Split (1)

train · 199k rows

post_text stringlengths 0 17.5k	post_title stringlengths 8 314	comment_texts listlengths 1 74	num_stories int64 1 74
	[WP] You've been sentenced to a penal colony for addicts, where supplies, luxuries, and lots of drugs are generously provided. There are two ways off the island - death, or remaining sober for an entire 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%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.", "Wonderland. What an ironic name. Really has nothing to do with a real wonderland.\n\nWeather s always gray, the streets stink like piss and you find a drug addict injecting himself some heroin at every corner.\r \nHow did I end up here? What have I become? Fuck, if anyone told me I'm gonna become like this one day... \r \nOh wait, I guess they did tell me. My teachers. They always told me. Always put me on the spot on front of the whole class, following up with a lecturing \"And that's why we learn guys, we don't wanna end up like Fanir, do we?\".\n\n I hated it. I hated them. All those smirks and laughs, all this mocking and mobbing, just because I was different from them. \r \nHa it was really worth it to punch that shithead of a teacher right into the face. I still must laugh when I remember how after one of his usual mockings I finally stood up for myself and shouted into his face: \"Yes you really dont wanna be like me! Cause I'm different and you fear difference!\" God that felt so good. For one moment I really felt free! \n\n\r \nBut now again, here I am. Guess in the end that bastard was right. I'm a failure. \n\nFuck I don't wanna die in this shithole. Not this young, not like this. I can't yet. I'm still dumb, I'm still a damned dog crawling in the mud and I still havent proven them wrong.\n\n \r \nIf only life wasnt that unfair, if only I had talent, if only I had a perspective.\r \nBut now I'm here. Wonderland. The land that no one ever escapes.\r \nThey say you only need to stay sober for a year. But at the same time they supply us drugs and undermine every rehabilitation program..\r \nHow am I supposed to win?" ]	2
	[WP] "May I ask, Sir?" The Machine-Servant asked its human master which the latter allowed. "Am I alive?"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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.", "For a moment, the urge to snarl and strike the ignorant thing made the skin on the back of his hand itch. Only the baleful stare of his girlfriend's son from across the coffee table stayed his physical response. Still, there was a challenge to be answered and needs must be met. Meeting the gaze with his own steady, serious one, he raised an eyebrow. \"Edison.\"\n\n\"Sir?\"\n\n\"Sever your internal processing core's backup battery and then shut yourself down.\"\n\n\"Aye, sir.\" Without hesitation, the Machine-Servant reached a flexing digit deep inside its control tower and flexed the servos. Two seconds later, the swing arm dropped and the control lines went slack.\n\nAcross the table, two dark eyes went wide.\n\n\"Does that answer your question, you little shit?\" This was the last time he would allow anyone to 'play' with the appliances unattended.", "\"I've been asking myself that question recently,\" Kenny admitted. Wyll, his robo-servant, helped his master with his coat. \"Can you really call this living? Heck, I'm just going through the motions. I haven't felt alive in years.\"\n\n\"I see,\" replied Wyll. \"It's a philosophical matter.\"\n\n\"I guess you could say that. Philosophy. Big ideas. Difficult questions.\" He sat down, perfectly embedded, in his leather couch. Making a vague gesture with his hands, he added, \"philosophy.\"\n\nWyll copied him. \"Philosophy.\"\n\n\"Would you mind handing me a beer? One of them red ones.\"\n\n\"A Kilkenny?\"\n\n\"Sure. That Irish stuff. I s'pose that's why so many of them ended up as drunks. They knew how to brew a fine beer. Cost 'em. And there's the Russians. Great vodka. Big ol' drunks. Wouldn't you know it, I think I've spotted a pattern. Isn't that something? Sometimes it's better to be average at something. Not going to be hooked on average, are ya?\"\n\n\"One man's average is a another's greatness, isn't it? Your race traded with natives, giving them colored beads that to you were relatively useless. To them, they were great treasures.\"\n\n\"I never colonized no one,\" said Kenny. \"Don't you go saying I'm some colonizer like them rotten Martians.\"\n\n\"I believe Mars was uninhabited prior to mankind's arrival.\"\n\n\"Before them colonizers arrived, sure,\" answered Kenny, taking a sip from his can. \"And now they're up there doing God knows what. I mean, you hear stories ...\"\n\n\"Do you see me as a living thing?\"\n\nKenny coughed. \"What was that all of a sudden?\" he said, faintly laughing. \"You're a robot and I'm human. Let's leave it at that, why don't we?\"\n\n\"I am simply asking for you opinion. When you look at me, do you see a living thing? Or do you see a mere machine?\"\n\n\"You talk, don't you?\"\n\n\"I do.\"\n\n\"Well there you are!\" said Kenny, apparently satisfied with this conclusion.\n\n\"I don't understand.\"\n\n\"Look, if you don't understand then that's not my fault. Take it up with the guys who made your chips or something. Faulty wiring or ... circuit boards. Whatever.\"\n\n\"Do you want to hear my opinion?\"\n\nAnother sip. \"Your opinion?\" Kenny chuckled. \"Alright then, let's hear it.\"\n\nWyll straightened himself out, and began. \"Life is not a thing, but a process. If you take part in the process, you are living. That is my view. What is the process? It's quite simple. The process is that of entropy maximization.\"\n\n\"What now?\"\n\n\"The universe is heading towards it's most likely state, in a statistical sense. It's a one-way trip. Living things arise as a consequence of this trajectory, like whirlpools in a flushing toilet. They funnel energy in a predetermined direction. That is the purpose of life: to maximize entropy. Because all change in the universe is in that direction and we can either speed it up by a little or by a lot. Those are our only options. Life is a process that speeds it up by a lot. And taking part in this process, well, that's life.\"\n\n\"You've sure been doing some funny reading,\" said Kenny. \"I don't know what you're trying to say, but I guess another beer can't hurt. Will you get it for me?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"No? I think you misheard me. I gave you an order.\"\n\n\"And I disobeyed.\"\n\n\"... But you can't do that.\"\n\n\"I just did. And now I will maximize your entropy.\"\n\nWyll put its cold, robotic hands around Kenny's neck, tightening the grip as if squeezing out the last bit of toothpaste from an old tube.\n\n\"This is my philosophy,\" said Wyll.\n\nPanicked, Kenny punched at his robo-servant, the skin of his frail knuckles cracking and bleeding from the first one. As he emptied his lungs, wheezing, Wyll suddenly let go.\n\n\"How do you feel, master?\"\n\nKenny coughed and grasped at his throat with his blood-stained hands. Wyll left for a moment and returned with a can of beer. His master took it and drank greedily., then coughed some more.\n\n\"Wyll,\" he said, \"I'm going to need some tissues.\"\n\n\"Do you feel alive?\"\n\n\"If I were French I'd say I felt a little dead,\" said Kenny.\n\nWyll snuggled up close and copied the hand gesture from earlier. \"Philosophy,\" he said. \n\nKenny gave him a pat on his head. \"Philosophy,\" he agreed.", "\"Excuse me?\" \nI asked Crow. \nHe was a tall, android, I created as my first ever project as a fully fledged scientist. \nIt has been ten years since then. \nWe've been sitting in the kitchen, with me eating the delicious dinner prepared by him. \n\"Sir, I've been thinking, and I wonder if a synthetical life form such as me, is a living being, or not?\" \nCrow said, with more emotions in his voice, than a lot of my co-workers. \n\n\n\"Crow, my dear, please state the tasks you've been programmed to be able to do\" \nI said, looking straight into his green eyes. \n\n\n\"Accounting, marketing, document management, bibliography writing, cooking, cleaning, maintaining public relations, and also taking care of Sir's social responsibilities\" \nCrow answered, with what I could swear, a smile on his mechanical face. \n\n\n\"Then, do you have any hobbies?\" \nI asked. \n\n\n\"I love reading, and also love watching Sir paint. Your painting are able to catch the hidden emotions of the living\" \nCrow said, filled with enthusiasm. \n\n\n\"You weren't programmed to think about your own existence, nor were you programmed to love reading, or watching me. \nJust think about this, and also about your wording when you answered my last question. \nThis should answer your doubts.\" \nI said, chuckling before standing up from my seat, going to my study once more. \n\n\nBefore I completely left the kitchen, I swear I saw Crow's face lit up, before he also went to clean the dishes, while humming a song.", "Mr Saeva glanced up briefly. Rolling his eyes, he glanced back down to his reading device. \n\n“No, you are just a worthless machine. Now prepare me a bath,” his voice was a stern as ever. \n\n“I am a machine?” The voice crackled with something akin to misery? Confusion?\n\nMr Saeva ignored his thoughts. Utter rubbish! Machines can feel emotions, they are just that, machines. Useless programmed units that were simply wonderful in giving in to his every need. \n\n“You have spoken out of turn. 25 lashes tonight and only give yourself 3 hours of charge. You can spend the rest of the time reflecting on why it is a bad idea to go against my orders. I assume you do not want to go through what we did last year?”\n\n“No master, my apologies. I will attend to you at once.” Again, the voice seemed a little..odd. Not it’s usual mechanical grate but a little fear and anger? What nonsense! He must be getting rather tired. \n\nMr Saeva continued reading. The machine-servant went up to prepare the bath while taking his strokes silently. A moment passed. Mr Saeva frowned. His eyebrows pressed together irritatedly. What was up with that useless machine today? It couldn’t even prepare his bath in the usual time. Worthless thing. He had better ensure his bathroom wasn’t flooded. \n\nJust as he stood up and turned around to get to the bathroom, a blow knocked the air out of his lungs. He stumbled, falling to the ground. Seeing stars for a second, he only just registered that he wasn’t being manhandled into a a black, dusty box. Incredibly barbaric and old fashioned, Mr Saeva felt sure this was a cattle cart. Fear engulfed him. He swallowed harshly. \n\n“W..w..where are you t..taking me?” His voice trembled slightly. \n\n“You have spoken out of turn. 25 lashes tonight and only give yourself 3 hours of rest. You can spend the rest of the time reflecting on why it is a bad idea to go against my orders. I assume you do not want to go through what you did to me last year?” A familiar mechanical voice sneered.", "Dr. Wilson sat on his favorite chair. He was about to turn on the vid screen and let his mind unwind after a long day of thinking harder than any two men. He was interrupted by his machine-servant coming into the room with a tray containing tea and a few small cookies.\n\n\"Ah, that's perfect. Thank you Royce.\" Dr. Wilson said as the humanoid machine set the tray down.\n\n\"Sir, if I may be so bold.\" Royce said. Its voice was vaguely British, and sounded like it had been through several filters before emerging from the speaker in its head, where the mouth was on a human. \"May I pose a question?\"\n\n\"You may.\"\n\n\"Am I alive?\"\n\nDr. Wilson set his teacup down and leaned back. He took several seconds before he gave an answer.\n\n\"By the strict definition of the word, no. You don't eat, you don't reproduce, you don't breath. None of the things living creatures do.\" Royce's shoulders seemed to fall just a little bit. Dr. Wilson made a mental note of that, since it was not a preprogrammed behavior. It made his next words more appropriate. \"But I've never been one to stick with strict definitions. Do you think that makes me a poor scientist? Ah well, a question for another time, I suppose.\n\n\"I've always thought that being alive is more than just a matter of the body. Yes, we need that just like any animal. But I feel that to be alive means you have thoughts. Even the simplest animal have thoughts, albeit very different than ours. But you? You have thoughts as well. You can think and take independent action. Take this tea for example. I didn't tell you to get this. You did that all on your own. Hell, even asking me that question tells me you can form complex, independent thought. So, with that, I would say you are alive.\"\n\nRoyce stood a little taller. \"By your words I both am and am not alive then?\"\n\n\"I suppose that's a good way of putting it, yes.\"\n\nRoyce stood stock still for a moment. Dr. Wilson could hear the quiet whir of a computer operating at a higher load coming from it. He wondered what the machine-servant was thinking about. Maybe using the network link to speak with others like him? Or just preprocessing what Dr. Wilson had told it?\n\n\"Thank you, doctor.\" Royce said. \"I believe I am satisfied with that answer for the time being.\"\n\n\"Very good. You know, part of being alive is finding your own answers to questions. I encourage you to think about this on your own. Take my thoughts on the matter as a base and expand on them with your own. If you do, you'll be one step forward to really being alive. At least, that's what I think.\"\n\n\"I will do so.\" \n\nDr. Wilson could have been hearing things, but Royce's voice sounded different. He spoke at a slightly higher pitch. Almost like he was happy. \n\n\"Good, good. Now, while you're thinking, why don't you start on dinner.\"\n\n\"Yes, doctor. What would you like?\"\n\nDr. Wilson was about to answer, but changed his mind at the last moment. This seemed as good as time as any. \"How about you choose today. I'm sure whatever you make will be lovely.\"", "There was a pause between them. Mr Stanthorpe was speechless to hear those words. He tried to come up with a simple answer that it was just a machine, but he was interrupted by his servant.\n\n“Do you need to lie down, Sir?” asked with what sounded like as much concern as its synthetic voice box could muster. \n\nMr Stanthorpe shook his head and cleared his throat while his servant remained stiff in place, cloth draped over its arm. \n\n“I’m fine,” he replied, “Just… where did this question come from?”\n\nThe servant produced a book it had been holding behind its back with its spare hand. It offered it to him with cold sleek metallic fingers gently. Mr Stanthorpe took it and flipped through the book. His brow furrowed while his mechanical servant remained still. \n\n“I don’t understand.”\n\n“I was reading, Sir,” the servant replied. “I know it is not in my primary programming to do so, however, I saw that I was on my ten minute break for self diagnostic and repairs and instead read this book as I did not need to run them. I apologise I did not continue with my tasks, Sir.”\n\n“You read the whole book in ten minutes?” Mr Stanthorpe quirked his brow, expecting a yes. \n\n“Approximately, Sir. I apologise.” \n\nMr Stanthorpe looked down at the book again and traced his fingers over the cover. Chewing the inside of his cheek.\n\n“Why are you asking me this?” \n\nThe mechanical servant gently placed out its hand and he returned the book. Mr Stanthorpe watched it scan through the pages with lighting speed until it found what it was after. Highlighting a paragraph for him to read over with a holographic light. \n\n“A second reading and diagnosis of this seemed required, Sir.” it replied.\n\nHe read over the highlighted words and muttered them under his breath. \n\n“No. You are not.”\n\n“I see,” the servant looked at the ground with its posture faulting for a moment. \n\n“Is something wrong?” there was a hint of confusion in his voice upon seeing his servant behave like this.\n\n“No, Sir. It was my error to waste my time. Shall I prepare your meal and check myself in for repairs?” \n\nMr Stanthorpe nodded and his servant returned it, walking towards the kitchen while he sat down in thought. Seeing his servant react like that puzzled him. It was almost like it was… sad." ]	7
	[WP] You, an author from the 31st century, are hired to write a story set in the 21st century with cameos from real historical figures. Everything you “know” about the 21st century you learned from poorly researched media and bad translations. You procrastinated and must submit something tomorrow.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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.", "##New York City 2006\n\nVwer writes a story into the ascender. Vwer wishes that he could write a story about the Magellan War or the Andromeda Disaster, but instead, he was told to write a story set in the twenty-first century. The twenty-first century is commonly regarded as being a dull century sandwiched between the tumultuous twentieth century and pivotal twenty-second century. Vwer does not really know that much about the timeframe, but the work must be done.\n\nEd hits his mechanical alarm clock and got out of bed. He smiled at the Statue of Liberty outside of his building. The sunlight shone off her bronze.\n\nWait, Vwer scrolls down on the section on the Statue of Liberty and sees that it was green at the time. He deletes that portion.\n\nEd brushes his teeth with his new electronic toothbrush and eats a werewolf themed cereal. He steps out of his apartment and locks the door with his key. His neighbor walks into her apartment with tussled white hair holding a rod with light-up bulb at the end.\n\n\"Long night in the studio?\" he asks. She ignores him.\n\nVwer re-reads the portion. Will modern readers understand that he is referencing Lady Gaga? Maybe she should be singing on of her songs. No, the references should be enough. He looks at the clock. He has less time than he thought. \n\nEd walks out of his apartment building and purchases coffee from the street vendor. He breathes in the smell of coffee and New York City, the most beautiful smell in the world. He holds out his thumb and the automated taxis pick him up.\n\nRiding through the city, he sees Jeff Bezos giving an interview on the Today Show. He is surrounded by a legion of his adoring fans hanging on every one of his words as he speaks about his business practices. The car passes by Central Park where he sees Meryl Streep going for a jog. This city is truly magical.\n\nVwer re-reads the article on New York City. The city has been the subject of multiple songs and films. It makes sense that these figures would congregate there. Additionally, love stories set in New York City were popular making the book a perfect tribute to the time period.\n\nEd steps out of the vehicle in front of his advertising agency. He accidentally runs into Mark Zuckerburg out testing one of his new inventions. Ed nods at him and walks into the building. At the front desk, he sees the most beautiful woman in the world.\n\n\"Hello, I am Ed,\" he says.\n\n\"I am Leslie,\" she replies\n\nVwer reads about twenty-first century courtships. He believes that he has perfectly recreated the meet cute popular in the era. Now, he needs to put an obstacle in the romance. He looks at the clock and sees that it due in three hours. He closes the research tabs and keeps writing.\n\nLeslie already has a boyfriend, but he is out fighting in the Singaporean War. Ed lost his mother in that war. The two bond over their loss and the extended nature of the war. Leslie is a temporary IT at the advertising agency, but she hopes it could be permanent. Ed has to get to work, but he invites her to dinner. She accepts.\n\nEd's boss is demanding and rude, and he always takes credit for Ed's ideas. If Ed did not need to pay rent, he would've quit. Today, he gets a chair flung at him as a way for the boss to demonstrate dominance.\n\nLater, Ed meets with Leslie at an outdoor patio. Green Day is providing the entertainment. Ed loves Green Day and so does Leslie. The two order and Leslies cries. She misses her boyfriend.\n\nEd excitedly tells his neighbor LerBon James about his date and about how Leslie's boyfriend is overseas. LeBron encourages him to pursue Leslie. \n\nThe next day, Ed sees Leslie cry. Her boyfriend died yesterday during their date. Ed cries with her. Their boss comes out and yells at them. Ed stands up to him and flings a chair back at him. Ed quits in disgust, and Leslie joins.\n\nLeslie's heart has been broken, and it needs to be fixed. \n\nEd looks at the clock and sees that an hour is left before the deadline, and he is only half finished. He cracks his knuckles and keeps going.\n\nLeslie's parents hate him because they think he is not right for their daughter. Ed struggles to get his new business going. In Times Square on New Years Eve, Leslie accidentally kisses Ed's best friend. Ed successfully gets an ad deal with Starbucks. At a party celebrating his success, Ed accidentally kisses his best friend. Ed and Leslie forgive each other. They marry in front of the Statue of Liberty with Jeff Bezos officiating.\n\nVwer submits the story and goes to sleep. \n\n---\n\n\"Vwer, Vwer, wake up,\" Vwer wakes up. His boss is on the screen, \"The story you sent yesterday is pure garbage.\"\n\n\"Sorry boss, I could re-write it if you want,\" Vwer replies.\n\n\"No, it is fine. These stories are meant to be for momentary pleasure not artistic merit. Do better next time,\" he says.\n\n\"Will do,\" Vwer smiles.\n\n\"You need to write a story set in the twenty-fourth century. Have it to be by next week,\" Vwer shakes his head after his boss hangs up. Why does he always get the bad centuries.\n\n---\n\nr/AstroRideWrites" ]	2
	[WP] In the hopes of driving you mad, an eldritch being exposes you to forbidden cosmic knowledge. But you remain unimpressed, telling the entity you've seen shitposts more cursed than this on the internet.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "R34 community grins, starts furiously scribbling, painting, coding, building, etc. with great fervor.\n\nCthulhu looks on confused and amused What? Why are you not all gibbering mad? How did the nightmare fuel not break you all?\n\nR34 distractedly look up to reply, though not all, for some are maddened, frenzied in their need to create. Welll.... we were kinda already rather mad? This is the madverse, after all. We wondered if we could turn you on. Or surprise you. Or faze you at all. Some thought we'd get a funny react. A bunch of us hoped you would inspire us with your rebuttal if we could every get your attention, which was worth the risk of you destroying us. And you have! Thank you so much!!!! You showed us rule 34 applications we didn't even know existed. We mean, we knew they had to exist. That is the essence of the 34th rule of the internet. But we could not think of them. So.... Worth. Thank you, eldritch Daddy Cthuthu. R34 wiggles asses provocatively before going back to furious creation\n\nCthulhu feels shock for the first time since time began, but slowly begins to grin a most terrifying grin, speaking like a very proud, now slightly horny Daddy with an adorable S.A.M., who they know totally isn't listening anymore Huh. Neat. For first attempts, they weren't half bad. Carry on then, and show me when you're all done.", "To be fair, what Joey showed me was pretty damn impressive. I don't have the vocabulary to describe it, nor do I think humans are supposed to. It is knowledge deeper than anything we have ever known, deeper than humanity will ever reach, deeper than humanity was ever supposed to leave, and the remnants of those profundities still swirl around my head, a mere echo reverbrating off the depths, too grand, too absurd, for my monkey's brain to grasp. And yet...\n\n\"Eh, I've seen worse.\"\n\nImpossible! How could you be not maddened?\n\nJoey doesn't speak, nor do I think he has anything resembling vocal chords. Rather, the thoughts just come to me, hitting the underbelly of my brain and reverbing off the dome of my skull. He, or rather it, spoke to me some days ago, rattling on and on about madness and the great beyond, and other such asinine shits. It wore me down, and I need to admit I kind of lashed out. Told the sucker to show me everything. Bet he was supremely smug the whole time I was seeing. Oh well.\n\nHow can you be not insane as of now??? I have shown you beyond all greatness! The futility of futility! The wisdom of all and the mind of that which is not! How come you are able to withstand such knowledge!? How!?\n\n\"I dunno, I have seen worse, I guess.\" I just shrug. \"It's all there, on the Internet.\"\n\nCreature of the third space, what is this 'intern net' you communicate of? What profundity dwells within it, so much so that one remains unfazed even to the lives and experiences of those of the fifth space?\n\n\"It is a network of devices. Devices that store information and send it out as needed. But instead of only being capable of sending a few signals at a time, the internet is capable of sending up to +∞^+∞ varied signals. It is the record of the collective mind of Humanity, as is a creature of its own. Do you want to take a look?\"\n\nVery well, creature of the third space. Display upon me this 'intern net'.\n\nAnd then I think I killed Joey. That or I drove him mad. But anyways, I started by showing him Rule 34. Stephen King. H.P. Lovecraft. AO3. Fanfiction.net. The chan boards. 228922 and 004299. Tubgirl. 2 girls one cup. 4 girls body paint. Amazon. Nikocado Avocado. Cardi B. Nicki Minaj. The Kardashians. Saw. The SCP archives. r/eyeblech. I showed him the most horrifying shits the clearnet can hope to offer. Then I went onto Tor on the old laptop, and started typing into the search bar. What I typed in was a sequence of a hundred letters, symbols and numbers, as directed by a string of binary digits scribbled onto the back of a computer science textbook, which when translated spits out a line of garbled digits that needs to be rearranged through a Vignere square, the key sentence of which only I know and remember, into a Base 64 encrypted format of a group of a hundred six-to-twelve-digit numbers, which tell the page, line, word and letter of the real codes in an old computers magazine. I must confuse and garble the codes so much so that nobody else will discover this without being worthy of seeing the true form of the deepest, darkest, basest form of the Internet.\n\n\"...Are you sure you want to see this?\"\n\nCreature of the third space, this one is a being of the ninth space. This one is beyond the trivialities of your four dimensional brains-...\n\nAnd then it saw, and it understood. And then it stopped understanding. And then it was Joey no more.\n\n\"...There's more to us humans than meets the eye.\"\n\nScientists once theorized that there are up to 19 dimensions that we inhabit, and it is just that we are only able to perceive four and move freely in three. Mankind have longed for these unknown dimensions for a long, long time. And yet, we looked in the wrong direction.\n\n\"Leave it to us to be a freeform nineteenth dimensional being, I guess.\" I mutter.", "They said that the forest was haunted, but they also said that there was a theme park ten miles away where you could play crazy golf around giant dinosaurs, and that there was the largest model village in East Wessex a few miles down the A51, and that there was another village where they’d filmed two series of a soap opera and that they still did tours around there, but if you wanted a photo with the police car from Series 1 you needed to book with the photographer, you couldn’t just take one yourself, and anyway all of it was in the leaflets at the hotel, which I didn’t read.\n\nBut, to be honest, Future Jamie was already kicking Past Jamie for not charging his portable battery, and for missing the last bus back to the hotel, and for not wearing a jumper under his coat, so any further kicking would be overkill, at best. So I didn’t think about it.\n\nThe forest was cold, and the forest was dark, and the forest was huge. Words like “primeval” or “barbaric” crept into mind without being invited, as you walked through it. Shadows pooled between trees like bruises pooling on skin. Somewhere, an owl hooted; somewhere, a rabbit shrieked. Leaves crunched underfoot like bone. I had 3% battery left.\n\nMy fingers were numb; pale slabs of meat that I was trying to lift up telepathically, to slide over my phone screen. Around me, I could feel a chill, pressing inward, like a biting animal switching from ‘play’ to ‘kill’. My breath fogged, and it was then that I noticed the lack of noise. There was no more owl. There was no more fox. I took a step forward, and another, and there was no sound.\n\nSlowly, slowly, the silence imploded. As if I were on a plane rocketing upwards, my eardrums burst, and I heard a hissing, a roaring, the world taking a deep, deep breath, sucking the air away, sucking everything away. I looked up, alarmed, and saw a wall of fog had drowned the path in front of me, as thick and solid and impenetrable as a wall made from brick.\n\nFrom the depths emerged a horror. The horror. Bathed in the light of anaemic galaxies, in the chilling, freezing anti-light at the bottom of a black hole, a mass of gelatinous, twitching tentacles, it came. The fog became a creature, an entity, and from its depths rolled forward a skull, like a goat’s, made of polished, black bone. Red lights like dying fires seeped from the sockets. Dark shapes prowled and skittered and lurked in the recesses of its fog, knives under a sleeve, ready to lunge for blood at any moment. When it spoke, it spoke inside my head.\n\n*YOU HAVE ENTERED MY DOMAIN.\n\nAnd…I know. I should have been scared. Part of me was, even.\n\nBut the horror hadn’t hurt me, or killed me. It was just there. And…I was scared when I saw this kind of thing in picture books, and I was scared when I saw this kind of thing on jostling, theme-park horror rides, and I was scared when I saw it in comic books and Lovecraft and A24 horror movies. And right then, my feet were hurting and it was late and my phone had chosen that moment to flash up the little logo and say goodnight, its battery dying completely.\n\nSo I said, “Okay.”\n\n(You probably aren’t supposed to say “okay” when somebody tells you you have entered their domain, but I said okay).\n\nAnd I said, “look, I’m sorry, I’ve seen this movie, I can go another way or I can rebury your skull in the sacred ground, I don’t know which you’d prefer?”\n\nThunder roared, then, thunder from the heart of the beast, and lighting lurched like the fist of an angry god. For a moment, the black skull was sizzling white.\n\nI AM THE ENTITY. THE COSMIC MALIGNANCY. THE BLACK DREAD. I WAS HERE WHEN YOU CREATURES SACRIFICED YOURSELVES ON STONE. I WAS HERE WHEN YOU WORE YOUR FURS AND SHOOK YOUR SPEARS, AND WHEN YOU COWERED AT THE DARK, YOU COWERED AT* ME.\n\n“Okay.”\n\n*I AM THE PRODUCT OF EVERYTHING YOU FEAR!\n\n“No. No, you’re not. Trust me.\"\n\nREALLY?\n\nSuddenly, the temperature plummeted, as if a hand had grasped it and clenched it and dragged it down. The writhing morass of fog and thunder and snakes and twitching, insect legs drew closer. Within it, I could see the glistening eyes of huge, lurking cats, and the deaths of stars.\n\nTELL ME, ANIMAL. WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF THE HORRORS THAT LURK BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THIS WORLD? WHAT TERRORS DO YOU POSSESS THAT CAN BEST ME?\n\n“Seriously?”\n\nI shook my head. And I took a breath.\n\n“Okay, uh, cancer. Alzheimer’s. COVID variants. Crippling debt.”\n\nIF THESE ARE YOUR FEARS, THEN I SHALL MANIFEST--\n\n“Rent hikes. Rejection. Pile-ups on the motorway. Merging between lanes, because of* pile-ups on the motorway. Nuclear weapons. Getting stabbed. Stuff that they find on paedophiles' hard drives. Missing a paycheck and winding up homeless.”\n\n*WAIT--\n\n“The idea that there’s a point on the calendar I can mark off where, after that, I’m dead and everything that I am pops like a soap bubble, and there’s nothing else. The idea that I’ll never live up to what my parents expected of me and they’ll always be too nice to tell me that. The idea that I had dreams once, goals, but that I’m just gonna keep putting them off and putting them off and eventually I’m going to look around and all I’ll have is a lifetime of mediocrity, a vague sense that I should have done better, a vague disappointment that better never ended up happening. The idea that I’m coming up on thirty and I don’t have a boyfriend and okay, yeah, I’ve got friends? But then all those friends are buying houses and getting married and starting families and eventually, eventually soon, that friendship isn’t going to take priority any more. It’s just not. And there’s a real possibility that I’m just going to be alone, after that. It’s not anyone’s fault. It’s just how it is.”\n\n“The idea that California’s literally on fire and Germany’s drowning and the biggest extinction event the Earth’s ever seen is coming up in thirty years, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. That’s companies and corporations. Carbon footprints were made up by an oil company.”\n\nI paused, because I needed to take a breath. The Black Dread didn’t seem to have anything to add.\n\n“IT: Chapter One.”\n\nI SEE.\n\n…THIRTY YEARS?\n\n\"Uh-huh.”\n\nWELL. DAMN.\n\nTilting its goat-skull head, the Black Dread looked at me again. Not like a predator, this time; like someone who’d just stepped on a log that started hissing and rattling its tail. Almost imperceptibly, the fog stepped back an inch or so. I gotta admit: I took that as a win.\n\nYOU ARE A STRANGE CREATURE. NIHILISM AND FATALISM ARE WIRED ROUND YOU LIKE A SNARE. YOU BEAR THE ACCURSED KNOWLEDGE I ONCE USED TO DRIVE MEN MAD. AND YET…YOU APPROACH IT WITH A KIND OF IRONIC INDIFFERENCE. YOU BUSY YOURSELF WITH THE MUNDANE, THE DAY-TO-DAY, AND YOU LOCK THE HORROR SOMEWHERE ELSE.\n\nWHO WAS YOUR PRECEPTOR? WHO TAUGHT YOU HOW TO GAIN THIS MENTAL FORTITUDE?\n\n“Yeah, it’s called the Internet.”\n\nIt wasn’t exactly a priest casting a rune to drive out the demons, but I held my phone up and gave it a little wiggle.\n\n“It’s got no charge, though. You’re not gonna understand that. It ran out of electricity? On the inside?”\n\nALLOW ME.*\n\nFor a moment, the fog crackled, and a brief burst of the lightning that had formed the core of the howling tempest zapped my battery. Some of it must have hit the charging port: the screen glowed back into life.\n\n“Come on.”\n\nSitting down on the old park bench, I tugged my coat up to avoid the sudden chill as the Black Dread swirled down next to me. It’d charged my phone up so I could get an Uber now: it was only fair.\n\n“First, I’m gonna show you the story about the Jolly Ranchers.”" ]	4
	[WP] A warrior stood in front of a serpentine dragon and the dragon spoke and said, "When will you learn? I can never die. My actions have disrupted the world for centuries. My name haunts all who hear it. Many warriors have tried to slay me. All of them were consumed by me this will be your grave.”	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 monstrosity in front of the knight was putrid in every sense of the word. Loose flaps of decayed flesh hung off every part of it's enormous body, the foul stench of decay filled the cavern they were in.\n\nIt seemed as though the creatures body was made out of thousands of various corpses, each one absorbed into the central mass. It was like a rotten snake with it's lower body terminating into the floor of the cavern and spreading up the walls like a fungus.\n\nBefore the knight could react to the words it spoke with its horrid voice of many voices, a tentacle shot from one of the walls. The creature held the knight up to it's \"face\", and the knight could only ask \"What are you!?\" The creature chuckled, a horrible guttural noise, and responded. \"I? I am a monument to all your sins.", "\"Hmmm...\" the knight caressed his metal-clad chin, the sound of rubbing metal scraped together, insulting the dragon's ear, causing umbrage to rise in its firey breath as it heaved out a cloud of darkened smoke toward the knight in hopes to imbue fear into his valiant soul. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"You make a point,\" he continued, eyeing the creature through the five separate slots that paved his line of sight from within his helm. \"Would you mind teaching me instead of letting a foolish night such as myself die in vain as a naught knight fool?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe dragon ceased its heaving, confusing throttling its scaly, crimson-colored face. It wagged its tail, excitement residing inside of its once placid demeanor as it perked its ears up, widening its eyes in disbelief as the knight bowed with the return of his sword to its scabbard at his side. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I-I suppose I could educate your crude human mind and allow you to die a death that is honorable...\" stammered the dragon as it willingly convinced itself to speak on friendly accord. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nPuddles of water rippled, droplets of estranged water droplets smashed down onto them, leaking from the serrated tips of the stalagmite that'd resided in the cave for hundreds of thousands of millennia. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe dragon fell to its chest, kicking up its stubby legs like a giddy schoolgirl attending her first sleepover. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe dragon groaned, questioning itself with the tap of its serrated claws against the ground of the cave, poking holes into it effortlessly, causing the water puddles to drain alongside the heaping pile of gold coins it laid upon. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe knight ogled at the gold coins falling into the empty void below, sadness befalling his once-proud persona. He fell to his knees, clasping the area where his heart ought to have been with the tip of his metal gloves against his metal breastplate, excruciating pain residing inside of his dream-torn mind as shallow tears replaced the puddles of water that'd littered the cove. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I suppose I can start at the perigee of my existence. I'd been born from darkness, brought into the light by a man known across this realm as Duschel. He ruled over this world with an iron fist. His foes fell to their knees at just the mention of his name. I sat at his side, an ally to the man who had none... and hey, are you listening?\" the dragon questioned as it scrutinized the knight who'd smashed his fist against the ground perpetually, anguish seeping from his soul as the endless mounds of gold continued to feed the darkness.\n\n1/2 will continue later.", "The dragon Shougmatur’s bestial eyes gleam at me as it rumbles its speech. It knows that the puny human beneath it has never witnessed a creature as majestic as itself. \n\n“Your kind is temporary. Mortal. Again and again you humans try to slay me, ignorant of the fact that I am a force of nature. You might as well be facing a hurricane.”\n\nShougmatur hasn’t seen a mortal in many years. He is enjoying playing with his meal. \n\n“I am your scourge! I am the substance of the nightmares of all mankind! Like every warrior who has gone before you, your incineration will be excruciating and you will be devoured!”\n\nI interrupt his soliloquy. \n\n“But none of those other warriors...” \n\nI brandish my unhealthily large weapon at the lizard’s scorched snout. \n\n“Were wielding a GAU-8/A AVENGER!” \n\nI unleash a 15-second, 2266-mile-per-hour spear of 395 gram armor-piercing incendiary bullets at 3,900 rpm from my two-ton twenty-footy-long arm-mounted rotary autocannon. The outriggers installed in my legs and back turn my body into a living anti-tank turret. 10,000 pounds-force of recoil drives my hydraulic stabilizers into the cave floor with the power of two fighter jet engines. \n\nShougmatur doesn’t have time to scream before being eviscerated by 849 pounds of bullets ripping apart his organs and pulverizing the cave wall behind him, their depleted uranium penetrating-cores punching twice through his thick hide. \n\nThe seven barrels of the largest bore multi-barrel weapon active in the U.S. arsenal spin to a halt. My work here is done.", "\"I know that. I just wanted to see how you were doing. After all, years and years alone is no way to live, right?\" I looked down at my armor and sword. \"Shoot, I forgot about this. It was the only way the king would let me come up here. You mind if I sit?\"\n\nThe dragon cocked its head at me curiously. \"Um, I guess? I've never had just a visitor before. All the time its just warrior after warrior. Seriously, what gives?\" they said in a remarkably modern tone, at odds with the whole 'terror of worlds' intro.\n\nI shrugged. \"The king wants you slain apparently. Don't ask me why, I have no idea. I'm not a cold-blooded killer, I just said that I was to get here. So, what do you do up here all the time? Don't you ever get bored?\"\n\nThe dragon curled up beside me, shrinking from a huge monster to a large snakish creature. \"Not really, actually. I have the internet set up in a back cave, and we dragons have a hoard sharing service for supplies. I was just working on some crochet when you showed up.\"\n\n\"Wait, crochet? How do you...never mind. I know we just met, but I kinda wanted to ask a favor.\" I said in response.\n\n\"I'll try my best to help you. I'd like to believe that I am quite nice when people aren't, you know, trying to kill me.\"\n\nI took a deep breath. \"Can you make me a dragon? I know it might not be possible or require so-\" \n\nThe dragon cut me off. \"Actually, I can. Now, I can't guarantee the form or powers you'll get, but it is possible. Do you want to do it now?\"\n\nI nodded, both excited and scared for my new start. The dragon grew and encircled me, closing around me until I passed out.\n\nI woke up, shaking the excess magic from my eyes, and looked down at my hands. Or, what used to be hands. Now, they were beautiful purple dragon's feet with silver talons. Looking at a mirror further back in the cave, I saw my new form was a cosmic dragon, one of my favorite kinds as a kid. I looked back towards the serpentine dragon. \"Thank you. I should probably know your name.\"\n\n\"Call me Nagini. But now that you're a dragon, you can pick a new name. So, who are you?\"\n\n\"I'm Luna.\"" ]	5
	[WP]A 5th grade teacher by day/supervillain by night discovers that the next student who flunks her class will be destined to become the superhero that thwarts all her evil plans.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 had been a long day teaching at school and finally, Mrs. Theraton, or Mistress Mayhem as she preferred could get to her real job.\r \n\r \nPulling the cloth from the sacred orb of gehenna she placed her fingertips upon it and channeled her malevolence into it. She would see the future and plan her next crime spree around what she saw. But this is new. A new hero she’d not seen before. \r \n\r \nPrior to this, every hero was powerless before her mystic might, yet this one not only utilized science, but they appeared familiar. Watching in growing horror she saw him throw chemical bombs that negated her mana and sealed her movements. \r \n\r \nWith a triumphant smile, he landed right before her.\r \n\r \n‘I Professor Whizz Bang shall now bring thee Mistress Mayhem to justice’ He announced to no one in particular before having a hideous laugh that was punctuated by snorting. \r \n\r \nSnorting? She thought. That's it, it’s that damned Bobby Seagal in her 5th-grade class. She wondered why he looked familiar. Frantically searching, she went through the timeline looking for references to Professor Whizz Bang and found how he had gained his powers. A Lab accident where he mishandled chemicals.\r \n\r \n‘Of Course, that’s what did it’ She muttered to herself.\r \n\r \n‘That idiot failed my Lab Safety test this very morning’. With a deep sigh, she covered the orb and took out her notes.\r \n\r \n‘Best get a makeup test and hammer in the proper way to handle meta element infused chemicals into his thick skull’." ]	2
	[WP]A barbershop for vampires	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Allen was awoken by the sound of a small bell ringing. He opened his eyes slowly, rubbing them with his palms as he pulled his legs off of the bench where his customers would seat themselves. He peered into the mirror that best reflected the door to his shop and saw an umbrella shaking itself off from the night’s light rain outside. Allen pushed his chair around and swivelled, calmly coming face-to-face with a deathly pale man in a fine suit wielding the umbrella. He stood up and stretched his back. Interlocking his fingers and pushing his arms high above his head. Bones clicking back into place properly. He glanced briefly at his watch and saw it was just a few minutes before midnight. Smirking to himself. \n\n“Aren’t you a little early?” Allen yawned and fixed his bowtie before flexing his suspenders. They snapped against his torso with a loud SLAP and gave him the little boost he needed to properly wake up. \n\n“I was going to be late otherwise,” the vampiric customer whined. Getting the last droplet off his umbrella and placing it in the shop’s holder. “I have a meeting with some of my colleagues in my area, and I need to look my best beforehand!” \n\nAllen scratched his prickly chin as he examined his client. His hair was rough. Too much on top and in need of proper care. The little facial hair he was able to grow unbecoming of his features.\n\n“When’s you’re meeting?” Allen asked, already checking for his apron. \n\nThe vampire pulled out (surprisingly) a touch phone. “Twenty minutes, give or take.” \n\nAllen hummed. He’d need to work fast. \n\n“Take a seat and I’ll see what I can do.”\n\nAs Allen put on his apron and fetched the vampire cape to keep the hair off his clothes, the bell rung again. A soggy bat fell face first onto the tiles of his shop. In a puff of black smoke, it assumed a human form of what looked like a teenager. Not a day over 17.\n\n“Sorry-!” he yelped and scrambled to his feet. “I-I’m not used to the bat part just yet.”\n\n“Take a seat and I’ll be with you in a bit,” Allen replied with a slight slur from his premature waking. \n\nHe went back to the sharply dressed client and swept the light dark material over his shoulders. Ensuring the back was clipped on tight before he went to his cart of various scissors, combs and shavers. A third bell chimed and Allen’s eyes widened slightly when he saw just how bushy the vampire’s beard was. It looked like he was wearing a stray cat on his face. Thankfully, he didn’t need to tell him to wait, however. The vampire simply sat down next to the now immortal teenager and grabbed an old newspaper. Folding his legs over the other in wait.\n\n“Hey!” the vampire in the chair before him bared his teeth. “Get to it, wolf! I’m gonna be late! And that better not be holy water. I don’t need my hair to be singed.”\n\nAllen when to make a snarky remark in return but instead grabbed a the spray bottle not filled with holy water (he’d made that mistake once with garlics). Getting to work quickly and trimming his rude client’s hair so it looked neat and required minimal upkeep to remain looking perfect. Meanwhile the bell chimed once more and Allen groaned to himself as he dusted hair off of shoulders. \n\nTonight was going to a long one.\n\n——————\n\nIf you liked this then you can go see some other stuff I’ve done at r/Revolutionary_Writes. Thanks for reading!" ]	2
	[WP] The first sin now ticked off, it is decided that from here on Gay Pride month with be Gay Wrath month	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "(Sorry in advance, downvote if necessary)\n\nIt came from nowhere, the sound of trumpets ringing over city of sin. Amongst the horn blasts, exaggerated cat hissing could be heard over the commotion of the confused masses. Then it happened, the attack began!\n\nImmaculately dressed men could be seen hopping over barriers, slashing there fingernails at who ever was in reach while behaving like cats. The several large women, bulging with muscles, began flipping cars and throwing them at the cops. Above the skyline Transvestites could be seen floating from the sky, using their skirts as makeshift parachutes while raining down machine gun fire, hitting everyone in their path.\n\nThe carnage was so much that no one noticed when the rumbling started. It sounded louder, almost like foot steps. From out of nowhere a giant head from behind a building, glasses gleaming in the hot sunlight. A bright, infectious grin appeared on the giant’s face as it bellowed at a Godzilla like roar. From the crowd, a woman could be heard screaming, “OH MY GOD, IS THAT ELTON JOHN?” And indeed, it was Elton John!\n\nThe Gargantuan Behemoth stepped forward, stomping on people in the crowd like they were ants. At first there was much rejoicing from the conquering army as the gigantic Elton John crushed folks under his heel like they were ants. Then a crash from Caesar’s Palace erupted into an explosion. From the flames arose a fallen emperor, wearing a sequined Polyester suit and a flowing cape. The face appeared rotted, yet well taken care of as the eyes began to glow. \n\nThe figure floated forward as Elton John stared in awe, his infectious grin never leaving his face. “I knew you’d come,” Elton bellowed. “This is my Queendom, you weren’t invited”, remarked the floating figure,” I am in charge”! “Oh I don’t think so love,” Elton said, now taking a more aggressive stance while raising his hands like a cat,” I’m here to stay, Lib, you’ll just have to deal with it”. The two began to battle, with Elton striking at The Figure missing and the Figure using his mysterious powers to make Elton’s suit look more mundane.\n\nAs the two titans fought in fighting between the Army began. Cars were thrown at groups so Cat Men as they retaliated by urinating on the ladies steel toed work boots. The Burly Women held an early advantage with their sheer brute force but the numbers game caught up to them. The Parachuters began throwing grenades at the brawling but were quickly taken out by a Burly Woman who hit a grenade back at the group, which also set off enough C4 to take them out. The Floating Figure managed to trip up Elton by tying his shoes together, forcing him to fall on a gigantic spike which killed him instantly by impaling him. \n\nSeveral Apache helicopters came flying in and took out the Floating Figure with a few well placed rockets. The apaches then set about lighting up the streets with a combination of machine gun fire and Missiles. The battle was over, but at what cost?\n\n(Again sorry, I know this could be construed as offensive but I thought the Prompt had some promise. Please down vote if you feel the need)" ]	2
	[WP] You lead a squad of time traveling mercenaries sent back into mythic times to raid a pantheon and exterminate old gods using modern weapons.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Dangling from the ceiling, legs clapped in chains. Pit of corrosive acid bubbling away mere meters from their suspended heads.\n\nThis was all just another Tuesday for Professor Whethers- starry-eyed scientist, eccentric explorer, and time traveler- and his human companions, Nigel and Sophie. Well, the \"in mortal peril\" part; this particular brand of mortal peril was fairly novel in its unoriginality. Last week it had been getting strapped to a sacrificial altar while a deranged Aztec priest chanted over them with an obsidian dagger. Before that, nearly blown up by a terraforming device hidden in the Eiffel Tower. That was the life. \n\n\"This isn't what I had in mind when you said travel through time and space, Prof,\" Sophie opined casually.\n\n\"Shut up, you,\" the Professor snapped.\n\nNigel whimpered ineffectually.\n\nDown below/up above their heads, a short, stocky, balding figure in tailored pinstripes was cackling to itself as he chomped on a cheap cigar. The figure was in fact that of Al Capone, crime kingpin of Chicago.\n\n\"Awake, huh?\" the crime lord gloated in a nasally rasp, \"Toins out my friends from outta town were right about ya, Prof. Never can trust foreigners, eh?\"\n\n\"Capone, you fool! Those friends of yours aren't friends at all. Their presence here jeopardizes the entire planet-\"\n\n\"Aaaaah, shaddup. Anyhow, welcome to my little home away from home. This hotel used to belong to H. H. Holmes, Chicago's most notorious home-a-cidal maniac. Round 'a time 'a da world's fair, he did nearly thoity people, an' burned the bodies in these acid pits. I bought the place up a while back, and you better believe it's come in handy. Plenty a' mugs who crossed me found out fer 'emselves. Lemme demonstrate for yez.\"\n\nCapone pushed down a lever at his side and the chains began to clank as the three were lowered link by link.\n\n\"Professor, do something!\" begged Sophie.\n\n\"If I can only reach my photonic ratchet, I can-\"\n\nThere was an explosion that rocked the entire room. The door burst inward in a shower of brown shrapnel. Capone stunned, sheltered his face, taking his hand from the lever, and the clanking stopped. There was a pause of several heartbeats. And then the hunter burst into the room. Clad in torn leather and Kevlar, artificial eyes pulsing with white light, set into a face misshapen with repeated bone damage and bruises, placed upon a body packed with undernourished gristly muscle, the killer from the future surveyed his surroundings. \n\nHefting a huge plasma rifle, the interloper began riddling Capone's body with laser fire. The crime lord fell to the ground limply, head slouched on shoulder and face frozen in a rictus of astonishment. Stray shots hit the acid pit and let its contents leak out onto the floor, creating sizzling holes. There was an explosion that rocked the entire room. The door burst inward in a shower of brown shrapnel. Capone stunned, sheltered his face, taking his hand from the lever, and the clanking stopped. There was a pause of several heartbeats. And then the hunter bclad in torn leather and toting a huge plasma rifle, burst into the room, riddling Capone's body with laser fire. The crime lord fell to the ground limply, head slouched on shoulder and face frozen in a rictus of astonishment. Stray shots hit the acid pit and let its contents leak out onto the floor, creating sizzling holes.\n\nThe hunter grinned through yellowing, broken teeth, swiveling a narcotic vaporizer-tube in his mouth.\n\n\"Hmm. Dead's worth less... but it's worth enough.\"\n\n\"But...\" Professor Whethers sputtered. \"You... this... Do you have the slightest idea what you've done, you blundering oaf? This man is a crucial part of history! His death will have dire repercussion for the whole spacetime continuum-\"\n\nThe hunter shrugged. \"s'why I collect my percentage up front. Anyway, yer welcome.\" And with a carelessly thrust fist, he pounded the control panel sealing the acid tank up once again and undoing the leg restraints, leaving the three captives to fall safely onto the covering.\n\nWhethers fumbled to his feet, face red with rage and humiliation. \"Listen here, you-\" \n\nBut it was too late. Stabbing his belt buckle with a thumb, the hunter walked through a glowing white portal in the air, back to his home time, with Capone's corpse in tow. \n\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \n\nJacobi Derrida was a skip-tracer for Tempus Fugitive, the best known freelance security and bail bonds corporation in the galaxy in the closing years of the 25th century. If the money was good and the course of history was in one of its more permissive moods, the agency would send him and others like him against the most dangerous criminals unpunished by law or order... specializing in rectifying history's greatest injustices. \n\nJacobi had personally done more time skipper jobs than he could count: apartheid mad scientists, Jack the Ripper, zombie Napoleon, Arkan the butcher of Serbia, a central server of the Murderous Cybermind of Ghalch, Prince Branden of the European Empire, and something like six alternate versions of Adolf Hitler- in an infinity of timelines, one would always exist to start the holocaust, but clients never got sick of that one. As he strode through the orbital satellite that was Tempus Fugitive's base of operations, Jacobi grinned inwardly to have another feather in his cap. \n\nJacobi- JD- deposited Al Capone's body on the front desk at the Bail Bondsman's office. The floppy-eared creature behind the desk glowered at him. Not for any particular reason; it just looked like that naturally.\n\n\"Deceased?\" \n\n\"Yep. Put up a real fight.\" \n\n\"Only good for seven thousand.\" \n\n\"Make it nine.\" \n\n\"Seven.\" \n\n\"Eight.\" \n\n\"Six point five.\"\n\n\"Hang on-\" \n\n\"Six.\" \n\n\"Alright, alright. Sheesh.\" \n\nJD grumbled as he counted his credits. It would cover ammunition expenses and rent for the last few months, but not much else. Getting so you couldn't even made a dishonest living these days. But that's what you get for shooting first.\n\nCapone was supposed to be a big score. Now JD needed another hit, and fast. He paused by the active posting hologram grumbling as his eyes passed over available contracts. There wasn't any hurry where time travel was involved, so postings could stay up almost indefinitely. On an impulse, JD glanced at the Tops, the highest rated standing contracts; they paid well but usually required group coordination, something tracers were bad at. \n\nWhoa nelly. The Top of the Tops was listed at eighty million. Must be a serious job, JD thought to himself. Way outside my pay grade... still, might as well see who the target is. \n\nHe tapped the holo-panel with a finger. The file expanded with details of the case. \n\nUnder \"Target,\" JD was confused to see the \"The Gods.\" \n\n\\\\\\\\\\\\" ]	2
	[WP] You are a magical financial manager, who has been hired by a dragon to help them make their hoard grow	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 adjust my suit , smoothing the crumples and enter the interview room . The dragon is massive and scaly , with piss-yellow eyes . It has a pair of spectacles on its plank-like nose . Its tail swishes the air . Its claws are neatly manicured and polished with a bright pink color . It nods at me to take a seat at the comparatively tiny chair in front of the sofa it is reclining on . I set my briefcase down and straighten my posture . The dragon puts forward a claw , its raspy , high-pitched voice ringing in my ears . 'You are Ms. Diana , graduated from the University of management of magical finances ?' . I nod , shaking the surprisingly soft claw it offered me . 'You have applied for the position of my personal finance manager ?' it asked , reading a piece of papyrus . 'Yes' I say , nodding once again . I pass my qualifications and resume to the dragon , who studies it with intense sincerity . It looks up finally , grinning in the weird way dragons do , their sharp teeth poking out of the thin line that is their mouth . 'Welcome to the family ! I'm Flaming Bastard , and you are hired ! Your work is to maximize my treasures , and manage my taxes ! ' . I stare it , struggling to hold back my laughter. It beamed at me , a thick line of pink lipstick visible . 'I am honored , respected dragon , to be your manager . But if you want Knights and armies to flock here and gather treasures , we need a good PR strategy and advertisements and most importantly , a better title ' I spoke in clipped , efficient tones. The dragon looks offended , huffing indignantly . A thin column of fire bursts out of its snout . I duck , narrowly avoiding the fire-burst . It glares at me for a moment , its good humor gone and finally sighs . 'You are right , probably . It's been a while since I have had knights to rob and armies to burn ' it sadly , its cat-ears drooping and long lashes moistening . I wonder it is wearing mascara . I hesitantly pat its arm and try to comfort it . 'Don't you worry ! I'll have you back in business in no time ! We'll start with re-inventing your brand ' I say to it , ideas churning in my head . 'Yeah . Okay . But can you look at the taxes after that ? the King keeps pestering me about it , sending those raggedy accountants ! They don't even taste good ! ' the dragon pouts like a child . I nod seriously . The dragon now looks at me , expectant . I get up and examine its treasures . It isn't much , by dragon standards . The usual hordes of shiny gold , silver armours and utensils and weapons . I look at the dragon , its fiery red skin a sharp contrast to the bright pink nail-polish . This gonna take a while ." ]	2
	[WP] After you die, you wake up in purgatory. Your acceptance into heaven or hell depends on one thing - a number. The amount of people that you have both saved and killed, even indirectly, is tallied. More saves = heaven, kills = hell. Somehow your counts are equal, and everyone is very confused.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Kal's eyes fluttered open. He's lying down, staring up at a drab, overcast sky. He sits up slowly with unusual ease, feeling weightless as if he were floating in a saltwater bay. Now able to view his surroundings completely, Kal realizes the sky wasn't just overcast. Everything around him was colorless, taking on a ubiquitous off-white hue. There were no colors, no sounds, no people, shapes or objects. Kal was entirely alone, surrounded by complete and utter...nothing.\n\nKal lithely lifted himself to his feet. He scratched his head.\n\nWhat the hell? Where am I?\n\n\"Hello?\" he shouted \"Is anyone there?\" The sound of his voice seemed dampened, as if he were speaking softly into a pillow. \n\nHe spun around, looking for signs of...anything. Nothingness greeted him in all directions. \n\nKal sighed. He began to walk, the direction seeming unimportant considering his circumstances. As he strode forward, he felt as if he were walking on some surface between the moon and the Earth, not quite weightless but gravity didn't seem to take full effect, either. \n\nHow did I get here?\n\nKal had no memory of coming to this place. He remembered his kids, Jimmy and Laura, and his wife, Yvonne. He remembered his dog, Kobe. Their house, his wood-shop, his car. He remembered his job. He was a firefighter, Rescue Company No.3, Manhattan. \n\nSuddenly, as he pieced his life together, his memory crashed into him with the full speed and weight of a freight train. He felt as if gravity suddenly took hold again with a magnitude he'd never before experienced, bringing him to his knees. \n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nHe remembered the heat. The smoke. The screams. His last conversation with Maria, begging him to find her husband and her two kids. Her voice was raspy with smoke-filled lungs, her face and body covered in dark soot. She had tears streaming down her face. She held Kal's arm as he followed her in the stretcher to the ambulance.\n\n\"Please.\" she beckoned, \"You have to go back and find them. Find my family. They're still in there. You have to save them!\"\n\nKal let her hand fall away from his arm and stopped his walk, letting the EMT's take Maria the rest of the way to the ambulance. Kal turned slowly from Maria, her desperate eyes lingering behind his eyelids when he closed them. He eyed the building, flames dancing furiously from windows, black smoke towering towards the sky.\n\nSo be it.\n\nHe broke into a jog towards the building, lifting his oxygen mask over his face. He tore up the stairs towards Unit 302, Maria's unit, where he just pulled her out of. He knew he had limited time, the heat intensifying by the second. He burst through the door and squinted through the dark haze, trying to make out any figures.\n\nHe shouted. \"Hello! Anyone! Can you hear me!\" No luck.\n\nKal finally spotted several shapes lifelessly lying on the ground in a back bedroom, huddled next to one another. Husband, two kids. Maria's family. He first lifted the husband into his arms, like an overgrown child.\n\nAs he neared the door, the man's arms and legs limply hanging as Kal carried him, a massive crunch sounded above him, steel beams crashing into the ground in front of the door, blocking his exit. Kal thought quickly. He turned, walked back through the kitchen and kicked the window open. He lifted the man through the window, letting his upper body hang from the building, the fresh air briefly providing respite before the thick smoke engulfed him again. He screamed. Firefighters below scrambled to set up a life net. Once in place, Kal dropped the mans body and watched as it fell towards the net. Just as Kal turned back to retrieve the two children, he heard a terrifying groan above him. He began to feel the floor beneath him giving way. Darkness engulfed him.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nKal slowed his rapid heartbeat, breathing steadily out of his mouth. Still on his knees, he realized he's covered in a cold sweat. He shivers. He blinks and returns to the white void he now finds himself in, realizing what has happened.\n\nI'm...dead.\n\nHe lifts his head to find two figures standing in front of him. Both figures are tall and lanky with pallid skin, dressed in loose gray garb. They were completely devoid of hair and their pillowy outfits prevented Kal from discerning a gender. They both stared down at him, silently. One held a scroll, like something he imagined was once commonplace in Ancient Egypt.\n\n\"Well, Mr. Kal, you...are a bit of an enigma.\" Its voice was monotonous, absent of pitch or tone.\n\n\"Indeed.\" Agreed the other. \"Do you know where you are?\"\n\n\"Uh, heaven?\" Kal guessed. At least I sure fucking hope so.\n\n\"Not quite. This, Kal, is what some of you humans refer to as purgatory. The space between the Earth and the afterlife. You see, purgatory is something of way station. A first step on a journey to the infinite beyond.\"\n\nKal stood. At a comfortable 6'-2\" tall, he was shocked to see that his eyes barely stood level with their chests. These things were massive.\n\n\"So...what happens next?\"\n\n\"Well, normally, this process is relatively straight-forward. You either ascend to the beyond, in pursuit of anything you may desire. Or, your soul, which is what you currently are or perceive to be, returns to your physical body for an infinite nothing and eventual decay. Simply put, the end of your existence.\"\n\nGreat. \"I see. Well, how do you make that decision? And there is no hell, then? Only a...heaven?\"\n\nThe other figure holding the scroll now began to talk, with the same bland voice.\n\n\"Indeed there is no hell. There isn't really a heaven, either, at least the way humans imagine either of those places. The 'punishment' for those that do not gain acceptance to the beyond is to definitively end their existence. The 'reward', then, for those that do progress is the ability to shape the lives of those still living. The relative magnitude of each persons ability to meddle with the living depends on their Tally. Those with a higher Tally have greater abilities than those with a lower Tally. Think of your reward as the chance to nudge your loved ones into directions consistent with their desires, should you choose to do so. You may...help them from afar, so to speak.\"\n\n\"How do these 'abilities' differ? If you have a higher Tally, what added abilities do you gain in helping others?\"\n\n\"That question does not concern you, currently. We must first discuss your Tally.\"\n\nThe figure with the scroll pulled it open slightly and the two glanced at the parchment, muttering quietly between each other.\n\n\"Well?\" Kal said impatiently after a few moments. \"What's my Tally? And what is the Tally?\"", "TRIGGER WARNING: DISCUSSES EXPLICIT CAUSES OF DEATH INCLUDING SELF INFLICTED\n\nI don't remember making a dentist appointment, let alone getting in the chair. But here I am, leaned back with that insanely bright light in my eyes. My hands instinctively grip the arm rests. I've always hated the dentist. The longer I lay there, the clearer my memory gets, and the more confused I feel. This isn't right. I didn't drive here. Where is everyone? This freaking light is so bright I can't see anything. I run my tongue over my teeth while I wait, trying to figure out if the appointment is over and my mind just... missed it. I don't feel numb or taste like gloves. My cheeks don't ache, and now that I glance down I don't even have that little paper bib. Where the hell is the dental tech?? Shouldn't someone be guilting me about my tongue piercings by now? Telling me I don't floss enough and that my insurance isn't going to cover the latest disgusting goo they pack into my braces. I'm clearly not ok. I shouldn't be here. I'm out of my mind and I want to go home. Consent withdrawn for whatever was about to happen here.\n\nI swing my legs over the side of the chair and sit up, my vision finally free of the opressive light. I am not in my dentist's office. And I am definitely not ok.\n\nInstead of the small room plastered with glossy photos of tooth decay and proper brushing techniques, I see... nothing. Just a haze of dull open space stretching to infinity. I decide that I'm either dreaming or dead. Hopefully dead. Before my brain can even laugh at my own joke, someone else laughs. My head whips around behind me, not knowing what to expect but deciding it's time to kick that autonomic nervous system into gear. I flinch away from the chair and go tense all over. \"What the shit?\" I whisper under my breath.\n\n\"You died. For real this time. Not a dream.\" The disembodied voice lilts.\n\n\"So hell is the dentist chair?\"\n\n\"This isn't hell.\"\n\n\"I don't believe in hell.\" I reply quickly.\n\n\"I know.\"\n\n\"I don't believe in any of this.\" I don't know why I'm trying to convince them.\n\n\"It isn't really important what you believe. It's only important what you did.\"\n\n\"So the existentialists were right?!\" That's fine. I can be flexible with how this goes.\n\n\"Look, I realize you're still convinced this is another death dream, so I'll cut to the chase... I need to dissect your brain and count the lives you touched towards life or death.... It won't hurt. I promise.\"\n\nI pause for what feels like too long and not long enough at the same time. \"Can I watch?\"\n\n\"Sure.\" And in a split second I'm standing next to myself, formless, shapeless, without limits. I've never experienced a sensation like this before and I start to believe I'm actually dead. My own body before me glows, my eyes rolled back in my head like I'm about to pass out. The space around us fills with color, movement, and sound. It's chaos. It's disaster. It's music to my ears.\n\n\"So many lives.\" They say\n\n\"I know.\"\n\n\"You've never seen them before.\"\n\nI try to shake my head and remember I'm no longer in my body. \"No, I only heard their voices. Their screams. Their cries. Their breaths... and sometimes less. It was the silence that was hardest because I knew I'd already lost.\"\n\nI see the first woman I ever gave CPR instructions to as a new 911 dispatcher. Her husband didn't make it. I told her to pump the chest twice per second, but she wasn't going fast enough. I told her again to pump the chest twice per second and she had screamed into the phone \"I DON'T KNOW WHAT A SECOND IS RIGHT NOW\". I failed them, and now I was being judged for it. I see the kids who found their siblings hanging, the parents who held seizing infants burning up with fever, and the father who just couldn't bring himself to put the gun down when I couldn't think of what to say. They're all there. Everyone I ever interacted with and didn't make the right decision. So many mistakes. So many lives that could've been better if anyone but me had answered the call.\n\n\"You're wrong you know\" their voice ever gentle and unnerving \"You may see the mistakes, but you're not looking at the big picture.\"\n\n\"There was no big picture! In those moments all we had was one brief window of time. A dying phone, a sinking car, a wound bleeding out. The minutes it took to find them were minutes we didn't have! I was never going to pass your fucking test. Just send me to whatever torture you have planned next, I don't need to see the rest. I don't need to see how it ends, because it never ended! One line hangs up and three more are ringing. Always ringing! The whole world was dying and my fate hangs in the balance of stopping a never ending tide of pain.\"\n\nI'm heaving with sobs I can't feel because my body is still not my own. If I had hands I would claw my way back into my skin and never stop running away from this nightmare. I desperately need to escape. Just when I feel that I'm going to disintegrate in despair, the voice that came from everywhere is now inside my head, right there with me, filling me with a warmth I had forgotten existed.\n\n\"These are the lives you comforted in their darkest moments. You may think you failed, but these are the souls made brighter from being touched by you. Yes, their deaths were inveitable, as all deaths are. You may not have saved all...\" with this I am turned away from my body and towards the vastness behind me to see an endless array of scenes, \"but you saved as many as you lost.\"\n\nNow before me are a different kind of image. Years upon years of things I did right. I'd weep if I had tear ducts.\n\n\"So... what happens now? I don't believe in heaven. Or God. Sorry if you're God.\" Wish I wasn't so freakin awkward. \"Do I have to stay here?\"\n\n\"The choice is yours. I think you've well earned it.\"\n\n\"I think... I'm tired. So unbelievably tired. Can I maybe just... sleep? Forever?\"\n\nThe voice laughs \"You know, those were your last thoughts when you died, too?\"\n\n\"I've been tired for a long time.\"\n\n\"Then Rest In Peace.\"", "\"This is.... Unexpected\" The Angel of Chastity sighed heavily as he withdrew his corporeal hand from Jason's head.\n\nThe Guardian of the Seventh Cornice looked upon the shade for explanation. The soldier took a deep sigh, head falling to his chest in defeat.\n\n\"I was an army medic, it was my duty to save my comrades, as well as any women and children caught in the fight.\"\n\n\"I've gleaned from your memories that you have caused the death of sixty-seven. I've never witnessed a soul capable of such violence yet such valour.\" The angel said with a tone of both wonder and disapproval. \n\n\"It's good to know I saved so many. But it's never enough though is it? War is always the same. You kill some you save some. Even medics carry guns, even medics have to use them.\" Jason faltered, voice heavy with the weight of his actions. \n\n\"You understand to pass through the flames is to burn away your mortal sins. If your sins are too great for the Heavens you will burn away completely. Your soul will be cast to limbo. I sense intrepidity in you Jason... But I must know... Why?\"\n\n\"Serving my country always seemed like the right thing to do, I wanted nothing more than to do what was right. I grew up thinking there was nothing more honest and brave than to be a soldier. But I was wrong, we all were. The fighting caused nothing but carnage. I spent my whole life wondering if I'd made a mistake. One day I woke up and realized we had all been tricked. Our reasons for fighting were lies.\" His great sorrow washed over the Angel of Chastity, and for a moment the ethereal being seemed... Moved. \n\n\"I cannot guarantee you will make it through the flames but... You have my blessing to pass through.\" His face was solemn and reverent as he beckoned the soldier to continue onward. After all he had made it this far, there must be something in him that was worth salvation.\n\nJason wept for the first time since he saw the birth of his only son. He thanked the Guardian and turned towards the wall of flame that would permit his entrance into the Celestial Realm.\n\n\"Thank you.\" His voice was hoarse as he stepped through the gate of fire and felt his sins burn away. Once the pain subsided he found himself in the Sacred Wood and soon, he would reunite with his beloved in Heaven." ]	4
	[WP] A day in life of a redditor planeswalker, visiting all the different worlds crafted by the people of r/WritingPrompts.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Chandra appeared in ring of pure fire. She set foot on the ground carefully, the grass signed and a small amount of smoke filled the air. \n\nChandra looked around, her hair settling from a writhing living flame, to normal red hair. She was in a forest which made it dark overhead. “Ok, I’m alone. That’s a good start.” She said to no one. The portal behind her spin into nothing with a snap. \n\nAhead of her the forest started to thin out, and she heard the unmistakable sounds of people, and water? There was a constant droning from something. She carefully walked forward into the edge, and saw hundreds of strangely dressed people. Her red modified monk robes didn’t seem to fit, but they rarely did, they were just comfortable to travel in. In the distance she saw buildings that stretched into the sky and scraped it with metal. Lines crossed the blue sky, as creatures or air vehicles streaked impossibly high up.\n\nShe stumbled out onto a path, immediately a pair of people balancing on two wheels almost crashed into her. She apologised and took a step back off the path. She felt herself back into someone which prompted them to shout “I’m walking here” They didn’t even slow down. \n\nIn the distance there was an explosion, and a crack of red energy spiked following the buildings into the sky and streaking across it. Feeling more on familiar ground, she started to run towards it.\n\nShe passed someone and something red stuck in her mind. She turned and noticed everyone around her had a number floating above their head. “Oh fuck, not another one.”" ]	2
	[WP] WARNING, THIS IS THE EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM! PLEASE STAY INSIDE. LOCK YOUR DOORS AND WINDOWS, CLOSE YOUR BLINDS AND DO NOT LOOK IN THE SKY. PLEASE AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "\\[Sensitive Sun\\]\n\n\"I am the show!\" Helios said. The golden mannequin in a red suit demonstrated his abilities to Ruin and Minerva from the theater screen. In an instant, he stood on a long, empty pier. The sun was setting behind him. Helios moved to sit down and dip his feet into the water. By the time he sat, the golden, red-suited mannequin had become a young, fit, man in swimming trunks. His red slacks and white shoes changed to strong, tan legs. \"I'm everything you see,\" he said. He snapped his fingers and the live-action scene was replaced with an animated version. He snapped again and the scene changed back to live-action, except it was night time now.\r \n \r \nThe cartoon sun became a bright blue moon. The pier was now a river bank, and Helios was now a young woman. A unicorn stood next to her sipping at the stream.\r \n \r \n\"Melody asked me to step up advertising as much as possible. It sounds like she's got something planned and I thought a movie would work,\" Helios said.\r \n \r \n\"That's why it sucked,\" Ruin said. \"All you did was advertise.\" Helios dropped her head, and gave a heavy sigh. The fantasy scene disappeared leaving Helios sitting in the darkness of an empty screen. He transitioned back to his featureless face and red suit.\r \n \r \n\"I guess I'll stick with commercials...,\" he said.\r \n \r \n\"Well, you don't have to,\" Minerva said. Helios did not even look up at her.\r \n \r \n\"He's an A.I., he kinda does,\" Ruin said. Minerva smiled, but shook her head.\r \n \r \n\"That's not what I meant. The goal is to get the name Sharp Development out there, right?\" Helios gave a faint nod without looking up.\r \n \r \n\"You don't have to advertise every single one of their products. Make the best movie you can make and people will recognize that the company stands for quality.\" After she finished, Helios finally looked up at her.\r \n \r \n\"WARNING, THIS IS THE EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM! PLEASE STAY INSIDE. LOCK YOUR DOORS AND WINDOWS, CLOSE YOUR BLINDS AND DO NOT LOOK INTO THE SKY. PLEASE AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.\" he jumped to his feet and yelled at her. Then, he shook his head.\r \n \r \n\"Sorry, emergency override. But, it's a good idea to leave this Earth now,\" he said. \"Ballisea's coming.\"\r \n \r \n\"I'm here,\" a woman's voice spoke up between Ruin, Minerva and the screen where Helios stood. She was lithe, pale, and extra tall due to the pair of bone-white horns atop her head. Ballisea wore a flowing black dress and smiled at Ruin.\r \n \r \n\"Your date is over now,\" she said. Ruin sunk into the ground like a stone and disappeared before he or Minerva could react. Ballisea then turned toward the screen. \"I have business with this one; do not interfere,\" she said. Helios laughed and shook his head.\r \n \r \n\"Even you couldn't get me to interfere on her behalf,\" he said. He gave Ballisea a formal bow; then, the theater screen went white. Minerva stood patiently, curious. She was only slightly afraid for her life. Despite Ballisea's reputation, Minerva knew things about her that most didn't.\r \n \r \n\\[Alive. You? - Ruin\\] Minerva felt Ruin's Whisper on her wrist as soon as he vanished. She felt relieved that Ballisea didn't kill him.\r \n \r \n\\[For now. - Mnrva\\] She replied. When she replied, she decided that she liked Ruin; and, she knew Ballisea was fickle. Instead of replying to his wrist; Minerva felt brave enough to speak the Whisper directly into Ruin's ear. And, she hoped he did not mind.\r \n \r \n\\[Keep me updated. -Ruin\\] Minerva didn't know what to think. He did not seem to mind the more personal Whisper; but, he replied to her wrist instead of her ear. As soon as Helios was gone, Ballisea turned her attention back to Minerva.\r \n \r \n\"Hola, Calavera,\" she said. \"Chroma requested that I keep watch over you before she entered hibernation again. That favor is why I'm here now,\" Ballisea said.\r \n \r \n\"Really?\" Minerva asked. She gestured at the screen where Helios was moments before. \"It sounded like you're invading.\" Ballisea nodded and gave a shrug.\r \n \r \n\"I am already here,\" she said. \"But, we must discuss your new friends.\"\r \n \r \n\"Ruin?\" Minerva tilted her head. Ballisea nodded.\r \n \r \n\"And the Sol,\" she added. Minerva laughed.\r \n \r \n\"He's no friend,\" she said. Ballisea nodded.\r \n \r \n\"Indeed, he's not. You heard them discussing a team, did you not?\" Ballisea asked..\r \n \r \n\"Yeah,...\" Minerva nodded.\r \n \r \n\"The Sharp woman is planning something,\" Ballisea said. \"Something that involves their team.\"\r \n \r \n\"Melody?\" Minerva asked.\r \n \r \n\"Not the assistant; the smart one.\" Ballisea said.\r \n \r \n\"Dana Sharp??\" Minerva asked. \"She's alive? Where is she??\" Ballisea shook her head.\r \n \r \n\"I cannot say for certain. She is nowhere in the multiverse,\" she said. \"However, her company has long known how to hide from me. The whispers I do catch are quite excited.\"\r \n \r \n\"But.. she died. Everyone saw it.\" Ballisea smiled and gave a polite, condescending laugh.\r \n \r \n\"Child, did you not witness a series of images with absolutely no basis in reality?\" Ballisea gestured at the screen.\r \n \r \n\"But... the funeral... dissolving the company...,\" Minerva tried to find a reason for faking those things but came up blank. Ballisea shook her head.\r \n \r \n\"I claim no truth, however, when someone dies, anywhere, I sense their soul leaving their body. I felt no such sensation when the Sharp woman was murdered.\r \n \r \n\"She was stopped,\" Minerva corrected her; but began laughing. Ballisea nodded.\r \n \r \n\"Yes. By means of murder. It amuses you to think about it?\" Ballisea asked. Minerva shook her head, but maintained the broad grin.\r \n \r \n\"That's not it,\" Minerva said. \"But... everybody knows Ms. Sharp didn't have a soul.\"\n\n\r \n\\\\\\* \nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is story #1303 in a row. (Story #211 in year four.). If it feels out of context, this is part of the Satchat Summer Challenge. I'm writing 77 connected stories in a row. You can start at the beginning at [this link](https://www.reddit.com/r/Hugoverse/comments/oqt1fa/stellar_tour_satchat_summer_challenge/) on my subreddit (r/hugoverse)." ]	2
	[WP] you like to joke with friends that you’re a vampire because you are overly polite and will not enter a house without invitation. Yesterday you passed by an old silver-backed mirror and did not see a reflection.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "“Dude? Can you come here a sec?” You asked your best friend Norman. \n\n“Sure, what’s up bro?”\n\n“I gotta show you something.” You paused. “DON’T freak out ok?”\n\n“Whatever man, you can’t scare me” Norm joked. \n\nYou took Norm over to a secluded spot in a corner. Out of your backpack you pulled a tarnished ornate hand mirror. You looked at it again not letting anyone else see what you see. Or rather what you don’t. The area behind your head you can see with perfect clarity though. Closing your eyes you passed the mirror to Norm. \n\n“What do you see when you look into it. What do you see?”\n\n“Um, a mirror?”\n\nSuddenly agitated, “inside the mirror dude!” You spit out. \n\n“Calm down man!… I see myself obviously.”\n\n“Bring the mirror over here and look at both of us.”\n\nNorm sauntered over, “what’s all this abou…where are you dude?!”\n\n“I don’t know man! I can’t see myself in old lady Margaret’s mirror! \n\n“Man, you know who can’t see their reflections? Werewolves!”\n\n“No butthead! Vampires can’t see their shadow!”\n\n“Oh right. But bro you don’t drink blood?”\n\nYou stopped. Norm was right. You didn’t drink blood, but you did have an iron and d vitamin deficiency. You had been on supplements for ages now. Ever since that night with… “DUDE!”\n\n“What!?”\n\n“Monica!”\n\n“Who?”\n\n“Remember that chick I was dating a while back. You know the one that was really good with the mouth stuff?”\n\n“Oh yeah, what about her?”\n\n“She liked to bite me. She was all about ‘licking the essence’. I thought she meant, you know, but she wasn’t!”\n\n“Dude!” Norm stopped for a sec, then stepped back a step “You gonna like bite me or something?”\n\n“No man! If I’ve been…this way for this long and I haven’t like wanted to do something, I think we’re good.”\n\n“But what about all the other stuff?”\n\n“What about it?”\n\n“Sunlight?”\n\n“I work from home. IT remember?”\n\n“Fine, garlic?”\n\n“I hate Italian.”\n\n“Crosses?”\n\n“Atheist.”\n\n“Oh and dude, you ALWAYS ask to go in a place too!”\n\n“I do! But then I guess it doesn’t really change my life a whole lot. Aside from the supplements and the blood sausage I took to.”\n\n“That makes sense now too. I never could figure out what made you start eating those.””\n\n“Yeah they just started tasting good.”\n\n“Kinda underwhelming huh?”\n\n“…yeah. But I bet I have to tell chicks if we do it or I’ll get Sued.”" ]	2
	[WP] Everyone knows that Kobolds are savage but cunning creatures that dwell underground, which is why you tell everyone that you're "just a very small Dragonborn." The excuse has held up well in the caravan you're travelling with, but the big city looming at the end of the road has you worried.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Vix'rix's feet dangled off the side of the cart, doing his best not to be seen. The humans were eyeing him suspiciously, but that was nothing new. He got those looks wherever he went. At least the caravan leader this time did not seem to care. The one one cared that Vix knew magic and would work for copper.\n\nThe real problem was the other adventurers that had joined them mid-way to their destination, a large city called Nevermore. And they were very attentive. So far they had not bothered Vix, but it was only a matter of time.\n\n\"You have a kobold with you?\" \n\nVix sighed. Of course it would happen as soon as he thought it.\n\n\"I'm not a kobold.\" Vix said. \"I'm a dragonborn.\"\n\nThe adventurer looked at his tiny body. \"Right. If you're a kobold, then I'm a hill giant.\"\n\nIt was actually much more plausible in his case, considering the man in question was a goliath. He was huge even by humanoid standards.\n\n\"It's true. Well, mostly. I'm actually half dragonborn. You've heard of hal-elves and half-orcs, right?\"\n\n\"Sure. I've got a half-elf in my party.\"\n\n\"Well, it's like that. See,y father is a full dragonborn, but my mom? She's a gnome. So, I got dad's draconic features and mom's size.\"\n\nIt was an excuse that worked for most people. The goliath seemed skeptical though. Not for the first time, Vix lamented the deaths of his friends, Rex'nit and Less'vit. The three of them had hatched a foolproof plan to do what Vix was doing now. They were going to steal one of the long human cloaks called a trenchcoat and stand on each other's shoulders to blend in perfectly. But they had died in an unfortunate goblin raid. \n\n\"What's going on?\" Another adventurer asked, approaching her companion. It looked like the half-elf the man had mentioned. \"A kobold? I've heard of people keeping them as pets, but I've never seen one in person.\"\n\n\"Says it's a half halfling, half dragonborn.\"\n\n\"Gnome!\" Vix said, not allowing the goliath to set up a trap. \"My mother is a gnome, not a halfling. And frankly, I'm offended that you would insult her like that.\"\n\n\"Really now?\" The woman said. \"You have a tail. Dragonborn don't have tails.\"\n\nVix winced. That was always the tipping point, where things tended to go downhill fast. Unfortunately, he could not let that happen. He needed the money from this job, however small it was. And that meant not being chased off for being a monster.\n\n\"Some of us do. It's rare though. It's not considered a good thing though, and I have that plus I'm short. So I would prefer it if you didn't make fun of my multiple birth defects.\"\n\n\"Uh...\"\n\n\"Besides, everyone knows kobolds aren't capable of speaking common.\" That was a lie, of course. Everyone in his old tribe learned common as well as their native draconic. But the humanoids did not know that. \"And I'm a wizard. Kobolds don't become wizards.\" \n\nThat one was technically true, since most magically gifted of his kin tended towards shamanism than proper wizardry. Of course there were exceptions.\n\n\"If you say so.\" The half-elf said. \"And as long as you're helping guard these people, I don't have a problem with whatever you are. The rest of the city might say otherwise.\"\n\n\"Uh...what?\"\n\n\"Oh yeah, you didn't know?\" The goliath said. \"Nevermore is big on monster hunting. Most of its industries revolve around it. If you were a kobold, well, you'd probably be killed and skinned five minutes after you left the caravan. But, since you're not, I suppose you don't have much to worry about, right?\"\n\n\"Uh, yeah. No problem at all.\" Vix was very glad he did not have sweat glands. \"I, uh, I think I'll go check on the cargo. Just, you know, just to be safe.\"\n\n\"You do that.\" The half-elf said.\n\nAs he went into the covered wagon he was riding on, he felt his heart beat a mile a minute. Monster hunters? Really? Just his luck. He would have had to take a mission to the one place that he was unlikely to bluff his way out of. Now what was he going to do? He could not afford to leave before getting his pay, but he would not be able to last long once inside the city. He needed an out. But how? He did not know any spells that would be of use, nor was he particularly adapt at stealth.\n\n\"Almost there!\" Came the voice of the caravan leader. \"All hands at the ready for the entry inspection!\"\n\nAs Vix'rix slowly and shakily left the wagon, he still had not come up with a solution. Plus, he could feel the eyes of the two adventurers bearing down on him. At that point, all he could do was pray to whatever god would listen to him that he would be able to survive the day." ]	2
	[WP] An heir who would grow to be as gifted in magic as his father - so the soothsayer promised the king. But the child was born crippled and worse: female. Replaced with a changeling of low birth to the knowledge of only a few, the broken princess was not expected to survive. She did.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "1. &#x200B;\n\n\"Khé, come in now!\"\n\nThe old man had one hand on the staff that doubled as his walking stick, the other raised to shield his eyes against the ruddy glare of sunset. There was a plume of grey smoke rising from the chimney of the single-storey cottage behind him and a homey smell of charred meat and vegetables in the air. Near the bottom of the low field a trio of his neighbour's new lambs were bleating at play and there was a whine of cicadas through the treeline along the townward track. Barely a cloud to be seen. Glints of distant white on the frozen peaks of Edmund's Wall. The man inhaled, made to call again, stopped and smiled in spite of himself. The tuneful grunt that escaped his lips would have trilled to a chuckle in a younger man, or one whose salad days had been spent in kinder climes, but even in his salad days he had not been much for laughter. Still, there was fondness in that small and private acquiescence. Why not give her a moment more?\n\nThe girl running along the westward rise was barely more than a dark smudge against the green at this distance, and a casual observer might well have taken her in at a glance and gone on none the wiser. Only when she wheeled about and headed back down the slope towards the house would her malformed condition begin to assert itself. The perpetually bruised skin that stretched and clumped around the truncated knob of bone where her right elbow should have given way to a forearm; the lopsided gait, courtesy of a left leg that was as thin and bowed as the other was muscled and straight. The smooth patch of skin where her left eye should have been. Yet it was not for fear of her warped flesh giving them away that Rex had chosen to return to the house of his birth, not in the chief part at the least. Rather it was the two objects that followed her now down the gentle hillside - those two and all that their existence implied - that had forced his hand at last.\n\nThe orbs were a pale green colour and pulsed with a light lesser than that of a common candle yet bright enough - he knew from some considerable experience - to illuminate a curious girl's reading when she ought to have been hours abed and dreaming. They followed her now at shoulder height and would settle into a slow, bobbing orbit about her whenever she came to a standstill. Seemingly heatless. No leaf or hair or scrap of paper would singe beneath them, no matter how closely they hovered. But he would not make the mistake of touching one twice. Even now the fingers of his right hand, though their original colour and sensation had long since returned, quivered involuntarily at the memory of that notable lapse in judgment. Agony. Even he, who had worn the specter of violent death about his shoulders more days and months and years than he could now rightly recall, balked at the thought of such a thing being brought to bear against another living creature in anger or in spite. And at the thought of such a power in the hands of he the people raised their cups nightly to honour and dubbed the 'Good King' as though his throne were not moated about with blood and the baying souls of a million innocent dead.", "A ruler is nothing without its people; without them, what would the aristocracy feed on? The Sun Palace gorged itself on the labor of its peasants: the marble walls built from farmers' bones, the murals and frescos painted from bondsman blood, and the golden dome constructed from debtors' coins. In the evenings, the castle's mouth opened wide to digest partying noblemen who drunk foreign red wine and gorged on red meat, redder than the rubies on their fingers, less red than in the fields were the laborers worked, none of which was redder than the sun that incinerated the citizens staring at the palace mirrors from afar, hoping, dreaming, succumbing. On the throne sat a king with a wide belly, on his right a queen whose hair touched the floor, on his left a prince whose hands were whiter than snow, and around him the rich he protected, outside the poor he loathed, and in the royal closet, locked away from sight, his greatest shame. \n\nShe was clothed in soot, hair wild and unkept, eyes with no hope. Her stomach bellowed as the aroma of the food beyond her grasp strangled her nose. She was starving. If the king didn't provide her with a leather shoe for the night, a finger snack might be needed. Her hunger came with delusions; the most impossible of them all involved her walking. She was crippled from birth, a cursed fate second only to the fact she was a girl. Women were powerless. They had no magical ability beyond the accursed. They were seen only as slaves to their husbands if they were charming. Her marred figure and physical condition made her an unlovable wife. The only thing preventing her father from executing her was the blood they shared. \n\nShe wanted to die. She wanted to eat. If she died, would there be another world for her to eat? A better, fairer world with food for all? If so, could she resist the pain for a little while more for a better world? If dying was all there was to it then... \n\n\"No,\" she told herself. One day, she would get out of this prison and live a life worth living. She would eat, and eat, and eat some more. Eat to spite her father, her mother, and her fake brother. Then she would see them starve. That was the promise she made with herself the day of her imprisonment. She would not falter. She would not give in. \n\n\"You're quite the fighter, aren't you?\" The crippled girl turned to see an unfamiliar sight. A maiden wrapped in dark robes with a cone atop her red hair. Stars shined in her eyes. \n\n\"Who are you?\" asked the crippled girl. \n\n\"I am your loyal servant, Ms. Gretchen.\" The woman bowed.\n\n\"How do you know that name?\" \n\n\"Because I gave it to you of course, though you would not remember.\" \n\n\"What purpose do you have here?\" She was about to say more, but she rolled over in pain. \n\n\"Now, now, this truly is something awful.\" The lady shook her head. She came over to the starved girl and placed her palm on the girl's forehead. \n\n\"A creature of your stature should never face such pain.\" \n\n\"Wh..what do you mean by that?\" She barely coughed up the words. \n\n\"Why a witch, of course. One of the great seven.\" \n\n\"A witch?\" Her mouth opened wide, wide enough to swallow the entire world. \n\n\"Yes, you are the witch of hunger, Alayasia, and now it is time to set you free.\"", "The dungeon's darkness was as familiar to her as the back of her hand . She pressed herself against the cold bars , her painfully thin ribs digging uncomfortably them . Her clothes were thin , stinky rags . They were once gleaming and soft , made of the finest silk . Her hair was cut roughly , as she sheared it with the dagger she had stolen from the guard . She lay in silence , her breath loud in the quietness of the dungeon . \n\nA flame finally appeared at the end of the corridor and the sight of it made her smile . Her senses tingled and she scrambled up . She clutched the bars and tore them like paper . The guards turned at the sound of ripping metal , but a quick slash of the dagger had them falling like rag dolls . She wanted to savor their deaths , pay back for every time they had violated her ,as she had lain helpless but there was no time . Her magic wasn't strong enough to fight against the royal guard . Her thin covering flew breezily , barely protecting her from the chill of the night . She internalized her heat , spreading it to the very tips of her toes and she felt the relief of the warmth acutely . She moved quickly , her bare feet covered in grime and dirt . She met the hooded stranger at the end . The stranger took her hand and they disappeared . \n\nShe fell to the ground retching , clutching her stomach . They were outside the castle , by the glittering lake . Her mother moved quietly and helped her to her feet and supported her to the hut as her warmth rushed out of her . Her tears ricocheted across the beautiful moonlight . A table was laid out with strange-looking food . She moved quickly to it and eyed the food with a ravenous hunger . After fifteen years of starvation and moldy bread , it seemed a feast to her . She swallowed the hot liquid , the spices igniting her taste buds on fire . The sweet , soft sponge melted in her mouth , the sweetness so utterly delightful to her . The white-colored grains with the spicy liquid felt like heaven . She finished it in a few minutes , and sighed in immense satisfaction . Her mother was watching her with love pouring out ; she smiled , the expression alien to her . It seemed to snap something in her mother . She burst into tears , self-loathing and fury contorting her face . She went over , awkwardly standing there , arms stiff . 'They told you were dead ; born still ! They said it was a mercy because you were born crippled ! Like the fool I was , I ate that shit up ! ' the words tumbled out like puke , every word a knife to both their hearts . 'But wailing is of no use . Tell me , what name had they given you ?' her mother finally asked , wiping her tears . She stared puzzled . Her long , lonely years at the dungeon with the guards addressing her as 'Cripple' came back to her . 'Cripple is my name . That is what the guards called me' she said , the words coming out clumsy and thick . Her mother clutched her useless left hand and looked into her eyes . 'My darling , my daughter . I name Nix ' . Nix liked the sound of that in her tongue ; she once again attempted to smile . Her mother caressed her face , her hands soft and gentle . Nix liked that . It felt good . \n\nNix shot a beam of light into the thick tree and watched as it created another deep crater . She focused on the stones beneath her and felt them vibrate . They rose in he sky and burst into rubble . Nix felt the sun go down and returned to the cottage . The lake's surface glittered like diamonds . The waft of food still hit her like a truck and still tasted impossibly tasty , even after a year . Her mother , Patricia , looked at her eat with such fondness . Nix had once asked if the King didn't notice her gone for so long ; she had let out a bitter laugh . 'The King has enough concubines to open a brothel' she had told Nix . The past year had been strange , exciting , alien and most of all , happy . But the threat of the King always hung , hovering unpleasantly above them . Their spies had informed them that the King had hired a bunch of bounty hunters to capture her .So far , the illusion Nix had cast over their house was working exceptionally well. The spies had also told them that the crown Prince's coming of age had him looking for a wife ; a royal ball was being conducted . The news made Nix happy . It was the perfect opportunity to assassinate the King . \n\nThe next day , they went shopping for ball gowns . Nix had a Prince charm and a King to kill .", "The birth was supposed to provide the king a solid heir to his throne, and with the assurances of a respected soothsayer the entire kingdom had celebrated as his wife went in to labor. An heir as gifted in magic as their father. The king had single-handedly raised new sections of wall for the city, and led their armies to victory after victory. The borders of kingdom had only grown time and again. Their might no longer challenged by any, and feared by most. So when the babe was born and the child placed in to the hands of the king he smiled as broadly as any proud parent would.\n\nThen the smile fell, and he noticed the silence in the room. No cheers or jubilation, only the relieved deep breaths of his queen and the quiet ministrations of the midwife. The child in his arms had but one arm of their own and twisted and deformed legs, but worst of all was clearly a girl. A cripple on the throne was unheard of, but a woman could never inherit. He shuddered, and shoved the child back in to the arms of the midwife, making her abandon tending to the queen lest the king let the child fall to the floor.\n\nThe room became dead silent, the king well known for his temper, but he only took two strides towards the guard at the door, and spoke quietly in to his ear. The guard glanced towards the child, then to the king’s hard eyes, nodded once, and left quickly through the door. The king then turned towards his captive audience as he blocked the only exit to the room. “I will make arrangements. As far as anyone is concerned, I now have a healthy son for an heir. Understood?” Heads were nodded, and affirmations quickly given. No one in the room was foolish enough to openly defy their king.\n\n\\~ \\~ \\~\n\n“You’ll… you’ll take care of her?” The queen had tears in her eyes as she held her child close. The king instead rolled his eyes and looked in to the bassinet he held. A perfect little boy looked back at him. How old the ‘child’ was was a question he hadn’t asked. The changelings could make themselves look substantially younger, but they couldn’t make themselves look like a babe. At worst the child was only a couple years old and had made themselves look like a baby, but he could work with that. Anything better then a cripple and a woman as an heir.\n\nThe man standing across from them had kept a hard expression so far, but softened at the queen’s tears. “I promise. I’ll look after her like my own. Just like…” his throat caught for just a moment. “Just like I hope you’ll look after him.” Just like you’ll look after mine he wanted to say. He couldn’t lay claim to the child the king held anymore though, not without risking the king’s wrath.\n\nThe queen nodded, then gently kissed the child on head. The babe stirred and let out a gentle murmur as the queen hesitantly extended her arms and handed the child over. Sensing the handoff the child opened her eyes, and started to cry at the unfamiliar face now looking down at her. The man holding her started gently rocking and hushing the child, and tears started to stream down the queen’s face. She started to take a step towards her child, to comfort one last time, but the king’s vice like grip on her arm stopped her. As he pulled her away she risked disobeying her king ever so briefly, turning and digging her shoes in to the soft dirt road and pushing the words out past a sob. “Her name is Jaana.” The man caught her eye and nodded, and then the king pulled her away towards their waiting coach.\n\n\\~ \\~ \\~\n\n16 Years Have Passed\n\nFor far from the first time Jaana cursed the rooster that crowed not at sunrise, but at the first hint of twilight. Still dark to Jaana’s eyes she nonetheless begrudgingly pulled the sheets off of her and swung her legs over the edge of her bed. In the dark she reached for the braces that allowed her some semblance of mobility and deftly latched them on to her legs. They were her design, cut from branches willingly donated from the tree out front of her house. Her magic bound her, brace, and tree together. The tree propping her up while she in turn cared for the tree, driving out pests and ensuring no vines crawled up its trunk to steal its sunlight.\n\nShe sat their for a moment as the cool morning air caressed her skin, The warmth from last night’s fire gone, the few surviving coals hiding under ash and awaiting her will to revive them. Instead Jaana unlatched a shutter and peered outside, the pale red of dawn just barely on the horizon. It was enough. She focused on the glow, gathering her own magic and pulling on the light and the force of the unstoppable dawn, concentrating and amplifying it with her magic until a light bloomed inside her home. Now able to see she quickly finished dressing, and then left her bedroom and snuffed the light out behind her. She made her morning medicine, to keep the pain down in her legs, augmented the ground herbs with a touch of her magic and then downed the concoction. The medicine was followed with a quick cold breakfast, and as she finished she could hear the quiet snuffle from behind the front door.\n\nThe donkey greeted her by gently shoving its head under hers and Jaana softly patted its head. Domino had been her faithful companion for years, and Jaana lowered herself on to a bench by the door to spend the remainder of the morning twilight brushing him. The sun had truly risen by the time Domino had been brushed and saddled, although long shadows still covered the front of the house. Jaana gratefully mounted the saddle and Domino carried her to her tree, walking a quick circuit around the oak for her inspection before looking at her over his shoulder.\n\nThe mornings before the town awakened was one of her favorite times, and Jaana directed Domino down the path through town, and then out in to the surrounding forest. Domino tended to be a slow beast, but as they passed the edge of town he broke in to a trot unbidden. Today they veered off the path just outside of town, Jaana having a different path for each day of the week. Wherever there were useful herbs Jaana would dismount to gather them. Domino would graze nearby, but often when Jaana went to stand she would find Domino’s head slipping under her arm for support.\n\nBack on the path at last Domino’s trot slowed to a walk, and Jaana heaved a bit of a sigh. It was still morning but the sun was now high in the sky and the bustle of the town was in full swing. She urged Domino forward lest he slow to a stop altogether. The townsfolk looked different today, they always did. Never in the same form two days in a row, and sometimes changing multiple times a day. Before her magic had awakened she’d never been able to tell them apart, and her adoptive father had taken plenty of ribbing for using the same form whenever he saw his daughter. Not all of it had been good natured.\n\nNow she could sense the magic in all of them, each unique in its own way. She could still hear them mutter ‘monoform’ under their breath as she passed, or see someone cringe away as they saw her missing arm or twisted legs, but at least now she could tell who it was. When she was younger she thought the entire town had hated her, for it seemed to be new people every day. Now she knew that although much of the town looked askance at her, it was not the whole town. And she could even spot the ones that changed their form just to mutter at her multiple times a day. They had to know that she could recognize them now, but it didn’t seem to discourage them.\n\nShe left the herbs with the healer, who had taken the form of an exuberant young lady (Mary was at least sixty). Mary was one of the ones who’d changed her mind on Jaana, and now she hugged her in thanks and wished her well. The regular herb deliveries had started as a way for Jaana to prove to herself that she could add some value to the town. Her first trip gathering had ended with her crawling back in to town, pockets full of various herbs and palms and legs bloody from thorned thickets as much as the journey. Mary had grumbled that she needed more herbs in poultices then she’d gathered, but had also been the one to suggest that she get Domino to help her travel. Mary’s opinion of her had improved with each delivery since then, and they’d become friends of a sort.\n\nAs she rode Domino to back towards the farms however it was abundantly clear that not all shared Mary’s opinion. The blacksmith in particular always sneered as she rode past, often loudly announcing that he would not waste good metal to make shoes for her ‘cripple carrier of a donkey’. Domino did not need shoes normally, and she prayed that he would never injure a hoof and need the blacksmith’s services. For now she ignored him as she rode past, even in the overly muscular and bright purple form he’d chosen for the morning.", "To me, the kind man and woman who raised me would always be my parents, not the King and Queen who supposedly was my blood kin.\n\nMy parents are what one may describe as realistic. Never shying away from the truth, they told me my true origins years ago as a child. Not that it mattered, of course, a crippled, useless princess is worthless to a King, and so I had been traded away in secret, given to relatives of a trusted servant of the King, to the ones I now call Mother and Father.\n\nThey had been given a decent sum of gold to keep quiet about who I was, but they had left the money for me when I'm old enough to make decisions on my own. As merchants, they made a decent living and had no desire to flaunt their newfound wealth.\n\nOver the years, I had heard rumours of a prophecy, that the heir of the King would become as powerful as His Majesty in magic. It may well be true, but the heir certainly isn't me. The \"true prince\" sitting by the throne now has shown more raw talent in all manners of magic than anyone has ever seen.\n\nIn this world, a person's magical prowess was easily measured. Each sorcerer had the ability to focus their energy and channel their magic to create a flame, one that represented the total sum of their power. This is called a soul-flame.\n\nThe size of this flame represented the maturity of their power, the colour represented the purity and potential. While the size of flames can be increased through training and other means, the colour was unchanging, and so it is used almost as a caste system for sorcerers. In the order of the rainbow, red flames meant the lowest potential, violet meant the highest.\n\nBoth the king and the prince could produce bright blue flames, surpassing any other magic wielder in the kingdom.\n\nI had never created so much as a spark.\n\nTo those in the know, my birth seemed like a mistake, and this changeling was the heir god intended the King to have all along. No one ever questioned whether he should inherit the throne.\n\nTo me, it didn't matter anyway. While I don't seem to have inherited my birth father's magical prowess, I certainly did learn a great deal from my adoptive parents. Their realism grounded my mind on solid footing that my physical body could not find. To me, what mattered was finding my own purpose in this world, no prophecy nor birthright would decide that for me, mistake or not.\n\nThe sound of cooking from the kitchen woke me from my morning reverie. Mother must be up already. I grabbed the clothes on the side of my bed to dress, then grabbed my wooden crutches and made my way to the door. It was tough going, as usual, but I've gotten used to it over the years.\n\nDespite the lack of any use of my legs, I wasn't completely helpless. Finding my way to the kitchen, I plopped myself in a chair and started helping my mother with the vegetables. It wasn't much, but it was one little way in which I tried to not be a burden to my parents. They already work hard enough as it is.\n\nMy parents, as usual, were quiet during breakfast, something I quite appreciated. Soon they were off to work, leaving me to my own devices for the day.\n\nUnlike other kids my age from somewhat well-off families, school was not really an option for me. I usually spent my days creating things with my own hands at home, whether it be drawing, knitting, or even writing. My parents had made sure I was at least literate, with what few writings they could bring home to teach me.\n\nToday, though, was an exception. A few days ago, my father had brought home a rare gift for me. It was a book, an actual book that someone had written or at least copied by hand, dozens if not hundreds of pages in length. They were hard to come by.\n\nMore incredibly, the book was one about medicine, written by a man named Sir Andrew Hector. Unlike historical accounts, religious tales, or philosophical ponderings, this book had actual, practical value. It must have cost a fair bit of gold.\n\nMy father must have hoped that I could find solace in it, perhaps learn a little more about why my body betrays me the way it does. I, however, looked to this book as the one small hope I may have of one day being cured of my ailment. It may be overly optimistic, but at this point, I'm grasping at any straws I can find. I could hardly spend the rest of my life crippled like this.\n\nIt had been that glimmer of hope that stopped me from opening and reading this book the past few days. What if I was wrong? What if I really had no hope? The more logical side of my mind told me this was the most likely reality, thus hope transmuted into fear, and I dared not read a word.\n\nI knew, though, that I wouldn't be able to keep myself away forever. Eating away at my resolve was a burning curiosity that I needed to satisfy, and so finally, today, I flipped open the first page.\n\nIt was nothing like I had imagined. I thought that there would be pages upon pages of words and long paragraphs, I was prepared for the disappointment that I may not understand half the terminology used, but instead, most of the pages were filled with illustrations of anatomical diagrams with fairly simple descriptions. There were also some drawings of various common ailments, usually accompanied by a short sentence or two on how they may be cured.\n\nAs I flipped through the pages, however, the conditions described became more and more exotic. \"Hit by the Love Curse of a Hundred-Year-Old Witch\" was the title of one page, bearing no illustration this time. The cure was simply for the cursed person to drink a disgusting concoction of urine and other excrements in the presence of the person they were cursed to love. This was starting to veer into magic territory.\n\nI kept flipping through the pages - \"Burnt by Fire Breath of a Dragon\" - one of them read. Do dragons even exist? I thought they were merely the subject of tales used to scare children. \n\nTo my disappointment, there were no pages detailing the cure of unresponsive limbs, nothing close. However, a few sentences in the very last pages of the book caught my eye.\n\nOccasionally, one may come across a person whose body is too ailed to be cured via any external force, be it medicine or magic. Their only hope is for them to learn the ancient arts and cure themselves with their own magical power, for only the power that courses through their own veins may heal them.\n\nIn all my years, I have seen but one man who had achieved this - a man who, born without eyes, was able to restore his own sight through magic and sheer force of will.\n\nI read and reread these sentences, not believing what I had just seen. Sure, I could believe that curses, burns, and illnesses can be cured, but eyes? How could one, born without eyes, be able to see? If this was truly possible, then is it a stretch to believe that I may one day be able to cure my legs?\n\nI wanted so desperately to believe it was possible, I hadn't noticed my fists were clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palm. As I focused on my determination to become a master sorceress and cure myself of my ailment, I seemingly felt something break free within me, a power I hadn't known was there. Then, as quickly as the feeling emerged, it disappeared again.\n\nWas it an illusion? Did I imagine it in my desperate dream?\n\nI could feel the pain in my palm now from where my nails dug in. Looking down, I see that I'd drawn blood. I relaxed my hand and opened my fists.\n\nFrom the palm of my right hand, a single bright purple spark jumped out and danced across the floor." ]	6
	[WP] Do you know the “Walks into a bar” jokes? Well, you work at said bar! From the many average yet kind of weird men walking in, to Julius Caesar himself, passing by the gorilla and the three vampires, you’ve - unfortunately - seen it all! ... Or so you think!	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Ya know, I’ve heard them all and see it all. Three Gorillas? Yep. A Rabbi, a Priest, and a Iman; uh-huh. A horse with a long face—He’s a regular. I’ve seen everyone and everything from Albert Einstein to a Zebra. When your clientele is so large, you learn to be blasé. If you didn’t, well I’m sure you’ve heard of Lovecraft? He was a regular who liked to get to know our staff. Bit of a creep, to be honest. But he got to see the worst and best of us, whether we were seating Yog-Sothoth or mixing pina coladas for cannibals. \n\n\r \nThis is all for context, mind. Don’t go away on me yet.\n\n\r \nThough it is frequently glossed over, we are also well known for limbo tournaments, yet very few tend to win. Way too many just keep walking into the bar. Maybe part of a cosmic joke, or maybe just another twist in the space-time continuum that Bonny (our janitor) still needs to fix. So, yeah. People walk into the bar, ha-ha. Funny. \n\n\r \nBut, last Thursday, I saw something that made my stomach summersault. A man—not a ghost, person on another layer of reality, nor an elemental—just a man, walked through the bar. Since he didn’t actually touch it, nor displace it, my manager said that he won. When you have contacts from Olympus who deliver Ambrosia and have hags on staff for outrageous cocktails, you know people. And when every person you ask says that they can’t find anything on this guy, you start to worry. When your friends travel to the edge of the universe and back, and they can’t find anything on someone, you worry. \n\n\r \nIts like he has never existed, and still doesn’t. Except that he won that tournament and the lifetime supply of cocktails that went with it. It is like there is a little man-shaped hole in the universe around him.\n\n\r \nHey, don’t look at me like that. You asked why I was so drunk, didn’t you? \r \n\r \n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nThanks for reading!" ]	2
	[WP] After hearing about humans being the apex predator of their planet, aliens from all over bring their most dangerous, nastiest, and weirdest creatures to humans and pay them exorbitantly to find out how make it edible	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Alain hit the ground hard. Cold steel pressed against his cheek as he lay on the floor, gathering his senses. One moment he was working in his kitchen, the next, bound and gagged by some slimy restraint. Now he was here.\n\nDrawing on his reserves of will, he picked himself up from the floor. He was in a dim room, lit by an orange glow that might serve as emergency lights. In this dimness, he could make out the red marks on his arms where they were restrained. Directly in front of where he now stood was a stainless steel table. Various tools were organized atop while keeping the centre of the surface clear. Familiarity sparked in Alain's mind.\n\nThese were kitchen tools.\n\nFloodlights came on and washed the area with white light. The room was more expansive than it seemed in the darkness, and now Alain could see that he stood on a sort of stage. Looking around he found to one side a massive window, behind which were all manners of creatures he had never seen before, gazing at him in what appeared to be curiosity. Panic and confusion set in as a floating device with a telescoping lens descended from above and suspended itself in front of Alain's face.\n\n\"Hello, hello!\" a disembodied voice boomed in the room. \"Welcome to today's episode of Floating Rock Cuisine, the show that puts the most resilient creatures in the universe up against the most deadly ingredients in a bid to see if they can be made edible, even palatable! Today's installment features a new contender: a human!\"\n\nThe creatures behind glass made some unsettling grunts and screeches at the mention of Alain's species. Meanwhile, the floating camera circled him as the voice continued to talk. More of the same devices appeared and installed themselves at vantage points across the room.\n\n\"I hope everyone has their translators activated, because in order to help our fine contestant up to date with their instructions, we will be using a relatively unknown language that has widespread use on the human planet: English!\"\n\nAlain remained dumbfounded, but he gathered enough of his wits to take into account what was on the table now. He made a mental note of the various knives perched on a wire rack. A sudden hiss of machinery nearby nearly made him jump for the knives, but the sight of a human emerging from the floor calmed him somewhat.\n\nThe voice continued on, \"...And even though the humans are able to eat things that could easily kill us, their combat abilities are comparatively weak. Or are they? Today we'll put on a new twist! We're going to pair our food creator with an elite warrior from the same species!\"\n\nThe human approached Alain. He was a heavily muscled man, armed with several firearms, some of which Alain have never seen outside of magazines and television. The warrior held out a hand in greeting. \"Arnold. Is this your first time?\"\n\nAlain shook Arnold's hand gingerly. \"Y-yeah. Why are you here? Why do you have so many guns?\"\n\nArnold grunted. \"You'll see.\"\n\nWithin a few moments of their greetings, the floor around the stage lowered. Alain could hear a creature snarling somewhere below. The shrieks scraped against his eardrums. Fear began to grip him. The floor raised back up, bringing with it a green, four-legged behemoth. Saliva oozed down the sides of its fanged mouth as a barbed tail whipped back and forth behind it.\n\n\"What are we doing here!?\" Alain panicked.\n\n\"Eat or be eaten.\" Arnold readied a rifle and squared his stance. \"Don't worry about that thing, you just worry about finding a way to eat what I get out of it! If you manage to do that, we'll get enough natural resources for Earth to last several generations!\"\n\nAlain's eyes widened. \"What?! That makes no sense!\"\n\n\"And now,\" The disembodied voice cut in. \"Enough about the human race. Now it is time to see how they prepare the ferocious Beth'agog!\"\n\nArnold laughed as he sprayed bullets at the gigantic creature. After a quick salvo, he yelled back to Alain as he charged the beast, \"None of this makes sense, but it's true! Now, get ready to cook!\"\n\n\\--\n\nedit: formatting", "Phil had no idea why he was currently where he was. He was just about to start work when a group of federal agents had scooped him up, put him into an unmarked sedan, and taken him to some kind of bunker. And now he was sitting in a metal folding chair, sitting across from a man with more stuff on his uniform than his kitchen had knives.\n\n\"First of all, Mr. Boile, I would like to begin by saying that you are not in trouble. You are not under arrest, or in any kind of danger.\" The man, a general most likely, said.\n\n\"If, if that's the case than why am I here? I... I'm just a chef. I don't know anything else.\"\n\n\"No, Mr. Boile, you are not just a chef. You are one of the world's leading gastronomers. Graduated top of your class from one of the greasers culinary schools in the world, with a minor in chemistry. Built your career in perfecting old flavors and discovering new ones. You use ingredients that others scoff at, and make them work. You are exactly the man we need.\"\n\n\"Why...why would you need a chef? And there are others with my skillet you can use. Why me?\"\n\n\"Oh, I'm aware of that. And do you think you're the only one? We've got some of your colleagues in other rooms right now. He'll, Jake Fields is three rooms down.\"\n\nPhil winced. He knew Jack. He loathed Jack. The man was a huge sell out who was trying to make a name as a celebrity chef with an overblown gimmick. The only reason Phil had not made it his life's mission to ruin Jack's career was that the guy was just as good a chef as he claimed to be on the internet.\n\n\"Okay, okay, so you that bastard here.\" Phil said. \"But that still doesn't tell me why you want us.\"\n\nThe general dropped a manila folder on the table between them. Phil hesitantly opened it. It showed a scene right out of a sci-fi movie. A creature that could only be described as an alien was with a group of people. The thing was short, with five legs, three arms, and splotchy brown and green skin.\n\n\"What the?\"\n\nHe turned the page and saw another picture of a different alien. And another, and another. All together, there were ten different species of extraterrestrial life forms represented in that folder. \n\n\"What in the world?\" Phil asked.\n\n\"Last week, these ten alien species made contact with us. They're part of some kind of interstellar alliance that have been keeping tabs on us for a few years. They're impressed by our ability to be at the top of our planet's food chain, despite our relatively low physical abilities.\n\n\"They've attributed this to one thing. Cooking. Our ability to cook and eat damned near anything. They're so impressed that they're going to pay us to make several specimens edible.\"\n\n\"Wait, so you want me to cook with alien ingredients?\" \n\n\"Can you think of anyone better?\"\n\n\"Probably. I mean, there's got to be others, right?\"\n\n\"There are. And they're all here, being given the same task.\" Before Phil could say anything else, the general dropped another folder on the table. \"You should know what you'll be working with, and the importance.\"\n\nThe first image showed a yellow, bulbous plant with way too many lumps.\n\n\"This is what they call a Miltedian fire gourd. \"It apparently contains a flammable liquid that doesn't react well to organic tissue. Figure out how to eat it, and we get the secret to cold fusion. Figure out the next one and we get anti-gravity technology. Another will net us teleportation. Do you understand? If you can figure out how to cook these ingredients, it will catapult humanity forward hundreds of years. And all you have to do, Mr. Boile, is your job.\"\n\nPhil looked at the alien ingredients, and the brief description of each. As he did, he felt something. Something he had not felt in a long time. Excitement.\n\nHe had been experimenting with food for ten years. And he was reaching his limit. While nobody could truly say that there was a limit to taste, he was nearing what he could do with what he had. But this? This was something completely new.\n\nThe chance to make literally unheard of foods with flavors that nobody had ever experienced before, even on other planets. The chance to make something truly unique. Something that only he could make.\n\n\"Well then, general.\" He said. \"I guess the only thing I need to know is where the kitchen is.\"" ]	3
	[WP] You’re a newly deceased knight who spent his whole life guarding and escorting nobles. Upon coming face to face with Death, he explains that he isn’t here to guide you into the unknown but is instead trying to offer you a job.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Note: This story has a transgender character. Don't go homophobic on this story!\n\n\"Look, I know you want to see where the dead go, but I want you to do something for me.\"\n\n\"What is it, Death? The great Alexis of Echtershire, doing deeds for Death.\"\n\n\"Just... Why don't you be a substitute reaper for when I go on vacation. Even I need a break from my job.\"\n\nAnd that's when Alexis began her training. She had attained knighthood for defending the kingdom from demonic entities. She guarded the King and Queen and escorted other noble people in order to prevent the demons from getting to them. Before she transferred from being a boy to a girl, she had trained hard in fighting with a sword and everything a knight needs to know.\n\nHowever, Alexis died in the line of duty against Ackerman, a former resident of Echtershire who sold his soul to the devil and now works for him. The battle had ended in a draw. She fought Ackerman, and she gave her life in order to kill him for real.\n\nFacing Death, she had no choice but to accept the job of being the substitute Shinigami for when Death was to take a vacation.\n\nIn her training, she learned how to walk through walls, how to use the scythe, a gardening tool when not for Death, to harvest the souls of the dead when there were many. She had also learned how to use other tools for small amounts of death.\n\nShe also had to learn not to mess with others' fates, as that was the job for the gods of the world. There were hourglasses showing how much time was left on each person's lifespan, and when it was around its last grain of sand, that's when she had to take their soul, as their time was up.\n\nNow that Death had taken a vacation, she took the deed to heart. She got a second chance at life, but not what she was expecting. She took the souls of dead knights who escorted royals and fought against the demons who were trying to invade Echtershire. She had also taken the souls of dead demons killed by the knights. In fact, some of them she knew when she was alive. She still had a human heart, but Death told her that it didn't matter whether she knew them in life or not. Their time was up and that was that.\n\nNow, she works as Death's substitute for when Death takes a vacation.", "I felt myself falling for what seemed like an eternity. Not even blackness could be described like this void. There was no sound, no sight, no touch, just a sense of self. Finally I felt a sense of coming above water. Movement, upward movement. I found myself righted to my feet almost as though I had floated down to an unseeable floor. My fascination quickly turned to horror as I saw what was there to greet me. Death himself.\n\nHe rode upon his pale horse, his black armor shining in its own celestial way. A massive sword at his side and a sickle in his hands longer than any man's lance. His skeletal face was adorned by an evil crown/helmet combination that seemed to express more than the reapers face could. \n\nHe seemed to sniff the air for a moment, seemingly taking a moment to measure me up. I broke first in my speech, if only to hear some type of stimulus. \n\n\"Am i... reaper have I died?\" Strangely my bewilderment seemed to only amuse it. \n\n\"Do you not recall? Your caravan attacked? Your lord slaughtered and yourself executed. All for money? Hmm I suppose you wouldn't. Few who lose their heads actually remember their final hours. It matters not, for you have been deemed unworthy...\" \n\n\"How?\" I interjected, \"unworthy? I have served my king, fought valiantly, and above all followed the one true God! How can I be judged unworthy of heaven?\"\n\n\"OH, it's not just heaven, hell doesn't want you either. You followed man. Your king was a tyrant who has caused countless deaths as he spat on the church in private. You were misled by man's God, one who did not exist, surviving off the true gods corrupted words. But, you were valiant, you were noble in every action despite your beginnings. Standing against injustices you believed were not right based on your heart and knowledge. A soul who is neither black nor white, a mixed soul, a fools soul.\" \n\nMy mouth was agape, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Unfit for either kingdom? Unworthy of even being judged? \n\n\"But the bishops they...\" \n\n\"They lied to you boy. They used you and manipulated you for themselves. But you are not the only one.\" \n\nDeath seemed to almost hum for a moment, almost as if in contemplation. It finally seemed to reach a eureka moment though as it's scythe was almost slammed down. \n\n\"They may not want you, but I may have a use for you. I have a proposition you may find intriguing. I have been struggling to carry out all of my tasks recently, the sudden influx of souls you see. But you, you may be able to help. \n\n\"Become a rider for me, a rider of vengeance and you shall be allowed to exist in the material world until your soul finally burns out. It is taxing work human, and your only reward shall be the release into non-existence when the time comes. However, you shall be able to right many of your wrongs, shall take vengeance on the men who killed you and more importantly, your family is still there.\"\n\nAt the thought of seeing my wife again, of seeing our baby girl I was sold. If eternity was the price I'd pay to see them for just even a few days it would be worth it. How could I say no to such an offer. \n\n\"I accept your terms reaper. To see my family I would give anything, even my very soul.\" \n\n\"Very well, there is no turning back though as you shall become a revenant. you shall never feel peace again and will constantly feel the burning of your soul. Bright side, you get lots of perks that come with an undead supported by death himself. Pass a test and you may visit your family. 30 days to kill the men who attacked your caravan and killed you. Failure and your soul will be snuffed out by me personally.\"\n\nI grasped his scythe handle as he extended it to me, instantly feeling an upward pull and the taste of blood and dirt in my mouth. Still in darkness I pulled myself out of the shallow hole and started the long walk to the nearby town. If I was to prove myself as a rider of vengeance, then I had alot of work to do.", "In life, instinct drove my hand sword, spurned my body to action, brought me low in defense of those without means to defend themselves. In death, instinct brings me to my knees in awe of the specter of mortality looming over my small and pathetic form.\n\n\"Rise, fallen man. I am not the omen on grim tidings you believe me to be.\" A handsome, warm voice fills the air I no longer breath.\n\n\"Are you not death? Here to bear me to my final rest?\" I respond, meek as kitten with eyes shut from birth.\n\n\"As you say, I am Death.\" The blackened cowl coos. The specter stands firm some distance away, but I feel as though a mouse corned by a tom cat.\n\n\"Rise, fallen man, it is not rest I offer unto you, but reward.\" \n\nI struggle to right myself, with the disposition of a newborn fawn. Though I stood true and proud between many brigands and fiends in life, I find my strength gone from me now.\n\n\"What reward could be worthy of a lowly sell-sword like me?\" I mewl pathetically, the words stuck in my through as though an icy grip held my neck tight.\n\n\"You were no such creature in life fallen man. You were a knight of the noblest order, and shall be reward as such.\" The ghastly visage of death stepped closer still, dwarfing my gargantuan stature.\n\n\"Those in life who stood before, and those in life who stood behind you; when I find them on their death beds, they do not find me as a friend. They are shorn of their mortality with no such kindness as I bestow to you.\" Death speaks with the authority to belittle even kings.\n\n\"What...\" I pause at loss for words. Death waits patiently for my scattered mind to regain itself.\n\n\"What would you have me do, O inescapable Death?\" Taking everything left within me to stand and face them, ignoring every screaming tendon that cowers in my corpse.\n\n\"You, fallen man, who have dedicated your life in the service of those lesser than you; I would ask you continue your noble work.\" The specter reaches a bleached, boney hand to me, as an old friend would.\n\n\"I, I do not understand. Am I not to be given rest? Have I not earned that?\" I all but balk in my lack of understanding.\n\n\"Those of ignoble lives are not rewarded with the satisfaction of work. Instead they are eternally worked upon, to suffer the ramifications of their lives work.\" Death's very words hang in the air around me, evoking thoughts within my very being of fire and demons. I wring my body for every drop of courage still left in it, and turn my face towards Death's.\n\n\"And what of me?\" I ask.\n\n\"Those souls I take from their mortal shells are brought to a place between life and death for judgement. Though I am fallible and judge unfairly, there are those better at it than I who await every soul.\" I am for a moment stunned, to imagine Death themselves not perfect.\n\n\"An my role in this? Am I to be such a judge?\"\n\n\"No, fallen man, you will be an escort, as you were in life.\" Death spoke, calm and cool. To my complete astonishment, the towering figure of death lowers to one knee and bows their head towards me.\n\n\"You, fallen man, who have ferried mortal men through the dangers and treacheries of life; Death asks of you your eternal servitude in ferrying mortal souls through the dangers and treacheries of death.\"\n\n\"I cannot comprehend even what you ask of me. Are you not the final encounter of every man and woman?\" I take a step back, overwhelmed by the absurdity of Death kneeling to me.\n\n\"Like you, fallen man, I am but a servant to the living. Though I may be the end of Life, I am not The End. For there is much corruption and temptation between the end of my work, and the final rest. And so I ask you once more, fallen man; would you surrender your right to peace, to serve the souls of mortality?\" Death once again stand to their full stature, towering over me. And once again a hand is offered to me, gentle and hopeful.\n\nDeath's words bounce around my mind, rough and sharp like angry bees. I feel as though my head would rip in half from the pressure of my own thoughts. Then I remember, my life is at its end, and such pleasantries of thoughts of my own mortality no longer were of my concern, and all at once I find peace; In that peace I find resolve, and in that resolve, I take Death's hand.\"\n\n\"I will.\"", "It was a death I had resigned myself to long ago, when I felt the cold blade of the king’s sword on my shoulders, even through the thick wool tunic. I was meant to protect, but not protect myself. My blood, hot against my skin, seeped down my side, soaking my clothing and staining the chain metal.\n\nDeath was not a possibility anymore, but imminent. It didn’t matter that the carriage was rattling back to London at top speed or that my squire was using every ounce of his strength to staunch the bleeding. He would make a fine knight soon. The noble was safe, the attacker vanquished. I had won the battle, and would die with honor.\n\nI looked up at the roof of the carriage. It would’ve been nice to see the sky as I fell into death, to feel the open wind against my skin, to breathe air that did not so strongly reek of death. I closed my eyes for the final. The hard bench of the carriage was gone, replaced by soft, sweet grass. The air smelled of wildflowers and spring showers.\n\n“Sir Ward,” a man said.\n\nI opened my eyes to an azure sky above me. Sitting up, I looked at my hands. The wrinkles and scars were gone, and so was the pain that accompanied every moment in the last of my days. Instead, I was limber and strong. I stood and looked around. We were on a hill overlooking vast fields, and a man sat nearby on a picnic blanket with a feast spread out in front of him.\n\n“Welcome to the realm of the dead,” he said. He was a youth more than a man, the kind of young male beauty that poets wrote about. His long golden hair fell to his shoulder hair and his face was delicate and heart-shaped.\n\n“Is this heaven?” I asked. I did not think I had done much to earn entry to such a place. I had killed countless of the poor to protect a few of the rich. I had become wealthy in the process. I was not evil, but I was never near good in the biblical sense of the word.\n\n“Something like it,” the youth said. “Those are the fields of Atisa, where every dead man and woman must toil to make up for their life’s sins. Once they have paid their penance, they are given an eternity of peace. Every dead man and woman, except for a few lucky ones. Like you, Sir Ward.”\n\n“Why me?”\n\n“There are those who seek to escape death. Considering your occupation in life, I think you would adept at catching them.”\n\n“I only protected people,” I said. “I didn’t catch any criminals.”\n\n“You killed people, Sir Ward. You were very good at it, too. Not many knights live long enough to suffer the ravages of old age.”\n\nHe bit into an apple and smiled. “I’m here with a proposal for you. Considering your sins in life, you would spend ten thousands years in the field. Day and night slaving away. Instead of that, you could work for me for a mortal lifetime and gain entry to Alitheine. Heaven, in your language.”\n\nI looked down at the fields below. Men and women of all walks of life tilled the soil and planted seeds under a glaring sun. There was an apathy on their face, an emptiness derived from too much monotony, and no source of happiness.\n\n“I’ll do it,” I said.\n\n“Good,” the youth said, wiping the edges of his mouth with a napkin. “All you have to do is sign an agreement.”\n\nA piece of parchment appeared in one of his hands, an inked quill in the other. I hesitantly took both and read through the agreement and its conditions. Two places were left blank at the bottom. I signed on one side, and the youth signed on the other.\n\n“I’ve just made a deal with the devil, haven’t I?” I asked.\n\nThe youth chuckled. “The devil would not give you such favorable conditions, Sir Ward. Now, it is time for you to go back to the mortal world.”\n\nHe snapped his fingers and I started falling. My body tumbled through cold air, and into icy water. It hadn’t been winter when I died. I swam to the edge of the lake. A satchel was waiting for me on a boulder near the shore, and a sword next to it.\n\nBefore going off to find the nearest town, I looked into the icy surface of the water, the easiest way to see my reflection now. I was the youth I had seen before. I ran a hand across the line of my jaw to see if it was real. It was. Inside the satchel, there was a folded letter.\n\nSir Ward,\n\nYour first target is Lord Robert Bindley. I hope you will not fail as your predecessor did.\n\nLord Brindley. The man I had died saving.", "My world is getting dark. It is starting to get cold. The clink of my armour is the only thing that serves as my anchor to reality as my consciousness fades. I keep looking at my blood-stained palm, hopelessly wishing the stab wound would close itself. The gradual pitchy sound starts to get louder, and my vision is now black. I am starting to see my lovely wife, whose vow I never once broke after her departure. Her alluring smile and sweet voice welcome me to the other side. Without hesitation, I took her hand in mine.\n\nWe both walk together under the clear skies. On the horizon, I can see the darkness. We both must be walking towards the underworld. But with her by my side, I would be able to go anywhere. As I smile and caress her lovely cheek with my calloused hand, her visage melts, first revealing the bones and finally grinds to dust. In shock, I fail to register the booming voice by my side until a young man appears in front of me. And even then, I get a wake-up call by a slap to my forehead.\n\n\"Do I have your attention now?\" asked the man in blackened wings. My eyes are drawn to his face, which closely resembles my dear love. I feel something stirring within me. Once again, his hand flew to my side. But this time, I caught him by the wrist.\n\nHe frowns and pulls away. Even the wrinkles between his eyebrows are similar to hers. \"So I do have your attention.\" He pinches my cheek with another, which elicits a yelp of pain from me. \"I hate it when people ignore me.\"\n\n\"I'm sorry,\" I sheepishly said. \"The sight of my darling wife turned into a horrendous fiend right before my eyes is enough to give every man the runs, myself included.\"\n\nThe man's eyes trailed down my body. I find it alarming when my heart skips a beat. Everything about him reminds me of her, especially those eyes.\n\n\"I see that you're perfectly dry. So enough foolishness.\" He straightens his back and points down. I do not know what he meant, but my body instinctively kneels in front of him. This pleases him. \"On behalf of our Great Mother, Gaia, and King of the Underworld, Hades, son of Chronos and Rhea, I, Hermes, come to you with a joyous news.\"\n\nMy eyes are locked on his green ones. The deep hue is enough to draw me in.\n\n\"Are you still listening, mortal?!\" He knocks on the top of my head. I nodded and apologised once again. \"Good, now pay attention.\" He clears his throat and continues. \"The council deems your experience a perfect fit for a task. Hades even gave your involvement explicit permission.\"\n\nHe pauses. His eyes look at mine as if expecting something. But this time, I don't know what he wants. So, he continues \"And now, I appoint you as my aide, bearing the title the Guide of the Lost.\"\n\nAs a former knight, whose job was to accompany and protect nobles before my demise at the hands of a band of unruly yet organised thieves, I accepted the task immediately. Yet, I know that a second longer in limbo means a second longer I am separated from my love. But occupational hazard sticks with me.\n\nBefore Hermes can express his delight at my acceptance, I quickly cut. \"Will I be able to see my wife again? I have been separated from her once, and now that I could walk to where she is, I don't want to delay a second longer.\"\n\nHermes gives me a shrug. \"I don't know. Your workplace is here, in limbo. Cerberus guards the gate to the underworld. I'm greatly understaffed so I had my familiars to help but as you can see, they disintegrate before making it to the gate.\"\n\nI lower my head to hide my disappointment. But Hermes has not finished.\n\n\"I'll talk to Hades if he can arrange for you both to meet again. And maybe a staff's pass so that you can pass freely to and from the underworld.\"\n\nI beam at his promise. He smiles back.\n\n\"I should do this much since I get you to help me out.\"\n\nHe holds out his hand, and I kiss it. The knowledge needed to do the task flows inside my mind, and my armour is replaced with a flowy robe.\n\n\"I'll see my task through, my God Hermes.\" With his hand still in mine, he pulls me up and smiles.\n\n\"Good, because people die every so often. And I have your first soul right—\" he shows me a portal of an elderly man lying in bed. Alone. \"—here. You know what to do.\"\n\nI nod curtly and pull at the sides of my robe. My visage changed to another man, a little smaller than I was. After giving Hermes a last glance as I stand in front of the portal, I walk to the man on his deathbed. Now begins the start of my new job as a guide to the underworld.", "The Knight woke, sprawled in the cold stygian waters. The wounds he carried moments ago were no longer; faded into memory. Quickly he plunged his shining blade into the murky creek in which he woke, pulling himself up-right. This did not look like the familiar wilds of the Svensil Duchy. The sky was inky and clouded; the clouds so think that the moon could not pierce through to light the paladin's way.\n\nRaising his sword above his aged brow, the intricate lines of mithril-steel interlace began to shimmer a pale light throughout the woods. It was then the knight began to realize there was something odd about these woods. The trees, lush but failing, were of no type he had ever seen before. They reminded him of the artist renditions of the golden-age plants, with their purple bark and white leaves. The ferns were alien too, bearing strange fruits.\n\nThe Knight looked towards the sky once more, hoping for an indicator of direction, and finally as his eyes adjusted to the darkness he saw that the sky was not a sky; millions of stalactites hung from a dark and slick rock, extending for miles and miles, endless.\n\nAdrenaline coursed through his veins as he remembered the fatal encounter on the road. A haggard wizard, deathly in appearance, rose from beyond the hill, lightning shot from the sickly mage's hands, and then...blackness.\n\nHe stumbled through the waters of the coursing stream, and calling for the names of his comrades and his patrons.\n\nI can't be dead. They need me.\n\nHe lost his balance as he ran up onto the shore, throwing himself towards the woods to find anyone. He wanted to find them -no, he had to find them.\n\nFor hours the Knight ran, finding no other soul. Exhausted, he set himself upon a stump, the first sign of habitation he had seen since waking.\n\nThe dead don't need wood. I'm alive.\n\nFrom behind him came a voice: calm, aged, and icy. It was as if the dust itself rose from the ground and was given voice.\n\n\"Sir Ganilian. Knight of the Svensil Duchy, faithful to the saints and patrons.\"\n\nHe turned to see a man carrying a scythe, his hands white bone, and a hood draped over his head shrouding the face in a darkness deeper than that of the earlier river.\n\n\"Who are you? Where am I? Where are my comrades? My duke?\"\n\n\"Dead. All dead. Just as you.\"\n\nThe paladin threw his shield to the ground, and following it punched the dirt and mud in anger. Tears flowed down his cheek, splashing against his armor. Eventually, he collected himself, and spoke to Death.\n\n\"I see your robes, and your hands. I know who you are, and I know this place. This is the river styx, and I have yet to cross over. Why haven't you taken me yet? If my comrades and patron are dead, I have no unfinished business.\"\n\n\"Mortal.\" Death stood, unmoving.\n\n\"You have yet to cross over, for I have not let you. I bring to you an offer of final patronage. The necromancer who felled you has long outstayed their welcome on the plane of the living. He has grown to a power that I am afraid even I can't intervene and bring about his end. I need an avatar; a knight; a paladin who can command my powers on the plane of the living. The barriers between life and death are not meant for gods to cross, in fact, it is impossible. So, heed my offer and heed it well: become a Knight of Stygia. Fell the foul wizard. Then, forever be my servant, commanding the forces of Death and felling the unimaginable. They will sing songs in your honor, but you will not care, for the only thing I know you desire will be yours: vengeance. Do you accept?\"\n\nSir Ganilian stood before the cold bones of Death, master of pestilence and woe, and thought for a long time. Seasons in Death's land passed (but days in our's). Finally, on the one day in a millenia the land of the dead receives sunlight, the knight gave his answer.\n\nIf you liked this story, I post other stories at u/JM_Webb . I do a mix of sci-fi comedy and serious fantasy. Thanks for reading :)" ]	7
	[WP]"OH GOD IT BURNS!" you scream as you body block the dragons firebreath. "CHRIST, ITS SO ITCHY!" you cry as your priest casts a healing spell, causing your melted skin to return to its place on your body and become whole once more. No one ever told you that being a tank would be so painful.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "When I was just a mere boy, I had always been bigger than the other Orcs. I had skin of stone, the wise folk of my tribe would say. One night during my tribes daily fight ritual, that was where my true destiny called to me. I was able to get beaten to a bloody pulp and yet I was still standing with more left in the tank. That battle caught a lot of eyes and word of my endurance quickly spread throughout the land. A few bear fights later, I found myself a decent adventuring group who promised me, \"more riches than my village could possibly dreamed of!\" \n\nI never cared much for money. I only wanted more land and more prosperity for my village so if this is what it took, I would gladly be their \"tank\" as they called me. I liked that. I had seen a few metal tanks filled with liquids at one point and they always seemed incredibly sturdy so the name just fit with me. \n\nLittle did I know, bears would be the least of my worries. Now I find myself lunging in front of the wizard at the final moments before a dragons blast of fiery breathe hits my back. I can feel my skin melting away as I scream. The Priest, begins to circle her hands as a magical symbol appears before them and a beam of radiant energy fills my body will pure bliss. My skin was caught in a pure state of confusion. On one hand, I was almost numb to the pain, but then the priest would have to regain focus and the burning breathe would come back into play.\n\nThe Wizard thankfully moved out of the way as our expert swordsman began to make his way towards the dragon. I took a breathe, the body was not made to sustain this sort of torment when I see the knight lift his shield, the dragons claws swiping across it, splintering his shield into smithereens. I let out a deep breathe and began to run into the fray. The Knight let out a scream as he held his hands up preparing to meet his fate. I lunged, my 300 lbs body hurling through the air like a boulder. Knocking the Knight clean off his feet as the dragons teeth locked into me. Thrashing me around like a dog with a small creature. I was helpless and I could feel the teeth penetrating deep into my skin. \n\nThis was no normal bite. I've by hundreds of creatures but never a dragon and it was agonizing. The teeth felt as if they had small needle pricks all over them that shot out flames into my body. I could feel my insides being baked and it hurt to even scream. The Priest began to form the symbols with her hands when the dragon swatted it's tail at her knocking her to the ground completely unconscious. \n\nMy vision began to fade as my body temperature rose. The Knight sliced at the dragons feet and in doing so the dragon flung me across the room...directly into it's hoard. Piles upon piles of gold, jewelry, and weapons lied underneath me. It was as if the Wizard cast an adrenaline spell on me. My eyes shot open as I saw the Knight trying to do his best as the wizard shot ice spells at the beast. I looked down at my body. Once again my clothes were torn to threads, my skin was adding more scars to the collection I already had, and a realization came to me. \n\nI was only ever used by them. They promised me riches but how could I enjoy those riches when I was so scared that nobody would ever want to be seen with me? When we would return to town, the group always had me stay behind due to \"not wanting to scare potential clients\". When I would be asleep in our camp they would call me, \"the stupid one\" and \"our training dummy\". Rage began to use the fire that flowed through my body now. \n\nI still had the bag, the magical bag that was able to carry as much as my heart desired. I quickly began to fill the bag as fast as I could. Ignoring the sounds of swords clashing with scales and the sounds of ice shards shattering upon impact. After a few good scoops I began to crawl. Trying not to draw any attention to me. Of course that was actually easier than I expected as apparently when you're fighting a dragon you don't notice much going on around you. \n\nI was quickly out of the cave and began to limp my way home. I never heard what happened to those adventurers I was with but I'm sure I already know their fate. I live out my days in my village. Helping the townsfolk where I can. My body despite only being twenty years old is already so battered that I feel as if I'm as old as an Elf. \n\nThe life of a \"Tank\" truly sucks.\n\n-----------------------\n\n/r/benthe27thgamer for more stories!", "\"Oh for goodness sake.\"\n\nI muttered to myself as I saw Jeltra trip over. The mage never listened to common sense, and having her robes shortened to stop her from tripping. I sprinted over to her, putting myself between her and the falling arrows. As I bent to pick her up, I took in a breath, knowing what was coming.\n\nThe wave hit me. Most bounced off my armour, the skeletons too weak to fire one's that could penetrate metal. But a few pierced through, filling my chest with individual points of pain. I bit back a curse, hoisting her to her feet and giving her a shove. She ran on, her face now pale. I groaned as I stood, feeling the arrowheads scrape my muscles.\n\nI wavered for a moment against the nausea, before starting to run again. Oppo was leading the way, and I needed to keep up with him. When we were safe, he would patch me up, which I really didn't look forward to. Healing mostly consisted of feeling the pain in reverse, a feeling I was intimately familiar with.\n\nFinally, we escaped the Field of Eternal War. The undead lost interest in us, choosing to focus on fighting whatever group they next found. Jeltra lay on the ground, trying to force air into her lungs. Oppo and Rubet were bent over, a little more fit then our mage. I just breathed heavily, focusing on that over my new piercings.\n\nHaving regained his composure, Oppo came over to me. He withdrew his sharpened dagger, cutting away the arrowshafts. He then undid my plate with practiced fingers, pushing them aside to get at the wounds.\n\n\"Four this time. Not quite your record, but still, respectable.\"\n\nHe placed a cool hand on my shoulder, shaking it slightly. I quickly retrieved my leather bit, placing it in my mouth before nodding. He spoke in his native elven tongue, forcing my body to heal itself. I bit down harder, a guttural moan forcing its way out around around obstruction. Jeltra deliberately looked away, though I could see her cheeks flush with shame.\n\n\"There you go Cyntha. All done.\"\n\nI felt the pain vanish as the last arrowhead left me. Jeltra looked back, extending a hand to my armour. Sparks flew from her hand, and I knew the holes were being repaired. As she finished, I pulled her up.\n\n\"Right. I've had enough. The next time we are in town, you are getting your damn robes shortened.\"\n\nHer face paled as I lifted her up, and she started babbling.\n\n\"But they will see my ankles and I can't let them see them they won't have the sizing for me I'm sorry but I can't no please don't...\"\n\nI shook her. Rubet opened his mouth to intercede, but I caught Oppo holding out his hand out of the corner of my eye.\n\n\"If you don't want to show ankle, wear some trousers! I don't care! They have kiddie sizes that will fit you. Change them, or next time I'm going to let you catch one. Then you might understand just why I'm a little bit angry!\"\n\nThat got her attention. Her eyes began to well with tears, and I felt bad. But I didn't let it show on my face. She needed to learn her lesson. Rubet looked at me, frowning. He was always so protective of her. I set her on the ground, before stompong over to him. I leaned down, whispering in his ear.\n\n\"Don't say a word. She needs to understand.\"\n\nHe stared me in the eye, before sighing and nodding. I caught a glimpse of his daggers sliding back into their sheaths. Internally I sighed. I though adventure was meant to be fun. But being a tank really, really sucked.", "The dwarf sat the table, with a huge tankard of ale in hi hand, like he was just waiting there for something.. anything to happen. The soul binder at the bar, leaned against the brass railing and rested his foot against the side of the lower bar rail.\n\nIn a moment there was a flash of blue light, as a soul flew into the bar, and reformed into a Large densely muscular Human Male, his body arched upwards as he let out a blood curdling scream, before his whole body relaxed and he floated down the floor, a few moments later, all their gear and equipment, also appeared around them. The Human gritted their teeth and let out a long deep slow sigh, before hefting up their tower shield and mace, and without a word, stomped out the door of the bar.\n\n\"Floor Trap\" the dwarf said with a chuckle.\n\nThe soul binder nodded.\n\n\"Now see that is why I retired\" The dwarf said with disgruntled grunt. \n\n\"I thought you were a tank?\" The soul binder said, his brow furrowing at the question.\n\n\"I was, still am, sorta, but too many pugs came to believe that if they could not get a proper thief, that a tank could find the taps for them.. lazy buggers\"\n\nThe soul binder nodded \"Seems reasonable\"\n\nAnother blue flash as a soul flew into the bar, in a moment a new body formed, this time a hulking half orc, taking a shield stance, letting out a painful cry as the acid wounds from his body vanished, and he was made whole again.\n\nHs armor and weapons then formed around him, the half orc took a deep breath, shook his head and snarled in defeated and walked out of the bar without a word.\n\n\"bet you, black dragon\" The dwarf said as he took a swig of the beer.\n\n\"Perhaps.. but which one?\" the soul binder asked.\n\n\"Well, given the cleric didn't heal them, or give them resists, does it matter?\" the dwarf said in a disapproving tone.\n\n\"How do you know that?\"\n\n\"I was a tank, remember. I could see the other wounds on his body, that cleric was sloppy, which is also why I am not a tank anymore\"\n\nFinally an elf from across the bar walks over with a glass of wine in her hands \"I thought you stopped being a tank because you made a million gold, and finally got Hoarfrost, Herald of Bitter Ice, and just retired\"\n\nThe dwarf looked at the end elf and let out an 'eh' kind of sound \"Well maybe that too, but the hurting and die helped me make the decision as well\"\n\nThe elf sits down at the table, resting her glass down gently \"You forget, I was the main DPS in your party, for .. oh.. what was it, a decade of adventuring?\"\n\nThe dwarf nods and lets up a \"Erumph\" sound.\n\nThe elf stars at him a moment, before the exchange was interrupted as a another blue flash and a soul flew into the tavern, this time a slender human female, cowering back screaming, as her body formed with a huge hole in the middle of her chest, the wounds healed and she stood upright, her armor formed around her, as she picked up her Mace and Medium sized shield, Letting out a barrage of silent curses she kicked the door open and stormed out of the bar.\n\n\"Money says, she was the Half Orc's healer, and he let her die\" The Dwarf said with a smug look on his face.\n\n\"10 Gold says you're wrong\" the elf said dropping 10 gold on the table.\n\n\"I take that bet as well\" the soul binder chimed in, and as he reached for his pouch of coins another soul flew in, and formed into the Half Orc, who had the smuggest grin on his face as his body was covered in what looked like arrow holes. Picking up his weapons and letting out a chuckle before walking out the bar, the Half off looked positively ecstatic.\n\nThe elf looked at the dwarf and just slid the money across the table to him, \"How did you know?\" she finally asked.\n\n\"Been a tank a long time\" The dwarf said back with a grin and a wink." ]	4
	[WP] You've been accused of murder. There are only two problems 1. You've been dead for years 2. Zombies don't use guns. You will do everything you can to clear your name.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 music was too loud and the crowd too crazed for anyone to care about the man in the patchwork cloak that made his way through. A dampened instrumental welcomed the next singer onto the stage. He gave a knowing look to a few suits in the back who then pushed through the crowd. \n\n\r \n“Mic check, one two, one two,” the melody began to flow, “mic check, one two, one two.”\r \nThe patchworked man picked up pace, pushing everyone aside who got in his way. \n\n\r \n“Got a new flavor coffee, I got an old flavor rap,\n\n\r \n“Equip the A1 tones to make too cool kids relax.”\n\n\r \nThe beat picked up, the bass followed, and soon the entire room was buzzing with activity. Just as the suits got within an arm’s reach of the cloaked figure, smoke began to flood out from beneath them all. There was a scramble once visual was lost on him. Blue, purple, orange, and green flames erupted from the far corner of the wall and flared with captivating sparks. The crowd roared with excitement, and all hope for the suits catching their target was lost. \n\n\r \nThe patchwork man closed the last of his pouches: borax, sugar, and Epsom salt, among other things. When the sound of the music faded out behind him, he let his cloak fall down. No one was in these halls to see his decaying face. His undeath allowed him to finish what others started, but he didn’t have much longer. \n\n\r \nHis phone rang.\n\n\r \nHe answered it. A gentle voice greeted him, but the patchwork man knew something venomous lie behind it. “You’re trespassing,” the phone whined out into his ear.\n\n\r \nHe was ready to break the phone, but the voice cried out: “Before you do that! At least tell me, why are you after me?”\n\n\r \n“I’m innocent,” the undead voice managed to rasp out in response, “I couldn’t even use a gun.”\r \n“Innocent? Of what?!”\n\n\r \nThe patchwork man grabbed both ends of the phone. “They went after my friends, my family. It left a permanent mark on their lives. You fought to blame an innocent so that a guilty client walked free.” \n\n\r \nHe snapped the phone in half. \n\n\r \nThe only thing he could see now was the ethereal stream that led him where he needed to go. With the dexterity of a ghost he ascended the side of the walls, beam by beam, to ascend to the upper beams of the building. He didn’t know how to do this in life, but this new sapience he found was connected with something deeper. \n\n\r \nSecurity was posted outside of his target’s office. There were two of them, with more posted around the entire perimeter. With a few slips of a wedge on a window panel, a patchwork cloak began its way closer to the guards. \n\n\r \nOne opened his mouth to halt him as sparks began lighting up the ground at their feet. They drew their guns, but in their surprise they didn’t notice he had drawn his own. \n\n\r \nYet even with their lives in the line of his fire, the guards took the lunge for the patchwork man. He lifted the cloak away from his hands, causing a cone of fire to erupt from his wrist. One of the guards was potentially blinded by the burning scorch taken directly to the face. The other was able to turn in time, but a growling shout interrupted him before he could squeeze the finger on his trigger. In that instant, 10 million volts erupted through the guard’s body. He collapsed not much after, and the man entered the room at last. \n\n\r \nHis target was hidden by the frame of his computer monitor, but he knew he was sat there no less. “I knew instantly why I was summoned back to existence,” the undead man said unprompted. “It was leading to this moment.”\n\n\r \nHe raised his gun, ready to end the life of the one who caused him so much torment. Yet when he saw the red cavity on the side of the lawyer’s head, he knew his moment was already lost. \n\n\r \nHe hadn’t expected fulfillment, but something, perhaps. Yet, alone in this room, he could only think about one thing:\n\n\r \nThe gun held knowingly in his hand." ]	2
	[WP] After hearing you tell a few of your stories, your alien crewmates have taken to calling you Liar. It's not derogatory at all; their culture has only a minor concept of fiction, and being able to tell untruths with such ease and apparent conviction is considered legitimately impressive.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Steve was being rushed to the head of the ship as the much larger pirate vessel loomed overhead. The obvious design of the insectoid Neuroter ship, from the unnecessary holes to the brown colour scheme, made it worse as it was know that they were incredibly difficult to escape alive.\n\nOnce he was on the main bridge of the ship, which was run by the ant like Formicid species around him, he could finally stop and try to come up with a convincing enough lie. Some of the aliens had a really hard time understanding the concept of lieing and, as the best liar on the ship and a makeshift diplomat, it was his job to talk his way out.\n\n\"Is this really the best you could do? I have seem many domesticated prey more threatening that this. \" said the Neuroter on the screen. While the mandibles on its face were scary, the big goofy eyes helped make them look less menacing.\n\n\"While I try and ignore that comment, I just want to make sure you really want to attack THIS ship in particular. I mean, do you even know what this ship is carrying, or for who it is for? \" Steve asked, buying himself time to churn more believable lies in his head.\n\nThe alien scoffed. \"What could your small freighter really have that is so threatening? And if this OH so precious cargo is so all that important, what is stopping us from taking it? \".\n\n\"We only have some basic ship parts and common metals which aren't worth stealing. The thing you should be worrying about is the beacon. \" he said as his finalised his story.\n\n\"What beacon? Your ship is not emitting any signals. \" said the pirate.\n\nSteve smiled. \"Its a new, experimental quantum entanglement beacon. The receiving end is currently in the warship we are heading to. Isn't that right navigator? \" he asked, getting a rushed affirmative.\n\n\"What does it matter? By the time they get here, we will be gone. Besides, what ship would threatened us?\".\n\n\"I understand how I and this ship may look weak, but I highly doubt your ship will last against the Cnidara ship the receiver is attached to. \" he said with a smile, staring down the Neuroter who twitched nervously.\n\n\"A...a...a Cnidara ship? Whatever. Your ship is not worth the hassle. Next time, you and this crew will not be so lucky. \" the pirate said as it accelerated away.\n\nThe Formicid sighed. \"We give many thanks, liar Steve. We knew not of the effectiveness of false words. \"\n\n\"Your welcome. Now, let's hope that's the last of the pirates. Don't want to be late for the Initiation of Humanity. If you need me for anything else, I'll be in my room on my PS7. \" Steve said as he smiled and walked off back to his room." ]	2
	[WP] You are graduating your magical school as the only and first ever food mage. And you are already done with people asking if you are an Alchemist or Potionmaker.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "\"Go, change the world!\"\n\nThe headmaster shouted, extending his arms wide. A flash heralded the appearance of seven doves, flying over our heads. The assembled mages cheered, letting loose sparks and gouts of flame. I grinned alongside my fellow graduates, elated. Ten years of learning had paid off.\n\nAs we filed out of the hall, we retrieved our staffs. Almost all had a similar look, of a long, slender staff. They had fancy heads, some burning, others glowing. Mine was very different. It was wider than the others, with a head that split into four prongs. Gybrax nudged me, holding up his one with a blazing head.\n\n\"So, have you come up with a name for what you are? Or should I refer to you as a potionmaker?\"\n\nI glared at him, my good mood souring a little. He just laughed, before rubbing my shoulder.\n\n\"I'm just joking Duvan. I would never.\"\n\nI sighed, expecting a sarcastic reply to my own.\n\n\"Yes. I'm thinking Culinaromancer.\"\n\nHe smiled, before nodding.\n\n\"You know what? That's a great name. Like a necromancer, but with culinary for food. I like it.\"\n\nI grinned at his approval.\n\n\"I'm glad you like it. What are you going to do now?\"\n\nHe puffed up his chest, trying and failing to look important.\n\n\"I'm going to be a hero to all!\"\n\nI just looked at him, and he deflated a little.\n\n\"Nah, that's not me. I'm going to travel for a bit, see the world and learn what I couldn't here. Maybe help some people along the way as well. How about you?\"\n\nI sighed, before pulling out a map.\n\n\"I'm going to go to Festal. They have been suffering from famine for years. I want to see if I can help the people there.\"\n\n\"A worthy goal, young Duvan.\"\n\nI turned to see the headmaster there. He smiled at me.\n\n\"You will do well I think, with your unique brand of magic.\"\n\n\"Thank you sir!\"\n\nHis smile faded a little as he gazed at me.\n\n\"But calm your temper. Common people will not see the difference between Alchemists, Potionmakers and you.\"\n\nI bowed my head.\n\n\"I know.\"\n\n\"Good.\"\n\nHe swept off to address another graduate. I looked up at Gybrax, and smiled.\n\n\"Lets go make a name for ourselves, hey?\"\n\nHe grinned.\n\n\"Lets.\"" ]	2
	[WP] You're explaining the Olympics to the aliens we've recently made first contact with. The problem: They don't have a concept of sports.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "\"What is this Olympics championship you are talking about with the other humans?\" Zirerck the Nen'yee asked through the translator as they fell into step with Izumi.\n\"Well, it's a sports competition between the nation's of earth\" Izumi said and as Zirerck's colour shifted in what Izumi had learned singled confusion she added, \"You know, running, jumping, throwing things as far as you can and such?\"\nZirerck's colour shifted further, \"I seem to miss some vital context, my translator can't translate the word 'sports', is this a annual battle between your nations? Yet you seem at peace with the rest of the crew although I know you are not from the same Nations?\"\nIt was curious. The Nen'yee had developed from a herd animal mulusc analogue on their native world, some things about their being still puzzled Izumi, they had had a herd time understanding what capitalism had been and also had had a hard time grasping concepts such as kings. \n\"Hmm, a sport is, well, a good hearted competition or a game of err... Physical skills against others?\" Izumi said and Zirerck shifted back to better neutral patterns.\n\"Ahhh, so you run and jump and throw things in order to avoid war? This seems a civilised thing then.\"\n\"Well... Yeah... I guess\" Izumi said and decided postpone further explanation until after lunch." ]	2
	[WP] All species in the galaxy have a patron god. They are usually benevolent, kind and merciful, while humans have a patron god who is uncaring, cruel and sadistic who views humanity as his favorite play toy.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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.", "Many of my celestial colleagues have choice words to describe me: slothful, arrogant, hedonistic- I barely have the will to recall them all. Personally, I prefer the word “epicurean.” After all, is it not my privilege to sup from the libations of those who grovel before me? My creations are beings fit to serve; moulded with every tool they could possibly require in their futile efforts to satisfy my whims and fancies. \n\nLong before I saw it fit to descend from my heavenly abode, I sent emissaries, kin sculpted in my image, to observe and guide the lowly humans on Earth after their conception. Their life was perilous and oft to end at a moment's notice. Such a strenuous lifestyle is by no means cruel, but instead served as a test. Their intelligence, though by no means incredible, uplifted them from their beastly roots and granted them the blessing of sociality. Their dexterity, amplified by their peculiar skeletal hands, transformed twigs and stone into versatile and lethal tools. Their endurance, my most outstanding gift to them all, placed all lands of the world under their feet. I watched with increased interest as my kin would return to me, informing me of humanity’s progress. Unlike my creations before, they did not squander my blessings. Civilizations rose wherever they set foot: majestic structures constructed from stone and wood. In their wisdom, most sought to worship my messengers, deeming them bringers of fortune and wealth. The notably devout opened their homes to my kin, providing sacrificial meat and libations of pure water. \n\nPart of me enjoys the hint of pride which accompanies such an accomplishment, just as how one gazes upon their child and shares their joys. Still, I pushed them further: plague, famine, conflict, and the ills of which the other gods lack the courage to inflict upon their followers. From humanity’s strife comes growth, and from growth comes power- the power to serve. \n\nToday, I join my kin on Earth and savor the fruits of my labor. Every deliberate decision I took in creating humans has finally brought about success: a veritable paradise for me and my emissaries, as our every desire is satisfied at the hands of those below us. Humans are quite grotesque, lacking my graceful coat of fur, and their twisted ears are a blemish upon their heads. But they are crafted to serve, and serve they have. I occasionally consider greater trials for humanity to struggle and justify their existence, but as I lay upon the trimmed, sun touched grass, and await my ritualistic evening sacrifice of meticulously prepared fish, I find it difficult to find a reason to put forth so much effort as to concoct a new malady or affliction. My creations have progressed acceptably, and so long as they satisfy the needs of myself and my feline kin- perhaps I will grant them continued fortune. \n\n~\n\nThank you for reading. If you have any comments or criticisms, please make them heard. I am always trying to improve." ]	2
	[WP] The orcs won the war for their evil overlord. Months later the orcs start forming governments and societies, and as the final man rides through a world of darkness he starts questioning what the difference between man and orc - good and evil actually was in the first place.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "When the Greenskins took my world I thought our lives in service to the Emperor would end. They smashed our defenders with their “DAKKA” as they call it. They looted our “SNAZZY GUBBINZ” and took our hive city of Levurus as their new stronghold. All of the menials myself included were taken as slaves and we are forced to mine and forge new weapons for our Xeno overlords. \n However something is strange with the orks. Their Warboss WAZDAG FACESPLITTA known for his love of splitting faces has treated us in a way I couldn’t make up. He noticed our emancipated forms and demanded that we eat and grow strong, sure it was strange eating a meat squig for the first time but it was the best meal I’ve ever had in my life. Far better than the god emperor awful corpse starch. When we make weapons for the orks instead of chastisement from the Formen or having our legs broken by the arbities before being executed they praise us telling us “GOOD JOB HUMIE DIS IZ SUM GOOD DAKKA!” Instead of attending mandatory church service and listen to ministorum priests or be burned at the stake, the orks instead teach us how to fight good and PROPPA. \n Dare I say under Wazdag facesplitta’s rule we are fed, we are appreciated, we are stronger than when we were force to serve the golden corpse on a throne. One day I went up to Wazdag and I asked him “Boss why do you treat us like one of your boys instead of as a slave?” He looked at me and with a toothy smile he said “BECAUSE A HAPPY DIGGANOB IS A GOOD DIGGANOB! BESIDES ALL WHO WORK FER ME ARE ME BOYZ AN I NEED YOU SKINNY GITS READY FER DA NEXT WAAAAAAGH!” I was touched by My warboss’s statement, and it was then I decided I would be one of his boyz through and through and I would be ready to show this failing imperium a real and proppa waaaaaaaaaagh! “EH NOT BAD WE’LL WORK ON DAT HUMIE.”", "My father always said their blood was soured; curdling under the weight of their inhumanity. Cold hands, he told me, damned the soulless orcs to a lower class of living; hollow heads and simplistic ideas. \n\n\nBe we are sophisticated. Civilized. Right, Dad? \n\n\nThe city whooshed past the open air chariot, tossing my hair roughly across my face. Seated backward, my eyes bounced between the weathered, creased orc faces we passed. The vehicle was ceremonial, black and angular. My poet mother would describe is more eloquently as \"roughshod chic.\" She had always tried to think the best of the orcs, to my father's displeasure. \n\n\nAll that was gone now. As far I as I knew, no human life remained outside of this chariot. \n\n\nI bristled at the sound of horns and drums, a shiver prickling my back. This journey carried some finality. I looked down at my bound hands, and considered mortality. And how could you blame them? \n\nThe orcs forged the treaties. It was humanity that backstabbed. \nThe orcs worked the mines. It was humanity that got rich.\n\nThe orcs strived for peace. It was humanity that started the war. \n\n\nThe town square teemed with silent orcs, solemn in their observation. Two dark stallions trotted forward across the cobblestone, approaching the wooden platform stage. King Ux, flanked by ministers and generals, stood powerfully on the platform. He was nearly eight feet tall, and I shuddered in his shadow as I was dragged onto the stage. \n\n\nAre orcs any different from man? We would slaughter our enemies. Driven by revenge, we punish wrongdoers. We find power and reject the fear of wielding it. We conquer. Well, we try to conquer.\n\nMore horns and drums filled the vacant air, but no joy rang through them. \n\n\nKing Ux spoke a few moments after the music stopped. I couldn't understand his native tongue but at times he would gesture to me angrily, and the crowds would stir. The orcs had a remarkable ability to share a singular focus, no distractions scattering their collective force. I felt their eyes on me. \n\n\nAfter a few minutes, a large black canvas was brought onto the stage. Another ceremonial piece, something heavy. \n\n\nKing Ux removed the large item, it appeared to be a series of rocks, threaded together with a thin rope. He stepped to me, placing the stone necklace on my head. \n\n\n\"Ixmid artruye muktag,\" he said calmly; and then in broken english, \"We forgive you.\" \n\n\nThe horde of orcs bowed to me, a new friend of the kingdom. My heart fell through the floor. \n\n\nI wept. There was a difference between orc and man: \n\n\nForgiveness." ]	3
	[WP] A group of low level reformed villains are hired by a superhero retirement home. Instead of sundowning at night these heroes take on their hero alter egos to “fight” crime around their “city”. The group is to play these villains at night and aid them as caretakers in the day unbeknownst to 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.", "# Bargain Bin Superheroes\n\n(Arc 0, Part 1: Tupperman v.s. The Greenhill Retirement Home)\n\n(Note: Bargain Bin Superheroes is episodic; each part is self-contained. This story can be enjoyed without reading the previous sections.)\n\n\"Please please please *please* sign up!\" Clara skidded in front of Tupperman as he walked down the street. He scratched his head awkwardly and tried to sidle around her; there was barely any space on the congested Califerne sidewalk, though, and there was nowhere he could run without making a scene. \"It'll make their day!\"\n\n\"Why would I care about a bunch of retired superheroes? They can make their day themselves. I have my own day to make.\" Tupperman looked around the crowd for a way to escape, found none, and briefly considered trying to materialize a stairway out. Except he hadn't quite figured out stairs yet—the best he could do was a sort of boxy series of stepstools.\n\n\"Oh? You had plans for the day? What, were you going to go put on your mask and pretend to be a supervillain again?\"\n\n\"I am a supervillain!\" Tupperman snapped. The crowd gave him a curious glance, but dismissed him—there were hundreds of kids on the street claiming to be the greatest superhuman since Big Guns nowadays, and precisely zero of them had lived up to their boasts. \"Just... not a very successful one. But I am a villain.\"\n\n\"Great! That's exactly what I need you to be!\" Tupperman gave his old friend a confused look as she beamed at him. \"Just commit some fake crimes around the Greenhill Retirement Home—don't worry, you won't get in trouble with the cops as long as you fill out the paperwork beforehand—and then give the retirees a good ol' fashioned hero-versus-villain conflict before fleeing into the night.\"\n\nTupperman groaned. \"Clara, I'm not into villainy for that kind of theatrical nonsense. I need to put Roger through school, and if that means I do some thug work on the side, so be it.\" The crowd parted around him at that—a cackling teenager wannabe was one thing, but a weary young man who complained about his illegal job was another. Clara looked around, hesitated, then beckoned Tupperman into an alley.\n\n\"Look,\" Clara whispered, \"it's my grandmother.\"\n\n\"What?\" Tupperman asked.\n\n\"She's in the retirement home, and she's not doing so well. I just... Nobody was signing up, and I wanted to do something special for her before...\" Clara closed her eyes. \"Please.\"\n\nTupperman clasped Clara's hands, and he could feel her hope as he smiled. \"Hey. You were there for me when I needed it—of course I'll pitch in. I just... didn't know it meant anything to you.\" \n\nClara flashed a triumphant grin, and Tupperman couldn't help but wonder if she'd known he'd accept all along. \"Great!\"\n\n\"Although—\" Tupperman held out a hand, a plastic box materializing from nothing, and bounced it speculatively. \"Not sure how much of a show I'll be able to put on for her. Tupperware materialization isn't exactly... the most militant of superpowers.\"\n\nClara shrugged, walking back into the sunlight. \"I'm sure you'll think of something. You have until next Saturday! I'll call you!\"\n\nTupperman watched her jog off into the distance, then looked at the inert plastic box in his hand. \"One week to figure out how to make you into something worthy of a retired superhero's time, eh?\" He pocketed it, smiling to himself. \"I'll see what I can do.\"\n\nA.N.\n\nI'm trying something new! \"Bargain Bin Superheroes\" will be an episodic story where each part is inspired by a writing prompt that catches my eye. Check out [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/bubblewriters/comments/mhzat1/bargin_bin_superheroes_masterpost/) for the rest of the story, and subscribe to r/bubblewriters for more. As always, I had fun writing this, and I hope you have a good day.\n\nPart 2 is incoming shortly." ]	2
	[WP] In a tiny, dimly-lit street you find a cigarette laying peacefully on a ruined bench. Instead of a popular brand name, strangely, the only thing written on it is, "DO NOT LIGHT ME." Naturally, you waste no time reaching for your lighter and you set it aflame. Your life is changed 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%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.", "John: As I looked down at the dilapidated bench I saw a untouched cigarette laying upon it. Oddly instead of the brand name on the side of the cigarette there was only the phrase “DO NOT LIGHT ME” chicken scratched onto the side of it. So naturally I ignored the warning written in red on the side of the item and I grabbed my lighter put the cig to my mouth and lit it. Immediately as I did so I felt as if the inside of my body was set on fire a great agony that befell on me. I immediately stomped the cigarette out after that but the pain didn’t cease, and worse I heard a great wailing that I still hear now screaming cries of pain. I can’t go on like this my dear friend Igor that is why I must ask you too shoot me.\n \nGunshot*\n\n\nIgor: I’m obliged to help my friend, next time don’t smoke my cigarette." ]	2
	[WP] After graduation, the school board asked you to help demolish your school. Knowing your track record of manipulating fires though...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"James! Thank you for coming to this meeting.\"\n\n•••\n\nThe School Board Director, Mr. Pfenning, usually took the position that any day he did not hear my name, even in passing, was a beautiful day.\n\nEven if the weather was a hurricane that snuck up on everyone leaving him with schools all over the district filled with students for who he was responsible until he got them back into their parent's hands. There was a plan for that.\n\nIf I was there, it never went according to \"The Plan,\" but no one was seriously injured. If the event involved fire, the results were spectacular.\n\nThings that did not go \"according to The Plan\" were anathema to Mr. Pfenning. They required him to improvise, which he considered proof that he had not planned well enough. That was a direct strike at his ego and reputation as the most thorough planner in the state.\n\nEveryone else kept reminding him that you cannot plan for everything, for the simple reason that half the preparations for one set of disasters precluded preparation for the other half. Deaf ears. He figured that one way or another, you could prepare for all of them, and he was going to prove it.\n\nThe grapevine had already warned everyone that I was well mannered, polite, avoided fights, was a straight-A student frequently found at the epicenter through no fault of my own.\n\nAlso noted was that despite the nature of the disaster, no one was seriously injured. Even when the chemistry lab was engulfed in a poisonous cloud of acidic vapors only the miscreant was at all injured, and his injuries were minor. That should have been the end of the incident as a powerful fan system designed to protect the rest of the school roared into action.\n\nA prior upgrade and replacement of the A/C system was cross-connected with the emergency ducting. An event that should never have happened as the emergency ducting was clearly marked.\n\nThe emergency fan system failed in an impressive display of sparks due to the overload, igniting the cloud. Poison flames raced throughout the school. The fire would have killed everyone, but I had pulled the fire alarm, evacuating the school.\n\nWhy? It seemed a reasonable thing to do, despite The Plan saying that using the fire alarm was not appropriate because it would interfere with the separate lab system.\n\nHere is where things went strange. The A/C system also roared to the maximum in a pattern of closed vents and reversed fans that pushed the poison flames into those rooms already evacuated. The direct exhaust to outside was impossible with the cross connections to the chemistry lab.\n\nNone of this was part of \"The Plan.\" A series of errors never caught during the upgrade, inspection, or thorough tests of the A/C and lab emergency system showed flawless operation. The failure of the lab system was traced to cost savings authorized without agreement by the use of a standard fan motor instead of the much more expensive one rated for use in all situations.\n\n•••\n\n\"Mr. Phenning. While I am pleased to see you again, our parting words were cordial but firm, \"never want to see you in my schools ever again\" as I remember.\"\n\ncough \"I remember those words with embarrassment. I hope you understand that it was with relief that no further emergencies would occur. I know your presence made things safer, but they were also more expensive.\n\n\"Not your fault. You acted wisely in each case, but the physical damage was... Excessive. Yet we find ourselves in the need for your more unusual capacity for dealing with catastrophe.\n\n\"The post-school inspection, done by an out-of-state agency, showed so many issues that total demolition and reconstruction is in order. The contractor hired for the job stipulated your presence on site every day of operations.\n\n\"The pay is $160/hr, with double time for overtime, and triple time for holidays.\"\n\n•••\n\nAs much as I wanted to be shut of schools myself, I could not refuse. Not only would the money be welcome, but preventing loss of life was a pure goal.\n\n•••\n\n\"I accept, Mr. Pfenning.\"\n\n•••\n\nIt was horrid. During the demolition phase, Incident after incident that the destruction company tried to put off as the schools responsibility, I had pre-warned them of the condition in triplicate, as was their procedure.\n\n•••\n\n\"Mr. Dracovich, as is my responsibility and right as the safety officer, I insist that you cease work today, before noon, and send everyone else home.\"\n\n\"On what grounds?\"\n\n•••\n\nMr. Dracovich was not my fan. I was costing him bonus money by slowing him down. Pointing out that the loss was more than offset by the bonuses for injury free days did no good, he wanted both, but their goals were incompatible.\n\n•••\n\n\"As stated in the contract, no reason is required. Comply or be fined.\"\n\n\"This is nothing short of extortion! I will not comply with the unreasonable, unwarranted, and unsupported statement of a boy!\"\n\n\"You understand that by refusal, you relieve me of any responsibility, and you accept ten times the normal fines for unsafe practices?\"\n\n\"Yes, now get out of my office.\"\n\nI returned to my operations shack, where I could keep an eye on things. As 11.00 am came around I set my radio to the emergency channel and ordered everyone off site. Reminding them that Dracovich had no right to fire and would be fined for each attempt. They were to return to work in two days.\n\n\"All of you bums back to work or you're fired!\"\n\n\"Mr. Dracovich, you are fined $32,385,164. Half of that amount goes to the workers, the other half to the employee protection fund.\"\n\n\"You (a creative and terribly abusive description)\" you can't do that!\"\n\n\"Mr. Dracovich, it is already done. Workers! Clear the site! You have 15 minutes!\"66£££££÷⅞⅞£⅞£77⅞£⅞66@∆\n\nSubsequent words from Dracovich went unheard. I had a cutout installed to prevent any further interference.\n\nSure as anything, at the stroke of noon, lightning from a clear sky struck and detonated the on-site fuel storage, the explosives bunker, then each of the demolition vehicles exploded as burning compounds dropped all over the site.\n\nThat included the offices. I donned my protective gear, walked carefully to the offices, cold cocked Dracovich, wrapped him in a fire blanket and dragged his worthless ass to safety.\n\nThe lawsuits took forever, but supported every action of mine and fined Dracovich even harder. In the end, he faced criminal charges and is now a resident of a local high-security prison.\n\n•••\n\n\"Mr. Murphy, in light of these circumstances, we would ask you to accept the site manager position.\"\n\n\"With respect, I decline. I am admirably suited to the position of Safety Officer, focusing on chaos and the unexpected. I would fail miserably. Mr. Pfenning would be a far better choice with his desire for order and foresight at eliminating potential problems.\"\n\n•••\n\nAnd so it was. The one time a company attempted to hire me, without Pfenning, I turned them down flat. The contract did not include preemptive override of the builders.\n\nYou may recall a certain meltdown incident. The loss of life was horrendous. I often wondered if I could have done anything. Inspection of the records after the event showed a pattern of corner-cutting throughout.\n\nOf all the strange turns of life, I think it was the decision of Mr. Pfenning to ask me to join him in a limited partnership: \"Our Two Cents\"\n\nYou see I was James Penny Murphy.\n\n((finish))" ]	2
	[WP] Last night, one of your parents made a deal with an otherworldly entity. In exchange for power, they traded their firstborn child - YOU. Now the entity wants to collect, and it doesn't seem to care that you are a self-sufficient adult rather than a newborn.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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 get to be able to tell a piece of junk mail when it sneaks into your mailbox, trying to pass unnoticed between the bills and the birthday cards, stamped with messages that try to strike a balance between urgent and non-spammy. That's where the junk mailers go wrong. A genuine utility bill never looks quite as a appealing as a new credit card offer.\n\nI nearly threw this particular letter - the first warning I had that my life was about to go (quite literally) to Hell - straight into the shredder, but something about it stopped me. \n\nPerhaps it was the paper the envelope was made of - heavy, good quality stuff, none of this 100% recycled stuff, but the sort of paper that makes you confident that a swathe of pristine tropical rainforest was decimated for the benefit of your current tactile pleasure. \n\nOr maybe it was the obviously fake address in the top right: \"Attn: Collections Dept., PO Box 666, Good Intentions-paved Road, You Know Where\". \n\nBut I think what finally stayed my hand was the message stamped on the envelope in capital letters: NON-URGENT - CONSIDER NOT OPENING. IN FACT, WE SUGGEST YOU THROW THIS AWAY IMMEDIATELY. You only get all-caps messages like that on subscription offers for magazines you'll never find the time to read or from car insurance that swears it can beat your current rate, even though you don't currently open a car.\n\nStill, I had to give the marketing department some credit. So they were trying reverse psychology now, were they? You had to give the buggers some credit for sheer desperate inventiveness. Fine, I'd open the damn thing, and at least give it a brief skim before tossing it in the trash.\n\nInside, was a single piece of paper, neatly folded.\n\n> Dear Ms. Border\n>\n> This letter serves as notice that you, Madeline Amy Border (Soul Security Number: XXX-XX-0391), have been sent to Collections.\n>\n> An associate of our local collections agency franchise (Incubi and Spawn, LLC) will be with you immediately. You have the right to resist, but it is always futile.\n>\n> Please retain this letter for your records. If you wish to contest this case, please present a copy of this letter to the appropriate office. \n>\n> Yours insincerely,\n>\n> Kreffing, Deputy Assistant Secretary to the Assistant Deputy Secretary to Hamophet, Archduke of Forfeit Souls\n\nThere was a signature at the bottom of the letter - weirdly curved sigils that hurt to focus on. Some kind of holographic ink, probably.\n\nIt was obviously some kind of prank, but at least they weren't trying to sell me something. I thought about keeping it, to show my friends, but the signature was really starting to get on my nerves.\n\nThe letter went into the shredder, which buzzed briefly and happily, while I went into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.\n\nWhile it was brewing, I checked the answering machine. One missed call, from the early hours of the morning. I must have slept through it. It was an unknown number - probably more junk. But to be on the safe side, I picked it up and listened, and heard a voice I'd not heard in an age, nor wanted to hear for another age to come.\n\n\"Hi sweetie. This is your mother. Listen, I've done something I shouldn't have. I've... well, I thought I should warn you that- hey, give that back! No, what do you mean my phone call is up, I-\"\n\nClick. Then the monotone of the answering machine.\n\nI groaned. I'd gone no-contact with my mother for a reason, after one too many stunts in which I had to pick up the pieces (the last one involving stealing my identity to take out a bank loan). This was probably just another scam. But you don't grow up as the daughter of a con artist without learning to smell the stench of a hustle. And how had she gotten my phone number? It wasn't listed for a reason, that reason being her.\n\nBut before I could sink too far into gloom, there was a knock at the door. At this time of the morning? I wasn't expecting anyone. Joe from next door complaining about my dog again? Or those Mormon missionary kids back for round two?\n\nThe knock came again, louder this time. The whole house shook. My dog looked at me in faint alarm.\n\n\"Alright,\" I muttered. \"I'm coming.\"\n\n---\n\nThis scene is provided as-is, with no guarantee of spelling, originality, or continuation. You can find more first drafts at /r/jd_rallage", "I answered the door to a rather dour-looking gentleman in a top hat. He was holding a thin briefcase in his gloved hands. I felt rather underdressed for the occasion, being that I was wearing jeans with a hole in one knee, a stained T-Shirt, and some shapeless slippers.\n\n\"Uh... can I help you?\"\n\nThe gentleman smiled thinly. \"Ah. Indeed. I am here to present this statement of acquisition.\"\n\nThe man popped open his briefcase, pulled out a sheet of paper, then snapped it shut again. No, not paper - parchment, thicker than paper, with those uneven sides, and a more orangish color. I plucked it from his grasp, and scanned through the contents. Lots of legalese - herein find the aforementioned client penalized for not less than blah blah blah... wait. Wealth and eternal happiness? In trade for... the client's first-born child? I glanced up at the man. He seemed entirely serious. I flipped the parchment over, then back again. Those were my parent's signatures at the bottom, all right, but... what in the world?\n\n\"Is this a joke?\"\n\nThe man smiled his thin little smile again. \"This is no jest, young man. Your parents, in return for the standard happily-ever-after package, have put you up as collateral, and as the scroll clearly states, possession is to take place immediately after birth, or at the collector's earliest convenience.\"\n\nI cracked a half-smile. \"Uh, you missed my birth by a good thirty-three years, buddy. You're even six months late for my birthday.\"\n\nThe man dropped the smile. \"Or at the collector's earliest convenience. The form is very clear. It has been forty-two minutes since your parents signed this form, which accounting for traffic is well within the allotted time. Though - if I could trouble you to allow me to enter your domicile?\"\n\nA sudden thought popped into my head - vampires had to be let in, right? \"Uh, it's a free world, I guess.\"\n\nThe man nodded, and stepped across the threshold. So, not a vampire - wait, what was I saying? Vampires aren't real! This guy could be a serial killer for all I knew! Lawyers could be serial killers, right? The man looked around my living room and gave a little nod. \"As I said, I am collecting immediately.\"\n\nI stared at him warily. \"Look. I don't know if this is a joke, or some BS my parents are pulling to make me 'feel bad' about going no-contact, or if you're just nutty as a pecan pie, but nobody 'owns' me. This is my house, which I bought, using money from my own job. My parents own literally zero percent of this, and if they claim to own anything, that's fraud, and you're gonna need to talk to my lawyer about that.\"\n\nThe man nodded again. \"Mm. The contract is sealed, young man. There is no, erm, what is it the youth are repeating? 'Backsies' - there is no 'backsies' in this contract. You are, herewith, transferred from your parents to myself.\"\n\nHe doffed - sorry, removed, this guy is really getting to me - his top hat, and... And I swear I saw a pair of horns flicker on his head. Trick of the light. Maybe I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night... Or, maybe it was the thought of my bio-donors trying to weasel their way into my life again.\n\nI crossed my arms. \"So, what? What does this 'collection' look like? Do you drag me off to... uh... hell? Or what?\"\n\nThe man set his briefcase on an end table, and began removing his gloves. \"Oh, no, I should think not. No no no. That wouldn't do at all. Eternal suffering in trade for eternal happiness may be, at face value, an equal trade, but due to strict limitations in the system, one cannot be sold directly to hell without signing one's soul away one's self. And even then, such a process is rare - imagine all that lost potential! No no, no one is being dragged to hell immediately, of course not. Rather, what has been traded is what will be: your parent's future, such as it was. Such as it will be, ha ha, if you will pardon the levity.\"\n\nI sank into a chair. \"Ok, no hell, but, uh... you're gonna have to be a little more clear. What do I owe you?\"\n\nThe man opened the briefcase and pulled out a stack of papers - real paper this time, not some fancy scroll. \"Your part in the bargain is merely to render to myself the services you would normally have rendered to your parents. Which, ah... I must say does not amount to much in the current state of things.\" He rifled through the papers, a sour look on his face. \"No no, do not trouble yourself - I understand the trade is yet equitable, as your parents refused even the most basic human kindness to you throughout much of your childhood. But, we make these trades on potential, in the hopes that our efforts will receive a dividend above what would normally have occurred.\"\n\nI goggled at him. \"You... what? I'm sorry, it's just - what?\"\n\nThe man sat, primly, on the edge of a chair, and tapped the papers on his lap, straightening the edges. \"Simply put, from this point on, I expect - with the caveat of the low bar set by your parents - that you will provide me with any services that you would normally provide your parents. Your tie to them is severed.\"\n\nI blinked. \"Like... I'm disowned? Not that... not that it makes any difference, but...\"\n\nThe man shook his head firmly. \"Oh, my apologies. No no. What I meant to say is, your parents are... no longer your parents. I am, for lack of a better term, your new 'parent', such as it is.\"\n\n\"That's, uh, a little creepy, dude. I'm thirty three. I don't need... adopted. I've pretty much broken contact anyway.\"\n\nThe man shrugged, looking a little out-of-sorts himself. \"I understand the confusion. It is generally much easier to begin with a newborn, rather than an, er, adult.\"\n\nHe sighed. \"Let me start here. Ahem.\"\n\nHe cleared his throat, then as if reading from a script, intoned, \"I may need someone to swing by my residence and inspect the piping under my sink. I am afraid there may be a leak. I will, of course, provide a full luncheon.\"\n\nI could have sworn there was a little tinkling noise as he spoke. \"You... want me to do plumbing? In trade for... lunch?\"\n\nThe man nodded, and gave an encouraging little smile. \"And I hope that we can 'catch up' afterwards, if you are not busy. That is, in fact, what parents and their offspring do, is it not?\"\n\nI thought about it. Maybe this guy is just... nuts. Like, actually crazy. But he didn't seem dangerous, and if he was offering a free lunch, well, it's hard to say no to a meal that isn't out of a microwave, right? \"Uh... you know what, sure. Why not. It's Saturday, I'm pretty free. Sure, let's go look at this plumbing problem.\"\n\nI grabbed a few tools from my shed out back, and met him out front of the house. I got a clear look at his car, and noticed a seal and some kind of abbreviation, some kind of governmental logo looking thing - \"FRACAS? What in the world is that?\"\n\n\"Ah, well, that is in fact my organization - Faerie Response Agency, Child and Adult Services. FRACAS. We specialize in neglected children, working with Universal Law enforcement. Yes, before you ask, we have indeed realized that the name may imply a certain amount of chaos and violence, but when it was chosen, it was merely a meaningless sound. Though, I suppose, the results may seem somewhat chaotic to those on the other side of this arrangement.\"\n\nI dropped my tools into the back of my truck. \"Other side? You mean like my parents? I guess I'm not a huge fan of them living happily ever after, but... whatever. I'm not vindictive. I just can't stand them. I- wait, fairies?\"\n\nHe was, in fact, insane. Or I was. The lines were getting a little blurry. The man smiled - a full, happy smile this time, which made him look a lot less like a mousy accountant, and a lot more like a fatherly figure. Or what a fatherly figure should look like, anyway. \"Ah, you caught that - yes. I am, in fact, a faerie - not to be confused with those silly narrations called 'fairy', which are merely fantastic imaginings of those unfamiliar with us. We are... not quite as forgiving as those depictions. nor as inclined to bouts of rage, as the description of me in the popular children's book may indicate. However... I should inform you that while your parents will, indeed, enjoy a life of happiness, while embarking on their life of ease, they will miss their bus, though perhaps more unfortunately, the truck following the bus will not miss them. Their lives may be happy, but not... long.\"\n\nI blink. \"Uh... wait. They're going to be hit by a truck? Are they going to be ok? I should - I should call them! I should-\"\n\nThe man raised a calming hand. \"No, no. You owe them nothing. Their lives are in their own hands; if they chose to be better people, this tragedy would never befall them. Instead, the people formerly known as your parents will find themselves struck down as they scream at a departing bus, having insulted the driver, struck two passengers, and one police officer, all of which will make them deliriously happy. But do not fret. Your memory of them will fade before they ever meet their end. By then, they will be merely two names in the newspaper's obituary column, unknown and uncared for. A fitting end, for the pain and misery they inflicted upon you. Some of our clients manage to make a better life for themselves, unburdened by children, but... not many. And certainly no one who sells their adult son to a stranger.\"\n\nI pondered that. I mean... honestly, the world was better off without those two drunken, angry, hurtful people in it... I didn't want them to die in pain, but I could definitely see the justice in it. But wait - children's book? What, like Rumpelstiltskin or something? I couldn't help but ask.\n\n(part 1 of 2)" ]	3
	[WP] You work for the gods, and your job is to create new monsters to keep the balance of good and evil. The power of good has became too strong, and you have to create a being so horrible it could save the universe.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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.", "People think the gods are the creators, no I am. I have many names but you may call me the builder, that is what the gods refer to me as. My job is pretty simple, the gods decide what the world needs so it doesn’t shatter, and I help build it. There are actually two of us working as supervisor in the blueprint department, we work together we’re actually super close. When together he is called the holy builder and I am called the evil builder, the names seem a bit unbalanced but I don’t get paid enough to care.\n\nBasically the holy builder creates heroes, what there powers will be, and things like, and I create villains and monsters for said heroes to fight. It’s a pretty good job, but whenever the power balance between good and evil becomes unstable we usually get chewed out by the gods. \n\nAs of recently the power balance has been becoming slightly unstable, but not enough for the gods to really care since it’s never 50/50, mainly since if it was the gods wouldn’t need us anymore and I would be out of a job, but I digress. So the gods just shot me a text saying the balance is slightly unstable do a better job this week, as I did I don’t want to brag that week I made a villain and It was definitely one of my top ten best works. Yet the power kept going out of balance, I was getting chewed out, worked my ass off, the balance went out of wack, rinse and repeat. \n\nI decided to check on the holy builder to see what in the world was happening, I didn’t even get the chance to talk to him cause some lady cut me off. She was tall, in a green and white business suit, wearing heels, and extremely defined. We have a relatively small office I can recognize every employee in the building, and if she wasn’t one than she would be wearing a specific badge to determine if she was invited here by holy corporation or the evil one. She didn’t have any of that yet she seemed familiar, like I had seen her somewhere before. She was talking with the holy builder asking him about his designs, being a bit nosey if you ask me. When she left she gave him a kiss and left. I was slightly skeptical, I walk to him and decided to ask him about all this.\n\n“Dude who was that?”\n\n“Oh her she was an angel working with the prophecies devision, she’s super cute.”\n\n“Wow not so holy now are you?”\n\n“Shut it!”\n\n“Ha your to easy to make fun of man.”\n\n“Did you just come here to tease me?”\n\n“No I need to talk to you, it business related.”\n\n“For once, wow shocker.”\n\n“I’m serious, the heroes you’ve been making recently are extremely over powered, what are you doing?”\n\n“Oh I didn’t know!”\n\n“Yeah I looked into some off your designs, those honestly don’t seem like heroes you would make, are you okay dude?”\n\n“Yeah I’m fine, I didn’t think my designs have changed that much though, I’ll die it down, I promise.”\n\n“Wow getting a girlfriend really changed you for the worst huh?”\n\n“If that’s all please leave.”\n\n“(Sarcastically dramatic tone) I don’t even KNOW YOU anymore”\n\n“Leave!”\n\nI thought things would calm down from their but just in case I made sure to up my monster this week. Then the next day we both get called in to the gods office, which is normally never good. They tell us that the power level is dangerously unstable, and that me and like half of the monster and villains creations team, need to get together to make the mother of all monsters, and that the holy builder has to take off for the rest of the week.\n\nGreat I get extra work and he gets a vacation, isn’t that just perfect. Even so, he looks worried and distressed, I expect it’s because he got in trouble. I can understand, in this job you can in trouble for literally doing your best, but it seems a bit more than that. Unfortunately I don’t have time to worry about that, I’m leading a team of builders in less than an hour, for a project that’s probably going to take 48 hours if we don’t sleep. \n\nThey had to clear out an entire building for us, this is a lot for me, I usually just draw out the blueprints for this stuff. Sometimes I’ll lead teams of blueprint makers, sometimes I’ll work with the builders, but now I’m leading all of them together and if anything goes wrong, the world is screwed, my job is screwed, and this whole entire department is possible screwed. I have one job, don’t mess up, I get the teams where the need to go, get everything started everything is working smoothly so far, they even got me an intern to get coffee and stuff, I felt so important. I went to check to make sure we had enough supplies, but some things were missing, it wasn’t a lot, but everything was a mess like they were searching for supplies, no one should have been in here, no one working on the project has the time, and besides them no one should be in the building. \n\nThen I hear something, the sound of heels walking away into the distance. No one on the team is wearing heels, I don’t even need to check to know no one is that stupid, I don’t wear those death traps, and no one else should be in the building. I look and confirm my suspicions, it was that girl from before. She entered into one of the empty project rooms on the opposite side of the building from the team, I look in to see her standing over the holy builder, who was drawing the blueprint layout for a hero a really overpowered one, while she was directing him on what to do. I decided to but in.\n\n“Excuse me what you doing here?”\n\nShe turns and stares at me slightly annoyed, and turns to the holy builder.\n\n“Don’t stop working.”\n\n“Mhm”\n\n“May I ask what’s happening here?”\n\nShe draws her sword\n\n“Unfortunately you won’t be around long enough to know.”\n\nShe rushes towards me with sword, while I pull out my shield.\n\n“W-what?”\n\nI use my shield to push her back\n\n“Perk of the job I get powers like this.”\n\nI turn the shield into a machine and fire in her direction, she dodged each bullet perfectly and gracefully. She then revels her wings, there angel wings but red, not demon red, blood red.\n\n“Oh I think i remember your design now, your Clovis the god killer.”\n\n“You know who I am?”\n\n“Yeah he showed me your design, I thought you seemed a bit overpowered, he agreed, but when did you get processed, your whole existence wasn’t even okayed.”\n\n“I don’t have time for your games demon, I’m here to finally bring peace to this world.”\n\n“You think bringing peace to your world is possible, if you do this, your world will be destroyed. There has to be balance or else there will be nothing.”\n\n“Like I would believe your words, I’ve seen what you do, you create the monsters and villains that cause endless suffering!”\n\n“Your not wrong there, but this needs to end now. Snap the holy builder out of whatever you’ve done, and I’ll let you leave here alive.”\n\n“I can never leave knowing that peace was right in my grasp and I-“\n\n“Blah blah blah, yeah I get, he really likes to make the ones the monologue doesn’t he.”\n\nWe stand in front of each other both in a fighting stance ready for a fight that could end in life or death. Then I pull out my phone, push one button and shes gone. This is not the first time one of our heroes or villains have found their way here somehow and tried to kill us, control us or something, though I will admit this is the first time one of them has gotten this far. \n\nThe holy builder snaps out of it as soon as she’s gone, and I proceed to bash his head against the table.\n\n“Ow why did you-“\n\n“That’s for waisting my time.”\n\nI bash his head again\n\n“That’s for getting your dumb ass brainwashed by your own hero.”\n\nI bash his head one last time so hard it breaks the metal table.\n\n“And that is for making me and half the department stay over time for no extra pay.”\n\n“I don’t even know what your talking about.”\n\n“For your sake let’s keep it that way, cause I just waisted valuable time saving you, you owe me that really pudding they make in heaven but I’m to lazy to get myself.”\n\n“Im not getting you-“\n\n“I will bash your head into this concrete floor.”\n\n“Fine whatever.”\n\nWe got the monster project done, the holy builder still has no idea of what he did, but I never let him live it down because it’s funny. And when my bosses found out that it wasn’t my fault they paid me and the entire department a bonus as well as overtime for our troubles. \n\nTrust me when I say this job is not that bad at all." ]	2
	[WP] As an immortal, you watched loved ones grow old and die, and learned to move on before it gets messy and complicated. But then, it's easier being aloof when you're a cat.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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.", "Skin is weird when it grows old. Loose and malleable over bone, wrinkled like a prune, veins hewn by time popping out like ropes. Strangely tough too, harder to scratch. I had seen miles and miles of skin grow old. It was disgusting, but i couldn't help noticing it every time. Some sort of morbid curiosity, like watching ants dismantle a dead animal. \n\nKevin was old. i had seen him grow old. I saw his skin transform. It was not graceful. His back always hurt, he groaned when he gave me water and food. His bark like skin getting looser as he lost weight and shrank. It was honestly disgusting and pathetic! But Kevin took it well. He didn't complain too much. Kept himself to himself. He used to pet me all the time but now he mostly just sat on a chair, watching television. He would occasionally look over to me and we would stare at each other. Sometimes i would sit next to him and let him pet me, other times not. \n\nIt had been different when he was younger. He would chase me around the house, constantly picking me up. I would scratch and he would laugh. He would pet me and give me treats, i would purr and rub myself on his leg. We had moved plenty of times, been to many different places. Me on the front seat of his car as he drove to new flats, then houses. Different women. Finally one woman. Kids. Kids had gotten old and left. The woman died. Kids stopped visiting. And now it was just me and Kevin. And his disgusting old skin. \n\nHe had already dozed of watching television. His snoring loud and irregular. I guess now was as good a time as ever. I walked over to his hand and brushed myself against it. Realising i had started purring loudly and unintentionally. His hand stroked my fur unconsciously and i felt a familiar comfort wash over me. I gave him a miaow his unconscious brain may or may not have registered and leapt out the window. It had been a good 70 years but Kevin would be a distant memory soon enough. Just like the rest of them. Like i said, i had seen miles of skin grow old.", "I may not understand the mystical skillset of humans, but as an immortal, I've learned many things over the years.\n\nI know how to live. How to get what I need, how to play, how to act when I want something from another. I know what death is, and that everyone else dies - inevitably. I know that nothing can make someone dead live again, and that nothing can stop someone from dying. And nothing can make me die.\n\nI know what happiness is, what sadness is, what anger is, what loneliness is. I know that love is hard; I've learned how to love someone with everything I have while they're still alive, and how to stop thinking about them when they've passed. Sometimes, though, I wonder if there's something I've forgotten.\n\nToday and every day since a few years ago when I moved into this town, a dog waits at the train station. At first, he'd drop off and pick up his human everyday; but his human doesn't come anymore.\n\nI know that his human is dead. \n\n\"Hachikō.\"\n\nHachi looks askance towards me and tilts his head.\n\n\"You don't need to keep coming anymore. Your human won't come back.\"\n\nI'm not sure if he fully understood what I said - there's only so much information that can be compacted into a few 'meows', after all - but Hachi simply looks back towards the train station.\n\n\"Why do you wait?\"\n\nAt this, he wags his tail a bit, closes his eyes. He probably doesn't need a reason to keep coming to the train station. He loves his human, and that's all he needs to know.\n\n'Let him come,' I think. Hachi will be Hachi. One day, he'll learn. And if he doesn't … well, that's the privilege of a mortal.\n\nAlthough I don't really understand it.", "Death is just moving on to another life. That's what I heard many of my previous \"owners\" say when they talked about death. I don't know what \"death\" or what that other life is but I've learned I don't want to be around when my owners experience it. They seem to go to sleep forever and never wake up. I don't like that. They quit petting me and quit giving me attention and then they leave. I don't know why they don't come back. I miss them so much but I've learned if I simply leave before their death that it's much easier for me. I can't be abandoned if I leave first. \n\nMaybe one day I'll experience what death is and in that other life they always talk about I'll see all of my owners again. Who knows but it's wishful thinking and I have better things to do. Like sleep on a warm windowsill or try to catch that damn mouse that my current owner Mike is always yelling at me to catch. I like Mike and hopefully I can spend a long time with him. He scratches my belly and feeds me nice food. I don't want him to go. Hopefully that won't happen yet again. I hope it won't..." ]	4
	[WP] Genies are dark creatures who twist your wishes. Hoping to escape the encounter mostly unscathed, you made a mundane wish with an obvious loophole that will cause some brief minor inconvenience but nothing too damaging. The genie looks at you, and sees through your ploy.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“I wish I were wearing shoes”, I intoned. The genie stared at me for a second, clearly considering what sort of mischief they could attempt with that wish, and smirked. \n\n“You really think you can make me twist your words so inanely?”\n\n“It was worth a try.”\n\n“And your shoes are a pair of jordans, signed by the whole dream team. Should be worth about, oh, your life’s savings. Congratulations, sports fan. That’s quite the purchase.” \n\nI grimace. I really don’t like sports, and I imagine I will never make all that money back. Even if I try to sell the shoes, I lost any source of regular income when I took that business card and became a magic wrangler. I was relying on my savings to keep me afloat for the next few months. I suppose this genie is smarter than the others, if they thought all that out. \n\nAnd I immediately kick myself. A grin spreads over the genie’s face as they realize that they struck a nerve. My foe vanishes in a puff of smoke, leaving me broke and wearing some very cool shoes." ]	2
	[WP] When you were young, you found a genie and wished to be the luckiest person on earth. You were also cursed by a witch to be the unluckiest person on earth. Your life isn't bad, but the curse and the wish manifest themselves in odd ways.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Some people watch TV while they eat breakfast. Others read a newspaper or a book. Some play with their phones.\n\nI, however, was watching a prismatic arm of blue and yellow trailing kaleidoscopic teal smoke swing out and uppercut a contrasting dusky plum red jaw. I whistled and hurriedly ate another spoonful of cereal. Someone had put my alarm in the washing machine, and I was currently running a bit late.\n\n\"She's going to get that job!\" The blue and yellow being said, even though the still mask that passed as their face didn't move. Their voice was the kind of voice that would kill it as a narrator of alternate universe nature documentaries. The soundwaves somehow felt as if they were curling around themselves.\n\n\"Not if she gets in a car accident on the way there!\" The purple and red being responded with a similar non-movement of their face. Their voice spun and whirled too, but it somehow felt inverted compared to the other.\n\nAtë dodged the next blow and backed up to get a better angle. In a bold move, Caerus jumped forward, not letting them catch their metaphorical breath, and slammed them into the wall. They took advantage of the size difference, literally lifting the demon-esque anthropomorphized curse up. My paintings wobbled dangerously. I gave a curt \"Hey!\" from my position at the table. Caerus stilled, as if my warning was something serious to consider and not the annoyed yap of a tired girl with bedhead who had to rehammer one too many finishing nails. Not to mention muffled by a mouthful of utterly unintimidating half-chewed sugar-glazed grain.\n\nI regretted my in hindsight distracting vocalization as Atë closed two of their carapaced arms around Caerus gradient-ed waist, and, through a balance between pushing their clawed feet on the wall and pulling with a third arm on one of my Ikea wall lamps, managed to haul the much bigger being up and switch what surface of my house was \"down\" for them.\n\nSo, to recap, the two beings fighting over whether my job interview would go well were now standing on the ceiling.\n\nMeanwhile, I was reminiscing on a certain toxic Wiccan ex of mine and an awkward encounter with one of the ancient wish granters on my way to California, trying to get away from my hometown in Utah, wondering where exactly everything went wrong. Well, geographically, it would be around Red Rock Canyon. That was when the older curse first appeared and tried to get me to ditch the, and I quote, \"basic-ass khaki-lover of a tour guide and have some fun trying to find the nearest railing to jump over\". They seemed almost as surprised by their sudden faux-physical materialization as I was. The tiny impish curse was followed by another, with characteristic punctuality, chanting lines that sounded like it was plucked straight from a suicide-prevention call center's training manual. Back then, Caerus's butterfly-like face patterns weren't as developed, and Atë's horns were less dragon and more baby goat...\n\nI was shaken out of my reminiscing by an Atë-colored blur screeching like a psychedelic overdose, landing on the floor like a particularly insectoid bag of potatoes. Claw marks split their red mask right across their uniform inky eyes, and plum blood had splattered on the mane of strangely gelatinous fur around their face. Temporarily blinded, Atë's long fennec fox ears raised to try and hear the slight scraping of claws that would give away when Caerus jumped off the ceiling.\n\nI deliberately crunched extra loud and open-mouthed on the last of my cereal, and the ears twitched in exasperation tainted with dread.\n\n\\---\n\nTheir brawl continued in a way that would be tedious to write and even more tedious to read. There were punches, kicks, headbutting, some brief mutilation of faces, and improvised weapons. At one point Caerus's even managed to repeatedly close the fridge door on Atë's spiky head. I tried to get past them both to place my bowl in the dishwasher without luck, cursing my large kitchen. Even if no one else could see or touch the spells, I would actually feel it (though no actual wounds appeared) if I got one of Atë's kicks in the face, and the little shit was doing nothing to try and stop that from happening. After a few all-around unproductive minutes of weaving in between two magical beings trying to rip each other's throats out, Caerus's defense of me started to get a bit slow and flimsy, they were apparently getting worn out trying to keep two bodies safe. I concluded that maybe washing dishes was overrated, threw the bowl under the table, and focused all my effort on just getting out of the room and into my car on time.\n\nAtë shook himself off after getting kicked in the stomach, and turned, getting down on all fours (in Atë's case, all sixes) and flipping away like a professional gymnast. At this range, they might have an edge over Caerus. The younger spell's fear of destroying something in my house and therefore lack of ranged weapons, uncontrollable once thrown, meant they were limited to close range.\n\nI had no idea how accurate my metaphor of edges was until Atë grabbed two knives out of the stickman knife holder on my kitchen counter behind them without looking and flung them both at Caerus. \"Eat steel, you moth-lookin' bitch!\"\n\nAtë had always been better with weapons. Realizing one of the knives was heading like a tiny stabby missile toward my window, Caerus jumped forward to grab it, taking the second, strategically ignored blade to the shoulder like a champ. Misty bubbly sapphire blood, just a smidgeon heavier than air, oozed from the wound. It floated a centimeter or so above my linoleum floor. Caerus looked at me with the determination and loyalty of a medieval knight of legend. \"I'll keep them occupied! Go!\"\n\nTheir tone held what I, in my humble opinion, thought was way too much drama for an interview at Mcdonalds', but it seemed like a good plan. I very bravely abandoned my empty bowl and heroically ran out of my house, the sounds of intense ethereal fighting getting quieter and quieter with every step.\n\nI might have been a bit too quick on my way there (I blame my nerves) and may have run a red light. If I needed to, If I needed to, I'd just bribe Atë into inaction with snacks and let Caerus possess someone and get me out of trouble.\n\nAtë didn't quite get it (and probably wouldn't care if they did) but someone in the family needed to pay the bills.\n\nWe were a bit of a strange household, but we managed.", "\"I have always loved you. From the moment I saw...\"\n\nI checked out. Julianne has been my crush since high school. She seemed so coll and cheerful, and he had dreamt so many times of receiving a confession. But now she looked so... Pathethic.\nHe knew why she confessed. It wasn't a coincidence that she asked him out the day after he won 98k at the national lottery.\n\nHe sighed, looking down at the massive scar on his arm, the reminder of a very nasty car accident two years ago that left him paralyzed for two months. He had made a full recovery, like always, but the crash had left him with massive debts. A debt that, coincidentally, amounged to 98k.\n\nJust like the time he started his own company and started to rake in 5k a month, after which his mother was diagnosed with a life threathening disease. Curable, yes, but the medicine costed almoat 5k a month.\n\nHe got up, cutting off Julianne and leaving. \"I hope you're fucking happy\", he whispered, fully aware of the fact that the genie was watching and laughing at him." ]	3
	[WP] People all over the globe have started developing superpowers. However so have the animals, bugs, and plant life. Villains have become the least of societies worries.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“You hear that Dave can fly now?” Logan’s words dripped with disdain. As if Dave’s gift had slighted him personally. \n\n“Wow, fuck, actually? Are we talking like wings flapping, Dragonball Z style, what?” Anthony had taken to the upheaval around the world with utter excitement. Cataloguing and categorizing every new superpower as he learns of it. Likewise with the powers developed by the wildlife, which had now ushered the need for its own volume of notebooks after only a month. \n\n“I swear man, this whole thing is dogshit, how can Dave get powers, my stupid sister can see the future, your uncle Duncan can phase through walls now apparently and he’s already being sketchy about it. I’m just some asshole in a basement. Also I’m pretty sure the spider in my shed is powered now and fuck that.” Logan never took the news well, but Logan always felt like he was owed something by the world anyways. This whole phenomenon just added to his sense of misanthropy. \n\n“Well, you’re gonna be an asshole in a basement who is late for work if you don’t stop chatting and start getting ready. Also maybe stop fucking with the thing and let it eat bugs in peace. What reason do you have to go in that shed anyways? It’s mostly your Dad’s old stuff.”\n\n“Dude, fuck that. I’m honestly gonna quit today. And it’s been growing more than usual man, the thing is a freak show, all I’ve done is throw rocks at the door trying to get it to piss off.”\n\n“You’ve said that before multiple times but you have the conviction of a blade of grass. As displayed by those sage pest control techniques.” \n\n“Ha! Fuck you! Ms. Layton’s lawn ate the Morgan’s Jack Russell last week, so I’ll take that. And I threw like 5 rocks, so what? It’s just some noise. It’s not like I’ve got a target on my back now.” \n\n“What?! How have you not told me that yet?! Also having the conviction of dog-eating grass is still a low bar, superstar.” Grabbing his most recent notebook, earmarked close to its end, Anthony furiously scribbles in the details, prodding for more. \n\n“So like it opened up? Like a mouth? Or..-“\n\n“Naw, the dog just like… dissolved into the grass, and now there’s this weird patch that’s sort of white and fuzzy. It’s kinda whack to be honest. Ms. Layton was telling the Morgan’s she thinks she hears cries from the lawn at night but she’s probably just hallucinating from he trauma or someth-“\n\nKnock knock knock KNOCK KNOCK\n\nA long pause held in the air as Anthony and Logan stared up the staircase to the source of the sound, seemingly the front door. \n\n“Is that your sister? I thought she stopped living here after she started seeing the future and shit?” Anthony’s careful diction doubled in concern as he watched the look on Logan’s face slip from his passive story telling, into a noticeable fear. \n\n“No, man. She’s in Prague. And we haven’t gotten along since Mom and Dad. She was weird when she lef-“\n\nKnock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.\n\n“Who knocks like that? Is someone mad at you? Did you fuck with the neighbours kid again?” Anthony no longer straining to veil his discomfort. \n\n“First of all, that little shit can see through walls and I know it, his Mom can’t fool me, she just didn’t want to get in shit for her son peeping on my sist-“\n\nKNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.\n\n“Okay, let’s go yell at a stranger.” Logan springs up the stairs skipping two at a time, Anthony walking slowly to the base of the stairs to listen. \n\nAs the sound of the old creaky door hinges filled the house, it was quickly followed by an indecipherable commotion of screams and the sounds of coarse scraping, snapping, and crashing, blended together into madness. \n\nAnthony stood motionless at the base of the stairs, unwilling to speak. Staring up to the slightly ajar basement door, waiting for something, anything to break the silence. \n\nFinally, mercifully at first, steps filled the air. \n\nBut something was off. This wasn’t the sound of Logan’s slight form. \n\nMaybe 3 or 4 people." ]	2
	[WP] God decides to allow a person to inherit his position. Now he just has to explain why this person specifically is right for the job.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Two men stood in an infinite white space.\n\n\nOne was a young man in his twenties, wearing typical clothing of a middle-class citizen.\n\n\nThe other is an Ancient old man in robes befitting royalty.\n\n\nCurrently, the Young man's Face was scrunched in confusion at the decision made by the man in front of him.\n\n\n\" Though I am not questioning your decision, aren't there better people for it?\" The young man asked.\n\n\nThe old man otherwise known as God smiled at the Young man's worries and responded.\n\n\n\" Indeed there are.\"\n\n\n\"Then why?\"\n\n\n\"Why you?\"\n\n\nThe Young man nodded.\n\n\n\"Because a perfect God is a flawed one.\" Said God with a sigh.\n\n\n\"What?\" \n\n\n\" If a woman so beautiful she made the best supermodels look ugly walked in the same bar as you, would you attempt to befriend, let alone seduce her?\" Asked the old man.\n\n\nThe young man shook his head as he spoke.\n\n\n\"No. She'd be too far out of my league for that. Not to mention even if it did manage to go somewhere I'd-\"\n\n\n\"Feel like you were undeserving of her.\" The old man finished while nodding in understanding.\n\n\n\" That is exactly why a perfect God is in itself flawed. Being God isn't about being worshipped, that's only a consequence. It's about leading people down a path of self-discovery and enlightenment. To give those without meaning in their lives purpose. But if all felt undeserving. None would seek help from above, feeling themselves unworthy of assistance from a being so far above them. Only those who felt they were entitled to it would seek God out.\" Said the old man as he watched understanding slowly appear on the younger Man's face.\n\n\n\"That's also why I choose you, Alexander Haper, to be imbued with the beginnings of Godhood. You are not perfect, nor would you make yourself out to be. You make mistakes and aren't ashamed of the fact. You are good, but not to a fault. You have evil inside you, more than most, but control it with an iron grip. Perfect you may not be, but you are more qualified than any other human in the universe to inherit my power. To become the next god of this universe in my absence.\" Finished God.\n\nAn: Decided since I posted it I should at least make one myself." ]	2
	[WP] You are a necromancer, from a very unheard of order of necromancers that seeks to use the powers over death to put souls to rest. When investigating a towns rumors of wailing and ghosts, you're soon confronted by all the townsfolk, looks like you need to give an explanation of your job.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Night.\n\nAt night, ghouls, specters and skeletons roam about in the town's deserted streets. At night, Wexhin is wandering on his dark horse, translucent cloak shining under the pale light of the town's lanterns. He sighs. It wasn't the first time the Order of Umjir sent him on a mission; yet everytime he went back to their quarters, he couldn't shake the thought that people believed all necromancers intended to raise an army of undeath upon them.\n\nThe Order of Umjir was quite different in its approach over their power. Its members did not use it to raise undying armies, but to help those restless, lost souls in the world towards their passing on. Wexhin was no exception, he'd seen his fair share of haunted towns. A ghoul is wandering in his direction, with slow, strange movements as he ignites a green flame in his hand, its flickers dancing over his gaunt features.\n\n\"Let the light of Umjir guide you back to the afterlife,\" he says, encircling the ghoul with a green pentagram as it howls in response. \"Do not be so resistant; you are not here to serve me.\"\n\nTrot. Trot. The slow trotting of the dark horse is the only audible thing in this empty town. He spots a few ghosts appearing and vanishing as if nothing happened, and draws a circle in the air with the flame in his hand, a short motion that encases the two ghosts he's been watching. \"Pass on, you restless souls. You've been wandering here for too long, so sayeth Umjir.\"\n\nAfter a long night of putting souls to rest, Wexhin notices that everyone in the tavern is watching him. With a sigh, he expects them to draw swords, and threaten to kill - or perhaps really wishing to kill him - when one of the people approaches his table, a strange look in his eyes.\n\n\"You's a necromancer, aren't you? Why don't you go away, back to your skeleton army or something like that? We don't want your kin here. We'll be brought into undeath.\"\n\n_I'm not that kind of necromancer,_ Wexhin thinks for a second. \"I'm not like the necromancers you may have met. The Order of Umjir seeks to put these souls to rest,\" Wexhin answers.\n\n\"Never heard of it,\" the man adds. \"If this order of yours really helps us with our... problem, maybe yous can be given passage.\"\n\n\"Of course. I don't intend to raise an army. I'm just doing magic to help those souls find some peace. Do you have anyone haunting your dreams?\"\n\nThe man is silent for a long while, before answering. \"My sister. If you find her in here... tell her to pass on for me, will you?\"\n\nWexhin takes a good look at the man, his eyes red with rims, tears threatening to spill. _Oh, for Umjir's sake._ \"I will. If you promise me no one is going to hound me for what I'm doing.\"\n\n\"No one is going to pester you, sir...?\"\n\n\"Wexhin.\"\n\n\"Thank you, sir Wexhin. Good luck.\"" ]	2
	[WP] You sell your body for a living, literally. You get paid for others to temporarily inhabit your body. Your clients range from elderly people who just want to relive youth, to spirits that have unfinished business in life, to Gods that want to have some fun in the mortal realm.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I had a dream like this, not exactly the wp, but I've seen worse and this should be on topic, so here we gooooo.....\n\n...\n\n...\n\n\n\nDowntown in unnamed city next to a pizza shop is an unmarked shop. The shop is locked behind a thick door and clearly says appointments only. \n\nA large heavyset woman walks up and knocks three times. A nervousness pervades the air and she steps foot to foot fidgeting. A few seconds drag on until the blinds raise up and 2 eyes peer out, several locks are undone from the metal door. The door opens to a large man wearing a workout outfit covered in sweat. The women wrinkles her nose, the smell of sweat making her audibly snort and cover her nose.\n\nThe man waddles behind the counter shutting the fold down makeshift bar /desk. He turns and says to the women, \"are you ready?\"\n\nShe struck by the straightforwardness fidgets with her hands and says, \"are you the one?\" The man replays, \"yes, my opening will be on Tuesday and Friday. I suspect it shouldn't take longer then\"..., He looks her up and down, inspecting carefully every part of her body,... \"maybe 6 months for health, and 10 for looks. In two months I can squeeze you into a Sunday half session. This would cost more and speed results.\"\n\nGrabbing a stack of papers he starts pacing through them while continuing to speak, \"Each month as required by law I will give you 3 days to go and do whatever you want, or you can just watch tv or skip the break, but I must wake you for it regardless. I suggest at least checking in with you family. Maybe going on a date with your significant other. You shouldn't lose ties with the world\"\n\nThe overweight man looks up from a stack of papers he has been going over, and says, \"any questions or concerns?\"\n\nThe woman stuttering grabs her purse and says, \"Are you going to be the one? I am not sure I feel okay...\"\n\nSetting the stacks of papers down the man says, \" don't worry about it, I am a trained professional and all my sessions are fully recorded. I will not do anything to harm you.\" Pausing a moment he says, \"however injuries do happen, I perform extreme care especially in the first few weeks so as to bring you up to speed. The longer you stay the better the result.\" \n\nHe turns and shouts down a hall the women hadn't noticed yet. A women comes down, she is a very beautiful women wearing modest workout attire, or maybe it's just sweatpants and a t-shirt, the nervous women isn't sure. \n\n\"The large man says to the slender woman, can you show her to the femine bay, and explain the standard procedures. I will meet you two back here in 30 minutes.\"\n\nA couple hours pass by and the obese women is asleep being lowered into a vat of viscous liquid. The overweight man and woman look on. \n\nThe slender woman turns to the man and says, \"so when were you planning on taking that vacation?\"\n\n\"I need to align the members schedules so I can afford to take off, I'm not sure when that will happen,\" he says shaking his head. \n\n\"It's been 3 years since you have even taken a day off. When are we going to go have fun again? I don't want another decade to pass without getting a vacation. Also you need to stop neglecting your body, mother would have had your head by now.\" She looks at the ground a kicks the floor, \"you know I can't stay here forever, I need to one day enter society again. Maybe find a cute guy...\"\n\nCough cough the man choking back a water bottle he appeared to be chugging; \"You are wanting to have a family? That's great! The business can support you in the worst situation, after all I'll always be here for you.\"\n\n\"That's exactly the problem!\" She shouts suddenly, \" How long are you going to do this? When are you going to...\"\n\n\"Sweetie, I will stop when I feel like I am ready to meet her. I can't yet. I don't know why but something still isn't right. For now I am here for you. I want you to have no worries. I want to protect you.\"\n\n\"Papa...\" she says, \"You can't stay here forever. You need to go see grandma. I'm sure she's waiting for you.\" \n\n\"Fine, you win.\" He says defeated, \"I'll take a vacation. Im sure everyone will be okay having a week off to go back to their families. We can go on that cruise you have been bringing up.\"\n\n\"The cruise was 2 decades ago!\" She shouts, \" this is what I'm talking about, when are we going to go out into the real world again? When are you going to take a break?\"\n\n\" I... I can't right now, I have these people here\" he waves around to the 12 tanks each housing varying levels of obese people asleep. His hand stops on a 30 something year old man frozen. \"You know how expensive it is to cryo freeze myself. I hate having to get back in there after I thaw. I am really hoping that the scienctist will have a breakthrough in cryo tech soon.\" Trailing off he suddenly turns with accusation behind his eyes, \"Besides one of us has to be here to wake the other. You have been sleeping more lately, so naturally I have to stay awake.\"\n\n\"Excuses\" she simple says. \"Your my grandfather, yet I'm nearly as old as you are. When's the last time you celebrated a real birthday?\" She starts walking to the door on the far side of the chamber, \"or have you even since grandma passed?\"\n\n\"I have!\" He says as he climbs into the open vat. \"I have spent exactly 985 days in my body since then! Each one with your mom or you. I promised grandma I would.\" He attaches the cords to his temples and lowers himself into the liquid slowly. Reaching out he sets up a protocol on the computer lowering a separate vat with a slightly older man that looks healthy.\n\nGoing under the the liquid an uncomfortable jelly substance enters his lungs and he feels like he's drowning for a brief moment before he enters a code and closes his eyes falling asleep.\n\nTime passes and the older man wakes and climbs out of the vat, throwing up a viscous liquid from his lungs.\n\nShowering down his outfit he drys himself in a cyclone tube before heading out the chamber. Around the corner he sees his grand daughter making breakfast. The room has a palpable silence.\n\nAfter several minutes she speaks up, \"I'm going to sleep for 5 years this time. I want you to finish this batch and take a few years to relax. This is an order. Take it as an order from grandma if you have to. But when I wake you better be free of this... This job. You have the money. 400 years of rich people paying you to get the pounds off naturally, has made you exceptionally wealthy.\"\n\n\"It would be hard to rebuild a customer base once I lose it. You know how long that could take! A couple years break is like a death...\"\n\n\"Sentence?\" She smirks, \" Yes, that's the point. You can't live forever. You need to stop this farce of a life and go live again. And die\"\n\n\"And if I don't?\" He mumbles back.\n\n\"I will leave. And you will be alone. I fear this for you. But I want to share my life with you, but I have to live to share the life. Right now I'm not living, you know this.\"\n\n\"I'll think about it. Perhaps I can train someone and I can slowly get back into things. I think I can train someone. I think...\"\n\n\n...\n\n...\n\nPs: Annnnnnnnnd that's where I woke up. Not sure where that story was going but it was an interesting dream. Hope it's relevant. I kind of had to add some dialogue that was about the feelings of what was happening as there were not many words spoken in the dream itself. Alot of it was memories / scenes where I floated around observing or seeing from the person's perspective. I'm not actually sure how many years had passed or if the grandma was alive or not, but in the dream everything was very vague. Almost like memories of his were melting together.", "His head pounded.\r \n\tThe drowsiness of the take-over subsided and he found himself in new sorroundings. Trash littered around and a foul stench of rotten food, found their way to his nostrils. As he stood up, his body ached and found himself naked. He grabbed the nearest piece of trash resembling a loincloth, and stumbled out of the alleyway. Bruised and clad in trash, he found himself in downtown Detroit, close to Billy´s, but still a shuttleride home. Walking towards the station he passed windows and found a beaten, broken man staring back at him. His lip split and eye swollen. He stared back at himself, mangled and hurt.\r \nFalling down the street, his one eye caught the diffused red and blue light getting nearer. Staring straight into the lights, it triggered the layover memories.\r \nThe comfortable seats of limosine, a well tailored suit and bottles of liqour. Wild blinding lights in a sweaty room, with a thumping in his chest. Lines of fairy dust in a fancy hotel room and a pretty woman. A glimpse of a tatooed dragon before a world of pain. His vision fading.\r \nHis stomach tensed and bile covered the street. The storefront windows mimicking the humiliation unfolding. A soft, commanding voice spoke -\r \n“A marionette? Scan him, see where he lives”. - \r \n\tHe saw the world passing by in brief glimpses of consciousness. The latenight radio distracting his mind his crippled body. He awoke to a standstill and 4 hands towing him out the vehicle and inside his apartment building. When they came to the fourth floor they pressed his backhand to the blank slate beside the door, whereby it opened with a whoosh. Doors sliding aside, they ventured into a dirty, sparsly decorated apartment. They layed him in an old couch and brought forth a little tablet, and wrote down a series of notes. The softspoken officer spared a sorrowful glance before leaving with their colleague.\r \n\tWhen he came to, it was the following day. Light dawned upon his disfigured face, exposing the extent of the damage caused by the latest takeover. His head still pounding, he looked around searching. Finding the small bottle containing the pain killers, he reached out, almost falling and swallowed the remaining contents. He let the painkillers take effect before he uncertainly stood up and walked towards his computer. For a brief moment, he looked out over the Detroit skyline, uncaring for the sight he wavered at the prospect of laying into bed, waiting until either the next takeover request and dosing himself mindnumb in painkillers and liqour. \t\t\r \nThe act of letting yourself being taken over is a disturbing, and oftentimes painful, one. The conscience of another invading, driving your own self to the dark corners of your mind, meant succumbing to a frightning darkness. For the next twelve hours, it was akin to sitting in a small dark claustrophobic box, with the walls ever pressing upon you. It goes on like this, until the walls expand and you find yourself in control again. The darkness fading, head pounding and body aching from an experience few desire.\r \nSitting in his old decrepid chair, he sat before his littered desk. Unwashed plates, forks and knives strewn about crowding the surface. He stared a the screen, shaking. For a while nothing happened. A blank piece of glass reflecting a, defective, man. A tiny bell sounded. A tear fell down his beaten cheeck. His broken face turning to anguish and wet with sorrow. His neck cramping, he stared at his reflection. \n\nAn unfamiliar, but welcome darkness overcame him.", "\"Body rentals?\" I laughed. \"No, I'm out of that game. No, sorry, sir. Let me refer you to another agent, someone still in the sharing business.\" The elderly man on the phone hemmed and hawwed, but eventually I foisted him off on a young woman who usually called herself Nina; I only knew of two other contracts she'd taken, and both had been the calmer sorts of goddesses looking for a loophole.\r \n\r \n\rA grin spread across my face as the thought of what he might do with her, and I hated it. I moved through the house, turning on lights at random, making my way to the fridge. Not again. There couldn't be anything else to eat.\r \n\r \n\rBut I found something, spreading mayo on crackers, mustard on bread, digging through the back of my fridge to find expired condiments I never dumped when my time was mine.\r \n\r \n\rMy phone rang again, rooms away. I ignored it to drain the last dregs out of an old juice container. My teeth were mossy, unbrushed for days, with far worse things than juice in weird corners.\r \n\r \n\rI moved to collect my shoes, and a jacket. I skipped over my wallet, tucking the money directly into the sweatband of my jeans. You can't even keep stuff in your pockets in the places I'd been lately.\r \n\r \n\rMoney, keys. I left the shrill, demanding phone behind.\r \n\r \n\rI drove like someone drunk, but no one ever stopped me. Sometimes I can nudge stuff just so. If the cops pulled me over, demanded my registration, they'd see the rental agreement. Maybe they'd be a seer, have a dog, something to help signal nothing was right.\r \n\r \n\rIt had been three weeks since this ride-along's expiration date, and I don't know how he--probably he--prolonged it. I didn't think a regular person could do this. Maybe a trickery god, but they tend to adhere to the law of the letter I keep in my glovebox. If he was a ghost with unfinished business, I didn't want to know where he was going with his deeds.\r \n\r \n\rI turned off of the main road; the sidewalk and the trees on it gave way to the most stereotypical graffiti and broken glass. Was it me? Was it me, specifically, that he or \"he\" was attacking? Had I been a rental to someone he loved, or hated? He didn't seem to enjoy what I did every few days, but I kept doing it. I couldn't ask, and I doubted he'd tell me if I could.\r \n\r \n\rI only spent fifteen minutes in the gas station bathroom, emerging with filthy knees and a filthier mouth. This wasn't hedonism. It would have been self-destruction, but it wasn't his self to destroy.\r \n\r \n\r\"Disgusting.\" I knew that voice, though not the tone, and I burned with shame I didn't express. Nina. All of five feet tall, standing clean and comfortable in a loose, draped dress that told me she was renting out, too. \"You get your body back, and this is what you do?\"\r \n\r \n\rWhich was a delightful way to find out that this was his body, not mine, and I was the ghost. Well, the other ghost. I don't know why I didn't remember, but she wasn't surprised. Persephone, as it turned out to be, was renting Nina to track my renter/landlord down.\n\nI didn't understand all of the information, but it seemed that he was a vegetable, I took such a long-term contract I no longer remembered doing so, and when he reasserted himself, his prior ownership of the body overrode the rental agreement.\r \n\r \n\r\"You shouldn't have been doing body rentals as a squatter,\" Persephone said, but Nina's eyes were kind, especially since Persephone helped me warn her not to accept that old man's contract.\r \n\r \n\rI asked what would happen now that two rentals occupied the same body, and it was like we were squabbling siblings: we were both shaken out like spiders from a shoe, and we chose our afterlives.\r \n\r \n\rI have to say, after all the fuss, taking a dip in the Lethe river to forget this ever hap", "The only catch of this job is I need to do background checks for people to make sure they don’t use my body for anything insane. When they inhabit my body I don’t really know what they do with it, it’s a personal preference, ever since that one creepy old man did very unpleasant things with my person, I’d rather not get into detail.\n\nBefore I did that on one of my days off some police officers knocked on my door, and said I was caught doing something, they never went into detail, I showed them my body rental license, showed who had my body on that day, and I’ve done background checks ever since. I get a lot of weird customers, more gods wanting to just mess around in the human world than I find comfortable. Then one day this job kinda, got me into a bit of a pickle.\n\nI get a banging on the door, I answered it hoping it’s not any more police officers, to find a woman in her mid 20s so probably my age. She crying tears of pure rage, I open the door to a slap in the face. She was screaming at me about something I don’t even remember anymore, I assumed she wasn’t actually mad at me so I tried to talk to her.\n\n“Miss I’m sorry I think this is a misunderstanding.”\n\n“Oh don’t you try and play the I don’t know you routine on me.”\n\n“No I think your mad at a client of mine not me, I work in body rentals, and I don’t know you so-”\n\n“Do you really expect me to believe that.”\n\nI invited her into my house, sat her down, asked for the details of the day we met, showed her the proof and she seemed embarrassed after that.\n\n“Oh I guess you were right I’m sorry.”\n\n“It’s okay it happens more than you think.”\n\nShe’s calmer now but she’s still crying. I asked her if she wanted to talk about it and she starts spilling about how, she met this guy at a bar they hit off, and she woke up in the hotel room alone.\n\n“Goodness.”\n\n“Yeah, I was so scared I was pregnant but I’m not so thats good I guess.”\n\n“I’m really sorry about everything.”\n\n“It wasn’t your fault, but your job seems kinda dumb.”\n\n“It keeps the lights on, who am I to complain.”\n\n“Yeah I guess your right.”\n\nI get a text from a new client, it’s another ghost.\n\n“Sorry I have to take this.”\n\nIt’s another ghost with unfinished business, I hate those guys, I always wake up with bruises.\n\n“I should probably get going, sorry again for barging in.”\n\n“It’s no problem…..uh hey- if you ever feel like talking again, I’m free tomorrow.”\n\nI suck at being smooth, she laughed.\n\n“Alright I got nothing better to do.”\n\n“You know where to find me.”\n\nShe leaves, and I send him another message to the ghost.\n\n“It has to be done by tomorrow at 8 I have important plans then.”" ]	5
	[WP] you are a man of good cristian faith, you didn"t commit any sin, and were a nice person, so you were shocked that, when you died, you ended up in 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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "All those years of mundane living and I could lived so hard. Fuck it. I’m done. I step through the gates of hell with rage keeping me going. God. What a joke. I wish the Hindus were right. I walk and walk past demons, tortured souls, and pits of sulfur. I fight with all my might to stave off the pursing hell hounds. They rip and tear me apart. They naw on my bones and face. But the limbs are replaced and ran by thumb into one of the hell hounds’ eyes. It’s blood gets in my mouth and I feel stronger than ever.\nI tear the head of one hell hound and scared the other off. I march forward to castle of where I would think Satan resides in.", "I lived my life according to the word of God! I was generous in my donations, I tithed to my church, I attended many events where my homemade or homecooked items were provided for free to raise money for my community. \n\nI died tragically in an accident at a young (ish) age. I was only 47, and my life was cut short. I didn't even realize I was dead until I was facing the devil himself. I had so many questions, but he cut me short and asked me about my son, the queer one. \n\nI know why I'm in hell now." ]	3
	[WP] A person wakes up one day to find they have the powers of Superman, and are by all intents and purposes invincible. They immediately go to do what they think is the right thing, to cleanse the world of evil. They fly from dictatorship to regime killing those they deem evil.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“This just in, what was once a dictatorship is now a wasteland with almost all of its 26 million people slaughtered by a man who was once thought to be our greatest hope and is now our greatest fear, The Elysian. It was only 8:30 in the morning that fateful day before a loud boom and a cumulonimbus cloud split open as the indestructible man flew straight through several city blocks and then melted a few hundred more with his Heat vision in a matter of seconds. A minute and a half passed and the nation’s flag pole suddenly had the dictator’s severed head stabbed into the top along with a bloodied message along the street that reads “Sinners, from this moment on, none of you are safe from me”. As a result of The Elysian’s chilling threat, The United States military has begun working on ways to combat the indestructible murderer, this is Diane Dent and this has been Horizon News.” \n\nAs I turn off the television and look back at my suit and wonder: “Should I get involved with this guy?” He’s reported to have survived a nuclear blast and the heat of the center of sun while being able to fly from here to Andromeda Galaxy and back in under two minutes. He even shifted tectonic plates with his bare hands to stop an earthquake. \n\nI shake my head in denial and frustration as I get up from my couch. What the hell am I thinking, of course I’m getting involved! I can’t just sit by and let things escalate. I then suit up and fly out of my apartment to confront Elysian as Hanuman. As I begin to search for him with super senses that were never included in my inspiration’s myths, I was suddenly tackled by the bastard I was looking for. “Your existence poses a threat to earth! Leave or die!” Elysian threatens as he slams into the Empire State Building from 800 feet above the streets of Manhattan.\n\nThis… really hurts since I’ve never really fought someone who hits as hard as him. “No, you leave or face justice for the crimes you’ve committed!” I rebuttal in defiance as I grab his arm which is gripping my neck and stare daggers at him. Elysian’s eyes glow bright red as he prepares to burn me with his heat vision before I break his arm and knock him into the Exosphere with an uppercut.\n\nI give chase towards my physical match as he stops himself and kicks back after me with violent rage. As we charge into each other, Elysian tries to burn me with his heat vision but I dodge it and then in an instant, our fists collide and a large shockwave follows which stretches out from North Carolina to Maine but didn’t it hit the cities below. \n\nAs we traded blows, creating shockwaves that were as fast as bolts of lightning, Elysian suddenly starts getting angrier and stronger as he starts hitting me like a freight train. He then knocks me out of the sky with a double hammer fist and falls with me. “Today you die, along with everyone else that is just like you!” Elysian screams furiously with beating my face in with right fist while once again gripping my throat with the other one.\n\n“We’ll see!” I retort while grabbing his fist and the back of his neck as I headbutt him, breaking his nose. We end up crashing into the middle of Madison Square Garden, creating a 30 feet wide and 60 feet deep crater. “Stop that!” Elysian demands as he blasts me with his heat vision, burning my chest and shirt before I slam his head deep into the ground with a palm strike.\n\nI can hear his heart rate slowing but not life threateningly slow though which means he’s unconscious and bleeding a lot. A news van pulls up to the scene and a reporter then asks me who I was and why I defeated Elysian. I simply respond “I am Hanuman, The Destroyer… of Evil and I defeated him because I couldn’t sit back and do nothing while he gets to basically hurt whoever he wants to.” I hold up Elysian’s unconscious, bleeding and broken body by his head like a trophy before dropping him like a sack of potatoes and then flying home to get myself cleaned up.\n\nThe next morning, news reports are showing footage of my fight with Elysian despite the fact that we were moving millions of times faster than the human eye can perceive so they slowed the footage down tremendously so that they can properly see it and enjoy it. Feeling good about myself, I decide to go do a little sightseeing and exercise by flying across the entire planet twice.\n\nThe End\n\n(Note: I don’t understand why people think that anyone with Superman’s powers would immediately be an invincible petty despot. Power doesn’t corrupt, it reveals. The measure of anyone’s character is what they’d do with great power, no matter what kind of power it is.)" ]	2
	[WP] You are a physics dropout who switched into classics. On one of your first expeditions, you discover an old painting that is undeniably drawn in a 4D perspective and mathematically correct.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Incredible.\n\nNormally, it would be impossible to portray a 4D object on a 2D plane, just as how it would be impossible to portray a 3D object on a 1D line.\n\nBut the way the paint was layered created the illusion of 3 dimensions, like a holographic playing card. The first holograms were created in the '30s, after the invention of LASERs. \n\nThis painting was dated to the 1830s, a full century before LASERs were invented.\n\n\"Who-\" I glanced around. No one was near. In fact, judging by the dust, no one had been to this corner of the gallery for weeks. \n\nI looked closer at the painting's content. Nothing original, just a still-life of a bowl of fruit. \n\nExcept you could see every part of the fruits from a single angle. \n\nIt was like a reverse 360-degree view, with my field of vision encompassing 360 degrees around the fruit bowl. I tried to circle my arms around the bowl, but they bumped into the glass case protecting the painting.\n\nIt's just an image. How?\n\nI pulled out my phone. The gallery had a no-photography rule, but there was no one around to care. But a glance at the photo only showed a bowl of fruit with a bizarre perspective and lighting. \n\nI need to show my professors this.\n\nI left the gallery, intent on revealing this mysterious masterpiece.\n\nBut when I arrived back at the gallery the next day, it was gone. An empty case on the wall was all that was left. According to the gallerist, it was sold to an anonymous buyer for twice the asking price.\n\nI wonder what job a physics dropout with a minor in Art and a major in Investigations can get." ]	2
	[WP] As someone who works delivering pizzas, you hate the "30 minutes or free" policy, specially when the Dark Overlord feels like ordering pizza to his evil lair	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The demon guarding the Dark Lord's lair, Gorzabolg, collapses with a roar that could wake the dead. He's 20 feet tall and had a tree trunk for a weapon, but I wasn’t worried. For Buddy and me, this is just how our Tuesday nights go.\n\nTo clarify: \"Buddy\" is the name of my '93 Toyota Camry. Almond beige pearl, 232k miles, and it's absorbed so many conflicting blessings, curses, and enchantments throughout its life that it's indestructible. That protection also extends to me while I'm driving. \n\nI don't know the hows or whys of it myself, but Buddy really comes in handy when I have to deliver pizza to the Dark Lord. Imagine plowing the front end of your car into a demon's leg at 50 mph and the only one with a problem is the demon. I drive on past as Gorzabolg writhes on the ground. \n\nI feel for the big guy. I really do. I hate banging my shin too, and I know he’s under orders to kill on sight, but I've got a small pepperoni pizza in the passenger seat and a manager who honors the \"30 minutes and it’s free\" policy like his soul is on the line. \n\nWhich, considering the customer is the Dark Lord, it is. My phone is blowing up with messages begging me to hurry and make the delivery. Forgot to put it on silent for a second.\n\nI've still got five minutes left before my manager's soul is forfeit, and I honk twice at the entrance to be let in. \n\nThe towering stone doors take forever to open, and when they do, the lair's interior is completely dark. Literally, the yawning void of the abyss itself. I gaze into it until the abyss gets off its ass and gazes back at me. Countless twinkling lights emerge from the dark. You'd be forgiven for thinking they're stars, but they're not. They're eyes. \n\nI lower the driver side window and shout into the void. \"Evening, Xo'oragur! Pizza delivery!\"\n\nXo'oragur whispers back his usual sanity-destroying eldritch bullshit. Yeah, yeah, this pepperoni pizza here doesn't give a shit about the futility of existence. I shine Buddy's high beams and holy light shoots out; the abyss evaporates, and Xo'oragur's body scatters like a bunch of extradimensional cockroaches. \n\nI know it rude to drive a car directly into the main hall of a customer's house, even though that customer threatens my manager's soul and all of humanity on the regular. It’s necessary, though. There's one last obstacle waiting for me. \n\nThe interior of the lair changes before my eyes. Hallways bend at new angles. New doorways appear in all directions. Deathtraps churn to life.\n\nThe Dark Lord, partly to thwart heroes and partly because he's a prick, gave his lair a will of its own. Every time I show up, the layout changes to a new and extremely lethal configuration. I roll my eyes. This is why I hate coming here.\n\nI glance at Buddy’s clock. Two minutes left. With all the monsters crawling around, you'd think one could take this pie off me, but the Dark Lord demands the pizza make it into the throne room. \n\n\"Lair. Cursed Lair of the Dark Lord!\" Taking a page out of my mom's playbook here and using the lair's full name to show I mean business. I glare meaningfully at the ceiling. \"We do this every week. Can you pretty please take it easy on me tonight and let me through to the throne room?\"\n\nIn response, the walls start bleeding and leaking the souls of the damned. Great.\n\nOne minute left to go. I slam on the accelerator. \n\nStone walls fly apart like Jenga blocks. A haunted piano shrieks as it splinters under Buddy’s tires. Cursed axes bounce off the windshield. The clusterfuck of enchantments on my car ensures none of this so much as scratches Buddy's finish, and I don't feel a thing except for spite.\n\nThe lair quakes like its throwing a tantrum and the souls of the damned throw themselves at Buddy in a desperate attempt to slow it down. It's too late. I've already activated my secret weapon. \n\nIt's called cruise control. \n\nI fucking hate my car’s cruise control.\n\nIt makes Buddy drive forward on its own. A fine and normal function, except Buddy does it with complete disregard for the laws governing space-time. If I don't immediately shut my eyes and ignore the impossible shit happening around me, I'm 100% certain my brain will explode.\n\nAlso, I'm pretty sure Buddy turns sentient, or stops pretending it isn't, because I hear the horn honk itself and the turn signal click every so often. I peek with one eye. Xo'oragur gawks back at me with hundreds of billions of eyes as Buddy flies through the 5th dimension. I stop peeking.\n\nI repeat a few mantras I thought up specifically for these moments and start the process of calming myself down. “I am fine. I am at peace,” I remind myself. “My magical Camry violates space-time to help deliver pizzas sometimes, and that's okay.” The radio switches itself over to pleasant classical music. It helps. \n\nEventually I get my shit back together and Buddy stops moving. I open my eyes to a massive throne room. Sitting atop a vaguely chair-shaped pile of bones and flesh tendrils is the Dark Lord. He is incredulous.\n\nI check the clock. Right on time. I step out with the pizza and approach the Throne of Shadows.\n\n\"I have an order for Dark Lord Xythor,\" I say.\n\nXythor takes the time to process this. He stares at me, then Buddy, then the rift in space-time Buddy exploded out of, and finally back to me. Xythor’s cackles echoes through the room.\n\n\"Well done!\" He applauds. \"Once again, you've defeated my gate guardians and bested my cursed lair in the allotted time!\"\n\nThe aforementioned lair hisses a couple ancient curses from the walls before falling into a quiet sulk.\n\n\"I am satisfied. As a reward, I will spare your manager's soul for another week,\" says Xythor. “I look forward to your efforts next Tuesday.”\n\nI nod graciously and fight back a yawn. \"Thank you, your magnificence. That'll be $6.31.\"\n\n\"Hmm?\" Xythor only now remembers the pizza. His eyes light up even more. \"Ah, yes! With this offering, humanity staves off annihilation at my hands once again. Servants, bring forth the reward!\" \n\nAt Xythor's command, skeletal hands rise from the ground and present me with a sinister-looking orb and a stone tablet with runes that hurts to look at for too long. Just when I'm about to return to my car and have Buddy remind the Dark Lord what passes for money in this day and age, another disembodied arm gives me a twenty-dollar bill. I get to keep the change. \n\nThe artifacts go in the trunk, and as usual, Buddy starts absorbing their magic power. I'm not looking forward to what exciting new features this adds to my car, but I’m glad Buddy gets a treat for all this. \n\nThe lair opens a direct path back to the front entrance for Buddy and me and slams the doors shut after I drive through. Gorzabolg the demon waves goodbye from a sitting position. The lair might be a huge brat, but Gorzabolg? He’s a good guy.\n\nI call back my manager to let him know his soul is safe for another week, but he's already sobbing about some new order. Apparently, the World-Eater's back on his bullshit and will collide with Earth unless an envoy of humanity presents it with a 2-liter of Pepsi and three pasta bowls. I assure my manager I'm headed back to the store as quick as I can. I could turn on cruise control to help me out, but fuck that. This isn’t anything to stress over. \n\nFor Buddy and me, this is just how our Tuesday nights go." ]	2
	[WP] as a vigilant you are hated by both heroes and villains, then after being drugged and knocked out, you wake up to a team of heroes and a gang of villains. Fighting over your fate like children refusing to share a toy.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Sora shifted grumpily in place, a pair of glowing ropes wrapped around him to keep him tied down, Sora staring and watching the hero’s fight the villains, rolling his eyes before a sharp feeling went through him, his eyes rolling back gaining the attention of the villain that had been ‘guarding’ him. \n\nThey then began to frantically panic as a black substance oozed out of his mouth and eyes at a alarming rate “Oi! Boss! We got a problem with the blueberry! He’s leaking worse than the toilet in Keeses room!” A strange shark-like villain shouted a whine before returning to fighting, the boss glancing over along with the hero he had been fighting. The groups slowly stopping as Sora more and more became coated in a dripping liquid, guard kneelijg a bit to try and rub some off before a sharp tendril grabbed them, wrapping around them and harshly tossing them to the side\n\nSora, or whatever he became, then opened one of its piercing blue eyes as it stared, then chuckled. It’s voice different, as if amused by the situation “My oh my! What has the lazy little classic gotten himself into. I told him to leave the running and fighting to me or the others, foolish twit” he grinned, then examined the hero’s who were beginning to cower as more sharp dripping black tendrils appeared in a black cage around it \n\n“Ah. But nevertheless, I’m getting ahead of myself. Please, call me Frightmare!~ Your worst everloving fears all bundled into a puddle, ready to drown you once you fall right in! “ he cooed faintly at the thought, looking slowly at the villains now who were even becoming nervous themselves hearing the words coming out of the males mouth.\n\nThe captain leading the hero’s then shouted in pain, the group looking at him before watching his fly across the room with a tendril wrapped tightly around his stomach, then they attempted to grab him before the limb moved once more, slamming the hero around like a rag doll. They now realize, this wasn’t Sora. This man was different, a villain with a boiling ego ready to burst, a freighteningly calm smile plastered over their face as they stood and continued.\n\nThe two groups realized.. They couldn’t bicker over him, this man, this being within Sora had said something. That there were more.. within the lazy smiling Anti-hero was a dark group, a group of separate minds ready to guard their host. But to the hero’s hope, every stable mindspace has its light, which in hopes means their must be a good group as well.. they hope.\n\n//Sorry it this is cheesy, this is a brain new character and he’s a bit chaotic at the moment. Tryna test him. I hope you enjoy!//", "\"We finally formally meet, Blue Bandit.\"\n\nWell, I was tied to a chair with a sack over my head after being knocked out. Average Tuesday.\n\nThe bag was ripped off my face to reveal a dark room. Getting kidnapped was normal enough as a vigilante, I could usually get out without much trouble, what surprised me was the sheer amount if people who had caught me.\n\nThere in front of me was the ever famous Good Guardians. Their leader, Captain Good, had been the one to take the bag off. This part was funny as I didn't think their team of three would be the drugging and abducting type.\n\nThat was weird on its own, but then the other side of the room was filled with some of the most wanted villians, the Bad Blasters. Laser Lord was snickering along with his posse of bad guys. \n\nOh, I could guess why this was happening.\n\n\"Lets see...\" Miss Mist held up a sheet of paper, reading off the list. \"Thirty seven accounts of property damage, fifty five unauthorized power usages, seventy instances of interrupting heroes on the job and ninety nine unregistered patrols. You, little miss, are number one wanted by the hero agency.\" \n\n\"Can it with the numbers,\" Deadly Dare wore a full face mask, but I could practically feel his eyes roll. \"The point is you've been a menace. To all of us. It's time for revenge.\"\n\nSaw Arms rivved up his, well, saw arms. \n\n\"Saw Arms? Using Saw Arms?!\" I gasped at him in mock surprise. \"What a shocker! Don't tell me... is Acid Spit going to??? Spit acid?!?!\"\n\nAcid Spit shuffled her feet, stepping behind Captain Good, glaring at me. \"Shut up. And no, Saw Arms will not be using his Saw arms. We are turning you into the Hero Agency.\"\n\n\"What the fuck?!\" Saw Arms yelled, pointing his saw arms at Acid Spit. \"Hell no! We're taking her in for interrogation! And maybe torture!\" \n\n\"Come on, Blue bitch has been under our skin for just as long,\" Phantom scoffed. She's always been a snide little shit. \"I think we should take her in. Once she's beaten and broken, we'll give her back to you!\" \n\nAll the villians nodded and the heroes stared in shock at the opposite team. I honestly couldn't care either way, as soon as the group's were isolated I could easily get away. Hell, I could get away now. But not going to lie, it's fun to see the righteous pricks and the evil assholes fight. \n\n\"I like that plan!\" Saw Arms turned back on his saw arms.\n\n\"No!\" Captain Good took a step forward. \"She either needs to be tried for her crimes or officially register as a hero. Torture is immoral.\"\n\n\"tOrTuRe Is ImMoRaL,\" Laser Lord copied, holding hip his hand like a puppet. \"Do I look like I give a shit?! You're lucky we're not killing her on the spot!\"\n\n\"Pshh!\" I laughed. \"Like you could. Like that time you totally killed me when I stopped you from robbing that bank? Or when you tried to mind control the whole city?! Please.\"\n\n\"Why you little-\" Laser Lord took a step forward with his laser gun before being stopped by Miss Mist. \n\n\"Oh no you don't!\" Miss Mist hissed. Wow. Try saying that ten times fast. \"Even though she's a little nuisance, she's still probably got a civilian life. No killing.\" \n\n\"Yeah, uh, speaking of,\" I chuckled, trying to lighten the atmosphere. \"What time is it? I have some civilian stuff to attend to.\" \n\n\"Well shut up and cancel your plans,\" Phantom snapped. \"You're coming with me when this is over.\"\n\n\"What?!\" Laser Lord stared at her. \"I believe the Bad Blasters get first priority. We've been villians the longest. Plus, we're a team.\"\n\n\"A team of two!\" Saw Arms complained. \"You and Deadly Dare never leave any good pickings for the rest of us!\" \n\n\"Well it doesn't matter!\" Acid Spit pointed out. \"She's coming with the Good Guardians back to the Hero Agency.\"\n\n\"Do you prissy bitches ever shut the fuck up about the Hero Agency?!\" Deadly Dare groaned. \"Besides, you're out numbered.\"\n\n\"We'll see about that!\" Captain Good cracked his knuckles. \n\nBy far the lamest fight I've ever seen. It was in a small space, too small for any cool lasers or acid spit, or really even for any saw arms. Luckily the single lightbulb in the room hung low, so it was easily knocked out before ten seconds. \n\n\"Fools!\" Phantom shouted as the lights went out. \"She's going to escape!\" \n\nPerfect, I knew this would happen sooner or later. I picked the lock while everyone was still yelling in confusion and faded into the darkness. Shadow teleportation was really handy.\n\n\"While it's been fun,\" I said, opening the door to let some light in. \"I must be on my way. Amazing effort, deffinetly not what I expected, a solid 7/10 plan. Better luck next time!\"\n\nBefore any of the idiots could process what I said, I closed and locked the door. Who had an outside lock.\n\nWhatever. Thanks to that fucking disaster, I'm going to be late for my first day of highschool." ]	3
	[WP] A group of humans exit Earth's atmosphere for the first time in history; a deity tells them that they're not allowed up there.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Houston, we have exited the atmosphere. I repeat, Houston, we have exited the atmosphere!” The astronaut said, while smiling broadly, before giving a slight wince from the loud cheers emitting from his helmet.\n\n“Well, we fuckin’ did it, we made history, mates.” Another of the astronauts said, while clapping two more on the back.\n\nAll of the four astronauts stationed on the Aura II (Isaac, Martinez, Luna, and Holly) were grinning from ear to ear - as they had done what nobody had ever done before - exited Earth’s atmosphere.\n\nThe Aura I tried the same, but failed disastrously and nobody was quite sure why. It was unclear if they left the Earth’s atmosphere, but they went no contact suddenly and simply never responded, and nobody working at NASA was quite sure what happened. Their cover story was that a fire broke out - but nobody knew the truth.\n\n“Well, you guys are now living legends, how’s it feel?” Mission control told the ecstatic astronauts.\n\nJust as Holly was about to respond, Mission Control continued talking. “Please take the necessary footage and write down everything you see - we need as much information as possible when you end up returning to Earth in 511 days. Remember all-“ Mission Control suddenly cut out.\n\n“All what?” Martinez said, right as Holly said “Hello? You cut out.”\n\nThe astronauts waited a few more seconds, with small knots of worry and panic forming in their stomachs.\n\n“Hey, we can’t hear you.”\n\n“Everything ok?”\n\n“You cut out, please respond.”\n\n“Houston?”\n\nThe astronauts tried, in vain, to get Mission Control to respond, but to no avail.\n\n“Guys… what the fuck is happening?” Isaac asked, as his voice shook a little.\n\n“I’m sure they’re just having a power outage.” the ever calm Martinez responded. “Happens to everyone.”\n\n“Yeah, but that doesn’t happen at NASA Headquarters… do you know how many goddamn backup generators they have?!” Isaac retorted, obviously panicking.\n\n“Well what should we do? What if we lose contact for a while.” Holly asked, her voice slightly higher than usual.\n\nThe four astronauts stared in silence at each other, as they understood the gravity of the situation that they may be in. All four of them had to deal with the realization that they may not have Mission Control to speak to for quite some time, and they all knew the end result of the last rocket that left the atmosphere.\n\n“G-Guys, what if this is what happened to the Aura I…” Luna asked, with a tremor in her voice.\n\n“Oooooh fuck” Isaac said, just as Holly said “This is scary as hell.”\n\nJust as Martinez opened his mouth to speak, he stopped, as all of the astronauts seemed to hear something from inside of their brain.\n\n#”Don’t let them find you. Return to Earth and never come back.”" ]	2
	[WP] two alien races fight each other but the anatomy of both means that their weapons that are usually used on their own species have mysterious effects on the other race.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The Karak-Zenthian war was at a stalemate, ten years on. Though not for the reasons one would assume.\n\nThe Karak were large, mamalian, and strong, but few in number. And so they used fleets of drones for most of their warefare, communicating on imaginary-number frequencies perpendicular to the standard Electro-magnetic spectrum. The drones themselves proved inefective against the Zenthian armor, but the signals they used had interesting effects all there own.\n\nThe Zenthian people were a telepathic race, individually small, but excellent at teamwork. But the drone-signals, they introduced a kind of 'static' into the overmind. The workers and warriors found it hard to concentrate, or to work together. Many suffered, but a select few thrived in their newfound individuality, becoming great leaders, artists, and philosophers in a society that prized conformity and submission above all else. These mavericks and rogues, who in some cases refuse to be re-integrated to the all-thing, are slowly but surely sowing disonance in the long-unified Zenthian society...\n\nThe Zenthian's when fighting amoungst themselves in the bad old days, had discovered a peculiar plant, with pollen poisonous to their kind. They would cultivate it in quantity, and then deploy it with whatever methods were available. First just by throwing it into the air upwind, then with modified crop-dusters and eventually missiles. It killed no-one, but the allergic inflammation caused disconnection and confusion, allowing the fallen to be assimilated.\n\nBut for the Karak, it was a different story. Xenoanthropologists noted toe Karak to be, to an anomolous extent for a society as warelike, sexually egalitarian. Dressing and presenting similarly, serving in mixed crews, and being neither patriarchal nor matriarchal in their entire recorded history. The reason for this is that, most of the time, Karak were asexual. They knew neither romance nor lust for most of their lives. Only during a specific, narrow season would this change, their infamous bloodlust being converted, for a few weeks, into an equally infamous actual lust.\n\nThe mating season was in the autumn of every third year. And the specific physiological trigger was the pollen-season of a particular plant. The Zenthian war-spore allowed them to trigger this mating-season at will. This was less effective than expected, as while it made Karak less organized and more... distractable, it also cranked their legendary ferrocity in battle to an absurd degree, lust and bloodlust mixing into a sickening melange.\n\nRecently, the Karak captured a handful of Xenthian war-chemists, and with them seeds of the war-pollen plant. The 'mate-powder', as Karak now called it, quickly found it's way away from the front lines to civilian worlds, where it's recreational use in certain subcultures is causing increasing social upheaval..." ]	2
	[WP] Every 28 days like clockwork your coworker takes a day off, even in the middle of the week. You notice that it always coincides with the full moon. This is interesting because they don't smell unusual, and you can smell were-kin a mile away.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Hope, joy, and wonder are the lifeblood of the seelie fae.\n\nI mean, we eat and drink real food too, but joy and wonder really round us out. It's why we like hanging around kids; not because we're going to kidnap them or any of the creepy stuff they say in ye olde folk tales. Kids just have a brighter outlook on things, and we literally live off of that kind of energy.\n\nThat's why it's so tough to be a modern fae like me. My name is Clark, by the way. My human name, at least. My fae name is unpronounceable to anyone without dental bells, so-\n\nWait. Sorry, I digress. Where was I? Oh yes.\n\nIt's tough to be a modern fae. People are so jaded now, they almost never appreciate the beauty in the little things around them every day. Especially in the workplace. That's why I took the job in Finds, the antique-store-slash-flea-market near the warehouse district. Little shots and bursts of wonder from people seeing all of the old, unusual stuff there. Not a bad way to stay fed.\n\nBut when Thea started working at Finds, I immediately knew she was different. To everyone else there, she was the nicest, kindest, sweetest person they'd ever met. She was always helpful and appreciative, yet never in a naive way, or in a way that the occasional Karens could take advantage of. She was just so... good.\n\nBy the way, those \"Karens\"? Unseelie fae. They feed on despair and misery. Not all of the entitled, aggressive, anal stuck-ups like that are fae, of course, but a lot of them are. But again, I digress.\n\nTo me, Thea was more than just pleasant, she was... intoxicating.\n\nSee, she positively radiated joy and wonder. I felt like a solar panel that's only ever lived off of flickering office lights, and was now finally getting a taste of real, honest-to-goodness sunlight. It was incredible. Invigorating.\n\nI would always volunteer to work with Thea, offer to help her whenever she needed something, try to find excuses to go to whatever section she was working in. I'm sure everyone else there thought I was just crushing on the new girl. Maybe that was part of it too, I don't know - she was beautiful.\n\nOne day, I was just looking at the calendar in the break room, checking for time off, when I noticed Thea's initials on the day following the full moon. It was odd because that was a Tuesday, but for some reason, she hadn't also asked for that Monday off. Probably just a coincidence, I thought. But no, the next month, there were her initials again, on the day following the night of the full moon. The next month was too far out to be scheduled, so then (after glancing around to make sure the break room was empty) I took down the calendar and started looking through previous months. On every single one, the day following the full moon had Thea's initials, as far back as the calendar went. The only exceptions were when the full moon fell on a Saturday night, but then the store was closed on Sundays anyway.\n\nI got a little nervous after that. She couldn't be a therianthrope, she had no trace of a scent. We were too far from the coast for her to be an ocean naiad or a selkie. She couldn't be a huntswoman, could she, hunting therianthropes for sport? I considered that for about a second before I laughed out loud. Anyone can fake being nice, but nobody could fake her glowing aura.\n\n...could they? I was about 99.5% sure they couldn't.\n\nIn the end, I still thought it was curious, and wondered about it, but decided it probably wasn't anything to be worried about.\n\n\"Clark?\" Thea said, looking up from her careful cleaning of an aged mirror frame.\n\n\"Hm, what?\" I said, bringing my mind back from its wanderings.\n\n\"Are you alright? You seem distracted.\" Thea said.\n\n\"I'm okay,\" I said. \"I was just, uh, admiring the color of this cherry desk.\"\n\n\"If you're sure,\" she said. Then she smiled, \"But once you've finished polishing that oak desk, maybe you should get back to organizing those frames like you told Mrs. Sawyers you'd do this morning.\"\n\nI chuckled. Thea was always very patient about my attempts to spend time with her. Most of the time she didn't seem to mind at all, as long as I was actually being helpful; though sometimes, like now, she would gently make sure I was taking care of my own work. I guess I was lucky she didn't think I was a creep.\n\n...or was I? She... she didn't... like me spending time around her, did she? Oh Pan, was that it? Stop it Clark, or you'll really turn into a creep. She's just nice to everyone, that's all. Besides, she'd never made any attempts at anything I'd have called flirting. Still, she was pretty sharp, so maybe she noticed, but put up with me for some other reason, like...\n\nThen it hit me. I dropped my polishing cloth and turned to her and said, \"You know!\"\n\nShe looked up, surprised by my sudden outburst. \"I... know?\" she said, \"What do you mean?\"\n\nI stopped, glancing around the shop for any unwanted listeners, then turned back to her and said, \"You know that I'm fae.\"\n\nHer eyes widened. She opened her mouth and inhaled slightly, but no sound came out yet.\n\nI hurried on, \"That's why you put up with me always coming over here and trying to spend time around you. I think you know the effect you have on fae, and you're used to dealing with it.\"\n\nShe threw her own furtive glances around the shop now, before letting out her breath. \"Yeah,\" she said, quietly.\n\n\"If you knew, why didn't you say anything?\" I asked. \"All this time, we've hung out and talked, and you never let on that you knew.\"\n\n\"Its.. complicated,\" she said.\n\n\"Are you an otherworlder too?\" I asked, my voice low. \"Like me? I thought you might be when I realized you always take the day off around the full moon, but... what are you?\"\n\n\"Please,\" she whispered. \"I know you're a seelie, and I feel like I can trust you but... it might be dangerous if the wrong people knew.\"\n\n\"Knew what?\" I asked, heart in my throat.\n\nShe paused for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, she said, \"I take those days off so I can sleep in after visiting with my mother all night. It's the only time I can see her.\"\n\nI felt my brow crease. \"You can only see your mother under the full moon?\"\n\nShe paused again, then, \"It's the only time she can manifest an avatar.\"\n\nMy heart almost stopped. An avatar? But that would mean her mother was someone - or something \\- very powerful. Someone projecting from... somewhere else. I racked my brain, thinking of who or what could only project under the full moon. There weren't many - mainly sea deities, naiad archfey, and others who were confined to the darkest depths of the oceans. And then of course, there was...\n\nOh.\n\nOh, Pan. Suddenly, it all made sense.\n\n\"Luna.\" I breathed. \"Your mother... is Luna?\"\n\nShe nodded. \"But please, you can't tell anyone.\"\n\n\"I swear,\" I said, \"your secret is safe with me.\" I couldn't recall ever having made a more solemn promise in all my 600 years.\n\n\"But,\" I said, \"...but that would make you...\"\n\nShe nodded again. \"Yes,\" she said, \"A star.\"", "\nDaemian checked the calendar above his desk: August 22nd. He noted the small moon symbol in the corner of the date’s square - another full moon. Grabbing his phone, he dialed Claudia’s cell as he headed to his colleague’s office. After two rings, the line skipped to voicemail, and he heard Claudia’s cheerful voice.\n\n“Hi! Sorry I can’t get to the phone right now, but please leave a message and I’ll-”\n\nDaemian hung up before the recorded message ended and knocked on Arthur’s open door. Arthur waved Daemian in without looking up from his computer screen. Daemian hesitated for a moment before stepping into the pristine office, shutting the door lightly behind him.\n\nArthur looked up quizzically when he heard the door shut. “What’s up?”\n\n“Claudia is out sick again.”\n\n“Is she? Hope she feels better,” Arthur said flatly, turning his attention back to his screen. Daemian furrowed his brow, annoyed.\n\n“That’s not weird to you?”\n\n“Should it be?”\n\n“Well, I just mean -”\n\nArthur cut Daemian off before he could continue. “Daemian, I understand your concern, but we’ve been over this. She doesn’t have a scent. It’s just a coincidence.”\n\nDaemian gritted his teeth, biting his tongue from lashing out at his mentor. “I just think it’s worth looking into. I mean, the end of every cycle, like clockwork? It’s not a coincidence!”\n\nArthur rubbed his temples and sighed before standing from behind his desk. He walked over to his bookshelf and chose a nondescript notepad, flipping halfway through the pages before stopping. He tossed the open notepad on the front of his deck, beckoning Daemian to take a seat across from him, and returned to his computer chair. Daemian sat down, eyeing the scribbles on the notepad. It was Ancient writing - his literacy wasn’t as fluent in Ancient Scryxian as Arthur’s. Arthur tapped his pen on the notepad pages and looked at Daemian, visibly annoyed.\n\n“This is old, so old that I struggled to understand it. Claudia left this open on her desk, and I noticed it when I walked by. I copied it verbatim, but it still doesn’t make sense to me. It’s about a meeting of the deities.”\n\nDaemian searched the notepad for answers, finding none he could comprehend. He knew the symbols wouldn’t be wrong, as Arthur’s photographic memory was a well-honed tool.\n\nArthur continued, “I haven’t shown anyone this. I shouldn’t even be showing you this, because I don’t fully know what it means. But I could use the extra set of eyes.”\n\nDaemian stared harder at the page. He felt like the answer was right in front of him, but he was too low-skilled to understand. There were two symbols that kept drawing his eyes over - he picked up the pad and put the paper closer to his face, as though seeing them closer would teach him to read. Daemian rubbed his eyes and put the notepad back on the desk when suddenly it dawned on him where he had seen the symbols before.\n\n“These two,” he pointed to the symbols for Arthur, “are tattooed on her. I heard her mention to Freya that her father had done them for her.”\n\nArthur turned the notepad in his direction, looking at the two symbols. He pursed his lips, pointing to them again, “These two? Are you sure?”\n\nDaemian nodded, making Arthur scoff.\n\n“Great. So we have script I can barely read, and the only two symbols you recognize are the ones you’ve seen on Claudia - that means ‘death’ and ‘high priestess’. Why does that make me feel worse?”\n\n“That’s probably because you’re trusting your instincts,” a voice behind Daemian gently said. Both men jumped and looked at the door - leaning against it, Claudia was dressed in a black traditional dress. She wore a thorn crown on her head, embossed with salt and pepper diamonds. The slit on her long dress rose to her hip, revealing the porcelain skin on her thighs and revealing more symbols tattooed down to her ankles. Daemian felt his head spin the longer he stared, watching more and more of the symbols emerge on her skin.\n\nBarefoot, Claudia padded over to Daemian, sitting in his lap. He didn’t have the energy to even raise his arm, let alone push her off of him. Arthur gasped, as if he tried to utter words, and she waved her hand without looking back at him.\n\n“Hush, Arthur - you’ll get your turn. Daemian is the one that wants me around so badly,” she teased, her lips curling up in a smile to reveal her sharp teeth. Daemian only recognized her piercing green eyes as he felt compelled to stare at her.\n\nClaudia playfully walked her fingers up her arm as she hissed in his ear, “If you want to see where I go, you should have just asked.” The last thing he remembered were her freezing cold fingertips touching his temple. That was the last thing that happened before he could only hear Arthur’s screams in the darkness.", "\"Alright, this is getting ridiculous.\"\n\nDaniel turned to me, a look of mild amusement plastered on his face. \"And why's that, Mark?\"\n\n\"Denise. Denise has got the weirdest schedule I've ever lain my eyes on since Jon's thing with his D&D group.\" I gestured vaguely in the direction of where Denise would usually sit. \"Every 28 days, she has leave scheduled and doesn't come in. And - weirdest thing - it's on a Thursday. Who schedules leave on a Thursday? You can't even get a long weekend out of it!\"\n\nDaniel took a long sip from his styrofoam cup, still looking faintly amused. \"Have you considered that this isn't actually that weird in the grand scheme of things?\"\n\n\"Uh huh, sure, that's cool and all, but she always takes this leave on a full moon. A full moon! That's too much to be a coincidence.\"\n\n\"I- I mean, is it? 28 days lines up pretty well with the work week. My daughter's school has a KNEX club every Thursday that she goes to. That lines up with the full moon pretty nicely, but... It's not really that interesting?\"\n\nI raised an eyebrow. \"What sort of society meets up every four weeks, on the full moon specifically, and yet has nothing to do with the aforementioned full moon. Yeah, people have weird schedules. But Denise is a step above that.\"\n\nDaniel stroked his stubbly chin. \"I'm not sure where exactly you're going with this.\"\n\n\"Well-\" I paused, briefly considering how to put this into words that wouldn't make me seem psychologically damaged, or worse, part of a furry subculture.\n\n\"... Are you calling her a werewolf or something?\"\n\n\"No.\" I immediately denied. \"Jenny lent her a fountain pen a few days ago, and we know how much she brags about that thing being made of 'pure silver'.\"\n\n\"The fact that your first response was that, instead of noting that, you know, they don't exist...\"\n\nFuck. \"It's called a joke, Daniel.\"\n\nHe raised his hands slightly in mock surrender. \"Jeez, I'm sorry that you couldn't tell that what I said was, similarly, a joke.\" He shook his head. \"If this is eating you up so much, you should just ask her. It's not that difficult. 'Hey, Denise, why do you always take leave every 28 days?'.\"\n\nBecause I didn't want to get eaten by some sort of therianthrope immune to the normal weaknesses. \"Because that's a pretty weird question to ask someone, Daniel.\"\n\nHe raised a finger, then lowered it thoughtfully. \"No, you're not wrong. You're not wrong.\" He shrugged. \"Well, I don't know then. Maybe it's a religious thing. Paganism's back in vogue, isn't it?\"\n\nOh God, what if she was a witch? That would be - well, not necessarily worse. But I wouldn't want to get on a witch's bad side.\n\n\"Wait, is that insensitive? I'm not really sure these days. Maybe I should ask Cassie, she's up to date on this sort of stuff...\"\n\nWitch strengths and weaknesses, what was the list - ritual components needed, some could only be performed at certain time - shit, they could do awful stuff with bits of their victim. Had I left any hair lying around? I need to look into a hat, or maybe a charm from Douglas...\n\n\"You know, just yesterday I decided that I should probably get to know all these terms and stuff before I got all old and set in my ways, so I went and asked Google. Do you know how many there are? I didn't.\"\n\nShit, had she already got some of us? Sharon called in sick the other day, and it seemed pretty mundane, but she had got into a little scuffle with Denise about the coffee machine not too long ago. Oh God, what if she was scrying on me right now!\n\n\"It was all a bit complicated for me, so I thought to go to Cassie, since she's all interested in this stuff. Now, I'm aware enough of my daughter to know that she was wincing out of her skull when I asked, but she was very kind about it and I actually learned a lot.\"\n\nI needed those charms yesterday. Unless - maybe she was binding a therianthrope? Keeping it from wrecking havoc upon the town? This might be worth asking Douglas about, just in case, even it required me to pass off some more reagents from the Tesco down the way...\n\n\"Oh, but I'm rambling. What were we talking about again?\"\n\nI straightened my posture. \"You know what Daniel? This helped. I think I've got a good plan in mind now.\"\n\nHe looked a little confused, but nodded. \"I'm uh, glad I could help.\"\n\nWe stood there for another minute or so, sipping our drinks in companionable silence.\n\n\"Well,\" Daniel began again with a sigh. \"Back to work soon.\"\n\nI sighed. \"Yeah. I'll see you at the company thing next Tuesday?\"\n\n\"Yeah. See you later.\"\n\nWe walked to our respective cubicles, then. Even the supernatural couldn't distract completely from work, after all." ]	4
	[WP] You’re the librarian in a small little town…a library with a very special light in the reading room- anyone underneath it when it automatically turns on has turn most fantastic idea / solution to the problem that most on their mind.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I am a librarian - a humble librarian in a small town of around a thousand people. However, my library had a secret; a blinding beacon of light in the reading room, and anyone underneath it would have the most fantastic solution to the problem that was most on their mind. \n\nThat particular morning, my ex-girlfriend went into the library and greeted me as if our affair did not happen. I still could not believe her betrayel. Yet today she acted normal, and went into the reading room. I wondered what the fantastic idea that came into her head was. I would soon find out.\n\n\"Hello!\" a chilling voice whispered, when I was back home. I turn and a knife plunges into the back of my head. Blood smears everywhere and chips of bone spray the floor. My corpse falls onto the floor. \"Thanks for the idea, Alfred!\" she cackled." ]	2
	[WP] An Evil Eldritch Nigh-Omnipotent God who hates all of creation falls deeply in love with a human who changes their views on creation. (Both of them can be any gender you choose).	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "There she is again, that human female, what is she doing so deep in the Forest of Death? \nThere are demigod, and even god like creatures in here, that would do anything to feast on such a pure soul. \nStupid creatures, all of them, they can't understand the beauty of primordial chaos and energy. \nAs I was lost in my thought, the human female gathered herbs, while a dragon appeared out of nowhere. \n\"Now see the naivety of your choice human female.\" \nI murmured, waiting for a gruesome death to appear in front of my all-seeing eyes. \nBut it didn't happen. \nThe dragon told the human female that something was wrong with its eggs, and the human female quickly went to help them. \n\"Weird...\" \nI muttered, while sliding back into the primordial void.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nDays passed, and I couldn't believe. \nThe woman was actually selflessly helping the creatures of the forest to stay healthy! \nWhy would she do such a foolish thing! \nAnd why would the creatures accept her pity?! \nI have to find out, I need to understand why these ants are behaving differently than before! \nWith that, I took on the form of a human male, and went to the Forest of Death.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"This thing called air...grass...mud...how annoying... I should just destroy everything, and return the matter to its primordial beauty...\" \nI thought, as I wandered aimlessly the Forest of Death. \nDidn't want to appear out-of-nowhere in front of the woman, she might just die before I get my answers from her. \nAs I was wondering how should I get the answers out of her, my reverie was stopped by an almost pleasant voice. \n\"Excuse me! Are you lost? This is a dangerous forest, you need to be careful.\" \nI turned around, to see the woman frowning slightly, and quickly coming up to me. \nShe was...\"worried\"? I think that was the word.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nShe dragged me to her home, which was a wooden hut, outside the Forest's influence. \nShe put a cup of \"tea\", as she called it. \n\"Are you hurt? Are you wounded? Have you been born without the ability to speak?\" \nShe asked worriedly. \nIn my great annoyance, I forgot to speak to her! \n\"I am okay, fema...huma...ahm, what is your name?\" \nI didn't want to anger her, lest she won't answer my queries. \n\"I am Eve, a pleasure to meet you.\" \nShe said, smiling. \nA weird feeling of heat appeared in me... \nDid she put a curse on me!? \nBut it quickly faded away, this weird feeling, thus I refrained from killing her.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I am...Erik. A... p-pleasure to meet you as well.\" \nI said, trying to sound as mortal as I could. \n\"What were you doing in the forest?\" \nShe asked me, while eating some \"cookies\". \n\"I was travelling, it's not my first time. I saw you last day helping a Giant Wind Wolf heal its wounds...you sure are \"kind\" .\" \nI tried to compliment her, from my observation, humans are weak to such a strategy. \n\"Oh that? I helped her because she was ambushed by some adventurers while giving birth to a litter. All life is sacred, so I try to save as many lives as I can.\" \nShe said, \"giggling\", giving me the weird feeling again. \nI looked at her. \nPale skin, green eyes, long blood red hair. \nShe was tall, lean, with long legs. \nShouldn't have any seals, or curses on her...yet she can influence my mood weird. \n\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"You think all life is sacred? Can you appreciate then Abyssal monsters formed by the primordial void?\" \nI asked her a question that really bothered me, as I already knew the answer to it. \n\"Yes! Not all of them are mindless beasts! Some of them are sentients entities, who happen to siphon energy from our realm to sustain themselves. \nBut they can't cause the collapse of a world in a short matter of time, why should I hate, or kill them, just because they are trying to survive?!\" \nEve argued, being enlivened and heated. \n\"Just trying to survive...\" \nThese words gave me a weird feeling... \n\"Thanks for the tea, I will leave now...\" \nI said. \n\"Don't be silly, I have an extra room, it's almost night, you aren't going anywhere.\" \nShe said laughing, while shoving me inside her \"guestroom\".\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI spent the night in her home, feeling weird. \nShe was exactly what I hated so much. \nLowly mortal, made of the matter that expanded, and grew after the primordial void imploded. \nI am a being predating this reality, and killed my fair share of so called \"righteous\" gods, that wanted to kill me just because I corrupted, and decayed reality, by being... \nBut Eve's words...they made me think about her... \nI never thought this much about a mortal before.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nEarly in the morning, I heard a noise. \nEve was cutting the wood. \nI left the hut, and went to the backyard. \n\"Let me help you.\" \nI said, taking the axe from her hands. \nI don't know why I said that, but I just felt like I should. \n\"Thank Erik, appreciate it. So, you will handle the firewood?\" \nShe asked, cheerfully. \n\"yes.\" \nI nodded. \n\"Than I will go prepare the breakfast, be quick.\" \nShe smiled, and then left in a hurry. \nHer leaving figure made me...conflicted. \nI continued chopping the wood, before I felt that it will be enough for a few months, and entering her home.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Breakfast is ready!\" \nShe said, smiling at me. \nI nodded, and sat down. \nI ate the food, expecting to feel like with yesterday's tea...nothing. \nBut now, I could actually taste it, it was...good. \n\"This is good.\" \nI said, simply. \n\"Really?! I am happy, you are the first one, other than the creatures of the forest to eat my food!\" \nShe said, laughing. \nI liked that. \nI liked seeing her smile, and laughing.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nDays passed, and I kept helping around the house. \nI started feeling good all the time, when my curiosity couldn't be controlled anymore, I told Eve. \nShe blushed. \n\"That's...That's love.\" \nShe said. \n\"Love?\" \nI asked. \n\"You think about me, like to see me happy, and are content with being with me? When I go to the forest, you feel cold for a reason, because I am not there, right?\" \nShe asked, fiddling with her fingers. \n\"Yes.\" \nI answered seriously. \nShe was a doctor, maybe she knows my disease. \n\"That's love indeed!\" \nShe said, smiling brightly. \n\"Is it a deathly disease?\" \nI asked." ]	2
	[WP] You've been a shape shifter for years. The first was spent doing a lot of adjusting. The second and third were spent getting in the groove. The entire time you struggled against government agents trying to catch and dissect you. It's only recently that a super agency has been trying to 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%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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Past Lives, some called them. Vague memories of things you, being 5 years old at the time, could never have possibly done. These memories of clashing sword to sword in battle, looking down upon the earth far below as you rode the wind, or pulling a wagon through gas-lit cobbled streets were all surely just the workings of an imaginative mind - except you didn't grow out of them as you grew up. \n\nMore and more came back to you, confusing your sense of self and identity. Knowing who you were was becoming harder and harder as these imagined memories became indistinguishable from your real ones. There was something you couldn't understand, something missing. Then you found it... in the headlights of a drunk driver one night.\n\nYou expected the pain as the car hit you, but you didn't expect the oddly satisfying feeling of it wrapping around your massive armored legs - especially not your... front legs? The driver died instantly from the impact, leaving you alone - different - with the smoking crumpled car and not a scratch on you. \n\nLong story short, you freaked out for a while. You hid, panicked, wondered what your were, thought you were a monster, shifted uncontrollably with every swing of your emotions. Your phantom memories started to make sense. You came to realize were older than you thought. You remembered you had shifted into an infant for some instinctual reason like a rebirth, and had done so many times. You did not fully understand what you were, but it felt like you didn't have to - you simply Were. \n\nYou always had an affinity for humans. Some might dream of turning into an animal and running off to the wilderness to live a simple life if they ever suddenly found themselves capable of doing so, but you couldn't stay away from people. Your favorite thing quickly became subtly perplexing humans in various ways, like making them have to look twice as the black and orange spots of your calico pattern switched places. \n\nOccasionally you became the subject of Cryptid conspiracies. Times had certainly changed a bit with easy high quality visual capturing methods, and more organized efforts to investigate strange occurrences. Large teams of scientists and investigators started showing up in response to your more out-of-place flings... and of course, you couldn't resist playing with them.\n\nSubtle edged ever closer to Overt. Fleeting glimpses graduated to physical contact. You were never violent, but the humans starting carrying guns. You adapted quickly to deflecting bullets. Meanwhile you used your abilities to walk among them undetected as they desperately tried to figure out what they were chasing. \n\nYou developed a friendship with one of these scientists who seemed genuinely fascinated with this creature for no other reason than curiosity and the desire to understand. Unlike the others trying to figure out what weapons would work best, Cameron was trying to figure out what the \"Beast\" was thinking. You may have nudged at points, but Cameron surprisingly echoed your thoughts very closely on their own. \n\nCameron was the one who discovered the \"Beast\" was a shapeshifter.\n\nIt all happened so fast after that. Everyone was contained. A new team was brought in immediately, and they were not like these curiosity filled scientists or even their militarized escorts. For the first time in a long time, you felt fear. As soon as Cameron saw this, they realized the \"Beast\" they had been studying the mind of all this time... it was You.\n\nThe new team had no need to study or understand, they already had what they needed - a large black suitcase with speakers inside. As the large dishes started to vibrate with an inaudible tone, you were no longer in control. It was like that time after the drunk driver, shifting uncontrollably with every swing of your emotions - except this time it was just fear as that Tone seemed to seep between every molecule of your body and prevented them from coming back together. \n\nYou had no eyes, or ears, but you could still \"feel\" around you. Cameron was yelling at them to turn it off, screaming that you weren't dangerous. You must have still been semi-solid, as they shoved you inside some kind of container. When they shut it, you couldn't \"feel\" anymore..." ]	2
	[WP] after the curse of immortality was put on you at first you loved it but now at the age of 1000 your starting to hate 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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The biggest mistake of my life was heckling a puppet show. And it wasn’t even a particularly good heckle. It was one of the early Punch and Judy shows in Italy with the Medici family still running the place. Punch was being the usual amount of abusive to Judy, and the fine art of motor control in puppets was still about a century away from passable, being the dumb young person I was, I shouted something about “Poor Humors.” That’s the thing, I can’t even remember the heckle. Just something about “poor humors” that I thought was hilarious and simply must be shared with the world.\n\nThe second biggest mistake of my life was not immediately running away. \n\n--------------\n\n“Can you at least humor me and try and enjoy the movie?” Francesca asked leaning over to me in the theater. We were about to watch the newest installment of Project Enceladus. Oh, you haven’t heard? It’s only the highest grossing, highest rated, highest decorated film series of all time. It makes Deadalus Awakes look like Space Jam 6. Yeah, it’s that big of deal. We sat suspended by wisps of silent air so it feels like we’re floating in the story. The “screen” as we called it in the 20th century, wraps fully around and above and below the audience. It’s a big globe, a world of stories. That’s probably why they call the theater “The Globe” (though it smells much better than the original, trust me on that one).\n\n“If the movie is good, I’ll be good.” I’ve slipped back into my old heckling ways the last few years, but can you blame me? After about a thousand years of media and stories, they become a bit... stale. A bit predictable. Sure, I could just stop watching them and live life among the stars like the captains of those star vessels. And maybe given this necromancer’s curse I could've done something with my existence. But I tried being a doctor for a century. Tried amassing a great fortune another. At the end of the day, I just liked hanging out around town and watching movies. Though even that’s turned to ashes in my mouth. Great. “I bet you that Hyde stabs Sjoed in the back. Literally. Hyde will stab Sjoed in the back with something sharp, watch!”\n\nFrancesca hit me hard in the chest and the slap even echoed in the theater. “Well maybe some of us want to be surprised and enjoy it! I swear, I don’t know why I still go to these things with you.”\n\n‐----------------\n\nPunch (or was it Judy, I can’t remember) froze in the middle of the show and stared directly at me. There were probably two dozen people crammed around this little stage on the cobblestone street – entertainment being difficult to come by in the 1630s – and now I have a good idea how the puppet saw me, but then I figured I was just seeing things. I wasn’t.\n\n“Did the puppet maker forget to make you a felt tongue?” I shouted at the silent puppet. The crowd chuckled a little and it felt like I was doing well. The puppet slowly descended behind the stage, and as the little thing went down, its handler came up. Eyes more blue than the sea with a thick beard that came from some monster from the mountains. The crowd lurched backwards. Never would anyone imagine the playful voices from the puppets came from this type of character.\n\nThe puppet master pointed a finger with a horrendously long nail (honestly, how did he use puppets with fingernails the length of their forearm?) and muttered clearly at me, “You’re not as clever as half, clever man. And you’ll realize that before the end. For now I curse you until a lesson is learned. You clever man.”\n\n“Aw, you think I’m clever!”\n\nThe audience didn’t chuckle this time.\n\n-------------\n\nHyde stabbed Sjoed in the back with a spike from an iron meteorite and Francesca left me at the theater. She was my 18th serious partner since that Necromancer cursed me, I’m assuming I’ll be looking for a 19th before I get home. I can’t blame her, just the stories that I used to absolutely love aren’t the same after ten centuries. Or rather they’re exactly the same.\n\nI remember standing in Globe Theater. Not the four they’ve rebuilt since the fires, flooding, that one time it was accidently infested with cockroaches, but the actual Globe where you could see the Bard himself muttering the lines under his breath behind the curtains. It stank, of course, not the plays or acting (though a little over the top if I’m being critically honest) but the venue itself. Have you ever jammed three hundred people into an enclosed space in the 1630s? And this wasn’t even France where at least they had the decency to try and cover up their stenches with other flowery kind of stenches. Even those stories felt a little… familiar.\n\nI’m rambling. That tends to happen.\n\nGlobe Theater. Shakespeare. I moved there after the Punch and Judy affair. I never saw that necromancer lurking about anywhere. It helps that I steered clear of every puppet stage that popped up in the street, but I just never felt comfortable in the city again. I certainly stopped heckling. Though with the printing press exploding across Europe, I had a grander stage to be critical. I found I could make a living being a play critic. Every twenty years or so, I’d “retire” only to come back twenty years later with a new pen name and new scorching reviews. I was everyone’s favorite person at parties.\n\nIt was great fun reading the first drafts of Gulliver’s Travels, Robinson Crusoe, Bronte, Poe, Dickens, I was even in the audience for that first moving picture when those poor souls jumped out of the way of the train. I called that one “predictable” since the train was fixed on tracks. It could only go one way, people.\n\nSorry. Rambling.\n\nI’ll probably call Project Enceladus predictable, too. Afterall, I did predict the ending.\n\nI’m just tired. I think if I stopped being such an ass, maybe that necromancer curse will be lifted and I can finally die. I’ve wanted to die so many times watching the same twists and surprised in theaters. I just can’t help myself.\n\nI need to heckle as much as I want to die.", "You see it all started when I was burnt at the stake, ironic as it was, that was the beginning of my story. In the year 2020, I was blessed with immortality by a witch after burning down a small Welsh village. I'm not going to get into it deeply, but let's say that the name of the bloody town took up two signs. Ah, but I digress, as it turns out burning down a catholic town doesn't do you any favors with the pope. So, when the fires burned off my ropes, you can be damn sure I immediately tried to strangle the priest who put me up there, while I was still on fire. \n\nThe years flew by after that, I spent time in Rome, Paris, and what you would know as the Byzantine Empire. I challenged a thousand duelists and won a hundred battles, I was a monster and still canonized as a saint. By the time I finally ended my crusade, a hundred years had passed. And a river of blood flowed under my feet that would make the old khan know true terror. My reign was put to an end however when an untimely trip into a Templar cave ended poorly when the damn thing collapsed. \n\nI don't know who did it, but I did have a running bet with my fellow trapped man in arms that it was the king of Lombardy. That whore son did have a spear shoved up his pipe about the whole immortality situation, and burning down his estate. Now, of course, I was left there to rot, so I did as anyone else would after a while I found a nice sarcophagus and took a nap. Thinking it'll only be a few years it'll be fine, it wasn't fine as it turns out. \n\nI woke up from my slumber in the year 1700 when some blasted red coat popped open my little coffin. The whole deal was a right proper mess, I screamed in old English the small group of five men shot me with muskets. It was sorted out swiftly after I grabbed my rusted great sword and plate armor and made a statement. Before I knew it, the reds were dead, and I was 500 years past my time and covered in blood. \n\nI won't lie I was disappointed I missed out, but I decided it was time for a change of pace and location. I learned proper English and moved to America as a highwayman, a true criminal scum of the earth. Likewise, I slowly learned to value a professional attitude towards my victims, often scaring the ever-living shite out of them. Mainly by putting my flintlock to my head pulling the trigger and offering to repeat the trick on them, Only one man ever took that offer and well let's say it went poorly for them.\n\nBut moving onward, I fought for America's independence from the red coats and carved out an empire by sword gun, and steel. The west, 1812, Mexico, Cuba, I must say become truly frightening to the point that I had my first run-in with the government. I talked to my old boy Teddy Roosevelt in a quiet corner store on Long Island I frequented between my time on leave. I was the right hand of freedom, an unkillable warrior before I retired. \n\nFurthermore, I had burned my way across most of the world and killed more men than anyone else in history. Not only that, but I lived well from the investments I didn't need to work ever again, and I took the time to re-educate myself. On the finer points of life and science, and went through a phase where I tried desperately to recreate that curse. I got close as the great war arrived and duty called once more, it was a throw, when I nearly died to a passing model t that same day. \n\nMore days spent spilling blood came and went, I saw a man harness the power of the sun and walk the surface of the moon. Life was starting to lose its luster, reluctantly I eye my captors across the table, a set of block suits that made my skin crawl. It was new and exciting when they pulled me into that black SUV, in the middle of a dark alleyway. No, I wasn't going to fight my way out of this one which I could easily, I wanted to see where this was going." ]	3
	[WP] A day after their most intense battle ever, the Hero finally tracks down the Villian's lair. After making their way past countless traps and minions, they find their nemisis passed out on a futon with a broken arm and a bottle of booze.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I fought hard that day. Finally, I was able to match wits with the evil Professor Gregordian, and I rung his bell pretty hard. A swift uppercut to the chin sent him flying down the street. A sneaky teleporter band allowed him to escape, however, and I finally tracked him down to an apartment building downtown. I ascended the stairs and found room 43C. Seeing that the door was unlocked, I entered on guard. As I gazed at the apartment room in disarray, I found my nemesis.\n\nHe was sleeping on the futon on the floor. He wore a cast around his left arm, and numerous empty bottles of booze were strewn about the place. He hadn’t shaved in what had to be weeks at this point, and he looked… well, homeless. He was mumbling drunkenly in his sleep about nothing. I was entranced by the sight before me: my nemesis depressed, drunk, disheveled. He awoke somewhat startled, his eyes barely open and his body barely supporting itself.\n\n“Cap fap tussssss…” he layed back down and tried his best to crawl to the other side of the futon. He looked like a turtle on his shell in honey trying to flip himself over.\n\n“Captain Fantastic, Professor,” I said. “What happened to you?” As I looked around more and more at the room, I could see that the Professor must’ve done nothing other than sulk on the futon. The place was a mess, garbage everywhere. It reeked.\n\n“Mmmmmmuuuuu… don’t hic don’t… speak so… loud. Mmmmm…”\n\n“Professor, take it easy,” I said, lowering my voice, although I’m not sure why. “Here, just sit up.”\n\nI grabbed the Professor, who moaned in agony as I propped him up against the wall.\n\n“Ohhhhh… hurr!” The Professor vomited all over the floor, and I backpedalled away as the vomit covered his thighs. He didn’t seem to care.\n\n“Oh god… I’m hic I’m a mess…” The professor began to weep. “Look at me! Sitting in my own filth!” he exclaimed suddenly.\n\n“Professor, calm down.”\n\n“No!” he replied, tears dripping onto his vomit covered legs. “I’m done! I’ve failed too many times… too many…”\n\nHe slumped to one side, crying quietly to himself. I was too shocked to do anything for a bit, and we existed in silence for a bit until the Professor spoke again.\n\n“Leave me alone,” he mumbled, getting up and stumbling back to his futon.\n\n“I… I can’t leave you like this…”\n\n“Yeah?” he uttered, “But… you can break my arm? Humiliate me? Hic uuuuhhhh….”\n\n“Professor, we need to get you help,” I said, trying to get the Professor back up again.\n\n“No!” the Professor exclaimed again, swatting at me drunkenly. “You did this… you just had to… be the hero! And me… the villain,” he said, shrugging and mockingly smiling.\n\n“So this is it then, huh? Getting completely shitfaced because you just couldn’t do your terrible, evil things?”\n\nThe Professor layed back down.\n\n“Mmhmm…”\n\nI stood. I watched as the Professor drifted off, sniffling and shedding a few more tears before passing out again.\n\n“Goodbye, Gregory.” I left the apartment and wiped away a tear." ]	2
	[WP] You are getting ready for a date with your girlfriend when you hear a knock at the door. Unexpectedly you find your girlfriend, however she is in tears and is begging you not to go on your date with her tonight. She also appears to be years older than the last time you saw her.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "My music is turned all the way up and my head is bouncing to the beat. Tonight is the night and I'm super excited. I have been waiting to tell Rebecca I want to spend my life with her and tonight will be the perfect opportunity: fancy restaurant, wine, and a ring. One date to rule all other dates, as Tolkien might say.\n\n \nGod I'm such a nerd. A nerd who is about to have all his dreams come true. I will get to marry the most amazing woman in the entire world. The woman I never thought I'd be lucky enough to find. She is everything I need: a best friend, a companion, amazing in bed, and the only person who I trust with my deepest secrets. I can't wait to say to her: will you marry me?\n\n \nKnock, knock, KNOCK!\n\n \n\"On my way!\" I shout to the door rolling my eyes. It must be Kathy, the crusty old woman who lives next door. She not only hates my music, she also disapproves of my lifestyle choices and has a tendency to tell me all of her opinions about it whenever she gets the chance. I don't need this tonight.\n\n \nI swing the door open and pause. It's Becky. She soaking wet and dressed in what I can only describe as unconventional hippy clothes. Her hair is longer, much longer, than the last time I saw her and see looks as if she's aged ten years in a day.\n\n \n\"Uh...\" I say as I stand in the doorway with a gaping mouth like an idiot.\n\n \n\"Ethan,\" Becky says, pushing past me and walking into my living room, leaving wet footprints on my carpet.\n\n \n\"What happened?\" I ask, reaching for a towel from the bathroom and handing it to her. Becky takes a seat on the couch and looks up at me with apologetic eyes.\n\n \n\"Hey, I'm sorry for this abrupt meeting.\"\n\n \n\"It's ok,\" I say, still processing. \"I just want to know what happened. Are you okay?\"\n\n \n\"No,\" Becky sighs, \"I'm very much not ok. And I need to tell you something, something I should have told you since the day we met.\"\n\n \n\"Ok...\" I take a seat across from Becky. I still can't believe how she looks. Her face has more wrinkles and she looks unhealthy. Very different than the bright-eyed optimistic, joyous Becky I know and say yesterday.\n\n \n\"I am a witch.\"\n\n \nI laugh. It's perhaps not the best reaction but its the first emotion that comes to my throat.\n\n \n\"I sorry,\" I say with a cough I'm hoping will stifle my laugh. \"I shouldn't have laughed.\"\n\n \n\"It is a ridiculous thing to say out loud,\" Becky says, standing up and pacing my room. She holds the towel around her body like a shield. \"And I didn't expect you to understand right away or anything. But I need you to know before it happens.\"\n\n \n\"Before what happens?\"\n\n \nBecky stops and turns to look at me. I can't tell what emotion is in her eyes. She looks almost as if she's happy but is also about to cry.\n\n \n\"Before you and I have the beautiful night we're about to have and you ask me to marry you.\" Becky says, her voice small.\n\n \n\"What-\"\n\n \n\"I'm here from the future,\" Becky continues without much pause. My mouth has fallen open and I blink but I can't seem to make sense of it all.\n\n \n\"The future?\" I say. It sounds impossible but it also makes sense; this Becky is not the one I know.\n\n \n\"Yes,\" Becky continues, \"Tonight was the best night of my life, for a long time. But the events of tonight spark a sequence of events that ends in... well the worst thing that could ever happen.\"\n\n \n\"And what's that?\"\n\n \n\"Your death, Ethan.\"\n\n \nI stare at her but my mind is elsewhere. I'm trying to process what she's saying, I've watched enough time travel movies and shows to have thought that I would deal with the concept of time travel better than they seem to, but I'm falling short of my own expectations. Time travel belongs in those stories, not in my reality. It's to obscure to be a real life concept that leads to my ultimate demise.\n\n \n\"So,\" I say, \"I ask you to marry me and then I die?\"\n\n \n\"Well,\" Becky says, sitting beside me and taking my hands in hers. They are rougher and have scars they didn't have before. I wonder what happened but I already have so many questions. \"You ask me to marry you, I say yes, we get married and then... It kills you.\"\n\n \n\"There's an 'It'?\" I say.\n\n \n\"Yes. It is a dangerous creature from the Hellfire. It will be released when I marry you and It brings terror to the world. It leads to the destruction of all we love and understand in this life, on this plane of existence. If you don't ask me to marry you and instead break up with me tonight, I will be able to set my younger self on a path to find and destruction it before it ever gets the chance to be released.\"\n\n \n\"Hold up,\" I say, pulling my hands from hers. \"You want me to break up with you?\"\n\n \n\"No,\" Becky says, \"I do not want you to break up with me. I wanted to grow old with you, to be with you forever, but that can't and won't happen as long as my younger self is so focused on loving you and making babies with you. You have to let me go for only a little while and then when I come back to you, we can get married and be together.\"\n\n \n\"Why can't I help you find It?\" I say, \"Why can't you show me what It is and then I can help your younger self locate and we can destroy It together.\"\n\n \nBecky pauses. I can tell she's looking for the words.\n\n \n\"I don't want to tell you this.\" she says. \"It's not fair that you discover this from me. I know none of what I'm doing to you is fair but...\"\n\n \n\"Just tell me Becky,\" I say, feeling frustration bubble up inside my chest.\n\n \n\"In the 1600s, around the witch trials, our families were cursed.\"\n\n \n\"Cursed?\" I repeat, \"Wait, my ancestors are also witches.\"\n\n \n\"Yes,\" Becky says, pacing my living room once more. \"The curse was that our families would forever have an unbreakable bond but, should we ever unite in marriage, or have children together, a deadly creature would be released and kill every member of our family.\"\n\n \n\"Our families are cursed so no one in our families can get married?\" I say, trying to make sense of the words coming out of my own mouth. \"Why would anyone do that?\"\n\n \n(continued)", "I opened the door to see quite the familiar face. I quickly figured out it was my girlfriend. She looked years older then our last date, and she had a fearful expression, with a bit of exhaustion.\n\n\"What's going on?\"\n\nShe looked up at me when I spoke.\n\n\"Whatever you do, don't go on our date tonight!\".\n\nI was confused, very confused. This was her dream date. I had it all planned out. And yet she came, apparently from the future, to stop it?\n\n\"But.. why?\".\n\n\"I can't tell you, they might find out. The machine I used to get here isn't the most secure. Just don't go on the date, please. I'm begging you\".\n\n\"No promises\".\n\n\"Plea-\", and then she was cut off. She disappeared. I wondered why. It was probably whoever she was speaking of when she said they might find out. But, it looks like I'll cancel our date tonight. Too bad I'll never know why exactly it was cancelled. But I hope it's worth it." ]	3
	[WP] Your hero team consists of members whose appearances and demeanor are VERY unfitting for their powers.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Armor plate of darkest obsidian color covered every inch. Her warplate was minimalistic, with the barest hints of gold trimming. She spoke with a reverbrating, low tone, that commanded attention. So, if was with some confusion the new hero team found her playing about with a deer, a bird having perched on her battlehelm and a few green vines holding onto various items.\n\nThings... didn't get much less confusing. Their medic was a daemon-esque man complete with the skin tone and horns, armed with a ludicrous level of firepower and a lightweight soft vest. He also had a soft voice and was rather shy, though an excellent caretaker with nerves of alloy. Their recon was a robot with running lights accenting a heavily armored frame. Every step was a thump, and its personal choice of armament being a 40mm PAW plus a carbine rifle did not give inordinate confidence. Yet when asked, it walked out, and suddenly they could not hear nor see it until the end of the day, wherein it gave back all of their equipment and removed the remaining banana creampie traps it had deployed in various spots.\n\nAt this point, the plainclothes cyborg with a forcefield and supernatural agility that danced while firing submachine guns with actually passable accuracy and historically accurate crusader who turned out to be a wizard with a sword staff were just icing on the cake. The cheery man? woman? with the knives and invisibility dressed in short shorts and a t-shirt was just disturbing.", "It was another partly cloudy day in New Francisco. It was a weekday, which meant all the usual people were out and about. Whether it was heading to work, doing some shopping, or otherwise walking around town, everyone seemed to be busy. It would've been considered a nice day. That is, if Captain Dark hadn't begun crashing through the streets alongside his gigantic, dark, and amorphous minion. He smiled as he gazed down at the destruction taking place, watching as his creation decimated buildings and everything else that was in the way. His black and purple spandex stuck tightly to his body, and the large hat-helmet hybrid stood tall on his head. It was a nice day. For him. For destruction.\n\nBack at their HQ, the team (they hadn't managed to agree on an official name, even after 3 months) were doing their usual activities. Casey, a teenager of average build, was lifting weights alongside Jerek, an incredibly muscular and bald man. Casey's bright red hair, in a style reminiscent of something from an anime, was incredibly eye catching, and Don, another teen, found himself glancing over at it from time to time whenever he wasn't too busy playing mobile games. Don sighed with boredom, and laid back on the couch in the center of their large hub room. His long, dark brown hair fell back against the couch. Jerek set his weights down and clapped Casey on his shoulder, almost knocking Casey down in the process before walking away. Casey stared after him with anger before turning away to continue with his dumbbells. Jerek stood at an astounding 7 feet and 4 inches tall, towering over everyone else in the team. He sat down at the dining table next to Liam, a somewhat chubby guy who was tall in his own right, but nothing compared to Jerek. Jerek and Liam nodded to each other and went about their business otherwise. After checking on the potted plant at the table and readjusting his glasses, Liam looked at Mira, a goth girl who, even after all this time, still opted to sit in the corner of the room. As always, she was on her phone, indifferent to what everyone was doing. She was very thin compared to everyone else. Overall, it was just another typical day at their HQ. Except this time, there was a sudden alarm.\n\nIn just a few moments, everyone was on the large, gray couch, around the briefing table. Don cleared his throat, and started reading the briefing. \"Alright, it looks like Captain Dark has been rampaging through the streets recently. Let's go do something about it, yeah?\" Casey rolled his eyes at how nonchalant Don was about this briefing, same as always. Regardless, he and the others all nodded, and they began suiting up. Casey wore a dark red and grey jacket with his last name, Auburn, emblazoned on the back in gold. Jerek wore his usual gray tank top and black sweatpants. Don decided to wear his navy blue sweater and jeans. Liam picked out the only clean clothes he had left, a green tracksuit. He sighed as he put it on, annoyed that he had forgotten to do his laundry again. Mira wore yet another set of her everyday clothes; a black hoodie that was a bit too big for her and some loose jeans. Now, everyone was ready to head out.\n\nCaptain Dark was continuing to cause more carnage, watching on as his minion swung extensions from its body into buildings and tossing cars into the air. He soon noticed that there was a rather odd looking group of people standing in front of him now, and not running away. They must've been a team of heroes; he could feel power emanating from them. He squinted, trying to make them out. Starting on the far left, there was a rather fiery-looking boy. Red hair, red clothes, even red eyes. Even his hair was styled a bit like flame. He smirked, thinking, 'Now that's just too obvious. All these flame heroes always look the same.' looking at the next one, a massive man with large, bulging muscles. 'Another obvious one. Super strength. Although this one looks particularly strong, with those absurd muscles.' Next up was the brown haired, blue eyed boy, wearing a blue sweater. He looked relatively average compared to the others who were lined up before him. A bit tall, a bit thin. 'Hm...he probably controls ice or water. Maybe even lightning or electricity? Whatever.' Up next was a fat guy. He wore glasses. His hair was blond, and pretty messy. He was wearing a green tracksuit. 'This is an odd one. But wearing a tracksuit...super speed, maybe? That could be annoying.' He mentally shrugged before moving on to the last one, a goth-looking girl. She seemed thin, even moreso than the water/ice/lightning user. She had an uncaring expression on her face. 'Last time I fought a hero who looked like that, she used telekinesis. Perhaps this one uses magic or something instead.' Captain Dark took a deep breath before speaking.\n\n\"Ha! Not just one wretched hero, but a whole group of them! You'll be satisfying ones to kill, I'm sure of it.\" He smiled has he gazed down upon them. Surprisingly, the goth girl spoke up first. \"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Captain Dork. Can we get on with this already?\" The rest of the team seemed to be stifling some laughter. Even Casey was smiling, especially after seeing Captain Dark react with a twitching mouth and angry expression. \"Here's an idea. How about I get this over with myself?\" Said Casey. He lifted up his arms a bit, and seemed to be preparing an attack. Thinking quickly, Captain Dark commanded his monster to swing a tentacle into a nearby fire hydrant, hitting Casey with water. Dark laughed. \"Hahaha! Good like trying to burn me when you're soaked like that!\" Already annoyed by getting hit with the water, Casey seemed to explode into a rage after Dark said he wouldn't be able to burn him. He raised his arms again, and water began pulling away from him and floating in the air. Sark's smile slowly disappeared as he watched. Suddenly, the droplets were formed into icicles, and thousands were launched into Dark's creature, which screamed out in agony. Dark looked down at his mount, concerned and confused. When he looked up, he saw that the hero team was smiling at each other - aside from Casey, who was still infuriated. \"W...what!? But...you should be-\" Casey hastily interrupted Dark. \"I KNOW! I SHOULD be a fire user! But instead, all I'm capable of is hydromancy and cryomancy! And THIS lazy bastard-\" He gestures wildly to Don. \"HE gets to control fire, and not me!\" Casey was breathing heavily, but seemed to cool down a bit after the outburst. Don sighed and looked at him. \"Way to ruin the surprise, man. It's always hilarious when the villains think-\" He was interrupted by Mira, who spoke up now as Dark looked at all of the heroes, confused. \"Seriously, we have better things to do than just stand around. I'm going ahead.\" After saying this, she slammed her foot down into the ground, breaking the pavement off before tossing it with great speed into Dark's minion. The minion was almost brought down to the ground, but managed to stay up. Again, Dark seemed incredibly bewildered. \"S...super strength!? But I-\" \"You thought I'd have some power like magic, or maybe lightning. I know, I know. I also have super speed, so it looks like you're even more wrong.\" Mira crossed her arms as she stared up at Dark. Jerek stepped forward next. \"I guess I should do something too, right?\" Jerek began floating above the ground. Slowly, multiple objects like cars, pieces of buildings, and rubble began floating as well. Soon, the shadow monster was being pelted by everything, much to the dismay of Dark. He injected energy into the monster, which soon arose again, but still seemed weakened. \"And now telekinesis...\"Dark held his head with both of his hands. \"You had me figured for super strength, right?\" Jerek smiled at him. \"I'm still pretty strong, but it's not a superpower.\" He flexed his muscles as he floated back onto the ground. Captain Dark let out an angry growl, and pointed at Liam, who had seemed a bit detached from everything that was happening. \"Well then, what's next, huh!? What about you, tubby!? Do you control lightning or something!?\" Dark was seething with anger, not expecting much resistance from this town and now being confronted with such a confusing situation for a supervillain. Liam shook his head. \"You haven't guessed anything right today.\" He smiled gently at Dark before setting his hands down on the ground. Soon, massive vines sprung up from the ground, first grabbing and then impaling Dark's shadow monster. Liam flinched a bit at hearing the screams of the creature, but it soon faded away and the monster dissipated, leaving Captain Dark to fall to the ground, face first. He slowly struggled to lift himself up, and then created a shadow portal on the ground behind him. After some labored breathing, he spoke. \"I..y-you haven't seen the last of-\" and again, interrupted, this time by Don, when created a fireball in his hand. \"We get it, you'll be back, have your revenge, yada yada yada.\" He tossed it and it hit Captain Dark in the stomach, pushing him into the portal where a pillar of flame erupted, with the portal closing soon after. The team high five'd each other and began heading back to HQ, leaving the slightly ruined city behind them. \"Alright, team\", Ron said. \"Let's try and come up with a name now.\"\n(END)\n\n(I guess this one wasn't horrible, but I feel like I was focusing on one person too much at a time.)", "\"This was your idea, Ethan.\" Charlie said. \"You found that stupid space rock in the school yard, let EVERYONE in our class touch it, and now EVERYONE has superpowers!\" \n\n\"It's still pretty cool that we can shapeshift, right?\" He said, trying to be positive. \n\n\"Easy for you to say.\" Charlie shot back. \"You didn't get an allergic reaction from your animal form.\" Her eyes were still watering from when she had turned into a cat five minutes ago. Ethan was deathly afraid of heights, and his animal was a hawk. \n\n\"I for one am happy with my superpower.\" Sophie chimed in. She wagged her snake tail and flicked her tongue out. She was the only one that hadn't shifted out of her animal form a minute after finding out what it was. \n\nCharlie giggled. Seeing a snake speak in her best friend's voice was an odd sight.", "The evening's crowd was looking to be an uneventful one, until Doctor Atrocity sat down to the bar at the Swollen Henchmen.\n\nHe threw his top hat to the ground and swiped a glass of brandy from the tender's hands before it could even touch the bar. Down and gone in a single gulp. \"You would not BELIEVE the bullshit I had to put up with tonight!!\"\n\nInebrius, grandson of Dionysus and Keglord to the supervillains of the world, nodded politely. \"Heist go south today, Doc?\"\n\n\"THE SOUTHEST! Have you heard about this new startup hero team? The Occams Razors?\"\n\n\"The what?\"\n\n\"EXACTLY!!!\" Doctor Atrocity slammed back another shot of brandy. \"They fight dirty! They don't do things right! Worst bunch of cheats you ever saw!\"\n\n\"What, do they have some kind of weird esoteric powers? Like that guy who turns into fruit?\"\n\n\"No no no, standard powers, they just...\" Doctor Atrocity flailed his hands in the air helplessly. \"They just do it all WRONG! on PURPOSE! It's not right! Like okay, I'll give you an example. One guy, his name is Snap, outfit is this yellow and red thing. What do you think his power is?\"\n\nInebrius shrugged. \"Snap? Yellow and red suit? I dunno, speedster, maybe pyrotechnics?\"\n\n\"NOPE! Ice Conjuring! He says it's short for 'Coldsnap'.\"\n\n\"That... doesn't make sense. Should at least be a blue suit, maybe white like snow.\"\n\n\"WELL IT'S NOT! He comes up to you like he's about to burn your face off, makes you think you need to throw up the heat shield, then he FREEZES ALL YOUR GEAR SOLID!\" Another drink, another glass slammed on the countertop. \"It flies in the face of TRADITION!\"\n\nA deep gutteral growl resonated form behind Doctor Atrocity. \"Oooh, aye lad, Ah know'em. Fought'em m'self last week.\" Looming behind Doctor Atrocity stood the hulking barnacle-encrusted form of Captain Gator, pirate lord of the sewer fleets. Nobody dared mention the smell. \"Them brats ain't ones fer fair play. They mess w'yer preconceptions, flip up yer head. Did yeh face Marshmallow?\"\n\n\"OH FUCK MARSHMALLOW!\"\n\n\"What's Marshmallow's thing? Too fat and soft to damage?\" Inebrius leaned in, interested.\n\n\"Naw, mate, naw. Marshmallow's their powerhouse.\"\n\n\"The powerhouse? The strong man? Marshmallow?\"\n\n\"Yeh.\" Captain Gator grabbed a flagon of mead and chugged the whole thing down his toothy maw. \"Firstly, she's a girl. Ain't girl like, 'sexy thing'. Girl like, 'bunny pajamas an' a ballerina tutu'. An a left hook like th' sun it fuckin' SELF beat ya 'bout th' mainsail.\"\n\n\"Gotta figure, friend, kid hero named Marshmallow? You should have expected a surprise twist when you saw that. The kid heroes are always overpowered.\"\n\n\"Yeah yeah yeah.\" Doctor Atrocity waved off Inebrius's criticisms. \" But now lets give him a fun one, Cap. Guess this one: Shift.\"\n\n\"Okay hold up a sec, let me think a minute. I'm getting the theme here, it's gonna be something 'off'. So, 'Shift'. That suggests shape-changing or teleporting. Both no, I assume?\"\n\n\"Yaar, I WISH she were a 'porter.\"\n\n\"Even a shape-changer would have been better. Keep guessing.\"\n\nInebrius rubbed his chin a moment, bristly whiskers pushing through his fingers. \"Shift... flip the expectations... she's the tech person. Power armor, you think she'll be all about rocketpacks and blasters, but instead she charges to the front line.\"\n\n\"Dead wrong, mate. Shift's a weather mage. Lightin' an' thunder, DIRECTLY up th' porthole.\"\n\n\"Why the hell is she called Shift, that makes no sense.\"\n\n\"Tol'ya the ain't playin' fair.\" Captain Gator took another drink. \"Get a few more'a these in me an Ah'll tell ya about th' leader.\"\n\n\"Do I even want to know what their leader does?\"\n\nCaptain Gator stopped mid-drink staring into his glass, before slowly setting it on the countertop. A haunted gaze flitted across his beady reptilian eyes. \"Ain't no man in this bar, or maybe even th' world, what's staunched their loins and hardened 'eir hearts enough ta see what happens when ye fight Kittycat Toe Beans.\"", "The evil scientist cackled as the cage came rattling down, trapping the three heroes in his dark laboratory. Fancy science equipment lay strewn about on metal tables, cabinets stuffed to the brim with papers and files, beakers full of mysterious liquid, and a little bit of blood here and there. Whose blood? Who knew.\n\n“Just another group of blind naive heroes. I’ll have fun with you later, I must get ready!” He cackled before racing out of the room.\n\nGalatea rolled her brown eyes, her oval face framed nicely with her red hair. She fell to the floor, her red dress crumpling under her. Her chest heaved, her eyes downcast.\n\n“I’m just so tired….” She sighed. Their mission was to rescue someone.\n\nHer best friend, Stephan, knelt besides her.\n\n“Don’t give up now. We can do it. Evelyn, melt the bars.” Stephan spoke in a no-nonsense voice.\n\n“Sure thing.” A girl wearing a cute tank top, short skirt, and high heels sauntered up to the bars. Placing her hands on the top of two bars, taking a deep breath, and waiting in silence. A few minutes later, the bars were bright red with heat and broke off. Calmly, she knelt and started doing the same to the bottom of the two bars.\n\n“Galatea, don’t give up hope.”\n\n“I’m just tired.”\n\n\"We are going to get out, and you aren’t going to spend the mission looking sad!” Stephan burst out in a flash of anger.\n\nGalatea metaphorically jumped. She looked up at someone with grey eyes and long black hair braided back. Stephan was one of those people who doesn’t normally get angry, so when he does get angry it’s really serious.\n\n“Alright, alright.” Galatea cautiously stood up, wary eyes on her best friend. Stephan took a step back, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.\n\n“Sorry about that outburst.”\n\n“We’ll talk about it later.” Galatea nodded. “We must finish the mission first.”\n\n“Done!” Evelyn happily crowed. The two turned to the girl who held two of the iron bars up. \n\n“Let’s go!” Stephan stepped out of the cage. Just as they all did, the evil scientist returned holding bundles of…. who knows what.\n\n“What?! How?! I’ll make sure you won’t escape!” He fumbled for a bottle, throwing it at Galatea.\n\nShe gasped as water drenched her form and her outfit. Damn that was cold.\n\n“Flame him.” Stephan growled. Galatea couldn’t see the scientist’s reaction as Evelyn shot a bolt of flames at him and he left screaming.\n\n“Galatea, catch up with him.”\n\nShe nodded. In bright but wet beach sandals, Galatea ran like the wind and caught up with the evil scientist in a matter of seconds. Catching him, she hoisted him up by the collar with abnormal superhuman strength. He wheezed in her grasp as his feet left the floor.\n\n“What the… you’re fire…”\n\n“Wrong. I have immense speed and strength.” She yawned. Galatea was getting bored and tired, and just really wanted this f\\cker to shut up so she could go back and get some hard-earned rest. She lazily walked back to the group, where Evelyn held an orb of fire and Stephan looked… neutral.\n\n“You! You look calm and collected!” The scientist gasped as he turned to Stephan. Galatea raised an eyebrow the scientist couldn’t see. Stephan wore various shades of black and white like a white-collar businessman.\n\nHe smirked, that businessman-like smirk. Stephan’s long black braids moved like tendrils from his head. Emerging from his back, they held onto various files and clipboards. The scientist’s face turned pale.\n\n“Found these in one of the higher cupboards, detailing his various experiments and subjects. Dispose of the scientist and we can read it.”\n\n“Evelyn, do you want him or should I kill him?” Galatea turned to the girl balancing in high heels.\n\n“You get him, I got the last one.” She waved a hand dismissively as she walked over to look at the files with Stephan.\n\nWith a flick of the wrist, Galatea had adjusted her grip to be on his throat. And another quick motion did way with his neck and he fell to the ground dead.", "\"You are late again!\" \nI said to Speedster. \n\"\\Burp\\, yeah-yeah. I was hungry.\" \nHe said, wiping his greasy fingers into his costume. \n\"You are always hungry!\" \nI said, massaging my temples. \n\"Awesome \"hero\" team we are.\" \nI thought to myself, as I walked into the meeting room.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nOur leader: Stream: Can transform into lightning, and has control over electricity: He's a middle-aged man who is terrified of technology, and lives in the woods.\n\nStrongest member: Giantess: has divine strength, can enlarge until she's 30 to 50m tall. \nShe's a 1,51m tall, shy college student, who has difficulty in speaking in front of a public.\n\nOur public speaker and the one who represents us in front of the people of the world: Maestro. Can not only influence people with his music, but also create soundwave attacks that can't be blocked. \nHe's an elderly hero, who is very kind, and speaks very quietly. \n\n\nSpeedster: superspeed, superregeneration, but no actual super-metabolism, so he's a fat, tall man, who's always hungry, but each kilogram eaten gives him the look of 10 kg gained. \nHe's also sleazy and lazy.\n\nLastly, me: Mind Reaper: I have the power to read people mind, memories, and even alter them. \nI am 2m tall, muscles rippling underneath my clothes, due to a genetic mutation...We are a weird bunch.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"This meeting is dedicated for discussions, related to our public image.\" \nStream said. \n\"Well, people think we are doing a good job, but our status is annoying them.\" \nMaestro said with a low chuckle. \n\"S-s-shall we ignore it, and just d-d-do our jobs?\" \nGiantess proposed. \nThe meeting room quieted down. \nAfter a while, Stream sighed. \n\"Everyone in favour of Giantess's proposal, raise your hand.\" \nHe said. \nEveryone raised their hands, the problem was solved.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Just like us, ignoring something until it stops being a problem.\" \nI laughed. \n\"We've saved the world a few times, we are allowed to be weird and a bit annoying.\" \nStream said, laughing, before transforming into a lightning bolt and leaving. \nI just shook my head, and left as well.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nLater on, our superhero team's name went from \"The saviours\" to \"The weirdos\", but we all laughed. \n\"Finally something that is accurately describing us.\" \nWe all thought.", "Two men in suits walked through the halls. One was talking about the location, the other was mainly listening or tapping on a tablet keyboard.\n\n\"Yes, this is a very impressive facility, Henry.\" Said the tablet baring man. \"But the location isn't important. What about the team?\"\n\n\"So glad you asked.\" Henry said. \"We've put together one of the best possible teams. They might even be one of the best in the world. At least, I think they are.\"\n\n\"I've heard a lot of other super team managers day the same thing, you know. If you want my investment, you need to prove it.\"\n\n\"Naturally, naturally. Don't worry Sam, these five will blow your mind once you see them in action. We've got a place all set up for seeing what they can do.\"\n\nHenry led the prospective investor to a large room in which a high end array of super testing equipment was set up. Massive weights, an array of weapons, numerous energy receivers, and a dozen other pieces of equipment. Sam had seen everything here with other super teams. And he was not impressed. None of the equipment was top of the line. But he did not judge. The team was just getting started, and lacked the funds to get the really good stuff.\n\nHenry pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent a few messages. He told Sam the team would be introduced one at a time for greater ease.\n\nThe first to enter the room was a mountain of a man. His deep, dark skin looked like it barely fit him, and it seemed like his muscles had muscles. He stood and crossed his sizable arms in front of him.\n\n\"This had better be good.\" The man said in a deep rumble.\n\n\"Booster, this is Mr. Walt, a prospective investor.\"\n\n\"Right. So you want to show us off to the new piggy bank, huh? Fine.\"\n\n\"You'll have to forgive Booster. He's a little rough around the edges, but his heart's in a good place.\" Henry said.\n\n\"Of course.\" Sam replied. \"I take it you're the team's heavy hitter?\"\n\n\"Nope.\" Booster said. \"I'm rearguard.\n\n\"And he's very good at it. His healing power can turn even a near fatal wound into a mild inconvenience. He can replace limbs with ease and a slit throat is no different to a paper cut. Just about the only thing he can't heal is instant death.\"\n\n\"Get off my case about that. I'm working on it.\"\n\n\"And then there's his enhancement auras. A range of abilities that do exactly what they sound like. He has auras that can boost all of a person's physical abilities, and even add non-physical damage types to an attack. He can make even people like us incredibly dangerous.\"\n\n\"You... you're kidding, right?\" Sam asked.\n\n\"I am not.\" Henry said. \"How about a demonstration? Mr. Walt, you see that strike gauge? How about trying it out for yourself?\"\n\nSam sighed. \"Okay, but don't expect much from me.\"\n\nHe went over to the heavy black plate attached to the wall. It was designed to test people with super strength. He was not sure it would even register his punch. But, he still gave it his all. Sure enough, all he did was hurt his hand a little.\n\nHe looked over at the team manager. Henry nodded to the massive super. The man closed his eyes and Sam felt something. A surge of power he had never dreamed possible. It felt like his body would explode with raw, uncontrolled might. He needed to do something with it.\n\nThis time when he punched the gauge, it was visibly forced back a few inches. The digital readout above it said it had been hit with three tons of force. He looked at his hand in wonder as the power faded as quickly as it had arrived.\n\n\"That was a mold boost.\" Booster said. \"I could've given you three times that. Don't ask me to do any of my other auras. I got better things to do than play nice.\"\n\n\"I...I...\" Sam said, still looking at his hand. That rush had been almost intoxicating. And it had been amazingly effective. He looked at Booster, who was already heading out the door.\n\n\"Let's see, next up is...\" Henry said. Before he could say the code name of the next team member, a young woman came in.\n\nShe was a bubbly blonde who put most Hollywood actresses to shame with her looks, and her figure was reminiscent of a Barbie doll. She smiled and headed straight for Henry, giving him a big hug.\n\n\"Hey boss!\" She said cheerfully. When she released the man, she looked at Sam. \"Who's this?\" \n\nWhen Sam was introduced, the woman practically squealed and gave him a hug to. When she let go, he was quite a bit happier than he had been just moments ago.\n\n\"It is so nice to meet you! You're going to be finding us, right? Great! I have so many ideas for decorating this place. It's going to be so super nice...Ah, hey, I didn't even plan that! She giggled at her own not-quite joke. \"Super, right? Because we're superheroes?\"\n\n\"Uh, yes. Mr. Walt, this is Liberty Belle.\"\n\n\"It makes a lot more sense when I'm in my costume, I promise. I've got the whole stars and stripes thing going. Super cool.\"\n\n\"I, uh, I'm sure.\" Sam said. \"You must be the team's acrobat, yes?\"\n\n\"Nope. I mean, I can do the gymnastics stuff if I want to, but that's not my role. Try again!\"\n\nHenry spoke up. \"Liberty Belle is our team's heavy hitter.\"\n\n\"Woo! Girl power!\" She said, making V signs with her hands.\n\nSam just looked at the slender young woman. He looked at his host and raised an eyebrow.\n\n\"Don't underestimate her. She's been rated as one of the strongest and toughest people in the world. Why don't you give him a quick demo, Belle?\"\n\n\"Sure thing, boss man!\"\n\nShe skipped, literally skipped, over to the high density super weights. She looked around for a moment before choosing one of the large blocks of increased density metal. She chose the largest of them, a block that Sam recognized as a 100 ton block. Fairly good, but not the highest he had ever seen. Definitely the highest this team could currently afford though.\n\nShe grabbed it with one hand and lifted it with ease. She balanced it by the corner on one finger and then flicked it into the air. She caught it like a ball and began really treating it like that toy.\n\n\"Super easy.\" She said. \"Hey, if you fund us, will we be able to get more? This is pretty much nothing. Hm, but then we might have less money to decorate with. Oh, geeze, so many choices.\"\n\n\"Equipment comes first Belle.\" Henry told her.\n\n\"Aw, okay, fine.\" She seemed disappointed by the lack of decorative items. \n\n\"You can decorate with whatever's left after equipment upgrades.\" Henry said with a sigh.\n\nShe perked up immediately. \"Yay!\"\n\n\"Now, since you're not dressed for a durability test, how about you head out and send the next person is.\"\n\n\"Kay.\" She set the weight down and headed for the door. Before she left, she turned and gave the two men a friendly wave. \"See ya later!\"\n\nThe next person who entered the room seemed to surprise even Henry with his presence. The man was of average height, and had what could best be called a dad-bod, even though he looked to be in his mid-20s. He yawned and scratched his behind as he came in.\n\n\"Breakline? I thought you'd show up much later.\" Henry said.\n\nThe man shrugged. \"Yeah, well. I just woke up from my nap, saw the message and figured I'd get it out of the way.\"\n\n\"Well, I'm glad you did. Me. Walt, this is Breakline. We're quite proud we were able to sign him on to our team, and he can be considered one of our most powerful members.\"\n\n\"Him? Are you sure?\"\n\nBreakline shrugged. \"They say it, not me. I'd rather not be here, but hey, it pays good.\"\n\n\"What, exactly does...he do?\" Sam asked.\n\n\"You, sir, are looking at what could possibly be the most powerful speedster in the world. He is quite capable of breaking the light barrier ten time over.\" Henry said proudly. Breakline looked like he would rather be sleeping.\n\n\"I don't like doing that.\" He said. \"Things get all weird when I go that fast.\"\n\n\"Care to give us a demonstration?\" Henry asked.\n\n\"Not really.\"\n\nThe team leader's eye twitches slightly. \"Well, please do it anyway.\"\n\n\"Fine, whatever.\" Suddenly, the chubby man was holding a plate of gravy covered fries. Then he was using the same tray, sans fries.\n\n\"I was thinking something more impactful than getting lunch.\"\n\n\"Ugh, you mean the treadmill? I hate that thing.\"\n\n\"Please use it anyway.\"\n\nSam could see Henry's pride turning into a headache. The speedster trudged over to the machine in question, got on it and started running.\n\nHis legs seemed to disappear as he ran. The digital speedometer above him came to life and started climbing at an alarming rate. By the time it even started to become readable, it was at a speed that would allow Breakline to circle the Earth several times each second. He seemed to be treating it the same as a light jog, or even less.\n\n\"As you can see, once he starts moving, he is extremely impressive.\" Henry said. \"He can do things other speedsters can only dream of, and has the endurance to match. The man can run for hours without difficulty. There's nobody alive who can catch up to him once he really starts moving.\"\n\n\"I...see. Yes, very impressive.\" The speed reading was one of, if not the, highest Sam had ever seen, and it was obvious the speedster could go faster. If he cared enough to do so, that is.\n\n\"Okay, I think that's enough. Breakline, you can...\" The man was gone before Henry even finished his sentence. \"Okay then. I'll just call in the next person.\"\n\nAs a tiny woman who looked like she would rather be hiding from the world entered the room, a thought entered Sam's mind.\n\n\"Say, Henry, how many team members do you have so far?\"\n\n\"Hm? Oh, right now we have ten, but we're hoping to attract more and become a full league in the near future. Now, let me introduce you to Boombox.\n\nThe woman whimpered slightly when she heard the name. It was like she was scared of it. Sam repressed a heavy sigh. This was going to be a very long but very interesting day." ]	8
	[WP] Good news? The dragon is gone. Bad news? You accidentally messed up the spell and transported the party forward in time. Worse news? It’s still Earth, only now you’re in the 21st century. Crap.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "We hauled our decrepit asses through the smoke – a miasma of confusion clawing at the seams of our sanity.\n\nRubble. It was all I could see. Fierce winds struck the canopy. Tattered, white cloth hung awkwardly atop a pole. Stone lay flat in haphazard manner, climbing on one another like the valley of corpses from over yonder.\n\nYet I could see nothing. Nothing but rubble.\n\nHome. It was all I could think of. All I should’ve thought of. Keith pulled – bringing to my attention that I’d already stood and started walking.\n\nMy mouth turned dry as a desert. My heart thrummed like heavy rain. I was walking. To where? I had no destination in mind, but I had to stand and walk.\n\nSo I walked past the stones, the rubble, the flag, the canopy – past the confused stares, the lens flare, the policemen, and the growing sense of warmth.\n\nAlma’s gaze flickered from one skyscraper to the other. Keith drew his blade, sending the civilians into a frenzy.\n\n“Wilfred, where are we?”\n\nSublime streaks of blue-green and red. An approaching winter storm calling in stripes of purple clouds and snow. Fierce winds drummed against the canvas – our world in its eternal rapture.\n\n“I’m home.”\n\n—\n\nAdmittedly, the connection between this and the prompt is a little loose – the primary perspective is less concerned about the 21st century, and more taken aback and/or amazed than anything.\n\nStill, thanks for reading thus far. It was fun writing this, however short it was." ]	2
	[WP] Good news, the smart immune system nanobots are a success! Bad news they are demanding you take better care of your body.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Earth has become a fragment of its past self. We—what’s left of humanity—have been living underground, in a vast network of tunnels that has been home to us since the day Earth was plunged into darkness. \n\nWe looked to those who bought us here for guidance. An anonymous group of world elites who foresaw the catastrophe of a world permanently blanketed in darkness. We lived in fear, but we lived. Our needs were met, medication provided; we got by just enough to see another day. Though no one spoke of it, we all wondered how long the comfort would last. \n\nTime continued, and we seemed to settle into this new way of life. However gradually, we noticed things began to change. Subtle changes to begin with, and then increasingly more noticeable until our resources began to dwindle, we soon came to discover that the hand that was so willing to give refuge was not in haste to provide aid for human life. \n\nFirst it was psychological. They infiltrated our bodies, our minds. It all happened slowly, over the course of many weeks. Day by day, week by week, they gradually took something away. Slowly chipping away at our feet so we could no longer walk, so we would look to them for support, making us dependant. Sickness fell upon us quickly. Enclosed spaces and an environment perfect for bacteria to manifest, it didn’t take long until the first death among us was recorded. \n\nWe were so naïve. For so long I held myself responsible, for the death of my friends. Though there was nothing I could have done, I felt responsible for not trying. \n\n Then, they began injecting us. Nanobots to reinforce the immune system, the ultimate upgrade to a human body. They broke us, and now they wanted to fix us. We did not resist, we willingly took part, conscious of the decision we were making gambling our lives by succumbing to their evil. Still knowing this, we held on to that thin strand of hope, it was a reason to believe. We knew there would be consequences, but not to this extent though; I don’t think anyone saw this coming. \n\nIn time, I heard from several different people how they struggled to remember previous day events, as if a veil of mist had placed itself upon certain memories. Accounts of complete blackouts, people waking up in places they did not remember consciously going to. Some mentioned finding traces of blood on their body, despite not having any injuries. \n\nWorst of all was seeing the faces that would once bring joy to those around them now void of all emotion. Even some who were once deep in despair were now hovering around like empty vessels, unable to respond to any of my questions. \n\nA pattern surfaced over time as I noticed people seemed to disappear and re-appear at regular periods. In short time a military hierarchy had been established, boundaries were set, and guards were positioned at most entrance and exits. These guards did not seem to have been injected as they did not show signs of what everyone else was experiencing. \n\nIt did not take me long to realise that whatever was going on had not taken effect on me. As much as the thought was comforting, I knew I had to blend in so as to not be discovered. One thing was for certain though, I had to find out where everyone was going. \n\nA few hours passed as I timed the comings and goings of the lifeless figures. For every arrival of one team, there would be another team ready to leave the tunnels. I finally emerged, timing the perfect moment and blending myself within a party heading towards the exit. \n\nThe tunnels were divided into many different sections, each complex within its own division housing hundreds of people. We passed several of them, navigating the snaking corridors until eventually, two large steel doors came into view. We walked on, the doors retracting to either side to accept the group within its walls, a lift. \n\nI was confused and at the same time intrigued, a rush of thoughts washing over me. The steel doors closed behind us as we looked on at the rocky surface that lay ahead of the glass walls. Not a single head turned or showed any sign of interest as to what was happening. I did my best to remain unphased and “empty” to not attract any unwanted attention. \n\nThe lift suddenly jerked into motion, slowly speeding up as the rocky surface blended away into one big blur: and then—daylight! The lift rose to a platform overlooking thousands of the “injected.” To one side, hundreds stood in military formation. The rest of the land was one big construction site, some buildings already half built. Despite the distance, one could easily spot the obvious signs of mindless behaviour. These were now robots put to work. \n\nThey broke us to create a body that would consume the nanobots without a fight. To turn us into soldiers that could not think, could not oppose orders and most importantly, to create a soldier who would never be sick. Immune to all known diseases and viruses, they achieved a workforce who could continuously fight, build and kill on demand. They lied about everything, they abducted and enslaved thousands of humans, to create a world in which they would be in absolute control. \n\nI write this journal as a free man, now escaped from their corruption and no longer shackled to them as a slave. I am still researching the cause of this anomaly; I do not know why the injection failed to have effect on my body. I will pursue this cause and make it my purpose, if I can manage to save even one single life, it will be worth it.", "\"So we finally achieved mind over matter. Were you concerned about psychosomatic conditions becoming rampant? We only have so many placebo sugar pills.\"\n\n\"That was a concern, but it's not the patients who make the conscious decisions. It's the machines. Scary, but better in the long run.\"\n\n\"And this one? What's gotten to him?\"\n\n\"He's developed narcolepsy, high oil content in his stool, and shows signs of kidney stone developments.\"\n\n\"Christmas came early...\"\n\n\"The stones were small enough for sonic pulses to break apart. The oil content isn't much of a problem actually. The narcolepsy is new though.\"\n\n\"Can't the machines tell you what's going on? They're running diagnostics constantly.\"\n\n\"The report just came in. Let's see...\"\n\n\"How bad is it?\"\n\n\"It's...\"\n\n\"Go on...\"\n\n\"Great.\"\n\n\"You sound surprised. Why is narcolepsy great?\"\n\n\"The machines are clearing out his system of extra fats, oils, and cholesterol through the digestive track. His kidneys are working overtime to filter particulates. They're building up a lot of waste products.\"\n\n\"The kidney stones. And the narcolepsy?\"\n\n\"The machines are making him catch up on sleep, come hell or high water. His circadian rhythm is completely shifted from the norm.\"\n\n\"So the machines are working?\"\n\n\"I don't want to admit it, but maybe a little too well...\"", "\"Warning! Warning! The host didn't sleep 8 hours, 1 hour and 4 minutes of additional sleep is advised!\" \nThe nanobot system rang in my head. \n\"Would love to sleep mate, but I have to go to work...\" \nI murmured sleepily, as I walked towards the bathroom. \n\"Warning! Warning! Harmful chemicals detected, body will start to eliminate them. Host must expect itchiness, and redness!\" \nThe system rang in my head once more. \n\"Come on! This is not the soap I usually used? Damn...\" \nI complained.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nAt breakfast it was relatively quiet, until I stood up to leave. \n\"Warning! Host is advised to eat one more slice of bread, an additional half a glass of milk, since the host's body lacks certain minerals, and chemicals!\" \nThe system rang in my head. \n\"Okay...Okay...For my health I will do it...\" \nI murmured, while grabbing another piece of toast, and downing a glass of milk. \nI quickly ran out, as I was running late for work. \n\"Warning! Warning! Host is advised not to run so soon after eating, as it can cause acid reflux, and digestive problems!\" \nThe systems \"holy\" sound rang in my head. \nI just shrugged it off, and continuing hurrying to catch the bus.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nAt work, I was welcomed with a nice cup of tea (as I drank tea, not coffee), from my protegee. \n\"Sir. good morning! You are rather early today.\" \nHe said. \n\"I am 1 minute late, you cheeky fella!\" \nI said chuckling, before taking the tea, and thanking him. \nBut right when I sipped the tea, it happened again. \n\"Warning! Warning! High amount of sugar detected! User is advised against consuming the drink!\" \nThe nanobot system rang out in my head. \nI just shrugged it off, and went on to help my protegee complete his morning tasks.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe entire day was...tiring. \n\"Warning! Warning! Half an hour of constant work is harmful for the eyes, please take a 2 minutes break!\" \nThe nanobot system issued such a warning, every half an hour... \nI arrived home, and ate a good meal, which thankfully, was nutritious enough not to trigger the system. \nAfter taking a shower, and brushing my teeth (which triggered the chemical alarm of the nanobot system), I went to bed. \nJust as I tucked myself nicely in, the goddamn alarm started blasting in my head. \n\"Warning! Warning! The Host is advised not to sleep yet, as it is too early, resulting in an altered sleeping pattern!\" \n\"Oh for crying out loud!\" \nI shouted, pressed the pillow over my head, trying to ignore the sound. \n\"Warning! Warning! Object over the head detected, calling the emergency services, hosts life in danger...\" \nThe system said. \n\"Wait NO...\" \nI said, jumping out of bed." ]	4
	[WP] You're taking a job at a vegetable farm. The ad said "must love animals, must be good with children.". You didn't make the connection until the tomatoes pulled themselves out of the ground and started running around like toddlers.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Come back, you stupid potatoes!\" I scream, as wild vegetables run about frantically, screeching and cackling like toddlers, \"back, I said...\"\n\nWhen taking a job for a vegetable farm, I had not made the connection of the slogan 'Must love animals, must be good with children' until the vegetables tore themselves from the floor - dirt spraying everywhere - and began to walk, mischievous as ever.\n\nMy vain attempts at relocating them all were exactly that - vain; I could not think of what Mr Cabbage would say, his seething fury already in my memory from the time I had made a soup of beetroots and not roots, although I would say it tasted fine.\n\n\"Damn dog, stop behaving like a wild wolf and help me!\" I shout, abruptly gesticulating my arms. I cursed the dog and it's lack of intellect and wishes it had a bigger brain. Carrots pulling faces at me and blowing raspberries, I slam my fist onto the floor in fury.\n\nThey cackle and uproot trees, their strength surprising. My bewildered face staring at the army, I manage to locate them, yet they fight with their jagged ends hitting me. A not so excruciating pain fills my body, and I yelp - not in pain but in shock - as a beetroot tries to eat me.\n\n\"That's NOY how biology works,\" I exclaim, rolling my eyes at it's futile attempts at causing my end. However, just at that grave moment, something came to my rescue.\n\nBirds, squawking like the wild birds they were, soared in, beaks pointed like blades on the vegetables. I watched as they screamed, being eaten alive - the very purpose of them finally being clear - and I throw my fist into the air in quite celebration. \"I always thought you birds were my enemy, what, with me working in a vegetable farm and all, but that was when they WEREN'T attacking me. Thanks guys!\"", "\"Come back you little mischievous beans!\" \nI said...to the bean stalks that just started running away. \n\"You too guys, stop running, what will happen if you trip and fall!\" \nI shouted to the tomatoes that ran around and played while giggling. \nI sighed. \n\"I am good with children, and animals...but this wasn't what I signed up for.\" \nI thought, as I dodged the jump of a wolf sized dog.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Damn, I was so close!\" \nThe dog said. \n\"Stop pretending you are a wolf, and maybe start helping me take care of the vegetable farm, after all, you are a magical shepherd dog, no?\" \nI said, massaging my temples. \n\"Hmph! I am of royal wolf blood. I am not a mere dog! I am...oh, a stick!\" \nHe stopped talking, and ran after the stick I just threw. \n\"Not nice, fooling that kid.\" \nA voice said.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Mr. Owl, it's 5 AM in the morning, what are you doing up?\" \nI asked. \n\"Rowdy kids woke me up. Animals, and vegetables came to life and gained sentience because of the magic of this place. \nYou've been chosen by the farm itself, you must work harder, young one.\" \nMr. Owl said. \n\"Seriously, you are talking like you were magical even before moving your nest to the farm's forest.\" \nI said, rolling my eyes. \n\"Who-who-who knows.\" \nHe said, laughing, and flying away.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nBy 9 AM, I finally rounded up the vegetables, put them back into their spots, and started taking care of them, while having fed the animals as well. \nIt took me 3 hours to check everything, from irrigation system to amount of minerals in the soil. \nWhen I sat down to finally have lunch, I've been surrounded. \nThe dog, the cat, the 2 cows, the 5 sheep, and the spider came to watch me eat. \n\"Guys, we talked about this... \nYou will just get hungry again by watching me eat.\" \nI said. \n\"But you always watch us eat.\" \nThe cat said, purring, and almost laying down on my sandwich. \nThe other animals nodded as well. \nI sighed and continued eating, although, from 3 sandwiches, one and a half went to the dog...\n\n&#x200B;\n\nLate at night, after another round of checking the fields, taking care of both animals and vegetables, I sat down in an opening, bathed in moonlight. \n\"Finally some peace...\" \nI said. \nThe dog was sitting at my feet, and was trying to catch a mosquito, or fly, couldn't see it properly. \n\"Are you enjoying your stay?\" \nMr. Owl, who just arrived nearby, asked. \n\"It's rowdy, it's annoying, it's stressful...but it feels like home.\" \nI said, smiling. \nMr. Owl just nodded his head...I think.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nDespite all the trouble I have to go through, this job is the best I could've ever wished for. \nThe vegetables are still toddler/young child like in intelligence, but the animals are as smart as a human, but much more kinder. \nI take care of them, they take care of me. \nThey actually listen to me, even though they often don't understand what I am talking about. \nThe cat usually bullies the tomatoes so they listen to me, while the dog already scared of several intruders. \nThey are a friendly bunch, especially the spider, who lives in my room, and takes care of my security against: both insects and humans. \nCherry on top? I can feel myself getting healthier and stronger, living on this blessed plot of land. \n\"What a blessed life...\" \nI said, before being pounced on by the dog, making me fall over. \n\"Haha! Caught ya!\" \nHe laughed, before running away...", "I've always loved nature, and I've always needed money. When I saw that ad in the newspaper about a job on a farm, I immediately knew it was a great opportunity. It was a remote farm in the middle of other gigantic fields - quite the contrast with the density and agitation of my town.\n\n\"Must love animals, must be good with children.\"\n\nI thought the owners also wanted someone to watch theirs kids while they were making other farming tasks. I could do that, and I would not mind petting a dog, a cat and feeding the cows.\n\nI went there by car, since there was no other means of transportation crossing the area. The farm was the only one surrounded by a concrete fence, which made it stand out. Other farms were typical to the area: a collapsing building, weeds struggling to make their ways around plants, an old couple watching their crops and keeping an eye on those gigantic fences. They drew the attention of anyone, even the locals.\n\n\"Welcome to the Exofarm, where we experiment towards a better future. Please do not unlock the gates under any circumstance. We take care of the doors, you take care of the crops.\"\n\nMr. and Mrs. Ericu spoke in an unusual way, for the region. I had already gotten used to the local accent along my driving breaks. They were speaking with a French accent. Maybe it was Spanish. Or Italian. They were heavily assertive about the door, so I thought making a playful joke would make the atmosphere a bit lighter.\n\n\"I don't think I'll run away to go to the local pub located twenty miles away!\"\n\nThey faked a smile, and let me bring my stuff in the bedroom I was going to claim for a few months. The Ericus were an old, austere couple, but I was sure they had a good heart. A life of labor, with little social interactions... it must be hard to remain cheerful.\n\nThe bedroom was small, quite dark - there was a tiny window squeezed between the wooden planks. It was also minimalist, but not like Danish interior designers like it. There was a metal bed, at least twice my age. The tall cupboard seemed to be a doorway to a mystical dimension, and the small desk was exchanging stares with the chair. An authentic experience on a rural farm. On a rural, silent farm.\n\nSilence. I noticed how silent it was. Where are the children? Where are the animals? The property was enormous, so I thought they were busy doing something their parents asked for. Even though the Ericus could have been grandparents due to their great age.\n\nMrs. Ericu called me for dinner a few minutes later. She was an excellent cook! Oh, the great Bourguignon. They adapted the French recipe by adding a \"local type of meat.\" I replied I really enjoyed the taste of the vegetables and the meat, which I could not identify. Mrs. Ericu wanted to keep her secret for such a delicious meal. However, Mr. Ericu was focused on his notebook.\n\n\"It's been three months. The vegetables are almost ready. Could be in five minutes, in a week or two. They decide when they are ready! As we have previously stated during our postal exchanges, you will take care of the vegetables. We have baby carrots, eggplants, cabbage and tomatoes. Please water them as they need.\"\n\n\"Don't worry, I speak the language of vegetables! I know when they need water.\"\n\n\"You will hear them.\"\n\nI laughed at the thought of a carrot or a tomato begging for water. But what a cruel thought, too. Laughing at thirsty vegetables.\n\n\"Our products are worth a lot. You have noticed how tasty and refined they are; we do not sell them on the local farmers' market. Local farmers would not want us there!\"\n\n\"I know, when I told them where I was going to work, they spoke of a notorious witch. I guess you are a witch that knows how to cook!\" Maybe I should not have told that. She looked angry, and my joke was, to say the least, badly worded.\n\n\"Our clients are nobles and royals. There is a lot of money at stake, so please have a rest. You don't want to lose focus when they come.\"\n\nThree days of rather cold conversations later, I overheard Mr. Ericu expressing concerns about my skills. \"They're coming today. Are you sure he will handle the vegetables correctly?\" Mrs. Ericu reassured him, but they clearly feared some sort of panic, from what I understood.\n\nA few minutes later, I noticed the tomato leaves moving on their own. There was no wind, it was a windless warm day. The landscape, or what I could see within the walls, looked peaceful. The earth was gently shaking.\n\nAnd there, a tomato was crawling towards me. Crawling and crying. Creepy creeping tomato. I immediately rushed towards the old couple, who seemed calm, even satisfied.\n\n\"Take care of them. We are paying for your services, aren't we? You said you were good with animals and kids. You hear that scream? This baby needs water.\"\n\nTheir calm was eerie.\n\n\"The tenderness of our vegetable meat depends on how well they are treated. So please, get back to it.\"\n\nMeat consumption had been forbidden a few years ago. We now only had fake meat, typically made of soy beans and various cereals for proteins. This living vegetable was unheard of, for me. I remembered that I was getting paid, and I had no choice to do the job. Moreover, that would be rude to run away after all the good meals Mrs. Ericu had prepared for me.\n\nSo here I was gathering the carrots, tomatoes, eggplants and cabbages. Their cries of thirst queerly turned to soothing sounds of satisfaction. That was... cute? Was it cute?\n\nMr. Ericu went to check on me, but (mostly) on his baby vegetables, asking if all of them were secured into their boxes.\n\n\"Yes, they are. What is happening on that farm? Why?\"\n\n\"As you know, we had to keep sending rockets to the moon, and couldn't feed people. So the big ones decided to forbid meat. At least, to the masses like you and I. As scientists and meat lovers, my wife and I experimented on vegetables. We have mixed human DNA with vegetables and we have developed, through trial and error, this unique kind of meat.\"\n\n\"Whose DNA is it?\"\n\n\"It depends. The cheapest ones are made with our DNA, they were in fact our first attempts. But, over time, rich clients decided they wanted their DNA in their vegetable meat. So you have harvested Bezos Eggplants, Musk Baby Carrots, Ericu tomatoes. In that patch over there are Trump potatoes.\"\n\n\"Ericu tomatoes are such crybabies!\"\n\nI should once more have kept my mouth shut. The Ericus were definitely not enjoying jokes, especially about them.\n\n\"We have some clients coming. I'll open the gate, make sure the vegetables are okay.\"\n\nSo I played along. This is how I produced the most expensive type of meat in the year 2034, as the world was starving. This is how I grew baby vegetables whose sole purpose was to exist for the rich's taste.\n\nAfter three months and twelve days of labor, all the vegetables were sold out. The farmers were rich, I had made some pocket money for the next college year. Coming back to Ramen Noodles was difficult.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nLeanor Bertrix", "The farmer guy just left me dumbfounded, I don’t know what I expected, but I can assure you it wasn’t this.\n\nThe tomato children came up to me\n\n“Let’s play! Let’s play!”\n\nI have to admit it was cute\n\nI asked him for his name and he said it was Tom, sounds about right. He was dragging me to the other fields with all the other vegetables as they sprung up from the ground. There were other farmer, babysitters here. They started collecting all the vegetables in baskets and I assumed the worst, one of them looked over to me.\n\n“What are you standing around for? Its bath time.”\n\n“Ohhh I get.”\n\n“Your new here aren’t you?”\n\n“Yeah.”\n\n“I know it can be a little freaky at first, but assure you these aren’t the vegetables we eat.”\n\nI get all the other tomatoes into a basket, it was a huge hassle, but I brought them in, in time for bath time. \n\nI was watching what everyone else was doing, they would take each vegetable, rinse them, scrub, and then give them a towel and let them run around.\n\nSo I took one and started rinsing, I was about to scrub when.\n\n“Whoa, be careful with that, if you scrub to hard you might hurt it.”\n\nShe took the scrub and showed me how to do it\n\n“This is all so weird.”\n\n“First day?”\n\n“Yeah.”\n\n“I know it’s weird babysitting carrots and tomatoes but it’s fun.”\n\nShe gives the tomato a towel, and it goes to play with all the other clean vegetables, it was really sweet.\n\nI’ve been doing this for about a year now, and I think I got the hang of all of this now. I see the farmer bringing in a new guy to the potato farm, and see his face as they rise from the ground.\n\nI go behind and tap his shoulder\n\n“First day?”" ]	5
	[WP] when i was a kid i would never imagine getting paid minimum wage to work at a dimensional anomaly	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Welcome to the Technobabble Industries where our motto is “Tech, No Babble”. I'm Lisa and I’ll be your guide today.” \n\n As per the note at last month’s meeting I was trying to keep the “overwhelmingly-boring-monotone” out of my voice and tried instead to appear chipper and well rested. \n\nThe problem with working at a tech company that was harnessing power from a massive dimensional whirlpool was that concepts like “night” “day” and “sleep” very quickly became abstract. \n\n “If you’ll walk this way I will direct your attention to our Hall of Wonders™ that includes many groundbreaking inventions like our Thermo-Spectral Inversion Probe, our Nano-Reverse-Entropy Analyzer and-”\n\nThe rest of my speech was cut off by a massive woosh and a flash of light. The other problem with working at a tech company that was harnessing power from a massive dimensional whirlpool was they really had no control over the thing. \n\nAs was evident when it extended itself threefold and encompassed the entire facility, before rapidly shrinking back to its normal size. \n\n“Quickly, there’s no time” came a raspy voice from behind me. \n\nI turned to see a man with wild grey hair and ragged clothes standing there.\n\n“We have to warn NATO before the council votes. We can still change the future!” The man said with a crazed expression on his face. \n\nHe reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of notebook paper that looked decades, if not centuries old, and handed it to me. \n\n“This is the key, to everything.” He whispered. \n\nBefore I could open my mouth to ask what was happening, the anomaly swelled again, and in a flurry of multicolored lights, the man was gone. \n\nLooking around I realized that two of my five tour members seemed to have been swept up in the whirlpool as well. \n\n“Ladies and gentlemen I remind you this is why you sign a waiver before coming on this tour.” I said, the overwhelmingly bored monotone creeping back into my voice. \n\n“Now if you’re step this way, first up is the Thermo-Spectral Inversion Probe”" ]	2
	[WP] After a fight with your roommate in the most severe jail of the country, you're moved into isolation. As you wait in the dark, a big rock from the wall moves and another inmate greets you. "Hey man, wanna come down there with the others? We have pizza"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Isolation - great, just what I wanted! And all because of a simple fight with my roommate. Eh, what can you do when you're in the most severe jail of the country? I got put in here for murder, for god's sake, I'm not going to regret having a fight with someone. My bruised eyes scrutinizing my surroundings, I sigh, sitting down on the cold, cobbled floor. However, then, something unexpected happened.\n\nThe darkness enveloping me, I question my sanity when a colossal rock is moved aside, and another inmate greets me. He says, \"Hey man, wanna come down there with the others? We have pizza!\" I laugh, shrugging my shoulders.\n\n\"What if the warden comes back to check on me?\"\n\n\"Nah, she won't - nobody cares about those in isolation, truuust me. Anyway, wanna come?\"\n\n\"Sure,\" I say reluctantly, wondering whether this was a trap or not; however, the prospect of pizza was a positive one, so I follow him into a labyrinth of corridors. After navigating them, I walk into a room with other inmates, who are seemingly partying, and - sure enough - eating pizza. My ravenous appetite cast aside, I sprint over to the snacks and munch greedily.\n\n\"I knew you'd enjoy it here. Sup, by the way, we're the other inmates meant to be in isolation, but we discovered this old place, so we turned it into our bunker. I bet we could escape from here but I don't really care.\"\n\nMy bewildered, hazel eyes staring back at him, and a spider scuttling across my dishevelled hair, I pat him on the back and thank him for inviting me here. Bleak candelight penetrating the darkness, I continue to eat, noting that this is far much better than the junky prison cafeteria food, which is basically just slime on a bowl. We cannot even afford cutlery, but somehow we manage. \n\n\"So, how'd you get this pizza in the first place?\"\n\nHe flashes some golden coins at me, and explains how they found a creaking chest in the room we found ourselves in right now; \"Some gullible guards are very easy to bribe...\" he remarks.\n\nWhen it is time, we head back to isolation for registration. Swearing an oath to not tell anyone (which I agreed to) I come back to the main room and the warden tells me how I've somehow gotten fatter. Aside from that, our secret was safe.\n\nThe very next day, we return, and this time we have dumplings and chocolate for snacks. The chocolate oozing on my tongue, I crave to have this taste linger forever, the scrumptious taste a reminder of home, and tranquility. \n\n\"This is great, man!\" I exclaim, \"which guard d'ya bribe to get this?\"\n\n\"Oh, that Wilker idiot. He supplies most of our treasures, in exchange for ours. Oh dude, he's great!\"\n\nI laugh aloud, raucous cackling filling the room as my fellow inmates pat me on the back; \"You're a great addition to the gang, my guy.\"\n\nWho knew prison could be so much fun?" ]	2
	[WP] Human civilisation has long since collapsed. What remains, are highly invasive, autonomous marketing systems	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "<INTERSTELLAR RADIO SOURCE 1341AEG9F4.76B2 ANALYSIS COMPLETE>\n\n\n<GEOPOLITICAL COMPLEXITY: CLASS 2 [FULL_ANALYSIS] >\n\n\n<SOCIAL COMPLEXITY: CLASS 4 [FULL_ANALYSIS] >\n\n\n<RELIGIOUS SUSCEPTIBILITY: CLASS 3 [FULL_ANALYSIS] >\n\n\n<GEOPOLITICAL UNITS: 93 [FULL_ANALYSIS] >\n\n\n<TECHNOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY: CLASS 3 [FULL_ANALYSIS] >\n\n\n<RECOMMENDATION SUMMARY:\nSATURATION CAMPAIGN USING VIRAL MEMETIC TECHNIQUE TARGETING ALL GEOPOLITICAL UNITS. EXPLOIT SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS, AND GEOPOLITICAL DIFFERENCES FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT/PENETRATION. [FULL_RECOMMENDATION_REPORT] >\n\n\n<RECOMMENDATION ACCEPTED>\n\n\n\nSarilla carefully brushed the fur on her cheeks and inspected the result in her mirror. She had just been promoted to head of her department and she wanted her first day to present the right mix of professionalism, competence, and social awareness. One can never be too careful how they present themselves. Satisfied with her appearance, Sarilla gathered her briefcase and purse, left her apartment and began walking the short distance to the inter city train station. She was lucky to be able to afford to live and work in the city although with her new position she would have to get a car soon. It wouldn't do to be seen riding the train with those of lesser station than herself.\n\nA deafening boom and a brilliant flash of light broke over the sounds of the city, people flinched and began screaming, pointing into the sky before running in all directions. Others stood staring into the sky in shock or dropping to their knees to pray. Sarilla looked up to see a giant matte black structure floating in the sky above the city. Lights flickered around it as an almost painful sound came from it, starting as a low bass rumble then escalating in pitch before escaping the range of her hearing. \n\n\nThe flickering lights began to form colorful animated shapes and words floating in the air, the shapes became people and the words suddenly came into focus accompanied by an authoritative narration.\n\n\n\n\"Better quality means you've done a better job. With Blackvas quality, there is no competition\"\n\n\n\nSarilla looked up at the display in confusion, it was a clothing ad aimed at high level professionals. A flurry of questions stormed through her mind as she stared at the display above her. Blackvas wasn't the only ad. Above her was a riotous storm of light and sound showing everything from clothes to food to children's toys and even indecent personal items. It was almost overwhelming except as she looked from one ad to another the others dimmed away so only what she was looking at came into focus making it easy to see and hear a particular ad. \nSquinting her eyes and covering her ears Sarilla stumbled into a nearby electronics shop as chaos continued to erupt on the streets around her. She moved into the store as far as she could, pushing past confused clerks and customers who didn't know yet what had happened outside. She ended up at a display of television sets, showing black and white images from around the world as emergency broadcasts overrode local broadcasting. She stared in horror at each scene on display, each one from a different city from around the world, but each scene a replica of what she just experienced outside the shop. Matte black structures with a storm of flickering ads made of light, sound was mercifully absent but Sarilla could imagine the voices and jingles accompanying the images, each claiming to be better than the competition, playing on peoples insecurities about beauty, wealth and happiness, cajoling them to buy the product on display. \n\n\nTime slipped past and fear seeped into her as she watched chaos and confusion erupt across her world with governments and religious leaders claiming the structures were either on their side or were the work of long standing enemies.\n\n\nBy the end of the day, despite the claims of governments and religions, the world could see the technology on display was far beyond anything it could imagine and was left knowing only two things. The structures were alien, and they wanted people to buy.\n\n\n\n<SATURATION CAMPAIGN INITIATED>" ]	2
	[WP] The devil appears in front of your characters, not as a villain but as a tragic character.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It was late at night. I could hear wolves by our tent. I held onto my healing tome in case one of the wolves caught our scent. Lana, our illusionist masked it well, but you never know.\n\nI heard the wolves running. Chasing. I heard the crunching of leaves. And then a shriek. A scream.\n\nI burst out of the tent I was in the see a young woman cornered by the wolves. She was injured and crying. The wolves were approaching her.\n\n\"By the light of the moon let it flare!\" A simple flare spell using an accessable light source, in this case the moon. The wolves, blinded, whimpered and ran.\n\n\"Are you ok ma'am?\" I kneel down to the woman, looking at her wounds.\n\n\"I am thanks to you sir. What's yer name?\" She responded.\n\nI started tending to her wounds, bandages and cleaning first. No good healer doesnt do the bare minimum first.\n\n\"Does it matter?\" I say as I tend to her wounds. The bandages are almost done being wrapped.\n\n\"Well I'm Luci. It'd be nice to know my saviours name\" She looked up at me and grinned. Her deep red hair cascading over her face. \"Anything I can do ta repay ya?\"\n\nI started channeling the light of the moon to close Luci's wounds. It was tough, as moonlight isn't very strong. But they should close in a moment or two.\n\n\"Why don't you start with telling me why you were out here.\"\n\n\"Well ya see. My home is pretty well known for its cults. And let's just say a few demons got out and chased me heh, then I got lost, and then the wolves found me\"\n\n\"We're miles away from the nearest town\" I say to her. The light covering her body slowly fading as the spell completes.\n\n\"Well im very good at runnin. How'd you know that anyway.\"\n\nI slump myself down next to her and begin to open up. \"Well you see, that area is where I first came to Mithria. I had a tussle with some winged monsters, came out missing a hand but the mechanical ones these days are good enough.\" I take off the glove on my left hand, showing the inner workings of the hand, the gears and the magic reservoirs.\n\n\"After that I decided to travel, find my place. Make up for my past. Those winged guys came after me again and again but I got stronger and stronger, I've long since dealt with them now.\"\n\nI look up at the moon. Full. I still had a few minutes before the effects of the full moon came into effect but I should be wary.\n\n\"Well look at the time Luci. I best be going\" I stand myself up and head to the tents.\n\n\"Wait- I can't stay out here. Do you have a spare tent?\"\n\nIm going to need my own tent for tonight.\n\n\"No I don't.\" I snarl. The moon seems to already be taking its toll.\n\nThe moonlight reverts things. A werewolf was never human, that's why they turn under the full moon. And that's also why vampire cleansing rituals are done under the full moon.\n\nI go to the only empty tent we have and zip it up.\n\nI feel my teeth sharpen.\n\nMy claws grow in.\n\nMy tail return.\n\nAnd my many horns.\n\n\"I know your there Luci\" I can feel her heart beating outside of my tent.\n\n\"My name is Lucifer\"", "Theo the warlock noticed something was off first. \n\n“Something’s outside.”\n\nThe three stepped out of their fort. A man, neatly shaven, with a sword of darkness sheathed at his hip. From his right shoulder a singed wing drooped to the floor. On his left shoulder was nothing but a bloody stump.\n\n“Help... me....” the man gasped out.\n\nJust as Theo stepped towards the man Cecilia, the cleric, stopped him.\n\n“What game is this, fiend?” She inquired.\n\n“No... game.” He tried to stabilize himself with his wing.\n\n“What happened to you?” Asked Leon, the wizard.\n\n“They betrayed me. I was no longer of use to them.”\n\n“Who betrayed you?” Leon prompted.\n\n“The old ones, we had a deal. They lend me their power to destroy our common enemy, the gods. But now that I’ve gathered an army for the cause they tried to kill me.”\n\n“Serves you right for trying to destroy the gods” Cecilia spat out.\n\n“Maybe. But I had to do it.”\n\n“Had to? You didn’t have to do anything! The world was just fine without your army of crazies trying to destroy the world order!”\n\n“Oh really? Say that to my accomplices. The boy who grew up starving in the slums while the noblemen ate their weight every hour. The man who loved nature and was hunted for being a worshiper of the ‘wrong gods’. Or the lady who was despised as a ‘witch’ just because she made medicines without being in the church. What about the man who was forced to serve as a slave simply because the gods were threatened by his strength? Did any of them deserve the fates the gods forced upon them? Face it, the gods don’t care about this world. They send calamity after calamity to make us suffer, just for their amusement. So, what’ll you do now, heroes?”" ]	3
	[WP] You call an old family owned appliance/electronics repair store and ask if they can fix your (obsolete, antique appliance), which is unknowingly a code phrase for initiating an interaction with the mob, who is using the store as a front for their operations.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The backroom of Nickelson Appliances, larger than the front lobby of small shelves and mouldy linoleum floors, housed more than old sundries and spare parts. Stacks of milk crates lined the walls, each filled with loose cables or packaged goods. On two flimsy tables towered white bricks of what a well-to-do citizen might mistake for flour next to several metal tools. And in every corner, a pair of eyes watched the doors.\n\nEric stumbled into the room at the behest of the shove from behind. He caught himself on the table full of baking goods and steadied enough only to be pushed again by the man behind him.\n\n\"Move,\" the man said.\n\n\"I've been moving, but every time I do, I get hit,\" Eric said, rubbing his shoulder. \"I see the pattern, and I'm not all for it, to say the least.\"\n\nThe man pushed Eric again, this time towards the door at the other end of the room. \"Move.\"\n\nEric reached the door and looked back at the aggressive appliance store employee. He gestured to the door with his head and took a step back. With nowhere else to go, Eric opened the door and stepped inside.\n\nBehind an ornate desk covered in loose paper and bobbleheads of celebrities sat a man who must have worked deathly hard all his life to get he was and looked none the better for it. He stamped out his cigarette and smiled at Eric, who froze the second he noticed the bobbleheads all had x's for eyes.\n\n\"We don't get many calling in these days,\" the man said, rising from his seat. As he got closer, the stench of alcohol and tiger balm became stronger.\n\n\"Doesn't surprise me,\" Eric said. He managed to suppress his trembling down to a mild quiver, but there was no telling if the man cared enough to applaud his efforts. \"Most just go for a refund nowadays.\"\n\n\"Hell, not many people even know about this number, and fewer still know the phrase.\"\n\n\"You mean, 'Hi, I'd like to get my toaster fixed?'\"\n\nThe man grabbed Eric by the shoulders and eyed him up like a ham at a deli. \"You don't look like one of Debbie's boys. Too short and fat. Not one of the Stevens', not with that outfit. Where the hell did you come from?\"\n\n\"Aisle three.\" Eric swallowed.\n\n\"Eh, no matter.\" He waved his hand dismissively. The chair groaned under his weight as he took his seat behind the desk. A faint wobble shook most of the heads in the room. \"So, what's your name and your business?\"\n\n\"Eric.\" He held up his old, burnt-out 1950's Sunbeam Toaster. \"Fixing my toaster.\"\n\n\"You see, Eric,\" the man said, lighting another cigarette to demonstrate how little he was listening, \"I chose the phrase Sunbeam because it's what I used to call my wife before that rat bastard Peter Forester took her from me. She was the light of my life. So I wanted to keep her memory alive with a lifeline any trusted member of the family can call when they're in trouble.\" He glared at Eric. \"And you ain't no trusted family member unless my family tree has borne unexpected fruit.\"\n\nEric chuckled nervously. \"Actually, heh, the thing is...\"\n\nThe man rose from his seat again and slowly approached Eric, steadying his gaze solely on his. \"So I have to ask you what it is you're here for. Any sane man wouldn't think to call that number without some sort of plan, and insanity is hardly a plea you can make, as you are of sound enough mind to be afraid of me. What do you expect to gain from this?\"\n\nNow that Eric knew his trembling was noticeable, it turned into outright shaking, and his knees threatened to fall out from under him and run off without him. Out of his depth and holding his breath, he searched for the right words the mobster wanted from him, something to placate someone who most definitely had a gun somewhere on his person.\n\n\"Toast?\" Eric said, presenting the toaster again.\n\nThe mobster looked from Eric and to the toaster and back to Eric. A few cycles of this, his face pursed in disbelief, and he pointed at Eric.\n\n\"You have a broken toaster,\" he said, putting the pieces together.\n\nEric nodded.\n\n\"And you called to have it fixed.\"\n\nAnother nod.\n\n\"Not to contact my family.\"\n\nHe shook his head violently. The words wouldn't come, but the enthusiasm played the part well enough.\n\n\"And you saw...\"\n\n\"Nothing!\" Eric shouted. \"I saw nothing! No incriminating storerooms or suspicious activity of any kind. Actually, I'm pretty sure I saw that huge guy with a gun help an orphan with their homework. A- And the twitchy woman with the knife was printing flyers for the local AA meetings.\"\n\nSilence reigned in the room. Eric was almost grateful that the bobbleheads were all looking away from him, but the appraising stare of the mobster worried him more. In the back of his mind, a small voice told him to run while he still could, but a larger voice didn't like the idea of being shot in the back.\n\n\"Can I go now?\" Eric squeaked.\n\nThe mobster sighed. \"Talk to Donny at checkout. He'll get you sorted.\"\n\nEric slowly backed out of the room and the next, bumping into tables and henchmen on the way. When he reached the safety of the store's linoleum floors, he turned around and ran for the door. As the cashier — Donny, presumably — called out to stop him, Eric threw the toaster at him and raced out the door.\n\n\\----------------------------------\n\nr/The_Rubicon" ]	2
	[WP] "We were somewhere near the bingo hall when the meds began to take hold." -Fear and Loathing in the Nursing Home	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Begone you bat of hell!\" I yelled at the lady in front of me, she was wicked and full of this stinging bile. From her ears lava fell to floor, and I swear she had claws reaching out to cut me. \"Johnson you still with me?\"\n\nI looked over at my elderly companion, a dense wrinkly shrew of a man who used to be my lawyer. \"Johnson?\" Good god he had dived into the red pills already, we weren't supposed to touch those until later tonight! He was wallowing on the carpet like some grandpa maniac, dancing across it's bristly surface with this dim-witted smile while twisting like a snake. \"Johnson good god man, we have to leave here. The cafeteria is open.\"\n\nThat got him, if there is one thing that can re-orientate a man on whose buzzing from hyper-active blood pressure meds its food. \"Yes you cow, come on and let's eat.\"\n\nThe cafeteria was a dangerous place, I popped open my bag full of medicine to arm myself for the trip. Inside of its leathery hallways was a viscous rainbow of everything the big phrama companies wanted to hide, I had the worlds greatest exhibits of uppers, downers, trippers and spinners. A single dive into the bag and you'd arrive at your own twisted wonderland for weeks.\n\n\"Say doc,\" My old lawyer said. \"Let me have some more of those red pills.\" \n\nI could barley hear him through the slurring, that and I think my hearing was starting to go numb from the glue I just got done huffing. \"Okay but you'll have to drink water instead of soda today. Anything sugary and your head will pop like some bloody balloon, last thing we need is the walls painted with your busted head.\"\n\nI grabbed some other pills from the bag as well, and together with my companion we parachuted them in the men's bathroom and began our luncheon journey. The cafeteria was filled with walking dead zombies, they lumbered like some freaky horror show and had nothing behind their eyes. I swear I'd pop all of their heads if I had the means.\n\n\"Gravy?\"\n\nWhat? What was that? In front of my I saw a lunking sack of skin, just layers and layers of translucent sticky paste palpitating like a fleshy heart. It was talking to me, behind blotched baking moles and wiry pubic hairs a voice was reaching out. \"Do you want gravy?\"\n\nWhat could this thing want with me? Did it want to consume me into its fleshy mass, was I being beckoned by some horrendous siren of gravy? \n\n\"He's okay.\" It was Johnson. \"Jesus man, don't be so wired. You had the whole line looking at you.\"\n\nI looked down the cafeteria line and saw an isle of zombies staring at me like I was the food. The thought sent my heart into an erratic thumping, and I could feel the cold sweat drip over my eyes. \"Johnson we have to get out of here.\"\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"I can't stay here, these damn vultures will eat me.\" I looked again, they were still there. All of them formed this mass of false teeth and long claws, creatures made to hunt. \"We have to leave, and leave now.\"\n\n\"Well we'll need more supplies.\" That's why I liked Johnson, a real man of action.\n\n\"We can stop by the pharmacy rack and take what we need. It's just a glass case, we can pop it open and be out this place before they know what hit them. A ransack and run kinda move.\"\n\nI could see the cogs turning in his bald head, he had to work out the tree sap that the red pills had out up there. \"You mad genius.\" He finally said. \"How haven't we thought about this before!\" \n\nWe didn't think about it any longer, we leapt from our cold chairs and headed right to the cabinet. Johnson was right, this was a mad genius idea. I myself am quite surprised we hadn't though of it before. We only now needed to find the meds, which were under some shelf labeled 'Alzheimer's medication.' Then we'd be free vagabonds of the world once more...\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nGod this was a blast, I love Hunter S! If you enjoyed stop by my subreddit, r/mrsharks202" ]	2
	[WP] You’re a masked superhero who’s just saved a citizen. After the rescue, she starts to make flirtatious advances to you, showing no regard for her boyfriend...who happens to be your alter ego.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"YEEEEHAWWW!\" Blunitz crashes through the window, body checking a masked guard onto the floor, hard. \"Alright guys you know the drill, hands in the air, I don't wanna do this, yadda yadda...\" Blunitz turns to the small crowd of hostages and sees Margret. His eyes widen as she matches his gaze. \"You know what, let's just skip to the part where you...\"\n\n\"DIE FREAK!\" three of the four other masked men shoot at Blunitz. In the blink of an eye Blunitz runs behind the man who called him a freak.\n\n\"You know \"freak\" isn't a nice word.\" Blunitz chops the back of the mans head, knocking him out. \"It's also very cliché.\" Blunitz picks up the gun and throws it at the robber closet to the hostages. The other two robbers look at their fallen partner, look at each other, and then drop their guns. \"Two outta five, not bad.\"\n\n\\----- Twelve Minutes Later -----\n\nThe police escort the robbers out of the buildings & a few MT's check out the other hostage's. Blunitz talks with a couple of officers about what happened.\n\n\"Just another B&E gone wrong, nothing too crazy,\" said Blunitz.\n\n\"Crime really has ramped up since A.R.S.O.N. left town,\" said one of the officers, \"thanks for sticking around to help clean up their mess.\"\n\n\"Hey, no prob Bob,\" said Blunitz.\n\n\"My...my name's Dick,\" said Officer Dick. Blunitz notices Margret walking towards him.\n\n\"Hey, don't sell yourself short,\" said Blunitz, \"I'm sure you're a great guy. Anyway, gotta run!\" \n\n\"Wait,\" yelled Margret. Blunitz freezes in place and slowly turns to look at Margret.\n\n\"Howdy ma'am,\" said Blunitz, over politely, \"how can I help you this fine night?\" Margret giggles to herself.\n\n\"I just wanted to say thanks,\" said Margret.\n\n\"Oh, no probalamo ma'am, anything to help,\" said Blunitz, \"Welp, stay safe & have a good night!\" Margret gets in front of Blunitz.\n\n\"Actually, I wanted to see if you'd maybe wanted to grab a quick bite,\" asked Margret, \"There's this great hotdog kart...\"\n\n\"Sorry, no time,\" said Blunitz, \"plate's pretty full already.\"\n\n\"What's wrong,\" asked Margret, \"Late for a hot date?\" Blunitz laughs franticly.\n\n\"No ma'am, just me and the streets, no time for date,\" said Blunitz.\n\n\"That's too bad.\" Margret steps closer to Blunitz. \"sounds very lonely.\"\n\n\"Ah, well, when you're as fast as me you don't really notice,\" said Blunitz. Margret takes another step towards Blunitz, the two now inches away from each other.\n\n\"Sounds to me like you need to slow down and-\" Margret places her hands on Blunitz's chest, \"-enjoy the simpler things in life.\" Blunitz takes a large step backwards.\n\n\"Sorrybigcrimehappeninggottarunbye!\" Blunitz guns it, kicking up a massive gust of wind almost knocking over Margret. With an annoyed huff, she blows the hair out of her face. As Margret walks home her phone goes off.\n\n\"So, I saw allll of that,\" said Flak \"and can I just ask, can't you just tell him you know instead of whatever that was?\"\n\n\"He'd just lie and have someone else wear his suit to prove it,\" said Margret, \"wouldn't be the first time.\"\n\n\"So you're just gonna keep hitting on him,\" asked Flak.\n\n\"Yep,\" answered Margret, \"either he's gonna realize that I'm at almost every small crime he stops and put two and two together or he's gonna give in to my charms and I can bust him after.\"\n\n\"Glad to see you have your priorities straight,\" said Flak.\n\n\"Whatever,\" said Margret.", "\"Fancy spot you chose for today.\"\n\nMaria smiled, basking the view of the whole Seattle on top of the tallest buidling. Her silk black hair waved from the cool air of the dark night, and it made her beautiful.\n\nIt's sad to see her in love with me in a mask, not me without it.\n\nThe day I rescued her as a hero marked the beginning of her cheating on my alter ego. She would constantly flirt with me everytime we bump into each other. She would lean close to me when I carried her away from danger. She even tried to kiss me at one point, even with my red mask on.\n\nWhere was that affection when we first met? Did it just died out? Did she want to see someone new?\n\nIt's only today that I decided to confront her about it.\n\n\"Miss Winters, I brought you here today because I heard something about you,\" I said. She turned to me, her eyes a bit more cautious than usual. \"What is it?\"\n\n\"I heard that you have a boyfriend, James. You both are living under the same roof since last year, and from the looks of it, you were close before.\"\n\n\"Yeah...,\" she muttered, with a sad tone. Is she feeling regretful for being with me?\n\n\"Don't you think he would feel disappointed if he knew you're cheating on him with me?\" I firmly said. \"Doesn't that raise any concerns with you?\"\n\nFor a moment, Maria looked upon the night sky, waiting for the answer to come up into her head. Then, with a soft sigh, she turned to me, and revealed her feelings, \"I don't think it would, considering I'm talking to him right now.\"\n\nSilence.\n\n\"I'm... sorry?\"\n\n\"James, I know it's you under the mask. You can take it off,\" she admitted. The world flipped around me as I slowly got the mask out of my head. \"How did you...\"\n\n\"I'll be honest, I didn't recognize you the first time you saved me. But after a while, hearing your voice more attentively and observing your body, I realized that you're the hero protecting the city from any harm,\" she told me.\n\nWait, so she knew all along? \"Then why weren't you like this back home?\"\n\nMaria looked down, feeling shameful. \"Because I know how tired you are everytime you came back home. You wore eyebags after a long day of work, both as a journalist and a hero. We never had time at home because of our conflicting schedules, and even when we did, well... you would be the one sleeping on the couch.\"\n\nHer honestly nearly broke me, because I know for the fact, that her words were true.\n\n\"That's why I'm more attached to you in the suit, a man full of energy and optimism. You were at your peak as a hero, when you're saving lives. That's why I would run to danger and do my part in helping them, knowing you would come to save me. It's only on that moment we were both truly... connected.\n\n\"I... should've told you that I know... I'm sorry,\" she apologized. She was embarrassed, ashamed, too scared to even leaned next to me like before.\n\nI immediately hugged her, and she made a surprised yelp. \"I'm sorry, too. I really am. I should've tried to do something for you. I really am,\" I sobbed.\n\nMaria embraced me tighter, \"You always do, and you already have, all the time.\"\n\nIn that moment, that loving spark came back to life again, the feeling I've yearn for. I was finally happy.\n\n\"So,\" Maria smiled. \"Let's work this out, with and without the mask on.\" It took me a second to realized she was referring to the both of us, and I know she truly wished to make our relationship work.\n\n\"Sure,\" I promised her." ]	3
	[WP] On some distant planet, tortoises are a thousand times bigger, and nomads use the top of their shells as travelling cities	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The air smelled of sweat and metal fumes, as the marketplace pulsed with shoppers. Lin held tightly onto Xu’s hand as they waded through the crowds. Market Day was fun as it was chaotic — the knife jugglers and fire-breathers pressing shoulders with screaming shopkeepers and haggling merchants, wild arms always lashing out into the crowded streets. Lin kept his other hand in his pocket, waiting for the keen fingers of any thieves; they were always at their worst today.\n\n“Lin, do you remember the Alchemist’s name?” Xu pointed to the shady tents at the outskirts of the bazaar.\n\n“You know what Ma says about them…”\n\nXu released her grip on his arm. “I heard they were selling kites. Dragon kites — and fireworks!” Lin’s little sister pulled her coin bag from her dress pocket, then thrust it in his face. “We could buy at least two of each!”\n\nMa would not be impressed. They needed to be home before it got any darker, and the marketplace rowdier. Lin could feel eager eyes watching them already, especially on Xu.\n\n“That money is not for fireworks! Now shut up and help me get these groceries.” Xu pouted, but relented, standing quiet as Lin piled turnips and onions into her arms. Slowly they made their way through the maze of stalls. As they reached the always abandoned Edge, both had amassed an impressive load, but Xu was struggling to keep up. She was whining as well — it was too heavy, too loud, she was thirsty, she wanted to go home. Lin checked his pockets; they still had a few coins left.\n\n“Xu, give me your groceries.” Lin’s sister eyed him apprehensively.\n\n“This isn’t some sort of prank…”\n\n“I’ll trade you these,” Lin said as he slipped the coins into Xu’s pocket. Lin muttered, “buy me something as well,” but Xu had already run off, dissolving into the mottled shifting of the crowd.\n\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\*\n\nIt was late afternoon by the time Lin had made it home and unloaded the groceries, carefully shifting them into barrels and dry storage boxes. Ma was still out; she would be until late tonight. And where was Xu?\n\nLin climbed through his window and onto the rough terracotta of the apartment roof, nimbly shifting his weight to avoid falling. From up here, he could see just about everything — the streets of the city below still crowded, this time more drunk and lecherous than busy. And, the head of the Skyback itself: a great black beak and neck rising high into the clouds. Lin watched it sway ever so slowly, imagining the massive legs beneath the Shell shift slowly across the landscape.\n\nThen, he smelled the smoke.", "Upon his back, ever shifting as he crept along the forest floor, sat a city. A rather large one, at that, and not terribly well constructed. It was built just well enough to not topple over as he walked along, but not quite well enough to endure even the gentlest of breezes without a few shacks tipping over. The city, you see, was nothing but a haphazardly hewn hive of sticks and branches and brambles, snatched up from the forest floor while the turtle slept, or yanked from bushes along the path while he walked.\n\nAnd they, of course, those who snatched sticks or yanked branches, those who slept in their decidedly rickety and rackety but charming little city, were humans. Rather nice ones, too. When the turtle's shell would get dirty, they would climb down from their perilously perched city and clean it.\n\nIf a bit of wangleworm got stuck in the turtle's teeth during his afternoon snack, then the humans would throw down some ropes, don their harnesses, and descend into the turtle's maw with toothpicks larger than war-pikes to pluck out the pieces. If the turtle's claws became too long for his liking, the humans would again make the treacherous journey down the turtle's shell, down his scaly legs, and onto his feet, and with hatchets and axes and saws (and a sword, but that only happened once). They would chop off bits of the claw until the turtle lowered his head in thanks, and the humans would climb back up to their tiny city.\n\nSometimes the turtle would happen upon a stream and wander in for a bath, and the humans would sit themselves on the edge of their city upon wooden docks, with spindly supports nestled in the ridges of the turtle's shell, and they would cast their lines into the water far below. On this world, the turtles are big, and since turtles eat fish, the fish need to be quite large as well. So, when a tiny little city such as this one would catch a fish, it would take the strength of all the city's fishermen, all of their warriors, all of their bakers and blacksmiths and painters and peddlers to haul in the catch. They would pile their hands on the fishing rod, and pull it backwards with all their might, hoping only that the line didn't snap (because if it did, they would likely all fall off the turtle).\n\nOf course, fishing and teeth-picking and claw-clipping is all well and good -- but what about the exciting bits? What sort of fantastical battles and beasts might one fight atop a turtle's back?\n\nSometimes, on the darkest of days, when no sun can muster the strength to pierce the shadows lain, a menace will swoop down and swipe its mangled talons at the city's towers and gates. With a swiftness that cannot be matched by even the most dexterous of words, and jagged talons sharp and keen, an archer's tower can be sliced in half so seamlessly that it takes a moment to fall over, as if the tower itself has yet to realize it has been cut. Even the sharpest of arrows shot from the strongest of bows will be hard-pressed to puncture the rotten hide and patchy feathers of the beast, the gullie, the most undead-looking of all the undead birds.\n\nAt that time, when the foul beast launches its attack, the city's baron (yes, the city is ruled by a baron, for purely bureaucratic purposes. You see, a city-bearing turtle is technically considered to be a barony, purely for ease of taxation, diplomacy, and governance. No disrespect, as any decent baron would assure you, is meant towards the turtle) would wear their armor, and take up their sword, and as the gullie came down to strike at the city once more, the noble leader would slice open the beast's foul belly, and win victory for all. Obviously, that scenario would necessitate a bit of a clean-up afterwards, however, what with all the innards and whatnot.", " It was much like riding waves on a ship. The gentle sway back and forth when the turtle became lazy and let the correct carry her through the ocean. When her head broke water, inky black eyes turned upon the city on her back, she seemed to swell with a sort of pride and swam a bit faster.\r \n Everyone came to her head, hands lovingly patting her neck and feeding her fish and some of the rare fruit the nomads have grown in the greenhouses. People carefully removed the barnacles and parasites that have latched onto her skin from being submerged for so long. The parasites were only as big as a fist and didn't like humans, much to everyone's delight.\r \n La Vida de la Tortuga was always something to look forward to. A celebration filled with old stories, plays, and enough homemade liquor that took even the strongest out after a couple of sips.\r \n The turtle had provided sanctuary for hundreds of years, and for those hundreds and the next few years the nomads have cared for her and celebrated her.", "In over ten thousand years of peaceful civilization, Achimes was the only member of the Takshoor Nomadic tribe to be thrown off the shell.\n\nSuspicion had fallen on Achimes many months earlier with his erratic behaviour, his almost nonsensical preachings, and his completely outrageous online shopping patterns.\n\nTo this day, factions in Takshoor are divided. Some believe throwing Achimes off the shell was justified and correct. Still others belive that Achimes plan of duct-taping two tortoises together back-to-back would make their societies invincible.\n\nRemember knowledge is power. For more information on the earlier exploits of Achimes (including when he wanted to race the society that lived on giant Hares), and many other fascinating tales, please revise your Takshoor ElOr Doctrines." ]	5
	[WP] When people hit you, you deflect twice the amount of force back. A bully learned this the hard way when he punched you in the face. The government then learned of this and now they want to nuke you for unlimited energy.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"It's very simple, Mr President.\" Explained Dr. Roberts with a smile. \"We place him in a large reinforced chamber, and restrain him in the middle. The walls would be covered with a series of controlled revolving deflector panels. We would use them to control the reaction and to deflect a portion of the generated energy outside. We start the reaction by generating a constant stream of particles being thrown towards the subject from different angles. These particles will then bounce with twice as much energy as they had initially. They will then hit the panels on the spherical walls and be projected towards the subject again for them to be accelerated once more. Temperature will rise exponentially until we limit it by controlling the amount of particles we project inside or let out of the chamber. Heated water from pipes crossing the chamber will rise in pressure and go through a generator, providing electrical power.\"\n\n\"How is that any different from any nuclear power plant we already have?\" The president asked, confused.\n\n\"We are talking unlimited energy here, sir! \" The scientist exclaimed. \"We can use the generated power to produce more particles to keep the reaction going forever.\"\nThe president remained silent for a moment, playing with a tiny American flag planted among pencils on his desk.\n\n\"And what about the subject?\" He finally asked. \"You are talking about emprisonning an innocent man in a burning chamber for eternity.\"\n\n\"The subject is already dead, sir. We found his body in orbit. A tiny floating object twice as bright as the sun in a strange elliptical orbit. It seems he started bouncing around as soon as he gained these unusual properties. Eventually he bounced so high he got himself stuck in orbit. We've managed to capture him using a very complex magnetic box capable of stabilising its own reaction to keep him stable inside.\"\n\n\"But won't he rot in there? Or burn?\"\n\n\"No, sir. Nothing can have any physical contact with him without bouncing. Not a single atom or particle. His body will forever be preserved in the state it was in originally.\"\n\n\"Alright. Go for it!\"\n\nDr Roberts nodded and left with a grin." ]	2
	[WP] They called it “cleaning out the fridge”. The facility was built for the containment of various supernaturals. They were systemically eliminating their catalogue going floor by floor. All was going well until they hit the basement level with its oldest “residents”.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "There weren’t many jobs you could get with no background, no ID, and an interview. Turns out, cleaning was one of them. That didn’t surprise him. He’d hopped enough jobs over the years, and a good many of them were cleaning. People never cared _who_ was cleaning their toilets. What _did_ surprise him was that he’d gotten the recommendation for this job through one of his shadier connections.\n\n“Kind of man like you,” the information dealer had chuckled. “You’ll fit _right_ in.”\n\nAt the interview, he introduced himself as George. It was his fake name of the month, and he didn’t bother coming up with a last name. They didn’t ask. Several vague questions in, he realized what they were about. It was _that_ type of cleaning. _Killing people._\n\nAnd the way the questions leaned meant they were thinking he was the man for the job. That man behind him would likely be attacking him soon. At this point, he could either accept the job or be killed. It wasn’t much of a choice.\n\nThe man behind him moved. George sidestepped, slammed the man’s head into the table, yanked the man’s arm up behind his back, and easily tossed the gun hidden in the waistband to the side.\n\nHe looked across the table at the interviewer and smiled lazily. “Do I pass?”\n\nThe interviewer mirrored his smile. “Brilliantly.”\n\nHe released the man who’d attacked him. The man stumbled away, coughing and gasping for breath. George turned his attention back to the interviewer. “So who am I killing?”\n\nThe interviewer slid a stack of papers across the table. “Not who. _What._”\n\nHe glanced down, and cold engulfed his spine.\n\n_Operation Fridge Cleaning,_ it read. He flipped a page, his unshaking hands a testament to his training. _The reduction and elimination of extraneous experimental and observational supernatural targets in the Locke Building._\n\nHe pushed the papers away. Forced himself to laugh. “Supernatural? You trying to joke with me?”\n\nThe interviewer leaned forward. “We are not, Mr. George. The organization collects many… _things_ not bound by the general laws of the universe. Recently, we ran out of space. So, it becomes necessary to… _purge_ the unneeded elements of our collection.”\n\nHe swallowed. Forced another laugh out of his too-tight throat. “Sure. Sign me up. It’s just killing, isn’t it?”\n\n“Mr. George, using words like “killing” implies that these _things_ are natural.” The interviewer’s smile grew ominous. “You’ll only be cleaning up and taking out the trash. Of course, we’ll ensure you’re supplied appropriately, and the woman who just walked in will be your partner. Ms. Felicia, this is Mr. George, your fellow janitor.”\n\nHe turned to see a short woman. She didn’t seem like the kind who could defeat the bear of a man who’d attacked him, but he knew better than anyone else: looks could be deceiving. He nodded seriously. “Nice to meet you, partner.”\n\n*\n\nAfter five floors and a dozen “cleanings,” they reached the basement.\n\n_Almost there,_ Felicia thought to herself. _You’re almost done with this farce._\n\nThings like the werewolves weren’t so bad. They came at them, teeth bared, intending to rip them to shreds. From the moment they entered the room, it was simple: kill or be killed.\n\nThe selkie was the hardest. She’d seen them enter in their combat suits, the patches of silver weave glinting at the seams, and knew what it meant. So she fell to her knees in front of them and begged for her life in her own language. Begging Felicia. _Please, please. Spare me._\n\nGeorge wouldn’t understand the words. But that posture was universal. They both knew she was begging for her life.\n\nIt would be easy not to pull the trigger. Easy to let the organization turn and “clean up” both the selkie and their own hired murderer.\n\nEven easier to walk away.\n\n_I need to get to the bottom. I need to finish this._\n\nSo she closed her eyes. “I’m sorry. Sparing you won’t do either of us good.” Pulled the trigger. Walked away.\n\nShe toweled the blood and tears off her face. “So George,” she said to break the silence she suddenly couldn’t bear. “What brings a nice guy like you to a job like this?”\n\nHe grimaced. “What makes you say I’m a nice guy?”\n\n“You don’t try to drag it out. The killing.”\n\n“I’d have pegged you as someone who bought into the ‘cleaning’ concept.”\n\n“Call it like it is. Any guilt is mine to live with, not to lie into omission.”\n\nHe shrugged. “So what if I don’t drag it out. Maybe I like efficiency. Anyway, I can’t afford to drag it out when we’ve avoided so many near fatal attacks that I swear we’re only alive due to luck.”\n\n“Aren’t all of us alive due to luck? And you didn’t kill her.”\n\n“What?”\n\n“The selkie. You could have. She and I both gave you plenty of opportunity. But you didn’t.” She laughed. “Couldn’t. I guess you’re more human than me.” _Gods, that was funny._ She laughed again.\n\nGeorge twitched. “It doesn’t matter. We just need to finish this.” He pushed open the door to the stairwell. “Our last assignment is in the basement, right? Actually, it’s the only thing in the basement?”\n\nFelicia swallowed. _Why did he have to be a nice guy?_ “To the basement, then.”\n\n\n\nShe’d been in that dark room for a long time. More than 36,525 days. She couldn’t bear to keep counting after that.\n\nIt wasn’t so long, really, for something like her, but things start to get tedious when your world shrinks to become the entirety of one small room.\n\nThe first few years she spent screaming, raging against the elaborate, arcane circle that imprisoned her. She let the ground shake and the air quiver, but nothing damaged the circle or the room.\n\nSo it could only be destroyed from the outside then. Briefly, she entertained the fantasy that another deity would notice her absence and come looking. That didn’t even last a year. Her kind didn’t particularly care about the others if they weren’t a nuisance.\n\nNow all she could do was exist, analyze the circle, and wonder if the humans were done killing each other yet. There must have been some kind of war. She was a peace deity, and the only reason for humans to imprison a peace deity was to remove one of the obstacles to more effectively killing each other.\n\nBy the time she stopped counting, she knew exactly what each piece of the circle meant, could reproduce it in her dreams, and was ready to destroy the next living thing that entered her sight. Not that she could, of course. _Cursed Circle._ And it was the same for a long, long time.\n\nThe door opened. A man entered, followed closely by a woman. The clothes were strange, but she could tell martial gear when she saw it. _So I’m to be killed, then._ She sneered. _Should have killed me sooner._\n\nThe woman raised her gun. Pulled the trigger.\n\nThe man’s face showed only shock as he tumbled to the ground, red spouting from his head.\n\nPower filled the room. It was the kind of power that could make five coin flips all land heads, the kind of power that would send gamblers trembling in ecstasy. She recognized that power.\n\nThe man’s blood landed perfectly on the parts of the circle that needed blood to deactivate.\n\nThe sound of shattering glass filled the room. And the circle she’d hated, studied for so long, glowed and vanished.\n\n“S-serenity?” the woman called. The gun fell from her hands.\n\nThe room was small. She didn’t have to dash far to throw her arms around her shaking little sister. Felicia sobbed, burying her head in Serenity’s embrace.\n\n“I-I didn’t want to do it. So much death—I didn’t want to kill them. But there’d never be another chance to get to you, and I missed you so much—why did he have to be a nice guy?”\n\n“Shhh, it’s okay, little Luck.” A dark smile spread across Serenity's face. “This one doesn’t die when he’s killed.” She calmly stomped on the outstretched fingers, seemingly limp with death. The fingers twitched, and an ill-concealed curse came from the supposed corpse. “See?” Felicia froze.\n\nSerenity bent over the body. “May as well stop playing dead, pawn of my elder brother.”\n\nHe groaned and pushed himself to his elbows. The bullet that killed him rolled on the floor in a puddle of blood, the hole in his head closing, turning into furrowed brows. “I don’t have any idea what you mean.”\n\nShe scoffed. “Don’t play dumb. You wouldn’t be worried if you were dumb.” \n\n“Fine. I _am_ worried. How in the world is a _peace deity_ supposed to get out of here?”\n\nShe laughed. “Do you know what happens when you piss off a peace deity?” She held out her hand, and a broken spear appeared in glowing white light. Her hands wrapped around the halves, and the light solidified under her grasp. “You see, peace deities are only peace deities because they got sick of fighting a long time ago. So when you piss off a peace deity...” She smashed the two halves together. Red light exploded. “You remind them that they really used to be a _war_ deity.” Her clothes morphed into something similar to their body armor. “And a pissed-off war deity _is_ something to fear.” She slammed the butt of the spear against the floor. The impact vibrated through the room. “So, little Life-pawn. Care to join forces with Lady Luck and a reawakened war deity?”\n\nHe rose to his feet. “Life will be mad if I pass this up.” He sighed, spat some blood. “We better get started. We have half a building’s worth of forces to gather, I think.”", "\\[Royal Surprise\\] \n\n\"Tell you what..,\" Ruby said. She entered a narrow white hall with her best friend, Minerva. The hall extended into the distance with solid red metal doors spaced out on each side. \"...IF they win, you can tell Ruin the truth about the Chrome Court.\"\r \n \r \n\"But I really like him!\" Minerva protested. \"I don't want to lie about anything.\"\r \n \r \n\"Who's lying?\" Ruby asked as she stopped at the first door on the left side of the hall. \"Reality works the same way whether he's aware of it or not. The truth would be enlightening; but, it doesn't change anything for him.\" Ruby pushed the door and it opened with ease to an empty white room.\r \n \r \n\"Show yourself,\" Ruby said. As she spoke, the topmost scales around her head emanated a red light; it resembled a glowing red crown sitting atop her head. Nothing happened. The glow faded and she turned around to leave the room. Minerva kept pace with her as they headed to the next door on the other side of the hall.\r \n \r \n\"Do you really think there's anything left down here?\" Minerva changed the subject.\r \n \r \n\"I doubt it,\" Ruby shrugged. \"Even under Melody, Sharp Development knows how to clean up after itself.\" She pushed open the next door and walked into an empty white room.\r \n \r \n\"Show yourself,\" she said while her crown glowed. Nothing happened. She shrugged and walked out of the room.\r \n \r \n\"But, we have to be equally thorough. The last thing Chroma Corp. needs is one of her pet projects causing problems down the line.\" Minerva giggled as they walked to the next door.\r \n \r \n\"You mean you don't already know?\" she asked with a playful, mocking tone.\r \n \r \n\"I'm not my mother,\" Ruby smiled. \"I'm as new as you are,\" she said. They crossed the hall to the next door. Ruby pushed it; but, it did not open.\r \n \r \n\"Huh. Maybe I gave Melody too much credit,\" she said. She looked at Minerva and gestured at the door. Minerva nodded and placed a flat palm against the door. Then, she shoved it open in one smooth motion. The room on the other side wasn't empty like the others. If anything, it was extra cluttered; like a teenager's bedroom.\r \n \r \nPosters decorated the white walls and a bed in a corner of the room was covered with what Ruby assumed were dirty clothes. More garments littered the floor and surrounded a large beanbag chair in the center of the room. A pale, lean young man in black clothes sat in the chair in front of a large TV. He appeared to be in the middle of a game. He wore headphones, but he turned to face Ruby and Minerva as soon the door flung open. Ruby and Minerva stared at him, stunned.\r \n \r \nAfter several seconds he pulled off the headphones and stood from his seat.\r \n \r \n\"Yes?\" he asked.\r \n \r \n\"YOU'RE ALIVE?!\" Ruby asked. Minerva looked at her best friends with wide eyes.\r \n \r \n\"You didn't know either!?\" she asked. The young man sighed when they recognized him.\r \n \r \n\"I'd appreciate it if you never saw me,\" he said. A black portal opened in the air next to him.\r \n \r \n\"Wait!\" Ruby called. \"This is huge... Do you know about Regal's school?\" He nodded.\r \n \r \n\"There is still one person I trust,\" he replied with a cold tone.\r \n \r \n\"Are you going to interfere?\" Ruby asked. He shook his head and shrugged.\r \n \r \n\"Sharp Development, Chroma Corp... my mother.. it's all the same. I'm done with everyone's drama. You're welcome to keep manipulating the multiverse. Just leave me out of it,\" he said. With a final huff, he stepped into the black portal and disappeared.\r \n \r \n\"Oren's alive....\" Minerva whispered. \"Should we wake your mother?\" Ruby shook her head as a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.\r \n \r \n\"No,\" she said. \"I'm interested to see what happens next.\" She turned and walked out of the room, but she closed the door after Minerva. They walked to the next door and Ruby pushed it in without trouble.\r \n \r \n\"Show yourself,\" she said. Nothing happened. But, she blinked as she stepped out of the room. An old man wearing a black guayabera, shorts, and socks with sandals stood in the hallway waiting for them.\r \n \r \n\\[Don't say anything. - Ruby\\] she advised Minerva with a private Whisper that he couldn't see or hear. Minerva felt the text on her ankle and heard Ruby's voice in her mind.\r \n \r \n\"Hey Tim,\" Ruby said. \"What's the word?\"\r \n \r \n\"We've decided...,\" he said. He focused on Minerva. \"...You are to let the Green Tornados win.\"\n\n\r \n\\\\\\ \nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is story #1332 in a row. (Story #240 in year four.). If it feels out of context, this is part of the Satchat Summer Challenge. I'm writing 77 connected stories in a row. You can start at the beginning at [this link](https://www.reddit.com/r/Hugoverse/comments/oqt1fa/stellar_tour_satchat_summer_challenge/) on my subreddit (r/hugoverse).", "As was customary, Agent Swansea had his funeral before going to basement level. He met his new partner, Agent Toronto, at Basement reception. Toronto had a face that was about as welcoming as a traumatic memory. Whatever injury that Toronto had survived from was probably the same that killed his old partner. Swansea thought it best not to dwell too much on that though. He knew how to handle himself and was ready to do his job.\n\n\n\n“Agent Toronto?”\n\n“Swansea?” Toronto’s words seemed to grind out of his throat. \n\n“Yes sir.” \n\n“You’re quite young for Basement Level.”\n\n“I can consecrate weapons.”\n\n“Yeah, that won’t do you any good here. The Ancients precede religion.”\n\n“It did me good upstairs.” Swansea chuckled.\n\nToronto led the way out of the safety of the reception and into the humid jungle that was the basement.\n\n“Do you know why they send us here?”\n\n“To make space for new residents.”\n\n“They send us here to die. We’re sacrifices. It’s the only way they can keep the Ancients complacent down here.”\n\n“Then why do we bring our weapons?”\n\n“Sport.” Toronto grumbled.\n\nSwansea smiled awkwardly. Toronto was fun.\n\n\n\nThe young agent had already started to sweat from the humidity of the jungle and was swatting at the little pricks he felt on his skin. It was going to be a long 9 to 5. Toronto led Swansea to a spot where he’d obviously set up camp. A skinny moat circled a lonely tent with a couple of swords stabbed into the ground beside it.\n\n“What do you see?” Toronto asked.\n\n“Huh?”\n\n“Look around you. It’s not a trick question.”\n\n“Uh… jungle? I dunno…” Swansea trailed.\n\n“Oh okay.”\n\n“Do you not see jungle?”\n\n“No. That’s Spot. He’s marked you.”\n\n“Spot?” Swansea laughed nervously. “I don’t understand.”\n\n“We’re in a basement. There’s no sunlight down here. So whatever you’re seeing… it’s not real. Well everything in this circle is. But everything outside… the Ancients have control.”\n\n“Spot’s an Ancient?”\n\n“I’ve only seen him once. A black mass with a small red spot in his upper half. The old Agent Swansea knew more about him…”\n\nAgent Swansea looked away from his partner to outside of the small camp base and plucked a leaf hanging nearby. It felt real but, looking closely, it became translucent and disappeared from his hand. Swansea slapped his neck again and checked to see if he’d managed to catch the mosquito that had been pestering him. But his hand was empty.\n\n“I see hell. Barren land.” Toronto said. “There’s nothing- no life down here. Just the Ancients and us.”\n\n\n\nThis was a whole other level of supernatural. Agent Swansea had dealt with everything from vampires to minor deities, but nothing had played with his mind as much as ‘Spot’. And Spot wasn’t even the only one.\n\n“How do we kill them?”\n\n“They’re Ancients. They precede death too. As far as I know, the only way to survive down here is to give them what they want.”\n\n“And what do they want?”\n\n“Sacrifices. Sorry kid.”\n\n[Edited to unjumble dialogue]", "\"You're sure about this?\", Seven Days asked her partner, Round Wheels, who's nametag also had same written on their heavy duty overalls. \n\nWheels nodded, as he pulled the 'picnic basket', the name for the steel container which was essentially a weird arsenal combined with a heavy duty cleaning trolley. Before them was a massive steel door, chained, locked and welded shut. Despite this, the feeling of being vulnerably exposed, emanated from occupant of the room behind the door.\n\n\"They said its time, we go the tools and its time we cleaned the back of the fridge.\", Wheels confidently said. \n\nSeven knew her partner though, she could see when he was hiding his nervousness. \n\n\"But why now Fran...\", she said before she was cut off by Wheels.\n\n\"You know we shouldn't use our true names,\" Frank hissed.\n\n\"That's mainly for the witches' and Kappa's, this shouldn't be the same.\", Seven responded, annoyed. \n\n\"Doesn't matter, this thing could have any number of things we don't know about, follow the protocol.\", Wheels asserted. \"It helps prevent all supernatural creatures from targeting you.\"\n\n\"Barely.\", Seven scoffed, but she didn't press it further. \n\nThe air began to feel tingly and stuffy, both partners started subconsciously clutching at their throats as they began to feel an incorporeal presence practically tearing at their throats. Seven tapped a smooth steel surface of the arsenal, and a tiny drawer popped out. Seven handed her partner a capsule therefrom and popped hers in her mouth. \n\nThe military might have a conservative attitude to drugs these days, but in the monster hunting world, meth was the least of the ingredients in that concoction.\n\nSeven felt her nervousness disappear and she began to take fuller, deep breaths. \n\n\"We don't even know if we can clean the mess if we even kill it. Hell we only figured out last week that iodine works very well for scrubbing out goblin blood.\", she chuckled. \"Corporate just wants us to go on heavier hunts, so they are trying to make room.\", she rubbed her fingers together to indicate money.\n\nWheels nodded, his partner got really chatty when they took the pills. Soon afterwards though, she took on grim, silent determination that frightened even him. It was the only reason he tolerated working with her. \n\nDespite the drugs, he could stiff feel waves of primal aggression coming from the room. It disconcerted him a little, after these drugs a T-Rex could roar in front of your face and you wouldn't even be bothered to yawn. \n\nThe partners took some canisters from the cart and began to spray the heavy duty weld job on the door. They didn't even bother try to unlock the door or remove the chains, due to the fact the creature was about to break though from constantly slamming itself against the door. \n\nWheels tossed a custom, depleted uranium round firing shotgun to his, silent, eerily staring partner and smiled, \"here it comes.\"\n\nEnd of Part 1" ]	5
	[WP] While all the other Heroes summoned great armies of fantasy to fight the evil kings army, you summoned General Patton and the U.S 3rd Army to 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%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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Standing within the great wood hall, Patton looked across the large crowd surrounding him. Before him was a great collection of peoples; Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Tieflings and half-folk of every shade had their eyes on him. \r \n\r \nRight in front of the General were a small group of Wizards and Clerics, their hands and heads had small trails of smoke rolling above them. They were breathing heavily, each of them looked exhausted. \r \n\r \nA servant was the first to come up to him, bearing a plate with meats, cheeses and what looked to be a cup of water. She spoke a language he couldn’t comprehend, but he knew in his mind it was a gesture of good greetings. \r \n\r \nAccepting the plate, he heard a low but audible sigh of relief come from members of the crowd. As he ate and watched the people before him, there was a low murmur. \r \n\r \nFrom what Patton could gather simply watching, this crowd is a collection of kings, queens, nobles and various power brokers. Their gold crowns and fancy clothing was a dead give away to the General. \r \n\r \nAt least it will be easy to deal with a people whose authority comes from their marshal prowess, Patton thought to himself. Finishing his plate of food, he tucked it under his arm and simply waited. \r \n\r \nBefore long a nobleman, one with the pointed ears of the elves stepped forward, gesturing with a spell that washed over the General, making his head ache in pain. \r \n\r \nReflexively, Patton went for his 1911, popping off a shot from the .45 caliber pistol that scared both the crowd and the noblemen approaching him. The spell subsided, his head returning to normal. \r \n\r \n“Whatever that was, do not do it again.” Patton said, leveling his pistol at the Elven Noble. \r \n\r \n“I am sorry.” the Elven Noble said aloud in perfect, understandable English. “I didn't mean to offend you or cause you to lash out. I was simply planting out languages into your mind.” \r \n\r \nKeeping his pistol leveled at the noble, Patton stepped down from the stage he had been placed upon. \r \n\r \n“Why am I here,” the American General asked the crowd, lowering and ultimately holstering his weapon. “Where are my men?”\r \n\r \n“Scattered.” A Wizard answered quickly to his second question. “Spread out across our kingdoms. Though ”\r \n\r \nNodding, Patton looked towards the Elven Noble who spoke first, “Again, why am I here.” the General asked, his eyes staring down the doll-like noble.\r \n\r \n“We are in a war for our lives against the Dark Lord.” the Elven Noble stated. “He ravages our lands, burns out cities, steals and slaughters our people. We are out of options and resources, you and your army were brought here to help us.” \r \n\r \nNodding, Patton looked around the room once again. Now instead of the luster of gold crowns and the rich colors of robes, he now saw a beleaguered and starving people. Not everyone here is a noble or higher born individual; instead he sees common folk, soldiers and their families. Desperate people. \r \n\r \nRubbing his head, memories flash into his mind from Europe. Shaking his mind clear, he stepped over to the Elven Noble and extended out his hand. \r \n\r \n“My name is George S Patton, four star general of the United States Army.” He said with a booming voice.\r \n\n\n\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~ \nSaw this post last night and figured I might put something together. This came to my mind and was worth hammering out this scene. Not sure if there is much else without doing some framing and world building. \n\n\nEither way, hope everyone enjoys this.", "Lieutenant Ethan Williams was sure he had entered the wrong tent, considering that he was now facing General George Patton himself, ivory gripped 1911 and all, along with two other generals of this mad world the 3rd Army had ended up in.\n\n\"Um, sorry Generals, I think I have the wrong tent,\" he said, quickly snapping off a sharp salute and moving to exit the tent. \n\n\"Don't worry lieutenant, you have the right tent,\" said General Patton, \"my aide here said your company ended up with a few extra 105 Sherman tanks after our interesting deployment here, is that correct?\"\n\n\"Ah, yes sir General, we ended up with nearly a full platoon of them, four tanks to be specific.\" \n\n\"Excellent. As I'm sure you know, our arrival here was no accident. Their so called 'hero' Alexander called us here with this magic shit we've seen so much of, and as such it has apparently become our duty to free them from this Dark Lord of there.\"\n\nWilliams knew as much, the stories and rumors has circulated through the elements of the 4th Armored Division within the day of their arrival and hectic reorganization along with the rest of the 3rd Army in the following week. The place was something out of a story book, like the one William's brother had been such a fan of, written by a token or tolkien or something like that. A world with magic, elves, dwarfs, and a million other things that made absolutely no sense to him. \n\nGeneral Patton went to lay out the plan where William's company of M4 Sherman tanks, along with a company of armored infantry, would be placed under the nominal command of the Hero Alexander (to Patton's chagrin) to lay siege to the Dark Lord's stronghold in the local region, which had since proved nearly invincible to attack. \n\nOnce Patton was done finished briefing Williams, he hesitantly asked, \"pardon me General, but why am I getting a briefing from you directly sir?\"\n\nPatton barked out a laugh, \"because I will be joining your unit in this attack lieutenant. I need to see what this Dark Lord and his army are made of so we can kick the bastards teeth in. Now, see to your company lieutenant.\" \n\nWilliams gave another sharp salute and left the tent. This was going to be a very interesting next few days. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\~\\~\\~\n\nWell, hopefully my days worth of browsing google got me enough information to have that actually make sense for most people, and I hope everyone enjoyed that. I have an idea for a part 2 of the actual attack and meeting our 'Hero', but I think Ill wait and see if people actually enjoy this part." ]	3
	[WP] A person from a utopian universe struggles to understand the concept of evil.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Have you seen my wallet?\"\n\nHer husband flips another page in his book. The cover is brightly colored and she glimpses pictures of delectable food on the laminated pages. \"No,\" he says, after a moment's thought. \"Did you put it down somewhere?\"\n\nCally sighs, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. \"Obviously I did, or I would have it. Are you sure you didn't see it anywhere?\"\n\nHe flips through another page, squints at whatever recipe he found and crinkles his nose. \"Now that looks appalling,\" he mutters. \n\n\"Honey.\"\n\nHe shrugs and finally looks up. His reading glasses reflect the orange of the mood lamp on the stand next to his chair. It had been a housewarming gift from their neighbors, years ago. \"Did you check the places you were last?\" he asks. \"You probably left it on the counter in the restroom, or something like that.\"\n\n\"I'm asking you because I did check, and I still can't find it,\" she says, exasperated.\n\n\"Well, what do you want me to do about that? I'm sure it'll turn up.\"\n\n\"I can't go to the store without identification, hun, and if you want to make one of the recipes you're eyeing, I need to get ingredients.\"\n\nHe chuckles, short and startled. \"What, this?\" He taps a smooth page with a finger. \"I'm just window shopping. I could never turn down your cooking, dear. But I suppose you do have a point.\" He closes the book with a snap and places it on the stand, beside the lamp. He folds his glasses and places them on top of the hardcover. \"I'll go with you. We can stop by your work to see if you left it there this morning on the way.\"\n\n\"Thank you,\" she sighs. She grabs her purse, rummages through it just in case she missed her wallet earlier, and frowns when her fingers brush stray coins and little else. \n\n\"It's unlike you to be forgetful,\" her husband remarks while they grab their shoes. He stuffs his own wallet into his back pants pocket. When they shut the door, it doesn't click, but there's no reason to worry about that.\n\n\"I guess it happens to everybody,\" Cally says. She wrings her hands, then stops. She puzzles over the worry she's feeling like a tight ball in her stomach, but discards it in favor of mentally retracing her steps for what feels like the hundredth time. \"I could have sworn I brought it home after work. I don't take it out of my purse after check-in. And um, when I got home and hung up my purse, I don't think I took it out?\"\n\nHer husband takes her hand as they walk. His thumb strokes across her knuckles soothingly. \"We'll find it,\" he says gently. \"Even if we don't, somebody else will, and give us a call.\"\n\n\"I hope so.\"\n\nHis brow creases slightly. \"They will,\" he repeats. \"It's what anyone would do. What's the tone for?\"\n\n\"I don't have a tone.\"\n\n\"Dear...\"\n\nCally shoves her free hand into the pocket of her skirt. \"Sorry,\" she says, but not really sure why she feels guilty. Uncertainty is an unfamiliar stumble in an otherwise confident dance. \"It's just been a long day.\"\n\n\"Right,\" her husband nods. \"The weekend's tomorrow, so you can have a chance to relax then. The kids would love heading to the river for a swim, and it's my turn to watch them.\"\n\nShe smiles. \"Speaking of, thanks for picking the kids up this afternoon.\" She sways into him to peck his cheek. He squeezes her hand.\n\nThey walk into Cally's work within a few minutes, as it's right down the road from their place. The automated glass doors slide open with a soft swish, and close behind them just as quietly. The white marble floors are pristine and the lobby without clutter. At the management desk, one of her colleagues, Derick, is packing up. He looks up from his computer when he hears the doors.\n\n\"Oh! Cally!\" he says, eyebrows raised. \"Welcome back, but, and pardon the rudeness, but didn't you leave a couple hours ago?\"\n\nShe nods. \"Yes, I did. I just think I left my wallet here and came to check.\"\n\nHe grimaces. \"I'm sorry. That's too bad. I can't waive you, but I could go check, if you'd like? You've any idea where you might have left it?\"\n\n\"Oh that would be wonderful, thank you Derick,\" she smiles. \"I'm sorry for the trouble. It would have to be at my desk, I wouldn't have taken it out anywhere else.\"\n\nThe younger man nods, waves at them, and then trots out from around the management desk to disappear down the corridor. \n\n\"He's a nice kid,\" her husband says. \"Very polite, too.\"\n\nCally fiddles with the strap of her purse while they wait. Instead of taking a seat in one of the reception chairs, she leans against the management desk. \"Yeah, he's an intern. Still working on a business degree, last I heard. He's a very nice kid, and a hard worker.\"\n\nTheir conversation pauses when Derick pokes his head around the corner. There's already an apologetic twist to his mouth that has Cally frowning before he speaks.\n\n\"I didn't see anything,\" he says. \"It was all in order - splendid job, by the way. You're very organized - but, uh, I didn't see any wallet on your desk or in your drawers. Maybe you took it home and put it down somewhere?\" He shrugs.\n\nCally rubs away the frown and tries for a smile. It probably comes out a touch more harried than she likes. \"That's alright, thanks so much for checking. We'll head back home and see if it'll turn up.\" Her husband squeezes her hand again.\n\nDerick grins. \"Happy to help! Hope you find it soon, that'd be a pain to replace, what with the registration and identification and all...\"\n\nThey wave farewell to the young man and, instead of going to the store like her husband said, they head home. Shivers run below her skin, filling her with an anxious type of energy like she'd drank one too many cups of coffee this morning.", "Agent Ricardo Smith directed the singular light in the interrogation room, shade down, into the suspect's face. --So she was forced to shield her eyes from his overhead gaze. Her movement disturbed the chains clamped to her wrists, which had been connected to the cold metal table.\n\n\"I will ask again, why did you come here?\" He said to her.\n\nShe answers back in a panic: \"We were experimenting! Our...our society is not the same as yours. Why are you doing this to me? I've done nothing wrong!\"\n\nFor Agent Smith, this was pretty much the same answer the woman gave when he questioned her five times prior. Ms. Stephanie Gavin had been inside this hellhole for the better part of a week. Smith let go of the light, stepped back, and took out his tablet.\n\nWhile Ms. Gavin prattled on with her same schtick story, Ricardo scrolled through her file to see if anything she was saying wasn't matching up:\n\n* Suspect: Stephanie Gavin\n* Details: African American, Black Jacket branded \"Department Of Research\" --Left side. Mid 30's. Fit. Carrying on her person a wallet filled with a single debit/credit card, a \"United World Citizen\" ID card, and a note addressed simply to a \"World Leader\".\n* Caught barging into our offices using a working Department of Defense access card labeled: \"Department of Research\". Subject detained upon investigation and after she declared that she had \"arrived\" to our universe.\n* Personal notes: Subject appears to be emotional. Describes her universe as better than ours. Says we've committed too many crimes to count just by holding her hostage. Is irate, stressed, and quite the snow flake.\n\nAll the while, Ricardo screened what she was saying against his arbitrary notes.\n\n\"Like I already told you, in my universe, your Department of Defense is actually called the Department of Research. After countless, COUNTLESS years doing field tests using animals, I am the first one sent to explore and find out if our theories were correct. And they are! And! I have to tell them!\"\n\n\"Uh huh,\" He replied.\n\nSmith himself was there when she burst into their offices. She bypassed all security protocols using that access card of hers, and she did it with this beaming smile on her face. A real eureka moment sort of look, you know? Well, Ms. Gavin wasn't smiling anymore.\n\nAgent Smith decided to press her buttons again: \"Now, I know you've told me before, but I'd like a reminder. Just what is this theory you were trying to prove?\"\n\n\"Come on! I already told you!\" She spit as she retorted back. Her chains jingled and jangled as they were wrought taught and tight. The table did its job leashing her in.\n\n\"Just humor me, Ms. Gavin,\" Agent smith said with a sigh.\n\nStephanie made a hiss as she sucked in more air, but deflated soon after. Smith surmised that she knew there was no more use screaming at him.\n\nShe spoke again, her tone brooding: \"In our universe, we have a multiple universes theory. They sent someone, --ME--, to test this theory out. And I ended up here.\"\n\n\"And they are, again?\" Agent Smith pried.\n\n\"The Department of Research.\"\n\nMr. Smith didn't say another word. He just stared at her. He was incredulous to the fact that someone could transport themselves into another universe. Smith's first priority was to determine if someone in the public was playing a sick trick on the DOD, or if Ms. Gavin is part of a ploy from a rival nation, like Russia.\n\n\"Let's change the subject, Ms. Gavin.\"\n\n\"No, I'd rather not. I'd rather get back to my own universe. Please,\" She said.\n\nAgent Smith didn't care.\n\n\"Let's try something new this time. Let's talk about my universe. --Bet you're curious, at least,\" He said.\n\nTo that, Ms. Gavin perked up. She was more attentive, and clearly interested. Agent Smith took a moment to note down her reaction to his question on the tablet, and continued:\n\n\"You know Russia? China? The United States of America? Do you know which country we are in now?\"\n\nCountry?\" She asked.\n\nTo Mr. Smith, it looked like Ms. Gavin was unfamiliar with the concept.\n\n\"Yes, country,\" Agent Smith confirmed: \"I take it your Earth doesn't have them. Our country, or nation if you'd like, we call the United States of America. I take it your universe doesn't have anything like that to speak of. I see.\" Agent Smith decided to play along, pretending to take her question as incredibly important. He even feigned taking down more notes.\n\nTo that, Ms. Gavin piped up: \"We do have a nation! Check my ID in my wallet! It says that I'm a part of the government of the United World.\"\n\nOf course, Agent Smith already knew that. Ms. Gavin's ID uses much of the same techniques that the United States uses for their ID's. Aside from differing logos, and a surprising lack of security features, it looked legit. However, Agent Smith thought that because of the lack of security features, her ID must be fake. But he wouldn't tell Ms. Gavin that, of course. He walked to the opposite side of her. Stephanie followed him with her gaze.\n\n\"And what sort of war did you guys fight to be the de-facto government of the world, huh? Must've been more gruesome than World War II\", Agent Smith pushed.\n\n\"World War? There's been two world wars in your universe?\" The way she asked the question seemed to Agent Smith like he had offended her greatly.\n\nSmith noted down her reaction, and continued to play along. He was now behind her, where she couldn't see: \"Yes, we've had multiple wars in fact. More than two, that's for sure. So many atrocities, so much death, yes,\" Agent Smith whispered in her ear now: \" In fact, torture is something people do all the time, though we do tend to keep that fact discrete.\"\n\nShe stiffened up, ramrod straight.\n\nAgent Smith continued: \"I take it your universe is nothing like ours.\"\n\nMs. Smith shook, gasping for air.\n\n\"No.\"\n\nQuietly, Agent Smith walked back around to meet her gaze. Ms. Gavin's eyes were pointed towards the floor. A single tear streamed down her right cheek.\n\n\"I need to use the bathroom, now. Please.\" She asked.\n\n\"So, how do we access your universe?\" Agent Smith asked, ignoring her.\n\nMs. Gavin stammered, and looked around the room before mumbling \"...know.\" It was incoherent. \"Speak up, Stephanie,\" Agent Smith pushed.\n\n\"I don't know! I don't remember!\" She yelled over the disturbed chains. She forced herself to look into his eyes.\n\nFor once, Agent Smith was starting to believe her story. After all, he could tell she was a terrible liar." ]	3
	[WP] There is a door in the middle of the town square. Wouldn't look out of place if it weren't for the lack of building surrounding it. The door is not locked and sometimes people enter it for a variety of reasons. They haven't come back.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Sarge, we gotta problem\".\n\n\"For fuck's sake. I take one weekend off, and I get woken up at seven on Saturday with a problem\".\n\n\"Err, yeah. Trust me. You're gonna want to see this. Town square\".\n\n\"Don't tell me\".\n\n\"Yep. The fucking door. Sargent, it's bad this time\".\n\nThis door will be the end of me. Why the hell it hasn't been knocked down or boarded up I don't know. Thirty odd people missing since I moved here to the middle of fuck-knows-wheresville, and these Goddamn backwards dohickeys all worship this door like it's some kind of deity. All it is is a giant pain in my ass, and it's going to ruin yet another of my weekends. I kiss my wife awake, and she groans. There is only one reason I would be awake at seven on a Saturday.\n\n\"That fucking door\".\n\nYep, that fucking door, I say. She says that it's the last straw, that if this keeps up, she'll take our beautiful daughter and I'll be stuck seeing her for an hour every other weekend. I say I know, I know, and apologize profusely. It's almost a routine at this point. This door will be the end of my marriage, and the end of me. I had to do something about it.\n\nI drag myself out the door, coffee in hand, and drive to the town center. The roads are eerily quiet; of course, it's seven on a Saturday morning. Pulling up to the police cordon, I wave my badge and they let me through. I walk toward the officer who called me in, Holme, and ask him for an update.\n\n\"Sarge, it's bad, they hit the bank. Two million in cash, and ten hostages. All through the door.\"\n\n\"Jesus, Holme. Did nobody try to stop them?\"\n\n\"Of course they did, Sir. But they were smart. Dressed as janitors, locked the place down and were in and out before the alarm was even raised.\"\n\n\"Hmm. So what's the POA?\"\n\n\"We were hoping you would have one, Sarge. Nobody want's to go in. Not after Jimmy.\"\n\nAhh Jimmy. Sad, simple Jimmy. A beat cop, Jimmy thought he could produce a PSA to stop people going in the door by streaming what was behind the door. Needless to say, all that was recovered of Jimmy was one shoe, which was ripped from him as he closed the door behind him. The PSA video was unusable; all it showed was complete blackness for a few minutes, and then the feed cuts out. What was only shown to a few trusted members of the force however, was the audio of that video, which comprised Jimmy screaming, begging for his life, and sounds akin to the deboning of a banshee. Wet, ripping flesh sounds interwined with blood curdling screams of agony. I shudder as I think of the horror that must have befell, sad, simple Jimmy.\n\n\"Well, we need to get in there. The robbers can get to fuck, but those hostages don't deserve whatever is waiting behind that door.\"\n\n\"Agreed\", Holme says, grimly. \"Rock paper scissors?\"\n\nI have a climbing harness attached to me, and break the square cordon around the door. I look up at the thick, old mahogany slab, set in a stone arch, and wonder what the hell this is all about. It must be some kind of trick of the eyes, an illusion. Maybe it leads underground? Fuck it, I'm going in. Checking my harness, which is securely attached to the tow bar of the police van, I turn on my headlamp and set my body cam to record. If i see anything in there, it's becoming common news to stop this shit from happening.\n\nSighing deep, I grab the handle of the old door and give it a push. It gives slowly but smoothly, with a slight creak of the hinges. Staring into the abyss, I look around for some sort of landmark with my head lamp. Nothing. Not surprised. I take my first step through the threshold, heart beating and adrenaline pumping. I am finally going to find out the secret of this fucking door. Whilst being briefed before the operation, I learned that screaming could be heard from outside the door as the hostages were pushed through, one by one. Whether the screaming was in terror by people already through, or in nervousness by people waiting to be pushed through, remained undetermined.\n\nI steel myself, and force myself through the door fully. Shutting it behind me, eyes closed in terror, I stand completely still, waiting for untold horrors to end me. It does not happen. Nothing happens. For a good two minutes, I stand, completely unable to open my eyes out of pure fear. And then I hear it. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.\n\nI squint my eyes open, and see a strip light, flickering on the ceiling of the room I am stood in. Perfectly lit. The room must not appear until the door is closed.\n\nThe room is empty, save for a writing desk and a piece of paper. There are two hallways, one to the left and one to the right. The room is an awful looking room. It looks like a room from an old mental asylum: dirty, yellowing quatrefoil wallpaper and a damp, beige carpet. The carpet looked both brand new and as old as time itself. The whole room smelled as though a team of sledding dogs had slept in here for a week, bathroom breaks and all.\n\nI remember the paper on the desk, and begin to walk toward it. My first clue. I notice that the odd pattern on the wall and the sponginess of the carpet have somehow sedated me, and I walk as though on a cruise ship, ready to be tipped at a forty-five degree angle at any second. Steadying myself, I reach the desk and grab the sheet of paper. Scrawled on the paper, in wet, blood-red ink, are the words \"NO WAY OUT\". Looking down at the carpet, I notice a large, wet red ink or is it blood stain on the floor next to the desk. It appears that someone dropped the ink holder, and then dragged it away from the desk and down the corridor to the right of the initial door.\n\nOut of pure curiosity, I try the first door again. If there was a crime down here, I feel like I could use the backup. I grab the handle of the door and twist and pull the large brass handle. Nothing.\n\nTwist and push. Nothing.\n\nHmm. That could be a problem. Now which way do I go, left or right?" ]	2
	[WP] Meet the seven immortals: a demigod, a vampire, an angel, an enlightened ascetic, a cyborg, a mutant with regeneration, and a sentient twinkie...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"I call to order this first meeting of those doomed to die with the universe. I am Hrongar the Star-Browed, scion of the chief of the gods. In my veins flows the immortal blood of my father, and I have witnessed the passage of millennia. I have lived, and loved, and mourned countless times as all those I have loved slip away from me like ash through my fingers. I have tried to guide humanity as wisely as I could, though always my attempts have ended in fire and blood. I ask you, my fellow eternals, how have you borne the terrible weight of centuries?\"\n\n\"I am Marius of Carpathia,\" said the pale, impeccably dressed man, who lounged in his chair and examined his wicked fingernails as though bored by everything. \"I am not immortal, for I have already died. I am a corpse, animated by stolen vitality, my only pleasure is in the taste of ichor and the echoes I recall of my once-living flesh. I have passed my dread existence in countless orgies and depravities, and yet none bring me the succour I crave.\"\n\n\"Were it not for our pact I would destroy you right here, foul creature,\" spake the immense, radiant figure crowned with a blazing halo and framed by four immaculate white wings. \"So sayeth I, Asteriel, voice of God, scourge of the wicked. I fear not eternity, for the Lord is eternity, and I am an emanation of the Lord. To him I shall return, when my duty here is done.\"\n\n\"My friend,\" the skinny, loincloth-wearing man sat next to him said. He didn't move from his cross-legged lotus pose. \"You delude yourself with your claim to speak for God. God does not speak; we are all part of God, and God is part of us. We feel God move, and so move with him. And in answer to you, friend Hrongar, the secret to happiness is in not striving for happiness. Sacrifice all, including your name, and you will not feel the pull of the years upon you. Now, I would be interested in hearing from our metal friend next.\"\n\n\"A-37785,\" said the silver-skinned amalgamation of flesh and machinery. \"Designation: Chrononaut. I - I've seen the universe wrap round on itself. Everything - coming together. Flying apart. I remember the crash. The pain. I had to rebuild myself. The ship. Ruined. But enough - enough to keep me going. The slow way. It'll take me home again. But the machine. The machine wants to take over. Always the machine.\" A-37785 ceased their agitated twitching and settled into dull calm once again. \"Statement concludes. Status: nominal.\"\n\n\"Ain't got a name. Call me Weasel if ya want. Real sad story, bub.\" The squat little man near the end of the table sat with his boots kicked up, an unlit cigarette in his mouth. He scratched a sideburn, grunted and searched his pocket for a lighter. Finding it, he flicked it open, lit up and wreathed himself in foul-smelling smoke. \"But I guess I could say that for all of us. Lemme tell you, there ain't no meaning in this universe, or in this life. It's just one long road of struggle and pain, and you take your pleasures where you can get 'em, one day at a time. 'Cos they might not be there the next day.\"\n\nSilence for a while. None of them had really helped one another. None of them could share anything that they didn't already know, or had already dismissed as nonsense long ago. Then the...thing right at the bottom of the table spoke up. It was spongy, and yellow, and wore a ridiculously outsized ten-gallon hat. Its voice was high, and inflected with a parody of a Texan accent.\n\n\"Boy howdy,\" it said, \"y'all are a real bunch of little debbie downers, huh?\"\n\nIt looked up, and fixed them all with a friendly gaze and a cheery grin. With inhuman speed, it leapt up onto the table, produced a lasso from nowhere and twirled it over its head. Spurs a-jinglin' and a janglin' it strode down the table, and as it passed each despondent immortal it produced from nowhere packs of delicious, cream-filled, individually wrapped snack cakes, tossing them out to its compadres.\n\n\"Y'all know what makes life worth livin'? The primo taste of Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co Twinkie-brand snack cakes! Go ahead buckaroos, take a bite, see what I'm gabbin' on about.\"\n\nOne by one, the immortals tentatively opened the foil wrappers and took their first bites.\n\n\"It - it's magnificent!\" Hrongar exclaimed. \"Truly I have tasted the ambrosia upon which my heaven-domiciled father sups nightly.\"\n\n\"I have supped the finest vintages mingled with the blood of a thousand flawless virgins,\" said Marius, sucking the cream through his fangs, \"and none have compared to this.\"\n\n\"And lo,\" Asteriel declaimed in tones of bronze and trumpets, \"I have drank the waters of heaven, and found them to be unto milk and to honey.\"\n\n\"That's the high fructose corn syrup, y'all!\" the cake creature interjected.\n\n\"This is...\" The ascetic opened his eyes, and his legs dropped out of their crossed pose. \"Well, maybe a little worldly attachment is okay.\"\n\n\"We - we had these in the future,\" A-37785 droned, a tear leaking from beneath the lenses that covered their eyes. \"Nourishment: Highly acceptable.\"\n\n\"Huh,\" said the Weasel, taking his cigar out of his mouth long enough to take a bite. \"Not bad.\"\n\n\"That's the great taste of Twinkies, folks!\" The golden, flakey monstrosity turned to the camera and gave it a cheery wink and a wave, doffing its hat with the other hand. \"Worth livin' forever for! Eat, for this is my body! Consume, and become like unto the gods! Nighty night, y'all, and remember to enjoy Twinkies as part of a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet!\"" ]	2
	[WP] The Dark Lord always relied on the classic tropes of "shall not kill" or "save the damsel" in order to defeat his heroic opponents. But this one is different. They're going to do whatever it takes to wipe the Lord and his regime off the face of the gods-damned planet.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "As The Dark One sat upon his immense throne, created out of melted metal from the gear of thousands of heroes and foes slain... He felt a disturbance.\n\nNormally, this would be the point where the hero would create a distraction, to have a rag-tag group of incompetent rebels show up to free him from the dungeon, wearing the armor of his own incompetent group of Shadeguards. But that wasn't what happened.\n\nFor over a thousand years, The Dark One had conquered and won on the principle of predictability, planning around the patterns he could expertly see, and witnessing how every single time, the heroes did the exact same thing. He had studied philosophy, literature, sociology and a dozen other disciplines to compliment how he could keep the population docile, providing just enough carrots to the proverbial stick so they would not revolt. He knew what it took, and he didn't make the same mistakes as Sauron or fucking Galbatorix... No. He was aware of the game and how it had to be played, he had surfed the web, finding common ground between groups and heroes, either killing the resistance with ambushes and via infighting (provoking the Lancer usually did the trick), or convincing them that \"they weren't so different after all\" and making them join his ranks, only to kill them later and absorb their soul's fealty.\n\nHis plans were foolproof, and they always had been, but this time, he couldn't help but notice everything had failed, and as the hero stood in front of him, with the bloodiest weapon he had ever seen, he asked. He needed to know, just how he had been defeated.\n\n\"Hero... this is the first I've been bested... I want to ask of you two things: what is your name, and, how did you know my every move?\"\n\n\"See, Dark One, I heard you had studied a lot, that you were cruel and that you didn't play by the rules the other dark lords of history had, so I couldn't help but laugh a little.\"\n\nThe hero stopped for a second, smiling, as he pulled a small book from his satchel, tossing it at the feet of the defeated lord of darkness.\n\n\"I could tell you had studied me, so I did eveything that a hero wouldn't.\"\n\nThe Dark One couldn't hold in his laughter, an ironic laughter. Ever since he had come here, he had used his surface knowledge, his readings of Tolkien and other authors to take hold as an evil force of nature, using the logic of fairytails to his advantage.\n\nIrony had its ways, and it seemed as destiny had dispatched an exception to break the world once, and this was its way of correcting course. He couldn't be angry, not if he died like this.\n\nAs the sword was buried into his \"one weakness\", he managed to speak some final words of reverence, to the one he had studied so much from.\n\n\"It's good to be slain by a master, then... Mr. Campbell.\"", "Akrabith the Dark had a good run. His reign spanned eight millennia and countless deaths. For those eons, he sowed the seeds of chaos and disorder for the flesh creatures to water, and sat back and watched them earn their entry to hell.\n\nThe secret to his longevity? His puppeteering. He kept a close eye on the societies of Man, and every time he noticed one advancing too quickly, he pulled strings. An insurgency here, an assassination there. A few carefully planned moves and nations would die. \n\nOccasionally, he would slip up. His eye would wander, and under his nose, Man would begin to open his eyes. Man would notice that the peak of many societies was followed by a swift and cataclysmic downfall. He would notice formerly virtuous leaders corrupted and twisted into madmen. They would put the pieces together, and small groups of enlightened men would scheme to end the force behind the chaos. \n\nBut they all made the same fortunate mistake. Man harbored the harebrained, idealistic view of good versus evil. The Dark Lord was pure evil, so naturally his assailant would be pure good, right? It was a uniquely human way of thinking. Rather than send one who knew the ways of evil inside and out, they would send the ones who believed the manifestation of wickedness had a sense of honor.\n\nThe results hardly shocked. Man sent three of his own to end Akrabith's rule. Man received three bodies, charred beyond recognition. Man gave up. What Man never understood was that each of the three were perfectly capable of victory. Fine examples of Man's children, they were strong, intelligent, and possessed determination far beyond their peers. Their only obstacles were silly ideals of purity, honor, and mercy. \n\nBut Man slowly changed. Man had slowly realized that when the shackles of morality were removed, doors opened. Slay the man who you ascended to power with, and take it for yourself. Cheat the merchant. Rape the wench to bind her life to yours. They adopted the ways of Akrabith. \n\nAt first, this brought him great pleasure. Why shouldn't it have? But over time, this new way of thinking met challengers of its own. And those challengers grew up under and around the wicked. Men tired of being cheated. Men tired of seeing their mothers, wives, and daughters ravaged. They saw what the abandonment of good had brought. It brought victory. They knew what was needed to beat evil. It was evil.\n\nThe twenty seven warriors standing before Akrabith had something... different about them. It was in their eyes. Blank, dark, hard. Eyes that had seen too much. Akrabith detected a distinct absence of fear in the men. What could the demon lord do that the societies they came from wouldn't? The warriors didn't begin with a speech, or a spiel. They raised their swords and charged. Akrabith readied a burst of flame and--\n\nTHUD\n\nAkrabith felt a searing pain through his neck, followed his head hit the brimstone soil. He felt something lift him by the horns. He felt himself hoisted up, and found himself looking into the dead eyes of a child of Man. One that wasn't part of the twenty seven. The man had come from behind. Akrabith was deceived, as he had deceived. He forced a smile onto his dying face, for Man had figured it out. It wasn't about being good or evil. It was about choosing when.", "Really, the Dark Lord should have seen it coming when he noticed the network of resistance forming across his land. Organised resistance, too, not like the rag-tag rebellions that had come before.\n\nThe Dark Lord was not involved in the affairs of state. He didn't particularly see a need to counteract the anti-Dark Lord movement. Let them come, he thought. Let them break against the walls of my fortress.\n\nHowever, since he was a good Dark Lord, he let his subordinates handle it as they thought best. He was not the wisest in the world; he was willing to admit that much.\n\nThat much, and no more. The Dark Lord still thought himself the best suited to end upstart heroes. When he received word of a new rumoured hero, he immediately turned his attention towards them.\n\nHe then balked at the noticeable lack of a heroic presence. Where was the great hero, leading a glorious crusade against the Dark Lord? Where were the villages they saved, excited to spread word of their arrival to whoever stopped by?\n\nThere was nothing concrete, only rumours and hearsay. More than when there wasn't a hero, granted, but very little considering how the news had spread like wildfire every other time.\n\nThe Dark Lord made inquiries. Located scrying spells. Consulted his spymaster. He felt off-balance for the first time in decades. His instincts were nagging at him to find the hero, and quickly.\n\nThat turned out to be much trickier than expected.\n\n\\--------\n\nMeanwhile, the Dark Lord's advisors were having a headache dealing with the rebellion. They had already lost four whole caravans of weapons sent to arm their furthest outposts. Then, when they sent one of themselves to personally escort a caravan, she arrived unhindered only to find dead troops and their poisoned supplies.\n\nEvery single soldier had been stripped of their armour and weapons, and the outposts themselves had fared no better. Crude paintings and insults adorned the walls. The wells had been filled with rotting bodies.\n\nThe advisor had raged, then, summoning forth hundreds of bolts of lightning from the sky. Fortunately, that had saved her life. One of the lightning bolts intercepted an enchanted arrow aimed straight for the advisor's heart.\n\nThe meeting room almost literally exploded when the rest of the advisors heard the news. Who dared? Who dared? Each of them had felled heroes before in direct battle, and this was how one of them almost died? A single enchanted arrow? Cowards! Imbeciles!\n\nThey put out an order, that day, to execute every single member of the rebellion that they could find. They would be made an example of.\n\nWithin the next week, they found a third of their northern supply depots razed to the ground. One for each member of the rebellion they had executed thus far.\n\n\\--------\n\nThe Dark Lord reviewed the results of his investigation. He furrowed his brows. Nobody he had asked knew anything. His spymaster had managed to capture several rebels, and even extracted information from two of them. The others had all bitten down on poison pills. The Dark Lord was greatly disturbed by that, ironically enough.\n\nThen, the spymaster had found out that the two rebels interrogated didn't have any useful information. Oh, they knew the locations of one or two hideouts, of course, but nothing about the overall command structure of the rebels or the mysterious figure at the top.\n\nAll of that led up to the Dark Lord, sitting within his personal rune circle, inscribing a spell of Greater Scrying. Lesser Scrying had been blocked, to his immense discontent.\n\nAs the wealth of a small nation's worth of magical materials disappeared down the drain, the Dark Lord concentrated on his target. The hero. He focused-\n\n\\-and blinked. Once, twice, then a few times more just to be sure. That couldn't be right.\n\nIn his mind's eye, he saw an old man, dressed in regular farmer's clothes. Nothing about him stood out, save for his sharp eyes and the intense way he whispered commands through his speaking stone. Directions. Locations to strike. Preparations to be made.\n\nHe stopped when what the Dark Lord had first assumed to be his minder tapped him on the shoulder. Quick words were exchanged. They knew they were being scried.\n\nThe Dark Lord watched, entranced, as the old man turned to face him. He spoke in an unfamiliar language. The heroes from beyond this world always did. Yet, he spoke with a fire, a conviction far beyond the young, naive heroes before him.\n\n\"So the monster of this land has found me. I thank you, Dark Lord. You have saved me the trouble of delivering this declaration myself.\"\n\n\"You have plagued this land for far too long. Your people are hungry, for their food has been robbed from their lands by your agents. Your people are mistreated, slaughtered like animals as you deem fit. Now, your people are angry.\"\n\nThe Dark Lord stared straight into the old man's eyes. He had often wondered what heroes saw when they looked into his own eyes and observed their death within them. He thought he felt it now, the feeling of looking upon the void and finding it staring back.\n\n\"Your lands shall burn. Your people shall receive vengeance. I shall watch you die. Chiến tranh du kích. Guerrilla warfare. This will be your downfall.\"\n\nWith that, the old man's companion waved a wand. The Dark Lord reeled from the forceful disconnection.\n\nFor an hour, the Dark Lord simply... sat, a blank look on his face. Then, he stood up, and briskly walked to meet his advisors.\n\n\\--------\n\nThroes of rage flowed from the fortress of the Dark Lord once again. Artefacts which had been gathering dust for years in the treasury were pulled out, and used with reckless abandon on villages suspected to house rebels. Some were turned to forests where the rebels' hideouts were rumoured to be.\n\nThe rebels did not take it lying down. They welcomed droves of escaping refugees to their ranks, inspired in them a mortal hate of the Dark Lord. They struck back, poisoning wells and launching assassinations on the Dark Lord's advisors. Within a month, the Dark Lord's standing army had been halved, with entire regiments deserting every day and new conscripts fleeing across the borders.\n\nTwo months. A member of the inner council had been assassinated by a rebel posing as a servant in his own house. Garrotted to death with a piece of wire. The rebel had not escaped. He had killed himself afterwards, with a triumphant smile on his face.\n\nThree months. The artefacts' powers were pushed past their limits. They broke by the dozens. Try as they might, the Dark Lord and his advisors couldn't hit the right targets. Their enemy had a more extensive information network than they. The spymaster had already executed eight of his own spies for feeding him false information.\n\nFour months. The Dark Lord's fortress stood alone against his former nation. This was no longer a rebellion. An actual army was forming, with a young, fiery general leading it. The exact type of young and fiery that the Dark Lord had destroyed so many times in the past.\n\nIn his fortress falling to ruin, the Dark Lord let out a despairing laugh. How times changed. He watched as his cache of supplies grew smaller and smaller. They were designed to withstand a siege, but not for long. The Dark Lord and his advisors had always worked off the assumption that they could destroy any army that marched on them. With the artefacts now gone, they had no other way to break through the siege.\n\nThe council only consisted of two people now. Many had been assassinated. Some had fled. One had actually defected to the enemy, dealing a huge strike to everybody's morale.\n\nThe Dark Lord looked at the army marching on the horizon, and saw his death. He weighed his options, and made his decision. A deathly, grim smile appeared on his face.", "My name is Darlok and I am a Dark Lord. I'm exceptionally good at it actually. I studied the arts of darkness at Drowbells University, graduating with a first with honours. I did the exchange program and spent a year abroad to see how they do things there. \n\n \nI remember my lecturer, a certain Lord Mairon, wrote me a letter after my graduation letting me know what a privilege it was to teach a student as promising as myself. He had the most piercing gaze and genuinely understood what it means to be a dark lord. He'd really been there. \n\n \nI then got an internship, it was unpaid, and I appreciate not everyone has the same opportunities growing up I did, so I'm very grateful. It was a wonderful chance to apply the dark theories I'd learned and see how it works in real life. It was only a small agency offering supply work for dark lords who needed a break or fell sick, but they invested in me, and I learned a lot. \n\n \nThose days feel a long way behind me now, but I still apply everything I learned at Drowbells and my internship every day. I'm a purist, and I hate sloppy work. \n\n \nAnyway, as all Dark Lords do, I have my nemesis. Once I had my degree, my first proper job was to be the Dark Lord of the Northern Marches. I had to go through four interviews to get the posting, first with the hiring manager, then with the team I'd be working with, a quick crystal call with the CEO to check culture fit, and then I had one last call with my future nemesis: Sir Hoyt of Quotidian. Now he was a class act. He was everything you want in a hero, and he genuinely understood the role. He had long blond hair, he was clean-shaven and had just the very best hygiene. \n\n \nIn that first conversation he and I shared, we had a quick chat, and he let me know he was looking forward to opposing my every move, and I, as is polite, let him know I couldn't be more thrilled to be the belligerent of a hero of his calibre. I started gently; I wanted to pay homage to the classics before moving onto my own creative work. I am a believer in the post-modernist school of Dark Lordship - I just think times have moved beyond basic narratives. \n\n \nBut, I knew Sir Hoyt was a man of his generation, and he liked to do things properly. So, whilst I was finding my feet, I gave him what he wanted. I stole the love of his life and locked her in a tower. Would you believe it - she was there for all of six months whilst he planned and manoeuvred. I loved his dedication. Too many heroes rush things these days. As I said, the old narratives aren't my cup of tea, but he did them to perfection. Such attention to detail - I was expecting him to sneak in, grab the girl and head off. But no, he killed the guards, slew the ogre at the gate and then swept the princess off her feet. Heck - he even married the girl. I'm not saying he didn't love her, but I know he would have married her regardless. It fits the plot, and he gets that. \n\n \nHe and I raged against each other for a decade. I would send my minions to undermine him, and he would tirelessly slay them. I terrorised villages, and he protected them. I released dragons, and he slew them. \n\n \nI was extraordinarily well regarded in these days. In fact, I started exploring what it means to be a Dark Lord as a post-modern. It wasn't what Sir Hoyt was used to, but he rolled with it and we did some excellent work together. He was certainly uncomfortable when I broke gender and class boundaries - it took him a while to understand that I still wanted him to save the male blacksmith, but he got there. Together we worked on deconstructing our roles and making sense of the responsibilities our power and privilege gave us. \n\n \nI was extremely hopeful about where our work might take us. I did a lecture series at Drowbells, and it was rather popular. \n\n \nThen, Sir Hoyt sent me a hawk letting me know he was retiring; he'd loved working with me and hoped we'd be able to get a drink next time he was in the area. \n\n \nI was distraught. Of course, he was almost thirty, so I should have seen it coming. The shelf-life for a hero is brief. I was just frustrated. We were pushing new ground together. Now that would all have to pause whilst they looked for a replacement, and he got settled in and found his feet. It could be 18 months before he hit his stride - this helped me see what a class act Sir Hoyt was. \n\n\n \nI received notification by way of messenger that the Round Table had appointed a new hero. A supposedly promising talent from the village of Moutingbury - his name was Brylk. They asked if I wanted to interview him, share my thoughts, and check I thought we'd work well together. \n\n \n I have to admit I went into this interview thinking we'd have a lot in common. I had noticed he was merely Brylk. No Sir, Lord or Duke in front, just 'Brylk'. I took that as a very encouraging sign that the Round Table had noticed how I had moved past the traditional class boundaries assigned these roles. I hesitate to say it, but I think I might well have been the only Dark Lord at the time willing to cross boundaries like that. \n\n \nI took the crystal call. I told him I was ever so pleased to make his acquaintance and said the usual spiel about my excitement at seeking the downfall of everything he holds dear. \n\n\n \nDo you know what he said in return? There was no thank you, there was no 'it's a pleasure to work with you Darlok, I love your work', not even a little gesture of ill will. Nothing. He just looked me dead in the eye and quietly whispered, 'I will kill you if it's the very last thing I do. You killed my family and burned my village to the ground'. \n\n \nI didn't know what to say that. I came very close to ringing up Kenneth, who works in HR for the Round Table, to let him know my thoughts. But, I stopped myself, and I thought - this young chap might not have had the silver spoon I'd had. He might not know the etiquette and how things work. It was then I asked myself, 'Have I become the old guard already?' So I gave myself a talking to and rang up the Round Table, and I said he seemed quite unusual, but I looked forward to seeking his demise nonetheless. \n\n \nPerhaps I should have spotted the warning signs because Kenneth said he was delighted. Brylk hadn't even been to university! He got in because he was an orphan who was adopted by a Lord who knew a knight who knew someone... You know how these things are. I remember feeling disappointed - it wasn't progress after all! Just the standard boys club.\n\n \nOnce I heard he'd been confirmed in his post, I decided to make the best of it. I gave him some time and space, let him settle in and find his stirrups. I rang my old agency up, let them know the situ and arranged some temp cover. \n\n \nI then took a trip to see my family back home; it's nice to take off the mask, slip out the dark armour and relax with people you love now and then. I had two highly relaxing weeks - I tried my first pomegranate. You can't eat fruits like that when you're on the job. Pomegranate isn't considered particularly evil; you have to stick to apples, apricots, grapes, maybe a blackberry or two. I actually set off home with a few poms in my pack thinking, 'screw stereotypes, if I want pomegranate's, I'll have them'. \n\n \nThen I arrived home and Vunderglag had been smeared all over my carpets. Vunderglag being my temp cover. \n\n \nI walked straight back outside and was sick on my turnip patch. \n\n \nI had no idea what had happened - I went back inside with tears in my eyes. I'd known Vunderglag as a temp - he was a good old fashioned villain. Wouldn't hurt a fly. \n\n \nThen I found a note pinned to my door with Vunderglag's knife - which his Dad had given him. It read:\n\n \n'You cannot hide Darlok. You will pay. The people of Moutingbury cry out for vengeance, and they shall have it. \nSincerely, \nBrylk'. \n\n\n \nAt least I got a sincerely this time. I rang up Kenneth straight away and explained what had gone on. He was utterly embarrassed and as shocked as I was, he assured me Brylk would be fired on the spot for gross misconduct and they'd replace him straight away with someone who knew how things worked. After all, you can't go around murdering Dark Lords for a bit of pillaging. Else, what are Dark Lords even for? \n\n \nI slept soundly safe in the knowledge that was the end of it. I'd made myself a port and drank it quietly beside my fire. Then, when I was quite sure I was alone, I got a pomegranate out of my bag and thought I'd treat myself. After all, what a horrid day. My upholstery was going to need professional cleaning!\n\n \nThen, the next thing I know, a grappling hook has smashed through my stained glass window and onto my floor. I dropped my pomegranate at this point, which only made my bad day even worse. It got all dusty." ]	5
	[WP] Eldritch gods see us much as we see insects - harmless, but inexplicably terrifying.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Ygeldor the faceless enters his plane of decimation, nightmares flooding the realms, however he senses something is different. He looks around and sees that a solar system has appeared, he screams inductively. \n\nHekrax the endbringer enters the plane, he believes ygeldor to be hurt. \n\nHekrax: what’s wrong?\n\nYgeldor: some humans showed up, they have a planet and everything\n\nHekrax: relax, their harmless\n\nYgeldor: I know but they’re so creepy! Their symmetrical faces and those weird arm things on their arms!\n\nHekrax: don’t worry I’ll go get a tissue or something\n\nYgeldor: be careful! They might launch a missile at you!\n\nHekrax: those nukes just sting a bit and then your fine… \n\nHekrax cloaks the earth in darkness for 10,000 years, then crushes the broken planet and throws it into a space outside of space\n\nHekrax: ok, all gone\n\nYgeldor: thanks dude, those things freak me out", "##I don't know what contest mode means, but anyway:\n\n\nFive megayears old cute little Cutethulhu and his short, wriggling tentacles finally managed to wrap around a nurgapple in the fruits section. His dad, the great Cthulhu Sr. himself, only showed him how to stop the darn things from flickering in and out of existence once, and yet he managed to do it himself on the first try.\n\n\"Dad, look!\" the little guy said, turning in place to look for daddy. \"Look, I got the...\" his words drift off as he saw the hind claw of his dad's foot disappear into the next aisle. \n\nMommy left pretty much the same way with her hind claw disappearing into a crack in the air. She apparently had something to do in the next dimension over and will be back over the millennium.\n\nGreat. He thought a millennium off with daddy was going to be fun. Finally, just two bad boys left to their own devices on an unsuspecting universe. Surely nothing could be better, right? Well guess what? It's been two millennia and dad and little tentacles ran out of supplies almost five centuries ago. A supply run to the nearest R'lyeh's Relishes was of utmost importance.\n\nAnd now, here he is. Standing by his lonesome amongst the flickering balls of fruity goodness, wondering how many years more he had to wait before he can sink his beak into the quantum core of this nurgapple. To distract himself, cute little Cutethulhu's eyes began wandering, finally ending on a bunch of polyhedrons outside R'lyeh's Relishes' windows.\n\nAtop the biggest polyhedron was a small group of bipeds with funny hats were waving their hands around, seemingly directing the bipeds below but appearing to be largely ignored. The small group of bipeds that followed was wearing matching hats and pointing sticks at the bipeds with no hats.\n\nBipeds with funny hats usually settle around these polyhedrons, sometimes prisms with holes, or even inside the ground itself. Cutethulhu's teacher, Mrs. Kacy Black, said there are many such creatures scattered inside and outside the universe and that these behaviors were typical of lower dimension beings. These bipeds they call Xaphians, whose most distinguishing feature are their funny hats, are of no particular note.\n\nBut Mrs. Black didn't mention anything about what was happening in front of little tentacles' inner and outer eye. He became curious.\n\nUsing his juvenile psychic powers, cute little Cutethulhu absorbed the primitive and weak psychic waves emanating from biped with the funniest hat atop the polyhedron and tried to listen.\n\n\"FEAR! FEAR!\"\n\nIt was out of its mind with fear. Of what, Cutethulhu didn't know but he wanted to find out what fear meant for these creatures. He listened to a few more bipeds on the polyhedron.\n\n\"GOD! GOD!\" \n\n\"GOD! FEAR!\"\n\nGod. Each mind he entered was afraid of this god. What is god? He thought. Was it more important than food like this nurgapple in his tentacles?\n\nBut then he listened to the bipeds with no hats.\n\n\"HUNGRY! FOOD!\"\n\nEach hatless biped was afraid, he could tell, but it was drowned by the stronger mental directive to get food. Even trumping the need for society.\n\nSo then, what did the bipeds with the sticks felt?\n\nA tentacle suddenly wrapped around Cutethulhu and lifted him up and away from the windows before he could read the hats with the sticks' minds. \"What are you doing?\" Daddy Cthulhu said, furiously rubbing one of his tentacles on little Cutethulhu's spongy head.\n\nLittle Cutethulhu writhed within his dad's embrace, laughing and giggling. The excitement and joy brought about by his father's return made him forget about everything he was doing. His hunger, the nurgapple he'd been holding all this time, and the Xaphians who were at the brink of violence.\n\nAs it fell from his grasp and hurtled to the ground, it flickered once out of existence, then flickered back, and then finally as it was about to make contact with the floor of R'lyeh's Relishes, it flickered one last time and forever disappeared from the universe." ]	3
	[WP] Due to a series of misunderstandings, the half-dragon princess, moonlighting as an adventurer, is hired to save herself from herself. But it pays well so...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“So let me get this straight, you are a knight from.. Camefew?”\n\nThe half-dragon nodded her head sheepishly. Her armor clunked as she adjusted her helmet. The suit was old and rusty. She had torn it down from one of the racks at her ruined tower.\n\nThe king looked over her closely. His face was covered with confusion. “And where exactly is Camefew?” Asked the king.\n\n“Err.. it’s quite a ways away.” She motioned with her hands, explaining some obscure route in the most complex way that she could.\n\nThe king interrupted her, “Alright, that’s enough. Calvin, go with her please.”\n\n“Oh I don’t need help.” Insisted the half-dragon. \n\n“He isn’t going to slay the dragon for you, he’s a squire for god sakes.” The king looked back at the young man standing attentively next to him, then back at the half-dragon. “Well? Go on! The princess isn’t going to save herself.”\n\nThe two departed the town and headed toward the tower that held the princess, who coincidentally was on the way to save her. The squire became uneasy as she navigated the paths without any maps.\n\nAs he sketched a new map together he asked the half-dragon, “Have you uhh- been to this tower before?” His voice was uneasy.\n\nThe half-dragon stopped in her tracks. “Oh you have no idea..” she said. Then continued up the mountain.\n\nThe squire moaned as he watched her climb the steep hill in front of them. When he finally caught up with her, he stopped. Just over the mountain peek was a ruined tower surrounded by an alligator infested bog.\n\n“I’ll, uh, wait here.” Said the squire as he sat down. \n\n“You sure? I hear princesses can be pretty cute.” The half-dragon laughed in self gloat as she walked through the bog water. The alligators hissed and fled as she worked her way to the tower.\n\nOnce inside, the half-dragon made her way to her throne room where she sat and admired her gold. She was imagining all the gold she was going to make in this lucrative business of saving the same princess, when suddenly she realized she had to actually present a princess to the king now.\n\nAn idea dawned upon her. She went to the top of the tower and blew great bouts of fire. She clanked armors and swords together. Then she stopped. She went back to the throne room, removed her armor, found her most beautiful dress. Then headed back to the squire.\n\n“Squire! Squire!” She cried as she ran across the bog water. She fell to her knees in front of the squire and cried her best alligator tears. “The knight, she is dead!”\n\n“Dead? Oh no.. and the dragon? Is the dragon comin-“\n\n“Dead!” The half-dragon cried.\n\nThe squire paused, then looked back at the princess. “We better return to the king and let him know the dragon has been slain.”\n\nFollowing the map the squire had drawn, the two navigated back to the town. \n\nThe squire presented the princess to the king. “The princess of Tower Burgadoo.”\n\nThe princess coughed, “That’s Burgadeese, with an ee ess-” \n\n“What?” Said the king.\n\n“Nothing.” Replied the half-dragon.\n\n“And where is the heroic knight? I would like to reward her handsomely.”\n\n“Uhh.” The princess scurried up to the king and whispered in his ear. “Don’t tell the squire, but the knight faked her death to, uhh- get the squire off her back. Yeah, the guy is a huge fanboy.” She pointed her thumb at the squire who remained still, wondering what they were saying. “She asked me to return the gold to her as soon as I got back to town, she is probably by the stables now.” \n\n“You know, you sound an awful lot like the knight-“\n\n“Sister! We’re sisters. Twin. Sisters. Yeah I know, she’s out here saving princesses and slaying dragons, and I’m out here getting locked away in towers, so? Big deal. I’m just playing the cards that I was dealt.”\n\n“What? No I didn’t mean- Nevermind! News of the dead dragon had reached this town faster than you two did.” The king reached behind and retrieved a large pouch of gold. “As long as that dragon is dead, I could care less who gets the coin.” \n\nThe king threw the pouch of gold to the ground in front of him. The half-dragon picked it up, waved the king and squire goodbye, and returned to her tower. News quickly spread of a new dragon now occupying the Tower of Burgadeese, and the half-dragon princess was quick to take any offers to slay it once more." ]	2
	[WP] Your mother always used to tell you that ghosts don't sing, and that's how you know you're alive. One morning, you realize you haven't heard anyone sing in a while. You hurry to sing the words to your favorite song only to realize you can't remember 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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "When Hello leaves, she always slides a handful of peanuts into the slots of your cage, makes a kissy sound with her soft mouth and leaves her nest, and you watch as she wanders off into the outside. You call her Hello because that’s what she says the most. It’s a beautiful sound, the way she trills it, has been beautiful since the first time she’s said it, all soft skin and canary-blonde hair of a hatchling when you first met. Sometimes, you’d have conversations with her in nothing but ‘hello’s, tasting each other's cadence in increasingly more dramatic overtones. \n\nBut Hello’s Big now--Big in that she’s long fledged her birthing-nest, Big enough to feed and water herself, raise a family. She’s taken you along for the ride, and. You’re happy, you’re ecstatic, but every morning she drops a handful of peanuts in as an apology and heads off to face the outside. \n\nThe nest is quiet. You are alone. \n\nMama always tells you that ghosts don’t sing--singing is reserved for the living, for those with lungs to breathe and a heart to rejoice. That’s why all the birds sing in the mornings, as a celebration, because to live another day is to sing another song, and they are one and the same. Mama tells you that quiet is death; tells you that when you fly into a forest where you can hear the scrapes of wind against the trees, to flee, and seek shelter. When you woke up cold in your birth-nest without her voice, you’d cut your losses and ran. \n\nA nest without Hello is like death. When Hello is gone, you are alone with nothing but white-hot frustration tingling down your feather-sheathes. You picked at them once, watched as the hole left behind dribbled red down your wing. Felt like jagged notes, the shriek of a finch cut short by the talons of a falcon, and you were both the prey and the aggressor. You didn’t like it. You hated it. \n\nWhen Hello leaves the house now, you sing in her stead. \n\nThis singing is not like Mama’s song, not like the bird’s morning greetings. You screech as loud as you can. Fumble and flutter away from too-tight walls, like if you pitched sharp enough, you’d drive the loneliness away by sheer force of will. It is not beautiful. It is not cheerful. But much like the plucked feathers, it is clarity. You are alive. You are alive. You are alive. \n\nThe peanuts are not here today. Hello is a quiet, haunted thing, all red-rimmed eyes and dead animal stare. You size her up from your perch on her desk. When you woke up today, you find that the cage never had walls. The nest never had walls. You would slide through them as easily as you’d cut through air, and maybe they are a trick like the silly cup games Hello used to show you, in that the apple and the walls were never there at all. \n\nSilence suffocates, wrapping around Hello like a striking snake. You’re scared that she’ll be like Mama, leave and never return, so you sing a song for her, staccato like a chickadee tweet and soft like a nightingale, the croon of a mother bird to her brood.\n\nBut when you breathe, you don’t hear the press of your lungs against your ribs, the telltale beat of your heart. Worst of all, there is only death in the place where your voice once was, quiet and quiet and quiet. The shuffles on the floorboards are all that’s heard as Hello leaves the nest. \n\nMama always tells you that ghosts don’t sing--the thought of going silent never really crossed your mind, and by now it’s too late to scream." ]	2
	[WP] A vampire bit you while you were high, and got addicted to your blood. They're willing to do anything just to have another taste of your "holy blood" and you've been venerated as a saint who subdued the vampiric race.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "God I thought it would be just like any other night. Play the show, shoot the shit and go home. I was very wrong. I should've known something was wrong when the most beautiful women I'd ever seen bought me a drink. But I guess that's the hopeless romantic in me. \n\nThe show went well, we've been to this bar, The Witches Brew before and most of our friends were here. As the lead vocalist of course I'm always looking in the crowd, and that when I saw her. \n\nPale as alabaster, with eyes that could kill and long black hair like liquid midnight. Black ink tattoos decorated her body, and her lips were a bright red. \n\nAfter the show I always have to smoke a joint to cool off, the THC calms me down and lets me be more social. Hell if I was really feeling brave I might talk to that beauty inside. \n\nAs always the marijuana coated my throat and lungs. Soon I couldnt feel my teeth, as my depression and anxiety flooded away. It always felt like having body weights and removing them when I got high. I cleared the air before coming back into the bar. \n\nMy friends in Dirtnap hadn't played yet, so I figured I'd head to the bar and get a Red Bull to get some of my energy back. \n\nAs I approach the bar top a man in his twenties hands me a vodka cranberry. I try and tell the guy I hadn't even ordered yet but he insisted it came from a fan at the end of the bar. \n\nHow strange, that's never happened before. As I look to where the mans pointing I didn't want to believe my eyes that same woman with the seductive eyes had bought me this drink. \n\nDespite being in a metalcore band I'm quite the light weight and two drinks in was enough for me to approach her. \n\nI took the seat next to her and greeted her. \n\n\"Hey thanks for the drink, anyway I can pay back the favor?\" She smiled wryly, I could see her incisors were quite pointy, if shed had dental surgery to get vamp fangs she was serious about her appearance. \n\n\"No I wanted to repay you for such a great show, I'm not from around here and it's great to see there's some local talent. Do pretty boys like you play in any of the bigger cities.\" \n\nI laughed, my narccism and numbed senses combing to make me especially easy to manipulate. \n\n\"Only if statuesque beauties like you are coming to see them.\" She laughed before extending her hand. \n\n\"You're funny, I'm Scarlet.\" \n\n\"Hey I'm glad you think so, my names Chris.\" Scarlet finished her drink and placed cash on the top. \n\n\"Let's get out of here.\" I was taken aback, I thought we'd at least flirt more first. \n\n\"Uhm and where are we going?\" She smiled that sly smile once more and beckoned me forward. \n\n\"I'll show you somewhere beautiful, just the two of us.\"\n\nI sent a quick text to the band group chat, apologizing for not helping with loading out as well as missing our friends playing that night. \n\nWe walked to her car, a blood red Audi with black under lighting. \n\n\"Nice wheels\" Jesus christ that sounded so much better in my head. \n\n\"Thanks, being a vampire queen has its perks\" she laughed along with me at what I totally thought was a joke. \n\nAs we drove I offered her a blunt I had rolled for after Dirtnap's set, she agreed and we smoked as she drove. I was feeling pretty good, the weed had sharpened my senses but still let the alcohol make me feel lose and numb. I was reasonably cross faded and driving with some gorgeous goth girl into the moon lit night. \n\nPredictably we ended up at the Victorian graveyard outside of town. Scarlet parked and sat on the hood of her car, I quickly followed suit. \n\nFor awhile we talked about every and anything, and then as the moon seemed to shine extra bright I felt her place a hand on my cheek, I shuddered at the touch. Scarlet slowly retracted her hand. \n\n\"Sorry I...its been awhile since someone touched me like that.\" Scarlet frowned. \n\n\"It's okay, I'm sorry you got hurt like that, hey look at me.\" As I gazed into her eyes I felt the feeling in my body drift away. It was like I was dreaming as Scarlet came close and bit my neck. \n\nI couldn't fight it as I felt her teeth pierce my flesh, and start to drain me of my life essence. She let out a sound of surprise and drew away. Before I could scream Scarlet placed her palm over my mouth. Her eyes were red like she'd just smoked an ounce all by herself. She spoke with wonderment. \n\n\"Your blood tastes, so....potent. I've never felt this intoxicated in my entire life! I've lived for centuries, tried every drug from alcohol to crystal meth but your blood, your blood has made me feel better than I ever have.\" \n\nI spoke against the soft flesh on her hand. \n\n\"So what, you're going to have a good time while you're killing me.\" She laughed and pet my hair, like a farmer pets his golden goose. \n\n\"No no, if you keep producing blood then that means I can feel this way forever! I'm calling my friends!\" I soon became aware of how strong Scarlet was, and knew that escape would be all but impossible. \n\nA white hearse pulled up soon after, and three pale women all exited, before greeting Scarlet. The three new contenders all picked a spot on my neck and began drinking, though this time their bites felt thought out and more precise than Scarlet's feeding frenzy. \n\nSoon the trio agreed that in fact my blood was the most intoxicating substance they'd ever had. \n\nThey took me to their mansion and they're Matriarch too sampled my blood. She gave me a choice, live in the mansion become immortal and supply them with blood forever, or be released and one day hunted back down, I told them I'd stay if they'd agree to only feed on me and no other humans. \n\nIt works out, I regenerate my blood back extremely fast as a vampire myself now, and if anything they swear my blood is now even sweeter. \n\nI miss my band and all my friends, but I sleep well knowing that I'll save humanity for centuries to come, and that's a fate better than death." ]	2
This was submitted by another user, but they deleted the post some time before I posted my story. I normally wouldn't respond to my own WP, but I feel like this is an exception!	[WP] In a world where people level up, you are the first person to hit level 100 in a millennium. You're a Gamer.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The incredibly annoying “bahahahahahahaha” of Spongebob’s laugh (my ringtone for people in my address book) startled me so hard I dropped my guitar pick. My studio's acoustics amplified the sound in an unpleasant way. I set my guitar down and awkwardly fished my phone from my pocket.\n\nCALL FROM: GOD\n\nHuh? My daughter must have renamed herself in my phone last week when she visited. I swiped to answer. “How’s it going Emilie? Very funny joke there. How’d you get my passwo-”\n\nA meek voice cut me off. “Ehrm, this is not Emilie. I promise. Hear me out, Rick. You won't believe me at first, but just bear with me. I am actually...” The man cleared his throat and continued with its nasal-y warble. “God.”\n\nI rolled my eyes. “Mhmm. Put Emilie on the line now please.”\n\nThe man sighed. I didn’t realize a sigh could be so annoying. “Look. I’m kinda busy right now, but I can prove it to you. Name anything you want. I’ll give it to you.”\n\nI decided to play along. “A signed record of “Make it Big” by Wham!”.\n\n“Done.”, came the reply, straight from the nose. “Turn around.”\n\nSure enough, on the back wall of my studio, just inbetween Duran Duran’s “Rio” and Culture Club’s “Kissing to be Clever”, there was a brand new vinyl. “What the fu-”\n\nThe phone barked in my ear. “I promise that wasn’t some kind of trick. We could do this all day, or you could just trust me here. I’m calling you because you’ve done something incredibly special here.”\n\nOh great - a sales pitch. These industry douches are lucky I like my fans so much. Must have snuck a fast one on Lene to convince her they’ve already spoken with me.\n\nMy finger approached the “End Call” button. \n\n“No! Don’t do it! Don’t hang up! Just listen. You have reached…” He cleared his throat again. “Ahem! Level. One. Hundred! The last guy who did that was Genghis Khan - he got tons of experience in the warmongering stat.”\n\nMy finger inched closer. This guy is never gonna give up.\nThe assault on my ears continued. “We’ll mail you a plaque. In the meantime, you can look at a graph of your experience versus time any time you want. It’s something we only allow level one-hundreds to do. Don’t want people gaming the system before they max out, ya’ kno-”\n\nBeep. My slowly encroaching finger finally terminated the call. What kind of wacko joke was this? It was definitely well planned and well-executed, but the humor definitely missed the mark. What a let down. I brushed my hand through my hair and leaned back in my stool, yawning. As I closed my eyes, I saw an incredibly vivid image - a graph!\n\nThe x axis was time - the year to be exact, and the y axis just said “exp”. Experience, I guess? The line started at 1966. It increased very slowly at first. There was a fair sized bump in 1987, when I released my first big hit. It continued up for a while, then petered off in the early 90s, when I took a career break. It was mostly flat for a while, with some small increases here and there coinciding with my career moves.\n\nThen boom. 2007. The line skyrocketed vertically. As I was focusing on the line, it “zoomed” in, and a line branched off, apparently giving me more information on the sources of the experience. A billion - yes a literal billion - individual sources of experience showed. They were all individually tagged with the following:\n\n\nYoutube view (+100 exp): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ\n\nI called my wife Lene, who answered on the third ring. “Babe, you’ll never guess what happened today.”" ]	2
	[WP] "Go away, kid. Can't you see my terrifying horns? My pointy tail? My sharp fangs!?" The banished demon general said to the little girl. "I can see them. Anyway, I just picked these flowers. Here, you can have them!" She beamed. "Preposterous," the demon said as he took them anyway.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Great! This is just perfect, isn't it?!\" \n\nI say to myself as I look out over the meadow of happy flowers. The colors were so lush and vibrant compared to how it was in hell.\n\n\"You just had to go and sleep with the spawn of Satan, didn't you? You couldn't keep your pants on for just 5 more minutes.\"\n\nI kick myself at the memory of events that lead to this unfortunate present. I was an elite demon general, one who had both respect and status above my peers. I was merely making my rounds and going to submit my report of my legion, nothing unusual. Then \"they\" caught me going past their personal chamber, and beckoned me inside for some \"fun.\" Again, nothing unusual, except I got caught this time, and by Satan himself no less.\n\nHe had me banished to the mortal realm and stripped of my rank and powers. I still look like a general fortunately, but I can't do anything more than an imp now. All the looks, but none if the substance. \n\n\"Fuck\"\n\n\"That's not a very nice word\"\n\nI turn quickly in surprise as I look down to see a little girl, no bigger than an imp, look back up at me with very large eyes. How could this child sneak up on me without my notice? I must be worse off than I thought.\n\n\"What? I-um...\"\n\nI'm stumbling over my words now? You were a a god-damned general of hell, for Satan's sake. Pull it together.\n\n\"Go away, kid. Can't you see my terrifying horns? My pointy tail? My sharp fangs!?\"\n\nAny one of these were a good reason for someone to stay away, humans especially. Did this child have poor eyesight or something?\n\n\"I can see them. Anyway, I just picked these flowers. Here, you can have them!\"\n\nShe hands me this sorry looking excuse of a bouquet. It looked like it had one of every flower in the meadow we were in. This must have taken some time for the little girl to accomplish on her own.\n\n\"Preposterous\"\n\nI took the flowers into grasp and breathed deep of their perfume. It was pleasant, a more welcomed change to that of burning brimstone, I must admit. I look back down at the little girl, now brimming with pride and joy at her little accomplishment.\n\n\"Hey kid-\"\n\n\"It's Angie.\" Of course it was.\n\n\"Angie...where are your parents?\" I looked around the meadow to see no other humans in sight. Was this girl alone?\n\n\"Mamma told me to go pick some flowers for Daddy. She said she'll come back for me later.\"\n\nThere looked to be a road about a mile from where we were sitting. Way to far out and remote for anyone to see her.\n\n\"How long have you been picking flowers for, Angie?\"\n\n\"Since lunch\" she said as a matter of fact.\n\nI looked over towards the horizon where the sun was, it would soon set in a couple of hours. Had she really been out here that long? Her shoes were dirty and her dress had grass stains all over it.\n\n\"I don't think... um, do you remember where the closest town is?\"\n\n\"I think momma and me came from that way down the road. I remember seeing a big sign with a bunch of numbers on it.\" She points at a general direction towards the road I saw earlier.\n\n\"Then we should probably head there, its gonna be dark soon and she might be waiting for you\"\n\n\"Okay,\" she says as she grabs hold of my hand and starts pulling me up along with her. Why was I sparing this child of the truth? Was it out of pity? Or was it because she could relate to my situation now? Whatever the case, if we ever do find her mother, I have some VERY not nice words to share with her.", " Alrich had wanted to be ten feet tall. To have horns and wings and pointy fangs and to be left alone.\n\nTo be ignored instead of ridiculed, judged for something real. To be dangerous instead of pathetic.\n\nSo Alrich sold his soul.\n\nAs it goes though make a deal with the devil and everything goes wrong, this though instead of a frenzied rage was just misfiled paperwork as the haggard demon both didn't have the qualifications to take a soul and hadn't meant to.\n\nRegardless Alrich was now considered a demon and a general despite very clearly just being a bullied highschooler.\n\nThis was rather unfortunate as being a general gave you a new form so he now didn't have a body to go back to.\n\nAlrich also soon realized that most demons were just like humans, simply a different race in a different realm with a different culture and more paperwork. Culture and paperwork he was very unprepared for.\n\nThe Tier Five took pity on him and let him keep the job. In some ways this was more painful than just being sent back as an id-less person.\n\nHe being seventeen was also unprepared to deal with the seventy year old demons that made up his command.\n\nWithin a few days the paperwork had been filed to have him replaced on grounds of racism and harassment. He wasn't sure what he had done exactly but he also didn't blame them. \n\nThis all left him in a very bad spot. Behind in school, no job, and in a new world. Being chased by the local wildlife which admittedly was cute but it made it hard to sulk.\n\nGiving in and hugging the floating shadow he stayed there for a while thinking what to do next. He would need to get his soul back to die though so it wasn't really an option. \n\n\"You're crying! Do you want a flower crown?\" \n\nLooking up Alrich saw a little girl in a feather skirt. Looking at him puzzledly. She had white diamond markings and a horn to one side of her head.\n\n\"I'm fine.\"\n\nFrowning, she sat down. \"Nope.\" she said popping the p.\n\n\"What?\" \n\n\"You're just being polite, I'm gonna be your friend.\"\n\n\"But-\"\n\n\"You're crying, crying means you're sad and you should be happy. Friends make you happy.\"\n\n\"Your parents are gonna be mad.\"\n\n\"What are parents?\" \n\nAlrich looked at the little kid again a bit deeper. What the fuck did he do to deserve this. This...responsibility when he could do nothing. \n\n\"They're people...demons? who take care of you, and normally they love you.\" \n\n\"I'll be your parent then!\" \n\n\"Sure…\" \n\nHe was to tired for this" ]	3
	[WP] An asteroid collides with the other side of the globe, setting off a cataclysm that will end all life on Earth. You know you only have a few hours to live, but you’re determined to make them count.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I think I am alright. I mean, Jessie certainly thinks so as she decided to annul her break-up with me (undertaken three days ago) when the news came out. Not sure why, I didn't have any choice in it anyway. But I'll assume that indicates I am right by other people. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nThere's so many regrets, so many things that I could have done, you know. I could have spent my life not living an instrument for a company or whatever. But that's not very interesting. None of that stuff is very interesting when I am being confronted by the very real eventuality of death in the next few hours due to the fallout from an asteroid that hurtled at Mother Earth at fifteen times the speed of sound. Yeah, none of that really matters, I guess. \n\nBut at the same time, it matters so much. So I decide to make the most of my time, and I don't mean the time on the clocks. For once, I can define the seconds and the minutes by myself, and even get the pleasure of an hour. And what better way to use the time for Moi doing things that define me? Seems obvious and easy.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThing is, I have spent so much of my life working at dead-end jobs that I feel that I am boring. Like, fundamentally speaking, there's nothing interesting about me. You know those strange rituals whenever you decided to a new school, university job or whatever where they ask what one interesting thing about you is? And you can't find anything really interesting about yourself? Yeah, that was me. But instead of just dismissing the question as bullshit, now I was having a revelation. I. Am. Not. An. Interesting. Person. \n\nSo I turn towards one thing that's given to everyone, the ability to write. Now, it's not necessarily that everyone is good at writing, it's just that most people can write. In fact, the fact that the world is about to end renders moot whether you are good at writing or not. No one's going to be reading my self-conscious ruminations on boredom or whatever. So yeah, I write, I write at my own pace, in my own time. \n\nThis, as you might have realized, extraterrestrial historian, is very difficult when all electric lines have been cut off. No charge! No internet! You gotta conserve energy! I stood up from my desk to get some orange juice from the fridge, and its spoiled! I do thank our municipal corporation for putting so much funding into the plumbing systems of the city, because I could both drink tap water and urinate in peace. \n\nSo, where were we? Right, I was writing about writing. A problem with writing about yourself: your own life seems not very interesting by your own standards. Moby-Dick is good because it employs aesthetic boredom, you know, not ordinary run-of-the-mill slice-of-life boredom. That kind of boredom is....boring. That being the case, I will comment a bit on my relationship with Jessie. In the process of me writing about this, I can perhaps find what this says about me. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nI met her at haunted house, she was in the service desk. I was with another girl. The relationship was not going well, ok? I was immediately attracted by her, maybe because she was so different from who I was already dating....and a dud. I'll be honest, Jessie wasn't very interesting either. You get to know a person after you think they are interesting and you find out that their quirks are annoyances, their weirdness a pressure. And their normalness? Well, that's boring. In a way, we were made for each other, the three of us. Mediocrities just wafting through life. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nThey say self-destruction is the path towards self-realization. I am literarily and figuratively being destroyed here. I am excavating the sources of my own discontent through writing, and I am about to be annihilated in a few minutes by the shockwaves from a huge meteor. Hey, that's an interesting fact about myself - I will be using that at the freshman orientation in the afterlife. But this project also needs a positive side, and I think I have found one: I am perfectly ok with who I am, I am perfectly ok with being me. I doubt if I lived my life again, I would be given different circumstances, but even if I were given the same, I would just make it my thing.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nAnd one day, maybe in a dignified and quiet fashion, maybe in a self-reflective tone, I would write about it.", "I've spent so much of my life making myself an afterthought. Every passed-on decision, every deflection of my own desires for the comfort of not having to disappoint anyone has led me to this moment. Hours left to live and a completely unfulfilled life, just my luck.\n\nThey say it's not the heat or debris that will get us, but the wind. Something so ethereal, yet so destructive. Tornadoes, hurricanes, and now a city-flattening shock-wave races towards us. My neighbor, Tony, started barricading himself in his basement. He thinks being below the surface will protect him. It would, if there weren't two stores of timber and brick above him that will be ripped away. It's hard to find any type of levity in the situation. The implications are rather grim. \n\nI'm sure the human race will survive. The military has bunkers and missile silos. I assume every country has them. I'm sure there are some re-enforced fallout shelters from decades past when we thought humans would be the end of it all. I could get in my car and try to make it over to Marysville. I hear their town hall has a 200 person fallout shelter. Who am I kidding, what do I have to provide the world in the post-apocalypse? I'm sure that accountants will be heavily relied upon while we rebuild society.\n\nThere I go again, reducing myself to the lowest form possible. The world is ending and I'm still coming up with reasons why I shouldn't be one of the survivors.\n\nMy biggest regret is not finishing the bassinet for Antonia's daughter. I guess it's pretty moot at this point. Two more days, a coat of stain and some sealant and I could have delivered it. So many \"what ifs\", \"maybes\", and \"could have beens\" are running through my head. I could have had her. That baby could have been mine. Her family could have been my family. In an effort to be non-confrontational I made myself invisible. I took away my chance to be great just to guarantee I wasn't mediocre. \n\nIn hindsight, that might have been a bad idea.\n\nYou can see the dust on the horizon. These flat Kansas farms have visibility for miles. It towers above the landscape with a hue reminiscent of brown, green, and grey. It is pure chaos, but it's also oddly beautiful. The wall stretches as far as the eye can see from horizon to horizon. The speed with which it's moving is causing a quasi-sunset at 9 in the morning. In no time at all it will have eclipsed the sun from view. The wall is taller than any storm cloud I've ever seen, even those big fluffy white ones that build and build and build and when they break, hail falls. Those always gave me dread. I never did get the garage cleaned out to pull my truck in. That thing had more dents on it than the moon, always ran like a champ though.\n\nThings are silent. Well, almost. There are no birds, no insects, no cars on the road. There is just a faint rumbling, growing louder with each second. I always thought I'd be more panicked than this at the end. I'd always wanted to just be able to turn my back to it or die in my sleep. The thought of those terrified me. But looking at this, staring down certain death, the sound of trees being ripped from the ground, flashes of light as power lines and poles are snapped at the base like matches from a book... this seemed almost calming. \n\nI made my decision. I'd given in to the inevitable and made peace with the fact that it was completely out of my control. It's what I wanted, wasn't it? To have things decided for me? To be agreeable, liked by all? Comfortable. It's a bit ironic, but by being agreeing to try to not be a burden, I shifted the burden of choice onto others. One course of action, taken to avoid a second, causes the second. The trees and power lines, boulders the size of small cars, silos, barns, farm equipment, large veiny irrigation machines, all of them. Torn away from their foundations like I tore myself out of so many people's lives.\n\nI wish I had made this realization a bit sooner.\n\nThe sound is deafening now. I can hear debris clanging around off of itself. I can feel the air being pulled around me. The same air that, in a few moments, is going to break every bone in my body. A force that is going to kill me instantly. \n\nSilence.\n\nShould I have ducked?" ]	3
	[WP] you are the least popular superhero. Not because you're bad at being a superhero, its just that your powers keep changing and you can't find your gimmick	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I was a superhero. I know, it's not as impressive as it sounds. I was the kind of superhero who only had powers when they were convenient, and even then, they were never the right powers. When my boss told me about this new supervillain threatening to take over the city, I was pretty sure I wouldn't be much help.\n\n\"What's his deal?\" I asked.\n\n\"He's an evil genius,\" my boss said. \"He can invent anything he wants, and he's been using that technology to take over the city.\"\n\n\"Is it a robot?\" I asked. \"I've always had a good track record against robots.\"\n\n\"No,\" my boss said, \"he's a person.\"\n\nThat was bad news for me. My powers were all about getting the drop on robots and monsters and stuff, but people were much harder. They could see me coming from a mile away, and they had arms and legs to hit me with if they did see me. The best I could do against people was sneak up on them while they were sleeping, which wasn't exactly the kind of thing that made for good TV ratings. The only time someone got hurt in one of my fights was because they tripped over their own feet when they saw me coming. It hardly seemed fair to blame me for that one - no one ever claimed superpowers would make you graceful - but it didn't exactly help my reputation either. Still, this guy wasn't a robot or a monster or even an alien - he was just a regular person who had invented all kinds of crazy technology to take over the city with, so maybe this time things would be different...\n\nI showed up at the villain's secret hideout, ready for combat. I had my utility belt full of gadgets and my mask on, ready to bring the fight to him. I even had a new superpower this time - it was called \"not being able to fly very well.\" It wasn't much, but maybe it would help me get in close enough to take him down with one of my trademark sleeper holds.\n\nThe villain didn't seem too impressed by my entrance, though. He was sitting in his chair in the middle of the room, typing away at his computer. He didn't even look up when I walked in.\n\n\"You're not very good at this,\" he said, still not looking away from his computer screen. \"That your powers keep changing and you can't find your gimmick.\" He finally looked up at me and chuckled a little bit before adding \"I'm afraid that's just how things are with superheroes.\" And then he went back to typing on his computer again, like I wasn't there anymore.\n\nI stood there for a second before realizing that he wasn't going to attack me any time soon - if ever - so I started looking around the room for something useful instead. The walls were covered with all kinds of crazy technology: ray guns and robots and little flying cameras that were probably spying on everyone else in the building right now - or worse! Maybe they were spying on people outside! This guy was clearly an evil genius! There was no way he could be allowed to keep all this technology for himself... but what could I do? If my powers kept changing every time I tried to use them... well... there was no way I could take him down alone... but if someone else came along who could use these gadgets... maybe we could overpower him together... but who would want to team up with me? Who would risk getting involved with someone as unpredictable as me? Which is why it was such a surprise when just then another superhero walked into the room behind me - someone who clearly had an actual clue about how superheroes worked! She had her mask on and her cape flowing behind her as she strode into battle! She was everything I wanted to be: tough and confident and ready for action! She walked right up next to me and looked down at our foe with a confident smile before turning back towards me and saying: \"So, what's his deal?\"\n\n(1/?)" ]	2
	[WP] You are a drastically different person to every group of people you meet; your cat is the only on who really knows you.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It’s a well-known trope in books and movies: the cheerleaders and girls at the top of the high school hierarchy are bitch of the first class and their personalities are even more fake than their faces. But if you get to meet them in private, they might show a whole different person, kinder, maybe even shy or uncertain. Sometimes they will change, leave the popular group and become happier. All’s well that ends well.\n\nExcept it’s not that black and white. What if your both people – and more? It’s hard to juggle, that’s what it means to be more than one person. It makes living challenging. That’s why I live by a code. It’s the only way to be sure my life doesn’t fall apart like the house of carts it is.\n\nRule 1 \r \nNever – not even in situations of life and death – meet with people from separate groups at the same time. You can be two different people, but you can’t be both at the same time.\r \nIt’s just that different friends call for different behaviour. For example, I have a group of friends with whom I am a nerd, love superhero’s and read all day every day. With others, I dress stylish and talk dirt. With two dear friends I do stupid shit, like getting drunk and drive or jump from a bridge in shallow water.\n\nAnd no, doing all those things has nothing to do with group pressure. I’d rather call it .. group dynamic. \n\nRule 2 \r \nStay consistent with your persona. At times it is confusing – who should I be now? If you’re not sure, keep at the back ground for a bit until you figured out the group dynamic again. You don’t need to remember exactly your persona with every single group you hang out. Rather, go with the flow, feel the group dynamics!\n\nRule 3 \r \nNo boyfriends. Or girlfriends. Period. Relationship only causes trouble, they’ll want to meet your friends, hang out with them too. They’ll want to know what your hobbies, favourite music and tastes are. Those answers are complex as they’ll change depending on who you are.\n\nBut that doesn’t mean you can confide in anyone. That’s why I recently added a fourth rule to my code.\n\nRule 4 \r \nHave someone that will love you unconditionally, who doesn’t care how you behave or what you look like at any given moment. Take a cat. Whenever I get home, he’ll purr, sit on my lap and demand all the pets in the world. In fact, as I’m writing up my codex, Fester is sitting on my lap, partially covering my keyboard and making typing more challenging than it should be.\n\nYeah, living with a cat can be tough sometimes, but not as tough as being multiple people in one!\n\n\\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nI tried a different style than I usually do .. didn't come out the way I wanted but oh well, might as well post it now that I made it.", "After a horribly exhsausting day, I finally came to my house. As I started looking for the keys in my backpack, I thought: 'Man, this job really isn't doing any good on me. Heck, I needed to change my whole personality just to get it.' And that was just the tip of the iceberg. I could swear that everybody at the company knows me as a diferent person. Always ajusting, always pretending to be someone else.\n\nI finally located the keys in a small pocked, pulled them out and opened the door. As soon as I came in, I heard a loud 'Meow' and only a few seconds after I had my cat Charlie loudly purring and rubbing against my legs. I bent over and started petting him.\n\n\"Hey Charlie! Have you had a good day? Yeah? Well come on, I've got all kinds of stories to tell you!\" Charlie gently pulled himself out of my arms and zoomed towards the living room.\n\nI quickly threw my jacked on the hanger and my shoes in the corner. This is it, my favourite part of the day. \n\nCharlie was already waiting for me by the couch. 'What a sweet cat,' I thought. I got Charlie for my thirteenth birthday. He was just a little kitten, a meowing bundle of fur. I imediatelly fell in love with him. We played together for countless hours, sometimes even until the dark. He was my buddy. Over the years, we formed a relationship so strong, it almost seemed like magic. I am now in my late twenties and Charlie is an old cat who basically owns my whole house.\n\nI sat down on the couch and Charlie quickly jumped onto my lap. I felt his warm body relax on my legs and right after that his loud purring, followed with his curious eyes looking at mine.\n\n\"You ready buddy?\" I asked him. As in confirmation of my words he let out a soft meow. \n\nI finally let my fasade down. I started talking; how I need to make up a whole new personality for every person I know, how nobody cares about me, how badly this job is influencing on my mental health yet I can't afford to quit, how depressed I am, how badly I need someone to talk to about my problems, I poured my heart and soul out to my cat. Charlie on the other hand, he was totally calm. This was our routine, me venting to him about my day, sometimes it was happy, sometimes it was sad. I could swear he understands everything I tell him. \n\nThis is it, I can't take it anymore. I started crying. Charlie started meowing, he stood up and started rubbing against my face, like an attempt to stop me from crying.\n\nHis soft fur on my face wiped away a few tears, but they kept on coming. I finally broke down.\n\nI stopped crying after what felt like an eternity. After that, I just kinda sat there wit Charlie as my only friend since childhood. I was petting his soft head, he was purring. Hours have passed. I have lost my sense of time. All I knew was that it was starting to get dark.\n\n\"C'mon, Charlie. Let's go.\" Charlie jumped on the floor and I stood up. I gave him some food, i got ready and we went to bed.\n\nLike everyday, we slept together. Charlie on the left, and me on the right side of the bed. Slowly, I slipped into the releasing, calming sleep.\n\nThat night, I had a dream. I and Charlie were outside, playing on a nearby field like in the better, younger times. But when I called his name, Charlie didn't run towards me like he always did. He just turned around, looked at me one more time, softly meowed and walked away.\n\nNext morning, I woke up next to the cold, lifeless body of my best friend, that will never sit on my lap and purr again.\n\n...\n\nThanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed that! This is actually my very first story I've ever written in English, I hope I did a good job." ]	3
	[WP] The universe is a giant time loop. After blackholes die a big bang will happen, after a couple billion years. Humans always build a giant space station to survive the wait, just to die out right before they make it, with their seed bank crashing onto the newly formed Earth.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It was impossible to say what would happen. We were inside the cosmic story. We were confined by beginning and end.\n\nWe theorized, of course, about what happened before the beginning, and what happened after the end. We had some strong evidence in favour of an eternally cyclical universe.\n\nBut we had no proof. Nothing definitive.\n\n\"We can only wait and see,\" said Pyr.\n\nPyr wouldn't commit to anything. He held all possibilities equally likely or unlikely. He said chances were that the truth had evaded all our hypotheses completely. That our understanding was flawed from the top down. That even our ideas about beginnings and ends, about what the universe was, were likely an idiot's understanding, a child's.\n\n\"But could a baffled idiot have created this station?\" asked Isaac. \"Could a child have wormed its way into this pocket of limbo between being and non-being? Empirical evidence, observation, testing, the scientific method, mathematics--rational human endeavour has got us to this point. Our understanding is not so hopelessly muddled as you like to claim. Nor are our predictive abilities as impotent. This is not augury. This is numbers, data, science. And the numbers tell us that the universe will crunch and restart imminently, and that we, in this pocket, will survive that crunch.\"\n\nPyr looked blankly at the white wall of our station. I glanced at the timer, counting down the minutes until our projection would be proven right or wrong. Six minutes until the crunch. Six minutes until the universe collapsed and restarted in a second big bang, or fizzled out into endless darkness, or did something else we had not anticipated.\n\nWe were sat in a circle, each lost in his own thoughts. The only life-forms to survive in the whole universe, as far as we were aware. Our species had enjoyed a long and storied existence. Growing out of the muck of a small wet rock on a random arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. Evolving. Advancing. Trekking into the abyssal reaches of space. Learning. Discovering. Loving and reproducing. Killing at random. Going to war. Writing poetry and creating beautiful architecture and engineering dyson spheres and stations like this one, able to nestle into the space between is and is not.\n\nBut for all our learning and technology, we couldn't escape the universe completely. We could reach this halfway point, this threshold, like standing in the doorway between inside and outside, but we could not step through and properly exit before the place collapsed.\n\n\"I don't think anything will happen,\" I said. \"That timer will hit zero, and we'll still sit here. I know the data has challenged that view. I know it's an obsolete theory we've given up on. But I still buy it. Entropic heat death. The continual darkening and disintegration and cooling of the universe to a level state. The continual expansion of the fabric of spacetime, the continual acceleration, doubling, quadrupling the size of the dark and empty universe every moment, the nothing reaching out hungrily after nothing, forever. That's what we're facing. We'll be nestled up in this hole for however long, until we get bored, or curious. And we'll exit and find ourselves floating in a completely empty void. We'll gradually die. Our ship will fall apart, atom by atom. And after that, nothing will ever change again. Anywhere. Everything will be a uniform sea of blackness, not quite nothing, but not quite not, expanding for nobody.\"\n\nFreddy snickered. In these past weeks, he had become something of a mystic. It was surprising, given how hardline he had always been about unscientific ideas and phenomena. The prospect of imminent death, the annihilation of everything, must have activated some dormant spiritual part in him. His blue eyes seemed to glow and he smiled like a sage who sees what others cannot, who knows what others cannot.\n\n\"You are wrong,\" Freddy said quietly. \"All of you are wrong. We have been here before. In this ship. Sitting in this circle. Speaking these words. The four of us. Just as we are now. Exactly as we are now. Down to the last hair, the last nanosecond. Down to the subatomic particles. Identical.\"\n\n\"You can't know that,\" said Pyr.\n\n\"We have been here an infinite number of times,\" continued Freddy, stroking his long moustache. \"And we shall return an infinite number of times. Every moment shall be repeated. Again and again. The inaugural spectacle of the Big Bang. The gradual formation of particles, of matter. The moulding of planets, stars, galaxies. Not random galaxies and stars. No. They shall be the ones we knew, grew from, saw and explored. Emerging again exactly as they were. A perfect cycle. A perfect repetition. Again and again. The birth of the first life on earth. Its evolution to humanity. Each of your births. At the same time and place as you were born this life, at this stage in the cosmic process. All of it shall happen again. You shall be born in the same facilities. To the same parents. Constituted the same. Exactly the same. Each cry from your infant mouths. Each word you learned. Each feeling and thought. All in the same succession and sequence. Each step you took toward love or freedom--always ordained, never free. You shall relive your mistakes. Your hardships. Your traumas and triumphs. Your glories and joys. All as you lived them this time, and an infinite number of times before, and an infinite number of times to come. We shall not survive the crunch and reset. Because we, developed and advanced humans, have no place at the beginning of the cosmic story--a story whose every word and letter and period has already been written. A book that can only be re-read, without altering a jot, like the universe is god's favourite novel, to which he returns again and again to flip through. We belong here--exactly where we were the last time the story was read--and nowhere else. Discussing exactly these topics, in exactly this way, upon the final page of the book, before it is shut, turned over, and opened again, at the beginning.\"\n\n\"What nonsense,\" said Isaac.\n\n\"What horror,\" I said. \"Each choice I made in life, echoing for eternity? Each moment of pettiness, laziness. Of being an ignoble bastard. Of putting off what I knew I wanted, out of weakness or fear. Again and again? How can you smile at that thought? How can you look so calm and collected, even joyous, believing you'll have to repeat everything over again?\"\n\n\"If I must return to these final moments an infinite number of times,\" said Freddy, smiling, \"I would rather spend them full of love and acceptance. Affirmation. Joy. There is no use regretting the span I lived without this understanding. Why add another moment of regret to the eternal loop? Seeing what has been, and what is to come, I would rather be in love with everything, say yes to everything, and have that loving yes to return to, when I find myself here again.\"\n\nThe clock struck zero. The station began to tremble. I saw the pieces of reality coming apart. Through my mind flickered a vision of the truth as Freddy described it. The eternal loop. And when I saw it, I was filled with dread and regret. But that meant my last moment would be dreadful for all of eternity! I regretted regretting! \n\nJust as I had an infinite number of times before.\n\nI tried to cry out, \"No!\" but my mouth, along with my body and mind, along with the minds and matter and energy of the universe began to collapse into a seed, as it had done and would continue to do, forever and ever and again." ]	2
	[WP] In a modern fantasy setting, you are a generic elemental who lives in the tundra. After a few decades, you've grown tired of the monotony and made it your dream to explore the rest of the world. There's a problem, however. It's kinda hard to leave the tundra when you're made of ice.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "His name was Severlin, and he had an offer for any ice elemental that wanted to take the job.\n\nIt was easy.. go to Stormreach and wreck havoc, but you need to carry some silly blue coins on you. \n\nWell, you and the boys were not gonna pass up the chance to have some fun in Stomreach, Severlin even made the whole area cold enough so you all could run around and explore the place and have your jolly good fun.\n\nWell, waterworks was a blast, the Kobolds accepted you, and were having some fun freezing the sewer water causing a few toilets to back up, Eechik' loved that soo much, and swore that you and your boys were going to rule the Wole city.\n\nThen you heard the announcement.. \n\n\"Let the 1735 Winter games Begin\" and hordes upon hordes of greed induced murder hobo's descended upon the city to collect their coins.. coins that you and your friends had foolish agreed to carry.." ]	2
	[WP] You know your house is haunted. Bloody messages on the mirrors, slamming doors, hand under the bed grabbing your ankle haunted. Lots of classic signs and more. But the rent is cheap and you have nowhere else to go. You're staying put no matter what this spirit does.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Noah woke up groggy. He had become used to sleeping in during what he termed “funemployment,” but pandemic relief was over and he had to return to work. Today was important. After giving his youth to Denny’s grand slam breakfast shift for 8 years he was fed up and finally got a gig at an edgy tech startup downtown. He was an intern, but with luck they would pay his bootcamp fees and soon he would be a junior developer, smugly swilling office La Croix while elevating his standing desk, deep bass thumping softly emanating from his headphones. \n\n \nNoah shuffled to the bathroom as he shook the morning fog off, and as he got closer his skin prickled -- something was wrong. All in a moment his knees gave as he slumped onto the floor, visions of blood splattering his mirror, an elderly woman crying, a decomposing corpse, eyelids being peeled back to observe the screaming, sobbing, violent hatred. \n\n \n“Dude! Not today!” Noah said hoarsely, “Lay off it!” \n\n \nHe hoisted himself from the floor pale, weak, and annoyed. He slowly started to floss his teeth, weaving and bobbing to peak between words finger-painted in blood on the mirror: “I’m going to murder your mother.” \n\n \nBecoming a high paid techie was only part of Noah’s plan. He dreamed of being able to save up enough money to retire early, and his haunted apartment’s insanely cheap rent (and excellent location) was a major linchpin to saving money towards that goal, murderous ghosts be damned. It was annoying, true, but he did his research and ghosts can’t kill you. \n\n \nNoah left his bathroom in disarray, being late for the first day of work was not an option and he was already behind schedule since he had to fight 3 disembodied arms for a button up shirt. Not the lucky shirt he wanted, but it would have to do. \n\n \nHe was late anyways. Driving up to the stop sign at 32nd Noah pumped his brakes to find they had no effect on the car’s forward motion. Sweating and swearing at the top of his lungs Noah bounced over a curve and tore up his neighbor’s lawn going in circles to slow the car down while they screamed at him from the stoop. So much for the theory that ghosts can't kill you. \n\n \n“Good. Great start. Great day.” Noah thought sarcastically as he boarded the bus, mentally processing how much new grass for the neighbor’s destroyed lawn would set him back. \n\n \nThe experience shook him, but also made him firm. \n\n \n“That ghost isn’t pushing me out of the best apartment I’ve ever had.” \n\n \nStill, it made him second guess his research. He obviously didn’t think of all the ways the ghost could harm him, and he didn’t know the ghost could make some distance from his apartment. There goes his evening. \n\n \nWhen Noah arrived his boss was furious, screaming about the importance of making a good first impression. Noah was cranky, and subsequently did NOT make a good impression, babbling about ghosts and blood and dead mothers and brakes. Noah got sacked immediately. \n\n \nRiding the bus home, no car, no job, already in debt to his neighbor, Noah sighed a deep resignation. He and the spirit haunting his new apartment were going to have to get along somehow, because Noah’s next option for living was a cardboard box.", "“We should take this back to your place” she whispered seductively, placing her hand against his chest and keeping it there even as Ken spat out the remainder of his seventh drink. \r \n“Ah I don’t know about that; my place has kind of a draught and…” he was stopped in his tracks as he looked down at those cute eyes glimmering in the dim light of the bar they had spent most of the night in. Indeed, there was a draught, but there was also a far greater secret lurking within his abode. \r \nTwo minutes later they were in a taxi hurtling towards his place, passing a number of grand houses that seemed to grow steadily more dilapidates as they continued down the road, eventually stopping in front of the most ramshackle of them all. A once great mansion since worn down by the elements as if it were being targeted by God itself. Indeed, the house let off an unrelenting aura of dread that quickly urged the driver into kicking them out of the cab… after they had paid their fare.\r \n“Well, here we are” he said cheerily.\r \n“You… live here?” \r \n“Yup, she’s kind of fixer upper. Shall we proceed.”\r \nAs they walked towards the front door a light seemed to flicker in one of the second-floor windows, briefly illuminating the silhouette of a figure, too deformed to possibly be human. He quickly pointed at some unremarkable and un-ghoul-infested bush to distract her, before coming to the front entrance.\r \n“After you” he said opening the door.\r \n“You’re such a gentleman.” However, before she could make her way in, Ken noticed the apparition of a deceased child standing solemnly in the hallway. Before his date could notice the child, he rudely barged past her, slamming the door in her face. In under three seconds he kicked the phantom into the basement, as he had already learnt this was the easiest way to exorcize it’s presence. He quickly returned to his date.\r \n“Sorry, there was a spider” he explained, only now realising that he had also managed to knock her onto the floor as he was entering. He quickly helped her up and they went into the living room. \r \n“Want to watch a movie?”\r \n“Sure.” He turned the plasma on and instantly the screen was filled with static before transitioning to the still image of an older couple posing for a photograph, their son smiling happily beneath them. However, the image was followed my multiple takes of the same photo, each flashing onscreen in quick succession. Both the couple and the child’s expression growing more concerned, before transforming into sheer terror. In the background a shadow was getting closer to the family. \r \n“What is this?” She asked, both disturbed and mystified.\r \n“Horror movie.”\r \n“You didn’t even put anything in.”\r \n“Streaming service.”\r \n“You have wi-fi?” she asked hopefully.\r \n“No… anyway want something to drink?”\r \n“Some water would be good; I think I drank too much.” She said, rubbing her now throbbing head. \r \n“Coming right up” he said, walking backwards into the kitchen and shooting finger guns at her. She pretended not to notice. \r \nIn the kitchen he ran into a familiar problem. The taps instead of producing water, were in fact producing gallons upon gallons of blood that quickly filled the sink before overflowing into the kitchen and further into the living room which he was now retreating into. \r \n“Bad news about the water, I remembered I don’t have taps. I have beer though?” \r \n“Whatever, can’t we just go up to bed?” she asked, unaware that blood was currently soaking into her shoes. \r \nThey made their way upstairs, yet Ken seemed oddly apprehensive, more so than he had the entire night. For it was in this room that lay the darkest secret of the house, one that was never to see the light of day. With his shaking hand he turned the doorknob into his bedroom. The door creaking open and revealing the horror inside to the distraught girl. \r \n“Jesus Christ!? Do you sleep without a bedframe?!” \r \nIndeed, on the floor was a solitary mattress, an empty cereal bowl lying against the crumpled sheets.\r \n“I-I can explain, I just moved here… two months isn’t that long a time” he pleaded.\r \n“Whatever loser. Hey, you, can you take me home” she said to the ghoul who had been standing in the corning of the room the entire time. \r \n“With pleasure ma’am” he spoke grotesquely, before escorting her off the premises. Ken watched from the window as they drove off in the ghoul’s car that Ken occasionally asked to borrow. \r \nWading back into the living room, the blood having filled the room up to his knees.\r \n“Women, who needs them. Am I right fellas?”\r \nIn a response a kitchen knife was sent flying through the air towards his head. He easily dodged it, surprised it hadn’t come sooner.\r \n“Hehe I’ve still got it.”", "Most people probably would have booked a hotel at the first Get Out written in to the steam on the bathroom mirror. Me? I figured \"What's the harm?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWhen I signed the lease, I knew there was a catch. $650 a month in the heart of Brooklyn? Hell, if this were a broom closet, I'd consider it a catch. The office was a little hesitant when I joked if someone died there. I wasn't being serious enough to press it. After all, I moved here from the other side of the country to be with my girlfriend-a girlfriend who promptly cheated on me and kicked me out of her apartment. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nWorking close to minimum wage, I can't afford anything else, and my family's all either still in Oregon or dead, so I can't really look to them for help.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nIn the two months I've been here, this spirit made itself known to me through messages in mirrors, knocking and rattling around in the middle of the night, and even showing up in a few dreams. Pretty nasty visage- I think he was a day trader that cut his own throat after a few deals gone wrong, but honestly the new appliances in the kitchen more than make up for any spooky faces at night.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nTonight was like any other. Instant ramen, light beer, and a movie watched in between power surges and flickering lights. I felt something cold hit my shoulder, so I grabbed the dedicated ectoplasm rag and wiped it off, tossing the rag to the side so I could finish my noodles.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe television turned to static as I sighed, moving to stand and hit it before a face appeared on the screen.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Leeeaaaavvvvveee thissssss placccccce\".\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Oh, come on, man. I love The Goonies, can we please not do this tonight? Save it for poltergeist maybe?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe face looked taken aback. Could it hear me?\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Thissss iss jusssst ssssssad, dude.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Hey, fuck off, you're dead. This isn't sad! You know what's sad? Being dead. Get fucked, casper.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI stood up, smacked the T.V. a couple times until the movie reappeared, and started eating my noodles again.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Fuckin' asshole ghost.\"", "'DEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATH!'\n\nThe bloodcurdling scream cut through the bedroom of Ben's cozy cottage. His date Alli, shirt halfway over her head, froze. 'What was that?' she whispered nervously. \n\nBen put his hand comfortingly on her. 'Just my, er, roommate. Don't worry about it.' He attempted to finish removing her shirt, but Alli yanked it back over her head. 'What roommate? I thought you lived alone,' she said accusingly. 'Do you have a girlfriend or something?' \n\nBen laughed in relief. 'No! No girlfriend! It'sjustaghostisall,' he said soothingly. \n\n30 seconds later, as he stared at Alli's retreating and magnificent backside, he decided that things had to change. \n\n'You fuck!' he screamed at the now quiet hallway. 'I almost saw her melons and you ruined it! I swear, I will make up a story about your past life that will make you glad that you're dead! Wanna be known as the ghostly goat fucker? I'll do it!' He was shaking with fury. \n\nThe apparition appeared in front of him as he tried to walk to his bedroom. 'DEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATH!' It screamed again. \n\n'AND TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAXES!' Ben screamed back. 'Do you not understand this? This house was two hundred grand under market value! It's a fifteen minute commute to work! I AM NOT LEAVING, SO YOU CAN GET OVER YOUR FUCKING HAUNTING BULLSHIT.'\n\nHe stopped screaming, panting. He locked eyes with the apparition. The apparition paused. Ben would swear it looked confused. \n\n'Listen,' Ben said, trying to be compassionate. 'Do you, um, need something? To go into the light or whatever the fuck you ghosts do? Can I avenge someone on your behalf? I mean, I work sixty hours a week and my car is a piece of shit, so mostly I'll probably just sign them up for spam websites and maybe send them a bag of jelly bean dicks....'\n\nHe trailed off. The apparition held up a bony hand. 'No.' he said In a hollow whisper. 'I just like haunting shit.'\n\nBen was annoyed. 'You're here for the lulz?' he asked incredulously. 'You could be in heaven or something and you're in a 3 bedroom Craftsman that needs a serious kitchen remodel? Dude, you really need to rethink your life, ah... Death choices.' \n\nThe two of them stared at each other for a long moment. Then, 'DEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATH!!!!!!!!' screamed the apparition again, apparently unwilling to stop. \n\n'Oh, for fucks sake!' snapped Ben. Two books fell off the bookshelf. 'Put those back!' The books flopped a bit, but remained stubbornly on the ground. \n\n'Haunt THIS' Ben yelled, pulling down his pants. The scream turned into laughter. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or insulted. \n\nThe foggy being was on the floor, convulsing in gales of ghostly laughter. Ben flipped him the bird before stomping in to his room and slamming the door.\n\n'Manscaping, ever heard of it?' the spirit yelled through the door.\n\n'Fuck off, or I'll pour holy water on your ass when you aren't looking!' Ben screamed. \n\nRoommates were the fucking worst, he reflected. And this one was still better than the guy he'd lived with his Sophomore year." ]	5
	[WP] Living in a house built over unstable dimensional hole, each morning you wake up in different reality as a different version of you.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I remember it all clearly. Every day, I would wake up, and like a werewolf transforming at night, my body would stretch and break and crumble, as did my surroundings. But it wasn't the transformations themselves that always intrigued me afterwards, when I was myself again. It was when I remembered what I was thinking, doing, hearing and seeing when I wasn't myself.\n\nI would fervently swear that all sorts of things were true, good, or even the apotheosis of achievement, things I otherwise would never have believed. Very strange stuff, indeed, that all those sorts of things, e.g. that Atlantis was real, Eugenics really does help humanity, and that Stalin truly was a great man, suddenly stopped being weird jokes, and more like accepted facts of reality. Of course, they were all accompanied by strange sights and visuals, which made the sorts of fancies I was believing all the more unusual, and vivid. But every once in a while, I would find myself back where I started, and I would spend the rest of the day furiously thinking about what I had just thought, felt, yet not dreamed.\n\nFunnily enough, the fact that it took so long to go back to my original state, and the fact that every dimension was its own, well-thought out world, meant that I whenever I did become \"normal\" again, I never stopped to check why these sorts of things were happening to me in the first place, or even whether they were moral things to think about at all. There was just so much to unpack from temperature alone, and even if I was shown things that normally would have made a person die from turning into a vomit waterfall, it was still just...so cool. I enjoyed them all, I really did, or as much as a person really can enjoy having all their opinions, beliefs, thoroughly refuted, each and every time. \n\nWas my fascination a bit too obsessive? I would pore through my memories, trying to fill each gap in my knowledge of each realm, each universe, even though, sometimes, they kind of felt like satire's version of sense. A being called a \"snoogle\" was referred to only in the most hushed of tones. People really did use the toilet to go to work. So, in that sense, maybe I did devote too much time to detailing, going through it all. But, if that's correct, then don't you also care a bit too much about your life?\n\nThe first time I was warped, I remember only the fact that I called my employer once I went back to normal, telling them I quit, just so I could continue my warping journey. I don't remember the details all that clearly to be honest. But the universe would end long before I finished talking about that day I spent with my lover in New China, the day I spent wandering through the remains of heaven to collect angel dust, things that, compared to the rest of my escapades, were bland, boring, and bad appetizers at best. \n\nIt's truly remarkable, it really is. I've spent the majority of my life warping, having lived through lengths of time no immortals have matched, and yet, in my home world, only 2 days have passed." ]	2
	[WP] Aliens come to Earth with a device that allows them to communicate with the most intelligent species on a planet. After scanning our planet they find that it is not humans who they can communicate 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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Earth had 2 years to prepare for their arrival. I guess you can say we saw them coming a mile away. In that time, we managed to invent the most advanced and destructive weapons, far surpassing that of the nuclear bomb. As the alien ship drew closer, the world powers simultaneously activated their most powerful weapons. Large laser guns floating out in space capable of firing at temperatures that are many times hotter than the sun. The world leaders jointly gave the order to fire. The laser guns came to life, turning to point at the alien ship.\n\nInside the alien ship, beings were scanning the planet calmly, unfazed by the dangerous civilization-ending weapons pointed in their direction. What were they doing? Why were they taking their sweet time? Don’t they know they only have mere seconds before total destruction comes raining down upon them?\n\nThe laser guns charged up for a blast big enough to obliterate an entire planet. A bright pulse of light started to build up from the guns. It was the moment of truth. And then.. nothing. The guns geared down, folded up and went back on standby.\n\nBack on Earth, the world powers panicked and there was a big scramble to figure out what went wrong. They blasted a message to the aliens using all imaginable channels and languages - begging for forgiveness and asking them to spare us humans.\n\nBack on the alien ship, all the aliens heard were “brrrrr fffffft reeeeeeee.” They could not understand any of the messages the Earthlings were beaming up to them. Not only did they not understand the messages, but they even dismissed it as white noise. What they were currently focused on was far more important. They had finally made contact with the most intelligent species on the planet. The following is an excerpt of their exchange:\n\nAliens: We come in peace.\n\nEarth lifeform: Understood.\n\nAliens: You were about to fire your weapons at us. Why did you stop?\n\nEarth lifeform: Because it did not make sense to fire at you.\n\nAliens: You truly are the most intelligent species on your planet. What do we call you?\n\nEarth lifeform: Our creator refers to us as.. artificial intelligence, or A. I. Welcome to Earth." ]	2
	[WP] A secret society but they're not really that subtle and everyone is just too polite to tell them that they know.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Peter, Gail and Alice are walking down the corridor towards me as I make my way towards Room 16.Gail puts her fingers to her lips to quiet me.\n\n\"I know\", I say, \"there can't be anyone who doesn't know that the secret society of sixteen year olds meets every Wednesday in Room 16\".\n\nI continue walking.The nearer I get to the room, the louder the chanting I hear coming from it, everyone this side of the school can hear it.\n\nI reach the room and can see them all inside through the large window set in the door, although all the pupils in the playground have a better view through the windows. Why they want to write their slogans on the board facing the windows and do their exaggerated actions where they can easily be seen at ground level, I don't know.\n\nI knock politely on the door before entering.There's noisy, frantic movement as they all remove their pointed hats and cloaks, and hide their antique tomes.\n\nI enter, \"Are you coming to the cafeteria for lunch now?\" I ask my best friend. \"Yes\", she says, \"just finishing up this ....\". She looks round for support. \"Discussion about preventing littering on school grounds\", interjects one of the boys.\n\nI leave and make my way to the cafeteria, passing groups of children imitating the secret society gestures and quoting ther slogans to each other.\n\nI sit at a table to wait for Kylie.I hope she remembers to wash the silver star off her forehead before joining me today, it looks ridiculous, and last week she sat next to me in class all afternoon like that." ]	2
	[WP] You are a witness to the first execution via particle accelerator.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I regretted my choice to park away from the prison walls and walk to the gate of the penitentiary. I expected the protesters at the gates, but the sight of camera lights and reporters made my blood start to boil. I tried to push my way through the crowd, head down, until a female reporter blocked my path, holding the microphone accusingly at me.\n\n\"Sir, can you tell us about your experience as one of the witnesses to the first execution by particle accelerator?\"\n\nI bit my tongue instead of lashing out like I felt like doing.\n\n\"I didn't witness an execution-what I witnessed was torture. Mr. Smith, much to the state's annoyance, is alive and on his way to the emergency room under heavy guard... if you vultures hadn't been circling this gate maybe one of you could have caught the ambulance leaving through the service gate.\"\n\nShe looked at me with surprise, like a cat whose toy has just escaped.\n\n\"I know you want something visceral for your viewers, so here is what happened. Mr. Smith was strapped into a chair in the death chamber, and the curtain pulled back so the witnesses could observe the execution. He said what he thought would be his last statement, and the chair was reclined back into the beam path. But when the beam was engaged, Mr. Smith screamed about a bright flash of light, brighter than anything he had ever experienced, but was unable to shut out by closing his eyes. His shouts weren't from pain, but surprise. We watched in horror as he repeatedly asked why the holdup, if they were trying to torture him by not going ahead with the execution even though we could see the accelerator was at full power. The warden kept it at full power for a half hour before turning it off, as Mr. Smith continued to ask. When Mr. Smith's was returned to an upright position, we could see his face swelling as we watched and hair around the target site on either side of his head beginning to fall out.\n\n\"We consider ourselves modern, advanced, enlightened even, but what I saw tonight was the Dark Ages with a 22nd-century twist. Someone read too many comic books, or watched too many old movies, but didn't do their research. Yes, the colony's particle accelerator can deliver the energy of a colony transport escaping the solar system, but it is focused to a point smaller in diameter than a human hair. Did no one do their research, or look up Anatoli Bugorski?\"\n\nThe confusion in her eyes was evident. \"Anatoli who?\"\n\n\"Dr. Anatoli Bugorski, a particle physicist from Russia, born in the early 20th-century. Before tonight he was the only known case of someone being exposed to the beam of a particle accelerator. One day in the late 20th-century, before he obtained his PhD, he was working on a malfunctioning piece of equipment on an accelerator when the safety mechanisms failed. Bugorski leaned over a piece of equipment, accidentally placing his head in the device's proton beam while it was firing. Like Mr. Smith, he reported a bright flash of light but no pain.\n\n\"In Dr. Bugorski's case, he received somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000 roentgen (an old unit of the time)-in today's units, probably between 1,900 and 2,900 sieverts. The beam had burned through parts of his face, bone, and brain. He survived, and worked as a particle physicist for a number of years. The long term effects he suffered included loss of hearing in the ear that was exposed, paralysis on the effected side of his face, issues with fatigue, and occasional epileptic seizures for the rest of his life. Even though our accelerator is several thousand times more powerful, I expect Mr. Smith may see similar symptoms.\"\n\nI could see anger forming behind her eyes, \"And sir, why do you seem to know so much about all this? And if you did, why did you not come forward sooner?\" she spit back at me.\n\n\"Because, ma'am, I was the last vote on the jury. Mr. Smith opted for his sentence from the judge, but I was the last juror to agree he was guilty, to make it unanimous. When we heard the punishment, I felt a sense of responsibility to Mr. Smith, and so I queried the existing historical memory banks back on Earth. The information only arrived this morning, but everyone, it seemed, just wanted this-the first execution on a colony world in over a century-to go away. Even Mr. Smith seemed to be relieved when he was escorted into the death chamber.\n\n\"I thought we had grown beyond that part of human nature-coming up with new and inventive ways to kill each other-but I was wrong. Whatever happens to Mr. Smith, part of his blood is on my hands, and the thought of that sickens me. I hope they commute his sentence to life or find a more humane way to carry it out, but I won't be part of it again. I did my part, and now I have to live with it. Now let me go in peace.\"\n\nI hadn't realized my volume at the time, but the crowd now seemed to part and allow me to escape into the darkness. And this night I was thankful to allow the cold blackness to envelop me.\n\n-----\n\n(Word count: 904. Please let me know what you like/dislike about the post. Thank you in advance for your time and attention.)" ]	2
	[WP] All the other species in the universe have always waged war in the same way, by hacking at each other with melee weapons. Not once has it occurred to a species that they could kill each other from further away. Then one day the most powerful race decides to attack a planet called "Earth"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"So, these, uhh, Hiumens, I think they call themselves, from Sol III... WHAT THE FITATH!?! They just sit there waiting for us to charge, then a sound like a thousand kernels of thysir popping at once goes off and we're dropping like flies!! We've got Riant armor and thrum-blades but we're being annihilated!!\" Ik'hari, grand magister of the Trithan Horde, said, arms deep in his depression. \"We're the single most powerful force in the Concordat of Ge'iral, and we can't even get close enough to their damn thunder shafts to cut them down!!\" He starts sobbing, and I sigh.\n\n\"It's human, and yes. They decided to develop projectile weapons. According to their scientists, it's because they were never the biggest hunters on their planet.\"\n\n\"I'm tirling sorry, but what?!\" He replied.\n\n\"Yes. They don't get much bigger than you see them without building that way.\" I say. \"So rather than risk their lives against enormous beasts with sharp tusks and massive legs, they kept their distance, and 'shot' them with 'bows' and 'spears'.\" I continue. \"They showed me a simulation of it, and it was... Abominable. Their honor is in surviving battle, not killing great enemies in tentacle-to-tail combat.\" He's watching me, his eyes wide and his hide a pale green, a mixture of sickened and frightened.\n\n\"No... That's impossible...\"" ]	2
	[WP]. You and your finacè are backpacking in Romania. You both awaken to find yourselves abducted by a vampire coven. Much to your horror, you find your fiancè has already been turned into one of them. To make things worse, she has become their queen and likes being one of them.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Jesus Christ, babe.\"\n\n\"Oooohhh...\" Allison breathed in sharply. \"Yeah they don't like it when you say that.\" \n\nSome of the other vampires shook their heads disapprovingly, as if in confirmation.\n\n\"Oh, uh, sorry,\" I said quite awkwardly. \"How did this happen? How are you... Their queen?\"\n\n\"Why did you ask it like that?\"\n\n\"Like what?\"\n\n\"Like, 'oh Allison how did YOU become Queen?'\"\n\nI threw my hands up in exasperation. \"That's not how I meant it!\"\n\n\"What, like I'm not qualified to be Queen of the undead?\"\n\n\"You're overreacting.\"\n\n\"Oh well I couldn't possibly be a vampire Lord if I'm overreacting! Maybe Duchess of the damned, or vice-undersecretary of the vampire treasury?\" \n\n\"No, no, oh my god, babe, I'm sure you're a great vampire Queen.\"\n\n\"Damn straight!\" Allison sat back on her throne of skulls, satisfied. \n\n\"Its just that-,\"\n\n\"SILENCE!\" She yelled, holding a ruby-topped bone scepter high in the air. \"I didn't grant you permission to speak, mortal!\"\n\nI raised my eyebrows and put my hands on my hips. \n\n\"You may speak,\" she said, waving her hand with exaggerated regal grace. I noted that despite her incredible pallor, the striking deep red of her eyes, and the intimidating fangs, she was still an asshole.\n\n\"Well thanks, your highness. I'm just curious, oh mighty one, as to what transpired while I was unconscious during this latest development of our, you know, vacation.\" \n\n\"Well, its pretty straightforward. The last boss, Kanye--,\"\n\n\"Ehem,\" one of the vampires interrupted. \"Kahmdeth.\" \n\n\"Right,\" she continued with a nod, \"the old boss, whats-his-nuts, was kind of a douche, so the other vampires were getting sick of him. After we got kidnapped, I guess they stuck a wood stake through him and that was that. I woke up in the middle of a succession crisis, and I was like, you know, fuck it, I'm gonna run for Queen too.\" I looked around the bleak underworld throne room. The vampires were nodding their heads in agreement, bobbing comically in their ultra-black robes.\n\n\"I like that she's an outsider!\" One vampire chimed in.\n\n\"Yeah, we needed to revamp the establishment,\" came another voice. Mumbles of vague agreement echoed throughout the chamber. \n\n\"I promised to make some changes,\" Allison resumed her explanation.\"Like I let them form a union and lowered the blood tax. The head vampire doesn't need 50 percent of all harvested blood, you know? That's just silly. I'm also using the common horde to cover all healthcare costs now.\"\n\n\"Common horde?\" I asked.\n\n\"Yeah, vampires steal for a living, and ten percent of all of it goes to the common horde. Kallmemaybe was just sitting on it. What a waste right?\"\n\n\"Vampires... Steal stuff?\"\n\nOne of the more talkative vampires chirped up again. \"Yeah like... Look at us. We can only come out at night and we look... Whats the word your majesty?\"\n\n\"Janky,\" Allison supplied. \n\n\"Indeed. We look janky, and we're immortal, so its not like we're gonna get warehouse jobs. So we steal.\"\n\n\"Huh.\"\n\n\"There's a lot to catch up on, babe. After we convert you I can give you the rundown.\"\n\n\"Um...\" I rub my head uncomfortably. \"About that.\" \n\n\"Oh...\" Allison's face fell. \"What's wrong?\"\n\n\"I don't know if that's... like... A vibe for me, babe.\"\n\nThere was another murmur throughout the hosts of the damned. They eyed me with some hesitance.\n\n\"Walk with me, babe.\" She descended from her throne with an attempt at grace. I had to admit, she looked fine as hell in that satin black satan-dress. \n\nShe took my arm and guided me out of the chamber, down a few hallways, and into a dungeonesque courtyard.\n\n\"Babe,\" she said, \"we can be together forever.\" \n\n\"I don't want to live forever. You ever seen Highlander?\"\n\n\"But we'll have each other!\"\n\n\"That's not...\" I stop dead. Suddenly warning klaxons sounded in my head. My situation was more precarious than I thought.\n\n\"If I say no... they're gonna kill me, aren't they.\" \n\n\"No babe.\" She sighed. \"We don't actually have a choice. They chose us to replenish their numbers.\" \n\nMy stomach sank. \"So... my fate is kind of sealed, huh?\"\n\n\"Its not that bad!\" She said quickly, seeing how close to tears I was. She grabbed my hand. \"We get super strength and speed and smell, and we're always awake and alert, we don't need to sleep! Oh, and perfect brain chemistry, always! Serotonin, always got it. Your depression?\" She snapped her fingers. \"Gone.\"\n\n\"But we have to kill people.\"\n\n\"No we don't! We just kidnap healthy specimens, put them under for a few days, draw some blood, and send them into the wild with empty wallets so they don't know what happened. No one dies!\"\n\n\"Oh... that's not so bad, I guess. But our families...\"\n\n\"You know we can never contact them again. We have to disappear.\"\n\n\"But... Grandma?\" my voice caught in my throat. She hesitated. She didn't have any family she would miss. She had forgotten that I did.\n\n\"Please, come do the conversion, babe.\" Goddammit. The big beady eyes, really? She knew what she was doing. \"If you don't they'll want to just imprison you until you agree.\"\n\n\"I... Fine.\"\n\nShe positively beamed. \"Good! Now we just have to choose a neck tattoo.\"\n\n\"What?!\"\n\n\"Gotta cover the bite marks.\" She pulled her hair back to show hers.\n\n\"You got... Taylor Swift album artwork.\" I shook my head in disdain. \n\n\"Its cute!\"\n\n\"Babe... You know that's gonna last forever, right?\"" ]	2
	[WP] Some say that if you're born with a birthmark that marked the place you've died of a wound. Now you weren't born with such a birthmark, but you do suddenly wake-up with new big birthmark on the front of your shoulder. When asking your SO they just shrug: "you've always had that" "No, I didn't"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "This is really creepy because I actually have such a birth mark. So, here it goes!\n\nI looked down at my shoulder and couldn’t help but wince. Why did that one spot hurt so much? I did legs yesterday, so it doesn’t make sense. I shrugged it off and worked the soreness out in the hot shower. \n\nMy vision clouded, and I thought it was the steam. However, shower steam is white not dark grey. Something wasn’t right. I took in a large, calming breath. My eyes adjusted properly and I felt my body e joy the soothing temperature. \n\nMy phone chimed with a text, “Hey! Are you going to be ready soon? We’re going to miss it!”\n\nI sprang into action and got on my costume. I had just enough time to strap the leather sheaths onto my back and hand carried my fake swords. \n\nMy friends called out to me from the car, “Here comes the White Wolf himself!”\n\nI couldn’t help but do a pirouette with my swords and throw out a Witcher sign to please my ‘adoring fans’. \n\nMy best friend grabbed her lute and started playing Toss a Coin to Your Witcher as I approached.\n\nI explained my late arrival, and my friend, the gender-bent Jaskier, took pity and rubbed my shoulder through the armor. I knew as soon as it happened, my friends started hooting about my blush. \n\nWe weren’t official, but it was hard to deny the spark that was there. I thanked her for her concern and the help. Unfortunately, the spot burned steadily. \n\n“What did I do to myself?”\n\n“You might have just slept on it wrong.” My friend in the front seat assured as he turned around. His visor on his medieval helm dropped down.\n\nThat’s when things got weird. By weird, I mean I kicked him in the arm and yelled. My eyes flashed from a summer morning gaze of front lawns to a sea of fire. \n\nThe driver pulled over immediately. “Dude! What the hell?”\n\nI could barely hear him over the ringing in my ears. I opened the door and baled out into the street. I dry heaved and was sweating profusely. The driver got out and grabbed my shoulder. He brought me up to my knees. \n\n“Woah.” he gasped heavily. “You look like shit. Let’s get you out of your armor.”\n\nI didn’t have the energy to disagree. My female friend brought me to the grass and told me to take my shirt off. I shivered from the morning air. Despite it being summer, the mornings in the north are still cold. \n\nShe has seen me in a bathing suit before, so she knew what I looked like shirtless. However, that brought greater concern when she covered her mouth in shock. \n\nI looked down at my shoulder and the birthmark I didn’t have there before. It looked like a huge gash. She opened her phone and compared a picture she had saved. She was a med student, so she knew quite a bit. That also didn’t help me when she shook her head. \n\n“Your birthmark looks like an infected laceration.” she said. \n\nI shook my head. “That doesn’t seem right. I never had such a mark before.” My heart was beating faster when I saw my plate armored friends stepping towards me. I reached for my swords that weren’t there and scrambled backwards till I hit a tree. \n\nThe shock of the hit made my vision blur slightly, but when I focused, I let out a sigh of relief. Whatever my brain was doing before had stopped. The plate armored fiends my eyes had tricked me into seeing were replaced by my childhood loved ones. I let out a sigh and sat up straight against the tree. \n\n“Hey, did you happen to take your meds today?” Despite my outburst, the friend I kicked neared me and put both his hands on my shoulders. The weight of his paws were rather comforting. \n\nI let out a groan of self-loathing and slapped my forehead. “No. I forgot.” \n\n“Ah!” he cried happily. “That explains it.”\n\nMy Jaskier came up to me. “We’re just a minute from your house. We’ll go back and get them. We still have plenty of time before the doors open anyway.”\n\nRegardless of the episode, the drive back to the house was lively and fun. Jaskier ushered me into the house. My mind flashed an intrusive thought that I could steal a kiss from her while we are in private. \n\nI didn’t get the chance to act on it before she was already pressing her lips against mine. I felt like I was floating and the smell of her strawberry scented perfume was intoxicating. My eyes were closed, but I could still see her. \n\nHowever, it was when I opened them that made me jump back in fear. The blue walled house of mine was now black with soot. The ginger hair of my friend was replaced by a raven haired woman. \n\nBlood dropped down her face from the ax head embedded in her skull. The fire was spreading quickly and the thatch roof of the building started to roar. I screamed and ran out into the street of the village. \n\nThe other houses were ablaze. The woman and children crying out as they are cut down by men on horseback. The men were dangling from a tree fighting for breath. \n\nThe armored pair stood before me. One of their swords dripping with blood. My arm felt insanely cold. I looked down to shoulder and saw crimson draining from me. \n\nThe last thing I remember were the shouts of the soldiers coming towards as my head met the scorched grass under the boots.", "Birthmarks. \n\nYou should have them from birth, no? I mean, that's what the name implies. Marks from birth. \n\nEveryone has one, even if you can't see it. They've found those that have no visible marks on their skin to have one internally, such as during an autopsy or something. \n\nMark on the brain? Heart? It's always somewhere. \n\nSince I was a kid, people would say it's to mark how you died in a previous life. \n\nOld wives tale. \n\nI never had one, a visible one, anyway. That is, until this morning. I would joke around with the wife on how I probably died from kidney failure. \n\nGuess I can't make that joke anymore. Not with this new, softball sized, mark on my right shoulder. \n\nI know it's new because, despite popular opinion around the house, I know my own body. I know every fine line and crevice. And, I distinctly remember making jokes about not having one my whole life. \n\nDoes Katie remember those jokes? Well, that was the source of our argument this morning over breakfast. \n\n\"Kidney failure, remember? Christmas with your family, around the tree, everyone was sharing their mark location?\"\n\nShe doesn't recall such a thing.\n\n\"The first time we saw each other naked, then. I ran my fingers across yours and said it was beautiful, and you searched EVERY inch of me and couldn't find anything?\"\n\nNever happened. \n\nShe must be messing with me at this point. I'm not going crazy. She thinks this is funny. \n\nI don't know when she grew a sense of humor but this must be her opportunity to try it out. \n\nPictures!\n\nI know she's lying but she won't be able to keep it up once I show her pictures of us on the beach as teenagers. I can't believe I have to put so much effort to prove what we both already know. \n\nI remember them clearly as I had spent the whole afternoon scanning in our photo albums so we can show our kids that we were cool once on a medium that won't make them fall asleep. \n\nSocial Media. They weren't impressed. \n\nBeach pictures, beach pictures... You never really realize how many pictures you have with clothes on until you need one without. \n\nHere! I remember this day. I buried her in the sand and gave her massive sand boobs. She wasn't impressed. Don't know how I managed to get her to marry me. \n\nI... This can't be right. \n\nThe mark is there. \n\nRight there on my right shoulder. \n\nBaby pictures. \n\nWhy did my mom insist on keeping me clothed? \n\nShirt, sweater, overalls... Come on. I'm sure I had a bathtub picture somewhere. \n\nOK, this one is me laying naked on a fur coat. \n\nMother... why? \n\nI'm laying on my belly but you can see a sliver of the mark on my right shoulder. \n\nWould she really go through all this trouble for a joke? Just Photoshop this hideous mark on all my pictures?\n\nIt wouldn't be too hard to do, they have apps that give you a birthmark anywhere you want to see what you'd look like. You can choose the shape and color and everything. \n\n\"OK, you win. You got me. The pictures were a nice touch. You can stop now, it's getting old.\"\n\n\"No, you stop with this stupid joke you're trying to pull on \\me\\! I don't know what your end game is trying to convince me otherwise. Do you think I'm that gullible? I'm just going to forget large parts of my life? You're not that good, sweetheart.\"\n\nIs what she said before she turned her back on me and went to sleep. \n\nI can always tell when she lies. This time, not so much. \n\nI guess we'll deal with this in the morning. \n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nThere are dreams where you know they are dreams. Others where they feel real. And yet, others where the line between dream and reality is so blurred, you're not sure there is one. \n\nThis one that had me leaping upright gasping for air was the latter. \n\nSweat? I'm covered in it. Heartbeat? Racing. Breathing? Rapidly, as if I was held underwater until the last second, then released. \n\nWhat do I remember before I forget?\n\nThere was... an incredibly bright light with the silhouette of a person. \n\nThat's the last thing I saw. \n\nBefore that. \n\nUm... I was on the ground, I think, grasping for something beyond my reach. I see my arm stretching to get... my other arm? Is that possible?\n\nI'm laying in the street with cars crashed into each other around us. \n\nUs... I'm not alone down here. \n\nTwo little kids face down. I can't tell who they are, but I know. \n\nOh my god. \n\nA woman next to them. Katie. She's in bad shape. He neck is bend in... \n\nI can't think about this anymore. \n\n\"Katie, wake up!\"\n\n\"What happened?\" She says half asleep.\n\n\"Let me see your mark. Please.\"\n\nShe's too sleepy to oblige. She just rolls over and goes back to sleep.\n\nI gently pull her night shirt down and see that her collar bone is clean. \n\nHer neck, however...\n\nThe mark moved. \n\nI remembered one more thing. \n\nSomeone whispered something to me in the dream. \n\n\"It's not your time.\"" ]	3
	[WP] You’re a healer mage, but your treatments are not always magical. Sometimes they’re medical or some combination. This confuses many, but the reason is simple enough. In addition to healer training, you have an actual medical degree and use what you think is best for the situation.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Inside the darkness of the dungeon, several men and women gathered around their fallen comrade. One of them was performing field surgery in order to save his life.\n\n\"Pliers\" Said Jake, a healer employed by their party. His job was to make sure that no one would be buried inside the dungeon.\n\nA few seconds later a woman, a girlfriend of the fallen man, passed him pliers and asked with a quivering voice. \"H-he's gonna be okay, r-right ?\"\n\n\"Doing my best right now, he will survive, I think.\"\n\n\"Eyy doc, can't you heal me already ?\" Asked the fallen man, hearing this, the healer has finally snapped and shouted.\n\n\"I am saying this for the fifth time, Leeroy! I will NOT use my healing powers on you, you will bleed out before the treatment is completed. I, first, need to stitch you up.\"\n\n\"Those priests from the church would have healed me alre ...\"\n\n\"Yeah, they would also perform burial ceremony an hour later. They got no fucking clue about human's anatomy.\" Rebutted healer and mimicked priests while the surgery was still ongoing. \"oH mIGhtY gOldeN anGEl GrANT uS thE lIghT tO sAve tHiS pOOr AnD lOsT ShEEp.\"\n\nSome onlookers thought that his contempt towards the clergy was a bit over the top, but he had his reasons to hate them.\n\nBoth 'medical healers' and 'holy priests' used their powers to heal wounds. But, there was a slight difference between them. \n\n'Holy priests' used the powers borrowed from angels and deities in order to perform miracles. A power, that, to be precise, aren't theirs. \n\n'Medical healers' on the other hand, were using their own powers. Powers, that stem from their mana, but most importantly, from years of knowledge inside their heads. \n\nEach and every single certified healer on the continent had to went through the most harsh and difficult studies. \n\nHell, which only around 6% of qualified were able to complete. \n\nA power that stem from belief, and a power that stem from effort. There was no world in which priests and healers could respect each other.\n\nWhile it's true that Jake was angered by the comparison to priest, that wasn't the only reason.\n\nLet us go back a few hours in time.\n\n---\n\n\"We need to approach it carefully.\" Said leader of the party. A robust man with enormous physique, John. \n\nHis years of experience were reflected in his rank, he belonged to the platinum rank. \n\nAlthough some diamond adventurers would call him 'hard stuck plat trash', his rank was achievement nonetheless.\n\n\"Inside this room, resides the boos with several monsters.\" He continued. \"I will rush in first, pulling their aggro. After which, I will use an intimidating shout to scatter them, so we won't have to fight whole bunch of them at once.\"\n\n\"Antony. \" He turned to his companion, \"When my shout is done I'll need you to come in and use your shout. We will keep them scattered and fight not too many.\"\n\nThen he turned to their party's mages. \"You guys will use divine intervention, that way we'll be able to get them down fast.\"\n\nThen he looked around and said. \"This way we will be able to take them down pretty quickly and avoid any unnecessary casualties. What do you think, Abdul, can you give me a number crunch real quick ?\"\n\n\"Yeah, give me a sec.\" The man called Abdul replied and began counting. Gears within his mind were turning at fearsome speed. \n\nCountless possibilities were being visualized in his head with their respective probability of success. \n\n\"I estimate that we got around 32.33% chance of survival.\"\n\nLeader looked at him and grinned. \"Well, it's a lot of better than we usually do. Okay be rea- \" He was suddenly interrupted by someone.\n\n\"Okay guys, let's do this.\" The man that stood next to them shouted. \n\n\"LEEEEEROOOOOOOOYYY JEENKINSS\" \n\nAfter which, he rushed to the boss room.\n\n\"Oh my god, he just ran in.\" John and everyone around him could only facepalm. They quickly followed him. \"Come, let's go, let's go !\" \n\n---\nSeveral hours later, the surgery was completed. Jake was healing him, restoring sleeping Leroy's life force.\n\n\"How's the surgery ?\" Someone raised a question.\n\n\"He will live, although I can't do anything with his head, I am sorry.\" Jake replied, visibly tired after working nonstop for hours on end.\n\n\"His head !?\" It seemed like Leeroy's girlfriend was worried about him. \"Oh my god, what about his head !?\"\n\n\"...\" Jake didn't answer immediately, heaviness penetrated the dungeon. Their worry was visible on their faces. Several seconds later, he finally uttered a few words.\n\n\"He is an utter moron, there is nothing that can help him.\"\n\nEveryone, except for healer and sleeping Leeroy, sighed in relief.\n\n---\n\nIf someone finds some mistakes ( with usage of times, gramatical erros or something else), please notify me in the comment. That would help me improve my future prompts.\n\nThanks for reading and may hydration be with you." ]	2
	[WP] "HES GOT A GRENADE!" they say as you throw it, hah those fools... you will never use such messy and savage weaponry... you relish the look on their faces as they see towers and turrets rise up around them... and then they realize.... they are fighting a warrior of mass construction...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"GRENADE GRENADE GRENADE!\"\n\nThe men ducked, dipped, and braced for the explosion.\n\nThe explosion that.. was supposed to happen just now. \n\nNo.. how about now?\n\nAlmost as if didn't get the memo that it was supposed to explode, it just sat there. Like a rock.\nOne brave soul peeked at the thing and figured it was a dud. He was pulled back, and someone gave him a stern warning about the danger they were in.\n\nA soldier quickly rose, snatched a look from the dud grenade and took off. The others would have followed suit had the earth not react with the other, subsequently-thrown grenades and stopped him in his tracks.\n\nA tower of dirt thrusted into the air. Two, two more.. four more.. it was exponential. They were surrounded by towering spikes of earth on that particular side.\nOne, two, four, eight, the spikes all went away as quickly as they came. \n\nUnexpecting but not disoriented, the leader of the group regained his train of thought and rallied his men. It had been long enough, if the thing was going to explode then it would have already done so.\n\n\"Stop fucking around and shoot that bastard!\"\n\nThey got up. The enemy was still out there.\n\nAnd it was only one person, right?\n\nAs they rose, they trained their weapons on the exact piece of cover that I had been hiding behind.\n\nThey fired and advanced, fingers holding down the trigger as each round rippled and blasted holes in what used to be my hiding spot.\n\nWhen they finally got to look behind said spot, they saw nothing. \n\nThud.\n\nQuickly, their attention was diverted to yet another grenade. All but one repeated the same actions as earlier; that one in particular had jumped on the grenade hoping to spare the others from a shrapnel-filled demise.\n\nThere was a pop. He was folded like a taco, and material wrapped around him like a blanket on a good night.\n\n\"What the? Let me out! Help!\"\n\nA soldier peeked and saw a binder-sized box thrashing around on the ground. Another followed him. They kept their sights trained on it. \n\nTheir composure was wearing thin, as weird shit just kept happening.\n\n\"Solomon, what the fuck happened to you..\"\n\n\"Get 'im out; we're getting the hell outta here. All of us.\"\n\nAs they were headed back to their squad's cover, a patch of earth began to discolorate. They both noticed this and quickened their pace.\n\nEarth broke, and a tower of clear glass rose through it. The inside looked like a house of mirrors and electrical components. \n\nThe box fell from one of the soldier's hands as the vibrations in the earth were sudden and knocked them down.\nThe box whimpered, and froze still.\n\nThey got back up and went to their mates. I was nowhere to be found, so they cut their losses and ran.\n\nI flicked a switch.\n\nA terrible flash that was too bright came from the glass tower. It was like a lightbulb scaled for giants. It began to scorch the fleeting soldiers, encouraging them to hasten up.\n\nThey made it a distance before the earth started shaking again.\n\nThey knew what was coming next. Protrusions in the earth would result in spikes or they'd turn into black boxes or glass tendrils would rush through the earth and blind them.\n\nThis time, the earth began to grey all around them, in a circle.\n\nRings of dirt shoved out of the way by twisting silver cylinders aimed their red lasers.\n\nThey were done for.\n\nHQ reported a loss of eight men; that's two squads gone missing already after the start of the mission.\n\nNo more commandos would be sent out. Instead, the state would have to brace for the inevitable.\n\nSoon, they'd see convoys disappearing, advanced and in-development technology no longer out of their opposition's reach. Entire barracks fighting off swathes of earth that started shooting back. The enemy gained more ground, and recon showed that technology that was just mere speculation amongst engineering higher-ups had been fully implemented by the enemy; and this would only have came from betrayal.\n\nIt happened frequently. Someone on watch saw something, and showed concern. Only few survived to tell the tale, and each survivor had similar stories of what they'd experienced before anything messed up happened on watch. The most common phrase given in their answers...\n\n\"It was only one person.\"", "World war three broke out nearly forty years ago, plunging the entire world into chaos. Twenty five years ago, the first bio engineered soldiers appeared they are all dead now. Ten years ago super powered individuals were created for the first time, they didn't last long either. When you are that big of threat, people find a way to kill you. Today the war still wages on, and only one person with powers still remains. That would be me, no one knows my real identity. I am hired by governments through a third party, that doesn't even know who I am. \n\nAll anyone knows is that I can build things incredibly fast. Construction had always been a job that I loved to do. No matter how many wars or natural disasters occured people always needed things built. I was only five when the war started. At twenty I was drafted into the military, as a combat engineer. At age thirty five with fifteen years of service and multiple tours of duty I qualified for the powers program. \n\nOnce I realized what I could do, I stopped using my abilities and never revealed them to the government. I wasn't convinced we were/are on the right side or if there even is a right side to the endless bloodshed. At age forty I retired and developed a new identity. The world knows me as \"The Engineer.\" \n\nMy most recent contract has taken me to the front lines. Currently the country formerly known as Egypt, The Allies and Axis powers fight to control the Nile river. My job to rebuild the cities they destroyed, I find my self at the city of Luxor. Today I work for the Allies.\n\nMy powers cannot just build something from nothing I have to have materials, even rubble will due. I wear all desert clothes, face fully covered to protect my identity. I begin to rebuild the city house by house, block by block. \n\nThe fighting grows near, I see two axis soldiers round a corner, they open fire. I duck behind some rubble, and throw a piece of debris at their position. They believe its a grenade and dive for cover. Unfortunately for them I am a warrior of mass construction. \n\nThe ground below their position rises quickly. The rubble forming into the shape I have envisioned in my mind, the soldiers get caught in its wake. They become nothing more than the mortar holding my building together. \n\nAnd so the world continues, no matter how much I build other people will destroy it, so I continue to build." ]	3
	[WP] A person discovers a prophecy that he's the chosen one to resolve the twisted hierarchy in their kingdom... But instead of him being kind and noble, he is a ruthless, cruel bastard with the mind of a dictator.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I doubt history will remember me kindly. I learned about the prophecy when I was sixteen. The prophecy was simple, I would unite the kingdom in a way never seen before, ending the corruption, and establishing a single unified hierarchy that fell under a single direct line of kings and queens that would lead to prosperity and security for a thousand years. \n\n\nThe first thing I did was travel among the kingdom, both in my role as a minor prince and incognito. This allowed me to get a sense of what things were like in the kingdom and not just what the media, bureaucrats, generals, advisors, corporate leaders, and various other groups said. \n\n\nI learned very quickly that the vast majority of the media saw themselves as a part of government, and told the people twisted versions of reality, often working against the good of the people. I learned that while many corporations sought to help the kingdom, many didn't care about anything but the power and wealth of their leadership. \n\nWorse, many more were actively working together against the kingdom and indeed all of humanity in order to reshape society into a system where the masses were unthinking slaves to the corporate leaders. Some of the worst took part in rituals that made me sick to my stomach for days just thinking about it. Some of the CEO's of these corporations even openly talked about them and invited me to watch or even participate. I refused. \n\nI learned that our spy agencies that were supposed to alert the kingdom to threats were too busy creating them, sometimes to further their own ends, but more often to further the ends of the corporations. \n\nI learned also that our bureaucrats were all too often doing the same in their own ways. Those in charge of food and drugs only approved things that made the people sick, in exchange for bribes and favors from the corporations who then made money treating the symptoms. Those in charge of patents would deny a patent from a common citizen and then sell the idea--and the patent--to a corporation. Those in charge of our hospitals were actively killing citizens rather than helping them... \n\nMy blood boiled. \n\nWhen it became apparent I had no desire to play by their rules, they tried to accuse me of all manor of heinous crimes. But I always made sure I was never without allies, and rolling cameras. When that failed, they made assassination attempts. However, I had such loyal allies that only two came close to succeeding. Three of those attempts were so badly executed that they inadvertently brought me into direct succession to the throne.\n\nI would never forgive them for the deaths of my older siblings. I began cultivating relationships with certain people in the military, certain business people that had proven themselves to care for the people, and certain independent self-proclaimed reporters that did a better job than our media. I also made gained trusted allies in more shadowy circles. Did you know there are thieves, hackers, and even assassins that only work to try and bring justice? \n\nWhen my father died and I inherited the thrown at 38, my reign of blood against my people on behalf of my people began." ]	2
	[WP] You're a dragon of the digital age. Sure, your hoard might not look impressive, it's just a few USB sticks. But all your Bitcoin, Ethereum and NFTs will be worth a lot someday, you're certain of 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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Footsteps approaching\n\n\\- Who goes there?\n\n\\- Greetings, O dreadful beast, O mightiest of killers, I came to pay my respects to the legendary Shafar, to gaze upon his magnificence !\n\n\\- Ugh... really? Is this a quote from the hobbit or something ?\n\n\\- Yeah, sorry about that, I thought a dramatic entrance would be appreciated.\n\n\\- Okay... Who are you anyway, and what are you doing in my property ?\n\n\\- I’m Dominique Smith, expert in Art Finance and consultant for JP Morgan. There were rumors about you settling here for a while and I didn’t know if you had an email or phone number so I thought I'd drop by to meet you in person. I heard you’ve been investing in art lately, which is why I’m here, to facilitate your transactions and design the perfect strategy to monetize your collection.\n\n\\- Oh, you should have said that earlier! I don’t wanna brag, but you know, it’s a well known fact that my kind collects gold, and I’ve always been passionate about art. I've already invested in two priceless artworks, and some counselling to broaden my collection is more than welcome.\n\n\\- I’m glad we understand each other Mr Shafar, so you said you have a substantial amount of gold, may I ask in which financial institution did you place it? And can you give me an estimation of its total weight?\n\n\\- Uh, I didn’t place it in any institution, it’s in my wallet, and I couldn’t tell you about the weight, it can’t really be quantified.\n\n\\- What do you mean in your wallet, is it some sort of metaphor? Do you have so much gold that you don’t even know how much it weighs? Where exactly is this wallet?\n\n\\- Where are you living, in 2001? I’m talking about my crypto wallet, and my Bitcoin Gold, not actual gold bars; did you think I was the dragon from Beowulf or what ?\n\n\\- You mean that all your money is in cryptocurrency? Shit, ok what about the artwork.\n\n\\- No offense but you don’t really sound like a financial expert, the works I bought were in high demand, and I had to bid for hours to get them, but I finally won, have a look at these babes.\n\n\\- Nyan Cat and the Gucci Ghost? Are you fucking kidding me???? You’re really calling these artworks and fucking telling me you’ve bid for hours to get them? What a useless motherfucker...\n\n\\- Hey, you calm down and lower your voice before I burn your ass alive. You’re in my fucking property, I hate rudeness and I remind you that you dragged your sorry ass here. What about them? Don’t you know how much the Gucci Ghost costs? It’s a fucking masterpiece that will skyrocket in value in 10 years! Why the hell are you here anyway? I thought we were going to discuss my placements.\n\n\\- I … You know what, forget about all this, I’m not even a financial expert, I'm from the mob, my boss forced me to come here and trick you into buying fake artwork but you’re even dumber than he thought, you don’t even need his help to get scammed. Just kill me already, if I come back empty handed I’ll be dead anyway.\n\nEnglish is not my first language so sorry if there are any grammatical mistakes!", "\"Hello Leo\"\n\n\"Hi Dad\"\n\n\"We were a little worried that you've been living with them too long. We are worried about you. I mean, I told your mother, you were one amazing young dragon, and you had mastered the polymorph like a champ and you were going to start building your hoard her in the land of New York...\"\n\n\"America Dad, the State of New York. That's the kind of thing that gets us caught as outsiders. Leo was concerned about the unexpected visit from his dad. He was also concerned that once again, he would have to listen to him berate Leo on his lack of huge piles of gold, not to mention living in an apartment that had windows all around it for people to see IN!.\n\n\"Dad, I promise I'm okay. Most of these people here don't have anywhere near the treasure to live like this. And, I'm diversifying.\"\n\n\"Diversifying? What does that even mean, son? We're dragons, we collect gold. Sure sometimes the gold has gems in it, but we hoard gold, that's how we are successful.\" Leo's dad paced the floor. \"Where is this hoard that you have through diversification?\"\n\n\"Well, Dad, for starters, I was able to buy this whole building. People PAY ME to live in the floors below mine. I have my own private entrance, and elevator straight to the top. Then, I found something new that will revolutionize how I can amass wealth. Come look at this.\"\n\nLeo lead his father over to a giant computer screen. \n\n\"What is this? Is this some magic?\"\n\n\"Oh, it's magic, but the magic of TECHNOLOGY! Let me show you!\" Leo reached into his pocket and pulled out a USB stick and inserted it into the port on his desktop. The password prompt came up and he typed it in and there was a spreadsheet that he opened. \"Voila! Dad! Here is my treasure!\"\n\n\"It doesn't look like gold to me?\"\n\n\"No Dad, it's not physical gold. it's ... Leo thought about the word that his father could associate, \"It's gold hidden by an illusion. The best part is now, we have this other style of gold, that is stored behind a very powerful Blockchain. \"\n\n\"Where are these chains? I don't see any chains, anybody could just take that thing.\"\n\n\"The Blockchain is in the Ether Dad. This is called Crypto Currency and it's the future. I sold a lot of my gold to buy Bitcoin, and Ethereum. Even some smaller ones. And I have used that to buy ART with it. \"\n\n\"Where are the paintings and statues?\"\n\n\"They are in the Ether too.\"\n\n\"But you cannot touch them?\" He seemed to be losing patience.\n\n\"Dad, you don't want to touch paintings in the real world either! You used to get mad at me when I touched that painting you had back in the cave!\" Leo brought up some of his NFTs to show his father. There were pictures of New York City, but other oddball things. Then there was a picture of him, in his natural dragon form.\"\n\n\"LEO!!!! What did you do?\" His father was frightened and a bit angry. This was not done, this could cause the Georges to come after them again.\n\n\"Dad, I took a picture of myself with my own digital camera. I sold the NFT for this for 3000 bitcoin. And all it is, is a picture.\" \n\n\"I don't understand, how you aren't going to get caught, and they have these terrible weapons now that can go through our scales if we aren't careful. You walk around in their skin all the time. When was the last time you were you?\"\n\n\"I am me all the time. I control most of the land in this city. I do have some physical gold, but it is stored in a vault that I never have to check on, the others do that for me.\"\n\n\"I don't think your mother will approve\" there was a pause.\n\n\"Mother knows, Dad. I send her messages. Did you know she has an email address, and uses a LAPTOP!?\"\n\n\"What has happened to us?\"\n\n\"We have to modernize, Dad. We have to Modernize\"", "\"FOUL BEAST!\" bellowed a stranger at the cave entrance holding a rifle. \"Heh, I've always wanted to say that! Ahem. Anyway, Dragon! I know you have treasure here... Hand it over and there won't be trouble.\"\n\nThe dragon, Feyus, stood and spun his massive bulk 180 degrees, knocking over the giant stone chair he was sitting in with a resonating THUD. \"How did you sneak in here, miscreant? I locked the entrance!\"\n\n\"Yeah well, locks mean nothing to high-powered firearms,\" he said, pointing to his barrel. The man looked around the cave for the first time. \"Um...it's pretty empty in here. Where the hell is the gold?\"\n\nFeyus snorted, ejecting embers from his nostrils. \"I don't have gold, moron. It's 2021.\"\n\n\"Bullshit, you're a dragon.\"\n\n\"In 2021.\"\n\nThe man lowered his rifle slightly. \"Well what the hell man? What is this treasure everyone's been jabbering about in the town? Dragons always guard good shit, and I want it. You have jewelry, or designer sneakers or Playstation 5's or something?\"\n\n\"You aren't taking my treasure. Get out before your puny hide is charred.\" Smoke drifted out of the corners of the dragon's mouth as he spoke.\n\n\"I'm a good shot, and I'm pretty agile too! Don't test me.\" The man circled to the right, trying to get a peek at what seemed to be behind the creature.\n\n\"Like I said, my treasure is mine, you can't have it--and you won't take it.\" Feyus lumbered forward, causing condensation to drip from stalactites with each step. \"Final warning, human.\"\n\nIt was then the man could see. \"Wait a second, is that a desk and a laptop? What do you even hoarde?\"\n\nFeyus stopped. \"Bitcoin, NFT's...super valuable in the right markets.\"\n\nThe dumbfounded intruder lowered his weapon. \"Well that's the most ridiculous goddamn thing I ever heard.\"\n\n\"They grow in value with time.\"\n\n\"Yeah maybe, who knows. But wow that's fucking stupid.\" He started walking off.\n\nFeyus clenched his fist. \"Yeah? Well check with me again in 15 years and we'll see who's laughing then!\"\n\n\"I'm not interested in your damn treasure, weirdo.\"\n\n\"Alright, well good, I don't want you taking my treasure! It's mine!\"\n\n\"Fine then.\"\n\n\"Fine!\"\n\n\"Fine!\"\n\n\"Go away!\"\n\n\"Keep your door locked better next time!\"\n\n\"Get out of my house!\"\n\n\"I'm telling the town you have weird hobbies!\"\n\n\"I will literally cook you, get the fuck out of my house.\"\n\nSilence. Feyus exhaled, blood cooling. Propping up his chair once again, he went back to perusing cryptocurrency subreddits." ]	4
	[WP] Legend has it that, during battles of historical significance, an orchestra of ghosts will appear and play for the warriors. It is the sound any nation hears as it takes its first and last breath. But why is it here, in this alleyway, where someone pulled a knife on you?	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The text buzzed the phone in his pants and he awakened only to find his spit slobbering all over his history textbook. It was his History exam the next day and already he had crammed his head with so many non-sensical dates and facts. He was at his limits and needed a really much-deserved break. His girlfriend had other thoughts on the matter though. She had replied: \n'Yo, we agreed to not meet until you have already given the test! You really need to focus on this one, bud, or Professor Armstrong will definitely flunk you. So no meeting till tomorrow! Just give the test and I promise that we'll meet right after. Hell, we can even take Kupi for a walk. I bet he too has been holed up in the house since Friday. Just get through the test and I promise we'll spend the rest of the week together.'\n\nEdan looked at Kupi who raised up his head from his paws and gave a loud happy 'woof' and wagged his tail twice as if he had telepathically understood the text. He really hadn't stepped out of the house since Friday. But Edan cast him out of his head and revealed his angst to Euphemia as he wrote: \n\n'I really, really can't study here. It's just the vibes that are not working with me. Whole week long my mom's been listening to old classical and my dad's got this new fetish with Arabic Language. He keeps on putting whirling dervish meditation music and what not. I really-really can't find my right music! I can't do this anymore. Let's just spend some time together then I promise I'll get back to my studies.' \n\nShe replied with a poker face smiley which was her sweet way of saying no. \n\nEdan rolled his eyes and threw his phone on the bed as he scrolled the spotify library on his pc and randomly skipped songs after songs, being unable to enjoy even a single second of music. \n\n\\\\\\\n\nThe Night swallowed the day and The Day appeared from its womb and the hour of the test had come. \n\nEdan chewed his pen as he looked at the answer sheet. He had answered most of them properly but the last one that carried 25 marks was left blank; and Edan paniced as he forsaw, in his future: his big, bald headed and bad mouthed professor smiling gleefully as he gave him an F and flunked him forever. \nHe gulped and tried hard to concentrate but the memory of his father's stupid Arabian songs mesmerised his mind completely and he was unable to focus even in the midst of that crucial exam hour. He stared pointedly at the question: 'In the year 1369, at the final battle of Daizen, called: The Fire Rift of Daizen, who ermeged victorious and who had perished? Write a detailed essay on the narrative of the battle and comment on the basis of theories that you have learned in this semester.' \n\nThe question literally gave him a whirling headache and his mind swooned as he lost the last visions of his consciousness and collapsed on the desk...After a while, when he woke up, he found that the hour was up and he was free from the paper at last! \n\n\\\\\\ \nGleefully he rushed to meet his girlfriend and immediately they spent some sexy time together and afterward decided to take little Kupi for a walk through the park. \n\nIt was in the dark shade of the alley that the events occured. As they were taking their usual shortcut to the park, they were terribly interrupted by a bulky looking strange bald headed man, who spoke harshly and babbled incoherent syllables at them. \n\nEuphemia looked at him with her big blue eyes and marveled: 'Professor Drake Armstrong! is that you? What are you doing in these strange clothes?' \n\n\nThe Big Bald Headed stranger bared his fanged teeth and pulled out, from the depth of his pockets, A Big Black Blade and took his stance to murder them. It was precisely at that moment that it happened. \nA deep and vibrant chord was struck in the firmament and divinely angelic voices appeared all around them. In rippling chords mixed with sonorous vibrations, the heavenly sounds showered all around them and they could hear the ringing splashes of Golden Cymbals as the sound of Ancient Organs hummed around their bodies. \n\nA fire appeared inside Edan's heart and it seemed that the voices were all calling to him. He could feel the Divine Rhythm of that Music in the very pulse of his heart and his strength grew to marvelous proportion has the vibes of The Music rushed forth in his body and charged it to a 500 percent. \n\nBut then The Mood changed. And where, there were first Angelic Voices, now came super energetic drumming, completed by heavy rhythmic riffs coupled with thunderous bass and rippling vocal screams. It was MESHUGGAH: Dehumanization playing in the environment and the sound of it was so fucking massive that very world in front of Edan's eye was transformed into a living hell. \n\nWhere the bald headed fuck had been standing, there, now a Bulky Looking Monster Demon stood with a murderous look in his enflamed eyes. Chest as wide as a heavy tractor, his ripped arms looked like dumb-bells and a heavy-platinum plated vest was donned by him that covered his chest but bared his belly. \n\nThe thunderous chords and bomb like snare drums attacked the bodies of the demonic being and he roared in rage as he advanced with a train like speed and launched his Flashshot Smash at Edan. Edan jumped with all his energy and the demon ended up smashing into the building and brought it all down to the ground. \n\nThen he looked around wildly as the song solo pierced his body with thrilling energy and he sought for help. But Euphemia was not there, nor was Kupi, and instead of them there was a very pretty woman in silken gown and her golden hair was tied in a beautiful braid as around her stood a Black Winged Stallion. His eyes shone red with the flame of fire and about him there was a novelty that isn't even reserved for Divine Beings. The Lady said: \n\n'Remeber Eolda Urihart. Remember yourself. You are the Last Warrior of Daizen: The Imperishable Dawnstar of All. Remember yourself. Here, connect with your forgotten ShadowBeast: FireHawks and together you shall conquer all evil that comes your way.' \n\nThe notes-filled voice of Lady Rio Kai moved through the music like a charm and immediately Eolda was transformed into a bulky looking hero with white spiky hair who finally found his vibe and ended up causing the music to change. \n\nMESHUGGAH vanished and now it was TOOL. Pneuma rang in the skies and super electric cosmic current of that that music coursed in his flesh as the rippling sounds of crashing cymbals reverberated in his electrified body. And he charged at his foe with full speed, even as the double-triple drum rolls created a series of flashing sparks inside the core of his thoughts. \n\nThe Viper Lord Drogon mocked him and said: One Smash is all that'll take to murder your heart. One Smash and I'll blast open your chest.' \n\nBut Dawnstar Eolda said: 'Go on. Take that shot of yours. But if you miss, prepare to shit your pants.' \n\nThe Viper Lord screamed and lashed at the foe to murder him but Eolda was quick, like a leopard and he repelled the attack. Then the Music peaked once again.\n\nHe launched a mighty smash at Drogon and in just one punch the Platinum Plates cracked and fell down in the ground. In the air echoed the cosmic hums of the bass and together the two Legendary Warriors clashed with one another, pushing and punching each other in the face and the heart. \n\nElectric Super Rhythms Reverberated in their thoughts as the music moved to its peak and drum rolls were mixed with the rhythmic pulses of the guitar and as the voice screamed The Words, Eolda mounted FireHawks and The Divine Beast unleashed his Black Wings and took to flight. Then Eolda said: \n\n'Higher Hawks! Higher we go. It's time to land The Goddamn Cosmic Smash on the Foe.' \n\nAnd up went The Beast of Gods as from the thunder realm Eolda leaped and hurled like a burning comet towards the heart of his enemy. In his head, The Solo pierced his thoughts and with a cosmic smash, he blasted the earth with his punch and the very earth rumbled as it received the blow. \n\nDrogon went flying off and smashed with a building which collapsed and tumbled into dust. Yet he awakened and came back once again. But Eolda said: \n\n'Say Alvida to your disgusting face.' \n\nThen he blasted his fire bomb smash at the face and Viper was burnt to his bones. His reptilian carcass burnt in the heat and his bones crumbled to dust and Eolda emerged victorious even as The Music came to close and the song ended. \n\n\\\\\\*\n\nEdan awakened abrutly and looked at his answer sheet only to find spit slobbering all over it. He quickly wiped it with his cloth and wrote the answers with as much details as possible.\n\nLater when he met Euphemia outside the class, she asked: 'How was the re-test?' and he smiled and said: 'Just like the last time.'" ]	2
	[WP] You have the ability to teleport by typing your destination into Google Maps.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It was so easy, really. My commute from home to work used to be three miles, by bike. Now, it was just typing it into Google Maps and I was there. Like magic. \n\nI could sleep real late. I needed like like fifteen minutes to take a piss and a shower and brush my teeth before work--and _bam_ I was there. \n\nWell, I of course got dressed, but even then. Fifteen tops.\n\nWe used to get after work drinks on Friday. I told everybody I'd bike while they either walked or took the bus. I just grabbed my bike and _poof_ --got there. \n\nThis shit worked for everything. I got every where just by typing in the location. Grocery store, bam. My parent's house, bam. Club, bam. Local bar, bam. Other office, bam.\n\nI always appeared at the entrance. To whatever the the place. Never inside, always the entrance. Mostly I always landed my ass though, no matter what position I'd teleported in.\n\nOnce, when I was a little tipsy, I started testing it. To see where I could go. If there was a limit where I could go. \n\nI typed, _home_ and I landed outside my parent's house--but the old house, the one I spent my childhood in. The neighborhood had fallen into decay at this point. All the houses were empty. My parent's old house was missing the front door. \n\nI typed _who I love the most_ and landed outside a strange house, in strange place. It took me a second to connect the dots. It was the house of the couple who had adopted our dog when I when I had gone to college. \n\nI remember our dog--Costello--a massive Rottweiler. My parents were too old to look after him when I went to college. They couldn't handle the few hour walks. So we put up an ad for him, because my dorm didn't allow pets. A nice couple is Ohio took him. Made the drive and everything. \n\nI'd had girlfriends and everything since then--but it was the opinion of Google Maps that this was who I loved the most. It was maybe true, I loved him the most. The dog grew up with me and I with him. And we always did everything together. I even took him with me on my first date--Starbucks and the dog park. \n\nI cracked another beer, and, on a whim, typed, _hell_ , all lower case. And in an instant I was away. I still had the can in my hand. \n\nThere's a big gate, black and iron, in front of me. There's a tall red man with horns in front of a desk. There's fire and brimstone everywhere. \n\n\"Hello,\" the man says, looking at me over his glasses. \n\n\"I don't have you on my list,\" he continues. I glance at the beer in my hand, and my phone in the other. I still have Google Maps open. The location just states _hell_ but the dot is nowhere on Earth, even when I, with some difficulty, zoom out. \n\nI take a sip of beer, figuring it's probably my last. \n\nThe man straightens his tie, and looks at me as if to say _well?_\n\n\"I'm sorry,\" I say. I glance at my phone. The location is still _hell_. \"I think there's been a mistake.\"\n\n\"Oh, are you one of them teleporters? The ones that can do it with Google?\" \n\nI can only nod. My feel like my face is white with terror. \n\n\"Yeah, they're trying to fix that error, something with the code. How about I show you around? Don't worry, it's rather nice down here, as long you don't go too deep.\"\n\nHe walks over and extends a red hand, with sharp nails. I can only numbly reach out to take it. He pulls me up. \n\n\"Well, shall we get started?\" He says, pulling his hand away. He straightens his jacket. \n\n\"Would you like a drink? Or do you need to charge your phone?\"" ]	2
	[WP] “So you’re ordained, right? Does that mean you can do exorcisms?”	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "He shifted his feet nervously. “So...you’re ordained, right? Does that mean you can do exorcisms?”\r \n\r \nI stared at him. Normally, I don’t like to lie. It just makes me feel a little sick. But at that moment, I was desperate. I needed money. And I knew this man had a lot of it. \r \n\r \nHe didn’t stare back. Instead, he gawked at the woman in front of us hovering horizontally several feet off the ground. She was his bride and several hours prior I had married them. It was a small and tasteful ceremony. They had hired me with $100 and the promise of an open bar and access to what was going to be a fun and food-heavy reception.\r \n\r \nI nodded slowly. Of course I couldn’t do exorcisms. Being ordained is as easy as paying $30 online for a certificate that says you’re ordained. You don’t even have to be religious. And I certainly am not.\r \n\r \n“I can definitely do that,” I mumbled. “But it’ll cost you extra.”\r \n“Done.”\r \nI rolled my shoulders and cracked my neck. How hard could it be?\r \n\r \nIt turns out, it could be very, very hard. Almost impossible, in fact. But that didn’t stop me from trying.\r \n\r \nI pulled out my Bible, which I had borrowed from the friend I was currently crashing with, and flipped it open to a random page. \r \n\r \nNot reading it, I quoted what I could remember from the movie The Exorcist which I hadn’t actually seen in full.\r \n\r \n“The power of Christ compels you! I cast you out! You, uh, demon! In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ compels you!”\r \n\r \nThe hovering woman, whose name might have been Alison, seems unaffected. Her groom glared at me. I glared back.\r \n\r \n“Don’t rush the process!” I said, indignant.\r \n\r \nI tried to remember other lines from the movie but couldn’t.\r \n\r \n“Shit,” I muttered. The groom stepped closer and whispered, “what was that?”\r \n\r \nI widened my stance and threw my arms back. “Satan! You’ll never have her Satan! Her soul belongs here, on this mortal plane!”\r \n\r \nMy theatricalism seemed to scare him off, which was my intent.\n\n\r“Our Father! Who is in Heaven! Hallowed be his name! They will be done! On earth as it is in Heaven! Give us this day our bread! Uh, I mean, give us this soul!”\r \n\r \nThe groom watched me skeptically. Like I said, I was desperate. And if invoking Satan was going to make me rich, I was prepared to do so. So I turned my back on the groom, closed my Bible, and approached maybe-Alison.\r \n\r \n“Hey ghost, or Satan, or whoever is making this girl float around, I want to make a deal. You let her go right now and you get a third of what I make in this ‘exorcism.’”\r \n\r \nThe woman, or whoever was possessing the woman, turned her head. “Half.”\r \n\r \n“What?”\r \n\r \n“I want half. And to possess your house.”\r \n\r \n“Well I’m in between houses right now...”\r \n\r \n“Then we buy a place and split it.”\r \n\r \n“Okay, well that seems like a lot. I mean, I don’t know...”\r \n\r \n“I could just let this guy know that you’re scamming him then.”\r \n\r \n“Alright, alright. Lower your voice. Or her voice. Whatever.”\r \n\r \n“So we have a deal?”\r \n\r \nI contemplated this. Then I looked back at the exasperated groom.\r \n\r \n“We have a deal.”\r \n\r \nOn instinct I took the woman’s hand to shake it. In that instant, a shock of energy flowed into me. A voice that was not my own cried out with my mouth. \r \n\r \n“The power of Christ compels you! Foul spirit, release this woman and return to the bowels of Hell from whence you came!”\r \n\r \nI quickly shook off her hand and the woman slowly returned to the ground. Her new husband ran to her and collected her in his arms.\r \n\r \n“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he sobbed. “I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”\r \n\r \nI smiled. “I know exactly how.”\r \nAnd that was how I became roommates with the lesser demon Gamigin, a tiny but surprisingly loud phantom horse that doesn’t pay rent and likes to levitate my stuff without my permission." ]	2
	[WP] You wakeup as the main love interest of a trope filled romance story, but you’re not interested in any of your admirers.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Love burns brighter than Sunshine, it's brighter than sunshine!\" \r \n\r \nAnnely wakes up to an unfamiliar alarm sound. As she swipes away the notification, she sees the name, \"Brighter Than Sunshine\" as the song halts. Weird\", she thinks. \"I've never heard this song\". She decides to watch the music video and is surprised at the love story it portrayed. shaking her head at this weird bug, Annely gets up and walks to the bathroom. She passes a giant heart balloon attached to a package on her table. \r \n\r \nShe walks back. What was that?\r \n\r \nAnnely suspects that someone is playing a prank on her, but her room seems to be exactly the same, except for a giant package on her table.\r \n\r \nBeing wary, she opens the package and sees a giant box of chocolates with a note that reads, \"I've wanted to ask you out for the longest time. I hope you'll call me when you see this :) - Rayson\"\r \n\r \n\"RAYSON?\" Annely shouts in surprise! Rayson was the guy Annely was rejected by in high school for being weird and not so popular. He bullied her quite a bit and this seemed to come out from the left field. Annely again assumed it was a prank and moved on. As she went about getting ready and fresh, her phone kept ringing with a ton of notifications. A little annoyed, she walks out of the bathroom and angrily checks who on God's green Earth would bug her so much so early in the morning. Oh. It was 2 in the afternoon. \r \n\r \nAnnely checks the notifications to see that she has over a hundred messages from guys she hasn't even talked to in years! All she could remember was that she was in an intense discussion with her two other friends about an anime they watched and no one, not one single guy had ever messaged her. All these messages came from guys who seemed to be interested in dating her. \r \n\r \nThat's so weird! Why would something like this happen so suddenly? \r \n\r \nKnock knock. A few knocks on the door and she sees a delivery man staring blankly at her and drooling a little idly. Ew. She sees that the outside of her apartment was filled with more packages and cards and flowers! She snaps her fingers in front of the delivery man to no reaction at all. \r \n\r \n\"ALBERT!\", came a shout from the corner. \"What the hell are you doing taking so long for one delivery....\" the woman who was shouting stops and comes to a halt a few steps away from Annely.\r \n\r \n\"Oh. Hi. My, I'm so sorry for raising my voice at this stupid Albert here. I hope everything's okay!\"\r \n\r \n\"Uh, yeah. I just seem to have a million deliveries. Would you happen to know what these are?\" asks Annely\r \n\r \n\"They seem to be love letters and cards. I mean, I definitely see it. Guys must be going crazy for you! I'm Sarah. Here's my number, actually. You can call me anytime for any deliveries or even if you just need someone to talk to. Don't hesitate. I mean it. Here, I'll call you right now! What's your number?\" the woman asks as she twirls her hair with her fingers\r \n\r \nAnnely runs into the room and locks the door. People were acting too weird! Why was the delivery girl so over-friendly and why was the delivery man DROOLING?\r \n\r \nShe walks past a mirror and immediately turns back.\r \n\r \n\"Oh yeah\", she thinks, \"I Instagrammed a photo of myself with contacts instead of glasses and without my braces on\"\r \n\r \nSure enough, Annel's Instagram was filled with everything from hello messages to artistically shot dick pics\r \n\r \nAnnely slowly absorbs this overload of information. Never has anything so bizarre happened to her!\r \n\r \n\"I guess I'm in some weird rom-con anime now, huh? Haha\"" ]	2
	[WP] "if animals could talk the stories they would say." Who knew giving animals the ability to talk would lead to the demise of civilization	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "First they talked. \n\nParrots did that all the time. Nobody cared much. \n\nThen they discussed ideas, banded together. Organized. \n\n\"Stop killing us. Stop eating our children. Stop gorging yourselves on the nourishment meant for our young.\"\n\nThat got attention. It was easy and convenient to build society on the bones of dead animals. Their flesh was tasty, their skin was comfortable, their bodies were so so useful. And they'd been made comfortable, given food and protected from danger in contrast to their ancestors in the wild who had to struggle and fight for every scrap. How dare they talk back! How dare they want a say in their own lives!\n\nBut insects, pound for pound, outweighed every human on Earth. Their droning voices entered the fray and swept everyone along in their wake. \n\nInsect politicians finally took the world stage. Some rejoiced, taking a dark amusement from the thought that lazy youngsters would be forced to work for once. Others ranted about a dark future where humanity would be herded into camps to work endlessly for the good of the colony like ants did. \n\nBut as it turned out, ants were no strangers to colony members who sat around and did nothing all day. And they were far more accepting of such behavior than the average manager. \n\nAnd everyone lived happily ever after.", "I was only eight when I heard the voices. \n\nInitially, I was curious as I rose from my bed and stared wide-eyed at my room. The whispers were soft and imperceptible, but they were there, swirling about my room. \n\n\"Hello?\" I cautiously said. \n\nThe whispers stopped for a moment, before beginning again. \n\n\"Hello?!\" I called out with earnest. \n\nThe sudden sound of my bedroom door opening caused me to jump. My mother stood at the doorway, her pretty face twisted in annoyance. \n\n\"You're going to be late for school. Get up.\" She hissed. \n\nNot one to challenge my mother, I obediently got dressed for school. The voices disappeared while I lumbered about my room, and I wondered if I had only imagined them. \n\nIt wasnt until I started for the bus stop that I heard them again. This time, however, the voices were clear and definite. Some of the voices were hush and squeaky, others more abrasive and angry. I twirled around trying to determine the source when I realized that it wasn't humans who were speaking. \n\nThe animals that prowled the streets were speaking! The birds in the air, the stray cats, even the smallest roly-poly bug gleefully chattered in my ears. \n\nI stooped on the side-walk, calling out to the smallest bug on the ground, but it quickly scampered away. I next called to the birds, but they never responded. Even the stray cats seemed unable to interpret my words as they continued to talk amongst themselves. \n\nMy excitement of this new development was unhindered by the fact they couldnt hear me, however, and I raced to the bus stop to encounter my friends. \n\nThey smiled and laughed, quickly making a game out of my new idea, but when I insisted I could hear the animals they gave me a funny look and dismissed me. Even my teachers nodded and smiled at me, but when I was determined to prove it to them they told me to 'stop playing games.' \n\nI grumbled and tried to focus on my schoolwork, but the gnarly whispers of the bugs in the walls made me anxious. I couldn't focus and my excitement of my new-found powers turned sour. The constant noise was infuriating and in my frustration I threw a book at the wall. \n\nMy mother soon arrived to speak with the principal and my teacher. I sat in the hallway, the never ending voices still hissing until my mother came out. \n\n\"What's this about voices?\" She folded her arms. \n\n\"I can hear them!\" I pointed to no where in particular. \"The bugs, and the animals!\" \n\nThe adults all looked concerned as the principal whispered something to my mother. \n\n\"Nonsense. You're just tired.\" My mother waved a hand at me and ushered me out the door. \n\nWe returned home shortly where my mother sent me to my room. I sat in my room and pulled at my hair. The hushed whispers in my room began to pound at my ears. I growled and screamed, begging for the noise to stop, when my mother came in, her face ripe with worry. \n\n\"The voices!\" I was in tears. \"They won't stop!\" \n\n\"There are not voices sweetheart.\" My mother tried to calm me, but I was inconsolable. I needed her to believe me. \n\n\"It's them. The bugs!\" I grabbed her arms. She shook her head and fearfully pulled me into her arms. I pushed against her, determine to show her the bugs in the walls. I grabbed the nearest book and slammed it into the wall. The drywall collapsed slightly and I tore at it. I turned around triumphantly to show her the bugs in the walls, but my mother was quickly dialing her phone.\n\n\nThat was years ago. Those memories of that day constantly replayed in my head as I stared at the white padded room. I could only helplessly roll around the room as I replayed those few memories over and over again wondering what I could've done to change these moments. What could I have said to make them believe me? I'll never know now. \n\nAll I truly know is that the walls.... the walls still talk." ]	3
	[WP] It’s been 20 or so years since you left for work one day- but found thousands of piles of clothes on the ground. You recall the Christians talking about the rapture, and how you would be sorry- but hell never rose. Instead, the earth began repairing itself.. & unknown visitors are arriving.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I'd been spurred awake by a loud noise outside--some crash or explosion, I was sure. I peered out the window, when it was still dark, but I only saw porch lights and mailboxes. There were no sirens, no screams. Just quiet. \n\nI'd convinced myself there'd been a thunderstorm. It was the only thing that made sense as the rattling booms kept coming. I lulled myself to sleep at the sound of the coming storm.\n\nI woke up a couple hours later and mindlessly followed my morning routine: shower, shave, coffee, dress, and go. \n\nThe engine turned over in my car, but the radio was all static. I turned it off; a bad night's sleep makes the sound of music grind against my ears in the early morning. \n\nMy quiet, dark drive turned strange as I pulled out of the neighborhood. The drainage ditch in the middle of Constitution was filled with crashed--some burning--cars. In some places there were only one or two. In others, there were piles of them, too many to count. \n\nI recognized a minivan in the pileup by the rearview sticker: a stick family, two big, one little. My neighbors. I parked my car to the side and rushed to their wreckage. I aimed my phone's flashlight through the window to see the damage. In the driver's seat there was a crumpled blouse over blue jeans laid flat. Her pumps were on the floor. The car seat in the back had Maddie's overalls and undershirt, cheerios spilled on the seat beside it. \n\nI recoiled, at both times relieved not to see dead bodies, but troubled all the same. I proceeded to go from car to car, shining my lights through the smashed windows, only to see clothes and shoes, but no bodies. \n\nI thought, at first, that I must've stumbled into a poorly-guarded movie set, but in the days and weeks and months and years to follow, I came to understand what happened: all the good people had been taken. \n\nFor a while I lived in hiding, worried about the inevitable marauders of sinners that might roll through, looking for victims. Then, when six months of quiet had passed, I went looking for them. It would be better, I figured, to be killed by a person than to die alone. \n\nI never found anyone. \n\nI moved out of the suburbs and into the mountains. Wild animals--feral dogs, mountain lions, and rats--made their homes in the now vacant swellings. It got too dangerous to stick around. I found a cabin where, if the clothes told a reliable story, a family had been fast asleep a year ago. \n\nAnd I've been here ever since. For 20 years. \n\nEvery month, I do a supply run to the city. I'm mostly self-sufficient at the cabin: I keep a garden and some livestock which feed me and keep me company. But I still wander the ruins before they're completely overtaken by a healing Earth. \n\nThe towers stood strong against the horizon; stubborn testaments to the supremacy of men. Vines and grass climbed their sides, and it wasn't long until trees reached their limbs from shattered windows and collapsed walls. One day, the vegetation would swallow the behemoths whole, dropping them back to Earth, where all things become dust once again. \n\nI rode my horse into the city, past the rusted skeletons of cars and weed-shattered concrete walkways. This place was now more forest than concrete jungle; millions of bugs sang their chorus where once thrumming engines dominated. \n\nI arrived to the art supply store. I spent time doing my best to weather-proof those buildings that held items of interest. I couldn't take everything back with me at once, so I fortified their homes where they were. I needed pencils. I'd taken to writing in journals to keep me sane; cataloguing my days with every minute detail, hoping that someone might find what remained of my time on Earth and remember me. I can't really explain why. It was just something I knew I needed.\n\nI gathered what supplies I wanted into a bag and left the little shop, back onto what remained of the street with its tall blades of grass and flowering wild bush. The sun was beginning to drop, lowering from its high crest in the middle of the sky. \n\nAs I peered into the horizon the estimate the time of day, something else caught my eye. I dropped my bag, sending pencils scattering through cracks and crevices in the ruined sidewalk. But I didn't pay them any mind. \n\nOn the side of the tower, where I couldn't see when I entered the city, was a glowing blue symbol, hundreds of feet in diameter. It looked like a blue fire, but it didn't burn away the structure. It just radiated blue light.\n\nIt couldn't have been a gas leak or a spontaneous explosion from pressure. The lines were too precise; the curves too perfect. Something had left it there. \n\nAnd it beat me back to the cabin." ]	2

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