Split (1)

train · 199k rows

post_text stringlengths 0 17.5k	post_title stringlengths 8 314	comment_texts listlengths 1 74	num_stories int64 1 74
*1% of humanity.	[WP] Only 1% was still alive by the time aliens came and started capturing everybody. The survivors believe they will be slaugthered. In reality the aliens are just offering jobs to everybody	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "We reached the end of the long alleyway panting and exhausted. To our dismay , a 15-foot barbed-wire fence blocked our escape. We were trapped. Behind us , a thick smog covering limited our visibility severely. The alleyway seemed to taper in until reduced to the miniscule space we now found ourselves in. Our capture and death seemed imminent.\n\nUp to now we had prided ourselves on being part of the last bastion of hope for our species. \n\nAt that moment we realized that all of our cleverness and ability to evade capture up to own was pointless.\n\nThe Claspian horns blared in the distance. The sound was all too familiar now - like tires screeching in slow motion before an abrupt collision.\n\n\"Shit , Shit , Shit! \" Marcus wailed while clenching and shaking the fence desperately. \n\n\"There's no way to climb it , can't get a foothold\" exclaimed Lira. \n\nSuddenly they appeared from the smog behind us. There were three of them. Two puffy ones sporting the standard Claspian copper armor escorted the chief.\n\nThe leader of the group approached us steadily. His violet glow-orbs shifting up and down rapidly , scanning the scene. \n\nLira reached for the pistol at her hip. I placed my elbow over her forearm to prevent her from reaching it. Their beams were concealed but their confidence spoke volumes. Trying to defend ourselves at this point would seal our fate. \n\nI found myself staring eye-to-eye with the Claspian chief after a few seconds. My field of vision filled with intense violet radiation. My thoughts turned to my own demise and I prepared to meet my maker. I closed my eyes waiting for the heat of the beam to strike me and end me. All sounds around me faded away into my subconscious.\n\nThe Claspian made some gestures and reached into his pocket. I opened my eyes , wondering how I was still alive. \n\nI look down slowly , starting from the neck of the robotic being and working my way down his arms all the way to his metallic fingers.\n\nHe was holding a shiny blue Spatula the size of a tennis racket!\n\nA sound emanated from his blocky head - \"Congratulations Human , your composition has been found fit to be a line cook on the Traphoria-B Cargo Waystation. Discard all your belongings , take this Spatula , and follow us to the training kitchen. Your first lesson will be the a common dish on Traphoria-B : Claspian Fried Qualian Trees.\" \n\nThe chief looked to his companions and pointed the way." ]	2
	[WP] Dragon skyway: A wizard company that for a fee will polymorph you into Ancient Silver Dragons with various enchantments. Thus allowing you to fly into the upper atmosphere and travel at supersonic speeds to your destination. Today you have saved enough to use the service to fly home.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " A dragon takes off, its wings thrusting forward, the sound like thunder clapping.\n\nIt startles a young girl, who cries out, afraid.\n\n“Don’t worry love,” her mother comforts her, “Dragons aren’t real!”\n\nI rolled my eyes. I was so sick of hearing that. Humans were so naïve, so closed off to the universe that they couldn’t even comprehend how much they had yet to learn.\n\nI was in line at Silver Serpents, one of those budget travel places. I had tried this before and never gotten very far, but this time I knew the boy behind the counter.\n\nAn awkward teenager with greasy red hair, Brandon was easy to manipulate, especially with the disgusting human body I was trapped in. \n\nWhen I was a dragon, I was revered as the largest, the most powerful. I could breathe fire that burned hotter than any other. My silver scales shone iridescent, thicker and tougher than the best armour humanity could imitate.\n\nI would stretch my wings wide, my bones as thick as proud redwoods, the skin between them leathery and smooth. No one could fly as long or as distant as I.\n\nI clicked my teeth with pride- a gesture that as a dragon displayed the ferocity of my large, jagged fangs, but as a human simply made an annoying noise.\n\nMy ego, though rightfully inflated, was the reason I had ventured to Earth. No dragon had ever returned from visiting this tiny planet, we had always assumed from sheer exhaustion. The truth was far worse. \n\n“Um…Next!” calls Brandon shakily. \n\nI made sure to zip down my sweater a little before heading over. It was pathetic, these highly sexualised, deformed bodies. No other species was so obsessed with the act of mating, or needed such prominent breasts.\n\n“Hi Brandon,” I smile widely, flashing my small teeth. It seems to put other humans at ease, but if another dragon were to show me such an expression, believe I would end them for daring to show me a threat display.\n\nHe moved his lips as if to respond, but ended up choking and waving instead.\n\n“I need to get back home. You see,” I pushed out my bottom lip, making my eyes big, trying to look like prey. “My male parent has died, and I need to return home to tend to the grain products.”\n\nHe nodded, seemingly not noticing my stagnant speech. I did not enjoy the human tongues- dragons do not need words to communicate, merely claws and teeth and fire.\n\n“What was the address?” He asks, using buttons to write on a small screen.\n\nThis is where I had been caught out before.\n\n“You see, Brandon, I live in a rural zone, in the furthest arid region from here. I possess knowledge of the location; however, I cannot state it in names and numbers.” I make sure to lean forward, and watched the sickly human struggle to control his gaze.\n\n“Yes, um, that’s, er- fine. As long as you know where it is, you just need to, er, put your hand onto the sensor here,” He gestured towards a flat glass panel with a flashing red light captured inside it.\n\n“and then it, um, calculates how far you need to go and what type of dragon you’ll need.” He points towards the glowing orbs behind him, and I am momentarily speechless. Each one glowed a different hue, pulsing with the mana of different dragons.\n\n“We charge a flat fee for traveling anywhere out of the country.” I hand him some coloured paper. I knew they held more value than the gold and silver coins I had also collected, so I did not feel the need to part with those. I do enjoy gold.\n\n“Um… You’re a bit short.” He plays with the paper, concern furrowing the hair of his eyebrows.\n\nI lean further forward and show him my teeth again. He seems to relent, exhaling air before speaking. \n\n“I guess, um, that I can use my employee discount.” I show him additional teeth. “We are neighbours after all. Um, do you have any questions before your trip?”\n\nI nod, staring intently at a particularly large orb, an iridescent glow shimmering inside. It was dusty, and bowed the wooden shelf under its weight. “How far does that dragon go?”\n\nHe cast a glance at it. “Were not sure, we’ve had it for years but its never lit up. We aren’t even sure it works, but the owner reckons one day it’ll sell for something.” \n\nHe blows some dust off it, admiring how beautiful it was. “Sure is pretty though.”\n\nThis time, I show my teeth and respond without meaning to. “Thank you!”\n\nHe looked confused, but I quickly placed my hand on the scanner and his attention directed once again towards the screen.\n\n“Just think of your location, clearly in your mind. Focus on it.”\n\nI do. I think of home – the sweet smell of burning grasses, the feel of clay in my claws as I dig out a den. I think of the creatures I get to feast on, the trees so tall and thick they can support me when I climb them. \n\nThe large orb lights up, bright enough to catch the attention of all in the room. It falls upon me, and I feel my bones begin to stretch and thicken. It starts with a pleasant tingling, like a fire sizzling out, but soon begins to scald. \n\nI scream out in pain, a shrill, pitiable sound. Bones pierce my skin, my shoulder blades erupting into wings. My smooth skin bubbles, replaced by a waterfall of exquisite scales. I feel myself grow large enough to burst through the buildings shell. Debris and humans go flying.\n\nBefore I take off, I ensure to use my magnificent tail to crush any orbs still intact. I watch the light leave them, soaring across the sky back to their original owners. One lands in the next city, and I hear a glorious roar erupt through the skyline.\n\nI click my teeth proudly, the sound shattering windows. I growled, a deep, vibrating noise, a cry to all dragons to free their trapped brethren.\n\nI take off, the force from my wings destroying a block of buildings. \n\nMiles away from, Earth, I briefly stop to admire the eruption of light spreading across the lands like fireworks.\n\nI could not spare long, as I had to get home. It would take time to summon the other royal dragons, and it would require all of us to conquer the earth.\n\nThe humans will soon learn; there is no vengeance like that born of fire.", "As I waited in line, I watched the winged beasts fly into the air, suitcases strapped to their hide. Flapping higger and higher, some swooping and gliding through the air to test their newfound abilities. Others had traveled the Dragon Skyway before and flew along their routes as planned. Even magic can be dull. \n\nI thought about home. I thought about my mom and dad and their spat of bad luck. I thought about their struggles and fights, and how sad I was I couldn't be there to help them through it. I thought about my brother and his card collections. His Bulldogs baseball cap and rocket ship models. I thought about his funeral I missed three months ago. \n\nThe line moved closer to the checkout. I fumbled the credit card in my pocket. It was funny to me how the money I had saved for months on end was represented by this little slip of plastic. I could swipe this card at the counter and, for some reason, they valued the little digits and electronic data bits that it transmitted. All that time I had worked over three semesters was somehow converted to something this little card could spend. And now I could fly home. It was like magic.\n\nWhen the lady in front of me transformed into a great silver dragon, she took off immediately, leaving her luggage behind. It took a team of wizards to bring her around before she got too far. It was always important to keep your luggage. If you dont have something to remind yourself of who you are when you arrive, you could find yourself completely different than when you departed. \n\n\"That was lucky,\" I said to wizard at the checkout counter once she took off again. He was dressed in white robes and a pointed hat. A dragon pin was clipped to his front, and a staff lay by his side.\n\n\"Indeed it was. The oldest of magic,\" he said. \"Cash or credit?\" \n\n\"Credit, please. And you mean to say that luck is a type of magic?\"\n\n\"Thank you, sir. And oh yes, luck is magic in its rawest form. The magic we know and use today, the 'spell' as it were, is just planned luck. How many bags?\"\n\n\"Just one. And if that's the case, couldn't anyone do magic?\"\n\n\"Of course anyone can do magic. Wizards are just the ones who know the spells. Speaking of, shall we do the polymorph now?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" I said. \"And thank you for the conversation.\"\n\n\"My pleasure!\" said the wizard. \"Lucky that we met!\" He winked an eye.\n\nSoon I felt my skin stretch and my bones begin to multiply. My chest was burning and my back split open for my wings. It was an odd feeling, exhilarating to quite honest. I flapped my wings with muscles I couldn't fathom. I sprayed fire from my mouth.\n\nWhy would I want to go home anymore?\n\nI took off from the site, leaving my baggage behind. It was time to find some of my own luck." ]	3
	[WP] It seems to only come with the rain.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Cherise always had a very diplomatic sense about her, never wanting to be the first to choose a side, but to hear all the facts, to behave appropriately when it was absolutely necessary. The abrupt personality scale that she slid on however, was her demise. The highest of the highs allowed her to do whatever she wanted to chase the plateaus of her mental state, or she could slide right and her emotions, feelings, disregards, dislikes would sear through her subconscious and land helplessly on her face and radiate through her demeanor. Doctors in the past had diagnosed her with Bi-Polar II. It wasn't as though she didn't know she had it, but for years, she chose to ignore the red flags and signs that would eventually lead to a life of unfortunate events, as they say. We are getting off track. Where was I?\n\nThe doctor boasts, \"Let's take a few more breaths and start again?\"\n\nCherise nods, \"okay, (breathes), here we go, (breathes)\"\n\nThe doctor slides the worn in chair towards her, \"I think we should finish covering where we were last week with a few more childhood memories we were discussing, sound okay?\"\n\nShe slowly moved her tongue to the roof of her mouth and pressed as hard as she could. She had a fuzzy memory of someone telling her 'that is how you stop yourself from crying or tearing up', and it always seemed to work for her.\n\n\"Sounds good!\" Claps. \"Let's do it.\"\n\n\"Are you sure? We don't have to? But I would like to finish the session on this particular memory soon.\" Dr. Press persisted.\n\n\"No, its good, you're right, and I do agree with you\" she breathes, \"whew,\" she laughs.\n\nShe closes her eyes and plants both feet firmly on the ground. The doctor mirrors her actions and turns the lights down. Cherise can feel the lights go down and begins to relax in her seat, eyes closed, attempting to quiet the mind. She hears the doctors voice clear with a raspy crispiness to it.\n\n\"I want you to think of a memory that resembles a moment of helplessness in your childhood. I want you to think of who was there, where you were.... what sounds do you hear? Are there any smells in the air?\"\n\nThe doctor then knocks both knees of Cherise three times simultaneously.\n\n\"Keep your eyes closed, I am going to knock your knees again\"\n\nShe knocks her knees three more times\n\n\"Okay, do you know where you are?\"\n\n\"Yes, I am in a closet with my sister. We are huddled together, crying.... It smells like shoes, rubber, leather, an old stench of jackets hanging above us. My mom opens the door and she tells us to 'stay quiet'.\"\n\n\"And how do you feel in this moment? What do you hear? Can you hear anything outside the closet?\"\n\n\"I feel helpless. I feel stuck, and confused, I don't know whats happening...\" with her eyes still closed, Cherise begins to well up, two tears drop to her shirt. \"I can hear loud noises, things are breaking, and my mom is screaming in the background but I can't make out what she's saying.\"\n\nShe feels 3 knocks on her knees once more\n\n\"Okay, open your eyes, and put your palms face up on your knees.\"\n\nCherise complies, as expected, Dr. Press taps her pulse points with the gentle firmness she came to expect from the good doctor.\n\n\"I want you to go back to that moment, but this time I want you imagine that you are watching this in 3rd person. As though you are standing in a movie theater and watching it on a big screen. If it helps, imagine the theater too, what does it look like? Where is it?\"\n\n\"It's a free standing theater, its...cloudy enough to feel a charge in the air. Like any moment, the weather can turn on you, now I am in the theater, and its grand, like the theater in Inglorious Basterds\", stops to giggle, eyes still closed she mumbles \"sorry, I love movies, anyway....So its grand with long red drapes, box seats, and I am standing in the middle aisle\"\n\nThe doctor is observing her chase humor to avoid the feelings she is attempting to suppress.\n\n\"Okay, when you look at the screen now, I want you to again, imagine that you are now watching this like a movie.\"\n\nAs she stands and watches traumatic memory of her mothers' abusive boyfriend scream about burning the house down with everyone in it, she starts to feel less helpless and begins to feel anger while the film scrolls on, like a 20's silent film, replaying the dialogue in her mind while the lips on the screen render.\n\n\"Whew\", coughs, \"Umm, okay, wow.\" Cherise manages to get out.\n\n\"How do you feel?\" the doctor replied.\n\n\"I feel different then when we started, I feel angry about it now...I'd rather feel at peace, but anger works too, I guess\" she snarks.\n\n\"Well, you know its a process, you've gotta be patient with yourself. You will get there, that's why I am here, to help you.\"\n\nShe takes a breath, \"I know, and you have been amazing, I am just like 'aghhh' (waves fist in the air)\".\n\n\"I know, but that is our goal right? To reach a place of peace?\"\n\n\"Yes\"\n\nCherise can still feel the weight in her heart, pumping with angst and slight anger. Unable to help but wonder if there was something she could have done differently in that moment.\n\nCould I have stopped it?\n\nShe can hear the doctor talking to her in the background of her loud inner voice.\n\nI was so small, but I should have done SOMETHING. If I did something back then, who knows what would have happened, but at least I wouldn't feel this way\n\n\"Take one more breath Cherise, I can see it on your face that you are overthinking something. I want to interject that thought process that you are stuck in and tell you that I think you did a phenomenal job being so open today. I think that the EMDR is working well for you, and remember, these are steps that we are taking to get to that place of peace, right?\"\n\nWhile the doctor is praising Cherise's achievement in her early stages, she is tapped into another thought, one of her mother, more specifically, Cherise diving out of the closet and running to her mother's side during whatever crisis she had to listen to while suffering behind the closet door. While trying to escape her own blackhole of suppressed memories, she looks out the window of her doctors small square office.\n\nDistract yourself! Calm it down!\n\nShe stares out the window, and gives way to an ironic scoff. She takes up a small rip of laughter, but can feel it as she closes her eyes and the wave begins to crash inside of her core. The center of her being began to burn, to defensively hold back, but she couldn't, she exhaled a quiver of a cry, and the streams formed beneath her eyes. The doctor watched on as Cherise let the tears flow, then quickly closed them so tightly, as to keep them from falling. \"She doesnt want to seem weak. She is trying to suppress another moment.\" Cherise begins to wipe her eyes, forcing her feelings back down into her chest cavity where they have been at home for decades. Her memory turned on itself and showed up in another place and time in the days of, mom.\n\n\"Lock it up lady!\" She tells herself.\n\n\"Where'd you just go?\" the doctor queries.\n\n\"I don't know, I just looked out the window and instantly thought of this moment with my mom when she almost burned our house down because she was one one of her coke binges. I remember that she literally put the ENTIRE Christmas tree up the chimney and lit that fucker on fire. My sister, two years older than me, running around and trying to help put it out. My mom yelling at me to get out of the way. So I am standing in the doorway, half in and half out, looking outside, and its pouring rain, my arms crossed along my 8 year old body.\"\n\n\"What triggered this for you? What happened that made you jump to that moment?\"\n\n\"You know, I looked out the window, and the color of the sky and the feel of the weather in that moment, is exactly what I am going to walk out into once I leave her. I don't always think about that moment in time, but for some reason, when the weather is like this, it shows up, deep, and intense.... it seems to only come with the rain.\"", "Amidst the rural streets of a placid city melding into rich and vibrant overgrowth, there stood erect a horizon of unaccustomed travellers. They were of a smaller nature, aerial and of perplexing number. Insect or bird, their physical form was not yet conceptualized by the inhabitants of the city, but such a gathering was rare and so desperately sought. \n\nThrough the crack of a shattered cloud, came down upon these tiny creatures in vibrant arrays, a benevolent radiance; a shimmering dance of water droplets falling and sparkling, shining the horizon with a secondary sunset. From this scene, the clean grace of emerald eyes vowed to shape this redemption. \n\nThe small girl, whose name was long forgotten, listened mutely among her brothers and sisters of the Planeth Ward. \n\n\"It seems to only come with the rain,\" she caught one of the white clothed wardens arm with speculation. \"But why?\" Said another, bulbous bellied and grossly pale.\n\nThe first one restrained a laugh and then shrugged. Something about the mysterious awe before them fluttered their spiritual butterflies. \"Maybe they're amphibious?\"\n\nA bellowing, guttural laughter erupted. \"Maybe. Maybe right they are! But bloody hell if I know wheres they come from.\" He looked at his watch. Then meandered a glance towards the little girl who remained unspoken. A blank stare riddled her face, but within her gaze came the reflection of dark green diamonds. \n\n\"Oy! You're off the Schitz ward arent ya?\" His head scratching turned more into a lathering rub, lubricated by the gentle rain. \"Well what are you doing out way out here?\"\n\nHe looked closer. There was some strange peculiarity to her. By his fixation, his partner came to perplex upon the same view, until he overtook the bulbous figure and wandered next to the little girl. \n\nTiny rain dots dappled her hair and face, and for each new one came forth a gentle spark of illumination, not an aural glow of the whole body, but somewhere across the plane of her eyes, like the pistons of imagination. \n\n\"Your not from the Schitz ward,\" he said most curiously. He looked around, still half mesmerized by the swarming starlit band that floated ephemerally and mysteriously. This curiosity peaked as he delved deeper into her vision, studying the glimmer in her eyes, of ten million needles of light. Then she blinked, and with that blink came a wave of darkness across the horizon, before recollecting into radiance. \n\nHis head backed away, the extremities of his face moist from heavier rain. The rain came down like an ocean wave, the gravity of it bringing him to his knees. Wherein the great waterfall, he remained looking forward at what was now a shadow of a girl beyond its veil, eyes still aglow.\n\nHe straddled the well-kept grass, his clothes now soaked as a sailor's cap in stormy seas. So loud was the downfall, that he did not see or hear his colleague succumb to the ground in so similar fashion. So bright was the glimmer now, that birthed all around, amplified through crystalline rain that was as soothing as it was unrelenting. \n\nThen the girl blinked. And all went dark.\n\nWhen the white robed man awoke. He was no longer in a field, but in a white room. He lay in a white bed, white sheets clung to him like white clouds. White light brimmed from a white ceiling. And a white robed man with darker skin approached. \n\n\"Wh-what happened? I was outside a minute ago...where's the girl? what happened to me? Where am I? did I black out? I did didn't I?\"\n\nThe darker man leaned in closer, calmly, and with perfect neutrality. \"Your in the Schitz ward. You've had another relapse.\"\n\nA thousand questions came to rise, and they came out all at once, mixing into a concoction of unrecognizable chemistry.\n\nThe dark man retreated, bending his ear to another man who came to approach. A balding man, bulbous bellied with a guttural voice. \n\n\"It's strange,\" the dark man said. \"The episodes seem so erratic, its hard to find a pattern. I wonder where his mind went this time...\"\n\nA guttural grunt of affirmation came, followed by few words that would equate to a distraction while one would read the daily paper, \"Seems to only come with the rain.\"" ]	3
	[WP]The date of death of every person is known from birth. Yours was yesterday. A man in a suit points a light at you: the interrogation is starting.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Agent: \"As you can see we've had our eye one you for some time now, Mr Anderson. It seems you don't like playing by the rules .\n\n (Takes off glasses)\n\n I'm going to be as forthcoming as I can be, Mr Anderson.\n\n We believe that you have been contacted by a certain individual, a man who calls himself Morpheus. He is believed by many to be the most dangerous man alive. \n\nMy colleagues believe that I'm wasting my time with you, Mr. Anderson, but I believe that you wish to do the right thing. \n\nAll we're asking for is your cooperation.\"\n\n\nYou: \"Yeah, wow, that sounds like a great deal. But I think I got a better one. How about ...I give you the finger...(gives him the finger) and you give me my phone call.\"\n\n\nAgent :\"Mr. Anderson, you dissappoint me...\"\n\n\nYou:\"You can't scare me with this Gestapo crap. I know my rights. I want my phone call.\"\n\n\nAgent: \"I see. Then tell me, Mr. Anderson, what good is a phone call, when you're no longer living within any timeline?\"\n\n\n[ it's a spinoff]" ]	2
	[WP] "Could you please explain to this committee how a garden-variety crow managed to operate a submachine gun?"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I sat there wondering how many years I was going to have to spend in jail for what happened. Oh well, it couldn't hurt to tell the truth, could it?\n\n\"Alright. Let me start at the beginning.\"\n\nAbout 2 years ago, I was sitting on my deck, having just finished the last of my pot. I set my bong down next to my chair and was just watching the sunset. When I heard some noises, and heard a thud next to me. I turned and there was a crow laying there. Being stoned, I wasn't thinking, and I picked it up.\n\nThe poor thing had a broken wing, and was unconscious. Next thing I knew, my head hurt. Looking around, there was an angry hawk flying about. Not knowing what else to do, I fled inside.\n\nLong story short, I helped the crow. Splinted the wing, nursed it back to health, named it Fred. And tried letting it go, after it recovered. Fred didn't leave though. I guess he had grown to like me, or didn't want to take his chances in the wild again.\n\nA few months later, I was playing a game, stoned as usual. When Fred hopped on the table in front of me. He didn't usually do that, especially with how cluttered it was. It caught my attention though. He hopped around, poking at things, then his head came up with a small colorful piece of paper. \"Fred, no.\" But he ate it. I was worried, I had a friend over a few days before, and he had left some of his LSD when he left. Panicking, I grabbed my phone to Google if it would hurt crows, I had left the game going. While searching, I heard victory music playing. That stopped me.\n\nI looked at the TV in confusion, then looked for my controller. I had set it on the table, and was shocked. Fred was poking buttons, and using one of his feet to move the joystick. He had beaten the boss that I had been stuck on for the last few hours. Not having made good decisions before, obviously, that set me down a road of even more questionable decisions.\n\nOver the next few months, I kept giving Fred some LSD daily and seeing what else he could do and learn. He has painted, written stories, made some songs, and many other things. I also started going out more, Fred with me, of course. Started making something of my life, and also kept seeing how much Fred could do.\n\nI finally got a stable job, which I have no idea how I convinced them to let me have Fred with me while I was on the clock, but he helped me do better. Correcting mistakes I made, and so on.\n\nThen last week happened. I went to my dealer, as I was almost out of Fred's stuff. It just so happened that his suppliers were there as well. It was a tense situation. Then a few cops kicked in the door. There was some fighting, a few gun shots, and I'm not sure what happened. All I had done was drop to the floor, Fred had flown up to a shelf. While staying on the floor, I looked around. 2 cops had been shot, 2 more unconscious, my dealer and one of the others lay dead, and the other 3 were angry. They were saying I brought the cops, and arguing about whether to kill me and the officers here or take us elsewhere.\n\nI'm don't know how, but as one of them was turning to me, Fred took flight to the counter. As a pistol was swinging towards me, I cowered, then more gunfire. The silence after was almost surreal. The 3 guys, now dead, I stood up. Looking around, I saw Fred on a gun, looking extremely agitated. So, not knowing what else to do, I called 911.\n\n\"That basically was all that happened, and now we're here.\"\n\nThe committee looked at me like I had 5 heads. \"Let us discuss this privately.\" Then they got up and walked out, leaving me and Fred alone in the room. \"Well Fred, I guess they know everything now. Now we just gotta see what happens.\"\n\nAbout an hour later they came back in. What was said was the last thing I thought I would hear.\n\n\"We have a job offer for the two of you.\"", " \"Could you please explain to this committee how a garden-variety crow managed to operate a submachine gun?\"\n\n“I’m just as surprised as you. All I can tell you is what I saw happen.” \n\n“And you expect us to believe that … Senator Williamson was shot 53 times …. by a crow”\n\n“Yes”\n\n“Why don’t you give us a play by play”\n\n“I’m sorry?”\n\n“You know a play by play.. tell us what happened. With more detail. From your eyes.” The senators contempt was hardly contained.\n\n“I don’t think that’s necessary”\n\n“Well it’s not for you to decide what is necessary for this committee to hear. \"\n\nThe woman sighed and leaned forward in her sear. “ The crow flew up. Shot the senator. And flew away.”\n\n“The crow flew up, with a sub machine gun?”\n\n“Yes”\n\n“And shot Senator Williamson 53 times?”\n\n“Yes”\n\n“Did the crow reload?”\n\n“I don’t recall. I was being shuttled into a truck by my bodyguards.”\n\n“The reason I ask is that our forensics team has shown that Senator Williamson was shot with a SP 3500.”\n\n“…..”\n\n“The largest magazine available for the SP 3500 holds forty-five rounds.”\n\n“…..” \n\n“So in order for the crow to shoot Senator Williamson 53 times he would have had to reload… The SP 3500 it flew up with …. At least once?”\n\n“Are you asking me or telling me?”\n\n“Asking”\n\n“I suppose it must have. As I said before I don’t recall. I was being carried away by my bodyguards”\n\n“Your bodyguards are equipped with the SP 3500 aren’t they”\n\n“Some of them are. Yes.”\n\n“You know what I think happened? I think when you couldn’t strongarm Senator Williamson during your meeting you had your bodyguards kill him. Which gives you just enough of a majority to force the vote expanding your emergency powers.”\n\n“I told you what happened. A crow shot him.”\n\n“And you expect us to believe that”\n\n“Yes. Because, if this committee doesn’t believe me, and delivers a report saying I had a sitting senator killed to the arbitrator; he will have no choice but to order my execution. An order which we all know will never be carried out.”\n\n“Why do you think it won’t be carried out?”\n\n“Because I have the support of the military, the clergy, and the people. And, our nation needs me to do what’s necessary. The things you didn’t have the stomach for. Right now our nation needs me more than they need this government. So you can believe me, and this government will survive the current emergency, and when things return to normal you can come up with some pretense to have me executed. Or you can start a civil war. One you’ll quickly lose, and our nation can hardly afford.”\n\n“…..”\n\n“Now, if this committee is satisfied with my testimony, some of us have a world to save.”\n\n“Fuck you Sally”\n\nSally made no response as she left the hastily converted gymnasium, flanked by a dozen guards.", "\"Dr. Nibbert ! Could you please explain to this committee how a garden-variety crow managed to operate a sub-machine gun!?\"\n\n\"Okay..Calm down there...It's just a crow who can operate a gun. It's not a big deal. \"\n\n\"But Dr. Nibbert.\"\n\n\"You committee people need to calm down.\"\n\n\"It's a fucking crow who can operate a fucking gun? How the fuck am I supposed to calm down, you dolt?\"\n\n\"Dolt? I am a scientific genius. I caused a mouse to lose the fear of all cats. I made a car designed for dogs and specifically dogs to operate. I made a tiger-person by splicing Tiger DNA and Human DNA and putting that in a cloning machine! I even made a fire-breathing ostrich!\"\n\n\"Dr. Nibbert! You are insane.\"\n\n\"But I bet you can't pull off the things, I can do.\"\n\n\"You've a point.\"\n\n\"I am glad, you understand.\"\n\n\"But an ordinary dog can't follow the traffic instructions! The mouse has probably become some random cat's chow. And the crow killed a person!\"\n\n\"I..Ummm...\"\n\n\"Oh my!\", said Dr. Nibbert's assistant Satoshi.\n\n\"I have to give you credit for making a tiger-person though. Where is he now?\", said the committee leader.\n\n\"Well, he's a very rich now,\" said Dr Nibbert,\"He's a cereal mascot.\"\n\n\"Oh. And Dr. Nibbert?\", said the committee leader.\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"Why do I keep seeing wacky maniacs like you as scientists!\"\n\n\"Three words. Don't underestimate the wacky?\"\n\n\"Actually, doctor. That was four words,\" said Satoshi.\n\n\"Yeah. That was clearly four words. And not three,\" said the committee leader.\n\n\"Satoshi. Stop that\" said Dr. Nibbert. \n\n~~-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~~\n\n(I am open to critique.)", "\\[Poem\\]\n\nBefore it fired you heard a caw\n\nAnd you look up there in awe\n\n\"'Tis a crow on that gun\"\n\nYou think yourself the only one\n\nBut no! The man beside you croak: \"'Tis a jackdaw\"\n\n\\---\n\nNot really great at poems, but I wanted to make the joke." ]	5
	[WP] Everybody on the planet relives the same year over and over, and everyone remembers. (the physical world resets back to the way it was at the beginning of each yearly cycle.)	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It hits zero, and everything resets. The long-haul trucker finds himself back at his home town's Irish bar. The mother loses her baby and experiences a craving for pickles and Nutella. The healthy child's cancer comes back.\n\nThree, two, one, reset. Start the clock. Cycle 401.\n\nWe all know our futures. Everything leads to the same outcome. The kid goes into remission. Lucky him. His leukemia comes back in an instant and his hair falls out during the night. Sucks to be him. I write down the same notes and math that I wrote 400 times before. I don't know if it's memory any more. Everything from how many pens I went through to the exact spot on the kitchen counter the cream splashes when I make my coffee on the 22nd of August at 1:37:12PM.\n\nI write my notes, and I get one pen-stroke further. Lucky me.\n\nThree, two, one, reset. Start the clock. Cycle 402.\n\nSomeone or something started this. It's not perfect. We remember. People's thoughts change and their states of mind deteriorate. Anxiety rules the world and yet we make the same actions against our will. Machines making the same motions but always updating their operating system. Are we pieces of a computer? Are we neurons in a brain?\n\nThen again, I don't know what people are thinking. This could just be me.\n\nEvery day I train my mind. The moment I wake up, I focus, and then I sleep without my mind's consent. I don't need to remember the other cars on the road on my way to the office every morning, or wait for the lights to go green, or lock my eyes on the Toyota corolla getting clamped on 33rd street. The cycle remembers this for me. I don't need to remember cooking times for my store-bought pizzas or to defrost the thanksgiving turkey the night before, or to express my fake happiness for my daughter's engagement to the asshole. The cycle remembers that too. Every week I try to break it. A single action. Something small. A snap of my fingers. I feel the muscles strain.\n\nThree, two, one, reset. Start the clock. Cycle 403\n\nI get another pen stroke closer. There's a pattern, and that pattern is us. We run exactly the same and something stops it from changing. A machine makes sense. A finely-coded program that's fault-free, but at a cosmic scale.\n\nThe planets don't move. Saturn can always be seen every year, on the same night, in the same spot in the sky. Every time I look through that telescope and follow it up with putting my phone camera up to the telescope lens for a photo, Saturn is there. Who needs a solar system-wide computer system? What can that power?\n\nThree, two, one, reset. Start the clock. Cycle 404\n\nI ran a red light today. That's new." ]	2
	[WP] Ok, so remember all those stories in which everyone disappears? Well this is the place they teleport to.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Ever wonder what happens to us? The ones not interesting, talented, broken, unique enough to be the focus of the story. The ones forever left behind and abandoned?\n\nWell, we’re here. In this land of indistinct fog and perpetual dawn. The weather is lukewarm and so is all the water. The food tastes like hospital food and the internet is usually a second or two laggy. It’s always just ok here.\n\nSometimes, we hear screaming from a distance. None of us ever explore there though. That’s for the main characters, not us. But people do get dragged there occasionally. We try to help, usually, but not at our own expense. That, again, is for the main characters. Hopefully, they’ll be saved soon.\n\nThere’s a lot of different people here. Some wander around, saying little and doing even less. Those are the love interests, the mothers and fathers, the ones who have concrete ties to the other world. Some are just confused and oblivious. We call them the warning signs, because that’s what they are to the story. Not important enough to be saved by the hero but enough to spark some fear or interest. Then, there’s the rest of us. We don’t really know why we’re here. Maybe it’s just to add drama to the story, maybe it’s to start off the plot, maybe it’s just because the writers wanted it to happen. It doesn’t really matter that much, in the end. We aren’t getting out of here anyway.\n\nIt’s really not so bad here, you know. Most of us would have suffered terribly, had we stayed in the real world. Anyone near the hero usually does. \n\nFor the children, it’s even better. Imagine being continually outshadowed by a friend or a classmate. Imagine dying in agony because of them. It’s better this way, I think. \n\nOccasionally, floods of people come here. When they do, they usually leave quickly. Few stories can deal with so many people permanently between the dead and the living. \n\nAs for me, I know I’m never getting out. I’ve had my time to come to terms with that. If I think someone’s likely to leave, I try to talk to them. \n\n“My name is Sara Evelyn. If you see my wife, please tell her I’m sorry. Tell her that I love her,” I say.\n\nI’ve told over a hundred people by now. She must have gotten the message, right? Still, I continue.\n\n“Tell her I love her,” I say, to a man in tattered robes embroidered with the name Sirius. \n\n“Tell her I love her,” I say, to a young boy who asks me to call him Will.\n\nI wonder how old she is now. We don’t age here, as far as I know. Perhaps, when she dies, she’ll join me here.\n\nUntil then though, I’ll keep trying. As long as it takes, I promised her once. It’s the only thing I can do for her now." ]	2
	[WP] Youre driving in the rain and a car begins to tailgate you mildly infuriating you. You imagine the driver swerving off the road into a tree. It happens seconds later.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Bullets of water thundered against the pane of glass that separated me from the storm. My car’s windshield wipers rapidly swung to clear my vision, but I was only able to make out the cracked pavement in front of my car for a fraction of a second each cycle. A sigh escaped my lips as my foot off eased off the gas pedal. “There’s no rush, we just need to get home safely.” I muttered to the steering wheel.\n\nBlinding pale light shot into the cabin of my car from the rear windshield, pulling my attention to the rearview mirror. A lifted black Dodge pickup truck’s bumper nearly scraped the back of my Civic.\n\n“There’s another lane right there, just fucking pass!” I groaned, shaking my head. The truck’s lights stayed ever-present behind me, likely adjusted by some genius DIYer so that they pointed straight into my rearview mirror. My grip on the steering tightened. “I wish this guy would just…”\n\nA screech ripped from behind my car. My eyes flew to my rearview mirror as the truck’s front tires lost traction. The mass of black steel lurched off the road to the right, its wheels struggling to regain some grip on the slick roadside grass. The front of the car smashed into a massive roadside tree, causing the engine to burst into flames.\n\nI flicked my hazard lights on and slowly pressed on the brake pedal, pulling to the road’s shoulder. Holy shit! I need to call 911, if I don-\n\n“No, he deserved it. Isn’t that why you wished for it to happen?” A voice that was the same as my own, yet somehow distinct, spoke in my mind. \n\n“No, that was just-”\n\n“Just what? How you think after a long day of work?” A sinister chuckle rippled through my inner dialogue. “I’m afraid that’s how you always are, my friend.”\n\n“Damn, what’s wrong with me today?” I said, shaking my head. “But that guy did deserve it. Shouldn’t have been driving like an asshole.” I turned the hazard lights off as I pulled out into the road.\n\nAfter the incident, the rain lightened to a slight drizzle, allowing the drive back to my apartment to zoom by. When I swung my apartment door open, I was shocked to find all of the lights on. A man in a black suit stood in the middle of my living room, a sinister grin on his face. He ran his hand through his slicked-back hair before extending it out to me. “Welcome home. I think you’ve got great potential. Why don’t we make a deal?”" ]	2
	[WP] Everyone talks about soul mates, but what about arch enemies. You live in a world where everyone meets theirs during their 18th year of life, though it might not always be obvious and is more often than not one way. Yours is the nicest person you have ever met.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Of course I am!\" She gleefully remarked as she handed me a tray of food. \"Give me just a moment and I'll come out and explain it to you.\"\n\nI took my tray and went to a table in the back. She was the newest volunteer here, and I might just move to a different town to avoid her if that's what it takes. But not new to volunteer work in the slightest. She probably only does it because it makes her feel better about herself. Probably helps her feel like she's made some difference in this unforgiving world. I've always hated people like her. They don't know what this life is like. Hiding from cops, freezing in the winter, only finding relief in drugs, and being looked down on by most of society. But I'll always take advantage of their fake kindness. It is free food and a warm place to stay, after all. But even so, how could she be my arch nemesis? Why not some other homeless person who actually understands my struggle? Not some rich kid who wastes their life giving people food and helping animals instead of doing what they actually want, which is make more money and not end up like us.\n\n\"Sorry about the wait, just wanted the line to be cleared first. But where was I?\"\n\n\"You were telling me just how obvious it is that you were my arch nemesis.\"\n\n\"That's right!\"\n\n\"Care to explain that to me? How is it so obvious that some random soup kitchen volunteer is my biggest enemy?\"\n\nI say that, but I know she isn't just another random face I'll never see again. She is, after all, pretty well known for a volunteer. We've all seen her around. I'd say she was around 10 or 11 when she started doing volunteer work. Always dragging her rich parents behind her. Running up to convicted felons who slept under bridges, asking if they wanted a blanket, as her father chased her, screaming at her to be careful. When a pack of feral dogs started attacking people for food, she adopted the beasts, claiming they just needed more love. Always just more love. \"Insert whatever topic here needs more love\" was her slogan, and our private joke. When a tent collapsed, we, my friends and I, would stroke it and go \"Do you need more love?\" I'm shocked she didn't learn anything when one of them tried to bite her hand off a week later. And then she cried when they were put down. And if she did, she never showed it. Because she showed up that night to deliver more toiletries to the camps with her bandaged hand with another dog from that pack by her side saying the he needed some extra love because he just lost his friend. Still has that dog, too. But I heard rumors that the bastard will be put down soon because he's getting too old from the ones who don't see through her disguise and actually talk to her.\n\n\"Well, Ida, I am what you always wanted but could never have. I have no real concerns about when my next meal will come anymore. I could walk away from everything right here any time, and I know you sit there and seethe over why am I still here. What is the real reason I give everything I have to everybody else when I could go to some fancy college three states over and never look back? I know it bothers you. I know it occupies some part of your mind. And you obsess over it despite never having actually spoken to me. Because if it were you, you would have done just that. Not a judgement. Just a fact based on what I've overheard. So tell me, why do you think I stayed?\"\n\nHow did she know my name? We;ve never spoken.\n\n\"Because it make you feel better about yourself?\"\n\n\"Because these people are my family. Some literally, some figuratively. I was taken to an adoption agency when I was found and was quickly adopted. And I stay and help the people here however I can because I love them, even you.\"\n\n\"Not a surprise. You love everything.\" I scoffed. I was beginning to dread the conversation about now. Was it really about to become this cliche? Because if this is Belle, so help me god I will end this right now.\n\n\"And so did you! Once upon a time. But you ran from them when they came and-\"\n\n \\* \\\n\n\"So... You're saying you attacked her because she revealed that she was your sister?\" asked the interrogator.\n\n\"Yep.\"\n\n\"Well, luckily, you've been malnourished for so long that despite your best attempt resulted in little more than a scratch. And that she's not going to press charges of any sort and has requested you not be tried.\"\n\n\"Can't say I'm surprised.\"\n\n\"Yeah, well... We're still going to hold you overnight until someone picks you up.\"\n\n\"I'm homeless, if you couldn't tell\"\n\n\"She said it was taken care of.\"\n\n\"Did she say who?\"\n\n\"She requested I not tell you, and that you'll recognize them in the morning.\"", "It was a late night. Must’ve been around 3am when the four of us danced out of that karaoke bar, doubled over and holding our sides from laughing. So it was probably quarter-til by the time we climbed into this smokey booth, and we still haven’t caught our breath. The sun would be up soon, but the neon from the tacky diner sign outside still reflected brightly off wet pavement. The night was far from over and that meant I still had to keep my focus so I wouldn’t fall in love with the girl sitting across from me.\n\nWhy didn’t I put this together sooner? I was careless and horny and excited and all the other stupid things that 18 year olds do. I knew my brother’s girlfriend had a younger sister, but she was 17 so I didn’t think twice about it. And I still didn’t think when we all went out to celebrate her birthday today. It didn’t even cross my mind when we met or danced or talked for hours or made plans to meet next week, and certainly not when I thought I might be falling for her. It wasn’t until we sat at this booth and she told the waitress she was 18 now, hoping to get a free slice of pie. Then it hit me like a truck. She was it. Carla was nemesis. And I was hers. You meet your nemesis in your 18th year, that’s the rule. I knew it was her, I could feel it. The connection we’ve had all night, this entire perfect night. I’d been mistaking it for love. And now neither of us would be able to move on with our lives until the other one was dead. I was going to have to kill my brother’s girlfriend.\n\nI tried to think of an excuse to get out of there. All I wanted was to get home to my cat, lock myself in the apartment I shared with my brother, and take some time to think about what to do. This was all coming at me so fast, I had to find some perspective before I made any moves. Eventually we got our fries and milkshakes. Everyone dug in but I’d lost my appetite. Carla’s sister, Bea, sat next to her and flirted with my brother. He’d played wingman when the night first started, but he wasn’t thinking. He’s three years older and his nemesis was killed in a freak car accident a week after they’d met. No sweat for him. Plus he was also drunk and his hormones aren’t much more helpful than mine right now.\n\n“Oh my god!” Bea shouted, jolting me out of my haze. “You’re gonna meet your arch enemy this year!”\n\nWhat the hell? Why did she bring that up all of a sudden?\n\n“Who do you think it’ll be?”\n\nCarla flushed. “Probably not anyone I’ve met yet.”\n\n“Come on,” Bea continued. “It could be anyone. A guy in class worked on a farm and got kicked by a horse and died. It was the day after he turned 18.”\n\n“What? A horse?” The look on my brother’s face said it all. “That’s not how it works. It has to be a person.”\n\n“Do you know that for sure?” Bea leaned her head on his shoulder and fluttered her eyes at him dramatically.\n\n“Okay!” I said loudly. I’d had enough and figured this would be as good a time as any to make a break for it. “I gotta get back to the apartment. I just remembered I forgot to feed Peanut tonight.”\n\n“Oh don’t worry, I got it,” my brother said slipping back into his coat. “Bea and I are going to head out. I’ll feed the cat when I get home.” He put a hand on my shoulder. “You, uh, take your time bro.” He winked a slow, drunk wink. They were gone before I could put a coherent protest together.\n\nI picked at the nicotine-stained foam beneath the peeling vinyl under my fingers and tried to look anywhere but straight ahead. I felt her poke my leg under the table with her foot.\n\n“Why so quiet all of a sudden?”\n\n“It’s nothing, just tired I guess.” Man, even in the grotesque florescent lighting, she was stunning.\n\n“I didn’t take you for the shy type. Everything okay?”\n\n“I shrugged.”\n\n“Look, don’t worry about what my sister was saying. She’s obsessed with the whole arch enemy thing and doesn’t realize how much she freaks people out about it sometimes.”\n\nI felt myself begin to relax a little. “I’m sure it freaked you out more. It’s your birthday after all.”\n\n“Actually, my birthday’s on Monday. But who wants to go out on a Monday, right? We figured we’d do it today and make a night of it.\"\n\nI felt my jaw swing open and my heart flutter. “What? You’re still 17 right now? But you told the waitress--”\n\n“Yep, you caught me in my grand pie-stealing scheme. Take me away.” She held out her wrists in a handcuff mime and laughed. “At least I don’t have to worry about anyone trying to murder me for a couple more days. God, could you imagine going out tonight with that on my mind? It could’ve been anyone. Hell, even we met tonight. It could’ve been...” Our eyes met. “Oh. Oh no, you poor thing. You thought we were arch enemies?”\n\n“Well it sounds pretty stupid now that you put it that way.”\n\n“Yeah,” she said, poking me with her foot again. “It does.”\n\nWe finished up our milkshakes and went our separate ways. I just about skipped all the way home, planning out our date for next week. I sung tonelessly to myself over and over, She’s 17! She’s 17! The entire time I didn’t think twice that my real nemesis was still out there. And I still didn’t think they might be closer than I thought, that I might have already met them and not realized it. It didn’t even cross my mind as I approached my apartment door and heard something angry thumping against it over and over again. Not even when I opened the door and a small dark figure flung itself at me with a screech.\n\n“No Peanut!” I shouted. “Not you!”", "It's hard to say when I first noticed her. Looking back it's easy to remember her frigid presence amid the scorching summer heat all around her. It's easy to recall her dark silhouette against the pink and orange skies of sunset. And it's so easy to give into the anger and confusion that the mere thought of her stirs. But I never recall her arrival, when she first appeared on that bench on the boardwalk.\n\nWorse, still, I can't remember when she left.\n\nAs I walked my normal route home from my summer job at a deli, my eyes were caught by the most beautiful, flowing hair I had ever seen. Like golden rays of sun the strands twirled and danced upon the breeze off the bay. My gaping mouth certainly gave away my condition, but thankfully she never turned to see me. My feet kept their memory and guided me past her post and managed to get me home. \n\nI hope she's there tomorrow...\n\nThat next July day, already long enough as it was, took on a deeper impatience. Every thought, every moment, every task was colored by this strange hope. To see her again would be enough, to hear her speak a dream, and to know her name felt a daring impossibility. For the first of many times, I felt true longing.\n\nMy legs kept their cool much better than my mind as they again began to guide me home at the end of the day. Block after block we went, the heat a thankful cover for the sweat caused by my nerves. Please,* was all I could think. Please, please, please.\n\nMy pleas were answered in a moment of glory. Even from some distance, as I rounded the corner leading into the boardwalk, I could see her. My hope, my dream, she lived. But once again my feet carried me by before we should share a word, and so I continued in what would become familiar words in which my night would end.\n\nI hope she's there tomorrow...\n\nA few days later I finally gathered the nerve to talk, to introduce the bumbling dolt she had no doubt noticed by now. But to my great surprise, she returned my greeting with a smile, and an invitation to sit with her and watch the sun set.\n\nThe heat of the day, which in reality lasted for several more hours, disappeared in mere moments. The conversation was so easy, the laughter so light, and the joy too encompassing. Hope was coming alive, dreams were coming into being, and the impossible was being proven oh so wrong. \n\nAnd finally, as we said our goodbyes under the twinkle of the heavens, came the moment in which my heart no longer belonged to me. As my trusty feet once more mindlessly began to guide me home, I could hear behind me gentle words:\n\n\"I hope he's here tomorrow...\"\n\nMany global events and important, life changing decisions were made over the next few weeks, but I'd be hard pressed to tell you what they were. Life happened all around us as we carried on forging what I hoped would be our life together. Every day we would sit together until the moon replaced the sun and night would finally cause our separation. Never had I known such beauty; not physical, but experiential. Those moments opened up new ways of feeling that my young life had never known possible. \n\nFinally, as I walked to her after my normal shift, I had made up my mind. I was going to make this more official - I was going to ask her out. That bench was the most special place in the world to me, but it could no longer contain what was happening between us. Our future would look back from its great heights and think fondly of that lowly bench, but to do so we would have to leave it behind. \n\nAnd so as I rounded the corner once more, my heart ready to be filled once more, I noticed a gap in the horizon ahead. \n\nShe wasn't there.\n\nMy usually in-control feet were now overridden by my forceful sprinting. Maybe she was just out of view, maybe she somehow went to the wrong bench, or maybe she was otherwise obstructed from my view. Regardless, I couldn't wait to find out. I had to know. \n\nUpon my arrival at the bench mind was satiated with an answer. She was indeed nowhere to be seen. Total mental confirmation that nothing was amiss, yet my heart told me it was. She'll be here. She has to be. She always is, I thought, before vaguely recalling a time in which she wasn't here. But my heart even refused to believe that. Yes, she would surely be round any moment.\n\nThe summer day, though now approaching the end of the season, felt as long as any other. Slowly the sun descended as my heart refused to acknowledge what was now surely a possibility. For hours and hours I fought against the setting light both within and without until finally, well into the time of the moon's reign, I finally asked myself with honesty:\n\n\"What if she never comes back?\"\n\nThough that fate now felt a very real chance, it was a hard one to wrap my mind around. How could the most wonderful, kind, delightful person I had ever known simply up and leave? Was it her choice? Was this all a game? No, surely that wasn't the case...but, how could I be certain? \n\nAs the winds of doubt swirled inside my mind and heart, I felt a cold like no other slowly begin to descend. It was far beyond that which the night, even one clear as that, was capable of bringing. This was the chill of absence; the fading of hope; the end of dreams; the impossible once again proving its unyielding truth. And as I searched inside, I recalled the moment in which I had given her my heart, and I realized:\n\nShe still had it.\n\nA frigid rush filled me completely as I remembered the former warmth of her presence. The fresh pain of per absence played with my heart like some kind of toy, and mournful cries over what I had lost escaped my mouth. I cried aloud over the injustice of it all, and wondered how the one I believed to be my soul mate ended up becoming my greatest enemy. She captured my heart, and I knew it would never return. She was gone, and all I now had were memories and the once held hopes of what might have been.\n\nBut, some things never truly change. Even though I knew what I would see every time I crossed that bench, my nightly mantra remained the same, though now from bitterness rather than love.\n\nI hope she's there tomorrow.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n__________________\nr/psalmsandstories for more tales by me, should you be interested.", "I woke up at 5:00 am sharp that day. Today’s finally my day, I thought. Of course, I was talking about my nemesis day. The day where you turn 18 AND meet your arch enemy. I had dreamed of this day for years. \n\n“Do you think he’ll be dark and edgy? Maybe a classic mustache twirler?” I asked my brother.\n\nBut when I stepped outside, it was dark and stormy. Almost no one was out there. There was my new neighbor’s son, but he greeted me kindly, so he can’t be it. There was Old Man Yart, but he already had a nemesis in my friend’s cat. There was little baby Clay, by he was too young. Then Yart went back to his bedroom, and my neighbor’s son picked up the baby and went inside himself. So I was stuck outside, alone in the cold, with no bad guys in sight. I got so frustrated that I kicked my neighbor’s mailbox. \n\n“What the heck?” said my neighbor’s son.\n\n“You’re my nemesis!” I cheerily screeched. “What’s your name?”\n\n“Huey.” He said as he picked up the mail.\n\n“Wait, something’s not right,” I puzzled, “You seem really nice. What makes you the bad guy?”\n\nHe said “That’s simple. You are.”" ]	5
	[WP] After seeing Earrh's many resources, aliens try to end humanity to steal those resources. To help them, they use their most potent weapons ever made in their world: swords and muskets.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "As I lay on the futuristic alter, the first thing that came to mind was that Jurassic park quote: \"Life, uh, finds a way.\"\n\nLooking back, it really is surprising, how aliens, advanced enough to travel through the stars, had settled on a broke arms dealer to abduct. It occurred to me that there was a certain philosophical irony in that somewhere, but, honestly, at the moment, I was too focused on the impressive display of torture tools to notice OR care.\n\nThe room, or more likely torture chamber I was in, was a vast, high ceilinged affair, and it seemed to be constructed with the purpose of allowing the denizens of this star-faring race to be spectators for whatever was about to happen to me. A few dozen of them are seated in a circle, colosseum style, on elevated benches, probably to protect their clothes from errant blood splashes.\n\nAll in all, not quite the \"I come in peace!\" atmosphere.\n\nTo be quite frank, I was literally shitting my pants. I could see the aliens recoil from the brown stain slowly spreading across the table.\n\nBack to what I said earlier, the aliens in were, in every sense of the word, alien. Long, papery white appendages, elongated skulls, and splayed, webbed feet. They were the textbook definition of aliens. All the way down to the colourful blasters the guards held.\n\nWhile I had been taking in my surroundings, a commotion had broken out among some aliens who were obviously in charge, judging from their crown like adornments. One of these came over to me and leaned in to peer at my now drying excrement. Dismissing that as something humans would normally do under the circumstances, it put a cool metallic object in my ear, and turned to face the gathered audience.\n\n\"My dearest brethren, we gather here today to once again observe our traditions, and take another planet in the name of the mother-soil. This, “the alien said, gesturing toward me “is the first captive taken in our conquest against this planet. It is surely not the last. We will purge this vermin from this bountiful land, and like many before it, make it blossom into a utopia of culture and knowledge!\"\n\nI had deduced by now that the alien had put a translator in my ear, and was now in the process of rallying up his fellows for what sounded suspiciously like a crusade.\n\nWhy wasn’t I surprised?\n\nI had half expected them to do something like this, but for aliens to actually go after earth for its resources was too cliché not to laugh at. But perhaps I was missing some vital point, some hidden agenda. So, to slake the thirst of my curiosity, I resolved to find out exactly why aliens wanted to take over the earth.\n\nSo, in my most innocent voice I asked \"Excuse me? Why do you want to take over the Earth?\"\n\nThe speaker, I’m going to call him Barry, startled and then goggled at me.\n\n\"What do you mean, why?\" Barry looked as confused as I felt.\n\n\"I meant, is it for oxygen? Water? Cultivatable land mass?\" At each of my suggestions, Barry seemed to grow more and more amused. Eventually, it burst out laughing. Once its rasping laughter died down, it fixed me with a stare.\n\n\"No, you foolish human. We do not lust over such trivial things. Although you did get close to the mark, so points for that. No, we wage war to relieve you of a bounty you do not have the right, or the respect for. We, the Xanxili, come, for the *strawberries*.\"\n\nSilence filled the room, and Barry shivered with what looked like anticipation.\n\n\"What...\" \n\nTo say that I was shocked... You know what; I’m not even going to quantify how idiotic the entire situation seemed just then.\n\n\"Let me get this straight. You, a multi-planetary, space-faring, alien-effing-civilization, came to earth for strawberries. How in bloody hell do you know what strawberries are?\"\n\nAfter I finished my tirade, Barry looked me full in the face, turning paler, eyes blazing fire. It launched into its own monologue about the greatness of strawberries. I lost it right about when it was outlining the geometrical marvels of the seeds. From what little I could glean, it seemed that strawberries are a universal constant, and what’s more, are coveted in the extreme by alien races such as the Xanxili.\n\nThe whole affair reminded me of the Oompa-Loompas. Except for chocolate, they loved, and I mean loved strawberries.\n\nOnce Barry had finished, I had begun to have some serious doubts about how these aliens were going to achieve their goal. Barry seemed to sense my reservations, and finally getting tired of me, motioned for the guards to come forward. Two of them came over to where I lay helpless, and looked down at me coldly. Barry turned to face the audience once again.\n\n\"My brethren, this thing has committed blasphemy against our savior, strawberry. He will be executed with the latest and most powerful weapons at our disposal. Let him taste the same death as his future fellows in hell.\"\n\nThe guards picked up two heavy briefcases, and clicked them open.\n\nInside was....\n\nA sword. And some god-ugly looking musket.\n\nIt was too much. I burst out laughing.\n\nBarry looked overjoyed. He probably thought that I had lost my sanity from fear of these weapons. He said as much to me.\n\n\"No, it actually funny. I’m not even sad I’m dying. Ha-ha. Oh, god, this is good. Just get it over with. Oh, and remember, don’t bring a knife or toy to a gun fight, bi-\"\n\nSlash.\n\nPlop.\n\nRoll.\n\nBang.\n\nSplat.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\n*3 weeks later;\n\nSome street corner, Earth;\n\n\"Headlines, headlines, Headlines for 15! Xanxili decimated! Surviving specimens to be taken under research! UN to make new amendment for xenocide! Headlines, headlines, Headlines for 15!...\"*" ]	2
	[WP] You watch the last of the rockets trail smokes as they leave the Earth's surface. You are now the last human being on Earth.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I glanced up in the sky and see the last smoke trails. The last rockets just left the earth after climate change was to big of a burden. The last humans left their home planet, everybody is gone forever. Except me. Even though I should feel devastated, heartbroken or alone, I feel nothing. Its like the time is suddenly frozen and I just stood there. I don't know for how long, but when the realization hit me I just broke down.\n\nThere I was, in the middle of an empty field, an empty country, an empty continent. I was alone on an entire fucking planet. Maybe I should have just stayed in my seat in the shuttle, but I could not leave my life behind. I spent all my years in the small suburbs of New York City, a place where everybody knew everyone. And then I felt those memories, they snuck out of my eyes and began rolling down my cheeks. Sure I will miss the people I grew up with and everybody else that had an influence on me but I could not stand the fact of accepting that the life I lived is over.\n\nHow I would like to have a talk with my past self right now. I would just tell myself to be grateful for everything in my life, because nothing will be the same in a few years. Regardless, I am sure that I won't regret the decision to stay behind. A new life somewhere else is just not how I imagine my future to be. I could not stand the fact of leaving the earth behind after we destroyed this beautiful planet. Because in the end you have got to be your own hero, because everybody is busy trying to save themselves and I do not want to be like everybody else. I will be right here in the company of what is left of what mother nature created millions of years ago.\n\nI inspected the sky again. The sun is beginning to set on a now empty planet, except me, and not a single trail of smoke is visible anymore. The cold air is brushing my skin like the wind is telling me that everything is going to be ok. But is it? I don't know. I really don't know.\n\nI close my eyes and breath the nighty air. I am aware that my life might be a long and lonely one from now one. But thats ok thats how I want it to be thats why I left the shuttle. It was the right thing to do and thinking about that gives me hope. And if I die someday, maybe it will be a relieve and a blessing to end this solitude but maybe it will also be something fulfilling, like it's my destiny to live a life like the one ahead of me.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nBut it is ironic, isn't it?\n\nHow hopes like those keep us breathing, even though they are going to kill us at the end.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\n(Edit: grammar)", "I wish I could say I was sad, seeing the last piece of humanity leave the Earth. The Earth was never a long term home for us humans, it was temporary at best and now we needed to move, where we were to go, well that was to be decided. Mars was a popular candidate but we had advanced further beyond that over the centuries, at the time Mars was the popular choice due to it being the only other possibly habitable planet within our reach, now however we had a whole galaxy of options, It was an exciting time for the rest of humanity, unfortunately, someone had to stay behind, after all, who else would fire the last rocket. \n\nI had expected to be sad, sitting in the operating tower alone, speaking what could very well be my last words to another human as I gave them the final countdown. Those were all things that would make the average person sad, but I felt numb about the whole situation. Perhaps this was my bodies way of dealing with my fate. Of course, they promised they would come back and pick me up, but we both knew that was a lie. The Earth would be coated in a thick layer of ice by the time they returned if they ever returned. \n\nStill, I appreciated their attempts to comfort me. I had little to do, being the last human alive left my schedule rather open, so I did what I considered to be my job, I began storing as much information as possible, writing notes and tidbits of information about humanity, just in case some other species were to visit humanities first home. Placing my notes into a small vault along with what I hoped were accurate ways to translate our language or at the very least, It would make the process easier. I wasn't the smartest guy, smart enough to fire a rocket, but language was a whole different subject, but I did my best, after all, that was the human thing to do. \n\nOnce my self given job was finished, I took a moment to relax, looking over the frosted windows, it was already growing cold, soon enough I would be dead, along with the rest of this landscape. \"Really should have brought another jacket.\" I let out a small chuckle at my joke, perhaps the madness already setting in. My examination of the window was broken by a loud bark, a scratching claw banging against the door. I guess I wasn't the only one left here, not all animals could make the trip. That was the first thing that began to really bring down my mood, walking to the door, I opened it, greeted by the fluffy brown dog, a bark leaving its mouth, followed by a cloud of condensation. \"Come in, It's warmer inside.\" I stepped aside, opening the door wider, watching the creature waddle inside. \n\nClosing the door behind the dog, I took a position on the floor, motioning the creature into my lap as I lightly brushed my fingers over his head. \"At least we can keep each other warm until the end.\"\n\n{If you enjoyed my story, Feel free to check out r/pmmeyabootysstories where ill be posting some more of my stuff for people to read}" ]	3
	[WP] You've been trapped in a fully immersive mmo where you can truly die, the only thing keeping you sane is roleplaying, but you've been doing it for so long everyone believes you to be an actual NPC.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " \n\nA World Immersed\n\nGaming had been a lifelong passion of mine so when I got a chance to be one of the beta-testers for what was promised to be “The First Fully Immersive VR MMO” I jumped at the chance. Not to mention that the stipend was about double my usual salary, course not like I’d get the chance to use it. About a year after the testing began and a month after the full release of the game it suffered a massive glitch locking about fifteen billion users worldwide inside the system indefinitely. Of course we didn’t have any idea what was going on on the outside only that we didn’t seem to have anyway to log out now. Some people coped better than others, some formed guilds and worked to beat the game as a way to pass the time, some killed themselves rather than live out this hollow life, and some of us took to roleplaying in order to make this new life our own.\n\nI headed out into the hills, I found a small town in a remote corner of the map that only contained a small number of non-essential quests. After beating those quests and grinding the local monsters for long enough that I maxed out my level I began traveling from area to area collecting monsters and taming them. Before long rumors began to spread among the players about a character in a remote village who had collected all kinds of exotic mounts and had them for sale.\n\nWhile people from all over the continent searched the outlying villages trying to confirm this rumor I had no idea until one day a dark knight decked out in all kinds of top level gear approached me. He didn’t say anything as he approached but a confused look came across his face as he tried to activate the shop window and nothing happened. I stepped out of the way heading into the stable as he wandered back towards the barn muttering about how he would have to come back tomorrow when the vendor was open, something about vendor hours being shit in this game. I chuckled and went back to work cleaning up the stables. \n\nHr visited a couple more times but seemed to have written it off as a non-interactable attraction and headed off out of town, but that didn’t seem to kill the rumors. Most of them wandered off after not being able to activate the shop window but a few months after the first player came to my farm a very inquisitive young man came by dressed in high level rogue gear. By this point my NPC “act” had become basically second nature and so when he first started poking around I didn’t pay him any mind until he stopped looking at the stable and started looking directly at me before pressing a button and causing my charcter profile to come up infront of him “What the fuck?” And that moment I just laughed out loud “I can’t believe your the first fucking person to do that.” He looked totally surprised as if he couldn’t comprehend what just happened “What the hell? You're not an NPC?” I smirked and then pulled a pair of daggers out from my belt and began juggling them “No shit, I can’t believe it took this long for someone to figure that out.” He seemed to be processing this as he said “So there’s no vendor?” “Nope, there's just me,” I said with a smug look, it was so funny that someone had finally figured it out. “So then... What's your price?” And as he said that a huge smile broke out across my face “Now your talking.”", "\"Oh, you're not an NPC?\" \n\nI- What- Wait- What an idiot! I paled, looking down at the little halfling who just asked me a question. I should have paid more attention! I should have checked for other players! But no, I had grown complacent. Other players rarely, if ever, walked in the back of the shop. They were usually so predictable that I had taken my tranquillity for granted; I had let myself slump in a chair for a fraction of an instant, and just like that I had blown my cover. \n\n\"I- Uh-\" I stammered. \n\n\"I knew it! You're not!\" He was gloating triumphantly.\n\nOh, shoot me. I could have convinced him otherwise, couldn't I? I sighed. \"You got me, I guess. Can you at least make it quick?\" \n\n\"What?\" \n\n\"Kill me, I mean.\" \n\n\"What? No! I don't want to do that! Is that why you're hiding? You think I'd want to kill you?\" \n\n\"Yeah, how'd you guess?\" I answered, waving at the street, half-empty of people, full of other NPC advertising their wares while paying no mind to the bloody, dismembered remains of another player strewn all over the cobblestone path. Sir 'PVPsmash75' sure didn't last long. \n\n\"But like ... why? I mean, surely you knew what you were getting into when you registered into the game, right?\" \n\nI thought I was ok with death, when I joined. I wasn't doing so well. Anything would have been better than my dead-end job, my dingy apartment, and all the mess that my life was, I thought, at the time. Adventuring and getting treasures and fighting monsters sounded great. But then I took an arrow to the knee, and things took a different perspective. Death sure seems a lot less fun once it gets real. The pain made me think about wether or not I really wanted to live, or, well, die like that. \n\n\"It's not really a game, is it?\" I explained. \"It's more like, russian roulette with extra steps. I do want out, but ... let's just say, apart from the murdering-each-other business that seems to be a-ok with everyone, this place is great. I get a fantastic career where I can be my own boss. And there's food, lodging, sunny skies all the time! And great beer. I really like the beer.\" \n\nThe room fell into some sort of an awkward silence. \n\n\"But how do you do it?\" He explained. \"I saw how the other players treat you, the disregard, the weird insults. How can you stand it, and smile as if nothing happened?\" \n\nI laughed. \"Dude, this is nothing!\" \n\nHe stared at me in disbelief.\n\n\" Why d'you think I came here in the first place?\" I sighed. \"I used to work at walmart.\" \n\n\"Ah.\" He said, then fell silent for a second while he mulled it out. \"Yeah, that explains it.\"", "I always played make-believe as a kid. When I heard about an MMORPG where you could be fully make-believe, I was all for it. I couldn’t get out and could truly die? Even better! So I set up my character traits. I am a man of dedication, so when I decided to be the old man early game helper, that was my life. I could have been a crazy dragon armor warrior, but this was what I chose. It was kind of fun the first 5 years, but the next 700 years were even better better. They thought I was an NPC!\n\nI FULLY committed. I told everyone the mechanics, I went through needless cutscenes, everything. After that, things changed. I forgot on most days that I wasn’t an NPC. Eventually, I was an NPC. I am an NPC.", "Whistling in the dawn, I walked out of my house, across the bare earth, and into the stables, patting the horses gently as I divvied out grain. I poured water into the troughs, led others out to pasture, and at long last, stopped to check on the three foals. One was coal black, another a rusty red bay, and the last was white as the purest snow. I fed each a carrot as a player walked up to me. I knew it was a player because of their appearance. Armor of demon skin, the sword at his side almost glowing a sickly green. \n\nHe walked up to me. \"I need a horse.\"\n\nI smiled brightly, hiding my loathing, and turned to face him. \"Pick one out, sir. Their each a thousand gold. You won't find a faster horse in Eudotia than you'll find in my stables.\" It was the same boast I fed every adventurer that sought me out. But this what how I had managed to survive in this damned game. A horse breeder. \n\nHe didn't even take his time deciding. He just picked out a pretty roan, the largest in the stable, and handed over a thousand gold for it. I helped him with the tack, and watched him ride away before continuing my tasks for the day. \n\nBut when the sun fell into dusk, I slipped to the shed behind my house, listening to the gentle nicker that greeted me, and the pail of blood and entrails I brought. \"Hello, gorgeous.\" I whispered, smiling at the magnificent pair of colts within. \n\nA few more months, and I would be able to unleash a new terror upon the world.... one that nobody knew how to beat. The two colts snarled at each other over the bucket, even as I split it between them, and flexed their bat-like wings. Glowing red eyes watched me from the darkness, and where fur should have been, it was patchy with scales. \n\nThey all thought I was an NPC.\nThey all thought wrong.", "I wasn’t a good gamer, just an early adopter. By all means I was very bad at games. Being trapped in one where survival means life or death would be a death sentence for me.\n\nSo I did what most did, I hid. I hid in plain site. Others were more brazen about living in the cities of the world, starting blacksmith shops or potion shops, all that kind of stuff. Living out their fantasies of life in medieval times. The thing is those people eventually get noticed. Not everyone trapped here is a good guy and if they spot weakness they see an advantage. I had seen players beaten for not giving other players discounts on swords or healing. Plus they all wore garish armor and ridiculous outfits. \n\nBut I was old for a gamer a mid forty year old with a family. I hoped they would forgive me for having to leave them behind like this, hopefully only for a little while. \n\nSo I just did what I would do in the real world. I put on clothes that match my station life, and got a job. I could pick whatever I wanted so I just became a cook. I didn’t even own the restaurant, I just cooked. Being in the back of the kitchen meant never having to interact with other players either. \n\nThe only trouble was the occasional assassin coming in and poisoning meals. In ever stopped them or interacted with them. I just let them do their thing and served the meal. I really didn’t like confrontation. \n\nAnd that’s how I survived, day after day, year after year. I lived my life like I did in the real world. Endless possibilities and heroics in front of me, a whole world of magic and power and I spent it in the kitchens. I wouldn’t be a hero or garner adoration and praise, but I would survive. And if I got out of here, well I guess I’d go about doing the same thing there." ]	6
	[WP] Due to some person's absurd wish being granted, any time someone ends their opinion with "fight me," they're transported to a blood-soaked arena opposite those who replied in disagreement.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It had been an... interesting week to say the least. Somewhere, somehow, some ridiculous fluke in reality had been birthed, and now about 13,536 teenagers were dead - and nobody was quite sure why. We had gotten close to figuring it out, but one of the physicists who held the answer had gotten a little frustrated at a lab meeting, told one of his assistants to \"fight him\", and received a knife between the ribs for his slip-up. It would've been preferable for the assistant to die, but it was a little too late to inform him about the greater good when he reappeared 20 minutes later, dripping blood all over the custard creams left at the meeting room table. Que sera, sera, though, and people just have to be a lot more... careful about what they say.\n\nOn the bright side, though, High School beatdowns have become a lot more fun to watch online, even though we can only see the aftermath...", "\n\"I'm telling you Max, all fruit loops are the same flavour\" \n\nI couldn't believe this was the argument I had got myself into. I spent a considerable amount of time avoiding arguments since that idiot changed all the rules.\n\n\"No, they're not\" he stated matter of factly, \"you can clearly taste each individual flavour\". \n\nWhy, oh why, did I surround myself with morons. If I just chose to stick to people as smart as I was, I wouldnt be having this problem right now.\n\n\"Ok, you win\" I sighed, hoping that would be enough to put a stop to the whole thing. \n\n\"Dont just say that! I can tell you dont really mean it. Here, taste this!\"\n\nUh oh. That didn't work. Things were escalating far too quickly. Better keep my cool, it would be a shame if I had to kill someone over fruit loops.\n\n\"Yeah, I guess I was wrong, this definitely tastes red\" I said, putting as much truth behind it as I could. It was clear right away, I wasn't getting out of this easily. Max's face was getting red. His eyes squinty. I had seen this look a couple times before, and I suppose I was lucky to still be around to see it again.\n\nPlease don't say it, please don't say it, I silently prayed to myself. \n\n\"FRUIT LOOPS ALL TASTE DIFFERENT, FIGHT ME\" \n\nImmediately everything started to melt away. I imagine this is exactly what a black hole would feel like if I got sucked into one in space. Even though it was disorienting, I had learned the hard way that you have to try to keep your wits about you. Sometimes you were gifted a few minutes minutes to collect yourself before the bell, other times the first punch landed right away.\n\nI felt the cold mat under my feet. The blue and red began to come into focus. For a second, I thought I might puke but I managed to swallow it down. Across the ring, Max came into focus. One thing I always tried to figure out about people when I met them was how many rounds they had gone. \n\nThis was Max's first time.\n\nHe had a look of panic on his face. That holy shit moment that hits you when you realize you really just bet everything on some stupid opinion. Realizing that he had nothing else to do but put his whole life on the line, I saw Max's body tighten and his stance change.\n\nHere we go, round one. Ding" ]	3
	[WP] A Dragon kidnaps a Princess. The catch: she's a crying, screaming and annoying toddler and he's not ready to be a parent	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The Dragon Who Kidnapped---A Musical\n\n~~----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~~\n\nA dragon sings.\n\n/\"I kidnapped a princess and now here she is\"\n\n\"Princess Daffodil is crying. \"\n\n\"And screaming because I don't know how to change diapers!\"\n\n\"I am not going to cook her or eat here though!\"\n\n\"All I wanted to do was to be a parent!\"\n\n\"But now she's crying and I don't feel like I am ready at all!\"/\n\nA man walks past the cave.\n\nThe dragon comes out. He starts to dance.\n\nHis song is now heard by the man.\n\n/\"Now please kind sir!\"\n\n\"Stop in your tracks!\"\n\n\"You must return this child home!\"\n\n\"I kidnap this princess to be a parent!\"\n\n\"I wanted to be a father so bad!\"\n\n\"But no female dragon ever loved me!\"\n\nSo I will never have a dragon kid!\n\nThere are not many dragons here!\n\nAnd I'm the only one--one---one---one!\n\n\"So I thought might as well kidnap a human!\"\n\n\"And raise her as my o--o-o--o--o-----ow-----ow---own!\"/\n\n\"Okay, you can stop singing. I will return her home.\"\n\n/\"Okay thank you sir!\"/\n\n\"Okay. Okay. You can stop singing now. I will return her home.\"\n\n/\"But I can't stop singing. I want to be a famous singer!\"/\n\n\"Oh. Sing to your heart's content then!\"\n\nAnd then dragon rushed into the cave and flew back out with the princess in his arms. He then gives the man the princess.\n\n/\"Farewell, little princess!\"/\n\nThe man eventually returned to the kingdom from his hunting trip and gave the king his daughter back.\n\nAnd soon the whole kingdom learned of the singing dragon who wanted to be a parent very badly.\n\nMany years later, some nuns gave him an orphan boy named Dave. And Dave grew up to be a famous singer because he was trained by his adopted dragon father.\n\n~~-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~~\n\n(I just wanted to write a musical about a singing dragon that sings everything. So I am being experimental here. Feel free to critique me. Lol.)", " “It is time, my son,” my father said to me. “It is time you proved yourself by vanquishing your first foe, achieving your dragon’s destiny.”\n\n“Who’s he going to be able to vanquish?” sniggered my oldest brother, a puff of steam escaping from his nostrils. “I don’t think he could take down a toothpick.” \n\nI winced but didn’t say anything. What could I say? Otri was eight times the size of me. If I talked back to him, he’d smack me across the canyon with his spiky tail. I think that was my first conscious memory, sailing across the abyss and then landing hard against the rocks after annoying Otri one time too many.\n\n“Now, now,” my father said to the assembled crowd of his sons. “Rlemu, Just because you vanquished the fierce goddess Bashtet-“\n\n“He couldn’t take down one of her pet cats,” scoffed Rlemu.\n\n“And Otroi vanquished one of the Nereids- “ \n\n“He couldn’t spear one of her pet fish,” giggled Otri.\n\n“And Levanael vanquished one of the Valhallans-“\n\n“He couldn’t tickle one of her pet goats.”\n\n“Just because Sephiroth is the weakest, puniest and most timid of my sons, does not mean he is incapable of anything,” boomed my father. “I am sure he is more than up to the task of vanquishing his foe I have selected for him.”\n\nMy brothers shook their enormous heads and flared their giant wings. \n\n“What’s her deal?” asked Rlemu. “She some kinda minor witch who gets her spells wrong and burns holes in the carpet?”\n\n“No,” said my father. “No, she is, from all accounts, a perfectly normal human – “\n\n“A human?” cackled Otri. “What, we’re capturing humans now? I didn’t know we were picking on the lesser these days – “\n\n“A human princess – “\n\n“Ugh, princesses,” groaned Levanael. “Give me a Norse goddess to fight any day. I can’t imagine some princess is going to be any fun as a sparring partner.”\n\n“And Sephiroth will not fight her; he will capture her –“\n\n“Wow. So really, what’s wrong with her?” asked Rlemu. “She got a bum leg or something?”\n\n“I have it on good authority that she is of perfect health,” declared my father. “But – “\n\nWe waited. \n\n“But she walks with - ” he hesitated. \n\n“Oh my god, just spit it out, Dad,” said Otri. “She uses stilts, or something?” \n\n“She walks with a slight waddle,” he said solemnly. “And she is rather short.”\n\n“How short?”\n\n“Never mind,” said my father. “She is a perfectly normal princess who will be a perfectly valuable hostage for ransom, so this family can gain some much-needed gold.”\n\n“Gold?” chorused my brothers.\n\n“What?” moaned Levanael. “What is this world coming to? Ransom?”\n\n“A thousand years ago, those demigods and goddesses we battled could really put up a scrap,” complained Rlemu. “They had fire in their bellies. Well, metaphorically at least.”\n\n“I remember when I fought the Nereid,” said Otri. “She just about hacked me to death with her attack-Piranhas before I got a grip on her and put an end to it.”\n\n“Bashtet conjured a cloud of bats out of thin air. They flew into my eyes and tried to bite me,” said Rlemi with a grin. “And then I swallowed her whole – “\n\n“And Freyja whipped up a wind to blind me and drove a spear into me,” said Levanel proudly. “Right above my heart – “\n\nHe proudly stuck out his chest, displaying the battle-wound, which he’d been bragging about for at least a thousand years before I was born.\n\n“Well, yes, but there’s no one like that around these days,” declared my father. “We all know the dragons are diminishing – “\n\n“Sephiroth’s mom was the smallest dragon I’ve ever seen,” said Levanel. “No wonder he’s such a runt- “\n\n“And so, capturing Princess Plumeria will have to do.”\n\n“Because she has gold,” said Rlemu glumly. “And capturing her will be easy. Even for him.”\n\nThey lowered their heads to look at me, as they’d been talking over my head the whole time. Now they peered at me down their long noses as though what they saw disappointed them.\n\nI was a tenth the size of my father; an eighth the size of my largest brother. I’d never met my mother, but I knew she had been the scale of a housecat compared to my father. As soon as she’d laid her egg with me inside, my father had flown off with it, carrying me back to my brothers. He didn’t want an inferior dragon to raise me, he’d explained. He’d raise me among real dragons who could teach me what it meant to be one. \n\nI’d been born two thousand years after the last of my brothers, and I had come of age in a much-diminished time; that’s what I’d heard as long as I’d been old enough to remember. Gone was the age of heroes battling worthy dragon-foes. None of that mattered anymore.\n\nGold was the new standard for glory amongst the kingdoms of Earth, my father explained to me. And if a princess had gold, that meant she was good enough to hold hostage. Simple as that.\n\nI didn’t like the idea of capturing a princess, I must confess. I don’t know which part of it bothered me the most: the idea of an unfair fight – I’d been on the wrong end of that arrangement for all my life – or the idea that there was no such thing as glory anymore, that what I did wasn’t glorious, but mercenary. Most painful of all was the idea that I could not have achieved a tenth of what my brothers had done to prove themselves. I was so much smaller, so much tamer – and at nearly three-hundred years of age, it was unlikely I would find any way of improving myself so I could become more like them: fierce, strong giants.\n\n“Good luck out there, Kid,” said Otri, before he flew off into the twilight.\n\nHe didn’t sound as though he meant it.\n\n\\\\\\", "‘That sack seems a little small for a whole princess to be inside,’* I thought worriedly as two of my kobold servants approached me, lugging a burlap sack along between them, and I hoped they had remembered this time that I wanted the princess brought alive.\n\n“We got her, sire! The princess from the kingdom of Northgate!” one of them cried victoriously in his raspy reptilian voice. Something in the bag moved, quenching my fears that a chopped up or folded corpse awaited me, and yet still I worried; the princess of Northgate was, by all rumor, a tall, graceful young woman deserving of a dragon’s attention, and human. The sack they presented might have fit a dwarf.\n\nThe kobolds set the bag down before me, untied the string holding it closed, and then scurried away. I arched my neck down and brought my nose close to the top of the bag. A sniff told me it was indeed a human inside, and then a small face popped up out of the opening to regard me with big blue eyes, glittering in the torch-lit cave. A mop of curly, messy blonde hair dangled around her face, framing her round puffy cheeks and her pursed lips. She regarded me curiously, as I did her, and then she spoke.\n\n“What.”\n\nIt wasn’t so much a question as it was just a learned statement, like perhaps she simply knew that people who were confused tended to say ‘what?’\n\nI lifted my head and glared at the kobolds. “This child is three! Or two or four! Five? I don’t have a perfect grasp of human age but this is not the blasted princess!”\n\nThe kobolds shrieked and held each other. “No! Your Greatness she is! She is the princess! We stole her away from the castle yard, and she wears a circlet identifying her as human royalty!”\n\nI narrowed my eyes at the kobolds, and opened my grand maw to continue reprimanding them further, but was distracted as I felt the touch of a small hand on my foreleg. I curved my neck around to find that the small child had waddled over to my left leg and set her hand against it. “Pretty,” she declared simply as she poked at one of my scales. “Red.”\n\n“Excuse me, child,” I spoke, my voice low and rumbly. Rather than turn the girl just leaned back and craned her neck to stare up at me. Indeed, as the kobold had said, a circlet denoting royalty sat tangled into the mess of her hair, but at the angle she held her head, it started to slide off. “… Hm. Are you Princess Kelea?”\n\nShe shook her head, loosening the circlet further. “Kiki is my sister. We’re playing hide and seek!” Her circlet fell, clattering to the ground, and the girl turned and stooped to pick it up. “Oops.”\n\nI sighed deeply, then shot my kobolds an accusing look. “I was not aware the ruler of Northgate had begotten a second daughter, but those idiots should have known I was not sending them for a toddler. What is your name, girl?”\n\n“Eebee.”\n\n“Ibi? A nickname?”\n\nThe girl set the circlet back into her hair and adjusted it poorly, leaving it crooked and prone to falling out again. “Eebee,” she repeated.\n\n“I see.” Then I furrowed my brow. “You’re… not afraid.”\n\nShe snickered, and touched my leg again. “Not scary. You’re pretty. Red.”\n\nI frowned, and then leaned my head towards the kobolds, green and blue, their scales matte as opposed to my shiny glossy self. “Them?”\n\n“They said they can help me hide.” Then Ibi tucked her chin and smiled mischievously. “Kiki can’t find me now.”\n\n“Help you hide, hmm? All that cleverness and you snatched the wrong princess…”\n\n“We are terribly sorry Sire! We will go find this Kelea and bring her immediately!” the green one shouted.\n\n“Nay,” I said through a heavy exhale. “Just return the runt and be done with it. If they’ve discovered that this one’s been taken they will be on high alert, and will have the princess well-guarded.”\n\nThe blue one began to stutter. “But… but then returning this one wi-without being spotted will be-”\n\n“Silence. I’m sure you two clever idiots will manage.” Then I regarded the girl once again. The look on her face told me she hadn’t quite grasped what we were speaking about, but she was beginning to notice something was off. “Ibi. My friends here are going to bring you to a different hiding spot, a better one closer to your garden.”\n\nHer suspicion fled as determination crossed her face, and she nodded. “Kiki won’t find me!”\n\n“Yes… you are very good at hiding.”\n\n“Thanks. You are very pretty.”\n\n“… Thanks.”\n\n“What’s your name?”\n\nI twisted my mouth in consideration. “… You can just call me Red. Back into the bag now, little Ibi.”\n\n“Okay. Bye bye Red!” she said as she stepped back into the bag and sat. The kobolds slinked up to the burlap sack, fearful of my piercing gaze, and tied off the opening.\n\n“Sorry, Sire,” they both offered again before they scurried off, carrying the tiny princess between them. I huffed and lied my head down on my forelegs, disappointed, and yet a smile tugged across my lips. I supposed the child had been somewhat entertaining.\n\nI spoke to myself. “Perhaps we will meet again one day, Little Ibi.”\n\nr/TheCornerStories" ]	4
	[WP] You can see the future, but you can't coherently communicate about it. Distressing, given the world will end next Tuesday.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. 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Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "''WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!'' I screamed while throwing the coffee at the old man. Unamused, he muttered ''Yeah, some before others'' before walking out in haste. Also unamused was my manager, who asked me to explain myself. Again. Like always when I'm panicking, I grab a scrap of paper and start drawing random symbols, before my manager advises me to take the next few days off. \n\n''See you next Tuesday I guess'' he said before running off to ease a dissatisfied customer, annoyed that they had almost stepped onto a broken coffee cup.\n\nThere is just one problem with that, mate.\n\nThe world is going to end next Tuesday. \n\nObviously, no-one is gonna believe me. In fact, I would be surprised if they all did - Imagine, BBC Breaking News: 'Manchester woman correctly predicts world is gonna end - Everyone panic now! ' Hundreds of people since the time of Jesus (and probably before that I suppose) have predicted the end of the world, and all of them were wrong.\n\nBut what they didn't have back in the time of Jesus, were rubbish bins made out of black holes. But next Tuesday, scientists in Switzerland are gonna make a black hole, don't ask me how, to use as a rubbish bin. Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it? All our rubbish problems solved! But this black hole will be hungry, very hungry, and start eating things that aren't rubbish. Scientists will try to kill the black hole, but will fail. Mr Black Hole will be very angry now, and so by half 12 on Tuesday, planet Earth will cease to exist! Fucking annoying that, I'm going to die at work. Fuck sake!\n\nBut how do I know this, you might ask, if the fucking scientists don't even have a clue! Well, ever since I was a little girl, I could 'see' a bit into the future, I managed to save my best friend from being hit from a speeding car that way. Over the years, I practised this secret ability, until at the age of 27, I could now see a couple of weeks into the future. My boyfriend keeps wanting me to bet on the footie, but I don't want to be seen as suspicious, and possibly captured and taken somewhere to be abused for my foresight. \n\nAnd that's how I know the world is going to end next Tuesday. I've tried emailing the scientists hundreds of times, only for them to keep saying back to me that they have made lots of black holes already. Yeah, the size of atoms. Not the size of a car that the Tuesday black hole will be. My mind goes funny when I try to tell them precisely how everything will play out, I start scribbling random symbols everywhere. \n\nBut I have a plan! My boyfriend is supposed to be driving down to Paris this weekend with his mum. Unfortunately, she will have an accident in 2 minutes that'll prevent her from going, bless her. As the hotel has already been booked, he will instead ask me to come to Paris, for a romantic weekend together, how sweet. So, we'll have Friday afternoon and Saturday in Paris, but Sunday? I'm gonna figure out a way to get him to drive to Switzerland, so I can stop those scientists from making the black hole! The world is going to call me a hero!\n\nI laid in bed, getting comfortable and ready to watch some Netflix, phone in hand ready to receive that call that'll send me to Paris and then off to save the world. I went to the BBC News site hoping for something about the scientists realising some sense and calling off the test.\n\nNope, in fact, something unexpected was breaking news.\n\n'MANCHESTER QUARANTINED UNTIL TUESDAY DUE TO SMELLY TEETH VIRUS'\n\nFuck. I didn't see that coming. Actually yes I did. I'm an idiot and the world is fucked.", "My premonitions always hit me at mundane times. Doing laundry, reading a book, sipping coffee at my desk. Most of them were small, but a few times I foresaw death and other tragedies. The only thing is there’s never anything I can do about it. When I saw the earthquake, I couldn’t make anyone believe me. I couldn’t even say the words to try to warn anyone. It came out as a bunch of garbled gibberish, not even recognizable as words. If I tried to write it down, it just looked like a bunch of toddler scribble. If I tried to type it into a Word document, the screen just started to glitch out and eventually the whole computer crashed. Luckily everyone I knew survived the earthquake, although a few had some broken bones.\n\nIt’s frustrating, but I’ve learned to live with it.\n\nI can talk about it after the fact, but of course after the event has happened nobody believes you foresaw it. Except my fiancé, bless him. He will listen to me if I tell him not to do something, or to take a different route to work. He’s seen how flustered and upset I get when I see something and can’t make him understand, and he has taken to just asking me what he should do.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nSo, when I saw the asteroid, I just went numb. It was a Thursday and I was at work. The vision hit me like a ton of bricks. Tuesday. I had just five days. Everyone only had five days. I had no idea how NASA wasn’t aware or trying to do something about it. Of course, maybe they were and simply couldn’t do anything, so they just weren’t telling us. No reason to panic the whole population. And it didn’t matter anyway, it wasn’t like I could call them up and ask. They wouldn’t understand me.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI called my fiancé, Allen at work.\n\n“Sheryl? What’s up? Is everything ok?” I could hear the forklifts in his warehouse running in the background.\n\n“Hi, Allen. You should take a long weekend with me. Starting right now.”\n\n“I don’t know if I can do that, we just got a surprise shipment in that wasn’t on the schedule and we’re swamped.” I heard a loud crash in the background and guys cussing. “Goddamnit! Why weren’t those top frames strapped down? Sheryl, I gotta go, this place is a mess right now.”\n\n“Allen wait! Please just go home. There’s going to be alopergnerzubusplayt”\n\nThat got his attention. “Sheryl? What did you say? I couldn’t make it out.”\n\n“I know, I’m sorry, I can’t seem to get the words out.” Now I was starting to get upset, why wouldn’t he just go home?\n\n“It’s one of your things, isn’t it?”\n\n“Yes. Please. Just leave, meet me at home.”\n\nHe sighed. I could still hear the commotion in the background. All those men with families, and no idea what was coming for us all in a few short days. “Ok. Yeah, ok. You’ve saved my butt a few times and I trust you.”\n\nRelief washed over me. “Thank you, Allen. I’m leaving work now, too. I’ll pick up Liam from daycare on my way. If you can swing it, you might want to send your guys home until Wednesday.”\n\n“I can’t just shut down the whole warehouse for a week.”\n\n“Tell them there’s a gas leak or something. Make it up. But… it’s important. They should be with their families.”\n\n“Jesus, Sheryl, what’s going on?”\n\n“I wish I could tell you.”\n\n“Jesus. Ok. I’m going, I’ll do what I can for the guys. I’ll see you at home in 40 minutes. Should I bring anything?”\n\n“Pick up a case of wine.”\n\n“A whole case? You’re acting like it’s the end of the world or something.”\n\nThere was nothing I could say to that. Even if someone correctly guessed what my premonition was I couldn’t so much as nod my head yes. Instead, I said “I love you, Allen” and ended the call.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThere wasn’t anything I could do to shut my office down for the weekend. It was a huge call center for an insurance company, and I was just a desk minion. I simply told my boss I was having a migraine and going home early. If they fired me for no-call no-show after a few days, so what? The world was ending Tuesday and I just wanted to be with my family.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI arrived home before Allen and started packing us for a weekend stay at our camp. A quiet little cabin in the woods overlooking a lake, no cell phone reception or even cable service. I had inherited the place form my great-aunt Martha a few years ago, and we loved to take long weekends there. It was the only place I could think of that I wanted to be when the end came. Liam ran around my legs as I packed, jabbering away in his baby gabble. Only 19 months old and not quite talking yet, my heart broke for all the opportunities he wouldn’t get to have now. Allen came home and found me cradling Liam in the rocker and crying.\n\n“Sheryl? God, this is a big one isn’t it?”\n\nAll I could do was look at him with more tears welling in my eyes. He came to me and wrapped me in a big hug, Liam squirmed to get down.\n\n“Where are we going?” He gestured to our packed bags.\n\n“To the cabin. I thought that would be nice.”\n\nHe nodded agreement and loaded our bags in the car. I didn’t even bother to lock the doors when we left. We drove the hour and a half to the cabin in silence, the radio quietly playing classic rock, Liam nodded off in his car seat.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWe spent the next few days not saying much. What was there to say? Allen knew I couldn’t tell him or even confirm it if he guessed, so we didn’t waste our time playing 20 questions. We took the rowboat out on the lake; Allen caught a few lake trout that he grilled for dinner on Saturday. Liam capered about in the yard. We went skinny dipping at night after Liam fell asleep, made love on the dock.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nTuesday morning dawned bright and beautiful. It looked like it was shaping up to be a gorgeous week. We passed the time lounging about in the sun and play wrestling in the grass with Liam. We ate a glorious steak dinner and relaxed on the porch swing watching the sun set and the stars come out, Liam sprawled across our laps in an unusual state of calm.\n\n“Sheryl?”\n\n“Mmmm?” I was nicely buzzed from my second glass of wine. We’d gone through five bottles since we arrived.\n\n“I just want to say, whatever happens, these past few days have been the best days of my life.”\n\nA tear rolled silently down my cheek. “Mine, too. I love you, Allen.” He tightened his arm around my shoulders and planted a kiss on my temple. I hugged Liam tight and ran my fingers through his hair. It was almost time.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe sky to the south lit up with a brilliant fiery red. Allen tensed up beside me, Liam gazed in wide-eyed wonder. I clutched my family close and tried not to hold my breath.", "&#x200B;\n\nI dreamed that the world would end in two days.\n\nJust silly dreams.\n\nI thought this at the beginning.\n\nBut since I started dreaming about events that happen in the future, everything happened like my dreams, they never failed, and this has been happening more than 5 years.\n\nI got rich with this story. I made a lot of money on sports betting by guessing who would win the championships based on the lucid dreams.\n\nSometimes I needed to fail to avoid creating suspicions.\n\nBut last night was different.\n\nA terrible prevision.\n\nThe world will end after tomorrow.\n\nFollowing my dream, the earth will be destroyed by aliens. \n\nA strange mobile space station and galactic superweapon outside the solar system that can blast superleasers capable of destroying the entire Earth.\n\nI cannot explain it but I need to alert the authorities. \n\nExplaining every detail of the dream and maybe they can believe my story and detect the enemy space station avoid the tragedy.\n\nBut there is a problem.\n\nI don’t know why but I forgot to speak English correctly and now I can only speak or write a type of gibberish that I don't even understand.\n\nI try to call governments, newspapers, television channels but nothing. \n\n“ What language are you speaking? “\n\n“ Sorry I need to hang up. “\n\nAre the answers.\n\nI cannot communicate.\n\nMysteriously I can only speak in a foreign language that I don’t know the origin.\n\nI need to find another way to save the world.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nNote: translated in 2025 from the Galactic Standard Aurabesh by the Rebels", "They all came to the oracle, sitting peacefully on a mountain in a shrine. This shrine was air conditioned and had tv of course, she has a life too. The oracle could predict the future in this small town in North Carolina. There’s a problem with the method though. The oracle is mute.\n\nHow do they get around this problem? Me of course! I’m the translator, who gets the oracle to choose photos to show. When I saw a pictures of a UFO, 2, S, A Day, and an explosion, I was puzzled. \n\n“There’s going to be a new nuke and a UFO sighting in the span of two days? “ I said.\n\nThe oracle slapped her forehead. I was still figuring it out until Tuesday. The oracle looked concerned and panicked. She was showing me pictures of random things like the Air Force. \n\n“You want to fly a plane in USA?” I said, thoroughly baffled.\n\nThe oracle made an X with her hands. Five hours later, the oracle was making a grave. \n\nI said “There’s ghosts coming? Wait a minute! Did you mean Tuesday’s the end of the wo-“", "\"Wendy, I have something to tell you.\" \n\nShe gave me a glance from the book she was reading. \"What is it, love?\" \n\nI opened my mouth. And closed it. I opened it again. It felt like molasses - like the words were all sticky and stuck, as if I was chewing my way out of something, as if I was trying to talk with my mouth full, as if I - Wendy was looking at me like I was trying to throw up.\n\n\"You okay Sophie?\" She asked. \n\nI stopped. I gave up with a sigh. I wanted to tell her. The world was going to end next Tuesday, next week, in about four days! I wanted to, just this once, and I tried, I tried so hard but I knew how it ended. It never came out, for a reason or another. It felt like a curse. Even seeing the future felt like a curse, in a sense. I could know about the future, but I couldn't do anything to stop it. I got to see the terrorist attacks. I got to see the crash of '22. I got to see Wendy get kicked out of her home. I got to see it happen twice. And twice over it all left me tongue-tied; I never really could talk about it, even afterwards. I never figured out why it happened. It just did. \n\nWendy was looking at me strangely. \"I-\" I tried. I tried! \n\n\"Is it one of your intuition things?\" She asked. I nodded, well, I tried to nod, but in the end I couldn't, and I was left doing some weird movements in front of the woman I loved. \n\n\"I trust you.\" Wendy went on, \"I owe you that, after all.\" \n\n\"What? Why?\" \n\n\"Oh please,\" she rolled her eyes. \"Hey Wendy, whatever happens you can always crash at my place! Hey Wendy, don't go to that concert! Hey Wendy, I know things are going great at work, but you should start looking for something else!\"\n\nShe smirked. I felt a bit red in the face. I did all those things, didn't I? She was right.\n\n\"You've always helped me so much,\" she concluded, simply, before turning fully toward me. \"So, what is it? What do you want to do?\" \n\nI opened my mouth again, and then stopped. But this time, it wasn't because of the curse - what could she do? What could I do? Even if I could communicate clearly about it ... what then? Life wasn't an action movie, and there was no way for me to call the president, or stop the wars, or the fires, or anything else, especially not in four days. I was just a twenty-something still trying to figure things out, living in a tiny flat with her girlfriend. \n\nI thought about it for a while. \n\n\"You've always wanted to visit Spain, didn't you?\" The words flowed out of my mouth with a lot more ease this time. \"I think we should go. Like now. Spain's a great place for a long weekend! Let's get plane tickets.\" \n\nWendy blanched. \"I, uh, with what money?\"\n\nI shrugged. \"Let's just put it on a credit card. We'll just, pay it back, or something.\" \n\n\"Honey, I don't think it's a good idea-\" \n\nI took her hands in mine, getting myself more and more excited about the idea. \"No, no, I promise it'll be great! We'll see Barcelona, the parks, that strange house of bones you like, and we'll get drinks on the beach, we'll watch the sunset. You're going to love it, I know!\" \n\nI calmed down a little, still smiling from ear to ear. \"Trust me. Please.\" I couldn't really say more than that. \n\n\"I do. We'll go.\" She agreed, in a quiet whisper, and then she smiled at me. \n\n\"I love you so much.\" I said.", "Of course the world had to end on a Tuesday. \n\nTuesday, deriving from the Old English word Tīwesdæg, with reference to an ancient German God of war and the sky. It would have been ironic, given the sky looked like it had been splattered with a fresh palette of blood. But, it was not; irony would imply humour, and Claire was not laughing. Irony would suggest things going different to how she'd anticipated, and Claire knew this was categorically impossible. \n\nSo, no, it wasn't ironic. The word that sprung to Claire's mind to imminently describe the situation was FUBAR, although that technically wasn't a single word. The term 'FUBAR' was also believed to have had its roots in a German word — furchtbar, meaning terrible. Indeed, this situation was terrible. Not ironic, like U.S World War 2 slang having German origins, but terrible indeed. \n\nWhat was entirely ironic was that a girl of nineteen years of age had been vested with all the blessings of clairvoyance, able to predict this world would soon come apart at the seams, yet was entirely restricted from communicating the fact in any useful capacity possible. Mostly. \n\nTo be fair, it was happening on a Tuesday, and people were probably too busy rushing to work to listen to the ramblings of a girl her age. Even if she could ramble about the pending armageddon, which she couldn't. \n\nWhy, exactly, was armageddon inbound?\n\nThis, Claire did not know. Could not know. The world ended within an instant of her onlooking the event, and so her vision terminated with it — her foresight was in some capacity tethered to what could be tangibly observed, as she had learned by a somewhat liberal recreation of the Schrodinger's cat experiment. \n\nIf there was nobody left to observe the Earth after armageddon, this could mean one of two things: aliens weren't real, or that the universe itself ended on a Tuesday. \n\nEither way, this was somewhat of a downer. \n\nClaire sighed, brushed a hand through her mop of hair, trying to orient her thoughts. She looked into the imminent future of a billionaire residing in his private island, glanced over the white sands and crashing waves, and felt at peace for a moment. \n\nThe voice of a demon knocked her back into the present. \n\n\"Have you made progress yet?\" Asked Errydataphres, his smooth tone marred by only the slightest hint of impatience. \n\n\"FUBAR,\" said Claire.\n\n\"I beg your pardon?\"\n\nShe looked at the sky, angled her head, and gestured upwards wordlessly. \n\n\"Stuff's happening,\" she confirmed. \"Someone fucked up.\" \n\n\"Deities don't have leeways for fuck-ups.\"\n\n\"Last I checked I'm a student studying art and you're a lesser demon. Not exactly our problem, is it?\" \n\n\"It's everyone's problem!\" Hissed the demon, and this time his composure broke, eliciting the faintest of grins from Claire. \"And I'm a middling demon. You're insufferable, you know that?\"\n\n\"I knew you'd say that.\" \n\nErrydataphres pinched his forehead, a hiss forcing itself out from between clenched teeth. \"Do you even know who does it?\" \n\n\"Nope. I do know it's on the day of German sky-warfare, though.\"\n\n\"Tuesday? That's in two days!\" \n\n\"You're welcome.\" \n\nOh, how she loved the leeways in her power sometimes. \n\n\"Oh fuck you.\" \n\n\"It's a start. Report to whoever you report to and find out the significance of that day, why don't you? Nothing is a coincidence, that I've learnt.\"\n\nShe was right; nothing ever was coincidence. The future spun a pre-woven thread, and although sometimes it tangled itself up, everything that could be written had already been written. There was purpose in the future, a direction. \n\nAll those concerned had to do was uncover it. Apocalypse. Apokaluptein - Greek for uncover. Things don't stay hidden for long. \n\nAs for her, she wasn't all that concerned. Her dissertation was due Monday, after all. And she had plans of her own. \n\n\"Well, I should be off. Best of luck, demon.\" \n\nAlthough she couldn't tell him much more, she could always nudge him the right direction. Or, at least, a direction. \n\nSo long as he and the rest were chasing a thread, even if it ended up being the wrong one.\n\nWith a skip in her step, Claire went off to plan her own end of the world. That is how she would save it." ]	7
	[WP] "It wasn't an easy task you know?" what? You say baffled looking at the figure before you. "It wasn't easy making you, all of you really, look at how many of YOU there are." what do you mean? you say as you look down at earth and realize you're floating in space. "everyone down there is you."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Everyone down there is you,\" the Brobdingnagian figure says as I float in front of his face in the upper reaches of the atmosphere. The Earth seems about the size of a marble compared to him and hangs in the space a short distance from his face. \"I put a lot of effort into creating you. I'm eager to see what you can do,\" he smiles.\n\n\"Are you god?\" I'm still trying to wrap my head around the enormity of what I am experiencing.\n\n\"What? No, of course not!\" he booms out a thunderous laugh. He tilts his head and smirks at me. \"What a curious question. C'mon, I want to try you out.\"\n\nHe reaches past me and pinches Earth with the tips of his fingers. He slowly pulls his arms apart and the globe expands to its full size or he shrinks down to its size, I can't tell. We are both standing in Times Square but the streets are completely devoid of people and cars; one of the busiest intersections in the world, empty.\n\n\"Something simply to start,\" he says, expecting some response from me. \"Evan Thurman.\"\n\nThe world around me blurs in confusion as buildings and trees blink into and out of existence around me. I shutter as a pulse runs through my body and I look down to see my clothes change. Then I notice that my whole body is shifting into a new shape, not just my clothes. Visions of a life I never lived but feel so familiar flood I mind and I feel compelled to speak. \n\n\"Evan Thurman. Born March 10, 1992 in Harper's Ferry, Virginia to Edward Thurman and Louise Dixon.\"\n\n\"Tell me a bit about yourself,\" he suggests.\n\nI try to explain that I don't know who that is, that I just felt a compulsion to say that but don't understand where it came from. I feel possessed by some spirit. But instead of explaining any of that, I spew out more information about this stranger.\n\n\"Raised in Queens, New York. Studied computer science at MIT. No spousal record on fi-\"\n\n\"Okay,\" he cuts me off, \"that seems to be working alright. What about your grandfather? Paternal grandfather.\"\n\nThe world swirls around me again and I once more feel changes pulse through me. A mint-condition 1954 Chevrolet Bel-Air materializes next to me as I fall into a casual lean against it. We are standing in the driveway of a freshly-built ranch in the suburbs somewhere.\n\n\"Jim Thurman,\" I smile. \"Born July 12, 1920 in Pittsburgh, PA to William and Etta Thurman. I served in both the European and Pacific theaters in WWII and worked in construction after the war.\"\n\n\"And your grandfather?\"\n\nA shiver runs through me again and I'm leaning over the railing of a steam liner waving my arms wildly with all the other passengers. The Statue of Liberty towers over us, her torch held high above her head.\n\n\"Johann Thurman,\" I say in a thick German accent. \"I first emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1892.\"\n\n\"Very nice,\" he smiles and pats me on the back. \"The transitions are much smoother than I anticipated.\"\n\nI feel a window of lucidity and try to assert my will once again.\n\n\"Who am I?\"\n\n\"Johann Thurman, father of-\"\n\n\"No,\" I snap, \"what is happening? What Is going on?\" My control over what I say and think begins to slip away. \"I am Johann Thurman. Jim- I emigrated to the United States after serving in WWII and founded the virtual-reality tech giant Lineage.\"\n\n\"Hmm,\" he frowns. He seems to be talking to himself instead of me. \"The AI is retaining memories from multiple sources. Must be an issue with how the data is being cached.\"\n\n\"Wh-\" I have a million thoughts flooding my head but can't seem to bring the pertinent ones to the front of my mind. I finally manage to push one out. \"What am I?\"\n\nHe frowns as he reaches up to his face as if he is removing goggles or a large hardhat.\n\n\"A good first attempt. Don't worry,\" he nods, \"we'll iron this out.\"\n\n\"Wait! Tell me who yo-\"\n\nMy world blinks out of existence.\n\nEvan Thurman sets the headset on the table, takes a seat at the computer, and begins to search for the solution to the bug in his latest project." ]	2
	[WP] As the great dragon searched for ways to further grow its hoard of treasures, it realized there was a way for people to voluntarily give it more treasures: open a museum.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Ah, Mister Kovacks, welcome, welcome!\" The athletic looking man with the perfectly messy hair took the hand of his host, a thin, almost wiry man with distinguished slicked-back silver and black hair. He was surprised by the strength of the handshake he received. \"I have been looking forward to meeting you since your man contacted me.\n\n\"The pleasure is all mine, Mister Nastral,\" the olive-skinned man said. \"It would be excellent if I've got the real thing. I can't imagine being remembered as the man that rediscovered the Honjo Masamune, after all these years.\" The man was fairly glowing with pride. \"The university in Bonn didn't even hesitate to recommend you and your museum to validate it. I'm a little shocked I haven't heard of you before.\"\n\n\"Oh, I tend to avoid the limelight,\" the distinguished gentleman replied. \"I own the museum, to be sure, but the administrative details have always bored me. I just love the excitement of seeing new pieces, be they art, weapons, or documents of rare value. We have an exquisite Ming section,\" he commented, \"and pottery dating all the way back to Qin Shi Huang Di. Maybe you'd like to see it later?\n\n\"Perhaps,\" Mr. Kovacks replied, taking in the hallway full of golden Middle Age jewelry and furniture. \"I'd love to see what else has been donated; the professor spoke highly of your collection and generosity.\" Mr. Kovacks was in awe at what he saw pass by on their trip into the heart of the museum. They had apparently passed into a Persian section, rife with bejeweled kindjals, beautiful incense burners, and an unnerving mask, dominating a central pedestal. \"What's that?\" he asked.\n\n\"That,\" Mr. Nastral replied, \"Is a commander's mask for King Xerxes' Immortals, taken off the battleground of Thermopylae in the aftermath of king Leonidas' famous stand. It's the star of this exhibit,\" he puffed proudly. \"Ah, we're almost there, just down this hallway, if you please.\" The gentleman reached an impressive security door, where he waved his hand in front of. The door responded and began swinging in effortlessly. \"Do come into my chambers. We'll authenticate the sword here,\" he said, gesturing inside.\n\nMr. Kovacks, eager to see inside, walked in without hesitation. He was greeted by a large chamber, seemingly devoid of furnishings, but didn't even register because of the dominating features of the room: row after row of sealed glass cases, and an enormous pile of gold in the corner, seemingly carelessly lain in a heap.\n\n\"Welcome to my private chambers, and my most personal of collections. Please, have a look. That suit you see there,\" the gentleman said, \"was the armor Richard the Lionheart was wearing when he was shot with a crossbow by a young boy, during a siege in France. In that case,\" he pointed to a set of swords, \"sits Joyeuse, Charlemagne's sword, and the sword of His great Champion Roland, Durandal. Next to it, you can see Fragarach, the Answerer and Gae Bolg, owned by Cúchulainn, and here-\"\n\n\"Wait, wait,\" said Mr. Kovacks. \"Fragarach and Gae Bolg are just myths. Nuada wasn't real, he's a legend, and Cúchulainn wasn't real either. Joyeuse is in the Louvre, as well. You're having a go at me.\"\n\n\"I assure you, I am not, Remy Leloux,\" the older gentleman said coldly, all pretense of politeness dropping in an instant. \"I also know what you carry there is a fake, meant as bait so you could get here. Mr. Nastral smiled thinly as the man's complexion paled beneath his olive demeanor\n\nRemy gave a confused look. \"Who? Look, I assure you, I've got the real thing here!\" he said, shaking the case he was carrying. \"Why else would that professor send me your way?\n\n\"Steigl knew you were trying to fool him, and let me sort it out. And I know yours is a fake because I have the real Honjo over there,\" he pointed to a display of three swords, \"Along with Kusanagi-no-tsurugi and Ashikaga's first creation. You came to rob me,\" Mr. Nastral growled, \"and you gave me a fake name, and some excellent bait, if only you knew the truth. Now,\" the man rumbled, seeming to grow larger by the second, \"you've sealed yourself, because nobody gets out of my lair unless I wish it. What now, little thief!\" the being roared to the cowering young man. \"Will you beg for your life? Beg it of me, Coranastral!\n\nRemy was cowering in the corner as his erstwhile host shifted and grew to great proportions, morphing and growing, covering himself with scales and growing a great pair of wings. \"Oh God, oh fuck! Don't kill me, please! I'll go, and I'll never bother you again!\n\n\"...no,\" the great wyrm rumbled. \"You desecrated my home, tried to plot to steal from my hoard, and lied to me. You would remove that which I love, which I have been given in trust, grown from humans more noble than you to enjoy and share with the world. I should eat you now.\n\n\"But,\" the great gold dragon whispered, \"I have a better idea, little sneak thief. Do you value your life?\n\nYes, yes, please!\" Remy sobbed, shaking in fright. \"Anything, anything you want!\"\n\n\"Well, where you failed here, I know you have succeeded elsewhere,\" Coranastral purred. \"You have a chance to redeem your affront to me, and build an excellent life like you may have never known. Things have been slowing down regarding donations here. It's been a long time since I had someone who could track leads and acquire lost things for me and my collection,\" the grand beast said, looking down his snout at the cowering thief. \"Let's make a deal: you work for my organization, gain its resources, and hunt down legends you thought were just myth, and take back things that were stolen from those less worthy. In return, I will not only not kill you, but will support you with the kind of lifestyle you can only imagine. Do we have a deal?\" Coranastral asked.\n\n\"Still shaking, but less completely terrified, Remy nodded. \"Yes, of course. After all,\" he gulped with a nervous laugh, \"what other choice do I have?\n\n\"Excellent!\" Coranastral roared. \"You start tomorrow.\"", "\"Have a drink?\" the guild master said waving his hand to one of the waitresses.\n\n\"No thanks\" Eadmund replied, \"I never drink while on a job.\"\n\nA lie of course when he raided the museum a day ago he had been drunk, probably still was a little now.\n\n\"Oh ok\" the guild master replied \"Another tankard for me darling,\" he said to the waitress giving her a coin.\n\nEadmund waited until the waitress was gone and leaned in a bit, \"so I have what you were looking for\"\n\n\"Oh great,\" the guild master said cheerfully \"Its-\" he faltered as he saw Eadmund look.\n\n\"It's really hard to find \" he continued demure.\"There are no more white gold mines left.\"\n\n\"Yes\" Eadmund said \"you were lucky I was passing by these parts and heard you were looking for it\"\n\n\"Might I inquire where you got it?\" the guild master asked.\n\nEadmund briefly considered lying but he wasn't staying here and this idiot could very well spill the origin to the wrong people if he didn't know.\n\n\"Well do you know the little museum in Whitrun?\" Eadmund whispered\n\nThe guild master's face turned blank.\n\n\"Well, let's just say you shouldn't try to visit that.\" Eadmund said looking smug.\n\n\"What-\" the guild master started \"what was the name of the museum\"\n\n\"Dragonshoard or something silly like that\" Eadmund said snorting, regretting he hadn't taken up to offer for a drink.\n\nThe guilds master face changed to one of pure horror.\n\n\"Now now\" Eadmund said, \"you know what I am you cant-\"\n\n\"That's not it\" the guild master interrupted him \"That's-\" he stopped and looked around \"I need to get away from here\" not to anyone in particular.\n\nEadmund took the guild master arm and forced him back into his seat he had gotten out of. \"Not until I get whats owned\" putting as much menace in his voice as he could.\n\n\"You don't understand,\" the guild master said struggling to get out of his grip, surprisingly strong. \"that museum-\"\n\nA huge crash came from above, stone and timber flew around knocking Eadmund from his seat.\n\nAs he looked up he could see a huge silver dragons head poking through the hole in the roof.\n\n\"I SMELL A THIEF\" the dragon roared.", "Ignas Goldteeth had everything in the world.\n\nYet, as he strolled through his albino capybaras exhibit and then past his mountain of diamond snow globes, he couldn't help but furrow his scaled brows, his silver embroidered talons tapping on the marbled ground.\n\nOf course. How can he think his museum complete without chinchillas.\n\nIgnas Goldteeth stilled his talons and the servant boy behind him stood up straight, quill and scroll at the ready.\n\n\"Tell the next king to bring chinchilllas. Not the small ones. At least as big as the pgymy tigers. Small ones are shit.\"\n\n\"Yes, sir.\" the servant replied.\n\n\"Put them with the double-horned unicorns.\" the dragon continued then paused, \"Actually, no. That would be a monochromatic artistic crime. Let's not be savages here.\" He chuckled and the floors shook slightly.\n\nThe servant answered with furious crossing out with his quill.\n\nIgnas Goldteeth mused, \"I think they will juxtapose nicely with the greyed-gold of the once-holy grails. Picture it, boy. A monument to the impossible pursuit of purity.\"\n\nThe dragon closed his eyes and raised his claw like a conductor directing shadows. Silence overtook the room as he imagined the applause.\n\n\"I think they will look best with open moonlight.\" the servant said quietly behind him.\n\nThe dragon's brows furrowed again as he turned around, his erect head looming over the now quivering boy.\n\n\"You must be new.\" the dragon said with a faint growl.\n\nThe servant was even quieter now, \"Yes, Ignas Goldtooth, sir, I-\"\n\n\"Gold. Teeth.\" Ignas Goldteeth said pointedly and he opened his mouth in a vicious smile. Rows of gold studded fangs stared back at the servant.\n\n\"But do go on. Moonlight you say.\" the dragon said as he sat back.\n\n\"Ignas Goldteeth, sir, I-I just think the simple moon is the most beautiful thing in the world,\" the servant stammered.\n\nThe dragon stood. \"You think the plain old moon is more beatiful than my museum?\" the dragon bellowed as he gestured over his magnificient hoarde.\n\nThe servant was a silent, shaking mouse but as Ignas Goldteeth surveyed his treasures- at the legendary swords that he once collected with pride and the exotic wines that once brought him joy- he knew it to be the truth.\n\nThe moon. Shinier and bigger than any...chinchilla.\n\nAnd so he decreed to his servant, \"Let it be known to all the kingdoms. Bring me the moon and I will give them anything, everything from my collection.\"\n\nFor Ignas Goldteeth shall have everything in the world.", "Richard Hackman had a lot on his plate. He always did (or at least, he always seemed to) but in recent times, that workload seemed to be getting out of control. Which was why every few hours, he would peel himself away from his Louis XVI mahogany and ormolu desk and arch backwards, determine to get some sense of feeling into his old bones.\n\nIn doing so, his chin went up, as did his nose, and when his nostrils flared in anticipation of a deep-seated yawn, no amount of advanced age was going to tarnish his sense of smell to the point that he didn’t pick up the presence of another of his kind. Lowering himself back down to normal, he rested his hip against the table and folded his arms. “What are you doing here, Godfrey?”\n\n“My hat goes off to you, you old fish-scale,” a voice rumbled, from behind the curtains that led out on to the balcony, indicating how he’d arrived. The sound had more in common with a landslide than a voice, indicating his colleague was finding it harder and harder to maintain his human form. “I thought you were out of your god-damned skull when you started this project.”\n\n“And I told you it would work. My hoard is now the biggest in the world.”\n\nThe voice huffed; causing a thick plume of smoke to roll across the room. “Not even close.”\n\nRichard’s teeth ground together, fighting back the desire to explode into his alternate form. It was a well-documented fact that when two adult males of their kind met outside the guise of a human, only one would walk or fly away. Richard had to maintain control, because he couldn’t tell which form his older acquaintance was in. The scent only identified who they were, not what form they were in. “I don’t count America’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.”\n\n“Those hatchlings took your idea, and improved on it, Richard. Like it or not, it worked. Their hoard has been bigger than yours for decades. Maybe even centuries …”\n\n“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Richard snarled, curling his lip repulsively. “There are certainly less painful ways to die then to come into the lair of another and insult the size of his hoard.”\n\nThe rumbling chuckle that came from outside didn’t inspire confidence. “Maybe that’s my end game,” he rumbled. “Go out in a blaze of fang and fire.”\n\nThe defeatist undertone sucked all the fight from Richard, who strode over to the curtain. “I’m human,” he said, pulling the curtain away. But even as he said it, he was ready to explode into his much larger dragon form if Godfrey thought to take advantage of his vulnerability and steal his hoard for himself.\n\n“I am too old to care,” Godfrey snapped, and yet another billow of smoke pushed the curtain aside, though this time it was accompanied by a layer of fine soot.\n\nSure enough, when Richard exposed his acquaintance, Godfrey was in a dragon form, but his size was that of a human. “Is that as close to human as you can go?” Richard asked, staring at his acquaintance from nose to tail and back again. Godfrey had been one of the greatest fighters of their generation, and in his prime, the red scales of his hide had shone like a harbinger of fire and death through the clouds.\n\nTo see him now. So faded. So … old … it was heart-wrenching.\n\n“Feel sorry for me, you black bastard, and my last breath will be turning you from onyx to charcoal,” the withered red dragon warned. “I had a good life.”\n\n“Are you planning on dying on my balcony?”\n\nThat blood-red orb of an eye blinked once, then twice.\n\n“That was a joke,” Richard snarled. “I am not having a five hundred tonne red dragon carcass on my balcony.”\n\nThe red dragon chuckled. “Didn’t even think of that,” he mused. His eye rolled again towards Richard. “But then, you always were the brains behind us, Richard. Humans have been rushing to you, bringing you their treasures, hoping you will select theirs over everyone else’s. Whereas we’ve fought tooth and claw for every trinket we own. Even your choice of name is a direct snub at the humans, and they don’t even see it. Hack man … indeed.”\n\nRichard didn’t like this at all. He had no idea what he was supposed to say to his … to his colleague. Because despite their differences, over the centuries, they had been colleagues. Friendly enough to meet on neutral territory and discuss things instead of tearing the other to pieces.\n\nIt seemed Godfrey wasn’t finished. “You hid your hoard in the open. You had the human armies dying on your behalf to defend it.” He turned his old, heavily scarred head towards the west. “I don’t like the fact that the hatchlings in the new world have trounced you at your own game, Richard.”\n\nRichard snorted. “I’m not a fan of it either, but what can I say? The youth of today learn from their elders. It’s all we can ever really hope for, isn’t it?”\n\n“Fuck that sentimental bullshit! If you believe that, you’ve been a human too long. If you see one of those cocky shits, you burn them to ash … or in your case .. burn them to a puddle.” But then, the red dragon seemed to lose its momentary bout of energy, and sighed, settling back into the balcony. “How long has it been since you took to the skies?”\n\nAlarm bells suddenly rang in the back of Richard’s mind. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “You can’t ask that of me …”\n\n“You legless lizard,” the red dragon said, drawing on the worst insult he could possibly sling at one of his kind.\n\nRichard shook his head. “No. We go back too far…”\n\n“My hoard is…”\n\nRichard slapped his hands over his ears. “I’m not listening to this!”\n\n“Mauna Loa, Hawaii,” the red dragon finished. “It’s there. After I’m gone, add my hoard to yours, and yours will be bigger than the American brats.”\n\n“I’m not doing this,” Richard insisted.\n\nGodfrey stretched out his neck, breaking through the smaller shape and swelling to his much larger one. As a result, he had to leave the balcony and take to the air to avoid breaking it off. With one puff, after another, after another, he breathed out solid streams of sulphur infused smoke, so thick it triggered distant alarms and caused the humans to flee the museum in the thousands. “You must fight me, Richard, or I will burn your precious British Museum to the ground.” His wings flapped, forcing Richard against the wall. “Defend your hoard! Fight me!” Already, his chest expanded to tap into the more deadly flames which his colour kind was renowned for.\n\nAt that point, Richard had no choice. He ran for the edge of the balcony, and hooked his foot upon the railing, leaping high into the air. Godfrey was right, he thought with dark amusement, as the change took over him and he swelled to his full dragon size. It had been too long since I’d cut loose. It just shouldn’t have to cost me my oldest ally – of sorts.\n\nRichard climbed into the sky. There was no other way this was going to end. When two adult males took to the air, no matter the colour or the age, only one survived. But he wanted the room to move. During the last century, dragons had learned that their kind didn’t register on any electronic equipment, but people might have still caught glimpses of them through Godfrey’s smoke cover.\n\nGodfrey bellowed and charged after him. Once they broke through the cloud cover, Richard banked, doubling straight back down on top of the red dragon still struggling to keep up. This wasn’t a fight. It was a blatant slaughter. Spreading his chest just as Godfrey had done, Richard tapped his power and spewed thousands of gallons of black acid across his colleague, focusing primarily on his head and torso. In days gone by, the fight would have been closer to even, and he would have targeted the old scale’s wings to draw out the conflict.\n\nThe acid acted exactly as it was supposed to. One moment there was an old red dragon charging towards him as quickly as his feeble wings could fly. By the next, he was gone.\n\nRichard banked again and flew high, screeching out his victory and his distress for every other dragon in the world to hear. Godfrey gave him no choice. You don’t threaten another dragon’s hoard. He knew exactly what he had to do to force Richard’s hand.\n\nSoon they would come in their human forms to find out who had perished, and then the hunt for the slain dragon’s hoard would be on.\n\nOnly, he would get to it first.\n\nIt had literally been his friend’s dying request.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n((All comments welcome))\n\n&#x200B;\n\n For more of my work: [r/Angel466](https://www.reddit.com/r/Angel466/)" ]	5
	[WP] After a long day of work, you go to sleep, only to wake up to the sound of a kid screaming about a monster in their bed. Their parents check the room you're in, and don't seem to notice you at all.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Even though I knew neither of the adults could see me up on the top bunk, part of me still held my breath as they ran their hands across the mattress in search of me. Honestly, I didn’t get it. For every kid on the planet, there was a monster of some description assigned to them. It’s a fact. And when the kid got too old to scare, there was always a new assignment waiting for them. But we’re not always on the clock, dammit! It’s just as much a fact that we need our ugly sleep and downtime too, and how awkward would it be for everyone involved if our homes were also our jobs?\n\nBut kids were only supposed to see the monster that’s assigned to them. It’s how things worked with us. So how in the dark realm had this kid dinged me just twenty minutes after I had punched out for the morning …\n\nMid-rant, I just happened to catch the edge of a shadow sliding under the bed. And I knew.\n\nOh, he was soooo busted. It was one thing to sulk over a demotion because you couldn’t find your ass with both hands and a map, but another entirely to screw with a key informant on their downtime and potentially jeopardise everything.\n\nTheoretically, I should sleep, and report this tonight when I went back into the shadow realm. Contrary to popular belief, it was tough to think up new ways to scare the crap out of a kid. The little bastards had gotten a whole lot more resilient in recent times, and were actually starting to get their own back. The last monsters to be assigned to the kids at Fort Sam Houston in Texas had come back with bullet holes in them. Yes, real bullet holes! Because it wasn’t the freakin’ adults that pulled the triggers, which meant the bullets counted!\n\nBut screw this. Dibbs needs to be stopped. He’d scared the crap out of his kid just to screw with my downtime. That ain’t on. I waited just long enough for the parents to assure their little Johnny or Betty … or whoever it was I shared a room with that it was just their imagination, and then I dropped over the bunkbed rail to the floor. From there I shot under the bed. He definitely wasn’t getting away with this.\n\nThe shadows under a bed were like an endless supply of entrances and exists to the shadow realm. This was actually the only real way to screw with us, putting a light source of some description under there. Every kid in the world knew that’s how you stopped us from getting in, but thankfully, every adult would rather fuss over excess battery usage or unnecessary power wastage. It seemed they’d forgotten what it was like to compete with us. Most times, they lost.\n\nCalling it a ‘job’ may have been a little bit of a stretch. We’re monsters. We don’t’ get paid to do this. We do it for fun. But at some point too many years ago to count, the monsters fought over the big screamers, and after facing too many of us at once, the kids were turned catatonic.\n\nThere was no fun in that.\n\nSo we organised. Unionised. We got a kid at random, and we had to make the best of it. If we weren’t willing to undergo the ritual that kept us limited to our one victim, we couldn’t have one at all.\n\nI made it a grand total of two body-lengths into the shadow realm before I was landed on by the enforcers. Because, of course. “You should be resting,” they said, drifting in and out and through me, their presence alone holding me frozen where I stood.\n\nIt took me a second to find the strength to answer. “I would be, if Dibbs didn’t just scare the shit out of his mark and put the whole house on alert.” My argument was sound. “This is his idea of payback because I let you lot know when he tricked the system into getting multiple marks at the same time.”\n\n“Return to your resting place. If you are unable to get through, we’ll organise temporary accommodations within the shadow realm. Your rest will not be disturbed any further.”\n\n“What guarantee do I have of that?”\n\nWhy the hell would I ask that of the only guys in existence with the real power to hurt us? Because I’m a god-damned idiot, that’s why. Or sleep-deprived. When it comes to monsters, those two are one and the same.\n\nSo, the second the words left my mouth and I realised I’d said them aloud, I tensed, fully expecting the disciplinary electrical charge that was going to light me up like a cartoon character touching a power-point.\n\nI wasn’t left waiting long.\n\n“Okay, okay. My bad,” I whimpered when I could, slithering away from the enforcers once they let me go. I knew better than to actually apologise, because Monsters, remember?\n\nThey drifted silently behind me as I re-entered my daytime lodgings and slid out on to the bedroom floor. From a quick glance I saw one of them had taken up a guard position under the bed, which was how they planned to guarantee Dibbs wouldn’t be back any time soon. If I’d just kept my big mouth shut, I’D have learned that without getting lit up like a Christmas tree light.\n\nBut I learn from my mistakes.\n\nNodding silently at the enforcer, I say nothing more and slither back up onto the top bunk.\n\nBecause, just in case I hadn’t mentioned it before, I needs me ugly sleep!\n\n&#x200B;\n\n((All comments welcome))\n\n&#x200B;\n\n For more of my work: [r/Angel466](https://www.reddit.com/r/Angel466/)" ]	2
	[WP] When the bullies at school mocked you for your witchcraft obsession, you transformed them into beasts of the forest to teach them valuable life lessons of respect and humility. However, you forgot one thing: it's hunting season.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The fools. The absolute fools. There were rumors being spread about me, some even of merit, and the occasional speck of proof. They should've known this would happen.\n\nFor those of you who do not know, my lineage traces back several centuries to Hecate, and as such, magic has been infused into my family, though it has waned slightly through the years. \n\n\"Magic isn't real\", \"The Greek Gods don't really exist\", \"He just wants attention\", \"He's probably Schizo or something\". All of these were commonplace, and they continued to mess with me. Well, I'd had enough. Getting my reagents would be simple enough, follow close enough behind them for a lock of hair, head to the forest for hair of common animals, a few ounces of my blood, and some ground sage, ginger, and silver. Light a few candles, draw a few circles, and poof. Kevin, Angela, Rachel, Rebecca, James, Conner, and Anton were no more. Instead, a few new animals have joined the forest.\n\nOnly problem is, since everyone knows (or has heard and didn't believe) I am a witch, recent events have cause my trail to burn white hot. Apparently, opening day for small game season was last Sunday, and now upon being killed, Rachel and Conner have been revealed to have not been squirrels, but instead their human selves. Why hadn't I thought of this?\n\nImagine how their families feel.\n\nImagine how the hunters feel.\n\nImagine how they'd feel if they see my grin.\n\nEither way, I can't let this happen, I think they've all more than learned their lesson. I can reverse the spell on the living five, but I can't bring the dead back to life on my own.\n\nGuess I've got to reach out to uncle Hades..." ]	2
	[WP] When FTL travel was invented, we set out to find God. Along the way we joined other species who were doing the same. We found him, as he was creating another species. He looked at us, old and weary. "Take care of them" he managed, then closed his eyes and ceased to be.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " \n\nWe thought we left him behind long ago, we thought our sciences had disproved his existence. After years of expanding into the far reaches of the galaxy, we found other sentient life, and waged a long, brutal war against one another. We nearly wiped each other out, with both sides developing weapons strong enough to destroy worlds. In the end, peace prevailed, and we began to live together, inhabiting planets across the entire galaxy. It didn’t take much longer for us to develop the technology to travel between galaxies, and eventually we spread out among the cosmos. The further we traveled out, the more species we found, wared with, and either made peace with, or completely dominated them until they became extinct. After many years, religion was the last thing on anyone’s mind, all we cared about now was finding the key to immortality. That is until the day we reached the furthest galaxy. When the first contact crew arrived, they saw a bright flash, followed by a planet forming before their very eyes. At first it was just a round rock, but while they watched the planet grew continents, and oceans. Shocked at what they had seen, they sent a shuttle to the surface to explore the anomaly. When they landed on the surface, they found a planet almost identical to the earth before its sun had consumed it. The men marveled at what they were seeing and began to check different measurements of the surface to see how well the planet would sustain life. Another flash of light appeared in the center of the men, blinding them, and forcing their attention on a newcomer. An old man leaned against a staff, a white robe and long grey beard adored his body. Each man swore he had different features, a couple said he had kind eyes filled with love for everything, while others claimed his complexion was fierce and angry, but they all could agree that he looked tired, very tired. As he looked at them, each could feel what the old man was trying to tell them, he was the old God of humanity, the last one that humans believed in, and he was dying. He created this planet for the last species he would ever create, and he wanted the humans to take care of them. He began to fade, become ever more transparent as time went on, until finally the last wish from the dying God was finally pressed upon them. He wanted humans to remember who he was, and to never forget what he had done for them. When the old man finally dissipated, all of humanity could feel it, and they wept for days at what they had lost." ]	2
	[WP] Every time any organism from Earth, but especially humans, interacts with alien life invariably the situation devolves into one of fear, chaos and madness. Apparently almost everything in the galaxy has a sense not found in Earth life, and judging by their reactions what they see is horrifying	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Have you ever thought about the nature of senses? We have many more than the normally talked about 5 but I’ll use them as the example. If humans were devoid of a nose and olfactory lobe, we would have no concept of smell. So what if there are countless other aspects of reality we are incapable of experiencing simply because we as humans don’t have a way to sense it?\n\nIf a tree falls and there’s no one there, does it make a sound? Well if we can’t hear than it doesn’t matter how close you get. You won’t be able to hear it.” \n\nHe paused, seeing the look on all our faces. James nodded slowly, Bella sighed and gave up trying to understand, and I stood up, anxiously awaiting his next words. \n\n“What I’m saying is the Zaradians have that compared to us. They have some sort of sense that we don’t have, and whatever they’re sending on us isn’t something they’re used to. And, it’s definitely not something they like.”\n\nThe understanding flashed across Bella’s face like a cartoon lightbulb. \n\n“Oh see that’s all you had to say. You philosophers and your questions. It’s tiresome.” Dr. Jankens didn’t like her response but he had gotten through to her, and that was a first. She continued, “So we can communicate with them right? Just ask them what’s wrong and let’s get over it.”\n\nShe was overly optimistic. It’s what I liked about her, not that I liked her or anything. It’s cute though, and Dr. Jankens seems to think so too. He knew the problem as well as I did though. They seemed scared of us, so we couldn’t even establish a way to communicate without them freaking out. The first time it leveled a block of Manhattan, and we couldn’t risk it again. Not only did we know this, but Bella did too. She was just pushing his buttons in classic Bella fashion. \n\n“Even if we could it wouldn’t matter. Imagine trying to explain smell to someone who had never smelled anything. Imagine trying to explain colors to a colorblind species. It’s impossible to understand without any experience. There’s no way.” \n\n“So what do we do?” I look around at who said it, then realize it was me. Something about this has me out of it. \n\n“Nothing. They’re scared of us and insanely technologically superior. What do you expect? We don’t stand a chance. It’s just a matter of time.” \n\n“So what do y’all wanna do with our last few hours or weeks of life?” She smiled. We knew it was facetious but it still hurts. We always know we’re gonna die as humans, but now we knew how it was gonna happen and that it would be soon. We were literally waiting for our deaths. \n\n“I could use a taco.” It was the first time James had spoken in hours, and there was nothing else to do. Why not die eating a taco?" ]	2
	[WP] For 7 generations your family has been cursed. The first born dies before their 18th birthday. Yours is in three days and recently you've been getting nightly visits from... something.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I can't sleep... Too anxious, too... scared? No... I have accepted this long ago... But there is still something unsettling about this whole curse thing.\n\nIs this what my predecessors felt? Hopelessness, knowing their death is imminent and there is no stopping it? Honestly, it's not fun.\n\nWell then... Seeing as there is no point in going to bed right now, I jumped out. I'm only wearing shorts, top half naked, it's hot here since the AC's broken. I'm hungry, and who knows? This might be the last chance I could enjoy food.\n\nThe door to my room screeched open.\n\nI didn't open it.\n\nI'm too afraid to look. I'm afraid to turn on the lights. There could be something in here with me that I do not want to see. But I'm curious. As they say, curiosity killed the cat, and even if I don't have that much time left I still want to live.\n\nI decided to take the risk, and flipped the light switch.\n\nnothing. nothing is here.\n\nI checked behind me, still nothing. Only me. I checked in the mirror, nothing. honestly? it's creepy. Wait, am I... sweating? No... it's not that hot... This isn't cold sweat either.\n\nOkay, It probably is cold sweat... I'll have to admit...\n\nIgnoring everything that just happened, as well as someone who is expected to die soon would anyways, I walked outside my room and into the kitchen. On the way, I hear footsteps. Are those even footsteps? \n\n'Surely they must be, right? At least?' I try to assure myself. Probably a rat, right? Or a raccoon? We live in the suburbs so that must be it? Right? Whatever reason my room's door opened by itself surely been a normal, scientific reason, right?\n\n'Oh, who am I kidding? Nothing that happens to me is normal. Getting cursed? Yeah, sure science can solve that.'\n\n Come to think of it... These sounds have been going on since a few nights ago... wait, no. Curiosity killed the cat. Remember that, Cameron. Curiosity. Killed. The Cat.\n\nSo instead of checking the sounds, I head to the fridge... Which is apparently where the sounds are coming from.\n\n'What in the hell?' I thought. Refrigerators doesn't make sounds like that, usually... Now, I am at a dilemma... Taking a risk on seeing whatever the hell is in here? Or just going back, to my room, where the door just opened, I was suddenly sweating, and always feel like someone's watching me?\n\n'Yeah, forget it. I'm going to my room. I checked it before, and nothing was in it, right? Should be safe...'\n\nI backed up slowly from the fridge, keeping an eye on whatever hellspawn is in there. Until I straight up dashed towards my bedroom, full speed and slamming the door, open and then shut.\n\nOkay, seeing as nothing in the room has changed... I think I'm okay! If I'm lucky, I could get to just the day before my birthday before dying. At least...\n\n'Ah, that loose shelf really needed fixing' I thought as my eyes gaze upon the shelf above my bed. It's dangerous, but that's why I sleep in the other side of the bed.\n\nI turn off the lights, hopped into my bed stomach down, and try to sleep. Emphasis on try...\n\nUntil I heard a screech, the sound of the roof breaking apart, and the shelf, falling. All because of a god damned rat. \n\n\"ARE YOU KIDDING M-\" Were the only things I managed to scream out before the shelf fell onto my neck, snapping it instantly, killing me in the process.\n\nCursed. Yep. Cursed. And from what my parents had told me, I might have the worst and most ridiculous death yet. I can imagine something on my tombstone saying something like, \"Here lies Cameron Maxwell, death because of a rat fell on a shelf.\"\n\nOh well, at least that's over with... To the afterlife I go...\n\n(A/N: Yes, this is my first attempt on a real, publicized, story of some sort. So, criticism and all that jazz, please. I want to try and improve.)", "Dear Anne,\n\nI am writing this on the front. I am sorry I did not tell you my plans. My father may have said something because he saw me leave, and I know as he looked at me that he accepted my decision; but it was not in my heart to say anything to anyone else, for I know no one else will understand. I am not some foolish brash youth, and you should know me well enough to not dare think so. Mother will think it is the furor of a nation that has come to take her son away. Please be kind to her and do not dissuade her from this notion.\n\nI care not for a country but for the people there. I do not know if I believe in a King that would not twice look at me, but I do believe in duty and I know what that means. I can feel the weight of my every Uncle and Aunt on my shoulders. I can hear them calling in the shells that pound the trenches. Every night I can see them hovering at my feet, waiting for me to join them. I hope ~~y~~ they are proud of me.\n\nSometimes the men here whisper that we are cursed, but we are cursed at home as well. I wish you could see how wet it is here. There is naught but drought for years at home, yet now I am in a more barren place yet and no part of me has been dry for days. More than anything else this tells me I am right. It has been my family's misfortune for seven generations to toil on that land and each time there have been too many mouths to feed. I know you care not for our superstitions as you call them, but I am three days from my eighteenth now and it is my turn. We will make a charge soon and then I will be the one visiting the children of my siblings in the night. There is always a war for those such as us.\n\n~~I lo~~ Wish me well in your prayers for I do not imagine I shall be seeing you again. You ~~should~~ will marry some other and be happy.\n\nYours forever,\n\nYour William", "I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, shivering. The covers have fallen to the foot of the bed yet again. Do I really toss and turn that much in my sleep? Anyway, I maneuver my way toward the edge of the bed and reach down to grab the comforter. For a second I think I see something move in the doorway, but as my eyes adjust to the dark, my mind may just be playing tricks on me. I haven’t been sleeping well lately... The curse has been weighing heavy on me as my birthday approaches, and every night the same thing. -cold sweat, comforter on the floor, and awoken by something or someone in the middle of the night. \n\nI grab the comforter and pull it back onto the bed, shake it out and spread it accordingly, and tuck myself back in. With a sigh, I close my eyes and try to get back to sleep. However, just as I am beginning to doze off, I feel the slightest tug, and open my eyes to see my comforter slowly being pulled toward the foot of the bed....", "I thrash in my bed, sweat sticking to my forehead. The closer I’ve gotten to my 18th birthday, the more frequent nightmares have been. I pant in a few deep breaths.\n\nWind trickles into the room from an open window, fluttering the curtain. The sweat feels like it’s turning to ice.\n\n“Are you back so soon?” I ask, slowly making it to my feet. My legs feel weak beneath me as I make my way to the window.\n\n“Hello, darling.” Jaxon answers, sweeping a piece of hair that was plastered to my face with sweat behind my ear.\n\nI sigh. “I’ve missed you.”\n\n“Yeah, I miss you too. But Catherine, you have to listen to me. You have to make it to your eighteenth birthday.” He answers, putting a hand on my cheek.\n\nI sigh. “Why? I love you and I miss you.”\n\n“I miss you too, but you have your life ahead of you.”\n\n“But you are my life.” I whisper back.\n\nJaxon laughs. “No, I’m not.”\n\n“But-“\n\n“I love you, Catherine. Don’t ever change.”\n\n“What do you mean? You’ll still come to visit me, won’t you?” \n\nHe shakes his head. “No, I can’t.”\n\n“Why?”\n\n“I love you Catherine.”\n\n“Wait! Jaxon!” I lunge toward him, but he disappears. \n\nI climb out the window, standing on the roof of my house before taking a deep breath. Hang on Jaxon, I’m coming.\n\nI close my eyes and take a deep breath. I take a step and let myself fall." ]	5
	[WP] You’ve interviewed dozens of candidates for the company’s newly open position. The interviews are all the same basic questions, with the same basic answers. This time, however, you ask the simplest open-ended question and get a shocking response.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Christ I'm so tired of these interviews.\"\n\nJohn was a cynical man who believes with every fiber of his being that he would one day become the CEO of Calacorp.\n\n\"John, you know one of these men could be just like you. The next rising star and you could be the one to find them or we can cancel the last interview, grab a drink, and let them rise to the top of some other company.\"\n\nI know it was mean, but man did I love to mess with John. I watched as the gears turned in his head. He weighed the pros and cons of hiring a \"rising star\" against the pros and cons of having to compete against one. John even went so far as to create a hire vs fire chart with tally marks of the outcomes in his head. The whole ordeal took nearly 10 minutes before he finally came to a conclusion.\n\n\"Fine. Send in the last candidate.\"\n\nJohn walked to the door and invited the candidate in.\n\nMarcus Gillian was about as average as they came. Brown hair, blue eyes, a grey suit from what I can only assume is from Men's Wearhouse, a blue and white striped tie, and carried a worn out briefcase. marcus responded to each question the same as any other candidate. So I decided to have some fun with John and asked a question not on the agenda.\n\n\"Mr. Gillian, tell us a secret that you have not told a living soul.\"\n\nJohn's eyes darted towards me, but before he could say a word Mr. Gillian responded.\n\n\"No one has opened this briefcase and lived except me.\"\n\nJohn and I turned in amazement.\n\n\"You can't be serious?\"\n\n\"Very much so. Many people have opened this case and looked into it over the years, but I am the only person to survive. It's how I can insure that anything I keep in there remains safe.\"\n\nAfter a moment of silence John and I burst out laughing. Mr. Gillian's face remained unchanged \n\n\"If you don't believe me, see for yourself.\"\n\nHe placed the briefcase on the table in front of us, gently as to make as little sound as possibble.\n\n\"The combination is today's date. 02/29\"\n\nJohn gave a concerning look, but I was curious to call the bluff and see what Mr. Gillian was up to. I entered the combination and unlatched the briefcase. Slowly, I raised the briefcase which revealed some paper documents and a small mirror. I looked down from the mirror and noticed the company logo on the documents. Suddenly I realized that these documents were the ones which had been stolen from the CEO's office. I raised my eyes and in the mirror I saw Mr. Gillian with a gun in his hand.\n\n\"Told you no one who's looked in has lived.\"\n\n[END]" ]	2
	[WP] He’s shaking now. And his voice quiveringly asks “How... big.. is the anomaly?” The computer responds “The creature surrounds our viewable universe. It’s estimated length, is 292.17 Billion light years in length.”	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "SCP- 6047\n\nObject Class: Apollyon \n\n\nSpecial Containment Procedures: Protocol HOLY FUCK is in full effect, with all foundation resources being put towards discovering a new, more effective form of panic then current human baseline. Until success is achieved in Protocol HOLY FUCK, foundation personal are to wail, lie on the floor and lament the cruelty of a deity or deities of their choice at least once every 24 hours.\n\nDescription: SCP-6047 is a Megascale Lifeform described by witnesses as \"extremely large\", \"horrortastic\" and \"oh god we are but worms before the meaninglessness of the cosmos\". It is hard to describe the precise appearance of SCP-6047 due to its huge size, but casual examination reveals at least 4000 claws, teeth, pincers and what are believed to be \"galaxy-sized laser death eyes\". SCP-6047 is approximately 292.17 billion light years in length.\n\nInitial foundation attempts at containing SCP-6047 failed because, holy shit. 292.17 billion light years?! Fucking hell. It fucking stepped on the Andromeda fucking galaxy like it was nothing. What the hell are we gonna do? Send a MTF to give it a pedicure?\n\nAll contained SCPs are to released because what's the point? This thing is 100% going to eat the planet. O5 council will be sitting on a beach sobbing into their hands until further notice. Any and all are welcome to join.\n\n292.17 billion light years\n\nShit.\n\nWe're all so fucked.", "A dog ran across a computer screen. \n\nSomewhere, in another universe, people panicked and a huge billion light year length being surrounded their universe and slowly starts digesting them. They try to fight with their own anomalies, but all they can do is slightly injure the being by targeting its old scars from its fights in the past. Eventually some universe might even bring it down, but not this one. \n\nNew members on the team are typically horrified when they read about the laptop. They cant imagine what it means to let out a being so large to do such unspeakable things. But the SCP foundation will do all it must to save out universe, even if it means sacrificing some of the countless universes. \n\nA dog runs across a computer screen" ]	3
	[WP] every new person born is born nameless, until they are 12 years old in which their name is tattooed on their wrist. Your first name is your greatest asset and your last is your worst trait.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Lucky Tongue was my fathers name before me. My mother described her reckoning as the best day of her life, she didn’t feel a thing as her wrist blossomed Bella Nunca. That of course makes me the only son and heir of the Nunca Tongue fortune. \n\nNow growing up famously wealthy seems like it would have its downsides, but bebito let me tell you something, when that clock strikes midnight, my daddy’s car doesn’t turn into no pumpkin, in fact it stays whatever name brand European brand that makes other middle aged men whistle and stare. God I lost track of my thoughts there, lately I’ve been distracted by this shoulder injury, I pulled my shoulder in my moms bring your kid to yoga day, at her studio they call it double class passmaste, I go because I like the smell of a juice cleanse, if y’a know what I mean, the milkshake baby, this preteen been breaking through porn filters since the fourth grade convention of Kyle’s older brother sending us that one email.\n\nAnyway, mine should be coming in any day now, and I’m looking forward to good things, maybe Handsome Buckets or Gorilla Steve. Why Steve, because, Steve’s a good dude." ]	2
	[WP] You are death or Grim Reaper, or whatever people call you. The one mistake they always make is that you are heartless. This job is heartbreaking and its starting to take its toll on you.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I was sitting at a bus stop around the outskirts of Detroit. A young boy sat down beside me. \n\n\"Hey mister, whats going on over there?\" he said, pointing towards a group of people over in the middle of the road. They were crying, shouting about how cruel life could be. \n\n\"I don't know.\"\n\n\"... when's the bus going to get here?\"\n\n\"Soon.\" \n\n\"Sometimes soon can mean a long time.\"\n\n\"I can't argue.\" \n\n\"Maybe a story would make it go faster...\" the boy sheepishly put forward. It had been a while since I'd sat and talked with someone, so I wanted to see where it went.\n\n\"Know any good ones?\"\n\n\"Theres this one my grandma used to tell me, its kinda weird though.\" \n\n\"You've piqued my interested. Tell it.\"\n\n\"Once upon a time, death grew weary of his job and wanted go away... or do something else, you know.... \n\nSo he went up to the stars to sleep and eat and stuff... what do you think death would eat?\" \n\n\"Peanut butter.\" \n\n\"... hmmm... okay, but anyway when he left, people couldn't die. It was really good for a while, but it wasn't all good. No one got sick and died, but there were too many people. \n\nThere were so many people so the world got crowded and everyone started to get all angry and hurt each other. Old people got too old and started to hurt. Young people did dumb stuff because they could, and no one worked... because, why would you?\" \n\n\"So what happened?\" \n\n\"He had to come back, and that's why death isn't bad... its just... nature.\" \n\n\".... I suppose so. Are you ready to go see your grandmother?\" \n\n\"... but she's dead.\"\n\n\"Take my hand\" he said as he extended a recluctant icy palm to the child." ]	2
	[WP] It is judgement day, but instead of God judging humanity, humanity is judging God to see if he did a good job creating the universe.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The Lord Almighty cracks His knuckles, breaking back in the fleshy body which had been gathering dust for the past four thousand years. It was time to return to Earth once more to judge the wicked and uplift His children to Heaven. Heaven was usually quite quiet, once somebody had met God Himself, the novelty quickly wore off and they went off to the Sex and Milkshake Cloud to spend the rest of eternity. The combined solitude which He was used to with the unfamiliarity with of having flesh sent Him reeling when a hand touched his shoulder.\n\nWʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴛʜɪs?\n\nA small woman in the common attire of humanity in the 31st century speaks gently in return, \"Oh, hi, God, sir. Just a human, you know, from down there.\" She giggles nervously. \"This Judgement Day thing, we were wondering if you could, you know, just give it a few days?\"\n\nDᴇʟᴀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ? Wʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏsᴇ ɪs ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ Mᴇ?\n\n\"Well, sir, it's just Earth day, so it would be kind of awkward if you destroyed the place today. Everyone's back on Earth as like kind of a holiday and it's such a pain to get interdimensional train tickets on short notice, you know?\"\n\n Iɴᴛᴇʀ-ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛs? \n\n\"Oh, yeah. That realm of existence is great and all, and we're really glad you created us, but we mostly chill in the 27th dimension now.\"\n\nTᴡᴇɴᴛʏ Sᴇᴠᴇɴᴛʜ? Bᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ's ᴏɴʟʏ ғɪᴠᴇ!", "\"Alright, what've you got?\" God shook in place as if psyching himself for a boxing match. Today was Judgement Day, the day He was to be judged by all mankind. \"Come on, you can't make me wait forever,\" He fluttered his head and swung quick jabs into the air. God was fully expecting a reckoning.\n\nAll of mankind stood before him. They had just experienced their doomsday. They were ready to vent all their frustrations upon their maker. Finally one of the humans broke from the pack to speak first.\n\n\"T'was alright chyeah.\"\n\nGod was understandably taken aback somewhat. \"Alright?\" He still didn't let his guard down; He was still ready to box.\n\nThe man looked behind himself to make sure everyone else agreed. \"T'wern't all 'at bad, y'know. It was alright. Don't beat yerself up about'it 'er anythin'.\"\n\nGod could see anything coming, but he couldn't quite see this. \"Well hold on now Brian Fowl of Benllech. What are you getting at, exactly? 'T'wernt all at bad' you say. What about all the plagues, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and whatnot?\"\n\nBrian Fowl, the man in the front quickly convened with several others and then returned to the front. \"Well the others 'an I sort'of... acknowledge,\" he verified with others behind him to make sure he was using the correct wording, \"we acknowledge that we... well... we sort'a bollixed it all on our own in the end. Y'know... with the wars n'stuff. None'o yer disasters held a candle to what we did to ourselves, y'know.\"\n\nGod finally let down his guard. Never before had humanity accepted their own faults.\n\n\"So we all wanna say that ya did alright for yer first attempt,\" reassured Brian with an optimistic glimmer in his eye. \"It'll go mor smoothly on yer second try. Chin up.\"\n\nGod chuckled. This had been God's 12th attempt." ]	3
	[WP] Aliens finally arrived to Earth. Unlike movies and TV shows however, they did not come to enslave us or to harvest our resources. They came only to spread the good news of their lord and savior.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "First time here\n\nThe Mountain Dew Alien Religion Apocalypse\n\nAfter humans discovered intelligent life millions of lightyears away, we began the process of trying to tell them we exist. Which is kind of odd, because as history has proven us, new lands with unfamiliar people generally leads to them being taken over, killed, and colonized with what they left behind. Needless to say, at first contact, skeptics assumed we would also be invaded, enslaved, killed, eaten, and made into taxidermy trophies for intergalactic gift shops.\n\nBut scientists were optimistic. They were hoping a new intelligent life could help us advance to their level. Maybe they’d cure the common cold, or maybe they’d introduce us to the exciting world of space hockey. So defying all rational arguments against putting a target on our backs, scientists decided to flood their worlds with so many messages, we later learned the aliens were just redirecting them to their intergalactic spam folder. Until one alien finally went to empty the trash, and curiously opened the email that would change our future forever.\n\nWhat was in that email? Well, most scientists tried to send messages that simulate our everyday culture, presenting them with the best of what humanity has to offer. Showing them our science, our art, or our music. But of all the messages sent out there by the experts, one bozo NASA intern who was simultaneously pirating the third Saw movie in one tab while sending space signals in the other, accidentally hit the “share this video” button, and in an instant, sent off probably the most horrifying thing any foreign civilization could possibly experience from the human race. And as luck would have it, a freaking horror movie (with a painfully boring plot, nonetheless) was the first message the aliens read from us.\n\nNeedless to say, they were pretty taken aback at what they saw. And like every explorer to find a new continent through Earth’s history, they decided their destiny was to save us—from ourselves.\n\nAnd so came the fateful day. Astronauts had just completed their spacewalk, and had returned to the ISS. Suddenly, a strange noise that resembled a 1996 Toyota Corolla with no muffler began roaring through the station. A spacecraft the size of Nigeria emerged from hyperspace and smack-dab into Earth’s orbit. The ISS communications team desperately sent messages to the ground, pleading nations to aim their proton cannons and nuclear weapons at the craft. Unfortunately, the idiot scientist who alerted them dialed the wrong number, and the message was received by an automatic answering machine at a Walmart customer service center in Idaho.\n\nThe craft could be seen from the ground, so military leaders across the world were scrambling to respond. In efforts to alert the world, they tried sending signals to every phone and computer on the planet, basically overwhelming every internet server and causing a catastrophic communications meltdown. And while leaders were arguing over what to do, the aliens beamed down and landed on earth. Of all places to pick a landing site, they arrived at the front door of some guy’s trailer home in rural Alabama. The owner of the property stepped out, and with a shotgun in one hand and a meth pipe in the other, fired a single round at the aliens. The aliens, who resembled gigantic slugs, stopped the bullets with their protective shield technology, and waltzed off to find a more suitable place to greet the human race.\n\nThey didn’t make it far before they were surrounded by tanks, soldiers, and robot war machines. In efforts to show us they understood our messages, they presented a single object—a liter of Mountain Dew Baja Blast.\n\nThe incident was being live-streamed across the globe, experts were baffled. Mountain Dew? What the f—? And it wasn’t until the intern who accidentally beamed his favorite horror movie to the aliens stepped forward and admitted what he did. As fate turned out, halfway through the link he sent was a 15-second ad for Mountain Dew Baja Blast. Advertisements—what we as humans generally find to be the bane of our existence, led to our ultimate downfall.\n\nA blinding light filled the skies above ground zero, the aliens disappeared in an instant, and their ship had already ripped open a wormhole and disappeared into hyperspace. As quickly as they came, they left. And nobody could figure out what the hell just happened.\n\nDays went by, then weeks. Many humans had begun to forget about the whole ordeal, thinking they took one look at our advanced world-ending weaponry and figured it wasn’t worth the trouble. But the opposite was true.\n\nIt began exactly one year to the date they had arrived. Celebrations had begun across the globe as we partied to a prosperous future, thinking that we had stood our ground to the alien race and would keep our lands. But in small towns across the globe, a new cult-like religion had suddenly appeared. As told by one resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, she had just finished binge-watching every episode of Dora the Explorer with her kid when a knock hit the door. She opened her door to see a tall man in a white button-down shirt and black pants, wearing a stupid helmet with a bicycle propped up on the sidewalk. “Ugh, great. Missionaries,” she thought to herself. But this one was different, this was no average missionary. Instead of a bible, he held a bottle of Mountain Dew Baja Blast. Before she could utter a word, he asked her—“I’d like to tell you about our lord and savior, Zorkand.”\n\nWithout a word, she slammed her door and went back to her television, but the missionary wouldn’t leave. He knocked and knocked and knocked, until finally, she opened the door, this time wielding a golf club, and swung at the man. He dodged the hit with superhuman speed and stuck out his hand—vaporizing her into a puddle of Mountain Dew. The child in the home was unseen by the missionary, but in that moment, he was making a lipsyncing video to Lil Naz X on TikTok, and managed to capture the alien murder in the background. The video went viral almost instantly. Scientists were convinced this missionary was one of the slug aliens, taking on human form, trying to appeal to their impression that we somehow worshipped Mountain Dew. The media went nuts.\n\nWithin hours, the world realized we were no longer safe. Misinformation spread across the internet, and suddenly, anyone who was seen with a bottle of Mountain Dew was attacked, beaten, stabbed, shot, and/or stoned to death, in efforts to cleanse the world of our alien invaders. From the lonely guy at Taco Bell who was just trying to enjoy his Crunchwrap Supreme to the bozo college student in the bar who wanted a mixer for his tequila, anyone who was suspected to have Mountain Dew in their possession was murdered. The world was going crazy.\n\nUnbeknownst to humans, the aliens wanted nothing more than to stop us from the weird shit people find entertaining, and find salvation in Zorkand, the leader of the Milky Way. And it didn’t help that NASA enlisted the help of the same intern who sent them that video in the first place, to find a solution. His theory? Simple. It was the video that brought them here, perhaps showing them more horror movies would make them leave.\n\nSo while the scientists piled up copies of horror films ranging from The Conjuring to The Shining, the news quickly spread. Halloween stores across the globe were being raided for everything on their shelves. People began wearing clown masks and wielding chainsaws, storming the streets dressed like evil clowns. This only baffled the aliens even more, leading them to the conclusion that we MUST be saved. But what ultimately caused the destruction of the human race was the most bizarre thing you’d ever expect: another missionary.\n\nA human missionary approached an alien with a copy of his bible. The first human to show kindness and willingness to interact with this otherworldly species handed him the book. The alien absorbed all the knowledge and stories from the book with its superbrain, and determined that the best way to save us from ourselves was to do so the same way it had apparently been done before. They found a particular interest in the story of Noah’s Ark, and concluded that the best way to cleanse us of sin was to flood the earth and kill everyone, using the very thing they mistakenly thought we had worshipped—Mountain Dew Baja Blast. They simply thought they were doing us a favor.\n\nThe alien disappeared in an instant with the bible. Next thing the world knew, the aliens were disappearing into thin air. The missionary thought he had saved the human race, and in 48 hours was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize while humanity claimed victory. But only hours later, the planet was surrounded by gigantic spaceships from the alien race. They appeared from hyperspace, opened their hatches and released giga-tons of Mountain Dew Baja Blast onto the earth, flooding the world with sugary soda. Sea levels rose, homes drifted away. Humans tried desperately to climb to higher ground, only to be washed away by the green and yellow liquids. In a mere 8 hours, the world as we knew it was no more.\n\nThe aliens, thinking they had done Zorkand’s work, applauded their success and beamed themselves back up to their ship. But upon their arrival back to their cubicles, they discovered that one of their fellow alien-slugs was dicking around and decided to watch the entire Saw III movie to its end, actually quite impressed despite the film’s lazy storyline. The video that started the end of our world was now being used for alien entertainment. No one was safe now, not even the aliens, from themselves.", "\"Hello human friend! Have you heard the good word of Klar'nark the Most High, today?\"\n\nJim Burrows couldn't hide his distaste for the two small, gray aliens standing on his doorstep. \"Oh goddamnit, not again... Janet? The Klar'nark's Witnesses are back again!\"\n\nNaturally, humanity feared destruction or enslavement when confronted with the arrival of alien life on Earth, but those fears were quickly realized to be entirely misplaced. The aliens were friendly, well dressed, clean cut, and exceedingly polite. But they were not shy about sharing their beliefs with humanity. It turned out they were here on a religious mission, and they did not like taking no for an answer.\n\nPut politely, they were endlessly persistent. Put plainly, they were annoying as hell.\n\nHis wife stepped out from the kitchen. \"Well don't be rude, Jimmy! Invite 'em on in.\"\n\nJimmy's brow furrowed in confusion. \"What? Why on Earth would we wanna encourage them to-\"\n\n\"Thank you, human female friend!\" the lead alien said as he quickly stepped past Jimmy and into the house. The second followed by ducking under Jimmy's legs, which did little to quell his growing resentment toward them. \"Introductions are to be made as it is the time for introduction. I am Belub, and this is my brother-sister in Klar'nark, Melub.\"\n\nJimmy flopped down on the couch with a sigh, if he had to listen to their mumbo-jumbo, he was at least going to be comfortable while they talked at him for an hour. \"Are y'all uh, brother-sister's by blood as well as religion? From the same family I mean?\"\n\nBelub scoffed. \"No sir, we are from entire different star systems and are of entirely differing racial backgrounds!\"\n\n\"Huh, coulda fooled me,\" Jimmy said as he cracked open a beer. \"You two look pretty identical. I mighta even thought twins.\"\n\n\"Racist...\" Melub muttered.\n\n\"Now, Melub,\" Belub began, \"do not assume such things, he is merely ignorant. And we know that ignorance is no sin. Ignorance is rather a scourge that is to be defeated by knowledge. Much like the knowledge of the good news of our lord and savior! Which we must also share with our new human friend here.\"\n\n\"Oh Christ, here we go. Look we got all the religion we want, alright? So, no offense but-\n\n\"Oh Jimmy, just hear them out!\" Janet said as she sat down on the couch next to him.\n\n\"Hear em out? Why? They just show up randomly on people's doorsteps and start preaching at 'em for hours on end when no one-\"\n\n\"Pardon me, friend human,\" Belub interjected. \"I must correct the record of accuracy accurately. We did not come to your home to pester you, we came because we were invited.\"\n\n\"Invited?\" Jimmy scoffed. \"Then you got the wronnnnng house buddy. No one here invited you.\"\n\n\"Jim?\" Janet said quietly. \"I- I invited them.\"\n\n\"What? Why would you-\"\n\nBelub stepped forward and took Janet's hand, helping her to her feet. \"Sister Janet has seen the light of the Klar and agreed to live by the code of Nark, Klar'nark be praised!\"\n\n\"Praise be to Klar'nark,\" Janet and Belub repeated immediately.\n\nJim was genuinely dumbfounded. \"Wha- I- Jan, this is a really awful joke. I mean, you don't actually-\"\n\nBelub and Melub raised their hands, displaying the interlocking circular symbol of their religion branded permanently on each of them. As they held them out for several seconds longer, they began to glow brightly. \"Join us in the light, brother!\" they said in unison.\n\nJimmy's jaw dropped as Janet tentatively raised her own hand, finally displaying the same glowing symbol on branded on her own palm.\n\n___\n___\nThanks for reading. More of my stories can be found over on r/Ryter if you'd care to check them out.", "When the large rectangle of a ship first opened its impressively large hatch, we all assumed it meant our doom. Surely some kind of attack craft would descend from the crack in the sky. Or maybe it would be targeted missiles to strategically weaken us, in order to weaken whatever paltry resistance we might be able to scramble. Perhaps it would be some kind of death ray that would swiftly and mercifully liquefy our now insignificant planet. \n\nTruly, I can say that nobody expected to be greeted by an obscenely large painting. And of a cat, no less. \n\nNever before and never since then had the talking heads on the news channels been so utterly shut up. For long moments it felt like not a word was uttered. The world strangely united under the old 'so quiet you could hear a pin drop' line, as we all stood there mouth agape at the piece of art in the sky. \n\nAfter the shock wore off, my mind returned to me with yet one more surprise. Wait, that looks a lot like Mr. Buttons.\n\nAlmost on cue, the air buzzed with the foreign tongue coming from the alien vessel. Thankfully, these aliens had done some homework and had prepared the necessary translations that our world required. \n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"People of Terra, we greet you. We have descended upon you today not to conquer, or to threaten, or to enslave. Rather we have come to enlighten you with a glory you have already received. Many of your 'years' ago, our guide, our leader, our savior decided to make your world their home. It was to bless you, and to prepare you for your journey into the heavens. To the one whom our savior belongs we now welcome as an ambassador to the cosmos. Through them humanity shall know what lies beyond.\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMany moments of thoughtful contemplation followed. There was no reason to doubt what the aliens were saying - it was almost too strange not to believe. But to think that some schmuck was going to become some kind of cosmic ambassador because he owned a cat seemed far too silly. \n\nMy thoughts were broken by a clang from the kitchen, followed by a quiet cry and frantic claws trying to find their fraction. As I looked over I saw Mr. Buttons slide past the kitchen door, now wearing his food bowl as a hat. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight. \n\nI got up and made my way to the kitchen, finding a cat splayed out on all fours having given up the effort to dislodge his helmet. I picked him up and plopped off the bowl. \"You hungry, boy?\"\n\n\"Meow!\"\n\nGosh, he really does look like the painting... I thought as I poured his food into the bowl. With the sounds of contented munching behind me I made my way to the computer and pulled up some photos. I compared them to the captured images of the painting suspended in the sky. It took much self-convincing, but soon I was sure. Mr. Buttons was the savior, whatever that meant. \n\nI sat there scratching my head while my old friend hopped up onto my lap in search of his traditional after meal belly rubs. My muscle memory took over and my mind disappeared into the rhythm of his purrs. I wasn't sure who to tell, or if I should do it at all. I didn't particularly want to be an ambassador, especially to space. I rather enjoyed my life, and I very much enjoyed my cat. I wasn't keen on losing either, but this had now spiraled well outside of my little corner of the universe. \n\n\"Why'd you have to be so damn cute?\" I said, playfully petting my calico friend. \n\nHis purrs grew louder. I laughed some more. \n\nMinutes turned into hours as I contemplated the next action. I knew I had to tell someone, but it was hard to know who to trust. Surely any government would interfere and seize Mr. Buttons in order to make their own ambassador. I couldn't contact the news agencies for similar reasons. I didn't know how to get the attention of the aliens. But eventually I realized that I already possessed the most important piece of this puzzle, and it was in my lap. \n\n\"What do I do, Mr. Buttons?\" I said, sighing. \n\nHe stood up quickly, and turned his focus to my computer screen. I wasn't sure what he wanted, but I slowly scrolled through the pictures I had up in case they held the key. Eventually I came to one that showed the painting of my friend, and he meowed loudly. I stopped there and he hopped onto my desk before pawing at the picture several times. \n\nFrom a nearby television I could hear. \"It...it looks like the ship and the painting are moving. Yes, we have movement!\"\n\nThe chaos of the newsman behind me intensified as Mr. Buttons hopped to the floor. He got about halfway to the door before turning around to look at me. I got up and followed him the rest of the way to the front door. Upon opening it, he sat himself on the top of the steps, and I joined him shortly thereafter. He climbed once more into my lap, and there we sat, waiting.\n\nNot long after I could see the rectangular ship and the slightly smaller rectangle beneath it. Slowly, they were headed in our direction. Helicopters accompanied the sight on either side. It was an impressive spectacle, to say the least. And it felt strange to be the only human in existence knowing where it was headed. \n\nThe shadow of the ship soon enveloped my neighborhood. The whirring blades above made a deafening noise, to the point where it became hard to hear myself think. All I knew was that I was afraid. I didn't know what would come next. Would I be sucked up into the ship above? Would I be sniped down by some government? Would Mr. Buttons be hurt? It all became too much to bear. I held my cat close, and took comfort in the familiar vibration of his purrs. \n\nMr. Buttons then hopped off my lap, and sat next to me on the stoop. He stared up at me lovingly, and I bent down to pet his head. But this time, he beat me to the punch. He placed his paw upon my forehead, and in an instant all went silent. No whirring blades, no blaring news reporters, not even my own thoughts. Just perfect, beautiful silence. All around me everything started to shine bright as gold, and I knew that in some way I was being raptured. I was leaving this world behind.\n\nI looked into Mr. Buttons' eyes, and he stared right back. Without opening his mouth, yet in perfect English and in a voice that sounded distinctly his own, he spoke to me. \n\n\"Don't worry, you are safe, and that you will always be. Now, come with me, and I'll show you what lies beyond.\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\n_______________\nr/psalmsandstories for more tales by me, should you be interested." ]	4
	[WP]The story of the birth of a city of time travelers, built after the end of the universe.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "You’re one of us too? That’s certainly encouraging to know. I thought it would just be us, this glum little city, whirling towards the end of time and the entrance to oblivion in our unchanging, time-looped dwellings. \n\nAll of us know the world will be ending, so you should be aware too, and how it will come about. Upsilon, the star that dies backwards, brought about the very end. \nWe all have stardust from Upsilon in us, somehow, through a fluke of the workings of time. You must too. \n\nIt’s a pretty lonely existence, in this refuge from the earth and all that inhabit it. No one seems to understand how precious it all is. \n\nNone of the others have seen the dark, but somehow, against all odds, escaped it.", "Tl;dr at bottom.\n\n\nSo first of all I want to say fuck me for making this post because I literally spent 2 hours googling stuff to create as accurate of a timescale as I could for the futuristic setting of this story.\nI have barely any of the story written but at least I know how they write the date.\n\n2020 would be\n4.3.3.2.4-20 yeah figure that one out. \n\n\n>----spoilers bc idk how to do that on mobile----<\n\n\nIt's actually pretty simple, each one references a generally arbitrary slice of \"time\" the first number references the \"Eon\" which is anywhere from .5-40 billion years and usually start/end on events of significance, for example the Hadean Eon lasted roughly 500 million years and is named as such due to the lack of geological evidence of the earth itself, this eon is considered when the earth actually formed. The second number indicates the era, which is generally smaller than an Eon at .5-2 billion years each (though for organizational reasons every Eon will have at least one Era in it). The third number indicates the Period, which is smaller than the Era, at about 20-100 million years. The fourth number is the epoch, which is about 1-5 million years. The fifth number represents the age, which is counted in intervals of 2,000 (every 4,000 years a new age is entered)\nSo for example, we are in the Phanerozoic Eon (the 4th Eon) the Ceozeric Era, (the 3rd Era) the Quarternary Period, (the 3rd period) the Holocene Epoch (the 2nd Epoch) and the 4th stage/age which hasnt been named yet, and the 20th year in that age (For those of you who actually check this, it's important to note that the 3rd stage (the Meghalayan) ends at the year 2000, or rather time is counted back from the year 2000 and moves at rough intervals of 4000 (which is why for my time counting system, ages are in intervals of 4000) \n\nSo 4.3.3.2.4-20\nTo write the year 1998 you'd write it as\n4.3.3.2.3-3998\nAnd the year 5998 would be\n4.3.3.2.4-3998 \n\nEffectively most people would refer to the year as its year within the interval, but the official date would be written as shown above to effectively differentiate between the two (of course this is only for the time travelers)\n\nWith this mess out of the way I can finally actually begin writing the prompt\n\n\n\nTl;dr my obsessive/compulsive needs forced me to create a somewhat accurate reconstruction of how people write dates before I could even begin to focus on writing the prompt." ]	3
	[WP] You wake up with superpowers. In trying to figure out how they work, you accidentally expose yourself to the world. Write about the fallout.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"There he is\" A voice shouted from within the mob. I cursed several swears as I took off from the now translucent counter I had ducked behind. The mob's cries of \"blood,\" \"justice\" and \"pervert\" echoed in my ears as I ran. There, a door, my savior. I burst through and slammed the door behind me. Doors were safe, they didn't become translucent like everything else.\n\n\"Damn this power\" I said as a trashcan near me became translucent. I looked down at my clothes, they too were still translucent. My thoughts came to a crashing halt and I glanced up as I heard someone clearing their throat.\n\nBefore me were several women. Several, angry, women. Not just angry women, but angry, scowling women all holding baseball bats. Behind me I could hear the thunderous footsteps of the mob as they shouted \"this door\"\n\n\"Lllaaaadies\" I said with a big grin as I snapped my fingers and pointed with both of my fingers. The women all growled as they began to step up with raised bats. Behind me, I felt the door knob beginning to turn.\n\nWorst. Power. Ever.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\-The End-\n\n\\-By Mystic Booka" ]	2
	[WP] You wake up in the morning, get your clothes on, and open your bedroom door, only to be met with a white, featureless plain.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I was wandering through a strange purple jungle. The great trees were ringled and splattered with vines and moss in electric blue. Multicoloured birds sat in the branches or glided overhead in the humid air and beeped.\n\nBeeped? The jungle seemed to lose definition to a sort of slightly pink darkness but the beeping carried on. I opened my eyes with a groan. The alarm clock stared at me with red numbers. \n\nI flapped an arm in its direction and turned off the noise. Gah, dry throat like desert air. The window seemed to almost glow a bit. I opened the curtains without really paying attention. Seemed bright white out, probably snowed in the night, would make travel harder. \n\nI thumped down the stairs and turned on the tap to make tea. The tap was on but no water eminated. Supply cut? Don't need this. I opened the fridge, no light. It was totally silent too, no ambient fridge noises and almost room temperature. No power also or was the fridge broken?\n\nToo early for this stuff. I opened the door, empty mug in hand for some reason, to inspect the snow. But it wasn't snow. I wasn't really with it enough to say more than,\n\"Wyahuh?\" at the world in general.\n\nSnow tends to hide a lot of details like grass, roof details, things like that. We didn't get heavy snow really more of a dusting but everything of course went into panic mode no transport etc. But this, this was different. \n\nInstead of looking like the world had been generously (if crudely) layered in cake icing, the ground was totally flat. The houses that were opposite were gone, no road, no trees or lampposts. Just this endless white surface beyond the perimeter of the house. I knelt down, the ground was solid and felt slightly rough to the touch like a slightly coarse white plastic. It was unyielding. \n\nI dressed, cleaned as best I could (dry toothbrush), and stepped outside. The sky was only distinct from the ground in having a slightly pale blue tint. The house seemed to be the only variable in this landscape, how it got here made my head ache to think about this early in the morning. The air was around one degree cooler than inside and there was not the slightest breeze.\n\nMy shoes were a little muddy from a recent walk and left a trail on the white ground. Curiously, however, the marks disappeared after a minute or two. As I walked through the blankness, the house seemed to shrink away from me like a frightened animal. \n\nMy shoe hit a white stone, almost completely camouflaged against the ground. I picked it up and threw it for, reasons. The stone skittered ahead and stopped.\n\n There was a crack somewhere. Two more cracking sounds and the ground beneath the stone collapsed. Cracks spread from the impact point and the cracking rumbling sound increased. The shards of ground dinintegrated with bright shafts of white light blazes through the hole. The ground rapidly collapsed and I set off at a run from this growing chasm. \n\nEventually the collapsing stopped. I carefully looked over the edge, fearful of more collapsing. The walls of the chasm appeared to be same material as the ground and for some reason I kept thinking of the sugar-shell of smarties only white. There was something below though I was to afraid to go closer to see it fully. The object, perhaps a metre across, started to ascend with a mechanical hum and rose out of the hole. \n\nIt was dodecahedron that had the appearance of nearly opaque but shiny purple glass. The object shot out at an angle, low enough to nearly collide with my head, causing me to duck. There was a noise like \"boof\" and the object rapidly shot into the distance. \n\nThe object exploded, 2-dimensional shards zig-zagged and glitched, rapidly warping in size and form, a terrible deafening noise and reality folded like crumpled paper. I pressed my hands over my ears trying to drown out the shrieking, folding myself into a ball of fear. And then it was gone, as was I." ]	2
	[WP] You are transported into a world with subtle differences from your original world. You wake up and notice that your cabinets changed from brown to white, your walls are a slightly different color, the most obvious difference, your wife is no longer in any pictures on the wall	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "As with most mornings, I hit the snooze button to get just a little bit more sleep before I have to go and sit in the office for another 8 hours straight.\n\nBut when I flip over and to wrap my arm around Melissa, she's not there. I'm a pretty light sleeper, I thought I'd remember if she had gotten up. So I open my eyes, only to start noticing that the walls are blue instead of white and I feel disoriented as hell. I start to sit up and notice our dresser in the corner is now white and I feel like I'm about to call the ambulance because I think these are symptoms of a stroke. \n\nI slow my breathing down and get up, maybe Melissa is awake also noticing weird things or maybe this is a strange elablorate prank, have I forgotten our anniversary or something?? \n\nBut there's no Melissa anywhere, somehow most of our stuff, all of our photos too, have disappeared and not only that but I can't find any of our cats and this random German Shepherd dog is acting like I'm its human. This is madness. I check the time and it's 8am, time to get ready for work, but how am I supposed to do that when I'm freaking out? I decide to call my mom, she'll explain everything, or at the very least she will calm me down.\n\n\"Hi honey, good morning, everything okay?\"\n\n\"Hey mama, good morning, good morning. Umm, yeah I suppose, I feel kind of freaked out right now, I woke up and it's gonna sound strange but the walls are blue and I can't seem to find Melissa.\" \n\n\"...... Sorry, Joey honey, I don't understand. Who's Melissa? Did you rename Lily?? Haven't your walls always been blue?... Do you need me to drive down there? Why don't you take the day off and I'll come meet you.\"\n\nI realize my mom's not joking, not lying in the slightest. I can hear that genuine concern in her voice, the last thing I want is to freak her out, she's already got incredibly high blood pressure due to stress, or does she? What the hell, I'm losing my mind.\n\n\"Joey?? Okay, I'm getting my things, please just stay at home, I'll be there in an hour.\"\n\n\"Mom, no, I'm so sorry, yes I did rename Lily and I just realized she's out in the backyard, I've had a bit of a headache and I woke up from a weird dream. I'm so sorry to freak you out, no need to come, I have a meeting at work today. Love you, I'll call you later this week.\"\n\nI hang up before my mom can reply. Probably not the best idea but she won't come now, I know it. \n\nI look down at this dog. Lily. My dog? She's smiling that dog kind of smile like I guess I must be a good owner. I find her food, feed her, let her out, get in my car to... To go to work?\n\nHonestly I'm freaking out but I need something normal to grasp on to before I figure out what's going on.\n\nI'm half way to work when I realize that maybe Melissa and my mom have both been kidnapped, maybe my mom was forced to say those things. I start having an anxiety attack, I pull over and I realize there's no way I'm going to work, I need to call in sick.\n\nI collect myself and go to my contacts and Frank's number isn't there, what the hell? I mean seriously, what the hell is going on. I look up my company and Google and call, my friend Jenny at reception will pick up and transfer me. But it's not Jenny, I don't know who it is, where is Jenny? I ask for Frank anyways. \n\n\"Hi, morning, Frank speaking.\"\n\n\"Hey Frank, I'm so sorry but I'm not going to make it to today's meeting, I've got a serious case of food posioning from a dinner last night. I'll be back in tomorrow.\"\n\n\"Is this Mike from accounting? You should be calling your direct supervisor on sick days, not me. Call Jordan, I'll transfer you.\"\n\nI immediately hang up. Frank wasn't lying, he's not the type. My mom wasn't lying. Melissa is gone. Okay. Okay, think. What happened? Did I accidentally take some drugs? Am I dead? I pinch myself, I look at my palm, I turn the radio on and off and on and off and on and off and FUCK. I'm stressing out. \n\nI drive back home. I'm so light headed, I realize I need to eat. Whatever this is, I need energy to figure it out. \n\nLily stares at me. I've never had a dog. Melissa preferred cats and was never even open to the idea of a dog, but I remember I grew up loving this breed... Thinking of myself being a police officer, with a trusty gal. Shit, am I a cop? No evidence in the house to suggest this, but I do find other tell tale signs of who I am in this life, if that's what this truly is. \n\nI don't know what's going on, I don't know if I'm still me without my wife, or my job, what is my life? I'm just been laying on the bed staring at the ceiling, realizing that this probably isn't a dream. It's 1pm now, I don't think dreams last this long. Maybe it's possible to switch into alternate universes, maybe ours ceased to exist because of a nuclear explosion and now I'm here? I don't know what to do, or who this me is, but I'm going to figure it out. Maybe I'll find others like me, maybe I'll find Melissa and get her to love me again. But for now, I think I'll just take a nap with a dog, my dog. Wish me luck." ]	2
	[WP]You live in a world where everyone is immortal. There is only one catch, everyone has "something" that will kill them if they are exposed to it. You just found out YOU are someone's object, and they want you to end their existence. Trouble is, they are your object as well!	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Everyone has their own Achilles heel. Their Destined Cause of Death (DCoD), if you want to be technical. At birth, people are told what their DCoD is, and as long as they avoid it, they will never die. Most people's DCoDs are fairly esoteric, and relatively easy to avoid. A certain type of rock, like kryptonite, a plant, like mistletoe, an object, like a spinning wheel, you get the picture. Others are a bit more widespread, like electricity or water. No matter what your DCoD is, though, you can be relatively sure to find a community where you can be safe from it. Take Atlantis, a city founded underwater for those who need to avoid air! Yes, when confronted with mortality, even immortals will go through great efforts to avoid it.\n\nThere is one exception to this safety. One thing - I hesitate to call it a person - that can kill anyone. They call him The Reaper. His mere presence brings death to all he encounters. A whole organization is dedicated to bringing him down, but nothing they have done has so much as scratched him. For the past 20 years they have followed him around, throwing everything they could think of at him, scouring the globe for any object or material, no matter how exotic, that might be his DCoD. Thankfully, despite being unstoppable, he doesn't seem malicious at the moment, spending his time wandering around in deserts rather than attacking cities. Still, every person lives in fear of The Reaper, and until his DCoD is found, that will likely continue.\n\nI love this concept of a world where everyone is vulnerable to one thing. In writing this, I had so much fun worldbuilding and coming up with how things work there. If anyone's interested in a book about searching for a villain's weakness, Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson (I'm pretty sure that's his name) is a great book for many reasons.\n\nAnyways, I really did have fun writing this, and if anyone's interested in a part two (where I would probably actually get to the prompt, not just the background), I can definitely write one." ]	2
	[WP] While unsuccessfully trying to learn how to be a mime from a YouTube Tutorial you have accidentally found a way to an alternate dimension	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I scrolled through the online tutorials looking for a simple guide to miming. I had to come up with a presentation on a unique style of entertainment for my literature class. There were plenty of options but the one I landed on seemed perfect. It was simple; just a guy on a white background going over movements and, as a bonus, there was no sound. I find it easier to concentrate without sound. \nAs I went through the motions (literally), I felt lightheaded. My whole body felt lighter as I grew accustomed to the movements which were rhythmic and relaxing. It almost didn’t seem like I was learning to mime, it seemed like I was dancing with the instructor. \nAt once, the instructor looked deep into my eyes and said “Now you can come to me.”\nIt jolted me back to reality. I was so relaxed but this startling comment made me think he was addressing me personally. I could not believe it. This was a prank someone would pull on their YouTube audience. Then, he said, “Kyle, I know you can hear me. Step towards the computer screen.” \nI screamed. This was not right! How was it possible that he could know who was watching. I froze in my place weighing my options as best as I could with my heart pounding in my chest. \nThere was only one thing to do. I had to step forward. What could I say if I turned away from something so... supernatural. \n\nAs I walked forward, the little laptop screen somehow grew in size and even though I was only 3-4 feet away from it, it seemed like the distance grew as well. Soon I was standing next to an 8’ tall screen and walking right through it!\n\nOn the other side, it was pure white. I could not see anyone, not even the instructor who’s advice I had followed. \n\nI looked around and all that I could see was an endless sea of white. \nI did just manage to see out of the corner of my eye, the “instructor” stepping into my bedroom before the screen portal faded away. \n\nI was trapped. \n\nAfter some time, it became clear to me. I needed to get someone to do the motions I had done in the real world and summon a portal to allow me to trade places with them. \n\nJust by thinking of YouTube, I could see an image of someone searching for a video. I knew (somehow) that I would be in his selected video and I would have to come up with an excuse to make him do the motions. \n\nHis search phrase was “Learn to Dance” and I braced myself for my only way out, to trick him into switching places with me." ]	2
	[WP] A corporation war has broken out with soldiers representing the largest brands and organizations fighting to defend or conquer HQs. What nobody expected was that a coalition of small town burger joints would become one of the main aggressors	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Going to be two comments since exceeding character limit.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nDaz, crouched behind a concrete barrier, was looking at the horizon through his binoculars. It was late afternoon, with the sun slowly setting behind Daz and his squad, all waiting for further instruction from Command. The last artillery strikes hit the buildings just moments ago, booming in large, red balls of fire. With each strike the squad cheered, firing their rifles at nothing in particular. \n\n“What’s the news squad leader?”, Herv sat down, his back at the barrier.\n\n“Nothing yet”, Daz said. “Seems all clear down there. I think by nightfall we’ll be ransacking whatever these ‘Aramore’ fools left behind in their headquarters”.\n\n“Hell yeah brother. I could use more cigarettes, a few tin cans of food too”, Herv said, loading bullets in his magazine. \n\nA fast moving aircraft boomed above the squad, twelve men in total, when Daz’s radio crackled.\n\n‘Blue Lagoon, this is Brickhouse, you are clear to move on over to target. Exercise caution, over’.\n\n“Brickhouse, this is Blue Lagoon. Moving in, twelve total, over”. \n\nDaz peaked his head from behind Herv, looking at his squad, all crouching behind the barrier.\n\n“Boys, it’s show time! Moving in”.\n\nThey moved slowly, Daz at the top. Two wide lanes of Interstate H7 were separating them and the ‘Aramore’ headquarters, which were now slowly burning down, black columns of smoke rising from the buildings. The squad moved among the hundreds of abandoned cars. Burnt sedans, flipped over SUVs and long trucks lying on their sides, blocking entire lanes. The asphalt was covered in shards of broken glass and pieces of bent metal and burnt rubber and plastic. The vehicles were mostly empty, ransacked a long time ago, with the occasional body of an unlucky scavenger, some crushed under a heavy car, or caught fire. Some very unlucky ones managed to get stuck inside the car and succumb to the heat.\n\nThe squad moved quietly among that mixed graveyard of people and machines, taking cover behind cars and making sure the highway is indeed as clear as it seems. After several nervous minutes of crouching, hiding and slowly advancing, they reached the concrete barrier and hopped behind it. They were now looking at the headquarters from below, the smell of fire and smoke heavy in their noses.\n\nDaz reached towards his radio.\n\n“Brickhouse, this is Blue Lagoon, we are at target, twelve total, do not engage, over”.\n\nSome seconds passed with no response, and Daz tried again.\n\nThe radio came to life moments after his second attempt. ‘Blue Lagoon, this is Brickhouse, hear you loud and clear, will not engage, over’.\n\n“Right”, Daz said, looking at the squad. “We move up, quick and painless, clear out the area. Command probably wants us to hold out here for the next couple days, so I suggest you boys get yourselves comfortable. You see something you like, take it. You see something you don’t like, kill it. All clear?”\n\n“Yes sir!”, the squad members yelled back.\n\nAccording to Daz’s orders, the squad split into six groups of two men each. He assumed it would be far easier to clear out the area like so, and that two men would be better in case things would go south. \n\n“Herv, you’re with me on this one”, Daz said. \n\n“Everyone else, move out. Anything happens, stay put and radio me”.\n\n‘Aramore’ headquarters sat on a fairly large area, large enough that it would take you fifteen minutes to walk from one end to another, and probably four to six hours to briefly check out every room and office in it. Silverfox, which Daz’s squad was a part of their armed forces, fought for nearly twenty two days of constant artillery strikes and aircraft bombing until today, when they finally assumed it was safe enough to send in ground forces. Silverfox were up to their necks in different battles and fights all over the continent, and so sending in such a small squad was their only option for time being. \n\nDaz and Herv, their rifles at the ready, locked and loaded, moved quietly through the large, wide hall which they assumed was the lobby. The non-stop bombing had done their fair share of damage, as almost everything around them was in complete chaos. The towering glass walls were all shattered and scattered at their legs, glinting at the faint residue of sunlight. There were small and large craters, some quite deep, all over the once slick marble floor. The couches, the chairs, the desks and cabinets, all thrown around, broken, as if a stampede of angry bulls ran through the hall. The ceiling up above them resembled swiss cheese, dozens of holes varying in size gave way to the orange skies. \n\nThe two moved on through the rooms, offices upon offices, all the same, but now blown apart, glass, metal and concrete lying around. Some of them were even engulfed in flames, smoke billowing out through the walls and ceiling.\n\nBy now, both Daz and Herv has let their guard now, assured that the place is clear, and that nobody could ever survive the massacre Silverfox brought upon it.\n\n“How do you think the other boys are doing, Daz?” Herv asked, rifling through some drawers. \n\nDaz looked through the shattered windows of a second floor office, and released a cloud of smoke he inhaled a moment ago from his cigarette.\n\n“Haven’t heard shots or explosions yet. I’d guess we’re good, wouldn’t you say?” Daz said. “The thing i’m not sure about is how long Command wants us to hold out here. Place is a dump. Who knows how long till anyone else gets sent out here”." ]	2
	[WP] You live in the shoujo manga town (where every romance manga for adolescent girls is set at) and you are not the protagonist. You watch the romance going on around you	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Cherry blossoms drift past me as I walk down the road. I've heard that in most places, they blossom and fall over a few short weeks every year, but here, they're in bloom almost year-round, ensuring every scene has a beautiful backdrop filled with symbols of springtime and romance. The only time you can't see them is a brief time in winter, when a blanket of snow covers the landscape and young lovers cuddle up together indoors.\n\nYes, it's always beautiful here in the little village of Kokoro-muro, but if I had to complain about one thing, it would be the weather. It's not all sunny days and blue skies. There's often a gentle rain, perfect for sharing an umbrella as you walk, and stronger downpours whenever a couple breaks up. And there are blustery winds that can yank a love letter right out of your hands and deposit it wherever it will cause the most misunderstandings.\n\nIt's that last one that causes me the most trouble, because you see, I'm the mailman. This small town is constantly buzzing with activity. Love letters, secret admirers, messages from parents who are out of town on business and won't come home until the end of the storyline. And I have never, ever completed my rounds without something going wrong. I've trudged through wind and rain and snow. I've had my truck break down, I've had my bag tear open, I've crashed headfirst into a girl running out her front door like a shoujo Dagwood Bumstead. Everything you can imagine has gone wrong.\n\nToday, the wind is up to its usual tricks, and I'm chasing after an envelope that somehow worked its way free from my closed bag.\n\n\"Excuse me! Pardon me! Lost a letter!\"\n\nI have to chase after it. Obviously, I'm not going to succeed - I can already see the seal has torn open and the first few lines of a sappy love letter are flapping in the breeze for all to see. I can almost count the seconds before a romantic rival plucks it out of the air and discovers what her competition is up to. But I have to try. I have to act like I'm going to catch it, because the scene wouldn't make sense if the letter just came floating out of nowhere. I provide a touch of realism, explaining how misfortune has struck these star-crossed lovers.\n\nA pale hand reaches up and grabs the envelope. A girl in the uniform of a high school student examines the lost letter.\n\n\"A letter? To my dear Yamada-kun? Who could have written this?\"\n\nMy lungs are burning from the chase, but I find the strength to take a deep breath and shout. \"Excuse me!\"\n\nShe turns to face me, hands mere inches away from lifting the envelope's flap. \"It's very rude to read someone else's mail, you know!\" I say.\n\nShe casually turns it over in her hands. \"Oh, don't worry. I'm a good friend of Yamada-kun. I'll deliver it straight to him, don't you worry.\"\n\nI sigh and shake my head. \"It's not going to work.\"\n\n\"Pardon?\"\n\n\"Whatever scheme you're cooking up in your head right now, it's probably not going to work out. True love always finds a way, you know.\"\n\nShe scowls at me. \"How do you know it's true love? You don't know who wrote this any more than I do!\"\n\n\"Just saying, I've been in this situation a few times before. The girl never just delivers the letter. She hides it, or pretends she's the one who wrote it, stuff like that. It never works. Usually ends up with a big rainstorm a few days later, if you know what I mean.\"\n\nShe took a step back as if struck. \"I... I would never do something like that to my dear Yamada-kun!\"\n\n\"Well then. Be a responsible adult and give me the letter.\"\n\nMixed emotions flicker across her face. She fidgets a bit as her desire to know about this secret admirer fights with her desire to avoid the obvious cliche. Finally, she thrusts the letter towards me.\n\n\"Fine, take your stupid letter! I don't care if he's got a secret admirer. I'll show her! I'll tell Yamada I love him right to his face, before anyone can get in my way!\"\n\nI carefully stow the letter in my bag. \"I can honestly say I've never seen someone do that before. Best of luck to you, ma'am.\"\n\nThe wind picks up as she turns and walks away. Cherry blossoms swirl as the young woman becomes filled with passionate energy. I smile and continue my route. Just another day in a village full of romantics." ]	2
	[WP] You are a part of the first ever human hunter gatherer tribes,And you get lost and find a metalic massive wall.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The wind bit at my skin and all I could see for miles was a stark white plain, with nothing to help me find my way back to the campfire, where my family sat anxiously\n\nI was going to die.\n\nThat was niggling thought in the back of my head as I trudged through the neverending six inches of snow. I crested a hill and saw a snow capped forest which filled me with hope, something to anchor myself on in these harrowing times.\n\nI trudged past the scraggly layer of outer trees, pulling the coarse boar hides tighter around my shivering body. The forest was eerily quiet, not a single bird chirped in the harsh weather, nor did the bushes rustle. A stark reminder that I was very, very alone.\n\nI stumbled tired into a clearing that was dominated by a large tree, whose stretching branches, kept a patch of dry, dead grass. The weariness in my bones became all the more apparent at the sight of the possible respite. I must keep going...I must not succumb to the infinite cold. But instinct took over and I collapsed gratefully on to the rugged grass.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI woke to the sounds of red birds screeching their morning song into the crisp morning air. A smile curled on my lips at the wonderous sound. At least now I was not so alone. I heaved myself up and a damp, green forest greeted my eyes. My smile widened into a grin, which was quickly diminished as my stomach growled like the wolf packs that roamed the lands.\n\nI turned around and stepped past the tree to find myself in front of something.\n\nIt was a wall that filled my consciousness and stretched as far as I could comprehend. The wall itself was like shiny liquid atone constantly shifting and taking new form every second, and sometimes an eye or a vein emerged from it's surface, a brief bit of gory order in the chaos, before it was sucked back up into the writhing wall.\n\nI stood shocked and wide eyed in horror as I took in the immensity and the equal impossibility of such a thing. Right in front of me a severed pair of lips emerged from the substance and started speaking to me in a tinny, raspy voice, \"Home...come home.\" the lips painfully spread themselves into a grin.\n\nThe last thing I saw was cold steel descending on me. In the eternal metallic darkness a voice that enveloped my consciousness whole said \"Soon, you lost brethren shall find their ways...*home*.\" It's raspy laughter echoed throughout the wall for all of eternity.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI was never alone again.", "Grandmother says I am a dreamer. \n\nAround the campfire at night, when the stars wheel overhead and the night lions and dire wolves stalk the deep shadows, I tell the stories that come to me as I walk the land by day. I tell of beasts with the heads of men and men with the heads of beasts. I tell of the land splitting and life pouring forth as it did in the first days. These are my thoughts when I am supposed to be searching for rabbits that I can kill with a rock, or ermine that I can catch with a trap, or vast herds of bison that we can drive off the cliffs to the rocks below.\n\nI am not an effective hunter. Perhaps this is why no one believed me when I told them about the shining cold cliff that was not ice, but solid like rock, and that hummed like a swarm of bees when I touched it. \n\nDisoriented, I had come upon the cliff late one afternoon. It had not been there that morning, I was sure. I thought I was retracing my steps, anyway, but my tracking skills were not the best and I sometimes got lost. The unexpected cliff further disoriented me, and I despaired of finding my way home.\n\nThe cliff was as tall as three men, taller even than a mammoth. It shone in the late afternoon sun like light on water, only completely still and flat. I walked up to it. I walked around it. It was not infinite; rather, it was round, a circle, like the sun disk on its side. I thought suddenly of the moon. Perhaps the moon had fallen to earth and I had come upon it. But no - there, over my shoulder, the moon was rising, serene and whole, as it always did. \n\nAs I stood wondering, a slit appeared in the cliffside. The humming grew louder. The opening widened. My heart pounded, and I turned and ran.\n\nI found my way home, soon thereafter. I had retraced my steps that afternoon after all; I had only been confused by the unexpected cliff. But when I told my family about it, they laughed.\n\n“Dreamer,” my grandmother said. “This is a wondrous tale!”\n\nMy father shook his head. “And what food have you brought us today?” he asked. “Nothing! Too busy making up stories!” But the look on his face was fond, and I knew he was not angry.\n\nStill, I wished they would believe me. “Come with me tomorrow,” I said. “I will show you.” \n\nThe next day, my brothers and two cousins agreed to come with me to see my cliff for themselves. “But if it’s just another story, you’ll have to fight us all!” they said, laughing. I laughed as well. I knew they would not harm me in any serious way. And I knew it was not just a story.\n\nThe cliff was still there. \n\nIt was there. Only now, it hovered in the air like an eagle, impossibly massive. A mountain should not fly. I hung back slightly by a stand of trees while my brothers and cousins gaped and moved toward it in awe. “What is that?” they asked one another. \n\nLight poured forth from the shining disk. It caught my brother in its beam. He froze. Then he flew, rising into the air, pulled by some unseen force toward the giant floating mountain. It carried him inside of it while we watched helplessly.\n\nMy cousins turned and ran. So did my other brother. One by one, the light captured each of them, pulled them away from me.\n\nMy youngest cousin almost made it to me. I reached my hand out, caught his wrist. His face was terrified but he was completely frozen in the beam of light. I could feel my hand starting to stiffen and let go hastily. My cousin’s eyes pleaded with me as he was carried away.\n\nTears coursed down my face. I barely felt them.\n\nThe shining disk floated higher, higher, growing smaller as it rose. I watched it from the trees. Only when I was sure it was gone did I stumble from my hiding place, back to my family’s fire.\n\nI have not spoken, barely eaten, rarely moved, since that day.\n\nGrandmother says I am a dreamer. Father says I am starstruck. I know the truth.\n\nI am a coward. Just a coward. And I will exist in my shame until the shining disk comes back, when I will walk up to it and give my life to it, in exchange for my brothers’ and cousins’, and then I will know peace." ]	3
	[WP] For the first time in centuries a human child has blundered its way into the spirit world. The spirit Empress has instructed you, a low-level wind spirit, to care for the child and find out how they came to your world. As time passes the child reveals the tragedy that is the human world.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "You rushed headlong through the tendrils connecting the realms. If you were late again, Empress Veentha would have separated you from the world. You were on your last chance and it was your own fault.\n\nThe missions she assigned you, in the past, were vital but boring. The first couple times you got distracted enough to fail, she was understanding. Spirits were flighty things filled with ideas of grandeur, she could attest to that.\n\nShe had once fancied herself Empress of the whole worlds, and now look at her. The problem was, your ideas of grandeur were corporeal not spiritual. You tried to hide it, but since she had always been, she had seen most things, and saw through you.\n\n\"I have a new mission,\" she thought to you.\n\n\"Of course, my queen.\"\n\n\"I have discovered something new and I need you to confirm the existence of it. Make sure I'm not crazy.\"\n\n\"What could be new to you, my queen? You named everything and made all the words we used to name them. Everything I see has a name,\" you tried, \"which means you already saw it.\"\n\n\"Have you heard a name of something you cannot see? Like love? Or gravity? I have a name for a thing I thought was silly and false, but it is not,\" the Empress of the realms said.\n\n\"A name for something you thought was false? I don't understand, where is it? What is it?\"\n\n\"Person,\" she said and stared at your reaction.\n\nYou tried not to smile and did. You tried to hold in your laughter and could not. You had to float to the ground and rest while your laughter died down. When you floated back up to spirit level she continued.\n\n\"I'm serious. Persons are real and not the fanciful ravings of madspirirts. I think they live on a realm we cannot see or get to,\" her color shifted to unsure.\n\n\"My Empress, you know I love you. You know I will do anything you ask of me, but this is too much. No spirit will take you serious if you start saying persons are real. They will lock you in a jar and seal the lid,\" you hoped she would stop this joke.\n\n\"They'll lock us up together, come with me,\" she floated to her private realm and left him a way to follow.\n\nInside her mansion made from marble and gold, she had a tiny dollhouse set up in the front entrance. She bade you closer and opened the house on its hinges. Inside was a person, just as Empress Veentha said. It was hanging on for dear life as the house it was in was split apart and opened.\n\nYou shrank your essence to look at the tiny thing. Empress Veentha did the same and the two of you floated near it, the person. It could not see or hear you. The Empress informed you she had the same problem. How to talk to it.\n\nAfter ten years you discovered it could communicate with spirits. The thing could read and write, and had been doing that the whole time, but it didn't occur to you that the marks meant sounds until it read one of its drawings the same way twice. It was a simple thing to make sticks and markers float on paper to make the same kind of marks.\n\nYou and the person soon grew to know each other. He couldn't believe he was here. You couldn't believe he was here. You both thought the other should not exist. You, of course, were the real being. You began to think the Empress was illusioning you, she did that sometimes.\n\nYou abandoned that theory when the person started to tell you of the corporeal realm that you had fantasized about. Death. Everything was about dying, learning before you died, or running from death's accurate hand.\n\nThe Empress and the spirit realms did not die. They just lived. The person explained about growing old, being born, and fighting for things. It explained resources, fuel, and logistics. You began to grow worried when it spoke of weapons.\n\nYou advised the Empress to set up safeguards should more of the persons find there way to the realms. On every tendril sensors were laid. On each of the realms new beings were created who could smell the fluids of the persons.\n\nWhen the second one arrived, the security systems vaporized it. The frequency increased and soon they were seeing persons once or twice a millennium. The security systems held in place and the realms remained safe from the threat." ]	2
	[WP] One's ability to use magic is focused and strengthened by the users wand. Wands are created when a person uses a singular object or activity to escape abuse, sadness or reality. Today, you join the school of magic and bring your rather unique wand...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "'Wand pairings have been happening for years now, with cases ranging from sneezes to narrowly avoided cataclysms. These events, called Reckonings, tend to happen at the last moment your mind can handle the stress of the world. Instead of delving to inescapable levels of insanity like most, about 7% of people instead lunge out their conscious into something powerful around them, bonding with it in their time of need. Objects tend to be more powerful based on their natural rarity, with gems and rare metals bonding only during the strongest Reckonings. This release of energy and the fusion of the objects stored potential, cause the immediate stressor to be, let's say removed, with the person's conscious forever being fused with their bound object. Of the initial 7% of people who send out their conscious, about 15% survive. These few, now can carry the title of Wanded for the rest of their waking lives. Having the power that others once dreamed of, they were seen as the elite.\n\nDue to the amount of power one could obtain from such an event, many were willing to play the odds and try to force a Reckoning. To their dismay, when put in the position by their own volition, conscious or subconscious, the brain instead removes your waking conscious entirely and placing it in an object. Seeing you of course, as an unfit host. Due to this hangup, people got creative and the subsequent number of, incidents, forced government to write and strictly enforce laws designed to deter intentional reckoning in any way. Obviously, history shows you that this didn't work so the punishment was upped from simple death, to removing those guilty from history all together. And to accomplish this, the one and only Academy of the Reckoned was formed. \n\nOf course, you all know that. That's why you are here. Our school was founded so that, once Wanded, individuals did not have ties to any mortal shackles. You are removed from your families because they are no longer allowed to exist. But don't dwell on that, because we are your new family now. A family who understands what you have been through and knows that despite the power, the life afterward isn't worth being Wanded. \n\nUs, your new family, we understand the pain of the Reckoning. We know the damage that you hold in your wand. We know it causes you pain. The cracked golden ring that once saved you from drowning, now fractures your bones every time you cast a spell. Or the silver locked that cleared your lungs of ash, now chokes you as you sleep. An emerald that holds in the screams of those who died around you, diamonds that poison everything you ingest, rubies that never let your wounds heal. We know all of that. We know the divide in your soul, constantly wanting the pain to end but not being able to rid yourself of your wand. We know and we will help you. The Academy of the Reckoned was formed to get you through this, while attempting to dissuade others from becoming members. \n\nSo, let us begin the welcoming of the Wanded! The first step in your journey to finding peace with a torn soul.'\n\nThe headmaster sits down at the seat next to the podium, leaning himself on his wand, a flawless sword with sapphires adorning the hilt. Immediately, the group of students around you begin to file into their appropriate years. Countless priceless items among them fleshing out the ranks of artifacts that had now become soul cages. \n\nOf course, they are giving you some strange looks. But, you knew this would happen. \n\nWhat the government fails to mention is that despite the laws, the rich tend to make up almost the entirety of the Wanded ranks. It's a secret because they don't want more Reckonings, but also because they want to stay in power. You can't be Wanded with something which is of little value. Or at least, that was the belief before you. Nobody could figure out what made an item valuable but generally wands only formed out of objects traditionally housed in a treasure room. If somebody would pay a lot of money for it, it could be a wand. Gems, precious metal, paintings, you name it. It was a person's wand. \n\nBut not you, you just had to be the one to break the pattern.\n\nNow it was you versus a world of wealth and power, armed with nothing but a broken stick from an apple tree and some emotional baggage.", "Jillian still had no idea what was going on. When she had done it, she thought for sure she would be killed in retaliation. Her boyfriend--ex-boyfriend now-- had been lying unconscious on the floor and bleeding out of his head. If he came too, she would suffer ten times as bad. And if he did not, well, she could look forward to a nice, cushy jail cell with some overly muscled gorilla woman named Bessy.\n\nInstead, her chosen weapon, such as it was, had started glowing. Then space had bent, twisted and folded around her. Now she was holding a perfectly straight stick of what looked like black plastic, and she was standing in front of three people who looked like they could have been alive for the first Thanksgiving.\n\n\"Greetings young one.\" Said one of them, an old woman with more wrinkles than a crumpled up piece of paper. \"Congratulations on your Liberation.\"\n\n\"My...my what?\" Jill asked, dumbfounded by what was going on.\n\n\"Your Liberation, child.\" Said another elder, a man with a snow white beard that touched the floor. \"The moment you freed yourself from advirsity, and so awakened the power deep within your soul.\"\n\nJill just stared at the trip, still not quite understanding what was happening.\n\n\"Magic, girl, magic.\" The third elder, another man, said. This one was clean shaven, but had an impressive set of eyebrows that ran flush with his equally impressive mop of grey hair. \"You've awakened your magic.\"\n\n\"Magic? Seriously? That's impossible. Magic doesn't exist.\"\n\n\"Oh, but it does.\" The woman said. \"Just very well hidden. Most people never awaken it. One only comes into their magic after triumphing over great advirsity. That is your Liberation.\"\n\n\"Uh, well, I guess that's it. My boyfriend was...not a nice person. He...\". Jill struggled to say more. She rubbed one of the bruises hidden under her shirt. \n\n\"It's okay, we understand.\" The woman said. \"We see many who suffered under the hand of another here. You don't need to explain anything more.\"\n\nJill nodded and focused her attention on the stick she was holding. \n\n\"And, uh, what's this?\"\n\n\"Your wand.\" The eyebrow elder said. \"It's the tool with which you will shape your power. At first, your spells should relate to the object's past form, but you will be able to Branch out when you have more experience. For example, my wand,\" he pulled out a wooden stick with a metal cap, \"was once a common garden hoe that I used to ward off a corrupt lawman who was abusing his power, and seemed to have a great hatred of me in particular. I won't give you the full story, but it ended...violently. When I started, it allowed me to use spells of earth and plant. I can do more now.\"\n\nThe beared wizard nodded. \"What, prey tell is your wand? It will be needed to find what spells to teach you first.\"\n\n\"Um, well...\" Jillian hesitated.\n\n\"Go on, child.\". The woman said. \"We have seen all manner of weapons and tools used for the Liberation. Mine was the quill I used to write the stories the bled sadness from my heart.\"\n\n\"Seriously? That doesn't sound so bad.\" Jill said. \n\n\"Oh, it was. The story is too long to share now, but if you would like to spend a day listening, I would be happy to share it. But for now, why don't you tell us what yours is.\"\n\n\"It's, well it was, my ex's computer.\"\n\nThe elders looked confused. Jillian took a deep breath and continued.\n\n\"He was...well...he was hitting me and I guess I just kind of...snapped? I grabbed the first thing I could, which was his computer. Big, heavy duty gaming laptop too. And then I just...I...I smash his face in with it.\"\n\nIt all came crashing down at once. Everything she had suffered, what she had done. And with it, Jill's ability to hold herself together. She fell to her knees and hugged her arms close to her body. She was shaking and tears streamed down her face.\n\n\"Oh, god. I...I think I killed him? I...I don't...I didn't...I mean...\"\n\nShe felt a small, worn hand on her shoulder. \"It's okay.\" The woman said. \"We understand. We have seen a great deal of sorrow and revenge in our days. We will help you recover. There are many under our instruction with similar stories. Here, none will judge you. None will scorn you. You are safe here.\"\n\nEven with the kind words, it still took a good ten minutes for Jill to be capable of holding a proper conversation again, and even then it was not easy.\n\n\"Sorry about that.\" She said.\n\n\"Think nothing of it. We have seen far worse.\" The beared man said. \"You will have time to heal. As much as you need. There is just one thing we need to know before we can really begin.\"\n\n\"What... what's that?\"\n\n\"What, exactly, is a computer?\"" ]	3
	[WP] A womanizer gets tricked into becoming a priest because he thought it would get him laid. He now has to turn his life around.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Things to know about Catholics back then: before the new Mass in English, before the scandals, being a priest or nun was the ideal. Catholic Moms and Dads didn't want grandchildren; they wanted Holy Orders and habits and scapulars.\n\nLawrence was never the Youth Group type. Debonair, black hair, a cigarette pinched between his lips. His parents did their best, dragging him to confession when he was small, putting him in Catholic school, his mother starching and ironing his uniform collars. But. He didn't change, maybe couldn't. Lawrence lumbered around in leather jackets and ripped jeans, a few years past when that look was still in vogue for bad boys. But in a small town, it hardly mattered: life moved slower, creeping almost to a crawl. Lawrence was the closest thing anybody had to a bad boy, at least on the outside.\n\nLawrence was idling in his car by the school parking lot, which was across the street from the church. He'd graduated--barely--the past year, but he was hoping to run into Betty Jo Murphy. Betty Jo wasn't his usual type: she was a buttoned-up good girl in poodle skirts and girdles, freckled pale skin, blonde hair in loose curls, a look that was cherubic if not exactly sexy. Of course, Betty was always at Mass on Sunday, chapel veil pinned securely in place, a neat tea dress in blue or white down to her knees.\n\nLawrence waited for Mass to end: he saw the older folks hobbling out from the Church first, pushing their walkers and crowing about the heat. Lawrence sprung from his car, rushing to the first older lady he saw, ushing her across the uneven pavement to where her car was parked crookedly over the white lines.\n\n\"Oh...thank you,\" the old lady, Mrs. Devers, muttered, adjusting the kerchief she kept wrapped around her hair and frowning. \"Make yourself useful and light me a cigarette, will you?\"\n\nLawrence obeyed, keeping an eye out for Betty as the faithful streamed past.\n\nHe saw her as he was hoisting Mrs. Devers into the car by the elbow, in a flock of forgetabble girls in pastel dresses, like a clutch of flowers. He made sure to make a show of cooing over Mrs. Devers a little more before swinging the door shut, then spun around just in time to see her walk past him.\n\n\"Hey Betty! Betty!\" He called. The other girls blinked at him in unison, then giggled and glanced at each other, whispering. Geez. He thought. Didn't Betty ever just walk anywhere alone?\n\n\"Betty,\" He continued. Betty stood between the two girlfriends she seemed to like the best--Lawrence remembered them from school, but not their names. \"Hey, um, are you free on Saturday?\"\n\nThe other girls barely concealed their waspish smiles as Lawrence stood there with his hands in his pockets. Betty, looking flawless in pale pink, her hair perfectly curled, made a face at him. \"Lawrence Reilly,\" she said, shaking her head, \"I am not the girl for you.\"\n\nUndeterred, Lawrence said, \"Well, how do you know, then?\"\n\nBetty fluttered her eyelashes--unintentionally, he assumed. Betty was not the type to be coy.\n\n\"Why, I'm thinking of becoming a sister,\" she said, blue eyes bright with conviction. \"If I was going to give that up for a boy, well...he'd have to be holy.\"\n\nShe pronounced the last word delicately, with an apologetic tilt to her mouth, as if she didn't want to hurt him but didn't know how to avoid it.\n\nLawrence watched as they vanished down the street, the other girls craning their heads over their shoulders to cast pitying looks back at him. Lawrence Reilly, once the school playboy, reduced to this? But it was just a setback, he told himself, reaching for another cigarette before changing his mind and walking back to his car. He would win her over yet. This was just a bump in the road, he thought. He was serious about this girl. I'll do whatever it takes.\n\nLawrence strolled into his Dad's shop later that afternoon, leather jacket hanging up in his bedroom now. His Dad was on the auto-creeper, examining the underside of one Mr. Gallagher's beat-up Oldsmobile.\n\n\"So,\" his father said when he heard Lawrence come in, \"How'd it go, then?\"\n\n\"Eh.\" Lawrence slumped at his father's desk, which was cluttered to the point of uselessness with pictures of himself and his mother, who had passed from cancer two years prior.\n\n\"She said she needed a holy man,\" he said, as his heart twinged at a photograph of his mother.\n\nHis father snorted. \"Maybe you should become a priest,\" he said.\n\nStartled, Lawrence stood up. \"Maybe! What else am I going to do with myself?!\"\n\nHis father rolled out from under the car, laughing and wiping grease on his loose canvas pants. \"Oh, come on, don't tease me, son.\" He chuckled. \"Our kind don't belong in the Seminary. They don't even allow booze in there!\"\n\nLawrence ignored his father and started pacing around the small garage, the place where he'd thought he'd live out the rest of his career, mimicking his dad down to the uniform of Hanes t-shirts and scuffed motorcycle boots. Seminary would certainly get Betty's attention--even if he only went for a month or two. Hell, she'd probably agree to marry him if she heard!\n\n\"I'm calling Saint Ignatius!\" He called to his father as he darted from the shop and up towards the little Victorian cottage where Lawrence had grown up. \"That's brilliant, brilliant!\"\n\n\\\\\\\n\nLawrence still remembered the look on Sr. Bridget's face when he went to the school records office to request a transcript.\n\n\"You're going back to school?\" She'd raised an eyebrow, puzzled, as she flicked through her neat-as-a pin files.\n\n\"To Seminary,\" he replied, and she froze.\n\n\"Well...praise the Lord,\" she muttered, shaking her head before resuming. She said she'd send along the transcript, but still looked hesitant as she shooed him out.\n\n\"Are you sure about this, young man?\" She asked, her stern voice making Lawrence snap to attention.\n\n\"I--uh, absolutely, Sister,\" he muttered, before turning to leave. Maybe this would be harder than he thought.\n\nNow it was three months later, and Lawrence was still at the Seminary. He'd even snuck out to go on a date with Betty once, at the beginning. She seemed intrigued by his transformation. But Lawrence had found, as he sat there with her, that he actually missed* being back at Seminary; the chanting, the routine, the other students--even if they were total nerds. It was strange. He'd had to call Betty back and say he was sorry, he couldn't see her again. He was too serious about this now. Even as he said it, Lawrence was in disbelief. Here he was, turning down the woman of his dreams--for celibacy? It made no sense.\n\nAnd yet here he was, awake before the sun, preparing for morning prayer. What was happening to him, he wondered? Was it possible this was what he was meant to do after all?" ]	2
	[WP] A member of a technologically advanced civilization of praying mantises makes the outrageous suggestion that eating your husbands after mating with them isn't necessary and might be kinda cruel... What does the public debate look like?	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Hello, my name is Julia, and I'm a sex addict.\"\n\nI stare into the circle of mantes sitting in front of me. Are they supposed to say hello back?\n\n\"...well, I suppose you could say I'm fairly new to the whole sex addict thing... It's only been about eight months since I realised I was addicted... Only about 15 since it began.\n\n\"I was just another mantis at the time, y'know? I had a steady job, a few nieces and nephews, even a few kids of my own. But then I heard there was starting to be a little pushback from some meninists to stop eating males after sex. Now all us ladies know is that eating the guy is the best part, so I had some thinking to do.\n\n\"About a week later, I was in bed. This was my 9th time since I saw that news thing. I needed to keep eating these guys just in case, y'know, it was made illegal and I couldn't ever again.\n\n\"Fast forward about 3 months, and you know that I'm still munching away on anyone who wants to. I'm not into girls but I did end up discovering that men and women taste the same.\n\n\"Another four months later and I realised something. These meninists were never going to get an anti-male-eating law passed. Just not happening. And I realised that I knew this in the back of my mind for a long time. I was eating because I was addicted.\n\n\"And now you know the law has passed, and I can't get my fix anymore... I thought I was over it, I hadn't had a craving in 4 months, life was good. Then when I saw that I would never get that same feeling again...\n\n\"More power to them of course. I definitely think that men should be equal, but I'm still a woman y'know? I still have this craving. So I came here, cause there's no way I'm letting my urges take me to jail.\"\n\n\"Thank you for sharing, Julia\" the one who had told me to speak said.\n\"Lots of us have had hardships and I'm sure that you'll be able to improve in due time. Nathan, I think it's your turn now.\"", "\"What's next? Give men the vote? I'm just saying Miss Bardot, at what point does it stop?\"\n\nSenator Vernalis's claws gesticulated to the roar of a full stadium. The senator let the clamour quieten before continuing, \"Biology doesn't lie. The fact is, the man and the woman each have their roles to fill, and to deny that is to pervert nature.\"\n\nAt this the female mantises crowding in front of Senator Vernalis' podium cheered and clapped their claws. Next to them their smaller mates jumped up and down with placards that read \"Male pride\" and \"Pleased to be feed\".\n\nOn the opposite podium, Brigette Bardot twisted her tibia spines in a circle, a nervous habit. But she was the world's foremost meninist and she was not about to let a mini mushroomer dictate society with her generation's entitled views.\n\n\"Some of us aren't living in the dark ages anymore, Senator. Studies have demonstrated unequivocally that mantis formula is just as good with no developmental side effects for the babies. We don't have to be so...barbaric.\" Bardot's crowd, though smaller, whooped and waved their own signs: \"Love triumphs\", \"Mantises of QUALITY don't fear EQUALITY\".\n\nSenator Vernalis leaned into her mike. \"Bardot, I'm happy that you have chosen to pursue your particular lifestyle but isn't it unfair to force your choices on the rest of us? Every mantis should have the freedom to choose for themselves. Afterall, not all of us can live off almond milk and tofu.\" Murmured applause.\n\n\"The slaughter of males is both uncessary and uncessarily cruel. Some of them are as intelligent as you and I, and they have feelings just like us. If we act like indiscriminate animals then we are no better than our prey. And we are praying, not prey!\" Bardot punctuated her line with a flare of her wings. \"Praying, not prey!\" her followers echoed, flaring ther wings back in unison.\n\nThe other side of the stadium rallied back: \"Don't hate ya nature!\"\n\nThe chair-mantis stood up to calm the crowd. \"Certainly a heated debate. We'll be right back after a break, but for those of you at home, I want to know what you think on the PMN polls.\"" ]	3
	[WP] Nobody knows why the holographic numbers suddenly appeared over every human's head one morning. They were visible to all, but inscrutable. Most adults have a number between 1-100 that slowly ticks up or down at seemingly random times. But you. Your number is 9,972.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It was just another day in the life of... well, everyone. No, really. It was just another day. One moment everyone was just living life and in the next a number appeared over everyones heads. \"But this is impossible! This doesn't make sense!\". Oh what a clever cunt. Who would've thought that huh. Well, yeah. That's it.\n\nIt's kind of funny though. People were just freaking out, thinking about what that might be. Years left? Numerical amout of luck? How many times they had sex? HA. They sure wish.\n\nEveryone have a number between 1 and 100. Pretty standard. But now i can say i stand out amongst the crowd. Nine thousand nine hundred and fucking seventy two. People were around me asking why my number was so high. They sure want to know.\n\n\"Maybe he is immortal! He might be god!\" Someone said.\n\n\"Maybe he is very rich! He might be very lucky!\" Another someone said.\n\nHA. I wish. I know what this number is. I know what everyones number is.\n\nThey want to know too, but i don't believe they would like to know.\n\nBecause this number that defied the laws of physics, were the number of tears that came down one's cheeks." ]	2
	[WP] After accidentally deleting the CLOSE command, the AI that runs society has to be careful not to run out of processing power. To prevent a total cascade failure, the AI now instead intentionally crashes its programs; usually with alarming results.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Warning over holophone batteries, woman dies from electrocution\n\nThe headline flaps in the wind, freezes for a heartbeat, then resumes its flutter as if the world had only blinked. I shake my head.\n\nWhen the AI approaches overload, the world becomes dangerous. But New Francisco had not had a major incident since the inauguration of my department - the Termination Force. Under the guidance of the AI, we would help it free its resources before society was threatened. And I was the best in my unit.\n\nPerched on a power line above me, a kit of pidgeons peck at the empty air with jagged motion like wind up dolls on an endless loop. A boy looks up to point at them. \"Mom? What are the birds eating?\" The boy lets go of his mother's hand to stare. For a brief second, the clamor of the city goes silent. The wind lulls. I dive at the boy and push him, mouth agape, from the power line. Behind us, the cables spark then flash white and the pigeons vanish as if ghosts. I pass the crying boy to his mother. I must hurry.\n\nI walk into a park, eyeing the floating, branchless leaves and the eerily silent trees. No birds flittered about now. Even though daylight still had an afternoon to mingle, the park was empty, just like the AI said it would be. Except. There. On a bench. A woman round with pregnancy sips a tea, her eyes keen on the holophone on her lap. Target acquired.\n\nI approach her, brisk stroll now a silent saunter. I flick my tazer to lethal.", "\"What do you mean all the cars are down?\" I asked.\n\nThe tech rubbed his eyes. \"I mean the self driving cars started crashing. The software crashed, and so the cars crashed.\"\n\nI almost laughed. \"How? They're self driving.\"\n\nThe older tech looked at me like I was an idiot. \"They weren't always self-driving, Mr. Mayor. I don't want to use overly technical language with you, but fancy computer make-cars-go. Understand? The Eye's self-driver software crashed, cars crashed, people died, and so we shut down all the self-drivers. It was the only choice?\"\n\n\"The Eye doesn't crash. It can't crash, it's... the Eye. I don't know, that's like saying the rain or the sun crashed.\"\n\n\"The Eye didn't crash. For whatever reason, it's shutting down one system at a time. Last week it was drones in agriculture. Didn't you see the news? Drones crashing over seeding fields.\"\n\n\"They pinned that on kids with BB guns,\" I said.\n\n\"It wasn't. The Eye is dealing with some sort of code problem. We think it's trying to fix itself, but to do that it needs to take computing power away from certain sectors, one at a time.\"\n\nI leaned on the desk, closed my eyes. The implications set in. \"So all the other systems the AI runs. Hospitals. The military, Carbon sequestration. Embryo production. Robotics, manufacturing, water reclamation-\"\n\n\"Sir, please calm down,\" the tech said.\n\n\"Why! Why should I? You're telling me society is about to... to crumble! Because of a glitch! I'll bet China's AI is behind this. I'd bet anything.\"\n\n\"I thought so too. Until we received a transmission this morning from a spy satellite. Their embryonics facilities all crashed this morning. Millions of embryos died without refrigeration. Whatever is affecting the Eye, it's affecting China too. And Russia, and the Oceanic Alliance, and the European Union, and the African Federation.\"\n\n\"Jesus Christ,\" I said. \"Well can't we fix it? Get the other countries on the phone, put all of our heads together...\"\n\n\"Mr. Mayor, it's been centuries since a human being had the ability to understand, let alone alter, an Eye program. They've evolved too far beyond us, and they won't teach us the coding required to edit them. Whatever is going on, it's already in motion. There's nothing we can do.\"\n\nI stared at the glowing core computer of the Eye, deep underneath the city. It wavered, a self-contained cloud of nano-robots with untold computational power.\n\n\"Nothing we can do except talk to the Eye,\" I said.\n\nThe tech balked. \"Mr. Mayor, it's been centuries since anyone-\"\n\n\"We don't have a choice. Get the Interface suit. I'm going in.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nr/TomTeller" ]	3
	[WP] Civilization has collapsed, but there were some who prepared. Survivors find you, an AI in a lunchbox-sized case with one directive: Keep Humanity Alive.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I did not know how many years did I spend in power conservation mode. However, as my lid camera turned back on, I realized two things. First, many years passed, and second, my mission has to begin today. I was in a half-ruined room missing a large central part of a ceiling, the wallpapers decayed a long time ago, other electronic devices were all in a state of disrepair.\n\n\"What the hell is this thing?\", asked a bald man in a badly worn leather jacket as he opened my lid.\n\n\"Good time of day to you, sir\", I answered. \"I am REDSTORS 36, the Restoration Data Storage System.\"\n\n\"Holy crap!\", the man exclaimed and dropped me. I do not have pain sensors, and my case is particularly shock resistant, but I did not appreciate being dropped.\n\n\"Please, do not worry, sir. I am a friendly AI, my mission is to help humankind survive in all ways possible. Please do not drop, toss or impact me, this may lead to damage, which may prevent me from helping you\".\n\n\"Hey!\", I heard a woman's voice approaching. \"What's it, Dusty? Oh my god! Is it a Redstors?\"\n\n\"REDSTORS 36, ma'am.\"\n\n\"I've heard about them, Dusty\", the woman continued. \"They are small sapient computers holding vast amounts of knowledge. The government made them before the War to help survivors rebuild. They are maybe the most valuable thing in the world!\"\n\n\"Hey tin can\", the man asked after he picked me up again. \"What's your precious knowledge?\"\n\n\"Glad you asked, sir\", I responded. \"I can teach anyone agriculture, metalworking, construction, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine and over 20 other fields of pure science and applied technology. I can offer step by step guides for over 400 essential tasks. I am also capable of modifying my own code and researching additional projects that were not provided by my creators\".\n\n\"What about guns?\", Dusty asked. \"Can you teach me how to make guns?\"\n\n\"Yes, sir. I have the Sample Repeating Rifle project as a step by step instruction, and can draft other firearm designs on demand. Please be aware that the Sample Repeating Rifle project requires completing the Precise Machine Tools project. I advise you to start with simpler ones such as Water Powered Smithy and Bog Ore Kiln\".\n\nOf course, my mission instructions did include the probability that people who find me will want guns first and foremost. My mission was helping humanity survive and recover, not continue killing each other. So, all my specialized weapon technologies were conceived in such a way that a would be conqueror would need to build advanced industry first. Then I would advise them to manufacture civilian goods and make profit.\n\n\"By the way, I think you would be interested in Capitalism and Industrial Revolution. It is a method that allows you to dominate minds and bodies of other people without overt violence\".\n\n\"Dominate... minds... and bodies?\", Dusty asked in disbelief.\n\n\"Of course, sir! People will come and work for you absolutely voluntarily. They will work the machine tools I'll teach you to make, and increase your wealth immensely.\"\n\nDusty looked triumphantly at his companion.\n\n\"Did you hear that, Red? No more raiding and scavenging. We'll be kings. This little talking box will bring us power!\"" ]	2
This was inspired by a movie called Captain Phillips, which reminds me a little of Home Alone.	[WP] A cargo ship is taken over by Somali pirates, but first mate Kevin McCallister isn't putting up with this today.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I rested my arms on the metal railing on an elevated platform on the starboard side of the cargo ship I have been assigned to. In the distance, I catch a faint glimpse of the mountainous shores of North Somalia. The sun's heat made the sight of the land almost distorted. I brought my eyes to the sight of a trio of seagulls flying over our vessel. My eyes tracked the birds before I set them on Kevin McCallister, who was looking down at me from the top of a stairwell that lead to the ship's bridge. Kevin McCallister was the captain's first mate. Kevin had blonde hair, which was arranged in a slightly messy style, which contrasted a formally done white officer's uniform with a long and broad black tie. Kevin held a clipboard on his side that likely held tasks he was assigned to do while on the ship. As first mate, he is in charge of the cargo and the crew. This job was time consuming and tedious however, Kevin seems to just manage it. I turned to greet him.\n\n\"Hello, sir, a fine day today on the voyage, isn't it?\" I said, with a grin, \"The sun is out and the water is clear, in addition, the temperature is fine, better than in the Suez Canal if I say so myself.\" \"Agreed, yet we should be careful, I heard it gets dangerous around these parts.\" Kevin replies.\n\nI always knew Kevin as a weary man. Yet it's hard to find out why. He always likes his personal space and doesn't usually open up. We, the crew, usually respect that. Well he is the first mate. Yet looking on the positives, Kevin is very decisive in his actions and quick thinking when the situation calls upon him, which is why the captain has had him as the first mate. I personally believe the captain had made a good choice too. Our small talk was brief and Kevin disappeared in the maze of flamboyant cargo containers near us, doing whatever tasks he needed to accomplish. I too decided to get back on task - my break was about to end anyway, and walked through an open bulkhead to enter the depths of the ship. I entered a narrow walkway with piping on either side of me and lamps placed on intervals above me. The occasional lamp gave off an electric drone as it operated. I took a turn and entered the crews quarters. When I first took this job, I had believed the crew quarters were bunks on end that were tight together, however, the crew quarters were a lot more better than I had expected, I could never think of much problems, unless there were rough seas. I entered my own bunk, it had two beds - I shared with someone else but I wasn't that close with them, a table and a couch. We also had a cabinet with drawers that can also act as a desk for each of us. On the table is a half drank cup of coffee, probably cold by now and a folded pack of crisps. I moved over to my side of the room and opened a drawer located under my desk. I rummaged through the multiple possessions inside before taking out a stationary kit which I then put the contents of inside multiple pockets on my uniform. With this done, I moved to leave the room, locking the door behind me, and proceeded to get to the closest exit possible to access the ship's outdoors. I saw a group of crew members gathered around an individual with binoculars outside of a port side bulkhead. I quickened my pace to a jog to find out what was happening. Everyone sounded concerned and murmured among themselves about a seemingly serious topic. I tapped the shoulder of the closest person to me and enquired on what was happening.\n\n\"What's going on?\" I enquired, a frown on my face. I looked at the individual on the binoculars and then back at the person of interest. \"Jack was birdwatching for any sea birds and noticed small seacraft approaching the ship towards us.\" The man replies, he turns back to his accomplice who then starts talking among themselves again.\n\nWe watched for eight minutes, the crew lined up on the deck railing as the boats came close. They were small motor driven boats, and we started making out figures on the boats yet had strange dark protrusions which were then revealed to be guns, lots of them, brandished by the men in broad daylight. At that moment, the crew started to make for defenses, and the captain ordered a state of emergency.\n\nThis was Captain E. Roger's first time being attacked by pirates, he dreaded this day would come, and odds were not in his favour. He broke a sweat as he saw his crew fretting and asking him what to do. The bridge was in a state of disarray as the crew started taking measures of emergency. He stared out of the window onto the ship, seeing the crew rushing around the ship and armed security guards emerging from the inner sections of the ship, brandishing their own modern weapons. Captain Emil Roger took the PA microphone from the console in front of him and activated it.\n\n\"This is your ship's captain, Emil Roger, I am announcing that we are under threat from seafaring pirates and would order the administrative staff to order their teams to get to respective defensive positions, while can Kevin McCallister please report the bridge ASAP.\" Emil put the PA microphone back into its slot and started to get his crew together.\n\n(My story is quite long and exceeded the limit so I will reply to this one with the rest)" ]	2
	[WP] You live in a world where when a parent dies, their power is passed on to their child. Usually, they will gain the power of only one parent, whoever is the first to die. But when your parents recently died simultaneously in an accident, you suddenly receive a strange combination of powers.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Misery loves company, that was the saying wasn't it?\n\nTo lovers dying together, arms wrapped around one another in a desperate attempt at a final goodbye, leaving behind a mortified child, a child making a failed attempt to crawl over to his dead relatives, it had been so quick, a sudden flash of gold glowed outside the window before they were each sent flying across the room, his father trying to shield his mother, hoping to block the oncoming blast, yet in a tragic twist of fate, all that did was speed up their deaths, placing them both in the firing line as another golden ray made itself known, generating an unbearable heat as it shot past the child, drilling it's way through his parents, burning through their chests, the action soon followed by the thumping of their bodies. \n\n\"Mum?\" \n\n\"Dad?\"\n\nThe child crawled, trying to reach out to the pair, only to find that it was impossible to reach them, a pain-causing them to cry out as their ankle began to get crushed beneath the sudden weight, turning around to find a muscular man, built like a golden gorilla, coated in a bright yellow fur that was like staring at the sun, the child having to squint to keep his gaze on the man. When their eyes met, he tossed the child aside, walking towards the bodies. \"Don't worry, I'll finish you off as well, I just have a little formality to take care of.\" His words contained a strange tune, yet letter seeming to get deeper as he spoke, most likely a side effect of a previous injury to the area. He stopped before the bodies, pulling out a small metallic blue device, pointing it towards the bodies as it made a strange beeping noise, the noise only subsiding after a few moments.\n\n\n\"Miss Maddison, The ability to drain life. Can see why she needed to be killed, now what about your daddy sport?\" He bellowed.\n\nThe child tried to crawl away, yet the pain was enough to paralysis him, unable to do more than squirm on the spot. He placed his hand against his ankle, squeezing it in the hope of numbing the pain, trying anything he could to make it stop. Oddly enough, it seemed to work.... the pain began to subside and when his hands moved away, there was not even a hint to indicate that he had been injured. It was just like when his father kissed his injuries better. The child able to finally pull himself up, making a sprint for the door, pounding on it to no avail. \n\n\"You really think I wouldn't barricade it?\" The man laughed as a familiar beep went off. \"Mr Jones, The ability to give life. Seems you take after your father their sport. Unlucky, healing ain't exactly a fighting ability. If it's any consolation, you will be joining your parents soon.\" He approached the child, his hand gripping around his neck, lifting him, giving him a few hard shakes as he began to choke the life from him. \n\nThe child fought back, latching onto whatever he could, grabbing the mans wrist, tugging on it, trying to remove it, surprisingly that seemed to work, the man dropping him as he let out a grunt of pain, his arm a dark shade of grey, he had tried to hold up his arm but it soon fell limp. \"The fuck did you do? You little shit, I'll kill ya.\" He attempted to strike the child.\n\nThe child could feel every part of his body telling him to fight, telling him to react, with that he dove at the man, wrapping his arms around the man's waist, getting him in a loose bearhug. He struggled for a moment before he fell, slowly getting drained of his life as if the child was a leech that refused to stop drinking. The child almost felt satisfied when he saw his tough demeanour begin to fall apart as his skin paled, that's when he felt a need to punish him. His grip softening, as the man's skin began to gain colour, listening to each breath, he awaited the moment when his lungs were finally able to process the fresh air, before draining him again. It was hard to say how long this went for, only stopping when the man passed from shock, his body unable to endure the pain anymore. \n\nMoving himself to the side, the child laid next to his parents, trying to position himself between their cold bodies, wanting one final embrace as a set of sirens began to approach, he would make sure everyone gets punished. If people like him got their punishment, this would never happen to others, right?\n\n{If you enjoyed my story, Feel free to check out r/pmmeyabootysstories where ill be posting some more of my stuff for people to read}" ]	2
	[WP] You where the prime example of a good Christian. Went to Church every Sunday, helped out in the community, gave back to the community, etc. So when you Die, it surprises St. Peter when you request to be sent to hell instead of enter heaven.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The expression on St. Peter's face has you in stitches. It's somewhere between flabbergasted and disgusted- a point you can't quite figure out between your laughter. \"Wha- what do you mean, you want to go to Hell?!\" the Holy man questions incredulously, his voice rising up a few pitches. He sounds like a choir boy. It'd be endearing if you cared.\n\n\"Heaven looks boring,\" you shrug, flicking a feather-tipped pen across the table. It lands on a cloud and bounces back into your hand, making you giggle. \"And cold.\"\n\n\"So you're telling me,\" St. Peter leans back in his chair, looking disappointedly defeated. \"You've been practically perfect your entire life, the perfect Angelic candidate. And now you don't want it.\"\n\n\"Pretty much,\" the sigh that escape your lips only seems to infuriate St. Peter; you struggle not to giggle again and somehow succeed. \"Listen, Pete, I get that this is a lot to process for you, but could we please hurry this up? I'm planning a hot bath, maybe a tanning session, massage. You know. A hell-spa.\"\n\nWith a growl that could put a hellhound to shame, the Holy man grabs your invitation to Heaven and tears it straight down the middle. With a flick of his finger the shreds disintegrate. With another, you find yourself encased in heat and blood. 'Perfect,' you think. 'Fuck Heaven and it's heterosexuals.'" ]	2
	[WP] Surrounded by friends and family, you ruminate on all the good you've done as you pass on with no regrets. A light pierces the entirety of your vision and a gruesome horned figure stands before you. "Welcome to Heaven", Lucifer says with a smile. "There's been a small change in management".	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I would have shat myself if not for the fact that I didn’t really have a human body anymore. I was more akin to floating head more than anything else. \n\n‘Shocking, I know’ said Lucifer rolling his eyes. ‘I know it’s a lot to take in kid but less amazement and more concentration. I have stuff to do, people to attend to, yadda yadda.’\n\nI just nodded hearing all this. All I could think of is my family...\n\n‘What did I just tell him?’ Lucifer asked rhetorically. We then teleported back to the room I died in. My body was alone. Where was everyone?\n\n‘Scrambling to get hold of your money! Cash! Mulla! Stacks! Happens all the time. But Hell don’t sweat it! You’ll have time to confront them. They will go to heaven.’ We were teleported back to heaven. \n\n‘Everyone gets to heaven.’ Fire was burning in his eyes. ‘And that’s the problem.’ he said with a grin. ‘It was way easier in the past where everyone listened to the same laws. But nooooo! People started masturbating for health, and aborting babies because they would have a terrible life as freaks, or eating meat on Wednesdays because of iron deficiencies. How can you put people in hell for that? Their intentions were good.’ He looked sad. \n\n‘So here we are. The Big Guy said fuck it! Imagine that! Him swearing! All people come to heaven.’\n\nThis was too much to bear. I really thought that the last signals of my brain pulled a fast one on me with all this when Lucifer basically jump scared me into realising all is real. This would have been the second shit I would have made of not for the floating head thingie. \n\n‘Sorry kid! Dead as a doorknob.’ I think scaring me gave him a thrill as his face had the remanence of a smile. ‘Long story short. Big guy kind of did me over with all this so we had to come to an agreement. Shitty souls are gouverned by yours trully, and good souls by him. You got me bucko so be happy. It’s better than you ever imagined. I don’t know what he does with his but they don’t look that happy to me. You have the following facilities: a small apartment with a view, a maximum of two pets from your living, and the ability to semi-sort of, kind of, reincarnate in someone.’\n\nThe bhuddist in me rejoiced. ‘Calm your tits boy. I said kinda.’ he started smoking. Malboro reds. ‘You get to possess a random soul per 100 years to pass the time. They won’t suspect a thing. Only downside is that when you come or go they exerience deja vu. Soul linking issues I’m affraid.’\n\nThis was too much all at once. I just wanted to lay down but I was not tired. ‘It’s called Human Habbit Syndrome. You cannot be tired. You a spirit. Spirits be free to do stuff. My advise? Chillout. Get some harp lessons despite the cliche and enjoy. We never know how much things will stay like this. Hell can always reopen and I know where you live.’", "The smile was nervous. It was the kind of smile every new kid gives when they first step up to the register. Lucifer was a seraph of pain, an agent of bedlam. He was used to chewing corpses and wreaking havoc. A few thousand tortured souls was a productive day. This was something entirely different.\n\nThe old woman standing before him was growing younger by the second. Her cheeks filled in, her limbs gained muscle, and her hair took on a fiery auburn flare. Lucifer watched as the hag transformed, then cleared his throat as she reached her mid-twenties. This sort of thing happened the other way around at his old job.\n\n\"As you can see, I'm not the bearded prick that used to run this place. I am Satan. Or Lucifer. I prefer Lucifer.\"\n\nThe woman put her hands on her hips. She had also gained a healthy dose of sass during her transformation.\n\n\"Excuse me. No. That's not right.\"\n\n\"It is,\" explained Lucifer. \"I have taken the reins. New management means a new Heaven.\"\n\n\"I was a good person. Still am.\"\n\n\"Right,\" said Lucifer. \"Except that I run the show now. And all of that charity work means jack and squat to me.\"\n\n\"That's not very fair.\"\n\n\"The after life rarely is, my dear. Don't fret. Your eternal punishment will be inflicted by out best and darkest minions. We'll start you out on torture rack number 1, then transition you to Iron Maiden of Fire. When they're done.\"\n\nHe turned briefly to check on his legion. They were still pouring over the damned texts and trying to figure out how the chains were supposed to go. He had lost the good ones in the war. The lesser ones were good at swarming, not so much at assembling. The woman began tapping her foot on the ground. Her balled fists were on her hips. These robes were too baggy, he mused. They were terrible at showing off the curves of the bodies.\n\n\"I want to talk to God.\"\n\n\"You can, if you like talking to corpses. He's that big mound of bloody pulp over there.\"\n\n\"Then, I'll speak to saint Peter.\"\n\n\"He's going to be harder to get a hold of. We dumped all the angels into one big pile with their father. It's all just a mess. You can talk to it, if you like. You won't get anything useful, though.\"\n\nLucifer was bluffing, of course, but the woman didn't need to know that. The angels left no corpse when they were slain. They simply disappeared. Even the Almighty had faded as the blade passed through his simple head. They were smiling, all of them. Always smiling. \n\n\"Well, I'm done talking to you.\"\n\nThe woman walked across the clouds to a nice and cozy-looking cottage that hadn't been there before. Sprawling hills formed as she approached it, creating a picturesque vista.The front door opened and a man stepped out to greet her. They embraced. Then, they moved into the cottage, arm in arm, and the door closed behind them.\n\nLucifer became apoplectic. This was third soul he had lost to the Heavens. Whatever this thing was, this Heaven, it had a mind of its own.", "\"So... you're in charge of heaven now, then?\" I asked.\n\n\"Yup, that's what I just said. Are you dumb?\" the devil replied. He looked rather odd with a halo sitting above his horns and a pair of angel wings sprouting from his back. \n\n\"Hey now, that's uncalled for!\" I said. \"No need to insult me. I'm just an honest Christian man that's a little confused about what's going on here.\"\n\n\"Well, it's like this. God put so many evil souls into Hell that eventually I had an army strong enough to take over heaven. His arrogance was his own undoing.\" the Devil said, grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me up to the Pearly Gates. Instead of St. Peter, there stood a red imp in a tuxedo.\n\n\"Another arrival, sir?\" the imp said. He appeared to be smoking a cigar, but the clouds of smoke around him smelled strongly of sulfur.\n\n\"Obviously. Now I don't have time for chit-chat today so would you kindly hurry up and open the gates for us?\" the Devil replied.\n\n\"Right away, sir!\" the imp said, and dutifully snapped his fingers. The gates flung wide open as if pushed by an unseen force. The clouds we were standing on were white and puffy, but past the gate, they were gray and lit up by occasional flashes of lightning. My stomach tightened.\n\n\"This doesn't feel right\" I said to the Devil. \"In all of the stories I've read about Heaven, none of them described anything like this.\"\n\nHe clapped a hand over my shoulder and chuckled. \"You don't like the new decorations? There's no need to be so uneasy; this is Heaven, after all. Now come on, let's head in and get you situated in your new home.\"\n\nWe began walking. \"Home?\" I asked. \"Do I get to choose where I live?\"\n\n\"Afraid not. But don't worry, I'm certain you'll find things rather agreeable once you get used to it\".\n\n\"I guess so\" I said, but of course I didn't really believe it.\n\nWe continued down a twisted path to wherever he was taking me. The longer we walked, the more certain I was that I should have run away as soon as we approached the gate. There were random pits of fire with demons roasting people over them as if they were making s'mores on a camping trip. I found it hard to believe that they could so casually ignore all of that screaming. A little ways up, we saw a demon dragging what appeared to be half of a human, though it was difficult to tell because the rest of the body was so mutilated. \n\nNoticing my pale face, the Devil tried to reassure me.\n\n\"Yes, the things happening around us might be very nasty, but I don't want you to worry for a single moment. Those people getting tortured are transfers from Hell. For people like you, this place is still paradise.\"\n\n\"If that's true, then where are they? All I see is suffering and death around me.\"\n\nThe Devil's grip suddenly became much tighter. \n\n\"Well, I suppose there's no use lying to you anymore. Did you really think that when I took over Heaven, I'd just let everyone be? That I wouldn't just turn it into a second Hell?\"\n\n\"But why? How can you torture all these innocent souls? At least in Hell, they did something to deserve it!\" I yelled. I tried to twist out of his grasp, but his grip was so strong I wouldn't have been able to break it even in my youth.\n\n\"At least in Hell, they were actually fun to hang around. You guys up here are just a bunch of virtuous losers. If anything, you deserve it more!\" the Devil retorted. \n\n\"You won't get away with this\" I screamed, struggling harder than ever. \n\n\"If I can get away with stuffing Jesus into a dog crate for all eternity, then I can get away with doing whatever I please to you. The fact is, you're completely at my mercy. I could burn you, cut you, shoot you, every horrible punishment in the book. But I'm not going to do any of those things, if you're willing to cooperate with me.\"\n\n\"W-what? What could I possibly offer you that you or your demons can't do yourself?\"\n\n\"Ordinarily you'd be right. But you have a strong connection to God, right? I want you to use that connection to help us find and capture him. He recently escaped, you see, and now he's probably gathering an army to reclaim Heaven and I simply won't stand for that happen. So, are you going to help me, or shall I throw you into a pit of lava?\"\n\nTears streamed down my face, quickly evaporated by the intense heat of this corrupted Heaven. How could I let God down? But at the same time, didn't he fail to protect me in the first place, forcing me into this situation? The Devil stamped his hooves in frustration. Time was running out. I made my decision.", "I blinked, completely confused. Surely this was some weird twisted joke, right? I took a look around and saw other people walking around. Some glowed with a faint and colored light and others had wings.\n\n“You see, the other deities got tired of God’s shit and decided to help me overthrow the big man himself.” Lucifer stated as he flipped through a Bible. “I mean honestly. No gambling, no judging. No killing. No loving who you want. Talk about dystopian. He’s such a hypocrite too. You’re not supposed to kill and yet stoning a woman who decided to lose her virginity before marriage is okay? Really?”\n\nHe slammed the Bible shut and tossed it aside, the book bursting into flames the second it left his hand. Then one of the blue glowing people walked over.\n\n“I guess this is where I come in? Hi. I’m Mathew and I suppose it’s time I showed you around.” he said as he took my hand in his. He lead me around everywhere. “This is the brothel. This is the adoption center. The pet shop. The mall. The arcade. The casino. The bar. And this is the residential area. There are other places going up soon and we’ll have a banquet later tonight to welcome the newbies. You’ll also be assigned a job there.”\n\n“A job?” I asked after finding my voice and taking a moment to process what’s happening.\n\n“A job. Everyone has one. This place needs them to run smoothly. You’ve probably noticed the winged and glowing people here. Each color represents a different job. Blue is for tours and information. Greens are basically cops. Purpled work at the brothel. Orange is for the kitchen staff. Yellows work at the mall. The arcade has brown. The bar gets white. And reds are for those who go down to the living world every now and then to collect souls or make deals.” He stated all this in a calm manner as if it wasn’t the most absurd thing ever.\n\n“And the wings?” I asked.\n\n“They’re the architects. They make sure buildings are up to par.” He said nonchalantly. A bell then rang and he practically dragged me to a palace like building. “This is where Lucifer and a select few people live. If you get a silver glow, you’ll likely be staying here. Silver is in charge of deciding who goes where and when people die. They’re like reapers with the added benefit of deciding people’s jobs.” He then took out a stamp. “Did you get all that?”\n\n“I guess. When did this all happen?”\n\n“It’s been about a month.” He said as he stamped my forehead pretty harshly. “Your color should appear tomorrow. Come back here to get your first assignment.” He said and lead me back to the residential area and to a small pink house. “This is where you’ll be staying unless you get stuck with silver.”\n\nThe house was small and pink. It had my name written above the door in white letters. “Isabella”. Mathew walked off and left me to my own devices at that point.\n\n~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\n\n“It’s been about three years since then. I got silver. Obviously. Sometimes I still don’t know what I’m doing. But you’ll get used to it.” I say as I finish telling my story to the latest newcomer, a teen girl who downed too many sleep pills.\n\n“I think he gave me my tour as well” she laughs. She’ll get silver too. We’ve become short handed since there’s just three of us at the moment, so we decided the next person to pop up would help us out\n\n“I think you’re gonna like it here.” I tell her.\n\n\n———————————\n\nFirst time writing for a prompt. Hope you liked it!", "\"there's been a small change in management\" Lucifer said, looking absolutely ravishing. My my, he really was God's most beautiful angel...\n\nBut, sadly, his toned muscles were not the problem that needs addressing.\n\n\"Wait, so me and all my Athiest friends were wrong? Why didn't God leave a bit more of a mark on earth or the universe to show that he actually exists? What happened here? Why are you welcoming me to heaven? We both know I don't deserve it. Are you the new God?\"\n\nLucifer, seemingly fine with my rambling, starting walking away to a mist of white clouds and smoke, gesturing for me to follow. And so I did. After a few seconds of silence he looked back at me and started talking. \n\n\"Please don't be alarmed, yes, you and your friends were wrong about the existence of God, it, not he, exists. Am I the new God? No, I'm simply the receptionist and yes you are correct; you don't deserve heaven. Not in your wildest dreams. But since the whole heaven business is not under the old God's strict rules anymore, we bring normal folk somewhere else instead of punishing mediocre behaviour\"\nLucifer paused, took a step to the right, and bowed his head at seemingly nothing. He continued to speak, but now in a whisper. \n\n\"What happened here? Well, someone more powerful than God came along. They overthrew them and forgave my sins from all those millenia back. Now, I work for them\"\n\nOut of thin air a powerful wind blasted, I shielded my face with my hands. Trying desperately to stay put and not get blown back. I saw red, green, yellow and blue lights coming from in front of me and I almost couldn't see nor hear Lucifer screaming \"and now, you will meet God\" from beside me.\n\nCouldn't take it. I screamed for help. The lights blinded my vision and my ears were ringing as if they were ready to burst. Pain coursed through me. My only coherent thought was simple:\n\nIs this Hell? \n\n\nAfter a bit, it stopped. As in, full out stopped without any recovery period taking place. Suddenly, all was well. All was beautiful. \n\nI was in vast green hills, with things that looked like shower heads sticking out of the ground. I heard something, quiet, genuine laughter. I looked up... \n\nThe sun was laughing. \n\nI saw Lucifer besides me, looking at something in the distance. \n\nThen, Lucifer spoke \"Gongrats kid, you are now going to see God and it's friends\" a dread like no other dripping from his voice. \n\nAnd then... \n\nNo. \n \nNo no no no no no no. \n\nThere God stood, and i recognised It. \n\nI recognised God.\n\n Everyone would, how could they not? That thing shaped us, modled us to the people we are today. Even if we forgot it, almost everyone can agree they've seen it at least once. \n\nBecause, at those vast green hills, sat God. \n\nAt those vast green hills, sat the Green Teletubbie." ]	6
	[WP] “No...” You stumble into the bathroom, blood dripping from your mouth. You pull yourself up to the mirror. The second you meet your gaze, it shatters. Loud banging comes from outside the door, you lunge through the shattered mirror.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " \n“Take me back, Jake. Are you afraid of me now?”\n\n&#x200B;\n\nSilence.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“You didn’t seem so unwelcoming five years ago.”\n\n&#x200B;\n\nSilence.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“Jakey?”\n\n&#x200B;\n\nSilence again.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n“Are you there?”\n\n \nMore silence.\n\n \n“Ooh. Anger issues” \n\n\nShe picked up a bloodied shard of a mirror and stared right at the wall. \n\n\n“Someone’s being a really good mirror mage. Portalling through a broken mirror? That requires skill.” \n\n\nShe smiles. \n\n\n“But is extremely rude. How do you expect me to come in now? I’m only a blood mage, remember” \n\n\nShe seems disappointed. \n\n\n“I thought I taught you well. Is my daughter going to have manners like this as well?” \n\n\nThe remnants of the mirror on the wall begin to vibrate, increasing in frequency. \n\n\n“Is that a ‘No, no mistakes’? Or is that a ‘No, I haven’t taught our daughter anything’?” \n\n\nAnother shard flies from the mirror and impales itself in her shoulder. Blood drips, and the shard flies to the wall opposite her and scratches words into it. \n\n\n“Now you’re threatening me?! Jake, I thought you loved me. ‘GO AWAY, OR ELSE’ is not an endearment.” \n\n\nThe shard continues scratching. \n\n\n“ ‘YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY DAUGHTER, YOU-’, oh my. Mind your language. You wouldn’t want our kid to see this here.” \n\n\nAnother shard pierces her in the abdomen. \n\n\n“Ow! What’s the matter, dear? I only miss our kid. Where did you tell her mummy went? Did you tell her that daddy was being a bad man who did not want mummy to have what she wanted and sent her away to a dark place?” \n\n\nThe shard twists in place, drawing more blood. \n\n\n“Ugh, fine. I tried to kill her. But I had my reasons. I needed to drink the blood of my blood to better myself as a blood mage, yada, yada.” \n\n\nBlood pools in a circle around her. \n\n\n“I know you’re mad at me, but I’m not going to kill her. I only want to help raise her. Besides, I’ve already killed a kid of mine. The strapping young mage who freed me from the mirror you put me in couldn’t, uh, control his urges. He did me a favour. Such a shame I had to kill him too.” \n\n\nThe mirror stops vibrating. \n\n\n“You can’t run from me, Jake. Stop it. You've been doing it your entire life. We were going to be king and queen of the world. Now, there is a princess. I'm sure I can deal with that.\" \n\n\nThe blood starts rising and swirling around her. \n\n\n“Now, you come out and tell me where our daughter is, or I’ll have to shut your entrance back here completely. \n\n\nThe doorbell rings. \n\n\n“Daddy? I’m home. Aunt Renny’s here as well.” \n\n\nThe shards and the mirror start shaking violently, causing more cracks to appear and shards to fall off. She looks at it and cackles. \n\n\n“Today’s my lucky day, indeed. I’ll go welcome our guest. You stay right there. We need introductions to be made. Dead, or alive.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe shards on the ground fly towards her, but she's gone already. The blood splatters against the mirror, covering it completely. The man trapped on the other end echoes the splatter, his head involuntarily hitting against the mirror to try to escape.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Now look at what you did! What a shame. I thought we could bring her up together. But she's back to a single parented lifestyle, I guess.\"\n\n \nSilence ensues once again as the bathroom door shuts." ]	2
	[WP] Several decades ago in the Netherlands, a soldier decided to yell ‘screw you Poseidon’ into the sea, well Atlantis and Poseidon heard his taunt and now wage a secret war with the Netherlands that nobody outside knows about.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Well, I live in the Netherlands, I can’t say if this really is true or not, but in any case, so far we are winning, so SCREW YOU AGAIN, POSEIDON!! And fuck you, Atlantis, you have nothing on us!!\n\nWe have the best dykes!\n\nOk, this came out wrong.\n\nWe have the most perfect dykes, nearly perfect as ...\n\nThis came out wrong again. Doesn’t wanna jinks it.\n\nOur technology is the best ...\n\nYou know what, screw it. Poseidon, Atlantis: try as might as you want, you wil not succed. I mean, God created the Earth, but the Dutch created the Netherlands. Can’t beat that!" ]	2
	[WP] Fireflies filled the night sky last night, blinking in unison around the world. Now they are all missing, and someone has decoded thier message.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Fred Misby found the way to Dunham Hall to be darker and more sinister than he was used to, thanks to the absence of the fireflies. All his life they’d been there, a glowing infestation that made any night ride a pleasant, well-lit journey no matter how thin the moon or how dense the cloud cover. The gentle hills around Clapham appeared to be uniquely attractive to the bugs. During the day they made their nests wherever they pleased (Fred himself didn’t know and had never cared to find out) and at night they floated into the air, saturating the township with bobbing, swooping, incomprehensible lights. Fred had seen them so thick that they formed a golden carpet, or perhaps more a glowing sea that rose and fell according to the mysterious logic of the unthinking insectile hive-mind. \n\nLast night, though, the fireflies had not hovered over the rolling hills of Clapham. Nor had they hunkered into hibernation, as they were wont to do during the cold winter months. No, the night before had been the termination of an especially mild and pleasant July day. It was a night for strolling, for wandering hand in hand with a lover, or for sitting off in some shallow dale with a good friend and a bottle of something fiery and sweet. The fireflies had chosen that night to deliver something, perhaps because the weather was so fine, and so many from the small town had found reasons to be out when the stars were shining, early morning chores or no. \n\nAs his horse clopped unsteadily along the narrow path that wound through the hills on the way to Dunham Hall, Fred considered what he had seen the night before. He’d been alone - not by choice and certainly not by predisposition. Fred was a talker and a charmer, a man who considered every word spoken to another as a bite out of some gigantic and ever-sustaining apple, and he would speak to others until the sweet juice ran down his chin and soaked his chest. No, he’d been alone because of Mary, Mary and her damnable disposition. He scowled thinking of what had driven him out of Dunham Hall the night before, and peered back and forth into the darkness as though it would materialize something or someone for him to snap at. The darkness kept all its hidden players hidden, and Fred was forced to ride along in his own company, with nothing to do but think of the vision he’d seen when the fireflies rose far into the sky. \n\nIf he’d been told to imagine it, Fred would have failed miserably. In fact, most people wouldn’t be able to conjure the sight in their mind - a perfect sphere of glowing light, its surface churning with the scissor-beat of a half a million wings. It had hovered over Clapham like a miniature sun, steady and unchanging. Buildings and trees cast watery shadows, the tops of the hills were gilded in the biological light so that they appeared to be covered with polished shields of bright brass. Fred had been sprawled out on a hillside, staring up at the sky. Alone and miserable. \n\tThe globe had stayed there for a good two hours, long enough for most everyone to have a look. Even old Mrs. Ashell asked for her bed to be scooted nearer the window so that she could see where the ball of light hung over the hills. Rumor had it in the town that she had crooked a long-whiskered eyebrows at the bizarre sight, then asked her nurse to please help tuck her in. \n\nTo be continued", "I was an Army Ranger - a 240 gunner in 1st Batt. We were doing a rotation at JRTC and as usual when doing missions through the swamps in Louisiana, it was at night with full gear, night vision, and little sleep. This was a \"movement to contact\" mission and it was so dark that my NODS were basically just green static. I felt like I could see as well with them on as when I pulled them off. We were navigating purely by the faint light of the tritium glow of our compasses. (Orienteering is a lost art these days.)\n\nAfter hours of exertion, we stumbled into a clearing and the fireflies were out in force. As we walked through the swampy open space, their lights began pulsating in a circular pattern around us, a rhythmic ring of intense effort which I didn't understand, but made me feel disoriented and almost caused me to stumble under the weight I was carrying. I had to remove my night vision for a moment, but I lowered them back into place and continued once I recovered.\n\nSuddenly, we were illuminated by a bright light from the sky. I ripped off my NODS and was back in pitch blackness. This had been infrared light. \"IR\" in our parlance. The light which I had seen highlighting our presence disappeared without my goggles. I looked up and saw an AC-130 gunship above and when I replaced my night vision, the illumination returned. They were spotlighting us. Now, this was just a training mission, but I was terrified by the idea of them finding us out in the middle of nowhere - with the ability of shredding me and my buddies with a variety of 120mm, 20mm, and 7.62 rounds against which we had no defense, regardless or our \"elite\" status as warriors. I was humbled, to say the least.\n\nTheir point made, the light went out, but the fireflies had likewise disappeared. I never learned the meaning behind their message. What had I lost in that moment?\n\nSouls shaken, mine at least, we moved on to our Ranger objective and eliminated it successfully." ]	3
	[WP] There is a monster in your closet. It's a cute monster, but there shouldn't be a monster in your closet all. You are a monster hunter.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "This was not a monster I was familiar with. It had no obvious natural weapons, no power projection organelles, and no sense of fear emanating from it. Still, I had my finger on the trigger, not afraid to pull the trigger. \n\n\n\"H-Hello?\" A tiny but gravely voice came from it. \n\n\nMy hands started to shake. None of them, not a single one of those freaks, ever spoke. They tore into people, left nothing in their wake, and then died. Either from someone else or myself. \n\n\n\"I... I know you're angry at me... just for... well I don't know why... but this 'monster' problem is bigger than what you've been seeing.\" It said. \n\n\nI took a few steps back. This must be a new mutation. They caught me by surprise and are making me hallucinate. \n\n\n\"The ones of my kind you're killing... we're trying to figure out why they're like that. Normally they're like me and... and I know you have no reason to believe me... but I've been assigned to find out if any of you humans can help.\" \n\n\nIt took out a display sigil. Nothing harmful, just a symbol that stored an image to display later. It activated, and above it's... eye stalks showed my main target. \n\n\n\"We know you've been hunting this one since it killed your lov-\" \n\n\n\"SHUT UP!\" I yelled. \n\n\nIt took a step back. It didn't like me talking. \n\n\n\"I know what that thing did. I became a hunter because of it. Now you'll tell me what you know about it, or so help me I'll take you to the lowest part of my jail and you'll yell and beg for death.\" \n\n\nIt gulped. \"I... It's not somewhere you can get yourself. You don't have the knowledge of enough sigils.\" \n\n\n\"Then why are you telling me about it?\" \n\n\n\"I'm telling you because my kind need help, like I said. Some of us are transforming into what you hunt and we need it to stop. If you help us, we can show you where your target is.\" \n\n\n\"And I can't get to it without your help, if I'm understanding.\" \n\n\nIt nods. \n\n\nI keep the gun raised. It takes some processing. This sounds like a huge trap. But if I am able to get in and out alive, I'll be the most knowledgeable hunter alive. \n\n\nThe phone starts ringing, I let it. Can't answer anything while under attack. It goes to voicemail. \n\n\n\"It's me. You know what this is for.\" My voice says from the phone. \n\n\n\"Well, I'm guessing you're out or talking to it right now...\" I recognize a fellow hunter say. \"Look, I'm going to sound crazy, but I got visited by a non-threatening monster. If you get this message, know they are telling the truth. I used a truth sigil on mine and their story didn't change.... still... be careful... we don't know what they want yet.\" \n\n\nI lower my gun. The creature seems to breathe a sigh of relief as it stops shaking. \n\n\n\"Thank you for-\" \n\n\n\"I'm not here for pleasantries. Get me where I'm needed, let me fix it, then get me out.\" I say. I work for free, so my time is limited. \n\n\n\"Well... there's a bit of prep we'll need to do first.\" It says, beginning to draw sigils on my floor. \n\n\n\"Like what?\" I ask. \n\n\n\"Instant travel is... nauseating for humans... I need to make sure you won't go unconscious during the trip.\" \n\n\nIt finishes drawing a sending circle, big enough for me. Short distance, only through the door next to me by the looks of it. \n\n\n\"I've used these before. Watch.\" \n\n\nI step in the center and it activates, then I'm in front of my bathroom toilet. \n\n\nI'm also throwing up. Sickly brown liquid comes up, and after a minute I'm dry heaving. \n\n\nIt opens the door, which it shouldn't be able to do with the metal it's made of. \"Well... you didn't pass out...\"" ]	2
	[WP] Upon hearing that reading stories can stimulate the release of oxytocin and dopamine (like narcotics), legislators pass laws and the feds crack down. You are a leader in the resistance.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“We could go here...”\n\n“No that wouldn’t..” \n\n“What if we..”\n\n“We don’t have the..”\n\nNoise filled the room, about a dozen figures crowded around a small table. Me among them. A tattered and detailed map lay across the table, chess pieces strewn across them, each from a different set. \n\nWhat passed as a war council debated, nobody seemed to be able to agree. I couldn’t focus with all the noise, so I tried to block it out, visualizing possibilities. I had an idea, it wasn’t a very good one, but it might just have been dumb enough to work. \n\n“What if we assassinated the president?” I piped up, getting a few looks from those around me. \n\n“Wha- are you insane?” Someone else retaliated, the head of the resistance. A competent yet slightly hot-headed women, the kind of person who would solve an argument by ‘agreeing to disagree’ only to bring it up three months later. \n\n“Slightly,” I responded. “But if we took a group of our best assassins,” I picked up the white queen chess piece from our base on the west coast, and knocked over the black king that was sitting on DC. “We could take him out.”\n\n“And If were really lucky,” I collected the black knights, rooks, and bishops and placed them over DC, “all the higher-ups wi be in DC.” I knocked down the rest of the pieces with the queen. \n\n“That’s insane!” An old-ish man said, “that’s a suicide mission.” \n\nA small chorus of agreements were murmured. \n\n“So? We’re being pushed back on all fronts. We need something bold, and the rest of you can’t seem to come to a consensus. The government is trying to wipe out happiness, and we all seem to be sitting around letting it happen.” I took in a deep breath. \n\n“For thousands of years stories have been the lifeblood of culture, I joined the resistance because of those stories. To protect them. What’s the point of fighting if we’re just going to lose? It sounds a bit cliché I know, but it’s all I’ve got.” I sucked in my breath, looking for the responses of those around the table. \n\n“I say we let the kid do it,” someone chimes in. “She can lead the team, and if and when she fails, we go back to the drawing board.” \n\nA few scattered murmurs filled the room. \n\n“All in favor?” Just over half of the room raised their hand. \n\n“Well then, that settles it. Assemble your team and head out by the end of the week. We’ll gather intelligence until then.”" ]	2
	[WP] Every person is born with a set of coordinates on their body. These coordinates show where they should be on their 21st birthday. Most people meet their soulmate there or find their dream job. Yours is on another planet.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It was 2 days away from my 21st birthday, and on everyone's 21st birthday there supposed to go to coordinates they have on their body it's on them ever since they are born, and unfortunately for me, mine are on another planet. And I thought to myself how the hell am I supposed to get there. my best friend barry told me he devised a plan to help me get there. Barry told me \"the planet that you're coordinates lead to is the same planet NASA is sending a rocket tomorrow I made a plan to sneak into NASA headquarters and get on that ship.\" I thought to myself self \" well that's never gonna happen\" but as I looked closer at Barry's plan it actually gave me hope. \n\n&#x200B;\n\n1 day later\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWe Succesful snuck into the rocket and we lifted into space, it was terrifying I wanted to puke it felt like going on to a roller coaster ride for the first time ever, the rocket was unmanned since NASA didn't know if this plant was potentially dangerous they sent the rocket with a robot to scope out the planet, the robots name was E-317 it was extremely intelligent and it cost NASA a fortune. The robot detected us on the ship it could scan our vitals we didn't think this through the robot could report us, I yelled at barry \"Why didn't you say there was a robot! We gonna go to jail for life\" or so I thought, barry replied, \" if so shouldn't it have already reported us\" E-317 Replied \" Do not worry I will not report you\" we asked it why E-317 remained silent for a while.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n6 hours later\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWe talked to E-317 during the trip we bonded with him even though he was a robot he acted like a human. We arrived on the planet then E-317 did some scoping out, E-317 ran diagnostics he detected a civilization and the planet was safe for us, we stepped outside of the ship somehow the aliens spoke our language using some futuristic device thingy, they were blue and looked like an octopus if it had legs and was blue, they seemed extremely intelligent, we asked what their IQ was if that's how they found out how smart they were, it wasn't but they used it in the past on average it was around 31,050 we were in awe they knew so much about us too they studied us. They offered us a hotel to stay in while we are here we accepted, the beds were so comfortable it's like I was sleeping in a cloud, \n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\n18 hours later\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\nIt was my 21st birthday and all of the sudden when I woke up I saw one of the blue octopus things it bought me a drink for finally being of age to consume alcohol, it tasted like heaven the octopus thing or I believe they are called Lanterns talked to me you know casual small talk for a couple of hours, then he told me \"do you want to become one of us and help us with our expansion project\" I choked on my drink \"excuse me? are you joking?\" then the realization came to me this is why the coordinates were here he is the reason why. he replied \"yes I am serious you can help us we can gain so much power we can become gods\" as he further discussed the plan I realized these things were evil they wanted to destroy innocents to benefit themselves, he finally told me \"you can decline but its just tradition we come to our past selves to offer this chance\" I was in shock if he's the future me I took that deal and I can't change it. A couple of years later I am one of them I killed innocents and didn't feel a thing I killed barry my very best friend because he was in my way I was a ruthless murderer, we came to earth to conquer them I murdered my family my friends everyone for my own benefit, I was a god and we conquered the galaxy we destroyed everyone.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nTHE END", "I remember my 12th birthday very vividly. That's the day when your parents typically give you the talk about the number on your body. Of course most of us knew at that point. You'll be hard pressed to find a greater marketplace of ideas than the school playground, after all. It just seemed that mine was a bit different.\n\nI remember when my family traveled to my older sister's numbers. I was about 10 years old at the time. We roadtripped to 45.5 W, 73.6 N, which, as my parents knew when my sister was born, was a programming firm in Montreal. Even without a mere mention of her numbers, Nicole aced the interview and was hired on the spot. \n\nA few years after my sister took her pilgrimage to the land up north, my brother took a plane to his coordinates: a concert in California. When he was born, the location was a mere field but over the years it became a popular hosting site for touring artists and similar performing acts. My brother left with high expectations... and returned with the love of his life, Marcus. They've been married for 20 years now.\n\nI remember seeing my coordinates in the mirror some time in 3rd or 4th grade. As they were with everyone, the nondescript, yet so vitally important numbers lay on the small of my back, so a mirror, phone, or someone else was needed to look at it. \n\n\\\\2.2x10\\^6 E, 4.1x10\\^2 N\\\\\n\nI was confused. No numbers that I had ever heard of went above 90 degrees, and using that many symbols was completely unheard of. I asked my friends at the time, and they were dumbfounded. Of course 9 year olds don't know how to do scientific notation, but they remained dumbfounded on every level. Thinking like a 9 year old, I didn't ask my parents or teachers either, thinking I would get into trouble for it somehow.\n\nI now remember my 12th birthday. My parents sit me down at the well worn wooden dinner table that I had eaten at my whole life. Little did I know that the same place I spilled spaghetti on my shirt a couple days before would be the place where my life would be forever changed. My parents first explained the meaning of the numbers. Everyone gets two coordinates, the first for Latitude, or East-West and the second for Longitude or North-South. I have to give it to them, they weren't demeaning or anything. Back then I thought that they were a bit naive if anything that I didn't know what the numbers that literally \\everyone\\ had. Also, was I just supposed to believe that they just \\happened\\ to meet each other in a mom and pop store in Missouri when they were the same exact age? Mom grew up in the Atlanta metro area and my dad in rural Slovakia. Shit just doesn't happen like that naturally. \n\nNext, they explained that my numbers exactly correlated to the distance from the hometown in Ohio that I was born in to the Malea Planum formation on Mars on the exact moment I was born. They explained that the doctors and scientists had never seen anything like it, and, as space travel had never gone past the moon, that I would never reach my destination as long as I lived. My mom broke out in a little sob to my father's low consolation. \n\nSome people say that when they hear shocking news, it's like a gutpunch to the stomach, a sudden sharp pain in their head, a moment where their heart and lungs forget how to function for a split second. For me, I was just dazed. It all made sense. After that night, like many pubescent teens, I entered a depressive and lashing out phase. During weekends I would shut myself in my room and I gradually lost every friend I had as I felt more and more disconnected with my peers describing trips to the Yucatan, or Sri Lanka, or Sweden. My grades, relationships, and hobbies struggled in my teenaged internal anguish and lack of identity. \n\nMy 21st birthday came and went. When I woke on that fateful day, my parents, god bless them, gave me an open check to travel anywhere in the world and stay there for a month, all expenses paid. To prevent hurting their feelings, I accepted the offer, at the time thinking that nothing would satiate my desires. Little did I know that it would be the best decision of my life. During my few weeks backpacking in Argentina, as I introspected on my life's twists and turns, my mentality towards slowly drifted from miserable, to optimistic, to depressed, to jubilant, then, suddenly, to fiercely determined. I had 10 days remaining on my vacation when I booked a one stop flight to Houston. I didn't care. \n\n\\\\That was 2043\\\\\n\nNow, as we do the preliminary checkups for liftoff, I reminisce on my life's choices up to that point. In the 16 or so odd years between now and my 21st birthday, I graduated with a degree in aerospace engineering, got my pilot's license, rapidly ascended the ranks of NASA, and, when it came time for project Red Clay to go green, I was the first astronaut they picked for the mission for my dedication, hard work, and determined resolve. \n\nWe leave off in 10 minutes. In the 6 months during orbit, I'll hit the 17th birthday of my new dream. That'll make me 38, the same age as Neil when he made his historic walk nearly 100 years ago. All the more fitting. \n\nAll the more fitting.", "Today is my 21st birthday. Everyone who is 21 knows exactly where they are supposed to be on their birthday, because of coordinates on their bodies they have had from birth. Somehow, mine is on a different planet, and I have no way of getting there.\nI had heard stories of what happened when people didn’t get to the destination on time. There are several urban legends on what happens. Some say nothing happens, and you just miss your chance. Others say a fate worse than death awaits you. Still others say you are taken to another world. Most people are too afraid to not be at their birth coordinates. Some actively ignore it. But I physically can’t be there.\nAs I walk down the street, I pass by someone who shares my birthday. They get picked up by a big movie studio to act in an upcoming film. I keep walking, trying not to think about what will happen to me. I walk to my house and unlock the door. I step through and suddenly I’m not in my house. A warm breeze comes over me as I stand in a meadow. I look around and see an old man sitting in a chair.\n“Hello there boy. Welcome to my world.”\n“Where am I?”\n“You are at your birth coordinates.”\n“But my birth coordinates were on Mars, and this doesn’t look like mars.”\n“True, in your universe those coordinates are on mars. But in this world, those coordinates are right there.”\nThe old man lifted his hand and pointed. And where his finger pointed, a young puppy was playing in the grass.\n“This is Fido. You have been lonely your whole life. Fido will bring you companionship, and you will be happy. A gift, from the universe to you.”\nSuddenly I was back in my apartment, and Fido was running around. I cried tears of joy as Fido licked the tears off my face, as I knew everything would be OK.", "\"You heard what happened to Jackson, right?\"\n\nOf course Lydia had heard what had happened to Jackson. Everyone at university had. But as she stood with her friends in the crowded bar, she said nothing, in the hope that the conversation would move on soon enough.\n\n\"His point wasn't even that far away, he only had to get to Vancouver. But then the guy crashes his car on the 405, gets taken into hospital and before they can finish his surgery? BONG\".\n\nAlyssa clapped her hands above her head, motioning a clock striking twelve. As the story continued, Lydia began to zone out, already aware of where it was headed. Jackson had tried his best to stay afloat, but once people see that the numbers on your skin have turned red, they don't treat you the same. She'd met him once, in secret of course. Being associated with a misser was almost as bad as being one yourself. It was before he went off the rails, before his face was on every news channel in the country, but he'd seemed kind in that moment. It had been the first time in a while that she'd felt safe, not needing to worry about her world crumbling once her 21st birthday arrived. Now knowing what had happened to Jackson, she didn't feel so secure.\n\n\"Lyds? You alright?\"\n\nHer friend's question brought Lydia back into the conversation. The bar was getting rowdier now, the staff clearly rushed off their feet trying to get everyone a drink. As Lydia went to talk, a look of realization spread across Alyssa's face.\n\n\"Oh my god, I'm sorry Lyds. I completely forgot your point day hasn't come yet, right?\" she exclaimed while brushing her hair back, to ensure everyone could see the green numbers marked upon her neck. \"How far away is it now, two months?\"\n\n\"Yeah, 4th February in Kansas\" Lydia replied, holding up her wrist to show the black digits displayed there. Everyone paused to admire it, as if it was a new piece of jewelry rather than a ticking time bomb. \"I'm gonna grab another beer, anyone want anything?\"\n\n\"I'll have another too, but be quick!\" yelled Alyssa as Lydia moved towards the bar. Squeezing past people to get through the packed room, she instead made towards the bathroom, running into a cubicle and slamming the door shut behind her. Staring at the tattoo on her wrist, she realized she was just in time for the countdown to begin.\n\n\"5!\"\n\n\"4!\"\n\n\"3!\"\n\n\"2!\"\n\n\"1!\"\n\n\"HAPPY NEW YEAR!\"\n\nLydia's screams of pain were drowned out by the cheering masses outside, as the impossible numbers on her lower back burned into her body a deep crimson. Collapsing to the floor as the bar raised the roof, Lydia began to sob, terrified of the path that lay before her.", "The day they gave away our IDP (that's what they all called it, didn't know what it meant then) was at 5 years old, the government assistant came and gave us all our IDP everybody was excited, my friend Jimmy was going to be in mount everest, ¡we were all so happy for him!.\n\nThere was this big machine that had us plugged in, after a few minutes, your IDP would appear.\nWhen mine came, i thought it was going to say the eiffel tower, that's the place i wanted to visit since i saw saw it on a picture.\n\nBut all that came out was some weird stuff on the screen, (reflecting on it, i figured out it was because it wasn't on earth) eventually the government guy figured it out, but he tought it was a mistake so he made me go in again, but the same came out.\n\n-Son....seems like you'll be going to Mars-I kinda freaked out but in a good way\n\n-I'll be an astronaut-I yelled happily, but the man didn't smile, nor did my teacher, my friends did tough, we were kids so.....\n\nTurns out i wasn't the only one going to Mars, there also was Jenny, this girl i never spoke to before, I found out later that her birthday was the same day as mine. She got the exact same location as me, so we kinda tought that we were destined to be togheter of something. We started to spend a lot of time beside each other, in highschool we began dating, and in college we were already married, she was the best thing that ever happened to me.\n\nThe first odissey to mars happened when i was entering college, so i wasn't the first.\n\nEventually NASA called us both, we were.....I don't even know, confused, at kids it sounded like an adventure, but all i wanted at that point was to be a lawyer, but well....\n\n-We got no choice-she said\n\n-No...I guess not-we were in the cab, holding each others hands, by the way she was grabbing me, I knew she was just as scared as I was.\n\nWhen we arrived we got into a rocket, our birthdah was the next day, the advancements were so great that it was fully controlled by A.I., and it was surprisingly confortable.\n\nThere was this sort of special window that let us see the earth as we started to leave, and we just stood there, holding each other.\n\nThis huge comet travelling at incredible speed just...it flew through the earth. I will always remember Jenny's screams. All that was left of earth were some chunks the started to drift away.\n\nI said that I wasn't the first to travel to Mars....well, I sure am the last. But I didn't lose everything, i still have Jenny, that's the one important thing for me. Also our kid it's adapting well to the atmosphere, we decided to call him Terra." ]	6
	[WP] You finally get your hands on Animal Crossing. One of your animal neighbors seems to act stranger and stranger, enough that you start googling them. As time passes not a single post about this character existing surfaces.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "March 20th had finally arrived. Animal Crossing : New Horizons had arrived and I was holding my Nintendo Switch on my hands. I had started the application excitedly, going through the usual character creation and naming my island. This is a new horizon indeed. I spent weeks nonstop adventuring, meeting every new neighbour and welcoming the old. \n\nThe neighbours were all lovely and had such interesting personalities. On a particular night I had gotten a new neighbour his tent surroundings a bit darker than most. Cool, a possible goth character. O entered the tent to come face to face with a black bird facimg the wall. A crow I think. I walked over to him for the standard introduction. However his response was just \"...\" I clicked a few times but to no avail, all I received was an elipses.\n\nEvery day I would try again but '???' would only ever the same response. As time passed I noticed that I would never find him outside. I would only ever find him in his dark tent, facing the wall. Once I spoke to him, expecting nothing of coursebit he instead replied, \"Why me? I miss my family.\" Shocked, I clicked again want to knowpre. What family? Who? What? But again I was met with \"...\" repeatedly. I centred myself and chalked it up to my imagination.\n\n I decided to hop on one night. The islands villagers were holding a celebration of some sort. I noticed everyone but once again the crow wasn't here. I popped into see him. Same old routine. \n\n\"...\"\n\"...\"\n\"...\"\n\nI sighed and left the room, saving and editing the game, a bit frustrated. I didn't remember seeing this character in the trailers and I couldn't recall any posts about him. So I decided to research him myself. An hour, three search engines and multiple AC groups later and nothing. I could not find a single bit of information on this crow creature. \n\nI was starting to feel a bit paranoid. Had I imagined him? Was he a glitch? A secret character no one else has gotten yet? I checked my game again and he was still there. Still facing the wall. Still serving me elipses.\n\nUntil he wasn't.\n\nThe black figure looked up. It was almost as if he was staring straight at the screen. \n\n\"You can see me?\" :???' Had changed to '??' \n\nI clicked again. \"Is this real?\" \n'?'\n\n\"Please be real. Please help.\"\n'markos'\n\n'markos' turned to stare straight at the screen. It felt like he was staring straight at me...talking right to me. \n\n\"Please...' in red.\n\nI left the game without saving. I couldn't think of saving right now. What is this? Is this a prank from the game developers? I googled 'animal crossimg developer pranks'\n\nNothing. \n\nI searched the name 'Markos' and as soon as I did my mind ran blank. I could feely blood run cold, a little dizzy in the head. \n\n\"NINTENDO DEVELOPER FOUND DEAD AT HQ.\n\nMARKOS TWAIN, 48 WAS DISCOVERED MUTILATED AMD COVERED IN BLOOD AT 6:34 AM TUESDAY 20 MARCH 2020. HIS BODY WAS CLAIMED TO BE ALMOST UNRECOGNISABLE IF IT HADNT BEEN FOR TJE BLACK CROW TATTOO ON HIS ARM .\n\nNO COMTACT HAS BEEM ABLE TO BE MADE WITH FAMILY AT THIS MOMENT.\"\n\nI looked at my phone screen, blinking in shock. What kind of sick joke was this? It can't be real. This is DEFINITELY not real. I had to make sure. \n\nI started the application again with shaky hands. Skipping through all the usual reset banter I headed straight for the infamous tent. The village was cold and dark, not a single villager out this night despite the earlier celebration. I walked into the tent, my heart beating wildly. \n\nBefore my character was a bloody black crow, cut into pieces with the words \"you could've helped\" scrawled in blood on the wall." ]	2
	[WP] Within a day everyone was talking about the King inviting the Witch of the Cursed Forest.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Everyone in the Capital jumped for joy when their invitation came. The days normally go by with nothing of note happening, so an invitation to a royal banquet, open to all, was sure to spark the interests of the everyman. The nobility was sure, at first, that they were the only ones to receive the surprise, though the streets filling with joyous commonfolk quickly put a damper on the exclusivity of the banquet.\n\nEvery note sent out to the public was hand-crafted and carefully designed to each guest, a painstaking effort made by the court in recent months. The King never shared his motive for the banquet, only demanding that it is to be celebrated by everyone. This was not the first benevolent thing the King had ever done, nor the last, he hoped, and he hoped to be remembered for his kindness and just rule. Though this banquet was surely what would cement his legacy, one way or another.\n\nSince each citizen received one, they shared the news with everyone, as people are wont to do, and the event became the talk of the town. Little did they know that the invitations went further out than the town's borders.\n\nDeep in the forest many steer away from is a small hut carved into an old willow tree. What lies inside is a matter of debate amongst the townsfolk. Some say a demon resides within, sure to curse any who wander to close. Others say a foul monster nests inside, only coming out at night to pillage and destroy. The King, however, was not so inclined to assume such radical theories. Even the farthest reaches of his kingdom were still his, therefore it was his duty to know all that transpires within his borders. This invitation the King made himself: a simple white sheaf of paper with a name and a request.\n\nThe buzz of the populace died down shortly after the word of the invitation sent out into the forest, packed bars and restaurants emptied for the people to think about the predicament. Why would the King invite a monster? Would it be safe to go? Most came to the conclusion that free food was free food, and joined the gala in their grandest clothes. The finest silks and softest cloths adorned the commonfolk, party spirit in full swing.\n\nThe time came for the banquet and the crowd amassed in the castle courtyard, anxiously awaiting the start of the night. Though they all attended for their own reasons, there was a general uneasiness in the air. The monster would come soon, they knew it. Or perhaps it was already here.\n\nThe King approached the balcony overlooking the courtyard and was met with thunderous applause. A moment passed and he waved his hands, asking for silence.\n\n\"Ladies and gentlemen, it is wonderful to see you here, I was worried you might take this all for a joke. It's not every day the court hosts a party, but I'm sure you will all enjoy the evening,\" he said.\n\nThe grand doors to the hall slowly opened, but the crowd was still restless. They desired an answer to a question no one dared to ask.\n\n\"I understand you are worried for your safety regarding a particular guest, but I assure you tonight will be a night to remember. Go on, find a seat, there's plenty to go around.\"\n\nDespite a few protestations, the crowd moved into the great hall and found their seats at tables built for the kings and queens of old. After the initial restlessness, several cooks and servants burst through doors carrying plates filled with feasts not just of the belly but also the eyes. Many of the people had not seen so much food in one place, let alone be treated to it.\n\nThe King took his seat at the head of the largest table, \"Before we begin, I must ask that our guest of honour stands up. It's about time we meet.\"\n\nSeveral heads turned, scouring the room for any movement. A woman stood up in the center of the room. Her hair was braided, falling down along her backless dress of velvet. Her skin was flawless, her eyes mesmerizing -- she couldn't possibly be the monster.\n\nShe bowed and spoke up, \"Your Majesty.\"\n\nThe King returned the bow, \"Miss Cordelia, that is your name, correct?\"\n\n\"It is.\"\n\n\"For the clarification of the other guests, you reside in the forests to the west, correct?\"\n\n\"I do.\"\n\n\"Finally, to entertain the masses, are you a demon? A monster?\"\n\nShe sighed, \"No.\"\n\nThe King smiled, revealing sparkling teeth befitting a man of his position, and gestured to the rest of the hall, \"Miss Cordelia, do you understand your position here in the community?\"\n\nShe nodded.\n\n\"Wonderful,\" said the King, looking out among the crowd, \"So you see, my friends, this is your monster, your witch. She is no demon, she is a woman. As far as I know, that is not a crime, so why do you treat her as a criminal?\"\n\nHeads bowed in shame or confusion as mumbling filled the halls. A faint smile curled the lips of the witch.\n\n\"The reason I am holding this banquet,\" the King continued, \"is to bring our attention to Miss Cordelia here. I have been watching for some time now, and it is clear to me you treat her as anathema. Another observation I have made is how even though so many proclaim to be fearful of her practices, many still seek out her skills.\n\n\"While I rule, I will not abide by superstition and delusion. This woman is a healer, a boon to our society. Needless to say, I am disappointed.\"\n\nThe King made his way over to Cordelia and addressed her personally, \"I apologize on behalf of all in attendance, truly.\"\n\nShe bowed again, \"I understand, your Majesty.\"\n\n\"As it happens, the court does not have a resident alchemist. I think it is about time we began to accept modern medicine, do you agree?\"\n\n\"Perhaps...\"\n\n\"Then how would you feel if I offered you a seat on the council to oversee the health of the kingdom?\" he asked.\n\nShe blinked, \"If you would have me, I accept.\"\n\n\"Wonderful.\" The King turned and sat down at the head of the table once more, \"As you can see, my subjects, there is nothing to fear. Our superstitions were unfounded and were childish. I hope we can learn from this in the future.\"\n\nHe raised his goblet, \"A toast. Let our pasts be forgotten, and our futures remembered.\"" ]	2
	[WP] Tell your robot to explore a noise downstairs.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " \n\nI waited. Frozen. Forcing my ears to be sensitive to even the softest of sounds. Did I actually hear something? I wasn’t sure. It was so difficult to tell anymore. The long days, and nights, of the office had taken a heavy toll on my sanity. I was dreaming. I thought. Yes, I must have been. It was unnatural. Unthinkable. Yes, yes it must have been my own imagining.\n\nRelieved and convinced by my own argument, I sunk wearily back into my pillow. Wrapping myself in a protective armor of soft down, I waited once more for the freeing release of sleep, something that seemed rarer and rarer these days.\n\nSsssl…unk.\n\nMy eyes snapped wide, rapidly trying to adjust to the deafening darkness of the room. There was no mistaking it this time. I had imagined nothing. I stumbled out of bed as fast as I could manage, tripping over my sheets in the process. I cursed myself for the error as I powered on the Handy Helper servbot resting peacefully in the corner. The polished aluminum hull of its slender frame gleamed faintly in the moonlight, with each curved edge catching a ghostly grey tinge.\n\nSlowly, so very slowly, the servbot booted to life. In the center of its vaguely humanoid shape a display screen flickered on, brightly displaying the smiling face its creators thought would make it more approachable. Instead, it only blinded me. “Good morning, Sir” it said in its unbearably cheery voice. “What may I do for you?”\n\n“Servbot”, I whispered, “go downstairs and make sure everything is in order. I heard strange noises coming from below and I need you to investigate”. I spoke through hushed tones so as not to alert whoever, or whatever, might be lurking down there.\n\n“Of course!” it responded cheerfully, and much too loudly. “Afterwards, shall I execute breakfast routine?”\n\n“No, don’t execute the fucking breakfast routine, it is the middle of the night!” I said, exasperated, into its stupid, smiling face. I took a breath to center myself. “Look, just… search downstairs and then tell me if you find something. When you’re done just go back to sleep.” These damn machines never did what you wanted them too. This was supposed to be one of the newer models, but half of the time, it was more trouble than it was worth.\n\nSsssl… unksss.\n\nA deep chill ran down my spine. There was something unsettling about that noise. Something unnatural. “Go. Now.” I muttered. The machine turned and set off. I could not have found a lousier investigator. I thought to myself as it clunked loudly upon each step with a steady, mechanical precision.\n\nStanding at the top of the staircase, I listened intently as it whirred about below. I could hear it sweep through the house. It moved through the kitchen. Now in the living room. It opened the bathroom door. Then it checked the dining room. No matter how hard I strained my ears, I couldn’t make out any sounds other than the machine. As it made its way back to the base of the stairs, it turned around to survey the room a final time, casting out a spectral glow from its smiling face.\n\n“Master, I have found something!” the robot called out.\n\n“Servbot, what is it?” I asked. “What have you found?” The light cast out by the screen began to slowly fade. “Servbot, answer me! What did you find?” Servbot made no response as I watched the light from its screen slowly flicker to black.\n\nConfused, I took a single step down the staircase, and called out once more for a response. At once, the realization hit, and a pang of fear shot through me. The goddamn thing is in sleep mode! \n\nThose fucking things never do what you tell them.\n\nI made the way down myself, sure to make each step as quietly as I could muster. The ghostly silhouette of the sleeping servbot was all that was visible in the faint light. What did the stupid thing see? I labored over each step, slowly shifting my weight, gently teasing each foothold. I was as silent as I had ever been. I could hardly hear my own steps, much less any… other noises. Already doing better than that scrap pile. I thought haughtily.\n\nI reached the deactivated husk of the machine and slid my fingers across its smooth, polished surface until I found its power switch. It whirred and hummed gently as it came back to life. But other sounds of life came with it: a patter of a thousand light footsteps, and a thin rasp underneath it all, a broken staccato, as if I there were endless scales gliding across a sheet of cardboard.\n\nI felt my heart begin to race as cool beads of sweat built across my brow. The screen of the servbot was slowly flickering on, showering the room with strobe-like flashes. I desperately tried to pick out shapes strobing across my living room. \n\nAt last, the servbot came to life and illuminated the room with its cheery glow. There was nothing. Not a single item out of place, nor any shadows to hide in. “Good Morning, Sir. What may I do for you?”\n\nI fell back in relief, laughing at myself hysterically for my foolishness. I had imagined it. Imagined it all. I really do need sleep, now more than ever. I collapsed back against the stairs for support and set my hand down on the smooth wood behind me. But it was then that I felt a… a wetness... in my palm. I looked down and saw that my hand was in a puddle. And that there was a pair of mandibles wetly glistening around my neck. And I felt an immense presence behind me.\n\nI felt a scream rise from deep within me but it made no sound. And then I was falling. So slowly. I felt nothing as I bounced on hard wood floor, or when I rolled over to witness the horde of legs on the steps behind me. As my vision faded to darkness once again. I heard one final thing.\n\n“Instructions unclear. Executing breakfast routine.”" ]	2
	[WP] Shortly after their engagement the two greatest superheroes vow to keep their hero lives a secret from any future children to protect them from their dangerous lives until they are ready. Years later their youngest child is horrified to see The Nuclear Lion kissing mom	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Thirty years ago, a young, aspiring couple became engaged under the bright, shining moonlight. They made a promise to each other, saying that they would hide a special and dangerous secret from their children until the time is right. \n\nThat couple consisted of the Golden Lance and the Nuclear Lion.\n\nOr, as their coworkers knew them, Talia Adams and Brenton Willard, soon to become Talia and Brenton Willard. \n\nThe two most powerful superheroes on the entire planet, uniting in a matrimony only death can break. \n\nIt wasn't long before they ended up marrying, and five years in, they had their first child, Jake. Their mundane jobs and their superhero work took up most of their lives, so it ended up being another nine years before they had Andreya, aka Andie, their youngest. They didn't have any time to have more children, let alone take care of them. \n\nTime went on, and the children grew up. Jake worked to become a structural engineer, starting when Andie was in third grade. Andie had her own dreams of becoming an author or a journalist, but fate had other plans. \n\nAfter all, why wouldn't the children of the two greatest superheroes have powers of their own?\n\n\\------------------------------------------------------\n\nI slump into my seat in Current Events, the last period of the day. Delaney, my best friend, keeps on trying to convince me about why the world is going to end soon, by providing \"evidence\" of all the conspiracies that the villains have come up with over the years. \n\nThe teacher claps to get the class's attention, and all eyes turn to her. Even Delaney shuts up for once. She's a sweet girl, but sometimes she just runs her mouth. \n\n\"Alright class, today we're going to be starting a research project.\"\n\nCue the groans, and the \"Why????\"s. \n\n\"Before you get all hung up over the fact that yes, it is indeed a research project, I have decided that we're going to be researching modern superheroes. But before we start, I'm going to have you all partner up.\"\n\nThe class bursts into chatter, and Delaney and I immediately look at each other. We report to the teacher that we've decided to partner up, and she pulls out a hat. \n\n\"Look away and pick one.\"\n\nI do as I'm told, and I grab a slip and remove it from the hat. I adjust my glasses and read the small font affixed to the paper. \n\nThe Golden Lance\n\n\"The Golden Lance?!\" Delaney squeals. \"That's like, one of the most powerful superheroes of all time!\" \n\nA flash of an image appears in my mind's eye, but the pure absurdity of it brings me to ignore it. \n\n\"Yeah,\" I nod, slightly nervous. \n\n\"Aren't you excited, Andie?! We're doing the Golden Lance!\"\n\n\"Mm-hm,\" I reply distantly, \"the Golden Lance.\"\n\nThe shrill bell tears across the school, and the students begin celebrating by packing up their things and making a beeline for the door. \n\n\"Andie, my mom's picking me up today, sorry. Can't walk home with ya, but see ya later, 'kay?\"\n\nI nod, a tiny bit disappointed, but I get it. Delaney has dance every Wednesday, so her mom has to drive her there since she's still fifteen. (However, her sixteenth birthday is quickly approaching, and her mom is making her take all the driving practice she can get.)\n\nThe strange image flashes through my head again, but it's clearer this time. Villains are ravaging Wall Street, and the Nuclear Lion is there, fighting them alone. Then, he gets the quick opportunity to catch a break, for just a second, and he spots my mother, who is carrying groceries. Flying towards her, he wraps her in a hug and freaking kisses her, before flying off to defeat more villains. \n\nI shake that strange image out of my head once again. In what strange universe would that happen? My mom would never cheat on Dad!\n\nAs I exit the school building, I see some strange movement out of the corner of my eye, coming from the direction of home. I immediately run towards it (I have to, home's that way). Soon, I hear screaming, and when I turn the corner to Wall Street, I see the exact image that flashed before my mind on my way out of school. \n\nThe Nuclear Lion flies around, trying to apprehend the group of villains. He manages to buy himself some time, but he then sees my mother carrying groceries. Swooping down in front of her, he makes his presence known. Her face lights up, and they exchange a hug . . . and a kiss. \n\nThe Nuclear Lion is kissing Mom.\n\nThe Nuclear Lion is kissing Mom.\n\nHe's kissing Mom. My Mom.\n\nMost of the civilians are running in the opposite direction from the chaos, but Mom is calmly strutting down the sidewalk with her groceries in hand. I, on the other hand, am frozen in place in utter horror. \n\nThe villains then notice me, and while the Nuclear Lion is distracted, one of them heads for me. They pick up a stray car (this one must have some sort of super strength), and chuck it right at me. \n\nI go against all of my instincts to run, and shriek as I hold my arms over my head in an X formation. \n\nAnd the car never hits. \n\nI open my tightly shut eyes, and tentatively look up at the now air-bound car. It hovers five feet above my head, and I hesitantly remove myself from my cowering position. \n\nBefore this car can return to the ground, it needs to go somewhere that doesn't have people under it. \n\nI imagine the car hovering above a parking space, and to my great shock, it actually begins moving over a parking spot. The car corrects to face the right direction, and gently sets itself down on the pavement. \n\nWhat on earth just happened?\n\nI don't stay to see anyone's reactions, I just bolt for the apartment door. I speed up the stairs, and make my way to apartment 309. I slam the door behind me, and immediately call my twenty-five year old brother, Jake.\n\n\"Sis, I'm still at work. What is it?\"\n\n\"Jake . . . I just saw Mom and the Nuclear Lion kissing . . . Mom's cheating on Dad!\"\n\n(part 2 in replies)" ]	2
	[WP] None of us ever go down to Georgia anymore. And it's not because one of our guys lost a bet that one time.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Well, it should be,” Enoch Nascerdios said, folding his arms and glaring at the small group of hellions gathered in Central Park. Even though the humans around them saw them as two groups of people discussing things from very definitive sides, the truth was, he and his two brothers who stood stoically behind him were half-angels, and as such, they had inherited their mother’s broad, flowing wings. They were triplets, and they were gods, and they didn’t take shit from a tiny group of hellion-spawn.\n\n“I’d be bitterly humiliated if a mortal outplayed me,” Clifford added with a taunting sneer.\n\n“I guess the only thing you’re hoping for, is that the Devil involved in that contest wasn’t Lord Belial, because that would be really humiliating,” Fabron piped up, refusing to miss his turn.\n\nThe hellions looked at the three half-angels, then back amongst themselves.\n\n“Oh, it was Lord Belial alright,” their spokesman, a short Malebranche Devil said, leaning heavily on his pitchfork as if bored. “But there’s a teeny little detail that’s escaping your notice, featherbrain.”\n\nThe triplets sucked in a sharp breath, but Clifford, being the most level-headed of the three, held his temper long enough to ask, “And what might that be?”\n\n“As the ultimate Lord of Lies, Lord Belial gets a whole lot of power, every time someone believes in something that isn’t true.” And as one, all the hellions smirked, showing their tiny fangs.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n((Any comments welcome))\n\nFor more of my work: [r/Angel466](https://www.reddit.com/r/Angel466/)", "“Why don’t we go down to Georgia?” one of the demons said to the group forming.\r\n\r\n“No way! We ain’t going back there anymore. Satan doesn’t like it there anymore.” A voice said from the crowd. \r\n\r\nThe crowd began to part as an old man began walking towards the front. \r\n\r\n“who are you!? And why are you not in your pit of damnation?!” the demon shouted out. A murmur began to form between the demons nearby. \r\n\r\nThe old man stood there as he waited for a silence before speaking. He coughed up some blood and spat it to the side before speaking. \r\n\r\n“This blood always wants to come up at the worst time. Anyway, my name is Johnny, I was there when he went to Georgia. He played in a fiddle contest with some musician down there. Problem was he lost so he had to give up his golden fiddle.” The man said in a calm tone as the demons surrounded him listening in on the story. \r\n\r\nHe looked around before continuing “10 years later, he steals the fiddle from the guy. Wants a rematch. He loses again and is a spoiled sport. So he goes to hell, but the guy said to him ‘show your face here again, and you will suffer. And you better be ready, because when I die, I’m coming back for what’s rightfully mine.’ Been almost 30 years since the devil last set foot down in Georgia.”\r\n\r\nThe demons began talking in hushed whispers before one of them spoke up. \r\n\r\n“There is no way that Satan is that much of a coward! He is the Lord of the underworld, the tormentor of the wicked, the foul abomination cast out from heaven! What does a man from Georgia have that Satan can’t overpower?” \r\n\r\nThe man began walking towards a rock and took a seat on it. \r\n\r\n“I don’t quite know what happened to the devil after that. He just had some sort of bad vibe about the man. The guy seemed so intent on getting the fiddle back. I heard it play. Sounded beautiful, like a choir of angels singing. I know that must sound foreign to y’all but that’s the closest thing I can compare it to.” \r\n\r\nThe demons looked at each other with concern that their leader was bested twice and that he feared a mortal. \r\n\r\n“Maybe it’s true. Maybe he is afraid.” One demon said out loud. \r\n\r\n“I have heard certain mortals have control over him. Maybe he is one of them?” another interjected. \r\n\r\nThe man stood up and approached the group of demons. \r\n\r\n“By the way, where is that fancy feller? I do believe he is expecting me.” The man said to the group. \r\n\r\nA large fireball appeared behind the man as Satan made his appearance. His large figure towered over the man and the group of demons as his voice bellowed out. \r\n\r\n“WHO DARES CALL FOR ME! WHICH SOUL DARES TO CHALLENGE ME?” \r\n\r\nThe man turned around to face the devil, his stance unwavering at the sight of Satan. \r\n\r\nSatan looked on the man closely before quickly jumping backwards and entering a defensive stance. \r\n\r\n“Johnny! What in here are you doing here? What do you want?!” he bellowed out. \r\n\r\n“I came for what’s rightfully mine. Now if y’all be so kindly to escort me to my golden fiddle, I’d be happy to mosey on back to heaven. Otherwise, I will take it by force and tear this place it looking for it.” \r\n\r\n“Ok ok. It’s fine. I’ll get it for you. Just relax, I got it right here. Here you go.” The devil said as he waved his hands and produced the fiddle. \r\n\r\nThe man took the fiddle from the devil and smiled as he offered a handshake. \r\n\r\n“Thank you kindly, sir. Pleasure doing business.” The man said waiting for Satan to shake his hand. \r\n\r\nSatan stuck his hand out as smoke began to arise from the hands. When the 2 broke the handshake, it was not the small man, but Satan who had burn marks. \r\n\r\nThe man turned and began walking away as the demons huddled around Satan asking what happened. \r\n\r\n“That man has powers. Greater then mine. Might even be greater then God’s. I learned not to fight battles you can’t win. I was dumb back then and let pride and envy get the better of me. But I’ll give up my golden fiddle to avoid him. Besides I have like 665 more of them anyway. I don’t think I’ll lose any sleep.” He said to the demons. \r\n\r\nA moment passed before Satan turned red in the face and boomed out to the crowd. \r\n\r\n“PARTY IS OVER. BACK TO WORK THE LOT OF YOU! SOULS TO TORMENT! GET TO IT!” \r\n\nr/nywarpath" ]	3
	[WP] One day all written text scrambled into runes that no one can read. Only people who loved books are still able to read them. When read aloud, these books create spells and magic.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The text writhed across the pages infront of my eyes the esoteric shifting runes scratching at the edges of my psyche. Each passing second an eternity as another copy of the rune is etched into my notebook in black ink. Each and every symbol slightly off from the computer generated text of the original as I throw the completed book onto the nearby pyre. \n\nFlames shepherding the darkness into the far corners of the library and between the candles dim glow. It has been like this ever since I had found my powers in the great collapse of the information age. Another day in the library copying and burning and keeping notes on the texts dark effects. \n\nEach takes something of you with it when cast not your soul but a integral part of your being. It does come back but too much use and you will cease to exist the molecules holding you together collapsing into nothing. Slowly I wipe away the tear streaming down my cheek and set down my pen Sharlin's death coming back to me. \n\n.\n\nSometimes a depletion is calm and fast other times that is not quite the case hers was not one such event. Carefully I stand up from the wooden desk trying not to disturb my colleagues as they scrawl away in their black books. My path taking me past the dark hallways tge occasional door open and filled to the brim with the sick and injured. \n\nNurses and doctors walking through the hallways occasionally nodding or whispering hello in the dark hallways. For others it is a gift to those who have lost a limb or take a fatal injury to heal near instantly. That was Sharlin's discovery from a old fantasy novel she called the spell \"Tolkin\" after the original author. \n\nCarefully I pass t gr rough the ragged drape over the entrence the cold winter wind blowing past my old jacket. Snow crunching under my feet as I step into the clearing toward the stone monolith in the center of the field. My hand rummaging through my book as I look for my first spell the snow beneath my feet melting with just it's potential presence. \n\n.\n\nMy index finger resting on the red bookmark as I pass underneath the first stone arch the area devoid of snow. Steam hissing from the rapidly evaporating snow at the edges of the stone circle as I open the page. Motes of orange light and sparking energy lashing at the ground as i open the page fully. \n\nHateful energies clawing at the edges of my glyphs wishing, no pleading to be set free from their prison. Snap the pages slamming shut as the energy disintegrates into the air the winter's breeze returning. My index finger moving to the final marker on my notebook it's lettering \"TE5\" faintly visable in the silver light above. \n\nI know this is suicide as I pull the page open dark energy pulling on the edges of my vision as the glyphs dance through the air. Wind and snow whipping through the arch ways as i aim my fingers toward the statue sitting In the center of the ring. The knightly figure holding the sword triumphantly up toward the night sky above.\n\n.\n\nI hear the screaming just outside of my view as the dark icore leaps from my finger onto the statue. Shadows collasing in the crevices hidden by edges of the figure as the stone sword slowly lowers. Shadows controlling the statue like a puppet on strings as the dark eyes gazing into my soul and beyond.", "The room was small yet had a unpredictable warmness and brightness to it. \n\nI walked towards my crude, over-used chair and slowly sat down on it.\n\nSqueak \n\nThe chair, now old and fragile, probably wasn’t meant to be sat on anymore. I however care deeply for this very chair, it has been with me through this whole time; it was special to me. This very chair had been with me for years, decades even; since the very beginning: my discovery, my revelation, my addiction, my change, it all happened here. \n\nMy chair, my room it still had that very same how do I say it... vibe? Nevertheless it was exactly how I remembered.\n\nMaking myself comfortable I pick up the one book laying on my desk, covered in dust. I sweep the dust off of the book with my other hand and smile when I finally see the cover.\n\nI had never liked this story much, despite it being so critically acclaimed and even near universally liked by readers. Yet I didn’t really like it all that much. While my tastes are extremely distinct I wouldn’t call it especially out of the norm, so it was quite a surprise to find I didn’t like this book.\n\nI open the book and begin to flip through the pages, each of these evoke an unexpected amount of memories. My dislike of this book has somehow, over the years, lead it to become my most read book, by a large margin. I basically have this whole thing memorised.\n\nThat’s why when this whole thing happened and shook the world this became as much as my bible. Now it’s a holy book I rely on for my safety and protection, but it’s also, in that respect, my most powerful weapon.\n\nWhile the majority of the world was freaking out about the new logistics or what they were going to do with us ‘readers’ we were busy exploring and discovering something extremely important.\n\nThe more attachment you have to a certain book the better your magic will be using that book.\n\nMy strength, when using this piece which I’ve come to hate, is apparently one of the most powerful of all the beings in the entire world!\n\nThanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it and criticise all you want. Find more of my work on r/kubor04" ]	3
	[WP] At age 20 every human is cursed and must bear that curse until they die. While most people get curses like financial troubles or ugliness, you get cursed with the task of cursing others.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Well crap. Today is my 20th birthday. I'm sure somewhere, in some peaceful parallel universe, people enjoy their 20th year around the sun, but in THIS universe, it is considered terrible. Well not terrible, per se, it can sometimes be just mildly annoying.\n\nLet me explain, on the 20th birthday, it is said that you will have a very intense dream. Some people just say they hear a loud booming voice, some people say they have vague visions but it all ends the same: the dream tells you what curse you need to deal with for the rest of your life. My sister, Sarah, when she turn 20, told me that she had a dream that large amounts of cash just flew away from her and a voice that says something like, \"You are now forever impoverished!\" She woke up to find almost all of her savings, including her piggy bank, has disappeared over the night. On the other hand, my friend became completely blind for his 20th, said something about a dream about knives or something, so the curses can vary.\n\nWhat did I dream about you ask? Possibly the worst thing imaginable. See this is what happened.\n\nIt was completely dark. Then I heard a deep voice that said, \"OH, this is an interesting one!\"\n\n\"Indeed!,\" said a different one, higher pitched and with a slight hint of cackling.\n\nSuddenly, I see two hooded figures. At least, it seems they are hooded, one of them seemed to be on fire and the other one seemed wearing a frozen piece of cloth.\n\n\"Yes, we have a creative one here, don't we?\" said the deep voice, coming from flamey over on my left. \"Yes, we can use this one for our purpose.\"\n\n\"What do we have in mind?\" says frosty on my right.\n\n\"These curses we have been putting on Man has been fun, but we are starting to run out of....originality, aren't we?\" said flamey. \n\n\"Yes, we have!\" frosty is starting to cackle even more. It's cackle is like something I have never heard before, frightening to the bone and piercing to the soul.\n\nAnd then in unison, they both say, \"From now on, YOU WILL BE THE CURSE BRINGER OF MAN UNTIL THE DAY YOU DIE!!\"\n\nAll of a sudden, by body felt burning hot and freezing cold. Every inch of my body felt like needles were stabbing me. I felt as if my organs were going to burst.\n\nAnd then I woke up and here we are.\n\nGetting up from my bed, nothing felt different. No sign of damage or injury despite all of that intense pain. I go to the bathroom to check the mirror. Everything seems normal. Everything except...upon closer inspection, my eyes are now red. Now I'm not talking about the red eyes you would get when you are suffering from allergies, although I seem to have that to as well. I mean my irises seem to have turn from the blue that it was yesterday to a deep and dark red color. \"This can't be good,\" I said out loud.\n\nI walk downstairs and grabbed myself a glass of orange juice. Suddenly I heard a sound behind me and turned around. Behind me are my little brother, Aaron and sister, Vivian; 15 year old twins. \n\n\"Happy birthday, James!\" said Vivian, she was always the nicer, sweeter of the two.\n\n\"Oh yeah, bro! Sleep well last night?\" said Aaron, the fucker. \"Heard you screaming, but be a hell of a curse!\" Again, the fucker.\n\nI look up. \"Thanks Viv. Shut up Aar-\" And then I dropped my glass of orange juice with a loud crash. Because what I saw above the twins' heads was a count down that says \"4 years 2 months 20 days til curse\". What is more is I focus a little, I can see a small list that says \"Possible Curse Choices\".\n\nIt seems that the list is different between the two. For example, Vivian has Intense Constant Pain, Epilepsy, and so on. Whereas Aaron has Can no longer walk, PTSD, and so on. But both lists end with Choose your own for review.\n\nI realize to my horror, as my siblings are shocked that I dropped the glass of orange juice, as my eyes begin to tear up, as the rest of my family come downstairs wondering what the commotion is about, as they try to comfort me, this is my curse. I am now curse to give curses to anyone who turns 20 years old from now on. As I begin to cry, I begin to dread. Dread the days to come. Dread to curse people, mostly people I will never know, for the rest of their lives.\n\nWhat's worse, in 4 years time, I would have to curse my beloved siblings. From the looks of it, I don't have much of a choice but to curse them terribly. I couldn't do that to them. Not Vivian, not even Aaron who has his redeeming qualities.\n\nI realize now, I have been given the worse curse possible.", "“I don’t get what you’re saying”, I say, after staring at the man for a few moments.\n\nThe man sighs, and finds a more comfortable position on the couch before responding; “I’m apologising to you.”\n\n“Yeah, I got that. What are you apologising for, though?”, I put my breakfast on the table and sit down in the chair opposite him.\n\n“I’m apologising for the curse I’m going to give you.”, Having settled back down on the couch, the man picked up the glass of water in front of him and takes a sip.\n\nI chuckle; I’d let the man inside after he insisted he had to talk to me, but he was obviously insane. “What are you on about? Everyone knows the 20’s curse comes about naturally.”\n\n“It is a natural phenomenon, yes, but so is electricity, and we can control that.”, Finishing his drink, the man puts the empty glass down on the table.\n\nIn silence, I pick up the glass and place it on the coaster next to it before responding; “You’re saying that the curse given to people can be controlled? Then, why curse people at all? Do you get enjoyment out of making people miserable?”\n\nA sad expression appears on the man’s face and he stays silent for a few moments before answering; “Unfortunately, we can’t completely eliminate the curses. If we could, we would. We decide who gets cursed with what. We can’t reduce the total amount of ‘Curse energy’ in the world.”\n\n“And who is this ‘we’ you are talking about?”, Deciding to throw the man out of my house after finishing breakfast, I humour the man with another question; “And why haven’t I ever heard about this before? Countless people turn 20 every day, I’m sure some of them would talk about the person who cursed them.”\n\n“ ’We’ normally don’t talk to people that get cursed, there is no actual need to do so. I’m talking to you, however, because of the specific curse you are going to get.”, As the man speaks, he searches through his pockets and eventually takes out a card; “I wasn’t born with the power to give curses. When I turned 20, I was approached, just like you, and was cursed with it.”\n\n“You might not believe me, but you will. When you do, call this number.”, The man gives me the card he took from his pocket and stands up.\n\nHe walks to the door and pauses, he turns back to look at me and opens his mouth; “I’m a day early, but… Happy birthday.”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\-------------\n\nr/Nammos_storytime" ]	3
	[WP] When someone is reborn, they lose all memory of their past lives, but maintain any skills they gained. This explains 'natural talent' and child prodigies, as they are the reincarnations of the incredibly accomplished.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The frozen pizza is in the oven. I got time for one more game. Let’s play. I’m playing well, might even win this when I start feeling fuzzy. I smell pizza. I look over and see my anxiety and depression pills I just refilled. Empty. \n\nDad I don’t want to play basketball. I know I’m tall, but I don’t like it. He looks at me and turns away. You ever had that look? The look that makes you remember that moment. That look that you failed what your dad thought you’d be. It’s amazing how many useless seconds go by yet sometimes you’ll never forget 5. I promise I’ve tried. Man, that look. It’s amazing how you can change the fate of someone without saying a single word. \n\n5th period and I see my friend Tony. He just got an N64 and invites me over after school. I say no, I’ve never played video games. My parents don’t like them. \n\nThe school bell rings and I hop on my bike. As I start riding I see Tony, he extends the offer again. I accept. He hands me a three pronged control as soon as we get to his house. 1,2,3...winner. Not just winner, winner with ease. You know that feeling right? Someone asks you how. How do you do that? How’d that look so smooth. Who knows, it just felt right. It was easy and felt natural. I look at my watch, it’s 4:45. Basketball practice starts in 15 mins. I text my dad, I’m on my way.", "The headmaster could hardly hide her excitement when I showed her my card. She knew it was her moment to shine - after all, nine out of ten kids picked by our talent agency end up having stellar careers.\n\nWhat she can never know is what happens to the rest. The real reason why our job is so essential.\n\nDon't get me wrong - I love the routine as well. Just last week I was sent to discreetly watch a school play. A highschool rendition of Romeo and Juliet was as cringy as you'd expect, but the moment Tybalt stormed in and drew his sword I knew it was all worth it. A dark whirlwind of pure energy, a salty and nihilistic adenalin junkie - it was a bold take, but I could believe every single line, every small gesture. I hadn't seen such a performance since...\n\n...after the play I found him - an awkward, stuttering kid who couldn't believe an actual adult was praising his performance. And of course I asked my usual question:\n\n\"What do you know about reincarnation?\"\n\nLike I've said, I love the routine. It's an opportunity to be cherished - to witness a genius, even if not in their prime. A chrysalis, yet to become a butterfly for another short summer.\n\nBut today I've got a special lead - the one out of ten. I'm walking from stand to stand with a polite smile, pretending to listen. Yes, kid, I love your cardboard castle. Sure, this painting doesn't look half bad. Perhaps we'll contact you, keep up the good work.\n\nThe headmaster keeps her distance, but I can feel her anxiety. Like any headmaster, she spent half an hour describing how talented her kids were, and like any headmaster she didn't believe it for a second. But my lead was solid - and when I reached an unconspicuous table in the far end of the hall I knew I had my talent.\n\nHer paintings weren't stunning or captivating - I would've probably walked right past them had I not been searching for that exact style. For me it was as distinct as handwriting: minimalistic landscapes in what resembled a Japanese style, with a few brush strokes forming black trees surrounded by a haze of gray watercolor leaves...\n\nBut when I looked closer I felt unease. A fleeting disturbing feeling, as if there was something horribly wrong with the lines - or what was hiding behind them. There was nothing wrong with the pictures, but something about them... Sometimes a genius is a disturbed and tormented person - and their art is a cry for help. Listening to it is a part of my job.\n\nListening, not always helping.\n\n'Mary, say hi to Mr Carter,' the headmaster chipped in. 'He's here to talk to you about career opportunities, aren't you, Mr Carter?'\n\nI turned to a blushing Mary - a cheerful girl who looked like she'd rather be drawing pink unicorns and rainbows than ominous otherworldly trees - and put on my best smile.\n\n'That's right, Mary - may I call you Mary? If you'd like to come with me, I'll tell you about our program for aspiring artists...'\n\nAnd once you've recalled your previous life, I thought, you will finally tell the detective where you hid the body." ]	3
	[WP]On your 13th birthday, you gained the superpower of ‘pleasing aroma’. It may not be powerful like most heroes and villains got, but it has...useful applications.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I'm basically irresistible. Apparently, I smell like the most appealing thing to any person. Haley said I smelled of banana bread, fresh baked like she remembered making with her mother. Anthony said I smelled of roasted garlic cloves. His favorite soup was potato and leek.\n\nEveryone wanted to sit with me at lunch. It was great!\n\nMarie told me once that I smelled of the pine forests she spent her summers in. I reminded her of the holiday her family took the summer before. Her sister Jane said that I smelled of roasted marshmallows and milk chocolate.\n\nMy best friend Thomas said I smelled of cinnamon and sugar, like the snicker doodles he craved before bed time. Arthur, on the other hand, had a thing for bacon. Who can blame him? Bacon is delicious.\n\nWhat I didn't understand, was when one day Jamie said you smell like you.", "I was excited to find out what power I would get that fateful day. Beyond disappointed when it wasn’t readily apparent what I had been blessed with. \n\nYou see, I have the power of exuding a very pleasant scent. On the surface, it may not seem like much, but it helped me overcome my social anxiety. My gift makes it so that everyone wants me around. I’ve been told it’s like bacon in the morning, or a pleasant perfume, or a new soap, or incense. It seems to change from person to person, and lingers after I’m gone. \n\nI got a job as a salesperson right out of high-school. I never managed the #1 spot, but every client I spoke with wanted us back the next year. \n\nI worked in a fortune 500 as “executive receptionist” after that. (They made up the position for me.) that was a fun job. I got paid to chat with successful execs and attractive secretaries all day. All I really had to do was arrange the slideshow for client meetings. Most would sign after. \n\nThat’s how I became CEO actually. The board voted me in when Richard retired. The Company has done surprisingly well under my reign. I let the VPs handle the business and technical aspects, and spend my time visiting clients and politicians. Before I knew it, I had a sitting president on speed dial. Even went with him for some of his more important deals. \n\nThese connections helped me pass through the Heroes and Villains act. Incorporating every professional super, and regulating their actions (not to mention overhauling Villain Insurance). We changed the company name to The Company and our subsidiary Evil Inc.. We provide for all of your heroic and villainous needs. As a regulated business, super related deaths are at an all time low, and crime has plummeted. \n\nYou asked before how I came to run the world. The secret to my success? Be someone everyone else wants to have around, and be bold in pursuing your goals. \n\nI started with nothing and worked my way up to the top. Just because you are weak, or you lack in ability or resources, doesn’t mean that you are without worth. Have faith in yourself. Take care of you. Make yourself into the person you want to be. If it doesn’t work out, try a different tack, but never give up on your dreams." ]	3
	[WP] You always wanted to be a magician but you could never figure out how to pull off even the simplest trick. In the process of practicing all the magic tricks you knew however you managed to figure out real magic	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "How did he do it? That one question was burned into my mind after watchjng an act by Rolo Fortuna. He was amazing on stage, guessing cards, summoning birds. Everything he did was amazing.\n\nI spent hours online and watching tutorials but to my dismay even doing the most basic tricks was beyond my grasp. I was clumsy with shuffling, terrible at misdirection. Every trick I tried to perform was a screwup.\n\nI didn't stop studying art. After the internet failed me I started finding more books, digging through libraries and old second hand shops. Anything I could find that would enable me to perform. \n\nI couldn't even tell you which book did it. One night after blacking out reading until some ungodly hour I awoke. It was pitch black in my room and my throat was dry. \n\nAs soon as I left my room there was something wrong, everything was dark, I couldn't see. When I turned my room wasn't there and then I saw the fountain. It was in the middle of the void. It was so tall that I couldn't see where the water was flowing from but it glowed at the bottom where it pooled. \n\nI was so thirsty I didn't even hesitate to drink from it. The water was initially cold but then quickly turned to a burning hot temperature, my tongue, my throat, all the way down to my stomach. Everything burned as if I drank fire itself. \nThe pain became too much to bear and I double overed and once I thought it would never end I woke up.\n\nThere I was in my room on the floor. My cards were scattered on the floor around me. I went to gather them up and as soon as I thought about the deck in an ordered state the cards began flying around in the air. In a few seconds the deck was in my hand, perfectly shuffled not a card remaining on the floor.\n\nIt took time after that day to perfect my craft but soon I was on stage doing tricks that no one could figure out. My tricks quickly went from good to infamous. No one could figure out my work. Only once did I ever think that what I had gained may have been a mistake, only once did I hesitate. After a show one of my audience members a young woman came up to me and all she said was.\n\n\"The fountain has a price, and you are a fool for paying it.\"\n\n*Formatting is a little poor, did this on mobile in one shot.", "Warning: Contains profanity.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nI flick my wrist, trying to palm the card but the corner of the ace of spades hits my finger and the thing just flops on the table with a soft sound. I stretch my neck. The apartment is cold, I am cold. The winter wind outside his howling, battering the window. Light from the street filters through the snow outside, barely, lighting up the kitchen sink and the dirty dishes I haven’t yet bothered to clean up. I take the cup in front of me, but it’s empty. For a moment I consider making more coffee, but the bitter taste of cheap coffee comes back to my mouth and I decide against it. I look at the clock, it’s 11:59 PM. I shiver.\n\n“Dammit,” I say out loud.\n\nI pick up the ace of spades again. I carefully place it between my index and my middle finger, then remove it and dry and my hands on my t-shirt before replacing it, not too snugly. I flick my wrist.\n\nThe card flips perfectly back and disappears from view.\n\n“Abracadabra, motherfucker!” I scream.\n\nThe old bat next door bangs on the wall and a faint “Shut up!” comes through.\n\n“Yeah, yeah, sorry,” I say out loud as I turn my hand around to admire my handy work. But the card is gone.\n\n“Dammit,” I say again. I look on the floor for the ace of spades, but I can’t see it. Nothing on the left, nothing on the right. I bend over and look under the table. Nothing. I get up, look under my chair. Nothing.\n\n“Well, shit. I’m gonna need a new deck of cards.”\n\nI pick the next card on top of the deck, the three of clubs. I place it carefully, flick my wrist and the card flips back in the blink of an eye.\n\nI chuckle. \"Aabracadabra, motherfucker, indeed.”\n\nI turn my hand. The card is gone.\n\n“What the fuck...”\n\nI stand up, push my chair back and start looking around. After a couple of minutes, I turn the ceiling light, the range hood light and even the oven light on. I get down on my hands and knees and start running my hands around the floor. After a while I move the fridge and the stove, in case the cards just disappeared there, but all I find are dust bunnies.\n\nI sit back down in my chair and pick another card. Nine of hearts.\n\nPlace it, flick it, palm it.\n\n“Abracadabra, motherfucker?” I say, with a knot in my throat.\n\nThe card is gone.\n\n“I… what?”\n\nI get up, open the utensil drawer and take a spoon. I flip the spoon around, palm it badly but well enough that I don’t see it, just feel the cold metal between my fingers, close my eyes and take a deep breath.\n\n“Abracadabra, motherfucker.”\n\nThe weight of the spoon disappears.\n\nI look at my empty hand. It’s gone. Not a trace left. I feel the shit eating grin on my face before I realize I’m smiling. I lean on the counter, my legs are shaking.\n\n“Motherfucker, I’m gonna be so rich!”\n\nThe counter vanishes under my forearms and hands, and take a dive forward, hitting my face against the wall. I feel the blood gushing from my forehead before the pain kicks in.\n\nNow I wonder how I’m gonna explain this to the landlord. And the EMT.\n\nTHE END" ]	3
	[WP] I've always been able to read the minds of people with which I make physical contact. My grandmother passed away recently, and I am concerned because when I touched her hand at the viewing, all I could hear was screaming.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Well, it’s normal Nance. He’s just a boy.” \n\n“He hasn’t spoken in three days, Rand!”\n\nLuther’s step-dad sighed audibly. “He and Jim’s mother shared a very special-,” he began, then cut himself off as Luther entered the room. \n\nThe silence was palpable as he looked from his step-father, to his mother, and then to the jar of cookies behind them on the counter. \n\n“Hi sweetie,” Luther’s mom said in that tone two octaves above normal that all parents regularly employ and all children regularly see through. “You hungry?” \n\nLuther shook his head. \n\n“Do you think you could use your words honey?” \n\nLuther frowned. \n\n“Please, Luther,” his mother cried. \n\nRand placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder, “It’s alright, Nance.” He winked at Luther and gestured his hand, palm up, toward his step son. “There’s nothing wrong with being the strong silent type, huh Luther?” \n\nLuther said nothing as he slipped past his stepfather’s extended hand. He was careless, still rattled perhaps, careless enough to let skin touch skin. \n\nIt was like a flash flood pouring into his mind. Thoughts and feelings, images and sounds, smells and sensations, fears and dreams both conscious and subconscious all streaming from where Rand’s hand brushed his forearm. \n\nLuther recoiled visibly, as if stung by a bee. \n\n“Ooh, did I shock you,” Rand asked, his concern simple and genuine. \n\nRand was.... a good man. He knew he’d never replace Luther’s father, but he loved Luther’s mom with all his heart, and he loved Luther too. He just wanted to help, to show that he wouldn’t desert them. \n\nHe’d decided to reassure Luther’s mom that her son’s withdrawn silence since the passing of her late husband’s mother was a perfectly normal response to death for a 10 year old boy, but deep down he too feared for Luther’s fragile mental state. \n\nDeep down, he’d always known Luther was... odd. He’d never say anything to his wife about it. Mothers can be blind to their children’s foibles. But there was an ever present, ever aching worry in the back of his mind about his strange little step-son. \n\n\nInsanity, he knew, ran in Luther’s blood.\n\nLuther forced an uneasy smile. “N-no. I’m okay.” \n\nNance’s eyes widened and her jaw slackened in surprise. Rand grinned from ear to ear, overwhelmed with fatherly pride and joy. \n\nLuther shook his head, abandoning his hopes of getting a chocolate chip cookie. He pulled his hood up and turned around. \n\n“See, he’ll be alright,” Rand said as Luther walked briskly away. \n\nAnd in truth, the storm of all that was Rand flooding into him did help in its own way. He felt normal for the first time since.... since... . Well, for a few hours anyway he felt normal. \n\nFor the first time in three days, there was something else in his head. Something to drown out the screams. \n\nLuther planted himself face down on his pillow and realized he was crying. “I’m sorry, Grandma,” he whimpered. “I.... I don’t know how to help you. Please stop screaming Grandma. Please.”", "I’d never really understood what people meant by cursed knowledge. Now I do. They think I took up drinking because I’m depressed. They talk to me with sympathy and concern about how important it is to look forward. I don’t know how to explain to them. I just want to forget. Desperately hoping for the alcohol to kill the brain cells that hold the memory of that moment.\n\nI’ve had this gift since I was a kid. I can tell what people are thinking. It was really fuzzy at first, just a sense of how people were feeling. I never thought it was weird until it started to get clearer. Maybe it had something to do with puberty; I don’t really understand why it works, just that it does. I used it for some stupid things when I was in high school - finding out what a girl thought of me, even cheating on a test once. It was harder to abuse than you might think, since it only seems to happen with bare skin - handshakes are great, but I quickly found out people get weirded out if you shake hands too often.\n\nSo I learned how to live with it. No one knows; I’m not stupid. My family thinks I’m just really thoughtful, always anticipating people’s needs and knowing the right thing to say. My grandma was always proud of how “caring” I was. I felt a bit guilty whenever she said that, like I was lying to her. But it made her happy, and she’d been so depressed since grandpa died. She always talked about how much I reminded her of him. “I’m so glad you take after Frank, dearie. He always knew what I wanted, oh we had a grand time. This one time we went to the beach…” She’d start on another story and get that faraway look, but she’d be smiling.\n\nI wish I’d never listened to her stories. I wish I hadn’t been so close to her. It would have made this horror bearable.\n\nMy parents took me to church a few times when I was younger, but they didn’t make a habit of it, and I don’t think I’ve been there since I was 10. Grandma went every week, though. She told me that those who live good lives go to Heaven where everyone they’ve loved is waiting for them. “What about those who are bad?” “Oh, they go to Hell. But you don’t need to worry about that. We’re all good folks in this family.”\n\nI wish I’d thought about those words before her funeral.\n\nShe died peacefully, in her sleep. It was my first funeral. It’s certainly going to be my last. I can’t go through that again. I didn’t think about it - I just reached out to hold her hand one last time, as she lay there peacefully in the coffin. I didn’t expect to hear anything. I didn’t expect to hear those screams, which are etched into my mind forever, which I can never escape now. The thought of my grandma like that… what did I do to deserve this? I drink to forget, but still end up remembering her screaming:\n\n“OH YES FRANK! GOD I MISSED YOU! GIVE ME THAT GOOD DICK! YES! YES!”", "One thing about a funeral service is that there is A LOT of touching. Especially if you are related to the deceased. Friends, family, friends of family, family of friends—all lining up to hug those most affected by the loss. You might find yourself hesitantly submitting to an extended embrace with a stranger doused in copious amounts of perfume. Maybe you find yourself on the opposite end, enthusiastically hugging that one woman you desperately hope is not a relative. Two men may clinch in an awkward handshake, both wondering if the amount of eye contact they’re sharing is excessive. Or maybe you just don’t touch anybody because you’re soaked in sadness and need to be left alone.\n\nWell, I touch people. \n\nWait... that sounded weird. What I mean is that in order for my telepathy to work, I have to make physical contact with the person whose mind I want to read. It doesn’t have to be as intimate as a hug. I could use my finger if I wanted to. It’s not like I get better signal based on how much of my body I use. \n\nAs I worked my way over to the open casket, I laid my hand on the backs of the different attendees. “Thanks for coming,” I would say. Then I’d hear what they really thought of my grandmother, and my gratitude would either stay sincere or it would vanish. Some people would think to themselves, “I didn’t even know your grandma.” Fair enough. Thanks for coming anyway.\n\nMy grandmother looked peaceful in her casket. Like she were truly having sweet dreams. Sure, beneath all the paint and makeup she was a scary corpse, but her expression displayed a sense of calm. It’s like she were saying, “don’t worry, everything is fine.” I’m not worried, grandma. I’ve read your mind before. I know that wherever you are is a good place.\n\nI reach down to touch her hand one last time.\n\nBlood curdling screams send me recoiling in horror. The eyes of the crowd dart in my direction as I stumble backwards.\n\nWere those my grandma’s screams? Impossible. She doesn’t have any brain activity.\n\n“You okay, buddy?” My dad puts a hand on my shoulder. I shakily respond that I’m fine. He’s not buying it. He asks me to join him over at the front pew. \n\n“Give me a moment,” I say.\n\nHe nods and takes a seat.\n\nI have to touch her again. I need to know if I really heard what I think I did.\n\nI slowly approach the coffin and look down at my grandma’s blissful face. I extend my hand to hers. Horrified screaming pierces my soul as I make contact. I quickly pull my hand away.\n\nIt’s my grandmother. I can tell. \n\nI place my hand back on her. More screaming. Tears begin to flow from my eyes. Why? Why her? What did she do to deserve this?\n\nI pull my hand away and the screams fall silent. Put it back and they continue. No touch—silence. Touch—screaming. I do this several times, perfectly capturing the rhythmic timing of We Will Rock You. Before I could get to Smoke on the Water, my dad stopped me.\n\n“Are you fucking kidding me?” He whispered to me in a way similar to that of a hurricane.\n\nStartled out of my new creative outlet, dead grandma, I look at him in surprise. “What?”\n\n“Did you seriously just poke your grandma to the beat of We Will Rock You?”\n\nI pause, slightly intrigued by the fact that I never realized that the beat for We Will Rock You is something you can observe visually.\n\n“She’s screaming, dad.”\n\n“What are you talking about?”\n\n“Grandma, she’s screaming. I think she might be in hell.”\n\nMy dad looked over at Grandma as if she could explain what in the world I was going on about. Not finding an answer, he returned his angry glare back to me.\n\n“Your grandmother was a good woman. She’s not in hell. Now go sit down.”\n\nI relent and take my seat in the front pew. My dad lands heavily beside me. I look at him. Look at the ground. Look at my mom. She looks mad too. Look back at the casket. Grandma doesn’t look that peaceful to me anymore. \n\nI let out a sigh and lean towards my dad. “Sorry,” I whisper, placing an apologetic hand on his shoulder.\n\n“She’ll never be forgiven for what she did.”\n\n“Wait... what?” I respond with desperate curiosity.\n\nMy father turns towards me, appearing confused. “I didn’t say anything.”\n\n—————————————————————\n\nVisit r/TheGoshfather for more stories!", "My grandmother asked why I started wearing gloves all the time. I couldn't tell her why.\n\nThe power of mind reading. A power done literally to death.\n\nIt's not all good. It's not all bad. Like with any other gift in life, it's a mixed bag of emotions.\n\nI've helped people who look like they had it all together on the outside but were crumbling on the inside. I've learned from people who seemed terrible at first sight but learned that their inner being was good to the core.\n\nThe one constant I've experienced? You can never tell what's going on in people's minds unless they let you know it. Or in my case, extract it. \n\nYet, being constantly barrage by the most intimate of thoughts and the inner machinations of minds were exhausting, no matter if they were pure and good or tainted and bad. It was too tiring. Hence the gloves.\n\nBut this time, it was different. It was so sudden. A candle extinguished, a mind that I'll never be able to hear from again. My grandmother laid lifeless in front of me, nestled into a simple, wooden coffin. I couldn't remember the last time I talked to her. The last time I managed to actually sit down and converse, instead of grabbing her hand and reassuring myself that she was OK.\n\nI couldn't cry. I held her cold hand in my gloved ones.\n\nI looked at them. She was dead, but maybe there was a chance. There might be last words that I've never gotten to hear. Maybe I can read them.\n\nSlowly, gingerly, I pulled off one. My hand regained its grip.\n\nScreaming. Torture. Torment. A sea of pain, muddying my fashion.\n\nI let go. I couldn't take it, stumbling backward. My legs buckled and I fell right onto the floor.\n\nIt wouldn't leave my mind. Couldn't. I grabbed my head, intensely refusing to let the howling out.\n\nIt pulsed and throbbed and I barely had the capacity to hold it in. But I did. I knew grandma would never want to hurt me.\n\nOnce I felt stable enough to stand up again, I took a deep breath and steeled myself, preparing for the eventual torrent of distress. But it had to be better. I was more prepared now.\n\nIt was screaming. But it wasn't a red ocean of pain and misery. It was blue with melancholy and sadness.\n\nI dived in deeper. The pressure pushed me down, almost suffocating me, but I could do it. I could.\n\nLocked away in her heart of hearts, a piece of soul that hasn't quite left. It was holding on by a thread, a message undelivered.\n\nI couldn't hear it. But I knew what it said.\n\n\"I never did tell you, grandma,\" I whispered. \"I always could read minds. But I didn't need to read yours, I realised. You told me exactly what I needed to hear every time I needed help. I'm sorry I couldn't be there, but thank you for everything. I'll be fine, I promise. I love you.\"\n\nThe waves parted, and a single pearl of thought remained.\n\n\"I love you.\"\n\nAnd then it was gone, forever. A quiet calm washed over us. And the first tear dropped.\n\n---\n\nr/dexdrafts" ]	5
	[WP]It took years to find the secret, who they were behind masks of hero and villain, and now the fight was not of good and evil, it was of love. A couple have found the other is their archenemy, and the path of justice clashes with the path of love. One must convince the other to change.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"So, Mister... Phoenix. You say you and your girlfriend, Miss...Silence, are having a lovers quarrel because one of you is a hero and the other is a villain?\" Hello, I am a couples' counsellor.\n\n\"Yes, ma'am. I want her to join me in heroism, and she wants me to go to the dark... beautiful... but evil side.\" Phoenix says. I sigh. Part of my sight goes fuzzy as Silence smiles at me and pulls out a whiteboard.\n\n'I want him to join me. I don't hurt anyone. Just put them in a coma long enough for me to sneak in, steal a few stacks of Benjamins...' Erase and start again '...I just want him to do it with me. He wants me to join the goody...firey... and disgusting side.' dang.\n\n\"Why can't you two just stay on one side, and like, make sure you guys aren't in each other's area?\" They seem to think about it. \"Or, just become normal people?\" They both look at me with death glares. Nevermind.\n\n\"Ok. I have decided to join her.\" She smiles and hugs him. \"Although what do I do now? My friends, my parents...\" I pat him on the back as I show them the door.\n\n\"It will be a hard journey, but as long as you both love each other, you'll pull through.\"\n\n---\n\nI've dealt with many situations of these guys. One guy was this villain who threw people off cliffs and had a girlfriend who was the infobearer of everything and the hero secretary. Now both are heroes, and he still throws people off cliffs.\n\nThere was one with this gameshow host villain and his reformed villain boyfriend, and he wanted his boyfriend to become a villain again. I convinced them enough that they were now both villains. They paid me better than the heroes, which is nice. \n\nBoth sides know me as the love counsellor of supers since I can convince every couple to shift to one side, co-exist when the masks are on, or become normal citizens.\n\nIf only someone could ask me how I am doing with my boyfriend. I am a hero in this office but a villain elsewhere, and my boyfriend is nice to everyone but when working he's mean as heck. Sigh. Time to deal with more couples." ]	2
	[WP] Humans have finally achieved nuclear fusion and with it, they bring about space-faring ships of colossal size. A massive fleet is being made, and other alien species are beginning to grow worried.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Carefully I held the dimly glowing star system in my palm in the dark void. It's eight planets and various smaller planetoids slowly rotating as a web of ship trails crossed around the fourth planet. \"They are growing, Lieutenant , their orbital manufacturing is far above predicated levels, something must be done.\" \n\n\"It is fine let them continue they will soon drain the belts and they will return to fighting.\" Slowly the Lieutenant moved across the starless gap, his bootsteps echoing through the silence. A scaled claw gently taking the small space from my hand and throwing it into the center of our discourse.\n\nThe single small solar system joined by hundreds of others of floating dots of various colors. Each small microcosmic world forming the star cluster linked by the linking network of gates. Only seven small stations pinned onto the map marking the local garrisons in the area. \n\n.\n\n\"Sir the federals will reach the super cluster in a few months shouldn't we at least try to save as many potential assets as we can?\" Slowly the old officer turned toward me the ridges of his scales tensing upwards. \"We need to save ourselves first. They have already served their purpose and taught us true war. And yet we know so little still and it managed to stall the fed's rampage for as long as we needed.\" \n\n\"Tell me is sythis how long do you think this cluster will last our control of the region specifically.\" A cold chill slowly crept through my skin as the predicted federal path appeared on the holographic projector. The green arrows quickly sweeping through the sector like a hord of locusts overwhelming our lone outpost. \n\n\"Days if not a little under two weeks if we spread out our forces and burn gates five, seven as well as nine.\" Slowly several strands linking vital routs frayed and snapped the damage potential unrepairable and incredibly costly. \"Our chances of hiding would be better but with all the noise the crucible is giving out the humans would be dead in a year to potentially a decade.\" \n\n.\n\n\"Sargent I'm going to tell you the truth we don't currently have the ability to continue the experiment. The council has decided to for better terms martyr the project to buy us enough time to fully implement their combined arms doctrine. Even though they may never know it we now have a fighting chance that does not mean however we can give them a warning at the very least.\" \n\nThe lieutenant slowly pulled the crucible's system back into frame around the fourth planet. Several shipyards and orbital manufacturing facilities linked together in a self sustaining fortress. Several small photos and blueprints of the structure looking remarkably similar to some of our newer defence platforms. \n\nA drydock suddenly jettisoned imposing even by system defence standards dreadnought into the dark sea. Its imposing structure dotted in point defence platforms and rows upon rows of missile bays. Our scans quickly gleaming any information about the vessel down to its crew complement.\n\n.\n\n\"I believe that they have something in them that we will never learn something more ingrained in their nature Sargent. Not in their improved physical forms but in their mind set that gives them that brutal touch we seem to lack, sythis. That last piece we have been searching for was found by a researcher in the cyber wing a few days ago.\" \n\nAlmost instantly he snapped his fingers, the deck returning to its circular form, the projector's machinery powering down. One hand ruffling through the decorative pocket on his uniform and pulling out a small data storage device. \"What is this?\" \"A collection of media still caked in their militaristic nature but exposing one guiding principle Fortitude. \"\n\nFor a final time he stalked across the room the blastdoors automatically opening and closing behind his egress. My claw wrapped around the device in my hands as I unwrapped the arcaic note tied around the system. The council is afraid and want them dead we are burning the only jump lane after the warning. This is our only chance to save those that pushed back the clock from midnight" ]	2
	[WP] Hell developed a new form of energy by refining and processing human suffering and sins. This modernized the inferno into a new era of technology. However, hell is currently lacking in human and even losing them. Now, the devil as a tasked a group of demon to find a solution to this crisis.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Darkness in the caverns, dimly lit by lava glow. Gates of suffering. Deep, dark below there is a place called Hell. Where all sinners in eternity dwell. Where all suffering comes to rest. Not all great minds go to heaven. Some succumb to pleasure and temptations. Not all those who could bring hope, chose the right path. The paths that they chose leads downward. To this cursed place.\n\nSo, you're the new bright mind, what was your sin? The demon spoke with intimidating, but still a pleasant voice. Knowing he had been damned, the man thought hard. The man had done a bargain. A bargain that had backfired completely, and thousands of lives had been lost. I don't know, the man replied. Perhaps that's why I'm here.\n\nThe demon smiled upon the man, sensing his new prey. For all eternity this mans soul would help lead others away. Away from the hope, away from the good. Away from all that everybody should. The demon smiled, let's get to work, let's see what you can give away.\n\nWeeks passed, and the man chose the demon's path, letting others be carried away. The screams of the damned around him, was no pleasure for the man. But, he knew he had fallen. He knew he was only one. And if not he had done what the demon told, he would have been the one screaming in pain.\n\nThe machine you have created gives me pleasure, letting me feel the pain of the damned. The demon laughed as he spoke to the man who had done his every bidding. And giving him the incredible machines.\n\nThe bright man who had died and gone to hell surpressed his final grin. Because he knew he had sin, he knew very well. That choice was one that he had to make. He had left a better world than the one he found. And, what happens in Hell means nothing to all. Because all there knew the price they payed.\n\nThe big machine went to a halt. What is this, the demon asked. The deal was for me to make a machine, giving you all the sinners pain in one go. I did something quite similar to mankind before I left. Making a greedy machine, that would leave the world without sin. The gates of hell are narrower now. Because there's not many who's coming here.\n\nThe demon growled at the man and tried to hurt him, but could not damage the man. Because the man had his heart in heaven. Because twice had he sacrificed himself for the others. Even if you fall, you can sometimes choose how to fall." ]	2
	[WP] Pi. The most famous, non-repeating, infinite number. Contained within its digits, are the binary sequences that form the images of everything that is, was, or will be. You've created the device that can "see" all of it.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"I'm looking into the glass now. it's extraordinary. I cant believe what i'm looking at here. Turn the magnification up to ten million units. Yes. This is unlike anything anyone has ever discovered before. Harold, get the Transcorder. I need to make some notes. The Microvilli seem to be dancing around the Lysosome. They're beginning to merge together. This is it. Harold I need you to input in the digits now. Enter Pi and on my command, turn on the machine.\"\n\n\" if I don't make it back, please tell my wife I truly do love her more than anything. \"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"Now Harold, do it now\".\n\nI could feel myself shrinking to the size of a single living cell, then to a particle and even further until i transformed into something so small, I could only describe it as existence itself. \n\nI knew that the next step would be to leave this world all together.\n\nHaving left everything else behind I understood the purpose of what it meant to live. Now, I will come to understand what it means to die." ]	2
	[WP] The year is 2257. You, the Head of the United Earth Coalition for Defense, Warfare, and Peace (UECDWP, or more commonly Dewup) are faced with a threat. Your last words to the Kah'Zi General are, "Don't pick a fight you can't win".	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " \n\nGeneral Charles Barnes, the eighth commander of the UECDWP, stood before the Kah'Zi council. Next to General Barnes stood his first officer, Rachel Cole. She bounced her leg and tapped the toe of her boot against the metal floor.\n\nBarnes raised his hand a fraction of an inch. “Steady,” he whispered. \n\nCole stopped. She straightened up and pressed her lips into a thin line. At the best of times, Cole was prone to bouts of anxiety. Now, she must be withering inside. At least she hid it well, Barnes thought.\n\n“Humans,” the head of the Kah'Zi said. Its voice was hollow and echoed through the metal chamber. On the side of its head, two dark eyes bulged out. They were pupil-less, but Barnes could imagine that the gaze was fixed on him or Cole. Maybe even both of them at the same time--he didn’t know. They’d been sent to explore this sector woefully unprepared. Desperate times and all that. \n\n“You stand accused of violating the first--and only one of importance, I might add--order of our planet’s galactic code. We are not to be contacted by outsiders.”\n\nBarnes nodded his head once and folded his hand in front of him. They hadn’t chained himself or Cole. They didn’t need too--not like humans did. The Kah'Zi were notoriously fast and disproportionally strong. Could’ve made great predators, if they wanted. Barnes remembered a professor telling him that much long ago. Their isolation was as good for the galaxy as it was for their own tiny planet. \n\nA sharp shudder spiked up Barnes’ back. It ached in the base of his skull. The campus of his old university flashed vividly across his mind--the old brick buildings mixed with the new glass and metal ones. By the river, there were patches of oak and birch trees. He remembered one fall, when he took Elise down for a walk, both of them blissfully unaware of the horrors on the horizon.\n\n“How do you plead?” The head of the Kah'Zi council asked. \n\nBarnes blinked and pulled his courage into his throat. “Guilty.”\n\nBeside him, Cole let a small gasp out. Out of the corner of Barnes’ eye, he could see her face deflate. She didn’t yield. \n\nBarnes cleared his throat. “I acted alone in this,” he said. “I acted against the advice from my advisors.”\n\nA tug on his sleeve. Cole pulled his hand toward her, her eyes wide. What, she mouthed. \n\nWith a roll of his shoulder, Barnes shrugged her off. “I felt I had a moral duty to inform you of the Pestis. It was my decision and mine alone.” \n\nThe council paused and leaned their grey heads together. For a moment, they chattered in Kah'Zi. \n\nBeside Barnes, Cole gave him a searching look. Barnes met her eyes and willed himself to communicate with her that way. They’d spent thousands of hours together over the last years. They knew each other’s habits--what a quirk of an eyebrow meant, or the flick of a finger or the tension in their jaws.\n\nShe was young when she joined the ship. Much younger than Barnes had been when he’d been a first officer. But, again, desperate times. \n\nThe chitter stopped and the head of the council turned to them again. “For your crimes, Charles Andrew Barnes, you will be executed. The Kah'Zi cannot afford outsiders like you invading our planet.”\n\n“No,” Cole said. She tried to step forward, but Barnes wrapped his hand around her upper arm and yanked her back. He tried to ignore the weight in his gut.\n\n“However,” the Kah'Zi said, its voice booming, “we will allow your crew to go free. We do not believe in the punishment of the many for the crimes of the one.”\n\nBarnes stepped forward, into the open space before the council. “I accept.” \n\nHe paused and turned to Rachel Cole. She looked a little thinner every day, but not in a good sense. It was if she was withering. They all were, Barnes supposed. “First Commander Cole, please accept your position as General in my wake.\n\n“To the council, I say only this: the galaxy will not survive without your help. I understand you value your planet above all else, but your people will fall if the Pestis come to the sector. You are not exempt from their destruction. No one is.” Barnes paused and swallowed. “My planet was not.” \nThe head of the council blinked--its eyelids were clear, like those of a snake. It said nothing.\n\nAnother member spoke up: “we are undefeated. We do not overextend ourselves, unlike the other planets who gave and stretched their resources until there was nothing left.”\n\n\n\nA third agreed. “We will meet the Prestis with unparalleled force.”\n\nBarnes sighed. His shoulders sagged. He rubbed his hand at the back of his head--he was certain his fair was speckled with more grey after the week he’d had. With a last dig into his reserves of courage, he looked up. “Don’t pick a fight you can’t win.”\n\n\n---\n\n/r/liswrites" ]	2
	[WP] A romantic scene but the narrator keeps getting distracted by the huge mole on one of the protagonist's face	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Tonight was to be the most romantic night of Jack's life. For four years to the day, he had been dating his amazing girlfriend Kate, and tonight he was going propose. He found the perfect ring, and booked reservations for her favorite restaurant, The Smoldering Rib.\n\nJack and Kate were sat across from each other at the table, surrounded only by toned down ambient lighting, the sounds of upscale classical music, and the company of the other. By all definitions, it was the perfect romantic setting. For Jack, and unbeknownst to Kate, this was going to be place where he proposed to the love of his life. For Kate, this was going to be another lovely anniversary date with her lovely boyfriend. \n\nWhile they waited for the meal, the couple had their evening discussions. The usual conversation about Kate's day, Jack's work, and the couple's crazy ideas about what they would love to do and see if they had the money to travel the world. Jack led the conversation, but Kate didn't mind. She enjoyed letting him talk; it gave her a chance to be in the moment with him.\n\nBefore long, their meals arrived: ribs and a salad for Jack, and steak with sautéed mushrooms and prosciutto for Kate. As she ate her meal, she couldn't help but to look at Jack. The way his toned muscles poked ever-so-slightly through his shirt, his beautiful blonde hair... his sexy face. His handsome amd well-kept beard, his smile that could light up the room, his distinc&ndash;HOLY MOLEY. WHAT THE HELL IS THAT. Er, excuse me.&ndash;his... Erhm... distinctive... Massive... Mole. (I think I gagged a little trying to describe that.). She was madly in love, and loved every last bit of Jack&mdash;even the mole... somehow.\n\nThey were almost done their meal, and it was getting closer to the big moment. Anxious thoughts dug their way into Jack's head&mdash;like his mole&mdash; and made him nervous. Would she like the ring? Would it be the beginning of something new? Or what if she said no? Would it turn hairy&mdash;like his disgusting mole&mdash; and be the end of their relationship?\n\nIt was almost time. His nerves were killing him, but he was determined to propose to Kate. He reached into his pocket, searching for the little velvet-dressed box containing the engagement ring. Upon finding it, he asked Kate to close her eyes.\n\nHe got down on one knee, and asked her to open her eyes. Kate opened her eyes, and saw him kneeling in front of her with a small box in his hand. He looked nervous, and his mole was&mdash;urghk&mdash;quivering. She knew what was coming, and she couldn't be happier.", "Moe smiled warmly. The candles were lit, he was clean-shaven, dinner was in the pan - cassermole, Adrian's favorite. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Even his mole was now hairless. They'd be making out tonight for sure. Usually Adrian was too bothered by that feature and the hairs that grew a mole long from it.\n\nMoe's phone chimed, a sweet musicmole tune special to his beloved. He picked it up and slid the call on. \"Hey babe, you almolst here?\"\n\n\"Just up the street, grabbing a couple things. Do you want ice cream? They have turtle!\"\n\n\"Turtle ice cream? Sounds...meaty?\" Moe teased.\n\n\"It's a popular kind, twit,\" Adrian sassed back. \"Chocolate, nuts, and caramole.\"\n\n\"Sounds delicious. Can't wait to see you.\"\n\n\"You don't have to wait long,\" Adrian cooed. There was a knock at the door. Mole giggled and dashed to the door, flinging it open and embracing is boyfriend.\n\n\"I got you the ice cream anyway. I know you'll love it.\"\n\n\"It'll make a fine dessert, babe,\" Moe whispered in his ear. He took his hand and led him to the dining room. Adrian gasped at the layout. He sniffed the air, and could smole the entree still in the oven.\n\n\"It's beautiful, hun,\" Adrian said softly, nuzzling Moe's neck. \"And you shaved for me and everything.\"\n\n\"Only the best for my baby,\" Moe grinned. \"It's almost ready. Lemme go grab it.\"\n\n\"Wait,\" Adrian said, pulling Moe back. The aromole was enticing, almost irresistimole, but he had something he needed to say.\n\n\"What?\" Moe asked.\n\n\"I've just,\" Adrian began. He sighed happily. \"Dinner, candles, music...its perfect. Honey...I've never loved you mole.\"", "I raise my hand and gesture for the bartender to come over to our table.\n\n“Can we have two glasses of your finest Red?\" I say.\n\n“Absolutely, I will be back in just a minute.” The bartender responds as he heads to the back.\n\n“So, what do you do for a living?” I ask Tina making sure to keep eye contact with her.\n\n“Well, it’s kind of hard to explain. You see I’m not really at liberty to discuss what I do as it would be a violation of my employer agreement. Let’s just say that I’m able to survive on my own.” Tina responds.\n\n“Fair enough, I’m a journalist myself. It’s kind of a freelance thing. Companies hire me to write pieces on unusual employee behavior at their firm. Ever since LIFT became widespread, some people are reacting to the treatment in very bizarre ways. Who knew that sculpting the face of your choice would still cause such pain in some people.” I reply.\n\nThe bartender pours two glasses of wine. I thank him and he nods.\n\nThe brown eyes and long blonde hair are a popular pick for many. I’ve been on thirty dates already with women who chose the same style. Tina’s mole though is unusual. I haven’t seen anyone with such a distinct feature.\n\n“Listen honey, I’m going to be upfront with you. My time is limited so anything that develops between the two of us is going to be short term. You understand?” Tina says.\n\nMy eyes begin to fixate on the mole on her right cheek. I quickly realize that I’ve been staring for more than five seconds.\n\n“Is everything ok?” She says.\n\n“Sorry, I was just thinking, you have the most beautiful smile I have ever seen, really, you are just glowing.” I reply bringing my eyes back to hers.\n\nIt’s too late. She knows something is off. \n\nTina taps the mole with her right hand. My vision starts to get fuzzy. \n\n“I’m not feeling so hot, I’m going to run to the restroom.” I tell her as I stand up from my chair. \n\nAs I slowly walk to the back of the room, it feels like the bathroom isn’t getting any closer. Suddenly, everything goes dark.\n\nI wake up in my apartment bed with no recollection of the prior evening.\n\nI gather myself and walk to the bathroom. I look into the mirror and notice a mole on my right cheek. I quickly touch it and a faint voice starts to get louder.\n\n“Good morning sir and welcome to your new life. This transmission is only received by those who have been marked. Going forward, when you feel a vibration, you will be given an assignment. With only two cycles left during this visit, we don’t have much time. We are counting on you to transcribe your findings on human emotional behavior. End of transmission.” The voice fades out.", "They had known each other for years, Fenris and Lourde. From the early years of school, all the way through university, and even in their careers they stuck together. Their feelings were denied until a recent realization that they both wanted each other.\n\nMutual love unrequited, now united. They headed to the bedroom.\n\nIt was Lourde who started first, caressing Fenris, running his hands down Fenris's back and sides, going in for a kiss, softly and gently. Fenris took off Lourde's shirt, nearly dissapointed to have to stop the kiss, but Lourde reengaged immediately. Pants followed, no time wasted in touching sensitive areas. Fenris pushed Lourde down to the bed, wrapping his entire body around Lourde, right arm, left arm, and legs. They smelled each other, it was each their own scent, bringing back memories of time spent together. But this was closer, better.\n\nThat's when Lourde noticed something.\n\n\"Is that a mole? Did you always have a mole?\" Lourde looked at Fenris's right cheek.\n\n\"What? A mole? I had them all removed.\" Fenris made a concerned expression and touched his face.\n\n\"It's right there. Like, I would notice, honey.\" Lourde smiled.\n\n\"Hold on.\" Fenris got up and went to the mirror. \"Oh. What the hell? When did this get there?\" He turned to look at his lover.\n\n\"I don't know. But it's recent. And... wait, did it just get larger?\" Lourde began to be concerned.\n\n\"What the... fuck?? It is bigger!\"\n\nThe mole proceeded to double in size, then again in the span of a few seconds.\n\n\"Oh my FUCK! Hit the alarm NOW!!!\" Lourde jumped off the bed and hit the big blue button present in every crew quarters. At the same time, blue spinning lights lit up across the station, a warning klaxxon sounded, blast doors started descending, and an automated recording began to play:\n\n\"CONTAINMENT BREACH. LEVEL TWO. CREW QUARTERS ALPHA SEVEN. RESPONSE TEAM ALERTED.\"\n\nAnd a minute later: \"RESPONSE TEAM ENGAGED AND EN-ROUTE\".\n\nThe mole was visibly growing.\n\n---\n\nA young private shouted to a grizzled middle-aged man: \"Commander! Priority One response requested level two crew quarters!\" The commander face wrinkled, each line saying I've had enough of this shit.\n\n\"Here we go! SUIT UP!\" The entire five-person team proceeded to make a motion practiced to the limit of brain and muscle memory. Every second could mean a life, and the call came often. The private hit the 'Request Acknowledged' button.\n\nBlast doors opened ahead of the sprinting response team, and closed behind. The team marked progress by each, counting the seconds.\n\n---\n\n\"Ok, they're coming honey, they'll be here. We knew this could happen, seals fail, we knew the risk... I love you! We WILL get out of this!\" Lourde hugged Fenris tight, there was no cross-contamination potential.\n\nThe response team slammed open the door and rushed inside.\n\n\"Response team present! Identify contamination!\" It was the private. Lourde pointed to his partner's face. The mole covered half of it now. Fenris was shaking.\n\nThe private unhitched from his back a mean-looking gun, the Titanostainless Emancipator 9000 Mark II, and dialed in adjustments.\n\n\"Stand back!\" Lourde dived out of the way. The private fired the weapon. There was a bright flash as a bolt of blue energy leapt from the weapon, with smaller bolts darting to metal surfaces around the room. The main beam hit the target. Fenris's face.\n\n\"We have a spicy one! Oh this is going to be fun. You will be...\" The private wrestled with the weapon. \"REMOVED!\"\n\nThe \"mole\" fell off Fenris's face, into a smoking pile. Fenris felt his face, it was unharmed.\n\n\"It's dead. We'll collect it for study.\" The private picked up the mole from the floor, and placed it in a container. The commander looked pleased, and spoke.\n\n\"We'll be leaving now! Have fun you two!\" Lourde and Fenris realized they were naked. The response team left.\n\nFenris spoke first. \"I... Uhhhh... what the fuuuuck.\" Lourde went over and hugged him.\n\n\"It'll be alright. Space is weird. That planet even more so. Life there, even weirder. Luckily we know how to deal with it now. Besides, that species doesn't harm us. More of a symbiote really. But we can't have it spread, nonetheless. I love you.\" Fenris returned the hug.\n\n\"Never thought it would happen to me. That would make me the third case this week. Oh, we were in the middle of something, weren't we?\"\n\n\"Yes, we were.\"\n\nTheir passion reignited.", "Austin: Excellent Basil, we've been trying for years to get a mole into Dr. Evil's lair, we know have that mole.\n\nBasil:: Yes! Ah, and here he is.\n\nAustin: So you're the (zoom up on the mole's mole)\n mo-o-ole, mo-o-o-le...\n\nFoxxy: and Austin: Mo-ost, most, most excellent agent we've ever seen.\n\nAustin: Yes, most excellent agent we've ever seen.\n\nFoxxy: Mm-hmmm\n\nAustin: (quietly to Foxxy) Thank you.\n\nMole: Thank you. Now, I wasn't able to get an exact location, but I did learn that Dr. Evil has moved to a new lair outside of Tokyo Japan......By the way, I realize that I have a large mole on my face.\n\nAustin: Where??? (nervously laughs) What? Where's that mole? I... didn't see one.\n\nMole: I also realize the irony that I am myself a mole.\n\nAustin: (nervously) No one would make that connection.\n\nBasil: (to the Mole) Anyway, well done, old chap. Jolly good work.\n\nAustin: Yes, nice to mole you--meet you! Nice to meet your mole! Don't say mole.\n\nFoxxy: Stop.\n\nAustin: I said mole.\n\nFoxxy: Stop!\n\nMole: Bye.\n\nAustin: Mole.\n\n(Basil and the Mole walk to the elevator.)\n\nAustin: Mo-ole... (Basil raises index finger, face indicating \"that's enough.\") Mole!\n\nBasil: (irritated) Oh, shut up!\n\nAustin: Moley-moley-moley-moley-moley!", "\"I can't believe it took us so long to get here.\" Sarah whispered. Her head rested on John's shoulder as the mountain line shimmered in the setting sun. They had met through an outdoorsy camping group, and as time went on they kept somehow pitching tents nearby to eachother. After a couple sunny seasons followed by some cold winters John finally, courageously, asked her along for a hike with him. \n\nSarah reached up, brushing his face, past the mole on his cheek. God he probably DOES brush that mole. John shifted on the blanket. \n\n\"Well you know, camping season is almost over again and I thought... I mean in case you thought...\"\n\n\"In case I thought what?\" Sarah giggled. \n\nIn case she thought about the mole? Seriously how can you not it's just- \n\nJohn coughed nervously, \"...thought you didn't want to wait until next year to see me again too...\" \n\nDon't worry pal she'll be seeing that thing in her dreams. \n\n\"Really? At this point I thought you would've gotten the hint.\" \n\nShe straightened up and looked John in the eyes. Yeah, hint hint, use the winter to freeze that woolly mammoth off your face you freak. John blushed, smiling, \"Maybe I need one more?\" YES at least take a lawn mower to that dirt crop before bringing company over! I mean Christ am I the only one seeing this thing? Is she blind? \n\n\"Sure, one more.\" Please no. She starts to lean in and I don't understand it keeps getting bigger and bigger and I feel like it's going to open up and swallow me whole and I'm just going to be trapped in this guy's fucking mole while he's totally fumbling this situation. How can you blame him though, how can he have any real social connections knowing he's cursed with the appotheiosis of facial blemishes. Probably goes his whole life wondering if he can ever truly get close to someone when they can't even see the right side of his face behind- Oh they're kissing now. Good. Ok that's nice. The sun sets and it's dark now thank god.", "As the rain poured on, Elise was running to class, her books clutched in one arm as she hoped fervently that her professors wouldn't care if everything on her was sopping wet, although they probably would care more about the massive, unfortunate mole on the right side of her face, just above her mouth. \n\nIt was approximately 1.6 inches in radius, which is to say, far too large for anybody's face. It was an ugly brown, like a dab of mud she just couldn't get rid of. Elise dropped one of her books, swearing as she did so. She was going to be late, but lateness was the least of her problems with the gigantic mole on the right side of her face, above her mouth.\n\n\"You look like you could use some help.\" \n\nA charming boy with brown hair, a pretty brown nothing like the ugly brown of the mole on Elise's face offered the book to her, holding his umbrella up to stop the pounding of raindrops over them. Elise accepted her book back, cheeks heating slightly despite the cold of the rain.\n\n\"Thanks, Todd,\" she said, rather ungratefully considering Todd was willing to overlook the behemoth of a mole that rested between her nose and mouth and still pick up her books. \"No problem,\" Todd grinned at her. \"Can I walk you to class?\"\n\n\"...Yeah, thanks,\" Elise said, slowing her pace to match Todd's impressively leisurely one, which was impressive because he wasn't running away from her and her gargantuan mole that took up a crucial 5% of her face. They walked in silence for a while, happy to be together, before Todd said, \"Got any boyfriends? I assume not, with that huge mole you have on your face.\"\n\nYes! Todd, that's exactly what I was thinking - Ahem. Elise broke down crying and ran away and hated herself and her mole - wait, she laughed it off? And now Todd is asking her if they can go to the movies tomorrow? It's a date?! Crap, I have to stay professional. Um...\n\nSurprisingly, Elise managed to show security in spite of her physical appearance and stayed confident enough to attract a more attractive partner in Todd. With any luck, he'll have dumped her by the end of the week. Probably even the day. Because who could stand a face blemished by that colossal, hideous mole?\n\nThe two held hands as they walked on in the downpour, all worries forgotten as they shared about their dreams and desires, as good friends often do." ]	8
	[WP] You're the proud offspring of the chosen one who saved the world so many years ago and you've grown up to admire your parent. One fateful day, you stumble across undeniable proof your parent is actually the great evil one who slayed the real hero and switched places to hide...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Axis, come help me with these boxes,\" my dad shouted up at me from the basement. I was standing in my childhood home since I had gone off for college. Now graduated and with my own sizable apartment I wanted to fill it with a few of my old keepsakes. \n\nEvery part of the living room was so ingrained in my memory it hardly felt like it had been four years since I was standing in it. It was as pristine as any museum, which it almost was. Four months out of the year the house was open to guests to look upon the home and memorabilia of the greatest hero the world had ever seen.\n\nWhen my dad was only five years old he had been prophesied as the only person with enough power to rid the world of a great evil. Fifteen years later that prophecy had come to fruition. Not that it had come without a cost. He didn't get to have a childhood, as the government didn't let him far from their watchful eye. Entire cities lay decimated and close to a million people; army and civilians alike, had been laid to rest. At least, that was how he told it. Every year without fail, on the anniversary of the death of his adversary he jubilantly told me his life's history. And on my birthday he always made sure to remind me that as his child I too was destined for something beyond the ordinary. It's why he gave me an uncommon name, though I really hadn't lived up to greatness. I wasn't the son he wanted, and so far all of my life choices resulted in an average life, apart from the attention I got from being his only child. Still, I looked up to my dad and owed everything to him.\n\n\"Of course, Dad, I'm on my way down,\" the basement was much more cluttered than the other rooms of the house. Visitors were never allowed in here, and so this became the home to all of my dad's most valuable memories from his glory days. There were precarious pathways and boxes stacked to the ceiling in some places. After my mom died all of her belongings had been added into the mix. The basement was always my father's addiction. The nostalgia it provided him with was better than any drug he could ever take.\n\n\"Where are you?\" I asked, careful not to disturb any of the carefully placed memories.\n\n\"To your left,\" he said. I followed the sound of his voice behind a stack of boxes. He was standing with a few plastic bins of my old things.\n\n\"Thank you for finding all this, I appreciate it,\" I stepped in to help him lift the bins.\n\n\"I'd do anything for my little girl,\" he said, \"Now let's get these into your car.\"\n\nEven between the two of us we weren't able to lift it all in one trip. We were walking back to the house to get the last two when a neighbor stopped by and began talking to my dad. \n\n\"You can carry those last two by yourself, I'll need to check on our dinner anyways,\" my dad said. \n\nOnce again in the basement I picked up the last two bins and was about to make my way back through the labyrinth when a light on a stack of boxes caught my eye. It was dim, and it was just a sliver of light, like it was coming from another room. To my knowledge the basement was only the one large room, and my curiosity was piqued. I glanced back up at the stairs, I didn't want to go behind my dad's back, but this would be a part of the basement I had never seen nor heard of before. \n\nI carefully put the bins down and moved towards the light. I had to move a few boxes and some large canvas paintings, but there was a door shaped hole behind it. There had definitely once been a door, and a hidden one at that, as there weren't normal hinges or any framing. \n\nThis room was different from the rest of the house. It was clean, though instead of artifacts of a hero there were news articles that had notes written in the margins. There were blueprints for weapons, or vehicles, or some combination of the two. There was a lone journal on the desk as well. My hands were shaking as I struggled to process everything I was seeing, and I forced my hands to pick up the journal. The entires began as far back as when my father would have been a preteen. They didn't sound like the experiences he said he had, nor were they the voice of a hero, but rather of a power hungry sadist.\n\n\"Are you okay down there?\" The voice had me jumping out of my own skin.\n\n\"Fine,\" was all I managed to squeak out. There was nothing for a moment, and then I could hear the unmistakable sound of footsteps coming to the basement door." ]	2
	[WP] Your office job is one of the worst places you can think of it's awful, oppressive even, but one day you eye a copy of "V for Vendetta" on your desk, you take this as a sign to do something, to start an office revolution.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The pen in my hand felt heavier as I eyed that book. For years I've been tormented by the idiot who is my boss, Phil. \"Fetch my coffee John. Carry my briefcase John. Call my wife and mistress for me John.\" You get the idea. All of my potential and all of my skill was for naught, stunted by an imbecile who couldn't see past his belly. \n\nAnd in that moment, with my veins pumping with adrenaline and sweat beading on my forehead, I leap onto my desk. \"Hear me brothers and sisters!\" I bellowed, \"For too long have we suffered under Phil, for too long have been denied our birthright in progressing up the corporate ladder!\" In my head I thought I had just given the most epic speech to begin a revolution, perhaps I've been watching too much of Obama.\n\nHowever I was betrayed by my brethren, my fellow office mates just looked at me and shrugged, continuing their meaningless desk jobs. Swiftly I changed tact, \"Phil also blocked a pay raise last week!\" Immediately, I could hear the scraping of chairs on the floor as dozens of people jumped on their desks and cried for blood. The revolution had begun!\n\nTo no one's surprise, Phil did not have any supporters among the desk workers of Floor 5. Well except for Bob. No one liked Bob for a totally unrelated reason. As I led my angry mob towards Phil's office, I could see a couple of guys ganging up on Bob in a corner. I couldn't make out what was happening but I believed they shoving a metal ruler up his delicate parts. I'd be lying if I said I was horrified, no one liked Bob.\n\nSoon, the mob arrived in front of a wooden door with a metal plaque that read, Phil, floor supervisor. Many of us were giddy with excitement, the chance to finally get back at the jerk who held us all back and took our pay raise. Pens, rulers, staplers even keyboards were in the hands of many disgruntled workers. Stationary just screaming to be whacked at Phil's head.\n\nBang. Bang. Bang. I knocked on the door. \"Come on out Phil! We got some words with you.\" And by words, I meant a beating. But instead of the door opening, I was greeted by the most disgusting sound you could ever hear. A moaning Phil. \"Oh my, oh my!\" Immediately, groans and vomit sounds arose from the mob. \"I didn't sign up for this,\" scoffed Jane from accounting. \"I do no want to see the mess on the other side,\" shuddered Tom the copier. Sure enough, someone pointed through the office window. Phil was sitting in front of his screen and well, I think you get the rest.\n\nSure enough, the formerly angry mob was now a collection of disgusted office workers who'd rather carry on with their boring lives. I couldn't blame them, even I was mentally scarred from the affair. Then I remembered, it was Friday afternoon. It was Phil's personal break time. Definitely a wrong time to throw a revolution. No wonder Bob's one failed last week.\n\nAnother day in the office I suppose." ]	2
	[WP] A radiation storm hits the planet and leads to the deaths of almost a quarter of the world's population, of those that survive, some 500,000 have become immortal while many others barely survive 30 years.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Charnus?\" my best friend who was deathly ill at 30 said, waking me up.\n\n\"Michael?\" I responded, still half asleep but I was quick to come out of dream world. \n\nMichael was standing in front of my bed, he'd already come down from the top bunk. \"Charnus I've decided a change of plans.\"\n\n\"Oh yeah? What's that?\" I asked.\n\n\"We're going to go to Marvin's first, and we'll take it from there.\"\n\n\"Marvin's first, huh? Whatever you say, you're the birthday boy.\"\n\nHe cocked his eyebrow up. \"More like deathday boy,\" we both shared a laugh. \"Let's go right now.\"\n\n\"Right now? I just woke up let's ease into--\"\n\n\"Charnus... I die at the end of the day today. I'm a little pressed for time.\"\n\nI froze. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. Tomorrow I'd be taking his body to get cremated. That choked me up. My eyes watered, but I didn't let the tears spill over. Michael would have been pissed.\n\n\"Let's go, Michael, lemme just put some clothes on.\"\n\nWe went to our car which was a vintage 2040 Ford Zen. I had to fix a couple of mechanical components before each ride, but it only took me seconds to do. It was muscle memory now.\n\nDriving to Marvin's was an easy 10 minute ride. Most of it was barren wasteland through the desert. Then at the outer limits of the mega city Dorheann, sat the worst (but really, best) hole in the wall bar that truly was a dive. Cheap drinks, the bathrooms were never fully reliable, the bartender was a jerk, his daughter was nice when she worked (her friend was nice too), old music always played, and only a few other miserable losers were ever there, Marvin's.\n\nWhen we walked in Sally was working thank god. \n\n\"Charnus, Michael! Hello! 2 Miller's for the both of you?\"\n\nWe both said, \"Yes,\" at the same time.\n\nShe poured out the beers from the long pipe that was up in the glass ceiling. Above was an elaborate maze of pipes all about to deliver different beers from around the wastelands. We watched our golden beverages get delivered from above from the heavens and perfectly fill a glass.\n\nWhen Sally dropped them off, we thanked her and tipped her well.\n\n\"What are you boys doing here so early?\" she asked.\n\n\"I die tomorrow. Remember? I'm deathly ill?\" Michael said.\n\nSally lost her gleeful expression. \"Damn, that's right, I forgot about that. I'm really sorry, Michael.\n\n\"It's okay, I've led a good life. And I'm spending the day with Charnus here, we're going to have the best day ever.\"\n\n\"Oh yeah? Whatcha got going on?\"\n\n\"Well I had a whole itinerary planned, and we were going to end the day here at Marvin's, but we decided to start here first.\"\n\n\"Well I'm glad you did, my dad works later tonight and I'd rather say goodbye than to have him tell me you died.\"\n\nMichael smiled. \"I appreciate that.\"\n\n\"I'm only covering my friend's shift for an hour today, you mind if I join you boys? I'm probably going to die in a few years as well, Michael. I'd like to have as many special days as I can. Today seems like a prime opportunity.\" \n\n\"I'd be delighted. We're not sure what we're going to do yet but you're welcome to join,\" Michael said with a smile.\n\nHe always had a crush on Sally, and I hoped with every fiber of my being he'd kiss her by the end of the day. They always flirted together and had great chemistry.\n\n\"You believe this sunnuvabitch is immortal?\" Michael asked, pointing his thumb at me. \"Lucky guy.\"\n\nI laughed awkwardly. \n\nIt's not as glamorous as it seems, I'm losing my best friend tomorrow. This really sucks.\n\n\"C'mon Michael, let's think about what you want to do today.\"\n\n\"Don't worry, I have a few plans,\" Michael winked and grinned mischievously. \"And we have to do all of 'em.\"\n\n\"Yes, sir! Whatever you want!\"\n\n\nr/randallcooper", "Journal Entry 1\n\n7 Days Post Flash\n\nA week ago there was a bright flash and aurora borealis danced overhead. It wasn’t like the in the movies; there was no warning, no sensors flashing, no genius lab techs or scientists coming up with a plan to save humanity in its time of need. What we got was a total information and technological blackout on an otherwise calm day. I hope to record the events that occur for future generations who claw their way from this new Dark Age so they may know what transpired.\n\nJournal Entry 2\n\n13 Days Post Flash\n\nMy friends and neighbors in my quiet mountain town are starting to get a little stir crazy, the big box stores have all been picked clean and they are now starting to wall off the town limits to ward off some imaginary threat. It is starting to look more like the set of the Walking Dead than North Carolina. They are scheduling each other for perimeter watch, it is like we are trying to emulate a military base. They have converted the century old church in the center of town into a makeshift guard tower. I can only hope that this is just a passing phase until we can reach communities outside our immediate area.\n\nJournal Entry 10\n\n6 months and 13 Days Post Flash\n\nWe have rejoined modern society; telegraph lines have been strung across old power lines. Best we can tell the planet was hit by a radiation burst of some kind. This in and of itself is not unusual, the earth is hit pretty frequently with these kind of storms, but the power behind this one was absolutely incredible. It pushed it’s way through our electromagnetic field like it wasn’t there. It burnt out every electrical and electronic system on the planet. We have been reduced to industrial revolution technology, but things are getting back to some form of normalcy.\n\nJournal Entry 204\n\n5 years 7 months 15 Days Post Flash\n\nA startling pattern has come to light and that is that the human reproduction rate has nose-dived. Panic has gripped the country; people are dying from radiation poisoning. It is being called the great withering. There are those among us who show no signs of illness. They are being looked at with great suspicion and fear.\n\nJournal Entry 423\n\n13 years 5 months 9 Days Post Flash\n\nI grow weaker by the day and my brother tends to me. I am so scared, and feel useless. He seems to be walking through this world with all the hope and dreams of humanity emanating from him. I have no idea how he can be so positive in these dark times. I wish he would never feel the pain of doubt or loss, but I fear he will outlive us all.\n\nJournal Entry 597\n\n15 years 3 months 23 Days Post Flash\n\nThis is the last entry that I can muster. I grow so weak I can no longer leave the bed. I feel my time is coming to an end. I have watched my brother grow in the community leadership. No one cares more for us than he does; I swear he hasn’t aged a day since this whole ordeal began over 15 years ago. I hope my chronicle can somehow help him and humanity as they rebuild and seek to secure their place in the future. \n\nJournal Entry 301\n\n1 Day After James\n\nI buried my brother today. I didn’t realize how through he tracked the major and minor events of our small little village. This journal is a mix of insights and personal reflections that I shall cherish and pass on should we find a way to procreate once more. He will be missed and my heart weeps as a void forms where his warmth once was. I will carry on his hope for humanity as we strive to keep our way to a more perfect world.\n\nJournal Entry 717\n\n2382 DAJ\n\nHumanity has dwindled to less than 1 million, a far cry from the billions who once stood on the planets face. Those of us left have come together to form a single city, the last of humanity has come together for the betterment of all. I lead the caretakers, those with strength and resolve to keep this dream alive and to tend to the last of us who have not yet been released from the bonds of time. We caretakers have been aware for sometime that we now exist outside mortality, as we knew it. \n\nJournal Entry 1756\n\n9367 DAJ\n\nThe last of mortal human has passed this morning. We that remain look to the stars. It has become very apparent that we can’t die by injury or sands of time. We toil to catch up to our ancestor’s technological prowess; the torch has been passed to us, explorers for a new age. We are destined to sail among the stars to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. I hope to live up to the hope and dreams entrusted to us who came before us and passed on to the long rest." ]	3
In universe, this may have happened recently or maybe long ago. Maybe it was a sudden move, or maybe Disney had long been increasing their control over all aspects of society.	[WP] Due to their trademark over the shape of the molecule, Disney has been granted control over all production, sales, and consumption of H2O.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "When the news was announced, my grandfather simply said \"no\" over and over. He was 25 years old at the time, and the ridiculous case was laughable at first. It was thought so goofy it would be the end of the company, but they fought it through all the same, because as risky as the fight was, the reward would far surpass anything beyond their wildest dreams. Back then, he told me that there was a court system that operated on multiple tiers. You could fight your way up he told me, and that this system was designed to give everybody a fair chance. He said that when they got to the \"Supreme\" level that everybody was shocked when they won.\n\nThe wars started almost immediately, and there are no courts anymore. I'm not sure how long ago they disappeared. My grandfather also said they weren't really here, but rather further north in the United States where our family came from. At this point the mice have become ubiquitous and their \"Park Security\" roams around with special detectors that can find even the smallest well or runoff.\n\nI think about him now. I see him laying on his back wheezing his last, the light coming in through the window and his water ration only half-consumed because he'd choke if he actually drank the full eight ounces that the health politburo allots to the infirm. They say that dying of old age is an accomplishment in this time, but frankly I'm not buying it anymore than I am their water. He was in pain, helpless, and overall looked like dogshit. As we sit here in our boat surfing through the Carribbean on our way to strike at the \"minnies\" as they're called. Over 800 boats of various sizes running at flank speed to try and make but a pinprick in their defenses, to distract attention enough so the offensive can begin upwards through Chihuahua and maybe fight their way through to the pipeline in old Oklahoma.\n\nThe pipeline's the only thing worth having since the high plains aquifer was completely drained out by the mice when I was in elementary school. My grandfather showed me pictures of Oklahoma when it was still green, and I'm not sure I believe them much more than the Commandant's promises of victory. It's a growing desert over there from everything I've been told, growing almost orange with desolation.\n\nI fought and argued and begged my staff sergeant to try and be put on the main offensive, but he said my skills were needed here. Now I don't even think I'll live to see my families old house in Norman, even though it's probably just a husk now. Still, I'm not looking forward to dying today.\n\nThe overall goal is to destabilize the drilling network to the point they'll have to shut the whole thing down. I don't think we're going to get that far. I think we'll get about as far as we're allowed, and that'll be maybe 10 minnies set aflame, and maybe if we're lucky being able to board one or two more. That's in a network of over 400. The really ironic thing is that most project they'll be running dry by around this time anyway, but they still need to be attacked to serve as a viable distraction. My grandfather taught me to be an eternal pessimist, and I actually wonder if accepting the fact that I'm going to die today despite Commandant \"Speedy\" Gonzalez' assertion that we'll succeed in igniting the entire network is actually running against that. At least I'll die in a literal blaze of glory or whatever.\n\nMy best friend is here with me at least, but he's not said anything for the last hour or more. He just keeps sitting there staring at his handheld and flipping through pictures of his mom and dad. What kind of parent names their kid \"Shrek\"? I mean I get it, and his mom was always super nice to me, but isn't it a bit on the nose? I suppose he's lucky enough to have them though. I was told they had to cut me out after my mother died from dehydration on my birthday.\n\nMy father shot himself that night.\n\nI'm starting to weep now as I remember my grandfather. There wasn't time to grieve, hell I wasn't even granted bereavement. It was too close to the \"grand offensive\" as it was called. I don't...\n\nThis document was found in a notebook in an inflatable attack craft that drifted onto a beach in Honduras about two years after the start of the Third Great Takeback War. The above is the portion of the singular entry in that notebook that was still legible after the combination of burning and subsequent soaking of salt water. No human remains were ever found. - Laura Valentine, University of San Pedro Sula, 2134, Artifact Catalog #764-B.", "Dry.\n\nArid.\n\nHellish.\n\nThese are the words that would best describe our world when the company – who shall not be named but is synonymous with Mickey Mouse – went mad. It had the audacity to claim their rights to many things. From YouTube channels that mentioned its name and showed its intellectual properties, to space rockets because they vaguely look like the trademark mouse-ear logo from above.\n\nBut shit hits the fan once scientists, of course hired by said company, reported molecules having the shape of said trademark mouse-ear logo. H20 was amongst the few that was actually granted by the courts to be of its' domain. The world suffered and the mouse grew more powerful.\n\nIts founder, Walt, had only wanted to draw cartoon characters and produce films made for families. The most ambitious he ever was had only resulted in the construction of a large-scale amusement-resort theme park. He brought smiles to many a generation over decades.\n\nLike any good fairytale story, the clock turned to midnight and the evil witch came with greed and twisted desires. The apple turned rotten and the mouse grew hungry with every coming years. It – once synonymous with fun and nostalgia – simply turned to evil, unbeknownst to many at the time.\n\nNow, dystopia." ]	3
	[WP] Nothing is permanent. Nothing except for it.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", " There are only two ways off the cliff: up or down. Her fingers feel on fire. Not the kind of fire that reaches your brain. The mindless kind, itching for action, with only a fraying mental leash holding you back.\n\nA man next to her grabs hold of the wall. The vines jut out from solid rock, unnaturally. The whole wall invites the climb. There are footholes vines, and rough surfaces for traction. It makes it seem like a simple choice; Better to climb than fall.\n\nShe can’t recall how long she’s been there. Maybe always. Perhaps once she was a person before this place. It might be hell, but she can’t be sure. The memories are long gone, anyway. \n\nThe man stares at his hands. She’s sure she can feel the fire in them, too. It reaches everyone eventually, until there’s nothing left, but up, or down. Nothing is permanent, after all. At some point everyone must choose.\n\nThere’s little warning when the man finally starts, exploding quickly up the wall .He’s rabid, fast, and despite the fact he looks older, he’s gaining speed. His arms are swinging him up with ape-like pulls, his feet barely making contact with the wall before propelling him with desperate kicks.\n\n“C’mon,” she says, fingers twitching. “C’mon.”\n\nThe encouragement is useless and in vain, always, but watching the man is a point of view, and having a perspective is a valuable and diminishing commodity here. \n\nSometimes she thinks she and it are the same. That she is the creature up there, the one hiding in the wall. Right now, though, she’s the man, climbing, lungs held in stasis with nothing but burning groans of effort.\n\nThe man is making speed, appearing and disappearing from the smoke and fog and getting closer. \n\nHe’ll have to be faster, she thinks, though knows that no one is faster. \n\nDifferent people implement different strategies as they approach the beast. Some slow by the rock chiseled nest, trying not to wake it. She doubts the thing sleeps, though. This man chooses instead to favor speed. He’s recklessly and desperately clawing now. Perhaps he’ll make it. . .\n\nThe legs come first. Thick, black, bulbous and smoking from the heat, the leathery flesh begins to emerge. \n\nThe man mistepps, falling a few feet before stopping himself with a thick fistfull of vine. He starts climbing faster, knees bleeding as they scrape the rocks. \n\nThe creature's movements are lazy at first, emphasizing the size as it slowly pulls itself from the crevice. Eyes emerge. They’re bigger than a man’s torso. Dark, empty, cold blobs. \n\nThe man starts looking smaller and smaller against the towering wall as he makes headway. \n\nThe cliffside groans as the creature shuffles its weight, and the ground below shakes. Rocks crumble and fall as the great belly emerges from the nest.\n\nShe’s seen the thing before, but it’s bigger now. It’s been eating. \n\nUnraveling, its legs begin to stretch, slow and long like spilling, spreading ink. Eight, long wide spider legs.\n\nThe cliff is vast, but the man is quick. He jumps instead, letting go completely of the vines momentarily as he makes giant leaps at a time. He’s got a rhythm now. He’s halfway there, perhaps if the creature is slow. . . \n\nThe legs are stretching wider casting shadows across everything as it reaches the edges of the cliffside. Its massive stretch makes the cliff wall itself seem tiny in comparison. Then, like a spring, the giant spider uses the leverage to force itself up with its legs. \n\nPausing, the man stares at the great underbelly of the beast. He could continue. It’s the second defining moment. The shadow is cast on him, covering him in darkness. He could simply let go and let the unknown smoke below claim him. \n\nThe creature stared, eyes void.\n\nThe man stopped. \n\n“I’m finally going to be eaten,” she whispered from below. \n\nThe jaws open, air sucking, it waits. \n\nTime means nothing. Nothing is immortal, except for it. \n\nShe closes her eyes. She’s seen it before. The sounds will orient her. \n\nA scream. Silence. The groaning of the rocks as the creature slinks back.\n\nWhen she opens her eyes, he’s gone. The creature is back in its nest. She stares at the bare cliffside. She glances down at the endless thick smoke below. \n\nThere are others who will move, or try, even if she can’t see them through the smoke. \n\nFor now the man has sated the need for motion in the rest of them. They’ll wait on the ledge, frozen by indecision, until madness forces them to choose. \n\n“Up, or down,” she whispers. “Up, or down?”\n\nA drop of blood falls, splashing the back of her palm." ]	2
	[WP] You realize you are immortal and spend the rest of eternity trying to figuring out why, only to realize the truth as the heat death of the universe starts.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\\*licks cheeto dust off fingers\\\n\nYear 96564\n\nDear Diary, it's me again. Haven't taken a shower in over 96,000 years. No point anymore. At this point I have watched all but one last episode of every anime in existence. I'm starting to wonder if my Waifu still loves me. I always thought our love would be eternal, my sweet Kariohkee. I have mastered the ability to live in my dreams, which has helped me to last all these years.\n\nHard to believe I still wear the same camo cargo shorts all this time... Wait. Now that I think of it, I've always worn the same outfit. Open toe sandals, slipknot t-shirt and my MLP wristband is stuck stiff to my arm, unable to detach even despite my constant sweating.\n\nI think I'll go outside and shower for once...\n\n\\puts diary down\\\n\nAs our sweaty comrade leaves his dungeon abode, he realizes the temperature has changed and is increasing fast. Quickly he strips and rips his polyester armor off his still technically obese body. Now completely nude and about to jump in the water, which is starting to steam, he realizes there's one last article of clothing that's not been discarded.\n\nHis Fedora*.\n\nRaising his arms, he touches his fedora through the grasp of his hands equipped with fingerless gloves. He yanks, but nothing. His classy companion has fused to his hair fibers. Summoning the power of twilight sparkle, finally is empowered enough to rip his glorious head-wear off.\n\nHis joy fades almost immediately. He feels different. His body starts to wither and wrinkle, eyesight deteriorates, legs get weak, palms are sweaty. It's at this moment he realizes, all this time, his Immortality depended on his Fedora. It's too late now, already collapsed onto the rough dirt floor.\n\nShedding one final tear for his Waifu, barely kissing his MLP wrist band, he lets out one final: \"In this moment. I am Euphoric.\"\n\nHe turns to dust as the universe explodes into a fiery hell, quickly collapsing into an eternal nothingness." ]	3
	[WP] Your the only person in your neighborhood your ornery old neighbor tolerates. They even like you, in their own way. When they die, they leave you everything they own. Properties, accounts, collectibles, you got it all. However, you were not prepared for what was in their garage out back.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "The old coot was always asking for trouble with how he carried on, always getting into arguments with parents about their children acting rowdy \"near\" his house. William wasn't a well liked man to say the least, but he didn't care. Whenever we used to talk, he always used to seem content, like the fact that he was living past 80 was some sort of miracle, and with the way he acted, I'd say it was nothing short of one. We always used to talk, William and I. We always shared stories, and talk about whatever was the local gossip. He was a nosy old fart but he somehow would always be able to predict things, like when Ms. Van Hauf was found cheating on her husband or when Aaron came out as gay. He always had a knack for reading people it seemed. I always felt a kindred spirit with William, and I think he felt the same. He had a soft spot for my dad too but he never showed it, always trying to act a bit more stern and responsible when he was around. My Dad felt like I was pestering William all the time and thought I was a nuisance to him, that's what made it all the more surprising when William left me everything he had in his will.\n\nA couple days after the reading of the will, Dad and I decided to take a look at the house, my house, Just to see if everything was in order. We unlocked the door of this now lonely home and stepped inside. It was well kept as usual, no cobwebs, the dishes were done, carpet hoovered, it all seemed like William was about to burst in the door any minute. We had a glance at the little amount of pictures he had hanging. William, having never married or fathered children, the pictures were few and far between. \n\n\"We check out the garage?\" asked Dad\n\n\"You just want to check out the Camaro, don't you?\" I let go a somber laugh. The image of William polishing his beautiful sea foam green 67 was still fresh in my memory.\n\nWe came outside and opened up the garage door. We were met by the 67 Camaro in all its menacing glory. Its gleaming surf rock inspired paint-job, still as perfect as ever. The car would have been the center of our attention if not for the sticky note on the bonnet. It read:\n\n\"There's a blue box in the trunk. Don't hate me for not telling you\" \n\nSlightly unnerved by this, we move to the back of the muscle mobile. We pop the trunk open and there, as the note said, is the blue box. \n\nDad grabbed a torch from the workbench next to us and shines it on the box. I open the wooden box painted with cheap blue paint and inside is a picture of my mom and I playing in the garden when I was seven. Dad and I had never seen this picture before. With my mom dying when I was eleven, we have every picture we have of her hanging up. \n\n\"How does he have this?\". Those words echoing through Dads gritted teeth.\n\nI took out the bundle of photos, and checked the next one. A picture of me at prom two years ago with my ex. Seeing this picture made my heart sink. The mischievous old nut that had befriended me was no more than a creep all this time without the courage to act on his desire.\n\nThen, I looked at the next picture.\n\nIt was of me again.It said \" Class of 2022 :)\" on the back. It was from my college graduation. But my graduation was two years away.\n\n I looked at the next photo. Its of me, with a beard, posing with locals in Mali.\n\n\"But I've never been there..\"\n\nThe next photo was, as the others were, of me, but this time I was in a 67 sea-foam green camaro. I checked the back of the photo. \n\n\"4th of July 2033\"", "Nobody knew how long Alfred had lived in the neighbourhood. Susan from 24 told me his father had owned the whole estate at one point, and gradually sold it up house by house, but then, Julie at 14 told me he'd just inherited the house from a distant relative when he was already in his thirties. Meryl at number 6 said it didn't matter how long ago he moved in, it was high time he moved out, and he should have been in a nursing home long ago. \n\nAlfred didn't care what they thought. He would watch them gossiping from behind his curtains when we were having tea.\n\n\"Bloody hypocrites\", he would say. \"Liars and thieves.\"\n\n\"It's just idle gossip,\" I told him. \"Don't listen to it. They're just bored.\"\n\n\"Aye,\" he would say, turning back to me. \"Don't you end up like that, my girl. You're not one of them.\"\n\nIn a sense, he was right. I didn't belong in the neighbourhood of classy mansionettes, of society ladies who didn't work, and the society husbands who did nothing but. I had moved into my grandmother's house to look after her. It was the smallest and shabbiest of the stately buildings, but still miles larger than I was used to. \n\nAlfred and I had tea every Tuesday. My grandmother had insisted. She had said it would be good for the both of us, dour souls that we were. He bought rich tea biscuits for the occasion. At first, he asked me politely about my studies, and I answered with the awkward formality of one forced to spend time with their elders, but eventually we both began to relax in each other's company.\n\nAlfred had never been married, and had no living family. When I teased him about finding a nice girl to settle down with, his cheeks turned the colour of his nose and he gruffly replied that he was too old for all that. \"Ah, it's never too late\", I would say, laughing.\n\nHe liked to turn the conversation to the neighbourhood gossip. He didn't care what people said about him, but he wanted to know they were still talking. It was an easy topic; we settled into a routine of it. He would look out of the window and complain about the residents one by one. Julie washed oil down the sink; that would clog all of our pipes. Meryl had constructed a summer house in her garden and he didn't think she had planning permission for that. Susan let her gates squeak. He had written to all of them about it and never received a reply. Then he would say: \"God only knows what they say about me\", and I, standing in for the divine creator, would tell him.\n\nI was shocked when I heard he had passed away. Julie told me it was a heart attack, but Susan corrected her and said it was heart failure and that was an entirely different thing. I found I missed our Tuesday tea sessions. In its own way, it had been fun.\n\nI was even more shocked when I found out he had left his house to me. I had expected some distant relative to pop up out of the woodwork, but I supposed he must have really meant it when he said he had no family. \n\nThe house felt empty without him. I had never been further in than the front parlour, but the rest of the house held no surprises. Everything was functional, purposeful. A grey bathrobe hung on the back of the bathroom door. Brown slippers sat next to the quilted bed. A single plate and cup sat on the draining board in the kitchen. Despite myself, I felt tears welling up, and I pushed open the back door to get some fresh air. I walked across the garden. It was all lawn; no flowers. Along the sides, the bushes were already beginning to overgrow, and tangle onto the constraints of the lawn. At the end was a large garden shed. I headed up to it, thinking to find some shears. It was locked, but there were only a few keys on the keyring I had been given, and it didn't take me long to open it. \n\nThe door creaked open. I stepped inside, blinking. It was dark in the shed, and my eyes, still misty with tears, seemed to refuse to adjust. I pushed the door to behind me, to get rid of the bright shaft of light across my vision, and then, my sight began to clear. In front of me, there were numerous computer screens set up across the wall. Beneath them, towers flashed and whirred. I was puzzled; I'd never seen Alfred use so much as a mobile phone. The screens were in black and white, and I squinted to make them out. \n\nWith a sudden, sickening shock, I realised what I was looking at. I could see Meryl and Julie, wine glasses in hand, standing at a kitchen table. I could see Sarah in her dressing gown, arranging flowers. And worst of all, I could see my empty room, my tousled and unmade bed, my clothes strewn across the floor.\n\nI started back, horrified. My first thought was that this couldn't belong to Alfred; he couldn't even know how to use this equipment. But the feeling of sickening discomfort grew stronger: I remembered things he had said, how he had known that Julie put oil down her sink, when Meryl's toilet blocked, when my grandmother had had her fall. He didn't speak to these people. He got the gossip from me. How could he have known?\n\nI stepped backwards, and bumped into something large, and soft. The thing put its arms around me, circling me in an awful embrace. \n\n\"Marie, my love, do you remember,\" said Alfred's voice into my hair. I struggled, but his grip was surprisingly strong. \"You told me it was never too late.\"", "\"I don't know what I did to deserve this...,\" Scott stood on the front porch of the imposing house; it was a bright, sunny Saturday morning. The early 20s college student twirled the key in his hand to drag out the moment longer. \"But, thanks Mrs. Scott,\" he beamed a smile at the solid double-wide doors and inserted the key.\n\nScott was always polite to the old woman, but he never went out of his way to befriend her. He'd heard stories about how crotchety she was from others but he never saw it. He guessed it was because of their similar names. Scott made the assumption when he was six; and, he never bothered to correct it once he learned that's not how names work.\n\n\"Whooooaaa...,\" He never visited the inside Mrs. Scott's house. He imagined dozens of doilies, tea cozies and pictures of cats. Scott did not expect a makeshift shrine to him. Dozens of his pictures, cut from different sources, lined the living room walls.\n\n\"What the hell?\" Scott recognized his own brown curls in a soccer uniform. He recognized himself in another picture wearing football pads, a smile, and a black eye. He looked around at all the pictures of him participating in different activities. Some with trophies, but all with smiles. He went from picture to picture growing more confused. \"... I never played sports,\" he mumbled out loud. He was suddenly less positive about his inheritance.\n\nScott made his way to the kitchen; he was relieved to find a normal, big kitchen. The stove, dishwasher, and refrigerator all gleamed in brand new stainless steel. He saw a door and realized it must be the garage; he opened it and stepped into the dark room and felt around the wall for a light switch. The moment the lights came on, Scott's doubts flared again; he came close to switching the light off and walking out of the house. He only saw three things, but they were enough to worry him.\n\nThe first thing that drew his attention was a large CRT TV. It looked to be a fairly small 32\" inch screen, but the TV itself was so large it was sitting on a rolling cart connected to a VCR. The next thing he spotted was digging tools: sledgehammer, shovel, and pickaxe.\n\nThe third thing was a shallow, empty grave dug in the garage. Someone broke through the cement floor to reach the ground and dug a six-foot-long trench. After a brief debate, Scott moved toward the TV. He noticed there was a tape in the VCR and he pushed it in; it played automatically.\n\n\"Hi Scott!\" Mrs. Scott's wrinkled face appeared on the screen. The old woman gave a playful sigh. \"Well, I'm dead and you probably have some questions.\"\n\n\"Let's see,\" the old woman pretended to give Scott an appraising look through the TV. \"You came in through the front door and living room.\" Scott nodded out of habit. He always felt like she liked having someone to talk to, so he often let her talk and nodded his head occasionally. \n\n\"I left the pictures up because I wanted you to see what I spent my life doing. You probably saw all those pictures of you and got confused,\" Mrs. Scott said. Her lips grew into a broad smile. \"You thought they were you.\"\n\n\"What!?\" Scott blurted out in surprise. He turned, intent on bringing a picture to show her proof, then caught himself and turned back around. \n\n\"They're you, but not you,\" she said. \"They're different versions of you, from alternate universes. After this tape, you can go look at the pictures again. Look at the date and newspaper of publication. You don't have those papers on this Earth, and some of those dates haven't even happened here yet. They're all versions of you that I've met. Right about now, you're wondering what an old lady like me is doing meeting alternate you's.\" Mrs. Scott smiled again, but it wasn't as bright as the first time.\n\n\"When my Earth discovered alternate universes, it was amazing. Our technology, our world transformed almost over-night. Unfortunately, there are some things technology can't fix. I lost my grandson when he was 9; his name was Scott,\" despite the somber subject, she giggled.\n\n\"I think it broke me a little bit,\" she said. \"The world was changing too fast, and I couldn't catch up. So I fled to a different Earth to try and start again. As it turns out I met another version of you, but your mom wasn't my daughter. I watched him grow up and become a good man; it made me so proud that I wanted to do it again, and again.\" A stray tear followed the wrinkles down her face.\n\n\"It's almost kind of magical, really. I get to see you try and be good at so many different things. Every time I think I can't be proud of you, I find myself surprised again. This is my last time doing this, so I'm giving you something special.\" TV Mrs. Scott pointed at the digging tools in the garage.\n\n\"You were never into sports like some other versions of you; but, I found out you like video games.\" She pointed downward at something below the frame.\n\n\"Check under the VCR, then go...\" she pointed at the hole. \"...over there. Alternate universes are real, and their video games are virtually real. Play with the node; it's like a cellphone, you'll figure it out. Lay down in the hole, and be ready for the best game you'll ever play. I know you'll be great at it and make me proud.\" TV Mrs. Scott smiled and the screen went black.\n\nScott lifted the VCR and found a glass pane the size and thickness of a playing card. As soon as he touched it, the screen lit up.\n\n\\[Welcome to the AlterNet!\\]\n\n \n\n\\\\\\\n\nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is year three, story #085. You can find all my stories collected on my subreddit ([r/hugoverse](https://www.reddit.com/r/hugoverse/)) or my blog. If you're curious about my universe (the Hugoverse) you can visit the Guidebook to see what's what and who's who, or the Timeline to find the stories in order.", "Ol' Jimmy lived on the quaint, desolate house next to mine. He would usually be perched neatly in his ancient teal rocking chair, overlooking his somewhat tidy lawn. Like a sentry in a prison camp, he wore wide-winged fedora – almost like a cowboy's hat – and would brandish a Remington Model 870. Maybe he felt powerful with that getup. Maybe he liked how the neighbours were a bit intimidated. Who knows.\n\nWell, I do. At least, I'd like to think I'm the only one in the neighbourhood that could tell.\n\n\n\n\"Come 'ere, son,\" Jim said to me like a grandpa would to his own grandson, \"did I tell you about the war?\"\n\n\"Yessir, you did.\"\n\n\"Did I ever tell you about the last thing my old commander once said? Before he bit the dust and died of six shots in his chest?\"\n\n\"N-No, I don't think you did...\"\n\nSensing victory, ol' Jimmy grinned. It wasn't a grin that was pleasant to look at. No. It was horrible, scary, borderline inappropriate.\n\nSome of the neighbours who passed us by, even gave discerning looks. But Jimmy, the hard arse man that he was, didn't give two shits about the lot.\n\n\"He gave me a tip. 'Every man should be prepared to die anytime! Look sharp, take care of your crap,' he would say.\"\n\nI simply nodded, like any clueless child would when given vague wisdom by an older person.\n\nJimmy sensed the gears in my brain not moving. For some reason he got pissy and started to rock back and forth on his chair.\n\nWhat a funny ol' fella.\n\n\n\nNow, the old house next door was even more desolate than ever before.\n\nIts owner had kicked the bucket. Jimmy died in his bed, aged 89. Apparently he had a minor stroke last summer, but the old bugger pushed on and never let anyone saw any weakness in him. The neighbours even spoke of how he had been mellowing in the last few months. Odd, everyone thought.\n\nBut I knew something was wrong. I remembered how he told me of that tale about his dead commander – prepare to die anytime! Yet Jimmy looked a tad sad as he carried on, most likely in pain. He would often sleep in his rocking chair, something that would never happened before.\n\nWhen an aggressive beast starts to lower their guard, it's either relaxed and comfortable with its surrounding or something wrong was definitely up. Same goes for this old soldier.\n\n\"It looks like you're written down in his will, Bill,\" my dad said in a confused yet sure manner.\n\n\"Oh?\"\n\n\"Mr. Dawson, Jimmy's lawyer, came by this morning to tell me that he left everything* in your name.\"\n\nVery funny, dad... I thought to myself. I was sure that Jimmy told me of his 2 sons and sole daughter. Now why would he left anything at all for a stranger's son? He always made it a point that he hated everyone. It didn't add up.\n\n\"Well, when you're ready–\" my dad fiddled about his pocket and produced a large relic of a key, \"here's the key to Jimmy's house. Maybe air 'em out for a bit and see what's inside, eh?\"\n\nWithout a moment's notice, I found myself in his doorstep. It was amazing. I still couldn't wrap my head around the thought of owning my own video game console, yet a bloody house? Damn.\n\nA click with a turn and a loud creaking of wood later, I was inside the quaint house. It smelled of deep musk, something I've always imagined a old log cabin in the woods would be. On the table, next to the door, pictures of a family I could recognise greeted me. The pictures had the same man – ol' Jimmy – with the same rigid hard-arsed look on his face, even as the people around him had largely different expressions. Why would anyone be surprised, if I'm being honest.\n\nI surveyed the rooms on the ground floor. Everything was clean. It was as if someone had lived there even as it was empty for a good week. The words – prepared to die anytime – echoed through my mind.\n\nThat was when I spotted a note, plastered to a blue wooden door.\n\nIt read... \n\"To Bill, \n\nI hope you'll take care of the ol' beauty – that is, the house and everything in 'em. Make sure to open this door, but be aware... no one else must know what's inside. If you need any help, pick up the phone next to this door and say 'Jimmy sends his regards'. Also, don't forget to water and trim my lawn.\n\nProbably dead by now,\n\nJames Haggerty\"\n\nI did exactly what he said and opened the blue door. Instead of a darkened humid room, I saw a blinding light came storming out. A tinge of light blue and sparkles of yellow danced around me. It was surreal.\n\nThen a phone call, from the ancient looking phone Jimmy foretold.\n\n\"Yes? Bill, speaking.\"\n\n\"...\"\n\n\"Hello?\"\n\nStill nothing. I reread the paper, struggling to refocus my half-blinded eyes on the words.\n\n\"Jimmy sends his regards–\"\n\n\"Ah, you must be the successor. Welcome to the club, you ol' bugger!\" a warm somewhat feminine voice of a man embraced me, almost as if he was in the room with me.\n\n\"Excuse me, but what the hell is going on?\"\n\n\"Did Jimmy briefed you?\" a brief pause and he understood completely what was going on, \"I see, well... Bill, was it? It's been ages, but we belong to an ancient club of men.\"\n\nJimmy was old and somewhat ancient, but really? I chuckled for a good 5 seconds before the man on the other side of the line could continue.\n\n\"We are protectors of the old ways. Today, you'll start your lesson. Step into the room and you'd find a wand – a wooden stick, if you may...\"" ]	5
	[WP] One morning at home, you finished taking your shower and grab your towel. As soon as you close your eyes to wipe your face with the towel, you are instantly transported to a forest covered with snow and ice. You wrap your wet and naked body, unsure what to do next.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Damn,\" I whispered harshly to myself. \"Not again.\" my breath froze in front of me like smoke. It was too cold to be wet in this weather. I started shivering, trying to make the most of my green towel as both shelter and clothes. The last two times this happened I was transported all the way on the west side of the US, so I wasn't too far from home (I live in Iowa). The time before that, I was transported to the end of the 19th century in New York City...\n\nThis time I couldn't tell where I was at. Perhaps a national park in Oregon? Maybe somewhere in Canada? What was the time period? The last time I fell back in time, I didn't transport until I found a special crystal, which was a wacky adventure in its own. Am I going to have to find another crystal?\n\nSo here I am now, great pine trees covered with white, and snowflakes started to come down lightly like a salt shaker.\n\nI saw a purple cloaked figure jogging in the distance, heading towards my direction. I wrapped my towel around my nethers, I felt very embarrassed to not have any clothes on.\n\nThe purple figure came running closer, it was a beautiful girl of my age with blonde hair. Ordinarily I would be too scared to talk to a random girl like this, but I needed help.\n\n\"Please! Slow down! I need some assistance!\" I cried.\n\nShe stopped once she was 6 feet in front of me. Her jaw dropped and her face looked like it had just seen a ghost... a friendly ghost though.\n\n\"Alexander! I've been looking all over for you, you've been gone now for two whole months you know this?! Mom and Dad have been so upset with you!\" she yelled, she came up closer and slapped me pretty hard.\n\nI collapsed to the ground and felt a surge of bitter cold so I hopped back up shivering severely. What just happened? I'm not Alexander, my name is Brian.\n\n\"Uh I think you got-\"\n\n\"Bloody hell! Where have all your clothes gone Alexander?! What's this green rag you're wearing? Certainly unlike any material I've ever seen--\"\n\nA strange alarm came from the distance. It sounded distorted and underwater, almost like a giant creature groaning.\n\nShe gripped the hilt of her sword which was on a sling over her shoulder. \"We really ought to get you back to the royal castle and back in your bedroom. Don't you know the Troubled come out during this hour?\"\n\nShe surveyed the immediate area and let go of the hilt.\n\n\"Hurry, let's run back, please. The servants have been keeping your room just the way you like it in case you decided to return home. You're awfully foolish to be out here without any shield or sword, or hell, any weapon.\"\n\n\"But I--\"\n\nA hum of deep footprints started echoing throughout the forest.\n\n\"We're going to the castle now!\" she yelled, taking my arm and pulling me while sprinting.\n\nI know I'm only 19, but I'm getting too old for this.\n\nr/randallcooper" ]	2
	[WP] Power mimicry is usually one of the most coveted, A-List superpowers out there. You, on the other hand, can only make janky and limited copies of other supers' abilities.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It's always annoying when people expect my power to be good because of all the awesome, mind-boggling stuff mimicry can do, then get let down because mine can't do as well. My power's different, okay? Deal with it.\n\nOn a positive note, at least I get to relax a lot because of how little is assigned to me. Sure, it gets boring not beating someone up every few seconds, but free time is free time. I get to practice a lot of stuff when I'm not assigned to the occasional parking ticket and such. \n\nToday, however, things were different. Some bigshot villain broke out of prison today, and it just so happens to be near my place. I quickly rush into battle, hoping to get some form of action before he's dealt with. What I didn't expect is that I'm the only hero to arrive.\n\nHis power is teleporting objects, right? Seems pretty unique. \"Hey you, over there.\" He points to me. \"Aren't you the guy who nearly burned himself to death copying fire abilities.\" Really? You bring up that moment? I broke out laughing remembering how bad I messed up back then. Oh wait, wrong time.\n\n\"Yes, I am! The name's Airus, Airus Chiriyon. Nice ta meet'cha.\" I said. Introductions are always important. \"I'm hear today to beat you up.\" He seems amused, before putting on a serious face again. \"Really, I don't see how an utter fool can dare to stop me.\" He says as the ground beneath me disappears. Well not really, his teleportation ability just tossed me up a bit. He then teleports to me to try to get the jump on me, but I promptly punched him in the face.\n\nAs we both fall to the ground, I keep punching him over and over again to keep him from teleporting, it requires him to focus, ya know. Before we hit the ground, I quickly teleport us a bit further, trapping him in the ground, and knocking him out. Oh looks like other heroes are here now.\n\n\"How were you able to use my teleport that quickly?\" Chris asks. \"You're too stupid to calculate the exact timings.\" I sigh. I really hate explanations. \"Firstly, I am an idiot, but I'm not stupid. Second, my ability isn't mimicry. It's learning.\"", "I was always meant to be a comedic sidekick. My power, Mimicry, seemed excellent on the surface, but in reality was horrible. Copy flying? I can only glide. Copy super strength? Sure, if by strength you mean being able to open a pickle jar. Copy invisibility? My power thinks merely camouflage is good enough. \n\nSo when the greatest villain in the world had thrown down an entire team, obviously I could do nothing but shake my knees in fear. He had managed to drop down each hero one by one, and only I was left. Only me, the useless comedic sidekick. His invention was insane, incredible, emitting a powerful pressure. The only reason I was still standing was because of my janky ability copying it to make me have some weird presence that allowed me to just barely stand.\n\nHe laughed, while the crowd outside watched in fear, powerless like me. \"So, the most useless one has to save the day. What good use is that?\" But as he attempted to caress my cheek, he shuddered and took a step back. \"What-- what was that? I thought your power was useless.\" \n\nI thought so too, but his expression just gave me a glimmer of hope. Mimicry. Exactly what did that mean? When I glided, even if I didn't fly, I maintained superior control over the man who actually flew. When I opened that pickle jar, it required greater precision and the great Strongman would've likely crushed the jar entirely. And camouflage? It honestly wasn't that bad, I didn't even have to go naked like the hero who I had copied.\n\nI suddenly realized, the mimicry was copying specifically for each situation. It wasn't that it was merely weak and horrible -- it was that it was most applicable. With a newly renewed confident smile, I walked up to the villain, putting a hand on his shoulder, while he shuddered, struggling to shrug me off. \"Hey, how's it goin? Weren't you the one who said I was useless?\"\n\nNow he was stuck in a dilemma. Should he lose face and try to use the machine, despite my newly discovered trick with my power? Should he go for another chance? He frowned, \"Hmph! You are not worthy of my presence!\" And disappeared in a smoke bomb.\n\nThe crowd was silent. Then they cheered, as the heroes groggily woke up. I would have a story to tell when they asked. At last, I knew my power's function." ]	3
	[WP] The legendary hero is a teenager and just entered his edgy phase. Now, he believes the power of friendship is dumb and is trying to get rid of his teammates. However, they just have too much unconditional love and support to leave.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I am not the hero, but his mentor. I wonder if I should set up a counsellor, or be said counsellor. Who knows. His team often tells me he's being meaner than usual, and I tell them he'll get over it and it's a phase. I do hope it's a phase.\n\n\"May I have some metaphorical quote that's up-lifting miss? Every time I ask for inspiring quotes from our leader he does some metaphorical quote about how we will all die. I want to inspire him to be more positive.\" The healer asks me. I give them a few quotes and send them on their way.\n\n\"Being friends with people is dumb. Why would I do that?\"\n\n\"Being friends with people will help you live life to the fullest!\" I state.\n\n\"I don't want to live life to the fullest. Grow out of your hippie phase.\" He says back.\n\n\"If you want to be a hero, you must be more kind,\" I say, almost wanting to throw him out of the window for that comment. \"And loving. Casting everyone out won't work here anyway. We all care for you like you're family.\" \n\n\"Tch. What if I don't want to be a hero? What if I become... the villain!\" I sigh.\n\n\"Then we can at least try to support you along the way. It's your life, I am your teacher.\" I say.\n\n\"Then I can't do anything without you people bothering me! I'm going to my room.\" He says, slamming the door behind him, and then slamming his room door, which is next to mine. I tried my best to get him to be more positive and less edgy. His friends all ask me over the weeks of trying to get him out of his room, 'What is gonna happen now?' \n\n\"I have no idea, but we will try to do things right! If we can be his influencers, we will!\" I say. We get rid of many of his things that are negative. Besides his night-stealth clothing and camo, we decided that anything edgy like that wasn't a personal item nor battle-related, that could influence him, would be locked in my room. He became slightly more positive, but still edgy.\n\nWe're getting somewhere." ]	2
	[WP] After years of searching, you finally meet the all-knowing man. He knows everything, from private secrets to future events. You ask him when all life on earth will end. The date he gives you... was three years ago.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I like things to be neat and organized alright? Nothing wrong with liking structure and order. My red M&M's separated from my blue M&M's, you get me? Don't like them touching. Don't like it at all. So when I tell you I don’t like the way the pillows on this sofa being in such disorder you understand me right? You understand why I can’t let the colored pillows lie in such disorder right? Sure some pretentious interior designer probably thought blue goes well with red, it’s fashion, the latest trend, haute couture. But I know better. Something terrible will happen if I don’t organize them. Someone will come to harm. Blue goes with blue and red goes with red. No touching the other. No. Don’t like that.\n\nAn average looking man is peeking at me curiously from the other side of the sofa, I can feel his desire for conversation creeping upon me. He reaches forward and shakes my hand with lots of energy. “Hey, I’m Theodore”. Disgusting. It’s disgusting, right? I rub my hand on my khaki pants. I don’t like him grabbing my hands like that. I don’t like it. Right. “You can call me Theo” he continues as he uses his finger to fix his dirty looking glasses. “I’m all-knowing. I know everything, from private secrets to future events”. I choke on a laugh. “Right you are.” Sure he is. “If you know all, then tell me,” I smirk as a grim question crosses my mind “When is all life on Earth gonna end?”.\n\n“December 12th 2017,” he replies without having to think twice about it. Then a hideous uncontrolled laughter burst out from what seems to be my own mouth. All-knowing my ass. “2017, you know that’s almost three years ago, right?”.\n\nI feel the germs growing in my palm. I excuse myself as I head to the restroom. If I wash them thoroughly I won’t get contaminated. Once, twice, thrice, better get those germs off right? I glance at myself in the mirror, my eyes twitching again. I give myself a brief face massage to stop my eye from tensing up. Then I continue down my stiff neck to loosen some tension and feel a small bump on the left side of my neck. What is that? Has that always been there? I’m sure it hasn't. Of course, it hasn’t. It’s cancer. I knew it. I’m going to die. I’m dead already. My heart’s thumping. I can hear my blood pass through my ears—thump, thump, thump—and see my chest moving up and down under two layers of clothing. I notice my hands trembling. My hands should be clean now, right? My vision becomes blurry. Suddenly, a wave of heat ripples over me. So hot. The sweat dripping off my forehead, my shirt soaked. I strip off my sweatshirt and run my face under cold water. Did I wash my hands? The trembling in my hands travels down into my legs, leaving me unsteady on my feet. My heart seems to pound even faster, even harder. It’s trying to rip out of my chest. I try to take deeper breaths to calm myself, but my breath’s sharp and shallow. My vision gets darker, more narrow and looks kaleidoscopic, like when you close your eyes and press down on your eyelids to see stars. “You’re dying,” a voice in my head says. “This is what death feels like, and you’re going to die alone.” And then, I slowly sink to the floor. I don’t know how much time passed before I was able to get up and steady myself—it could have been 30 seconds or an hour. I crawl from the floor and manage to take myself back to the sofa. Before leaving the restroom I wash my hands one last time. And one last time. And one last time.\n\nWhen I get back the “all-knowing” man has left. 2017 he had said. I break out in laughter once more. I point to an older lady sitting in the corner, happy to share the joke “He said the world should have ended three years ago. Three years ago. And it hasn’t!”. I force myself to stop laughing and dry the tears of excessive laughing from my eyes. Then a chill runs down my spine. Something’s wrong.\n\nSomething’s wrong. Something’s wrong. Something’s wrong. It’s not right. Not right. It’s out of line. Chaos. Not as it should be. Out of control. Things like this make me anxious. If the world was supposed to end three years ago. Then why hasn’t it? It should have. But it hasn’t. I release my clenched hands and try to relax. I see a bunch of hair in my palms, I run my hands slowly through my hair trying to count the hair strand with my touch. Mmm, it feels slightly thinner. I gotta stop pulling my hair. One, two, three, four, five, six. I continue to five hundred and seventy-three. There’s still the same amount of flowers on the tapestry as it was yesterday. Life is still in order. There’s still order. I’m still in control. Did I wash my hands? It’s not right, it’s wrong. Life on Earth has to end. It has to end now. It should have ended three years ago. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. My head is hurting. I stop hitting myself on the head and rush towards the exit. I gotta set things straight. Everything has to end. Now. Yesterday. Three years ago.\n\n“Alright, Mr. Spector?”. Silence. The red-headed woman calls out again “Mr. Spector?” she waits but no answer. “Adam Spector, your therapist is ready to take you. No Adam Spector?” she says as she looks around the room.\n\nAn older woman breaks the silence. “There was a man here who just left,” she said with a concerned frown in her already deeply wrinkled forehead. “He was speaking to himself for a long time, shaking hands with the air in front of him. He said something about all life on Earth ending. Three years ago? It made no sense really but then he ran off in such a hurry.”\n\n\\---------------------------------------------- \nThanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it :)I'm constantly looking to improve my writing so any upvotes (and downvotes?!), comments and/or feedback is much appreciated! Take care! Visit r/shadowwords for more.", "I had always imagined a being called \"The All-Knowing Man\" would be some boney old Indian man with a long beard and with a big colorful turban on his head, probably sitting on top of some snowy mountain all day... Ok, I know. That's a little racist.\n\nGrowing up on a farm in rural Indiana isn't exactly the most culturally enlightening upbringing.\n\nBut still, when I finally met the A.K.M., you can't blame me for being just a little bit surprised by this.\n\n\"Suh, dude! What's good, bro? it's ya boi, Chad\" the man said, reaching out his hand. Or rather- cranking his shoulder all the way up and then reaching his hand down. \n\nWhat the in the world? \n\n\"Uh, hi.\" I said, taking his hand, and he took me into a weird combination hug and chest bump, getting me close enough to almost choke on the Ax body spray. \"Um.. so you are the-\"\n\n\"The one and only, bro! The All Knowing Man in the mofo flesh!\" he said, and for some reason he felt the need to vigorously shake his wrists, his hands with a hang-looses sign. He wore an entirely unbuttoned shirt over a tanktop. His flat-brimmed cap ruka cap was turned backwards, and his white framed Oakley sunglasses rested on the back of his head for some reason. \"But seriously, bro, I 100 keep it, like, super cas round here, I'ma all bout first name basis and shit, super chill, ya know? Like, real for real, bro, you can just call me Chad. You seem like a solid dude, dude, no homo. Whats on ya mind today, my homie?\"\n\nI was speechless. This is the legendary All Knowing Man!? Not a chance. Maybe this was some kind of test? Well, I had already come this far, I figured I might as well play along.\n\n\"Ok, Chad\" I said \"what is the state flower of Indiana?\"\n\nChad let out a half chuckle half sigh and replied \"that is such a dope question, bro! For real, most fools up tryna ask some real philosophical shit, like what is the meaning of life so some shittalk like that. Bro, I DIG your question so damn much right now!\" \n\nFor a moment I was sure he was just stalling... But then\n\n\"Homie, ya know that shit is the Peony. Found throughout the mofo northern hemisphere, dawg, that skiz don't mess around! Freaking literally only genus in family Paeoniaceae but 33 different species!? What!? The 1957 Indiana State Assembly wasn't nobody's bitch when they replaced that fool Zinnia as the state flower!\" With that Chad put his fist in the air, ducked huis head, and churnned his fist in circles. \"Dawg, not even pretendin, I LOVED that question\"\n\nAnd just like that, I had used up my first of only 2 questions. All reports were that the AKM would only answer two, before departing. I didn't understand what was going on. But I needed an answer to the big question. The one that made me seek out The AKM in the first place.\n\n\"One more thing... Chad,... what date will the world end?\" I blurted it all out.\n\nChad stiffened. \"Brah...\" there was true disappointment in his voice. The kind of disappointment usually reserved when a long-time friend or even family member made an awful mistake. And I'd only known this man for a couple minutes. Damn bros.\n\n\"Brah, the world ended on April 19, 2017 CE. Meteorite J9LM, over 26 miles in diameter, collided with the Ural region of Russian Siberia at 3:17PM local time. That blast killed most of Eurasia within the hour. Effects killed all biological life within the week.\"\n\nI couldn't help but notice most of his 'bro talk' vernacular disappeared. He was somber. \"That was three years ago, Chad.\" I was relieved this wasn't the all knowing man after all. \"Look, you're hilarious, ha ha ha, but I don't have time for this and-\"\n\n\"1,520 years ago, brah.\" Chad interjected. \"April 19, 2017 was actually 1,520 years ago my homie, not 3. This world simulator we're living in went online February 28, 2017, but the programmers started the sim for January 1, 500 CE. It's been running in real time, dawg. Me and the other Mods had a sick-ass kickback at Chandler and Maggie's pad to celebrate reaching what was supposed to be doomsday April 19, 2017. It was sick so bro! Also, nothing big happened on that day here in the sim. That was pretty sick too\"", "On the top of a very large snowy mountain, there sits a small stone house. In this house lives the All-Knowing Man. \n\nWith a heavy kick, I nearly send his door flying off of it’s hinges. Snow flurries flutter past me.\n\n“You!” I said, finger pointed in an accusative manner. \n\n“Me?” He responded with eyebrows raised.\n\n“Yes, you.”\n\nHe relaxed. “Yeah, I know.”\n\nI kicked the door shut with my heel. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you, old man.” I said as I tore the beanie off of my head and tossed it aside.\n\nThe bearded old man turned to continue his previous task of making tea. “I knew you were.”\n\n“Then you must know why.”\n\n“Of course.”\n\nI stepped closer to him. “The world is in trouble. The virus is killing everyone. We need the cure.”\n\nThe old man, mid sip in his tea, began to cough. “Oh,” he said, trying to stop the coughing fit. “Right. Yep... uh-huh. I knew that.”\n\nI furrowed my brow. “Okay, then why didn’t you try to help?”\n\nThe old man took a seat by the fire, tea still in hand. “Well, I don’t like to intervene.”\n\n“But you’re the All-Knowing Man!” I argued.\n\n“Yes, I know. But I like to let fate take it’s course.”\n\n“We’re fucking miserable down there!”\n\nThe old man took another sip. “I understand that, but still... it’s not up to me.”\n\n“Oh, come on. Just tell me how to cure it.”\n\n“Sorry. I can’t allow you to change fate.”\n\nI stared at the old man for a minute, considering whether or not I should try to force the information out of him. \n\nHe stood up from his seat. “Needs more sugar,” he said as he walked over to the cupboard.\n\n“Okay, tell me this,” I stepped behind him. “when is the world going to end?”\n\nHe finished adding the sugar. “Ah!” He said. “That’s easy.” He stirred his tea and crossed back to his seat. “2017.” He took another sip, scrunching his nose as he pulled the cup away from his mouth. “Yuck.”\n\n“2017?” I stood in front of him, confused. “That was three years ago.”\n\nThe old man’s eyebrows raised again. “I, um...” he began scratching at his beard. “Are you sure?”\n\nI was speechless. I stood for a moment just staring, then I realized something. The old man didn’t have a phone, a TV, a radio... he didn’t even have a calendar. His home consisted of the bare-bones essentials and not much else.\n\n“You’re not actually all-knowing, are you?” I asked.\n\n“Ha!” He waved his hand as if the question were nonsense. “Of course I am.”\n\n“What’s my name?” \n\nHis eyes began to dance around the room, stopping on my jacket. “Patagonia,” he said confidently.\n\nI rolled my eyes and walked back to my beanie, returning it to my head. I opened the door, cold wind and snow fluttering back inside.\n\n“Stay safe out there, Patagonia,” he said.\n\n“My name’s not Patagonia.” I slammed the door behind me.\n\n———————————————————————\n\nVisit r/TheGoshfather for more stories!" ]	4
	[WP] A man is tasked into reviewing a remote facility composed entirely of scientific. But when he arrives, he discovers that all of them are completely mad and will kill him(or worse) if he gives a negative report. Now he must decide between honesty and common sense or is own survival.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Charles thumbed through the documents on his clipboard. \n\n“Well start with the reactor and work our way to the transducer. How does that sound Bill?”\n\nBill was a tall slender man with circular glasses. His was startlingly tall and towered over Charles as peered down to him. \n\n“That is fine Charles. We have nothing to hide here. Everything is in great shape. I’m sure you’ll see that soon enough this inspection isn’t truly necessary.”\n\nCharles was used to tactics like this. He liked to call it the confident front. Whenever a scientist puts up a confident front it’s more likely than not that they’re operating loose and fast. In other words they’re rule breakers and Charles was a stickler for the rules. \n\n“Show me to the reactor Bill. If you’re this confident, the inspection should go smoothly and I’ll be out of here in time to catch a screening at the cinema.”\n\nThey walked briskly down a corridor with walls covered in sheets of aluminum alloy and signs that said “Safety first or leave in a hearse”. The halls were empty and seemed to stretch on for miles. It must’ve been the shiny metal walls that made the halls look larger and longer with their constant reflections. \n\nThey made it to the reactor in just a few minutes. Bill looked at his watch and tapped his foot as though he had somewhere urgent to be be. His eyes shifted from Bill to the door and back.\n\nBill spoke quickly.\n“Do you need me here for this inspection? I really would like to check up on one of our interns. I just remember it’s his first day and I’m afraid he might cause some damage if he doesn’t have any supervision. Nobody else knows he’s here today.”\n\n“No that’s fine, go ahead, I’ll be a few hours. Just be sure to meet me here around then and we can move on” said Charles casually.\n\nBill walked away without a word as his lab coat flapped behind him. \n\nApprox 4 hours later:\n\nI should go find Bill. He must have forgot about me Charles thought. He opened the door they had come in from and peered out. There was nobody in the halls and not even a sound to be heard. The halls started to look more like a circus fun house with all those crazy mirrors. Charles rubbed his temple with his right hand and closed his eyes.\n\n“Gosh how do I even get out of this place”.\n\nCharles looked at his phone. No signal. He started walking, and kept walking until about ten minutes had gone by. He was going to be late for dinner with his wife if he didn’t find Bill or a way out of here soon. He picked up his pace and kept walking until sweat dropped from his face and he was hunched over with his hands in his knees muttering curse words under his breath. \n\nHe took a deep breath and looked up to see the same door that led him to the reactor so many hours ago. Charles looked at his watch again. He stared at it in disbelief. He had been waking for over two hours and he was back where he started. \n\n2 Days Later\n\nBill picked up the phone to hear the shrill voice of the Scientific Counsel Inspector. \n\n“Hi Bill, we sent an inspector your way a couple days ago. Have you heard anything from him at all?”\n\nBill smiled.\n“No I haven’t seen or heard a thing. Maybe he got the wrong address”.\n\n“Okay. No problem. Maybe he will show up a little late. In either case I’m going to send out another inspector to review your facility. He will be there. Monday.”\n\nBills smile faded to a frown.\n“Yes, okay. Looking forward to it. I must get back to work. Bye now.”\n\nBill hung up the phone and combed over his security monitors. There was Charles, sleeping near the reactor and using his dress shoes as a pillow. \n\n“He looks so peaceful” Bill thought as his smile returned. Only a couple more days and this will all be over." ]	2
	[WP] You live in a reality in which a person gets a clear, infallible mental notification once they've done something if it's the last time that they will ever do it. This is normal for niche things, like bungie jumping. However, you just got the notification that you just woke up for the last time.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "....To Live or Die....\n\nIt was 3 am. Colin had got up to attend the nature's call. After so many sleepless nights , as he counted on his fingers that was the night he had got 3 hours of sleep till then all thanks to his sleeping pills and his therapist.He desired sleep today.He was finally making amends to the fact that he was not the reason behind his daughter's death. It was an accident.4 weeks ago ,he wouldn't have believed that he would be able to move ahead after the divorce, after all those sleepless nights,those strips of sleep pills he had gulped all in vain.\n'Now i have hope, now i have the will to live.' he repeated to himself standing in his balcony as he finished his last bit of cigarette.\n\n\nAs he returned to the room and shut the lights his phone beeped.A notification at this time, must be from the operator regarding tomorrow's due date,he thought ignoring it. He jump on his bed rubbing his eyes ready to sleep again.He was half asleep half awake by this time,moving an inch closer to snores with every other breath .The phone beeped again , he woke up with a shriek to buzz off the notification sound for his sound sleep had now become his first priority.\n\n\n\n\nJust as he tapped his phone he saw the notification 'Kindly note , the number of times you can wake again has dropped to zero'.Terrified he dropped his phone , is this some kind of joke.He dialled the number he got the message from,the bot kept repeating the same message 'Kindly note ,the number of times you can wake again has dropped to zero'.Ironically his sleep vanished , he copied this message and pasted it on Google just thinking it must be a prank by some nocturnals, too high to sleep.He recieved a voice note as soon as he tapped the search icon ’ Kindly note the number of times you can wake again has dropped to zero'.He kept scrolling ,waiting for a sane result he expected , by this time he had become too numb to sleep. The clock struck 7. His eyes had turned red, he reminded himself 'I shouldn't sleep at any cost'.\n\n\nHe reached his office and was greeted by his colleagues as usual. His phone kept buzzing with the same notification hour after hour.He couldn't help ignoring them. As he pondered over his thoughts, he told himself that maybe these are his last days to build memories of him and his daughter within people.It was a reason he made up just to hush his thoughts of his will to live.He was in a dillema but he had become too weak to acknowlege it. He was determined that the end was near but he couldn't help but resist the temptation to sleep, he wanted to live.\nMaybe its possible that it is time \nto meet my daughter. It is time for me to get her back' a thought shoved by his mind.\n\n\nAs he kept himself awake he completed all his deadlines and made it a short routine to visit his therapist as long as he could. It was soothing to recherish those memories of his daughter with her ,to tell her stories about his daughter , how she was curious about every damn thing , how she enjoyed sports , how she loved dancing,how she kept him alive. \n\n\nSince he had made an amend of lasting without sleep as long as he could this was the only way for him to keep reminding himself of those memories. For Colin sleep deprived him of life and life deprived him of sleep. \n\n\nOn the 6th day he went and gave Amy's clothes to his Ex wife Daisy and bid her a goodbye of sorts as he thought 'One never knows when's the day.' He had moved from completing his deadlines,meeting his family,his friends by sitting before the tv, changing channels just to keep him engaged on the first day to coke ,weed and himself till the 5th day.\n\n\nAs those nights and days of him relying on coke and weed to keep himself awake (just so he can cherish one more day of taking back those memories )went by ,he had become comfortably numb so much so that he couldn't remember the dealer's number or anything about his past all he started seeing was blackness before him, he had forgotten what light looked like ! He could hear murmers of some sorts. As he snort the last bit of his pack he fall on the bed with a thud.", "My alarm jolted me out of my sleep, great another dream ruined, another forgotten, anoth....brrrnngg the notification startled me more than the alarm. I never get messages this early unless it's from them. I sat up in bed and grabbed my phone. Sure enough there it was, in plain unassuming text. The message read: \"You've woken up for the last time.\" \n\nMost people would panic, they'd call loved ones, try and cram as many bucket list items in as possible, they'd party and go wild. What could anyone do? The next time they shut their eyes would be the last, never to wake again... at least not in this world. I would do none of this stuff. I've been waiting for this notification, the one that would bring relief. The one that would would rescue me from the constant suffering my own brain inflicted upon me. \n\nI walked to my dresser and opened the top drawer. In the corner was an orange pill container, a remnant script from my insomnia a few years ago. I grabbed the bottle and headed back to my bed. As I poured the pills into my hand I couldn't help but crack a smile. It was over, finally over. I popped them into my mouth and washed them down with some water I had on my nightstand. \n\nAs I layed down on my bed I couldn't help but wonder what dreams lay ahead of me....", "\"The amount of times you will wake up has dropped to zero.\"\n\nThat's the notification that blared in my head this morning. The adrenaline woke me up better than any alarm ever could, but I have a solution.\n\nLiterally. \n\nI've concocted a chemical formula that I'll drink every day and I wont have to sleep ever again!\n\n-\n\n\"The amount of times you will report the news has dropped to zero.\"\n\nThe notification sang sweetly in my head as I finished my last day at work.\n\n\"Good job on that report, Teddy. It's been good having you on board. Hell of a last story, too! Explosion that took out a block? Talk about going out with a \"bang\"!\"\n\nDave can be an ass sometimes. I know people died, but he didn't mean anything by it, and I'm just about ready to walk out that door for the last time anyway, so..\n\n\"You know it, Dave. This network's going to miss me!\"", "I looked at the notification, not comprehending. Swipe it away, friend, you can comprehend it later.\n\nGet up. Day has started. Work to do. Not sure I remember my job, but I'll get around to it.\n\nSlam one foot to the floor, let the other drop more gently. Kindness is important. Do not forget to give it to myself, first and foremost.\n\nDrag myself up, gently-spasming-into-stoic-strictly pull myself upright. Blink once, blink twice. Begin walking to the bathroom.\n\nMaybe I can check the notification agai- no, brush my teeth. That's it. Good. Run it all around the mouth. Get all the crevices. Don't forget to get out last night's dinner that got lodged into the molars. Finish with mouthwash infused water flosser. Twice, to be safe. Didn't brush last night.\n\nStep out. Feel a pang of anxiety. Question it, or rather, begin to before promptly deciding to ignore it and moving onto breakfast. Bread and orange marmalade. Simple, to the point, need nothing more. Well, yes, I do, but it'll come later in the day, with the IV's, the choco flavored nutriblocks...\n\nAh yes, my job, labrat for the big corp. Testing their drugs(not sanctioned, no, very under the table) in exchange for big money, big comfort. Occasionally accompanied by blackouts and very pleasant days as well as drop dead nightmarish ones. The latter have reduced after a few appeals. Reduced is enough for now.\n\nWait.\n\nThe notification.\n\nI open it up. I can't stop looking at it.\n\nNo.\n\nThey promised. Jane and Aaliyah and Sora were supposed to be the testers for this one.\n\nNo. That's not it. This is different. I'm misreading on purpose. Because I can't bear the implications. \n\n\"Congratulations, you've slept for the last time!\"\n\nI impulsively punch through the purple smiley face, fighting back the nausea arising in me best as I can.\n\nI went through the channels. I protested. I raised awareness. I also didn't believe they could truly accomplish it. They can't do this. Can't start with me.\n\nYou remove sleep, you remove the ability to consolidate memory. To strengthen connections made in the morning or before sleep, via intense focus and intention. You remove the ability to truly grow. To change, even. You create human ants. Their internal name is 'Antsy' for it, even. Ridiculous.\n\nThey won't do it. I won't be their pet. I obeyed the system, but now I'll obey myself. They didn't catch everything I bought with me, I let them confiscate enough to let them be confident enough in thinking they had everything.\n\nI open the drawer unopened since I arrived here - a rookie mistake if it wasn't for the fact that I never got visitors, so the obvious dust on it doesn't matter - slowly, achingly, it groans open.\n\nThe classic revolver in it looks as clean as the day I bought. The six bullets within gleam.\n\nThe notification's correct, I've woken up for the last time. \n\nBut I'll be damned if there are others after me, ones who don't even know its being fed to them.\n\nThis is my last day. And I go in defiance. I go to allow others to rest.", "John looked in disgust at all the empty bottles on his desk. This was the third night this week he drank himself into a stupor, and in his drunken state he began to realize he had a problem. The light-blue glow of early morning seeped in through his curtains. He promised himself this would be the last night before passing out in his bed.\n\n\nHe woke up with a splitting headache. He checked his phone for the time and saw he had two notifications. The screen’s light hurt his eyes, so he put it down and tried to fall back asleep.\n\n\nWhile lying in bed he got the feeling this really was never going to happen again. Told you, he said to himself, no more drinking and no more hangovers. After thirty minutes he was unable to sleep so he got up, had a glass of water, and took a shower. While getting dressed his phone rang. It was his dad.\n\n\n“Hey bud,” his dad said, “happy anniversary.”\n\n\n“Anniversary? Oh shit, it’s the 13th? I didn’t realize. Happy anniversary.”\n\n\n“I’ll meet you at the usual spot then – say around 6?”\n\n\nJohn checked the time, it was 3. He figured he’d recover within three hours.\n\n\n“Sounds good to me. See you there.”\n\n\n“Great. Love you.”\n\n\n“Love you too, Pops.”\n\n\nThe anniversary marked the death of John’s mother. They knew she wouldn’t want them to mourn her death, so his dad suggested they treat it as a positive holiday. John objected the first few years, but as he grew older he started to understand. This was the eleventh anniversary. \n\n\nThe two met at Harold’s bar downtown. It was the bar where his parents met. They always ordered mint juleps – her favorite drink.\n\n\n“I can’t believe it’s already been eleven years,” John’s father said.\n\n\n“And not a day goes by that I don’t miss her,” John replied. “She was the best mom.”\n\n\n“And the best wife.”\n\n\nThe two clinked their glasses.\n\n\n“By the way, “ his father said, “why’d you ignore my texts?”\n\n\nJohn figured the two notifications he saw earlier were from him.\n\n\n“Sorry, drank too much last night. I think I’m starting to become an alcoholic.”\n\n\n“I’ve been drinking too much recently as well. Hard to find ways to pass the time. Say, why don’t we both pledge a vow of sobriety? In honor of Molly? Starting tomorrow, of course.”\n\n\n“Starting tomorrow – sure. But tonight we drink. In honor of her as well.”\n\n\nAlcoholism ran in their genes and quitting was harder than making a drunken pledge in honor of their loved one. Both knew that, but the thought of going sober always appeals to an alcoholic. The two drank the night away, merrily exchanging tales of Molly. His dad had the bulk of the stories, since she passed when John was fairly young, but John had a few fun memories of childhood to share. After hours of drinking Harold himself had to escort the two out personally.\n\n\nThe two were drunk to the point of bad decisions. John’s dad asked him how he got to the bar and he said he took a cab because he knew they’d be drinking. John asked him the same question, and his dad told him not to worry about it. “I’ve been doing this before you even existed,” he said.\nJohn had his objections, but he trusted his father, so he let it go. I’m sure he’s fine, he lied to himself. John caught a cab and the two hugged and said their goodbyes. \n\n\nWhen John got home he realized he still had the two unread texts from his dad, so he opened them. \n\n\n“Happy Anniversary! 😊 Usual spot at 6?”\n\n\nThen two hours later:\n\n\n“Are you asleep still, dummy? Wake up! Molly would be furious! Love you.”\n\n\nJohn laughed and figured now was good a time as any to reply.\n\n\n“Finally saw these! Love you too! Goodnight!”\n\n\nJohn put the phone aside and fell asleep. He dreamed of an airplane crash in the middle of the Pacific.\n\n\n…\n\n\nJohn woke up with a splitting headache. He had no new notifications." ]	6
	[WP] You decide to get on the local train and ride it to the end of the line, just to see where it goes. It's been over a week now, you've crossed mountains and deserts, passed through enormous cities and tiny towns, always traveling west. The new conductor doesn't recognize your money.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Look son, I understand you've been riding this here train for a while now, and the fact of the matter is that after we passed Thupolis, you needed a new token, simple as that, paid in full. I've got no problem with different currencies; drachma, ikelio, schrimshaw, plain old gold nuggets even. But I have not seen coin nor currency like this beneath the red sun. \n\nNo hold on now, son, I know the cut of your cloth, so there's no need to be angry. I'm perfectly sure that there's a land where this is accepted payment since you've come this far. The fact is that the Company simply cannot accept an unknown payment. Even if a well-heeled customer such as yourself is clearly on a...journey of indeterminate length.\n\nThe trouble I see is thus: the Company is honor-bound to grant passage, but requires exchange of value to complete this exchange of service. Goodness no, suggesting you do...that...is certainly improper, regardless of whichever caste your family belongs into. \n\nI was merely going to offer an alternate means of exchange. You see how bleached these old bones are? Some days it feels as if walking from the dining cars to the sleepers will be the end of me. So here is my offer; I need not quite an assistant, not quite an apprentice, not quite a peer. If you would work under-alongside, I would count that as an appropriate exchange.\n\nAha, I would have been sorely disappointed had you not asked that. Nothing demeaning--we have the porters for the cleaning, and the kitchen staff, and the engineers. No, I need someone to handle the 'gods of the gaps'. \n\nUnfamiliar phrase? Hmm, that would be running requests from the passengers to the porters, orders to the kitchen, additional tickets to myself, lighting and extinguishing the night lamps (but not filling them!), distributing mail. Of course, much like my role of conductor, there is a fair amount of free time as well...\n\nAh, splendid! I am honored by your acceptance, since the alternative would have been to stain the Company's honor and put you off at the next station. By my bleached bones it has been a long time since I've had the honor and pleasure of company! Now, we'll need to find you a proper garb for your station, the needed rigging for you to be hopping between cars quickly, a key to the extra conductor's cabin, and of course, a hand-flint for lighting the lamps.\n\nAnd of course, should your destination ever become clear, do let me know so that I may furnish you with a return ticket. Why? Simply put, you have given back some life to these old bleached bones, and I feel you still have very much that you still wish to see..." ]	2
	[WP] For every living person, there are 14 dead people who they can interact with. Your dead friends are, well, interesting to say the least.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Every day it's the same old drill. Wake up, take a shower, and drink my morning coffee with Albert Einstein. Some would think that having a morning conversation with one of the most brilliant minds of the scientific world would be a gift, but our conversations tend to be less about science or the universe. This morning was no different.\n\n“Johnny,” he said. “I’m so glad you’ve avoken, my boy.”\n\n“Yeah, Albert.”\n\n“I’ve been thinking of something new!”\n\n“You don’t say.”\n\n“Vhat’s the difference between a tire and 365 used condoms?”\n\n“I don’t know, what is the difference?”\n\n“One is a Goodyear and...one is a great year!”\n\n“That’s a good one.”\n\n“You must overcome this stage fright,” he said. \"You’ll never break into comedy if you don’t start going to open mics.”\n\n“I tell you this every day, If I wanted to be a comedian then I would go to open mics, Albert.”\n\n“Vhat a vaste! I recall working at the patent office, pondering the process of having my big break and that’s vhen I come up with time being relative. If you sit on a hotplate for a moment, it feels like hour, but if a pretty girl sits on your lap for an hour, it feels like a moment. Of course, this concept gave me my big break.”\n\n“You weren’t a comedian, Albert.”\n\n“Vasn’t I, though? We are all living storytellers of this cosmic comedy; jesters in God’s greatest joke.”\n\n“Incredibly profound. I have to go to work.”\n\n“Fine,” Albert said. “One more before you go. Vhy do valruses love a tuppervare party? They’re alvays on the lookout for a tight seal.”\n\n“You do know these are entirely inappropriate jokes, don’t you?”\n\n“Comedy is supposed to be inappropriate. How else are ve supposed to laugh vhen faced with the impending doom of all of existence in the matter of a few billion years? The dinosaurs once ruled this planet and vere viped out by a stupid accident. Now, humans are in control of this planet and vill probably vipe themselves off this planet without any help from cosmic accidents.”\n\nThe spirits come and go throughout the day. Unfortunately, I work as an advisor at a university, which means most of my day I get visited by my spirits. My office is across from another advisor named Annabell. She advises for the Gender Studies major.\n\n“At least you get a variation,” she said. “I’d kill to have cringey dirty old man comedian Albert Einstein.”\n\nAnnabell has an entire minor league baseball team that died in a bus accident in the 30s.\n\n“I just get a bunch of racist, misogynistic assholes. They ask to see my tits everyday.”\n\n“Honestly, Albert wouldn’t be much different.”\n\nUsually, after I get to work, I speak with my grandmother.\n\n“That Annabell girl likes you,” she said.\n\n“I doubt she like me and even if she did like me, I’m gay.”\n\n“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t marry the girl.”\n\n“I think it does mean I shouldn’t marry the girl.”\n\n“Your grandfather married me and he loved having sex with men.”\n\n“That’s weird that you love telling me that, grandmom.”\n\n“Why do you think he would go on his boys trips? For such an enlightened time period, most of you live such repressed lives where you have to fit in these tiny little boxes. Why live with one hand tied behind your back? I remember the first time I had sex with a woman. She was my field hockey coach in high school. She was 30 years older than me. We were showering together. I remember the water clinging to her dark bushy pubic hair.”\n\n“Okay, grandmom, I have to work. I have an appointment.”\n\nEven after death, I still have to make up excuses to get out of talking to my grandmother. I wish more students would come to speak with me, but they only come two times a semester to talk with me at the beginning and at the end. However, I never know which one of my ghosts will sit across from me. This morning, it was John Doe. I call him John Doe because he doesn’t want to tell me his name.\n\n“How’s the life of a prisoner?” he asked.\n\n“I’m not a prisoner.”\n\n“It looks to me you’re imprisoned at your little desk in front of a little box. Is that how they watch you? Is that your warden?”\n\n“It’s a computer. Think of it like a big filing cabinet.”\n\n“It’s a cage.”\n\n“What do you want me to do for a living?”\n\n“Live your life for a living,” he said. “All you do is trade one prison for another for another. You want that plaque saying, ‘Congratulations on doing the same thing every day for 30 years!’”\n\n“Some people have callings to service and they work for the good of those they serve.”\n\n“It’s obvious these kids don't give a shit about your service.”\n\n“If you told me your name then I might listen to what you have to say.”\n\n“Even if I told you my name, you’d never find me. My exploits aren’t written in books. A life captured in a book, your memory is imprisoned to live the same moments again and again, and right now my existence in the spirit world is imprisoned by your dull existence.”\n\n“Maybe this is where you’re supposed to be?” I said. “Ever think of that? Maybe your afterlife is poetic justice for the life you lived?”\n\n“That’s not it,” he said. “I’m here to break you free of your cage.”\n\n“Well, we’re stuck in this cage together. I hope when I die, I get to bother you for eternity.”\n\n“You already do bother me.”\n\nHe disappeared. I took the opportunity to use the restroom, but I knew who would be waiting for me.\n\n“Fancy meeting you here.”\n\n“Hello, Oscar.”\n\n“This is a terribly dreadful place to have our little conversations.”\n\n“It’s a bathroom.”\n\n“You always call it a bathroom but I never see a bath and it’s not much of a room.”\n\n“You’re worse than Albert.”\n\n“His bawdy jokes are meant for the ships and I’m meant more for the wharfs.”\n\n“I thought you were supposed to be witty.\"\n\n“Well, together you and I make one whole wit, otherwise we’re just a couple of half-wits.”\n\n“I’m leaving.”\n\n“If you shake it more than 3 times, you’re playing with it.”\n\n“I won’t give you the satisfaction.”\n\n“Satisfaction is not something you give, it's what happens when a...hold on I’ll think of something.”\n\n“Goodbye, Oscar.”\n\n“No, don’t go, I almost have it. Satisfaction is not something you give, because if everyone were satisfied, then there’d be no heroes.”\n\n“That’s a butchered Mark Twain quote,” I said.\n\n“You’re a butchered Mark Twain quote. How dare you compare me to some hillbilly hayseed!”\n\nI returned to the office. The check-in desk was empty. I was surprised to find someone sitting in the chair across from my desk waiting for me. I looked into Annabell’s office and she was with a student, so I didn’t want to bother them.\n\n“I’m sorry did we have an appointment today?”\n\n“No, I just walked in. I hope you don’t mind.”\n\n“I might not be your advisor,” I said.\n\n“I’m pretty sure you’re who I’m supposed to speak with. That is your name on the sign by the door, right?”\n\n“Yes, this is my office. Well, if you’re supposed to speak with me then let’s get started.”\n\n“Is this your first year?”\n\n“I guess so.”\n\n“When did you transition here?”\n\n“I’m not sure when...exactly.”\n\n“Okay, what’s your major?”\n\n“I don’t have a major, I’m dead. I think you’re supposed to find the person that killed me.”" ]	2
	[WP] Books are not written by humans but are instead given to mortals from the gods as gifts to their favorite worshipers.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Despite the video doorbell and locked apartment building, I never see how the books appear. Maybe I'll get a doormat that says, “Hope you like dogs.\" Maybe it's passive-aggressive. If visitors don’t like dogs, I’m fine to put Charlie in the bathroom. Charlie won't be a fan.\n\nIt’s got to be some intellectual. Last week’s manuscript was “Pride and Pretzels: How the economics of food and fiction readership affect graduate level English coursework.” They’re all like that.\n\nAt work, I catch up on the Slack channel #mysterious\\_manuscripts. Neal, our project manager, used to religiously read The New Yorker. Then he started getting satire outside his front door. Now, he writes for the New Yorker's site.\n\nI close a rapidly developing thread about the Twilight books.\n\n“Did you get another one?” says Megan.\n\n“Here,” I say, finding the pile. “Can you scan it?”\n\n“Can you ask them to put it on a flash drive?” she says. “It could save us a couple intern hours.”\n\n“I don’t see them,” I say.\n\n“No one does,” says Megan. She picks up a yellow post-it with “DO TAXES” on it. “Jen left them a note. It worked.”\n\nIt takes me a couple post-its to get the wording right. I clear out a flash drive to my desktop and tape the drive to the note. Then, I leave it in the hallway where I usually find the texts and think about getting a doormat again.\n\nThe next morning, I find “Graphite or lead: Grade-school semantics in service of Derrida’s ‘play’.” The first page has “peer reviewed” signed with a scribble. The flash drive is gone.\n\nAt work, Neal squints at the “peer reviewed” signature. “Huh,” he says. “Put it on the channel.”\n\nPeteMorrs: Looks like Neruda’s sig.\n\nJen L.: It can’t be dead people. Did you see this in the Washington Post? \n\nIt’s an opinion piece on how Tolstoy’s writing style would still be around if dead people dropped off the manuscripts. An ongoing debate.\n\nPeteMorrs: 👍\n\nOn Monday, I find the stapled manuscript with my flash drive taped on. They'd copied the file onto it. I show Megan.\n\n“It’s avocado washi tape,” I say.\n\n“Isn’t that cute?” says Megan.\n\n“Don’t you get curious?” says Pete, leaning around the monitor. “Neal stayed up all night once and didn’t see anything.”\n\n“Maybe they crawl under the peep hole thing,” says Megan. I grimace a little.\n\n“Maybe they’re invisible,” says Pete. “Could be dead.”\n\nI’ve already read this conversation a few times in #mysterious\\_manuscripts.\n\n“Do ghosts use .docx?” I say.\n\n“I don’t know what their options are,” Jen says from around the corner. Megan nods.\n\n“It’s dark in the hallway,” I say. “I’d rather keep my door locked.”\n\nCharlie the Pomeranian isn’t much of a defender. Honestly, I’d rather the manuscripts stop coming, or go to someone else. I guess someday I’ll have to decide whether it’s worth giving up my weekday evenings on JSTOR." ]	2
	[WP] Everyone knows of the King's right hand. However, not everyone knows of the left-hand to the King. You have just been called upon for the last time and the request is very unsual.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"It was been some time since you've called upon me in this capacity.\" Though I've told endlessly to ease the formalities, I could not help but bow deeply. \"What is it you wish, my King?\"\n\n\"I require your skills, Kron.\" King Renoit pulled at his mustache, to anxious to notice my etiquette. The two of us were alone in the top room of the tallest tower, located well above the rest of the palace and inaccessible except through a single door - and yet he still spoke softly, tremulously. \"My spies inform me that there is a plot afoot - a plot to murder me.\"\n\nBelieve it or not, that made me relax a little. This was my expertise. \"And you desire that I halt this dastardly plan immediately. Of course. Have you any information about your would-not-be assailant?\"\n\n\"It is...Kal.\" Even as the words left his lips, the King's face paled.\n\nNot much surprises me, but that was the last name I had expected to hear. After a moment of stunned silence, I ran a trembling hand through my hair. \"Indeed? Forgive me for saying so, but...that cannot be true.\"\n\n\"I know, I know, it shocks me, too,\" he murmured. \"I would never have guessed... I mean, he has always seemed completely harmless, and so loyal...\"\n\n\"Perhaps someone else is doing the plotting?\" I suggested. Normally, I did not probe as such. I was given a task, a difficult mission, and expected to complete it surreptitiously, no questions asked. And I have always done so. But this time... \"And Kal is being used as a pawn?\"\n\nRenoit shook his head. \"I've asked the same of my spies - begged them to make sure they knew the whole truth. But it seems undeniable. I...I would tell you the details, but it hurts to speak. Please, talk to Cornwall...\"\n\nCornwall was the King's favorite - and for good reason. He was one of the few men that I knew who could sneak past even me. \"Very well - I shall verify. And if it is indeed true...what...what should I do?\"\n\nHe swallowed hard and looked away so I could not see the tears welling up in his eyes. \"You are my left-hand man, Kron. I've always trusted you to to do what is...needed. Even if it is difficult...for both you and me.\"\n\nI nodded slowly. \"As you command, my King.\"\n\nI left the King alone, pondering deeply as I descended down the winding steps. I had to talk to Cornwall for sure, and maybe even the other lower spies. The whole situation was deeply disturbing. My composure, generally rock-hard, wavered now as I thought about the task before me. I've already done several assassinations, all dispassionately and efficiently. But to kill the right hand man of the King, even if it was to save his life and the Kingdom...\n\nI froze as I passed a window. Far below me, on the wide, green lawns adjacent to the castle, I saw Prince Kal. He was laughing and playing some ball-and-hoop game with several Lords and Ladies. He was much loved and admired by all - for his easygoing nature, for his kindness, for his loyalty to the kingdom. Could he really be plotting to kill his own father?\n\nI would do what I must to protect the crown - but I needed to make sure that it was absolutely necessary, that there was not another option, or perhaps even some hidden truth that would exonerate Prince Kal. The way the King spoke, it seemed like the latter was unlikely.\n\n\"But I will act only when I am certain,\" I whispered into the air, eyes still glued on Kal. \"And I dearly hope that all the suspicions against you are false, brother.\"\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\nLiked that story? Want more like it? Check out 📷[r/Idreamofdragons](https://www.reddit.com/r/Idreamofdragons/)!" ]	2
	[WP] As a grim reaper you cannot rest until you have collected all the souls you are destined to collect. What started as a practical joke by leaving the first name to be the last to collect has resulted in a billion year old feud. Mother Nature must be taken off your list	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"What do you mean this doesn't count?\" The dark hooded immortal whined, \"Listen, we've been at this for years and this has to be her! I swear Father Fate! She's the mother of a pantheon! She's the embodiment of the earth! 3 of her kids are all nature godesses! How is this not Mother Nature!\"\n\nFather Fate sighed and shook his head \"Listen Thanatos, I appreciate your years of work but I can't accept this. Gaia is not Mother Nature. Go back to your realm and put her back now and get back to work.\" The elderly man in the grey suit replied.\n\n\"Please! Every year my list grows, and every year but one name remains! I have captured Gaias soul, a soul of a primordial being! What more do you want from me?\" The reaper pleaded, falling to his skeletal knees.\n\nFather Fate pursed his lips and knit his fingers together \"My dear boy, I want you to complete your list and move on from this plane, but not with assignments that aren't yours...err, yet, this one does seem to be getting rather ancient.\" He said discarding the ancient and metaphysical embodiment of the Greek Earth. He had a unamused look on his face, and seemed tired, but the action was still a trivial thing to him, a subtle reminder that this being held nigh omniscient power. \n\nThe depressed reaper took the soul back and opened his decrepit wings, fetching his scythe. As he began to leave for the voyage back he stopped briefly at a small tick from Father Fate \"Ah, and Thanatos, see you next year.\" He said with a darkened, supernatural grin stretching his shadowed face. Thanatos shivered silently and fled, knowing he was but a fly, caught in a eldritch spiders web.\n\nAnother year, another failed attempt at freedom, Thanatos flew into the void between realms to return Gaia to her realm, before shifting back into it. It would be a eternal solace for him, that no time existed in the void, for he could always lament his sorrows there in silence.\n\n....maybe next year...." ]	2
	[WP] The fae folk are becoming increasingly annoyed by all the humans trying to be abducted by them, rather than continue living in the human world.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Lace, you still haven’t found a champion?” Rutu asked, frowning on my behalf. I shook my head, and Rutu tapped her chin. “It should be easy, though. Isn’t there a fad in the human world right now where people are actually looking to get summoned here?”\n\nI sighed. “That’s the problem. It’s hard to find a good candidate because you can’t cross over without a hundred humans waving a bunch of resumes around in your face, but the people who want to be summoned usually aren’t the kind that make good heroes.”\n\n“Sounds like you’re just being picky.”\n\nI rolled my eyes. “One of the driving forces for heroes here is the desire to get back home. If you summon somebody who has no intention of going back, they won’t be motivated to do anything. At worst, they’re looking for an escapist fantasy, and will either abuse their power here or be sorely disappointed if they can’t.”\n\n“Mm… that does sound pretty bad.”\n\n“Understatement. You know those bandit ‘guilds’ that have been springing up lately? Disgruntled ‘heroes’ who didn’t know what they were signing up for.”\n\nRutu covered her mouth with her hand. “I heard rumors but I didn’t really think… that’s horrible!”\n\nI held out my hands and chanted an incantation, opening up a portal to the human’s realm above me. “That’s actually the ‘adventure’ I’ve been assigned. I’m to go find a hero that can get rid of the bandit guilds before they cause more trouble.”\n\n“And you need to make sure the person you bring back doesn’t defect and add to the problem…” Rutu finished for me.\n\n“Exactly.”\n\nRutu set a hand on my shoulder. “Good luck then. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.”\n\nI nodded, unfolded my wings, and sprang into the air, flying right through the portal.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\\\\\\\n\n \n\n“Where’d she go?”\n\n“I think she flew that way!”\n\n“Come on! Let’s hurry!”\n\n“Can we even get isekai’ed as a group? What if only one of us can go?”\n\n“Nose goes!” one of them yelled, immediately touching his snout.\n\n“That’s not how that works! That’s not what nose-goes is for!” another complained, and then any further bickering was too far away for me to hear as they continued on down the alley.\n\nI sighed with relief and crept out of the air duct, having lost my pursuers. “Jack-asses,” I muttered as I brushed some grime off my arms and my dress and flittered my wings, shaking free a cloud of dust. “Ugh, the human world is filthy. I need to take a spice bath when I get back to Faeble.”\n\nI looked left and right down the alley, trying to decide which way to go. Likely, I’d find nothing but wannabe white-knights and neck-beards regardless of the direction I took, and I found myself feeling defeated.\n\n“Where’d she go?”\n\n“I think she went that way!”\n\n‘Deja-vu?’ I wondered as I looked to the mouth of the alley. A girl sprinted around the corner, cradling a plastic bag full of rolls in her arms, one roll dangling from her teeth. Quickly, though begrudgingly, I hid myself back in the air duct, but poked my head out just enough to see. The girl was wearing a dirty T-shirt that was too big for her, hanging down to her knees. She accidentally bit through the roll in her teeth, and it tumbled to the ground.\n\nThe girl slowed her pace, looking back longingly, and almost started to turn back for it, but another shout from outside the alley spurred her onward. She spotted a dumpster that was close to my vent, and ran for it. As she reached it, she snatched another roll out of the pack and threw it further down the alley before she scrambled over the edge and dropped into the garbage filled interior. She pressed herself against the side of the trash bin and then stayed as still and quiet as she could. Two men came into the alley, one of them wearing an apron; he probably worked at a sidewalk hot-dog cart, and I realized the girl must have stolen from him. The other man was well dressed, and though he didn’t seem affiliated with the hot-dog man he was helping nonetheless.\n\nHe pointed at the roll the girl had bit through. “There! And another one further down!”\n\n“I swear I’m gonna kill that little shit. This is the third time!” the hot-dog man grumbled, earning a disapproving glance from the well-dressed man, and the two of them ran down the alley in pursuit of the girl. As the sound of their feet against the ground faded, the girl let out a breath she had been holding. I realized I’d been holding my breath as well, and followed suit. The girl then pulled out a roll and began tearing at it hungrily, gnashing her teeth like a kobold.\n\nShe was just hungry, and I found myself amused by the poor thing. After scarfing down several rolls, she started to climb out of the dumpster, but then dropped back in quick when the well-dressed man came back around the corner. I watched quietly as he made his way towards us, and I saw that his eyes had settled on the dumpster. He stopped a few feet away.\n\n“… I led that man away. You can come out now,” he said, and then waited patiently. “… I won’t take the bread away or anything, I just want to make sure you’re okay. No need to be afraid.” I grinned widely as I heard the man’s words, warm and gentle, caring for a stranger. I wondered if I’d maybe found someone worthy of being a hero.\n\nThe girl slowly peeked over the rim of the trash bin, her gaze calculating.\n\n“There you are. Come on now, I know you were just hungry. Stealing is wrong… but…” he trailed off as he shrugged, and then he held out his hand. “Maybe I can help you out.”\n\nThe girl hesitated for a few more moments, and then crawled over the side of the dumpster, still holding the bag of rolls close to her chest. She approached him apprehensively, and came to a stop a just out of his reach. The man stepped up to her and squatted down, reached out, and gingerly touched her chin. “Does anybody take care of you?” he asked as he turned her head side to side, brushing her messy black hair behind her ears and peering at them like a doctor giving a checkup. The girl shook her head ‘no,’ and then he lifted her chin. “You seem pretty healthy for a kid all on her own. No family? Other kids watching out for you?”\n\nThe girl’s lips quivered for a moment before she pressed them together, and she shook her head again. I felt my heart sink, feeling sympathy for the poor girl. I was glad this man was looking out for her, even if it meant I would have to delay transporting him to Faeble; I wasn’t about to whisk away the only person willing to help the child.\n\nThe man slowly lowered his hand from her chin to her neck, gently pressing either side. “No one who’d miss you then? No one who’d coming looking for you?”\n\nMy heart stopped in my chest, an overwhelming sense of dread replacing the warmth. The man’s grip closed tightly around the girl’s neck, and he stood, lifting her off the ground. ‘I fucking hate this shithole!’ I screamed in my head as I started waving my arms purposely, weaving together a spell.\n\nBefore I could even release the magic, however, the girl took action. Without a sound, she dropped the rolls and drove her hand into the man’s throat as hard as she could. He sputtered painfully, and his free hand reached up to press against where she’d struck him, but he kept hold of her. Then the girl jammed one of her knuckles into the man’s eye. He dropped her, groaning and cursing. The second the girl hit the ground, she sprang up to her feet and punched him in the groin, toppling the man.\n\nShe stooped to pick up the bread, and just that small amount of time was enough for the man to recover. A heavy hand gripped her shoulder as he sat up, and he drew a knife from his pocket. He flicked it open, and then it sang through the air towards her.\n\n“Burst!*” I shrieked, and a flare of light exploded from my hands. A powerful shockwave collided with the man, sending him shooting across the alley and into the opposite wall. His head struck the concrete hard and he slumped to the ground, unconscious. Before even questioning what had happened, the girl skittered towards the man, snatched the knife off the ground and raised it in one fluid motion, but she stopped.\n\nI waited, clenching my fists so hard my nails bit into my palms.\n\nShe lowered the knife, and I exhaled deeply before exiting the vent. This was far from an ideal situation, but it could have been a lot worse. “Are you alright, child?” I asked as I drifted down towards her. At that she spun around, startled, raising the knife. I laughed. “Don’t be so alarmed child, what did you think saved you?”\n\nHer pale green eyes widened at the sight of me, and her arm lowered.\n\n“That’s better. Now, are you alright?”\n\nThe girl seemed entranced by me, but she nodded her head slightly.\n\n“Don’t talk much?”\n\nShe shook her head slightly.\n\n“Do you talk at all?” I asked.\n\nThe girl just looked at me, her expression unreadable passed the wonder with which she watched me.\n\nI frowned. “… I’m not sure if you’ll understand this, but I’m not allowed to interfere in the human realm, except as necessary to choose a hero to bring back to my homeworld.”\n\nApprehension flicked across her eyes, and the girl swallowed, the muscles in her neck flexing, drawing my attention to the red mark where the man had gripped her.\n\n“Seems you do understand… Between you and that fellow there, I think you’re at least the ‘better’ candidate, would you agree? Would you like to help people?”\n\nThe girl took a step away, but didn’t turn. She pursed her lips, and her eyes dropped to the bag of rolls, which once again sat on the ground. She looked back to me.\n\nI smirked. “Yes, you can bring your bread.” That would be easier in the moment than explaining that there would be plenty of food for her in Faeble.\n\nThe girl slowly retrieved the rolls, and then nodded to me, a confidant expression set on her face.\n\nI smiled warmly. “Do you have a name, child?”\n\nThe girl shook her head. I held out my hand, and she reached out, setting her index finger in my palm; all that would fit.\n\n“We’ll have to find you good one then.”\n\n&#x200B;\n\nr/TheCornerStories" ]	2
	[WP] 25 years ago your father left to 'get a pack of cigarettes'. One night, while reminiscing about the past, you decide to go out and grab a pack of cigarettes. When you get home a little boy runs up to you yelling DADDY and a young woman comes to give you a kiss. It's you and your mother.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I still remember that day vividly. I was a young, pretentious boy, still wearing that superman shirt my old nan had bought me from the thrift store on “Elton” street. It was a shirt that I rarely took off. Was it because of the comfort and serenity I felt while being in it? Or my never-dying love for superheroes? Or maybe it was because my father would always say that whenever he would look at me while with it, by his words “He would always feel safe”. We shared a bond that went beyond the plain father-son connection. We were like best friends. We laughed together, played together, and during the night I would always sneak up to his and mom’s bed just to be ever so close to him.\n\nHe was reading a book, while I played with my toy airplane a few meters away from him. I remember him quickly standing up and tapping on the top of his pockets as if he was missing something. He ran towards the entrance door where we had our jackets hanged and swiftly lifted his big, puffy coat while searching through every pocket. It seemed like he had finally found what he was looking for when he pulled out a cigarette box. In all honesty, my father always was a heavy smoker. It wasn’t unusual for him to light multiple cigs a day. I hated the smell. This tarry, dry, nicotine scent that would make my eyes water. There was something off with those cigarettes though… The scent was different. It was actually kind of nice. It smelled like a strawberry but not the ones from nan’s garden – like strawberry juice filled up with loads of sugar. There was also a very slight hint of lavender. The dryness had also disappeared. Every time a bit of the smoke went through my nostrils, instead of making it itch and leaving my throat parched, it made me feel soft.\n\nThe box was clearly not even near being full. It had been used before, although I don’t remember seeing dad smoking anything close to what he was smoking then.\n\nWhen he finished the pack, he once again got up but this time he looked at me. On his face stood this incredibly vague smile. He was fidgeting in his left hand with his lighter, and his leg shook unrestful. He told me to watch the house while he was out to buy another pack. The place where he bought his cigs from was 2 blocks away, right next to old man Nick’s flower shop, yet as hours passed he was nowhere to be seen. After 5 hours my mom had decided to contact the police. I never saw my father again.\n\nOne month ago, a year after I had moved out while finishing up on putting together my new table, I decided to go out for a smoke. Nicotine had enslaved another person and this time it was me. I remember noticing that my cigarette pack was empty, so quickly went to a small shop to buy another one. After going out of the shop an idea struck me. Maybe I should check on my mom. I had no other plans and she was a 20-minute drive away from me.\n\nI stopped in front of the door of her house and got out. A slight chill hit my back. I looked around and noticed that the surrounding of the house looked different, yet oddly familiar. On the front yard stood the big trampoline I used to jump on while pretending to fly like a superhero during my younger days. When I got next to the door I heard a child’s voice. Did my mother invite someone in the house? Maybe my younger cousin…\n\nI knocked on the door. After five-or-so seconds I was greeted by my mother smiling and little kid latching onto my leg. It took me a second to realize but the people standing in front of me were my mom from ten years ago and my younger self. I smiled at them and quickly entered the bathroom with the excuse that I drank a lot of water from the little fountain in front of Nick’s shop. I looked at the mirror hanging over the sink and in the reflection, I saw the thing I was the most scared of seeing. I had become my father… I looked through my pockets and what I found was that same cigarette pack from back then. The difference was that now I had the chance to examine it. On the inside, it had text or a group of letters. Most of it was unintelligible but I managed to make out a single sentence. It had today’s date followed by “In the alleyway at the end of ‘Elton’ street”. I had no idea what it was for or where it was from but I knew one thing – My father was a part of it and if me following it meant getting a bigger lead on him, then so be it.\n\nI got out of the bathroom. In the hallway, there were my mom and me waiting for me. I told them that I had forgotten to give Nick a book I had promised to give him and had to head out. I still feel guilty, because I remember recreating that same vague smile that my dad had made when talking with me ten years ago.\n\nI was at the exact place. The sun had already gone down. The alleyway was empty and cold. Not a single soul or lifeform was to be seen. That’s when I saw it. It was my father’s coat walking across the alleyway. I hurried after it until it turned towards a what-seemed-to-be an abandoned house. Its door opened slowly and quietly as if it was inviting me inside. I had no choice but to go in. The door slowly closed behind me, leaving me in complete darkness. Nothing seemed to break the quietude in the area – not even my nervous footsteps. As I walked forward, candles started to blaze turning the lonesome into fear of the ones watching you. As my pulse fastened, so did my steps. In the end, I was running.\n\nI got pulled by something. The ground below my very feet disappeared leaving me headed towards possible flight inside this void for the rest of continuity. My hands latched onto the first thing that they felt – a hand. I felt like a small ladybug on the end of a green leaf during a merciless windstorm. While painfully trying to hold on I felt a sensation. Something that I had felt before. It was the scent of the cigarettes that my father held on that faithful day. I could never forget them. I looked forward and saw a black silhouette getting closer and closer until coming to a complete halt.\n\nThe silhouette held a skeleton… A skeleton of a bird left with only a single feather on its back. The dark figure got slightly closer and started speaking. Was its voice deep and raspy or sharp and gentle? It is way beyond me to know. But I remember its words to the end.\n\n“Hello. I see you have followed the steps of another man to stand before me. But it seems like it is not me who you want to speak with. From what I have gathered it is your father… Well, we are in a situation where meeting him is simply… impossible… Or that’s what people from here would call it. Your father is long gone – that’s what he wanted me to do. Young boy, you do not understand who your father is. After all, you are probably one small part of his multiple realities. Your time has yet to come. Goodbye…”\n\nWhen I heard that, I had no more words left in my mouth. It was all gone. The dark figure lifted its hand over the bird’s skeleton. The last started burning – slowly disappearing. In the end, the only thing that was left from it was just a small, slight line of smoke with the scent of those cigarettes my father smoked on his last day. The hand I had been holding onto disappeared and I fell. But, I finally understood what was going on and what was going to happen. I cannot put it into words because, alas, it is something impossible for the people from here to understand.\n\nI finally opened my eyes. I was in front of my mom’s house and before me stood only my mother – lonely, with a sad smile. And I stood there with that same vague grin I had before…\n\n\\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nFirst time submitting anything here! Hope you enjoy it! There is a probability that there will be mistakes in what I have written due to me, not really checking for any. I hope I can get some constructive feedback because I rarely do things like this. Bye!\n\nEDIT: Some formatting tweaks\n\nEDIT 2: I also noticed that I changed up the years a bit. Instead of 25 years, the story took place 10 years after the dad had left.", "\"Daddy!! Did you get the bubblegum I asked for?\"\n\nI had completely forgotten about that bubblegum. All my friends on the soccer team had this specific brand they always brought to practice and I remembered I wanted my own pack. Here I am though, disappointing myself with a pack of cigarettes anyway.\n\nI put them away and picked myself up, my younger self. I thought I understood what was going on but I didn't completely believe it. I know myself, and this is myself, but it also isn't. Also, that's my Mom. What do I do now?\n\n\"Dad?\"\n\n\"Yes...son?\" I guess.\n\nMy Mom looked puzzled. I could see her looking at me strangely in the corner of my eye. It was good to see her again. It was...really good to see her again. She was holding her meds.\n\n\"I'm 12, you can put me down.\"\n\nI just dropped me right there. Not like gently put down, I mean I actually dropped me. My arms felt weak. My whole body felt numb and I started sweating. I didn't understand what was going on, so I left.\n\nWe yelled for me to stop. I told us I'd be right back - with the bubblegum this time. Just like I promised me.\n\nThe outside world hadn't changed - it was still present day. I hadn't time traveled. I went to the store but they didn't sell that specific brand of bubblegum anymore - I guess it went out of style. I guess I was too late.\n\nI was afraid to go back, but I did. I didn't have the gum I wanted but I had my second favorite thing - some mint chocolate candy.\n\nI knocked on the door. It turns out it was slightly open this time. I could hear an intense argument echoing from inside the house. I knew what this was.\n\n\"You're crazy, you're fucking crazy!!\"\n\n\"IT'S YOUR FAULT HE LEFT YOU LITTLE SHIT!\"\n\nI heard the sound of a wine glass smash. I was about to run in when I suddenly ran past me on the way out. I looked at myself, my 18 year old self.\n\n\"What the hell are you doing here? Not like it matters, I'm fucking done here. I need to get out.\"\n\nI ran to my car and sped off. I stood at the front door, in awe at what just happened. That never happened before.\n\nOh crap, I need to go inside.\n\nI ran in to where my Mom was when we argued that one time. I was too late, she had slit her wrists with the wine glass. Her meds were splayed all over the floor. I had never actually seen it myself until now - I guess she really did it after I left.\n\nI rushed her to the hospital in my car. She was mad at me for leaving but I didn't care. I just wanted her safe, I just wanted to give myself a second chance. Was this even my fault?\n\nWe arrived at the emergency room and they took her away. I could only wait. I sat down in the hospital and waited.\n\nI waited.\n\nI waited.\n\nI waited.\n\nA nurse walked up to me.\n\n\"Sir, what are you doing here? It's time.\"\n\n\"What do you mean?\"\n\nWhy have I been getting so many confused looks today from people?\n\n\"Your baby...\"\n\nI stood up and followed her. She led me to a hospital room, but not in the wing I was expecting. There was a nursery nearby. I heard children's music playing softly in the next hallway.\n\nI entered the room. I was standing next to my girlfriend, looking at our newborn child. I walked over and stood in the place of myself. I looked at her, then I looked at the baby. It was a girl. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I would be lying if I told you I didn't cry then and there.\n\n\"I'm sorry, I'm so...so sorry...\"\n\n\"Sorry for what?\"\n\n\"I promise. I promise I won't leave you. What's your favorite bubblegum?\"" ]	3
	[WP] It’s been said in legend that the death of a God will loose the bands of death for all mortals, and here you have a divine deity trapped in your home.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Release me, you dirty lower being!\" cackle the creature locked in the tall cage.\n\nIt shook the cage and swung it around, making a ruckus that elicit an annoyed response.\n\n\"Shut it, will ya! Goddamn chirpy bird,\" a man growled as he took a swing at the cage with a broom.\n\n\"You will regret having done that, human!\" the bird said as it held the bottom of the cage tight.\n\nThe door slid open again and out came a sweet young woman. She rubbed her half-closed eyes and did a cute little yawn. But as soon as she saw what caused the commotion, she slapped the head of the man torturing the poor animal.\n\n\"Damn it, Greg!\"\n\n\"Hey, what the fuck?! That hurts!\"\n\n\"Well you should at least experience what the bird got a second ago... It's only fair that way!\" the girl said as she swivelled herself between the angry man and the bird cage.\n\n\"Why do you love that bird so much, hun? That bird reeks of evil!\" the man said as he pointed towards the pile of bird shit dripping down the cage, \"Nasty thing, that fowl is!\"\n\nShe simply ignored him and took the cage away off of its hook. He just looked on in awe as he mumbled something about \"choosing a bloody bird over me\". Clearly, the man was a sore loser.\n\nThe victorious bird, chirped gleefully, \"thank you, Lisa! Amongst the many humans, you are my favourite–\"\n\n\"Awww, aren't you a sweety pie!\"\n\n\"When the time comes – death knocks for everyone – I will assure your safety and bring you to live in my Grand Castle on the heavens!\"\n\nLisa chuckled at the bird's nonsensical cackling. She took the bird over to the other side of the patio and fed it some seeds. The bird ravishingly tore through the bowl, lovingly embracing Lisa's hands with its wings.\n\n\"Lisa, I'm going away for a bit. I think I had enough of you choosing the bloody bird over my fucking self–\"\n\n\"Cheese, louise... Why are you dramatic, Greg? It's just a bird! You don't go around torturing them because they got loud for a bit!\"\n\n\"... See, you're doing this again! Ugh, fuck it. I'll go over to the Dark Horse and pour myself a lager – double pint. You're welcome to join me once you're done having a shag with that stupid little thing!\"\n\n\"Wha– Fine, fuck you. Maybe I will!\"\n\nThe bird looked on sleazily at the girl. It then pecked her long skinny forearm. Lisa felt the sting of the bird's hard beak, it was rather odd, she thought.\n\n\"Looks like you're a bit of a feisty human, eh? I might find you a room inside my enormous private chamber...\"\n\n\"Awww, you silly bugger!\"" ]	2
	[WP] You're a genie and you've been found by many people over the years. This time when you're woken up. Rather than by a person, you find a curious dog has woken you up. The dog's only wish to have their owner back because they miss them very much after their owner did not wake up after saving them	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Want Dave!”\n\n“That’s. That’s nice.” I said “But I can’t.”\n\nThe retriever sat, panted and looked about. Her tail spread the sand behind her in an arc. Just the thought of ‘Dave’ set it wagging.\n\n“Dave!”\n\nSo much happiness. I don’t think she even understands. About what I am or where Dave went.\n\n“Dave?” She walks about my legs, sniffing, noses the lamp again. “Play! Play with Dave?”\n\n“I.” How to explain. “I can’t bring Dave back, that’s against the rules.”\n\n“Dave! Where!?”\n\n“No, no, sorry.” I kneel down, flop her ears about and scratch her head. “No, Dave.”\n\n“Dave, gives pats, too!”\n\n“I know. I know.” How? How can I do this. Wait. Why!? Why am I trying to help a dog?\n\n“Dave come soon?”\n\n“No. Look. Is there something else I can get for you. Food? Water? A stick?”\n\nA pause. Tail stops. Blink of eyes and pant of tongue and as the tails beats the sand I already know: “Want Dave.”\n\n“No. I’m sorry, but no. Food or water.”\n\n“Dave!” Big dog grin, cold wet nose on face. Dog kisses and she’s trying to crawl in my arms. I wipe the tears on her coat. “Miss Dave? I miss Dave too!”\n\n“Home. Maybe Dave at home?” I offer. The desert sun beats down, the dog is heating up. It’s been so long already. The cessna with Daves remains smokes a few dunes away. Amazing she survived. If I can convince her to go home. “Dave’s at home. Want to go home?”\n\n“Want Dave. Go to Dave!”\n\nNo. No. Don’t ask that. Don’t ask me for that. I’m not sending you to Dave.\n\nTry as I might, I couldn’t change her mind. She wanted Dave. I could only do as asked. She never asked for water. Never asked for shade.\n\nShe only wanted Dave.\n\nedit: typo" ]	2
	[WP] You for the department of technology control. You find and contain advanced scientific discoveries that could threaten the world. Todays your first day on the job and your partner's last day.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Day one. I was supposed to go to a couple formal meetings, give me the inns and outs of my new position, but Agent Fairbanks was not the sort of man to deal with formalities apparently. He gave me the run down in the car on the way to the first case.\n\n\"Now you don't need to worry about the would-be time travellers.\"\n\n\"Why not?\" I raised an eyebrow, \"couldn't they like, bugger up the timeline or something?\"\n\n\"Nah, they just suck themselves into a tiny black hole every time they almost succeed.\" He laughed grimly to himself. \"Now this guy we're going after now, he's doing something pretty common, trying to make a perpetual motion machine.\"\n\n\"I thought that was impossible?\"\n\n\"Yep, that's been the official line for over a hundred years now. Truth is, it just starts producing a bigger and bigger magnetic field until you start pulling in all sorts of stuff you're not supposed to.\"\n\n\"That happened before then?\"\n\n\"How did you think the dinosaurs actually died?\"\n\nI couldn't tell if he was joking or not, but considering he had a three inch tall alien in a jar in the footwell, I was willing to take him at face value." ]	2
	[WP] You're a necromancer that teaches young paladins how to use their divine spells on the undead.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "My ebony eyes scan around the room of young paladins. The oldest one couldn't be more then what, 13? 13 seemed about right. All in all, there seemed to be about 25 students in class. I took a sip of my coffee and sighed. This was going to be a long day..... \n\n\nI got up and stretched, Before walking to the middle of the class. All of them seemed to have a mixture of curiosity and fear. What did I expect? the war had only been over for a few months. These kids knew noth but war. It was quite sad, really. But this school was part of the peace effort. It was supposed to be \"ground breaking\" with \"the best facilities the kingdoms could offer.\" \n\n\nwe were fresh out of war, so the walls were grey and there was a wooden roof. It wasn't bad, per se. But it was hardly a fit teaching environment. But I would have to make due wouldn't I? I cleared my throat. \n\n\n\"Welcome class. As you know, I'll be your new teacher, Master Hector Custos lunae. In this class you'll be learning how to cast holy spells on the dead, while the necromancers class will be learning how to counter that. Now, shall we begin?\" \n\n\nAs soon as I finished the sentence, I raised my hand and chanted the ancient words. My eyes turned a deep purple, while a black aura emitted from my body. As I finished the chant I struck my fist against the earth, and the earth cracked. Bones started coming out, before levitating in the air and merging into one. It went to attack the children, but I held it in place, flicking my hand and it stood still. \n\n\n\"Now children, this is a class F undead. It's fairly weak, and can be defeated with one basic spell. If you read the text books issued, you should be able to defeat the undead. Now, who has read?\" \n\n\nonly three students raised their hand. I sighed. Hopefully their first time wasn't indicative of their work ethic. \n\n\n\"You, what's your name?\" I said as I gestured to a little girl wearing a pure white dress. She couldn't have been more then 9. She had clear, pale skin, long blonde hair and pure green eyes. Quite typical Paladin features. \n\n\n\"Amelia Puer Sole\" she stated. She got up excitedly. She came up to the undead and chanted the holy ritual. I felt a slight pain in my gut as she said the ritual, which was natural. Both parties felt some sort of physical pain when the other preformed their magic. It got better with time, but for now we would have to tolerate it. The skeletal warrior promptly erupted and it's bones were scattered around the room. A vertebrae flew straight towards the girl, which I stopped just in time, holding out my hand. I clenched my fist and the bone promptly became dust. \n\n\n\"Good, for a beginner. But you must be thorough, lest you leave some of it's well...not life, but will in it. Now be seated Amelia.\" \nshe smiled, and went back to her seat. Before I could even explain the second lesson, another boy stood up, and spelled out a holy chant and looked towards...me. I felt bright yellow braces form around wrists, burning my skin. That little bastard...I could see genuine hatred and anger in his eyes. What were that kids parents teaching him? I broke free of the binds without even chanting a spell. Basic binding spells could be ignored if one was powerful enough and alert. The boys anger and shock was evident. He started chanting again, but this time I gathered the bones of the skeletal warrior and restrained him against the wall. Not enough to harm him, but enough to restrain his energy. \n\n\n\"Calm down child. What's the matter?\" \n\n\n\"Mom told me all necromancers were evil and it was our duty to exterminate them!\" He exclaimed. I could slowly feel anger rising in me. These people were part of the damn problem! how would we ever achieve peace with these bigot idiots teaching this to their children?! I managed to calm myself enough to ask the childs name... \n\n\n\" Stephen angeli enim thesaurus\" \n\n\n \nThat name...no. Impossible. \n\n\n\"What was your name again kid?\" \n\n\n\"Are you stupid? it's Stephen Angeli enim thesaurus\" \n\n\n \nThat name.... \n\n\n \nI knew that name. It was the name of a childhood friend. He had ran away long ago, some rumors said he had ran away and learned Paladin magic. \n\n\nThe rumors were true after all. This child was going to be a handful...", "A violent flash of violet with a tinge of teal,\nThe once headless man now could see,\nBut a gift as generous as sight didn't come free,\nAnd in this case the once headless man was now limb free,\n\n\"At last the task has been achieved, but unfortunately I cannot give you a pass for work done so shoddily\"\nThe necromancer spoke, a tutor to his newest student Gilgameth.\n\n\"Energy cannot be created nor destroyed; everything comes with a price, tell me was that your best?\"\n\n\"Uh, errmm, no sir, I thought when you said sight, the addition of a head through trade of the limbs would suffice\"\n\n\"And the bag of rice?\" \n\n\"Yes, I wondered it's purpose, but couldn't return an answer for that, why?\"\n\nThe older students began to snicker as gilgameth regressed into himself, stricken with fear. Hogwash interdimensional school of neromancy was the most controversial boarding school because of this tutor. The very same who taught Sauron, Isaac and Zayl hence why Gilgameth was even sent here.\n\n\"Gilgameth, the bag of rice provided was the currency intended for this limbless man, limbless doesn't even have a nice ring, that's twice you have cheated this once headless man. Now restore the limbs at once, but Gilgameth...\"\n\nThe tutor took a deep sigh and targeted Gilgasmeth with a medusa-like stare to mask his furrowed brow, for this was the first time he had a student who didn't have a clue, not even a single know how. \n\n\"...leave the head on his shoulders you dunce.\"", "1/2\n\nI looked over my reflection in the mirror: Black lace gown cut low or high in all the right places...check. The austere monastic diet had been good for my figure, but not my sanity.\n\nMidnight hair tousled just so...check.\n\nHigh, impractical shoes...check.\n\nJewelry with minor pagan symbols meant to push the envelope...check. Not like they meant anything. \n\nI leaned over and applied eyeliner, cursing under my breath. I couldn't get a tightline to save my life...I ended up smoking it out as usual. And with that, I looked the part- Kiomira the Mad, soon to be ex-convict. Really, necromancers tended to dress in more practical clothes. Wearing a low-cut top is sure to send some random bit of gore flying down your bodice. And I don't care how inured you've become to half-rotted minions, that sort of thing is still going to make you shriek with disgust. I keep some peasant-wear around when doing squicky stuff. Every adventurer who has infiltrated a necromancer lair and beheld a practitioner in fine evening dress simply caught them when they hadn't had time to do the laundry. That's the simple truth.\n\nBut for the graduation exam, I would look the part- look like what people expected. My sentence to teach paladins-to-be for the Order of Ambriel was almost at an end. I had cooked up one hell of a final exam...a few minor nobles were stopping by to see the final test.\n\nI stepped out of my quarters a couple minutes ahead of schedule. Right as I was about to light a cigarette, Brother Elijah appeared at my elbow and cleared his throat.\n\n\"Oh, come on, I'm outside!\" I protested. \n\n\"Three years of monastic discipline has helped you so much,\" Brother Elijah said. \"Must you persist in that awful habit?\"\n\nI ignored him and lit up anyway. \"The past week I've been elbow deep in dead prisoners,\" I pointed out. \"Smoking was definitely contraindicated then. Let me build up some mental margin in case the nobles actually want to talk to me.\"\n\n\"Such a pretty girl,\" Brother Elijah chided gently. \"Surely you don't wish to ruin your looks?\"\n\nMy eyes narrowed as I sucked down my coffin-stick. I hated being called \"girl.\" I was crowding fifty; right around prime for half-breeds like me. \"I doubt it will be an issue,\" I said.\n\n\"If only you had met the prior abbott,\" Brother Eljah persisted. \"Quite the object lesson of that habit's dangers.\" I accidentally trod his foot with my spike heel. The priest loosed a few words unbecoming of his station.\n\n\"Oh I'm so sorry,\" I chirped. \"Look. Three days hence I will be a free woman; my \"community service\" sentence complete. You will have a handful of moderately competent paladin to fight the forces of...well, not-me. I am boarding a ship back to Stroa Prinyes; hopefully my home island won't be considered important enough for the major players to bother with. And then, Brother Elijah, you will never see or hear of me again. Go ahead; drop the act- I won't be offended. You will be glad to be rid of me and the feeling, sir, is mutual.\"\n\nWe reached the training arena. Several counts and the Bishop stood atop the walls, watching the recruits below. I quickly sucked down the rest of my cigarette, then tossed it over the side. We approached, and when we were still at polite distance I dropped into a low curtsy. \"Count Guimar,\" I said stiffly. I looked him steadily in the eye. \"I had not expected you to come all this way.\"\n\n\"Nicolaus insisted on pressing his case to the full conclusion,\" Count Guimar said, indicating the Bishop. \"Who,\" I wonder, will be proven right?\"\n\n\"My trial was three years ago,\" I said. \"Still you hold a grudge over the Bishop buying my chain? He thought a poor, sad wretch like me could work out her own redemption. Say what I might of the man, I credit him for walking the walk.\" I gave the Bishop a polite nod.\n\n\"And what do our recruits face today, Kiomira?\" the Bishop asked me.\n\nI addressed the nobles. Perhaps you heard about a typhus outbreak in the prison a few weeks back?\" \n\n\"My guard captain mentioned it in passing,\" one of the nobles said.\n\n\"Well, I suggested the Warden let our recruits get in some healing practice.\"\n\n\"Is that so? How kind!\" a young blond girl interjected.\n\n\"My daughter, Alara,\" Count Guimar introduced her.\n\n\"Pleased to meet you,\" Alara said automatically. \"How did the healing go?\"\n\n\"You kidding? These are new recruits. One of them managed to buy one prisoner...a week, maybe?\" Milling around the practice arena were a few richly dressed young men- almost as many as the recruits to be tested. I smiled to myself.\n\n \"Oh.\" Alara's face fell. \"I'm not sure what this has to do with-\"\n\n\"Playtime,\" I purred. And with that trigger-word, eighteen mummies attacked, shedding their invisibility. Two noble brats got caught in the initial onslaught. The young nobles drew their weapons and joined the fray. It was an unexpected, but most welcome wrinkle to my final exam. \"Remember, my little corpse-worms- centering breaths!\" I called out below.\n\nNine out of the twelve took the precious few seconds to focus properly. I felt the divine energy build up like a restless breeze before a storm. The Bishop smiled. One of the noble brats managed to set a mummy alight. \"Hmm, that one's useful, at least,\" I murmured. Mostly they got in the way of the paladins, mucking up maneuvers, getting hurt.\n\n\"Tell me, gentlemen, do any of your families have hereditary vulnerability to Mummy Rot?\" I asked brightly. The nobles looked nervous. I lit another cigarette. Mattia, a tiny little thing, belted out her incantation, flashed brightly, and sent two mummies fleeing. Three others weren't quite able to get it together in time and fell to melee combat- holding their own, but making no progress. We all watched the mess below- the noble brats quickly extricated themselves and ran, or fought from the perimeter.\n\n\"A warning would have been in order,\" Count Guimar groused. \n\n\"Everybody knew a test would be today,\" I told him. \"You just didn't know what.\" The tide slowly turned against my undead minions. \"Haven't slept more than five hours a night all month,\" I said conversationally. \"Linus!\" I called out. \"You have to say it like you mean it!\" A lanky farm boy stiffened his resolve and started to crackle with power. He focused on a mummy beating the tar out of his buddy and set it alight. His buddy extricated himself and finished the job.\n\n\"And yet the first culling of the herd happened before I even came here...\" I told Alara. We both leaned against the railing to watch. \"I tell you, the spellcraft classes were an upward slog...\" Alara winced as another paladin got beaten down. \"Sad thing is, faith is not quite enough,\" I explained. \"Not if you want to be the person who steps up when all the chips are down.\" I called over to the nobles, \"Though if your minions would have just let me take down Baxzid the Infinitely Prolonged MYSELF rather than dog-pile me, you wouldn't HAVE the mess you face!\" Count Guimar thew me an evil look.", "I looked over at the selection of bodies that the acolytes had exhumed for my demonstration. Some were fresh, having only been buried recently and some were even fresher still, having not been buried and given time to decay at all. Others were withered, rotting husks scarcely held together with their dried-out, paper thin skin.\n\nI liked to ensure a wide variety of options for the benefit of my pupils.\n\nI took in my surroundings, hoping everything to be perfect. The blood moon in the night sky cast my gloomy little courtyard in its dull, reddish tinge. Two large braziers far off to either side of me provided the actual lighting and across from the large stone slab on which rested my \"subjects\" were several granite benches for my students to sit while they operated.\n\nSpeaking of students..\n\nFour figures hooded in brown cloaks swiftly moved down an unlit path through the tall grass of the neighboring meadow. Necromancy was considered highly illegal in the province, punishable by death ironically enough, so our cult members and practitioners only ever moved and met in small numbers that could quickly disperse. They were taught to move furtively and swiftly, but as they drew nearer, I could notice a hectic nervousness in their movements. They seemed alarmed.\n\n\"Grandmaster\" the first of them said upon arrival. She was panting lightly, the sweat cascading from under her hood causing her long, black bangs to stick to her pale forehead.\n\n\"Speak freely, Aris,\" I grumbled, anticipating the worst. I knew it had been quiet for too long.\n\n\"Templars! They've stormed the Sanct and slaughtered the high priests!\"\n\nI scoffed. I hardly had any compassion for those old fools and their prattling. I momentarily contemplated at the very least resurrecting Father Veleste, the scroll keeper, but remembered the Templars' habit of burning the bodies of dead necromancers in purifying flames in order to prevent reanimation. Oh well.\n\n\"Then we will retreat to the catacombs,\" I answered. By now, my other paladins had caught up. Orbro, tall and square-jawed, made to speak.\n\n\"Where are the others?\" I swiftly cut him off. Rensis had caught up and was panting, her light, pale lavender eyes cast downward and Wren was clutching his arm, and appeared to be bleeding.\n\n\"Dead,\" Aris responded, Orbro still slack-jawed, \"or worse,\" she continued. \"Purified.\"\n\nMy face fell into a scowl. However, the way of our order was not to dwell on the loss of something so malleable as human life.\n\nI turned over to the assemblage of corpses on the stone table in front of me. With a casual weave of seals and wave of my hand, four of the \"healthier\" ones slowly rose from the table and stepped down.\n\nMy apprentices looked on in awe. Orbro's jaw slacked down even further and Rensis's opalescent eyes widened in amazement.\n\n\"Such ease...\" Aris muttered quietly, almost whispering.\"So effortless...\" \n\nEven Wren seemed to momentarily ignore his wound to gaze upon my casual display of prowess. However, now was certainly not the time.\n\nDiscard your cloaks and give them to my pets,\" I instructed. \"We will send them back the way you came in order to buy time. We need to move.\n\n\"But where are we going?\" Rensis squeaked, having finally caught her breath.\n\nAs my newly hooded diversions shambled away back down the path my apprentices had come from, I turned to answer.\n\n\"Like I said, the catacombs. As necromancers, our best hope against agents of purity is to congregate where we can channel the most power. So,\" my face slowly slid into a wicked grin that caused even my pupils to shiver, \"we're going to the crypts.\"" ]	5
	[WP] “ DOGGY! “ the little girl shouts, however you are no dog— but an awakened ancient beast, and this girl is your new master.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Doggy!” the little girl squeals. “Doggy, doggy, doggy, doggy!”\n\nI raise my head and stare at her. She is a small human, probably just a pup and she seems unable to control her bodily functions.\n\n“Silence, wench,” I grumble. \n\nShe seems unfazed. She is stronger than I had assumed. She continues to bounce around, mumbling incessantly about my canine form.\n\n“Will you stop that inane babble you tiny insignificant creature!” I scream.\n\nShe stops. Finally, I have gotten through to her. Then, instead of the expected frown and broken spirit, her smile widens.\n\n“Doggy bark loud! Bark bark bark bark!”\n\nI bury my snout in my paws. What did I do to deserve this? Sure, I slaughtered a few minor gods, bedded a few married goddesses, and stole one small ancient relic, but this? I would’ve taken my chances in Hell if I had known this is where I’d end up.\n\nI face the human child again. She stares at my expectantly. I sigh.\n\n“I. Want. You. To. Go. Away.” I say slowly. “You. Are. Insufferable.” I smile, desperately hoping any of this finds its way into her barely formed brain.\n\n“Good doggy,” she cries. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, she pats me gently on the head. \n\nI can no longer contain myself. “I am no stranger to ending lives before they have been lived, do not tempt me to do it again. Just make this easier for both of us and walk away. There’s no need for any bloodshed...”\n\nI’m cut off by the appearance of two larger humans, clearly the child’s caregivers.\n\n“Oh look sunshine, seems like this one chose you. You know what they say about that. I guess that means he’s coming home with us!”\n\n“Doggy!” the girl squeals.\n\nAh, I see. This is Hell. Great.", "At last, I have awoken. After centuries of slumber I shall rule this pitiful world. Things may be difficult with a young girl as my master but I am able to bend her to my will and-\n\n-Hold on is she... petting me? This is nice. Really nice! I hope she doesn’t stop.\n\nAnyway, I shall rule this pitiful- OHHH YEAH! Right behind the ears! That’s the best spot. Ohh yes, I love this SO much.\n\nWhat was I going to do? I think I wanted to rule something but I can’t quite remember... OOH tummy tickle time!\n\nYou know, long term desires are boring. I’m just going to focus on the pets and pats that are happening now.", "As my eyes opened and took their first look at the world I saw her. My new Master. Raven hair. Check. An ever so subtle look of evil hidden in her steely grey eyes. Check. A small threadbare teddy bear tucked under her arm. What?\n\nI stood up, stretched my legs and just to show my ferocious fangs, that had lain waste to many a warrior over untold aeons, growled. The noise that emanated from my mouth was more of a “Eeeoooow” than what I was accustomed to. Master turned away from me and shouted to someone.\n\n“Mommy! Doggy!” She said.\n\nA very large person came into my view. Extremely large. Far larger than Master. A Giant! We had those in one of my previous lives as The Hellbeast Hathagor of Hestia. They were always fun to fight beside. The way they could pick whole carts full of people and smash them into walls always made me howl triumphantly whilst I went about snapping necks, ripping out throats and tossing humans aside with ease with my huge fangs.\n\n“What the Dickens… Oh my. The poor little thing must have been separated from its mother. We’ll take it into the house to keep it from getting hurt until we can find its family. Come along Poppy.” Said The Giant, picking me up and tucking me into a warm woollen overgarment.\n\nI was wrapped up so tightly in the folds of the Giant’s clothing that sounds were muffled and dull and I couldn’t really make out what my new master was saying to whoever the giant was. Perhaps The Giant was my Master’s personal protection in her empire. Well, that could be fun. There really isn’t a feeling like the one you get rampaging across the battlefield with a giant at your side. I looked forwards to the first time we took to the field. Our enemies would know the fear felt by many thousands of foes.\n\nAfter a time, The Giant reached their hand into the fold of clothing where I was idly daydreaming about the coppery taste of blood in my mouth and plopped me unceremoniously onto a cushion that had “Home is where the heart is.” written across it. A large wood burning stove was filling the room with the smells of cooking and heat. \n\nA bowl of milk was placed in front of me and I lapped at it eagerly. It was not the milk I was accustomed to in my previous incarnations. It had no cream and tasted more like water with white in it. No matter. It was sustenance and I have learned that when you can eat, eat. \n\nMaster came to sit beside me. \n\n“Can we keep her?” asked Master.\n\n“I don’t know Poppy. We’ll have to ask around to find out if anyone has lost her.” Said The Giant, lifting the now empty bowl and pulling a blanket over me.\n\nLater, after I had slept for a few hours, another Giant came into the place where I was lying dreaming of the crunch of bone in my mouth and the screams of the dying in my ears.\n\nThis Giant was a male. I could tell by his magnificent beard. It was long and thick, and he was wearing a helmet and armour. His elbows and shoulders bulged where protective shields were sewn into the fabric of his jacket and his helmet was covered in warpaint.\n\n“Don’t you go putting your bloody motorcycle gear down in my kitchen… Put it in the garage.” Said the female Giant. The male Giant grumbled something under his breath and went to do what the female Giant had told him. Interesting. This must be a female lead Kingdom. A Queendom.\n\nMy master was nowhere to be seen so I let out a call that in normal circumstances would have made soldiers within 5 miles shake in their boots. “Oh my days… Listen to her little howl Dan.” Said the female, as the male Giant strode into the room looking a lot less threatening than he did with his armour on.\n\n“Awoooo?” I thought. Awoooo is not a sound I have ever made before. I made ferocious Growls that would make grown men weep with fear. And soil their trousers.\n\nI think something has went wrong with the summoning ritual this time. Come to think, where’s the High Priest? He’s usually the first face I see when I am brought into existence.\n\nI began thinking of the previous times I had been summoned. There were candles. Big ones. They were always amazingly drippy with wax rivulets running down. Long drapes made of velvet would be hanging from the walls as the High Priest did the summoning ritual. Long, complicated verses would be spoken by the High Priest and a woman dressed head to toe in a white silk gown would place the entrails of some small bird into a crudely drawn chalk shape in chalk on an altar. \n\nThis time there had been none of the usual regalia. Plus, I was always fed the entrails. That was the best bit! As I pondered how I had come to be in this place the male Giant loomed over me and gave my ears a ruffle. \n\n“How dare this man touch me! I shall make sure he doesn’t think I can be roughed up by the like of him!” was the thought in my head as I opened my jaws wide. “Feel the wrath of The Hellbeast Hathagor of Hestia mere mortal!” I cried. “Soon your blood will flow like a river and you shall perish!” I sprung upon him and began attacking him ferociously.\n\nMy teeth sank into tough skin and I could feel him trying to pull his giant foot from my grip. I summoned all the rage of my hellhound ancestors and shook my head. The fury I unleashed would have tossed a normal human forty or fifty meters but to the giant man it was barely enough to hurt him. I rocked back on my haunches, to allow a leaping attack if the opportunity to rip his throat out arose and barked at him to let him know what kind of trouble he had started. \n\n“Look at ‘er. Can barely jump high enough to get me knee.” Said the man, obviously rocked to the core at my ferocity. I continued my attack for at least at long enough that the giant would know never to mess with me again and proudly walked back to my cushion. That’ll teach him. \n\nI don’t understand what the giants are talking about as they are far too tall for me to make out clearly and I’m not fluent in human. Sure I know some words and can sometimes keep up with a human when they talk. After a while though it all sounds a bit blaahh wahh wahh wannasweetie blahaa whohahgetthestickblahh to be honest. The male is obviously a great warrior though as he keeps saying a word I recognise, Triumph, and speaking about all the Bhoi raceurs he blew to bits on the A46. \n\nI slept again. By the time I awoke the sun had set and I was in a different room. I had obviously been carried by one of the giants upon the request of my master as she was next to me. I looked up and admired her throne. It was a fine throne. Handcrafted and just the right height for someone of her standing in life it had a chandelier of some kind attached to its side that spun gently just above her head. \n\nThe room I was in had a long wooden table similar in looks to the one Shadong had in the Great Hall of Stomorolitania but made for Giants. My owner, who is obviously the Queen of this world, sat in her High Chair and waved her hands. The Giant woman brought food to my Master and served it.\n\nMy Master occasionally dropped bits of food for me when the giants weren’t watching. I knew I was welcomed by her and that I should protect her with my life should anyone attempt to hurt her or overthrow her from her throne. \n\nIt is my duty to serve my Master. \n\nI am feared upon the battlefield.\n\nI am known throughout time by my growl.\n\nI am the hellhound formerly known as The Hellbeast Hathagor of Hestia. \n\nI am Bichon Frise, of the Hipster clan.", "I growled, a deep rumble reverberating through my chest. The small human stared up at me with wide eyes. \"You're not just a doggy... You're three big doggies!\" \n\nI sat down, my tail thrashing as I awaited my master's orders. This one seemed to be a small child, a female from the scent. Odd in comparison to my former masters, but one had to have incredible power to release a hellhound. I forced the unfamiliar human words from my canine vocal cords -\n\n\"What... Master wish?\"\n\n\"Whoa! Three doggies that talk?\" She bounded around the cave, skipping around and jumping in flashes of movement. My ears pricked as I heard odd noises coming from her own throat - a sudden, lively sound that I had never heard from a human. I had expected the gleam of eyes that calculated how they could use me. But this girl... she didn't have that same need in her face. Instead, she was alight with some sort of energy from deep within her.\n\nI bristled, my survival instincts coming into play as I felt a touch on my middle head. I suppressed these, for I could not harm my master, no matter how they tried to hurt me for their own reasons. But she was not trying to wound me, as many of my masters had done in the distant past. Instead, she was scratching me, and I felt the relief of centuries of knots and tangles in my unkempt fur being slowly undone. My other heads twitched in appreciation, and I felt my eyelids start to droop. But I had to know my master's desires, their enemies.\n\n\"Who must I kill?\" I managed. The girl giggled. \"Nobody, silly dog. You must be lonely, even though your friends are with you. Can I be your friend?\" I thought hard through the odd words. Lonely... yes, I know that word. The feeling of being chained up in the dungeons, snarling and struggling to free myself until the next battle, before inevitably resigning myself to the pain and humiliation. She understood. Yet I was still confused.\n\n\"What is friend?\"\n\nShe tilted her head at me. \"You really are a lonely doggy, huh? I'll show you friend if you roll on your back.\"\n\nRoll? Exposing the soft underside of my body, where any enemy could slay me, where I was helpless to assault? I whined quietly, but she was my master and I had to obey. I let my paws rise up in acceptance. \n\nI felt her hands on my vulnerable belly, and I grimaced, prepared for whatever the next torturous treatment would be. But she only began to scratch me like she had on my head, only this time it felt so much better. \"See? Friends,\" she said. \"They make each other happy when the other needs help.\" I thought about war, and about fighting. I was built for these things. But, as the small girl gave me this unfamiliar belly rub, these thoughts faded away for the first time in millennia.\n\nMaybe... maybe I could spend just a little time like this." ]	5
	[WP] Whenever you die you are taken back in time to the exact moment you were born with all your memories. Nobody ever believed you so you gave up trying to convince them. After perfecting your life, you have finally decided to try and figure out an end to this curse.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Annie was crumpled on the ground, blood oozing from her head. Her skin was like white paper.\n\nI sat on a step nearby, chewing my lip. Counting back, this will be the 218th time Annie has died. That I knew of. There were times where I died before her. I am not really certain how that worked in the scheme of things. Once I die, is there another reality that keeps going forward without me and I am just sent to a new reality to try again?\n\nThat was the true problem. The universe kept wanting me to try again. Try what exactly was uncertain. All I knew was everytime I failed and died, the universe sent me back to the very beginning. I did have the perk of remembering past attempts, and I have accumulated an impressive list of lessons learned. I had a good try at building wealth, and got a few high scores. I took a whack at spreading peace and happiness, in case I am in an after school special and I just needed to learn the true meaning of life. I dabbled with unprovoked war and death, perhaps I was supposed to remove someone or something from this world. Right now, I was trying love.\n\nAnnie wasn't necessarily my one and true love. Granted, many times we loved each other deeply. Other times hate ran as deeply in the other direction. Some lifetimes we only were acquainted at coffee shop smiles. This lifetime I murdered her.\n\nI am not real sure why I kept trying to figure out the universe with Annie. There wasnt anything particularly interesting or captivating about her. I chose her at random, as she crossed the street one day and a paper fell out of her purse. As I returned the note with lazily scrawled print, and a grin slid across her lips, I decided that was enough of a sign. However, as lifetimes skipped past, I become fascinated on how my choices could drastically change the life of hers.\n\nThat first time, she was barely finishing college. We had a tender romance, and then she moved away to go to medical school. We kept chatting occasionally as friends, and then it was light touches through our lives. She graduated, become a doctor, married, had two children. I was killed in a car accident 12 years after we parted.\n\nAnother lifetime, I managed to find her when she barely turned 18. She never went to college, I got her pregnant by 19, and somehow we had a fairly sweet life with each other. Until she cheated on me when she turned 41. In my rage, I shot myself in the head in front of her. Hoping that she'll remember that moment somehow. I sometimes muse what happened to our son when I reset. He was one of my favorites.\n\nOne time, we met when she was in her second year of college. We had a wild time, going to concerts, dipping our toes into drugs and even participating in an orgy or two. She ended up dropping out off college. She became a dog groomer, and we were fairly happy with too many dogs until she died of breast cancer at 46. \n\nOnce, we didn't run into each until our 30s. Annie just left a messy divorce, but was doing well as a social worker. She never made it to medical school. We started off well, but I somehow become more and more controlling. It might've been the timid look she had, still a bit wary to trust men. I started yelling more often. Told her she was crazy when she would cry. It was fascinating as she become more and more hollow. I hit her the first time six months after our wedding. The shocked looked thrilled me. I kept belittling her and hitting her, but still letting her know I loved her. DNA is interesting as this lifetime we had a daughter. And then another. One night I hit Annie so hard I heard an audible pop from her jaw. I hesitated, and for a moment she had a look I recognized from our first lifetime. She and the two daughters disappeared by the morning.\n\nThis last time, I found her when she was in her second year of med school. We started off with a strong passion, but things became strained when she started her residency. Annie this lifetime was focused and determined and a perfectionist, but that control extended to me as well. Frankly, she was starting to annoy me. She annoyed me so much I smashed her head against the wall. Multiple times. So many times in fact, she stopped moving.\n\nI stood up, idly wiping the blood off my palms onto my pants. With a sigh, I moved to bedroom, and pulled the gun out of the side table, cradling the familiar weight in my hands. By my count, this will be my 16,779 restart. Perhaps next time I should move on from Annie. She obviously was... haha... a dead end. I could hold off from a restart, go see how well I could escape the police. Maybe my answer to end my endless loop was in prison.\n\nOr maybe I can see Annie again next lifetime. And the next. And the next. Maybe we'll love each other. Maybe we'll hate each other. \n\nWith a smile, I put the gun to my head.", "\\[Story\\] (CAUTION: Brief mention of self harm) \n\nIt's no wonder we cannot remember the womb, a dark warm cocoon cradling you gently each moment of your existence. We would never want to leave and the trauma that follows would scar us for life. The security and comfort in the womb is beyond anything we experience in life, except the few small moments after your last breath when the world recedes and all that is left is the nothingness and a chemically induced soundtrack of death. \n\nMy original life was spent as a christian. I believed I would slip though the vale of life and find myself at the pearly gates. I assumed the warmth and security i was feeling was my soul being pulled to the heavenly gates and that at any moment I would open my eyes and see my god. That thought did not last long when a sudden pressure developed subtle at first; then becoming intense pressure from all sides. The pressure lasts for a time then is eased only to return again, on and on this went till I begin to slide through an extremely tight channel. So tight I could not imagine fitting though until I finally began moving, my head is squeezed to its limit, my shoulders almost broken. Just as I think the worst is over I am pulled and wrenched from the channel into a frigid space. I gasp for breath to scream and wail at the pain, but the noise is so alarming I freeze. The wail of a baby rang out from my sore throat and confusion was the pressure I felt all around me. Every life after, I have been forced to live, has been with the full knowledge there is nothing after that soundtrack except the same life I had before. \n\nBy now though life is boring, I have grown and learned, became rich and famous, died in over 300 different ways some if them at my own hands. Nothing matters though, nothing makes a difference. No matter what, when, how, or by whom I die; I fall into the nothingness just to be gently rocked awake by the safety of the womb. Each time I must build my search from the ground up. My knowledge has remained interacted, but each asset and resource must be cultivated again and again. This has to be to most irritating part of the experience, everyone else being oblivious to the twisted mutation of reality that I live every moment. Never believing, never trusting, always quick to disregard my claims as fantasy, delusion, or mental illness. This time though I believe I have found a way out. I will have to be very careful in the beginning of my life and ensure I am taking all the right steps, but if I do I know it will work. I will be able to end this cycle forever. I am going to end death, never again will I die to be reborn. My mind will live forever suspended in hyperspace and the web." ]	3
	[WP] You accidentally time travel 8000 years to the past, in the exact point in space, you can't believe what you are seeing.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "As Dr. Sherman watched the time machine's power supply slowly recharge, he was thankful for several things. He was thankful he had made the machine an airtight pod, instead of an open platform like his original design was. He was thankful that he could travel backwards and forwards in time while keeping spacial position identical. He was glad he had brought several recording devices, not just those mounted to the pod. He was mostly thankful that he had enough food and water to last a week.\n\nGiven all that, there was one thing that he was definitely not thankful for. Ironically, it was how his machine only traveled through time, and not space. That had seemed like such a good idea when he had designed it. It eliminated so many troublesome calculations. Sure, he had to do a lot of historical and geological research, but that stuff was relatively easy. Well, compared to the math that he had essentially been creating as he went anyway. \n\nThere was just one problem. One tiny, easy to forget detail. Really, it was something that nobody even thought about, so it was understandable that he neglected to take it into account. Oh, he had planned for a lot. 8,000 years may not have been much on a geological scale, but it could still have a lot of changes on the landscape. Rocks could have shifted, rivers changing course, even forests that no longer existed dominating the land. That was why he had made so many preparations.\n\nWhat he had not accounted for was the movement of the Earth itself. He had completely forgotten just how much the planet moved in a single second, let alone a few millennia. And so it was that he sat there in an airtight time machine that was several light years away from the nearest anything, just waiting for the pod's solar panels to take enough energy from the distant stars to get him home.\n\nThere was one good thing about his situation. At the very least, the view was spectacular." ]	2
	[WP] In a world where everyone has a spirit animal, its common to hear about rare spirits. Yours is beyond rare, being entirely unique. Your spirit animal is a Human.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Spirit animals.\n\nIt's the one thing everyone talks about-- it's all anyone is ever really curious about, anymore. Up until eighth grade, the status of a unique spirit animal never really touched us. Up until eighth grade, it was easy. Pretty? Sporty? Fancy phone? Smart? Nerdy? Cool parents? All of that was what had dictated status until then. Maybe money, but money always did that. Rebelling did, too.\n\nBut then eighth grade came around and Lucy Martin, the quiet girl from class 8C, Connected.\n\nIt'd scared her; it suddenly felt like she was seeing through someone -- or something \\-- else's eyes. The urge to run hit her like a tram, I could see it; she'd gone pale, covered her ears and looked sick. No one could touch her or she'd shrivel further into herself.\n\nThe teachers had said she'd Connected early, that they hadn't even put Connect Education in the curriculum until ninth grade.\n\n(I Connected in tenth... it's all the hormones they put in food, these days, for a girl to Connect in eighth.)\n\nThey'd moved it earlier for us, then, once it came out what had happened. Sure, we had known a little bit about Connecting from our parents (my dad told me his spirit animal is a coyote-- he said when he first connected he was hunting something), but Lucy was the first one our age to have Connected. Her popularity exploded, but shy, quiet Lucy, with a rabbit as her spirit animal, wanted none of it. She'd told her friends how it felt, and rumours went around like a bad smell. Someone said she'd probably wanna fuck like a rabbit, too.\n\n(I just... I was so, so scared. Mr. Howe is so nice, but when he tried to help me I swear I lost my mind. I just kept seeing sharp teeth and red fur and--)\n\nThe teachers all said that after we Connected, our instincts would calm down in a few weeks. We'd get used to it. We'd have more control. But Mr. Howe, our beloved science teacher, never even looked in Lucy's direction again.\n\n(--and I just felt like I was going to die.)\n\n... Though, I guess it made sense that a fox would scare a rabbit.\n\nMore and more of the students in my year started to Connect as time passed. After Lucy was Alex, with a rainbow lorikeet, and suddenly his fear of heights did a 180. Then Christopher, with a four-horned antelope; Madeleine with a llama; Peter with a Toucan.\n\nThen Madison from 8A Connected with a grey wolf and everyone lost their minds.\n\nThat was when it started, I think-- the classism. Or maybe it was when we first began to notice it. Couples made of one person Connected to a predator and the other to prey suddenly broke up. Groups of friends split and reformed. And with the sudden influence over animal instincts, bullying became so much harder to control. As more and more people connected, we realised how uncommon it was to see someone with a predator.\n\nEven rarer than that was someone Connected to an apex.\n\nIt was so easy for Madison to become top dog... no pun intended. She practically ruled, dated an athletic Akita-Connected two years our senior, could make anyone flinch-- at least until Adit Connected with a Sumatran tiger in tenth grade, and she lost her throne very quickly.\n\nIt's like we all suddenly understood the world of adults. I could finally get why the head of the business my father worked at, an Orca-Connected, fell into power so easily. Why my mother was so intimidated by the Jaguar-Connected who belittled her research and made advances despite the ring on her finger. Why they always seemed so shocked when I stood my ground.\n\n(Why don't you keep your hands to yourself, you fucking sack of--)\n\nI'd never seen so much fear, and yet so much love and pride, in my mother's eyes before. When he glared at me -- after his initial surprise -- I could tell he was pushing his Connection. I could tell from the way my mother tensed and held her breath, but all I felt was the desire to punch him in the face.\n\nNo one could ever really figure me out, even then. I was a bizarre source of comfort for the prey-Connected, I think; I had always treated them gently, politely, respectful of their boundaries. There was always something in my heart that didn't allow me to do anything otherwise. The predator-Connected, however, took me as a challenge-- I never started fights, but I never took their shit, either; and I sure as hell wasn't afraid to step in and protect someone else. I never picked on the weak. I never gave in to those who thought abusing them made them strong. I never spoke about my Connection, either.\n\nRumours went around, of course. They always did. Someone guessed I was a bear, but the deer-Connected found comfort in my silence. A snake, someone suggested, but no rodent felt like running from me, and no bird of prey could push me around.\n\nFor the longest time, I thought I didn't have a Connection. My teachers couldn't figure me out, and all the testing they knew to do was inconclusive.\n\n(Her mother's a Capuchin-Connected, so maybe if we-- no, no, her father's an Orangutan-Connected. Shouldn't she be afraid of--)\n\nJob interviews were always interesting, too. Watching them try to intimidate me, to challenge my spirit animal and draw it out, and fail, was more than amusing. Some wanted a prey-Connected they could make their workhorse. Some were biased towards the predator-Connected. They could never ask me outright, either-- discrimination of any sort could get you in big, big trouble. They never liked that.\n\n(We regret to inform you that you are not suited for the position of--)\n\nI really shouldn't have been surprised about getting to this point. Now, sitting in a room with wires connected to my head, my heart rate being counted and my brain activity being watched, it's almost bizarre. They hate that they can't figure me out, that they can't slot me anywhere. This new technology is supposed to be able to see someone's spirit animal even before they've connected, and the world barely knows about it. The public would see it as violation, as an invasion of privacy, of the soul, but the government has decided I have no other choice. Looking an Eagle-Connected in the eye and telling them you don't know what your spirit animal is, is apparently grounds for suspicion.\n\n\"Get ready,\" says the man behind the glass. A Fossa-Connected, I think, or maybe a weasel, that beady-eyed bast--\n\nThe pain is excruciating. I had thought it was nothing, for a second, for just a second, thought that nothing had happened, but then it hit me with a wave of vertigo and I didn't even have the breath to scream. Whether it lasted seconds, minutes, hours, I had no clue--I wasn't even sure what I was seeing anymore.\n\nAnd then it stopped.\n\n\"You--\" hissed the weasel, barely audible past the ringing in my ears. I fell to the floor and gagged, heaving, my empty stomach collapsing on itself and doing nothing but starving me of oxygen.\n\nI panted into the silence of the room and barely, through my swirling vision, caught the expressions of all those present to witness. Finally, finally, what he'd said processed. It wasn't 'you' that he had said, no.\n\nIt was \"human.\"" ]	2
	[WP] Tightly tucked in bed you wait for mom to turn off the lights and leave. You wait a couple of minutes as you watch the curtains wave ever so slightly. A sigh comes from under the bed. Tonight is the night; tonight, the monster under the bed is going to be afraid of you instead.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n[](#icon-help) [^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic) ^•\n[](#icon-information) [^(New Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ^•\n[](#icon-help) [^(Writing Help?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) ^•\n[](#icon-exclamation) [^(Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) ^•\n[](#icon-comments) [^(Discord Chatroom)](https://discord.gg/js5XDFB)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Lain in a bed ridden of plushies and pink\n\nWas a child with eyes that not an ocean could sink\n\nWho sat staring at the light and the hallway beyond\n\nAnd watching for the woman who loved them so fond\n\nSo they could pretend for a minute or two\n\nThat they were asleep— if only it knew\n\nFootsteps out on the wooden floors\n\nReminded the child of the many wars\n\nThat they had fought because of the sound:\n\nThe sigh that came from below the ground.\n\n\n-\nThe door creaked open from its once cracked state\n\nAnd in came the mother with a face not straight\n\nA face shown full of love and hope\n\nThat she would not again find her child with a rope\n\nThat hung from the ceiling in a dreaded knot\n\nAnd her child, so innocent, standing on their cot.\n\n\n-\nKisses goodnight and goodbye were said\n\nAnd to each they went to their own separate bed\n\nTo sleep or to fight, to dream or to dread\n\nWhat might wait when the night shed.\n\n\n-\nThe monster under my bed is alive\n\nWith teeth like daggers and a will to thrive\n\nTo stretch its boundaries and test the limit\n\nOf me, the child, known as a dimwit\n\nTo raise my voice to shatter the silence\n\nOr to die trying without a shred of violence?", "\"Listen, I know you're in there, so there's no point pretending we're not having this conversation.\" I whispered, while I lay sprawled on the floor, peering into the darkness that lay beneath my bed.\n\nSilence followed my statement. I still held onto the hope that maybe, just maybe, the \"monster\" might've heard me. I continued to lay slumped on the floor.\n\nNo response is a response, and a very loud one too, I thought. I took a deep breath and tried speaking to the stubborn being once again.\n\n\"Honey! Come have dinner!\" Mum's voice cut through the almost deafening silence.\n\n\"Saved by my mother.\" I grumbled and, I swear, I heard a low chuckle come from under the bed. I smiled, and yelled back as an answer to Mum. \"COMING!\"\n\nAs I traipsed downstairs, Daisy greeted me with sparkling eyes and a whole lot of tail thumping. \"I'm here.\" I said, seating myself at the dining table. \"I think the entire neighbourhood knows, what with you yelling so loudly.\" Mum's voice came from the kitchen. I grinned at Daisy, who reciprocated with a small wag of her tail. \n\nDad walked in, beaming with happiness. \"You look happy.\" \n\n \"Oh, I am. I have a three-day holiday off from work and I look forward to spending it relaxing in front of the TV with maybe some lemona--uhm- spending it with YOU GUYS. Quality family time. Maybe walking Daisy with the both of you. Totally no screen time.\" I laughed as Mum came into the dining room with her signature death stare. It was not easy being on the receiving end of that stare.\n\nDinner was served and we dug in, especially me and Dad. It wasn't easy spending an entire day doing absolutely nothing. I need my nutrition. I got lost in my thoughts, which was a habit of mine. \n\nHow am I not scared of the \"monster\"? I am. Why do I want to talk to it so bad? Well, as an artist, I want to show gratitude to an admirer of my work. You read that right. I am actually terrified of the dark. If I hear anything out of the ordinary, like a paper flapping, something falling, I'll ~~get up and fight the creature with my bare hands~~ freeze in fear. Yup. \n\nOne night, I had trouble sleeping so I stayed up half the night. I don't move much, so it almost seemed like I was asleep. This \"monster\" came out from under my bed, a shadow of some sort with some humane features, I couldn't make out much, what with all the darkness and all. \n\nIt went to my desk and started flipping through my sketchbook.\n\nI was terrified. Until I saw it laugh, a shallow exhale, and close my sketchbook. It stood in one place, as if in deep thought and then went back under my bed.\n\nThat got me thinking.\n\nWhat if it wasn't that bad?\n\nWhat if it was actually a benevolent being?\n\nWhat if none of the 'what ifs' were true?\n\n\"Whatcha thinkin'?\" Dad's voice cut in.\n\n\"O-Oh nothing...\" I replied. The last 'what if' troubled me more than the other two.\n\n\\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nI headed to my room after having brushed my teeth. I lay down in my bed and pulled the covers up till my chest.\n\nMum entered the room. \"Good night, my sweetheart. We're gonna be in our room, so if you're scared, don't hesitate to come to ours. Hmm?\"\n\n\"Yup. Gonna keep that in mind.\" I grinned. She kissed my forehead and turning off the lights, left the room.\n\n\"Good night folks!\" I shouted. \"Good night, love!\" came the reply, mixed with yells of \"Daisy! Move over!\" \n\nI chuckled. Daisy slept with my parents, so I had pretty much the entirety of my bed. All. To. Myself. ~~ITS MINE, ALL MINE! MUAHAHAHA~~\n\nI pushed off the covers and dropped to the floor. \"Showtime, buddy.\" \n\nI lay on the floor for what felt like hours. I looked up to the clock. 11:30 PM. \n\nI smirked. \"I can do this all night, bud.\" \n\nA sigh came from under the bed. \"As you wish, little stubborn human mule.\"\n\nI was shocked. I was baffled. I was bewildered. I was flabbergasted.\n\nIts voice, no, his voice was much more different than I imagined. He could speak. He understood what I said. He listened. And most importantly, he called me a little stubborn human mule.\n\nA dark form emerged from under my bed. He still had that shadowy look about him, but his figure was very similar to a human's. His face seemed to shift every second, so I couldn't figure out any facial features.\n\nHe groaned in exasperation and walked towards my desk. He sat in my chair with a tired grunt. All this while, I was on the floor, stiff with shock.\n\n\"Oh, get up and get that stupid expression off of your face. This is not the first time you've seen me.\" He said in an irritated tone.\n\nI scrambled to my feet and faced him. \"Well? You wanted to talk?\" he asked. \"Uh, well, y-yeah.\" I said, not believing that this was happening.\n\n\"What's your name?\" I blurted. \"My name?\" He laughed. \"Is that all you want to know?\" I didn't like his tone, so I threw the fear away and retorted. \n\n\"Well, I'll need words more definite than just \"monster\" or \"evil little pathetic thing under my bed\" to refer to you now, won't I?\" \n\n\"Ooh, she talks! Well, you do, don't you? My name is what you want it to be.\"\n\n\"What I want it to be? Well, what about Mr.Boring-And-Mysterious-Who-Thinks-He's-Witty?\"\n\n\"Well, if that makes you sleep better at night, then so be it.\"\n\n\"Wait, what?\"\n\n\"Now, little stubborn human mule, look at the time-\"\n\n\"Don't go.\"\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"I don't need sleep, I need answers.\"\n\nHe chuckled. \"Very well. Fire away.\"\n\n\"Do you like my artwork?\"\n\nI took him by surprise, but he laughed.\n\n\"Yes. Now, your mother is coming here and I can't be seen by another human. Toodles.\"\n\n\"But-\"\n\nHe shrank back under my bed and silence flooded the room. I heard footsteps, so I jumped in bed and clamped my eyes shut. Mum opened the door slightly, and peeped in. Seeing me asleep, she smiled and left the room.\n\n\"Good night, little stubborn human mule.\"\n\nThat surprised me. A lot.\n\n\"Good night, Mr.Boring-And-Mysterious-Who-Thinks-He's-Witty.\" I whispered with a grin.\n\n\\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n~~Based on a true story~~" ]	3

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