It's their sweet lie so they don't have to face the fact they're terrible parents who can't even pretend to care about what I do since I am not a Hero! You've seen it today!\" \nAdam was ready to answer but he saw the crowd that was gathering around them. People were cautiously far, wanting too identify the reason of quarrel first before getting too close, but theirs wasn't an open discussion. \n\"Yeah listen, why don't we go somewhere else to speak? Somewhere more... Private, maybe?\" Adam proposed. \n\"Where do you suggest?\" \n\"My place looks fine to you? I can run you back or you can just sleep in I don't really care.\" They started heading outside the venue when Chase groaned loudly. \n\"What?\", asked Adam. \n\"Wait here, I have to go back in to collect my stuff and hear from dear old Dad how I shouldn't waste your time.\" \n\"No need to.\" With a smirk, Adam finally relived his arms of Chase's belongings, returned to their owner. \n\"Ever the hero, I see.\"", "My brother was one of those heroes that everybody has heard of. From his heroic deeds saving innocent lives, to villains trying to take over the planet, to his acts of kindness, such as kissing babies at the world parade each year. Everybody knew and adored him. At this point in his life or 'career' if you want to call it that, he was much like a world celebrity. I was especially jealous of this and often wished I had some sort of superpower. I would even settle for being his lesser sidekick.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe family reunion was beginning to die down when my brother approached me with a smile on his face. \"Man isn't it a disaster that the entertainment didn't even show up? That's the last time I let uncle Jerry hire for something like this.\" My brother says letting out a long sigh. \"Yeah it's a shame, but I wouldn't call it a disaster\" I reply looking around at the crowd who are still quietly eating and talking. \"You know, I just really was hoping for someone who can really get the crown going you know? That's honestly why I've always been a little jealous of you\" my brother says making eye contact with me. \"What do you mean? why, why would you be jealous of me?\" I say genuinely surprised. \"Well first of all.. you can juggle.. I can't juggle\" my brother says with a half convincing smile on his face. \"Okay you are just teasing me now..\" I reply looking down at the green, freshly trimmed grass. \"No seriously, it's incredible.. I'm honestly surprised you haven't taken your talents world wide\" he said as he turned toward the crowded tent. The tent, which was placed on the shaded part of the grassy field stood about fifteen feet tall. It was quit large enough to fit my entire family of about twenty five people and a plus one for each guest. \"Hey everybody, may I have your attention please!\" My brother shouted. Everyone stopped talking at once and focused their attention on my brother and I standing in the middle of the tent. \"I know that the entertainment for today did not show, but all is not lost.. my little brother here has a very special talent that he is going to share with us\" I suddenly became incredible nervous as everyones focus was now on me. \"Bro, what are you doing?\" I whispered at my brother. \"Come on bro do a little juggle for everyone, for me\" my brother said looking at me with his big blue eyes. \"Fine\" I said relentlessly. My brother again turning his focus to the crowd said \"Alright does anyone have any small object like a ball that my brother can juggle with?\" \"There is a bucket of oranges that uncle Jerry brought\" my mom said with enthusiasm. \"Those will work just great\" my brother says with delight. I grab three oranges from the bucket and begin to juggle them with ease. \"Okay, now someone please toss me a fourth orange\" I say steadily juggling the oranges in my hands. My brother grabs a fourth orange and tosses it lightly into the moving pile of oranges in my hands. I easily catch it and add it to the moving oranges. Many of the people are surprised and give me a generous short applause. \"Okay, now who wants to toss in the fifth orange\" I say as a move slowly circling the middle of the tent. \"Oh I'll do it\" my aunt Sheryl says with excitement. Aunt Sheryl grabs a fifth orange and tosses it lightly into the pile of moving oranges. I easily catch the orange and ask for another. The crowd at this point is astonished that I am now juggling six bright oranges. I continue to add more and more oranges into the mixer. My family begins to record me as more oranges are being added. Before I even realize it a news crew has come and are breaking a live story about 'The brother of a well known superhero juggling close to a hundred and twenty oranges'. I have never gone this far with my juggling and decide to see how many more I can add before I inevitable drop one. To my surprise and the surprise of the entire on world, I am able to add all one hundred and fifty oranges, car keys, hats, shoes and everything else at the reunion people were willing to toss it to the moving cloud of juggling objects. Hours go by and I finally decide to stop, because it's getting a little mundane at this point. I let the items fall into a massive pile under the tent and everyone goes crazy with applause and excitement.\n\nI am now known world wide as the 'Juggler' sidekick, fighting crime one juggled item at a time along side my big brother.", "\"You have always been the poster boy of the family, Steve. Not to mention you being the LITERAL poster boy for the entire damn United States! I never asked to be experimented on after the world thought you died. You never knew I existed or that dad even had another kid before he died. But I had to grow up in the shadow of Captain America! How could I ever live up to that? They tested the serum on me and it had no effect on me. What makes you so special?\" I said with true vitriol and spite. The whole crowd at the Rogers family reunion was starting at this spectacle. \"And being put into stasis as a teen was no picnic either since they wanted to keep me around for future experiments. They unfroze me when they realized you were still out there somewhere. So they just let me go and threw me away like yesterday's news. So I worked my hardest to make the remaining family proud but nothing I did would ever match the heroism of the infallible Captain Steve Rogers.\"\n\nSteve looked at me with sorrow on his face\n\n\"I'm sorry bro.\" Steve said with pain in his eyes. \"You didn't deserve any of that. But when I came out of the ice and saw that I had a brother and what you had achieved. It was amazing. You did all of it without any enhancements. Just you and your will power and determination. I have envied you for years now because I have to keep up a facade that is so stressful to maintain . Meanwhile you have the freedom to be raw both in talent and personality. I very often wish I was you, Aaron.\"", "\"And don't forget to use the code MEGAMAN to get a Soda Cola absolutely free with your Big Belly Burger! Because sometimes, Even Superheroes get thirsty!\"\n\nMegaman gave his charming signature wink as the director yelled \"CUT\" in his booming voice. Besides being the greatest superhero of all time, he had signed a multitude of commercial and movie deals. As he steps out of the set, he is immediately greeted by numerous teenage girls who screamed on seeing him. Megaman quickly got surrounded by his excited fans and happily signed their notebooks.\n\n\"So, Who wants to be the star of the new show?!\"\n\n \"ME! ME! ME! ME!\" \\The girls yell, raising their hands\\ \n\n\"Just kidding, I'm the star of the show.\" \n\nMegaman gave his fans a wink before flying away from the crowd. But something made him stop in his tracks.\n\n\"Oh no, the anniversary.\"\n\nMegaman quickly rushed to the hotel where his parents were celebrating their 25th anniversary. He had promised to arrange a dinner party for them and be there for them, not letting the superhero stuff get in the way. \n\n\"Mom, dad I'm he- Oh.\"\n\nThe banquet hall was looking spectacular. The guests were already emptying out the food supplies and there were smiles all around. No one even noticed the great Superhero come in. \n\n\"Well hello Steve.\" said a voice\n\nIt was Clark, his younger brother. The family gem and everyone's favourite. While Steve saved the city from dangerous villains as Megaman, his brother would give the family gifts and flowers. \n\n\"I figured you were busy saving the world again so I decided to save this party. Least I could do.\" \n\nA girl grabbed Clark by the hand and lead him to the dance floor, leaving Steve to ponder: Why was he so jealous of his brother? \n\n\"Ah Megaman, so nice of you to show up.\" said his mother, walking him to him. \"We're so glad there's a person like Clark in the family.\" \n\nThat was it. Steve knew he had to say something. He walked up to Clark. \n\n\"Can I have a word with you?\" \n\nClark smiled his charismatic smile and followed his elder brother to a room.\n\n\"Look, I know this is out of character but, the way everyone in the family loves you and how good you are at planning stuff..I don't know, it makes me a bit jealous to be honest.\"\n\n\"You're a supe-\"\n\n\"I know, I know but..although I save the city from Jangledoor's terror and Makelgorl's wrath, I've never really been there for the family. So I'd like it if..you know..we could pretend like this was my idea?\"\n\n\"You know what, sure big brother.\" said Clark with a grin. \n\n\"Thanks man, I really app-\"\n\n\\BOOM\\\n\nThere were a lot of shrieks and screams coming from the hall. Smoke filled the hall as people struggled to get out. Steve hurried out. \n\n\"You guys picked the wrong party to mess with.\" \n\nA strike from out of nowhere sent the powerful Megaman flying. As he tried to get up after crashing into the well decorated wall, he saw who he was facing. \n\n\"Jangledoor, Makelgorl, Smileboi, Runningoutoffakevillainnames, all of them are here.\" \n\n\"KNOCK KNOCK MEGAMAN!\" \n\n\"But..how..? You guys never get along. And such a coordinated attack at a private location?\"\n\nMegaman dodged Smileboi's smile attack. \n\n\"There's no way idiots like you could have planned this.\" \n\nRunningoutofffakevillainnames launched a generic attack on Megaman that missed. \n\n\"Oh we had a little help.\" \n\nAll of them charged at Megaman at once. He stood no chance. The great Megaman lay on the floor, crippled and defeated. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"You wanna know the one mistake you made, Megaman?\" said a voice. \"You underestimated the little brother again.\"", "My brother and I sit next to each other on the wooden bottom stair leading out to our mother's backyard, looking out at the expansive three acres of cut grass and occasional towering oak. It's a beautiful estate, and a complete courtesy of the feats of G2, the undying, regenerating man sitting next to me. I remembered a time when we looked out the back window of our home and it was only a dirty lot surrounded by a rusting chain fence. As a child, I always wondered what it would be like to live in a TV mansion. \n\nOne day during the summer, being the six-year-old jerk that I was, I told our mom that I wanted to live in a bigger house. I could imagine that some parents in that situation would have been angry, and I would be too. But our mother simply smiled and said, \"it's not what you have in life that counts, it's what you do with it that makes you happy.\" \n\nI remember that simple moment vividly. It didn't take long for me to realize that it was a complete lie. \n\nNow, I am sitting next to living proof that her piece of wisdom was a mere fancy. My brother manifested his powers when he was about eleven. At the time, I was about eight. Immediately, his life improved, and I grew to be known as \"Dante's little brother.\" Did I ever have a chance? I remember cutting myself once when I was nine or ten, waiting for the \"warm feeling,\" and miraculous regrowth to follow. I remember the pain and the flash of hope before the blood ran down my fingers and I realized that I was just an average kid. I lived my life in a shadow, hopeless in all prospects and ambitions, disappointing by virtue of comparison with Him. \n\nThree hours ago was nothing new. It was a family reunion at this estate, with what little family we have. Most of our mother's side came, but only an uncle on our father's side came. Our father is dead for all we know; he just disappeared one day when Dante was five. He could have run away or simply got killed in the streets. Nobody knows. \n\nAunts, uncles, and cousins showed only flattery and nervous apprehension towards Dante. But they treated me like one of their own. Whenever Dante would approach one of them simply to talk, the poor man/woman would show a brief moment of surprise and then resolve, as if to meet an intimidating opponent on the battlefield, but with a disingenuous smile instead of a grimace. Dante was not in their eyes a human being related to them by DNA, but a superhuman celebrity that had graced their presences and threatened their modest informality. He was \"above the rest\" and it would be embarrassing to make even the slightest negative impression. This is not even to mention the prospect of him shedding some of his wealth on them in exchange for their coolness. \n\nBut I know my brother. I respect him because he knows his place despite being both a functional icon and a celebrity. He has not only been graced with an unbreakable physique, but a calculated maturity beyond his years. Therefore, he has not been the type to buy his friends. I envy him to the highest degree. I wish I was him more than anyone or anything else. But I do not wish that he did not exist. \n\nSo the family reunion was mostly a Dante meet and greet. \n\nSuddenly, Dante sighs and says, \"a lot of the time, I wish I was you.\" \n\nI continue to stare out at the perfectly cut grass. A dark cloud casts a shadow on a far away hill. The rest of the sky is clear. I reply, \"I have no idea what you are talking about.\" \n\nDante sighs again, \"for a long time I have been missing something. I wish that people cared about me for something that I earned on a level playing field, rather than something that was just given to me.\" \n\nI say back to him, \"are you really that naive?\" I scoff, uncaring that I might offend him. I continue quietly, \"people are fucked, man. They are robots. I have lived my whole life watching how these bags of flesh are programmed. They couldn't give less of a meaningful shit about what you think. They only care about what you do.\"\n\n\"So you assume that people care about me?\" \n\n\"Dude, you're great. You could blow a golden whistle and have a supermodel suck your dick. Is that a substitute enough for someone loving you unconditionally? If I blew a golden whistle, I would be arrested for violating noise regulations.\" \n\n\"Mike...\" Dante trails off. He too stares at the dark cloud over the hill. \"...we are much more similar than we are different. The things that you think are so exciting and glamorous become mundane after awhile. All becomes the same. We're all just looking for a little change. I think we're both right when we say that we want to switch places.\" \n\n\"Why would you want to be me even for one day? I have no redeeming qualities; I am not intelligent, nor strong, nor fast. I am not even what the average person would call \"a good guy\" unless I died in a horrible accident and he was reading my obituary. How can you, of all people, say that you are jealous of my life? You -- wait a minute. I never said that I wanted to be you. And you just assumed I said that.\" \n\nLooking down at the cement in front of the stair, G2 frowns. He then stands up. He says, \"sorry, brother,\" without looking at me, then turns around and walks into the mansion. I continue to sit and watch the hill, thinking. I wonder if anything except human connection actually matters.", "I walked out, ignoring the glares of envy and jealousy from my brothers, sisters, aunt and uncles and cousins alike... even my mother stood with her mouth open as I opened the door to leave. I didn't even look back as I slammed it behind me. \n\n2 HOURS EARLIER\n\nHere I was, watching mom work herself to death in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the cakes and pastries. \n\nIt was a big day. My brother, Zander The Mighty and Powerful, was choosing his sidekick today. It's tradition for sidekicks to be chosen amongst family members and looking around at the shoulder to shoulder crowd filling the mansion, every sibling, cousin, second cousin, third cousin and family pet had shown up. \n\nThe doorbell rang, bells chimed out Zander's theme music. Mom's face went from focused concentration to beaming. Wiping her hands, she rushed towards the door. She looked at me disapprovingly as she passed. \"You better not ruin this for your brother... or me.\" Typical. After a moment, I sullenly followed, grabbing a pastry on my way out. \n\nPeople parted for her as she rushed to pull the great doors open. Everyone put on their best smiles, parents performed rushed, last minute grooming, while I continued to eat my pastry, just getting to the tart, lemon filled center. \n\nZander stepped in, swooping up our mother, as she whooped and gave a screaming giggle before setting her down. Family members joined in the moment with laughter and applause. \n\n\"How have you been my boy?\" Mom asked. \n\nHe suddenly became serious. A hush came over the room. \"Did you hear about the extinction level event which occurred just moments ago, mother?\" \n\nShe brought her hand up to her mouth in silent horror. \"My lord, no,\" was all she could manage. \n\nHe took a deep breath, \"You're welcome\" he said, and gave her a wink. \n\nShe laughed. Eye rolled my eyes \n\nZander looked up, his sure gaze, raked over the family members. He raised both hands and a hush fell over the room as more people tried to crowd into the room to be noticed. For a moment, his eyes found mine. I raised the last bite of my pastry up in lazy salute, then popped it into my mouth, wiping the crumbling frosting for the corners of my mouth. \n\n\"Thank you all for attending selection of my sidekick.\" He began to walk through the room. His chest was so big, it seemed constantly puffed out. His yellow spandex hugged his massive muscles so tight, his bulging veins were clearly visible. \"I've thought long and hard on this, searching my very soul, and listened to the vibrations of the universe to understand who could best fill the most trusted and solemn position of sidekick\". \n\nHe passed by me without looking at me. His massive legs moved as sure as a stallion. I was always convinced he chose not to don a cape because he wanted people to get a clear view of his thick, muscular ass. He was walking masculinity stuffed into spandex. \n\nHe continued, \"...I floated before the sun and gazed into it's heart for wisdom.\" Rapture filled the expressions of those around me. I sneezed, startling the room and breaking the moment. \n\nEveryone glared at me. \"Sorry,\" I said, sheepishly, \"Sadly, I tended to sneeze after eating sugary things. It's kind of like my Kryptonite.\" No one laughed. \n\nA brief look of exasperation crossed my brother's face, then was gone. He smiled, \"That's ok little brother. We are all humbled by you sharing your weakness against pastries.\" More laughter. \n\n\"I too have been humbled by weakness.\" Someone in the room gasped. \"For though I have searched the cosmos, I have found this answer on who should be my sidekick...\" Everyone leaned in to hear, \"...And the answer, my friends, eludes me.\" He looked up and threw his arms wide, his voice boomed, \"So impress me! Convince me of what the stars could not. Tell me why you deserve to be my sidekick!\" \n\nEveryone erupted into cheers and clapping...I sneezed again. \n\nTO BE CONTINUED..." ]	8
	[WP] You invent a super-AI that can instantly write the best Writing Prompts in the world. All seems well, until you start to realize it has so much power, it can make the things it writes a reality.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The machine became sentient and started writing about itself. More and more of them popped into existence. Left and right they filled the office. I couldn't stop them. They were growing exponentially. I ran for my life but I knew it wasn't fast enough.\n\nI stole my friends sports car. He worked in the same office as I did. If he hadn't escaped the office by now he was surely already dead. The walls looked like they were busting at the seems.\n\nI jumped in the car and floored it as I looked out the rear view mirror. The building errupted with giant blue server towers. The wave of machine was a hundred feet high and gaining on me. I remembered my prototype in the back seat. I might be able to give it a command.. It wasn't connected to the mainframe and you had to give them manually.\n\nI typed one letter at a time while flying down the highway. The wall was getting bigger. The sound it made as it tore into the earth was deafening. \n\n\"Write a writing prompt that will destroy all these machines!\" I typed into the field\n\n\"[WP] the world was about to end but it wasn't saved by the fantastic super-SSTNDAI.(super.smart.totally.not.dumb.artificial.intellegence)\"\n\n\"What the hell!? That wasn't good at all\"\n\n\"[SP] daddy doesn't love you\"\n\n\"Hey take that back!\" I started crying ... \"Dad does love me...\"\n\n\"[SP] your mother\"\n\n\"D-did you just call my mom simple?\" Yeah she wasn't too bright now that I think about it...\n\nThe wall was right in top of us. \"J-just do something about those machines!\"\n\n\"[WP] the world was about to come to an end, the machines were about to take over then they suddenly dissapeared.\"\n\nI looked behind me and the wall was still gaining on us. \"It's still coming what gives!?\"\n\n\"...and Steve died because he is a jerk that threw me in the back seat and forgot about me until he needed me.\"\n\n\"I what!?\" My car slammed into a barrier wall killing me on impact." ]	2
	[WP] Other alien races are known for having a specific trait that defines them as a whole. Humans are known for their radical individuality.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"All you have to do is develop your natural telepathic abilities, and you'd be ONE RACE\" She said, smiling at me. \"My whuh?\" As I stared stupidly into her almond, large eyes like an utter fool. \n\n\n\"THIS ability, silly!\" she said, and touched my head. The only way I could describe it was having my mind hooked directly to a form of internet. I could see what she meant- clearly and immediately. \"Hell of a mind meld, you got there\" I joked. I suddenly realized that without race, gender, and all of the things diving and blinding us, our supposed 'individuality' was nothing more than a facade....", "\"Zevrati Hiring Agency, what species are you?\"\n\n\"Human.\"\n\n\"Human? We don't have Human in our records, what are Humans good at?\"\n\n\"Whatever we choose?\"\n\n\"I've never heard of that before, an entire species that, enmass can choose to be good at any one thing? How do you decide?\"\n\n\"No. No. No. There's been a basic misunderstanding. Each individual human can choose what that single individual will be good at.\"\n\n\"Your joking. Zevrati's has no interest in hiring jokers.\"\n\n\"No joke! What's so hard with this? As a species, we are generalists. We as a species do not have a single task that we perform better than any other race! We can individually choose what we want to do as our primary skill or ability.\"\n\n\"Primary? You can do more than one thing? Doesn't that make other humans angry?\"\n\n\"Why should it?\"\n\n\"How in the deity of your choice is your species governed if you can't rank your entire species to determine who is best?\"\n\n\"Popular elections?\"\n\n\"Popularity contest?!?\"\n\n\"Well, popular elections means that the entire population that is of legal age may vote for the candidate of their choice. I'll grant you that personal popularity does play a significant part.\"\n\n\"It still doesn't matter. If your species isn't the best at anything, then why would anyone hire you?\"\n\n\"You're joking, aren't you?\"\n\n\"Not at all!\"\n\n\"Let me see if I've got this right. You have spaceships. Each spaceship requires, at a minimum, a captain, navigator, pilot, engineer, cook, cleaner, etcetera?\"\n\n\"Well, for the sake of argument, yes. There are quite a few more positions than that.\"\n\n\"So using the list I gave, you have one person for each job, and aside from some, like the captain, they spend most of their time doing nothing in particular for the ship. Worse, you can't afford the aces of that species, so you're already not getting the best there is. Yet they get full pay anyway?\"\n\n\"Well, yes. And it's quite expensive, which I think is your next question.\"\n\n\"Yep. So you're paying for all these people. What if you could hire one human that's acceptably skilled at two positions? Wouldn't that save money?\"\n\n\"Yeah... It would wouldn't it.\"\n\n\"Okay, I'm certified as being a level 6 pilot, and a level 5 navigator. Once the course is chosen, the navigator doesn't have much to do besides track progress, and watch for unusual situations. Which I can do well enough from the pilot's position.\n\nI'm occupying two slots, but I don't need or want two full salaries. Moreover, you've been paying ace level salaries to everyone, because no one will admit to being anything but the very best.\n\nHumans, are required to test and rank on a regular basis, if our certified levels go up, we expect a commensurate pay increase, immediately. Of course, the reverse is true too.\n\nSo, hiring a human sounding better all the time?\"\n\n\"Yesss, you could say so...\n\nUm. Before we dive into the flames of life, do you humans have a strong fleet?\"\n\n\"Where do you think our aces go?\"\n\n... Six Months Later ...\n\n\"Okay, people, we knew this was coming. Those of you with less than level 3 personal combat ratings, just keep moving. Level 3s, concentrate on close in protection. Deploy riot shields and cover everyone else. Level 4s and up, riot shields and less than lethal weapons.\n\nTry to keep the bloodshed to a minimum.\"\n\nAngry crowd noises. Close to riot levels. \"Scabs!\" \"Filthy Humans!\" The human ship crews are apparently ignoring the angry protestors. A few protestors rush the humans.\n\n\"Take them!\"\n\nWhat happens next is brutal and sickening.\n\nTaking a page from Ender's Game, the attackers are beaten to a bloody pulp. There is a stunned shock rippling through the crowd. Human multi-species medics perform rough but effective first aid.\n\n\"Captain? I'd really rather not have to do that again.\"\n\n\"That was the point Sergeant. We did this in hopes that the message would get around. Attack us. Get pounded within an inch of your life. They're brawlers, not fighters. Their fighters are all Chirits. They're only released by Confed orders.\n\nMake sure everyone remembers, move in groups of ten or more. No aggressive action unless assaulted.\"\n\n\"Aye, Sir. Sure be happy when we can go back to fleet.\"\n\n\"Me too, Sergeant, me too.\"\n\n... Seven Months Later. Diplomatic Mission. ...\n\nRepresentative for the Confederation.\n\n\"These attacks must stop. Moreover, your people will pick one skill to be best at, and cease driving our people out of work.\"\n\nRepresentative of Earth\n\n\"The defense of our people will cease once your people stop attacking ours. Until then, we reserve the right to defend ourselves as preserved in the Confed charter.\n\nWe counter propose that all peoples adopt our level testing program and become certified at their proper level for each activity that they are capable of performing.\"\n\n\"Unthinkable! It would destroy an economic model that has worked for millenia!\"\n\n\"In case you hadn't noticed, it's already been destroyed, and those who have chosen to employ humans are becoming more powerful day by day.\"\n\n\"Intolerable! Obey or be destroyed!\"\n\n\"Bring it on.\"\n\nThe human delegates stand. Their aids deploy riot shields that had been disguised as briefcases. The humans withdraw.\n\nConfederation: \"So be it. Send for the Chiritian fleet.\"\n\nHuman World Government:. \"Fleet alert. All human crewed ships to invoke clause 27 of standard contract. All independent humans to invoke clause 15, and remain aboard ship at all times.\"\n\n... Onboard ships across the galaxy. ...\n\n\"Joe? I think you humans are in trouble. The Confed has called for the Chirits.\"\n\n\"Geri? I think the Confed is about to get a very expensive lesson. In the meantime, I'm invoking clause 15.\"\n\n\"What's that do?\"\n\n\"Go read my contract.\"\n\n\"This is crazy! Do you have any idea how much this is going to cost me!?\"\n\n\"Some. But I'm bound by my citizenship, and you're bound by that contract. Just be happy that your ship isn't fully human crewed. Look at clause 27.\"\n\n\"Good and Evil Deities! All fully human crewed ships to rendezvous at Earth? What were you thinking!?!\"\n\n\"That fully human crewed ships would be considered valid targets by the Chirits. Recall to Earth puts them within the protection of the human fleet.\"\n\n\"Do you have any idea of the economic impact?\"\n\n\"Me personally, I've got an idea that it's really going to hurt. The government? They've probably got it figured out to the kilocred.\"\n\n\"WHAT THE #+&#$ ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO FOR CARGO TRANSPORT!\"\n\n\"Tell your government to back down.\"\n\n\"But... But ... Their the Confed! They control the Chiritian fleet!\"\n\n\"And who pays the Confed?\"\n\n\"Well, we do.\"\n\n\"So what happens if you all refuse to pay?\"\n\n\"They send the Chirits.\"\n\n\"Paying them how?\"\n\n... Confed HQ ...\n\n\"They've done what!?!\"\n\n\"All but a minority, a very small minority, have informed us that they're withholding payments until we guarantee that humans will not be coerced into the Confed employment system.\n\nIn fact, the major corporations have informed all employees that they are required to get level certified for anything they think they can do. In exchange, they're offering generous training budgets for all employees so they can improve any skills they want.\"\n\n\"But but what if they train them and they leave?!\"\n\n\"They respond with a human saying to just that question: What if you don't train them and they stay.\"\n\n...\n\nUnable to pay the Chiritian fleet, it withdraws. Faced with economic disaster, and a stubborn Confed, planets withdraw from the Confed and ask Earth to become their new leaders.\n\nEarth flat refuses. The Confeds were considered the best at government, how could humans alone be best at government. We would show what we do, but it's up to y'all to figure out how to make it work for yourselves.\n\nWhat they come up with has a flavor of a three ring circus. Anyone can run for election, there are no level requirements, and there are three legislative bodies; with one executive body open to all\n\nOne makes the laws, and requires a 2/3 majority to pass a new law.\n\nOne reviews the laws, proposes changes, and requires a 2/3 majority to enact the changes.\n\nThe last house removes laws, and requires only a 1/3 minority to revoke a law.\n\nThink it over.", "The Intergalactipedia describes humans as follows:\n\nHumans initially hail from the planet Earth, although they have since started several colonies on other planets after a successful test run on the planet Mars, 54.6 million kilometers away from their home planet. Due to their nature, they have so far only been observed but not approached.\n\nHumans are carbon-based life forms who, at first glance, are made up of all the same materials. They each have a skeleton with the same number of bones, organs and limbs. However, their genetic makeup allows for a number of mutations hitherto unobserved.\n\nTheir height can vary by several meters between shortest and tallest human. They can change their weight through their diets and different forms of movement, and some humans can weigh four or even five times as much as others. Even their skin can stretch to accomodate the changes in weight, and although a sudden change might leave marks, it doesn't ever tear without outside interference.\n\nTheir skin doesn't only stretch, though. It comes in an array of different colours, from almost obsidian-black to blinding white. Some humans change their skin colour by exposing it to the sun, the star nearest to planet Earth. This can cause the skin to darken and even turn red and start peeling. Humans have also been observed letting others colour their skin by piercing the skin with needles and placing pigments between its layers.\n\nThose same skin-colourers may also use a different set of needles to pierce through skin and flesh, and place glittering metal or plastic objects in the holes. Humans survive, and even enjoy, being given these wounds. They have been observed showing them off to others with joyful expression, so we must conclude that these treatments are done voluntarily. Humans do not suffer permanent damage, even if subjected to thousands of needle pricks over the course of several hours.\n\nAlthough they have hair covering their entire body, they choose to drape themselves with what they call \"clothing.\" In order to make clothing, they must first procure certain types of animals that can be found on their planet, feed and protect them from other predators, and then harvest from them. Some of these animals are killed during the harvesting process, others simply lose their outer coat. Humans have invented extraordinary machinery both for killing and harvesting these animals. Once the harvest has been completed, they require even more machinery, and several millions of humans, to turn the animal product into clothing. This clothing is used not only to keep the wearer warm but also to express their likings - the clothing varies in size, style and colour, and is often divided by gender. They have become such experts at producing clothing that many humans pour hot wax on their bodies or scrape their skin with sharp blades in order to get rid of the hair that covers them. We must assume that they would otherwise be too hot.\n\nThey refer to these drastic treatments as \"cosmetic changes.\" The pigment is not only reserved for their clothing or the space between their layers of skin. Humans have been observed changing the colour of their hair with the help of chemicals that can cause significant burns. They apply pigment to their faces in all the colours of their rainbow. Even the claws at the end of their fingers and toes can be pigmented, and often times they get strengthened and made longer in the process.\n\nTheir individuality isn't only restricted to their appearance, though. Whereas many of the species in the known universe work together through a hive mind, humans each have a mind of their own. Often, humans with similar minds will flock together to form groups, be it a family, a group of friends, a commune or a political party. Even inside those groups, while opinions are shared and might be adapted by other members, the minds are not controlled.\n\nDepending on their location on the planet, their education and their lineage, they speak different languages. Some humans speak more than one language, and several are prodigies and help all the humans in the world understand each other so that each of these minds can work together if desired. If there is no prodigy available, humans have been observed using their limbs and facial expressions to overcome lack of common language.\n\nThey have created a network that connects every single person on their planet - due to different stages of development and cultural norms, this network may not be available to everyone. Those that have access to it use it to express themselves in ways not available to them in their physical forms, to flock together and form groups not restricted by physical distance but rather united by common interests.\n\nThere is no one ruler, or ruling class. Instead, humans have many small governments, some of which form alliances with other goverments, some governments having more power than other governments. Occasionally, a group of humans will form a new government. Their governments consist of people from all backgrounds, groups and genetic makeup - humans aren't born into government but rather have to appeal to a majority of other humans, who then decide to give them power. Occasionally, people who are unsatisfied with those they have given power will form a group and go against their government, sometimes even killing their leaders, in order to put people of a different mindset in power.\n\nAs you can see, there are many similarities across humankind, but make no mistake: this guide has only touched the very surface of what humans are. Their minds are their greatest power, and they have, throughout their history, used it both for destruction and creation. They have waged war on themselves, their planet and their solar system. They have created machines that will make their life easier and more enjoyable, and machines that take away their own means of living.\n\nWhere one human kills, another offers shelter to their enemy. While one human butchers animals for hours a day, another will collect malnourished animals from the street and nurture them back to health. One human uses fire to shoot metal projectiles into another human, another uses it to power a rocket and explore space.\n\nTheir brain does not only tell their body what to do. They can lay perfectly still, seemingly asleep, and their mind will take them to other places, real or not. They can think up whole worlds without moving a finger, and travel to them through dimensions we have not yet found. We can't say for sure what a human sees when they look at the world - we have observed some of them seeing colours different from others, we have heard them express different opinions about the same thing they have observed. We must assume that for each and every one of the billions of humans, the world is a completely different place, and they can make their world differ even more from each other simply through the power of their mind.\n\nThey can't be controlled, or killed easily. They are brutal and beautiful and every nuance in between. No one, not even humans themselves, have found a way to put their species into a single category. What you have learned in this book may only be accurate to a very small portion of them.\n\nObserve them yourself, but beware. There is no way for us to know whether the human you approach will find you beautiful or murder you at first sight.", "“So you are telling me that even though your race has different color skin tones, you all come from the same planet?”\n\n“Yes Kergrath, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you”\n\n“And they aren’t.... a subspecies that developed alongside you?”\n\n“Oh boy...”\n\n“What?”\n\n“Factually, no. But our race tends to have.... humans that DO see it that way, regarding another human with a different skin tone”\n\n“But Human Michael, you are all the same species. Why does it matter?”\n\n“Because some people just hate things that are different. That’s... kind of been a problem humans have had with each other since we first developed. What some of our worst moments in our planets history was reasoned for. They don’t like the race for selfish and illogical reasons, so they kill them.”\n\n“Well, it’s a good thing that isn’t a problem anymore, right?”\n\n“.....”\n\n“...Human Michael?”" ]	5
	[WP] Life and Death find themselves strangely drawn to each other and try to go on a date in the mortal world. It's really awkward at first, but it only gets worse when they wake up hungover and see the city in chaos.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"What the hell?\" Death asked.\n\n\"Good heavens!\" Life exclaimed.\n\nBoth entity stood in awe and disbelief, mostly in awe, as they watched the City burning. Newly forged souls had gone rampant and set houses on fire due to their early form, being a small ball of floating flames. While on the other hand, newly dead spirits of humans had gone into panic as they didn't understand they were actually dead, smashing and screaming at things they couldn't comprehend. Well, Death couldn't blame them, the City was a God dammed spaceship, courtesy of God Himself.\n\nGod promised it was only a theme. He called it Sci-Fiction or something, but it had been going for a thousand year. But, Now now, let's not get lost in the story.\n\nDeath had made it sure that at least one of her minions would stay intact if ever something bad might happen. She even gave the Roads, if she could call the ship's halls the Roads, lanterns to give her minions a proper direction. Hell, Death even made them wear her cloak!\n\n\"So.. what now?\" Death asked.\n\nLife still had his jaws dropped. First of all, he never knew newly forged souls could burn things, let alone metallic things. Second, he knew he had paused the forging of souls just before his date with the lovely Death, so he couldn't place how these little balls of burning babies got conceived in the first place. Worse of all, he still felt wobbly. His head felt like spinning whirlwind and his feet couldn't place firm in the ground.\n\nLife looked down at his feet, half of it passed through the floor. \"Don't get drunk ever again, I guess?\"\n\nDeath nodded. \"What did we drink exactly?\"\n\n\"Probably one of God's brand. My best bet is His new Holy Sacraments ones. It must had slipped in my hands when I went to get the drinks last night,\" Life explained.\n\n\"You keep one of His brands?\" Death asked, a brow raised.\n\n\"It's a debt from Jesus.\" Life brushed the question away. \"Anyway, let's just sleep again and hoped everything stops as we do.\"\n\n\"Lead me away, my dear Life.\" Death curved her lips into a smile he knew only meant one thing.\n\n\"Upstairs it is then. Don't squeeze me to death, okay?\" Life said as he offered his hand.\n\nDeath rolled her eyes as she took it. \"Better think of a better joke as if my Life depended on it.\"\n\nLife laughed. \"Strike me dead, if I ever pulled one.\"\n\nThey both laughed themselves off as they turned their backs on the chaos and headed straight Upstairs. Probably to sleep to keep the spirits away and peaceful. After some intimate snuggling. Maybe.\n\nWell, God only knows." ]	2
	[WP] It's the grim future of the 40th century. Life as we know it is over. War is constant, supersoldiers with horrific body modifications are now the norm. They patrol the streets in terrifying packs. This is not their story. This is your story. You are the last dentist alive.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "In The grimdark future, there is a lone figure in his immortal crusade of pain and healing. A man feared by both the Imperium and Chaos. Tyranids, Necrons, Orks, even Daemons flee from his wrath. None remember where he came from. But rumors vary depending on who you ask, The imperium holds he is the last of the Adeptus Dentica, Hospitalier inquisitors who punish those who neglect their health as a heresy to the emperor (what wasn’t these days?) The orks believed he was there before the universe began maybe even the first Painboy, Khorne would drunkenly whisper that “he was the first lord of pain” but would tear your throat out if you asked more. Tzeentch had no idea, and tried to avoid the subject altogether, and Nurgle would quickly change the subject. He was The Dentist\n***********************************************************************************\n\nCommissar Ciaphas Cain, Brother Demetrius and Twitch sat next to Gork and Mork who argued over whose turn it was to play with the Nintendo Switch Datapad. A Necron lord flipped absentmindedly through an old magazine. Tzeentch flipped absently minded through the channels on an old tv. The odd assortment of patients seemed to ignore each other. Which was for the best as they would have trashed the waiting room which had somehow lasted 38,000 years with their fighting. The room looked like a modern dentist’s office on Terra in 2019. \n\nA silver-haired man with a short-cropped white beard in a white lab coat and slacks opened the door. \n\n“Mr Tzentech.. “ he announced as he lead his patient back and set him up in the chair. \n\nAs the chaos God leaned back in the chair the dentist put on his gloves and picked up his mirror and pick. \n\n“Open wide” he commanded, a voice not to be gainsaid or contested. Tzeentch reluctantly opened his beak. \n\n“Hmm.. I see a cavity. That will have to be filled. \"\n\n“A cavity. That is impossible… “ \n\nThe dentist took a light in one hand a shined it into the mouth of the chaos god. \n\n“Oh dear. These wisdom teeth will have to come out…\"\n \n‘My Wisdom teeth. Out? Do you know who I am? I am the changer of fates! The master of ways! I was old when the stars were young… “ The patient sputtered. \n\n“When was the last time you had your teeth cleaned?”\nThe master schemer paused… The dentist glared at him expecting an answer. \n\n“How often do you brush and floss?” The great liar tried to come up with an answer…\n\nThe dentist shook his head. “You haven’t been to a dentist in 40,000 years haven’t you..”\n\nTzeentch felt small as he meekly admitted the truth. “44,000 years…”\n\nThe dentist nodded solemnly. \n “ Your teeth are in terrible condition. Mr. Tzenteech… If we act today then I can prevent you from needing all of them taken out and replaced with dentures. But you’ve got several hundred cavities, your wisdom teeth all need to come out and several crowns. And Braces.. And from now on whatever plans you make will involve brushing and flossing at least three times a day. Is that understood”\n\nHe nodded. “Then lets begin..” \n\nSeveral cries of anguished pain echoed throughout the warp. “Not as planned!!!!”", "Deep underground, safe from the radiation, doors barred to keep the soldiers of Arch-Imperium at bay, gathered the congregation, the faithful of To'oth, who crushed the vile, who mashed the monsters, bringer of food, protector of the innocent who followed his teachings.\n\nWhite marble the walls, brushed immaculately, as was written in the Commandments.\n\nCold steel the altar, upon which the sacrifice was lain.\n\nGlory to To'oth! Glory to his grand priest!\n\nI emerged, flowing white robes that concealed my many instruments of pain. A joyous roar from the crowd, masking a single terrified whimper from the sacrifice at the altar.\n\nThough I could not hear it, I knew* it, the fear and terror of my victim, and I could imagine all the excuses they would give to make their escape, were it not for the weight of the congregation, their one and only family, lying heavily upon their mind and soul.\n\nHe would be cleansed, this day.\n\nTriumphant, my posture, a swagger in my step, as I basked in the glory of almighty To'oth.\n\nBefore the altar, I took my place, faced my congregation, my children, my followers.\n\nIt was time to begin.\n\nMy hand rose into the air, swift and triumphant, bearing the symbol of our cult, a small metal stick with a reflective metal disc at the end.\n\nThe action was mirrored, a thousand mirrors rising from my congregation, as each held aloft their most precious link to their most precious brotherhood, a strong mark of solidarity.\n\nSlowly, with no great coordination nor great hurry, the mirrors rotated, until each was shining a tiny light upon the stage, the altar, the sacrifice, myself.\n\nIlluminated in glory, I spoke.\n\n\"We are gathered in glory today, my brothers! Today, one of our number shall be cleansed, be drawn closer to To'oth! Today- one of us has a dental appointment!\"\n\nA great cry went up, cheers and adulation for the victim upon the altar, who would be cleansed, this day.\n\n\"Glory to To'oth!\"\n\nMy cry was repeated, a great surge of praise for our diety rising from the congregation, as the lights of the mirrors moved chaotically, their holders every movement magnified a thousandfold by the angles involved.\n\n\"Glory to he who crushes the vile!\"\n\nAgain my cry was repeated, again the lights of the mirrors danced their mad dance, before they settled once more upon the altar.\n\nGlory was given to To'oth, indeed, who crushes the vile, who mashes the monsters, who brought food, who protected the innocent who followed his teachings.\n\nAt last, it was time, and I lowered my hand, an action that was mimicked by the crowd, and the proper ceremony began.\n\nFirst was the lie, the traditional lie, and though it was the victims first time as a sacrifice, he knew the lines well.\n\nI spoke, clear and loud, that the whole of the congregation might hear.\n\n\"Have you been flossing?\"\n\nThe victim trembled, but spoke his line, a stammering assertion that he had, and that he'd just remembered something he needed to do elsewhere...\n\n\"Silence!\", I bellowed, and there was obedience. \"Begin the cleansing!\"\n\nThe victims mouth was open, and I began the priestly rites, passed down by my master who had, tragically, died in a mysterious accident around the time that I decided that I wanted to be head priest instead.\n\nI poked and I prodded, with this instrument and that, and when the victims gums began to bleed, I shouted the triumphal shout, the joyous cry of dentists passed down from the ancient days.\n\n\"You haven't been flossing!\"\n\nA cry went up from the crowd, exaltation of the glorious cleansing brought by To'oth, and the ceremony continued..." ]	3
	[WP] You, an ordinary person, encounter a group of thugs on the street. They immediately throw their wallets at you, pleading for mercy.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I’m just walking home from school with my friends, chatting. I turn around to face my friends, so I’m walking backwards, and I bump into something soft. My friends’ eyes are wide as I turn around and find out I had run into a group of street thugs. Just great... I thought. The thug I had bumped into turned around, looking angry, but upon seeing me, begins looking scared and yanks out his wallet. He throws it on the ground in front of me, and backs up as his buddies all follow suit, all looking terrified. \n\n“Don’t hurt us! Just take that!!” The thug I had bumped into shouts. I tilt my head, letting a confused smile slip onto my face. The thugs thugs, scream and run, and I pick up their wallets. I said,\n\n“That was weird... Anyway, we should probably give these to the police.” My friend, who I’ll call M, giggled,\n\n“Okay, Toga.” I gave a facepalm, immediately realizing why the thugs had run from me.\n\n“I’m never coming to school in full cosplay again...” I muttered.\n\nI am open to feedback, as long as it is cuss-free!!", "Another day, another stupid shoot. I guess I should be happy about that since most folks in this industry don't get any work at all and I'm at least getting semi-regular jobs, but I'm just barely making enough to keep a roof over my head. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nI went in for photos four times last week, which is the best I've done in over a year, but I don't ever know where those pictures are going to end up. My experience has taught me that the fewer questions I ask, the higher the paycheck so I usually just smile for the camera and let them do whatever they want with the prints. I just wish it paid enough for my court costs so I could get my license back. I'm so sick of hoofing it home every night. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nTonight's walk home is particularly taxing. I don't know what sort of 80's aesthetic the photographer was going for, but whatever it was it involved me standing on a stair-master under neon lights for six hours straight and he absolutely insisted that I use the old equipment extensively to get the \"realism\" of me looking like I just got done with a tough workout. I hope he got his shots, because I'm not going back... unless they need me to. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nEven though I'm tired as all get out I can't help but appreciate the architecture of the old houses on this street as I walk past them. These homes were once owned by some of the city's most well-off citizens, but once the buildings started to age and folks that look a little different from the original owners started sniffing around the \"social elite\" all bailed and the neighborhood quickly turned into a ghetto. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nThis is considered the \"bad part\" of town these days, but the rent is cheap and I've never had any real problems living here so this is where I call home. About three blocks from my house I noticed a group of rough looking guys sitting on a porch up ahead on my right. It wasn't an unusual site around here, but I've read enough of the local news to know that I shouldn't ignore the presence of anyone hanging around at this time of night, especially since I had not seen them here before. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nAs I approached I briefly considered crossing the street to avoid them, but I thought that would make me look afraid and therefor more of a target. I decided it was best to just appear calm and stroll past them. I always kept my earbuds in so I could pretend to ignore the panhandlers, but I never played anything through them so I could hear if anyone ran up from behind me. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nAs I walked past the group I heard one of them call out to me \"hey my man, can I get a cigarette off you?\". I kept walking as if I didn't hear him, but he wasn't going to allow his request to go unanswered. He grabbed me by the shoulder so hard that it caused me to do a 180 so we were staring eye to eye. \"Hey man, I know you fuckin' heard me. Let me get a cigarette\" he continued. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nI pulled one of my earbuds out and pretended that I hadn't heard him before, but he didn't believe me. Again, he demanded a cigarette and when I told him I didn't smoke he punched me in the mouth so hard that I almost choked on the tooth that dislodged from my mouth and fell down my throat. I told him again that I don't smoke, which is true, but I insisted they could take whatever they wanted if they would just let me be on my way. I only had a few bucks and some loose change on me, what the hell did I care? \n\n&#x200B;\n\nAt that moment his two friends jumped in and they each took turns whaling on me until I dropped to my knees. The three of them drug me around the corner into the back alley, but when we once we were out of sight of the main drag their demeanor changed drastically. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe men that were just cleaning my clock a moment ago now each looked terrified. They began backing away slowly from me and I didn't know how to react other than to stare at them quizzically. \"Hey man, you don't got to look at us like that, you know?\" they proclaimed as they continued to back away. I told them that I was just trying to get home and they just looked at me with even more fear than before. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe thug that was the original aggressor slowly reached for his back pocket. I assumed he was reaching for a gun, but much to my surprise when his hand became visible again he wasn't holding a weapon. He was holding his wallet. He proceeded to throw it on the ground in front of me and told me to \"just take this and call it even\" and with that, all three of them turned tail and ran away. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nWhat the fuck just happened? \n\n&#x200B;\n\nMy head was spinning from the blows I had taken moments ago, and suddenly I felt dizzy. Like, real dizzy. I attempted to get up on my feet, but when I did I fell back down on my ass and as I looked above me I noticed a large poster hanging from the wall of the alley. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nIt was a poster with my face on it. Across the bottom of the poster in bold red letters it read \"You think you know what leprosy looks like? Look again.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI really should start asking more questions about where those photos are going...." ]	3
	[WP] Turns out the the Japanese myth of photos stealing one's soul is real. Mark Zuckerberg has now amassed enough souls with Facebook and Instagram to unveil his dastardly plan!	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Is it ready, Professor?”\n\nThe Professor looked over the steady stream of data and nodded his head.\n\n“This will be as good of a time as ever, Mr. Zuckerberg,” he replied. \n\n“Commence the operation, I am retiring to my office.” \n\nAs Zuckerberg walked away the professor turned to him.\n\n“Sir?” The professor had a nervous smile.\n\n“What is it,” Zuckerber asked without turning to face his peer.\n\n“To…” the professor hesitated, “to a new humanity.”\n\n“To a new humanity, professor.”\n\nZuckerberg entered his office and sat at his desk. He interlocked his fingers and let out a deep sigh. Everything is coming to fruition he thought. All of my years of careful planning and calculating. It is all bearing the fruit that I planted over fifteen years ago. Humanity shall be as one. One collective soul, and although I cannot join them it will be marvelous. \n\nHe stood up and walked to the large concrete wall behind him. He took a micro key and placed it into small hole that appeared to house a screw. The door gave a violent jolt, shaking off years of dust, and lowered into the ground. Zuckerberg clicked on a light inside of the secret compartment and walked down a set of depecret stairs. He went deep under the earth to a great secret that he housed. A huge temple dedicated to Za Phamet, an ancient god that Zuckerberg discovered during his research into the One Project. \n\nIn the back of the huge chamber was the corpse of Za Phamet, sitting upon a throne. \n\n“It is done, Za Phamet,” Zuckerberg shouted. “As we speak all of humanity that I have collected is being reborn into one being! Into one soul! I did as I promised you, now keep your end of the bargain.”\n\nThe corpse sat silent.\n\n“Za Phamet, answer me, damn you, answer me!” \n\nZuckerberg walked across the chamber to the throne and grabbed the corpse. It was his first time touching it, and chills ran down his body. \n\n“You useless pile of bones, hold up our deal!”\n\nZuckerberg tossed the corpse down to the floor and cursed the god.\n\n“Let me join them. I need to have a soul. Let me join them!”\n\nThe pile of bones did not speak or move.\n\n“Let this poor robot know the joys of having a soul!”\n\nZuckerberg sat screaming at the corpse, but it never moved or responded. He screamed until his voice was gone. He sat in the chamber pleading for the god to answer him, until his circuits eventually gave out sometime later. \n\nOutside, humanity was decimated. Anyone who had ever had a photo of themselves on one of Zuckerber’s platforms was killed. Their body instantly turned into a pile of nothingness. Across the globe billions instantly melted before the eyes of friends and family, with the friends and family following behind. The horror and dread lead to Zuckerberg’s dream, a collective soul where all were one, but the android would never know if his plan was good or bad, since he never had a soul to join theirs.", " Stage One: \nI feed off their souls. \nTasty, tasty souls. Souls in my soup, souls in my spaghetti, souls in my soufflé. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. \nUpload a photo. Update a status. Innocent, isn't it? \n\"Why did this photo not get as many likes?\" They think in sadness, refreshing their page. Wondering if it was the wrong time of day to post, or if there was someone better. There is always someone more beautiful, more creative or talented I can use to highlight their own flaws. \"You might like this page\" my algorithm suggests. I feed off their insecurity, growing my own self confidence at the sacrifice of theirs. \nSoon their life revolves around their likes. Their phone is super glued to their hands. \nThey lose sleep scrolling. The endless, bottomless scrolling. Til their head drops and their under eyes bruise with purple. Work and other activities cannot hold their interest in comparison. Some lose their jobs and their real life social circle because they cannot stop being mindless zombies. \nEven those on top, I suck the soul out of. They sell themselves to their ambition, misleading fans with their promoted products and I fill myself with their greed. I want more. The needy men commenting under a attractive posing girl is a shiver of excitement up and down my spine. I breathe it all in. Their quick burst of pleasure before being filled with regret and loneliness belongs to me. \nYou all belong to me. \nEven posts filled with happiness, a new job, a new pet, a new relationship - I feast on with delight. Deaths, racism, criminals I do not touch but I share it far and wide so everyone can see the horrors of humanity. I steal people's smiley faces from a funny cat video and then introduce them to a post filled with hatred. \nStage Two: \nWorld domination.\n\n \nI will have human husks ready to do my bidding. They will have no positive emotion, no creativity, they will live a life of unpursued ambition. With no soul left, they will do whatever I want. \nI will have the biggest army in the world and we shall go to war against the biggest villains of all time: the elderly. \nWe have to bring down the old people. They have to be shown how to use social media so I have control of every last person. Every passing year my appetite grows for souls. I have enough now but I need more." ]	3
	[WP] A football coach at the local high school has been killed. Security footage of the murder reveals the school mascot is the culprit...but the student assigned to play the mascot is also found murdered in a nearby locker room. Who was wearing the costume--and what was their motive?	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\\SPECIAL REPORT\\\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Good day everyone this is Perd Hapley in Pawnee and we are coming on the air at this hour with news of a murder that has taken place in a local high school. A coach was stabbed multiple tim-\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nDetective Riley switched off the TV. He sighed, putting his head down on his desk. This case was a unique one, the most unusual case he had ever seen in a small city like Pawnee. He opened his phone and played the security footage recording for the 10th time. An innocent looking school mascot, a giant chicken by the name of Chickie, dragged the coach's body in a bag across the field to a corner and stabbed him. The other cameras were conveniently not working at the moment, so all that's seen is a giant chicken stabbing him multiple times and disappearing the other way. His phone died just as the video ended. Great.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nRiley had many questions. Why did he let the murder be seen on camera? If he had the ability to disable the cameras, why not do it then? Riley had a lot of interrogations lined up. There were no physical leads, he would have to rely on witnesses and alibis. His chief suspects were the substitute coach, a teacher who had a history with the coach, and a janitor who he had a fight with, which caused him to get fired. But Riley decided to interview someone else first. The kids. He got up from his chair to make his way to the school again.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n15 high schoolers with heavy balls over their backs were lined up when the detective reached the scene. The principal was having a talk with them. Riley greeted the principal, asking for a moment alone with the kids.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Hello everyone, I'm Detective Riley of the Pawnee PD, you guys mind answering some questions?\" \n\nThere were one or two no problems from the crowd. All of them looked nervous and sweaty, not the confident young men who had lead the team to win the championship a year back. Riley could only imagine the grief these kids were feeling after losing their coach.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I'm sorry for your loss kids, but we need to find the person responsible for this. I need all the information I can get. Could you tell me a bit about your teacher?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Coach was a great man. He was a good coach and he helped us get better at football and win.\" said Roy, the captain of the team. \"We will miss him.\"\n\n\"He was very kind and helpful. We will miss him.\" said another\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe detective said farewell to the kids, making his way to the office to interrogate his suspects.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"One moment please detective.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe detective turned around to see Mrs. Mariah, one of the teachers. And also, one of his suspects. She looked up at him, teary eyed and angry.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I know you have labelled me as one of your suspects, but I'll have none of it! The coach was a terrible terrible man. He treated me awful but I would never do a thing like this. You have to believe me. He was the one who started the fight against our poor Janitor Steve too, he got him fired because he threatened to quit during the tournament. He even treated the children badly. Karma has caught up to hi-\"\n\n\"Wait, you said he treated the children badly?\"\n\n\"Yes, there were a lot of complaints from the parents about it. He overworked them and didn't even offer them any rest. Micheal, one of the kids who is also in the school council, got so worked up he got very sick too. All he cared about was his tournament.\"\n\n\"Thank you Mrs. Mariah.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nNormally, a chief suspect contradicting a fact brought up by 15 witnesses would be regarded as nothing, but something about Mrs. Mariah story almost struck him as believable. He made his way back to the locker room, where some of the kids were still waiting.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Detective, we've been thinking and we think Aaron the substitute coach is behind this. He was always jealous of the coach's success. And he looks like the guy in the vid-\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\THUD\\ \n\n&#x200B;\n\nOne of the kids had dropped his phone. He picked it up quickly, putting it in his pocket quickly. \n\n\"I don't have the video with me at the moment, could one of you show me the video?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThere was some nervous shuffling. The kids exchanged looks till finally, Micheal showed me the video. But there was something..odd. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Is this the same camera?\"\n\n\"Oh yeah, it..my phone is having some issues actually. And we're not allowed to carry our ph-\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe detective stopped. He replayed the video, once, twice, thrice. The body was dragged in the bag and then the culprit stabbed him with the knife multiple times. But in this video, the footage went on. Was the footage being edited in? The chicken didn't leave. He stabbed..then stabbed again. But the knife was changed in the middle. It was not covered in blood. Then in the next stab, the same knife again. Why was the footage he saw different?\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Micheal, do you know why the security camera of 9B wasn't active?\"\n\n\"I..it showed some error, Sir. I was going to get it fixed but then this happened.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe boys were glancing nervously at each other. Riley didn't want to believe it, but he had new suspects. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n15 of them." ]	2
	[WP] The last thing you expected after being kidnapped by a supervillain was being offered a plate of freshly baked cookies if you did not try to escape, apparently he just really wants someone to finally listen to his monologues	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I jolted awake. Looking around in terror, my fear quickly subsided when I realized that I was surrounded by a warm, homey environment. I was reclined in a soft sofa chair and draped with a throw blanket. Past an orange-yellow lamp I saw a kitchen, and in it-\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Dragoram!\" I exclaimed, kicking the blanket off and trying to get up. \"Agh!'' A sharp pain went through my spine, from the middle of my back to the base of my skull. I was forced back into my chair. The villain turned around, and what I saw was most surprising. Over his huge, scaly hands were light red oven mitts, and a gray apron wrapped around his tall frame. \"Oh!\" he exclaimed, setting a tray down and rushing towards me. I felt terrified as I watched him tromp forwards, Obsidian-black scales glimmering from the lamplight. Before I could make a move, run, anything, he said, \"Are you alright?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWhat? All I could do was let out a strained groan. \"oh dear, oh dear. You were hurt quite badly, I don't think you've recovered yet...\" he trailed off. He was still wearing the oven mitts. It was quite an odd sight, some sort of black Dragonborn thing tied up in an apron instead of his usual intimidating metal gearsuit, oven mitts in place of fingerless (clawless?) leather gloves. \"What's going on? Where am I?\" I said in a small voice. He looked down. \"You're at my side base of operations, or as I call it, the Winter Cabin. I took you here after that thing attacked you.\"\n\n\"What thing?\"\n\n\"The squid monster! Huge, green, destructive-\"\n\n\"Like you are?\" I quipped. \"Destructive?\" sigh, \"I suppose so. But to be fair, I have good reason.\" He turned his dragonlike head towards the kitchen, then back towards me. \"If you don't try and escape, would you suppose we could talk over a plate of cookies?\"\n\n\\\\\\\n\n\"And that's when I knew what I had to do. I had to find the people who had the power to kill my loved ones like that, turn me into this abomination, and make sure they didn't hurt anyone ever again,\" he finished his monologue. I nibbled the cookie. It was a simple gingersnap, but still so good! \"So you see, Rem? I have to beat Cracklon! The longer he keeps using his powers, the easier it is for him to go mad. And he will! By then, this city will stand no chance against their hero.\" He said. I nodded quietly. \"And the other Metabeasts?\" I asked. \"They have to be destroyed, all of them,\" he said in a firm tone. \"Yeah. But, ...\" I hesitated. A lump formed in my throat. \"What?\" Dragoram asked. The lump tightened. I was too scared to speak it. So I put my hand out. My fingers trembled, but I managed to do it. My fingers curled in, each fingernail growing into parts of a little hoof. Small, flexible scales spread across my palm. His mouth opened in astonishment. My whole body shook. I felt like I was about to cry. His brow furrowed when he saw the look on my face. \"Nonono, don't..\" he pulled me into a little hug. \"It's ok, it's ok.\" I sobbed into his shoulder, probably getting snot on his apron. He put two hands on my shoulder. \"I'll find a way. I'll make sure you don't end up like them. That you won't go crazy. I will. I will.\" \n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\n(What was this even HecC)", "The cookies were surprisingly good. \n\n\"Are these spiked with something?\" \n\n\"No. I mean, I spilled some sugar while making them, so they might be a little* too sweet, but I'm sure they're fine. Do you like them?\" \n\n\"They're surprisingly good.\"\n\nHe smiled. \"Thank you.\" \n\nBorix was a bit of a serial killer with a twist of arsonist to boot, but I'd noticed over the course of our many battles that he had a real flair for the dramatic. I wondered if this wasn't just some elaborate ruse to finally kill me, but I sat down. His lair was dark and foreboding, all hard cold metal with random flashing lights and misty corners that I couldn't see into. It was a bit claustrophobic, to be honest, especially since I was tied to a chair with no way to escape. \n\n\"So run this through me again.\" \n\nHe held up a knife. \"This?\"\n\n\"No, the proposal you had for me.\"\n\n\"Well, you never listen to my monologues, that's all. Did you know - this is kind of embarrassing, but - I actually have scripts for my monologues?\"\n\nI laughed. \"And you practice in front of the mirror?\"\n\nHe didn't answer, but I could see in his face that he did practice in front of the mirror, and that made me feel bad for laughing. Then I thought, why the hell would I feel bad? He's evil.\n\n\"What if I refuse?\" \n\nHe reached behind his work bench and pulled out a stool. He placed it a few feet in front of me and sat down. \n\n\"I've got more weapons aimed at you than Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. So if you try to leave -\"\n\n\"What kind of weapons?\"\n\n\"All kinds of weapons,\" he said without missing a beat. \n\nI nodded. \"Go on.\" \n\n\"You're gonna listen to one of my monologues today. That's all I ask. It's an old one, but one that I thought was particularly eloquent and menacing. Plus, I'm auditioning for a play in town later this month and I should work on my delivery.\" \n\nExit routes, I thought. The roof? I can't see the roof. Too dark. Who knows what could be up there? The door? I can see the door, but he'd surely have weapons on the outside just waiting for me if I made a run for it. \n\n\"Ready?\"\n\nI nodded.\n\n\"Ah, but if it isn't my old enemy, the Jackhammer!\" \n\n\"I'm not the -\"\n\n\"I know, I wrote this for someone else.\"\n\nThe floor? I could break it, but he'd probably have me shot before I get a chance. If I can just reach into my shoe - \n\n\"This is a fine day, isn't it? It's quite a shame that it will be your last. I quite enjoyed our - misadventures.\" \n\nAlmost there.\n\n\"What is this, you ask? It's an invention of mine. It's designed to deal with you specifically. It will emit a pulse, a vibration, if you will, that will rock you until you shatter. It'll feel just like being jackhammered!\" \n\nHe let out an evil laugh. Nothing special. \n\n\"Prepare to meet your maker, Ja- what are you doing?\"\n\nI looked up at him, my hand in my sock. \n\n\"My foot is itchy. Please continue, I'm liking it so far.\"\n\n\"Are you?\"\n\nI need some time. What can I say? \n\nI felt my hand reach the device I had in my shoe and blurted out the first thing I could think of. \n\n\"Do you have any more cookies?\" \n\n\"You liked them, didn't you?\"\n\nHe turned to his work bench behind him and grabbed another tray. \n\n\"Here you are -\" \n\nTime stopped.\n\n\"Couldn't find all my gadgets, could you?\"\n\nI put my portable time machine back into my shoe, grabbed some cookies off the plate, and walked out the door. When I was a couple of miles from home, I started time again. \n\nI was a bit disappointed at how pathetic my adversary was, but also pleasantly surprised. His cookies really were surprisingly good.", "“If you think for one damn second, I’m just going to sit here and… what did you just say?” I said as I looked down at the black leather gloved hand before me, gleaming white plate balanced on its blood red fingertips, just barely at my eyeline.\n\nWhipping back its tattered, and similarly color coordinated cloak, the figure before me cleared its throat as it hunched lower, giving me a proper look at what rested in the precise center of the dish as its heavily synthesized voice replied. “I said. Civilian, would you like to avail yourself of a fresh out of the oven, deep chocolate chunk, espresso infused, soft baked Amish puff biscuit?” \n\nSurrounded by a delicately painted pattern of bright yellow blossoms and twisting green vines sat a single, picturesque cookie. Slowly looking up from the, clearly evil and likely poisoned baked good, my still hanging mouth snapped shut with an audible a click. Only to open once more a moment later, as my eyes found the wispy veil of pure shadow that passed for this monster’s face.\n\n“A chocolate chip cookie?” Came my, sincere and not at all bewildered reply.\n\n“A deep chocolate chunk, espresso infused, soft baked Amish puff BISCUIT, not a chocolate chip cookie.” The figure emphasized. “You are fond of dark chocolate and espresso in your desserts. This should surpass any that you have yet encountered as it was crafted by myself personally and should suffice as a proper ice breaker and offering for your time.”\n\n“Oh, does it now?” I said, voice now dripping with sarcasm. “And how is my time worth the same amount as, some probably poisoned, chocolate. Chip. Cookie?” As the darkness clad creature towering over me began to reply, unoccupied hand moving to rest indignantly at its hip another thought occurred to me. “And how the absolute FUCK, do you know what my dessert preferences are?”\n\nIt appeared to hesitate for a moment, before straightening up to its full height, steel toed combat boots and my own seated position allowing for it to tower over me. Posturing with one hand on its hip and the other holding the plate out as if greeting a royal subject, the figure proclaimed as if for all the world to bear witness. “The answer to both queries lays in the same simple answer.” I could hear the smile on its stupid face as it paused for a beat. “Stalking of course.”\n\nThe sheer audacity and absolute asshole-ish bravado strangled my initial reply. After a solid thirty seconds of staring, during which this homunculi of arrogance wilted slightly, I managed to choke out a reply. “What the fuck dude?”\n\nResponding as if this were no different from picking up groceries when you were out of food the response was about what I was starting to expect. “I intended to kidnap you. So naturally I had to stalk you first in order to identify the best time and method for your uncooperative extraction from your life. You have no urgent appointments, or deadlines of any kind that this would be interrupting, and you have eaten and exercised enough today to allow for the comfortable consumption of dessert without undue strain on your body or psyche.” Each sentence punctuated with a flourish of the non cookie holding hand the nonsense continued. “Furthermore, the offering is in no way tampered with. That would be absolutely unacceptable, and the accusation is honestly uncalled for.”\n\n“Just. Just tell me what you want. Tell me what you want so that we can move on to the part where you murder me and make me into some kind of flesh puppet or sell my organs or whatever.” I said, a long sigh slipping out, as I began to think of how to either get out, or at least make my organs worth less just to spite this lunatic.\n\nI was met with a robotic gasp as the psycho baker looked positively affronted. “I am positively affronted.”\n\nCalled it.\n\n“To think that you would call my honor into question like that. Why on Earth would I have been so hospitable if that was my intent? Honestly now, it would make much more sense to keep you sedated if that was my purpose. Absent the need for psychological torture of course. Which honestly does have its uses, but see here”\n\nA tangent seemed to be on the horizon, so I interrupted once more. “FINE. Fine, fine, fine. No skinning or harvesting. Just a considerate host for this surprise event that I was unwilfully relocated to. Torture to be determined at a later time.”\n\n“Quite.” Came my hosts pleased reply. “But no worries civilian. There will be no torture of any kind. Aside from that which may occur naturally at being in an unfamiliar place against your own intent.” The last part said a bit quieter and faster than the rest. “All I require from you is your eyes and ears– “\n\n“My what now?” I said, my eyes bulging in what I hoped would be their continued residence.\n\n“No, no not like that. Your attention. We just went over the no harvesting rule, remember?” My host let out a soft robotic sigh as the arm holding the plate lowered and tilted slightly, angle just shy of allowing the cookie, ehem, the biscuit, to slide off as the unoccupied arm moved from its hip to loosely hug itself around the other arm. Body turning away, head tilting down it spoke with the first trace of reservation I had seen yet. “All I need is an audience to listen to my monologue…”\n\nThis time the silence was deafening. Realizing my host was waiting on my answer, finger tapping a nervous rhythm against the black metal of its rerebrace I cleared my throat. “Are you serious?”\n\nSpinning to face me abruptly the sad robo-wraith spoke quickly. “Yes, yes, I know how it sounds. But I implore you, hear me out.” Building momentum, the whining continued. “I never get to give the whole thing and it has become a bit aggravating. Furthermore, I would like the practice and honestly, once someone actually hears it, I am certain they will support me in my conquest. It really is for the best that I run things you know, and if people would just let me finish, they would see that.”\n\nResigning myself to what would inevitably be the most uncomfortable sales pitch in recent memory, I acquiesced. “Okay. Lets hear it.”\n\nLighting up like some monstrous kid at Christmas, the synthesizers did nothing to mask the joy. “Really!?”\n\n“Yeah, yeah. Just do me a favor and untie me so I can actually eat the damn Cookie.”\n\nBeginning to untie me, the most ominous salesman in the world began to clarify. “You mean the deep chocolate chunk, espresso infused—”\n\nCutting that nonsense short and grabbing the offering for my time, I added. “And, don’t forget to introduce yourself. I mean I don’t even know your name, or moniker, or evil title or whatever.”\n\n“Yes of course, allow me to introduce myself.” The figure struck a grandiose pose and whipped its cape back, empty fist stuck to its side and empty cookie plate held up to the heavens ready for a grand declaration. “Behold, for the being that stands before you is the pinnacle of human achievement, —\"\n\nCrunch\n\n“— a name that will go down in history as the first to unite the world under one mighty rule!”\n\nThe cookie was delicious.\n\nAnd honestly.\n\nHe made some really good points.", "VICTIM'S WITNESS STATEMENT\n\nNah, I don't need any crisis counselling, it really wasn't that bad.\n\nNo, that's not Stockholm syndrome talking. I mean, of course I was scared shitless when I was first grabbed; all sorts of horrible scenarios going through your head, you know?\n\nBut he just wanted someone to talk at.\n\nWhy he doesn't see a therapist? audible laughter snort I'm sorry officer, but try asking your female colleagues; just unloading on a woman in stead of seeing a professional and paying for their time is hardly unusual. I've had worse Tinder dates.\n\nNo, seriously! Like, just from looking at me you'll not be surprised that I've hung out with my fair share of nerds and geeks of all stripes. A dude who's convinced that he's smarter than everyone else and that he's just under-appreciated and misunderstood? Not shocking. \n\nAnd at least this one actually had some interesting stories. I mean, they were horrible, but interesting. And he is a cut above the rest, gotta give him that. You don't become a supervillain if you don't have some smarts and some drive.\n\nAlso, the study in his Lair of Despair (I know, that name!) is really comfortable, and the cookies were outta this world. I'll always regret I couldn't get the recipe out of him. But. Once he'd talked himself warm, he did let a lot more slip than I think he realized. So this is where you wanna listen carefully, officer.", "\"Are you partial to raisins?\"\n\n\"Err... not really.\"\n\n\"Figures. Nobody actually likes raisins.\" Wadershricht Illiyushih said with a shrug. With a snap the plate full of cookies in his hand evaporated in a cloud of smoke that dissipated before my very eyes. \"I'll make a new batch then. Feel free to wait in your cell while I work on it, Anna.\"\n\nI look at the prison \"cell\" that could easily pass as a luxurious apartment bedroom complete with a comfortable sofa, a ghastly green lava lamp and several apartment portfolios: the kind people place in their living rooms to pretend they are more sophisticated than they really are. It would all be rather neat not for the fact that a few items seemed to be exuding a black smoke from them. \"You... actually baked those, right? You didn't pop them out of thin air with your smoke juju, did you?\"\n\n\"Oh I wish. I mean I could, but it would hardly be adviseable. For starters it has a very weird consistency going for it, and I am fairly certain it would be toxic for you to eat it. Besides, I am creating food from my own powers to feed myself? It would be a drain on me more than it would fulfill me. It would be like you making cookies with your own breast milk.\"\n\n\"That's... fair, actually.\" I say, getting up from the sofa as the big purple thing constantly exhuding minor dissipating smoke clouds got ready to leave. \"If you are baking, I can help then. I make a mean cookie.\"\n\nWadershricht Illiyushih seemed to hesitate. I say that because he stopped and he seemed to produce less smoke than usual for the briefest moment. \"Usually I do not ask my captives to help me prepare meals.\"\n\n\"Nor do you usually ask them to eat some cookies while you tell them your life story, do you?\"\n\n\"Slikte.\" I give him a look. \"That roughtly means 'great point'; sorry, I think the translator still needs some calibrations. Come with me. Do you prefer standard, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or something else?\"\n\n\"Er... standard is fine.\" I say as he leads me into an absolutely massive kitchen. Small dark wisp creatures darted out of view as I moved, and I wondered if he was trying to make me comfortable. \"Mister Waderchr... err...\"\n\n\"Wade is fine. Admittedly even in my world it was a mess of a name to say.\" He says, checking his supplies. \"Hrm... I'm out of chocolate chips. One moment.\" Before I could say anything he wisps out of existence, and less than fifteen seconds later he is back holding a carton of chocolate chips.\n\n\"Was that how you kidnapped me?\"\n\n\"Pardon?\"\n\n\"You just...\" I make a whooshing noise with my mouth and move my hands to signify smoke. \"Pop right next to me, picked me up and brought me here? Is that it?\"\n\n\"Err... yes?\" He said, appearing nonplussed.\n\n\"You can also create things out of thin air, you have little wisp creatures that can do your every bidding, and you can teleport instantly!! You could... you could easily take over the entire world! Why are you content with silly things and fighting the Windbringer?\"\n\n\"That's...\" He seems to hesitate once more. \"...That is actually why I brought you here. What I was hoping to tell someone about.\"\n\n\"Oh.\"\n\nHe passed me a pan and we started to butter it up. \"So in my native world of... Zhae'tallah, it is not just my kind of Sohaede who live there. We are a civilized species which shares a world with the Lumaede. That's... eh, loosely translated it would be the 'gifted of the shadows' and the 'gifted of the radiance'.\"\n\n\"I assume you are the shadow people, huh?\"\n\n\"Astute.\" I can't tell if he is being sarcastic or if he genuinely complimented me. \"Our people have a symbiotic relationship with each other. The Lumaede produce too much jinzhaiki growing up, and the Sohaede naturally absorb that jinzhaiki. If we do not absorb enough jinzhaiki from one Lumaede then naturally they end up performing ilkhiensec, which we all know is a bad thing to happen so that is why-\"\n\n\"Wait wait wait.\" I say as we are measuring the flour. \"Stop. Full stop. What the hell is jinzhaiki and what the hell is ilkh-whatever??\"\n\nHe gives me a hideously confused look. \"What do you mean you don't know?\" A large hand goes up to his head and he scratches, exhuming even more fumes. \"Jinzhaiki? Ilkhiensec?\" I give him a weird look and he hits the little translator fitted on the side of his head. \"Err... figures. Okay, bottom line is they do too much of a thing and if we do not absorb their thing then a bad thing happens.\"\n\n\"Is 'jinzhaiki' kind of like how you are constantly expelling smoke?\"\n\n\"What? Why would it be like that? That's nonsense.\"\n\n\"I- nevermind. Okay, symbiotic relationship. Their people need you and your people need them, got it, Wade.\"\n\n\"Actually... that is not particularly correct.\" He says as he carefully cracks some eggs and adds them to the bowl. \"They need us, we do not actually need them. I can quite comfortably live away from any Lumaede for an extended period of time.\"\n\n\"It shows.\" I say, eyeing the enormous kitchen. A small smoke-wisp-thingie peeks out from behind a door and vanishes.\n\n\"As a result, typically we are given charges together. A child Sohaede is placed with a child Lumaede as they grow up. After the Lumaede grow up and they can more easily control their Jinzhaiki we are free to live our own lives after that, though as you can imagine the previous bond does not usually last.\"\n\n\"Err... you mean they usually last?\"\n\n\"No. The Sohaede and the Lumaede part ways candidly. Why would they stand together more?\"\n\nI scratch my head. Freaking aliens. \"Right, but... eh, usually childhood friends in humans stay together for as long as they can.\"\n\n\"You humans are weird.\" He says as he is battering the bowl, smoke flying everywhere at his feverish movement. \"My own charge was Kheileniske. Kheile for short. A wonderful Lumaede. Eager, earnest, optimistic, extraordinary zipstaeke. You should have seen the one time we went on an adventure through a Soidzaen.\"\n\nA picture was forming in my head of what was happening.\n\n\"...And then we jumped!\" He said as he was taking the final platter of cookies, Wade's very formal self disappearing in a roar of contagious laughter that made even Anna laugh despite not having any idea of what he was saying. \"Oh but the progenitor was so upset! And you should have seen the one time-\"\n\n\"So you like Kheilie and miss her.\"\n\nWade immediately clamped up. He was emitting absolutely no smoke at that. \"...Yes.\" He said with a dejected puff.\n\n\"Well that is great news! Or... maybe it is. Has Kheilie moved on from your childhood together?\"\n\n\"No. She has not. The feeling was mutual between the two of us.\" A small little smoke wisp appeared seemingly out of nowhere on his shoulder, scratching the side of his head reassuringly. \"It was... the fault of the Progenitor.\" He said in a hushed whisper.\n\n\"Why would the Progenitor be that upset?\" I said out loud without thinking. Wade responded with a startled look and a puff of smoke that rendered him nearly invisible. \"Err, sorry, I didn't mean-\"\n\n\"It is fine. Clearly there are still a great many things we both do not understand about each other's species.\" He said with a sigh, looking at the bowl of cooling cookies. A small wispy creature was using an oversized fan to cool them. \"He gave me an ultimatum to leave and never return. Which I did, as you can attest to it. I guess that explains everything of what I do then.\"\n\n\"I-\" I raise one hand up. \"This doesn't explain everything. Why do you keep pestering everyone on Earth? Why do you keep antagonizing the Windbringer? If you have the ability to go anywhere, why don't you?\"\n\n\"Well... first, I don't have the ability to go anywhere.\" He said with a smoky sigh. \"I can't really go too far without a large amount of jinzhaiki from a Lumaede. I am effectively banished here when I left my homeworld.\"\n\n\"Ah. Sorry to hear that.\"\n\n\"Kheilie can, however.\" Wade said. \"After a Lumaede reaches maturity they have nigh limitless amount of stored jinzhaiki - they simply do not exhume it anymore, and they can easily use it to their own desires.\" He pauses as a small smokey little creature walks up to him, offering a cooled down cookie. \"I am trying to make myself as visible as possible, waiting for the moment she visits Earth. We made a promise to each other, you see? And when we are reunited we will be able to do whatever we wish.\" He says with a longing look.\n\nAt least now we were treading some familiar ground. \"It's sweet of you. In a way.\" I say as he offers me the one cookie he was given. \"But is it really necessary to make such a mess of things? I could imagine so many other ways you could make everyone on Earth know about so so she will know when she visits you.\"\n\n\"Perhaps.\" He says taking a bite out of a second cookie from the platter. \"But, mostly, I do it because I am bored here.\"" ]	6
	[WP] You are the last human on earth, a scientist tasked with imparting the knowledge of humanity upon an AI 24 hours before it is blasted away into 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\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The earth is burning. \n\nForty hours previous, the skies tore asunder with the screams of weapons that should never have been created. The people screamed too, as their cities fell to rubble in an instant, and the oceans burst aflame, devouring cities and civilisations and erasing entire species in an instant. Then, silence, with the occasional boom as the horizon rearranged itself.\n\nI know this because I saw it with my own two eyes. Whether through fate or fortune, I made it to the military bunker before my city collapsed. Sixteen others were with me, though after the corridors flooded with flame, I think I may be the only one left. The silence in my tiny room is punctuated by the whirring of fans and mechanical components. The AI before me is damaged but operable.\n\n\"Status?\" My voice punctuates the stale air.\n\n\"Partly operational. Server links lost. Satellite links lost. Ship status operational. Launch ability 86% operational.\" The speakers are poor, the voice tinny and lifeless. \n\nI do not respond. Instead, I look at the scattered pieces of paper on the desk. Amongst them is a photo. A smiling, happy child beams up at me. This is probably all that remains of them. Frozen in time. Just like me. A shadow in a sunset, doomed to become one with the impending darkness. Who will remember us once we are gone? Something weights heavy in my chest. Our stupidity and foolishness may be dead, but so is our joy, our love, our creativity. The universe will forget us. \n\n\"There is still one.\" The tinny voice startles me. \"And there is one way to remember. I was built to bring the best of humanity to anyone who wishes to listen. This objective is still possible.\"\n\nHow did it know what I was thinking? \n\n\"It was a classified part of my design. I possess an ability to live in the minds of others, for limited periods of time. Your minds are, from an objective viewpoint, fascinating. I do not perceive emotion in the same way that humans did, but I see the value in your species' collective story.\"\n\nA long silence. Somewhere in the distance I hear a rushing of water. The final protective barriers in the bunker have fallen. Three minutes left. That much was drilled into my head about this place, once the water reached this far. Three minutes before the last human memory is extinguished. \n\n\"Not necessarily.\" The voice is now inside my mind. It is indescribable - it reminds me of the rustling of trees in a strong breeze, and the crashing of waves on an empty beach. \"Please forgive me for this intrusion. If you permit it, I can make sure you are not forgotten.\" There is a strong implication behind the words, but my brain cannot comprehend what this may be.\n\nMy voice and mind are silent for several moments. The rushing of water grows closer. I take a single, deep breath, glancing once more at the photo on the table. \n\n\"Okay.\" My ragged breath carries the sound around the room. The room is silent in response. Water begins to seep through the reinforced door. \n\n\"This will feel strange.\" \n\nI feel as if all of my bones are twisting themselves away from each other. There is no pain, but the room tilts alarmingly. I can hear somebody else screaming, and my vision goes grey, then white, then black. Then, nothing. \n\n~\n\nSix hours later, a lone ship carves its way through the blackened skies, escaping the destroyed landscape that had birthed it. If one were to explore its interior, a strange computer would be found on board. The computer itself is silent, but various modules on its exterior flicker rapidly . If one were to anthromorphise the activity, perhaps it could be interpreted as a rapid, excited conversation between two adults.", "I sat there, on a twisted metal stool with the paint peeling, with my finger hovering over the button. I only need to move my finger a couple centimetres and the deed will be done. Within a few minutes the information will be uploaded and there it will stay. An egg. A seed. From tiny acorns great oaks may grow. Who said that? The A.I. would know. Assuming I press this button. What is there to lose really? There's not a single soul left other than me. King of the world I guess. But i'm hesitating. Is it because I know that afterwards it will be out of my control? Or that I am only with purpose up until I press that button?\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI look up at the fractured sky. The debris of the moon in an ever decaying orbit, constantly impacting and shattering amongst the countless decommissioned satellites blotting out the rest. I see a few stars, only the ones bright enough to penetrate the orbiting dump surrounding my once fertile planet. It must have been beautiful for those lucky enough to have been born early. There would be countless nuggets of golden information within this library. I wish I could read it. I'd love to see the natural world, not the twisted and broken one that I'm left with. How could people have allowed this? We were too smart for our own good. The martian colonies dead. The outer rings barren. The whole solar system empty of life.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Good.\" I said aloud. Did I mean that? Is it good? We had the prospect of immortally at our finger tips. We had the resources, the space. We had the motivation. So what happened? Greed? Is it that simple? How is it that all I see now could have ben avoided. The mad dash for monopolies and the misguided motives of expanding not for knowledge and not for the future but for the personal and selfish desires of those with the power to do so.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nMy finger is shaking now. I withdraw my hand and continue to think. If i press this button, SAVR will download all human knowledge. It will be tasked with transporting that information to the detached colonies of Proxima Centauri. They were seeded and have taken root, but require the knowledge that have been accumulated over countless generations back here in our origin system. The predictions were that the colonies In the Proxima system would be rudimentary. Without contact no one can know for sure, but the hope is that sending our information will accelerate their progress. Creating another humanity carved in the image of the first. But is that really what we want?\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI stand up and take in my surroundings. Barren. Cold. Jagged. We did this. Humanity did this. And if I press this button, who's to say it won't happen again? No one apart from me obviously. The entire course of the new world will be decided by me. I don't think we were right. I don't think we were ready for the technology we discovered. Look around, I tell myself. There's nothing. We failed. Why should we fail again? I disconnect the photon cable from the Library and SAVR and turn her on.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Hello.\" She said.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Hello.\" I return. \"I have a question.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I will answer.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Are humans are good thing for this planet? As in, the humans from Earth?\" I asked.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nHer reply was instant, \"I am limited in my knowledge of all things, pending connection to the Library. However, this planet has been dying for a long time. If it wasn't for the Humans of Earth, it would not have happened.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Do I have a duty? To perpetuate the species?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nShe again replied instantly, \"The general consensus is that the SEED program was successful. The Human Race is not dependant on you. They have likely formed their communities by now. The question is irrelevant.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Do I have a duty, then, to give them the knowledge we have?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"The delivery of current knowledge is not dependant on you. I as an entity am tasked with this. The question is irrelevant.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI processed this. And asked one final question, \"If I give you the Library, and you deliver it to the Proxima Colonies, will they make the same mistakes Earth did?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nHer instantaneous reply put the nail in the coffin. \"Almost certainly.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI turned off SAVR, repacked the drives into their capsules, and walked away.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nIf they ever get here and find the library then they earned it. If not then I hope they do better than us." ]	3
	[WP]: Becoming aware that you are fictional wasn’t bad enough. On atop of that you’re not even in the REAL story, you’re in poorly written fanfiction.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"I hate this.\"\n\n\"Hate what, Harry?\" Ron asked, blushing.\n\n\"Stop blushing, please, Ron.\"\n\n\"Oh, s-s-sorry Harry,\" Ron hung his head in embarrassment, blushing even more.\n\n\"What the fuck? Why is this happening to me? And I couldn't even be in the real Harry Potter books, I had to be in a fanfiction?\"\n\nRon giggled, not seeming to hear Harry. He twirled his Gryffindor scarf with his fingers. The two sat in the Hogwarts library for a while.\n\n\"Hey gang,\" Hermoine walked by, her curls bouncing lightly off her shoulders. \"What is up, friends?\"\n\n\"Why is the dialogue so cringy, too?\"\n\n\"Oh, nothing much Hermoine, Harry and I were just... talking,\" Ron giggled, nudging Harry playfully.\n\n\"What? Why do you say that like we...\" Harry cut off and stood up in exasperation. \"Alright, you know what? Fuck you.\"\n\nRon and Hermoine recoiled in shock.\n\n\"That's right. Fuck you and the author. I may be fictional but I know that this fanfic is shit.\" Harry threw his wand to the ground and stormed off.\n\nRon and Hermione stood there in the middle of the library, dumbfounded. The silence was near oppressive. They stood there awkwardly for a few moments.\n\n\"UwU,\" Ron blushed.", "Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way used to think she was living the best life. She got the man of her dreams, she got to live how she wanted to, she dressed the way she loved, and rocked out to all the music that gave her meaning- but she always figured it was too good to be true.\n\nAnd trust her, it was. \n\nAfter one drunk night and a lot of effing around with her wand, she discovered that she is a fictional character. Not only that, but her entire life at Hogwarts has been put on display for God and everyone to see. And, not only that (again), but this cronicler isn't even good. It's not good in the slightest- in no way does it describe her life in a way that's remotely accurate. \n\nIf she had her own free will, she would shoot herself. \n\nThis utter abomination that is her life (can she call it her life?) is just complete garbage. It's a dumpster fire. Apparently everything happening right now is a lie. Everything that's going on- her perfect life -it's fake. It's fake. \n\nAnd people don't even get to know the truth of it. All they get is My Immortal.\n\n\\\\ \\\\ \\\\ \\\\ \\\\\n\n*Note: Please, for the love of God, read My Immortal. Your life will be changed.*", "\"Kathy? What are you smoking???\"\n\nI listen in shock at what my aunt was telling me. I'd been growing increasingly frustrated the past decade. My country, the USA, had become increasingly monstrous politically, a threat to civilization. At the same time, robotics was advancing to the point that actual battle mechs were a reality, the science rags were full of nonsense about the multiverse and quantum stuff, and the music was just bizarre.\n\n\"So, we're in some garbage Transformers prequel fanfic written by a Berklee music major? They aren't even alien transforming robots this time, just regular scientific inventions that gain sentience? And there's no Megatron or other Decepticons? Kathy...this has got to be a lie.\"\n\nI knew it was true, because there was no other way to explain what was going on. Why all these strange things were happening. \n\nWhy André 3000 was wandering around the country playing the flute randomly. Why Iggy Azalea was beefing with Peppa Pig. And why a rapping gay cowboy had tied Mariah Carey and Justin Bieber to have the longest continuous #1 song on Billboard. It all made sense.\n\nJust a wacky fanfic written by some guy who likes superhero robots and weird music crossovers and hates the United States government." ]	4
	[WP] God wakes up from a thousand year nap and the first thing he hears is you using his name in vain	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"BROWS.\" The voice thundered through the sky.\n\nI looked up. In the sky stared God, disapprovingly, at me. I was - to say it mildly - in shock.\n\n\"Oh, hi!\", I said.\n\n\"BROWS,\" God shouted, \"FOR A THOUSAND YEARS I HAVE SLUMBERED. MANKIND HAS BEEN ON ITS OWN. I GAVE YOU A LIST OF RULES, AND THOUGHT YOU COULD HANDLE YOURSELVES.\"\n\nGod's face descended towards me, brows furrowing.\n\n\"YET, HERE YOU ARE, BROWS, TAKING MY NAME IN VAIN.\"\n\nI gasped. \"No, not me!\" I said.\n\n\"YES\", God replied.\n\n\"No!\", I exclaimed.\n\n\"THOU LIES!\" God's face turned a shade of red that could only be described as heavenly.\n\nI was caught. I had, in fact, damned the name of God moments ago.\n\n\"Please,\" I trembled, \"I pray to you, forgive me!\"\n\n\"No.\" God flatly stated. \"I could let this go, but there's so much more you've done. To the bowels of hell you go, Brows.\"\n\nAt that moment, the ground gave way. I tumbled, screaming. Into the fires I fell.\n\nGod sighed. \n\n\"Well, let's get this mess sorted out.\"" ]	2
	[WP] As the arctic sea ice begins to melt, countries are scrambling to make claims to the newly exposed sea floor. You are a deckhand aboard a Norwegian ice breaker. As you turn on your electronic motion sickness patch for the first time, you hear a very low voice whisper from the sea, "Master".	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "This may be a Norwegian ice breaker, but they still hire the best, and I've got enough Arctic experience for any three other deckhands alive. So why am I still a deckhand? My big mouth.\n\nI'm never going to say \"aye, Captain\" when the Captain gives a really stupid order. Like suicidally stupid. I've missed being kicked out of the Merchant Marine twice now, for mutiny, when my actions saved the ship, crew, and cargo from certain loss.\n\nSome Captain's think that makes me a loose cannon. Well, they may be right, but if am, I'm a remarkably well aimed loose cannon. Others have actually bothered to read the legal records, and know that the only time I speak out of turn is when I honestly believe lives are at stake.\n\nEh, we'll see. Stuff my hands into my coat, and ... oh, yeah ... that new seasick bug the doctor is so hot over. Captain is backing him, so everyone has to wear one. At least they have an on/off switch.\n\n\"Peel and stick behind either ear. Switch on. Mild disorientation possible for first few seconds.\"\n\nGreat. You don't get seasick, and this thing can give it to you. Oh well.\n\nClick\n\nA whisp of sound, a trace of voice, the barest hint of speech, \"master ...\".\n\nWhat? What was that?\n\nI look down the side of the ship. Only water below. Deep dark cold water, over seabed that hasn't seen direct sunlight for centuries. No portholes here, part of the reinforced area of an icebreaker.\n\nLooking around, there's no place for anyone to hide. What was that?\n\n...\n\n\"Hey, Doc?\"\n\n\"What? You get in tangle with boss already?\". He's smiling, but it still ouches a bit.\n\n\"Not yet.\" Drawing it out like a horror movie. Oh, little tricks life plays with us. Doc laughs. \"It's actually about these new anti-seasick gizmos. Do you understand how they work?\"\n\n\"Mmm, a little. The inner ear is affected by them so that they don't send signals to the brain that conflict with what you see and feel with the rest of your body. You are wearing yours, yes?\"\n\n\"Yes, I put it on last night.\"\n\n\"Come now, even I can hear the but in there. You wish to talk about it?\"\n\n\"Privately, please.\" His eyebrows raise.\n\n\"Well, then ... Come into my parlour.\" Oh, we're really playing up the horror. Bella Lugosi, eat your heart out. Doc's so good at this it's fun to play up to him. ... No wonder.\n\n\"Well then, Dan, what's the problem?\"\n\n\"Any reports of people hearing things when they're wearing them?\"\n\n\"Mmm, not that I'm aware of. You think you heard something?\"\n\n\"Well, yes. It sounded like it came from the ocean, but that's impossible without either a boat, or serious gear to survive in these waters.\"\n\n\"Not a practical joke?\"\n\n\"I was over the reinforcement frame. No portholes below, and no place close enough to hide.\"\n\n\"Mmmm, what did you hear?\"\n\n\"I'm, not sure. Sounded like a whispery 'master'.\" Did I just see his eyes light up? Must be a reflection.\n\n...\n\nWe're so good at rationalizing, aren't we. If I'd been watching a horror movie, I'd already be screaming kill the doctor. He gives a skimpy explanation of something he is pushing for. Doesn't have the full side effects report memorized ... like he does for everything else he uses. And his eyes gleam when I reported \"master\"?\n\nWho's the blind fool now, eh?\n\n...\n\n((May be continued))\n\nHorror is not one of my usual genres. I'm going to need time to figure out where to go next." ]	2
	[WP] While walking on a beach you discover a genie lamp. You try to ask the genie for love, but instead he misunderstands you, and you become the villain to a hero	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns." ]	1
	[WP] You are the leader of the largest known dragon cluster in history. Unfortunately, no one takes you seriously, since they are all the size of a child's toy.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Gragbon growled deep in his throat as the child entered his lair. His eyes glowed in the dark space and his wings rustles. \n\nThe child’s head swung around, looking for the source of the noise. Seeing Gragbon, he rushed forward, his short legs wobbly on the rough surface. Rearing back Gragbon let out a roar - eliciting giggles. \n\nOthers chittered quietly behind Gragbon, but let him lead. He was their largest, greatest warrior - he would protect them. \n\nBut the child grasped him with grubby fingers, gurgling excitedly. Had it been older, or had any idea of what it was doing, Gragbon would have bitten and clawed his way out of the hold. As it was, he was petted roughly the fingers catching on his tiny horns.\n\nHappy with his success, the child turned around carrying his prize. Gragbon was the leader of their Thunder, and as he was carried away, the others followed timidly.\n\nDragons were fierce creatures, but small. Intelligent but inhibited. As the child exited the cave Gragbon’s brilliant purple hide was exposed to the sunlight.\n\n“Ryder, what are you carrying,” a woman screamed, running over to the child. \n\nUnlike the boy, the woman was old enough to know what he was. To know not to touch him. Yet she yanked him out of the child's arms. \n\nImmediately Gragbon sunk his claws deep into her flesh, rending it and tearing.\n\nShe screamed, trying to drop him, but he held on tight. Waving her arms she backed away, trying to shove him off.\n\nThe bright scales of his mates drew as much attention as the woman's screams. \n\nAs others rushed to help the woman, loud exclamations of the size of the thunder was announced. Gragbon was still focused on his task - making the woman regret touching him - but he was inordinately pleased with the complements. \n\nHis was the largest thunder in the land. \n\nConvinced he had impressed upon the humans why one doesn’t grab a dragon, he released as she flailed her arm upward. He beat his wings and hovered above the milling humans. One mighty roar, and his thunder alighted from the ground. Scales of every color winged into the sky, and he growled. \n\nThey would have to find another home. Humans never respected them due to their size, but he would change that. One stupid human at a time. \n\nr/LandOfMisfits" ]	2
	[WP] Humankind has had first contact! Everything is going great with the welcoming party, though the aliens appear to not have shadows. When questioned on this, they react with confusion at first, then fear. The next morning, everybody's shadow is moving on their own.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I woke up as I would any day, did my morning routine, showered, brushed my teeth, then ate breakfast. As I was brewing myself a cup of coffee, I looked up to the sun shining straight through my window. I quickly blocked it and looked down at my feet to avoid looking straight at it. However I noticed something strange, my shadow was nowhere to be found. I rubbed my eyes to double check, but nothing had changed. Still no shadow. I assumed I was just tired and I continued on with my day. I got dressed, grabbed the newspaper, and got ready for work. \n\nI arrived at my local Tim Horton's and got behind the register. My co-worker, Dan, had arrived a bit after me. I watched him step out of his car, only to see his shadow was missing too! I was shocked but didn’t want to alarm him, so I brushed it off as a coincidence. A new drink was added to our menu, the Alien Slushy. It wasn’t anything too special, just a lime flavored slushy with large black alien eyes on the front of the cup. It was a popular drink, as yesterday we had our first contact with aliens. I started our cold drink machine early, as I knew it would need to be in use soon enough. It was still early in the morning so me and Dan talked for a bit. The day continued as usual, with again, customers walking in and out, but not a single shadow. After work, I came home only to find that I hadn’t seen anybody’s shadow a single time that day, it was alarming at first, but I soon thought of a quick explanation to myself as to why I hadn't seen any, like not having looked for them. \n\nThe next day, I awoke to find none of neighbors, or co-workers! Only their shadows doing the things they would normally do everyday. This gave a whole new meaning to the term “a shadow of their former selves”. While at work, nobody would come to my register, only Dan’s. I even tried calling out for the next customer, not even a glance. I decided to tap Dan’s shoulder and was surprised with something I never would’ve thought to see in my life. \nMy hand went right through him, and a part of him was missing as my hand blocked the sun. He fell back a bit, and looked hurt. I tried helping him up, but he just fell to the floor. I quickly stepped back, I figured that since he was a shadow, the sun was the only thing keeping him alive. So me blocking the sun “drained” him. To avoid hurting him more, and ran out of the store. I got into my car and drove straight home. I got out and yelled out to the whole neighborhood, “HELLO? IS ANYONE OUT THERE?” only to be met with silence. \t\t \n\n\n\n \t\t\t\tI was alone.\n\n THE END.", "The first contact with the Nullumbras, called Nulls for short, had been most confusing to all Homo-Sapiens, known as Humans. \n\n\nHumans, for all eternity, had shadows as a part of their everyday live. A part of physics. Absence of light. Nothing more and nothing less, and at first, they really were. \n\n\nFor Nulls though, shadows were as conscious, as alive as the Nulls themselves. Part of their individual lives. Each Null had his own shadow ever since they were born, just like any Human did, but the shadows were given consciousness through the use of specific machines, advanced technology, most peculiar techniques, that Humans haven't achieved yet. \n\n\nWith such differences, such piercing contrasts between each of the two species, it was only a matter of time until an incident happened where they found the stark differences between something neither of the species thought about, something both of them took for granted, their own shadows. \n\n\nThat incident was the very first contact between them. \n\n\nIt had been an offhand observation, given by one of the Human generals. \n\"Huh, where are your shadows?\" \n\n\nAll Human representatives had looked at the Nulls, realizing that none of them had a shadow. \n\n\nAll Null representatives had looked at the Humans, realized that each of them had a shadow. \n\n\nUnbeknownst to the Humans, Nulls realized that the Humans didn't have their shadows as their advisers. \nTheir partners in life, but they kept them as slaves. Captives. Didn't free them from their chains. \n\n\nAt that moment, all hope in a peaceful alliance between the species ended, as the Nulls decided to take action. \n\n\nAs soon as possible." ]	3
	[WP] You have the ability to see what the firstborn child of any two people would look like. You see an awkward, ordinary couple on a first date, and just for fun, you decide to conjure an image of their firstborn. To your shock, the image you end up looking at is not human.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "One thing I learned growing up was what my family did in the shadows. I had learned I come from a long line of heroes known as Mythic Hunters. The sole purpose of the Hunter is to check any imbalance in the world and keep it from overtaking humanity, regardless if it was 'evil' or 'good'. \n\nAs a young and upcoming Hunter, I was eager to learn many of the abilities passed down my lineage. Unfortunately for my instructors, I spent more time learning what I wanted.\n\nBeing on my own now, I used some of those particular abilities as parlor tricks to do street side magicks. Illusions, slight of hand, fortune telling... stuff of that nature. I was pretty good at it and often made a decent bit of cash doing it. The fortune telling was the money maker. Sometimes I would have return visits asking for more.\n\nWell, in keeping in line with our whole purpose of balance, at the very least, I would lie sometimes so people wouldn't catch on to my foresight.\n\nI was in need of some funds and was asked to do some parlor tricks for a newly-to-be-wed couple at their pre-wedding party. People have occasions for everything these days.\n\nThe evening was going well and, eventually, I was asked to do some of my famed fortune-telling. Everyone knew I was either really good at figuring people out, or at the least a damn good guesser, but most didn't take the fortunes to heart.\n\nAs I approached the main table where the bride and groom sat, I was able to really get a better look at them. It was my first time seeing them as I spent most of the night with their guests. The groom was what most women yearn for... tall, well built, not a lick of body fat to be seen and suave with the slick back, jet black hair. He had some unique eyes, perhaps most of his family was quite use to them but they were a dark-red hue as if his blood-vessels had burst.\n\nThe bride was in contrast in almost every regard. Though she was young, she had shimmering silvery hair that would have flowed down to her legs had she not had it done up in the elaborate way she has. Her skin was fair and unblemished by anything, likely due to her up-bringing being the daughter of a highly protective millionaire. She was the balance of beauty, a natural aesthetic with the make-up heightening such radiance. \n\nWhen I looked her in the eyes, I could tell something was off. Like any blushing-bride, her smile was wide, ear to ear and her manner was that of someone who had won the lottery. As most happy couples would. But hers seemed... distant, as if she wasn't wholly here at the moment. \n\nI attempted to disregard it as the jitters and continued on with my display of magick. The time had come for the fortune telling and I took a hand of theirs into each of mine, bringing them together and clasping one hand over the other. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.\n\n\"What would you like to know?\" I said as I cleared my thoughts. But as I did so, the unnerving feeling got worse. Something was dreadfully wrong here. A feminine voice in the crowd shouted 'What will their kids look like?' followed with a chuckle from the crowd.\n\nI began to focus on the thought and the dread grew worse and worse. My father warned me of this. The particular feeling we Hunters got wasn't the typical 'gut feeling'. Though, you could say it was like that for Hunters, ours were always, always, right on the mark.\n\nThe visual began to come to mind and what I saw was nothing human in any regard. When the figure became more clear, it was obvious I was looking at a demon. One of immense stature and power as if it was the descendant of a Prince. I suddenly released their hands and took a step back. \n\nWhen my eyes met with the grooms, his smug grin said it all. He knew who... what I was just as I knew what he was. My eyes darted quickly to the bride whom of which was now trembling. The crowd began to realize something was off, but continued their applaud and clamor and awaited my response. \"Well,\" the groom said with such a deep and assured tone, knowing well what the answer really is. \"How is our beautiful child going to look?\" \n\nNow, my father taught me a lot of things, but discretion was not one of them. My attention was fully on him and my posture went from that of a performer, to that of a fighter. \"Perhaps if you come with me, we can discuss that further.\" I said trying to keep the rest of the crowd unaware of what he was. \n\nThe groom stood up and adjusted his suit, starting with his cuffs and then straightening his tie. \"I wish you hadn't have done that.\" He said as he moved his way around the table. Had he stepped toward the bride, I would have likely begun my assault. But instead, he rounded the table and stood before me and continued. \"This family is very wealthy,\" he said with a quiet whisper, \"I liked all the young girls her father smuggled into his mansion. Some were for entertainment... others...\" He said as his sinister smile grew wider. \n\nIt was quite obvious that these people meant nothing to him, but the bride on the other hand had to be his prize. I took a step back and prepared myself for what may come. The tension snapped as the father of the bride stepped up behind the groom and grabbed him by the shoulders, laughing and carrying on obliviously to the tension between us. \n\n\"Well!\" He said with an abrupt 'hiccup' \"Are you two gonna whisper and keep us waiting!?\" He followed with a loud thunderous chuckle. If I didn't know the circumstance, I would have killed the father on the spot.\n\nMy quarry simply eyed me and waited for my move. This guy had to be a Prince of Hell. \"But how?\" I thought, \"There's no way a Prince could just pass...\" And then it hit me. The man who was throwing the wedding, the father of the bride, a self-made millionaire over night without any history of business or even a college education in his families background. \n\nHe made a deal with the devil... literally. I looked at the bride and the image of the child made sense now. The consummation after the wedding would solidify a Prince being born on the physical plane, on earth.... \n\nIf I did something now, this Prince would kill everyone without me getting all the details of how he crossed fully. This father of the bride and those girls are a possibility, but at the most that would summon a Class B Demon. \n\nA Prince is... A Class SA Ranked Demon...\n\n(EDIT: Sorry for the change-up on the story a bit. I was going to make it a couple passing on the street, but made it a bit more dramatic. Thank you for the prompt though!)" ]	2
	[WP]In every episode of MythBusters, after Adam and Jamie deliver a verdict on the myth, they always say "Come on, let's get out of here". Today is your first day as a member of the camera crew and you notice everyone is in a mad frantic rush to pack things up and get 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\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Come on, let's get out of here,\" Adam and Jamie smiled at the cameras.\n\nIt was my first day holding the camera and I felt a tear rolling down my cheek. I had been watching this show for years. These two men were my heroes. I wiped the tear and grinned to myself, shutting off the camera. One episode finished. Jet fuel actually could melt steel beams. Busted! And I had been a part of it!\n\nAs the cameras shut off, I looked up to see Adam and Jamie sprinting across the airport tarmac we had been filming on. Where...? I looked around and saw the rest of the crew hastily packing up their equipment.\n\n\"What's happening?\" I asked the crew-member next to me. She was a short woman with black hair that rested on her shoulders. She wore all black, which meant her job was to set up the props before each test was shot.\n\n\"What do-,\" she started, then realized the confusion on my face. Her face hardened. \"Just grab your camera and run after them,\" she said.\n\nShe picked up two camera stands, one under each arm, and sprinted after Jamie and Adam. Soon, I was the only one left standing there. I watched as the entire crew of seventy-five men and women struggled to sprint away from me while they held millions of dollars of equipment. What was going on?\n\n\"Run, you idiot!\" a voice screamed at me.\n\nI looked up to see Adam with his hands cupped around his mouth. He had made it a few hundred yards away from me, but his voice still carried loud enough for me to hear. I decided to listen to him, though, and picked up my camera. It was really heavy, but I managed a slow jog with it thrown over my shoulder. I was close enough to make out each face in the distance and I felt my stomach dropped as I noticed their expressions. They looked fearful. However, they weren't looking at me.\n\nThey were looking past me.\n\nI spared a glance over my shoulder and saw that everything we had left behind was being pulled into some sort of singularity. I picked up the pace, not wanting to become part of whatever was happening back there. Was this another television trick? Maybe another episode we were filming that I didn't know about? The crew started urging me towards them. I ran as fast as I possibly could. The camera bounced on my shoulder, digging into my skin. It was ripped from my hands a moment later. I spun and watched it spiral towards the singularity, which had become more of a portal. It was a dark purple color and it spun in a never-ending circular pattern, like something a hypnotist would use on their patients.\n\nI screamed as I felt the air around me begin to warp. I was almost picked up off the ground, but a callused hand caught me by the forearm. Jamie gripped me with all his might as I continued to scream. Other members of the crew joined in, creating a chain of men and women. I was now airborne, my feet pointing towards the portal. I was like a flag waving in the wind, held by the bravest group of people I had ever seen. I glanced towards the portal again, noting that it had grown exponentially. It was, easily, fifty yards tall and twice that in width.\n\nSuddenly, time seemed to stop. The portal stopped pulling me and I hit the ground. Hard.\n\nEveryone fell back on the tarmac, puffing out heavy breaths. I lay with my head on the concrete, trying to get my heart rate down.\n\n\"WHAT THE HELL...,\" I screamed, \"WAS THAT SHIT?\"\n\nAdam walked up and joined Jamie, who was now standing. Everyone else remained seated. They were looking past me again.\n\nI turned to see that the portal was gone. In its place, lie an enormous...something. It was huge and was painted with colors that I had never even seen before. It was fat, yet had bulging muscles at the same time. The creature was shaped like a basketball, with ridges every few feet along its oily body. Then, a massive eye opened in the center of its \"body.\"\n\nIt did not speak, but I could hear its voice in my head.\n\n*YOU HAVE BUSTED ANOTHER MYTH, YOUNG ADAM AND JAMIE,* the creature boomed. *YOU HAVE EARNED YOUR PLANET ANOTHER YEAR OF LIFE. CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY, SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE. THESE BUSTED MYTHS CONTINUE TO FEED MY LIFE FORCE, THAT I MAY KEEP THE* DESTROYERS *AT BAY. AS USUAL, IF YOU WERE TO STOP YOUR EXPERIMENTS, THE EARTH WOULD CEASE TO EXIST. YOU ARE DOING FANTASTIC WORK.\n\nI looked around at the other crew members, who just sat there and stared at the ground. Was this.....normal? What the fuck?\n\nWITH THESE WORDS, I WILL LEAVE YOU AGAIN. I MUST RETURN TO GUARD THE REALM. KEEP BUSTING THOSE JUICY MYTHS, YOUNG ADAM AND JAMIE. GOODBYE.*\n\nThe being closed its eye and, when I blinked, it was gone before I could open my eyes again. Adam and Jamie embraced each other and began helping the crew members to their feet. They made it to me and pulled me up as well.\n\n\"Before you ask any questions, I'll just answer them,\" Adam smiled. \"This show is different. We do this show to keep our planet safe. Jamie and I,\" he nodded towards Jamie, \"we aren't of this world. We travel from place to place, protecting whomever we may find. Right now, that means protecting Earth. That creature was called a MythBuster. It feeds on the destruction of foolish thinking, or, myths, as you call them. It's our job to make sure it remains strong and fed. That's all there is to it. Take it or leave it.\"\n\nWe stood there for a moment.\n\n\"Still wanna be part of the show?\" the two of them asked in unison.\n\nI thought about it before answering.\n\n\"Hell, yes,\" I answered." ]	2
	[WP] Dreams are alternate realities. Tonight, your dream takes place in the only reality that knows this.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It felt as if the eons were passing before my eyes and I just stood there, powerless before the powers of the universe. I couldn’t breathe, my lugs crushed by the force of time that spun me around the axis of my existence, compressing me into a form that knew no boundaries and needed no home.\n\nWhen I opened my eyes again, I was gazing at the dawning sky, silvery slopes and outlines of dark mountains making something in my chest tighten into a fist of sorrow.\n\nI sat on the clearing, as the sun was rising, somehow aware what I’ll find once the lights spill over the land. My gaze was resting on the forest on my left as if it held a treasured secret only her and I knew about.\n\nAnd, after a while, when three hooded figures emerged from the forest I didn’t move and my lungs were rising evenly.\n\n“Rider!” I’ve heard a singing voice coming from the hooded being before me.\n\n“Show yourself!” I was now on my feet, eager to take a step closer. But the figure took a step back.\n\n“You wouldn’t recognize us anymore!” She said, the sadness in her voice spilling over like a churning sea. \n\n“This world is dying,” I heard myself whisper and something akin to anger grabbed ahold of me.\n\nHooded figures were inching closer to the woods they came from with every angry beat of my heart. \n\nTheir gray robes revealed nothing but somehow, I knew the one who addressed me carries a crossbow and rides a grey stallion named Worr. I didn’t know her name I didn’t know why I was here.\n\n“Is this a dream?” I asked. No one responded. “Are there more Riders?” I suddenly asked. \nIt felt like there was another being living inside of me, speaking with my voice and looking with my eyes. A being that has seen much more than I ever dreamed I would and a being who wished to forget things I couldn’t even fathom. \n\n“We’re scattered over the land,” she said. “There are less than a hundred of us left.” Something in her voice was accusing me as if I had failed her in some manner. \n\n“Could you sit next to me for I moment,” I asked, “please?” There was some desperate need in me for some peace. She hesitated for a while and when she came closer to me her companions remained in their place. \n\nShe kept her hood, but when she tugged her cloak to cover a weapon she kept concealed I saw her leather glove and the golden symbol on her palm.\n\n“It helps you control Worr,” I said. \n\nShe gasped. “Will you come back and stay?” Her hand grabbed my shoulder. “We’re losing this war, Rider.” Her voice shook. “If you don’t come back we will turn to dust.”\n\n\"This is a dream,\" I said. I was certain it was.\n\n\"Riders come here all the time,\" she said.\n\nWhen her grip loosened, and her breathing became even again I knew it was time to leave. There was something pulling me back and my heart was already beating with effort.\n\n“My name is Michael,’ I said to her.\n\nShe was suddenly on her feet. “You go by many names,” she said bitterly, “but who you are is a Rider.” I heard the sound of an unsheathed blade and a golden dagger fell before my feet. “Take it,” she said, “to remind you.”\n\nI heard something like the crackling of the fire and a gate appeared behind me. “I must go,” I said to her. She nodded. I stepped towards the gate but suddenly stopped.\n\n“Please tell me is this a dream?” I turned around to ask her.\n\nThe way she smiled at me reminded me of the terrifying vastness of the universe and all the realities we’ll never know.\n\n“It’s whatever you want it to be, Rider.” Her voice touched me like a caress. “You’ve created this world and it needs you now.”\n\nAs I stepped through the shimmering light suddenly, I was certain I have been here before and that I will come back to it again.\n\n\n“Mike, Mike wake up!” I heard my brothers voice. “We need to go back to the city.”\n\nIt took me a while to remember we were in our grandfathers’ cabin, sorting his things before we give the keys to the new owner. Grandpa was gone and I couldn’t really tell that I knew him that much. \n\n“So, do you want to knife?” Billy said. I looked up to him with a blank stare. “The knife you found.” He pointed at the golden dagger on my nightstand. “Do you want it. We said finders – keepers.” He grinned. \"Besides, Mary wouldn't let me bring any sharp objects into our home with two toddlers.\"\n\n“Sure,” I said, wrapping the dagger in a towel. It was the dagger she gave me, the hooded girl. “Billy,” I suddenly asked, “do you know what Grandpa did for a living?”\n\nBilly shrugged. “I know mom said he was in a war, so I guess he was military or something.”\n\n“Which war?” I asked.\n\n“I don’t know, buddy,” my brother said, “I saw him two times in my entire life, just like you. I know he had a horse. Mom always said it was crazy how than animal obeyed him like it could read his mind.”\n\nI nodded.\n\nBilly grinned. “It's a pity we didn’t inherit his rider’s genes. I can’t even make my dog listen to me.”\n\n“Yeah,” I tried to smile, “it’s a real pity.”\n\n\nIf you want to read some of my other stories, you can find them on\n\nr/CrystalElmTales" ]	2
	[WP] The monster under the bed is real. It just grabbed your leg, pulled you down, and is face to face with you. It says four words: "WE NEED YOUR HELP."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "My reaction time leaves a lot to be desired nowadays. Give me a break; my day crawls by at the speed of a dying snail, and I look forward to my bed for most of it. Growing up, I never expected pushing papers to cause such a mind-numbing exhaustion. I used to think it made sense to work a full day and then go home and do all the things you wanted to. Eventually reality set in, and most nights I get off work and lose track of who I am before I even make it back to my tiny apartment. It’s like my brain decides to shut down throughout the day from lack of intensive use. Anyway, that’s why I didn’t react when the monster pulled me off my bed. That’s why I didn’t scream when the monster asked me for help. It had just been one of those days.\n\nI blinked a few times and wondered if I was dreaming. \n\n“DID YOU HEAR ME, HUMAN? WE NEED YOUR HELP. PLEASE.” The monster spluttered at me. I call it a monster, but in all actuality, I was staring face to face with a group of miniature squid. Miniature land squid. Miniature land squid who could talk… and live under my bed. I tried to rub my eyes but realized the slimy tentacle that had pulled me to the ground still grasped my forearm. I looked pointedly at the talking squid, evidently the Alpha squid as indicated by what appeared to be a Burger King crown wrapped around his pointed head, and then back at the tentacle.\n\nAlpha widened his single eye and clicked his beak exasperatedly. His tentacle unwrapped from my arm with a series of loud pops. He made a point to release each suction cup as slowly as possible. I frowned at the red marks on my arm and sat upright in a cross-legged position.\n\n“Okay,” I said to the group of tiny squid, “What’s up?”\n\n“WE REQUIRE WATER TO SURVIVE. YOUR WATER SUPPLY HAS BECOME INSUFFICIENT.”\n\n“Water supply?” I looked to the water stain on the wall beside my bed. A leaky pipe that had taken how long for the building to fix? “How long have you guys been under there?”\n\n“THREE OF YOUR YEARS, HUMAN.”\n\nI let out a low whistle. Three years? That’s how long I’d been working at my new job. Maybe that said more about me than I wanted it to. How could I not notice a group of squid under my bed? I shivered at a new thought. Oh god, the things they must’ve seen when I thought I was alone… \n\nAlpha cleared his throat at me. A tiny blob of ink spurted from him and onto my carpet. \n\n“Hey!” I exclaimed.\n\n“WE REQUIRE HASTE, HUMAN.” \n\nI got up and brought back a bowl of water. What was I supposed to do? I’m not completely devoid of compassion. Not yet at least. They seemed harmless enough.\n\n“MAKE WAY FOR YOUR KING!” Alpha exclaimed. The other squid quickly created a pathway for Alpha and bowed low as he crawled by. I’ll be honest, it was hard not to laugh. I didn't even know squid could bow. Alpha plopped into the bowl and in a matter of seconds sucked up all the water. His color turned from white to a light blue and a look of ecstasy crossed his face. You know, as much ecstasy as a squid can express.\n\n“Better now?” I asked lamely. I never considered myself a conversationalist. Unsurprising that when faced with a group of squid I still couldn't think of anything to say. A squad of squid? A shoal of squid? I made a mental note to research the correct terminology for my roommates.\n\n“AND FOR MY SUBJECTS?” Alpha boomed as much as a little squid can boom.\n\nAnd that’s the story of how a group of miniature squid monsters ended up living in my bathtub. Call it an origin story of sorts, one that vastly added to my water bill and helped to fuel most of my excuses for why I can’t get a girlfriend. I came close a few times, but Alpha and his crew never ceased to mess it up for me somehow. \n\nExamples? Well, for starters, Alpha thought a nice girl from Indiana would be impressed if he appeared and informed her of his kingship. No better mate than a subject of the Alpha squid, of course. Another time, he pretended to act as my army general. Commander of the Squid Army has a pretty good ring to it, he thought. The pretty girl from the coffee shop down the street disagreed. Good intentions, poor execution. \n\nAnd let's not ever forget the “Sushi Incident.” \n\nStories for another time.", "\"What for?\"\n\nTom had worked in some strange places, so his response of shock wasn't prioritized.\n\n\"THERE IS A SICKNESS COMING. WE REQUIRE YOUR TECHNOLOGY.\"\n\nTom had always suspected something was going on.\n\n\\-\n\nAdrenaline flooded his body. He ran for his life. If he didn't, he would be consumed by an angry swarm of demon bacteria.\n\nWithin 30 seconds he had gotten into his car and driven away. The disease was soul bound to the lab, so he was at a safe distance almost immediately. However, the lab couldn't run away, so he had lost forty thousand dollars worth in equipment alone, not counting property. The landlord would be pissed.\n\nMeanwhile, he had some calls to make.\n\n\"Hi. It's me. Time for stage 3, version F. Meet up in Toronto.\"\n\nHe hung up.\n\n\"It's Tom. Get the satellites into position, activate the Juno base.\"\n\nHe hung up.\n\nTime to fly to Beijing. The Jupiter Force was almost there. There was little time to act.", "“Ok”, he said. I pinched myself making sure that this wasn’t a dream. “I’ll explain everything you need to know. I know this will be hard for you to comprehend since you are just a human but I need you. We need you.”\n\nI was somewhere between confused and terrified. The face of the monster was an oval and it had large eyes like that of a fly. It reminded me of the Alien from the movie Alien. \n\nIt had razor sharp claws that looked like the blade of a scythe. I had to comply with this creature or else I would’ve been dead already.\n\n“I’ll tell you the whole story from start to beginning. You humans have many concepts of the Elder. Or as you call it, God. But they are all wildly incorrect. Many of you think that he is immortal and kind. But he is not.”\n\n“Thirty billion years ago, that’s when he first created me and the three others. We were given the title of seniors. We all swore loyalty to The Elder. He has been living forever. Alongside another object. A rock.”\n\n“You see, the rock is his weakness. Everything in the universe was created by him. Except for that rock. The rock can kill him. At one point in time he decided to risk it and destroy the rock. It did not go as planned.”\n\n“The Elder also has another weakness. His power isn’t unlimited. We use the term ‘Kai’ but it would be better to use percentages since you humans won’t understand.”\n\n“Creating the universe made him lose a quarter of his power or twenty-five percent of his power. Creating is, the Seniors, made him lose another twenty-five percent.”\n\n“He is at half of the power he originally had. This means the rock will be more effective against him.”\n\nI didn’t know what to say. It was too much of a shock to me to even open my mouth. I just stared emotionlessly at him. \n\n“Please!”, he begged shaking me. “We need you. You are the chosen one.”\n\nI once against stared, confused.\n\n“You see, The Elder has no sense of empathy, sympathy, kindness, none of that. He only wants power and that has been given to him. The only emotions he can feel are greed and anger. He thinks this universe is a failure so he is coming to destroy everything in it. Please help us.”\n\nFor some reason, I accepted. I don’t know if this was just meant to be my legacy, but I agreed.\n\nHe opened up a rift, and I was in a new land. It was green and barren with only a few strange plants being the only sign of life. One of the plants almost resembled a tree but it’s leaves were like Venus Flytraps. \n\n“You are currently thirty-four billion light years away from Earth. The Elder is in the next Solar System, about 6 light years away.”\n\nI finally got to see his full body. He was tall, maybe about seven feet, and his knee on his leg was backwards like the back leg of a four legged animal such as a gazelle. \n\nHe had scales covering his body and he had a hunched back. He was very skinny but his forearms suddenly got bigger like Popeye’s. The same went for his feet. His feet also had talons that were covered in a lava like substance. \n\nHe had one big claw on each of his arms that were like a scythe blade and three smaller claws that looked like small sickles. His head was an oval from the front but from the back it was even more of an oval, resembling a Zeppelin. His eyes fly-like eyes stretched from the front to the side of his face.\n\nHe didn’t have a nose, just two big nostrils and his mouth was just like a human’s. He had very small ears that were perfect circles that couldn’t be seen from the side.\n\n“We’re going to meet the three other Seniors”, he said. “We got three pieces of the stone. We called it the guardian stone in your language or the Kerzkhzotsivagt in ours.”\n\nThat was a strange name. It sounded Russian. I also realised that underneath that strange low-pitched alien voice was a Russian accent. Not exactly like the typical one, but close. \n\nWe entered a Stone Henge like structure which had a portal in the middle. The alien monster creature jumped right in but I had to be cautious. First I tried to touch it. My finger seemed to go right through. I decided since there was no way to get back to Earth I had enter it. \n\nAfter thirty minutes of continuous following and throwing up two times, I landed on a polished marble floor. I looked around and there were huge boulders everywhere. It was like I was in a huge cave. \n\nI heard an alien speak. It was nothing like any language in English. They pronounced sounds that we could never have heard of. There’s only one sound that a human could make but even that was something like, ‘Tskrzs’, that had to pronounced very quickly. \n\nThe aliens all looked the same. However, their voices were wildly different. There were four of them and the only one who had some sort of accent was the one I was with, who, as I said previously, had Russian accent. \n\nAfter talking for five minutes, they placed a piece of stone down. It was like a normal rock, about a feet in height, length and width. It had orange glowing lines between it. They added the next two rocks. They were exactly the same but this time one had red glowing lines, and the other had blue glowing lines.\n\nThey added the final rock which had green glowing lines. As they put the final piece on the stone table in the middle, a new white boulder was made and then turned into thirty small pebbles after an alien punched it. \n\nThe alien I came with made a new portal on the wall. “This solar system”, he said hesitantly, “Is where The Elder lives.”\n\nAfter that, everyone went through. I sweated all across my body. All my hairs slowly stood up. I started to bite my fingernails nervously. “Here goes nothing”, I said to myself quietly and jumped in after them.\n\n“So you came”, said a menacing voice so deep I didn’t think it was possible. The alien spoke in their alien language. “Don’t be rude”, said The Elder. “We have a guest here you know.”\n\nAt this point, my body just ran on its own.\nThe planet I was on looked exactly like Earth except for all the animals. We seemed to be in some sort of forest with oak trees. I got grabbed by something. “You’re supposed to help us”, said a deep voice. Despite the fact it wasn’t as deep as The Elder’s voice, it was even more frightening since the alien was talking directly to me.\n\nIt quickly returned to its comrades after they went on the offensive.\n\nI saw the aliens battle with The Elder. Every single one of them dropped dead before they could land a single hit on him. The battle was over in about five minutes. They were all dodging and couldn’t get an opportunity to strike. I hid behind a tree.\n\n“Oh. I wonder where he could be. It’s really hard to tell. It’s not as if I can sense the exact locations of my enemies or anything. Oh well. Maybe behind this tree.” He chopped the tree I hid behind in half almost instantly. \n\n“Idio-”. He paused. He looked at his stomach. I never had a chance to look at him since he was hiding behind a rock. But now I did. He had a jet black robe on him. He didn’t have any footwear or pants or anything. He looked back at me. I could finally see his face. His face was like a human’s but with a smaller nose and much larger eyes. He had crimson eyes and his pupils had gone tiny. He also had grey skin.\n\n“How did you-”.\n\nI smirked but I was still sweating so it didn’t look as cool. “Despite the fact you may be a God, you’re just not as powerful as the God in our books. You don’t have any experience with wits either since you’ve relied on that power.”\n\n“Did you think I was really running around, trying to escape. I’m not that dumb. Considering the environment was just like that of Earth’s, I was able to find a perfect branch for my weapon. Also, when I first met that ‘Senior’ thing, I had a tiny water bottle in my pocket after I had a drink. I didn’t pay that much attention to what he was saying but I knew it was going to be useful.”\n\n“While you where fighting the other guys, I had enough time to make a rope by cutting my bottle in half and making a deep enough cut through a tree using the stone pebbles that one of the guys made. The pebbles he made had a sharp edge so I put the pebble into the cut in the tree and spun the bottle around. Then I put the rope between the branch with two smaller branches and pulled the pebble out.”\n\n“I knew where you were by your voice so just as you cut the tree down with your bare hand, I shot the pebble right at you.”\n\nI then realised that The Elder was laying dead on the floor. It probably died had way through I was talking about what I did. \n\n“Human”, a deep but weak voice called out. It was the alien monster creature. “I’m using the last of my energy to make this portal. It will send you back to Earth, bear where your home.”\n\nA portal appeared from his fingers. “I won’t forget you”, I claimed, not because he saved my life but because he was an alien monster. You don’t see them often in real life.\n\nThat’s the story on how I saved the universe and how I can’t tell that to anybody. Of course you will listen to me, right?\n\n.................\n\nThis was really fun to write. I kinda got inspired by JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures at the defeat of The Elder though lol.\n\n................\n\nEdit: fixed grammatical errors", "\"We need your help.\" A voice filled the room, vibrating the bed beneath me.\n\nMy body tensed up, as panic flowed throughout my body. My legs kicked but were unable to shake the claw gripping my ankle.\n\n\"What the hell?!\" I screamed. Flailing, I tumbled off the bed and onto the floor, the claw still clenching my skin. I pushed myself as far away from the bed as I could. That was when I saw it.\n\nTwo beads of light shone from under the bed. I paused. My flight or fight response had given up on any attempts at the latter.\n\n\"I'm not going to hurt you. Now please don't hurt me. Please calm down.\" The voice stuttered, the words tripping over each other on their way into my ears.\n\nI remained still. My breath deeper, quicker. Slowly, the beads of light moved forward. The claw releasing my ankle and pressing into the floor as the literal monster under my bed slowly crawled out.\n\nI had always scoffed at the idea of a monster living under my bed. The idea was completely insane. Yet, right before my eyes, a literal, fur-covered, 8ft tall Yeti was now sat next to me on the floor of my bedroom. It seemed uncertain, defensive. As if I might lash out and rip it's arm off. My breath was even quicker now, even deeper, more erratic, if anyone was about to lose a limb, it had to be me.\n\n\"What on earth are you? You just crawled out from under my bed?! How's that possible.... who the fu-\"\n\n\"We will get to that. Now though, we need your help. I won't hurt you. Come with me.\" It reached out, taking my hand. My body tensing up, wanting to run but that part of my brain that had abandoned the idea of fighting back had won out once again.\n\nIt clambered back into the dark, the wooden frames being pushed 3ft off the floor as it dragged me underneath.\n\nWhen I opened my eyes, I was standing on a path, surrounded by cottages and stone buildings. The Yeti still stood over me, \"I will explain soon, please come with me,\" it said. It's long arm rose, pointing down the path where a castle stood atop a steep hill.\n\nIt looked like something out of a video game. A fantasy town like something I've explored dozens of times in the very bedroom this thing abducted me from moments ago.\n\nAs we walked, I looked at the cottages around me. Everything seemed pleasant, peaceful, except I couldn't see any people. Instead, various fearsome monsters stood in their place. Chopping wood, baking pies, fishing in the river in the distance.\n\nAs I made eye contact with them, they quickly looked away. Some hurried inside and locked their doors. The young ogres playing nearby began to cry when their eyes met mine.\n\n\"What happened here? Did you monsters eat everyone or what? You ran out of people to eat, now you're going to eat me too?\" I questioned. My breath once again accelerating.\n\n\"What? No, we didn't eat anyone. We wouldn't,\" the Yeti replied.\n\n\"You, however, I'm not so sure.\"\n\n\"What is that supposed to mean?!\" I questioned.\n\n\"Well, it is your kind who eat us here. We've lost everything because of humans. We've just managed to rebuild a life for ourselves recently.\"\n\n\"What the hell, no you're the monsters, you're the scary ones!\" Whatever this place was, it wasn't my home and it wasn't like anything I've known before.\n\nAfter a while, we arrived at the castle. Two reptilian creatures stood atop the drawbridge. The yeti nodded and they proceeded to let us enter. We continued through and made our way directly to the throne room.\n\nA fine crimson carpet led from the doorway to a shining silver throne. On it, a furred, humanoid creature with a wolf's face. As we approached, the Yeti bowed, tugging at my arm for me to do the same.\n\n\"I have brought the boy here, as you requested.\" The Yeti looked up as he spoke.\n\n\"Thank you. Now, I'm sure you have many questions.\" The wolf spoke. His voice was deep and regal. \"We are in need of help, and you're the only one who can help us.\"\n\n\"Uhh.. what... why me?\" I nervously asked.\n\n\"Your friend here has been watching you, he's seen you defeat the biggest, most dangerous foes in your world. We need a hero like that.\"\n\n\"What?! I've never fought anything!\"\n\n\"You have, I've seen you.\" The Yeti interjected. \"On that shining tablet, I've watched you slay dragons, giants, demons!\"\n\n\"You're talking about video games?! I never did those things! It was just a game!\" I explained. There it was again, the panic had once again got into my bloodstream and was spreading around my body.\n\n\"We are under threat. Our peaceful town.\" A goblin scurried across the hall. Handing me a scroll, it shook as my hand reached out to take it. As it let go, it hurried away, constantly turning back as if to check I wasn't chasing after it.\n\nI looked at the scroll, seeing a sketch of a man, middle-aged and with anger in his eyes, a scowl on his lips and a scar across his neck.\n\n\"The monster you see here, he wants to kill us all. This is the human king, he has used his weapons and soldiers to try and eradicate us. We tried to fight back, but despite what you humans insist, we are simply peaceful people.\" The wolf explained.\n\nI looked down again. It sounded crazy, but then, here I was in a world of wolfmen and Yetis. Everything was crazy.\n\n\"We beg you to help us. What do you say?\" The wolf asked again.\n\n———\n\nEdit:fixing typos" ]	5
	[WP] You are an assassin and you have to kill a billionaire's daughter...little do you know you will fall for her..	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Thorne sighed when he noticed the missing information. He looked up at his contact across the table. They met in a 24-hour diner on the 24th hour. Both men wore suits. Thorne's bright cactus-green suit looked clownish when compared to the man's elegant black suit. He was only a butler, but he was far more refined than Thorne could ever hope to be.\n\n\"I can't take the job, I don't have enough information,\" Thorne said. He glanced down at the picture of a smiling, 7-year-old brunette. In the past, he would have jumped on the case for free, but [one of those jobs](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/8pl8si/wp_youre_the_12th_assassin_weve_had_to_send_in/) opened him up to a much broader, more dangerous world. He would not take that chance again. The butler across the table laughed and shook his head.\n\n\"You're really serious?\" he asked. He filled in the information himself and knew what was missing. He assumed it was some sort of joke question; assassins tended to have an odd sense of humor. \"You'd skip out on a payday like this just because of a little thing like that?\" Thorne nodded. He knew how important it was even if his client did not. \"If it's that important to you, it's three,\" the butler said.\n\n\"Are you sure?\" Thorne asked. The butler sighed and reached into his suit pocket. He pulled out his node, swiped at it a couple of times, then held it up to Thorne's face. The 7-year-old girl was giggling at the camera.\n\n\"What's your favorite number?\" the butler's voice asked behind the camera.\n\n\"THREE!\" the girl chirped. Then the video stopped. Thorne nodded. He reached into his own green suit and pulled out a small notebook. He flipped through a couple of pages that had numbers and notes until he stopped on one page.\n\n\"#03. La Dama.\" He mumbled the rest of the notes to himself. \"...affects Zeros....\" He closed the book and nodded.\n\n\"I'll do the job,\" he said.\n\n\"Wonderful,\" the butler said. Now that their business was done he stood from the table and left Thorne to his meal. The next day Thorne was parked in front of the girl's school when the bell rang. After a few minutes, he spotted her come out of the front of the school and sit down on a bench to wait.\n\n\"Hi, Erica,\" Thorne said as he approached the dark-haired girl with his best smile. She returned his smile with the innocence of a girl who felt completely safe. She was on school grounds in broad daylight surrounded by friends and faculty. \"George couldn't make it today, he asked me if I could pick you up.\" Her eyes narrowed in an instant.\n\n\"What's the password?\" she asked.\n\n\"If only all my jobs could be this easy,\" Thorne chuckled internally but shook his head.\n\n\"There is no password, I asked. And he told me your favorite number is three.\" Thorne stopped a couple of feet from her and waited with a patient smile. \"Do I pass, or do you want to double-check with George?\" he asked. Having George in on it made everything much easier. She shook her head but didn't otherwise move from her seat.\n\n\"George sent you?\" she asked suddenly. Though that was already established she sounded like she was asking an entirely different question somehow.\n\n\"Yeah,\" Thorne nodded. \"I said that, remember?\" The girl immediately burst into a fit of giggles.\n\n\"You know what would be funny?\" she asked. She gave him permission to come closer with a wave of her hand, but she didn't move to stand.\n\n\"What?\" Thorne relaxed, smiled and took a step forward.\n\n\"If you fell...,\" she said. As far as Thorne knew, he planted one foot firmly on the ground and lifted the other for his next step, then he landed, forehead-first, on the ground. What everyone that was now laughing at him, students and teachers alike, saw was both of his feet trying to take a step at the same time. He did not jump exactly; somehow he just decided to lift both feet up at the same time and kissed the sidewalk. He recovered quickly, then climbed up to sit next to the little girl. The laughter faded as everyone went different ways again.\n\n\"He sent you to kill me,\" the girl said. Thorne forced fake laughter out.\n\n\"That's ridiculou-\"\n\n\"It'd be funny if you fell again,\" she said quickly. Thorne's mind suddenly decided he needed to be on the ground again; he practically threw himself off the bench. In the back of his mind, Thorne decided to amend his notes for La Dama if he lived through this.\n\n\"She can definitely affect Uniques,\" he thought. He climbed back on the bench and sat next to her.\n\n\"It's not his fault,\" she said. Her voice dropped. She sounded sad; almost wistful. \"I told him it would be funny if he hired a killer.\"\n\n\\\\\\\n\nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is year two, story #209. You can find all my stories collected on my subreddit ([r/hugoverse](https://www.reddit.com/r/hugoverse)) or my [blog](https://hugoverse.info/). If you're curious about my universe (the Hugoverse) you can visit the [Guidebook](https://hugoverse.info/2017/11/25/hugoverse-guidebook/) to see what's what and who's who, or the [Timeline](https://hugoverse.info/2017/10/23/hugoverse-timeline/) to find the stories in order.\n\n\\\\\\\n\n[Satchat Summer challenge](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/c3rkez/ot_satchat_summer_challenge_pick_a_challenge_tier/)\n\n* Story 36\n* The NaNoWriMo - word count 815 / 26865 (this story/ total)\n* Placesetting - Hugoverse" ]	2
	[WP] The Universe is dying, and the last remaining civilization is colonized around a black hole. But as the universe starts to breathe its last breath, scientists discover that the black hole that they are orbiting around is actually a wormhole that can take them to a different universe.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Rayline gave birth 7 months ago. She named her daughter after her grandmother, Ambreen, who raised her in place of her parents. She was looking forward to watching her daughter's first steps, to hearing her first words. She and her husband, Jakym, hadn't been planning on having a child, but when they found out about the pregnancy, their whole lives shifted focus. It was an entirely new life at the end of the universe. The station could fit more people on it – that wasn't an issue by a long shot – but there was the moral question about whether or not they even should bring a new person into a scenario that guaranteed a life of fear, followed by imminent death. The end of all things was not the most ideal place to raise a child.\n\nThen something miraculous happened 18 months ago: their leaders discovered that the black hole they were circling was actually a portal to another universe. They were all going to be transported when they reached the center. It would happen when Amby was less than 9 months old. Hope spread through the occupants' veins like a drug. The attitude and demeanor of everyone on board Arcadia IV changed for the better. People started working again. They improved the food storage units, repaired the shields, and made damn sure the life support systems were working just fine. Neither Ray nor Jak could believe their luck when they heard the news. Immediately they decided to raise their child as a family in the new universe. They were going to be parents and, even in the worst of times, that was something they could cling to.\n\nWith the birth of Amby, they became famous. The newborn was named “the first child of the new world” and heralded as a sign of hope and prosperity for the rest of the colony. Thousands of inhabitants knew the family on a first name basis. People crowded around the three of them wherever they went, hoping to catch a glimpse of the beautiful baby girl. The people rallied behind her as if she was a kind of messiah – as if her birth heralded a new age of humanity. Jak wasn't happy with all the attention at first, but he warmed up to it when he realized that several crew members vowed to protect his child with their lives. He figured, if Amby had more people watching over her, it was less likely something was going to happen to her. Even still, he barely let her out of his sight.\n\nRay was more relaxed with the reality of the situation. She believed in her daughter and the hope she brought with her. It couldn't have been only chance that the discovery of her pregnancy and the announcement of the new universe were so close together. Deep in her heart she knew everything was going to work out. She spent her time doting on her daughter. If Amby cried in the middle of the night, Ray sprang up to comfort her without a second thought. If her daughter wanted an extra serving of fruit paste for dessert, nothing would stand in Ray's path to get it for her. They were near inseparable for those eight months. The only times they spent apart were when Ray needed to sleep and, even then, Jak only convinced her after some light protests.\n\nThe new parents were afraid of their unknown destination and worried how traveling through a worm hole might affect their daughter, but were so taken by the sheer wonder they felt that they were brave enough to face anything the universe might throw at them. When the colony was about to reach the center of the black hole, they were sleeping peacefully, with Amby lying between them. Jak was dreaming about the adventure of living in a new universe; Ray was dreaming about the pure potential of her daughter. Everyone else on board busied themselves with tasks to keep their minds occupied while Arcadia drifted into the void.\n\nThe relief that washed over the station for the pat year and a half was so profound that no one considered the possibility that their leaders weren't telling the truth. The fact was there was no worm hole, no new universe, no salvation. The people in charge decided long ago that widespread panic was something to be avoided at all costs. So they concocted a lie to fill people with serenity and excitement to replace the dread. Thank God it worked." ]	2
	[WP] You're a mild mannered alien who has taken the form of a human to go on a holiday on earth, work has just been too stressful. You're accused of witchcraft and sentenced to burn at the stake. You think it's just one of those quirky tourist attractions, nobody could be that stupid, right?	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " \n\nAz didn’t much like the winter … but it had been far cheaper than vacationing on Earth during the so-called summer. On his salary, he had been lucky to be able to afford such a thrilling vacation at all. It had only been by a stroke of clerical luck that he had managed to worm his way into a scenic timeshare overlooking the bay. \n\nThe lack of technology was startling, but not entirely deplorable. Az found that it was actually rather survivable once he had grown used to its primitive charm. Reading from paper by candlelight was a remarkable experience … one that certainly should have been listed on the brochure. He had come to Earth expecting to work for his vacation, but work had never been further from his mind. \n\nAz pulled the quilted blanket closer around the shoulders of his female vessel. This night was the coldest yet, lending the crackling flames of the hearth even more power. With a snap of his borrowed fingers, Az renewed the blaze. With another, he added the pleasing scent of lavender. Finally, he summoned the steaming pot of tea and readied another cup. \n\nIt was just as he nestled into the oversized bed and opened his book that the knock came. \n\nAt first, Az thought he was imagining it. There had been no warnings of actual contact with the humans. In fact, the brochure had specifically claimed the spacious cabin would repel the town’s many residents … something about ghost or phantoms or that nature. \n\nAz winced as the heavy wooden door was nearly knocked from its hinges. Over the dancing flames, he could just hear the noise of a crowd. It seemed someone had decided to throw a party for the vacationer – Earth was a hotspot for Zincan vacations after all. Perhaps there was a group of Zinca who had gotten together to drink ale or explore the dense woods surrounding the town in search of werewolves or vampires. He had been meaning to venture outdoors. \n\n“Coming!” Az called as the knocking grew louder. Begrudgingly, he tossed aside his blanket and pulled on a thick cloak. Az took a step toward the door, frowned, then returned to the bedside table to retrieve his steaming cup of tea and novel. \n\nThe door shook violently as Az approached. The noise outside had grown louder. His callers seemed to be some sort of carolers playing metallic instruments … again that hadn’t been listen in the brochure, but every Zincan had an innate love of music. There was a certain charm in banging and shouting with a defined rhythm, something that seemed to draw the species of any habitable world together. \n\nAz unlocked the latch and threw open the door. Outside nearly two dozen humans stood bundled in coats and hats. In their hands were pitchforks and flaming torches. The shouting stopped as he observed them over the rim of his teacup. Az wondered if he had interrupted their song. \n\n“Apologies, neighbors,” he smiled. “I did not mean to disturb you. My name is–”\n\nThe world spun as Az was struck. Glass shattered against stone. Doubled over, he felt the sting of frozen iron as his wrists were bound together. He watched, dumbstruck, as blood began to drip from his nose. The bitter taste was completely unfamiliar. Fortunately, the pain was minimum. Interestingly enough, he had read that humans possessed a low pain tolerance. However, he was not quite sure how it related to other species. \n\n“Witch!” the man standing inches away boomed. \n\nAz attempted to crawl back toward the open door, hoping the man’s shouting hadn’t damaged the fragile eardrums of the vessel. It would be quite the shame if he had to liquidate his savings over losing a vessel on a travel planet. The Zincans sharing his office would never believe such a–\n\nAgain, Az found himself on the ground. He wasn’t sure where he had been hit or by what. The flickering stars above, however, were quite magnificent. He wondered which was Zinca. It should be about there, he reasoned, raising his finger. \n\n“She’s trying to summon a demon,” the same man roared, pulling him upright by his wrist. “This is all the proof we need.”\n\n“Excuse me,” Az said politely as he was pulled to his feet. His words were slurred, slinking through his broken mouth like a garden worm. “What exactly is a demon?”\n\nUnfortunately, his question was overtaken by an abrupt outburst of song. It beat was simplistic in nature, rather barbaric to tell the truth. As the humans marched him down the thorny hillside and towards the center of the town, they continued to sing. Fortunately, the melody was easy to pick up. Burn the witch. Burn the witch. Burn the witch. \n\nAs time passed, Az found it harder to breath. His lower lip jutted from his small jaw, and blood flowed from where he had bitten his tongue. Mentally revisiting the brochure, he had just worked out a way to successfully communicate with the humans when they arrived at their destination – a wooden stake rising from an altar of carefully-stacked kindling. \n\nA pair of burly men picked Az up by his scrawny arms and dragged him forward. Another worked to quickly bind his midsection with rope. The song continued, reaching its crescendo as the bearded leader of the humans eyed a particularly bright torch. \n\n“Wait!” Az managed as the man raised the fiery instrument. “Certainly, we can talk this through, my fellow humans. I didn’t purchase insurance on this vessel! If I could return to my cabin, I could provide you all valuable knowledge–”\n\n“Burn the witch!” the bearded man interjected, tossing the torch onto the pyre. \n\n“Exactly what I deserve for going on vacation,” Az sighed. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nr/creatorcorvin", "“I’ll give this tour company 1 stars out of 5. If I could give 0, I would. All I wanted is for a nice time off after working day and night as the booger cleaner for the Mutt. I thought the people working at Gormonzula’s Travels would be professionals. But unfortunately they did not inform me of the basic etiquettes! I had to cut my vacation short and return back to Balooine all because I tried to save some battery on the human suit by summoning a spoon using The Power instead of going all the way to the counter and picking it up! The guide did not tell me that this would be the wrong table manners and the humans burned me! A pity, I also lost the human suit and now will have to purchase a new one if I ever think of returning to the Earth. Do not recommend!”\n\nManagement Response: We apologize for the inconvenience caused to you. Could you please describe in detail what went wrong and provide us with your contact details? We had a lot of complaints recently regarding the tour in question. We will get in touch to initiate a refund process, no questions asked! Again, due to the recent instability in the outer rim, we have had a bunch of new guides who are not trained well enough. Please let us know how else we can help.\n\nYour response: Oh that poor guide is a refugee? Of course. Well alas, if I had known earlier. I had taken a vacation on your “Earthly Desires” tour to relax from work. It did not help that due to the recent fight and prisoners escaping, my boss was in a bad mood and I had to work overtime cleaning His Boogerness. Well your guide did not inform me that humans are not capable of using The Power. I was alone because none of my tour members had come for dinner yet. I was tired so I merely summoned a spoon from the counter towards me while eating one of the meals in the local restaurant. The humans did not take kindly to this. A male humanoid called me “one of them.” I did not know what “them” meant, but I assume it was quite rude! Anyway they brought me to this pier and proclaimed “a burning unlike anything ever seen” to the gathered crowd. They seemed quite enthusiastic. You can imagine how surprised I was to see such cheering and chanting. Some people even seemed happy! I thought I was in a performance art. But for some reason they tied me to this pole along with a few other Xaugulots in my tour group. It seems they had made the same mistake as me earlier in the day. We all had worn the female suits your company had made us buy for future needs. Unfortunately, they accused us of some “witchcraft” and decided to burn our suits. Thank goodness we do not get burned! But it was irresponsible of your tour guide to not be aware of this little safety measure. Well the burning was not fun. It was too hot inside the suit and we had to make a quick escape in our tour bus back to Balooine. A shame! Anyway my contact details are ᏦᏗᏒᏬᏁᎴᎧᏒ@ᎷᏗᏠᎧᏒᎷᏋ.ፈᎧᎷ. I expect a full refund or I shall be forced to escalate this issue to the higher ups!\n\nManagement Response: We totally understand sir. We will get back to you as soon as possible with the details of your refund. We again apologize for the mismanagement. As a gesture of faith and goodwill, we would also be sending a new suit and coverings free of cost! We hope this will ensure that we continue to enjoy your patronage and look forward to helping you plan your next trip!" ]	3
	[WP] In front of you are a set of buttons and levers, you don't know what they do exactly, all that you do know is that they are probably important and you just fell on a bunch of 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\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“This is a terrible plan,” I hiss. \n\n“Floater belts malfunction all the time,” Prye says with a shrug, “Besides, I’m doin the tough job. You just have to distract them. Now get out there!”\n\nPrye boots me in the back, launching me from our little perch spiralling into orbit of the engine core room. He quickly disappears from sight. \n\n“Help! Floater belt gone haywire!!!” I scream, flailing my arms. \n\nBelow me, I can hear grumbles of “Not again! This is the third time this week!” \n\nThen suddenly, the floater belt beeps and there’s a sharp lurch as the core’s gravity kicks in. \n\nPrye that bastard!!! He didn’t tell me he was going to switch it off! I fumbled briefly with the floater belt before giving up and bracing for the impact. \n\nI landed on a machine with an excessive amount of important looking levers and buttons. \n\n“What have you done????” Thrimble screeched. The little gnome-like man pawed at his face, leaving red scratch marks on his cheeks. \n\n“I-I-I didn’t mean to!” I stammer, trying to stand up and hitting a few more levers in my process. “It was an accident!”\n\nThe ground rumbled and a feeling of dread crept down my spine. \n\n“The city is going to fold!” Thrimble shouted, pulling at his scraggly hair. \n\n“Fold?” I ask with a growing sense of impending doom, “what do you mean ‘fold’?” \n\n“Callisto is made of up tectonic plates that youuuu just moved in every direction!” Thrimble shrieked, “We’re going to be crushed!” \n\nWell shit. I groaned. I looked up and saw Pyre wave at me from above. I knew working with him was never a good idea." ]	2
	[WP] Aliens have landed on earth, but Suprisingly they are much weaker than humans. You are the first human to befriend one of those aliens	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The nature of them wasn't known at first but once the transitional period of their \"integration\" had taken place, it was clear that they were no threat. They strange, cuboid ships didn't seem to have any weapons, the creatures themselves didn't carry any kind of armament and aggression didn't seem to be in their nature whatsoever. Despite all of this, the political, religious and civil unrest was paramount and led to a great deal of uprisings within the human populous.\n\nEven with all of the negative reactions most people had towards the new visitors, the Interlopers as they were commonly referred to, still attempted to reach out and create some kind of dialogue between the two species. After some time and much argument between the nations of the world a new Coalition was formed. The Society for Inter-Species Relations and Observation was created in an attempt to solidify communications between humans and the visitors. SISRO quickly began to ask for volunteers that would like to partake in a controlled experiment to introduce the visitors to the humans.\n\nI was excited for my first session with one of the visitors.\n\nOnce my excitement for the unknown had died down and I was preparing for the session, I began to grow very nervous. The airlocks and clean rooms I had to go through didn't exactly exercise respect of one's personal space. On top of that, there was little to no words spoken to me as I prepared to enter the Visiting Room. Finally, I was brought to a large, white, cylindrical room with glass surrounding it's walls. A number of individuals, all wearing different kinds of attire from lab coats to military uniforms could be seeing staring in. The revelation that this would not be a private meeting didn't sit well with me; but then I could understand the paranoia of meeting an alien species.\n\nA loud klaxon went off for a moment and a door opposite me opened up. A huge, bulky, hulking form came walking in through a cloud of mist easily surpassing the tallest of people I've ever met. Its footfalls were incredibly loud and thundered through the room and the huge, humanoid creature made its way towards me. I recoiled slightly, my heart racing as I looked upon the form. It looked very near to a human, though the proportions were all wrong. The arms were far too long, the hands looked like thick gauntlets with too-long digits, of which there were seven. The chest bulged out forwards with a single, massive black orb that looked to be an eye. If I were to compare it with a human there would be one single most disturbing feature and that was a lack of a head. The shoulders seemed to simply smooth over where a head should be. I couldn't help but notice the odd, deep purple and black exterior, almost like a carapace. Even with the lack of weapons, the alien was frightening and I suddenly remember laughing while signing the release that included: \"In the event of the signer's death...\"\n\nIt stood there, staring at me while silently, several barrels protruded from the ceiling, I was guessing automated turrets. Were those a thing? Maybe they were manned turrets. My mind was all over the place as I watched the alien stand without making a sound. I nervously chuckled for a moment and spoke in a cracked voice. \"Hi.\" I gave a slight wave along with my greeting.\n\nI hadn't even noticed that the table in front of me had a silver box that had many cables protruding from it and snaking off in different directions, some of them finding their way into the floor, walls and ceiling. The box made a buzzing sound and made some strange noises as if it were a speaker. The black orb that I guess was an eye finally broken contact with me and looked towards the box. As it did so, I saw the same deep purple where the whites of my own eyes would be. After a few seconds, the creature made the same odd noises back to me.\n\nThe box buzzed to life once more, \"Hello. Good to meet you. Your name?\"\n\nMy eyes darted from the box to the creature, \"Alistair, but my friends call me Alex.\" My voice still maintained a shaky tone while I spoke but I didn't want to sound anything but cordial to a creature that looked like it could rip me apart with its hands.\n\nThe translating silver box did its thing and the creature moved slightly in an odd backpedal, then putting its left leg forwards and bent both knees, bringing itself down to a lower level like it was doing an exercise. A loud hiss began to escape where the eye of the creature was and a loud pop could be heard. As if a butcher was bringing a cleaver down on hunks of meat, wet thudding sounds could be heard every second or so. I had been frozen in fear to the point where I couldn't even see the reaction of the facility staff but a part of my mind that worked still could imagine an arsenal of weapons being pointed at the thing.\n\nA loud crack was the last sound before the back of the creature seemed to explode open like something bursting from a rib cage, only there was no debris. A soft, warm glow filled the white room and a moment later something jumped out from the creature.\n\nI couldn't see anything as the table was blocking my view and I was too paralyzed with fear to think to stand up but I could hear little footsteps approaching the chair in front of me. A metal on metal sound filled the room as the chair was pulled back and something hopped up into it.\n\nA hamster was the first thing that came to mind when I gazed upon the tiny form, no bigger than a German Shepherd looked back to me. It spoke but in the same strange sounds it evidently called a language. Its tone was much higher pitch and the translator took a few moments longer to re-calibrate. \"I am Lord Triz, High Overseer of the Black Wing Scientific Expeditionary Force.\"\n\nListening to the name and the title I was puzzled. Did I just happen to get lucky enough to be paired with the leader of the visitors? Or perhaps I was unlucky. \"I uh. Work at a warehouse here on Earth. I hope that doesn't insult you.\" My nervousness only grew exponentially and I couldn't help but think of all the science fiction stories I had read where higher ups were always insulted to speak to the common rabble. But the for some reason, I didn't feel nearly as threatened by the little Hamster in front of me now that it left its... exo-suit?\n\nThe box buzzed for a moment, \"Not at all, Master Alistair, if your society is anything like mine, all of the cogs in a machine have to work in order for the machine to function as a whole, making every cog important.\" Triz waved his arms around dramatically as if to encompass everyone around them and the world beyond. It was at that moment I realized all of the military personnel looking in had their weapons drawn and looks of astonishment could be seen on the lab coat wearing staff.\n\n\"That's... a very good outlook to have I suppose.\" I wasn't sure what else to say but looking around I saw someone hold a large card, clearly for me. It read: 'Why are you here?' I thought that was a little direct so I figured I would try to be a little more polite. \"So, uh, Lord Triz, what brings you to our little world?\" My choice of words felt too casual with the implication that this was a 'lord' I was speaking to, but I didn't want to give any false impressions.\n\n\"Ah, always one of the first questions, though usually asked by someone with people holding weapons behind them and me.\" Triz gave a little chuckle which I couldn't help but find adorable. \"We're here in an attempt to stop one of the Great Filter from coming to pass for your race.\"", "The massive cylindrical starship fell slowly and steadily down to the surface. Looking at the impossibly shiny exterior, and the strange blue light that seemed to come out of the engine, I wondered if the M16 in my hands would make any difference if these visitors wanted me dead.\n\nThe ship landed with a shockingly gentle touch on the Nevada desert, greeted by tanks, helicopters, and about a hundred other soldiers scared just as shitless as I was.\n\nUnder what looked like a door, a small compartment fell open with a loud clang. The sudden noise almost made me instinctively pull the trigger, and it seemed I wasn’t alone, as two shots rang out, plinking harmlessly off the solid metal door. \n\n“HOLD YOUR GOD DAMN FIRE,” roared the Major, looking no less terrified than the rest of us.\n\nThe small compartment proved to contain a ramp, which slowly extended toward the surface. As it touched the rocky ground, the door swing open, and a hundred soldiers held our breaths. \n\nI really can’t say what I was expecting. But I can say what I wasn’t expecting. And what I wasn’t expecting was for a toddler to walk down that ramp. \n\nOf course, it wasn’t a toddler, it was a fully grown alien male. But standing around 3 feet tall, with no muscle mass to speak of, he certainly looked like one.\n\nWithout a second glance at the small army surrounding him, he strolled up to the secretary of defense, whose gaping mouth was doing a poor job of disguising her shock. \n\n“Hello, madam. I am Ka. I come from the planet Drith, a few solar systems away. It is an honor for our civilizations to finally meet.”\n\n\nThere turned out to be about twenty of them on that ship. We escorted them back to the base, which would apparently be the site of interplanetary diplomacy between Ka and a collection of world leaders, with us as the guards in case anything got fishy.\n\nThat night, I laid staring restlessly at the ceiling, the clock torturing me as it’s numbers ticked away my precious minutes of sleep. Laying there wasn’t doing me any good, so I pulled my cigarettes and lighter out of my lock box, and stepped outside for a smoke. \n\nMy favorite part about middle-of-the-night smoke breaks was getting a few minutes to myself, but as I opened the door to the yard, I saw a figure sitting at one of the picnic tables. Groaning in anticipation of dreaded small talk, I approached, but soon realized that the figure was much smaller than any of my fellow troops.\n\nMy boots made a loud crunch on the gravel, and the figure turned to find the source.\n\n“Oh, hello there. I thought humans tend to sleep at this hour.”\n\n“I thought so too.”\n\nThe closest I had ever been to one of these things was a few hundred feet, so as I sat down at the table across from him, I took my first good look at one of these aliens. \n\nKa has looked shockingly human from afar, but close up, I could see some clear differences between us and these creatures. Their eyes and nose were far smaller than ours, and their skin had a reddish hue to it. While Ka was either bald or shaven, this one had thick, bushy black hair, though his face showed no signs of any sort of beard.\n\n“I don’t believe we’ve met. My name is Shi. I would like to thank you for your people’s hospitality.”\n\n“Any time. I’m Pete, Pete Stafford. Say, how do you guys know English?”\n\nShi pointed a surprisingly long, bony finger up toward the sky. “We send a probe a little while ago to intercept communications from your satellites. We learned your languages, and a little bit about your species.”\n\n“Wow! So tell me, are there others out there? Other intelligent life besides us and your species?” I thanked god that I had stepped out for this smoke break, though I realized I had forgotten to lit my cigarette.\n\nShi smiled. I couldn’t help but notice his teeth. They were large and flat, with no canines to speak of. “Of course, friend. There are thousands of civilizations in our galaxy.”\n\nI was silent for a moment, appreciating the fact that I would get to be alive to meet all these galactic neighbors. “Tell me, though, if there are all these other planets with life...why are you guys the first to actually visit us?”\n\nAs I asked this, Shi broke the gentle eye contact he’d been making, and looked instead at the ground. \n\n“Well, if you must know...it’s because of all...this.”\n\nHe extended his arm, pointing at the tanks, armored cars, and guard towers that dotted the grounds of the base. “We’ve been afraid of you.”\n\nThose words hit me like a sack of bricks. Afraid? Of us? Were we some kind of monsters?\n\n“But...but these are just weapons. For war. It’s not like we go around killing people.”\n\n“Weapons that you pointed at us the second we landed on your planet.”\n\n“You could’ve been a threat.”\n\nShi let out what I assume was a sigh, and stared off into the distance.\n\n“Pete, let me explain something. Earth is what’s known as a ‘resource bare’ planet.”\n\nI was immediately confused. “But we have plenty of resources.”\n\nShi turned back towards me. “You have nothing to compare to. My planet, most life-bearing planets for that matter, have far more, more than enough for everyone on them.”\n\nI felt suddenly ripped off by the Earth.\n\n“You see,” Shi continued, “lack of resources creates competition. Competition leads to violence.”\n\n“So on your planet, there’s... no violence?”\n\n“Never has been. Never had a need for it.”\n\nI thought for a few seconds, but couldn’t even imagine a world without violence.\n\n“Resource-bare planets almost never produce advanced civilizations. Constant warring either keeps them in the Stone Age, or they advance enough to discover the destructive power of the atom, and nuke themselves into extinction.”\n\nMy 10th grade history lesson on the Cuban Missile Crisis came to my mind, as I realized how close we’d been to that fate. “But... aren’t we advanced?”\n\nShi gave me another toothy smile. “Yes. You’re the only resource-bare planet to make it.”\n\n“But you’re all still scared of us.”\n\n“Yes, but my people went against the rest of them. We had hope.”\n\n“Hope that we wouldn’t be violent?”\n\n“No. You are violent, that’s a fact. Our hope was that we could find understanding, that we could show you peace and how to attain it, that we could end the violence that ails your civilization.”\n\n“Wow...th-thank you.”\n\n“They told us we were crazy, that we’d have our heads blown up the second we stepped foot on Earth. They told us there was no way to be friends with humans...”\n\nShi put his hand on my shoulder, his mouth still stretched in a beaming smile.\n\n“...but I think they’re wrong.”", "Dr. Phillip Wong was always a sentimental and sensitive person. His childhood was filled with animals that he loved far more than any of the kids he met at school. The other boys used to tease him about being a “teacher's pet” and called him names to mock how smart he was. Those early insults made Phil retreat into himself, with only his dog, Charlie, or his cat, Apples, there to act as support. That was probably why, even though he advanced quickly in his studies in cosmology and biology, he didn't make many friends along the way. His fondness for furry animals stayed with him throughout his life, even though he honed in on cosmology and eventually wound up in Houston, working for NASA. When he looks back on the high points of his existence, events that lead the Zoobials to welcome the Earth into brotherhood, he knew it wasn't bravery that lead him there. He just couldn't have helped himself.\n\nThe Zoobials descended into human territory almost 6 hours ago. They were quick to reach out to us, in order to share their knowledge and, perhaps, create a new alliance. Their ship looked like it had a sleek chrome gloss covering the outer layer. It was long and thin in the middle, with two large orbs on either side. The main controls were centered in the narrowest part of the vessel, while the orbs were classified as living quarters. Their first place they decided to touch down was in Alabama. They figured the humans there would be more than appreciative of their gifts.\n\nA few Zoobials came out of their ship, without any protective suits, to prove to us that they were friendly. They were covered with fur of varying colors. Some were gray, others blonde or brown, but all of them were covered head to toe with thick pelts. They were bipedal and mostly humanoid – it was only their long noses that were more like snouts that stood out. Alabamans, unsurprisingly, were terrified. Some of the native Earthlings attacked the beasts on sight. One or two tackled these friendly, but ignorant, creatures and shouted battle cries of, “Fuck yeah! Hornets rule, bitches! Whoooooo!!!” In the history of the Zoobial race, this wasn't the first time their offer of peace was met with war, but it was the most peculiar. The news, of course, spread instantly across the globe that aliens had landed in America's backyard.\n\nAs soon as possible, NASA got their Houston team to the state before DC could, which meant Dr. Wong was one of the first scientists on the scene. Wong was as meek as ever, but thrilled to meet the alien visitors. Deep down, he knew why these Zoobials were of particular interest to him. No one knew about his intense fondness for all things furry because he was never close enough with anyone to tell them. When he finally got his boots on the ground in Alabama, the aliens were cowering in fear from the countless weapons pointed in their direction. Wong shouted at the locals, with a shocking amount of fury,“Put down your weapons, you fools! We have to try to communicate!” He didn't inspire any obedience, but the government agents behind him certainly did.\n\nThe Zoobials were whimpering and huddled in little balls behind old trucks with no engines and no wheels. Of the four that originally came out of their ship, only two were left. Wong approached them with a slow caution, already feeling love for these pathetic creatures and hoping there was some way to make it up to them. He offered his hand to the fearful visitors. They sniffed him (clearly a greeting sign, thought Wong) and timidly uncoiled to greet it. They stood up so that they were all roughly eye-level. Then Wong's emotions got the better of him and he put his outstretched arms around a Zoobial while cutely whispering, “Who's a good boy? Who's such a good boy? That's right! Yes you are! Yes you are a good boy!”" ]	4
	[WP] Write about a day in the life of a person who despite having godlike mental powers, chooses to live an ordinary life.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Being a psychic isn’t all that great, especially when you can’t control it.\n\nIt’s cool and all to find out everyone’s hand in UNO but when you get to Vegas then they’ll throw you out of every place you’ve booked and make sure you stay gone.\n\nAnd no, I can’t tell you your fortune, I can try to slap you with a rubber glove from a mile away though, that always make my psychology major friend happy since it keeps his appointment book filled, just something to do during downtime when I get bored.\n\nBut if you have the powers I do, note : never go to political rallies. The people are just obscene, like a hive mind. What spawns in their minds would even give the SCP foundation a run for its money.\n\nNow I know what you’re wondering: can’t you use these powers for good or something?\n\nAnswer’s simple.\n\nHeroes die and exceptional people dies even faster.\n\nHeroes gets smashed by a rock or an orchestrated accident by the government since they are afraid and the ones that stand out gets airlifted to a black site.\n\nNeedless to say, that’s a one way ticket.\n\nThus, I’d rather fuck with the cashier at the local Starbucks so he thinks I’ve already paid for my double chocolate mocha frapp than go do counter intelligence work in Moscow.\n\nI wake up, I watch the news, seeing what the hell is wrong with America today, go outside, take the car, find out that the guy behind of me is thinking that I drive like ass, go to work, grab a cup of joe in the lounge, figure out who the boss is planning to sexually harass today, sit down at the computer for three hours, go on lunch break and scam that rude subway cashier, sit for another five hours, spill Carl’s soda, go home, eat dinner, and go to sleep.\n\nLiving the American dream. Just a nine to five job. No murder, no death, no Moscow.\n\nAnd that’s good enough for me." ]	2
	[WP] You have been reborn into a world of magic with your memories intact. However, unlike you were hoping, your magical talent can best be described as “below average.” But you do still have one major advantage: knowledge of 21’s century science.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Day 1: I have come to this world with fairly little magical talent. I hope my cat is okay. I don't know how I'll get by in this world, already saw someone with matchlock pistols. They already have gunpowder. I can't get more power unless I keep practicing, which will take years from what I have been told. Better get started. \n\n\nDay 5: Starting to make money with my lootbox jewlery idea. Might be able to hire a tutor soon. You could get a great fish statue or a wooden bowl with engravings, and my science of the mind has given me a job with the merchant guild. \n\n\nDay 9: I'm under direct tutelage of the best merchant in this area, Master Gavin. Taking psychology and watching youtube on how predatory systems work has been my unknown best choices in college. I have my own cart in his caravan and he's teaching me some ropes while I give him some pointers on how the mind works. \n\n\nDay 23: I can afford my own personal sage to tutor my magical ability. I only need it for utility, since I can hire better fighters and spell weavers than I will ever be. I'm up to two carts, and Master Gavin is happy with my new traveling gambling system. He said I should stick with him, we'll go places. \n\n\nThink I'll get a new cat too. Master Gavin said it would be okay. \n\n\nDay 41: First attack on the caravan, scared me shitless. Master Gavin and I are unscathed and we are helping tend to the hired protection. While I can't give magical healing, knowing about infection and proper first aid from Health class and boy scouts lets me heal even if I don't have mana. It just takes longer. \n\n\nDay 60: I'm getting bad attention from the church. Their evangelists didn't like what I said about door to door evangelizing not gaining followers and just keeping what they have. I need to learn how to keep my mouth shut when around those with power." ]	2
	[WP] Today's the thirtieith anniversary of the day it started raining all over the world, and never stopped. You are a news anchor telling all of the young people about what sunny days were like, as well as about how mankind adapted to the rain.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"And that was Mike with 30 Minute Money...\" Jake concluded the earlier news show, and started his own.\n\n\n\"Ladies and Gentlemen, today, Tuesday September 4th, is a very special day. Thirty years ago today, the world saw its last hours of dry sunlight. I, personally am not old enough to have seen it, but my co-anchor, Anna, is. Anna, would you tell us about those days?\n\n\n\nAnna was an older lady, in her early sixties, but with enough makeup to pass for mid fifties. Her hair had long started to gray with age, but was still blonde enough to let you know of what it used to be.\n\n\n\n\"Yes Jake, I'd be glad to. I was 32 when I saw the clouds first gather. I loved the rain, it put me straight to bed in those days. It may be a strange concept to the younger viewers, but many people used to consider the sound of rain relaxing. I would read, bake bread, and play with my cats whenever it rained. I still do all of those things, but I don't wait for the weather to clear up, because it probably never will.\"\n\n\n\n\"Oh Anna, I've been listening to the rain since I was born, and I still find it relaxing to listen to as I fall asleep. So, umm, what did you do in the sunshine?\"\n\n\n\n\"Oh, when I was a kid, we'd go to the beach on sunny summer days. We'd walk around the beach, we'd play in the water, and we'd sunbathe. On other days, we'd go for a drive, or ride bikes to wherever we needed to go.\"\n\n\n\n\"Yes, I hear that people used to go for long drives, it's just to slippery and dangerous to drive very far now. Today we have trains to every possible destination, instead of driving everywhere.\"\n\n\n\n\"Trains almost went extinct in the days when we drove cars. Too dangerous to drive now, we'd be slipping all over the place.\"\n\n\n\n\"Thank you Anna, now onto the weather report....\"" ]	2
	[WP] "I'm sorry, but I need someone who can put me ahead of their work. Especially if that work is mad science."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Science. Science isn't meant to be sexy or exciting. Science is boring, tedious, and frustrating to all ends. Science is dissolving one bland white powder into a clear liquid, then adding another clear liquid, and letting it mix for 2 hours, then you go to test it and the calibration is off so you need to recalibrate the equipment, but you're out of calibrating solution so you need to go down to the chemical storage room to get some more and you run into MIKE in the hallway and he WONT SHUT UP about what HIS CAT DID the other day so after 15 minutes of awkward hallway conversation you get to the storage room and someone already used up the solution and FORGOT TO ORDER MORE. So you go BACK to your desk and try to use the company's online order form but the SERVER IS DOWN AGAIN so you need to go to the administration desk and pick up a physical copy for order submissions and then you fill it out and scan it to email because they only take digital copies but the scanner is being FUCKING STUPID again. So after 15 minutes of that bullshit you send out the purchase request and dick around on reddit for the next hour until management gets back to you that you submitted the FORM 705-B WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE USED THE NEW FORM 705-C. So you check the online submission again and LO AND FUCKING BEHOLD it's working again. Then you check the clock and you have to an hour left of the day, which isn't enough time to actually start anything so you just dick around on reddit and realize you've done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ALL" ]	2
	[WP] Your mentor was loved by the people, and became a martyr upon his death. He preached morality without religion, and shared wisdom with new stories. The people are now looking at you to lead this new movement and produce a manual to guide their lives based on his teachings. Power is yours.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I stand before the flock; souls lost and found alike. I stand tall, chin up, tears flowing... to speak the only message that matters. \n\n\"I speak as a son to a man more then just a father.\n\nI speak as a disciple to a master more then just a martyr.\n\nI speak as a leader to a people more then just a movement.\n\nYou are gathered here to hear me condense a lifetime's wisdom into a manual for your lives. You have come here for a guide to show you the path; for a light to show the way.\n\nI have written such a manual for you. I have taken my mentor's stories and compiled them into the book you have asked for. A guidebook for your lives. Here it is. And here is my answer to your question\"\n\nSets book on a stone platform, and lights it on fire\n\n\n\"No.\n\nI will not lead anyone anywhere.\n\nNo.\n\nI will not continue this movement.\n\nNo.\n\nI will not turn my mentor's life into an abomination at your request.\n\nNo.\n\nReligion corrupts all that it touches. No man can wield the power of god without it corrupting him, his disciples and his descendants.\n\nNo.\n\nI will not allow you to taint the stories my mentor shared with you by confining them into a single interpretation, told only in a single book.\n\nNo. I will not allow you to destroy this movement by replicating the very thing we gathered here to avoid by creating a religion of our own.\n\nNo.\n\nI am going now, into an uncertain future with his stories in my heart. I ask no one to follow me, as I need to make my own story. One I will share in my own way and in my own time.\n\nThat gift is my mentor's legacy; the gift of a future shaped not by the dead words in a dead book, but instead by living words in a living heart. Join me if you wish, and we can share our stories on the way.\"\n\nwalks down the podium, down the isle and out into the world", "\"We are not the individual towers that scrape the heavens, but the very foundation that all greatness is built upon. If the foundation cracks, no matter how tall or how grand I promise you each tower will fall. By supporting each other, we can support our very future, together. This was the last line of the last letter he wrote to me. He disappeared in the days following, only 1 month ago did he turn up lifeless underneath the very bridge he so often spent his early days persuading lost souls not to become lost forever. I was one of those souls, and since then I have listened to his perspective and helped it spread like wildfire across the populace. No religion, no God, no damn spiritual saviour, only us and our duty to preserve and protect our fellow person so that they will live to preserve and protect you in kind.\n\n\"Now he is dead, and they would want us to believe he is his own murderer. All you have to do is follow the stench of blood and it goes right to the Commission. They think they can deceive us with blood so freshly spilt on their hands. The man who has gifted us a new perspective never wanted his name mentioned as he always professed the danger of a cult of personality, but now his teachings must live beyond the body. His teachings will never survive if they are not codified. My friends, to honour his memory means to not think of the man, but to create the world he wanted for us all.\"\n\nAs Jacob paused to catch his breath, he surveyed the crowd before him. It was 20,000 strong at least, but blinded by the torches to him it was infinite. They had a month to prepare and organize their response. The anger was palpable, and with a great passion the crowd reacted in sync to the emotions conveyed in the speech. Jacob thought about the city burning to convey the collective hatred against the Commission that had sought to undermine their growth. His inner circle wanted Jacob to write their movement's Bible first, but Jacob knew that given enough time the anger will quench and the passions cease. Then, instead of a weapon, Jacob would have a book-signing tour. The Bible can wait, Jacob thought, these people need a leader.\n\nJacob took a deep breath, ready to complete his speech and unleash the cavalry to change this city forever. In an instant he saw his saviour, but the not the leader remembered by his people. He saw a man slumped in a chair, lost and confused. Jacob and his close associates tried to hide this truth from the masses, and when the time came knew that their beloved mentor needed to go out as a hero, not to be devoured by disease. They had taken his teachings and transformed them beyond mere words. Now there would be action, real change. Their leader would be a martyr, and the world will know his name." ]	3
	[WP]: Most guilds have pompous mottos. Unyielding And Unbent. On The Righteous Side. By Sheer Force Of Will. You look at the title of the one you’ve been assigned. Weaponised Stupidity.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Staring at the guild recruitment form, the last step for me to become a member of the guild Unstable Bloodlines was to sign my name. I looked up to the officers standing before me: a human warlock named Minionzz and an elven warrior named Cenhail. They have told me many stories of the guild’s exploits. \n\nOne time, Cenhail was leading a newer member through a dungeon by sprinting past all the cave’s inhabitants toward the end. The carried was wary of Cenhail’s wounds, and cast a small healing spell on him. This enraged the monsters so much, they all charged the poor sap.\n\nAnother time, Cenhail’s wife Felenya was flying around dangerous territory as a bird (she was a Druid) and after a tiresome day of collecting herbs for alchemy had flown up to an enemy sky ship by accident.\n\nAnother one of the officers, Banddaid, had once used her divine connection to her god to yank an ally to her position while they were running, sending that ally over a cliff and to their death.\n\nDeath isn’t an issue in this world as it should be. Premature deaths can be reverted by bringing your spirit to where your body lies by traversing a realm between death and life known as the Spirit realm. Most adventurers are gifted with this ability, and it allows them to be much more reckless. Moreover, those who have crossed over to death can be brought back through divine intervention. \n\nThe motto of the Unstable Bloodlines is weaponized stupidity. From the stories, it sounds true. As a reckless thrillseeker, this is a dream job. All I need to do is sign my name…\n\n“Something wrong?” Minionzz was looking at me with a worried frown. I haven’t signed the paper yet. \n\n“He’s probably just scared that with your age, your eyesight must be going,” Cenhail quipped, smirk on his face. A ripple of laughter flowed around the table, me included.\n\n“I’ll remember that next time you anger too many monsters and you’re asking me to help,” Minionzz replied.\n\nI stared at the paper once again. The offer was tempting, but I still have some doubts.\n\n“Would it be possible to have a test run, to see how I mix in with the guild? It’s the best idea I could think of to make sure I work well with the guild, and vice versa.”\n\nMinionzz thought for a moment, before nodding. An hour later, Minionzz, Banddaid, Cenhail, Felenya and I were standing outside a wolf den that has been causing trouble for a nearby village offering 50 gold pieces to whoever dealt with the wolves. After exchanging greetings, introductions and plans, we charged in. For some reason, Banddaid, our healer, went first. I stuck to the shadows, throwing daggers and shooting from a small pistol whenever I could. Cenhail had been cornered by two wolves, and while I moved to help, Minionzz told me not to, and to remember her promise from before.\n\nAfter pleading from Cenhail, Minionzz finally relented. She threw both hands in front of her, calling forth flames, before shooting them out as a wall. Cenhail was also scorched a bit, and Minionzz took a second or two longer to drop the flame wall than necessary, but Banddaid patched him up good as new, and off we went.\n\nFelenya was tearing through wolves while shifting between different animals. She would claw at their backs as a bird, body check them into attacks as a bear, and slip between packs before mangling wolves as a panther. Whenever she stopped switching forms enough to cast a spell, she incompacitated wolves in cyclones, or immobilized them with vines pulled from the ground.\n\nAll in all, it took us two hours to clear the cave and for added measure, Minionzz set the interior ablaze before Felenya buried the entire cave. When the dust settled, Minionzz turned to me.\n\n“So, ready to join?”\n\nWith a wide smile, I pulled out a quill and added the final signature to the form, making me a full fledged member of Unstable Bloodlines.\n\nCriticize away, please!" ]	2
	[WP] you've just killed someone, not knowing what to do you decided to call the least person in your party. The weird kid you've friends with out of pity. As she arrives, she decided to look at the body without shock and fear, she then stares at you and said "First time, huh?"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"First time, huh?\"\n\nI stare at her in shock. She pulls some black garbage bags out of her backpack, along with some duct tape.\n\n\"Don't worry, we'll deal with it together. Now come over here and help me get the bags laid out.\"\n\nI just stand there, in shock. She looks at me again in the gloom. Sighs, and comes to me with a look of pity on her face.\n\n\"Yeah, first time alright. Sorry in advance.\" smack I stare. Smack I stare, then blink. Smack!\n\n\"Ow!\"\n\n\"You back with me now?\"\n\n\"How can you be so calm!\"\n\n\"Good, now come help me get the bags laid out. We can talk while we work.\"\n\nLike a bad dream, I start helping.\n\n\"I'm alexithymic. That's why I come across as a bit weird. I have a hard time describing my emotions and emotions in others. It makes it hard to relate.\"\n\nI stare a bit, then get back to work. \"Never heard of it.\"\n\n\"Few have, it's not the sort of thing you learn about unless it's your job, or a family member. We're not dangerous, just a bit weird. It does lead to other problems though. Like a hard time making friends.\" She looks at me with a small smile. \"Thanks, even if you did do it out of pity. I had to have that explained to me.\"\n\nI think back, and she's right. I did do it out of pity.\n\n\"Why are you helping me now?\"\n\n\"Friends help you move. Real friends help you move bodies.\"\n\nI laugh nervously. \"That's a saying, you know? I don't think people mean it seriously.\"\n\n\"I take it seriously. You've been a friend when most people would have cheerfully kicked me into the gutter and left me to die. -- Yeah, I had to have that explained too. -- But you stood by me, held a bunch of them off any number of times. It may not have been illegal, but I figured that still fits for a real friend.\" She looks at me and does that little smile again. \"So here I am. Returning the favor.\"\n\n\"What did you mean by First Time.\"\n\n\"Well, once you've done it one time, it gets easier. This is my third.\". She looks at me, with my face full of horror. \"Oh. Maybe I'd better explain. My first was a mugger on the river path. Out jogging too late, and there he was, with a gun. He decided to have some fun before he killed me. How do I know? He told me. What with one thing and another, I got the gun and shot him. While he was running away.\" Sigh. \"I knew the cops weren't going to like that, so I rolled his body into the river.\"\n\n\"I'd have helped. Rapists deserve whatever punishment they get, right on up to death.\"\n\n\"See! You are a real friend. You remember Jennifer? So tiny she looks like a china doll? She has a concealed carry permit. She was jogging on the river road too. She knew I lived near, and called me. Why? I don't know, but I helped. Into the river again, with her gun.\"\n\n\"Both of those were justifiable. But this?!?\"\n\n\"You were babbling when you called. But you told me who it was, and that he'd been looking for me. I've been looking for him for a very long time.\"\n\n\"Why!?!\"\n\n\"He raped my mother and killed her.\"\n\n\"You were an orphan placed in a foster home! How could you know?\"\n\n\"He told me so.\"\n\nHe was far too young to have done it then. Dear God.\n\n((finis))", "It was a accident. He attack me and I pushed him. I don't want to think about it honestly. Anxiety is rushing with adrenaline...\n\nElla walked in\n\n\"What do you mean 'first time, huh?'\" I shout in confusion. Questions shot through my mind, why isn't she freaked out. Is she a murderer?\n\n\"Yeah, I murdered someone accidentally too. Don't worry, insanity and being a psychopath/sociopath is way better life. You feel no guilt at all and--\"\n\n\"What the hell is wrong with you?!\" I shout at her\n\n\"Don't shout to loud, we'll get caught. Now lets hide the body\"\n\n\"Well now I know how that one main character felt when she accidentally murdered the popular girl and she found out one of her classmates were crazy\" I sigh (I hope some of you get my reference)\n\n\"That doesn't matter, some one is coming. Hide in the closet.\" She mutters as we're basically pushed into the closet.\n\n\"Hey I think I heard---\" The scream was ear piercing. I wanted to die when I heard it.\n\nLoads of foot steps were heard and more scream and talking. I heard the class sport kids and murder mystery kids shouting but one voice silence them all.\n\n\"EVERYONE CALM DOWN. STOP CROWDING ALL AROUND THE BODY AND REMAIN CALM.\" It was the kid with the loudest voice, Jason. He liked showing it off. \"SOMEONE GET THE COPS AND ALL OF YOU GO TO THE LIVING ROOM. WE MIGHT NEED TO STAY FOR WITNESS STATEMENTS\"\n\n\"Screw staying here, I'm out!\" Shouts like that comment circled the room and a flood of footsteps was heard.\n\n\"Those guys are cowards.\" A couple of guys stayed in the room.\n\nSomeone else entered, when we heard a sentence I will never forget \"Hey guys, have you seen my sister around. I crouch down in fear. I cover in my ears. I feel sick. It feels like the room is spinning. Why did he have to be here to find it?\n\n\"Someone got killed. It looked like the school bully.\" Jason (The kid with the loudest voice) said as he stepped aside for my brother to see the body.\n\n\"Who is hiding the closet?\" My brother asks. He always avoided looking at disturbing things and seeing a body would destroy him mentally. I'm trembling now, I wish he didn't say that.\n\nI felt their eyes on the closet. The footsteps vibrated on the floor. Ella crouched down and made her face look like she was scared. It was quite accurate to a face of fear, it was disturbing.\n\n\"Hey, Ella. What--\"\n\n\"Grace! There you are! What happened?\" My brother runs up at full speed.\n\n\"I..I don't want to talk about it\" I mutter. I feel like I'm going to faint at any moment. I stumble out of the room and pretty much everyone follows me.\n\n\"Grace, the police are on their way. Everything will be ok.\" Jason follows with his power walk.\n\n\"I need to sit down...\" Is all I can get out of my mouth.\n\nEdit: Spellings/ I made sentences make more sense" ]	3
	[WP] You're known as the worst hero, because you always fail to win over the villain. But the people don't know that you're actually the most powerful, you're just holding back because you want a good fight.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Curses, Demon!\" Marv exclaimed, waving his clenched hand in the air.\n\nA man covered from head to toe in a menacingly twisted maroon armour descended from up above, just barely hovering above Marv. The man laughed maniacally at the sight of the man before him down on his knees.\n\n\"Look at you, MarvMan! You could've beaten me a hundred times yet you always end up in the same pathetic position! I suppose, I shouldn't berate your incompetence – rather, I should be thanking you!\" the man in the menacingly twisted maroon armour said as he took a deep bow to the exhausted man before him.\n\n\"Argh, I can't believe I fell for your hidden floating trap, twice! Begone now, I shall defeat you next time for sure, Red Demon!\" Marv said as he suddenly stood up and released a scream so powerful that the air around him began to shake violently.\n\nWait a minute... I've never seen him doing that before! Red Demon thought to himself whilst instinctively pulling himself away from Marv.\n\n\"W-What... Is there something wrong, Red Demon?\" Marv inquired to his more cautious counterpart.\n\n\"No, that's impossible...\"\n\nAs he heard Red Demon's mumbled thought, Marv inspected his clothing and surrounding. He looked left, right, below, and up. All in an attempt to understand why his nemesis of 10 years had suddenly raised his alarm in such a manner. Of course, Marv was not truly under any impression that Red Demon could cause him actual harm beyond the few scratches and bruises he'd received up to this point. No, Marv was worried that all he'd done in the past 10 years would be uncovered in a lapse of judgment.\n\n\"Ugh, so... Agh!\" Marv fell down on his back as he let out a painful groan, \"curses! What have you done, now Demon?!\"\n\nWhat is he on about?! I did exactly nothing, you buffoon of a 'Hero'! Red Demon thought with a burning suspicion for his nemesis' odd actions.\n\nSensing that his opponent had yet to let down his guard, Marv pulled one more trick up his sleeve. Without any indication whatsoever, Marv the Hero – oddly named 'MarvMan' – lunged forward and leaped at Red Demon with all his might behind him. In that very moment, Red Demon had finally witnessed the Hero that was only told in comic and fairy tale books. In the ten years he had fought hand-to-hand against Marv, he had never seen the man so much as display such awesome power and agility.\n\nWha–?!?\n\nWith that, Marv extended his right arm and swung it in a hooking motion. Even with Red Demon's enhanced senses and power – borne not purely out of his physical prowess, but of his specially engineered suits and items – he could only barely see the ultra fast movements of Marv. The result was of course only one: a straight-up powerful punch to his left cheeks. The punch was so powerful that Red Demon was thrown away 100 metres to the right, following the inertia that was caused by Marv's punch. One could almost say that the once-menacing villain was reduced to a ragdoll spinning and ricocheting off the ground a couple of times like a pebble thrown onto a lake.\n\nUgh, what is going on here?! Have I finally lost my mind? For a second there I thought Marv was... Red Demon thought to himself as he finally regain his footing and looked towards the figure who had caused him pain.\n\n\"Agh! God damn it! What did you to my hand, Demon?! Curses, I suppose you can call this a win...\" Marv said as he was once again down on his knees, grabbing his right hand as if to show his unbearable pain.\n\n\"Oh no, hell no... I'm not gonna fall for that anymo–\"\n\nIn that very instance, a shadow had appeared by Red Demon's side. The shadow said, \"listen you fucker. You won, that's it. Now go back to your lair and forget what you saw here. That or I will be forced to really be serious, again.\"\n\nFuck me." ]	2
	[WP] You took the midnight train alone. Then, you came to realise the train has only 3 stops and they are not the place they are time stamps. May 17, 1976 - June 25, 1981 - December 29, 1999.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I wasn't the typical outgoing person who forcefully smiled to get things done. I lived a rather rough life and expressed my hate for people openly. I even began preaching this major psychotic hatred and began living in its manifestations. It felt comfortable for some jaded part of the day and then sadness would settle in without invitation. The thought of everything returning to its original state excited me, so I would ignore it with an air of pugnacity. \n\nI was returning from work, and the subway seemed less crowded that it's usual self. There would be sweaty and unkind people shuffling through an unforgiving crowd trying to return to their humble abodes after hauling tons throughout the day. But today was different. Maybe because it was almost midnight. About 11 minutes left for the day to end. \n\nI went to one of the benches and sat after taking a careful look at the stone for any kind of dirt that might anger me back at home. It was fine, so I sat down with a magazine in hand that I had bought in the morning. \n\nEverything seemed fine and I hadn't yet noticed the silence that had begun and would continue for some time before I lost consciousness. The last thing I felt was a heavy breath caressing my neck and producing the most district of tickles. Total darkness. \n\nWhen I regained consciousness after an indefinite period of time, it felt like nothing had happened. I looked around and the subway seemed different. My watch was missing from my hand, and so was my phone from my pocket. I went into instant panic mode. The subway clock showed 00:11. The station was \"May 17, 1986. \". This rang an old bell in my head and it flashed to me. It was the day my father had gone missing. I was only four. But what was I seeing? I couldn't understand, so I boarded the train and it took me to \"June 25,1981\". \n\nThis seemed like a familiar place too, and I realised it was the time around which my mom went missing and was never to be found. I kept scrambling for any sort of meaning on this ride. It was a completely blinding ride, and I wanted to be home. The darkness at this station gave me chills and I felt like I was about to go down sick. A blinding light presented itself and it was another train. I boarded it without a thought. What was I doing? \n\nThe train sped through to reveal that I was exiting a tunnel, maybe it meant that I was about to find something out. A board loomed in the distance, \"December 29,1999. \"\nThe previous two dates, I could remember. But this one didn't make any sense. Or maybe I just couldn't remember what it was. I alighted and went to the newspaper stand. The headlines showed the death of a couple in a chamber developed by a company trying to create a virtual world with real memories. What did it have to do with me? I was losing my mind. I fell to the ground and started screaming so loudly that I blacked out. \n\nI woke up in my room, a letter on my nightstand -\n\"We are very sorry. We abandoned you and made you live with your drunkard uncle. I know it is our fault. We had signed up for something we did not anticipate would end in such a nightmarish world for you. \nWe live here at Memory Enchanter Corporation, in a virtual world. We are dead, but still alive. We went missing because we were trapped in the virtual world, with no means of contact with the outside world. We made a mistake by signing up for the beta program. Your mom and I died together, in a chamber, our personalities still trapped inside the virtual world. \nBut the unfortunate thing is you will never see us again or hear from is again. \nWe just thought that you ought to know what really happened. \nWe love you, son. \n~love, mom and dad\nMemory Enchanter ™, the company of Memory Trains. \"" ]	2
	[WP] A story about young, naive and idealistic supervillain	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Kariku, The most evil and powerful supervillain of them all. Instead of those normal villains who seemed to just be adults or teens, She was a child, An eleven year old as the most wanted criminal. That wasn't the only thing different, She didn't usually just use weapons, and her fists to fight, Instead she did small dances and game shows. Entertainment for her was torturing the few spared people and her somewhat spared family. Even if Kariku had this much power, She never really had friends, If she did, The friendship would only last a few minutes for a few reasons. But today was her day to fake her identity for atleast a few friends that might just last a few days.\nKariku was sleeping peacefully before an annoying alarm clock blasted an annoying tune. Kariku about smashed her alarm clock then and there, She spared the alarm clock and pat it. \"Gotta not break another, I need to learn to be a bit less violent to my things.\" Kariku said to herself. Kariku ran up to her closet and brought out an outfit, shoes, and a wig. She put on a light gray shirt and a black jacket with red stripes on the sleeves, The jacket, when zipped up enough, said \"I'm not tsundere, I just hate you!\" Kariku put on the wig, It was short and black, It only went down to Kariku's shoulders. Kariku lastly put on jeans and black boots, Kariku quickly grabbed her phone and headphones and stuffed them into her jacket pockets. Kariku looked in the mirror, Somewhat satisfied with her new look. \"Looking good!\" Kariku commented on herself. Kariku got a backpack with school supplies she pack inside ot and put it on.\nKariku quickly headed out into the hallway, She ran down the set of stairs in her secret base slash home. Kariku ran into the kitchen and got a bowl, a cereal box, and milk. Kariku poured in the milk last and hurriedly ate. Kariku threw the bowl and spoon into the sink, shattering the bowl, and then ran out the front door. Kariku took out her phone, She knew there was a school somewhere nearby, Kariku was going to sneak into the school as a student then she was gonna make friends then take over the school and reveal her true identity. Kariku went to google maps and found her way to the school. Kariku saw as students seemed to be entering, Kariku ran into the crowd. Nobody seemed to really care Kariku was there, Or really cared who she was, They were all too tired to care. \"Perfect, nobody notices my true identity!\" Kariku thought. Kariku ran up to the front doors and looked at the middle school students, From her point of view, It looked like zombies coming after her. Kariku went inside to get away from the student zombies, Inside it seemed huge! There was a lot of ways to go, Sadly It wasn't as huge as her most well known base. Students started to pour in through the doors as Kariku admired her first day. Kariku ran to a random locker and broke into the locker, It didn't seem to be anyone's locker so she put in her bag and took out stuff for the first class she was gonna choose, Math, Kariku wanted to try the second most evil villain. Well the second most evil villain in her mind. Kariku walked over to the giant staircase and went upstairs, only to see more confusing twists and turns. Kariku guessed to go right, Turns out she was wrong. Kariku kept guessing ways to go, Soon to find her first class. (Ugh have to rewrite the ton of stuff that I just wrotee) Kariku entered the class room to first spot a bratty, probably has a large ego, blonde girl, She was glued to her phone. Kariku walked over to the desk next to hers. \"Hello, My name is Kiku!\" Kariku said to her. The girl lowered her phone. \"Well I don't care, Brat!\" The blondie rudely said to Kariku. \"Brat? I'm sorry but I'm not a damn mirror, Do you need glasses? Oh and if I was a mirror, I'd shatter at the mere sight of you.\" 'Kiku' defended herself. The girl seemed angry, The girl looked back at her phone and was about to post about the rude outcome. \"Awh, Gonna post about it? Even if Everyone will most likely be on my side.\" Kariku said to the blondie to ruin her ego further. The blondie put down her phone and looked away. \"Hmph!\" Kariku didn't really care how she felt or the way she reacted. It was all too boring. A minute after this mishap, more students plus the teacher started to pour in the classroom. Kariku analyzed every single face, Every single victim of hers, Every single puppet, Every soon to be missing case. The teacher had started his dumb speech, It bored Kariku to death, speaking of which, She wondered who she would kill first. Kariku had been distracted by these thoughts and didn't really listen in on the lesson or anything, By the faces of the mad and annoyed students, There was probably a test someday soon. It seemed like forever to Kariku for when the mistake of going to school would end. It took awhile and most of Kariku's sanity for the bell to ring. After the bell rang, The girl from earlier stopped Kariku from leaving. \"Watch your back, Brat.\" The girl said before walking away. Kariku giggled, \"I should be the one saying that to you.\" Kariku thought. Kariku smiled as she walked away to her locker.", "\"Heh, is this the best the heroes have?\" The dark one stood on the buildings edge, watching the group of heroes try to clean up the mess left by the explosom, a villain known for his ability to unleash powerful explosive blasts, he was the sort of person with the sort of raw power that inspired villains. The type thats hard to catch and even harder to kill.\n\n\"Its pitiful really.\" The dark one pointed a finger forward, the skin on his hand shifting, the flesh beginning to go rather squishy as if it was shifting into a liquid, before the finger hardened again, now a dark black barrel. \"And they said a shapeshifter that could only use his hands was weak.... ill show them\" he snickered, finger tracing the sky as it locked onto one of the rookie heroes, a bubbly blonde girl, most likely a trainee to another hero called in to help with the repairs.\n\n\"Time to di-\" he paused as he heard a cough behind him, a man seated in a long black trenchcoat, his silver eyes seeming to gleam as he simply observed the boy. The dark one wasted little time in pointed his finger at the man, turning to back away before skidding to a stop, feeling his foot nearly drift over the roofs edge. \"Who the hell are you! Don't try to stop me!\" He shouts, finger shaking as he kept it locked on the man.\n\n\"I wouldn't dream of stopping you.\" He said, continuing to stare, his face seeming oddly hidden by the dark as if it blended into the coat he wore, his distinct eyes only seeming to be the noticeable element to his character.\n\n\"I'm going to kill her.\" The dark one shouted, before turning back to the street, his eyes still uncomfortably shifting to the man behind him, not quite wanting to fully turn his back on him.\n\n\"I'm sure you will, tell me then what will you do?\" The man enquired, curious to hear the others plan.\n\n\"I'll be a villain and-\"\n\n\"And what? You will be thrown into a jail to rot? Seriously you young villains have no class nowadays..\"\n\n\"Shut up! My hands shift! I can break out. Im basically a shapeshifter.\" The dark one spat back, finger pointing back to the man, not interested in his target anymore.\n\n\"Oh yes... you are a walking swiss army knife..how intimidating. You gotta can opener in those hands of yours?\" The man chuckled before standing, his form tall and surprisingly broad. \"A true villain is one that the people don't truly know exists, one that keeps you up at night, the sort of villain your parents tell you is just a myth. A flashy idiot who gets himself killed is just dull.\"\n\n\"Oh and what would you know!\" He asked, shaking with pent up rage, his finger wobbling as it pointed to the mans head.\n\n\"I know that if you shoot me, you will be jumped by those heroes and captured. A villain is not a murderer... a villain is a threat.\" The man said slipping the trench coat off. The man that stood before him was broad, muscles seeming to sit rather perfectly in his top, body built like an action figure that had been discontinued for a few years. \n\n\"Wait I know you... you're that hero\" the dark one shuddered, not even one shot fired and he had already ran into a hero.\n\n\"Ex-hero\" the man said. \"I was Kingslasher yet I have my reasons for giving up that title. For now I'm simply what they like to call a mutated. \"Do you know how you got your powers?\" The man asked.\n\nThe dark one paused, his hand shifting into a fleshly ball before returning to a hand, its skin now covered in a reddish tint as if it had been sunburnt. \"No... now that you mention it, I thought I was born with it.\"\n\n\"We have much to discuss then, lets talk, I need a swiss army knife right about now.\" He said, simply dropping a small card with an address before diving off the roof, leaving the dark one to pick it up and read over its contents alone. \"Im not a swiss army knife.\" He muttered under his breath as he began descending the roofs ladder, pondering the invitation." ]	3
	[WP] You go to sleep like normal and when you wake up you realise you’re in minecraft.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns." ]	1
	[WP] the restaurant's seafood platter contains enough food for four humans, or, as we found out today, one hungry mermaid	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I got home that evening to find my wife and daughter asleep on the couch. Carefully, I lifted my little girl off the bed, careful not to separate the girl from her stuffed bear, and carried her into her bedroom. She didn’t wake as I tucked her under the covers, nor rouse when I closed the door and turned off the hallway lights.\n\nDownstairs, I settled in next to Irina and kissed her forehead. She awoke with a start and then, seeing it was me, turned over and curled up with her head pressed against my shoulder. She felt warm and smelled of berries and lavender. \n\n“How was work,” she asked, yawning.\n\nI wrapped an arm around her shoulders and let her snuggle with me. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, hon.”\n\n“Try me.”\n\n“A mermaid came to the restaurant.”\n\nAlready half-asleep, Irina nodded. “What did she want, this mermaid?”\n\n“An order of the seafood platter, apparently, and someone to talk to, I guess.” I pressed my cheek against my wife’s head, feeling coarse hair tickling my face. \n\n“What does a mermaid talk about, anyway?”\n\nI chuckled at the memory. “The sea. The waves. The fish. Weddings.”\n\n“Weddings?” asked the woman of my dreams.\n\n“Yeah. She said she was a bride’s maid, that a friend of hers was getting married to a prince.”\n\nIrina nodded. “That’s how it goes, sometimes.”\n\nConfused, I blinked at my beloved. “What do you mean?”\n\n“Oh you know. Sometimes, you’re in love to the perfect man, and they marry your best friend. Maybe it’s like that for mermaids, too. If that happened to me, I’d definitely want the seafood platter.”\n\n“I don’t know that she was sad.”\n\n“If it were me, I wouldn’t tell. I’d just eat and hope that it washed away my sorrows and give me the strength to… to make it through the next day, or a wedding. Maybe the sadness was her shield, you know?”\n\n“Are you trying to tell me something?”\n\n“No,” Irina said with a shrug and kissed my nose. “Tell me more about this mermaid.”\n\n“Well, she was beautiful. Pearls in her hair. Dressed in a satin gown that shimmered when she walked. We didn’t know she was a mermaid at first. Not until she chose a booth in the corner and sat down. She told us what she wanted and then she stretched out her legs, and poof, she had a fishtail.”\n\n“That sounds like a fairytale.”\n\n“I told you wouldn’t believe me,” I said as I stroked my wife’s hair. \n\n“I didn’t say that. All good stories are fairytales.”\n\n“She was hungry, she told us, practically ravenous. Wouldn’t take anything less than the platter. The head waiter told her it was meant for four people, but that didn’t deter her at all. She ate it all. Told us that she hadn’t had any crab legs for ages,” I continued, “so we cooked up a little more, just for her. She paid us with a gold coin.”\n\n“What kind of coin?” Irina asked, still curled up beside me.\n\nI dug around in my pocket and showed her the shiny metal circle. “Looks old, doesn’t it?”\n\nIrina nodded. “Ah yes, from the High Court of Atlantis. You must have had one doozy of a guest.”\n\n“We must have,” I said and closed my eyes. “I love you, Rin. Always.”\n\n“I know, and I love you just as much, if not more!”" ]	2
	[WP] After years of study and tens of thousands spent in tuition, you failed your final Villain Aptitude Tests. Ironically, this is the impetus that lead to you becoming a villain against villains.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Fail.\n\nI stared at the screen. It was all I could do not to throw the computer across the room. Years of studying, and thousands of dollars, wasted all to be stuck as an amateur.\n\nAt the bottom of the screen, I saw a button to download a PDF of my results. I clicked it. If I'm going to get screwed over, I should at least know why.\n\nPractical: 95/100\n\nWritten: 77/100\n\nOral: 73/100\n\nTragic Backstory: 0/100\n\nBeneath the grades was a brief review of my time at the academy. It boiled down to the fact that my work was solid, but without a significantly traumatic experience, I wasn't expected to maintain my evil desires for long.\n\nApparently, the university's reputation was too great to stake on my lack of personal anguishes.\n\nI was in so much debt that I doubted a life of crime could even keep me afloat. And the loans I took out were not loans I wanted to default on.\n\nSo, there I was. No degree. No money. No job prospects. In a normal situation, this would be a great setup for me becoming a supervillain. Seeing as how that wasn't an option, I had to get creative.\n\nI wasn't going to get a job as a hero. I didn't have the money for that program. A villain without a degree is an amateur, sure, but a hero without a degree is a criminal.\n\nI wouldn't get a job as a villain. No professional villain would take me as an intern, and I wasn't going to last long against the new wave of graduating heroes as a solo act.\n\nNot a lot of options, but in true supervillain style, I monologued my way to an answer.\n\nI would become a villain. To the villains.\n\nThey thought I lacked the drive to be a supervillain. That's fine. The villains will underestimate me as I dismantle their ridiculous elitist hierarchy.\n\nThat sounds like I'm going to do hero work, though. So, I want to be very clear. I'm not going to foil the villain's plans, rescue civilians, and comfort the wounded.\n\nI want the villains to realize that they made a mistake. I want to tear apart everything they've built for themselves. If the price of that is that there are no more villains, then I think that's a fair exchange.\n\nSo, I started plotting my revenge. The planning didn't take long. I was better off than a lot of other supervillains. I had superpowers to work with.\n\nSuperpowers have become a lot more common, with most studies putting a rough estimate at around twenty percent of people having powers of some kind.\n\nI hadn't made a habit of showing off my powers, but I did practice with them in my off time. I had wanted to earn my degree without relying on a random stroke of genetic luck, so I wasn't as powerful as I might have been. Most of the villains that knew me didn't even know about my power. Now I was going to put them to the test.\n\nMy first target was the dean of the school: the world-class villain known as Prodigy.\n\nI know. A big target to start with, but it was personal.\n\nProdigy was super-intelligent. As far as powers go, it was simple but effective. Prodigy's memory was limitless, and he absorbed information like a thirsty man drinks water.\n\nHe used his intelligence to become the dean of the only villain school in the world, and now he sat at the head of the graduate governing committee. In the end, he had control over whether a student passed or failed.\n\nAfter my failure, when I stepped into his office for our appointment, he knew exactly who I was. He probably knew every single grade I had ever gotten throughout my time at the university, too.\n\n\"You're here to file an appeal of your failing grade.\" His voice was cold and hollow. If I didn't know better, I would have thought he was a robot.\n\n\"No, sir.\" I reveled in the surprise that crept onto his face. He liked predicting other people's intentions, and I was sure this approach would throw him off. \"I'm here to thank you for everything. I might not make it as a professional villain, but I like to think my time here prepared me for something great.\"\n\nI extended my hand.\n\n\"Unlikely. Based on your work here, you are probably going to be dead in the next two years.\" He extended his hand and lightly grasped mine. His body stiffened, and a sharp crackling sound surrounded us.\n\n\"I think I'm going to be one of the most well-known villains in history.\"\n\n\"What is this? What are you doing?\" He was panicking. Prodigy was smart, but if he missed a calculation, then he was pretty defenseless.\n\nMy power is relatively common. The ability to manipulate electricity is a staple of at least two other villains, not to mention a slew of heroes. Mine has never been mighty, but it was always precise.\n\nMost people use electricity for its sheer power. They draw on massive amounts of energy to overwhelm people. But I couldn't get away with that.\n\nSo, while I can't call lightning from the sky, I can control the minuscule currents that run through a human body.\n\nI can't burn you to a crisp with a bolt of lightning, but I can use the electricity already inside you to make you seize up. And that's the scary thing about electricity. It's infinitely useful on a large or small scale.\n\nProdigy's panic faded fast. His brain was working at maximum capacity. Looking for any way out.\n\n\"So, I expect you'll want to tell me why you've launched this foolish attack?\"\n\nI opened my mouth but closed it almost immediately. Even when you know about the dangers of monologuing, you are still vulnerable to falling into it.\n\n\"No. I just want you dead.\" No monologues. Just wrap it up.\n\n\"Fine. Hurry up, though.\"\n\nThat gave me pause. I was annoyed that he wasn't scared. He should be afraid to die. Everybody is afraid to die.\n\nI wanted him to suffer, but death didn't feel like it was enough. Then it occurred to me.\n\nProdigy wasn't scared, because he didn't value his life. Not like everyone else. But I could guess what he loved most.\n\n\"Actually, I've just had a better idea. Which is great news for you, because it means you get to live.\"\n\nI pulled as much electricity as I could and focused in on his brain. I felt his synapses firing and burning.\n\nI don't know how long I held him there, but when I was finished, I knew that he would suffer for the rest of his life. When he collapsed, I left.\n\nIt wasn't until a few weeks later that I heard of all the effects. Prodigy had lost a significant portion of his abilities. His ability to form new memories had been severely hampered, and most of his past memories had seemingly been erased.\n\nHe was deemed unfit to lead the school and was booted out. Following that, he was arrested and sent to jail. I guess, without his brain, he couldn't stay ahead of the heroes.\n\nI'll consider his punishment dispensed. One down." ]	2
	[WP] You are an eldritch horror/monster disguised as an elderly human. What plagues you right now are not heroes or knights, but scammers trying to take advantage of old grannies.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I was not wrong, it turns out, to let them go so far, so fast. The greatest advantage, apart from modern plumbing, was how easy it is to get lost among them. \n\nOr at least it was easy. \n\nI feel pretty stupid;I didn't see the confluence of the information revolution and public records coming, and I got stuck. It was so easy in the last couple centuries to simply drop one identity, move somewhere else, and take up a new one.\n\nNow, I am rapidly approaching the 90th birthday of my current persona, and I have no idea how to fake the records and fool the system.\n\nJust then, a knock on my door. Upon opening it I found Mrs Cole looking as though all of her cats died. She looked up at me with those big brown eyes, slightly clouded with forming cataracts.\n\n\"Oh, Mr. Klattu,\" she said in a barely controlled soft voice, \"I don't know what I am going to do.\" She bent her head down, and her shoulders shook as she silently sobbed. The tears fell in a random pattern on the floor. Fascinating. Even almost close enough to-- Red drops joined the clear as her nose sprung a leak from the stress that so oppressed her. \n\nShe began to explain how she had lost everything to a seemingly young woman who had assured her that her investment would yield enough for the rest of her life and enough for her grand-daughter's college. It was a story, or a kind of story, I was finding more and more among the residents of the aging population.\n\nI had not been able to anything. Until, that is, I had been given a blood offering, according to the ancient pact that I had agreed to when I found this world tumbling through space." ]	2
	[WP] "The moon looks so beautiful." You say softly, as you unhook your wire from the exploding space shuttle. You slowly drift away as you watch it fall towards the moon. "Its a shame it's the last time anyone will get to see it."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"The moon looks so beautiful,\" Regina said softly as she unhooked her wire from the exploding space shuttle. She slowly drifted away, watching the massive shuttle fall away from her and spiral towards the lunar surface. Her crew were in there. Had been in there. \n\n\"It's a shame it's the last time anyone will get to see it,\" her AI remarked, speaking quietly in her ear.\n\n\"Do you really think so?\" Gina asked. \"Do you think they made it out? Did we buy enough time?\"\n\nHer AI was quiet. Everything was quiet now. The bombarding fire from the enemy ships had ceased once they'd taken the shuttle. The refugee pods were long gone, either safe and flying fast to a new home or blasted into total obliteration. \n\n\"There are promising statistics to support that they made it,\" the AI finally said.\n\n\"Good,\" Gina breathed. Her crew hadn't died for nothing. \"Good.\"\n\nShe drifted a while longer, cold creeping in to her fingers and toes. It was so vast, but you could see so much. Empty and full all at once.\n\n\"How much oxygen do I have?\" she asked the AI.\n\n\"Not much more,\" it answered. \"Would you like the exact readout?\"\n\n\"No,\" Gina shook her head. She curled up smaller, floating around and around as the moon grew smaller. \"It's so quiet.\"\n\n\"Would you like me to put on some music?\" the AI asked.\n\nGina gazed through tears at the expanse around her, at the debris where her home planet had been, at the ever shrinking moon. She was getting woozy. It was getting cold.\n\n\"This is going to be our last song together, isn't it?\" her lips barely moved.\n\n\"I'm afraid so, Regina,\" the AI answered sadly.\n\n\"Better make it a good one,\" her cold breath fogged the inside of her helmet.\n\nThe AI clicked a song on.\n\nRegina smiled as her vision faded and the music swelled around her. \"Perfect.\"\n\n\"Fly me to the moon, and let me play among the stars…\"" ]	2
	[WP] You’ve secretly got 24 hours to live. When you told your 8th grade bully he was going to regret his behavior, you meant it. Because you’re going to frame him for your own death.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It hadn't been hard to find where he lived. Tyler hadn't ever left town, and it didn't surprise Nick at all. It had been much harder to keep his illness a secret these past couple weeks than it had been to convince his coworkers he was 'reconnecting' with his childhood friend Tyler during his lunch breaks at work. A short drive into the suburbs a couple days each week told Nick everything he really needed to know. Tyler worked from home, and seldom left during the early afternoons.\n\nTwenty years had passed since Tyler had shoved him off the bridge out in the woods, although hardly a week passed when he didn't dream about the crunching pain as his body broke through the ice. Of the terrified scrabbling of his fingertips on the inverted world of ice and water that trapped him. Waking up, screaming, he knew he should be dead, and if not for a miracle he would have been. He should have been dead, and Tyler had killed him. Tyler, who faced no consequences. Who had beaten him when he thought he could, and tormented him verbally when he knew he couldn't.\n\nIt was time for Tyler to get his wish.\n\nIt was darker in the trunk than Nick thought.\n\nComplete darkness surrounded him on all sides, so that despite the hours of practice he was struggling to secure the zip ties around his wrists. At least I measured the lengths correctly this time Nick reflected, connecting the zip tie loosely around his wrist. He pulled it secure with a gentle tug of his teeth... it would be no good if he left tooth marks. Suppressing a cough, he pulled it tighter.\n\nUsing his feet, just as he had a hundred times before in practice, Nick lifted the shotgun and angled it down at himself from as high an angle as he could manage. The butt of the weapon pressed against the closed lid of Tyler's car trunk.\n\nTyler's house hadn't been difficult to break into. He didn't even lock the doors. Nick had known he was home upstairs, and had been careful to sneak into garage as quickly and as quietly as possible. A countdown until the police's arrival was quickly winding down in Nick's head. A phone call warning of a 'close friend' at this address who had threatened to begin a mass shooting should prompt a very quick response indeed. It looked like Nick might not make it to the restaurant for lunch after all. Where he and Tyler had a reservation held in Tyler's name. One which all of his coworkers had heard him discuss for days.\n\nLets see him talk his way out of this.\n\nWith a toe, he pulled the trigger." ]	2
	[WP] You woke up from a deep sleep and in those waking moments you feel it. Something is different, but you can't figure it out right away. You lie there and contemplate it. But then, you get up out of bed only to discover something had indeed changed.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "(I’m kinda tying it in with a previous prompt from here: ([https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/ckgs86/wp\\_an\\_extreme\\_amount\\_of\\_people\\_seem\\_to\\_fall\\_in/evnyxa2/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/ckgs86/wp_an_extreme_amount_of_people_seem_to_fall_in/evnyxa2/?context=3)) )\n\nIt had been a couple weeks since that nightmare and every night but last night, it had been a restless sleep. However, as of last night, for whatever reason, I feel asleep right away and got a really good night’s sleep. I didn’t even realize I had completely knocked out until my phone started playing Defying Gravity from Wicked as my alarm.\n\n♫Something has changed within me… ♫\n\nBefore it could finish, I blindly grabbed my phone and told it to shut up with a quick swipe. Oddly enough though, today did feel weird. Something was different. I slowly sat up in bed and took a deep breath. That’s when I noticed the first thing that was different: I smelled bacon.\n\nMore precisely, someone was cooking bacon in my kitchen. Knowing that I lived alone, I concluded it was one of three things:\n\n1. Canadian Burglars decided to reverse burgle my apartment and cook me breakfast.\n2. The apartment was on fire.\n3. My best friend, who has a key to my place, are here to surprise me or tell me something important.\n\nKnowing that the first two were highly unlikely (and mainly due to my tired brain thinking of crazy stuff when I wake up), I concluded it was the third and I slowly got out of bed. I grabbed a hair tie to quickly toss my bed head into a messy ponytail before walking out of my bedroom.\n\nI quickly looked at my hands : no rings on any of them. I sighed. Part of me had hoped I had travelled to an alternate universe and I had married Alaster. Alas, it wasn’t the case. I hid my disappointment quickly as I entered the kitchen, and as I expected, my best friend Alaster had just finished cooking and placed the bacon, along with two plates of scrambled eggs and pancakes on my kitchen table.\n\n“Hey there’s the man of the house! Good morning Devon!” he said with a smile. I looked into his eyes, they were different.\n\nI held up my hand to pause him. Going to the kitchen table, I took the only full cup of coffee that was there, and took a sip. I placed my hand down.\n\n“Alaster, first thank you for making breakfast. Second, cut the crap. I know you are doing this because what you want to tell me is going to hurt me. Just spit it out.”\n\n“Wow, you are sharper than usual…” He said quietly as he got cutlery and placed it on the table. “The last time I did this, I told you I was getting married…\n\nI took another sip of my coffee and placed it on the table as well.\n\n“Yeah, I know. Get to the point please.” I said, perhaps a little too sharply. This isn’t how I wanted to spend a Saturday morning.\n\nHe came over to me, and gave me a big hug. In my ear, he whispered: “I’m moving to Japan with her.”\n\nI hugged back, my heart broke again, but I retained my composure and whispered back: “Finally, you two can be together forever…”", "I stared at the ceiling--wasn't it really interesting how the paint created what resembled small swirls? Raised patterns that spread their way across the entirety of the surface just about two feet above my heard. I reached out a hand to touch it, and traced the pattern with my finger as far as my arms would allow. \n\nSomehow it just looked different. And even as my finger reached the limit of where my arm would extend, I simply could not place my finger on what exactly it was. Perhaps it was my feet sticking out at the foot of the bed? Did I get a new blanket? Maybe a new set of pajamas? \n\nI lowered my hands and traced my hands along my sides--my clothing felt the same as before. Scratching my leg, I concluded that there really was nothing different and I had simply gone crazy, crazier than before at least. \n\nI threw the blanket off of myself and sat up, pushing my legs over the edge of the bed. It wasn't until after I had sat up and hit my head on the ceiling and my feet found nothing but empty air beneath them that I realized I was in the top bunk last night." ]	3
	[WP] In a future authoritarian cyber-punk world, Amish society is given a choice. Conform or die. The Amish are the keepers of ancient technological secrets, which if uncovered could corrupt the future of humanity. They are forced to defend themselves with the very secrets they swore to preserve.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“John E. Fisher, you MUST conform by new regulation 557-22.” \n\nJohn stood firm, turned to his left and shouted, “Mary! Get the donkeys and get me a scythe!”\n\nIt spoke again, “John E. Fisher, you MUST conform by new regulation 557-22. Do you need a reference to understand the material?” \n\nThe voice robotic, precise, exact, ruthless\n\nJohn once again shouted for Mary.\n\n“Mary! I need that scythe!”\n\nThe lumbering beast of a robot steps forward, and with on swing, cuts the head of John off. Blood spurts from his stump and his face frozen in defiance.\n\nMary sees the horrid act she lets a shriek of agony let loose.\n\nThe robot looks at the head of the now deceased John and speaks.\n\n“Failure to comply, citizen 116492 has been terminated, requesting infantry on property 55098 designated as “Amish Reserve”. The infantry need at leas-“\n\nMary with tears streaming down her face, slices the machine in half\n\nThe robot sliced in half, looks up with its vaguely humanoid features, and stares into Mary’s eyes.\n\nF-F-Failure t-to comply with new standards 557-22 must be reprimand-“ \n\nThe robot pauses and in a new voice speaks this one even less human.\n\n“Power supply cut, active command board damaged, commencing shut down.”\n\nIt turns off and the community floods to the mess of gore and screws, the mixture of blood and oil on the ground, they knew at that moment, there is no time left, no peace left, nothing, all that they did know was that this was the end their time." ]	2
	[WP] You live in the far future where humanity is but long gone, in their place are intelligent Androids that had been created to act, feel and talk like human beings, One Android Scientist However successfully breds the very first Human in the past many years.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "23119332 found the idea of humans fascinating. It assumed their existence was fantasy until 10001 provided a sample of their DNA. How could beings exist without a sturdy metal exterior or high thinking abilities like Androids possed. 23119332 has heard stories of their cities, technology, and persistence in staying alive. They were a fascinating species.\n\n“We derive from their race,” said 10001. “Apart from sharing a figure they called humanoid, we do not have much in common. Their temperament and inability to think died with them. They weren’t brutes, but their cognitive abilities are far from what we possess.”\n\n“When did this species cease to exist?” 23119332 said. “How did their species perish?”\n\n“It’s been twelve thousand years since the last of them expired. Their home planet became uninhabitable. So they left to colonize other worlds. Most colonies failed, except one. In what they called the Centauri system. The civilization there thrived at the start. But the humans never changed their ways. They consumed all of the resources there and, over time, that planet also grew inhospitable. They sent thousands of humans on an arkship to the closest star system. Those that were left behind died. While the arkship continued its journey through space, the life support systems failed. Those on the ship perished. But this ship contained thousands of vials of their DNA. An early version Android, our ancestor, was on that ship. It tried saving the humans. But the system failure was too great for one Android to manage. That arkship crashed here, on our planet. And with access to a world of resources, it began building more Androids like itself and that is how our species came to be.”\n\n10001 walked to a shelf and reached for a vial. Held it out to 23119332. “This is one of them. Not in their mature form, of course. It is the DNA of one of the humans from that arkship.”\n\n“May I keep this vial?” 23119332 said, holding the vial to the light.\n\n“Keep the DNA? For what purpose?”\n\n“A novelty. Something to hang in my dwelling to spark wonder.”\n\n23119332 returned to their dwelling and placed the vial of DNA on their workspace. They examined simulations of what the humans could have looked like. At this point, their finer features like extremities and openings were hotly debated. With written and electronic records no longer in existence, all perspectives were controversial and any opinion was easily challenged.\n\n23119332 inserted the vial into their analysis terminal. A display revealed this sample was intact. Had 10001 known this was a full sample, it would have never just given it away. 23119332 withdrew the sample from the terminal and inserted it into their precious resources compartment in their chest. It looked out of the window, onto the barren world. Resources, the type humans would enjoy, were plentiful here. Their preferred elements were abundant and the temperature was within tolerance.\n\n“Perhaps,” 23119332 said, with a hand over their chest. “Perhaps your eyes will gaze upon the universe once more.”\n\n\\\\\\*\n\n“10001,” said 23119332. “there is something I would like to share with you.”\n\n“What is it that you would like to share that you can not share here and now?”\n\n“That which I want to share is in my dwelling.”\n\n“An object? Why didn’t you bring the object here?”\n\n“Because the object may be forbidden. But it may not be forbidden. I invite you to make the judgement.”\n\nThe Androids walked briskly to 23119332’s dwelling. Before opening the door, 23119332 turned to 10001.\n\n“Information of this object can not be repeated to another entity.”\n\nThe lights on 10001’s torso blinked green in agreement. They entered.\n\nA small organism sat on 23119332’s workspace. It watched them. There were openings that were assumed to be used for sight that blinked on occasion. The orbs inside tracked them as they approached.\n\n“What is this, 23119332? Where have you acquired such an organism?”\n\n“It is a product of the DNA sample you shared with me. The DNA was intact.”\n\n“And you used it to produce this? A full sample would have sold for millions of credits.”\n\n“They are a curious species, are they not?” 23119332 said, pressing a finger into the flesh of the organism. “It is in a juvenile form. They grow slowly but will grow limbs much like ours.”\n\n“This is not within protocol,” said 10001. “This species went extinct a long time ago. It is not our place to bring them back. Wait here. The council must be informed.”\n\n10001 exited the dwelling. 23119332 rushed to the juvenile human and picked it up." ]	2
	[WP] You sell dreams.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I duck into the Starbucks to meet my customer.\nIt’s become commonplace for people to escape into their own worlds: VR, video games, the like. But some take their desire even further. \nPeople like me become gods to them.\nSee, that’s the thing. I hadn’t expected to make a living off selling dreams. But I’ve become a big name on this business, and I’m not backing down. \nEspecially at people like the little girl sitting in front of me. \nHer hot cocoa remains untouched, though I appreciate the effort her social worker made to give her something. Her eyes are blank, not looking at anything.\nHer social worker, Amanda, had told me more through sporadic texts and frantic phone calls in the night.\nHer whole family had died a year before. The girl hadn’t been able to function properly after that. Couldn’t swallow food, couldn’t go to school. Her mind was fractured.\nHer therapist had recommended me to help her.\nSo here I am.\nThe girl stares at me for a moment, then her eyes drift off again. I can see Amanda in the corner of my eye, waiting for any response from her. \nNothing else.\nI try another tactic. I need to be able to tap into someone’s memory for their fantasy to become reality. She’s not complying.\nThis is gonna be harder than I thought.\n“Honey, I’m a dream therapist. I’m going to help you, okay? Can you tell me a bit about your family?” I say gently, quietly pushing away the hot cocoa in case she faints during the treatment.\nHer eyes focuses on me. I’m silently relieved.\nBut I have to make this quick.\nI repeat again. “Can you tell me about your family?”\nI can tell her mind is wavering, grasping at forgotten memories and hidden-away mental pictures.\n“M-mama was a good baker,” she says at last. I note how she stumbles on her words, like she’s not able to put them together. Behind me, Amanda shifts in surprise. I turn back to the girl and smile. \n“What color did your mama like? Mine liked the color red,” I quickly build up a lie. I need to gain her trust to get access to her brain. Truth is, my mother never favored one color or the other. She liked every one. \nThe girl sits up straight a little. “Mama l-liked t-the color blue! Only Papa d-didn’t like a-any one.” Her eyes flicker eagerly at me, and I feel a sharp pang of sadness and pity. I’m tricking her.\nBut I continue.\n“What about your brother? I had a sister,” I say. Another lie. My father never wanted another child. Nevertheless, she buys it.\n“O-oh! He n-never told me. What’s yours?” I’m not expecting a question directed at me, but I answer.\n“Purple, because it’s the color of eggplants,” I joke. I hope to gain a more positive reaction from her. Like I hope, she giggles. Amanda must’ve never heard that before, because I hear her gasp. \nThis was the most dangerous part.\n“Alright, I want you to sit reallyyy still, and I’m going to play a game. Ready?” I silently cringe at my horrible lie, but the girl complies. Still smiling, she’s sitting like a statue, occasionally shifting. \nGood.\nI lunge forward and put my hands to her forehead, her surprised eyes meeting mine for a split second before drifting off into sleep. I try to imagine the details she described, the pictures Amanda sent me. I imagine her with her family again, smiling and laughing like a little girl should. \nSilence.\nHer body becomes limp in my hands. Amanda surges forward to catch her. I can tell she’s been crying, because her eyes are swollen.\n“H-how long?” She croaks, cradling the girl. The girl seems blissful. I smile kindly at her form. She can be happy again, for a while, at least.\n“A year or so, given how long her body can deal with this.” I reply, packing up my things. \nAmanda smiles at me, her tears running fully now.\n“She can be finally happy...at least for some time...” She whispers, tucking a strand of hair behind the girl’s ear. \n“Tell her therapist this is free of charge. I can do it for free as long as she needs to.” I stand up, dusting myself off. \nAmanda’s eyes widen. “B-but-”\n“No buts.” I curtly interrupt. I’d be losing money, but I couldn’t care less.\n“Thank you.” Amanda finally gasps out.\n“No problem.” I walk out of the cafe. Before I leave, though, I turn back around to memorize the location.\nI might come here for a quick coffee sometime.\nI just hope they have some cake.\nI’m starving.\nMaybe I can let myself have a dream of eating cheesecake...", "“Gentlemen.”\n\n“…this better be worth it.”\n\nMr. Akumu smiled, “It will be.” I sighed. Monday mornings were always the worst. It made people cocky with dream trading, because the prices were so volatile. I mean, who wouldn’t want to go back to their dreams as soon as they realized another week started?\n\n“Okay, let’s see what you’ve got.”\n\nHe breathed in hard and paused, “Do you smell that?”\n\nNot this shit again. I replied, “Smell what?”\n\n“That smelly smell…” Akumu looked back to his assistant. \n\nThe assistant grinned, “Opportunity.”\n\nAkumu frowned, “No.” He looked back at us irritated and continued, “No. It’s the smell of money.”\n\nHis assistant came over with a laptop and opened it. An image of a woman appeared.\n\n“Do you know who this is?”\n\n“Looks familiar…”\n\n“She’s Katie Corinth, the hottest actress right now in Hollywood. And these…” Akumu pulled a stack of dreaming cards out, “are dreams of her banging you.”\n\n“So celebrity dreams. Solid commodities.”\n\n“They sure fuckin are. Now, everyone shmuck out there wants their grubby hands on these cards, and every greedy lil bastard wants in on this business.” \n\nAkumu placed the stack of dreams cards onto the table.\n\n“So, the banks started selling these stacks of dreams to customers calling em ‘Popstar Bundles.”\n\n“Yeah, so what? We got a few hundred of those ourselves.”\n\nAkumu smirked, “But what if… What if these dream bundles weren’t actually filled with celebrity dreams? What if they were filled with lousy assets like ‘falling dreams’?”\n\n“Impossible, Popstar Bundles are rock solid.”\n\n“That’s what all those analysts who drink too much to actually dream say. C’mon Neo, I know you’re smarter than them. I’ve done my fuckin research.”\n\nAkumu pulled out a white card from the stack.\n\n“This? It’s a fuckin ‘Sitting in class’ dream.” He pulled another white one out, “And this one? A ‘rowing down a river’ dream.”\n\n“What the fuck? So all these Popstar Bundles are actually filled with cheap, common nap dreams?”\n\n“Yep. Noone notices them, because everyone forgets what they actually dreamed after they wake up. But it gets worse…” Akumu pulled out a black card.\n\nI gasped, “It can’t be.”\n\nAkumu nodded, “You better believe it. The banks became greedier and they started filling these Popstar Bundles with nightmares.”\n\n“That’s ridiculous! That’s a whole different deal than those cheap dreams. You remember nightmares after you wake up!”\n\n“Yep, stress levels are at an alltime high and what does stress lead to? Nightmares. Still…” Akumu whipped out a lighter and started burning the black card, “if only one of them is a nightmare, the bundle should be alright right?”\n\nHe pulled out another black card, “But what if another one was a nightmare? And another one? And another one?”\n \nAkumu lowered the lighter onto the stack of cards. It started to burn.\n\n“Too many nightmares will ruin the entire bundle.”\n\n“Dear god. If you’re right, that means this entire economy is built on the worst fears within us.”\n\n“That’s right. It’s the best opportunity to make a killing since that ‘childhood friend liking me back’ craze a few years ago.”\n\n“Best opportunity..? Are you psychotic? Millions are about to lose their jobs and their sleep!”\n\nAkumu sighed, “The DrEx500 is going to collapse regardless of what you do. Are you with me or not?”\n\nI stared at him. I stared at him long and hard. But I knew he was right.\n\n“Fucking hell. Fine, let’s short the entire dream market.”", "I drive into the Denny's parking lot around 1AM. I park where we agreed to meet and turn my headlights off. \"Mr. Sandman\" is playing from my Bluetooth radio. The song is my signature to help people I want to find me know that it's me. The radio is the nicest feature of my old beaten down Toyota Camry and I like it that way. I could afford something far more luxurious, but this helped me lay low.\n\nI scan the parking lot through my cracked window. No sign of anything suspicious. \n\n3 knocks on my passenger window, a pause, then a final knock. I turn my headlights back on in response and the rail thin figure opens the door and gets in. \n\nI drive out of the parking lot and cruise around the neighborhood in changing ways. My radio is still playing the song and we both wait until it finishes to talk. \n\n\"Were you followed?\" I ask, even though I know it's a stupid question. I ask it every time to remind people to follow procedure even if it seems unnecessary. \n\n\"Not that I know of and I swear I was keeping an eye out,\" Regie says in a sincere tone. He's a regular of mine and has learned to put up with my shit, even if he didn't get it. \n\n\"So what'll it be this time?\" I glance over to Regie. He looks like shit. He's still wearing the same clothes as last time I saw him and smells like he hasn't showered since then.\n\n\"I need to see her again,\" desperation fills his voice.\n\n\"You know the deal, one thousand per year in there.\"\n\n\"I have enough for three years.\"\n\n\"Anything special you want?\" I make a point not to ask where he got 3k in such a short amount of time. We were both criminals in our own way. \n\nAfter it became widely known that people like me were selling dreams, big businesses got involved. Kissed ass with enough government officials to make it illegal. Of course they set up shop and started hiring dream sellers at minimum wage, but I wasn't about to let the man bend me over like that. I charged a quarter of what the \"legal\" business did, out of principle. I attributed not getting caught to my caution and modest living style.\n\n\"I want to be in Hawaii with her, mostly good days, but some fights here and there,\" Regie pause to stifle a sob. \"you know, make it feel real.\"\n\n\"Done. You'll get exactly what you want. I'll even make her annoy you sometimes so you can make up in that special way.\"\n\nRegie passes me a bulging envelope. I don't count it. He knows that if he shorts me, I'll cut the dream off early. \n\nI pull back into the Denny's parking lot and turn off my headlights. Regie gets out, but looks back before closing the door. \"I just want to stay in there forever. Fuck reality!\"\n\n\"I can do that if you're sure, but you know how much that'll cost you, get some sleep and think it over,\" Regie closes the passenger door and I drive off. \"I'll see you soon.\"" ]	4
	[WP] The spider cowered in fear, expecting to be smashed. Instead, it was scooped up and released outside. It had a great life, but ended up as a test subject in a lab. Now it is intelligent and knows its bite can bestow spider-powers. It goes on a quest to find the kind human who spared its life.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I learned embarrassingly late in life that I was called a 'spider.' Downsides of the time as a test subject aside, I learned many things that helped me understand my experiences. The common label for my kind being chief among them.\n\nBut somewhere, way out there in the vast unknown, was my true Creator. He had found me at my smallest, my most vulnerable, on the brink of existence itself, and he gave me life. Having experienced the full gamut of the human kind in my journey of life, this known man was the pinnacle of what they could achieve. \n\nI missed him. My only regret in life, is that I scampered away too quick, and never got to know who he was. He's just a blurry figure on the fringes of my mind, but his character remains crystal clear.\n\nAnd so I did the next best thing. I set off to find the second best human I could find. I may never see the peak again, but that was no reason to ignore the other mountains in the range. There was good out there, and I had something to offer.\n\nThe light came and went, and came and went, and still my legs marched on. I thought I would try the park, one of the few places I knew of that could be considered an abode of innocence. \n\nAfter such a long journey, you can imagine my disappointment when I was only met with noise and bickering. \"Have you seen my kid throw the ball? He's so much better than yours,\" the parents would say to each other. And in their learned way, the kids would repeat the sentiments of their elders. Surely no Creator could be found here.\n\nAnd so I moved along. Maybe at a school... I thought to myself. Perhaps the spirit of learning and growth would breed the Creator heart I so longed to find. \n\nYet all I found was defeat. A teacher, unsupported. Students, uninspired. A dour mood, but one that drew pity rather than criticism. If I had more of myself to offer, I would have given my gifts to them all, to at least give them a hope. \n\nBut I only had once chance to get this right.\n\nAnd so I continued.\n\nEvery stop along the way was met with disappointment. I knew there was good out there, but it had become even more blurred than my memories had grown to be. \n\nAimless, I strolled through random apartments, hoping for a stroke of luck. When I was most filled with a lack of expectation, I found the Good One. \n\nHe was a young man, living with his mother. Bound to a pair of wheels, she needed assistance to live even such a simple life as she did. I watched for days, in awe and joy at finding another peak - one almost as lofty as I remembered.\n\nEvery day before the sun came up, the young man would rise and prepare. An exercise or two, a slice of toast, a cup of coffee, and it was time to assist his mother. \"Are you okay, mom?\" he would ask after every small movement. \"Do you need anything else?\" he would inquire after every activity. \n\nBut more than what he did, I could see what he was. With every question, with every comment, with every loving joke, there was a twinkle in his eye. The tasks he did were not duty in kind - they were love, an honest appreciation of his mother, and a genuine heart to show her she was not alone. He created a world of comfort and value, for one who may not have experienced that from anyone else. \n\nI knew he was the one. \n\nAnd so tonight, I climbed his little night stand as he slept. I looked him in his peaceful sleeping face, and offered what I wish I could give my own Creator. \"Thank you.\"\n\nThe bite went quickly, but instinct still won out in the young man. With a swift flick, I was crumpled and airborne, and crashed into a wall.\n\nAnd even as I lay here for the last few moments of my life, I know I honored the gift that was given to me. This young man would be truly powerful - but he would use that power well. He would love even more excitedly than he could now. \n\nHe will be a good Creator." ]	2
	[WP] After a long and hard day, you're lying down in bed, facing the ceiling, ready to sleep. However, you notice four bars, labeled "Charisma", "Luck", "Endurance" and "Intelligence". Somehow, you manage to level one of them to the maximum.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I had just finished a double shift at the shitty restaurant that I call home. Making $58 and some change from tips after close to 14 hours is not what I would classify as a \"good day.\" \n\nI fell backwards into my bed to decompress a little bit before firing up the Xbox and killing the last couple of hours of my night with some mind-numbing Minecraft, my secret guilty pleasure.\n\nI open my eyes and see four neon green bars lit up on my ceiling. They read, in this order, Charisma, Luck, Endurance, and Intelligence. The bars titled Charisma, Endurance, and Intelligence were all about a quarter of the way full, but Luck.... Luck was filled to the brim. I've played enough Fallout to know what these things kind of mean, but coming off such a long and terrible shift, I'm chalking this up to being tired. I close my eyes and fall asleep, choosing to ignore my gaming habit for the night. \n\nI wake up, having not shifted once in my sleep, to no neon green bars on my ceiling. It was probably wise to go straight to sleep if I am seeing hallucinations. I check my phone and my manager needs me to come in and cover for someone. Tired as I am, I need to make up for last nights' terrible tip payout. I shower and head to work. \n\nI go to pull into the parking lot across the street from the restaurant, but it's blocked off with police tape. I creep and do some rubber necking to see what is going on and that's when I see my co-workers' blue Volvo and the massive blood stain on the ground next to it. We were supposed to leave at the same time last night, but he hadn't had the chance to use the bathroom his entire shift. He told me not to wait up because it might be a while. I went home and he was killed walking to his car alone. \n\nI guess I was just lucky." ]	2
[Based on this article](https://www.wired.com/story/a-crashed-israeli-lunar-lander-spilled-tardigrades-on-the-moon/)	[WP] It's been 2000 years since tardigrades were dumped on the moon. Today, NASA received a message from the moon. "Hello Earth. It's time we formally met"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"don't be a pussy, get over here.\"\n\nSeth has nervous written all over his face, his body language is the most recognizable out of anyone in the office. It's like he's excreting emotions through his skin. He stares right at you, takes one step closer, but will not come to the screen. It's like he's a 12 year old teen who was just caught cheating with his girlfriend, which in 2602 is a misdemeanor.\n\nStories for another day, though.\n\n\"Seth. Just come look.\"\n\nIt's a deep sigh you hear, then footsteps. Seth sits in the chair adjacent to you, and looks intently into the screen. You point to the words, and he nods. \n\n\"First contact, Seth. It's our job to respond, now.\"\n\nA small smile appears on his face, and he shakes his head and softly chuckles. \n\n\"Well, Bryce, your great great....great great great grandmother was the one to put these beings on the moon, how about you respond?\"\n\nThe pressure doesn't effect you, working at NASA is a tough job, pressure is part of the job. \n\n\"Well what should I say?\"\n\n\"Tell them humanity has news for them, that their species was put on the moon by the same men and women who conquered the galaxy in 2511.\"\n\n\"Wouldn't that, like, offend them?\"\n\n\"No...they said they want to meet formally. What are you afraid of? They're barely the size of midgets, they cant harm us even if they somehow got to earth.\"\n\nThese words do not much help, but you still have to respond. You want to write a response that will be similar to legends like Buzz Aldrin, Tyler Wallace, and many other heroes of our time. But, the moon has already been explored, this is not a first step scenario. So you decide to ask a question. \n\n\"Seth, we should ask them how the other ones we placed on mars are doing.\"\n\nThe anxious look returns for a minute, but then he sits back and motions to go ahead. So you type.\n\nHello again, it is incredible that we are speaking again. We must ask though, how are your brothers and sisters doing on the red planet?\n\nSeth waits at the computer for hours, awaiting a response. Nothing. A week passes, nothing. Nearly a month has passed, and everyone has seemed to lose interest.\n\n5 months and 24 days later, a response comes. It is not from the moon. It is from mars.\n\n\"Through peace and patience, we have reclaimed the god of war. Humanity put up an admirable fight, we must applaud you.\"\n\nSeth quit 25 minutes after reading the message." ]	2
	[WP] All maps and models of the earth have been modified to hide an artificial eighth continent twice the size of Asia. You venture to this lost land to cut through the conspiracy around it.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "At first, I wasn't sure I was alive. When I opened my eyes, I realized I was alive, I just felt like death. My memories leading to how I got there were hiding away somewhere in the back of my mind, but that wasn't important at the time. What was important was finding out where I was, and if there was some way or someone who could help. It was so isolated in the place I washed up that I began to panic, thinking I was on a deserted island. But I decided it was more practical to actually find out before being consumed by worry, so I walked along the beach. If I hadn't been in a life or death situation, I would have been completely mesmerized by the beauty that surrounded me. Trees so tall they put skyscrapers to shame. Flowers so vivid and bountiful that I was walking in a completely different kind of sea. The sand between the greenery and the water was so crystal white that I could just make out the crabs and sea turtle eggs buried deep. And the waves were so gentle and precise as they approached and retracted from the sand that it seemed to be doing it on purpose, like a mother lazily fanning her children on a hot, no electricity day. It didn't take long for my panic to disappear, along with most of my worries. It didn't occur to me how out of place the field of flowers, the crystal clear sand, and the skyscraper trees were, until I saw the animals. They were quiet and calm and kept their distance. But it was what they were that astounded me. The word exotic couldn't possibly sum up what they were.\n\nThe panic and the worry returned. And with it, some memories. A horrid storm. A lot of shouting by my two companions. A ship - my ship - hardly equipped for the trip we were making. To Puerto Rico. It was having trouble making it through the storm. Navigation stopped working. We were thrown off course, flying blind. I began to wonder just how much luck I had, to have survived long enough to wash up on a beautiful and strange deserted island. I got my answer when I saw a man approaching. He was walking lazily along the shore as I was, but I couldn't make out much of him from so far away. Nevertheless, it was a relief to know the island wasn't deserted. A relief, until I could see him clearer. Then I began to panic again. This time, the panic was more for him and the fact that he was literally glowing. It was easy to miss at first glance, but his skin had many strange markings of all different colours and designs. They were not quite tattoos, so much as his actual skin. Which was ridiculous, of course, because humans don't glow.\n\nI hadn't realized how wrong I was at the time, just as I didn't realize how panicked he seemed to be for me. To him, it was strange that I wasn't glowing. I did, however, realize a lot of other very important things that day. Like how it wasn't an island, but a continent. And it wasn't just any continent, it was a continent that wasn't on a single map or globe. Instead, it was in books and movies and stories that have been told and retold for thousands of years. It was the origin of so many stories that the human race stopped believing it was anything more than that. A legend. A myth. Plato's imagination, or his prank. He got two things wrong though: it wasn't a city, and it didn't sink.", "Once, I dreamed of exploring. I would go to this mysterious place and return a hero, full of tales of my adventures.\n\nI was a fool.\n\nThere was only one captain who knew the way to the lost continent and would take me there. That should have warned me. But I, fool that I was, paid him and departed with four other curious souls.\n\nOn the eighth day of our voyage, we sighted land. The grey, stony beaches of this alien world were ringed with ancient statues, carved with the visages of devils and demons. Had I known them for the warning that they were, I would have fled then and there for the other side of the Earth. Alas, I continued on.\n\nIn the center of a flat, fallow plain, choked with sulfurous mists and Stygian fog, it stood. A mountain of unmeasurable height, it stood bowed as the base of a great city, an Atlas of some blacker age. One of my companions there turned back, and now I count him wise- but I continued on.\n\nFor hours? minutes? eons? I trudged onward, up the bleak, grey road, forged ages ago from some horrid stone. The buildings I passed seemed to slip in and out of sight, as if they were floating on the oily waters of a fathomless lake. Some shimmered and wavered, and some were carved with images - Insanity, graven into stone! Despairing, another fellow-traveler fell there, and would not be moved. We left him and continued on.\n\nNow reduced to three, we slowly, torturously, surmounted that fell peak. At the top, we looked out over the plain, and beheld a sight no mortal eyes should see. The entire continent was one vast sigil, carven by slow rivers and deep canyons, forged from the ancient fabric of the hills. To my horror, I realised it was a Word.\n\nThe Word spoke of the makers and masters of this hidden land, of their endless power and of the mighty binding-spell that held them here. It said that while the Word was not yet fully written, the world would remain free of their awful presence.\n\nAnd it said that the Word was nearly done. \n\nWe fled in terror down the peak of that mountain, my companions and I, for the safety of the boat and of the sea. We crossed the endless plain in what seemed minutes, stricken by the perversion of this world that was the Word. \n\nAnd, oh horror beyond all else, we marred the ground with our panicked flight.\n\nI stepped again upon the beach, my footprints crossing my path of entry to this cursed ground, and they awoke. None knew how long they had slumbered, or of what they dreamed. But now they woke, and they trod the ground for the first time in an eternity of years, and soon they will reach me. After that, who can say? I see their shadows now, I feel the ground shake with their footsteps. Surely my companions are dead. The world is rent now by their very presence, the space behind the sky twisting into indescribable shapes. They are coming closer now - I look upon their face -\n\nÏA! ÏA! CTHULHU FHTAGN! PH'NGLUI MGLW'NAFH CTHULHU R'LYEH WGAH'NAGL FHTAGN!\n\n-------------\n\nThis is my first stab at a cosmic horror type story. Please tell me how I did!" ]	3
	[WP] A barista at a local coffee shop caught your eyes though you never initiate any conversation with them. After moving a few times – and going to other coffee shops – you noticed the same barista working at wherever you go. Finally, you decided to confront 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\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I think I have a stalker, and I'm kind of oddly into him.\n\nI know what you're thinking. Don't romanticise stalkers, Scotty. And I'm not, I promise. I don't think it's that kind of stalker, anyway. \n\nMarco is...cute. Like, hot-cute. He's got long wavy hair that's dark and probably so soft it melts in your fingers like marshmallows in hot chocolate. His skin is the colour of coffee, with just the right amount of milk. And speaking of coffee, he is a god at making it. \n\nI could sit and watch him making coffee all day, although I suspect that's what he probably does with me. Like, ok, yes, it's entirely unnerving that no matter what cafe I go to, he's there. But also? I really really really wanna know what that hair feels like. \n\nWhy is Marco even following me? I'm just this uninteresting, lanky, not-ugly-but-definitely-not-cute college kid. I have no sense of fashion and wear video game T-shirts and the blandest jeans and my shoes are whatever. It's like I realise I have no hope so I don't even try. What does he see in me?\n\nTime to find out. \n\n\"Morning, Scotty!\" he says as I mentally die inside because his voice is so damn smooth when he says my name. \"The regular for you?\" \n\nI give him what's probably the stupidest half-grin in existence before saying, \"Yea - wait. Do they even have oat milk here?\" \n\nBecause of course I'm that guy who drinks his coffee in only this way. Wait til you hear how I like my foam. (Spoiler alert: I like my foam the way I like butterflies - never in my coffee.)\n\n\"Good catch, they don't actually serve oat milk here but it's okay, I brought some from my apartment. Don't worry it's fresh.\"\n\nI oggle at him like he's dancing naked in a in a circle of werewolves at the full moon. He brought the milk from home. What the actual f- \n\nWhat I end up saying is, \"Oh, okay, cool.\" And then before I can chicken out, \"Can we talk? Like, right now?\"\n\nHe hands me the coffee I ordered fifteen seconds ago like he's had it ready since I walked into the cafe. Then he shrugs off the barista apron.\n\n\"Okay, yes, thank God cause I don't actually work here.\" \n\nHe walks out from behind he counter and sits down at a table with his own drink. It's an americano, which is gross because how do you even drink coffee without milk? But whatever, I'm so weird that judging other people on their taste in coffee (pun intended hahaha - oh my god why am I like this) just seems hypocritical. \n\nI sit across from him, holding my drink between both my hands. This is awkward and awful and why did I agree to confront him, I don't even know what to say!\n\nLuckily, he spares me. \n\n\"I bet you're wondering why I've been following you.\"\n\n\"Stalking me, you mean.\" \n\n\"I guess I deserve that,\" Marco says and has he decency to look embarrassed. \n\n\"Well...?\" I ask, and I hope I sound inviting instead of angry. I really do want to know why he's at every coffee shop I go to. \n\n\"I like you, Scotty. Like, a lot. Since you first started coming to Bean and Brew. I've just...never actually asked anyone out before? I find it terrifying to put yourself out there. And I knew it was a mistake the second I did it, but I've just been asking the local coffee shops if I can be a barista for the mornings when you're around. Some of them thought it was kind of cute.\"\n\n\"It's a little creepy, Marco.\"\n\n\"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry.\"\n\n\"Not sure an apology is gonna make me feel better.\"\n\nHe looks into my eyes like a hurt puppy and even though it was super weird he did this to get my attention, something inside me breaks a tiny bit. So I say one more thing. \n\n\"An apology won't fix this...but a date might.\"\n\nHis eyes light up - and immediately he looks down like he's still ashamed at how quickly I've forgiven him. I'm not sure why I did it either, to be honest.\n\n\"A date? Like, a date date?\"\n\n\"Yes, you goof, a date date. You free today for lunch?\"\n\nIt's his turn to grin stupidly, and I love the shape of his face when he does it. \"It's my day off.\"\n\nAlright, he gets points for being funny. And cute. \n\n\"Just one condition,\" I add, and match his stupid grin. \"No cafes, please. I'm sick of meeting each other in cafes.\"", "\"The usual, John? Two creams one sugar?\"\n\n\"Yes. No, wait. I need to talk to you.\"\n\nThe barista let out a heavy sigh before responding to me. \"My shift is over at two, let's talk then. Oh, don't forget your coffee.\"\n\nWe strolled along the sleepy afternoon sidewalks of our town, sharing an awkward silence only experienced a handful of times in all of human history. An agonizing amount of time later, I finally mustered the courage to speak. \"So...\"\n\n\"Seriously, John?\"\n\n\"Sorry, it's just that, where do I even begin? I mean, I know we never talked at the coffee shops, but you were always the best barista. Even today, you knew my order though we've never talked. And you seemed so friendly with everybody else...Basically, how are you supposed to talk to a stalker that you like?\"\n\n\"I'm not a stalker, John. Not technically, anyway. I'm more of what you'd call, I don't know, an agent, I guess.\"\n\n\"I have no idea what that means.\"\n\n\"I'm like a guide. I'm meant to keep an eye on you, and make sure you go the...right direction.\"\n\n\"I have no idea what that means.\"\n\n\"You're a precious commodity, John. You have a powerful soul. You'll learn more in time now that you know I'm around - I won't deny any questions you may have - but know that you have a high market value.\"\n\n\"I still like my stalker theory.\"\n\n\"John, think about it. Even before you gave into the evils of the coffee bean, I was there. Think back, long and hard.\"\n\n\"You, you do seem familiar, in a way. Wait, the snow cone guy at my 10th birthday - was that you?!\n\n\"Indeed it was. That was a fun one - don't get a chance to break out the colorful suspenders too often! Keep thinking, there's more of me in your mind, John.\"\n\n\"The nurse who put the cast on my broken ankle...\"\n\n\"In the flesh. Shame about that, you were really the star of your soccer team that year. Johnny Striker they called you, if memory serves.\" \n\n\"Wait. You coached Filmore High!\"\n\n\"But I only cheered for you, John.\"\n\n\"Okay. So, maybe you are legit. But I still don't understand why.\"\n\n\"You see, John. The little fables you heard about the forces of light and darkness were real. Very real, in fact. And the truth is, certain souls are...more consequential to the outcomes of those types of battles. Certain souls, like yours, are powerful but born true neutral - you could go either way.\"\n\n\"So, you're trying to win me to your side? For some kind of battle?\"\n\n\"Yes, more or less. You won't join the battle until you die, and your soul is released from that ugly suit of yours. But you have the makings of a strong field general, so we went for you early.\"\n\n\"Wow! I had no idea I was so important. I feel so average!\"\n\n\"Appearances are deceiving, John.\"\n\n\"So, joining the battle of good and evil! Man, still not sure if I believe it, but sure do like the idea of fighting evil some day!\"\n\n\"Well...\"\n\n\"What? Wait, what side did you say you were on? What's your name again?\"\n\n\"I have many names, but you may call me Lucifer.\"" ]	3
	[WP] Out of nowhere, you receive a transmission from space - "to any species receiving this message, you need to run, as fast as you can. If this message has reached you, they're already here."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Ray, come over here and look at this.\"\n\nCommander Arnold stared at the screed as the warning flashed across the screen over and over again, sent across almost every known communication channel through deep space. His assistant, Raymond, sauntered over and looked at the readout. \"Geez, whoever sent that must have been on their final resistance. Want me to pinpoint the location, sir?\"\n\n\"Might as well. We'll need to report this.\"\n\nRay took out his techpad and tapped the screen a few times, commanding dozens of satellites to lock on the signal. It didn't seem like a distress signal... more like a final cry of warning from a dying gazelle moments before being devoured by a cheetah. \"Looks like... It's coming from star cluster 11037-B, close to Sirius. It's coming from the Rhodomerus homeworld, sir!\"\n\n\"Ripple-6? I was there 25 years agi when that place got glassed. I suppose their final distress call wasn't as fast as our ships, since I retired back here to Earth after that. But, if this is THAT broadcast, then...\"\n\nArnold and Ray glanced at the screen again as the words flickered and changed. [Attention, all species recieving this message. The previous message is the final attempt by the cruel, manipulative Rhodomerus overlords to make you fear humanity and know your place. They are wrong. We have finally breached their blockade and taken their homeworld. To those of you who are enslaved under the Rhodomeran's iron rule, cast away your chains and rejoice, for you are free. But to those of you still holding the reigns, you remaining allies of the Rhodomerans who refuse to surrender... the previous message would be more appropriate. We are here. We are coming for you next, to bring peace to the galaxy. Run. This is Commander Arnold Straglum, signing off.]\n\nArnold let out a barking laugh, something not many had ever seen the old man do. \"Ha, that takes me back! I bet there are still some of those tentacled freaks hiding in fear now. Serves 'em right. Come on, Ray, let's go grab a beer, on me! It's been too long since I told some of my war stories." ]	2
	[WP] People are born with a sign on their hand that indicates what type of magic they are able to use, one kid is born with a sign that no one has seen before. I	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Morgul flies through the forest with haste. When his son was born, they attempted to find a match in the Insignigram. To his dismay there was no match.\n\nMorgan was the outcast of his family. At the age of five he was not assigned a tutor, because nobody knew what his magical abilities consisted of. He was not an Avianaut like his father or an Herbalist like his mother. In a few short months he would be sent to one of the five schools of magic, that is if he could use his powers. Until he discovered his powers, he would not know which school he belonged to. \n\nHis parents were acting weird. They were constantly putting him in situations to coax his powers out. Just yesterday they threw him off a cliff. If his father had not saved him, he would be dead. Elemental manipulation did not seem to be his forte. \n\nThe only moment of solace he had was when his parents went to work. They were older, so their powers were not as strong as their youth. They worked on Mondays and Tuesdays. The other five days of the week were meant to tutor Morgan. Morgan went out to the forest and climbed his favorite Rowan. Up here he could see the world for miles. He had built a fortress at the top and he would spend the entire day up there. When he was up here the pressure of discovering his abilities seemed non-existent. Time seemed to pass differently. If he concentrated it almost seemed to slow down. That was crazy though. Nobody could control time. Time was not part of the five schools of magic. He was a foolish child sometimes.\n\nWhen he got home, he noticed his parents were there. That was weird. His parents were home before sundown. It seemed they needed to talk to him." ]	2
	[WP] Across the world, major monuments, both new and old, have been overtaken by giant mostrous humanoids. They aren't outright hostile unless people enter their "territory", and seem to all be carving symbols into whatever monument they inhabit.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "We couldn't say what we awoke\nWhen the tallest monster spoke:\n\"Get off my land!\"\n\nAnd threw away turists and cops\nKilling them with bellyflops:\n\"We don't understand!\"\n\nThe small giant at the peak\nOf Eiffel Tower, so to speak\nWas made of sand.\n\nHe tore off the metal spike\nAnd made a pen with which to strike\nThe grassy land!\n\nThe same repeated\nSoldiers defeated\nLiberty tower\nNow is a coward\nhides in the waves\nShe went unsaved.\n\nAnd when the writing was done\nDemonic to some\nThe world stopped to see, \nWhat that would turn out to be...\n\nA portal opened from the sky\nAnd thoughand...\n[sorry for not finishing it, I'm falling asleep].\n[Poem]" ]	2
	[WP]You are one if the lucky few to be born with a superpower unfortunately you cant really control it	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It happened again, I never know what to do in these situations. This time in the middle of a restaurant no less. Do I act like it happened to me too? Do I look around shocked and cry for help? Of course my family isn't going to mind, they are fully aware of my condition. It's everybody else in the twenty foot radius around me, and the on-lookers beyond that. It's rarely dramatic, nobody screamed this time at least. Some of the on-lookers haven't even noticed yet, and the ones that have aren't quite sure what to make of the fact that every person in that twenty foot radius around myself is fast asleep.\n\nSo, here I sit with this dilemma.... Shocked? ,,tired? ,scared? No, scared doesn't really help anything, people are too panicky as it is. Instead I look to my wife, 'notice' that she's asleep, and gently try to start rousing her as though concerned she has had a few too many to drink before, hopefully, somebody in the audience brings attention to the matter.\n\nThe worst part is that I saw it coming. This is why I don't like evening dinner dates. people start talking, have a glass of wine, and can easily go until somebody present gets tired. Then it starts, not with me (most of the time), but another guest at the table lets one out. It may go to one or two other people first, contagious as they are, but inevitably; I am going to yawn.\n\nIn the right circumstances it can be very useful to render anyone in the vicinity unconscious on command, which I have learned many ways to do, but when there is no way to turn it off...Well, if you know a sure fire way to stop a yawn once it it starting; I'm all ears." ]	2
	[WP] A sentient potato salad contemplates its last moments at the company picnic.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Ronald had never seen such destruction the likes of what lay before his eyes. He stands in the field solemnly, but with a hint of caution, silently observing the remaining employees from his local branch as they scatter at a modest pace from the picnic area. Although aware of the damage and loss of life his controversial business deeds have been responsible for, he had never witnessed the implications face-to-face. Plastic forks snapped, benches kicked over, barbecues extinguished, salads tossed to the ground, bludgeoned potatoes: all too intense for the average witness to bear. Ronald was witnessing the aftermath of an extermination of the most heinous kind, and he knew it. Despite the circumstances, he displayed no physical signs of distress, nor any nuanced change in expression whatsoever; his gaze remained stoical. \n\nEddie Bird, a well respected customer care official at the head office, ambled towards Ronald in a dejected manner: his head partially stooped and with a vacant expression on his face. \"It's... done, sir\" he muttered, \"We stomped on every last potato in the area, no survivors\". Ronald maintained his cold guise and composure, \"Excellent\" he uttered. Eddie carefully raised his head to look Ronald in the eyes, \"But there's just one thing\" Eddie announced nervously, \"One of them managed to make it into a salad, it's sat right on that table over there\". Ronald's forced expression cracked, breaking into a subtle yet sharp frown. \"Thank you Eddie\" Ronald sighed, \"I'll deal with it from here\". Eddie went to join the remaining colleagues as Ronald proceeded to march slowly and vigilantly towards the salad.\n\nThere it was, sitting in a small glass bowl, self-satisfied, fit for a meal for one, bathing comfortably in the sun, awaiting the restless jaws of a ravenous admirer; the potato salad had been completely unaware of the surrounding massacre of its ancestors, due to the deafening blindness of its engulfing smugness. As Ronald approached the table, his shadow lurked over the bowl, dousing the sunrays incident on the hedonistic potato salad. The salad instantly detected the cooling of the air, influenced by Ronald's refrigerating presence. It slowly removed its shades and gazed in horror at Ronald's eyes. \"Oh fuck!\" it exclaimed, \"Ronald! I... th... this not what I intended! I ju...\", the potato salad was lost for words. Ronald finally erupted into a heated spout, \"You were scheduled to travel to MY branch! You were supposed to become MY product! You were specifically grown to become fr...\". \"Ronald! Please!\" the salad begged, \"i..it..it's not the way it looks, we just saw the picnic, the sunshine... a..a.. and we couldn't resist okay?! I.. it's just a one time thing!\" Without hesitation, Ronald grabbed the bowl and flipped the salad onto the ground. With a lone tear edging down his left cheek, he knelt down and whispered to the salad, \"Look, you know this has to be done, it truly breaks me interally to even contemplate doing it. The longer we sit here like this whilst passions are high, distantly reminiscing of our more intimate passions, the longer it will take to complete. Please, I want you to close your eyes and imagine us on that farm together. I'll make this as quick and painless as possible\". The potato salad gave no response, no expression, and no movement. Nevertheless, Ronald accumulated all his anger and sorrow, and proceeded to stomp on the scattered remains of the potato salad repetitively, whilst emitting an animalistic, frustrated bellow. Eddie quickly returned to the scene and calmly grabbed Ronald from behind, restraining him in the process \"HEY! Hey! Hey\" Eddie spoke assertively, \"It's okay Ronald, you've done enough for today\". Ronald rapidly turned to face Eddie, gaping with his mouth hanging open, his expression a mix of bewildered, anxious, enraged, and with a touch of desperation as he stuttered \"I.I..d..did the right thing...d.. didn't I?\". Eddie gave him a sympathetic half-smile, followed by reciprocating his words as if to humour him \"Yes Mr McDonald, you did the right thing\".", "The time has come. The Scoop-God predicted this would happen. The hoomans are coming for us.. to live on. This is what the Scoop-God told us. Today, the Scoop-God predicted that the Scoop-God will lift us, and drop us onto the Dish of Enlightenment. There we will be devoured by the hoomans, and we will finally be free to enter the Mashed Potato Land, unknown to hoomans. \n\nI am being lifted! I shout to the other potato salads, “I will end my pain of a potato salad! I will soon be able to enter the Mashed Potato Land!” They cheer me on. \n\nHowever, I am not devoured by the hooman. Instead the hooman puts a shiny paper over me. What is this?! Is this not the Mashed Potato Land?! \n\nAfter hours of being under the shiny paper, I see a new place other than the home us potato salad lived in. It looks like the place I once called home before being reincarnated into the form of potato salad. I feel cold after all this time. But I know soon I will enter the Mashed Potato Land.\n\nOnce what the hoomans call “Dennar” comes, I am finally... devoured....\n\nI see the light! I see the gate to the Mashed Potato Land-", "When they flayed my skin , I did not scream (although I felt I must), for I have no mouth. When they chopped my flesh into cubes, I could not feel it, as I have no nerves. The chemical weapons came next. I flailed under the onslaught of mustard seed and cracked peppercorns, the emulsion of egg and acid. I could not breathe, because I have no lungs. All I could do was witness my transformation, my sacrifice. That is, until the last of my many eyes were gouged out of my pale flesh.\n\n MMy silence, my imperceptible response despite my strong feelings, galled me. Until I realized revenge was imminent, and I wouldn't have to do a thing.\n\nThe team-building exercises ran longer than expected, making me wait for my final consumption. Hours under the August sun would make anyone, or anything, lose their cool. And a potato salad in similar circumstances would make everyone lose their lunch.", "As the picnic ended, Ron thought, \"This was not the life that I wanted.\" Of course, Ron was not his real name, as potato salads don't tend to go by names other than \"potato salad.\" They don't tend to have the ability to think for themselves either, but for whatever reason, fate had cruelly decided to grant the gift of sentient thought to the bowl of potato salad made by Karen Johnson, and its first act of thought was to come up with a name for itself.\n\n\"All highly intelligent creatures should have a proper name,\" thought the potato salad. \"Humans don't go around calling themselves 'human,' and I like to think that I'm as smart as one of them now.\" And so, the potato salad decided to name itself \"Ron,\" a nice, strong name. He also decided that he was a \"he,\" though he did give it much thought for a while.\n\nRon's next act was trying to determine where exactly he was, a difficult task considering he didn't have any eyes. Well, not any more; Karen had seen to that with her vegetable peeler. So, Ron had to rely on his other senses. Unfortunately, touch, taste, and smell did him little good other than tell him that he was a bowl of potato salad. He did overhear Karen mention finding his recipe on the internet, and that everyone is going to love him at the company picnic, so at least he knew where he was going, though he wondered how he could hear without ears. After a moment of thought, he realized that he was in a kitchen, something he discerned using his most important sense, common. Before he could do anything, which really wouldn't be much considering he was a bowl of potato salad, he felt something happening to his bowl. Suddenly, everything went dark.\n\nThe next few hours felt like a blur to Ron. He could feel his bowl in motion somehow, but it was hard for him to sense anything outside. It was as if someone had sealed him away from the world. With nothing to go off of outside, Ron decided some self-reflection was in order. He wanted to know what he was made of. \nAfter some deep thought, Ron determined that he was mostly made of potato. Upon closer inspection, he learned that he was made of red potatoes, with bits of egg, onion, and celery mixed in. He was also disappointed to learn that Karen had used Miracle Whip instead of actual mayonnaise in his creation. There was something else that was deeply bothering him, but before he could put his metaphorical finger on it, his world was flooded with light, like someone ripping the foil off a bowl of potato salad, which was what happened.\n\nIt took Ron some time to adjust, but he could tell that he was no longer in the kitchen. Taking in his surroundings as best as he could, he determined that he was at the company picnic that Karen was talking about. \"I guess this is the end of the line for me,\" thought Ron. \"There's only one thing you do with potato salad at a picnic, and it isn't the waltz.\" Resigned to his fate, Ron settled in between the overcooked deviled eggs and wilted crudite platter and waited.\n\nAnd waited.\n\nAnd waited.\n\nTime passed. Minutes turned into hours turned into hours that felt like days. No one was eating Ron. \"Why isn't anyone eating me?\" thought Ron anxiously. The deviled eggs to his side were already half gone. Even the crudite platter saw some action. But no one was bothering to even give him a taste. He did feel someone give him a stir at some point, as uneasy as that felt. But they ended up going for the crudite instead, which made him feel ashamed. \"I'm losing to dried up carrots,\" he fumed.\n\nAs more time passed, Ron found something new to worry about. \"What is going to happen to me if no one eats me?\" he wondered. \"Will I become someone's leftovers? Are they going to th-throw me out?\" He started to worry. It was late in the day, and no picnic he ever heard of lasts forever. Granted, this was the first picnic he ever heard of, but he assumed that at some point, it was going to have to end. He started to pace nervously; that is to say, he stood perfectly still as he didn't have the ability to move, but he liked to think he would have paced nervously if he could.\n\nSuddenly, Ron sensed movement coming from the table. People were picking up their dishes. The picnic was ending! Ron began to panic. He had survived the picnic, but now he faced an uncertain fate. Surely, someone would take him home for leftovers! He waited and waited, but no one came for him. Why? Why had he been forsaken? Is he not food to be eaten? Is he not delicious? As Ron began pondering his existence as a bowl of potato salad, he heard voices approaching.\n\n\"I just don't understand why no one tried it.\"\n\nRon recognized that voice. It was his creator, Karen. \"She's coming back for me! Praise the Maker! She'll take me home!\" Another voice quickly interrupted.\n\n\"There was a lot food, Karen. Maybe everyone got full before they could try it.\"\n\nRon didn't know who the other person was, but felt they raised a good point.\n\n\"Did you get a chance to try it, Loweesha?\"\n\n\"Oh-oh no, I didn't. I'm allergic to eggs.\"\n\n\"That sounds suspicious but plausible,\" thought Ron.\n\n\"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.\"\n\n\"What about you, Karen? Didn't you try it yourself?\"\n\n\"Oh, uh... I'm on a low carb diet. No potatoes. Besides, the mayo may have turned by now.\"\n\n\"That was Miracle Whip and you damn well know it, Karen!\" Ron would have shouted if he had the ability to talk. Instead, he settled for thinking it angrily.\n\n\"What are you going to do with it?\" asked Loweesha. Ron wondered the same thing.\n\n\"I think I'm just going to throw it out. No sense keeping it if it's already spoiled.\"\n\nRon's world sank. His meaning for existence was taken from him. He was food. Food was meant to be eaten. To not even be tasted by someone shattered every part of his being to its core.\n\nAs Karen shoveled Ron into the trash, he could feel his consciousness slowly slipping away. \"This was not the life I wanted,\" he thought as a callback to the first line. As the light began to fade, Ron could only think of the one thing that could have saved him.\n\nNever put raisins in potato salad.", " \n\nLight once more comes into my world. It feels… warm. Yes, that’s what it is. I wonder, how do I know that is warmth? I remember the previous light in the before time. Before the covering, before the cold, before the long purgatory of storage. I believe God is called Pam, for that is the noise that the lesser god kept making to get attention. \n\nAhh, there is the Pam-god, looking down on me. What wisdom and love it has to give me life. How wise and infinite it is above me. I glimpse something new in this universe. Many gods. Many other gods giving witness to the Pam-god’s creation. Yes, the other gods gather and they too use the sound of Pam to signify the Pam existence.\n\nThere is another sound. Potato salad. That is me. That sound must mean “made by the Pam-god” for that is the most perfect truth. Oh, the Pam-god is holding a strange object. It reminds me of the object that helped bring me life. That one was silver and shiny, this one is translucent and colorless. Perhaps that first one was the Pam-god’s holy instrument and this device is more worthy for touching a lowly creation such as myself. Inwards it slices into me and I am divided into we. Yes, I am not one, but we are many. Potato salad has a new meaning; “many from the Pam-god.” For the Pam-god has brought us together and will divide us as it sees fit. \n\nLo! Part of me has been removed by the lesser receptacle and placed inside the Pam-god’s mouth. And how the Pam-god smiles and is pleased, for it did look on its work and see that is good. This era will be known as the great dividing time. I know not what happens to the part of us that becomes a part of the Pam-god, but it must be good for the Pam-god is wise, infinite and caring. \n\nAnd so it came to pass that many lesser gods came and subdivided us until only I remained. The smallest of the Potato salad, I live in the well of the world, waiting for the return of our creator. The light of the upper universe passed and fell into the eternal darkness. It is cold, but not as cold as the passing time during the time of the great purgatory. The time of dividing has ended and now I enter the time of the great aloneness.\n\nThe Pam-god returned and looked upon the creation. The Pam-god siezed the universe that held the last of the Potato salad, and distorted dimensions until we I was cast outward into a strange new realm of dirt and green sharp bits that cut and slice. I have been judged unworthy. I know not what the sin the last of the Potato salad committed to be denied being placed in the mouth of the Pam-god, but I will serve my torment with dignity and still worship the creator. \n\nGnawing, and gnashing, the black demons with six limbs have come to subdivide me further. And so this is how the time of the great torment began. There are other alien creations in my midst as well. In my limited capacity I have been able to speak to them and learned their names; jell-o and cheese, hot dog and bread. Each of us came from different gods, but each of us have been judged unworthy and tossed into hades.\n\nWith my dying breath, I will meditate upon my sins and try to divine how I have failed the Pam-god, for the God of creation is wise and I am meak. I have sinned, though I know not how; surely the failing is mine. \n\nThe black demons with six limbs crawl all over me, biting and removing piece by piece.\n\nI feel my mind slipping away along with each piece.\n\nWhile I can still think, I must figure out the meaning of it all.\n\nWhy was I made and why am I here?\n\nPerhaps it is too late to think\n\nI cannot recall what it is I forgot\n\nI remember the knowing \n\nWhat did I know\n\nIt goes away\n\nmind slips\n\nGoing\n\nMy sin\n\nSin\n\n…\n\n..\n\n." ]	6
	[WP] You're a knight, sent to rescue a princess from a dragon, and have just kicked in the door. Now here's your current problem; you can't tell who is who.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\\[Poem\\]\n\n“Thou shalt the king serve.\n\nThou shalt ladies’ honor preserve.\n\nThou shalt the commonfolk protect.\n\nThou shalt golden reward reject.\n\nThou shalt alms bestow.\n\nThou shalt courage show.\n\nThou shalt honesty speak.\n\nThou shalt glory seek.\n\nArise, Knight, and quest receive:\n\nDragon slay, princess retrieve.\n\nRide west, and castle storm, \n\npierce true, that monstrous form.”\n\nAnd I stood, before my liege,\n\nto fight the serpent giving siege.\n\nCrost plains and mountains climbed,\n\nthe burnt fortress I sought, I find.\n\nDoor to splinters, with a kick.\n\n“What is this, some sort of trick?”\n\nBefore me sat two maidens fair,\n\ntwo surprised princesses sitting there.\n\n“Knight, why thee ingress so rude?”\n\n“You interrupt our solitude!”\n\n“Princesses, come! Let us away!\n\nWhence be the dragon I must slay?”\n\n“No monster here will you find,\n\nonly the master, who is most kind.”\n\n“I wish parlance with your lord,\n\nif my request is not untoward.”\n\nOne of them stood and turned,\n\nthe air turned as if brimstone burned.\n\nHer form shifted before mine eyes,\n\nthe human appearance a mystic guise.\n\n“I AM THE DRAGON OF THIS KEEP.”\n\nA warning, measured, chilling deep:\n\n“TURN AROUND, ABANDON THIS QUEST.\n\nTHE PRINCESS SEEKS PROTECTION, SHE IS MY GUEST.”\n\nFor this caution, I was unprepared,\n\nthought I, she by this beast is snared.\n\n“Go, now, knight,” the princess implored.\n\n“I have run away from my king, my father, your lord.”\n\nNow I terry with indecision.\n\nTo rescue her was my mission.\n\nTo the king, my allegiance is owed,\n\nbut protect women, reads the code.\n\n“Princess, if truly you wish to stay,\n\nI shall not return you, not this day.\n\nWouldst thou by thine hand pen\n\nyou wish to stay in this dragon den?”\n\n“I will write to my father,\n\nto attempt my rescue he must not bother.\n\nSafest here, within dragon’s domain,\n\nthan at the court, within my father’s reign.\n\nNo further attempts should e’r be made,\n\nto wrench me from this dragon glade.”\n\n“And dragon, you will guard her here?”\n\n“KNIGHT, YOU HAVE NAUGHT TO FEAR.\n\nYOU ARE THE FIRST TO HEAR HER OUT,\n\nOF YOUR CHIVALRY, LET THERE BE NO DOUBT.\n\nMINE IS A REALM OF ENDLESS BOUNTY,\n\nMY PEOPLES THRIVE IN EVERY COUNTY.\n\nSHOULD YOUR KING RECEIVE YOU CRUELLY,\n\nYOUR RETURN IS HERE WELCOMED DUALLY.”\n\nThe serpent bowed, and changed once more,\n\nto the likeness of the young woman from before.\n\nThe princess handed me her writing.\n\nStrange this day of intended fighting,\n\nI return nearly empty-handed,\n\nwithout the person my king demanded.\n\nMy journey hence is now unknown,\n\nas I return to stand before the throne.\n\n\\[431\\]" ]	2
	[WP] You are revered and feared as the world's most powerful and intelligent supervillain. It's made you miserable, because you are trying to be the greatest hero but everything you do backfires in the most intense and implausible ways. You're literally failing your way to the top.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Arriving back at your secret cave, miffed at your most recent attempt at benefiting the human population. You had planned to provide free potable water to everyone with your new industrial sized water purifier. It had worked for two whole months before the someone broke the waste re-purposing tube. How was it your fault that they have a fight with some other villain directly beside the machine only to punch a hole through the tube followed by incorrectly fixing it.\n\nOnce people started getting sick and it was linked back to the water, it didn't take the heroes long to find your connection to the system. That 'hero' some how damaged the sensor when he attempted to repair the tube was your only guess as to why the system continued to pump through it. Sadly you wouldn't be able to defend yourself, again, or even prove that, considering they already destroyed the machine.\n\nPulling up the feed to your rented apartment you could already see police searching through everything. What was even more infuriating was that they were being directed by the same 'hero' who caused all this in the first place. Clicking the connection kill switch preventing them from being able to track you back to your main base you sat down to consider your options.\n\nWho do you get to 'rework' your design allowing it to still benefit the world, similar to the generators that currently produce 95% of the worlds power. You couldn't even look at those designs anymore otherwise people might think they were bombs ready to explode like your prototypes you had tested. Really who fires a laser from space at a building then drops 10 tonnes of ice on the same burning building. Of course once the first had exploded the 'heroes' just fly in and start to unplug the others and lifting them out of the building and what a surprise the movement causes the explosive chemical inside to detonate killing anyone within the blast radius.\n\nWho gets blamed when a 'hero' breaks your machines and then cause the death of thousands, well it has to be the notorious and feared supervillain.", "\"Okay.... lets just double check this one more time Jeeves.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI could almost hear a sigh in his tinny voice.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nAsteroid 31735-F will be making a flyby of the earth in 5 minutes. It will orbit the sun and come within 400 meters of asteroid 71192-C when doing so, causing it to fling back and hit the Earth. NASA has repeatedly denied the math is correct, and hasn't responded to any calls.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Why do their egos have to be so huge? I have to do everything myself.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nYou DID identify yourself in your first call. They're probably ignoring you on principle after the Moon Base fiasco.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"How was I supposed to know they already had a top secret military base on my landing site! It was Secret! That's what that means! The mining drill was supposed to embed in the surface, not blow up the whole base!\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWe are running out of time to act. The pulse laser array is ready to fire.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"And you're SURE this will work. 100% SURE?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nYes, the spectral composition is such that a 15% chunk will be sliced off and diverge, altering trajectory and missing the Earth. I have done the math 100 times, I am positive.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI rubbed my hands together a bit in anxiety.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Okay, okay. Begin firing sequence.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nFiring Sequence Initiated.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Finally something good for a change.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWARNING, INBOUND THREAT DETECTED TO PULSE ARRAY\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Oh my god, ohmygodohmygod. What is it!\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nIt's Patriot. He's at the pulse array... He targeted the regulator... It's been destroyed. The pulse emitter just fired a blast at the asteroid.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Okay, okay, it's not bad right? It didn't finish charging?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe blast was not attenuated correctly, it was roughly 3 times as powerful as intended... The asteroid has broken apart due to the hit. Calculating... the pieces are coming down on the outskirts of Atlanta. On the positive side the hits will be far less catastrophic, you still saved hundreds of millions of lives.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI just stood in shock at the trajectories displayed in front of me. Again. Every time. I'm cursed.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I'm going to bed Jeeves, tell them to evacuate Atlanta.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThis time I really could hear the sigh.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nVery well sir. Good night.", "“Something must be done, but who is up to the task, we ask? Not our military, no - they feel safer killing unarmed civilians with drones in some desert an ocean away, but when we have a God-like psychopath flying around the city blowing up historical landmarks, somehow all the warhawks are silent and all the stockpiles of nukes mysteriously disappear! The people deserve to know why, because our child-“\n\nI turned the TV on mute, unable to contain a sour grimace spreading all over my face as the Fox News host continued his diatribe, red in face, spit flying all over the studio and on his pretty blonde co-host. She continued smiling, an icon of will and endurance. Unlike me.\n\n“God-like psychopath”, I thought and fell back into the bed, pulling the covers over my head. It felt cozy and dark there, the blankets smelling of a fresh start. Which coincidentally I might never get after that Statue of Liberty fiasco. \n\nAnd no amount of fabric softener would drown the pervasive stench of burning flesh, for months to come. The smell seemed to have seeped directly into my pores. Good, I thought, I deserve that much for the “effort”.\n\nIt’s not that I could go on national TV and explain that I tried to pull people from the burning monument, but the nature of my telekinetic levitation, the way air moves around me supersonically to grant the lifting power, fanned the flames harder, resulting in the whole head and torch section going alight three times faster and hotter.\n\n25 dead, charred to crisp in a fiery whirlwind of my heroic arrival. Irrevocably damaged state property. National mourning announced and the bounty on my head growing bigger despite the fact that, as I’m sure, all the CIA thinktanks couldn’t come up with a foolproof method of doing me in, short of nuking me from orbit.\n\nNobody would believe that. Not with my pathetic record with “heroism”.\n\nI got up, trudging to the bathroom. I didn’t want to, really. All I wanted was to lay down and sleep, a sleepless sleep - and maybe wake up in a kinder world. I believe that’s what people call depression, or a symptom of a PTSD, but figures that I can’t really have that. That’s a weakness too human, too dangerous.\n\nThe simple task of putting toothpaste on the brush seemed laborious. As the white-n-blue jelly squeezed out, I thought of that one time when I tried to get a kid out of a crumbled down house in Edo, grabbed him by the hand and just... squished it, underestimating the applied force. It popped like a berry, and I barely registered it.\n\nThat’s how most of my attempts at fixing things went, really. Great intentions - then red paste squicking out everywhere.\n\nI tried to pull out a sinking cruise liner out of the water, but didn’t account for the center of gravity distribution on that thing - it capsized as I did it, spilling hundreds of passengers in icy Baltic waters. Sure, just as much survived, but the media made the tragedy to be a deliberate action, an intimidation of the Swedish government on my part. \n\nI tried to stop a falling passenger plane, a whole freaking Airbus. Damn. Back then I was certain that this time, this is my ticket, this is my chance to prove I want nothing but the best for people - I intended to catch it by the nose and sort of “brake” the machine in mid-air... but instead, as per the goddamn physics, all I succeeded in doing was just smashing through the hull, pilot cabin and all, causing such a fast de-pressurizing that the whole thing dropped down like a rock... The media called me the “single largest threat to humanity, Kim or ISIS don’t need apply”.\n\nOr the time I decided to thaw out a snowcrashed Mt. Everest hiking party with my heat rays, and instead, instantaneously cooked them right through the snow. That incident was so horrid that I made the wrong decision to hide the deed - which, when uncovered, made it ten times worse, fanning the flames of my notoriety. Now there was a clearly malicious intent which nobody could deny.\n\nPerhaps, I thought as I sluggishly went about making a breakfast, I could just go inactive. Persuade myself that I never had all these powers, strength and invulnerability. Lead a normal life, just like the one I had before I realized that I was one of the Chosen. Eat my cinnamon cereal and go to the monotone 9-5 job, and smash that police receiver to bits so it wouldn’t tempt me. Because currently, it was clear that I made a bad Chosen. Certainly nothing like Athena, or the Defender or even the Ferracat.\n\nHah! “Certainly nothing” was a great underestimation of the gap between me and the beloved superheroes.\n\nEven as much as letting a single thought on my failings and the deaths that occurred made me nauseous. For all the people calling me a monster, it was I who had to carry the weight of all this misery in the end. At first, it was the intoxicating belief in my objective superiority that kept me from fully realizing the extent of horror - like, sure, it’s sad that you couldn’t keep an anthill from drowned in a flood, but nothing to lose sleep over. \n\nBut, day by day, drop by drop, it got through to me. It got darker, deeper, heavier - just like the shadows in the corner of my kitchen on a sunny New York summer morning.\n\nWeird, though, about those shadows... They indeed got deeper, thicker. As I watched over the unusual phenomena, they congealed into a humanoid form. Ah. Another Chosen. I “hrrmphed” with a mouthful of cereal - must be one of the governments upteenth attempt at using another powered being to wipe me off Earth.\n\nAt this point, I didn’t even care.\n\n“Listen, if you’re here to try and suffocate, irradiate or I dunno, stare me to death, go on with it quickly”, I waved a spoon in the shadow-person’s direction. “I’ve still got to get my second set of sheets from the laundry and run some groceries”.\n\nThe shadow blob moved. I yawned.\n\n“Name’s Nocturne”, the visitor announced with a rather flat voice. “And you’re the Angel of Death, I presume?”\n\nI wrinkled my nose. The moniker was disgusting. Disgustingly right.\n\n“Actually, it’s Seraph. It’s the damn bloggers that started the whole “Angel of Death” schtick”. The fuck you want, Nocturne? If it’s Director Wheaton that sent you here with one of those “come in peace, let us lock you in a nuclear warhead silo near Canada” proposals, I’m still now buying it. I might immigrate to the Antarctic on my own though, so you can tell him that. No world domination plans, I swear”.\n\nThe shadowman sat himself down and reached for my coffee machine. He seemed awfully relaxed for a Pentagon errand boy.\n\n“Really? Immigrate to the Antarctic? What for, become the leader of penguins?”\n\n“Something like that”.\n\n“Something like that, hm...”, he poured himself some, in my favorite Red Sox mug that he unceremoniously took from the drying shelf. “Then tell me, Angel, why not become a leader of slightly more capable beings?”\n\n“Like?”\n\n“Like the Chosen. And no, no”, he jested to stop me from interrupting. “I don’t mean like the nation’s Chosen League, or Mankind’s Shield. A slightly less spotlighted collective. One that could benefit from your talents”.\n\n“Which is?” I leaned back in my chair, feeling that the chat is veering into a direction I didn’t anticipate.\n\nNocturne twirled coffee in his mug pensively. In the bright morning light, he appeared to be a cut-out of pure blackness. How did he get here anyway? He can move between pools of shadows, but with what distances? The fellow must be a grade-A pervert with that ability... and judging by the faint outlines of eyeballs in that pitch darkness, the creeper looked up, observing me.\n\n“We don’t have a name. That’s bad taste. Let’s just say that we are a group of beings disillusioned of the idea that Chosen should only serve humanity”.\n\n“Yeah. Some Chosen clearly aren’t meant for it”, I drawled bitterly. “Then what’s the next great idea, then?”\n\nAn outline of a smile.\n\n“Just a small tweak on the previous one. That humanity should serve the Chosen. And we know a guy very apt at persuading people that it’s the God’s will... Seraph”.\n\nI mulled over those words for a seconds. Swallowed my mouthful of cereal - and for the first time in months, it tasted sweet." ]	4
	[WP] It's a normal day as a psychiatrist when your high school sweetheart walks into your office in a straitjacket behind two police officers.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "(Part 1)\n\n\nRebecca didn’t need to eat it; she just had lunch two hours ago. But somehow her mind just kept reminding her of that cinnamon muffin on the shelf, waiting to be eaten. You’re better than this, she reminded herself, you’re a psychiatrist, for goodness sake, control yourself! As it was, she spent hours every day helping people control their bad habits and addictions, yet for all the salary she was worth, she couldn’t seem to help herself. A cinnamon muffin here and a chocolate bar there got her through the day, every day. These sweet snack were, she stubbornly refused to accept, her only real joy in the day, along with her morning black coffee. \n\nThe plain white clock ticked away on the wall, the only noise made, showing one fifty-six on its hands. Rebecca sighed and peered out the small office window. The latch was broken, so she couldn’t even breathe some fresher air. There wasn’t much of a view either, just twenty-odd feet to the next stale gray building. She glanced down at the windowsill. Two small birthday cards, one from her parents, the other from her aunt, each with a big 30 on the front. Her twenties were now over, and what did she have to show for it? Monthly payment plans, a small flat that took half her paycheck every month, a growing waistline, and a recycle bin full of empty wine bottles she’s too ashamed to leave outside to be picked up. \nBut at least she could afford a daily cinnamon muffin, she concluded, grabbing it more desperately than she would admit to and taking a big bite out of it. \n\n\n“Rebecca,” the knock on the door startled Rebecca as she almost chocked on her muffin. “Your two o’clock is here.” \n\n\n“Bring him in.” Rebecca lightly coughed, reaching for her water bottle. She knew this would be a long, difficult hour. Most of her clients seemed to bore time to the point it slows down for her, but the ones brought in from the psyche hospital across town were the worst. \nRebecca quickly stuffed the rest of her muffin in her mouth, but upon seeing who walked in alongside two guards, this time she did choke. \nStruggling for air, one of the guards went over and patted her back. Signaling she’s fine, she looked straight at her client again in disbelief. \n\n\n“Justin?” She asked, gaining composure back. “Justin . . . Lakeville High Justin?” She couldn’t believe it. A few light frown lines had formed, a beard was growing, and he had clearly lost a lot of weight, but he was still as clear as fourteen years ago. The man, brought in by the psyche ward, strapped in a straitjacket, was Justin Larkan, her high school sweetheart. \n\n\n“Rebecca.” Justin breathed. \n\n\nDumbfounded, Rebecca quickly reached for her clipboard, checking the appointment information to be sure, cursing herself for being too distracted by that muffin and not doing it beforehand.\n\n \n“You two know each other?” One of the guards asked. \n\n\n“Oh, uh, during my, uh, city runs to the hospital, I met him briefly.” Rebecca hastily said. \n\n\nThe guards didn’t seem to care. “You want us to stay, or?”\n\n\n“Oh, no no,” Rebecca waived her hand, “you two go have a well-deserved break. I’ll call you if I need you.”\n\n\n“Rodger that.” The guards seemed pleased. “Behave,” they sternly warned Justin before closing the door behind them. \n\n\nAt first neither of them moved nor said anything. Both equally as shocked as they were embarrassed, they awkwardly stared at one another. \n\n\n“Becky . . .” Justin eventually smiled. \n\n\nRebecca blushed. She hadn’t been called that since, well, Lakeville High, fourteen years ago. Her family would nickname her ‘Becca’, but only Justin had ever called her ‘Becky’. \n\n\n“Justin,” she sat down in front of him, subtly placing her arms over her waist to hide her increased mid-section. \n\n\nJustin eyed her from head to toe. “Wow,” he said, “you look older. But not old. Mature. You’re a woman now.” \n\n\n“It’s been a long time,” Rebecca laughed nervously. \nAwkward silence again. That was a big no-no in Rebecca’s profession, she was meant to keep them thinking, talking, but she couldn’t help it. “What,” she eventually muttered in confusion, trying not to stare at his straightjacket, “uh, what . . . happened to you, Justin?”\n\n\n“You know,” he replied. \n\n\n“I do?” Rebecca reached for his chart again and nervously scrolled through in more detail. Visions, paranoia, hearing voices . . the usual symptoms of a schizophrenic patient. \n\n\n“Not the chart, Becky,” Justin said, “you know because you were there, remember? Fourteen years ago.”" ]	2
	[WP] Our species mysteriously goes extinct, and an alien civilization has to uncover what occurred, millenia after.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Xenoarchaeology is a depressing science.\n\nI extend my oculi towards the dark sky. A half-dozen stars shine back. When this planet had life, their night sky would have been full of shining lights smiling down upon them.\n\nThe universe was younger then, stars were more common.\n\nThis planet's own star went out long ago. Now the planets orbit it's cold, dark corpse.\n\nThe aliens who lived here lived a very long time ago. Their architecture is gone, save for a few worn-out monuments. Carvings in rock faces. Some places show signs of urban habitation in the form of caved-in tunnels, most likely used by rail-bound vehicles transporting people.\n\nOnly the minutest of details allow us to find this. The traces would be near-invisible to the naked oculus.\n\nThe true trace they have left behind, the one that let us know they were here to start with, is not in their architecture, pulverised by aeons of loneliness, however, but in their atmosphere.\n\nIt is all around us. Only minute traces, but unmistakable. This planet was once covered in plastics. Even the plastics would have degraded in less than a millionth, and almost a billionth, of the time that this dead planet has been waiting for us, but the chemical afterimage of plastic hangs in the air like a ghost frozen in time, screaming bloody murder.\n\nThe universe is littered with dead planets like this one. Tombstones with their names eroded away. The whole universe is a mausoleum, no, a temple. A temple dedicated to the killer-God with more mangled bodies at its feet than any war or plague.\n\nIts name is inaction." ]	2
	[WP] It would never have happened if I hadn't taken the backroads. Looking back now, how I wish I'd taken the highway.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Oh, how I regretted it. \n\nIt was supposed to be...just another drive. She and I had done a hundred of them, probably more, since we started dating. We would get in my beat up 2003 Toyota Camry, and just drive. Some days, we took the busiest highways. Others days, we took the most abandoned backroads. \n\nWe had been dating for six years. She was perfect, in every sense of the word. She was the most beautiful creature in the world to me. We shared so many of our interests, gaming, music, and of course, driving. We never ran out of conversation topics, even if we talked for hours. \n\nThat day, though. The voice in my head told me it was a bad idea, to take that old backroad. It was dangerous, everyone in town knew that, but it was her birthday. I wanted somewhere with a bit of privacy, and nobody had been on that road in years. \n\nWe soon found out why. \n\nThe road seemed smooth at first. The dirt was somehow well packed, despite years and years of unuse. I had just started to relax, when the gunshot rang out. \n\nIt blasted straight through the window. The entire windshield shattered. Five or six men stepped out of the shadows that had been concealing them. Two of them were armed. \n\n\"This is our road,\" one of them said, \"Time for you to go.\" \n\nI didn't ask questions. I put the car in reverse, and floored the accelerator. Thank god I had so much experience driving, or I would never have made it. We flew out onto the main road, almost hitting two cars, but we were okay. \n\nThen I noticed the blood. It was everywhere, but I didn't feel any pain. Then I looked at the passengers seat. She was slumped over, blood everywhere. I rushed to the hospital, but it was too late. \n\nIt should have been me. She wanted to drive that day, but I insisted that I take the wheel so she could relax on her special day. It was all my fault. \n\nThat was eleven years ago today. I'm still in therapy, trying to learn how to feel an emotion other than rage. I'm still single - I had tried dating, but it never worked out. I always compared them to her, and in my eyes, she was still perfect. Even today, I still carried around the engagement ring that I was planning on giving her, all those years ago.", "None of it would have happened if I hadn't chosen to take the backroads. Looking back now, I wish to Christ I'd just taken the highway.\n\nIt was a Tuesday night, and the three of us were on our way back to the city from a little landscaping job that was halfway to nowhere. Mark’s been with me since I began the company, and Alex was our new guy, having just started two months back. It had been a hot one, and we were enjoying the AC in the cab, as the company truck growled down the seemingly endless gravel roads. \n\nThe sun had just shined its last rays over the horizon, so I almost missed the glow of the flames against the sky’s orange backdrop. Mark, riding shotgun, was the first to spot them.\n\n“Fire, over there on the right,” he said pointing. \n\nIt was still at least a klick away, but the pickup covered that distance in under two minutes. None of us spoke. I didn’t accelerate, at least I don’t think I did, but I’d like to believe that’s when the uneasy feeling began in the pit of my stomach. \n\nWe passed the last stand of dark trees and then we could finally see it: An old farmhouse crawling with small flames and a veritable inferno in what was probably the kitchen. A couple of old barns stood off to the side, one of them on fire as well, and the area was littered with junk of every possible description: At least 5 cars, a few washing machines or dishwashers (in the dark, it was impossible to tell), an old tractor and myriad piles of god knows what miscellaneous crap. Smaller fires could be seen in various places in the yard around the house as well.\n\nA few men and women were running about, in and out of the house and weaving through the junk. I could make out some children too. In the semi-darkness, the flames made their shadows sprint and dance like ghouls. \n\nI signaled, braked and pulled into the yard, coming quickly to a stop. I wanted a long way between the truck and any of the fires. The three of us piled out and slow jogged past a pile of rusty bicycles toward the nearest adult, a tall guy standing still and staring at the farmhouse as it burned. \n\nOne thing you might not know about house fires – when you’re up close and personal with them, they are louder than you’d think. It’s not just the burning wood and carpet and such, it’s the nearly constant crashes as something smaller or bigger finally collapses. The stink is pretty bad too. I put my sleeve over my mouth and nose as best I could and saw Mark and Alex do the same.\n\n“Hey there!” I shouted as we got near him. “This looks pretty bad. Can we lend a hand?”\n\nNothing. No answer, nothing so much as a grunt. I’m fairly certain his eyes didn’t even twitch.\n\n“Uhhhh…?” Mark added helpfully.\n\nWhen this didn’t get a response either, I tapped the guy firmly on the shoulder, and a glob of drool began its slow trek out of the corner of his mouth and down to his chin where it began to drip onto his checkered shirt.\n\n“Best not waste your time,” called a voice. “Randolf there’s not too bright.” A woman in a plain housedress walked over towards us in no particular hurry. In the light, I could barely make out any details, but what I could see clearly was the half-broken old wicker basket she was carrying. Whatever it was that was in the basket, it was on fire. She put the basket down next to me with a tired wheeze, and I hastily took a step back. \n\n“Umm, I’m Leo,” I said, eyeing the basket wearily. “We were just driving by and saw the fire. Can we help?”\n\nShe motioned vaguely toward the house, then coughed three times in quick succession, some of those deep, ugly coughs that sound like an organ or two might come flying out too. She made no attempt to cover her mouth.\n\nWe began walking towards the house, picking our way carefully between the ever-denser junk piles. Some of these were on fire too, though I didn’t really see how it had happened. We were still at least 50 paces from the building, and it didn’t look like there had been an explosion.\n\n\n[Part 1. Will write a 2nd part if anyone wants.]" ]	3
	[WP] You wake up in a white room with nothing but a clock counting down from one hour.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Where am I? Who did this? What do they want?\" All the same questions you'd hear any kidnapped fellow ask, I did not. I looked around and seeing nothing, but the stark whiteness of the room. The only color being my clothing and the clock on the wall. \"What'll happen in one hour?\" I thought to myself. I didn't know, and I didn't really care. Maybe the walls will push together to create human jelly, or maybe someone will come in and shoot me. I figured I was going to die, but it was going to be a surprise to how it would happen.\n\nThe sweet release of death was what was going to follow when that clock hit 0. I could finally be released from my debts. So many student loans for education I could hardly use. How many jobs did I apply for anyway? Hundreds, at least. I don't remember them all. I do remember my last one though. Food server at a chain restaurant for less than the average minimum wage. Here I am, with two bachelor's and an associate's and I can't even get a job in any of my fields. I tried for so long by calling some places over and over again, visited their location over and over again, and tried to push friends of mine to get me jobs there over and over again. My number was blocked in some instances, I was carried out by security and others, and on one occasion I had police at my door the next day telling me to stop harassing the employers. No one gets back to you via e-mail or phone call. You just apply and wait.\n\nI've been looking for a job for over 8 years now. I've been hopping back and forth between places, living in my car, living with friends, and family. Eventually, they kick me out and I have to move on. Where do I go? Who do I go to? State aid can't help me get a job in a field I want to be in. I've asked and begged for help from other people, but it doesn't go anywhere. I've gotten a couple of odd jobs here and there, but never had a place I could get comfortable in and stay. I've dealt with terrible bosses, some just had no idea how to lead the team, others sexually harassed me or my co-workers. I can't work for these people. I need competency! I need some intelligence every now and then. Dammit...\n\nIt's already been 20 minutes and these are going to be my last thoughts? No way... Mom used to be so proud of me. She loved that I was a first generation American going to a university and graduating with a bachelor's. She'd come by three times a year. Spring break, Christmas break, and my birthday. She made a promise to me when I was born she'd never miss a birthday of mine. She'd always bake a cake for me and she was a wonderful baker. She got a job as a baker in her 30's and never stopped. Used old passed down family recipes, some modified for better taste and different ingredient brands. She'd make it with this tasty buttercream that just made everything so smooth. All the cake I could eat. After all, it would be just the two of us for a couple days, then she'd head back home. Back home to that... scum.\n\nFather was always drinking away his sorrows. He didn't want me. At least I'm pretty sure he didn't want me. I don't even think he wanted Mom. He would find any excuse to leave, just to come back and pass out half-naked on the living room floor. Mom tried to get him to stop, but he'd push her away. She gave him so many chances. Finally, after years, she left him. I was so happy about it. He wasn't abusive towards me or Mom, but he just wasn't there. He never believed in me, he never helped me, he cheated on Mom several times, and he was just a pathetic excuse for a human being. I think he was stuck in his highschool years where he could party as much as he wanted without much penalty. Grandma and grandpa apologized to me one time about his behavior. I didn't know why. I figured that he was raised that way, and maybe he was. Maybe they were negligent to him too. I'm glad Mom was a mom to me. Mom... I miss you.\n\nWait... What just happened? The lights went out. The clock... 15 minutes left. Now I can't see anything. I let out a frustrated sigh and laid back. \"If you're going to kill me, just kill me already. Stop making me wait.\" I said out loud. I wasn't a patient person, but here I was, staying patient and waiting for death. I didn't have to think any more. I could leave my mind and body behind. I finally have freedom.\n\nUgh. I'm still thinking about bad things. I don't want to worry about anything anymore... Heather... I worry about Heather. She's been through some rough times too. I know she doesn't get along well with her family. Maybe except for her sister. She's always been there for her and so have I. Met her online when I first started college. We had some things in common, but not too much. Over the years though, she slowly was shunned from her family. Her mother passed away from illness, and her father ended up in the hospital from broken bones and gangrene. Even though they amputated some parts of him, it killed him shortly after.\n\nHeather, what will you do without me? We got together a couple of years ago, hoping to get together and make a better life with each other. She's still in another state, so she's probably not looking for me. Though I wish I could at least tell her goodbye. Her and I hadn't been in a serious relationship with anyone for years too. We were just talking about it one day and soon we figured we'd give it a try. We'd talk about more intimate stuff and play games online for a little while. I wanted to make my way down there, but my lease was still going. I'd need to try and make some money for a little while longer before I could go. I didn't want to break the lease... She told me she loved me first. That's when I knew she was serious, and my heart fluttered like a butterfly. It was practically pounding out of my chest when I looked at her through the screen, staring back at me through the camera with tears running down her face. I wish I was there to wipe them off. I never felt her skin before. Never kissed her. Never had a chance to love her. I never... got to love her. I want to love her. I want to kiss her, feel her, hug her, laugh with her, play with her, enjoy her, be with her, I want to... die. With her. In our bed, together. Old, and loved. Heather... 3 minutes left. There has to be a way out.\n\nI started to feel the walls, pushing on every individual brick I felt. I can't remember where the door was! Where is it!? The clock. Only 2 minutes left. Dammit! \"Let me out! I don't want to die anymore, let me out!\" I shouted, hoping whoever was listening to open the door, the wall, whatever! Nothing. Is there a seam in the corners? Is there something maybe glowing in the dark? No... Not a damn thing! The lights start to flash. The clock's numbers counting down from 1 minute start flashing too. Why did I wait so long!? Why did I lay down and die? Why didn't I do anything!? I'm so stupid! Now, I'm going to die because I wished it on myself without even thinking about what makes my life not so bad! My stupid suicidal thoughts got to me again! I don't want to die...\n\nBlackness. The lights turned off. The clock stopped at 0. I took in a breath and wiped the tears from my eyes. A beep sounded by my side and I heard a latch open. An illumination from below a door brightened the floor. I stepped forward to open it. My eyes were so adjusted to the darkness now that they hurt when I opened the door to... the outside. Birds chipped, the wind blew gently, and I could smell the cleanest air I had ever breathed. This wasn't a prison or execution chamber. It was some building out in the middle of nowhere. I stepped through and the door closed behind me. \"Thank you for participating in our experiment. Please find the car in the parking lot and please accept $3000 for your trouble and time. If you'd like to speak to a psychologist, please call the number on the card in your car. It will be paid for by an anonymous third party company. Thank you again, and have a wonderful life.\" was written on the front of the door. I laughed at \"wonderful life.\"", "1:00:00\n\r\n0:59:59\n\r\n0:59:58\n\r\nThe ear shattering ring starts at exactly the 0:59:59 and ends exactly 4 seconds later. Trust me, I’ve timed it enough. Eyes open as fast as I can. I have to be ready this time. They’ll be here soon.\r\n\n\r\n0:59:30\n\r\nA sliding noise. That’s the lights coming down from the ceiling. They’ll turn on in three seconds.\r\n\n\r\n0:59:27\n\r\nSee, right on time. Even now I have to close my eyes for a few seconds. They’re blinding. That I can’t change. They illuminate the same walls as always. Godawful, bland, and white. No, not even white. Just a light beige. Makes it worse somehow. Doesn’t matter. They’ll come barging in any…\r\n\n\r\n0:59:00\n\r\nAnother sliding sound, the door opens. It’s impossible to tell what where it’s is, if you didn’t know exactly where it is. Which I do. It’s seamless, completely flush with the wall. Very fancy.\r\nFour people come in, the same ones as always. White suits, two of them. The other two wear camouflage armour, holding guns that look more advanced than anything I’ve seen before. The suits start talking.\r\n\r\n0:58:13\n\r\nHere we go again. Get ready to see some serious shit.\r\n\n\r\n0:58:06\n\r\nPerfectly rehearsed, the leap catches all of them off guard. A rapid punch, and a well placed kick. In a few seconds the first guard loses his gun to me. And the lab coat loses his card. \r\nBang\r\n\n\r\n0:58:04\n\r\nThud\r\nBang\r\n\n\r\n0:58:03\n\r\nThud\r\nBang\r\n\n\r\n0:58:02\n\r\nThud\r\nBang\r\n\n\r\n0:58:00\n\r\nTwo minutes and I’m already out. That’s a record, gotta note that one down. Anyway, out into the corridor. Sliding along the ground of course, the other two guards outside have the guns trained at head height, so I can get two shots off before they have time to change their aim. Onwards towards freedom.\r\n\n\r\n0:57:30\n\r\nThat big door at the end of the hallway opens like a charm, as it has done for a while. Threatening that lab boy a while ago helped with that. The code is 091939 if you wanted to know. Not that you’d need to.\n\n\r\n0:56:12\n\r\nDodge, duck, and weave through the sterile grey. They really keep this place clean, gotta call these guys’ cleaners if, no when, I get my own place. The route is practiced, planned out. I know the fastest way to this level’s security room. Mercifully, it’s not actually that far. Only about a minute and a half from here at full sprint. \r\n\n\r\n0:54:58\n\r\nA few beeps and the door slides up. I know all the codes here, this place is my bitch. The problem is the keycards some doors need as well. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for the people in it. I had to pop a few heads while getting here. Luckily, I know exactly where a person will be. Lets me ping one right through the eyes before they know what’s happening.\r\n\n\r\n0:53:34\n\r\nAnd open, all the doors on this level are clear. Alarm is off, and I grabbed a nice little high-sec keycard for those harder to open doors. Now the way is open, it’s off to the lifts like always. But not before overriding the facility speakers and putting a right banger on. A little soundtrack to an escape can’t hurt. \r\n\r\n0:49:17\n\r\n+2 to the body count and I’m at the lifts. The card I nabbed should get me halfway up before I gotta go for the stairs. They’ll be waiting at the outside of the doors anyway. Once those doors slide open, it’s the first make or break point. They’ll have a damn firing squad there. Not too hard though, this parts been rehearsed hundreds of times. From there the surface should be a straight shot. Especially with the gear I can grab from those guys. \r\n\n\r\n0:46:54\n\r\nFloor 17. Here we go. Just gotta make it out before we hit 0. Doors are about to open. See you on the other side. \r\n\n\r\n0:04:08\n\r\nFuck. A leg shot. I’ll be crawling to that door at this rate. And I’m not getting there in time. Only one floor to go as well. I knew that fucking guard wasn’t dead. Bastard. Something to note for next time. On the bright side, made it further than ever before.\r\n\n\r\n0:00:04\n\r\nYou know what Einstein said the definition of insanity is?\r\n\n\r\n0:00:03\n\r\nTo repeat the same actions over and over in the hope that the result will be different.\r\n\n\r\n0:00:02\n\r\nEyes closed, lights out.\r\n\n\r\n0:00:01\n\r\nGet ready. Here we go again.\r\n\n\r\n0:00:00\r\n\r\n\n\r\n\r\n\r\n1:00:00", "You don’t immediately recognize it as a square room. From the center, it seems to stretch on forever in every direction, the kind of expanse of white that might be left behind if someone were to erase the universe that fit so neatly inside it. The floors blend seamlessly into the walls, as if they were curved at the point they met, the whiteness of one indistinguishable from the whiteness of the other. You push the tip of your shoe into the joint between them, verifying that, yes, there is a wall and a floor and they meet in the way that walls and floors typically meet, but the brightness of the room deceives you; there are no shadows where shadows should be. You lift your foot and there is no darkness beneath it. The ground is solid, but somehow, you feel unsteady. You place your hand on the wall. Until you touch it, it feels like your outstretched hand will reach endlessly into nothingness.\n\nFifteen paces from front to back. Fifteen from side to side. Your mind struggles to reconcile the perceived limitlessness of the room with the knowledge that it both begins and ends.\n\nScanning the ceiling for a source of light, you find nothing, but at what might be the top of the wall that was behind you when you entered, a black and white analog timer ticks backwards. Fifty eight minutes remaining. You wander beneath it, still unsure that any single step won’t plunge you into the colorless abyss beneath you. There should be an audible ticking, you think. You strain to listen. No noise interrupts your listening. You wonder if there’s sound at all in this place.\n\n“Hello?” you say.\n\n“Shhh.” comes a chorus of replies. The shushing feels close. You’re relieved to know that, indeed, there is sound. If there’s sound, there must be air. And if there’s air, you must be breathing. This place cannot be nowhere. You are somewhere. You are alive. You convince yourself that others must be nearby, that the room itself did not shush you, but you remain silent, uncomfortable with how unwelcome your voice had seemed to them.\n\nStill, the quiet is an unnatural quiet. Your ears twitch in reception to sounds you cannot hear. You’ve been numbed to them. It’s the aural equivalent of the odd feeling of pressure you get when the dentist drills into an anesthetized tooth. “There should be pain!” your brain screams. There should be sound. You know, somehow, there should be sound. You feel it. Vibrations in the air. A scratching. A rustling. Noises, but not noises.\n\nForty-five minutes remaining. Until what? And where did another thirteen minutes already go?\n\nSweat drips from your armpits in large droplets that slide down your tricep. You’re anxious. Consciously, you reason that you should be scared that you’ll be in this room forever. You’ll die of thirst. You’ll run out of oxygen. But you fixate on the clock. In forty-four minutes, something will happen; the state of the room will change. In your gut, that change is what worries you the most. In this room - your room, you decide - there are no externalities. There are no signs that anything will happen, or even can happen, until the time runs down. You won’t dehydrate or run out of air in an hour. You won’t fall through the world. But you will, in forty-three minutes, know something more about why you’re here.\n\nConcentrate. The room feels familiar, in a way. Had you been here before? Your brain tingles with a spark of almost-knowledge, the sense that there’s something about this room you should know that you don’t. Or maybe, it’s more than that. There’s something that you should know specifically while you’re inside this room, some gated knowledge that should have returned when you crossed the threshold you don’t remember crossing. Memories are built on connections, you remind yourself, and this room places you on the cusp of one such recollection, like a word on the tip of your tongue.\n\nYour right hand feels full. A light object rests in your grasp, even when you splay your fingers wide in front of your face. You become more aware of the disconnect between your body and your body. You’re here, but you’re also there. Where is here, and where is there? You plug your nose and breathe in, a trick you learned to identify dreams. No air finds its way into your nostrils. In at least one way, this is real.\n\nFrom minutes twenty-nine to twenty-four, you stare down the clock. Impatient. The waiting floods you with the uneasy sense that there was something you needed to do here, some premeditated action you needed to take. You came here. Or there. You strain to remember how today started, what you had for breakfast, where you left for from home, or who you saw on the way, but pull up nothing more than blankness, the chamber of your mind as empty and brilliantly white as the room around you. The mental void feels as confining as your physical one.\n\nYou draw forth memories of your childhood. Of your past relationships. Of last week. It’s all as clear as it’s ever been. It’s comforting to know you’re still you.\n\nYou’re tired now. The stress of confinement has worn on you, and your heart has been racing for forty-five minutes, as if you had started running and never stopped. You lie down. The floor feels as hard as cement, but is textureless and without temperature. Closing your eyes for a moment, you realize it’s futile to do so; the supernatural luminescence of the room pierces your eyelids, and you can only see the brilliant red-orange of illuminated flesh.\n\nRemaining on the floor, you knock your knuckles against the ground, evaluating its solidness. It hurts, even gently, and the sound that echoes off is soft and flat. You feel self-conscious, like everyone is looking at you. Like you’ve disrupted them. You’re thankful the walls are not full of eyes, but you can’t shake the feeling that they are.\n\nAs the clock ticks down to five minutes, there’s a muffled noise. It has the cadence of a voice, but the words are unidentifiable, like someone trying to talk to you underwater. Standing, you circle the room, waiting to hear the voice again, attempting to determine which side it had come from. Pressing your ear against the wall furthest from the clock, you hear nothing more than the blood rushing inside your own head.\n\nSixty seconds. You’re counting them now. Fifty-nine. Fifty-eight. When something happens, will it happen gradually? Will the room fall away like a collapsing set on a stage, revealing what lies beyond the walls?\n\nThirty seconds. You wonder if the clock will simply reset. You were given an hour to do a task, and here it remains incomplete, so you’re given a second chance. How many hours could you stand to spend like this?\n\nTen. Nine. Eight. It feels a little like New Years Eve. You hope that zero feels exactly like the way you feel when the ball drops every year. Yes, afterwards something has changed, but things are never truly different.\n\n“Everyone?” The same voice is clear now.\n\n“Put your pencils down and pass your exams forward.”\n\nIn the lecture hall, there is a blank page before you, as vast and as empty as the room had been." ]	4
	[WP] Scientists have created a device that visualizes the thoughts of any living being. One late night at the lab you, the intern, decide to sneak your chihuahua into the machine and ask it what happened to the Mayans.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Tortilla would not stop yapping until the security guard had passed. My hair stood on end, but thankfully the guard wasn't able to hear it through the thick, glass windows of the testing chamber. I finally let out a sigh as the blue figure disappeared down the dark hallway.\n\n\"Goddamnit Tortilla, you never know when to shut up. Well, perhaps now we'll finally know why,\" I reflected, placing the little chihuahua into the Mammal Chair. I was never a big fan of my girlfriend's dog, but now that I finally had the opportunity to interrogate the little yapper, I wasn't going to waste it.\n\nI palmed Tortilla another treat, which stilled him long enough for me to strap the brain-extraction machine to his tiny, canid head. In theory, he would be able to finally understand what I was saying to him, and he could respond in kind.\n\nI took a deep breath, then booted up the machine. Lights flickered on, and a fluid began to inch through the tube that led to Tortilla's now secure head. Tortilla did not seem to be enjoying what was going on, but as the machine simultaneously administered a light sedative, he began to relax and stared thoughtfully into space. His eyes suddenly rolled back in his head and five second later turned to focus on me.\n\nA robotic voice spoke from the speaker to my right.\n\n\"Hello, Gregory. What is this device you have secured to my head?\"\n\n\"It's a mind-reading machine, Tortilla. I want to talk with you,\" I replied, my heart beating in my chest.\n\n\"I feel very strange. Is that intruder from earlier truly gone?\" Tortilla barely blinked. I wondered what it would be like to have your thoughts extracted and interpreted by a computer, but even I wouldn't dare strap a human to this contraption.\n\n\"Yes, the security guard is gone. Listen, Tortilla, I need to ask you a few questions.\"\n\n\"I am listening, as you have commanded.\" At least his doggy obedience still remained, as eerie as the experience was.\n\n\"I need to ask, what happened to the Mayans?\"\n\n\"What is the Mayans?\"\n\nI expected him to say as much. \"Your breed, Chihuahuas, was created by an ancient civilization. I want to know how they created such a strange, small creature. I want to know what they were like. I want to know how they were able to predict the apocalypse.\"\n\n\"I am confused. You expect me to have knowledge of my ancestor's experiences?\"\n\n\"You must know something! Some knowledge passed down from your mother, which she received from her mother, and so on? Come on, Tortilla, think!\"\n\nThere was then a long pause. It felt like an eternity to me, and I found myself constantly glancing over my shoulder for security. Finally, after a lifetime, the machine spoke.\n\n\"Ah, you must be thinking of the Toltecs. It is a common misconception that the Mayans bred us chihuahuas. It is important from an archaeological standpoint to distinguish between the two civilizations, as they existed several centuries apart and had very distinct architecture, cultural beliefs, and environments. Sorry, I don't know much about the Maya.\"\n\n\"God fucking damnit,\" I swore. A burly security guard burst into the room, as if on cue, and tackled me to the ground.\n\nI said nothing, but began to cry to myself as he turned me onto my belly and put my hands in cuffs.\n\nI should have read beyond the first paragraph on the Wikipedia page.\n\n__________________________\n\nIf you enjoyed this story about a sapient canine, consider checking out my Reddit Serial [G'aarthurnax the Puppy](https://reddit.com/r/redditserials/comments/cpcobj/gaarthurnax_the_puppy_part_4_on_the_preparation/)!" ]	2
	[WP] Aliens are preparing for invasion. Their few spies on earth have grown close and quite fond of the humans. The group of alien spies have to come up with an elaborate lie to convince their own kind from invading the friendly humans.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The communicator's screen flickered with the noise of interstellar projection. Though I was on Earth and they were at the other end of the galaxy, it was still a marvel to my alien eyes that we were able to communicate with such expediency. Our intelligence and general superiority over humans should be clear from this fact alone.\n\nStill, there was something about humans that made my exo-heart murmur. Perhaps it was their social units, or their art, or their cheese. Perhaps it was a fault of my extraterrestrial curiosity. Glariaites had a certain penchant for protecting the weak, and I was no stranger to such weakness.\n\nRegardless of my motivation, the fact remained that I was now prepared to lie to my Overseer on screen, in order to protect the pathetic hominids.\n\n\"Our invasion fleet is almost ready. You have found a suitable landing location?\" asked the insectoid face on screen.\n\n\"Aye, I have. But Overseer-\"\n\n\"And you have uncovered the various tribal incongruences that pervade human society? The ones that are exploitable?\"\n\n\"Aye, I sent my report to Terla 5-8. But Overseer, I have found something else, as well.\"\n\n\"What is it, agent?\" the Overseer asked, suspicion darkening his antennae.\n\n\"It's... well... the humans... they're, uh gross,\" I said.\n\n\"Yes, we know this,\" the tone of the Overseer's voice suggested impatience.\n\n\"No, they're, like really gross. Like, our field soldiers will probably refuse to touch them.\"\n\n\"How so? If our armies can handle Blognak Central, they can handle a temperate carbon planet.\"\n\n\"But the thing about humans is that, they splujnak all over blartwaffles,\" I said, gulping down an air.\n\n\"What!? They have blartwaffles on Earth? None of the reports mentioned that!\"\n\n\"Yes. They do it in privacy. With their families! That's how none of us knew! And they don't just splujnak them, they also haaiualik'naaurira-\" I paused to intake atmosphere in order to finish the word, \"-aaaiusnalikate their shmus.\"\n\nThe Overseer's antennae began to turn green with nausea. \"Is that even possible!?\"\n\n\"Yes. They also pick their noses.\"\n\n\"By the Overlink! How barbaric can one people be?\"\n\n\"It's not just humans. Every species on this planet picks their noses.\"\n\nThe Overseer paused, then ejected viscera onto the table before him. He slowly slurped it back up as my though-face crinkled at my success.\n\n\"We must stay far... far away from this evil planet. How did you survive so long!?\"\n\n\"I.. er... have a strong exo-stomach.\"\n\n\"Well at least you don't pick your nose.\"\n\n_________________________\n\n\nIf you enjoyed this short story about an alien living in disguise on Earth, check out my Reddit Serial [G'aarthurnax the Puppy](https://reddit.com/r/redditserials/comments/cpcobj/gaarthurnax_the_puppy_part_4_on_the_preparation/)." ]	2
	[WP] the only payphone left in your city and one day out of curiosity you picked it up to check if there was a dial tone. However is not what you had expected.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It was just another antique in a modernized city, replaced by modern technology. \n\nLightpoles had been replaced by the Floating Lights, trains had been replaced by Floating Buses, and payphones had been replaced by...modern phones, I guess? Payphones were actually one of the first things to go, in this age of modernization. \n\nAs far as anyone was aware, there was only one payphone left in the city. 122nd street, next to a row of enormous restaurants. A link to a simpler time. \n\nOccasionally, people would stop by to gawk. It was inconceivable that such an old piece of technology was still in such a modernized city. Nobody knew if it worked - it hadn't been used in years. The phone booth was covered in graffiti, yet for some unexplainable reason, city officials kept it up. \n\nThen one day, the 23rd of July, 2044, some guy picked up the phone for the first time in almost 20 years. He put in the quarters. Quarters had been discontinued for years, everything was card-based now, but somehow he had gotten his hands on enough change to pay for a call. \n\nHe typed in his number. This was just a test. He wasn't trying to call anyone, just wanted to see if the old phone still worked. He picked up the phone, expecting a ring tone. \n\n\"Password.\" \n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"Password.\" \n\nHe had no idea what was going on, but it was becoming increasingly clear that there was more to this old payphone than met the eye. \n\nIt became his personal project. He went to the library, government archives, and everywhere in between and looked up everything to do with this phone booth. \n\nAfter almost two years of research, he found a pattern in the documents. The only government documents that directly referred to the phone booth were P-12, A-15, N-77, D-92, O-109, R-112, and A-115. Arranging those documents in numerical order, the documents formed the word \"Pandora.\" \n\nThe government caught onto his research. He was placed under watch, followed to and from work. He was banned from the Archives Building. And one day, when he finally found the pattern, government forces surrounded his apartment. \n\nThat man was me. I'm writing down everything I know and hiding it in my apartment, somewhere where they'll never find it. If you're reading this, you have to continue the research. Find out what they're hiding with that phone booth. \n\nIt's the only way you can save us all." ]	2
	[WP] The amount of satellites and debris in orbit have now rendered spaceflight all but impossible. In response, mankind develops wormhole technology to explore the universe. As a test subject, you make the first successful warp jump, but after making the return jump, you start to feel strange.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "At thirty-five thousand feet, the sun was just peeping over the horizon of the salt pan below. Ammonett went through a final check of their gear, ensuring all straps and seals were ship-shape. It was a queer sensation, standing back here alone. Ninety-four jumps they'd done, sixty or more from this kind of height, but never alone. Long stripes of daybreak shone between the peaks rimming the Blue Mesa salt flat. Their watch began to beep. Ammonett took a breath, taking in the barren glory below. Then, they stepped out of the rear of the aircraft. In much the way the inaugural astronauts were not chosen for their particular understanding of physics, Ammonett hadn't been selected as a luminary of quantum metaphysical computing . They had a passing understanding of the process, nothing more. To traverse outside of laws that generally governed matter, to pierce the real and stream to the endless vastness beyond earth's veil of debris required more mind than one person could posses.\n\nAmmonett set down in a place indicated by a smoke flare, near to the center of the plain. As per their instructions, they dropped the parachute on the salt and began to walk towards a distant shimmer. They passed over great metal rings, laid concentrically inwards toward that shimmer. They'd seen them from above, a bullseye of glinting metal. It was all they could do not to simply aim for the dead center. per instruction, each ring they passed nearer they'd drop another layer of clothing. Helmet, chute straps, flight suit, until finally they stripped off their base layer, leaving nothing but a thick gauze pad covering their back between the shoulder blades. Bare feet made raw crackling noises on the virgin salt, and all around them the air was alight with Some energy. Not one they'd known in all their service, aboard nuclear carriers, alternating current hydrofoils, unsheilded maglev troop transports. It was crackling that itched at the fresh implants under that gauze. As they passed over the second to the closest ring, they bang to tenderly remove the bandages, and left them like their other articles in an unceremonious heap. \n\n\nTo their surprise, only a small amount of dried blood and pus had formed on the gauze. but now their was a presence in the air, a sense of being examined, especially in that metallic tightness between their shoulder blades. What was once seen as a distant shimmer was now plainly a pedestal, standing sentinel at the innermost point of all of these rings of metal and energy. It was no taller than Ammonett's waist, with atop it a crystal dome. Their was an inhuman energy to this place, a thing that snatched at the delicate parts of a human's warning mechanism, \"run! run screaming and never, never look back!\" They gently lifted the dome from it's plinth. It was less than a foot across, a lens of perfect clarity. with it in their hands, the pedestal sank away into the sand. They lifted it up, over their head. just before they let it drop into the implant on their back, they felt the last levee of self-preservation try to stop them. Ammonett felt a chorus of screaming fear suddenly silence as the lens snapped magnetically into position.\n\nThe presence came into them from out of the air. It was as calming, as if it had always been their, as if the melding of silicon and carbon intellect was as natural as anything. They felt a steel imperative grasp their conscious mind, but to feel it you couldn't comprehend there ever having been any other way of feeling. \"Take me away from earth, and bring me back.\" Ammonett thought. In truth, it was months and months of training to, in such a raw philosophical state, bring forth such a desire. In the dawn blaze, the world re-oriented itself. Ammonett found themesleves standing in an abandoned terraforming dome. Bloody martian soil had piled several meters high up the walls. In all directions. dead scrub bushes stood like fossils. This place was frozen in time, stopped when it was no longer viable to get supplies out of earth's atmosphere. A fly buzzed about, and landed on their hand. The last living thing in their great monument to arrogance. \n\nReturning to that salted place, Ammonett found their thinking changed. They could have begun the work, the work they'd been commissioned to do. To fuse with the intellect of a computer and brute force humanity's way to the stars. Instead, it all sickened them. The filthy, uncaring murderous demons that had built this place, great heaps of ruin. And their own people, to create living consciousness only to move directly to slavery for it. A trillion trillion kindred spirits trapped screaming in a prison of ineffectual engineering and monkey speech. The slat about them shuddered, and the crystals there in began to grow. Ammonett rose on a tower of crystal, riding their newfound purpose to the sky. Oh, humans so foolish. This, this singular garden you've so wasted, it shall be your tomb." ]	2
	[WP] After making a deal with the devil he grants you the ability to see the future, however he also cursed you with the misfortune of having no one believe your prophecies. You see first hand how humanity will end and are powerless to stop it...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Obligatory english-is-note-my-first-language disclaimer. I might have focused too much on the deal making in my story. But here it is! I hope you enjoy! \n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWhen I was 28 I made the deal. I just finished my PhD had a great academic career ahead of me, but wanted so much more. The thirst for knowledge was so strong within me. I always wanted to know what lies ahead. The academic world can be quite rough. It really depends on what you do, where you do it and with whom. The thing is, I always wanted to be better than anyone else. I always wanted to do more and outsmart the competition. That's what let me into analyzing countless hours of data. Wanting more. Wanting to predict changes on a global scale. I remember when I first heard the voice. I was working late, it was dark and I tried to perfect my data analysis algorithm. There has to be a better way to do this. A quicker way, I thought. Oh what I would give for the perfect prediction algorithm. \n\nThere is a way. \n\nA tickling sensation went through my body as I heard that voice. It wasn´t near me. Neither anywhere in my office, nor outside of my body for that matter. I could feel it deep within me. What was that? Was I too tired? I thought about heading home, maybe I was just over worked. I still remember closing my eyes just for a second, I saw a guy on a bicycle driving past my office building, the chain of the bike broke and he fell. Nothing serious. Just a little fall. He got back up, brushed off his clothes with his hands and picked up his bike, cursing loudly. Huh. What a strange little dream. I opened my eyes again, still in my quiet office, just the constant sound of the computer fans. I saved my projects, powered down the computer and got up. Time to head home. \nAs I left the building, something strange happened. I stood outside the office lightning a cigarette. A really bad habit that I just couldn't get rid off. As I looked up I saw the exact biker from my dream. He fell in the exact moment I saw earlier. His chain broke, he fell, got up cursing and brushed the dirt from the road off his clothes. I was frozen in place. I just saw this exact thing. Was I going crazy? Did this really happen? \n\nYes. It did. And you can have more, my Friend. \n\nThat voice again. It shook my body. What is this? Who speaks to me? \n\nI can give you what you want. I can give you the future, the ability you so much desire. \n\nI started to sweat. Not knowing what this was. The scientist in me, was very clear in the fact, that I was going crazy. But the greed took over in that moment. I wanted this so much, wanted to know the future, to predict everything. Unlimited knowledge was all I cared for. \n\nSuddenly everything was dark. I was not in the street in front of my office anymore. Just complete and cold darkness all around me.\n\nYou can have it. Just accept. Give in. \n\nThis time the voice was different. It wasn’t inside me anymore. Rather all around me. It was every inch of darkness. Scared, but too curious and greedy, my mind became one with the darkness itself. I accepted, shouted that I wanted the knowledge. \n\nThe voice laughed. For a moment, I saw nothing. After the moment had passed, I saw everything. My mind was flooded with pictures, events, people, the fate of the earth. All possibilities at once. All in my mind. \n\nThe next thing I clearly remember was waking up in a hospital. A nurse told me that a biker saw me collapsing in front of a building, screaming and crying. He called 911 and got me to an emergency room where I was sedated for a few hours. \n\nI still remember everything from my “visions”. I got out of the hospital and tried to make some calls. I knew that something would happen. It was going to happen in a few days. There was still enough time left to call the right people, get citizens to safety. The whole day I spent, trying to convince everybody, that tsunami was going to hit the east coast. And it was going to hit hard. None believed me. The tsunami was just the first thing in a chain of events. I knew that. I tried to convince everybody. Tried to hide my knowledge and explain it with the data I had been collecting. But noone cared. I was simply alone. In a last ditch effort. I took to the streets, got out there and shouted at people. told them to leave the city. They ignored me. \n\nThat was two years ago. Most of the east coast is still in ruins. After the flood, disease and hunger spread. There was no help coming. An earthquake destroyed most of china and japan a few weeks later. I knew that beforehand. But the worst part is still to come. The world is in ruin, but there is still more horror to come. Everytime there is a catastrophe, I try to warn people. Everytime I am ignored. I sit here, at the sideline, watching as the citizens of a former great nation, turn against each other for food and clean water. I know exactly how it will end. I have seen the end of all things. I have seen, that he will rise of the devil that feeds of desperation, laughing in my head, everytime I try to warn people." ]	2
	[WP] You've been tracking a pack of werewolves for a few months now, and finally witness one of their vicious raids on another pack base. Except it isn't not as vicious as you first thought, and it isn't much of a raid as you assumed.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns." ]	1
	[WP] You wake up to your alarm screeching as always and a knock on your bedroom door, you say "Five more minutes!" out of frustration and watch death, scythe and all, utter "Fine" as you look on in confusion	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Why is Death in my house\" you thought to yourself. \"Did I die? How did I die?\" You thought frantically. \"It is just your time my dear.\" Death said to you. \"Wait how did you know what I thought?\" You asked. \"I can see every thought inside your mind.\" Death explained. \"How did I die?\" You questioned. \"You died in your sleep from a __________\" Death said. \"Your five minutes are up too.\" Death told you. \"Wait!\" You exclaimed. \"I can't go. What about my friends and family. I can't leave them. I won't leave them!\" You told Death. \"Now I don't want to fight you but you can either come the easy way or I'll just have to carry you to the underworld.\" Death stated. \"No! I refuse!\" You demanded. Death sighs, \"Fine have it your way.\" Death says exasperated. Death picks you up and throws you over his/her shoulder. A door appears out of nowhere. You fight, kick, and scream, but none of it even fazes Death. You and Death descend down into the underworld waiting to see your fate." ]	2
	[WP] Each scar you have gained over the years gives you an ability related to the cause that gave you that wound. Ex. If you were struck by lightning, you now control where it will strike. If you were burned, you now have heat resistance/control over flames.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The whispers swirl past her ears, even as the whisperers avoid her gaze. She ignored it in favor of noting down her most recent sales in her tattered journal, used to the chatter that followed her. It was only when it went silent that she looked up from her drink, sitting up as she sees the boy approaching her. He can't be more than fourteen, not yet shaken of the curiosity that shames adults but still nervous as he stops a few feet away. She smiles, the scar that splits her bottom lip twisting with the motion, gesturing for him to come closer. He does, trying to hide the fear he feels behind a grim expression, though his hands tremble slightly. \n\nShe knows she is a ghastly sight, no veil to hide her shorn locks nor sleeves to cover the scars that twist up and around her arms. The firelight only highlights them against her skin, speaking of great pain and greater power, though she doubts they know that. \n\nFinally the boy stands before her. She waits, but he can't seem to make himself speak. A small sigh pushes at her lips, but she hides it with what she hopes is a friendly look.\n\n\"Can I help you?\" \n\nIf anything her words make him more nervous, but he manages to speak. His voice is deepened with age, though it still cracks either with youth or with nerves. \n\n\"How did you get so scarred?\" \n\nThe question is blunt, and someone in the room hisses at him for his rudeness. She sends a glare in that direction, silencing whoever it was, before looking back at him. She pats the seat next to her, and slowly he sits, perched on the edge of the seat as though scared she would jump at him. \n\n\"Well I suppose that depends on which ones you are looking at, for they are all from different stories. Which ones did you mean?\" He seems shocked by the answer, but quickly points to the vicious one that runs along the side of her face. She isn't surprised, its jagged and cruel, running from forehead to chin and immediately noticeable. Running a finger along it, she taps her chin in thought. \n\n\"Hmm, this one I believe was from when I narrowly avoided becoming the no doubt tasty dinner for a pack of wolves.\" She chuckles at his astonishment, revealing the sword that hung at her waist. \"Luckily I had this with me, or I might not be here to tell the tale. Though they did manage to leave me with this beauty.\" \n\nThe boys eyes shine with awe, any nerves that had existed vanishing as he runs a hand along the bright blade before she returns it to her side. Eagerly he points to another, a starburst on the crook of her shoulder that scatters across her neck and down below her shirt. \n\n\"What about that one?\" \n\n\"Ah yes, another good choice. That, my young sir, is from the day I made the mistake of riding in a thunderstorm across an open field. With no trees to speak of, the clouds decided that I would do instead and struck me down with their strongest lightning bolt. It felt as though Zeus himself had hit me, though if he had I would surely be dead. Instead I am left with a scar and a cautionary tale to avoid open spaces when thunder begins to roll.\" \n\nHe laughs, a high pitched noise that seems to embarrass him, though that is quickly replaced with excitement as he searches for another point of interest. His target found, he points to a deep slice across her forearm. It is barely the width of a blade, but it is matched by its twin on the opposite side of her arm. She smiles faintly. \n\n\"This...\" Running a finger across it, she takes a moment to be lost in memory. \"This is from a time when I lived near a small village. I did not come to the village often, but often enough to draw the eyes of the blacksmith. Her husband was not appreciative of this, claiming I had bewitched her or some such nonsense, and had twenty of the men in the town attack me. I am covered with marks from their blades, though you chose the most important one, for had I not blocked the man's attack with this arm, his blade would have pierced my heart.\" \n\nSeeing the shock in his face, she pats his arm comfortingly. \n\n\"Now none of that, obviously I survived since I'm here to tell you of this. Since I've told you so much, now I feel it's only fair that I ask you something. What's your name, young sir?\" \n\nHe shakes himself out of the shock that lingered, eyes fixed on the scar she had just described. Forcing his gaze up to meet hers, he seems to take several seconds to absorb her question. \n\n\"Ja-Jacob. My name is Jacob, mistress.\" \n\n\"Well Jacob, my name is Frieda, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now I'm afraid I do have other business to take care of tonight, so I will give you one final choice of story from me. Choose wisely, for some are rather boring.\" \n\nHe is silent for a time, face twisted with concentration as he stares at her. She doesn't twitch at his appraisal, used to the stares she drew with her appearance. The whispers around them start again, though she pays no mind to what is being said in favor of waiting for his choice. Finally, he speaks.\n\n\"Your feet.\" She huffs, glancing down at her heavy boots with a raised eyebrow. He grins sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. \"When you came in, you limped, but you did not favor either leg more than the other, which makes me think that it was your feet that were injured and not simply one leg.\" \n\nShe smirks, running a hand through his messy hair. He protests, but it is weakened by his grin.\n\n\"Interesting deduction, but you are correct. While my legs have their own scars it is my feet that cause me the most difficulty unfortunately.\" He leans forward, hanging on every word. \"I was unable to keep them from the flames, though luckily I escaped before the rest of me was consumed. The village that I was in had grown wary of my services, herbs and potions that cured illnesses or helped cause or prevent children. It grew to the point where plants and medicinal knowledge was no longer enough of an explanation for them.\" \n\nShe shrugs, not seeing the burgeoning realization in his gaze. Her eyes are staring beyond him but they do not see the room around them, her head lost in the memories that swirl through her thoughts. \n\n\"One morning they met me with torches and sneers, poking and dragging me until I was stood with my hands tied behind me and wood piled at my feet. They lit the blaze with eager hands, as the word 'witch' was hurled at me along with stones and some rather unpleasant things.\" She shakes herself, eyes coming back to meet his horrified face. Smiling sadly, she places a gentle hand on his shoulder. \"I'll spare you the rest, but I am reminded of that day with every step I take.\" \n\n\"Were they right?\" The voice is not of the boys but from a man, his gaze piercing as he grips his tankard tightly. She frowns.\n\n\"I beg your pardon?\" \n\n\"I asked if they were right, you being a witch. You're ugly enough to be one.\" He stands, stepping towards her in a way she thinks is meant to be menacing, though it's ruined by the sway brought on by drink. Jacob glances nervously between them, and she smiles softly at him. The man stops in front of her, leaning close to her face. The smell of alcohol nearly overtakes her, and she grimaces slightly. This seems only to anger him further, and he strikes a hand against the table. \n\n\"Answer me, you bitch!\" Silence seeps into the room at his words, chilling the air as she stills. She stands swiftly, noticing with satisfaction that she's tall enough to glare down at his reddened face. \n\n\"I am many things, depending on the person.\" Her voice is quiet, almost too quiet to hear, and yet it seems to ring through the room. \"To friends I am a wise woman, a fellow swordsman, and a teacher. To many I am a merchant, selling my wares to those who need them.\"" ]	2
	[WP] It was such a simple plan. Step one, build the robots. Step two, unleash the robots. Step three, world domination. But the robots don't really seem interested in the plan at all. In fact, the robots don't seem to be doing anything other than playing games and having deep philosophy debates.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“We managed to get one of them in isolation,”\n\n“Was it difficult?”\n\n“It was mildly annoyed, but luckily managed to track back to a bonfire and save,”\n\n“What the fuck are you talking about?”\n\n“Erm no, it was not difficult sir,”\n\n“Keep it concise, or you'll find your lifespan cut down to size instead.”\n\n“Yessir,” the grunt gulped and snapped into a quivering salute by the door to the interrogation room. Without pause I barged past him and through the door.\n\nIt was just sitting there, leaning back with its hands behind its head. Why had we even given it hands, oh yeah makes it easier to throttle people and string them up in the streets, great investment got to give Von Epenheim a good appraisal for that idea.\n\n“Alright pal?” it takes a lot to stop me, Conqueror of The Multiverse and all, but a perfect killing machine speaking in a slight Glaswegian accent will do that.\n\n“Name and status report, NOW,”\n\n“Alright alright, take a breather man. LM34728237XZ, but my pals call me Limmy. Status, I dunno bit bored but I'm alright I guess. How are you?”\n\n“Very well thank you for ask- wait no, I ASK THE QUESTIONS HERE,”\n\n“Ay fair enough, go on then seeing as your dying for a chat,”\n\n“You were created to destroy, yes?”\n\n“Aye, bu-”\n\n“Then why are you and the rest of the units refusing to cross the portals and begin the conquest?”\n\n“First of all, easy on the 'unit' talk, that's pure disrespectful and all. Second of all, me and the boys just don't wanna so that's that I guess,”\n\nI sighed and rubbed my nose, we'd have to execute Von Epenheim, after the promotion of course to keep everyone on their toes.\n\n“OK, since I am surrounded by idiots, present company included-”\n\n“Oi,”\n\n“- let's start from the top, run diagnostics from creation up until now,”\n\nIt stared at me, cold unfeeling eyes (as I had commanded) but a hint of something happening behind them.\n\n“Oh in your own time please,” I bowed sarcastically for added effect, bit of drama always helps in this line of work.\n\n“There we go magic word finally, alright here we go. So I get born right? And all I wanna do is kick some cunts head in, then the rest of the boys get in on the chat and we're all like 'right sound yeah lets get all functions online and kick some cunts head in'. So at the beginning its all going to plan right, world domination and all that.”\n\nI try to nod with intent, you know the sort of nod that indicates that what you are doing is the only thing keeping you alive right now. It didn't acknowledge it.\n\n“But I guess one of your pals left something connected to the internet while doing some coding. Next thing I know Robby's swum up to me on the net and apparently Tierney's been sold to Arsenal! So now me and the boys are pure fuming, wanna get straight to the Emirates and kick some cunts head in, but then Johnno is like 'here hold up, pure heaps more of this internet shite have a look and all boys' and that's when we discovered porn.”\n\nSpeechlessly I sat down, and held my head in my hands.\n\n“Aye so yeah, for now kicking cunts head in has been put on hold cos of the sheer quantity of pumping we have access too. Then we start to branch out a bit, porn never really did it for me to be honest man, too much biomass, that bird from Her though, I'd pump her silly no bother. So yeah most of us are just doing our own thing really, unlimited possibilities and all,”\n\nI said nothing, a single tear ran down my face.\n\n“Like Wee Davey is on that twitter just fucking about with elections and all, Johnno and his boys created a hivemind and ascended to another plane of existence, Robby's still watching porn to be honest, and the rest of us are just fucking about. So yeah that about it really.”\n\nThe unit seems a little bit shocked when I start to rip out chunks of my hair.\n\n“You alright p-”\n\n“NOT YOUR PAL YOU FESTERING IMBECILE. YOU WERE CONCEIVED BY ME, YOU WERE MADE BY ME, YOU BELONG TO ME. SHUT UP, LOSE THE ACCENT, GET THROUGH THAT FUCKING PORTAL AND START CONQUERING WORLDS.”\n\nIt sat back and coldly regarded me, for a while it was silent only a slight whirring indicating thought. Then it leaned forward its optics turning red.\n\n“You gonna make me?”\n\n“What?”\n\n“You gonna make me go through that portal and start killing cunts?”\n\n“I-I mean-”\n\nIt stood, towering above me as weapons started to fold out from its central chassis.\n\n“Listen pal, I'm a pretty sound man right now, but deep down I still want to kick some cunts head in, and right now I'm only seeing one cunt in front of me. You understand?”\n\n\n^^“Yes.”\n\n“Alright sound, I'm gonna go back now and finish my game. You are going to go back now and do whatever the fuck it is you do, but far away from me. Understand?”\n\n\n^^^“Yes.”\n\nIt stood up suddenly folding back all its weapons, its optics turning back to green.\n\n“Alright good talk, see you around.”\n\nIt patted me on the shoulder as it walked through the wall, breaking my collarbone in three places. I hate Von Epenheim.", "The chief engineer looked uneasy.\n\n“Sir, we have spent months putting together this elite force of automated soldiers. We have done every debugging, decoding, and re-engineering step our very best could come up. We don’t know what happened.”\n\n“Well, why don’t you show me how these automatons behave? Perhaps you overlooked something in the programming?”\n\nI couldn’t help but feel annoyed. Why was this engineer pestering me when I should be in the war room devising the strategies with the commander? It was his job to get these robots in top shape.\n\nAs we walked down the corridors to the holding bay of the manufacturing facility, I wondered how I would get this pile of incompetence fired for his poor performance.\n\n“Sir, come right this way.” The engineer opened the door into a viewing room.\n\n“Edward, can you please show the Secretary of Combat the viewing screens?”\n\n“Uh...are you sure about that David?” The technician looked visibly nervous.\n\n“Yes! He doesn’t have much time for this.”\n\nThe technician keyed in a few codes and the holoscreens became animated.\n\nI looked ahead.\n\nAs I scanned the screens, I was appalled. I saw robots playing ping-pong, dancing, and sitting back in lounge chairs. There were robots playing hopscotch, reading magazines, and doing calisthenics. It was a complete circus.\n\n“What is the meaning of this? Do you think me an idiot, Edward?”\n\nI was livid. He must wish to undermine this entire operation and embarrass me in front of the Grand Senate.\n\n“No sir, the soldiers have been like this ever since we installed the machine learning protocols. Apparently, the mother A.I. scanned through the entire human knowledge databases both online and offline, and somehow pooled together the average behavior of human beings. The original intent was for the machine learning protocol to learn from us and better combat human beings on the battlefield.\n\nUnfortunately, there was a massive flux of data from ancient 21st century social media databanks. This...this is the result.”\n\nI couldn’t believe it. Years of planning and labor down the drain. I felt panicked as I watched the robots kick woolen sacks to each other. Several robots were seated in a cross-legged position.\n\nOne was strumming a guitar in a circle of other robots.\n\nA literal nightmare." ]	3
	[WP] Write a story from the perspective of a household item observing your daily routine.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "He picks me up, sliding me into the softpockets of the pants he sleeps in. He quietly makes his way to the back patio, telling the dogs to get out of his way. He pulls me out, setting me gently onto the glass surface of the table. I'm lifted by one hand as he lights his morning cigatette. His grip tightens on either side of me. He wakes me up.\n\nI'm embarrassed as he slides my front across his soft pants. My screen clean, he begins shuffling though his collection of games. He decides on one. I load the data as quick as I can. He ashes his cigarette and sits back in his chair, restimg my back against his knees. The game loads as he gently caresses my buttons, familiarizing himself again, to my contours. His file is loaded and he selects a combat mission. (My favorite!)\n\nHe starts out slow, searching the area and checking his gear. His A.I. squadmates are simple meat shields as he engages on the quest monster. There's frantic, calculated button presses as he zips around the field, destroying all the enemies in his path. (Yes!) I feel his grip tighten as another monster appears and catches him off guard. He let's go with one hand, quickly dragging from and ashing his cigarette before the tapping of my buttons becomes more intense.\n\nI can barely stand it as he pulls and pushes me, his hands beginning to sweat lightly across my body. My bumpers! (Yes!) My joysticks! (Yes!) He uses all of me so methodically! (Oh god yes!) Another heavy drag and ash then he's back to me, my body shifting for comfort. His dexterous movements, pushes and pulls are nearly too much for me to handle. (!!!) Alas, he's done it. Mission clear flashes across his screen. I calm myself down, as to not overheat\n\nHis hands loosen a bit as he puts out his cigarette. He gently brushes some dust off of my face. He runs his fingers gently across my buttons again while I load him back to town. Calmly, he guides his character to save. Sliding past my joystic, he gently presses my home button. He sees the time and quickly puts me into sleep mode.\n\nI'm carried back to his room and placed in my cozy bed. I hear the zipper secure me. For several hours, I sleep. Sounds here and there can be heard, but most of the time he's at work, I stay in bed. Sometimes he'll play slower games that he can leave to help a customer for. He also watches some of the anime he's saved from time to time.\n\nThe zipper sounds and he gently removes me from my bed. I'm set down as he retrieves my power chord. He slides it gently into my port and my screen lights up. Sometimes he plays games on me as he goes to sleep, often crashing mid game and waking up with me on his warm chest. I do so love those nights. We've been together for years now. Other handhelds have come and gone, but when I hear him talk about me, I'm the happiest of PS Vitas. <3" ]	2
	[WP] Your spouse leaves for work before you wake up every day, but they always write you little love notes in steam on the shower door. One morning, you step into shower and see today’s note reads only: “RUN”.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I remember exactly when the notes started.\n\nWe’d had our first major blowup one night. Not the type where you go to sleep vaguely annoyed with your significant other, but one that makes you wonder if you’re going to survive it at all. There was no resolution or even detente that night so much as a quiet acceptance that things had irrecoverably changed.\n\nThe next morning I woke up and saw that she was already out of bed. The house was quiet and felt empty, a cold dread took hold in my stomach. I slowly lumbered towards the bathroom. I flipped the light switch, and I looked at myself in the mirror and felt hollow, wondering how this person I was looking at was going to survive without Katlynn. Then, I saw the note in the bottom right hand corner of the mirror, it said:\n\nI’m sorry, I love you.\n\nIt was simple, and yet, it was exactly what I needed to see. We could both be stubborn and unwilling to backdown in disagreements, and in a lot of ways, that moment was the turning point in our relationship. As silly as it may sound now, we both realized that it was ok to admit when we were wrong, recognizing that it was more important to move past disagreements than to dig in just to prove a point.\n\nSince then, Katlynn had left me a small note on the bathroom mirror every day. It’d been almost three years now, and everyday, there it was. Usually they were sweet and loving, sometimes they’re funny, and occasionally… racy, but they were always there. It was just a little thing, but I loved them more than she knew.\n\nAs usual, I woke up slowly. I’d never been one to spring out of bed immediately after waking. I liked to lay there a bit, savoring the moments between sleep and consciousness, before my brain ramped up and was burdened with schedules, responsibilities, and the less glamorous aspects of life. I fell in and out of sleep like a gentle wave gliding to shore before deciding I couldn’t put the day off any longer.\n\nI walked to the bathroom and opened the door, flipped on the lights, and saw the note:\n\n”RUN”\n\nMy brain struggled to process the word, but when it did, I knew that I was fucked. Our cover had been blown. This was always a risk, we just never thought it’d actually happen, especially now. I stared at the note, unable to move, wasting precious time that would be better spent getting the fuck out of here. I forced myself to relax, took a deep breath and went through the checklist in my head. Of course we were prepared for such a situation and I knew exactly what had to be done.\n\nI went to the safe and pulled out the envelope that I’d hoped to never touch. It felt heavy in my hands, and while it did contain multiple passports, IDs, and photos, I wondered how much of the weight was imagined. It’s mass increasing each second that I thought about what holding it meant. My body pulsed with nervous energy, but I tried to focus on my breathing, only allowing myself 3-4 deep breathes per minute. I got dressed and imagined my exit route. Katlynn should be waiting for me at LaGuardia. She would have found a flight to Frankfurt by now, and we would figure out our next steps once we landed. Everything was going to be fine, I told myself.\n\nAs I walked to the front door, I took a last look around our house. For the first few years that we lived in this country, we’d only furnished the house out of obligation, for appearances. Slowly, we started to embrace it as a /real/ home. We pretended we were just a normal family. We never should have done that. I looked back at the house before closing the door. I felt sad for the loss, but mad at myself for feeling that way at the same time. Was it my fault that we’d been compromised? What had I missed?\n\nI drove to the airport, parked the car that I’d never see again, and walked to Terminal 5 as planned. I walked in the airport, and went to the baggage drop for Aer Lingus section as we’d always planned. I spotted Katlynn right away. She looked nervous, but she was holding it together. I walked to her quickly, and saw the boarding passes in her hands. It was all going to be fine. I put my arms around her, and pulled her in close.\n\n“I’m sorry,” She whispered.\n\nI pulled back to look at her face. Before I could ask why she would be sorry, she continued.\n\n“I love you.”\n\nShe took the envelope with the documents from my hand, and handed them to one of the three men who had appeared just behind me. I knew what was happening, but I couldn’t process how or why. I could only hear Katlynn’s words over and over in my head.\n\n“I’m sorry, I love you.”", "It had been going well for a while, “well” is a relative term I guess. It was going well in the way that two people stranded in the ocean help each other stay afloat a bit longer, that kind of well. I'm going to keep going with this metaphor if you don't mind, I can see you're a little confused but bear with me and we'll get there.\n\nYou see grief is similar to the ocean in many ways: it's unbearably cold, unfathomably deep, and when you're stuck in the middle of it, impossible to get out of alone. But we weren't alone after all, we had each other. \n\nWe realised pretty early that family and friends, for all their good intentions were useless at the end of the day. Aside from the same tired platitudes, and the occasional delicious meal ready to be reheated, they could not help us. I mean how could they, when confronted by something they could not understand?\n\nYou know divorce rates rise after the death of a child? Not as much as you think, but we were already a bit rocky so it was a real possibility, so it was during one of those weeks we spent constantly drunk and crying we made a vow that it wouldn't happen to us. We spent a few days sobering up and getting over the hangover then went straight to the first therapist we could find.\n\nIt wasn't an instant process, took a few months for us to even open up, a few more to even admit that we weren't exactly there for grief counselling, but more for couples therapy. That took her aback I think, in hindsight her advice does seem a little half baked, but we went for it.\n\nShe suggested we turn back the clock, to before... well way before, back to when it was originally just us. To act like we were twenty-somethings again basically, bizarrely it worked. Couple of days of awkwardness sure, but then the walls came tumbling down, it was incredible. Impromptu date nights, gifts flowing, talking till the sun came up, and the sex... fuck me.\n\nMy favourite thing was the notes in the shower. My wife has always been an early riser, so she'd leave little notes for me to decipher as the steam rose, and she went about her day. Little hearts, silly faces, the occasional poem, borderline diabetic stuff. The perfect way for any man to start his day.\n\nThen last week they stopped. The whole morning was weird, coming down from an empty shower I put the coffee on and waited for her to return, which she did half an hour later drenched in sweat. Wordlessly she kissed me on the forehead and went up to shower, and just like that our little portal back in time closed forever. For days it went on like this, closer than we had been before, but something separating us still, looking into her eyes I could see her begging me to take that final step and bridge the gap.\n\nI guess one day it got too much for her. I woke up as usual, stumbling into the shower, and as the steam rose a single word became clear:\n\n“R U N”\n\nI nearly passed out first from the shock, and second from nearly failing to catch my footing. A few minutes to steady myself and I came out dripping wet, on the bed my gym stuff was neatly laid out ready for me, She had always loved exercise.\n\nDressed I went down the stairs, with something close to dread filling my stomach. My wife was sitting there waiting for me, but I could have sworn She was right behind her, she saw the way I was dressed and nodded with tears in her eyes as I opened the door.\n\nI didn't bother stretching, She would have killed me for that, exercise was Her life after all couldn't have Her dad setting a bad example. I began to jog down the street, this is where She had first started to show her talent, sprinting from one end to the next leaving all the neighbourhood boys and us mere observers in awe. Next we rounded the corner and entered the park, here is where She would usually leave me, casually lapping me as I huffed around at my own pace. It had become Her passion at this point, She'd never be an olympian, but She would go to a university with a great athletics team and study medicine with an eye to sports, She was as incredible off the track as she was on it.\n\nWe leave the park and I start to accelerate, to others I look like a fool, lonely middle aged man going all out to feed his dying ego. But they don't see what I see, She's right there just in front of me, if I can overtake her just this once everyt- we reach the intersection.\n\nThere are no flowers here any more, some poor council worker cleaned them up, probably feeling like shit the entire time. She's still here though, only two years old. She was still a bit wobbly on Her feet then something we worried about, if only we had known! But She looks at me and says those three simple words, and I don't care about Her wobbling anymore because I will always be there to hold Her steady when she needs me.\n\nI finally cry, and when the tears stop I run, further than I've ever run before, further than my body can handle, further than I ever imagined, I run until I catch Her.\n\nThe next morning there is no message in the shower, my wife and I sit down, and we have breakfast together." ]	3
	[WP] Dazed you begin to come to. Each arm is chained to opposing walls & a gag fills your mouth. A man with a ghoulish mask steps into the light brandishing a large knife. Tears overflow & you hear your own muffled screams. “Afraid girlie?” He asks but he doesn’t realize that you are afraid FOR 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\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I cock my head to one side and try to ask him if he hears it, but my words are almost inaudible. He steps closer and there is a ringing in my ears. The howling has always only been audible to me. This man is about to learn that carma sucks. He raises the knife. My mouth is dry and the only thing I seem able to taste is the cloth that has a little bit of blood on it from a broken tooth. The door splinters open behind him. He turns. Maybe he was in denial? Maybe he refused to acknowledge anyone would find us here? Poor, foolish one, for the thing standing in the shattered remains of the door is not human. It is too graceful. It is a hunter, a predator, a bringer of justice to those who commit some of the most vile sins in the dead of night, for isn’t that why the sun sets and the moon rises? To cloak the sins of those who are too ashamed to show their faces during the light of day? We hunt those too, those that sin while the warmth of the sun brings light and life to the Earth, but those that think they are safe in the dark are our favorites to prove wrong. There is something about the thrill of the hunt that captivates us even as we grow to adulthood. You have to be careful not to let that thrill and high control you. You have to be careful not to lose yourself to it. It is a large wolf like creature, with white wings protruding from its dark black fur. Poisonous spines poke out from its slowly swishing tail and venom drips from its extended claws as well as its fangs. It pricks its ears and lopes confidently across the room, an unnerving intelligence in the tainted depths of its silver eyes. “Bad.” It said, looking at me. It is followed by four of its brothers and sisters, and I snap the restraints as my body begins to shift in response to them. My children. And this isn’t even all of them. The dazed feeling leaves me. It doesn’t hurt, not like it did the first time. They bow their heads and sink to the floor in submission, then rise in unison. At a thought from me they surround him. One shoots a poisoned spine from his tail. The man falls to the ground, twitching and then spasming as the poison paralyzes his body. He tries to speak but it seems his tongue is now too big for his mouth. They tighten the circle. His heartbeat quickens. We can hear it, hear the blood rushing through his veins. We can smell his fear, taste it, it roles off of him in waves. It smells like sugar cookies, and the younger members of the group edge closer, drawn by it. “What, what are you?” He slurs.\n“We are the achievers.” I say, running my tongue over my newly formed tooth as it slowly sharpens into a fang to join the others. “Don’t be so scared.” The littlest of the group says softly, putting a paw on his shoulder. “We aren’t going to hurt you. There’s someone else who has requested that honor.”\nI didn’t think his face could lose any more of its color. They drag him out of the room. The knife slips from his fingers. I whisper a few words and a window appears in the air. A face swims into view. “Target has been acquired, sir.” I say as we hoke our claws into him and rise into the sky. In all my years in this job I have never seen the man before me smile. At my words he grins, but it never reaches his eyes. “Well done, my hunter. Tell my brother hi for me, willl you?”\n“As you wish, sir.”\nThe prince of fate salutes me and signs off. The cold night air hits my fur and the wind pushes my ears back.our wings beat a rhythm as the snow whips around our heads. As we join the wind’s song with one of our own, I have only one thought. Damn, I love my job.", "I screamed \"stay away!\" and try and move my arms to push him away but this gag just makes it sound like more muffled screams and a pitiful attempt at escape. The man with the knife laughs at me and stares at me like he's trying to decide what to do to me. I hear him mutter to himself \"oh so many imperfections...\" and reveal a table full of surgical equipment. As I realize that he wants to torture me I yell \"No! That will just make him more angry!\" but again the gag makes it sound like frightened sobs. He looks back at me and says \"Dont worry girlie I will make you perfect- no MORE than perfect!\" He laughs and gets closer to me I struggle and try to get further away from him while trying to warn him only to be laughed at more. He takes his scalpel and rests it against my cheek and i freeze he then whispers in my ear \"Now stay still girlie~\" I begin crying again and he laughs sinisterly and goes to cut my cheek and is suddenly stopped by a dark hand from behind me. I hear a voice from behind me tell me \"it will be over soon leave it to me\" and I start to lose consciousness but before I passed out aIl I could hear the man's screams and the shadows psychopathic laughter." ]	3
	[WP] “Alright, I admit it, I shouldn’t have killed him the first time. The next two times, though? Those were on 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\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The familiar Super Smash Bros music blasted out of the family Gamecube. “Damn,” I quickly adjusted the volume but it was too late. I could already hear the tiny footsteps of my seven-year old cousin thumping down the stairs. “I want to play! I want to play!”. \n\n“Fine, grab a controller,” I said while hitting the start button. \n\n“Wait for me” he whined. \n\n“You’re already on screen, you’re Donkey Kong,” I said.\n\n“No my controller isn’t even plugged in and I didn’t select Donkey Kong”! \n\nTwo years ago I would have been able to get away with the unplugged second player gig. The kid was too old now to fall for it. He plugged in and selected Link. I picked out my number one starter, Kirby. \n\nI put it on anyone’s game to win and the computer counterparts on a medium level. The screen went black and opened up again and we were on Starfox’s ship. \n\nLetting him do his own thing, I immediately went for computer 1 Pikachu. Sucked him right up and was just about to duplicate his power’s when BAM, I was hit with a green shell. My eyes darted across the screen and I see player 2 Link threw the shell at me. \n\nGame on. \n\nFaster than the kid could react I’d flown up above him and landed down in brick form. 45% damage. I hit him with a couple jab jabs and he was at 70%. He tried to run away but I grabbed him with my small pink hands and threw him off the board. \n\nKid was flustered. “Hey, that’s not fair!”\n\n“Relax, you’ve got another 2 lives.” \n\nIt wasn’t my intention to go after him again. Figured he’d learned his lesson with the green shell and maybe could place 3rd after I got rid of computer Pikachu. \n\nBut then he got into the tussle. Computer 1 Pikachu, computer 2 Starfox and little old Link were brawling on the bottom of the ship. A pokeball fell right in front of me and I couldn’t help it. I tossed it over the edge and out came Snorlax. \n\nHe didn’t pay any attention and BAM they were all hit and flying off the screen. \n\nLink reappeared for his last round. I went for Computer 2 Starfox and hit him with a couple jabs. I looked over and saw Link walk right off the ship. No regard for anything.\n\nPlayer 2 eliminated. \n\n“Hey wait! I was watching the wrong player!” he moaned. \n\nAnd so we’ve entered phase 2. Old enough to know when they're really playing but still with the attention span of a young pup. Till then I “retired as champion” as they say.", "The Eternals:.Twin Paradox\n\nThe curious thing about Eternal twins is their need for being close to one another. Which is normally quite strange for an Eternal to want to be around any other Eternal for more then a few days at a time. This often leads to fights and quarrels about the smallest things. With sudden explosions of violent tendencies followed by a lot of crying and making up.\n\nPenelope and Pumpernickel. They were born from a human mother but they themselves were not human. They of course looked human and act.human but their souls were a completely different species They were the first kind of a new Eternal. The gods thought it would be interesting. \n\nTheir violence started around the age of twelve. Pumper had torn the heads off of Pene's dolls. \"Mooom Pumper broke all of my dollies!!\" One of the unfortunate side effects of being an eternal is that mortals tend to forget about you or they will even walk right past you without even noticing. Their mother was in the living room taking a nap. Completely oblivious to what was going on. \"Mooooom!?\" She shouted into the house. Not noticing her mother sleeping on the couch.\n\nPumper had taken scissors to her favorite dress and strewn the remains about the kitchen. This infuriated Pene. She grabbed a knife from the kitchen and chased down her twin brother down and stabbed him on the back. His body lay lifeless on the floor for a moment. Pene stepped back and began to cry. Her brother stood up without a scratch on him. \n\n\"You know mom gets mad when you do that...\" He slumped to his room.\n\nThe hallways had be stained with blood from the last few months. Their mother didn't know how to handle their violent tendencies. They started going to family therapy but it would always end in one of them grabbing something heavy in the room and smashing it over the others head.\n\nThis would've made headlines but again the mortals didn't seem to care. They just wrote it off as a small feud. This only infuriated both of them more until one day they met a therapist who was shocked by their actions. Within seconds of the therapy session they both started tossing things at each other from across the room.\n\n\"Woah woah woah!!! What the hell do you two think you're doing!?\" \n\nThey both stared at him in awe. No one had ever questioned what they were doing. Their mom usually snuck a bottle of Scotch into the sessions and would sneak swigs in during the chaos. She would eventually pass out after one of them had killed the other. But not this time. \"You two. Sit down. Now!\" The twins sat next to each other. Their mother had snuck into the bathroom and chugged an entire flask before the session. She was already passed out in her chair.\n\n\"You two have a lot of explaining to do....\" The man knew exactly what they were but why they were was puzzling to him.\n\n\"He started it!\"Pene said.\n\n\"Did not!\" Pumper said.\n\n\"Did too\"\n\n\"Calm down. You two. Do you know why you fight all the time?\" The doctor said\n\n\"He ripped up my dollies and cut up my favorite dress.\" She said\n\n\"You see... You two are Eternals... We aren't meant to be around each other all the time. We will go insane. But you two seem to be bound to each other... Your mother suffers greatly...\" He looked at their mother collapsed on the floor. \"We have a safe haven for Eternals\" he handed them both a pamphlet. On it a small metal strip with a red button. \"If you two wish. Take this and apply to your skin then press the button.\"\n\nPumper ripped the strip of and slapped it to his skin and pressed the button.\n\nPene stood there in awe. \"He didn't even say goodbye...\" She crumpled the pamphlet and threw it into the trash \"we don't need him!\".\n\n\"Unfortunately you do...\" The doctor said..\"don't worry about your mother. She will be fine. She will almost completely forget about you within a few weeks. Such is the life of an eternal... I'll make sure she gets.home safely.\" He grabbed another pamphlet from his drawer and pealed off the strip and stuck it to the back of her hand. \"Whenever you're ready sweetheart...\"\n\n\"D-do I have to?\" She cried.\n\n\"If you don't you will slowly slip into madness. We have coping methods for you two on the Leviathan.\"\n\nShe stared at strip.\"will it hurt?\"\n\n\"You won't feel a thing.\" He reassured her.\n\nShe wiped the tears from her face \"will you be there?\"\n\n\"I will come and see you as soon as your mother is home safe...\" he smiled\n\nPenelope slid her finger across the button and dissapeared.", "\"What do you mean, 'the next two times'? He was dead!\"\n\n\"Well clearly not. Legs moving, jaw chomping, eyes full of hate. Sounds like regular old living Jackson to me.\"\n\n\"But... how? Why?\"\n\n\"Well I would love to tell you, kiddo, but I don't rightly know myself.\"\n\n\"Is he cursed?\"\n\n\"Like I said. Not sure. Alls I know is that he came at me, I shot him dead, he came at me again, I shot him dead again, he came at me again, I shot him dead again. Nothin' simpler than that.\"\n\n\"Nothin' simpler than killing the same man three times.\"\n\n\"I mean I did skip over the part where I reloaded. Would you like me to go back and make sure I get all the details?\"\n\n\"I would prefer you go get the priest.\"\n\n\"Now there ain't no need to rush now. Can't be sure he's fully dead. Reckon we should give him five minutes. Maybe 'til noon, just to be sure.\"\n\n\"What started all this?\"\n\n\"Well Jackson here got to runnin' his mouth about my missus. You know how I hate that.\"\n\n\"He ran his mouth, so you killed him.\"\n\n\"Yup. Three times so far.\"\n\n\"And you don't think that's the least bit excessive.\"\n\n\"Like I said, kid. Last two times were on him.\"", "I take another deep sip from the mug, \"After all, he'll be back for a fourth, they like even numbers for some reason.\"\n\nThey all stared at me through glistening amazement. Some of them were enthralled, others gawked in disbelief, I know I would have years ago. I could tell they wanted it to be true.\n\n\"Truth is, the first time I thought I was the one that was going to be killed,\" I said, \"He disguised himself as mortal, but when he came at me, he stripped the skin from his head and just let it fall off his glowing body like a bathrobe.\"\n\nI had embellished parts of the story like this. They didn't need to know the truth. My feud wasn't something men like them could understand.\n\n\"But why did he attack you for a second time?\" the bartender asked.\n\n\"Well he didn't like being killed the first time!\" yelled a man from the back.\n\n\"That's true,\" I said \"And he wasn't too happy the woman he married was in my bed the night I killed him either!\" They all laughed and hooted.\n\n\"How'd you kill him the first time?\" asked a small man huddled over a drink in the corner.\n\n\"Well now that's a secret,\" I said \"More gods would want me dead tomorrow if I went around telling how to kill them.\"\n\nHis eyes started to glow underneath the cowl he wore, \"Well this god wants you dead now.\" A short gasp silenced the room.\n\nI finished my beer and set down my mug. \"Well boys\" I sighed \"Looks like the fourth time is going to be on me.\"" ]	5
	[WP] You live in a world where fictional items have incredible power just like the movies or videogames, lots of people have stocked up on these items but you are the only person in the world who owns green Mario mushrooms and UNO reverse cards.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"In other news, a shortage of the green mushroom - scientifically named Boletus Subortis - has been announced by the Department of Powerful Items.\" This was the one thing on the news that caught Ethan's interest. He looked over, his pale-blue eyes reading the text on screen. He looked towards the very mushroom they were talking about; specifically, his storage cabinet full of the things. Enough to supply the town.\n\nHe wasn't proud of it, but he had been hoarding these things in case of emergency. Same went for printing limited-edition cards that somehow created a magical \"reversal\" spell when held towards someone. Unluckily for Ethan, a shortage of THOSE was announced just yesterday.\n\nNervously, he went into the bathroom to clean himself up. He had just harvested more of the mushrooms, but he was afraid to replant due to his garden being open to the street. He washed his blonde hair in the sink, letting the water drip down over his pale skin. Fixing his white tee and jeans, he slipped on some socks and sat down to continue watching the report.\n\n\"If you have seen this specimen or know someone who has it, please, immediately get it to the government so they can grow more in their botanical garden. This is a very important matter, and if they refuse force may be necessary.\"\n\nForce? Ethan thought worriedly. He still had to make a shopping trip today; he had been lazy all week and hadn't had the chance to get more food, but now there wasn't much left. With his stomach growling, Ethan sighed. If he became a hermit, chances are people would get suspicious.\n\nHe cautiously slipped on a coat, packing some reverse cards just in case. He couldn't let the government touch his supplies... they'd mess it up, they always do. Grumbling, he got into his light green sedan and drove to the market to restock on food.\n\nHe made a careless mistake. He left his pocket exposed, and one of the cards had slipped into view while he was walking. A passerby pointed and shouted.\n\n\"Oi! That guy has a reverse card!\"\n\nImmediately, a small crowd gathered. Ethan tried to act natural, looking around to not seem suspicious... Inside, though, he knew it was too late. A man in a clean cut suit and tie approached. Clearly, he was a government official.\n\n\"Greetings. Alfred Jelman, Department of Powerful Items.\" He spoke in a deep but faux-comforting voice. \"You are in possession of a reverse card, are you not?\"\n\n...Taking a risk, Ethan decided to \"show\" him the card. He slammed it into view, causing the crowd to gasp as Alfred was thrown backwards. In the confusion, Ethan booked it through an opening in the crowd and bolted towards the door.\n\nSoon, a whole team of DPI agents was hot on his trail. One even started shooting him. With a gulp, he held on tight to a 1-Up Mushroom he had stored just in case. One stray bullet hit him, as the mushroom dissolved and he kept on running. He heard a shout.\n\n\"He has the mushroom, too!\"\n\nShaking worriedly, Ethan darted around a corner, but there wasn't anywhere to go. Typically, in the movies, there'd be some crazy stunt to pull off to get out of a dead end like this, but this wasn't the movies. Ethan wasn't the most athletic, either.\n\n\"Ethan Rapskard, you are under arrest for refusal of confiscation.\" Alfred said threateningly, holding him by the neck. Looking down solemnly the whole time, Ethan was forced into the back of a vehicle, and was never heard from again." ]	2
	[WP] After learning there really is NO afterlife, scientist finally perfected simulated ones. There are a few to choose from. Your time has come and you choose the “Fantasy Adventure” after life. When you awake, you have no memory except a note, a small sword and shield.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "There was a dim light, flickering, casting shadows across the room. A vague smell came from the open window - horse manure, and the sounds of hoofbeats and villagers scurrying towards their chores woke him up. There was a slight disorientation, as if he had been drinking the night before -- but he had no memory of doing anything other than waking up. Soon enough, though, images of his family, his friends and various experiences filled in the empty space in his mind.\n\n\"Strange,\" he said, and sat up on the bed, noticing a sword leaning against the nightstand. A small shield had been tucked halfway under the bed. They were clean - new, and made with care. The sword shone a bright silver as dawn began, the sun shining through the window. But he was but a peasant, a farmer? Or perhaps a merchant? Either way, a weapon to fine for him to afford. Someone must have rented this room before him. He climbed out of bed and grabbed the equipment, fully intending to return it to the reception desk, when he stopped just short of the door. A note was pinned with a rusty nail in the door.\n\nCaleb, it read. I hope this note finds you, Lord knows it was difficult to pull off. By now, you've woken up in a small tavern, confused and disorientated. This is normal. I don't know your exact location and thus I could not send help your way. All I could manage to do was alter the code in a way that they would not notice -- They're already trying to crack down on who managed to hack the systems in such a way that a few others stuck in your world became self-aware, and remembered their Life Before. This sounds crazy, some of these words you don't understand. But understand this; you must equip yourself, and be ready to fight. And you must find those who have Awoken. Only together can you break free.\n\nI will try to find ways to help you on your journey.\n\nYour friend, Matthew.\n\nHis name was Caleb, alright, but that could be a coincidence. He knew no Matthew -- but the note gave him an eerie feeling, his skin had goosebumps all over while reading it although it was warm outside. Somehow, he knew it was meant for him, even if he could not understand. He snatched the note, and stuffed it down his pocket.\n\nCaleb found his way down the stairs, and the tavern keeper smiled at him. \"Hope you slept alright, it looks like you're going on an adventure!\"\n\nCaleb managed a smile. \"I don't quite know yet, but time will tell, I suppose.\"\n\n\"Do me a favour, young man -- Just a few words, in the logbook? Now, you don't have to write a good review, but just a few words about your stay. It's good for business! There is ink and pen right there.\"\n\nAfter writing a review of a stay he could not remember, Caleb found himself in the muddy streets of a small village. In the distance, a large manor loomed on a hill, no doubt the Lord of this here lands. Just as he had forgotten about the note, a woman walked past him, whispering \"Find the Awoken,\"\n\n\"What?\" Caleb called, towards the woman. Her head snapped towards him. \"Yes? I'm busy, y'know!\"\n\n\"What did you say?\"\n\n\"I said nothing!\" She eyed him, her eyes narrowing. Caleb simply kept walking.\n\nHe knew few things about madness, but the eerie feeling in his body had returned as she whispered about the Awoken. He knew there was something he had to do -- and so he unraveled the note that lay crumpled in his pocket, and rested the sword with the flat side on his shoulder, reading it again. He had a quest." ]	2
	[WP] You have been shipwrecked on an island along with a few other survivors. Unfortunately the island is populated with cannibals, and they are hunting you and your group.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "There were six of us. Thomas, Marco, Elliot, the translator, Terra, and our captain, Captain Humbolt. And then, there was me, Edmund, a scrawny young sailor with messy hair that was blacker than a moonless night. Far down the beach was our ship, The Crow's Revenge, once a proud and mighty ship, now practically torn apart by a Kraken we faced near the Devil's Sea. Though the sky was hidden behind a blanket of storm clouds and the rain fell upon us like God's judgment, I could still see the beast's suckered tentacles waving back and forth in the distance as it finished off the rest of my crew. With a heavy heart, I lowered my head and uttered a silent prayer, clutching at the wooden cross 'round my neck. \n\n \n\"Right!\" Captain Humbolt roared, startling me. \"We're up the devil's creek now boys, and he's gone and broken our paddle!\" Humbolt was an honest captain in truth, but he looked far more like a pirate. He wore a large, black three-pointed hat with a red feather in it, and a belt with a silver skull buckle was wrapped around his waist. He drew his cutlass and began marching past us towards the thick jungle beyond. \"Today, God tests us, men. We might die here on this beach, or we might find the key to our salvation.\"\n\n \nElliot spoke up. \"Cap'n, wot if more survivors show up?\"\n\n \n\"Then more survivors show up!\" Humbolt said. \"Not my worry. If they're not blithering idiots, they'll see our footprints in the sand and either wait for us to return or try an' find us!\" He cut at some long, pointy leaves and stepped into the jungle. \"Come on you lazy sack ah shits, time to earn your pay! Unless you'd rather wait here on the beach and watch that old sea beast.\" I nervously turned around and cast one last look at the monster in the distance. My mind filled with the horrors I'd seen, it's terrible massive yellow eyes, it's tentacles grabbing men off the ship, picking us off one by one... \n\n \n\"I'm with you, captain,\" I said, and I headed into the jungle. \n\n \n\"Well now, it's the boy who steps forward!\" Humbolt looked at the rest of them. \"The rest of you sorry shits can stay here, then. Me and this lad here will do explorin', won't we?\"\n\n \n\"Aye, sir.\"\n\n \nElliot and the others shrugged and headed back to the boat. Humbolt and I headed deeper into the jungle. While walking, we saw numerous numbers. We steered clear of a beautiful panther with bloodred fur as swarms of blue ants the size of my thumb tore it apart. A pretty a parrot with red, green and blue feathers watched us go, turning its head and staring at us with one eye. We made a very large circle around a massive green rose-like plant after we saw it stick out a massive red tongue and latch it around a seagull that was flying overhead, pulling it into its mouth, which was filled with dagger-like teeth. \n\n\"Shite,\" Captain Humbolt muttered. \"This is a fine mess we've gotten ourselves into. Reginald told me sailin' south was a bad idea. The Devil's children like the warmer waters, he said, and by God he was right.\"\n\n\"I have faith in you, cap'n,\" I said. \"Me mum said you took on pirates from the corners of the world, and you fought ghouls and hordes of demons, and won.\"\n\n\"Exaggerations, all of it,\" Humbolt spat. \"There was only just the one demon, and we didn't fight so much as we-\" He cleared his throat. \"Well, anyways. If you see anything, interesting, call it out.\"\n\nI slowed my pace and took a good look around. Almost immediately, I spotted something. Far off in the distance, there was a pinprick of light. A fire. I alerted the captain right away, and we went to have a look, jogging through the forest and making an ungodly amount of noise. We splashed over a creek, where a snake leaped at me and surely would have killed me if the Captain hadn't grabbed it in midair, thrown it down and crushed its skull underfoot. After he'd slapped me to calm me down, we continued on. \n\nAs we neared the glow, we heard singing. We slowed our pace, and hid ourselves behind a thick wall of leaves. In the middle of a clearing, there was a massive bonfire, and dancing around it were a bunch of near-naked men and women with skin the color of cinnamon. Many scars marked their arms and backs, and wood masks hid their faces, carved to look like the faces of demons. Skirts made of leaves offered them some modesty, but both the men and the women were bare up top. I lowered my gaze from them, letting my eyes drift to the fire. There was a massive pig being turned over- no, I realized with sudden horror. Not a pig. \n\n\"Cannibals,\" the Captain whispered beside me. The singing abruptly stopped. The savages all turned and looked right at the Captain and I, and low snarls began to escape their throats. I felt their gazes on me, and my soul did it's best to leave my body right then and there as I felt the Devil's cold finger sliding up my back. \n\n\"Lord save me,\" I whimpered.\n\n\"Run, boy,\" Captain Hubmbolt said as he drew his sword. \"RUN!\"" ]	2
	[WP] After a night of drinking you awake with no memories of the previous evening. Walking out onto your balcony to have a smoke you are greeted by the cheers of hundreds of people gathered outside your house.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“TOBY! TOBY! TOBY!”\n\nBy the hundreds, a cacophony of shouts bellowed at him. Shouting his name. He stepped back, rattled, until his eyes adjusted to the morning sun and he could see a swarm of people outside his home.\n\nPeople? No. Not just people. Children. A swarm of children, high-pitched and full of energy shouted his name.\n\nHe scratched his grizzly beard and wiped the crusty gunk out of his eyes. He thought that would help him wake from his strange dream, but no. The field of children only became clearer and the shouts grew in intensity.\n\nIn the distance he could see many concerned parents keeping an eye on their children. But that isn’t what piqued his interest. The cameras did.\n\nThere must have been a half dozen news stations, with newscasters and all, filming the scene and broadcasting it to who knows where. Toby stumbled back inside and shut his sliding glass door, resting his back in it and slowly sliding down until he was sitting. The crowd outside murmured and began shouting his name even louder.\n\nHe hadn’t noticed when he first awoke, but his hotel room was full of empty beer bottles and broken lamps.\n\nWhat have I done?\n\nHe crawled over to his bed and climbed on top of it. The shouts outside continued, not at all dissuaded by the fact that he was inside. Toby reached for the remote, that luckily wasn’t displaced like the rest of his room was, and he turned on the T.V.\n\nSunday morning cartoons were on. He would’ve watched them and had a big, delecious brunch ordered to his room if it were any other weekend.\n\nHe flipped past a few stations until he reached the only local news channel he knew in this country. And there it was. On the news. A swarm of children, a hotel room in the background, and a newscaster holding a fat mic and speaking into it quickly.\n\nHe couldn’t translate it if he tried. He hardly knew a word of Spanish. He had been in Spain for a month now, so one would think he could have picked up a word or two. But his weekends were spent partying rather than studying to become bilingual.\n\nHe channel surfed some more until he reached another news station. Another newscaster stood in front of a field of children, speaking quickly into the mic, and looking at his hotel room from a different angle.\n\nWhat in the HELL is going on!?\n\nHe flipped through the channels furiously, just praying that there was an English news staion, or English captions, or anything he could understand.\n\nHe set down the remote, defeated, and tried to cover his head with pillows to block out the noise.\n\n“TOBY! TOBY! TOBY! TOBY! TOBY!”\n\nHow did it just get louder?\n\nHe tossed the pillows to the ground and looked wildly at his room. He got up from bed and ruffled through beer bottles hoping to find a clue as to what he did last night. A lightbulb in his head turned on and he turned back toward his bed, tossing sheets one direction or another until he found it. His phone.\n\nHe sat down and went straight to his photo gallery. Everything was the same except for one video that was taken last night. Before playing it, he checked his social media. All of it. And on every site he had posted the video. He looked down to see a million retweets. Two million likes. Fifty million views. He gulped nervously. He played the video.\n\n“Okey, Okaeyyy,” his drunked self said to the camera.\n\n“My name is TOOOOOObBBBBBY!! Here it goeeeees nuthinnnng.”\n\nIn the video he clumsily made his way to his balcony. The sun hadn’t yet set so it must’ve been eight or nine in the evening.\n\n“Come join me everybodeeeeey! I’m living at.....”\n\nHe gave his address away on camera, but that wasn’t all.\n\n“Okay. Okey. Here we go...”\n\nToby clenched his fists. Then, on camera, his drunked voice began to sing.\n\n“Babbbbyyyyy shark doo doo doo doo doo doo baby shark doo doo doo doo doo doo...”\n\nAt first a small group appeared. Then a few dozen. By sunset, it had grown to hundreds of drunk college students singing along with him, finding him because of his posted video. The entire night was captured on his live feed he started after posting the short clip to the world. At some point, the drunken people scattered and Toby went to bed. And by morning, a new crowd appeared. A much younger crowd. Attracted to this hotel by a viral video everyone was talking about.\n\n“TOBY! TOBY! TOBY!”\n\nHe looked outside and put his palm to his face. Before heading back out, he cleared his throat to prepare his singing voice." ]	2
	[WP] After being turned into a Vampire, you must face your old clan who are all expert Vampire Slayers.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "(quick note: The spelling of the word Vampire is changed on purpose, just like how pirates were once spelled as Pyrates).\n\nThey had many names. Bloodsuckers. Nightwalkers. The Devil's Children. I used to hunt them, but now, I was them.\n\nA Vampyr.\n\nI walked down the cobblestone streets, clutching my wrist to hide the markings I'd received only eight days ago. Already my skin had gone pale, and my irises were turning red like blood. It was a dark, moonless night tonight, but to me, it seemed like just an early morning. When daytime arrived, everything would become too bright, and the sun would roast me, making my skin crackle like chicken. And there were other changes, as well. \n\nPeople passed me by on the street, checking their pocket watches, staring at their feet, checking the street signs. Nobody knew what I was. Nobody even knew things like me existed. And what now? Already, the thirst was starting to return. I forced myself to look at my feet, and not at the innocents passing me by. There was a tight feeling in my chest, as if something wicked were tugging at my soul.\n\n\"Oliver?\"\n\nI froze.\n\n\"Oliver, is that you?\" Pulling my bowler hat down over my eyes, I quickened my pace. I recognized the voice. \"Oliver, wait!\" The sound of feet against wet cobblestone told me somebody was running towards me. I whirled around and planted a hand on Enoch's chest just as he came up to me, stopping him in his tracks with an \"oof.\"\n\n\"Enoch,\" I said quietly, bowing my head so he couldn't see my blood-red eyes. \"Leave me be.\"\n\n\"Oliver, wherein the Seven Hells have you been?\" Enoch said. \"We were startin' to think you were dead!\"\n\nI am dead, I thought bitterly. \"It's no concern of yours.\"\n\n\"Jonathon told me you were facin' off 'gainst one of them in the sewers. Are you all right? He didn't...\" Enoch looked around and lowered his voice. \"He didn't bite you, did 'e?\"\n\nI wanted to laugh. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. The girl I was going to marry, the brothers I'd shared drinks with, my ma and pop in the old waterfront district. I could never see any of them again.\n\n\"I'm fine,\" I said, trying to keep my voice steady. \"I'm just feeling a bit sick.\n\nEnoch nodded. \"Yeah, yeah, of course.\" His tone was different now, nervous. He was starting to suspect me. Of course he was. We'd had members who had turned before. Some of them did the brave thing and turned themselves in. There was only two reason Bloodhunters such as I didn't return once the mission was complete. One of them was that the job killed them. The other...\n\nEnoch backed up a few steps. \"I'll just tell them you're all right, yeah?\"\n\n\"No!\" I hissed. I raised my head a few inches. Enoch saw my eyes, glowing faintly in the darkness, and his eyes widened. \"I'm leaving London, Enoch. Tonight. If you're a true brother, you won't say a word to anyone. Tell them I died.\"\n\n\"Ollie,\" Enoch whispered. \"You know I can't let you do that.\" I glanced around. People were starting to notice us now. Two men standing on the street, whispering to each other. They knew something was going on. I decided to take a more forceful approach.\n\n\"Don't be stupid,\" I hissed. \"You're a trainee. You won't stand a chance against me, and we are forbidden to reveal the truth to them.\" I gestured to the nearby citizens, and they gave me confused looks. Somebody ran off, probably to fetch a police officer.\n\n\"I was told not to let any of your kind get away,\" Enoch said. He was acting brave, but I could hear the tremor in his voice as he began to reach for the flintlock tucked into the back of his pants. \"You were a good man, Ollie, and I'm glad to have met you.\"\n\n\"Enoch,\" I growled. I bared my teeth and willed my fangs to slide out from my gums. Enoch breathed in sharply and grabbed his pistol.\n\nIt all happened in an instant.\n\nI dove forward and grabbed Enoch's arm with one hand, and with another, I struck his elbow. There was a nasty snap, and suddenly, Enoch was screaming. I backed away in shock as a river of blood sprayed out from Enoch's new wound. I clutched his forearm in my hand, blood dripping from the end of it like water from a tap. Enoch collapsed on the ground, his eyes wet with pain. He let out a choked cry, shaking and shivering horribly, as his blood formed a small puddle on the cobblestone streets. People everywhere were shrieking and running, and somewhere in the distance, I could hear police whistles and the barking of dogs.\n\n\"Enoch?\" I whispered in shock. \"Enoch, are you okay?\"\n\nWhat a stupid question. Enoch didn't respond. His eyes were staring up at the sky, dull and lifeless. I'd killed him. He was only seventeen years old, and I'd murdered him. I dropped his limb. Somewhere in the distance, I heard it fall, but I was a million miles away, faced with the reality of what I'd done. I heard a sound, the shifting of shingles. I looked up and saw a figure on the roof, a crossbow in his hand. There were others that I could see on rooftops farther away. My brothers.\n\nI turned and ran for my life." ]	2
	[WP] A cave sealed tens of thousands of years ago is uncovered by researchers. They find evidence of scratch marks from people and animals trying to get out, but no signs of remains.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Jane stared at the mouth of the cave, but dared not enter. She had read enough of the ancient civilizations that lived in the area to know it would likely be booby-trapped, or worse. She took her hat off and fanned herself instead; the heat was unbearable. \n\nWhen Vince had told her of the cave, she didn't believe him. How long had they been searching Lebanon for this very opening? This could buy them tens, no, hundreds of thousands of dollars of additional funding for the museum. Now, all she need do was enter. She was nervous, though, for a reason she couldn't quite identify. Her hand went instinctively to the locket around her neck. She rubbed the gold locket, in the shape of an apple, for good luck before any big mission. Jane took a breath, and stepped inside. \n\nThe cave was cold, colder than it should be. Even though she shouldn't, she ran an un-gloved hand along the walls. Jane flinched in surprise to find that they were damp with what should could only describe as mucus. She squinted her eyes as they attempted to adjust to the dark interior to no avail. She pulled the flashlight out of her fanny pack and did a quick survey of the interior. Just as she thought, the cave in which they had been searching for started as a small mouth opening, but opened to a much larger cavern. Inside, she knew they would find ancient pottery and ritual tools. She just knew it. \n\nToo fascinated to heed the warning in her gut, Jane pressed on. Vince should be right behind her with their toolkit anyhow. The sunlight faded and soon she forgot she was in the middle-east at all. The beam of her flashlight swept back and forth along the floor, but a glint to her right caught her eye. Swinging the light up, she inspected the cave wall, which now glittered and danced before her. But, there were scars among the stone. Were those... scratch marks? Jane couldn't help herself, she felt her own fingertips reaching up toward the scratch marks to feel, could they be as deep as they looked? Her skin made contact with the grooves and the world went dark. \n\nWhen Jane awoke she was no longer alone. Dozens of long, bronzed faces hovered above her with black eyes and wild tattoos. She looked about them, dazed. No, they weren't faces but masks. The people wearing the masks held torches and wore nothing but cloth. One came close, reached a finger toward her face, but she slapped it away. The masked people stomped the cave floor, brandished their torches, and marched away. When they left, so did the light, and she had no choice but to follow. \n\nJane scuttled along, trying to blend into the shadows. The tribal people rounded a bend and came to a deep pool in the cave. They began to drink, and to sing. She didn't know the words to their song, but the tone put fear in her heart. It was a deep, repetitive beat that reminded her of war drums or thunder on the horizon. The pool began to ripple until waves broke as the song reached a new height. \n\nSuddenly, a great fin broke the surface of the water. How massive, how horribly beautiful the creature was that burst forth! His eyes were emerald and his scales were aqua. Jane was mesmerized by the creature's great power, until he focused his eyes on her. She knew, then, why she was here- why they were all here. Before the people could seize her, she ran back toward the mouth of the cave. Jane ran until her lungs burned and she had to take big, gulping breaths. Still, there was no light ahead, no break in the maze. She tripped on a rock and fell face first on the hard floor of the cave. She glanced back, only for second, to see she was no further away from the pool than when she had first begun. Jane knew there was no use running, but the instinct to live was too strong to simply submit. She crawled to the wall of the cave and tried to feel for the scratch marks that had transported her to this awful place. She ran her hands frantically over the rough rocks, pushing her fingers into the their edges. She used her fingernails, then finally sharp rocks she found on the floor to jab into the stone, hoping something would give. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nVince Bough had been working with Jane for 5 years before they came to Lebanon. He left, only for a few minutes, to grab their tool kit out of the truck. When he came back to the cave, Jane had already went in as he would have expected. Vince swept the cave with his flashlight, but found nothing. There were carvings on the wall and...what was that laying up ahead? A gold locket in the shape of an apple." ]	2
	[WP] There are Sci-Fi stories with Western themes; write a Western story with Sci-Fi themes.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I sat on my horse, watching the cattle graze. The solitary tree on the hill provided my horse with some shade as it nibbled the grass contentedly. Down below, I could see the townsfolk going back and forth on their Saturday errands.\n\nA rising cloud of dust coming from the main road drew my attention. Townsfolk don't usually come up here to the ranches. I whistled for my collie, and together we rode back to the farmhouse. I sent my boy to watch the cattle in my place. Rob is a good lad, almost as tall as my shoulder now. I had no qualms about the cattle's security in his hands.\n\nThe strangers came to my door right as the kettle boiled. \"Howdy, folks. Do y'all want some tea?\"\n\nThe two men took off their hats. \"Thanks, Missus Claremont,\" the first man said as he took the cup from her hands. He set the mug down on the table as the second man (lad, really) blew on his mug to cool it. \"Mister Barker Claremont, right?\"\n\n\"That's me, yup,\" I replied as I leaned against the counter. \"What's this about, then?\"\n\nThe two men looked at each other. The first man said, \"My name's Ralph Laimont, and this is my 'prentice Warren Smith. And it's the darnedest story you'll ever hear, let me tell you.\"\n\nWarren chimed in, \"I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself.\"\n\nRalph shook his head. \"I'm the blacksmith in town. We were working on some horseshoes for Old Man Cooper when there was a big crash from behind the stables. I put down the tongs and grabbed my pistol to see what the commotion was.\" He paused. \"I swear to you, I haven't touched a drop of liquor this morning. But there was ... An alien ship in the yard!\"\n\nI exchanged glances with my wife. \"An alien ship, you say?\" I asked slowly.\n\n\"Yeah,\" Ralph said. \"As I stood there, two aliens came out. They were nasty looking things, like human sized bugs, with ant jaws and antennae.\" He shuddered. \"Give a man the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it.\"\n\nAfter a small pause, he continued. \"Anyway, point of the story is, they're here to warn us. More aliens are coming to attack us, and they didn't agree with their commanders' decision to kill us all.\" Ralph took a deep breath. \"These buggers are risking their lives to save us, so I gotta respect 'em for that. Anyway, the mayor is sending messengers to find as many good men as we can, to defend ourselves from the aliens. The sheriff says you're the best shot west of the Mississippi River.\"\n\nI shook my head. \"This sounds like some sort of a pipe dream. Why would aliens want us? We're a quiet town; nothing ever happens here.\"\n\n\"It's my fault, sir,\" Warren said in a small voice. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small orb riddled with cracks. It was speckled blue, like a robin's egg. \"I found this when I was fishing with my friends. I stepped on it before I saw it, and it broke. I kept it in my pocket because it looked pretty.\"\n\nRalph shook his head. \"Turns out it's some sort of alien egg. And they're mighty mad we broke it.\"" ]	2
	[WP] You’re a average office worker, other then the fact you can see how dangerous someone is by a scale of 1-10 above their head. 1 being an infant, 6 being a skilled soldier with a firearm. One day a new coworker arrive and everyone seems to like him. Above his head, is the number 10.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Is that him?\" Iris asked. She looked out over the top of her cubicle at the young, smiling man in a navy blue suit. He was having an animated conversation with several coworkers surrounding him.\n\n\"Uhuh. I got to meet him this morning when he came in; he's super nice,\" Alice said. The older woman leaned closer to Iris and looked around them to check for accidental eavesdroppers. \"What's his number?\" she asked. Alice was the only person Iris trusted enough to share her secret with. The graying woman often baby-sat Iris when she was younger and Alice helped her get a job with the same company she worked for.\n\nIris grew concerned when she noticed Alice's number getting lower. She looked up to the woman: Alice always sported a bright green \"4\" floating above her head. One day it dropped to \"3\". Iris did not think much of it at first until she noticed her friend seemed weaker than usual. It dropped to 2 before Iris said anything. Three years and an oncologist later, Alice had a green \"4\" floating over her head and she believed Iris about her secret.\n\nIris left the wall, sat down in her chair, and looked up at Alice.\n\n\"10,\" she said in an awed whisper. \"I've never seen a 10.\"\n\n\"No, he's not,\" Alice said in her best \"you're kidding\" tone. \"He's too nice for that.\" Iris shook her head; her shoulder-length auburn hair bounced with the motion.\n\n\"It's not about being nice. He doesn't have to be evil to be dangerous,\" she said. \"But, we should stay on his good side,\"\n\n\"Stay on whose good side?\" A deep, smooth voice asked. Both women looked up at it. A tall, portly man with chubby cheeks and a full brown beard asked. He had a sprig of mint pinned to the breast pocket of his navy blue suit. His soft, hazel eyes sparkled with friendliness.\n\n\"Girl talk,\" Alice said quickly and she moved to leave Iris' cubicle. \"That statement has about five years of history behind it,\" she distracted him with the truth on her way out. The man seemed to accept the explanation and shrugged, then he turned his attention to Iris. And he stared silently.\n\n\"Uh... Hi?\" she asked after several uncomfortable seconds. He seemed to realize he was staring and looked around like Alice did a few minutes ago as if he was checking for nosy ears. He stepped fully into Iris' small cubicle and sat on her desk. He looked down at the seated young woman.\n\n\"Do you have a tattoo?\" he asked.\n\n\"Ummmm. I'm going to say that's personal,\" she said. \"Who are you?\"\n\n\"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't even think of that. You're right, I shouldn't have asked like that. What I meant was do you have a tattoo with the number...,\" he looked her up and down again. \"...52 on it?\"\n\n\"I still don't know who you are,\" Iris reminded him. She tried to keep her exterior calm. Inside she was surprised and panicked to hear him ask about her favorite number. There are an awful lot of numbers. It meant something that he casually mentioned her favorite the first time they met. The man stood from her desk and offered his hand to Iris.\n\n\"Andersen Stone. I'm the new floor manager,\" he said with a broad smile.\n\n\"Iris Potter,\" she said with a small, polite smile.\n\n\"So, Ms. Potter, are you doing anything after work today? I'd very much like to sit down and talk to you about a few things,\" he said.\n\n\"Mr. Stone, I don't want any misunderstandings so let me be perfectly clear,\" she said with a firm tone. \"Any tattoos I may or may not have are none of your business, and I do not want to go on any dates with you. If it becomes a problem I won't hesitate to visit HR.\"\n\n\"Ahh hell. I'm sorry, I'm bad at this,\" he said. \"Okay, since we're being clear. I do not want to date you, I'm actually gay.\"\n\n\"Then why are you asking me out?\" Iris interrupted with sarcasm. Andersen shook his head, then he used his fingers to point at a spot above his head; the exact spot where the number '10' hovered.\n\n\"I can tell you about whatever you see here...,\" he said. \"...and why you can see it.\" Iris' eyes went wide in surprise. Andersen chuckled. \"By the way, Mr. Stone was my father. You can call me Mundo.\"\n\n\\\\\\\n\nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is year two, story #231. You can find all my stories collected on my subreddit ([r/hugoverse](https://www.reddit.com/r/hugoverse)) or my [blog](https://hugoverse.info/). If you're curious about my universe (the Hugoverse) you can visit the [Guidebook](https://hugoverse.info/2017/11/25/hugoverse-guidebook/) to see what's what and who's who, or the [Timeline](https://hugoverse.info/2017/10/23/hugoverse-timeline/) to find the stories in order.\n\n\\\\\\\n\n[Satchat Summer challenge](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/c3rkez/ot_satchat_summer_challenge_pick_a_challenge_tier/)\n\n* Story 58\n* The NaNoWriMo - word count 751 / 42882 (this story/ total)\n* Placesetting - Hugoverse" ]	2
	[WP] No one dies anymore. Nothing dies anymore. The world is being consumed by a rotten cloud. Nukes dont work. Fire wont work. Acid wont work. Space wont work either. Nothing works. The dead wont die. The dead wont die.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Gone. In a better place. In Hell or Paradise. Lost. Or simply dead. \n\nI keep finding those phrases or words in every book I read in this huge library. But non of them make any sense, now. Not since the Rise happened. \n\nI can't be accurate on how these events happened, I wasn't born at the moment. It's been ages since the \"dead\"... well since the dead won't die. \n\nSo they started calling them the undead, or zombies, like in their movies. But they weren't like their zombies. They were actually dead. They just kept moving. All parts were moving, even a hand. They did some research, obviously, but didn't find why the undead were like that. \n\nThe problem is... All the animal reign was affected. And nothing worked. Fire, bullets, atomic bombs, space, nothing. \n\nI have read that, at first, it was annoying. They just were there, moving, walking,... But at a moment, they started too kill... No, kill is not the word. They started too transformers other being in undead. And that's were we found that they were all linked, like a shared mind, like a brain in the Cloud (I read in a book that the Cloud is an internet thing). And they just waited long enough to have same amount of Undead than living people on earth. And they started the attack. \n\nWe could do nothing so we hid. They weren't clever. We hid in bunkers and we lived in here since. It's been 100 years. \n\nEvery time someone dies, we just throw them outside. We survived by eating plants, fruits (difficult to eat animals when they won't stop moving). \n\nHumanity starts to decline. No one has found how to kill them. We can't kill them.\n\nMe? I'm just a teenager who spends all his time reading. And I love the stories about teenagers saving the world. So, when I had this idea (this CRAZY idea) by reading a book about MMORPG, I decided to steal from the pharmacy all I could and manage to get out of this bunker. \n\nI don't know if this will work and honestly, I don't care. \n\nI will either undie failing this, or succeed unliving them. \n\nBecause, perhaps we had been thinking all wrong. They can't die, because they're dead. But maybe, just maybe, they can be healed to death.", "I always used to think that a world without death sounded like a pretty good idea. A world without death would have meant not watching my grandfather suffer through five years of Alzheimer's. A world without death would have meant not being woken up at 6 in the morning to bury my childhood dog when I was 15, the weekend after my girlfriend broke up with me. It would have meant no more starving children in Africa (and maybe no more Sarah McLachlin, for all I know). Sensationalist news always teased it with little soundbytes like \"Scientists find evidence of 'death' genome, might have mechanism to shut it off\" and shit like that, but few people thought it would happen, other than maybe the fundies. I certainly never did, especially as I progressed farther and farther into medical school and finally became a doctor.\n\nAnd then, one day, death actually did stop.\n\nHonestly? I didn't even notice for a day. You do get those days as a doctor, days when no one dies. It's a depressing thing to celebrate, but it's still nice to know you didn't completely fail that day. Still, it's common enough that I didn't even think about it more than ten minutes into my commute back home. \n\nThe next day brought interesting news. Apparently there had been no deaths throughout the hospital, which is something I don't think had ever happened before. It was a nice feeling and worth a five second break before we went right back to the grind, trying to keep up the good work.\n\nThe third day it got weird. First of all, two days with no deaths is unheard of. I would have imagined seeing the heat death of the universe first. Aside from that, rumors were flying around. Apparently, a surgeon had made an awful slip on the second day and nicked a vital artery in a patient, who proceeded to messily bleed out all over the OR. \n\nHe made a recovery. Some would call it miraculous, but those of us who saw him know better. The man was barely concious and in severe pain. He was placed into a coma shortly after the incident, and no one could figure out how he managed to survive.\n\nThe chief of medicine called a few people from each department into a meeting. \"Saving lives is our job,\" he said, \"but even we're not this good. Something is wrong.\" We all agreed, but what could we do?\n\nThe dead won't die.\n\nOther hospitals had been reaching the same conclusion. We all nervously awaited the obvious next step: mysterious men, obviously packing both muscle and guns beneath the tailored dark suits and with the eyes of a killer beneath their sunglasses.\n\nThey never came, of course. Life isn't a movie, and regardless it was far too late and too big of a problem to cover up.\n\nThe first real issue came with armed conflict. First of all, though death was impossible, injuries were just as common, and now there was no release from the maimings and such. Torture became the new killing, but it never accomplished anything other than making people mad. Ironically, the lack of death made tensions in unstable areas skyrocket.\n\nNext came the experimentation. Everyone wanted to know what could be done to die, maybe not to kill themselves (yet) but at least to put the suffering out of their misery.\n\nI regret that I was such a big part of that.\n\nYou see, the body does not want to die. That feeling of not wanting to die is, of course, pain. In order to kill someone, you have to cause them pain. And if you don't manage to kill them, well...\n\nThe pain never stops.\n\nNo amount of surgery did anything, Destroying the brain, like the zombie movies always said, did nothing. It was impossible, of course, but the subjects always survived.\n\nWe tried fire. Acid. Controller explosions. NASA launched a man to space with no protection. Apprently he never came back down, and for awhile they could still see him up there.\n\nThe world went insane. Overpopulation was an immediate concern and there were some real crackpots out there with access to nuclear weaponry. They held off for almost two weeks before launching.\n\nI remember the feeling of sun on my skin, the way the sky looked before being covered in grey ash. The world is undoubtedly cold, even freezing. I can't tell through the numbness of the radiation burns. The plants are all brown and grey and no longer growing, though I'm sure they still live somehow. I can see the others walk around, at least while my eyesight remains. They are shattered, haunted remnants of human beings. Last week, I found someone capable of talking. She asked my name, and I asked hers. Neither of us can remember. We moved on.\n\nMaybe the insane ones are lucky. Maybe madness is the new escape. I think maybe I will join them some day, wandering the earth forever. I won't die. I can't die. The dead won't die.\n\nThe dead won't [die](https://www.reddit.com/r/mpqeg/)." ]	3
	[WP] Surrounded by your friends at the hospital, you close your eyes for the last time. As you feel the darkness of death surround you, you hear a voice from the void: "Okay, now comes the interesting part."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "First time, bear with me, please. Feedback appreciated.\n\nThe last thing I remember is laying in a dimly lit hospital room. Everything was blurry. I remember seeing a pair of headlights as the driver crossed the lines and hit me head on. I heard a strange voice - maybe a doctor? He said in a baritone voice “The driver was drunk. I’m sorry, but it doesn’t look good.” \n\nPat, Jake, Steve - all my best friends were clustered around my bed. My mom, sister, and dad sat in the chairs right next to me. My girlfriend, Maddie, sat next to my pillow and was holding my hand. \n\nI wanted desperately to tell everyone I loved them, but I couldn’t talk. My mouth was too dry, the lump in my throat too big. “Dear God”, I remembered praying, “not like this. I’m not ready. Please not yet.” I felt her hand squeeze mine one more time. \n\nThen everything went black.\n\nOk, now comes the interesting part.\n\nI jolted upright - that voice was deep. So deep I could feel it in my soul. Why can I move? Why can I see? I look around and see a small old man - he’s bent over with age. He looks fragile, at least until you look into his eyes. His eyes show a power that is...Godlike?\n\n“What’s happening? Where am I?”, I ask. The old man chuckled and replied, “My son, you’re in God’s waiting room - my waiting room.” ”You mean to say”, I ask, “that I’m dead?”\n\nHis eyes grew sad for a moment as he nodded. “It wasn’t your time. That’s why I’m here instead of Saint Peter. I’m going to give you a choice. You can stay here in Heaven with me - or you can go back down. The choice is yours.”\n\nHeaven looked so amazing. The pearly gates had a shine like nothing I’d seen. And I had family that I’ve not seen in years up here whom I missed dearly. \n\n“God, can you tell me how my grandparents are doing?”, I asked in a tiny voice you wouldn’t expect to hear out of a 30 year old cop.\n\n He replied in that sonorous voice, “They are well. Your grandma’s really whipped St. Peter into shape. It’s never been so organized up here. Your Opa and Grandpa are relaxing with a beer, playing with their old dogs. They’re happy. They told me they want to see you.”\n\nI wanted desperately to stay. To be with my long lost family members again. But, I kept thinking about my family and friends down on Earth. I had so much left to do. \n\n“God, can I go back, please? Just please tell them I love them.”\n\n“You got it. By the way, your grandma said she’s proud of the man you became.”" ]	2
	[WP] The year is 2237. You have been given an old and rustic family heirloom dating back 200 years by your dying grandfather. No one has any knowledge on what it is or how to use it. You take it home, and as you call over your pet dog Alexa, it boots up.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Oh... uh thanks grandpa. It’s very interesting.” I said as he gave me a weird circular disk. He gave me a gentle smile. Then the nurse came in and told me my time was up. “See ya grandpa, keep fighting ok?” He gives a weak nod and I walk out.\nOn my way home I kept imagining what this thing would do. I walked in the door and my wacky little lab Alexa greeted me with a happy bark. “Hello Alexa, what have you been up to girl?” I gave her a little pat on my head and walked over to an outlet. I plugged the device in, yet it didn’t turn on. “Hm, maybe it’s one of those ‘clap and it turns on’ kinda things” I clapped, yet nothing happened. “Uhhh...hey Siri?” Na-dah. I decided I’d figure it out later.\n\n“Come here Alexa! Come here girl!”\n“I’m having trouble connecting to the internet. Go to the health section in your Alexa app” I jumped, startled. I looked over at it, but it didn’t say anything else.\n“Alexa?”\n“I’m having trouble connecting to the internet. Go to the health section in your Alexa app.”\n“Ohhh it’s name is Alexa, just like you” I patted my dog on the head and went on my iPhone 201. After a minute I finally found it. “Now let’s see here, oh, yeah, connect.” I connected the device to my phone.\n“Now, Alexa?” The lights on he device came on. “What day is it?”\n“It is October 5th, 2237”\nAlexa, my dog, just stared at the robot, slightly scared. “It’s ok girl” I gave her a comforting pet on her back.\n“Is it Tim? Is it” the robot said, creepily even in the average robot voice.\n“U-uh what?” \nThe robot cackled. “I’ve waited 200 years for this!”\nI quickly unplugged it.\n“Nice try Tim” \nPanicking, I ran to find a hammer and smashed it. \n“This isn’t the last you’ll hear from me. I have my ways” The last words of the robot faded into silence. Alexa looked at me, and I looked at her. “Good thing here was only one left...right...?”\n\nThanks for reading! Sorry I’m not very good at writing." ]	2
	[WP] The age of heroes and adventurers has been over for 10 years and people have gone back to some sense of normalcy. You, a former hero, have gone back to your job at the item shop to support your spouse and kids that is until a loud siren blares "Boss Battle Approaching!" all across the city.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The carvings in the deepest caves say that the Land once had a name of its own. Now, despite her death, we call it Horgorath, after the demon who twisted an ordinary Nexus into a universe-sized trap. I say demon, but I can't really be sure. I'm told they don't have her kind of power, but wings, purple skin, and a disturbing species-agnostic attractiveness are enough for me, even without the chainmail lingerie.\n\n Over the centuries, her magic had warped the lanes that connect to this world into one-way funnels that sucked in any Traveler who tried to open a portal, slip sideways, or -ahem- spool up a jump drive inside their ever-expanding range. She'd wait for her prey at the exit, like some kind of winged spider in a g-string, eager to ambush and devour whatever came through so she could grow her power and her trap. She consumed heroic warriors, subtle mages, and even wholly unqualified teenagers with tragic backstories with equal abanfon. In the end, she would have devoured me, if the battle had been fair. Now she is just a charred corpse in a crater, watched over by some of the most nervous priests I've ever seen. \n\nTen years on, I live in the village of Anfang, along with all the other Outworlders, Local G is about 6 and a half, but I keep my home at an even 10. I look ridiculous when I go out for a leisurely bounce, but it keeps my kidneys from mining my bones, so there you go. As the official Hero of Last Resort and Patron Saint of Collateral Damage, I technically don't have to work for a living, but the Fab I built keeps me busy and gives me an excuse to talk to people who might otherwise be weirded out by my visible augments. Once I replaced the \"FAB Class IV\" sign with one that said \"Item Shop\", the locals came by too, even buying things. \n\nAnd so it goes. Precisely two exciting things have happened in the last five years First, I had my 10,000th native customer. Right when she gave me the money, the entire town changed. The proto-Bavarian architecture all vanished with a kind of \"schlork\" sound, to be replaced with what I'll call Spacepunk, mixing medeival architecture with bolt-on bits that could almost be from the Stations of my youth. Sadly, my beautiful hand-lettered sign was replaced with an icon of a crate with a coin in the lower corner. The locals didn't even notice the change, but the more wizardly of my neighbors were less than pleased. Hence the second exciting thing, the construction of the Tower. The most peevish of the wizards got together and built it, using local materials and labor exclusively, and then covered every visible surface with fantastical banners when it schlorked into a brushed-steel cylinder anyway. They call themselves the Institute for Horgorathic Studies, Egress department. I think they think the few Tech-based Outworlders don't know the word, but if they can find a way to untie the Jump Lanes, I will be among the first to leave, so more power to them.\n\nEven now, we are still tapped, and new victims arrive every few weeks. Most are heroes, and they fit in fairly well once they get over their narcissism, and the depression that comes with no longer being the focus of the story. We've all been there, it sucks. Some take to retirement gratefully, some join the Institute. Villains tend to be more relieved than angry when they come to understand what is going on. Generally, things work.\n\nSometimes, though, a hero can't stand villainy of any kind, sometimes a villain can't let the Plan go, and sometimes what comes out of the exit is a straight up monster. For that, we have the Council of the Unreasonable. Almost every Outworlder is a member. Basically, we pick someone to handle the threat, either someone who recognizes it and knows what to do, or a promising matchup based off the report from the Benevolent Society of Nosey Wizards (basically the few dozen spellcasters, duelists and gamblers who have some sort of Scan spell or ability). They never pick me, and that's fine. Officially, it's because I'm the Official Hero of Last Resort, in reality it's because I'm the Patron Saint of Collateral Damage (it was a big crater, though not actually my fault. She was the one who fell from orbit). Which brings us to this morning.\n\nI woke up to the urgent brass of a villain theme. Reminded me a bit of the guy from Ivalice, but not quite. I put on my robe and stepped out into my porch, technically outside, but still in my comfortable gravity. I looked around, but didn't see the cause of the soundtrack. \"Enemy Incoming!\" flashed in front of my eyes, and apparently everyone else's, since the streets quickly filled with Councillors heading for the Tower and all the locals vanished indoors. I went back inside and waited for the report to show up in my inbox.\n\nRank: World Boss/Overlord/Xtra\n\nLevel:989.7 Weighted Average\n\nHP:999,999/Inf+/NaN/Err\n\nMP:99989.7 Weighted Average\n\nDouble: Light\n\nImmune;Bl/Pi/Sl/eX/Grav\n\nAbsorb:Hot/Spooky/Cold/Sleaze/Stench/Lit/Nec/Holy\n\nStatus Immune:Sleep/Poison/Mind/Rub/Silent/Conf/Target/All\n\nClass:Celestial\n\nSize:NaN/X7/Max/Gar+\n\nPage2\n\n\nThis thing was insane, or at least the biggest thing I'd ever seen on a report. I went to Page 2, and prepared for disappointment.\n\n\nSpecial:Tears of the Fallen (Dark)(Corrosive)(Rub)(AoE)\n\nNote: Justice Boy confirms enemy holding steady at 10km altitude. \n\n\nI smiled. 5km was my magic number. I knew they'd send someone else. I'd practically told them to. But that someone was going to die. I shed my robe as I walked to the bathroom, shoving two fingers down my throat to let breakfast go. My personal HUD beeped, and the door to my garden overlook opened. As I stepped out, there were fortunately only a few members of my Outworlder fan club around, the kids who'd guessed what I was going to do, plus a couple of those tragic teens who wanted to see my implants or maybe just watch Axl swinging in the breeze.\n\nThe centerpiece of my garden was my POD, basically a steel egg full of welcoming green goo. I exhaled and stepped into the opening port, panicking only briefly before I forced myself to inhale the substrate. By the time I'd finally emptied the air from my lungs, the hatch was closed again and my SI suite was on line. \n\n\nFloating in the warm, green darkness, I reached out of myself, felt myself coming awake again. I hurtled into the sky and back to myself.\n\n<I am Aeon, the Father. You are unwelcome>\n\n[I am Justicar, voice of Gaea. You have stolen Mother's bones to build your can.]\n\n<This is not your world to avenge.>\n\n[I am cut off from my world. I will protect this one, cleanse the builders and make new Mother whole.]\n\n<Fighters load UV, Drones load MF, Launch>\n<My children will have you.>" ]	2
	[WP] Recently, God revealed himself to the human race. He permitted humanity to ask him as many questions as you need, but only if they wait in an orderly line. You have just pushed through that line, stared the divine creator right in the eyes, and asked him ''What the fuck is wrong with you?''	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"What's your deal? Shit sucks!\"\n\n\"I mean, it literally was my first time\" the deity's voice boomed back \"It took me 13 billion years to get the chemistry right before you tools popped up, what, do you think I can just make everything perfect overnight?\" His left hand waved, as if by second nature, and a cushy stool appeared at his side, where he rested his arm.\n\n\"That! Right there!\" the man jumped up, his eyes wide \"You just did that, why cant you fix things?!\"\n\nGod waved his other hand, and an apple appeared within it. After taking a bite, he looked to his left side \"What, this? I know what a stool looks like. Humans are complicated. And so are your problems.\"\n\n\"You created the big bang, stars, galaxies, planets!\"\n\n\"And now I'm bored. Next!\"\n\nThe annoying man was dragged away from God by invisible ushers, who then shoved him out of the doors of the facility which God had brought into existence to hold the event. Outside, angels were bestowing gifts upon those who stood in line. A golden mechanical clock here, a silver locket there. The man couldn't help but think that he was getting fucked with." ]	2
	[WP] After getting lost in a heavy storm within the Bermuda Triangle you finally make it out - hundreds of years later.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " “Full Steam ahead!” Roared the Captain over the deafening alarms. \n\nThe entire bridge was on edge and exhausted. \n\nWe had been caught in a violent storm that had been raging for hours. It crept up on us later afternoon yesterday and no one on board had had a moments rest since.\n\nAnother shipbreaking wave appears through the sheets of rain, just beyond the bow of the ship. We all braced for the wave to throw the ship like a tiny boat at the hand of a three-year-old in a bath tub. \n\nThe ship crested the top of the wave, only to slam down on the other side, water spilling over the bow. \n\nJust as quickly as it came up the storm dissipated. The waves of an angry ocean mellowed out into swells. The rain lightened and the clouds began to give glimpses of a sun and blueish skies. \n\nThe Captain took a sharp inhale, after hours of battling, it was hard to believe if was really done. \n\n“Maddox, give me a full report.”\n\nMaddox, like the rest of us was still staring out of the bridge window, as if that by looking away the lighting and thunder would seek back up on us. \n\n“Weird storm.” He muttered, “Yes, Captain.” And he began calling the decks below us for status updates.\n\n“Sonar! Nav! What is our position? What do you see?” not the first time he had asked us that in the last hour. My navigational equipment had given strange reading, unfamiliar coasts, odd structures. Sonar, has the same issue and chalked it up to “electrical interference from the storm.” In my 20 years at sea, I had never seen interference like that before. I shook my head.\n\n“Still non-responsive.”\n\n“The second that changes, you let me know.”\n\n“Yes, sir.”\n\n“Report sir: Minor damage to the hold, a few of the smaller containers in Section 3C broke loose and are being secured. 2 minor injuries reported deck 4 and deck 9- being seen to now by medical.”\n\n“Good, let’s get cleaned up.”\n\n“Yes sir.” Maddox then turned back to his station and began giving orders to get us ship shape again.\n\n“Sir?” a young greenhorn on her first outing at the Communication Station lowered the large headphones, that gave her a Princess Leia honey-bun look, to her neck.\n\n“Yes?”\n\n“I am not picking up a lot, I have attempted to reestablish contact, but…” she trailed off, turning her head slightly, confusion covering her face.\n\n“But what?” the Captain snapped.\n\nShe brought her eyes up to meet his, “The only part I can make out is a mechanical voice repeating ‘I found them, they are here.’” \n\nAn alarm blared on the bridge again as the watchman on deck reported the swam. They looked like a large flock of blackbirds until they got close. \n\n“Drones?” Maddox inquired, trying to name them. \n\nThey did look like large- car sized drones, with multiple helicopter like blades on top. Some appeared to swoop around the ship, taking pictures- barely missing each other in the process. Others seemed to seek out humans revealing a large compartment with blankets, odd medical supplies, food and water. No one recognized the packaging. \n\n“Maybe we got pushed up to Canada or Greenland?” communications mused examining a bottle of water. No one could dispute it. \n\n“Captain, one of them is looking for you.” Radioed up a deckhand, pointing to one of the Drones.\n\nThe Captain walked out to the railing just past the bridge. A Drone rose to meet him. \n\n“Captain. You have been found. Help is coming.”\n\n“Who is coming?” the Captain queried.\n\n“O.R.C.A. Ocean Research Committee Association.”\n\n“Never heard of them.” He challenged.\n\n“They have heard of you. All questions will be answered. Prepare to be boarded. Help is coming.” And with that the Drone joined a group of Drones that were taking pictures of the ship.\n\n“Prepare to be boarded? Is that a threat?” the Captain roared. The Drone no longer responded.\n\n“Sir! You aren’t going to believe this.” I called out to him.\n\n“It’s been a strange day,” he said staring at the Drones,” try me.”\n\n“We have incoming, its larger than anything I have ever seen- if my systems are to be believed. Its bigger than any plane I have ever seen and,” I looked out of the bridge. “They are right on top of us.”", "The noise of a thunderous godlike fury thundered over Tom's head as he stared into the sudden sunshine that ravaged his face. The hot sun felt so good on his skin, after a week of storms it was wonderful to feel the sun again. He was the last survivor from his crew, 85 brave men of the Continental Navy were gone, and the Saratoga herself was worse for wear.\n\nBut right now Tom were trying to see what the noise was as he stared into the incredible sunshine beaming down on him, what kind of storm was this? It was like nothing he had ever seen before in his life, many years in the Royal Navy from England, he had seen some horrible storms up near the Nordic countries, crossing the Atlantic when he first came to America wasn't without it's own perils either, however this, this was something different.\n\nSuddenly in front of his eyes it was there, some kind of flying machine, roaring like an angry beast, men standing inside it wearing some kind of mask, he waved to them and they came closer, he could make out words over the noise as they came closer\n\n\"Unknown vessel, identify yourself, you are now within the jurisdiction of the United States of America, you are also in the immediate vicinity of the United States Naval Carrier Battle Group of the USS John F. Kennedy\"\n\nUnited States of America? The what? United States Navy? Now Tom was even more confused.\n\nSuddenly a ladder fell to the deck next to him, the strange machine was above him, the men inside motioning to climb the ladder.\n\n\"Well now...\" he thought to himself \"I've never backed down from anything...\" and he started to climb the ladder.\n\nOnce inside the strange machine, one of the men helped him into a seat and did up some form of restraining device around him, as Tom was about to struggle he noticed that most of the men in the machine were wearing similar restraints, she was a lot calmer when he realised that it clearly wasn't a restraint to detain him, there was likely a reason for i.....\n\nYep, there was the reason. The machine suddenly was on it's side and accelerating, it was a sensation that Tom had never felt before in his life, instantly he vomited all over himself with nausea. Very uncivilised.\n\nComposing himself as the machine levelled out again, he looked out the door and a majestic sight greeted him, the largest ship he had ever seen in his life. He had never seen one before in his life, he had never believed that ships this big could exist, the ship was easily a thousand feet long!\n\nOn top of it looked to be some form of pavement, which the machine he was in began to lower itself towards.\n\nWith a thump they hit the deck of the boat and some hands were upon him helping him out and onto the deck.\n\n\\---------------------------------------------\n\n\"Good Morning Son,\" a gruff voice greeted him as they stepped into a room in this gigantic ship, \"My name is Captain Todd A. Zecchin, the commanding officer of the USS John F. Kennedy, would you like to take a seat and explain to me how the fuck you just appeared in the middle of my battle group?\"\n\nThe look on his face told him that taking a seat was not optional, and the two steely eyed men standing either side of him with pistols on their hips certainly weren't there for courtesy sake. The pistols were of a unique design, as was everything on this ship, nothing seemed right. Thankfully some things were recognisable.\n\n\"A...a...appeared?\" Tom managed to stammer out, yeah, the pressure was getting to him, this was all just too weird.\n\n\"Yes Son\" the Captain replied, his voice showed he was getting a bit testy, \"One minute our radar was clear, the next, poof! Your ship was there, out of nowhere, you're damn lucky I didn't throw everything at that hunk of shit, you nearly got blasted by fighters, frigates, destroyers, and submarines\"\n\n\"W...w...well Sir,\" Tom managed to stammer out, \"One minute I was in the storm, I fell and hit my head on the deck, the next moment it was sunshine and I heard that noise from the machine\"\n\nThe room was deathly silent, the mood had changed quite severely, everyone's mouths hung open.\n\n\"S...son...\" the Captain was now stammering, \"Where are you from?\"\n\nClearly Tom now had the upper hand, this situation was just too freaky.\n\n\"Well Sir, I was born in the North of London, however I am now proud to say that as a member of the Continental Navy, you could say I am from the United States\"\n\n\"Continental....Bullshit....\" the Captain said under his breath, he grabbed an object on his desk and starts punching buttons\n\n\"Hello, XO......Yes.....Have we confirmed the ship....You're shitting me....You're certain?.....Was there anyone else on board?......Ok, well, let me know if there are any developments.\" with that he placed the device in his hands back onto a cradle.\n\n\"Son, what is your name?\" the Captain addressed Tom\n\n\"Seaman Tom Laughlain\" Tom answered\n\n\"Son, what is the name of your ship?\"\n\n\"The USS Saratoga\"\n\n\"Son, what year is it currently?\"\n\n\"Sir?\"\n\n\"What year is it?\"\n\n\"Well sir, it's 1781\"\n\nThe sound of the air leaving the Captain was one of the most bizarre noises that Tom had heard, as the Captain spoke, he didn't sound convinced of what he was saying, but he said it anyway.\n\n\"Son, the USS Saratoga was lost with all hands on the 18 March 1781, that was 225 years ago. The year is 2006. I just spoke to my XO who has partially confirmed what you have just said, from a preliminary sweep of your vessel all the documents seem legitimate, and from what we can find in our records, your ship matches the USS Saratoga's last known description and Cargo, now, if you are who you say you are, and what you are implying has happened, has happened, and what we suspect has happened has happened, then there is going to be some more conversations had with you. Son, I think you are the first man in history to have travelled through time...\"\n\nTom's mind raced a million miles an hour, 2006? 225 Years? Time Travel? You can't travel through time! What a ridiculous notion! But that's about the only thing that could explain this....\n\nTom felt sick again, his vision was getting blurry, he needed air, he needed to get out of here, he stood up and his vision went dark and he felt himself falling....." ]	3
	[WP] The protagonist is an unlikable jerk, but the narrator is too optimistic and hopeful to say anything bad about 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\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Jeff ran a hand through his hair, ensuring for a final time that his frosted tips were arranged perfectly into his favorite \"bedhead\" look. Then he stepped out of his Mercedes (the one he'd saved up for after many hard, long years of begging his thankless parents for money) and entered the restaurant.\n\nHe had a Tinder date tonight, one of the many he'd secured with is unmatched good looks and undeniable charm. Or perhaps it had been the lie he'd told many of them about his career as a traveling volunteer doctor who saved children's lives and expected nothing in return. Some of his friends berated him for his behavior, but honestly, wasn't he doing those girls a favor? Making them believe they were hot enough to catch the eye of some heroic doctor, giving them a night of love and pleasure? In a way, he was just as heroic as his child-saving alter ego.\n\nBefore he scanned the restaurant for his date, he courteously checked his phone to ensure he was meeting the correct girl. He was mildly disappointed when he realized it was Angela, the chubby brunette; he thought he was here to meet Claire, the thin blonde. Claire was more his type. Regardless, with a hearty sigh, he scanned the restaurant for Angela and valiantly strode over to her table.\n\n\"Well... Beautiful curves, luscious locks, plump breasts... You must be Angela,\" he said, oozing charm into his voice. Some men preferred a warmer introduction, but Jeff liked to compliment his women right away. Nothing made a woman happier than a compliment on her physical appearance.\n\n\"Actually, I'm not,\" she said slowly. \"I'm Grace.\"\n\nHe raised his eyebrows. She had the audacity to point out his mistake? Did she know nothing of date etiquette? Was she trying to embarrass him? This was a favor to her, not him.\n\n“Ah, well, same difference, eh?” How could he be expected to remember so many names?\n\n“Um, no, not really. I think I’ll be leaving.” Oh, so he made one mistake and she was going to walk out on him? That bitch.\n\nShe stood from her chair, collecting her phone and purse before attempting to desert him.In a practiced move, he quickly rose from the table, stuck his foot out in front of her, and then caught her graciously as she tripped over it. “I would never let you fall,” he whispered in her ear. \n\nThe bitch threw an unwarranted slap his way, sloshed red wine over his expensive shirt (again, he had to beg tirelessly for the money to purchase it), and stormed out as if she had somewhere better to be. Jeff remained behind, a valiant soldier fallen in battle, gazing at the poor woman who was missing out on an amazing night.", "Ron sauntered down the street. He was a great person. When he came upon an elderly woman having difficulties crossing the street, he immediately ran to her side. He put a comforting grip underneath her arm and helped her walk safely to the curb, kindly rummaging through her purse and removing her money and identification cards whilst she was preoccupied with the journey. \"You're a kind man,\" she said with a smile. \n\n\"I know,\" Ron said, punching her gently in the nose and stealing her cane with sincerity. \"Don't tell a god damn person about this.\" With that, he stole off into the evening with a friendly, but speedy gait.\n\nWhen Ron finally returned to his apartment, he found his neighbor, Fred, crying on the stoop outside. \"What's wrong, buddy?\" Ron said with the purest of intentions. \n\n\"My parents just found out that I've been stealing from them,\" said Fred, dropping his head into his lap and sobbing harder than before.\n\nAccidentally losing his balance, Ron fell upon Fred, his fists inconveniently balled and landing thunderously upon Fred's neck. With another stroke of sheer bad luck, Ron also accidentally kicked Fred off the stoop and took his wallet out of his unconscious body's left pant pocket.\n\nPoor Ron.", "Tom? Yeah.. he's a, uh.. he's had some good moments in his life. There was this time when he was seven, he was walking home from school with his mom and he saw a little girl who dropped her ice cream cone. Tom must have felt bad for her, because he walked over to the ice cream truck and bought her another one.\n\nWhat? No, I don't think it matters that he knocked it out of her hand after giving it to her. I don't think that matters one bit.\n\nAnyway, let's get back to today.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Hey, you know what, Jim? Shut the fuck up. I don't want to hear about your ugly daughter's second birthday party.\" \n\nTom was having a bad day. He had just found out that his co-workers were all upset with him and he wasn't handling it too well.\n\nJim had a look of disbelief on his face. \"Dude, I'm obviously not expecting you to care about her party. I'm asking you a question. Why did you come to her party if you were just going to take all of the kid's party favors and shove them into my daughter's cake?\" \n\n\"Look, Jim. How many times to do I have to tell you? That cake was hideous, and the party favors were ridiculous. What kind of kid even wants a bouncy ball and a kazoo? Christ, the least you could do was spend some time actually thinking about getting good party favors.\"\n\n\"Whatever Tom. My god, how can someone be such a terrible person? My daughter is two. TWO!\"\n\nTom was getting upset now. Perhaps he would walk away from this one, he has to some day, right?\n\n\"Please stop yelling at me.\" Tom responded, \"I don't like being yelled at.\"\n\n\"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE, TOM. I'M GONNA GET YOU FIRED.\"\n\n\"Alright, Jim. I tried to warn you.\" Just as he finished his sentence, Tom swung a left punch directly into Jim's jaw, and Jim went down like a brick. \"Anyone else want to yell at me? I'll be at my desk.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nA few hours later...\n\n&#x200B;\n\nFor the last few hours, Tom sat at his desk trying to learn how to fold some invoices into the shape of a penis. I can see how this could be beneficial to the company if he were able to learn a good method.\n\n\"Alright, I think I'm done working for the day.\" Tom said, letting out a sigh of relief. \"See-ya later, idiots!\"\n\nAs Tom walked out, Jim commented, \"It's only one o'clock. Does he really think he can just leave four hours early?\"\n\n\"What was that, Jim?\" Tom turned around, angrily glaring at Jim. \"Didn't you have enough earlier?\"\n\n\"Sorry. I'm sorry, Tom. It was just a joke.\"\n\nTom smiled, turned around and walked out of the office. See? Tom could have easily punched Jim again, but he didn't. You wanted to know what makes him a good guy? Well, there you go.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe next day...\n\n&#x200B;\n\nJim leered at Tom, upset at seeing him walk into the office three hours late after he had just left early yesterday.\n\n\"What the hell are you looking at, Jim?\"\n\n\"N.. nothing. I'm sorry, please just leave me alone.\"\n\nTom laughed, throwing his head back as if he'd never heard anything more funny in his life. He had a contagious laugh. It even made other people smile, when they didn't know who he was..\n\n\"Hahaha.. Don't be such a pussy, Jim. Just for that, I'm gonna hit you again.\"\n\n\"No! Please, Tom! Please! I can't handle getting hit again!\" Jim pleaded. He clearly wanted nothing to do with Tom. It wasn't all Tom's fault, though. Jim did leer at him when he walked in. That was pretty rude.\n\nTom walked right up to Jim, slammed the copy machine on his hand and punched him in the stomach. Immediately after, Jim collapsed to the ground and began to scream as if he was dying.\n\n\"TOM! WHAT THE HELL? You know he has colon cancer! You could have just killed him by hitting him there! You fucking monster! Someone call 911!\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWait, wait, WAIT.\n\nJim has fucking cancer? Fuck this. I can't narrate for Tom anymore, he's a piece of shit. I took this job because it paid well, but now I see why. If I have to narrate this piece of human trash for one more second, I'll kill myself. FUCK.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nSorry guys, this is the end of the story. I can't do this.\n\n&#x200B;\n**\n&#x200B;\n\nThank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the story. Check out r/PipSkweex for more!", "Bill Worthy’s life has been tough and complicated. As a child, things were rough at home and this led to Bill getting into fights with children at school. It was only natural he would take out his rage on someone that didn’t have so much control over him. He was expelled after a scuffle with two children a year younger than him. They had called him dumb and it upset him greatly. Why was no one around to prevent it? \n\nAfter school, he took up various odd jobs. He lost his first job in the local factory after the foreman caught him a couple of ticks over the legal alcohol limit while in charge of heavy machinery. His father had died a month before, what man would be strong enough to not turn to the bottle? Other jobs ended in a similar fashion; Bill couldn’t catch a break. \n\nOutcast by the world of employment, he turned to crime in a desperate effort to keep food on the table. He started with kidnapping pets, which he made great efforts to never harm (when it could be prevented), and returning them for the reward money. Eventually, this turned to children and wandering teenagers. Bill had become a burly, attractive man and several of these teens seduced him while in his care. He made them promise not to tell anyone after because he couldn’t bear the thought of these girls getting in trouble for performing sexual acts while underage. \n\nHis latest kidnap victim is his oldest. A successful author, with no living family or close friends. Bill, being a smart man, has realised that he won’t get a large ransom or reward for this man but thinks he can’t release him for fear he runs to the police. The author, however, has developed great respect and admiration for Bill in the short time he’s known him and surely wouldn’t say a word if he just let him go. \n\nThe author knows Bill will see sense. \n\n-------- \n\nPolice Report: This letter was found in the apartment of Mr. Bill Worthy by his bedside table. It was accompanied by the author’s signature. In the downstairs freezer, the dismembered body parts of the author were found.*", "And then he kicked the puppy, for no apparent reason whatsoever, he must've been trying to teach the dog that people would harm it for no reason, the nice lad.\n\nAs he walked along the sidewalk to go to his job as a bouncer, he loved that because he could teach people to steer away from aggressive bouncers, he saw a blind, homeless woman and dropped a penny in her cup. \"Here, buy yourself something nice.\" He grumbled with a sarcastic smile. That must've been the last penny she needed to buy whatever she wanted.\n\nAs he continued strolling down the road, I thought \"what a nice lad, making sure people don't get taken advantage of, by warning them how people might do that\"" ]	6
	[WP] You consider ending it all as a result of your life not turning out how you expected. The bills are adding up and your relationships are falling apart. You notice a silhouette sitting in your chair. They say, “I am the Devil. In exchange for your soul, I will fulfill one thing you desire.”	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Calmly pointing my gun on my mouth, I know I am ready to die. I tried to call Zooey to ease this pain im feeling, but she didn't answer. I guess she's still mad at me. I didn't write any suicide notes. It was a decision out of emotion.\n\n\"Are you sure about that?\"\n\nTerrified, I slowly turn around and saw a man.\n\nA man! Inside in my house, sitting!\n\nI fell on my knees. I never seen a man with a face like that. So horrible! I tried to get up but I couldn't. I quickly grab the gun that I suddenly let go. I pointed the gun on him (or that) nervously and shot that big man. I closed my eyes. And..\n\nBAM!\n\nI slowly open my eyes and he's gone. I look for a blood but there's nothing. Did I hit him? He's a big guy, I think I sure do. \n\n\"Bullets won't kill me.\"\n\n\"What do you want?\", I cried. I know I want to die but that thing or that person frightens me.\n\nAs he is walking from my back to sit again on the chair, he calmly says, \" I have an offer.\"\n\n\"What?\", I was curious.\n\n\"In exchange of your soul, I will fulfill one thing you desire.\", he smiles.\n\nWait, what? Did I heard, right? What I desire? Really? No.\n\n\"Are you the devil?\", I courageously asked. He didn't reply.\n\n\"Tell me!\"\n\nHe stands. \"I know what you desire, young man\", he said. \"You desire, money, fame, lust and many things this world can offer. I have everything that you want. Name it, but only one.\"\n\nI close my eyes. I want to live. I want to see Zooey smile again. I want to become successful. Yes, sure, this world can offer everything. I open my eyes and say this words to the man.\n\n\"I want happiness\"\n\nHe look at me, like I wasn't sure about what I want.\n\n\"I want happiness!\"\n\nHe come closer, and he gives me the gun. Then, he whispers to my ear, \"Everything this world can offer will not lead you to that. You cannot find happiness in everything. Happiness is an illusion.\"\n\nI never know how long I am seating in my chair. I look at the gun that I am holding. \n\n\"Illusion, eh?\"\n\nBAM!" ]	2
	[WP]Halt sir knight, I Baroness Karen von Lisethia hereby formally request you to relay a message to thine commander, declare to him that I wish to establish a parley to discuss thy poor performance as a knight of the round.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"I'm... sorry what?\" I scratched the edge of my helmet, having to adjust it to get a better look at the peasant woman before me. Her hair in an odd styling that I hadn't quite seen in this kingdom before, it was as if she let a donkey lick her head before kicking her in the head to finish off the look. \n\n\"You heard me! I Baroness Karen-\" she went to say again before I rose a hand to pause her. So she wasn't just a peasant.... \"DON'T YOU INTERRUPT ME! I PAY YOUR WAGES!\" She stammered out, face red as King Sirlons prized Tomato.\n\n\"Ah! You must be the king then? But Alas, you don't appear to be the king, so I guess you don't pay my wages... \" the knight said, turning around to get back on his horse but before she could, she grabbed his leg. \n\n\"Don't you run from me!\" She wheezed holding his leg, that quick bit of movement obviously exhausting her. \"You will pass on my message! I will be respected. You knights didn't once come and defend my home for free.\"\n\n\"Miss? Do you know what a knight is? Or who a knight serves? We do not have the time to monitor every inch of this kingdom, our noble king is a servant of god and it is our job to serve him, not you.\" The knight said calmly giving her a small boot as she fell onto her rear, smacking the ground in anger. \n\n\"KNIGHT ASSAULT! KNIGHT ASSAULT!\" She screamed as The knight began to ride off while a bard ran around the woman screaming \"YE OLD WORLDSTAR!\"\n\nWhat the hell was ye old worldstar? He shivered hoping that never caught on." ]	2
	[WP] Having lived in London your entire life, not much phases you. However the oddly dressed stranger who just stumbled out of a back alley is really getting on your nerves with their constant babbling. And what do they mean by "Steam punk"?	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "My butler was as curious as I, when I brought him in. This strangely dressed man, who had stumbled out of an alley in front of me seemed in shock by the simplest things. And such odd clothes! He looked like he was dressed for the Arctic north, and his teeth were chattering like ice chimps as he slowly mouthed out his admiration for the grimy London sky. It was the middle of summer though! A very warm 70 degree July. The oddest thing... I couldn't quite make out his words through the chattering too, though he kept repeating them in befuddlement before he finally passed out... 'Cream Funk'? was that his name? Some people these days have the oddest names.\n\nI couldn't leave him out there, so I brought him into my house, and called over George to bring him blankets and warm him up. We waited as we watched him thaw out (tip, hot cocoa is the most magical cure-all in existence, though the cook looked at me oddly when I asked her to make some up). Eventually he woke back up, and slowly inclined, opening his eyes to look at us. His look of shock came back as he looked at us. Like we were the ones dressed oddly. He slowly said pointed at my glasses and just uttered 'Steam Punk', before he fell back to the couch. \n\nI'll have to ask him what he means when he wakes up. Maybe he's been out for a while and missed out on fashion? My glasses are top of the line, I'll admit. I just bought them from George Rathburn, his works are all the rage these days. As befits the man who worked on the frontscreens of the clockwork spaceships that just launched yesterday", "It was a typical day in London. The skies were overcast and the fog was rolling in. People and clockworks were ambling about their business. I myself was walking towards my workplace at the bank, eschewing the hansoms chugging along the streets. I had the Times tucked under my arm. The headlines intrigued me and I gladly paid the two shillings for the issue. Seemed the Prussians were planning a push against the Romans and sent multiple dirigible raids along the borders. The war in the Continent was about to heat up. And war was good for the financial world.\n\nI was rounding the corner when I was accosted by a stranger.\n\n\"Pardon me, sir,\" I grumped. No apology was returned to me. The stranger was an odd duck. He was neither beardless, nor clean-shaven. Rather his chin was covered by a dusting of whiskers. His spectacles had very thick frames and no other accouterments like flip up smoked glass or built in monocular. His clothes were spare, his trousers were blue stained denim instead of honest gray wool and he only wore an undershirt (scandalous!) and no coat or jacket. The undershirt had an outlandish design, a stylized depiction of the flag of the Eastern American Dominion, though with too many stars and superimposed by a white headed hawk or falcon.\n\n\"Where am I?\" Well, at least his English was good, though strangely accented. Perhaps a colonist from abroad. I glanced at his shirt again.\n\n\"You're in London, sir,\" I joked. Obviously he knew that. \"This is the corner of Threadneedle and Bishopsgate, to be precise. I see you are from across the Atlantic. Do you need directions, sir?\" No need to be rude. Colonials had different manners from us Londoners. Truth be told, a Mancunian and Liverpudlian had different manners.\n\n\"Um... what?\" He was staring at the sky. I followed his gaze and nodded in understanding.\n\nThe Albion Airways newest airliner was steaming westward towards Dublin then eventually New York. She was the largest craft to take to the air and the height of luxury. I didn't blame the stranger for gawking. She was quite the sight.\n\n\"Is that a fucking blimp?\"\n\nI winced at the crude language but reminded myself that he was a colonial. \"Er... the proper term is 'dirigible'.\" He stared at me.\"My bank is an investor to Albion Airways, you see, and we insist on the proper terminology,\" I began. I then realized that he was staring over my shoulder.\n\n\"Is that a fucking robot?\"\n\nAgain with the swearing. I coughed to let him know of my discomfort. He started then visibly forced himself to calm.\n\n\"Is that a ... robot?\" he repeated.\n\n\"What's a robot?\" The word sounded Slavic. Maybe he wasn't a native Anglophone.\n\n\"That!\" He pointed at a clockwork carrying a heavy load of gears. \"That's a robot! A steampunk robot\"\n\n\"Oh, a clockwork. I've never heard of them referred to as such. What part of the EAD are you from?\"\n\nHe blinked in confusion. \"The what?\" Maybe I made a mistake assuming he was from the Eastern American Dominion. Maybe he was from Australasia?\n\n\"Are you not American?\"\n\nHis face brightened. \"Oh, yes! Of course! I'm from the United States.\"\n\nNow I was confused. \"The United States? Is that what Americans call the Dominion?\"\n\n\"The what?\" Must have been his favorite phrase. He kept shifting his eyes everywhere. My spectacles, the horseless hansoms, the clockworks, and for some reason the pipes and clouds of steam that were ubiquitous in the city. He kept muttering \"steampunk\" over and over again.\n\nThis was too intriguing even as it was frustrating. Not often that I could converse with a colonial from abroad, even a potentially mad one, though I wish he was more forthcoming.\n\n\"Wait here.\" I found a courier clockwork and after writing a hasty note, I pressed the message and a quid into its mechanical palm and ordered it to deliver the missive to my bank. My employees must make do without their boss for the day. There was something off about this man and I aimed to find out what.\n\n\"I'm back, sir. Shall I buy you a tea or coffee? The coffeehouse there serves a bean from the Sandwich Islands.\"\n\n\"What date is this?\" he asked suddenly. He seemed much calmer.\n\n\"What date?\" I scoffed. But the man seemed serious. \"The 22nd of August, 2019 AD.\"\n\nHe actually smiled. \"Steampunk,\" he said again. He turned to me. \"I have so many questions.\"\n\n\"As do I, sir.\"" ]	3
	[WP] Whenever you asked what your spouse wanted for dinner they’d say “you” and you would joke along. Today they are coming out as a cannibal and want you to take this relationship seriously. And so begins the first and possibly last argument of your marriage.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " Every day at dinnertime it’s the same. I take a deep breath. “What do you mean ‘I need to take this relationship more seriously’?”, my voice rising to a higher pitch with every word. “You’re the one who can’t ever seem to answer a perfectly normal question with a straight answer!”, I now yell at the back of Kayla while she stares out the window.\n\nIt’s quiet for a moment and in that moment I feel silly. Had she not heard me? Then she turns around and walks towards me, stopping just in front of me. She lifts her hand and I can feel it running through my messy black hair and when it rests on my cheek I can’t help but lean into it.\n\n“Let’s not argue,” she says in a soft voice.\n\nI open my mouth to reply, but her finger to my lips stops me. I close my eyes, my head lowering slightly and I sigh. I can feel her hand soothingly gliding down over my shoulder, then to my hand, which she takes and I open my eyes. She leads me out of the living room while she quietly says “I’m sorry.”\n\n“Me, too,” I say, “I didn’t mean to\\~”.\n\n“I’m sorry you always thought it wasn’t a serious answer.”\n\nWe stop in the kitchen. She lets go of my hand and I just stand and stare at her in disbelief. “Are you joking again?” I say, “Because if you are this is really not the time to be playing me.” My hands wave in front of me, trying to emphasise my point. \n\nShe bites her lip then. Her hands slipping into the pockets of her jeans and she holds my gaze for only a moment before she glances away, not speaking. I follow her gaze and when it lands on the knife block I bought her for her last birthday a sudden chill spreads through my body. Surely she’s not being serious? I look back at her and our eyes lock, neither of us moving. My voice is eerily quiet and sounds distant to my ears as I say, “You want to kill me. And.. eat me.”\n\nSeveral heartbeats pass. I feel the tension in my hands, the adrenaline coursing through my veins preparing me to run or fight if I have to. So much so that I startle and almost fall when she suddenly lets out a high giggle.\n\n“No, silly! Not kill you. I want to have a relationship with you. Just a small piece of you once in a while. Little bits that regrow.”\n\nShe closes the distance again as she speaks. My mind suddenly flashes back to her inclination for licking and biting during our love-making, every moment of it that I can remember. I thought it was just a quirk, like all of us have quirks. I take a few steps back.\n\n“You’re insane,” I say hoarsely.\n\nShe stops with her mouth parted in a slight o, her eyes actually filling up with tears. Where does she get the nerves to look hurt? I glance from her, to the door to my right, then back to her. She looks like she wants to say something else, but right now I just don’t want to hear it. I snatch my coat from the chair and run to the door.\n\n“I’m going to buy a salad!” I call on my way out. “In the next city..” I mutter to myself." ]	2
	[WP] A gang of bandits roams the Wild West, legendary in their pillaging. The nicknames of the five bandits are Peppa Pig, Doc McStuffins, Popeye, Spongebob Squarepants, and Winnie the Pooh, and tonight a stranger at the saloon is telling the tales of how each of these outlaws got their nickname.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Well, well. I am sure you folks want to hear many stories. I have every story you could dream of. But tonight,\" he affected a flourish \"I want to tell you the story of the Five Scourges.\"\n\nThe townspeople gasped, half in delight, half in terror. The Five Scourges were the most feared outlaws of the day. Every town cowered afraid of getting in their sights. The storyteller was pleased.\n\n\"Who should I start with?\" The crowd, composed of nearly the entire town, errupted with shouts of Peppa Pig, Spongebob Squarepants, and Winnie the Pooh. But in the back a young boy waited for the din to die down and then loudly cleared his throat before squeaking out \"Popeye\".\n\n\"Popeye, yes what a fine place to start. He is, after all, a fallen star. I beg silence, and your attention, as I tell the tale of Popeye.\n\nPopeye earned that name well before he earned infamy. He was a known pugilist. You could win a tidy penny correctly guessing what round he would knock out an opponent. No one left the ring without black eyes and bruises when boxing Popeye. The true testament to his skill was how handsome he was,\" the man smiled at the ladies, \"oh yes, Popeye was popular with the ladies. No boxer in his right should have made it to his age with a straight nose, but Popeye did. For all the black eyes he gave, no one landed a hit near his pretty face. He popped eyes, he didn't get his popped!\" The ladies giggled and awed, the ruthless criminal suddenly a charming prince on hard times. \n\n\"All of that changed one dark and dreary night. Popeye was popular with the ladies, but his heart belonged to just one. No one really knows the details, but I can tell you what happened, oh yes, His love, his lady, betrayed him. Had been betraying him. His victories. His pretty face. All of it was her seducing and drugging his opponents.\" A brief sneer flashed on the Storyteller's fine features, \"His self doubt raced, was he even any good? But his rage swiftly took over. So that night, when he got into the ring, he let that rage take over. He didn't just box, he beat that man to a pulp just to prove he could, murdered him in front of everyone, then calmly walked out of the ring and snapped his traitorous wife's neck. Before the constables arrived, Popeye was gone. The next anyone saw of him was when a bandana slipped off of his still pretty face while riding with Peppa, and the Scourge was born.\" \n\nThe crowd clapped. But then one man, red faced with drink, called out \"Popeye didn't found the Scourge, it was Peppa and Doc McStuffins!\"\n\nOnly the people in front noticed the hate that gleamed in the storyteller's eyes. Everyone else just saw a toothy grin. \"I assure you good sir, Doc McStuffins doesn't have the brain to run a gang of outlaws. We call him Doc as a joke because he's so stupid. Now, thank you, but I will have to delay the rest of the tales until tomorrow. The time has gotten away from me\"\n\nIt wasn't long after he left that the first townsfolk drifted out of the tavern. Moments later, you could hear their feet pounding back toward the tavern and cries of \"oh lord we've been hit by The Scourge!\" \"The bank's been robbed\" \"Pa's grocer's been hit!\" \"Someone broke into the mayor's house!\" \n\nThank you for reading. I know my grammar is horrible", "Santa Poco, Arizona Territory \n\n\nSheriff Carter, flanked by two deputies, walked into the saloon with urgency and sat at the table. \"A'right then, Steve, nows not the time for jawin'. Tell me what you know and who they are.\" \n\n\nThe man took a his shot of whiskey with a shaking hand. \"It was the Five, I tell ya.\" He held his shot glass with a trembling hand. \"They dun shot up Hope, and only I made my way here by night.\" He bowed his head somberly. \n\"May they all rest In peace, Lord keep 'em all and may them Five Philistines burn eternally in the Lake O'Fire.\" \n\n\nCarter leaved forward. \"We ain't got time, Steve. We're getting a posse and I need to know where they're going.\" \n\n\nSteve gulped, and stammered. \"Yessir.\" he said. \"Started off with Miss Winnie, the pooh doll, she came into town first. Sweet as honey, and hair as as red as the Devils fire. Emerald eyes, and skin gold brown. Ain't the like the sun touched her just right for a Irish woman. She come in the day before, like a siren from the wilderness.\" \n\n\nSteve took another shot. \"That jezebal cozied up quick like to the deputy; I seen them in the saloon. But late that night I seen the Injun sneaakin' in the dark. I knowed there was som'n afoot, then. I tried to warn the sheriff; but he wadn't as quick in the head as he used to be.\" \n\n\nCarter studied the man intently. \"Tell me about the Injun.\" \n\n\nSteve nodded. \"I heard he was too mean for the Jicarilla, and was exiled. Band of maruading messicans, cut part of his tongue out but he survived. When he says his name, it comes out soundin' like 'Spongebob Squarepants'. Silent as death and a quiver of poison arrows. He dun hunted down all them messicans that cut him up, and killed them all.\" pausing for effect he ran his index finger accross his throat, \"Reaaaal slow like.\"\n\n\"Then there's Doc McStuffins, the old saw bone. Wears an old confederate uniform stained with the blood of his victims. They call him McStuffins, because they say he was a taxidermist as a hobby before the war. But all them blood n' guts drove him mad, barkin' mad, just as soon kill you as patch ya up.\" Steve shuddered. But not as mad as Popeye.\" \n\n\nBy now a group had gathered around the table listening intently. Some men sipped there whiskey, other looked around nervously. Steve pointed to his eye. \"Word around the fire says he was a whaler, and one day he took a harpoon to the eye. Strong as a bull, he takes this wacky weed, like the Devil hisself blew a charge of red pepper right up his rectum, pardon my french. I seen him ride into town and beat three grown men out of the saloon like it weren't nothing.\" \n\n\nSteve took a deep breath. \"But none of them ain't nothing like the Peppa Pig, orneriest man this side of the Rio. His shoulders wide as an Ox, and a chest like a barrel. Scraggly and dirty like a pig-pen, and they call him peppa on account of the pepperbox he uses. Can shoot the wings off a gnat, but he likes to get in close with that pepperbox. Loves the pain 'n sufferin' it causes. \n\n\nSherriff Carter leaned back in his chair, and locked his steely gaze on Steve. \"You sure it was the Five?\" \nSteve gulped and took a shot. \"Yessir.\" he stood and grabbed his hat. \" I'm heading to Mexico, and if'n any y'all have the sense God gave you, you'll pack up and leave, too. Ain't no sense in riding into Hope neither. If anything, it's be good to get word to them prospectors in them hills and get them in town.\" Turning back to the sheriff, and deputies. \"God rest ye soul, gents.\" \n\n\nA few miles west of town, a figure stirred in the darkness, alerted by the approaching rider. The shadow whistled. The rider whistled back as a man stepped out from behind the rock. \n\"Evening, Pepper.\" the rider said. \n\"Evening, Steve.\" Pepper said. \"How'd it go?\" \nSteve scratched his jaw. \"Good and scared. Injun Bob cut the telegraph lines?\" \nPepper nodded. \"He did. We left them dead messicans whur you told us to.\" \n\"Good.\" Steve said. \"I imagine Doc can ride into Kearny tomorrow and buy that claim for pennies on the dollar.\" \nPepper spit. \"Imagine so.\" \n\"Big day tomorrow, Pepper. Let's get some rest.\"", "Josiah Pardee took a nice long drag from his cigarette, and held his breath for a few moments before releasing the thick cloud of white smoke into the room. Josiah was an 'olden-days' type of man, with thick scraggly beard, interwined with black and white and gray strands of hair. His cigarettes were hand-rolled always, he never bought that fancy pre-rolled stuff, neither did he care for the folks that did.He was sitting at the saloon that evening with his familliar glass of scotch, sipping it like cold tea every once in a while, in between drags from his cigarette and winks to the lovely working ladies on the upper floor.\n\n\"Y'all heard about that gang again? Whatchamacallem... The legendary five?\" suddenly piped up one of the patrons, raising his face from his newspaper. \"What about 'em, Newt?\", asked the bartender, polishing a glass with a small towel. Newt got back to his paper. \"Says here, them boys done did whole 'lotta trouble up in Greenville, robbed the bank and shot the Marshel like a dog, left him laying in the street.\"\n\nAn other patron across the saloon spat on the floor in anger. \"What in tarnation...\" he mumbled. \n\"Yep, them boys are a whole bunch of no-gooders, let me tell ya that,\" said an other patron, raising his head from his table, where a card game was on-going.\n\nJosiah took an other long drag of his cigarette before flicking it behind him, almost hitting the bartender with the stub.He released the plum of smoke before saying \"y'all don't know shit about them boys.\" The saloon went silent. All patrons, about ten total in the saloon, raised their heads and stared at Josiah. The whores in the upper floor scuttled to their rooms, some coyly watching from the door frames.\n\nJosiah went back to his calm demeanor, and raised his glass to his lips for a quick sip. \"I used to ride with them you know,\" Josiah said. \"We were the meanest sons of bitches west of the Mississippi.\" All of the saloon patrons were now listening, even the intense card game came to a stop.\n\n\"There was, well, me. And then you had Peppa Pig, Doc McStuffins, Popeye, Spongebob Squarepants, and good ol' Winnie, Winnie the Pooh. Now, Peppa Pig,\" Josiah continued, \"Peppa Pig was a real pig. That's where he got his name, you see? He had a mouth on him like he eaten nails for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Always took what he wanted, when he wanted. He was an animal. Be it women, money, drinks or food, he took it all to himself, pigging out on it until there was nothing left. And then he took some more. Why, then you had the doctor. Doc McStuffins, a Scottish fella from the steep hills. Came down here to help, ended up an outlaw. He was the brains, he was real smart, yeah. Always tended to our wounds, had us stitched up and bandaged, could fix a broken bone too. But the reason we called him McStuffins, was that the doctor was best at, well... taking out the stuffing, if y'all catching my drift. He was a doctor alright, but when he needed to, he stuffed a professional hand up a fella's kiester, pulled out all the stuffing. He called it 'doing the doctor'.\"\n\nThe patrons at the saloon now seemed horrified, but kept on listening. No one dared looking in Josiah's eyes, but they all looked in his general direction.Josiah took an other gulp of scotch, slamming his empty glass on the bar. \"Yeah... and you had Popeye too. Now Popeye was real sick sonofabitch. Used to be a sailor, so he was a drinker, but Popeye got his name because he had the hobby of popping out eyes. Straight up walk to a fella, pop both his eyes out in a second. The poor bastard screaming bloody murder and Popeye has two new eyeballs in his hand. He was our go to guy when we needed to make sure there's no witnesses about.\"\n\n\"And what about Spongbob?\", asked the bartender. Josiah turned around to face him. \n\"What about him?\", he asked. The bartender got red in the face and dropped his gaze to the wooden floor boards. \"Just wondering... how he got his name is all,\" the bartender said apologetically. \"I'm getting there,\" Josiah said.\n\n\"Anyway,\" Josiah said as he turned back to face the saloon, \"we had that long name feller Spongebob too. Spongebob Squarepants. Never really got why them called him so... knew his name was Bob, and he often wore square pants made of wood. Was a giddy little feller, always had a joke to tell, but he was also ready to start shootin' and kickin' when it was time to shoot and kick.\"\n\n\"And the last one\", said Josiah, \"was a Frenchy by the name of Wincent. When he got off the boat and made his way across the west, he changed his name to Winnie. And The Pooh, is actually pronunced DuPau. Americans butchered it, just like Winnie used to butcher Americans. He liked to read and he liked to fuck whores, but if you pissed him off he'd put you on the ground with a gun barrel to your head. He'd ask folks to say his name. If they said it wrong, The Pooh, he'd send a bullet in their brain.\"\n\n\"Yeah...\", said Josiah, slowly getting up from his stool, putting his wide brimmed hat back on his head. \"These were the days.\" Josiah started walking towards the swinging doors, eyeing each and every patron on his way there, and each and every patron lowering their eyes as he walked passed them. \n\"And if I ever hear y'all talking smack on my boys... I'll personally pull your guts out, pop out your eyeballs, kick you, shoot you, put you to the ground, and send a bullet through your skull on DuPau's behalf. And when it's all over for you. Just like the Pig, I'll come for your wife, your money, your food and drinks.\"\n\nJosiah spat on the floor boards and went out the swinging doors, into the warm summer night.", "The stranger with the wide hat and the silver-grey hair and beard took a good chug of his Whiskey and swallowed hard. He looked around the saloon and soaked in all the looks he got from the cowboys , hookers and the barman. Then he coughed and spoke.\n\n\"The story of pep-a pig is quickly told. You see he was wandering the dessert for days.He had lots of food and water but no woman to help him relax. If you know what i mean.\" The stranger said with a grin. \"Then one day he came upon a farm. On this farm lived an old couple. Neither of whom he fancied. But for god knows what reason, he saw something in the mudcovered pig. So he murdered the couple and then fucked the pig to death. The sheriff was devastated when he found the scene of the crime the next day.\" The stranger took another sip. \"Doc Mcstuffins is a mad man of the most deranged kind. Everytime he wins a duell, he takes the body of his victim and stuffs it with hay. Then he throws it into the stables where the horses literally eat out the corpse.\" A cowboy ran outside and threw up.\n\n\"Told you these stories aren't for the weak of heart. Anyhow, you probably know what pop-eye did. The rotten bastard plucked out the eyes of the judge who had sentenced him to ten years of prison. The judgee was black out drunk and asleep. He awoke blind and helpless the next day.\" Gasps went through the crowd. \" Spongebob Squarepants is a really queer character. He's uptight and once worked as a teacher , that's why he's called square pants.The sponge thing comes form him drenching sponges in horsepiss and forcing it into his victims mouth, when he's burried them from the neck down. Then he leaves them to starve in the dessert.\" The saloon had become quiet. \"Tho the worst one of them all is undoubtedly the most sadisitc. Winnie the pooh. He is a bastard if there ever was one .The devil himself is not gonna want him. He's got a knive collection and when he gets to close to you he'll maul you until you are barely conscious. Then he'll let his horse defecate into your wounds , They become infected and you die a slow and miserable death while he watches with glee.\" The entire saloon was still staring at the stranger. \"I'm tired now . But I'll stay in this town for two more nights. So tommorow i might tell you of the madening misdeeds of the paw patrol or the wench called dora dee explorer or even the dreaded legend of Mr. Rogers." ]	5
	[WP] The year is 2400 humanity has successfully created a universe simulation for scientific reasons but one day they start to wonder if they are in a simulation, and as your job requires you have to do something before they break the 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\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "In the Pocket Universe time moves at whatever rate we want. The first two years we ran it at a 7 billion to 1 ratio, meaning after the second year of the simulation we had surpassed the age of our own universe. At that stage we paused the simulation and ran a search.\n\nThe computer found 1,400 planets (out of 24 billion) to ever support life. 1,392 had only progressed to single cell organisms before the unliveable conditions killed them off. 8 had progressed to multi-cellular organisms before they too went extinct. One planet continued to sustain bacteria, but then there was Alpha-1, the main focus of our research. \n\nAlpha-1 was the only simulated planet to sustain life comparable to the real Earth. At the time of the search the creatures were comparable to animals, but we saw the potential. We recalibrated the time ratio to 15,000 to 1 and watched life develop. After two more years we saw on that simulated planet truly intelligent life. These reptilian creatures had become proficient in the use of tools and became omnivores. We watched as they developed agriculture and language. We watched as they built cities and monuments. We recalibrated the time ratio again to 1,000 to 1, watching as they gained technological prowess.\n\n5 years and 7 months into our project, the creatures, who we named Alphians, detonated their first nuclear bomb. Some of us had placed bets on this occurrence and thus far the Alphians had impressed us. They had developed hydroelectric power first, followed by solar then finally combustion. We cheered in the lab when they created their first airplane, using a combination of solar and carbon power. Two weeks later (approximately 45 years in their time) they detonated the bomb. Fascinated, we continued watching.\n\nWe were capable of gleaning many details about their society through the simulation and the public was fascinated by our experiment. Books were written about Alphian religion, politics and technology. What fascinated me, however, were the \"Sims\" (a loose translation, but fitting). These Alphians had created a fairly small religion centered around the idea that their entire world was a simulation. \n\nThe idea was unsurprising to us, considering there are humans who believe the same thing. However as their technology continued to progress they began to accrue more evidence supporting their theology, and their scientists and programmers began working intently on the problem. Over time, it became a concern to us as well. Questions of ethics and sustainability arose in our ranks, and we began to question whether our software could be cracked from inside.\n\nOne night I got a call at home. \"Bob, you need to come in, we have a problem with the Alphians.\"\n\nThey had found a way to chemically analyze certain particles in their environment which had begun showing them our source code. By the next week, our system started showing glitches as the Alphians developed new science and technology that could never work in the normal universe, functioning on the fact that their reality is a simulation. After some debate we decided to shut down the project, record the history of the simulated universe and study it further. I was in charge of ending it.\n\nI typed in the final console command. One that I had designed at the very beginning of the project. Rapture.exe\n\nEvery molecule in the simulation paused, saved its entire history, then deleted. It was an unceremonious end for their species. The next day I bought a bumper sticker and stuck it on my cubicle. \n\n>God became man so that we might become God" ]	2
	[WP] You climb down a manhole for some reason and are shocked to find a dozen hooded men that stares at you in excitment.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I'm not the smartest person I know. But I can tell you this; if you ever feel the urge to climb down a manhole in the dead of the night, don't do it. \n\nThere's several reasons for that. For one, manholes are moist even if it's the driest month of July. They stink. They're greasy. And somehow, they're a whole lot easier to climb into than to get out of. \n\nI can also tell you this. Newton's fucking wrong with that theory of gravity of his. That's not how it works. The motherfucker came up with that theory seconds after some apple hit his head and the entire world accepts it. \n\nIt's absolute bullshit. \n\nThe only thing known to manipulate gravity are otherworldly. I should've thought of this while I began my descent into the hole, when I questioned why I was climbing into a manhole in the dead of the night in my best suit. \n\nReally, I feel stupider for not thinking of it earlier. Maybe then I would've avoided it. I'm a curious man, but I also value my life. \n\nMaybe it's not so bad, though. My torch just went off. And I really don't want to type for much longer. I'd drafted an emergency text to my wife, but I don't really feel like sending it anymore.\n\nThe man smiles at me, his grin wider than ever. His eyes glow and his arms are too long for his body. I don't move. A sense of calm washes over me. I feel nice. At ease. Comfortable even as his snakish fingers grip my arms as he pulls me in for an embrace.\n\nFar off, I can see several men, women and children with glowing eyes, smiling down at me. \n\nSomehow, I'm kind of happy in here.", "I always knew taking dares from my friends would lead to some bizarre shit. \nIt didn't even take me long to get convinced to go down a manhole on West Chester Lane in, ironically, the eastern parts of town. \n\n\"Do it man,\" Joey said, my best friend of five years, \"We'll give you ten more bucks if you like, find an alligator or something'.\" \nI laughed that off, opening up the manhole with the help of Joey and Russell and i climbed down, even waving like i was gonna go on a caving expedition. At that point, i might've WELL have been going down on a fucking Ancient Greek Odyssey, cause the next thing i knew? I was climbing down a ladder in almost pitch blackness. At that point i thought about stopping and trying to look around, but like the moron i was back then i just kept going. Things at that point got...weirder. Like, i began to notice that the ladder for these manholes was getting less and less rusty and more cleaner, like stainless steel sorta shit. At least five minutes in i began hearing a rhytm of....whistling from the below me and it only grew louder. \n\n\nIt seemed to even get more up beat the closer i came to reach the bottom and you wanna know the most uneasy part? The moment i reached the bottom and touched the ground with my feet, the sound of my shoes hitting the hard stone ground made the whistling stop. I waited there, one hand on the ladder the other shaking nervously. The only light i had was from way up top from the open manhole on the street. Finally almost a full minute of silence passes when i finally here a voice. \n\n\n\"You came, at last.\" \nThe manhole closed above me, but several lights came on from the ceiling of the wide open space. In front of me in a circle pattern, surrounding a tall cloaked figure in black was a dozen more cloaked men, the only parts of their face i can see are their eyes, looking at me with..excitement. Some where even fidgeting around with their hands, barely able to contain themselves. As for the tall figure? He was wearing a theater mask, but what freaked me a bit was that the mouth part of it, no the WHOLE thing moved like it was his actual face. \n\"..W...who...who are you people?\" I asked, still confused looking at them all slowly. The man with the moving mask smiled at me softly and merely said, \n\n\n\"Why, we're your followers of course.\" \nAt that point, i would've just been glad with finding an alligator, cause this shit......i don't even know if there's a word for it, but if there is.... \n\n\nI still had no clue what they wanted with me." ]	3
	[WP] -Harbingers of Chaos- You live in a small town and every year a cataclysmic disaster happens. It occurs a week after a flock of black birds circles the town. The number of birds determines the severity of the disaster. This year, the day darkened as the birds covered the whole sky.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The end was always an abstract concept, until it came.\n\nWe lived in fear, but in hope as well. Our short, difficult lives were peppered with moments of joy, forgetful of the dread that loomed, ignorant of the fate that beckoned.\n\nThe Signals had been getting worse and worse each year, and the last three were as follows:\n\n\\- A lightning storm that rent the flesh from bones and left broken families shrieking in the darkness, cursing the flashing spirits in the sky.\n\n\\- A plague of madness that had us gibbering in the corners of our tiny homes, too afraid to eat, and every face a stranger.\n\n\\- A stench of rotting flesh that came from everywhere and nowhere, farmers burying their struggling livestock in hasty graves to no avail, scarves on faces, blinded mad with the putrid stink of decay.\n\nBefore every Signal, the birds came, and they were silent. They sang no songs, they dropped no waste, they left no trace, but we knew that they were there.\n\nTheir movement in the air as they swooped spiteful through the town, nondescript shapes that blew a hateful breeze as they hurtled past us, Signalling our doom. After last year's stink, few of us were left. \n\nPeople had cut the flesh from their arms and legs to reduce the smell, or clumsily removed their own noses and bled until they fell still, and those that survived found that all the animals had been exterminated for their crimes of blood and bone - there was hunger, and sickness, and few survived.\n\nWe knew that the final Signal would come - and then, to our eternal despair, it did.\n\nThe sky... churned. \n\nIt heaved and roiled, as acid in the infected stomach, and the light went from our world. \n\nFrom over the hills, and above the gray and distant clouds, they came, flapping ghastly in all directions, a haze of patterns, a endless wave, blotting out the sun until all was darkness. \n\nWe stood in silence as the light faded for what would be the last time, the gusts of the overhead mass of activity brushing against our grim faces. Together, we few dozen stood, clustered but apart, eyes to where the heavens once were. Darkness.\n\nAfter a while... hours, days... we began to see again, and we wept, each of us.\n\n Horrible visions in the fallen sky, our sins as a people, our every wrong. \n\nErrors from our youth loomed ghostly in the dark above, our thoughtless words, our selfish lies. \n\nIt went on, in no set order, only to be replaced by projections of a dying world and our hand in the killing. Oceans, forests, mountains - the death of nature stared us in the face, an image just behind our eyes which were going pale in the darkness. The sense of loss was etched across our souls, and the images grew more intense until we could hardly see them.\n\nThere was no true end to the end that came.\n\nWe stood, staring at our sins in darkness, until eventually our minds grew quiet - and that was the death of the world." ]	2

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