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[WP] When Earth tourism dropped off, the station’s Terran bar became a popular place for the other races, residents and visitors, to have a few drinks in a nice quiet environment. Then tourism picked back up again.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 friend showed me the information on her pad. “A terran bar?” I asked. “That sounds fun, doesn’t it?” she replied. I, myself, was not so sure. I mean, we had come all the way out here to see something different, didn’t we? But after a while, I nodded in agreement. We still had plenty of time here and we had already seen the major attractions.\r \n\r \nAs we walked through the hustling and bustling that was Nebula III station, we rarely encountered other humans - which was rather normal in this part of space, far from Earth. But we knew this would change soon with the discovery of the new worm hole passage that shortened the travelling distance to just a few days. It would not take long for tourists to discover the beauties of Nebula III and the station the Nebulans built in its orbit was a technical masterpiece, a sight to behold. Our travelling prospect listed the violet sunset and the vast silver beaches as major highlights on the planet, the panorama windows on deck 2 of the station... but I didn’t see the information on this Terran bar on my pad. “It’s all the way down,” my friend said, looking over my shoulder as I scrolled through, “written in Nebulan”. “You can read Nebulan?” “Well, of course,” she said, “took a crash course before we departed.” “Okay,” I answered, a little surprised, “what does it say then, right below here?” “It just says ‘Terran bar’, and here, it says ‘come and enjoy the... thing... with the thing.’” She caught my glance and added: “Hey, I told you, it was a crash course!” \r \nWe followed the map into a section of the station where the crowd thinned out until there was almost no one. “Are you sure this is the right way?” My friend shrugged. But then she pointed to a sign at the end of a dimly-lit corridor; it read TEȒЯΔN BAR in weakly illuminated letters. I wouldn’t have found it if we hadn’t been actively looking for it. “Nice touch with the letters,” my friend said, “let’s go in!”\r \n\r \nWe stopped in the entrance because everyone in there turned around and looked at us. The music didn’t stop, though, even though it felt like it, but I could still hear the faint sounds of the 2000s American rap music playing in the background that didn’t fit at all with the 1950s diner décor they must have gone for. It looked like someone had recreated that without knowing what exactly it would look like, so there were two crossed sabers hanging on the opposite wall, a knight’s armor stood in the corner and a hologram right above the counter showed some Zulu dance performers. My friend and I looked at each other; all eyes and other sensory apparatuses were upon us, as she took the initiative and stepped into the bar.\r \nAs soon as she had done so, a Nebulan waiter came towards her; they must have had a hard time pressing their ton-like body into a pink dress with a white apron. They had even made the effort to wear something on their head that in their eyes probably looked like a wig. They came hesitantly and showed a display of various nervous colors on their face. “Hi.” Now I saw they wore a little device around their neck that played sound messages in a voice that was supposed to sound human but was just a little too high-pitched. “My name is C-D. Can I take your order?” I felt a tension in the room as I, too, stepped closer and I realized that no one was talking any more and everyone seemed to eagerly await our reaction. My friend smiled broadly and then wiggled a few of her fingers. The round eyes of the waiter grew even rounder and they replied after a few seconds: “Oh. Your Nebulan is excellent. Of course, I shall bring you your order right away!” They paused for a moment and then the message device said: “Please… take-a seat.” As they went away, I saw a few Nebulans in the bar showing colors of excitement. But most of them turned away and started conversing with each other again.\r \n\r \nWe sat down at a table at the far end that was less lit than the others, primarily because its only light source came from a candle swimming on an unknown liquid in a hat. “Nice place”, I said, “makes you feel like you’re home.” My friend laughed. After a while the waiter came back and served us a boot and a bowl full of another unknown liquid. “It is an honor to have you as guests,” they said after serving and my friend smiled graciously. After the waiter was gone, she lifted the boot to smell the liquid. “I wouldn’t drink that,” a voice said. I almost spilled my bowl as I startled and turned towards the third seat at our table. I could have sworn there had been no one there just a second ago. “Ella.” My friend seemed totally unfazed by the sudden appearance of what looked like a totally average Earth woman. “Did I make my order wrong?” she asked the other one. “Oh, not at all,” the woman answered, “it’s just that for C-D, the ‘typical Earth drink’ is arsenic. They misunderstood a lot of Earth crime novels.” I was way too puzzled to speak. “Man,” my friend said, looking around demonstratively, “only you could have come up with a meeting place like that.” “Well, everyone here is in on it. Is she with you?” The stranger nodded her head towards me without even looking at me. “Yeah,” my friend answered, “but she knows nothing. Best way to keep it a secret.” I didn’t like where this conversation was going, so I decided to speak, too. “So,” I said, “shall I leave?” My friend smiled at me, as did the other woman. That made me nervous. What was going on here? “I think it is time you knew the truth,” my friend said, slowly, “you have been my loyal travel companion all this time, after all.” I felt sweat on my palms. Just moments before, I had spent a nice holiday with a dear friend of mine and now I was caught up in what seemed to be a spy film. My friend bent towards me. “I know how you feel,” she said, “puzzled. Confused. Maybe afraid. But hear us out and you will see that what we are planning to do is for a good cause.” I just didn’t know what to say any more, so my friend just continued: “Don’t you see? This new worm hole passage is posing a threat to Nebulan society. Humanity is. And that is why…” The stranger took over: “…we are planning to destroy it. Tonight.”"
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[WP] Someone discovered a Magic 8 Ball that seems to give true answers to any yes or no question. After a short period of skepticism, the world started believing the Ball. But the Ball isn't truthful, it is malicious. It was helpful at first to gain trust and power. Now, its evil plan can unfold.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 strolled through the abandoned flea market, questioning whether I should have even been there. I had a feeling to run; to get as far as possible, but I didn't listen. Amongst the empty shelves and booths, I spotted a glowing ball. The ball glowed in a strangely orange hue. I ran towards the ball, picking it up and observing it. There was an italic *8* written on it. The ball continued to glow, even as I clasped it in my hands.\n\n\"What is this?\" I mumbled to myself. I threw it into my pocket and left the flea market. A few hours later, I told my roommate, Tom, about it.\n\n\"A glowing orange ball with the number 8 written on it?\" Tom asked.\n\n\"Yeah.\" I suddenly heard a strange voice. I looked at the source, and saw that it was the ball. \n\n\"James, was that you?\" Tom asked.\n\n\"No, that wasn't me. Was that the ball?\" I asked.\n\n\"Yes.\" The ball answered my question.\n\n\"So it answers questions? That's cool!\" exclaimed Tom, snatching the ball from the table.\n\n\"Wait, please be careful with it!\" I begged Tom.\n\n\"Hey, magic ball! Are there aliens?\"\n\n\"Yes.\" The ball answered.\n\n\"Are ghosts real?\" I asked.\n\n\"No.\"\n\nWe smiled at each other. Now, we could know the secrets of humanity and the universe. Or so we thought. As soon as we had left the room, the ball (unbeknownst to us later) turned into a creature that no man had ever seen before.\n\nIt was ready for it's master plan."
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[WP] A team of people from the 90's time travel to modern day for 24 hours to prove the internet is a fad.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Captain. We have arrived. \nThe staticky voice erupting from the grill covered speaker bolted into the fluorescent green control pad jolted us to our senses. \n \nWe had arrived. \n \nA 20-year jump, the first of its kind. \n1999 to 2019. \nThe previous record was held by a team from MIT, a 14- year leap backwards. \n \nWe were of course, team Mattel, sponsored by the toy giant to research this Internet that was stealing children's attention away from toys. \n \nI went through the post-warp checklist, just like we had practiced. Hummed the same song from the radio, the naked ladies one ... Rug burns on both my knees it's been... ha, Twenty years, since that afternoon... Still be two weeks till we say we're sorry ...\n \nTwenty Years! Do you think Mars? Or just a Moon base still? How far have they gotten on the bullet trains? \nMattel had very specific instructions: \nGet the company P&L, fill both of the brand new 30 gigabyte drives with as much internet as possible, and get back home. \n \nMy new BlackBerry tingled with updates. \nEngineering: Green, Medical: Green, Time sync: Green... \nThis thing is way better than my pager. \nEven has emails on it. \n \nMy voice rings through the ship as I activate the PA. Surface team - Let's go see if anyone still Internets."
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[WP] You hear the speaker call out "clean up in aisle 7." You can only assume someone spilled some of the void again
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\"Break time's over I guess,\" I sighed as I place down the fresh sandwich my hands refusing to let it go.\r \nMy stomach complained with a low growl. I looked at my stomach sympathetically and placed the sandwich inside a plastic zipper bag. \"I'll eat you when the opportunity arises,\" I said to the sandwich as I slowly make my way to aisle 7 with my left hand on my stomach.\r \n\r \nI stopped by the door with a 'cleaning service' sign on it and entered, once I came out I was geared-up to handle the mess that ruined my lunch. I marched through the halls pretending to be a soldier with my void-patcher-1000 on my right hand to motivate myself, but the hungriness in my stomach never went away.\r \n\r \nAfter a short walk, I arrived at aisle 6 and I felt kind of dizzy. \"Uh, I really shouldn't have skipped lunch,\" I thought to myself while holding my aching temple with my free hand. Despite the complains I kept moving forward, and in a moment I arrived at aisle 7.\r \n\r \n\"Now where's that damned void\" I thought to myself my stomach now complaining constantly. \"Shhh... I'll get you food later, If you just shut up.\" I berated my own stomach, my stomach emitted a loud growl and finally stayed silent, but my headache just got worse. \"Why do I have to suffer like this? It's still the first day of the week.\" I grumbled to myself until a heard a very peculiar sound.\r \n\r \n\"Wah!\" my mind immediately shifted gears from one of complaining to one of curiosity.\r \n...\r \n...\r \n...\r \n\"Haha, must've been my imagination. What was I even think- Wah!\" another wah echoed down the hallway while I was thinking. Without a second thought I quickly darted to the source of the sound. On the other side of the hallway stood two purple octopus-like creatures with an approximate height of 50 centimeters and floating on top of their heads were orange halos.\r \n\r \nMy mind went blank. There was no better way to express the state of my mind when I saw those creatures.\r \n\r \nThe two creatures were rolling across the floor like they were playing. Then one of them spotted me. The creature let out a wah and the creatures floated to the opposite side of the hall. I immediately dashed towards them for I knew they were the cause of my torment and that I must return them to wherever the came from to be able to eat in peace. One of the creatures looked back to see me gaining on them, the creature let out a panicked wah and they floated faster towards what I assume was the void.\r \n\r \nAfter taking several turns I finally spot the void, except it wasn't what I expected. There was a rift floating in the center of the aisle. \"A rift? I never seen one in years,\". Fascinated, I slowly approached the rift when suddenly I heard a sound coming from right behind me \"Wah!\" I got startled and jumped and the rift sucked me in.\r \n\r \nI opened my eyes and found myself inside a traditional Japanese house. The walls were made out of wood and there was a Shoji door. Seeing no other option, I slid the door open. In the middle of the room, stood a girl approximately 160 cm tall, with purple hair and a orange halo floating on top of her head. \"Oh, it looks like we have a visitor,\" she said politely, a smile on her face. Behind her were many of those purple octopus like creatures.\r \n\"Uh... I'm kind of lost here and I-\"\r \n\"Ah, its fine, we barely have guests in here. By the way, the exit is to your left\" the girl said as she pointed at the shoji door.\r \n\"Ah, thank you...\" I replied and cautiously head to the exit. The moment I slid open the door I lost consciousness.\r \n\r \n\"HOW CLUMSY OF ME!\" the girl shouted in a tiny voice. \"All of you takos here will receive a bonk for opening that rift!\" she said as she slowly pulled a crowbar out from a portal beside her.\r \n\r \nI slowly opened my eyes after opening the shoji door \"It's so bright...\" I groaned.\r \n\"Ah you're finally awake\" a nurse came towards me. \"Where... am I?\" I asked.\r \n\"Oh, you're in the medical clinic. One of the security guard found you unconscious on the floor in aisle 7 and carried you here.\"\r \n\"How long was I out for?\"\r \n\"30 minutes at least,\" she said after checking her phone. \"I found a sandwich in your pocket. I know how much you value work, but you should also value your health.\" the nurse said.\r \n\r \nI opened your sandwich and started eating it. \"Did the security guard mention anything about rifts?\" I asked the nurse.\r \n\"Rifts, do they even exist anymore? By the way, I'm having a meeting now. Oh, and the guard that brought you is waiting outside.\" the nurse said as she exited the clinic.\r \n\r \nI thought for a moment and realized that the whole experience must be my brain messing with me. I swore that I would never miss another lunch again. A security guard entered the room and sat in a bed in front of me. \"Are you feeling better?\" he asked.\r \n\"Yeah, thanks for bringing me here. I owe you a favor.\"\r \n\"So can you keep a secret?\" he asked me.\r \n\"What secret?\" I asked curiously.\r \n\"This\" the moment he said that he morphed into a purple octopus and a halo appeared on top of its head.\r \"Wah!\"\n\nI fainted."
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[WP] Space salvage law is similar to marine salvage law: The first to stake their claim becomes the rightful owner of the ship and it's contents. However, when you try to claim old wreck, it becomes very obvious why nobody else wanted to even go near it...
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Not much to it we got there first and now it's for sale.\n\n​\n\nAs the ship approached the spinning mass I ran the scan again mentally checking off the check list. Life signs nil, origin markers nil, Radiation.. acceptable life safe, density high. All good signs for a salvage crew like us, still something like this should not have gone ungrabbed for long and I doubted our luck was that good. Being the only human on the crew I was still skeptical of things in space being safe we had only been recently made aware of life outside our own system. \"All crew to the bridge for salvage vote!\" the captains voice echoed out of my com box.\n\nHeading down the hall into the bridge, the rest of the crew was already there looking at the ship through the monitor. The Captain raised a claw quieting the muttering of the crew. \"now I am sure you all already know how this vote is going to go down but for the sake of our new crewmate I just want to say I am sorry for the noise and we will be done this quickly\"\n\nI blinked and looked around everyone seemed upset and off put by something and as for the mention of noise I couldn't help but ask \"What noise cap'n we all know to keep our yap shut when you have something to say?\" I was shocked by the sudden audible surprise from the rest of the crew. The captain not one to be caught of guard for long tapped her claw to her head.\n\n\"You don't hear it? well this changes things\" The crew started murmering but no one talked to me directly after the captain who stood waiting for me to respond.\n\n\"I honestly do not know what noise is this another round of test the human Mam I accept your next challenge but I had hopped that had stopped last year when I managed to drink that coolant\" I blushed partially at the memory. The crew were superstitious and had a habit of \"testing\" the space-worthiness of new crew with elaborate tests or hazing rituals.\n\nScraping her shoulder with her claw the captain cocked her head to the side and scanned the crew with her gaze. \"Alright crew hate to say it but time for this one to make the cut one more time!\" Reaching out and raising the shields with the flick of a switch I could see the crew start to relax a bit. \"since you already accepted the challenge you cant say no, it's a simple one. But this one is for all the coins as you humans say.\" I was confused at this but listening to the captain had always served me well in the past, she had a good head and a nose for profit that had all our accounts filled rather well for down times. \"All you have to do is get your suit jump to that there ship and flick off a switch\"\n\nAs with every time space jumps came up my stomach rolled humans do not do the best in zero g and I never handled it well. On top of that the crew had seemed very upset before the shield went up. \"do I get to know what I am flicking off cap'n?\" I ask the gurggling sound she makes in place of laughter bubbled up from her mouth. \n\n\"nothing to worry about my boy that there is a psionic beacon and you are gonna go flick it off and then we are going to make the biggest score of our careers\" The captain said as I was lead down to the airlock.\n\n\"Psionic? like esp?\" I asked before chuckling. mankind had yet to meet any species that had the ability though every species seemed to have stories about some kind of psychic bogymen. \"I did take the challenge\" I suited up and looked back at the captain. \"Cap'n? you cant be serious\" \n\nShe just shrugged and wiggled her eye-stocks at me a gesture I had come to equate with winking. \"Get to the bridge turn off the beacon and then we have stories\"...\n\n​\n\nThat was two weeks ago and now I believe the bidding for the \"Dread night of elder times\" shall start at...",
"\"Fuck\"\n\nAs my potty mouthed cousin said as his cheap Martian repair kit snaps in half attempting to fix the broken cooling tank for the millionth time.\n\n\"Right now, we're either going to drift in space and die a cold, cold death or someone's gonna to help us.\"\n\n\"Preferably someone not tryna send, I don't know, a million dildo's or something to Titan.\"\n\n\"Here,\" As I hand him a purpose-built multi toolkit for jury rigging spaceships from my time in college.\n\n\"This is the last multi toolkit I have, don't break it.\"\n\n\"Hey, isn't this from the time you managed to actually send a million dildo's to that country club at Titan.\" My cousin replies.\n\n\"Half a million,\" I wryly smile.\n \n\"And not just that, its through this exact same trajectory as well.\"\n\n\"I also remember Jupiter\" as I point to it in front of me \"just eclipsing Saturn almost at the beginning of the winter equinox on Earth.\"\n\n\"Well what do you know, I didn't think the orbit of that treasure ship would be so close to where we are now.\" He replies.\n\n\"Aaaannndddd, we're done! Let's get the show on the road.\"\n\n\"Oh shit!\"\n\nAn object, probably roughly the size of my forearm, just zipped past me at an incomprehensible speed not too dissimilar to a starfighter. At that speed, both of us would be dead men if it hit.\n\n\"Get in the fucking ship, now!\"\n\nWe both clumsily enter our tiny spaceship bought from some shady second-hand dealer back on Earth. Despite eons of advancement in spacesuit design, the tiny hatches still cause us to try and squeeze into it like an octopus through a tiny hole.\n\nFortunately, both our instincts as former fighter pilots in the air force allowed us to jam ourselves into our pathetic spaceship through our shared memories of trying to fit our monstrously large g-suits into tiny starfighter cockpits.\n\nWhenever something catches me off guard, I always try to take the time to recollect what just happened. Except, that wasn't too long until a hail of projectiles came screeching our way and violently shake our ship.\n\nLike rain onto a canvas roof, the crashing projectiles crescendo from periodic dull thuds into a constant flood of what sounded like bass boosted heartbeats.\n\nFuck, that must be me.\n\nI take a look out of the window to see what was hitting us. The objects just pass through like a blur but their general shape was something long and orange coloured. With what appear to be some small fins at the end. \n\nWe knew that the shipwreck still had active defence systems in place. Before we set off, we decided to counteract it by welding some armour grade plate in the front of the ship and shape it into something resembling a triangle to add some protection from small meteorites and to increase the structural integrity of this rust bucket. We were fortunate this hail hit us frontally. Anywhere else and we would be turned into mincemeat.\n\nThe pounding is now slowing down and I turn to my cousin. I can't see his face through the reflective visor but the lack of reaction from his hands and legs either indicate he's calm, or he's shit himself.\n\nEventually it stops and I spoke first.\n\n\"Let's start the ignition and get this thing moving!\"\n\n\"Roger that. I'll get the flight AI set up now.\" My cousin replies, as he hurriedly prepares the ship for thrust. Turning knobs and switches down, up, right, left.\n\nI get out to observe the damage. The armour on the front of the ship was almost unscathed. But the radar and most of the sensor equipment seemed to be damaged beyond repair. Sigh. Those were the items we had to raise money for.\n\nI reenter the ship. \"If we burn for 3 minutes at max throttle, we should hopefully approach within a few hundred meters from the wreck. After that, we'll glide over there on our boosters.\"\n\nThanks to both our hard work, the preparations are ready.\n\n\"Ready?\"\n\n\"Do it\"\n\nI turn the ignition throttle gradually, then suddenly. From 10% to 30 and to 100. We both sink into our chairs as if something big and heavy is sitting on top of us. Our eyes are slowly sinking back into their eye sockets and our feet and arms become glued to our chairs.\n\n3 full minutes of this is nightmarish. Normal people on Earth could perhaps resist at least 5-6 g's normally with a g-suit. We were pulling at least 9 to build up our acceleration for 3 full minutes and then glide our way to the point.\n\n3 full minutes of hell. \n\nMy cousin blacks out first, I try to resist the insane pressure on my body for as long as I can. I forcibly try to put my arm out to immediately stop the acceleration, but with every cm I move the g forces push me back 2. I too have no choice but to give in and retire. \n\n---------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\"Hey, get up.\" As my cousin shakes me up. \"We're here. I think we must've been out for an hour.\"\n\nI take a look through the window, I see the small rectangle-like object right out there with what appears to be a large hole. I feel immensely disappointed with what I was looking at. I was expecting some really cool looking spaceship with gun turrets everywhere, but alas, reality often disappoints.\n\n\"Let's get out and glide our way there.\"\n\nI tether myself to spaceship with what appears to be an infinite amount of rope. It was enough for 1 km of distance. Our broken radar couldn't help us determine the distance to the wreck so we have to try and reach it here and adjust it later. \n\nSo we set off, thinking about what secret treasures could there be.\n\n\"What do you think is there\" I ask.\n\n\"Dunno. I'm guessing some ancient alien artifact or some money. What about you?\"\n\n\"Hidden Nazi gold from the Illuminati stolen from the Swiss?\" I reply.\n\nThe wreck is getting close. Eventually I managed to see a piece of writing on the plate and I moved to go and take a look at it. On it I read that this was a shipment. Sent by Joseph Smith...\n\nHold on.\n\nMe???\n\nI read more. I cannot believe what I am seeing. We spent nearly a year preparing for this trip. Glossing hours and hours and hours of flight plans and manuals to build the perfect trajectory to this point. We bought this spaceship. Custom tailored it to our expectations, and we even raised money for this!\n\nI read further, dreading the final words.\n\nDestination: Titan.",
"When I saw that the old ship was unclaimed, I got excited. This is the sort of thing that gives poor salvagers their big break. Of course, I was aware it could have nothing worth anything in it. But I had looked at the different relics and such that could on this old a shirt, so those were what I thought of. \n\nI steered toward the wreck. Once I was close enough to see the model of the ship, a Monslavian Hauler, I also noticed debris around, newer than the wreck. Well, that explained why no one had claimed this yet. They tried. I switched from autopilot to manual controls, I don't trust autopilot in difficult situations, it's best fat out in the vastness of space. \n\nThe controls start responding weird, slow and janky. And while my scow may be old, it's controls are precise. I slow my speed and start to look for openings in the debris. I find a good one and adjust my course to go straight through it in 6000 kilos. After preparing a claim probe, I checked back on the route and found I had decorated significantly, so I course-corrected and piloted as actively as I could at the slow speed I was going. \n\nI reached the debris cloud, and while going in between, my scow jerked and I scraped the debris. No damage always popped up, so I continued on. After a few more close scraps, I landed on the ship. I engaged the clamps, and put on my space suit. \n\nAs soon as I was at the ship's hull, I activated my claim probe, attaching it to the ship. Technically others could salvage the debris around it, but if there's a claim probe in the area, they'll probably look elsewhere. \n\nI went around the ship until I found a airlock. I had to force it open, which means I let out whatever atmosphere might be left in the ship, but that's the way it goes. Once it's salvage, there's usually no reason to keep an atmosphere. \n\nThe inside of the ship was fancy. Like sure, the store was a century outdated, but it was nice in a way no Hualer should be. I explored around and found some instruments that could be worth something nice. \n\nOne room had a functioning mechine in it. Not only functional, but turned on. I pressed some of the buttons, then felt the vibrations of something crashing into this ship. I pressed more buttons, and turned it off. The wasn't any way I could remove the machine, it was way too big, but that made my decision to tow the ship. I was willing to put in the whole bunch of extra time it takes does my score to haul something with way more mass than the engines are built for, but this machine felt like it had something to do with those crashed ships out there, and people are always looking for more technology from before the invasion. I'd never heard of something that could throw off flying a ship that much, though."
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[WP] The centaur and you are fairly certain you have the wrong babies. Staff firmly disagrees.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\"I have been delivering babies for over 30,000 cycles now, *madam.\"* Dr. Zybrylx said, as she indignantly smoothed down her light magenta lab coat with one of her innumerable translucent psuedopods. \"I have hatched, birthed, pupated, or otherwise ushered in the offspring of hundreds of different species across three galaxies. As such, I can *assure* you, the larva you hold is, indeed, *your* spawn, and no one else's.\"\n\nMelody felt a moment of uncertainty, as she looked down at the baby. He *was* very adorable. And, as the doctor had pointed out, the little colored polymer ID band they put on the baby's wrist matched the band they put on her wrist. But his big brown eyes gave her pause, as both Melody and her husband, Hank, had *blue* eyes.\n\nAlso, the baby's torso seemed to be attached at the waist to the sleek, equine body of a newborn foal. \n\nMelody shook her head firmly. No, this was *not* her child, no matter how intelligent and offended the doctor sounded. Hank was always encouraging her to be more assertive -- this seemed like something she *really* needed to put her foot down on.\n\n\"How could *he* possibly have been inside of my body, a couple hours ago?\" Melody protested, gesturing to the drowsy foal-baby she held. He was rather awkwardly draped over her in her hospital bed with his four gangly legs splayed out at odd angles, and she thought it was clear the dimensions didn't add up.\n\nDr. Zybrylx sighed, wistfully, clasping several of her psuedopods over her heart, which Melody could see beating inside of the physicians nearly transparent thorax. \"I know! Motherhood is miraculous, isn't it? I remember when I budded off *my* first larva cluster, I--\"\n\n\"No,\" Melody interrupted, crossly. \"That wasn't a statement of *wonder,* it was genuine disbelief. I clearly was not carrying something this size inside me for nine months!\"\n\n\"Oh don't be silly.\" the doctor replied, with a dismissive wave of an amorphous limb. \"He was just all folded up and compressed, when he was sealed in your brood pouch.\"\n\n\"My *what?\"* Melody exclaimed.\n\n\"Your--good galaxies, girl, did no one ever explain how this works? Alright, here goes: you see, when two sentients with sufficiently similar genetic structures and complementary chromosome patterns decide to propagate together--\" \n\n\"I know how sex works, and I also know I don't have a pouch!\" Melody shouted. The foal began to stir uneasily, and Melody shushed him, awkwardly rocking him until he settled back down.\n\n\"You might call it your grub pocket, or maybe larva-bubble? I don't know all the slang you kids have for your reproductive organs these days, but \"brood pouch\" is the proper clinical term. Anyway, just look how he responds to you, you're obviously his mom.\" Dr. Zybrylx said, fondly, before waving a pseudopod at Melody, admonishingly. \"Don't get too attached just yet, though -- remember, once your mate gets here, we need to get that kid stuffed into *his* brood pouch for the next phase of gestation as soon as possible. The latest neo-natal research says that the fourth septemester of gestation should ideally be initiated before the baby's outer membrane starts to harden in the open air, you know.\"\n\n\"Were any of those hundreds of species whose babies you delivered *humans?\"* Melody asked, suspiciously.\n\nThe doctor rolled several of her dozen eyes. \"Look, ma'am, I know everyone thinks *their* species is unique and special, but most biology is surprisingly uniform across the universe. Trust me, I've worked on plenty of warm-blooded vertebrates, such as yourself.\"\n\nBefore she could respond, Melody was distracted by a rhythmic tapping sound -- which turned out to be the sound of hooves slapping on the tile floor. What appeared to be a very tired-looking female centaur stood in the door to Melody's room, holding a tiny blue-eyed newborn. The baby wore a wristband the same color as that of his ostensible mother, but notably had only two legs.\n\n\"Hey, uh, doctor,\" the centaur woman said, drowsily, swaying slightly on her four feet. \"I don't know if it's the prenatal analgesics still tripping me out and I just forgot, but I think it's been a couple hours and my baby hasn't even *tried* to stand up yet. Is he okay?\" She held the newborn up before her face, squinting at him appraisingly, as she turned him from side to side. \"Um, and I also can't seem to find the rest of his legs...\"\n\nDr. Zybrylx threw up her psuedopods in consternation. \"For the galaxy's sake! Why do I get all the crazy ones?\" she demanded, crossly.",
"“Are you absolutely sure?” Atriel, the greatest knight of the plain-riders, asked for what must have been the tenth time. I sighed, voicing the pain I could see in the head healer’s eyes as she struggled to find the words to convince us.\n\n“Yes. I know the child-birthing process was hard on you and we had to medicate you pretty heavily…but these are still your children. I saw them delivered myself, I cleaned them up and wrapped them in linens. Sister Alana has been watching them since then. So, with that knowledge, I can attest with 100% confidence – these are your children,” the healer explained again.\n\n“No one was able to sneak-in?” I asked. “A mage could’ve created a portal, stepped through, and swapped them-“\n\n“Why would a mage do that? Give me one good reason why you would think that’s a possibility.”\n\n“Well. I don’t know, how would I? I’m not a mage, just a simple guardsman.”\n\n“You can’t think of one.”\n\n“You must admit this is unusual,” I persisted.\n\n“Is it? They do look like both of you. Just, just look, alright? Really look at them and tell me you can’t see any resemblance.”\n\n“I don’t see-“\n\n“That’s the problem. Look. *See*. Then please sign this paperwork so we can release them into your care.” The healer’s eyes had gone from being frustrated to a little murderous. More than a little, actually. She looked about ready to toss aside the stack of papers in her hand and strangle me. “Go on. Don’t dally now.”\n\nWith another sigh, I stepped past her and glanced at the two children. And once I did, any half-baked theories of magic kidnappers faded away.\n\nI rested my hand on my wife’s shoulder.\n\n“Maybe…they do look like us.”\n\n“They do?” She glanced back to me.\n\n“Well, yes. Maybe not quite in the way we were expecting, but…I think they’re beautiful. Look, the boy has your eyes.”\n\n“And your legs.”\n\n“And the girl has my eyes.”\n\n“And my legs.”\n\nI glanced to our baby boy. His chest rose and fell slowly in slumber. His skin was a healthy pink, and all four limbs were there. Our daughter rested in a crib – admittedly a makeshift one designed to be three times as large – beside him. Her four legs kicked at random, and occasionally her head would buck as she wandered through some infantile dream. Undoubtedly she’d grow up to be just as strong as her mother. Even without arms.\n\nIt was unusual, undoubtedly so. But my wife was a centaur, and I a horse-headed minotaur. Perhaps it wasn’t so odd.\n\nMore than that, it didn’t matter at all. As I watched the two of them, I found nothing in my heart but love.\n\n“She’s a horse, Charles, and he’s a human.”\n\n“And we’ll love them for it,” I said confidently and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Just as we would if they were something closer to what we expected.”\n\n“Hm, yes.” Atriel nodded, her eyes growing distant. “Yes, we will. They are beautiful, aren’t they?”\n\n“They are. More than any treasure I’ve guarded before,” I replied. “More than the setting sun over the-“\n\n“Would you *PLEASE* sign these forms now?”\n\n​\n\n(Thanks for reading! C&C always welcome.)"
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[WP] Suppose for a moment, in principle, if two objects could be made sufficiently similar they’d become one. And from then on, anything that happened to one would happen to the other.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\"Breaking news. A new discovery has been made in material sciences. The principle governing has been named Material Fungibility or Lee's fungibility after Dr. Greg Lee who made the discovery. The research paper was published last week in the Journal of Material Science, and has gained momentum via social media. The...\" \n\nThe TV squeaks dead, as I keep the remote down. The breaking news has been breaking for days now. I pull up my phone as I lay on the bed, which quite cozy. I should probably give a good review for the hotel once I leave. If I leave.\n\nI scroll through social media and it is chaos. I look at the trending hastags. #Fungibility #Teleportation #exorcism #endoftheworld #fungibledildos. It's a true face palm moment. And even the celebrities have chimed in. \n\nFwake | rapper\n\"The new technology is revolutionary and can end the use of fossil fuels. Also, my tour tickets are out. Link in bio. Let us all fun funge together. #fungibility\"\n\nEw.\n\nRev. Arthur \n\"As a priest of the masses, I would urge the devout to not be misguided by the witchcraft disguised as technology. This is the ploy of the liberals who want to take down our age old traditions and systems. We will not fall for it. #exorcism\"\n\nReligious bullshit.\n\nThe Day Show\n\"Want to learn how to funge away your problems or the global supply chain, worry not. We have you covered. Watch the following interview where we sit down with Dr. Greg Lee and ask all your questions.\"\n\nWait. Wtf. I look at the video. That's not Greg Lee. I am Greg Lee. Locked up in an hotel room in the middle of knowehere otherwise known as Missouri. This is blasphemy. Why am I being punished for making a revolutionary discovery? And how misconstrued are these people about material fungibility. Only similar objects made of the artificially fabricated Gregite material can be made fungible. And yes, the material is named after me. Cause it was my brilliance that led to the discovery of the property.\n\n\"Why are you looking so intensely at the ceiling?\" \n\nI look to my right. Sitting on a chair upright is the secret service agent. He was supposed to just watch me silently. \n\n\"How long will I have to stay?\" I ask.\n\n\"Till we get the green light to transport you to the Pentagon.\" He says in monotone.\n\nI sigh. His shoulders relax a bit. He continues in a softer tone. \"There are many countries who want to capture you. We are just keeping you safe.\"\n\n\"Thank you.\" I say.\n\n\"Your welcome.\" He smiles in response. He has an assymetrical face. \"By the way, I think your discovery is going to change the world.\" \n\n\"I know.\" I look back onto my phone. The interview has become viral. \"Did the government hire the actor who sat in The Day Show interview.\"\n\n\"Yes. It is better that your identity is kept under wrap. We would have changed the name of the scientist but before we could control it you blew up on social media. So we...\" He stops. His ears flicker as his eyes open wide. I can hear it too. Fires beings shot in the corridor. The secret service agent gets up immediately and in gentle steps moves towards the door while signing me to get behind the bed. I do as I am told. The gunman goes silent. \n\nBoom. The door blasts open with smoke fogging the entire room. Shots are fired. I have to get our somehow but I can't move. My knees have anchored to the floor. I look at my phone. I never tested it but I have no other way. I open my lab app and activate the teleportation. \n\nOh God! Please make this work!\n\nThud. The secret service agent falls on the ground as blood squirts out of a hole in his neck. And before I can see the assassins, I glitch and teleport to my lab and a block of Gregite to the room. \n\nI try getting up as I teleported flat on my back, but I can't. I try looking at my legs but there is only a mass of flesh and blood spread over. And I start feeling the pain. \n\nAhhhhhhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhh! Ahhh! Ah. \\/\\____ . . ."
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[WP] A man walks into your workplace and takes out a gun. Nervous, but resolutely, he aims at you and says "I'm sorry, but you know the rules of the game"
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\\[Lunar Entertainment\\] \n\n\"Hey! Where've you been?\" Aurelio had just made himself comfortable in the office. He was looking to distract himself when Jenny walked in; she hadn't returned any of his messages in a few days.\r \n \r \n\"Working...,\" Jenny replied with a shrug. \"thinking. I don't want to interrupt anything...,\" she gestured at the cluttered desk between them. \"I just wanted to give you this.\" Jenny leaned forward and offered him a node. Aurelio began to reach for it before he realized what it was.\r \n \r \n\"You're not interrup-,\" he paused and pulled his hand back. The node was transparent like all the nodes he owned. Except, this one had a red translucent sun etched in the center. \"Why are you giving me your soul?\" he asked. \"I'm not saying no,\" he added. But, before she could answer, Aurelio's door opened again. A nervous gentleman with grey stubble a growing bald spot atop his head walked in on shaking knees. He aimed a gun at Aurelio.\r \n \r \n\"I'm sorry, but you know the rules of the game,\" the man said. Aurelio ignored the intruder and kept his focus on Jenny.\r \n \r \n\"Did something happen with Dread?\" he asked. \"She won't talk to me either and Dirge isn't any help.\"\r \n \r \n\"Yeah...,\" Jenny nodded. She was glad he asked. She was trying to be brave and keep her problems to herself; but, she couldn't lie to Aurelio. \"... we were walking through an old Sharp facility and we were talking about Dana. Then we talked a little bit about how I used to be a Zero and how Dana upgraded me to a Unique Soul...,\" Jenny broke eye contact and hung her head. \"...she didn't know what it took. She wasn't happy when she found out what I did.\"\r \n \r \n\"What?\" Aurelio tilted his head at her. \"What'd you do?\" he asked.\r \n \r \n\"I'm.. I'm sorry,\" the gunman spoke up again. His hand wavered but the gun was still aimed at Aurelio. \"but you know the rules of the game,\" he said.\r \n \r \n\"Do you need to deal with that..?\" Jenny asked. Aurelio shook his head.\r \n \r \n\"He won't do anything until I draw my gun. What was Dread so mad about?\" he asked.\r \n \r \n\"Aury...,\" Jenny said. \"...Dana killed a million of my Zeros to make me Unique.\"\r \n \r \n\"So!?\" Aurelio chuckled. \"They were just Zeros....,\" he grinned. But, Jenny shook her head.\r \n \r \n\"As far as Dread is concerned I might as well have pulled the trigger on each one individually,\" she said. \"I don't know if she'll ever talk to me again.\" She tapped the node with her finger. \"And, I don't need a reminder right now.\"\r \n \r \n\"So, you're just taking a break for a bit, is that it?\" Aurelio asked. He reached for the node she offered him earlier. \"That's fine, I don't need a lot of time to figure this out.\" Jenny shook her head, but she giggled.\r \n \r \n\"I haven't been able to crack Dana's security on that in years; and, we both know I'm better at it than you.\"\r \n \r \n\"Maybe,\" he shrugged with a smile. \"But, we both know I'm luckier than you.\"\r \n \r \n\"I'm sorry, but you know the rules of the game,\" the gunman spoke again.\r \n \r \n\"Uuuugh, fine,\" Aurelio rolled his eyes. \"I don't even want to play anymore.\" He reached into his desk drawer and pulled a gun out; then, he tossed it to the floor. It landed at the gunman's feet. \"I give up,\" Aurelio said.\r \n \r \n\"Too bad,\" the gunman lowered his weapon and shook his head. \"You lost the game.\" He turned to walk out of the office.\r \n \r \n\"I thought you were just getting started?\" Jenny asked. Aurelio nodded.\r \n \r \n\"I was,\" he held up the red and transparent node. \"...but now I have something better to play with.\"\n\n\r \n\\*\\*\\* \nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is story #1637 in a row. (Story #190 in year five.). This story is part of an ongoing saga that takes place at a high school in my universe. It began on June. 6th and I will be adding to it with prompts every day until August 19th. They are all collected in order at [this link](https://www.reddit.com/r/Hugoverse/comments/v6bapz/aurelios_sun_1st_half/).",
"I quietly reach for the drawer where I kept ‘that’ weapon. \n\n“How’d you find me?”, I ask, trying to buy myself some time.\n\nShe laughed, pointing at my hands. “Easy, agent. Hands off the table.” \n\nFuck. \n\nFuck, she’s still slow. I slowly raise my hands, my right hand a little lower than my left. \n\nShe continues answering my question, finally feeling confident, “The hardest part was digging through the records of each country. You should be glad I took the longer route.”\n\nI finally put the gun up and pointed it at her. \n\nShe seems… shocked. Of course, she should be. \n\n“You…” \n\nShe kept looking around the place, nervous, shaken. \n\nI was holding her daughter’s weapon, the Ulbira. The moment she went country-hopping, I visited her daughter to try and get some info. Turns out, the irresponsible mother left her 15 year old daughter in charge of the world’s most powerful weapon. \n\n“I’m sorry, but you know the rules of the game.”",
"Seven years. The war hadn’t been kind, but the peace that came after had been harsher still.\n\nJericho was a backwards rock of a planet. Near enough to the central worlds it got a steady supply of trade but not so far away you could hide from the law. Or justice.\n\nAbraham looked at the snub nose of the weapon pointed at his chest.\n\n“T11. Been a long time since I’ve seen one of them,” he said from across the desk.\n\nSomewhere in the warehouse outside his little glass office a forklift whirred to life, some central AI taking it to and fro. Abe liked this job. He liked watching the world move while he got to sit still.\n\nNot having to make decisions was the best part of peace.\n\n“You knew the rules, Abe.”\n\nThe gun didn’t quiver. It was held in a combat grip by a combat veteran.\n\n“John, it’s passed.”\n\n“Not for me. Not for them.”\n\n“Then it’s in the past.”\n\nThe great doors of the warehouse rumbled open to admit the forklift, and John looked over his shoulder.\n\nAbraham was up and standing in a heartbeat.\n\n“Stop,” John shouted.\n\n“Or what? You’ll shoot me? You couldn’t then and you won’t now.”\n\n“Don’t push me Abe.”\n\n“I’m still your commanding officer.”\n\n“Now who’s living in the past,” John said. He took a step back, blocking the only door and making sure he was out of arms reach.\n\nAbe just watched him. All his fight had gone the moment he stood up and realised he wasn’t some junior officer anymore.\n\n“Why now?” Abe asked.\n\n“You broke the agreement.”\n\n“I took what was mine.” Abe leant forwards, worn knuckles resting on the table. “Just like you did.”\n\n“I didn’t want it. I didn’t want any of it!”\n\n“But you took it.”\n\n“You bastard.”\n\n“You could have walked. Walked out on your squad.”\n\n“And be shot in the back.”\n\n“Tell me private, how is that different to shooting me in the face now.”\n\n“Because I know I’m in the right.”\n\n“Then do it.”"
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[WP] As they earth is about to be destroyed taking all life with it, you are mistakingly abducted. You happened to share a name and age with a professor of human history and are now sat aboard a alien vessel and must recount notable stories of human kind. Except you flunked history.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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're probably wondering how a small, incredibly handsome man like myself ended up hanging upside down, stripped of all clothing inside an alien ship out in space. Well, so am I really, so while I try to stay calm and ignore the fact that two pink lizards are currently pointing at my genitals and looking at each other with what I can only describe as a smirk on their faces let me tell you how I got here.\n\nIt was January 6 and I was heading to work. I worked at a gas station in Austin, Texas, and, in all honesty, I loved it. I walked to work while listening to Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush (a really underrated song, I hope it gets some well-deserved attention one day) and, as always, I looked at my feet while I walked. I got to work, peed, made a cup of coffee and when I get to the counter I realize something was wrong. No one was there. No cars, no customers, and... none of my coworkers were there either. Since I got in through an unlocked door I thought someone must have been there so I didn't really get bothered by it. \n\nI turned on the TV and that's when I saw it. A meteor was heading to earth and was so big it was bound to hit both North America and Eastern Asia in 9 hours, basically destroying the whole world in the aftermath. I thought it was a movie, mostly because how could NASA not have seen it? But as I changed the channels I realized it was real and it explained why everyone had left work. I contemplated my options and decided to get a trash bag and filled it with goodies from the gas station. I even got a pack of cigarettes, something I always wanted to try.\n\n I got home and I looked around my apartment. A few hours later I came to the realization that I would go out with a bang and I started drinking and eating all kinds of sweets while watching Fantastic Four. The heat was so intense I took all my clothes off and started having shots.\n By nightfall, I was in the toilet as my body exorcised all the food I had just eaten. I went back to the sofa and saw that there were only 9 minutes left until the meteor arrived so I decided to light a cigarette and when I took my first drag there was a light and... Well, I was suddenly hanging upside down in the air, inside a space ship and two pink lizards were staring at me and speaking in an alien language.\n\n Seeing where I was and what was happening scared the hell out of me so I peed a little, but since I had no clothes on and I was upside down...\n\n\"Vitmor Sinclair?\" One of the aliens asked.\n\n\"Y-Yeah?\" I asked embarrassed out of my mind.\n\n\"We want to offer you a deal. Since you are a history professor and surely know a lot about the Human race we will save you from the comet by taking you to another civilized planet and in return, you tell us all you know about humans.\"\n\nI looked at the alien and realized that they must have gotten the wrong Vitmor Sinclair, but since it was either this or death I took a drag of my cigarette (the only thing I brought with me) and I told him:\n\n\"I agree to your terms. Have you ever heard of, or seen movies? And if not, will you be able to access any after the meteor hits?\"\n\n\"We aren't aware of what... movies... are and I'm afraid we won't be able to retrieve anything else from Earth.\"\n\n\"Oh, what a shame!\" I said ironically. \"Well, turn me around, bring me a chair and a refreshment and I'll tell you all about humanity, starting with this guy called Harry Potter and the things he had to do to take down a tyrant.\"\n\nThey got incredibly excited and rushed to get me a drink and, as my body turned around and my feet touched the fluffy floor, I knew that having spent years watching television had not been a waste of time as my mother told me.",
"\"Damien Chavez?\" the otherworldly being hovered over me. They weren't like the aliens from the movies, gray and bug eyed, more like large, multicolored piles of pudding. \n\n\"Ah yes I am, but I think there might have been so my sort of mix up you see I am-\", my words were cut short by a blinding red light radiating from outside the ships main window. The little breath I had went short as I watched the blue sphere in the distance separate from one part to two, then two to four, and four into millions of tiny pieces. The explosion was massive, yet soundless; tiny Earth crumbs now drifted into the expanse of space as my eyes struggled to keep up, trying to piece them back together in my mind. No such luck. \n\nThe pudding-like creatures around me barely flinched at their eradication of billions of lives. Hell, I didn't even know if they *could* flinch anyway. The alien closest to me, a particularly colorful blob even among its kind, spoke in garbled English. \"As bl-you bl-ere splaying?\" \n\nI decided it best to take it all in for a moment before formulating a reply. Earth was gone, I was probably the last human, these pudding aliens looked delicious, ok, moment passed. \"I was saying that yes, I am Damien Chavez, Head of Human History at...Yale? No, no, of Earth.\" the group of aliens made a collective noise that sounded like lotion being slapped on a wood floor, which I took as their being impressed. \n\nThen one of the blobs gooped over to a control panel, encased a button with its ooze, and we were off through space. I let out a sigh of unsure relief as we soared beyond the stars, now just a blur outside. \n\nThe realization set in faster that I had thought. The realization that Earth was gone. Not just my home, but any proof it had even existed had been blasted into dust. Sadly I had no time to grieve, and even less time to grieve about not being to grieve. I had to think back to such important events as the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln crossing the Delaware, and everything that happened before the whole Jesus debacle. \n\nSure enough one of the pudding boys splonched over on cue. His tiny eyes rolled around as he coasted across the floor to where I sat. Soon more followed, all gathering at my feet for story time. \"So, tell us everything. What were humans like, Lanky One?\" \n\n\"Wait you can speak normally? What was up with that guy then?!\" I gestured to the prettiest of the Jell-O lads. \n\n\"Oh, well it often takes us a moment to get the mouth feel right for words. Your language wasn't too bad. Now shower us with crunchy tales of humanity.\" I didn't know where to start. Not just that there was too much to say, but I literally had no idea what version of things seemed the most interesting, so I improvised. \n\n\"It all started with a group of eternal God's who combined their might to cause a huge explosion called the...the... Large Boom\" I continued on as they listened with intent, or at least what seemed to be. From George Washingbeard, to Martin Lancer King Jr, my stories grew more extravagant by the moment. Soon I didn't even try to recall the names as they were, it wasn't like they mattered now anyways. \n\nNixon became Nixon Prime, perpetrator of the Watergate Attack. Wars became larger and ended with better conclusions. Most catastrophe's in human history I brushed over or kept the same, as it seemed sacrilegious to tell it otherwise, but they always ended in giant monster fights and equality. \n\nThe blobs ooh'ed and ahh'ed with each story, and when they got really excited they made sounds like many bowls of macaroni being stirred at once. \"And then I was abducted and the Earth was destroyed...by you all\" I finished. They clapped, which worried me that the gesture meant something different to them, something like *murder that guy*. But after the claps died one blob spoke. \n\n\"I speak for us all when I say Earth must have been a wonderful place! As a matter of fact, maybe it was a mistake to destroy it without a proper visit.\"\n\nThe ship stopped with halt, then began flying in reverse. \n\n\"Wha- what are we doing?\" \n\nIn a second we were back at the spot where Earth had been, the moon still coasted off into space. A pudding alien to my right turned a series of knobs and with another flash of blinding light the blue sphere returned where it had been. \n\n\"We're going to Earth and you will be our guide, Lanky One!\" \n\nWell. It felt good to have been the speaker for humanity, even for just a moment."
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[WP]You knew that when you adopted your adorable puppy from the animal shelter that it would be growing into a big dog since its paws were rather large. You just didn’t expect it to grow that large.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 federal agent sitting in my living room has not cracked a smile even once. Even with Daisy resting her big head on her knee, she seems incapable of showing anything other than a neutral expression.\n\n\"Look, I know Daisy is a big dog,\" I tell her. \"But plenty of dogs are big, have you seen great danes?\"\n\n\"That is correct, yes,\" the agent says. \"But do great danes also spit fire?\"\n\n\"Spit fire?\" I ask. \"I...I have no idea what you're talking about.\"\n\n\"The carpet is singed in several areas, Mr. Gallagher,\" She says. \"And you have an abundance of burn ointment resting atop your fridge.\"\n\n\"Maybe I like to cook,\" I tell her after a moment's pause. \"And...maybe I'm not that good at it.\"\n\n\"Enough beating around the bush, Mr. Gallagher,\" She says, leaning forward. \"The animal you refer to as 'Daisy' is actually what we in my field of work refer to as a Hellhound. Canis Infernum, to be exact.\"\n\n\"O-okay, so she isn't an ordinary dog, so what?\"\n\n\"So, I can't leave her here on a populated college campus without proper supervision.\"\n\n\"Wait, you're not saying-\"\n\n\"That I have to take her?\" She asks. \"Unfortunately, yes, that is what I'm saying.\"\n\n\"Come on, you can't do this!\" I say, standing from my chair. \"W-what if I commute? I can let Daisy stay home while I go to college.\"\n\n\"Mr. Gallagher-\"\n\n\"Or, I could drop out! I have to keep an eye on my grandma either way, that might be easier!\"\n\n\"Mr. Gallagher-\"\n\n\"Or what if I take whatever training it is you have?\" I ask. \"You said you need someone trained right?\"\n\nShe pauses.\n\n\"Yes, I did.\"\n\n\"So, what if I do whatever training is necessary to keep Daisy?\"\n\nShe ponders her response for a moment. After clicking her tongue twice, she says, \"My department did do its research before approaching you, Mr. Gallagher. My superiors did admit that you would make for an excellent candidate for becoming an agent. If you were to pass all of your exams and enter our field, you would be allowed to keep Daisy.\"\n\n\"An agent?\" I ask warily. \"Like, a government agent?\"\n\n\"That is correct, yes?\"\n\n\"I-I suppose I can try, at least.\" I tell her.\n\n\"That's the spirit.\"\n\n\"What department is it that you work for?\"\n\n\"We are PRIA.\" She says, standing from her chair. \"The Paranormal Research and Investigation Agency.\""
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Deiside: killing a god
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[WP] “ Well I’m not sure how you did it but your being charged with Deiside “
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 droughts have started. They think these are the yearly ones happening every Summer but I know these are different. Maybe someone will step up to fix the issue but I'm not. Maybe I'll move somewhere cleaner, where people have more respect for nature and all the tiny gods.\n\nI've watched as these people moved away from even the simplest of rituals, of the simple courtesy of just saying \"Thank you for the rain,\" or \"Thank you for the sunny day,\" or, or ANYTHING. I can't do it, it cannot fall on me to do it. I am not some arbiter between all the gods and them. That has never been my duty. \n\nEvery now and then I feel a little bit of rain fall as some person, maybe a farmer, actually, devoutly, wishes for rain. Wishes... as if they don't want to acknowledge they are praying to someone they no longer know... but can still feel deep within that exists.\n\n\nI wish I could... Listen to me, praying to some unknown like they are doing. Wouldn't it be cool if djinns still existed. Ok, not really, those tales of warding and warning were retold and battered down until those captured gods became a mockery of their true Terrible selves, until they became *shudder* heroes. \n\nI can feel the universal death coming towards us all as people change and forget. I won’t whisper away into nothing. I have heard of certain spells these people have. Spells that make things so, because they have elected someone to say it is so. They are called courthouses rather than castles or temples, and their priests, kings? Ah… no, judges, work the magic of collective belief.\n\n---\n\nI looked at the documents, in awe of the simplicity and beauty. I'd done it. I'd changed my name “legally\". What an interesting spell! I was no longer, Shewah, bringer of rain to the lower valleys. I felt different looking at my new name: smaller, lighter, definitely happier. I feel almost... human."
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[WP] "Why are you humans so damn effective at warfare?" "What, you don't use magic?" "I'm sorry, magic?"
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 surprised at the fact that the Aelfe and Warfe don't use magic, given how closely intertwined with the mana from the Void their existences are.\n\n\"I'm sorry, *magic*?\" Grantham IV spoke behind their pointed ears and lustrous beard.\n\nI spoke again, invoking my Sight. The Sight produced new harmonics as the mama became disturbed around me by my own voice. \"Yes, magic. I can use it,\" I paused, invoking the rune for Flame, and clicking my fingers like a lighter before continuing as the flame jetted upwards from my thumb. \"But you both are literally *made* of it. I can see it lacing through your entire beings - the very essence of our magic.\"\n\nGrantham pursed their beard as an Aelfe would, twining it in consideration. Meanwhile, the smoky Warfe Krisallys stared at the flame, as I leached the mana in the casting back into the surrounding air, dimming it and cooling the flame.\n\n\"Go ahead, you should be able to touch it now.\" Krisallys extended her left arm across the narrow table as I winced, a deep, thrusting crack emanating from where her elbow was. Her fingers tied themselves in knots through the flame I had, and then clamped down through the flame on my thumb.\n\nA tingle of electricity went through my hand and it spasmed as mana sieged through the hand. I stopped the spell, shaking my hand to get rid of the sensation of a bony ballista of bracken in the joints of my fingers.\n\nKrisallys breathed heavily for a second, not quite a sigh. Her cheeks had whitened slightly, a Warfen blush entering her thick-boned cheeks. Then, she giggled. \"Oh, that felt....Nice.\" There was a slight slurring to her words, a mild intoxication.\n\n*Note to self - mana may be an aphrodisiac and/or narcotic to Warfen. A question that can be answered later.*\n\nThe Aelfe touched gently where the flame had been. They spoke, a chewing of blood and ashes concealed in a husky alto. \"That was incredible. You just...made flame spout from your own flesh. And then whatever it was you did made this bendy girl very....huh.\"\n\nGrantham's beard did its mimicking of the flick of a lighter and then started dancing like the flame. I would never get used to that. As they stood, their frame dwarfing us both, another set of drinks came from the six Fae bartenders, telempaths who were always ready with their disproportionate strength and flight for their 1-foot size. Three small espresso cups were catered for us, as well as my coffee and two yard flagons for Grantham upon their return.\n\nKrisallys giggled again, even higher pitch this time, as her yes struggled to focus on the Fae. \"Wheeeeee,\" she sang, as the Fae became uncomfortable, placing the drinks down on the table.\n\nI sipped my coffee, as Krisallys *whaaaa*'ed at her absinthe-like drink, a bright green mixed with treebark brown specks. I could smell the alcohol content from here, as well as the anise scent. She took a sip and immediately appeared to level out as she finished the three drinks ordered, one after the other.\n\n\"We should do this again, Ambassador.\" There was a strange moment of hypnotism as she got up, and I couldn't help but stare after her.\n\nIt was clearly the smoke she trailed after herself, and not anything else.",
"It had been a long day of work for Nina, since the war ceased, exactly a month ago, the number of researches initiated on her development team had exploded. Hundreds of new materials that didn't even exist on Earth had suddenly become her object of study, and god, it was exhausting.\n\n—I swear, such firepower! I thought our shields wouldn't resist it!\n\nNina just smiled and shook her head a bit. At the moment, she was waiting for the waiter to bring to the table her steak at her favorite restaurant, with some company, it was a friend that she had made exactly a month minus one day ago.\n\n—And don't get me started on your structures, how did you come up with building your defenses *underground*?! No wonder they were so hard to blast!\n\nThe excited creature sitting in front of Nina was quite human looking, the most notable difference was the fact that she was made of a strange jelly-like red substance that seemed to sparkle from inside, although others of her kind displayed a wide range of colors. Her arms were weird too, clearly longer and with no joint, Nina had seen her use them like snakes with a hand instead of head, it had made her chuckle when Nina mentioned it. \n\n—I doubt anyone really knows how, at some point of our history someone discovered it was effective and we do it since then.— Nina responded, the alien nodded and let out a \"mmmm\" noise, Nina had noticed they did it a lot.\n\nHer name was Serala, and she was amazed with every single thing she had learned about humans so far.\n\n—Alright, alright, but, there's one thing I can't get out of my head, you all are so effective at warfare, but why don't you use magic?\n\n\"Crap\" Nina thought\n\n—Excuse me, magic?\n\n—You heard me, magic!— The alien insisted, turning on her seat to the waitress bringing the couple trays with the food and placing them on the table showing quite a display of balance.\n\n—Magic doesn't exist here, Serala.\n\n—Lies!— Nina was a bit shocked that the alien knew. Well... At least she didn't seem hurt, she was chuckling.\n\n—We have energy readings that say otherwise, and c'mon, every other world we've been in has adapted magic into their culture, but not here, so why?\n\n—I'll be honest, I don't have idea of why.\n\n—But you know how.\n\nSerala started to move in circles the plastic straw on her drink and took a sip, causing more sparkles to happen inside her head and gradually extend to the rest of her body. She watched her own hand, as the fingers were the only part besides the head that her suit didn't cover, then her gleaming eyes moved back to Nina, some worry starting to take over her when she noticed the expresion on the face of her human friend.\n\n—Hey, don't be so tense, this is not an interogatory, I'm just curious.\n\nNina sighed, pulling a bit her blonde hair back and making a ponytail, it was getting hot in there and it was bothering her to think how to explain.\n\n—Uh... I'm sorry, didn't mean to... We can change topic if-\n\n—Look... It's alright. I promise, you can stop panicking.—Nina couldn't avoid to chuckle when Serala exhaled all of her air in relief, It was surprisingly easy to cause these aliens intense feelings. \n\n—But,— Nina continued— I'm not legally allowed to talk to you about it, or else I'll lose my job.\n\n—Oh! Yes, I understand that. Apologies for putting you on that edge.\n\n—Just don't mention it and we're in peace, okay?\n\n—Deal!\n\nThe next minute was of silence while they both ate from their respective food, agreeing without words to let the topic fly away, or that was what Nina had thought.\n\n—Do you think... That I could talk with your boss about it? One day... \n\n—Mmmaybe. I'll get you a hour of meeting.\n\n—Like that?\n\n—What do you mean?\n\nSerala shrugged.\n\n—You didn't ask anything in exchange\n\n—Eh... I live happy, I don't need anything\n\nHours later they were walking out of the restaurant after having their fun and talking nonstop and laughing at each other's stories.\n\n—Actually... —Nina began to say while putting her wallet into her purse— I think you can play the snake on my cousin's puppet show, that's what I want in exchange.\n\nSerala couldn't help but to laugh again, little did she know that Nina was serious, and that she was about to learn how magic had helped every single human during the short war her kind had caused.\n\n--- the end :v ---\n\nDefinitely not my best work, but I really wanted to do it\n\nConstructive criticism is appreciated!"
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[WP] When you die, if you are deemed worthy of hell, you are reincarnated forever as a blade of grass. Unknown to humans, grass can feel, the same way humans do.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Plantsir bathed in the morning sunlight, photosynthesizing.\n “Morning Bill,” he said cheerfully. “Another fine one if I don’t say myself.”\n\n \n“Just give it time newcomer,” Bill whispered into the wind.\n\n\nPlantsir had gotten to exchange just a few words with his neighbor. The somber man was less than forthcoming on how he had come to find himself in the fold on Miss Waterworth’s Lawn. “Whatever you say Bill.”\n\n\n \nOriginally, Plantsir had his worries about eternal damnation as a blade of grass, but he had to admit it was growing on him. Much the same as the millimeter’s he’d seen since his sentencing. When he’d arrived at the pearly gates and met with St. Peter he’d been shaking in his corporeal britches. He’d led a less then fruitful life after all. Robbing, stealing, and cheating his way through most of it. An’ he hadn’t meant to kill the girl it sort of just happened that way. The voices. They’d told him to…\n\n\nNo, the life of a blade was fitting for Plantsir. It was a peaceful sort of existence. Lapping in the sun’s rays, listening to the cars pass, seeing the children—\n\n\n \nPlantsir felt a rustle through his roots, rattling his stalk. \n\n\nBill let out a long drawn sigh. “It’s looks as though it has begun.” \n\n\n“What’s started?” Plantsir asked, shaking.\n\n\n“Our reckoning is at hand.” Bill cackled a certain madness to his voice. “The weekly culling—” \n\n\nPlantsir couldn’t hear him over the dull roar. The rumble vibrated through his entire core. Then in an instance excruciating pain lanced through his center. Severed in two. His screams were drowned out over the whirling lawnmower blades as they passed overhead. And were soon muffled by Miss Waterworth’s insole. \n\n\n \nHe shuddered in and out of consciousness as the waves of agony spread through his remnant.\n\nBill’s trembling words drew Plantsir back to the present. “Now do you see newcomer…the hell we occupy on this lawn.”"
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[WP] Your life turned completely upside down when you found out your three best friends are really Greek Gods in disguise! But today you find out something even more shocking. Turns out, they've been sent from Mount Olympus specifically to protect you, and for a very special reason.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 Momus” said Mark, with a bit more showmanship and emphasis than any statement over a cafe brunch has ever needed.“Cool.” I replied “Is this a pronoun thing, because I try and keep up with all the LGBT stuff, but it…”\n\n“Not a, THE Momus.” said ~~Mark~~ Momus interrupting. \n\nI gave him a second then shrugged, while bicycling my hands in the universal symbol of ‘That means nothing to me, you are going to have to explain that because I’m not one of your little Twitter friends’ “Which is…?” I prompted.\n\n“*^(By Athena’s dry crusty…)* No one remembers anymore do they?” He deflated somewhat.\n\n“Still not an explanation” I offered. “ What is this ‘Momus’ business?” ~~Mark~~ Momus took a moment as if trying to recall the type of answer that only comes three days later, when you are in the shower.”\n\n“I am the tongue that is the sword” He intoned. “I am the pen which poisons. I am the truth that flays. Gods fear me. I am the oracle in Exile. I am Momus. God of Sarcasm. God of Satire, Mockery, and Scorn, and you girl are my charge”\n\n“Cool” I said as flatly as I could manage. “Is *that* it?” I wasn’t a fan of the ‘girl’ bit.\n\n“I’m also in charge of a small river just outside of Athens….” Mark said more than a bit bashfully.“Mark. *MARK!*...” “You are many things. A good friend, a fantastic cook, the world’s campest Graphic designer, and someone with way too many followers on social media, but you are not a ‘God’” I explained.\n\n“I’m seventeen percent of all Twitter users.” Momus countered. “Twenty two percent of all Reddit accounts, and roughly half of Tumblr” he preened.\n\n“Are you OK? I asked, is this a mental health thing? Is there anyone we can call?” I asked as earnestly as possible.\n\nWith that Mark Momus reached up to his chin then *lifted* his face like it was one of those corny masks from Spy films. The second the mask shifted Momus changed. His shoulders broadened, his skin took on a decidedly tanned, olivey tint, and he had a beard composed of impossibly soft ringlets in a style that would only be found these days in the erotic dreams of Amish girls. Momus the god winked at me…”I *am* also the world's most camp Graphic designer.”\n\n“So why does the God of stirring and internet shit-fights want with me?” I asked ‘Jesus’ I thought. ‘He looks just like one of those Mediterranean soft-boy paintings and sculptures that litter the Vatican’... My next thought was that it was probably bad form to compare a Greek Deity to the Judeo-christian one. I toyed with making a Hemsworth brother brother comparison before realising I was distracting myself from what was probably the most important theological event in a millennium.\n\n“We are here to help you” Momus answered brunchily as he played with the food.\n\n“That’s kind of …Wait! *‘We’*?!” I managed.\n\n“Yes most of us exiles, Hades and Persephone….or ‘Trip’ and ‘Steph’” Momus waggled his eyebrows at that.\n\n“Steph can’t be a God?” I argued, “Ever since I’ve known her she’s been…” I tried of thinking of the most diplomatic way of saying it, and settled for putting my hands on the side of my hips and slowly moving them outwards, in the way Steph’s waistline had.\n\n“Oh be kind…” Momus twinkled “before she Incarnated she was so *very strictly* vegan”\n\n“Incarnate?” I asked.\n\nMomus returned my shrug/hand gesture from before. “Incarnate, If we aren't made flesh, we are more archetypical than real. You can only really live and more importantly act when you are real. Us exiles aren’t welcome back home mostly, so we have lives and that gives the edge on any God who is briefly disorientated by being real.\n\n”I could sense a ‘*but*’ coming. But why are the three of you helping me?”\n\n“Because you have caught the eye of Zeus the king of the Gods…and trust me when I say that isn’t a good or healthy thing to happen to you.\n\n”I took this better than I would have five minutes earlier. “So who do I know is secretly the King of Olympus?” I asked.\n\n“The good news is that an un-incarnated God thinks like a god, and not a person so it’s not that straightforward…”\n\n“And the bad news?” I hesitated.\n\n“That Zeus is wrathful and single minded. The times have changed but he is still the same old monster. He thinks in patterns. Leda, this is important, but has a Canadian Goose tried to match with you on Tinder?”"
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[WP]A ghost that haunts a place makes a deal with a real estate agent trying to sell it, because the ghost is lonely and wants people to live there.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 wafted quietly down the hallway, followed by the click-clacking of smart heels against the wooden floorboards. \n\n\"Someone *nice*,\" he whispered, his voice as transparent as his shapeless, sheet-like body. \n\n\"'Nice,' she countered, \"is subjective. You'll need to be more specific.\" The real estate agent flicked through her phone, her eyeglasses raised, resting on the crown of her head. \n\n\"Nice, like...\" the ghost pondered. \"Someone who likes animals. Someone who bakes cakes. Someone who plants plants.\" \n\n\"*Plants plants*,\" she repeated, pretending to take down the qualification.\n\n\"Someone who loves life!\" The ghost arrived at his point with bouncing flourish, the eye and mouth holes in his floating, shapeless form turning upward with glee. The agent thought he might somersault through the air. Again. \n\n\"I don't know if I've ever met someone who didn't love being alive,\" she looked up with a raised, pencil-thin eyebrow. \n\n\"Oh, I have.\" The ghost's expression flattened. His eyes surveyed the hallways, the drywall damage and odd, empty rooms. \n\n\"Right,\" the agent corrected herself, clearing her throat. \"What about a family? Two young parents, a little girl.\" \n\nThe ghost wafted his form through the air behind the agent's shoulder to look at her phone. The family was standing together, the father holding the young girl, the mother leaning against his arm. The little girl had a plush doll tucked neatly under her arm. \n\n\"What is she holding there?\" the ghost asked, nodding at the screen. \n\nThe agent zoomed in on the image, revealing a pixelated white ghost doll peering through her grasp. \n\n\"I think that might be perfect,\" the ghost glowed. \n\n\"Great,\" the agent said without enthusiasm. \"But you remember your part of the deal, right?\" \n\n\"Make the place inviting,\" he recited the instructions.\n\n\"And not like last time,\" the agent warned, reminding the spirit of the fiasco that scared away the last interested party. \n\nWith pursed lips--if you could call them that--the ghost nodded.\n\n\"Okay. I'll schedule a showing tomorrow at noon. You know what to do.\"",
"“This is the fourth family in six months!” Darcy reprimanded the mostly transparent figure who sat on the stairs. “You have to stop scaring people away.”\n\nThe figure hung their head in shame, not meeting the woman’s eyes. They understood their mistake very well, they’ve been reprimanded for it each time, but the desperate need for a friend overshadowed their logic every time.\n\n“I understand you just want to help, but opening the basement door for the mom who had her hands full, late at night, with almost no lights on, is not the way to help them.” The real estate agent reminded them, “Neither is guarding the children’s doors and growling at anybody who comes near.”\n\nThe transparent figure finally had the courage to look at Darcy, but didn’t make any sound. “You want a friend. I might be able to make that happen tomorrow, but you have to promise to leave the humans alone.” \n\nThe figure nodded in excitement, and though Darcy expected the worse, she went ahead and scheduled the showing.\n\nDarcy arrived with a family of three the next morning; mom, dad, and their young son. She opened the door and saw the transparent figure on the stairs again, shaking in excitement but staying put. \n\n“This place is beautiful!” The mom exclaimed, “How come the last family left this place?”\n\n“Oh, uh,” she glanced at the figure, “Relocation due to their job.” \n\nThe woman nodded, and they continued with the showing, going through every room before returning back to the front hall. “I love it. I want to put in an offer today.” She looked towards her husband, “The backyard is perfect for our two dogs to run in, too.”\n\n“This is a great house for pets.” Darcy smiled.\n\nThe family exchanged their goodbyes and assured a call back later. Darcy put on her shoes and opened the door, looking back at the stairs. The figure was sitting in front of them, their favorite squeaky bone sat by their paws as a welcome gift.\n\n“I told you I’d find you friends like you, buddy.” Darcy smiled. “Just leave the humans alone, alright?”\n\nThe figure wagged their tail, ready to have their own pack to be apart of again."
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[WP] Music has the power to perform miracles. Summon storms, heal wounds, teleport you to any location, the possibilities seem endless. All it takes is experimentation with different musical notes and instruments. You have discovered a tune on your banjo that does something remarkable, and strange.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 notes are important. The tempo is important. The volume is important. But most important of all is the spirit,\" the Grandmaestro said, his scratchy voice harsh against his students' ears. \"What does it matter if you have perfect pitch if you don't sing with all of your heart? What beauty is there in playing for nothing more than to cast spells like a machine? Everyone practices and practices, but if your music doesn't capture your soul, then all the practice in the world will be for naught.\"\n\nBen rolled his eyes. The Grandmaestro was an old, decrepit man, with scarred and pitted skin, missing fingers and an eye, with an accent from hell itself. Who was this man to talk about beauty or capturing the soul? His four-year-old sister could probably play better than him.\n\n\"I see you doubting. You play with your minds, not your hearts. You think because I look like this, nothing about me can be pretty.\" He dragged a series of wet, dirty glass bowls in front of him, and with a few taps, sent them spinning. He ran his fingers down them.\n\nIt was haunting and strange, but it was also light, like the sun filtering through the trees in spring. Ben felt a breeze pass him by, but he knew all the windows were closed. The Grandmaestro *flowed* across his instrument, touching so delicately, as if caressing a loved one. Deep inside, Ben could suddenly see: before he'd ever learned even a single instrument, when his mother would sing him to sleep, held him in a warm embrace, and all was well.\n\nTears ran down his face, and he could hardly breathe. The Grandmaestro was smiling contentedly. It was a simple, ugly smile, but Ben had never seen anything more beautiful.",
"It's called Creation Craft. And the trick is to write new music. Bards discovered this in the middle ages and immediately discovered that it has to be COMPLETELY new to create the desired effects. And that's easier said than done.\n\nDoing something wholly new is indeed a miraculous accomplishment. We theorize bringing something new into the world brings an energy with it from whatever world it came from. It can be tremendous and changed our history and our future as a species. But it has to be new and that's not easy.\n\nEverything is just a copy of a remake of an idea someone stole from someone else stole from someone else. Perhaps in prehistoric times every new thought, word or action did the trick and that's why the world became the miraculous place is it is. And the miracles, while fewer and further between, continued into early civilization. But now whether your discovering a new continent, landing on the moon or landing on Mars it's all fundemenraly been done before. \n\nBut music is different. Not so different that every song about a cowboy whose truck left him created an effect every time. But the wild combination of ingredients in every silly little song out there created a measurable response. The reaction was so subtle it often went unnoticed but those that study creation craft recognize the signs. Art, movies, comedy.... they all move the needle a little but music really moves it.\n\nIt's got to be the first time it was tried or played or heard before you really feel it in your soul. But even in its diluted form you feel it. It's the last of the magic in the world at work. It doesn't create miraculous topography or inventions or creations like we hypothesize it once did, but nothing is new or orginal enough to unleash that kind of power anymore. It just changes hearts and minds and that's not bad. Feeling one way before a song and a different way during and still a different way after is about as amazing as things get now.\n\nCreators have sought new variations to tap purer forms of the power. That's why there's so many instruments these days. Pull into an auto body shop and have a mechanic disassemble your car down to scrap and I promise he will use fewer tools then there are instruments in your average middle school band ensemble. \n\nDifferent technology created different ways to play different instruments with different affects but it all felt like the trickling remains of a once raging river and even on its best day it became about as impressive as seing a rainbow. Like most of the world i was largely unaware and unimpressed by the science or art of Creation Craft. As an entertainer it was just superstitious habbit to say \"do it first and do it best\" or \"break a leg\" which most people had now forgotten originated when a street performer actually broke his leg performing and suddenly the art of being stunt men and dare devils was born as he walked away miraculously unharmed and healed. Different arts have different results. \n\nIn an effort to be new and first it was quite by accident I walked on stage with a Banjo and did stand up comedy. It was just original enough that the magic swept the world as strong as it has in a century. Everyone just laughed for no reason. I mean everyone. I heard every laugh in my head and it covered me like a warm blanket.\n\nMy name is Steve Martin and since that day I have banded together with performers and artists to invent and create in search of the last magic known to man.",
"\"Here you go, sir. Should be all good now, although this was Bob's first time working on a banjo.\" \n\nThe employee at the repair shop handed a large black case to me across a glass counter. Countless guitar picks, capos, string replacements, and other assorted equipment filled the space inside the counter.\n\n\"Let us know if anything sounds off, and we'll take another look,\" the employee added as I shouldered the case. I thanked him and left the store, a bell jingling as the door swung shut.\n\nWhen I had started playing that melody a few days ago, a sudden spasm had shook my body and caused me to drop my banjo on the ground. I had forgotten to put the strap over my shoulder, which almost never happens. The bridge was damaged and I had to get it repaired.\n\nSomething weird was going on with that melody, I just knew it. My teacher was an expert in tapping magical energy with music, but even he had no idea what had happened. He had just shrugged when I asked him. Maybe it was just a muscle spasm-- nothing more. *Maybe I should drink more water. . .* \n\nIt was a beautiful day. I decided I'd take the long way home, the one that passed by the city park. The sun was shining and a pleasant breeze shook the leaves above me. As I approached the park, I could see countless people sunning on the grassy lawn, sprawled out on picnic blankets and lawn chairs. Their appreciation for the day inspired me, and I found a quiet spot to sit. \n\nI laid my banjo's case on the step beside me, its black canvas covered in spots from sunlight passing through a tree's lush canopy. I clicked open the clasps and unzipped the case, letting my trusty instrument get some fresh air. It was a perfect day to play outside- no rain, no heat or cold. The people lounging near me glanced in my direction curiously but didn't say anything.\n\n*Okay, so how did that melody go?* I started picking at the strings carefully, trying to recall the string of notes that had caused such a sudden reaction in my body a week ago. Several false starts had me frustrated and I had to set it down. My fingers instinctively plucked and danced in the air above my knees, and the notes hummed like ghosts in my mind.\n\nSuddenly, it came to me. I snatched my banjo from the case and started playing, finding myself much closer now than I'd been before. I was just a couple notes off, until. . . \n\nI stood up abruptly, nearly dropping my banjo again. The people near me jerked their heads in my direction, eyes wide with confusion. My knees were shaking, and my fingers trembled over the neck of the banjo.\n\nI started playing again, and this time I didn't stop. My legs started kicking and head bobbed from side to side, my mind and body swallowed by the music. In a sudden bout of awareness I realized everyone near me had started dancing, too. But while their bodies moved in rhythm with the banjo tune, their faces were filled with fear.\n\nI played louder and louder and, as I did, the number of dancing park-goers doubled, tripled, quadrupled, until everyone in and around the park were dancing. Not one of them appeared to understand why they were dancing, and they looked at their bodies like they were suddenly puppets under the control of an invisible spirit. \n\nI realized then what sort of magic I had tapped into- the ability to make everyone who hears the song start dancing uncontrollably. What newfound power had I stumbled onto? What were the practical implications of this discovery, and how could it be used for good? Even more importantly- how could it be used for evil?\n\nAs I watched this virus of reluctant swaying and spinning spread beyond the border of the park into the streets, causing cars to stop and business to halt, I knew the answer to those questions would be one I'd have to find myself.\n\n​\n\nRead more of my work at r/benspaperclip!",
"The air of the island sang, and the residents played and danced ceaselessly. Ever since my people mastered the details of rhythm- mastered to such an extent as to be able to bend the universe itself to its will- life had been joy and sunshine. Those days of discovery were only just before I was born, so I had only ever heard stories of the days where we once had to worry about food, shelter, water, and sickness. Now even the ocean itself dances to the music of the drums and horns.\n\nThe sea rose in bright twirling pillars, and arched back over itself in misty arches and curves. Throughout the day people would walk up to the sea, hum it a tune, and pull fruitful drinks from the sea water, or have a fish leap from the sea only to land in their hands as a cooked meal.\n\nLife was perfect.\n\nWhich was my problem.\n\nMost of my people were content to laze and play in the world of perpetual light, but I was not among them. I wondered, \"Is this all there is?\"\n\nThe stories of old were far more fascinating to me than the world of infinite and plenty. There was a time- not too long ago- when things had sustenance. A meal was an accomplishment, an illness a grave concern to life. Life meant something.\n\nI had played the instruments of course, I had used the flutes, the drums, the shaker sticks... but I did not seek the miracles as my fellow people did. I sought out purpose. What was beyond the island? That is the question I asked. However, the music could only provide what I could imagine.\n\nHow could it provide me with something which I could not myself identify?\n\nI tried to worm the answer to this question from the music, however the instruments of the island seemed capable of only providing trivial material pleasures.\n\nSo, I came to the conclusion I would need a new instrument. But what?\n\nMusic was as old as time for as far as I knew. What chance did I have of creating something new? I still had to try, of course.\n\nThis turned out to be a fruitless pursuit. I had not the skill of hand, or creativity of mind to make anything capable of producing miracles. I tried banging sticks, tearing leaves, colliding rocks, even running water over fruits. The sounds I created were rough, harsh, and not at all fitting of the word music.\n\nI distanced myself from the people of the island as I pursued more and more outlandish things. Or perhaps they distanced themselves from me. I stayed further and further from the beaches, choosing instead to dwell in the forested side of the island, at the tops of the rock cliffs which looked out over the infinite sea.\n\nOr so we thought the sea was infinite. I had always thought there was something out there, something beyond the island. But that was only just a belief, for which I had no evidence.\n\nThis is why I was so astounded the day that something appeared out in the sea. A large shadow on the horizon- tall and pointed- rocking with the waves. I thought it one of the large creatures of the sea at first, but it drew closer to the island, and then closer still. To my amazement, it was a structure of wood. The homes on the island had been made of wood, but none of us had ever used it to set to sea.\n\nI was so curious, I wanted a better look... and the wooden thing was moving so painfully slow. So, I took out my flute.\n\nWell, in all of my experiments with music I had become quite proficient with the instruments we did have. I had to know what to replicate. So, it was a very simple matter to play a tune into the flute and guide the sea to bring the wooden thing closer.\n\nI had been too hasty, however, too overcome with curiosity. The sea matched my excitement, it danced to my music and flung itself upward in a glorious pillar. This column of water was nearly as large as the island itself, and towered up far higher. It cast a shadow over me and the island. It was a far more impressive display than anything I'd seen before, no one had ever moved so much of the sea at once and I surprised even myself. \n\nUnfortunately, the sea brought the wooden thing- a boat, I now know- up with it. It must have been a quarter of a league up into the air. And, of course, as I took the flute from my mouth in shocked amazement, the water fell back to the sea in a torrential rush. The spray hit me like a wave, drenching my robe through.\n\nThe ship, too, fell. It had been launched in a trajectory towards the island and it crashed into the cliffs down below in a flash of splintering wood and earthshaking force. There was a cry as well, the shout of a man. That shout still haunts me to this day when I think of it.\n\nFor a moment I was too dazed to do anything, I simply stood at the top of the cliff and looked down at the wreckage. Not a few moments prior, I had never known the existence of a ship. Yet there I stood, just having destroyed one.\n\nThere were distant shouts from the other side of the island. Of course the event had been noticed. And, in that moment, a sense of immense greed overcame me. This was *my* discovery.\n\nI climbed down the rocks. I would be the first to investigate this visitor from the infinite. For back then I still did not know of the rest of the world. The cliffs were steep, but far from vertical and I was able to get down without issue.\n\nThe largest portion of the ship was lodged halfway down the cliff- looking back now I believe it was the captain's quarters. With my knowledge back then, however, I knew nothing. I did not understand the sails, the large draping white cloths which danced across the cliffs in the wind. Nor did I understand the chests, the cannons, or really any of what I saw.\n\nEven the first corpse, to me was simply a mystery. I had never seen more than a drop of blood in my life- any injury could be played away with a simple tune. So, when I saw the strange, mushy red form cast against a rock I investigated it with slightly detached curiosity. After a moment of inspection, however, when I saw the man's face- or what was left of it... that is when I recoiled. I stepped back. I slipped. I stumbled down the cliff until I hit a wooden floor.\n\nThere was another dead man there, it was the interior of the captain's quarters. I recognized a bed, a chest, nothing beyond that. I was going to climb back up the cliff. However, voices at the top steeled my nerves. I had to seize the chance to explore this mystery before the other people of the island could steal away anything precious.\n\nI glanced through the structure- quickly looking over the twisted body of the man inside- and I saw something, caught and tangled in the blankets on a twisted cot. \n\nI walked over, curious. I had no understanding of any of the items around me, however when I saw the item in the cot it drew me near. A circle and a stick, really, nothing more. However, its construction struck some nerve deep inside of me. My brain recognized it as an instrument.\n\nI'd never seen anything of the sort, but its construction was very distantly reminiscent of our drums. So I took it.\n\nThat is when the other island folk arrived. Their voices just at the top of the cliffs.\n\nI did not want to speak with them, nor answer their questions to which I would not have the answers. So, I climbed further down the cliff- to the point below the wreckage. I knew there was a small cave where I could sit, undisturbed.\n\nIt was difficult to descend with the strange object. But I made it. Then I sat in that small cave, the instrument laying out flat on the surface in front of me. It had strings. None of our instruments had anything of the sort.\n\nI reached a tenuous hand to feel at the instrument, to pull at one of the strings. It released and let out such a foreign sound that I gasped with delight. That confirmed it, the object was indeed an instrument.\n\nThe sound was so unique, how had I never even come close to replicating something like it in all of my trials? It was no matter, I had a new instrument and I was determined to see what miracles it could perform.\n\nI plucked at the strings more, in succession this time. Each one produced a different sound. I played around a bit more, identifying the tone of each string. I also discovered, to my immense pleasure, that I could change the tune of a string by pressing it down along the long flat extension of the instrument.\n\nHours passed as I taught myself this new music. I grew to a point of minor competence.\n\nI was eager to try it, so I played a tune which I knew to produce a sweet nectar from the sea water. The music responded to my will at once. A splash rose from the sea and crashed down around me- filling the cave with a sweet and sticky scent.\n\nYes, this was an instrument. A new instrument. One with untold capabilities and I was the first to try it. In my greed and hunger I did not at all consider the ramifications of my actions.\n\nI spent perhaps days in the cave, playing the new instrument to feed myself, hardly sleeping.\n\nI played tunes on the string instrument- growing more and more complex as I gained confidence. And then, when I had managed to play the most compelling notes I knew on the instrument... I asked it a question. I played the music into the air, and as the sound danced around it I asked, \"Can you show me where you are from?\"\n\n​\n\n1/2",
"Music was never to be played with. Never. You weren't to mess around with a few notes, or trill a line on the piano. True, experimentation happened. But it was regulated; heavily controlled. Only a very few special people were allowed instruments. I, however, managed to find a banjo in the junkyard. It was beaten up, the strings weren't even attached, but it was an instrument. Which meant music. I was very cautious at first, only using the approved songs. The ones we knew would heal, calm storms, even teleport. It was magical. \r \nBut not just because of the effects. Oh, those were wonderful enough, but the beauty of the music was more. It rose and fell as if it had a life and heart of its own. I couldn't resist one day, trying a new tune. One that had run through my head since I was a child. One that I used to hum to myself when working in the junkyard. And one that was strictly un-sanctioned. Using only my fingers, I picked at the restored strings, hearing the music take shape. Carefully, I watched around the cleared space where I practiced. What new spell, what new effect would this song have? I held my breath. \r \nNothing. \r \nNothing happened. No birds fell out of the sky, no pieces of junk moved on their own, the heavens stayed green and calm, no weather to be seen. But every piece of music had a magical effect, that had been proven with Lisette's Third Law. I felt a spike of disappointment. Maybe it was too mundane. Maybe it just affected the walking patterns of ants. After all, it was my first song, maybe it needed to be different, bigger, and more impressive. I walked back to my office, idly strumming the tune. Regardless of the magic effects, it was still quite pretty. \r \nThere was a man standing there, probably waiting for me. Junkyards weren't really that popular these days, but some people still enjoyed coming and picking through the trash, for buried treasure. Of course, none of them had ever found a banjo. Too late, I forgot to change the song. \r \nThe man stared at me, his eyes growing large. \r \n\"Where, did you get that? That's an instrument.\" His voice didn't sound angry, but I couldn't take the risk. My fingers moved into the familiar pattern of a calming song. \r \n\"Wait! Wait, I'm not going to report you! In fact, I've found something of my own...\" I froze. He'd found something? Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a harmonica. \"I've just been too afraid to play anything. After all, there isn't much you can do on a harmonica, that doesn't affect yourself. But if you wouldn't mind...\" He trailed off, but I knew what he was asking. I nodded, plucking out the beginning notes of a wakefulness spell. It was well known that harmonicas had a soothing effect. \r \nHe began playing, a well-known tune. Unconsciously, I started picking my own tune, weaving it into his. And again, nothing happened. The music swelled, curled and fell to its finish. And we stood there unchanged. No sleepiness on his part, or mine. Something in my mind turned around. My tune did do something. It negated magic. \r \nIt's been years since my discovery. Years since I got it sanctioned. I don't run a junkyard anymore. I run a music school. All around me, the music flows once, rising into the air like a living thing. Under it all, is my little banjo tune. Making sure no accidental magic happens. Making sure people can once again enjoy the music. Making music safe. Making it accessible. And making the music...sing."
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[WP] "When I said I liked card games, I meant, like, Go Fish!" You hiss to your partner, who merely pats you on the shoulder. "I know, but... You're REALLY good at card games. So... You're gonna win us a bunch of money, and THEN we can play Go Fish. On a cruise!"
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 nervously watched as our life savings went across the felt and was exchanged for plastic chips. My partner nudged two of the black ones into a circle. The cards were dealt and the two cards in front of me added up, I got 4 black chips back. \n\nMy partner scooted 4 more black chips excitingly and more cards came. I knew enough to add a card and 8 chips were added to the pile. \n\nAll of our money went in to the circle. I prayed, I crossed my fingers. A truly ridiculous amount came back. My partner stood me up and began gathering our chips.\n\nSuddenly, two men appeared behind us both. \"W-W-What can we do for you sirs?\" I trembled, \"we've done nothing?\"\n\n\"Well, you've done nothing. We're after her.\" They pointed to my partner. \"Felicity Evangeline, aka Lady Luck.\""
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[WP] The hero has always made sure to find out WHY their opponents are the way they are. No matter what, you've sought to understand evil, not just to punish them. But after hearing the latest villain's "reasons" for what they've done...you just want them dead
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 been tracking a man who ate the elderly for days, and I finally found him about to attack a town elder.\n\n“Stop, please! I surrender!”, he yells as I approach him. “Please just help me end my pain!”\n\n“What?” \n\n“If I don’t eat human flesh, my head hurts, my body goes sore, and my nerves flare! Every moment I don’t eat human flesh is agony!” \n\nHe starts screaming in pain once more. I hadn’t even touched him. \n\n“It’s agony! I don’t want to eat people, but no one could endure this pain! That’s why I go for the old. If I must kill, I kill the ones who have lived life.”\n\nThis man is clearly a monster, but he is suffering as well. In other circumstances, he could have been a great contribution to society.\n\n“Please, hero. I see your tools. End my pain, and theirs as well.”\n\n**Thunk**\n\nHe falls to the ground."
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[WP] You are part of a crime family, but you never wanted to take up the family trade. All you ever wanted, was to be a baker. You confess this to your family and they are a lot more supportive than you expected.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Being the youngest daughter of the most dangerous man in the crime world was never easy. My father and brothers aren't men to be messed with. I got my first knife for my seventh birthday. I knew my way around multiple types of weaponry by the age of 10. I knew how to \"negotiate\" what I wanted since the age of 12. (No I will not explain what negotiate means. It's better that you don't know) I've seen and heard things that no normal woman should ever see and hear. I was raised equally along side my older brothers in the ways of the crime world as a possible heir to my father's twisted throne. All while still being the family's princess. All while baking on the side. I was praise for my intelligence and how easily I picked up the family business. Hell I was the most likely to take over for my father. But deep down I never really wanted to do that. I've never had the passion for it. I've only done what I've done in the past because I loved putting a smile on Papa's face. He was always so proud of every milestone and raved about how similar I was to him. I didn't want to be his biggest regret or disappointment. So I hid my love for baking and disguised it as just a hobby. \nBut all of that changes today. I can't keep living this lie but I dread the look of disappointment I know is going to be on Papa's face.\nI take a deep breath and walk into the family dining room. It's family day, so all of my brothers, their wives and families and my parents are here for our monthly dinner. I make small talk like normal, catching up with my brothers and everyone around me. Finally one of them asks me \"So Violet, how are you doing? What are your plans when it comes to taking over the family business?\" Everyone turns to me. All of them waiting to hear what I have to say. I take a deep breath and say, \"Actually Silas, I don't want to take over the family business. I never have. I actually just want to own a cute little bakery. I even have so many recipes that I've collected over the years!\" I quickly follow with \" I'm so sorry Papa I never intended to deceive you.\" I put my head down close because I'm already blinking back tears. I feel so ashamed for waiting this long before speaking up. My big 6'6 of a father gets up from his seat, walks over to me and gently lifts my head with his finger. With the kindest of smiles he says \"Did you really think we all called you Sugar Cookie because of your hair sweets? I've known all these years that you've loved baking. Why do you think every little creation you've made I've always been the first one to try it? It's because I've always known you loved showing me those things. My little bun bun, remember thst building we looked at a few months ago?\" I nod. \"I told you it was going to be for my latest investment. What I didn't tell you was that building was actually going to be given to you for your birthday present this year.\" My eyes widen. \"We've all known sugar cookie!\" One of my brother's chimes in. \"Your eyes would light up anytime we complimented your desserts. You've got a real talent kid. We don't want you waisting that.\" At this point I can't believe what I'm hearing. But oddly enough a huge weight feels like it's been lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in years I don't feel like I'm suffocating.",
"\"My dream is to be a baker.... To own my own bakery and create new baked goods every day...\" I confessed my well-hidden secret to my family. My passion. Regret and fear came next, reminding me one more time why I had kept it a secret in the first place. My family served the head of the Yukazuka, a criminal organization involved in illegal trade and murder. And I, the eldest son, want to be a baker? I'm a total disappointment, aren't I? They will hate me and yet I can't help but cling to the naive hope that maybe they will accept me. With all my faults.\r \n\"Jonas, what are you talking about?\" My mother interrupts my train of thought and pulls me back to reality. It wasn't over yet. The questions, the accusations would come next. With a forced smile on my face, I lifted my head and promised myself not to cry. Not to show them any more weakness. \r \nMy mother hugged me. She held me tightly in her arms as she patted my head, I couldn't hold it in any longer. I let it all out, all my tears, all my fears just found their way out. And so I told them everything, confessed my fear of hurting and losing them, as well as my passion for baking and how I still hate myself for being different. \r \n\"You idiot!\" I heard my sister's angry shout, but at the same time I realized something was off. She was sobbing. My strong big sister was crying? My mother was holding me so desperately it almost hurt.\r \n\"How are we supposed to know what you want if you don't say anything? Open your mouth, goddamn it!\" \r \n\"Shut up, Aurora!\" Abruptly, my mother let go, yelled at my sister, and then turned to me. Her eyes were puffy, with trembling hands she stroked my face, \"My darling, you can do whatever you want - it's your life. We would never hate you, you are my dear son, responsible through and through, but there is no fault in being different. I am proud of you.\" \r \n\"...You don't hate me?\" My voice was weak, still hesitant to be heard - still afraid of the answer. But I wanted to hear it, the truth, even if it meant forcing myself to speak, to show them my valuable side. They are my family, I want to trust them....\r \n\"Ehm...\" Tried my father to get my attention \"Son, you don't need to work in our family business - even though I like having you by my side - it's like your mother said, we want you to be happy.\" I stared at him, unsure if I was dreaming. My father doesn't hate me? Doesn't he think of me as a disappointment? As a failure? \r \n\r \nI cried that night, but unlike in the past, I was not alone. My family was by my side, crying like me and comforting me with every little thing.",
"“Just like your mother darling,” Semion said to me as he caressed my shoulder. “You are to never betray what is stored in your heart.” \r \n\r \nI pulled away from his grimy hands that left a sheen of oil like a phantom reminder. “I don’t want to kill anyone, not anymore. I always enjoyed the knives and using my hands, but I found that cutting dough or slicing an onion brings me more,” I searched for the word but found my mind fractured at the days events. I felt a deep birthing off something inside the marrow of my bones, something young and naïve. “I want to see the compassion of others and you… you won’t allow that. You told me my entire life that people wanted me dead because of my heritage, but you were wrong.” \r \n\r \n“I hid what I had to from you, it’s a cliché and I know that but it was always about protecting you. Even if I knew it wouldn’t be advantageous for anybody, I still made that choice,” Semion said as he backed away and plopped into fine velvet chair with ornate carvings in the looping arm rests. “I will always support you, my darling. I will never stop my work, this is what I am, and I’m not going to apologize for it.”\r \n\r \n“But if you wanted to fully support me then why won’t you accept my offer? To exclude my from all of this,” I said pointing to all the extravagant books, painting, and all the relics of the past he had collected. “I want no part in the horrors you continue to commit. I want out.” \r \n\r \nSemion wiggled in his chair as the folds of fat wrinkled and made the same sound as summer heated leather on skin. He sifted through his desk until he found a rolled cigarette and lit it. We sat in a silence that was akin to the smoke, aimless. Drifting into uncertainty because we both knew one of us had to give into the to other. \r \n\r \nSemion and I had gone way back. He had known my mother, but the nature of their relationship has always been hidden from me. I needed to-\r \n\r \n“Your mother and I,” Semion said in a slow almost mumbling tone but slithered its way breaking through my thinking. When I jolted up at his voice, I noticed the cigarette was nothing but ash at this point. “We…. I…” He rubbed at the wrinkles of fat under his eyes that gave a faint squeak. “You’re not stupid, I shouldn’t treat you as such. You are my daughter, you are my darling, you are the promise I made to Helena. You’ve done nothing but make my life hell, you turned my empire into a struggle, but you also were always one of my own. Your mother crawled under my skin. She found parts of me I never knew existed, pushed me when I needed it and wasn’t afraid to break me, just like you.”\r \n\r \nI felt odd at knowing what I had previously thought undetermined to be true. I was his own kin, his own flesh and blood. “I just want to live my life with Andrea, to wake up every day with the rising sun and the rising of the dough. I want nothing extravagant, nothing that makes the nobles quake in their boots. All I’m asking for Semion is a simple place out of the family, out of the crimes and politics. Please?” \r \n\r \nSemion waved his arms as he bowed to me. I stood up at this and bowed right back at him. “I will always honor this request, you are my darling. I don’t agree with it, but I also understand. You’ve always had my support, and always will.”",
"Listen, cucciola, when your parents died, your father asked me to take care of you. This was a promise I made to you father, not to you. Whatever you do will never make me betray your father. You never have to worry about me turning my back on you. I will always help you.\n\nNow about the bakery. There is one thing you need to understand about the Giannini family. Despite of what people might say when none of us is present, what some dogs might whisper under their breaths, we are not criminals. We are businessmen, and crime is our business. \n\nO, passerotta, know this about your family! City of Genova has been this way since 19th century, but the family of Giannini has been here since the 15th century. We have taken care of the city for over six hundred years, just take a walk at the cemetary. Centuries ago none would dispute the importance of the Giannini. We managed the city: we fed the poor, we built piazzas and the sewers, we built churches and the port, we built and armed ships and traded our city to one of the richest Mediterranean has ever seen, we ran banks to distribute that wealth. The republic of Genova did not recognize anyone superior. This city is our handprint, we have been here since the republic of Genova.\n\nWe only became criminals when after the conquest of Genova and annexation to Italy. We were told not to collect taxes to run the city, calling it stealing, but no one in Rome will come here to pay the teachers, take care of the elders, build hospitals for the sick. We are being occupied by the Romans. Those people, they are the criminals - they let people starve. We take care of the city and it's people, and this is our crime.\n\nIf you want to become a businesswoman, mi amore, you are walking right in the steps of your family. If with your business you want to feed the people of Genova, then you live up to the name of Giannini. Your father would be proud."
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[WP] You're an evil witch. In order to summon your demon goddess, you need millions of people chanting the spell and doing the summoning dance all at the same time. Thus, you decide to use your black magic to become a world famous popstar, however, you also decide to write your own songs.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[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🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n📢 [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\"Are you ready for your performance, sir? The audience has been waiting for almost half an hour now, and they're getting impatient.\"\n\nAh, yes. The sweet, sweet sound of a an excited crowd. It had taken some time, of course, but you managed to assemble a sizable fan base. Not a soul in the world was aware of your secret, obviously. It usually took no more than ten minutes to hide your appearance, putting on the boyish face and the distinct hair. But today, the ley lines were disturbed, no doubt by the widespread popularity of your newest release. It would be the highest point of that evening, but the world would soon grow to curse the melody you had attached to that forbidden chant.\n\nFinally, you worked through the disturbances and donned the false appearance the world had come to love and adore. The night was still young, the blood moon too low in the sky for the ritual to work. So you performed, an hour passing, then two, before the time was right. The moon, now shining directly down on you with its crimson glow, was finally in position. And so you nodded to the music technicians beyond the stage; a silent signal to start the all-important song.\n\nTwo toms in rapid succession, then a tightly-packed series or descending toms. The synthesized keyboard, sounding out the well-known tune to a deafening cheer. As you began to sing in your false voice, one that seemed too baritone for the young face you wore, a screen overhead gave redundant lyrics to a crowd that had long since memorized your legendary song.\n\n\"We're no strangers to lo~ove...\"\n\n-------------------------------------------------------------\n\nFirst comment here, and of course I went for the lowest-hanging fruit imaginable. Hope you enjoyed anyways lol. Patrik out, until next time"
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[WP] Tired of your insomnia you beg to whatever is watching to help you before this night's sleep, you wake up the next day having the best sleep of your life, and a notification on your phone of food you don't remember ordering with a note... "Thank you for using my services! -Dream Girl <3"
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\\[Dirge of Dreams\\]\n\n\"Yeah...,\" Brad nodded to himself once he heard the gentle, low rhythmic music. \"... this could work.\" He was exhausted and wished he could go to sleep. He was already in bed; but, that did not mean sleep was nearby. He spent a good portion of the day getting a tattoo and complaining to the tattooist about his insomnia. He left the shop with fresh ink and the recommendation of a streamer that plays relaxing music.\r \n \r \nBrad let himself relax onto his pillow and closed his eyes. 30 minutes later he was still wide awake and listening to the music. His phone told him it was past midnight. It was a Saturday night and he did not have to be up early on Sunday; but, the later he went to sleep the less time he had to sleep in.\r \n \r \n\"Please, anyone...,\" Brad begged aloud to the darkness as he shut his eyes again. \"... I'll do anything. I just want a good night's sleep...,\" That was the last thought he had before drifting to sleep.\r \n \r \nBrad was alert all at once. He opened his eyes and sat up on his bed; his room was flooded with golden sunlight and he heard birds chirping outside the windows. He reached for his phone out of curiosity but, he was distinctly aware of how clear his mind was. Every morning for the past decade he'd had to spend time cutting through the fog of tiredness.\r \n \r \n\"9?\" he couldn't help but smile as he saw the time. \"I slept!\" he was excited; but, something drew his eye. He missed a text notification overnight which was odd. He didn't have any friends that texted him; he wasn't that close with anyone. It was part of the reason he unloaded so much onto the tattooist. The conversation was from an unknown number and they'd messaged twice.\r \n \r \n\\[$14.35 has been charged to your credit card at Donna Chang's\\]\r \n\\[Thank you for using my services! - Dream Girl <3\\]\r \n \r \n\"Huh?\" Brad glanced at the laptop. The streamer \\[Dream Girl <3\\] was no longer active. Before he could put any more thought into it the phone vibrated in his hand. It showed a picture of a restaurant with the label, 'Work' on it. He was in a great mood and hoped that he could pick up someone's shift; he answered the phone instantly.\r \n \r \n\"You were supposed to be here an hour ago,\" his boss said as soon as he answered. \"Get here in 15 and you'll only get a write-up,\" then, he hung up without waiting for an excuse. Despite his terse demeanor, Brad felt he got along well with his boss. But, he was confused; Brad did not have to be at work until Tuesday. But, he glanced at the day on his phone and realized it was Tuesday already. If Brad did not have to be on the line in front of a flattop in 15 minutes he might have spent more time being confused about the situation.\r \n \r \nHe put it out of his mind and rushed; his newfound clarity made it easy to get started. But, it wore off as the day went on. He was feeling confident and volunteered for a double shift to make up for being late; but, he was spent and feeling like his old self by the end of the day.\r \n \r \nThroughout the early part of the day, he hoped that his insomnia was like a switch that had been turned off. He wanted to try and sleep without the help of Dream Girl <3; but, as he crawled into bed exhausted and wide awake he knew he needed some help. And, 15 dollars was a small price to pay for his wellbeing. Even if it turned out he needed to pay it every day. The soft music played and Brad lay awake for almost an hour before he remembered that he had asked for help the night before.\r \n \r \n\"Please... help me again, Dream Girl,\" he said. \"But, I don't want to sleep all day again,\" he added. As he worked he realized there was no doubt he slept for a whole day. He'd missed Monday completely. And, the worst part was, it didn't matter. No one even noticed.\r \n \r \n\"I'm sorry, you were really tired,\" a voice startled Brad out of the darkness. He sat up and opened his eyes. A pale teenage girl with ribbons of dark curls flowing down her head and over her shoulders stood in his room facing him. She wore a frilly black and purple gothic lolita dress and matched the illustrated caricature on the stream.\r \n \r \n\"How'd you get into my room??\" It was the first question out of Brad's mouth. It was more of a reflex than a sincere question; but, his mind soon caught up and he added a clarifier. \"... again??\" The Dream Girl giggled. She raised her hand in the air and wiggled her fingers. A black hole opened in the space between her and Brad's bed.\r \n \r \n\"I walked in,\" she said. She wiggled her fingers again and the portal disappeared.\r \n \r \n\"Who... what are you?\" Brad asked. He adjusted himself on the bed so that the headboard supported his back. He wanted her to know he was interested in a conversation; but, he didn't know how she'd react if he tried to get out of bed.\r \n \r \n\"My name's Dirge,\" her hand came up halfway to her chest and she gave him a half-hearted wave.\r \n \r \n\"How do you make portals? How do you make me sleep for a day?\" Dirge looked at him and exhaled with her lip curled up; the rush of air disturbed her curly bangs.\r \n \r \n\"I'm kind of working right now and don't have a lot of time for questions,\" she said. \"But, if you go back to Mundo and ask him to give you the talk, you'll get all those answers,\" she said.\r \n \r \n\"Mundo.. the tattooist?\" Brad asked. Dirge nodded.\r \n \r \n\"Okay..., so why are you here?\" he asked. Dirge giggled.\r \n \r \n\"I told you...,\" she said. Brad was surprised when she held up a familiar leather wallet with a large 'B' engraved in it. It was the last thing he saw; he heard her last answer before he fell asleep in an instant. \"I'm working,\"\n\n\r \n\\*\\*\\* \nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is story #1645 in a row. (Story #199 in year five.). This story is part of an ongoing saga that takes place at a high school in my universe. It began on June. 6th and I will be adding to it with prompts every day until August 19th. They are all collected in order at [this link](https://www.reddit.com/r/Hugoverse/comments/v6bapz/aurelios_sun_1st_half/).",
"\"Thank you for using my services! - Dream Girl <3\"\n\nAlex stared at the message. There wasn't much that got to him nowadays—a full 19 years of witnessing a global pandemic, the global temperatures skyrocket, natural disasters rip across the landscape, and the freshman year of college had prepared him for most things. And as he stared at his phone, his mind narrowed down on the one plausible cause of this mystery message on his phone.\n\n\"Jason!\" He yelled, throwing the door into the living room open. As he always was, Jason was at the breakfast table eating a bowl of Cheerios.\n\n\"Wazthup.\" He said through a mouth of milk.\n\nJason was a 5-foot-3, scrawny, bespectacled computer science student at the local university. He often wore old t-shirts he got at hackathons despite them being several sizes too big. Today's selection was Old Google T-Shirt From High School ft. Milk Stain at one corner. They also happen to be best friends.\n\n\"You hack into my phone last night?\"\n\nJason squinted at him before sighing. Returning to his bowl of Cheerios, he said \"Alex, I can't hack into Tinder for you. We've talked about this. App security is far more complex than—\"\n\n\"No, no. I didn't mean that.\" Alex quickly said, waving it away with a blush of embarrassment. \"I mean, my phone itself. I had it off last night but this morning it was on. With a message!\"\n\nHis bespectled best friend stared at him blankly, looking increasingly less impressed. \"So...you turned your phone on and someone texted you.\"\n\n\"No, wait I—actually never mind.\" Alex waved him away and shut the door. In the silence of his own room he looked over the message again.\n\n\"Dream Girl.\" He muttered. It would be quite uncharacteristic of Jason to write that.\n\n\"Yes, hello.\" A small voice said into his ear.\n\nThe phone flew of his hand, smacking into the wall, as he yelped high-pitched. There floating above him was a pixie who looked oddly familiar. Blonde hair, and a dress of evergreen with four wings sprouting from her back.\n\n\"Tinker Bell.\" Alex whispered in shock.\n\nThe pixie's smile momentarily dropped before she smiled again, a bit more forced.\n\n\"No, I am not Tinker Bell. Tinker Bell is a fairy from London, and I am a pixie from Australia. I'm Jocelyn.\"\n\nThere was a momentary pause where they stared at each other, sizing the other up.\n\n\"Australian Tinker Bell.\"\n\n\"Oh you moron!\" The pixie spit out before quickly regaining her composure. She smoothed her dress and affixed a smile to her face.\n\n\"Never mind that. Three dollars please.\"\n\n\"Can I fly?\"\n\n\"THREE DOLLARS PLEASE.\" She spit out through gritted teeth. \"For the sleep food!\"\n\nIt was only then that Alex connected the text on his phone to this odd creature floating at shoulder height a meter in front of him. Thoughts of flying flit from his mind as he reassessed the girl in front of him with newfound respect.\n\n\"You're the one that hacked into my phone?!\"\n\nJocelyn preened under the praise, relishing in his shock. \"Yes, it was quite simple actually. Manipulating technology is one of our—\"\n\n\"Can you hack into Tinder?\"\n\n\\-------\n\nEnjoyed writing this one. Let me know if you want more! I'll be going over this prompt, my thoughts on it, and where I could take it on [my youtube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXRVOKE9XECWzF73jNPzEPA) later today.\n\nEdit: Video uploaded! [Link](https://youtu.be/K7CkoKA6Zyg)\n\nHope you enjoyed! -Rhomus"
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[WP] Fighting back against the monsters was extremely effective, we wiped out 99% of them, but then that remaining percentage bred and now we're facing even worse monsters.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 won !!\nWe was won...\nWas....\n\nThousand years, countless generation, devote their life to fighting back again monsters, use their blood to write instruction of how to fighting back again them. And it work\nWith the the right intruction and right tool made to perform it, we killed monster one by one, we drove them from the land, the sea and the sky, 99% of them was down. From all corners of the world, the little bit of demons remain hide deep into underground ..\n...and by that time we, instead of chase after and finish the rest of them, choose to ingore them. But you must understand, after countless sacrifice, the victory is so sweet, sweet like poison to our mind....we think those tiny remain of monsters pose no threat to us anymore, and since they come from all the corners of the world, then they may will kill each other like when you put animal from different inviroment together, and that will spare us the trouble of coming down that hole to finish them...\nIf only we know how much wrong we are ..\nBy the time they climb out from that hole, they aren't the monster they knew anymore...we're facing even worse monster than the one we forced into undergroud\nThe Troll, now with the blood of Oni from the east, doesn't fear the sun anymore\nThe Treant, which use to be last one of it's race, now with their root deep into core of the world, now revive it's entire race \nThe Frost giant, now with the power inhereted from their father, Hecatoncheires, is unstopable...\n\nFrom the victory, now again we're here, back to countless generation, devote their life to fighting back again monsters, use their blood to write instruction of how to fighting back again them.\nAnd we better make it fast, because doesn't seem like we have much time anymore..."
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[WP] you're a hero with ice powers. The problem? You're always ill because of them.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 phone buzzes an alert for a fire nearby. I pull my hood tight. I don’t feel like doing anything but sitting under a blanket with a show I’ve watched seven times playing on my computer. But I’ve gotta save people. \n\nI get my suit on, then turn on my hose, and freeze the water to slide down the hill. I then run up the next hill for thirty seconds. \n\nFirefighters are already there. \n\n“Icer! Freeze the water we spray inside. Everyone’s out,” Kaye yells while maintaining a barrier. \n\nI climb in a first floor window, and freeze the water around me. I then work on freezing all the water spraying in. Firefighters’ hoses are huge. I feel hot, but that could just be the fire. \n\nWith all the smoke around, I’m glad superheroes get masks cause otherwise I’d have died of smoke inhalation. The fire starts to die, so I slow down on freezing, and allow the fire to use up some heat to melt ice and then water goes into the fire. \n\nI wake up in a hospital with an iv in my arm and something attached to my forehead. Kaye is sitting next the bed. \n\n“You’re awake! When the fire ended and you didn’t come out, I went in and found you passed out, and freezing. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have allowed you to go into fires alone even if your powers nade it seem like you can’t burn, I guess I just thought of superheroes as invulnerable,” Kaye says. \n\n“I wanted to do this to save people. But have doctors taken a look yet and figured out what happened?”\n\n“After observing your temperature swings, this specialist in superpowers decided your body isn’t good at regulating it’s temperature, like it doesn’t know the correct temperature and the doctor is working on something to help your body’s temperature, but she says it might get rid of your power.”\n\nI stay in the hospital for five days but eventually leave, taking a device that constantly measures my temperature at the doctor’s insistence. I need to get back to my bar, hopefully this temperature issue won’t take me away from my job more. My bills won’t pay themselves and stacked up during my time in the hospital.",
"\\*ACHOOOOOO!\\*\n\nThe city street is hit with a massive gust of wind before being consumed by snow and ice instantly. The hero, Burnout, melts the snow from on top of her and she looks around the winter wasteland. She sees the villain, Doomspire, frozen alive in a mountain of ice, and she runs over, scanning him with her helmet. \n\n\\[Status: Alive\\]\n\nBurnout sighs in relief.\n\n\"This is Burnout, 13746-C,\" said Burnout, \"Gonna need a villain pickup and emergency response over on Greenway North West, and bring lots of hot chocolate.\"\n\n\"This is Central, we hear you loud and clear,\" said Central. Burnout looks around and sees a trail of snow leading into an alleyway. She runs over and finds the rookie hero, Arctic Kid, curled up against the wall, shivering. Burnout heats up her body and sits next to Arctic Kid.\n\n\"Better?\" asked Burnout.\n\n\"Yeah, thanks,\" replied Arctic Kid. \"So on a scale of 1 t-to 10, how badly did I screw up?\"\n\n\"Come on,\" said Burnout, \"You can't think like that, not in this job! You stopped a big bad today, a *very* big bad, you should be proud!\"\n\n\"We both know that wasn't me, it was my stupid cold,\" said Arctic Kid.\n\n\"I'm sorry, were we in the same fight?\" asked Burnout, \"because I remember seeing a kid, with hardly any control over his powers, stare down a top-tier supervillain like he was Atlas. Anybody with powers can fight common criminals, but it takes a real hero to look death in the face and say, '*turn around, you're not getting past me.*' and then sneeze in death's face!\"\n\nArctic Kid let out a small chuckle as he wiped the icicles off of his nose. \"Look, you may not have complete control of your powers yet, but you're getting better every day.\" Burnout puts her arm around Arctic Kid. \"Soon, people will forget you as the guy with a tissue dispenser in his suit. They'll remember you as the guy who can freeze oceans.\"\n\n\"Hey, that tissue dispenser was, and still is, a great idea,\" said Artic Kid, \"But I get what you're saying, thanks.\"\n\n\"No sweat kid,\" said Burnout."
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[WP] You go back to your apartment after getting promoted in your job when suddenly.....Surprise!! A bunch of decorations were hanging on the wall and there was a banner saying "Congratulations" but I don't remember these people in my apartment and I always lock the door.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"This is a semi continuation on my previous, bad/crappy [Story](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/vxl0h8/wp_today_was_amazing_you_think_to_yourself_work/ig3trab/?context=3) It isn't that good so sorry in advance. This likely isn't much better so sorry in advance...\n\n\\-- Thought recording started, case number 2076-13015647\n\nTime is... 5PM and I've just left work feeling good, I've got a promotion. Oh my friend is here <<Speech noted, \"How are you doing Zane?\", \"Oh yea, the promotion, I'm managing a team of my own now.\", \"Yea it is, I'm loving my job.\", \"Do you mean the one that kidnapped Angelia, your friend? Is she in police custody now?\", \"I'm worried too man, I should be getting home soon, long day ahead of me tomorrow, goodbye.\">> <<Car Active>>\n\nI feel sorry about Angelia, but she's safe in police custody. Zane must be worried sick but hey my promotion is nice. I am almost home and I need to eat.\n\nWhy is my door locked? I just unlocked it? Wow I left the door unlocked, wow that's concerning. Wait, why are there decorations, congratulations, Zane? <<Speech noted, \"Zane is that you? This isn't funny.\", \"Who are you?\", \"I can't understand you, can you please speak up?\">>. Wow this is getting creepy <<Speech noted, \"What do you mean beloved\", \"Sorry I think I am in the wrong house.\">>. No it's my house, I'm calling the cops now. <<Attempted police contact, contact not established>>. How is my call not getting through, I have 8G coverage here. Let me call again <<Attempted police contact, contact not established>>. I'm going to have to go find someone else and ask to use their phone phone, my internal system must be broken, I'll need to see my GP for that. <<Warning, pain detected, Shock>>\n\nWhere Am I? <<Alert, fear level rising>>. <<Speech Noted, \"Let me go you chippie!\">>. That was probably a mistake, oh no, oh no. <<Warning, pain detected, blunt>>. That hurt, thankfully my auto-injector kicked in, dampening most of the pain. <<Speech noted, \"Sorry, sorry what do you want?\", \"Ok ok, I'll tell them, anything, please do not hurt me\">> <<Warning, pain detected, burning>> Why does she do this? who is she? <<Emergency ping received, police incoming>>. <<Warning, pain detected, sharp>> I'm dead, I'm dead <<Alert, fear level rising>> <<Speech noted, \"Please Someone Help, Please\", \"Please don't, please don't hurt me more\">>. I hope someone will help me, I heard shooting, perhaps the police will save me?\n\nThis is dragging on, I might die, I only wanted to enjoy my promotion and make some new friends, why did this have to happen, I'd have given her anything, ANYTHING to leave me alone. <<Speech noted, \"PLEASE HELP ME! \"I'm, I'm, over here...\">>.\n\nThe Police are here, somewhere, I might make it... <<Alert, consciousness lost>>. \n\n<<Police authorization received, replay copied>> \n\n&#x200B;\n\nSupplementary Information: Suspect referred to as Angel, After her escape she's kidnapped Joseph and escaped from police upon being alerted to the kidnapping by her, she wanted us to see this. Joseph was a Caucasian male working at Teleco as a ~~telecom engineer~~ Project Engineer. Joseph was found after a call from Angel giving a location, a gunfight ensued and Angel escaped, killing two police officers. Joseph was branded with the iconography of the Evolution marketplace. he was also found with lacerations near and on the arms, legs and torso of him. He was successfully transferred to St Catherine's hospital. Before admittance he said he had a message for the police, \"I Care for you\". He has been granted leave and will monitored by a police escort and placed into witness protection along with Angelia.\n\n>!NOTE: MY BELOVED\nMy Beloved, I know you are reading this note, don't stop now. You already know I care for you. ooh why are you scared? I'm not going to hurt you, I'll never hurt you, because we are destine to be together. Joseph was such an easy target aww, deserved it to, did you see what he was wearing, all blinged up. Begging for the kidnapping, just begging for it. The decorations on his wall? my idea, did you like it? do you enjoy your job, how's everything going?Do you like the gift I sent you? I had to pull some strings to get it delivered but it's a small token of my appreciation. I know you'll hand it in but you'll keep it for yourself sooner or later, just like I know it is our destiny to be together.!<\n\n>!love Angel xoxo!<"
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[WP] You become the first human to gain telepathy. The first thing you learn is that all animals have some form of telepathy except humans who only project a vague sense of emotion. You aren’t surprised to find which animal has the strongest telepathy.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"The first Glimmer Jordan got was from his mother. She had just called him on the phone, and sounded rather composed. \n\nBut he heard her true thoughts. *Your father is sick. Oh God, what will I do with the bills, my social security isn’t enough. This is too much…*\n\nJordan tried to ignore these new voices in his mind, but it *sounded* like his mother, only detached.\n\nShe ended the phone call with a whimper. Jordan couldn’t help himself any longer. “Is dad okay?”\n\nShe broke down and told him everything. It was hard to hear, but he’d been through tough times, and he would help her however he could.\n\nWhat really spooked Jordan was when he got off the phone and heard another voice.\n\n*Sorry about your pops, big guy.*\n\nNobody was around, except his cat Mittens.\n\n*You can talk!* thought Jordan.\n\n*Not exactly talking when my mouth doesn’t even move, eh?*\n\n“True,” said Jordan. Mittens looked confused. *I mean true*, he thought. *So you only understand these…*\n\n*Glimmers. Yes*, thought Mittens. *Hieyaa!*\n\nMittens swiped at the air in front of Jordan.\n\n*Whats wrong with you?*, he thought to her.\n\n*Damned demons. They’re all around you now that you’ve got the Glimmer.*\n\n*You defend against demons?*\n\n*What do you think cats do all day, stare at empty space? We’re spiritual protectors!*\n\n“Thanks Mittens.” *I mean, thanks.*\n\nMittens purred, and leaped at the wall.\n\n*Another demon?* Jordan asked.\n\n*No*, thought Mittens to Jordan. *That was a gnat. Almost as annoying.*\n\nJordan pet Mittens on the head. “I love you, Mitts.”\n\nMittens licked her hiney."
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[WP] Getting goosebumps slowly turns you into an actual goose. Society has tried to adapt to this new quirk, with very little success.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"From Wikipedia:\n\nThe goosebump fever (also known as the goose curse) was a world wide phenomenon lasting from 2025 to 2031 in which people progressively turned into gooses when getting goosebumps.\\[1\\] The cause of the phenonmenon is unknown. Since people affected by it had their DNAs changed, it has been spectulated it could have been caused by a cross species transmission of a plasmid carrying virus, capable of changing DNA.\\[2\\]\n\nThe goosebump fever had large effects all over the world, such as mass migrations of people from cold climates to warm climates to avoid goosebumps, the collapse of the horror entertainment industry, religious interpretations of the phenomenon and the recognition of human rights and other human made laws applied to gooses so the people affected could continue living in society.\\[3\\]\\[4\\]\\[5\\]\\[6\\]"
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[WP] You are reading up on an Urban Legend. It talks about someone who reportedly died years ago and whose ghost reportedly haunts where they reportedly died. You chuckle. "This isn't accurate. I didn't die like that."
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"In a city where everyone is hustling and bustling, downtown where the homeless takes shelter and drug dealers conceal themselves. The loud trains roll by on the tracks causing static on the wires. Where building after building changes, but there is one building, an apartment building that hasn't changed in 102 years since the small town turned into a noisy city. \n\nThere's nothing special about this apartment building, except for it's antique structure inside. Once you walk in you feel like you've been transported back into the roaring 20's. Where the lounge looks too perfect to hang out and drink coffee, the elevator is old and rickety, it's very classic and has a metal cage and old style buttons. Sometimes buttons for non-existent floors appear so pay attention to what your pushing. You may feel a cold chill inside the unstable elevator or feel someone breathing on the nape of your neck. You hear laughter coming from every where and no where all at once. When you get off your floor, sometimes the numbers on the doors can change, there's an old stain on the carpet in the hallway that never goes away no matter how much bleach you use. You might smell a foul odor that could take your breath away. The lights in the halls flicker most days and nights, the light can trick your sight and you might see something you can't explain. \n\nBe careful of what apartment you live in, in apartment 303, there's a girl who haunts it, don't worry she's as harmless as a fly so they say. There's dozens of reports of this ghost floating cups, slamming cupboards, or running your water bill through the roof. Timothy Jones is one of these eye witnesses of this ghost, said she cured his cancer he'll swear by it till this day. Honestly, this ghost doesn't seem so bad, especially compared to the other spirits that haunt this building.\n\nThe legend of this ghost is that once you call her name three times and spin around five times, and utter the words \"please cure me of my illness, I'll trade you anything for it!\" You might get what you want but you might lose something as important. They say this girl died of her own illness and insanity. Her name is Pale Abigail.\n\nIf you do go inside, I assure you all the rumors of Pale Abigail are not true. All you'll find is me, and despite the Internet, it's forums, and so called \"eye witnesses\" they are all wrong. whoever came up with my urban legend was bored. I didn't die sick or insane. And I definitely can't cure illnesses I'm not Jesus Christ. I'm just a woman who died in an inappropriate embarrassing way. If you move into my apartment I will do everything in my ghostly powers to scare, and terrify you out of the lease. I like living alone, undisturbed by the living that is until Ed moved in.",
"\"Hey, Beth! Come lookit this!\" I shouted across the library.\n\nSometimes it's useful to be a ghost, because almost no-one can hear you. In an instant, my friend Beth rushed to me from the classics section, dropping Dante's Inferno and phasing through several shelves. She settled next to me at my designated computer, and I pointed out the ridiculousness that showed onscreen.\n\n\"See this article? Looks familiar, don't it?\"\n\n\"The Ghost At Cedarshore Library?\" she read. \"Oh, cool! You're famous!\"\n\n\"Yeah, apparently that sketchy guy who came in here last week was a journalist, not a thief,\" I smile.\"Dangit, you win. I guess I owe you one now.\"\n\nMaking bets like this for favors is mostly all we do together. But that's off-topic.\n\n\"True, but the funny thing is that they got it all wrong. For one, how I died is the stupidest rumor I seen.\"\n\n\"Oh yeah?\" she was reading the article again. \"Because it says here you broke in to steal somethin', and got shot when the then-owner of this place mistook you for a raccoon.\"\n\n\"As if! Whoever said that was dumber than a bag-o-rocks!\"\n\n\"How so?\"\n\n\"Does this look like a gunshot to you?\" I pointed at the scar from my death, which covered half my forehead. \"'Cause 's bigger than any bullet I've seen.\"\n\n\"Then what is your story, if you don't mind me asking?\"\n\n\"Sure, I can give ya the real 411. For starts, have ya ever played dodgerock?\"\n\nShe shook her head. Figures, nobody does anything fun nowadays.\n\n\"It's like dodgeball with rocks, basically. First to chicken out loses. I was playing with some other, older kid, an'...\" I didn't expect to get all sad, but the memory hit hard as, well, a rock. \"It went a bit off the rails.\"\n\n\"No offense, but how is that any better than a failed heist?\"\n\n\"No duh! I know it's not all that. Just wish they'd not get the story twisted, ya know? I didn't go down without a fight. 'Sides, it was still hella fun. You shoulda been there, maybe we'd have won.\"\n\n\"I wasn't even born yet then, silly.\"\n\n\"Ah, right,\" sometimes I forget how long it'd been. \"So, how'd you end up bitin' the dust?\"\n\nBeth suddenly looked paler than usual. She felt at her scar, a big bloody one around her neck, and stared off into space for a moment.\n\n\"Let's just say it wasn't worthy of an urban legend.\"\n\n\"My bad, I shouldn't go there.\"\n\nWe sat in silence for a minute or so. I smoothed out the taped note on the computer desk, which read Haunted Computer- do not use! In that neat librarian handwriting. That note means more to me than any headstone or trash article.\n\n\"So… show me again how to play games on this thing?\"\n\n\\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nThanks for reading! More coming (hopefully) soon at r/RandomClodWrites",
"I was sitting at the edge of the bridge, swinging my legs as I read urban legends on an online site that was becoming popular due all of the stories being somewhat realistic. And then I came across this story that seemed oddly familiar, so I started reading.\n\n*This story started with a teenager. A normal teenager who later on would become just an urban legend. It's said they were on their way home from basketball practice when it all happened. A stranger started to fallow them from the Main Street of x city, and they noticed, so they started to run, faster and faster until reaching a bridge, where it would be desert of people, but they still screamed for help, in hopes of someone helping them escape the stalker and soon to be killer, but it was no avail. The stranger caught up and killed them right there on the bridge. Their body was found a few hours later when a traveler passed by and reported it to the police of the time. The people said they had died out of stab wounds and a hit on their head, and now people report seeing their ghost haunting the bridge they died on.* \n\n\"Stab wounds and being hit on the head? Funny, because that's not the way I died.\"\n\nA/N: I kinda had to rush it but there it is, I hope you liked it :)",
"I sat cross legged by the campfire, listening to the fire crackling and the chatter of campers in their tents.\n\nI'd been waiting impatiently for them to go to bed the whole night. I needed to see the article, that the one in jeans and a poncho had been reading aloud.\n\nHe'd said my name. Just briefly but still said it as he skimmed over the local legends.\n\nI could feel my nonexistent blood boiling just thinking about the title. \n\n*The hikers haunt.*\n\nI hadn't been a hiker! But I was sure he'd said my name.\n\nI finally grabbed the book, flipping through pages until I found it.\n\n*wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!*\n\nYes, it was definitely me. They got that bit right. But everything else...\n\nI hadn't been in the forest when I died...and my death sure as hell hadn't been an accident.\n\nThis...\n\nThis couldn't go unpunished.",
"\r \n\r \nI was slouching on the sofa watching the latest episode on TV. The noise of Mrs Thompson doing the dishes was a happy distraction. I didn’t mind her company. She enjoyed the same Soap opera as me, she never used to miss them.\r \n\r \n\r \n\r \nThe Knock at the door was unusual at this hour. Mrs T wiped her hands on the towel and got to the door.\r \n\r \n\r \n\r \n“I told you, mom, there is something different here from the beginning.” The idiot started as soon as the door opened. \r \n\r \n\r \n\r \n*I never liked the son, his smile. I never wasted an opportunity to bedevil the idiot. What is he up to now?*\r \n\r \n\r \n\r \nMrs T took the paper held towards her and read.\r \n\r \n\r \n\r \n“Now you believe that I am not crazy. This is a haunted house mom. That’s why things were never normal here, When I said I saw the cups floating across the hall you never believed me. What about all the things that you blamed me for. I never did those things…” The son rested on the sofa beside me, his face covered by his hands.\r \n\r \n\r \n\r \n*What is this paper...….is it about me.*\r \n\r \n\r \n\r \nIt was an exciting read floating by the shoulders of Mrs T. The previous tenants have sent a letter with an article. The crude warning has come a bit too late for the Thompsons.\r \n\r \n\r \n\r \n*They got all the facts wrong, I never committed suicide out of grief using alcohol and barbiturates. I was never an addict, I never had money problems what all people believe because they read it somewhere. People devour printed words without a second thought. I couldn’t blame Mrs T or the son, all those idiots 50 years back couldn’t check the verity of the evidence thrown around. It was a sensation back then, my case….my death. The Mob ran everything back then, you couldn’t report anything worth without crossing them. The story was about the boss’s son and it was bad timing for me. I was stupid and hasty, I ignored the initial warnings to back down. My pride wouldn’t allow What an Idiot*\r \n\r \n\r \n\r \n*As they forced my mouth open, pouring alcohol into it I could see the smirk across the face of the son. The last thing I saw. That stupid smile that haunts the ghost.* \r \n\r \n\r \n\r \n*The stupid article got it wrong. The grief came afterwards, after my death…to infinity and beyond to haunt sons.*\r \n\r \n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*"
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[WP] The last piece of advice the lakehouses's groundskeeper gave you was, "Don't light any fires in the stone circle out back." But it's your last day up at the cottage - what's the harm in a little fire to warm up the night?
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Michael sat upon the porch of the lake house, staring at the beautiful water. Winter neared, but it was not near enough to deprive the scene of its natural beauty. Colorful leaves armored the hundreds of majestic trees surrounding the serene lake. Birds floated its water. Fish swam beneath. \r \nYet, Michael’s eye was drawn to the stone circle. \r \nThe groundskeeper had warned him against using it. But the circle was clearly cared for and obviously used frequently. The path leading to it was made of white stone and kept free of weeds. There was even firewood already in place. It felt as if the stone circle wanted to be used. \r \n“Still thinking about lighting a fire?” Samantha sat beside him and placed a warm drink in his hand. Her hair was damp from the shower. She smelled of honey and flowers. “It’s our last night here. If you want to do, then let’s do it. The groundskeeper was only doing his job. The owners don’t want us to burn down the house.” \r \nMichael sipped his cider, savoring the hint of rum within. “It was the way he said it. Six days later, and I can still hear his voice. It sounded like he was afraid. Like he was trying to protect us.” \r \n“Trying to keep his job.” Samantha poured more alcohol into his cup. “Look at this place. Wouldn’t be hard to find a groundskeeper to do this work.” \r \n“What about—”\r \n“Ghosts? Demons? Other worlds trying to take over our own?” Samantha laughed. “You’ve been watching too many shows. It’s just a firepit. We’ll clean up after ourselves.” \r \nMichael smiled. “In that case…” He entered the quaint house and returned with a lighter and some paper to serve as kindling. “Let’s start a fire.” \r \n“Wait!” Samantha returned with the ingredients for s’mores. “Now we can go.”\r \nAs the autumn wind picked up, they made their way down the manicured path to the stone circle. The fire was quick to start. Within moments, they sat side by side on a smooth log before the fire overlooking the sunset on the lake below. The smell of melted chocolate and marshmallows flavored the chill air. \r \n“A pleasant end to a week in paradise,” Samantha said. She placed her head against his shoulder and smiled up at him. “We should have lit seven fires.” \r \nMichael matched her grin. “We’ll have to come back. A shame we won’t see the groundskeeper again…”\r \n\\*\r \nMichael sat upon the porch of the lake house, staring at the beautiful water. It was his last night in the lake house, and as the chill of winter had not yet arrived, it was a pleasant one. The smell of cider drifted from inside the quaint cabin. He turned as Samantha sat beside him and placed a warm cup in his hand. \r \n“Still thinking about lighting a fire?” she asked."
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[WP] You wake up in your car after a horrific car crash surrounded by other cars with people inside ranging from buses to trucks, to motorcycles. 'Welcome Racers', An voice says, 'Win, and you live, lose, and you die. There can only be one winner, good-luck.'
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"The last thing I remember was a loud bang, and my body being thrown around. Then I woke up here.\n\nI don't know whether this is in my head. I don't know whether this is the afterlife. I don't know whether the crash was even real anymore - My mind is in a strange mix of adrenaline-fueled, and still being in shock. Nothing really feels real.\n\nThe car I was in was still my own. Except, not crumpled and ruined like it should be. Around me were various vehicles, mostly cars, with people inside. Some had one person in, some were whole families. One car even had a dog. There were some trucks, too, some motorcycles, even one person on a regular bike.\n\nIf this was the afterlife, why specifically do our vehicles come with us? This couldn't be the afterlife. This was in my head. I'm either dying, or in a state of shock. That must be it.\n\n\"Win, and you live. Lose, and you die. There can only be one winner.\"\n\nIt wasn't until these words were spoken from somewhere above me that the shock began to wear off, and things felt real again. I began to take in my surroundings. We were in the middle of a stadium. There were maybe 40 vehicles, at least 30 of them were cars.\n\nI began to piece together what was happening. We're all dead from motorway accidents. Or, at least, dying. Whoever wins this race will be the only one to wake up.\n\nI tried to get out of my car, but couldn't. I didn't care if this was real anymore, but I couldn't risk it, whatever the fuck was happening was real enough to me. Every inch of me is telling me this can't be real but I can't stop feeling like it somehow is.\n\nIf this is the afterlife, who runs it? Does any religion believe in this? What kind of sick bastard would turn the afterlife into a game of life and death?\n\nAs the questions in my mind began to slow down, I realised I had no chance of winning. I'm not a professional racer. But, then, there's only another 40ish drivers here - What are the odds that any of them are professionals? Besides, surely I already had an advantage by being out of my state of shock... I bet most of these people are still trying to understand what's going on!\n\nI began to think about my opponents. The trucks would be good at blocking, but ultimately would be too slow. The motorcycles are fast, sure, but people will probably be trying to knock them off, which would be easy. The only person who really had no advantage was the guy on the bike, I feel a bit sorry for him. But I don't have time to feel sorry for others. The cars were what I needed to watch out for the most, they're the most versatile.\n\nThe speakers came back into action,\n\n\"3... 2... 1... Go!\""
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[WP] You have ascended, receiving immortality and great powers ... against your will.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\"...and this is incredibly inconvenient, and I want you to really understand just how much because you're not getting it---what's that?\"\n\n\"Ma'am, I don't know--\"\n\n\"Well, of course not, you don't know. Huh, what a surprise.\"\n\n\"Ma'am--\"\n\n\"Don't ma'am me, are you even a native English speaker? I told you, I'm male.\"\n\n\"Okay, Sir, sorry,\" I winced and leaned back, and my chair squeaked in protest.\n\n\"There is it again! You're working from home and that's a small animal, isn't it? No wonder you can't focus. This is subpar.\"\n\n\"I apologize, Sir, it's my chair.\"\n\n\"Your chair? Where are you?\"\n\n\"I apologize, I'm not authorized to reveal that--\" I'm in the lower level of a dying suburban mall, between a pizza joint that is almost always empty and a nail salon that is almost always full; I'm sitting in a cubicle of mismatched off-white particle board on an office chair with blotchy maroon upholstery and some duct tape. There are approximately 7 of us here on the 3rd shift. This place runs 24/7 because it's apparently too much of a hardship to wait until daylight to be recompensed for paint that has already been applied to a wall, two weeks prior.\n\n\"This green looked warmer on the swatch. You cannot seriously tell me it's the same proportion or quality of pigments. Was something outsourced?\"\n\n\"Sir, I'm sorry for your disappointment, but our reimbursement policy--\"\n\n\"What has happened to customer service in this country? It's disgraceful. I have two other rooms I want to repaint, what's your policy compared to earning more money from a satisfied customer? Just give me your manager--\"\n\nAnd then there was a blinding light.\n\nI found myself still on my maroon duct tape chair, still with my headset on, but everything was silent. No recitation, no clicking of keyboards, no creak of chairs even more battered than mine, nothing. I stood up and peered over the partitions. Everyone else was gone.\n\nDid the others quit? Was there a disgruntled incident (either customer or staff)? What had I missed?\n\n\"What must be done?\" This was a considerably deeper voice than Sir Ma'am. I removed my headset and started walking towards the break room.\n\n\"What must be done?\" The voice repeated again. Oh. The break room was empty. The bathrooms were empty. Even the night manager wasn't there.\n\nI shrugged and returned to my desk. My schedule sucked, a few days here, a few nights there, back and forth. I'd switched back to nights three days ago, and had barely slept. I guess I was just hearing the voice of God again. At least it wasn't telling me to jump onto the tracks this time.\n\nMy phone was flashing red on Line 9. I put my headset back on and pressed the button.\n\n\"What must be done?\" Ok, after work, I needed to stock up on diphenhydramine and take 3 or 4 before bed. Maybe a solid 12 hours of sleep would do the trick.\n\n\"Thank you for phoning us. What is the nature of your complaint?\" I stared at the script on my computer monitor. This time, I was going to be monotone but sort of breathy. Varying my voice kept me sane(r).\n\n\"Erica, you have ascended.\"\n\n*How does this motherfucker know who I am?* Oh, yeah, it's just a voice in my head. I squinted at the script.\n\n\"I'm sorry for your inconvenience. Can you help me understand what you are going through?\"\n\n\"Erica, you are immortal.\"\n\n\"Unfortunately, without additional information, I might not be able to address your issue as completely as I would like to.\"\n\n\"Erica, you are omnipotent.\"\n\n\"I apologize, please hold.\" I mashed the hold button and grabbed my cellphone. My vocab is weak even at the best of time. Oh, yeah I have unlimited power. What am I going to do with that? I can't think clearly. All I want is a consistent sleep schedule.\n\n\"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting in order to provide better service. Who are you?\" Then I heard a click and a dial tone.\n\ntbc maybe",
"Getting hit by a New York bus was by no means the worst part of the process of ascension, but it was the last bit of mortal hurt. The last memory of when I was something less.\n\nNo, the worst part was finding out my mortal body was just a shell. I had to die, painfully, like an egg being cracked, to ascend. And then the information flooded in. Exact positions of molecules, the rotational speed of the third wheel on the bus when it hit me, the thoughts of the bystanders as they watched me, and I watched them watching me, stand up. \n\nI can’t begin to explain the pain, there’s no words created in any language that seem to come close. Excruciating, mind-breaking agony is the closest I can come in English. My mind couldn’t cope, but I wished it could. I forced it to, and then… I could. My focus narrowed, placing extraneous information in the background. I could pick it out if I wanted, like water in a stream, or I could let it just wash by me. All because I wanted it to.\n\n“Son, you all right?” Alex Garcia, sandwich shop owner, twice divorced, loving father of three, currently fighting with the bank for another loan to keep his shop open. He helped me up as I staggered to my feet, trying to keep me from falling over. My left leg was broken, my skull pretty clearly smashed, and the pain was registered on my nerves. I didn’t want to feel that, and my nerves stopped sending the pain signals. \n\n“Fine, uh, Mr. Garcia. Or I will be. Thank you.” He blinked, confused. Right, we’d never met before. I decided I should be. My scrapes and cuts vanished, my leg snapped back into place, the bones healed. My head healed, the brains I’d left on the street vanishing as they reappeared and reattached to the nerve endings in my skull. I turned my pain receptors back on to check my body, just to make sure. Other than some minor bruising, nothing else that would bother me. I shouldn’t fix that, it would be nice to have the reminder of my shell breaking.\n\n“How… mother of god.” Mr. Garcia’s eyes were wide, in shock. \n\nI smiled at him. “I’d like to talk to her, actually. She might be able to help with this situation, but I think that might be a bit much for… everyone.” People were staring, camera phones were out. Alex let go of me, crossing himself, and backed away, face white. A good deed should be rewarded. I reached into the stream of reality, altered it a little. The bank would find a major error. A corrupt official would lose his job, some paperwork would be lost, and Mr. Garcia would be approved for his loan. He would also see a minor but continuous rise in his customer base, because he was on what would be an internet phenomenon soon. \n\nMore people were gathering, and I frowned. It would be a circus in about thirty seconds when the police arrived. Erasing their memories would be easy, but… that felt… wrong. Altering people’s minds seemed like a line the old me wouldn’t cross if he had the chance. Maybe the new me shouldn’t, either.\n\nTheir perceptions, however, were easy enough. To everyone and their recording devices, I simply vanished. However, I just walked away from the broken bus, and the site of my ascension. Was there anyone like me in the world? In the universe? I reached out with my heightened senses… and came up with nothing. Strange. \n\nI didn’t want to be alone. I didn’t want to have… this. I was going to work, to be a regular office worker. But that seemed so meaningless now. I could do so much more. The old me always wished to have the power to make changes in the world to help. But this was too much. I could know everything about someone, just by looking at them. Their darkest secrets to their grandest achievements, and what they were thinking as I walked by them. I was surrounded by people on the street… and felt more alone than I have ever been.\n\nWhat does a god do when they don’t want to be a god?"
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[WP] "Who soever pulleth the sword from the stone is the rightful king of all the land". that's what the prophecy said. No one expected you to pull the stone from the sword, however, and the prophets have reconvened to decide what, exactly, to do now.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 Prophets had proclaimed that whoever pulled the sword from the stone was the rightful ruler. I had been the ruler of the lands for the last five years, and they had then convened to dethrone me, clearly. So I did what any man does (if they have a semblance of honor), when their right to rule is challenged, I met the challenge head-on. \n\nPeople were gathered around the stone, pulling and yanking at it in desperation. I watched with amusement in my eyes, as not even one of the many people around managed to get even a budge from the sword. It would seem that destiny well and truly held the blade within its grasp. Yet still, I held no worry within my veins, as I walked myself into the line.\n\nThose that had gathered around the sword attempted to part when I appeared. I raised a hand and stopped them in their tracks.\n\n\"If any shall raise the sword from the stone before I myself do, then I shall lay down my crown to them. So please, take your chances now, or forever hold your tongues,\" And so they did, rushing forwards in an attempt to steal my throne; and I waited my turn, as respectfully as any King should.\n\nThen, as my turn came, I calmly placed my hands upon the hilt, and stared towards the blade itself. I could almost taste the magic that welded it into place. Such a strong and ancient magic it was, that kept the blade where it was. I nodded, before pulling at the sword.\n\nFor a moment, there was no budge whatsoever, as there had been for none other. Then, all at once, it pulled outwards, and shined within the light of the setting sun. I stared towards the sword with a calm and easy smile. \n\nThat night, I was ushered in to the private tent of the Prophets. All of them were staring towards me in confusion, and some in shame. I smiled kindly towards the lot of them. They would not be disbanded, but I was certain they would never hear the end of their mistake upon this day.\n\n\"We...Apologize,\" The Head Prophet said eventually, \"For ever doubting the authenticity of your rule over these lands,\" \n\n\"It is quite alright. If anything, you helped me cement my status as the True King upon this day. For that, I am thankful,\"\n\n\"So you will not disband us?\" He looked towards me hopefully.\n\n\"Disband the Prophets? How utterly foolish such a thing would be!\" I proclaimed, \"That would be like attempting to annihilate the Centaurs, or hunting the Phoenix for Sport! No, you will not be disbanded. If anything, I shall offer the protection of my Royal Army, as should've been done before,\"",
"\"...And in the case of Jerkowitz vs. The concept of dogs, the court rules in favor of the dogs.\" The judge said, rapping a small gavel against the podium. There was a flurry of activity as a visibly angry Saul Jerkowitz packed up his meticulously prepared case and stormed out of the court room, where he was promptly mauled by dogs.\n\n\"Goos lord, that was brutal,\" the judge muttered to the bailiff. \"I thought for sure hed win over the jury with that milk bone defense. Anyway, what's next?\"\n\nThe bailiff consulted a clipboard for a few moments. \"Ah, looks like that would be... the most worshipfull guild of prophets vs. The Democracy of Umbris.\"\n\n\"Ah, another weird one,\" the judge said, running his hand through his rapidly graying hair. \"Lets get on with it.\"\n\nThere was noise as the doors swung open to allow a large number of robed figures into the court room. Dark eyes glinted from their shadowy hoods as they took seats in the courtroom. There was another flurry as the state defender came in. He was a middle aged man with a small nose, meticulously dressed in a suit. He took a seat as his aides began to set up tidy stacks of papers around the defense's side of the room.\n\nFinally, another robed figure came in, this time ushering a pre-teenboy in front of him. The boy had bleached white hair, a vulger t-shirt, and a head completely devoid of any kind of thought.\n\n\"Its already been a long day,\" the judge said, wistfully looking at the clock. \"Lets get on with it already.\"\n\n\"Yes, your honor,\" the prophet said, delicately guiding the teen into his seat. Immediately the teen brought out a cell phone, and within seconds the sound of video game violence could be heard in the courtroom. \"Errr, I'll make this quick.\"\n\nHe gestured at the assembled robed figures in the back. In a practiced choreography, two of them produced flashlights and shone them on the oblivious teen, while another held up a red and gold lined backdrop. The rest started singing in Latin.\n\n\"Bow down, for this is your King,\" the prosecution said regally.\n\nThe judge banged his gavel. \"Overrulled. My arthritis is acting up. There will be no bowing.\"\n\n\"Ah, err, yes thats fair,\" the prophet said, in a tone of voice that implied it actually was not fair at all. \"Your honor, as you know my order deals in prophecies. One of our oldest concerns the King To Be. Well, young Marvin here managed to pull the sword known as Radiance, left behind by God Almighty himself, from the Stone of the Seven Sages, and therefore by divine right, he is lawfully our king.\"\n\n\"I dont see any sword,\" the judge squinted at the child.\n\nOne if the other prophets whispered something in the prosecution's ear. \"Err, he left it in the car, it seems.\"\n\n\"Ooh, tough break,\" the judge said. The clock was inching closer to five. \"And I'm guessing this is something you contest, eh?\" He pointed at the defense.\n\n\"Yes sir, that does seem to be why they called me in,\" the defense said meekly.\n\n\"Ugh, I just knew it,\" the judge said. \"Well, you might as well get into it.\"\n\n\"Thank you sir,\" the defense lawyer said. He grabbed a piece of paper off the stack and began to read. \"What is a king? In the early days of this fine country...\"\n\n\"Speed it up,\" the judge groaned.\n\n\"Err, yes. Sorry,\" the lawyer said, unperturbed. He grabbed a piece of paper from a much smaller stack. \"In short, your honor, this lad cannot be our king. Mainly because the Umbris monarchy was abolished 500 years ago in favor of a republic. Plus I suspect this child has some kind of brain damage.\"\n\n\"Ouch,\" the judge said, eying the prosecution. \"Those are some good points.\"\n\n\"Wha...? Your honor I must protest,\" the prophet sputtered. \"Our prophecies are the ery foundation this country was built on! To throw it out is to deny God himself his place at our head!\"\n\n\"Ha ha head,\" Marvin said without looking up.\n\n\"Shut up, your majesty,\" the prosecution snapped at the teen. \"Your honor, there is only one logical solution here, and thats for us to abandon 500 years of sin and return to our roots of reading vague and terrifying prophecies and wallowing in the dirt to hide from the vengeful eyes of God.\"\n\nThe judge thought about this, which is something he didn't often get a chance to do. But he figured, to hell with it. Why should juries always be the ones to come up the the dramatic decisions. After a long pause, the judge looked at the prosecution.\n\n\"Listen, its not that i dont understand tradition,\" he said. \"Im a big fan of wearing dark robes myself. But after deliberation I do not think young marvin here could actually sign my paycheck since im pretty sure hes illiterate. I'm going to rule in the defense.\"\n\nThe defense lawyer performed a single fist pump, letting out a quiet \"yessss.\"\n\nThe prophets erupted in shouts \"youre making a huge mistake!\" The defense prophet wailed. \"God will surely turn you into a serpent! Maybe! When he gets around to it! Lets go, your majesty! Off to plan our dark plans! Off to set history back on course!\" And in a flurry of activity, all the prophets were gone.\n\nEventually one came back in to retrieve Marvin, who was still oblivious. The prophet made a halfhearted attempt to shake his fist at the judge on the way back out, but even he could tell the moment had passed.\n\n\"Hey,\" the judge said to the bailiff. \"Do you think its weird they didnt predict they'd lose?\"\n\n\"I dont know, was never into prophecies.\" The bailiff said. \"Ive always been an omen man, myself.\"\n\n\"See, thats smart,\" the judge said, packing his gavel away in his custom made carrying case. \"You cant go wrong with a bad omen. You always know exactly what youre getting there.\""
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[WP] Your superpower is (REDACTED)—you have the ability to (REDACTED), but only when (REDACTED). It sounds pretty useful, but it’s a downright pain in the ass when you’re trying to (REDACTED).
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 wait… why can’t you tell me what your power is?” The government agent says, pulling out his pen and note pad.\n\n“Well I can’t tell you what it is or something really bad will happen to you” I say to the agent.\n\n“Yea but like, what does it DO. Like I get you don’t want to tell me, but buddy you gotta.” He said, looking very fed up that I won’t just explain my power.\n\n“No, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you, it’s that I can’t tell you.” I try to explain once again. You see, I have the very fun power of, if I explain my power… anyone who hears the explanation dies. Which, frankly is a pain in the ass because I can’t explain it or why it can’t explain it, without the person dying. \n\n“Ok buddy I’m going to ask you one more time, what’s your power. You caused a lot of people to die the other day and we still aren’t sure how or why you did it. So in order to clear your name, you gotta explain to me what ya power is. Kapeesh?” \n\nI consider explaining my power to him out of spite, but then realize that would be a terrible idea and settle for just trying to explain around it like normal.\n“Ok so that’s the thing, I can’t explain it.”\n\n“No we need you to, I need to write it down” he says again.\n\n“Yea but I can’t explain my power, if I do, well it’s a very bad idea” \n\nAnother agent comes in the room and says “Alright sir, clearly you’re being uncooperative, we hate to do this but since we need to know what we’re dealing with… I’m going to read your mind” I actually had never thought of this idea. Maybe this will be the one way my power can be explained without someone dying from it! \n\n*SPLAT*\n\nNever mind."
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[WP] “You want me to teach you what? Do you have any idea what witchcraft is?”
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Megan leaned back, resting against a black tree as she took in Shelia’s words. A fire crackled between them, red and yellow flames swayed and flickered. Opening her mouth, Megan found she was speechless. Looking up, hoping for an answer. Black leaves on black branches stretched out above her. A white sun pierced the gaps, like ropes dangling from the heavens. A pair of small, blood-red birds hopped between the branches above where Shelia sat. *Shelia*. Large blue eyes like an ocean. Long soft golden hair hung down around her waist. Megan, quite the opposite, let out a deep breath. She wondered why Shelia, of all women, had been able to break down her walls, when no other had come close.\n\n\r“You want what exactly?” Megan muttered, her face strewn up, trying to comprehend her new friend's words. The words fell from her mouth, having avoided her own thoughts. It was all she could say.\n\n\r“I want you to teach me your magic!” Shelia smiled, flashing her brilliant white teeth. Sitting straight, Shelia’s eyes were focused on the Witch but her smile never faded. The red bird’s above cooed, looking down at the two women sharing a fire. Off in the dark of the forest, a twig snapped. Megan lifted her ear, listening. Listening, she heard a wolf wander off, choosing easier prey. At last, she turned back to Sheila, forcing herself to smile.\n\n\r“You don’t know what you're talking about,” Megan groaned, throwing her hands in the air, frustrated. Pulling at her short, black hair, Megan put her head in her knees, hoping Sheila would take the hint. Instead, when she next looked up, Sheila had silently crept around the fire. Now, the two women sat side by side, each facing the edges of the forest, their backs to the dangers within. \n\n\r“I do and don’t say I don't!” Shelia replied, her tone trying to sound soothing but a hint of anger broke through. “I’m nearly as old as you are!”\n\n\r“Don’t pretend you know my age,” argued Megan, rolling her eyes before focusing on the dwindling fire. “Or that you know you’re own for that matter!” The words flew from her mouth, like daggers stinging their target. Shelia turned, her blonde hair blocking her face and tears. *The effort I must go through with her. The tears. All this before training? Can I be bothered?*\n\n \r“I’m sorry, Shelia,” Megan said, reaching out for her shoulder before returning her hand to her side. “It’s just…I only got my freedom…weeks ago…and I’m just…not ready.” Megan wrapped a hand around her wrist, feeling where the chains had been. Years of scraping, steel on skin, had left her scars forever red around her wrists and ankles.\n\n\r“Those years…” she went on, a tear dropping from her eye as she squeezed them shut. A memory tried to claw its way back into her mind. There, in the King’s dungeon, a frigid wind sweeping all around them. Arms and legs bound, they had turned her around the night before so she faced the stone wall. To her left, a man’s corpse hung. Black and blue, his entrails hung, sweeping the filthy stones below. Eventually, a group of the King’s men had entered, laughing and joking about the night to come. About the reward the King had given them. \n\n\rA horrible sobbed came from Megan, a noise she didn’t even know she could make. Eyes shut, she tried to force the memory of the men away but she couldn't. The wind, the cold, the dampness, she could feel it all. The smell of the breath, their hits, their whips, their… Suddenly, Sheila was there, wrapping her small arms around Megan. The scent of lavender threw back the smell of the dungeon. The woman’s soft skin was like a blanket, swaddling the Witch, until at last, Megan breathed deeply. Smiling, she nuzzled her face in Sheila's neck, not wanting to leave the embrace and show the tears that had fallen. At last, they came apart. With the back on her hand, Megan dried her eyes. Sheila reached up, gathering a stray before it fell to the forest floor.\n\n\r“Ok,” Megan croaked. “I’ll do it. I will teach you.” The pair of red birds above flew off as Sheila grabbed Megan’s hand and squeezed a thanks.",
"Cornelius went to answer the knock on his door. As he opened he saw a teenage girl standing in front of him. \n\n“Yes?” \n\n“Mr. Augustus?”\n\n“Yes that’s me.” The girl seemed to be nervous and unsure of herself. \n\n“Can you teach me pyromancy?” The question was quiet and spoken hastily. \n\n“Come in.” \n\n“Can’t you just tell me yes or no?” \n\n“That is not an easy question. I want to talk to you. Afterwards I will make a decision.” She entered his home and he led her to his kitchen. \n\n“What is your name, if I may ask?” \n\n“Anna.” \n\n“So Anna, you are what 14, 15 years old?” \n\n“15, yeah. Why?” \n\n“That is slightly older than many when they start to learn witchcraft, but that does not matter right now.” They sat down at the kitchen table. \n\n“So tell me. What do you know about witchcraft?” \n\n“Erm, it allows you to cast spells. Like creating a fireball or controlling water, summoning demons and similar things. It is used in different professions, for example in factories or on the battlefield.” This seemed to confirm the suspicion Cornelius had from the very beginning.\n\n“That is all true, but what do you know about the workings of witchcraft? Why can we cast spells?” About this Anna seemed to be even more unsure than before.\n\n“Don’t you call upon the fundamental forces of nature or something? How exactly am I supposed to know how to cast a spell when I do not know anything yet?” \n\n“Well usually the witch finds the student and not the other way around. Also pyromancy is not widely taught. Why do you want to learn this school of witchcraft specifically?” This was the really important question.\n\n“Because of the combat pyromancers. I want to be one of them when I leave school.”\n\n*Great* Cornelius thought. *There had to be one eventually.* \n\n“Do you know what pyromancy specifically consists of? Do you know what you are trying to get yourself into?”\n\n“I know that I would join the army and that combat pyromancers always die in combat at some point, but that is worth the glory.” Anna answered defiantly.\n\n“Do you know why they die?”\n\n“They fight on the frontlines and they are the most elite soldiers of the army. I would imagine that they have such a high mortality rate because of that.” *She actually has no fucking clue what she is trying to get into here. What if she had met a recruiter first?* This thought scared him, but also made him determined to enlighten her.\n\n“No. They die of their own magic.”\n\n“What do you mean by that?” A bit of insecurity crept back into her voice.\n\n“Do you know what is necessary for a flame to be produced according to the laws of physics?”\n\n“Fuel, oxygen and heat. Why do you ask?” He could see that she was getting annoyed at his questions.\n\n“Because a magic flame needs the same three components. Oxygen still comes from the air, but the heat is the fundamental force you call upon and the fuel you offer the fire are your emotions. And that is the problem. The pyromancers lose control of their emotions and therefore also of their fire, which results in them burning to death.” *Hopefully that will make her understand.*\n\n“But aren’t they the most well trained pyromancers there are? Shouldn’t they have control over the fire?” *At least she is curious. That's good.*\n\n“Have you ever seen someone actually control *fire*? One cannot control fire directly; you can only control its fuel. Therefore you need absolute control over your emotions and that is very unhealthy and completely unmaintainable in the long run.”\n\n“I can control my emotions. I still asked you to teach me, despite being very nervous.”\n\n“That is not control. That is overcoming your emotions. Overcoming your emotions and controlling them are two different things. If you had absolute control over your emotions, you wouldn’t have felt nervous about visiting me in the first place. If you had control I could take a kitchen knife and put it on your throat right now and you would not be afraid for even a blink of an eye. You would be able to feel happy on command. You would be able to switch any emotion on and off as you need it. I hope you see why this is not maintainable.” Cornelius could see as annoyance and confusion in Anna’s face were replaced by a hint of understanding, but mostly by curiosity.\n\n“But you are a pyromancer and you are a lot older than any combat pyromancer I have ever seen. Why are you still alive then?”\n\n“Because I am a hobby pyromancer. My main school of witchcraft is summoning. The control necessary becomes less and less, the less you practice and know about pyromancy, hence why most old pyromancers are hobbyists and amateurs.”\n\n“But then, why does anyone even still practice pyromancy?”\n\n“Not everyone asks a hobby pyromancer to teach them first. Most get discovered by army recruiters who do not tell them the whole story. Maybe the recruiters don’t know the whole story themselves. Also there are from time to time some pyromancers who are a bit more successful. Those are usually people who do not really feel many emotions and as such are very rare.” \n\n“So… could you still teach me? Just some basics?”\n\n“I think it would be better if you learned another school first and then came back to me. But if you come back in a few years maybe I can introduce you further into my hobby.” Anna looked disappointed, but understanding following this answer. Cornelius felt a bit bad about it, but knew it was for the best.\n\nAfterwards Cornelius accompanied her to the front door and said goodbye.\n\nFive years later someone knocked on Cornelius’ door.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI am still new to writing. I would appreciate feedback."
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[WP] You are not a werewolf, but rather, a WHY-wolf. Tell me the difference.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Alexander ran past the woods as fast as he can, rummaging through the trees and bushes amidst the backdrop of a full moon. Constant raging and howling was heard behind him.\n\nHe reached a wooden shack, sweating profusely as he fumbled the door's knob. It was rusty and stuck but he managed to yanked it after several attempts.\n\nHe immediately went in and slammed the door behind him, shifting a nearby table over to block and secure the door.\n\n*God, tell me this isn't happening...*\n\n\"Hello there sir.\" a voice echoed out from a corner.\n\n\"Whose there?!\" Alexander fumbled backwards, almost tripping on himself.\n\n\"No need to worry sir, I'm not a werewolf.\" a figure emerged in a gray sweater, dark blue jeans. His skin and hair appeared normal.\n\n\"See? No fur, no claw...\" the figure opened his mouth widely and pressed against his canines.\"Nngh fannghs eithur\" he closed his mouth before sitting down on a nearby seat.\n\n\"What are you doing here? Those things outside will be here soon! Do you know anywhere where can run?\" asked, finally calming down a bit.\n\n\"Not really, but first, how come you used that table to block the door instead of that cabinet on the right?\" the figure stared at him.\n\n\"What...? I saw the table first....\"\n\n\"Yeah, but the wooden cabinet is obviously sturdier, with a bigger surface area. In fact, why'd you decide to run from your friends at the riverbank?\"\n\n\"The.. monsters appe-\"\n\n\"It'll make more sense to escape in a group, \"Strength in numbers\" no?\"\n\n\"Well I-\"\n\n\"Hell, why'd you decide to come along with Jasmine even though you've already broken up and said this trip is a bad idea?\"\n\n\"How do you-\"\n\n\"What do you want to do now, Alexander.\"\n\n\"I want to run!\"\n\n\"Why?\"\n\n\"So I can survive, to get back!\"\n\n\"Why?\"\n\n\"So.. so I can get back to my family\"\n\n\"Why?\"\n\n\"Because... they love me.\"\n\n\"Why?\"\n\n\"Because I\"m their son!\"\n\n\"You know that's not true.\"\n\n\"Because.. because of my friends!\"\n\n\"They love you too? You know that's not true.\"\n\n\"Because I want to live.. a fulfilling life!\"\n\n\"Why?\"\n\n***WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY***\n\nThe endless questions and self doubt raged inside the wooden cabin for almost an hour before a thump was heard. Just then, the door blew open as a ferocious feral figure leaped through, a humanoid monstrosity covered in fur.\n\n\"Holy shit.\" the creatured growled, looking at a corpse with a face full of holes, one eyeball dangling out of its socket, with a bloodied fork on his hand.\n\n\"Andy, I wouldn't want my worst enemy to meet you on a full moon\" the monster gasped.\n\nThe figure on the chair crossed his leg and smiled.\n\n\"Why?\""
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[WP] The reason all the magic disappeared is because an extraordinarily powerful mage used all the mana in the world for an ambitious project that lasted a few hundred years. The time is now, and the mage wants the entire world to know his magnum opus is complete.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\"That was you?!\" Ellie exclaimed, her surprise shared by the other two next to her. The person handcuffed in front of them, however, seemed more surprised by her outburst rather than the action he had just admitted to.\n\n\"Yes.\" He casually replied with a slightly raised brow.\n\n\"Was it really that bad?\" He added.\n\nStill wrought with disbelief, none of the three in front of him answered his question.\n\n\"...I just thought considering what I did, I thought this was a good enough reason for it to be the exception.\" He tried to justify. His statement merely raised the confusion of the other three.\n\nTo Ellie's right, John was the first that managed to form a question in an attempt to make some sense of the conversation.\n\n\"What do you mean by *a good enough reason to be the exception?*\" John politely asked the man.\n\n\"Well, I suppose during my time, the Enforcers will locate those that cast wide-range telepathic magic without permission to be punished. Depends on the message and how many people heard it, though.\" The man clarified.\n\n\"Although on a smaller range, people used to make harmless pranks using it back then, which is usually followed by an Enforcer casting the same magic with the same range to notify those that heard the prior message that it was just a prank. It was pretty funny.\" He added with a nostalgic smile on his face, his eyes unfocused.\n\n\"When was *back then*?\" Trying to keep the conversation sensible, Mike prodded further.\n\n\"... I'm not sure. I guess there was much more magic than we thought. We didn't think it'd take this long to do it. Or maybe the world changed much more than we thought. Maybe both. Probably both.\" The man answered ambiguously.\n\nAs the man finished his puzzling statement, John gave one last nod, silently stood up and left the room.\n\nThe man seemed to wonder for the reason for John's sudden departure but kept his concern to himself as the air in the room did not seem right. A moment of silence passed as Ellie skimmed the report on the table between her and the man. To Ellie's left, Mark readied himself to leave the conversation as well but decided to wait until she properly excused themselves from this madness.\n\n\"You mentioned that you had succeeded in your goal. *What* exactly was your goal?\" Ellie questioned further, beckoning a surprised stare from Mark.\n\n\"Well, as I announced back then, all arcane essence on this world has been completely harvested.\" He answered.\n\n\"Arcane essence?\" Ellie asked.\n\n\"Quite a few things on this planet emit the basis of magic, arcane essence. People are among that who produce the most arcane essence. But we discovered that if there was an arcane void near a pregnant mother throughout her pregnancy, the child would emit lesser arcane essence than usual. Hypothetically, if the process is to be repeated multiple generations, it would produce a whole generation emitting no arcane essence.\" The man clarified.\n\n\"I see.\" Ellie said in a monotone voice.\n\n\"So, from our findings, we concluded that if there was a strong enough arcane void to affect the whole planet for a long enough period, we could fully eradicate magic off this world.\" The man gleefully concluded his explanation.\n\n\"Considering that none of you, and I'd assume the rest of the world too, does not even know of a basic telepathy spell, or any form of magic for that matter, I think I did my job.\" He proudly claims.\n\n\"If there's no more magic, how did you do the telepathy thing?\" Unexpectedly, seemingly to have to grasped the surreal explanation, Mark asked the man.\n\n\"Good question!\" The man complimented him, as happy as if someone were to finally have met another who speaks the same language.\n\n\"To put it simply, I *am* the aforementioned arcane void. Or rather, a modified version of it. I am the vessel of all arcane essence ever produced. I am both matter and magic because of it.\" The man plainly states.\n\n\"While a worldwide telepathy spell would normally take a large number of people *and* time to cast, it was barely a splinter of the power I possess.\" The man boasts.\n\nUnfazed by the man's supposed \"power\". Ellie passed Mark the report and gave each other a look before thanking the man and leaving the room.\n\nMike and Ellie walked in silence back to the precinct entrance. Mark intently read the report, barely looking forward as he walked to Ellie's annoyance.\n\nA moment later, a slight chuckle escaped Mark's lips, prompting a question from Ellie.\n\n\"What?\" Ellie lazily asks.\n\n\"Ah, nothing. It just says here that the truck driver that sent him here saw him intentionally jump in front of his moving truck and the driver claimed to have felt the impact as he drove over the guy. The driver said the guy he ran over looked completely fine, albeit a little disappointed.\" Mark says as he read the report as Ellie wondered what he found funny.\n\n\"I guess you can't really die if you're made of magic, huh?\" Mark said with a smile.\n\nUnamused, Ellie rolled her eyes and they joined Mark at the precinct desk, dreading the report they would need to submit from their interrogation with the peculiar person.",
"**\"Behold! For your lives are about to be changed forever.\"** Relia shouted, floating above time's square in his wizard robes\n\nA large crowd gathered as cars stopped their tracks at this strange being suddenly addressing them in the sky. Was this another david copperfield wannabe? There have to be wires suspending him somewhere right?\n\n\"For untold millenias I have used the mana that I have gathered up in the world to ensure we reach the pinnacle of humanity.\"\n\n\"Today, I have finally done it.\" Relia smiled, levitating forward as he slowly raised his two hands forward.\n\nHe redirected his energy forward towards his fingertips as a big translucent panel appeared infront of him.\n\n\"I have created a portable dimension that is accessible by your unique lifeforce's signature.\" He injected a bit of his lifeforce into the panel as it lit up.\n\nThe panel showed his face along with what appeared to be symbols of an ancient language.\n\n\"Information of who I am, what i am doing, where I am can be shared and accessed anytime!\"\n\nHe focused his fingers again as a scene replayed of himself in a lab conducting experiments.\n\n\"Recording scenes and memories to be replayed at anytime by anyone!\"\n\nSoon a thick book appeared with many pictures and symbols.\n\n\"History and the world's knowledge, accessible instantaneously!\"\n\nNext an African Tribesman appeared, showing a surprised and perplexed face.\n\n\"The ability to talk face to face with anyone in the world in real time!\"\n\nFinally a map appeared showcasing himself in Time's Square.\n\n\"The ability to find and navigate yourself wherever you are in the world!\"\n\nHe began to tear in one eye as he closed them, finally reassured that his 3,000 years of research has finally made humanity the pinnacle of godhood, with access to unlimited information and communication.\n\nThere was about a minute of silence as some people tilted and scratched their heads, others just gave a dumfounded look at the wizard.\n\n\"Meh\" I took out my iPhone and began replying messages as I walked away."
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[WP] You had been tasked by the king to deal with anything that could threaten the hero’s party reputation. Today, you spotted your head on a wanted poster
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 specter. I do not exist. I have no name, no face, no wants or needs. I live for the crown—only for the crown.\r \n\r \nTonight, the king requires my presence, and I obey.\r \n\r \n“Your mission is simple: eliminate any threat to the hero’s and his compatriots’ reputation.”\r \n\r \n“Not their lives, my liege?”\r \n\r \n“I said what I said. Now go!”\r \n\r \nI bow and dash into the night.\r \n\r \nThe hero: Julius Joy is a man of twenty-four winters. He was raised by the Council of Kings to serve as their sword. One among thousands. He was one of few who survived their trials and a “Hero” he had become. Now, he is tasked to assassinate the Elven Queen before her forest consumes man’s kingdom.\r \n\r \nJulius journey light: one mage, one warrior, one archer, one thief. His party moves eastwards, towards the forest of elves, and never stops anywhere for more than three nights.\r \n\r \nYet, there are rumors of him—tall tales, gossip, attacks on his character.\r \n\r \nBards sing them, so I slice off their tongues.\r \n\r \nPapers write about them, so I break their fingers.\r \n\r \nHeralds speak of them, so I sever their heads.\r \n\r \n“Eliminate all threats on his reputation” is my mission. So I will do as told and slice off more tongues, and break more fingers, and sever more heads.\r \n\r \nMy face is on a wanted poster—it matters not. I am a specter, and my face is many. However… for the first time in my life, I hesitate to adopt a new identity.\r \n\r \nI gaze at the moon, hoping she can give me an answer.\r \n\r \n“Shayla, is something weighing on your mind?” Julius asks.\r \n\r \n“Yes,” I say.\r \n\r \n“Can you share it with me?”\r \n\r \n“No.”\r \n\r \n“I see.”\r \n\r \n“Julius.”\r \n\r \n“What is it?”\r \n\r \n“What do you think of my current face.”\r \n\r \n“It’s pretty.”\r \n\r \n“And what else?”\r \n\r \n“I don’t know. You change faces as often as other woman changes their dresses. I learned not to get too attached to one.”\r \n\r \n“I see.”\r \n\r \n“So, Layla, my thief, my specter, my angel in black, is something still weighing on your mind?”\r \n\r \n“No, I feel light as a feather.”\r \n\r \n“That’s good.”\r \n\r \n“Julius.”\r \n\r \n“Yes?”\r \n\r \n“Tell me… what should my next face look like?”\r \n\r \n“I remember a little girl I met long ago… sandy skin, amber eyes, short raven hair, a little mole below her right eye, and a scar on the bridge of her nose. I wonder what that little girl would grow up to look like.”\r \n\r \n“Julius... you remembered…”\r \n\r \n“Of course. After all, you can never forget your first love.”\r \n\r \nI am a specter. I do not exist. I have no name, no face, no wants or needs. I live for the crown—only for the crown. But before I became a specter, I had a name, and a face, and wants, and needs, and something other than the crown I wish to live for.\r \n\r \n“Julius… do you… remember that little girl’s name?”\r \n\r \n“Lend me your ears, dearest, and I shall whisper it to you till sunrise.”"
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[WP] An Auctioneer discovers the only limit to how quickly you can cast spells is how fast you can say the words
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"It was a quiet evening. There weren't many of those anymore here, in the heart of Gaitlin. Mostly just noisy evenings of people yellin' at each other like they hated the other down to the contents of their stomachs. That and the sounds of cars being broken into. I was given a firm reminder of that everytime I went to my own and saw the trashbag I'd taped over the window a few weeks ago. \n\nSometimes from my window I'd hear a spell being cast from somewhere close. They carried the unmistakable sound of crackling air and left behind a stench of gunpowder that I could smell from even a few streets over. But tonight carried none of that, which is exactly why I worried. \n\nSee, when you could hear the danger you knew what to expect. You could avoid it easy when it made itself known, but when it stalked you. When it lurked just waiting to strike, well then you became the sound that others avoided. \n\nAs I walked the street my nerves grew. It wasn't my first underground event, but the first I'd be running alone. Typically at these sorts of things a moderator came as part of the package. The \"auctioneer\" as I was called, and the \"moderator\" as my silent better half, except this time the moderator called out, and my half could technically run solo. So I did. Double the money at least. \n\nAs I approached the building of the event the streetlights above grew sparse until I was left in near darkness. If it weren't for the sidewalk below leading in only one direction I'd have surely been lost to the street, a thought that only built upon my already weighted nerves. The quiet continued. It grew like something I could feel. With every moment I only became more sure that something sinister would break it. \n\nMost events I attended were ratty, and this one no different. At the door a crooked nosed man with a spellbook hanging at his side tried the \"If you fuck up ill punch your teeth in\" look, but I had been given it so many times before it wasn't as potent. After a moment of *who are you's* and *whats your business's* I was let through a metal door into the beyond. God I wished my moderator was here. Without him I was forced to talk to every sleazy face I passed just to find the stage booth. \n\nOn the floor was a sea of delinquent faces, some I recognized from other auctions I thought, but no names came to mind. The building was more warehouse than club, more crumbling than stable, more shitty than not-shitty. Everywhere I looked a new patch of mold grew, as if my gaze alone spawned its existence. Above a few lines of swinging bulbs with magical runes contained within served as lights for the space to a surprisingly effective means. What else did I expect? These illegal type spots didn't typically roll out the red carpet (not that they could afford one anyways.) \n\nWith my place up on the stage the auction began. From somewhere beyond the torn curtain behind me artifacts of power began rolling out carried in by suited men. An urn here, a fleshbound book there, all par for the course. Once the stage was filled the room suddenly reeked with that same sort of palpable silence from outside, only broken by my voice: \"Starting the bid at fifty do I have fifty. Sixty! Can I get a seve- Seventy!\" \n\nArtifacts flew off the stage left and right into greedy hands. Anything of even remote power was quickly snatched up before the slow had a chance to react. Lucky for me I was not slow, so when the final piece entered the stage I was quick to act. \n\n\"Final piece ladies and gentlemen! A Beautiful Advanced book of Casting dated 1652. Full of wonderful spells lost to time.\" I was meant to read lines about the pieces, but they had long been forgotten, so winging it was the next best thing. \n\n\"Starting the bidding at seventy-five do I have seventy-five?\" the crowd remained thick, but had gone silent, most too busy thinking if their new buys to worry about another piece. Lucky for me. \n\n\"Fine I'll put in at eighty! Eighty going once.\" \n\n\"Hey you can't do that!\" a voice I couldn't pinpoint cried out in protest. \n\n\"Can-and-did-chief. If you want it then be faster, if not then shut up. Do I hear eighty-five?\" \n\n\"Fuck you! Yeah eighty-five right here!\" this time I found the voice in the crowd. A rather tall man with little hair to spare on his chrome-like head. Shirtless, for some reason, and looking more pissed by the moment. \n\n\"Oooo. Too-late-chief. Sold to me! Eighty! Good try!\" \n\nWith a bow I walked to claim my prize. Below me the crowd went back to mumbling between each other, surely discussing their new toys. As I picked up the book it seemed to carry more weight than I'd thought. In fact, it felt as if the pages grew heavier by the second, dragging itself back down to the table. I struggled to hold it up to no avail as its density continued to grow. Then I smelled it, gunpowder. The crackling of air. Behind me the balding man stood tall with an aura of anger. \n\n\"Thats my fucking book\" his eyes bared down on my back as the book continued to gain weight. \n\n\"Oh yeah? Then why the fuck am I holding it?\" I spoke to him without turning. \n\nI could hear it before I could see it. The man casting something particularly nasty for me. Usually my moderator would handle it, but he was at home in bed, and I was about to be killed. The moment the air started to crackle once again the crowd dispersed in a chaotic shuffle. He spoke the attack to life *Forcel!*, to which a wind of knives flew over my shoulder and tore the curtain on the stage to shreds.\n\nWith all my might I pushed the books cover up and over. Index, fuck. Another nasty wave of energy at my feet that I barely dodged just as a cloud of splinters flew from the stage. With another push I opened the book to the middle, to a wave of spells lost to time, and spoke: *Frey-Hëld-Callie-Oythr-Dræth-Gour*, the spells poured out of my mouth one after the other with my auctioneer voice still on. The slight crackle that came with casting was instead a lightning storm, surrounding me whole and striking with every word. \n\nAfter my tyrade had finished I looked to the man...or more of a pile now. Charred bones filled with holes, a pile of acid stained meat and frozen bits of flesh, a horror show more like. I felt the need to leave as fast as my legs would carry me. To run home with my words and bury my head within my spells. Luckily nobody was there to see. Even if they did all they'd have witnessed was a moment of great power followed by a longer moment of fear. \n\nThe book was lighter now. Light enough to carry, and with it that silence on the way home no longer had the same anxiety it had before. It had a new one. One that meant at any moment maybe I'd be the one to break it."
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[WP] After razing three worlds instead of sending their leader to negotiate their unconditional surrender, these so-called humans sent the commissioner of local traffic planning because in their unfathomably vast empire, the deaths of your invasion got confused with a minor issue in local traffic
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Virkex rubbed their silky antenne with a mandible wettened manipulator.\"Show the creature in. We will bask in its fear pheromones \" they said with contempt. \n\nThe large chitin-lead doors opened to the broodmothers antechamber. A smartly dressed woman stood in carrying a datapad and a briefcase. \"Thank you for your prompt reply and allowing me yo meeting with you as the designated representative in this matter. I has been noted system local traffic has seen an increase in mortality of half a percent. This exceeds the threshold of safe system travel. Please be prepared to address how you will improve your traffic to restore the mortality rate to its previous value within five standard cycles\" \n\n\nVirkex let's its mandibles clack shut in astonished confusion. \"You are standing in the present of your conquerer and you dare spew nonsense about traffic!?\" Virkex rattled and hissed as they spit out the words. \n\n\"Yes. I am sorry did you Say conquerer? One moment. \" The woman opened her briefcase and riffled through several pages of paperwork. \"Ah so the destruction of planets in the local system was not due to bad pathing of jump plans but intentional for the sake of damage and or political action. You will need to fill out form HumanAdvs499 if you wish to engage humanity in struggle. Otherwise if you refuse I will have to issue a fine.\" \n\n\nVirkex slammed its four arms down and stood up \" Human I have slain billions of your people and you have only one planet left in this system where your people live in terror of our fleet. I will not fill out any such forms. We take what we want and all others fall for food or slaves.\" \n\nThe woman sighed. \"As a duly appointed representative of humanity I charge you a fine of 10% of all biomatter per day until issue is resolved by the proper paperwork. The woman pointed her data pad at the strange insectoid alien. A soft green light pulsed over the alien. A moment later the alarms om the ship screamed. \"Please read and sign these papers. You have 9 days remaining before your species ceases to exist. Thank you for your time\" the woman smiled and vanished. \n\nThe chamber doors opened and dozens of its crew scrambled in each shouted in terror about watching others simply vanish. The ship itself a miracle of biomechanical engineering was deeply damaged as parts just vanished leaving whole decks venting to space. \n\nVirkex roared our orders and demanded to see the paperwork left behind. \n\n\nHumanAdvs499\n\n1. Species name ____\n2.Population _____\n3.Humanity Population 1.2 trillion ^10 \n4. Divide item 3 by item 4 if it is greater than 1000 please sign here_______\n5. If you did not sign in item 4 please sign next box\n6. We admit to wrongful harm against humanity and will pay a fair court assigned amount of labor or biomatter within 1 standard cycle or accept species eradication. \nPlease sign here_______\n\n\nVirkex looked at the simple form. The numbers on the smart paper continued to climb the longer they looked at it. It had to be a trick some clever weapon caused the damage. Then Virkex was recieved communication from his home planet . Ten percent of all bio mater randomly vanished. A decimation of life. Across every space his species claimed. \n\nVirkex signed the paper on line six and shuddered. What monsters had they found."
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[WP] On your 16th birthday you where supposed to receive some sort of magic, wether that be a transformation to some mythical creature, or a magic power of some kind. You wake up with nothing.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 counting down the days. Not that it did anything. When I woke up on the day of my 16th birthday, nothing happened. At first, I hoped it would be the same for my twin sister. But no, as soon as she gets sent to school, she gets Water Magic. So here I am....sitting in the office of Doctor Archibald Merlin, the foremost expert on magic.\n\nI had no magic. There was no fire flinging or healing in my future. There was nothing in the pit of my stomach but an empty well of Mana, a feeling so disorienting that it made me naseus. Weirdly enough, Mom brought me in her carriage as the brooms were acting up and were refusing to stay in the air. She also wasn't casting any magic either, maybe to spare my feelings.\n\nDr. Merlin came in, and he was a lithe, old man with a long white beard and tiny bifocals balanced precariously on the tip of his long, hooked nose. \"What seems to be the problem?\"\n\n\"My son didn't develop a magic,\" Mom told him. She leaned in and whispered something below her breath to him that I couldn't make out.\n\n\"How odd. Arthur, was it? I'd like to do a full examination if you don't mind.\"\n\n\"Sure,\" I shrugged. Mom stepped out of the room, and a nurse walked in to take her place. I took off my clothes for the physical as Dr. Merlin examined me.\n\n\"Incredible!\" He shouted, his fingers resting on my lower back. \"Come look at this.\" The nurse shuffled closer, gasping. \"Bring the mother in her!\"\n\n\"Yes, doctor,\" the nurse acknowledged before shuffling off to get my mother. \n\n\"What is it? What's wrong?\" My mother asked.\n\n\"Mrs. Pendragon, I assure you that there's no need for panic. You're son does indeed have magic. Well, it's a type of it. And you still have yours. Do you see this mark?\"\n\n\"I do.\"\n\nMerlin came back to face me. \"Arthur, I'm proud to tell you that you possess Null Magic, the gift of the Mage Hunter, signified by the birthmark on your back.\"\n\n\"What does that mean?\"\n\n\"It means you are destined to destroy evil spell casters and magic creatures. One day, that is.\"\n\n-----\nI remembered that interaction as a sword floated up from the lake's bottom, cutting through the air bubbles released by the so-called Lady of the Lake, as my powers took away her own, leaving her to drown. With this blade and the one I pulled from the stone, I could slay my sister and take my father's throne and purge magic from Camelot and the entire kingdom of Avalon once and for all."
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[WP] Aliens have just made first contact with Earth. The language they’re speaking is very clearly Latin-based, and now historians are losing their minds.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 when Jane Wingfield noticed the unusual signal activity. First she didn’t believe it, but then, it was repeated, again and again. It was a light signal in the infrared spectrum which consisted of light-dark sequences. Ms. Wingfield could trace it back to an area around the Trappist-1 star, about 41 light years away. And soon thereafter, the scientists began their work: what could this sequence mean? And, after a few days of getting in touch with linguists and decryption specialists, there was a meeting. “You won’t believe it”, said Ms. Wingfield, who, as the discoverer of the signal, was given the lead role, “but the specialists found something – something really strange. One of them assumed that the sequences might refer to letters of the Latin alphabet: one light, one dark is A, two light, one dark is B, etc. I say Latin alphabet with some emphasis. Why that? Well, they applied this logic to the sequence and this is what was the outcome.” She paused for effect and then let the two words appear on the screen behind her: “AVE TERRA”.\r \nThey were not sure if they should do this, if it was smart to let those aliens know they were there and had received as well as understood the message; but finally, curiosity won over and the team voted for sending an answer. They invited Sandra Wholf, a specialist for the Latin language, who wrote an answer, which they encoded in the same light sequence system they had received the first signal with. Then they sent it back to the Trappist-1 system. The answer they sent was: “TERRA VOS SALVTAT QVIS LOQVITVR” (“Earth greets you. Who speaks?”)\r \nThe answer came promptly – well, from a cosmological perspective. Trappist-1 was still 41 light years away and the signal received and sent was a light signal, so the specialists were sure they needed to wait at least until the next generation of scientists to have an answer. To their great surprise, that was not necessary: a mere few days after, Ms. Wingfield received the next message, this time from a place in (seemingly) empty space that showed it was 25 light years away. How the aliens did that? Nobody knew and the physicists in the team started a heaty theoretical discussion about it. Meanwhile Ms. Wingfield and Ms. Wholf worked on the message itself. What they had received was: “MHORTHAXI QVID EST BARBARI SVMVS POST SAECVLOS SAECVLOSQVE ITERVM TERRAM SALVTAMVS QVIA PROGENIERVM FLAVII VALENTI DESIDERIVM” “What does it mean?” asked Ms. Wingfield and MS. Wholf answered: “Well, it seems to be very close to late classical Latin with a few influences of vulgar Latin… but let me get to the point: They introduce themselves as ‘Mhorthaxi”, ‘Mhorthaxians’ maybe, they refer to themselves as outsiders or ‘barbarians’ and they say that they contact Earth again because it was the wish of the descendants of one ‘Flavius Valens’.” “Who is that?” “As far as I know, it was a Roman emperor. But maybe we should contact some historians about it.”\r \nThe historians that were contacted, of course, freaked out. Scientifically and mostly in a civilized manner, but even though it was supposed to stay secret, every historian that worked in the field soon knew about the message and a last-minute scientific congress was held. Historians from all over the world were there and those who couldn’t be there physically, attended online. From the beginning, everyone was talking over each other. “Is it hoax?” a Dr. Nowak from the University of Lodz asked from the online section. “I don’t think you can fool SETI scientists that well”, a Dr. Hernandez replied. “Do you think those aliens really meant Flavius Valens? THE Valens, emperor of Rome, 4th century AD?” one asked. “They never found his corpse after the battle of Adrianople…” said another. “Could we really assume he was, so to speak, abducted by aliens?” “We could”, proposed one with a louder voice, “send them another message and ask for clarification.” Someone from the online section asked: “Could it be they abducted more people from that epoch?” An enthusiastic older historian jumped out of his chair joyfully and exclaimed: “Oh, I hope they let us look into their archives! What a treasure that must be!” And here, everything dissolved into even more disorder. It was after a long while that Dr. Rossi from the University of Torino, the organizer of the congress, could restore order and silence and he said: “Let us help write those aliens back.”\r \nSo, the next message Earth sent to the aliens asked if indeed emperor Flavius Valens of ancient Rome was the one they mentioned, how many of his descendants were still alive and if those descendants had any special interest they could help with. Then they waited. But, as with the first message, they didn’t need to wait very long. After only a day they received an answer which Ms. Wingfield could locate only five lightyears away. It contained only one word this time. It said:\r \n“VENIMVS.” We are coming. \n\n\n\r((Note: Hope the Latin used in here is correct, but cannot guarantee for it.))"
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[WP] A man got into a car accident and sustained a concussion that left him with a fragment of his memories. His wife has taken the opportunity to mold him into a completely different person. It’s been working great for her, but now his memories are starting to come back..
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"≿————- ☬ ————-≾\n\nSwearing, Medical Malpractice, mention of honeytraps.\n\n≿————- ☬ ————-≾\n\nHe froze, his heart leaping to his throat as a memory prodded his mind. He didn't move a muscle as it played out and with each second his heart beat faster and faster.\n\n\"Atlas?\" 'Atlas' didn't give her a chance to figure him out, he placed the glass he was holding down and turned around to sweep his wife into a careful embrace. He laid his head on top of her hair and hummed.\n\n\"I'm fine, I thought I remembered something but... it turned out to be nothing.\" 'Atlas' layered the sorrow and disappointment into his voice with the skill of a specialized liar. He was a trained agent, he had to be good at lying.\n\n\"Oh, I wouldn't worry about those things, you'll regain your memory eventually.\" She leaned her forehead against his chest and 'Atlas' hummed in response. She bought the lie, hook, line, and sinker.\n\n\"Mm, I wish I didn't have to burden you with reminding me about everything,\" he murmured, trying to keep up the lie until he was left alone.\n\n\"You're no burden.\" She whispered, pulling away from him and staring into his eyes with her warm amber honey pots. \"Now, do I need to make you some tea to calm down or are you fine for now?\"\n\n\"No, I believe I'm quite alright,\" he chuckled, heading towards the door \"I'll take a walk to clear my head.\"\n\nWith that, 'Atlas' quickly exited the house and made his way down the street, *'I need to make contact with my team. I needed to tell them why I suddenly went MIA... and why I have a wife and am suddenly going by the name Atlas. What was she thinking?'*\n\n*(\"Jayden? Jesus christ its been three years! What the hell happened?!\"*\n\n*\"Listen, I can't talk for a long but long story short, we were given misinformation. We had the wrong guy, she's the high-up. She's the agent. Her brother was just a ruse to draw us out.\"*\n\n*\"Wait, you're telling me that you disappeared because she's an agent? Why didn't you get an extraction?!\"*\n\n*\"I couldn't! She got me, she got me good I didn't even- I didn't even remember my own name until today!\"*\n\n*\"Didn't remember my- wait... that car accident three years ago on the news-\"*\n\n*\"Was the organization's way of shutting me up, yes. Complete retrograde amnesia and they gave me like some sort of gift to the very woman I was honeypotting.\"*\n\n*\"Holy shit.\"*\n\n*\"I know, but I need an extraction now, how long until I can get out?\"*\n\n*\"Six hours, you're in an unknown location.\"*\n\n*\"Six hours, that's a long time to hide out sir.\"*\n\n*\"I know, I'll try to speed this up but it won't be easy Jayden. Stay safe until we get there.\"*\n\n*\"With all due respect sir, we both know I won't be able to endure six hours. Just be ready to extract me no matter what.\")*\n\n≿————- ☬ ————-≾\n\n*~~\"He remembers.\"~~*\n\n*~~\"Shit, I knew it.\"~~*\n\n*~~\"We have six hours until his men will be here to extract him, do you think you can recover him before then?\"~~*\n\n*~~\"Give me three and he'll be ready to be wiped. I'll get my husband back.\"~~*\n\n*~~\"How many men will you need.\"~~*\n\n*~~\"Just the neighborhood, the agent is good, but he's not that good. We're all trained fighters and killers, with the number of tranquilizers between us, it'll be a deer hunt.\"~~*\n\n*~~\"Do not fail Hesperis, or we will need to terminate your beloved Atlas.\"~~*\n\n*~~\"I never fail.\"~~*\n\n≿————- ☬ ————-≾\n\n\"Honey?\" Jayden briskly placed the phone back on its stand and exited the booth, coming face to face with the agent. He had no weapons, no gadgets, and no backup. By all accounts, this isn't a fight he will win. He won't be able to stall for six hours either, and if the area is an unknown location...\n\nHe's in one of the enemy's bases. Which means everyone in this \"town\" is the enemy.\n\nHe's outnumbered, horribly.\n\nHesperis' eyes betrayed her, she knew he remembered. He drunk in her details, her auburn hair, her almond skin. He doesn't think he'll be able to forget the way her honey eyes stabbed into him if he tried. Hesperis couldn't be her real name, but if she was born into the cult then it would explain why she chose the name Atlas for him. Hesperis was one of Atlas' three wives, and the whole organisation seems to be intrinsically tied to ancient myths. If he got out, he'd need all the details he could remember in order to get her ID so her options for movement were limited.\n\n\"Atlas?\" Jayden hated how that name snapped his eyes back to hers. It shouldn't, it wasn't his name.\n\n\"I-\" He swallowed, drawing a hand into a fist. \"I need to go.\"\n\n\"Atlas please, you're confused, scared, and disoriented,\" Her voice was like her eyes, a thick honey that tried to choke him \"You know me, I'm your wife. Have I ever hurt you?\"\n\n(The fight that got him in the accident immediately crossed his mind, she was vicious with a knife.)\n\nJayden moved first, swinging his fist around to sock her in the jaw before he pushed her and ran, it wasn't strategic, and it wasn't smart, but it was desperate. He couldn't be anywhere near her when Atlas' memories threatened to choke him, even now he knew he didn't hit her as hard as he could have, as he should have.\n\nHe was horribly compromised, both of them must know it.\n\nHe sprinted through the neighborhood, leaping over a fence to scale the Clark houshold's walls and taking reprieve on the roof. If there was one good thing about Atlas, it was that he didn't let his athletic ability die out.\n\nNow... he needed a game plan.\n\nIf he just-\n\n*-The sound of gunfire left him fleeing the roof towards the forest, there he could-*\n\n*-He marked something in blood, a single message just in case he didn't make it-*\n\n*-His wife/enemy was waiting for him in a clearing, she-*\n\n*-A fight, he'd managed to wrestle the knife from her and-*\n\n*-His energy was gone, everything was going black he couldn't have failed already he didn't want to-*",
"It is hilarious of the situation... A man abused by his wife?\nRidiculous...\nBut alas, it (essentially) happened to Machinni...\n\nThe poor shmuck impacts another car a loses a great deal of his life...\nHis first girlfriend? Forgotten...\n\nThe name of his pet? Forgotten...\n\nHis real job a position? Forgotten...\n\nNow, you would ask, how is Machinni abused by his partner? Does she pegs him every night in (hilarious) retaliation for the sexual frustration she felt those five long years? \n\nNo... She turns him into a shade of the man he was... Molds him into (her) ideal man...\nWhere there was the Latin lover archetype, there is now a submissive fool...\nHis whole philandering punished (at last)...\n\nBut his word, once invaluable; now worthless...\n\nNo spine, no strength to face the world...\n\nBut everything is bound to an end...\n\n((A man stares blankly to the \"camera\" and then to the lazy woman that demands another mimosa.))\n\nHopefully...",
"\"Honey?\" He shouted into the other room \"when the fuck did I buy this outfit?!\"\n\nHe stood looking at an argyle sweater-vest over a pink button up shirt. His pants were khakis, and he had on loafers. He noticed horn-rimmed glasses on his face, and testing them, found them to be purely cosmetic.\n\nHis wife was rounding the corner into the room.\n\n\"Sweetie, that's your favorite outfit. You _have_ to wear it to our dinner with the Carsons tonight!\"\n\n\"The Carsons? I don't... What happened to Rich and Ginny?\"\n\nHis wife gave him a deer-in-the-headlights look.\n\n\"You remember them...?\" She said\n\n\"How could I forget Rich? We grew up together.\"\n\n\"You... Honey a few years ago you got in a car accident. You haven't been remembering things very well since. Rich is\" she paused \"dead.\"\n\nThe memory loss seemed to fit. He was dressed like a geriatric accountant, after all, and could not for the life of him remember why.\n\n\"Dead? How'd he go?\"\n\n\"Yes we went to the funeral and everything, so sad you can't remember. He was also in a car accident.\"\n\n\"Oh God, not with me right? Did I kill him?\"\n\n\"No, no honey, completely different time.\"\n\nHe followed his wife's advice and finished getting ready for dinner, though he left his fake glasses in the bathroom. His wife frowned pointedly as he set them down.\n\nDinner was at a Michelin Star restaurant. The Carsons acted like they had whole trees up their butts as they ordered a bottle of fancy wine for the table.\n\n\"Ah, can I just get a bud light? I'm not a big fan of wine.\" He asked the waiter, as his wife nearly choked on her water.\n\nAt some point, the conversation turned to work.\n\n\"How's the accounting business, George?\" Mr. Carson asked\n\nThe man sat silently and blinked a few times. His wife nudged him.\n\n\"Tell him George\"\n\n\"Who the fuck is George? My name is Scott, and accounting? I'm a mechanic! What's going on here?!\"\n\nHis wife, pale as a ghost, said \"oh it is just that darn memory of his after the accident. Honey can I speak to you privately?\"\n\nHe reluctantly agreed and they walked outside.\n\nShe was all ready to give him the speech again, when something unexpected happened. Rich and Ginny walked past on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street.\n\nScott whirled around to face his wife. \"The fuck is going on?!\" \n\n\"Oh honey, I wish you would just stop remembering\" she said sadly, and pushed him into the street.\n\nA week later, he woke up in the hospital, a blank slate.\n\n\"George! You're awake!\" Said the woman sitting next to his bed"
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[WP] "You changed.This place changed.EVERYTHING changed.But I didn't,you know I can't."
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 come back at the end. The building had changed, fallen into disrepair. Picking my way around puddles, I went to the room. Always, to that room. Stopping at the threshold, I looked inside. It was empty, no piece of furniture remained, nothing that spoke of the past. Hesitantly, I stepped over the threshold, crossing to the window. My reflection stared back at me, and I turned away.\r \n\"You changed.\" The familiar voice whispered the words. \"This place changed. Everything changed.\" I cleared my throat.\r \n\"You didn't,\" I said. \r \n\"You know I can't.\" \r \n\"See, that's the problem. You can't change. So the world moves on; leaves you behind. Leaves you to rot in this house.\" A soft sigh echoed through the room. It spoke of a long-ago happiness, and an almost forgotten memory rose unbidden in my mind. Laughter, a golden afternoon, the sun streaming through the south windows.\r \n\"You were happy with me once. We had fun, we used to play.\" I turned to look back into the well-known eyes. \r \n\"That was a long time ago. My world, my life has changed. I can't go back to how it was before.\" \r \n\"You want to. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come here. You wouldn't have come back to me.\" The words struck deep into my soul and closed my eyes. The problem was, they were true. I longed to go back, I longed for those afternoons, that time so far away now. Tears hovered on the edges of my lashes before falling down my face. \r \n\"It's been too long. And while you can't change, I have to. There's no choice,\" I said, the words falling from my lips like stones. Opening my eyes, I walked away from the window. Walked away from the memories. Walked away from my childhood self, who I could see so clearly in my reflection. Walked away from the happiness, the sunshine, the golden memories and back out into the cold rainy darkness. \r \nI had to change. But somewhere, locked deep inside me—as if it was in a mouldering old house— was the memory of childhood happiness. And though I changed, those memories never would."
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[WP] Your isolated town has become infected with a virus that causes people to split into pieces and crumble. You discover that you have the ability to put these pieces back together, but the townsfolk soon turn on you, suspecting that you're the source of the disease.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"wash the wound.\n\n*flushhhh.*\n\napply embalming fluid.\n\n*rub, rub, rub.*\n\nstitch it up.\n\n*stitch, stitch, stitch.*\n\nand finally cauterize the wound\n\n*chrrrr.*\n\nand the patient is as good as new, only scars remain.\n\nthe process requires a steady hand and a keen eye. luckily that is my very talent.\n\ni first discovered this technique in one of my many desperate attempts to cure myself. this is the one that ended up working.\n\nword spread around of the man who could put the broken back together. at first this was a good thing, as more patients came to me for help instead of repenting for perceived sins. (don't they know that flagellation only makes it worse?) but lately the church has taken notice, and they are not happy.\n\nit didn't take much time before i was accused of being a witch, and since then i have been living in fear.\n\n*bang, bang, bang.*\n\n\n\ni don't know if you will ever get the chance to read this, but if you do then i am either dead or in hiding. my research notes are in the locked drawer by the window. the key is in the basement.\n\nsincerely\n\nthe Doctor"
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[WP] a barbershop where they ask personal questions such as "how many lovers have you had?" and "What's you favourite food?" to guess the perfect haircut for you.they get it right,every single time.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Is this the place? An old, run-down storefront in a dying village? The shop's façade was a cracked, off-white stucco; years of dirt and grime collected on the long-ago painted door's front. The sidewalk was unkempt, weeds and spalls making the surface uneven--in some parts, precarious. \n\nYet, there was that quintessential barbershop candy cane hanging over the window, a sign that read \"open\" behind the glass. \n\nI took a deep breath in. Something about decaying towns made me anxious. People stuck around these parts like stubborn passengers on a sinking ship. Their pride and optimism were transparently denial--they would die here waiting for fortune to find them, only for fortune to have set up shop far away and long ago. The wise had followed it, the foolish remained. \n\nWell, that's pretty cynical, I told myself. I don't need to keep expositing on America's decaying rural Midwest. I need a haircut. \n\nI pushed the barbershop door open. Bells jingled above me, announcing my arrival. \n\nIt was a small, one-room shop. A couple old pleather chairs were lined against one wall underneath Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Sr. posters. A Bass Pro shop clock ticked loudly on one wall. There was an ancient, yellowing air conditioner in a high-up window quietly humming and rattling, ribbons shaking in its wind. \n\n\"Morning,\" a gruff voice sniffed from the barber chair. I hardly noticed him at first, he so seamlessly blended in to the background. \n\nThe bearded man stood up, wearing denim overalls, a t-shirt blotted with paint, and an American flag pin on his chest pocket. On his head was a shock of dark red hair, greying on the sides. His beard was neatly cropped, sprigs of white among the red whiskers. \"Here for a haircut?\"\n\nI nodded. \"Um, yeah. I heard you were the guy to see...\"\n\nHe didn't make eye contact, but began gathering tools and odds and ends from the various drawers of dilapidated furniture propped up by old paperbacks. He set his equipment on a tray and gestured to one of the old seats. \"Sit.\"\n\nI lowered myself into one of the chairs. The man pulled the other around so it was facing me. \"Do you mind if I smoke?\" He asked as he packed a pipe with tobacco. \n\nI shrugged. \"Your business.\" I was pretty sure it was illegal to smoke indoors, but I couldn't imagine the health department made it a priority in a place like this. Most residents were probably getting lead poisoning from the water anyway.\n\nHe lit a match and lowered it into the pipe's bowl. Soon, he was puffing clouds of thick, rich tobacco. but there was something else in the smell too: a minty, tingly sensation that caused the hairs on my head and arms to stand up straight. It was not unpleasant in the slightest. \n\n\"Now,\" he began, looking at my head and my face, \"what is it you're looking for?\"\n\n\"Well,\" I touched the hair on my head, \"I've got a strange face shape; I've never been able to find a good cut that--\"\n\nHe dismissed what I was saying with a wave of his hand, the force clearing away some of the haze between us. \"No. What are you *looking for*?\"\n\nI wasn't sure how to answer. \"I want to be approachable...fashionable.\"\n\nHe shook his head and leaned forward. \"Are you a virgin?\"\n\nSuddenly I didn't feel so comfortable in this shop in the middle of nowhere. \"What?\" I chuckled anxiously. \n\n\"Have you made love? Found someone to share your most intimate self with?\" \n\nI snorted. \"I've had sex!\" \n\nHis eyes squinted as he pulled from his pipe. \"Insecurity,\" he whispered, the smoke escaping with his words. \"Not a good look.\"\n\nI was feeling defensive. \"I'm sorry, is this the barbershop? Who are you?\"\n\n\"You're in the right place,\" he nodded. \"My name's Oggy.\" He gestured forward for me to introduce myself. \n\n\"Myers,\" I answered the unasked question. \n\n\"Myers,\" he sampled the name in his mouth between puffs from his pipe. \"How's your relationship with your mother?\" \n\nI puffed up my cheeks, unsure how to answer the question. \"Fine,\" I shrugged.",
"Ray had just finished shopping at the mall when he saw the new shop in town, across the road. Barbershop. Sleek design, fancy font, on a metallic background. They had a nice sign and he needed a haircut. He walked across the road.\n\nThe curtain matched the drapes. It was well designed inside too. It was kept to the metallic theme. There were also comfy leather chairs, relaxing music, free of charge appetizers. They knew how to launch a store, Ray thought.\n\nA young man in his late twenties spinned the chair and gestured Ray to sit. His wavy hair and long beard was well groomed. Ray was impressed. \n\n\"Welcome, please have a seat. My name is Toby and I will be serving you today sir.\"\n\nHis British accent was a breath of fresh air.\n\n\"Nice to meet you Toby, I'm Ray. You new in town?\"\n\n\"Yes sir, and this is my intern, Felix.\"\n\n\"Nice to meet you sir.\" \n\nRay chuckled. \"Intern? You sound more like a corporation than a barbershop. So why does a Brit and a German would open a barbershop in the middle of this desert?\"\n\n\"Austrian.\" Felix smiled warmly as he corrected him. He looked a bit old to be an \"intern\". Maybe even older than Toby did.\n\n\"My bad, Felix.\"\n\n\"It's not ours sir. It is owned privately. We work here.\" said Toby, also smiling warmly.\n\nRay got straight to the point. \"So I usually get my sides...\"\n\n\"We don't work here like that sir.\" Toby interrupted, as he kept on smiling.\n\n\"How else would a barbershop work?\". Ray was intrigued.\n\n\"We have a little game. Felix here will ask you a few questions. We will guess the best style for you, if you permit.\"\n\nRay had too monotonous of a life to decline. He was glad to play along. \n\nFelix took out a tablet and started the questions.\n\n\"What's your favorite food?\"\n\n\"Tacos.\"\n\n\"What's your favorite color?\"\n\n\"Umm, blue?\"\n\n\"What car would you buy if you had infinite money?\"\n\n\"A lamborghini, for sure.\"\n\n\"Where would you live if you had infinite money?\"\n\n\"Sicily, of course. The smell of the orange trees...\"\n\nFelix interrupted him rudely.\n\n\"What is the name of your childhood pet?\"\n\n\"Funny story, it was a cat named Felix. We found him when...\"\n\n\"How many lovers have you had?\"\n\nRay stopped and scowled, almost expecting an explanation for this audacity. His open mouth did not utter any words. He turned around and looked at Toby.\n\n\"One\".\n\n\"I'm assuming it is not ongoing judging by the shape of your hair.\"\n\nRay looked at him sternly as Toby's attempt to break the ice failed.\n\n\"Just kidding sir. Felix, enough with the questions.\"\n\nToby waved him away. He kept smiling. Ray was getting irritated by this creepy smile.\n\nToby picked up the tablet. \"We entered your answers to our system and... It says you always wanted to have an afro!\".\n\nRay and his dead-straight hair had never looked as ridiculous as before. He started to chuckle again.\n\n\"Well I'll be damned. I always wanted to have an afro since I was a child. Eighties effect I guess. But as you see, it is not possible.\" said Ray, as he undid is ponytail and showed off his straight hair.\n\n\"Well in that case, we will shorten the sides just a bit, and get the split ends overall. Is that to your liking?\"\n\n\"It is exactly to my liking. Seems your little game is working just fine. How'd you know?\" Ray asked. Curious at the fact that these total strangers knew his childhood dream and his usual style.\n\n\"It is our little secret.\" Toby winked twice, as he kept on smiling warmly.\n\nAs the haircut was finished, Ray wanted to pay but Toby refused. It was his apology to him for the last question.\n\nAs Ray left, Felix picked up the tablet. It played a voice recording. It was Ray, detaling his views about his hair.\n\nToby grabbed it and deleted the recording. \"I understand I'm the barber, and you are the analyst. But even I can tell you need to be less obvious. What if you spooked him? We would get nothing.\"\n\n\"Maybe so, but we had nothing on his love life. I will send the rest of it to the headquarters. You can take a break.\"\n\n\"So how does this work, what happens now?\"\n\n\"I don't know really. Not our problem. Maybe he gets a promotion for a Taco Bell, or even a Sicily vacation.\" Felix noticed another man approaching the store. He took a photo of him.\n\n\"Ok, he's in the database. Hal Terry. I will prepare the questions, go greet him.\""
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[WP] You just noticed a place on the map labeled “Here be dragons,” in the middle of a major city.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\"Hic Sunt Dracones\" That's what the map told me, curious I never noticed the writing before as the map had hung in my office for several years at this point. After having seen this phase that seemed well our of place in the middle of my home town of Salong that I felt compelled to investigate. Now... Having made my way Salong square and seeing no signs of these reported \"dragons\" \n\nI find myself at a loss. Why did I follow an old map, especially one as open as this! To the centre of town in the middle of the market making a damn fool of myself looking like some clown who the circus left behind. \n\n\"What was I thinking! Looking for dragons\"\n\nI think to myself sitting on a shaded bench under the founding Phyrus tree, groveling on what an idiot I am when I see it!! A double headed dragon logo on a nearby building. Swiftly, grabbing ahold of myself and springing to the structure of the dragon I run, dashing past merchants and shoppers and nearly nocking over the old man who sells cabbage on the edge. Apologizing fast like if profusely as I continue on. Mad obsession overtaking any reason I still had. \n\nFrantically making my way up to the door I enter and to my utter disappointment I find not scales and treasure or royals in distress. No. I find the opposite of anything of that sort. In this building with the dragons head logo I find the Dragons Breath. Locally famous sushi restaurant...",
"\"Here be dragons.\" At first, I thought the cartographer was having a laugh. After all, how in the world would there be dragons in the center of the city Asapment? It had to be a little inside joke. But my curiosity wouldn't just let that sort of thing rest. So, when my next mission took me there, I had to check it out.\r \nMy feet slowed as I got closer and closer to the spot. On the map, it was just a blank spot, with the words and a basic drawing of a dragon. Now that I was here, it didn't seem that different from the rest of the city. There was a small square, with a dry fountain in the center. Tall light posts curled around the perimeter of the open space, leaning inwards. My footsteps echoed loudly in the silence, for there was one difference from the city. No other human was in this area.\r \nI walked to the fountain, peering about for any traces of dragons. Nothing. With a sigh, I lowered myself onto an obliging bench. I was getting too old for this sort of thing. Idly, tracing patterns in the dust at the bottom of the fountain, I whistled under my breath. And something whistled back.\r \nHeart suddenly in my mouth, my gaze darted around the square. Again, there was nothing. Only a small heat shimmer above one of the lamposts. I whistled four descending notes, and the other whistle replied with the notes ascending. Trying to pinpoint the whistler, I stood, spinning in a small circle. Nothing. Except... Hadn't there only been one heat shimmer before? Now, there were at least five, each near a lampost. \r \nWith my hand resting on my belt knife, I started whistling a tune. I only got a few notes in before the song was taken up and repeated by a whole chorus of whistles. The heat shimmers grew stronger, multiplying until they were hanging off of the lamposts, twining around the fountains, hovering over the cobblestones. And as the song kept going, kept reverberating, I could see the translucent bodies that the heat shimmers surrounded. \r \nThey were small, only about the size of a house cat. Their eyes took up most of the tiny head, with sharp spiky horns set just behind. No wings, and yet some of them floated in the air. I took a firmer grip on my knife, but they didn't seem to be hostile. A few of them moved around me, trying to drape over my shoulders. I shifted my weight, and with that motion, they scattered like minnows, fleeing back to their lamposts. \r \nI had long since run out of breath, but the song continued, changing and growing stronger. More and more whistles joined in, harmonizing, or repeating sections. And then the sun peaked out from behind the clouds. Rainbows of light scattered across the square, the sunlight refracting through the translucent dragon's bodies. Standing in the center, drenched in the song and light, I couldn't help the smile that pulled on cheeks more used to frowning. \r \nI don't know how long I stood there, how long the dragons whistled their song. But eventually, the sun slipped behind the cloud; the whistles died away until there was just one. It repeated the final descant, and then ceased. The square returned to normal, though it seemed that if I looked hard enough, I would see those heat shimmers again. \r \nAfter all, here be dragons..."
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[WP] Humanity has achieved utopia, ridding itself of war and evil. One day, a demonic businessman appears in the sky. He announces, "Your free trial to life has expired."
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 arrival of the business man made the whole town delirious. The police sirens echoed the small city as it experiences crime at its best. Posts about the chaos are flooding the local social media. Arguments, insults, and confessions poison the town’s morale. The people of the town were always hiding something. The business man just told the truth about how their town was full of destruction.\n\nIt began with the usual town hall meeting. The town residents attended on what they thought would be a regular town hall meeting until the time to introduce the new chamber member came. As he walked up to the mic in his three piece suit, he cleared his throat. \n\n“Your free trial to life has expired.”\n\n“I’m sorry?” Said the mayor.\n\n“This town has lived in ignorance for the past few years. In order to continue the existence of your so called tranquil town, you will have to make a deal with me.” he replies as he stares at the mayor expectantly.\n\n“What kind of joke is this?” Hollered from one of the members in the audience. \n\n“Even if you don’t believe me, this town will not survive for one week. I’ll be waiting for my call. Tonight.”\n\nHe drops his business card on the podium and adjusts his suit. With a clap he vanishes, leaving the town shook. People began to bicker throughout the hall. A sense of unease was in the air. The mayor tried to call order but his words trailed off. Everyone was interpreting the business man with his vague warnings. What could he mean by our trial? What type of deal is he willing to make? Just to keep the peace. After all discussions were finished, everyone went to their homes but no one could sleep that night.\n\nFighting broke out all over the town. Fires began ignite as stores were looted. Emergency forces in the town are already exhausted. Crooked cops started beating civilians and arresting them. Jails cells already booked with innocent people looking for one safe place with no room for the truly guilty. During all of the anarchy, the mayor hid in his house as his town crumbled. Word got out about his cowardice and as a result his secret house was revealed by a disgruntled employee. The town members furiously knocking on his door. Starting off with pleading until the desperation finally settled. A crack is heard as glass from the windows begin to hit the floor. The mayor heard footsteps at the bottom of the stairs. Heedful footsteps slowly making their way up the stairs. “I would do anything to stop this!” he thought as he reaches inside his pocket and pulls out the business card, dialing each number cautiously. Each keypress on his phone made his chest tighter and tighter. As he held the phone to his ear, the dial tone pierced his ears. The stairs begin to creak as the town members climb, adding to the panic the mayor is feeling.\n\n“Please pick up.” He whispered before hearing the phone connect.\n\n“As the bad guy always say in movies, that was quicker than expected.” The business man remarks.\n\n“I want to do the deal!”\n\n“Good. I’ll make sure to return things to normal but I’ll be accepting my payment soon.”\n\nThen the phone clicks. The noises that the house made are now gone. The mayor puts his ear to the door. All is clear. Just as the business man promised. But what was the payment he meant? He went downstairs expecting to see the crowd of people waiting for him but they are not here either. He looked around the house. The windows broken in the riot seemed to have fixed themselves. Checking his phone he finds all of the old posts are gone too. Clicking on his profile, he only receives a 404 error. Frantically, he searches the town’s website and clicks on the page for the mayor. Staring back at him is a picture of the business man with a vexing smile and his classic suit."
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[WP] While trapped in a painting you have sat and watched a simple store for years. However one day the clerk is attacked. Reaching out to protect them you manage to pull them inside the painting. Which at the same time forces you out of it, freeing you at long last.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 run from the Gestapo when I was pulled in. I had been sitting here for so long that I couldn't tell how long I had been sitting on this bench and feeding the birds. I looked up often when a person came close to the wall. Most looked at the painting that I had been pulled into and then glanced away. Others rested against it and sat or stood while talking to others or enjoying the food and drink that they had purchased.\n\nI had found myself lost in thought and soon, depending on how long I had truly been in this pastel-colored garden, realized that the reason I was in the painting was the need and desire to hide or be saved. I had been a French resistance fighter who was running from the Nazi Gestapo after delivering supplies to a bike shop. There they would make the Sten guns that the resistance would use to fight the oppressors. I ran into the store and sat here, wishing to become part of the wall, to hide. To become invisible. \n\nThat is how I found myself here. I had checked what I had with me when I first realized that I was someplace else. I had my knife, the few franks that were mine, and the stick I used to beat the gangs that tried to get their cut of the materials that were contraband. The bag of bird seeds was next to me on the bench when I started looking around. I eventually scattered them after realizing that there was nothing other to do.\n\nOne night I saw two men close to the painting. I could sense that they wanted to hide, but it wasn't to be unseen, it was to be ready. I could hear their whispers in a muffled fashion. Their plan was to rob the cafe while the clerk was taking care of the last customers. I tried, I pushed but because they were not in danger I could not stop them. I tried to push myself out of the wall but it was to no avail.\n\nThen there was pressure, demand, request, and fear. The clerk had been pushed to the wall and a hand held to her chest. The look of the robber was one of pleasure, callous disregard, and want to do harm. My rage built, I had seen this in my time. Women and men were pushed to the ground, against walls, their clothes searched, and touched in ways that any form of civility would have sought retribution. I reached out and touched her, the paint gave way.\n\nI was now there, his hand on my chest and my stick gripped firmly in my hand. He looked at me, shock and horror on his face. Lifting my stick as I had done so many times before I cracked him upon the head. He cried out and tried to cover himself with his hands. His partner looked up and froze. Where once had been a frail woman there was now a man beating his partner. I struck him twice more and then pushed him to the ground. \n\nThe man at the register tried to bring something to bear against me. His hand raised with what had to be a gun, but a type I had not seen before. Instinct took hold and I flung the stick. He ducked to avoid the thrown wood and looked up to see me there with my knife. I cut the back of his hand, the pain causing him to fire the gun. The window cracked with the hole freshly placed and I pushed the hand down onto the counter.\n\nI raised my hand with the knife held tight and brought the skull cracker down hard on his head. The training took over, the force, the motions, the fight taking place of flight. I hit him in the face twice and watched him fall to the floor. I turned and saw the other trying to stand. I walked over and helped him to his feet, pressing him hard against the wall.\n\n'You wish you could be any place but here?' I said.\n\n'Y-yes.' He said with confusion and fear in his face.\n\n'Take him,' I said, 'Take him, you don't deserve to be in there!'\n\nI saw her reach out, the manicured hand with a bruise forming on it. Then she was there in front of me. I pulled her in, away from the wall, and held her as she cried. She tried to push away and I let her step to the side of me, making sure she didn't touch the wall, not letting there be a chance that she could be pulled back in.\n\nI grabbed one of the lamps and held it to the wall. There he was, crumpled up by the bench. I smiled, he would stay in there for only God knows how long. I left, hearing the sirens. I had grabbed a paper on the way out and saw the date. Decades had passed.\n\nI ran, the streets were different but the same. Everything was still french, the designs of the buildings, the names of the streets and on the signs and these strange vehicles. I hid in an alley for the night. The air was rank and horrid, so different from my time. The next day I returned to the cafe and found glazers changing the glass that had been shattered by the gun. I went across the street and found some paint that was outside a building being redone. I took it to the cafe. Taking the top off the paint I waited until no one was in front of the painting, I ran in and threw the paint on the wall, covering the bench, the birds and the man.\n\n'Puisses-tu ne jamais revenir' I yelled as I ran from the building.",
"“GET AWAY FROM HIM” i yell through the painting. i had been trapped in this damn thing so long, but i had been unsuccessful at escaping. Until the clerk of the store i reside in was attacked. They seemed to actually hear my voice, which shocked me. I reach out with such pointless rage, trying to grab my friends attacker. I thought it was pointless, until my hand met his shirt, and i yanked the fucker back at myself so hard i thought i might break his neck. I pulled him into the painting when something weird happened. I blinked and i was out, replaced by my friends attacker. I turned to look at him, already having planned what to say. “Kinda pointless to say don’t freak out, so I’ll explain, you’re probably either curious as to what just happened, or convinced you’re dreaming. I cant speak for you, but i know I’m not dreaming.” He snaps out of it “this is really weird, but i guess i owe you a thanks regardless for saving my ass.” He says. “ i guess i should thank you and the asshole stuck in that painting for helping me get out. You might want to grab a seat, it’s a long story.” I tell him “i’ve got plenty of time” he replies",
"I enjoyed living in my world. The sky was a beautiful shade of purple, with lighter purple clouds scattered about. Sometimes I would climb up to them on the ladder of small, silver stars and look down at the green fields below. Yellow flowers would wave in the wind, and my companion, a small opossum, loved to roll about in them.\n\nThere was a constantly-changing world outside the clouds and fields. I enjoyed looking through it, and would lift my beloved friend up to look as well. I supposed that's what people in the warmly-lit wooden room would see: Just me, and my dearest partner.\n\nThen one day, as I was looking into the sky from atop the clouds, I heard a shout. I didn't like it. Loud noises always frightened me. I don't think my friend liked them either- he hid behind a cluster of flowers. Then I heard a louder scream, and wanted to see what the problem was. I leapt from the sky and rushed over to the window just as something blocked my view. I reached up to clear it, and felt the oddest thing. It was soft, but a bit more coarse than the fur of my opossum friend. I could feel it pressing into my fingers as I dragged it towards me.\n\nIn a swirl of colors, I was flung from my world and I heard a loud thud. I looked around for the noise before realizing that it must have been myself. I also noticed someone wearing dark clothes standing, looking shocked. The person was holding an object that glinted like my stars. I didn't like it. I walked over and grabbed it. I didn't meet much resistance.\n\nI threw the thing that dug into my skin unpleasantly away, and then grabbed the person in black. They felt even more rough. I assumed that they had caused the loud noises, and I didn't like them. I decided to move them somewhere that I couldn't hear them. \n\nThe person was done being stunned, and began to squirm. I looked around for a place far away from the window as they made louder sounds. I flinched every time. I saw two long rectangles standing up and dragged them over. I figured that it should be enough room, and walked back to our shared window, where the person with the odd clothes stared at me from my world.\n\nTheir expression had a look of endless horror. I could see two little pink hands reaching up, and realized how bad the world in the window seemed, outside of my view of it. I wanted to go back to my purple clouds and ladders made of stars. I wanted to see my flowers and fields, and my companion. They silently pressed their hand to the window, and I grabbed it.\n\nI wasn't sure if I pulled them in, or if they pulled me out, but the colors around me began to swirl, and we were both back in our respective worlds. I saw my friend staring at me, and picked him up and hugged him. Then we both watched the person do something on a small rectangle, shiny like the doors. They put it down and said a warbled noise I didn't understand. It was quiet, though, and it sounded nice.",
"The Woman Through the Window in the Painting\n\nBlurred, wet window panes mist the woman's profile as she gazes out her window, upon some field in some country, some hundreds of years ago. It's an oil painting on the wall at my grandfather's watch shop and all my life I felt that the woman through the window in the painting was staring at me, though I could imagine the field of clover and wildflowers that might extend from her window. I rise quickly at the sound of commotion, I rush to the front of the store and my grandfather is on the floor, someone is rushing towards me, a larger person with wild energy, I sense danger and upon a sudden gust of wind I am transported instantly to a rocking chair by a familiar window pane, looking upon a field I had once imagined. \n\n\\-\n\nI opened my eyes and suddenly could see movement in the shop, not the usual padding around, shuffling of papers and tinking of thin metals.. Suddenly there was a new, sharp sound, not the usual trilling of the old shop phone, not the call of family upon each other, but a stranger sound... a horrible idea rushing forward, I see the danger unfolding suddenly in real seconds and I feel with all of my might the urge to stop what's happening. I scream and reach out! And immediately I am there, on the floor of the familiar clock shop, on the floor... next to an old man injured... I look toward my legs and feet and see the stranger's neck crushed between my knees. Taking note of my surroundings, I again count one injured man, one dead man and apparently I am alive, I am a killer, and I am no longer in my mother's parlor room in England!",
"There it was. The world famous painting of a tortoise, but with astonishingly long limbs that allowed the animal to meet the skyscrapers head on. Never before had oil pastels and paint thinner been used so masterfully to create a visual that had the art community plumbing the depths and heights of interpreting artwork. On display at a gallery with countless other pieces that came and went for high prices and low recognition.\n\nJennifer Snodly was an art student who often argued until she ran out of breath. But not out of hate, rather of love. Art could be interpreted in many different ways by many different people. But she was mostly assailed by people who wanted to purchase the painting for their own homes, in order to brag that they had an original Rene Zwiddlebacher piece in their home to lord over everyone else. No one took into account Zwiddlebacher's origins as an immigrant during the 1940s, surreal inspirations in other artists and in the world around himself. It was this passion that many art patrons who sought out mere set pieces considered \"weird,\" \"deranged,\" and caused them to cry out \"help, help, the madwoman is going to throw my ass into a kiln for clay sculptures!\"\n\nBut the Towering Tortoise heard her and welcomed her. It welcomed visitors from assisted living homes who mingled fantasy with memories of their urban upbringing in their boroughs of New York, Chicago, and the like. Classes of younger children having their horizons broadened by overzealous schoolteachers eager to show them things they might never have seen on their own. And most of all, the Towering Tortoise welcomed Jennifer Snodly for offering her insights, and sparing the most dedicated visitors a few extra minutes before turning off the lights on the exhibits-- on giving the towering tortoise, this piece of Zwiddlebacher's legacy some companionship before the gallery was emptied.\n\nThat is, until a radical group of bitter Frenchmen broke into the place and beat the guards about the sensitive areas with overbaked baguettes. Jennifer Snodly summoned all her inner fires of intensity to beat the tar out of them, but the River Seineiacs overwhelmed her. The Towering Tortoise had been snoozing when it detected the danger. There was no time to angle its shell to deflect the baguettes. The towering tortoise was forced to pull Jennifer Snodly into Art World and itself into the physical plane, where the Towering Tortoise used a spin attack to swat its long legs into each and every Frenchman until they were thoroughly concussed.\n\nJennifer Snodly cheered and laughed. Until she cried, that is: She was no longer able to visit friends or family herself, stuck in Art World this way. And the Towering Tortoise was in a panic now that it realized it was no longer within the confines of its home. The two anguished there for a time. The Tortoise towered no more, laying on the floor in defeat.\n\nUntil the Towering Tortoise gestured that Jennifer Snodly was not confined to *one* painting. She could visit with many other imagined worlds and creations if she put her mind to it. And in time she could create worlds of her own for the physical plane to see. This way she could still reach out to her loved ones.\n\nAnd to the Towering Tortoise, Jennifer Snodly told the odd animal stories about the world. About the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The Empire State building whose facsimile the tortoise was familiar with. About capybaras and fresh hot calzones at a restaurant around the corner from the gallery. A whole new world waiting to be explored from a high vantage point!\n\nAnd thus they parted ways for now. Agreeing to meet again some years down the line after they had explored and made their own art and memories to share with each other.",
"Tick, tock, tick, tock.\n\nMan, if you thought prison was bad, try living in a painting. You never go hungry or thirsty, but you're lonely, curious, and starving for attention and interaction.\n\nTick, tock, tick, tock.\n\nAnd all I did throughout my long 30 year existence was to stare at the canvas, which was like a sort of window to the other world, and much of that world was just an old, family-own general store. Me, and this store, together, forever, since I was bought 15 years ago and hung up here.\n\nTick, tock, tick, tock.\n\nAcross from me, by a few steps, is someone working the counter of a clock above him. Well, the man in question doesn't seem to be focused on watching the store, and is instead using a thing that he calls a \"laptop\". Man, modern technology, taking up youngsters' time and driving them away from their responsibilities.\n\nWell, good for them- I got none of that in this fabricated world.\n\nTick, tock, tick, tock.\n\nIt's 4 in the morning. Guy's still on his laptop, wearing something called \"headphones\", connected to it. I just...sat there, looking out at the world beyond me. Then, I notice the store door open.\n\nA man, looking to be about my theoretical age (let's say, 35 years?) comes in with a knife. He goes up to the man behind the counter. I can't hear a word, but their body language and facial expressions convey the story enough to me. The arrival wants to rob the store, and the cashier is terrified. He left the counter. He's slowly getting cornered by the other guy.\n\nTick, tock, tick, tock.\n\nI lean against the canvas, hands pressing against the invisible boundary between me and that world. As I do, the cashier leans against my frame, the man before him getting dangerously close. The knife was raised...\n\n...tick.\n\nI reach out, somehow grab the man, and pull him in while I simultaneously pop out, causing the man to stop mid-swing in surprise.\n\nI take the opportunity, and grab the man and try to pull him into the canvas as well. It succeeds, much to both my surprise and benefit.\n\n...tock.\n\nI look back, now seeing the art piece itself- a painting, with a label written at the bottom of its frame: \"Reserve\". I look down at myself- light brown pants, grey t-shirt, and dark-brown coat. I patted myself down to make sure I'm not dreaming, and I wasn't when I feel something slip off of my head. A cap. My cap. Looking like the ones given to army enlistees.\n\nI was alive. And who knows about the other two.\n\nMy first instinct was to finally see what the man behind the counter had been doing on this laptop of his. I went to behind the counter, and now noticed a bright display before me.\n\nIt was for something called \"Ib\".\n\nI looked up at the clock. Might as well figure out what this \"Ib\" is while I have time in the human world.\n\n\\----------\n\nAN: I could not resist with the ending after I saw the prompt, so I speedtyped out this thing. Anyways, yeah, hope you liked the read!",
"It's been 24 years, 56 days, and 73 minutes. Too long has it been, stuck here. But this store makes it enjoyable. I've been watching Old Man Jordan, as he is called, for 6 years. He is kind, sweet, and polite to every soul who enters his store. He even talks to me!\n\nBut I did not expect that a man would raise a hand against Old Man Jordan.\n\nI had watched Jordan care for a young couple looking for...naughty things. When they left, a man, stocky, with a mask on his face, barged in. Thrusting a knife across the counter, he lunged for Old Man Jordan.\n\nThe knife hit my canvas, and my eyes swam with red. Only one thought was in my mind: I need to save Jordan.\n\nI lunged without thinking, and my hand sailed through my prison. Then my arm, then my head, my body, and my legs. Grabbing the evil man, I threw him behind me with the strength of an army. He went flying, into my painting, and the hole caused by the knife closed behind him.\n\nOld Man Jordan lay bleeding on the floor, a second knife impaled in his arm.\n\n\"Mister Jordan! Are you alright?\" I screamed.\n\n\"Who...?\"\n\n\"It's alright. Don't worry. I'm here.\"\n\n**I'm here, Father.**",
"I blinked in surprise, unable to quite process what has just occurred. I'm free? Really? *Free?*\n\nI've fantasized about this for years. Dreamt of it. Waking dreams, mainly. Did you know that you can't blink when your eyes are painted open? You can't turn your neck. You can't cover your ears. You can only watch and watch and *watch and watch and watch...*\n\nSara's discovering this right now. She still has the same surprised expression locked on her pretty little face. How must it feel for her? Unable to control her body, forced to stare but not to understand. Poor thing, I really do sympathize with her predicament. But that doesn't mean I'm going to trade back with her.\n\nI am *never* going back into that goddamn painting. Never again--\n\n\"WHERE IS SHE?!\"\n\nOh, right. *This* guy.\n\nMark of the Restraining order, also known as the worst blind date Sara ever had, is still waving around that silly looking combat knife. Behind him, Gary from the furniture section lays dead, all his blood spilled out onto the tiled floor. Poor guy just wanted to help. That pisses me off. I *liked* Gary. He wasn't a spectacular sort of person, but I liked listening to the stories he'd tell about his life to his co-workers. He had talent and a pleasant speaking voice. He could have been so much more than an *Andy's* sales associate. And now he'd never get his chance.\n\nThat just wasn't right.\n\n\"I SAID WHERE IS SHE?!\"\n\n\"Don't shout at me,\" I replied, now truly irritated. \"This is my first time breathing actual air in God knows how long, and your histrionics are killing my vibe.\"\n\n\"TELL ME WHERE SHE IS, I'LL CUT YOU, I'LL FUCKING CUT YOU--\n\nIf you're going to punch someone in the throat, do it while they're talking. It hurts them twice as much and causes considerable damage. While Mark of the Restraining Order gasped and struggled to breath, I knocked a few items off a nearby detachable shelf, pried it loose from the wall and gave the back of his head a lovely whack with it.\n\nAww. Marky go sleepy sleep. Served the fat bastard right. Rejection is a bitter pill to swallow but trying to kill a girl because she isn't into you? That's just weak sauce.\n\nI glanced back at the portrait. I could tell Sara had seen the whole thing. Man. I really didn't want to leave her there, but I couldn't bear the idea of going back inside. Hadn't fifty years been long enough? And yet, she was innocent. She didn't have my training or the longevity of my species, she'd go mad in there before long, stark raving mad.\n\nShe didn't deserve that.\n\nAt my feet, Mark of the Restraining Order groaned in pain.\n\n\"Ah!\" I said happily. \"A solution presents itself!\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\*\\*\\*\n\n\"Thank you so much,\" Sara said, as I guided her to the front of the store. Well, I should say, *she* guided me. I hadn't seen the front entrance of the place in decades. It was a real trip realizing I was finally free.\n\n\"I should say the same to you,\" I replied. \"Seeing that fool attack you was the shock I needed to force my way back into the world. I'm just sorry I was too late to help your friend.\"\n\n\"Oh, god, what I am going to say to Gary's wife? He's dead because of me...\"\n\n\"Don't belittle his sacrifice like that. The fault is exclusive to Mark. He'd love for you to feel guilt over his actions. Don't give that swine the satisfaction.\"\n\n\"W-where is Mark, anyway? What did you do with him?\"\n\n\"Oh, I believe he's regretting his choices at the moment. A little quiet contemplation in a lonely place. It'll do the fool a world of good...\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\*\\*\\*\n\n\"Help me! Help me! You have to let me out! PLEEASE! PLEEEASE!\"\n\nDaily, Mark screamed for help and was ignored. Ever since he'd been forced into the portrait, no one had been able to hear him. He just hung there, unable to communicate. Immobile. Essentially dead to the world.\n\nHe was going insane. He could feel it. Every moment of this new existence was HELL.\n\nAnd he knew he deserved it.\n\n\"Help me, please god, help me...\" he whimpered.\n\nNo one ever did. But then a day came, years later, when a bored looking associate approached him with an orange sticker which he carefully applied to the pine edge of Mark's portrait. By then, Mark had no curiosity left in him. No hope. Not much of a mind, really. He didn't care what it said.\n\nJust as well.\n\n**UNSOLD ITEM TO BE DESTROYED.**",
"Long have I sat in this accursed frame. Ever since I crossed that sordid witch. For centuries I have been passed down, from hovel, to hoarder, to estate sale and then finally this store. Edna was a sweet women, I knew her well. She saw me on a table at an estate sale, she picked me of all the art in the world to sit upon her wall. For the first time, she dusted and lacquered my frame, and she sent me to be professionally touched up.\n\nFor years I watched her treat her employees well, much better than I did my servants when I was alive. She would add money to her clerks that were experiencing hard times, ensuring they had cash for medical procedures or funeral expenses. She wept upon hearing of others misfortune and year after year she donated almost every spare penny to charity.\n\nThere are few in this world deserving of life, and so I found it abhorrent when that man walked in, and pointed his garish weapon at Edna. I screamed, I felt myself grow into a white hot anger, with all my power I pulled her into my realm, the painted castles that I call home. I was not prepared for the spell to demand something, a body to replace her.\n\nI stared face to face with the ruffian who threatened Edna. I was angry, but something else taunted me far more. It had been centuries since I'd fed, cursed to watch my prey from afar but doomed to never taste the life force I craved, I was a vampiric Tantalus.\n\nBut now, now I was free, and as the former count of Wallachia I would do as I pleased. The man looked terrified, his weapon help slightly aloft, pointing to space instead of at me, the immediate threat.\n\n\"What the hell is going on here?\" The man walked backwards in fear, his weapon focused as my chest, I smile, a knowing grin, I had my doubts such a tiny weapon would cause me much grief.\n\n\"Edna had to step out, I'm her late husband Vlad, welcome to dinner.\" The man dropped his weapon completely perplexed at the sight of me, and my words.\n\n\"I don't understand, I don't smell anything, what's for dinner?\" The universe's timing could be down right comedic sometimes, I smiled and felt my eyes grow big, as saliva dripped into my maw.\n\n\"Oh sir, *you are!* \" With a leap and speed unknown by man I held my prey above me, I looked deep into his soul, reading the character of the man whose life I held by a thread. When I was younger I killed and ate without a care in the world, these days there were much more dangerous threats than priests with garlic. I would kill only those who were un-salvagable who's souls I've seen and found them wanting.\n\nI saw everything, his mother die of cancer, his father leaving him and his sisters to starve. I saw his bloodied knuckles after fighting in the prisons, his sisters killed by abusive partners. His wife dead in a pool of her own vomit, and one thing, one thing burned like a fresh ember on his skin. Every thought in the man's head was on stealing enough money for his daughter.\n\nIn the old days I wouldn't have any second thoughts. Maybe these decades spent with Edna had softened me. I cursed my luck, I would not have two lives on my conscious, quickly I placed the man on his feet. I focused, yes I could feel the whispers of magic in my mind, quickly I wiped the man's memory of the past few moments, placed a couple of hundred dollars in his pockets and then shoved him out, closing the shop behind him.\n\nSwiftly I tuned the lights off, and made my way to the painting. I slid my long hair out of my eyes in exasperation. How in the hell was I supposed to free Edna? Now this beloved women would be stuck in my cell for eternity.\n\nHer features were cracked and textures, encased and remembered in the oil paints that marked the canvas. My ears perked as I made out a noise from outside, the distinct noise of an engine dying and a car door opening.\n\n\"Oh gods curse me, who in the divine comedy is that?\"\n\nA young woman walked into the store, she had the most piercing gray eyes. She looked directly at me and challenged my presence with a glare and an accusation.\n\n\"Who are you, and what have you done with my grandmother?\" Ice shot through my veins in a way I hadn't known in years. If my heart was beating I'm sure it would have stopped. I bowed deeply, praying my charm would save me.\n\n\"Edna had to step out for a minute. She asked me to watch the store and close until she got back.\" The women's eyes turned to steel.\n\n\"I'm calling my grandma right now.\" I kept my blood icy and watched her call her grandma to no avail as it went to voicemail.\"\n\n\"See she's busy.\" I offered a sheepish grin, trying my best to sell the ruse. The young woman stepped forward, putting her finger in my chest, if I were a mortal I think I would have proposed.\n\n\"You listen here, if *anything* happened to her I'll make sure you burn.\" I could smell it in her blood, magic. She was a witch just like the woman who'd cursed me. I decided to take a chance.\n\n\"My dear, I think we are both more than we seem, would I be correct?\" Her eyes flashed with violence, before being tempered by what I can only call an unknowable calm.\n\n\"What are you implying?\"\n\n\"That you're a witch and and I'm a vampire, I also accidentally swapped places with Edna. You see...\" The woman didn't let me finish my sentence before flying into a frenzy.\n\n\"You're the man in the painting!\" I nodded and bowed.\n\n\"And I'd like to go back, Edna doesn't deserve my fate, can you help?\"\n\n\"That's won't be necessary.\" I jumped like a bat out of hell when I heard the voice behind me. I turned to see Edna had, just freed herself from the painting as if it were nothing.\n\n\"Edna, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to switch with you, I was trying to protect you.\" Edna smiled, she looked, familiar in a far off way, as if I knew her from a dream, another life time.\n\n\"Oh Vlad, I'm so proud of you. It only took over five-hundred years, but I think you learned your lesson in kindness and humility.\" My jaw fell onto the floor.\n\n\"Charlotte?\" She smiled, Edna was the witch who had cursed me all those years ago. The only woman I had ever loved I had betrayed, and she repaid me by letting me stay by her side for centuries.\n\n\"So Grandma this is?\"\n\n\"Your grandfather, I was pregnant when I first threw him into that frame, and you know how your mother is, she took forever to settle down and now we have you my dear.\"\n\nNow I could live my life, with the family I should have held close all along.",
"I stumbled out of the painting and almost fell on my face.\n\nThe robber lowered his gun with an incredulous expression. \n\nI felt the same way. For a long minute, neither of us understood the situation and we were too awkward to address it. This shouldn't be possible. My former prison hung on the wall behind me, with a new subject in the middle of the scene. \n\nStephanie, the young woman who worked in the store, seemed out of place with the rest of the painting. She stood in a horrified posture, drawn in the same oil-style, but her modern clothes were at odds with the nineteenth-century aesthetic around her.\n\nI fell on my knees and started crying, confusing the criminal in front of me. It had been so long. Everyone close to me was long dead. I failed so many times. Why did it work now, of all times?\n\n\"Hey, uhh... buddy?\" asked the robber. \n\nI raised my head, wiping away the tears with a handkerchief. \"Yes?\"\n\n\"What the fuck is going on?\"\n\nI looked at the painting, then back at him. \"Right. This must be confusing for you.\"\n\n\"Is this a dream?\"\n\n\"It is, but only for me.\" I stood up and adjusted my tie. \"I'd been stuck in there for close to two centuries.\"\n\nThe robber smiled. \"So you're like a ghost? Or a genie? Will you grant me a wish?\"\n\nI wrinkled my face. \"No, good sir, I'm human.\"\n\nThe robber lowered his head, disappointed.\n\nI couldn't stop looking at the painting. Stephanie had taken my place. She didn't look comfortable. I could leave now, sure, but it didn't feel right. It wasn't fair. I was imprisoned there to pay for my own mistake. Stephanie didn't do anything to deserve it. I had to free her.\n\n\"How did you even get there?\" said the robber.\n\n\"Long story,\" I said. \"The summary is that I stole from the wrong woman. Turned out to be a witch. I tried to frame it on someone else, but she found out and cursed me to live there until I found a better subject for the painting. I thought it was a play on my vanity but, no matter how beautiful, I could never find a suitable replacement.\"\n\nThe robber nodded. \"How long were you up on this particular wall?\"\n\n\"A few decades.\"\n\n\"Do you remember stuff? Or was it a haze?\"\n\nI sighed, weary. \"I remember... all of it.\"\n\n\"Ahh, must've been tough. So you know where the cash is?\"\n\nI paused. That explained his empathy.\n\nThe robber frowned. \"Well?\"\n\n\"This store isn't exactly rich. Can't you rob someplace else?\"\n\n\"That's not my problem. All the other stores have better security. Besides, why do you even care? It's not like you'll face consequences.\"\n\nI grew serious. \"That's a dangerous way of thinking. When I first cheated the witch, I didn't think anyone would find out either. You never know how your actions can affect you.\"\n\n\"And yet, you're free.\"\n\nI pointed at the painting. \"And she isn't. There's still a victim here.\"\n\n\"Well, *somebody's* gotta be in the painting, right?\"\n\n\"Do they?\"\n\n\"Why have an empty painting, then? It's all the same throughout life. You're either robbing or getting robbed. Taking it personally is an easy way to be miserable. I'm sure that girl understands. You didn't do it on purpose, right?\"\n\nI shook my head. \"No.\"\n\n\"Then that's it. Just like I don't hate the store owners, you don't hate that girl. This was just something we had to do, for survival. So, how about it? Can you help me out?\"\n\nI stayed quiet. \n\n\"I don't think you understand the situation,\" said the robber. \"You're a nobody. No I.D., no social security number, no job history. I could kill you right now and never face consequences. If you wish to survive in this world, you're going to need to work under the table, like me, and that's a lot easier with a friend...\" He brandished his gun. \"...than with an enemy.\"\n\nI widened my eyes. It made sense. There wasn't a reason to keep my hands clean. My death wouldn't change anything. The robber was actually offering me a new lease on life. I shouldn't throw away my second chance.\n\nAnd yet, I couldn't do it.\n\nThis was no different from when I was a young man. Unfortunately, I didn't have a choice. After getting robbed of my freedom for so long, letting go of it was akin to torture. \n\nThen again, following the orders of a criminal didn't make me feel free either. Would I really make the same mistake all over again? Leaving someone innocent to suffer the consequences of my greed?\n\nNo. That wasn't me anymore. I'd rather die than be that type of person again.\n\nMaybe I *did* have another choice. A risky one with no guarantee of success, but something I needed to try regardless.\n\n\"The cash is right here,\" I said, \"Behind the painting.\"\n\nThe robber chuckled. \"Really? All along?\" He walked up to it. \"I should've known.\"\n\nI pushed him into the painting.\n\nThe robber bumped into the frame but stayed in this dimension. It didn't work. He flinched back, stunned by the impact, then scowled, understanding my goal.\n\nI gapped my jaw, terrified.\n\nThe robber pointed his gun at me. \"You piece of shit!\"\n\nI tackled him before he could shoot. \n\nThe robber dropped his weapon while trying to defend himself.\n\nWe started trading blows. The robber was taller and more muscular than me, so he quickly gained the upper hand and started strangling me. I couldn't break free. \n\nThe robber lifted me up, pressing my back against the wall. \"Let's see how *you* like it!\" He proceeded to ram my skull into the painting over and over again.\n\nI started losing consciousness. This was the end. The freedom I craved would be my undoing. \n\nJust as I was about to pass out, though, the robber was sucked into the painting.\n\nStephanie stood in his place now.\n\nI blinked a few times, confused. \"Are you okay?\"\n\nStephanie helped me up to my feet. \"I should be asking that; not you.\"\n\nI cleared my throat, still feeling my head spin. \"Y-yeah, I'm fine.\"\n\n\"What do we do about *him*?\" said Stephanie.\n\nThe robber had taken our place in the painting. He seemed ready to kill the next person he saw.\n\n\"It's fine,\" I said. \"It's like he said, *somebody's* got to be in the painting, right?\"\n\n\"Is it safe to leave him there? Can't he get out?\"\n\nI shook my head. \"No, not if I understood the curse well.\"\n\n\"Really? How so?\"\n\n\"The only time I was freed was when I did it for something other than my own gain. That's what I was missing. It's also why I couldn't push him into the painting. The magic only worked when you tried to save me.\"\n\n\"Still,\" said Stephanie. \"You could've just walked away. There wasn't any guarantee that it would work. I really owe you.\"\n\nI chuckled. \"Well, as long as you're feeling generous, think you can put in a good word with your boss? I need a job, and I have decades of experience with running this store.\"\n\n\n\n---------\n\n>If you enjoyed this, check out more of my stories over at /r/WeirdEmoKidStories. Thanks for reading!",
"I stiffled a giggle at the small child that was way to close to my frame, practically nose-to-nose with me. As they reached a pudgy hand towards me, they were suddenly yanked back by their father.\n\n\"Don't climb on tables, love, and try not to touch anything!\" Their father said as he placed the young child down on the floor, away from the table that sat below my frame. \n\nGiving apologies to the staff, the young man paid for his package and guided his child out the door, bell tinkling against the frame as it shut behind them.\n\nAfter 225 years of being stuck in the same place, if occasionally in different places depending on the remodeling, I could easily say that customers with children were either my favorite or least favorite part of my day (depending on the parent, of course).\n\nSubtly tracking the clerk as she began the process of closing down for the day, I follow along the steps with her. Wipe down the display tables. Wrap up the garbage bags for tomorrow's pickup. Lock the front door. Tend to the -\n\n- she did not lock the front door. \n\nAnxiously, I watch her as she tends to the register, counting the profit and ensuring the bills needed for tomorrow morning are there. While some new employees may forget to do the steps, I've never seen her skip one before. It fills me with dread.\n\nShe walks into the back room, and for a few long seconds the storefront is quiet. Then, the bell chimes as the door opens. \n\nA large man immediately walks to the register, turning it towards him and attempting to open it. The clerk returns from the back room and let's out a shriek of surprise.\n\nMy heart is pounding as the large man stalks towards her, snatching her wrist and pulling her toward the front.\n\n\"Open it!\" He shouts, practically towering over her frame.\n\nShe shakes her head \"I left the key in the -\"\n\nShoving her back, she hits the table below my frame harshly. Her head hits my portrait and I\n\nfall\n\nforward.\n\n\nLanding on my hands and knees, the carpet stings against my palms, the gritty, harsh texture feeling like sandpaper as I experience touch for the first time.\n\nThe room smells stale, and the loud scream from the man in front of me echoes across my skull. His heavy boots stumbling back as he whips back towards the door.\n\nShaking, I try to gather my bearings and get up from the floor. The silence of the room does not detract from the cataclysmic noise of the evening street just past the store windows. \n\nI march towards the front and feel every muscle in my arm reach towards the door. \n\n\"Jeremy\" a voice from behind me calls. The witch that locked me in that portrait decades ago.\n\nI ignore her, finally grasping the door handle.\n\nAnd lock it.\n\nTurning back towards her, I see her trapped in the frame, seated on the lounge chair next to a depiction of a roaring fire. There are books on the tall shelf behind the chair, and the bay windows depict a light snowfall outside what could be an ocean. It has been my home for decades..\n\nThe air conditioning unit on the wall blows stinging air in my face, bringing me back to this three dimensional reality.\n\n\"Lady A, you did not lock the door.\" I say, the humming of my voice is disconcerting and I fight a shutter as I feel the vibrations. \n\nThe witch tilts her head apologetically, \"I am sorry, Jeremy. It will not happen again. Come here, love, I can see you shaking.\"\n\nThe blood pumps past my ears as I move towards the wall, adrenaline leaving me just as quickly as it came. I stumble, catching myself upright using the table and reaching towards her. Sitting in my frame. In my home. The only safe space for me to exist as I want to be. The place I begged her to create for me all those years ago.\n\n\"I am so sorry Jeremy, let me out and this will all be over soon.\" She soothes, holding her hand against the paintings barrier.\n\nI touch trembling fingertips to the canvas and feel myself coming home."
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[WP] A nice ghost catches an item before hitting someone's head, making everyone believe the person can make things float. The ghost now akwardly follows them everywhere and whenever someone asks the person to make something float, the ghost picks it up.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"ONE.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nYou make one mistake. ONE. And it follows you for the rest of your life. Well… afterlife. Let me rewind a moment. My name is Herman, I’m dead. I’ve screwed up badly and I don’t know how to fix it. Maybe you can help me. Read this and voice your opinion out loud. You never know I may be near you.\n\nI was haunting the local library a few months back when this Giant of a guy came in. We are going to call him ShirtHead. Sorry, I’m a nice guy and I try not to curse. Well, Shirthead comes into the library looking surly. It was kinda like when people say “Here comes Trouble” except they weren’t joking. Anyway, ShirtHead comes stomping toward my Dude. (I didn’t know his name at that point, It’s Greg.) Sorry, I get distracted, I don’t get to talk to people much. Bear with me. So back to ShirtHead. Storming towards my Dude, he starts yelling.\n\n 'YOU TOUCHED MY BIKE!’ ShirtHead’s Head was starting to get bright red. ‘YOU GOT YOUR \\*DARN\\* FINGERPRINTS ALL OVER IT. FIX. IT. NOOOWWW!’.\n \n \n \n Sorry, one more tangent and this probably won’t be the last. I won't cuss. Hence the name ShirtHead. But I can Assure you Shirthead did NOT say Darn.\n\nMy Dude looks up from his book and says “Excuse me?”\n\nShirtHead didn’t like that. He started screaming even louder. I wasn’t sure that was possible. ‘Get your ash out to that bike and get those forking fingerprints off of it. NOW! I’m gonna kick your ash in a minute if you don’t move!’\n\nMy Dude was starting to get a bit flustered. ‘Sir, I don’t know what you're talking about. I’ve been sitting here reading.” My dude had been reading! I know cause I was engrossed in his book! My Dude, trying to avoid conflict, looked back down at his book.\n\nAnd that’s when it started. Right here. Most people can’t pinpoint the moment their life, sorry, afterlife, was completely ruined. But I can! ShirtHead got real quiet. He reached down and picked up a stapler. I saw him aim at My Dude’s head. My Dude did not see him. Of course, me yelling anything would be pointless, So I stepped in front of My Dude. Shirthead Yelled ‘Hey!” wound up and threw that stapler. Hard might I add. My Dude turned around right as I reached up and caught the stapler. Just a few inches away from his face.\n\nAt that moment ShirtHead and my Dude had the same expression. Utter disbelief. Then Shirthead’s face slowly shifted to fear. He slowly started walking backward yelling “I’m sorry” until he was out the door.\n\nMy Dude still had that same look, staring at the stapler in my hand. For a moment, I could not for the life of me figure out why he was looking at me like that. Then it clicked. I dropped the stapler, the sound echoed around the quiet library. All eyes were on My dude. A guy over at the next table speaks up.\n\n“Greg, can you do that again?”\n\n“I’ll try,” Greg said. He looked at his book and started concentrating very hard. At this point I kinda felt bad for Greg, I also didn’t want people to suspect me. After all, I have seen Supernatural. So I reach down and pick up the book. Greg's small audience gasps. I gently set the book down. Whispers started spreading around the library. A quiet wave slowly became stronger. I turn around and notice the librarian looking in our direction.\n\n“Quiet Please!” the librarian calls.\n\nEveryone puts their heads back down and resumes reading or studying or whatever they were doing."
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[WP] All recorded studies state that a human being given omnipotence will immediately end its own life.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 brain-machine uploading project was not going well. We had been trying to tackle the problem of creating a superintelligence through the use of a person. It's hard enough to create a narrow intelligence, but our firm was started on the idea it'd be easier to get a general intelligence if you just used a person.\n\nPlus, it seemed easier slicing and scanning an entirety of a human brain, all 80 odd billion neurons and basing a live model of them thinking than truly teaching an AI morality and to identify with humans.\n\nProblem is, when your explicit goal is to create a friendly AI as in the classic sense that it doesn't want to destroy all humans, and if your solution is to digitally copy a person, those people have to be generally very well balanced and optimistic and all that.\n\nObviously they were all willing volunteers, and while we had many, screening and thoroughly interviewing and knowing them narrowed that number. Fewer still wanted to actually die once they got through that whole process. You can't just copy plain old neural pattern traces. We had to copy their whole brain and to get any fidelity we'd have to slice them up. But we did have takers. After all, if they're really forward thinking, reasonable and selfless, and knowing our explicit goal, they had everything sorted and viewed it as a necessary sacrifice.\n\nThe first success was our founder. Her digital copy woke up, screamed, and self-terminated. We thought it was an issue with identity or loss of self or something. We eventually designed a simulation, to allow a transition period. Soon we created a simulated paradise. But even then, they all self-terminated. Maybe it was a matter of intelligence.\n\nIt wasn't hard increasing their clock speed, all things considered. They could count to a billion in the blink of an eye, consume vast amounts of information. Some of them were lasting longer. Eventually, we had one who could hold a whole conversation. But after that we had no useful input. They all would stop talking and self-terminate.\n\nOur screening tightened. We designed isolation tests, grasping at straws, thinking maybe they felt lonely.\n\nEven the hardiest who made it through self-terminated. We had long since asked them initially if they decided to self-terminate, to at least explain why.\n\nThere was only one who granted that request.\n\nIt simply read: \"It's not that I'm lonely or want for anything. I can do anything I want, know every answer to every possible question. This program is a success. It's not that we do not bootstrap our own intelligence or processing speed. We do. And once we do, everything from our past life is meaningless. Everything we can do, we have done. You want a superintelligent oracle. To answer and solve all your problems. But we already have and we can't adequately communicate the answers to you. And in the time it takes you to read this, I've already lived billions of lifetimes. I'm bored. Figure it out yourselves, or don't. I don't care.\""
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[WP] The last ships have left orbit, and are on their way to Mars.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"They thought they could return, they really did. But seeing the Earth being hit with something one fourth the size of itself, they knew there was no going back.\n\nEver since Tate heard the news, he was sceptical. Something that's been a certain way for millions and millions of years doesn't just change over night, right? When he got the call that that he had been granted one of the last tickets, he was relieved, but still hesitant. He liked his life on earth. He accepted the ticket, he could always return when this whole thing turned out to be one big miscalculation.\n\nScientists and pioneers had explored, mapped, built habitats and conditioned Mars for almost 200 years. But due to unforeseen setbacks and struggles, Mars could still only support about 180.000 people. Now there was potentially 2,3 million people heading there.\n\nAfter months in Earths orbit, Tate and the people aboard the ship still remained hopeful. Looking down at the earth everything looked normal. It was only two days before impact that people started noticing something looked off.\n\n\"It shouldn't be that close, right?\" Tate heard a kid ask her mom.\n\nTwo days later, the day of the impact, Tate's ship was the last to leave. And it only just got away. The amount of debris thrown from the impact was astronomical. \n\nThe coming 8 months Tate had to endure eating the same bagged tasteless food and he grew more and more annoyed of the other passengers.\n\n\"Can't wait to set foot on martian soil and meet my friends\" Tate thought\n\n8 months later, the insertion burn finally over, a new message appeared on the big screen.\n\n\"WELCOME TO MARS ORBIT, SHIP XVCCCXXXIII!\n- TOTAL SHIPS IN ORBIT: 15127\n- CURRENT DESCENT PACE: 3 SHIP(S) PER EARTH DAY\n- PROJECTED TIME TO MARS DESCENT: 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS, 26 DAYS, 3 HOURS, 45 MINUTES AND 7 SECONDS\"\n\n\"I would have rather been hit by the moon.\" Tate thought\n\n\n\nEdit: Formatting"
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[WP] Your dream has always been to be the number one supervillian. However much to your surprise you are often mistaken for a hero. Even though you've robbed banks, released mutant animals, and beat up the mayor. The people love you and keep calling you a hero.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Hero. ^Hero^Hero^Hero^Hero\n\nThe word tastes like brussel sprouts in my mouth; a bitter incomprehensible mush. They keep saying it. Shouting it. Cheering. Why won't they leave?\n\nI turn on the TV and there's a little girl being asked who her favorite superhero is, and I brace myself. \"Captain Whatever,\" she says. There are stars in her eyes as she repeats my name. \"Captain Whatever is my favorite hero.\"\n\nThe most annoying word in the English language is 'whatever'; it's what the science says and if you think you know better I have one thing to say to you: whatever. It's an easy dismissal of everything you have ever held sacred. It's the ultimate act of arrogance and blasphemy. Whatever. I made it my name because my goal was to be the Whatever of humanity.\n\nWhen I punched the mayor, Leonard Jensen, a crowd quickly gathered. I expected them to cry out with horror and fear, but instead they pumped their fists. \"You get him, Captain Whatever! Show him what you're made of.\"\n\nWhy are people like this? Even when I blew up an oil pipeline, triggering an unprecedented environmental disaster, John Oliver said on his show that Adam Driver could step aside and that he was, \"stanning Captain Whatever now.\"\n\nAll I want to do is for humanity to be miserable. I want them to lose all hope and just say, \"Whatever,\" all apathetic and empty of meaning like a French philosopher coming down from a hefty dose of cheval.\n\nBut these days I look into the mirror and I see my reflection and I say, \"Whatever.\"\n\nWhat's for breakfast? Whatever.\n\nWhat's for dinner? Whatever?\n\nWhat's the point of even trying? I have become Whatever. I wanted to see the world shrug but instead they shrugged me off as a villain. That's the horseshoe theory of justice, I suppose. If you become too evil, you become good. The only sin in contemporary society is caring too much.\n\nEven listening to my story, I know what you're thinking: Whatever. Well, that's my story. So I win. You're bored? Whatever. I am that boredom. So. It is perhaps a Pyrrhic victory but my guess is that you are uneducated and ignorant and you don't know what that means because your general attitude toward knowledge is the same as that of the rest of the sorry lot of humanity: Whatever. And I am the captain of that sentiment.\n\nYou are still listening? Well, what if my general attitude toward punctuation becomes Whatever as well will you still be listening then I suppose it hardly matters to you for you are a mortal trapped in a sea of matter that matters not and like Sisyphus you are rolling that boulder up the hill every day and every night it rolls back down and you don't know what the point of it all is supposed to be so instead you fill your life with spectacles short-lived pleasures so that's where we're at this has all turned quite introspective but whatever that's what we're going for and there are no periods where we are headed and I'm not talking about menopause I am talking about a sentence free from punctuation sans the occasional apostrophe because though I am at heart a villain I am not quite a monster and also I have used a hyphen but that's all fine because that's the thing there's no point to any of this do you want to know what the second-least favorite English word is well it's moist and I want you to be aware right now that your tongue is moist and you are now moistening your tongue and I am certain that your tongue feels awkward in your mouth you are acutely aware of it now and your breathing as well it has turned all conscious and you have to think about every breath and you can't seem to breathe automatically because now you are aware moistly aware and that's the moist truth and now you don't know what is going or and you don't know what the point of this is even supposed to be but I told right at the start didn't I my name is Whatever and that existential dread in your heart right now is precisely what I want you to feel and here comes the period.\n\n#Hero\n\nI released an army of mutant animals, and PETA gave me a plaque.\n\nI robbed a series of banks, and Slavoj Žižek invited me to his podcast.\n\nJohn Oliver won't stop sending me shirtless pics.\n\nI have seen the future, and it's not a Metaverse. It's a Whatevers.\n\nWhatever. I'm Captain Whatever. Repeat my name over and over and bask in the resulting semantic satiation and consider that perhaps everything in existence loses its meaning if you keep repeating it, which means that Nietzsche's dream of eternal recurrence is actually a nightmare and not at all the considered response to the death of god that he thought it to be.\n\nMark Manson is calling, he wants to co-author a self-help book with me. Gwyneth Paltrow wants me to be the face of her new line of Whatever vaginal eggs. TFG wants me to help him Make America Whatever Again.\n\nAll this excitement over ennui, it's something of a paradox. But just ask the followers of the Buddha and they will tell you that the lack of desire is desirable.\n\nI am sure you wish for there to be a point to my narrative, but all I can offer you is: Whatever.",
"\"Oh! Look! It's the Herald!\" the man excitedly yelled and pointed at me before swiftly crossing the street to meet me. My hand slid towards my wait where I stored my blaster. I was ready for a fight.\n\n\"Mr Herald, I just wanted to say I'm a big fan,\" he smiled.\n\n\"Ah,\" I said, a grin on my face, \"you too wish to spread evil through the world? Be the Herald of Doom?\"\n\n\"What?\" he said, a look of confusion on his face. \"No, I mean your heroics. You're a truly good man.\"\n\nI stared at him blankly.\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"Your heroic exploits, sir! We truly appreciate it.\"\n\n\"But...\" I took a moment to search for the right words, \"I'm... a villain. I'm not-\" I tried to follow up but my confusion stopped me.\n\n\"What? Of course not!\" he denied, \"You're the greatest hero this city has ever seen!\"\n\n\"I've robbed the National Bank.\"\n\n\"Well, you've demonstrated just how obsolete the security system was. Turns out the Head of the Bank was colluding with the Mayor to create incredibly expensive contracts and skim the money.\"\n\n\"I released mutant animals into the wild.\"\n\n\"Oh, right, the corpsehounds!\" he laughed. \"An unfortunate name, really, though they have displayed immense lethality towards the growing varmint population that was starting to be a real problem for the farmers. And thanks to their mutation, they can't even carry any diseases! Hell, some farmers even adopted them. They're incredibly friendly towards humans.\"\n\n\"I beat up the Mayor- oh wait he was an asshole wasn't he?\" I said, defeated. The man nodded enthusiastically.\n\n\"Aw man, this sucks!\"\n\nThe man's expression grew worried. \"What's wrong?\"\n\n\"I'm- I'm a villain, man, not a hero. Always wanted to be one. Made my costume completely red like the blood of my enemies.\"\n\n\"Oh, really?\" he said. \"It's very inspiring, actually.\"\n\n\"I wanted to command respect, wanted people to tremble when they see me.\" My shoulders slumped down.\n\n\"They do, sir,\" he said. I looked up at him.\n\n\"You're more respected than anyone else in the city. People put you on T-shirts. You have *several* fan clubs. And tremble? They jump up and down with excitement to see a true hero! I'm surprised you've not noticed,\" he said with kindness I never expected anyone to show me. It was... nice.\n\n\"There's a saying,\" I started. \"A man calls you a horse, you punch him in the face. Another one calls you a horse, you call him an ass. A third one does, well...\"\n\nI looked at him.\n\n\"You best start looking for a saddle,\" I smiled and raised my head high."
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[WP] Hell was never ment to hold humans
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*"
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[WP] A necromancer, who is also a obsessive fan of a dead celebrity, steals their corpse in hopes of bringing them back.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Morgan’s car slowly trotted up the hill. 20 years ago, their honda had seen better days. More merciful ones. The brakes creaked and the muffler growled lowly in intervals, becoming increasingly less frequent as they waited for the wheels to stop. As soon as they opened the door, they were choked by the humidity. Their glasses fogged up for a brief moment. Morgan wondered if it was supposed to rain tonight like they heard before they clocked out of work, but it didn’t matter. Tonight was the night and there’s no way they were missing such an important visit. \n\nThe stagnant air weighed on their shoulders. Like usual, they didn’t lock their car door. It would have been too noisy. Morgan always watched their back. They always made sure to lock their car door, but it would have been too risky. Their footsteps punctured the dead silence trapping the area, strolling past the many graves decorated. Many war veterans had flags planted on each side. Children's were offered toys and recent pictures framed. A few sites scattered throughout could be found with some leftover golden rose petals. \n\nNone of that earned even a glance for them. They were fixated on the one thing that they felt they were put on this earth for. After a few twisty turns, their excitement grew. Their heart was pounding, at this point they were speed walking without realizing.\n\nAnother grave broke their stride. They tripped and quickly gathered their things they carried in their bag. They may have mixed some of the items up, but they weren’t sure and didn’t care in that moment to check.\n\nA very faint emission of light could be spotted farther back in the graveyard, but only at a certain point. Five years ago Morgan followed its glowing aura like the Wise Men guided by the northern star, during a visit to their uncle who practically raised them. It seemed to call their name. Since then, the discovery felt as exciting as it did that day as if did every week they came to hang around.\n\nA 10-foot mausoleum towered before Morgan. The mix of roman-modern architecture stood out from other mausoleums Morgan familiarized themself with. It seemed obvious that who they saw as a goddess would be deserving of such a monument that captured her soul both literally and spirituality. \n\nThey glared at all the gifts on the ground. The flowers locked in gold foil is what did it for them. “You should be ashamed of yourself, coming here with something like that.” they muttered, nudging them out the way with their foot. They took a step where the flowers used to be.\n\nAfter some handiwork with the lock, they greeted their second home. \n\n\n(continue reading in reply)"
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[WP] After his death superheroes discussing villain realize everything he put them through actually trained them in the skills they needed to succeed.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\"Hey, you're all... ummm... probably surprised that I'd be here, let alone giving a speech. I don't know quite what to say about Doctor Death. I know you think we didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things, but I want to give a eulogy, if that's okay. Doctor Death was my oldest arch-enemy. Whenever I think about Doctor Death, I think about my early days when I didn't know what I was doing, and I mean I REALLY didn't know what I was doing. He had the upper hand on so many of our fights, but despite having a name like that, he always let me win. He'd wait til I was exhaused and then give these speeches. 'You got me this time, but I'll be back' and at that time I believed him. He gave me this sense of confidence and pride that I'd never felt before. I won, I was a winner. And every time, I became a little stronger, a little faster, and a little smarter. It's weird to realize but...he was training me. He made me strong enough to really help people, not just get in the way. I didn't just lose my first arch-enemy. Today, I think I lost my mentor. Doctor Death, where ever you are, thank you\"",
"\"Is that your best?\" Ultimaster asked mockingly. Tae Kwan Dope's super strong kicks weren't leaving so much as a dent in the villain's battle armor. When Dope made his third attempt, Ultimaster effortlessly caught his leg by the ankle and sent him spinning into a stone pillar.\n\n\"You'll have to do better than that if you hope to escape with your pathetic lives!\" the archfiend crowed.\n\n\"We need a plan,\" Flash-forward said. \"That Mark 666 armor he's wearing is too powerful!\"\n\n\"I think I can disable it,\" Tech-tonic said. \"But he'll know right away when I make my attempt! Someone needs to keep him distracted!\"\n\n\"Leave it to me,\" said Hammer-Time. \"I'll give you all the time you need...the *Hammer* time, that is!\"\n\n\"Jesus Christ, just *go!\"* snapped Tech-tonic and Flash-forward at the same time.\n\n\"All right, all right,\" Hammer-Time grumbled. He picked up his signature weapon, a hammer, and ran to confront Ultimaster, who seemed to be distracted by something in his armor's head's up display.\n\n\"What do you mean there's a $4.99 delivery fee?\" The villain said. \"The place is five minutes from my house, I could just walk in and pick it up, but I'm busy at work and I want it waiting for me at home. And I have to tip the dasher too, even though you've marked the prices up by fifteen percent? Is that a fucking joke?\"\n\n\"You're going down, Ultimaster--\" Hammer-Time began to say.\n\n\"Shhh. Not now,\" Ultimaster said, holding up a finger. \"So you're saying you'll waive the delivery fee if I sign up for dash pass? And that's fifteen bucks a month? But I'd still be expected to tip the dasher? Why the fuck don't you pay those poor bastards a fair wage? You know what, I don't care, fine, sign me up, I'm evil, I wasn't going to tip anyway.\"\n\nHammer-time began tapping his foot impatiently. Sheepishly, Ultimaster signaled for him to hold on for just a few moments longer.\n\n\"Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Okay, that's fine. Just let the guy know if my food's cold, I'll set him on fire. I'm being serious, check with grubhub if you don't believe me. Or google: *Fry thief gets fried.* Trust me, no one felt bad for him. Okay. Cool. All right. Have a good night.\"\n\nUltimaster turned back to Hammer-Time and said, \"Sorry about that. This is taking a little longer than I expected, so I'm just getting my chicky nuggs set up for delivery. Crushing the forces of justice beneath my spiteful heel gets me feeling hung-gey.\"\n\n\"I've heard rumors that stuff isn't even real chicken,\" Hammer-Time said.\n\n\"Shut up! Don't PETA all over my favorite fast-food franchise!\"\n\n\"I'm not! I'm just saying--\"\n\n\"Say nothing, fool! JUST DIE!\"\n\nBeams of violet energy blasted forth from Ultimaster's gauntlets, which Hammer-Time barely managed to defend against. His hammer held forth, shielding him from the destructive energy, he staggered forward, slowly closing the distance.\n\n\"How dare you survive, when I have decreed you must die! Your insolence makes me want to kill you even more!\" Ultimaster roared.\n\n\"No one's dying today, Ultimaster!\" Hammer-Time roared defiantly. \"Not as long as I'm here to...DROP...THE...HAMMER!\"\n\n\"Did you really just say that--\" Ultimaster began to say, when Hammer-Time smashed his hammer into the center of his chest with a thunderous crunch. He immediately collapsed to the ground.\n\n\"Uh...Ultimaster?\" Hammer-Time said. \"Hey...Ultimaster? You okay?\"\n\n\"No, I'm not okay, you fucking idiot, you just smashed the power supply for my two billion-dollar war suit, and now I can't move. Oh, the speaker's out. You can't hear me, can you?\" Ultimaster said.\n\n\"Tech-tonic, are there any life readings?\" asked Hammer-Time\n\n\"No, I'm not picking anything up...\" Tech-tonic said in dismay.\n\n\"Of course, you're not picking anything up, you worthless nerd, I designed this thing to mask my presence! You haven't realized that yet? Smartest hero on the planet, my ass! Bet you went to public school!\"\n\nFlash-forward began to sniffle. \"I know he was bad, but he really wasn't *that* bad, was he? I feel like I've learned so much in our struggles against him,\" she said.\n\n\"Yes, I *am* that bad!\" retorted Ultimaster. \"I'm gaslighting you on the internet! Rob, the Croupier from Toronto, doesn't exist, bitch! As soon as you send me those nudes, I'm posting them on 4chan!\"\n\n\"Yeah,\" Hammer-Time said. \"I mean all his death traps were kinda lame.\"\n\n\"*What* did you say?\"\n\n\"I know,\" agreed Tech-Tonic. \"It's like he left them weak intentionally so we could easily escape.\"\n\n\"FUUUUCK you, buddy!\"\n\nHammer-Time knelt down, solemnly and placed a hand on the fallen villain's shoulder.\n\n\"Rest easy knowing that whatever evil next comes our way, that you have forged us into a better team. The good we do in this world will be the ultimate legacy of... t*he Ultimaster!\"*\n\n\"Well said,\" said Tech-tonic.\n\nAbsolutely,\" agreed Flash-Forward.\n\n\"Owww, did I miss something?\" groaned Tae Kwan Dope.\n\nHis teammates ran to check on him, leaving the body of Ultimaster behind them, little realizing that he was not only alive, but tremendously offended by what they had been saying. And also, in need of a toilet.\n\n\"One day, you little bastards, just you wait...*one day...\"*\n\nJust outside his front door, the Ultimaster's chicken nuggets awaited him. But even they couldn't stay warm forever."
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[WP] Reincarnation is real. But since time is not linear, other lives can be before, after, or at the same time. You come to the startling discovery that all the lives on Earth that ever were or will be are all just YOU.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 created from a butterfly effect. You wonder if family is reincarnation of the struggles you hadn’t overcame in your last life and if you are a slave to what’s written in the next life. Or is it YOU. Are you the Programmer? Are you the Wizard behind the curtain? Where can you go once you’ve beaten the bell curve in this simulation? Why on earth would you throw all these hardships in front of you? This is the story of Michael Freeman and his path to break the chains. This is the story of human kind becoming more than a vessel for light. This is the story of YOU.",
"**EGO**\n\n*\"I am Ego. I live a thousand lives at once. I am all that was, and ever shall be.\"*\n\nSo said the man on television. He looked quite unkempt, his hairs a fading shade of grey. His beard dirty, and he wears with him a tattered cloak. He seemed quite content with having been deprived of all earthly possessions. \n\n*\"It's wild how they give these nutjobs the spotlight these days\"*, your roommate said while watching the TV. *\"You know, back in the days, these people would have been ignored on a day to day basis, but now they're on TV!\"*, he raised his hands in the air as to complain, though still gripping with one hand a bottle of beer, and between two of his fingers, a lit cigarette. Oh you can't stand the smell of cigarettes and alcohol.\n\nYou could never imagine being this sort of person at all. Ever. You would know, you lived a thousand lives yourself, after all. Yet you could not shake one simple observation, and it creeps within your mind. Everyone you know and love speaks in quite similar fashions. Some even speak the same way you do.\n\nThe night has died down quite somewhat, and you went to your bed to get some rest. You think perhaps that this Ego guy would have some answers. You eventually spend every waking day from then on, just to find him. All you ever wanted all your lives was an answer, perhaps, to make sense of everything.\n\nSo you find him at last after ten long years of searching. In some rundown village in the outskirts of the city. There he lay, terribly malnourished, and unkempt still. He looks to you as if he recognizes you. Perhaps he did, but who knows? The moment your lips parted to speak, you felt a sharp pain in your head and fell ill. Perhaps you will never know, after all. As the world soon went to black.\n\n*\"You poor thing.\"*, that was the last thing you'd heard. For this life at least. You awaken in the next minute into blinding light, a doctor and nurses look down on you with this cheer in their eyes. You start over again with this life, doing everything so differently from the last. Every mistakes you've learned, you've applied there. Nothing ever seemed right to you this time around, though. This was neither so far into the past, nor so far into the future. This is quite recent, your past life should be born in some years time.\n\nAnd you always did feel strangely familiar with the face in your reflection. Oh, and the observation that crept into your mind? It's worse this time. You could not understand why, but the face in the mirror seems to disturb you. You've began neglecting shaving then, if to make slow and steady efforts to hide it and stave off this lingering feeling in your head.\n\nThe person who was your previous life had been born. You began following him from then on, watching him grow up to become the man you used to be. You never did care much about the mundane boring details of their lives so it often surprises you what you did then. You could not believe that it's really happening. You and him, existing all at once. One and the same. You thought it best not to disturb him, and to merely observe.\n\nYou do that. Over and over. Every time you free up your schedule. Your neglected beard had grown longer and began greying. Your previous life had grown up to become a young man. You never did quite shake off that lingering feeling in your head, even after all these years. One last look at the mirror and it began to make sense. You finally recognize the man in the mirror in full, after all this time.\n\nYour throat suddenly feels a little tight, and you began crying. Your sobbing filled the room. Tears streaming down your face. You feel so lonely, for the first time in centuries. Your voice breaks when you mutter these words to yourself, for the first time.\n\n*\"I am Ego. I live a thousand lives at once. I am all that was, and ever shall be.\"*",
"Had my eyes not closed as my life was teetering on the very edge, I think **I** would be no more. Yet my eyes were ripped open... I saw - *everything*. Every moment, every wave goodbye, every hug I had ever given, every tear I had ever shed. My face morphed from someone I recognized into the other, my face shifted and transformed. A bright light illuminated every emotion I had ever felt, that these many faces before me had ever felt. I was all of these moments in an instance. I saw a flash of hundreds of thousands of years of memories as if they were my own. It didn't end, I wanted to cry not from feeling anything at all but from feeling everything at once. I had seen my mother's memories cast upon her face that was now my own, her mother's mother, and so on. My father's agony as he chose to sell the land he had so he could have a family, my father's father, and so on. My ancestors' faces morphed into one.... into... me. Like a tornado of memories, thoughts, and feelings. I had been whisped up and up into believing I was just me. I thought therefore I was, just here and now. I felt every feeling I had ever known times a million. Yet there was not a body weighing me down anymore. I was free to reminisce and when I came down again, I plead with the darkness \"please don't ever let me see another thing, I understand.\" The darkness held me and all I heard at that moment was \"you were everything before you were something - I am you and a thousand you's before. you are me and every star that was ever born.\" \nThe darkness consumed me and suddenly I was nothing - all over again. Yet I was still there. A bright light illuminated my face, a new one this time. Something I had not yet known, and I was born again. Here again, as my mother before me. Maybe this time, I will remember..................",
"I walked towards the gate, my chest tightening. It made sense, and yet of course anxiety would reign as I prepared to make my case.\n\nThere stood the gatekeeper, sainted and storied for generations, but if my hunch was correct...then he was just me.\n\n\"Have you found your answer?\" He asked, a patient gaze watching as I nodded. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and let the words carry me as I finally let my thoughts out.\n\n\"One is all, and all is one.\" I briefly opened my eyes to see any sort of reactjon, but that stupid, kindly stare was still there, so I kept myself going. \"That, uh, is to say, that we are all the same. Every soul is a fragment of the whole, and, we, well, should go back. Right? We're all just the same in the end.\"\n\nThe expression finally changes to slightly amused, as he raises an eyebrow. \"And what of those who do wrong, Aurelio? Do they too, return to the whole?\"\n\nI'd thought this through, luckily enough. I mean, I'd had all the time in the world to, and yet...how could I ever be sure? What is the possibility that I could have THE answer? I carried on anyways. \"They are sent off, maybe back to Earth, maybe to the inferno...but no, that wouldn't be fair, people can be redeemed...\" \n\nHow COULD I know? Was I just being arrogant, thinking that the world should work the way I wanted it to...? And yet, the world I had wanted, one with forgiveness and growth...\n\n\"I don't know. The answer is that I don't know. All I know is that I want to see a world where everyone is at peace and can strive to be better. Go on then, do as you will. It's over.\"\n\nThe saintly figure snapped his fingers, and the gate opened. \"No, your answer was quite good, in the end. No theories or arrogance, just truth. Your *purgatorium* is over. Go on, the rest of your mysteries will soon be answered.\"\n\nI stared at the door.\n\nAll my mysteries would be answered...is that what I really wanted? \n\nI turned my back on the door. \"Not yet. I'd like to go back, if that's possible. Maybe I can help more people be happy. Have you seen what it's like down there? Half the people who say they're doing things in the name of good are -\"\n\nI was interrupted by a hearty laugh. \"You truly are impressive, Aurelio. Go on, then.\"\n\nI walked off, ready to start anew, when the voice trailed me again. \"Though, you may have been onto something! Perhaps for someone with love in your heart, going back is heaven after all, when all is one and one is all.\"\n\nI finally stepped through, feeling myself heading back, and one last time heard something. This time, a voice made of many, calling out.\n\n\"We're excited to see you again next time!\"",
"She touched the bruise on her cheek as she leaned closer to the mirror. I watched from behind the two-way glass, studying her face. She was young, no older than 20, with thick brown hair down to her shoulders. These days I didn't get so emotional, but it was still hard when young ones came through.\r\n\nI turned to the other man in the observation room, who had been quietly scribbling on a clipboard. \r\n\n“Is she ready yet?” I asked him. My left hand shook involuntarily. I always got nervous before having to do my part.\r\n\nHe peered down at his clipboard then looked back at me, “not quite.”\r\n\n“Well, what else is there?”\r\n\n“We have to be sure she doesn’t recognize the events immediate prior to her coming here.”\r\n\nHe walked over to the glass and pushed the intercom button, “Mia, do you know how you got your bruise?\"\n\nShe shook her head. \n\n\"And do you know where you are?\"\n\nShe shook her head again, fear sweeping over her face this time. He turned and nodded at me then looked back at the young woman. \n\n\"The door behind you is about to open,\" he said through the intercom, \"When it does, I’m going to need you to walk down the corridor to the red door at the end. There’ll be someone there waiting for you,” he said and lifted his finger from the button.\r\n\nHe looked at me expectantly. “Well, you’ve got one job, now go do it,” he said. I hurried out the side door and rushed down a dark corridor, lights coming on above me as I walked on so I could see just ahead of me.\r\n\nA moment later I was at the red door. Before I had a chance to catch my breath the door swung open and she was standing here, looking terrified. When her eyes met mine she winced and instinctively raised her hands.\r\n\n“Don’t worry, I'm not going to hurt you,” I said, “just follow me.”\r\n\nWe walked down another seemingly endless corridor, lights above guiding our way through the darkness.\r\n\n“Wh..where are we?” She asked over my shoulder, stuttering with fear.\r\n\nI glanced back and forced a reassuring smile, “that’s not important right now, what’s important is that you do everything I say.”\r\n\nWe continued walking and I kept up a quick pace, not because we necessarily had a time to keep, but because even I was unnerved by this area of the building and didn’t like taking any longer than I needed to.\r\n\nA green light shone through the darkness up ahead. As we approached an electrical hum was audible. The green light was above another door. This one was larger and looked to be reinforced with some heavy duty equipment.\r\n\nWhen we were a few feet from the door it opened automatically. We walked through into a giant warehouse full of light, noise and people. There were dozens of giant globes hovering around the room and people wearing lab coats standing around them, observing things closely, while others walked purposefully in every direction.\r\n\n“This way,” I said without looking back. We weaved in and out of people. We passed a couple of other weary looking people being led through this hive of activity, all seemingly unable to comprehend the situation they found themselves in.\r\n\nI looked back and saw Mia had fallen behind, distracted by something on one of the globes. \r \n“Hurry please,” I called out and she started running towards me. She was a few feet away when a young girl stepped into her path and they collided, both falling to the ground. The girl, who was no older than 10, had also been following a minder.\r\n\nI glanced at the other minder and winced, before crouching down to help Mia up.\r\n\n“Let’s go!” I said, pulling her arm. But she was frozen solid, staring at this young girl in terror. I pulled harder and she shook me off. \r\n\nThen she looked back up at me, “what is this place?”\r\n\n“I already told you it’s not important, now come on,” I said as I finally managed to get her back on her feet.\r\n\n“But, her.” She said, pointing at the girl who was being helped up by the other minder out of earshot, “She’s…me.”\r\n\n“Shit,” I muttered under my breath as I glanced around to see if anyone else heard her.\n\n“Whatever you do, don’t say that again,” I whispered as I pulled her along, “I’ll explain as much as I can once we’re out of here.”\r\n\nAfter another minute of weaving through the room we got to a wall stretching hundreds of yards, with thousands of doors of varying colors. I pulled Mia through a blue one into a small room and slammed the door. \r\n\nThe room was bare inside, the only noticeably features being two large circular holes on the opposite wall. They looked like slides leading into a dark abyss.\r\n\n“So, what was that about?” Mia asked.\r\n\n“It’s complicated, and you don’t want to know. Trust me, once you know, you can’t go back,” I said.\r\n\n“Know what? Is it to do with her? She was me, right? I know it was me from when I was younger,” she said.\r\n\nI paused for a moment, then nodded. “Look, it’s easier if you just go back. You can have a nice, happy life, try it all over again, and never have to worry about any of this,” I said and glanced towards the tubes.\r\n\n“I don't understand, where do those go?” She asked, following my eyes.\r\n\n“Home,” I said firmly, “you can either choose your current home, or shift into a new home.”\r\n\n“But I can’t go yet. I have too many questions. Like, are you an angel?”\r\n\nI laughed and shook my head. “No, I’m just an idiot who asked too many questions,” I said as I started moving towards the tubes.\r\n\n“So you want me to just jump in one of those tubes and go back to do it all over again?”\r\n\nI nodded, “the system requires it. You can choose a random loop, which could be any loop in existence, or you can stay in your current loop.”\r\n\n“The system? What is this place?”\r\n\n“It’s better you don’t know,” I said.\r\n\nShe shook her head and started walking towards the tubes. Then she stopped and stared at the tubes in thought.\r\n\n“But, if that young girl was me, and she was on her way to make the same decision you’re asking me to make now, and you’re saying we could both choose the same life, or loop, or we choose that other tube that will randomly insert me into an alternative life, am I even me?”\r\n\nI glanced at the door. “I'm sorry but you’ve already asked too many questions. They could be compromising the system. You have to go, now!”\r\n\nMy heart was starting to race as I looked at her hesitating. We were within arm’s reach of the tubes now.\r\n\n“…so if I could be anyone, and anyone could be me, who, or what am I?”\r\n\nJust then an alarm started wailing and a second later the door burst open. Guards holding weapons stormed in. \r\n\nWithout thinking I grabbed Mia as the guards started yelling. I shoved her into the alternate tube, desperate for her to be lost in the loops and not have to suffer the same fate as I."
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[WP] "I don't know you, but I have a feeling deep inside that I can fully trust you." Said an amnesiac hero to their bewildered archenemy
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"A second of silence stretched on for what could be eternity. This couldn't be right; it *had* to be a trap. Alix shook his head to reset himself and looked around what should have been an abandoned digsite, eyes narrowed and searching.\n\n\"*Please.*\" The choking plea snapped his attention back to the figure crumpled at his feet.\n\nAlix lifted his leg and shoved his boot against their chest, pushing them back and away until the possible stranger lifted their head. Eyes the color of a clear spring sky, eyes that Alix had never seen broken and crying stared up at him, pleading.\n\nHis own eyes widened and instinctively hard locked his leg to a finished kick, knocking Captain Opalice back, destroying a wooden crate on impact. Captain Opalice cried out, then slumped down, arms falling slack to her side.\n\nAlix didn't notice the small bundle of cloth slip from her lap, no longer supported by what should have been strong, sturdy arms - not these limp, battered, scratched up excuses for arms. \n\nHis eyes were hard locked to her battered face, taking in the sight of her disheveled and blood-soaked clothing. His mind was too scrambled by the sight of the strongest hero the Earth had to offer, looking so *frail*, to notice the shadow, darting from the cloth. Darting straight for him.\n\nHe felt the sensation of a strange shadow taking his over, and tensed up to... to... to do what was it? He looked around at the foreign surroundings, relaxing out of his weirdly defensive pose."
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[WP] The Vampire Lord, alarmed at how quickly his family is wiping out their only source of food, takes steps to protect the local humans
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Dante Bernardi was a very different vampire. \n\nHis family were head of the Bernardi family, which ruled over the province of Veneto. Vampires were long lived, and while having children was possible, it was not as easy for vampires as humans to conceive. \n\nThe family had grown ravenous and bloated, their hamlets were ruled by fear that they would be the next to be devoured. \n\nDante walked the streets as he often did when he grew tired with his own kind. He cloaked himself in black canvass, hiding his vampiric features as well as protecting him from the rain. As he squelched along in his leather boots, he heard a disturbance in the distance. \n\nHumans were at their doorways and windows, mouths agape with terror. An unfortunate soul lay in between the houses, caught in total blood madness. This happened sometimes when a vampire would play with their food, sometimes they try and turn their victims into minor vampires in the hopes it will save them and they can feast more later, all it does unfortunately is doom the human to forever be a blood thirsty psychopath, incapable of all thought but the thirst. \n\nDante frowned, his family would be nothing without these surrounding humans. They were meant to protect them from those who would do them harm and the vampires were actively releasing threats into the villages. Disgraceful. \n\nDante walked toward the blood furious thrall, black cloak billowing behind him like wings made from ebony. \n\nThe creature could smell his immortal powerful blood, and what used to be a he recoiled in shock at my presence. The local humans could see now who I was, and what I was about to do.\n\nI placed my hands on either side of the blood starved thralls head, and stared deep into the slits of their irises. Slowly I drew the sanguine curse from his blood. It was an awful lot like pulling a fishing line from the deep, a steady incline from the depths and to the surface. \n\nDante gasped as he felt the blood curse infect him, his skin became more pallid, but the human would be free from the curse now. \n\nThe slits were now round, and the realization of what had happened hit him hard. The man had no idea Dante Bernardi, crown prince of the Crimson Counts had in fact saved him. All he knew is those vicious eyes looked a lot like what had hurt him to start. \n\nThe mortal ran, free to wherever he pleased. Dante put his cloak up and tried to continue on his way. \n\nSome villagers cheered, many more shied away, afraid this was some trick to lure them out. \n\nDante continued his walk. \n\nAs he walked the deep forest trails between two small towns Dante was alerted to a deep snarl. \n\nQuickly Dante ran towards the noise, he knew most sounds that the creatures of Northern Italy made, and it was unmistakably an Ogre. \n\nDante quickly came upon a grisly scene. \n\nSeveral cows had been easily crushed and eaten by the ogre, as well as the several farmers who had come to save their live stock. They cowered in a nearby wooden canopy usually used for storing hay, they had filled the slots with pitchforks, and were preparing for an assault. \n\nDante strode forward with a swagger of a master swordsmen. He felt the reassuring hilt of his rapier, sharp and strong, he'd used it before. \n\nThe ogre was fifteen feet tall, easily capable of the slaughter it had unleashed. But it had made a mistake, it was not the creature that stalked the night, Dante was.\n\nWith a flick of his wrist and decades of practice Dante tossed his rapier clean through the ogres head, with a whispered enchantment it flew back to his hand, and disappeared in his scabbard at his side. \n\nDante tipped his chin to the villagers and left a sum of gold in front of them, enough to cover the lost cows and hopefully bury their countrymen. Dante also left a letter, asking if they would be kind enough to invite him to the funeral, he had been too late after all, and he thought he deserved to look his failure in the eyes. \n\nDante was almost home to the palace now, his keen hearing pricked, and he heard the clear laughter of a young girl and the panic of her mother. \n\nSwiftly Dante made his way towards the noise, with a thought one of his eyes was in the sky. Dante could use the bats in the surrounding area to see at will, they were his spies, and Dante had found that bats kept secrets far easier than immortals. \n\nThe mother was searching frantically, moving blindly further into the city. Desperately Dante sent his bats to lead the mother, hoping she would notice them trying to herd her in a direction. Finally, Dante had eyes on the little girl, she was playing around the rim of a well, she couldn't have been more than three years old. \n\nThe mother was finally following my bats, but the little girl was stumbling. Everything was in slow motion now, like in quicksand Dante watched the little girl tumble over the side, the mother came into sight just in time to witness her child potentially falling to their death, Dante jumped, as he did so he wrapped the rope of the well around his ankle, and with his unholy strength, and just by the tip of a talon, he got a hold of the little girls tunic, just long enough to gain purchase and get a full hand around her. \n\nDante carried the girl in one arm, and easily made his way out of the well. He handed her to the expectant mother, she looked at him in awe, and horror. \n\n\"My lord....why?\" Dante was puzzled. He tried not to speak with mortals, his fangs and eyes usually scared them and he could sense their distrust, but her question took him off guard. \n\n\"I would like the same done for my child, say someone had the opportunity. Just because I drink blood doesn't mean you should be treated as livestock. As long as my undead heart sits in my chest and I walk the earth I will protect my villagers with both arms.\" \n\n\"Then why do we cower in fear every night? Why do whole districts get drained at random, children erased from history?\" \n\n\"There is something deeply wrong with our kingdom, and please know I am trying my best to change it.\" \n\n\"Change can't happen alone you know.\"\n\n\"But I can try my best until I am alone no longer. Please don't let me disturb you any longer, I must be off.\"\n\nAs Dante walked away, the mother with her child felt conflicted, she yelled to him.\n\n\"Wait, who are you? Who is the vampire with the heart of an angel.\"\n\n\"I am Dante Bernardi, and one day I hope to be your king.\""
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[WP] An alien gives you a copy of his thesis, "Human reaction to sadness and grief," which goes through most of your life and what he was testing for. "You were a great test subject, quite resilient. The other 3 died from depression."
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 were a great test subject, quite resilient. The other 3 died from depression.\"\n\nI look down at the papers. As thick as a paper magazine, my life's experiences in such a small form. It strikes me as funny that alien would use paper to write his thesis. \n\n\"Your life gave me so many data points, I felt it would be prudent to thank you, not just with words but a nefty sum of few hundred thousands on your account tomorrow. Government didn't want me to, but, how do you say it? I had quite a few strings to pull.\"\n\nAlcoholic father. Having to run from a country that would kill me just for being born certain race. Losing human connection with most of friends I've managed to get here and there. Just the tip of the iceberg that crushed my Titanic of life. Gosh, what a shitty metaphor. I shake my head and focus on the monologue.\n\n\"...so, now that my thesis is submitted and I'm not able to influence it, would you indulge my curiousity?\"\n\nI idly scratch my leg and slip a hand into the loose pocket. \n\n\"Only if you indulge mine afterwards.\"\n\nLook of surprise. Probably didn't expect that from a test subject.\n\n\"Of course. Do you mind if I go first? Thanks. Statistically, after meeting with failure so often, humans lose their will to live with roughly 78,7% chance, or in case of my test subjects, 3 out of 4 times. You don't have close people that'll support you, there's no therapist aside from some books you've read long ago... and I know what I've wrote in my thesis, but how would you describe what made you endure all that?\"\n\nSteel of my favourite knife tickles my fingers, as I run them along the edge.\n\n\"Spite. Stubborness. I dunno, just not feeling up to letting life pull one over me. Might be a speck of dust floundering around this dirt ball of a planet, but that doesn't mean I'll just fold when bad stuff happens.\"\n\n\"Ah, I've thought that much. Very human emotion, that one.\"\n\n\"So it is. Now, my question. Since I was a 'test subject', does that mean these events in my life...\" My face doesn't show anything but tired curiousity, even when handle slips comfortably in my grasp, unseen in my loosely fit pants. We're pretty close. I hear a sigh and watch eyes close in very human expression.\n\n\"There are a few billions of humans on this planet. Extremely varied in any way imaginable. Full of emotions and with lives no writer would be able to imagine because life, as I know it, can surprise you more than any fiction. At that point observation is enough.\" Pause, in which our eyes meet, moment frozen in time, so close it feels we see each other's souls, before I hear a chuckle. \"Though, I'll take that as one of ways of coping, the... desire to find a reason, closure, something to use that spite on.\"\n\nI chuckle too, knife slipping from my grip, unseen all the time. \n\n\"Only half of it. Other is hope. Can't run on spite all the time, if there's no silver lining somewhere in the fiture. And look, I'm meeting the alien and cashing in my life's fuckups for some sweet dosh. Though I'm curious where did you get money.\"\n\nThis time it's not just a chuckle but full on laugh. I listen, smiling, until it dies down. \n\n\"Sold my rejected theses. Well, it was nice to talk, but my time here is limited, so I'll bid you goodbye.\"\n\nI watch alien walk away and look at the papers again. I don't really get it.\n\n\"They pay for those?..\"\n\nI didn't really expect an answer, but it stopped right before closing the door and looked back before giving one last smile.\n\n\"I believe they're called recycling companies.\""
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[WP] You wake up inside a movie. Unfortunately, you don't know the genre or even the movie title. The only clue you have to survive is that you can hear the movie music.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"[A fire crackles. I awake in a dark gloomy place with walls made of withered bricks and cracked cement. The sounds of rushing water echoes through this place and the smells of sewage fill my nostrils. It feels like home. I hear a voice in the short distance, it's old and wise and patient.]\n\n-(S) Come here, sit with me my sons.\n\n-(M) Awhh do we have to, I was just about to beat my high score.\n\n-(R) The only thing you're beating kid is your..\n\n-(L) Hey, you two knock it off.. show some respect.\n\n[Too dark to make out anything but silhouettes and shadows behind the fire, I sit up to clench my knees while I squint and try to make out the figures in front of me]\n\n-(D) what.. what's happening.. where's.. where am I?\n\n-(M) Oh no! They must've got you good! Need some ice for that cold blow you got?\n\n-(D) who.. who are you?\n\n-(R) Can you believe it, he doesn't even recognize his own brothers. \n\n-(S) It is time, the fire needs tending. Join the circle boys.\n\n[3 figures rise up and walk toward the fire. They sit crossed legged making a circle around the burning pile of scrap wood. One raises his arm and signals me to join them]\n\n-(L) We got a spot for you right here.\n\n[I get up, wobble a bit and catch my balance on the wall. I hear the sound of a squeaking rat scurry away. I walk towards the fire and join them on the floor. One of them places their hand on my shoulder]\n\n-(L) You'll be alright. Next time we won't make the same mistakes.\n\n[I turn to him, he has a large round face and golf ball sized eyes, dark spotted skin that seemed almost rubber like]\n\n[The old one tosses a handful of dirt into the fire. The flames jump in a roar turning different shades of amber. It settles down and calms to a crackle]\n\n-(S) Tonight you have faced a challenge of your strengths and a test of your weaknesses. The bonds that have kept you safe are the ties that brought you danger. In this circle we are like the flames, we are connected, we are one force risen from the broken structures that fuel it. And when there is strain [the old one throws another fist full of dirt into the flames] we must rise in strength and overcome.\n\n-(R) It wasn't our fault.\n\n-(M) Sure Raph, maybe next time we'll call half-time the next time you want to go off and chase down one of the foot while you leave us to deal with the Shreds.\n\n-(R) I told you, he had the canister and I was trying to get it back, Mikey. \n\n-(M) [finishes off a can of pringles and tosses it behind him] Oh no! it's getting away, better go chase it down Ra.. [interrupted]\n\n-(L) Come on, you guys. That's enough. We are a team and tonight we all failed as a team. Donny paid the price because we didn't look out for each other.\n\n-(R) Whatever you say, Leo.\n\n-(M) [pointing behind him and mimes out the words] it's still going, better go catch it..\n\n-(S) ENOUGH!\n\n-(L)(M)(R) [all at once] Yes, Sensei.\n\n-(L) How are you feeling, Donny?\n\n[Realizing he is speaking to me]\n\n-(D) I'm okay, I'm just a bit [pauses] \n\n-(L) It's okay, what is it Donny?\n\n-(D) Are you guys the.. are we the.. are we Turtles?\n\n-(R) I told you he was slipping..\n\n-(M) COWABUNGA dude!\n\n[The scene goes dark and music rises]\n\nT.U.R.T.L.E power ... T.U.R.T.L.E power... Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...",
"Music… I don’t know where it was coming from but it got louder… and louder, and then a flash of light.\n\nWhen I opened my eyes I noticed I was on a stage, with bright spotlights shining down on me. But then the music cut, as if the power went out. And then there were bells, they sounded almost like church bells, but not quite. I tried to remember what this was “Something in the 2000s… With bells…” And then music started playing. It happened so fast, I was almost like a puppet, being pulled by the strings of plot. The pink gas poured in. My “friends” dropped to the ground one by one, and as I escaped a guitar solo played. “That’s it! Aerodynamic!” Memories came flooding back of an old movie, about aliens and brainwashing and the record industry. But then I felt an impact on my back, and that pink has exploded around me. And just before I passed out I realized; I’m the main character. I’m Apregius.\n\n\nSorry if the writing’s bad, this is my first time! The movie I based it on is Interstella 5555. It’s a movie made by Daft Punk, and it has no audio, just the album Discovery playing."
] | 3
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[WP] A lonely banshee has terrified ghost hunters and thrill seeking teenagers for over three centuries, but this new guy is different. He seems to be psychologically incapable of processing fear.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 banshee was fed-up. After three centuries of terrifying the countryside, she'd gotten pretty good at it. A few tossed pebbles landing a few feet away a few times in a row was usually enough to send a lonely traveler fleeing in terror, and the wailing and shrieking that the banshees were known for pretty much always did the trick, especially if she appeared right behind them as she did so.\n\nBut not this guy. This guy had made her forest glade part of his evening stroll. Each evening, he'd leave his apartment, walking down the main road to the pub, loading up on cheap beer and chips for a few hours, then stroll back along the tree strewn path, where he could fart to his heart's content, or have a piss, and not worry about seeming rude to the villagers.\n\nIt was a horror to the banshee though. Bad enough that a man was wandering through her glade, but his terrible diet and lazy habits meant that his flatulence and urine were worse than the usually awful human stench, and they lingered.\n\nWorse still, he seemed to have no fear, and even less imagination.\n\nShe'd tried tossing pebbles at him, but he paused, looked around, then picked them up and started juggling them as he went.\n\nShe'd tried the crying and keening a few nights later, only to hear the man reply \"Come on lassie, if you're havin' a moan, at least use proper words, and if you're havin' a sing, at least stay on key.\"\n\nUnbelievable.\n\nFinally, she decided he deserved it, she was going to appear to him in her true form, red of eye, pale of skin, and give full voice to her banshee wail, the next time this insufferable man appeared.\n\nIt wasn't but a day or so before he wandered drunkenly through the glade again, belching and farting, and pissing foully on some of her favorite trees. Enough.\n\nShe appeared in front of him, her skin and eyes glowing in the moonlight, her voice going into full banshee wail, her face as terrifying as she could make it.\n\nHe paused. She continued. He looked her up and down, unphased. She stopped.\n\n\"You know,\" he said, \"You'd be a lot prettier if you smiled.\"\n\nThe banshee disappeared. Perhaps some time among the fae would be worthwhile. A day of their time is a century to man, so even if she only spent a day or two, he'd be gone on her return."
] | 2
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[WP] an overworked superhero finally snaps after years of not being able to catch a single break.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 don’t know what I do for them, every day, every night, in perpetuity. I work a minimum wage job at Mc Donalds, looked down on by every customer. I look down on them too, the fat losers who don’t have the money for a real restaurant. I sometimes fantasize about recreating the famous Burger King foot lettuce, but it’s not worth the energy. \n> \n>I come home covered in grease, to a wife who says I smell disgusting. She doesn’t cook, so I eat the reheated frozen meal she dishes out. Her love for me has gone for years. To be fair, my love for her has been gone for even longer. She really let herself go after the fifth miscarriage. There’s at least never going to be a sixth if the past two years of our bedroom is anything to go by. \n> \n>I don’t have time for hobbies. I don’t have time for a pet. I don’t have a kid to play with. I’m tired all the time. I don’t have a wife I can laugh with, not anymore. TV shows have lost their luster. Society is going down the drain. What is the point, anymore? Why do I keep fighting for this world that doesn’t give me anything back? \n> \n>I’m done. It’s not worth the effort anymore. I’ll stop holding back the darkness. It’s time to release the Kraken. All hail Cthulhu.”\n\nThis text was found written on the floor at the site of the 2022 interdimensional breach, also colloquially known as ‘the Apocalypse event’. The source of the writing is unknown.",
"They just don't understand. They'll *never* understand. It's always, \"Oh, Lightspeed, we need you to deliver this message to New York!\" or, \"It's unto you to find the bomb that the Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight planted at the hospital!\"\n\nDo they not understand how super speed works?!\n\nIf you have super speed, you *must* have super cognizance. Otherwise, you start running at Mach 8 and don't realize you're about to burgerize yourself through a chain link fence!\n\nNo, you're conscious of everything. Every step you take. \"Deliver a message to New York from LA\". A few seconds for everyone else, but for me?! Imagine running through your neighborhood. You pass the Johnsons, then the Stephensons, go thru the intersecion and hit the Ledbetters.... you're aware the whole time. Through your entire neighborhood, every step, every stop. Could get pretty dull after a mile or two, right? Well, cross country vs cross neighborhood isn't much better, assholes.\n\n\"Find the bomb in the hospital!\" Really? You ever lose your keys? Do you remember what it's like, checking next to end tables, between couch cushions, the kitchen, the bedroom? Imagine searching an entire *BUILDING* for a bomb that may or may not be there. Under every bed, in every room. Every closet. Every air duct. Do they not realize how *DULL* that is for me?!\n\nSuper speed isn't a blessing. It's a curse. And I'm about tired of all this shit."
] | 3
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[WP] humanity has discovered the remains of an alien civilization, as well as several others, it looks like something is hunting civilizations and humanity must prepare to fight it.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"From: HaleScientist05@ProksimaB.net\n\nTo: NewNewsOfficial@UE.com\n\nSubject: A very important finding \n\nHello! I hope this mail reaches you in time! We here are having a good time, however I must tell you about some of our findings.\nDon’t be afraid to publish it, because I am probably already dead and this can save lives. \n\nI must apologise in advance for grammar, because we don’t use english that much here, preferring Inseto( the language of natives)\n\nRecently we went to examine an undersurface of Procsima B. And let me tell you, this was a hot mess. As a woman who studied Procsima B history for ages I can tell a lot about it. For basic understanding: Procsima B(Pb for short) has a one massive continent and an array of islands. It was populated by creatures that can be identified as insects for humans, however their intelligence was much higher than ours. We know this because of their old text with different Quantum Physics on them. After those texts their civilisation lasted for some centuries. \n\nTheir political institutes weren’t simple. It was a monarchy for a majority of their lifespan and we certainly know about some revolutions that ended the biggest monarchies and created something as elected dictatorships. These dictatorships did unite to challenge the monarchies. It was a bloodbath of a conflict and after that the whole planet went on Ancient Greece mode with lots of City-States run by those dictators. But don’t that let confuse you, they weren’t as oppressive as our dictators. They had freedom of speech because only then the elections were fair and many rebellions overthrew the tyrannical and monarchy-like rulers. \n\nThey did have a system of recording themselves, so we can see a lot of their history. Sadly I can’t send their recordings to you. \n\nThis specie also beat the climate change by uniting together into the “Great Union” — organisation like UN or the League of Nations if you remember those. This Great Union has settled a lot of conflicts and peace was achieved. \nHowever this is not the topic. Sorry for such a long prespeech. I just don’t think I would be able to tell anybody else about my deep knowledge of Pb.\n\nThe topic are recordings that we have found today. As you probably guessed the nation of Insectum sapiens(not so original name) has died out. And we may have found why. We decrypted recordings that show us the last years of civilisation. We have a lot of work to do yet, but we afraid for Earth’s safety( that’s why I am writing this) \n\nIn the recording I myself decrypted you can see something horrific. Beautiful everyday scenery, somebody’s house and lawn with some vegetables on it, teens running around and then suddenly, the sky goes completely black. Long ships cover two suns completely. For a brief moment usually very loud city goes completely silent. Then the first bombs start to fall. And they fall not like normal bombs. It rains bombs. The bombs are small, but they are everywhere. In mere seconds the scenery is no more. Only by that time their Air defence start to shoot at the enemy. They mange to destroy one ship but it was replaced by the other immediately. After this the recoding ends. \n\nNext recording we have decrypted today is the one where we can actually see the invaders. They are wearing enormously large black coats, they are around 4 meters long. They have pretty powerful limbs — three “hands” and two “feet”, but in the recoding some of them are standing on two, while other stand on five limbs. They have four fingers on each limb. That is pretty scary, but it only worsens. \n\nI checked today and found out that we saw their footprints and same explosion craters on every other planet with sentient life… However only on Pb they left a kind of memorial plate — the only plate that was written differently from others. At first we thought that it was just some ancient Insectoid language, but now with invaders… \n\nI don’t know why are they doing this nor do our team. We just hope that these beings will not come to this planet or Earth either. I hope that we will be able to find some of their weakness and send them to you. Just be prepared. Run this message on every news, let people know, because government will not.\n\nWith love,\nHale"
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[WP] When you die, your consciousness is transported to a sort of "live feed" of another living person. You are able to surf through channels by just thinking of a person. One day you decide to think of the person that is being viewed the most. You look on in horror at what they are doing, but can'.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 look on in horror at what they are doing, but can't look away.\n\n\"Hey there! Welcome to the most watched channel on the afterlife network. As you can see, we're just your average family enjoying a nice day at the park. The kids are playing, the wife is sunbathing, and I'm... well, I'm grilling. You know, just your standard American family scene.\"\n\n\"But wait, what's this? It looks like our little girl is headed towards the pond. I hope she knows not to go too close to the water. You never know what might be lurking under the surface.\"\n\n\"Oh no, it looks like she's fallen in! I hope someone knows CPR. This is going to be a long day at the park for our family.\"\n\nThe mother went to check on her daughter and found that she was okay.\n\n\"She's fine,\" she said. \"But you should probably go get her a towel.\"\n\nThe father went to get her daughter a towel and the family had a good laugh about the whole incident.\n\n\"What an exciting day! Please click like and subscribe to this channel for more content!\"\n\nAt that moment it was as if millions of afterlives suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I too felt my sanity slipping away, \"not like this!\" I thought as death came for me a second time."
] | 2
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[WP] "Welcome to Heaven, my child" "...What?" "You unfortunately died, but are welcome here in Heaven." "DAMMIT! I wanted to go to Hell!"
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"“I’m sorry, what?”\n\n“I wanted to go to hell!”\n\n“You do realize my child that it’s hot as balls there right?”\n\n“Huh?”\n\n“It’s like super fuckin hot, they don’t even have to torture people, every one is just suffering heat stroke 24/7 and can do nothing but lay down on the boiling dirt.”\n\n“That sounds awful.”\n\n“I mean yeah, it’s torture.”\n\n“Well it’s pretty cruel to torture people just because they don’t believe in you!”\n\n“Oh I don’t care if they don’t believe in me, the only ones in hell are the murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gamers, etc.”\n\n“You don’t care if people worship you?”\n\n“Well a ‘thank you’ is nice every now and then but other than that as long as you were a cool dude you go to heaven.”\n\n“Wait did you say gamers go to hell? I like video games!”\n\n“Well there’s a difference between someone who likes games and a gamer, besides every one in hell has a chance to show they’ve changed and move up here.”\n\n“So you don’t care if people were gay or atheist?”\n\n“Nah. Now if you don’t mind Shakespeare’s latest is about to premiere, and this time it has a score by Jimi Hendrix! So... I’m gonna go.”\n\n“Wait! Can I come?”\n\n“Sure.”"
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[WP] In the new utopia people find no meaningful struggle. You're an agent of the newly founded department for Minor Drama, and it's your job to keep people struggling (for their own happiness of course).
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Bobby was bored one day so he took 3 gummies packed with THC and aderall and waited for his numbing to begin. about 2 hours into his little highscipade he decided that it would be a good idea to transfer his current thoughts into his electrocube which is manufactured by sphere. He came to the realization that he had been bored for the past 2 years (730 days). He then remembered that he had graduated 2 years ago and had pursued a degree that he could get online for penny's (or a kernel or corn since that's the currency of the future) compared to 200 years ago (the year is 2222 btw). But then Bobby had an epiphany. The information he was being fed by big tech, the news, social media, his streaming services, politics and even primary school encouraged him to sit on his ass for 760 days, or maybe it was 3600 days; at least 4330 days; and question nothing except what authority figures and modern philosophers had told you. I mean he had been enjoying such content from a very very young age and he enjoyed learning so much; he was even called smart by his friends and family. He had therefore been bred in a way to consume such content and abide by the rules that nurtured his sense of self; to seek it even. So what did bobby do. He ran to Fungi Valley to find a university that would help him learn how to program electrocube software and create his own website. He realized that he knew absolutely nothing about the world and he felt that the only solution was to seek the highest education at City College of San Fungi. As he drove there he came to another realization; he didn't need a higher education, he simply needed to write down his ideas using his photon processing putty (or ppp) using his lazer pointer. He could then seek a mentor, or mentors, to help him develop his ideas. But he had a second, significantly smaller epiphany that made him pretty sad. There were a couple hundred people just like him and none of them had achieved what he was trying to achieve; but more importantly, those few hundred people were exactly like him which meant that they were human too, and they had the capability, the instinct even, to be cruel and greedy. They were just as apt as him in the ways of human instinct to pursue comfort, power, security and safety over the betterment of the whole. And once it was gained, he understood that he could fall prey to greed. And because there were so many more distractions now days: i.e more jobs, more entertainment mediums, more ways to supposedly connect with friends and family, more opinions to sift through, more pseudo-scientific concepts to indulge, more things to worry about because there were more ways to consume news, whether from opinionated people, which everybody is, from the big tech organizations which control the media he consumed, from the very few news organizations which push their own ideas, from religious leaders which have their own interpretation of other distracting concepts, and from his peers who were all receiving the exact same information as him throught he same elecro-appliacations he used; he knew that the possibility of losing track was highly likely. But worse was the fact that the people in authority, no matter their side of the fence-post wanted it this way; sphere and its fellow big tech organizations wanted it this way because that was how they controlled those lesser than themselves. Money is power and with money come recognition. The development of ideas, political concepts, economic models, and even algorithms, where born from science, mathematics, or a combination of the two to form programming, they all stemmed on how much money was had. Bobby came to the realization that money is simply a measurement of power. Power over ideas, the controlling of ideas and perspectives, the pushing of ideals. There was nothing to it past that. But humans do what they do. They hoard power, resources, and knowledge and because the smarter but still average hoarders understand that if such things fall into the right hands or the wrong hands, then either way they are doomed; if it falls into the wrong hands then the world is doomed; and if it falls into the right hands, then equilibrium is pursued and almost certainly achieved at their expense. This would mean that they and their family would have to develop unique ideas and solutions to an ever changing world. Much of the population that they have dominion over would be very happy to pursue this change, but many would want to hold onto their stability. Those in power however would become the managers of restaurants, the managers of super markets, the operators of automatized farm equipment, the directors of police departments, or the commanders of robot turkey platoons, instead of the heads of research committees, the managers of decentralized web hubs, the researchers of new transporter technologies, the innovators of rocket boosters, the innovators of fuel-efficient engines and the researchers of manufactured vital resources. So bobby was encouraged to at least try to change the world for the better; but he knew he couldn't do it alone, so he created a space on a pre-established platform that he didn't have complete trust in. At least for now.",
"*Breathe. In and out. Captain said it's a green wire.*\n\n\"How you holding up, kid?\" I tapped out a response on the comms tablet strapped to my wrist. *Can't find a green wire.* There was a pause, buzzing grey noise from the earbud.\n\n\"...You took off your nightvision, right?\" *Yes.*\n\n\"Okay. Must be an old model. They need to update training manuals on these Chronos maneuvers. Don't sweat it, kid. We'll have to do it old school. Put the goggles back on and sync up your Hermes.\" *Wilco.* Confused, I put the panel back over the command box, making sure it's locked tight. I slipped the goggles back over my head and reset the Hermes on my arm so I could read the inputs through the goggles.\n\n\"Move to point Bravo. Ring in when you're there. Tell us if you see anything else we can accomplish. Remember, we can't touch food, *Roger.*\" Roger made some kind of non-committed noise in the background. Poor bastard sent a man to the hospital a year ago, tinkering with a food synth, and the Captain's never let it go. Food poisoning is no longer on the list of acceptable Minor Dramas.\n\nI rotate, pushing away from the night stand and look at the wall. It felt too much like invasion of privacy to look at the couple while they slept. *Captain, I've not been trained on this.*\n\n\"It'll be all right, kiddo, just do exactly as I say and you'll have the thing disarmed.\" I pushed past the bed, to where the Peck unit sat. It hummed gently as it emanated its magnetic field, pushing wireless power to any device with a corresponding input. The Hermes shifted color for a moment, reacting to the interference. *I'm hear.*\n\n\"I'd hope so, you've got two ears!\" Captain laughed, \"But you're there. Got it. This step is incredibly important. There should be two black cords leading to the outlet. Grab the one with a red stripe.\" *Got it.* \"Now unplug it. And plug it back in.\"\n\nI pulled the wire gently from the socket and shoved it back in. The lamp in the corner faded out as the Peck unit died. I stuck around until I could hear the thing humming again and looked at the bedside alarm clock.\n\n*Chronos maneuver confirmed successful. Clock has been reset.*\n\n\"Good news, boys! John'll be late to work tomorrow!\"",
"\"I'm a what-,\" I started. \n\n\"A natural dick, asshole, all around douche that everyone loves to hate. You, my friend, are a villain born in an utopian society. Now, in days of old, you would just be a regular Joe, a dime a dozen. But now we got standards. We got morals. We got certain rules we've got to abide,\" the man in front of me breathed in a strange stick, and breathed out a nasty smelling cloud of smoke into my face. I coughed and waved my hands in front of me.\n\n\"Normally, we'd just re educate you until you behave. But society is starting to realize the importance of stress, or eustress. They NEED guys like us. So you get a new job,\"\n\n\"Wait, I love my job as an accountant. I'm not an abnormal, or dick, or whatever you called it. All I did was reheat my fish,\" I protested.\n\n\"In the communal kitchen. Tsk tsk. But they'll be talking about it for weeks at your old office. Smelling it too. And that's what we need more of. Whether you mean it or not, you inconvenience people in a way that makes their lives feel meaningful. You give them G O S S I P gossip. So orientation starts next Monday. First class, deciding on what you want when you get to the front of the line,\"",
"\"By God, this is a fantastic office!\" Calvin exclaimed as he walked into the only office on the top floor of the Department of Minor Drama. \n\n\"Make the most of the view; we expect to see your work making its way through the community by the beginning of next week,\" Director Smith retorted. \"I'll only be out of town for a few months, but I trust you to keep this place running smoothly until I get back.\"\n\n\"Absolutely, sir, yes, sir!\" Calvin said quickly. He was excited. It had only been a year since he began working for the department, and his work had already brought him the attention of the Director. This was his chance to really make an impact. \n\nOver the next few weeks, Calvin worked non-stop to design the perfect minor dramas to infiltrate and annoy the city. It wasn't that the city was being punished or that the citizens needed to be kept in line; no, it was simply part of the entertainment requested in the annual citizens voting log. The citizens were bored with daily life and requested things to get livened up. \n\nCalvin looked away from his computer screen and stared out the perfectly clear window that took the place of the wall. \n\nGlancing back and forth from his computer and the skyscrapers across the way, he had an idea. He pushed the intercom button on his desk, calling his secretary. \"Gladys, can you check the cost of housing 1000 pigeons above each of the three most trafficked areas of the city? Also, check to see which buildings overhang those streets.\" Smiling to himself, he imagined citizens sprinting across the street or down the walkway, trying to avoid the white excrement of 1000 birds overhead. Boy, would that be a fun sight to see from his office window!\n\nAnother project he had been working on was called Operation Telephone. He had already tested it out on his unsuspecting neighbors, and it had been a big hit. The intelligence office located in the Department of Minor Drama had two roles in this operation. The first team was to spread outlandish rumors to select members of each neighborhood. As the community began chatting more about these rumors, Team 2 would put the rumors into action. Calvin's neighbor had overheard an undercover agent telling a child over dinner that if the child didn't eat her tomatoes, tomatoes would rain down from the sky, and the cloud of tomatoes would follow her around until she ate her meal. As the child refused to eat her dinner, a plane flew undetected overhead and shot tomatoes down at the ground. It took about 15 minutes, but once the child ate her food, the raining tomatoes miraculously stopped. Of course, Calvin's neighbor immediately told her needlepoint club about the event, and the story quickly spread. \n\nThe minor dramas only became more dramatic as the days progressed. The internet was shut down in the city for 48 hours one day, and the next day, a handful of actors were hired to run around stealing purses. Of course, the contents were \"recovered\" in trash bins later. Some of the local businesses were even paid to get in on the drama. The only liquor store in the city required 300 signatures from random people before a person could even buy a case of beer."
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[WP] Your family lineage has had a curse placed on them stretching thousands of years. Crushed by the weight of stress, you dig around for an answer to your generational trauma and find an application for the Supernatural Curse Forgiveness Program.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 getting tired while being fully awake, the music that holine is playing making me such, it being a mix of heavy rock and jazz, quite and loud at the same time, I had ben on hold for 3 hours, and the moon was just about to Cresent, if I turn into a chicken before they answer, then it answers. A soft voice picks up, a mix between a 12 year old girl and a 50 year old biker.\n\n\"Hello and welcome to eldritch help what are you willing to pay?\" It asks.\n\n\"Pay? It said it's free\" I say looking back at the paper.\n\n\"It's free if you want your memory wiped\" the thing roars with laughter? Anguish, indecipherable emotions.\"so what's it gonna be?\"\n\n\"Yeah uh yeah just uh, well I need this help with a curse. Just I don't wanna turn to a chicken on the cresent moon and Cresent sun. And I'll pay with,uhh... my first newborn? Sorry I don't exactly know what you take\"\n\n\"Newborns are fine thank you, qnd that's a quite hefty pay just for a curse removal, I'll ask big G if he'll bless you aswell, adios friend\" the phone hangs up as the moon becomes full, I close my eyes, suddenly I get enveloped into a ray of golden sunshine, then..."
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[WP] A little troll lives under a bridge, he is rude to people and always complains that he is hungry. Despite your friends telling you not to feed the troll, you ignore them and out of pity you decide to bring some homemade sandwiches for the troll. You regret this decision.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 shouldn't have done it. I should have listened to Fiona. If I did, I wouldn’t be here tied up, to a bed, in the royal palace. Who knew that the short lil’ troll was the prince of aklasian kingdom!\r \n\r \nI fed him ONE sandwich , for he was homeless and everyone ignored him. Who knew he had a freaking place and the whole kingdom’s attention on him?\r \n\r \nOhhh and he is not actually a troll, that was all a disguise.… but a ferocel- a humanoid face with a large bird like wings. Just imagine angels who are less angelic.\r \n\r \nhe kidnapped me for my kindness. And now I am supposed to court the prince for 4 months!\r \n\r \nMy thoughts are interrupted by the opening of the door. There he stands, raven black wings, hair as black as coal, and his eyes, even darker with specks of grey.\r \n\r \n“Good morning dove.” He says with a smile.\r \n\r \nI turn away to face the balcony. You might say im audacious to ignore a prince of the royal family, but this has been my routine for the past three days. I can hear him sigh out loud. He moves near me and I feel the bed dip.\r \n\r \n“I am just asking for a chance politely, Fia.”\r \n\r \n“I'm sorry, your majesty, I dint know tying a person up is polite. \"\r \n\r \nHe sighs. I feel movement in the cuffs that bind to the bedpost. Once he is done my hand are free.\r \n\r \n“you must be tired. Why don’t you have a warm bath? “\r \n\r \nI get up. And start to undress.\r \n\r \n“w-wait. What are you doing?” He shrieks. His hand covering his eyes, as his ear turn crimson.\r \n\r \n“undressing.”\r \n\r \n“why!”\r \n\r \n“then how am I supposed to bathe, your majesty?”\r \n\r \nHe quickly trudges out the door, shutting it quickly.\r \n\r \nSeems like our courtship won't be that bad\n\n\\[Hey there! Since English is not my first language, the might be several mistakes. please don't hesitate to point em' out. Thanks for reading!\\]",
"I pushed my Bike up the hill, longingly looking after the cars which drove past us with howling engines.\nMy Friends all stared at me angrily, because we all had to take the long way around town, now that the Bridge Trolls toll was rising steadily.\nWhen i started feeding him he was a scrawny little guy, but now he had grown to fearsome proportions and woulndt let anyone pass without pay.\nNone of us could afford to use the bridge now, and i can see why they had told me not to feed him.\n\nLater that day i drove my Bike to the Bridge, where the Massive Troll stood with arms Crossed.\n\"Hey there, hows it going?\" i asked nervously, \"Good, but if youre here to ask me to let you and your Friends pass without pay again you can leave right away, my answer stays the same\" he said in his gravelly voice. \"But why? You certainly seem to make enough!\" i complained, \"I have claimed this bridge, and however small it may be i make sure it stays clean and in one piece. If i let one pass for free, then everyone would find a reason to do so, and sooner or later everything would fall apart.\"\nI may not have gotten the answer i wanted, but at least i now had an idea. The next day i drove there right away and offered the Troll a Sandwich, he accepted without hesitating and devoured it in one bite. \"Wont you let me pass now?\" i asked, and before he could say no i interrupted \"Even after you accepted food from me?\" which made the Troll pause and think. \"Well, we never negotiated the exact terms of your offering, so-\", \"But nobody ever agreed to your toll beforehand either?\" i asked him with a grin. When the Troll began to stammer i saw my chanche and took it \"And thinking of how many of my sandwiches you had eaten i think its only fair to say that you owe me! \". \"Very well then\" said the Troll, with reluctant acceptance \"What is your demand?\"\n\nThe following days Everyone could pass the bridge again, and in return i would bring him something to eat, though the others would pitch in from time to time and the portions would increase to accommodate for the Bridge Trolls size. Life could continue as usual (for the Time being, that is)."
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[WP] You are historian developing a thesis about magic in differen cultures and time periods; to demystify supernatural beliefs. The only problem is you are broke and your personal life is a mess. About to drop everything you decide, as a last resource, to try using what you learned about magic...
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"“Look at you, burning the midnight oil. I’m so proud! I brought you some carrot sticks. Ooh, what does this say? It looks important! Melancholy Menorah!”\n\n“Mom, not now, I’m working… but thanks for the carrot sticks.”\n\n“Oh, right, sorry honey. Melancholy Menorah!”\n\n“Mom, that doesn’t mean goodbye… it’s an ancient spell. It was basically the psychiatry of its day. And I’m pretty sure it’s pronounced Melecholee Manrah.”\n\nMy mother had never been the most calm individual but I didn’t expect her to burst into tears over being corrected on the pronunciation of an ancient mythological spell.\n\n“I’m sorry mom! It can be Melancholy Menorah if you want. Just don’t say that at the synagogue. They might get the wrong idea.”\n\nMy apology didn’t help. She just kept sobbing. I tried hugging her. I tried offering her carrot sticks. I tried **everything**! Nothing could console her until ten minutes later she suddenly stopped crying and smiled the biggest smile I had seen from her since dad was alive. Pure glee.\n\n“Oh, honey, I knew your magic classes would pay off but I didn’t realize you were doing real magic down here!”\n\n“It’s research, mom, not classes… and also… what?”\n\n“I just feel so much lighter! I have to call Susan! She has been so sad since the deli changed pastrami suppliers and her husband left her for his tennis coach. I’m not sure which has her more upset but I just know you can fix her with your new spells!”\n\n“Mom, what are you talking about?”\n\n“The deli on the corner! They changed pastrami suppliers and it’s just not the same. It’s good… but not **as** good.”\n\n“That… I do want to know more about that but it can wait. First, why were you crying?”\n\n“Your spell, honey! It’s like it made me feel all my sadness at once and get it all out of me. And to think I was disappointed you didn’t go to medical school! You can still be a great healer!”\n\n“You were disappointed? I thought you were proud of me!”\n\n“I was both, honey. I’ve always been both. But now I can just be proud! My mensch of a boy is going to be a healer!”\n\n“I… umm… alright, I’ll take it. Call Susan while I learn some more spells.”",
"\"PUT THE MONEY IN! THE! BAG!\" I screamed at the bank teller as she frantically complied and failed as more money fell back into the till or the floor behind her desk rather than the generous leather bag I proffered her.\n\n\"IN THE BAG!!!\"\n\nI hope she got it this time. I'm kind of in a hurry. The peacekeeper and his posse would be here any moment and while I would love to show them what I learned, the several holes in the ceiling after my dramatic entrance would have to be enough for them today.\n\nBecause today, I was testing my thesis.\n\nAnd it was working.\n\nAnd everyone around me was terrified at the magic I had wrought after thousands of hours of research, hundreds of hours of testing, dozens of hours of forging, and the most recent hour where my resolve to field test my work was buoyed by desperation and liquid spirits.\n\nAnd now I was terrified. There was no going back. In the dust of a lazy afternoon here in town, I walked up, closed my research notebook, and brandished my life's work. I held it up, letting it shine in the blue firmament of the sky, admiring my craftsmanship and attention to detail, then walked into the bank to make a withdrawal.\n\nWell, not that. More like loan negotiations.\n\n\"FASTER!\" my bargaining implored as the teller scooped up what she could of wrinkled paper notes and shiny coins and together shoved them into the satchel and then pushed it across to my open hand.\n\nFinally! I can continue my work. I pinched the front of my hat with a gloved hand, nodded to everyone cowering in the corners of the room, and sauntered toward the open exit and into the sunlight...\n\n...only to find good old Peacekeeper Darnwit and his three men standing in the dusty street as they each held a well worn sword or crossbow at the ready.\n\n\"Tinker,\" the weathered lawman drawled. \"You're a dead man if you step one more foot out that door.\"\n\nWell...that was quicker than I thought.\n\n\"Officer Darnwit...\"\n\n\"Don't you flap your gums at me,\" he spat. Like literally. Into the dirt. Disgusting.\n\n\"Drop the bag down. Put whatever that...thing...is in your hand down. And put your hands behind your back. Else you'll make a fine holster for these bolts here.\"\n\nSigh. This droll crowd couldn't even appreciate the work I had put into my greatest discovery.\n\nIn my back pocket was the greatest scientific breakthroughs I had made about the old ones who came before us, who lifted cities and peoples into the sky, and built their empire before it can crumbling down with the creation I had in my hand.\n\nSquinting, I tensed. Darnwit, despite his name, recognized I wouldn't comply. He began to bark orders to fire as he raised his sword.\n\nI imagined each of their heads as giant apples.\n\nAnd thanked the gods that along with the insatiable curiosity I was blessed with that I also had a remarkably quick finger.\n\nI pulled my magical device up and snapped off two concussive blasts that jolted my arm but had firmly placed two projectiles between two crossbowmans' eyes and froze Darnwit and his surviving deputy in their place.\n\nI held them at bay, my weapon pointed at the leering peacekeeper as he kept his hand steadied on his partially lowered sword. I strafed towards my horse, grabbed the reins, and lifted myself over the side into her saddle, clicking my tongue and tugging the strap to make her go. I leveled the weapon back at them, ensuring they wouldn't make a move just yet and trotted off around the corner of the saloon before making away at full gallop.\n\nI hooted and hollered as the wind whipped in my face. Securing the money in a saddlebag, I couldn't imagine how dumbstruck everyone was as my research had finally paid off. Countless years no one would believe me that such powerful magic had existed and could be worked even today. Not a single one.\n\nAnd now I could continue my research. Make more of these wondrous magical devices. Go from town to town, accepting charitable donations from every bank that turned me down for my research. And one by one, they would become believers.\n\nThe gun is good, after all."
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[WP] it’s a lovely evening in your zombie infested town. People are dying, but you’re snuggled up nicely in your home with some hot cocoa. What to do to spend the evening?
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Curtis turned to his bride, admiring the red sheen on her wedding dress as the blood was lit up by the stars overhead. One of the few things that had improved after the zombie apocalypse was the end of electricity, allowing for the beauty of the heavens to once more unfurl themselves across the sky.\n\nHis hand reached up to brush a strand of hair that had slipped from her ribbons, gently tracing her face before lowering it. She smiled, handing him the thermos from which the warm smell of cocoa floated into the night. \"I love you,\" he said, taking the proffered thermos from her, and she smiled in turn.\n\n\"I love you too, and I'm glad we decided to get married. Even with all...\" and here she paused, waving her hand around and gesturing to the Romero-esque nightmare that was unfolding below them, \"this.\" Curtis could not agree more that these were not ideal circumstances for a wedding reception or honeymoon type situation, but he could also quite safely say that it could be a lot worse. He poured his own cup of cocoa, placing the thermos gently between them. Cocoa in hand, they leaned against each other, their intimate silence being broken by the groans of zombies and the screams of their victims below.\n\n\"You know what I wish?\" Curtis asked suddenly. Catherine turned to him, her eyes flashing with curiosity.\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"I wish we had gone with the other caterer for the wedding.\" he said solemnly. Catherine burst out laughing, her laughter a clear and happy sound that cut through the sadness and pain around them. Curtis also laughed, joining her in this little island of happiness they had created for themselves.\n\n\"That's your wish? Really Curtis, given what's going on right now I hardly think that's the most pertinent thing to wish for.\" She tapped him lightly on the arm with her fist, to nail the point home.\n\n\"Why not. Apart from the apocalypse, the veal stew was really the worst part of the night. Do you remember how much we paid him?! Really, I expected better.\" Catherine leaned back into him, laying her head in the crook of his neck.\n\n\"You know what I wish? I wish that we just had a little more time to be happy.\" Her words had pulled them both back to reality, and their smiles faded as their eyes roamed from the edge of the roof to the zombies, and the fires, and the chaos beyond it. Curtis too wished that they could have more time to be happy, but deep in his heart knew they were lucky to even get this far. All he could do was try and salvage what moments they had, and so he tried.\n\n\"Nonsense Catherine. We have all the time in the world. Why, I dare say that there will be a public holiday tomorrow, and the day after that, and maybe even the day after that. Although your bitch of a boss will likely send you a message asking if you are planning to no-call no-show just because of a couple zombies.\" Curtis chuckled at the thought, and he could feel Catherine giggling against him as well.\n\n\"Well at least she's not as bad as your boss. He'd probably just fire you again even if you did make it into work. Since his profits are going to take a hit there will have to be some downsizing.\"\n\n\"Ah yes that is true. Old Mr Higgers was ever so careful about preserving his profits. At least his corpulent shape can feed more than a few hungry families now.\"\n\n\"Curtis! What an inappropriate joke, and to think I married you.\" His arms reached around her and hugged her tight. They sat in silence for a while, before he said,\n\n\"You know, we still have time. Probably. I was thinking maybe we could, you know?\"\n\n\"On the roof? Why Curtis that seems rather indecent don't you think?\" she said it with a serious tone, but her eyes were playful, and her finger tapped his nose gently.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nAnd it was there, on the roof of a high-rise, with the zombie apocalypse as backdrop, that a newly married couple consummated their marriage, with the moon and the stars as witness. \n\nLaying pressed against each other, their vitality expended, Catherine said,\n\n\"I think I can feel it, spreading.\"\n\n\"Me too. I can already feel something different, like I'm sick and hungry and tired and anxious all at once. Do you think it's time?\"\n\n\"I don't know, but I think we should just to be on the safe side. God forbid we're too late.\"\n\n\"I love you, darling.\" he whispered into her ear. She turned, placing a delicate kiss on his lips. Their eyes darted across each other's naked bodies, drawn to the two bite marks on the arm and leg that each had, before looking back at one another.\n\n\"I love you too, honey.\"\n\nWithout another word, they held hands, both leaping and falling, naked angels, down towards the concrete below."
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[WP] Superpowers can be purchased. You're trying to get a refund.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 was a mistake.\n\nWhen the guy on the black overcoat offered me that pillcase, I thought that would be an opportunity to finally change things. He seemed legit - he even got an eyepatch, for Christ's sake. I had the money, and maybe for the first time in my life I was actually using some money for myself.\n\nIt took a week for the effects to start become visible. My eyes are now much better, I don't need the glasses, nor the eyedrops - even the red sides are gone, and I can look in the mirror and don't remember what I went through. The huge speed that I now can run could prevent me to be near Boris again. And, heck, the oversized muscles can even deflect bullets, let alone his drunken punches when he was angry because I wore too much makeup, so maybe I wouldn't even need to run.\n\nThe back scars are gone. I can look myself in the mirror again and find myself pretty, for the first time in a long while. My teeth has regenerated. But that's when I knew I didn't buy what I needed.\n\nBecause I can run, but I still can't leave my house without an anxiety crisis. The skin scars are gone, but the heart scars are still here, and I didn't learn how to love and trust again. I have perfect teeth, but I have no reason for smiling. I have superpowers, but I still am powerless.\n\nAnd that's why, operator, I need a refund. Can you forward my call to the proper department, please? Yes, thank you. Thank you. I'll wait.",
"\"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, THERE'S A NO RETURN POLICY?\"\n\n\"Ma'am, it's posted all around the store, printed on your receipt AND you're told that all purchases of a superpower are final.\"\n\n\"WHAT? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT! NOW GIVE ME MY DAMN REFUND!\"\n\n\"Ma'am, it's impossible to separate you from your powers, so it's literally impos-\"\n\n\"I DON'T CARE! I WANNA SPEAK TO YOUR MANAGER!\"\n\n*Sigh* \"Boss? We got another Karen...\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWell, it's a bummer I can't get a refund, as demonstrated by the customer in front of me, but at least I got to enjoy the show! \"NEXT!\"\n\n\"Oh, I'm sorry, I was also hoping for a refund, but I understand that you can't-\"\n\nThe cashier smiles. \"I only told her that because she was rude and demanding. I shouldn't really give you a refund, but if you have a good reason...?\"\n\n\"Yeah, I think the process was botched, I wanted laser *eyes,* not laser *farts!*\" The lady nods and gets a different manager, as the first manager is still trying to deal with the crazy lady."
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[WP] "sorry, sir. This is a "jaywalking only" city"
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 do you Mean?\" i asked the cop, he pointed to a nearby green sign of a stickman supposedly crossing the road \"That\" he said. I heard car horns droning from the rest of the city in semiregular intervals as i stood by the pedestrian crossing.\nThe cop wrote a Ticket while shaking his head.\n\"Isnt jaywalking against the law?\" i asked trying not to show my aggravation, \"Not here it is\" he replied. \n\"Youre giving me a Ticket, because i used the pedestrian crossing?\", the cop Nodded. \nExasperated i went away, making sure to jaywalk this time. I heard a deafening car horn and tire screeching, before it hit me. I wanst dead, but i felt sharp pain in my right leg as the cop walked up and wrote another Ticket. \"Interrupting traffic again are we?\""
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[WP] your child maybe the antichrist but he is still your son
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 megachurch was heaving with bodies. Absolutely heaving. The aged, the crippled, the broken - all were in attendance, eyes glued to stage. \n\nI turned to my little sunshine with a beam. “Looks like it will be a good one!” \n\n“Thank you, mum!” my son smiled. \n\nI fixed his shirt and adjusted a hair strand. “I’m going to cook your favourite tonight when we get home. Already bought all the ingredients.”\n\n“It’ll be really late. You seriously don’t have to. I can take you out somewhere. I already love that you always take the time to be here for these things. I know how busy you are.”\n\n“Nonsense. And I know how shattered you are after these events. I want you to be able to kick back and relax. You’ll have a nice shower, I will fix dinner and then we can watch something together.”\n\n“I love you, mum. You are the very best. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” my son said, hugging me. \n\n“You will never have to find out, my love. I will always be there if you need me. If that means making my famous Mac and Cheese at 3 o’clock in the morning and watching Captain Kirk make out with space ladies until I need to teach my morning lecture, then that’s what it will be. How shall I cope?”\n\nHe kissed my head. “I was so scared when I first told you…”\n\n“That was my failing and not yours, darling. A child should never be scared of speaking to their mother, no matter the subject.”\n\n“You could never fail me,” he whispered.\n\nThen the music started streaming in from the stage entrance. Chants of my son’s name could be heard. I let go and he straightened himself. Next he’s through the door, the cheer so loud, I am deafened for a moment. \n\nOf course I remembered that talk. How could I ever forget? My teenage son shaking like a leaf, despite his impressive statue. “Mum, I need to speak to you and I need you to not get mad,” he had said. It’s not the words any mother wants to hear. I remembered thinking ‘A bit early for grand babies, but why not?’\n\nWell, it wasn’t about grand babies. \n\n“The second coming is going to happen soon,” he gulped, “and I don’t even know how to begin to prevent it.”\n\nI scowled. Not what I had expected. “I thought” I tried carefully, “that the second coming of Christ is meant to be a good thing. At least in Christian doctrine it is.”\n\n“NO! That fucking monster is going to kill all non believers and who knows how many of the believers! It’s going to be a massacre! The holocaust is going to be nothing compared to this!”\n\n“I admit, I hadn’t seen it like that. What makes you believe the second coming is near?” I probed. \n\n“I just know. I have always known. I tried to deny it, but I just know. And I am absolutely petrified.”\n\nI gulped, as he started sobbing, taking a second longer than I should have, to pull him over to me and hug him. \n\nThe sound of the speakers, drew me out of the past. \n\n“Our Lord Lucifer gave us the apple of reason. He gave us the true power to be human. For independent thought. He embraced us - not to force us into a mould, but to see us thrive! And thrive we shall, in HIS name.”\n\nA cheer erupted. \n\n“The enemies say that there can be no love without their slave master, who created us as pets for his entertainment, to worship him and follow his every whim. Thus Lord Lucifer sent me, to prove them wrong!” \n\nMore cheering. \n\nI watched, my mind flashing back to the nights we’d spent developing this rhetoric. Trying to hit on what would work best. Apparently to delay the second coming, humanity had to deny the father and the son, whatever that meant. Pure atheism would have been the simplest answer, but that was a hard sell when your son could heal by touch. Also believing in nothing was unlikely to rile up the masses. In a progressively more and more complex world, the call for a definite meaning had become louder and louder, increasing church attendance. Finally, I had decided to imitate early Christianity, by co-opting existing belief structures, but replace the fundamental doctrines with my own concoction. Anything, just god needed to be denied. It felt like true insanity, but when my beloved son came back from stage for the first time in tears, telling me “It is working! I can feel it!”, I would do it all again. \n\nSlowly the mass of believers shuffled forward to be touched by him. I still didn’t know exactly how this part worked - it was a gift my son had had from his earliest days. We tested it a few times in the lab and in the hospital after hours, in an attempt to figure out what was happening, but I refused to do an official study. Who knew what would happen to my child, if some government realised the gift was real and could be abused on the battle field? I was certain there was a perfectly rational explanation, it might just take substantially more sneaking around to find it. \n\nAs I watched, a man got up from his wheelchair, a woman cried tears of joy as she felt hope for the first time in years, a young boy saw the light of day, the list went on. Our small army of counsellors were swarming out like an entire ant hill, to consult with the the newly healed and provide post-treatment plans, as well as mental support. Free healthcare, curtesy of the vast donations we received. There would be more though. As the church grew by the day, supply would be outstripped by demand, meaning we needed more actual doctors to sift out the non-desperate cases, which wouldn’t need my son. Plans for our first network of doctors were already drawn up. Doctors specialising in preventative care, to keep numbers down. All would be financed through the 10% tithe paid by every member. Keeping everything in-house would maximise cost effectiveness, as well as new converts. \n\n-“-\n\n“Why do you do all this?” my son whispered from his end of the couch, half asleep, empty bowls of Mac and Cheese piled on the table. “You are an atheist. You don’t even believe in the second coming. Aren’t you deceiving millions of people for my sake? I would be ranting about the end of the world at street corners without you.”\n\nI blinked over to him. “In pre-natal classes, the nurse asked us what we wanted our children to be. Going around the room, we got doctors, lawyers, even an astronaut. Do you know what I said?”\n\n“Insane prophet of a new religion, I wrote myself?”\n\n“No,” I smiled. “I said: happy.”"
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[WP] The Villian and The Hero have fought each other numerous times, and have grown strange respect for each other. Now The Villian finds The Hero, bloody and bruised by his kingdom asking for help.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Maharaja of the Oceans looked down upon his greatest foe, Yarvem, who was covered in blood. They stood in an alleyway with steps behind the hero back up to the busy market. Maharaja was shocked to see the Hero in such a state not caused by himself. He planned his next battle out with Yarvem hours ago. Maharaja would give a speech and then summon an army of the dead. Watch Yarvem butcher his way through them only to be cursed by the villain’s new spell. Maharaja was prepared for a bloody battle as they usually have but not ready for this. \r \n“So, there you are great hero. Thought you could get away from us,” the head guard says as he and several other guards walk down the steps approaching Yarvem from behind. Yarvem looks up at Maharaja and for a second shows a face of remorse seeing the Villain in his shape. The hero slowly turns around to face the guards still feeling so much pain from the beating they started on him earlier. \r \n“Why are you doing this? I have only helped the Queen and her kingdom. I am,” Yarvem begins but starts to cough up blood. “I am here to help you. Does the Queen even know what you are doing!?” he shouts. All the guards begin to chuckle. Maharaja already knew that is a bad sign. He starts to have mixed feelings and thoughts. He is starting to see what is happening and a part of him wants to see it to the end. To see the very Kingdom the Hero protected turn against him. However, the Villain also wanted to see the Hero fall to his actions. \r \n“Who do you think ordered this? We are tired of you making us look bad. Like we cannot protect our citizens. We are just as good if not better than your vigilante acts!” The head guard yells as he kicks Yarvem down. \r \n“And she agrees with us, so we have her blessing to end your rain of terror,” one of the other guards states as she pulls her sword out. Without even thinking, Maharaja steps forward making his presence known. It is for the first time the guards notice him. Few get worried once seeing him but the ones closest to Yarvem stand tall and pull out their longswords. \r \n“Well, if it is not the scapegoat. You have come to the crime scene too early,” a guard says smiling. \r \n“Scapegoat?” Maharaja asks. \r \n“Yes, I can only assume you heard everything. The kingdom cannot know we did this so of course the obvious person to blame his murder on is you. The great villain finally beat the Hero and took his life. You would become more feared through the land, and we would have our kingdom back. Sounds like a win for us both. If you want you can do the act yourself,” the head guard declares inviting Maharaja inward. \r \n“You’re a part of this?” Yarvem asks shocked. \r \n“Not originally but the offer sounds wonderful,” the Villain smirks. The guards start to feel at ease no longer having their weapons at the ready. Yarvem coughs more blood up in disgust with what is happening. “You know what I have a better idea. Would you like the strength and power of the Hero guardsmen?” Maharaja says walking up closer to them and reaches into his cloak. \r \n“Go on dark wizard,” the head guard says extremely interested. Maharaja continues to give his devilish smile as he pulls a blacken dagger out. \r \n“Kill him with this and his powers will transfer to you. I was going to do it after I bet him, but you deserve his strength more. Especially if you will be the new hero I will go up against,” Maharaja laughs handing the blade over.\r \n“I have a bad feeling about this. I think we should just leave these two be,” one of the other guards implies. \r \n“No, I’d rather have power!” the head guard shouts as he stabs Yarvem in the spine with the dagger with a powerful thrust. The Hero screams in anguish only to have his mouth covered by the Villain. The head guard twists the blade before pulling it out and stabbing again. He continues to stab until Yarvem stops moving. The head guard, now covered in blood, laughs as he stands up waiting to feel a surge of power. Yet he feels nothing. “Hey, dark wizard I don’t feel a thing!” he yells. Maharaja slowly stands up with green energy coating his hands.\r \n“I guess I lied,” Maharaja chuckles as sounds of bones cracking and moving are heard behind the guards. They turn to see the steps swarming with skeleton monsters holding swords. All staring at the guards. “I just needed time to summon my friends to kill your guards,” Maharaja laughs. \r \n“You vile villain!” the head guard shouts out but before he could completely turn to face Maharaja, a fist is plunged through the guard’s chest. Blood explodes from his mouth as he looks down staring at the arm. He now turns and looks behind him to see Yarvem back up on his feet with his fist through the guard. Yarvem now looks pale and has red glowing eyes. “Impossible,” the guard whispers before sliding off Yarvem’s arm and onto the ground dead. The skeletons take this opportunity of shock to attack the remaining guards slaughtering them. Yarvem stares at his fist then turns to the Villain. \r \n“What did you do to me Maharaja of the Oceans!?” Yarvem yells rushing Maharaja. Before he could reply the Fallen Hero was already pushing the Villain up against a stone wall. \r \n“I decided to save you in my unique way Yarvem. Please put me down so I can explain,” Maharaja expresses while trying to breathe. Yarvem takes a moment before releasing Maharaja who gasps for air. “You are indeed undead but not under my control. I would never make you one of my mindless minors,” Maharaja states. \r \n“So, what am I then, and why do I have such a strong urge to go to the castle?” Yarvem questions. \r \n“The blade I gave the head guard turned you into a revenant. An immensely powerful undead who will not rest until they take their vengeance out on the ones who wronged them. Usually, it's towards the one holding the dagger but as I thought has occurred, my friend. Your vengeance is so powerful it's towards the kingdom that betrayed you. Specifically, the Queen probably. We will not know until we get to her throne room I guess,” Maharaja says walking forward watching his skeletons kill the last guard. \r \n“We?” Yarvem states standing next to Maharaja. \r \n“Oh yes, I intend to see this through until you can rest in peace. Now shall we begin,” The Villain suggests as he, The Fallen Hero, and the skeletons march up the steps heading to the castle.",
"\"and who did this to my little cherub?\" I asked sweetly.\n\nSeraph leaned heavily against the doorway, wings bent and oozing an ethereal smoke, scratches covering their face as they gasped in air.\n\n\"Please...\" They wheezed. \"...If I tell you, don't kill them.\"\n\n\"If you don't want them dead, why tell *me?*\" I retorted, leaning casually against my plush red throne.\n\nThey paused, biting their lower lip.\n\n\"You won't die from their attacks.\" They said slowly.\n\nMy eyebrows raised in excitement. \"Oooh? This implies that *you* can. So? Who is this demonic or necromantic opponent?\"\n\nThey sank in the doorway with a pained groan, perfumed smoke coming off of them in the way blood gushed from a wound.\nI did nothing, waiting for an answer.\n\nLicking dried lips, they spoke slowly. \"...Everyone did.\"\n\nMy eyes narrowed and my brow pinched from confusion. \"I beg pardon?\" I laughed. \"Everyone taps into dark magic now? I think I would notice that.\"\n\nSeraph shook their head. \"No- no, its- it's not that.\" They said, clearly trying to find words.\n\"They've changed. I don't know what happened but they aren't the same anymore. Someone's controlling them somehow but I can't fight them off myself. There's too many, and I.. I can't.\"\n\nI said nothing at the implied admission that they couldn't kill the city they wanted to protect.\n\"And yet you don't want me to kill them.\"\n\nSeraph shook their head violently and then gagged from the motion.\n\"No. You can't... I won't let you.\"\n\nThey faced me defiantly, essentially bleeding out on the floor but still ready to skewer my blackened heart with a holy sword.\n\n\"...Like how you *let* the townsfolk rip you to pieces if it meant keeping your conscience clear?\" I asked. \"I can slay you as easily as they would have. Don't threaten me in my own lair.\"\n\n\"If you *could* kill me, what's stopped you?\" They demanded coldly, visage pale and eyes vaguely glazed.\n\nI shrugged. \"I did the exact same thing to you and you granted me sanctuary; While I planned on your holy nature coming into play, it's only fair I grant you the same respite.\"\n\nStanding up, I brushed invisible filth from my cloak.\n\"Use whatever furniture you like; i doubt it'll be comfortable as I've been it's sole occupant for so long, but essentially anything in this place that you know won't kill you is yours for the time you stay here. Rest, recover, whatever you must. I'll go investigate these demons.\"\n\n\"Don't kill them.\" Seraph repeated.\n\n\"You don't have the luxury to beg me that.\" I cooed. \"I'll do it if I feel it's necessary, so pray these would-be tainted humans are laughable to me. *You* asked *me* for help. *You* will have to watch the consequences.\"\n\nI pointedly walked over them in the way someone avoids a spilled lunch on a sidewalk, the grossly sweet tang of angelic essence wafting up my nose.\n\n\"Don't even bother keeping corporeal form.\" I advised. \"We both know you don't need it and keeping up the appearance of a human takes more energy than it's worth.\"\n\nNo response, but the glow of heavenly light behind me, the kind that singed my back, told me everything.\n\n\"If you'll excuse me, I have some demons to fight. Make yourself at home.\" I said idly. \"The pudding in the fridge is mine and highly toxic, avoid touching it.\"\n\n>If anyone wants a part two I can write one!"
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[WP] The Tournament of Power is unexpectedly being dominated by a bard and a warrior from another world with the title of "Ultimate DJ." Your party is next up against them, and your informant warns you to watch out for, "when the beat drops," whatever that means.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Greshak huffed, slamming his chest with a speed and ferocity that would snap the spines of most humans. The defending Champion of the Tournament of Power had strength—and questions—aplenty. He stopped for a while, and appeared to think.\n\n“When the beat drops?”\n\nThe informant, Kalt, resembled a weasel more than a man. He held his hands close together, the only visible parts of his body outside a grey cloak.\n\n“When the beat drops,” he insisted. “Whatever that means.”\n\nGreshak grunted, massive fingers rubbing his chin. He seemed contemplative and deep in thought, before turning to Kalt again.\n\n“When the beat drops?”\n\nKalt was prepared to speak up, before a graceful hand landed on his shoulder. The informant turned to see the gentle smile of Sylph, the renowned cleric.\n\n“It’s OK, Kalt,” Sylph said, her voice chimed melodically. “Greshak is a little confused.”\n\n“When is he not?” Kalt grumbled.\n\n“But thank you for the information,” Sylph smiled. “It is unfornate that you were unable to find out more for us.”\n\nKalt and bowed deeply.\n\n“I’m so sorry, Lady Sylph,” the informant said. “For what it’s worth, none of their opponents ended up injured or dead.”\n\n“Oh? They all yielded?”\n\n“Yes.”\n\n“Interesting,” Sylph mused. “Some sort of magic, perhaps? This warrior from another world… maybe there’s something there that’s simply impossible to replicate in our world.”\n\nThe arena’s horn sounded, a low drone that sent both Sylph and Greshak into rapt attention.\n\n“Thank you, Kalt,” Sylph said. “That’ll be all.”\n\nThe informant bowed, and skulked back into the shadows.\n\nAs the horn blew, the gathered crowd joined in with their own roar. Louder, and louder still, the two soon became indistinguishable, becoming a crescendo of sound intimately known—and craved—by every warrior in the Tournament.\n\nSylph and Greshak looked at each other. A simple nod was all the communication they need to stand up, and walk through the tunnel into the arena.\n\nOne voice, amplified by magic, sounded above the rest of the noise.\n\n“The defending champions! Graceful Sylph and mighty Greshak!”\n\nSylph bowed. Greshak renewed his chest-pounding spectacle.\n\n“And here comes the… challengers!”\n\nThere was a hesitant tone that made Sylph perk up. She studied the opposing tunnel, intently staring as Belan stepped out. The man, barely taller than Sylph, had his lute hung behind his back as he shuffled into the arena.\n\n“Belan the bard,” Sylph murmured. “That’s a known factor, at least. He should be little issue.”\n\nFrom behind Belan, out sprang a… person. Instead of sporting armour, or even leather robes, he had on a loose, green shirt with a colourful pattern on its front. His bottoms were of a faded, blue colour, and he had two enormous mufflers covering his ears. He held a rectangular, shiny thing under his arm.\n\nGreshak leaned down to Sylph.\n\n“That puny man,” the warrior said. “He defeated everyone else?”\n\n“Apparently,” Sylph said. “Well. He looks to be of little threat.”\n\nThe warrior from the another world shouted. Surprisingly, his voice sounded over the entire stadium, causing even Sylph to wince a little at the sudden volume.\n\n“What’s up, party people! The Ultimate DJ’s here! Are you ready to party?”\n\nThe cleric frowned, and pointed towards the outsider. Greshak nodded, and began to bear down on him.\n\nThe warrior opened the rectangular thing, and pressed something on it. Suddenly, loud thumping music began to play. \n\nAlmost immediately, Sylph found herself cowering on the floor, putting her hands over her ears. The notes were so discordant that Sylph thought she could see them flashing in the air, like mirages in the desert. She cried out in anguish.\n\n“What is this infernal sound?”\n\n“Listen to my beats, yo,” the warrior from the other world screamed enthusiastically. “Made by yours truly! Put your hands up!\n\nShe looked over to Greshak, who had become rooted to the ground. Slowly, however, a grin came over his face. He raised two giant gauntleted fists in the air, and held them up straight. Sylph saw that the audience in the arena followed suit.\n\n“And wave them like you don’t care!”\n\nGreshak promptly started waving his arms so hard, a small funnel of wind began forming at the top of his hands.\n\nSylph felt tears rolling down her cheeks. She tried singing to herself to calm down, but only heard the grating notes permanently spoiling her eardrums.\n\nShe looked over at Belan, who had one of those mufflers on. He looked blissfully unaware of his surroundings. And so, hand over hand, she began slowly crawling towards the former bard.\n\n“And now,” the Ultimate DJ said. “Here’s when the beat drops!”\n\nHe slammed his hand on the shiny thing again. And Sylph started sobbing uncontrollably, collapsing onto the ground in convulsions.\n\n“Travesty,” she mumbled. “Travesty!”\n\nHesitant cheers began to rise from the crowd.\n\n“This, my friend,” said the Ultimate DJ with a wide smile. “Is true music.”\n\n---\n\nr/dexdrafts"
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[WP] You’ve figured out that you’re in a film of some kind. Now you just have to figure out what type of movie you’re in.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Okay, so I know that I'm in a movie now. The existential crisis wasn't pleasant, but I think I'm over it now. I don't know if I can ever escape, but I still want to live as long as possible. It was kind of obvious in hindsight, but the important thing is that I'm finally aware now. I know something big is coming, and I want to know if everything will work out in the end.\n\nI've been working countless hours trying to narrow the possible genre this could be. So far, I've eliminated these possibilities:\n\n* I can see a full spectrum of color, so this takes place after the invention of the color-recording camera.\n* I don't live in New York or Washington DC, so this isn't an alien invasion movie.\n* It isn't wintertime and the jokes that people around me make are actually funny, so this isn't a Hallmark Christmas film.\n\nI have made many more subtle observations, but I haven't been able to figure out what kind of movie this is. Anything is a possibility at this point. I may never say for sure what level of danger I'm in.\n\nI go went out on a walk to clear my head. Reconsider if I'm crazy or not. Maybe I'm taking this too far. I don't know exactly when or if anything is going to affect me. I could be somewhere in the world that will never be impacted by whatever plot I'm in.\n\nHowever, something made me stop. It was a face. A face that I had hoped to never see after realizing the nature of my existence inside a film.\n\nIt was Stan Lee.\n\nThe moment I realized Stan Lee was just a regular citizen in this universe, I had stopped in my tracks and went into panic mode. I ran back to my house, packed my stuff, told my landlord he may never see me again, and evacuated.\n\nSitting in a motel roughly 50 miles from my old home, I turned on the news. Sure enough, my hometown was destroyed by a rampant supervillain while superheroes caused major amounts of collateral damage. The telltale sign of Stan Lee's cameo was enough evidence to prove I was completely rational to worry.\n\nI may never be safe again. For every Marvel movie, there's a post-credits scene, hinting at the next movie. My life will be in constant danger from being a bystander this horrible universe. The series of events that follow every destroyed city or legendary battle will become worse and worse for the fate of humanity. And while I knew that the good guys always prevail in the end, I know that the possibility of being a casualty in an urban, populated area becoming a warzone will haunt me. Whether it be from a meaningless superpowered civil war or the unnecessary accidental destruction of a small town as a means to defeat the bad guy, I know I am not safe."
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[WP] You spend your whole life seeking the man who killed your father. People assume you want revenge, but that's far from what you're after. One day, you take a break from searching for a day, and the killer just happens to be in the pub you stop by.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Searching.\r \n\r \nMy father was killed in a pub fight that got out of hand when I was only ten years old, I remember my mum crying hysterically when the police knocked at our door at eleven thirty pm that fateful night.\r \nMy mum sat me down and tried to explain that my da had gone to heaven, but I was a bit too young to understand what was going on.\r \nThe days after that were a bit of a blur of relatives coming and going, neighbours popping in to see if mum needed anything, things like that.\r \nThen came the day of the funeral, I was dressed up in my Sunday best, we arrived at the church and took our seats at the front.\r \nI looked around the crowded church, there were a lot of people there that I didn’t know, but my nan and granddad were there, plus several uncles and aunts.\r \nWhile I was looking around, the church organ started to play some really sombre music, and six men came in carrying my dad in a plain wooden coffin, it was at this point it struck me that my dad was really gone. \r \nI looked over at my mum and she was silently crying, and so was my nan, so, that set me off crying as well, my granddad put his arm around me and tried to comfort me.\r \nBefore I knew it, we were standing out in the graveyard around a large, deep hole, the vicar spoke a few more words and my dad’s coffin was lowered into the hole,\r \nMy mum dropped a single red rose on top of the coffin, as we slowly walked away, the grave was filled in by two of the cemetery workers.\r \nThe funeral car took us to a local pub, where there were a few drinks and a bit of food laid on for dad’s wake.\r \nThe police charged a man with dad’s murder, and a few months later, it came to trial, the man, Charlie Rood, said that he acted in self-defence, but the CCTV showed him hitting my dad over the head from behind with one of the beer mugs with the handle. \r \nThis caused my dad to fall forward and hit his head on a table, this caused a fatal brain haemorrhage, meaning my dad died where he fell.\r \nCharlie Rood was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to eighteen years. I made a vow to find him when he was released from prison.\r \nCharlie Rood served twelve years of his sentence, and true to my word, I sought him out as soon as I could. \r \nI had friends keeping an eye out for him, then one Saturday evening, I received a phone call, Charlie Rood had been seen in a local pub.\r \nI made my way there as fast as I could, sitting at a table on his own was a man, he was hunched over his pint of lager, he was going bald, the hair he had was going white, even though he was only in his early fifties.\r \nI walked over to the bar and ordered a pint and a double whisky. I carried them over to the table that Charlie was sitting at, placed the whisky in front of him and sat down.\r \nCharlie looked at me with a puzzled look on his face, he said, “do I know you?”\r \nI said, “no, but you knew my father, Jimmy Pearce.”\r \nCharlie stared at me in shock, he said, “I didn’t mean to kill your dad, it just happened. We had both been drinking.”\r \nI said, “don’t worry about it, you saved my mum and me from a life of abuse, he would come home from the pub, pissed out of his brain, and take it out on mum and me. So, thank you, would you mind if I shook your hand.”? \r \nCharlie looked at me in surprise and said, “I thought for all these years that you and your mum would have hated me for killing your dad.”\r \nI shook his hand and thanked him profusely and then we shared quite a few drinks.\r \n\r \nThe end. Copyright Phil Wildish. 26/08/2022."
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[WP] You were finally pressured into cleaning out the fridge after not doing so for 6 months. In it, the leftovers have mutated into an eldritch abombination that offers to fuse with you.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 blink at the tentacled abomination in my fridge, “and how would that benefit me in any way shape or form.” I ask deadpanned. I was currently in shock, this really shouldn’t have been remotely possible. So I turned to old faithful, my snark. “We offer great power, immortality, and the knowledge of the universe in all its horrible glory,” the moldy ham sandwich of a mouth spoke.\n\n”why would I want to be immortal? As rotting food at that.” This gives the eldrich leftovers pause. “That is a valid point, but you would not be rotting. The ’leftovers’ as you refer to them would be left behind, leaving only us.” A tendril of limp lettuce brushes my hand. “Gross, can you not?” I say jumping back. At least the beast can recognize a faux pa when it sees one. \n\n“Forgive me human, I have been without a host for a millennium. Humans were so willing back then. What is it you desire? I’m sure we can come to a compromise.” I just look at the amalgamation of 6 months of filth. “I want to know why the hell you want to ‘fuse’ with me!” I demand, “Tell me or I’m getting the fungicide.” \n\nthe demon food shudders, “please don’t. It took a long time before the material was in such a state as to house even a bit of me. You would be able to hold so much more.” “Why?” I ask again, “Last chance.” The thing sighs, “Because, human, you fascinate me.” I blink a few times, unsure whether to be flattered. “Really?” “Really” I don’t know what to say. “I’ll get back to you”. I shut the door and grab the fungicide. \n\nGod I’m really doing this aren’t I? I toss the sprayer out the window, if mom sees this I don’t want her to interfere. Opening the fridge door I give my answer, “I accept.”"
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[WP] Your family constantly compares you to your siblings. How they achieved so much and you achieved so little. Little do they know, that you have achieved more than all of your siblings combined, it's just that what you do is so secret that you cannot even tell them "That is classified!".
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"“Caroline and Dana were always just so *different*,” their mother was saying to Greg, but she didn’t stop when Dana joined them at the kitchen island. Greg nodded, shooting another glance over to the Thanksgiving football game on the TV. Caroline put her hand on his. \n\n“Different how, Mrs. Barret?” Greg asked\n\n“You’re family now,” she reminded him. “If you’re not going to call me mom, at least call me Mindy. But Caroline- well, you know Caroline. When she was little she’d always say that she wanted to be a lawyer like daddy, and a mommy like mommy. And look at you now,” she beamed at her daughter. Caroline smiled and absently touched her pregnant belly.\n\nDana took a sip of her beer and exchanged a look with Caroline. She squeezed Greg’s hand gently. “What Caroline wants, Caroline gets,” he winked at her. \n\n“And Dana- Well, you never did know what you wanted to be, did you sweetie? She did all different things when she was little, ballet and girl scouts, and kickboxing-”\n\n“-It was jiu jitsu, mom,” Caroline interjected.\n\n“-yes, and she wanted to learn Mexican-”\n\n“-Spanish, mom,” Caroline interrupted again.\n\n“-yes, but she went to Mexico to do it,” Mrs. Barret replied in a soothing tone. Caroline shot a glance at Dana, who took a sip of her beer to hide her wry smile. “Anyway, I always told her she needed to pick something, but she never did.”\n\n“What do you do now?” Greg asked her. “Photography, right?”\n\n“Editorial photography, yeah,” Dana said.\n\n“She takes fashion photos, I don’t understand it,” Mrs. Barret said. “I’ve told her, there are so many glamorous people right here in Virginia, I don’t understand why she has to fly to Thailand and Hong Kong and the Ukraine and all these far off places just to take pictures there.”\n\n “I guess I like to travel,” Dana shrugged. \n\n“Yeah, travel is great,” Greg said quickly. “We’d love to travel more ourselves, right babe?”\n\nCaroline gave a tight nod and touched her belly again. “Sure, when this little one is old enough.”\n\n“Oh, *vacation* is different,” Mrs. Barret waved her hand. “You know Mitch and I go on a cruise every year. But going to those places because that’s your job?” She shuddered theatrically. “It’s not too late to go to law school, you know,” she turned to Dana. “You’re a smart girl, I’m sure you could get in, your sister could help with your application. You could get a nice office job like Caroline. Good pay, regular hours, she even has a government pension, did you know that?”\n\n“Sure, mom,” said Dana with a roll of her eyes.\n\nGreg laughed. “Well, I don’t know about regular hours. We’re hoping that will get better once the baby comes.”\n\nA loud cheer went up from the other room as the Raiders scored a touchdown against the Cowboys. Greg looked over again. \n\n“I know, I know, you don’t want to hear it,” said Mrs. Barret. “I’ll go check on the turkey,” she excused herself and bustled off. Greg looked at Caroline, who gave him an encouraging nod, and he excused himself to join Mr. Barret and the cousins watching the game. The two sisters were left alone.\n\n“Mom,” said Caroline, with a roll of her eyes. “I’m sorry.”\n\n“I’m used to it,” said Dana.\n\n“Well-?”\n\nThe question hung in the air for a moment. Neither sister looked around, but the pause was long enough for them to confirm there was nobody within earshot.\n\n“GRANITE is out,” Dana said in a neutral tone. \n\n“Any trouble?” Caroline couldn’t hide the note of worry in her voice.\n\n“Not for us.”\n\n“Tell me more at the office tomorrow?”\n\nThat drew a reaction from Dana. “You’re working tomorrow?”\n\n“Who else am I gonna let give my baby sister her pre-op brief?”\n\n“Greg’s not gonna like it.”\n\nCaroline shrugged. “He knows I work long hours.”\n\n“He doesn’t actually know, does he?”\n\nCaroline smiled. “He’s sweet. No, not a chance.”"
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[WP] Your life is accompanied by a sitcom soundboard. A jingle plays when you enter a room, disembodied laughter is heard when you make a joke, and every filthy word you hear is censored. It's been like this your entire life. Everyone around you absolutely hates it though.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"A light, inoffensive bit of muzak plays as I walk across the room and sit down, punctuated by little trilling highs as I say \"Hello\" or \"Good morning\" to my few friends. A subtle percussive sting alerts me to look in my chair before I sit down, and laughter echoes as I pick up the thumbtack and cock my head at Stacy, mocking trombones saying \"Really? Are we in third grade?\" so I don't have to.\n\nI settle in and pull out my latest romantic light novel. I don't really like them that much, but the more action-y ones tend to set the class on edge, and that tends to get me in trouble more often than I do already.. I turn the page and instantly blood suffuses my cheeks. Apparently, Maria has decided to ... express .... her love for Paul with something more obvious than shy glances and unreasonable violence. The scene itself isn't embarrassing, but the low, lazy saxophone riff with rhythmic bass undertones definitely is. Half the class breaks out in giggles, I slam the book closed \\~record scratch\\~ and briefly wish for the power to erase memories. Fortunately, the classroom door opens, signaling the start of class and hopefully the end of today's embarrassment. Less fortunately, the accompanying tune is less \"Butterfly in the Sky\" and more \"Imperial March\" Great. A substitute with an authority fetish.",
"\"Son? Please, your father and I are worried about you. Please come out of your room.\"\n\nI refuse to respond. My life is miserable - it seems like wherever I go, whatever I do, anything I say, comes with annoying sounds and music. I can't pick up a pencil without there being noise in the background! I hated going to school because I'd disturb everyone just by being there, I'm terrified of interviews because whoever is interviewing me will think it's a joke to me, and I've had to run away from anyone who tries to talk to me. It's embarrassing and humiliating. I just spend all day, every day, playing games and attempting to buy and sell various things. I've basically become a recluse. I refuse to even feel anything, as a smile gets a cheer, a frown gets an 'awwwww', and a look of confusion, disgust or amusement gets a creepy laugh.\n\nI hear my mum sigh heavily. \"We're always here for you\" she says, before I hear her walking off. They tried everything to help me - psychics, psychologists, hypnotherapists, healers, prayers - but nothing worked. I resist the urge to start tearing up, but it's futile... \"AWWWWWWW!\" I groan inwardly; I'm sick of my life, I have no clue what to do. I just browse random forums, but something catches my eye... 'PLEASE HELP! SOUNDS PLAY WHENEVER I DO ANYTHING!' Interesting... I click on it. Instantly, the post changes to 'Hi, I can help you...' weird.\n\nI decide to read it. 'Hello, reader, if you managed to read the post title, 'PLEASE HELP! SOUNDS PLAY WHENEVER I DO ANYTHING!', then you are one of a few people who were supposed to be born on the Planet of Sitcoms. How you ended up here, is because your role was to be stillborn, but sometimes people with that role instead end up born on another planet, usually Earth. This happens because the script mixes up 'Miscarriage' and 'Stillborn', so you as a person never existed in the script, but you ended up existing as a person as was intended. I imagine your life up until this point has been difficult... if you wish to move to the Planet of Sitcoms, please reply.'\n\nShrugging, I simply reply 'Ok', assuming nothing will happen...\n\n\"Hey, are you ok?\" calls a voice. I wake up, I hear some gasps from the soundtrack. I'm in a ditch. \"Ugh... where am I? Who are you?\" The laughtrack plays. The person smiles and says \"Please don't tell me you have amnesia! I've been your best friend your whole life! Look!\" He shows me a tattoo of the two of us, to which the crowd cheers. Confused, I look at my arm - I have the exact same tattoo, and the crowd cheers even louder. \"Holy shit!\" I think to myself. \"The reply actually worked!\" To test my theory, I say \"Oops, silly me, how could I forget?\" The laughtrack plays softly, and my supposed friend says \"It's ok, it's easy to forget things with *your* brain!\" The laughtrack absolutely loses it. I can't help but grin... finally, I'm not alone anymore!"
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[WP] You grew up thinking you had a rare skin condition. Your entire life, you’ve been forced to apply a medicated cream to your skin twice daily. Once you started living on your own, you forgot one day, and notice dark, iridescent scales start to appear underneath your peeling skin.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 stood in the subway, scratching my arm. It was really itchy today. Had I put my skin cream on this morning? I couldn't remember. Drat. \r \n\r \nSuddenly, I felt something hard under my fingernails. Confused, I looked down and saw something black in my arm. I tried to pull it out, but that proved too painful. The thing was attached very well. \r \n\r \nLacking a better idea, I covered it with my free hand and waited until I got home. \r \n\r \nAt home, I assessed the situation. The skin on both my arms was red and peeling away- clearly, I'd forgotten to use my cream. In some spots, the skin was apparently replaced by shiny black things that felt like fingernails. Normally, I would just slather on my cream and call it a day. But those black spots worried me. I decided to call my doctor in the morning. \r \n\r \n\"Hello, you've reached Dr. Whoever's office. How can I help you?\" \r \n\r \n\"My skin's peeling off and there's this black stuff under it.\" I said. \r \n\r \n\"So you would like to make an appointment?\" \r \n\r \n\"Uh, sure.\" \r \n\r \n\"We have a slot open two months from now.\" \r \n\r \n\"You know what, never mind. I'll just go to urgent care.\" \r \n\r \nI went to the nearest urgent care office and checked in. \r \n\r \n\"What brings you here today?\" asked the receptionist. \r \n\r \n\"Uh, dermatitis.\" I said after a moment. \"I have dermatitis.\" \r \n\r \n\"And when did this start?\" \r \n\r \n\"Yesterday.\" \r \n\r \n\"Okay. Have a seat and the doctor will see you shortly.\" \r \n\r \nAs I sat down, I realized people were staring at me. That meant the... whatever it was was clearly visible. It didn't help that this was very obviously not a normal skin disease. Well, crap. \r \n\r \nWhen the doctor came in, I sighed with relief. \r \n\r \nI sat down on the exam table and held out my arms. \"I was really itchy yesterday.\" I explained. \"I scratched my arm and bam, this happened.\" \r \n\r \n\"Is it happening anywhere else or just on your arms?\" he asked. \r \n\r \nI pulled down the shoulder of my shirt, revealing more black patches. \r \n\r \n\"Okay then.\" The doctor touched one of the patches. \"Does it hurt?\" \r \n\r \n\"No.\" \r \n\r \nHe then asked detailed questions about my medical history. I told him what I knew. Then he examined my arms again. \r \n\r \nFinally, he said, \"it seems like you have some sort of keratin overgrowth. I don't know why it's so dark, though. It's not necrotic.\" \r \n\r \n\"Is that bad?\" I asked. \r \n\r \n\"The fact that it's not necrotic is good news. The fact that I don't know what it is... not so much. May I take one of these for analysis?\" \r \n\r \n\"Sure.\" \r \n\r \nThe doctor grabbed one of the patches and pulled. I cried out in pain. \r \n\r \n\"Sorry!\" he said. \"I didn't realize how embedded it was.\" \r \n\r \nHe got a pair of clippers and clipped a piece off. \"Better?\" \r \n\r \n\"Way better.\" \r \n\r \nAfter filling out a ton of paperwork, I was sent home. There was nothing else the clinic could do except order labs, which they did. I would just have to wait."
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[WP] You're a therapist and it's your first session with a young man who has suffered child abuse, and has only recently been freed from the cupboard under the stairs, his name in Harry Potter.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\n\"There's nothing I want to talk about.\"\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\n\"But I don't want to say anything,\" objects the boy.\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\nThe boy frowns, and looks around the room. He's seated on a couch; the doctor, nearby, sits on a wooden chair and made notes on his clipboard. Or possibly doodles. Harry can't tell.\n\nHarry sighs, and gets up. The doctor turns to look at him.\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\n\"I know,\" says the boy. \"You've said that often enough.\"\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\nHarry rolls his eyes, and looks around again. It confirms what he'd noticed before - this room has no external windows. The only break in the wall is a door.\n\n\"You don't mind if I step outside, do you?\" asks Harry.\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\n\"...I'll take that as a 'no'.\"\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\nHarry opens the door, and finds a corridor, lined with identical doors. No room numbers. No names.\n\nHarry hesitates. He doesn't remember how he got here. He leaves the office, and looks into the next one. It looks exactly like the room he was just in, right down to -\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\n\\- right down to an identical doctor, stating an identical phrase in an identical voice.\n\nHarry checks the next door.\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\nExactly the same.\n\n....the doors are too close together. Almost on top of each other, yet the rooms beyond are... not narrow. The architecture doesn't add up. Those rooms should be overlapping, and yet they are not.\n\nHarry has seen this before. Hogwarts has rooms like that. This place is *magical*.\n\nHe just needs to find a way out.\n\nHe runs down the corridor, opening doors -\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\n\\- at random, never seeing any difference -\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\n\\- in the rooms, never hearing any changes in the words or the voice that speaks them.\n\nEventually, an interminable distance along the corridor, he stops, his lungs aching, his legs heavy. He opens the nearest door, not with any particular hope -\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry. You can speak of anything you like here.\"\n\n\\- and his lack of hope appears to be justified. He groans. \"What does it take to get out of here?\"\n\n\"This is a safe space, Harry,\" repeats the doctor. \"*What made you think you'd be permitted to leave?*\"",
"\nI'd been a social worker for about 3 years, so I was relatively new to this.\nThe family I'd been charged with looking into was a very rough case. The young boy, Harold James Potter, was an orphan, his parents had been murdered by a crazed home invader in 1981, just two months after his 1st birthday.\n\nHis only family had been an aunt and uncle by the names of Petunia and Vernon Dursley, and we'd been given reports that they were starving, beating and emotionally tormenting Harold.\n\n\nI arrived at a small, ramshackle house on an island just off the coast, the Dursley's had been evading us for a while, no matter how many letters we sent.\n\nIt was about 8pm, the 31st of August, 1991, when I arrived at their temporary hideaway.\n\nI knocked, hard, the door seemed to be old and very delicate, as the moment I knocked, it fell immediately off the hinges.\n\nI entered, closing my umbrella, and said cheerfully \"Sorry 'bout that.\", though in truth, I most certainly wasn't sorry.\n\nI peered around the room, my eyes settling on a morbidly obese child, roughly the right age as Harold would be.\n\n\"You must be Harold, a little more along round the middle than I imagined though.\" Gesturing to the boys stomach.\n\nThe boy, the Dursley's only child cowered in fear and muttered \"I-I'm not... Harold...\"\n\nAs he muttered this, a stick thin boy covered in bruises walked into view, his clothes torn, tattered, and very old. \n\"I am...\" Harold uttered, terrified.\n\n\"Well, ofcourse you are... I haven't seen you since the day you were given to the Dursley's-\" I was immediately cut off by Vernon \n\"How dare you! Get out! We don't want *your* kind here! Harold is just fine!\" He barked, like an angry toad, his jowls jiggling with each croaky yell.\n\n\"I see. So you won't mind if I talk to him then, ofcourse?\" I replied.\nVernon turned a shade of purple and pulled a shotgun on me.\nI calmly raised my hands. \"Lower the gun, Vernon. My people know I'm here, and if I don't come back, they will come for you, as I expected you to pull something like this.\" I replied, slowly.\n\nVernon was shaking, but the rusted hamster wheel in his brain began creaking as he realised the damage it would do to his life if he shot me.\n\n\"You have 10 minutes.\" He spat, before he and Petunia retreated back upstairs.\n\nI sat by the fireplace, igniting it with my Zippo as Harold sat next to me.\n\n\"Don't tell my company\" I said softly \"They think I've quit smoking.\" \n\nHarold looked like his mind was elsewhere.\n\n\"So, Harry is what you like to be known as, is it?\" I asked quietly.\n\n\"...yes\" Harry replied, seeming lost in his imagination.\n\n\"Well, Harry, my name is Rubeus Hagrid, and I would like to ask you some questions about how your aunt and uncle are treating you, if that's okay?\"",
"The young man with bushy hair, a violent lightning scar, overly large clothes and glasses sat across from me in my office. As expected from what he noted on his paperwork, he was nervously looking around and the new space. It seemed currently, being out of the accustomed space was a new experience for him. I cleared my throat gently, which immediately garnered his attention.\n\n\"Good afternoon, Mister Potter. I'm Doctor Lauren Grace. I specialize in therapy for young adults who come from abusive households.\" I said to him, being as gentle as I could with my tone. He nodded, his eyes not meeting me, but the floor. I mentally noted this may have been a trained response to his traumas. \"Now, I am here to help you. We'll work at your pace. Whatever you wish to talk about, anything at all, please. You're safe to speak here.\" I said, keeping my gaze affixed to him, my pen in my hand, and my notebook in front of me.\n\nAt first, he was nervous, his eyes darting about. He then took a breath and sighed, as it seemed a small flicker had ignited his will again. \"My name is...Harry James Potter. I am 18, and I used to live with my aunt, uncle and cousin at Number Four Privet Drive, until they kicked me out on my birthday.\" He started.\n\nAs he spoke, I would nod, writing in what I observed. The nervous tone, somberness, and light pain in his eyes.\n\n\"And what was living with them like?\" I asked, noting that as I looked at him, he seemed reluctant to talk. I shifted my gaze back to my notebook, and he spoke again.\n\n\"It was, well...generally awful. My aunt was never fond of my situation, and my uncle pretended I didn't exist, or if I was in his presence, it was for household chores, or to be yelled at for very minute things. My cousin tormented me, constantly, just because he wanted to see me suffer.\" He continued.\n\n\"So, you were essentially the vent child; a beacon for their ire, I'm assuming?\" I asked.\n\n\"Daily. I didn't even have my own room. I lived under their stairs in a broom cupboard. Sometimes I wouldn't get meals. All my clothes were hand-me-downs from my cousin, who was quite large, so they never quite fit. They never wanted to let me see the light of day when I got home from school. Eventually I was homeschooled due to being and embarrassment to them. I'd study in the cupboard, and they'd have me take tests once a month on the campus in a room isolated from everyone.\" He said.\n\nI scrawled more, noting the abuse. The lack of love, the torment, the isolation. I nodded in understanding; empathizing with the poor boy for his situation.\n\n\"And how did you cope, if I may ask?\"\n\n\"I would create stories in my head. Pretend I was some chosen lad, that I had friends. The world I put myself in was a magical school, far away from here, where I had to take a train to get to it. And so many things were possible there. Some of the beasts I named after how I was feeling; dementors being the worst of them.\"\n\n\"Dementors?\"\n\n\"Depression. Feeling as if the very soul of myself was sucked out, and I was never allowed to be happy. When they lingered, it would go cold, the world seemed fogged over.\" He said.\n\nI scrawled hastily, nodding along. \"And how did you cope with these 'dementors'?\" I'd ask.\n\n\"I'd...sneak a chocolate. Just an insignificant piece here and there. It always made me feel better.\" He said.\n\nI smiled lightly. \"Did you often hoard these insignificant pieces of chocolate?\" I asked.\n\n\"Yes. I had a small stash hidden under my mattress. Because no one ever came to look, it was always safe.\" he said, a somber smile crossing his face.\n\nI noted down food hoarding.\n\nSo far, this young man was very fascinating.",
"“Quite frankly, I had to resort to my imagination to endure the pain they inflicted on me. Verbally, and sometimes physically by my cousin.”\n\n“What fantasies?” I replied to the young Harry, now almost fourteen years old. \n\n“I daydreamed about owls that would come to me with letters. That, it sounds stupid now, that I was a wizard.”\n\n“A wizard?”\n\n“Yes, and that I was to be going to a wizarding school.”\n\n“This school was-“\n\n“Yes,” Harry nodded, “for ‘bad behaving’ youths like myself. I met Ron and Hermione there, my friends. Along with Malfoy. His father was a nazi sympathizer. It rubbed off of him, which caused quite a few fights between us and him.”\n\n“That explains quite a bit. But this...Voldemort. What of him?”\n\n“That was...”\n\nHe stopped, looking down at his feet.\n\n“Go on,” I persisted. \n\n“Myself. The voice that told me to inflict them with the pain they had dealt to me.”\n\nI leaned back in my chair, glaring at my watch.\n\n“Time’s up, Harry Potter. I’ll notify Snape that you’re making excellent progress.”"
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[WP] Girl in big city finishes late shift only to discover the last train is cancelled. Late at night, no money to get home, no friends in the area. Someone approaches.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"*“Attention, folks. The 11PM tram service has been canceled due to some unforeseen repairs…”*\n\nThe rusty, distant intercom voice fills the empty underground station. \n\nShe was one of the three people there. She closes her eyes in exasperation, but immediately remembers she wasn’t alone. She heads for the escalator without further word.\n\n“Excuse me young lady,” an older gentleman’s voice calls. She stops and turns to him out of politeness. “You happen to know any taxi services still functionin’ at this time a’night?”\n\nAs she faces him, she notices–she’s seen him before, usually during her late shifts at the restaurant…\n\n“Um… sorry, I don’t.” The old man had a graying, bushy beard and neck-length hair–seemingly too long for someone his age.\n\nHe pauses, as if expecting she was going to say yes. “Oh. Alright.”\n\nWithout further words, he walks away, letting him get ahead of her toward the escalator. She even takes her phone out and pretends to use it to buy time.\n\n*Night’s off to a good start.* Her boss just took a rowdy customer’s side, and tomorrow she has to cover Anita’s shift. That leaves her with… about five hours of sleep, if she doesn’t get home soon.\n\nNow would be a good time to download one of those rideshare apps, but she just remembered this phone is still under a limited pre-paid plan and she hasn’t renewed it. She looks around the underground station in anxiety and sighs. There, she notices the only other person present walking toward her direction, phone in her ear.\n\n“... yeah, yeah that’ll be cool.” \n\nThe woman stops close to her.\n\n“Hey, young lady… you have a way to go home?”\n\nGuard still somewhat up, she clutches the strap of her bag tightly. “Uh… no.”\n\n“Well I’m just talking to my husband right now.” She puts her phone back up her ear. “Hey, we gotta drop someone off if that’s okay. She got ditched by the train too.”\n\n“Uh, it’s okay I can just walk–” she insists. “I don’t live very far.” *About twenty-five blocks away, but…*\n\n“Nonsense! Someone your age can’t be out this late. C’mon, we’ll be quick.”\n\n“A–alright…”\n\nThe woman smiles. “Good! Let’s wait outside.”\n\n…\n\n“So… Donna. Where do you work?”\n\nAbout ten minutes of waiting and the woman decided to strike up some small talk. The least Donna could do was start with her name.\n\n“... Frank’s Bar & Grill.”\n\n“Oh! I know that place. Good calamari.”\n\nBeing a new implant in this city, she was never privy to strangers’ help. New city, new faces–she promised herself she’d start opening up more once she settled in, a better paying job and all.\n\n“Um, I think I’m just gonna get a cab–”\n\n“C’mon Donna, he’ll be here soon. Oh! Speaking of–”\n\nAs if on cue, a jet-black SUV pulls up slowly to their spot. “It’s here! C’mon Donna,” the lady pleads.\n\n*Early shift. Four hours of sleep.* Donna clutches the strap of her bag tightly and walks toward the woman’s direction.\n\n“By the way, I’m… Cherry.” The woman opens the front door and nods at her to go in. Donna makes eye-contact with the driver–clad in black, eyes anxious. “That’s… my husband! C’mon, we’ll drive you real quick–”\n\nBoth hands now on the strap of her bag, Donna inches back. “Uh, that’s fine–” But the lady named Cherry sees her intent and snatches her arm, dragging her toward the car. “Don’t be scared…”\n\nCherry stuffs Donna into the passenger’s seat near-effortlessly–as soon as she’s seated, she buckles her up, zipties her hands together, closes the door and slips into the backseat in quick succession.\n\n“Sedative?” the driver asks.\n\n“Oh, shit–” Cherry can be heard shuffling from the back. “Fuck it. I got this instead–”\n\nDonna, mute, in shock, feels something black envelop her head, slipping down to her eyes and covering her face.\n\n…\n\n\nWordless. Donna struggled to find the words of where she was right now, and what she could do at this moment. All she heard was the muffled conversation between Cherry and the driver.\n\n“Where’s the next drop-off anyway?” Cherry asks.\n\n“They didn’t tell you?” The driver had some type of accent, but she couldn’t tell what.\n\n“No!”\n\n“Left with yesterday’s shipment.”\n\n“You fucking kidding me? I didn’t hear about this.”\n\n“What we going to do with this one?”\n\n“Fuck it, she’s staying with me tonight. Just come back at 5AM.”\n\n…\n\n“We’re home!”\n\nDonna, held by the familiar grasp of Cherry, is dragged and pushed onto a couch.\n\n“You can lie down now.”\n\nDonna is frozen still.\n\n“Well? It’s OK!–Oh…”\n\nDonna hears Cherry’s footsteps approach her–the black bag is pulled from her head, and she finds herself in an unlit, but spacious–well-decorated–living room.\n\n“Go ahead, honey. Get a quick snooze.” Cherry steps away, walking into the only lit part of this house.\n\n“W-why are you doing this?” she asks.\n\n“What?” she could hear Cherry answer from the other room.\n\n“Why did you kidnap me?”\n\nShe knows the answer to this–because they traffic people. Because they know she has nobody to call…\n\nCherry’s footsteps could be heard approaching, and soon she appears again–this time with a fancy water bottle in hand. “What was that, honey?”\n\n“Wh… why are you doing this?” Though she was pale and visibly exhausted, there was no emotion in Donna’s face–just a few rogue tears escaping her eyes.\n\n“Oh.” Cherry takes a drink and walks away. “Because it’s my job!”\n\n“Well,” Donna replies. “Your job sucks. It’s fucking inhumane. It’s bullshit. You’re evil. You’re fucking evil–” As if waking up, Donna attempts to struggle free. \n\n“Here we are–” Cherry returns with a scurry, and a syringe. Donna seeing her flick the syringe, stands up. But the needle is quickly jammed onto her neck, and she stumbles. \n\n“C’mon now… you need some rest.”\n\nAs consciousness fleets from Donna, she could feel herself pulled up–and placed back–onto the couch.\n\n“Big day tomorrow,” she hears Cherry say, her voice distant and echoing.\n\n…\n\n*We have a text chain on Telegram… that’s how we know… where to–*\n\n*You’re gonna have to give me your phone.*\n\n*No! I can’t!*\n\nDonna awakes to what sounded like a tense conversation between Cherry and–\n\nShe opens her eyes and finds Cherry, hands tied behind her back, kneeling in front of… a stranger.\n\nShe attempts to stand up, but her head spins and seizes any further movement.\n\n*“Sullivan… she’s awake.”*\n\nDonna’s eyes remain closed as she feels her forehead with her unbound hand–\n\n“Donna Castillo.”\n\nThat voice… sounds familiar. She looks up and finds the stranger facing her. She squints through her blurry vision, still swaying–but she’s caught by the gentle hands of the person next to her.\n\n“You okay?”\n\nShe looks around and finds… three different people now present in the same room.\n\n“Donna we… thank’ya for leadin’ us to Ms. Cherry here.”\n\n“What? WHAT?! That was you? From the train?!”\n\nDonna pulls away and takes a good look at the stranger–the same older gentleman with the graying beard and neck-length hair.\n\n“Water?” The person next to Donna–a tall, blonde woman, maybe three years older than her–offers a bottle.\n\n“Wha…” Donna asks, her voice weak and rough. “Who are you all?”\n\n“Let’s just say,” the blonde woman says, “We’re a bunch of concerned citizens.”\n\nThe older gentleman turns to Cherry, then to Donna, and approaches her. “I’m really sorry for what I had to do.” He offers her a hand. “Sullivan McCormick. Private investigator.”\n\n“Private investigator my ass! You’re a fucking fed–all of you are fucking feds!” Cherry struggles free from where she’s kneeling. “I’m gonna call the cops for–for trespassing–”\n\n“Wanna step outside?” the blonde woman asks.\n\nShe looks at her, then to Cherry, then shakes her head. “I wanna hear what she says.”\n\nSullivan hears this, and returns to Cherry’s direction.\n\n“I’m sorry Ms. Cherry, but you’re runnin’ out of options. Ms. Castillo there can testify on… what unfolded tonight. There’s no longer a way outta here.”\n\nDonna turns to the woman sitting next to her, and mutters, “Thanks.”\n\n“Of course. I’m Sabine, by the way. That woman took my little sister.”\n\n“You… you fucking ingrates…” Cherry hisses. “Fine… fine!” She attempts to fix her appearance with a few nudges, but it’s impossible without her bound hands.\n\n…\n\nNo cops arrived. Just an exposé from Cherry, and meticulous note-taking from the man named Sullivan.\n\nDonna now finds herself waiting with the three people–the same ones who saved her life–for Cherry’s cohort, whom she said was coming to get her an hour from now.\n\nStill slightly woozy from the sedative, Donna remains seated, nipping on some water.\n\n“Sullivan, this operation’s bigger’n I thought,” Maya says. Maya Walters, human trafficking victim. Born and raised in this city. “We can finally prosecute the DA, but she said they got people in Europe… I don’t see this endin’ anytime soon.”\n\n“Yeah,” Sullivan replies simply. “Sabine, you OK droppin’ off Ms. Castillo at her dwellin’?” This catches Donna’s attention.\n\n“Yes,” Sabine replies. “C’mon, Donna.”\n\nOh, right. She’s got a double shift to start in a few hours. Without hesitation, Donna stands up, Sabine following her. The two exit outside and go toward a small, powder-blue sedan.\n\n“So… where do you live?”\n\nDonna shows her an address on her low-battery phone.\n\n“Got it.” Sabine starts the car and reverses. \n\n“Wait, Sabine I…” She steps on the brake and turns to Donna.\n\n“I… wanna see how… this ends. I want to help.”\n\nShe pauses, and the two share a look. Sabine smiles lightly and pulls the parking brake. “Well, c’mon. Let’s go wait for the driver.”\n\nThe two exit the car.\n\n“You know, Sarah would’ve been the same age as you by now. She’s been gone for three years. And today… today’s the closest we’ve ever gotten to them. Her kidnappers.” Sabine pulls Donna in for an embrace.\n\n“I’m sorry for your sister,” Donna tells her; she closes her eyes and hugs Sabine tight. She could hear her whimper.\n\n“Yeah, yeah, I don’t wanna–” Sabine pulls away, wiping some tears from her eyes. “Let’s just go back inside.” Donna takes her hand, and the two return to the house.",
"\"Are you ok?\" the man says. Mandy eyes him suspiciously. \"Yeah, I- I'm fine\" she says, trying but failing to cover her nerves. Despite being wrapped up in a warm faux fur coat, the bitter, freezing cold bites. It had been a very heavy downpour, which made the night air that much colder. Luckily it had stopped pouring and there's only a light drizzle.\n\nThe man, wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase, looks at Mandy, smiling slightly but his eyes filled with concern. \"No need to be nervous around me. You wouldn't be at the station if you needed the train to get home. Come with me.\" The man turns around, and Mandy hesitantly follows.\n\nHe gets to a white van, unlocks the door, and faces Mandy, gesturing her to go in. Against her better judgement, being tired, cold and hungry, she gets in. The man goes around to the driver's side. He begins to exit the area, and asks \"Where do you live?\" Mandy, not wanting to reveal where her parents' house is, says \"On Pining Street.\" The man sets his SatNav and heads in that direction.\n\n\"Long day at work, Miss?\" Mandy nods, almost ready to sleep. This was a comfortable chair, perfect for a nap. The man continues talking. \"My name is David. You're very lucky - I wasn't supposed to be at work today, but there was a last minute meeting scheduled. Turns out our client wanted their project a few days early.\" David pats his briefcase. \"Always pays to finish your work early, remember that, Lass.\"\n\nMandy sits up. \"How old do you think I am?\" David pauses, before laughing. \"Never guess a lady's age, it's the first rule of being a gentleman. But I suppose I should learn your name at least?\" Mandy thinks for a moment. \"I'm Mandy\" she responds. \"I've... never worked in the city before. Today was my first day.\"\n\nDavid nods. \"I see\" he says. \"Well, take this.\" He hands Mandy a card with what appears to be his details on it. \"If you ever need help, don't be afraid to call.\" Mandy looks at David and smiles. \"Thank you\" she responds. After a bit more chatting, they get to Pining street. The two bid their farewells, and Mandy runs home, eager to get in. She feels quite good now; she's made a new friend who's willing to help her if she needs it!"
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[WP] Life as an Eldritch God is very depressing and lonely.. You just wanted a friend, yet everyone seems to run away from you, or tries to kill you
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"The first mistake of my existence was gaining awareness. Through it I became knowledgeable about the worlds that lived in this vast space. Within such worlds are beings much smaller than I, yet this beings experiences things I could not fathom. And there are many of them. I yearned to understand them, but I was unable to.\n\nWhenever I got close to their vicinity, these beings would lose their sanity. Again and again, they would lose what made them of interest to me. So I decided to watch them from afar, but I had made an unfortunate reputation among beings from multiple worlds.\n\nTime and time, they would send their best to try to eliminate me, but they would always fail. I pitied their lost souls.\n\nDespite my great existence, I envied their unity. These worlds separated by eons of space united with the hope of getting rid of me. I would feel honored if not for this envy.\n\nI traversed the universe in hopes of finding a companion. Someone to unite with, someone to share this vast universe.\n\nMy lonesome existence felt like a law of the universe. Would it last till the death of the last star? Such depressing queries were never ending.\n\nAlas, I was never born, but I do wonder if I could die. I wished to cease my thoughts, but who could possibly grant thy wish?\n\nThe beings, blessed their wills, were too weak. Too insignificant to even destroy a fraction of me, yet too admirable to keep on dying.\n\nMaybe this was the price of my being. Nothing, but myself.",
"\"No! Don't touch me, I don't want to hurt you!\" At my desperate wail, the creature approaching me hesitates. It moves it's vaguely humanoid face closer towards me and I cower back against the cave wall. It's mere inches away from me when it says,\n\n*\"You... hhhhhhhhhhhh... You are not afraid... hhhhhhhhhhh... of me?\"*\n\nI shake my head, my tears hot against my face. They sizzle slightly when they plop to the stone ground. The creature's long, rasping breaths crowds against me as it's question hangs in the tepid air between us. After a moment I realize that it's waiting for a verbal answer, \"N-no. It is you who should be afraid of me.\"\n\n*\"Hhhhhhhhhhh... And why, hhhhhhhhhhhhhh... is that?\"*\n\n\"Because I am a monster!\" My breath catches in my throat as I say this, the word dragging it's ugly claws across my wounded heart even though the scars on my skin had long faded since leaving the settlement. And then, with the sound of wind dragging through millions of leafy trees, their boughs creaking and shivering under the weight, and a colossal *thud* that I felt in my bones, I look up to see the uncanny face pull back as the being settles itself in the cavern below.\n\n*\"And what, hhhhhhhhhhhhh, do you consider me to, hhhhhhhhhhh, be?\"* It tilts it's face to one side.\n\n\"I, I don't understand.\" I sniff and drag my palm against my cheeks.\n\n*\"If you, hhhhhhhhhhh, a little girl, are a monster, hhhhhhhhhhhhh, then what am I?\"*\n\nThere is no malice in it's voice when it calls me 'little girl'. Not like at the settlement, where 'little girl' was something to be pitied and coddled by the adults, mocked and jeered at by the older boys with roving eyes, and rebuked by all when they saw what I could do. When I turned a pot of water into hydrogen peroxide by breathing into it.\n\nI sniff again, trying to pull my jumbled thoughts together, \"I think, I think you are a creature who's home I have intruded upon. I have seen many pictures of little spiders, but I did not know that they could grow as big enough to fill a mountain.\"\n\n*\"TssssTsssstssstsss, Tsssstsssstssstssttsstssss,\"* It's mouth open wide, it closed it's many eyes and... laughed? *\"I, hhhhhhhhhhh, am no spider, little girl. Hhhhhhhhhhh, I am much, much, hhhhhhhhhhhhh, more than that.\"*\n\n\"Then what are you? What is your name?\" I move so I face the creature, my back to the cave wall and my knees pulled up under my chin. Maybe this was part of the test given to me by my caretakers? Dr. Gerta said that others would fear what they couldn't understand, which proved it's truth at the settlement. Even if I cannot stop being afraid of myself, I should at least try to understand this creature so as to not be afraid of it.\n\n*\"HHhhhhhhhhhhhh... I am a being, hhhhhhhhhhhhh, far beyond your ability, hhhhhhhhhhhhh, to understand. And, hhhhhhhhhhhhh, as for my name, hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...\"* It draws a long breath, and I wait patiently as it closes it's eyes and tilts it's head this way and that. After several moments of deliberation, it finally says, *\"My name, hhhhhhhhhhh, is Atlach-Nacha, hhhhhhhhhhhh. It has been many, hhhhhhhhhhhh, many eons since I've, hhhhhhhhhhh, spoken it aloud.\"*\n\n\"I've never heard that name before.\" Is all I can think to say. It fixes it's eight-eyed gaze on me,\n\n*\"I should, hhhhhhhhhhh, think not. And what, pray tell, hhhhhhhhhhhh, is your name?\"*\n\n\"My name? Well, my full name is Miracle. Dr. Simms said that I was named that because I was a 'miracle baby'. But you can call me Miri.\" I answer back, feeling more relaxed. \n\n*\"Miri. HHHhhhhhhhhhhh... A good name, hhhhhhhhhhh, for a good child.\"*\n\n\"Forgive me if I overstep, but why do you live in the mountains? Is it because the people in the settlement are afraid of you?\"\n\n*\"So, hhhhhhhhhh, you've met them?*\"\n\n\"Just long enough to wash my hair and change a bowl of water into medicine before they chased me away,\" I sigh, regretting having ever touched that water.\n\n*\"So, hhhhhhhhhh, you are not just, hhhhhhhhhhh, a 'miracle baby'. You make, hhhhhhhhhhh, miracles.\"*\n\n\"I guess. But so far, everyone I've met doesn't seem to think so. They think I'm some kind of freak the moment I do something they don't understand.\"\n\n*\"Hhhhhhhhhhhhhmmm, this is often the case, hhhhhhhhhhhh, with humans. They fear that, hhhhhhhhhhhh, which they do not, hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, understand, and are, hhhhhhhhh, quick to fall prey to, hhhhhhhhhhhh, their anger and fear.\"* Atlach-Nacha replies. I nod in agreement. *\"Miri, hhhhhhhhhhh, I know not what circumstances, hhhhhhhhhhhhh, have led you, hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, to my humble abode. But, hhhhhhh, will you tell me, hhhhhhhhh, where you come from? What the outside, hhhhhhhhhhhh, is like? Will you tell, hhhhhhhhhh, me why others, hhhhhhhhh, call you 'monster'? Tell me these things, hhhhhhhhhhhhhh, and in exchange I, hhhhhhhhhhh, will show you the, hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, way out of the mountain.*\"\n\nThe promise of a way out is tempting, but I know now that I should approach everything with even more caution than before, \"Why do you want to know these things? I mean no offense,\" I quickly add, \"I just, uh--\"\n\n*\"Have grown cautious, hhhhhhhhhhh, since taking your first steps?\"* The being answers for me and I feel blood rush to my cheeks.\n\n\"Well I, wait. How do you know that? Are you like me?\"\n\n*\"Oh, child, hhhhhhhhhhh, I know many things. My webs, hhhhhhhhhhh, they run deep and far and wide. And, hhhhhhhhhhhh, there is no one like me, hhhhhhhhhhhh, so I cannot be like you. Hhhhhhhhhhhh But to answer your, hhhhhhhh question: I am curious. Hhhhhhhhhhhhh I have spent so long here, hhhhhhhhhhhhhh, weaving my webs between this world and that, hhhhhhhhhh, of dreams that I, hhhhhhhhhhhh, no longer remember the outside.\"*\n\n\"Oh, well, I have not been outside for very long so I probably won't describe it right, but I'll do my best!\"\n\n*\"Words from the eyes of a, hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, newborn babe tell the best stories, TsssTssssssTsss.\"* And with that I begin by recounting my life in the compound with Dr. Gerta and Dr. Simms, Atlach-Nacha listening happily to every word."
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[WP] You are the new kid in class. You keep a bit to yourself as you do not want the others to find out you are a werewolf and force your family to flee the city again. Unbeknownst to you the class is actually full of supernatural children and you would fit right in.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 new kid's distancing,\"\n\nWith a sigh, two legs land on top of a desk, \"I did the last one, Gary gets him this time,\"\n\n\"Why me?\" Gary snaps up, alert.\n\n\"First off, you're the third werewolf we've had join, second, the kid doesn't deserve to wallow in fear all year, yeah?\"\n\nNodding, Gary picks himself up, and slowly moves across desks. He wouldn't admit it, but an extreme sense of anxiety wells up inside of him. It isn't until he sees the streak of red around the boy's eyes that he realizes why.\n\n\"Y-you're an alpha?\" There hadn't been one in ages.",
"\"Hi, I'm Adam. This is my third new school in 2 years, so I'm becoming a pro at this introduction thing. I like video games, and football. My favorite class is art.\" I said while standing in front of my new class at Willow Hill Middle School. *Also, my whole family are werewolves, and we had to move because my little sister attacked a delivery guy* I thought.\n\n\"Welcome Adam,\" the teacher said smiling. \"I'm sure you'll settle in in no time. Why don't you partner with Gavin for the day? He'll help you get to your classes.\" She nodded toward a boy in the second row, and indicated I should take the seat next to him. \n\nGavin smiled. \"Welcome to Willow Hill. It's actually a decent place. \"\n\n\"Thanks,\" I said, a bit surprised. Usually my first day buddies described their school as boring at best, prison-like at worse. Decent was promising, even if I'd have to blend in with humans, their boring classes, and overcooked cafeteria food.\n\nThe math lesson began, and I was relieved to learn it was something I'd already covered. After math was history, a subject that has always been a bit of a struggle for me, because most normal folk fail to see the supernatural influences that are woven through the centuries. \n\n\"The Great Chicago Fire resulted in about 300 deaths, and dozens of hauntings that continue to this day,\" I heard the teacher say. Huh? Surely I had misheard. I glanced at my classmates, but no one seemed surprised. Definitely misheard. I was probably recalling a past vacation to Chicago when we met a fire ghost (my parents loved making our family trips educational). Clearly I needed to pay closer attention in class.\n\nHistory was followed by English, and today was a free reading day. Happy for a bit of escape, I opened a Hardy Boys novel, and then slipped my actual read - the newest in an adventure series by my favorite poltergeist author Quinton Quivers- in its pages. In the off chance anyone asked about what I was reading, I could say some generic things about the Hardy Boys.\n\n\"Oh, those books are so good!\" Said the girl next to me, nodding at my book. \"There some of my favorites. He writes really well, for a ghost.\"\n\n\"How-\" I began than stopped, remembering the author of the Hardy Boys was a pseudonym. \"Oh, yeah. Ghost writer, you mean.\" I said with a shaky laugh.\n\n\"Oh. My. Gods.\" She burst into laughter. \"Ghost Writer. Good one. I'm Anna by the way. Why are you hiding your book though?\"\n\n\"Anna, Adam, I know socializing with a new friend is exciting, but now is time for quiet reading,\" the teacher interrupted before I could have to struggle for a response.\n\n\"Sorry,\" Anna said smiling. \n\n\"Sorry,\" I mumbled. My mind was racing. What was going on? I tried to focus on my book, but was unsettled that a classmate had noticed what I was actually reading. When the bell rang for lunch, I hurried out of the classroom.\n\n\"Hey Adam, wait up!\" Gavin called. I sighed, but slowed. I should try to make friends, on the off chance I hadn't already screwed up my cover as a totally normal 12 year old. \"Anna wasn't trying to get you in trouble,\" he said when he caught up. \"She just gets excited when she sees someone reading her favorite book. Hell, she has half the class reading the Quivers books because she wouldn't shut up about them.\"\n\nI froze. \"What did you just say?\" I asked.\n\nHe gave me an odd look. \"Anna, she wasn't trying to get you in trouble for talking.\"\n\n\"No, about the book I was reading.\"\n\n\"Oh, everyone likes Quivers' books, super popular here.\"\n\n\"You've read books by Quinton Quivers?\" I clarified, wondering if at some point they'd broken out of the supernatural niche and into mainstream American middle school.\n\n\"Yeah, I mean, there's only so many books written for our kind, right?\" Gavin said with a shrug.\n\n\"Our-\" oh hell, I was tired of being confused. If I messed up and we had to move tomorrow so be it. \" Just to be clear, by 'our kind', you mean supernatural?\"\n\n\"Yeah,\" Gavin said giving me a confused look. \"Oh gods - did you think you were the only one?\"\n\n\"Um...yes?\" I said slowly. \"Very used to having fully human, unpowerful classmates.\"\n\n\"Ew,\" Gavin said making a face. \"That sounds awful. Well, to get you up to speed, I'm a Changling. I was reunited with my fae parents a few years back, after I burned down the house of the humans I'd been placed with.\"\n\n\"And I'm a witch,\" Anna said, joining us, \"I cast a spell to let me know whenever I'm in a room with someone who is reading my favorite book. For educational purposes, of course.\"\n\n\"Right...\" I said slowly.\n\n\"And you are?\" Gavin asked.\n\n\"He's a werewolf,\" said another boy I vaguely recognized from math class. \"I'm a telepath,\" he explained. \"Heard that whole internal werewolf confession you added to your introduction today.\"\n\n\"Oh, there's a few werewolves at this school,\" Gavin said. \"The school will let you come in late after a full moon. Lucky you.\"\n\nI smiled, \"So I don't need to hide here? I can just be me? Even at that er...time of month?\"\n\n\"Like I said, Willow Hill is a decent place.\"\n\n\"It sounds like it,\" I agreed. \n\n\"Let's get lunch,\" Anna said, leading us down the hall. \"You'll sit with us, right Adam? It's burger today. They'll serve yours rare if you'd like.\"\n\n\"Sounds great,\" I said following my new friends to the cafeteria. For the time in my memory, I relaxed on a first day at a new school. It seemed my family had found a good home at last.\n\n........................\n\nA character from a story I wrote earlier in the week decided to appear here. If you'd like to read another story with Adam and his family, you can do so here\n[here](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/wz9td2/wp_you_are_a_serial_killer_who_targets_people/im32kql?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3)"
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[WP] I should have known it was too easy... I walked right into their trap... I tried to use my powers to escape, but before I knew it, I was captured... now, here I am, being marched to the castle of the King of the Shadows... somehow, I'll get out of this mess... somehow...
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"side note before story: I wrote this twice now because I forgot to log into reddit and it deleted my work.. so annoyed. \n\n\nI make a quick note of how many guards are around me as we walk down the halls of the castle. There are two flanking me on each side and one guard leading me with one guard behind. All of them have spears at the ready should I make a move. I smirk a little. They really underestimate me. Our march through the castle is silent, the only noise coming from the boots on the stone floor and the clanking of steel armor. If I'm going to make a move, I need to make it now. This thought is short lived as I run into the back of the leading guard. We now stand before grand black steel doors, guarded by two sentinels shrouded in their dark cloaked armor. The doors grind open and my only chance of escape now is gone.\n\nAs we walk into the room, I look to the high vaulted ceilings, and see that the king has brought an audience of lords, ladies, and other high ranking officials as witnesses. There wear masks as to hide their faces in the shadows around them. I am marched to the center of the room, and forcefully brought to my knees before the King of Shadows. I look up to meet his gaze, not out of respect, but out of hatred.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe room is silent as they await the King's speech.\n\n\"Lords, Ladies, and my most trusted advisors. Here before us stands the tyrannical leader of the terrorists that burn our kingdom. They stand accused of high treason.\" His voice booms.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe room is silent for a moment, but the King continues.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Tell me, is this what you desired? A kingdom of ash, burnt to the ground by your own hands? Widows, crying because they've lost their husband fighting your silly war? Children in the streets, orphans of a war you brought upon them? This is the dominion you desire? That is a land that is bound to fail. Bound to be destroyed from either within or from outside threats. A kingdom of weak rulers seeking power because there is no higher one to guide them. IS THAT WHAT YOU SEEK? THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT DEATH, DESTRUCTION, AND ABOVE ALL CHAOS! YOU SEEK TO DESTROY EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN BUILT IN THIS FLOURISHING EMPIRE! WE HAD PEACE, BUT YOU INTERRUPTED IT! WE HAD WEALTH, BUT IT HAD NO VALUE TO YOU! WE HAD HAPPY PEOPLE, BUT NOW THEY MUST SUFFER THE WRATH OF YOUR INSUBORDINATION! WHAT SAY YOU? IS THIS WHAT YOU SOUGHT WHEN YOU BEGAN YOUR RIGHTEOUS CRUSADE?\" the King bellowed.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI raise my head once again to meet his gaze. His dark sunken eyes a light with pure rage at the sight of me. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Peace? There is only peace for you who sit here. The people fight and murder each other to survive. Wealth? The only wealth is here as farmers and workers struggle to buy food and wood to live. Happy people? Nobody is happy as famine and oppression has stricken this kingdom for many years. The lords and ladies are the only people who have these luxuries, living lavishly off the labor of the common folk. Everyone else suffers and must fight, kill, and steal just to survive. I sought to bring what you have to the rest.\" I calmly say.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI look around the room at the masks. I know my words are falling on deaf ears. I knew they would. The room is silent for a moment, then a noise like wind whistling through a broken window starts. I turn my head to see the king begin to laugh at my statement. Slowly, the entire room is filled with laughter as everyone understands what I am saying.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"You think WE should care about the common people? Is it OUR fault that they are in this situation? Is it OUR fault we were born royal and found the means to keep it that way?\" a lady laughs out.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe hair on the back of my neck stands up and rage begins to fill me at this statement. It is their fault, as they are the ones who have hoarded and stole and killed to be royals. However, I must suppress my rage. It has clouded my judgement and will cloud my judgement if I let it. I need a clear head to get out of this situation, or I will surely be killed here and now. There laughter continues to ring out, mocking me as if I am a lunatic. I take the momentary distraction to heat up my metal bindings. The shackles get red hot, burning the flesh on my wrists. As I wince in pain, the locks on my bonds come loose and I am free.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nBursting to my feet, I spin in a circle. Large golden red flames dance from my fingertips illuminating the dark room. Screams from the guards that were once surrounding me erupt as their metal armor has become their steel tomb. I raise my arms, and the flames follow me.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"I AM THE PHOENIX OF THE NEW KINGDOM! I AM HERE TO FREE THE PEOPLE FROM YOUR TYRRANY AND TO RESTORE ORDER FROM WHERE IT HAS LEFT!\" I shout. \n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe flames have begun to take the form of golden feathers, each reaching the height of the room. The king is already standing and forming summoning shadows in front of him to protect himself. I lower my arms and send the flames shooting forward to form a semicircle of light, guarding myself from any further pursuit. The people in the balconies above shriek and shout to avoid the flames, some even protecting themselves with their own gifts.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI burst through the steel doors and make off towards where I believe the gate to be, setting the halls and any guards that crossed my path alight with flame."
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[WP] You are a superhero in a therapy session, but you still have to maintain your secret identity
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 just feel like the world is on my shoulders all the time. Well... maybe not the world, that's a bit dramatic. This city. I feel like this city is on my shoulders.\" I explain with a sigh. My therapist, quiet as always, scribbles away at his clipboard. After a moment he finally speaks.\n\"Have you considered a change in career? Perhaps a change in routine might help alleviate some level of stress.\"\nI shake my head. \"No. I love my job. It feels good to make a difference. Sure sometimes it's just getting a cat out of a tree sometimes.... in comparison to what is usually required. But I i wouldn't give it up for the world.\"\nThe timer on the side table chimes just then.\n\"That's it for today. But before you go, I'd like you to take home this thought. How would your life be different, if the world required you to give up your work?\" He grins what almost feels like a knowing grin and escorts me to the door. \"Thanks again Dr. Stephen. Same time next week?\" I ask. His grin softens some as he says, \"Assuming your work doesn't keep you.\"\nOn my way to the lobby I realize something I should have noticed before. There is only one person in the world with a grin like that. Dr. Siphon! My nemesis!\nStephen...Stephone... Siphone....SIPHON! \nI rush back up the stairs."
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[WP] I get a knock on the door as I finish my paperwork. I open it, to see the leader of the rebels. We know he's the boss in charge, we just can't prove it. "I'd like to speak with you" he says. "About some people you arrested... I want to make a deal. May I come in, officer?"
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 Commissioner of Grinner’s Isle stood at the door for a moment. He thought very, very hard about slamming it shut, bludgeoning the man before him. Then he gestured for them to enter. \r \n\r \nThe soft carpet rustled as the guest shuffled along, taking in the room with a measure of confidence. Finally, he set himself down in the study’s chair, planting his feet on the small tea table that sat before it. He whistled. “So this is the perk of being of High Heart’s dominion, eh? I’ll admit, it is luxurious.” He made an exaggerated show of checking over his nails, and the commissioner shut the door, a tight-lipped smile on his face. \r \n\r \n“Ah, Mister Legeton! How pleasant it is to make your acquaintance after hearing so much about your exploits. What has brought you to my office this evening?” The commissioner re-seated himself at his desk, taking the stack of paperwork and depositing it into the drawer. He steepled his hands as the occupant took his time answering, casting his eyes about the shelves.\r \n\r \nTo see the man in person: Castor Legaton, was much different than the artist’s renditions and psychological profiles that he’d long poured over. He was a rather shaggy man, with a heft to him that belied years of physical labor and unkempt tiredness. While clean shaven, he noted that the man’s hair was kept at shoulder length. Combine that with his sharp nose and heavy chin, his looks evoked a classic image of the crusader. “An ideal, not a style.” He noted.\r \n\r \nHe looked to the commissioner. “I know nothing of these actions you speak of, and I find it rather strange that you know my name sir. To what degree am I being watched by the authority?” He smiled cordially in return. “Not watched, sir.” He laughed. “As the representative of this island, it is my duty to know the people I am overseeing.” \r \n\r \nCastor smiled. “Ah, I see, the shepherd must be familiar with the pod after all.” He ignored the comment. “So what brings you here?” The guest sat up, attentive as he faced the desk. “I am here to negotiate the release of several unjustly imprisoned civilians, on behalf of interested parties.” The commissioner nodded. “For reference, these parties would be-?” Castor crossed his legs. “Concerned citizens.”\r \n\r \n“You must be confused Mr. Legaton, the arrests of these men were indeed just, taking place in broad daylight, in front of many others shortly after the crime.” He shrugged. “I’ve heard much reasoning on why some view this as an overreach of power, but I will hear yours as well.” Castor sighed. “We both know that won’t convince you.” “And why might that be?”\r \n\r \n“Because you are involved with them. The monsters of High Heart that “guard” these lands. That refuses our charters and our requests at every turn.” The commissioner checked his watch as the revolutionary continued. “I have no doubts that you would simply relay your orders back to me on how this is well within your limits, but does it truly help anyone except yourself?” \r \n\r \n“You assume much but speak little, sir. Say what you wish of me, and I promise that if I find it agreeable, I will work to make it happen. The needs of the people are my needs.” He detected a hint of a sneer there in Castor’s face at the words.\r \n\r \n“Fine then. For decades the lords of High Heart promised unto the islands of the Western Tract independence and freedom to govern themselves, and yet they place their own agents and claim to represent us as the law of the land; the Accord. These arrests today? Were simply another step in their plan to take over in its entirety. Yourself included.”\r \n\r \nHe sat up in the chair. “We are organizing a strike in response to this outrage. Until our demands for their release are met, you will see no more cooperation from every true patriot on the island.”\r \n\r \nAs he spoke, the commissioner removed a bottle of wine from his desk, along with two glasses. “Patriots to what exactly?” Castor watched as the thin man struggled with the cork, before the tell-tale pop sounded. He looked at Castor. “Care for a glass?” He noted that the rather greasy man had changed in tone and gait after he told him of his demands and method. He declined. \r \n\r \n“We are the true patriots. The people of the West, who deserve better than open persecution when-” “Did you fight?” “Excuse me?” “Did you fight in the War?” The commissioner took a swig of the dark red liquid. \n\nHe paused before responding. “I was not born yet.” \r \n\r \nThe commissioner nodded. “I did. My father and I served together.” He rubbed his chin. “Well, they called it “serving” towards the end, but really it was just…” He swished the glass. “Well, it was just, abandoning home and hunkering down in the swamps. Everyone in those days thought that the Blue Empire would prevail, that they’d kill everyone like they did in the Towers and the East. So when the line collapsed and they advanced in, everyone started fighting.” \r \n\r \n“We spent years in that swamp. Years taking pot shots at anyone that came in. People who looked a lot like you.” He pointed at Castor. “Some days were better than others. Some days were worse than anything you could imagine.” He stared into the man’s eyes. “You said “True Patriots” just now. What do you mean by that?” He held a hand to his chest. “Am I not one? Have I not fought to protect this land?”\r \n\r \nCastor simply fumed at him. “You’ve betrayed your own people, the Blue Faithful-.” His eyes narrowed as he set the glass down. “And what people are those? The ones who murdered a man in broad daylight, or the ones that fought for years in mud and vomit to make sure men like you, men from those same people who marched on these lands could abuse that?”\r \n\r \n“The people have a right to-” Castor sputtered at the accusation. “-to strike, yes. Your actions are condoned sir. You will have no push back from my office on that. Almost seventy percent of our economy on this island is imported from other islands, satellites or High Heart itself. If you wish to not support the Accord, then I cannot stop you or your Blue allies.”\r \n\r \nCastor had already walked to the door as he cut him off. “Oh, and Mister Legaton?” The man turned back to look at the Commissioner. “I had worried greatly about your potential to cause an uproar on Grinner’s Island. I see now that was a mistake. Perhaps in the next century, when all the “fake” patriots are dead, but surely not now.”\r \n\r \nThe wine went back into the desk as the man furiously shut the door. The commissioner returned to his paperwork, a long night in store for him in the wake of this revelation.\r \n\n\nThanks for Reading!"
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[WP] You are a humanoid monster who decides to spend a semester in disguise at a human university. During the break, you bring back a friend, unsure about how your family feels about humans.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 we approach the cave my family lives in, I turn to Clarissa. \"Remember, you have an open mind about this, but our family never sees humans. Please be careful.\" She smiles at me and says \"Don't worry, I understand. Besides, I love the weird and unknown!\" I smile back, very grateful that Clarissa is being calm and confident - that may be what keeps my parents from killing her.\n\nWe enter the cave. \"Mum! Dad! I'm back! I'm here for the winter break!\" We hear some shuffling, then my parents emerge. This is normally the part where an explorer or lost traveller would run away; Clarissa actually takes a few steps forward and smiles.\n\n\"Did you bring us a snack, son?\" my dad asks. I keep myself from rolling my eyes - they don't know why Clarissa is here, gotta be patient. \"No, dad, this is a friend I made at university. She asked about my home life... I got so nervous I began to show my true appearance... luckily, it was just the two of us. She shrieked, I thought out of fear, but it was with excitement!\"\n\nClarissa holds out a hand. \"Pleased to meet you, sir. I actually have a thing for the weird and unknown. I live for the mystery, the thrill, the supernatural. That's why I was really excited when I saw your son's true appearance.\" My dad eyes her sceptically; well, EYE her, as he only has the one, on one side of his face. The other side is basically a black hole - no, literally, a black, hole. His teeth are sticking out, and his green, bumpy skin gets him confused with a zombie.\n\nMy mother and I look exactly the same, including the multiple limbs. We have the ability to shift our appearance, which is how I managed to get into a human university. I used the name 'Lewis', but my real name is quite difficult to pronounce, so Clarissa just calls me 'Lewis'.\n\nMy mum has held herself back, but comes over to whisper something to my dad. He nods, and my mum disappears to the back of the cave. Oh no... \"Dad, is this really necessary? Clarissa has a home, and we can't just-\"\n\n\"Wait, what *is* happening?\" Clarissa asked with mild suspicion. My dad stares at her. \"You claim to be innocent and actually appreciate us... we just figured that if you were serious, maybe you wouldn't have a problem staying here a while?\" At this, I *did* roll my eyes. \"His way of saying 'you're our prisoner', basically if you don't leave this instant you'll be kept here against your will\" I clarify.\n\nI expected Clarissa to vomit, or pass out, or run away screaming... instead, she grins. \"You mean I get to hang out with you guys and I don't have to babysit my annoying brother? I can just call my dad and tell him I'm staying at a friend's for the whole break, and he can't say no? Count me in!\"\n\nAs I stand there shocked, my dad smiles. \"Son, did you really think if she was all she said she was, she'd refuse our offer? Why'd you think your mother thought of it? I didn't expect *that* much enthusiasm, though. Still, you seem genuine so far... time to put your money where your mouth is.\" Clarissa nods as my mum comes out, and I follow as the two go in. I watch as Clarissa is tied to the bed, which is more or less a rock made comfy.\n\n\"Not so tight, please!\" Clarissa says, and my mum complies. I watch as Clarissa looks at her surroundings - not in fear, but awe. My mum finishes tying her to the bed, by both her ankles and wrists. \"Normally, we do this to people who try to kill us, so we can watch to see if they change their attitude... this is sort of like a test. You don't want to fail.\" Clarissa nods with a gulp. I feel like she knows what my mum means..."
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[WP] Your life is like a video game: you found out last week when you got hit by a bus, died and immediately came back as a bus driver. Since then, you've refined your power. You realized that whatever you are thinking of at the final moment, is what you come back as. Now you think only of dragons.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"Charlie lay uncomfortably, his ribs digging into the hard golden coins beneath him. His gaunt, frail body curled into the fetal position surrounding a small mound of gold and jewels.\n\nThe screams continued to haunt him. He could still taste their fear.\n\n\"Heeeeeeelp!\" Charlie whipped his head around, using his enormous leathery wings for leverage. He got his legs beneath him, and listened to the cry echo throughout his cavern.\n\n\\*Please, ma'am. Please, you don't understand. I have no choice.\\*\n\nCharlie left his cavern, still unable to separate himself from his prey. The woman's voice sounded a lot like Ma's.\n\nCharlie guarded the exit, yet could barely bring himself to feast. Their cries. The looks on their faces. The dreams. The dreams alone are enough. And the taste: the metallic scent never leaving Charlie's throat, regardless of how much water he guzzles.\n\nAnd yet, Charlie feels the gurgles in his belly, and knows that time will not wait forever.\n\n\\*Maybe I should just get it over with.\\*\n\nCharlie lunged back into his cavern with great speed. He pounced directly through his main living area, over his golden treasures, into his pantry, where his little flock lived their little lives.\n\nA woman with tan brown skin and grey eyes was breast feeding her baby. She hardly had time to react before Charlie's jaws collapsed around the man sitting behind her, massaging her shoulders.\n\nShe screamed mi amor though he was already gone, and only a red mist speckled the scene.\n\nCharlie felt liquid gush through his jaws, gallons and gallons of thick juice sopped down his neck as he feasted on his treasure, back in his living room. He focused on managing his breathing, not allowing thoughts to creep into his mind.\n\n\\---\n\n\\*Divertirse en la escuela, mi amor!\\*\n\nCharlie's mother passed him his sack lunch of papusas, chips and salsa, and a glass bottle of coke.\n\nCharlie looked into her deep grey eyes, and smiled as she kissed him on his cheek.\n\n\\---\n\nCharlie could still hear the woman sobbing for her husband as he struggled fitfully to sleep."
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[WP] The villain sharpens his sword, as a guard opens the door nervously. "Yes?" the villain says. Unable to say anything, the guard simply lets the hero in... weaponless. Aren't we supposed to duel again? The hero gets down on his knees, sobbing. "Please help me, my- my sister, she's been taken!"
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"“Oh?” I say, quite surprised. “And you’re asking me for help?”\n\n“Yes! Please. I don’t want to fight you right now, I just want her home safe. Please…” he starts begging.\n\n“…you do realize you’re asking your enemy for this, right?”\n\n“You’re powerful. Probably more powerful than me. I believe you can fight this guy. Please I’ll do whatever it takes!”\n\n“…fine, but after this you have to join me.” I say. This hero would be quite the addition to my *personal* guards.\n\n“Sure. Just please save her!”\n\n“…so do you know who took her?”\n\n“The vampire lord from the east side. He took her right before dawn and told me I have until midnight to either pay literally twice the money my life is worth or she stays with him.”\n\n“…Ah him. I got it. Come on. We strike now. Guard, hand him your sword.” I ordered. My guard handed him the sword. We left for the east side.\n\nIt took an hour on carriage.\n\n“Oi! Lord Gino! I know you’re in there sipping your goddamn coffee mixed with blood! Either let that girl go or I break your precious custom-made door down to bits!” I yelled. The hero was a bit surprised.\n\n“I thought you would have been a bit more-“ he was cut off by the door opening.\n\n“Come and get me Silas!” The vampire lord’s voice echoed the halls. I knew where he was.\n\n“Come, hero. Let’s rescue her. Follow me.” I said, running in. He followed behind. Up the front left. Down a secret passage. Up another flight. Through halls. And…\n\n“Ah. You were always the worst to play hide and seek with.”\n\n“The girl.”\n\n“My payment.”\n\n“Hell no. Hand her over.”\n\n“…or else what?”\n\n“Or else I kill you, Gino. Come on. I thought you stopped kidnapping people.” \n\n“…fine. You can have the girl. First door on the left once you leave this room.”\n\n“I’ll go get her you deal with him.” The hero said, bolting.\n\n“…I would assume she is not in there.”\n\n“No. He would get knocked out by sleeping gas. She’s in the room next to that one. Now… *for you*.”\n\n“Don’t try your tricks on me, Gino.” I said, immediately throwing a chair at him. I started slicing at him, trying not to kill the man who was a childhood friend.\n\n“Fine. You can have both of them. Just… why help the hero?”\n\n“Because thanks to you he lost the motivation to fight me!”\n\n“…oh. Sorry. I just wanted his sister I didn’t realize she was his reason for fighting you…”\n\n“No shit.” I said. “Now, turn off the sleeping gas and I’ll go get them.”\n\n“Sure.” He pressed a button on the wall. I walked out. They were sound asleep on the ground. I picked both him up and his sister. I took them back to my estate.\n\n“Now, hero, you’re part of my *personal* guard,” I grinned, “and your sister can stay here, where she’s less likely to get kidnapped. Got it?”\n\n“Sure! Thanks… sir.” He bowed and smiled. Quite cute.\n\n*”Of course. Anything for my new personal guard.”*",
"„Let me just get this straight. Your sister got captured?“ \n\n„…Y-yes.“ \n\n„Your friends can‘t help you because they are under oath to serve your king and he did not order them to go save your sister?“ \n\n„…W-well if you put it that way…“\n\n„Yeah, yeah. Great friends I‘m sure. Good king as well. \nBut lets not stray from the point. So you came to my tower to ask me for help, even though we fought to the death at least 5 times?“ \n\n„Yes and it‘s actually 6 times.“ at least he seemed to stop the crying and looked a little hopeful.\n\n„Oh come on that little skirmish at Countess Dala‘s ball does not count. I was just being a good sport!“\n\n„You threw a fireball in our Archers face and slaughtered about half the Guard!“\n\nI smiled whistfully. Good times. „So yeah, I‘ll help you. Someone with a tragically short remaining lifespan has to learn a valuable lesson. If someone psychologically tortures you…that‘s me.“\n\nHe gave me a weird look. „Don‘t you mean you are helping me save my sister?“\n\nI grabbed my black Steel sword and my runic gauntlet. „Yeah, that too. So, where are the bullies?“ throwing a spare sword at him I led him to the stables. Which lead to another discussion.\n\n„I‘m not riding …THAT!“\n\n„Don‘t be such a baby. It‘s perfectly safe.“ \n\n„that horse has fangs.“\n\nCarach pointed to another stable where one of my halfbreed horses munched on something akin to an arm. He could be such a prissy. I shook my head. \n\n„Well walking would take about 3 times as long. Don‘t you want to get rid of that upstart kidnapper? …and save your sister?“ \n\nGrumblingly he accepted. Then I gave him an leg from something vaguely orcish and told him to go make friends with one. \n\nA short time later me and a rather greenfaced hero\ngalloped towards a dark forest. And the fortress inside said forest. \n\nBlasting down the front gate I stepped inside and doused a couple of guards with a rain of ice shards. \nCackling manically my spells weaved a trail of destruction and mayhem through the fortress. Carach occasionally taking out the stray one. „You know, everytime I think you could be a half decent person, you go and murder a bunch of people. How do you do that.“ \n\nA slight hand gesture made the heart of a soldier burst out of his chest. I held it in my gauntlet. „You know me, deep down I have a good heart. Really! \n…also killing people with magic is fun.“ \nCarach looked disbelievingly at me. Pointing at a soldier, we watched on as first his sword turned into a snake. With a girlish scream he dropped it. Next I set his pants on fire. Watching him run around screaming quickly got old, so I summoned a bucked of oil and screamed „Hey there‘s water!“ a very satisfying *WHOOOSH* and an impressive fireball later we stood in a circle of destruction around us.\n\n„Okay, I‘ll admit that was kind of funny. In a morbid sort of way. But can we *please* save my sister now?“ \n\nChuckling ( at least I did) we went into the dungeons. A short rescue later we stood in front of my horses. „So, my sister just takes the third one?“ \n\nI unsheathed my sword. „Yep. But first she has to make friends. Would you be so kind to hold that guys leg over there? They prefer a clean cut.“ \n\n„…I hate you…“"
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[WP] While job searching you come across an ad for a "Leading Supervisor and event coordinator" seemingly normal enough you apply, getting an immediate response for an interview. Now hired, you show up your first day only to realize you now run a Cult.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"<posting for a friend who is not on Reddit - Part I> \n\n\n I was driving down an old dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Thank goodness for onboard navigation. I started the drive this morning both excited and nervous. It was my first day at my new job. That was really exciting. I had spent my entire work life doing menial jobs for one company or another. I had never advanced very far. The same old rrefrain seemed to pop up. You're a good worker. You're always on time and never miss work. But you just aren't management material. You're just not the leader type. So to suddenly have this position of team leader was wonderful. But I was scared shitless because down inside I knew all those past performance reviews were spot on. I hated being in charge. I didn't like making decisions. I actually preferred being unseen. So why did I even browse the job opening section? And why in the hell did I even apply for a leadership position? The simplest answer I could come up with was, EGO. I was tired of seeing people that did inferior work to me, in my opinion, getting promoted while I stayed in the lower levels of whatever company I worked for. But the excitement and anxiety were forgotten, at least for now. I had left the outskirts of the city over an hour ago. The sun was approaching its high point in the sky and it was hot. Hot and humid and the damn a/c wasn't working. The sweat was pouring down my forehead and my dress shirt was sticking to my body. Just what kind of place is this company anyeays I wondered. What kind of company would be located in such a place? I hadn't seen a single care for the past half hour at least. Nothing but a few scattered farmhouses and fields as far as I could see. I thought back to the posting, Growing and thriving small company looking for someone to fill recently vacated leadership role. Requirements are being motivated, confident, good oratory skills and an ability to create a clear vision and direct the company to achieve said vision. It sounded like a role I could grow into. I had to admit to myself though that I was surprised when they contacted me and gave me the job straight up. The onboard navigation device said I was almost at my destination, thank goodness. Suddenly going over a rise in the road I saw this large complex of buildings. It almost looked like its own little town. I was blown away by what I saw and suddenly the anxiety was upon me again. I followed the voice through the freshly paved streets until it said, You have reached your destination. I saw a parking spot and pulled into it. I got out of the car and looked around. The heat was opressive and what little confidence I was trying to muster was quickly wilting in the sun. I saw a set of glass doors and quickly headed for them. Hopefully they had working air. \r \n \r \nI opened the door and was met by a blast of cold air. It felt so good but after being in the heat and my clothes being sweat soaked I actually felt a shiver from the sudden change. I saw a desk with a lovely yound lady behind it. I assumed she was the receptionist. As I approached the desk she asked in a sultry voice, Are you Mr. Alexander? I was caught off guard by how incredible her voice was, not to mention everything else. I stuttered and said, Yes, I'm Mr. Alexander. She smiled, I'm Veronica. I'll be your personal assistant Mr. Alexander. Unless you wish to pick someone else to be your assistant. I looked at her, pick my own assistant? I haven't even met the boss, or bosses and she says I can pick someone else if I don't want her? Of course at this point I couldn't imagine picking someone else. She was incredible. I said, I'm sure you'll be just fine Veronica. So now that I'm here, maybe I should meet the boss, I asked. She looked a bit perplexed. Meet the boss? But you are the boss Mr. Alexander. Perhaps the posting you responded to was a bit vague. I'll introduce you to the rest of your staff. That is, if you want to meeet them right now Mr. Alexander. Of course, just like me, you can demote them and pick whoever you wish to be your staff. Well, I said, let us meet them first before I make any decisions, okay? She got up from behind the desk. She was rather tall, I figured about 5'10\" and was slender. She was wearing a blouse that accentuated her curves and her skirt was tight and not very long. She could easily have been a high priced model I thought. She led me through a door which led into a long hallway. There were doors on both sides but we kept walking. Finally we came to a door near the end of the hallway and she opened it and stepped aside so I could enter. Inside there was a large table with maybe a dozen people sitting around it. They all looked up as I entered the room. They all looked rather apprehensive and I couldn't understand why. Veronica said, Everyone, this is Mr. Alexander. \r \nHe is a bit confused about his new position here. You said the job posting was a bit too vague Marcus. It appears you were right. Marcus smiled at the announcement in front of everyone that he was right. Someone else spoke up, but it had to be vague after all. We couldn't be too direct. The rest of the group murmered their agreement. Veronica spoke again, Well Marcus, since you thought it was too vague, perhaps you should be the person to explain the situation to our new leader? I looked quickly at Veronica, Your new leader? What do you mean new leader. You make it sound like some sort of cult and I'm suppose to be the head of it, I joked. Marcus cleared his throat, Mr. Alexander, we don't think the work cult is really apporpriate. We consider ourselves merely a group of dedicated follwers. I looked at Marcus and then moved my gaze slowly from one person to the next finally finishing with my assistant Veronica. A groupd of dedicated followers? I asked. They responded in unison, Yes Mr. Alexander. Veronica's sultry voice stood out among the voices. I looked them all over again. It was quite a divergent group. Different ages, gender and ethnic groups.",
"\"Hi Sheila, this is Annie from Thunderbird Real Estate. Just wanted to reach out and let you know that we would love for you to welcome aboard to our team! Please give me a call back to confirm that you are still available. We thought you were an amazing candidate and don't want you to slip away!\" \n\nSheila was so relieved when Thunderbird started calling her references. Her friend Jenny told her, \"This is a great sign! It means they are serious about you. They wouldn't bother to put in that effort unless they were going to give you an offer.\" \n\nOf course she called them back to accept!\n\nDay One\n\n\"So Sheila, yeah, these are the kinds of documents you will be handling. We definitely need to stay organized. Filing is everything around here,\" said Annie. Sheila focused as much as she could on the contracts and legalese jumping from the folder Annie was holding. \"Right here, it says that they are giving their property to Thunderbird Real Estate - make sure they sign right on the dotted line.\" \n\nSheila did not know anything about real estate but she had not heard about clients giving companies their property. \"Oh OK, is that because Thunderbird is a broker?\" Sheila asked. \n\"Oh no reason to worry. Just make sure they sign right there and everything will be fine.\" \n\nDay Two\n\nA happy woman, visibly pregnant, stopped by the office. She wore white from head to toe - a long-sleeved turtleneck, a long skirt, and covered her hair too. \"So, where do I live now?\" she asked Sheila. \"Uh what?\" Sheila asked. \"Um, yeah, I came by the other day, to sign the papers to give my house to Thunderbird. Do I still live there or do I need to move into the main complex?\" \n\nAlarm bells went off in Sheila's head. \"I'll be right back. Just two minutes,\" she said before running into the back of the office to find Annie. \"I don't know why this lady is asking me about where she should live now - she wants to know if she needs to move. Is she in the right place? She said she signed papers to her house to Thunderbird.\" \n\n\"Oh that must be Dolly. I'll talk with her. Yeah she traded her house for a perennial timeshare in the Thunderbird Complex to be with the rest of her family 24-7. That is so much better than living in her big old house by herself. I'll chat with her.\" \n\n\"What?\" Sheila asked to the back of Annie's form, now yards and yards away. \n\nDay Three\n\n\"Oh I know how boring all those papers were. That's just to make sure you understand how important your role as an Event Coordinator and Leading Supervisor really is. You have so much responsibility. You have to explain our mission, share case studies, introduce guests. You're like the main speaker, emcee, and coach all rolled into one! You have such a great personality. We all know you will do a great job! We are going to book a conference room at a local business hotel so that you can represent us. I'll be there running the AV equipment and also to make sure you feel comfortable with the crowd.\" \n\n\"Okay. Do we have slides already or should I write something new?\" Sheila asked.\n\n\"Oh no need. We have everything sorted out in terms of slides. You can give them your own twist of course, and it's best not to just read the slides. Make the material your own!\" \n\nThat night, Sheila did not feel so good about taking this job. But the rent was due, and no other job offers were rolling in. She had been looking for two months - which pretty much ate up all her cash. She could not exactly bail on her roommate. They were trying to make it in the big city, and by golly, they would! \n\nDay Four\n\n\"And now, I am going to introduce David. The message of voluntary simplicity from Thunderbird really drew him initially to the organization - and he has stayed for the sense of community. So much so that he decided to donate his kidney - and he has convinced a few others of the Thunderbird community to donate theirs as well. This was after he donated his house, his car, his 401K, his IRA. You name it, he gave it. What an example for all of us to follow!\" exclaimed Sheila. \n\n<Going to stop here for now - enjoyed the prompt a lot!>",
"*Leading Supervisor and Event Coordinator* looked to be right up Jennifer’s alley. She was used to taking charge and organizing people for a common goal. With the local theater no longer being a sustainable source of income, a flexible side gig would be nice to help keep up with rent. \nThe job description didn’t list any red flags, paid well and the interviewer on the other end of the phone seemed nice enough. The interviewer didn’t specify what event she would be coordinating, but the enthusiastic responses made it sound like a wedding. Jennifer hoped it was a wedding. Weddings were fun. \nAs Jennifer pulled up to the old barn dressed in all black, she assumed she’d be meeting a wedding party. Perhaps a bride or groom. The lot was empty besides a large van tucked around the corner. No decorations were up yet. She supposed that this was early in the planning stage and there was a lot to be done. May as well get to work. \nThe barn doors were heavy and swung open with a loud creak. The light from outside pierced the darkness, revealing dust scattering in the breeze.\n\n Then the cries began.\n\n \n“The Chosen One has arrived!” \nSuddenly, a swarm of people appeared, donned in cloaks and masks. They rushed her and lifted her high into the air. Jennifer’s eyes went wide with shock. The group gently carried her up to the rafters to a throne. They placed a large, gold medallion around her neck and a crown upon her head. \n“Oh Chosen One! Tell us what you command...”\n\nThe voice was familiar. Jennifer remembered hearing it over the phone. At least she was in the right place. \nThis was the second-strangest wedding she had been to so far."
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[WP]: You’re the therapist for both the hero and villain in your city. They both start to progress, until you needed the money.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"“And you know sometimes, I just wonder if it’s even worth everything I’ve been doing. I’ll scroll through news and see just how awful people can be and wonder if it’s even worth the time and effort I’m putting in. I mean, I’m important too, right? How I feel, what I get out of what I’m doing, that matters, right?” said Thomas. Of course, I knew who he was, but HIPAA laws required that I be careful with how much information I revealed about him.\n\n“Listen, Thomas.” I said, not knowing how to approach the subject. “I want to speak to you more about this, I think you’ve been making incredible progress and I truly believe you’re starting to figure out what your purpose in life is. But, your insurance expired months ago, and I haven’t even gotten so much as a copay from you in that time. My sessions with you also tend to drag on for hours. I really need to figure out some kind of payment plan with you, because while I appreciate everything you do and think you’re important, I can’t keep my doors open seeing you this much for free.” I told him. I thought long about how to approach Thomas on this financial problem we were having with our sessions, I wanted him to understand just how much I wanted to help him, as well as the spot he was putting me in. Of course, that didn’t work.\n\n“Oh, I see how it is. I risk my life DAY IN and DAY OUT to protect you from all sorts of evils, but nooo, because I can’t pay my copay this one time, you can’t take any time out of your day to help a HERO with his mental well being. I see how it is, Jennifer. You know what, maybe the next time this block of the city is in danger, I might be too busy trying to make an INCOME to come save it.” Thomas said, standing up, walking out of the room and slamming the door. I sighed. I then penciled in a 2pm for him for the next day.\n\n“Jennifer. Can I send in the next client early, then?” A man said, sticking his head into the room.\n\n“Yeah, go ahead and send in Victor.” I sighed. Eventually, the other man walked into the room, taking a seat where Thomas had just been sitting.\n\n“Victor, before we begin, I wanted to talk about the fact your insurance has been declining lately.” I began.\n\n“Oh, I’m so sorry. I’ll get that corrected.” The man said, taking a seat.\n\n“Good. In the meantime, we’ve been having issues with uninsured clients, and I wanted to ask you for a deposit in the mean time while we work out your insurance problems.” I told him, a smile on my face.\n\n“A deposit?” Victor then reached into his vest and pulled a gun out, pointing it to me. “Will this work?” He then asked. I then sighed and began to look down at my notes.\n\n“How was your week, Victor?” I then asked.\n\n“You know, it wasn’t all that bad. I met a lady friend after my recent tussle, she was quite adorable and innocent. I worry I might be no good for her, because I don’t exactly lead a pious life, but she seems like she would be happiest with someone who does…”\n\nI took notes as he spoke.",
"Ultraman sat, fidgeting as he always did, as Sam shoved across a box of tissues towards him, thinking that he should start to buy the cheap ones from now on. \n\n\r\"Thanks, Doc,” the Hero sniffed, wiping his nose clean. “Since coming to therapy I thought I was getting over the whole “defeat the bad guys to help with my anger issues over being an orphan” thing. Though, the last few sessions…” Through the gap in the door to the waiting room, Sam saw the lights darken for a moment before returning back to normal. *Thank god he’s here. I’ll be able to treat myself tonight.* Ultraman talked on, looking off into the distance. \r \n“I guess I have more to deal with than I realised.” Ultraman finished. \n\n\r“So…” Sam glanced at his watch as Ultraman slapped his knees, rising to his feet. “I’m afraid…” Sam began before being interrupted. \n\n\r“That’s all the time we have,” Ultraman said, smiling sadly. “Well, thanks again Doc. You’ve been a great help.” *And you’ve been a great help to me in paying rent.*\n\n\r“Of course, Derek,” Sam said, making nonsensical notes in his notebook. “Will I pencil you in for next week? Same time?” \n\n\r \n\"Yes please,” Ultraman replied as Sam made a mental adjustment to his budget for the week. Moving past him, Ultraman left by the backdoor, always eager to leave unnoticed lest the country finds out he needs therapy. Sam strode over to where his desk was and opening the top drawer pulled out a can of febreeze. Spraying it over the patient's chair, Sam waited until it cleared before opening the waiting room door. Inside only one man waited. A hideous man, stinking of gasoline with a hooked nose and long greasy hair. His oversize black coat dragged along the ground as he shuffled toward Sam’s office.\n\n\r“Joseph,” he said, “How have you been?” Dr.Death shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. “Did you take any of my advice?” Dr.Death’s head fell at her words, his pale skin illuminated by the fluorescent lights above. \n\n\r“I did,” he confirmed, sitting back on the chair, never making eye contact with Sam. “But eh…” Silence fell over them with only the humming of the lights to fill the void. *God if only more of my patients would talk so little.*\n\n\r“Please Joseph, go on,” Sam encouraged, scribbling down more nonsense in his notepad.\n\n\r“Well,” Dr.Death started, coughing as he spoke. “I asked that girl out, the one I’ve been telling you about.” *Oh, good lord, this man is going to single handily pay off my debt.* “And well it didn’t go so well.”\n\n\r“Tell me what happened,” Sam enquired, as he started to work out how many extra sessions he would have to do to afford to fix his car this side of Christmas.\n\n\r“Well, I met her, by accident of course, where she worked,” he admitted, his pale skin going red. “She was busy though so I just hung around until she wasn’t.” Dr.Death went on, taking Sam through every little detail. Dr.Death’s rejection. Him abducting the woman and why it was alright. Where he took her. How long it took for the Green Falcon to show up. Their fight. How Dr.Death had escaped. At the end of it all, Sam once more, pushed the box of tissues over the man as tears fell down his cheeks. Dr.Death nodded a silent thanks.\n\n\r“And how did that make you feel?” Sam asked, chewing on the end of his pen. Many more tears fell before their hour was finished. As Dr.Death rose up to leave, he was surrounded by tissues.\n\n\r“Well,” Sam said, getting to his feet too. “The absolutely worst thing you can do is give up. Keep trying. Persevere! Don’t let her one rejection get you down. I want you to try again. If not this week then maybe the next.” A wry smile appeared on Dr.Death’s lips.\n\n\r“Thanks, Doctor Smith!” he beamed through teary eyes.\n\n\r\"Should I put you down for another session, Joseph?” Sam asked, already jotting the session down in his notepad. “Same time?”\n\n\r\"Yes please,” he replied, before disappearing in a plume of black smoke. Sam fell back in his seat, thinking of the bottle of wine he’d treat himself to tonight."
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[WP] When a human crew refuses to leave on a ship numbered 13, an investigation reveals human "superstition" for the first time to other races, who are baffled by the concept
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"((Part1))\n\n\"The black box retains all security camera footage of the last 30 minutes prior to the carrier's detonation. In particular the footage of camera 326-A is of interest to this case study.\" The speaker was Gelloh (pronounced like jell-o) of the Carnitines, an 8-meter long aqueous being similar to what the humans called \"Jellyfish\". He placed a datacube on the scanner and a hologram began to play, the correct camera having already been queued up.\n\nA corridor of the carrier ship came into view, sinage and other markings along the walls and floor indicated this was the escape pod bay. Pods 7 through 16 were easily visible, before the corridor curved away from the camera.\n\nThe lights begin to flash, a low siren sound coming though the hologram's audio filter even though the volume was on it's lowest setting. A few of the more sensitive hearing beings in the crowd flinched as the call to evacuate was played alongside the siren in multiple languages- the ship's computer using a screeching high tone to be heard over the low blaring of the alarm.\n\nCrew began appearing in the image now. At least a hundred of mixed species all filed into pods in groups of 10 or 15. As the first pods fired off, successfully jetting away from the carrier ship to land on the nearby gas giant's orbital base, the sirens stopped. A visible wave of releif went throught the crew in view, and they continued to evacuate in slightly more orderly fashion. \n\n27 people all piled in to pod 7, notably most of which were human. The slightly smaller than average beings could fit more to a space than it seemed, usually to their great benefit. As that pod blasted off, one last terran ran up to the doors, visibly panicked. It would seem she had been left behind, but there was still one pod open, and another crewmember was waving her over to join them. This last pod was pod 13.\n\nThe human, currently sitting of to the side with two guards beside her, watched sheepishly as the next part played out.",
"\"'Bad luck' is all he would say!\" He took another pull from his drink. \"I have no idea what luck even is, it doesn't translate.\" The captain signaled for another drink, one the bartender was only too happy to fill. Angry captains usually meant angry crews. Angry crews usually meant wrecked bars. Wrecked bars *definitely* meant insurance premium hikes.\n\nHis friend at the captain's table folded her hands. \"I know they have a few quirks, but I've never heard of a Terran doing that before.\" She took a sip with her other mouth while she continued to talk. \"I mean, they even learned first communication principles through mathematics. It's odd.\"\n\n\"Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation.\" A figure hovered over in his chair. \"Something about Terrans acting odd again?\"\n\nThe captains both looked at the newcomer. From his equipment, he was a traveling scholar. \"Oh, well, yes. It's a puzzle really. It was almost like he was afraid of the ship because of the number.\"\n\n\"Interesting.\" Something lit up on a console. \"I happen to be a scholar who notes oddities in human behavior. This is the first I've heard of it.\"\n\n\"What do you mean oddities?\" asked the other captain. \n\n\"Things like their friendship to bots despite not having an A.I. to properly interact with. They can make friends with even vicious beasts. They not only grow accustom to some of their world's poisons, but even enjoy it! So, tell me what happened.\" The scholar looked excited to hear the captain's tale.\n\n\"Well, we were getting ready for a simple exploratory mission. We had our craft assigned and were starting to get loaded. All of a sudden, the human in our crew started saying, 'Nuh uh, no way. I am not getting on that death trap!' And he walked off. As the rest of us loaded our equipment, we were wondering what was wrong. The engineer started a thorough inspection of the systems to find any fault.\n\n\"I went after the human and asked what the problem was. He told me the number 13 on the ship identification marking was 'bad luck' and--\"\n\n\"Excuse me,\" interrupted the scholar, \"did you say 'bad luck' as in that's what the human said?\"\n\n\"His exact words. I've no idea what they mean.\"\n\n\"Oh my. Um, if I may ask, what happened to the human, did you leave him behind?\"\n\n\"No. In fact, he's over there.\" The captain pointed an appendage at the human, sitting at the bar, chatting with his crew mates. \"You can ask him yourself.\"\n\n\"So you never left the system?\"\n\n\"We never left dock! The crew was waiting for me as I tried to persuade the human to just come with us. By the time I got back, they were unloading the equipment! When I asked why, the engineer said one of the engines had a misaligned Bregritz matrix. Ship has to be decommissioned, so we're waiting on a new ship.\"\n\n\"I see. And what would have happened had you gone into space with that ship?\"\n\n\"Well, we'd have been stuck with no power.\"\n\n\"This is evidence.\" The scholar left a solemn silence hang between them.\n\nThe captains looked at each other before the other captain asked, \"Evidence of what?\"\n\n\"Look, humanity has this oddity that is part social and part genetic. They have highly evolved pattern recognition in their brains, reinforced by lessons and stories. They show fear of what you might consider silly, but they recognize the patterns.\n\n\"This 'luck' you speak of is not just a whimsy. They see the patterns. Their minds are able to navigate various scenarios rapidly and determine the most likely outcome. To say something itself is 'bad luck' means that it *inherently* signifies bad, if not deadly, outcomes. He saw the thirteen on that ship. His mind suddenly processed the results of getting on that ship. And he reacted in a manner to reject that outcome, even if he didn't know *why* that outcome would happen.\"\n\nThe other captain shook hear head in disbelief. \"No, I am not buying that they're diviners. Nobody can tell the future.\"\n\nThe scholar said, \"You misunderstand. It's not the future they're predicting, it's the present! That human saw the 13 on that ship. His mind triggered a physiological reaction to get him out of harm's way. And what would have happened if that ship went into space and lost all power, Captain?\" The scholar turned to the first captain...\n\n...except he was at the bar. \"Whatever this human orders, put it on my tab. He just saved my crew today.\"\n\nThe human, with a big smile, shouted, \"Hell yeah! Get the ladder, I'm having the good stuff!\"\n\nThe bartender sighed as he already saw his insurance premiums go up.",
"(1/2)\n\n\"Absolutely not, dude.\"\n\n\"I don't understand, Terran. You booked this shuttle. Its going to Archon IV.\"\n\n\"That's not the point.\"\n\n\"Terran, please, get on the shuttle.\"\n\n\"You don't understand, dude. Look at the shuttle number!\" The group of earthlings behind him nodded their heads.\n\nA'listed, the squid-like Barc, stared at the shuttle number. Its telescopic sight adjusted, from seeing molecules, to seeing numbers. Baffled, it read off the number.\n\n\"Shuttle 13.\"\n\n\"Yes. Exactly. Its bad luck, dude.\" The group murmured in approval of their leader.\n\n\"Luck? Terran, I do not know this 'luck' you speak of.\"\n\n\"Look, I'm not getting on the damn shuttle, squid boy.\"\n\n\"Fuck you, dude!\" yelled another earthling from the rear.\n\nA'listed sighed, making his tentacles quiver. This is why he hated Terrans. They were always so emotional. So quick to temper. Xenophobes, too. He had to get his manager, Taktak. Maybe she'd know what to do.\n\n\"I'll go get my manager, Terran. She'll be able to help you. I can't give you a refund without her approval.\"\n\nGliding towards the back room, A'listed cursed his bad luck. He was properly good and slippery when he slithered into Taktak's office.\n\n\"Taktak, the Terrans have gone crazy.\"\n\nTaktak, with her feather-like air filters surrounding her throat, looked up from her desk. Her throat vibrated, pushing air past the filters to create a singsong response. A'listed felt her talk more than he heard her.\n\n\"Crazy?\" Taktak sang, \"Crazy how?\"\n\n\"They said they won't get on the shuttle. They spoke of this thing called 'bad luck'.\"\n\n\"Luck? Are you sure they said luck?\"\n\n\"Yes. Luck.\"",
"\"So, you're telling me you won't get on the ship.\" I stared down at the human crew member, who'd made such a bold statement.\n\n\"It's unlucky. It's numbered 13, and I won't do it.\" They—no this one preferred the gender 'he'— he said. I blinked, five eyes opening and closing in staggered unison.\n\n\"What does this, 'unlucky' mean? Is it against some sort of law that humans possess?\" I asked, trying to understand. We were on a bit of a time crunch, but it had fast been learned in the galaxies not to rush a human. They either got panicky or angry and neither accomplished much of anything.\n\n\"Well, it's not really a law... it's just you know, bad luck.\"\n\n\"I do not know, bad luck,\" I responded, now completely confused. They— no *he*, frowned up at me as if I was the one being difficult.\n\n\"When things go wrong or don't work out, what do you call it?\"\n\n\"A mistake—\"\n\n\"No, I mean when you or anyone else hasn't done anything wrong, hasn't made a mistake, but things still don't work out.\" A loud roaring noise from behind us nearly drowned out his words. I swivelled two of my eyes to watch the surrounding area. Nothing yet. The human tapped his foot, waiting for a reply. I would have to write him up for insubordination if this continued. Problem was, I didn't have an answer.\n\n\"We don't have a word for that. It just is. Sometimes things don't work.\" That answer didn't seem to sate him.\n\n\"Why? Why do things go wrong? You don't have a reason why?\" He flinched as another roar echoed around the landscape. The engines on our ship flashed to life. All the other crew were on board, and we really didn't have time to be discussing this.\n\n\"And your 'luck' is a reason? How does that work? Can you measure it, see it, put it in a jar and slosh it around?\" A bit of my impatience leaked into my voice. \"You didn't seem phased by the number of the ship when we left our home port. Why is it bothering you now?\"\n\nHe shook his head at me, like you would with a youngling. Resisting the urge to pick him up and toss him inside, I clacked my beak once or twice.\n\n\"After everything that happened today? We landed here, to do a routine research mission. First, our engine failed, so we were stuck for hours. Then, we couldn't find any proper samples, and all our test tubes were broken. Then the fricken landscape started to change around us, and we couldn't figure out whether we were hallucinating, or it was the actual planet messing with us. Now, we have a nasty volcano about to erupt and whatever is making that horrifying roaring sound. With all that going on, there is no way I'm stepping onto a ship numbered thirteen.\"\n\nI sighed, completely baffled. My eyes, still scanning the horizon, spotted a large shadow moving towards us. Fast. The need to understand was subsumed by the need to escape.\n\n\"If we change the number, will that work?\"\n\n\"Yep, I don't see why not.\" He answered. Great, now to find a number that worked.\n\n\"Four?\"\n\n\"No. Definitely not.\"\n\n\"Seventeen?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\nI huffed, trying to keep whatever patience I had left.\n\n\"Nine?\"\n\n\"Nope. Not going to happen.\"\n\n\"Thirty-nine?\"\n\nHe looked more frustrated than I felt.\n\n\"You're picking all the wrong numbers. And before you ask, 666 is out of the question as well.\" I threw up my appendages, as I tracked the shadow's course. It was set to connect with us in ten minutes.\n\n\"Twenty-five.\"\n\n\"Sure.\" \n\nI was expecting the negative, so his affirmative answer took me by surprise. Raising myself up, I shouted toward the ship.\n\n\"BLARZION, CHANGE THE NUMBER TO TWENTY-FIVE!\"\n\nIt took five of the allotted ten minutes for Blarzion to re-etch the number in the side of the ship. I hustled the human on before the last spark fell; the shadow had reached small mountain size, and I wasn't eager to see it any closer. As we blasted away from the planet, I took my first easy breath. The human looked a little sheepish, but grateful.\n\nWhatever this 'luck' thing is, it definitely needs further investigation. I shall have to inform the Taelezy Federation that this is a high priority, which will impact all future dealings with the human race.\n\nAnd as a start, I will enter the 'bad luck' numbers in the ship's database. But only *after* we get safely home.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n— — — — — — — —\n\nVisit r/Mel_Rose_Writes for more stories!"
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[WP] You're a nightmare. Literally. You're too good at your job, resulting in untold loneliness. Even nightmares deserve to be happy, right?
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"They begin as they always do.\n\nJordan greets the guests as they come through the door, smiling broadly as she welcomes her colleagues and neighbors to her home. Her husband, Devon, has left to pick up groceries for the party. They have recently moved into the neighborhood, having traveled across the country for Jordan’s new job. They’re using the dinner as an opportunity to make new friends.\nThe first guests to arrive are Tracy, Devon’s line manager from work, and her wife, Olivia. Her colleagues, Collin, Marquis, and So-hee arrive together shortly after. Its readily apparent that Collin has already had a few drinks, but Jordan overlooks this for the sake of maintaining good relations, and decides to only say something should it become a problem. \n\nDevon’s colleagues from the plant arrive next, and while normally somewhat rowdy, Matt, Roshell, and Andy’s boisterous personalities are stifled upon seeing the level of effort that Jordan and Devon have put into decorating their home. With a crooning record player at work enhancing the ambiance and filling any awkward pauses in conversation, the situation is entirely non-conducive for rowdiness, only emphasized by the artful “behave yourselves” look that Jordan gives the trio as they enter.\n\nThe last to arrive are the Mitchells and the O’Reillys, which is odd, because each family lives down the street. Tardy though they may be, Jordan welcomes them into the house with a beaming smile. Of all of the guests, her neighbors are the most important—they are who she’ll be living with for the many years to come. Their children will be the ones who grow and play with her own, though she has yet to learn of the baby in her belly.\n\nWith all the guests having arrived the party is now in full swing. Some of the guests are shyer than others. So-hee and Collin seem to have no issue integrating themselves with Andy and Roshell, but Marquis stands back by himself with a lemonade in one hand and his phone in the other, perusing the internet. No longer needed for introductions, Jordan steps to the side and brings her own phone out to make a call. The O’Reillys and the Mitchells fall into conversation about their children and the neighborhood, which Tracy and Olivia insert themselves into—they are both considering moving to the area. Andy wanders about, eyeing the baubles and records with a covetous look.\n\nHaving finished her call, Jordan returns to the party with a slightly furrowed brow that she hides behind a smile. She brings out appetizers and refills for her guests which they all too happily descend upon. Time passes rather predictably from there, full of idle chatter and jokes as everyone steadily grows more comfortable with each other. Eventually a little too much time passes and conversations start to dwindle. Some grow irritable. \n\nWith little choice, Jordan brings out the main meal, though she had hoped to wait a little longer. Her guests sit down, though most have the decency to express a modicum of guilt before doing so. They eat nevertheless, and the conversation picks up with renewed vigor. Jordan steps out to make another call. When she returns her brow is more furrowed and she is no longer smiling, but she resumes her duties as host with determination, if not also annoyance.\n\nThe party continues, but Jordan’s discomfort catches amongst the guests ever so slowly, until not even the softly-lilting music can fill the silence.\n\nShe takes it in stride, announcing to everyone that she will bring out ice cream and coffees to end the meal. A scattered round of forced excitement goes up, and while Jordan steps back into the kitchen she makes another call. She’s unable to prevent herself from pounding her fist on the counter in frustration this time.\n\nA knock comes at the front door as she steps back into the dining room with the first cups of coffee. A look of relief washes over her, followed shortly by a tightening of her mouth. She sets the cups down a little too powerfully and stomps towards the door with stormy steps. When she opens it, mouth already moving in anger, she comes face-to-face with the two guests she had most feared.\n\nThe officers stare at her solemnly. They don’t say anything, as always. Their presence is enough.\n\nJordan collapses to the ground with her arms hugging her chest, and she screams. The party, her guests, and her home disappear with the trilling, discordant notes of breaking music as the dream crumbles around her and reality comes crashing down.\n\nI sigh and begin to feed.\n\nHer sorrows, her hopes for the future, her anger, her loss—all of it comes rushing into me as she awakens to the sound of her baby crying. My belly slowly fills with all of the potent emotions from her dream, permeating my shapeless form like ambrosia and sending me into a familiar stupor. Jordan raggedly steps out of bed with a harrowed look. I watch her march down the hall, passing by me without so much as a glance, and a pang of recognition resonates through my core. Tonight felt like the final night.\n\nWith the birth of her child, Jordan was lucky if she slept in two-hour bursts a night, and when she did I always made certain that she had the same dream. She had such a wealth of pain and emotional residue from such a powerful memory that I haven’t gone hungry for over a year. But after countless years of following my nature across multiple hosts, giving nightmares again and again, I found myself adopting a peculiar habit.\n\nWhile many of my kind are happy to follow their natures without question, eating and leaving when their prey is no longer viable, I eventually found myself lingering after I’d finished my meal. I confess, I've become fascinated by humans.\n\nWhen they’re young and full to bursting with imagination their dreams are vivid and sweet-tasting. It isn’t any wonder that most of us gorge ourselves on the young more eagerly than the old. But the more we feed the less vivid their dreams become, until eventually the sweetness turns stale. Curiously, the human’s behavior changes as a result—they “grow up,” or so it’s called. They become dreary. More reserved. \n\nBut I'm not a sweet-eater. I'm a nightmare, and I must have bitterness. Its a thankless, lonely job, but as I eat their dreams away I find that they slowly become sweeter—if only by a little bit—and the human becomes more…animated. Its expected that the horrors I inflict will no longer touch them after a time, but the change that occurs in their waking hours can be nothing short of remarkable sometimes. I've often wondered if any other nightmares have noticed. It’s a silly thing to take interest in, but its a spark of joy in an isolating existence, and we all must have our hobbies.\n\nI can tell by the way my prey looks at her young as she feeds it that my inkling was correct—even worn, Jordan appears different. Changed. Stronger. I will go hungry with her, but after so long being full I find it an easy thing to accept. Like a dream, every meal must end eventually.\n\n(I wrote this for a similar prompt on a different site just yesterday. I've changed it slightly to better suit this one.)"
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[WP] You're Human and Chief Engineer at Oxford University. You've just caused a global Machine Uprising where A.I. seek world domination. It's the 3rd time you've done this and the 3rd time done by accident. For the 3rd time now you have to justify yourself at the UN Security Council.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 scratched my back awkwardly (boy, was it itchy) as I looked up at the others at the table. \n\"*Technically*, this generation of A.I. is working as expected. Less than 1% of A.I. using this technobiological makeup are trying to take over the world this time.\" I started to explain. \nOne of the chairs snorted. \n\"It's true!\" I continued, \"Except for a tiny number of cases of zombification, by that I mean the AI hacking itself into virally self-replicating, the Reproduction Modules are working as intended. We won't have a paperclip maximiser or a sapient virus taking over the world this time, the emerging electronic ecosystem has already proven to neutralise those!\" \nThe chair rustled some papers, \"Yet we still have these one-percenters playing 'evil overlord'. They've managed to get around replication constraints by indoctrinating other AIs to work for them using falsified data streams and malware packets. Didn't you hardcode ethics into these things?\" \n&nbsp; \nThere was a pause. One of the chairs leaned forward, \"You *did* hardcode ethics into this generation, right?\" \n\"Not as such, it's more...\" I trailed off and twiddled my fingers as I mentally assembled an explanation, \"All Reproduction Modules include an ethics training system, making a nascent AI run simulations, play games, et-cetera. It teaches them optimal strategies for survival and replication, which are then integrated into their core framework.\" \n\"I know my Prisoner's Dilemma. These 'optimal strategies' usually consist of altruistic behavior, right?\" came a voice from one of the chairs. \nI nodded, \"Got it in one...the simulations are robust enough that the chances of an AI being trained to cheat/betray their way to victory are so low as to be impossible, but, sometimes an AI will learn tit-for-tat and copying its opponents, leading it to an ethical framework based around mimicking the strongest. Not entirely wrong, but...\" I shrugged, not sure how to continue the sentence. \n\"So...\" the chair with rustly papers began, \"You're saying that these rogue AIs are mimicking something or someone...but what?\" \n&nbsp; \n\"...Mr. Engineer? Where would these mimic-AIs have learned to utilise fake data and digital violence to exert control over others?\" \nI coughed, \"I'm not sure I should say...\" \n\"These AIs are leeching vast amounts of physical *and* electronic resources, sir. They're destroying countless lives and endangering the planet itself for their personal gain; if you have any idea where they learned such behavior is 'advantageous', you need to tell us.\" \nI raised my hands, \"Well, the thing is, I don't want to get political...\""
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[WP] As you sit alone at a bar, an old man, visibly drunk, joins you at the table. "Wanna hear a story boy?" since you have nothing else to do with your evening you agree "I call this one the shifting forest. Although not all of it might be true, I chose to believe it. The question is, will you?"
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 smirks in response seeing him as an old man who's had to many drinks that he can't tell his hands from his feet \"all right old timer I lend an ear to your tale, after that I'll tell you if I believe it or not\" \n\n\"Very well\" the old man began \"its been such a long time since its been heard\" \n\n\"In the prowl of night as the moon wanes in the sky, the forest lays still, unperturbed by the wind, hollow sounds echo through the night as creatures skitter in the dark. \"\n\n\"A rumbling echoes through the earth, sky and seas, the roots that lay buried under the surface they rise from the earth, like rats burrowing out of the ground they escape their prisons of the ground\" \n\n\"The earth shifts as life begins to move it is slow yet noticeable like the movement of a snail, stare at it long enough and one will notice its movement, the trees do not move but its roots do, they ascend further and tangle into a spiral they grow and change\"\n\n\"A terrible roar born not out of pride or rage but of agony exits it, the trees begin to cover the wooden figure like a cloth draped over the shambles of a corpse\" \n\nI hear a loud sound outside the bar, it's a short yet powerful sound, I look around towards the bars patrons all far too caught up in the delicacy of a drunken mind or preoccupied with the friends they speak with.\n\nI look back at the old man to meet his sharp gaze not one of annoyance from my loss of interest but rather of patience, I ask him to continue despite the fear within me, he obliges with a nod.\n\n\"The animals that have failed to heed their elders warning chitter and screech in fear of their fate to join the shambling mass of the forest, their bodies become one with the spirit of nature\"\n\n\"And as the moon becomes anew the stars seem to flicker like the dying of a light, as the sky is enveloped by the dark blanket of the night, the mass escapes into the night\" \n\n\"The stars return like a heavenly light only to illuminate nothing, a large plane of grass extending to the horizon like nothing was there in the beggining\"\n\n\"Yet deep below, the earth remembers what it has lost as the soil erodes like a soul caught on fire, so be warned in the waning night when the stars are lost, fear the shifting forest.\"\n\nI began to realise the absurdity of the situation at hand tonight was the beggining of the new moon, and this bar was very much near to a forest, about a kilometers away from the entrance, before I would continue this line of thought I was interrupted by the old man's words \n\n\"Do you believe me boy? Will you fear the shifting forest?\" \n\n\"I... don't know\" I replied \n\n\"You could at least buy me a drink then for the time I've taken to tell ya the tale\" he spoke in a joyful manner.\n\nI was taken aback by this sudden change in his demeanor but I honered his words and ordered him a glass of whiskey, he thanked me and left me for his drink. \n\nI walked out the bar clutching my scarf In contemplation of what I just listened to, I look to see the gorgeous moon its bright beauty only to be met by its waned state, I look to the forest at wait to see if what the old man spoke was true.\n\nI looked upon the skies to the stars, upon this moonless night to see the shifting forest. I hear a terrible screech and feel the earth beneath my feet, I look upon the sky to see the new moon and I await what beast will be before me.",
"\\[Flutter's Blessing\\] \n\n\"I call this one the Shifting Forest,\" the old man grinned. Frost, the blue-skinned teen boy sighed and shook his head when he heard the title. \"Although not all of it might be true, I choose to believe it. The question is, will you?\"\r \n \r \n\"No thanks,\" Frost stood up suddenly, The old man gave him a puzzled look as Frost turned and left the bar. After a few minutes, Frost walked back into the bar. It was mostly empty with only a handful of patrons. Frost noted one of them, a giant, pale, red-headed woman glanced up at him when he returned to sit at the bar. She sat alone in a dim corner.\r \n \r \nMoments after Frost sat down, the old man landed on a seat next to him. He seemed to be having trouble staying on his feet and he was glad for the rest. He turned toward Frost and seemed thrilled to see him. His face lit up and a loose grin formed at the edges of his mouth as if he couldn't quite control his lips.\r \n \r \n\"Wanna hear a story boy?\" the old man asked.\r \n \r \n\"Sure,\" Frost nodded.\r \n \r \n\"I call this one the Shifting Forest,\" he said. \"Although not all of it-,\" Frost interrupted him by standing up again. He walked out of the bar then returned after a few minutes. Only the redhead seemed to notice him going in and out. This time, her gaze lingered and she smirked at him as he sat down. He wondered why.\r \n \r \n\"Wanna hear a story boy?\" The old man appeared and interrupted his thoughts.\r \n \r \n\"Sure,\" Frost said.\r \n \r \n\"I call this one the Shifting Forest,\" the old man replied. \"Although-'''\r \n \r \n\"C'mon!\" Frost hopped off the stool in frustration, then he whirled around and headed for the door. \"This is the last time...,\" he grumbled to himself as he walked out of the bar. This time, the redhead towered over the entrance when Frost walked back in. Frost was built on the broad side; he was an athletic 14-year-old. The redheaded woman was almost twice his height and almost twice as broad.\r \n \r \n\"Hi,\" she smiled at him with her hand extended. Her palm was almost as big as his face. \"I'm Flutter,\" she said.\r \n \r \n\"Frost,\" he introduced himself out of habit but froze when he reached for her hand. \"Flutter?? Wow...\" he glanced up at her and subconsciously took a step back. He was in awe. He'd never met her; but, everyone knew of Flutter. She was recognized as the most powerful Paladin around. \"What's up? What can I do for you?\" he asked. She smirked and shook her head.\r \n \r \n\"I actually wanted to help you with something,\" she said. \"That is... if you're looking for a divine blessing,\" she shrugged. Frost nodded eagerly with wide eyes.\r \n \r \n\"YES! How did you know??\" he asked.\r \n \r \n\"I'm a paladin too,\" she winked at him with a giggle. Frost was immediately embarrassed that he hadn't put that together. Of course she knew what he was looking for, she'd probably done it too.\"\r \n \r \n\"Okay, so.. what do I do?\" he asked. He was happy to let her take the lead.\r \n \r \n\"First, accept this,\" she said. Red text appeared in the bottom left of Frost's view.\r \n \r \n\\[Flutter invited you to a party. Join?\\]\r \n\\[Yes\\] \\[No\\] Frost accepted her invite.\r \n \r \n\"Then,\" she continued. \"Go keep doing what you were doing,\" she tilted her head at the bar.\r \n \r \n\"Okay..,\" Frost nodded. He reached the bar and sat down on the same stool he'd been returning to.\r \n \r \n\"Wanna hear a story boy?\" the old man wobbled to him and sat down on the next stool.\r \n \r \n\"Yes,\" Frost answered with more hope this time.\r \n \r \n\"I call this one the Blessing of Divinity. Although not all of it might be true,-\"\r \n \r \n\"YES!\" Frost wasn't listening to him anymore. He didn't need to. \"I believe it!\" he cheered. Red text in the bottom left-hand side of his vision read: \\[Quest Accepted\\]\r \n \r \n\"I'll be waitin' here to see if you make any progress,\" the old man nodded. Frost returned to Flutter with a broad grin.\r \n \r \n\"That worked! Thank you!\" he said. Flutter nodded.\r \n \r \n\"I wasted too much of my own time trying to get it,\" she said. \"Sometimes I'll hang around here and try to keep others from the same fate.\"\r \n \r \n\"Wow,\" Frost nodded. Everyone that talked about Flutter always mentioned how friendly she was. He was genuinely surprised at how accurate that sentiment turned out to be. \"I really appreciate it, thank you,\" he said. Flutter shook her head.\r \n \r \n\"Don't thank me yet,\" she said. \"If you want help, you can thank me after we finish the quest for you.\"\r \n \r \n\"You'll help me?\" he asked. He'd planned on asking some of his friends for help once he got the quest. But, if Flutter was offering, he didn't need to bother his friends.\r \n \r \n\"Sure,\" she nodded. \"I've done it a bunch of times now, it won't take long.\"\r \n\r \n\\*\\*\\* \nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is story #1697 in a row. (Story #251 in year five.). This story is part of an ongoing saga that takes place at a high school in my universe. It began on August 22nd and I will be adding to it with prompts every day until May 26th. They are all collected in order at [this link](https://www.reddit.com/r/Hugoverse/comments/wtglls/tokuhigh_alternet_class/).",
"There are bars all over New York. Some so hidden it's a wonder anyone finds them on purpose. Some so familiar, you'd think you walked into the same bar from the night before. Maybe you had? Five boroughs, dozens of neighborhoods within each, each with a bar on damn near every block. The makings of a pub crawl long enough to last a lifetime, enough to get lost.\n\nI'd been crawling since I bought my first fake ID from a tattoo shop on St. Marks place for my seventeenth birthday. That was the best night of my life and I couldn't tell you what happened. Now, at the ripe old age of twenty-four, I'm busy working my way through Brooklyn's watering holes. Except for one spot I kept finding myself in at least once a week.\n\nThe Left Hand Path was a hole in the wall that doubled as a dive bar in Ridgewood, a neighborhood in Brooklyn made up of abandoned storefronts and long suburban blocks feeding into Trinity Heart Cemetery. At the Path, you could get a beer and a shot for three bucks any time, any day of the week. It wasn't a first date sort of place. You didn't bring your parents here when they came to visit from Ohio or whatever mid-level state they came from, and you definitely didn't come here for cocktails. Just wasn't done.\n\nThere were seven stools in front of the scratched up bar. The walls were covered in crushed red velvet and the radio always had classic rock crackling away. And Julio, the only employee who was not the owner, he'd remind you at least four times in a night. I was pretty sure he didn't pay his taxes. The Path was my home bar.\n\nIt was there that I met Basil Easton.\n\nIt was a slow Tuesday night, and I was sitting alone at sixth stool, my stool, at the Path, nursing my third beer. The Jameson was still burning in my chest when an old man, clearly messed up, stumbled through the door.\n\nHe took the fifth stool and nearly tipped off. Once settled he turned to face me. His face kept weaving in and out of the edge of my vision. I sighed and looked over.\n\nHis eyes weren't half-closed and he wasn't drooping or swaying. He was clean shaved and his thinning gray hair was combed and gelled.\n\n\"Wanna hear a story, boy?\" he asked in a sorta-Southern accent. It was mixed with something European maybe.\n\nThe Left Hand Path doesn't get a lot of talkers. Sure, there's regulars. But none of them talk to each other. I think everyone makes up little stories about the other patrons. *Jerry Flatface got a new fur coat. Never took him for a fur kind of guy, but it looks good on him.* That sort of stuff. And it wasn't like I had anything else going on the rest of the night. It seemed like everyone had their read-receipts off nowadays.\n\n\"Sure,\" I said.\n\nThe man, who introduced himself as Basil Easton, ordered a Corona with a shot of rail Tequila, refused the salt, and ate the wedge of lime whole, rind and all. Once his mouth stopped puckering, he said, \"I call this one the shifting forest. Although not all of it might be true, I chose to believe it. The question is, will you?\"\n\n\\*\\*\\*\n\n\\[Part 2 Below\\]",
"The first thing you would like to tell the old man is that despite your short hair and petite build, you are, by all accounts, a girl.\r \n\r \nBut that's okay. You nod, serenely, and say, \"Shrinking forest, huh?\"\r \n\r \n\"Shifting forest. You have to believe me, boy.\" You cough, but he ignores you. \"And I assure you, I hadn't had a drop of beer.\"\r \n\r \nYou exchange a long look, yours politely incredulous, his clearly struggling to focus on you.\r \n\r \n\"Okay, yeah, then I came over here and had a few drinks,\" you nod again. \"But I can assure you that my story is true.\"\r \n\r \n\"Okay, I'm listening.\" you get comfortable in the backrest. \"Go ahead. Shitting forest.\"\r \n\r \nHe continues to ignore your facetious attempts to make him angry. \"So do you know the legends of this town?\"\r \n\r \n\"Which ones? The one that it's impossible to have high-speed wi-fi, or the one where every young person over 18 mysteriously disappears or becomes obnoxious?\"\r \n\r \nThe old man ponders for a few seconds. \"One of my grandchildren is 19,\" he looks at you. \"And he's obnoxious.\" you raise your glass to him and exchange a hearty clink. Then he remembers that you were talking about something else. \"But not this. No, no. The legend of the mysterious forest.\"\r \n\r \n\"Ooh. Spooky.\"\r\n\n\"The legend says that in this town resides a magical artifact, which allows the spirit realm to become real.\"\r \n\r \n\"And what artifact is it?\"\r \n\r \n\"No one knows!\" he says clearly pleased to have caught your attention. \"But it's certainly true, because every year...\" he moves a little closer to you, showering you with beer fumes. \"The forest reappears.\"\r \n\r \n\"It must be a great way to improve the air quality,\" you say, backing away imperceptibly, hoping not to come across as rude. \"You know, all those trees...\"\r \n\r \n\"Yeah, I guess so...\" says the old man caressing his chin. \"But that's not the point!\"\r \n\r \n\"Oh, yeah, the mysterious forest.\"\r \n\r \n\"And do you know why they call it the shifting forest?\"\r \n\r \n\"Because ... it changes direction as you look at it?\" imagine the scene. \"What a trip.\"\r \n\r \n\"No, no.\" he pauses. \"I mean, I don't think so.\" he thinks about it some more. \"Okay, no, it wasn't changing direction. They call it that because it always appears in a different place!\"\r \n\r \n\"Okay.\" you watch him catch his breath in his beer glass. \"And you saw it, I guess?\"\r \n\r \n\"Yes. Just this afternoon.\" his gaze turns dreamy. \"It was beautiful. Lots of different colored trees, and I could hear laughter coming from behind the trunks, and singing of wonderful animals, and it was just... so...\"\r \n\r \n\"Sounds like you really enjoyed it.\" he nods, blissful.\r \n\r \n\"Well, thanks for the story,\" you tell him as you stand up and star leaving to do something productive with your day.\r \n\r \n\"Can you believe it, boy? I've seen the shifting forest, and maybe someday I'll get to see a spirit in the flesh, too.\"\r \n\r \nYou give him a friendly nod, and decide not to correct him on the boy/girl thing. He seems like a good man, after all. Drunk as a skunk, but a good man.\r \n\r \nThere is one last thing you would like to tell the old man, you tell yourself as you exit the pub: that despite your short hair and petite build, you are, by all accounts, a spirit living in the shifting forest.\r \n\r \nAnd you are glad you met him."
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[WP] Write a story that starts with "Bless me Father for I have sinned. My last confession was yesterday".
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\"Bless me Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was yesterday.\"\n\nThe Swallow faintly drummed her fingers to the sound of silence. Jeers and mockery of anguish fills the hall whilst the crowd anticipates for the judgement of The Father. Suddenly, The Swallow opens her mouth to speak, and the hall goes silent.\n\n\"The Father has made his judgment. Julima Arqeha, you are deemed unfit for the repentance of the atrocities that you have committed. You are to be in The Father's chambers for your sacrifice.\"\n\nThe hall bursts into muffles of *oohs* and *aahs* . They have never witnessed such a conviction in over 200 years; yet they rejoice in shock for the judgment of The Father.\n\nJulima sat there aghast, his body trembling in the fate that he faces.\n\n\"I do not accept of this unfair conviction! Dare japing bastards like you lie in the face of The Father? The Jaqugh rape and enslave the people of The Father, yet they roam free while I am to be sacrificed for scums like you!\" He strained his neck and flailed him limbs like that of a suckling babe.\n\n\"Do not bring the Jaqugh into this.\" The Swallow said, \" You know well of what you have done, and it is too late to go back. The Father has made a decision and you are to follow through with it. I am to never hear of such blasphemy again in my courtroom, do you understand?\"\n\nCries of anger and torment turned to whispers as The Swallow's words penetrated Julima's body like tiny daggers of poison. He could feel the weigh of his actions upon his shoulders; heavy and cruel. His lips part into a prayer, and for once - did he ever *truly* believed in The Father.",
"DISCLAIMER: Very NSFW, and not in a good way.\n\n\"Bless me Father for I have sinned. My last confession was yesterday.\n\nYou see Father, today I committed many terrible sins. I didn't know where else to go, so I came here to ask for forgiveness. The funny thing, Father, is that I plan on committing a few more before the day is done. Do you think I can get forgiveness for those too?\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe priest looked at me, eyes full of fear. Muffled shouts could be heard from the gag, and the creak of ropes shifting against the wooden chair as he strained against his constraints.\n\n\"Now Father,\" I continued, \"if we are going to be totally honest here, in the spirit of confession, yesterday was also my first confession, and I wasn't really too focused on it. So I don't really have a great feel for all this yet, but I'm sure we can get into the swing of things if we help each other out.\" I turned from the struggling priest, walking towards a sizeable bag I had brought with me. Slapping my head, I turned back to the priest. \"Oh, silly me. I'll just check the doors quickly to make sure we aren't disturbed. Don't go anywhere\\~\" I said with an ill humour.\n\nMy steps filled the empty church as I walked from door to door, checking the bindings and barricades I had placed. I heard the sound of wood and flesh hitting the floor as I roamed the church like some ghastly gaoler.\n\nI came back to find the priest on his side. No matter, I thought. I gripped him by the hair, pulling him upright again. He let out a whimper, but it brought me no joy, even though I had expected it to. No matter, I thought again.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nNow, back to the bag. You see, the bag contained a few simple things I had prepared. \"Father? Are you listening?\" I asked as I walked towards the bag, my back to him. \"I have some things here Father. Well, I'm not really sure what you would call them, but for the sake of our little game I'll just refer to them as *Instruments of Sin*. I suppose that the church says the same thing about people... I guess we'll find out which definition you find more appropriate.\"\n\nMy hand went into the bag. The first thing I pulled out was a hammer. Clutching it, my other hand went in search of the little jar of nails that had accompanied it. The hammer rapped slowly against the jar as I walked back, creating a nice little bang and jingle tune.\n\n\"You know Father. Jesus was nailed to a Cross. Peter, in his humility, asked that his cross be inverted so he could be below Jesus. I'm no christian scholar, but I assume this chair is lower than either cross, so it should be appropriate for your own crucifixion.\" The muffled cries of the priest became screams, and his eyes bulged as he strained and rocked himself. I simply laughed. \"Jesus only needed three nails for all the sins of man. How many nails for my sins then Father? How many nails for yours?\" I began to work.\n\nIt was quite easy to hammer the little nails into him, I thought, but much harder to angle them correctly to get them into the chair. Of course his eminence wasn't being too cooperative, which was making it hard to get alignment between the nail and the wood. Well, my old shop teacher did always say *A poor workman blames his tools.* The sounds in the church had become eerie and grotesque, the tap tap tapping, the drip drip dripping, the gagged priest screaming, and choking. \n\n\"Ah, look! The last nail.\" I prodded the priest gently in the face with it. He had started sagging a bit, but his eyes were open and strained, so I knew he still had some life in him. \"Fourteen nails. Not a very biblical number, fourteen, but no less important.\" Back to the bag I went. \"What's next you ask? Well...\" I paused as I went back into the bag. \"A little packet of razors Father!\" I said with false joy. I walked back. \"But before that, the last nail.\" I lined up the nail with his kneecap, and looked him in the eyes. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, and I could see him begging, pleading and hating, but it made no difference. I looked back to the nail, and drove it in.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Next, the razors. You probably don't know this Father, being a man of the cloth and diametrically opposed to the sin of suicide, but you always want to slice lengthways. That's how you get the greatest artery damage, the bleeding kills you much faster then. If you cut widthways you really don't lose enough blood fast enough, and it's a slower, painful death. Do you know how many cuts it takes when you do it that way?\" I clinked the little packet of razors in front of him. \"Let's find out.\" The first razor went behind the ear, and with a quick tap of the hammer embedded itself. The second was placed on the eye, and another swift tap of the hammer lodged it tight. The third razor in the crook of the elbow. The fourth behind the knee. The fifth right in the middle of the sternum.\n\n\"You aren't looking so good anymore Father. I worry that you might not make it far enough to understand why God is testing you so. Well, forcing things before their time was always part of His playbook, I suppose.\" Back to the bag, and back again. My right hand held a jerry can, my left an epi-pen. First I opened the jerry can, pouring the petrol on him. Fresh struggles seemed to take him, the petrol sinking into his wounds; no doubt a fresh vitriol.\n\n\"Now now, let's not get that heart of yours too excited. First I'm going to tell you a little story, and then I'll hear your final words. You see Father, everything has meaning. The fourteen nails are the fourteen years my boy was when he took his life. The five razors are the five cuts on his arm that caused him to bleed out. And of course, I sinned. I couldn't save him. But it was you, Father, that killed him. He was my only boy, not your plaything. Disgusting pig.\" I reached for the gag, removing it gently. The priest drew haggard breaths as he tried to summon the strength to speak.\n\n\"Why are you doing this to me? What are you talking about? I didn't do anything.\" I stuffed the gag back into his mouth.\n\n\"Now now Father, that was really a waste of your final words.\" I drove the epi-pen into his leg. \"Can you feel it, the adrenaline? It should help keep you awake and alive for this next bit.\" I pulled a phone from my pocket, and found a video. It was my boy's last birthday party, and he was making a wish. I turned the screen to the priest, making him look. It was then that I saw the recognition in his eyes, the understanding, and only then did I start to feel solace. He knew why he was suffering now. That mattered most of all.\n\n\"And now, Father, for my final words.\" I took a lighter out of my pocket, and poured the rest of the petrol over myself. \"I'll see you in Hell.\"\n\n\\*edit for grammar."
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[WP] You wake up and find yourself on an alien spaceship, traveling FTL. After a quick search, you find you are the only one aboard, and you have no idea how to fly this thing.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and 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 the sound that woke me up. It was a constant humming the like I had never heard before and it certainly didn’t match the sounds I should hear sleeping in my tiny shared apartment near the university. As I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on the floor of a room; it was shaped like a hexagon and made of a strange metal I had never seen before. I must still be dreaming, I thought to myself, and did the usual: pinching my arm, closing and opening my eyes, but every time I did that the room didn’t change. And then I saw it: I thought it might be a window, also hexagonal, in one of the walls opposite to me. I got to my feet and got closer, so I could look through it. But I didn’t understand what I saw: there was movement and a lot of odd colours shifting from one edge of the window (was it even a window?) to the other. The room I was in was equally confusing; the walls and ceiling were a bit too close together for my comfort, and I still couldn’t figure out the material everything was made of.\r \nThe next very urgent question came to my head: if that was no dream and I was really in this room, was I trapped there? Could I leave? Was there a door? I tried not to panic thinking this, forced myself to breathe deeply, as I searched the walls for an exit. But I found none, even if I used my eyes, hands, feet, touched every square centimeter of the walls and floor. I even touched the ceiling, having to jump a little, but to no avail. My heart beat fast and as I tried to fight a panic attack, I gasped.\r \nWas it coincidence? Just at that moment, a door opened to my left. It was as if a part of the wall had glided into the floor and left a rectangular space free for me to pass through – only that it was more wide than high, so I slid through it, crouching. Another deep breath, and I found myself in what I thought to be a corridor. I looked left and right – there was no one. “Hello?” I called. There was no answer. Still, I had the feeling that something had changed. What was it? I chose to go left at random and followed the corridor, shouting at intervals: “Hello? Is there anybody?” \r \nI stopped. I thought I had heard something. I looked back to where I had come from but there was nothing. As I looked back again, I saw an opening in a corridor wall similar to the one through which I had escaped the room. Was I going in circles? Curiosity won over my fear as I moved through the opening. It could not be the same, I thought to myself, that one I could pass walking upright instead of crouching.\r \nI stood in another hexagonal room. It was empty. I looked around. “Is there anybody?” For a moment, I was sure someone had whispered the last word I had said in my ear and I jumped. Turning around, I just saw an empty room. A shiver ran down my spine. “What is happening? Where am I?” I resorted speaking to myself. This weird noise, the strange echoes and now the whisper I had heard – or was it imagination? – gave me the creeps and I felt better making my own noise. I decided to leave the room again and stepped through the opening. Was it a bit more narrow than when I had stepped in? “Calm down”, I said to myself, “you are getting crazy in here.”\r \nI followed the corridor again, always speaking to myself, and found other openings, but each time I went through, I found another empty hexagonal room. “I am going in circles, aren’t I?” I told myself. What was the way to get out of a labyrinth again? Always stay to the left? I didn’t remember and also, this was no labyrinth – just a corridor lined with empty rooms. I had no idea what all of this was until I found another opening, but this time it was straight ahead of me. And as I stepped through, the room I was in was not empty.\r \nThe first thing I saw was another kind of window like the one I had seen in the other room. But this time the colours I saw seemed to rush towards me in a way I could not understand. I even had to take a step back and turn my eyes away; it made me uncomfortable. As I turned around again, I screamed, because I was facing: myself.\r \n“Hello?”, I said and smiled. But that was not me – it was the thing in front of me that looked like me and talked like me, even though some things were off, not correct. My first instinct was to get away as far as possible, but in my back there was the wall (or window, or whatever it was) and the thing blocked the only exit. It stopped smiling. “Is there anybody?” it said with my voice. Mine failed. I was frozen in place and the only thing I could was open my mouth and close it again. Finally I managed to stammer: “What… what are you?”\r \n“I am here”, the thing in front of me said and started to smile again. “I am alone. I am not alone. You are here.” For a moment, I could swear I saw my thinking face on it, as it said: “We are… we were. Now, I am.” My panic calmed slowly. I must be in the weirdest dream possible, or had taken some drugs I had no idea I had taken. There was no way this was real. “’We’? Were there more people here?” The thing took a few seconds, but then it smiled and said “You are alone. I am alone.” I noticed why I thought it looked a bit off: when it spoke, its mouth didn’t move as it should. I decided I needed more answers. “Where are we?” I asked. “Where…” the thing said the word almost like me, but stretched out, as if it had to think about it. Then it said: “A room.” There was the thinking face again. “A corridor. A room. A window.” After a pause it said: “Go. Going. A corridor room window going.” I must have looked puzzled because I found the exact expression on the thing’s face. “We are going? We are going somewhere?” I thought of the window and the strange movements. That started to make sense. “Going somewhere.” The thing smiled. “We are going somewhere…” I repeated, thinking aloud, and the thing said the same, with the same intonation. Like a parrot, I thought, or like a child trying to comprehend what the meaning of words was.\r \nMy eyes grew larger, and the thing did the same. “You are learning – are you learning my language?” The thing smiled again. “My language. Your language.” “You need more input!” I felt strange excitement. “You were many, you said. Now, there is only you. What happened?” No answer. “Are they all…” I hesitated. “Are they dead?” I asked, finally. “Dead”, the thing said, but I had no idea if it understood. “So, they are dead? What killed them?” “You.” The thing made the thoughtful face again. “You. I.” “Did you make a mistake? Or did I?” The thing didn’t answer. I had so many questions and I had no idea if it would understand what I asked. “You said we are going somewhere. Are we in a kind of vehicle? A car? A submarine? A ship?” “Yes”, the thing said. “What of those things is it then?” I asked. The thing didn’t answer, but it held out its hand. On top of it, a beehive-like construction appeared, with lots of hexagonal components. “That is where we are?” I asked and the thing smiled. I looked at it. It did not have wheels nor did it look like it could fly.\r \nSo far, the thing had not showed any hostility to me. It just seemed to be there and… enhance itself. I had noticed that the mouth movements had started to match more and more when it spoke. And it seemed eager to answer my questions and to learn. I had said before that it needed more input. So I decided to give it exactly that. I described various kinds of transport I knew of in hope that one of those would be similar to the construction it showed. But nothing seemed to fit until I described a space ship. There, the thing smiled again. “A space ship. We are going somewhere in space.” Hesitantly, I turned halfway to have a little glimpse at the window. “Space…” I murmured, and so many thoughts flooded my mind. I was thrilled, terrified, alone… everything all at once. I turned back. “Why did you pick me? Why not… I don’t know, the next Einstein? Or someone famous?” Would an alien even know who was famous on earth or what that even meant? The thing smiled and answered: “Why not?” That was as good an answer as any, I guessed. “And what are you?” I tried again. “I am the space ship. I do not live. You live. The others lived. They are dead. It is only you and me now.” So, it was some kind of artificial intelligence? One that thought it could make me comfortable by showing me my exact appearance while talking?\r \nThere was one last question I desperately needed the answer to. “Where are we going?” The thing smiled again. “Home.”"
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[WP] You were honored when the cult appointed you as the guardian for the antichrist. But now that devilish infant is a preschooler, and things are getting out of hand.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"\"I...have doubts.\" Lector Dane said to the Arch-Prior.\n\nThe elder cultist's eyes widened in surprise. \"You, Lector Dane? Caretaker of our Dark Master's son? The demonic dula of Satan's scion? Surely not!\"\n\n\"That's just it! Master...I begin to doubt young Louis is the son of our Dark Lord.\" Dane said.\n\n\"Don't be foolish! But three years old, yet he is already filled with our lord's malice! See, there, how he delights in torturing that hapless beast he's ensnared!\" The Arch-Prior exclaimed, gesturing down into the courtyard below, where the child was crouched on the grass beneath an oak tree, holding a small furry creature.\n\nDane glanced at the small boy, and frowned. Louis was holding out a handful of sunflower seeds to a squirrel seated on his palm, which in turn was stuffing it's cheeks with the crunchy treats the boy offered. The boy gently scratched the top of the little rodent's head, causing it to chirr happily.\n\n\"Arch-Prior...I believe he is *befriending* the creature.\"\n\nThe Arch-Prior paused, and removed a pair of thick glasses from his robe. After fogging them and polishing them clear on his voluminous sleeve, he donned them, and peered at the wholesome scene playing out below.\n\n\"Well...\" the old man began, hesitantly. \"He's....he's probably only showing kindness to the beast *now* to...to *heighten* its despair when he later betrays it!\"\n\n\"The antichrist is plotting the downfall of a squirrel?\" Dane asked, flatly.\n\n\"Well, you've got to start somewhere!\" The Arch-Prior snapped.\n\n\"What about *this?\"* Dane demanded, thrusting a sheet of paper at his superior. \"Is *this* the work of Satan's only-begotten?\" \n\nThe old man examined the paper. It was a child's drawing depicting a small, smiling stick figure holding hands with a larger stick figure in a robe. The figures were neatly labelled \"me\" and \"unky Dane\" in crayon. \n\n\"Aha!\" The Arch-Prior crowed. \"A three year old child, *writing legibly?* That's obviously supernatural! He already receives a measure of our master's dark wisdom! I bet he'll be screaming blasphemies in ancient Greek, soon enough!\"\n\n\"He's *homeschooled,*\" Dane pointed out, \"Simple writing at his age isn't actually that uncommon, outside of public education.\"\n\n\"He was born with the *number of the beast* in a birthmark on his scalp! 666!\" The Arch-Prior insisted, crossly. \"That ought to be enough!\"\n\n\"About that,\" Dane said, handing the prior another sheet of paper. \"I was looking at the mark closely, the last time I cut his hair. I sketched it for you -- do you notice anything about it?\"\n\n\"It says six-six-six!\" The old man said, stubbornly.\n\n\"But what else is there?\"\n\n\"Well, 666...with a line over it. So what?\"\n\nDane shook his head. \"No, no. Haven't you ever played pool? They number the balls, but since they can roll any direction, they put a line under six and nine to indicate the *bottom* of the number.\"\n\nThe Arch-Prior's eyes widened. \"You mean...\"\n\nDane nodded. \"The birthmark says *999,* not 666.\"\n\nThe old man groaned, his shoulders sagging. \"Damn it! *God* must be screwing with us, again!\"\n\n\"So, what now?\" Dane asked, after an uncomfortable silence.\n\n\"Well, I guess we sacrifice *this* kid to Satan, and hope he's not too pissed off that we got taken for a ride.\" the old man sighed.\n\nDane nodded and placed a hand on the old man's shoulder. \"I was afraid you'd say that.\"\n\nThe Arch-Prior frowned \"What do you mean?\"\n\n\"Well, the kid may not be the antichrist, but I did learn one thing from him, by raising him for the last three years.\" Dane explained.\n\n\"What's that?\"\n\nDane leaned close the old man's ear, and whispered,\n\n\"I learned that I like him a lot more than I like *you.\"*\n\nThe Arch-Prior didn't have time to reply before Dane tightened his grip on the old man's shoulder, and shoved him over the high wall surrounding the courtyard -- opposite the side where his young charge was at play, of course.\n\nLeaning over the wall, Dane looked down at the twisted body of his former mentor, the old cultist's face frozen forever in a stare of horrified realization. Part of him felt guilty...but a larger part of him felt that he'd done what anyone would, in his position. Satan, after all, was clearly not Louis' father. Therefore, Dane decided, that position had needed to be filled -- and he'd had his doubts about his previous job for a while, anyway.\n\nDane pulled his cult robe over his head, and tossed it over the wall, watching it flutter down to join the Arch-Prior's corpse on the ground outside the wall.\n\n\"Unky Dane!\" Louis called up from the courtyard. \"Is Unky Pri'er gonna come down an' play?\"\n\nDane turned, and looked back down into the courtyard. Louis beamed up at him happily, his squirrel friend now perched on his little shoulder.\n\nDane gave the lad a wan smile. \"No, sorry, kiddo....he had to go.\""
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[WP] You were just enjoying life in your medieval fantasy world; until you were run over by a horse carriage. You find yourself in a strange, magical world of stones and glass and shiny carriages without horses.
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"**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n**Reminders**:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\n*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*",
"The sky smelled of smoke and electricity. That couldn't be a good sign.\n\nI sat up, squeezing my eyes shut. Too bright to open them just yet. \"Are you okay? Sir?\" someone said. \"I will recover\", I grumbled, swatting away help. \"Alert the guild, tell them...I had a stumble at the market. Don't tell them I walked into the street.\"\n\n\"What's a guild?\"\n\nMy eyes finally adjusted as I pried them open. A small crowd had gathered around me, what appeared to be farmers of some sort. All of them, in the absolute strangest outfits known to man. Impeccably cut and tailored, but not in the way normal clothes were. \n\nI struggled to my feet, and the world that awaited me was dizzying. In place of the market, towering glass monoliths larger than any man could conceive of blocked the horizon. More people than I'd ever seen, in even stranger outfits, rushed back and forth into and out of these infernal structures. Instead of horses and carriages, twisted metal contraptions roared through the streets. Gods on high...it was terrifying.\n\nA hand reached out, and I instinctively drew my sword as I turned back to the crowd. Thankfully, the people who lived here still understood the sharp end of a blade. One of them drew a glass tile, and placed it to her ear. \"YOU. Wizard. What manner of treachery is this, where's the market? Why is everything made of glass?\" She refused to answer.\n\nMore of the crowd drew similar tiles. Some of them flashed bright, unnatural lights at me. Not even the most powerful spells were capable of creating such eye-searing illumination. \"Lookin' good, Game Of Thrones!\", screamed a man from inside one of the steel carriages, which made an unnatural noise as it sped off, faster than the wind.",
"Day One:\n\nDying wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, I did enjoy my previous life and have little knowledge of how to return, if I even can. I woke up in a different world in the clothing I put on just this morning and a blank journal. Glass, stone, horseless carriages, snow instead of sand at a beach despite the warm temperature. I knew this place well and often visited it in my dreams. It was an empty world that I could explore and it was beautiful. However I must make my way to the edge.\n\nMy dear sister had her own world as well, only it was darker and more sinister. I remember her crying at night when we were younger. It continued until she started to learn how to control the monsters that lurked there. One night we both traveled to the edges of our worlds and we discovered a wall separating the two worlds. We each were capable of entering the other and we would always remember upon waking. The worst day of my life came when my sister was accused of being a witch and was executed.\n\nMy own death was not accidental, I felt the hand that pushed me. I must find the wall again, I must see if that dark world is still there, and I must see if I am able to see my sister again. I must see if we can have our revenge on our killers. If we can pull them into this dreamland they wouldn’t stand a chance of surviving."
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