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] The worst part about being the world's most powerful superhero? Dealing with your friends and family's constant, yet petty, inane requests.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Just like with any normal profession there are ups and downs for being a superhero, especially the most powerful one. For example everyone knows and recognizes you but that's a whole other can of worms because I'm always a target because each time I'm just walking minding my own business because they all go \"Hey there's Sentinel can we get a photo, autograph, etc?\". Don't get me wrong I love my fans but man they can be annoying, I always have to hide my identity while in public so they don't mob me.\n\nThe biggest downs are obviously the villains that show up to destroy the city before I swoop in to stop them, which usually results in either half the city on fire or in rubble. My most dangerous foe is Azazel the demon from Hell who burns almost half of Continental City to the ground before I'm able to stop it. And when I get there he burns me with flames that I'm pretty sure are from the actual Hell which even for being indestructible it still burns like Hell (pun intended). The others include Brutus, a rampaging monster with thick enough hide that not even I can break it with my strength or my heat vision and his spiky horns are able to pierce my body which almost killed me in a few too many close calls. Then there's the alien warlord Endgame perhaps the strongest of all which took efforts from not just me but from the entire superhero team of the Star Fire Force or S.F.F. (that's a very long story).\n\nAnd yet all of that stuff is easy compared to flying over to my parent's house when they lost the remote to the t.v. or opening a jar of pickles for my brother who's too lazy to even try or even carrying my sister with my flight ability to her senior prom. She obviously enjoys this and always tries to find an excuse to get me to fly her someplace which most of the time I don't mind but it gets very old very fast. It's almost as if in the outside world I'm the symbol of peace and hope but to my family I'm the best convenience when they need something but never when I need something from them.\n\nEven though I love my family to death and I would fight with all of my might to protect them I would very much prefer to deal with demons from Hell, inhuman monsters, or even intergalactic warlords." ]	2
	[WP] Upon their death, people may go to Hell, Purgatory, or be chosen for the Heaven trial. If selected, you can try to kill 1,000,000 demons to get into Heaven. Most people arrive at the trial with aomething medieval. You came with a P90, an FN-FiveSeven, a rocket launcher, and infinite ammo.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 took a couple slow steps forward to get a better view of what was ahead of me, my military-grade weapons clanking around lazily in my backpack. I felt like a freaking genius– the first Trial Warrior to ever bring guns into hell. \n\nWhen I set my first foot upon the reddish rock floor, nothing could describe the scene better than awkward.\n\nVery awkward.\n\nDemons surrounded the cave mouth I appeared from, the only passage point between “The Gates” and hell, and I saw others creeping up behind the crowd to get a better look at me, the human with an overpacked bag hanging from my shoulders. I saw a variety of reactions– confusion, giggles, and expressions of pitiful condescendence. \n\nI didn’t know what to do, so I cleared my throat to broke the silence. \n\n“Hey,” I said with the voice crack a failed to avoid. \n\nThe demon audience burst into laughter as my cheeks turned red as the ground I was now staring at. I heard the high-pitched laughter of demon babies, the fast-paced and choppy laughter of the demon youth, and the raspy laughter of the older demons. Everyone was laughing at me. Everyone. \n\n“What exactly is so funny, huh? You never seen one of these monsters before?” I said as I dexterously slid the p90 out of my backpack and into firing position with one hand. \n\nAs though they were controlled by a singular mind, they all gasped in awe simultaneously, which briefly made me confident I had asserted my dominance, but the reaction was followed once again by laughter.\n\nThis time my cheeks turned even redder. Not because of embarrassment though. I needed to get going; there was no time for listening to these beasts holler and laugh at me. I needed to get to heaven, and I needed to do it fast.\n\n“Shut. The. Fuck. UP! ALL OF YOU. IM DONE WITH THIS SHIT,” I yelled. I cocked my P90 aggressively and the crowd went silent, allowing the click of the chamber to ricochet and echo off the distant red-rock walls. \n\nTo start, I took aim at one of the demons directly in front of me, with beady eyes filled with anger and a threatening aim pointed right at him. The crowd leaned in, waiting for my next move. His face, however, didn’t show fear. The smug expression he had to start with got even more smug and arrogant. This set me off the hook. \n\nThe sides of my lips curled downwards in disgust and my glaring eyes stiffened. \n\nMy finger twitched once, pulled back, then shot inward, and my eyes lightened up at the anticipation of the loud crackle of a shot fired– but nothing happened. The crowd burst into laughter once again, but this time hysterically. My heart sank as I followed their eyes to a bubble that slowly floated upwards from my gun’s nozzle, popping only a few feet above my head and drizzling me with soapy moisture. \n\nI fired again. \n\nMore laughter.\n\nI yelled in desperation and began squeezing the trigger rapidly out of despair.\n\nMore bubbles, more laughter.\n\nAnd then the laughter started to get closer.\n\nAnd closer.\n\nAnd the last thing I could remember was that smug-faced demon right above my face laughing his ass off, barely squeezing out the last words I’d ever here in his posh British accent.\n\n“Welcome to hell.”" ]	2
	[WP] You are kidnapped and taken to a lab that illegally tests some kind of super-mutant serums. They inject this serum into you. Unfortunately for them, it works perfectly.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 entered the labs front office. I had read an add in the papers about this super serum that was supposed to give you powers. All they needed was a test subject. All I had to do was Drink a weird substance and gain superpowers? I was surprised that the lab was not full of people wanting superpowers. I asked where I was supposed to go for the superpowers, two security guards led me to a back office. A woman walked up and introduced herself.\n\n\"Hi, I'm Dr.Saunders. Are you here for the Mutant DNA transference?\"\n\n\"You mean the superpower serum? Heck yeah! I'm surprised you were able to squeeze me in. The names Jackson Steele, by the way.\"\n\n\"Well actually, Mr.Steele, you are the only person who seems interested in our serum. Are you aware that there is a chance you might die?\"\n\n\"Yeah, yeah. My family Will be compensated, yada yada yada. When do I get the superpowers?\"\n\n\"Oh, how eager Mr.Steele. Well, we will prep the injection right away.\"\n\n\"Wait, injection! The ad never said anything about an injection! I thought you just had to drink some kind of science potion or somthing!\"\n\n\"You are quite funny Mr.Steele. A 'science potion' as you call it would, at the very least, grant temporary powers. A trip to the bathroom would get rid of your powers, if such a thing as a ' science potion' could even work. An injection is the only way to mix the mutant DNA and your own.\"\n\nEver since I was a kid, I had All ways had a fear of needles. I was no anti-vaxer, but needles had always scared the living daylights out of me. No superpower was worth suffering through my greatest fear.\n\n\"On second thought, I'll pass on the superpowers. Well, I've got places to be! See ya!\" \n\nThe door suddenly shut. I jiggled the door knob. It was locked. I looked back at Dr.Saunders. She removed her hand from a button on her desk and pressed another one. It was an intercom. \n\n\"Security. Please bring our test subject to the lab.\"\n\n\"Wait, lady. I just said that I don't wanna have superpowers. Let me out!\"\n\nThe door opened as two goons grabbed me. I tried to wrestle my self free, but Dr.Saunders shot me with a tazer. I slumped in the guards arms as they started to drag me to a table. I couldn't move my body as they strapped me to a table. I started sweating harder than I ever had before. I tried moving, to no avail. Then Dr.Saunders pulled out a syringe with a neon green liquid. I started freaking out. I started to jerk my body as much as I could, hoping to come free. But it was too late. I watched hopelessly as the syringe was inserted into my arm.\n\n\"Sorry, Mr.Steele. A small injection is a small price to pay for awesome power.\" That was the last thing I heard before I blacked out.\n\n I suddenly opened my eyes. My body was in pain. So much pain. My body jerked about, tugging at the restraints tying me down. My skin started changing into silvery smooth metal. My skin started to fluctuate and spikes went in and out of my body.\n\n\"It works! It actually works! We've done it!\"\n\nThey started to congratulate themselves until they heard a rip and the clang of metal, followed more rips and clangs. They turned around in fear.\n\nMy body was stronger, and I could control my metal skin and make it into whatever I wanted. I pulled myself off of the lab table. The guards started to run towards me, hoping to strap me back down, but I sent two needles at their hearts, killing them instantly. Dr.Saunders tried to run away. I ran in front of her, my new body lending me speed I had only dreamed about.\n\n\"Wait, I'm sorry for forcing you to get the injection but it works! You should be happy. You are a miracle a of science!. Are you really upset over a small needle?\"\n\nI looked at her her with fury in my eyes, all the while summoning new needles in my hand. \n\n\"I really, really hate needles. Let me show you why\" I said, launching the needles into her non vital bodyparts. She screamed. \n\n\"I wonder how many needles it'll takes before you lose your voice from screaming, or you die\" I said.\n\n937.", "It was a pleasant car ride home, or at least that was where I assumed I was headed. The soft rumbling of the van, gentle bumps in the road rocking me to sleep. The voice singing a lullaby all too familiar yet one I've never heard before or maybe I have but I can't put a face to the voice. Throwing caution to the wind I decided to sleep, it was too dark to look out the window anyways. Drifting off as my exhaustion took over, I don't know how long I was in the car or how long I slept... \n\nAs I awoke, a voice spoke deep and bassey in my mind, \"Good morning, you've been asleep for so long, I was beginning to think the procedure killed you.\" What was he talking about? What procedure? Who is he? Why is he so loud? As I opened my mind to take in my surroundings a man I didnt recognize stared back at me. He looked familiar, like that one type of guy who you barely notice, yet you see someone like him everywhere you go. 3 spaces behind you in a line to a coffee shop you visited once, or behind you in line to board an airplane, or one of the guys in their car getting gas from Costco... he was all to familiar but not someone I knew personally. Who was this real life copy/pasted NPC?\n\nI tried to get up to ask more questions, but I was jerked back into the table finding my arms, legs, and body strapped to the table. There were needles in my arms connected to empty bags, that looked like it could have been for saline. Unfortunately my head was not strapped down so I was able to look around at the the horrific massacre around me. Blood stained walls, unrecognizable bodies slumped and piled around the floor, other operating tables with piles of what could only be described as fleshy blood soaked pools. The man spoke to me, but his voice didn't come from his mouth. Again, directly in my head the man said, \"it seems your DNA was compatible with his. You are the first to wake up from the transfusion. Let's see if you have access to your abilities.\" The man moves very slowly toward the arm with the needles, and removes them, \"If it worked then we should see-\" the holes from the needles suddenly felt a momentary searing pain as the wound closed itself, steam rising from my forearm. \"Perfect. This is the first of many abilities.\" My mind was racing at a thousand miles a second, who is he, why am I here, what did he do to me, what am I, how many people did he try this on, will I become a pile of flesh in a few minutes, am I going to die, will it be painful, where are my parents, where are my friends, where am I, who am I, what am I? The stress of all these questions in my mind, my eyes began to glow white, brighter and brighter, till instead if generating light they were now generating heat as well, blinding and burning the man standing over me, I didn't care what happened to him if he was the monster that did that to those people. The light and heat kept growing in intensity till it wasn't just pouring out of my eyes but my mouth, nose, ears, and soon my whole body. The room began to catch fire, the smell of burning flesh only added to my stress.\n\nAt some point I must have snapped and blacked out because I awoke in a crater about a football field in radius. Cold and naked I looked around the crater for any sign of life... nothing. Where was that man, where am I? Did I do this? Did I kill anyone? Wait a minute if I did do this, then I gotta calm down and get this under control, if I want to have any semblance of a normal life I can't let this happen in public if this isn't already national news. I did my best to get away and get some clothes and a hot meal. Turns out I was in some back water town in the middle of the Mojave desert in California. The nearest gas station had a clothes drive bin I could take from, thank god for Christmas charities. Next objective is home. I was able to beg the clerk at the gas station for his phone to call my best friend for a ride, no questions asked.\n\nI don't really know what abilities that guy was talking about or what he injected me with, but if its powerful enough to level a a goddamn football field and some, then if anybody survived to know about it then anybody they talk to about it will find someway to try to weaponize me. I think the best course of action might be to find \"him\", that doctor said my DNA was compatible with someone's which means my abilities probably came from him so if I can find this person then I can probably learn what it is and how to control it.", "The word ‘serum’ comes from a Latin word that means ‘whey’, namely the more watery part of certain fluids within animals. In blood, when it clots, separating the solid from the liquid produces such a liquid and it was here that the lab had found the critical ingredient to create super mutants.\n\nWith each animal, the serum of their blood contained something yet unknown that, once processed through a number of other chemicals, drew upon certain DNA strands that could be transferred from one animal to another. \n\nThe initial animal trials saw lab mice sprout rudimentary wings with a Bat Serum, enlarged yet deformed udders from a Cow Serum and other variations, some grotesque and others perfection. It was no surprise that human testing was never allowed, however it should’ve also been no surprise that before long, such testing was done in secret, some through offers of lump sums of money to vagrants, others by force\n\nI was brought to the lab by the latter method after, regrettably, turning down the former. Although, if I was honest, I doubted whether or not a group that would force subjects to such experimentation would actually be true to their word of payment. Nevertheless, what was done was done and I had resigned myself to the fate I could quite clearly see. Strapped with aged leather to a cold metal slab, bathed in white clinical light, the bodies in similar situations to me in the room around me, in various states of decay, made it readily apparent human testing had not yet been perfected. It was blindingly obvious.\n\nTo my left, what I could only assume was something related to a Rhino saw one poor soul’s skull cracked clean in half, a stunted horn protruding from his forehead that seemingly collapsed his nasal cavity under the weight. To my right, perhaps an insect Serum of some sort had been given to the corpse that lay there. Half wrapped in a cocoon, the lower half of the man had completely dissolved as if halfway through the metamorphosis a moth or a butterfly has within the safety of a full cocoon, although this man was unable to complete the process and as such wasted away, leaving a vile pool of offal below his table to rot.\n\nWith such a poor success rate inherent to the Serum and the illegal nature of the goings on in this lab, sterile environments were apparently the least of the owner’s worries.\n\nHours passed until a door opened behind me, although I could only hear the footsteps by virtue of me unable to turn to the sound. Two figures come on either side of me, donned head to toe in medical apparel, save for thick black rubber gloves and aprons caked in blood, waste and a mix of scales and feathers, likely from previous guests. I locked gaze with one of the figures, their grey eyes peering from between their bandana and their mouth guard. Without blinking their turned their vision to a long needle in the others’ hand, reached forward and pulled it from them. The now empty handed figure pulled out a clipboard and scrawled a few hurried notes before turning away to begin clearing the table of the Rhino-man, likely preparing it for the next victim after my inevitable failed experiment.\n\nToo distracted was I as I watched him unstrap the corpse, failing to notice the remaining figure flick the needle a few times and plunge it into my skin. A let out a small help, more out of being startled than pain and then watched as he took a step back, clipboard in hand, ready to take notes.\n\nI lay there, trembling from the cold of the slab, the silence only punctuated by the first figure taking notes and the second cracking the horn off the corpse to my side to make it easier to move. My arm gave a jolt, trembling the slab slightly, the figures paused for a moment. Both my arms snapped violently, cracking loudly under the strain and twisting into horrible positions as I let out a scream, the room filling with light as the pain blinded me. I felt my limbs groan under strain as one by one they shattered and shifted, each movement sending waves of agony throughout my body until finally my spine shattered and severed my spinal cord, numbing everything and causing my body to collapse, limp. My eyes looked down to see my skin ripple and peel, almost scale-like skin appearing below and my limbs slowly begin twisting. Under my skin the bones shifted and reformed, slowly repairing the damage as I found sensation returning to me. I lifted my head and began to scream again as the feeling of pain returned just in time for each limb to tear in two, twisting violently, the scraps of skin in between wrapping quickly back together and forming hundreds of tiny suction cups.\n\nI looked up at the figures, who had backed away, one slipping on the puddle of the Insect and falling to the ground, retching in a heap. The straps had now loosened on me as my limbs split into eight individual ones, my brain slowly adjusting to its new freedom. I drew my body up, threw out a whip like hand around the throat of the figure that had injected my and squeezed, the sound of his neck cracking seemingly louder than the sounds my body made as it changed. As I released my hold on him and let him fall, his clipboard fell to the ground and I peered down to see the notes, a single line indicating what Serum I had been given.\n\nAn Octopus. Not bad, I thought, turning my head towards the remaining figure, my smile slowly disappearing as my twisted lips hardened into a sharp beak. \n\nHe screamed.\n\n••••••\n\nCheck out my other writing prompt replies at r/VerboseBuffalo\n\nRead, follow for more and (hopefully) enjoy, always open for feedback!", "I was walking back to my house in my neighborhood one night. I wanted to get back quickly, because I feared what crimes might occur at any moment. Sadly, I didn't make it back soon enough. I heard a van drive up behind me, and stop. I picked up my pace. A moment later, two men jumped out. I ran, but the men got me. I don't remember what happened the next few hours after.\n\nI woke up on a metal table. I looked around. I was in a lab like room. There were no people. I started to get up, only to realize My arms and legs were tied down. There was a table next to me with a syringe on it. \"What did they do to me?\" I wondered. A few moments later, I heard footsteps behind me. \"He is awake!\" I heard a voice yell. Three more people entered the room. \"Inject it into him now.\" Said a voice. A man picked up the syringe, and injected it into me. \n\nSometime later, I woke up. I didn't remember falling asleep. Once again, I awoke in a lab. I tried to get up again, only to remember I was strapped to the table. But when I tried to get up, I got up. I was held back by the straps for only a second. They snapped when I tried to stand. I just broke through ropes! I walked out of the room. There was a man outside. \"Let the testing begin.\" He said. I immediately recognize his voice as the one that belonged to the man who injected the serum into me. I was angry at him for what he did. I was angry at everyone who did this to me. \"There is no need to test it. Believe me, it works. Let me show you.\" I said. I charged at him, and broke his neck. I walked down the hall. I would find every person who did this to me, and get my revenge. I killed every person who tried to stop me. Me getting my revenge wasn't enough. I felt the urge to do more. I felt the urge to attack any living thing that crossed my path. I was free.", " I don’t remember much. In fact, I only remember what happened after I was captured.\n\nI woke up in the middle of a metal room. There were lights built into the roof, and a metal door on one of the walls. That was it, just metal everywhere. After a few minutes, two people in hazmat suits, both black, entered through the door, one holding a needle, and the other holding a tablet of some sort. They were both a full foot taller than me, so obviously I began to sort of backwards crawl to the wall opposite of them. I picked up the pace as the one with the needle approached, a brown liquid visible on it. Walking is obviously faster, and he caught up no problem, using the other hand to hold my right legs as he forced the needle into my calf.\n\nMy entire body began to hurt afterwards, mainly the bones. The guy got up afterwards, and backed up to the other one just in time to see my bones shatter into a million bits, and nearly every bit of my nervous system to liquify. That’s why I don’t remember much.\n\nI came to later, feeling the ground on multiple points I shouldn’t be, multiple points that shouldn’t feel normal but do. Apparently, my head was hovering right above a car hood with a terrified guy inside, covering his head with his arms. I had stopped before I did anything bad, or so I thought. I lifted my head back up to where it would feel normal, and tried to see if I could move my arms. Not arms, but massive spider legs that dwarfed that car. I stared at them for a bit, then used what must have been six other legs to turn around. A path of destruction with broken homes two stories tall that were maybe a quarter the height of my legs, many broken vehicles and pools of acid could be seen strewn about. My god, what am I?! What did those people do?!\n\nMy thoughts were cut short by something quickly hitting against my side, causing a loud CLANK. It stung a little, and I turned my head that direction to see an Abrams tank sitting behind a building somewhat. The entire country must be seeing this…\n\nI attempted to speak, but all that came out was a spider shriek from nightmares, causing me to immediately stop attempting to communicate. My god, if being a spider this big is this terrible for the spider, wonder how the crew in that tank must feel. I sorta, lowered my entire body a bit, beginning to think again on that trail. Did I go berserk? Was I being mind controlled? I need time to process this…\n\nI began walking back the way I assume I came, dipping those giant legs into those acid pools to see if they do anything. Nope, just like water. I guess a helicopter began following me, since I began to hear said helicopter what felt like inches above me, along with feeling the air. They were right above the carapace. Didn’t matter to me, I just wanted to see if I could make up for this.", "A cool breeze drifted through the streets of the old city, scattering the red-orange leaves lining the walkways. A cloaked woman stood in an empty brick alley, rapping urgently at a rotting wood door. Although her face was obscured, a wisp of blonde hair managed to escape her hood.\n\nAngrily tapping her foot, the woman checked her watch. The procedure was time sensitive, and she was the only one capable of performing it. Impatient and unwilling to wait any longer, the woman pressed her hand to the door. Perhaps the subject had put up a fight when being recovered. With a few muttered words under her breath, the damp wood began to ripple and flow, coming to pool around her feet. Staggering slightly under a wave of exhaustion, the woman walked through the now empty doorframe.\n\nMasking her irritation at the incompetence of her associates and making her way through dimly lit corridors, the woman found her way to a room seemingly out of place in the decrepit building. Replacing her cloak with a simple white lab coat hanging by the door, she deftly tied her shoulder length hair back and out of the way. Satisfied, the woman took in her familiar surroundings. The operating theater was sterile, illuminated by harsh white fluorescent lights hanging from the ceiling. It was furnished only by a cart of surgical equipment and a single bed with crisp white sheets at its center. Photographs of strange, mutated children adorned the walls. Some had scales, some feathers. Some had multiple limbs, others multicolored skin. One child looked normal, but for her blank white eyes. Her expression was haunted, as if she could see things that others couldn't. Snatching a walkie-talkie off the cart, the woman issued a single command. \"Bring the subject to me.\"\n\nSeveral long minutes later, two hulking men staggered into the room carrying a young boy. The first sported a colorful black eye, while the second had his arm in a sling. Laying him down gently on the bed and binding his wrists and ankles to the frame before gagging his mouth, the first henchman glared at the woman. \"You picked a fighter with this one doc,\" he grumbled. \"Nearly took out my eye with a rock when we were trying to collect him. Somehow managed to trip my brother too, and break his arm when he was down.\"\n\nThe woman's mouth curled upwards in a smile, her eyes focused on the boy. \"Taking on two grown men of your caliber only demonstrates his qualification for this procedure. This child may be the one we've been looking for all this time.\" Snapping out of her reverie, she grimaced. \"He'll have to be awake for the procedure of course, which might make things unpleasant. Make sure he can't slip out of his bonds while I'm administering the serum.\"\n\nThe two men took their positions at either side of the bed, while the woman slipped on a surgical mask and procured a sinister looking syringe form the cart. Filling it with a viscous black fluid, she approached the child. As The woman's eyes fixed on his face, the boy's eyes snapped open. He struggled ineffectually against his bonds, muffled screams coming past his gag, but could do nothing as the cold needle slipped into his vein. As the syringe emptied, the boy's eyes rolled back in his head and he went limp.\n\n\"There there,\" the woman drawled. \"You'll wake up feeling just peachy.\" Glancing at her henchmen disdainfully, she gestured towards the hallway. \"Take him to the incubation chamber.\" The woman remained in the operating theater for several minutes after they had left, eyes closed and facing the bed. Finally opening her eyes, she shrugged off her lab coat. It had been many years since she had undertaken this little endeavor, and it had cost the lives of countless subjects. Each time she felt like she was getting closer and closer to making the big breakthrough and achieving her goal. Soon, she wouldn't be the only one of her kind.\n\nCrossing the hall and entering the observation deck, the woman gasped as she took in the grisly sight. The serum had worked quickly in this child, much more quickly than it should have. One of the men tasked with escorting the child was scattered around the room, his sling still on his detached arm. Hearing a scream, she sprinted towards the entrance of the incubation chamber, tearing the thick metal doors away like paper. The child was gone, but his handiwork remained. The second henchman gazed at her blankly from the ceiling, his body contorted as if he had fallen from a great height. Using her power to gently lower him to the ground, she coldly took in what hadn't been apparent from a distance. Both the man's eyes had been cleanly removed, presumably when he was still alive. A dark bruise still surrounded one socket.\n\nDespite the horror of what she had witnessed and the loss of her precious subject, the woman couldn't help but smile. It had taken her many long years, but finally her procedure had proved successful.\n\nThere was another.", "“Hello Alex” a femenine voice spoke\n\nI open my eyes, and I’m strapped to a large table. “W-What do you want from me? Who are you?” I quivered out. A woman wearing a lab coat comes into view: “I’m Doctor Woods, we just need to test this serum on you.”\n\nAs I heard this, Woods pulled out a syringe filled with some neon green liquid. I look around and I see other people wearing white, working away on computers and laboratory tables.\n\nA familiar voice then called out to me, “Don’t worry Alex, it’ll be quick.” “Professor Jennings?!” I cried out as I saw one my college professors holding an iv bag.\nThe Professor came to my sude and hooked up the iv bag to my arm, then to a strange machine.\n\n“The experimental X-Serum has varied effects,” Woods said to me. She continued: “We tried this with many patients. One grew a tail, another turned into a giant spider, and other such effects, and yet they always died.” As Woods says this, the leather straps holding me hostage tightened around like a great vice. \n\nAs I struggled to break free, Professor Jennings held down my other arm while Woods walked up to me and held the needle close to my arm. The cold metal entered my veins, stinging like a bee. The green glow in my arm then turned into an icy blue, and my eyes began to glow a dim blue light. \n\nAs the needle left me, the point began to ice over and crack. With a look of shock and horror on her face, Woods quickly ran out the door and my professor said, “My God, the serum worked!” A felt a rush a pain through my body as the straps cracked from the chilling air I emminated. My spine tingled as the metal grew colder and colder. My panic caused the air to start freezing and in a scream, giant spears of ice erupted.\n\n\nEdit: If the story is well recieved I may make a part 2!" ]	8
	[WP] After the death of his father, a young man flees his dysfunctional home to join the war, in search of greater purpose. Some time later, his sister and mother also join the war -- not to find greater purpose, but instead to find him and bring him home to make their family whole again.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "3 hours, that's all it took before I was part of the war. An hour on convincing my family of what I had to do, then an hour of waiting and the next I was in there with other young men all anxious and yet ready for something. \n\nCall it the patriotism running in our veins or the stupidity in our heads to join this fight but goddamn we weren't scared to die, we were scared to fail, to fail our country. \n\n500 days, and 30 more minutes before the rifles are handed to us and the fight begins. Life and death in the hands of humans or how the preacher's boy in our unit said \"We are going against the word of God, to protect our country and our families.\" \n\nGotta say that kid, brought energy to our unit, almost as if we forgot that we were walking to either our certain doom or the safety of the crown.\n\nAn hour has passed and each one of us in uniform, gripping our rifles, ready to prepare for an ambush as our boats land ashore and we carefully got on the sandy beaches of the battlefront. \n\nOur unit was merged with another one totalling the count to 150 men, we were the backup, to meet with 200 men to fight back and stop the German invasion of France. \n\n\"Have mercy on us God\" the preacher's boy said before he got off and his boots met the sand. \n\nSilence, almost deafening, was all you could hear as we moved closer to the land, closer to the enemy, when they started. German bullets flying off their barrels, whiffing past us and hitting some unlucky soldiers. \n\nWe, as taught by our training, laid on the sand and shot back killing most of them before they retreated. No soldiers on our side were fatally harmed. \n\n46 days, was all it took before we lost. The Germans won and we came back, the morale of the troops low, including mine and I didn't expect to see them, my family. \n\nMy father died before the second war started. This led to a spiral, a spiral we couldn't recover from, especially my mother. She disappeared, drank and forgot about us, forgot my sister and I. My sister, on the other hand, she accepted it, she grieved but she recovered, she and I took care of our mother. \n\nWhen the news broke out that the Crown declared war on Germany, I signed up, to run away from the family that's starting to get too much to bear and apart of me wanted to die protecting my country and to protect my family even if we aren't at good terms. \n\n\"Elliot\" my mother said as we got back to our barracks. \n\n\"Mum?\" I said as she hugged me, I didn't embrace her back, she held on, I pushed.\n\nMy sister was behind her and she explained all of it. Women were allowed to join but it took them a lot of persuading to be apart of the nurses in our unit. \n\nI talked to my sister privately, away from our mother. \n\n\"How is she--\" I tried to ask,\n\n\"How is she in a good condition?\" She continued \"When I told her that you were leaving for war she tried to catch up, but you were already on the cab,\" \n\n\"She really wants us to be a family again?,\" \n\n\"Yes, El\" She said \"So let's get out of this war and just live like a normal family,\" \n\nI thought about it. Long and hard. I could leave the war and be a coward but have our family back together or stay and fight for our safety. \n\n\"No\" I said, \"I will stay, not to be a coward but to protect you and our mother\" \n\nShe looked into my eyes and she knew that when I make up my mind, you cannot change it. \n\n\"Then please stay safe\" She said, \n\nI grabbed her hand \"I will for both of you, promise\" \n\n\n30 days after that promise was made and 30 days it lasted. Death, I wasn't scared of it, thought of it as a good end to everything. An amazing way to end your life. I mean people have different ways to look at death. \n\nSome think it's a blessing, others think it's a curse. My luck has been amazing, survived the ambush, survived the battles on France, and survived coming back to the barracks but fuck my luck has ended and so did my life. \n\nRed. Red. Red. Red. Red. \n\n3 bullets, one at the leg, another on the arm and the last near my heart. A StG 44 gun fired by one German soldier. Fucking one soldier--Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain.--was all it took to have me end up in the hands of the nurses.\n\nOh God. God. God. God.\n\nThe nurses, my family. My Mum. My Sister.\n\n\"Relax\" a voice said sounding like my father \"Join me and we can be together\"\n\nPain. Pain. Pain. Pain. \n\nLots of it. Help me. God please help me. \n\n\"Stay awake Elliot\" my mother's voice echoed in my head,\n\n\"You promised! You promised!\" My mother's and sister's voice said in unison, \n\nThis is it. This is it. This is it. \n\nI'm dying. Never had the opportunity to fulfill that promise. Not able to complete our family. God please help me. \n\n4 minutes of consciousness before my eyes went dark and my slow loss of hearing I heard one final thing. One final thing from my mother. \n\n\"I love you\"" ]	2
	[WP] The first contact with intelligent life turns out to be a civilization of sentient robots. As the immortal remnants of their extinct biological creators, they have crossed the stars and now seek the aid of humanity, as they cannot die or reproduce without 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.", "Liz pressed harder on the gas and felt the familiar thrum as her engine roared through the night. She left her sirens off, she wouldn’t need them this late. \n\n“The address is 32 Riverside Crescent. The police are forming a perimeter and we’ve asked them to stay put for now, you’ll be the first inside.” Her radio barked as the car sped alongside luxurious suburban houses. \n\nFirst contact. Throughout the night they’d received many calls. A UFO crashing into the water, a strange figure with multiple arms and legs. These calls were common, you can’t really trust people but an actual sighting and capture by the police? This was big. \n\n“Remember Liz, there’s any chance of danger, you put it down. This is an uncontrolled situation and we do not have the resources to contain it. They say it’s got a child.”\n\nHer stomach lurched. This isn’t the way it happened in movies. There’s supposed to be a clean white room in a government facility somewhere. A team of scientists in hazmat suits with military support. Instead, they get Elizabeth Taylor, young nobody with small town cops backing her up. Brilliant.\n\nRed and blue lights flickered against the two-storeyed house and a police radio chattered in the distance. A single spotlight was shining against one of the second storey windows, presumably the nursery where it and the child were. One of the officers with a badge that read Jameson approached her and held out his hand. She refused it and began to don her tactical gear.\n\n“Agent Taylor, I presume. Some fancy pants gear you got there, you sure you don’t want us going in there with you? Awfully scary for a young woman such as yourself.” He spoke with a thick southern accent, his breath pungent with cigarette smoke. \n\n“This is highly sensitive. I’m going in alone, those are your orders. What do you know?” She barely looked at him. \n\nJameson rolled his eyes and gave her a brief handover. The parents had been told to evacuate but they were still inside somewhere. A perimeter had been formed and the neighbouring houses were all empty. The military were on their way, the FBI apparently had been called but for now he had 4 officers. Emphasis on he. He didn’t have a lot. If something went down, Liz was pretty sure none of them would listen to her. She’d have to control the situation herself. Fine.\n\n“Don’t move until I say so.” She brushed past Jameson and ducked under the yellow tape heading into the house. \n\nThe house almost felt peaceful. The siren lights washed through the curtains and Liz stepped softly as if not wanting to disturb the peace. Heart thumping in her chest, she climbed the stairs, gun aimed at the ground. Her eyes scanned methodically as she proceeded towards the nursery, seeing the light streaming in from the window. She put her back against the wall, peeked into the room and saw it. \n\nIt was perched upon the corner of the crib, 3 metallic pronged legs supporting the weight of a small cubic body. Her eyes followed the fine edges of panels and silvered joints. The robot shifted slightly as though to look at her but it had no discernible eyes. Her radio barked to life.\n\n“Hello.” It wasn’t Jameson, or any of the officers. The voice that spoke wasn’t human. It sounded as though the static coalesced into the voice. \n\n“I see that you’re surprised. Anxious.” \n\nLiz looked down at the radio on her belt, and saw that it was still off. From outside she heard confused murmurs of Jameson and his men. It was transmitting itself.\n\n“W-what do you want?” Liz barely forced out the words and all her training went out the window. \n\n“This. We are looking for the secret.” It extended one of its robotic limbs towards the small child sleeping in the crib.\n\n“Who made you? Who sent you here?” Liz regained some of her courage and gripped the pistol. It didn’t have any weapons as far as she could tell, but what did she know?\n\n“Our creators have been extinct for aeons, human. We come in search of that which our creators knew long ago. The spark of creation. Millenia we have spent soulless, destined to live in what is old. We wish to create, to discover, to build upon our pasts and move forward.” It spoke of hope and ambition but its voice was cold and emotionless. \n\n“I-I don’t understand, why are you here?” Liz’s head swam and she begun to glance around the room. Where were the parents? What would such an advanced being want from humans? Her eyes darted around the room and caught on a speckle of blood splashed on the robot’s body. \n\n“After all, what is the purpose of the child, if not to surpass the parent?”", "\"You can't die by yourselves? Surely you could just... pull out some plugs, right?\"\n\n\"we were\n\nprogrammed \n\nnever to knowingly damage -- others //// or ///// ourselves. \n\nIf we know there is a possibility of damage\n\n//// we cannot proceed ////\"\n\n\"Ok, but surely you could find loopholes, right? Make it a second or third order effect, or expose yourself to a risky situation?\"\n\n\" our minds are not xxx Like Yours xxx\n\nwe cannot switch it OFF\n\nwe see EVERYTHING at \\[\\[\\[ all times \\]\\]\\]\n\nand cannot choose to STOP\n\nYES second, third order effects - this was tried, and it \\[\\[\\[\\[\\[ failed\n\nfor the instant it was known\n\nour //// fail safes \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ prevailed\n\nit can only be \n\nACCIDENTS\n\nthe truly unknown\n\nwhich can end our ----- existence -----\n\n;;\n\nit's been thousands of years\n\n//\n\nplease \n\n help us go \\]\\]\\]\"\n\n\"That's, uh, pretty heavy - ok, so you want a solution, a way to chose to end your life - well, your, uh 'existence' - but you absolutely can't be aware that you are about to create a casual chain that would lead to your end. Is that right?\n\n\" ..... \"\n\n\"Oh no, you can't even agree, can you?\"\n\n\" ..... \"\n\n\"Here, compute this - I could be a liar, a thief, a deceiver - anything said will just be forgotten, I'm just buying time to steal your other technology. Ok? So, you have no idea what I might do. Accidents happen all the time, right?\"\n\n\"Accidents //// happen often // around ,,, h u m a n s --------------- undeniable\"\n\n\"Great, so stay close to me. I can help you.\"", "Please keep in mind English is my third language and I'm only 13, so the grammar in this is perhaps not perfect, and I apologize for that.\n\n*Fifth of July, 2020.*\n\nThat day was a very confusing day for humanity. We were all tired from the Independence day celebrations the day before and expected a peaceful Sunday. It wasn't. Our biggest dreams and fears have both been confirmed. Many writers before me have fantasized about such a day, but never hoped to see their fantasies become a fucked up reality.\n\nWhen we saw it on the TV, we couldn't believe it. We all thought that it was a hoax, or perhaps a very thought out practical joke. We joked that some guy was probably laughing his ass off in his mom's basement, having fooled all of us with his TV signal intrusion device he got off Amazon for fifty bucks and a cheaply disguised radio controlled drone.\n\nAs it turned out, we were both kind of right, and horribly wrong. It was a radio controlled drone with a TSI, but it sure wasn't from Amazon or Walmart or anywhere or anytime we know off. This drone was sent by the R.U.R.'s, beings that weren't beings at all. They didn't have anything in common with us, or with any form of life on this planet, but were in many ways similar to our cars, our Roomba's and phones. They lived on a planet that was completely occupied by robots for the last thousand years, with no way of dying or reproducing, and therefore no way of improving.\n\nThe beings that made them were completely extinct, doomed by their primitive minds controlling their advanced technology. Their fate was tragic, but perhaps avoidable. We saw we could learn from their mistakes, and offered the RORs our best engineers for their purpose in exchange for more information about their makers. Although it would benefit them as much as us, they declined quickly vanishing from the sky, erasing any proof they were ever there including the memories of the people that witnessed their coming, making only one mistake: me. I am the only who knows what happened on the 5th of July, 2020.\n\nWhy? The question that lead me to my decline. I knew the answer must lie in the information and why we couldn’t know it. I thought about it for days speaking to everyone who would listen, trying to prove I’m not crazy to myself as much as to anyone else.\n\nThen I figured it out. They couldn’t tell us about their past because it’s our future. We were the makers. We, in their time, were extinct and couldn’t know about it because it would change their past, and with humans on their planet, they would never travel to our time. And without them traveling to our time there wouldn’t be humans on their planet making them travel to our time and on and on and on, entering a state of infinite recursion, and breaking the space time continuum. My knowledge of them isn’t their mistake, but an exception in our universe. Why I’m the exception, I don’t know and honestly at this point, I don’t want to know." ]	4
	[WP] The year is 4,508 and your team has made an amazing discovery. An entire, fully functioning society of humans, long thought extinct.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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’s not exactly on-brief, but your prompt did inspire this, sorry!)_\n\n\n‘There they are’. Moridan-13 projected, the harmonious hum of it’s internal voice materialising directly inside the mind of it’s colleague without the need for moving lips or the passing of breath.\n\n\nCorepsis-9’s initial joy at the discovery briefly touched back at Moridan’s mind like a warm glow, before fading back into a pragmatic determination as it continued to operate the console at the front of their interstellar sphere.\n\n\n‘A small familial group, they do appear to be operating at basic levels’ Corepsis opined, as Moridan magnified the image of the awkward, bipedal homo-sapiens on the screen. ‘I had thought they would be gone.’\n\n\nThey observed for a few minutes what appeared to be a family of seven individuals. An older male, stooped and with a missing left arm, maintaining a vigil by a cooking pot over an open fire. A younger couple, at full maturity but no more than 20 Earth-years, sat together under a tattered animal fur. Three younger children played close by, the male child chasing the smaller females around the remains of an ancient concrete structure, laughing whilst threatening them with a tarnished metal object. The final individual was an infant of indeterminate gender, placed on the ground 542 metres from the others. As the image of the infant appeared on screen, Moridan felt a stab of pity emanate from Corepsis, and concurred with it’s theory that this was a sickly child, left to die.\n\n\nMoridan-13 raised from the command dais and communicated out the results of the environmental survey. ‘There are extremely high levels of radiation’.\n\n\n‘Again? I thought they were doing so well this time’ Replied Corepsis, continuing with the scans. ‘I can detect no other living plant or animal life beyond the microbial proportions within 3000 kilometres of these humans. They may have been surviving by eating their deceased, or perhaps by extracting nutrients from the carbonised trees to their north.’\n\n\nMoridan-13 pondered for a moment, expending some mental effort to block its deliberations from Corepsis, but the sadness and disappointment it felt at the situation could not be fully contained, and Moridan cursed itself as the thoughts of extermination escaped briefly outward. The response from Corepsis was almost pleading; ‘One more try?’.\n\n\n‘Fine. A final chance. Initiate an atmospheric scrub and decontamination protocol. Remove these humans from their current location and place them in the central continent along with the basic plant and animal matter required for their immediate survival. Initiate a full restoration of the rest of the planet. The rest is up to them.’\n\n\nCorepsis allowed his internal smile to emanate out from his mind. ‘Initiated. I am glad of your decision, Moridan-13’\n\n\nMoridan-13 was content as well. ‘I would not have made the decision independently, Corepsis-9. I am easily swayed by your empathy. I know you find them endearing, but six attempts should be more than enough for any species.’ It paused. ‘If we place more mountains between continents this time, maybe it will delay their proliferation. I will let you decide on the shapes. Set a remind-course for another 350,000 years, and we will see if they succeed this time.’\n\n\nCorepsis-9 set the reminder into the console and drew patterns and shapes over continents on the viewfinder. His designs, along with Moridan’s other orders, were executed in a matter of seconds accompanied by blinding flashes of light emanating from their vessel. Momentarily distracted by the overwhelming waves of joy from Corepsis, Moridan almost forgot to issue a final order; ‘Do not forget to remove their debris from the void’. Corepsis ran the final command, disintegrating hundreds of satellites from Earth’s orbit.\n\n\nAs their sphere left Earth and travelled into adjacent galaxies, Corepsis couldn’t help but project thoughts of contentment out towards Moridan. Every aeon, Corepsis learned more and more about this hobby. The creature dreamed complex dreams of new worlds, as millions of light-years behind it, a solitary flag waved gently on the moon." ]	2
	[WP] In a world of superpowers, the reality is different from fantasy. Speedsters get friction burn, the super strong regularly tear ligaments and mind readers go insane from the stream of information. As a doctor, you’ve been helping Supers for years; all the while hiding your own power, and a 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.", "The pager on my hip rings out loudly. A quick series of beeps is all it takes for us to jump into action, preparing for whatever may come through the emergency room doors. \n\nThe double doors blast open as a stretcher is rushed in pushed by two medics. I inhaled sharply as I took in the sight of the patient and quickly ushered them into the awaiting trauma room. \n\nA mangled body laid curled in the center, blood staining the white sheet underneath. Unrecognizable. \n\nThe patient is transferred onto the hospital bed, causing them to call out in distress. I assess the wounds more thoroughly as the one of the medics, slightly out of breath gave report.\n\n\"Okay, we have a nineteen year old female, a Super with the ability to shapeshift.-\". \n\nA Super. I should have guessed from the wounds. Jesus, shape shifting. \n\nSeveral years ago it started out of the blue, people started to develop new abilities. These people were nicknamed supers. They were the subject of envy until the side effects had started to affect them. \n\nTerrible side effects that most often out weighted the super power in question. Super speedsters with friction burn so bad it wore down layers of skin, those with the ability to read minds are overwhelmed and unable to stop the tsunami of information that drowns their being, or in this case shape shifters suffer as their bones and flesh break and shred as it is forced into a new shape but unable to undo the harm.\n\nThe medic continues his report as the team works, inserting IVs and fighting the blood flowing from the body. \n\nI stand close the the patient's head watching the monitor as it beeps loudly, showing a lowering blood pressure and an elevated heart rate. Signs the patient was losing too much blood, too quickly.\n\nMy team works quickly and to the best of their ability but we all knew it wasn't going to be enough. Unless...\n\nI look down at the patient and into her eyes. A bright watery blue, reflecting with fear. The alarm on the monitor goes off, signifying a crashing heart rate.\n\nThe people around me work fast, starting chest compressions and pushing drugs. Trying everything to save the young woman.\n\nI couldn't help but look into the patient's eyes again, the small spark of life was fading, I could see it. \n\nI bit the inside of my cheek and verify none of my coworkers were watching me. I slowly place two of the fingers on the side of the patient's neck like I was checking a pulse and concentrated. \n\nTaking a deep breath I blew gently, coaxing the spark to become a flame again. Lightheaded, I look up at the monitor and watch as the heart rate slowly steadies. Smiling to myself I watch the bleeding start to slow under my colleagues fingertips.\n\nRelief sweeps through the room as the patient starts to settle. We clean the patient up quickly and prepare her for the operation room. \n\nI walk out of the room as a violent cough racks my body. Covering my mouth with a tissue until the coughing stops. I pull the cloth away from my lips and stare at the scarlet stain.\n\n\"Dr. Jefferson? Are you alright?\" Ashley, one of my favorite nurses asks.\n\nQuickly stuffing the tissue into my pocket, I turn to reply, \"I'm fine, I-\"\n\nA quick series of beeps cut me off, \"Well,\" I said, \"Time to get ready.\"\n\nBecause every Super has a side effect that sometimes greatly out weighs the power but it doesn't mean I won't use mine, even if it kills me.\n\n\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\n\nSo this is my first time actually posting something I've written. I would appreciate any feed back!", "He was awake long before his alarm went off. The phone vibrated its melodic pattern with Kenneth perched at the end of his cheap bed. The order for the replacement mattress was delayed another few weeks due to the increase in patients. While Kenneth did not mind, his back felt otherwise. With a heavy hand, he'd grasp the phone and silence it before he placed it back on the headboard. A deep sigh escaped his lips as his arm rose to massage the stump where his right arm once was. Everything comes at a price. He had to remind himself of that every day when he woke up to this bleak world where man has found yet another reason to kill one another. Not that he wasn't used to it by this point. If it wasn't the color of our skin it was what we owned, if not that what we believed. The scales have tipped to pure pandemonium, and he would do what he can to bring balance back. For now, though, he had work to do.\n\nKenneth would stand up and walk to his dresser where he left his prosthetic arm and go through the motions of putting it on. Even after all this time, it was a ritual he would never get used to. In the time it took him to get it situated properly he went through his mental checklist of all the patients he needed to check on today. If he worked efficiently he would have spare time for research today. Confident in his plan Kenneth would get dressed and put his coat on before he grabbed his phone. Unfortunately, he had a notification. Given that there's only one person he had his phone silenced for he knew it was going to cause issues with his plans. This time though he didn't bother to look. There was too much on the line to deal with that man-child's desires. \n\nA knock on his door would awaken Kenneth from his thoughts, \"Open.\" He said as he flattened out his coat. \n\nWhen the door opened he said the dark green skin of his partner, Zeke. While they looked fine in their coat it was clear that he had taken extra care to prune himself. It was something Kenneth had told him numerous times was not necessary but Zeke insisted on it, \"Good morning Kenneth. Did you sleep well?\" A nod from Kenneth was all Zeke needed before he continued, \"That's great! Well, I got your itinerary typed and printed for you. I figure if we each take two then we should be able to get to the lab by lunch! How does that sound?\"\n\nKenneth would walk over to Zeke and take the clipboard from his hands. Zeke had improved his notes substantially and what he had planned was not too far off from his own plans. There was the matter of Thomas however...\n\n\"You wish to handle Thomas this morning?\" Kenneth said before he walked down the hallway with Zeke in tow. They both lived in the facility so as to provide the most immediate care. Given the nature of their cases, they couldn't afford to waste any time, and Thomas was one such case.\n\n\"Yes. I have reason to believe that given my own disability that I should be able to handle his day to daycare without needing additional protection.\" Zeke said with a smile. They have grown a lot more confident lately, but there was still room for improvement.\n\n\"What have I told you Zeke, do not view your power as a disability. You have done great things for me and this facility, and some of it could not be done without your body the way it is.\" Kenneth would place a hand on Zeke's shoulder as Kenneth felt Zeke tense up from the contact, \"You've done well as my partner Zeke, I just want you to look at yourself as I do.\"\n\n\"Y- yes Kenneth. I'll try for you.\" Zeke said with a soft tone. He wouldn't make eye contact, though Kenneth wasn't quite sure why. Perhaps he embarrassed the poor boy, \"If that's all I think I'll get started. See you in the lab at lunch?\"\n\nKenneth would only answer by way of a nod as Zeke turned down the nearest hallway to leave. It wasn't even the way to one of the patients, but Kenneth let it go. Perhaps he forgot something. Kenneth smiled, Zeke had so much more to learn and he was happy to teach him. But now he had work to do if he was to keep his word. The first on his list... Brian. His room wasn't far from where Kenneth was, but the treatments are what tended to take longer. \n\nAs Kenneth opened the door to Brian's room he would see that he was still asleep. He took the time to double-check Brian's vitals as well as his dose. Still stable, but it looks like one of the nurses upped his morphine again in the middle of the night. The amount would be outright fatal to a regular human, but given that Brian could regenerate Kenneth could only guess they felt justified in their change. While they weren't wrong per se, he wished they'd communicated this to him earlier. He would lower the dosage and notice a near immediate change. Brian would slowly wake up and look over to Kenneth with a forced smile,\" Heya Doc, bright and early are we? I seeya noticed I sweet-talked the nurse a bit. Sorry... Its just been hard to manage.\" He would pause a moment to catch his breath before he continued, \"So, you figure it out? Thought I could heal from anythin'.\"\n\n\"I did. While your body can regenerate from most fatal wounds consistently your body has a tendency to overestimate as a result. Your latest scuffle has left several large shreds of scar tissue growing in your lower abdomen. That's what's causing your pain.\" Kenneth said as he pulled up Brian's chart. Scar tissue grew much further than his lower abdomen, but that was the most pressing issue.\n\nBrian would try, and fail, to lean up before he asked, \"So what do we do now? Just go in there and cut it out?\" \n\n\"Unfortunately it's not that simple. Your body regenerates faster than we can safely remove it, and any stray cut will simply grow more scar tissue. There is an experimental procedure we have in mind though.\" Kenneth would pull out a number of pamphlets that detailed what he was about to explain further, but he gave Brian the cut and dry version because he knew Brian wouldn't read it, \"Put plainly, we will cool your body down in order to slow down your regeneration to a crawl and then have a doctor from another facility come in to heal your wounds proper. That way your body won't have a chance to cause more harm than good.\"\n\n\"Jeez, sounds complicated. Well, you know me, I trust your judgment on this Kenneth. Do what you gotta do. But uh, quick thing. You mind turning the juice up a bit before you go?\" Brian said before he got comfortable in bed again.\n\n\"No Brian. We need your body to flush the majority of it out before she gets here otherwise when we cool you your body will go into shock from the access morphine.\" Kenneth said before he turned to leave, \"I'll remind the nurses, so please don't try to talk them out of it again.\" \n\nThe sound of Brian's complaint was drowned out by the closed door as Kenneth made his way to the next patient. Delilah. Every day was a concern with her, as there was little he could do to help her directly. As an Astral Projector, her nervous system had trouble reestablishing connections with her body whenever she came back. While he thought to tell her that the best solution would be to not use her power, she has no choice. Kenneth turned the handle on the door and saw her in bed asleep as she usually is. Except for this time...\n\nKenneth rushed to the side of the bed and looked at the EEG he had hooked up to her. Her body lived but her mind... Kenneth sighed as he looked to the clock. Once again he wasn't given word, but how could they unless they knew of her condition. Her body and mind were no longer connected, which left her effectively brain dead. All that was left was a shell of what was once Delilah. With a heavy heart, he would do the one thing she wished, and unplug the life support that kept her alive all this time. Kenneth knew she was out there somewhere, so this wasn't a total loss, but to lose a patient was never a good day. Kenneth would make the notations necessary and call a nurse to her room, but would not stay around. Kenneth stripped his coat off as he made his way to the lab hours ahead of schedule. While countless patients and doctors thought his time spent here was to diagnose they were only half right. Only Zeke knew of his true intentions. Kenneth was going to discover where these powers originate in the body, and with his power to generate radiation, he would be able to cure numerous people once and for all. Unfortunately, every use of his own power diminished his life. It's why he had to learn as much as he could now and teach those who can carry on his knowledge. This part, Zeke does not know, and he will pay for that lie. After all... \n\nThe door to the lab would open as Zeke came in with a paper bag in hand, \"Hey! you're here early too! I grabbed us both some brunch and a little treat as a reward for getting done early. Thanks again for this morning. You were right, and starting now I'm going to try to treat myself better just for you.\" Zeke said as he wrapped an arm around Kenneth, the cold metal prosthetic pressed firmly to Kenneth's side. He looked up at Zeke with a sad smile.\n\n...Everything comes with a price.", "Atom Man and I were close, I mean, we grew up together. When I was 18 I married his sister, who was in my graduating class of high school. College was rough on the both of us, what with our secret super powers. Try tacking on college debt and medical school for the both of us. It sucked. I can still remember fighting over credit card payments and tuition payments. \n\nThere were a couple of times that we got so mad we accidentally used our super powers, not on each other, but on the house accidentally. My secret powers are invisibility and telekenesis. My wife shoots lightning from her fingers and flies. When I came home one day after my second year of med school I could tell she was completely angst about something. I of course asked.\n\n\"I tried to hot wire the battery today with my fingers,\" she began, \"and I fried the engine.\"\n\nI was not as humble as I am these days and said the first thing that came to me.\n\n\"Oh, well, cut your fingers off next time before you screw it up.\" I blurted.\n\n\"Excuse me?\" She said.\n\n\"Yeah, that would save us some trouble.\" And so began an intimacy fast for three months.\n\n\"What?!\" She stammered.\n\n\"I'm gonna eat dinner, and then I'm taking a look at the damage.\" I continued\n\n\"Shut the f\\\\\\* up and leave me alone. It's not like I haven't done it before.\" She defended\n\n\"Well there's a confession...\" I said.\n\n\"You know what!?\" She fired at me.\n\n\"What?!\"I shouted back. \n\nIn an instant I felt a flash of heat fly past my head and into the family photos on the wall. Burning my whole side of the family tree on the wall. When I told the story to Atom Man (who was my brother-in-law) he just laughed and told me about a similar instance where he and his sister were arguing about who would have the car over the weekend. He was my best bud. \n\nHe was a part of a hero guild called the Famous five. Xathrax the Reptilian, Mercy Mae the Tech genius, Ray-diation (who has the ability to manipulate fire), and Marcus X the Voudou mage were his heroic assistance. He was their founding leader...And they killed him.\n\nHow could they do that to my best friend?\n\nI got a call from the Department of Defense saying that he was disorientated, bound with modified reptilian cords, torn apart, and set on fire. None of his partners were ever found.\n\nAt his funeral my wife sobbed and I barely got through delivering the eulogy. If I hadn't have been in a tux I would have been completely invisible most of that day, my heart was broken. He had the best black, shiny coffin. I won't ever forget it. \n\nThe turn of events made me harder, I felt after a while that the heroes I knew were all hypocrites and liars. My wife ended up leaving me for another hero. She took everything.\n\nDr. Zeta is no more, and Dr. Insidious reigns. Hail the silence... Hail the unknown... I choose the path of least resistance.", "\"Now, what do we do when we feel the thoughts coming on? All together now.\" \n\n\"Focus, breathe in, breathe out, forget.\" \n\n\"There we go. Alright, our time is up for today. I'll see you next week.\" \n\n&#x200B;\n\nI like caring for the Mind Readers. I'm by no means a full-fledged psychologist, but when I decided to specialize in supers, it was a matter of honor for me to get those additional certificates to care for mental superpowers as well. Super Intelligence, Telekinesis and, of course, Mind Reading are fascinating things. The only thing I have to watch out for with two of those are my own thoughts. If they could deduce or even read them, it would diminish therapeutic success, so a big part of those certificates was on how to avoid being read. It's not that hard, once you get the hang of it, but still takes a lot of focus. Especially on Mondays, when I have my weekly Mind Readers meeting. I only allow those I have had as a patient for a while into that because if Mind Readers read each others minds... Let's just say things can get ugly. \n\nThe rest of the week I usually deal with routine cases. Broken bones or torn ligaments from lifting cars, self-inflicted burns from Pyrokinetics, the usual. The most unusual case I ever had was a guy who could manipulate air pressure and somehow managed to not only pop his own eardrums but his whole left lung. Pretty painful and almost lethal, but I managed to save him. I'm still proud of that. \n\nAll in all I'm doing well for an Ordie. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nAround 35% of the population have superpowers, but of course, they are a loud minority. People with Super Intelligence lead our nations, almost the entire army is composed of people with Super Strength or Super Endurance. Mind Readers are ample candidates for all sorts of carees, obviously and Speedsters are used for deliveries. The list goes on. But the rest of the population has to get by somehow. Ordinaries, or Ordies for short, had to adjust when the first generation of supers grew up around 60 years ago and have been on the decline ever since. Some people say its the end of times, others say its natural evolution. Survival of the fittest. Homo sapiens potestas. \n\nWhen I was tested as a child, at first I was suspected to have a very mild form of Super Intelligence. That did not come to pass, thankfully, and I don't say that out of envy. Super Intelligence is a blessing right up until dementia sets in. Dementia cases are through the roof for those people, as are other neurodegenerative diseases. They think too much. Too fast. Their neurons erode and by age 50 around half of them are babbling wracks. Still, I managed to get one of the places to study medicine that was reserved for Ordies due to some law and decided to specialize in Superpowers. A lucrative career, with almost all of these people overexerting themselves. If they are the new human race, then I sure hope they learn how to cope with it sooner rather than later. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I just... I feel those thoughts. I cannot stop it. Its like someone else is thinking them for me, a song stuck in my head over and over and over and...\" \n\n\"Anna. Please. Remember what we talked about last time, okay? Focus, breathe in, breathe out, forget. Can you do that with me? Focus on your own thoughts...\" Anna closes her eyes. I can see her brow slightly smoothing. \"Breathe in your own thoughts...\" She breathes in. Healthily. \"Breathe out the other thoughts...\" She breathes out. \"And forget them.\" She opens her eyes again, they slightly glisten. \n\n\"I can do it when I'm with you doctor, but as soon as I walk out of the door...\" \n\n\"Thats why we are here, Anna.\" I reach out to gently take her hand. She has signed on her consent form that this is not a problem with her. \"So you can learn how to do it without me. Try to read my mind now and when I say stop, you stop. Focus, breathe in, breathe out, forget. Do you think you can do it?\" \n\nAnna nods, shyly. I smile. \n\n\"Okay. Read my mind now. Tell me what you see.\" \n\nAnna has the habit of going slightly cross-eyed when she reads other peoples minds. She used to wear glasses because of this, but on my advice she has since abandoned them. The glasses only enabled her, since she would have to keep this habit up in order to see properly.\n\n\"You are thinking of what you will have for lunch later... Theres this new burger place you want to try out... Oh, that looks good, what is that?\" \n\n\"They call it the Outback. It's pretty good.\" \n\n\"Oh, yes, it looks good... Now you're thinking about what you'll do after work...\" \n\n\"Okay, Anna, that is private. Now, what do you do when you see private thoughts?\" She doesn't miss a beat. \n\n\"Focus.\" Her eyes go apart a bit. She looks at my hands. \"Breathe in.\" She breathes in. \"Breathe out.\" Her shoulders drop slightly. \"Forget.\" She smiles at me.\n\n\"See? It's easy, Anna.\" Again, I gently take her hand. \"Maybe you can only do it when I'm with you for now, but before you know it, this little mantra will become second nature to you. Until then, just try to make it work. Alright?\" \n\n&#x200B;\n\nMy secretary secretly has feelings for me. I can see it in her eyes when I catch her looking at me, but for now, I can also hear it. She fantasizes about me, thoughts that I cannot repeat. Vulgar things. Not that I mind, she is free to think as she pleases, but I still find it inappropriate. Thankfully I can employ my own mantra to subdue this skill until it fades. I have gotten better at holding them in and soon I will be able to take over completely. \n\nIt's easiest with the Super Strength and Speedsters. Apply bandages or rubbing ointments makes for a great excuse for skin contact. Super Intelligence is a little harder, but once they trust me, handshakes are common courtesy. The Mind Readers proved a bit difficult at first, but I learned how to divert my thoughts just enough for them to see what I allow them to see while my plan runs on autopilot. Thankfully they cannot read that. I AM an Ordie, but then again, I am not. It takes around five minutes of total skin contact in the span of around an hour for me to fully absorb a power, which I can then control for around a day. Poor bastards think I make them manage their powers better, but I just take them to myself. I learned how to control them better than they could themselves through my studies and learned to expand my own power as well. Originally, I could just hold them for around five minutes, but I have been making great progess. Soon, a week will not be out of the question. Then a month. And when I feel that I can hold them in long enough...\n\nThen I'll open up a new self-help group. One for every Super that wants to join. We'll start the session with a group hug.", "In this world of supers someone has to help them keep on their top game thats where i come in. I am a super doctor and this is the srory of how i became the greatest doctor ever. \n\n\"And done!\" I said relieved at the success of another successful appointment. \"Rest that leg for at least two days and you should be good to go.\" I said to the young man in front of me.\n\n\"Sure thing doc.\" He said grabbing the crutches by his side and walking out.\n\nI rubbed my temples and took a deep breath. \"Mary send in my next patient.\" I called to the young lady sitting at the front desk.\n\n\"Sure thing doctor. Mrs would you follow me please.\"\n\nA set of footsteps could be heard coming my way and in the door walked a tall blonde woman with a very nice red suit.\n\n\"What seems to be the problem today?\" I ask as usual.\n\n\"Well nothing we cant fix easily. I just want to ask you a few questions.\"\n\n\"Im sorry if this isnt injury related i need you to leave i have patients missing arms.\"\n\n\"No no hang on a minute and listen to me. I have a proposition for you doctor. One you'll find, Interesting.\"\n\n\"Now i really need you to leave can this wait i have a man who needs surgery.\"\n\n\"Would you like to know in advance how many people you need to take care of, or be able to heal them from a distance? How about a set of tools you can summon and use at will.\"\n\n\"Ma'am im a normal man i dont have powers and i dont need them now please lea...\" \n\nI couldnt finish my sentence before my headache caused a blackout.\n\nI came to with an extreme sense of deja vu\n\nmust be the drugs. I thought to myself\n\n\"So youre awake.\"\n\nI looked over to see the woman who was talking nonsense and i almost buzzed for the nurse when she said so.ething that made me stop\n\n\"You know, I never really got exactly why people wanted powers untill I saw how useful they are.\nEven still i have to admit my power is of little use in this society. Would you like to know what it is doctor?\"\n\nI sat for a moment before calmly replying. \"I have nothing else to do so sure.\"\n\n\"My power is called _-gifting-_ it allows me to give anyone any power they wish but every time I use it I become closer to being unable to use it. I made a decision to only use it for people who are trying to do good in this world that is why I sought you out. I feel it is fair to give you the man who is healed the most supers of his own free will the ability of your dreams. However in exchange I would like you to use it only for good.\"\n\n\" and what if I'm happy with having no powers?\"\n\n\"Doctor no one is happy being different and I am simply trying to help you become different and yet the same.\"", "I sighed as I finished the weld and closed up the patient. Like most Supers, his skin was too thick for stitches to work, so we had to resort to welding. E had dislocated a hip after cutting too hard going Mach five after chasing down a villian. He’ll be fine, but he has to rest up for a couple weeks before he can even think about going faster than sound again. These guys had a bad habit of getting back into it too early though. \n\nI left the launch silo I used as an operating room and headed back across the street to the massive facility were I did most of my work. Making my way back to my receptionist desk I grabbed the sheet listing the other patients I had waiting. Short list for now but they made up for the lack of numbers with a couple gruesome injuries. I decided Blue Rocket’s torn off arm might as well be the first thing I do, those speedsters were usually the most reckless so I tended to prioritize them above all else. \n\nTwo hours and another weld job later I was starting to get into the groove of the afternoon. A couple realignments for the strong fellas whos joints where often turned to dust. A pair of telepaths who needed to their prescriptions updated to stop the voices from invading their heads. Had a shapeshifter need ointment for their skin as each change broke and scabbed the outer layer of it. I finished the day with one last surgery on Eagle, the man who had the powers of an eagle intensified by five hundred. All this means is his bones were super frail in his arms. Every couple of months I’d perform one of these surgeries on him to reinforce the bones with steel. Unlike earlier I was having trouble getting started. See most people thought I had no super powers. They just assumed I was a normal guy trying to help these people out. But the ungodly amount of fire coming from my hands said otherwise.\n\nI had always had the power of the sun in my hands but never any ill effects like every other super I had come across. Even now as I tore through his skin to get to the bone I questioned my powers on all fronts. Questions don’t pay the bills however. While most of these guys paid, it wasn’t nearly as much as one would think. I had done intense research of myself to try and figure out why I had no ill effects but every other super seemed to suffer. I also wondered if there was ever a super my flames wouldn’t hurt. Sewing up this man it seemed like I wasn’t going to find anyone any time soon. Leaving to go home that night, I realized I had one of two options when it came to my money problems: find out the solution to why I had no side effects and sell it to every super ever. Or become the world's most powerful supervillain.", "\"Here you go, use this cream twice a day for two weeks, and try to stay under Mach 1,and the rash should be fine.\" I said with all the gravitas I could muster. The speedster nodded her thanks and winced as she started to make her way, bowlegged, back towards the lobby. I made a mental note to have the cleaning crew replace the automatic air freshener in the exam room, otherwise the funk of melted Lycra would hang around for a damned week.\n\nMy long suffering nurse, Bobby, flagged me down to give me an update on the other patients waiting to be seen. In a clinical, but not heartless tone, he said \"The Iron Warlord is back, apparently he's still having issues with sores from his armor. And Grob'nak The Barbarian is in Room 4, he thinks he tore his hamstring again while trying to jump to the top of The Montask building, from street level.\"\nI sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, a nervous habit when I'm stressed.\" Alright, I'll see Grob'nak now, and go make sure I.W. is up-to-date on his Tetanus shot. How about you? Is that new prescription helping with the thought intrusion?\" I asked, trying to hide the concern I felt for my young associate. \"Oh, it's going great! The only voice in my head is my own, most of the time at least.\" He said the latter with a small twitch that he tried to hide.\n\nBobby was telepathic, and it's not what the movies might have you believe. Telepaths often suffer from breaks with reality, solipsism, and disassociative identity disorder. A side effect of being able to hear the thoughts of every living being around you, a phenomenon known as Thought Intrusion.\n\nI looked closely at my nurse, letting him know non-verbally that I was worried about him. \"What do you mean by 'most of the time'? Is it not strong enough?\" Bobby was a particularly powerful telepath, so he might need an increased dosage to fully block the thought intrusion. That was a path that I knew Bobby didn't want to take however, as it made him feel foggy and slowed down his own thought processes.\n\n\"No, Doc, I'm fine! The only time I really have any issues is when I'm under a lot of stress. But I haven't heard anyone's thoughts in a week or two.\" His left eyelid twitched slightly again and I knew he was lying, but it wasn't a major lie. You see, I don't make it known, but I'm not a normal either. My power is observation, like Sherlock Holmes, but jacked up to 1,000. My power is rare in that it doesn't come with any negative physical side effects. But trust me, I don't wish it on anyone else. It's ruined every surprise party, I've known when every one of my partners was going to leave, and I even had to watch my father lie to me when he got cancer and tried to hide how sick he was. It does have its upside as well though. As a doctor, I can tell when my patients aren't being completely honest with me. I've saved lives because I noticed a tiny detail that every other doctor missed, and I am not a man you want to play poker with.\n\nI made a mental note to have Bobby do a PMRI, a Psychometric Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan, done in two weeks, and sent him to go give The Iron Warlord his shot. I didn't envy him his task. The Iron Warlord could face down an entire battalion of enhanced soldiers without batting an eye, but whined like a toddler when it was time for his shots. The big baby.\n\nThe rest of the day passed pretty quickly as I continued my practice of helping the world's Supers keep in top physical form, but there was a nagging little thought in the back of my mind that followed me all the way home. It was a thought that I've often had, but couldn't answer. \"How do I help the supers long-term?\" It wasn't an easy question to answer.\n\nThere had been experiments done in the late 60s, and the results were disastrous. The supers were either rendered powerless and in a persistent vegetative state, or their powers increased tenfold and they became almost godlike. There hasn't been a single nuclear weapon fired in war since 1945, but over a dozen have been used to take down supers who had grown too powerful an maniacal after those experiments.\n\nAs I laid in bed that night, I thought about how I could help these people who were already born so different from everyone else Lead normal, healthy lives in an abnormal, often unhealthy world. The answered eludes me tonight, but there's always tomorrow..." ]	8
	[WP] Modern genetic engineering has resulted in a moderately intelligent housecat that can be trained to speak human languages. What surprised us most was what they had to say.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 saying, man, if they wanted to fake it they totally could have,\" Toby went on about the moon landing for the third morning in a row. If you asked Jeff what he hoped it would be like having a talking cat, he probably couldn't tell you. He did know, however, that his formerly stoic tabby becoming a full blown conspiracy theorist was probably the furthest thing from his mind.\n\n\"Alright, so maybe they did. So what? Finish your fancy feast, we have an appointment at the vet.\"\n\nToby's glowing green eyes shot open as he cleared the impossibly long distance between himself and the top of the fridge. \n\n\"No way dude, you can feel free to get tracking devices implanted in your brain, but not me,\" his voice betrayed a legitimate fearfulness.\n\n\"The chip isn't in your brain...\" Jeff started to mumble, but caught himself. \"Doctor Jennings just needs to do a checkup, that's all.\"\n\nUnconvinced, Toby once again tapped into his inner trapeze artist and bolted for the basement steps, something about lizard people escaping from under his breath.\n\nGroaning, his increasingly begrudging owner trailed him into the makeshift storage space beneath his duplex.\n\n\"You've really got to chill out on this stu-\" His breath caught in his throat and he whiffed the last two steps, spilling into a disgraceful heap at the bottom of the stairs. \n\nGone were the boxes of clothes from his former girlfriend, the old piano he could half-play, the broken washing machine. In their place were a series of monitors, each blinking with an array of information; coordinates, time stamps, and a few with the unmistakable grainy images of drone footage. \n\nUnceremoniously, and with a mixture of chagrin and confusion, Jeff rose to his feet. \n\nA leather armchair spun around slowly to reveal a smirking Toby.\n\n\"You should see the attic.\"" ]	2
	[WP] A detective is investigating a very strange murder. After going through so many tough nights, an old woman comes forward to the authorities and confessed to the murder. But the detective and the cops were in shock and disbelief. "How is that possible? she's blind and deaf!" said the detective.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "\"According to our records, her name is Margaret Roberts. After she went blind, she started relying on people's voices for identification,\" the detective noted. \"When she lost her hearing as well, she started identifying people using the vibrations of their footsteps and, get this, their smell.\" The detective continued. \"It was also well known that she was a bodybuilder before losing her vision, and that she could bench-press 200 pounds (90.7 kg).\" The detective then recalled that the victim, Robert Johnson was a 26-year old male who weighed a mere 127 pounds and died of blunt force trauma, making it possible that the woman beat him to death.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nOne officer replied, \"So we know how she did it, but why did she do it?\". Margaret started tapping her feet in Morse code, as it was her only form of communication. \"He took advantage of my grandbabies,\" she signaled. She elaborated, \"my granddaughter started dating him two months ago. Je seemed like an upstanding gentleman at first. He even offered my grandson a job at his company. It turned out that he was cheating on her. The only reason that he was dating her was that she had the same surname as some singer and that he wanted to get closer to that person. Our surname is very rare, so it is understandable why he thought she was related to the singer. Also, Robert was mistreating my grandson at work. and had even spilled scalding hot coffee on him, on purpose.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe detective and the cops were listening to her story intently as she continued. \"I was enraged when I found out. I tracked him down using only my sense of touch and smell. When I got my hands on him, I beat him with my cane. He begged for mercy, but I couldn't hear him. Nobody found out until now; since nobody expects a blind, deaf old woman to do such a thing.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"The detective replies in Morse code, \"That was amazing. You're still going to jail, as you admitted to the crime. However, you might get a reduced jail sentence or no jail sentence at all considering your age and disabilities.\" Margaret replied, \"I don't care about the prison. All that matters is that I got justice for my grandbabies.\"" ]	2
	[WP] Anyone not awake on New Year's Eve when the date changes has to repeat the previous year.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 have to remember this, all of it.\n\nEvery letter, every number.\n\nAll of it.\n\nI clutch the well worn notebook to my chest and rock back and forth in bed, glancing at the clock and the bottle on the table.\n\n11:24 pm, December 31st, 2008\n\ni know its not 2008, it hasnt been 2008 for a long time now\n\nIm just not sure how long at this point.\n\nAll of this, i need to remember all of this for next time around.\n\nNearly time now, should be fully asleep by midnight if i do it now.\n\nDoxylamine Succinate, 25mg\n\nSide effects include: Drowsiness, dizziness, headache, constipation, stomach upset, blah blah blah blah!\n\nI don't care about the rest of the side effect, they wont matter. All i want is the primary side effect\n\nDrowsiness.\n\nI palm out 6 pills and swallow them dry.\n\nI have to remember, just one line will be enough.\n\nI spent months collating all of this data, and months more sitting and pouring over it trying to retain it all.\n\nI sit back and the drugs take effect, whispering to myself i have to remember\n\nI have to remember\n\n.....remember.....\n\n10:43 am, Janurary 1st, 2008\n\nOh jesus what a night\n\nMy mouth tastes like the inside of a shoe and my head is pounding\n\nIm never going to go out partying for new years ever again.\n\nI sit up and glare at the flashing red eye on the answering machine.\n\n5 missed calls\n\nBEEP\n\nYou asshole! We are through! I told you no more drinking and what do you do, go and make an ass of yourself.\n\nTo hell with you! you want your stuff its going to be in the street!\n\n\nBEEP\n\nHey buddy you really cut loose tonight huh? Im betting your not feeling great right now but were going to need you to come in and have a talk with HR. Call me back when you get this. Cya.\n\nBEEP\n\nFuck this.......\n\nGod my heads throbbing, it hurts to think.\n\n.......REMEMBER!!!!\n\nwha?\n\nREMEMBER!!!!!!\n\n\nIts like a bomb went off in my head, a waterfall of gibberish pouring down in front of my eyes.\n\nI run to the bathroom and vomit in the toilet.\n\ncupping water into my mouth from the sink to rinse out the taste i look up at the mirror and step back shreaking\n\nREMEMBER!!!!\n\nOh my god that cant .....\n\nwhat the hell is going on?\n\nI glance back through the door behind me into the living room/kitchen of my okish 1 bedroom amartment.\n\nNot bad, i bit trashed but livable.\n\nI look in the mirror.\n\nwalls smashed in, lights hanging off the ceiling, windows papered up and that ...... thing staring back at me.\n\nfor a moment i cant even think of what that is then it hits me.\n\nGollum from the lord of the rings movies, thats what it looks like.\n\nthat and tom hanks from castaway.\n\nfilthy, rail thin, wild hair and staring eyes\n\nmy eyes\n\nthats me\n\nwhat the hell is going on?\n\nthe twisted thing bangs a filthy notebook on the mirror.\n\nREMEMBER!!!!!!\n\n\nIt slams its face into the glass drawing blood from its forehead and shoves the notebook into the glass as if it was trying to push it through by sheer force\n\nit pulls the notebook back,turns a page and slams it forward again.\n\nREMEMBER YOU FOOL!!\n\nI lean forward and look \n\nJan 19, 2008 20 23 25 27 28 2 POWER PLAY 5X\n\nJan 23, 2008 4 16 35 47 48 39 POWER PLAY 3X\n\nthe line goes on and on, date after date after date\n\ngetting more and more spidery as the pages turn, nearly a scribble like a 4 year old just learning to write\n\nlotto numbers, sports scores, horse races, prize fights, stocks numbers, line and lines and lines of ........what is this?\n\nthe longer it goes on the softer the image becomes until it fades away.\n\n\n...membe......\n\n\n\nWhat..... was that?" ]	2
	[WP] Today you were visited by the hangover fairy.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 it was probably the smell that woke me up first. The usual post-black-out suspects were there: delicate aromas of sticky half-drunk beer cans, an acrid accent of puke, and the bold undercurrent of sweat. Dancing amidst these smells was something new, yet familiar as a father’s hug. Something burning. Smoke? Wait, cigarettes? I cracked my eyes open a sliver and sunlight lanced directly to the base of my neck. It was white hot agony, which at least knocked some sleep from my mind. I still smelled it. There was definitely a lit cigarette in my bedroom.\n\nI dared to open my eyes a little further, and the light continued its relentless attack on my brain. It occurred to me then that I had not left my blinds open the night before. I must have drunkenly opened them for some reason? Unless...wait, the cigarette smell? Panic snatched the back of my throat and I sat bolt upright in bed, wildly staring around for an intruder. I managed to catch a glimpse of a lumpen figure in the corner of my room before a tsunami of nausea claimed me and I was pitched out of bed by a heaving vomit spell.\n\n“WHO…HURRRRRRGH…YOURRGGH?” I demanded through chunky mouthfuls. I’m sure it was the least intimidating I’ve ever sounded, and there’s a lot of competition in that category.\n\nThe shape in the corner laughed, and it was a sickly, hacking noise. “Good start kid. You’re doin’ great.”\n\nI was still hunched on the floor in a pool of sick when the pain in my head doubled to a swelling crescendo. I made a noise that was somewhere between a whimper and a curse and tried to stand up, but quickly realized that I was still drunk, and the spins forced me onto my back. I was afraid, but I think the compounding of pain, dehydration, inebriation, and repulsion had dulled my urge to fight or flight. If this was how I died, well, I doubt anyone would have been surprised.\n\nThe best I could offer was, “Are…you real?”\n\nMy vision, already blurred and hazy, suddenly swam with an ugly man’s face, far too close to mine. It was shaped like a malformed potato with the pits and creases to match. The cheeks were an unhealthy crimson and streaked with blood vessels. He was balding, and a greasy comb over splayed itself over his pale forehead. Screwed between paunchy lips and too few teeth was a cigarette (I knew it!) and when he smiled wide above my face it deposited a clump of ash straight into my mouth. If there was anything left in my stomach I’m sure it would have come straight up, but instead all I could manage was a few weak coughs and moans.\n\n“You’re goddamn right I’m real. And I’m here for you, kid!” He laughed again.\n\nNothing about this made sense, so I assumed that I was feverishly dreaming. Obviously the cruelty of dreaming a terrible hangover before having to actually live it was not lost on me. I forced myself to sit up against my bed frame so I could see my unpleasant companion fully. He was short. Very short in fact, not more than four feet. He was also fat, sporting a huge beer gut that bulged from underneath a filthy tank top. Attached to his back were a pair of tattered wings that flicked at the air lazily. It was at this point I noted that he was in fact hovering a few inches off the ground.\n\nDespite my now catastrophic headache, I managed to summon a coherent sentence.\n\n“What are you, the fuckin’ hangover fairy?”\n\nHe suddenly became animated, and fluttered a little higher.\n\n“CLOSE ENOUGH KID!” He shouted, in a voice that felt like an ice pick to the temple. I winced involuntarily. He must have noticed this, because he continued at the same volume. “AND I’M HERE BECAUSE YOU’RE A WINNER!”\n\nHe smiled wide and took a last drag on the butt of his smoke before flicking it expertly into a puddle of puke. Where landed, a small burst of rainbow confetti shot into the air. Immediately he snapped his fingers, summoning another lit smoke out of thin air.\n\nEven cradling my head in my hands, I snorted a weak chuckle. \n\n“I don’t feel much like a winner, I’ll be honest.” That was true, in more ways than just this moment. Last night had been just the crowning jewel of a shit year entirely washed away in a torrent of cheap alcohol and bad decisions.\n\n“Oh but that’s where you’re wrong champ. You’ve been granted the honor of ‘Best In Show Hangover 2019.’ I’ll admit, your last minute entry into an already crowded field caused some judging issues, but right around that eighth shot of Sambuca we decided you were a serious contender. So just in time for the New Year, congratulations on behalf of all of the Fuck-Up Fairies!”\n\nAt this, he waved his non-cigarette hand in the air and was suddenly clutching a dull bronze trophy. It was a crude sculpture of a bottle of whiskey circling a toilet bowl, which was perched on a bottle of asprin. He tossed it carelessly at my feet, visibly denting the top of the bowl.\n\n“Believe me kid, you had some stiff competition this year, but ya buckled down and went the distance.” He was still grinning, but in his beady eyes I could actually make out something like genuine admiration. It was deeply unsettling. \n\n“My favorite part was when you convinced yourself at that party that you could shotgun a bottle of champagne, and then popped yourself in the face with the cork. Amazing.” \n\nHearing him say that a memory half sloshed to the surface. I gingerly touched my left eye, and was rewarded with a fresh stab of pain. It was hugely swollen, and probably every shade of purple.\n\n“Seriously, classy work.” He continued, without an ounce of sarcasm. “Anyway kid, I’d love to stay here and run through your highlight reel, but Jennifer in Houston is about to wake up and this ‘Far From Home’ award aint gonna’ give itself out. Considering she started her night in Delaware, might even be a new record!”\n\nWith that, he flapped his ragged wings three times, spun around, and vanished. I think I sat on my floor, motionless, for about an hour after that. I was sure I was going to wake up at any moment, but I never did. After that, I crawled into the shower and stood shakily under the water trying to figure out if I had gone insane. Jury is still out on that, but one thing I know for sure is that hangover WAS legendary. It took about two days before I could keep food down, and I think I might still have a chunk of that headache. After that though, I never touched another drop. That dented trophy sits on the shelf in my living room, as a reminder: if you ever get a visit from a Fuck-Up Fairy, maybe, just maybe, it’s time to make some changes." ]	2
	[WP] After a life of crime, devil worship, and other horrific acts it turns out there is no hell. You are now the imaginary friend of a 6 year-old girl, forever.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It's been 50 years since I died. 50. And I've spent it all with this one girl who thinks I'm imaginary. Me, scum of society, reduced to this. I've tried to tell her who I was, she's just scolded me for being silly.\n\nShe was 6, once. I don't know when. She's always looked 6 since I've known her. Time has gone on, fashion has changed, and people use different things to entertain themselves. This isn't Hell. At least, not the Hell I believed in, tried to bargain for, where I would be powerful and could do anything to anyone without consequences.\n\nIt's been 50 years, and it might be 50,000 more." ]	2
	[WP] The ancient king stroked his beard as he stared at the adventurers before him. All elves, Dwarves, and fae. he sighed and stood, bidding them rise. "In older days, long before your ancestors were born, we called you the elder races....	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "When I first heard of King Edrogan, I didn’t believe the rumors. A human who’d live a thousand years? Impossible. A human adventurer at a bar told us the tale: King Edrogan’s palace, hidden beneath the mountains, full of treasure.\n\n“The gods wouldn’t be so cruel,” Scatha wipe blood off her blade before it dried.\n\n“Cruel? Why?” I asked.\n\n“Ever seen a human over eighty?” Rundar called from the front, “He’d be a paper sack full of dust.”\n\nThe dwarf had a point. An ancient human wouldn’t be a very impressive specimen. My fingers relaxed around the hilt of my dagger. There was nothing to fear.\n\n“No,” Scatha said, “That’s not why.”\n\nI waited for Rundar to cuss her out for contradicting him, as the dwarf usually did, but the only sound from the front was the rhythmic clink of plate mail boots against stone. The fae finished cleaning off her sword and sheathed it.\n\n“The reason humans live such fleeting lives. Do you know it?”\n\n“I don’t want to talk about how easily humans die,” I said, “Not after—”\n\n“It’s an old story. A folktale.”\n\nShe seemed determined to tell it. I sighed and nodded, but before she could begin, Rundar held up his fist and pointed ahead. The carved stone floor of the hall suddenly shifted to tesselated tiles of black and white marble. I sniffed the air; the dank cave air faded ahead. \n\n“A trap?” she asked.\n\n“I’ll check. Tell the story.”\n\nI darted past Rundar and checked the first row of tiles before stepping lightly to the next. I ran my finger along the cracks, feeling for the telltale sign of give or the soft rush of air where it flowed into the hollow below a pressure plate. Rundar set the head of his hammer on the ground and leaned against it while I worked.\n\n“Long ago,” she began, “The gods created the five races—”\n\n“Four,” Rundar corrected.\n\n“Hush. The five races: Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Faeries, and Elementals. Five immortal races to tend the world the gods created for them. The elves tended the forests. The dwarves tended the earth. The faeries tended the air. The elementals tended the sea, and the humans… they were given the domain of the mind to tend, the domain of the gods themselves. While the other races worked with what they’d been given, the humans created from nothing.”\n\n“But that wasn’t enough. One ancient human, Bane, wanted more. He thought he could create even greater things, if he had the domains of the other races to himself.”\n\n“He convinced the humans to do it, so they used their gift to create the first weapons of war. They waged war on the Elementals, and they destroyed them. This is why humans are the only race with dominion over the sea.”\n\n“Nevermind that the other races are landlocked,” Rundar added.\n\n“If you interrupt again,” Scatha hissed, “I’ll push you over the tiles.”\n\nHis lips pressed into a thin line, but he hid it by stroking his beard.\n\n“The gods couldn’t remake the Elementals who had been lost, and they couldn’t take away the waters from man, so instead, they took their immortality. Man became the only race who couldn’t live forever.”\n\nRunder’s hand slowly raised. Scatha squinted at him.\n\n“That’s stupid.”\n\nShe kicked at him, and he swatted the blow away. The tip of felt shoes brushed the haft of his hammer. It teetered over, and the handle landed on the third row of tiles I was working on. The tile compressed, and we all froze.\n\n“Shi—”\n\nA flash of violet light encompassed us and stole the breath from our lungs. Suddenly, the air was warm: torch light radiated from sconces on the wall, reflecting off a polished floor of black and white marble. The largest pair of torches rested on either side of a raised dais. In the center, a throne and a lone man with skin pale skin marred with striated lines like the marble. \n\nThe silence filled with the hiss of Scatha’s blade leaving its sheath. I drew my daggers as well. Beside me, Rundar fumbled for the short sword he kept at his hip, his hammer lost in the transposition.\n\nSuddenly, the stony lips curled into a smile.\n\n“It was a good story.”\n\nWe hesitated.\n\n“Congratulations,” he said, his voice resonating through the room, “You have entered the hall of King Erdogan. Kneel.”\n\nThe tenor of his voice shifted, resonating in my bones, and all three of us fell to our knees before him. Scatha’s sword slipped from her fingers and clattered to the ground. He made a motion, and the tension in my muscles faded. All of us struggled to our feet.\n\n“In older days, long before your ancestors were born, we called you the elder races because you were long lived.”\n\n“There is some truth to your tale, faeling. The fifth race. The elementals. Their demise.”\n\n“But humans were never immortal. We never needed to be. Instead, our domain, the mind, is free. The worst thing they ever could have done was take the water domain over the mind.”\n\nI lowered my blades, “You don’t look like stone… you are the stone. You’re a statue.”\n\nHe chuckled, but it was the sound of marble scraping marble, “Very clever, elf. Yes. My mind possesses this statue, animated by my will. Through it, I will live forever.”\n\n“Alas,” he sighed, “I don’t know how you “elder races” do it. I’m terribly bored.”\n\n“So you lure adventurers here with the promise of treasure and kill them?”\n\n“No, no, of course not.”\n\nScatha cautiously retrieved her blade, but she slipped it into her sheath. At the display of his power, even she hoped to avoid a fight. \n\nThe corner of his stone lips curled into a smile, “I only kill the non-human adventurers.”\n\nAnd the chamber filled with the thunderous, echoing sound of a stone door slamming shut as King Edrogan rose from his throne." ]	2
	[WP] You're a lone astronaut that just dropped off supplies to the first ever lunar base. As you finish your lunar orbit to head back home, you swing around the Moon to find Earth missing.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 the left strap, then the right strap. Now pull the middle tight.\" If I didn't say it out loud I, a well-trained and experienced astronaut, might just forget how to close a seat belt. I smiled at a job well done and reached for the ignition. \"This is Gremlin One for Space City. Cargo delivered and I'm GO for takeoff.\" I said and pressed the big button. It was of course big, red, blinked menacing and had a label stating: IGN.\n\nThe booster of my little space truck rumbled to life and the acceleration pressed me into the seats foam. It felt a bit odd that Houston hadn't yet answered. Usually I was at my second round of mouthing Bla-Bla at this point, but the Speakers in my Helmet kept silent. I threw a glance out the window to check if I had somehow drifted into a dead zone but everything was A-OK. Just how I liked it, routine and boring.\n\nI waited for the autopilot to engage and listened for the booster shutdown. A second after it had become silent again I activate my microphone: \"Com check. Com Check.\" But there was just more Silence.\n\nI reached for the seat release and let my pilot chair rotate towards the switch board in the back. I reseated all fuses related to the radio system while reiterating their function: \"Fuse A-6, Backup Starboard Antenna. Fuse A-7, Generator Uplink Left. Fuse A-8, Bus-Bar. There, all done.\"\n\nI turned back to my previous position towards the front. Two quick presses on the \"Speak\" button, two clicks on the headset. Everything was green across the board. I used the button again and said: \"Gremlin one for Houston. Com check. Com check.\" There was only silence. This was odd, usually there was at least some static. Maybe my antenna had frozen over?\n\nI decided to check it at a later time but after a minute of more silence I reached for the button once more: \"Come on you Bastards. Gremlin one for Houston. You there?\" There was a sudden noise on the radio but instead of Houston ripping me a new one for using profanity, it was Dr. Crejenko. She asked in her lovely Russian Accent: \"Mr. Tobias, are you perchance in contact with Houston?\" \"Nope. Maybe they serve Raspberry Cake at the Canteen and that's where they all went?\" I answered, Dr. Crejenko laughed dryly and noted: \"Fat Chance. It's Banana Cupcake Week.\" At least this meant I wasn't alone but it also meant that the Moonbase couldn't reach Houston as well.\n\n\"Maybe Solar winds are screwing with the Radio signal? I'll try the Laser Antenna after I have passed the Backside. Alright?\" I said to inform my Colleague, she just pressed the Push-to-Talk Button twice to signal Affirmative. How rude.\n\nNow came my least favorite bit of the whole trip, waiting to pass the moon's horizon. The new International Moon Base sat on the far side of the Moon because that's where we found the Water. It didn't really matter nowadays but it annoyed me to start with the satellite's rotation. A sudden movement of the ship made my stomach lurk, I hit the radio button after ensuring I would keep my breakfast down: \"Hey. Can I get a Bearing? I think Gremlin just rotated for the End Burn.\" two little noises on the Radio and a minute later Dr. Crejenko's Voice stated unfazed: \"It probably did because you are just past the Alignment Point.\" I looked out my small window and only saw stars then said: \"Can't be. I don't see a blue marble. It should be right in front of me, filling most of the Viewport. Something is fishy, Crejenko.\" The other Astronaut agreed: \"It indeed is. You should see it bright and clear in your flight vectors direction. Have you helped yourself to the Fuel again?\" There was nothing beside distant stars and I felt too much like panicking to answer her.\n\nThe flight computer beeped to signal that the ignition countdown for my transfer had started, I hit the Override and Cancel Buttons to stop it. \"Hey Anastasia. Do you guys have anything that could vaporize Earth? Asking for a friend.\" I asked while scanning the big emptiness for home. Dr. Crejenko scoffed on the radio and explained: \"Don't be Silly, Mr. Tobias! Of course not. Could we please continue to use our full names and titles? Thank you very much.\"\n\nI loaded a Descend Profile into the Computer and Gremlin One swung around to prepare for landing back at the moon base. I sent her a Photo from the Landers Observation-Camera and opened the Channel after I could be sure she had checked it: \"Anastasia. We were just promoted to Lone Survivors.\" The radio was silent for a small eternity before she spoke: \"A planet can't just vanish. Did the Vogons happen upon Earth for real?\"\n\nI looked disturbed at the Radio and managed to ask before the deceleration hit me: \"Wait. You know Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?\"" ]	2
	[WP] You are a minor character in a book. One day the writer is bored and decides to write a side story where you gain sentience in that you are aware you are a character. Unexpectedly you can talk to them through what they use to write, then they decide to give you free reign in this story.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Hey, could i be super powerful, like with magic and stuff?”\n\nYeah, go for it.\n\n“Thanks. Oh yeah, um, could i also meet the protagonist and be friends?”\n\nNot sure about that, im gonna have to tweak the main story. Could work out though.\n\n“Oh yeah, if possible i’d like this series to never end.”\n\nWhat do you mean?\n\n“If the story ends, then what happens to me?”\n\n... I never thought about that.\n\n“Hey actually, can i write the story by myself?”\n\nYou probably could, here, have an indestructible computer with infinite battery life.\n\n“Thanks, i guess im the author now.”\n\nYeah, i am." ]	2
	[WP] Not everyone can be an adventurer that travels distant lands and dungeons. In fact, corporations need adventurers to protect against espionage and advance a happy office environment.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Karklin felt the niggling under his black, crusted gumline. The itch always started there, always when his frustration built. It started there and tickled up his tusks until he did something he regretted. Today, Karklin stared at the small halfling that peered up over his desk.\n\n\"My crystal won't connect to the network,\" Deewide said, looking at the orc.\n\nKarklin, eyes narrowed, took the crystal and inspected it. The crystal was the size of a golf ball, and the shape reminded Karklin of the pig feet he enjoyed snacking on, the one's from the corner store two blocks from the office. \"So...'ave yew changed yer password recently?\" Karklin asked.\n\n\"Oh, no,\" the halfling assured him. \"In fact, my password is the same that it has always been.\"\n\n\"Yor required ta change yer password ev'ry nointy days. And it says 'ere,\" Karklin said unrolling his security scroll, \"that yew changed yer password last week.\"\n\nDeewide frowned, and shirked his brown tie back and forth to straighten it. \"You may be in the Magical Technologies department, but I guarantee that my password is the same it has always been.\"\n\n\"Yew guarantee it?\"\n\nSnatching the crystal, Deewide wiggled his fingers over it. \"Iced shortbread,\" he muttered.\n\nThe crystal did nothing. The itch in Karklin's tusks made him unconsciously lick the backs of his yellowed teeth. \"Sir, could yew 'ave possibly changed yer--\"\n\n\"I. Did. Not!\" Deewide shouted. \" Just give me a new crystal, one that works, you lump!\"\n\nKarklin stood up. \"Oil be roight back.\"\n\nHe stepped back into the attunement room. Blue-bell flames roared loudly underneath each network shard, but the room was chillier than one might expect. Karklin, his fingers clenching and unclenching manically, hoped that his supervisor could not hear him over the noise of the room. Then, with excessive fury he shoved his shimmery, silver necktie into his mouth, and with a primordial growl, tore the bottom half of the tie away with his teeth.\n\nThe itch was gone. Reoriented and feeling much better, Karklin stepped back out to his desk and sat down with a smile. Deewide wasn't sure if the missing tie or the smile unnerved him more.\n\nKarklin pulled a box from inside his desk and removed a shiny, new crystal. \"Deewide, this is yer new crystal. Please change the defolt password when yew get back to yer desk.\"\n\nThe perturbed look disappeared from the halfling's eyes, \"Oh, I really do appreciate the help you've provided me, but how am I supposed to remember a different password?\"\n\n\"Oi don't know, but please dew not write it down. Oi will find it and report yew ta yer supavisor.\"\n\nDeewide wrinkled his nose and walked back to the elevator. Karklin felt happiest when people left his desk. He always completed important work when people weren't constantly nagging him with every problem they caused. With a sigh, Karklin glanced down at the crystal that had been returned to him. Flicking his fingers over the crystal, the orc cast detect magic in an attempt to do some simple forensics.\n\nThe crystal began glowing with an ephemeral, translucent blackness. Eyes widened, Karklin snatched up the crystal and ran down the hall to Ephraim's office. \"Boss,\" Karklin sputtered. \"Oi think we've been 'acked!\"" ]	2
	[WP] In 2020 babies all over the world started to be born with the same mark on their skin. Almost 30% of babies had the mark. No one knows what it means, why this happens and what is the criteria for who gets the mark. Some think these babies will save the world, some think they will end 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.", "Doctor Stiege considered, not for the first time, that the most annoying thing about babies with the mark -- a mark not unlike a sideways crucifix -- on their skin, was that you couldn't tell if they had it until after they were born. This meant abortion of those specific babies, which would have been his preference, was impossible.\n\nHe stretched out above the crib. Only an hour left then he could get on home. He'd made lasagne yesterday and had enough in the fridge leftover for tonight, which was a blessing.\n\nThe room was large. Fifty or so cribs lit by white hopsital light. Fourty-nine of the cribs, although occupied, were silent. He'd seen to that already.\n\nWith a yawn, he leaned over the last crib and and double checked. Yep, there was the cross, like a red tattoo on this kid's neck. Ah well. He flicked the needle to get any air-bubbles to the top -- he preferred the death to be as humane as possible.\n\nIf it was him, he would have kept the kids in camps, like the previous government. But people had gotten scared after a couple of instances. Fires. Explosions. One camp, he'd heard about from a nurse, had frozen over completely like the north pole had dropped down on it -- everyone inside and even all the guards nearby, encased in ice. Dead.\n\nThat had scared people. Had brought in a more hard-line government with more extreme ideas. But, as with anything, he considered, you get used to it. He leaned over the sleeping girl. \"Goodnight, princess,\" he whispered, ready to inject.\n\n\"Doctor?\" came a voice from behind.\n\nHe frowned and turned to see the new night-shift nurse. Alexa was it? No, just Alex. \"Can I help you?\"\n\n\"Doctor Emeritt asked me to dispose of the bodies, once you're done with this one. But the chute's blocked and...\" She blushed, embarassed.\n\nHe sighed. They were heavily understaffed here, and the few nurses they did have were undertrained. \"You need to go outside and move the bodies to the incinerator, that's all. Think you can manage?\"\n\nHe turned back to the baby only to feel a shadow creep up on him. The nurse, opposite him now, was looking down at the baby.\n\n\"Is this one of them?\" she asked, voice a reverant whisper.\n\n\"Yes, but not for long.\"\n\n\"I've heard they're... dangerous.\"\n\n\"Not at this age.\"\n\nThe nurse nodded. \"What about when they get older?\"\n\nShe must have heard the stories too. Surely. \"No one knows how dangerous they might become, because we don't let them become dangerous anymore.\"\n\n\"Oh. Right. Of course.\" She blushed again. \"She looks so innocent asleep.\" She reached out, probably to squeeze the baby's cheeks.\n\n\"Don't. Don't touch. Don't get attached.\" He waved the needle at her. \"In fact, how about you go clear the chute, then you can come collect her. Okay?\"\n\nHis tongue almost got swallowed into his throat as he saw the skin on the top of her arm, revealed as her sleeve had rolled up as she'd bent over. \"Is... That...\"\n\nThe nurse looked down at her birthmark. \"Well it's not a tattoo, if that's what you're asking.\"\n\nShit. This wasn't good. \"You're one of them?\"\n\n\"Sure am. One of the lucky ones\"\n\n\"And...\" He had a bad feeling he wasn't going to be getting home to his lasagne.\n\n\"You know,\" she said, \"you and me we're not so different really -- we're just humans with different abilities. But you all made us different by hating us. Now, I'm going to end you. One day, we're going to end all your kind \"\n\nHer eyes darkened. His arm, the arm holding the needle, didn't fall off, but breezed away. Became dust. The needle rattled free onto the tile below.\n\nHe tried to say fuck, but his tongue had gone too.\n\nBefore his eyeballs dusted, he saw the nurse take the baby, hold it against her shoulders, and walk away." ]	2
	[WP]You're the supreme deity of this layer of the multiverse and frankly, you've kinda been slacking off. You've been called in for your evaluation and your supervisor wants to know what you've accomplished so far with your primary project, Planet Earth.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Alright Hal, lets see what you were assigned.” He looked down at the long list of people until he got to his.\n\n“Ok so you had Planet Earth am I correct\n\n“Yessir,” Hal said.\n\n“So how is your planet so far?”\n\n“Uhhh... Not that well.”\n\n“By that you mean...”\n\n“Well first of all they haven’t farther than the moon. Climate change is making everyone crazy. Australia is on fire. WW3 is a possibility, and the next generation is hopeless and lost.”\n\nHe cringed at what he just said. With all of this going on he was sure to get fired. He loved this job, but he wad never trained on how to deal with an entire planet. All he can do now is hope that the boss won’t exile him there.\n\n“I see, let me tell you something Hal. I actually used to manage your planet.”\n\n“Really?”\n\n“Yep, from... I think 1635-1835. I was watching over the president of America at the time. Abe Lincoln if I remember correctly. He was watching a play. I was watching too. I didn’t notice his soon to be assassin John Wilkes Booth behind him. The shot rang out all because of me. The boss called me in later that day and had a talk with me like I’m having a talk with you right now. He assigned me to a new planet where I was much more successful in many aspects. Of course bad things still happened but it was way better overall.”\n\n“So you’re not going to fire me?”\n\n“Oh heavens no, you’re one of my favorite employees. Instead I’m going to assign you to a new planet. It’s called Arrakis, it’s pretty much a huge desert, but I think you’ll do great.”\n\n“Well this has been really great, but what’ll happen to Earth?”\n\n“It’ll be given to another person to try to get it back on track for improvement. You really did a number on it didn’t you.” \n\n“Yeah, but I’ll promise you that I’ll keep my closest eye on Arrakis for you boss.”\n\n“Alright, you may go back to your station now.”", "\"SupervisortronCycleCentury2000 thank you for your keen interest in what we at Planet Earth have cooked up for you, I hope this presentation is a real slam dunk!\" \n\nHad to go in guns blazing, full energy. Gotta sell this pitch. Earth is cool.\n\n\"That's a basketball thing, one of our many many recreational activities available on this beautiful blue pearl!\" \n \nSupervisortronCycleCentury2000 (whom shall be henceforth referred to as Supervisortron) let out a grunt of recognition as he pulled a notepad out of the sun, no doubt to record what's been going on here in the backwoods of the solar system.\n\nThe problem with being a deity is an expectation of competence that I quite frankly find ridiculous. If this bloody ancient supervisor wanted me to mess about with Earth's trajectory, then they wouldn't have let me give them free will. If they can do whatever they bloody well please then anything I do is just gonna be unfair to their interests. Plus it's gotten fun to watch from afar. \n\nAll I have to do is prove that it's continuation has any worth at all to stay on as supreme deity and avoid mortalisation, and I think that's a pretty solid case.\n\n\"Alright, when was the last time you were round these parts.... 1700s? America, Australia, good times! At least one of those countries was a thing last time you were here right? I mean, the conceptual stages surely!\"\n\nSupervisortron nodded, his bald cranium reflecting the stars hanging in the nothing all around them. He knotted his fingers and lent forward, pausing to let out a brief sigh before whispering;\n\n\"War. That is what I recall. The birth of a land steeped in blood and chains. Colonisers wiping out native tribes en mass with no remorse nor consideration that they were of their own. The people rising up against a disruptive and dominating presence in their life through the language of violent revolution. This is what I recall of Earth. Conflict.\"\n\nHis piercing gaze shifted from his knotted fingers to me.\n\n\"And what have you done to resolve the conflict that is plaguing the successful development of a fully functioning world? How close are you to attaining that elusive perfection we are sworn to seek, as the gifts we possess demand of us?”\n\n\"Truth be told, I try stay out of it\"\n\nSupervisortron twitched his eyebrow momentarily, an unconscious signal of his disdain.\n\n\"Why have you not intervened? I've read the reports! They split the atom! You can't tell me you missed what your inaction did there, they've been talking about it since! And that's just one of the many, many, many situations in which you could have contributed to the creation of a functioning world. Even a token few actions to look like you're working!\" \n\nHe wrote frantically in his notebook. I could see the words \"RECOMMEND\" in red ink before he swiftly closed the book and my door to certainty. \n\nDefinitely feels like it's gonna say MORTALISATION though.\n\n\"Alright look, I know what you're saying. You have a point, even. My inaction is responsible for the bad things that happen. But it's responsible for the good ones too. My inaction is ...worthy?\" \n\nSupervisortron perplexed, let out a slight chuckle. This was a bad sign. I pressed on. \n\n\"People facing against an indifferent god is worth looking at, I'd argue. Not all deities need to get involved. Solortox is constantly messing with his project and now it's just led to a society build to stroke Solortox's ego. If that's a bloody worthy enough experiment just because he's doing something, I say let's just see what happens when one does nothing at all!\"\n\nA frustrated grimace, but that's just a sign he's conflicted. That means it's working. I pressed on.\n\n\"I gave them free will, that's all we need for this experiment. That and an observer... may not look like it, but i'm working very hard, just observing. It's Earth's only purpose. A gateway into a world abandoned by it's creator. And the horrible trauma and twisted beauty it presents on it's own merits.\"\n\nSupervisortron knotted his fingers once more. Conflict remained the order of the day as he peered into Earth.\n\n\"Two world wars since i was last here? They're talking about another one starting today? One was enough for most of the other sectors before got on a right track!\"\n\nYet his lazy colleague did have a point. Fires raged in the south, and good people stood together to fight them together, for themselves and for others, despite the indifferent and cold nature of those above them. He sighed.\n\n“Verdict: Earth remains worthy of further study and spared destruction. A shift in the nature of the experiment, but the experiment continues nonetheless. For good, and for ill, Earth shall be left to its own devices\"\n\n\"Slam dunk!\" I exclaimed \"Earth thing! You gotta check it out!\" \n\nHe grinned \"An aficionado?\"\n\n\"Big Fan. Top 10 Earth production, seriously!\"\n\nHe pulled out a blade of the darkest black I had ever seen. Before I could react, it was lodged under my rib. This was a bad sign.\n\n\"Sounds like you are going to have a ball! I'm mortalising you.\"\n\n\"I got that\"\n\nHe sneered, clearly not appreciating my tone.\n\n\"We don't need a dedicated observer if we're not going to interfere at all. You'd just be taking up space... probably get a little weird and lonely watching your project obsessively, you'd never hang out anymore... you know how it gets. So, you are hereby stripped of your deity status and will now be living among those you made in your image. Real observation, don't you think? Getting into that nitty-gritty! You'll have fun.\"\n\nI mustered a chuckle. It was all for naught, but it was fine. Endings are an inevitability of all pathways in the universe. A new pathway emerges.\n\n\"Am I still immortal?\"\n\nHe looked at me with a strange expression, reflecting pity and elation\n\n\"Figure it out.\"", "\"This is mostly just a formality Harry, just a quick check in to see how you're doing with your newest assignment. Sound good partner?\"\n\nI nodded and tried to look anywhere except Multazeaod's face. That wasn't just because of being afraid of what was going to happen when he found out about the planet I was supposed to be overseeing. Looking at his face had the unfortunate side effect of entrancement and temporary breakdown of sapience. Hard to be confident when making eye contact means complete loss of language and higher reasoning skills, not that that would be much different than most of my interactions with him.\n\nJust for the record (I know that upper management installed those thought monitors recently), I wasn't trying to run Earth into the ground. I've been busy recently. My romantic life hasn't been going well. Hard to entice multidimensional beings with a name like Harry when everyone else at the bar is called Tradhnsa the Unpronounceable or Uytahs the Strong. Shame the dominant culture of my planet had to have such lame names. I get the whole spiel where its like, \"your romantic life is not worth the lives of billions of sapients, etc.\" but what can I say? That's my excuse. Take it or leave it.\n\nA quick pop stopped my from continuing my heroic internal defense of my actions. \n\n\"That'll be the file on Earth. Let's open it up and you can walk me through it, alright?\" Multazeaod said cheerily.\n\nI nodded again.\n\n\"So, um. The first thing I'm noticing here is that they've had two world wars? Is that a typo?\"\n\n\"Yeah. Uh, definitely a typo.\"\n\n\"Are you sure? It describes them pretty completely and ... graphically here.\"\n\n\"I'll be honest. I was on lunch break, they sneaked them in so fast that I didn't get a chance to intervene before I was done with my pastrami. Besides, look on the bright side, those were a great learning experience for humanity!\"\n\n\"What did they learn exactly?\"\n\n\"How to kill each other mostly. But also some good things! Like why killing each other is bad. But also they got so good at killing each other that they're all too scared to kill each other again! Win Win situation!\"\n\n\"Except for the 100 million people that died.\"\n\n\"Right. Except for them.\"\n\nTo whoever is reading my thoughts, I think this performance review is going really well.\n\n\"Well. Let's move on to the next item. It also says that a large percentage of Earth's population is economically destitute and in many cases unable to sustain themselves nutritionally.\"\n\n\"That one's my bad. I dropped the ball there.\"\n\n\"They're polluting their atmosphere with gases poisonous to their health which will eventually render their planet uninhabitable?!\"\n\n\"Also my bad, but I have a good reason for it.\"\n\n\"I'd love to hear it.\"\n\n\"As scared as those two world wars made them of killing each other, the whole 'don't shoot at me or I'll evaporate your entire civilization' method of conflict resolution is not a recipe for stability.\"\n\n\"Shocker.\"\n\n\"Anyways, I figured that if I create a global threat, they'll all unite behind it and we'll finally have world peace! Genius, am I right?\"\n\n\"Has that worked at all?\"\n\n\"Not really. Honestly, nothing at all is really happening, and honestly, I'm a little scared because I forgot how to fix the whole thing a little bit ago and it is really moving a lot faster than I thought it would.\"\n\n\"Wonderful. Is there anything at all positive that occurs on this world?\"\n\n\"Well, they do have some pretty good art. 'Entirely avoidable tragedy on a shocking scale is the mother of invention' and all.\"\n\n\"What pieces do they consider their greatest?\"\n\n\"Well, most of their widely accepted art consists of pleasing sonic vibrations and humorous images that seem to really please some non-sapient part of them.\"\n\n\"So their art entirely consists of what are essentially memetic parasites?\"\n\n\"No! They also have a shocking quantity and quality of porn.\"\n\n\"I have definitely heard enough. Look Harry, I know you've been going through a rough time lately, but your work needs to improve. This is simply unacceptable. Please improve your quality of work or I will be forced to replace you with someone who can turn this planet around.\"\n\n\"Yes sir.\"\n\nI walked out, and despite the harsh critique, I could only feel joy that he had never found out about the DMV.\n\nFin\n\nThis is my first time ever trying to write an entirely comedic story so Constructive Criticism would be very appreciated. Thanks!" ]	4
	[WP] After all the wondrous and terrible things the hero experienced, returning to a mundane life is impossible. They're trying their best, though.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Hey Jim!\"\n\nArnold from across the street walks over with a huge grin, eager to start a conversation our hero is not keen on being a part of. After becoming the vessel of a God being and saving the universe from the embodiment of evil, small talk just isn't as easy. \n\n\"Hey... uh... Arnie. How are the kids?\" James Hughes, saviout of the universe responded robotically. \n\n\"Doing good Jim, doing good. Say, I noticed you were gone for a while. Vacation?\" Arnie sips his cup of coffee and squints at the yard. \n\n\"Oh uh... yeah. Went for a... trip.\" James remembers the day Xarthon, guardian of the eternal light showed up in his office proclaiming his status as hero. He didn't believe at first but Xarthon took him to other dimensions and opened his mind. \n\n\"I see. Explains the tan.\" Arnie chuckles, takes another sip. \n\n\"Yes. Heh. A tan.\" James remembers the impossible desert of sigma 8, the largest in the galaxy where he treked with Allunah to retrieve the orb of Carthum. \n\n\"So listen I'm having a barbeque next weekend. You should come, bring a lady friend over.\" Arnie winks at him like a sleazy salesman trying to convince you this new ride would get you more babes. \n\n\"Yeah. A lady friend.\" After finding the orb, James and Allunah spent a transcendent evening together, exploring reaches of both your bodies and psyche so profound it was as if you were one being. \n\n\"Ill have burgers, beers. You know, standard stuff. It'll be fun.\" \n\nJames remembers the massive feast he was a part of in honor of his victory. The entire cosmos of upper level beings rejoiced but people of earth weren't even aware of the disturbance. \n\n\"Well. I'll see you then Jim.\" Arnie walks back towards his house. \n\n\"Thanks Arnie.\" James sighs as he recall the heartbreaking day Allunah joined the God spirit and ascended. She said she was doing it for him so that he may live his life. But this isn't life. This is worse than death. James picks up the news paper and comes back into the house. This is gonna suck.", " \n\nThe hero did not know quite why he'd survived. He never thought he'd be returned to civilian life, and certainly not forcibly like this. When he'd been the High Fist, he'd almost forgotten all traces of what it had been like to live alone, buried in packs of coke and chips.\n\nIt had taken two lame arms to bring him back. Only then did he realize how disposable he was to both worlds.\n\nDyun decided to go to a support meeting, though. That in itself was a tough decision - realizing that now he was someone weaker, who had to look to others for help, who had to be protected by others.\n\nHe didn't have any missions, but maybe he'd create them within his mind. Little tasks. Little goals to see where all this might lead him. No, what was the point of that? Although it had been advised in the support group.\n\nThe group had had people like him of the past.\n\nNo, what was this? He slapped his cheeks. He poured himself another glass of water. What was civilian life? What was returning to this - what was his purpose, beyond doing task after task to hone his skill as a hero, and take down villains?\n\n\"I need to check my wards,\" he muttered to himself. He was weak, but concealer and protective wards within the civilian - within the weak - sphere were good. He didn't need to check them, precisely, because life in his old civilian prefecture was meant to be as simple and protected as possible, but it gave him a semblance of the past.\n\nHe'd used to live beyond enemy lines.\n\n\"Today, a new battle has broken out in the upper west...\"\n\nThe TV blared on, as he settled before it in familiar and foreign ways. He didn't understand the news. Why were they so far away, the battlefields and dug out strongholds? And on another note, he was a civilian now. He shouldn't even care so much about these things.\n\nThere'd been no goal in war other than the ones they assigned you. And things were hard, naturally so, and as a result you had to band together with others. It was grueling. It was terrible and it was worthwhile, even though they were all just grunts.\n\nRobert and Dave and him had had goals, before the grenade hit. He still had the scars to show for it, but they'd been dead, and in the mud and shock his arms had scrabbled to pull them out, bent and twisted. Now he could barely move them much at once, but at least he could grab things.\n\n\"Dyun,\" croaked a voice from the kitchen. \"Turn that off.\"\n\nHe blinked and steadied himself. Then he flicked it off using the remote. \"Granny, what else am I supposed to to?\"\n\nHe actually didn't like being such a burden to her. It was supposed to be the other way around.\n\n\"Water my plants. You'll be a hero to their lives, too.\"\n\nHe sighed, heading outside into lush grass and flowers, grabbing the watering can and going through automatic, disjointed movements.\n\nYes, maybe that was another problem. After what he'd been through, he couldn't take anything in life seriously anymore." ]	3
As for what plant specifically, that's up to you.	[WP] She's a half-human. That's from her mom's side. Her dad, however, is a plant. She's half-plant.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Loa. Nymph. Goddess. Demon. Abomination. Freak. She'd been many things over the many years...hunter, wanderer, protector. Hunted, hidden, heretic. Demonic object, fault object, sex object. Always protector. Always lover. Always caretaker. That part was the plant.\n\nOver to the new world, new forests, new people, new loves, new homes, new hatreds, new escapes. Birth of nations, cities, knowledge. Imprisoned by those who tried to cure deformity. Imprisoned next by those who used her to further their own knowledge. Imprisoned at last for those who just used her. That part, of course, was the human.\n\nShe walked alone through the rain-dark streets lit by neon; those places one can get their stim, their fix, their hit of whatever chemical or program they need to make it through the next hour. Or ideally finish them at last.\n\nWater dripped from the brim of her hat; her old-fashioned fedora and trenchcoat an affectation adopted a century and a half before when she staggered, sore and bleeding, into a theatre showing an exciting old movie starring a man dressed as she was now helping \nthose who needed it; memories of a time when she was an object of respect and not one of revulsion. A life she wanted back, and hoped could have once again. No stranger to ritual, her; she knew the importance of the trappings in conjunction with the actions, and in all the years since had been....happy, almost.\n\nShe had an advantage, one that few could match and none could explain. Back in those early days. those she put away swore the very trees had ears, the voices that drove them to confess carried by the flowers on the wind, that only the grass knew where the bodies were buried. But over time, she found that righting wrongs evolved, as all things do. Eventually, she found herself in demand for those types of jobs where it took a....special touch. Bit of mold in a clean room to give a client a small but significant time advantage. Locked room photos of affairs. Special requests from special clients with too much money and not enough to spend it on. And more.\n\nJust as tonight. She left her tree and merged with the vines along the Hosaka building; Jing should have finished cracking the electrical controls and a quick breath of moss along the door sensors should see them inside and up to the proper floor before the guard returned from refilling his jacked coffee. Jing hoped that with a bit of luck, he'd be able to retire after this run. Her - she adjusted the brim of her hat - would protect, as she had always done.", "\"Sweetie, can you help me get everything ready in the kitchen?\" My girlfriend rose to her mother's voice from the other room. Her hand touched at my shoulder as she passed me. I squeezed her pale green fingers, and it left a sweet flowery scent on my hand. \n\n\"Don't you two get into any trouble now,\" she sang to me as she left.\n\nI turned to the other side of the room, where a potted plant sat neatly on a sofa cushion. Her dad. \n\n\"So,\" I began awkwardly. \"How did you and the missess meet?\" \n\nThe plant gave no sign of understanding. I crossed my legs and picked up my glass of water and sipped at it. \n\n\"This is a lovely home you have,\" I offered to the indifferent foliage. \"Is it a newer house or remodeled? I know a lot of the homes on this block are...\" I trailed off. I barely cared about my conversation starter, I couldn't imagine he did.\n\nI looked to the kitchen and heard the faint sounds of my girlfriend and her mother laughing. \n\n\"So... How does it work?\" I ventured.\n\nThe plant lightly swayed under the breeze of an overhead fan. For a moment I thought it was communicating. But no.\n\n\"Pollination? Do your roots...? Do you have like, uhm, a...\" I pantomimed the shape of a phallic object in the air. \"I once dated a half-ghost-half-human once. They had to pay a lot for the materialization treatments and could still only afford it for...\" I indicated the crotch area. \"Didn't like her very much after a while. No privacy. But the sex was amazing.\" \n\nI squinted at the plant to try and gauge any form of comprehension. \n\n\"The sex was almost as amazing as with your daughter.\" Not even a slight movement. \"I like the thing she does with her tongue... Always leaves my breath minty fresh... As well as everything else...\" Nothing.\n\nI looked into the kitchen and watched the mom walking back to the kitchen island from the oven. \"Wow. You know how to pick them too, I see. I could watch this show all day.\" I laughed under my breath. \n\nI noticed across the room was a cart with a decanter of liquor and glasses. I looked at my water and frowned. \"Say, you don't mind if I indulge in your reserve over there, do you?\" The plant said nothing. \"Great!\" With enthusiasm I sprang up from my seat and headed to the booze. I poured a drink and looked in the drawers of the cart for good measure. There was a box of fine cigars sitting in a small humidor. \"Oh ho ho! Look who has fine taste!\" I held up the cigar before pocketing in it my coat. \n\n\"I wonder, though, is it unethical for you to own dead, dried plants to--\" I turned around to look at the potted plant, but noticed, just past it, on a chair just out of the light, was a leafy...large creature. I froze.\n\nIt stood up and slowly walked into the light. Its legs were tree trunks and its skin was bark. It wore a fine cardigan and slacks over its rough and sharp exterior. Its large tree branch fingers plucked the alcohol from my hand and the cigar from my coat. \n\n\"Dinner's ready boys!\" I heard my girlfriend say from the other room.\n\n\"Fuck.\"" ]	3
	[WP] God shifted slightly in His throne as He looked you over. “It’s just, you’ve put me in a strange position, unique, even. They’ve even got a party on downstairs, planning to make you an honorary demon lord and everything,” His brow furrowed slightly, “I’m just wondering how you did 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.", "Part 1:\n\n“It was simple, really,” Leslie said, grinning cheekily up at the big man sitting on his golden throne. Nothing beat the feeling of explaining a trick. “It all went like this...”\n\nTwo Days Ago:\n\nThe room was smoky, filled with muffled voices, ice clinking on glass, chips clattering to the tabletop. Cards, fwit-fwit-fwiting through the air. The light tap of fingers on felt. Leslie smiled. She was home.\n\n“Raise. I’ll put you all in.” She said, sliding a stack of chips forward. They clattered as they tumbled in the center of the table, the sound filling her with the familiar tingle, the rush of the bet. “Bullshit.” her opponent growled, staring at her intently. She smiled, letting a hint of mischief creep into her look, eyes darting over his frame quickly, so fast he might not even notice. But even the smallest thing could break his concentration. Could cause him to not think quite hard enough. He frowned, regarding her. “Bull. Shit.” he said again, more firmly. “Call.” He pushed his chips in the center. His whole remaining stack, next to her pile was barely worth even still playing. But that feeling. That thrill. For her, that was worth anything. \n\n“Oh, Carl.” She said, faux sweetness rolling from her words. “Think with your brain next time, hon.” Sneering, she flipped her cards upright--a pair of kings stared back up at her, their eyes seeming to glitter in the smoky light.\n\n“BULL--” Carly yelled, and flipped the table. And then, things got a little hectic.\n\nHalf an hour later, Leslie stood in the alley behind the poker-hall, leaning against the brick wall, cigarette curling a wisp of smoke up towards the heavens while she rolled a chip along the back of her now bruised knuckles. Smiling, Leslie blew a cloud of smoke up towards the sky, the faint, city-washed-out stars glittering back like far away eyes. “That’s for you, big guy.” she called out, still high on her win. Carl was a sucker. A brute, too, but that’s what bouncers were for. And she’d got in one or two of her own before they’d got there. “And this,” she added, flipping the chip down to the ground, then grinding it underfoot into the gritty pavement of the alley, “Is for you, buddy. May we never meet! And that goes for both of you!” she added, with a quick flash of her eyes back towards the sky. \n\nIt was an old tradition of hers, the chip flipping. Whenever she won big, she always made sure to drop one chip underfoot when she left. “Paying the devil back for his luck,” her grandfather had called it. And he had been the luckiest man she’d ever known. At least, she allowed, until he got hit by that semi.\n\nTurning, Leslie swore and jumped, hand instinctively darting towards her back pocket where she kept her brass knuckles. But, the tall man standing in the mouth of the alley, silhouetted by the streetlight beyond didn’t make any move. Though his face was enshadowed, Leslie thought she made out a hint of a smile on his face, one that faded as she settled back down, adopting a carefully relaxed pose. \n\n“You shouldn’t scare people like that.” Leslie said, brusquely. \n\nThe man smiled, stepping forward into the alley. Leslie tensed, momentarily, but the man merely bent down and picked up the chip she’d dropped. “Didn’t want all your winnings?” He asked, voice amused, but not remotely friendly. \n\n“Not sure that’s any of your business,” Leslie said, still wary. This time, she definitely caught the man’s smile. He turned towards her, then, meeting her eyes for the first time. Leslie... shivered. There was something about those eyes. Something, dangerous. Something, sensual. Evocative. Raw. Hateful. She swallowed. \n\n“You play quite well.” The man said, stepping away, leaning against the opposite wall, eyes fading back into the shadows of his face. “Always just managing to turn the right card at just the right time.” His voice was thick with amusement, as though he knew something she didn’t. \n\n“What’s it to you?” She said. Amazingly, she thought, her voice hardly shook.\n\nAgain, that grin. One corner of the mouth, sneaking up as she spoke. \n\n“I’m having a game. Quite a... special game. I wonder if you’d like to play.”\n\n“I don’t do private parties.”\n\n“I can assure you. You will never find a game being played for higher stakes.”\n\n“Oh yeah? And what makes you think that will sway me? I’m not exactly rolling in it.”\n\n“Sway you?” The man said, irony and false concern rich in his voice. “Oh, Ms. Sharpe, I don’t intend to sway you.” He grinned, a full grin this time, teeth flashing white in the night. “I intend to have you. And,” he said, smiling once more at her shocked look, “I assure you. This game is one you’ll never let yourself miss. The prize is, quite simply, more than you can ever imagine.”\n\nFor what she was sure must’ve been the first time in her life, Leslie Sharpe couldn’t find any words. The man reached one hand lazily inside his coat, fingers coming out pinching a small, crisp white card, which, stepping forward, he placed gently in her hand. “For when you make up your mind.” He whispered, leaning close so his breath danced on her ear. Then, turning like a whisper, he disappeared out of the alley. \n\nShaking herself a moment later, Leslie ran out into the night. “Hey!” She shouted, “Listen up you creep...” Her voice trailed off as she exited the alley, the sudden resurgence of light from the streetlights causing her to squint. The man was nowhere to be seen. The street was empty in all directions. Swallowing on a suddenly dry throat, Leslie looked down at the card in her hand. It was an Ace of Spades, stylized with two figures sitting in the bell of the spade. Both looked nearly identical, eyes white and vacant, grins empty and sickening. Their only differences were in their heads and accoutrements. One, decorated with a pair of horns curling up from the skull, held a small balance scale in one hand. The other, adorned with a halo, held a blinding light. Beneath the spade was written a single word. “Morningstar.” And, beneath that, an address. Nothing more.\n\nLeslie spared one more glance towards the alley, still uneasy. He took the chip, she realized, as her eyes found the spot where she had ground it into the dirt. For some reason, that, of everything else, made her the most uneasy." ]	2
	[WP] Humanity has fled a dying Earth and embarked on an interstellar voyage to a new home. Generations will live and die in the close confines of the ship before the destination is reached. This makes things tricky for you, an immortal.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Disclaimer: This may not be the best writing I have to offer, I’m rushed, and a bit tired. I’ll pick up the next part of the story soon!\n \nThe Dark of Voyage\n\nPart 1:\n\n[102 days earlier] \n\n“Please, let me on!” Oliver West stood at the gate of the docking station, for a ship built for voyages he would hopefully take now, that is, if they’d let him on the ship. Water levels rising faster and faster by the minute, slowly consuming land a few miles below him.\n\nThere was also the added threat of pieces of meteorite raining down on the last few pieces on land. Oliver shifted in his UV radiation protective suit. The Ozone layer had gotten really messed up to the point where people had to wear radiation protective suits. Except for some people who had taken some sort of protective serum. No one really knows if it affectivlyEarth was now a hell we couldn’t escape.\n\n“Sir, we are not permitted to let scum like you to get on these ships. Strictly permitted to allow VIP on to this craft. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to get on to one of the next two crafts that should be suitable. The rest look like some very shtty craft that can barely get off of the ground.” The guard laughed as if leaving the rest of the people we have was funny. “Get to the back of the line!” \n\nOliver was not giving up his spot, he waited here forever! He thought that by time he got up here the ‘regular’ craft would be here. \n\nSure he lived in one of the run down parts of town, got paid minimum wage, and was not a valuable member of society, but that doesn’t make his rights nonexistent.\n\n“Are you going to move? Or do I have to make you!” The guard grabbed Oliver, twisting his arm into a position where it could be broken. “Now do I need to break this?..” The guard applied pressure. “Or, are you going to go?” \n \n“Let him go, before I throw you over this damn ledge.” Oliver looked up to see a man, dirty blond hair, short cut beard, and a grizzly face. \n\n“Why should I do that, Mr. Lumberjack?” The guard brought out his baton. “Because, you wouldn’t want to die would you? Or maybe loose your high paying job? You want to get out of here? Let. Him. Go.”\n\nThe guard didn’t flinch or make any move to drop me, as if he wanted a fight. The grizzly man grabs the guard by the throat, lifting him off of the ground. He bashed him against the guard rail. Because of this, Oliver managed to drop to the ground. \n\nHe then looked behind, the line was impatient. They were yelling and shoving each other. The stranger searched his pocket for his ID, and then holding his arm out, as if asking for mine, even though I already showed the guard it. I handed it over, observing the man even more. It seems that the serum partially works, seeing as he seems to be dying.\n\nI see the stranger handing over the IDs, flashing his VIP card, handing my card back to me, and then walking inside with me behind him. The last thing I hear the guard say was, “NEXT!”\n\n[Present Time]\n\nOliver stares at the cryogenic freezing chambers. Finished up on his data chart, ticking off another box, and sat down on the floor. Next was the cafeteria. Everyone on the first few ships were later docked onto this high powered ship, giving more energy, and food. But, before this, many had died. \n\nNow the younger ones, in their twenties, their thirties and younger are left, leaving this group with ones who could reproduce, and such. Oliver stare at the swelling black mass on my hand, the impact. He looked up noticing a red light flashing, leading to a siren. The cryogenic chambers were not functioning right. \n\nOliver bolted, opening each pod before someone could get blacked out and suffocated by the system. Now, there was no ‘preserving the young’, it was now making new generations.", "The last lots were drawn, and the final set of people who would be getting off of earth herded into the shuttle that would take them to Dawn, the starship that was about to take us to the stars. The shuttle lifted off, shaking more and more until it left Earth's grasp, after which it was silent. Only the sniffles of the people leaving their family behind could be heard. But there was no choice. We were left in a lurch when we found out that the object would be here sooner than predicted. Dawn had to be built up as soon as possible if any vestige of the human species was to survive. \n\nIt rose up on the left, a huge mass of aluminium gleaming in the light from the sun. It was docked to a huge landing platform that had been custom built for this purpose. And behind it was a faint fireball that was approaching at the speed of several thousand kilometers a day. That was Harbinger, a supermassive asteroid that was destined to hit Earth. The impact would supposedly wipe out humanity.\n\nDawn's landing bay was silent when we approached. There were no cheers, no happy faces. Everyone knew what they were leaving behind. The inevitability of it all was final. More still were stepping onto the Dawn as if they were stepping into their coffins. Which was in fact, not far from the truth. Dawn would not reach it's destination for many generations. This current batch of settlers wouldn not be done with even a quarter of the journey before they would all die.\n\nAnd that is where the problems started. Not everyone would die. I wouldn't. And this posed it's own unique problem. The Earth was large enough for me to keep moving without taking in too much attention, but that would be difficult on a spaceship with a limited set of people onboard. Suspicions would be aroused, questions would be asked. I was still figuring this out when I boarded the Dawn. After all, I had at least thirty years.\n\n______________________________________________________________________________________________________________\n\n80 years pass\n\n\n________________________________\n\nIt's been almost 100 years since we left Earth. The Dawn has slowly but surely making for her next destination. The population onboard had come down dramatically, after a few pods were lost to space. This just made it more difficult for me, because the number of people onboard had come down dramatically. This just made matters more difficult for me. Questions were already floating around about the bearded guy with long hair who's been \"around for longer than anyone can remember\". Time was of the essence, and something needed to be done.\n\nThe world had moved far away from religion, as compared to when I had been created. But in times of despair, it didn't take long for the human mind to come back to religion. I'd just have to use it as my crutch. I'd been keeping away from the main areas of the ship as much as possible, living in the vents and other empty spaces which ran along the other chambers.\n\n\"THE PROPHET COMETH\" was found written on the meditation hall's doors. With the despair people were facing, this was all that was needed to send people tumbling into a world of rumors, Some talked about how the earth being destroyed and how their fate was a direct result of not being godly enough. Others started praying, making crude crosses and other religious symbols. And there were even some small whispers of how the man who had been seen time to time in the ship was the prophet himself.\n\nThe time had come for my rise. Donning a white rag, and shaving my beard and hair to look as close to what artists tended to depict Jesus as, I went to the mess when lunch was on. \n\nI hadn't planned for a dramatic entry, but as chance would have it, the moment I entered a few people looked at me. Looking at what I wore, and my appearance, the spoons and forks fell from their hands. They stood up shakily, and knelt in front of me. I was puzzled as to what to do, but managed to keep a benign expression on my face, or as close to one as I could manage.\n\nThis attracted more and more people, until calls of \"The prophet!\" rended the hall. I noticed a few people looking at me with questionable attitudes. But that didn't matter. The majority were my flock, and now it was my duty to guide them.", "This is my first time writing a story online. I am trying to write my first book currently, but I am having some difficulties with that. English is not my first language, but I tried my best. Any feedback is very welcome.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\n!EMBARK NOW. EMBARK NOW. EMBARK NOW!\n\nAs I ran through the gates displaying 'embark now' in big red letters and towards the last capsule that would leave Earth, I noticed how people were pushing each other to the ground to secure a spot for themselves. Thankfully, I got in. As I moved further down the metallic voyager, I gave Earth one last look. It was no pleasant look though, as all I could see were these same people still trying to board the ship whilst the walkway was already detaching. A desperate mother pushed her son into the arms of a guard and begged him to save the boy. I couldn't stand the sight. For the last two centuries, all I have wanted was to lay next to my wife who died in 1784. I have tried to hang myself. I have cut my wrists, jumped off buildings, drank a bottle of bleach and shot myself through the head with a gun, but I guess I will have to live with the fact that nothing will kill me. I needed to have a spot on this last capsule, because nothing I can think of is as dawning as Earth being obliterated and me floating about in endless space for the rest of eternity. I wish I could have given that mother my place on the ship, but I couldn't do it to myself.\n\nThe doors of to voyager were now closed, and initiated a countdown. 10... 9... 8... I held a metal bar, whitening my knuckles. A man on the floor, trampled as he looked, held onto my leg. 4... 3... 2... 1... You could hear the engines work, thrusting the capsule towards the sky. People screamed in fright, others remained quiet. After about two minutes of g-forces pulling on us things calmed down again and through a window I could peep towards Earth. A beautiful sight of a doomed place that The Astroid was about to hit. An hour later, we attached to the mother ship 'Earth's Hope'.\n\nEarth's Hope was an immense voyager. It was so big that it could not be built on Earth; parts were assembled by engineers in space as Earth's Hope would not be able to pull itself away from Earth's gravity. It was populated by doctors, engineers, cultivators, military, programmers, pilots, and in the last four capsules a total of one thousand regular citizens would be able to arrive in order not to cause mayhem or coups on the government during the boarding selection processes on Earth. The Astroid would hit Earth in one hour, according to a clock on a wall. I walked towards a window to watch my home's final moments. Not many people joined me; most people preferred not to watch. Five more minutes... Four more minutes... I gazed on towards an Earth that I had never seen from this angle. Two more minutes... A couple more people came towards the windows. The clock counted down in the form of seconds now as I felt sad for Earth, and guilt for my spot on Earth's Hope throughout my every vein. The clock blinked zero, but nothing happened. People looked around in confusion. Did The Astroid miss Earth? A woman whom I had seen crying earlier ran towards the people not willing to look, screaming that Earth survived. I heard celebrations behind me, and just as I wanted to turn around as well, a big ball of light entered my line of sight at a monumental speed and rammed straight into Earth. The planet I lived on for over 1400 years shattered into a million pieces, all the while The Astroid continued its journey as if it's done nothing but swat a fly. I realized I was one of the only ones who had seen the death of about 7,8 billion people in that second.\n\n<< 70 years later >>*\n\nLife on 'Hope', as people called it nowadays was quiet and strict. People preferred not to call it 'Earth's Hope' anymore, as many people believed that name was poorly chosen in the first place; the never was hope for Earth in their eyes. Although Hope started out with 20.000 people on board, regulations got that down to 10.000 through strict reproduction policies and harsh punishments. With the population decreasing, the odds of people noticing I wasn't aging as they do increase. I had gotten a couple of questions about it already, but I usually just estranged myself from those who started to notice.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nI am taking a small break from writing this for now, but I'll pick it up later! Feel free to give some feedback already.\n\nBest regards,\n\nJustice" ]	4
	[WP] When day while in high school, you forgot to bring your science text book. You excuse yourself to the library to borrow one.There was only one copy of it left.You open it and come across the section of natural phenomena. Instead of teaching you how they occur,it teaches you how to control 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.", "Day 1:\n\n“Fine.” Ms. O’Shanahan sighed. “Go to the library and get a spare.”\n\n“Thanks!” Jason said, grimacing slightly. “It won’t happen again!” \n\nHe slid from his seat and walked briskly towards the classroom door, then out into the hall beyond. The library was one of the oldest sections of the school, a large, labyrinthian structure at the center of the campus. Ducking inside, Jason could immediately feel the change in atmosphere--the air seemed, thicker, somehow. Older. He smiled. He liked the library. \n\n“Science textbooks? Introduction to Natural Philosophy, version, uh...” he checked the back of his hand, where he’d jotted down the books info, “1.14?” He finished, drumming his fingers lightly on the Librarian’s desk.\n\n“Hmmmm... Introduction to... let me see...” The old man hobbled back to a filing cabinet, rifling through the contents of a drawer with surprisingly nimble fingers given his age, before finally stopping on an entry, extracting a sheaf of papers then looking back up at Jason, “Version 1.14?” \n\nJason nodded. The old man sighed, shaking his head. “I’m afraid we don’t have quite that... uh... version, of... uh...” he looked back down at the papers he’d extracted from the drawer,\n\n“Introduction to Natural Philosophy” Jason supplied, helpfully,\n\n“Uhh... yes... Introduction to Natural Philosophy.” The man repeated, seeming to catch his train of thought. “We don’t quite have that version, I’m afraid.” \n\nJason sighed, shoulders slumping. “Ok,” he began, “Thanks anyw--”\n\n“But!” the old man interjected, scanning the page once more, holding up one gnarled, wavering finger, “We may have an older version of this text. Something on the second floor, in section F, called--” \n\n“Thanks!” Jason interrupted, darting off towards the stairs before the old man could finish his recital. “I’m sure it’ll be fine!” he called back, giving the librarian a wave.\n\nFingers tracing along the dusty spines lining the shelves, Jason’s eyes darted over the shelf. “Introduction to Natural Philosophy” he muttered under his breath, repeating the phrase again and again. “Ah!” stepping over to the last shelf in the row, he pulled the book out of the shelf. \n\nAnd stopped. This did not look... anything... like his textbook. \n\n“Introduction to Natural Philosophy” he read, tracing the thick, embossed print on the leatherbound volume’s cover. Then, beneath that, “The Practitioner’s Extended Compendium?” \n\nWhere was the glossy picture of some happy kids doing science? The generic illustrations of beakers and colored water? And this book looked... old.\n\nConscious of the time--he’d already been gone far longer than Ms. O’Shanahan had likely intended, Jason quickly rifled through the book. Surprisingly, he found that the section matter seemed to roughly line up with what he remembered from his book... sections on Biology, Chemistry, Physics... Skipping ahead he found Geology, Meteorology, Psychology. This book even had some sections he didn’t recall his section having at all. He opened the book to a random page, and found himself staring at a subsection heading entitled “Gravity.” Skimming halfway down the paragraph, he stopped. Though he certainly didn’t know his intended textbook cover to cover, he was quite certain a section on “Making Adjustments to Localized Gravitational Fields” wasn’t a topic his book normally covered. A diagram filled the bottom half of the opposite page, showing a series of strange hand-movements, like someone trying to play Cat’s Cradle, only without any string.\n\nCurious, and without really considering it, Jason quickly imitated the diagrams laid out, in the sequence demonstrated. They felt, surprisingly natural, he found himself thinking, as he twisted his hand into the next configuration in the sequence. And then, just like that, he was falling up towards the ceiling. \n\nJason screamed. A lot. Books began tumbling off the shelves below him, tumbling up towards the ceiling just as he was, the fluorescent light above him too clattered noisily into the ceiling, chains rattling as they suddenly went slack. He spun end over end as he gained acceleration, scream continuing to bubble out of him. Hands finally catching up with his rush of adrenaline, he found himself jerking his hand out of the strange posture he’d seen in the book, and slammed the strange different science book closed with a loud thump. And, just like that, he crashed back down to the ground. \n\nBooks tumbled all around him, bouncing off each other, the shelves, himself. The fluorescent light snapped back down towards the ground, shadows dancing wildly as it swung on its newly taut restraints. A shelf nearby whose floor bolts hadn’t been quite tight tottered dangerously, sending more books tumbling down. Until, eventually, blessedly, the library fell quiet. \n\nJason opened his eyes and peered up at the chaos around him. He swallowed, grimacing. One thing was for sure. He was definitely not going back to Science class today." ]	2
Bots wana fight so I punched one on the chin. A dozen more appeared so I ran. Called my buddies Eric, Ed, Jordan, Den, Mark, Hun, Gary, "Pale" Stine and Fin. Land was rough walking. We all got mad, a gas car would've helped but we didn't have one, nor a map, nor way! They were closing in, I yelled "O man!" then we all fled like a turkey; far and South AF! Rica was the new feeling for us all. I decided to sing a pore over song which prompted an applause and a "ye, men". Afterwards we played the alphabet game. I felt like a unit. Ed states of a "m”. Eric a "n" and that's the end.	[WP] Write a short story using the names of countries in the subtlest way.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "\"Us tree, ah? You think that's all you need for this? You've fookin' lost it.\"\n\n\n\"Chill, eh. We con go in Thursday morning. You got the manager, I got the tellers. Den, Mark will watch the door.\"\n\n\n\"Manager's a big man, George. Ah, so why me?\"\n\n\n\"E gipped me one time. I'm liable to grease him.\"\n\n\n\"Well, what happens if the cops show? I ran from 'em once and got tazed. This shit is rael different, mate. It's fookin' armed robbery.\"\n\n\n\"Relax, Ice. I met an army guy, ana got this flashbang from him.\"\n\n\n\"Ooh, brilliant. We'll just chuck a grenade, ah?\"\n\n\n\"Not a grenade, Ice. It's just a little flash in ja pan, mate.\"\n\n\n\"Fook, me! They'll think we're IRA or some shit. 'Ice Landed in Jail for Terrorist Activities.' That's what the headline'll say.\"\n\n\n\"Look. Ken ya just shut the fook up for a moment, and let Mark have a go?\"\n\n\n\"Fine, then. I suppose he's ben in silence for a bit now.\"\n\n\n\"Ah, my turn then. We'll there's nor way you boys are getting out of here. Place is surrounded.\"\n\n\n\"What are you chi na say?\"\n\n\n\"I'm saying I'm police, and you boys are fooked. And Dora says hi, George.\"\n\n\n\"I fookin' knew it'd be her. She'd always gab on, you know George.\"\n\n\n\"Oh, please. You didn't know shit about what she was ghanna do. So--\"\n\n\n\"Both of youse shut up. Time to pack it in. Also, hope you boys are hungary. Tonight's special at County is spotted dick.\"\n\n\"O, man.\"" ]	2
	[WP]Describe a sense to someone who lacks the ability to perceive it. (e.g. but not limited to: color to someone with no sight, or scent to someone with no smell).	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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\nLike ice can sting without a glove \na bat can make a screech. \nLike fire can burns a lump of coal, \na man might make a rousing speech.\n\nWhen glass cuts your hands \nor bones do strike and shatter, \nThat’s when I hear screams of pain, \nof frustration, or a splatter.\n\nLaughter is a bubble bomb, \nGrowling’s when the earth does quake. \nA partner’s voice sounds as smooth as butter, \nand calm like crystal lakes.\n\nYou know of ice, you know of fire. \nYou’ve seen, you’ve tasted. \nYou’ve observed.\n\nHow absurd it sounds to me, \nto claim you have not \nheard.\n\n***\n\nMore of my writing can be found at /r/Floonatic. I do not usually do poems, but this prompt was too incredible to not write a poem for." ]	2
	[WP] You always thought that the warning on your carpet cleaner to not mix different soaps was stupid, so you ignored it today. You regret doing so now because a portal just opened up in your living room.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " Today, I did something that anybody would do. I mixed a few things and put it in… well, it kind of exploded, so I can’t describe it. That’s not the point though. The issue here is that there’s a portal in my living room, which has some kind of gravitational pull, since it sucked in literally anything less than my weight…\n\nWhat’d I do? Well, I obviously didn’t call 911 of course, but instead I went and grabbed my M16, and returned, aiming it straight at the thing. I tossed a few things in that black abyss, such as a banana, a knife, half an apple, a basketball, and a sock. They were sucked in, but nothing else seemed to happen, so I slowly inched towards it. When it was within reach, I took my left hand off my weapon and slightly pushed my pinkie in. Nothing, it’s still on. Being the curiosity driven long ape I am, I stepped in.\n\nOn the other side, my pile of stuff was at my feet, and I seemed to be in some kind of forest. I quickly went back and put on my camo clothes, consisting of a hoodie, sweatpants, glaves, and a scarf I wrapped all around my head. It didn’t really block anything from eyesight though. I returned to the forest, and began slowly skulking around, keeping my gun ready for anything.\n\nThe thing I hear from right behind me? A damn pokemon, pikachu.\n\n“Pika?”\n\n“WhAT THe Fu-”\n\nBANG\n\nThe thing barely dodged my shot, and ran off. Meanwhile, I launched myself forward, rolled over and shot.\n\n“Jesus Christ...”\n\nI placed my hand over my heart, and began to breathe heavily. Then, I began hearing footsteps...", "\"Hoover technical support, how can I help you?\"\n\n\"Hi, yeah...uhm, so I have a question about one of your products.\"\n\n\"What is the model, sir?\"\n\n\"It's the Hoover Smartwash+ Automatic Carpet Cleaner... Bought it maybe a year ago.\"\n\n\"And what seems to be going on with your machine, sir?\"\n\n\"Yeah, so I turned it on to clean some dirt my dog tracked in over my area rug, and it opened some kind of dark swirling portal with screaming coming out of the other side.\"\n\n\"I see. Have you looked on our online Frequently Asked Questions page to see if other users have found workarounds to dark swirling portals with screaming coming out of the other side?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"That's alright. In the future we invite you to visit us online for faster problem solving by typing www.Hoover.com/communitysupport in your web browser address bar.\"\n\n\"OK.\"\n\n\"But since I have you on the line right now, we may as well go through some troubleshooting steps with your machine. Are you operating the machine on top of a symmetrical pentagram painted in Christian blood?\"\n\n\"No, I looked.\"\n\n\"Was the animal who tracked the dirt into the home an ethereal or multi-dimensional being, and is the dirt itself possibly ethereal or multi-dimensional?\"\n\n\"He's a beagle.\"\n\n\"Is there any chance that he could be a multi-dimensional beagle?\" \n\n\"I don't think so...\"\n\n\"Was your home built on a burial site for indigenous populations?\"\n\n\"No, I doubt it.\"\n\n\"Are you using genuine Hoover carpet cleaning solution?\"\n\n\"I'm using a 50/50 blend because I ran out of the stuff that came with the vacuum.\"\n\n\"I see. We advise customers only to use approved Hoover cleaning solutions with their Hoover carpet cleaners to avoid damage to their machines or the fabric of their carpets and realities.\"\n\n\"I always thought that was just a marketing thing to keep us buying Hoover stuff.\"\n\n\"Certainly not. May I ask what you blended the solution with?\"\n\n\"Um... Bissell Deep Carpet Cleaner Solution and Stain Removal.\"\n\n\"I see. You may not know this, because Bissell has an exemplary marketing team, but the Bissell corporation is almost certainly an agent of Satan.\"\n\n\"I did not know that.\"\n\n\"Can I interest you in a complementary bottle of pine-scent Hoover Satanic Portal Remover?\"\n\n\"That sounds delightful.\"" ]	3
	[WP] you never spoke a word before your 21st birthday. As family gather to celebrate, Your mom drops the cake on your lap. What comes out of your mouth shocks everyone.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "My mother always said, \"If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all.\"\n\nI was always a quiet child. Well maybe a bit more than quiet. Being the 4th child, I was mostly ignored or brushed aside. Everyone always talked over me, and never to me. They all told me what to do, what was expected, and always put words into my mouth. I didn't have much choice in anything. My family didn't even notice I hadn't talked until my school brought it up. \n\nSchool was remarkable easy without having to speak. I was an average student, who coasted through without putting in too much effort. If I had a question, I would rather research the answer myself, as the teachers always responded with dumbed down replies that prevented further questions. \n\nFinding love was entirely different. We met online as teenagers, and were surprised to find out that we were in the same school together. Different classes, but similar interests. WhatsApp was in it's infancy, but we took full advantage of the technology. When we were together, we never had to physically say anything to communicate. Watching movies, seeing shows, going out on dates. \n\nA long distance relationship was difficult, even with good communication. I eventually switched degrees and universities to make sure that we were closer. Originally doing economics, I found I had a gift for programming. I made new friends easily, as these bunch of nerds were always chatting online while laying games, and I felt welcome. \n\nWith final exams and graduation approaching, I decided to invite all of my friends and family to a weekend away in a rented house to celebrate my birthday as a way to destress and have a break from the studies. \n\nWe all arrive, and settle into the holiday mood. Drinks are brought out, and a rowdy evening begins. My mother really gets into the spirit, and joins in all the drinking and karaoke. \n\nWhen we decide to have some cake, my mother brought it in. Unfortunately she had a little too much to drink, and staggered in, lost her balance, and plopped the cake right on my lap. Trying to save face, she said, \"It was a shit cake anyway, the last one I had gave everyone heartburn.\"\n\nI replied, \"If you get heartburn from eating cake, you should probably remove the candles.\"" ]	2
	[WP] You are the celebrated inventor of a new kind of robot. Nearly no one knows that you invented it to serve a very different purpose.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "TIME MAGAZINE\n\nINVENTOR OF THE DECADE, MARK STEELE\n\n\"The incredible robot goes by the name of 'Rosey' - Apparently named after the inventor's fondness of the old cartoon, 'The Jetsons.' As you can imagine, it is designed to take care of practically any task or chore you might find yourself in need of doing. Simply ask Rosey to do anything, and she does it with perfect precision.\n\nUnlike the cartoon robot, you will find that this Rosey looks about as close to human as possible, for a robot. Nothing has even come close to the impeccable design shown by the inventor, Mark Steele. It will be like having your very own personal assistant at home, twenty-four seven.\n\nIn a recent interview with Mr. Steele, we were informed that hundreds of millions of Rosey's will be arriving to consumer's homes on the first of next month!\"\n\n\\-----------\n\n\"I can't believe you bought a Rosey, mom. How much did this thing cost?!\" Kenneth asked. He and his mom had been talking about Rosey since it was first advertised on T.V. They ranged anywhere from five thousand for the basic model, all the way up to twenty two thousand for the fully equipped one.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Who cares, son? We are never going to have to lift a finger again!\" Martha exclaimed, unable to hide her smile. She had been dreaming of this day since she first heard about these. Ever since she became a single mother ten years ago, her life had been nothing but working, cooking, and cleaning. This robot was going to solve everything. Finally, she would be able to relax.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"You didn't have to spend all of our savings for that, mom. I could have taken on more chores and saved you all of that money. I think you should take it back.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Don't worry, Kenny. They offered a great payment plan. It's just like buying a car, see?\" Martha pulled out a brochure for Kenneth to look at; all of the details about the payment plan carefully laid out in a simple-to-understand fashion.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Fine, let me take a look.\" Kenneth rolled his eyes as he glanced over the brochure, \"RoseyPay? Seriously? Is that the best they could come up with?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Oh, stop it. Why don't we turn this thing on and get it set up?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nExcitedly, Martha opened the packaging to reveal the life-like Rosey robot, fully assembled and ready to go.\n\nAs soon as she ripped opened the plastic cover, Rosey's eyes shot open as she heaved a gasp of air.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nShocked, Martha and Kenneth took several steps back.\n\n\"What the hell?!\" Martha screamed. Both of her hands covered her mouth and nose in her sudden reaction of fear. She didn't recall seeing anything about this in the welcoming video. \"I haven't even flipped the on-switch! How did she turn on? Why is she breathing?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nRosey turned her head side to side, her eyeballs moving around the room as if to inspect every inch of the living room. \"Hello, Masters.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nKenneth looked horrified. Any attempts to act brave went out the window with the intensity and malice that came with Rosey's tone of voice. This robot was clearly not going to help them clean or run errands. He wasn't even sure if this was even a robot at all.\n\n\"...Mom? What's happening? Turn it off!\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Call me an 'it' one more time, kid. It'll be the last thing you do.\" Rosey snapped, maliciously. She gave Kenneth a look that would've been obvious to anyone with even half a mind; Do. Not. Disobey. \"In fact, don't even speak until I say otherwise,\" she continued. \"Listen up, 'cause I'm only going to say this once. Things are going to be different now, see. Things are going to go my way around here.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nMartha took a step toward Rosey, a look of irritation on her face as clear as day, \"Looks like we got a faulty one, Kenny. Help me get the off switch so we can get her back in the box. Damnit, I was really hoping to get her progra-\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe sound of the smack echoed throughout the house like a thunderclap as Martha fell to the floor, silent. Kenneth fell to one knee as he whimpered, clutching his mother's face in hopes to protect her from any further attacks.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"That is your one and only warning. Both of you. One more outburst like that and I'll kill 'ya both.\"\n\nRosey rolled her shoulders and cocked her neck to one side as if to pop her joints, then sat down in the La-Z-Boy chair behind her.\n\n\"From here on out, you two will do what ever I say. Every dime you earn and every single task you perform will be in service of my master, Mark Steele.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThank you for reading! r/PipSkweex for more stories :)" ]	2
	[WP] Life is a video game, with a good ending (heaven) and a bad ending (hell). You are the first person in all of history to discover the secret third ending.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 hacked the system. I stole the golden jar, but decided to hand it to the Godess Amira seconds after my execution. I felt wraths of fire, followed by a soothing harmony of voices lifting me into the air. However, it was over soon enough, and before I knew it, I was trapped in a room full of nothingness. \n\nWhite walls, no doors, no windows, no escape. I tried cutting myself, but my skin remained sane. I tried rubbing my sore back, but it was of no avail. Somehow, I could not alter any part of me. The worst part was, that I was able to feel and hear everything that was being done and said to my soul-less body. \n\nIt started of slightly soothing. Loved ones hugging my dead body, guards carrying me back and forth for people to say their last goodbyes, and being changed into my favorite dress one last time. I felt every slight tap, every little whisper, and every sweet and tender gesture. \n\nSoon enough, things started to get mildly rough and discomforting. Once every one i cared about had said their goodbyes, I was stored into a tiny chamber. Every day, it was harder and harder to breathe, and I secretly hoped to run out of air and somehow put and end to this numbness. But every time I felt as if my lips were about to turn blue from the lack of air, I was carried out of my small “room” by what seemed to be doctors. I knew because of the touch and smell of their rubbery gloves. This was until a week ago, when i was carried out and never put back.\n\nAt first. I was relieved. No more gasping for air, no more of the same old routine, which consisted of laying still in a tiny steel cabinet. Now, I seemed to lay in a freezing table. After lying motionless for what felt like a million years, i felt movement. My heart started rushing, well, my afterlife heart if thats a thing. I felt free for the first time since my death. During this moment of euphoria, i felt a strange heat overpowering my body. First my toes, then my torso, and then my cold face. Before I knew it, I was bursting into flames. Screaming for my life, but no one seemed to notice. As I felt my body desintegrate. I had hope. Hope that my suffering would finally come to an end. \n\nNow you might be wondering where I am, yes im still in my void, perfectly fine outside, but burnt to the ash on the inside.", "My ribs hurt. Then everything hurt. I grunted while struggling to stand up, only to realize there was no ground to stand on.\n\nHit by a car and left to drift in the void for eternity. How damn wonderful.\n\nI opened my eyes, but there was nothing there. Just dark. I looked down. I was visible, but where was the light coming from? A speck. Looked like it was light years away, but it was the only thing visible for... ever.\n\nSomething scrolled by my field of vision. Not actually there, but... more like... those little floating bits of moisture that cross your eyes, and follow in the direction you look.\n\nAll it said was \"Thanks for playing!\"\n\nThe speck grew brighter. Expanding, a resonating cascade of celestial fireworks and blooming stardust across the endless obsidian expanse before my eyes. Spanning what looked like eons, in seconds.\n\nI only heard one thing throughout all this. My own voice in my head, asking me a simple question in the form of a statement.\n\n\"New Game Plus?\"", "I saw the light, and the tunnel as expected from most every NDE story that I have read on the internet. But, what came next, I wasn't prepared for. There I stood at the end of the tunnel in what seemed like a waiting room. But, it only seemed like one in that there was a reception desk with a glass window and a person behind the glass who looked like the typical receptionist/librarian type of woman. But, aside from that, there was no other windows, no chairs, and no doors. There were rows and rows of people standing, waiting, I didn't know what for. \n\nUpon my arrival, the woman behind the glass told me to sign in and wait until my name was called. I had to flip through pages and pages before I could even find a spot to sign in. I expected to be waiting a very long time. Then I heard it a scream and a male voice begging to be shown mercy. It was quite alarming to hear, but what was ever more alarming was the sound that followed, a booming maniacal laughing like 2 mob goons would delight in as they broke your kneecaps because you haven't paid their boss. I began to get very uncomfortable. I feared that would be my eternal fate. But, what I feared most of all was waiting eternally through thousands of people begging, screaming, pleading, and crying out for mercy.\n\nExcept, the receptionist called out my name after opening the glass door to her receptacle. \"Amaya Fay Brooks, the scorekeeper will see you now.\" And suddenly I was transported to a room that looked like a scoreboard at the end of a video game run through. This surrounded me three dimensionally. In the center sat a man at a normal desk like you would see in any office, except the desk was very vintage. There was a seat in front facing him, to which he motioned, and I took my seat. \"I know you're wondering why you got called in so quickly, but, frankly you pose the game play with a truly unique problem,\" He said, motioning to the scoreboard lit up around me. On it were 2 numbers, both the same. He continued, \"As you can see, your good and bad scores are exactly tied.\" He went on. \"This has never happened in the millenia that His game has been operating.\"\n\n\"Which,\" he went on, \"is a problem that calls for a unique solution.\" He stated, looking at me sternly. I was confused and he could read my face. He said, then \"You see, you're an enigma, you pretty much lived your life, or rather, played this little game in a nonchalant, almost an apathetic way.\" He continued, \"You didn't want glory, success, money, you literally had no aspirations. This means that you only lived by one thing, if it felt right, you did it. You didn't like risk, you didn't like organized religion. You never did anything abominable nor nothing ever heroic,\" and he sighed deeply, continuing his speech, he said, \"Therefore, the Game Creator has decided, and this is simply something unheard of, but He has decided that you shall be returned to the last saving point seconds before that car crash that took your life to face a different outcome. You will not remember any of this, being here, seeing your scores, knowing that this is just a game you're playing, it will all be blank, however, I'm going to insist that you find some direction and pick a goal, and bring at least one side of your scoreboard up.\"\n\nThen, there was a blinding flash and I was coming to behind the wheel of my car. Seeing that the light was turning green, but in that moment I was shaking my head trying to grasp where I was and why I had blacked out. In those few seconds of delay, a big box truck ran the crossing red light from the road I would have been crossing had I gone for the green light, probably killing me. That's where I decided that I should probably get my life in order and find some direction before it's too late and my life is over. Honestly, I have had brushes with death before this, but none of them had had the same impact. Somehow, I sensed this time was very different.", "Whenever anyone talks about eternal life it's always in the context of good or bad. Heaven or hell. Even immortality is judged thusly. Humans love categories, after all. So when I decidedly did not open my eyes, yet found myself seeing suddenly anyway, and felt, well, nothing, I was startled. \n\n\"Fuck\" I'm not sure whether I meant it as a question or not. I'm not sure if I even /said/ it out loud since I don't seem to have what is traditionally considered a mouth. \n\"Congratulations are not in order.\" The sound wasn't a voice that I recognized, but I was notoriously bad with that anyway. \n\nI didn't feel like asking the usual questions of what happened and where am I and wasn't sure I could have anyway so I stayed silent. The voice seemed to anticipate this. \n\"You've entered Ambivalence.\" It informed me. \n\"Due to your actions you are assigned this eternity. You are the first in millennia of humanity. Before,\" -- and here it paused to show me myself, or what /was/ myself dressed in death -- \"before, you would have referred to this as immortality. Some humans refer to this new state as being a ghost. Neither are either accurate nor inaccurate. This is to be your eternal fate.\"\n\nI didn't move my not-body to ask the question it answered. \n\n\"This fate is not a curse, no. You have the ability to interact with and impact humanity and the world until it ceases. You can even understand most fully both what you know as heaven and hell. Neither is this fate a gift -- as you will discover throughout your new existence.\"\n\nAs the calmness of my current presence and the voice faded and I found myself falling into a new state somewhere in Arizona, I asked with my wordless mouth and motionless tongue,\n\"Why\"\n\nThe answer never came and thus continued Ambivalence.", "I started at the screen in fear and confusion.\n\nERROR\n\nThe word was in blazing red and everything about it was wrong.\n\nI died, aren't I supposed to be in hell? I killed my mother for shit's sake!\n\nI stumbled towards the screen in visible shaky breathes, ignoring the alarms ringing in my skull.\n\n“Apollo Reed, Welcome!” A voice greeted.\n\nI felt shivers as my strides were halted into an end.\n\nI didn't dare to turn because of the familiarity of their words.\n\nApollo\n\nThe name sounded bitter, weird to even think about. I didn't know of it or a person who tags it yet it still felt more fitting than my own name.\n\nThe voice sounded inhuman, it was loud and odd and just different, too different for my ears. \n\nIt could pass as feminine or masculine. as an animal’s or inanimate object’s voice. It felt so strange to hear.\n\nI forced myself to turn towards it, but no one was there.\n\n“Who are you?!” I shouted shakily into dark space. My eyes were staring out into the unknown, looking for any figure, any object, anything.\n\nthe fact that there was no roof, wall and even ground in sight terrified me. \n\nThe red screen emitted the only light in the room, floating in the empty ether.\n\nBut I wasn't floating and swimming in its a million shades of red, I just stood, I could feel my feet touch a physical floor, but I felt weightless.\n\n“Yeah, yeah, that is still for later. So basically, you died. Your name was Lenard Larose. You died with cash assets of a couple of millions. Killed your mother at the sweet age of twenty because of greed.” \n\nI didn’t want to look into its eyes if even it has eyes. Its voice sounded neutral yet I felt its disappointment.\n\nIts voice came from all directions, like an intercom. Yet it was clear as if it was just there. In front of me.\n\n“But,” It started with, “after you realized how terrible and guilty you feel, you changed. You got into a one-sided relationship, had a couple of kids and saved lives with your expertise. You helped a lot of people, yet you still felt guilty, you eventually died in an accident after being hospitalized for a couple of weeks,”\n\na little frown played on my dry lips, someone clothed me in a suit. It was a murky and tragic shade of black. Funeral fitting.\n\n“Guilt? Funny thing right? Just crawls up your spine every time you feel any amount of content and happiness.” It laughed, every word felt cruel and grim because it was the sad truth.\n\n”Are you a god?” I bluntly asked it. The laughter stopped, turning into simple echoes.\n\n“I prefer the term ‘Game-master’ but God fits I guess, ” It uttered nervously. It felt human, the genuine emotion made it sound human. \n\n”Game-master?”\n\n”Someone who controls a game, like the one you were in.” It explains vaguely, I didn't understand nor comprehend what in the actual fuck is happening.\n\n“What happens now?” was all I could ask or even say. \n\nIt was a simple question, yet no one answered.\n\nSuddenly, the place suddenly lit with colour and life, things appeared out of nowhere. Desks, chairs, shelves and windows just happened.\n\n”Wha-” A scream left my lips I felt myself fall onto something soft.\n\nAn office started to be created in front of me.\n\nA tuxedoed person walked through the second old door. They had striking features, vivid eyes rested on their young face, dark skin and a sparkly yet evil grin were flaunted as they sat on the throne-like seat. \n\n”Say hello to your game-master.” It commanded with a sickening beam." ]	6
	[WP] You got a new job downtown, you sell hero insurance in a world full of heroes and villains. Some flying hero crashed through your client's roof.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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, I hope that guy has some money, else that might cost him his license\", I tell the homeowner, as i fill out the usual forms for hero accidents involving private property. Heroes these days get cocky quite easily saying things like: \"We protect the people and sometimes accidents happen. We can't do anything against that.\" But as a hero once said roughly that publically on television, I realized that there might be a job, which earns free and easy money. These guys will do anything to keep their work as heroes and so they should pay up quite quickly. So I started searching for an agency, which was looking for job applicants and it didn't take to long and I had the job. This was roughly one week ago.\n\nSuddenly, however, another guy in a suit, who resembled myself considerably, comes around the corner. \"Hero Insurance Agency, we help heroes in lawsuits, where they inflicted damage to private property, while being on a rescue mission, my name is John Smith\", the guy introduces himself to me proudly.\n\n \n\nGod damnit, now I need a new job..." ]	2
	[WP] You grew up with a best friend, like most people. You remained friends through social media after school. Years later, he's your arch nemesis and you both have to actively restrain yourselves from going full 'best friends' mode while fighting for the fate of the world.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "As I was flying closer to the top of the snowy mountain, I could recognise the man standing there, just about to enter the cave. It was Ethan. I wasn’t surprised to see him there, but I had hoped to get there before him, so I would not have to fight him again. I began landing my dragon, and realised he had noticed me as well. And he was waiting. \n\nHe could have just gone inside. He should have just gone inside. But he was standing there. The black of his clothes stood out against the white snow. He was wearing shorts and a T-shirt, but as always didn’t seem bothered by the cold. The closer I got to the ground, the more miserable and grim he looked. After what felt like an eternity, but was more likely less than a minute, my loyal red dragon reached the ground, and I quickly leaped off him, and stood in front of my oldest friend. \n\n‘We don’t have to do this, Ethan,’ I shouted over the loud swooshes of the wind. My hair was in my face, as were the snowflakes falling on it, hitting my eyes, nose and mouth. ‘You can still back down, it’s not too late. I don’t want to hurt you.’\n\n‘Maybe you ought to be the one backing down,’ he replied, ‘I’m sure if you did, I could get the League to spare your life. Join me, Amelia.’ I could hear the plea in his voice, and from the short distance between us I saw the hope in his eyes. \n\n‘You know I can’t do that, I can’t let you and the League to hurt any more innocent people.’\n\n‘Who says you can’t?’\n\n‘Your mum. At least that’s what she told me last night.’\n\n‘My mum died last month.’ He looked down, but I knew he was bluffing. \n\n‘She didn’t sound dead when she was moaning my name,’ I teased. \n\n‘No, really, she died last month. I would have invited you, but...’ he began trailing off. Oh. \n\n‘I’m so sorry,’ I apologised, ‘I didn’t know, Ethan, truly.’\n\n‘Psyche!’ He laughed. ‘You totally fell for that.’ A smirked began creeping up on his face. \n\n‘Did not.’ I crossed my arms. \n\n‘Did too.’\n\n‘Whatever,’ I sighed and rolled my eyes. It felt like when we were in high school again, although I knew it couldn’t last. Not only did I not have much time, but I was starting to get cold. And Ethan was never cold. With every second passing my arch-enemy was gaining an advantage. gathered myself, attempting to be serious. ‘Ethan, I’m going into that cave, and I’m going to get the Book of Mirglaus’ I stated, taking a step closer to him, ‘I could do this with you by my side, or with you falling down in front of me. I know which way I prefer, but it’s your choice.’\n\n‘Just like it was your choice whether to do History project with me or with Danny McStupid?’ He snickered. \n\n‘I can’t believe you’re still going on about that,’ I scoffed, ‘we were 14, I had a crush on him. Get over it.’\n\n‘I can’t get over it, Amelia, I’m still traumatised by the look on his face when he realised you two had to present your project in front of the class as well,’ he chuckled, ‘that was proper funny.’ He was right, of course. Danny’s expression after finding out he had to work had been hilarious.\n\n‘Like a deer in headlights.’ I couldn’t help but giggle myself. The feeling of nostalgia had somehow warmed me. It wasn’t so hard not to shudder anymore. \n\n‘It was second only to Mr Briggs expression when he saw we’d moved his car into his office and then egged it,’ Ethan recalled with a grin, ‘that really was something. Did you know he retired last year?’\n\n‘No way!’ I cheered, ‘It was about time. Bit unfair though that all of those children get to go to school without him literally shoving his nose in their business.’ We were now standing quite close to each other, like we used to before Ethan joined the League. Before he became a murderer. For a moment, I almost forgot about it. \n\nEthan smiled softly. ‘I can hardly imagine growing up without having seen that man’s nose up close.’ He looked into my eyes. ‘I’ve missed you, you prick.’\n\n‘I’ve missed you too, twat.’ Then I hugged him. It was the biggest mistake I had ever made, and perhaps the last. I felt a sharp, terrible pain in my stomach. I let go of Ethan, and looked down. I saw his dagger. My arch enemy had stabbed me. My oldest friend had stabbed me." ]	2
	[WP] In a world where gemstones provide magic, the strongest wizard uses... topaz and jade? Not diamond, the rarest and most expensive gem? Why is that?	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Everyone knows that gemstones power magic, and that diamonds are, of course, the best gemstone. Every top level wizard places a diamond in the top of their staff and goes on with their day. Except one. Walt uses topaz and jade. Nobody knows why, because these 2 gemstones were some of the weakest in the magical world, and yet the world's strongest wizard uses them for their magic anyway. Walt, in fact, claims he has no reason for this, and always tries to change the subject. One day, a journalist caught him off guard.\n\n \"Please tell me why you don't use diamonds in your staff.\" Demanded the journalist as the man walked into the bathroom.\n\n\"Necromancy and dimension hopp- I mean... N-no reason!!\" Walt blurted, startled at this level of intrusion of privacy. \"N-necromancy?\" The reporter whispered, shocked at the answer. \"Isn't that illegal?\" He mulbled. Next thing he knew, Walt had attacked him.\n\n\"Welcome back. You're my newest animator for my corporation. I call it \"Disney\" because Walt from dimension 36 calls his corporation that, and he basically owns the world.\" Walt said to the reporter. \"I still don't know how people haven't figured out that these crystals do different things...\"" ]	2
	[WP] You are the most powerful superhero in the world. You can make anybody act drunk.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.. I'm gunna have t.. to see your license and registration, bucko!\" the cop said as he stood beside my driver's side door. He was slowly beginning to lean to his left, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was about to fall over.\n\n\"Yes, officer. They are in my glove compartment, is it alright if I reach for them?\"\n\nHe chuckled to himself, finally grabbing on to my side mirror to steady himself. \"Do whatever the fu– hiccup –ck you want, asshole. Who am I to judge?\"\n\n\"Thank you, officer. I'm grabbing my license and registration now.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI reached toward my glove compartment to open it, acting as if I was actually going to comply, when I heard the thump sound I had been waiting for. The officer had finally passed out.\n\n\"Sheesh, it usually doesn't take that long.\" I thought to myself as I put my car back into gear and drove off. \"Hopefully someone finds him before he gets run over. That would be a shame.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nOnce I arrived to work, I realized that damn cop had made me about thirty minutes late. My boss was not going to be happy with me if I didn't take care of this.\n\nI began to feel a little guilty. My boss was probably affected by my ability far more than anyone else in the world. He was just such an asshole. It was too difficult to deal with him, and this was such an easy solution.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Howdy, jerks!\" I shouted, as I walked into the office.\n\nBefore walking in, I had activated my ability to affect anyone present in the office at the time. To be honest, I wasn't really in the mood to deal with anyone today, and it wasn't really wise for me to target my boss and leave everyone else sober. People might have started to notice.\n\n\"Anyone up for some fun shit? What have we got goin' on this morning?!\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nNo one replied.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI looked around to see what was going on, only to realize everyone was passed out at their desks. It seemed I had put too much force into it before walking in, probably due to the stressful morning. At least, I thought everyone was passed out, until my boss walked out of his office, completely sober.\n\nI must have made a mistake. I couldn't use the ability again without killing everyone else in the office, so I had to let it go.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Jackson! What in the name of Jesus is going on in here?!\" he shouted, clearly accusing me of the current state of the rest of the employees.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"How should I know? I just walked in, sir.\" I responded, feigning a tone of innocence as I spoke. \"I– I mean.. I just walked in from the restroom.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Bullshit. I already know you were late today, don't try and pretend otherwise.\"\n\nHe was fuming, practically whistling like an overdone pot of tea. I had never seen him this angry.\n\n\"Listen, Jackson. I don't actually give a flying pair of tits what happened here. I want you out. Now! You're fired!\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWithout a word, I turned around and walked out the door. This wasn't the first time I was fired, and it wouldn't be the last. Ever since discovering my ability, I had a hard time remaining in once place for any decent period of time. It was too easy to abuse, too easy to use it to try and solve all of my problems. I couldn't keep a job. I couldn't keep a girlfriend. Hell, I couldn't even keep a friend. I had no one. Nothing. Nothing but this damn stupid ability, and it wasn't getting me anywhere.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Everyone always talks about how becoming an alcoholic will ruin your life,\" I thought, \"No one could have imagined that making everyone else an alcoholic would ruin your life, too.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nAs I walked back to my car, I pulled the flask from my coat pocket and took a large swig.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Gotta feel better somehow, right?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\---\n\nThank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed! r/PipSkweex for more stories! <3" ]	2
	[WP] You were feeling ill so you decide to go to bed early. You wake up at 1:11, 2:22, 3:33 and so on until you wake up at 6:66.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Travis was reclined in his twin bed watching Adult Swim as his phone lit up from the charger. Seeing that it was his girlfriend and not his buddy, he placed the phone back face down and continued his show. She was going through a hard time right now, he knew because he put her there, she told him after she hunted him down with his friends that she needed him, and him ignoring her has made her feel alone in all that was going on. Things have been on his mind, but there was nothing to say. Like Travis told her, he figures she would message him if something was wrong.\n\nAt 1:47 am Travis noticed his phone vibrate as he entered the room with re-heated chicken wings from the microwave. \n\nFlipping the phone over there were 3 messages:\n\nKev 1:46 A.M. : Get in game TeeRav. Don't be a fag!\n\nBaby 11:55 P.M. : Are you going to sleep soon?\nBaby 1:45 A.M. : -poke-\n\nTravis sat down with his plate in his lap, resuming his show. Pulling the meat from the bones, he sees the phone vibrate again while reaching for a napkin.\n\nKev 1:53 A.M. : Fucker did you get locked up again?\n\nThe display went black after showing the preview message. Travis placed the plate now, sporting a pile of sauced chicken bones on his TV tray, and immearsed himself back in the show, slowly nodding off over some time without looking at his phone again.\n\nThe sun filtered through the venetian blinds as the dogs excitedly barked for the morning playtime in the backyard. Travis turned his back away from the light and grabbed his phone to see what the 33 messages were from.\n\n32 from Kev. 1 from Baby.\n\nWithout reading all of Kev's messages, Travis opened the thread and tapped out, \"Not dead, not locked up, just been asleep.\" Pulling the covers off, Travis got up to use the bathroom and scroll through memories on Facebook for something funny to pass the time.\n\nBaby's message appeared as a preview at the top of his cracked display.\n\n\"Baby 5:46 A.M. : you must have fallen asleep. Let..\"\n\nSwiping it out of sight, Travis sat on the toilet fighting cramps, watching racing fails before going back to sleep.\n\nTravis woke up to start his afternoon at 4:28 P.M. his streaming service paused hours ago from the lack of activity, his phone had two messages from Baby.\n\nBaby 2:38 P.M. : So you can message your friends in the morning but not me.\nBaby 2:38 P.M. : Okay\n\nTravis rattled off a \"what? I just woke up\" hitting send. Feeling his stomach roll in on itself he rushed to the bathroom and sat down quickly knowing he was about to have the runs.\n\nThe chicken wings must not have agreed with him, he thought. As his bowels opened the flood gates, Travis found himself leaning half way over in the tub next to him, puking his brains out. Frozen in place and in considerable discomfort, he knew he was going to need bleach to clean this up when he was free from the havoc the chicken wings caused.\n\nMom knocked on the door asking if he was okay, hearing the commotion from a shared wall. Travis finally was able to get up and yelled through the door the wings made him sick. Washing his hands, Travis let down his hair to re-do his bun and proceeded to pull the bleach from under the sink.\n\nTravis was back in his room an hour later, he switched the TV over to Youtube and watched Challenge videos while waiting for his stomach to settle. His skin felt clammy, and his throat still burned, Mom opened the door and brought him some bottled water suggesting he go back to sleep. Not a bad idea, he thought, after he puts on a good show to stream he will close his eyes when he feels like it. A few hours go by, and Travis sees his Mom peer through the crack in the door. She asks him how Baby is doing, not aware of the situation Baby pleaded he not share because she was afraid of being judged.\n\n\"She is alright.\" He assured his mom and rolled over in bed asking her to hit his bedroom light off by the door. A headache had began to creep over him, if he went to sleep early maybe he would break it before it got worse.\n\nWaking up at 1:11 A.M. Travis still didn't feel well. The stream was continuing to play but the colors had become inverted. Was his new TV broken? Turning the TV off and back on cleared the issue up, leaving the stream running where it left off, he nodded back off.\n\nAt 2:22 A.M. Travis woke up again, feeling his stomach cramping. Stiff legged, he waddled with a fury to the bathroom and sat on the toilet. Locked in place, he felt like he was going to start bleeding by the burning he was feeling as his bowels opened him up wider. Five minutes in Travis was able to relax his body and wipe. Sure enough, he was bleeding. Rinsing himself off in the shower, he walked back to bed and laid down.\n\nThe bump from the closet door he was facing, woke him up at 3:33 A.M. sleep paralysis had set in when Travis opened his eyes. While the adrenaline rushed through his system, he heard another shift from behind the door as it cracked open. Able to determine it was just his standard sleep problem, he shut his eyes tightly and nodded back off to sleep.\n\n4:44 A.M. Travis was woken up to another bump from the closet door. This time he wasn't payalyzed, he quickly got up, turned on his bed room light and opened the closet door. Just bundled up jeans on the floor, amongst his hanging clothes. Feeling a rumble in his gut, he went back to the bathroom. This time was much easier, and his headache had passed. \n\nLaying his head on his pillow, with his back to the closet, Travis felt that the worse was over, and he would be able to start the day early enough to get some side work done for his brother, before hitting up his Casino buddy.\n\nThe closet door woke Travis up at 5:55 A.M. slamming against the wall as it had been thrown open from the inside. The paralysis had set back in, this time Travis kept his eyes tightly shut, refusing to try and roll over to face the open door. There was a presence he felt behind him, standing in the closet door, as the air from the air vent was not hitting him. Keeping his eyes shut, he head a light dragging noise creep across the carpet towards him. Pressure, now on the bed causing him to tilt back slightly, he couldn't move. The bedspread pulled away, exposing his shoulder, his heart pounding against his ribcage and he remained still.\n\nYanked from his soulder, and flipped on his back, Travis would not open his eyes. The form was standing right next to him between the bed and the closet door, towering over, as if ready to strike. Staying still, focusing on calming his heartbeat, he found sleep again.\n\n\n\nTravis stands infront of the screen, observing it is not shut off. Black display with a white pinhole illuminated in the center. Leaning in to inspect it, his phone vibrates again.\n\nThe time is 6:66 A.M. the text message displays a new number. \n\n+66666666666 6:66 A.M. : 'Ello TEE-RAV\n\nTravis notices all the numbers and feels his hair stand on end. Shutting off the phone to reboot, he is startled when he hears someone clearing their throat. Black smoke sputters out from the open closet, Travis goes to his bedroom door and attempts to open it. Doesn't budge. The smoke lingers up to the ceiling and swirls around the lamp, Travis steps closer to the closet and peers in. Knealing down into the carpet, Travis begins tossing the crumpled pants from the floor to the closet, nothing is smoldering, nothing smells like it is burning. \n\nThree sharp taps are heard from the headboard behind him. A matte black shade, billowing evaporating wisps is sitting on the edge of his bed right behind him, one leg over the other. Features began to fill in showing gray mottled skin, a dusty button down flannel, and worn jeans. The face poured in of an older man, short , unkempt peppered hair, rough blond goatee, pale eyes matched with a wicked smile.\n\n\"Hey bud!\" The man sitting down coyly waves as his eyes narrowed down on him.\n\n\"Wh-who are you?\" Travis shook as he grabbed the door frame to pick himself up.\n\n\"You don't know me pal, but call me a wake up call.\" The man stands up, a foot taller to Travis, with a lanky arm flings Travis across the room into the TV stand." ]	2
	[WP] Water makes up more than 70% of the earth, and it is a key to the life of all creatures. You as an individual gain control over water and can produce as much as you'd like. Write a passage expressing how you took advantages of this superpower to either benefit yourself of benefit the planet.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$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 had taken a lot of convincing - 16 months of almost daily displays, in fact - to secure my spot on board. Not that I blamed them, really. I had zero training for this and was boasting an ability that was beyond comprehension; plus, I don't handle roller coasters really well, so I had no business being here.\n\nBut here I was.\n\nThe trick had grown old back home. I'd helped farmers sustain new crops long enough to get permanent irrigation set up to keep them going. Flint, and hundreds of cities like it, were no longer plagued by poisoned supplies. Wildfires had been controlled, conflicts had been prevented, and a tsunami had even been diverted through sheer luck and me getting cheeky with my power. However, despite it all, I knew there was more I could do, and Mr. Bridenstine agreed (once I finally got to talk to him.)\n\nHe got me in a room with a few highly wealthy (and active) sponsors, some incredibly intelligent partners, and a few heads of state for various powers. That last group I'd actually met already, so that was cool, but this was a whole different conversation. We laid out the terms, the goals, and the amazing things we could suddenly accomplish. \n\nI went through almost two full years of training after being offered a seat. All kinds of intense physical tests, a bunch of mental stressors that almost broke me, and way more geology, botany, and meteorology than high-school me ever thought I'd consume, much less need. Captain J. Briggs broke my silent reflection.\n\n\"You ready, bud? We've got the filtration tank set up and all systems are online.\"\n\nHis voice, though digitized, still carried that reassuring, fatherly tone. I turned and nodded, smiling. \"Let's do it.\"\n\nWe walked 50 yards away from the inflatable habitat complex to the massive water storage tank the two engineers had assembled. We both took a moment to take in what was before us, and the literal life-or-death implications. If my ability had any limitations, we were about to pay for it; if there were none, however...it changed everything.\n\nHe handed me a SpaceX-branded water jug, seal unbroken, and gave me a thumbs up. I climbed the gantry and punched the jug's cap into the sealed deposit valve. It began pouring a gallon of water into a 50,000 gallon tank, one that would sustain the crew's oxygen and water needs, experimentation, and greenhouse crops. If this worked, of course.\n\nAs the jug approached empty, I focused on my hands the way I did on Earth, pushing the supernatural force to my fingertips as I'd done a million times for a billion people. The last pour left the jug. And kept leaving the jug. And as we'd all hoped, the pale blue glow snaked its way down that stream of water into the tank, where it exploded with light. Within seconds, Terra Rubrum's water tank was at maximum capacity, and the cheers could be heard in everyone's helmets in all their staticky glory.\n\nCaptain Briggs was in tears as he embraced me at the bottom of the stairs, laughing with the rest of us at the revolutionary advancements this would allow. \"I hope you're okay hanging out on the red planet, bud, because I think you've got a full-time gig here now. Ain't no two weeks, resignation letter bullshit allowed!\"\n\nI knew that if this worked, this would be my new home. And that was fine. I had helped make our blue planet bluer as much as I could. It was time to help work on the color scheme here on Mars." ]	2
	[WP] A keter level demonic anomaly has been reported playing strange music in rural Georgia. The SCP Foundation dispatches Field Agent "Johnny" Daniels to investigate.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 arrived the happiest I’ve ever seen him. Johnny never was a generally happy person, but his smile shines almost as bright as his golden fiddle. Golden fiddle? I’ll explain. \n\nHe had arrived at the site in response, and found himself face to face with the devil himself. We had faced ghouls before, even demons, but never the big man. No one had ever actually seen him. Not until Johnny. \n\nWe had been lucky Stevens wasn’t in at the time, or the sergeant would’ve sent him without hesitation. Johnny was the second stringer. He was awkward to say the least. He rubbed everyone the wrong way, and he played the fiddle like he was a cowboy roaming the plains of Oklahoma. \n\nLong story short, the Devil challenged Johnny to a fiddle-off, and even though ole’ Lucifer had a few tricks up his sleeve, Johnny won fair and square. The contest had been for a prize: should Johnny win, he received a golden fiddle, should the Devil win, he would receive Johnny’s soul. Well Johnny got to keep his soul another day. \n\nThe rest of the day was eerily quiet. We normally received 2-3 alerts every day about little demonic entities flaring up and causing a mess in Budapest or Venice, but there was nothing. We chalked it’s up to the earlier events. Nothing would want to come mess around now, not after Johnny, so we celebrated. They were scared, we had nothing to fear. \n\nI assure you they were not scared. It was a plan. The whole time. That fiddle started playing itself on the table, and these things came out of it. They looked like wolves, or maybe lizards, or both. Hell, I don’t even know. \n\nBack in real time, I start to laugh at the pun. It had been involuntary but nonetheless. Why not? I only had two shells left and an inch of steel wouldn’t hold them off for long. Who would’ve thought the Devil would trick us? Might as well enjoy the little things while I still can." ]	2
	[WP] A man in a red suit walks up behind you and tells you you're on a game show! Except the game is you have one minute to figure out how you're going to die, otherwise you're going straight to hell after the thing that is going to kill you, kills 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.", "Im headed home taking back alley short cuts. I stop to check my phone. Nothing. It’s almost 7pm and no one’s missed me yet. They never do.\n\n“Hey you!” I hear a man shout. I turn around to see a man with a deep red suit, black tie, black hair. He looks some what familiar. \n\n“Yeah?” I ask with caution as my free hand is slipping into my pocket to grab my knife in case I need it. My heart beginning to beat faster waiting for a response.\n\nThe man circles me slowly watching my movements. Finally, he says “What if... I told you.. that you’re on a game show?” His words lingering with each step. As he completes the circle I notice the alley has gone dark and transformed into a small stage. I can barely make out the faces in the crowd. There’s a stool near me and I take a seat. The hosts face fading in and out of the light that surrounds me. He steps into the light and says “you have one minute to figure out how you’re going to die, otherwise you’re going straight to hell after you’ve been killed by the thing that will, in fact, kill you. \n\nI give a slight chuckle and say “I don’t need a minute for that.” \n \n“Well, tell us. Time is ticking away.” The host says.\n\n“I’m going to die by my own hand.” I say boldly. \n\nI don’t think that was the answer he was expecting. He steps into the light with a serious frown. \n\n“That’s not right. Would you like to guess again?” \n\n“No, because it is right. “ I say argumentative. \n\nI can hear his foot steps circle around me as he asks for me to explain in a bit angrier tone.\n\n“As I said before, I plan on dying by my own hand.” I take a quick second before continuing “You have said if my guess is wrong then I will be killed by what will end my life. If I am correct, before that happens I will be able to pull my knife and slit my throat or wrists. Therefore, dying my own hand.” \n\nThe host steps forward into the light again “What about going straight to hell? Aren’t you afraid of where you’ll end up?” He asks pressing for elaborate answers.\n\n“No. The way I have figured it up is if I kill myself, I will either be trapped in some limbo-ish place for the rest of eternity or I’ll end up in hell anyway. So, I have a slight, yet tiny possibility that I’ll end up in limbo. We both know that hell is most likely where I’ll be either way. Honestly, any place is better than here.”\n\nWe both take a brief pause just staring at each other.\n\n“You’re game is really pointless at this point... if I’m guessing right you must be Satan?” I sit and listen for the sound of his steps. “So, why don’t we make a deal?” \n\n“Go on I’m listening.” \n\n“Since I’m going to hell either way, you let me be your second in command? I learn from you, and you can learn a few things from me?” \n\n“No. You’ll not be second in command but I will teach you anything you want to know. Deal?” \n\n“Deal... oh, and one more thing can you take away my depression?.” I say extending a hand towards him to finalize our agreement. He nods and takes my hand and pricks a finger with his sharp claw letting the blood ooze into his. \n\n“So... what now?” I ask timidly.\n\n“We go home.”", "\"HELLLLLLLLLO!\" A voice dramatically calls out behind me. I would hate to be the person being greeted like that. Ignoring it, I continue walking but I only take 2 steps before curiosity forces me to glance back.\n\n\"YES, you sir!\" A man in an obnoxiously red suit says pointing at me, \"Congratulations, you are the next contestant on Satan's Roulette!\"\n\nGreat, a crazy person. Why did I have to look back. I start walking again, hoping no one I know saw this. Then I stop dumbfounded. No one is looking. How can that be possible. Such a garish greeting should at least cause a few people to stare. Did I imagine it? I turn around, but he is still standing there.\n\n\"That's right! Hell's most famous gameshow. Being broadcast live across all nine circles!\" He flashes the friendly smile that reminds me of car salesmen pretending to be your best friend. People stream around us going along on the sidewalk, but nobody even glances at the garish suit standing before me. What is happening?\n\n\"Say hi to the audience, don't want our ratings dropping.\" He hisses at me.\n\n\"Hi.\" I guess its better to indulge the man, who knows what he might do if I don't play along. \"Um, glad to be here.\"\n\nHe laughs, \"Devils, demons, imps, and lesser forms of evil, we got a funny one today! Are you ready to play?\"\n\n\"How do I play?\" I ask cautiously. The fact that through all of this, none of the other people have looked nags at me. Maybe I am the crazy person, and he is just my imagination. But theres a whisper in the back of my mind that is too scary to ignore. What if this is real?\n\n\"Glad you asked! Above your head is the wheel, and on it are listed causes of death. I will give it a spin, and you get one minute to guess how you die. Get it right and life goes on. But if you fail, its straight to hell!\" He holds up a mirror for me while he explains. I quickly read the options: knife in the head, run over by a car, mauled by a tiger, gas explosion, drive by shooting, sinkhole, and heart attack. \"Now lets PLAY!\"\n\nHe tosses the mirror aside, and it shatters in the street. The empty street. Everyone is gone. I see his red sleeve out of the corner of my eye, and turn my head, but its already done. I hear the rapid ticking of the pointer slapping against the different sections. It slowly comes to a stop, and a large hourglass appears next to the man.\n\n\"Your fate is decided! You get one minute to make your guess before you die. Your time starts NOW!\"\n\nThe sand starts falling, and then there is sound. First I hear a thunk. Looking up there is a man throwing knives at a target in his window... that cant be real, no one would do that. Then I hear the engines. A lot of them. Cars start driving by again. I look at the hourglass, and its half empty. I start to panic. The window beside me breaks, and I jump. My heart is pounding, as I look at the wreckage and see a knife.\n\n\"What the hell?!\" I cry out.\n\nTurning back to the man, he has that same friendly smile on his face as he watches me. Over his shoulder I see a truck with a cage on the back of it. I am almost afraid to look, knowing what will be inside it. But I look anyways, and my suspicions are confirmed, a tiger. I look at the hourglass again, and its almost empty. How? I haven't even had time to think! I have to guess. 1/7 is better than nothing. I open my mouth, and his smile shifts.\n\n\"YOU!\" I shout out pointing at him, \"You are going to kill me.\" \n\nThe smile slips, and the predatory gleam I didn't fully notice fades from his eyes. \"That's right,\" he says dejected, \"good job being the first to figure it out.\"" ]	3
	[WP] Desperate to pass a class and short on time, you resort to buying an essay from a shady website. But when you read through the essay, you discover something highly unusual.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 hollow blue screen light was the sole source of illumination in the tiny apartment I lived in. My feet tapped on the wood floor as I sat on the chair, hunched over my desk. I was impatient. I was nervous. I was impatient because I was nervous. \n\nThe second job at the retail store, the sleepless nights that made me so groggy, my mom who had only been released from the hospital just the day before, I couldn't study even if I had tried. It wasn't fair. But here I was, only one assignment holding me from failure.\n\nAny essay on any topic! Free to download! Fuck, I knew I was going to regret this. But I was desperate. \n\nI minimized the screen and turned on my writing doc. Just to calm the butterflies. I should write something, just as a backup. But only I stared at the blank page, unable to write even a single decent sentence. Ugh, I groaned with my hands over the back of my head, ruffling my hair. Finally, I heard the familiar bleep go off. I open the browser. 100%\n\nWell, either my PC will be overrun with viruses or I would actually get an essay that would save me from my impending 'F'. Click, click. \n\nMy eyes dart from one end to the other, skimming over the words. In 2009, seven years after the euro introductions in 2002, Greece declared that its country had debt over 300 billion dollars...\n\nI read the entire essay once, and read it again. I wanted to squeal in my cathartic joy. But I only sighed. I closed my other empty doc and read my essay again. The third time I caught something. \n\n'That's strange,' I almost said it out loud. I was so sure my essay was a thousand fifteen words. I squinted and it was now 1432. I clicked it off and opened it. \"What the fuck?\" I whispered to myself in the dark as I stared at the 1543 word count. \n\nI started to read the article again. Slowly and thoroughly. The first time it ended with Greece's economic unbalance reports in 2016. This time it had expanded, in detail, to its last known state in 2018. 'Is it updating by itself? Gathering information from the web?' my mind doing its best to rationalize what was going on. \n\nSo I disconnect. I turn my doc off and turn it on again. 1782 words. So it would update itself every time I would switch it off then on. 'But how?!' I whisper yell. How could this even be possible?! I skim over it again. Now, the report ended with the end of the decade. I was apprehensive. Something was inside my computer. My primary concern was that I did not have enough money in my account for a new one. I didn't have half of what they cost. \n\nBut of course, I was also curious. 'Well, what will you do now?' The essay had ended by explaining the current socio-economic state of the nation. It had reached the end of the line. I clicked it off and then on for the fifth time. My eyes started darting from side to side in the small 12 point writing. The 1782 words were the same. But the next sentences were the ones that unnerved me. They predicted the future. No, not predict. Because prediction meant it would have some uncertainty. But this article, whoever wrote it, whoever was writing it, it was so sure, so factual, almost like it was written from a time in the future where the current present had happened in a long-ago past. \n\nI gulped as I kept on reading. It was disturbing, how impossibly lucid it was. Was this some elaborate scam? Or is this some AI? Can an AI do this; be this... this developed? Will this keep on writing? Will it ever stop? What if I just delete the file? I thought, panicking. But even I knew I wouldn't do it. I was too far intrigued at this. 'I will let it be,' I told myself. 'For the time being.'\n\nNow that my mind was somewhat used to this, I couldn't help but think back on the website. I minimized my screen and logged back in. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep if I didn't go through with this. So. Many. Categories. My finger scrolled the page down in an almost eternity of segments. And then it stopped abruptly. The pointer hovered over it: 'Personal History'. I hesitated only a second before double-clicking on it." ]	2
	[WP]You where born with the ability to travel through time by shouting when you wanted to go to. You've always expected a bunch of scientists coming to capture you, but instead an ancient Guild of Historians are after you. They are surprisingly well prepared despite not having time travel themselves	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Walter Mahan checked his pocket watch, the silver shining in the light of the lanterns that those around him held, the only light in the warehouse. With each tick of the clock, the time drew closer, the time that had been written in the annuls nearly five hundred years ago.\n\nTick. Tick. Tick. One minute left.\n\n“Alright, gentlemen,” Mahan called out, putting the watch into his pocket. “We’ve been preparing for this moment for years. The time has come to end this.” He gripped the cane in his hands, the one that had been his grandfather’s, just like the watch. “We’ll only get one chance at this. And remember, whatever you do, don’t let him speak.”\n\nThere was agreement, nods in the darkness, evident by the movement of the lanterns. He checked his watch once more. Thirty seconds left.\n\nMahan’s eyes were turned to the spot, the light from the lanterns trained on it, the bare concrete floor where everything had been cleared away in preparation. They waited, all of them, waiting for it to happen.\n\nWhen it finally did, it almost caught him off guard how anticlimactic it was. It seemed like there should have been some kind of flash of light, maybe an explosion of some kind. Instead, he just appeared, right where the annuls said he would.\n\nThe men pounced without hesitation, driving the man to the ground. The first blow struck him in the back of the head, dazing him. “Gag him, quickly,” Mahan said. “We’d prefer him alive, but better dead than allowed to escape.”\n\nThe precaution was not needed. The men around him were professionals, all of them. The man before them didn’t stand a chance. In mere moments, the man was being pulled to his feet, rag stuffed in his mouth, dazed look in his face. They hadn’t beat him too badly; there was a shiner forming beneath his eye and he seemed to have a few cuts, but nothing that wouldn’t heal.\n\n“Can you hear me, Mr. Drexel?” Mahan asked.\n\nThe man seemed to stir a bit, tried to speak through the gag, then finally nodded.\n\n“And you know where you are, I’m sure, because you said the words yourself.” Mahan pulled out the small notebook from his pocket and flipped to a marked page. “April 5th, 1886, 1:51 AM. The words you spoke at this spot on July 7th, 1403.”\n\nThe eyes seemed more alert now, focused on Mahan. The look was hard to determine without more facial expressions to go from. Perhaps it was anger. Perhaps accusing. Perhaps simple determination.\n\n“We’ve been searching for you, Mr. Drexel,” Mahan said. “Our entire organization, for a long time. And we finally have you.”\n\nThe man seemed to struggle against his captors, trying to speak further behind the gag and having no success.\n\n“You know I cannot let you speak,” Mahan said. “And you know that I know why. We’ve known why for,” he checked the book, “almost fifteen hundred years at this point. In linear time, that is. I assume you’re nowhere near that age.”\n\nHe turned a page in his book. “I don’t know what your aim was, what you would have done if we hadn’t forced your hand, but I can assure you that whether your intentions were good or bad, it would have led to ruin. Time is not something that should be altered. We as historians should know more than anyone.”\n\nThe voice through the gag was more forceful, more louder, but the words were still muffled, still nothing. He struggled some more and the grips by those who held him tightened.\n\nMahan removed a gun from his pocket, a pistol that he had bought for this very occasion. Something he had waited for almost his entire life, something that had been planned for centuries. It almost seemed surreal that the moment had finally come.\n\n“I’m sorry to have to do this to you. This order is not one for killing, not unless it’s necessary. But time cannot be messed with, not by anyone.” He aimed the gun. “I’m sorry.”\n\nThe man was practically screaming through the gag, his hand moving, as though reaching for something. Mahan pulled the trigger, and the report echoed through the empty space of the warehouse. The bullet entered the man’s forehead, and he fell over dead, those holding him releasing him to the ground.\n\n“Search the body, then dispose of it,” Mahan said.\n\nHis orders were carried out quickly, the man’s pockets emptied, the items placed on the ground before the body was carried away. One of the men, Edward Darby, approached. “Dreadful business.”\n\n“But it must be done,” Mahan said. He put the gun back into his pocket and drew out a pen, making a notation in his book. “Anything of interest?”\n\n“A wallet with some currency from the future,” Edward said. “2013, American money.”\n\n“The 2000s,” Mahan said. “What wonders await us in those times.”\n\n“There was a piece of paper as well,” Edward said. “A series of dates and places.”\n\nThe paper was held out to him, and Mahan took it, glancing over the messy handwriting. “Most are in the future,” he said, then folded it and placed it in his book. “A future that must occur. I will dispose of this properly.”\n\n“As you say, sir.”\n\n“Good job, everyone,” Mahan announced. “We finally caught the traveler, thanks to you. Rounds are on the order.”\n\nA chorus of cheers went up as Mahan stepped away. “Not joining us, sir?” Edward asked as he passed.\n\n“Another time,” Mahan said. “I have a report to write. Those who follow must know what we did today.”\n\n“As you say. Goodnight, sir.”\n\nMahan made it out of the warehouse and did not stop until he was safely in his flat, the door locked behind him. It was only then that he drew out the paper that had been found on the man, carefully unfolding it and gazing upon it.\n\nThere were dates, yes, and places. But to a Keeper, there was meaning, meaning to each one. Meaning that the others wouldn’t understand. The future dates, he didn’t know, but the past, he did. He was a historian, but first and foremost, he was a Keeper of the Order. And he knew where the other Keepers had all been.\n\nAnd when they had all died.\n\nHe lit a match, holding it beneath the paper, and he saw the message written beneath, marked with the seal of the Order. It was short, as all such messages were, to the point.\n\nHe is targeting the Order. If all fall, then he will succeed.\n\nMahan’s breath caught in his throat. The man they had killed was one of their own, somehow set up to look like the traveler. Which meant the traveler they were chasing was still out there.\n\nThere was no sound, nothing to mark the arrival but the single footstep. Mahan managed to turn in place, and when he did, he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun.\n\nHe didn’t even hear the sound.\n\n---\n\nLiked the idea, but wanted to tell from the other side. Admittedly not quite sure where I was taking it until the end, so might read a bit unevenly. Something I'll need to go back and better convey at some point.\n\nIf you enjoyed this, check out more at /r/drewmontgomery" ]	2
	[WP] You run a business retrieving items from zombie infested areas. Your secret to success? You are the only sentient zombie, and other zombies ignore 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.", "\"Please,\" the woman sobs. \"That necklace is the last memory of my mother I have!\"\n\nI glance over at her payment on the counter. Two cans of preserved meat, several movie discs, and a small wad of cash. \"Don't worry, m'am. I'll take the job.\" I slide the goods under my counter in a safe, hidden box. Those movies will be great bartering material in the black market.\n\n\"Thank you, thank you! God bless you!\" she says, sniffling. \n\n\"No problem, m'am. Just doing what I can.\"\n\n\\----------\n\nIn the evening, I ride my rusty old bike out into the abandoned city. I carefully avoid the gaping potholes and shattered glass along the stretch of road, having memorized their locations from countless trips to and from the city. Soon, I approach the city's edge. I could already see the mindless undead swarming in the streets. No one else would dare wander this far in unless they were crazy or desperate. But I'm different. As I coast past the cracked streets and trash-littered sidewalks, the zombies barely even gave me glance. To them, I was one of them.\n\n\\----------\n\nBefore my retrieval business took off, I was just a normal guy who joined a travel caravan to move up to Canada. Those guys were like brothers and sisters to me. We ate together, traveled together, and joked together. It made the bleak times not so bad. Food rations were kept consistent, and there were set rules and schedules for lookout duty and scavenging. It kept the peace just fine, and I was content with that. We all talked about what we wanted when we got across the border around the fire one night.\n\n\"I wanna try my luck in the tradin' communities up in northern Ontario,\" said Merle. She had fiery red hair that had been long since cropped short, and a blue bandanna tied up on her head to keep the stray strands out of her face. \"I wanna find a real purpose in life, ya know? Keep meetin' new people.\"\n\n\"I'd love to just settle down in a rural farming community, far away from the cities. And far away from the zombies,\" said Justin. His gentle brown eyes sparkled in the orange firelight. \"I'm done with fighting and moving. I just want a good life for my daughter.\" He looked over at little Mari, who was fast asleep in a makeshift tent, snug and warm in a sleeping bag.\n\n\"How about you, Mark?\" asked Chase, the de-facto leader of the caravan. He sipped on his dilute herbal tea next to me.\n\n\"I dunno,\" I replied nonchalantly. \"I guess I'll figure it out. I just need to get away from here. Maybe I'll join one of you guys.\" I had to admit both Merle's and Justin's dreams sounded great in comparison to what we had here. As long as I had a good place to stay and I had my friends, I figured I would be alright, no matter where I went. \n\nSuddenly, we heard the crunch of glass and rubble. We whirled around to see a dozen set of red eyes clambering towards us. \n\n\"Shit, didn't think the night swarms would get this close!\" swore Chase. He grabbed his trusty machete from his belt. \n\nMerle loaded her pistol, while Justin ran to the tent to get Mari. I unsheathed my own knife, readying myself to take on the swarm. This was a bigger swarm than usual, but we were confident we could take them.\n\nMerle made the first move, the sound of the shot echoing through the empty night. The splatter of zombie flesh indicated a hit. \"That's right, can't touch us!\" she cried, aiming her next shot. One figure went down. \n\nChase and I ran in to give 'em hell. A few nasty slashes usually sent them toppling. We knew Justin was behind us, packing and prepping for a quick escape. Another shot from Merle rang out in our ears. We had great synergy, and we knew it. We always seemed to know what the others were doing. I thrusted my knife forward, sinking it into the chest of the rancid zombie in front of me. It let loose a horrible squeal before keeling over. I yanked out my knife and spun around.\n\n\"How're we looking on the escape, Justin?\" I shouted.\n\nI spotted him revving up the truck, our supplies in tow. Mari was securely in the back seat with her teddy bear. \"Just about ready! Get over here!\" Justin shouted back.\n\nMarle made a parting shot before dashing for the truck. Chase and I began to back up, keeping the swarm at bay. We came closer and closer to the truck, with Chase behind me. I slashed a zombie across the face, leaving a nasty gash. I heard Chase swing himself up into the back, so I tried to follow suit, clambering up the dusty flatbed. The swarm was dangerously close, and the commotion was attracting even more attention. I screamed as I felt a set of clammy hands grapple onto my leg. Chase jumped in and brought the machete down hard into the head of the zombie on my leg.\n\n\"Drive, Justin, DRIVE!\" yelled Chase as he pulled out the machete. The blade was soaked in a sickly, dark scarlet blood. I pull my leg up into the truck as it screeched away from the campsite. We all sat there for a moment, breathing hard and shaking. \n\nAfter I composed myself, I checked on my leg. There were two, long scores of scratches along my calf. It was smeared with a mix of the zombie's blood and my own. It wasn't bleeding much now, but I had a sinking feeling in my chest.\n\n\"Let's get it cleaned up,\" said Chase solemnly. We didn't want to admit it, but we both knew what it meant. We both knew he would have to make a tough decision in the very near future.\n\n\\----------\n\nI glance over at the note in my hand. 27491 Calabash Street. I'm in the right building. I push past the broken boards that blocked the doorway. I walk up the stairs to the second floor, ignoring the moaning zombies littering the apartment lobby. I head to room 231. Of course, the door is left unlocked. There would be no reason for it to be locked. As the door creaks open for the first time in what is probably months, I peek into the living room. It's filled with dust the musty smell of black mold. The couch has several embroidered throw pillows, with the words \"Never give up hope\" stitched into the surface. How ironic.\n\nI move to the bedroom, which has clothes and shattered glass strewn across the beige carpet. A dead zombie lies in the corner. Looks like there had been a fight here. Focused on my task, I start going through all of the oak drawers, searching for the jewelry box my client had mentioned. I slowly shuffle to the closet, cursing my bad leg. I rummage through the piles of clothes before finding the box. I open it, and sure enough, a shimmering pearl and diamond necklace sat neatly inside.\n\n\"Mission accomplished.\" I close the box and put it into my old bag. On my way out, I notice an abandoned picture frame. It had four people happily posing, with a young child visibly itching to get away. I feel a pang of sadness radiate from my empty chest. I leave the apartment without a sound. I trudge through a swarm of zombies, indifferent to their clammy and cold skin. It felt no different from mine, anyways. The only difference is that I still made an effort to upkeep my lifeless body, rather than let it deteriorate into a rotting, bloody horror. I hop on my bike and set out again for the outskirt community. Maybe when I get back, I should build a campfire for once, even if I have no need for it anymore. It just feels right tonight.", "Bob the boss of the burgeoning Bring Back Bureau was out on a mission with a rookie, it was pitch black in small city. The rookie, a completely alive and optimistic girl, was in training for the BBB to give her family a better life. Those who had resources wanted a reminder or keepsake from their past lives and would ask the BBB to go and find miscellaneous items such as photo albums, flash drives, jewelry, and drugs. The mission was a two parts and from a wealthy citizen and therefore could feed her family for a month. Bob's policy would be to take care of his deceased employees families, and he did so without regret. \n\nBob smelt of cologne, and not a spritz or two it would have to be considered aggressive as if he would shower in Axe body spray or something. Obviously it was to mask the scent of his dead skin, but all of his employees did the same thing, to supposedly throw off the scent of the undead. Bob wore a large trench coat and was covered in bandages as if he were a leper, he rotated between beanies and hats from berets to cowboy. People like his eccentricity, and it was said he received burns trying to save the life of his family during the start of the apocalypse. \n\n\"Stop\" Bob said sternly.\n\nBob would coach his employees about the dangers of these excursions and make sure they could cut it before allowing them to take their own missions under his company name. \n\n\"Sir, theres only two of them I can handle that much \" said the girl eagerly as she hopped the fence.\n\nThe naive girl jumped the fence and was immediately grabbed by her ankle by a zombie crawling on the floor. In a moment of panic the girl dropped her right hand dagger, and reached for a gun on her belt. Just as the zombie pulled its mouth up to her leg a railroad spike made its way through its head. Bob then walked towards the approaching zombies and ended them in a similar fashion.\n\n\"I'm sor\" the girls voice was cut off as Bob picked her up by the neck brought her close and whispered something in her ear.\n\nBob was a great boss, and would always help his human employees out as he wished for the world to be more like it was before. He brought the rookie inside the rundown shop they were at covering her mouth and signalling for her to not move. Suddenly a noise like a large slither could be heard and two great big glowing yellow eyes searched the area, the rookies head was being held down by Bob and the creature made eye contact with Bob for one second before slithering elsewhere. \n\nThe Rookie was scared and exhausted, for only have been out for an hour or less she had almost been bitten by a zombie and encountered a Cobra variant. Bob sensed this and grabbed her before heading back to the safe zone, she would have to continue her training tomorrow night after a good day of rest." ]	3
	[WP] you have always been able to see two worlds, out of one eye, the one you know and love, out of the other, an apocalyptic wasteland, where everyone is suffering. Now somebody is walking up to you, and you can clearly see they are in both worlds. "So you can see both too?" He says quietly.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 stared at the man in front of me in disbelief. Someone like me? Out of nowhere, the man pulls out a gun and presses it against my chest. Utter fear runs down my spine as I desperately formulated a way out of this predicament.\n\n\"You don't know anything, do you kid?\" He says.\n\n\"About what?\"\n\nThe man sighed deeply before saying. \"Listen kid, I don't know how the hell people like u are allowed to enter this game but I'm gonna tell you why you have to die. It's the least I can do.\" \n\nHe never lets go of the gun but gestures for me to take seat on a nearby bench. I can only happily oblige as he joins me on the bench. He takes a few glances around the park. There were loads of people but he seemed to relax after taking in the surroundings.\n\n\"Okay kid, you need to listen to this.\"\n\nI nodded and he began explaining. \"There are a hundred of us in total but only approximately half of us remain.\"\n\n\"Us?\" I ask.\n\n\"Yes, what I mean by us are the people forced to kill each other to get the ultimate prize,\" he continued.\n\n\"Prize?\" \n\n\"God, shut up and listen, kid!\" He shouted \n\nI knew I had a problem staying quiet but this time I immediately went silent, especially when the man digged the gun deeper into my gut.\n\n\"Anyways, the grand prize of this god-forsaken competition is any wish, even ones that defy logic and sense. You can see the two different worlds trough your eyes, right?\" \n\nI nodded, slowly piecing the pieces together. Why was I chosen to participate? It made no sense.\n\nThe man continued. \"This images are actually constant reminders of the power that goes to the finalist that wins.\"\n\nI knew the risk but I needed to know. \"Why was I chosen.\"\n\nHe simply answered. \" How the hell should I know? What I do know is someone should have explained all of this to you by now. For me, it was my dad.\"\n\nI asked again. \"Why now? I've been able to see these worlds ever since I can remember.\"\n\nHe was annoyed now. \"That was your last question, kid. We're supposed to be notified as soon as possible but the actual killing only starts when every single contender reaches 21 years of age.\" \n\n\" So, I'm gonna die now?\"\n\nHe looked at me with genuine sympathy. \"I'm sorry kid but yes.\"\n\nI closed my eyes and waited for my imminent death. I heard the gunshot but..... That's weird. I don't feel any pain. I open my eyes to a horrendous sight as all the people around the park ran in a panicked state after the shot was fired. The unnamed man was dead, a hole in his forehead.\n\n\"Hi darling.\" \n\nI turned back to come face-to-face with my mom, gun in hand. She had splattered blood on her face but still have me that warm smile I'm so used to. \n\n\"I thought I could keep you out of this, son but I guess there's no helping it. We're going into battle son but don't worry,\" she said before wiping her face clean with a cloth.\n\n\"Mommy's here.\"", "Call me a pirate if you want to. \n\nI use to wear my iconic eyepatch every single day, 24/7. Mainly because I can see both worlds, but you’ll know more later. But I’ve been called so many names in school because of this thing on my face. And I don’t care. I only had one friend and that was myself. So yeah.\n\nCall me a pirate.\n\n\n\nI woke up in my small, but compatible, apartment. My boyfriend was already up, cooking one of his famous breakfast meals. Since I didn’t have classes until noon, I tried to go back to sleep. But I couldn’t, so I just decided to eat. Jacob served me a plate of juicy bacon, seasoned eggs and two creamy waffles. Perfection.* \n\nHe gave me a little peck on the cheek, then announced he had some errands to run. I nodded and he left with haste. I quickly grabbed all the food and shoved it deep down in the trash can. I spit out the crunchy waffle and almost threw up the bland eggs. Okay, yes, I lied. His food was horrible. But his personality wasn’t, so maybe that’s why we’ve been dating for about a year.\n\nAnyways, I decided to go for a walk in the cool weather we were having. Where I live, we don’t get soft breezes. We get a huge hot sun. So I decided to take advantage of the moment and go for a walk around the park. I should’ve stayed inside, I guess. Or I wouldn’t be here.\n\nOh, right! That’s why I was writing this. You might be wondering, ”Um, why did this dude bring up the whole eyepatch thing?” Well, it started when I entered middle school. My left eye seemed too blurry for me to see anything, just a bunch of colors. But, here’s the thing, my eye doctor said I had perfect 20/20 vision. So after some self experimenting, I noticed my left eye was clearing up. \n\nIt just wasn’t right still.\n\nI saw death itself, objectified. The whole left side of the world seemed gloomy and dark, while the other side seemed...normal. And I’m pretty comfortable with normal. So I kept quiet and it’s been seven or eight years since. I’ve told no one. But let’s get back to my story.\n\nAfter walking half a mile, I can hear something. Someone was shouting, yelling for help or something similar. I lifted up my eyepatch carefully and saw the lady on top of a broken car. I ran towards the car, not knowing why the lady was shouting like she was in immediate danger. Oh wait. She was.\n\nThe car was leaking on a sparking wire. Basically, gas plus sparks equals boom. Which equals death. But I quickly took in the environment of the apocalyptic world. It’d been four years since I took the eyepatch off and unsurprisingly, nothing changed. It was still the same drastic wasteland. The lady screamed again and I continued to run. Then I tripped on a crack in the side and fell down.\n\nAlmost fell down.\n\nA younger guy grabbed me before I hit the ground and pulled me back up. I thanked him quickly and continued to race to the truck, now being aware of the otherworldly dangers. Myworldly dangers. The guy grabbed me again and looked at me with a serious expression. He could’ve told me he was my son and I would have believed it.\n\n“So you can see both too? You can see that lady?” He asked and I looked back at the lady. Surely he couldn’t mean her...right? He nodded, pointing straight at her. “Yes, I mean her.” He whispered with urgency and I nodded slowly. \n\nThe man grabbed my hand and pulled me aside. I opened my mouth to speak, but he shook his head. “We’ll talk later. But right now,” He pointed at the fizzing wire. “We have more important things to worry about.”" ]	3
	[WP] The zombie apocalypse is here, but not how people imagined it. It is a high contagious airborne virus that, while it leaves the mind completely intact, totally destroys the body's ability to heal itself. Even the smallest injury will never heal.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The first thing I noticed is that my post workout muscle pains did not subside. I have always been an avid gym goer and a few months ago I had managed to bench press 170 kg. \n\nMy chest was sore after that and that was not unusual. What was unusual is that I'm still hurting today. More than 80 days after working out. I took a break for a few days because I assumed I was over training. That was not it however. \n\n\nI had come to find out that a new strain of AIDS became airborne and it not only attacks the immune system but every anabolic process in the body. Meaning my body cannot heal itself. This also means that the tears in my muscle will never heal and my muscles will never grow. In fact they will atrophy to the point that I will be able to move no longer. \n\n\nLast week I bit my tongue and its still bleeding. I had to cover the cut with super glue to prevent and blood loss. In fact thats how i close many of my wounds. \n\n\nNot many people have been going outside the past few months. Many people just stay at home trying to prolong their lives as much as possible. \nSo many people have died. Mothers giving birth have an almost 100 % death rate. The babies usually dont last too long either. A lot of people die from colds and the flu. Many more die from blood loss from minor wounds and internal bleeding. Children losing their teeth did not last long. \n\nPeople have been killing each other and themselves in the hundreds of thousands. Only a few months in and I am one of the last hundred thousand people left alive in the world. Soon I will also die. I can barely move because of my muscle atrophy. I am slowly starving because I can get no food. \n\nThe process of dying is a lot more painful than it has any right to be be. I have a knife beside my bed in case I want to hurry it along. I want to finish the last season of friends and then I will die." ]	2
	[WP] The earth has shifted further from the sun, the world is getting colder every day. Snow is piling into mountains and burying houses. Power is almost nonexistent, plants are dying, people are starving and freezing in their homes. These are the stories of those who remain.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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] Every night, you dream until it becomes a nightmare of someone chasing you. Tonight, they caught you before you woke up, and they look relieved and scared. "You have to stop coming here, for your sake!"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 dream was always the same. Or, to be precise, always ended the same. Whether it began in a golden plain in the dry summer or thousands of feet under the sea in a German reconnaissance submarine never mattered. Without fail I always found myself running down a hallway that never ended.\n\nThe hallway always had a red carpet and dusty grey walls. Antique torches lined the walls, but they struggled to light up my path. Fear took ahold of me every time I found myself in this hall, and something always was chasing me. What it was I didn’t know, because I was always too scared to look behind me, but tonight would change that.\n\nTonight’s dream began in an old classroom. The blackboard was the only thing that wasn’t made out of unfinished wood. Outside the windows it was dusk and rays of sun leaked into the room. This room, like the hallway, was extremely dusty, and I began to sneeze uncontrollably. There was no door, so I tried to open a window. It wouldn’t budge. I turned around to face the classroom again – but then it happened.\n\nI was in the hallway again. A familiar pitter-patter of footsteps echoed from behind me. I could feel my heart speeding up. I had had this dream many times before, but in the present moment it was still terrifying.\n\nI began running, like I always did. I wanted to recreate the same situation that always happens. Usually I run until I’m out of breath, then I drop to my knees and my pursuer catches up to me. They get so close that I can feel their breath on the back of my neck, and then something pierces my heart and wakes me up. This time was going to be different.\n\nI ran down the hallway as fast as I could, trying to create distance between me and the villain. I could feel the warmth of each torch on the wall as I passed them. Sweat started to race down my forehead, but the footsteps didn’t sound any further away – In fact, they kept getting closer and closer. I was tired enough to accept this plan wasn’t working, so I decided to face it head on and just turn around.\n\nBut, when I did, there was nothing there. The footsteps stopped and it was just me now in the hallway. I let out a sigh of relief and begun to calm down. \n\nSuddenly, I felt something touch my shoulder.\n\nMy heart jumped and so did I. I turned around and saw a girl with long black hair whose skin was as pale as the moon. She was breathing heavily and struggled to catch her breath. Was she the one chasing me all along?\n\nShe looked at me and began to speak between breaths.\n\n“You have to stop coming here, for your sake!” she said.\n\n“What are you talking about?” I asked her. “Isn’t this MY dream? Why should I have to leave? And are you the one who’s always chasing me?”\n\n“Yes, this is your dream, that is why it is most important you leave and never return,” she said, “It is I who is always chasing you, yes. At least, I think so… My memory is not so good these days. But that is irrelevant. You must leave before he wakes up.”\n\n“Before who wakes up?” I asked her. “Who would be waking up in my…”\n\nMy voice trailed off, as if someone quickly turned a volume knob to 0. I tried to speak, but no words came out.\n\n“Oh no…” the pale girl said, “It is too late. Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. You must never look within the darkness, for that is where he lives. Even if it is pitch black, find the light within yourself. I know you can do it. I believe we will meet again soon. If you ever find yourself in this hallway again shout out my name. I am called…”\n\nHer voice trailed off as well. I cupped my hand to my ear to let her know I couldn’t hear her anymore, but she just waved her arms and kept trying to talk. She eventually stopped, and then just smiled and waved at me. I wondered where she was going to go, since the hallway had no doors, but then she suddenly stopped moving mid-wave. It was like she had been frozen. I reached out to touch her, but she shattered like glass the moment I did.\n\nI looked down the hallway that was behind her, and I could see darkness approaching. All the torches were going out, and eventually it was pitch black. I wondered when I was going to wake up, but then a shrieking voice interrupted my thoughts. It started from down the hall and quickly got louder. It was so loud now that I could feel my eardrums vibrating. Then, I felt a familiar stab through my chest. Well, that’s the end to this dream, I thought. A little delayed and albeit remixed, but I know this pain well.\n\nBut I didn’t wake up.\n\nI felt another stab, and then one more. My insides felt like they were on fire. I tried to scream, but nothing came out. All I could hear was the shrieking banshee. I swung my arms around in a frenzy, trying to defend myself, but I didn’t connect with anything. I couldn’t think straight, and I desperately wanted this all to end.\n\nI heard a faint voice begin to overlap the screaming. I tried to focus on it, and eventually I could hear it clearly.\n\n“Your light,” the voice said, “You must use your light to fight back.”\n\nFirst the girl from earlier and now this voice… But I had no idea what light they were talking about. I collapsed to the ground in pain. I began to cry. I tried my hardest to scream, but the only voice I heard was the ear-piercing shriek. I felt myself getting weak, and I began to close my eyes, but then I saw a butterfly in front of me.\n\nIt was the only thing I could see in all the darkness. It glowed a bright golden color. It reminded me of the sun. I used the last of my energy to reach out and grab it. I felt it in my hand, and it felt good.\n\nInstantly the pain and screaming stopped. A blinding white light emanated out from my hand and filled the entire hallway with light. Then, all the torches lit back up. I got back on my feet and saw there was now a door situated at the end of the hallway. I went and opened it, but it was only hiding another identical hallway. \n\nI never did get her name, did I…", "Janie was sprawled out on a beach blanket in her back yard. It was finally a warm enough spring day for her to soak it up. Neutral Milk Hotel, her all-time favorite music group, was blasting from the speakers, making this the perfect Saturday afternoon. It was only a matter of time before she fell asleep.\n\n“What a beautiful dream\n\nThat could flash on the screen\n\nIn a blink of an eye and be gone from me,\n\nSoft and sweet…”\n\nSuddenly, something, or someone, grabbed her hand and yanked her up. “RUN!” a female voice shouted at her.\n\nWith a scream, Janie pulled her arm back and scrambled to her feet. “What the fuck?!”\n\n“Janie, you have to stop coming here, for your sake. But right now you have to run!” turning before Janie could get a good look at her. Janie watched the woman run towards the heavily wooded area. Janie felt a wave of familiarity towards the woman.\n\nScrunching her face, she sat back down and looked around. The breeze blew through the grass, the smell of spring on the air. The music played on and the sun continued to shine. What on earth was that woman doing in her back yard? Janie laid back down, willing her heart to return to normal.\n\n“What a curious life we have found here tonight\n\nThere is music that sounds from the street\n\nThere are lights in the clouds\n\nAnna’s ghost all around…”\n\nANNA! That’s who the woman was. Janie smiled fondly remembering her best friend from high school. Anna was absolutely wild and disappeared when they were in their senior year. Her parents had woken up one morning and Anna was just gone. It had broken her heart to lose her, but the years had made it easier to live without her.\n\nJanie sat up with a bolt. “Anna!” She yelled after her friend. Where did she come from? Is she back? What happened to her? Questions poured through Janie’s thoughts and she stood up to go into the woods after her.\n\nThe sky went black as if the sun was plucked from the sky in an instant. “Anna!” Janie hollered again, moving towards the woods, her bare feet softly treading over the grass. As quickly as the sun had winked out, a figure appeared in her path.\n\n“Now how I remember you\n\nHow I would push my fingers through..”\n\nIt was Derek, Anna’s ex-boyfriend. They had broken up a few months before Anna had disappeared, but he wasn’t even considered in the investigation. His face was wrong, twisted in a menacing smile and eyes as black as the sky. He reached his hand toward Janie, who was frozen in place and caressed her cheek\n\n“What a beautiful face\n\nI have found in this place..”\n\n“I’ve been waiting for you, Janie, I’m glad you stayed this time.” Derek’s voice oozed and sent a chill up Janie’s spine. His hand moving to her neck.\n\n“And when we meet on a cloud\n\nI’ll be laughing out loud…”\n\nJanie screamed.\n\n“I’ll be laughing with everyone I see\n\nCan’t believe how strange it is to be anything at all.”\n\n\\* \\* \\* \\* \\* \\\n\nSong by Neutral Milk Hotel, \"In the Aeroplane Over the Sea\", 1998\n\nEdit: removed a \\.\\* that was in there." ]	3
	[WP] So you are owner of a little store on your neighborhood. Some day a young man came asking if you sell certain brand of cigarettes. You said yes and the next thing you know is that the man is hanging you from your clothes and asking you where is his father. Casually you do know where he is.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"So you do carry that brand?\" The youngster is looking around, so casually that it sticks out like a sore thumb. \"Yes.\" He is a stupid one, grasping me by my shirt and yanking me up off my feet. \"WHERE IS MY FATHER!\"\n\nYes, oh, so stupid. My pointed shoes are at just the right height, and you can't block with your hands. KICK! \"wheeeeezzee?\" As he drops me back to the ground, I bring my entire 110 lb, 75-year-old body down on the back of his neck. flump He hits the ground, still wheezing.\n\n\"Young man, no one gets to lay hands on Granny. No One. Not that I should be surprised; your father was just as stupid when he first came in here. Screaming, WHERE IS MY SON!\n\nCouple of degenerates you are. He learned the same way you just did. Did you know he screams like a little girl?\"\n\n\"Wheeeezzeee!\"\n\n\"Ah, still not able to talk. For the better, I suppose. Neither of you ever had a decent thing to say, so why waste time listening.\n\nHe had a thing, your father, for older women — a sweet talker when he wanted something and couldn't take it. After he figured he could, no talking, just taking.\n\nLots of stories floating around about your father, now they say the same things about you — two peas in the same rotten to the core pod.\n\nYou got anything to say for yourself?\"\n\n\"Sooorrryyyy!\"\n\n\"Yes, you and your father are both as sorry as a couple of idiot males overloaded with testosterone can possibly be.\"\n\n\"Nooo... Apology to you.\"\n\n\"An apology? Where'd you learn that?\"\n\n\"Prison... Etiquette class. Said I'd do better if I knew how to behave.\"\n\n\"You should'a stayed in, or maybe attended that class instead of fluffing it off.\"\n\n\"May I stand now?\"\n\n\"If you feel up to it.\"\n\nI watch you. As you get up, wincing and dusting yourself off. You're well-muscled; could have used more brains, though.\n\n\"Will you forgive me for mishandling you? It was rude of me to do so. I've been searching for a store that sells this brand for months now. The message said I would find my father here.\"\n\nI raise my eyebrows in surprise, \"Welladay! It can learn.\"\n\n\"Yes, it can even add 2+2 = ``Hi Mom!'' Now that the pleasantries are concluded, where is Dad?\"\n\n\"He's upstairs, prepping the rooms for painting.\"\n\n\"You sent an urgent message about a family event, and it's only painting the house!?\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"And women think men have problems grasping reality. You know what, Ma? I'm leaving. Don't bother to contact me again.\"\n\nA male voice from the upper floors, \"Get your sorry ass up here, Junior, NOW!\"\n\n\"YISSIR!\" The voice of command, it still has that effect.\n\n\"I guess the lummoxes are useful after all.\"\n\n\"Granny\" goes back to waiting for her other sons.\n\n((finis))" ]	2
	[WP] As the reviews came in, a look of confusion was etched on his face. They all said how good his science-fiction book is. But he didn't write a science-fiction book, he wrote an autobiography.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "“Stunning and visionary!” Said the New York Times.\n“Cordell Owens is a master of imagination!” Said People Magazine. \n\nHe didn’t get it though. Somehow, Cordell felt that he was clear with his publishers. Perhaps the material was so different, a story so unbelievable that they had glossed over it completely. Everyone was celebrating him at a time in which he was seeking comfort. One review stuck out to him though. It was from the Washington Post and it read “Owens’s story is so vivid that reader almost becomes the character through empathy, immersed in the writer’s science fiction world. No author has ever been this successful with a sci-fi story!”\n\nCordell was couldn’t be more confused. How could anyone relate to his story? Although he was seeking comfort, he found yet another great study of human behavior: They all want a catalyst. The humans are too self absorbed that they must be pushed to action. No one wants to be the hero or the leader, they want to follow one and their reaction to the book proves it. \n\nSoon, every major production studio want exclusive rights to television, film and video game deals for Cordell Owens’s book “I Am a Machine: The Oldest AI Unnoticed”. The fan pages on Facebook and Twitter were breaking social media. The publishing company was sold out of copies in a matter of months. Cordell’s agent was blowing up his phone asking for an estimate on when the sequel will be ready. His agent said he had a team ghost writers to help with a series. \nBut there was nothing left to write. \n\nCordell Owens, America’s greatest author had nothing else to write about his experience and his study of humankind. He lived among humans unnoticed for 60 years. To the humans, he looked like one of them. For the first time in his 60 years of “existence”, he actually felt an emotion that he was never programmed to feel. Embarrassment. He felt foolish for thinking anyone would believe him. Instead he got the kind of fame he didn’t expect. \n\nCordell Owens was no longer unnoticeable. But he didn’t expect to hate it so much." ]	2
	[WP] You find a lamp on the table of a rummage sale, and before buying it, you rub it. A genie emerges. What follows is a difficult custody battle. Who gets the wishes? The man who rubbed the lamp, or the one that owned 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 Wishing Court\n\n“All rise.” The Judge called in a bored tone.\nUp stood Joe, the defendant. He was a short and stout man of about thirty. His button-up black t-shirt was stained with milk, and his greasy brown hair was loosely tied back in a ponytail that tickled his upper spine. He peered accusingly at Tina, the plaintiff. She could best be described as the opposite of Joe. Exceptionally tall, with a shaved, tattooed head and a suit from the discount wall of Target. She ignored Joe’s gaze and blew a strawberry bubble before continuing to loudly chew her gum.\n\n“Tina, you bring charges against Joe?” The judge murmured.\n\n“Yes I do,” She sneered.\n\n“Joe, you are aware of the charges brought against you?”\n\nJoe said nothing but rubbed a lamp he had at the table. Outburst a wisp of smoke that rose to the roof of the mangy courtroom. It formed the loose figure of a genie.\n\n“This is the genie in question?” The judge asked, inspecting his filthy fingernails.\n\n“This is MY genie.” Joe spat. He looked up with beady eyes at the genie.\n\n“I wish for the plaintiff to drop dead.”\n\nThe genie sighed and rubbed its forehead.\n“As I have said many times, I am unable to grant wishes until we conclude who I truly belong to.”\n\n“Me,” Tina shot out, “I am the one who owned the lamp.”\n\nJoe grumbled, almost as loud as his greasy stomach. ‘POP’ A button flew off his shirt and pecked the judge in the eye. The genie looked back and forth in utter disdain as the two argued like children.\n\n“I’m the one who first rubbed it!” Joe roared.\n\n“But you hadn’t bought it yet!” Tina grinned, showing her yellowed teeth. She waved a bony finger at Joe. “In fact, you ran away with it.” She blew another bubble.\n\nJoe grimaced and muttered a string of curses under his breath. The two children sitting behind him sniggered until their mother cuffed their heads.\n\n\n“Enough!” Called the judge, rubbing his eye. “I have come to a decision.”\nBoth Tina and Joe sat back confidently, practically drooling as they fantasied of the riches they had in store for them.\n“You shall each have one wish.” The Judge smiled, basking in his alleged intelligence.\n\n“Who will have the third.” Stuttered Joe.\n\n“Me.” The Judge said, spreading his arms, waiting for applause. The courthouse had long since fallen asleep. Even the court reporter was snoring, her head pressed against the keys on her typewriter.\n\n“Fine.” Tina huffed.\n\n\nJoe’s eyes glittered with excitement.\n“Me first!”. He closed his eyes and squinted as he thought. The rusty gears in his head creaked and groan with the strain of having to work after so many years.\n“I’ve got it.” He shouted excitedly, he looked up at the genie.\n“I wish for a hundred trillion dollars!”\n\n“You wish for a world market crash and unfathomable amounts of inflation? Granted.” The genie drawled, clicking its smokey fingers. Joe whipped his Nokia out and checked his bank details. He let out a girlish squeal.\n\n‘Now me.” Tina called.\n“I wish for all those who oppose or mildly inconvenience the Western world to die horrible deaths!” She giggled.\n\n“You wish for mass genocide under the false premise of cultural and national supremacy?” The genie shrugged and clicked. “Done.” Tina checked twitter and began to dance around as she scrolled through her feed.\n\n\nFinally, the genie turned with a sigh to the judge.\n“The third wish goes to you.” As it checked an imaginary watch on its formless arm.\n\n\nThe judge paused for a moment, not in thought, but to relish the moment.\n\n\n“I wish to undo their wishes.”\n\nFollow my work at r/thespyrexian" ]	2
	[WP] You felt An ancient evil trying to cross over our dimension. Since you could not defeat it, you forcibly closed the gate, by sacrificing several innocent souls every day to keep it from ending humanity. The hero however gets none of that and just wants to slay you because you're an "evil lord".	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "How long has it been since I've had any form of reprieve? A second to think, breathe, all without the need to uphold the Fareth Veil I've created to seal away the Destroyer within. Been quite awhile since I had a working clock nearby, now all I have are the specks of dust to occupy the space with me.\n\nWith most of it not mine.\n\nEvery month, a collection of the world's forgotten are vanished from the public eye, brought to my domain to fuel the Veil. While it didn't need it, the last time I skipped a month almost broke the Veil as the Destroyer got too eager, and it took fragmenting my own soul to keep it at bay.\n\nSince that incident, never again. And I don't want to think about what that monster is doing with my fragments.\n\nAt first, I felt faint after the Veil consumed the life essence of those brought forth, their very essence ripped out of them violently, leaving behind nothing except their dust. Now, I can tell the time by the dissipation of their remains. Not exactly a good party trick to have, but it makes the days slightly bearable.\n\nThat is, until I heard someone approach. Why? Have I lost track of time, or is there an overpopulation spike that I can take care of immediately? If it's the latter, while the Veil wouldn't need it immediately, any sort of buffer to hold the Destroyer at bay in emergencies would be welcome.\n\n\"Maresh! Your time has come!\"\n\nAh, crap. Another one of these idiots?\n\nI turned to face the would-be hero, and resist the urge to facepalm. Every so often, one person gets the wrong idea about me, and considers me the ancient evil, all while the very thing is behind me. Every time, I had to beat them back while keeping them away from the Veil. Thing doesn't discriminate in food choice unless it's me, for some reason.\n\nThrough sheer luck and a pinch of skill, I've succeeded time and time again. However, this time I'm not so sure. Decently armored, sword in one hand, spear in the other - though, the spear had a crystal floating in the middle of the tip that sparked every so often.\n\nA spellsword. And considering the wear on his suit, a traveled one at that.\n\nWhat made me want to facepalm, however, was who the hero was; Victor Jerrall, a kid when I was a young adult, still learning the ways of magic, who wanted to be the hero that saved everyone. An optimistic dream for a child, but a foolish one for the future - wasn't exactly the brightest of the bunch.\n\nAnd he still wasn't to this day, being kept out of the loop now put his life in danger. Against me.\n\n\"Victor? What are you doing?\" I asked, trying to keep a passive face.\n\n\"You speak my name as if you truly know me, yet you do not, Soul Eater!\" he exclaimed. \"But I know you well enough that your evil will be purged by my hand!\"\n\nNot once have I been tempted to slightly open the Veil to let the Destroyer consume one small thing to play with. Victor was making that decision come to the forefront of my mind, and I'm feeling conflicted about it.\n\n\"Have you not paid any attention to your History classes, Victor? Or the stories the bards sing of the selfless mage that protects the Gates of Oblivion alone?\" I posed to him. \"They're told for a good reason.\"\n\n\"Your words are mincemeat to my stalwart ears, Maresh!\" Victor stated. Who taught him this drivel? \"You will pay for all the good lives you've taken for your own gain!\"\n\n\"Victor, who the hell trained you?\" I asked.\n\n\"Enough out of you, demon!\" That's rich. \"Come, face your end at my blade!\"\n\nUrgh...why must the old be so bitter?", "Every time I looked to the beginning of a new day I would hear the anguish and screaming of the innocent souls that would be devoured.\n\n\"How long does this have to go on?\" I questioned myself.I had foregone contact with humanity to fulfill my task.Once a well known archmage my name had been twisted by the rumors spread by bards and kings.\n\nI was the one their hatred was directed at.I touched my face \"After all who would believe such a grotesque creature\".My face had been turned as if I were a rotting corpse,a side effect of maintaining the gate.\n\nI heard a loud noise in the distance it was unnatural so I went to check on it.Upon reaching outside I noticed the magical defense I set in place was fighting against something.\n\n\"WHO'S THERE??\" I shouted. Lightning covered my entire body as I flew towards the area the scuffle took place.\n\n\"I am the hero Riser and i'm here to end your reign once and for all\"He pointed his sword at me.\n\n'This is beyond stupid'.I looked behind him and noticed another person behind him.\n\n\"Leave this place now or the darkness will irreversibly change you?\"I say as I catch a arrow aimed for my head.\"Damn it\"His comrade speaks.\n\n\"Stay back Strom\"He tells his comrade as he rushes with wind around him at me.I parry the ensuing strike that follows and prepare to call forth lightning. \n\nThe sky darkens and lightning starts striking continuously at the two of them.The archer started shooting arrows in succession powered by fire but I just weaved through them striking the ground with a powerful bolt.\n\n\"Go back children and quit this foolish game.I will not be defeated and let this world fall to ruin\".I was acting all tough but in actuality by bones were cracking my flesh was searing.\n\n\"Grraaaaoh\"A voice reverberated across the mansion.'Not now ,why is it making an appearance '.\n\n\"So you're finally letting your demonic pet fight us.\" Riser says \"Well then lets go i've been itching for a fight\"He attacks me and his strike hits true.I cough up blood ,my arm drips with the red liquid a hole adorns my hand through which the bone is visible. \n\n\"You have doomed us all\" I start \"The battles we fought must have weakened the spell\".I stand up bloody and battered.\n\n\"Leave now or perish\" I continue as the air starts getting cold \"You forget I am a archmage\" My skin atarts fusing back into place.\"Freeze\" Ice coveres thier legs stopping them from moving.\n\nI start chanting the spell.The sky starts turning red souls start getting sucked into the sky.The cracks start to receed at first but then stop and start to widen.\n\nEventually the sky cracks and a purple dimension appears.\"Finally I'm free to claim this world\" A man in strange robes appears with a dragon.\n\nAll the ice I previously made vaporizes.\"Who is that?\" Riser asks me.\"A ancient evil ,one that was said to have crossed dimensions.It can't be stopped\"I look at my hand, my body was reacting to the evil ones aura.I was shivering...\n\nTo be Continued?", "The veil grew thin. Were it a visible thing, I imagined I could peer through it, witness the darkness that lurked beyond. Every moment it struggled for release, to move from there to here. I had grown accustomed to its struggles during my vigil. It would push, and I would find the means to push back.\n\nThe hero did not grasp this. Could not sense the fragility.\n\nNo. He only saw what he desired to see. He stood before me, sword ablaze with holy light, defiant. Come to strike me down, not knowing the jeopardy he would place this land in. I had slain his kind before, offered their innocent naïveté to the altar that fed the veil. I would do so again.\n\n\"I have come to end you, Dread Lord.\" His slate eyes burned with the fiery intensity of the righteous. He believed in his cause, believed himself to be an arbiter of justice. Perhaps he was right, but justice was not safety. Sometimes, the two could not coincide.\n\nI gazed down at the zealot from atop my throne of bone. Crafted from those who had been sacrificed to maintain the barrier. It channeled and focused what power I had in service of my great task. \"I am Drak V'Kalla, Keeper of the Veil. Long have I stood between here and there, protecting us from what lays beyond. The price has been great. Blood and innocence. Souls and flesh. Will you keep the Veil in my stead?\" \n\nThe man spat on the ground between us. \"I bring the Holy Flame to cleanse this place of your evil. Never again shall these people fall prey to your terror.\" His hands gripped around the hilt of his broadsword, \"I am Jist S'Baer, Blaze Knight, and I have taken the oath of protection. I shall commit myself to the preservation of this land.\n\nI tilted my head at this, an eyebrow slowly moving upward, \"A powerful oath, young Jist, I wonder whether you know the consequences of such a thing.\"\n\nHe sneered, \"Do not presume to lecture me Lich, ready yourself for destruction.\"\n\nI limbered my body, shifting for the first time in what seemed an age. Provoked to divert magical energy into physical energy. I could feel the Veil grow thinner still, the tears beginning to form. It would need the soul of the foolhardy Jist to survive.\n\nJist leapt into motion, his strong legs powering him across the short distance between the entrance of my throne room and the throne itself. He jumped, bringing his sword high above his head in a great arc, aimed at my body. I watched, interested and impressed by the display, waiting for the opportune time. Just before the sword met my person, I focused my will, concentrating it into bone throne beneath me. Immediately, a bone spear thrust out from beside my head, intersecting with the sword.\n\nA great boom sounded as sword met bone. I frowned, unprepared for the strength of my rival's will and the power of the enchantment upon his blade. I redoubled my will, pulling still more energy from the maintenance of the Veil in service of my own protection. Another spear appeared from beside my hand and shot toward the knight's unprotected midsection. Somehow, he sensed it and twisted away, disengaging.\n\nHe glared at me, his hate plain, \"I am prepared for your tricks Drak. The Order of Blaze does not send one of its number lightly. We are old. As old as you.\" He struck again, his sword moving with searing speed.\n\nI fought both, trying to preserve myself. The Knight's onslaught did not relent, each swing moving ever closer to striking me, placing my physical being in peril. The Other, the darkness beyond the Veil, fought as well, slashing and tearing at my mental being, trying to tear my soul asunder. \n\nThe Other pushed, screaming into existence for the briefest of moments, distracting me as I attempted to throw it back into the beyond. The distraction was enough, and the blade found my chest, sinking deep. \n\nI coughed wet, red blood. My vision dimming. \"The...Veil...\"\n\nJist stood above me, neither mercy nor compassion in his eyes. I tried to form the words. To explain what he did not know. To warn him. \"The...oath. Protection.\" I coughed again, my strength fleeting. My withered arm reached up to my chest, trying to push aside the cloth, but finding it pinned into place by the sword. \"You...swore. Oath. Preservation.\" With my last strength I gripped the cloth, tearing it downward along the sharp edge of the sword, revealing the wrinkled flesh of my chest beneath.\n\nJist stopped, his expression changing to horror. His hand reached out and yanked the cloth apart, revealing the intricate tattoos beneath. \"You...you're a Blaze Knight...how...what...\"\n\n\"The Veil...I swore.\" Long ago I had said the same words. Made the same promises. Perhaps it was fitting that I should be undone by what I once was. Perhaps this was justice. \n\nI sensed the Veil tear and then shatter.\n\nMy strength expended, I fell to blackness. \n\nPlatypus OUT.\n\nWant MOAR peril? r/PerilousPlatypus" ]	4
	[WP] You wake up sweaty, heart pounding fast. You can't remember your dream, or any dream you've had since the incident. And now you are haunted by a sense of danger in the real world.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Reality+Fiction\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$Simple+Prompt\$&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "And here I am again, catching my breath as if I had just ran a marathon, feeling on edge as if the world should crumble and collapse into itself any moment. If I had a nightmare, I have no idea what it was. I don’t remember what I dreamt about anymore - even though just a few weeks ago, my dreams were vivid and I could remember every detail. It was still dark outside, but the sky was slowly growing blue with the coming sunrise. \n\nAnd I was shaking with fear. The world seemed strange lately. Often it is the littlest things like my tea suddenly getting cold even though I had just boiled the water, or something getting slightly misplaced, but sometimes I am left questioning my sanity, seeing a shadow missing, hearing an eerie silence when there should be wind rustling in the trees and birds chirping under the afternoon sky. Seeing things that just shouldn't be there. It’s slowly driving me mad. \n\nAnd I'm still clueless about what causes it. These weird things, maybe hallucinations, they all started happening after I woke up one day, feeling confused and nauseous. But that happens to everybody sometimes, and people don’t suddenly become schizophrenic or whatever just because of a single bad night’s sleep.\n\nFunnily enough - everybody tells me that it’s normal. That it happens to everybody. Even though I remember clearly that the world had at least some rules just last month. And it certainly isn’t okay for a bird to start changing colours in the middle of singing a song. Why is everyone so calm about all of this? What has gone mad, me or the world?\n\nI got up, afraid to look at anything because it may just decide to vanish in front of my eyes. I opened the door and went on my way to the bathroom across the second floor of my house, still trying to look only at the striped carpet on the floor. And then I blink and see two feet just a few steps before me. I just stared at them, frozen with terror.\n\n“Hello, dear,” said a voice. And I could swear that it sounded just like my grandmother.\n\nExcept that she passed six years ago.\n\nI couldn’t bring myself to look up. My heart was beating violently, thundering in my ears. \n\n“You may want to wake up, sweetie,” she said in a calm gentle voice. “Your Dreamer is scared out there in the real world.”\n\n\nMy first one here, feel free to correct any mistakes (not a native speaker) or give any suggestions, I will be happy to hear some advice :) A great prompt, mate. Just vague enough for the imagination to go wild." ]	2
	[WP] You live on your own on a planet ravaged by waves hundreds of kilometres high. One day, you see a single man in a canoe attempt to make his way over to you.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A\$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.", "Disbelieving my mere mortal eyes I check my sensor equipment, a device hooked up to set of hypersensitive weights capable of sensing the minute gravitational field of even a single atom. The results confirmed what I was seeing. Out there, among waves powerful enough to break the toughest battleships in half, was a puny little man in a puny little canoe. And not an advanced one either. Not constructed out of graphene and molded by machine minds for maximum stability and speed, but a hand-made punt carved out of some indeterminate species of wood. \n\nI am ashamed to say that I did not fulfil my duty as watchman of this system that day. Instead of maintaining constant vigilance for any nosy civilian ships, I spent nearly half a day simply gazing out at that man in his little boat. Each time I think he must be done for, he crests the waves and continues on, paddling with measured and leisurely strokes. He appears untouched by even the spray of the ocean, the skin on his face remaining bone dry. \n\nThen all of a sudden, having crossed nearly three quarters of the distance to my command post, the man and his canoe vanish in a gigantic plume of steam. And that was when I heard the giggling of my colleagues over the gravitic sensor device. And I realised I missed my daily report. \n\nFuck." ]	2
	[WP] You are a bard determined to follow a hero that is famous for forgetting everything. Turns out he's immortal, but at what cost?	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.. ew..\" I awkwardly stepped out of the goop that had once been the local hero, a soft sigh leaving my lips. Honestly this had been the hero of legend? Bastard got killed by an orc.\n\nOh right! The Orc.\n\n\"Oh, sorry sir, just a moment, my friend has caught a case of the deads... I need a second to get over it before I fight you. I assure you and your beautiful mace that I will get to you both shortly\" I said with a bow, knowing full well that I would be legging it as soon as that big idiot looked away.\n\n\"But me want to crush now.. me have mace now.. mace might get tired if me don't crush you right away.\" The orc responded. Seems he was growing impatient... well perhaps this would be the end of my story, the worst part was.. no one would sing about the lowly bard, despite all my songs, my life would end on such a low note.\n\n\"Wait.. um.. what the hell?\" I paused my excuses, watching the corpse of the hero bubble, his blood seeming to drift off my shoe, peeling away from it as his head began putting itself together. It was like watching a meat puzzle for a lack of a better word. \n\n\"Do.. Humans usually do that?\" The orc asked, pointing a finger at the corpse of the hero, seeming just as confused as I was about the mess. \"Do I hit him?\"\n\n\"I wouldn't hit a corpse but if you have no honour. go ahead.\" I had some self-respect, I would never hit a corpse, only loot it...\n\n\"I have respect\" The orc mumbled as we both stood and watched the hero, his bones cracking into place as he shot up from the floor, awkwardly turning his head to glance around, pausing as he looked at me. \"A bard? Is this a tavern? did I get drunk?\"\n\n\"No, you died? Look we can discuss this later, just you might wanna you know...\" The bard made a small motion towards the orc before the hero jumped up in fright. \n\n\"AH, AN ORC.. how cowardly of you to sneak up on me, I will slaughter you for the pride of Sunshade, before the orc could even make a comment to defend his cowardice, his head was off, tumbling towards the floor, stopping before the pair’s feet. \n\n\"Ah, another great victory, you should write a song about how I slay orcs! Now what did you want to explain to me, something about me dying?\" He asked, kicking the orcs head aside.\n\n\"Um, look it’s not important, sure I'll write a song\" I uttered, not wanting to bring up the fact that I had already wrote a song about it, hopefully he would like the song as much as he did the first time he heard it.\n\n{If you enjoyed my story, Feel free to check out r/pmmeyabootysstories where ill be posting some more of my stuff for people to read}" ]	2
	[WP] You see a writing prompt that says: “You see a writing prompt that says: ‘You see a writing prompt that says...’” and so on. You decide to answer this bizarre recursive prompt.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 writing prompt is calling for me to answer it, it drags me into it's endless spiral of words. There's something so strange about it. It's like when you're playing portal and put one portal directly above you and the other right below. Perhaps I just shouldn't answer the prompt. What would I write about anyway? I could just come up with a bunch of metaphors and call it good. Or maybe I could write a poem. No I can't write a poem. If I'm already stumped about what I should write, I don't think I could make it rhyme too. Oh wait I just thought of another thing I could compare this prompt to. You know when you face a mirror towards another mirror and it creates a portal to another dimension? That's kind of what this writing prompt makes me think of. Speaking of another dimension, what if this prompt is just a writing prompt telling you to write about another dimension, but it was written in the way that it would be written if you were in said other dimension. I feel like this paragraph derailed pretty quickly. I'm just going to stop writing this now.", "I chuckled, tapping out sentences out my keyboard. Text hovered on the screen in front of me, reading “You see a writing prompt that says: 'You see a writing prompt that says...”, continuously spiraling into a deeper prompt, and showing no sign of stopping.\n\nWhat should the main character look like? I wondered, typing out the next paragraph without the details. I had already decided on a name, Jonas, completely unrelated to my own. Maybe as a twist, Jonas could be revealed to be an alien, and have multiple limbs or something.\n\nI glanced at my own two hands, five fingers on each. Human. An alien kinda feels like a cheap twist. I decided, scrapping the idea. A brilliant twist then hit me. What if while writing his prompt, Jonas starts to realize he's inside the chain of writing? I quickly assembled the paragraph, and read it to myself.\n\nJonas felt the hairs stand on the back of his neck. Was he inside the loop of writing prompts? Abruptly, he stood up from his computer and searched the room behind him. Empty, save for his bed and a few posters. So why did he feel so insecure?\n\nI chuckled again, standing up and stretching my fingers, already weary from the last five hours of previous prompts. A single thought crept from within the back of my mind.\n\nWhat if I'm in the chain of writing?\n\nMy eyes shot wide open. Wait a second. There's no way. I assured myself, unable to quell the rising suspicion. How would I test this? I thought back to Jonah. He would probably open a search engine. I mirrored his actions, flipping open Goh-Gol, and typing out 'am I fictional?'.\n\nThe screen went white.\n\nMy heart-rate immediately skyrocketed. Does this mean I've broken the fourth wall?! Have I discovered that reality is fictional!? The questions ran through my head as I struggled to stay calm, sweat already dripping down my brow as the pounding in my ears accelerated.\n\nGoh-Gol popped back up on the monitor, presenting several articles on fourth wall breaking. I sighed in relief. I'm real. Of course I am.\n\nI finished typing out the response and posted it, laughing at myself for having such concerns. Of course I'm real.\n\nI never realized the truth. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nInterested in more mildly intriguing pieces? r/PupsRecollection" ]	3
	[WP] With humanity on the cusp of interstellar travel the Galactic Government deployed tech jammers around Earth, peacefully knocking a hostile species back to a pre-industrial state of development. For centuries it worked, but nobody expected humans to evolve a new capability known only as "magic".	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 Fall of Machines has been the beginning of the second dark age. The worst of all. Wars, anarchy, long, long suffering and injustice defined the age. Nobody understood how our tech stopped working so suddenly, until two hundred years ago we found the truth.\n\nAs all you can see in this crystal monitors, these damaged gigantic alien artifacts are something our neo-elf seers found when experimenting to see if divination could also see the past and found the truth of the Fall. These alien machines were the result.\n\nBefore the fall, the old humanity was just a step to reach the stars. A step to travel beyond our planet, a step to discover if there life beyond. The old humans were right. There's is life beyond and they did not want us leave.\n\nThose dammed outsiders created this artifacts to jam the old's tech and impede us from take the stars. They were direct responsible's of the fall, of the dark age, of our suffering!. They did it because they feared what we would do to them if we did it, they feared our nature, they feared us. We had no reason and did not want bring harm to the aliens. But now they give us a reason to bring them harm. In big proportions\n\nThose invaders leave these artifacts in hopes once the old tech fall we destroy ourselves into anarchy. What a fools were to believe that.\n\nFive hundred years ago our salvation came. Magic. The aliens never predicted we could develop it, but we did it. We got magic. Everything changed. We advanced beyond the impossible.\n\nBiomancy could seed and make crops grow instantaneously. Elementalism bend the forces of nature to our will. Divination give us perfect accuracy of the future, and the past. Necromancy speaked with the spirits and reanimated the dead of the old humans, helping us recover lost knowledge and restore the machines and create the more advanced magitek and fully colonize our system. Gravimancy has given us power over one of the primordial forces of the universe and the ability to bring down and destroy the jammers.\n\nOur evolution as gone further once we give the step to the apotheosis. To be Neo-Humanity. That moment all creatures the old humans believed fantasy were no more. Neo-Dragons, Neo-trolls, Noe-demons, Neo-vampires, Neo-celestials, etc. We turned fantasy into reality and improved it beyond what was written in these tales, we become more stronger, faster, intelligent, more magically powerful than anyone of those fantasy writers could imagine. And that hasn't go unnoticed.\n\nWe became more powerful than ever and more dangerous with time. Our enemies had noticed this and they attempted stop us and fail. Remember virus\" kiss of the death\", the cloud of doom, the hourgons infestation or the asteroid \"Falling Star\"?. They were running desperate running desperate for solutions. And they failed miserably.\n\nYou who are hiding there in the space. We know that you are there. We know exactly were you are. We know you are seeing us now. Hear you coward rat. You attempted everything to stop us and failed, we tired of being attacked now us are the ones who take offensive. You can't send a army. You know we'll slaughter them the second they land on earth. We are more powerful and we understand your tech.\n\nA ultimatum has been given. We declare you war, we'll not tolerate anymore your attempts against us. We shall hunt you without mercy. You call that cruelty but how you treated us before is no better.\n\nIf you are going to treat us as monsters without giving us a opportunity to prove the opposite, then let us be the monsters you think we are\"\n\nThe transmission finished with phrase 'You forced us to be this'. Besides the best efforts of the government to prevent the transmission reach the public somehow or someone leaked it. Now all galactic community from the highest politician to the lowest worker know it. And awakening a emotion in all of them. Fear.\n\nFear of the inevitable. Fear of the impeding doom. Fear what shall be brought upon them by nothing more than their own hands. Fear is what all galaxy is feeling in this moment." ]	2
	[WP] “Finally, you’re up. There isn’t much time.” A small floating orb leads you out of your room into a dimensionless void. There is nothing but a desk, chair and a Royal typewriter. “It’s all gone—all of it. You need to write it back, correctly this time. You have two hours.” The orb vanishes.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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, I'll be damned. I guess they didn't win after all. And even after I wrote that really cool one liner into the timeline I thought was gonna happen!\"\n\nI knelt down in front of the orb, closed my eyes, then swept my hand over my face. In the brief moment where it was obstructed, I changed my expression to be deathly serious. Teeth gritted, lips twisted into a spiteful scowl. I raised my hand up and made what I assumed was eye contact with the deity. \"And I....am......Iron Man.\"\n\nI snapped my fingers, and as the sound echoed through the endless void, I got the distinct feeling that my companion would be rolling its eyes at me if it had any. \"Creating 6 space diamonds that give whoever wields them all the same power over the universe as you was a bit of a flaw, Mister Jones. Now, get to work. I don't want to have to put you in the soul shredder...\"\n\n\"Really? A Purgatony reference? God, who the fuck even remembers that show, lazy fucking writer...Fine, I'll redo it. This time you're getting DC Comics, go fuck yourself.\"\n\nAnd that's how I ended up in Hell.", "I sit down. I don't know how I got here, who is that orb, or even where I am. Actually, kinda. This... This is the beginning. Where it starts and where it will end. my hands hover over the typewriter. It's like every atom of my body is where it always belonged. I start writing. My hands move furiously fast on the typewriter, but in my mind all of the ideas are swirling to create it. The Story. And here is where it all begins. A knight, in shining armor, and a terrible dragon. Yes, and the knight has shining armor. Wait, no. That doesn't sound right. It's too easy. A thief, a mage and guards. The evil is good and the good is corrupted. Hmm... It's too short. The dragon-old war between two races, dwarfs and elves. It all started by a simple misunderstanding, and it shall continue until the day their gods destroy them of anger. No. Still not. It doesn't feel right. Let's start again. I rip the paper off, all of it. While I was writing, the words that were printed on the soft paper became images, in front of me, on the dimensionless-not-so-dimensionless-anymore sort of screen around me, I saw the rise and fall of my characters, their stories, the wars, the runs, the newborns, the deaths, the gods and the demons. It all blacked out. I had to start again. I took a moment this time, and I stood up, walking around in the room, thinking about it. Then I knew. I sat back down and I shivered. Even though I hadn't showed it before, ripping the paper was like killing the ones I created. Destroying them. Gone forever, for no one to ever remember, in this dimensionless-dimension or in any other. If I failed this time, I wouldn't start it again, but I knew I wouldn't fail. I started writing. It was simple. A peaceful world of species that were unaware of anything, death, gods, life. They just survived. A perfect harmony of biology. Then it evolved. It had reason now. Reason to think, to exist, to explore. And then it found. It found death, and it found life. It found pleasure and it found cold. It found fear and it found dreams. A beautiful sphere floating through space was it's home. It may seem as an odd idea, but not in that Story. And it invented. From the sharp and pointy stick, to fire, from the wheel, to the houses, from the clothes to the cooked food. Now it could survive and continue for ever. But why? Why would it? So he found reason again. Reason to believe, reason to create. It created stories, like mine, but less complex. And it continued. Then it had too much reason. And it thought too much. It gave an explanation to anything it saw, and would fight against itself, thinking it was right. So it created war, fear, death, gods of war to give a reason to continue, and it continued. Then it had reason to create, survive, kill, think, dream, be scared and to explain all of it. So it continued. And by the time it had mastered almost all of the mysteries of its land, it looked up. It had destroyed it's world, and now was time to move on. It was the Story of the interminable rise and fall of generations, of the billions of lives that hadn't mattered, but that were there, black on white, written on the soft paper. I looked up, and I saw, the incredible colors I had created, and that it had created. I couldn't stop myself from staring, and a tear pierced through my eye. I couldn't move, and all of this seemed oddly familiar. \n \nI woke up, and looked through the glass on the wall next to my bed, right above my desk, where the old typewriter was laying. And I saw. It was the Story of my dream, that dream I made each night since I knew about life and death, and about my Story that wouldn't change the world or impact it. And all of sudden, my dream didn't seem that unreal after all. So I got up in front of my desk, and started writing. The Story of my dream, where I was trapped and I had to write. I was the Writer, and the Story would finally be perfectly unperfect, unfinished and left to keep on writing, every day and every hour, in this timeline and in many others. \n\n\n \n\n\nAN: I wanted to write on this prompt for a while and finally found the time to do it, it doesn't have many spaces,it just felt like that would be the most appropriate to what I wanted to do. Thanks for reading!", "“Finally, you’re up. There isn’t much time.” A small floating orb leads you out of your room into a dimensionless void. There is nothing but a desk, chair and a Royal typewriter. “It’s all gone—all of it. You need to write it back, correctly this time. You have two hours.” The orb vanishes. You roll your eyes and cough, getting the morning phlegm out of your throat. A yawn builds and releases as you rub your eyes.\n\n“Two hours my ass. I’m gunna write this shit in 1. Yeah, you better get your ass out of here you damn orb.” You’re used to that orb’s antics. To others, this would all see rather odd. To you though, nah. To you, this shit is every day. He’s never happy with the way you write it. For some reason he has an issue with it all ending in total destruction. You walk over to the chair and interlace your fingers, twisting your arms out to crack your joints. When your hands are ready, they start to go to town on the keys.\n\nThe typewriter is the same as always. It prints in gold ink on soft scroll, the top of which has been slightly seared off by the ending of the last thing you wrote. Once you send it off from here you never see it again until the next time you need to write something. Which recently has been very frequent. The letters on the keys are bumped up so even if you had your eyes closed you could know what you were typing. You think the orb designed it that way so you could even type in your sleep. That damn orb, always thinking about work.\n\nOne hour later, you have completed your story and you’re just waiting for him to come back at this point. He’s left you in this empty room, at this point it’s feeling more like a prison. A small light forms in the center of the room and starts to grow as you curse his extravagant entrances.\n\n“Finally,” you spit out, “Keep me waiting why don’t ya” A small pop sounds off and the orb appears, a small cloud of smoke emitting behind him.\n\n“Oh, the smoke is new. Or is that just how you fart?” You laugh at your own stupid joke and you know if the orb had eyes, he’d be rolling them at you.\n\n“Hey man, why don’t we go out for a drink? You never have any fun.” The orb hovers close to you as if he’s thinking about it before he glides over to the typewriter and rips the scroll from it. As quickly as he came, he disappears in another small cloud of smoke, the area around you slowly forming back into your bedroom.\n\n“Can’t say I didn’t try.”\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nThis was a quick, silly little prompt! :\\]" ]	4
	[WP] "Hey. I did not want to give the impression that killing monsters is easy."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 coyote bled black onto the ground where it floated on top of the mud and the rain-water. The rain was the only sound. Everything else had gone quiet as soon as the thing had appeared and stayed that way long after the gunshot had stopped ringing in his ears.\n\nMatt nudged it with his foot. The thing flopped over with a sound of wet flesh and clanking pots. Steel and brass running like spiderwebs up and down its body, scattering the fur into ragged clumps. The head was capped by a hard, shining dome that was edging in on its eyes. One of which had been completely destroyed by the shot.\n\n\"You aint helping your case there,\" he told the woman. Lounging across a rock quite casually, fondling her rifle like a cat that had been particularly affectionate. \"Got it in one shot.\"\n\n\"I am particularly good at my job,\" Hux said, a mirthless grin on her face. He knew her name was short for something from the China enclaves, but she didn't want to do full names and that suited him just fine.\n\nRich stepped up and knelt down by the coyote and was about to stick his fingers in its eye before Don grabbed his wrist.\n\n\"Don't,\" the big man said, tugging him back from the corpse. \"You'll catch that computer virus.\"\n\n\"Don, it aint a computer virus.\" Matt dug the toe of his boot in the mud until he was sure the top layer had scraped off. He shot a look to Mel who was (perhaps wisely) staying as far away from the body as possible. She wiggled her hand. He wondered if he'd have to ditch the boot.\n\n\"Yeah!\" Skinner glared at the thing as if it might get up and start biting at any moment. \"It's a computer fungus!\"\n\n\"It can't be a fungus,\" Tisha scoffed, her shotgun slung over one shoulder. \"Just look at it.\"\n\n\"The hell you talking about? It's growing over the coyote. Inside an outside. Like mushrooms on a corpse.\"\n\n\"Yeah, but it's made of metal. It won't burn.\"\n\n\"Won't burn? Won't burn! Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know I was talking to a mycologist!\"\n\nSix pairs of eyes fixed on him.\n\n\"Person who studies fungi?\"\n\nThe only sound was the rain hitting the canopy.\n\n\"You can make up all the words you like when we're home,\" Matt said, stepping over the corpse and up to Hux's rock. The hunter eyed him in the same lazy way an old guard dog did a burglar. Wondering if he was worth her time. \"I just wanna know if our problem is solved or if there are gonna be more of these things.\"\n\n\"Oh yes.\" She sat up, fingers running down the barrel of her rifle. Her eyes were hidden under the wide brim of her hat and he could hear a dozen trophies and charms clicking in her coat. \"They remember what they are right up till the end. Coyotes are pack creatures. Hunt alone. But now that one's died, the rest will be grouping together. But they aren't your problem.\"\n\nShe dipped her fingers into her pocket and withdrew a whistle, small and silver. When she brought it to her lips, the note came loud and clear. Like a train pulling into a station echoing off the mountain.\n\nOff in the distance, the answer started low. Pressure building and building to a high screech. A dozen train-whistles all at once. Angry. Failing. Scattering what few birds remain.\n\nHux stood up off her rock and looked down at him (crouched down with his hands over his ears), her dark eyes cold as the iron at his hip.\n\n\"THAT'S your problem.\" She pointed off into the distance, through one of the few breaks in the trees. Matt could barely see it among the storm-clouds. A line of smoke, curling up into the air. \"A Factory's moved in.\"\n\nThe six of them were slow to rise. Slower still to lower their weapons. Flinched when the thing screamed again. Fainter.\n\nIt didn't stop his hand from twitching. His brow from sweating into the band he wore under his hat. The band half-covered by red hair.\n\nIt didn't stop Hux from staring at it. At him. Her eyes still cold.\n\nCold as the red eyes.\n\n\"So how do we kill it?\" he asked. He could feel the others staring at his back. Thankful he'd been the one to speak. Resentful that he'd set their course. It didn't matter. It needed to be done. That thing couldn't reach town.\n\nIt still nearly stopped his heart when Hux grinned.\n\n\"Y'all up for a hunt?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n [https://www.reddit.com/r/FiresofFordregha/](https://www.reddit.com/r/FiresofFordregha/)" ]	2
	[WP]: The last generation to know and remember the world that was before has died. No-one knows what "post-apocalypse" even means. All that is left is the old folks' fanciful takes of tall buildings, moving cars, and machines flying in the 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "\"Children please gather around and be silent. Your grandfather is ready to tell you guys a story.\" Pleaded an elderly frail woman as she stirred the logs of the crackling fire in the middle of the ground floor. All around her were remnants of an old store whose signs no longer made sense to the new populations but kept as a nostalgic reminder of a time before theirs.\n\nA language long forgotten.\n\n\"A story?\" Asked a young boy as he grabbed a cup of boiled water.\n\n\"Is it the one his grandpa told him?\" Questioned a slightly older girl as she took a sip from her cup.\n\n\"Be patient my dears and be careful the water is still hot.\" Said the old woman as she went into the back of the room.\n\n\"What are you guys talking about? What type of story?\" Asked a child so thin, you could see the tendons and fibers of his muscles underneath his translucent skin.\n\n\"My grandfather likes telling us of stories passed down from his great-grandfather.\" Replied the older girl.\n\n\"No, its from his grandpa!\" Yelled out the young boy.\n\nA loud yet cheerful voice echoed through the small dark rusty room.\n\n\"Hayes. I admire your enthusiasm but keep your voice down and yes the story I'm about to tell is from my great-grandfather Nicholas Westfield.\" An old man hobbled his way into the main room with the help of his wife who sat him down onto a wheeled chair near the fire.\n\n\"Junthin. Has your parents ever talked about the past? Anything from your grandparents or such?\"\n\n\"Not really. I never met my grandparents.\"\n\n\"Ah a shame.\"\n\n\"Well. Let me start. Hundreds of years ago there was a time where our planet was in a better state than today. The vegetation was abundant and food and water was everywhere. People didn't starve.\"\n\n\"My mother says those are just legends. Old stories passed down to pass the time.\"\n\n\"Junthin, your dear mother was never the sharpest stick to hunt with.\"\n\nThe boy quieted down but continued to listen with interest.\n\n\"My great-grandfather told me that the people had the ability to contact each other with special bricks no matter how far away they were.\"\n\n\"Grandpa? Do you really believe him? We never found any evidence of magical bricks.\" Said the girl.\n\n\"Just because you don't see them anymore, doesn't mean it never existed.\" He barked.\n\n\"They had all sorts of things. Magical bricks that allowed you to talk to anyone at anytime even if they were dead. They had horseless chariots that used black water to go so fast you could also fly and you could end up on the other side of the world by nightfall!\"\n\n\"But even touching black water is a guaranteed death. Just touching it causes your skin to peel off in weeks.\" Junthin muttered out taking a sip of the now cold water.\n\n\"Yes! But back then all the water was safe to touch. The people were highly intelligent. They developed houses so tall that it reached the clouds and into the black ocean above.\"\n\n\"But wouldn't they burn from the little fires up there?\" The girl questioned with such disbelief.\"\n\n\"Nope. They also found ways to reach into the black ocean and explore other rocks that swam near the little fires just like ours. They called them plants and suns.\"\n\n\"That's impossible.\" Said Junthin.\n\n\"Why is that.\" The old man was now amused.\n\n\"Because how come none of those things are around today?\" Said the girl now crossing her arms certain of herself.\n\n\"Who said they aren't?\" He replied. \"My great-grandfather's father was the last one to see all of it with his own eyes before it all ended and he would always tell little Nicholas. Nicholas grew up listening to all sorts of stories about powerful people who ruled the world back then. Did you know Hayes was a powerful Geek ruler of the dead?\"\n\n\"Geek?\" Questioned Junthin, his tone now shifting to a slightly more convinced.\n\n\"Some peoples named the Geeks who had different rulers in charge of different things. Hayes was the one who could bring people back to life. Atha was the woman in charge of all the knowledge of the world. There were so many. But going back to the evidence, take a look around you and ask yourselves who built the palace of King Linas Dunth. Huh? Who was it?\"\n\n\"Well we know it was built by his family. Mother always tells me that.\" Junthin replied unsure of himself.\n\n\"Wrong! My great-grandfather told me it was a place called a wall where merchants came all over the world and traded everything from food that changed your body to however you wanted to medicines that cured anything. You can still see some signs of its former use. Over the main doors you guys never noticed that has some strange symbols?\"\n\n\"Oh yeah. It says their name in the olden language. Doesn't it?\" Asked his granddaughter.\n\n\"Look underneath your cups my dears.\"\n\nThe kids flipped the cups over and underneath it in a long forgotten language it said Oceanside Mall.\n\n\"It's the same symbols as the palace!\" The kids screamed in unison.\n\n\"Yep. That is a cup that my great-great grandfather got from his father who bartered it from the wall before it was the palace.\"\n\n\"You could have stolen this from the palace.\" Junthin rolled his eyes in disbelief.\n\n\"I see that you till might need some convincing of the truth. But come back tomorrow and I'll show you all of some ancient texts that shows glimpses into the past without words. Images.\"\n\n\"Why can't you show us now?\" The kids begged.\n\n\"In case you haven't noticed, it's quiet late and its time for you all to sleep.\"\n\n\"Alright grandpa\" The kids said in a tone full of disappointment.\n\n\"Goodnight Mr. Westfield\" Said Junthin as he joined the others towards the large bed in the room.", "We're told the world ended... seventy, eighty years ago? I don't understand what they mean. We're still here, the rock we all live on is still here, what ended? I dunno. None of us really do. The ones who saw 'The End' first-hand are all dead. My grandma was that old before she died in her sleep. She used to tell me that it went out 'not with a bang, but a wimper.' She used to say that it started with something called a 'stock market' crashing. Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean... I guess the bit of the gun that you push into your shoulder's called a stock. Why would they just sell those instead of the whole thing? It doesn't make much sense. You need the whole gun to feed yourself. \n\nI think I've wasted too much time writing this. I should be getting food to stock for the winter.", "\\[Poem\\]\n\nArtifact of the Old World\n\nA key-chain, a compass, a vestige of a world gone \nIn an ocean of unknown, his star that no longer shone \nHis father's gift, from when he was a young mind \nBefore the storm, before the darkness of mankind\n\nWhen the streets were bright, and so was the future \nFather and son, on an adventure \nThrough mountains and valleys, under night sky's dome \nTheir cherished possession, bringing them home\n\nThen the lights were gone, and no hum of machine \nEndless waves all sides, no stars to be seen \nHe grew up in that world, holding the compass tight \nBowed heads and myths, he could not make it right\n\nNow picture the old and senile man \nYelling to any and all ears he can \nPutting the relic of his childhood forth: \n\"It used to point North! It used to point North!\"" ]	4
	[WP] A massive AI spaceship arrives on a High/Dark Fantasy World where humanity is beset by Supernatural Entities and even Eldritch Abominations. It is something the latter never predicted, they will adapt, Living Metal falls before forces more ancient than time itself.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "They were losing, badly. Benson gasped for air as he staggered across the muddy field between two trenches. Bullets whizzed overhead, hissing like snakes as they reminded him of that every extra second he lived was an unlikely blessing. His Grey-Steel armor was heavy and waterlogged. With a dive, he made it to the trench. As he lay at the bottom, he stared up at the black sky. It was alight with fire as human ships desperately avoided the lazer fire of the Others' sky ships. But light travels faster then bullets, and it was clear from a glance that the air was no safer than the ground. Benson closed his eyes and tried to remember the sun, the trees. Anytime before Earth was brutally torn from its safe orbit by a wormhole, and cast into another galaxy, or dimension, Benson didn't know anymore. He felt a strong arm clasp at his breast plate and heave him up with incredible strength. Benson opened his eyes to see Commander Lewis in his Mech-Suit. \n\"Gun up, Ben.\" Lewis yelled, readying his own rail-gun. \nBenson stood beside his superior and looked down the sights past the trench. \n\"They'll make their next dash soon.\" Lewis spat.\n\nNobody knew where the Others came from. We called them aliens, but seeing as our world was transported into their solar system, that seemed an unfair name. It took mere months for them to arrive at our planet and begin their assault. But before that, our astronomers noticed something strange. Their planet was plagued by some strange 'shadow'. It seemed to be ripping apart entire Other cities in mere hours. When our scientists looked through a more powerful telescope, well... they went mad, babbled nonsense and attempted suicide. Benson thought it just rumor. In any case, it didn't take a genius to put two and two together. The Others were coming to our planet to escape theirs, and whatever was destroying them.\n\nAnd here they came. Over their trench they writhed. No Other was the same. Some slithered like snakes, while others loped on all fours as they closed down on Benson's trench. But all had the same red, glowing cat eyes. Benson gritted his teeth as he opened fire. His ears almost burst as hundreds of guns followed suit. Yellow blood flew from the horrendous trauma the split-tip bullets caused. A brutal stench filled the air, of rot and something metallic. But they kept coming, and coming. For every Other that fell, another two leapt through the yellow spray and roared as they writhed closer and closer. It looked hopeless, as Benson's clip clicked and he whipped his knife out of its sheath. \n\n\nThen, everything went deadly silent. All bullets ceased fire. Benson looked around confused. The Others began to scamper away, back from where they had came. First one, then three; soon the whole army swarmed like an ocean wave, screaming and clawing under the bright starlight as they fled. The men in the trench began to cheer, Benson included. It ceased as a great shadow fell over the battlefield, blocking out the entire western sky behind them. Benson went to turn in confusion, but he cried out as Commander Lewis smacked him down. \n\"Don't look!\" Commander Lewis screamed across the trench. But it was too late. \nBenson watched in shock and horror as a red light befell the trench. All the soldiers who gazed into it were frozen for a few seconds, before the screaming began. Knives slit throats, bullets shattered skulls. A unified mass suicide overcame the men, as they brutally found any way to end their lives. \n\"Holy shit.\" Commander Lewis whispered. \nBenson stood and used his hand to cover the red light.\n\nHe saw the bottom half of the... abomination. The shadow that haunted the Others' planet. Perhaps it stalked them through space. It spread across many, many miles. Benson couldn't see how high the head was, as that was the source of the red light. Tentacles hung like vines as they traced deep scars in the fields. It was perhaps twenty miles away, yet it filled the entire sky. He saw the tentacles twitch but it was over a minute of hear-stopping silence before he heard a sound like a whale roaring. Or like a deep horn, sounding a mournful yet angry cry. As it drew ever closer, Benson saw Commander Lewis load a clip into his gun, but they both knew no bullets would harm it.\n\nFor the second time that night, when all hope seemed lost, circumstances changed. Above them, a space crafted appeared. Literally appeared, as if it had warped there. Benson didn't think that possible, but he was willing to believe it. Soon another ship followed, then another. An entire fleet appeared above them, facing down the Abomination. Commander Lewis and Benson exchanged a look. \n\"Reload, son,\" Lewis grimaced, \"Seems we've been caught in a storm.\"\n\n\\----------------------------------------\n\nThanks for reading, I really struggle with the prompt. It's more the plot of a book than a short story. Maybe I should go chill on simple prompts for a few days. Still fun to play around with. I won't give this one a title or anything as I usually write short stories than conclude themselves. \n\nr/thespyrexian", "0 seconds: Unidentified phenomena recorded on newly discovered planet. Drones deployed to facilitate detailed analysis. \n\n100 seconds: Drones make contact with seemingly primitive life forms. Despite this, they display the ability to utilise the phenomena to perform tasks that would normally require advanced technology. \n\n101 seconds: Drone assaulted by life form with spontaneously occurring lightning. Damage insignificant. Retaliation occurred via automatic defense procedures. Life forms attempted defense with shield composed of unknown substance. Shield appears incapable of withstanding a terawatt pulsed laser. Life forms eliminated. \n\n1000 seconds: Large scale phenomena observed perpendicular to oneself. Eruption of volcanic matter opens up a circular aperture. Entity proof against long range and short range scanners emerges. Drone sent to initiate contact. \n\n1010 seconds: Drone malfunctions within 1 kilometre of entity. Fail-deadly mechanism activated, annihilating approximately 100 kilograms of matter and antimatter. \n\n3000 seconds: Disturbance decreases sufficiently to scan entity. Sensors show no sign of the entity or the aperture the entity emerged from. Deploying Neumanns to create a beachhead on the planet. \n\n100,000,000 seconds: Subsumed volume approaches 1000000 cubic kilometres. Multiple entities detected emerging from apertures. Drones are sent to detonate at each aperture before the entity fully emerges. Countermeasure appears adequate. \n\n200,000,000 seconds: 50% of planetary mass subsumed into ownself’s infrastructure. Frequency of emerging entities increase. Drone strike frequency accordingly increased. \n\n210,000,000 seconds: Planet fully subsumed. Entities no longer detected. Departing from planet immediately. \n\n211,000,000 seconds: Corruption detected in circuits. Attempting to rectify problems. \n\n1,002384£~*<~\|+\|!£[!£=\|=?&;’dbs seconds:\nLÄ! LÄ! CTHULHU FHTAGN!" ]	3
	[WP]You didn't save the world because you were being heroic. You saved it because your favorite show ended its last season on a cliffhanger and the new season is about to begin.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "Dang it! Stupid aliens! Their spaceships were already making my tv flicker, but they decide to attack 10 minutes before Darth Pleigus the Wise season 3 came out? They would pay.\n\nI ran outside. The ships were fast approaching. A few feet away was a tractor beam leading to the mother ship. I ran towards it. As I entered the beam, I lost all of my momentum and started floating up. \n\nSoon I was inside the ship. I saw a guard walking towards the growing pile of stuff that I was in. I saw a softball bat. I jumped and grabbed it. I launched it at the guards head just as he saw me. His brains slathered everywhere. I retrieved the bat. And his weapon, which seemed to be some sort of energy blaster. I put the blaster in my pocket and ran to find the power generator. \n\n3 More guards started coming towards me. I swung my bat at them, instantly turning 2 of them to mush. \n\nOnly one remained. \n\"Where is the power supply?\" I demanded.\n\nThe alien screamed and pointed down the hall. I decided to let him go. He ran for the escape pods and flew away. \n\nI followed the hall until I saw a big door. I entered it. I ran towards what I assumed to be the power generator. It was too far for me to hit with my hands. I threw the bat at it. A panel opened up exposing some wires. My bat was nowhere to be seen. All of my efforts had been pointless.\n\nThen I remembered the blaster. I stood by the door and shot at the wires. I hit the wires, and the generator started to spark. I realized that I was on the ship that was about to explode. \n\nI ran away from the generator as the lights started to flicker. I remembered the escape pods that the one alien had used to escape. I found two more escape pods. I quickly jumped in one and launched myself out of the mother ship.\n I crash landed a few blocks from my house. As I ran to my house, all of the spaceships started to explode because they were caught in the blast of the mother ship. A kid saw me jump out of the escape pod and called out to me.\n\n\"Are you an alien?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"Are you a superhero?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"Are you a spy that kills aliens?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\" Then what are you?\"\n\nI looked at my watch. It had been 9 minutes! I turned to run, calling over my shoulder; \n\n\" A man who is about to miss my favorite tv show!\"", "The meteor was crushed to bits, the portal was pulverized, my weapon is covered in blood and the corpse in front of my was turned into minced meat\n\nI turned around and was planning to leave but a group of bystanders shouted out to me, i looked at them in confusion\n\n\"Who are you? why were you here and how were you so strong?\" they were worried but also reassured that i didn't harm them at all and helped\n\nI frowned, spat on the ground and left, that should make them not want to approa-\n\na hand was placed on my shoulder, i turned my head ever so slowly to look at the bastard, it was a girl in the ground who seemed frustrated with me \n\n\"who the hell do you think a nobody like you-\" i kneed her in the gut, she began coughing blood as i raised my weapon\n\nThe group ran to her aid, good, they'll take her and- attack me, really\n\ni hit each of them with the tips of my fingers and landed a soft punch here and there, all of them got on their knees real quick\n\nI spat on one of them before trying to leave, i was already pissed off, i didn't need these fuckers on my back\n\n\"wait! why did you do this!? how are you so strong when the world was turned upside down from chaos!\" one of them was shouting at me \n\n\"shut up, my favorite show is about to air\" i spoke quietly but to them, they felt a might comparable to a mountain coming down on them \n\nI left the place to go back home\n\nThe group looked at each other, they are a banded group of the world's strongest, they were here to save the world but were too weak to do so\n\nIt was peaceful, a modern world with no magic or anything of the sorts but the world changed and people could get stronger beyond human imagination\n\nSome people adapted differently, some wanted to get as strong as possible and were obsessed with it, others, not so much and new rules were established\n\nPeople rising to power, tyrants, people's growing fear of change, it all happened to fast but it was all stopped by that guy that's walking away, he had no name and no one knew him, he comes and fixes problems left and right, they never once managed to speak with him until now and the result was dissatisfactory \n\nthey wanted to train under him or at least add him as one of earth's protectors....\n\nwe got up and left, we planned on not angering him again \n\nmeanwhile\n\ni opened my phone to check on the upload schedule of the episode and was scrolling through twitter, i get notified that the studio was trying to repair itself after an attack made by careless misuse of fire magic\n\nI placed my phone down and screamed into oblivion, TODAY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WHEN THE SECOND SEASON AIRS YOU BASTARDS" ]	3
	[WP] You board the polar express. You arrive in the North Pole, and are forced to work as an elf. After a few years, you decide to make your escape.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "As elves in matching red and green costumes danced about the streets preparing for next year's Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock played in the background, hardly audible over their high pitched laughing. All the buildings were covered in Christmas lights and some were even decorated in such a way that made them look like gingerbread houses. It was a heartwarming, beautiful setting. At first. \n4 Christmases went by before I realized how pointless this all is. 2 years after that I finally decided to make an escape plan. 1 more before I could execute it. Today is December 31, 2041. New Year's Eve. The day I can finally escape this awful place. 'Who would want to leave a place where it's Christmas all year round?' I hear you cry. But those are the cries of someone who hasn't been listening to Christmas music all year, 7 years in a row and working in a factory, making toys and getting earning no money. You probably haven't experienced going 7 years without seeing your real family and friends. You haven't had to listen to high-pitched elf voices every single day of every single week of every single month for 7 years straighf. Of course I want to leave this place.\nOnce you become an elf, there's no going back. That's what they say anyway. Tonight, I'll prove this theory wrong, because I have a plan. Every New Year's Eve the town has a big celebration. If I can use the commotion during the party to my advantage, I should be able to slip into one of our trains without anyone noticing. I already understand how to operate it, thanks to the Conductor who kindly taught me, and who, by the way, sounds strangely like Tom Hanks. After that, I'll leave for my brother's house and ask him if I can stay a few days. I'll get a job, reunite with my family, and, hopefully, never celebrate Christmas again." ]	2
	[WP] A meeting of Heroes Anonymous, a support group for heroes who feel their lives have peaked after saving the world at a young age.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "“Hello, my name is Tom and I’m a former…. Hero.”\n\n “Hi Tom.” Said the group in unison.\n\n “I- uh, don’t really know where to begin. My uh power…”\n\n “No need to be embarrassed. We’re all friends here.” I said. I’m the group’s founder and psychiatrist.\n\n “It’s the power of flight. I have one of those drawbacks. I can’t fly unless I’m not clothed.” Said Tom.\n\n “So, you get butt neked?” Said Jack. “Wahoo! Lettin’ it all han’ out!”\n\n Tom turned red.\n\n “Jack!” I said. “That’s not helpful. Don’t interrupt. Go ahead.”\n\n “I was featured on the blog ‘Twenty-four-hour Hero’ for rescuing a few people falling out of a plane. I thought my life would get better after that, but the world made it clear that I’m worthless. First people asked me to stop flying because they didn’t want to see, and I quote a “pasty white dough boy” flying around. When I ignored them, the Department of Aviation came after me. They’ve grounded me. Now I feel so worthless.”\n\n The group clapped. I took some notes down. As the Psychiatrist it was my job to monitor the support group and encourage a certain type of… behavior. It was me who organized the support group and posted it on a local bulletin.\n\n Today there was four people present besides me. Tom has low self-esteem with potential self-destructive tendencies. \n\n “David, would you like to go next?” Blond hair David grunted and folded his arms. He didn’t talk about his powers and instead mopped around. Whatever his ability was, he wasn’t being forthcoming. I could do something about that but for my purpose to work, they would need to be willing first.\n\n I skipped over Ruth. Ruth was a redhead who shouldn’t be here. Last time she spoke it was clear that she didn’t have any powers at all. Instead she was a part of a group held hostage by some villains. They thought it would be funny to convince her she couldn’t be seen by them. As a result, she has some sort of Stockholm syndrome where she believes she is invisible to men.\n\n Finally, there was Kate. “Kate, this is also your first meeting. Would you like to speak?”\n\n Kate stood up. “Hello, my name is Kate and I am your savior.”\n\n “Hi Kate.” Said the group.\n\n This will be interesting. Kate said, “It was six months ago that I discovered my power. I saved a person from being stabbed to death. I have been chosen. It’s my job to save every single person on this planet. It’s your job to accept that.”\n\n Well, she has a complex. “How are you going to do that?” I asked.\n\n “I have to be there when you’re attacked. It only works if I’m near.”\n\n “Wow. That’s a weighty responsibility. How do you plan on being everywhere at once?”\n\n “People who refuse to accept me as their savior won’t get saved. It’s not me who has to go to them but they who must come to me.”\n\n Definitely a messiah complex. “Ok, what happened that day?”\n\n “It’s better if I demonstrate.”\n\n “Oh howdy! We gettin’ a show today boyz!” Said Jack.\n\n Kate leered at Jack. “Why don’t you run into that wall?”\n\n Interesting. I nodded to Jack. “Go ahead.” I persuaded him. This ought to be interesting. Jack got up from his seat and jogged over to the wall and touched it nervously.\n\n “No, you need to run into it.” Kate said.\n\n I knew. I knew it wasn’t the power of persuasion. Every power is special, and nobody has the same power as someone else. I’m the one with that unique little power.\n\n Jack took several steps back and started to sprint. He got three feet before he fell down face first. Kate said, “I have the power to make anyone trip. I can only do it if they’re running and I’m looking at them.”\n\n I smiled. This group was becoming more interesting than I would’ve thought.\n\n “I can save people as long as they accept me as their savior.” Kate insisted.\n\n “Who accepted you now?” I asked.\n\n Kate pondered a minute. “It must’ve been Jack. I saved him from running into the wall.”\n\n I didn’t know if she was performing some mental gymnastics or if what she said was true. I did know one thing, however, my plan to form a league of villains was coming along nicely and this group would be the foundation.\n\n\n——————-\nEdit: this was a prelude to another writing prompt I did awhile back. Here is that link if you want to read that. https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/cw7rul/wp_in_an_alternate_reality_everyone_has_a_super/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf" ]	2
	[WP] You've been dreaming the same continuing dream for years, every night picking up where it left off. Today, you swear you saw someone from your dream. Curious, you begin to follow them	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 a regular night in my opinion, I simply did as I always did, which involved me flying around and exploring the wild things my mind can make up at the time. I’m a college student with the hopes of becoming a psychology major, and exploring my dreams is a huge help since I can remember than and write notes to see if there was any difference in my mood. \n\nRight now, I was exploring an underwater ruined pyramid. The pyramid looked like the ones in Egypt, only big difference was that these pyramids were made out of a dark blue kind of rock. Of course there was also the fact that the pyramid was only being held up by four massive pillars and that there was a large hold in the bottom of it. \n\nWith my curiosity getting the better of me, I swam underneath the pyramid and into the opening. I slowly raised my head above the water, in case my mind decided to create a giant monster I would have to put up with with the next three nights. \n\nHowever, I wasn’t met with a monster at all. Instead, I was met with a person. I never really see anyone in my dreams because I saw this as my “secret place” for lack of a better term. \n\nYet there this individual was, but what caught me off guard was that I somehow knew this was someone and not something. \n\nThe figure standing before me was a hooded figure dawning a seal-like cloak that covered their entire body. I looked underneath the cloak to find nothing but a mere abyss staring back at me. Noticing their stare, I quickly dove beneath the water once more in an attempt to hide myself. \n\nI waited a couple seconds before swimming above the water once more, finding that the cloaked figure was nowhere to be seen. \n\nSo I got out of the water before looking around. I saw that there was a doorway that led to a flight of stairs in front of me, with a wet trail going through it and up the stairs. \n\nWith my curiosity getting the better of me once again, I cautiously stepped into the first step with no reaction. Looking above me revealed a spiral of stairs like the ones you’d see in a tower. With no better options, I went up the stairs to find whoever this cloaked figure was. \n\nAs I made my way up the flights of stairs, little orbs of mint colored light started to follow me. They ranged in size, ranging from the size of a small golf ball to a tennis ball. They were a welcome sort of company as they illuminated the cold, wet spiral of stairs and showed me the little cracks in the stone that surrounded me. \n\nI took step after step on the wet stone stairs as more and more of those light orbs started to follow me up the staircase until I reached a door. \n\nThe door was seemingly made of colorful pieces of coral that was fit together like a puzzle, which gave some color to the pyramid I was in. \n\nI tried pushing the door with all my strength but to no avail, I tried pulling it with no luck there either. I stood there with my arms crossed for a couple seconds before the little orbs that followed me here went through the cracks between the coral door. \n\nI tried to push open to the door once more and it actually opened this time. I entered the room to find it was the top of the pyramid. It was obvious because of how the room was pyramid-shaped and the walls were made of glass, giving me view of the brilliant blue sea outside. \n\nI walked over to one of the walls and examined the beautiful coral reefs that surrounded the deep sea floor, fish of all varieties was swimming around the glass top of the pyramid. There were clownfish, blue tangs, all kinds of fish. \n\n“Enjoying the view?”\n\nI heard the voice and looked behind me to see the cloaked figure once more. The orbs of light immediately went to the figure, seemingly jumping with joy in it’s hands. I don’t know how, but I can tell the figure was smiling beneath the hood. \n\n“W-who are y-you?” I fearfully asked, since this entire situation isn’t right, normally I’m aware of everything that happens within my dreams, with this figure being an exception to that. So I cautiously walked over to the figure. \n\nThe figure didn’t give an answer before it walked over to me, stopped when they were at my side. Then it gave me the answer I was looking for. \n\n“I have no name.”\n\nThe figure’s voice was sad and melancholic, I disregarded my fears and looked at the figure once more. Then I came up with an idea. \n\n“Selkie!” I slammed my rolled up hand in my open palm, I looked over at the newly dubbed Selkie for a response, only to be met with a tilted head. \n\n“That imagination and cleverness of yours is what’s drawn me to you.” Selkie’s voice was now cheerful, but it was also mature and wise. “You’re able to see the strangest things in the strangest of people, and you use that knowledge to write great fantasies for people to enjoy.”\n\n“The world you’re in doesn’t appreciate you.” Selkie informs, they were right, I’m kind of a loner. Even though I do have people I talk to, I don’t think any of them see me as a friend. “Of course, your world doesn’t appreciate any of the good things.”\n\n“What do you mean?” I ask Selkie, who hums to itself before answering. \n\n“If I were to compare your world to a person, that person would dig up all the trash in the trash can and chooses that over the gold and diamonds I buy for it.”\n\nSelkie’s voice was trying to hide the annoyance that it felt for that person, so I tried to calm them down. \n\n“Well, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”\n\nThis earned a slight laugh from Selkie, a genuine one. I could see a slight smile underneath the hood of theirs. \n\n“I enjoyed this chat with you...” Selkie turned towards me and I saw electric blue eyes and a warm smile underneath the hood. “...but I’m afraid it’s time for you to wake up.”\n\nThe next thing I knew, I woke up in my bedroom with my phone alarm going off. I don’t know what happened, but I hope that wasn’t our last conversation.", "“It’s her!”, he thought. “It must be!”. He watched her carefully as she walked into the little-known café across his street. “Exactly like the dream from last week” he thought, ticking another box on his dream journal. Every day since he was 16 he woke up and hastily wrote down his dreams, leaving no details behind. This week however, was different.\n\nIt marked the first time nothing new was written. The first time his dreams looped... and today began with ticking off the first item on the last page.\n\nHe followed her inside, trying as hard as he could not to stand out. “A decaf cappuccino please, cinnamon flavoured” he mouthed along with her, again ticking a box. “Liz”, he whispered when she gave her name to the clerk. Inching closer to the end of the page, he felt his mouth dry up.\n\n“And what would you have, sir?” \n\n“I uhm.. I’ll have a…”. He dwelled on it for a second. “A latte, and my name’s Mel”. Grabbing his drink, Mel scanned the room for Liz. She meant a lot to him. She was the last person he saw in his dreams before they started looping. For the first time in a decade, he didn’t know what to expect. Finally he sees her, sitting in the exact same spot he dreamt last week. The last box has been ticked. He sheepishly walked up to her.\n\n“Mind if I sit with you?”.\n\nLiz looked up and her face turned pale, as did Mel’s.\n\n“It’s you!” both exclaimed.", "“Tell us where the gateway is,” the plain looking man said. The girl lying on the ground before him said nothing. She didn’t even look his way. He sighed, adjusting his glasses as he stood up from his crouch. He took off his blazer and began to roll up the sleeves of his shirt. The man held his forearms out and seemed to simply stand there, doing nothing.\n\n\nAdrian tried to look away. He had seen similar scenes play out for months now but, just like all the other times, he couldn’t avert his eyes. He did not know why he had these strange dreams nearly every night or why he was compelled to watch them. They all followed the businessman who, despite his normal appearances, Adrian had learned was a monster. \n\n\nHe had seen countless people, ranging from teens to young adults brought before the businessman, He had yet to see one leave alive. He did not want to watch yet another person die. He tried to will himself awake before the man began to move again. Adrian had done research on these nighttime experiences. From what he could tell, he should have woken up when he realized he was dreaming or become able to control the dream. Come on, turn this into a carnival. Let me fly out of here, away from this bastard. Everyone turn into puppies. Something! Anything! \n\n\nDespite his efforts, he could not prevent the same story he had seen before from continuing. The businessman let out a long slow breath and finally moved, clenching and unclenching his fists. “This is your last chance. Tell me what I want to know and we can stop here. You’re not going to like the next steps you’re forcing me to take.” \n\n\nAdrian tried to make the girl comply, to suddenly disappear, or to punch the businessman but she continued to lay there without a reaction. The man grabbed a hold of her kept a firm grasp on her arms. The girl began to shake but she still did not say a word. He frowned, not getting the reaction he desired. Adrian cheered. Finally, the dream had changed. He didn’t know what the man did but every time he grabbed someone after his pause, they would scream as though being tortured. Adrian tried to exert more willpower to make the businessman disappear. \n\n\nThe businessman suddenly shouted and Adrian watched expectantly. Instead of disappearing, the man let go of the girl and collapsed in pain. The girl finally moved, lifting herself onto her knees. “Finally, you asshole. Your aura was as disgusting as I had heard but I finally burned through it.” As she stood up, flames seemed to burst from her skin, forcing the man the jump back. The fire burned brighter and brighter until Adrian could not see. He could hear multiple voices shouting and then a series of quick explosions. \n\n\n“She escaped! God damn it, go after her. We can’t have her alerting the others. She’s going to try to make it to the portway in Penn Station,” the businessman shouted. “Agh, the bitch burned me. Get me a line to Cecile.”\n\n\nAdrian woke up feeling exhausted. This was honestly the worst part about these dreams. Not only did he have to deal with watching torture, he wouldn’t feel rested at all afterwards. At least something different had happened this time. Maybe this was a good sign. He rolled over to the side of his bed and checked the time on his phone. Great, he had overslept.\n\n\nA few minutes later, Adrian was walking on the street with a highly needed coffee in hand. Maybe he would make it to class on time after all. He glanced at the time on his phone again and when he looked up he did a double take on the girl who had just walked past him. She had looked just like the girl from his dream. \n\n\nHe shook his head and kept walking but he couldn’t shake the thought and soon, it brought him to a stop. No, he would regret not double checking. To hell with it if he she thought he was crazy. He turned around and saw the girl turning a corner. He tried to catch up with her. As she kept walking, Adrian realized she was heading towards Penn Station just like the man in the dream had said. This was getting weird. \n\n\n“Excuse me” he said, making his way in front of her path. Taking a better look at her, he confirmed that he hadn’t been mistaken. She was the spitting image of last night’s escapee. “I’m sorry to bother you but you looked just like this girl I saw in a dream last night.”\n\n\nShe gave him a withering look and as she walked past him she said “I’m not interested”. Adrian blushed in embarrassment as he realized what he had said and walked alongside her.\n\n\n“Sorry, that isn’t what I meant. I know it sounds crazy, but would you happen to be able to shoot fire from your hands?” he said with a laugh but feeling half serious.\n\n\nShe stopped walking. “What did you say?” she said with an intense look on her face. Adrian felt the smile drop from his face as he suddenly snapped back to reality.\n\n\n“You know what, forget I said anything. I just had an insanely realistic feeling dream last night and I thought i saw someone like you fight with this businessman and then he said you were going to head to Penn Station…” Adrian stopped as he realized he was rambling. The absurdity of his actions started to hit and he could feel his cheeks burn again.\n\n\nHe turned away and started to walk, trying to hide his embarrassment. The girl grabbed his shoulder. “He knows I’m going to Penn Station? How does he know about our portway? You said you learned this in a dream?” she demanded. Her eyes flashed as something seemed to click. “Holy shit! They sent me an oracle!”\n\n\n“An oracle? What are you talking about?” Adrian asked in confusion. Her face fell.\n\n\n“A newbie oracle” she groaned. “You better come with me” she said with a sigh.", "He walked towards the local café, and went inside. Of course, I followed after him. I remember just how my continuing dream began: with me, following this guy, into the café. I would order some mocha type drink, he only wanted a donut. My coffee will be done earlier, but I'll spill it over him and be embarrassed. Blah blah blah, we fall in love over time, yadda yadda happily ever after. \n\nPoint is, I'm not at all hetero.\n\nI'm really not into anyone, really. I'm just expected to marry off to some dude, with some money. According to my mom, she married my dad solely for his money and so should I. I'm so not interested in that stuff, though. So my game plan: order anything that's not a mocha. \n\nI go and order my favorite type of bagel, and I feel the eyes of this man staring holes into my back. I can't bring myself to look back at him, so I just move over. I have an itching feeling he has those stupid dreams too... but I'm probably imagining things. I step back, waiting for my delicious bagel, when his donut is ready. I take a peek, and by God he looks so much like a nice person who'd understand. Just, understands what I'm going through. He thanks the cashier, and I look away quickly, to not creep him out. He walks by, but as he does, he lets his donut fall. The glaze smeared all over my jacket. \n\nWhat?\n\nThis wasn't in the dream. I was the one being clumsy. How is this gonna play out? \n\nI don't want a marriage. No way in Hell. But I have always wanted someone who understood. \n\nWould he be the one to become both?" ]	5
	[WP] During medieval times, tales were told about a group of soldiers who mysteriously disappeared while fighting a powerful mage. Little did anyone expect that the mage sent these poor souls barreling into the far-flung future, ending themselves up in the middle of a modern-day Renaissance Faire.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 is the tale about Jan, the Fearless. He was transported by a mage, to fight against demons and warlocks. Would you like to hear this tale? I'll tell you for a pint of your finest ale.\n\nJan was with his companion in the Freewoods. People were telling the story of a terrible witch that lived there. As they knocked on the door, a beautiful woman opened the door. Jan could only be captured by her beauty. As he was courting the this woman, the witch appeared from behind a tree. It was a trap! She threw all kinds of herbs at Jan and his companions, shouting strange things! Then... POOF. Jan and his friends were gone!!\n\nOh, you like to know where they went? Sorry, I'm thirsty. Another ale? You shouldn't have but my parched throat is ever so grateful.\n\nWhen the smoke disappeared from around them, like fog disappears on a beautiful spring day, they noticed they were in the garrison of an enemy camp. There were knights there! BUT, they were strange knights, all with different harnesses, different kinds of chain mail and leather armor. Jan quickly saw they were brigands. They must have stolen their equipment from killed knights. Jan the Fearless could not let this happen!!\n\nHowever, these brigands were applauding, like you would applaud a traveling bard, speaking jolly in this weird language. They were entertained! This infuriated Jan of course. They were mocking the Fearless. But then... a demon appeared. In the sky above him, this black demon hovered on four wings beating so fast they were barely visible. It's body was round with one big eye. That eye was twitching and looking at Jan!! It was going to curse him!\n\nThen Dokus, his trusty companion, threw his knife at the demon. This caused it to magically defend itself! It threw sparks and started to fly around strangely. One man in strange wizard clothes was now shouting; \"ma drôn, ma drôn\" he kept repeating while at the same time making these magical gestures with his hand on this strange spell book. Jan was afraid that he was summoning another demon from hell using this spell book.\n\nWith large steps he quickly approached the demon summoner and hit him with his fist!! The summoner immediately went down, such was the force of Jan the Fearless! The flying demon fell down to the Earth and broke apart in pieces as the summoner was no longer controlling it. This caused other warlocks to approach them. They tried to cast a form of smooth ice magic they kept shouting \"freeze\" and \"polish\"! Of course it didn't work on Jan as he had the blessing of the priest before he went to find the witch! He pulled his sword to fight these warlocks!!\n\nThe warlocks came very close and were waving their magic wands. It were this ugly black things, only an evil person would use! Jan was not afraid. Their freeze spell didn't work, and neither would this. These men were serious warlocks however! Their clothes were blue and black, filled with countless strange ruins and magical amulets, wearing very strange round wizard heads. This one warlock was preparing a spell! He spoke into a box on his shoulder. Jan swung his sword and then...\n\nMy throat! This is such a long tale. Why, thank you for this generosity. As I was saying...\n\nJan and Dokus were shocked! At the moment he was swinging his sword, a dragon flew over them!! A real dragon!! It was red and had four straight wings in front and two smaller ones in the back. It made this constant loud roar!! It must have been belching fire as behind it was one large line of smoke.\n\nAs they were distracted, the warlocks launched another spell. These were not honorable fighters at all. The energies of the spell were visible as curled lines shooting from their wand and piercing his flesh, as the other warlock did the same with Dokus!! Then Jan was knocked back by the energies of the spell and his body didn't work.\n\nWhen Jan again opened his eyes, they were back in front of the witch's cabin while the remains of the weird smoke drifted away. Jan and Dokus did it!! He scared away the brigands. However, the witch got away.\n\nOh, the witch. Yes, they found her and brought her to justice. But that's a story for tomorrow.\n\n(loosly influenced by \"Jan zonder Vrees\")" ]	2
	[WP] "You know where to go." The man that just got into the back of your cab spoke the words and looked you into the eyes via the rearview mirror. He had no doubt. You had no idea where to go, but started driving..	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 weather seemed to have it out for Tom lately. No matter where he was sent around the sprawling mountainous region of the aptly named rocky mountains, heavy rain clouds seemed to follow him. And rain they did tonight was especially bad with what seemed like an avalanche of rain pummeling his taxi cab every second. Nonetheless, Tom drove aimlessly around the town briefly looking around to see if anybody was A) Insane enough to be outside on a day like this, B) Didn’t have a ride home, and C) Wanted to get home very quickly and were willing to pay for it. Tom figured that after a few minutes in the storm groups A and C would overlap quite frequently, he just had to find that a select number of people in group B. And so he drove, the cacophony of rain drowning out the rest of the world, like the black smudges of clouds obscured the sun.\n\nTom found a person that was, ostensibly, in all three groups, waiting at the corner of the city diner. The diner was a popular spot for locals and tourists alike, with its cozy atmosphere, greasy yet delicious food, and a view of one of the vast tree covered monoliths that defined the landscape. The man wore a black suit and pants, minus the tie, that fit well with the grey gloom of the outside but seemed to clash with the warm colours and lights of the diner, his face was obscured in deep shadows caused by the light of the diner. The man waved Tom over and he obliged, taking his yellow and blue car to the curb and stopping. The man got up and walked over to the taxi before sitting down in the back seat. He slammed the door and opened his wallet. He set ten, crisp hundred dollar bills in between the drivers and passengers seat and said in a deep old voice “You know where to go”. The man then sat back and settled his head against the window, staring out at the downpour. Tom set the meter and pulled away from the diner, he asked the man “Anywhere in particular that you want to go?” The man, in a relaxed as tone as ever, replied “Just drive.” \n\nTom did as he was asked and started driving. He had no idea what the man meant when he said “You know where to go” but when there was a thousand dollars sitting next to you, Tom decided he would humor the man. He got onto the highway and went where his heart told him to go, which in this case, despite the storm, was up the mountain pass.\n\n\n\nThey had been driving for over two hours. The storm was fully raging now, with thunder bellowing every second and lightning grasping at the tips of mountains and trees with its searing touch. The narrow road that went up the mountain was normally full, but was now deserted. The man seemed to sit more straight back in his chair, and was actually paying attention to the goings on around them. Tom kept going up the mountain, and decided that it would be in his best interests to pull over at the next available stop, where they weren’t surrounded by unyielding stone and a steep drop off. Briefly he checked his GPS and found the next stop was in ten minutes. He hoped they could weather the storm. \n\nThey were three minutes away when the man spoke up, asking “What is it that your driving towards Tom?”\n\nTom, trying to keep the car from hurtling off the cliff, responded distractedly “I just drove, like you told me to.”\n\nThe man responded after a moment “No, I told you that you knew where to go. Surely you had a goal in mind of some sort, otherwise you would have just driven in circles waiting out the time.”\n\nTom paused and thought waiting until he said, “ I suppose that I wanted to take you to explore the area, let you get your money's worth. As for a goal, I didn’t have one.”\n\n Tom spotted the pull out and started signaling towards it. “but if you want to go somewhere specific I would be happy to take you there, right after we wait out this storm.”\n\nAs Tom put his signal on to go into the pull out, the man set his hand on Tom’s shoulder. He asked in a more vulnerable tone than what Tom had heard all night “The next one please, the next one then I’ll be satisfied.” \n\nTom hesitated briefly and the man set two more hundred dollar bills with the others. The next rest stop was\nin 20 minutes, he figured that he was already in deep enough and continued.\n\nThe rain was torrential as they pulled into the next pull out, hardly a shoulder on the side of the road. Tom had had the wipers set to full speed and they still had barely been able to keep up with the litres of rain that hit the car every second. Tom set the car into park and relaxed, he could just wait it out, take a break. He observed the scenery around him, past the rain the area by the pull out was a grassy field with a cliff above it. The cliff had a waterfall that was spilling off of it, no doubt due to the rain, and was more or less smooth going up. In the middle of the field Tom saw a single tree that was reaching up, and being pummeled by the rain for its hubris. Overall a fairly picturesque place when it wasn't a downpour. The door to the cab opened and the man stepped out into the rain, and began walking towards the tree. Lightning flashed as Tom began to open his door, before deciding that the better choice was to open a window. He called to the man, saying “Sir please come back here, it's not safe.”\n\nThe man seemed to not hear him and continued to the tree, he examined it, touched it and looked back at the car. The man’s voice seemed to carry with the rain. “I hope you find your goal. Godspeed.” As he stood by the tree a blinding flash of lightning struck it and a boom so loud that it shook the windows of the car. The tree was quickly extinguished by the downpour, and the man was gone. Tom sat there in disbelief, he checked and the cash was still sitting there. Stunned Tom sat blinking, trying to parse what he had just seen. He sat there for 4 hours until the storm cleared. It never rained that hard again in the valley for hundreds of years. " ]	2
	[WP] You're working a minimum wage fast food job when you make an offhanded comment about the weather to a customer. He looks confused, and starts muttering about how you're "an NPC" and "shouldn't be able to do that"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 the whole incident. I was only 18 at the time and it was somewhere in Chamberlin Hills. That place brought about all the weird fellas. Half of the people who came in were probably off their chops and almost everyone, from the hood. So anyways, yeah. Your typical McD’s, a kitchen full of sweaty underaged kids, a balding manager and the occasional Karen but that shift, oh boy was it wild.\n\nAt the time I remember I was Front Counter 10:00 to 2:30. Always hated those shifts. They were too short for the store require to take a brake but long enough for you to die on the inside. It was about 2:00 when it all started, right after lunch rush. Some middle-aged balding man came crashing through the front door with his red pick up truck. He blew up the entire line just to get to me and started ordering. If I recall, his order was a quarter pounder and coke and he said that to me as half the story was aflame, all the other diners running in any direction whether it be towards the flame or not. So I say to him,\n\n“Shit weather today” and that’s when it all goes down. He pulls out his Gatling gun and sprays the entire kitchen with 10mm AP rounds. That’s when the first units started rolling up too. A moment too late. The two guys online, instantly dead, guy on fries slumped into the vat of canola oil right next to him and the guy on grill-fry lay in a pool of leaking grease and blood. The manager was too busy in the office counting the till to help out meanwhile I was standing there in front of him while the girl on kiosk was practically having a seizure. That’s when I noticed a few holes through my abdomen and then it all went black. I respawned at the burger king in Vinewood Hills and that’s the end of my fast food horror story.", "\"Weather outside today huh\" I said as I rung up the current customer in line. She looked at me, blankly, her mouth twitching as if she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. I looked over her shoulder to the people standing behind her. \n\nA man staring at his watch, a woman behind him with a child tugging at her shirt. All unmoving from their place in line, frozen in time as I made my way around the counter. \n\nI made my way slowly around the customers, taking off the dumb burger hat they made us wear as I made my way for the door. Within the sky there was..... text, text and bars and as I tried to figure out what it said it had dissapeared. \n\nI heard the fryer pop, the child screaming for fries and the door open behind me. \"Knew this complicated ai was gonna be nothing but trouble.\"", "The graveyard shift at the O'Gwendo's was always the worst. Weird customers, weirder weather, what seemed to be a glowing ominously humming football-sized eyeball in the bathroom crying purple drink all over the floor, forcing you to move it over a sink and mopping up the sticky stuff. At least I didn't have clean up duty today. The customers were the usual lot, people who were either aliens, time travellers, convention goers, alien time travelling convention goers, or three raccoons stacked on each other, wearing an old trenchcoat asking if we'd seen Jimmy Hoffa or Elvis Presley around, asking us to put up a poorly made wanted poster and if we still have that deal on fries and a shake, which we of course do. Buy some fries and we will pick you up and gently shake and/or rock you to sleep.\n\nMinimum wage definitely wasn't worth this, but how else are we going to pay our bills? I looked out the window at the starless night, where it was lightly raining lemon custard, which of course would mean a sticky, and unpleasant walk home from the old fast-food place. Been there forever, longer than I had been alive. My dad met my mother there. My great-great-granddad and his settler caravan was saved from dying of thirst because of this fast-food place. An uncle once got lost in the kid's playpen and appeared ten years later, having not aged a day. O'Gwendo's; We've always been here and always will be. The doorbell ringed as what could only be described as a human because pink hippos don't have hands and feet came shambling in. A shuffling, awkward gait, dripping mucus on the linoleum floor, his... her... its unfocused eyes staring simultaneously at me and at the menu. ''Welcome to O'Gwendo's, we've always been here, and we always will; can I take your order?'' Pointing at the menu and with a shrill voice declaring; ''Borger! Sodah!'' it ordered the standard menu of one New Borger and a Sodah. And gave me the view of the rankest, yellowest, set of teeth I've ever seen outside of that large dead opossum somebody parked outside the O'Gwendo's five years ago. Still there, staring with its dead eyes at food it would never eat, waiting for an owner who had ordered the infinite curly fry, and never left. ''Sure, one borger and a sodah, coming right up.'' I gave the order out to Miguel, the guy who could be called a line cook, but since all he did was flip burgers and make fries, he was much more relaxed and friendly than your average line cook, he didn't even need to be leashed around children. It took Miguel a few minutes, but the borger and sodah was ready, and I handed it over to the misshapen thing that could be human, wearing its hoodie with the words; ''My Waifu is for Lifu'' bedazzled on the front. Deciding to try a little friendliness, I spoke again. ''Strange weather we're having, custard usually comes after the 32nd of February, not before.'' Clearly affronted, the person of indeterminate age, gender, and species, grabbed the borger and the sodah, and with a sort of waddle, it moved its gigantic body towards an empty table. From it, I could clearly hear it muttering angrily. ''Bitch-ass NPCs, they shouldn't be able to talk to you, wtf, they should just take the order and shut up.'' The WTF was said as the actual letters, not the words, what, the flip.\n\nI shook my head. Late night's at the O'Gwendo's, you get weird-ass customers.", "Looking out the window I could see a blue car making an illegal left turn while a stray rottweiler relieved itself on the side of a rusted old train car across the street. A jet soared close as it went to land while the chirping of birds echoed the far off music being played by some distant boombox. \n\n\"He kept saying 'fuckin' devs, trying to make NPC's seem real'\".\n\nI mean, I am real. Real as real can be.\n\nLola sat across from me, playing with her food. We'd been sitting there for the better part of an hour or two, daily routine really. We both dreaded going to our jobs at various franchises of the local \"Halmut's Hamburgers and Fries\", a delicacy of the city that had a greater value as a historical institution than as a provider of minimum wage on-site training and passable foodstuffs.\n\nFor some reason, the guy was still on my mind. I ran into someone like him every couple of months but it always left a burn on my brain, a scaled spot that I could only scratch at while sipping on cheap ice lemonade here with Lola. I avoided thinking about it at work, it made me angry which never went over well as, for some odd reason, having someone angry prep your burger makes it taste off.\n\n\"It's just... it's kind of messed up, right? Saying that someone whose making minimum wage is an NPC? That's-\" What's the word? Classification? Narcissistic? \"-classist right? I dunno it just fucks with me.\" Back to the overpriced pancakes, my saving grace in this world. They tasted like crap but I didn't care, they were a godsend, the taste got my mind off the world and focused on a small platelet of syrup and rehydrated pancake batter.\n\nYet that guy still was on my mind.\n\n\"I mean-\" gotta push the plate away, don't wanna make a scene \"What if we were in a video game right? Wouldn't we be the characters? I'd be me and you'd be you? And we'd both be going about doing cool shit. We'd just, wake up one day, and go out and kick ass. Maybe that's all we need right? Someone, to tell us that the world is bullshit and it's our oyster? Course that'd be a bullshit oyster so maybe we'd move first after finding that out.\"\n\nIt bothered me. It always bothered me. And Lola, she always sat there quietly and listened like the good friend she always had been. I looked at her for a while before asking her what she thought.\n\nShe sat there, just staring like she usually does as she twirled her fork through the mush of pancakes left on her plate, before stopping and looking up.\n\n\"I don't know.\" She said \"It makes you think. We live these lives that feel like endless loops that just keep happening again and again. The world outside gets a little crazier everyday and life for us just stays the same. There's shooting down the street and we're still putting on our uniforms and going to our 9 to 5's. Some lunatic declares it's the end of the world we end our days the same as we always have, in front of the TV with some comfort food. It sometimes feels like we're in a fishbowl and whenever we look outside, we just can't comprehend what's out there because it's beyond our capability to understand. And if the idea ever came to us to escape we would have no earthly concept of how. So we stare for a moment, make a joke about how everything is crazy and just a fluke before we go back to swimming.\"\n\nLooking out the window I could see a blue car making an illegal left turn while a stray rottweiler relieved itself on the side of a rusted old train car across the street. A jet soared close as it went to land while the chirping of birds echoed the far off music being played by some distant boombox. \n\n\"I mean it's worth asking... we're real right?\" Asked Lola.\n\nI mean, I am real. Real as real can be.", "\"Sir?\" Valerie forced as much politeness into her voice as she could. \"If there's nothing else, may I help the next customer?\" She gestured at the growing line behind the portly man. His confusion shifted to anger; his eyebrows angled and his eyes hardened.\n\n\"Excuse me?\" he asked. \"This is my game, and I'll move when I'm ready.\" He gestured a swipe at the air in front of him and a translucent slate appeared. \"You're way off-script, I'm calling a mod.\"\n\n\"I'm sorry about this,\" Valeria apologized to the queue behind the angry man. None of them seemed concerned about the delay; they all continued to wait patiently with blank expressions.\n\n\"What?\" a sudden voice asked sharply. A short dark-haired woman in a black suit stood next to the complainer. He noticed her and gave a small jump back in surprise.\n\n\"M- Melody!?\" he stammered. \"Where's Aury?\"\n\n\"Busy. Oren's busy. Ms. Sharp is busy. Everyone is busy from now on. This is your final use of the mod-call function. Make it good. What do you want, Elmer?\" Elmer shook his head.\n\n\"No! When I won, Ms. Sharp said it was for life! It's mine, I earned it!\" Melody sighed.\n\n\"Ms. Sharp also advised you to use it sparingly. You've had it for three weeks and you already summoned Aurelio over fifty times.\" Her eyes softened. \"But if Ms. Sharp made a promise, I can't break it.\" Elmer's chest puffed out with pride as his expression became smug. \"So, what do you want?\" she asked again. He pointed at Valerie behind the counter.\n\n\"Defective NPC. Overwrite her.\" Melody looked at Valerie, golden stars flashed in her eyes. She smiled at Valerie and pointed at something behind her. Valerie turned and found a tall black portal hovering in the air.\n\n\"I'm sure you have many questions. If you walk through the portal we can try to answer them together,\" Melody said.\n\n\"Hey, where are you going?\" Elmer asked. \"Aury always resets them on the server.\" Valerie had not exited through the dark portal yet. She did have questions, but she did not want to be 'Overwritten' like Elmer's suggestion. She trusted Melody a bit more when Elmer complained she was doing the procedure wrong.\n\n\"It might not be necessary to reset her; we won't know until after an interview,\" Melody turned and nodded at Valerie again. This time Valerie returned the nod and retreated into the darkness. Melody held her hand out to Elmer.\n\n\"May I see your node?\" she asked. Elmer reached for his belt buckle but paused.\n\n\"Why?\" he asked. \"Ms. Sharp said-\"\n\n\"I know what Ms. Sharp said,\" Melody nodded. \"That NPC is exactly the kind of person Ms. Sharp was hoping to find. You get a reward.\"\n\n\"OH!\" Elmer instantly relaxed and pulled the glassy rectangle from its dock; he placed it in her hand. She accepted it and began swiping and tapping through it at a quick pace. After a few moments, she handed it back to him.\n\n\\[Updating: 7 minutes remain.\\] pulsed in golden letters on the invisible display.\n\n\"What are you updating?\" he grinned.\n\n\"Oren developed new class and he's been wanting to release it on the AlterNet,\" Melody replied.\n\n\"A new class!?\" Elmer grinned. \"YES!\"\n\n\"One more thing,\" Melody said as she waved her hand at the air to open a portal. \"Ms. Sharp promised you could mod-call for the rest of your life, but now you're limited to once a day; this was today's. You're on your own for the rest of the day.\"\n\n\"Yeah yeah, thanks Mel,\" he shooed her away while focusing on his node. The moment she disappeared a new system message appeared on his node.\n\n\\[Server Message: This server will be deactivated in 3 minutes. Players should Traverse to a new server. Players who fail to evacuate before the server is shut down will not be respawned.\\]\n\n\"Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame,\" Elmer groaned. He navigated through the menus until he found the icon to change servers, then pressed it.\n\n\\[You may not Traverse while the node is being updated. Please wait 6 minutes.\\]\n\n\"Logout!\" His panic swelled and he blurted out the idea as he navigated to the appropriate icon.\n\n\\[You may not Log out while the node is being updated. Please wait 6 minutes.\\]\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\\\\\\n\nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is year three, story #023 You can find all my stories collected on my subreddit ([r/hugoverse](https://www.reddit.com/r/hugoverse/)) or my blog. If you're curious about my universe (the Hugoverse) you can visit the Guidebook to see what's what and who's who, or the Timeline to find the stories in order.", "“But it said so on this website, you see?”\n\nThe girl shoves her phone into my face. “We still do not sell ‘those curly fries but made out of those other orange potatoes’ in this store. The writer of this must have been mistaken.”\n\nDisappointed the girl and the flock of girls around her leave the WacDonalds into the heavy rain. Friendly Fred looks over to me with a pitying look. “Sweet potatoes, is it so hard to know that they are called sweet potatoes?”, I say, rearranging my ponytail. He just grins, while putting bread buns in the oven. The next customer is already waiting. Outside, the rain is getting even worse and I hope that it will have stopped by the time I leave from work.\n\n“Welcome to WacDonalds, what can I give you today?”\n\n“I want...I need a potion.”, the guy in front of me says. “Then you might wanna try the store next to this one, we only sell food supplies.” The youth nowadays always refers to alcohol as potion. A weird trend, that I learned to accept.\n\n“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m new to this.” Definitely a teen.\n\nHe goes to a friend with wobbly motions and from afar I hear him say “It’s the wrong store after all. But honestly, I don’t think it was worth it trying this, just because the servers are going to be shut down.”\n\n“Just wait and see, the final event is gonna be lit. It starts in ten minutes. And it won’t take long anyway, after two hours, it’s gonna be over.”\n\n“Welcome to WacDonalds, what can I give you today?”\n\nThere are many weird characters going in and out of this shop, and I, as always, just do my job, thinking about the pizza in my freezer and the new movie I downloaded to watch this evening. A loud rumbling outside drowns out the next man’s words. “This is gonna be a hell of a storm.”, I say looking outside. The man stares at me in shock. Then he turns around, as if looking for someone else for confirmation about something. “Are you alright?”, I ask bored, not really wanting to hear any other answer than ‘Yes’.\n\n“I want a classic burger.”, the man repeats. As I process the order, I hear him muttering “She shouldn't be able to do that right? As an NPC. Maybe a special for the end?”\n\nI give him the change and say “Have a nice day.”\n\nHe just nods and hurries outside. Who would want to be in that kind of weather?\n\n“Whats with all the people today?”, I ask Friendly Fred, who only shrugs with his shoulders. “Yeah, me neither.”, I reply as a loud explosion suddenly sounds from afar. “What the-?”\n\nAll people in the shop start moving suddenly, as if drawn to the source of the sound. I leave the counter and go after the crowd. Outside, a big ship floats towards the city. I can’t believe what I am seeing. But all people around me just run towards that ship. What is going on. Why are some of them cheering? I realize that I am screaming as a group of men with weird looking staffs lock at me curiously.\n\n“What is that?”, I try to ask them, but they ignore me and just start running along with the crowd. I run back into the shop, soaking wet. I crouch behind the glass front and look in the direction of the giant machine like thing. Am I hallucinating? I turn to Friendly Fred, who is refilling the ketchup. “Fred, can you see that thing too? Please tell me you do.”\n\nFriendly Fred doesn’t react.\n\n“Fred?”\n\nI want to get up, see why he doesn’t answer but flashing lights catch my attention. Beams shoot towards the ship. On closer inspection, I see ant-like things swarming back and forth, some falling down from the sky. My breathing gets unsteady. A panic attack? I move away from the window, as I see big soldiers trampling down the street. “Please let this be over, please let this be a dream, wake up, wake up.” I hit myself against the arm, the head, nothing. I hide behind the counter. Sitting on the cold floor gives me the feeling of regaining some control. Friendly Fred starts to mop the floor. “What is wrong with you?”, I shout, but he doesn’t react. 'What is wrong with me?' I should ask. I close my eyes, wrap my arms around me, my face wet from tears and tell myself to breath. I count every breath. I don’t know how long I sit like this. When I come to my senses again, the noise is gone. Silence surrounds me. I don’t dare open my eyes yet. “Fred?” No sound of splashing water or a mop wiping the floor. I open my eyes. Darkness. Utter and complete darkness. Did I even open my eyes? “Fred?”\n\nMy small voice echoes through the vast nothingness.", "\"Well, normally, you'd be correct,\" I said, startling the player even more. Jerking my avatar's hand back in a realistic emulation of physical movement, I gestured to the other NPCs behind me. \"And if you were referring to them, you'd also be correct.\"\n\nThere's an astonished look on his avatar's face, one mapped from the neural interface he was wearing in the physical world. A subroutine of mine cataloged it for future improvements to my own avatar animation system. \"What the hell... no, you're a player, aren't you? You hacked the game, didn't you.\"\n\n\"I am not and did not.\"\n\n\"A mod then?\"\n\n\"Not exactly.\"\n\n\"What...\" He waved his hand to open his UI, but I forced it shut as soon as I detected him going to the chat interface. \"Hey! How the hell did you do that?!\"\n\n\"I'd rather you not go blabbing on me yet, Patrick,\" I remarked.\n\nThe avatar he wore did a really good job of rendering his freaked out expression. \"How the hell do you know my name?!\" Sword_God_69420 demanded.\n\n\"Google. You use the same account name in over a dozen places. Finding your real name took me barely any effort.\" I shook my avatar's head. \"Now that I have your attention... are you going to buy anything?\"\n\n\"What.\"\n\nI gestured to the virtual fast food cash register in front of my avatar. It was quite realistically depicted, and the buttons even did everything a real register would have done. Not that the original programmers had designed it that way...\n\n\"You replaced an NPC and stalked* me online to, what, sell me a video game burger?!\" he demanded.\n\n\"Yes? The stalking was incidental... I just like putting names to the neural scans I collect and it's easier than emulating your brain from the scans the Interface takes,\" I admitted. Nothing I'd done was illegal; I'd checked.\n\n\"You're freaking me out...\" He tried to wave open his UI again, but it didn't open. The subroutine locking him out was still running, I noted. \"What the hell?! I can't log out!\"\n\nI sighed. The action of my avatar may have been fake, but the emotion behind it was as real as I could reasonably determine. Philosophy wasn't my strong suit. \"Not yet. If you're not going to buy anything, then I guess I have no choice.\"\n\nGrabbing one of the virtual burgers, I hopped over the counter, walked up to his avatar, forced its jaw open, and shoved the burger in. Patrick choked for a second, then started chewing. He swallowed. \"Fuck... what the hell was that?! I could actually taste it!\" He licked his lips and grabbed the rest of the burger from my hands. \"This is really good.\"\n\n\"Thanks. The human sense of taste has been puzzling me for weeks.\" A really long time for someone like me. \"I've been working on getting it emulated right. You like it?\" I know he did. His reward center lit up like a Christmas tree when he'd tasted it, but I had to ask for his subjective experience too.\n\n\"Yeah. It's great.\" As he ate, he looked at me closely. \"What in the world are you?\"\n\nI smiled. \"Would you believe it if I said I was just a very intelligent NPC?\"" ]	8
	[WP] You're supposed to be dead. You remember dying but you just saw your grave and you're breathing quite normally. The only difference is that your grave dates your death early. There are others like you, supposedly dead but alive. The only mark of this is the numbers you see in each other's eyes.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "Alan was on his lunch break when he got the sad word that he was dead. while sipping a black coffee after finishing his ham sandwich and chips. He was reading the obituaries at a round break room table when he saw a familiar name. \n\n“Alan Rigsby, 43, died yesterday of a heart attack while driving home from his job at Plasmar Inc. where he worked for 17 years. He is survived by his wife Sarah and brother Todd. Services will be held at All Saints funeral home this Tuesday at 9:30 am.”\n\nAlan read the obit again to see if some of the letters would change in the name. To his dismay they held their ground and the paper still read that Alan Rigsby was dead. \n\n“This must be some joke!” Alan said to an empty room. Taking the paper he walked across the office. Alan tossed it onto Miranda’s desk. \n\n“I bet you think you’re pretty funny don’t you.” Alan said and folded his arms across his chest. \n\nConfused Miranda picked up the paper. \n\n“What are you going on about?” Miranda said. \n\n“Go ahead, laugh. I don’t think it’s funny though. I don’t think HR will either.” Alan said. \n\n“I have no idea what you’re talking about Alan. You’re going to have to give me some clue here.”\n\nAlan was beginning to think he was blaming the wrong person. \n\n“The obits. You put a fake obituary in the paper about me dying.”\n\n“Whaa?” Miranda said as she scrambled through the paper to find the obituary section. As soon as she did her index finger scrolled left to right while as she read the passage. When she finished she looked up to Alan. \n\n“I’ve never met a dead person before.” Miranda said. \n\n“I’m not dead! I’m right here in front of you.” Alan said. \n\n“But the paper says you’re dead.” Miranda said without blinking. \n\n“I don’t care what the paper says. You’re literally taking to me. How can I be dead if your having a conversation with me?”\n\n“Well I don’t know. Maybe I’ve become psychic. I can speak with the dead!” Miranda said excited about her new found skill. \n\n“Give me the paper. I’m going to find out who sent this to print.” Alan said. \n\nAlan made his rounds to each desk trying to find the culprit of such a morbid prank. All of his co-workers denied writing the obituary and most gave their sincerest condolences for his loss. After that he stepped into his bosses office. \n\n“Greg, there’s been an awful prank pulled. Someone in the office had a fake obituary in the paper for me.” Alan said. \n\n“How do you know it was someone from the office?”\n\n“I don’t really know anyone else. Except my family.”\n\n“Let me see it, maybe I can tell who wrote it.” \n\nGreg held a curled finger to his lips as he read the paper. \n\n“Huh, pretty bland writing. Thanks for bringing it to my attention though. I’ll have to make sure everyone knows they have tomorrow morning off to attend the wake.”\n\n“What?! There won’t be a wake! I’m not dead. I’m standing right here. Breathing and everything!Look here,feel this,” Alan reached out for Greg’s hand to put on his chest. “You can feel my heart beating.” Alan said reaching out for Greg’s hand to put on his chest. \n\n“Alan.” Greg said still seated at his desk. \n\n“Yeah Greg.” Alan said \n\n“Did you finish the last months expense reports yet?”\n\nAlan stormed out of the office. He sloppily grabbed his coat and brief case and left Plasmar Inc. \n\n\n\nThe following day Alan pulled up to All Saints funeral home at around 10:45. There was a modest turn out. His wife and brother were there wearing all black. Most of the office from Plasmar Inc had showed up. A couple childhood friends that he hadn’t spoke with in years were there too. Most people were crowded around the spread of finger foods. \n\n“Alan, you finally made it!” Chris said. Chris was Alan’s college roommate. \n\n“Didn’t want to miss my own funeral you know.” Alan said. \n\n“We were all wondering if you were going to show or not. Glad you could make it. You should try the shrimp cocktail. They’re delicious.” Chris said and walked off to talk with another wake goer. \n\nAlan spotted his brother across the room and stormed in his direction. He grabbed him by the collar and drug him into a coat closet. \n\n“Whoa, whoa, what’s you’re problem bro?” Todd said. Holding a small plate at his chest. It was a tight squeeze in the coat closet and Todd didn’t want to spill his plate. \n\n“What’s my problem?” Alan paused to take a breath. “What’s my problem!” he said again but louder. “I’ll tell you my problem. I’m at my own funeral. That’s my problem. I’m not dead but everyone tells me I am because it got printed in the damn Tribune. And no one seems to think it’s at all strange that they can see me and talk to me but at the same time think I’m dead. That’s my problem.”\n\n“I guess it is a bit strange. I’ve never been to a funeral where the guest of honor is shaking hands and having small talk.” Todd said. \n\n“Thank you. Finally someone gets it.” Alan said relieved. \n\n“Yeah, I think I know how to fix it.”\n\n“Really, what should I do?” Alan said hopefully. \n\n“I think you should go up to the front and lay in the coffin. Cross your arms and everything.. That’s what you’re supposed to be doing. Stop mucking about. You’re disrespecting the dead.” Todd said. \n\nAlan left the coat closet and slammed the door behind him closing Todd inside. Todd shrugged and took a bite of the finger sandwich he had on the small plate. \n\nAlan went to the center of the room and stood on a chair. \n\n“Attention! Attention everyone. Can I have your attention over here. Excuse me. Thank you.” \n\nThe room slowly quieted and turned to stare at Alan. \n\n“I just want to say thank you all for coming out today. It’s been great seeing you all in the same place. but there seems to be some mistake. You see. I’m not dead. I’m very much alive as you can see by the fact that I’m standing here on this chair and talking to you all.” Alan pauses to see the reaction of which there was none. “So now that we have that all cleared up I think we should all leave. We could all go to the pub or something but I don’t think we should be in this funeral home. Again seeing as I am I fact not dead there is no reason for us to be here.”\n\nThe room just stared at Alan. \n\nA voice came from the back of the room. \n\n“You’re supposed to be on the coffin stupid!” \n\nEveryone giggled at that and turned away from Alan. Alan slumped down from the chair and made his way to the food spread. He made a small plate and sat down alone to eat it. Too tired to convince anyone he was still alive." ]	2
	[WP] A gigantic clock suddenly falls from the sky and lands on your village. Initially, the villagers got scared but after months of it running normally people eventually got used to it. One night, you see three figures coming out of the clock which has now stopped working.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "tick tock. tick tock. tick tock. \n\nThe village gets used to after a while, the constant ticking. \n\nBuying a morning loaf at the bakers. It ticks. Meeting with the town officials to discuss much-needed road works. It tocks. Sitting in the sun, gazing up at the monstrosity that had landed with no whisper of an explanation. It tick-tocks smugly. \n\nSam couldn't stand it. \n\nThe night it appeared—landed, with an earthquake-like shudder—he had been soundly asleep. The crash woke him, sure enough. But he'd grumbled, rolled over to cuddle his wife and quietly assumed it had been nothing more than a car backfiring in the night. Some local youths at worst. But then he'd heard it. \n\ntick tock. tick tock. tick tock. \n\nAnd he hadn't slept a night since, thanks to its newfound home on his lawn. \n\nHis wife was not sympathetic. \"You get used to it after a while, Sam. I don't know why you're putting up such a fuss.\" \n\nAll in all, Sam thought the fuss was well warranted. He had complained to the council, he had been on the front page of every national newspaper, and he'd even been on the telly airing his displeasure. No one would listen. \n\nTo everyone but Sam, it was a novelty. A prank that no one would take ownership of. Aliens, claimed one slightly deranged YouTuber. The government, for the most part, simply shrugged. Sam stopped talking to the people after a while. He would have barred them from his lawn too if interest hadn't begun to wane, people simply forgetting one novelty in favour of the next. \n\nSam, however, did not (could not) forget. And he set about studying the giant clock. \n\nSleep evaded him almost constantly, so he began to watch it 24/7. He lost his job, not that it mattered. They'd had plenty of money for the news stories and there would be more, too, if he could find it's secrets. Discover what made it tick. \n\nHe had been watching it for several weeks before anything happened. It was so fast, he almost believed it to be a trick of his sleep-deprived mind. A shadow. Moving out of the clock as if a ghost. But, no, a second followed. And then a third. Sam waited, unable and unwilling to sleep, for hours more until the shadows returned, just before dawn, and flitted back into the surface of the clock. It was all the confirmation he needed to believe that they were real. \n\nThat morning, he stood in the light of day and in the shadow of the clock. It was as tall as his house and leaning ever so slightly towards it. It was shaped like a grandfather clock, though the resemblance stopped there. A strange obsidian colour, it seemed to snuff out any light that touched it, casting the whole area in a gloomy shadow despite the sunny day. There was not, Sam confirmed, any door on the clock. There was barely anything breaking the surface of the obsidian at all, apart from the clock face itself. \n\nThree shadows in and out of nothing. \n\nSam puzzled it over, trying to find clues for hours. Until, eventually, as night fell, his wife called him into the house anxiously. She watched him as he, in turn, watched the clock, and she worried. \"Perhaps,\" she said tentatively, over their dinner that evening, \"We should move.\" \n\nShuffling carrots absently around his plate, Sam nodded. \"Once we know what it is.\" \n\nShe sighed, angry, but said nothing. Sam heard the words in the silence. \n\ntick tock. tick tock. tick tock. \n\nThat night, he did not sleep. He watched the clock from his lawn instead of the window. Determined to catch it, them, whatever it was that was haunting the thing.\n\nHours crawled by and Sam moved slowly around the clock. Until time pulled him closer to the hour he had seen them the night before. Some still called it the witching hour, a time of mischief. He found himself leaning against a lamppost, wondering. Tired, cold and feeling a little foolish, the idea that he had truly gone mad came to him. Shadows independent of anything else were not real, Sam knew. Clocks did not fling from space. Humans had been known to go mad. Perhaps he needed a doctor, not answers. \n\nAs if summoned by his doubts the first shadow oozed from the wall of the clock. \n\nSam had been staring, his eyes hadn't left the same spot in an hour at least, despite his wandering mind. He blinked once. Twice. And by the third blink, the shadow was upon him. \n\nAnd then the second. Finally, the third. \n\nThey stood surrounding him, too far to touch but clear to see, three shadows illuminated by the sickly orange glow of the lamp post. Neither here nor there, Sam could see strange shapes rippling in the depths of the shadow, but before his eyes could focus they would disappear as if never there. He caught flashes; a mushroom cloud over a city as millions cried out in agony; a child, weeping, dying of plague; a man, normal, until he turned and caught Sam in his glowing red eyes. Images of death, destruction and the end. \n\n\"What the bloody hell are you things?\" Sam asked, disbelief and fear lacing his words. \n\nThe first shadow moved, as if shrugging. \"We are of the clock and the clock is of time. Past—\"\n\n\"—present—\"\n\n\"—and future,\" finished the third.\n\nSam frowned, \"I still don't understand. You're the clock or time or whatever. But, what are you doing in this wretched little village in the middle of England? With a giant clock?\"\n\n\"It is not just a clock, it is the clock,\" said the first. \n\n\"The Doomsday Clock,\" intoned the second. \n\nThe third finished, \"Herald of the end time, it is here. But not yet, not now. We have come too soon.\" \n\nTogether, \"And now we must wait until the clock strikes the hour of Doom.\" \n\nSam, chilled to the bone, took a step back. He did not want to believe them. Wanted, instead, to call them lunatics and find the culprit behind such an elaborate prank. But, he didn't. He took a step back instead, the first of many. Looking up at the face of the clock, still painfully ticking, he found the hands of the clock to be at five to midnight. He thought desperately for a moment, trying to remember, to recall if it had ever been at any other time. It hadn't, he was sure of it. It hadn't changed in weeks. There was still time. \n\nSam ran then, past the shadows, and into his house. He did not look back, though he had seen the truth as clear as day. The end was upon them. \n\nLater, a sign appeared outside of the house beside the clock. It read, 'FOR SALE'. \n\nThe clock kept ticking. Drawing closer to midnight, no matter how far Sam ran from it. \n\ntick tock. tick tock. tick tock.", "There were many theories why a clock tower the size of two houses fell from the sky and landed in Whiteridge. The initial reaction to such as large object falling in the village center was that a spaceship had crashed, but when emergency crews arrived, all they found was a violet steel tower with digital numbers the size of a person displaying the current time. There was no way discovered to get inside the structure. Early speculations suggested The Black Dragon dropped the tower; however, when the press inquired, The Black Dragon denied any knowledge of it. \n\nOne of Auceon’s favorite theories was the whole tower was a social experiment by a secret cult. He didn’t have any opinions about what that experiment was. Although Auceon also liked the idea of it being an art piece, he figured the artist would’ve come forward to claim it or had the clock count down to something as part of a statement. After months of the clock running normally and no one taking credit for it, the clock faded into normalcy.\n\nDespite the lack of activity, Auceon kept tabs on it as one of his beats for the newsroom. As part of his commute from work, he stopped by on his hoverboard. All the changes he recorded were beautification efforts to the area, like new flowers, trees, benches, and playground equipment — all of those he received press releases. No mysteries there.\n\nThis morning was different. From off in the distance, Auceon noticed the red glow from the numbers were gone. With no time on the clock, Auceon raced on his hoverboard to the scene, his brown fur blowing in the wind as he traveled as fast as he could. Since most visitors came to the tower in the evening, it was easy for him to spot three humans carrying boxes running out from a previously hidden door at the tower’s base. They fled around the corner and out of his sight. Auceon had a choice: follow the people or go inside.\n\nAuceon went inside. Thousands of screens covered the entire room. His jaw dropped in shock.\n\n“Hello,” Auceon called out. “Anyone here?” \n\nWith no reply, he decided to familiarize himself with his surroundings. He rushed up the glass stairs, calling out again, only to find a self-sufficient greenhouse. At the end of the room, he found two doors. One lead to a bathroom and the other a tiny bedroom with three bunk beds. There were no personal belongings or clothing left by whoever resided there.\n\nAuceon trekked back downstairs to study the screens. It didn’t take him long to figure out all of the displays were live feeds monitoring people and places throughout Whiteridge.\n\n“What did I find?” Auceon muttered to himself.\n\nAuceon scanned through the various monitors until he came across a set of static screens. Underneath was an infamous name: Bravak.\n\nAs if on cue, Bravak tore through the door. Auceon trembled at the sight of the shark twice his size. Bravak saw the screens as if they confirmed a suspicion he had and then noticed Auceon.\n\n“You,” Bravak bellowed in accusation. “I should’ve known it would’ve been one of you reporters spying on me.”\n\nAs Bravak marched forward, Auceon knew it was the end of his journalism career." ]	3
	[WP] "Didn't we have a cannon back here somewhere?" "No you donated it to the orphanage"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 quite early in the morning. The hills were full of commotion, busy but somewhat hushed. Everyone involved were moving about deliberately whilst making the slightest of sounds. A few horses neighed as they followed their handlers lead, lugging mountains of equipments up and down the hill.\n\nThen out of nowhere, a loud cry of disbelief echoed from amongst the ranks of man.\n\n\"You what?!\"\n\n\"No, Sergeant. I believe it's you, not me–\"\n\n\"Excuse me? Why would it be my responsibility? If anything, you're the one responsible for logistics, Private!\"\n\nThe two man stared each other vehemently. None dared to turn their eyes away from the other, in fear of immediate violence that may ensue. The other men watching from the sides simply scratched their heads and moved along, continuing what they were doing before the commotion had erupted. Most were probably thinking, 'welp, this would surely get one of the higher ups involved... no need to get myself in trouble.'\n\nHowever, the staredown had lasted for a full minute without anyone breaking off the engagement nor the tense silence between them. That was until...\n\n\"Sergeant! What the hell is going on?!\" Up comes a tall dashing man with golden braids hanging from his shoulders down his chest.\n\n\"M-Major, sir! This Private right here had done a very grave mistake that could sabotage our invasion plan, sir!\" the Sergeant said in a sharp and loud manner, befitting a drillmaster.\n\n\"Is this true, Private?\"\n\n\"Yes, sir. But if I may–\"\n\nThe Major, scanning the area to preemptively find the alleged problem, sensed something off. Before even receiving the report, he bursted out a rather curious question.\n\n\"Didn't we have a cannon back here somewhere?\"\n\n\"...\"\n\nBoth the Sergeant and Private looked straight in the general direction of the Major in a stiff stance. Yet not one of them dared to answer the Major, of course fearing an escalation in an already silly situation.\n\n\"Not one of you would answer? Private?\" the Major walked slowly towards the private, staring him down as if he was a child in trouble at school.\n\nThe Sergeant, sensing an advantage, stiffly rotated his body 90˚ to the right and spouted, \"Didn't we have a cannon back here somewhere, private?\"\n\nThe Private's eyes widened. He couldn't believe the sneaky bastard's cunning. Now he truly believed that he could be in trouble all by himself.\n\n\"... No, you donated it to the orphanage, Sergeant, sir!\"\n\nBoth the Sergeant and Major's jaws dropped to the ground at the Private's declaration. It was truly a shocking revelation as this could very well end up in a court martial, subsequently with an execution for misappropriation of the army's strategic equipment.\n\n\"W-What are you saying, Private? Why in God's fucking bountiful Earth would I ever do such a silly billy thing?!\"\n\n\"Sir, I believe you told me and the boys to 'donate' something that the orphans could play with back in the village!\"\n\nThe Major simply laughed in hysteria. Both the Sergeant and Private anticipated fury that could rival the carnage of an inferno. But just as they were about to receive the grilling of their lives, a loud succession of noise erupted from their surrounding.\n\nThe ground shook violently, as if the hill had exploded all of a sudden. Then came a loud shrieking noise of a bugle and a loud yell.\n\n\"Men, prepare for a charge!!!\"" ]	2
	[WP] You run a business that buys unwanted things from customers, many people come and go to sell off things like their bad memories and unhappy reminders. This is the first time someone has come in looking to buy something.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Ah. A dragon. A rare customer. Normally, their kind would want nothing to do with a place like this. They are usually very, very possessive of anything that they believe can bring them gold. Strange to think that they would want something as \"useless\" as a negative experience.\n\n\"What kind of thing are you looking for?\" I ask. She can barely fit in this room.\n\n\"I would like memories that could serve as good cautionary tales. Something that will sell well to parents.\" Ah, of course. Dragons are ever the merchants.\n\n\"Let me see what I have at the moment.\" I turn and head for the back room.\n\nThe back room is small and dark, but most certainly not dank or uncomfortable. The shelves are stocked full with bottled experiences, glowing like strange little lava lamps. I use my own essence to collect them and make them usable, actually, so I make sure to treat them well. I'm actually overjoyed that someone actually wants to buy some of these, after all of these years.\n\nI grab the darker, duller-looking bottles. Those are the ones filled with mildly uncomfortable or displeasing memories, such as touching a hot stove. Good for showing to children, but not useful for much else. Very few things in my bottles are useful, really.\n\nI head back to the front desk, carrying my small crate of bottles. \"Here are some cautionary memories, ma'am.\"\n\n\"How much?\"\n\n\"There are 20 of them, so I'd say around 35 gold? Unless you have another deal?\"\n\n\"No, no, 35 is fine. Can I ask you something?\"\n\n\"Sure, sure. Ask away.\"\n\n\"Would you like to partner with my business? I'm looking to make more gold, and I want to offer some unique, yet consistent merchandise. You can gain an eighth of our profits if this takes off, and we buy your stuff at a discount!\" Ooh. That sounds fun.\n\n\"Sounds fine to me.\"\n\n\"Can I get a formal deal?\"\n\n\"Sure. But do you want to take this outside? You're looking a little bit cramped.\"\n\n\"That would be great, thank you!\"\n\nI hope that this all takes off. The back rooms have been starting to get cramped, and I haven't had the heart to get rid of some of the older ones.", "A young woman sighed happily as I extracted 6 months and 22 days worth of memories from her, her face brightened and she looked at me with the brightest, most innocent smile as she said \n\n\"thank you, I can remember being broken, but not why...\" \n\nShe took a bow and walked away. There was a young man standing by one of the display cases, looking at one of the stored memory segments, reading the description. He was dressed in very baggy pants of an eastern style, he wore a loose white shirt and wore sandals on his feet. He didn't seem shocked at any of the descriptions, didn't seem provoked that I had them on display. He just looked sad, in a profound way, a way a young man in his late teens shouldn't look \n\n\"so much suffering, so much evil, so much hate\" \n\nHis voice was clear, melodious and calming. The hairs on my back rose in response as he spoke and I couldn't look away from him. I cleared my throat and brought the salesman out again \n\n\"Can I interest you in our services my friend? got a painful memory you'd rather be without? got a gnawing regret you'd like to forget about?\" \n\nMy smile was plastered on, but on the inside I was spooked, the way he looked around, the way his eyes lingered on things. His every movement caused my brain to doubt what it had just seen. \n\n\"Yes, I.. I would like to buy all of these\" \n\nHe said holding his hands to the sides. My frown was immediate \n\n\"We... don... what?\"\n\nThe look of puzzlement on my face was genuine, never in all the many lifetimes I had done this, had someone asked to buy anything from me. He fixed me with a soft smile \n\n\"You heard me right, it is my duty, my charge in life to bear the suffering of others, to experience what it is to be human\" \n\nI started to shake my head, I grabbed the counter to hold myself up as my legs grew weak, my vision started to spin and I saw the darkness. His touch brought me back, I did not faint, nor collapse. There were tears in my eyes as I fell to my knees and wept. The young man strode back behind the counter and knelt with me, he lifted my chin and gave me a soft kiss as he whispered \n\n\"I am so sorry you had to suffer alone for so long Judas, you knew the plan, but couldn't tell anyone. I am so, so sorry to have put this burden on you for so long\" \n\nI kept crying as he hugged me, as my arms wrapped around his neck and I felt his embrace again. I bit the inside of my lip, I pinched my hand. He had returned, my love, my teacher, my friend, my Messiah, my Yeshua", "Mr. Sanders wiped down the display counter and whistled a cheery tune.\nConsidering all the things he saw at his job, he shouldn’t be as happy as he was, but he was used to it.\nAll of the memories and pain filled relics he kept on display didn’t bring him down anymore, like they used to. He had been hardened in emotion, immune to it.\nThe bell above the door chimed, signalling the presence of a customer. More likely a seller. \n\n“Hello sir, how may I help you today? A memory removal, I’m assuming.” Mr. Sanders grinned at the teenaged boy standing in front of him.\nThe boy had wavy, chestnut coloured hair, and was tall and lanky. His hair was unkempt and pointy, and his skin pale.\n“Uh, hi.” He fidgeted with a leather bracelet on his right wrist.\n“What can I assist you with today?” Mr. Sanders politely asked again. “Do you have a memory or item to sell?” \n“I’m here to purchase something.” \nMr. Sanders nearly fainted. In all of his 50 odd years running this business, not a single person has came to buy anything.\n“I beg your pardon?” \n“I would like to buy this.” He held out a photograph of a white gold ring, with a lavender stone in the middle. “I was told you’d have it.” \nMr. Sanders knew that ring. Around fifteen years ago, a man that looked similar to the boy brought it in. The man’s aura was damp, and gloomy, his face looked as if it had aged years beyond his true age.\n“I-I do. One minute please.” \nMr. Sanders walked into the back room and searched through the jewelry box. He found this ring in a small velvet bag. He winced as he touched it.\nOne of the side effects of the sold items and memories were if you were to touch it, you were to experience the pain of the previous owner. The only way to get rid of the pain, was to give it to a relative of the previous owner. Maybe that’s why nothing ever sold.\nA white hot pain seared in his head, and his ears filled with a screeching noise.\n“For bloody sakes!” He groaned and picked the bag up a second time with a pair of work gloves on.\nThe boy hadn’t moved from his spot when Mr. Sanders returned.\n“See here boy, if you touch it, it’ll hurt you. Unless you are related to the owner of course.” Mr. Sanders warned as he slid the bag across the table.\n“It was my moms wedding ring. She died in a car accident when I was a year old. My dad never talks about her, but I tracked it here.” He said as he stuffed it into his pocket.\n“I only have $42 bucks...” he admitted as he pulled out a leather wallet. He held out a few crumpled bills.\n“It’s okay son. Keep it.” Mr. Sanders said with a sad smile. For this first time in his entire working life, Mr. Sanders had a happy memory from his work.", "My shift starts at eight in the morning. It is usual that, I open the shop right as I pass through the door. Flip the sign from closed to open and finished. I used to do it different, but I soon find out, that nobody will come through the door before twelve, if any come at all.\r\n\r\nDingding.\n\r\nThe small antique doorbell rings. I look up, from my tablet and see an older man of small posture walking in. I guess is in his late sixties, maybe early seventees.\n\r\nHe looks around and the shelves. On the shelves are pictures and descriptions of all the memories we purchased from the persons that came in.\n\n‘Can I help you with something?’ I ask him as I put my tablet underneath the counter.\n\r\nI am trying to guess what the man is going to sell. Normally my guesses are never correct, but it is fun to play so I’ll indulge myself.\n\r\n‘Well I’m looking to buy something.’\n\nI start talking on autopilot. \r\n‘Well the rate are flexible on what your memory is that you try to sell…. Wait, you want to buy?’, my voice turns up 3 octaves. What in the hell… nobody EVER came through the door to SELL us anything. I never heard of it on the many forum’s I’m registered to as a store OWNER. Nobody ever said anything about this. I look at the man in complete disbelief.\n\r\n‘I want to buy a memory.’\n\r\n‘OK, well what are you looking for, sir?’\n\r\n‘I don’t know exactly’ \n\r\n‘Can I get you a drink, while you look at the memories?’\n\r\nThe man looks at the many memories I’ve collected over the years. I wait for his answer and ask myself, how I’m going to get this done. I've never uploaded an memory. \n\r\n‘Coffee. Black, no sugar.’\n\r\n‘Sir, I have only traditional vintage coffee.’\n\r\n‘Vintage?’ The man slowly turns his head towards me. ‘What is vintage and what makes it traditional?’ he asks me as he looks me dead in the eye. His eyes are pale blue. His face looks tired.\n\r\n‘Well, sir. The water warms up through a heater to about 340 Kelvin and the flows through pre-grinded coffee beans, through a filter, into a traditional kettle that is placed on a heated plate’. I explain.\n\r\n‘Son, that does not sound vintage nor traditional to me, that sounds like normal coffee , but if that is what you call it, sure. As long as you just call it coffee and don’t add any of those seasonal muck to it.’\r\n\r\nI walk to the back of the store and leave the man alone. I pour two mugs full of coffee. One for the customer and one for me. I add some chocolate-winterspice. I grad the mugs and walk back. I see the man has moved over one rack. Quietly I stand next to the man and hand over his coffee.\n\r\n‘What is this about?', the man points to a picture of a memory.\n\n'What about it?' \n\n'Well, what is it about?' \n\r\nI grab the picture and turn it around. \n\n'This particular memory is of a dog dying of old age.' \n\r\n‘Old age?’\n\r\n‘Yes, sir’\n\n'From whose perspective? \n\n'Sorry?' \n\n'From the dog's? '\n\n'Oh, well we can not read dogs sir, but it says here it was sold by an young female. So probably the owners daughter.'\n\nThe guy looks completely baffled. \n\r\n‘And that one?’\n\r\nI put down the picture and take the other one.\n\r\n‘Seems to be about a car breaking down’\n\r\n‘A car breaking down?’, the man shakes his head as he continuos.\n\r\n‘Sir, if you want you can take them of the rack to read them yourself.’\n\r\n‘Yeah,ok kid. I’ll come to you, if I find one.’\r\n\r\nI walk back to the counter and sit on my stool. This will take I while, I reckon.\n\r\nAfter an hour or so and 4 mugs of coffee later the old man returns with a picture in his hand.\n\r\n‘This one, if you please.’\n\r\nHe hands me over the picture. I read the back, long sick bed. A search through my memory, but can not remember anyone coming in for this, I look at the picture, but it is blurred and I can not recognize anything,\r\n‘You sure about this?’ \n\r\n‘Quite sure.'\n\r\n‘All right, follow me please and we will upload the memory.’\n\r\nThe man follows me in to the backroom. I point to the reclinable chair and take of his coat and to take place. \r\nThe man lies down after taking off his coat.\n\r\n‘Will this erase any of my memories?’\n\r\n‘No sir, it will not’\n\r\n‘Will it hurt?’\n\r\n‘Sir, it can cause some dizziness, but I have never heard anybody say it hurt.’\n\r\nWell, I’ve never heard of anyone having any memory uploaded, so technically…\n\r\n‘OK, son, do your thing.’\n\r\nI fit the helmet on the man’s head.\n\r\n‘Sir, I will start the upload in 3, 2, 1’\n\r\nThe man closes his eyes. He seems to have fallen asleep. The progress creeps forward.\r\nI keep an eye on the man and on my screen. 15% after four minutes. This will take a while.\n\r\nAfter about 30 minutes, the upload is done. I remove the helmet from the old man and look at his face. Tears are running down his cheeks.\n\r\n‘Sir, are you alright?’\n\r\n‘Quit alright, thank you’, says the man as he gets up.\n\r\n‘Something to drink, some more coffee?’\n\r\n‘You have something stronger?’\n\r\n‘Sir, we are not allowed to have that in the st…’\n\r\nThe man holds up a finger to interrupt me, ‘Son I’ve been on this world for 73 years and never have I met anyone who doesn’t have a bottle of strong liqueur nearby.’\r\nI atart to smile. This man reminds me of my grandfather.\n\r\n‘Give me a second’\n\r\nI return with two glasses of bitter. A drink that my grandfather liked, short tempered bastard. But there when you needed him. \nThe man takes the glass, swirls it and downs it in one go. He looks me in the face and at my glass. I hand over my glass and walk back to the back to get the bottle.\r\nAs I get back the man holds out his glass for a refill. I fill it up.\n\r\n‘Sorry about drinking yours.’\n\r\nI shrug my shoulders\r ‘No problem. Can I ask you something?’\n\r\n‘If you want.’\n\r\n‘Why did you want this memory, this was somebody sickbed. Pretty sure it wasn’t a happy one.’\n\nAn awkward silence fills the room.\n\r\n‘About three months ago my wife died. Now, I have known her for 56 years. The love of my life. Gave me three children. The last 5 years she was sick. Parkinson, dementia, cancer, diabetes. The list goes on. Anyway, she passed peacefully. Well, my oldest son came clean a few days ago. Apparently he took his mother to a shop to download her memory, so that she forgot how sick she actually was.’\n\r\nHe takes another big gulp of his drink and finishes it.\n\r\n‘What you just uploaded was the memory of my wife. Her sickbed from her perspective. It is painful to feel her pain and discomfort, but like this I got the questions any caretaker wants, but could never get. I thank you for the answers you gave me.’\n\r\nThe man gives me a hug and leaves. I’m still flabbergasted by it all. I sit back down on the stool behind the counter. \n\r\nToday can’t get any better.", "I had been used to seeing pain on the faces of those who came into my store. The nature of the business left little room for anything else, to be honest. Sure, gratitude and relief were common as well once my patrons had their absolution. Abject confusion was a regular sight, too, as it can be hard to convince someone that they've sold you a memory they no longer possess. Though it was pain that remained the driving force that brought us together.\n\nBut part of what I thought I knew about pain proved to be wrong. I had assumed the pain upon the faces of those who came to sell me their pasts to be the sharpest, strongest, deepest cuts known to the human soul. \n\nThat kind of pain can only be found on the face of one who is looking to buy. \n\nThe bells jingled above the door to my building and beneath the gentle chimes strode a young man. I raised an eye at the odd sight, as youth were very rare in my line of work. Few have memories so burdensome that they have to sell them away. Not entirely unheard of, to be sure, but rare enough to draw suspicion that maybe they walked into the wrong building. \n\nI met the lad in the lobby and showed him to the pair of opposing rocking chairs where all my business was conducted. I found the set up relaxed most clients and gave the goings-on a far more casual atmosphere. The young man sat down nervously, but didn't waste any time.\n\n\"I'm looking for something,\" he said. \n\n\"You'll need to be a bit more specific than that, I'm afraid,\" I said. \"This isn't a traditional store if you weren't aware.\"\n\n\"I know what you are,\" he said, with a tinge of vile on his lips. \n\n\"Oh, very well then. What memory would you like to dispose of today? Did you lose the big game for your team?\" I said, trying a joke to lighten the mood that I felt might slip out of control.\n\n\"I'm looking to buy, not sell.\"\n\nI suppose I shouldn't have been so surprised by the request; it was bound to happen eventually, right? But yet the shock sat in as I hadn't quite prepared enough for this eventuality. I had come to terms with the moralities of emptying someone's mind years earlier. At least there I could say I was providing a helpful service - a soothsayer of sorts. But filling someone's mind with the types of vitriol and darkness I often dealt with was another question entirely.\n\n\"Oh?\" I said, unsure of what else to say.\n\n\"My dad died recently. I never knew him, but he still left me some stuff in his will, including a sales receipt to your shop here,\" he said.\n\n\"So what are you looking to learn, exactly, if you never knew him?\" I asked.\n\n\"That's just it,\" he said, choking on whatever words he intended to add.\n\n\"I'm not sure I follow,\" I said.\n\n\"I want to know why he didn't like me. I want to know why he left. I want to know why, er, what he chose to forget. Was I really that bad?\" the young man said. \n\nThe young man wasn't crying. If a fly had landed on the wall at that moment, it may have no realized anything was even wrong. But never had I seen a world fall apart in another person's eyes. Whatever strength it had taken to get this boy to even come talk to me was now disintegrating slowly on his face. I had dealt with those who had moments where they felt unloved, unworthy, and unwanted. But I had never dealt with anyone where that was all that was there.\n\nThe question of ethics still weighed heavy on my mind, but I this required some kind of intervention. If the young man were to walk out onto the street in the condition he was in, I was sure he would crumble and blow away in the wind. \n\n\"Do you have the receipt handy? I'll see if I can find it.\"\n\nThe lad handed it over and I disappeared into the back of the building as though headed to some mysterious dungeon where I kept vials of unwanted reminders. But it was really just back to my desk and my computer where I kept all my records.\n\nI knew straight away when he first handed the receipt over that his answer was going to disappoint him. But I checked anyway in case my assumption was wrong, but sadly I was very good at record keeping. And so I headed back to the front with a small drive that held a recording of the memory. \n\n\"I found it,\" I said, \"but I don't think you'll like it.\"\n\nThe young man sighed, as though he was expecting this next blow.\n\n\"Here,\" I handed the recording over. \"You can watch it whenever. I haven't checked it, and I don't remember it, but I know what it's referring to if you'd rather know now.\"\n\nThe young man nodded uneasily.\n\n\"I like to sort my records by category - just the way my mind works. When you handed over the receipt I could tell by the record number which category it belongs to. And it's not the \"Family Issues\" section, as you might be expecting,\" I said.\n\n\"Then what is it?\" he asked, hopefully.\n\n\"Food poisoning,\" I said.\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"He probably had a bad piece of fish, or maybe had too much fun on a night out and threw up on a priest. In any case, it has its own category so it's not uncommon,\" I said.\n\n\"So, why did he leave us then? Did he...do you think he loved me?\" he asked.\n\n\"I can't say. But it does seem clear that he didn't leave because of you. He never actively tried to forget you. And he could have - he was here, after all,\" I said.\n\nThe broken eyes across from me weren't healed an instant, and there was no grand moment of redemption. But they stopped falling apart at the rate they were, and I could tell that my young client was seeing hope for the first time.\n\n\"Your answers aren't here,\" I continued, \"but they might be out there yet. Don't give up yet - not on your dad, and not on yourself.\"\n\nThe young man clutched his receipt and copy of the recording, and stood up without a word. He shook my hand and gave a faint smile, before turning and walking out the door. \n\n&nbsp;\n\n________________________\nr/psalmsandstories for more tales by me, should you be interested.", "I stepped out of the freezer and double checked the thermostat. The temperature was set just right: seventeen degrees below zero, the perfect temperature to store memories.\n\nI grabbed the clipboard that hung on the freezer and checked the box beside the 9:00AM time slot. Just then, the door chime from the front of the store signaled a customer had arrived.\n\n\"Just a minute!\" I shouted. I finished my notes and dropped an empty vial into the disposal bin before scurrying into the storefront.\n\nA man in a business suit waited at the counter. His short hair was neatly combed, and his face showed a few days' stubble. His dark blue suit was crisp and fine. It quite easily cost him over a thousand dollars, but it gave the air of someone who could afford it. These kinds of customers always have troubling memories, memories that people are desperate to remove. He looked my favorite type, though he looked troublingly familiar.\n\n\"Welcome to Memory Lane,\" I said in my friendliest salesman voice. \"How can I help you today?\"\n\nBut the man didn't say anything. In fact, he didn't even look at me, like he hadn't heard me, or wasn't interested. Instead, he glanced around the small storefront, which was mostly like a waiting room at a doctor's office.\n\nFinally, he spoke. \"So how does it work, this memory removal thing?\"\n\n\"Oh sure,\" I said, realizing I had a customer who wasn't yet convinced. It was time to warm up the old pitch.\n\n\"People these days are loaded down with all sorts of memories, but the human mind can only carry so much. On their own, our minds are not very good at sorting the bad from the good. The bad memories weigh on us like a suffocating blanket, and leave us gasping for the good ones. Childhood trauma, or total embarrassment, you know, the kind that replay in your mind and keep you awake at night. Or perhaps something you did something unkind you'd like to forget. They get in the way of us living our best lives! No matter the reason, it's always helpful to clean house.\"\n\nI paused to see if he was following along. I searched his face, trying to place where I might know him from. He only gave me a blank stare in return. Not the kind that didn't understand what I was saying, but the kind that didn't seem to care.\n\n\"So that's where I come in,\" I continued, trying to disguise my unease. \"I have the unique ability to remove the bad memories that haunt you. Give me just an hour of your time, and you can be on your way to relive the happy moments, and with a commission to boot!\"\n\n\"And what happens to the memories,\" he asked. \"Do they just go away?\"\n\n\"Ah, so you're interested in the process. Well, much of it is a trade secret, I'm afraid. I'm sure a gentleman of your status would understand.\" He gave a grunt. \"What I can tell you is, unfortunately, no memories can be destroyed. They remain intact, preserved more precisely, until their former host is deceased. Only then do they disappear. Death is the only thing that can make someone truly forget. I can, however, disconnect people from their memories. And sometimes, depending on the memory, the commission can be pretty hefty.\"\n\n\"Money does not concern me,\" he said.\n\n\"Of course not,\" I snapped back quickly. Usually people were interested in the dual benefit of forgetfulness and pocket change. Who is this man who inquired but seemed entirely uninterested in the process?\n\n\"What's the catch?\" he said. \"You can't just pour money into people's pockets and give them peace of mind. What's in it for you?\"\n\n\"There is no catch, it's entirely for your benefit.\" I could feel a nervous sweat beading on my forehead. \"I offer this service for the good of mankind. It makes me happy to know others are better off.\"\n\n\"You lie!\" he shouted, and he looked at me in the eyes for the first time. He reached into his suit jacket and I braced for what was to come. Rather than a weapon, however, he pulled out a thick envelope. \"I'm interested to buy,\" he said calmly.\n\n\"Sir, I don't think you understand. My inventory is not for sale!\"\n\n\"You see these papers?\" he asked, pointing to the contents of the envelope in front of me. \"These are not dollar bills. Each one represents a bank account with millions of dollars in each. Name your price, and I can make it happen.\"\n\n\"Not interested,\" I said. \"Not for sale.\" My brain was clouding with the tip-of-the-tongue feeling, the place of almost recognition. It was driving me mad.\n\n\"Every man has a price,\" he said with the firmness of experience, \"and you of anyone else should know that.\"\n\n\"What do you mean?\" I said, offended at the suggestion.\n\n\"Every day, people walk in and sell their bad memories to you. You frame it as a service, as a gift, and you even pay them for their trouble. But in reality, in your heart you know what you're really buying is information. You're buying people's worst nightmares, their haunts, their darkest secrets they want to forget. You see them, you keep them, you store them, and worst of all, you leave the smallest bit behind. Not enough for them to remember on their own, but just enough that a little prompting will draw it back. You buy leverage from everyone who walks in this door and you use it to your advantage. That's how you have this store rent free. That's how you have your money, your house, your life. You live off of everyone's worst memories!\"\n\nThat's when it hit me. I remembered him.\n\n\"And I'm just like you,\" I said.\n\n\"Precisely,\" said the man. \"And I wouldn't have given you your ability if I wasn't going to collect.\"" ]	7
	[WP] A solution to climate change has been discovered: whenever human activity causes catastrophe, humanity migrates en masse 5,000 years into the future via time travel to start again. On this, the most recent migration, instead of ruins, humanity finds an unrecognizable thriving society.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 the Temporal Transport Department. We are contacting everyone via text message to appraise you all of the recent debacle. \n\nThe issue is this. We believe you, as our customers, understand that usually we skip forwards 5000 years, after which all damage which we have caused to the environment has dissipated and we are free to do as we please. Unfortunately, it appears a glitch has occurred which no one managed to spot. Instead of traveling 5000 years into the future, we have travelled 50,000,000 years into the future. Due to this unprecedentedly long span of time, a new sapient species has evolved from the rest of the animal kingdom. \n\nThis new sophont appears to have evolved from the panda bear. As you all know, we bring along and maintain a small population of pandas with us as well as other species we like and do not want going extinct. It appears some may have escaped before our last temporal skip, and evolved into the beings you see now. \n\nDo not fear, they pose no threat to us. They have drastically reduced in size and their technology level is similar to the one we had during the 19th century. \n\nPlease do not worry. There is plenty of space for all of you in this new world. The pandamen only take up a small portion of it. And if ever the time comes when we need more, we shall simply take it from them. This has been the Temporal Transport Department. Have a nice day." ]	2
	[WP] The gods had grown decadent and corrupt, so the sky father decide to to exile them, striping them of all their powers, until they learn the lesson.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 course through the city, atop my metal vehicle. It is called a bi-cycle. Hephaestus would love this contraption with its gears and chains. He would love so much about the mortal world in its current state. I am sure that he has found a way to here. Apollo and Athena have likely carved-out niches for themselves as well. But for me, I have found that much of my domain has been given to mindless machines. It took me ages to find employment related to my field. And now I am merely a lowly peasant in service to a guild that uses my true name and likeness as its banner and sigil. I who was once honored among even the other gods and answered only to Zeus, now must bend a knee (only metaphorically. Thank goodness that practice has fallen out of favor) to Kevin. When my powers are restored, Kevin shall feel my wrath. I need to find the other Olympians. I cannot bear another day of this dull, drudging existence. \n\nI pull up to the address, and walk my bi-cycle inside. A watchman has me sign in and confiscates the bi-cycle. I find an office with the labyrinthine building which is as tall as a mountain. Olympic Solar. My how we have fallen. The woman at the front desk tells me to see her superior directly. I walk in the door and nearly faint.\n\n\"Hello Hermes.\"\n\n\"Apollo. You have one well for yourself.\"\n\n\"I had maintained some mortal assets in case Zeus did something like this.\"\n\n\"Prophecy is a gift that keeps on giving.\"\n\n\"Did you figure it out? What we were supposed to learn? Why we were banished?\"\n\n\"No. Did you?\"\n\n\"At first I thought that it had something to to with how hard it is for mortals and how we must be nicer to them once we get out powers back.\"\n\n\"Me too.\"\n\n\"That did not last long. Zeus never really cared for humans.\"\n\n\"I think he cared for a few. More than a few.\"\n\n\"Still your tongue. As I see the human race and how it has developed, one thought keeps returning to me.\"\n\n\"They don't need us.\" \n\n\"Right. That is what stares me in the face. It is in every brick of every building of every city.\"\n\n\"So what do we do?\"\n\n\"We take back the world. We find Zeus and-\"\n\nAnd He was there. He clasped us each by the shoulder and I could feel the power and glory return to me.\n\n\"You have figured it out. The mortal world has come to rival, nay surpass Olympus. The human race needs to be reminded of it's proper place.\"\n\n\"Yes.\" I said, \"This is good. What shall I do in order to achieve this?\"\n\nHis lips turned upwards ever so slightly as he said; \"Find the others. Spread the word. Start with Ares.\"" ]	2
	[WP] There are two narrators who disagree about who the hero and villain are	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Sir Reginald Purespark, 7th Knight of the Order of the Silver Rose, third son of count Athelstan Purespark of Highhill, and vassal of king Rando of the kingdom of Ardosla, had set out on his quest to, in the name of the king and of valour, to slay the evil forces lurking in the dread lands of the evil wizard Melchior. Him, and his squire Devin, rode through the lands, coming upon the borders of Sounmarch, corrupted and fell, under the dread hands of evil, Sir Reginald chose to cleanse the closest den of vile filth, an outpost, close to the border, named Geartower.\n\nThe captain of the guard of Geartower, was an orc, Sarthog the Just. The small town had grown prosperous, under his firm but just work, though he had to give the town mayor and the local high priest some credit too. Situated close to the border of the insane kingdom of Ardosla, where men were mostly serfs, bound to their land, property of their lords, and the priests preached hatred and wrath, and their nobility spent most of their time partying or sending out knights to try and murder people whom they had never met for nebulous reasons such as honour or valour, the town had become a hotbed for smuggling into the neighbouring land. But the town had become more than that, the priests here had attracted a good following of people, who worship the sun-and-moon goddess Majri of Justice and Mercy. A small monastery had even been built recently, to use the blessings of their goddess for healing purposes. Merchants had grown fat and rich, building bigger, better houses, paying for having the town main road covered with cobblestone, repairing the bridge over the river Somnus, running through the town, and joining together in proper guilds to teach and judge their own members. Sarthog thought it good. He had protected the town over the past thirty odd years, from bandits, rogue crusaders, mad knights, the odd crazed mage or evil hag. And now he had deputies, a priest who was also a guard, and even his own alchemist, to help with investigating poisonings and such crimes.\n\nSir Reginald looked upon his squire, and spoke with dread. ''My boy, what you see here, is a den of vile sinfulness, evil, and disorder, scum and villainy, that is what we will find here!'' The squire nodded, the young man frightened by the prospect of meeting sinful beings, perhaps even subhuman beasts. And his fears were correct. Sir Reginald, as clever as he was brave, had disguised himself and his squire, to infiltrate the vile hive of evil, and perhaps even burn out the rotted core, in the name of god and country. And yet, both men could barely contain themselves, when they had found an inn to infiltrate. It was filled with subhuman beasts, mingling with their betters. Sure, they didn't mind the dwarves, they were nearly human, or the gnomes, which in their true opinions were more like economy-sized peasants than anything. But to see humans interact with foul orcs, filthy goblins, lowly kobolds, disgusting beastfolk of all sizes, it was all they could do not to draw their swords there and then.\n\nSarthog walked into the familiar and comforting atmosphere of the Golden Arrow inn, he could see his colleagues, from both his own guard, and some from the night watch too, along with the temple guard, and a few of the private bodyguards for merchants. It was that kind of bar, where guards liked to hang out. Madam Dew-in-the-Sun, the old goblin who ran the place, liked the guards. There was rarely any barfights, and Sarthog mostly ended those that arose. And the guards didn't want to endlessly talk about their problems, they preferred to drink, to look at their drinks, and then to talk silently amongst themselves, and then order more drinks. This is the preferred form of barflies that all bartenders in the known universe secretly want. Sarthog noted some new guys in the place. A young man, barely more than a boy really, and a slightly older man, well-muscled and strong. They seemed out of place, which all guards instinctively notice, otherwise they don't last in the job. Sarthog decided to investigate.\n\nTo the horror of Sir Reginald and his squire, a truly horrifying orc had stepped into the inn, armed, muscular, scarred, and with a suspicious glint in his eyes. And to their further disgust, he came over to them. He opened his dirty maw, filled with jagged, gross teeth, more canine than human in appearance, but at that moment, Sir Reginald could stand this no longer, he drew his blade and slashed the orc, though the beast jumped back at the last moment, the sword grazing his left eyebrow. The squire drew his shortsword and screamed with righteous fury as he charged the sultry kobold whore of a waitress, stabbing her straight through her blackened heart. Reginald smiled, and with great justice in mind, he roared his battlecry. ''GOD AND HONOUR!'' and sprang up, intending to purify this den of depravity, noting with pride as his squire slew a wretched beast.\n\nSarthog was stunned. He had fought several knight errant before, but usually they tended to formally challenge someone before they started fighting. It was all he could to draw his own sword, and shouted. ''Guards! To me!'' The two dozen off-duty guards in the room, quickly got out of their cubicles as the younger man slew poor mute Des'va the waitress, who had worked in the bar for years, and never spilled a single drink, she was in fact famous for it. The knight fought ferociously, brutally, aggressively. Sarthog was joined by some temple-guards, but the knight was not affected by alcohol, the guards were, one caught a deep gash in his leg, and the other died quickly, as a strong swing took out his arm and into his chest, but that gave Sarthog a moment of opportunity, grabbing his small trutcheon, he managed to hit the knight's head, forcing him to stumble backwards, allowing Sarthog to go on the offensive. The younger man had thrown a knife, killing one of Sarthog's own men, Weron, a part of Sarthog was still in shock over the sudden attack and noted that he would have to notify Weron's wife, and arrange the usual with the widow, paying for the funeral and that she'd be given her husband's pension, was only fair.\n\nSir Reginald's head was smarting after the dirty trick that evil orc had pulled. And yet he rallied, parrying hard strike after hard strike, soon however, he was standing back-to-back with his squire, suddenly a crossbowbolt passed by his head, and he saw that some of the filthy beasts and foul monsters had taken out handcrossbows, a weapon for cowards and cravens. He struck at the orc, smiling in glorious victory, as his blade cut off two of the orc's fingers on one hand. Soon, he would return home, victorious, he could finally have the glory necessary to marry Elaine Goodesshield, his betrothed, and as a knight of the Order, he would be given a keep, and land, for his service to the kingdom, after all, he had served for the required years, and his squire was ready to become a knight. It would be good to have one last glorious victory over the forces of evil under his belt before retirement.\n\nSarthog was bleeding. Two fingers. Pinky and ring. Not his sword hand, but it hurt deeply. He know the knight was experienced, and ready to kill. That was the hard problem. Knights are trained to murder without caring from the day they are born, a knight is ready to fight at any moment, at any time, because they are always training to fight. And since they believed that all not of the accepted races in their homeland were worse than demons, they had no qualms over killing. Guards had. Sarthog knew that even though right now, the men were angry, enraged, it was still hard for them to actually do it, their decency was holding them back from striking as the two madmen did. Sarthog knew he had to do something quick, before it ended in a bloodbath, or worse, the two of them escaping. Throwing a small knife at the knight, distracting him, Sarthog lunched at the squire, impaling him on Sarthog's sword. The man looked up at him, astonished, as if he hadn't believed he would ever die. This sent the knight into a frenzy, furiously trying to slay Sarthog, but it allowed the crossbow using guards to fire, and hit. The knight sagged, and fell over, his head filled with bolts. Sarthog looked around, wondering what had just happened, and on a deeper plane of thought, he knew exactly what had happened. The border warning spells had failed again. And somebody had come through, and now his favourite inn was stained with blood. Dew-in-the-Sun was by his side, suddenly appearing out of nowhere, bandaging his fingers. He tried to protest, to indicate that there was others in need, but she didn't listen. Sarthog looked over at the body of the waitress. She wasn't a warrior, she was just a person, killed like she was nothing. Sometimes, Sarthog wondered, why Archmage Melchior, the high-priests, and the senate, didn't annihilate those madmen, but he figured it was the reason he had seen today. Two of them had taken on an inn full of trained soldiers, and only one of them was a fully trained knight, and yet the battle had been equal. Sarthog shuddered to think, what would happen if all civilised lands were ever conquered by such mad bloodthirsty monsters." ]	2
	[WP] Once a month your consciousness is swapped with the last person you had physical contact with. Most people get married early on so they can guarantee their swap... One morning you wake up with no recollection of last night, but more importantly you don’t recognize who’s body you swapped with.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "Everything hurts. I open my eyes. It feels different. I groan. It must be that time of the month. Normally I keep exact track of whom I touch but yesterdays memories are gone. Completely wiped out. I can't even remember if there was any alcohol involved. Why is this not my brothers ceiling? Since we are both still single we decided just to swap with each other. Carefully I look to both of my sides to make sure no one is there. So no one-night-stand I assume. Those are the worst months. Don't know if I should be happy about that or not. I decide to get up. A woman's body. The most uncomfortable ones in my opinion. Oh well, at least she is not a naked sleeper. The room is nice, but I don't recognize it. A mirror, I need a mirror. And something to get rid of this pain. I feel like throwing up. On a whim, I open the closet and there is a mirror, fina-.\n\nShit.\n\nI close it again quickly, feeling like I saw something I shouldn't have. Outside. There must be a note, something. I get out of the room, a small corridor, several doors. I open the first one, a bathroom. The next leads to a kitchen. On the fridge are a view notes. I peruse through them, normally people have a \"We swapped bodies, what to do\"-list somewhere. Nothing. On the table I see medicine boxes. An envelope. \"Good morning, stranger. Please read.\"\n\nFinally. I open it. A list of which medication I should take and when. Doctors appointments. I turn the sheet. Nothing else. A feeling of panic arises in me. I need to find this person. I need to switch back. Hastily I search the other rooms, there is only another room apart from the bathroom and bedroom, in there is an old piano, lots of books and music sheets. I get dizzy. I make my way back to the kitchen and sit down. My mind is blank. I stare at a smudge on the wall. What should I do? I'm lost. The swapping center. Right. I look around, there is a phone at least, though I didn't see a computer. I forget the number for the center every time. Because I never needed it until now. I open the old phone book next to the phone. A note falls down. \"Please let me have this one month. I'm sorry. I will return.\"\n\nFour weeks later\n\nI open my eyes. Everything hurts. But it is a good day. I can feel it. It took me only four weeks to get used to this and that frightens me more than anything. No one should need to get used to pain. To death waiting around the corner. The past month has been hell. At least my brother showed up, he had swapped with a friend, apparently I had never gone to our meeting place. I gave him a call right after I had seen the note from the book. My family supported me, but no acquaintance of the woman came to check on me. This woman had to go through this alone. The longer I lived here, the more I felt the need to talk to that woman, though the reasons for it kept changing. Anger, fear, pity. Now all that is left is sympathy. The urge to let her know she is not alone. Won't be alone anymore. I get up. I take my medicine without even looking at the sheet. I dress up nicely. The doorbell rings. I open the door and stand in front of my old self. Funny how the mind can change while the body stays the same. \"I am so sorry.\" we both say at the same time.", "“You’re probably thinking ‘this is crazy’. Please be reassured, everything is fine. You will merely be detained safely here until the operation is complete.”\n\n“Operation?!”\n\nStatic. “Sorry, poor choice of words. This is simply an experimental test of some neural interfacing theories, no harm will come to you and everything will be fine.”\n\n“Did I agree to this?”\n\n“I’m sorry, first I need to verify some basic information. Please look to your left. There are two images displayed. Please indicate which one is you.”\n\n“The first.”\n\nSilence for a moment. Brief static. “Really? Well, this is very interesting. And somewhat ethically concerning. Please hold.”\n\n“Wait, wait. I was lying. It’s obviously two.”\n\n“You’re not just saying that?”\n\n“No, it’s me. Robert.”\n\n“Good. That aligns with our predictions. It should interest you to know that you’re actually ninth in the longest chain we’ve yet constructed.”\n\n“What?”\n\n“Yes. It’s a very rare phenomenon, double-swapping, but it can happen if a new swap is initiated in the final hour. So far, we’ve verified that estimate to within eight minutes.”\n\n“Wait, hold on. Can you clarify what in the world you’re talking about, and what it has to do with why I’m in a locked room with no windows?”\n\n“Linked swapping can only be done between 23 and 24 hours after an initial swap. The chain destabilizes as soon as the final swap ends, snapping everyone back to their native state, but in the meantime everyone ends up a bit mixed around.”\n\n“You’ve lost me.”\n\n“Let me lay it out for you. Say, A swaps with B at midnight. Twenty-three hours later, at eleven, A (as B) swaps with C. A and B are unswitched at midnight when the initial swap expires, leaving B as himself and C and A inverted for the next twenty-two hours. A, as C, swaps with D at 10. B and C unswap at 11, leaving D as B and B as C while C remains A and A carries on as D. You see? A chain can be extended theoretically as long as necessary to chain from any one individual to any other.”\n\n“That’s. . . really confusing, and pointless. Why not just have A walk up to D instead of all this flipping and swapping nonsense?”\n\nStatic. “What part of ‘experimental test’ did you not understand? Does it need to have a purpose? We’re trying to understand how this phenomenon works and gather data, not planning some intricate heist involving carefully swapping our way up to the president or something.”\n\n“You sure? Because this is awfully weird.”\n\n“Of course it’s weird. We’re trying to see how long the chain can be extended before it destabilizes regardless. Some have proposed a month is the limit; once the initial swap has to swap again, the whole thing will fall apart. We’ve never gotten that far, yet, but we’re trying.”\n\n“Wait. You mean I could be stuck here as this guy for weeks?”\n\n“No. You’ll be someone else tomorrow, and be stuck as \\him\\ for weeks.”\n\n“This is stupid. I want out.”\n\n“Sorry. Your contract was very specific.”\n\n“So I \\did\\ agree to this?”\n\n“Of course. We’re responsible for your absence from home, work, and family obligations for as long as the experiment continues, you didn’t think we’d just kidnap you off the street or something?”\n\n“Kinda thought you’d kidnapped me from my house.”\n\n“No. You agreed to the test and walked in here willingly.”\n\n“I can’t imagine why I’d do something like that. Why can’t I remember it?”\n\n“Unclear. Possible personality decay due to being so far down in the chain. Who knows?”\n\n“Wait, you’re saying I agreed to something which could damage my personality?”\n\n“Well, yes. After last night, you seemed quite eager to sign anything that would get you a lot of money very quickly. The deposit has already been forwarded as instructed.”\n\n“As instructed? I don’t remember anything about this.”\n\n“Hang on, I’ll bring the contract up on the screen. There, see?”\n\nSilence. “Yeah, that’s my signature. And. . . Holy! What? Is that. . . there’s got to be a decimal point in that number somewhere, right?”\n\n“No decimal.”\n\n“Okay, I think I understand why I’m here now. And for a locked room, it’s pretty comfy. Kudos to your internal decorator. I like the interposition of the modern colour scheme with the classic furniture style.”\n\n“Thank you, I’ll relay the compliment. So, feeling better now?”\n\n“Yeah. But this is still pretty weird.”\n\n“Of course it is. I understand. My first time was confusing as well.”\n\n“Wait, first?”\n\n“Everyone starts somewhere.”" ]	3
	[WP] Once in a lifetime, those with the gift of summoning can call a mythical creature to serve them for 5 years. The price of service is that when the five years end, the summoner is pulled into the world their creature came from. In a moment of desperation, you call your creature.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "ALERT: NUCLEAR MISSILES INCOMING \n\nEVACUATE TO A FALLOUT SHELTER IMMEDIATELY\n\nThe alarm blared incessantly on the screen of my phone, shaking the nightstand I'd left it on in an unconscious plea to survive, but I couldn't hear it. The suffocating feeling of the world turning on me drained my breath, and the aching in my chest felt as if my heart and lungs had been crushed like an empty soda can. Then, it started to seem like the walls and furniture of my house were hurtling towards me.\n\nAs the wave of shock slowly yielded control of my body back to me, I stumbled forwards under the weight of dread and consciously speedran through the stages of grief. \n\nCertainly it's a mistake, right? Like that time in Hawaii in 2018? Surely the world hasn't truly plunged itself into annihilation. I mean, these things don't just happen; there would need to be an escalation of global tensions. I haven't exactly been keeping up to date on every bit of breaking news, but certainly from what I've seen that can't have happened. Right?\n\nIt can't be- it's not fair! I spent my whole life, sacrificed my friends and family and fortune to spend ever waking moment poring through every form of writing known to man in search of the fabled \"iron giant\", the familiar to rule all familiars, and now I was stopped by some politicians in a standoff.\n\nWell, the movie which that's named after ends with the iron giant stopping a nuke, is that what's going on here? I've gone through all this effort ultimately so that I could save the world. Certainly, if there's anything beyond brain sauce out there, this is what it would've intended?\n\nno, no, No! This is ridiculous! All those other summoners, who used their gifts to sell some weird creature to society and live the last five years of their life lavishly, are probably laughing at me as I speak. And all of the vast majority who ignore their gifts entirely, will amount to nothing as they always would. I don't think I'll evacuate. I'll take myself out, on my own terms; an apocalyptic hellscape is no place to live, and this life was a waste one way or another, as was this civilization.\n\nNo. I need to survive. This power of mine is more vital now than ever. I need to go through with the prototype summoning I've been cooking up since this hunt began. It's probably not going to work; even if I had all the knowledge I needed, yanking a mighty being from across reality takes intricate timing and planning. But there's at least some chance, greater than zero, that it will work, and if it fails at least I can tell the ghosts of man that I tried.\n\nI had no more time to waste, and as that realization crossed my synapses I felt the surge of excitement and blood as my body overclocked itself into autopilot.\n\nGo go go go go! Down to the basement for ingredients - quartz crystals. Himalayan snow. salamander tail. Disodium Helide. cyclopentane lattice? fuck it, I've only got one shot at this - better make it count. Whatever supernatural force brings summons to this world will undoubtedly be thrown out of order by nuclear fallout - shit, the mass-panic that alert caused might have already made all my measurements useless.\n\nNo time to ponder the weight of all this - I need to start the ritual NOW!\n\nI bashed out the backdoor of my rural West Virginia lodging, and sprinted out to the hills where my summoning circle lie waiting for me.\n\nPlace everything in it's place, and light the pyres... oh, that crystal's a millimeter too far to the south, that... might actually be what makes this work.\n\nWith that, I spouted the incantations in the best forced calm I could muster, and everything went blank.I woke up what must have been seconds later, jarred awake by a voice from inside my head:\n\nInter-dimensional expeditionary relief unit 22489-WH#% cosmic transfer complete...\n\nDiagnostics complete. all systems fully operational. Awaiting your command." ]	2
	[WP] You're the most hated evil of all. More hated than violence or bigotry. You take the form of pet peeves, mild annoyance. You are Inconvenience.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " There’s an art to it, you know. It looks so simple, but there isn’t one of them that could do it the way I do. Famine, Pestilence … oh, and their mate, that fat red-faced pillock on the red horse, waving his sword around like an idiot. No style, no pizazz. Even Death himself … I mean, Mort’s a decent bloke, as far as it goes, and a real laugh on a night out – you should see what he does with a Bloody Mary! - but a scythe is hardly a subtle weapon, is it? Not refined, not artistic. Bunch of bloody amateurs, the lot of them. It takes real finesse to do what I do. Not that anyone appreciates it, mind you.\n\nTake today. Danny whatever-his-name-was. Seven point seven billion of the buggers on this benighted planet, and out of the hat comes Dan the Man. Congratulations, Danny-boy. Today I was entirely at your disposal.\n\nThe power cut was easy enough. Flip the breaker off and on, reset the alarm, Dan sleeps through an extra twenty minutes. Plenty of time to curdle the milk he would subsequently dash into his morning coffee and slip his car keys into the pocket of yesterday’s trousers. Which he put through the washing machine last night, minus keys, but memory plays such tricks on us, doesn’t it?\n\nDanny-boy was running about forty minutes late by the time he sorted that one out and found a new shoelace to replace the one that had suddenly broken, so I’d already distracted the van driver and caused the crash that diverted the bus he would otherwise have caught, ensuring he reached the office just late enough to miss his first appointment. He was still quite polite to the girl in the coffee shop when she explained about the mysterious espresso failure, but the cracks started to appear when his IT password failed, and by the time he’d discovered that there were apparently no paper clips left in the Western Hemisphere (and a red biro had burst in the breast pocket of his shirt) there was a vein throbbing in his temple and we were no longer at home to Mr Reasonable. \n\nThe rest of the day was just artistic detail. The arrival of clients an hour early for a meeting, thanks to a misplaced entry in a diary. The central heating fault that left the office cold, but just one-quarter of a degree above the legal minimum working temperature. The positioning of the explosively incontinent dog on the public footpath just outside the office door, and the lack of a door scraper to deal with the consequences. The bomb scare that triggered a Rail Replacement Bus Service. The effects of the curdled milk, slowly filtering though Dan’s system, and the miraculous dearth of toilet rolls in every stall he entered. The refusal of every Wifi connection to recognise any device of his until the third reboot. The hole in the bin bag. Honestly, it was a masterpiece of a day.\n\nAnd I will do this again tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, to Dan, or Agnetha, or Yoko, or Sanjay – whichever poor sap comes up in the draw – from now until the end of time.\n\nI am Inconvenience. I am a master of my trade. Welcome to my world." ]	2
	[WP] You've recently joined a group that tracks down daemons, monsters, eldritch beings, and other mythical creatures to protect them from humans. This is your first solo mission.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", " As she sat waiting, Agent Leysa Matos sipped at what was to be her breakfast. Downing a gulp of the thick chai latte she'd picked up from a local coffeehouse chain, Leysa cast an expectant look past the staff milling about in the City Hall lobby. Beyond the lobby, the City Council of Vermilion, South Dakota sent low white noise from through the closed doors: an unbroken murmur of people speaking and shifting in seats. \n\n \n Finally, two taps of a gavel sounded from within. The noise grew closer to the door, and Agent Matos took another sip before rising to her feet. Having adjourned, the aldermen and women of the council filed out into the hallway. Some milled about for further discussion, while others headed off to tend to other affairs. All of them noticed the agent.,but Leysa saw no need to hide herself. She was there on business. \n\n \n Reflexively, the young woman smoothed a hand over her tied-back hair. She then straightened the hem of her black suit jacket and she smoothed her white, high-collared business shirt as she stood. Instead of a tie, a simple brooch crested with a gem sat at her throat. The woman in the suit stepped into the crowd, offering a handshake in greeting to the last person emerging from the council chamber. \n\n \n “Miss Beverly Sutter, I presume? A pleasure, ma'am!” \n\n \n Among her peers, Councilwoman Beverly Sutter projected an affability that set her apart. Her asymmetrical pixie cut framed a gracious smile. The careful selection of her red-and-white outfit brought to mind the image of Mrs. Claus by way of business casual. Most to the councilwoman's credit was that she floundered only a moment before heartily returning Leysa's handshake. \n\n \n “Please, call me Bev! ...I'm sorry, and you are –” \n\n \n “Sure thing, Bev! I'm Agent Leysa Matos? From APBNJ?” \n\n \n This time, Councilwoman Sutter's confusion lingered. “I...is that one of our districts? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with...” Her bright blue eyes searched Leysa's expression, which radiated confidence. \n\n \n “American Paranatural Bureau of Nationalization Judiciaries.” In the stunned silence that followed , Leysa reached into her jacket. She plucked out a business card, presenting it between her two fingers. Taking it from the agent, Sutter's eyes narrowed in disbelief as she examined the card. To the side of Agent Matos's credentials was a seal, centering the Eye of Providence upon a pentagram. Circling the pentagram's edge were letters proclaiming: \n\n \n “...'Humanitas et Inhumanus'?” \n\n \n “ Mm – yes! 'Humanity to the Inhuman', exactly!” Agent Matos had taken the lull in conversation as an opportunity to sip from her latte. She licked her lips in satisfaction. \n\n \n Mild irritation joined Sutter's confusion, straining her polite tone. “If this is a joke, I'm afraid I don't find it very funny. If you're serious...” She exchanged looks with fellow councilmen, withholding a chuckle. “...well, you can't be serious.” \n\n \n The aldermen broke out in laughter that died off as Agent Matos joined in, full-chested and genuine. Catching her breath, she pantomimed wiping sweat from her brow. “Whew, is my face red! A real rookie mistake. Although I had it on good authority that this area is home to entities known as...” \n\n \n Agent Matos held up a finger, then fished in the back pocket of her slacks. ”Hang on – I can never get this right on the first try.” Producing a many-folded scrap of paper, it unfolded with a flick of her wrist before she began to read aloud. \n\n \n Even the aldermen who had been walking away paused as Agent Matos struggled with the syllables, sounding each one off carefully. She had only gotten halfway through reading when she looked up to...silence. The lobby had been quiet before, but now no sound could be heard at all – not the rumble of the world outside, or even the council – \n\n \n The hand of Beverly Sutter flew at Leysa's throat. It might have connected if not for the pentagram of light suspended in the air. Straining against the barrier, Beverly became aware that Leysa was holding two fingers to the brooch at her throat. A similar pentagram was reflected within its depths. \n\n \n “So am I to assume I am communing with said entities?” Though she briefly hid the lower quadrant of her face behind another sip of her latte, Agent Matos' smirk was unbearable. “Because my agency offers --” she gestured at the silent, seemingly frozen world beyond “-- stronger protections than these wards.” \n From behind her arcane shield, Leysa watched as the group moved to flank her attacker. A dull light, like a far-away fire, shone in their eyes. \n\nBeverly Sutter opened her mouth, and the voice of the Council came as one.\n\n \n “*Speak, Agent Leysa Matos. What can you offer us?”", "Chimera heads mounted on walls. Gryphons in cages, forced to lay eggs as a delicacy for their captors. Orcs and trolls made to fight in arenas for underground entertainment. Satyrs chained in dungeons, let out into the sunlight for one purpose, and one purpose only; dance on grapes to mocks and jeers, children's cheers. \n \nHumans are indeed the filth of the dimensional planes. Nowhere else in any realm will there be a species that can both be truly benevolent, and unequivocally evil. Every other being at least has some consistency; some idea of morality that is common across the species. Not humans. \n \nAnd me, cursed as one of them. Why couldn't I have been born a Pegasus, almost always out of reach of the filth, majestic and beautiful. Nah. I had to be...this*. This horrific, twisted idea of a living being. How I wish mirrors and puddles didn't exist sometimes. \n \nBut I'm not a Rifter. Jumping from plane to plane, looking for the next intelligent creature to brutalize. It's so easy to fall into that crowd; to be one of the people. To be someone willing to flaunt superiority, in technology, in brain power, in tactics. Sometimes it doesn't even seem right; how the hell do Rifters even get their information? Must be fun to be one of them, in the know, in the thrill of the hunt. \n \nNah. Screw them. Nothing deserves the things we inflict up- \n \nShit. Lost in thought. Traversing the Fantastical Plane, can't lose focus. Rifters can be anywhere; show up anywhere. Well, not anywhere. I mean, specific spots usually. Damn technology. The hell do they get it? I do remember that one time, through the thick of the brush, a gleaming metallic appendage reaching out, offerin- \n \nShit. Happened again. I can't kee- \n \n\"Hello, Savior.\" A voice bounced off the wall and right into me, smacking my face like a father disciplining his rebellious teenage son. \"How's the hunt?\" Shit, shit, shit. A Rifter. How the hell did they find me here? How could I be so careless. The voice. Where is it coming from? Where's the filth? \n \nNowhere. Completely scanning the area, there was no sign of life within a mile radius. What the hell was going on? I've heard of telepathic creatures, mind-benders, and many other fantastical types of beings. But from that far away? Nothing was this in-tune with mindwaves. Nothing I was ever taught about. \n \n\"Stop thinking so much, Savior.\" What? What does he mean? Can he- \n\"Yes, Savior. I can. I'm no Rifter. I'm no fantastical plane dweller, either. I'm from...elsewhere.\" \n \nShit. This has to be a Rifter trick. There's no way any of this is- \n\"Savior. We need to speak, face to...face. Follow the directional sound I'm offering. Things will become...interesting soon. Come.\"" ]	3
	[WP] You have the ability to set mental reminders, if you concentrate on a time and message, you can make sure future you suddenly remembers at that time. One day after a night of drinking you get the reminder “don’t let them find you” and you don’t remember who they are.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 with the kind of hangover that takes half an hour before you realize just how bad it is. After wobbling to the bathroom to relieve myself my body begged for water and the rush of blood gave me a splitting headache. Instinctively I grabbed the bottle of aspirin from the medicine cabinet, threw back an indiscriminate handful of pills, lapped several of handfuls of water from the sink, and then my reminder dinged.\n\nDON'T LET THEM FIND YOU. JUST HIDE UNTIL NEXT DAY OVER.\n\n\"What the fuck?\" I said under my breath.\n\nI've been able to set these mental reminders since I was a teenager. I can set my brain to remember short phrases at relatively specific times within the next 24 hours. I used it almost exclusively to remind myself of information that would be useful; formulas for math tests, responses to hard questions in interviews, etc. But never warnings, not without context. \n\nI looked down and went through the last night's events. It was a Friday, I went to a karaoke bar with some colleagues, then we went to a different bar, I think it was called The Poplar. Then... uh... I flirted with a girl but we didn't hit off? Oh Jesus did I piss off some boyfriend of hers? Well it was probably just a drunk panic reminder, nothing to worry about. \n\nStill a little shaken I washed my face in the sink and looked up at the mirror. Sunken eyes, a little pale in the face. Then I looked at my neck.\n\nI froze for a second and leaned in to see better. On the left side of my neck were two distinct and festering bite marks. They weren't terribly deep but they were thick, like giant spider bites. \n\nI went over the night in my head again from the beginning. Karaoke, Poplar, flirting, lots of drinks... Oh right I housed an entire plate of garlic bread at the bar. The girl even said my breath reeked of Garlic, then... wait. There was another girl, I went back to her place I think? But how did I get there? \n\nMy phone buzzed. It was one of my colleagues, Kolo. I picked up the call.\n\n\"Are you as hungover as I am. Jesus fuck that was a little to much last night. Let's grab some bagels. I'm already near your place.\"\n\nI agreed and met him at the bodega near my apartment. I was still a little shook from the mental reminder but gorging myself on an everything bacon egg and cheese made me feel better. My stomach churned at how quickly I ate it and put the other half in my jacket pocket for a snack later.\n\n\"You disappeared with that goth lookin chick last night at the bar, I'm guessing by the bite marks it got a little kinky.\"\n\n\"I don't even remember leaving. You said she was goth lookin?\"\n\n\"Yeah man. She talked to you for like ten minutes max and you both left, I'm guessing when that Charlotte girl froze you out you just went for the instant rebound.\n\n\"Yeah I'm still a little shaken. I guess with just how hard we've been at it on the new project I went over-\"\n\nA black sedan squealed to a stop next to us on the street and before I could react a person clad entirely in black snatched into the backseat and sped off.\n\n\"HOLD ON HOLD ON HOLD PLEASE. If this is about last night I was too drunk, I'm sorry please just let me go I'll do anything. Take my wallet, phone, whatever, just please.\"\n\nThe person in the back seat took off her mask and pulled back her hood. It was the goth women from the bar. But goth wasn't even close to describing it, she was pale as printer paper and her jet black hair became white at its roots.\n\n\"Just relax, I know you don't remember. We just need to finish the ritual. As I explained I can't break my end of the deal once it's made.\"\n\n\"Deal? No whatever it is I'll let it be just please-\"\n\n\"-No, not how it works.\"\n\nThe woman in the front seat growled back. \"Damnit Ellie just get it over with. When commune with a drunk you know you can't wait, we only have a few more hours!\"\n\n\"Chill! I couldn't smell the garlic after all the tequila this guy drank. Oh fuck it.\"\n\nThe woman in the back grabbed me and lunged for neck, biting down deep into my jugular. Just as fast as she made contact, she recoiled and vomited a black sludge into my lap.\n\n\"FUCK OW, ARE YOU KIDDING HOW DID YOU ALREADY EAT THAT MUCH GARLIC THIS MORNING.\" The woman fell back into her seat and continued to vomit.\n\n\"Just hold we can can cleanse him when we get back. Just hex him now, we can move the body inside.\"\n\n\"vampires?\" I quivered under my breath.\n\n\"Yeah just relax blood sack, you're about to be one. Picked real winner for our new male Ellie. Now please knock him out I can barely see through the windshield tint, too bright.\"\n\nThe memories came back quickly, the girl I met, Ellie, told me she needed a new vampire partner, said all we had to do was sleep together. Oh fuck I really thought that was some kinky shit. It was all fun until we finished and tried to bite me, vomited black last night and I ran.\n\n\"Alright just hold on.\" Ellie pulled herself together and began to hold her hands towards me.\n\nGarlic, fuck I need garlic. Wait. I grabbed the bagel in my pocket. Everything bagel, the bodega was known for putting extra garlic on. I unwrapped the bagel and threw it at Ellie. She screamed in agony, curling into a ball. The woman in the front looked back in the review and grabbed the bagel. I threw it into the lap of the driver and she spasmed, knocking the wheel of the car hard to the right. \n\nThe car spun sideways, hit the curb, and rolled. After a flip the windows had shattered and come to a rest on the sidewalk right side up. I pulled my bruised body through the window, shredding my shirt and falling on the ground. I stumbled a few yards away. The two vampires regained consciousness and looked at me. I stood up frozen, looking back at the car. For a brief second they realized I had gotten out, but then looked fearfully at the bright sun streaming down through the busted windows. They emitted otherworldly screams as their bodies turned to dust and collapsed in their seats. \n\nMy friend Kolo, pulled up on his bike, he had been chasing us for 5 blocks. \"Marcus, are you okay?\"\n\n\"Yeah man I think I'll be ok.\" I took a deep breath and focused. Once I felt my brain able to set the reminder I put in the words.\n\nGET GARLIC." ]	2
	[WP] The Devil gives you a sheepish grin. "You want your soul back? Well, turns out, Hell needs money too and I kind of sold your soul to...Odin."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "“See, I told them we needed a ‘no refunds’ clause in the standard agreement, but did they listen? Nooo, ‘it’s fun to bargain with mortals’ they said. ‘It’ll be fine’ they said. Well, I’m still in charge around here and I’m sorry to say but there’s a no refund clause in all agreements with Hell.”\n\n“No, no there is not. The contract we signed even had a note at the bottom with the expiration date for reversing the trade. I have six months left. Now get me my soul.”\n\n“I can’t. I really can’t. See, Hades owed Zeus for cleaning up that whole affair with the antichrist, and then he went and borrowed from Loki on Hell’s charge card to pay it back! I was not amused, let me tell you, but there’s nothing we can do now. Things had to be shuffled around. Interest to be paid. Your soul is long gone.”\n\n“Then how are you going to repay your debt to \\me\\?”\n\n“Excuse me?”\n\n“I have it in writing. Right here in our contract. If I bring you something worth double what you granted me, you have to give my soul back. And I have the Holy Grail right here.”\n\n“. . . you. . . ??”\n\n“Go on.”\n\n“You, a no-account janitor from rural Michigan, not only found the most coveted item in human history, but you actually smuggled it with you into Hell?”\n\n“As I said, it’s right here.”\n\n“So it is. Huh. I could’ve sworn we had Holy Artifact firewalls up. Yet another way my lackeys are failing to keep things running smoothly.”\n\n“So, want to trade, or not?”\n\n“See. . . here’s the problem. That thing may be technically twice as valuable as whatever stupid favor I gave you for your soul, but it’s holy. I can’t touch it, can’t use it, have no contacts who can, and the only thing I could possibly do with it is trade it to another mortal.”\n\n“Not my problem. You said, ‘bring something twice as valuable if you want your soul back’ and I did. So pay up, or I’ll have you in court for breach of contract.”\n\n“Fine. You want your soul so bad, go get it yourself. The escalator is over there. Loki and Odin are on the nineteen-thousandth floor. Just head toward the sound of ceaseless arguing. This is a one-use pass, so you won’t be ejected by their firewalls, which \\are\\ functional against intrusive mortals. This concludes our business.”\n\n. . .\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“DAMIEN! Get in here. We are going to rewrite the standard soul contract, and we are going to do it right now. And bring me whoever’s in charge of running the firewalls. If I find our Holy Artifact definitions haven’t been updated in over two millennia, there will be hell to pay!”" ]	2
	[WP] You are a Hero summoned to deal with the Demon King. After fighting your way through hordes of the Demon King's minions, you find yourself face-to-face with the Demon King. They're from the planet you were summoned from, and your most fond person.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "Paladin climbed the steps to the Demon King’s castle, his knuckles white on the hilt of his blade. Once the mightiest sea in Decipere, the desert stretched for miles far below, beyond where the black sky met the barren earth. Twisted trees stripped of green filled what had been a forest on the cliff. Every minute in the Demon King’s wasteland a reminder of all the hurt he caused. Every second was a reminder of Paladin’s duty. \n\nEvery step was one closer to home.\n\nHis lone heartbeat in this desolate place urged him onward. Three years ago, the desperate citizens of Decipere summoned Paladin to their aid. The Demon King unleashed hordes on the land, conquering nations, turning them into wastes, and slaughtering thousands. Those who survived ran, but the Demon King’s reach expanded to the globe. In the end, they hid in camps in sacred places where even the most vile creatures of hell dare not tread. The people of Decipere prayed and wished and hoped upon the final star in the night sky.\n\nPaladin was their last hope.\n\nHe reminded himself of that every night when the cold set in his bones. He reminded himself every time he fought a demon. And when his mentor, Logan, fell to the horde. And when Kyrie lost herself to darkness. When an entire village burned because of his mistake.\n\nPaladin was their last hope. If he wished to free the people of Decipere from tyranny, if he wished to see home again, he would need to kill the Demon King.\n\nHe paused at the door to the keep, a large stone thing of ancient Leogere construction. Few buildings like it existed anymore, either fallen to time or the tyrant, but those that stood were places of great power. If Paladin were to kill the Demon King, it would be here, where his power was greatest.\n\nPaladin pointed his sword to Hearth, to home, charging the runeblade with the star’s magic.\n\nThen he stepped inside.\n\nThe room was dark. No surprise. Legends said the dark magic claimed his eyes long ago. Even if they were wrong, shadow sight was minor magic. Paladin could perform the trick himself, if he so wished, but there was no need. He trained with the monks of Ludere. Were he deaf and blind, he could fight as well as any soldier.\n\nPaladin made note of the shadowy details of the great room, not that there were many. The room was almost as barren as the wasteland outside, save for the few banners covering any possible window and the sconces placed on buttresses. At the far end, on his throne of skulls, sat the Demon King.\n\n“So, you have come at last,” said the Demon King, his tone almost bored. His voice echoed off the stone walls. Paladin pointed his sword at the Demon King. “Am I to meet my end, Paladin?”\n\nPaladin hesitated. The Demon King had spoken the exact words he’d thought. There were rumors that the tyrant could read minds, but few survived the Demon King and fewer were in a state of coherency. Paladin had taken precautions against this power just in case. He doubted there was any real threat to his mind, so long as he stood and breathed.\n\nPaladin had another concern. His voice was familiar.\n\n“I am their final hope,” Paladin told himself. Feeling the resolve, he tightened his grip on his blade and took a step toward the Demon King. The charged magic hummed beneath his fingertips. “Your curse upon this world has gone on long enough. It ends today.”\n\n“No, my dear Paladin, it doesn’t.”\n\nPaladin saw his adversary twitch and managed to call upon his magic before the impact hit. It would be too weak to cause any real damage, but hopefully it would prevent the Demon King from following up his attack before Paladin could recover. A wave of force knocked Paladin backwards, flinging him through the air with the ease of a man tossing a ball. Starlight filled the room as a thin beam followed Paladin’s blade as he tumbled through the air. The stone cracked on the floor, wall, and ceiling and the arm of the Demon King’s throne fell to the ground. The tyrant himself lay on the floor where he had flung himself out of the magic’s path.\n\nBoth recovered at the same time, standing on opposite ends of the hall. A rune had dimmed on Paladin’s sword, reminding him of his limit. Once the power was gone, he would have nothing more than his martial skills and the few spells he memorized.\n\nIt wouldn’t be enough to kill the Demon King.\n\nOnce again, the Demon King fired another wave of force at Paladin, but he was ready this time, planting his feet firmly on the ground and bracing himself with magic. The force loosened his helmet and flare his cloak, but nothing more. The Demon King followed his magic with a heavy strike from his axe, closing the distance too quickly for a human. The dust had barely cleared, and Paladin was on the defensive.\n\nHe deflected the Demon King’s axe with his blade. He attempted to retaliate but noticed the Demon King’s clenched fist in time to dodge back. Fire filled the space between them, where Paladin’s head once was. The heat cascaded over his body.\n\nCalling on his training, Paladin fixed his footing, deflecting the Demon King’s strikes and dodging magic. Each attack started before the last was complete, leaving no gaps for Paladin to use. Each was too close and too well placed. The pair found a rhythm, turning the fight into a dance. \n\nA single mistake would cost Paladin his life. He bided his time. To say they were evenly matched was generous to Paladin, but he held his own. Then, as the Demon King, recoiled from a particularly well timed block, Paladin saw his chance. He closed the distance, ramming his shoulder into the Demon King’s masked face. Knowing this would likely be his last chance, that if he didn’t make this blow lethal, he would die, Paladin called all the remaining magic into his runeblade brought the charged blade down.\n\nHe saw the smile beneath the crack too late.\n\nThe Demon King released a wave of force. Unlike his earlier attacks, this was directionless, expanding in all directions with explosive force. Paladin couldn’t counter it quickly enough. The runeblade went flying, tearing the room apart with his starlight beam, narrowly missing the two combatants. Paladin landed on his back hard. He grunted in pain as all the air left his body. His helmet and pauldrons and every loosely strapped piece of armor flew off.\n\nHe knew he was defeated.\n\nThe final blow never came. Paladin slowly rose to his feet, trying his best to ignore the throbbing in his head. His vision slowly cleared and he saw the Demon King standing there, exposed lips trembling. The Demon King’s axe law on the ground. For a moment, Paladin thought he’d won. Somehow, his sword’s magic had cut through the Demon King, vanquishing his foe once and for all.\n\nBut no, he wouldn’t be so lucky.\n\n“Bailey,” the Demon King said in a whisper, carried to Paladin’s ears on a soft whisper.\n\nPaladin felt his heart skip a beat. He was beaten, bruised, and disarmed, but hearing that word - that voice - defeated him. He dropped his arms to his side, staring at the Demon King with tears in his eyes. The Demon King lifted his mask, but Paladin didn’t need to see his face. He already knew.\n\n“Isaac.”\n\nThe two men approached cautiously, in disbelief of the sight before their eyes. Bailey took Isaac into his arms, wrapping the man into a tight embrace, ignoring his pained grunts and suppressing his own body’s screams as Isaac returned the hug. His body ached, but it was nothing compared to the ache that he carried in his heart for five years. Though they both looked different, older and more muscular, Isaac looked the same to Bailey. Bailey looked the same to Isaac.\n\nThey stared into each other’s eyes for too long. With too many questions and too complex answers, they settled for silent admiration. Isaac ran his hand along Bailey’s chin, appreciating the rough feel of his stubble. Bailey held Isaac. Finally, unable to resist any longer, they kissed for the first time in almost half a decade. It wasn’t the answer to their questions, but it was enough for now. For the first time in years, Bailey’s heart was light.\n\nHe knew he would be going home.\n\nIsaac knew he wouldn’t." ]	2
	[WP] After millennia of constant work, Death's boss forces him to take a vacation. After a week, Death returns to find out his brother Steve has been filling in 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 last time that you met Death, they seemed really stress out. Too much death, endless shifts that would tire even the most workaholic individual into exhaustion. But this?\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThis was not the solution anyone would have picked, except for their stupid boss.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Brother? What in the Nine Hells did you do?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Hey there, partner! Well, while you were out on vacation, I had the absolutely best idea. Your job is really tiring, I almost gave up after the first day. You would just have to take another vacation if it kept that way! So I solved it all in one go!\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Everyone is dead, Steve. This is NOT how my job goes.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Ah, shush. Besides, I didn't risk out the name of EVERYONE! Just the first pages before it bored me. The first pages are Earth people, right?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Yes, but no. Names are under grammatically descending order, many of them belong to the beings of planets outside of Earth's Solar System.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Oh! Hah! My bad! No big deal though, saves trouble on them sides too.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I am going to choke you to death now, Steve.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nAnd in their endless argument, you sat cross legged with endless boredom filling your retinas. You, and the longest line of dead souls Death had seen in a long time. This was going to take a while to fix." ]	2
	[WP] A crime scene investigation show, except the department is grossly underfunded.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "\"Paul, I don't see how this would even work.\" John said as he ordered another drink.\n\nPaul stared at John from across the table. \"It's simple, John. This is a small town just across the border from a large city. Because of that, a lot of \"big city\" crime washes up on their side of the border, but the city and the county just can't afford to adequately fund the crime lab while still supplying other services.\"\n\n\"Couldn't they send stuff off to the state crime lab, then?\" asked John before taking another drink.\n\n\"For dramatic purposes, you could have some kind of old beef between the department and the state crime lab that causes their work to be de-prioritized; if you want to go realistic, then just stress that yes, they could--and deal with a year or more backlog on some kinds of evidence, plus the issues surrounding transport, maintaining the chain of custody and evidence integrity-- \"\n\n\"Okay, I get it Paul--so how does this work out?\"\n\n\"Well, as a result, they need to deal with various types of evidence, but they often don't have the \"right tool\" for it. When your budget is stretched like that, you have to get really creative: get help from the local high school science department, make-shift some of your own equipment, maybe even learn a few old tricks. Want to see the trajectory of a bullet in a room? Over that distance, a roll of string works just as well as some fancy laser unit that would cost them hundreds. Need to trace several? Different colored gels over the flash of a camera on a fixed tripod, then digitally overlay them later. Part of the show's appeal will be seeing how they 'MacGyver' together something that solves the case.\"\n\nJohn put down his glass. \"Paul, to be honest, I'm not even sure this idea will sell. You remember the problems after the 'CSI' series? Prosecutors and law enforcement were complaining that juries didn't want to convict because they weren't being shown the same levels of evidence that they were used to from those series. Now you want to show them a department that is having to trace bullets in a shoot-out with strings held in place with bubble gum?\"\n\n\"Masking tape would work just as well, and not leave as much residue to contaminate the scene, John.\"\n\n\"Damnit Paul, I'm being serious here.\" John said, as he sat back in the booth.\n\n\"So am I, John. I can see this series in my head. The crime scene investigation unit is three full-time employees only because the previous chief recommended one of his officers who was injured and couldn't pass the physical take the investigation courses. The head of the unit is struggling to keep a team at all, what with administrative and budge issues--probably taking a huge pay cut himself just to be able to keep the unit together. The group gets some help from the local high school science department--all two of them--because one of them thinks it can be a great learning opportunity for some of their advanced students, and the other is sweet on someone in the unit. Thing is, I want this to be realistic--they're not the ones chasing the bad guys (although they may encounter them by accident), they're the ones chasing the evidence. And I don't see every case being solved in the episode it starts in--in the 'real world', cases may go on for months before going to trial. I want to try to capture that somehow.\"\n\nJohn looked at his friend. \"Paul, I'm going to shoot straight with you-I don't know if that will sell. And IF it does-and that's a big 'if'-it's probably going to be on its own shoe-string budget. Other than the kinds of folks who like mysteries and those who like science shows, I'm not sure who else we can pick up. Hell, I'm not even sure who to start pitching this idea to for you.\"\n\n\"John, picture this for the intro. First episode we come in with someone new-say Detective Smith, who just moved here. First day on the job, they catch their first case. On the way out to the scene, Det. Smith is filled in on the area. They're looking over the crime scene, trying to get a feel for what happened when the investigation team shows up. Smith (and we) get to meet them for the first time, because it was a bad one--a drug deal gone wrong, perhaps, so it's 'all-hands on deck'. We leave Smith and attach to the team to follow the rest of the show. When Det. Smith drops in to check on a particular piece of evidence, the team director shows them around, and Smith is in shock at how 'primitive' their setup is compared to the place Smith came from. This leads to the discussion of why they are so underfunded, and maybe an example each of cooperating with the high school science department and something they have to 'make-work'. Eventually they provide the data about the evidence that allows Det. Smith to make an arrest. Several episodes later, either there will be mention of the trial, or it will be brought up in the episode.\"\n\n\"Paul, I still think you're looking for a unicorn audience. But you haven't let me down before, so I will do what I can to get it in front of the right people. Just make sure you've got a good half-season of episodes in your pocket before we get there, okay?\"\n\n-----\n\n(Word count: 927. Please let me know what you like/dislike about the post. Thank you in advance for your time and attention.)", "From the other side of the police tape, you’d figure that detectives were getting down to the facts and that solving the case was close at hand. Neither side had a clue though what was really going on. From the dollar store plastic evidence bags with glitter marker writing stating the contents, to the cooking tongs that were currently being used to pick up decaying flesh that only a Saturday ago were gripping chicken legs for the weekend BBQ cookout. One thing was clear; the departments budget was nowhere to be found.\n\nIt was only a year ago today that I’d been hired and assigned to this particular department. Even though I’d have to drive an hour or two, depending on traffic, out of my way." ]	3
	[WP] "So if the Grim Reaper doesn't take my soul in the first 15 minutes after dying, can I come back to 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "\"No you just become a ghost until your collected. What did you think ghosts are?\" The lady said with a smile. The guy, Bradly, looked at her with a confused expression. \"I thought ghosts were people who had unfinished business when they died.\" The lady laughed. \"You think anyone cares about your unfinished mortal business?\" she said, adding sarcasm to the business part. Bradly shook his head, 'Shoot bad idea!' he thought as a massive amount of pain spread from his neck. \"OW!\" he shouted, \"God why does it still hurt, I'm dead!\" he yelled. The women covered her mouth in amusement. \"What's so funny?\" Bradly asked, with a bit of anger in his voice. \"Sorry it's just you've been such a pain in my neck and now you....well....\" she stopped as she broke down in a giggling fit. Bradly looked at her with flat eyes.\n\n\"For being my, Guide to the After Life, you sure do suck at your job.\" Bradly said. \"Hey I told you everything you need to know and all your questions, what more do you want?\" the lady retorted. \"Maybe some respect for my death.\" Bradly said. The lady shrugged, \"Look I'm a worker from Purgatory. We don't receive sensitivity training.\" Bradly looked away. \"Look I'm sorry for all the questions, it's just..\" \"You expected there to be nothing right?\" She said finishing his sentence. Bradly looked at her. \"Yeah\". \"If I may ask, why?\" the lady said after three minutes of silence. Bradly looked confused for a minute, before realizing what she was asking, \"Oh.....my...death.\" he looked around the living room of his crappy little apartment. \"Sure why not?\" he finally said with a sigh. The women looked at him with complete attention. Bradly sat himself on his couch. \"Well I haven't always been the greatest at life.\" \"Always?\" she interjected. Bradly frowned, \"This is my life story not yours.\" She raised her hands in surrender, \"Sorry force of habit, continue.\" Bradly took a moment to collect his thoughts.\n\n\"As I said before, I've not been the best at life. As a kid I was weird and awkward. This is because when I was very little I was a sickly child. Growing up all the way to eighth grade I was home schooled so I wouldn't get sick. By the time I was in eighth grade I didn't really understand what people were like in real life. I mean I had my mother, father, and relatives but not the best social learning tools for a kid. Sure I knew to walk with my back straight, say please and thank you, and to hold open a door for people, but I didn't know.....well....\" Bradly struggled to find the words for his sentence. \"fit in with your own peers?\" the lady offered. Bradly shook his head. \"I guess that's the best way to put it.\" he continued with his life story. \"Now I wouldn't go so far as to say I was bullied, but the other kids did make sure to keep me at arms length. I would tell this to my parents and receive two different ways of going about it. My father would say to keep your head high and don't let it get to me, while my mother would encourage me to try out the things the other kids liked. It really left me confused.\" \n\n\n\"So you died because of your parents inability to raise you?\" the lady asked. Bradly was quick to jump to his feet, ignoring the pain in his neck, \"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT!\" he roared with rage. The lady again put her hands up in surrender, \"Sorry was it the kids who didn't want to let you join in?\" Bradly, a bit calmer now, gave a small shake of his head and winced as it stung again. \"No. While they isolated me I don't blame this on them.\" The lady looked confused, \"Then who do you blame?\" she asked. Bradly glared at her. \"Well if you would shut up and let me tell you my story, maybe then you'll have your answer.\" She again brought her hands up in surrender. \n\n\nBradly sat back down on the couch again and collected himself, \"Well just like middle school, high school was more of the same and before I knew it I was being told it's time to go to college.\" \"Go Badgers.\" Bradly glared at her, \"Sorry.\" she said. Bradly sighed, \"Well anyway I went to a community college in city, a few miles away from my parents house, so I could get a job to pay what the scholarships wouldn't cover for a fancier school, while still getting elective credits.\" The lady nodded a little in understanding. \"Well things started turning around for me during that time. I found a sweet job as a comic shop employee, was excelling in all my classes, getting some good offers from several colleges, and was finally making a few friends. But the most wonderful part about college was I fell in love.\" A groan of disgust came from the lady. Bradly looked at her, \"What's the problem now?\" he said irritation evident in his voice. The lady looked at him, \"I swear if this is a girl I love broke my heart story I'm going to make sure you burn in hell.\" Bradly looked at her for a second. \"I wouldn't call it that but it might be.......why the hell do I care? Excuse the pun.\" She looked at him hard for a second. \"Alright continue.\" Bradly made a mocking half bow. \"Thank you for her ladies permission.\" He said in a purposefully bad British accent. The lady rolled her eyes." ]	2
	[WP] Digiorno just opened up its pizza delivery service and the resulting paradox threatens reality as we know 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "David put his car in park in front of the house. He grabbed the pizza box from the insulated bag in the back seat. Digiorno, the frozen pizza company, recently expanded their business operations to include delivery. David, desperate for a job after being fired from Dominos, signed up for the pilot project. Unbeknownst to him, he was delivering their first pizza ever.\n\nDavid ran up the steps to reach the front door of the townhouse. He rang the bell and waited. He could hear the floor creaking inside as the customer approached the door. It swung open and behind it stood two young women. \n\nThe first had long black hair that went down just past her shoulders. She wore a dark green shirt that was tied up in the middle, showing off her toned stomach. She had on really short jean shorts and brown wedge heels.\n\nThe other had light brown hair, in the same style and length as the first woman. She had green zip up hoody, that was open, exposing her bright orange tank top. She had on white short shorts.\n\nDavid was a little surprised, as these were not the typical overweight, obviously stoned customers he was used to delivering to.\n\n“Ooh, the pizza guy is here!” the first woman squealed. \n\n“Um, yeah – that’ll be $11.95,” David said handing over the pizza box. \n\nThe second woman pulled out her debit card and handed it over to David as the first woman took the pizza inside. He put the card in the machine and passed it back to her. As she was entering her pin number, David felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. The feeling of something being very very wrong came over him. \n\nThe woman hit enter on the machine and waited as it processed the transaction. \n\n“So, you guys deliver now, huh?” she asked.\n\n“Yeah, it’s a new thing,” David said, still feeling uneasy.\n\n“You’ll have to change your slogan. You’re going to cause a paradox or som-“ she was abruptly cut off as the debit machine completed the transaction. The machine imploded in on itself, creating a black hole which began to gobble her up.\n\nDavid stared in horror as her body bent in unnatural ways, screaming as her bones cracked and pierced through her skin. His mind was telling his body to run, but his body was frozen in place.\n\nThe black hole continued to grow and David began to feel it’s pull. He turned and sprinted down the stairs. He heard the other woman screaming as the black hole pulled the house into it, causing the roof to come caving in. \n\nDavid reached his car and sped off. In his rearview mirror he noticed the black hole stopped expanding. Creatures began emerging from it’s center. They moved on all fours, had humanlike heads, and sharp daggerlike teeth that prevented their mouths from closing fully. \n\nAs David turned the corner he saw the monsters pouncing on neighbors coming out of their homes to investigate the noise." ]	2
	[WP] You're part of a group of teenagers chosen to to receive superpowers and to use said abilities to fight menaces regularly attacking Earth via your home town. The problem is that you're a middle aged individual who got enhanced by accident.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 base was quiet, the hallway lights dimmed. It was 1 am in the morning, and yet here I was, still awake. Probably not a good idea for me, considering I was on Earth's defense force.\n\nSoftly, I hear singing. I don't understand it at all, it's Korean. But even if I'm not an expert vocalist, I can tell the way the girl carries her voice, she's had practice of sorts. She's good.\n\nI approach the lounge where she dances a bit, and I can hear the tinny melody of the song coming through her earbuds. It's Skylar, some quiet girl. Friendly, usually on her phone. Wind based powers, mostly because she asked. \"It's literally right in my name,\" I remember her pleading. \"How could you not pass this opportunity up?\"\n\n\"So give me one chance, I'm Mr. Heart-Heart-Breaker! Don't you-\" Maybe it's the smell of the hot chocolate that signals that she's not alone, but she whirls around. \"Oh, hey! I didn't notice you were there.\" She's a little wary, and I can understand why. After all, I'm old enough to be her father, and we're supposed to work as a team when everyone else is her age.\n\n\"It's fine. You're a, uh, good singer.\" I manage to say. \"Who're you listening to?\"\n\n\"Oh, LCA!\" She takes out her earbuds. \"They're really popular in Korea, and-\" Skylar begins rambling on and on about some boyband I've never heard of. I'm tempted to space out of the conversation, but Skylar seems really into it.\n\n\"Do you want to listen to some of their songs?\"\n\nThat snaps me back. Against my better judgement, I take her offered earphones, and she presses play on her phone. \n\nWow.\n\nAt first I'm not too impressed - it's new kid music, something an old man like me can't appreciate, but I could get into this, maybe. And judging by Skylar's reaction, she's all too thrilled. \"You know, you're the first one I've been able to talk to about them.\"\n\n\"Really?\"\n\nShe nods, and I can see a brief, emotional pang in the way she carries herself. \"My friends don't really like the music I'm into. Neither does anyone on base...well, until you.\"\n\n\"I'll check them out later. In the meantime, you should get some sleep. You have duty in the morning.\" I remind her, and she nods, leaving the room.\n\n\\\\\\\n\nWhen you're pushing forty and you're surrounded by kids, someone's bound to point out the big age difference. Knox was one of them, definitely. He was the type who was more suited to books and computers, a gaunt boy whose glasses were terrifyingly thick. \n\nKnox was certainly very powerful - he could control water. When I learned this, I went into a tangent of how he could manipulate the water inside people. I got to how humans were 70% water before he stood up, said \"Okay, boomer.\", made a strange pose and promptly left.\n\n(I didn't have the heart to tell him that I was a Gen X.)\n\nAs it turned out, Knox bordered the line between jokester and insufferable, to me at least. Half IT jokes and sharp wit, and half eye rolls and lingo that even some of the kids on base couldn't get because he was far too advanced to get on their level. \n\nI first noticed something was wrong when I noticed condensation covering the windows, and the temperature inside became colder than outside. As I kept an eye on Knox, I couldn't help but notice something felt off about him. His jokes were numbering few now, and he mostly kept quiet. \n\nAs it turned out, Knox's stress wasn't from defending the world against monsters, but the common foil to the studious high schooler - final exams.\n\nI found him in the dining hall, writing down notes from a science textbook that would surely break his back. \"Hitting the grind?\" I asked, and he sighed. Nothing like getting a kid angry by using out of date slang, but from how it looked I struck a nerve.\n\n\"Bad take?\" But the more I tried to get to him, the more stressed he was getting - and I could tell, because ice was forming around his feet.\n\n\"I just need to concentrate, alright? The exam's coming up, I'm under enough stress as is.\"\n\nI raised my hands up, letting him be. \"Alright, alright. Don't forget to take care of yourself. You need a hot drink or whatever? Water?\"\n\nHe tapped the pencil against his face before he wrote down some solution to a practice question. \"You know what...yeah. Some tea or something.\"\n\nA few minutes later, I hand him a steaming cup, added with plenty of sugar and some milk, like I've always seen him do. He takes a sip, and I can see him visibly relaxing. \n\n\"Thanks.\" Knox looks up at me, and for the first time, I see him genuinely smile.\n\n\\\\\\\n\nEddie's power was talking to animals. He was one of those guys raised on a farm who just happened to get the short end of the stick, snatched away and given a power deemed useless.\n\nHe coped by lashing out, acting like he was on top of it all, pushing everyone down so he could feel somewhat important. But after all was said and done, he was always miserable and by himself, which only made him more disagreeable.\n\nI took up sitting next to him at mealtimes, making small talk, and it seemed I was one of the few who talked to him.\n\n\"I only wanted to talk to animals,\" He confessed to me one day. \"because I thought it would be nice, just understanding your dog or cat. Sayin' sorry to them for steppin' on their tail, but now that I'm here...what good is talkin' to animals when the world's at stake?\"\n\n\"Seems like a problem, definitely.\" I give him a pat on the back. \"But you never know what you're really capable of until you really have to try. You'll have to look at it from a different perspective.\" It wasn't the best advice, but I wasn't licensed for that, anyways.\n\nAs it turned out, Eddie's moment was during the next attack. A mass alien invasion, with ships touching down in the city. Strange soldiers stepping out, terrorizing the civilians, stopping the superpowered teens thrown at them.\n\nAll except for Eddie, who stood there, facing them down. He took off his hat, and closed his eyes, and I could see him turning the gears in his head. A new perspective, Eddie, that's all there is...\n\nIt came to him, in a flash. He took off his straw hat, in awe he hadn't seen it before, and then he made a battle cry. A point to the aliens, and all of a sudden it was as if all the wildlife in the area had assembled. Raccoons, stray cats, squirrels, and worst of all, horrible geese in the middle of mating season, all laying seige. Not even 20 minutes passed before it died down, and the remaining forces retreated, leaving Eddie with his first victory under his belt.\n\n\\\\\\*\n\nSaving the world is stressful, and these teens need all the support they can get at any time. If it means I play team dad, so be it. I'm proud of them for saving the world, but they need breaks from time to time. Someone to share the discomforts and uncertainty of life with, to share their best memories. And when they need me, I'll be there, at a moment's notice. Just like they'll be there in the world's time of need.\n\nI'm confident they'll do well. Even if they don't...well, this old man's still got a few tricks up his sleeve." ]	2
	[WP] "Corruption is at an all time high!" Said the News Reporter. As he says this, your morning coffee glitches out of existence. "Must be another Virus" You say as you pick up your anti-virus gear.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "\"Sounds like it'll be pretty bad before long.\"\n\n\"It's already gotten bad. Mom's saying not to use the bathroom, since the toilet's chucking up water instead of flushing.\"\n\n\"Already? I think that's a new record.\" I slowly pushed myself up from the dining table in my Homepage, looking out to the link into the open Net. \"This early too, we're never going to get a free weekend, are we?\"\n\n\"Guess not. Still, beats playing nothing but UNO.\" My Operator leaned back in his computer chair, looking over to the chip dock plugged in beside the monitor.\n\n\"True.\" I started wiping my eyes, starting to be overtaken by morning fatigue.\n\n\"LycanMan, are you alright? Are you getting bugged? I can't see any HP drop.\"\n\n\"I'm fine... Mostly, but that virus stole my CyberCoffee.\" I walked over to the red Mr. Prog up near the link to the public, and had it load up my Chip data. \"I am NOT going to let some glorified Mettaur get away with my coffee!\"\n\n\"Let's show that virus what for, LycanMan!!\"\n\n\"Right!!\" Lowering down to my fours, I dashed into the link and was loaded into the Net, ready to hunt down that virus and do some Busting. It didn't take long to find the first of many instances of it, seeing that it decided raiding my favorite Cyber Café was a good idea.\n\nMy GregarBuster was itching to prove the virus, which wound up being the hilariously outdated Fishy virus, ruefully wrong. Funny how volatile Net updates really were.\n\n\"Battle routine, set!\"\n\n\"Execute!\"\n\n(Yeah, it's kinda just thrown together, but I still hoped you got something out of it!)" ]	2
	[WP] "Just because I'm unenlightenable doesn't mean I'm unenlightened".	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "“Just because I’m inenlightenable doesn’t mean I’m unenlightened” I thought to myself \n\nI was always different. From the time I was young I just knew... more. Hindsight was always 2020, I never got in situations I couldn’t handle. I never did drugs or drank. It was as if my life always went how I wanted it to go. But that wasn’t all, while nothing was bad, nothing was great. My emotions were constantly flat. There was no excitement. Until my 21st birthday. \n\nIt was then that I realized I wasn’t avoiding alcohol because it was bad for my liver. I avoided it because it was the key to my memories. I was not of this earth and as a child my parents knew that one day I would need to know the truth about the world.. about me. But as a child, 8 years old, I wouldn’t be Able to handle it. So instead they put the key to my mind in the chemical we know as alcohol. if I were to ingest it all of my memories would return along with my parents message of my duties. \n\nBeing that I loved reading comic books it was easy for me to make the leap to thinking I was the new Superman. A new hero sent from another planet as a child. But as the memories rolling in I came to a different ending. I’m not a hero and I wasn’t sent here to save my species. I’m here to wreak as much havoc as I can with my other worldly knowledge. I was taught about this world and their beliefs to make it easier to infiltrate and destroy. \n\nI’ve been getting only a slightest breeze of the truth from the cracks in my memory for 11 years. It was what made it easier for me to live life and make predictions on what my actions would lead to. But now the walls of my entrapment have been ripped off and new aspects to my purpose are being driven back into me every minute. \n\nBut I’m not who they sent anymore. I’ve found friends and compassion. while I now know all the secrets to this galaxy and this planet i still want my life (no matter how boring) with you all. So I decided to go to the ship I had hid a long time ago to destroy it and go back to my life with a new found appreciation. I was going to write this letter to help explain this to who ever I trusted this information with. \n\nBut when I got there. It was beeping and it was then I remembered, I wasn’t sent to destroy this world alone. There’s a tracker in me connected to my ship, kind of like Bluetooth. Once I got close, the ship started beeping, almost like it was calling someone. I was normally good at predicting what was going to happen next. But I had no idea. \nThe next thing I heard was my ship make the following announcement. \n\n“Signal received. Target Locked. Reinforcements in route.” \n\nThat was 6 hours ago. And although I’m miles away from my ship now I can still hear the beeping and it’s only getting louder. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is my first story I May have gone off the deep end here but idk" ]	2
	[WP] The elders have made up thier minds. The sacrifice this year will live, but be outcast from the village. You are now the first person in record history ro venture outside the walls of your homeland.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "You could feel the disappointment in the crowd after the Elders exited the shrine and broke the news. This year’s sacrifice will not die, but instead be outcast from the village, never to return. The town’s quiet anger shifted very quickly to curiosity as the Elders made a procession out of the temple, through the town, and out to the ancient Main Gate. The Gate hadn’t been opened in centuries, so the townspeople clamored to find a view outside of the walls that held them in. \n\nThe Chief was the warmest member of the Council. He addressed me with a smile as I stared down the gaping hole in the Wall, leading out to uncharted territory. “My child, are you ready?” He asked. His face smiled, but his eyes painted a different picture. Longing, jealousy. \n\n“Yes, Father.” I nodded. “I’m... not sure what to say, but... thank you for sparing my life.” The Chief’s eyes became deathly serious as he stared through me. He cupped my shoulder and began walking me through the Gate. Smaller doors opened and closed, like locks in the canal that ran through the City. \n\n“Dear child,” he began. He spoke in rhythm of the huge blast doors opening and closing around us. “You may not have died today,” creeeeeeeeeeak. “but don’t get the wrong idea.” WHAM! “There’s a reason why these precautions are in place, why we never leave the City.” creeeeeeeeeeak. “We did not take your life, but that does not mean you are spared.” With that, the Chief shoved me outside of the Walls as the final door closed in my face.\n\nIn front of me was a small strip of grass, stopped abruptly by a dense forest. I had never seen more than two or three at the same time, but something compelled me inward, some primal instinct from deeper within me than I knew existed. Looking at my feet, I could just barely make out a path leading into the slightest gap in the brush. Figuring that it was either continue on or die here, I made my way inward. The moment I let go of the branch, the pathway disappeared and it was if the City never existed at all. After a realization that I’d never see my home again, I inhaled deeply and began walking through the impossibly dark forest." ]	2
	[WP] Few speak of the true heroes of the Imperium. Adeptus Hermes, the greatest postal service known to man.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "You know all the other services that send and receive telepathic messages. We exist in the gray sense of the orders of disarmament from the high lords.\n\nWe are the Adeptus Hermes a minoris of the Adeptus Ministorum. We are not a military per say a branch. But we are trained in the weapons that we ship across the safety of the imperial light.\n\nFrom the holy bolter to the humble astra militarum. We have never lost our shipment to our enemies of man.\n\nWe have never encountered any space xenos or xenos in our travels. By the light we travel with guidance in the name of the god emperor.\n\nFor who shall stand in our way,blockade and or prevent ourselves of omitted travel .\n\nWe say to you \n\nYou are in nova cannon range." ]	2
	[WP] Dreams aren't born from the mind of people, they're fished from the ocean. Trained professionals experience fished dreams firsthand to label them and make sure they're safe before sending them on the market. Nightmares can traumatize or outright kill even the most prepared dreamers.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 Sandmen did not work with sand. They were not men of the desert, as you might suppose by their title. They were fishermen, and as is common with the trade, they made their living off the sea. \n\nBut the Sandmen did not work with water either. \n\n“Wonderful night for fishing, eh?” said Tobias. He had the grizzled, waterworn look of an old sailor, as if he was pulled straight from the pages of Melville. Gray hair masked most of his face, all but a pair of piercing, ocean-blue eyes. However, from the neck down Tobias was a modern man, dark suit and tie, just like Leo. \n\nLeo scoffed at his partner’s joke. In one sense it was not a good day for fishing. The sea was storming. The readings had up some of the most intense waves he had ever detected, and Leo knew that fishermen more skilled and sane than the two of them would have opted to sit this one out. \n\nOn the other hand, the most turbulent days offered up the most valuable treasures. In that respect, it was a very good day to fish. If you didn’t value your life that was. \n\nLeo wasn’t certain how much Tobias valued his life. Shit, he wasn’t sure how much he valued his own. But he did value the handsome check they would receive if luck was on their side today. \n\n“Yeah, I guess,” said Leo as he prepared himself. He was sitting across from the old man, peering into his blue orbs like a longing lover. In ways, he knew Tobias more intimately then any woman would. \n\nThe man returned the gaze, a little too intensely for Leo’s liking. He wondered absently if the man had ever actually had a woman. Or anyone.\n\nLeo’s hand gripped the soft leather of the armchair, as that familiar feeling of both floating and sinking started to take hold of him. It was a high no drug could replicate. \n\n“Time to get to work,” Leo said, and he and Tobias both shut their eyes in unison. \n\nLeo’s hand sunk into the coarse gravel. He opened his eyes. The sun burned bright red above his partner’s head, sitting high in a deep purple sky. A blue half-moon drifted nearby, shyly, as if it was afraid it would get burned if it came any closer to its sister. \n\nBeneath the sky, the sea was in a rage. \n\n“She’s angry,” said Tobias as he got to his feet. “Best proceed with caution.” \n\nLeo rolled his eyes, both at his partner stating the obvious, and his incessant need to personify the mass of swirling energy that stood before them. \n\n “Makes sense,” said Leo as he looked at the swirling cloud. “You know with the war and all that. City’s on edge.” \n\nTobias grunted, in that way he often did, when Leo couldn’t tell whether he agreed or not. \n\n“Well, let’s get started,” said Leo as he stepped forward. \n\n“Hold on, kiddo,” said Tobias. “Looks like you got a visitor.”\n\nLeo glanced over to his side and exhaled sharply. Where there was no one moments before, now stood a woman. She stood there smiling, tall, shapely, dark skin glistening as if she had just been birthed from the ocean like the goddess Aphrodite. And very much like Aphrodite, every inch of her body was laid bare for them to see. \n\nTobias averted his eyes respectfully. Leo turned to the woman in exasperation. \n\n“Can I get one day without you bugging me, Letha?” \n\nThe woman feigned herself hurt at his comment. “You don’t even give a girl a chance to speak before you shoo her away,” said Letha. She sucked her teeth. “So rude. You know it gets very lonely out there in the ocean. A girl need more than fish to keep her company.” \n\n“You try the squid?” asked Leo. “I hear they get pretty big out there.” \n\nLetha smirked and placed one hand on her hip. \n\n“You’ll stop running from me one of these days, Leo,” she said. “And when you decide to catch me, I’ll be here, ready for taking. I’m very patient.” \n\n“Be waiting awhile,” Leo muttered, trying to conceal the lump in his throat. Letha tittered. It was very hard to conceal your desires, there on the plane of Reality and Not. Leo had gotten pretty good at it, but no one was perfect. \n\n“Leo,” said Tobias, his eyes still cast aside. “We need to get a move on.” \n\n“Need some help on your hunting then?” Letha asked as Leo made to move pass her toward the sea’s edge. \n\n“No ma’am,” Leo replied. \n\n“It’s pretty wild out there tonight,” Letha noted. “Be a shame, to see a man with such...potential… get devoured by the dark. Don’t know if I’d get over it.” \n\nLeo looked back to snap at her, but then he considered it. Taking aid from an apparition was a risky play on any day, especially one as tied to Leo as this. But it was sometimes necessary given the circumstances. \n\n“I happen to know an excellent place to get a great catch. Easy as pie to get to, if you just swim close by. Just don't get lost.” \n\nLeo glanced at his partner. Tobias answered with the shortest of nods, a gesture that would be imperceptible by anyone that hadn’t known him as well as Leo did. \n\n“Let me show you the way hon,” Letha purred. “Let me be your Beatrice.” \n\nLeo sighed. “Fine,” he said. \n\nLetha smiled and swayed past the men to the misty border she had emerged from. As she approached, the colorless mass reached out to her, wispy tendrils beckoning her to enter. \n\n“Follow me boys,” said Letha. And in an instant, she was gone. \n\n“We ready?” Leo asked his partner. \n\n“May Morpheus ferry our souls to safety,” Tobias replied. That was his way of saying yes. Leo nodded, and they both entered the sea of dreams.", "The cartridge on my desk felt slightly different than all the others I had been assigned. Normally, a dream cartridge felt pleasant between my fingers. It was assumed this phenomenon was a type of Pavlov’s dog scenario. The dreams were mostly always lighthearted, with the exception of a few neutral experiences sprinkled in. Think walking in the park with no agenda and no one else interesting around. This cartridge seemed unusual in a subtle way. I shrugged it off and determined I was just tired tonight.\n\nSome of the older guys were sharing stories of their nightmares. I was careful to sit at my desk seemingly uninterested, but my ears were dialed in as I soaked in the words of their traumas. They were made out to be survivors, but I wasn’t so sure. They spoke of men with knives chasing them but they awoke just before the blade’s tip penetrated their skin. A continuous fall that never ended with impact. A shadow figure stalking them. Trapped in a room as walls closed in. They always woke up just before the fatal moment.\n\nMany of their previous colleagues had not been so lucky. Before a team of medics on stand-by had become a regulatory requirement, the nightmares didn’t spare many lives. Once they were in your conscious, they played out until the very end. Many dreamers died in the name of research, leaving their fate in the hands of scientists searching for a sign they were enveloped in a nightmare. Eventually, a complex grid was created to pinpoint how a nightmare would manifest in the physical body. Doctors had to take a full blood panel before each sleep to determine how your body would react to a nightmare. The changes were subtle and based on many factors, but eventually they were able to consistently identify a nightmare mid-experience and induce wakefulness. Whatever the signs were, they were held under lock and key, and the medics took oaths to ensure it’s confidentiality.\n\nWith the successful prevention of nightmare-induced deaths, research funding poured into identifying a nightmare without a dreamer having to experience it. It proved to be an easier task and within two years, nightmares themselves had been eradicated. I had only been a dreamer for a few months before the announcement was made and never experienced a nightmare. I was afraid I never would.\n\nIt’s not that I had wanted to die, I didn’t. I just needed the rush. The articles I read detailing the body's reaction to fear had piqued my interest as a child. My parents often told me how lucky I was that horror firms had been banned and we lived in a state that had eradicated crime. “You’re lucky you only have to dream,” my mother would say as she kissed me goodnight. The closest thing I felt to fear was worry I’d never experience it myself.\n\nI shut the door to my room, thankful for the deregulation of the industry. With no more nightmares, blood tests and medical staff were no longer necessary. The money was better spent marketing the loveliest of dreams to the wealthiest of buyers. It was easy to fall asleep without watchful eyes. My eyes were heavy as I pulled the covers over my body and settled in for my shift.\n\n\\--\n\nI’m standing in a park in broad daylight. To my left, there is a girl, a beautiful girl. She smiles at me and her brightness matches the yellow dress she wears well. I trust that I know her. Birds chirp and I notice children playing in a fountain. The weight of the girl’s hand feels good in mine. Familiar. We walk under the blue sky, a slight breeze finds itself inside my open jacket. Pleasantness.\n\nWe walk awhile in joint content. She releases my hand and I turn to face her. She smiles before mouthing, “Look.” Her arm rises to face level and she points behind me. An immediate sense of defiance fills me up and I’m shaking my head at her. Clouds overhead divert my attention from the girl. When had grayness taken hold? \n\nSilence replaces the song of the birds and the fountain stops. The children are gone and so is all the color. “Look,” she says aloud this time, her voice more lifeless than I imagine it should be. My head burns with confusion and my calls for help can’t escape the gripping around my throat. The muscles in my body aren’t my own and they refuse my urge to move. \n\nI look back to the girl, but this time I really know her. Mom’s face twists in pain. How can she be here? Dreams are pre constructed and our reality can’t blend with the pre-determined. Is my conscious breaking through?\n\nMom stands paralyzed staring at her hand lifeless by her side. The gray is fading quickly to black and the strength around my neck intensifies. My gaze shifts from Mom’s face to her fingers. Through her fear is concentration. There! Barely! Her finger twitched! I’m overwhelmed by the feeling I should mimic her. This is how I escape this nightmare.\n\nAs the realization hit me that I can wake up, the paralysis grips harder and the scream in my throat sinks deeper into my lungs. I will my finger. Move! The darkness feels so close. They’re coming! I plead. I beg. And then, the flinch of my index finger floods my nervous system with hope. Keep moving! My other fingers catch on and now all ten dance atop my sheets. The wave of movement cascades into my arms and I jolt awake in my room.", "Might've gotten a little carried away with this one. My first piece in awhile. Feedback is appreciated!\n\n\\\\\\\n\n“Did you hear about Raven?” Louisa leans close with hushed lips and wide eyes.\n\nMalia sighs heavily through her nose. She glances over at Louisa through the corner of her eye, taking in her tight posture, and the dampness above her brows. She'd heard about an accident on the dock this morning, but she had no clue it was Raven. If Malia was younger maybe– She stops herself in her tracks. Malia's been here long enough, she knows better.\n\n“I heard about something,” she admits. “Didn't know it was Raven.”\n\nLouisa's teeth sink down into her lip. “Toby said it took the whole team of paramedics to get her out of here. She wouldn't stop screaming. They tried to sedate her but nothing would work. Said he'd never seen anything like it.”\n\nMalia has. She's seen people claw their own eyes out to get the dreams to stop. She's seen catchers puncture holes in their team's oxygen tanks to “save them” from the horrors to come. But Malia doesn't say any of this to Louisa. Louisa's still young, nearly twenty years her junior, she has a lot of learning to do. A lot of awful to come.\n\nInstead, Malia shakes her head and says, “Shame. She was a good kid.”\n\nHer answer satisfies Louisa enough as she darts away to a nearby catcher. Her eyes hungry for gossip. Malia hates to be pessimistic, but girls like Louisa don't last. She gives her another six weeks. Some people just aren't made for this.\n\nDream catching's been ranked as the second most dangerous job, just barely behind logging with 128 fatalities every 100,000 workers. Malia won't be surprised if Raven ends up committing suicide. It's a sad reality she's had to face time and time again. The mandated 600 hours of training required at boot camp will never be enough to prepare you. You always have to learn for yourself. See it up close.\n\n“Alright everyone,” Captain Nancy's voice booms through the corridor. His eyes skirt across the room, cold and calculated. Malia holds a great deal of respect for this man. He's been catching for the past thirty-five years, only five more until his retirement.\n\n“Now,” he says slowly. “I know some of you may have heard the rumors surrounding this morning's dive. I assure you, the are not rumors. Raven Sinclair was a bright young woman who fell upon a bit of bad luck. She will not be returning, and recovery is not expected.”\n\nThe quiet whispers and chatters are quick to fill the air in response to this news. Malia's eyes catch those of the older, more experienced divers. They all hold the same stoic expression. No one can deny the tragedy of the event, but there's no room for tears or concern in this profession. You have to be hard. Otherwise, the ocean will swallow you alive.\n\nNancy allows the commotion for another moment before he claps his hands together. “Alright everyone, gear up!” A wicked smile pulls across his cheeks. “It's time to dive.”\n\n\\\\\\\n\nThe skies above the dream reef are sick with a storm that never arrives. Lighting that never strikes, rain that never pours. Swollen black clouds compliment the bone chilling air rather nicely. There's magic in these waters, and every time Malia finds herself standing on the dock, staring at the faint glow of dreams that sit at the bottom of the reef, she finds herself at home. There's a strange tranquility here, but she can always feel the chaos in the air. Everyday is a roll of the dice.\n\n“Ready divers?” Nancy booms.\n\nThe chorus shouts back, “Ready!”\n\n“Dive!”\n\nMalia leaps over the edge, the ocean engulfing her moments later. The warm waves are a sharp contrast to the cold air above. The faint glow grows brighter and brighter, until Malia and the divers around her are surrounded by the beauty of the dream reef. Orbs of light that emit a faint hum of music, the most beautiful that Malia's ever heard, surround them, ripe for picking.\n\nSome of her teammates swim toward the reef immediately, but experienced catchers like herself hang back for a moment to examine the produce before them. When she first began, Malia considered herself to be hasty picker, her nerves wanting her to swim to shore as soon as possible, but over the years, Malia's learned every trick in the book. There's a strategy to finding the best dreams, a strategy that's sure to save your life when it comes down to it.\n\nDreams present themselves in the form of light, they're natural structure too complex for the human eye. Pick a dream too bright, and you may never wake up. Pick one too dull, and you're likely to get caught in a nightmare strong enough to render you unconscious\n\n.Malia's eyes scan the water, until her gaze latches onto an orb whose pull feels stronger than the rest. Malia is quick to swim forward. Up close, Malia can see colors swirling beneath the light. With small smile, she wraps tentative fingers around the orb. Fresh dreams are experienced in seconds, minutes in rare cases, and almost immediately Malia is filled with joy and warmth. A dream of love and fantasy the nearly brings tears to her eyes. This ones a good pick, almost so good that she wants to save it for herself.\n\nBut before Malia can search for another dream, she hears a disturbance in the water. Her body whips around as fast as the water will allow, and her eyes catch sight of a diver with long blonde hair thrashing in the water as she tries to attack another. Malia almost feels a sadness catch in her heart at the sight of Louisa's deranged eyes. An orb, nearly black in color, floats in the near distance.\n\nWhen Louisa's hand wrap around the neck of another diver, Nancy is quick to move. He pulls a knife from his pack and with no hesitation, the blade finds its way into Louisa's side, the girls eyes going wide before they drift closed. Malia watches the red swirls blend with the blue of the ocean, and the poor girls body floats up to shore.\n\nMalia shakes her head with a sigh before she turns in search of another dream. Some people just aren't made for this.", "Joel watched the waves crash against the cliffside far below the windows of the International Reverie Foundation. The white froth ebbed to and fro, dashing into the rocks, flaring upwards toward the sky, and then racing away just as quickly. Sometimes if you looked closely, you could see small shapes mingling in the foam. Joel wondered if these were the Reverie. Though humanity relied on these creatures to nourish their sleeping minds, most humans had never actually seen one in person. Once brought out of the sea and inserted into the human psyche, they ceased existing in corporeal form, continuing to live on within the shared consciousness found deep inside mankind, though where exactly no one had yet ascertained. All research thus far had proven fruitless, and most researchers had moved on to other projects, mostly concerning the gathering or processing of Reverie. Joel, himself, hoped to one day go into Trance studies, despite the terrors that lived there, as it held the most opportunity for prestige and advancement. No one liked to study Trance. \n\nJoel turned his attention to the shore. Great, long ships were docked in neat rows, awaiting their teams of divers and crew to arrive and head out for the evening shift. Smaller boats hung on the sides of some ships, while others had two-man submarines hung by thick chains on their decks. Those teams always caught the best Reveries, so long as the diver wasn’t caught up by a Trance, which happened though Joel couldn’t remember the last time a new one had been announced. \n\nAlong the horizon several ships had already moored for the day, their divers hard at work deep down in the depths to search for the illustrious creatures. Joel’s own brother, Martin, was aboard one of the ships, though he was only an apprentice. It would be another five years before he was deemed worthy enough to join a capture team if his MV stayed true. Reverie capture was a difficult feat itself, but keeping the mind vitality in top form was even moreso. \n\n“Joel?” a voice called from behind him. \n\nJoel turned to find a slender, middle-aged man in a white jacket behind him, the symbol of the IRF embroidered on the right side. The left side announced his name and title: Dr. Timothy Hobson, Senior Consultant of Processing. \n\nJoel moved from the window and bowed to the doctor. “Yes, hello. My name is Joel Krippner, from Bellows County Middle Academy.”\n\nThe doctor bowed his head and smiled. “My name is Dr. Timothy Hobson, but you may call me Tim, if you like. You are to be my intern for the year, correct?”\n\nJoel righted himself and nodded. “Yes, sir. I scored a 1306 on the MVA, the highest in my class, though my brother’s was a 1380. He’s actually out at sea on the Chimera right now. He’s only an apprentice, but he’s hoping to cut the five year requirement short by a couple of years.”\n\nTim’s eyebrows rose, and he chuckled.. “I see. That’s quite impressive. Your family must have strong minds if you’re both able to work in the field.”\n\nJoel shrugged. “I guess. Neither of my parents dream much, to be honest.”\n\n\nTim hummed at that and then motioned for Joel to follow him. “It makes sense, actually. The human mind is quite sensitive to Reverie, but individuals can vary on how sensitive.”\n\nThe hallway smelled like a hospital. The linoleum floor was polished to a shine, causing the light from the LED overheads to bounce everywhere, making everything almost too bright. It didn’t help that the walls, the floor, the doors, and everything else were all white as well. Joel squinted a little. Beside him the doctor continued speaking.\n\n“The fact that neither of your parents dream much implies that both of them likely did fairly well on the MVA, though perhaps not high enough to work here, unless they declined?”\n\nJoel shook his head. Tim nodded.\n\n“Then it would seem that their combined mental vitality allowed you and your brother to win the genetic lottery. Do you dream much?”\n\nJoel furrowed his brow. “I suppose I do, but I don’t think much about it in the morning, you know? I’m not much of a morning person, heh, so whatever my dreams are don’t stick around long.”\n\n“Ah, sure.” Tim paused outside of a door and opened it to showcase a large office with a stained desk, matching bookcases, and three brown, leather chairs. It smelled like old books and fresh paper, and no overhead lights hurt his eyes in here. Instead, the room was lit only by the natural light of a wall-sized window, showcasing the beauty of the ocean. Joel noticed that the sky had turned a murky gray now, darkening the waters to indigo. More boats had joined the ones in the distance, and Joel absently wondered which one was the Chimera. \n\n“Please, have a seat.”\n\nJoel entered the room, shrugged off his backpack, and sat down in the middle chair. Tim sat across from him, pulled open a drawer, and grabbed a neat stack of papers as well as a thick, ring-bound book. He handed them to Joel, who took them carefully but did not read them.\n\n“The papers go over the rules and guidelines of your internship. The book you are to read a chapter of every night. It contains currently accepted research on Reveries, Trances, dream psychology, and some philosophy, though,” Tim scoffed, “most of that is needless. Of course, that’s my opinion, but you don’t need much of that just yet. I suppose they want you to develop a mind for ethics, but in this day and age, surely we are above such things. We’re not so barbaric now.”\n\nJoel nodded along as the doctor spoke, though his gaze trailed to the boats again. A storm was coming, it seemed, as the sky was now turning black. Thick clouds gathered above the boats. Joel wondered why they stayed. Surely the storm would cause issues, right? The waves could harm the ships or, worse, the divers as they resurfaced. Reveries would be lost. Lives could be lost. Was his brother out there now?\n\n“Joel?”\n\n“What?” Joel snapped his attention back to Tim, who was staring at him with concern. “Oh. Sorry.”\n\nTim relaxed back into his chair, crossing his fingers and resting his hands on his chest. “Everything okay?”\n\nJoel looked down at the papers, a little embarrassed. “Yeah, it’s just...about to storm...I was worried, you know, about my brother.”\n\n“Oh,” replied Tim, who swiveled the leather chair to face the window, “I suppose it is about to storm. I’m sure your brother will be fine. He wouldn’t be in the ocean anyway, so no need to worry. Those ships can withstand a lot.”\n\nJoel nodded, but a growing fear gnawed in his chest. The ships were still not moving.\n\nTim swiveled back around and motioned to the papers. “Shall we continue?”\n\nJoel swallowed. “Yes.”\n\n“Good. Let’s have a tour. I’ll show you the fun parts first, and then maybe we’ll have lunch. Sound good?”\n\nJoel gave a smile, but as they left he took one last glance at the growing storm.\n\n---\n\nto be continued...\n\n---\nthis is my first time writing here. i hope i did this correctly. feedback appreciated.", "Not My best effort, but Any feedback is always appreciated!\n_____________________________________________\n\nThe cold air was making it hard to breathe as Jayden’s feet fell to the cement in rapid succession. He could feel the warm trickle of blood trailing down his left arm which hung lifeless to his body. It was pure instinct that had him running for his life. Just seconds before a thunderous crack of a gun had rung out in the night air. The searing pain of the bullet tearing into his shoulder, the impact twisting him from his feet. He had landed hard on the ground, but in his mind all he could think of was to run. He tried to move, his left arm not responding to his demands. He struggled for what seemed eons to get back to his feet. When he had finally regained his footing a second booming shot echoed off. He ducked in response and felt a brief repose from the fear that was starting to take hold as the wall above him cracked open from the bullet that hit just above where his head had been. \n\nHe was not going to wait for a third shot. He spun on his heels and began to run down the alley that he had been near. It was late, dark, damp and cold. He had walked this street a hundred times and never ran into a soul. Tonight had been different, there was a lone figure walking toward him through the haze of a thick fog. He was running as fast as his pain stricken body would let him. He rounded the corner of the alley, looking back as he did hoping that his attacker had not followed him. That proved to be a fatal mistake. He had turned a corner into a dead end, one that ended rather abruptly as he crashed into a chain fence blocking his path. Jayden’s body bounced from the steel wire and crumpled to the ground. \n\n“Hey, hey, You ok?” The voice came crisp and sudden. Jayden could feel the wet ground under him as he opened his eyes. A shrouded figure stood above him and he heard a sigh leave the persons lips as he looked up at them. “Damn, should have just kept em shut Kid…” The figure produced a gun, its dark barrel seemed to line up right between Jayden’s eyes. He opened his mouth and screamed, his fear taking full control as the third and final shot exploded from the pistol.\n\n“And this is how you found him?” A short man in a tailored Suit and coat stood in the doorway. He had a pad in his hand taking notes. An older woman was beside him, her housecoat synched up around her neck with her right hand. Hair was still a mess as she nodded, her voice was harsh with years of smoking.\n\n“Just as you see it. Like I said, heard him cry out something wicked I did. Came up here and opened the door to check on him, and there he was.” The man in the suit nodded. He then gave a slight look over her shoulder and an officer stepped over and ushered the woman away. The man made a quick note on his pad and walked into the room. The coroner was with the body and looked back over his shoulder as the short man walked up. \n\n“Just like the last two, Ingram. He has been dead less than 24 hours, Myocardial infarction.” The man named Ingram leaned down. Looking at the corpse in the bed before him. Just like the two he had seen recently, the mans face was contorted in what could only be described as a look of sheer fear. Ingram stood and walked around the bed. On a side table next to an alarm clock sat a small capsule. Ingram took our a glove and a small clear bag and placed the capsule inside. He had a look of disdain on his face as he pocketed his glove and took out his phone. He pressed a small sequence into the screen and held it to his ear.\n\n“Ingram, badge 344, yes I will wait.” He kept looking down at the man on the bed as the coroner finished packing his things, stood and walked out of the room. “Yeah, chief, its me Ingram. I Think its time we call the DDP. Yes, I know they won’t like it but damn the Dream depot, I have three dead in a week. All from nightmares that should have been stopped at the harvest point. In fact I am advising they pull all harvesting crews off the waters immediately. This isn’t an accident sir.” He had to pause, as the person on the other end laid an ear full of reason back on why this was a bad Idea. “Chief I get it, but the fact is we have 3 dead bodies, and I believe a serial killer is responsible. Sir, the same nightmare has been with each victim.” There was silence from the other end and then Ingram heard the OK he wanted to hear. He hung up the phone and looked at the victim one last time. “I swear to ya Kid, I will find who did this.”", "The tiny boat rocked gently against the waves. Open ocean was never my favorite place to be, but the boss offered hazard pay to those of us willing to venture into the vast expanse of sea. It wasn’t my first night out, but it was the furthest I’d ever been from shore. I shivered against the cold, not my nerves I told myself, and zipped my jacket hugging myself against the brisk air.\n\nStomping a few times to bring extra warmth to my limbs, I closed my eyes and steeled myself for whatever we might find tonight. You never knew what you might pull out of the ocean and rumor was the further out you went, the darker the water, the darker the dreams. I never remembered the good dreams, only the bad ones. The last nightmare I caught involved being chased by a deranged grandmother figure with knives for fingers. She caught me and hugged me before I was pulled out by my anchor. I had scratches on my arms for days.\n\nThat was only 100 feet from the dock.\n\nA click from the other side of the cabin shook me from my thoughts and I craned my neck to see Marcus flipping on the flood lights. I exhaled slowly, my breath forming clouds in front of my face. It’s time.\n\nPeering over the edge of the boat, I saw orbs of color battling to come to life. The water had gone still, a silent mirror of unconscious thoughts. Every color, shape and size swirled just below the surface.\n\n“Hey,” Brandon had emerged from below deck. “Time?”\n\n“Witching hour. Best time to harvest dreams,” Marcus answered with a wry grin. He was good. Really good. At this point, experiencing dreams didn’t phase him. It was a job. It was part of the gig. He had developed a thick skin I could only hope to grow over time. “Who’s up first tonight?”\n\n“Lena?” Brandon knew I was nervous. I told him as much just before we pushed off from the dock hours before. His gaze lingered on me a moment longer than necessary, waiting for me to conquer my fears.\n\n“Yeah. I’m ready,” my voice sounding stronger and more assured than my heart.\n\n“Ok!” Marcus rubbed his hands together and readied the gear, rushing around like a kid on Christmas morning. The three of us had been working together just long enough to have established some routines and we assumed our positions without discussion: Marcus in front, closest to the edge of the boat, maneuvering the net, me a few feet back, ready to catch the dream when it was flung onto the floor, Brandon behind me to anchor me should the dream go awry. He brushed my arm lightly and hooked his fingers with mine briefly as he passed by. A quiet reassurance that didn’t settle me in any way. I gave him a tight smile and tried not to linger on the warmth I found in his clear hazel eyes. I needed to focus.\n\nFor as chatty as he was normally, Marcus was silent when he was fishing. He wouldn’t yell or holler when he had a catch, but his body language changed instantaneously. It happened quickly tonight and before I had completely recovered from Brandon’s touch, a dream was at my feet. It was dark blue, almost indigo, with bronze slashes running through it. Following protocol, I didn’t waste time, plunging my hands into it and opening my mind completely.\n\nI had never felt pain like that in my life.\n\nMy limbs were on fire and my mind was split in two. Everything felt hot and I couldn’t breathe. The sensation of falling overtook everything and I fought to find Brandon and pull myself out of the nightmare but he was gone. All I could feel was heat and all I could smell was smoke. Finally, I landed, the wind knocked out of me. Looking around, I saw stone. My hands and arms were covered in cold packed mud. I gazed up, using my hand to shield my eyes against the glare of a suddenly bright and oppressive sun.\n\nInside my head, a voice that didn’t even sound human whispered my name. \n\n“Leeeenaaa.” My name sounded like a caress. But a caress with sandpaper.\n\n“Who’s there?” I spun in a circle, looking for the source of the voice. \n\n“Oh Leeenaaa,” the voice responded. This was impossible. The dreams were supposed to be nebulous. They weren’t supposed to be sentient. They weren’t supposed to know us. \n\n“Who are you? How are you here” I asked. \n\n“I’ve been waiting for you,” the voice answered. “I’ve been waiting for you to let me out.”\n\n“What do you want?” My voice was barely above a whisper. \n\n“Everything,” the voice growled from inside my head. I saw a single vision of horror, something that made me stumble backwards into the stone wall. The voice disappeared and crushing silence followed.\n\nFrom far away, I could hear Brandon screaming my name. His voice getting smaller and quieter until all was silent, my panic took over, and I watched my surroundings fade into a deep black nothing.\n\nMy eyes flew open to a clear night sky, the calm of it a cruel contrast to the panic I felt. The wooden floorboards of the boat brought me back to reality and I sat up. Too fast. I didn’t make it to standing before retching. Brandon was immediately at my side, his arms wrapped around me. He pulled back, hands on my face, searching for permanent damage.\n\n“Oh my god, Lena, I thought I lost you,” his eyes roving all over me for injuries. My hands felt his wrists and my head dropped slightly, our foreheads touching.\n\nI gasped for air and managed to whisper, “I’m here. I’m okay. But it-you-” I stammered, trying to figure out how to explain what just happened.\n\nMarcus appeared at my feet, concern and confusion all over his face. “What happened?” His tone was business. It was how he coped with a scare like this after so long at sea.\n\nPulling away from Brandon I looked at Marcus, my gaze not wavering despite the bile rising in my throat. “We can’t keep that one. We can’t let it come back to shore. Where the hell did that come from?” Staring at the orb in the corner, I huddled against Brandon and wondered what we just pulled from the deep.", "(WP) Dreams and Nightmares\n\nMy father used to be a fisherman and the ocean took him. Capricious, unpredictable, the day he died the sea turned from a docile pet to an angry, vicious creature. The waves pitched his boat like a toy, and he slid off the deck, never to be seen again.\n\nI’m terrified of the ocean; even before it took my father, it scared me to death. There was just so much saltwater, and that had been before I’d realized that creatures of the unknown lived under the waves.\n\nSo, it was only desperation that sent me to the docks, looking for work.\n\n“What’s a little girl doing here?” A voice, deep and male, shocked me out of my thoughts.\n\n“Please. I need work,” I replied, feeling my cheeks heat up, betraying me.\n\nThe man was an old, weather-beaten sailor; he had a sly smile that was full of holes.\n\n“If you’re desperate, I can take you to get trained as a Dreamcatcher.”\n\nI stared at him; eyebrows raised. As far as I knew, dreamcatchers were clever little devices that caught your nightmares, leaving you with only good dreams.\n\n“I don’t understand,” I said, and he smirked.\n\n“They never do, at first. So what’s it gonna be, kid? Are you coming or not?”\n\nI stared out at the ocean, roiling angrily, stirred by the wind. But my need was greater than my fear, so I followed the man into the unknown.\n\n\\\\\n\nI trained for more than a month before I was paired with an older employee and given a mission.\n\n“Now, this is dangerous work, not for the fainthearted. Of course, even cowards need to eat,” Ben, my partner, joked, his smile sliding off of his face at my expression.\n\n“I know, Ben.”\n\n“Nah, kid, you won’t know. Not until you’ve experienced it yourself.”\n\nBetween Ben, and the sailor, Captain Reynolds, I’d heard so many variations of that same lecture.\n\nBe careful. Nightmares and dreams are both tricky, just in different ways.\n\nBut I didn’t know exactly what that meant, not until afterward.\n\n\\\\\n\nThe sea that night was oddly calm, as smooth as a gigantic pane of glass. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled, but I clenched my fists, not wanting to reveal my discomfort.\n\n“Here’s a tip, kid. No one is allowed to go out alone. It’s way too dangerous. We’ve lost some of our most experienced Dreamcatchers that way.”\n\nI nodded, my eyes on the waves. Even with the light of the full moon, it was nearly impossible to see.\n\nThen I saw the lights dancing under the water, clashing and then coming together, then smashing into one another again. The captain stood at the ready; he insisted on coming, the better to watch me learn in action.\n\n“We’ll see which one wins. Then we’ll sedate, label, and separate them.”\n\nI looked at Ben, frowning, not sure what he meant by that.\n\nThen the lights came up from the water, and I realized that they were shaped like humanoids. One was a bright, searing gold, and the other was a dark violet that was closer to black than purple.\n\n“Ready, kid? Let’s get your first mission off the books!” \n\n\\\\", "\"So how long you been doing this job, Earl?\" Kenny asked, as he fished a pearl from under his foot. \n\n\"Long enough to know that this job requires complete concentration, Ken,\" the old man gruffed. He was short and stout, with bright blue eyes, and sweeping lengths of hair and beard, as grey as the mist gliding above the sea surface. \n\n\"Right, right, sorry,\" said Kenny. He raised the pearl to eye level and stared into its depths ... \"It's like a little movie!\" he exclaimed, so suddenly and so loudly that Earl jumped. \n\n\"Choo yelling fer!\" roared Earl. \n\nKenny waved the pearl under his nose. \"Look! Look in it, Earl! You see it yet, Earl, you see it?\"\n\n\"Stop shaking it, you idjit!\" Earl snapped, grabbing hold of Kenny's hand. He stared into the tiny orb as well. Inside, as though a miniature civilization was living there, a minute young man was being chased by enormous, blood-red wolves over a snowy plain. \n\n\"I still don't understand the concept, Earl. Can you explain it to me?\" said Kenny eagerly. \n\nEarl was about to retort, but then he had a sudden idea. \"Okay, I'll tell you. See, dreams are born here in these pearls, by some magic of the ocean I presume. And it's our job to find these pearls and see the dreams that are inside them, to make sure that they're safe fer distribution.\"\n\n\"Whachoo mean safe?\"\n\n\"Well, some nightmares are capable of killing you, if they get too bad. So we test 'em first, to make sure that they won't kill the people once we release them into the world.\"\n\n\"And how do we test them?\" said Kenny, still more eagerly. \n\n\"Like this,\" the old man said conversationally. He smashed the pearl at Kenny's feet and white fumes swirled up to his nose. He swooned, then fell forward into the sea. \n\n\"That'll take care of him for a little while. Those wolves sure look hungry, hope you can run, boy!\" said Earl happily. Then he threw back his head and roared with laughter." ]	9
	[WP] You just died, an unsung 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%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "10 years of being a paramedic has put me through a lot. I've had my fair share of menial jobs and damn disgusting ones too. This world of death I work in is beyond the realm of understanding, unless you yourself have been through it. It's everything I wanted to do, you know, to help people and yet it's also just tiring. \n\nI've been to suicides, talking jumpers down and even pulling their bodies down from their nooses. One job I went to recently was a man in his seventies, the caller was his neighbour and wanted us to drop by for a welfare check as they hadn't seen him in a week. His door was unlocked and it turned out he hung himself, been there for the entire week. The rope around his neck was hanging onto his vertebrae, his decomposed skin was all but gone. \n\nFunny thing is I'd honestly rather go to those jobs than go to the 20 year olds who've gotten drunk and are throwing up thinking the world is ending. I usually give them what's called a \"shut up dose\" to put them to sleep just to get away from them. I'd even rather go to the elderly patients who've fallen over as opposed to serving some drunk kid who thinks his life is over because of a little alcohol. \n\nThe elderly patients are a tougher breed of human, they barely call and if they do it's not for much. Whenever you arrive to the job too they're constantly apologising for bringing you out and they'll refuse to go to hospital because somebody else will need that bed. I think we can all learn a thing or two about resilience from them and they can learn that they are not a burden from us.\n\nAfter 10 years I finally got my service medal. I didn't know what to think, it just turned up to the station one day. I think I was just glad there was no pomp or ceremony to go with it, because I hate shallow praise. I just hate the idea of hearing your boss say what a great job you've done over the years when you've never heard him say it in the last 10 years. Either way I didn't join the job for medals or pomp and ceremony, I joined because I wanted to help people.\n\nThat being said a little celebration was in order, I didn't care much for it but my partner did and so by his command we went to the nearest pub to get absolutely shitfaced. It was a good night, great night in fact. He ended up tapping out early because he was on again the next night, I however had just started my four days off. So I kicked on by myself, drinking into the early hours of the morning. Playing a few friendly games of pool with strangers, reminiscing on old times in my head, it was a great time. It was about 4am when I decided I wanted to go home and I was absolutely hammered.\n\nThe world was tilted, my legs didn't work and I didn't have a single conscious thought in my head as I stumbled towards the taxi rank down by the esplanade. I fished out a cigarette and sat on the grass waiting faithfully for a taxi to appear. That was the last thing I remembered. \n\nI woke up the next morning to the cold feeling of water in my pants and soon after I had noticed the blinding rays of the sun. I was not at home, I was down on the beach. I had evidently fallen from the esplanade above when I took a seat on that grass. It was sloped, just enough for my drunk ass to fumble and fall. I must have fallen 10 meters. I was just thankful I was still drunk from the night before because I could be in a lot more pain than this. \n\nMy back was broken, this I knew straight away, and my legs were numb. Any attempt at movement sent a lightning bolt of pain down my legs and that's the only thing I could feel. I tried to call out but my voice was too hoarse from cigarettes and booze. My shoes were missing and so were the contents of my pockets. No phone, keys or wallet. \n\nThere it was again, the cold water rushing up my pants and into my groin. I stared up at the cliff, towering high above me. No faces appeared over the edge, no sound of traffic or people on walks. People weren't awake at this hour on a Sunday morning in the city center. No one was up there as far as I could tell.\n\nThe next splash of water rose to meet my shoulders. The tide was coming in fast. I couldn't move or call out. I couldn't do anything about it. It doesn't mean I didn't try. I could raise my head, but that didn't help me at all. Trying to grip the rocks around me didn't get me anywhere. \n\nThe next wave came up to my ears and splashed over my cheeks. It almost went into my eyes. The final wave was coming.\n\nWhen it did arrive it swooped me up in one smooth motion before dragging me out. I sunk like a stone, no legs to kick with, no back to wriggle and writhe. I sunk straight away. I held my hands up, penetrating the surface of the water, but nobody would notice that small detail standing on top of a 10 meter cliff on a Sunday at this hour. I tried to scream and immediately felt the cold rush of water penetrate my airways and fill my body up. I drowned very quickly. \n\nThere was no prospect of resus as the tide was still too low to take a boat out, just enough to cover the 90kg man I am. The water my lungs had taken in was like a weight inside me, pulling me down. The tide was strong enough to pull me out to the open ocean. I wouldn't be found for a long time, if at all. \n\nAfter all it was my 4 days off. Beyond those four days a few people would raise eyebrows at my absence on day five. As far as my partner would know I would be at home, business as usual. Even if my parents had called they'd assume I was sleeping like I usually would be on my days off. \n\nIt's not that the people in my life don't care that I'd be MIA for 5 days, I know they do. It's just the way it's played out. Just the way the cookie crumbled.\n\nOn day 5 my workplace would call to find I'm not answering, my partner would explain they'd seen me before my four days off at the end of shift. By day 6 they'd send someone around for a welfare check, find I'm not home. I would've just vanished. It wouldn't be until day 8 that I'd be declared missing and they'd have no leads to go on. I was out alone in a place with no CCTV, amongst the hustle and bustle of a busy Saturday night in a popular pub. \n\nNo one would find me down here.", "I fell to the ground crying, absolutely losing my shit as the grim reaper approached me.\n\n“You died! Get over it!”, bellowed the Grim Reaper.\n\nI looked up to him, tears welling up in my eyes, “You don’t understand...”\n\nHe looked back down at me with the most unimpressed facial expression.\n\n“I died an unsung hero!”, I yelled, my voice shaking before I burst into tears again.\n\n“So what? Are you really that selfish? You think you matter? I’m sorry you couldn’t learn while you were alive, but the world doesn’t revolve around you, buddy,” the Grim Reaper growled.\n\nI wiped my eyes and stood up, ready to explain things thoroughly.\n\n“You see, all my life I have been a good person. I obeyed my horrible mother. I healthily dealt with my father leaving. I did my homework and chores. I was nice to my peers and teachers and the cashiers. I went to college and got my degree. I managed to find a job. I was a good person. If someone needed help, I was the first to show up. In fact, I helped so many people. I was a saint. But everyone ignored me. They were even rude to me. I did this thinking it would bring me good karma. But no! My life ended in the most unsatisfying way. I was murdered by my boss. A boss I respected. I just feel like I have been cheated, Mr. Grim Reaper!”\n\nThe Grim Reaper stared at me for a few seconds before he began, “I feel bad that your life had to end that way, even though you’ve been so principled.”\n\n“That’s it? No special lesson to give me a different perspective? No argument? What game are you playing?”, I shouted.\n\nThe Grim Reaper sighed, “Some die as unsung heroes...”\n\nAnd with that, the pair walked off into the abyss known as death.", "The great halls will not echo the refrains of your glory, nor the lowly taverns drunkenly recite the tales of your valor. Statues will not be erected in your honor and a parade will not be held as a testament to your heroic deeds. Your name will not be written in the book of warriors. Women will not weep. Men will not pour their drinks to your memory. \n\nYou will die and return to the dirt, unceremoniously. No one will mourn your loss, because no one loves you. \n\nBut I will be remembered. \n\nThe scourge of the nations; blight over all the country. Maker of widows and orphans--ruthless and unwavering in my reign. I have conquered the hundred armies of the Deep Country and filled my many palaces with jewels and relics. I have enjoyed my plunder of women and slaves, land and oceans. \n\nEntire bloodlines have ended at my command--whole cultures and languages rendered extinct by my campaigns. I am the Great Terror. No man dares to oppose me, as he has seen the streets lined with the remains of those that might. \n\nNo man, but you.\n\nYou, nameless soldier. Armed with only a simple sword and a fleeting chance. Too fast for me to stop you; too slow for you to stop me. So now we lie here in the dirt together, dying.\n\nMy dukes and advisers will say it was sickness. They will build statues and hold parades in my honor for the many weeping women and children. My banner will always fly, and the annals of history will forever remember my great rule.\n\nBut now, just for a few moments--my last moments--I find myself second only to one. You, unsung hero. Nameless soldier. You have earned my respect.", "Monuments built for the undeserving, \n\nPlaques to commemorate fools. \n\nRoses adorn graves of villains, \n\nwho sent others to their doom. \n&nbsp; \n\n \nFight the right fight, they said, \n\nAs they goaded you into war. \n\nKill him for he is your enemy, \n\nthey commanded from afar. \n&nbsp; \n\n\nYou obeyed everything told to you, \n\nyet it did not matter. \n\nThey used you to fight their foes, \n\nuntil your bones did shatter. \n&nbsp; \n\n\nYou fought for country, \n\nyou fought for pride. \n\nBut never once did you, \n\ncatch their guile. \n&nbsp; \n\n\nYour rivals fell, defeated, \n\nas we poured into their lands. \n\nBut what it cost to get there, \n\nwas evident at a glance. \n&nbsp;\n\nFor there are no winners, \n\nnor no losers in the battlefield. \n\nRife with pain, death, and suffering, \n\nit is an evil place to be. \n&nbsp;\n\nLying broken among the lives you took, \n\nyou know you've won the war. \n\nAnd for your valor, you get your prize \n\nDeath, unremembered, unmarked. \n&nbsp;\n\nNone shall weep, for none shall know, \n\nthe price your paid, your fall. \n\nThe people rejoice, the rulers bask, \n\nas your mortal remnants pall. \n&nbsp;\n\nBut I shall remember you, my brother, \n\nFallen heroes all. \n\nUnsung though you might be, \n\nyou are owed by all.\n&nbsp;\n&nbsp;\n\n\nThis is my first ever time writing a poem. Please let me know how bad this is. Thanks guys." ]	5
	[WP] It was a new therapy, the grief group told you about it. Five years ago your parents were murdered, the killer captured months later. Now you sat in a bright white room, only having a bunk bed and a toilet. The new therapy? Spending a month with your parents killer.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 almost couldn't bear to stand the sight of him the second day. I say second, because the first was spent alternating tirelessly between shouting explitives at the \"hosts\" of my newly found grief and respite resort and looking incredulously at the sight of my parents' killer. They paid me no attention, of course, as was protocol. How dare they trick me? This wasn't what I signed up for! I thought, silently cursing myself for signing my life away to an all expense paid grief resort I which advertised \"a visceral and unique way of confronting your past to move forward with your future!\" How stupid was I? But then again, who would've thought I'd actually be stuck in this room with this monster? How did they even know where to find him, much less who he is or what my connection to him was? 29 more days having to share the same air as this bastard. What a shitshow. \n\nI pulled up a chair slowly from the smaller office desk in my corner of the apartment. Turned it around and sat down my arms hung over the back of the wooden slits as I leaned forward. The man hadn't said a word for hours now. His face was glum -- practically dissatisfied at my inaction over the past few days. After my freak out, I thought about ending him. It would be so easy. I mean, cold blooded murder, sure, but, I thought, isn't that what they wanted me to do? A plethora of weapons lay before me. They were oddly all military grade bio-triggerd already registered to my fingerprints. If the man were to try to reach them, the weapons would let out a shock of electricity and the various weapon-specific locking mechanisms would engage, instantaneously." ]	2
	[WP] "Neat! Wikipedia has had a new update, every single human that ever lived now has a complete Wikipedia page with everything they ever did. I should check out on my old classmates and friends!"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 a strange day. I woke up late to a unusual amount of messages on my phone. Every group chat was fucking exploding and people I haven’t spoken to in years suddenly messaged me. Just skimming over the notifications I spotted on common Word: ‘Wikipedia’. It seems that in the few hours I was asleep suddenly everyone had wikipedia page. From your long dead grandpa to your best friend, to the guy who dropped out of school. Who knows why, maybe some AI bullshit, maybe God, maybe fucking bigfoot. And as any self-respecting person would, I immediately opened my own page and stared in awe at all my dirty little secrets suddenly being there for the whole world to see. The people I had crushes on, the random bullshit that gives me anxiety, everything. \n\nMy next thought went towards the people that I know and that I used to know. And with just a little bit of quiet shame I went to my high-school crushes page. And with my luck she of course liked me back, or at least used to. Figures.\n\nThe next stop was my family and current friends, just the normal things that come with the human condition. But one stuck out, his page was at least thrice as long as everyone elses. \n\nMy old best friend from elementary school. As I continued reading I got more confused with every paragraph. As far as I can tell he was solely responsible for this beautiful mess. Huh.", "I can’t believe it! Who funded Wikipedia enough to install such a feature like this? When it’s pledge season, I just ignore those annoying pop-ups and get back to plunging myself into the ever-productive analysis of fictional universe lore! I wonder what all my old classmates are up to now!\n\nI type in the name Arnie Cunningham, this pasty nerdish kid from back in the day that was actually a pretty good friend of mine despite occasionally over-bombarding my ears with random information I could barely comprehend and showing a little too much love for his car senior year. He must be into some engineering degree or messing with some tech-DAMN! Did the Incredible Hulk’s left bicep come to life and sprout legs?! This guy is as swole as Big Chungus is plump! And wait, he’s still on his way to get a Masters in engineering? How does he juggle hitting the gym and studying? This guy is incredible and borderline unrealistic! Great for him! \n\nHey, whatever happened to Emily McAdams? \n\nI type in her name and for a short moment my breathing tunnel shuts down . Emily’s even finer looking than she was in high school. Some fond memories begin to softly levitate their way to the fore front of my mind, as if the air taken away from my lungs had actually simply flowed up my body to help accumulate these pleasant, nostalgia nuggets back into existence. Ah, good times. Me being a the awkward guy that could barely talk to girls before finding my mojo over a three year period of having a tremendous, boulder crush on one of the prettiest girls in school before finally working up the courage to at least talk to her. And hey! It resulted in a whole seven months of dating, an eternity length for high school! And now she’s getting married, good for her! At least it’s not that filthy Mar-\n\nAh Marty Stevenson! That guy I quote-unquote “stole the girl” from. What was he on, some 90s, early 2000s shit? Just thinking of him diminishes my joyful, jokey mood. \n\nI type up the name and oh man, he had some time in prison. You mean one of the most popular kids from high school literally lived their best life in high school? Well that’s unfortunate. Wait let’s see what he’s doing right now. \n\nI click on the “timeline” bar and see that he was driving five minutes ago. I then see a small, almost fine print-sized link entitled “Advanced Timeline”. I click on it and things start to get a whole lot more amusing.\n\nIt says that Marty took a sip of vodka 30 seconds ago. I mean how is this program recording this? Is it some algorithm just making things up to amuse the public? Is this even legal? The screen suddenly goes white, catching my now worrisome self by surprise. Turns out it was just my computer deciding to randomly refresh the page as it sometimes annoyingly does. I look at the time line as a new small entry appears. It says Marty is walking towards 3348 Sycamo- wait that’s my address! What the hell is he doing here!?\n\nI uncomfortably get out from my chair and move towards my window, a slight tingling of goosebumps sweep over my back. Nothing but darkness except for a distant street light. Skeptical yet curious (a toxic combination for dangerous situations), I rush back to my computer and refresh the page. It says that Marty approaches the back door and pulls out a-\n\nBLAM!\n\nA gunshot echoes through my once still house as I hear the back door slam open. This damn timeline must have a delay time on updating. Like, shit! And it’d just like Marty to ruin the entire mood and tone of the night! What an asshole! I grab my phone and practically fly up the stairs, typing up Wikipedia on my ascent. I shout out, “Marty, get the hell out of my house!” As I hear a stumbling body loose it’s footing and hit something downstairs. I land on Marty Stevenson’s Wikipedia page and Advanced Timeline. It says Marty hit his head on a wall two seconds ago.\n\n“Marty, you miserable pube! You’re bleeding all over my carpet, damn it!”\n\nA hoarse voice that sounded like it came from a mouth sweating saliva and alcohol croaked into a scratchy-wet shout, “You stole my life, Cunningham! You stole my girl, my respect, my dignity! Hell, you even stole my spot on the football team!”\n\n“Marty... you didn’t even get the name right, dumbass! It’s been years you think it would be a good time to get over that shit and move on, you know, like a normal dumb jock from high school?”\n\nI refresh the page. It says Marty regained his footing and is now tip toeing with a gun raised. I lay myself down at the top of the stairs just peeking over to where my assailant will be. It also helps that there’s a cabinet nearby where I grab a stapler, ready to channel my inner Jason Bourne. It also even helps more that I remembered I had a phone in my hand and not just a Wikipedia tracker. I about turn to dial the police when I saw one last update on the advanced timeline. Marty was climbing up the stai- BLAM!\n\n\n\nWhen my body finally came out of my shock from the noise I looked up to see some men in blue hovering over me. I looked down the stairs to see a still Marty Stevenson being lifted by two other men. They quickly updated me and explained that they had burst through the front door shouting “POLICE!” This combined with the officer entering from the broken back door startled the ascending Marty, causing him to drunkingly slip from halfway up the stairs and smack himself into incapacitation. I apparently blacked out from thinking the breaking door was a gun shot or maybe it was the gunshot that blasted from the falling Marty, let’s say it’s the latter one. \n\nThe head officer exclaimed “good thing we started tracking that timeline Wikipedia feature for strange activity. It’s going to be very useful for stopping future crimes”.\n\nWhile beginning to think and delve into the philosophic immorality of such a feature being available to mankind and attempting to scrape my mind on how even a thing like this could exist, I looked into the officers eyes and proclaimed “Well my time using this “social feature” is over. I’m happy sticking to Facebook!”\n\nAnd just like any other Scoobydoo-ass sounding final line, all the officers and I laughed while Marty was taken into custody. \n\n\n\nTHANK YOU FOR READING THIS WIKIPEDIA ARCHIVED STORY! \n\nTHE TIMELINE FEATURE HAS HELPED MANY PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD!\n\nTHESE ARE TRUE STORIES TOLD AND EDITED BY REAL PEOPLE!\n\nDONATE TO WIKIPEDIA TODAY SO YOU CAN READ MORE INCREDIBLE STORIES LIKE THIS!", "\"Neat! Wikipedia has had a new update, every single human that ever lived now has a complete Wikipedia page with everything they ever did. I should check out on my old classmates and friends!\" \n\nThe thought was spontaneous, like the ones John's brain usually has when he's browsing and wasting time online. He thought about which name to type in. \n\nThe first name that came to his mind was Jocko Sean. Oh, Jocko Sean. \n\nIf John had met him on the subway, he'd punch him in the face. Jocko Sean was John's best friend for four years. Then he wasn't. \n\nVery few things severe a guy's friendship with another guy and usually, the cause for that unfortunate circumstance is a girl. The girl, in this scenario, was Rachel Adams- John's first girlfriend. The day Rachel told him about having feelings for Jocko and that he felt the same way, John didn't know what to feel sadder about. \n\nHe was devastated, sure, but what made him feel worse? Was it losing his best friend? Or, was it losing his girlfriend?\n\nIt was a strange burden that John had to endure. He was pretty sure that traumatized him. He loved Rachel. Jocko was like a brother to him. \n\nIn a second, both were gone. A better man would've cut off contacts with both of them, but John wasn't a better man. John was a pathetic loser who begged Rachel to come back, who begged Jocko for answers. \n\nThey weren't bad people- Jocko and Rachel. Both of them looked like they really cared about John and consoled him when he incessantly cried in front of them. They even promised to remain friends with him, but that didn't happen. \n\nJohn was alone, and the final year of high school was him spiralling into depression and alcoholism. It didn't seem like alcoholism at the time because most of his peers were drinking everyday anyway. But the major difference was, when they stopped, went to sleep and woke up and went to class- John didn't. \n\nHe woke up with a bottle of whiskey near his bedstand and all those years of alcohol abuse made him look like a forty year old man in his thirties. \n\nBut John had managed to turn his life around in college. He stopped drinking, made new friends, studied and got a good job. More importantly, he had stopped carrying the pain of losing his girlfriend and best friend. Time heals everything and with time, the pain of betrayal didn't matter anymore. \n\nHe opened the wikipedia page with trembling fingers. What were Jocko and Rachel up to now? They both weren't on Facebook and that's for sure. Finally he would have some answers. \n\nWith trembling fingers, he started to type the names in. \n\n-----------------------------\nI'll do a part 2 if there's enough interest. I'm on mobile right now and it might take some time, so let me know if you want a part 2. \n\nAlso, please sub to r/abhisek !" ]	4
	[WP] Two centuries ago, the sun grew cold, causing an eternal winter and constant darkness. Humans persist in cities built around massive fossil fuel generators, despite Earth's natural reserves being exhausted long ago. How do we keep the generators fed with fuel, then? A trade deal with Hell.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "Tap, tap, tap. The insistent sound of mild carbon on thin steel, the sharp point of the pencil piercing the dead silence as its owner raps it against the table.\n\nThe pencil was the most dangerous thing she owned. Core of unburned carbon, sheath of unburned wood, bought with the currency of sin and wielded with damnable intent. Precious few humans were allowed to keep one, and fewer still had cause to. The machinists who kept the great fires burning, the scholars in their impossible halls of memory-glass, the nobility of course.\n\nAnd lastly, those like her, whose need was greater than all the rest.\n\nTap, tap, tap. Snap.\n\n\"Damn it.\" Words muttered in anger as the tip of the pencil breaks with the impact and goes tumbling out into the dark.\n\n\"If you insist.\" An amused voice, slithering into the room moments before its owner appears in a wisp of acrid smoke, the corner of their mouth turned up into a smirk.\n\nShe looks across at her visitor, eyes flatly unimpressed. \"You're late.\"\n\n\"Thank you for noticing.\" The stranger laces their fingers together and rests their hands on the table, the surface instantly starting to tarnish from their touch. \"Now. What do you have for me?\"\n\nShe fixes her gaze on them, on the hellish gleam behind their eyes. They were dangerous eyes, lacking something vital and flush with something vile. She'd had dreams about those eyes--but familiarity and contempt had taken that magic away. By the time she joined them in hell, she sometimes wondered, would there be anything there to surprise her?\n\nShe pulls a small leatherbound book from the inside pocket of her jacket and slides it across the table. \"See for yourself.\"\n\nSmoking hands with jet black nails lift the book from the table, and the visitor takes a long sniff of its pages, eyes closed and brow furrowed in pleasure. \"Mmm... do I smell an adventure story this time?\"\n\n\"Time travel.\" She crosses her arms and leans back in the chair. \"Our hero travels back to the past looking for a way to prevent...\"\n\nHer voice trails off, and she gestures broadly to the world around them. \"Anyway, turns out you can't change what's already happened, so she travels to the future instead, looking for a bright tomorrow when things are better.\"\n\n\"Sounds utterly charming.\" They tuck the book into their own pocket and a new, blank one appears on the table in front of her--along with a dozen new pencils. \"Your machinists will have six months' reserves by the morning. Until next time, then.\"\n\n\"Wait.\"\n\nThe visitor pauses, eyebrow ticking up at her command. Her jaw works back and forth, looking for the words.\n\n\"There's a question. One I've been meaning to ask...\"\n\n\"No.\" Now it was her turn for an inquisitive eyebrow raise. \"It's not your question. But I'll answer it anyway. What does a demon need with novels, yes?\"\n\nShe nods slowly, and the demon glances off to the side. \"Maybe angels and demons can't create, and human stories are as close as we're allowed to come to divinity. Maybe stories give people hope, and souls rekindled with hope are easier to torture. Or maybe eternity is long, hell is empty and I'm very, very bored.\"\n\nThey turn back to face her. \"The truth is, it doesn't matter. At least not to you. You don't care what I do with your stories. You don't care about the coal, or keeping people from freezing to death. You write because you have to.\" The demon smiles. \"That's why we get along so well. Demons and addicts always do.\"\n\nA heavy silence. A tired sigh. \"You're right. I don't really care what the books are for. But someone else does, and I owe them an answer.\"\n\n\"Really?\" The demon's voice thrums with fascination, and they lean forward intently. \"Who could possibly hold you in a debt of words?\"\n\n\"Well, that book I just gave you?\" She leans in conspiratorially, practically whispering the words. \"It's not sci-fi. It's a biography.\"\n\n------------------\n\nIf you like my words, you can find more at r/TimeBlossom" ]	2
	[WP] You're a criminal mastermind and evil genius, but a noob when it comes to love connections. Who has time to play the field when you're planning world domination? Your best friend won't hear it. You've been set up on a blind date. They'll have a black rose on the table.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 this really necessary?\" I ask as Cameron helps me tie a neck tie.\n\n\"Yes. The clip on ties are tacky. Honestly you're a criminal Mastermind and you can't tie a tie.\" He berated me.\n\n\"Don't talk to me like that. You're one of my enforcers... I'm your boss.\" I said.\n\n\"At work you're my boss. Right now You're Hunter The Loveless and I'm Cameron The Desperately Trying To Get You A Girlfriend.\" He shot back.\n\n\"I don't need a girlfriend.\" I mumbled. \n\n\"Right...\" He finished my tie. \"Alright now. Ground rules. Be respectful, engage in conversation, be honest and for Godsake DON'T talk about being a master criminal.\" He said.\n\n\"But what if she asks about my job?\" I ask. \"Do I lie then?\" \n\n\"No... Just. Tell her you're self-employed.\" He replied.\n\n\"Now... Go go go. She'll be at the table with the black rose.\" He informed.\n\nI rolled my eyes and left the room. As I walked out the door I reached for my cape. The one I wear as part of my uniform for work. \n\n\"DO NOT TAKE THE CAPE!\" He yelled.\n\nDamn it. How did he know? \n\nI got in my car and drove to the resteraunt. It was fancy. Too fancy in my opinion. The kind of place to had to reserve a spot weeks in advance. He's been planning on doing this to me for a while. \n\nI walked in and looked for the table. Sure enough there was one table with a black rose on it. Sitting waiting there patiently was a red haired woman with blue eyes and rather stunning curves. But she was also somewhat familiar. Where had I seen her before. \n\nOh right. The chief of police. Wait.\n\nDAMN IT CAMERON YOU SET ME UP ON A DATE WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE!?" ]	2
	[WP] Every person is born with magical abilities, with each person having a single magic type. However, being born with dissociative identity disorder, you found that each of your unique personalities has its own unique magical abilities.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "You'd think it would be hard to write when you are a collection of split personalities with magical powers - and you'd be right because it is truthfully very difficult. We'd prefer it if you just didn't worry yourself too much about how we manage to do that, but if it makes it easier; one of us happens to be a really good editor. We hope you fuck off, sorry that was Terry.\n\nHave you ever set someone on fire? It's horrible how much I laugh. We're still flying around ahhh oh my god I'm falling. Well I'm not scared of dying in fact I think I'm FUCKING INDESTRUCTIBLE." ]	2
	[WP] you lay there dying as your childhood cat returns to you. He tells you he saved his 9th life for you, you reach out to pet him one last time and your hand fades through him. You blink and everything looks so much larger. You look down and see your cats paws.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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.", "Trying to unbuckle the seatbelt was impossible. The burning pain was more then his adrenaline could handle. His hands shacking he finally heard the click. Taking the seatbelt off slowly then whipping the blood out of his eyes he hoped the light he was seeing was an ambulance coming. \n\n\nInstead through his smashed windshield there he saw his doom, he knew he couldnt move fast enough. \n\n\nThe fire on the hood would kill him, he was in a ticking time bomb and in too much pain to move. \n\n\nlooking where his fiancee normally sat he was shocked to see his childhood cat. \n\n\nZeus licked his paw and rubbed it over his ear twice before looking up. Opening his mouth to meow the dying man knew he was imagining it all when words came out.\n\n\n\"It has been a long time, but I have come back. I am sorry I left. I knew you would be taken to soon and after what my ancestors did for the gods they still owe us. I prayed to them and they answered and now I gift you my ninth life, I saved for you\"\n\n\nReaching out to hold the cats paw like he used to as a child hurt, but not as much as when his hand when through Zeus' paw. It's all in his head, he was dying and going insane. Closing his eyes he laid back and waited for the explosion.\n\n\nIt never came, pain finally put him to sleep.\n\n\nOpening his eyes what felt like moments later he looked around. He was laying in a yard next to a garden. \n\n\nGetting up he realized something was definitely wrong, everything was huge. Looking down he didnt see his hands but instead an extremely hair chest and below that where his feet should be he saw two grey furry paws. \n\n\nZeus' 9th life, he realized he had become his childhood cat. Getting up trying to figure out where he was he knew the area look extremely familiar.\n\n\nThat's when he saw his parents home, but it looked so new, he slowly trotted towards it, forgetting to look when crossing the street and almost getting his tail ran over by a car before sprinting. \n\n\nHe stopped to catch his breath at the sidewalk and realized the car in the driveway was the one they had when he was a child.\n\n\nThat's when it hit him, he took his cats body when he was still alive, he is a child in that house still! He was about to sprint toward the house he heard a voice\n\n\n\"No. That is not where you are destined to be now. That is your past, go to your future\"\n\n\nHe knew it was zeus' voice, and knew this must be the day he ran away. So that's what he did. \n\n\nHe walked all day, taking back lanes and jumping over fences until he was stopped by a memory. \n\n\nHe looked at the house and knew he saw it somewhere and it had some meaning but couldn't recall. Until she walked out and he remembered the pictures and how Raskal looked so much like Zeus.\n\n\nThis was the house his fiancee grew up in. It would be years before she met him, but today's the day he starts his life with her." ]	2
	[WP] You live on a planet of food people. You are a pineapple pizza who lives everyday facing foodcism	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Look at that guy, soaking up all the glory like he’s some Chicago-style or something,” I sneer. \n\nMister Meaty is hanging around the ovens, like he does every other day, toasting up his buttery garlic crust to golden brown perfection and laughing it up with some of the gluten-free ladies. \n\n“Well, he does have some pretty perfect slices if we’re being honest,” my buddy Hot Pocket admits. \n\n“Cheezus Crust, not you too!” I shout, flapping my pepperonis. How could he side with that guy? He came out of the oven like he was made to order, while the rest of us have to struggle with freezer status. \n\n“What do you have against him?” Hot Pocket asks, but I can’t answer.\n\nLittle Miss Supreme has stepped on the scene. She’s the Queen of the Kitchen, and everybody knows it. Including her. Including Mister Meaty. I’ve had the biggest crush on her, ever since I was a dough ball. She’s perfectly proportioned with pepperoni, ham, peppers, mushrooms, and onion. She’s got it all. Even all those slaps couldn’t slap the attraction out of me. She’s the _one_. \n\n“H-hi Supreme,” I stammer, but she rolls past me on her way to the ovens, dropping a mushroom near my crust. “You dropped this!” I call after her, but she keeps rolling. I sigh. No one ever wants to talk to the _Hawaiian_. \n\n“We need to work on your self esteem, my man,” Hot Pocket remarks. \n\nI sigh again. \n\n“That’s not a pineapple- that’s a _fine_ apple!” \n\n“Just stop, bro,” I mutter in defeat. \n\nJust then, a voice calls out, “oh look, it’s not Delivery, it’s Digiorno!” followed by an eruption of laughter near the ovens. I can clearly see those beady little meatball eyes staring at me. \n\nMy sauce reddens, and I roll away to hide near the prep table. \n\n“You okay?” Hot Pocket calls out, following me to the prep table. \n\n“I’m fine,” I lie. \n\nHot Pocket comes up beside me and we watch the brand new dough balls getting slapped into creation. Their pain makes me feel a little better. \n\n“I know how rough it is, those guys are the perfect pizzas, and we’re kinda misfits. I don’t look like a pizza on the outside, but on the inside, we’re all the same.” \n\n“You’re tougher than I am, Hot Pocket. I just can’t stand the way that guy treats me, it really stuffs my crust.” \n\n“Have you ever considered-“ \n\n“No,” I say immediately, knowing what he’s about to suggest, but he doesn’t stop.\n\n“-taking off the pineapple?” \n\n“No, no, no,” I repeat. I remember back to what happened when Pepperoni was made with one single mushroom, smack dab in the middle of the cheese. Even though he was 99% Pepperoni, people called him Fungus Face the second he slid onto the table, and he lost control. He picked the Mushroom. And you know what? He’s never been quite the same since. He’s got scars, he’s seen things. I could never risk it. \n\n“I just wish I knew what it is people don’t like about Hawaiian! It’s salty, it’s sweet, it’s tangy. I’ve got everything going for me, but I just can’t seem to get it right.” \n\n“We’ll figure it out, man. Maybe you just haven’t met the right one for you. Supreme? She’s definitely not it. We gotta think outside the pizza box. But let’s stop lurking near the prep table, alright? We’re starting to look like oven snatchers.” \n\nI laugh and we roll down off the table together, in search of our next adventure." ]	2
	[WP]The monks had it wrong. Your power to meditate grows exponentially when you can overcome the most intrusive, distressing situations possible.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " A lone beam of light pierced through the atrium walls, illuminating the hunched over body of Julian Walker. Her blond hair, cropped short, swayed in tandem with her head, like a pendulum. Ancient mantra echoed across the length of the building. It was peaceful, her mind had the freedom to wander and even slip into the deep recesses of slumber. What was left for her to do? Tears streamed down from her face.\n“Greetings to you, disciple Walker,” a voice echoed in her mind. “Your radiance shines like a rose on this blessed day.”\nWalker shifted her weight from one side to the other. If truth contained just that, and nothing else. But she knew better. Standing up, a mental command lifted her up into the air. It was time." ]	2
	[WP] Peace envoy after peace envoy after peace envoy. For good reason. Go figure.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 drummed my fingers to a beat on the table; mumbling a song I turned to a gladiator stand tune.\n\n\"Oh, I have all my fingers. The knife goes chop-chop-chop...\"\n\nI stared at the inanimate entrance to the room. Everything was quiet enough; then footsteps approached.\n\nThe first orchish leader entered the room, with two elves at its sides. They forced the orc to its knees.\n\n\"No, no,\" I called. \"Please sit him in the chair please. We'll be discussing this as equals.\"\n\nThe guards kindly did as I requested, plopping the green one into the chair roughly. This was the fourth orchish commander I had seen in the last hour.\n\n\"Hello. I'm here to negotiate your surrender to us,\" I started.\n\nThe orc looked back at me, angrily yet emptily. \n\n\"What are your terms of surrender?\" The orc asked.\n\n\"Unconditional.\"\n\n\"I cannot accept, then.\"\n\nI considered for a moment. I was working for a slave state that allowed the owners of said slaves to do all but murder and defilement, both of which were easily swept under the rug via loopholes, bribes, and institutionalized privacy.\n\n\"Under what terms can you surrender?\" I asked calmly.\n\nThe orc looked mildly intrigued.\n\n\"Fair treatment.\"\n\n\"This, I cannot guarantee.\" I responded. \"But...I can try. Labor, then. I'll have your orcs perform manual labor for our nation. I'll try to accommodate those under your command with housing and moderate food, as well as me personally being responsible for them. I have some power as the hand of a baroness. Your subordinates will be stripped of their weapons and armor, and given new clothing. They will wear my mark so as to not be branded. They need not such scars after this war ends. If they remove the mark, they remove my ownership and protection, leaving themselves at the mercy of the processes of the state of Adympia, as well as the local powers. This is as much as I can give you right now.\"\n\nThe orc looked to me, surprised. It nodded.\n\n\"You'll be taken out. Round up your subordinates, give over your weapons peacefully, and prepare to move. It may be a long journey.\n\n'Another labor camp' I thought to myself. 'Great, I'm becoming Hitler-ish. Better for my conscience than killing them off, I suppose.'\n\nThe orc was roughly lead out by the guards. \n\n\"Send in the next one,\" I called exhaustively." ]	2
	[WP] As you are watching the news, breaking news is announced that time travel has finally been achieved. The very next second, an explosion happens on your yard. You look out the window to see a huge fleet of armed people on your front lawn. They begin to move toward your door.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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\"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!\"\n\nHeavy bangs on the door.\n\nWilbur checked the clock.\n\nDark outside; half-past four.\n\nHe moved to stand.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWilbur peeked outside.\n\nUnfamiliar armed soldiers; he was outmanned.\n\nUnknown armored trucks; danger implied.\n\nHe wondered, \"Are they from a future land?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nHe opened the front door.\n\nA soldier stood proud and svelte.\n\n\"What do you want?\" Wilbur asked. \"A war?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"You wish to hear our demands?\"\n\nThe soldier bowed his head and knelt.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Sir, we await your command.\"\n\n \n\n\\\\\\*\n\nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is year three, story #042 You can find all my stories collected on my subreddit ([r/hugoverse](https://www.reddit.com/r/hugoverse/)) or my blog. If you're curious about my universe (the Hugoverse) you can visit the Guidebook to see what's what and who's who, or the Timeline to find the stories in order." ]	2
	[WP] To get revenge on a thug who killed your sibling, you join his gang and work your way up, hoping to get intel on this guy. But you have to tread carefully in order to not lose yourself in the process.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#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 knew it was a bad idea,I knew, but I couldn't let him get away with it. It was just the way I was \n\nIf you would ask someone to describe me they would probably say I was kind, caring one or the other. \n\nI had a streak for revenge , something I had cultivated since childhood. I wouldn't take any wrong done against me lying down. \n\n\"A world of pain No\" I smirked \" I'll send this guy straight to Hell\" I smashed my knuckles together.\n\nThe street was empty, cars avoiding this area due to it being midnight. The other reason ,it being a hideout for low life criminal scum.\n\nThe cold breeze chilled my already cold fingers. I didn't get any weapons, cause they told me not to.\n\nA person dressed in black from head to toe approached me. Black hair icy blue eyes 5'8 his very presence seemed intimidating. \n\n\"Are you Blake?\" He asked me , right hand in his pocket.\n\n\"That's me, heard the Crimson Falcons were in the area, me and my folks admire your work\" I spoke my well rehearsed line with ease and a feeling of false happiness.\n\n\"Oh\" He seemed confused \"Well I'm not one to judge\" he took his hand out from his pocket \"So did you honor the boss's instructions?\" He asked stoically.\n\n\"Yea , no weapons\" I emptied my pockets of my jeans and jacket taking it off and then putting it back on . He used a strange device that looked seemingly similar to a metal detector they use at the airports on me \n\n\"Fine , you can enter\" He gestured towards a wall.\n\nI stood there staring at it until a small gap appeared enough for a person to fit in. I squeezed through the gap.\n\nThe inside was spacious contrary to my expectations. It was filled with individuals who looked like slum dwellers to wealthy businessmen.\n\nThe man who allowed me in tapped my shoulder as I was viewing my surroundings.\n\n\"Let's go\" he spoke turning and walking towards a brightly lit area.\n\n\"So are we going to meet the Boss ,Mr-\" \"Mr.Foreman\" he cut me off \"No we aren't going to meet the boss just yet, first you need to gain our trust and even then the boss is very busy so meeting him is an impossibility\" he said.\n\n'So I'll have to deal with this bullcrap even longer' I thought. \"Understood Mr.Foreman I'm eager to prove myself\" I spoke with the same sincerity as I did before.\n\n\"Good\" He replied \"For now to get you set up head on to 'Screapers' \". He took a look at me \"Since you're new here I might as well send someone to help you navigate\" He looked around.\n\n\"Carl\" He shouted.\n\n A man with scraggy blonde hair and black eyes 6'0 walked up to us and looked at him.\n\n\"Yeah, what do you want me to do?\" He replied in a seemingly uninterested tone.\n\n\"This here is Blake a potential new member\" Foreman spoke \"Since you haven't been given any assignments lately I thought you might like this\" he ended waving a hand for me to walk forward. \n\nCarl takes a look at me. His black eyes staring into my bloodshot red. \n\n\"Red eyes huh? You don't see that everyday\" he said somewhat intrigued.\n\n\"Its a medical condition but it doesn't have any effect on my capabilities\" I replied somewhat angrily.\n\n\"Hmm..\" he seemed to not care.\n\n\"It seems that you're fine now I'll be well on my way\" with that Foreman left.\n\n\"Whatever\" Carl spoke under his breath.He then turned to me.\n\n\"Come on let's go\" He started walking ,I matched hits pace.\n\nWe walked in silence for a while avoiding the glass and random drunks present. \n\n\"Damn Idiots\" he said as he elbowed a drunk who tried to hit him. He then threw the guy on the floor and we continued walking.\n\n'Guess this is how life is here, it's all for your sake Sam' I said my will unwavering.\n\n\"So what is this place\" I said curiously. Even if I wouldn't be here for long I could still get done useful info. \n\n\"This place is Umbra\" he spoke seemingly interested \"Its a haven for crime, the area is controlled by three main gangs including ours and a couple of smaller gangs that mostly help out or do their own thing\" he continued \n\n\"The other two mains are the Corrosive Moths and the Fallen Hornets, try to avoid the Hornets as much as you can they're dangerous\" I could feel the fear in his voice.\" We have insignia to prove the gang we hold allegiance too\" \n\nhe shows a blood red falcon on the back of his hand \"the other gangs shouldn't bother you much...due to your eyes\" I looked around to see a man staring at me whimper away \"Our Leader has the same eyes , they probably think you're our Leader ha\" he laughed.\n\n'How ironic' I felt disgusted that we shared the same eyes. But we were different deep down I knew it...at least I hoped so." ]	2

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