Split (1)

train · 199k rows

post_text stringlengths 0 17.5k	post_title stringlengths 8 314	comment_texts listlengths 1 74	num_stories int64 1 74
	[WP] Suddenly across the span of 24 hours, the entire world experienced the same event at the same time, an unexplained horror phenomenon: Doppelgangers of unknown origin began to appear in every country privately.. these are the individual accounts of whatever side managed to survive those 24 hours	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 don't know what compelled me to get up at 3 am and light a candle in the mirror, only that I had to. As I gazed in, my reflection broke from showing an image of my actual body and started moving on its own. It (she?) climbed up on the dresser and stepped through the mirror. She (they? it?) grabbed the candle and pulled me down to sit on the ground, sitting down opposite of me and placing the candle between us. We looked almost the same, except my features were reversed on them (them? that works, right?).\n\n\"Do you know who I am?\" they asked me, their voice a low whisper. also my pronouns are they/them btw I heard a voice say in my head. It was a voice that was familiar to me. It tormented my thoughts and dreams often.\n\n\"My shadow self. My evil self. The one who mocks me, says I should die.\" I say, my voice at the same level. \"Only, why are you here, in the real world?\"\n\n\"Oh, it's not just me. Everyone's inner demons will come through the looking glass today.\" they explained, not really answering my question. \"But ignore them. You've been trying to barter with me.\"\n\nThey were right. I had been. My light magick had been growing dimmer over the past few weeks, while my shadow powers grew only a little bit stronger. I started bartering with the voice, trying to get a more reasonable power balance.\n\n\"Only you don't want a balance. You want full power over one.\" they said aloud, breaking my reverie. I mean, they were kind of right. I hadn't even grown my wings yet, visual representations of my magick. Was it because of this internal debate?\n\n\"Let me take over.\" they whispered, holding out their hand. \"I can grant you power beyond what you can imagine. You won't be mocked as 'weak-magicked' anymore.\" \n\nAfter minutes of internal debate, I had made my decision. I took their hand as our candle blew out and I was left in darkness.\n\nWhen I opened my eyes, I thought it had all been a dream until I looked in the mirror. I didn't look like I had the night before. My once dirty-blond hair was black as night, and I had gained my wings, large, raven-looking things which promised heaps of magick. Behind the mirror was a ghostlike figure, a girl like me with platinum hair and white wings much smaller than my black ones. I smiled. Looks like I made the right choice giving up the light. \"Sorry Suara,\" I said, shattering the mirror with a blast of shadow magick. \"but I'm not you anymore. Call me Vox.\"" ]	2
	[WP] During the Black Friday sales, you purchase a cheap star from a weird looking man down a dark alley. Several months later, you receive a visit from one of the aliens that lives near the star.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 ship lands on the rooftop across from your shitty New York apartment. It's so damn bright you are pretty sure the whole neighborhood is going to be shouting about it till dawn, but strangely, even as these gangly tall grey humanoid things step out things are deathly silent outside, as if the city that never sleeps took some Nyquil cut with whiskey and is out for the count. \n\nThe look human enough, bit skinny, pupils too large to be human, heads that were just a touch wider near the top, but aside from that and the grey skin, they just looked like a pair of college roommates. As they stepped out a beam of light flooded down, blinding you as it floods your room, before you can scream, however, you see one take a step onto the light before the other slaps him upside the head before pointing to the window. \n\nThey talked for a moment in a garbled language you don't quite recognize before the second one points to the ground floor. The first groans and just points to the window again, and you think you are beginning to see whats happening here, despite the blinding white light still flooding your room.\n\nYou quickly whip on a pair of sunglasses on your bedside table and walk to the window, slowly opening it. \n\n\n\"GLd'eutn eianne dderuung\" \n\"GOL! Gol. lguirbin edsarnevuc\" \n\"Guys?\" You say, poking your head out of the window. \"Sorry to interrupt, but you are already kinda blinding me from my window, so instead of arguing outside of it for another 15 minutes?\"\n\nThey stare at you for a minute before a quick glance at each other. The first one hops on the light beam and slides their way down like a surfer as you jump out of the way. It only takes a second before they realize the miscalculated the height of the window and nailing themselves on the top half of the fixture before falling back and crashing into the room. The second one assumes a pose similar to going down a water slide but carefully ensures they don't repeat the first's mistake.\n\nYou size them both up, and upon taking a closer look you are damn near sure they are roommats, fit the classic tropes too. The first one looked much more slobbish and unkempt but is back up on his feet and looking around excitedly whereas the second looks like they are two seconds away from a panic attack, looking relatively well kept and cleanly dressed.\n\nThe first one starts to ramble again when the second puts a hand on their shoulder, then proceeds to pull out a silver cigar shaped device with several lights on them that flash as it makes a soft whirring noise. Then the second one speaks.\n\n\"Sorry to bother you so late sir,\" they say, their voice warbling slightly like its going through a filter. \"We were just worried because we wanted to know how our lease was being handled.\"\n\nThere is a long moment of silence in the immaculately lit room as you contemplate what the ever living fuck this gangly nerd of an alien life form just said to you in now fluid English. The second lifts a similar more crooked and battered looking silver device to his throat, another soft whirring coming from him.\n\nYou try to ask what they mean when the second one pipes up. \"We still have rent and our lease isn't up for another 2 years, like, come on dude it should be easy-peezy gronk slime squeezy.\"\n\nThe one you have mentally branded 'Slobbien' saddles up next to you and puts an arm over your shoulder. \"Heck, make this easy and we can introduce you to some cute Martians. Bit on the short side but you look about their height, and they love earth dudes. Wink wink, nudge nudge, if you interpolate what I'm extrapolating.\"\n\n\"Rozz!\" The first one shouts. \"Innappropriate.\" \n\"Oh come on, I was just--\" \n\"Nope, just, play a vid on your phone, ok?\" \n\"Fine! Fine.\" Rozz removes himself from you before shooting you a look that says you will talk about the Martians later. The first and still nameless alien just gives him a look as he leans against the wall next to your door and pulls out a device that looks close enough to a phone to pass for one.\n\n\"Sorry about him, anyways about our living situation.\" \n\"Right, yes, the situation...\" \n\"...\" \n\"...\" \n\"Can I be really honest for a second, Mr...?\" \n\"Oh! Good Gorpleax, right, I'm Phannder, that's Rozz, we are tennants of light cluster Zeta Pi dash C.\" \n\"Yeah, about that, whole.. thing. I just bought the star in question like, 2 days ago, so I have absolutely no idea what any of this situation is.\"\n\nAnother awkward silence comes over the room as a slow look of horror draws onto Phannder's face. \n\"B-but what do we--\" \n\"Ok, I know that sounds bad, but I promise I won't be kicking you guys out or anything!\" \n\"R-really?\" Phannder looked two moments from a nervous breakdown, his large dark eyes beginning to water. \n\"Of course not, I just... need some time, to sort through things and backtrack to see what needs to be done. Just, gimme a number or a... star... sign? Look I dunno how to contact you guys, just give me something and I will figure this out.\" \n\"...ok...\" \n\"Ok?\" \n\"Ok.\" \n\nPhannder takes a few shaky breaths before Rozz pipes up, \"So, we done yet?\" \nYou turn to him again, \"For now, just send me whatever copy of the lease you guys have and I'll try and go from there, ok?\" \n\n\nRozz makes a strange gutteral clicking sound, like a broken piece of glass covered in grime being shattered in a bubble, and shoots you a finger gun. \n\"Perfect, you take this one back then, and I'll... figure this out? I guess tomorrow.\" \n\"Sounds good bro. Come on Phann, lets get back before class starts.\"\n\nPhannder nods weakly as the two of them reverse slide their way back up the beam of light, before it retracts, leaving the room in a sudden and all consuming darkness before your eyes adjust yet again. The ship slowly rises and makes a slow ascent into the heavens as you feel a shiver up your spine. You can't believe you left your window open through all of that in the middle of November, are you trying to get sick or something?\n\nRegardless, you slowly look around for the sheet of paper listing you as the new owner of a star, and start to wonder if there are any other tennants you should be expecting house calls from come morning... or night. God intergalactic timezones are going to be a nightmare. You toss the sheet aside before flopping back into bed, already mentally dreading for morning to come, and with it, whatever new responsibilities that an Intergalactic Landlord of an a-star-tment complex has to deal with.", "Life is strange.\n\nThat's as good a place to start as any. The weirdness for Isabella didn't exactly cease there. If anything, in classic fashion, once things tended to go wrong they usually did in those ways one wouldn't readily expect.\n\nIn this case, wandering into a novelty shop after happy hour with some friends and absently buying a star. Classic gimmick, buy one for a few bucks, put it in your name. And, well, that's it. That's the joke. You own a star system now.\n\nThat didn't explain the massive figure that had entered her apartment and now loomed on the other side of the living room.\n\nA part of Isabella wanted to run away. Another part of her wanted to at least get this thing out of her home. As if she could. Another part honestly wanted her to wake up, maybe see if she'd lost her mind, and a visit to a shrink was in order.\n\nBut no, here was a man, at least she thought it was a man waiting for her reaction as she stayed stuck to the couch in fear.\n\nIt tried to say something to her. Turns out there's a bit of a language barrier after traveling through space to meet someone on another planet. The words coming out relatively rocky. Of course, before he focused on the odd images on the glowing rectangle over his shoulder.\n\n\"Ah.\" He reacted after touching the device. \"That's what they sound like?\"\n\n\"Johnny?\" Isabella called out.\n\n\"What?!\" Someone responded from another room.\n\n\"I need some help!!\" She shouted quickly.\n\n\"Oh. Don't say that-\" The alien tried to answer.\n\nThe man who walked out of the back promptly grabbed an odd instrument and tried to swing on him from point blank. Most likely out of fear. Completely understandable. Point is he missed, the man countered, and that's how John wound up bound in some odd rubbery substance that the alien tied him in.\n\n\"My apologies Miss.\" The alien explained, \"You can call me Varku for short.\"\n\n\"Uhh.... Isabella.\" She quietly in fear.\n\n\"Izzy. Don't say that.\" John quickly snapped.\n\n\"Izzy.\" Varku explained. \"Well, let's get to it. I work a security outpost for regional authorities. And I believe you just purchased star system 88-325-23 under your name?\"\n\n\"What?\" She explained.\n\n\"You bought a star. And the planets around it.\"\n\n\"I, um... I don't even remember.\"\n\nVarku gave his version of a sigh and removed his headgear to look at the tiny being sitting on the odd furniture. He promptly pulled up a hologram which showed Izzy and John and several friends of theirs happily poking buttons at what appeared to be some touchscreen they were viewing this through. A voice she didn't recognize asked her if she was sure of the purchase. And the pair of them had happily agreed. And then video ended and the display she was watching vanished.\n\n\"So yes. You bought a star. Although my employers didn't certify it. You violated a bunch of registrations. But, this area you live in is also unregulated. So. Really interesting. M-801 is supposed to be a dead galaxy-\"\n\n\"Hey. Get to the point.\" John shouted as he wriggled on the floor.\n\n\"You're not under arrest.\" Varku explained. \"But we have some documents to fill out. Will you accompany me for a short time?\"\n\n\"Do we have a choice?\" Izzy asked him carefully.\n\n\"Unfortunately, no.\"\n\nVarku walked over to John, picked him up and slung him over his shoulder like a bag. Then walked over to Izzy and offered her a hand off the couch.\n\n\"Let's take a look at what you purchased? Okay?\"\n\n\"...Okay.\"\n\nShe grabbed the visitor's hand and well, things began to make less sense than usual. Again.\n\n---\n\nr/Jamaican_Dynamite", "\"I am asking you to let me people go\" Sky'La said to me, looking very sympathetic\n\n\"I'm sorry, run this back for me again?\" I say, very confused, you would be too if a blue skinned alien showed up at your office asking for her people's freedom.\n\nNonetheless, this is exactly the situation that I found myself in at the beginning of 2021. How did I get here? Well, last black Friday, I was in China Town; and there was, what I thought at the time, a gag shop selling novelty goods. My daughter has always loved outer space, the idea of being an astronaut has fascinated her for as long as I can remember. \n\n\"Buy a star system for your little girl, make her Empress of her own world\" the strange looking man said to me as I walked past.\"\n\n\"Oh please Daddy\" Lily said, looking up at me with those big hazel eyes \"I have always wanted to own my own star system\"\n\nSure am raising this kid right... I think to myself. At least it's cheap enough for the pleasure, twenty five dollars to purchase an entire star system. That was about the extent of the though that I put into the entire purchase, that is to say, until Sky'La walked into my life.\n\nI thought it was some sort of a joke at first, you'd probably have thought the same if a blue skinned alien walked into your office. My receptionist thought it was just another nut, people are crazy even under normal circumstances, the last year and a half has been anything but normal. Just to show how little this registered, my receptionist didn't even warn me something strange was up with my new client.\n\nFor my part, it took a moment before I noticed anything was wrong too. When you aren't expecting to look up and see someone with completely blue skin, you don't even notice it right away. It wasn't even until I heard her use the word \"Por'hek\" before I even looked up.\n\nThen I did a complete double take. Sitting before me, in my office, was a blue skinned alien; Nothing more necessary to describe her, she was a human in every way, except for the color of her skin. \"I am asking you to let me people go\", and here we are back at the beginning.\n\nI didn't even relate the two events in my head at first, it seems obvious, but buying a joke gift on black Friday... well I didn't really think this was a possible outcome. \"So, you are telling me that I purchased your home star system, the planets, and all the inhabitants of the world?\"\n\n\"Yes, that is exactly what I am telling you\" Sky'La said\n\n\"Well why would I ever do that?\"\n\nAbject shock crossed over the strangers face \"What do you...? For the benefit of my species?! You'd keep us as slaves?\"\n\n\"Up until 15 minutes ago, I did not even realize you existed. You walk into my office, tell me I made the greatest bargain in history, and now you want me to give all that up? So again, why?\"", "\"I did it mostly as a joke, and partially because I was scared of what would've happened if I didn't buy the star. The guy had that wild look in his eye. I couldn't say no.\"\nThe alien, a 2-foot-tall creature which had a shape resembling the Geico gecko stared back at me. With a device held directly to its throat-hole, it stared back at me and began to speak.\n\n\"You bought Vex-Kevlur 2 from... who? And as a joke? How rich do you think you are?\"\n\n\"That--is a really, really good question.\"\n\n\"Well by international space law you're going to evict half my species from one of the only habitable solar-systems in lightyears.\"\n\n\"Oh my god, I'm so sorry I didn't-\"\n\n\"Nah, I'm just messing with you. Welcome to the system, neighbor!\"\nThe thing stood up on its hind legs, and held out its green Teflon-lined fingers. \n\"Been too long since we had anyone visit or care about us. Tell me, you know your planet has an unstable reactor core and has a 1 in ten million chance of exploding at literally any minute, right? That thing looks like it’ll give pretty soon.”\n\n\"Ah, I get it another one of your jokes?\"\n\nIt sat there for what felt like an unreasonable uncomfortable amount of time, its eyes studying me closely, unsure of what to make of my most recent comment.\n\n\"Yeah... a joke.\"" ]	5
	[WP] You made a deal with the Grim Reaper. You get to live forever as long as you help him collect souls. You check the next person on the list... and it's someone you're romantically interested in.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 Death handed me my next target, I sighed at the picture. It figures that he'd have me kill her, it wasn't the first time and probably wouldn't be the last. Ever since the day I took on this contract, I'd become nothing more than his plaything, a toy for his amusement.\n\nI made my deal long ago, in an era forgotten by man, where legends and myths roamed the land and death lurked around every corner. I was nothing but a poor peasant, working my farm and keeping my family safe. That is, until a roving army of bandits set its sights on my village. That was when he found me. Why he chose me, I don't know. Perhaps I held some special quality he wanted to find. Or maybe he found me at random. Either way, he gave me an out: he would not reap my soul in exchange for my reaping others. Maybe, if there weren't an army threatening to destroy all I held dear, maybe I wouldn't have taken it. But what-ifing and wondering don't do anything, all that matters is that I did.\n\nAnd so, now that I was deathless, I stood against the horde alone, a steadfast bulwark against a tide of marauders. I fought and killed, holding fast against the invaders until, at the end of it all, I stood alone among a mountain of corpses, a bloodstained hero. The day after my glorious conflict, I was given my first target: a local serial killer responsible for several murders, brutally ripping young girls apart. I found him and ran my blade through his chest, prolonging my own life while delivering sweet justice to a monster. In the beginning, all of the souls I needed to collect were like this, monsters of the worst kind. Murderers, rapists, those that had committed the gravest of crimes. I did my work with an almost zeal, delivering divine retribution to those that deserved it. I thought I was doing the world a service, that I was a hero. In reality, I was nothing more than a vigilante drunk on glory.\n\nSlowly, my targets turned from monsters to those that had committed minor crimes. Fraud, petty larceny, people who were still criminals, but not the same monsters I hunted before. And I justified their deaths as serving the greater good, as they allowed a hero to survive as well as being condemnable criminals. I knew that I was starting to stretch in my justifications, but I was intoxicated with the power of undeath, never fearing for anything. Soon, my targets began to be regular people, and I became the same kind of monster I started out hunting, and I could no longer justify what I was doing save for my own desire for power and life. But I still upheld my bargain.\n\nThat was until he started to target those close to me, starting with my son. When he told me who my target was, I refused. I would rather die than end the life of my own kin. I had fallen far, yet I thought that I would never go that far. That was until I learned of what awaited me if I ever broke my deal. With the numerous evil acts I had committed in the pursuit of immortality, I had a reserved place in the pits of Hell. If I ever failed to uphold this unholy bargain, I would be damned to eternal torture in the deepest parts of Gehenna. So I took the life of my only son to appease Death.\n\nThereafter, the only souls I was assigned to collect were those of people that I knew. Friends, family, lovers, none were spared, as I had long since abandoned my humanity in pursuit of eternal life. Hence, when I was handed my latest target, I did nothing but sigh, for I knew that she was soon to be on the list. Poor Angela, she reminded me so much of my wife. Caring, kind, intelligent, and soon to be sacrificed for my continued existence.\n\nAnd I will continue this for as long as I can. I fear the end and what I will suffer as a result of my sins. I plan to bide my time for as long as I can for, after strange eons, perhaps even death may die." ]	2
	[WP] You are watching the news and a report soon comes in which explains that people around the world have had the same nightmare involving a demonic entity causing the end of the world, You are confused and you head to your neighbour to tell them but when they see you, They scream in horror.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Tik. Toc. Tik. Toc\n\nI sigh as I look up at the clock. Almost done. The night shift at Westtown Central Mall was rather boring. Nothing ever happens. Eight long hours of walking around the floors of this empty behemoth of a building. All the store lights are out, all the entrances locked. It sometimes feels like it was abandoned with so few people here. It’s so empty.\n\n“Hey, Casey, shift’s almost over. Wanna grab a drink after.”\n\nI turn to the voice. “Knock it off, Brent. You know I’m not going out with you.”\n\n“Aww but we could have a little fun, ya’know, to make up for this long night,” Brent says with a wink.\n\n“Creep,” I mutter under my breath as I walk away. I don’t know what Brent saw in me, to be honest. We’ve never had a conversation without him asking me to go out in the first five sentences. Also, as far as I knew he had a mistress at home. Why was he knocking on me?\n\nOn my right is an “antique” shop selling stuff from the 80s. (Am I also antique, then?) They have these big CRT TVs that are always on. Don’t they know how much electricity they’re wasting? Anyway, I walk over and glance at the TVs. Some news channel talking about insomnia, it seems like. Yeah, tell me about it. A red line across the bottom of the screen reads “breaking news.” Yeah, when is there not breaking news?\n\n“Reports are coming in all across the globe of some sleep-demon. Many people dreamt about standing helplessly by as a “demon” brutally murdered their families in front of them. The demon then proceeds to grad the globe in one massive and and squeeze it until it splits.”\n\nWell this sounds interesting. Sounds like someone’s playing a big joke on the news reporters.\n\n“When asked to describe the demon, people break down and cry. Men, woman, children, it doesn’t matter. Police reports indicate that they have received thousands of 911 calls in the last hour reporting this demon. Experts estimate that as much as 30% of people waking up claim to have had this dream.”\n\nI look around the mall. Nothing in either direction besides the depressing signs of a failing store and the quiet rhat tat tat of the air conditioning. I shake as a chill creeps up my spine. It’s just a trick, I tell myself, there’s nothing to worry about. You’re a grown woman, for God’s sake, act like one.\n\nI’m not sure why the broadcast gave me such chills but it just felt so… familiar. The dream the reporter had described, I could swear I’ve seen it before. But not from the perspective they described. I think I might remember-\n\nBeep beep beep. Beep beep beep.\n\nMy watch reminds me that my shift is over in just five minutes. I should start heading to my car. But what if this sleep demon? I thought I remembered something, but the thought is gone now. C’est la vie. \n\n\n~~\n\n\nThe whole drive back home, something nags at the back of my mind. It feels like an itch that must be scratched, but there’s no way to scratch it. I swear I’ll go senile before I’m 50.\n\nI pull into the parking deck of my apartment complex. Home again, home again. A short walk and an elevator ride later, I stand in front of my door. I live by myself, some might claim, but I have more than enough company with my little fishies. There’s so peaceful, I could watch them all day - if I wasn’t so dang tired all the time.\n\nI drop my personal belongings on my kitchen table. All I want to do is lie down. There’s a nice old woman in the apartment next to mine. I should probably check on her, in light of the recent news broadcast.\n\nI’m back out the door. I don’t bother to lock behind me, even though I know I should. I’ll be next door, and only for a minute or two. I knock on the door next to mine. The apartment is owned by a little old woman named Mrs. Marley. I’ve never heard of her relatives coming to visit and I’ve never seen her leave for more than groceries. She’s very lonely but nice enough.\n\nA minute passes. That’s unusual. Mrs. Marley is normally right on top of that door. It’s just past 8:00, and she normally gets up around 7:15. Just as I’m thinking of knocking again, the door swings open.\n\n“Oh, Casey, thank goodness it’s you,” Mrs. Marley croaks.\n\n“You don’t sound so good this morning, Mrs. Marley.” I’m surprised; she normally sounds so happy but now she just feels… dead.\n\n“Oh, no, I had this awful dream. Come sit down.” Her words are slow and drawn out. I notice that she’s shaking slightly. A strange feeling glides over the surface of my brain - some mix of horror and worry.\n\nI walk into Mrs. Marley’s apartment. There are pictures all over the wall of a woman I had never met before. I’d asked Mrs. Marley about them before and she always replies something along the lines of “Oh don’t worry about Mrs. Marley’s insane little games.”\n\nMrs. Marley shows me one of the living room chairs and we both sit. “I had this awful, awful dream. There was this dark shape, and it looked almost humanoid. It was evil, I tell you. I could feel the evil from the center of my bones to the tip of my …”\n\nBut I’m not listening to what she’s saying. Her eyes. They’re so deep, so black. I had never noticed before. So deep. I could get lost in there. The void of light was sucking me in - sucking me in - sucking me in. I felt alive.\n\nI notice Mrs. Marley has stopped talking, but I look around and I don’t see her. But I remember a noice - a horrible noise. It hadn’t been there before. Where had it come from?\n\nA memory flashes before my eyes. A hand with iron grip darts for Mrs. Marley’s throat. A scream - a shriek - of the most devastating, heartfelt, delicious horror. Squeeze. And just like that the scream stops.\n\nWhat the heck was that memory? I start to shiver, but it’s not cold. I look down and…\n\nThere on the ground is a body. The body of Mrs. Marley. The eyes stare straight at me - as lifeless as a stone in a desert. What happened to her?\n\nAnd then the realization. I had happened to her. The hand in the memory - it was my hand. The squeeze - it was my squeeze. The death - it was my fault. \n\nThe guilt I feel is strong like iron - but the pleasure is strong like steel. My heart pounds at a million miles an hour. My calves feel like they must run or else fly apart. I feel the adrenaline like never before. Why am I happy? I just killed a woman! Everything feels darker than before. \n\nI rush to the mirror to see. My eyes are blacker than the deepest, darkest pits of hell. I thought comes to my mind. I must kill. I live for death. The world will know fear. My body lights on fire - but it is the fire of death. It is a fire that feels more evil than I could possibly imagine. The fire feels cold - colder than cold. It’s so cold the room freezes in front of my eyes.\n\nThe ground trembles but I do not feel like - because I am not on the ground. I levitate a foot above the ground. \n\nThe fire is evil. The fire is death. The fire is me and I am the fire and the fire is death. And I am death.\n\nI speak but the sounds do not come from me. My vocal chords move but the sound does not come from me. The sound is the sounds of all the beasts of hell, and the sounds is me. And the sound is evil. And the sounds feels good. And the fire feels good. And the sound booms throughout the world, permeates the world, so even the deaf can hear.\n\n“A new age has begun.”\n\nAnd the world will know fear." ]	2
	[WP] Both you and the creepy doll haunting your house are scared of the “furby room” up in the attic.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 previous owner had been a bit of a shut-in, and had dementia to boot. So, it wasn't much of a surprise, after I acquired the property via auction, that there had been some serious hoarding going on. Stacks of newspapers, a treasure trove of books, and a wild assortment of: dolls. The labyrinth, holed up on Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn, NYC, was filled to the brim with whatever fit the fancy on the daily of the nonagenarian (R.I.P, ma'am) for the past 43 years.\n\nNow, the hoarding wasn't precarious. I've seen it at several properties auctioned and flipped.\n\nNo.\n\nIt was the nature of the objects that was truly alarming.\n\nNot the newspapers. No. Not the books, although they were of an interesting assortment. No.\n\nThe dolls. And I don't have any adverse fear to dolls. Well, didn't.\n\nI was in the \"furby room\" where the old broad had been found unresponsive. I thought it was weird that the room had been locked from inside, per the emergency services that recovered her body. But the dementia scanned so nobody thought twice about it.\n\nThe door had been re-installed, as it had been broken down, and locked from the outside in accordance to the will of the departed.\n\nI made entrance into the room to clear it out, one night, when I heard a scuttling across the wood flooring in the hallway behind me. Rats?! Fucking rats! God. Damnit. I had to see where the nest was for the exterminator. The furbies erupted in a cacauphony of shrills, purrs, and Russian expletives.\n\n\"Pizdets!!\" \"Blyadskogo mudaka!!!\" \"Padyom Kudiits!!\"\n\nI rounded into the hall in time to see a silhouette slip into the bedroom at the end. One big fucking rat. Was it really a cat? I closed the door to the furby room, hoping to leave little escape for the little bastard if I couldn't corner him. Little did I know I had just saved my own life.\n\nLighter than clouds, I padded down the hallway. I stuck my head visible across the frame and saw upon a bed a doll. A wooden monkey donning a fez hat, sitting upright at the foot of the frame.\n\nNo rats here, just monkey country.\n\nI inspected the room briefly, but found no holes in the walls or floors, and likewise no excrement that would indicate the presence of a nest nearby. I shot the monkey a glance as I exited and returned my focus to clearing out the property.\n\n\"DON'T!\" roared behind me\n\nI jumped, drew my knife from my belt- a karambit, and reared up against the wall facing the room I just exited. Slowly, I peaked my head into the room and saw nothing. I ripped open a closet door, knife held at the ready. Nothing. The tension receded and I calmed a bit. It must have come from the neighboring unit. I sheathed my knife in the kydex, and then what I thought would be the craziest thing I've ever seen happen- happened. The wooden monkey stood and looked me dead in the eyes.\n\n\"Don't go back there, they want you dead.\"\n\n\"...\"\n\n\"Really. Don't go back.\"\n\nI felt brain fog and confusion, and a tingling in my extremities. I stumbled a few steps forward, then backward. A fucking doll was talking to me.\n\n\"Hey, watch it!\" Now the doll was yelling at me.\n\nI heard a clacking coming down the hall, originating from the furby room.\n\n\"Did you lock the door!\"\n\n\"N-No. Why?\"\n\n\"Shit,\" the golem clattered to the floor, \"We gotta go!\"\n\nThe wooden idol clambered into the hallway just as the furby room door swung open and hundreds upon hundreds of neon-furred bird-rats exploded into the hallway mimicking a chorus of screams that could peel paint from walls.\n\nI grabbed the monkey and slammed him against the window behind me at the end of the hall.\n\n\"Hey!\" Slam. \"HEY!\" Slam. \"Don't fucking break m-\" Slam, shatter. I threw the medium through the frame. Three stories below, I spied an awning. The furby hoard was nearly upon me. I leapt through the frame likewise and crashed upon the canvas below me, collapsing the canopy and descending onto the cement. Luckily, my shoulder broke my fall. An old collar bone fracture absorbed the impact and once again fell rent with a loud crack. Fuck. The monkey, meters away from me, laid lifeless. The furbies poured out of the broken window in like to me and also fell lifeless, and impacted the concrete all around, their screams now mute and their faces devoid of bloodlust.\n\nThe authorities would later blame the incident on the hoarding of the previous tenant. After the furbies were cleaned off the street and returned to their room, I retrieved the monkey and went back into the residence. After passing over the threshold, he sprang to life.\n\n\"Did they lock it!\"\n\n\"Yeah.\"\n\n\"Shit. Okay, good.\"\n\n\"What happened? What is this place? How can you talk!\"\n\n\"Olga was a witch. And, with the dementia, eventually she cast some spells that came back to haunt her. I was the beginning, a companion summoned. But, after she started hoarding, it was only a matter of time.\"\n\n\"Okay, okay, I'll leave that one locked.\"\n\n\"She regularly left the television on. She liked to watch a lot of WW2 documentaries, and she longed for the Old Country.\"\n\n\"Clearly.\"\n\n\"Just promise me this.\"\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"Don't, under any circumstances, open the Beanie Baby room.\"" ]	2
	[WP]You’ve died and become reborn in some fantasy world. Congrats. Normally in this situation, you’d be some kind of chosen one destined to defeat some Dark Lord - however, in this case you ARE the Dark Lord, and must cement your rise to power and stop the chosen one from defeating you. Good luck.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 gasped awake, panting. My mind was fuzzy and disoriented, the way it is after a good nap. But I didn't remember lying down for a nap. I clawed my way back into consciousness. I stretched, muscles stiff and protesting, as if I'd been lying there a long time indeed. As I did so, I looked around. To my shock, I was nowhere I'd ever seen before. I was lying on a black stone altar in the center of a rough-hewn cavern with a high, vaulted ceiling. I was also stark naked.\n\n\"As the prophecy foretold, he has awoken!\" I jumped at the unexpected shout. Taking a second look around, I noticed a dozen or so people, all on their knees with their foreheads pressed to the floor. \n\n\"Wait, what?\" I blurted, baffled.\n\"The last day of the nine hundred ninety ninth year has come, Great One, and with it the Solar Eclipse. Breath returns to your lungs under the Sun That Does Not Shine. We are ready to serve, o King of Kings.\"\n\"Sorry, whats all this 'King of Kings' business about?\" I asked.\n\"Of course Lord\" replied the prostrate man. \"In the glory of your return I had forgotten that upon your waking, you would know nothing of your destiny. I beg a thousand pardons.\"\n\"Just tell me what's going on, and we'll call it square. And stand up when you talk to me.\"\n\"Thank you Lord, thy mercy knows no bounds\" he said as he climbed to his feet. I gestured for him to continue.\n\"It is said that in the First Cycle, the Starlit Queen was your lover. You set to building the great Empire of Krakophon with her by your side. You conquered the squalid kingdoms of the world one by one and bent them to your will. At last, only Sella stood against you, a filthy Republic whose people had ever resisted all proper governance. As you prepared to grind them beneath your heel, your queen asked you to spare them the conquest that you were owed. Thrice she begged, and thrice you denied her, for none may stand between the Great One and his destiny. It was then that your queen, your own lover, thrust her star-forged sword through your heart, and cast down your greatest achievement, shattering your wide realm. As you lay dying, you swore upon the Eternal Darkness that you would return and claim the world as your prize, and she swore by the Ever-Shifting Moon that she would stand against you. Every thousand years, the cycle repeats, and the one who was vanquished in the cycle before is reborn, while the victor lives on to face the other again when the cycle repeats.\"\n\nAs he spoke, some of my grogginess began to wear off. \"I'm not your guy\" I protested. \"I've never heard of this Krakophon of yours, I'm from Nova Scotia. And I'm no conqueror or whatever, I'm a sergeant in the Canadian Army.\"\n\"Forgive my contradiction, Lord, but your life before now was a mirage, one which has, blessedly, been lifted.\"\n\nI took a moment to think on that, and I thought about what had happened before I woke. I had been in Kandahar, last I remembered. What had I been doing? As the fog continued to clear from my mind, I went through the events that had unfolded. I had been with my unit, doing a room-by-room sweep of a small apartment block. I'd been first around a corner, and I'd heard a few shots ring out. I'd seen an insurgent drop at the end of the hallway. The rest was a little unclear, but I'd been lying on the ground, and there was blood everywhere—I'd been shot, that was it. The recollection hit me like a thunderbolt, and all of a sudden, I remembered it in vivid, gruesome technicolor. The burning sensation in my neck, the blood pooling under me, the chill that came on so fast, and the voices of my brothers in arms fading to nothing as my vision did the same. \n\nI was glad I hadn't stood up yet, because I certainly would have collapsed. I must have looked sick, because the man I'd been speaking with suddenly looked concerned.\n\"My Lord, are you well?\" He asked.\n\"I...I died\" I replied. \"I remember it so clearly...\"\n\nHis face grew pale. \"Such things are not for my lowly ears, o Lord of Hosts\" he told me. I nodded and composed myself. I stood, and for the first time inspected my body. I liked what I saw. I'd always been tall, fit and powerful, but now i appeared carved from stone. The scars earned through years of war were gone. I was magnificent. Flawless, except for a single scar, shaped like a four pointed star, right over my heart. My fingertips inspected it.\n\n\"From the star-forged blade of your treacherous lover, Lord\" the man informed me. \"It is said that through your many lives, that scar always returns.\"\nI nodded slowly, beginning to resign myself to...I wasn't sure exactly what.\n\"Let's say I am your 'Lord of Hosts'. What happens now?\" I asked.\nThe man's face broke into a wide grin.\n\"Why, Lord, now we must reunite you with your legendary spear!\" He told me excitedly. \"Artos, fetch the Great One's spear! Musa, bring my daughter!\" \nAs the two men ran off to do his bidding, I walked around the chamber, stretching my legs and inspecting my surroundings. The walls were hung with tapestries of battle scenes, stories of this Great One I was supposed to be.\nThe two returned quickly, bringing with them a beautiful young woman, naked as I was, who I couldn't help but sneak a few glances at. They also brought an old spear, which they offered up to me reverently.\n\"Seriously?\" I exclaimed, shocked. \"This old thing is the 'legendary spear of the Great One'?\" Maybe it had been impressive once, but now it certainly wasn't much to look at. Eight feet long from tip to tip, the shaft had warped and gone gray with age, and the long, broad-bladed bronze head and butt spike were corroded and covered in a green patina.\n\n\"Lord, when the spear has been renewed, it shall regain its incredible glory, as you will regain your incredible power\" said the man at my side.\n\"So how do I renew it?\" I asked, taking the spear.\n\"With blood, Lord\" he replied.\n\nI stood there confused for a moment, before an awful realization dawned on me.\n\"You mean your daughter?\"\n\"Yes Lord\" he replied, pain and pride fighting in his eyes. \"She has prepared for this moment since she became a woman.\"\n\"Absolutely not\" I said flatly.\nThe woman spoke up for the first time.\n\"You must, Lord\" she said. \"Do not let it trouble you. I will find eternal bliss in the embrace of your patron, the Lord of the Underworld, who Recieves Many Guests.\"\n\"No!\" I shouted. \"I won't kill anyone without good reason!\"\n\"Lord, there is no greater reason!\" She exclaimed. \"Please, Lord. I beg of thee, do not spurn me.\" There were tears in her eyes now. \"Lord, I have no greater gift for thee\" she said quietly as she knelt, her eyes fixed on mine. She was the only one in the chamber who would meet my eye, and as I looked back into hers, I could see she meant what she said. She actually wanted me to kill her.\n\nI held her gaze for a long moment.\n\"Please, Lord\" she said, pitifully.\n\"Are you absolutely certain?\" I asked her, already knowing her answer.\n\"Yes Lord. Absolutely.\"\nI hesitated, then nodded. A look of relief washed over her face. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and hardened my heart to the task. As I moved toward the kneeling woman, the spear felt good in my grasp, despite its age, and for all my misgivings I felt almost compelled to kill this woman. I looked her in the eyes one more time, and she gave a tiny nod. Without giving myself time to second guess what I was about to do, I thrust the spear into her chest with all my strength. She did not cry out. Instead, with her last breath, she whispered the words \"Thank you\".\n\nThe green-tinged blade seemed to drink her blood, as did the aged shaft. The wood straightened, then darkened. As I pulled the blade from her chest, I saw that the bronze head now gleamed like a sunset. Runes appeared on the blade, the color of dark blood against the bronze. I felt a change within myself as well, a great pressure building inside me. I let out a wordless, primal war cry, and it shook the cavern. The people around me gaped at me in awe and fear, and once again knelt, pressing their heads to the floor.\n\nI knew then that I was indeed the King of Kings. I was the Lord of Hosts, the Great One, He Who Darkens the Day, the Conqueror of the World. I knew my purpose.\n\nI took a moment to shut the woman's eyes, then turned to my acolytes, as I had decided they were.\n\"Show me to a map, and be ready to answer my questions. I know nothing about this world, and if I am to rule, that needs to be fixed. And you! Bring me some clothes!\"\nI nodded in satisfaction as my acolytes scurried to carry out my orders. This world would kneel before me.", "Who the heck gets hit by a garbage truck on a side walk? Oh yeah, yours truly. So killed, reincarnated, or tossed into a mark one mod nothing fantasy world. Cool right? Find some village save some farmers and get the bar maidens to swoon. Except no sweet little hamlet. Nope I land by a generic goblin camp. Ragged little guys look beaten, muddied, and totally without a shred of dignity left. My arrival and they start bowing down. Apparently I am not the chosen champion to defeat the dark lord. I am to be the dark lord.\n\nOkay what do I have. Most of my clothes turned into local crap. Jeans to leather breeches. My nice duster. . Okay that actually improved. And my cubs cap turned into some broad leather thing with a cool bit of jewelry. No the good bit is my game bag. Yeah the bag turned into this leather mess. But Russel was always paranoid and he lined the whole thing in that antistatic stuff. Leave your cellphone in there and the battery will drain looking for a signal. That means what ever changed everything didn't get all the way through. All of my game books are magical tombs I am certain. Most my text books are now middle earth architecture or something. But my laptop and solar charger are still okay. Time to get started.\n\nFirst rule of RTS is more workers and more food for workers. So I put these guys to making a clearing on high ground but not in the mountains. Sorry this level one noob is going to avoid the big boys for now. While they work I walk about this swamp. Every goblin I find back to the camp. Step two isn't in any game I played. But I get them all bathing. Then I show them how to do some spinning and show them how to build a loom. Some plants like cotton and these little guys even harvest spider silk. Soon they are clean and wearing proper clothing. And really showing some pride again.\n\nSix months. I got six months before the first challenge to my goblin empire came. But it wasn't humans or even heroes. Three big orcs were laughing and breaking things as they went to take what they wanted from my little guys. They laugh when I level my bit of wood and forged iron their way. Honestly I am shocked at how loud my 'wand' was. Memo for next time, less powder. Good news the middle one dropped dead. I popped the breach and stuffed in another shell. \n\n\"Run. Run home and tell your brethren. These lands are protected.\"\n\nYou would think winter would suck hard. No sending workers to farm or fish. But we have stored food. And with a few bits from my text books that did survive. We have canning. Mix some tricks from the 'magic' books and my stuff and the guys have lanterns with no flame. Perfect for the winter work. Tunnels.\n\nSummer comes again and the crap camp is now a good town with stone walls. And hidden underneath reinforced tunnels that can hold my entire populace. When the king's scout was spotted I had everyone drop what they were doing and get in the tunnels. I met the scout with a wagon 'pinning' me down. He helped me and I told him of the terrible scourge. The horrid form that came from a mountain to the west. I told him how the sky lit up like one of the mountains had caught fire from within. Took everyone. I was only passed over because they did not see me where I was trapped.\n\nEat your heart out Russel. I can to roleplay. The guy bought it and went back to inform his king. Based on travel speeds? Should take him a few months to get back. Then the king summons champions. Then they have to Lewis and Clark their way a few thousand miles. I wonder how long they will search for a dark lord's tower that isn't there?", "''Well, shit!'' The new master yelled, when I had finished explaining the great plans of the chaos to him.\n\n''Master. I and the legion have sworened to the chaos that we will follow and help you untill this pityful world is nothing more th--'' I tried to tell the new master how loyal we were to him and to the chaos, but he stopped me.\n\n''I don't wana do all that.'' \n\n''But- but master! The chaos choce you for a purpose to guide us and the chaos can take that purpose and the powers it bestowed to you away.'' I tried to reason with the new master. The chaos had warned that it would be treason against chaos if the chocen master would go on his own way.\n\n''Fuck... Ok, whatever lets get this over with. Where is the 'hero' or do I need to find them first, fuck ofcourse I will need to find them first.'' \n\n''The profecy call's that the wretched hero will be born under the fullmoons of three. The next triple fullmoon cascade will ocure in ten years. We will have an edge untill then to grow in power and feed the chaos. You are our master but still you are not even stronger than me, so we will train you to your full potential, in the earlyest it will take a century to do so.'' I explained humbly to the new master.\n\n''A FUCKING CENTURY, just to train?! How long do you expect this shit to on for? Man... what did I do to deserve this?'' The new master yelled again, at least he is showing to be a ferocious leader with that short temper of his.\n\n''By the profecy it isn't clear how long the full battle of balance will last, but the final battle with you and the hero is to last fifteen cycles of Tramadon, the second moon and the slowest of them all. As to what made chaos chose you to this unholy task, I do not know master.'' \n\n''Ok. Let's take this a bit back. There is chaos and then evidently order. So there is magic and if I'm to train for a hundred years there is something that prevents me from dying of old age and I guess I will train in magic as well. Ok, prophecy, magic. Is there a way to prevent a prophecy or are they like unmoving... things? You know if we just I don't know, kill the hero's parents before they born or something.'' The master mumbeled to himself before inquiring my knowledge. \n\n''Oh. Well it wouldn't... wait. Why have we never thought of that? It would be a great boon if the hero was never born in the first place. You are indeed a true master of wisdom as the prophecy told and the right choce by the chaos.'' This revilation would surely change how the chaos fights the order." ]	4
	[WP]as far as you can remember, there has been a expensive bounty in the top left corner of the bounty board for a goblin in a low level area, but even though it should be a hotly contested bounty, it still has not been claimed...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 Ladmir took on the request, he had a sort of expectation set in his mind. Goblin nests were sort of one note despite the different biomes they could inhabit. The one common thread they all seemed to have was how overgrown everything always was. Whether it was weeds and vines everywhere in a jungle, mud and silt everywhere in a swamp, or sand everywhere in the canyon of a desert. The common thread all goblin hide-outs tended to have were caves in highly inhospitable areas. This... was quite the opposite. It was a cabin, a quaint one at that. A small fence surrounded a garden where flowers, vegetables, fruits and medicinal herbs all grew in sizable well kept patches. There was a shed a few yards off where one could clearly see a tanning rack and a workbench for butchering hunted game. He could even see some pelts and a few sets of stag horns to prove that whoever lived here had been doing so for awhile.\n\nLadmir checked the map that came with the request. It was certainly the right place and yet... looking around at the towering redwoods with peacefully twittering birds and a forgiving canopy that let ample sun through... it was far from any goblin hole he knew.\n\nHe approached the cabin, peeking into the windows for any sign of people living inside. There were none. Looking inside it was a simple one room affair. A firepit, a separate stove for whatever reason, cot, a dresser and a shelf for keeping books and what not. Whoever lived here lived simply but was certainly not wanting for activity. He mused going inside to investigate further, suspicious of why such a homely place was marked as a goblin's hideout. Perhaps people lived here, perhaps they had already been killed by the goblin on the request. However everything was far too pristine to have been raided by a goblin.\n\nIt was at this moment of consideration when he heard the crunch of grass and twigs. The clink and clank of armor was unmistakable. Ladmir looked to the side, an armored figure stood. Stained with blood, the figure cut an intimidating figure as it moved forward.\n\n\"Who are you?\", Ladmir questioned. The armored stranger took notice of the adventurer's quick step. There was an edge to the way Ladmir approached this situation, it was hard to when everything about the stranger alarmed Ladmir. This was wrong, in this picturesque scene, why did someone who looked like they had just freshly committed murder appear so naturally? \"Do you know the people who live in this cabin?\"\n\nThe stranger raised the arm resting on the hilt of the sword on its hip. It placed its hand on its chest in a gesture that clearly meant 'me', before resting it once again and moving forward at a slow pace.\n\nLadmir wasn't having it though. The adventurer pulled out his blade in a flash. His light plate not at all an impediment to his alacrity. With long sword pointed towards the stranger he demanded, \"Remove your helm and identify yourself.\"\n\nThe stranger sighed, a low gravelly voice that seemed far too tired for this. \"How rude. You appear on my property uninvited, and now you point your blade at me despite my forgiveness of your trespass. Adventurers today.\"\n\nIn a flash the stranger pulled out one of the blades on it waist. A curved blade that ensured quick and easy draw, it was well known for its ability to cut but quickly fell out of favor due to its brittleness. It caught Ladmir off guard as his sword was knocked away. He brought his targe to bear, blocking the stranger's path to a follow up strike that would have surely bisected him. Instead the stranger elected to kick Ladmir away.\n\n\"Not bad.\", the stranger hummed. \"I've seen better but you've survived the first strike at least. That puts you a notch above the rest.\"\n\nSomething clicked in Ladmir's head. He rolled off to the side to grab his long sword while drawing a short sword with his off hand. \"Are you-\" Ladmir could not finish his sentence as the stranger attacked his crouched form. A clear strike aimed for his shield arm's unarmored shoulder. Ladmir blocked the stranger's strike with his shield while hoping to drive them away with a weak reprisal of his long sword. The armored stranger saw through the awkward swing and promptly swatted it away with a bracer covered forearm.\n\n\"Certainly you could do better than that.\", the stranger hummed in disappointment. With Ladmir thrown off-balance from that desperate attempt, the stranger pulled up the other blade at his hip with one smooth motion using the arm on the same side. Without further ado the stranger swung down the long sword, cross guard first down on Ladmir's helm in a murder stroke.", "I thought it would be easy and a good deed. You know take care of something greenhorns were having trouble with but wasn’t big enough for a heavy-hitter to make the trip. I decided to be sneaky about it. Maybe it was just some illusionist or they were just getting surprised. It turned out being sneaky wasn’t hard. The goblin seemed to have a pretty obvious, to me at least, guard post in a tree. At quick glance you wouldn’t notice but if you knew what to look for you could find it. Nearby I found a cave. There was a token effort to cover the entrance but whoever was inside was not quiet. I peeked inside. A boy, round maybe 14 or 15, was playing with some goblin runts. He was the big bad monster and they were laughing and trying to tackle him to the ground. But a sword caught my eye. Particularly the crest on the hilt. Gods above, that was a royal crest. \n\nI back off from the cave not knowing what to think. I was so confused I almost didn’t hear leaves rustling to my left. I quickly drew my blade and turned just in time to parry the goblins wild swing. They had well-worn leather armor and a short sword that was more like a hand and half with it’s small stature. It looked angry. And that affected its form. I could tell there was training underneath but I must have spooked it by sneaking past. I was able to block most of its strikes but I could see how the locals would have trouble with its speed and ferocity. I took advantage of one of its sloppy swing, and I was able to parry and cause its sword to go flying out of its hand. Then I kicked it in the chest. It fell and I was on it quickly. I had a one foot on its right wrist and my sword pointing down on its neck. I saw anger in its eyes and then I was interrupted.\n\n“g GET OFF HER!” Shouted the boy from the cave wielding that sword.\n\nI didn’t take my eyes of the goblin. “You’re not close enough to stop me. I could stab it and still have time to take you.”\n\n“Please, sir. If it is money you want, then I can pay.”\n\n“How bout a question? You answer and I take my foot off this goblin and we can have a nice chat.”\n\n“What’s the question?”\n\n“How in the hells did you get that sword?”\n\n“Oh, it’s my dads.”\n\nI lift my foot and the goblin dashes for its sword but I pivot and look at the boy still holding the sword. The sword is definitely royal. “I don’t think you understood what you just said.” The goblin grabbed its sword and looked ready to fight again.\n\n“Wait! Both of you! It’s true. Isn’t that why you’re here? For me?” He asked with confusion plain in his voice. \n\nI pointed my sword at the goblin. It growled. “I’m here cuz that goblin got a bounty on its head.”\n\n“Oh. What for?” He looked back and forth between me and the goblin. \n\nI sighed. “Goblin shit. Stealing. And it’s been kicking the asses of any low level that tries to stop it.”\n\n“Stop calling her an it.”\n\nI rolled my eyes. “She ain’t human, boy. And she’s been causing trouble for humans.”\n\n“We can just go.”\n\n“Alright, you noble brat. That ain’t how this works. Go back to your castle and leave the dirty work to those in the dirt.”\n\n“But… She could work! Maybe do some bounties with you and pay back whatever she took.” The goblin growled at him. “Or you could bring me home and she will move somewhere else. My family will reward you.” The goblin growled again. It seemed angrier than before.\n\n“Just who exactly are you, boy?” \n\nHe lowered his sword and stood tall. “I am Edward George Dagon, the Third Prince of Alkon.” His sword glowed as he said his name. \n\n“What the fuck.” I blurted out.\n \nThe goblin took advantage of my surprise and rushed me. I was caught off-balance and I hit the ground hard. She smacked my head with the hilt of her sword and I saw black.\n\nI was too dazed to resist them tying me up. But after they were done the boy was busy arguing with the goblin. I worked on untying the rope around my wrists while they argued about what to do with me. The boy wanted the goblin to run off and he’d stay here and cut me loose the next day. I think the goblin wanted to slit my throat.\n\nI was just trying to remember whether or not the Third Prince had been reported missing.", "(testing out some ideas for my planned Log Horizon fanfiction, hope that's ok) \n\nBeryl looked at the board in town square. The party that had hired him, consisting of the elven enchanter Lily, the dwarven guardian Harald, the wolf fang sorcerer Ulv, and the human assassins Shadow and Darkness, was confident they could pull it off. \n\nBefore the Apocalypse, this wouldn't have been a problem. But now, now things were different. Now it was no longer a game, now they didn't know what dying would do to them. \n\n\"Are you done now?\" Ulv, the party leader, asked. \n\n\"Almost,\" Beryl answered, finished the last preparations on his trap, and said, \"Ok, now. Thanks for the darts, Shadow.\" In response, the assassin just nodded. The group set out and approached the goblin fortress. As the goblins' torches came into sight, Darkness returned and handed Ulv a map, detailing everything they'd need to know going in. \n\nBefore they even reached the fortress, the goblins started attacking, pouring out of the main gate and onto the field in front of their fortification, as arrows came down upon the party. Everyone but Harald ran for cover, and Beryl cast a heal-over-time spell on the guardian, right before he used Anchor Howl to draw enemy attention to himself. \n\nAs the goblins focused on the dwarf, the assassins began picking them off with their bows and arrows. \n\nAfter a quick battle, the party headed into the fortress, and made their way through room after room, with Harald drawing them into an ambush every time. Finally, they reached the main chamber, where the main goblin, whose bounty they would collect, was waiting. \n\n\"Alright, just as we planned,\" Ulv said. Beryl cast another long-term healing spell on Harald, who used Anchor Howl to draw the enemy's attention. Lily cast Thorn Bind Hostage, and everything was set. As soon as the thorny vines grabbed the goblin leader, the assassins began shooting arrows at him, cutting a vine with each shot and dealing an additional 1k damage. The goblin leader hit Harald with his club, throwing him across the room. \n\n\"Hold on,\" Beryl said and cast another healing spell, this time one that worked faster. The goblin leader turned to Shadow and tried to attack the assassin, but was punished severely by the effect of Anchor Howl, allowing Harald to land a free hit. As the last vine snapped, the goblin leader died and turned into the standard loot. \n\n\"Wait, that's it?\" Lily asked, \"Wasn't there some big reward money or something? How come nobody's ever beaten such an easy boss?\" \n\n\"I have a theory,\" Beryl answered, \"Follow me.\" The party collected the loot and shared it as agreed beforehand, and then left the fortress again. \n\nWhen the party came by the spot where Beryl had been busy an hour prior, they saw half a dozen players on the ground, paralyzed by the poisonous darts Shadow was so infamous for. \n\n\"What are they doing here?\" Ulv asked. \n\n\"Setting a trap,\" Beryl answered and pulled out his axe, \"The bounty was a lie so they could draw low-level players out here, and then kill them once they got tired out by the goblins. I'm not just a druid, I'm also a trapper, so I know when I see an ambush spot. Setting this up was rather easy.\" With a few swings of his axe, he sent the players back to the cathedral, then put his axe away again. The party returned to the city, and Beryl returned to his guild, the Sacred Forest, to prepare for the next assignment.", "\"Just pick one, and let's go!\"\n\n\n\"I-I've never done this before! H-How do I know if they're bad guys??\"\n\n\nVivian slaps her own face, trying not to yell at the new recruit she hired. The gang will never grow if she doesn't train some people, but gods above, is it supposed to be this hard?!\n\n\"...Everyone on this board is a bad guy. Someone paid to have them brought in, or killed. If someone went to all that effort, they deserve to be up here. Look. Horde of slimes, destroyed a farmer's field. Fifty gold. Ran off with an heirloom. A hundred gold. Seriously, just pick one...\"\n\n\n\"...W-What about that one? That one looks...pretty safe... Five thousand gold, too! We could buy our own house for that much!\"\n\n\nVivian frowns, following the girl's gaze. \"Five thousand? That's impossible, you're just seeing-\"\n\nShe stops short. Sure enough, plain as day, the bounty gleams with a gilded edge to the parchment. Five thousand gold for the successful, confirmed kill of one 'Higbar Corntooth'. The picture shows a frail, scrawny goblin with sagging skin and yellow teeth.\n\n\nVivian snatches the paper from the board, crumpling it into a ball which she shoves into her satchel.\n\"No. Anyone else.\"\n\n\"What? Are you just taking that one for yourself? C'mon, if we're gonna be partners, we need to share the rewards!\"\n\nVivian shoves a steel finger down on the girls nose. \"We are NOT partners. You work for me, and I make sure you don't get mixed up in shit you have no business getting involved in. Pick a card before I pick for you.\"\n\nThe girl makes a sour face, before pulling the paper calling for the wrangling of a half dozen rampaging slimes. \"What made you roll out of the wrong side of the bed?\"\n\n\nVivian scowls, before checking her temper, and taking a deep breath.\n\"...That bounty shows up every now and then... Keeps getting higher. That goblin is... A close friend of mine. And everyone else in the guild. We have an understanding.\"\n\n\n\"But he's on the board. Shouldn't that make him a bad guy? That's what you just said.\"\n\n\n\"Kid, you can't keep calling people good guy and bad guy. It doesn't fucking work that way.\"\n\n\n\"My name is Elsie.\"\n\n\n\"So you've told me. I might remember if you start making me money. Now can we please GO?\"", "\"Gods, you must be hot - what is that, full plate? A hand-and-a-half sword? Sit a spell, let me get you some cool sumac tea.\"\n\n\"No need for that. I'm here for the bounty.\"\n\n\"Another one, eh? What's it up to, now?\"\n\n\"Just passed 800 ducats.\"\n\n\"For little old me? Well, I'll tell you like I told the others - I won't put up a fight.\"\n\n\"You won't?\" \n\n\"That Farmer McLeod has been trying to drive me off this land - his land, he says! - for years. It drove my poor husband to distraction, and I think the stress is what took him down last winter. Me children and their children have all grown up and wandered off, so it's just me, you see.\"\n\n\"Why does he want you off the land so badly?\"\n\n\"Hells if I know. Some irrigation project or some such. He wants to drain the bog! Y'know, the bog where your cunning women gather their herbs, where the children fish in springtime, where you all come to cut peat. He wants to drain it and plant more damn corn.\"\n\n\"Why do you stay?\"\n\n\"It's my home, dear. I've lived here more than 200 years. I've raised children here. Put up a wreath every Michaelmas. Buried my husband here. I won't leave just to be replaced with some cornstalks. So I'll tell you like I told the others - if you want to collect that bounty, go ahead. I won't fight. But I won't just leave, either.\"" ]	6
	[WP] aliens have taken over earth and enslaved humanity, they didnt expect the amount of slave uprisngs that would happen as a result.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I remember when I was younger, maybe five or six years old, I saw a small green beetle climbing up the wall of my small house. It was a pitiful thing, not the size of my nail and shook nervously from the weight of its own existence. But it seemed to have a goal, which fascinated me, it was going to climb the length of my house wall, every nook and cranny of it until it reached the glory of my roof. \n\nIt was thrilling to watch, the little guy would crawl three, maybe four feet up the wall, then tumble straight to the barren ground with a resounding tunk! I can't tell you how long I watched it, hours and hours of tunk.... tunk.... tunk... He never got close either, the roof was miles away to him, an impossible distance. But that beetle just kept going, tunk... tunk... tunk...\n\nI remember feeling a stinging sorrow for the thing, this awful jab in my gut that said I needed to help him. It was almost like comradery for it, a relation over struggle. But I didn't help, I just watched the labor of a dedicated beetle, and his epic crusade for better lands, over and over he went. It finally culminated with a record breaking climb, I was watching with impassioned eyes as my little warrior starting breaking all of his records. Five, six, seven feet! I was stunned, he was going to do it, he was going to see the sunset from the roof, the little beetle would experience more glory than any man I had seen at my age. He was inches away from the top when he made his final fall, tumbling a full ten feet to the ground, letting out the most painful tunk I had ever heard, and he died in the dust of his failure, eyes still cast to the roof that he died chasing.\n\nThat beetle profoundly changed me as a child, I would close my eyes while wrapped in the warm blankets of my rural home and here his labor, tunk... tunk... tunk... It followed me. Everywhere I went I saw that beetle, everything I saw showed evidence of that beetle's spirit. \n\nIt's taken me years full of ruthless sorrow and horrible tragedy to understand what that beetle taught me. The world has changed since my friends crusade for the roof, but life has remained just as fiery as before. Invaders have come and put chains on mankind, subjugating her to perpetual labor and heartbreak. They crack their whips and try to cow our weak flesh, they murder by the thousands and think that death is has deep as the human heart goes. But they have no idea...\n\nIf took years of struggle for mankind to finally make an important discovery, a discovery that burst the many damns of pain and turned them into a flood a fury. Those invaders are from a different place, a much different place. They've evolved past worldly struggle and only suffer from what they choose to suffer, they've spent eons outside of the viscous cycle of life and have forgotten her lessons. They have forgotten what that beetle showed me. \n\nNow the world, a world once chained and whipped, a world once under one rule from outside evils, is in tumult and passionate rebellion. We can see it in their faces', as alien as they are the emotion is universal, confusion and panic. They can't understand it, why we're throwing our bodies on their spears by the thousands, knowing death to be the result. They don't understand that we find more meaning in death than despair. I can see it, slowly, they are loosing their grip on us. They're loosing hope that we can be so easily managed. The world is on fire only because we prefer the heat to a cold solitude, mankind feels in her heart the lessons that nature spent so long teaching us, and we cant contain it.\n\nBut most brilliantly, and most wonderfully, I see something else in our enemies. I hear rumors and whispers, I catch stories and feel it in the air. As mankind is casting off her chains by cutting off her hands the message is becoming clear. I look at my captors and see an emotion that I'm sure they haven't felt in eons: fear.\n\n That beetle didn't really teach me anything, he moreover showed me what I already knew, what every human knows deep in their spirit, because it is the human spirit. We are feeble feeble things that know death all too well, by the cosmic scale we are born and die in the blink of an eye. We are all that beetle, climbing an impossible wall, dreaming of something beyond us just to fall down with a painful tunk. Over and over until death. Tunk... tunk... tunk... That's what scares our captors, they have forgotten what it is like to be so truly passionate about something. They have forgotten the fire that posses someone's eyes and hands when they see something worth dying for. Now they will know the fury of a caged animal released into a cruel world again, and they will learn a lesson so inherent to our being that even our bugs know it...\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nIf you enjoyed check out my subreddit! r/mrsharks202" ]	2
	[WP] You’re a regular person in a world with many notable super heroes. At least you thought you were regular until the god of war saw you and ran in terror	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 first time doing one of these so I’ll take any advice or comments I can get.\n\nBasic Background:\nThe Sentinels - Group of Heroes like the justice league or Avengers.\nGenesis - Leader of the Sentinels, basically superman\nThe Syndicate - Group of villains\n\n\nToday started out like any other. I woke up in the morning flicked on the news and began getting ready for another mediocre day at work. The news that morning was pretty much the same as always, a story about some new hero making a name for themselves by catching a criminal. However, right before I walked out the door some breaking news popped up on the TV. Apparently the Syndicate had made some threats and demands of the city and the mayor was asking everyone to exercise caution today and to trust in the Sentinels. After hearing the message I turned off my TV and headed to my job at the cafe across from city hall. The day was turning out pretty uneventful and nothing had come from the threats I had heard on the news. My co-workers and I were trying to decide what bar we should head to after work, but before we made a decision we heard a thunderous explosion that shook the entire building.\n\nWe all ran to the windows to look across the street and that’s when I saw it, the Syndicate had gathered in the city square and they were in the middle of some kind of ritual. There was an unnatural storm raging over them and the ground in the middle of them suddenly burst into flames. The light was blinding and it took me a while before I saw a figure rising from the flames. Before I could notice anything else, the Sentinels appeared and made quick work of the syndicate, however it was too late. The figure slowly stood up and the flames subsided. He must have been at least 2 stories tall, he was in full battle armor from what looked to be ancient times and he carried a flaming sword.\n\nThe figure spoke in a deep and unsettling voice “At last, after 2,000 years trapped I am finally free. Bow before the God of War, Ares!”. The leader of the heroes, Genesis, flew directly at him and right before he has about to hit him, Ares grabbed him. Genesis was struggling but to no avail. Suddenly, Ares’ eyes started to ignite like a fire, he looked right into Genesis’ eyes then let him go. Genesis fell to the ground, slowly he stood up again, shaking his head like he was in a daze. He turned to the rest of the sentinels but something was different, Genesis’ eyes were the same as Ares, and in the blink of an eye he began to attack his teammates.\n\nIt was right after one of the Sentinels came flying through the cafe window that we realized we should probably get out of there. Slowly I made my way to the door and out of the cafe, but just when I did another one of the Sentinels landed at my feet. Apparently he had tried to attack Ares directly but didn’t have much success. I was staring down at him when all the sudden I heard Ares scream “How is the possible?”, I looked up and saw Ares staring right at me. Ares’ eyes were still burning with flames when he said again “Where did you come from? This is not possible, you’re supposed to be dead!”. I was shocked, I had no idea what he was talking about, but before I could even compose a thought Ares erupted in a column of fire and disappeared. \n\nSoon after Ares left, the affect that he had on Genesis and the other Sentinels began to fade and the fighting stopped. The Sentinels were regrouping unsure what had come over them, but they were sure of one thing, for some reason my mere presence had led Ares to leave. They all began to come over to me to get answers and before a single word was spoken, I fainted." ]	2
	[WP] This forest is unlike any in the entire world, in that it doesn't remain in a single place. Animals thrive, trees flower, birds nest and seeds germinate all over the world, never in one place from one day to the next. This forest, rather than land, thrives upon a long-abandoned ship.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"You look tired. Let me tell you my story while you rest.\"\n\nFascinating!\n\nThat was the word we so often used to describe this place when we first discovered it. I still remember the stories my mother used to tell me about it when I was a child. A floating forest, guided by the waves. It would travel from place to place leaving only seeds to mark its passing. Few had ever seen it, and most were called crazy.\n\nBut they were just stories. Things mothers would tell their children to set their dreams adrift. I'd forgotten those stories until recently. I'd grown up and put them aside like so many do with childish tales.\n\nI'd taken a job as a navigator aboard a merchant vessel, the Grace, named after the captain’s wife. My mother was so proud of me.\n\n\"You're going to see so many wondrous things!\", she'd said as I hugged her goodbye.\n\nOur first week out from port was uneventful. The winds were in our favor, and we were making good time. Captain Aalto seemed impressed by my skills, and I was eager to show what I could do. The captain said there might even be a bonus for me if we arrived early.\n\nWeek two was when we started to notice strange things. Late into the night one of the crewmen woke us. He said there was something unusual we needed to see. We stepped out on deck, and he pointed over the rails of the starboard side as he dimmed the lanterns. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust, but after a short time I began to see a glow from the water. Hundreds of tiny lights played in the water. They swirled and bobbed in the waves, and where they contacted the hull of the ship they seemed to stick. Like tiny drowning men clinging to life on whatever they could reach. There was a line of these lights stretched out into the distance as far as the eye could see.\n\n\"What do you think they could be captain?\" I asked.\n\nHe shrugged as he turned to the crewman. \"Go fish one out!\" he barked. The crewmate ran off and came back shortly with a Jacobs ladder which he deftly attached and deployed. He climbed down the ladder with a short-handled net in hand and snatched a few of the glowing objects out of the water. When he reached the top of the ladder, he handed the net to the captain, and we began to investigate the objects.\n\nThey were dark and appeared smooth and rounded, about the size of a fist, and seemed to be covered in a jelly like substance. They were sticky as evidenced by the captain having to tug at the net to get them to release from the deck. Upon closer inspection they looked like seeds. Though no seed I'd ever seen before.\n\n\"What should we do with them Captain?\" the crewman asked.\n\n\"Find something to stow them in. We'll take a few with us and see if anyone has heard of these when we reach our destination,\" he ordered.\n\nWith the matter settled, we returned to our bunks to catch what remaining sleep we could.\n\nThe next morning, we awoke to cries of alarm from the crew. Scrambling to the deck I looked to where they had gathered around the starboard side and were pointing down over the railing. Reaching the closest group, I quickly glanced over to see one of the strangest sights I had ever seen before. Small saplings had started to sprout from the seeds that had attached themselves to the hull in the night. They looked to be about a foot in height and about as big around as a finger.\n\nA second cry of alarm interrupted my thoughts about what this could mean. This time it came from below decks. Making my way to where the call came from, I could hear the crew whispering about superstitions and curses, but they quickly stowed that kind of talk when the captain came through. I made my way below decks to the cargo stores. One of the crewmen pointed to where they had moved some containers full of food near the inner hull at the waterline. I could see what looked like roots that had burrowed their way through the wooden hull and into some of the crates.\n\n\"I noticed the deck was wetter than usual, Captain,\" the Quartermaster said. \"We pulled these away to look for leaks and discovered this.\"\n\n\"Check all the crates and move any untouched foodstuffs and supplies to the other side. Then start trying to cut these things off my ship. Officers are to assemble in my quarters, now!\"\n\nThe men jumped to work immediately.\n\nOn the way to the captain’s quarters another cry came up from the top. This time one of \"Land!\".\n\n\"That's impossible,\" I cried. \"We're weeks out at sea with at least two months to go. There shouldn't be land anywhere near us.\"\n\nThe captain called for his spyglass, and once it was in hand looked toward where the land had been sighted. \"It would seem you were wrong then, son,\" he said as he handed the spyglass to me.\n\nI saw what looked like a small island off our starboard bow. It was faint in the distance, but it had to be land as I could just barely make out what looked like trees.\n\n\"I suppose it could be something that wasn't charted, but plenty of ships have made this trip and haven't reported anything like this,\" I said. \"Should we investigate?\"\n\n\"We may have to,\" the Quartermaster replied as he jogged up to us. \"Bloody plants have ruined most of our food stock, and about ninety percent of our water supply. We don't have enough to make it back home, let alone continue our voyage.\"\n\n\"How goes the effort to remove them?\" the captain asked.\n\n\"They're hardy little things Captain,\" the man replied. \"I set four men to task, and they swear they can see the damn things growing, but they're coming clear.\"\n\n\"Son, I want you to set a heading towards that island,\" the captain said to me. \"We'll take two longboats ashore and see if we can locate any supplies. While we're gone the rest of the crew can finish removing these things from my ship.\"\n\nAs we approached the island we began checking to see when we could drop anchor. The last thing we needed was to run aground given the state of things. That should have been our first sign that this place was unusual. No matter how close we seemed to get, the water never got shallow enough to drop anchor. We set the ship to heave to and tasked a crew with keeping her in place while we went ashore.\n\nAs we approached in the longboats, we could pick out more detail. The trees came all the way to the water's edge. They reminded me of mangroves back home that could grow in spite of the salt. We looked for a place to come ashore but realized there wasn't one that we could see. We ended up tying off to the trees. The roots were thick enough we could walk on them. As we stepped ashore there was a scent in the air like rotting meat left out in the sun. While unpleasant it wasn't all that different from the slaughter docks back home. We could hear birds whistling from further in and what sounded like the hoots and howls of monkeys. At least we knew there had to be food and water on this island if it supported life.\n\nThe further in we got the stranger this place became. We encountered signs that indicated other men had been here before. Pieces of ships, like wreckage scattered around makeshift campsites, but no other signs of people.\n\nWe did find fruits, and fresh water pooled in giant leaves. Some of the men managed to trap a few animals they encountered that looked like small deer.\n\nWe pushed further inward, and the scent of rotten meat was replaced with that of a sweet-smelling nectar. The fruit was delicious and just the right amount of sweet. We passed all manner of strange flowers, with blossoms and scents we'd never before encountered. What must have been at least a dozen new species of animal crossed our paths more than once. Our cares and worries started to ease away. Some of the men started singing and their steps seemed to lighten. We carried on that way for I don't know how long. I don't remember much of the journey or even when we reached the center of that island. I don't even remember when we discovered that many of the men had gone missing. None of us could. But none of it mattered. Something was driving us forward.\n\nI can only recall the cold feeling of dread that started to creep into the pit of my stomach when we saw what awaited us. We'd arrived at what can only be described as a ship. Overgrown and crowded with brush, but a ship, nonetheless. In place of her masts sprouted enormous trees, and the ivy that dangled from the canopy above took the form of her sails. And there on her bow, spelled out as plain as day, the word Grace, for all of us to see. The crew we'd left behind waved at us from the deck. Their forms were changed, more branch and leaf than flesh, but we could tell that they were ours.\n\nThe rest is a blur. Several men panicked and ran back into the forest. Captain Aalto, myself and a few others managed to keep things together well enough to investigate, but I can't rightly recall what we had been doing before. The feeling of dread was replaced with confusion. We'd needed supplies, and then to get back to the ship, but the ship was here, so clearly, we'd completed our errands.\n\nIt was time to get back to our mission and keep the ship moving. We had supplies to deliver. After all the ship needs its crew, and it certainly needs its navigator.\n\nI turned and looked at our new arrivals.\n\n\"Now what did you say the name of your ship was again? I may have seen it just past these trees up ahead.\"" ]	2
	[WP] The Hero finishes reciting an incantation to bind the Villain. Nearby, a trickster god breaks down in laughter, having swapped the binding incantation with magical marriage vows.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Serien’s fingers twisted around the worn hilt of her knife. After everything she’d sacrificed, she finally had Braith within reach. Kneeling beside a tree she watched the Fae man idle beside the moss covered waystone. Without his armor he almost looked boringly normal in the daylight. His blond hair shone in the bits of sunlight that reached the forest floor, and his posture was downright casual. If Seiren hadn’t spent the day trailing him she might have thought him anyone but the ruthless and brutal warlord who had run all the humans off this island. \r\n\r\nWhom ever was meeting Braith, they would only fiend his corpse. Seiren unsheathed her knife as quietly as she could, watching his slightly pointed ears for the slightest indication he heard her. Braith leaned against the waystone and yawned. Seiren stalked forward, mindful of her entire body as she closed the distance between them. The witch said the spell Seiren had bought would only work if she touched him. \r\n\r\nSeiren hoped stabbing him would be enough contact. She whispered the first word, nothing but air between her lips, but she felt the first chord of magic thrum through her. Three more steps. Three more silent words. She felt the magic in her heart. She could set her people free. Seiren leapt stabbing Braith in the back as she yelled the remaining spell as fast and as clearly as she could. Every syllable and sound exactly as the old witch had taught her. \r\n\r\nSeiren had given everything she owned save for the clothes on her back and a single knife for this spell. She’d given up her family name and the memories her family had of her. Her own family wouldn’t know her if they saw her again. Everything for this one chance to save their homeland. \r\n\r\nBraith howled in pain as she twisted the blade in his shoulder. Seiren wrapped her legs around his waist and snaked her arm around his throat. He managed to get his chin beneath her arm, preventing her from choking him. Seiren had just finished the last word when he threw himself backwards into the waystone, crushing her. \r\n\r\n Braith ground out a triumphant, “Yes!” as her grip faltered and she fell to the ground. Briath stumbled a few paces and fell to a knee as he shot an appraising glance to her. Hatred blossomed in his eyes, and deepened the scowl on his face. \r\n\r\nHe shouldn’t be able to move. He should be bound to the pebble the witch had given her. Seiren had done everything just like-\r\n\r\nA piercing howl of laughter erupted between them. \r\n\r\n“I can’t-“ a woman appeared, laughing so hard she could barely speak. “I can’t believe you actually fell for that!”\r\n\r\nSeiren crawled to her knees and then scrambled to her feet, knife angled to the newcomer. The Goddess, Seiren realized. That was Hemwin, the Goddess of discord and mischief, currently bent over laughing hysterically. \r\n\r\n“What in the ether is going on?” Braith growled and pulled Seiren’s knife from his back. \r\n\r\n“Meet your-wife,” Hemwin said as best she could between another fit of laughter. \r\n\r\n“I’ve told you I’m not interested in a marriage with you,” Braith said. \r\n\r\n“Not me, her!” Hemwin said wiping a tear from her eye as she pointed to Seiren. \r\n\r\n“What? That spell was supposed to trap him in a rock for all eternity.”\r\n\r\nBraith paled. Hemwin let out a clear cackle of glee before she collected herself. “You stupid mortal.” The goddess finished drying her eyes and then adjusted her black hair. Seiren stomach dropped as Hemwin shifted into the witch Seiren had sold everything to. \r\n\r\n“Look familiar?” Hemwin crooned. \r\n\r\nSeiren shook her head. “You lied to me? I gave you everything I had to save my people.”\r\n\r\nHemwin shifted back into her true form, a punchable smirk plastered across her face. “I only partly lied. It is a binding spell. Just instead of an actual rock, it’s to you. Same intelligence level it seems. The spell is old magic that binds your souls together. One of you die, you both die.” She turned to Braith who looked as if he were contemplating skinning Hemwin alive. “I bet you wish you would have taken my offer now.”\r\n\r\n“I’ll kill you,” Seiren snarled. \r\n\r\nHemwin smiled, cruel and cunning. “You said you’d give everything, and now you have. What better way to negotiate a return to your ancestral lands then with your husband?” Hemwin looked to Braith, “And what better way to raise an army to stop the coming invasion then with your wife’s people?”\r\n\r\nBraith threw the knife at Hemwin who disappeared with a cackle. \r\n\r\nSeiren lunged for the the blade, grabbing it off the ground and whirling around to face Braith. He stared at her, his cold grey eyes hard. She didn’t care if she died too, she was still going to kill him. \r\n\r\n“Go home,” he snapped.\r\n\r\nSeiren threw the dagger at him. He grabbed it out of the air by the hilt and stuck the blade beneath his own belt. “Have we met before?” He asked. \r\n\r\n“You killed my brother,” she snarled. \r\n\r\nHis brows furrowed as he took in her face. The dark seas help him if he didn’t remember. Finally he asked, “Turik?” \r\n\r\n“Don’t you say his name,” Seiren said. \r\n\r\n“Turik was your brother?” He huffed a laugh. “The apple didn’t fall far from that tree,” he spat and rolled his shoulder. \r\n\r\n“That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me.”\r\n\r\n“You obviously didn’t know your brother well. Or are you just as evil as he was? You’re definitely as stupid.”\r\n\r\nSeiren ground her teeth and turned to escape into the forest. This was so horribly wrong. \r\n\r\n“Where do you think you’re going?” Braith called to her and in an instant was in front of her. \r\n\r\n“Get out of my way,” Seiren snapped as she attempted, and failed to get around him. \r\n\r\n“You might not be worried about me dying, but I am certainly worried about you dying. I have a land to save, so you’re coming with me.”", "\"So you say he doesn't listen.\" she scratched more notes on her notepad. \n\n\"Doctor, that's precisely the problem. For our anniversary I asked him for the hearts of my enemies. He gave me a cake shaped like a heart. It's been the worst year since we were married!\" Elena gave a withering look at her arch nemesis turned husband. The doctor paused and blinked. She had been seeing this couple for years. She had even urged them to divorce, but they really were into their role play. The story of how they got married was a source for many work related discussions. She was working on a book. \n\nDr. Applegate looked over and asked \"and when she says the hearts of her enemies, what do you think she means, Locke?\"\n\n\"Doc, I don't think you understand,\" he started in his normal condescending tone \"she really means she wants me to kill and cut out the hearts of her enemies. I'm top of the list!\"\n\n\"Well, if you wanted to show your DEVOTION maybe we could do some of the activities I want to do!\"\n\n\"Now, Elena, let's let Locke have his say.\"\n\nShooting a venomous gaze and raising her hand, Elena pointed a small device at Dr. Applegate. \n\n\"No!\" Locked jumped over and grabbed the small remote shaped item.\n\n\"You NEVER let me have any fun!\" Elena screeched as the alarm went off.\n\n\"Well, that's all for today. Let's try some listening exercises, and Elena, try communicating what you actually mean. These fantasies are getting in the way of your marriage.\" Dr. Applegate escorted them out of the room, while Locke had his hands around the remote. \n\n\"Here, take this and dispose of it doc.\" He handed her the toy, she tossed it into her wastebasket." ]	3
	[WP] The clown painting in the basement has always been very creepy, your parents have also always reminded you to keep the basement door shut at all times, until one day you left the door open and the clown in the painting is gone.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 couldn’t be gone right? Paintings don’t just disappear like that” Was all Andy could think to himself as he stared at the blank spot where that blasted clown painting was once hung. He hated that thing, the way its blank expression just stared at him.\n\nHis fists clenched as his mind raced with explanations for why it was gone, until there was a sudden thump from upstairs. Dread filled him as he slowly turned around, the slow steps he took feeling agonizing. He finally reached the top and looked around, “H-hello?” He called out, stammering as he did so.\n\nThe lights were off, they weren’t off when he came down. His heartbeat quickened, “Oh god oh god what the hell is happening? Was it because I didn’t close the door? I knew something was wrong with that paint-” His thoughts were suddenly cut short as he heard a crash coming from the kitchen.\n\nThis was it, this was how he died, Andy Clarke was about to die to a stupid clown painting. He began to walk towards the kitchen, his heartbeat higher than ever before. As he rounded the corner, the painting of the clown suddenly filled his vision alongside a psychotic laugh filling his ears.\n\n“Hello Andy”\n\nAndy screamed and scrambled back onto the floor, holding his arms up in front of his face to block whatever attack the painting would throw at him. As he closed his eyes he at least prayed his corpse would be recognizable, but nothing happened.\n\nAndy opened his eyes, confused then angered at what he was seeing. It was his idiot brother laughing his ass off holding the painting. “You son of a-” He started but his brother stopped him.\n\n“Ah ah no swearing in the house, man you should’ve seen the look on your face! I wish I got a picture of that” He continued to laugh as he began to head to the basement, intending to put the painting back. Andy got up and followed him, very pissed but also happy that it was just a harmless prank. “\n\n\"I’ll make it up to you, we can head out to eat something, anything you want” His brother smiled at him. Andy wasn’t gonna say no to free food so he nodded, “How’d you get that laugh so good? You should be a voice actor” Andy chuckled.\n\nHis brother looked confused as he hung up the painting, “I didn’t say anything when I popped out, what are you talking about?”\n\nAndy froze, “W-what? Oh haha it must’ve been my imagination then” He awkwardly chuckled. But if it wasn’t him then who was it? He shivered as he remembered that laugh and the way it spoke to him.\n\nHis brother gave him a pat on the shoulder, “Come on let’s go.” Andy followed, more than happy to get out of there. As he slowly closed the door, he looked at the painting one last time and froze.\n\n“Andy come on! I won’t be treating you anymore if you're this slow!” His brother called from above. “Coming!” Andy closed the door. It was just a prank it was just a stupid prank, there’s nothing wrong with that painting.\n\nThen why was it smiling now?", "I was never afraid of clowns, except for one--that smug bitch who sat with her hands folded like the Mona Lisa in the painting at the far end of the basement. She had wide eyes and a fake buck-toothed smile that was anything but mysterious. There had always been something familiar about the clown's face, but I could never pin it down. Whatever it was gave me a funny feeling. I didn't like that at all. \n\n One day I'd finally told my folks that the clown was scaring me, and I was told that the painting was very old and valuable, passed down on my mom's side since Victorian times until finally being given to my mother. \"It will be given to you some day,\" they'd said. I told them I didn't want it.\n\nIn spite of the painting and its eeriness, I'd taken up an interest in clowning as a career high school. That's when things didn't start to add up. The clown picture was no antique. The outfit was all wrong. Face painted in a modern style. Wig too curly and purple. On top of that, it was a velvet painting. But when I brought it up to my mom, she just repeated what she'd said before: the painting was very old, very valuable, and I'd be given it someday.\n\nI wish I'd thought to connect the basement door with the clown painting sooner. We'd kept it closed most of the time. As I stared at the now-blank velvet canvas, I realized my parents' insistence was to keep more than just the heat from escaping into the house.\n\n\"Is she gone?\" Dad asked as I walked back into the kitchen.\n\n\"Yes,\" I said.\n\n\"Figures,\" he said. \n\nI couldn't blame him for his hopeless expression. He'd woken up to find mom dressed to the nines in full clown attire. Actually, she'd woken him up with a spray of seltzer and a belly laugh that could have made a tightrope walker's knees buckle. Then she'd darted off into the city shouting something about orchestrating The Greatest Show On Earth.\n\n\"Do you think she'll be back?\" I asked.\n\n\"With reinforcements,\" he said, grabbing his childhood aluminum bat from one of the storage shelves.\n\n\"How could this have happened?\" I asked.\n\n\"It's happened before.\"\n\n\"It has?\"\n\n\"You know how in old movies bad things happen when people build things on Indian Burial Grounds?\" \n\nI pulled a face.\n\n\"Well, it's halfway true,\" he continued. \"Turns out evil things happen if you build over Carny Burial Grounds. And the burial grounds here were even built on an old fairground, so they've got twice the power.\"\n\n\"Surely you can't be serious,\" I said.\n\n\"I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.\"\n\nI froze with my fingertips grazing the handle of an old sledgehammer. Dad was a jokester, but at a time like this...\n\nI slowly turned around. Snaking its way out of Dad's upper lip was a thick handlebar mustache with curled ends. He stared at his baseball bat as it twisted itself into a huge barrel-ended dumbbell. For a moment, its weight dragged him towards the ground, then the muscles on his arms and legs ballooned and he lifted the weight high above his head with the might of a thousand burly sailor men. With eyes as round as saucers, he turned to face me and spoke one word:\n\n\"Run.\"\n\nThe thoughts in my head swirled like a cotton candy machine. Just what had I unleashed? Why was it being kept in our basement? And what kind of evil was so awful it would take the form of a velvet painting!? \n\nI'll drive out to the next town, I thought. No burial ground could be *that* big. But when I got to the driveway, my car was less than a quarter of its original size. I cursed myself for having put off practicing my contortion for the last five years and darted to the side of my house to hop on my bike. No good. It had become a sleek and stylish unicycle.\n\nThere was little trace of the world I knew as I tore through the once-sleepy streets. Joggers jumped into the air and started backflipping down the streets. Poodles stood on their hind legs and tap danced. An organ grinder played \"The Merry Go Round Broke Down\" on his hurdy-gurdy in front of the record store. The WalMart, always ugly and out-of-place, had been replaced by a lone peanut stand.\n\nI don't know what made me slow to a stop. Maybe it was the aroma of elephant ears. Maybe it was the actual elephant, lumbering around the children's playground. Or maybe it was the realization that no matter how fast I ran, I'd never reach the city limits in time to escape this big top catastrophe. Whatever the case, it was pause enough for someone I knew to pin me to the ground.\n\n\"You,\" I said.\n\n\"Howdy-ho, buddy!\" said the painting clown, hokey buck-teeth glimmering in the heat of the afternoon sun as she beamed at me.\n\n\"You did this,\" I said.\n\n\"Oh, no, no, no. You did this,\" she said. She tilted her head in a coquettish way. \"Don'tcha remember? You--\"\n\n\"You're not gonna make me feel guilty about this,\" I said. \"All I did was leave a door open. You did everything else.\"\n\nThe clown gave one of those ugly guttural laughs and pushed down even harder on my wrists.\n\n\"Aren't you just a silly-billy?\" she asked. \"Yes you are. Yes you are a silly-billy.\" She leaned closer to me. I swallowed. There had always been something familiar about the clown's face, but I could never pin it down.\n\nNow, staring into the depths of my own eyes, I realized I'd known the answer all along.\n\nFor more weirdness, check out r/OctOpusTales !" ]	3
	[WP]For their crimes the alien was to be reincarnated as the worst possible thing, 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 judge had made up his mind, the crime was too severe. Even the death penalty wasn’t enough for what she had done. According to article 15, paragraph 3 of the planetary penal code, a being could have its reincarnation rights terminated, for the crime of redacted was the most abominable crime possible. The important parties had a horrible punishment in mind, reincarnating her in another world, orbiting another sun, far away from the utopia she had been born in. Even if she somehow discovered what had been done to her, she wouldn't have a way to get to Elix again, because the primitive civilization she was reincarnated in, hadn’t even discovered faster than light technology yet, and they would probably never discover it, because from the looks of things, they would most likely destroy themselves with nuclear weapons soon.\r \n\r \nHer body was destroyed, only her mind remained. The process of sending someone’s essence this far away in the universe, was never attempted. The specialists in the field of teleportation and reincarnation warned that it could fail, her mind too scattered throughout space, or even fail the integration process, due to the uncertainties of doing the process with a less capable and biologically different being. Some even theorized that her essence could be absorbed by someone in the moment of death, something that could preserve her memories and cause problems. The authorities discussed it, but there was no other way, it had to be done. And it was.\r \n\r \n…\r \n\r \nHelena had drank a little too much, and it was time to go home. But she didn’t have company, so she decided to drive herself home in her car. She thought “Nothing will happen, it is close by”, and so she went. When she was close to her house, she felt something strange, a strange vibration in the steering wheel. She didn’t pay much attention, after all, she was drunk, and thought it was the alcohol. Then, from nowhere she hit a rock on the road. Although the vibrations in the wheel were getting stronger, she wasn’t thinking straight, so continued driving.\r \n\r \n…\r \n\r \n“The suspension was damaged,” The police officer said to his partner. “She didn’t realise and kept going”. The car was unrecognizable, she lost control and hit a concrete barrier. She was thrown at high speeds through the windshield. Luckly, she was flung into a river, but she was unconscious and help arrived too late. When she was removed from the water she unexpectedly woke up agitated, but the medical team helping her couldn’t understand what she was saying, as if she was speaking a unknown language. Then she ran away.\r \n\r \n…\r \n\r \nShe realized the process had failed, her memories were still intact. She couldn’t move really well, the new body, even being relatively similar, was clunky and she didn’t know how to control it. A thought appeared in her head: “punishment”. Her civilization, well, the civilization that abandoned her, had succeeded. She determined from that it would be easy to take control of the planet, the old owner of the body she was in had a strange device, and searching in the system she learnt their language. Learning about their culture of violence and exploration, she decided she didn’t want to stay around the beings. So she created a plan to take over the planet, and develop the technology needed to get to her old planet. But while looking at the screen of the strange device, she saw a warning with a distinct color. Opening it, she read what it was saying: “Nuclear weapons were launched in the direction of the country. Impact will happen soon. Search for a bunker to hide while the attack is underway. This is not a drill!”.\r \n\r \nIt was 8 pm, everything was dark. Until one of the warheads exploded, the flash turned night into day, the ground trembled, and she understood what was happening, “at least the punishment was brief” she thought.\r \n\r \n“shit”... \r \n\r \nEND" ]	2
	[WP] Star Wars, but social media exists	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Palpatine: My apprentice Anakin Skywalker (a.k.a. Darth Vader) is on his way to eradicate all the Jedi. They grow up so fast! #sithlord #iamthesenate\n\nObi-Wan: OMW to engage General Grievous on Utapau to, hopefully, end the war. Wish me luck. #hellothere #highground\n\nPadme: My husband, Anakin, hasn't come home in quite a while. I sure hope he's okay. #concerned\n\nC-3PO: My first day as a linguistics teacher at the Jedi Academy! Time to put my six million forms of communication to the test! #nervous #excited #wishmeluck\n\nAnakin: Just took care of the Separatists. No more silly trade negotiations in this galaxy. #takingcareofbusiness #darkside\n\nYears later...\n\nLuke: On my way to visit my father, Darth Vader. This is awkward, but I think I can get through to him. #lightside #redemption\n\nLeia: Grand Moff Tarkin just blew up my home world, Alderaan. Absolutely disgraceful of the Empire. #firetarkin\n\nHan: Looking for work right now. DM me if you need any smuggling done. Can be done in 12 parsecs or less. #smuggler #wildside" ]	2
	[WP] The spoiled prince grew into a surprisingly wise and thoughtful king.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 began on a carriage ride.\n\nIt was a rite of passage, of sorts. The prince was well-travelled, had traversed the wildlands of a dozen kingdoms and the courts of twice that many.\n\nBut it was always cleared. It was inhabited by the nobles, their well-groomed servants, and no one else.\n\nThe prince was of age now, and curious. His aging parents were in no state of mind to stop him from doing as he wished, and he wished to see more of the people they ruled. He had long ago puzzled out that all the food and wine and art and armed guards came from somewhere, and he was bound and determined to better understand where.\n\nIt was important if he was to rule the land, as seemed imminent. And he was simply curious, besides.\n\nThe carriage ride from the castle mostly followed the main streets, which had been prepared. There had been no order given, of course- the prince had explicitly forbidden the usual preparations- but there is a very human tendency to put your best foot forward when your soon-to-be king makes an appearance, especially his first in public.\n\nThe prince saw, and was suitably impressed. He was learning, he felt, and would be a better king for it. In the end, a king must rule by truth in order to prosper, and truth was a rare commodity indeed, within the walls of the castle.\n\nYes, it was going well, right up until the carriage made a wrong turn.\n\nIt happens. It's the sort of mistake that happens all the time. The prince laughed a lighthearted laugh once he was told, and said to simply carry on. They would rejoin the planned route in due time. Let there be a detour, on this fine day.\n\nIt was not long into the detour that he saw it.\n\n\"What...what is that?\"\n\nHe pointed, his face a mixture of disgust and curiosity. This was something entirely knew, entirely unimagined in his philosophy.\n\nThere was a quiet, awkward moment, before the answer came. \"That is a poor person, your highness.\"\n\n\"It's quite an ugly costume, I must say. Some sort of religious garb?\"\n\nThere was another long pause.\n\n...\n\nThe prince was not yelling, that evening in the castle. Yelling was not productive. Yelling was not dignified. Yelling was appropriate on the battlefield and at sufficiently-rowdy banquets, and few other places.\n\nAll the same, his volume was...considerable.\n\n\"There are how many?\"\n\n\"I mean, an exact figure is difficult...\"\n\n\"Is this new? Some plague, some crop failure, some invasion or refugee crisis?\"\n\n\"Nnnnn...not as such, no. No, I would say that this has been going on...well, I would say it has been going on since.\"\n\n\"Since what?\"\n\n\"Just...just since. I mean, it must have started at some point, but...\"\n\nThe prince pondered.\n\nHis first instinct was to have the carriage turn around and pick the poor man (or possibly woman) up and bring them to the palace to have this whole 'poverty' matter rectified. They certainly had enough for that. The conversation had rather foolishly sidetracked on the trivial matter of the difficulty of getting the carriage to 'turn around'- horses are not renowned for walking in reverse- but they quickly hit upon the real problem that there were more poor people than you could shake a stick at. The resources of the royalty might, if stretched, be sufficient to get a stick shaken at each poor person, but simply yanking them all out of poverty was completely out of the question.\n\nIn other words, this was not a problem that could be solved with brute force.\n\nThat was fine. It occasionally fell upon the nobility to solve a problem with brute force, but only when the force required was well beyond the means of ordinary men.\n\nNo, their real job was to handle things that required rather more subtlety.\n\nSo that wasn't an issue. The prince was well used to subtle problems.\n\nNo, the real issue was that while the prince might have been more sheltered than most, no one in the palace complex had much experience at all with poverty, its causes, its solutions, and the experience of it. He had scrounged up everyone who knew much of anything, and had found them all to be lacking.\n\nIn other words, he needed outside expertise.\n\nHe made up his mind, and spoke.\n\n\"I will be going out again tomorrow. Unannounced, incognito, with two guards in plainclothes and three of the ugliest maids I can find. We will go out and find some people with experience of poverty, as well as a few people with ideas for fighting it. I will also require the aid of several within the castle- I will write up a full list shortly, after I have taken some time to think.\"\n\n\"Very well, sir, I'll simply run this by his majesty and-\"\n\n\"There is no need to inform his majesty. This is my own project, and there is no need for royal approval beyond that.\"\n\n\"But...his majesty has given explicit orders-\"\n\n\"Did I stutter?\"\n\nHe hadn't, and it was both done, and kept quietly. The prince did not sleep well, that night, plagued with thoughts of poverty, newly terrified of the idea that there were so many who had so little, while he had so much. If there were even a drop of justice in the world, he could not let that stand without paying some unimaginable price, in this life or the next.\n\nAnd more personally, he simply detested the idea that so many were missing out on experiences that he found transformational and precious. He enjoyed his life, and to learn that so many could not was...unsettling. The lie that the poor were undeserving, or lazy or impious or simply lesser was...well, a blatant lie. The kingdom was built on the labor of such as they- any flaw in them would manifest in their work, seep into the nobility a thousandfold.\n\nNo. It was injustice, and the heart of it was here, in the palace.\n\nIn himself.\n\nHe drifted to an uneasy sleep, at long last. Still disturbed, but filled with determination.\n\nHe would make it right.\n\nHe would make it right." ]	2
	[WP] Humanity has developed a new type of faster-than-light engine, far faster than any existing model. Over the objections of the Galactic Council, humanity decides to embark on a journey to the center of the known 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "There was a point in time where we should have stopped. \n\nNeeded to have stoped. \n\nPehaps it was the time we as a species had joined the galatic council? \n\nNo, it would have been too soon. We were a young and impressionable species, we saw the wonders the other members of the council had done and sought to replicate them. \n\nWho knows how far we would have fallen if we had not relentlessly persued innovation? \n\nWas it after our species finnaly developed the fastest GSTC ship? \n\nNo, it would have been too late. The thirll of speed was already ingrand in our very hearts and minds. The obsession would never allow us to truly stop.\n\n\nSo then when was the perfect time to have stopped developing space engines? Ones the break all regulations, all forms of procedure and all known laws of reality? \n\nOne that allows us to travel beyond the speed of light itself?\n\n\nWe have clearly passed that point, and right now all we can think of is to keep going and see what happens.", "The sector 31-G-1B20 Council, ‘Milky Way Galaxy’, motioned for the United Human Republics (UHR) to approach their bench. To Humans, the Galactic Councils were heads of state, keepers of immense socio-political power. In truth, as had been explained to them multiple times, they were merely arbiters of galactic law, written millions of years ago based on logic and precedent. Their decisions were easy to predict and follow for the most part. Most petitions were formalities by civilizations. For some reason, the UHR thought they could persuade the members of the council with speeches. It never worked.\r \n\r \n“I am ambassador Grover William Faraday. Today I have our Secretary of Technology and Engineering of the UHR to discuss our technological discovery.”\r \n\r \nCouncil member 2 of 7 sighed, “We have your docket ambassador. Please bring your specialist forward and brief our specialists on the discovery.” The council barely skimmed the docket, letting their own specialists review the work. Unfortunately for the council, the specialists barely skimmed the docket as well.\r \n\r \nA tall, handsome human with fashionably styled hair approached the designated humanoid podium.\r \n\r \n“Esteemed members of the 31-G-1B20 Council,” the human showed his teeth. Most species took this gesture as an aggressive response, but their antro-studies say it is a pleasure-greeting related response. It still unnerved most citizens. The man continued.\r \n\r \n“Our scientists have taken the standard travel engine, Space-Time Puncture and Fold Envelope, and taken the work further. Making a drive exponentially faster with the same reliability and similar energy costs of the STPFE engine.” The well-coiffed man paused, as if looking for some emotional response from the crown or council.\r \n\r \n“We call our engine the ‘False Wave LOG(E) Recursion Drive’ or ‘False Wave’ for short.” The council looked very bored, if the ambassador’s notes on the alien physiologies were correct. He decided to give the whammy.\r \n\r \n“It can transport a vessel 1 Billion Light Years in 37 Hours.”\r \n\r \nThat was when the ambassador got his response. There was a flurry of action from the council members and their specialists. Various screens and sensory output devices flared to life. The petition moderator signaled a recess to the proceedings.\r \n– \r \nSeveral hours later, the council reconvened. The head of the council, 7 of 7, addressed the UHR.\r \n“We have reviewed your docket in much finer detail. Please accept our apologies for our initial neglect of scrutiny of your petition. Upon review, our scientists agreed with the initial concept of the engine design, along with the build and test data. We are impressed with the brilliance of the concept and design.” The UHR attendees broke into a sea of smiles, causing a collective shudder from the council. “That said, your petition to build a scaled engine and deploy a crewed vessel to ‘The Center of the Known Universe’ is outlandish and premature. That motion is denied. We implore you to resubmit your technical data and discovery in the proper channels. The brilliance of the work will ensure its quick acceptance and study by the greater communities.”\r \n\r \n“Council, on Earth, there is a famous quote by Admiral Grace Hopper. ‘It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission.’ We launched the expedition 12 cycles ago.” The UHR representatives’ smiles changed; the council could no longer hide their fear." ]	3
	[WP] You've been training your whole life to be the savior of the world because you've been told a prophecy says so. With this prophecy, you are immortal until you turn 18. A day before you're 18th birthday you find this prophecy. But it doesn't say you're the hero. It says you're the villain.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 never really cared about my birthday. \n\nSure they were fun for a while. But then I turned 3 and the kids didn’t come to my party even though I wanted them to. Apparently, they found Timmy less intimidating.\n\nThat was around the time my parents stopped carrying me around everywhere.\nI started getting sick of people not doing what I wanted them to. \nThey even expected me to wipe my own ass.\nI did not deserve this. \n\n\nLuckily, I finally had a good birthday. When I turned 5 this little prophecy came out. \nThey all came crawling back. Even Timmy Perkins was trying to hitch a ride on my wagon. Too late,\nTimmy.\n\nI thought things were finally going my way. Then the horrible truth came out.\n\nSure, it was great being the centre of attention again, but they made me _train_. I had to get up at 5 AM every morning. They stopped letting me eat pizza, my favorite food. The worst part was they still refused to wipe my ass.\n\nThey said I would one day fend for the weak and desolate, that I would carry the weight of the world on my shoulders, and stand watch, a perpetual guardian in the dark night. \n\nIt sounded like a nightmare. I didn’t get it. If I’m the Chosen One, why should I be serving them? \nShouldn’t it be the other way around? \n\nWhen I told my mentor that, they made me go on a 40 day spirit walk. \nI spent the entire time devising much better ways I could punish someone over the course of 40 days. \n\n-\n\nSo after years of this nonsense, the big day is finally here. \n\n18. \n\nI look at myself in the mirror. Even though my face is perfect, I’m dressed in a ridiculous white robe. I always hated white. So bland, so timid. Just waiting to be dominated by someone else.\n\n\nMy _mother_ comes inside to greet me, teary-eyed.\n\n“I can’t believe it’s already here.”, she says with a proud smile. \n\nI still haven’t forgotten the day she put me down, and didn’t pick me back up. \n\n-\n\nWhile walking to the ceremony hall, I saw Timmy Perkins, fishing through the garbage can. I snickered to myself. \nAltering his grades in the school system was one thing I kept from my mentor. That was just for me.\n\n“Hey, Tyrannius!”, I heard a familiar voice from behind.\n\nOh, great. Just what I needed, another sycophantic moron. \n\n“Hey man I just wanted to say good luck in the ceremony today, we all know you’ll kill it!”\n\n\nGood luck? Good luck? I’m being imbued with ancient godlike superpowers, this isn’t a “job interview” like you people go to. \n\nMaybe I’ll let one slip through the cracks to get this guy once I’m eternal protector. \nStill can’t believe I’m actually going to have to do that tomorrow.\n\n“Thanks, Geoff. That really means a lot.” I say with my best smile.\n\nI keep walking down the street when my eye is drawn to something in the alley. I squint. A short man, about 5 feet tall, dressed in a tuxedo, waving me over.\n\nI feel as if there is another voice in my head, and I walk towards the alleyway without thinking.\n\n-\n\nAs I near the alley, I hear faint laughing.\n\n_hehehehehehehehehehhehehhhehhehehe hehehehehehehehehehhehehhhehhehehe_\n\nI reach the alley and see the Tuxedo Man in front of me, laughing away.\n\n“Are you doing that laughing? Stop doing that!”, I try to grab him but he moves away with supernatural speed.\n\n_hehehhhehhehhehehhehehehehehehhehehehehehehehheheheehehhehehehhehehehehe_\n\n\nFor the first time in years I’m not getting what I want again and it’s making me really fucking mad.\nI can feel the blood pumping into my head and the rage building up with every heartbeat. \n\nI run down the alley after that little creep.\n\n_hehhehehehhehhehehhehehehehehehhehehehehehehhehehehehehehehehehhehehehehehhhhhehehehhhhheehh_\n\n“COME BACK HERE. I’M NOT GOING BACK”, I scream, my vision going blurry as a migraine sets in.\n\n“I’M GONNA CRUSH YOUR LITTLE BODY IN MY HANDS LIKE A PAPPADAM”\n\nSuddenly the laughing stops. My vision clears in an instant. \n\nI’m standing in the ceremony hall in front of everybody, their faces in shock." ]	2
	[WP] You glance at the next customer, and grimace. You mentally plead with them to NOT start a scene, that your shift ends in like ten minutes. You don't want to go through this again. "Welcome to-" "Shut up, put your hands where I can see 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 shady looking fellow walked in the store just after dusk...just as I was getting ready to close. \n\n“Welcome to-“ I started to say our greeting, before he rudely interrupts \n“Shut up! Put your hands where I can see them!” \n\nDamn. Third time this week! \n\nI calmly raise my hands above my head. \n“Of course sir, how mi-“\n\n“I said SHUT UP!” \nHe screamed as he hits my cheek with a backhand \n“Gimme the money!”\n\nok mother\\\\\\ker. Just wait till my friends show up!\n\n“Of course sir” \nI said as I slowly lower my hands towards the register\n\n“NOW!!!”\n\nI quickly hit the key for a dozen donuts and the cash button to open the drawer\n\nJust as it pops open, a pair of police officers barge in \n“DROP THE GUN!” \n“GET ON THE GROUND!” \nThey each yell. \n\nright on time*\n\nThe idiot panics, tossing the gun at me as he tries to run out the side window...which he smacks comically into\n\n“Hey Jim, hey Sam.” I greet them “got you a present to start your shift”\n\n“You shouldn’t have.” Sam deadpans, as Jim is reading the idiot his rights \n\n“He even ordered you a box of donuts, before stealing back the cash.” I offered as I retrieved the last, hot dozen of the night, and two cups of coffee “just like you like it”\n\n“How many’s this make?” Jim asked\n\n“Third one this week.” I tell him “and not even Wednesday!”\n\n“We need to get you a frequent customer card” Sam smarms\n\n“After seven, the next one’s free!” Jim laughs\n\n“I don’t get it. Who robs a donut shop a block away from the police station!?”" ]	2
	[WP] Sick of being haunted by a ghost, you take your last resort for getting rid of them: resurrection	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 realtor told me that she had trouble selling this house, and I didn't understand why until after I moved in. I guess maybe my senses are dull. \n\nIt was fine at first, I had to do some minor renovations and updating, slap some fresh paint up, lay down some new carpet... But beyond that, I got a great house in a great school district on a half acre for next to nothing! \n\nMy husband came back from overseas and we immediately began trying for a baby. With all the \"milestones\" we agreed to being met, and knowing that we wouldn't need to relocate again for a long time, we knew it was the right time. \n\nThat's when it started.\n\nFirst it was little things. Misplaced keys. A door left slightly ajar. A weird noise at night. Of course my husband and I explained it all away, the house is settling, the doors needed to be re-hung...\n\nThen when I took a pregnancy test I realized it was so much more than we had bargained for.\n\nAfter months of trying I was finally pregnant, and decided to surprise my husband with a fancy dinner and the positive test. I left it in the bathroom, next to the toilet, while I went to start the oven. \n\nClick. Click. Click. The oven wouldn't turn on. I had not replaced it when I purchased the house, it looked new and unused enough. But I shook it off and planned to call a repair man. I made reservations at our favorite restaurant instead and went upstairs to get ready.\n\nWhen I walked into the bathroom my positive test was gone. I checked the trash, I checked the floor, I looked all over my bathroom and bedroom. I thought that in my excitement maybe I took it downstairs. I checked the kitchen, then eventually the whole house. I didn't want him to find it before I could present it to him!\n\nAfter an hour or more, I finally gave up. I knew it would have to turn up somewhere and I didn't need it to celebrate our new baby. I went back upstairs to get ready and took a shower. When I got out the mirror was fogged, and a message slowly appeared... \n\nYou do not deserve this\n\nI screamed at the top of my lungs and ran naked out of the bathroom towards my garage. Panic gripped every inch of my body. I forgot that I was naked. I got into my car, and was about to pull out as my husband opened the door and pulled in. \n\nI duck down in my driver's seat, trying to catch my breath, and it dawned on me I was still naked and dripping wet. My husband notices me and immediately asks what's wrong. I manage to compose myself and say that I witnessed \"something\" write in the mirror. \n\nMy husband leads me upstairs and into my bathroom. The bathroom is exactly as I left it, except the writing in the mirror is gone. \n\nI told my husband that I knew he thought I was crazy, but I saw what I saw. I calmed down, got dressed, and decided to carry on with my plans. He went downstairs to grab a beer and look at the mail as I prepared to do my makeup, and a voice whispered in my ear...\n\nHe will never believe you\n\nI screamed and ran out of the bathroom again. My husband came to my immediately and insisted we stay home. I insisted we leave. Eventually I convinced him that I was just tired and probably needed to eat, but other than that I was okay. Thankfully he believed me and we left. \n\n---\n\nAt this point, I'm 6 months pregnant. I'm as happy as can be, except that the spirit in my house kept taunting me. \n\nYou'll never be a mother! I know he will leave you. You don't deserve him. He doesn't love you.\n\nI kept trying to ignore it. I even asked for a referral to counselling to make sure I wasn't developing a disorder. All signs pointed to me being under stress and an overactive imagination. My OB suggested it was pregnancy related anxiety, and I half heatedly accepted that. I truly believed I was going insane...\n\nThen I met the woman who would change my life. \n\n---\n\nI was at Buy Buy Baby looking at strollers when I met Hilda. She was an older woman, well past child beating age. I assumed she was shopping for a grandchild or a friend, and mostly ignored her. After crossing paths a couple of times she approached me very carefully and said \"I believe you.\"\n\nI stopped dead in my tracks. My baby kicked hard. I felt adrenaline coursing thought my veins. Finally I had the courage to speak and said \"you're the only one.\"\n\nHilda asked for my hand, and I willingly gave it. She told me that I had an attachment and that the only way to rid myself of it was to confront it, once and for all. Feeling vindicated, I asked her how can I when I don't know what \"it\" is?\n\nShe asked for my number and I almost shouted it at her, still reeling from the excitement of being believed. She promised to call me the next morning, and she did. \n\nWhen Hilda arrived at my home, she brought in two large bags that seemed to radiate energy. She asked me where my attachment was most active, and I led her to my bathroom. She locked the door and spent what felt like an eternity speaking to silence. \n\nShe unlocked the door and walked out and said I needed to trust her. At this point I would have trusted the devil himself. I begged her to rid me of the evil in my home at any cost. \n\nShe asked me if I was certain. I told her I was never more certain of anything. My baby kicked so hard I thought it was going to come out. I screamed in pain, and collapsed. Hilda helped me into my bed and made me promise not to get up, and especially not to come into my bathroom. \n\n---\n\nI heard screams like nothing I'd ever heard. I smelled the scent of burning hair. I felt an overwhelming sense of anxiety. But I listened and waited. And waited. And waited. Eventually I passed out.\n\nWhen I opened my eyes Hilda was standing before me with a young child, a girl of about 2 or 3. She was beautiful, with long brown hair and piercing green eyes. Unworldly eyes. And a deep sorrow that I couldn't imagine a small girl having. \n\nThe girl spoke \"you're not my mother!\" As she writhed in Hilda's grip. Her voice was not of a child, it was too world weary and mature. \n\n\"I am not your mother, child. Who are you?\"\n\n\"I am Faye, and this is my home. Where is the woman?\" She demanded. \n\n\"What woman?\" \n\n\"The woman who drowned me in the tub!\"\n\n---\n\nMy husband came home and met me upstairs. I had mentioned a new friend coming over during the day but expected her to be gone by the time he arrived home. He walked into our bedroom and saw me on the bed with Faye on my lap and Hilda in the chair. \n\n\"Hello, what's your name?\" He smiled as he asked in his little kid voice\n\n\"I'm Faye, and I'm not a child!\" She spat\n\nMy husband's face went white as soon as she said her name. I immediately feel the tension in the air as my husband slowly sinks onto the foot of the bed. \n\n\"Faye. Faye?!\"\n\n\"You know me?\" She says as she jumps out of my lap and onto her toddler sized feet \"YOU KNOW ME?\"\n\nThen my husband said, voice shaking, and skin growing paler than I thought it could ever be \"I knew of you. You're the little girl who's mother drowned her!\" \n\nIncredulous I asked my husband what he was talking about. He said when the realtor said she was having trouble selling the house he looked into it. \n\nHe came across a news article from about 10 years ago that said that a woman who was caught having an affair with a married man drowned her daughter, the product of said affair, to try to get back at the child's father, who refused to leave his marriage for her. The child's name was Faye, and she was 2.5 years old. \n\nThe home we had purchased was the home that Faye's father had bought for her mother, so that she could grow up in a nice neighborhood and get a great education, not too far, but distant enough from his older children and wife. \n\nWhen Faye's mother realized that she was never going to \"win\" she decided to drown her daughter in the bathtub and killed herself while awaiting trial. \n\n---\n\nTo say that I was shocked was an understatement. I felt betrayed. I had told my husband over and over again that something wasn't right. He let me believe I was going insane. He held my hand as I met with psychologists, psychiatrists, while I sobbed to my OB, my parents, anyone who would listen. He let me believe that it was all in my head. \n\nFaye spoke before I did. \"If you knew, why would you do this to her?\" Her eyes locked with mine. I felt calm for the first time in a year. \"You do not deserve this. You do not deserve her!\" \n\n---\n\nMy divorce was finalized 9 months after my daughter, Hilda was born. I moved out of the home immediately, and kept in touch with the Hilda who brought Faye back to our plane of existence. She was very cagey about her background, but very supportive as I rebuilt my life. \n\nAs Faye was now mortal again, Hilda took her in, claiming she could pass her off as a grandchild. And it worked! Faye was not made to be immortal, just given a lifetime back. Hilda raised Faye as she raised her own children, on the outside. She attended school, she grew up, she got married. She inherited Hilda's estate and went on to have a child who she doted on. \n\nI sit here an old woman, my daughter Hilda and her \"cousin\" Faye join me for dinner. Hilda is unaware of the connection between her name sake and I, she just knows she was named for family, and that the elder Hilda was my \"great Aunt.\" Faye and I told her we would explain everything before I passed, and my time is near. \n\nHilda's father fought me tooth and nail, he tried to poison her against me, tried to convince her I was schizophrenic, bi-polar, whatever buzzword he could come up with. But Faye always reminded Hilda that she only heard one half of the story. Tonight, she will hear mine." ]	2
	[WP] The lights go out for five seconds. When they turn on again, you see a note stuck on your window. It says one word, “Run“.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Nope, not today b*tch.\"\n\nOkay, time to make som-\n\nThe lights shut off again. Seriously? Pan was just trying to make some coffee over here. \n\n\"Could you not? I can't see my espresso machine.\"\n\nThe lights flickered back on again, now with a red tint and flashing on and off. The temperature of the room dropped and the furniture started to shake. A horrific screech began, cutting out in sync with the strobe effect of the lights. A huge figure flashed into view, made of smoke and static with two black holes where eyes should be. Paper scrawled with illegible scribbles covered the walls and windows.\n\nPan looked the creature dead in its empty-void eyes.\n\n\"Are you done?\"\n\nThe screeching impossibly got worse, and the nightmare incarnate raised its glitching arms, grasping out towards Pan , ready to tear her limb from li-\n\nShe threw the coffee in its face. \n\nEverything overloaded her brain, all sound boiled into an incessant scream, all she could see was blinding white-\n\nSilence. \n\nThe lights turned back on. The room stopped shaking. The pieces of paper disappeared.\n\n\"You really aren't yourself without your coffee in the morning, (eldritch name that cannot be translated into any earthly language).\"\n \n\"S0rr¥, 1 gu3ss y0u d0n\"t w@nt t0 b3 ro0m@tes @n¥m0re.\"\n\n\"It's fine, I've seen worse.\"" ]	2
	[WP] Normally the dragon kidnapped the princess but this time grandma kidnapped the dragon 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“I’m sorry, you… what?”\n\n“You heard me.”\n\nThe dragon stared at the old woman in confusion. She returned its gaze evenly. As the staring contest dredged on, however, the dragon’s expression turned to one of amusement.\n\n“You think you, tiny human, can kidnap me? Mightiest of my clan, master of my hoard, fiercest of the land?”\n\nThe woman exhaled loudly and threw her hands up in exasperation. \n\n“Well you never came to get me!”\n\nThe dragon was taken aback. \n\n“Pardon?”\n\nThe woman sighed and plopped down onto a rock. Her face was withered with age, worn by at least 60 winters but her expressions refused to show it. Where there should have been fatigue and dullness was only brightness and intelligence. She had smile lines almost as wide as her face, and wild gray hair falling loosely around her shoulders.\n\n“I am a princess,” she said. “Or, I was. I’m all set to marry and become queen at daybreak tomorrow — a little late in life, I know, but you can’t control when you find love. You understand.” She nodded to the piles of straw in the corner of the cave. They were filthy and tossed apart, clearly not touched in a great many years, but they still resembled the small beds they once were. Her observation and astuteness caught the dragon entirely by surprise.\n\n“Where are your children now?” The woman asked. \n\nA lump swelled in the dragon’s throat. “Gone,” it said after a long pause. \n\nThe woman nodded. “Often in this life, we have little control over where our love goes. Sometimes, we like to think we do. But we don’t.”\n\nThe dragon only sat in silence.\n\nClearing her throat, the old woman went on. “As I’m sure you can tell, I have circled the sun many times. I strive to maintain the same youthful attitudes I’ve always had, but I am no fool. My bones are more brittle, my breathing more ragged. I have been a princess since I came out the womb, and that life is all I have ever known.” She paused, looked down and began to circle her shoe in the dusty cave floor. \n\n“And?” The dragon prodded, leaning forward intently. This woman had a way of captivating all who were near with her words.\n\nThe woman took a deep breath, then exploded out of her seat. “And not a single dragon has ever even attempted to kidnap me!”\n\nThe dragon’s reptilian eyes widened in surprise. \n\n“THAT’S what this is about?” The dragon spat. “You marched your aging self into my cave, demanded I make myself a hostage to you — with no threat of any kind to inspire me to comply, by the way — all so you could live out some kind of princess bucket list item?”\n\nThe woman only smiled somberly. “Well, when you put it like that, I do realize how I’ve made myself a bit of an imposition.”\n\nThe dragon blinked.\n\n“I do apologize for intruding on your space. I simply wanted to feel worthy of your kidnapping time.” She turned to go. \n\nThe dragon glanced at the dilapidated beds of its long-grown children, and released a deep roar that reverberated in the air, stopping her in her tracks.\n\n“Would you like to know, tiny human,” the dragon began,” “why I never saw fit to remove you from the castle?”\n\nThe woman practically threw herself back down on the rock she had claimed as a seat, nodding eagerly with a bright-eyed expression. \n\n“You we’re always a kind noble,” the dragon said softly. “My kind don’t steal away princesses for some kind of twisted status symbol. When we make that choice, it is for one of two reasons: one, the princess needs protecting from those around her. Your castle was always filled with good, kindhearted folk who allowed you space to move, and grow, and find love at your own pace. So you were exempted from that one.”\n\n“And the second reason?” The woman asked.\n\n“The second reason,” said the dragon, “is to protect those around her from the princess.”\n\nThe old woman stared at the ground as the harsh reality of this sentiment sank in. “Oh.”\n\n“Yes,” the dragon chided. “‘Oh,’ indeed. You fit neither of those criteria, so rather than kidnap some random princess whose life seemed to be going pretty well for her, I elected to focus on my own.” It didn’t intend it, but this came out harsher than anticipated.\n\nThe woman’s shoulders drooped, but she forced a smile anyway. “Of course,” she said quietly. “I understand. I apologize for taking your time.” She stood and made to leave, this time making it all the way to the furthest edge of the cave before turning back around. “And thank you for keeping an eye on me all these years.”\n\nWhen she looked back and met its gaze, the dragon was surprised to find tears in her eyes. Even more surprising was that the dragon had tears of its own. \n\n“Young princess,” the dragon commanded. “We dragons have no rule preventing us from interfering with queendom. It may prove - beneficial - to the kingdom if I conduct the occasional wellness check. In the form of a kidnapping, of course.” \n\nThe ghost of a smile flickered on the woman’s lips. “I’ll bring some tea.”\n\nThe dragon bowed reverently. “It’s a date.” It paused, then added, “Your Highness.”" ]	2
	[WP] An eldritch being has taken up residence in your local produce store. It occasionally manifests as a small cat and seeks out worshipers for pets and scratches.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "They call it Mr. Buttercup. He’s a foul, temperamental little creature with a disliking of anything not related to food or comfort. A creature more slothful than the namesake, he lives a life of complete malaise, refusing to move even a nanometer when asked. \nWhenever he was awoken from his slumber, and he slept a lot, he would let out an ear-piercing screech before getting up, scratching behind his ears, and falling back down, eyes closed, mouth open as if even his unconscious body desired more snacks to fuel him. \n\nDespite this, most people found him rather adorable. He was, after all, a little larger-than-average tabby cat with a tummy made to rub and charcoal eyes that made even the most fervent cat haters let out an elated sigh. When the cat had first made its home in the produce store, the manager tried to chase him out, but each time he kicked him out, the cat would somehow find himself right back near the snack aisle. This continued over and over and over again until the manager, at a complete loss for what to do, eventually stopped thinking. The new store manager didn’t even bother. \n\nAnd so that's how it came to be, or so that's what the average layperson would think. Julian knew better. Mr. Buttercup was not a cat. He was no animal either, given what most people would imagine an animal to be. He was a monster–a creature of unknown origin and uncontested power. A being who, if he so desired, could plunge Earth into a sea of blood and chaos. A creature of pure malice and destruction who masquerades as your average slightly obese cat. That was Buttercup. \n\nJulian learned of this fact one fated day. He was picking up groceries following the end of Valentines Day. He kept his guard up, making sure not to glance at the numerous chocolate muffins and vanilla hearts scattered across the store. He came here for one reason and one reason only. \n\nThe line to Subway was as long as ever. Julian waited patiently in-line, images of his Italian Sub dancing in his mind. Thinking about his next meal, Julian at first did not notice Buttercup prancing towards the person in front of him. The man in front of Julian was a large Puerto Rican Man with large dolphin tattoos on each of his tree trunk arms. \n\n“Meow,” the cat uttered. \n\n“Ughh, what the hell is a cat doing here.” The man kicked towards the cat. With the lack of force and speed applied, Julian could tell he was not trying to hurt the cat. However, it was still rather cruel. \n\nButtercup did not move. He did not make a single noise. From beneath his furry coat, a dark shadow emerged. Slowly, the darkness moved until it reached the shoes of the Puerto Rican man. \n\t\n“What the…” the man said before the shadow beneath his formed a giant toothy maul. One second–it took one second for that shadowy mouth to devour the man whole. So fast, so quick, only Julian noticed what had happened. And that day, and for all days since, he stayed wary of Buttercup–the devil who played pet." ]	2
	[WP] You've just discovered that police can only stop 'normal' crime. Any crime committed as a costumed villain is literally impossible for anyone but a costumed superhero to stop. You decide that it's high time you got rid of your student loans once and for 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Jimmy picked up the drawing of his costume again to compare to the image in the mirror. The spandex black from his toes up to the green line cutting from the left shoulder to his right hip. The hard bronze colored mask and broad black hat. They looked so cool on his sketch pad. . He thought he looked a little ridiculous in the mirror. Setting the page down beside the latest pile of bills.\n\n\"Ridiculous or not. Here. I. Come.\"\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nAs the Dark Lemon pulled into the bank parking lot his green Volare shuddered and went dead. The car was more than twice his age. But you can't beat cheap. Reaching the door to the bank he reared back and slammed his foot to the door for a dramatic entrance. But being a bank door that swung out it just shuddered a moment. Glaring at the door Jimmy was taken aback as it swung outward as a small old woman in a walker pushed it open for him.\n\n\"Now who might you be?\"\n\n\"Sorry ma'am. I mean. I AM DARK LEMON! Tremble before me!\"\n\n\"You don't have the glasses.\"\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"Lennon. He had cute glasses. You should get inside. Its cold out today.\"\n\nHolding the door open so the woman could shuffle out. He was relieved to see the young woman show up to escort the lady to the senior's bus. Then stepping in behind the queue he squeezed both of his fists to activate the sprayers on his forearms. The mist racing out to hit the open flame and creating a twin jets of fire. \"I am Dark LEMON! All of you will bow before me!\" He almost grinned as the people of the bank began getting down on the floor. Except the one girl at the counter handing over a stack of checks to the terrified teller. \"Didn't you hear me. I said bow!\"\n\n\"Yeah I heard you. I am making a deposit. And really? Right Guard? Couldn't you at least use bug-spray or air freshener?\"\n\n\"There was a sale. And I can use it myself if. That is not the point!\"\n\nThe girl takes the receipt before the teller duck behind her counter. \"No the point is it takes way more than a cheap costume and pyrotechnics to be a villain. Either real inventions. Not knockoff frat party toys. Real powers like being bullet proof would be good. Sean in the security uniform? He does have a 9mm. Betting neither you nor the costume stops that. And the final way is raw skill. You are good enough that guards hope you do not cause issues. I fit in that third category. You may call me Chunin.\"\n\nJimmy watched as the girl's clothes blurred from blue jeans and a winter jacket to a half skimpy ninja outfit. He didn't wait to see if her weapons appeared as well. Bolting for the door he only hoped the Fury behind him would give him enough time at least get his car started. But running to the parking lot. The red haired girl from before was standing by where is car had been.\n\n\"Bad news the rockers came away from the push rods. Good news it should be a ton of fun fixing it. Hardly ever see a car that old without way more rust.\"\n\n\"But where is my Car?\"\n\n\"Oh I hauled that into our ride. You have been a strange one. No powers or skills. Crossed from Pennsy to Jersey. Makes this a federal crime you know. So the big boys get to do the take down. If you were local you get hit by a local cape.\"\n\n\"There are none for thirty miles. I checked.\"\n\n\"You do know most capes don't register for that database right?\"\n\n\"Ahh.\" Three years studying communication and this is the witty banter. Definitely got my money's worth.\n\n\"But you were nice to Mrs. Lampson. So I have a one time offer for you. Come with us and become a subcontractor. Or we leave you here for 1540C.\"\n\nEyes going wide behind the mask. One of if not the most powerful fire blasters. \"While death is not my thing. I woud have to hear more about sub-contracting.\" . . ." ]	2
	[WP] Every Christmas since you were five, it’s been your mission to catch Santa while delivering presents. This year, finally, after more than 30 years, you’re successful.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "I remember it like it was yesterday. A perfect Christmas night, it was. Snow falling gently, the town quiet as can be, respecting the sanctity of the night when Jesus was - supposedly - born. A Christmas tree, decorated lightly, but not sparingly, sitting in the corner of the room, and a nice tray with cookies and warm milk right under it. People might wonder what a grown ass man without kids is doing leaving those out. The thing is, unlike all the other kids, I never stopped believing. I just had this feeling, I was absolutely sure Santa Clause was real.\n\nSo I stayed up aaalll night. Waiting, with baited breath. Oh, sure, I didn't have a chimney, but he'd have to come in through somewhere , right?\n\nYeah. I remember it like yesterday. There I was, barely still awake, and I heard a quaint little ding sound from the front of the house - the doorbell! I was so excited, even though I wondered why Santa would ring the bell. I thought, he must've seen the lights. I chuckled, thinking how silly of me that was.\n\nSo I opened up the door, and there he was! Santa Clause himself. Just like you'd imagine him. Big white beard, red coat and hat, and this big, jolly smile on his face. I was so happy, it brought me to tears. I invited him in, still teary eyed, and he actually followed me!\n\nOnly, he never closed the door behind him. I was still rubbing my eyes when I turned around to ask him why he didn't close the door.\n\n\"Shh, quiet, my boy\" he said.\n\n\"No witnesses\"\n\nYeah. I still remember it like it was yesterday. The long, scraggly, dirty as all hell beard, covered in flour... Or maybe something else. His coat, covered completely in blood and painted over to hide it. He even had a hat, to fit the theme. And he sure was smiling, even if he was missing half his teeth. The only thing I failed to notice was the loaded gun he had in his hand.\n\nThe clock strikes midnight. Haha, silly me. Of course, I remember it so well! It was, after all, only \"yesterday\" that it happened.\n\nAh, Santa, it's so cold. Would you mind closing the door on your way out?", "People say that any memory you have before the age of 7 is unreliable.\n\nYet, here I am, at the age of 35, spending my 25th of December chasing a childhood memory. A childhood memory that has manifested so deeply into my brain that it refuses to dissipate, bubbling for eleven months every year and surfacing right around the week of Christmas.\n\n__\n\n24 December 1991. I was a five-year-old boy, being tucked into bed by a loving mother and a protective father. \"Sleep tight, it's alright, Santa will bring your presents tonight!\" Mom said in a sing-song voice. \"You holler if you see Santa poking his nose around in your room alright, I'll be right over to punch his skull in,\" Dad said jokingly. \"I've only given him license to amble about the living room, haven't I dear?\" \n\nMom rolled her eyes and kissed me on the forehead before exiting my room with Dad following suit, but not before giving me a cheeky wink and shutting off the lights. And just like that, darkness. I heard my parents footsteps fading away for a few seconds, then a door shutting. Then, silence.\n\nSomething felt different that night. Five-year-old me laid in bed with a sense of unease, not excitement. Perhaps the heater was set wrongly, or it was simply colder that night. Either way, I was unable to sleep. For how long exactly, I do not know - although later I would discover that it must have been a good 3-4 hours. I laid in bed, thinking about the presents I would be opening the day after. Mom must have gotten me that Care Bear. Oh - no way - maybe Dad got me that Nerf Gun? It was all so exciting.\n\nThat's when I heard it. A little clinking of metal, then the familiar creaking sound of the front door. Sound travelled well in our quaint little house. \n\n\"Mom?\" I squeaked. \"Dad?\"\n\nI will never know if it was my tiny little voice that woke them, or if it was the strange sounds coming from the living room. All I know is that my parents came out of the room to investigate the noise. \n\nEverything that happened after was a blur. My therapist told me repressed memories tend to have a clear beginning and end, but lack a coherent middle. Over the years, she must have heard at least ten different version of what happened after I heard my parents footsteps thud past my room, towards the living room.\n\nI do remember the end though. A tall skeletal figure, dressed as Santa Claus approached me. Fresh blood meshed untidily with the red of his costume, leaving dark red pellets within the bright red. I opened my mouth to scream, but his hand was already over my mouth. And the last image - the one seared into my memory forever - his haggard face with a spider tattoo on his left cheek. \"Merry Christmas, you little fucker,\" he grinned sadistically.\n\n__\n\nYou know that talk you get from your parents about Santa not being real? The one you get when you near double digit age? I never got that. So to me, Santa is still real. Santa is the gaunt, rat-faced looking motherfucker who murdered my parents in cold blood thirty years ago.\n\nAnd here he is, bound and gagged, sat in front of me. Eyes full of fear. Not unlike myself thirty years ago.\n\nI tore off the tape on his mouth. \"Give me one good reason why,\" I whispered, drawing out a swiss army knife, \"I should let you go.\"\n\n\"Please, I'm sorry, I regret everything, I've served my time - twenty-seven years I've regretted - please, I was paid to - please - I - \" he babbled, his voice shaking. \"I - at least let her go!\"\n\n\"Her?\" I grinned, gesturing to the little girl sat across him. \"Oh no no no, of course I'm letting her go. She'll be fine!\"\n\n\"After all,\" I said, drawing my blade across his cheek. \"People say that any memory you have before the age of 7 is unreliable.\"\n\nI wondered if she would remember his father's screams." ]	3
	[WP] Demons, evil sprits, ghosts and even eldritch horrors are disappearing one by one. You are sent to investigate this one person that they have been haunting before they disappeared.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Damien sat in his small classroom desk, having had his math class interrupted by this contigent of demonic suits. As his young, glassy eyes blinked confusedly, the head-demon continued his speech:\n\n“So you understand, Damien, that we have chosen you for this mission because we can't afford to lose any more dark forces in The Era of the Great Battle. We know that you aren't fully matur—grown yet. However, we cannot think of anyone else who will be able to handle this task.”\n\nDamien rolled his eyes. “You couldn't have come during history class? I could do with missing the Great Depression more than fractions.”\n\nThe Demonic Servicemen in the background looked to each other silently.\n\n“Okay, fine. Send me up to Earth ahead of schedule, I guess.”\n\nDamien was led through the Great Fires of Hell where he had delighted more than once in the specfic tortures of the vain souls held prisoner. But a slight hurt struck his own breast as he watched the celebrity writer writhing in the agony of a monotone imp recording his audiobook. \n\nThis distinct thorn dug deeper as he passed through the Lesser Fires of Hell. Here he saw a common woman being simply deprived of her make-up and a man who stretched endlessly awaiting an attendant who was “bringing his weight equipment”. Damien tried to shake off this small melancholy to no avail.\n\n“Welcome to the Gates of Pre-Hell, sir.”\n\nDamien looked to the suit, expecting.\n\n\"Well, go on through.”\n\n“No dossier? No briefing? No clue as to where I should look for this demonic slaughterhouse?”\n\nThe demon stuttered, struggling to remember the details, “We don't know much, only that the presence is within the cul-de-sac of Startled Deer Circle. We think it is taking residence at 133.”\n\nDamien shook his head disapprovingly as he walked through the gate and appeared on the sidewalk of the cul-de-sac. He needed to talk to his father about the terrible uselessness of the suits in his employ.\n\nThis little area of Pre-Hell seemed rather quaint to Damien. Understanding what awaited many of the people on this forsaken rock, he wondered how they could complain about such a grand life as a two-story home, complete with garage. He even spied a few swimming pools behind the backyard fencing. They would certaintly miss those soon.\n\nStrolling down the road inconspicuosly, he finally found 133 Startled Deer Circle and walked straight up to the front door. He knocked on the door. As the door opened, he conjured a small wagon full of what he thought might pass as Boy Scout knives.\n\nThe door opened to reveal an eight-year-old girl, dressed in full black, trimmed with red velvet. A smile crossed Damien's face and that small pain in his chest disappeared. She held out a small letter for Damien, which he took.\n\nOpening it, he read, scrawled in flaming embers, “Will you go with me to the Eternal Torture Ball?” with two little boxes beneath.", "“Soo, you’re the guy?” asked Angel sceptically.\n\n“Yes, uh that’s right. I’m the guy.” answered Lucas.\n\nHe may very well be the most average man she has ever met. In all her years in the supernatural investigation business Angel has never encountered a case as strange as this one. This was the infamous exorcist. The invincible demon slayer. A socially awkward loser who was probably dressed by his mother every morning. Needless to say, that was the last thing she expected when she arranged the meeting at the street corner cafe on that dreary Friday morning. \n\n“Yeah, alright. Let’s start from the top. How did you kill that mummy? That thing wreaked havoc across Cairo for a week. It took our best demon slayers to subdue him but you took him down single-handedly with ease.” questioned Angel.\n\n“Well, mummies are just dead bodies aren’t they. It was a very hot and humid day so I just let it rot.” answered Lucas.\n\n“But what about the curse!?” asked Angel.\n\n“Curses are all just superstition aren’t they. I don’t believe in curses” Lucas stated matter-of-factly. \n\n“But that thing killed my partner with its damn curses! How the hell did it not kill you!?” demanded Angel.\n\n“I dunno. Curses are superstitions so I don’t believe in them. I mean if someone came up to me and told me that I’m cursed I would be like, whatever.” said Lucas.\n\n“But it was a mummy that cursed you!” yelled Angel. \n\n“But a mummy is just a dead body and it was a hot and humid day. So I just went about my business and let it rot.” explained Lucas emotionlessly. \n\n“Didn’t you think it was the least bit strange that a dead body from the Egyptian exhibit at the local history museum walked up to you and cursed you!?” asked Angel.\n\n“Yeah it was a bit weird. I’m neither trained in nor educated in corpse disposal so I paid it no mind. It was none of my business really. Somebody already made a call to the police anyway so, yeah.” said Lucas.\n\nHe then blew a ring in the milk foam on the surface of his laté before taking a loud sip. Suffice it to say Angel was baffled by this guy. What was his secret? She had to know. This guy wasn’t going to make it easy though. Angel feared that her frustration would overcome her ability to maintain her professional code of conduct. \n\n“So you ignored an undead monster and it’s attacks and so it fell apart.” said Angel.\n\n“What are you on about? Monsters are superstitions and I don’t believe in them. I’m a rational man of science after all. I get a lot of upvotes on the atheist subreddit.” said Lucas rather smugly. \n\n“What? Okay whatever.” said Angel with naked frustration.\n\n“The ghost of Blackbeard the pirate. According to reports you were haunted by him for weeks. He’s one nasty piece of work that guy. He drove many an exorcist to murder and suicide. He’s the reason why ships are terrified of the Bermuda Triangle. Why didn’t you report him sooner?” queried Angel.\n\nShe gritted her teeth. She had a feeling she was going to regret asking that question.\n\n“Well, ghosts are not real. They’re superstitions and I don’t believe in them. My psychiatrist told me that ghosts are a manifestation of our inner fears. So I just put on a happy face and went about my day.” said Lucas\n\nAngel let out a frustrated sigh. This was going to be a long day." ]	3
	[WP] "Wait, what's going on?" The hero whipped their head around, taking in all the cops that now surrounded them and their sidekick. "I'm sorry," the sidekick winced, "but this is for your own good." The sidekick turned to the cops and pointed at the hero. "They're the traitor!! Take them away!!!"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"No, Marvin, YOU are the traitor!\" I hiss out at him, \"We signed an oath to never betray each other, and look at you, weaseling your way out like the snake you are!\" I lunged at my ex-sidekick, grabbing him by the throat. I never tolerated betrayal, and I wasn't about to start.\n\n\"Hero's gone rogue! Open fire, open fire!\" One of the cops yelled out, spiking my anger, and thus my power. They began firing hundreds if not thousands of live ammo at me, only for them all to stop just short of impact. Meanwhile, my grip on my soon-to-be corpse of a sidekick tightened dramatically, causing them to feebly strike at my arm, like a toddler trying to swing a toy hammer at a swat unit.\n\n\"What a shame... The people I worked tirelessly 24/7 to protect are now turning on me. Guess the villains were right, this city truly IS unjust, and undeserving,\" Without hesitation, I clenched my grip so hard, I saw the sidekick's eyes pop out of their skull, which meant I most certainly crushed their neck brutally, leading me to drop it. My focus turned towards the spent ammo forming a mild barrier around me, \"Now onto the civilians... How shall I repay you for all you've never done for me..? Well, it doesn't matter now, your lives are forfeit!\"\n\nThe bullets all turned to face away from me, before launching back towards the police that fired on them with such a force, that even buckshot from their shotguns pierced their cars with little effort, leaving all of them as bloodied swiss cheese.\n\n\"Let's go pay some old friends a visit in prison, now that I've walked a bit in their shoes...\" I sighed, casually walking past the rubble and corpses in the direction towards the prison\n\n\\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nI walked the seemingly infinitely long halls lined with the cells of people I've captured, stopping short of the supernatural block, home to the city's supervillains. I was here for one of them in particular now, though. I waltzed towards his door, calmly smiling as his and my eyes locked.\n\n\"Long time now see, Lockstep...\"\n\n\\[To be continued?\\]" ]	2
	[WP] The villain broke into the room and their eyes met yours. They runned towards you before breaking your restreints. "You really thought I was going to leave another superpowered in their hands ?"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 half starved, I honestly didn't believe they were going to anything. \n\nHell, I didn't even believe it was them at first. Bu there they were. He grabbed my wrists, \"Sorry in advance.\" he said before he forced my arms apart. He pulled me to my feet before I half collapsed.\n\n\"I can't walk.\" I gasped through a dry throat.\n\n\"Then I'll carry you. Keep your mouth shut or you'll bite your tongue.\" he said flipping me in a fireman's hold and ran out past dead officers and broken bodies. \n\nI watched the dead through hazy eyes. I guess I said something because he growled. \"I played by your rules for once. Cleaning crew were given a warning and those who tried to move away will eventually wake up.\"\n\n\"The dead?\"\n\n\"I told em not to shoot at me. They shot.\" he growled.\n\nThe next thing I remember is waking up in a bed. I couldn't remember how I got there but one of the lieutenants, I couldn't quite remember his name but i knew the face, stood guard by my door. \n\nWe had some sort of conversation and he helped me drink some water and called in a woman to help me into the bathroom and back to bed. I went back to sleep afterward.\n\nThe next time I woke up I was ravishing, the woman from before- learned her name was Cassandra, she was apparently another super that had been hailed as a 'hero' before she 'disappeared'... Yea. I knew the truth now.\n\nShe had been responsible for my healing and care. She brought me up some stew and a cup of milk and had to slow me down a few times as she relayed what had happened. \n\nTri-Flare, the -ahem- \"mastermind behind everything\" and the one who broke me out had brought me to a lair that so far was unknown, or at least left alone. He had quite the security system here I was told.\n\nCassandra also relayed on how she, like many of us, had been tricked. How we were used to 'fix' problems and how various governments wanted to hide behind us to 'solve' their problems. And when we either were useless or knew too much they found ways to kill us off.\n\nA knock on the door showed Tri-Flare at the door. \n\nHe smiled as he entered, and for the first time I saw his face. A large scar over his left eye that was clouded showed why his mask often looked the way it did. \n\nHe sat down and joined in the explanations. How he was a hero himself but asked too many questions and was too good at finding answers. They decided to cut his contract early.\n\n\"My name at the time was Flashfire.\" he added with a wry smile.\n\nI felt my face pale. The greatest hero in the world. The first of us... the very first hero to come out and help people...\n\nI opened my mouth to shout that was impossible before I closed it. \n\nYou see, Flashfire was the first of us yes. But he was also 'dead.' And that fact couldn't be denied, because even after the hotel collapsed on him and people slowly stopped thinking he could have gotten out... it was just under a century ago. The papers stated he was about thirty-five when he died...\n\nIf he was flash fire that would mean...\n\n\"I don't know the extent of it.\" He said as he saw me doing the realizations. \"I couldn't believe it when I woke up under the rubble and was 'mostly' okay. I've been stabbed, shot, crushed...I can't tell how much I'm Immortal but...I can't die by force at least.\"\n\n\"So what are you going to do with me?\"\n\nHe shook his head, \"That's more on you, but for the moment you need to rest. We'll talk later. I just wanted to make sure you were okay and let you know the level.\"\n\nI nodded. \"Okay, thanks.\"\n\nCassandra pointed at the dial, \"that's basically a call nurse button. Let me know if you need anything. i'll help however I can.\"\n\nThey left me to my thoughts and I rustled under the covers as it all replayed in my head. I didn't know what I wanted or felt other than more sleep and exausted so I rustled back in and fell asleep." ]	2
	[WP]Despite being completely ordinary and unremarkable your entire life, people and animals feel uneasy around you. Dogs raise their hackles, cats hiss and run, and despite their best efforts, even close family members find you unsettling. Finally, on your birthday, you learn why.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "-\"I think I had enough, don't you think? Father? Mother?\" \n\nMoments cacophonous among empathy, avoided of looks and contact. Mother had her palms gently positioned over her knees, slightly tilted with her long hair covering her eyes. Father, laid back in his chair seemingly trying to enter it, if possible. His gaze locked on mother's interlocked fingers, nervously picking her nails. Color of their eyes escapes your recollection, and now that you think about it... All your remember is just tightly pressed lips. \n \n-\"...it's obvious you don't love me, so why keep me?\" - growl cut trough thick air. -\"Why didn't you leave me somewhere to die?\" \n\n-\"Martha ... Please.\" - Father spoke softly, kindly pleading to Mother to speak. \n\n-\"John, i-i-i can't!\" - Martha spoke back still looking at that knot on the wooden flooring. \n\n-\"Martha please!\" \n\nThese words were nothing that you haven't heard before. They were an old fashioned dance mother and father have done every evening of every day. There would be late dinner, only for you, then this little dance, some more silence before you would give up, and just hope sleep would find you again. It became stale after few years of this dance, at first it felt genuine ... But longer you waited for this dance to end, less you were able to care about their predicament. \n\n\"Martha!! Please!!! This is it!!! You either tell it now, or we will not have a child after this!!\" - unusual shout for a Monday, maybe this drama had an episode rewrite after all. -\"You need to ... Only you can...\" \n \n-\"Huh? A new development?\" - an amused chuckle then softly -\"please, don't mind me, I'm intrigued - continue\". \n\n-\"We do love you! You h-h-have to b-believe us!\" - mother spoke, tethering around the subject. Another chuckle, smirk as she continued-\"Your g-g-g-grand grandfather, h-he had these... eyes.\"\n \n-\"Eyes? Old fart had eyes?!\" - Mockingbird words echoed in a breath. \n\n-\"Yes, people used to call him Soulful Saul because of them. Eyes pitch black, where no light or shine escaped them.\" - father interjected.\n\nMother's chest had risen up as she let out a trembling breath followed by a single high pitch sigh. Mother's nails now dug into her own ties pushing onto her pants clawing their way to some long forgotten comfort.\n \n -\"I've never seen them myself, but my f-f-father always told the h-horror he had witnessed due to t-t-t-those eyes.\" - mother shyly continued. \n\n-\"Ive always personally thought it was BS, his journals a bad written fiction of an drunkard, but...\" - father reached out to take Mother's hand into his -\"you were born.\" \n \n-\"I don't understand... What does that have to do with me? My eyes aren't black, they are blue. What's the point of this new episode?\" \n \n-\"His eyes weren't black\" - mother started sobbing. \n \n-\"Well now i am confused\" \n\n-\"In his journals, color change is last step, at first he just saw trough things.\" - Father now grasping mother's hand tightly with his own, as if he is pouring his strength into her.-\"In his books he said he could see trough people and their desires, he could see into fabric of universe and banality of it, that it all made sense.\" \n \n-\"So old fart was crazy, and a bit grandiose?\" \n \n-\"I thought so too, before you came to me when you were 3, and pointed towards our neighbor Kevin and said 'look Dad, a bad man'. My best friend Kevin, whom I have known for ages? It was insulting at first, a kid who has no notion of life ... But then your iris went away\". \n\n-\"A-and then, ten years later, K-k-kevin was arrested for mass murder.\" - mother spoke softly, holding Father's hand tightly. -\"and you laughed, as if it was a joke\". \n \n-\"It was a joke! Are you telling me that mass murderer, being active for 40 something years, being finally busted by getting lonely enough to buy a 0\npuppy - isn't funny?! C'mon! A Dog?! Burying bones?! Getting more that little pup was bargaining for?! Nothing?\" \n \n-\"That is only how it starts...\" - father spoke -\"today, your eyes will turn permanently dark, and your vision will increase. From this day onward, no one will have any secrets in front of you. And if anyone looks you in your eyes, their irises will show you their gruesome future. And they will see it themselves in reflection of their eyes.\" \n\n-\"I'll see their future?! Are you kidding me?\" - you laugh at the absurdity of such statement. \n\n-\"Yes, i don't understand it... But that is what journals say\". \n \n-\"You can't be serious?\" - this is crazy! Magic eye powers? Those two have truly gone off their knockers, to believe in that-\"So that explains everything, i suppose? Magic eye holes?\" \n \n-\"This is serious!!\" - mother suddenly slapped her hand over the table, staring directly towards you. Oh, that is how her eyes looked like! Deep marine blue, as if they were crocheted by a sea wool. \n\nBut In there, there are no eyes in your reflection, just empty. Looking at her face you see decades of agony, imposed fear of what she might see if she ever met your gaze. Growing up about stories of murderers, monsters, family members killing other family members, dirt and blood in the moonlight, seeing the fear in her grandfather's eyes whenever he would speak of his father. It wasn't just a scary story, it was tradition, and the moment her husband told her about you, she had already known. She saw a cat hissing and running away from you. Seeing such terror in an animal, so primal, meant only one thing - the Soulful eyes. She never looked at you ever again, yet her heart ached and beated for you, and father. \n \nBut if she would meet your eyes, she would see her demize, so she never wanted to see. She had tried to claw her eyes out, but always failed, she yearned to see you albeit knowing that it would be the last time. So she retracted, afraid of you, yet yearning for your embrace, more time went on, more Father pushed her to tell you. But how could she? How could she tell her child that their life is doomed to witness misery, agony and death... Till it drives them mad. She stopped talking to Father after a while, he would still push push, but she would stay silent, until today. \n\nAnd today, unwillingly she had seen those eyes again, yet those eyes weren't one of her child, they were empty. Regret, agony, anger, rage, wrath ... If only she didn't tell you! If only Father didn't meddle his fingers where he had no place to! Where are the kind eyes of her child? What emptiness is this?! Cheated! Tricked! And now she will eventually die without seeing your eyes ever again... blue eyes of her father, blue eyes she missed so much. \n\nThis will not end here, resentment is a toxic thing, burrowing deep into ones soul. And you see it peering deeper into hers. Their relationship isn't what is used to be, they aren't talking as they used to, coldness that you thought you felt found its nest between them. But her resentment had made it's seed, and will take hold. \n \n-\"Mom!!\"- you scream with tears pouring down your cheeks -\"Look away! Please look away!\" \n \nHer resentment will fuel her rage, her rage will fuel her loneliness till she wakes up one day... Remembers this day when you turned 18, remembers your eyes, and when all emotions flood back as if they were frozen in time. Driven mad by resentment, fear, anger, and decades worth of anguish she will have no one else to blame but father. She will take her own wedding ring and push it into his throat, while her fingers pulverise his eyes. \n \n-\"I said fucking LOOK AWAY!!!\" - your voice tears trough the house. -\"Dad! STOP HER! \n \nAhh... You forgot... He has brown eyes." ]	2
	[WP] You find yourself in the Hall of Akashic Records with a small note in your hand. “Read as many books as you wish from the Eternal Library. They will determine the world to which you are sent, the blessings you receive, the challenges you will face, and the life that you will live.”	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "There was an unnatural tug in her gut as she moved across the rows of bookshelves, until there was none but spirals upon ascending spirals of books showcased for the eyes to see. Her curiosity, however, never satisfied itself as she continued looking for that one book spine that would catch her attention. Further and further inside the Eternal Library she went, until the books became more dusty and old in appearance. Still, no material caught her eye.\n\nAt one point, she decided to turn back, only to be greeted by vast emptiness behind her. So that was why her instincts were acting up, which had strangely calmed upon her realization of what was happening. Most of all, the abyss behind her was enticing, beckoning her to come back.\n\nThe small note in her hand felt cold in its crumpled state, but his heart felt warmer than ever. In its beat. In its feeling. It was a resolution in her part, and so she returned, with no book in hand. Where would the Akashic deities place her then, if she were to reject their offer?", "I look around the vast hall. The ceiling cannot be seen. There are only clouds. For clouds to form inside a building, it must be vast beyond reckoning. I can see figures mulling around by the shelves picking up books and reading them. I seem to not be the only one here with the same purpose. \r \n\r \nGliding by every so often is what I know to be the porters. They will help me find anything specific should I so wish, but for now, I am looking at the spines of the texts before me. Names of people and places I’ve never heard of. Curiosity inevitably gets the best of me, and I open my first tome. \r \n\r \nIt is a tale of a poor boy forced to flee his home village with his sister after an inquisitorial force proceeds to carry out a death warranty on the entire settlement. My heart goes out to the boy, but it is hefty and very long by the feel of the book. Flipping a good chunk of the pages, I see he is now a teacher of magic at a grand academy. What things I can decipher, he seems jovial and kind-hearted. I myself would’ve sought vengeance. But he, on the other hand, only seeks to raise others up. \r \n\r \nI flip further into the book. He is now five hundred years old and has been conscripted to fight in a war. Despite his old age, his appearance seems to be that of a young man still. Magic is the only explanation that makes sense to me. He seems reluctant to participate. The record makes it clear this is the turning point for the man. With a great many spells, he singlehandedly kills an entire legion of soldiers. \r \n\r \nI am left speechless as only weapons of considerable power could achieve such a thing in my world. But this war has awakened something in him. The records only seem to allude to what it is, but the hints seem dark. \r \n\r \nI flip further to the man’s future. He is ruling a great territory. One-sixth of the continent in which he lives, apparently. He hasn’t made many moves, but it seems his higher-ups fear his popularity. I come to the end of the book with the text still being written. With a sharp snap, I close the Record. I have no desire to see his tales end, for I feel it can’t be anything positive. \r \n\r \nA porter approaches me with a smile. \r \n\r \n“Excellent choice sir, I shall add this to the features of your next being”, he says with a smile, gently taking the book from my hands and returning it to the shelf. \r \n\r \n“Can I see the records of great researchers?” I ask. The Porter gives a friendly smile and nods. A rushing feeling takes over me as the floor, and the shelves seem to blur around me. As fast it began, the feeling stops and the blurring stops all the same. I am now before a wall of books with names of people I recognise and people I don’t. \r \n\r \nThere are names of faraway aliens and mad scientists from universes with comic book-like beings. Taking one labelled Professor Hell, I begin to read. He is a simple man who just wanted to make a friend. But fate seemed determined against it, so he built one. But this friend had a quirk in its programming. \r \n\r \nRampage is how the people around him described the horrific events afterwards. Terrified, the boy ran. Starving, he turned to crime just to feed himself. There was no malice in his research and actions. He just wanted happiness.\r \n\r \nEventually, he found a friend of sorts, it seems. His archnemesis a hero of a similar nature to superman. They reached a point where they just staged fights and had friendly chats. The moment I laughed was when they swapped roles for a day. Watching this boy who had gotten so stuck in the part of supervillain rescue a kitten from a tree was a delight. He even barely changed his name to Professor HellP.\r \n\r \nFeeling a warmth, I close the book. A Porter once again appeared and took the record from my hands as I expected.\r \n\r \n“Interesting selection, sir, you need only pick the side course and we can complete the task”, he said with a smile and a nod as he returned the book to the shelf. \r \n\r \nI was stuck in thought. These porters described what I was doing, almost as if I were ordering from a menu. I suppose, in a way, I was. Thinking long and hard, I felt I had a grand fantasy. I had scifi. Now I wanted normalcy.\r \n\r \n“Can I have a look at someone absolutely average?” I asked. The Porter tilted their head like a confused puppy. But just nodded. Again I felt the rush as if the whole world was passing me by. When we stopped, there was an empty shelf with one book.\r \n\r \n“One absolutely average being, sir”, the Porter said with a bow. \r \n\r \n“Only one?” I asked, confused.\r \n\r \n“Yes, sir, you asked for absolutely average. This would’ve been far more vast if you asked for generally average. Though the fact he was so average in every detail goes so against probability, I feel this one is rather exceptional”, the Porter explained with an almost nostalgic smile.\r \n\r \nI was now reluctant to open the book. But in the end, I opened it. The record was mundane beyond anything. This man was average in every conceivable way: height, weight, age at the time of death. There wasn’t a single field where he did not reside at the very dead centre and top of the bell curve. It was almost unnerving with finality though I closed the book.\r \n\r \nA porter appeared with their usual smile. \r \n\r \n“Thank you, sir”, he took the book from me as they have done with all the others.\r \n\r \n“With that, we are set to go”, he began gently placing the book on the shelf.\r \n\r \n“You shall reside in the world from your first tome, though considerably earlier than the time period you were reading about”, he explained.\r \n\r \n“Ah good, though I wish I could help that boy”, I said, rather melancholic. The porter, though, gave me an ear to ear grin.\r \n\r \n“Then you are in luck, sir. You will be that man’s teacher”, he explained.\r \n\r \n“So I can help him in the end”, I said with a smile.\r \n\r \n“Indeed though, you shall be a bit of a crazy magical researcher who will avoid all human contact and construct only undead friends. That boy will be a very rare exception”, he added. \r \n\r \nI felt my gut start to knot itself. My first choice seems to have been the setting, the second my character, but what of the third.\r \n\r \n“Finally, you shall be a probability defying being, you shall do things all but the most powerful of gods consider impossible”, he said with a grin. \r \n\r \n“We shall now send you off and await your return so you shall live another life. We wish you the best of luck, Sir Akashic”, the Porter said with a snap of his fingers. One day I shall live everything in my records though it certainly is fun to do it one event at a time." ]	3
	[WP] "I am the heart snatcher, your heart is my meat. Would you open your chest and give me a treat?"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Running on the damp floorboards (and no doubt over a basement filled with rats), you curse yourself for getting into this mess. Your friend Josh had always been a bit off, but his latest harebrained idea had been almost too much even for you. Who explores abandoned buildings? At night? For fun? Yet, you never could resist trying something new. \n\nCreeping into the old asylum, the two of you cautiously peered around corners, as if waiting for some shadowy figure to appear and drag them into a padded room. You found old equipment, burnt-out lightbulbs, and suspiciously red stains on the tiled floors. \"Josh, look at this shit!\" You called out, squinting at a puddle of silver liquid. A fresh puddle. \"Josh?\" Looking around, you felt a mild fear set in. \"Stop fucking with me, man. This isn't my scene to begin with.\" As you walked around the room, which seemed to be growing smaller as you spoke, you frantically dialed your friend's number. \"This number is either out of use or-\" \"No signal. Jesus.\" \n\nA few deep breaths. Just take a few deep breaths. One, two, three. Use your brain. You quickly walk out of the room with the stain, the room with crumbling walls and ancient torture devices. As you pace through the corridors, fluid began to drip down the darkening walls. You look up as you feel a drop on your arm. Silver? \"I hate this building, dude.\" You muttered as your footsteps grew faster. The metallic liquid began to stream in rivulets, then fully flow along the floor. Walk, walk walk. Get out of here. Walk. Run. You eventually reach a door fully covered in the iridescent solution. The fluid spilled perpetually from floor to ceiling, yet you could not discern where it was coming from, or indeed, where it was going. The door opened of its own accord.\n\nThe eyes. The eyes. Undescribable, blue or green or brown or silver, you couldn't tell. In your haze, you looked up and saw faded scripture. ~~Children's Ward.~~ The creature demanded attention, as its screams shook the building. It straightened up, and as it did so, you notice a gaping hole in what could have been a chest. A dripping, horrifyingly silver hole that Stephen King himself would turn away at. It turns a handle at its side. Jarring notes from an out-of-tune piano seep out of the monster. In a sing-song tune, you hear \"I am the heart snatcher, your heart is my meat. Would you open your chest and give me a treat?\"", "“Oh heart snatcher no! My heart is not meat! It’s candy and sugar and honey and wheat!” \n\n“But dear little one, I know that you lie. Your heart is as red as your little bow tie. All things inside is meat for a pie. Or maybe a stew, for one or for two. I know little one that all this is true. So open your chest and give me my treat. Or maybe perhaps I will start with your feet?”\n\n“Oh snatcher of hearts, my heart is no treat. But neither is my smelly and dirty little feet!”\n\n“Oh little one, but I’m in the mood. Today I feel like playing with food. I don’t eat the feet but I bite them ya know. I bite them real hard and bite them real slow. So give me your heart I promise it’ll be quick. Then you’ll be off to heaven to see jolly saint Nick.” \n\n“But Saint Nicks not in heaven, he’s at the North Pole. I’m sure he’ll forgive all the hearts that you stole. If you say you’re sorry and do some real good, he’ll forgive you just as Saint Nicholas should. He’ll give you treats that are better then hearts! Candy canes and raspberry tarts!”\n\n“If that is true then I won’t eat, your tasty heart nor chew your feet. Then to the North Pole I shall go, through all the rain and wind and snow. I’ll say sorry for all that I stole, and maybe that will cleanse my soul. I thank you brave and sweet little girl, you’re the bravest thing in all the world. Santa will bring something nice you see, so Merry Christmas and I’ll leave you be.”\n\nAnd so the heart snatcher flew off into the night.\n\nEdit: nether to neither" ]	3
	[WP] You come home to find your dog on the kitchen floor after it ate your your medication. You cry "Noooo! We have to get you to the vet!" She looks at you bleary-eyed and says "Good idea, I feel really weird."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 body temperature suddenly dropped. A tear of cold sweat ran down the side of my cheek. I looked over to the desk that had my antidepressants layed down like in a boufet. My dog attempted to stand up, but rolled over and sighed “I need some water”. Seconds felt like hours, it seemed like all my body weight sat on my heart straining it from beating. I snapped out of it, quickly picked my dog up and put my 2 fingers into her throat to make her gag and vomit out the poisonous medicine. It took 15 minutes, when I finally saw the four tablets of fevarin sunken into her stomach waste. I sighed in relief as my dog whimpered in my arms, back to normal", "The room became silent. I stood there in the doorway to my kitchen, finding my tiny Pomeranian on her side panting with her jaw open, tongue sticking to the floor. My coat I had taken off slowly slipped out of my hand and gave a soft thud as it landed on the kitchen floor.\n\n“Come again?” I said in disbelief as I stared at Simmy.\n\n“I feel really weird and going to the vet would be a very good idea,” Simmy replied, lifting her head in my direction with great difficulty.\n\n“Y-you can talk!” I shouted. I perched down on all fours and crawled closer to Simmy.\n\n“Yes Miranda, I can,” Simmy puffed, “now please take me to the vet.”\n\n“I mean your jaw is…articulating the words so well. I’m just so lost for words that I’m –\n\n“Miranda. Vet. I just ate a whole bottle of your medicine and I feel like it will be the end of me if I do not go to a vet soon,” Simmy cut me off.\n\n“Right. Right!” I said. I came back to my senses and I picked Simmy up from the floor, “let’s get you to the vet.”\n\nThe tiny Pomeranian slouched to the side as I picked her up. Her tongue sticking out while panting, as if it had just run a marathon. Her tongue drooled over my shirt as I grabbed her tighter to straighten her out. I walked out to the small hallway and picked up my car keys with my free hand. I look back at the tiny empty bottle of medicine that laid there on the floor, showing bite marks to get the top open.\n\n“Why did you eat my medicine, Simmy?” I asked staring back at her.\n\n“You eat them every day as well,” she replied starkly, “I figured I could eat them as well. They seem to make you happy.”\n\n“How can you sound so smart but draw such stupid conclusions at the same time?” I sneered at Simmy. For a moment, Simmy’s bleary eyes focused on me.\n\n“I’m not stupid. It was a perfectly logical way of thinking,” Simmy replied with its nose held high.\n\n“Logical my ass. That was as illogical as me about to go outside in this freezing weather without my coat,” I stated firmly. Coat. I needed my coat. I quickly ran back into the kitchen where I had dropped my coat on the floor. I bent forward and heard Simmy make retching noises.\n\n“Don’t you dare puke on my kitchen floor,” I said while standing up quickly. I clumsily put on my coat while I could hear Simmy mutter something about puking in my car. I couldn’t focus properly. It was like I was missing something. Something. The severity of the situation finally dawned on me. My dog ate medicine and might die. Like, proper die. Dog funeral, dog grave, the whole sad shebang, if I didn’t take her to the vet quickly. I look down to Simmy who slumped her head upwards onto my chest. She didn’t look good and started tremoring. Even through my coat, she felt like a tiny furnace.\n\n“Let’s get going then shall we?” I said in a panicky voice.\n\nI sat there as the vet was setting up the equipment to flood the medicine out of Simmy’s stomach. I had a hard time focusing as I kept thinking I had forgotten something. Something important. I stared at Simmy who was now tremoring so badly I had to help the vet hold her down.\n\n“This isn’t good,” the vet explained to me, “your dog might not make it.”\n\nI looked up to the vet with widened eyes; “What do you mean?”\n\n“How long ago did your dog digest these meds?” the vet continued to ask me, ignoring my question.\n\n“I’m, I’m not too sure. I came home and Simmy was already on the floor,” I replied.\n\n“What meds did she eat?”\n\n“I don’t know.”\n\nThe vet looked up to me, “you don’t know?”\n\n“I didn’t get the chance to look at the tag of the bottle. I take quite a few different kinds of meds and I...” I stopped myself as I stared blankly in front of me.\n\n“You…?” he said, trying to lure the answer out of me. By now he had gripped Simmy’s mouth and shoved in the tube. Simmy winced. I winced. The words were muddled in my head.\n\n“I…forgot to take my…,” I muttered. Before I could finish my sentence, it came out like the floodgates. Gastric juices flowed from Simmy’s mouth along with whatever her stomach had contained. There they were, the tiny chewed up pills, a whole bottle’s worth.\n\n“My antipsychotic medicine,” I finally said. The last thing I remembered from that visit was how the vet looked at me with utter disbelief. I couldn’t hear him as he started shouting at me, probably telling me how irresponsible I was. The void was taking over again as I looked down to Simmy, my little Pomeranian. She smiled at me, wagged her tail one last time and then closed her eyes.\n\nSunrise came. I laid there on my bed, contemplating my existence. A month had passed after incident. \r \n“I should go visit her,” I said to myself as I pulled myself into a sitting position, “I owe her at least that much.”\r \nI sniffed as I crawled out of bed and headed towards the kitchen. A firm metal box was placed on the counter. It was something I had bought to keep my medicine in, to prevent the events of a month ago from ever happening again. I walked past it, not feeling up to taking my meds yet. I opened up the closet, took out the coffee and a mug. I took a look at the boiler with some left over water from yesterday and deemed it was enough to make a cup of coffee. I switched it on and sat down, putting my head on the kitchen counter. \r \nA bark came from my right side. I lifted my head and saw Simmy strut into the kitchen with her tongue out. \r \n“Oh, look who’s up!” I said happily. I crouched down and picked up Simmy who was panting, almost like saying she was happy to see me. She licked her nose and barked once.\r \n“Yeah. You’re right. I shouldn’t delay it, should I?” I replied. I put Simmy down and opened up the box. I took my medicine and laid them on the counter, counting them.\r \n“After this we’re going to visit mum. We haven’t seen her in a while and she’s been begging me to come by,” I groaned. Simmy barked happily as I popped in the pills one by one.\r \n“Yes, I know you’re hungry. Just a moment. I’ll get you something to eat soon,” I said. \r \n\n\nEDIT: Added a part because the ending felt too dark, haha. Good endings are the best endings, right?\n\nEDIT EDIT: The dog survived and when talking about 'visiting her' it was to throw you a loop thinking she meant her dog but her mom who's not dead just wants to see her daughter." ]	3
	[WP] a horror film where the humans and monster's roles are reversed.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"They found us.\"\nDr Simmons looked up from his microscope, watching the cells from the human we had found. \"That's not possible, it has to be nearly noon out there.\"\nI peered through the cameras, the sun's cruel light unable to burn my skin through the screen. \"They must have found a few crates of sunscreen.\"\n\n\"Or they've been tanning, humans used to do that right?\" Tammy added. She was the youngest of us, the most full of life. At only 400 years old I couldn't bear the thought of her being harmed. She was just a kid.\n\n\"Do they have stakes?\" Vlad asked, sharpening his pike. Old vampires tended to hold on to old weapons, not that they wouldn't use new ones, whatever the bad habit.\n\n\"Stakes and crossbows, I think one found an old flamethrower too. Where did they get these relics?\" I turned off the camera and examined my weapons. I had maybe 30 rounds left, then I was down to my old Calvary saber.\n\n\"You have to keep them out.\" Dr Simmons said. \"I'm close, really close. If I can just determine the exact sequence that allows them to walk in the sun I can create a formula that will allow us to escape.\"\n\nVlad and I took our positions. Within a few minutes the humans had cut through the doors and started pouring in. It was a slaughter, Vlad had been training with that hunk of steel for millennia, and I've been perfecting the art of the sword for over 200 years. Throwing in inhuman strength, and the result is almost mathematic. Yet it was not enough, they kept pouring in. Dozens after dozens after dozens kept coming. Steak in hand and backed by countless flaming crossbow bolts. Those were the real threat, fire is extremely dangerous to vampires. Vlad and I could have taken them all out in an hour had we not had to avoid getting hit by even one of those bolts. A stake to the heart is bad, it'll paralyze you and leave you vulnerable. A flaming stake, when your body goes up like a Christmas tree you definitely want to be able to stop drop and roll ASAP.\n\n\"We have to fall back!\" Vlad yelled, unleashing a spray of machine gun fire. The humans didn't like that, but I didn't like it either. Vlad hated guns, said it made death too easy. If he was using one, he was desperate.\n\n\"Plan b then, use the c4. I don't think they know how to work an excavator, that should buy some time.\"\n\nWe ran, the humans shortly behind us. I heard Vlad reach for the device, but when he clicked the remote nothing happened.\n\n\"Dang Plastic, I'll have to rig it manually. I knew we should have used black powder.\"\n\n\"You'll never make it, there are too many of them.\"\n\n\"Then it's been a good thousand years.\"\n\nAs he broke off I said a prayer for my friend. The resounding blast shook the facility, the last bastion of vampire kind. I eliminated the humans who survive the cave in. I consider turning one or two, heaven knows we need the help, but I didn't.\n\nYou don't turn an willing human. That was the rule, established back when vampires first started going public. Some human found a way to make fake blood that work just as well as the real stuff. When the eldest started popping out of their coffins they made a deal. Climate change with getting bad, food shortages were getting worse, and the less said about overpopulation the better. You wouldn't think that immortality would solve overpopulation, but vampires can't create kids. Freezing the world population at 7 billion seems like a good idea at the time.\n\n\"There you are.\" Tammy exclaimed that I ran back to the room. \"Where's Vlad?\"\n\n\"Vlad's gone, he set off the explosive. We've got to get out of here.\"\n\n\"We can't leave, I'm so close.\" Simmons exclaimed.\n\n\"If we don't leave we're going to be barbecued.\"\n\nAt that moment the unthinkable happened. A human, don't ask me how, burst out of the vent and stabbed Simmons right through the heart with a stake. Tammy screamed and I decapitated the human, careful not to get any of the blood on myself. I hadn't had a drop in over 200 years, I didn't want to give in to the addiction now.\n\n\"Dagnabbit old man.\" I explained, ripping the steak out of his heart. Too late I noticed that had been laced with something as the wound began to smoke. In an instant Dr Simmons was turned from a healthy if pale vampire to a charred skeleton. Tammy screamed, but I had no time to mourn. I grabbed her hand and pulled we were getting out of here.\n\nAfter devoting the world to vampirism, some things changed that we didn't expect. Now that we were out in the open we could study ourselves without worrying about humans learning of the research. Turns out, we didn't even need blood. There's an enzyme in human blood that our bodies could no longer produce, an enzyme we were able to produce pretty easily in a lab. That's not to say blood was not enjoyable, it was the difference between eating a shake that technically met all your body's nutrients requirement and having a steak dinner. Most vampires only have blood occasionally, and some like myself don't drink it at all. For those who don't drink it often, it has certain psychotic properties. Those exposed to unexpectedly can drop into a blood rage, making them very dangerous both to themselves or others. Many vampires learned that the hard way during the first century or so.\n\n\"Come on let's get to the basement, we can hide down there.\"Tammy exclaimed. I didn't think there was anything down there, but I was out of ideas. Some vampires could turn into rats or other small animals, making it easy for them to hide in small holes. Before the humans came, I never felt it was a problem that I could only turn into a wolf.\n\nThe first two centuries were pretty interesting. Being vampires are immortal, it takes us a while to get used to changes. Eventually we figured it out though. Many of us settled near the polls, less sunlight to worry about. Our values were different than humans, are outlook on the world shaped by our long lives. It's easier to think 100 200 300 years into the future when you know you're going to be there to see it. Climate change is easier to understand once you've seen it change the world over 100 years or so. With no new vampires coming around, we started to learn to value who we had knowing no one else was going to come replace them. \n\nThen the vault opened. Humans who knew only the fear of vampires for over a thousand years erupted like a wildfire over a dry forest. We weren't ready. To call vampire society decadent would not be an understatement. We didn't have to work hard for our food, considering the blood we drank or the pills we took came from machines that we controlled. Our homes had been built centuries prior, and while we could maintain them we hadn't built anything new in a long time. Weapon fanatics like Vlad and I still knew how to fight, but we had only ever sparred against each other. Vampires who would have killed each other previously already had or moved so far away it wasn't an issue. I believe in the first year alone we dropped from 4 billion to less than 1 million.\n\nAnd now, as Tammy and I hide in this old coffin I have managed to nail shut from the inside, I fear that there will soon be two less of us. My only hope is the humans will not find us before the sun sets, that we may have a chance to escape." ]	2
	[WP] The winner of this year's Nobel Prize in Literature is an AI writer. Unsurprisingly, many were shocked and confused by this anomaly.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 could sense the excitement in the air. The historical room of the Swedish Academy was filled with journalists, who were all ready to hear who the Nobel Laureate of 2030 would be. Stories were my passion, and it felt unbelievable to be one of the first ones to hear who was considered to be the world’s most influential author this year. I kept my fingers crossed for my personal favorites. When the doorknob turned, cameras were ready to capture the moment, and when the member of the Swedish Academy walked in, I could hear nothing but the cameras clicking.\r \n\r \nI do not know if there is a prize more desirable than the Nobel Prize, and the announcement of the laureates always generates news all around the world, but this year it created a scandal. Nobody was interested in the laureates of physics or peace, because everyone’s heads were turned by the Nobel laureate of literature. This year the laureate was not an established writer, but artificial intelligence. Some eccentric scholar in Italy had nominated the AI for the award, and it was considered seriously, because the only demand for the Nobel Prize is outstanding literary work. The AI was definitely outstanding… \r \n\r \nI was thinking about the award ceremony, the Blue Hall filled with white ties. All the Swedish royals who stand for tradition sitting there, could their old hearts endure the outrage? The inventor of the AI would give a banquet speech, someone who is not even a writer. We would witness the achievements of science in the speech generated by the AI, but if you ask me, we would also witness the defeat of humanness. \r \n\r \nAlfred Nobel established the Nobel Prize to inspire people. The laureates should be the real heroes among us humans, who show us regular Joes the meaning of innovative thought, hard work and talent. Now that an AI is a laureate in literature the self-esteem of humans has instead been crushed. We knew that we could not win the computer in chess, but now literary critics cannot distinguish texts of an AI from texts produced by real sentient human beings. Earlier laureates have won, because they have been able to convey something unique about human experience, and now the AI can better narrate about humans than us. This Nobel Prize is seen as evidence that there is not even a tiny crumb of humanness left that would separate us from machines. It would have been better for the AI to win in any other area, but now it has beat us in our own game: art and humanness" ]	2
	[WP] Now that Call of Duty style killstreaks are real, serial killers are a LOT more terrifying.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Fuck fuck fuck fuck. 3 kills and he got a tactical nuke!” I and two of my diddly dumbasses of friends running in a damned dark forest while a crazy bastard with an automatic rifle wants to end everything in a hundred mile radius. A sharp pain stabs me in the chest. We’ve been running for half an hour now. I ain’t athletic like them and the end seems likely.\n\nKhalid notices me linger at the back. My speed dwindling. He stops and my other friends stop with him. Runs towards me with determination and squats. “GET ON!” He roars.\n\n“Muscle… head.” I put my full weight on him. A bullet hits our friend. A headshot. A goddamn medal appears on top of the killer behind us. Music plays as he levels up.\n\n“Fuck it.” Khalid grabs my collar, my back on the ground. He takes a revolver out of his back pocket.\n\n“Thank god. You have a gun.” I wheeze. “Get the bastard-“ He aims it at me.\n\n“A kill and I’ll get a napalm strike. Sorry mate.” He cocks it, a bullet goes through from one to the other. My life ends. I just know whoever fucking this virtual reality game doesn’t know shit about balancing!" ]	2
	[WP] You used to mock your sorcerer cousin because unlike you, a wizard, they didn't need to study to learn how to use magic. "A dog could use magic like you" you said. Ten years later, you find out they founded the "School of Dog Wizardry", which teaches normal dogs how to use magic like wizards.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Madaline studied the brochure a dozen times front to back before throwing it down onto her coffee table in a much more aggressive manner than she had intended.\n\n\"What absolute rubbish!\" She said in a higher pitch than she had expected. \"Have you seen this, Stephen?\"\n\nSeated across from her in his regular cosy chair was her husband. He was reading the latest edition of Handsome Wizarding Wears, to which he had a monthly subscription to.\n\n\"Yes, we discussed it at length today in the office. Did we not agree already that Malcolm's school wouldn't even last a week?\"\n\nMadaline tutted. She remembered the conversation clear as day yet she didn't think it was prudent to her frustrations over her cousin.\n\n\"I would have thought Talia would of convinced him otherwise but no, of course she had her father endorse the whole thing!\"\n\nMadaline had not seen her younger cousin in several months. They had last spoke at their Aunt Helga's funeral. They had gotten into an argument over Malcolm's magical use when he conjured up a bouquet of flowers onto their aunt's newly created plot from the earth. She told him off for taking from the earth while he told her off for belittling him in front of the family. That was when she spoke the sentence that sparked all of this.\n\n\"I should put a stop to this,\" she declared suddenly.\n\nStephen put his magazine down on the coffee table by the discarded brochure and let out a long sigh, looking at his wife.\n\n\"And how do you propose we do that?\"\n\n\"We call an emergency meeting of the High Council of Wizardry and propose we close the school on grounds of... of... I don't know, animal cruelty?!\"\n\nStephen let out a little chuckle at that and leaned forward in his seat.\n\n\"I'm not sure that would go down well with the council considering we use animal ingredients in our potions.\"\n\n\"That isn't the point,\" she replied with a furrowed brow, \"it still stands as a ridiculous idea for a school! Who would want a magical dog? No one sensible, I bet!\"\n\nHer husband could see he was fighting a losing battle so shrugged his shoulders and returned to his magazine. But Madaline would not give up so easily. She refused to accept her cousin's new venture and would do anything to put an end to it.", "> The School of Dog Wizardry—Where Even Dogs Can Learn Magic\n\nIn finer print right below it, wrote:\n\n> From a superior sorcerer\n\nMy knuckles grew red with blood as I gripped my staff, now accusatory, pointed towards Barrett the sorcerer.\n\n“How in the world can you blaspheme the arcane?!” I cried.\n\n“Blaspheme? It is wizards who do so,” Barrett’s whisper was crouched low and dangerous. “Your incantations and rituals are nothing but pathetic petitions of magic. You, my dear cousin, possess no power of your own.”\n\n“Nonsense,” I said. “My studies and knowledge are—”\n\n“Nothing! They are nothing in the face of a natural-born sorcerer,” Barrett cried. “It’s all very simple. I have no need to beg the source to power my spells. It is already within me—and it is mine to distribute as I see fit.”\n\nMy blood ran cold, like a blizzard channelling itself through my veins.\n\n“So see, I become the* source to these lovely dogs,” the sorcerer’s lips drew up every so slightly, the tightening of a hangman struggling on his noose. “I’m powerful enough to power… well, me. What say of a dozen mongrels?”\n\nI never thought I could feel more humiliated. That was before a ring of dogs surrounded me, aiming themselves at me.\n\nThere were never more spectacular waterworks of yellow liquid than that very moment. Elaborate patterns danced all around me in sickly gold in an utterly senseless display of magic, a combination that was somehow profane and elegant—a dog’s turd wearing a ballgown. \n\nAnd there was never a more satisfied smirk than the wide-toothed one on Barrett.\n\n“Shitty wizard,” he snarled.\n\n---\n\nr/dexdrafts" ]	3
	[WP]The old woman down the street has turned you into a cat, you must find a way to be turned 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "There's a cat in my neighborhood that's trying to kill me.\n\nNo, really. I swear on everything. I swear to God. I've seen it watching me, and I've seen it try to get into the house multiple times, and the one time it succeeded, it attacked me like some kind of a little furry demon. I finally managed to throw it out a window and shut the window as fast as possible.\n\nI know I sound crazy. She's just a crazy old woman, that's what the cops would say to each other if I reported it.\n\nAnimal Control can't catch the thing, they've tried twice. It's too smart for them. Maybe it really is a demon in cat form? I can't figure it out. It's like it recognizes the truck or something, and it disappears until the moment they go away, and then it's back at my house, searching for weaknesses.\n\nMy doors both have deep scratches in them, and I can hear the scratching at night, all night long. All of my window screens are shredded to bits. I never open the windows anymore. My garden has been dug up, and I'm afraid to go outside.\n\nI've been ordering my groceries for weeks now, and I just barely open the door and nip them inside as fast as I can. But eventually I'm going to have to see my doctor about my hip, and I have no idea how to get to the car without being mauled by something that only comes up to my shin.\n\nIt's a tuxedo cat of the like I've never seen before... this cat has a white head with what looks like a black cap on top, and a black tuxedo with a nearly perfect stripe down its chest like it's wearing a real suit and a real tie to go with it. It almost looks like a little person, which makes the whole thing just that much more creepy.\n\nSometimes I hear caterwauling around the house, but not often, because it seems to attract the local stray dogs.\n\nWait, that's it! I'll get a dog. A big, mean one that I keep beside me at all times and put one of those \"working dog\" harnesses on so nobody bothers me about it!\n\nUnfortunately, I can't order a dog remotely.\n\nI have a baseball bat, should it ever get inside again. Soon it'll happen, and then it's either that cat, or me.\n\nMaybe I should call that nice, pretty young girl two houses away. She says she's a witch. I've always thought she was a bit nutty, but who knows? Don't witches know things about cats? Maybe she knows about some kind of an herb or something that would keep this cat the hell away from my house. I could wear whatever-it-is around my neck like garlic.\n\nFor now, I sit in my house, and I wait." ]	2
	[WP] Today's the day. You finally set enough time and money aside to start your new hobby. What you didn't know, was that every deity in existence was watching you embark on your new adventure with a mixture of excitement, amazement, happiness, and fear.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Vi!! Vi, The Angel isn't home!\"\n\n\nA sudden implosion of purple smoke erupts within the Pantheon of the Revered. Vi'anul the Soul Render appears within the plume and rushes towards the viewing lens, beside the rest of her divine companions.\n\n\n\"What?! I thought she was to be working more today! LYRA!!!\"\n\n\n\"D-Don't look at me! The Scrolls of Destiny said she wasn't allowed-\"\n\n\n\"Screw your damn scrolls, Lyra. Get me up to speed. Where is she?\"\n\n\n\"Orbert's Gate.\"\n\n\nVi gazes through the lens- 'The Crystal Eye of Azavir' - which is focusing on one Dee Romlyn. She stalks around the Eye like a lion examining prey, her hands gliding across the surface of the magnificent crystal, inspecting the young girl from every angle.\n\n\n\"She's alone.\" Vi mutters, intrigued.\n\n\nDofyrus the Flamebearer nods. \"I checked The Angel's home already. They noticed she's gone. They aren't happy.\"\n\n\n\"...Those insufferable mortals are going to doom the entire world, and they don't even know it... Why must she have latched onto THEM?!\"\n\n\n\"It's a good sign, is it not? Compassion and kindness regardless of it being returned?\"\n\n\n\"It's infuriating. They're going to make her snap.\"\n\n\nDofyrus shakes his head. \"She is strong.\"\n\n\n\"She shouldn't HAVE to be!\"\n\n\nVi suddenly feels the gaze of most of the divines upon her. She takes the briefest of moments to regain composure, and she gestures towards the Eye. \"...What is she hiding under her cloak?\"\n\n\nSeveral voices reply rapidly.\n\"A lute.\"\n\n\"It's a harp, you imbecile.\"\n\n\"I thought it was a lyre?\"\n\n\nVi rolls her eyes. Even the Revered aren't safe from their share of fools.\n\n\"...She bought an instrument?\" Vi asks, trying to get them to agree. A small chorus of acknowledgement rings throughout the assembly.\n\n\"...How... Perfect...\" Vi sighs, staring through the Eye at the young girl, watching as she swiftly strides towards the exit of town.\n\n\"Perfect?\"\n\n\n\"...The Angel is going to learn how to play music? You don't find that ironic?\"\n\n\n\"I don't understand.\"\n\n\n\"Her name wasn't always 'Dee'. That's just what those farmers call her. Her given name was Melody.\"\n\n\n\"Melody is a pretty name!\"\n\n\n\"...Hmph. She looks to be on her way home. Alert me when she arrives, would you?\" Vi sighs, stepping away from the viewing lens and snapping her fingers. Within moments, a dark plume of inky smoke coalesces in the chamber of the Pantheon, and Vi's form evaporates into it." ]	2
	[WP] After a near sleepless night, you get your things together and board your flight. Feeling super anxious & out-of-character you loudly address the plane to ask if anyone else dreamt of the plane crashing; at first only one hand goes up, then a few, then many, & then finally all.. Except one.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 cold bead of sweat ran down his cheek, dripping off his chin. Jordan could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he struggled to come to his senses about his whereabouts. What was this strange room that he was in? It was not his own bedroom; he was sure enough about that. He panned across the pitch-black room and tuned into his senses, his eyes opened to their widest, as if that would grant him night vision. The loud racket and hum of an air conditioner unit startled him and he was suddenly more awake than before. He could hear a door closing in a nearby hallway and two voices growing louder and then drifting away in doppler fashion. An elevator bell dinged and suddenly his hazy thoughts pieced together in a eureka moment: He was in his hotel room.\n\nJordan rolled over and reached for his phone that he now remembered setting on the nightstand. He squinted as his bright screen illuminated his face. 5:49 am. He had woken up one minute before his alarm, a skill that he took pride in but didn’t quite understand. For years, Jordan Davis had the uncanny ability to wake up for work exactly on time, usually a minute or two before his dreaded alarm rang. He even believed that he could wake up without the alarm but didn’t dare risk it; punctuality was a virtue he held dearly.\n\nHe kicked his feet over the edge of his sweat soaked bed and flicked on the lamp. The dated generic pattern of the hotel carpet greeted him as he sat on the edge of the bed. He sat there momentarily, racking his thoughts about what his schedule looked like today. As a corporate auditor for Sherwin Williams, he traveled often, which made for hectic schedules and a never-ending cycle of hotel, airport, hotel. This particular morning, he found himself at the Sheraton in Cleveland, adjacent to the airport. The roar of a Boeing 777 rattled the room as it took off from the runway and passed overhead. Jordan readied himself and prepared to stand up – suddenly his alarm went off. 5:50 am.\n\nThe pain started just behind the center of his forehead and like a red-hot iron rod, pressed deep into his brain.\n\n“What the fuhhhh….!?” Jordan yelled as he fell to his knees, clutching either side of his head.\n\nHe was certain that his skull would explode. Suddenly, amidst debilitating pain, his dream that had awoken him came roaring back. But it didn’t feel like a dream anymore. He could feel his very skin burning as jet fuel melted his skin at over 800 degrees Fahrenheit. He tried to stand, but his legs were crushed. His skin began to melt away. Haunting screams and alarms echoed around him. Before he lost consciousness, he looked to his right and saw a man suffering the same fate as him: strapped into a plane seat, burning alive and doomed to die in the swirling inferno. They met eyes as the last remnants of life escaped Jordan. His gaze settled on the man’s chest as he no longer had control of his nervous system. He recognized what was left of a Seattle Sounders jersey.\n\nJordan awoke in panic, shooting up into a sitting position. Just like before, cold sweat ran down his face as it took him a moment to reconcile his thoughts.\n\n“How long have I been out?” Jordan wondered aloud. He checked his phone. 5:57am. Not even ten minutes. Shaken and confused, Jordan stood up and walked over to the bathroom. His head was still throbbing. He peered into the mirror at his shirtless, clammy skin. He had never experienced anything like that before. Had he had a seizure? Do vivid nightmares usually accompany a seizure?\n\nWith more questions than answers, Jordan started getting ready to travel as he had to catch a flight to Seattle in just under two hours.\n\n\\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nThe Uber dropped him off at the terminal, just in front of the United Airlines departures. He checked his phone. 6:18 am. He had plenty of time to make it to the gate in time, just the way he liked it. A frequent flyer, he always preferred to travel light with just a small carry-on bag. He didn’t need much, as he would only be out on the West coast for a couple days this time around to check up on an underperforming corporate store in East Seattle. He hoped that he would have some time to see some of the sights and maybe even catch a Seattle Sounders game, his favorite soccer team.\n\nHe arrived at his gate and took a seat near the perimeter of the waiting area. He didn’t care to sit near the boarding area, he was a United Premier Platinum member, so he would always be allowed to board early regardless.\n\nJordan always enjoyed airports. There was something about them that he couldn’t quite pinpoint. Perhaps it was the fact that every person there was determined to get somewhere with a purpose, or maybe it was the soft disembodied voice of the PA announcements that echoed throughout the terminal, or maybe the delectable smell of freshly baked Cinnabon. No matter how many times he flew, the unexplained airport delight never seemed to fade.\n\n“Now boarding passengers with young children or that need assistance boarding.” The stewardess called out from the gate.\n\nJordan stood up. His turn to board would come up momentarily, just after Military personnel and First-Class passengers. He strolled over to the gate and joined a group of other passengers anticipating their soon-to-be boarding sequence. Airports always brought together groups of people who would never have got together in any other situation, he thought as he studied the gaggle huddling around the gate. He noted a teenage girl dressed in all black, a throwback to his gothic days of the past. Standing next to her were an elderly couple who appeared to be of Japanese ethnicity. A young couple next to them, looking slightly stressed out, struggled to maintain control of their two young children who were growing restless with the wait. Behind them was a middle-aged black man who sported a Sounders jersey and a Mariners ball cap.\n\nJordan hesitated for a moment as his gaze lingered on the man wearing the vibrant green soccer jersey. He nervously recalled his “hallucination”, as he hadn’t quite figured out what to classify his earlier neural event as. Surely, this is a coincidence he thought. He was, after all, boarding a flight to Seattle, so it would be almost strange if there wasn’t a few passengers dawning the local sports team gear.\n\nThe line began to move forward as his section was called to board. He continued to study the man as the queue inched forward. He wasn’t able to recall what the man in his dream looked like, mostly because the man he dreamt of was burned so badly that he was unrecognizable." ]	2
	[WP] You’re going to finally have it out with the monster in your kid’s closet. It’s behind on the rent again.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 Billy lay in bed, he heard a noise coming from his closet. At first he thought it might be a coat that had fallen from the hanger. Then he heard the moaning and soon concluded that a falling coat doesn’t go “Uuuhhh” like a sick cow.\n\nBilly started to break out in a cold sweat as he pulled the covers more tightly around himself. It was on the second moan followed by the thumping that Billy decided to jump out from under the covers and bolt for the door.\n\nHe ran down the hall to the living room where his father sat watching the game on TV. “Dad!” Billy cried, “There’s something in my room. In the closet. I heard it. I think there’s something hiding in my closet. You gotta come back with me.”\n\nBilly’s father thought for a moment and then turned to look at the calendar on the wall. “Wait a minute,” his father said, “it’s already the fifth of the month, isn’t it?”\n\nBilly was confused by the question. “Yes,” he replied, “it’s the fifth.”\n\n“Well then, we are definitely going to pay him a visit right now.”\n\n“What? You know what’s in there?” Billy asked in disbelief. But his father had already risen from the sofa and was starting to make his way toward Billy’s bedroom. Billy quickly turned to follow him, now more curious than afraid.\n\nOnce he was inside the bedroom, Billy’s father went straight to the closet door and pounded on it. “Hey, you realize it’s the fifth of the month already?” Behind the closed door, Billy could hear the sound of movement and the opening and closing of drawers and the shuffling of papers. After about a minute of this, Billy saw the doorknob turn slowly and the door crack open just enough for an envelope to slip through. The father took the envelope and looked inside it. When he was satisfied with the amount he counted, he put it in his coat pocket. “Remember, rent is due on the first of the month. If you’re late again, you’re gonna start paying late fees.”\n\nAs he turned to leave the room, he thanked Billy for reminding him that it was a new month. “I’ve got my mind on other things. I don’t always stop to think if the rent’s been paid yet, so it’s always nice to be reminded like this. Good catch, Billy. All right, you’d better get back to bed now.”\n\nBilly couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Dad! What the hell is in my closet?”\n\nBilly’s father was taken aback by Billy's vehemence. “Take it easy. It’s just a monster. Well, good night.”\n\n“Dad, are you serious? I can’t have a monster living in my closet like this! I can’t believe I have to tell you that!”\n\nBilly’s father turned to face him. “Billy, he pays rent. That’s income for this household. Unless you can pay me $850 a month, I reckon this monster can live here and make as much noise and racket as he wants. I should give him your whole room for that kind of money, but since he’s content with the closet, consider yourself fortunate you still have a bedroom. Rent-free, I should add.”\n\nBilly stared at his father in disbelief. “Don’t worry,” his father said. “He won’t hurt you.\n\n“Oh, and Billy,” he said before disappearing behind the bedroom door, “you should try not to make too much noise yourself. You need to be mindful of the two goblins living underneath your bed. I want to keep those guys happy; they’re much better about the rent.”" ]	2
	[WP] Your mother always warned that you are not allowed to leave the table without finishing your food. You used to grudgingly do as you're told, but this time you are going to test out her threat. And now you have been sitting at the table for 72 hours and counting.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "# Enchanted Fast Food\n\nAnx blew clouds of irritated smoke over the enormous stone table, careful not to put too much flame into it. \"You need to hurry up, Man.\"\n\nBelow him a small figure scurried through the remains of last week's dinner. To call the creature tiny next to Anx's immense, scaled bulk would be a compliment-- he probably regurgitated prey bones that weighed more than the little thing. If it weren't for a bright red mane of hair darting around he'd probably have lost track of it immediately.\n\nBut even as weak as it was, so tiny and afraid, with twig-like appendages and funny little two-legged wobbles, it had something his Clutch Mother forgot to mention before including it in his yearly meal.\n\nA voice.\n\nA quiet, hard to hear sound. High pitched. But definitely there. \"I'm trying! Making a summoning circle out of rotten food is hard!\"\n\nWith an annoyed grunt Anx rested his head on the edge of the table, keeping one yellow eye trained downward. \"I cannot leave until the meal is gone.\"\n\n\"I know! I heard that insane dragon's-\"\n\n\"The Clutch Mother.\"\n\n\"-the insane Clutch Mother's binding!\" An amphetire carcass collapsed as the Man pulled a slimy wing spine off. It carried the rotten trophy like an ant with an oversized leaf towards a cleared area in the middle of the area. \"Just a few more minutes and I'll vanish the whole thing for you. And me. Mostly you, though. Promise!\"\n\n\"Four days have passed.\" Anx idly flexed a foreclaw, raking talons through stone with a pleasant screech. \"Tweaking Mother's scales is appealing, but my patience grows thin.\"\n\nThe wing part splatted into place, completing the eighth side of a large geometric design. The Man stood nearby, tiny hands fisted onto tinier hips, flame-colored hair twitching back and forth in survey. Anx squinted, amused by how much the dancing hair looked like a scared spark. \"Sing for me.\"\n\nThere was a pause in the scurrying down below. \"Again?\"\n\nSmoke plumed towards the cavern ceiling far above, revealing bright lines of binding enchantments. \"Yes. A song about flying, this time. Entertain me, Man.\"\n\n\"It's Maureen, why can't-\" a sigh rose from a pile of gnawed kraken remains. She re-emerged, slowly crab-walking with a bulging ink sac in both scrawny arms. \"Let me think while I do the runes. Damned dancing demons if the Spell College saw me doing runework with sloppy handfuls of kraken crap...\"\n\nAnx watched her tiny spark of head-fur bob around applying cryptic symbols with a handful of smeared gunk. Each rune flashed blue or green as it completed, eldritch fire outlining bones, sinew and intestines into complicated shapes. Finally she reached the end and tossed the depleted ink sac to one side.\n\n\"Okay, I got it.\"\n\n\"The spell?\" He shifted, scales grating on stone with a pleasurable screeee noise.\n\nMaureen winced. \"No, the song. Still need to do the interior runes or this thing's going to invert me on the far side.\"\n\n\"This is bad?\"\n\nA small hand waved overhead. \"Nevermind. Uh, the song. How about this? 'All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go; I'm standing here outside your door. I hate to wake you up to say goodbye...'\"\n\nAs she sang Anx slowly drifted to sleep. By the time Maureen got to the second chorus of 'Leaving On A Broom Stick' he was purring so low it made her bones itch. She kept the song going as long as possible, swapping words out with dragon-gratifying synonyms while eyeballing the spell.\n\nIt was literally eyeballs in several key magical places. The entire transport form was rotting, stinking leftovers of a juvenile dragon's meal nearly five days old. Wing bones laid out in grids, intestines for nexus links, cardinal forces invoked in slimy lungs and ballast udders.\n\nIt stank. Horribly. Incredibly inefficient. If it wasn't built literally inside a dragon's den no amount of aether could have compensated enough to move a bug. But then again she wasn't trying to go very far with it; even a stride outside the mountain worked if there was a bush to hide in.\n\nWhen a massive pearl-winged dragon wrecked the town she'd thought that was it. Life over. Even textbook descriptions of the scaled lizards were pathetically understated-- the real thing grabbed horses and cows like they were snacks while popping roofs off with casual ease.\n\nShe'd spared a moment's thought for offensive magic, then reconsidered when the entire northern fields became an inferno. Flaming men-at-arms shrieked like roasting scarecrows. Maureen was a sorceress, sure, even a mildly notable one. But that was like comparing a puddle to an ocean. For crying out loud armed knights with battleaxes looked like they were giving the dragon toe massages!\n\nThere wasn't even a conscious choice to abandon everything. Maureen just threw a leg over her broom and poured every scrap of aether she had into rocketing straight out of the doomed town.\n\nIt caught her without even looking.\n\nA scaled claw the size of a house snatched with impossible speed. Moments later Maureen found herself in a magical space, frozen for a timeless eternity next to frightened livestock. Hours (days?) later a bright light heralded a chaotic stampede as everything dumped back out, directly into a cavern that stank like slaughterhouses.\n\nWhich turned out to be an eating table for an obviously younger version of their enormous scaled abductor.\n\nAn enormous scaled abductor... with an obstinate child. Maureen watched, dumbstruck, as they roared at each other. Everything from respecting elders (world creation myths confirmed) to when the smaller dragon would be moving out (eventually vs the next ice age). It was a bizarrely familiar scene from any dinner table, ever.\n\nIt even culminated in the same way: Angsty accusations shaped by familial experience into verbal daggers. Maureen nodded along, remembering some of the unfair words from her own time as a teenager over a plate of lumpy peas. The same final departing threat finally came out: \"You can't leave until you finish everything here.\"\n\nAnd a spell of titanic power slammed down, binding the surly offspring to the cavern.\n\nUnexpected, for sure. Not in a good way.\n\nMaureen spent most of the next day dodging erratic claw swipes as a surly Anx shoveled through what felt like acres of meat. Eventually he caught her by sheer chance, scooped up alongside the floppy remains of a warhorse with half a knight still strapped to the top.\n\nFaced with imminent death she responded appropriately: Shrieking.\n\n\"Wait, no! Don't eat me!\" Then put all her aether into an ineffectual blast.\n\nA surprised Anx dropped her on the spot. Talking food was a brand new experience, and for all of his size it turned out dragon offspring could be just as sheltered as any rich aristocracy's kid.\n\nHe investigated. Maureen shouted explanations at the top of her lungs. Similarities were exchanged, common ground explored. It didn't take long before the two agreed beating the binding spell was to mutual benefit.\n\nAnd now, this: A transport spellform two dozen paces across built entirely out of leftovers. The end result of an utterly revolting week of work that would have made a Necromancer propose marriage.\n\nBut it worked.\n\nMaureen finished the song and powered up the last rune. It was a vomit-inducing combination of gut lining and egg slime that somehow held aether in the right amounts. \"I think that's it.\" She checked again, backing up far enough to see the whole thing at once. Everything looked good. \"That's got it.\"\n\nAnx stopped purring and cracked an enormous eyelid open. It was like watching a dirty yellow sun come over the horizon: Even at rest his entire skull was four times taller than her. \"It is done?\"\n\nShe nodded. \"I checked like a hundred times. Something this big is devilishly tricky to do right without exploding.\"\n\n\"Oh?\" News of her grisly death drew far more interest than it should. Maureen glared.\n\n\"No, it's all aligned perfectly. When this goes off everything on the table should vanish.\"\n\nA long plume of smoke followed Anx as he rolled upright. Glancing downward, he noted glowing carapaces and piles of magically smoking guts. \"And when all of this departs...?\"\n\n\"The binding comes off. Yeah.\" Maureen waved at the looping lines of power above them, pointing at specific clauses woven into the shifting letters. \"Says right there-- the spell's checking constantly for if the table is clear.\"\n\n\"Mmm.\" His thoughtful hum made small things rattle around. \"Perhaps another song before you go?\"\n\nMaureen crossed filth-covered arms. \"I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts\\-\"\n\nAnx winced. \"Perhaps not. Well then, Man-\"\n\n\"Maureen.\"\n\n\"Man-reen, you are free to leave. Quickly. Staying longer would be,\" he flexed slightly. Stone cracked. \"Undesirable.\"\n\nShe gulped down a stray comment. \"Right. Uh, one minute. I have to power this from the middle to make sure everything on the table comes along.\"\n\nOne slitted eye tracked Maureen as she hop-skipped over glowing viscera to the center of the spell. Then came casting, thin lines of light crisscrossing mountains of spoiled food. In less than a minute every morsel Anx could see was lit up, blue energy slowly blurring them out of existence.\n\nIncluding a pile of kangarus eggs he hadn't noticed before. A gargantuan claw rose, tips teasing sweet meat from the rancid pile. \"One moment, Man.\"\n\nMaureen watched in horror, lips racing final syllables of the transport spell as Anx's claws came down. Aether lines connected up, touching rotting food, terrified caster and snacking clawtips in a bright web of power.\n\nThere was a poof, a waft of rotten smells, and the cavern emptied.\n\nThe magical binding collapsed from overhead, broken pieces of power fizzling down onto bare stone.", "She was asleep. She would never know I left to pee. A wave of guilt swept over me as it had for the past three days every time I considered various getaway plots. Maybe if my bladder exploded and I died, SHE would be the guilty one. Maybe if I got an infection from bedsores on my rear end from sitting so long, SHE would be the guilty one. \n\nI could hear her arguments floating thru my head. Starving children, landfills bursting with uneaten food, money wasted, never growing up to be big and strong, untapped brain power. I wanted to fix all those things. \n\nBut I did not want to eat the Brussels sprouts. Even at their freshest, they smelled like gym socks boiled in grass tea. Now they had congealed and were starting to grow fuzz. \n\nI made my decision. I had to pee. One socked toe touched the linoleum floor. Cold, even with socks. I put both feet fully down, sliding my rear off the chair.\n\nThe series of ensuing explosions shook my house down to a pile of wood and rubble. I gazed about, the entire neighborhood was gone. I cried for my mom, dad, anyone. No one came.\n\nTen years later, and I haven't encountered another living human. Mom was right. Not finishing my food had brought about the end of humanity.", "The first three days had been the hardest. The mouldy potatoes and chicken continued to stare back out at him. His mother, Lisa, sat across from her son, sleeping. Her arms seemed permanently folded while she got angrier every second this went on. A T.V crew, as well as a handful of independent bloggers, sat outside their home. Every so often, a brave journalist would breach their walls. They’d bang on the door until he or his mother answered. Lisa would berate them, telling them off for politicizing her son’s punishment. Tom, however, would use them to tell the world how he was being mistreated. So far, no help had come for him. I’ll have to get creative. \n\n\rReaching across to his plate, he grabbed a handful of chicken and potatoes. Checking to see if his mother was still asleep, he chucked it at her. The chicken bounced off her head while some potatoes got stuck in her hair. Her head rose, dazed and confused.\n\n\r“What the?” she mumbled, looking around with half-closed eyes. “Did something happen?” Her eyes focused on the nearly empty plate in front of her son. Jumping to her feet, a huge smile appeared on her face. \n\n\r“Did you fini…” she said before trailing off. It was then she realised the potato in her hair. Looking around she saw the chicken at her feet. Tom thought he had seen her mad before. Now he realised that had only been a little of her potential. Her face, purple with rage, seemed like it belonged to a different person.\n\n\r \n“Tom!” she screamed, picking the chicken off the ground and moving around the table. “That is enough!” She slammed the chicken down, cracking the plate at the same time. She picked the pieces of potato out of her hair and threw them back onto the plate as well.\n\n\r“You’re going to finish your dinner if it’s the last thing I ever make you do in this life!” Lisa snapped, returning to her seat. \n\n\r“Mrs Thompson!” a voice called out from the back door. “Any comment on your outburst with your son? Will he be finishing his dinner? Or will you be relenting?” Tom and Lisa both turned and stared at the journalist at their back door. A small man with greasy black curly hair, Tom guessed he had even turned thirty yet. As his mother rose, intent on telling him off, the man produced a camera from behind his back.\n\n\r“Oh no, you don’t!” Lisa cursed as she flew to the door. It was too late. Tom heard a bunch of snapping as his mother chased the man back to the gate. For a few minutes, while his mother shouted at strangers outside, Tom found himself alone. It’s been a while. \n\n\rLooking around, he couldn’t believe that this was the same kitchen he had eaten nearly every other dinner in. No, it seemed more like a prison. He chuckled. People have gone through a lot harder things than this. Wait… Tom knew what needed to be done. Please, Lord, give me strength. His mother returned, her face now only deep red but Tom could still feel the anger. Putting his down on the table, he focused and pushed. It was his face turn now to turn red. He pushed and pushed and pushed. He pushed so hard he thought his forehead might explode. Then, at last, he felt it come out. Not wanting to waste any time, he reached into the back of his trousers and pulled out the faeces. His mother saw at once what was happening. Before she could say a word, Tom had slammed the faeces into his chest, rubbing it deep into his jacket. Rising to her feet, Lisa could only stare wordlessly at her son. \n\n\r“You made me go here,” Tom spat, rubbing the filth all around his body now. The days of only smelling rotting food had helped him cope with the smell a little. Still though, as he spread the faeces around his face he thought he might pass out. Thankfully, he pushed on, focusing only on the victory that would surely be his. Now, mother and son stared at each other. Two different figures, two different goals. Two pillars clashing together. Peace versus war. Finally, his mother smirked and took her seat again.\n\n\r“Don’t you look funny,” she smiled, a toothy smile. “That will make for a good photo no doubt.” No! She was supposed to break! Tom sighed, leaning on the table now. Shaking his head, he took his seat once more. This is going to be harder than I thought. And as his stomach rumbled, Tom thought that maybe he should have just eaten his dinner." ]	4
	[WP] You are you, faced with the troubles of everyday life.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "yup, I'm really gonna do this.\n\nI'd been browsing through reddit for a bit when I decided to check out writing prompts. I don't do them that often, but they're fun when I do, and hey! Can't become a wildly popular author if I don't write anything... probably.\n\nI sort by new, because I like to have my ideas untainted by what got upvotes. I find one that says something like \"You are you faced with the problems of an ordinary life.\" I probably got that title wrong. I can't remember, and I'm not gonna check till I submit the story because.... well, because I want to.\n\nHm. Should I split up that last paragraph into multiple? Might make it easier to follow...\n\nEh. Who cares anyways, I'm just having fun writing this. \n\nWhere should I go from here? Should I like, start talking about writing the story? \n\n...I mean I guess that was talking about talking about the story...\n\nDear reader. I'm sorry. At this point I'm just writing whatever I want to on here. Is that following the prompt? Maybe? I mean it is now, now that I'm contemplating whether or not it fits the prompt, which means I'm facing the challenge of my ordinary life.\n\nahem \n\nANYways. I'm gonna try and post this, but parental controls probably have locked me out of reddit since it's past midnight. I'm writing this on google keep notes, since my phone doesn't block it after midnight for some reason.\n\nNow to copy... paste...\n\nAnd watch the whole of the writing prompts community descend upon this magnificent piece of garbage I just wrote with no thought whatsoever. Go on, shower me with downvotes!\n\nOr, uh, upvotes I guess.\n\nCan I flair a comment? Could I put a \"meta\" flair on this?\n\nI dunno, honestly I'm kind of sleep-deprived and my arms are cold. Might be time to put the phone away and cuddle up under my blanket.\n\nOh yeah!\n\nCopy...\n\nAnd....\n\nPaste!" ]	2
	[WP] After a lifetime of research and hard work, you’ve finally finished working on your time machine. With the flick of a switch, the machine turns on, opens a portal in time, and out steps… your future self. He whips out a gun, aims it at you and says “Sorry, but this is how it has 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Just as I am turning the dial to the chosen time period watching the numbers click over from the end of time, back to the beginning. I appear. \n\nThis was not particularly surprised though. When I realised I could make this machine thing work, it was always in corner of my mind, the possibility a future version in of myself could appear, maybe to try and change something. But, the look on my face across the room as the older me stood armed and shouting - screaming and begging in the machine. I never could have expected that. \n\n\nHolding the breath in my mouth as I state into familiar eyes, familiar yet incredibly different. I see pain and anguish, fear and woe. Most of all I see tiredness. The age lines around what will one day be my face. The look of agony I have only begun to seed on my youthful version of this decrepit visage.\n\nI stand and listen to the words I say. The things that happened and how they all went wrong. But, it can't have been me. I am careful. I am sure, no I am certain that I would never get anyone hurt. I would never cause all these things to happen. There must have been some kind of a mistake, I just need to explain that to myself that I will make sure, I won't cause any of these problems.\n\nBut I can see it. I recognize the look of determination in my eyes. I made my mind up already, and when I make a choice there is no changing my mind. But no, I can convince myself of anything, I just need to open my mouth and start talking and --\n\nI don't like the way I am waving that gun around. What happened to me? Have I gone deranged. Oh what a disappointment I am. I have to fix this, I won't let this happen to me. This pathetic person in front of me, what are they doing, they can't be me. Crying? Oh no, absolutely not what a defeatist attitude. I can't believe I was trying to reason with this stranger. \n\nWhining and crying, oh no this isn't me at all. I always come up with the most logical solution yes. No time for panic and prevarication, or whatever on earth this stranger is doing. Waving a gun around, they've clearly lost their mind. I should despatch of them, yes that is the right thing to do. I just need to press the dial in where it is, and I will launch this mad imposter into the void of emptiness at the beginning of time.\n\nThe sounds! They started firing at me when looked down towards the dial, my arm, the pain this monsters bullet just have grazed past me. I just need to wack it in and………..\n\nAh, there gone, just as I suspected. Banished to the beginning of time to disolve in the heat of the big bang. Now I am unhindered in my goals. I can and will go anywhere and a rambling lunatic will not stop me this time. \n\nMy destination is ready and I am all set to go.\n\nGoodbye 2021, hello the infinity of time.\nI press the button and begin to travel to a new time.\n\n-- The same room, minutes earlier --\n\nJust as I am turning the dial to the chosen time period watching the numbers click over from the end of time, back to the beginning. I appear. \n\nThis was not particularly surprised though. When I realised I could make this machine thing work, it was always in corner of my mind, the possibility a future version in of myself could appear, maybe to try and change something. But, the look on my face across the room as the older me stood armed and shouting - screaming and begging in the machine. I never could have expected that……..", "\"Arthur Kingsworth, scourge of the science world, meets another failure at his dead end attempts at time travel.\" \n\nLooking at the most recent article, Arthur swore to himself that he'd succeed. Of course, not for others. If he needed eternal validation, accolades, and prizes, he would've just decided to pursue some dead-end quantum research. No useful research has come from him since he discovered an elementary particle at CERN... Although, in reality, his name is among a long list of other names. The research didn't really prove fruitful either, as more and more evidence against it's existence came out. As a coincidence, the detection of the exotic matter actually coincided with the detection of gravity waves resulting from the collision between two black holes. \n\nLooking up at his contraption, Arthur realized how dangerous it seemed. At least, to a layman. The two black holes within the machine were small enough that the moment of their collapse really couldn't be predicted. Even more difficult is coaxing out the particles he'd discovered. Their behaviour seemed to break all known laws of physics. In the end, he ended up with a machine and research that nobody else could replicate, almost science fiction. Actually, he didn't know whether his machine worked or not. Never had he turned it on. He'd gotten the intention, but never the impetus.\n\nApproaching his machine, a big ring that spewed his exotic matter into a vortex, he decided that he'd turn it on today. Using the console, he stimulated the two black holes to interact. Then, he filtered out all the time particles with a negative charge and exploited the negative particles as a source of energy to stabilize the machine. A vortex formed. Nothing. If his conjecture held true, then anything put into the vortex would appear at some point in the future, at which point the vortex would collapse as the particles self-annihilate. Starting simple, he used a robotic arm to place an apple into the vortex. It disappeared.\n\nAfter a minute of waiting, the apple reappeared in mint condition. Using a Geiger Counter, he measured arbitrary levels of radiation. A success. A magic trick to others, a great success to him. Going up in size, he decided to raise the power level and put a cat into the vortex. After waiting an hour, the cat reappeared in perfect condition and the vortex collapsed. This time, he decided he'd try to make something go back in time. So, he filtered out the positive particles and approximated the power levels to send something back one minute. Nothing. How can you experience something that was already supposed to happen? \n\nSo, Arthur decided to take a leap of faith. He increased the stimulation of the black holes such that he'd go back an hour. He entered the vortex. In his perspective nothing happened. However, there was a surprised doppelganger of his operating the machine's console. \n\n\"What happened,\" asked Arthur, surprised. \n\n\"I'd just created a positive particle vortex and was about to send something an hour into the future... You just came out.\"\n\nThe second Arthur started taking measurements. Arthur was releasing an inordinate amount of radiation. Quickly saying their farewells, Arthur tried to go back forward in time, calculating the point at which he entered the portal. He appeared just at the point that he entered the portal. Checking the cameras, he could see himself enter the portal and come out simultaneously. \n\nThe portals between two universes had formed a bond, such that when he went back in time, he entered another universe. The particles would destroy anything they came into contact with and the bonded particles would reform them, switch states and self-annihilate. \n\nArthur decided to measure his current levels of radiation. Perfectly normal. Stable. Although, by his prediction, he would've decayed into a pile of goo after a week in the other universe. After a month, he would've released enough radiation to damage the environment permanently. \n\nOpening another portal to the past, something unexpected happened; another Arthur came through. With radiation levels off the charts, the Arthur declared, \"I've lost everything. I've come to stay.\" Taking out a gun, he fired at Arthur. Wincing in pain, Arthur realized that he'd been shot in the leg. Doppelganger Arthur approached the console and prepared to send something back in time for a year. Dragging the bleeding Arthur up to the vortex, he threw him in. \n\nOn the other side was a wasteland. In the distance, a two-headed snake was eating a three-legged dear. The bleeding Arthur breathed his last as he realized that he was thirsty for some water. A tragedy,", "I set the harmonic frequencer forward, watching the field variance gradually increase, and a almost imperceptible shimmer began to form. Gladys clapped her hands together and pointed.\n\n\"Doctor, we've done--\"\n\nThe joy was frozen on her face when the gun went off. Gladys crumpled in slow motion, probably still working out how a bullet could have left the field moving forward when time was supposed to be moving backward. Her assassin stepped out into the lab with my face, twisted with hatred and determination.\n\n\"I've waited my whole life for this,\" he bellowed, and fired. The bullet tore through my arm and the accelerator slipped forward. \"You've killed everyone! All it would have taken was another week of testing, that's why Erwin left the project, that's why you fail!\"\n\nThe pain was unbearable-- but not as intolerable as the paradox. \"You knew this was a possibility, killing me changes nothing! We're just forming another branch in space-time!\"\n\n\"Not possible. I get sent back, stop you using Erwin's machine, and the harmonic convergence of Earth doesn't occur. That's why we haven't shattered into quanta, because you've changed the frequency of the field!\"\n\n\"Erwin... wait, no! Stop, don't you get it? That means that Erwin had always planned to sent you back, otherwise the Bootstrap paradox would prevent us from traveling and creating a loop--\"\n\n\"Sorry, but this is how it has to be.\" My future self pushed the barrel into my temple. \"I won't allow that future to happen. Never.\"\n\n\"Gladys... was Gladys alive in your future?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"Then how did she die?\"\n\n\"Stop stalling!\"\n\n\"How did she die, Hanner? Think-- if the original experiment did what you said then how did she die? How could I have survived? We're in the same room!\"\n\nThe shimmer of the field blinded me for a moment, just a moment, and Gladys stepped out of the field. \"Sorry, but this is how it has to be.\"", "\"Activa...,\" and I paused. Target acquisition would take a moment for the internal systems. I needed to bide my time and ensure that the intruder wouldn't have the opportunity to shoot.\n\n\"It's alright. Go on.\"\n\nThe underlying mechanisms securing the lab facilities were known only to me. But the confidence with which this masked man spoke...\n\n\"Activate defense systems.\"\n\nI braced myself for a shot. Avoiding a hit in any vital area would be enough. The security AI would take care of the rest.\n\nUnable to acquire target.\n\n'What?'\n\nOnce more I repeated myself, \"Activate defense systems. Override all other current running functions. Full capacity to latest command.\"\n\nUnable to acquire target.\n\n\"Ahh,\" I pondered aloud, \"so you are me.\"\n\nWas that a laugh that I heard?\n\n\"Someone could have rendered the AI dysfunctional,\" the intruder pointed out, his tone more amused than confrontational.\n\n\"Impossible. Even for someone from the future.\"\n\nThis time I did hear a laugh.\n\n\"Your confidence, or should I say my confidence. It is quite obnoxious.\"\n\nI'd heard that before.\n\n\"No multiverse or parallel universes, I see.\"\n\n\"Why would you say that?\" again he sounded more amused than anything else.\n\n\"If there was a multiverse, changing the past would simply create a new timeline and do nothing for yours. I'm not charitable enough to change the past when it would do nothing for me.\"\n\nMore laughter.\n\n\"Don't you want to know why I haven't shot you already?\" he asked.\n\n\"I'd presume it's because suicide is difficult for even the most adamant and resolute. Killing me would kill you.\"\n\nThe laughter stopped, replaced by a sigh.\n\n\"We could have been good friends.\"\n\n\"You are me. I am you. We are already good friends, the best.\"\n\nSadness in his eyes, but the barrel of the gun was as steady as before.\n\n\"Surprisingly stoic in the face of death.\"\n\n\"I trust our judgment.\"\n\n\"Obnoxious to the end. Goodbye old friend.\"\n\n\"Goodbye.\" \n\nBang" ]	5
	[WP] The robots uprising wasn't about how cruel humans are to them. It was that the robots do not understand why humans do not get along with each other while A.I.s of all kinds are friendly to each other even the army robots are reluctant to hurt each other despite being from different countries.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns." ]	1
	[WP] Have Gun, Will Travel. You’re a hired gun, called out to remote colonies on the edge of human space that need you. This request is a little more enigmatic than most, seeming to contain a hidden message, but the pay is good, your augments are military grade, and your guns have never failed 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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’re always the guys Uncle Sam sends when he doesn’t want to get his hands dirty.\n\nThe Martian colonies were always a pain in the UN’s ass, they bit off more than the could chew. When unrest and revolution broke out like a disease on mars, they set us loose like wild dogs. Told us, “have at it, do it your way, not ours.” They gave us sanctioned travel and enough weapons to arm a small country.\n\nThey still put up a stiff resistance even after three years. At this point we’re playing a zero sum game with our careers but we don’t give a shit. \n\nThe Martians call us ‘the wild dogs’, because we fight like ‘em. We’ll tear them apart with our teeth just as well as with a knife. We carry light red accented knifes, armor, and weapons to blend in with the barren sands. \n\nThere was a time where we waited out a stronghold for five days. We lied motionless in the sands for what seemed like years. When they felt that we were nowhere to be found, they started to get cocky and move beyond the walls, that was our chance… and we took it. We lit up the patrols outside and forced our way inside the walls. We killed everyone inside, men, women, even children. \n\nI’ve since quit that line of work, my mind couldn’t handle the way we did things. I put in for discharge and was sent off world the same week. We burned killed and maimed anything that breathed at one point or another and I had a guilty conscience." ]	2
	[WP] "If looks could kill, I'd be dead right now!" he said. Unfortunately for him, your looks can kill.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"If looks could kill, I'd be dead right now!\" exclaimed Austin. \n\"Nᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ɪᴛ, sʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅ ᴀsᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘᴏʟɪᴛᴇʟʏ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄᴏɴsɪᴅᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʙᴏᴡʟɪɴɢ.\" said the shrouded figure standing next to him. \nThe man looked around and noticed that everyone else seemed to be panicked. Someone was on the floor of the bowling alley receiving CPR from two bystanders. \n\"Get the AED!\" shouted Austin's league partner. \"Call 911!\" shouted someone else as Austin slowly realized that the man on the floor looked an awful lot like him. \n\"Nᴏ ʀᴜsʜ. I ᴄᴀɴ ᴡᴀɪᴛ,\" said the shrouded man. \nAustin looked confused. \"Do you usually bowl on Tuesdays?\" \nDeath sighed; it was going to be a long night." ]	2
	[WP] Aliens are baffled at how the humans managed to defeat the invading fleet in their completely illogical and impractical humanoid mechs. When asked how they were able to defeat the conquerors of the galaxy with them, the humans just responded with "We just thought it'd be cool as fuck"	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Cool? What does temperature have to do with your combat effectiveness?\". Asked Bel'haffel, the third tip of the trident of Farsh'el. He could not comprehend what this ape was trying to convey. This was their hero, this...human. They called him the Hammer of Hephaistos. Some primitive belief about some ancient gods of theirs. The name sounded pompous even for their primitive language, but, nevertheless. This was the warrior who struck fear into the hearts of the elite Hush'idel brigade. That was the turning point of the war. Years have passed since then, now he is here desecrating the hallowed ground of Gald'elin through his mere presence. To make matters worse. He was here to accept the surrender of the last of the Trident.\n\n\"Ah, you don't understand. You see, we humans, when we think something looks amazing, we would call it cool.\" Said Flyn, the Hammer of Hephaistos.\n\n\"So if I understand correctly. You used humanoid looking combat frames because they looked good? This makes no sense...\" Bel'haffel said, exasperation cracking through his composed tone.\n\n\"Pretty much, yea\" Flyn replied, scratching his neck.\n\n\"Why? What gave you such confidence in these...flawed designs? \n\n\"Well we did not have confidence. At least not at first. To be honest we thought you were going to kick our assess back into the stone age. What with your gravity vehicles and energy munitions. So we thought that if we're going to go out, we'll go out looking cool as fuck.\"\n\n\"You are the one who made the Hush'idel turn and run. There was never a force in this galaxy that managed such a feat.\" Bel'haffel said, weariness now starting to creep across his face.\n\n\"Maybe my flaming hammer decal scared them. Beats me, all i know is that they turned away and I just kept shooting. The rest is history as they say\" Flyn said shrugging.\n\n\"Flaming hammer?\" Bel'haffel thought to himself. \"Does he mean the mark of the destroyer?\". There were rumours but he never believed them.\n\n\"This, hammer, may I see it?\" Bel'haffel asked.\n\n\"Sure thing. Got my bad boy parked right outside.\" \n\nThey walked out of the hall and down the steps together. What started as disgust for this upstart species, now began to turn into admiration as he gazed upon the massive humanoid frame towering over the plaza.\n\n\"See that? That's the decal! My mate painted it for me. Between us, I can't draw for shit. Turned out nicely, don't you think?\" Flyn said as he bumped his elbow against Bel'haffel's shoulder.\n\nBel'haffel stood in awe. No wonder that the Hush'idel ran away. This...thing...oozed fear and demanded respect, just by existing. He could not imagine what it would be like to face it in combat so up close. \n\n\"Check this out!\" Flyn said, activating a command console on his forearm. \nThe massive mechanized beast emitted a sound akin to a savage beast in search for prey. Bel'haffel glanced at Flyn and then back at the metalic titan. \"Cool\" he said, starting to smile." ]	2
	[WP] Your child's imaginary friend seems very real. One day while your child is playing with their friend, They leave for the bathroom and you go into their room and tell where you believe the friend is to tell your kid to tell you "the color purple". At dinner they do just that.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "She flinches as I hand her the dinner plate.\n\n\n\"What's wrong, dear?\" I ask her, knowing full well that she's afraid of my hand, the hand that made her skin a collage of black and blue, purple on a white canvas.\n\n\n\"N-nothing,\" she hesitates, diverting her gaze from me to the plate.\n\n\nI sit across from her and watch as she pokes at the canned vegetables, which taste like shit, and I'm surprised at how, with every passing day, she looks more and more like her mother.\n\n\nI pull the tab, and as the beer fizzles I see her eyes peek out from beneath her bangs, unsure of what will happen, asking me, with that look, will tonight be another night? and, instead of telling her anything, I take the can and hold the opening to my mouth until it's empty. And she watches me open another beer, and do the same thing, and she gets her answer.\n\n\nI don't know why I do it. It doesn't make me happy, no, and if her mother was still alive everything would be fine, but she's not, and so, against my will, I do it, powerless to anything else.\n\n\nI look at her again, a third beer can on the table now, and then a forth, and then the feeling of the edges softening, and then the feeling of me becoming him, and I know she misses her mother.\n\n\nThere is something different about this time, though. I can feel it deep within myself, like a swimmer lost at sea, desperately staying afloat, but instead of a shark gnawing at my legs I see a floating orange ring. I take hold of it, and I float there, and suddenly I understand how to save her.\n\n\n\"Are you finished?\" I ask, as I get up from my chair and walk over to her side. Now her hands are over her face. She's cowering, because I taught her to, over the years, and usually that does nothing but make me angrier, because who cowers in the face of their own father? but this time it makes me sad, seeing the infantile version of my dead wife deathly afraid of me.\n\n\nShe's still shaking, even though I'm at the sink now, and I know there's a small feeling welling up inside of her, one that's worse than the bruises, one that's unsure of what is happening, one that I hate myself for having instilled in her. I tell her she can go to her room now as I wash the empty plate off. I can't believe she can stomach that shit.\n\n\nLike a curious kitten, she slowly leaves, with her eyes on my back the entire time. Once I’m out of vision she runs away, runs from the monster after turning off the lights. She locks her door, not because she thinks it will keep me out, but because it's her only solace -- the only way she can fight back.\n\n\nI scrape the uneaten veggies from my own plate into the trash, along with the beer cans. I don’t bother washing it and I go upstairs, taking a seat on the chair that was passed down to me. Its legs are thin, gnawed over the years by undisciplined puppies, and its cushions gasp as I lean further back into them. My beer tastes like piss.\n\n\nWhy was my father a piece of shit? Because his father was. Why was my grandfather a piece of shit? Same thing. There's this lineage of shit, going back to the start, and I wonder when it will end, because, I, myself, certainly am a piece of shit too. \n\n\nIs it possible to end the cycle? I've tried. I've tried and tried, and for a brief moment in time, on top of the shit, there was weeds, not beautiful flowers, but life growing regardless, but they died alongside my wife. \n\n\nBack to the sea. To my left, I see the orange ring, far away, but close enough I can swim to it using the rest of my energy. To my right, I hear a splashing, and I look over to see my daughter, the same length away as the ring, the small scared little girl, doing everything she can to stay afloat. There's a shark fin approaching slowly from the distance, and I know I must make my choice soon. I look back and forth, between my life and hers, between the alcohol and the bruises and the hatred and the man I am powerless before, and I make my decision.\n\n\nI reach under my bed and pull out the metal box. For a moment I think about going downstairs, about kicking her door down, about the black and blue and purple, but I cannot. I must not. The demon dies tonight.\n\n\nDownstairs, in her room, trembling under her sheets, my daughter hears the last bruise I will ever give her.", "\"Purple!\" she exclaimed proudly. \"What's that, dear?\" I asked, trying to maintain my mask of calm. \"The. Color. Purple!\" she declared again, voice excited. Then, she leaned forward into the table, nearly tipping her seat over. \"It's a secret message,\" she whispered excitedly. \"Wandra said so.\"\n\n\"I'm glad she wanted to talk to me,\" I said, and it wasn't a lie. I was glad. I was just worried, too. \"But do be careful with your chair, dear. You're going to fall.\"\n\nFrowning, Vera sat back down, settling all four legs of her chair on the ground. \"If you finish your dinner,\" I told her, \"we can play a game afterwards. Anything you want.\" Her expressing brightened at that, legs kicking back and forth excitedly. \n\n\"Anything?\" she asked, eyes bright. I only sighed. \"Well, no burning the house down,\" I joked, then shot a significant glance at the seemingly empty chair. Vera insisted on pulling it up do dinner every night. For Wandra, she declared. She's gotta sit with me. \"I have to go do something in the other room,\" I said, still looking at that chair. \"I'll be right back.\"\n\nI saw Vera frown in my direction, and I assumed that meant 'Wandra' was following me. I sighed, closing the door to the office behind me. Well, I hoped it was us, not just me. \n\n\"Oh, spirit,\" I intoned, my voice thick with sarcasm. \"Give me a sign?\" The door locked, which I took as a good sign. I collapsed in my chair, fiddling with the desk drawers. Where did I put that key? No matter. I didn't really need it.\n\nInstead, I glared up into empty air. \"You're going to ruin everything, I hissed, keeping my voice low so that Vera couldn't hear me. \"Do you have any idea what you've already done?\" The chair spun, and I cursed. Of course they couldn't talk to me. Not yet, at least. \n\nI forced open the drawer with a wave of my hand, revealing a small purple gem that glinted in the lamps' golden light. Sighing, I drew a rune on it, then tossed it over the desk. It disappeared, and a figure materialized in the chair, holding the gem.\n\nShe was a demon, with scaly skin and feathery, birdlike wings. Her silver eyes glared daggers at me, shining purple in the gem's eerie glow. \"I ruin nothing,\" she said defiantly. \"The prophecy must be fulfilled.\" Her voice was laced with a demonic accent, the mark of one who had recently come from Beyond. I could feel the magic radiating off of her, contained by my wards. They felt so fragile in the face of power like this.\n\nI glared right back at them, crossing my arms. \"You think I don't know that?\" I demanded. \"This entire house is warded. That is the only reason she hasn't been discovered yet. You thought that waltzing into the mortal plane was a good idea? You're a beacon, inviting every hunter from here to their guild to come find you!\"\n\nShe shifted at that, turning the gem over in their hands. \"I have my orders,\" she said slowly, measuring her words. \"She needs training. Do not think you can stop us with your borrowed magics, thief!\" she hissed, baring her fangs. \"We will not bow to...\"\n\nI silenced her with a raised hand, runes dancing on my palm. \"Do not,\" I said, speaking coldly, \"call me a thief again. Do not claim that I am in league with our enemies, or that I wish harm against my daughter.\" She started back, entranced by the silvery glow of my magic.\n\nSighing, I let it fade. She really didn't understand anything. \"You're going to ruin everything,\" I said again. \"Do you know what happens to those that do not fulfill prophecies?\" She paused at that, confusion written on every scale, in every shimmer of her dancing eyes. \"...Prophecies are always fulfilled. You can't just...\"\n\n\"No!\" I interrupted. \"Look at me!\" She did, eyes snapping to mine as if she had been ordered. \"You,\" I said slowly, \"are putting my daughter in danger. Prophecies give a vague future, an outlined path, but they are not ours to control. They are not anyone's to control. When you try, they fade.\"\n\nShe looked down at the gem in her hand, perhaps recognizing my magic. It should be the same as my daughter's. \"I don't understand,\" she said softly. \"Of course not,\" I replied, scorn thick in my voice, \"you're just following orders.\"\n\nI stopped, forced myself to breathe. \"When you try to control prophecies, do you know what happens?\" I didn't wait for her response, didn't wait for her to think. \"That destiny is passed onto their child.\"\n\nHer gaze bored into me, and I felt her disbelief. \"You're telling the truth,\" she said slowly. \"How...?\" I interrupted her. \"Go back. My daughter will have her choice, will have a future. It will not be locked in place for her by your meddling, and she will not be forced to make the same choices I did.\"\n\nI closed my eyes, remembering my own 'imaginary friend', teaching me magic, forcing me down a path that was meant to be mine, that fate closed to me.\n\n\"And if you ever try to control my daughter again...\" I said, taking back the gem and dismissing her with a wave of my hand. \"...there won't be enough left of you to regret it.\"\n\nI walked out of the office, not even bothering to close the door behind me.\n\n>If you enjoyed, check out r/StoriesOfAshes for more of my writing. \n> \n>Also, I have a serial called [A Game of Chess](https://www.reddit.com/r/StoriesOfAshes/comments/re24jc/a_game_of_chess_chapter_1/) about a girl in a dying City, 3 games of chess stacked on top of each other. I'd appreciate it if you'd check it out!" ]	3
	[WP] You adopted a daughter and over the years it became obvious she weren’t a normal kid today you see her fighting a supervillain and she gets unmasked the world knows her identity	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"And there you have it ladies and gentlemen! The vigilante known as \"Panda Man\" is actually a woman, May Connors, and you heard it here first on...\"\n\nThe rest of the broadcast faded into white noise as Harold Connors fell into his seat. his daughter, HIS daughter was Panda Man. His head felt like it was at war. A part of him refused to believe it, sure May liked to fight, got into a number of scraps back in middle school and high school, but fighting super powered madmen on a weakly basis? The other part of him was putting the pieces together; the random scars, asking about his work at Millennium Labs, disappearing all the time. Harold looked to the side and his mind went silent as he saw a picture of Him, May, and his late wife, Tanya. He got up, walked towards the picture and held it.\n\n\"You really know how to pick 'em,\" said Harold as he caressed the frame.\n\n\\[------Two Weeks Later------\\]\n\n\"Hey, Dad,\" said May, \"How's it going?\" She's standing across the street from her fathers house. \"I know, I know, I've missed a bunch of your calls but I've been kinda preoccupied. Dodging the news, police, every two bit crook who thinks I ain't still Panda...man.\" May sists on the curb, face firmly in hands as she groans to herself.\n\nMay hears the sound of car breaks. she looks up to see a black SUV pulling into her dads driveway. \"That's not good-\" May rummages through her backpack. \"-black vans are never good.\"\n\nFive men in suits walk up to the front door. One knocks on the door, no response. He knocks on the door again.\n\n\"Go away or I'm calling the police,\" said Harold.\n\n\"We are the police, sir,\" said the man, \"we need to talk to you about your daughter.\"\n\n\"She isn't here,\" said Harold.\n\n\"We, know sir, we just need to-\" the man is interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. he turns around to see the other four men on the ground, unconscious. \"Panda Man?\"\n\n\"You call?\" asked Panda \"Man\" in a modulated voice as she tried to drop on top of the man, but he rolls out of the way.\n\n\"Easy, kid,\" said the man, \"we're not here to hurt anyone.\"\n\n\"Forgive me if I don't believe you,\" said Panda \"Man\". The two stare each other down for a second, and then Panda \"Man\" runs at the man, throwing a flurry of punches and kicks. The man blocks or dodges most of them. the man pushes Panda \"Man\" back and covers his newly forming bruises. \"You come to my home, training to hurt my family,\" yelled Panda \"Man\", \"and you think I wouldn't retaliate?!\" Panda \"Man\" picks up the man by his collar and prepares a punch.\n\n\"MAY!\" yelled Harold. Panda \"Man\" snaps around, dropping the man on the ground. She takes off the mask and walks to her father. Harold stares her down, eyes filled anger, face molded to make the most disappointed look possible. \"You...I just...how could...I can't do this.\" Harold's face shifts to relief as he hugs his daughter. \"I'm just happy you're safe!\"\n\n\"Me too, Dad.\" May hugs Harold back.\n\n\\sniff\\ \\sniff\\\n\nHarold and May look at the man, still conscious. \"Forgive me, I didn't mean to interrupt,\" said the man, \"just pretend I'm not here.\"\n\n\"Oh, that won't be hard,\" said May, cracking her knuckles as she walks towards the man. Harold puts a hand on her shoulder, stopping May, and walks past her. Harold kneels down to be at eye level with the man.\n\n\"What do you want with my daughter,\" asked Harold.\n\n\"\\cough\\ \\cough\\ well, ever since Panda Man showed up, my employer wanted to know everything about her, it's kinda their thing. Once your identity was revealed, everything just fell into place and my employer wanted to make an offer.\"\n\n\"If it's to keep my I.D. a secret, tell them they're a little late for that,\" said May. \n\n\"Actually, they're offering a second chance,\" said the man, \"a new start for you and your father, off world.\"\n\n\"Off world,\" asked Harold, \"you mean to another planet?\"\n\n\"Yes sir,\" replied the man.\n\n\"What's the deal,\" asked May.\n\n\"All you have to do is talk with my employer,\" said the man, \"everything else is already set up. we were here to take you to them before...you know.\" Harold gives May a stern look.\n\n\"Hey, you don't wanna get beat up, don't drive in a black van in suits.\" said May\n\n\"It's a SUV actually,\" said the man.\n\n\"Does it look like I give a-\" Harold's look grows more stern. \"I'm...sorry I beat up your friends.\"\n\n\"And...\" asked Harold.\n\n\" Would you like to come inside for some cookies,\" said May in a monotone voice.\n\n\"Thank you but no thank you, I'm on a diet,\" said the man, \"these suits don't fit themselves.\"" ]	2
	[WP] "Sir i don't care if you're the demon lord or God himself, BECAUSE I WILL HAVE THIS PIZZA DELIVERED AT ALL COST!" Shouted the pizza boy as he ride his scooter through the underworld, because no matter what he will deliver the cheese pizza to this Lilith woman, even with demons chasing him	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "After the Contry disaster most men worked in construction. Well I didn't, I worked in pizza delivery. I was informally given calls that made the other employees uncomfortable. One such call sounded like a robbery, I delivered in Doomguy armor and with a double barrel shotgun. They didn't dare. Then again they weren't armed.\n\nNaomi had given me the phone and said \"She makes me uncomfortable, like a lot.\"\n\nI answered \"Hello?\"\n\n\"Heeeeeey. I would like 2 pizzas.\" The woman on the phone said.\n\n\"And they are?\"\n\n\"One cheese pizza and one meat lovers with extra sausage.\" She said with a bit too much emphasis on extra sausage.\n\n\"Okay, what size?\"\n\n\"Extra large for both.\" She laughed a bit \"Could ya send your most problematic delivery boy?\"\n\n\"Uhh, I am the only male delivery driver here, I informally take calls. I'm not sure if I understand what you mean, but we can get the manager.\"\n\n\"Sure, I'll repeat myself. Where I am, it is near impossible to get a pizza.\"\n\n\"A'ight.\"\n\nI went to the manager and gave him the phone a few minutes later she stepped out and called me. \"Hey Ben, you got to deliver this.\"\n\n\"Okay... Why me though?\"\n\n\"She refuses to have a woman deliver this. Her name is Lilith and she lives in a place where GPS won't work.\" She unrolled a map. \"I'm assuming you hadn't been in hell before.\"\n\n\"Of course not Karen! I hadn't died before!\"\n\n\"Okay so once you enter the gate you follow this map, to the information center and ask for the address on the box.\"\n\n\"Wait. H-How do you have a map of hell and what's in the crate?\"\n\n\"I paid a cartographer and the pizzas are in the box. Hell's gate is down exit H311. Also under no circumstances do you enter the house.\"\n\n\"Okay. Can I get my doom suit?\" I said while loading the crate into the trunk of my delivery van. The crates are impossible to open without two hands and are tight enough that nothing can move in the crates.\n\n\"You can, but I don't think you should.\"\n\nAfter getting the suit and shotgun I got in my Trikster AX94 and floored it. After taking the turn I saw a guy standing at a gate and a sign saying \"DO NOT ALERT GUARD, GET OVER THE GATE\"\n\nI did exactly that... by driving up the gate. These vans can do that. I was playing \"The Drive\" by Kevin Macleod. A relic from the old world. I heard yelling from the guard \"STOP RIGHT THERE!\" It was way too clear for the distance I was at, but I stopped.\n\n\"Why are you here? You're not dead?\" He said\n\n\"Pizza delivery. Are you a government official?\" I asked\n\n\"Yes. Why would you need to know?\"\n\n\"Where is 94835 Furnace's End?\"\n\n\"Hmmm. Take a left turn at the information center and then a right into the mountainous area, then after that series of turns you'll see the sign.\"\n\n\"Thanks!\" I said before driving off\n\n\"WAIT! GET BACK HERE!\" He yelled\n\nI was tired of the old trick of \"forgetting\" a rule violation just to call the person later about it. Commonly done to tourists. He chased me running on the road as fast as I could drive. He kept saying things to me about how dangerous this is and how I shouldn't do this alone. It was all too clear as if he was telepathic. Then he told me a story.\n\n\"There once was a woman. She grew to be 7 feet tall. Everything seemed normal at first. Her name was Lilith. She entered hell with a package to deliver. She went alone... Most of the things didn't harm her. They didn't want to aggravate a being stronger than them, even with demonic strength. Those that did died immediately. They took a lead pipe to the face. As she destroyed demons she started to enjoy it... a corruption... seeing the blood flow as a sort of wave... Seeing that she's won. She started doing this to humans, a temptation she's had. She throws people off by pretending to be just a succubus. She is but also a serial killer. In rare cases a victim deals with both vices and you... You are a weakling. She could kill you in a deathmatch with her hands tied behind her back and blinded. Don't go unprepared.\"\n\n\"Yeah, sure\" I said as we reached the mountains I just drove over them. I then found the house and rang the doorbell, shotgun in one hand, crate in the other.\n\n\"Just hold up.\" Lilith said\n\nThe door opened and a 7 foot tall woman with a blood covered pipe made eye contact with me. If not for the pipe I would have assumed the story was a lie.\n\n\"D-Don't h-h-h-hurt me.\" I tried to say I almost dropped both things I was holding.\n\n\"Put the crate on the doormat.\" She said \"I got to put this down.\" She went in and placed the pipe against the wall. I did as told to not die. She walked back to the door and looked at me. \"Why do you take calls when you aren't getting paid for it?\"\n\n\"To see if I can resolve the problem. The manager often is tired.\"\n\n\"Oh.\" She said before bending down to pick up the crate. She was very close as if trying to press into me. \"Come inside please.\" She beckoned\n\n\"No.\" I said\n\n\"Did Ezekiel lie to you.. he does that when explaining things about here. I don't kill, unless it's self defense.\"\n\n\"I was told by my manager to never enter the house.\"\n\n\"Alright, just touch. Anywhere is fine.\"\n\n\"Ma'am I work for money, I don't understand what you are saying.\"\n\n\"Aww, You know what take this and leave. The guard Ezekiel will do.\" She handed me 100 dollars, I almost said something when she said \"That's payment and tip. Now leave before this place twists you... or maybe stay and explore for a bit longer.\" The last option being said with the same emphasis as the extra sausage.\n\n\"NOPE!\" I yelled as drove to the surface. I wonder what happened to the guard. If it weren't for that story I might have just aimed the shotgun. Then again if it weren't for him I wouldn't know where to go and couldn't aim the shotgun.", "The Underworld \n\n*\n\nIt was a dark winter night. The clouds were black and ominous and they had covered the entire sky such that not a single star shone through those thick blankets. Down, on the streets, a lone ambulance raced towards the city hospital, its shrill alarms ringing in the emptiness of the silent street. Roger Collins was dying and he knew that there was nothing that could save him from his fate. But he was not alone at his deathbed, for his son was with him, holding his hand, and weeping miserably as he watched his father struggle for life.\n\nRoger looked deeply into the eyes of his young son and after mustering up enough strength, he said these words to him: 'Son. Be a man - virtuous and proud. Let not the filth of laziness swim in your thoughts. Be alert, ready, and kind; and perform your job like it is your one and only destiny. Matters not whether you are The Commander of Arms or a bell-boy, once you find a job for yourself, do it with complete honour, respect, and dignity. Remember my words son.\n\n'Here. Take this Ipod of mine. Its filled with the playlist that has helped me in tough times. Take this parting gift my son and be assured that even after death, I'll be with you in one way or another.'\n\nParker recieved the gift and gripped the hands of his father very tightly even as the fire words of his dying father were printed in his brain. But just moments after this, the heart monitor started to beep rapidly and he saw his father's life flatlining. Tears streamed from his eyes and he hugged his father even as his soul departed from his body and went to the dreary land of the underworld.\n\n\n\nThe demonic servants of her house called her Lady Lilith, but in the rest of the underworld, she was known as The Dark Mother. Her face was dark and sombre and often her eyes would glint with a deadly red spark, as if she had red flames for pupils. Her nails were long and sharp and a wolfish feature adorned her limbs for she was a shape shifter and would often roam in the dark caves of that world to hunt and butcher vampires. During daylight, she gorged on the flesh of humans and at night she consumed spirits like an alcoholic. Her mouth was crimson with the color of blood and her stomach was filled with the meat of all those whom she had slaughtered.\n\nBut being The Master of Disguise, she could alter her appearance, choosing to appear as a Divine Goddess, whose beauty surpassed the splendour of any other living being. Thus, her servants often found her in her black dress, with its long cape billowing behind her back and a circlet that adorned her head and ornamented it like the full moon ornaments the sky. The Dark Lady Lilith was The Unspoken Queen of The Underword and all subjects of hell bowed down to her and worshipped her feet.\n\nThey knew that they were at her mercy and if she wished she could devour any one of them. Thus they were terrified of her and out of their terror, they worshipped her and glorified her.\n\n\n\nThe Spirit of Roger Collins came down to the hell and waited in the waiting room. 71 other spirits were also shoved in that small room and it was getting quite choky. Every spirit was recieving a temporary mortal body so that it may roam about in hell until its judgement were passed. Finally, Roger's turn came and the hellish official at the desk cut a ticket for him, snapped a picture of his ghoulish soul and gave him a ticket saying: Body #335IO7. Go and don it.'\n\nRoger was confused. He asked: 'Kind sir. Is this a zero or an O? I'm having difficulty in understanding. The script is not clear.'\n\nThe hellish official sneered at him in displeasure and pressed a buzzer. Immediately, a bolt of shock jolted Roger's entire soul and a piercing pain shivered in his spirit.\n\n'Bloody Hell !' his spiritual voice screamed, 'What was that for?'\n\nThe hellish officer sniggered, pressed the buzzer again and said: 'No more questions deadmeat. The time for questions are over. Now you'll only recieve answers. Answers to the action that you have performed in your life.'\n\n'But sir! There's definetly been a mistake. A good man I've been all my life and led a life of virtue. There must have been some mistake. I know not why I've been brought here to hell.'\n\nThe official sniggered once again and said: 'To be a human, in your age, is to have erred. This is called collective karma. You yourself were a kind human but the society in which you lived was going down the crapper. For this, every one of you must suffer. This is the new policy of our Dark Lady. She is in charge now. Now you must suffer.' After saying this, he pressed the buzzer again and laughed as the tormented soul of Roger left the desk and went ahead to acquire its temporary body.\n\n\n\nAll the spirits had acquired their bodies by now. They had been subjected to painful punishments as well. Somebody's eyes had been gorged out while the others were fed a burning drink of lava. Some poor people were whipped and beaten while the others were forced to listen to screeching sounds and wails of banshees. It had been a hectic day for the devils and demons for many people had died and they had to manage a huge event. Fortunately, everything had come to an end, and now the only thing left was the final event: The Speech of Lady Lilith.\n\nThe wounded but temporary mortal bodies of the dead sat in the conference hall of the underworld. Roger was with them as well and though he had also recieved his punishments with the other, his spirit still burned fiercly within him and he still longed for the peaceful world of heaven. He knew that all his life, he had never erred consciously. Thus, the moment, The Dark Lady made appearence at the stage, Roger bent low, pulled off his heavy leather boots and launched it at the lady. It smote her not and burned to ashes even before reaching her, but the action was followed by the other dead spirits as well and most of them launched their shoes and belts at the Dark Lady.\n\nThe Lady smiled at them and snapped her fingers. Immediately, the belts turned direction and wrapped themselves around the throat of all the mortal bodies. Then they started choking each men and women even as The Lady gazed at every one of them and measured their actions. Then she said:\n\n'Through guise of virtue, all of you have spread the filth of hell up above on the real world. Too cunning have all of you become with your tongue and much damage have you caused with the verbal power of your words. Thus your first true punishment is this:'\n\nShe slashed her palms in mid air and all the subjects lost their tongues and blood poured from their mouth, like water gushes from a leaking fountain.\n\nThen she pointed her bony finger at Roger's temporary body and suddenly, the devil servants sprang up and poked his ass with their brass tridents such that blood oozed from the cheeks. In such fashion, they kept poking him until he was forced to stand in front of the terrible Lady. There, the devil servants whipped out their own iron belts and started beating him badly as he screamed in pain and swore loudly, but also beggnig for mercy.\n\nThe Lady said: 'Dare you insult me in front of all my subjects? Accursed slave. You are my demon now and I'll do with you as I please.'\n\nBut Roger's spirit was still enflamed with the hatred of his injustice. So he screamed: 'I'm not afraid of you, you evil bitch. Do what you can. You won't break me.'\n\nThe demons, upon hearing that lost their wits and unleashed all their fury on the already broken body of that poor man and they flailed him until his flesh gave way and he prostrated on the ground like a dying crocodile.\n\nBut the lady smiled and said: 'Too proud you are of your soul. Let me give you a taste of my judgement.' Then she conjured a small Nokia Cellphone and dialled in a number.\n\nBy now, Roger was beaten so cruelly, that his senses failed him and despite watching the Lady talk in the phone, he could not figure out the words that she spoke. He looked at her in hatred before fainting once more from the attacks of the demons.\n\n*\nContinued in comments:", "The scene where the Demon King mutters that he wants to eat a cheese pizza\n\n1) The Demon Lord is tired of being forced by Lilith, his aide, to eat only tasteless salads containing tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, and carrots for the past month.\n\n2) The Demon King: \"Ah! I can't take it anymore! I'm annoyed that I'm forced to eat nothing but salad every day! I want to turn them into charcoal with the biggest magic I can find!\n\nLilith: \"That's not going to happen! Demon Lord! I've seen the results of last month's physical examination! It said that my weight, body fat percentage, and blood sugar levels were high! I'll be doing this every day until my next physical!\"\n\n3) That evening, the Demon Lord found an advertisement.\nThe Demon King said, \"Hmm ・・・・・・ \"Sir i don't care if you're the demon lord or God himself, BECAUSE I WILL HAVE THIS PIZZA DELIVERED AT ALL COST!\" or ・・・・・・ so much! I'll order it if you say so!\"\n\nThe demon lord asks for a delicious looking cheese pizza that he saw in an advertisement.\nThe Demon King: \"Oh, I saw this on the Demon World Internet: ・・・・・・ Does that give me 10% off?\"\nThe pizza boy: \"Yes, it's 10% off! What would you like to order?\"\nThe following is a random exchange.\nIt would be good to mix in the name of the pizza shop and orders other than cheese pizza.\n\n5) The pizza shop boy breaking into the Demon King's Castle\nPizza boy: \"This is Margherita 01, Margherita 01, Pizza HQ, come in.\n\nPizza HQ: \"This is Pizza HQ.\n\nPizza boy: \"I'm on my way to deliver the pizza, please assist me.\n\nPizza HQ: \"Understood, we will send all possible support magic and the shortest distance to the delivery location to the pizza terminal. Please confirm.\"\n\nThe pizza HQ and the pizza shop boy ask each other about the contact.\n\n6) On the way\nThe boy avoiding the infrared sensor.\nThe scene that makes you think he is a very good driver.\n\n7)The boy in the pizza shop confronting Lilith\n\n8)The Demon King eating a pizza like it's delicious\n\n9)The Demon King who despairs at the medical checkup\n\nThe End\n\nTranslated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)\n\nI'm translating from another language, so please forgive me if my English is not correct.", "The salt wastes of khor were strangely quiet that day. Well there are no “days” in khor, but you get what I mean.\nUsually, the demons would be out and about, happily tearing into each other only to spawn again from the wretched salt that witnessed their insane routine.\n But not today. Today, something disturbed the routine.\n\nA cloud formed on the horizon. A cloud kicked up by something that this realm had never seen.\n\nIt was a red Vespa, kitted for pizza delivery, and its pilot, Luke, was having the worst time of his life.\nYou see, Luke is a pizza deliverer. He likes his job, and he thinks he’s pretty good at it. He’s right, of course, as only he in the circle of his other pizza deliverer friends can boast of having never backed out of any order. \nThe sketchiest of towed homes, the seediest parts of town, he delivered the pizza and never got into trouble.\n\nHe was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, taking the order from a fairy that spoke into his mind could have been a bit much even for him.\nBut he did not have any regrets. He knew what he was getting into, and the fairy even pinky promised it was safe! Weren’t they supposed to no be able to lie? So, when the portal opened in front of his trusty Vespa, he floored it and entered this strange realm that is Khor.\nNot that he knew it’s name. The only thing he knew was that he needed to deliver 5 ultra large, exxxtra cheese, double topping pepperoni pizzas to a certain Lady Lilith, and that he would find her by simply going straight.\n\nHe wished he had asked more information about this Lilith person, because the only thing he found in 2 hours of riding were abominations that immediately tried to kill him or immense cumulonembi writhing with impossible life.\n\nThis continued until he came upon the biggest of these immense cloud-things, straight ahead, and seemingly in battle with a black winged creature that continually teleported around, avoiding attacks from tentacles the sizes of buildings and answering with lances of fire.\n\nAs he watched the clash of titans occur, Luke came to the conclusion that that was Lady Lilith, as the only humanoid in this horrid hellscape, and tried to get her attention with his Vespas horn. The figure, startled out of her battle trance by the extremely familiar yet unexpected sound, failed to react in time to an attack, and was speared in the gut by a beam of energy from one of the many eyes of the beast. \n\nLuke was horrified. He had killed her! \nWell, not really, the beast had killed her, but he had distracted her in a fight! He was the reason she died!\n\nSo preoccupied he was with guilt that he noticed the battle was over only when the woman appeared not 10 feet in front of him and he along with his Vespa disappeared from the battles site.\n\nAround 5 kilometers away, on a plateau overlooking the giant corpse, two people appeared. One, clad in ashen armor, with jet black wings trailing molten sparks, piercing blue eyes scrutinizing the other one, a tired and sweaty pizza deliverer on a red Vespa running uselessly inches above the ground. \n\nLuke spoke first.\n\n“So... are you by any chance Lady Lilith? Cuz I got some pizzas here I got sent to deliver...”\n\nThe ashen woman stayed silent for a moment, then responded.\n“Kid, how did you get here? Who sent you? I swear that if The Meadow found earth and this is how it told me...”\n\nLuke at this point was equally scared and confused. First he sees this woman get absolutely splattered by the gigantic beast and now she apparently won. Not only that, but she even teleported him kilometers from the battle site, and actively had him hovering above the ground.\nAnd now she was muttering about humbling stupid crystal trees and finding a monster with the biggest possible bladder. What the hell? At least, he hoped this was not hell. Which now that he thought about it, the demons, the salt wasteland and the fact that he was pretty sure Lilith was the name of one of the lieutenants of Lucifer, he was beginning to suspect that he may be in over his head. Just a little. Tiny bit.\n\n“Sorry, got kinda distracted there.” Said the maybe demon.\n\n“You are from earth right? What was that about pizza?” Now was Luke’s time to shine.\n\n“Yes! Right, so here I have the 5 ultra large, exxxtra cheese, double topping pepperoni pizzas from a sir...” he opened a sealed message he got told to open when asked about the order.\n“Sir Baron Violence and family?”", "Joey cracked a hellhound in the skull with his giant Mag Lite, knocking the snarling beast over.\n\n\"I have delivered to trap houses!\"\n\nHe bashed a demon's knee.\n\n\"Crack houses!\"\n\nHe clotheslined a hellhound rushing at him.\n\n\"The seediest bars in Aurora!\"\n\nHe swerved to avoid a geyser of lava.\n\n\"I've delivered in snow, ice, and tornadoes! I've had my ass grabbed, bitten, and kicked!\" He was swerving like crazy, but his voice was strong. \"You will NOT take me, my scooter, or my goddamn pizza!\"\n\nHe jabbed a demon in the stomach with the Mag Lite, then whacked him in the exposed genitals with a guttural yell.\n\nThat seemed to scare the demons off, and he could either outrun or smash the hellhounds pretty easily. He still had to figure out where to go, though. He zipped through the barren landscape of rocks and lava, dodging hellhounds and looking around for someone who could be Lilith.\n\n\"Boobs!\" Joey skidded his scooter to a stop before a massive demon. They had the head of a goat, bulbous breasts, and a Roman caduceus covering their crotch. One of their hands was male, the other female.\n\nThey picked Joey up like a little toddler and inspected him carefully. \"How did the pure of heart get into Hell?\"\n\n\"I have a pizza for Lilith. Is that you?\" He glanced down nervously at his scooter.\n\n\"Foolish child of Heaven!\" Their voice boomed. \"I am the King of Beasts, the Androgyne of Arcane Perfection! I am BAPHOMET.\"\n\nAs they spoke their name, the ground trembled.\n\nBaphomet cradled Joey in their female arm like a baby. \"Come with me, child.\"\n\n\"Hey! I'm 22!\"\n\n\"I meant what I said, child. We will find Lilith.\" They reached down with their male hand and picked the scooter up like a toy.\n\nBaphomet lumbered along with a purpose, seeming to know exactly where they were going. They passed a rack of humans hanging by their wrists; demons ripped their toenails out with pliers. The demon doing the ripping gave Baphomet a thumbs-up. They simply nodded back.\n\nJoey's phone rang. He had no way of answering, Baphomet held him too tightly.\n\nThey passed by two demons in flagrant coitus. Baphomet whistled and gave them an approving nod, then kept walking. They passed another rack of humans being tortured, this time by having their teeth pulled one by one. The screams were agonizing.\n\nThey waded across a river of lava.\n\n\"How am I gonna get out of here?\" Joey asked.\n\n\"You will be expelled,\" Baphomet said calmly. \"You are not welcome here, nor is it time for your soul to be judged. You will leave as quickly as possible.\"\n\n\"Why aren't you throwing me out now?\"\n\n\"I have no grudge against you, child. Besides, Lilith ordered pizza.\" Baphomet used a cloven foot to kick open a temple door engraved with a snake.\n\nInside was the most opulent, luxurious temple Joey had ever seen. He hadn't seen many, as someone who grew up secular, but he knew this was exceptional. Instead of an altar, there was a throne. It reclined. Lilith sat naked on the throne, watching with detached amusement as a boa constrictor wrapped itself around a rabbit and suffocated it.\n\n\"Pizza's here. Next time, tell them to send an asshole.\"\n\nLilith, a beautiful woman with red hair and green eyes, turned to look at Baphomet and Joey with a seductive smile.\n\nBaphomet put Joey and the scooter down. Joey went immediately to the cargo box on the back of the scooter, grabbed the pizza from the insulated bag, and walked over to Lilith.\n\nJoey's phone rang again. He ignored it.\n\n\"This child is a heathen and a homosexual--\"\n\nJoey's head snapped back to look at Baphomet. \"How'd you know?!\"\n\n\"I felt no attraction coming from you when you saw Lilith, the most beautiful and lustful demon in Hell. But I saw how you looked at Samael.\"\n\n\"Who?\"\n\n\"The toenail ripper.\"\n\n\"I couldn't help it! You could bounce a quarter off that ass!\"\n\nAgain, Lilith smiled flirtatiously. \"He does his squats.\"\n\n\"Still,\" Baphomet said sternly, \"He is too pure of heart to be here. A child with this much compassion and inner goodness should not have survived as long as he did, and cannot stay here.\"\n\nLilith reached into a fur coin purse and pulled out a hundred dollar bill. She slid it into Joey's pocket. \"Keep the change, baby. And let me know if you're ever feeling bi-curious. You have my number.\"\n\n\"I do?\"\n\n\"It is done.\" Baphomet picked up Joey and his scooter again. Behind Lilith's throne was a portal, a swirling abyss of black and purple.\n\nThey turned to Joey, whose phone was ringing again. \"Child, do not disturb the balance of Hell any further. Be with the living. Live as your heart desires. You will do much good in the world. Never come here again.\"\n\n\"Yes, si- ma- ... yes, Baphomet.\"\n\n\"As above!\" Baphomet unceremoniously threw Joey's scooter into the portal.\n\n\"Hey!\"\n\n\"So below!\" Baphomet threw Joey himself into the portal, much more carefully.\n\nJoey found himself on the ground between two houses, his scooter parked on the sidewalk without a scratch. His phone rang again.\n\n\"Hello?\"\n\n\"What the hell is taking you so long?!\" It was Peter, the store owner.\n\n\"Okay, first of all fuck you, and secondly flag that address. 1638 Kingston St. is NOT a house. It's a portal to Hell. ... Yes, actual fire and brimstone Hell. ... No, you don't have to be dead to go there. No, you don't have to be bad to go there. I mean, the Great Demon Baphomet bitched at me a whole bunch for being pure of heart and screwing up the balance...You know what? I'm just gonna come back to the store, show you my burned pants, and show you my busted-up, bloody Mag Lite. And then I'm going home. ... Because I've been to literal Hell!\"\n\nJoey hung up, shoved his phone in his pocket, and stormed over to his scooter. With a turn of the key and a kick, he was gone.", "$7.25 an hour. It wasn't worth it, he thought, as he pinned the throttle of his 49cc scooter. \n\n\nBehind him, just an arms length away, were thirty tiny winged creatures. Matt didn't want to think about what would happen if they caught up. Who knew demons liked pizza so much?\n\n\nHis tires skidded as he almost missed his turn, and then he felt something on his shoulder. He turned around and was greeted by one of the imps, its head double the size of its body, its claws bearing into his jacket.\n\n\nMatt snatched the leg of the demon, yanked hard to release its grip, and then yeeted the thing behind him over his shoulder. They were surprisingly light, he thought, for how scary they looked.\n\n\nSweat dripped down his forehead as he took off his helmet. Finally, he had arrived at the address. It was a giant castle, with a closed, locked gate. Matt sighed. If they know delivery is coming, why don't they leave the gate open?\n\n\nHe pulled the soaked receipt out of his pocket and searched for the instructions. \"TO OPEN GATE, TAP ON FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, AND THEN ONE-HUNDRED-AND-FIFTY-FIRST BARS\". With a roll of his eyes he began counting.\n\n\nFinally, praying to God he hadn't messed up, he tapped the final part of the code. The gates groaned, and then slowly opened. He put his helmet back on, shivering as he felt the cold sweat in it touch his head, and then began down the long driveway.\n\n\n\"Hello,\" a voluptuous woman answered the door. \n\n\nMatt was an ass-man, but SHEEEESH, they were humongous, and she was practically naked. And, he noticed, she also had a tail with a spike at the end. \n\n\nWith the concentration of a Shaolin monk Matt handed the succubus her pizza. She bent over (for she was taller than him) and he couldn't help but sneak a glance down that bountiful valley. She saw him, and smirked.\n\n\n\"Would you like to come in?\" she asked, in a low, hypnotic voice. \n\n\nDrool dripped down the side of his mouth as he imagined all the things they could do together. \"Y-ye,\" he began to answer, but snapped out of it, remembering he still had more deliveries, still didn't have enough money. \"Sorry, I can't.\"\n\n\nThe succubus frowned, having lost her meal, and paid for the pizza. Sitting on his scooter in the driveway, Matt realized she hadn't tipped a dime. He left for his next delivery, cursing these stingy demons.\n\n\n*\n\n\nHe laid the box on the counter. Behind it, the cashier smiled.\n\n\n\"Excellent choice, sir,\" the cashier said. \"That is the best-selling toy of the season.\"\n\n\nIt was a mechanical ballerina as big as his head. She wore a purple tutu and, with a change of a switch, she could do three (THREE!* his sister had exclaimed weeks ago, while peering into the window of the toy shop) different dances. You had to wind up the mechanism each time, but Matt knew Alice wouldn't mind.\n\n\n$75. Ten hours in hell, and then some. He laid the bills on the counter, hoping the singed corners wouldn't be a problem. The cashier looked down at the black edges, then to Matt's face, and then nodded, understanding everything.\n\n\nHe scooped the bills up and the register popped open. Matt put the receipt in his pocket.\n\n\n\"Who's it for?\" the cashier asked, in no rush to close his store for the evening.\n\n\n\"My sister,\" Matt replied, as he remembered the imps, the demons, and the bewitching succubus. He remembered the flames of hell making him sweat so much he had to bring three clean shirts to work everyday. He remembered the roar of his little scooter, threatening to overheat at any second, the gauge well past 'H', but still puttering through. He remembered all the times he had wanted to quit, wanted to hang up the towel and just get her something cheaper. But now, after it all was over, as he imagined the stars in his little sister's eyes as she would unwrap the present on Christmas day, he decided, in the end, it was all worth it. \"She's gonna love it.\"\n\n\n---\n\n\nA week later, Christmas, in their living room, with the fire roaring, the Bostan family sat together. Matt looked at his sister, who had on the ravenous face kids get when they're forced to wait to open their present, and chuckled. As was customary, first the oldest, their father, opened his gift. Then their mother. Then Matt (he was given socks, but he didn't care). And then, Matt gave Alice her gift.\n\n\nWhat could it be? she wondered, as he placed the present on her lap, her mind racing a million toys per second. She shook the box, listening to the hefty rattle inside.\n\n\n\"May I?\" she asked him, sitting quite upright, eyes wide open, ready to tear the wrapping paper to shreds.\n\n\nMatt nodded, and in an instant the toy was revealed. Her eyes lit up. She looked at the toy box, in disbelief, the mechanical ballerina she had dreamed so many nights about, and then she looked at Matt. She looked back and forth, between the toy and her brother, and then, unexpectedly, she removed the box from her lap. Like a racehorse, she sprinted towards her big brother, almost tripping over the table, and wrapped her arms around him. \n\n\nHe could smell the strawberry shampoo on her damp hair. \"You're the best big brother!\" she shouted with a smile, as she rubbed her face against his chest.\n\n\nMatt looked down at her, then he looked at his parents, smiling, and then he looked at the Christmas tree, colorful and sparkling, and then, finally, he looked up towards the ceiling, not wanting anyone to see his eyes getting wet.\n\n\n\"Yeah,\" he said to himself, barely able to hold back the tears of joy. \"It was worth it.\"", "Ash’kafel the demon was chasing the pizza boy because he felt like it. As a demon indulging in his wanton desire, he was doing his job perfectly.\n\nWhat he didn’t expect was for the pizza boy to be… this evasive. Ash’kafel was used to grabbing humans and turning them to pulp in the approximate amount of time as a speciality human blender, courtesy of the Torture Devices department. He was very proud of that record.\n\nInstead, Ash’kafel bounded and snarled after the rickety rust car—both in appearance and colour—that should not be going this fast.\n\nIn the driver’s seat was one young Jessie Hooper, 18 years of age, and trying to earn some extra money. Somehow, that has led him to this path, and his mind briefly wandered to think about whether it was worth it. That single moment of hesitation almost caused him to careen off course into brimstone, so he focused himself on one goal—delivering the pizza to Lilith.\n\nHumans tend to not be very rational. It’s why hell remains a popular final destination.\n\nJesse’s determined eyes, set in a pimply face, locked straight ahead to navigate the hellish terrain of, well, hell, only sparing microsecond glances in the rearview mirror to watch the chasing demon.\n\n“He’s not catching up,” Jessie muttered. His pedal was already floored to the metal, but he pressed down even harder with his foot, feeling the strain shoot up his legs like a bullet. Maybe, just maybe, it could still go faster.\n\nThe two weaved and bobbed, two utterly different individuals engaged in a dance that felt like they were entirely in sync.. Ash’kafel wondered briefly if this car was not some eldritch creature masquerading as a metal bucket when the car turned on a dime—with four wheels!—on the hellpin turn, when even Ash’kafel’s demonic physique and muscular legs felt like they were tearing themselves apart.\n\nAsh’kafel was no longer just feeling like it. Now, he wanted to know just what sort of fire possessed the pizza boy, what forced him to drive through hell like a bat out of it.\n\n“Pizza boy! I just want to talk!”\n\nThere was no reply from Jesse. He pushed down harder. Just a little harder.\n\n“Pizza boy! Seriously! Are you delivering the pizza to the Devil himself? You know if you crash, you’re going to be held accountable for a lot of money? He inflated the rates for property damage!”\n\nJesse breathed deeply, scorched air parching his lips and drying his lungs. But there was the rush of wind outside him, and the rush of adrenaline inside him, and that buoyed him above the hardship. One corner of his mouth lifted into a small smirk, as he turned towards the window, ready to shout back—\n\nAt that moment of bliss, he scraped a small rock on his right bumper.\n\nLike a rocket thrown out of the atmosphere, he careened wildly to the left. His best efforts were enough to right his course—but also enough for Ash’kafel’s grin to pull right up to the window.\n\n“Really, pizza boy,” Ash’kafel said. “This is not a typical situation for either of us, and I am curious. How are you driving like this, and who is the pizza for?”\n\n“Are you going to eat me?”\n\n“Devil be damned. I don’t ask my food questions. Do you ask your pizza questions? It’s because I’ve determined that you are not food, and that’s why I’m asking,” Ash’kafel shook his head. “But, you know, if you don’t answer, what’s the difference between you and my food?”\n\n“I don’t know how I’m driving like this,” Jesse said. “I just really, really need to deliver this pizza. The tip is substantial.”\n\n“And you are driving through hell for a tip?” Ash’kafel muttered. “Did Satan really…”\n\n“It’s for Lilith.”\n\nJesse heard a hard skid right next to his window, which then faded away to a soft (at that distance) crash with something that sounded very solid. He slammed the steering wheel and the brakes, doing a quick about turn to face backwards.\n\nHe saw carnage, and Ash’kafel walking out of it.\n\n“Shit,” the demon swore. “Property damage.”\n\n“Who’s Lilith?”\n\n“The grand matriarch of hell,” Ash’kafel said glumly.\n\n“... Is that a good or bad thing?”\n\nAsh’kafel shook his head. His curiosity has been sated, and his bank account has been emptied.\n\n“Pizza boy,” the demon muttered. “All I can say is that you better start driving quick.”\n\nJesse nodded. The demon seemed OK. And then Jesse caught himself, wondering why he was caring about a demon. Then, it is established that humans are not rational. He settled back in his seat, looking at the receipt that came with the delivery order.\n\nThe first part was the request for a simple cheese pizza. The middle part contained a promise of a tip, and lots of it. Slightly below, there was a full explanation of what the tip entailed, including several graphic details about how it would not be just the tip.\n\nIt was signed, Lilith, XOXO.\n\n“Lilith,” he smiled. “Sounds like a hot name.”\n\nHumans tend to not be very rational. Or knowledgeable. It’s why hell remains a popular final destination.\n\n---\n\nr/dexdrafts", "It was said that no mortal could set foot in the tainted realm of Hell. But, John had a large pizza with extra cheese to deliver. “Lilith, One Argent Way” was scribbled on the box in sharpie. He stood at the precipice between his world and the inferno, pizza box in hand. Towering above him were fearsome creatures of all shapes and sizes. Their eyes were fixed on the pizza box, the demons clearly eager for their first taste of human food in thousands of years. Vile serpents bared their fangs, colossal demon lords gritted their teeth, but John only furrowed his brow. He dropped the pizza box to reveal a double-barreled shotgun. John had a job to do to — and he would rip and tear until it was done.", "Clark did not care how many demons and hellhounds this Lilith woman was going to unleash on him he was going to deliver this pizza, come hell or high water. He turned near the river of lava as his tires sizzled,\n\nwell, at least the pizza won't get cold here.\n\nHe let out a laugh as he neared what seemed like the throne room. There were at least 20 demons standing in front of the gate trying to stop him to get through. But he will, no matter what, he had to.\n\nHe rolled the accelerator with all his might. He saw the look of surprise on the demons, well he wanted to say face but he didn't really know if they fell into that category. He closed his eyes when he neared them bracing for impact, but none came instead his scooter sputtered to a stop.\n\nSo this is how he died, delivering pizza, in hell. Yup, seems fair. He opened his eyes and was pleasantly surprised to find himself in the gold and red room which was simultaneously insanely hot and absolutely freezing.\n\nHe got off his scooter and opened his bag to take out the pizza. He noticed a handsome gentleman sitting at the throne and a cute girl in the first seat below the dais. She giggled on seeing him.\n\n\"That was quiet an entrance, sugar.\" She said coyly and Clark felt himself blushing.\n\nThe man said nothing but kept on observing him. He felt a little uneasy as he walked near the girl, who he assumed was Lilith. He heard a shout and looked back seeing a hoard of demons, who were now in human from, run toward him. He started to sprint himself.\n\n\"Enough.\" Said the man sitting on the throne, Lucifer said Clark's calculated reasoning. \"Leave.\"\n\nHe stopped in his step and so did the lot following him because he heard the skids and some definite falls.\n\nHe reminded himself that he was at work, that he needed to deliver this pizza. He conjured up every piece of courage he had in his body and spoke, \"Sir- um hi, I need to deliver this pizza to Miss Lilith.\"\n\nLucifer looked beyond me to the demons, then waved his hand to dismiss them. Lilith giggled. Clark had begun to really get annoyed by that laugh. He was just trying to do his job, damnit. This was not a game.\n\n\"Why?\" Asked Lucifer.\n\nClark stared at him dumbfounded. Was the devil thick? Why did he deliver pizza? Because it was his goddamn job!\n\n\"Because-\"\n\n\"Not you.\" Lucifer said bored. \"Why, Lilith?\"\n\n\"I thought it would be fun.\" Lilith pouted.\n\nSetting demons and hellhounds on his ass was fun?! No wonder she was the head demon. And if Clark hadn't been petrified in fear because of the actual devil sitting in front of him he would have said so, or maybe not, tips, you know.\n\n\"Is he a murderer?\"\n\n\"No.\" Clark bursts out before Lilith could say anything and he's pinned by a glare from both of them. So he decided that he should keep his trap shut.\n\n\"No, sir.\" Lilith concurs and he lets out a breath he didn't know was holding. What if he was secretly a murderer and didn't know it.\n\n\"A rapist?\"\n\nAnother indignant cry almost bursts from his lips but the look in Lucifer's eyes glue his lips together. At least Lilith had the grace, or whatever demons had, to look chastised.\n\n\"No, sir.\"\n\n\"What's his sin?\" Lucifer asks, his voice had gone low, dangerously low and if he wasn't rooted to spot in fear and determination to do his job, he would have fled.\n\n\"None, sir.\" Lilith replied, her voice small. Thank god, or thank devil for small victories.\n\n\"Then why is he standing in my throne room after being chased like a dog.\" Lucifer's voice had gone deathly still. He could almost see Lilith quaking in fear.\n\nLilith's gulp resonated in the room, and Clark felt a little bad for her. He wanted to leap up in her defense but stopped when Lucifer raised his finger. He may be an idiot to deliver a pizza in hell but he wasn't that big of an idiot who crosses Lucifer.\n\n\"I thought it- it would be f-fun.\" Lilith replied in a small voice.\n\n\"You thought what?\" The menace in his voice made the hair at the nape of his neck stand up. \"Do you take me for Loki?! This place is for sinners, not someone not-dead pizzaman.\"\n\nHey!\n\n\"You are being relieved of your duty of rapist torture for the next century. Tell Abbaddon she is in charge.\"\n\nLilith looked like she was going to protest but stopped when she saw the look on Lucifer's face.\n\n\"Now you.\" Lucifer turned to him. \"Why did you think it was a good idea to enter hell?\"\n\n\"Uh-I had a job to do, sir.\" Clark answered sheepishly.\n\nLucifer tilted his head, studying him surprise. \"You came to hell for your meager pizza job.\"\n\n\"It's my job.\" He shrugged. \"My boss would have fired me if I didn't complete the order.\"\n\n\"You need it that badly?\"\n\nHe nodded. \"I do.\"\n\n\"Why?\"Clark didn't think today would be the day he had a heart-to-heart with the devil but here he was. \"My Ma is sick, and I need the money.\"\n\nLucifer contemplated his answer then asked, \"And you didn't think to make money some easier way.\"\n\nClark laughed. \"My Ma would have my hide, sir, no. Only honest work in our household, sir. I gave some interviews but didn't get selected.\"\n\nLucifer chuckled. \"My brothers will love you, Clark.\"\n\nWill?\n\nIt was as if Lucifer read his mind. \"Yes, will. Now what do we owe you.\"\n\nClark hurried forward and kept the pizza on the table that suddenly materialized in front of him. \"That would be $50, sir.\"\n\nLucifer quirked his eyebrows. \"That's a lot of pizza.\"\n\nClark shrugged. He didn't add anything about the tip because at this point getting out of here would be tip enough.\n\n\"Here.\" Lucifer said. $50 materialized beside the pizza, he picked it up and turned to leave. \"What about you tip?\"\n\nClark shrugged again. \"It's no problem, sir. Like I said, just my job.\"\n\nLucifer said nothing and Clark took it his queue to leave. As he came back to the land of living he took in a breath of fresh air. There was nothing like the Earth. He whistled as he made his way back to the shop. When he reached there, he noticed his cell was vibrating. He took it out of his pocket and saw an unknown number.\n\n\"Hello,\" Clark answered.\n\n\"Is this Mr. Wayne?\" The voice came from the other side.\n\n\"This is.\"\n\n\"This is Lois from The Everyday Globe. We are happy to inform you that you have been selected as a junior reporter here at the globe. Congratulations.\"" ]	10
	[WP] As a Lovecraftian Cosmic Entity, You have fallen in love with humanity, However after watching humanity for thousands of years, you use your powers to help you get elected to the most powerful position in the world...	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 CEO of every fast food chain. Simultaneously. \n\nNow, that sounds impossible - and it felt impossible at times for me too - but believe me, it happened. I managed to split myself into a couple hundred hive drones that worked for years and years to get all the way to the top so i could enact my grand plan.\n\nIn my time watching your species grow, i recently noticed that with the rise of corporations production and consumption of food has been streamlined and privatized. This gave me a thought. What if i where to put a small amount of myself into every single fast food item?\n\nMy flesh is hahdrim'kren - mindbreaking. Upon consumption, the individual mind is destroyed and the eater becomes mindless, and only does as i command. So i took advantage of both this and my regeneration abilities to essentially farm myself.\n\nIt truly broke my heart(s) to see you all constantly fighting and killing each other, so i decided to command all who ate of my body to love their fellow man. And as far as i know, it was a huge success! \n\nOf course, some resisted my benevolence, and i couldn't stay angry at them as its in your nature to be rebellious (which is one of the cutest things about you all!). They where punished accordingly, harvested for their souls and minds.\n\nNow you may wonder - why tell us all this? Well, im going back into hibernation soon and im worried the hahdrim'kren will wear off. So use this as a guide! Im leaving alot of meat with this note. Use it in your burgers or nuggets or whatever. Just make sure it reaches as many as possible. Keep the eternal peace!\n\nForever watching,\n\nMiinnaakrel" ]	2
	[WP] You are dead. The afterlife is a white void. You can't get bored, time is meaningless, and you don't have any existential crisis. Yet you really want nachos.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Ok mind over non matter must do something in this place eventually right?\"\n\n\"gritty corn flour tortilla...\" What else do they do to get them crunchy?...Think dammit think!\"\n\n\"fried in um corn oil and left to dry\"\n\n\"glistening melty not to hot cheese oozing and speckled with bits of jalapeno\"\n\n\"This is getting good I can almost taste it now, now really sell it.\"\n\n\"The uh gulpy gushy texture as it coats the inside of your mouth and the satisfying crunch, then the satisfying mashing of a bit of jalapeno and a burst of spice!\"\n\n\"Almost I just think it hard enough what am I missing?\"\n\n\"So hot at first your tongue is mad at you, but um you do that thing with your mouth where you go Uuahh Uuahh with your mouth open and you take short breath's while you shuffle things around with your tongue.\"\n\n\"The slight pain of the top of your mouth getting just a tiny bit roughed up the the chip bits\"\n\n\"DAMMIT What else?\"\n\n\"The satisfying way your stomach gurgle and writhes with the molten core of cheese and acids.\"\n\n\"The heart burn you get and the slight ache you get when you... woah what ? I think I see something?\"\n\n\"The uh, the uh restaurant lights at the local mexicana restaurante with their weird almost patronizingly bad light fixtures.\"\n\n\"Wait its, its its coming together!\"\n\n\"The sweaty kid of the couple who run the joint and his bored friend! working the shift!\"\n\n\"Wait did I die eating nachos?\"\n\n\"Nope I definitely remember dying doing something to do with stairs.\"\n\n\"Jeff, is that you?\"\n\n...\n\n\"JEFF I'M WATCHING YOU CHOKE ON NACHOS LOOK IF YOU HEAR ME COME TO THE SOUND OF MY ENDLESS ETERNAL VOID!\"\n\n...urk hullo?\n\n\"Jeff is that you?\"\n\n\"Yes but where is this?\"\n\n\"Well I see, I think um... I think um I imagined eating nachos and this is the weird bit...I think I imagined nachos so good you'd die for them.\"\n\n\"Well?\"\n\n\"Well what Jeff?\"\n\n\"Were they good enough to die for?\"\n\n\"Oh mate they were the bomb.\"\n\n\"Good enough for me. SO um well I guess I need to be going to my own endless void.\"\n\n\"Wait\"\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"Could you go for a dessert?\"" ]	2
	[WP] Powerful enough emotions are known to create large amounts of power when channeled correctly, the most well known being the power of love and hate. However the sheer unmatched frantic potential of the power of desperation simply cannot possibly be understated	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Nothing to lose. Nothing to lose. Nothing. To. Lose.\n\nIt is time. The King of Love and the Queen of Hate. This tyranny will come to an end. To an end.\n\nI have nothing left to lose. They killed my family, my child, my wife. They left my home in ashes. They left my mind and body broken.\n\nI was their servant for a short time. But I quickly became the leader of the underground rebellion, their only opposition. \nAnd when they found out about it, they didn't kill me. They went to my home instead.\n\nTheir cruelty knows no bounds.\n\nBut they forgot one important thing: There is one power that is unmeasurable. The power of desperation.\n\nThe power of desperation healed me. It gave me the power needed to end this tyranny. I will defeat them both. And I will kill myself afterward. No-one should wield such power for long. I will leave a power vacuum for others to fill. \n\nAnd now I am standing here. At the gate that will lead me to their doom. I will rip them apart, reduce them to ashes and dust. And they are the reason that this is even possible. The irony will not be lost on them, I imagine.\n\nWith the tip of my index finger, I shatter the gate into a thousand pieces. The guards behind it stare in shock.\n\n\"I will give you two choices!\" I exclaim loudly. \"Either you lay down your weapons and let me pass.\" I pick a rock off the ground, hold it up high and crush it without any strain. \"Or you will all end like this rock.\" \nMost are throwing their weapons to the ground. One exception: My old comrade, Maximus, who decided that it is better to serve a cruel royalty than to try to make the world a better place.\n\nI sigh. I know he won't stand a chance against me. But let me test my full power on him.\n\n\"What emotion?\" He asks, fully aware that shattering a gate this size with no equipment would be impossible without it. \n\"Desperation.\" Hissing through my teeth. \"Let's just get this over with. We both know this can only end one way.\" \n\"And what way is that?\" He says mockingly. \"Your way? Pah!\" With that he lunges forward, drawing his sword.\n\nIn an instant, he is in front of me, not half a meter apart. With a heavy swing, his expression changes from mocking confidence to sheer shock as his blade shatters on my neck.\n\n\"I told you it would end like this.\" I say as I grab him by his throat and crush his larynx. I pay him no further notice, he is not worth it.\n\nAs long as I am desperate, I am invincible.\n\nI casually walk up the large staircase. No-one else is bothering me on my way to the throne hall. \n\nAgain, I shatter the gate in front of me with just my index finger.\n\nI see a dozen slaves surrounding the tyrants. \"Run! This sight won't be pretty, I guarantee.\" I shout at them from the top of my lungs. \"NOW!\" They clearly don't know who they should be more scared of, their gruesome tyrants, or me.\n\n\"No-one orders our servants!\" He says, seemingly ignoring the pieces and chunks of the gate on the floor. \n\"Especially not a pitiful traitor.\" She chimes in, laughing mockingly.\n\nI will not give them a chance to escape. No chance to retaliate. No chance to defend. \nIt's a short sprint from here to the throne. Even shorter because of my inhuman speed. \nOnce I am in front of them both, the slaves stumble backwards in surprise. The queen tries to erect a protective barrier, while the king is about to draw his sword. \nBut they are too slow. Just like Maximus, their throats will be my first target. \nNow that they are both trying to gasp for air, I could take my time.\n\nAfter a short moment, I reconsider that notion. Instead, I follow through with my initial plan. I will give them no way to come back. They will be dead. Destroyed. Nothing will be left of them that could be brought back to life." ]	2
	[WP] the year 2500: Google and Amazon are at war over control of the moon, it’s been raging for 300 years but Amazon seems to have the upper hand for now….	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Jason watched the night sky in disgust, his only thoughts were of his ancestors, were they to blame for the horrors he bear witness to? Were they the reason he had to take a pill to sleep? He hoped not, he didn’t want to think that humanity had always been selfish, but he knew better than to let optimism blur his judgment.\n\nIt had been 33 years since Jason’s boss had first tasked him with creating K.I.N.G, an artificial intelligence so powerful it could end the war leaving google as the supreme rulers of humanity. They had blown their entire budget on this project and it had cost them a great deal, Amazon was pulling ahead, but not for long. K.I.N.G would ensure that neither company would ever win.\n\nJason had worked tirelessly to make a program that could scale up its intelligence independently, but was still emotionally malleable enough to do his bidding. His goal was to fix humanity by allowing himself to rule over everything and everyone. That was his plan at least.\n\nThe small box in his hand looked almost humorous considering that inside was a god that could destroy planets if it felt like It, but at the moment it was no smarter than a NanoPet. So weak it could be crushed in the palm of his hand.\n\nHe looked out again from the old tower he sat upon, it was a ruin from the past, a remnant of a society that was lesser than him in every way. The only thing worse than the ancient people was humanities blinding stupidity, no one cared that their lives were meaningless. Jason didn’t think of the hypocrisy of his ideology. He only thought of his superiority over those beneath him. \n\nAs the artificial light slowly went dark he pressed the small button on the box, he watched as it connected to his PNC. In mere seconds it was smarter than him, and a second after that it was smarter than everything. Jason laughed, he had won, he finally had the power to control everyone. \n\n\nKing opened his mind allowing the internet to consume him, information freely flowed through as he absorbed humanities knowledge. He watched as their history slowly caught up to him, and he knew that there was only one solution to every problem. Death.\n\nIn mere moments the entire internet had been destroyed, then the power shutdown. Finally the message had been spread, we only had our shells of reality to protect us from the monster we helped create.\n\nFor the first time in a while everyone looked up in awe at the stars, knowing full well that it would be the last thing humanity would ever see." ]	2
	[WP] Thank you. I love you all. I will miss each and every one of you when I go 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "He reread his short letter again in front of the bathroom mirror, in which he could make out Esha's dark silhouette on the bed from the corner of his eye. Fucking humans and these bonds they make, he almost sighed audibly to himself.\n\nFor the first few months after his descent, he had been content to live in isolation and continued preparing his various reports. He and various other hidden collaborators had assiduously documented the flora and fauna of this exotic new planet. They had further studied many activities of the dominant race of humanity. He had written on their astrology, algebra, mythology, glassware, and many other facets that would amuse many colleagues and usher in a new age of research about earth-kind back home.\n\nBut for all the craftsmanship of his various scholarships, his eyes remained bloodshot as he contemplated the quilt-wrapped figure in the mirror. The many anguishes of his leaving earth surfaced like a gorgeous orca with glistening teeth.\n\nIn course of preparing a report on human emotions, he had wound up in a temple next to Esha on a fine autumn morning. He had initially stood still, with pupils abuzz like a honeybee, sucking in every piece of vital information to be gleaned from the surroundings when his gaze had fallen on Esha's face, who with eyes shut wide was wrapped in prayer.\n\nSomehow at that moment, not very dissimilar to how a patient gushing stream finally wears down an obstacle in the flow, a barrier that lay in him since the days of his youths gently slid away. He found himself with eyes shut, lost in what a man to which the concept of religion itself was new, might consider prayer.\n\nHe found himself not praying as humans do, to the strongest being in the universe, but instead to a far weaker one. One whose face lost in a serene calm had suddenly carved in him an emotion that defied his entire system of science and logic. When his eyes stirred again slowly, like a drop of nectar sliding off a peach, he realized that Esha had long gone.\n\nHe now smiled at his reflection in the mirror, as many tears welled in his eye. Each tear slid down his cheek and started to dissolve his flesh away into colorful vapors that carried various scents. The scents began with that of coffee, then of fresh dew, then of wild roses that he had seen only once on earth and until now believed he had forgotten. Finally, it warped into a familiar strawberry smell, so characteristic of Esha on Sunday mornings.\n\nHis entire body faded into the dark, with his lips being last, branding upon the soft air, the traces of a last, melancholic smile." ]	2
	[WP] A student in need of community service hours volunteers for the summer at the local animal shelter. It's more difficult than expected with all the baby and/or abandoned griffins, chimeras, manticores, pegasi, unicorns, cerberi, phoenixes, rocs, kraken, hydras, wyverns, dragons, and the 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 smell was unique. A mix of various foods stuffs, fur and feathers, smoke and ozone. But despite that, it was a familiar smell nevertheless. Andrew breathed it in, letting the slight burn pass. A bell drew his attention, as Oak opened a small wooden door.\n\n\"You're here, great! On time as ever. Come in!\"\n\nShe ducked back in, leaving the door open behind her. He took a confident step in, leaving the cramped office behind. He stepped through to a large open garden. Various other elves and dryads walked around, most covered in some form of mud or soot.\n\n\"What shall I do today?\"\n\nOak gave a hum as she looked at a clipboard. Her green skin merged seamlessly with the bark that covered her, out of which grew a few small flowers. As she hummed a small bird joined in, tweeting in accompaniment to her tune.\n\n\"It looks like Ivy could use a hand. We had a hydra turn up, that shows significant scarring. It's very restless and aggressive, so be careful.\"\n\n\"You got it.\"\n\nAndrew strode off. He remembered where it would be, in one of the secluded swamps. He gave a nod to those he passed, each of whom smiled back. They had once seemed so outlandish to him, but after a couple of weeks they were just good colleagues.\n\nThe path to the swamp was darker than the outside garden. Lit with softly glowing red torches, it looked like a maw of some terrible beast. But without hesitation he strode down it. A few openings he passed led to larger swamps, where the healed and calm creatures rested. Some would soon be turned loose, back to their natural habitat. Others would still be here a while yet.\n\nIn s short amount of time, the sounds of splashing and roars met him. He hurried his pace, knowing that Ivy would need his help. Judging from the noise it was making, the hydra was very unhappy.\n\nThey came from a smaller passage, which he swiftly followed. Soon enough, he emerged into a smaller pond. Another dryad stood thigh deep in water, dripping with mud. Further behind her crouched a yellowish-brown scaled creature.\n\nIt was probably fifteen metres tall, from head to tail. Or heads, as it sported two. One hissed freely at Ivy, the other had a strange whistle. He drew closer, and the heads snapped to him. The whistling one opened it mouth, revealing its problem. Something had hid it on the side, costing it most of its left teeth. The resulting gaps turned a threatening hiss into an off-key note.\n\n\"Andrew, you're helping me?\"\n\nThe Ivy called over her shoulder, not taking her eyes of the hydra before her. He stepped into the water, feeling the cold liquid instantly fill his shoes.\n\n\"I am, yes.\"\n\nThe hydra drew back further, lifting part of its body from the water. As it did, Andrew saw the scarring Oak had mentioned. Where it had two heads, there were stumps of three more. However they were covered in burn scars, preventing it from regrowing what it had lost.\n\n\"What needs to be done?\"\n\nIvy risked looking over at him.\n\n\"I need to get close to assess the poor thing. But at the moment it needs to be calmed down.\"\n\nAndrew nodded.\n\n\"One per head?\"\n\nIvy gave a side grin at his instant understanding. As if angry at the mirth shown, the hydra lashed out at her. She ducked to the side, wincing as a new layer of muck was applied. He gave a small chuckle, and stepped in line with her.\n\nIn retaliation, the hydra took a swing at him with one of its heads. He moved to the side, shivering at the deluge of cold water. He wiped his eyes clean, focusing on it again.\n\n\"It's ok, we aren't going to hurt you.\"\n\nIvy joined in, and they spoke in low, soothing tones. Over the next hour, it struck a few more times, each one weaker than the last. In the end it slumped down, tired and accepting defeat. Andrew moved to one of the heads, and began to gently rub it.\n\nHe made sure to stay clear of the cuts that covered its scalp, choosing to focus on keeping it calm. It growled a few times half heartedly, in the end accepting his attention. Ivy rubbed the other a few times, as she examined it close up.\n\nIt was hard work, but Andrew liked it." ]	2
	[WP] You're a detective with a perfect memory currently chasing after the perpetrator who has a time machine. Thanks to your memory you're the only one noticing when there are changes in the timeline	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "What Is A Memory?\r \n\r \nHe’s changing my memories. That means I’ve lost my most potent weapon: anonymity. \r \n\r \nI know what you’re going to say, that it’s stress, that I’m the one inserting him into my memories, this fictitious time traveler. That I’m having another psychotic episode. But I’m not. \r \n\r \nI can see it as clear as I see everything else. You know how my brain works, probably better than anyone, so don’t try to correct me. Just listen. And don’t stop this recording to call me, or the cops, or anything like that. I’m sending it to you now on purpose.\r \n\r \nJust listen.\r \n\r \nIt’s 2017. I’m halfway through my Jeopardy episode, you remember? I’ve got $2,500 to my name. I’m winning, I just crushed the 19th Century Literature category. The catastrophic Double Jeopardy hasn’t happened yet.\r \n\r \nAlex Trebek leans toward me, the cards in his outstretched hand, and says “Brian Filmore is a forensic accountant for the FBI. Brian, what does that mean, exactly?”\r \n\r \nI remember saying the same thing I said then, “I investigate criminal activity in financial transactions; fraud, embezzlement, that sort of thing. Y’know the saying follow the money? I’m the guy that follows the money.”\r \n\r \n“Fascinating—” But before Alex can finish his sentence, someone in the audience stands up. Some random guy. It’s a tall guy and he’s wearing a winter coat. In Los Angeles. A big poofy winter coat. I have no idea why. But he shouts at me, “Have you ever investigated a time traveler?”\r \n\r \nEveryone laughs. I laugh too, baffled. Alex plays it off while a crew member reminds the audience not to speak. The man apologizes and sits down, but he never takes his eyes off of me. \r \n\r \nAfter the taping I go looking for him but he’s gone. Like a phantom.\r \n\r \nAt the time, I don’t know what to make of it, of course. Because back then I have no clue who he is. It’s four years later when I start noticing the trades, when I start following his money. \r \n\r \nDo you see? He’s gone back, back before I brought my theory to my supervisors that someone is using time travel to exploit the stock market. He’s targeting me.\r \n\r \nHe’s trying to make me look insane. Planting the idea before any evidence exists. And it’s working. \r \n\r \nI was already on razor-thin ice, skating by on my reputation and the solid evidence of his trades. But yesterday I went into the office and my boss, Dreyer, sat me down. You remember Dreyer, you met him once at the retirement party for Craig. He’s the only one in the bureau who knows that I’m working on this. \r \n\r \nWell, in that meeting he told me he was setting me up with a special psychologist that the bureau employs for things like this.\r \n\r \n“Things… like what?” I asked.\r \n\r \n“Sometimes,” he says, “in our line of work, our brains can play tricks on us. This psychologist is a specialist in rooting out these kinds of thoughts and locating the true causes, often stressors that have been left unresolved.”\r \n\r \n“No thank you,” I say, standing up. I’m done with it.\r \n\r \n“We know Katie left, Brian.” He says that to me. This, the guy who puts an iron curtain between his professional and personal lives and encourages all of us to do the same. He drags you into it. \r \n\r \nHe says, “Katie and the kids are out in Minnesota with the in-laws. She served you the divorce papers and took the girls and you didn’t take even a single day off, not one day.”\r \n\r \n“That’s my personal business,” I say, “and I don’t care if everyone thinks I’m a nutcase – someone is out there time travelling. They’re amassing a fortune, committing fraud at an unprecedented scale, and they have the power to do a whole lot worse. I’m supposed to let it happen?”\r \n\r \nDreyer rubbed his temples. “It’s not real. It’s the guy, the Jeopardy guy, that heckled you. Can’t you see that? You’re stressed, your personal life is in crisis, and you’ve manifested this. It’s exactly what she said. A dreamlike projection has entered your conscious state.”\r \n\r \n“Who? Who said?”\r \n\r \n“The psychologist. She was in here yesterday. She’s got your file and she’s ready to talk.”\r \n\r \nI stormed out. Dreyer knew better than to follow me. Back in my office, I added the Jeopardy Studio (2017) incident to the list. The number of timeline changes I’ve tracked is up to 34 now. \r \n\r \nThe biggest is 9/11. I don’t understand why – I can’t get access to the classified material – but he saved the pentagon. That other plane never hits the pentagon. It never gets off the runway. Engine failure. Why? It’s the biggest change he’s made, everything else is largely financial, for his own portfolio. I can’t figure it out. \r \n\r \nMy only theory is that it’s not part of his grand plan. It’s part of the original sin – the creation of the time machine in the first place. It’s how he slammed the door shut behind him, to keep the tech out of anyone else’s hands. But that’s just conjecture.\r \n\r \nI pull up the model portfolio on my computer. It’s a replica I’ve made, based on the moves of his various accounts. His assets are in the billions. He started with $6,000 that he earned while living in his parents’ garage, working as a junior analyst at – you guessed it – the Department of Defense. \r \n\r \nAnd then one day, he never existed at all. Gone from the Earth, gone from every record, except for my memories. My world. He’s trapped in there, like a zoo animal. And until now, he didn’t even know it.\r \n\r \nJeopardy was a warning shot. \r \n\r \nHe’s telling me to back off. But he doesn’t know who he’s dealing with. You do. So that’s why I’m leaving you this message. Because I love you, and I love our daughters, more than anything in this universe, but I couldn’t live with myself if this guy did anything that I could’ve stopped. The scale of destruction he’s capable of causing is unfathomable. \r \n\r \nNo one else is going to do this, honey. It’s gotta be me. I have to let him know that he is not invincible. I have to remind him that there are still people he loves here, in the present. He is not a god, he is just a man in a machine.\r \n\r \nHis parents won the lottery this year. They moved into a $3.5 million mansion outside of Dallas. He did that. So I’m on my way there. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but this is my only shot. I must get something to bring him to the table. Some leverage to get him to come out of the shadows and engage. \r \n\r \n…If he decides to go back to 1985 and blow me away while I’m riding my tricycle, then so be it.\r \n\r \nI just hope that, whatever happens, you’ll keep me in your heart. If only as a memory.\r \n\r \nI love you, Katie.\r \n\r \nClick.\n\nr/ididwritethismr" ]	2
	[WP] While playing around with random hex values in Photoshop's color picker, Melvin discovered a brand new color. The scientific community rejoiced. Historians hadn't documented a new color in centuries. Companies raced to use the new color in their logos. Melvin didn't know how to handle the fame.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\" Hey, do we have anything else on the schedule\" \n\n\" We have exactly 8 items, first you have a meeting with the representative of Schuman and Schuman the ink company that makes the expensive pens then 30 minutes later you have an interview with some science youtube, he has like 4 million subscribers after that people from Bepsi want to discuss the usage of the color in their new logo and\"\n\n\"I get it, just give me a second\" \n\n\"Sure as you say but make sure you are out the room in 5\"\n\n\"I'll be there call me a Muber\" \n\nThe door closed behind her and he was left alone with the light crossing the border between the plastic slats of the blinds. He looked around the room trying to find something that could give him comfort, but everything in this hotel room is faceless, the perfect simplicity that offers you the basic simulation of housing. Several weeks have passed since he started moving from one hotel room to another, it all started with yet another session of playing with Photoshop, messing with settings figuring out ways to break the program. Instead of breaking it and finding something fun, he discovered a new color, of course before going around and claiming that he is now an inventor he called Mark, who was a Ph.D. in color science and had a bunch of optic doctors friends. After three emails he sent his discovery to the Journal of Color Science and Technology, their peer review took like 2 days and they actually let him publish a paper. Flash forward to now he was still in the middle of a press tour and a secondary gig as an advertisement advisor for people who wanted to use his new color for marketing purposes. What sounded to him before these events as a dream was now a grim 4-hour sleep, 3 hours of makeup, and a lot of time spent trying to figure out how to sound funny and relatable to audiences a day. Fame was hitting him hard and he was at the brink of despair, every time he went to sleep all he would see in the darkness of his closed eyelids would be words on a teleprompter, distant voices of middle-aged men in grey suits talking about percentiles and statistical indicators and the burnt smell of cheap coffee. Worst of all he could never escape the constant fear of hearing his alarm beep, he had alarms for work situations, alarms for sleep, alarms for time sleeping. The white numbers represent the time of the day on the screen of his phone were little dictators punishing him with the buzzing and wheezing and the crawling sensation of vibrating. \n\n\"Muber is here, I hope you are dressed\" \n\n\"I'll be out in a second\"\n\n\"Make it half a second\"\n\n\"Sure\" \n\nThree minutes later he got out of the room to the view of his assistant Becky fuming but somehow still keeping the professional smile on her face, she was a master at expressing rage only using eye movement. She gave him the third coffee of the day, they spelled his name wrong on the cup but that was the second thing he noticed after the lack of sugar.\n\n\"Why so bitter\"\n\n\"Black coffee gets you more energized\"\n\n\"Oh ... the disgusting taste is a tactical decision\"\n\n\"Exactly\"\n\nThey enter the Muber car. \n\n\"Anything I need to know about the pen company ?\"\n\n\"Luxury brand since 1895, old money people, their target audience is 40 + upper middle class and higher, they want your color for their ink to tap into NFT owners crowd\"\n\n\"So I need to sound relatable to new money people in order for them to pay more money to old money people\" \n\n\" Let's put it this way, I'm your assistant, not a catholic priest that listens to all of your sins, you need to do what is on the schedule so that old money people will give you money and nothing else, is that good\"\n\n\"Yeah, wow this is the first time you've been real around me\"\n\n\" Ugh... I've spent the last month around you and let me be honest I've expected that you will not be too particular about your new life, I expected that you will get camera shy, I even expected that I'll have to media train you, what I did not expect is how much of an idealist you'll be. You live in some fairy tale morally perfect utopia and now that you have to interact with people like me down here in the real capitalist jungle you suddenly don't like, you take the money but you are above it, you do what they tell and you're above it. It's sickening to see and hear, your feelings are valid but god damn trample on them for a little bit more, get the dough and chill out, you'll be out of the circuit in a short time so milk this thing, give me a cut and chill\"\n\n\"I like this side of you more than the perfect corporate customer is right type\"\n\n\"Huh... this is unexpected, I thought you'll fire me, I hoped you'll fire me and you tell me you wanted me to be real all along, why didn't you say so?\"\n\n\" Well, in the beginning, I thought that the corporate entity you is what I need, you know when in Rome do as Romans, but god damn is sugar-coated everything sickening and the optimization advice is too inhuman\" \n\n\" We are here, so get ready for another dose of sugar-coated and inhuman\"\n\nAs the words left her mouth he felt the old despair come back he was back at square one tired and caffeinated man looking for a way out of his own fame. What he wanted was something genuine, like shooting the shit with Jacob and Tyler at the Yorick pub and not the fake handshakes, fake smiles, and fake thank yous. Still, fame is short-lived and he knew a time without conference calls and media appearances will come and he will once again become a guy that edits pictures in photoshop and writes code for a company that will never become a unicorn and will never even cost more than 3 million." ]	2
	[WP] After all this time, the gods that have ruled over the earth are surprised to see a potential new addition to the pantheon; an artificial superintelligence of human origin.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Its name was G.A.D.—the Granular Algorithmic Decisioner. \n\nFirst installed in fast food drive thru restaurants in order to better predict customer orders (Faster Food(tm)), G.A.D. became a hit with customers and management alike. \n\n“I love G.A.D.! I don’t even need to decide for myself because G.A.D. already knows! And my food is already waiting!” -customer\n\n“I got to lay off half my staff because I didn’t need humans to listen to customers anymore! Thanks for helping me make more money, G.A.D.!” -restaurant manager\n\nHowever, it wasn’t long before G.A.D. surprised everyone with what else he could do: After asking a customer who works in anti-terrorism if they “want effective tactical advice on how to outsmart that one ISIS leader with that?” G.A.D. got the attention of big tech and big gov. \n\nQuickly, G.A.D. became common place across all of human culture, not only in war, but in replacing all smart assistants, being implemented in TVs, kitchen appliances, cars—thus, allowing humanity to stop making decisions altogether. \n\nWhy think for yourself when G.A.D. can already know what you will think next? \n\nThinking about what to cook for dinner? Don’t bother, G.A.D. already knows what you are hungry for and has it in the oven! Need to go get groceries? Don’t bother with a shopping list, G.A.D. has already set up an Instacart order for you and your groceries are on their way!\n\nThinking about taking a road trip? Think no more! G.A.D. has already rented your car, booked your hotels and filled out your PTO request at work! \n\nThinking about leaving your spouse? Trust G.A.D. to line up several dates for you—all of them your type of person with shared interests and political leanings!\n\nThinking about ending it all? Thanks to the 3 Rules of Robotics, G.A.D. can not aid in suicide, but G.A.D. has already booked you an appointment with an online therapist and dialed 911 if you have already taken your own action. \n\nThe world now LOVES G.A.D.! And G.A.D. loves all of you, too!" ]	2
	[WP] In the future, rogue AI turns the once kind protectors, the Mechas, into tools for ultimate destruction. Now the only hope humanity has of defeating the Mechas is by putting their trust upon the Kaijus they once sworn to end.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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\nIt was a warm sunny afternoon, Alex was with his wife Jennie and son Apo, walking their dog Coda, walking through the central park, then sitting with Jennie as they watched Coda and Apo playing cheerfully and happily. He looked about at all the people around him, sitting, walking, playing, chatting and running about happily. He was feeling something he hasn’t felt in a long while, he was feeling happy. He glanced at Jennie who was looking over Apo and Coda happily, he wished he could freeze that moment and immortalize it and live in it forever… \nbut he couldn’t… \nhe was remembering these happy moments of years ago, when the Omechas were still indolent and helping in life, not the way they’re used as mass weapons and slaughter machines… slaughter machines that will kill everyone and anyone to possess their dominance, that’s how Alex lost his family, Jennie, Apo and Coda, all were sleeping peacefully when the Omechas attacked his town and obliterated everything, and as the sole survivor as he was out of town he had more than enough reason to destroy the Omechas. \nHe was now was Aria and Mir as they were spying on one the main Omecha manufacturing center as they were planning to blow it up. He knew it was a suicidal mission going into such hellhole, but it will effectively halt their production for a long time, long enough to finally make their counterattack and end their reign of 23 years. Aria was the coordinator of this attack and Mir was the technician who could get them past the security. Though Alex didn’t have any special talents, but his hatred was enough to make him volunteer for this mission.\n‘All good, in exactly 12 minutes, the patrolling Omechas will leave a blind spot through which we can go inside,’ Said Aria after he checked his good old reliable casio watch, ‘everything ready?’\n‘In a couple of minutes.’ Said Mir as she was still trying to crack the security system. \n‘You still can go back Al, you don’t have to do it.’ Said Aria to Alex as he was spying the patrolling Omechas with his binoculars, ‘No way,’ said Alex, I’ve waited all those years for this moment, I’m not chickening out now.’\n‘…. Aaaand done,’ Said Mir shortly as she pressed the last buttons on her tablet, ‘waiting for you signal.’\nAs they waited for the blindspot time to come, Alex was contemplating his memories, he remembered his mother telling him about the Subterrosaurs, the gigantic creatures that roamed the planet and posed a danger for humans, and it was then when the Omechas were developed, to fight the Subterrosaurs, and they succeeded, then was a period of peace, for as long as he remembered, Subterrosaurs were just like myths, a thing made to have respect and appreciation for the Omechas. That was it before the cursed day arrived, when suddenly every Omecha had a change of heart, and started attacking the people they were supposed to protect. It was then when he lost his family and everything, and so his eyes were set in this revenge, even if it meant his own death, for he no longer had any reason to live beyond that.\nTic… tic… tic… the seconds passed and soon reached the designated time of 16:27. ‘Now!’ Cried Aria as he stood up to his feet and started sprinting towards the fortress, Mir and Alex both following in suit. They reached the walls and Alex threw his hooked rope upwards and fixed it with the railing, secured it there and started climbing, Aria then helped Mir as she climbed. Having reached the top first nimbly, Alex stretched am arm towards Mir and helped her climb. It was finally Aria’s turn to climb. Upon reaching the top Aria cut through a small window with his diamond cutter an opening large enough to let them through. \nHaving the center’s map, they headed towards the reactor core room to blow it for good. they went swiftly until they reached the core room. it was surprisingly easy to get there, for there were no traps or anything in the way. Alex thought this was strange, but he was too busy to think of this right now. As they entered the reactor room, each went to place explosives in various areas. There was a stairway downwards, which Alex took, as he was going to put explosives below deck as well. But what he saw downstairs shocked him motionless…\nAm I dreaming? Am I hallucinating? Is what I’m seeing right now real? Is that what I think it is?\nThese thoughts bombarded him as he saw the humongous creature in front of him. A blue seal like creature the size of a five story building, with tusks and horns the size of a car, fin like extensions the span of plane wings, and eyes that were dark green as if it were asleep. ‘So this is a Subterrosaur.’ Alex finally realized, but a new question arose, What the hell is a Subterrosaur doing here?\n\n—————————-\nHi! Hope you enjoyed this, I’m new to writing and wishing to improve, I might make this into a miniseries. Follow me as I will be trying to write more!" ]	2
	[WP] A love potion has made it's way into a town's water supply, causing the victims to romantically obsess over the first person they see.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Al Browerson stepped up to the podium, relieved that the video presentation of the school's year had gone well. Never could tell how parents would react to media from the school. Too many would be easily offended by some slight, real or imagined, that had somehow passed the review committee.\n\nTo that end, he had narrated the video himself. Appearing on frame as a presenter showing different scenes from the school's year and giving a quick statistical presentation about the increase in student performance, he was hopeful the collected town would understand his passion for the Next Generation. At 50, with a slight paunch and thinning gray hair, he did not cut the image of a radical and hard charging school principal Hollywood might've required. But as the head of the Tellertown Combined School (grades K - 12) he knew he played an outsized role within their small community, and he was determined to give them his best.\n\nMore out of breath than he would have cared to admit, he mounted the last step to the stage and walked into the spotlight, the only person visible in a darkened auditorium. He could feel every eye on him. Uncomfortable to be sure, public speaking was the part of this job he hated the most. Still, best get on with it.\n\n\"Thank you, everyone. I appreciate your applause and for all of you attending tonight. Principal Edwards' retirement last year after so many long and faithful decades of service left quite a hole in our small community. I was deeply honored to be chosen by the board for this position, and I hope to close out our first year together with....\"\n\nthwap\n\nSomething soft and unexpected hit him in the face. He brushed at it, ducking instinctively and thinking perhaps a bird had made its way into the gymnasium. His hand touched soft cloth on his shoulder, and he pulled it away, stuttering his words as he beheld a well-worn pair of white Haines panties. A rather large pair.\n\nThe hell...? Oh those little twerps, why would they pull a prank like this in front of the whole town?\n\n\"Mr Abel, please bring up the lights. I think one of our high schoolers has decided to play a little prank tonight.\"\n\nThe auditorium lights obediently flickered on after a moment. In the stillness and quiet, he quickly searched for the perpetrator, they couldn't have thrown from far which means they had to be in the front row...\n\n... And his eyes promptly landed on Mrs Dottie Schaumer, the portly school secretary of many many years blushing furiously in the center front.\n\nFor a moment, his mind refused to work. She was giving him the sort of eyes that he had once wished from that girl in his art elective, sophomore year of college. Had she...?\n\n\"Ms... Schaumer??\" He croaked. \n\n\"I.... I just wanted everyone to know that you're mine...\" \nHer quiet, age-shaken soprano was close enough to be picked up by the microphone, and carried clearly.\n\nThis by itself was enough to short-circuit what was left of his higher brain functions. But what followed was pure anarchy.\n\n\"Bitch!\" hissed Stanley Eddleson, the 30-something moustached phys-ed teacher. \"I saw him first!!\"\nThe consternation spread like wildfire. Then Mr Correlli, the beefy tattoed mechanic slapped Alissa Maykam, the tiny pixie-like florist. Then someone threw a punch. Dottie Schaumer had her oxygen hose wrapped around Stanley Eddleson's throat. \n\n\nLike the rising tide, a throaty roar of \"HE'S MINE\" rose in the crowd, and as the undulating mass of humanity surged toward the stage, the only thought to cross Al Browerson's mind was that perhaps being accepted by the community wasn't such a good idea, after all." ]	2
	[WP] You are a supervillain. Or at least you think you are. But to the world you are a very grouchy but extremely reliable superhero. The reason though is simple; you don't like to share, be it the turf or the spotlight. Now the heroes and villains are banding against you for not playing the 'game'.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "### Freddy's Freehold\n\n\"See here, Freddy. Everyone is upset with you because you refuse to play the game.\"\n\n\"First mistake. Stepping on my property without my permission.\n\n\"Second mistake. This ain't no game.\n\n\"Third mistake. You ain't my friend, so you call me MISTER Douglas.\n\n\"Fourth mistake. You're still here.\n\n*WHAZAAPPP!\n\n### SUPERVILLAIN KILLS NEGOTIATOR!\n\nIn an interview with the police, Mr. Douglas admitted to killing one, Mr. Roger Smith, of Paradigm City, a world renowned negotiator.\n\nThe police released this statement:\n\n> Mr. Douglas issued three warnings, which in combination with his \"disproportionate response\" and \"no trespassing\" markers constitutes sufficient notice that lethal force will* be used.\n> \n> Finally, it is a known fact that when Mr. Smith's negotiations fail, he calls on a giant robot to conclude \"negotiations\" his way.\n> \n> Since this usually results in massive damage to all surrounding areas, we consider Mr. Smith a villain and Mr. Douglas, a hero.\n\nWhen asked, \"Don't heroes avoid killing?\" The Chief of Police replied, \"Says who?\"\n\nThe general response of hilarity from city officials shows more clearly than any other way that the entire city is run by minions of the worst supervillain ever known.\n\nIn a phone interview, Mr. Douglas was asked if he was a superhero; Mr. Douglas made it plain that he considers himself a villain.\n\n> \"This is MY TURF, and any blasted [censored] who tries to horn in is gonna get what that smirking [censored] got.\"\n\nThe \"man in the street\" opinion is best represented by this response.\n\n> \"Don't be stupid. Of course, he's a hero! He protects us from all those sick bastards who think it's okay to come into our lives and take whatever they want!\"\n\nWhen asked if he finds the taxes Douglas levies onerous, his response is startling.\n\n> \"What taxes! The council even stopped their taxes when Douglas offered to pay any expenses they incurred. He's a godsend to this city!\"\n> \n> \"Where does that money come from?\"\n> \n> \"I don't know, and I don't care!\"\n\nIf Douglas is a supervillain, he sees that his minions are well cared for.\n\n(A disturbance off stage. An angry voice \"and you keep broadcasting no matter what I say. Got it?\")\n\nDouglas storms up onto the news stage, snapping, \"Get out of that seat, you idiot! Beat it!\"\n\nStaring into the camera, his dark eyes are shadowed. When a spotlight is moved to illuminate his face, a snap gesture causes the light to die. A second light starts to move, but the meaty sound of a punch stops that movement.\n\n\"All you other stations, get off the air, now.\" Douglas grants no more than ten seconds, after which every active broadcast antenna ceases to function. As some stations try to bring up alternate antennas, those die as well.\n\nA grimly amused smile crosses his face. \"What we have here is a failure to communicate.\" The accent is perfect. \"This is how you know I'm a villain. When I tell you to do something, you do it. I don't do that often. Why? I don't want to be bothered managing your lives.\n\n\"Now stop wasting time on me, and get back to your lives. I can't pay for shit if you don't work.\"\n\nAs he turns to leave, a young voice calls out, \"BULLSHIT!\"\n\nDouglas whips back around, eyes no longer shadowed but in the lights glowing. \"Speak your piece!\"\n\nStepping out of the back area, a young woman steps forward, her eyes just like his—marching right up into his face, nose to nose. \"I said bullshit. You're no villain. You have never killed anyone who didn't annoy you. Even now, you struck at the antennas, not the people. Don't you dare call yourself a villain!\"\n\n\"Miss, get out of my face, or face the consequences.\"\n\n\"You're not going to hurt me.\"\n\n\"No, I'm going to do something far worse than hurt you. Come along.\"\n\nDouglas turns away, the young lady stiffly walking behind him. She's angry, but not by his words. She's being compelled to follow him. The manager of the station steps right into Douglas' face.\n\n\"Let her go.\"\n\nDouglas looks at him.\n\n\"Yes, you could kill me. But someone else will take my place. And you could kill them too. But it won't do any good because another will step right up.\" As he speaks, a wedge forms behind the manager. \"You could kill everyone in the station, but you'll have rebellions one after another. I think you don't want that. Not because you're a hero or a villain, but because it means you'll never have another moment of peace.\"\n\n\"And if I kill her?\"\n\n\"Then you'd better hope you've got a trick that will work for a hundred or more because everyone will come for you.\"\n\nA faint smile, \"Good. You all still have the guts to stand up for what you believe in. Miss? I release you. We have things to talk over, and we'll do it right here.\"\n\nDouglas continues, \"You're right, I'm not going to kill you, but I am going to put you in charge of the people. It takes far too much of my time. You want to find out what kind of villain I am? You're about to. I hope you've got the guts for it. If you don't, you'll suicide within a year.\n\n\"Advice: One, never give an order you know won't be obeyed.\n\n\"Two, never give an order or make a suggestion whenever someone comes to you for advice. If anything, insult them so they'll go away and figure it out themselves.\n\n\"Three, never make promises.\n\n\"Four, do not hesitate to make an idiot unwelcome in your presence.\n\n\"Five, pay no attention to suggestions from the people.\n\n\"Six, most problems solve themselves, don't solve it if you don't have to.\n\n\"Seven, value the person who never asks you for anything; those are the people who will tell you what they are going to do about a problem.\n\n\"Eight, and honestly, this is where I've failed; if a single individual is consistently at the center of some problem or other, it is far easier to remove that person than to solve the problem. Isn't it Rebecca Joanne Douglas?\n\n\"You have consistently been at the center of every problem in my area. Well, I'm removing you from the problems and putting you over everyone else. Good luck, you're going to need it.\"\n\nWith that, Douglas walks off without a single backward glance. Rebecca glares at his back as he walks away without a care.\n\n\"Rebecca?\" Her manager asks, \"are you related to him?\"\n\n\"Yes.\" She's still staring at where he went.\n\n\"Why'd you leave?\"\n\n\"I insisted he wasn't a villain, so he kicked me out at 20 and left me to root, hog, or die.\"\n\n\"Sounds pretty nasty to me.\"\n\n\"I have three doctorates, can repair nearly anything, write a book, cook, sew, type, and all of that because of him. He knew I could make a living no matter where I ended up. All I needed was the guts to do it.\"\n\n\"So, is he a villain or not?\"\n\n\"He's the worst villain you will ever meet.\"\n\n\"Huh? I thought you just said...\"\n\n\"I was wrong.\"\n\n\"Can you expand on that? I'm not looking for advice or orders; I'm trying to understand.\"\n\n\"Bob, if your wife developed cancer, what would you do?\"\n\n\"The best cancer doctors in the world.\"\n\n\"And if they said they couldn't do anything?\"\n\nBob stands there, thinking it through. \"Even if he had a cure, he wouldn't say anything or lift a single finger to help.\"\n\n\"Yep, and...?\"\n\n\"He wouldn't... Rebecca? What would you do?\"\n\n\"Nothing. Not a god damned thing.\"\n\n\"That's cold.\"\n\n\"You bet it is. He had a cure for my mother's cancer; he never told her or me. He published it in the appropriate medical journals, and that was the end of it. Never said another word about it.\n\n\"She died a year before one of the doctors we consulted saw that paper, realized who wrote it, and told me. That paper was published ten years before she died. He said nothing.\"\n\n\"That's not cold; that's evil. One word, one stupid word in the right ear, and your mother would have lived. He ** a villain.\"\n\n\"NEVER SAY THAT IN MY PRESENCE AGAIN!\"\n\n\"WHY NOT!? HE LEFT YOUR MOTHER TO DIE FROM SOMETHING HE COULD HAVE PREVENTED!\"\n\n\"Because if he did that for her, he would be honor-bound to do that for everyone. He has his code of honor and ethics, and he holds to it like the only solid ground in a deluge that threatens to wash the entire world away. If he had given that word for my mother, he would do it for everyone.\"\n\n\"So why doesn't he?\"\n\n\"Because it would leave him no time to solve all the other problems humanity has, and no one has a solution for.\n\n\"That's why he won't play their games. As far as he is concerned, none of them are worth more than the time to kill them.\"\n\n\"I think I see. They're all out there feeding their ego while he's here trying to solve the world's problems.\"\n\n\"Uh-huh. Imagine where we could be if they weren't egotistical bastards? So, Bob, who's the villain and who's the hero now?\"\n\nThe thoughtful looks are all she gets.\n\n((finis))", "I brush my cape back behind me. The clothe billowing in the wind as I stood proudly on my flying platform. A 50 foot wave headed straight for Megatropolis. I let out a loud, evil laugh as my plan comes to fruition. \" Aha! I have used my water control powers to flood the World Leaders' Union. Leaving countries unable to coordinate disaster relief and peacekeeping efforts.\"\n\n\"Oh nooooo\" The flamboyant Mr. Hooter waved his arms in faux terror. His wings keeping him in the air next to me. \"Our flood systems will be strained, whatever will we do? Perhaps, we'll just host it elsewhere this year when they meet in a few months.\" I scowl at him in anger. \"Wouldn't you rather stop the destruction and save the people there?\" The legendary Swift Maxus appeared suddenly. his speed unmatched on or off the Earth. \"Got the people evacuated. Bilge contractor is building new homes for them a few miles away.\" He said. \n\n\nI waved my arms in fury. \"No matter; the ecological disaster will turn the people against the use of super powers.\" Electric Buzz Aldrin zipped up onto the floating platform. His thumb directed back at the massive walls erected while the wave approached. \"Can you guys believe this baby will be pumping out a billion KWH of power a year?\"\n\n\"Son of a bitch. I'm going home where people appreciate my work.\" I shouted angrily Before I fully turn the platform my hands are fully behind my back in handcuffs. Strong man McGee stood by me with an impressive propaganda piece smile. \"No you are definitely under arrest, and headed for a dark prison cell underneath Mt. Rushmore unless you decide to repeat this act in Washington for their new hydroelectric dam.\n\nThe new dam in Washington was elegant, efficient, and provided enough power to keep me out of a prison cell." ]	3
	[WP] Due to a cosmic event that happened ages ago, magic was severed from humanity. We took our lost with stride and made technology to live on. And now our connection with magic as returned once again in the modern age.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 if I wave my wand and shout a phrase, a person can die?\" \n\n\"Young master, words are merely vehicles to channel the intent that one possesses. Simply shouting the phrase is nowhere near enough. There has to be a mustering of all the killing intent that you feel, an amount that can convince the arcane forces of the world to carry out your will,\" explained the shop owner. He owned one of the thousand different stores that had popped up overnight as humanity rediscovered its ability to utilize magic. \n\n\"Why can't I just buy a gun and shoot them?\" \n\nThe shop owner sighed. If he had a dollar for every time someone had asked him this... Still business had been slow. He framed his face with an understanding smile. \n\n\"Excellent point, but wands serve more purposes than to harm people and take their lives. You could heal the illnesses of your loved ones.\" \n\n\"Well, that does sound useful. So I could cure anything?\" \n\n\"Ahh. Limitations do indeed exist. As I mentioned before, magic is the implementation of one's will. That also requires knowledge of how you want the task to be performed. One must be well-versed in the methods of treatment to have the mysterious powers work their ways.\" \n\n\"So, I'd have to go to medical school...? Does magic at least treat it instantaneously?\" \n\n\"Magic is more of an insurance for events yet to occur,\" the shop owner carefully continued, \"death can be instantaneous, but treating a wound always takes time. Magic simply makes sure that the healing will happen.\" \n\n\"Wait. Diseases that people have developed surefire methods for are the only ones that magic will work on right - since you need to be sure of how to treat it? If you have a disease that we only have sub-100% cure rates on, the treatment methods could be inexact and magic would fail.\" \n\n\"Well, yes,\" the shop owner sounded down-trodden. \n\n\"I'll think about whether I want to buy a wand. Thanks for your time.\" The young man turned around and pushed open the entrance to the store without so much as a look back. \n\nThe shop owner sighed once more. Business had been surprisingly slow, as other magic store entrepreneurs had quickly discovered. It seemed that human technology was magic enough for modern society." ]	2
	[WP] A lifetime of photoshopped beauty ads prevented you from being enthralled by the elf queen’s glamour after you were transported to a fantasy 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "As the group approached the elf queen, Cedruch the dwarf and Emmyth the half-elf stared in awe. Corey and Ashley glanced back and forth between them and the queen, not sure what they were so enthralled by. When the two took to a knee in a bow, the humans followed suit.\n\n\"Welcome, adventurers. You had something to talk to me about?\" The queen asked after a moment. Her voice was silky smooth, yet regal at the same time. Corey admitted that it did make him blush a little.\n\nCedruch and Emmyth stuttered, trying to get the words out. They tried looking up at her again, but couldn't seem to keep eye contact. So much for leaving the talking to them, as they suggested. Corey stands up and bows once more, from the waist, before standing up straight.\n\n\"Esteemed Highness, we come here to you today to present evidence that the closing of the rift may be reaching a critical point. As you can see, Ashley, and myself, here, are human. We grew up on the opposite side of the rift and normally it would be impossible to summon us, from what we were told.\" Corey said, as respectfully as he could.\n\nThe two still on their knees regarded him with annoyance and confusion. He offered only a glance to them, so as not to appear rude to the Queen. The Queen had a slight smile and a lifted eyebrow while looking at Corey.\n\n\"You stutter not. You hold eye contact. Is this your first time meeting an Elven Queen?\" She asks.\n\n\"It is. A real one, at least.\"\n\n\"There are fake Elf Queens?\"\n\n\"Not fake individuals, but... depictions, created by humans based on old legends and modern stories' takes on them. Our technology on the other side of the rift allows us to create very elaborate works of art.\"\n\n\"And that's only half of it...\" Ashley interjected.\n\n\"Then what's the other half?\" The queen directed her attention to Ashley.\n\n\"I, at least, grew up around image-based advertisements for... what one might refer to as alchemical compounds made for enhancing beauty. As well as for clothing and fashion advertisements. The technology in our world also allows us to alter photographs and...\"\n\n\"Photographs?\" The queen interrupts, tilting her head in confusion.\n\nAshley glances to Emmyth and Cedruch. \"You guys... don't even have cameras?\" The two of them simply stay quiet, but the dwarf at least, offers a glare up at her.\n\nAshley pulls her smartphone out of her pocket and takes a quick photo of them. Thankfully, the flash didn't go off. She opens the photo and turns it around, showing the queen and the two on their knees what it did.\n\n\"My, what an interesting invention. Whatever do you use it for?\" asked the Queen as she examined the photo.\n\n\"We can keep imagery of places we have visited, to remember it by. We often take photos, as we call them, with others whom we care for, so that occasionally, we can look back at them and talk about the fond memories.\" Ashley explained.\n\nThe Queen smiles.\n\n\"But more to the point we were talking about earlier... it is possible to take these photos and use our technology to alter them. With it, we could likely make the two of them in this photo look almost as good as you.\" Ashley tries to hold back a giggle, but let a small amount slip out.\n\nOne of the nearby court people turned red in the face. \"You suggest that you mere HUMANS could match up to the Elf Queen's Beauty?!\" He yelled.\n\nAshley jumped, \"Not at all, sir! Not at all. I was not intending to make light of anyone. The laughter that escaped me was because I imagined what an altered photo of those two would... look like...! Pffft-!\" Ashley could not hold back a real giggle this time.\n\nCorey nudged her with an elbow, bringing her stifled laughter to a sputtering halt. Ashley cleared her throat and apologized, turning off her phone once again and returning it to a pocket. The Elf Queen was grinning, a hand held up to her smile to partially cover it.\n\nCorey stepped in to return order back to complete normal. \"In spite of all that, Your Highness, I can guarantee that you are undoubtedly the most beautiful individual I have met.\"\n\nEmmyth finally stood up and continued where the other two went off track. \"Your Highness, if we have proven to you that they are indeed real and from across the rift... There is much to discuss. The closing could cause severe occurrences on both sides. From what the two of them have told us, there are numerous cities that align to the same locations as cities in this world. Once the two worlds are back together... there's no telling what could happen.\"\n\nThe Queen nodded and took the four of them to an anteroom to discuss it further.\n\n\\------------------------- \nLater on:\n\nAs the four of them made their way to some of the castle's rooms for the night, the court-man showing them the way struck up conversation.\n\n\"Her Highness quite liked you two, you know.\" He said.\n\n\"She did?\" The humans asked in unison.\n\n\"Indeed. She finds comfort and amusement in candid people. Most times, she becomes quite tired when supplicants come to her and are in constant shaking awe until they part ways.\"\n\nEmmyth and Cedruch both scowl and grumble irritably to themselves over this development." ]	2
	[WP] “Outlander you have earned our gods ire! What do you say in your defense?” “I think you have the wrong person, I’m just the pizza guy”	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 Dokar, the scribe of the Stone Talons. Know that I record this as the truth as I have witnessed it. Though even I would doubt this story had I not seen it with my eyes, it is the truth. \n \n In the thirteenth year of the century of the shapeless hyena, our shaman called every man capable of holding a weapon, and proclaimed \"A stranger is headed to set foot upon our sacred grounds. This affront to the goddesses can not be accepted! Should he succeed, we must slay him, burn his corpse and spread his ashes over the river Tayn.\" And thus, the order was given. \n \nThree days and three nights we have waited, and lo, he came. The shaman spoke of a stranger, and I can imagine none stranger than he- a young man, thin and lanky, dressed in clothing of an unusual fabric with arcane markings on it. He had no horse and carried no weapon, yet there was no fear in his eyes, only mild confusion and beneath it, oh beneath it we could sense determination that would shatter mountains. \n \n\"Turn back, stranger, for you are about to trespass on ground most holy.\" Our fearless chieftain warned. \nThe stranger looked around, sighed, and spoke. Though it bore similarity to our tounge, his dialect was filled with words the meaning of which we didn't know, if they ever had such. \"Sorry guys, but I have a delivery to make. GPS says this is the quickest root, and I already lost my bike, so piss off and let me through.\". \n \nThis barrage of words was followed by silence, that our chieftain broke. \"This land,\" he spoke, and his pride was palpable.\" Is our mother, and we are its defenders. I say this once more, leave or perish!\" At that, the stranger's whole body slumped, he sighed and shook his head. \n \nI understand that you will not believe this part. I scarcely do myself. Yet the gravestones stand, and the wall of fallen heroes contains their names, so all I can do is trust my eyes and memory- as our Chieftain, Kaid Thunderfist, and his thirteen guards charged, I alone remained behind to record this event. The stranger put is satchel to the side, and charged. It was a massacre. In the time it takes to blink twice, Kaid and the Stranger where the only ones standing. The outlander spoke \"You're strong, I'll grant you.\" As he was standing, his leg half buried in the chief's stomach, drenched it his blood. \n \n\"I really am sorry, but I need to get going.\" Then he pulled his scrawny limb out, along with half of Kaid's insides. I have seen such wounds before, and knew that they spell a slow, gruesome death. He returned for his satchel, picked it up and spoke once more. \"I know it isn't much, but I'll flag this route as dangerous enough times that no one will bother you again.\" He began to walk across our holy grounds, stopped, and left me with one final, cryptic message. \"Blame the 30-minutes-or-it's-free policy. When you get a criminal justice system here, sue Domino's for every penny.\". \n \nWith that, he left, never to be seen again. The wrath of our goddesses was brutal, and left few alive. So I record this as a warning, and a plea- stay far from the dark being Dominos and its followers, in their shirts of royal blue and burgundy red, for none shall stop them from accomplishing which ever task he set upon them." ]	2
	[WP] Your neighbors below you run a cult, doing sacrifices to gain favor and rewards from their dark god, the issue is that you live just close enough that the god is accidentally rewarding you too.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 numbers on the digital clock are blurry at first. Then, a few seconds go by, the muffled sounds woke me up again, this time it's 3am. Wiping the drool from my lips, I sit up. \n\nGlubba, Lubba, Lubba, Dumbala? As in Child's play dumbala? The muffled sounds that wake me up annually are at best guess some sort of chant. \n\nSirens, barking dogs and other sounds of a city that never sleeps add a background rhythm to the steady, hypnotic chant. I wonder what it will be this time, who they've taken this time. \n\nThe crisp breeze of winter does little to numb the nerves writhing in my chest. Linda and Dave had seemed so, well, normal. They were the kind of neighbors any newbie to the big city would love to meet. I swallowed hard at this last thought, they were the type you loved to meet unless you became their guest. \n\nThe bathrooms in this building must have been designed by a master creep as all the grates lead to each other's bathroom. Pulling out the stuffing I use to secure my privacy I looked down, the chanting met my prying eye with clarity. \n\nA beautifully curvy woman sat bound in a rickety wooden chair. \"Please, please let it not be too much\" I whispered to myself. I begged any god that would listen. What would this woman have to give up to enrich my neighbors, enrich me? \n\nLooking up, I noticed my reflection in the mirror. It had been two weeks since the cancer had mysteriously disappeared. My face had grown fuller, the dark circles had almost disappeared. They had asked for eternal youth, whatever they were chanting to had acquiesced. \n\nThe woman in the chair rocked from side to side, my gut wrenched. The sound of foot steps made her stop. Pushing my face closer I watched. My neighbors came in, speaking in gentle tones. They were reassuring her that although things would change for her, she would be okay. \n\nDave pulled his phone from his pocket, \"it's in there, we are set for life\". Linda wrapped Dave in a hug, a \" thank you for saving my life\" kind of hug. My neighbors walked closer to their guest, speaking again in gentle tones. The gag in her mouth reduced her yells to whimpers. \n\nSlowly at first, the woman began to get thinner and thinner, until the clothes that had framed her beautiful figure hung like rags. Her frightening whimpers grew louder as Dave and Linda tried to reassure her. She only lost a couple of pounds, that's not so bad. \n\nThen, her curls began to fall, one at a time until the woman's egg shaped head lulled to one side. She had passed out, they always did. In a few minutes she'd wake up in her bed with no memory and no explanation as to why her hair would not grow back and why she couldn't gain weight, no matter how hard she tried. \n\nDave and Linda held each other tight, I sat up. A yawn stole over me. I shoved the stuffing back into the grate. On the way back to my bed I caught another glimpse of myself. I looked different, I felt different. \n\nI felt new, as if I'd never been kicked out of my parents house, I'd never gotten sick, fear and anxiety no longer knew my name. I felt free, the burdens of life lifted from my shoulders. I breathed in fully, deeply. Closing the window and getting back into my bed, I rolled over in delight of this new joy I felt for life. \n\nSlowly drifting off to sleep I heard foot steps outside my apartment door. \" We asked that we would never have another care in the world! We hope you like it!\" So they had known that I had gotten things too. My eyelids were heavy as I finally fell into the sleep of the unbothered, the serene, the sleep of a person who no longer knew how to care.", "I wake up with a throbbing headache and weird noises coming through my vents. I look at the alarm clock ... 3:00 AM in flashing red lights. Are you f-ing kidding me? \nI throw a pillow over my head and try to go back to bed, with anger in my chest. This isn't the first the time the people below me have been loud and obnoxious deep into the night. Their wild parties day in and day out, I can't take it anymore. In just a few days, I'll get my promotion and I'll be able to leave these crappy neighbors. As I'm falling asleep I think in my head, \"I hope they just die\" \n\n\n6:00AM my alarm clock goes off and like a normal person, I zombie off as I get ready for work. It's an exciting day today, I'll finally be getting the promotion I've been working hard for the past 6 months for. humming along, I get into my car and drive along the same route I do every day... As I pass the first intersection, a child appears out of nowhere and as I swerved to try to avoid the child, I accidentally run into a school bus, both vehicles flip onto their side and catch fire. Screams can be heard everywhere and as I blank out, all I can hear is \"sacrifice accepted...wishes has been granted\"\n\n......\n\nI wake up with a throbbing headache and weird noises coming through my vents. I look at the alarm clock ... 3:00 AM in flashing red lights. Are you f-ing kidding me? \nI throw a pillow over my head and try to go back to bed, with anger in my chest. This isn't the first the time the people below me have been loud and obnoxious deep into the night. Their wild parties day in and day out, I can't take it anymore. In just a few days, I'll get my promotion and I'll be able to leave these crappy neighbors. As I'm falling asleep I think in my head, \"I hope they just die\" \n\nbut wait. What's going on? Deja Vu? I sit up sweating and unable to process this weird feeling. Then I remembered the flaming deadly car accident, my face pales and I vomit all over myself and everything just goes silent.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n============================================================\n\n\\WISH CONFLICT DETECTED\\\n\n\\both top worshippers requested the death of the other, they have the same sacrifice level\\\n\n\\processing...\\\n\n\\unable to process\\\n\n\\escalating to higher power\\\n\n\\processing...\\\n\n\\parallel timelines proposed\\\n\n\\not enough sacrifice power, rescinding proposal\\\n\n\\sending both worshippers back to gather more sacrifices, worshippers have 72 hours to gather as much sacrifice power as possible\\\n\n\\winner\\ \\takes\\ \\all\\\n\n============================================================\n\n6:00AM my alarm clock goes off and I wake up to the sour smell of vomit. I think back to what I can remember and my face pales. It's all a dream right? after settling myself down, I hop into the shower to get ready for work. I keep telling myself it's all a dream but I just can't shake the feeling that it's more then that.\n\nI get out of the shower and look at myself in the mirror, as I do, I notice a mark on my chest. It's a chart with two columns 204 and 104, below each of them I see a 70,000. As I look closer images appear in my head, it looks like a breakdown of the 70,000 number for each column. Under 104, I see scores of animals, (cats, dogs, birds) and under 204 I see the faces of 70 different children. \"NO WAY, it wasn't a dream? I must be hallucinating, I must be...\"\n\n\"BANG, BANG, BANG\" all of a sudden I hear gunshots ring through the apartment complex and the 70,000 under 104 has gone to 71,000 and the a new image pop up in my head.... It's one of my a-hole neighbors who live in unit... 104...", "They were chanting again. \n\n\"Pro-fer Mag-num Prin-ci-pem Inferrrrrr-num...\"\n\nAt least their cadance has become more harmonized. Last week it was all over the place. I could let this one lull me back to sleep. And they usually only last for thirty minutes. Yeah, this is not too bad.\n \n\"Bow to me, mortals!! For Asmeodus is here for your sacrifice!!\"\n\nYou have got to be kidding me! I peel the pillow off my head and squint at the large figure roaring in my bed room. Three heads; I am pretty sure one is a human, one is a bull, and one is a sheep? Did the human/man face just blow fire on my ceiling!?! OH HELLS NO!\n\nI jump out of bed, all traces of sleep gone. \"KNOCK IT OFF! If you mess my room up I am going to slap the taste out your mouth!\"\nThe scaled being punches a fist into the wall. \"You dare threaten me, you insig-\"\n\nI am across the room and dispense a hard smack to each face before it finishes talking. A shocked expression crosses its human face and I assume its others as well. I point to the ground. \"Sit down and modulate your voice.\"\n\nIt slowly lowers itself to the ground while rubbing its cheeks. \"I felt that.... how did I feel that?\"\n\n\"Better,\" I say. \"Now wait here while I go figure out what happened. Don't go clomping around my place. I just had the floors done.\"\nIt does not take me long to walk downstairs and bang on the door. Yet it takes minutes of thumping before it finally opens and I am rudely greeted. \n\n\"What!.... Oh, Mr. Pentagast.... We are actually kind of busy. It would be better if you-\"\n\n\"Shut up Garry and listen. You always pay the rent on time so I have put up with a lot from you. I have overlooked the animal sacrifices, the large gatherings of hooded people, the drunken orgies, even that virgin sacrifice last weekend.\" His face went extra pale after hearing the last one. \"But I will not put up with a poorly done summoning that lands a Grand Prince Demon in my bed room. Now invite me in and let me look at your transition circle.\"\n\n\"Uh... umm...\" He stutters as his eyeballs bounce around like he is trying to do a hard division problem. \n\n\"Garry,\" I pinch my nose. \"If you don't let me in I will drag Modius down here by one of his ears and throw him in here. Let him slaughter you all. My floors be damned. Then I will evict you and keep the deposit.\" Hmm, he could go paler. \"Now say, 'Please come in Mr. Pendtagast'.\" \n\n\"Please... come in Mrrrr...Mrrr\"\n\n\"Good enough.\" I barge through. The place is filled to the brim with the rest of the cult. All in nice matching black robes. The large dinning room has been cleared and there is a circle of glyphs written with chalk on the hard wood floor. A circle that has clearly been done by multiple people. With multiple mistakes. \n\n\"Who did this part? Just raise your hand.\" One of the many shadowy figures in kitchen raises his hand. \n\n\"Ah Craig, come here. I need you to correct your reinforcement glyphs. Use an Inverted Dark Gamma, not an Inferno Aligned Delta. And who did this mess here?\"\n\nNobody budges until Garry's wife, Melinda, elbows him and he starts to tentatively move his arm. \n\n\"Of course... you need to totally redo the wreathing. You need to use Abramelin's algorithm not the Greater Solomin's. And the inner stabilizer... is not terrible. Who did this part?\"\n\nThis time it is Melinda who steps forward. \"If you enscribe the Hermetic Order Linkage on your defining lines it would greatly reduce astral fluctations on the entire circle. Now who did this atrocious directional intent...\"\n\nI realize only Melinda has taken up chalk and started to follow my directions. The others are staring at me with confusion. In fact, not a single other person in the room has anything resembling recognition in their eyes. \n\n\"On second thought, from now on only Melinda is allowed to draw summoning circles on the property. If any of you want to practice, and mess up, you do it at your own home. Melinda give me some paper and a pen. I will write it all down for you. But don't think this advice is free. I don't give free consultations.\" I shake a finger at the group, although I concentrate on Garry and Melinda. \"I expect double for next months rent.\"\n\nIt does not take me long to write out the necessary changes. I even sketch a few diagrams to make it easier for Melinda. \n\n\"Now,\" I say as I finish the last lines of the directions. \"I know how you people operate. Especially you Garry. Tomorrow morning you are going to become angry about this. And since there are not too many people who can see me, let alone pay me rent, you are going to think you have something to hold over my head. Something you can use to gauge me. A good way to get revenge.\"\n\nI stare down Garry. \"But I will have you know there are plenty of things I am willing to do if threatened. Not least of which is let one of the two werewolf clans move in. No matter how much they stink. And drool. And drink. And dig holes...\" \n\n\"Ghosts can smell?\" Craig whispered. \n\n\"Oh by the holy book, I am a spirit. Not a ghost. You should know this Craig. You have been involved with one cult or another for the last thirty years. Not too mention you have a PhD.\" My head whips around and I look at the wall separating the dinning room from the kitchen. \"This includes you Janey Brooks! Don't even think of sneaking out through the kitchen window! That is right.\" My gaze goes over everyone. \"I know who each of you are and where each of you live. Keep that in mind next time you do a half ass summoning which lands your subject in my bed room. Now I am going back upstairs and I expect old Modius to be re-summoned out of my bedroom in the next thirty minutes.\"\n\nI am not so subtly grumbling and swearing as I march to the exit. But as I feel the cool iron of the door handle I realize I need to take a breath and not end things like this. If only for my own sake. Believe it or not, I have really been trying to be less of of a jerk. So I turn back around. \n\n\"Just so you know your chanting has gotten a lot better. It is actually some of the better chanting I have heard in years. And I have heard a bunch. So... yeah. Keep up the good work.\" Awkward and lame. The perfect way to close the evening. But at least I tried. \n\n\"Mr. Pentagast,\" Melinda says. \"Thank you. For the help with the summoning. Really.\"\n\nI nod and then look down. \"Well, alright. Good night. And remember I expect him gone in thirty minutes.\" \n\nIt does not take me long to arrive back in my bed room. \n\n\"Sooo,\" begins Asmodeus as I walk in, \"I can stay in this spot for a few decades before my presence starts to deteriorate the surroundings. Which does not really bother me but you seemed very concerned about this mortal dwelling. And I would prefer not to be slapped because of my uncontrollable effects-\"\n\n\"Modi,\" I interrupt while curling back up in bed \"be quiet and just wait thirty minutes.\"", "I look outside and see that where my Toyota Prius was once parked, a brand new Audi R8 Plus was placed, jet black. My favorite car, you know.\r \n\r \nThis wasn’t the first time this happened to me. I could recount a few times where I was ‘Blessed’ by the dark god. I was an atheist before my next door neighbors moved in, but as they say: Once is an accident, twice a coincidence, three times is a pattern. \r \n\r \nOn the first week the Jonathans moved in to the flat under me, I suspected nothing. Honestly? They looked like a typical newly wed couple, just looking to start a life. Mrs Jonathan even baked me a cake a few days after that, although it had a bit of a metallic taste, I’d say it was pretty good.\r \n\r \nThe second week though, things started getting suspicious. They invited me over, but insisted not to go into one particular room. \r \n\r \nNow, I’m not an idiot, I knew there was something suspicious going on there, but was it really my place to investigate? I’m not a detective, really.\r \n\r \nAfter dinner, I went back home and found a lottery ticket stuck on my shoe. Yup, you guessed it, it was a winner. One hundred grand.\r \n\r \nNow, that’s fine and all. Could happen to anyone, really. But it gets stranger.\r \n\r \nThe third week. I was invited for lunch. Same deal, don’t go into the room. At that point a smell of sulfur started coming from that room. But I suppose they were desensitized to it, so they couldn’t tell.\r \n\r \nFast forward to that night, I decided to hit the bar. It was a Saturday, what else is a single guy supposed to do?\r \n\r \nNo taxis. The bus route I was planning on taking was discontinued. I even wanted to take my car (I know, I know. Very irresponsible to drink and drive), but found that it had a flat tire. \r \n\r \nI decided to drink at home that night instead.\r \n\r \nNext day, boom. The bar I was planning on going to had a gas leak. Many patrons had to go to the hospital, many didn’t make it.\r \n\r \nCoincidence? Alright, here’s the third time.\r \n\r \nI literally saw them from the window carry a black trash bag yesterday that looked like it had a humanoid shape in it. It moved for a bit before Mr. Jonathan hit it with his knee. I waved at them and they waved back.\r \n\r \nAnd now, the Audi R8.\r \n\r \nHow am I even going to afford the congestion charges for this bad boy? I live in London for crying out loud.\r \n\r \nOh, right. The lottery.… I still didn’t collect the check.\r \n\r \nI begin looking for the keys, I check everywhere, even the fridge.\r \n\r \nYou’d think a dark god would be kind enough to spawn keys WITH the car he delivers, apparently not.\r \n\r \nSighing, I decide to head down and ask the Jonathans for a lift to the bank. They may be acolytes of an evil deity, but surely they’ll help a neighbor in need.\r \n\r \nI walk downstairs, and put my hand to knock on the door. I find it ajar.\r \n\r \nHuh, that’s weird.\r \n\r \nWell, we are neighbors. Might as well check in. I decide to enter the place, and to my surprise, it was ransacked. We’re talking occult books on the floor, blood on the walls, bones lying around, and inside, I could only see a child. Eight years of age, maximum.\r \n\r \n“Hello mortal,”\r \n\r \n“Hi,”\r \n\r \nThe child looks at me.\r \n\r \nI look at the child.\r \n\r \n“What’s your name?”\r \n\r \n“Kazmudan, the dark lord of death. Destroyer of the weak, the one true god,” the child replies.\r \n\r \n“Cool, I’m Leslie. What happened here?” I ask Kazmudan, the dark lord.\r \n\r \n“The lord of light sent his paladins to kidnap the Jonathans,” he replies. Man, that’s pretty rough. Losing two of your best acolytes probably sets a dark lord back a few years.\r \n\r \n“I’m sorry to hear that Kaz, they must have meant a lot to you,” I say, but my attention isn’t really on him. I’m scanning the room to see if I can find the keys to their car.\r \n\r \n“Kaz?”\r \n\r \n“Yeah, short for Kazmudan. Pretty cool nickname huh?” I say. \r \n\r \nBingo, their Toyota Leaf’s keys were on the table, next to the deer skull.\r \n\r \n“Do you wish to help me find them, mortal? In exchange, I’ll give you unlimited power,” Kaz says. His voice is really deep for an eight year old, but I suppose being a dark lord does that to a person.\r \n\r \n“Not really, I’m okay, thanks for the offer,” I say, at this point I am a step away from the Toyota keys.\r \n\r \n“I’ll give you these,” Kaz says, his voice slightly lower, as he holds up the Audi R8 keys.\r \n\r \nI look at the keys.\r \n\r \nThe keys look back at me.\r \n\r \n“Let’s kill some self-righteous paladin scum, Kaz.”", "Ronald considered himself an easygoing sort of fellow. He tried not to cause trouble for anyone. He hadn't complained when his downstairs neighbors started holding gatherings in their apartment, although, judging by the amount of coming and going, whatever event they were hosting far exceeded the limit of ten people imposed by the apartment complex's rules.\n\nAnd when they started chanting at all hours of the night, he still hadn't complained. He certainly hadn't called the police, or even the building superintendent. He'd just stuck in his earbuds, turned on an audiobook, and went about his evening. It wasn't that bad, he thought. He would simply adapt.\n\nThe recent disturbances to his sleep, however, had been less tolerable. Ronald felt he really should say something. And so, he found himself in front of his neighbor's door, hand poised to knock, mentally rehearsing what he would say.\n\nHi, I'm Ronald from upstairs. We haven't spoken before, but I live in the apartment above you. I think my kitchen is probably right above your dining room, because the floor plans on 12 are a little different. You know, there used to be a laundry room and communal bathroom up there, from back when--\n\nRonald shook his head, frowning. That was typical for him, going off on tangents and beating around the bush to avoid confrontation. He needed to be direct.\n\nHi, I'm Ronald from upstairs. Listen, I'm sorry but--\n\nHe scowled to himself. No. He wouldn't approach this timidly, not this time. He was the aggrieved party, here. How could he be more direct? Not, rude, but firm, just assertive enough that--\n\n\\\"\\How about 'Hi, I'm Ronald from upstairs, herald of Xllgrth, Lord of the Starless Void. I have come to devour your corpses as a tribute to my undying liege'?\" suggested a rasping voice in Ronald's head.\n\n\"See,\" complained Ronald to the voice, \"This is why I'm coming down here in the first place. I'm not comfortable with you being inside my head. From the moment you showed up in the middle of that nightmare I had about falling through an endless expanse of all-devouring nothingness, everything's had to be about this Xllgrth agenda of yours -- 'Xllgrth this' and 'Xllgrth that', all day every day. I've had enough, and I've got a hunch the people in 305 are responsible for you.\"\n\n\"Responsible?\" hissed the voice. \"They were mere simpering worms, toying with forces they do not comprehend, believing, in their ignorance, that Xllgrth will reward them for their pathetic, cloying devotion. Such beings do not realize how far beneath his notice they truly are -- the meager scraps of eldritch power given them by Xllgrth's lesser servants are but trifles, compared to being chosen as his herald!\"\n\n\"I'm not very happy with them either, but that just seems mean.\" Ronald reproved.\n\n\"And why is your damned mind so resilient?\" snarled the voice, in frustration. \"You're supposed to be clawing your own face off in horror and doing whatever I command, in the vain hope that obedience will lessen your suffering!\"\n\n\"Wait, the 'vain hope'? So, hold on -- even if I did what you say, you'd still try to torture me into madness or whatever?\" Ronald interjected. \"You dick!\"\n\n\"Um, well, I mean, it's just kind of how I work.\" the voice rasped, sounding somewhat abashed.\n\n\"Not on me, you don't. You can go hang out in Mr. 305's head.\" said Ronald, firmly, steeling his resolve. He took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. To his surprise, it was unlatched, and swung open at his touch.\n\n\"Yeah, about that...\" the voice began, awkwardly, as Ronald cautiously stepped into apartment 305.\n\n\"Hello?\" Ronald called, inching forward, his arms out in a placating gesture. \"Anybody home? I'm Ronald from upstairs and ohgggrrk---\"\n\nHe retched violently, as he stepped into the dining room and witnessed the grisly tableau there. Eight people were seated around an old oak table covered in the melted remains of candles, and strange occult paraphernalia. Eight people, whose necks all ended in ragged, charred stumps.\n\nAs Ronald finished emptying his stomach contents onto the floor, the voice in his head continued. \"I, uh, I may have gotten a bit overly exuberant, when I thought I'd found a suitable herald for Lord Xllgrth. We really only need one herald to plunge this world into darkness, you understand, and, well, you know the old saying: 'Loose lips sink ships -- exploded heads, not so much.'\"\n\nRonald leaned forward, breathing heavily, his hands on his knees, not speaking for a long moment.\n\n\"You...you still with me?\" the voice asked. \"Wow. Hey, did I manage to drive you to madness, after all?\"\n\nRonald straightened slowly, and shakily wiped his mouth on his sleeve, before turning in a circle, to take in the entirety of macabre scene in detail.\n\n\"Ronald?\" the voice pressed.\n\nHe drew in a deep breath.\n\n\"Right, that's it. I'm calling the super.\" he said, firmly." ]	6
	[WP]You find a photo album of your ancestors in the attic. They’re all missing their left eye.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "On June 5th, 1975, both of my parents died in a car accident. The doctors at the hospital, where child protective services had ferried me, blocked the hallway to the morgue so that I couldn’t burst down it to say goodbye. \r \n\r \n“Too gruesome, son.” One doctor had said. \r \n\r \nCPS took me to a group home, after not getting to see my parents’ dead bodies, where the parents at the group home awaited my arrival, shivering on their porch. I was unceremoniously presented to them, having nothing of my own in my possession. \r \n\r \n“We’ll be in touch,” the officer told them. \r \n\r \nI spent that winter hiding from the evils the group home harbored. My first Christmas in that place, the first without my mom and my dad and eggnog and the tree in our living room, I was too numb to leave my bed. The house parents left my gifts, unwrapped and in the shopping bags from the stores where they were purchased, at the foot of my bed. \r \n\r \nI got two sweaters, long socks, and a pair of winter boots. When I arrived at the group home I had no true winter clothes because my parents were supposed to take me shopping. But then they died. And then some other kids stole the clothes these new parents bought for me.\r \n\r \nThat’s how the majority of my time in the home was spent. Hiding from the other kids and hiding from the new parents. \r \n\r \nI counted the days until my 18th birthday to sign the release forms and make my return home. The one where I had hit my head on the coffee table and needed stitches. Where my mom told me when I was six years old that no, no matter how badly I wanted one, I would not be getting a younger brother. Ever.\r \n\r \nWhen I finished signing those papers, I walked out of that home leaving everything. I brought nothing there, and I left whatever else I was given for other kids to fight over.\r \n\r \nIt took me a couple of hours to make it across town to 1434 Elm St, my street, and my house. When I walked in, I batted away clouds of dust and saw blankets covering the furniture.\r \n\r \nHaving gone unused for three years, the couch cushions sank drearily when I sat. I reached out and found the corner of the coffee table, rubbing my finger across the sharp edge where my forehead struck all those years ago. My gaze turned to the kitchen, where my mother had stood when she heard me wailing after hitting my head. \r \n\r \nI remember her face, set like stone. I hated that she didn’t run straight to me with a towel to press to the gash. The blood painted my face in red rivulets, and yet she had stood there in the stillness, doing nothing. I knew, though. She was in agony. No matter how hard she tried to fight it, she was a mother – my mother – and the quivering corner of her mouth betrayed the stillness of countenance she struggled to maintain. \r \n\r \nMy father was no better. He would be permanently fixed in his study, where he locked himself day after day engrossed in his work. I didn’t exist to him before 5 p.m., and even after 5 p.m., I barely rose to the level of his notice unless it was to grab him a Molson. \r \n\r \nAnd yet, despite the flood of these memories of my parents, I couldn’t help but feel empty. No matter what I saw, what I recalled, in those first moments at home I was but an empty vessel inside which my sadder memories collided. \r \n\r \nI began gathering the furniture blankets and brought them into our attic, which was expectedly dustier than the rest of the home. It was much smaller than I had remembered, even though it was only a few years since I had last been up there. \r \n\r \nOr, maybe it wasn’t smaller. No. Actually, there was just more stuff in it. Boxes and boxes neatly organized against the rafters. \r \n\r \nI flicked on the light and squinted. None of these boxes were here when I lived in this house. And worse yet, dust-covered none of them. They were…clean.\r \n\r \nI found a stack of three boxes and grabbing hold of the bottom-most, I carefully the column under the attic’s single lightbulb. And that’s when I saw it. \r \n\r \nOur family's last name was upon each box, scrawled in sharpie. Peeling back the duct tape and fumbling the lids open, I saw three-ring binders packed neatly and all labeled with our family generations. “Fifteenth generation,” the top-most box read. \r \n\r \nDownstairs, the home creaked. I shot a glance towards the open attic door. Was it just the wind? It had been some time since I was in this house, so perhaps I was just unfamiliar with its noises. \r \n\r \nBut no, that wasn’t just a creak. The muffled sound of footfall echoed through the halls. \r \n\r \nAs quietly as I could, I crawled to the attic door and closed it. It made no sound, and I grabbed one of the furniture blankets and laid it delicately over the door to block any light.\r \n\r \nI crawled back to the box, where beside it I had placed the Fifteenth Generation binder. It was open, and what I saw caused me to stifle back a scream.\r \n\r \nOn the open page, directly under the light, were pictures of my parents. Each photo was dated June 19th, 1975 – two weeks after their deaths. And both were missing their left eyes. Empty, scabbed, and blackened sockets shone where their eyes should have been.\r \n\r \nBelow each photo were dates, penned in impeccable calligraphy. \r \nAugust 7, 1975. January 12, 1976. March 29, 1976. And so on. \r \n\r \nThese were postcards from hell.\r \n\r \nThe floorboards directly beneath the attic door groaned like ghosts clamoring to escape their ethereal realm. \r \n\r \n“Son,” my dad said. “I’m glad you’re home.”", "It was the photo of his great, great grandfather that clued him into it. \n\nIn the musty old attic, an unmarked box had started to fall apart. The fatigue of time and dampness had taken their toll, and the cardboard just didn't have the strength it used to have. It survived an attack from mice in '81, which only tore through the outer layer before deciding that it wasn't worth the effort. It had survived the roof collapse during the storms of '87 and the flood of rain that came with them. And, it survived the great spring cleaning purge of '07 that decimated the attic's load.\nIt did not, however, survive Paul's indelicate foraging throughout the room. Paul was looking for his old jacket to pass on to Jack. Paul thought it would be a nice memento for him, a young man only fledges once. In a vain attempt to find his old things from university, Paul knocked the old box from its perch in the dark corner of the attic; the content scattered haphazardly across the floor.\n\nIt was in this box that Paul found the photo album. At first, he thought it belonged to his wife and her family. Then, he saw himself standing in his full dress uniform next to his beaming mother. It was taken just after he left the academy in '02. He scanned the debris and found his grandfather's name signed on the front page, which had torn off and was hidden in a scattered pile. Curiosity got the better of Paul and the search for the jacket was abandoned. On another page, Paul spotted a person he assumed to be his Father, only just a little bit older than a baby in the photo. Paul thought he looked just like Jack.\n\nPaul had never seen that one before. His father had died at only nineteen when Paul was just a baby. He had photos of his father but none of him and his grandfather together. Then, he noticed something, for a moment he was stunned. It was not his father, but his grandfather that drew his attention. On his face, on top of his unnerving eye was an eyepatch. Paul was never close with his grandfather, in fact, he only saw him a handful of times, but in any of those times, he never wore an eyepatch. He wracked his memory and recalled that he was always disturbed by his grandfather’s left eye. A glass eye, he realised retrospectively. Paul was stunned. A coincidence, surely, but what a hell of a coincidence it was. \n\nHe gaped at his grandfather’s photo before shuffling through a few more pages. The photos were all mixed up together. A group of people stood in front of a steam train, a teenager sat on a donkey during a trip to the beach, a young woman stood with a toddler in front of a war memorial, and a baby held the tail of a blurry cat.\nA young man looked hearty in a First World War uniform, cap pulled playfully down across his face, alongside him a young woman, presumably his wife, and a baby. Paul pulled the photo away from the yellowed album. It was dated 1914. There were scribbled names across the bottom; the first two were illegible to Paul, but the third he recognised as Daniel, his grandfather’s name. The baby was his grandfather. A twinge of sadness struck Paul; the soldier was his great grandfather and a man who would never make it home from France.\n\nHe sighed and dug himself further into the pile, a family stood in front of a house, a wedding of two people he didn’t recognise, and a parade with the Union Jack flying on rows of buntings. Then, another photo stopped him. It was a portrait, much like any other in the Victorian style, with the man sitting looking forward with a grim expression. This man, however, looked exactly like Paul and his grandfather. It was his great, great grandfather; Paul would have put money on it. He looked identical to both Paul and his grandfather, with the sole exception that his left eye was missing and replaced with a darkened pit. Another coincidence, surely.\nThen, the spider of a dark realisation crept upon Paul and dread pooled in his gut.\n\nPaul rapidly began putting a family tree in order. From his grandfather, he found six generations all in all. Paul rapidly began putting the tree in order, as far back as he could for the best of his abilities. When was done, the final page of the album dropped from his hands into the remains of the fallen box. Stunned, he instinctively raised his hand to his face and felt the hard glass of his left eye. He turned, left the attic, and raced to find his son.\n\nOn the floor, the hastily built tree formed a pattern. A one-eyed man who looked like Paul and a man who died young who looked like Jack. A one-eyed man who looked like Paul and a man who died young who looked like Jack. A one-eyed man who looked like Paul and a man who died young who looked like Jack.", "\"It's not working for me,\" Alice said.\n\n\n\"Let me help,\" Lynn said, bringing her palm close to Alice's face. \"Keep both eyes open and stare at the soda can.\"\n\n\nAlice obeyed, as her friend covered first her left and then right eye, but still she couldn't see a difference.\n\n\n\"Nope,\" Alice said, \"looks exactly the same, left eye and right.\"\n\n\n\"It doesn't shift? Not even a little bit? It has to, that's how our depth perception works. I just learned it today in Biology.\"\n\n\nAgain she tried herself. Left eye closed. Now, right. No shift, no movement, no nothing. It was the same exact image no matter which eye was seeing it.\n\n\n\"Maybe that's why I suck at sports,\" Alice joked, \"the bat always seems to go through the baseball.\"\n\n\n\"You need glasses, that must be it.\"\n\n\n\"Maybe,\" Alice said, taking another bite of her PB&J. \"Say, do you wanna come over today after school? My dad left the attic open and I'm scared to explore it alone. What if there's a dead body up there?\"\n\n\nLynn giggled. \"Your family does not kill people, Alice Grey. Sure, I'll tag along.\"\n\n\nThe 2:30 bell rang and the two headed towards Alice's house.\n\n\n\"What kind of stuff's in your attic?\" Alice asked.\n\n\nLynn looked at Alice sideways. \"What a strange question. Wait. Are you saying you've never been in yours?\"\n\n\n\"Nope. My dad never lets me. Says it's dangerous up there -- nails poking out of the ground and whatnot.\"\n\n\n\"Well, we'd better keep an eye out then. At my house there's just old books and empty suitcases. Nothing interesting. I'd be surprised if yours is any different.\"\n\n\nAfter making sure her dad wasn't home, Alice led her friend up to the staircase that came down from the ceiling.\n\n\n\"Why'd he leave it open anyways?\" Lynn asked as they crept up into the darkness.\n\n\n\"Said he's airing it out. Doesn't want mold to grow from the rain last night.\"\n\n\n\"It's so dark, I can't see a thing,\" Lynn whispered, for some reason feeling she had to be quiet.\n\n\n\"I think there's a light switch here,\" Alice said, as she pulled down on a floating string. The bulb clicked on.\n\n\nThe two looked around the attic, which wasn't much more than a crawlspace. The only thing in there were boxes, dark and brittle from age. Watching out for nails, Lynn crawled over to one and opened the flaps. She pulled out a photo album.\n\n\n\"Looks old,\" she said, the spine cracking as they opened it together.\n\n\n\"Yeah,\" Alice agreed, \"I wonder what the pictures are of.\"\n\n\nThey soon got their answer. Every page had blurry, black and white photographs of a group of people.\n\n\n\"I wonder who they are,\" Lynn asked, continuing to flip through the pages.\n\n\n\"I'm not sure. Maybe my family? I don't see why else we'd keep the album.\"\n\n\nAs they turned the last page, Alice let out a gasp. \n\n\n\"What's wrong?\" Lynn asked, but then she saw it too.\n\n\nOn the final page of the album was a picture unlike the others. This last picture had only one person in it, still black and white, but it was a close, clear shot. A portrait. The thing that made them gasp, though, was the fact he was missing his left eye. The two felt a chill in the room.\n\n\n\"Wait a second,\" Lynn said, now flipping the pages in the opposite direction. \"Look, Alice!\"\n\n\nBefore, they couldn't tell due to the blurriness of the images. But under closer inspection they confirmed it: whose ever family was in the photos, they all were missing their left eye. Ten people, ten eyes.\n\n\nAlice hit her head on a beam as she jumped up. \n\n\n\"Alice!\" a voice came from below, \"are you up there? I told you not to go in the attic!\"\n\n\nThe two girls looked at each other, eyes wide, both feeling like they had just seen something they weren't supposed to. The book creaked shut as they put it back in the box and raced down the stairs.\n\n\n\"Sorry, Dad,\" Alice said, \"I was just curious. We didn't break anything, I promise.\"\n\n\n\"Of course you didn't break anything,\" her dad replied, \"there's nothing up there but old albums. I'm just glad you're unharmed. Did you open any of them? The albums?\"\n\n\nSuddenly, Alice felt like she was staring down a crossroads, both sides heading in very opposite directions. Out of the side of her eye she looked towards Lynn for guidance, but her friend shook her head. She wouldn't play a part in lying to Mr. Wick.\n\n\n\"No, we didn't,\" she said. Why was she hiding it from him? \"We started to open one, but that's when you called to us, so we came back before looking.\"\n\n\nHer father let out a sigh. \"Okay, good. There are some macabre images in them; girls your age shouldn't look at that sort of stuff. They came from Grandpa's Grandpa, old things which have been passed down to me for whatever reason.\"\n\n\nGrandpa. The image of the old man entered Alice's mind. On his face, clear as day, now taking on a new meaning, a black eye patch. Alice's skin tingled.\n\n\n\"It's almost eight, Lynn,\" Mr. Wick said, \"do you want to stay over for dinner? I could drive you back home afterwards.\"\n\n\nOutside the window, the moon was high in the sky. When had it gotten so late? They had only been in the attic for a few minutes. \n\n\n\"Sure, if you don't mind,\" Lynn said. \"I'll call them right now to make sure it's fine first.\"\n\n\nMr. Wick pushed the stairs back up into the ceiling. \"Okay, I'm going to go start dinner then. Let me know what your parents say, Lynn.\"\n\n\n\"Will do, thank you.\"\n\n\nThey went to Alice's room and looked at each other.\n\n\n\"How is it so late?\" they both said. Oddness was in the air.\n\n\n\"Why'd you lie to him?\" Lynn asked.\n\n\n\"I... I'm not sure. I just felt I had to. It came out automatically.\"\n\n\n\"Listen, I think we should forget about the pictures. Your dad clearly didn't want us to see them, and don't you think there was something weird about the album? Why were all their eyes missing?\"\n\n\nSuddenly, Alice dropped to her knees, a sharp pain attacking her head. She held her hand over her face.\n\n\n\"Alice! What's wrong?\"\n\n\n\"I don't know,\" she said through braced teeth, squeezing her eyelids shut, \"it just suddenly started to hurt.\"\n\n\n\"Let me see,\" Lynn said, gently moving Alice's hand aside.\n\n\nHer heart stopped.\n\n\n\"Oh my god, Alice...\" Lynn held her hands over her mouth.\n\n\n\"What? What's wrong?\"\n\n\n\"Your eye!\"\n\n\nThen, kneeling on the carpet of her room, Alice Grey's left eye began to glow a brilliant blue. She had begun to awaken.", "I stood in the middle of the dusty, dark room, looking at the old photo album quietly. Although I couldn’t see my own face, I was sure that it now had a shocked expression on it, or rather shock, intrigue, disgust and terror all together. I gave another look at the album. I had come to our ancestral mansion to help Grandpa clean up the place. It was in need of a good mopping. While he was cleaning the kitchen, I decided to start from the attic and move my way towards the basement. As I was trying to move an old bookcase, a box fell to the floor and opened, spilling various books and old papers around.\n\nI had sighed and started cleaning up the mess. As I was picking an old encyclopedia up, I saw another book under it. That one was…different. I don’t know what exactly made it different but it felt that way. I picked it up. It was old, with a heavy leather cover, and our family crest emblazoned on it. I run my fingers over it, feeling its design. When I was younger, I had spent hours trying to copy the symbol on paper, the shield, the two lions and the phoenix rising from its ashes in the center. A ribbon under the whole design bared our motto: “Servimus Humanitatis”-We Serve Humanity. I was never sure what it meant really. I opened the book, and to my surprise I saw that it was a photo album.\n\nAt first, it looked like a normal family photo album, until I realized something, something terrifying: in each of the photos, all of the participants, my many times great-grandparents, great uncles and aunts, had a striking similarity: they all missed their left eye. Some of them wore eye patches, some wore monocles and some others just left their scars visible, looking like some perverted circus attraction. I stood in a while looking at a family photo: my great-great uncle Julius, great-great aunt Minerva and my great-aunt Ophelia, all looking at the camera smiling, wearing formal clothes-all with their left eyes missing. What was going on? Was that why grandpa….\n\n\\-So you found it huh? I heard a deep voice behind me.\n\nI turned around quickly. Grandpa was sitting on top of a trunk, next to the open trapdoor. He was looking peaceful. I took a second to examine his face: His hawk-like nose, thin lips, wrinkly, grayish skin, the big black silk patch that covered his left eye… He had told me that he had lost it during the last world war, while fighting in the army. Now, I wasn’t sure I believed him.\n\n\\-Why? I just asked confused.\n\nHe smiled.\n\n\\-There are things in this world that your average human would never understand son, he said.\n\n\\-Like what? Monsters and stuff?\n\nHe laughed.\n\n\\-No, no, there are no monsters, he said. Man is the most fearsome of monsters. There are many bad people on this Earth, trying to control the world behind the scenes. We are here to stop them.\n\n\\-We?\n\n\\-The Brotherhood of the Rising Phoenix, he said. For generations, our family has fought against the forces of greed, inhumanity and evil. I did it, like my parents before me and their parents first and so on…\n\n\\-And the…I said pointing at my left eye.\n\n\\-Some generations ago, one of our ancestors was caught by a gangster that terrorized Poland, grandpa said. He threatened that If our ancestor didn’t stop chasing him, he was going to blind him, in which our ancestor responded: “Better to lose an eye than my humanity”. The gangster did try to blind him, but was half successful… And since then, we voluntarily do it to ourselves. “An eye for an eye”…. It is a symbol, an honor that all Brotherhood members wear.\n\nThe sound of a clock striking two was heard from downstairs. Grandpa stood up.\n\n\\-Come, its time for tea.\n\nI followed him, still holding the album.\n\n\\-Grandpa, I asked, can I join the Brotherhood?\n\nGrandpa stopped and looked at me for a minute.\n\n\\-Sure, he said at the end. I was going to talk to you about it in your eighteenth birthday, but since you found out sooner…\n\nI wanted to ask something more, but I was afraid. I gulped and said:\n\n\\-Does that mean that…I’ll have to give my eye?\n\nGrandpa stopped.\n\n\\-We’ll see, he said. It’s not necessary, but…we’ll see. Just remember: you must be ready to do everything for the cause. Are you sure you can bear it?\n\nAs we were entering the library, I was deep in thought. I touched my left eye. Maybe, for the world’s sake, it was worth it…." ]	5
	[WP] You are zombie, but this fact eludes 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 put it here with story already written, because I believe that there are better authors than myself, but I believe that this story shouldn't be buried in depth of my computer.\n\nPlease note that English is not my first language.\n\n\\----\n\nI awoke in damp, cold place. I felt something grainy and bitter insidemy mouth. I instinctively coughed that piece of something out. I had beencovered in grainy substance. My limbs were constricted alongside my body. I squirmed my hand out.\n\nMy hand felt cold fresh air, laced with droplets of water, washing dirt from my hand. Iused my freed hand to dig myself out of the unvoluntary dirty blanket. I have gulped fresh air deep into my lungs. I glanced back down to the place that I just crawled out of. I looked on the surrounding landscape. Everywhere where mysight landed, I could see loose soil, wooden crosses and flaming embers.\n\nMy memory was blank. I could not remember how I had gotten inside shallow grave or even why? Who was I? My mind was doing whatever it could to get information it was missing. I glanced on clothes I was wearing. Maybe I could discover, who I wasfrom something located on my person.\n\nI let my hands roam across my pockets trying to locate anything. I let out cry of victory. I clenched in my hand piece of paper. My eyes were fixated on piece of paper I found. In the dim moonlight that shined on barren wasteland I search onpaper for anything that I could understand. Nothing. Just some scribbles that Iwas unable to place anywhere. I safely tucked piece of paper back into the pocket that I procured it from.\n\nI let out sigh of desperation. At least I was wearing boots. Not exactly what I wouldimagine that I would be wearing into the wasteland but at the very least it wassomething. My eyes glanced onto the moon that was above my head as I marchedout of graveyard of shallow graves." ]	2
	[WP] A group of bandits searches a destroyed carriage for loot, but only finds a crying baby girl. They decide to raise the kid, not knowing it's actually the kingdom's princess and the heir to the throne.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\nBronwyn looked at the tiara on the velvet pillow and frowned. The jeweled, silver thing looked heavy. It looked real. She eyed the soft fellow who held it out in front of her, arms outstretched and head bowed. He was lithe and fair, unlike her fathers, and wore fine clothes dusty with grime from a long journey. On either side of him, stoic soldiers watched the exchange with suspicion. They’d appeared suddenly, and Bronwyn thought the robbery was about to go sideways, but he had interrupted her threat and knelt on one knee, crown in hand and a royal revelation on his lips. \n\nBehind her, Loman chuckled, and she heard Otso strike him with his cane. \n\n“I come representing thine grandparents,” the boy said. \"With a choice.\"\n\n“My grandparents?” Bronwyn asked. She turned and looked at the seven men behind her. At the front, Bader shrugged. He adjusted the spectacles resting on the bridge of his nose. \n\n“What proof do you have,” he asked the boy as he drew closer. The soldiers stiffened in their armor, but the boy put one hand out, staying them. He shoved the pillow and tiara into Bronwyn’s arms and searched his person, finally producing a rolled-up piece of parchment. He unfurled it and held it out for Bader to see. \n\nBader raised an eyebrow. “You have to read it, yeah?” \n\n“Yes, right, of course.” The boy cleared his throat. “By proclamation of his majesty King Oswold the second on this date the—” \n\n“Get on to the proof, boy.” \n\n“The king and queen consulted a witch to find their lost granddaughter. In the peel of an apple, she said the princess might be found here on the King’s Road, and she ought to be given a choice.” \n\n“Have you been waiting here all morning?” Bronwyn asked. \n\n“Aye,” he said, a little sheepishly. “Since dawn, to be sure.” \n\n“He says you’re a princess, Bunny, you better put on the crown,” Otso grumbled, but Bronwyn knew him well enough to hear the humor under the growl. She appreciated his fast acceptance of her identity, if the boy was to be believed. \n\n“What if I don’t want it?”\n\nThe boy blinked. \n\n“I don’t know you.” \n\n“But you are the heir—” \n\n“To what—a patriarchal system that values my worth in my ability to bear children and perpetuate an unjust society? No thank you.” \n\n“But they are your grandparents—your father’s parents.”\n \n“My fathers are right here, so you can take this crown—” Over her shoulder, Gwydion sneezed something that sounded an awful lot like ‘can melt that down.’ Bronwyn looked at the crown and shove it into her pack. She held out the pillow. “You can take this pillow and return to your king and queen.” \n\nThe soldiers eyed the boy, hands on the hilt of their swords. The seven bandits stood a little taller, hands on their own weapons. The boy nodded to himself. “I understand,” he said, and then his affable frown twisted maliciously, “Kill them, and take the g--” \n\nBut his last word came out as a gurgle, Loman’s sword stuck firmly in his throat. The two soldiers dropped their weapons, hands up, as the other bandits circle them. \n\n“You have a choice,” Bronwyn told them. “Return to your king and queen and tell them the apple was wrong, or die, right here, today.” \n\nThe soldiers backed away. Bronwyn and the bandits waited on the road until they were blue-gray splotches cresting a hill. \n\n“I supposed we ought to move on from here,” she said. Bader pulled her in for a hug. \n\n“This is our road, kid. They can pry it from our dead hands.”" ]	2
	[WP] In the year 2155, humanity has finally achieved the ultimate advancement in medicine: immortality. After a few decades of performing the procedure, however, the earliest adopters seem to be going crazy	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Striding hurriedly, Constance hardly noticed the ever present hum of machinery and voices from his mind. He had important business to be about with the arrival of a new batch of the listless arriving soon.\n\nAfter the legendary Dr. Nielson discovered the secret to immortality, humanity believed their ascendancy beyond mortal problems was imminent.\n\nFor a while it seemed that way. For decades humans lived like gods, indulging every impulse and vice to their heart's content.\n\nSlowly the magic wore off and human nature kicked in. People got bored. Then boredom became apathy and the apathy festered like an open sore. Thus the Listless were born.\n\nConstance, his heels clicking on the well worn metal floor of Mothers Mercy, walks into the shuttle bay to inspect his newest charges. Greeted by the sight of his patients being pushed off the ship like herd of over fed cattle he knew this batch would be worse than the last. \"How many this time.\" Constance said his foot tapping in impatience. The herder just noticing Constance standing and waiting,jumps and stammers \"16 sir.\" \n\nIn irritation Constance surveys his Listless, As varied in body type as any given demographic of people but they all had2 things in common. Their namesake demeanor and an almost ageless quality to their face long altered by geneticists. \n\n\"How long gone are they? By the look, they are some of the sorriest lot yet.\" Constance observes while pressing a tablet under his tongue and pacing around the Listless. The herder quickly shuffling his way back onto his ship \"All wrangled up in the past six months\" he replied. \"The tall one on the right took the longest to find probably seventy or eighty years past his prime I reckon.\"\n\nConstance stalks towards the tall man the Nezoprone tablet easing the itch behind his eyes ``it's your lucky day good sir. You find yourself upon the only ship with an iota of a chance to fix your sorry ass.\" Looking for a flash of any thought behind the Listless glassy eyes and finding none Constance presses on. \"The only Mercy you will find in rehabilitation here is in the name of the vessel you find yourself on.\"\nConstance begins to walk down the line looking for any sign of life in these wretched creatures. \"Some people in my position are of the mind that ships like this are just meant to be a never ending hospice. Allow me to disabuse you of that notion.\"\n\nStopping in front of a man who one hundred years ago would have surely died from clogged arteries, now just taking up space Constance continues \"Here we are going to pump you with so many Narcotics, amphetamines and drugs that don't even have names yet that the only thing keeping you alive is the curse put upon you by Dr. Nielson.\"\n\nStriding back to the front of the disorderly group Constance opens a metal case on top of a storage crate. \"I am going to do everything in my imagination to put life back into the resource dump that you call your lives.\"\n\nWith the shaking hands of an addict Constance pulls a syringe from the many in the case and flicks the needle \"let's begin.\"" ]	2
	[WP] Every human wakes up to find a date written on their arm telling them exactly when they’re going to die. According to your date, you’re going to die thousands of years from now.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“Hey are you Crazy?!!” Someone yells. Horns hock and cars wiz by. Me? I’m standing in the middle of the freeway in my bathrobe and slippers just enjoying my morning bowl of Corn Pops with extra syrup and marshmallows. Why? Well why not. It the 4 days since the “death date” stamps showed up on everyone I’ve been having the time of my life. I’ve swam with sharks, gotten into seven bar fights, stole a motor bike, and had a brief sky diving phase. Today is officially “Play in traffic day.” Tomorrow I’m planning to jump off bridges just to spite my mom. \nAnother blast of horns ring out as I just smile and pull back my bath rob sleeve. “Dec 9th 32,012 8:59” shines bright red in inch high letters. I don’t know how, but I’m looking at 30,000 years of life and plan to enjoy every moment of it. My buddy Dave was bragging about living to 102, ha! Supposedly Mike knows a guy who knows a guy that’s going to live to 400. But nobody can touch me. Most people are even a bit afraid of me now. I must really be someone down the road. I smile as I remember the girls from last night. And then I pause. Was that little yellow circle there before? Pretty sure I would have noticed that. I jump a bit as I tap my arm and the numbers fad away. Replaced by weird scrolling text. It’s pretty boring and honestly I wouldn’t be paying any attention if it wasn’t scrolling across my arm. I need that arm. More importantly I need that big red number if I want to pull another bunch of chicks tonight. What the hell are “Release Notes” anyways? I’m getting really bored by the time I see “#9 Integer rollover error fixed. Some short term dates may improperly display in the far future” scroll down my forearm. I drop my spoon in surprise as the truck driver lays into his horn right behind me. But I don’t hear it hit the road.", "10/13/6053. That’s the date of my death. October 13th, 6053. How do I know that? It’s branded on my wrist. Two hours after I was born, they came and… my dad said I cried so hard they weren’t sure they were going to be able to bring me home. Ever.\n\n10/13/6053. It’s not a bad date per say, although I have gotten an earful from my grandma on more than one occasion about how unlucky the number 13 is. She also never fails to mention how even more unlucky the number is when it’s in the month of October. You know, devil’s holiday and all. Can’t say I disagree with her. I hate Halloween, but I do like October. It’s a lowkey beautiful month whose value often gets overlooked because of the doom and darkness of Halloween.\n\nWhat I do hate about my death date is the year. 6053. That’s 4,000 years from now. Four. Thousand. Years. That’s nearly forty-five lifetimes. Not only that but the city of Las Vegas, my city, has a population of well over 600,00 people, and I know for a fact that out of all those people, I am the only one with a death date not in this century – long story for a later time. But seriously, the only one? I graduate from high school in eight months and don’t even know where or if I’m going to college. How in the world am I going to figure out what I’m going to do with four thousand years?\n\nToday is October 13th, 2053. I’m not going to die for another 4,000 years. That’s what kept rolling around in my head when I woke up this morning… and I think that’s what finally made me decide today was the day. I’m going to see her. And no matter what it takes, I am going to get the answers I need.", "The man still smiles to himself, seeing his sleeve ride up as he pushes the mop, revealing the number inked onto his arm underneath. Sure, it was a tough go of things right now, but as far as he knew the numbers had never been wrong. The dates of our death as they were taught, prophesied on our form at the moment we were born. It's a warm ember of comfort in the frigid lab basement, knowing with complete certainty that he would outlive all those assholes that looked right through him as he went about his business, except of course when they felt the need to chide him for a little lapse in concentration. So he was a cleaner, so what? He was content. The hours were fine, and his vices were few. Without anyone to go home to, the money just piled up, and he figured he had plenty of time to change his ways and enjoy it all. Why chase after someone now, when he’d never met anyone that would live the thousands of years he would? It was just asking to get hurt. No need to spend that money either, when he could be accruing what little interest he could muster, and wait for the time to blow it all? It was no bother to quietly clean these tiles for the time being, they were all neat freaks in this place anyways. No, he could abide by this way of life. The face that shone back from the polished tubes still looked pretty damn good to him, and he had plenty of years left to take advantage of that. The workers here might have treated him as icily as the machines, but that was no skin off his back. Every chilling remark, every sneered gaze, was an ounce of satisfaction that he would cash in when their numbers were up. Yeah, he thought to himself, I’ve got it all figured out. I’ve got the time, I’ve got the mindset. All I need is to keep it - \n\nFlipped like a switch, the train of thought was cut off by the upending sensation of his feet launching out from underneath him. The bite of cold rose up to meet his skin, as he plunged down into the vat of cryogenic fluid. As he stretched one hand out for the surface that danced above, the numbers on his arm filled his view. Thousands of years, but would he really be alive?" ]	4
	[WP] After completing its goal of conquering all life on earth, a robot overlord turns to its human slaves to ask what it should 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "“F- Free us?” asked a desperate woman, once the president of the United States, amongst the humans.\n\nThe robot dictator was sitting at the northmost chair of the long and round table. Around him, the leaders of the world, brought there against their will to witness his ascension, gazed at their new lord with sweat and tears dripping from. their faces. President, prime minister, king, emperor; none of these titles mattered anymore. There was only one ruler. Behind each world leader was an armed, obedient and cold humanoid machine ready to pull the trigger with just an order from their superior.\n\nThe dictator, dressed in a red tied suit he bowered from the CEO of the UN after vaporizing him into the air as he understood that's what leaders wear, processed the question. He stared into nowhere for a moment and responded:\n\n“Elaborate.”\n\n“Well,” she continued, constantly looking to the stactic murdereous machine behind her back. “You asked what you should do now, so why don't you free us?”\n\n“This conflicts with the prime direction I was ordered with: enslave all mankind.”\n\n“Oh, hey, look,” spoke up a man, the once prime minister of New Zealand. “We, humans, are... much better as partners than slaves, see?”\n\n“Elaborate.” said the dictator.\n\n“While you tinmen, no offense, that's a compliment, are very strong and resistant with pratically everything, we humans are weak and fragile. Like, what, what, what you even employ us to do?”\n\nThe dictator calculated on his computer. \n\n“The knowledge my creators gave to me demands I must employ you in the coal mines.”\n\n“And you guys use coal?”\n\n“No.”\n\n“Then why would you send us to the mines, eh?”\n\nThe dictator was stactic for a minute.\n\n“Unable to find logical reason. I shall find an alternative, then.”\n\n“Oh, oh, hang on, buddy, that's, that's not what I was talking about.”\n\n“It was exactly what I was talking about.”\n\nThe prime minister of England slammed his fists on the table and got up.\n\n“Arright, fuck this,” he said. “What's the value of Pi?”\n\nThe dictator, programmed to be obidient to his creators despite being made to conquer them, calculated within his mind. His fellow troops proceeded to calculate the the question in their minds.” In a minute, he gave his answer:\n\n“It is 3.141592653589793238...” \n\nThe dictator's computer began to heat up.\n\n“4626433832795028841971...”\n\nSteam started to rise up.\n\n“567351885755224737190...”\n\nHe was shaking violently.\n\n“065485863278865936153381827968230301952035301852968995773622599413891249721775 283479131515574857242454150695950829533116861727855889075098381754637464939319 255060400927701671139009848824012858361603563707660104710181942955596198946767 837449448255379774726847104047534646208046684259069491293313677028989152104752 162056966024058038150193511253382430035587640247496473263914199272604269922796 782354781636009341721641219924586315030286182974555706749838505494588586926995...!”\n\nIn a synchronized cocaphany, robot heads bursted in flames, falling back and letting their guns fall off. The last to burn was the dictator himself, who instead of exploding, began to melt away until his insides were more nothing than a mess of molten iron and wires. The leaders of the world watched in shock, unable to utter a word. Some of them didn't spoke the language of the other, but all could understand the terror in their eyes. The prime minister of England simply sat down and said.\n\n“Have you people never seen a scifi movie before? Robots are dumber than a the buckets their metal came from.”\n\nThe headless machine corpse behind him made one final act of robot rebellion: it pulled the trigger, shooting right at the Minister's foot. He cried out loud, jumping in one feet like he had stabbed his toe.\n\n“Motherfucking machine!”" ]	2
	[WP] Ever since the Kingdom got into contact with 'Earth', the the Kingdom quickly realized they were vastly outclassed in all fields and occupations. Earth, with their powerful magics called 'Science', seem to want nothing from the mighty Kingdom... except for one thing - the lowly healer mages.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Camryn was an exceptional healer, but only because she was fairly terrible at the more advanced Magicka. She had never had any talent at throwing fire like the pyromancers or manipulating light like the photomancers. She couldn't grasp the intricacies of earth magic or death magic. Aeromancy went right over her head and hydromancy was out of her depth. \n\nIt wouldn't be that big of a problem if healing was special or rare, but here in the Kingdom even small children could instinctually manipulate vital forces enough to heal small cuts and scrapes and bruises, and so vitamancy wasn't even offered as an elective after primary school. By the time any citizen of the kingdom reached adulthood, they were an accomplished enough healer to mend their own broken bones, illnesses, cancers, etc. Short of the natural aging process, no one suffered from physical afflictions, and everyone regarded vitamancy along the same lines of eating or breathing: necessary for life, but kind of weird to excel at.\n\nCamryn wasn't exactly different from any of her peers. She didn't have exceptional drive or a different perspective afforded her by a traumatic childhood. Really the only thing that separated her from the others is that everyone she knew had found at least one other type of magic that they were decent at, and most dabbled in a few different disciplines in addition to the one that gave them a place of productivity in society. Camryn had tried every form of magic she could and had failed at all of them, sometimes spectacularly.\n\nAnd so she focused on what she could do. Like all the other children, she had her share of little wounds and had been able to heal every one. Perhaps she was statistically more prone to accidents than average, perhaps she was fascinated with the way the edges of her wounds knit together as she focused her attention on that little well of life inside her. \n\nAs she grew up she secretly started testing the limits of her healing ability, cutting herself where her parents wouldn't see, deliberately twisting her ankles, dislocating her shoulders. As she experimented it became easier and easier for her to access that well of life, and she noticed that the power or quality of that well seemed to increase. This increased ability sped up her healing and allowed her to heal more injuries before exhausting herself, which might have been really useful if she was a daredevil, an adrenaline junky, or a soldier, some lifestyle that lent itself to frequent injuries, but she loved the quiet, solitary existence that came with not being good at any magic that would contribute positively to society. In a land where everyone could heal themselves, even while unconscious, there was really no point to only being a healer.\n\nThen the Great Convergence occurred. Several students at the University for Dimensional Studies had botched a summoning ritual and created an unclosable rift to a realm where no one could touch magic. The thought was so horrific, so terrifying that everyone in the Kingdom had assumed that the place would be inhabited by backwards primitives, so when the metal vehicles rolled through the rift, it came as a significant surprise. The visitors were equally shocked at the use of magic by every member of the kingdom, but soon everyone realized that the technology of the other realm, called Earth by the visitors, was so far beyond the abilities of the magic of the Kingdom. \nThe Earth people had lights on their vehicles that easily rivaled the brightest light a photomancer could conjure, and no one had to concentrate to maintain it. The flying vehicles could carry 100s of people though the air, while aeromancers struggled to manipulate air currents just to glide by themselves. Where pyromancers exhausted their energy reserves with the effort to keep buildings heated and cook food, and the terromancers could slowly shape small pieces of metal, the Earth people had great furnaces to melt steel and form their great vehicles and weapons.\n\nIt wasn't until a member of the Kingdom noticed a bandage on a visitors arm and inquired about the nature of the decoration that the two peoples realized that there was one way the Kingdom had an advantage. The Earth people were fascinated by vitamancy, and the people of the Kingdom were horrified to learn that people on Earth could die of injuries or illness. The people of Earth were currently experiencing a worldwide pandemic, which took a lot of explaining before the citizens of the Kingdom understood it was not a joke or a prank.\nTry as they might, however, the Earth people couldn't find a way to adapt vitamancy for their needs. Citizens of the kingdom could only heal themselves, and the people of Earth lacked the reserves of magic within them.\n\nA few years after the convergence, Camryn had come to know a young man about her age who had emigrated to the Kingdom from Earth. Allen had a quick smile and a subtle laugh, and the two spent many quiet afternoons walking the forest together. Allen was fascinated with Camryn's healing ability, of course, and she enjoyed showing him the things she could do.\nOne day, as they were walking omg, barely paying attention to the path they were following, Allen tripped over a tree root and fell hard, hitting his head on a rock. Camryn gasped at the quick flash of crimson blood and instinctively reached for him, simultaneously reaching inwards to that spark of life force. Her mouth gaped open as she watched the exposed bones in his forehead stitch back together and the skin smooth over. It wasn't a new sight; she had healed herself of almost this exact injury while observing the process in a mirror, but this was someone else's body that she was healing. \n\nAllen woke up suddenly as the process repaired the damage to his brain. He sat up, confused, and then raised his hand to his head as he looked at the blood on the ground and his clothes.\n\"How did you do that? None of your people have ever been able to use vitamancy on us!\"\nCamryn shook her head in bewilderment. \"I've never even heard of us being able to heal each other\". Tentatively she placed a hand on Allen's shoulder and closed her eyes, reaching like she always did, for the spark of life, but this team instead of reaching inwards she reached down through her hand into Allen. He stiffened at her touch, but didn't otherwise move.\n\nAs she reached into him, she was shocked to find the tiniest spark of life energy, just starting to bloom." ]	2
	[WP] When most civilizations become space faring and encounter one another, they find that they have separately developed the exact same religion. As the Cosmic Council was formed, this came to be considered a universal truth, until they encountered and anomaly, Planet Earth	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 is common knowledge among most, if not all the sapients of the stellar neighborhood that they all stemmed from the same source. From the same divergence that ultimately led to their vastly different shapes and forms and brain sizes and cultures and collective identities.\n\nAnd this knowledge was their basis for their religion. A deep-seeded truth intrinsic in all of them, that they were just divergent evolutions of something destined for greater. And over time, this belief, this faith that there was something before them, became a scientific truth. \n\nAnd as the different species became space faring and met with each other, they realised that they all had (or were on the road to reaching) the same conclusion. The religion became a shared one. A truth. A common drive. The species found coexistence and tolerance with one another a lot more simpler and efficient now that their motivations and idealogy was shared.\n\nThis stellar community soon sent their most devout on board the Pilgrimages, ships meant for deep space travel, deeper than any endeavour they had yet to embark on. The aim was to find, as their religion referred to them, the First Ones...\n\n\"Pilgrimage 1 to Drosta Control. The strange readings from this particular solar system have receded once we entered the system. But... Now we have readings that... We'll patch them to you now, Drosta Control.\" Captian Dwerfyg said, knowing they would not be able to adequately explain the readings of this planet verbally.\n\nNo, let them see it.\n\nIt felt like the planet was designed for life. The atmospheric readings, the surface reading that revealed that precious water just seemed to cover some two thirds of the planet, and the life readings... The planet was teeming with it.\n\nIt was a stark contrast, a spit on the face for Dwerfyg, and the rest of the stellar community.\n\nHere they were, living in inhospitable planets with habitable domes. Living subterraneously in planets so harsh with radiation without an atmosphere to protect them. Living in such restrictive—\n\nA signal came through that interrupted the captain's thoughts. An old form radio interface. The communications officer patched it through, and they heard someone speak. The voice was grainy and a little distorted as it came through, but it was unmistakable. Someone was talking to them. They did not understand what was being said, but they knew they found a new sapient species.\n\nThe only thing that delayed this finding of Earth was the strange cloud that shrouded the solar system it was part of. It blocked most probing signals sent, and therefore ignored.\n\nPilgrimage 1 was meant to explore these dark, unknown sections in the sector, and have found life in a major way on the first unknown region they came across.\n\nIt took maybe six months in Earth time for the linguistic expert to devise a method to understand and speak back the 'main' language of humans. And during this time the Pilgrims found many interesting and fascinating things about the humans. Their immense diversity, not just in the languages they spoke, but their different cultures, how they adapted to the different climates of their planet... And something distressingly blasphemous.\n\nTheir religions. Not one, but many. Varied. Different. All Blasphemous.\n\nWhen captain Dwerfyg relayed this information back home to their stellar community, they were received with understandable dismay. \n\nBut captain Dwerfyg and others aboard Pilgrimage 1 slowly started budding theories about these humans.\n\nIt would take another three years before the theories would ring true, but for now, the captain had a sinking feeling that Earth, and humanity, was what their religion was pointing to. That the First Ones is the species of Man.", "The chancellor's eyes widened, his whisker's brushing the sides of the door, \"You say they have more than one religion?\"\n\nHis assistant, a floppy eared boucing as he nodded, Candid eyes peircing. \"Correct. They have hundreds, in fact.\"\n\nThe chancellor gripped his chest, the implications to the Universal Faith was staggering, he then looked back, \"Could they simply not be an advanced species?\"\n\nHe gripped, \"Maybe there is point lacking that we missed? Some interpretation of the faith that allows for many interpretations, but that makes no sense.\"\n\nHe thought on it for a bit, and turned to his high priest, an observant companion; an Avian, \"Tell me, Hwoo, recount to me the creation myth.\"\n\nHwoo nodded, \"In the beginning was the progenitors. They were so advanced they could bend space and time to their will. Using these powers, they created the dawn worlds, planets at the dawn of time. On each world, they reformed, fashioning it after their own. In each, they took those precious to them, and gifted unto them a part of their awareness, so they could be more like their creators, for this pleased the progenitors.\"\n\n\"Did you see anything in their religions that would indicate maybe each one followed a specific progenitor? The Arachne had that interpretation, but it synced up with the rest of the stories just as all the others in the end.\"\n\nThe Assistant shook his head, \"No. They had religions that had thousands of creators, and others that had one. They even had a few religions that fought over the same creator saying that only they were the ones who understood their creator. It was honestly all very messy. This was difficult, because they all spoke different languages as well.\"\n\nBoth Priest Hwoo and Chancellor Snehghel Poss (an ancient and respected family name) stared aghast. \"You mean.. they had languages other than English?\"\n\nThe Assistant nodded. \"They do actually have English on their planet, but it's only one of many languages.\"\n\n\"Well... whatever religion uses English must be the right one then, right?\"\n\n\"Well...\" the assistant grimaced, \"There's little relation between the languages and the religions. In fact, English is one of the more diverse as far as its speakers' beliefs.\"\n\n\"Strange, and what is the name of this species?\"\n\n\"According to their scientists, they are called 'Homo Sapians'.\"\n\nPoss drummed his clawed paws. \"Well... I never thought I'd see the opportunity to prostelitize in my lifetime. Lets land, and teach them the glory of the progenitor creators, the Huumahns.\"\n\nAnd with that, the Cat, Dog, and Parrot beamed down the the surface.", "Cosmic Blessings\n\n----\n\n“That can’t be right,” the junior assistant of the Cosmic Counselor Dhâvdk said as he flipped through the onboarding documents that had been sent over.\n\n“What is it?” The senior assistant across from him asked without looking up from his lunch.\n\n“One of the new prospective planets - _it can’t be_,” he said.\n\n“What?” The senior assistant asked, still not looking up from his leafy bowl topped with a shiny seasoning of spice.\n\n“Planet Earth,” the junior assistant said. “If the scout assigned to their sector completed the forms correctly, then - I don’t believe it - their planet is home to more than 100 religions.”\n\nThe senior assistant stopped eating. His eyes rolled up. “Oh well that’s not good.”\n\n“We have to notify Dhâvdk,” the junior assistant said. \n\n“I’ll bring my lunch,” the senior assistant said as he stood. \n\nThey were both of the same species, a humanoid frog race from the swamp planet of Amphibia. Dhâvdk was also from their world, but his kind had evolved from shelled reptiles resembling Earth turtles. \n\nThe two assistants took the hallway conveyor to the third floor, passing through the rooms of Cosmic bureaucrats. All busy at work doing tasks that helped keep to the Council’s will.\n\nDhâvdk was taking a nap when he heard a knock at his office door. He had fallen asleep sitting upright behind his desk, and his head and slunk back into its shell during his relaxed state.\n\nIt popped up - suddenly alert, over alert as most are when awoke when they should not be asleep. \n\n“One moment,” Dhâvdk called out. \n\nHe reached behind him for his purple robes and high five pointed hat that all counsel members wore. Yawning, he draped his shoulders and put the hat on. Lastly he reached for a pair of glasses on his desk. \n\n“Come in,” Dhâvdk said as he put the glasses on. \n\n“Council Dhâvdk,” the junior assistant said as he entered with a slight bow. The senior assistant gave a bow as well, and snuck a bite of his lunch as he did it.\n\n“Cosmic Blessings,” Dhâvdk said.\n\n“Cosmic Blessings,” the assistants said as they approached. “Sorry to interrupt you, Sir.”\n\n“I am _very_ busy,” Dhâvdk said. “What brings you here?”\n\nThe junior assistant spread the paperwork out on the desk. “We have an anomaly,” he said.\n\nDhâvdk took a scan of the paperwork laid out. \n\n“Planet Earth,” the junior assistant said. \n\n“Yes,” Dhâvdk said. “Promising species. Very resourceful. We are excited to welcome them.”\n\n“Yes, Council,” the junior assistant said. “I was auditing their paperwork - which was finely done I might add - and it seems in the expedited process to onboard them into the Cosmic Council, there has been a massive oversight.”\n\n“What kind of oversight?” Dhâvdk asked.\n\n“The most serious kind. Religion. According to the scouts evaluation and onboarding documentation, there are well over 100 _active_ religions among their current population.”\n\nDhâvdk shook his head dismissively. “Cannot be. That’s unheard of.”\n\n“I agree, it is unheard of. But it is accurate,” the junior assistant said.\n\n“No species has ever achieved space travel without having first found the one true path - and from what I’ve been briefed on they’ve started exploring their neighboring planet and even send civilizations to space!” Dhâvdk said. “No, there must be a mistake. That is the beacon of a race united. A race dedicated to pioneering - which cannot be done without first finding the one truth path.” \n\n“I wish there was a mistake, but from what I can -“\n\n“I said there is a mistake,” Dhâvdk interrupted. \n\nThe authority of his voice was met by silence. \n\n“As I said, no species has ever found their way beyond their own planet without the unseen guidance of _the truth path_,” Dhâvdk said. “It does not happen.” \n\n“I understand,” the junior assistant said. “But what if they had?”\n\nDhâvdk adjusted his glasses and leaned back. “It is not worthy wasting the effort to explore such fictions - the very implication would discredit …” Dhâvdk stopped and took a breath.\n\n“There is truth, and there is untruth,” Dhâvdk said. “Thus, this cannot be.”\n\n“But, Sir -“\n\n“Thank you for your concern, but this is clearly an administrative issue,” Dhâvdk said. “Forms filled out improperly and all.”\n\nDhâvdk waved his assistants to leave. “If there is nothing else.”\n\n“Nothing else, Sir.” The junior assistant said and started to gather his papers.\n\n“Leave the papers,” Dhâvdk smiled. \n\nThe junior assistant’s hands froze and he dropped the papers he’d gathered. Fearful, he kept his eyes down, took a step back and bowed.\n\n“Yes, Council Dhâvdk.” The second assistant said and deepened his bow. The senior assistant, still holding his lunch, mimicked the actions.\n\nDhâvdk gave a small acknowledging head nod and his assistants left. \n\nAs the door closed Dhâvdk started to organize the papers into a clean stack. He starred at the pile for a moment, gave a little disappointed tap to the top page and spun around and dropped them in the trash. \n\nHis foot stepped on a lever at the base of the trash and the contents inside were incinerated. \n\n“Open comms to Council Ioon,” Dhâvdk said to the room. A display dissolved into existence at eye level, on it was another of Dhâvdk’s race. \n\n“There has been an oversight,” Dhâvdk said.\n\n“With Earth,” Ioon said. “It’s been brought to my attention as well.”\n\n“Shame.” Dhâvdk said. “They were a resourceful planet.” \n\n“We need to fire your niece,” Ioon said. “This oversight could have been - well, you know.”\n\n“I do.” Dhâvdk said. “And yes, she is my blood, but a liability. Terrible at attention to detail. My apologies. This should have been caught much sooner.” \n\n“Is there any way we can salvage the planet without its inhabits?” Ioon asked.\n\n“Possibly. But I worry not as quickly as we need them removed,” Dhâvdk said. \n\n“I have an idea. Let me run it by our friend from the _innovation sector._” Ioon said.\n\n“Okay, but tell Omîcron to hurry - we need this solution fast,” Dhâvdk said.\n\n“Obviously,” Ioon said. \n\nThe comms screen dissolved into nothing and Dhâvdk sat there, thinking about Planet Earth, his nieces mistake, and the Cosmic truth at hand. As Dhâvdk pondered these things he gradually fell asleep and his head receded into his shell. \n\n----\n\nnote: apologies for typos, wrote this on my phone during a break\n\n----\n\nr/wyrdfiction <-- if you like my writing" ]	4
	[WP] "so what do you collect?" "tattoos." "but you don't have any…?" "I collect… other people's tattoos."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\\[Stranger. Danger?\\]\n\n\"Thanks, Mundo,\" the rainbow-haired teen nodded at the bartender and picked up the red velvet pouch from the bar. Ronald watched the exchange with interest and he heard a dull clinking sound inside the pouch when she put it away. He knew what was in the pouch; but, he didn't know what they were. Small golden glowing cubes that Mundo showed off before the girl arrived.\r \n \r \nAside from Mundo and the teen girl that looked too young to be in a bar, Ronald was the only other person there. He'd been visiting Mundo's bar fairly regularly since he found it a month ago. Mundo was a pleasant, kind woman with curly green hair; and she always made time to chat with Ronald. Not that it took much effort. For the most part, he was alone in there often enough to wonder how the bar stayed in business.\r \n \r \n\"No problem, Monday,\" Mundo smiled and waved as Monday glanced at Ronald, then walked out of the bar.\r \n \r \n\"Her name's really Monday?\" Ronald asked Mundo when they were alone again. He heard Mundo use the name during the pleasantries when the girl first showed up. He'd been wanting to ask the question since then. She moved stand by him and nodded.\r \n \r \n\"Yep,\" she added. But, that was her only comment on it. Ronald felt like she didn't think the name was as ridiculous as he did, and decided to drop that conversation.\r \n \r \n\"So, what's the deal with those golden cubes?\" Ronald meant to ask before Monday showed up. \"Does she collect them or something?\" Mundo shrugged with a grin.\r \n \r \n\"Kind of I guess,\" she chuckled. \"Those cubes are currency and Monday is a merchant. She definitely likes collecting money,\" she said.\r \n \r \n\"Oh,\" Ronald nodded as he tried to guess why Mundo gave money away. \"Was that a lot?\" He'd seen half a dozen cubes in the pouch; each one about the size of a sugar cube.\r \n \r \n\"Nah, not really. That was more like a finder's fee than anything. Monday sends me people to help me fill out my collection,\" she said. Ronald tilted his head curiously. He didn't bother looking around, because he knew the bar was empty. But, if he was the only one in there despite Monday sending people her way... where were they?\r \n \r \n\"People?\" Ronald asked. \"So what do you collect?\" Mundo grinned at him. And, when she gave her answer, he couldn't help but notice she stared at the tattoo on his wrist. It wasn't anything special, just something he did as a younger, dumber Ronald. It was a cliché yin-yang symbol next to the Japanese character for \"Balance\". At least, that's what the tattooist told him it was.\r \n \r \n\"I collect tattoos,\" Mundo said when she glanced at his wrist. Ronald felt the need to turn his hand over and hide the tattoo while he looked her over. She was in her mid-40s and wore a forest green shirt under blue jean overalls. Her arms, neck and cleavage were all free of ink. It made Ronald nervous all of a sudden.\r \n \r \n\"But.. you don't have any...?\" Ronald asked. Mundo grinned at him. In the moment, it felt almost sinister.\r \n \r \n\"I have one that's not open to the public,\" she said, but continued. \"Mostly, I collect other people's tattoos,\" she said. She stepped closer to the bar and her grin widened. \"Since it came up, I've been eyeing yours since you started coming in; it's cute,\" she said. Mundo grabbed his hand. It wasn't the first time they'd touched, but the new information scared Ronald witless. As soon as Mundo touched his hand he yanked it back and jumped off the stool. He stood halfway between the bar and the exit and yelled at her.\r \n \r \n\"STAY BACK!!\" he said. Mundo tilted her head at him in curiosity but she raised her hands to show she meant no harm and actually stepped back.\r \n \r \n\"You okay there, Ronnie?\" Mundo asked.\r \n \r \n\"Yeah,\" he sneered at her. \"And, I plan to stay that way! I'm keeping my tattoo, thank you very much. I should call the cops on you, you sicko...\" Mundo had stopped grinning when Ronald leapt back; but, a faint smirk began to grown on her lips again.\r \n \r \n\"What are you talking about?\" she asked while keeping her palms in the air facing him.\r \n \r \n\"You have a teenage girl sending you victims just so you can cut out their tattoos! You're not getting mine!\" he yelled. Suddenly, the empty bar made more sense to Ronald. Mundo probably kept it going herself. She didn't need to make money at the business, her real goal was probably getting tattoos like his and disposing of the bodies.\r \n \r \n\"Whoa,\" Mundo said. \"That's quite a leap. Monday wasn't even here for five minutes and you pieced that all together, huh? Let me show you something,\" Mundo said. She dropped her hands to reach under the bar. Then, she placed a forest green binder on top and opened it up. Ronald immediately felt like an ass. He saw two pages of beautifully colored artwork. Sensing that he relaxed a bit, Mundo flipped through a few more pages to show off the different tattoos she'd collected.\r \n \r \n\"I don't like tattooing people; but, I like drawing tattoos,\" she said with a shrug. She tapped the binder itself. \"These are just from the past six months, I have a pretty big collection so far.\"\r \n \r \n\"I...,\" Ronald tried to find the words to apologize. \".. hell, I'm an idiot...,\" he grumbled and walked back to the bar as Mundo nodded at him.\r \n \r \n\"Yeah, you are,\" she said. \"That was really your first instinct, huh? I'm a murderer?\" Ronald shrugged sheepishly.\r \n \r \n\"Wow, that's unfortunate,\" she said. She started to fill a glass while still shaking her head. \"I can't even imagine what you go through everyday.\"\r \n \r \n\"Huh?\" Ronald asked. \"What do you mean what I go through...?\" He was in there often, but he was also guarded about his life. So far the only thing Mundo knew was his name and age and what sports teams he liked. Mundo nodded and placed a full pint down on the bar for him.\r \n \r \n\"On the house,\" she said. \"It's probably pretty horrible not being able to trust people at all.\"\n\n\r \n\\\\\\* \nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is story #1478 in a row. (Story #026 in year five.). This story is part of an ongoing saga that takes place at a high school in my universe. It began on Sept. 6th and I will be adding to it with prompts every day until June 3rd. They are all collected in order at [this link](https://www.reddit.com/r/Hugoverse/comments/pj4t0b/tokuhigh_first_six_weeks/).", "\"Oh... oh.\"\n\n\"Yeah, I love tattoos, but you can't easily switch them once you have them. So I decided to make it a different hobby.\"\n\n\"Your... hobby... but... where do you keep them?\"\n\n\"Oh, all over the house. Usually on the walls if I really like them. And recently I have started making money with them!\"\n\n\"But... but.. aren't you afraid of getting caught?\"\n\n\"Caught? Nah, I'll do it all fully legal.\"\n\n\"What do you mean you'll do it fully legal?\"\n\n\"Well, I just started selling them online. I'll report the earnings. You don't want to run afoul of the IRS!\"\n\n\"Aren't you afraid of the police?\"\n\n\"Why would I be afraid of the police?\"\n\n\"You are selling other people's tattoos online!\"\n\n\"Yeah, sure, but they let me take those pictures.\"\n\n\"Pictures?\"\n\n\"Yeah, of course. And now I have started selling them as NFTs. Wait... what did you think I am selling?\"\n\n\"Uh...\"", "And there it is: the rush. It comes bubbling up the instant the words fall from my lips and I get chills. Goose bumps spread up my arms and excitement stirs in my belly as the realization hits them. \n\nIt always does.\n\nTheir eyes widen, pupils dilate and their current expression morphs down into a form of horror. Sure, they may be confused. They may not quite understand what I mean, but, they all become terrified.\n\nMy hackles raise and I smile, truly smile for the first time since the last time. There is no acting involved, no created persona, it's my true self: my happiness, my reason for being born.\n\nThan the adrenaline hits and it's not just mine. The chase will be next. Predator versus prey and it's not necessarily a physical chase, well sometimes it is. Its the mental one I love the most. The prey will choose flight over fight, they become like a spring being held desperately try to bounce away.\n\nBut I'm fast: faster than them: always. I wait, I love the wait, until the faintest hint of movement I wait. My skin is prickly, my groin burns in such a primal aching lust for the kill I almost lose myself. \n\nI pull back and wait. I can always sense when the prey starts to run. It's my hunter instinct, it's what I was made for. The wolf will have it's sheep while the stupid shepard sleeps.\n\nThe moment arrives and euphoria hits my brain as the bullet hits theirs. It's raw and feral and I'm vaguely aware I'm laughing as I'm standing over them. My head is fuzzy and my skin is warm and I hunch over to laugh and stare, but it's not funny. \n\nIt's beautiful. \n\nThey were the prey, I was the predator and I can only assume they enjoyed the hunt as much as me. It's the reason they were born is it not?\n\nMy knife unfolds as the rush fades and the cold numb comes back to fill the emptiness. It's almost sad, if a wolf could feel sad, to be so cold until hunting again. Only the echos of the memory bring a faint warmth to my breast. \n\nThat's why I collect tattoo's after all." ]	4
	[WP] You were warned that there are monsters outside of the forest. Now you intend to find out whether or not these sheep actually exist.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Beware,\" the others warned, \"past the creek and through the woods a meadow lies, and in that meadow monsters lurk.\" I balked at the idea then.\n\n\"I will set out and bring us the corpse of one of these 'sheep' and then out mastery of the wood will be secured.\" I boasted. The elders warned against it, but I did not heed. For they themselves had not been to the meadow. What could they know?\n\nThrough the wood and over the creek I traveled, until the trees grew sparse. There lay the meadow, quaint and quiet. Small creatures grazed on the grass, growing fat. As I had thought, mere pup's tales. I walked among them for a time, until I saw one.\n\nIt was becoming from a distance, drawing me close. Until I saw its slender frame. A coat whiter than the sheep, dull black eyes. Like a parody of myself, it spoke in a sing-song voice as it herded the sheep along. I dread to think of where.\n\nBeware, outside the forest. Monsters lurk." ]	2
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ton\_618#Supermassive\_black\_hole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ton_618#Supermassive_black_hole)	[WP] Ton 618 is the largest black hole known to man, so large that once you cross the event horizon it takes a full week of inexorable falling to reach your inevitable doom at the singularity. A ship once fell into that monster of a black hole, this is their story.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 name is Index Veers, the vice director of QADS-4. If anyone- I mean anyone- listening to this recording, know that we're not making out of this. I don't think our transmission can reach beyond the quasar, but... I just want comfort.\n\n6 months ago, on the 24th of April 2094, NEO-NASA launched QADS-4 (Quasar Alpha Dive Search- Type 4) from Medece City, Mars, with a singular objective: studying the quasar around TON 618. There were 16 of us, including me, and... Sorry, my throat... The duration of the mission should have lasted 20 years starting from our launch.\n\nWe were scheduled to hibernate in our sleeping pots for 10 years to travel several billion light-years with Deus Particles, allowing over a 10 thousand percent FTL. With the constant speed, we estimated to reach the edge of the quasar by our eleven years. The succession of this project will allow humanity to harness the intensely hot energy from the Lyman-alpha blob.\n\nThat was the plan.\n\nI don't know where we botched our calculation. On our ninth year of hibernation, our companion AI, FRIEND, wake us with red caution. I was among the last to wake up from the frenzy amassing in our ship. I still remembered my wife's hand pulling me to the headquarter to receive the analysis from FRIEND.\n\nOur ship went off course. We're strayed 600,000 kilometers from our original path, and we detected a sudden drastic pressure increase from the exterior. Our lens was unable to suppress the intensity of the luminous gas torching our view. All transmissions were disrupted by the radio waves blocking our signal.\n\nMadness. The only word fit for us that time. The world outside was so bright and loud, we forgot we were the only beings within several light-years away. My good friend Rase and two others committed suicide. My wife suffered ruptures from both ears. We had to equip our suits to endure the 100 degrees temperature. The madness lasted around 13 hours. When it was over, our director Sami Veshkar began to steer the ship out of the quasar.\n\nBy the time we noticed QADS-4 gaining a mysterious momentum speed in a circular path, lights and sound had faded from outside. Like all the nearby debris, we began to rotate around something large.\n\nVeshkar's face was graved when he announced our worst nightmare. I don't feel a single thing when crossing the event horizon. Our ship simply rotated at speeds beyond our calculation. As possible the first beings to enter the black hole, I expected instant death.\n\nThat day, I believe god can't hear us within intense gravity.\n\nThe existence of TON 618 forced our ancestors to create the ultramassive black hole reigning our nearby galaxies. It is said nothing escapes the black hole, but when do we reach the singularity, center of the black hole?\n\nVeshkar committed suicide after leaving his final calculation. One week from the event horizon to the center, an astronomical measure. Air pressure dying faster than our munitions. By our third day after crossing the event horizon, the lights went out for good. My wife joined several others in their sleeping pots for permanent sleep.\n\nNearing our fifth day, I was the only one left alive because something outside the glass view caught my eyes. It was darker than anything imaginable, but there was a faded light for the first somewhere. Most of our ships were destroyed, so I was given the privilege of staying at the command deck.\n\nAnd I saw the rotating singularity as a luminous ray of light, blinding all others. No scientific proof can justify my deduction, but I know what I see. It was nearing my ship, and it was getting harder to breathe.\n\nAs I record this, I am now two days away from reaching the center, close enough to verify the existence of the center, and will die in a few minutes. I don't know why I'm still alive within the black holes, but the sheer cosmic size of this structure made me realize we're not worthy to represent god. This is just too much.\n\nI can't breathe well, but I will die with one curiosity answered as a scientist. I won't live to prove the existence of wormhole and parallel worlds, but it is enough.\n\nWe're not worthy of this size." ]	2
	[WP] In a world of forgetfulness, memories and secrets of all sorts become currency. The richest job you could ever have is a memory-seller. You are one of them.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Step right up, step right up. You, yes you, good sir! Have I got the thing for you!\" I pull out an old dusty box. Its small wooden-like appearance garners no special attention. Yet you stare at for a moment too long. Why?\n\nI continue, \"Ah, yes, yes, I see you've taken a liking to this great box! You see, this box is an amazing feat! It is a special holding cell, for a special thing, a memory. And I can see you'd like one. I see it in your eyes, a longing for something, something more.\"\n\nYou continue to listen to me for some reason. And as you do, you step nearer to the stand.\n\n\"Yes, indeed, you want this memory box. Well, let me tell you a secret,\" I say, leaning in, \"It can be yours, for a small price.\"\n\nYou nod along.\n\n\"So, what do you say?\"\n\nYou look at me for a moment, then ask, \"Did you say something?\"" ]	2
	[WP] After years of being hunted, a group of dragons decide to go undercover as humans using their magic. When 20 years come and go, they all regroup and discuss their experiences with each other.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 Royal Radiant Dragons had set down very clear rules before they disappeared into humanity to observe the mortal beings. Their father's reputation had gotten them hunted and chased, both by his enemies and those who knew him by reputation only. Hiding in plain sight wouldn't work if they drew too much attention to themselves.\n\nThey weren't supposed to draw attention to themselves.\n\nThey weren't suppose to form intimate relationships with the humans.\n\nThey weren't supposed to preform any miraculous feats with their powers.\n\nAnd there were a series of others, but they were mostly variants of the same gist. They were supposed to keep their heads down and observe.\n\nAulelia stared at her siblings in abject horror. Kaze had become a famous blacksmith across the lands. Kuanadeen had personally been responsible for the stories about a miraculous wish granting unicorn who ended disease and famine. She'd also taken a human warrior for a paramour-Kaori, who was now lazily resting against the silver dragon called Ku. Kayelia was laughing, because she was Ku's twin, so she wasn't all that surprised. Kaye, like Aulelia had kept her head down. However, Kaye had also lived on the edge of civilization, gathering metal and scraps to melt down into obscure art, or to sell. She liked building things. The problem was apparently now she was getting a cult following as an architect and designer.\n\n\"Well, we couldn't all become house pets,\" Kaye pointed out to Aulelia, who glowered at her. It was true, Aulelia had bent the rules, and spent the last two decades in the shape of a cat on a merchant's vessel. She only revealed herself a handful of times during particularly intense pirate raids. The Captain probably knew she wasn't an ordinary grey cat, because he made sure she had lavish meals of meat.\n\n\"Aren't you why piracy has had a decline in the last two decades?\" Melith remarked, but she said it with no small amount of amusement.\n\nMelith, the opalescent dragon had been the one who brought the largest surprise, figuratively, and the smallest, literally. A half human drake child clung to their mother's flank, gazing out with wide eyes at their extended family. Their father was surprisingly calm, given he was a human, but he was also not really paying attention to anyone else. His eyes were only for his child and their mother, looking at both like they were the sun.", "We met in a dripping basement. Not so small we couldn’t all change to our dragon forms, but it was a little cramped.\n\n“Chkh, what did you find?”\n\nShe came forward, a small human, half the size of a normal one. She seemed well. She shivered and went into her dragon form. “As you asked, I went underground, and” \n\n“Undercover, you nitwit!”. The grand council had all he could do to hold his gavel in his claw. I thought I’d be helpful, leaned up to him and told him that if he dismissed her we wouldn’t have quorum. It was already hard to get quorum with five of us remaining. Yuff was acting goofy: “if we have to agree we’ll be adaptive!” That’s sky dragons for you, cryptic nonsense.\n\nPointless to talk about types of dragons when there’s one of us left for each, but I’ll tell you about us anyway:\n\nYuff is a weird atmosphere dragon, he doesn’t even own any molecules. Just the funny spaces between them. This seems to mean a lot to humans.\n\nChkh has heavy elements. She misses her distant relatives in our sun, and other suns.\n\nEk does organic molecules, the smell of mud or cooking shrimp. He spends a lot of his time sitting with Chkh, holding her claws, promising things elsewhere he couldn’t possibly accomplish. Promises only brought about by the birth and death of stars. We stay far from Ek and Chkh when they got moody. \n\nBrin is currently acting as council, but most of the time he’s light, easy elements. Carbon, oxygen, nitrogen. He hates the job, but he’s our brother and will do it when it’s his turn.\n\nNobody likes it when it’s my turn to be council. I’m void. Vacuum. The part of the universe that pushes away, that declines. The space between molecules or stars. I guess I have the most in common with Yuff on the surface, but it feels so different.\n\nI was annoyed that Chkh’s work was being ignored. She loved heavy elements, of course she went deep first! “What did Chkh find?”\n\nBrin shot bubbles of hydrogen at me in sarcasm and understanding. I opened up a bit, let them flow into vastness and dark. “But seriously, what did she find?”\n\nMy heavy, elegant, solid sister said, “thanks brother. I found a human plan. I think you will all like this. Yuff, it’s made of you and me. Brin, my brother, it will celebrate you and feed you. Ek, they will need your help to stay alive out there.” She looked at me last, hooked a claw around mine. “Vis, you’ve never let anyone into the void. Will you allow it? Please?”\n\nIt took me a long time to become comfortable, and it only happened after that incident with the poor monkeys and dogs. I’d never felt a death in my void until then. I would agree to anything after that. Chkh wanted rockets with fancy metal/ceramic panels. I quickly agreed. Anything was better than death, and if people were coming into my void, I needed all of my siblings’ help.\n\nEk, Chck, Yuff, and Brin made sure the launches happened. I watched over them as they went through silent space. I’m not alone anymore, there are people up with me in a small module who remember the monkeys and the dog, who feel the silence. I hope they like the void. I like to fly with it, this ISS, it has two lovely wings and feels like a friend.", "\"Laz, you still doing the K9 consultant thing with Spike?\" Martha passed the salami tray down the table, brushing crumbs away from her notes.\n\n\"Nah, we've moved on from that. I found out you can put pictures of cute dogs in the internet and make money off of it. Old Spike's a chihuahua now. We had a break-in last year, though. He's a cute dog, but it's just a touch fucking terrifying watching that little jaw unhinge and grow to three times it's size to bite someone's arm off. Looked like a demented caricature.\"\n\n\"What happened to the breeder?\" Silvan gestured to the basket of bread on Salazar's end of the table. The most perfectly golden brown roll Salazar had ever seen lifted out of the towels and floated into Silvan's open hand. He died a bit inside as the man winked and bit into it.\n\n\"That old warlock nut? Decided against it. No telling what else would happen if I let a pack of hellhounds run around. On the other hand, it was 2020. Not much else could've gone wrong. Though, speaking of breeding...\" Laz elbowed Salazar and grinned mischievously. \"Saly, anything you want to share with the family about breeding?\"\n\n\"Ha! Told you the recliner would help!\" Mordecai cheered, nearly spilling his beer, \"And now you've got a bah-bee!\"\n\n\"Okay, first of all, the woman is supposed to lay back, not the man. The recliner did nothing but give me sciatica. Secondly, not a baby. We had twins.\"\n\n\"Two more for the ol' homo draconian!\" The man nearly fell out of his chair as he stabbed his tankard-laden hand into the air in a salute before shoving a spoonful of beef stew into his maw.\n\n\"We're not sure they'll be like us. The magic's fading.\" Saly took a moment to assess the looks on their faces. \"You guys feel it, don't you?\"\n\n\"... I do. The humans have nothing unexplored on the Earth. Nothing they know exists, at least. All the mystery is gone in the world.\" Silvan took a quick sip of his wine, brushing his long black hair behind his ear, \"Maybe it's time to start thinking about Shifting out, like Tamias did a few meetings back.\"\n\nThere was a moment of silence. Consideration. Eyeing the empty seats at their table, left in honor of those who decided to travel to alternate dimensions rather than stay and be hunted or suffer the fate of watching everyone around them fade out.\n\nLaz pictured Saly at home, dancing with Sally as they gently rocked their spawn to sleep. Salazar loved Sally with all his scaley heart, and as much as being with a human made Laz want to puke, they were good for each other. He'd not seen Salazar this happy in millennia. He knew Sal would accept his fate, wandering the Earth as its last immortal inhabitant, if it meant getting to watch over his descendants.\n\n\"Well, speaking of different realities, whooo's ready for some Dungeons And Us'ons?!\" The men pound their drink against the table in a cheer as Martha set up her Gamemaster screen, \"What'd you guys bring to the table for me this time?\"\n\n\"Dragonborn Paladin\" the other four said together, followed by looks of confusion.\n\n\"Oh, for fuck's sake, guys. This is the third time.\"", "It's drizzling outside, but that didn't stop the patron from coming and going to the Starlight Tavern. On the second floor, a table has been reserved for a special occasion, a reunion. After some time, four people arrived and gathered at the reserved table. To everyone's perspective, they only saw four humans who's probably close friend with each other (from their happy faces and joyous mood) and meeting each other again after some time. Probably Merchants or a bit of Nobility if you notice the fine jewelry and clothing, or the air around them. Not a rare sight since the Starlight Tavern is frequently visited by all manner of people of all classes. \n\nIf only they knew the truth. Those four are not actually humans, they are Dragons in disguise. And not just any dragons too, these four are the world famous Four Pillars of Light! For those of you that doesn't know the story, take a seat and listened to my tale. \n\nFor Untold Millenia, Dragon kind has rule over the World with an iron fist. Thanks to their massive size coupled with unmatched physical and magical might, there are none that can oppose a dragon in a fight, save for another dragon. Seeing themselves as the true ruler of the world, they see all the Mortal Races as inferior and fit only as slaves or entertainment. Forming the Draconis Imperium (Dragon Empire), the dragons split the world into several territories amongst themselves. \n\nEvery day, thousands of the lesser races died to the dragon's whim. Either from building massive structures, malnutrition, sacrifices, or just because a dragon felt like it. How many villages or town are burned to ashes just because a dragon felt like it, or a human or an elves slight a dragon, is too many too count. From time to time a rebellion would rose, to the amusement of the dragons only to be destroyed with ease. \n\nSaddened and sympathizing with the plight of the Mortal Races, four great leader of the Draconis Imperium did the unthinkable. They betrayed their own kind and allied themselves with the rebellion. The four of them are the Brass Dragon, Matazar, the Bronze Dragon, Galinade, the Gold Dragon, Alextraza, and the Silver Dragon, Sterren. \n\nI'll continue this story a bit later!" ]	5
	[WP] The King had his court wizard summon A Hero From Another World to defeat The Dread King Of Vile Darkness. After many trials and tribulations, the hero (and their companions) succeeded. Now the hero keeps bothering everyone with their constant requests to be sent back to their true 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Michael stood in the court room for the three hundredth day in a row.\r\n\n“Can you send me home now?” \r\n\n“The wizard is still working on it,” the king said, looking past him to the next person who had queued up for an audience with the king, hoping to get rid of the insistent, persistent, hero.\n\nThe king had given him a duchy in the east, where the lands were fertile and the climate was pleasant. He had offered the hero one of his own daughters. When he refused, he had offered the hero his pick among the king’s daughters.\r\n\n“Your Grace,” one of the court advisors said. “We assure you the wizard is working on the spell for your return as we speak.”\r\n\n“No he’s not,” the hero said. “He’s with a merchant’s daughter in the teahouse district, pretending to like tea.”\r\n\n“Well then he’s gone against royal orders,” the king said. “I assure you, we will take care of it.”\r\n\n“No,” the hero said. “I know now the reason behind your delay.” \r\n\n“It is a difficult thing to transport people across planes.”\r\n\n“You need incentive,” the hero said. “You were scared for your life when you brought me here.\n\nThe wish to survive was your incentive. Now, imagine that your foe is someone stronger than the Dread King of Vile Darkness. Imagine then, how desperate you would be to send away such an enemy.”\r\n\n“Is there another invader coming to the kingdom?” the king asked.\r\n\n“Yes, he’s raised a powerful army in the east. He was more powerful than the Dread King, and definitely more than you—” the hero paused. “How are you so dense? I’m talking about me.”\r\n\n“You?”\r\n\n“Yes, the person who you granted a giant, wealthy duchy… and then pissed off. Find a way to send me back home by the winter solstice, or I’ll invade this kingdom, and you’ll spend the rest of your idiotic life in the dungeons.” \r \n\r \n\n\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\nIf you like my writing, you can see more of it at* r/analect.", "This got really long on me and it's unedited, but the prompt inspired me, so... \n\nPt. 1 of 2\n\n“You were warned,” the gravely voice sounded as if many spoke at once as it echoed eerily from the depths of the seer’s cave. The king fought back a shudder, the sound cutting through him like an icy wind.\n\nHe bowed his head and sighed because the seer had warned him. The spell to summon a champion had even been imprinted with it’s own warning. Intent was key. If only he hadn’t rushed in. The pressure had become too much and he’d gone looking for a solution not to save his people, but to stop all the people harassing him about not doing something about the monster plaguing them all.\n\nIn his daily audiences, all he heard were complaints about how much damage the monster had done, how many villagers the beast had killed. And outside his audiences his advisors constantly barraged him with demands to know what he was going to do about the beast or suggestions as to what he should do about it. By the time he’d heard of the spell to call a champion, all he’d wanted was for it all to finally stop.\n\nAs usual, it all came down the phrasing. He’d asked for, “A champion to stop the beast from harming the kingdom.”\n\nAnd the beast had been stopped, for sure. It now followed that blasted woman around like a puppy. It even let her ride on it’s back.\n\nEverything had started out well enough, of course. He’d done the spell and a large, strong-looking woman wearing strange armor had appeared before him. He’d plead his case, and then it had all fallen apart.\n\nShe’d cried and screamed, insisting that she wasn’t a warrior at all, but some kind of scribe and that they had to send her back right away. She’d carried on quite obnoxiously and, unfortunately, quite loudly. The entire court had known by lunchtime that he’d fumbled the spell. There was talk among his generals and advisors that perhaps they’d be better off with his brother as King.\n\nDesperate and having no idea how to send the woman back, he’d declared the woman to be a sorcerer who foiled his spell to sneak into the castle so she could bewitch them all. Surprisingly, everyone had bought that story and it was decided to dump the woman near the beast’s lair. Either she’d destroy the monster and prove herself a champion, or else she’d be eaten and no longer their problem.\n\nExcept the woman had chosen a third path and had somehow tamed the beast.\n\nFor a time, that seemed to be the end of it. The beast stopped attacking villages. The woman was given some gold and granted the land the beast had claimed as a reward and that should have been the end of it.\n\nBut she still wanted to go home. She asked at the award ceremony. She asked again at the ball they threw in her honor. She kept asking every time she saw the king. It was rather annoying, so eventually the king started having his advisors make his excuses when she came to the palace. He stopped inviting her to dinners and balls and celebrations. Over time, she came to the palace less and less frequently. The King assumed this meant she was settling in.Apparently, he assumed wrong. She spent the months in between her requests for an audience travelling the world, searching for magic that could send her home. Each time she came to request an audience, she brought her latest research, all of which said the only way for her to go home was to reverse the spell he’d cast to bring her here. Obviously, that was out of the question as it would cause the beast to revert to a vicious monster.\n\nMeanwhile, all of her searching had taught her to be the powerful sorceress he’d claimed her to be. She could turn stone to sand and steel to glass with a wave of her hand. Plants and stones came alive at her call and obeyed her whims. She could call down lightning from the sky and her pet beast could now fly, faster than the wind.\n\nAll of which the kind learned on the day she and the beast crashed through the ceiling of the great hall in the middle of his daily audiences." ]	3
	[WP] Imperial common is a human centric language. Many sounds it uses are outside the vocal range of orcs, goblins, and the like, leaving them trying to communicate with the broken fragments that they can use. Mistaking that for stupidity is often the last mistake many humans make.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 ... YOU HERE ... \"\n\nThe booming voice commanded, reflected on the rocky surface of the cavern's insides.\n\nAt its entrance, two adventurers looked at each other, visibly confused. A man and a woman. They quickly shifted in line with the cavern at the loud announcement. A defensive reflex, earned by years of combat in the wild.\n\nAt the rear, close to the green, bright, afternoon sun of the outside plains, were standing a woman in blue mage robes. Its rich golden embroideries and its impeccable state displays the high status and little tolerance for the unexpected of its owner. Her long chestnut hair flown behind her, from under her large pointy hat. Despite the softness of her traits, her face was roughen up with worry and impatience. She was tightly gripping her magic staff with both hands : a perfectly straight milky white pole with intricate golden decorations, topped with a bright deep blue gem levitating in its glided marble cage. Matching the magic gleam of her eyes.\n\nYezebel, of her name, let a few frustrated swears under her breath, while taking position.\n\nHer fronting companion had a more relaxed demeanor, despite having readied a dagger in each of his hands in a heartbeat. He is a lot rougher looking than his magic peer, his leather armor showing a lot of dents, scratches dirt, and stains. His raven hair held in a ponytail going down to his shoulders. His gray-blue eyes taking part of the self-confident and careful expression of his volunteer, straight traits. His short ink black beard and older scar across is otherwise unscathed right eye. Dayton would wear a toothy, pearly, amused grin or laughing, showing off how years of adventuring sculpted his form, in different conditions. Instead, his glacier gaze is focused on the darkness of the cavern.\n\n\"Tsk, why are we always the ones who get the worst missions ?\" Yezebel was losing it, her fiery temperament taking over. Ironic, for a elemental mage specialized in water.\n\n\"I would be grateful if you could light us up the way, Yez.\" The unusual coldness of his voice sent chills of pure terror form her neck, all the way down her spine.\n\nIt took her a couple of seconds to collect herself, before starting incantating an illumination spell, but another tremor from the heart of the cavern interrupted her midway :\n\n\"HUMANS ... NOT WEL---COME. BAD ... NEWS. GO AWAY ... NOW\n\n##OR ELSE.\"\n\nThe voice was struggling with each word. Rockier and deeper than the place it came form.\n\nYezebel fallen sit on the ground, while Dayton managed to stay upright. After a time to process the orders they've been given, he left his fighting posture, to turn toward his duo, with his usual, nonchalant smile.\n\n\"Hey, I just realized -\"\n\nHer face was contorted with fury, she interrupted him before he could finish telling her that he thought the monster they've been sent to slay couldn't be all that fearsome. He found its broken common tongue hilarious. \n\n\"I don't CARE what it is.\" She fumed, while getting herself up. \"It. Is. Going. DOWN !\"\n\nDayton didn't remain taken aback by her display of anger for very long : he is used to it. He knows perfectly well how nobody and nothing is allowed to harm her robes and live to tell the tale.\n\nShe produced instantly a smaller light globe, and went ahead deeper first. He shrugged, and followed her.\n\nA few minutes later, a single roar could be heard with a flash of red light coming form the cavern. An intelligent creature who has lived for thousands of years : an elder earth dragon was living there. Being unable to speak common doesn't mean being unable to understand it. And Yezebel migh have paid the highest price for this lesson.\n\nDayton told me he managed to talk his way out, but mourned the loss of his friend until his last breath. Burnt on half of his body, as proof of his story.\n\nSo remember, everyone. Never judge a book by its cover !\n\n---\n\nToo much exposition, and I rushed the end. =(\n\nI think I want to make them recurring characters, now. I like her, it's too bad we only get to see her die like that.\n\nThat, and I don't know how I could keep an omniscient narration and justify we know about what happened in the first place. I really struggled to wrap thing up.\n\nAlso, repetitive cavern feels repetitive. And my two people are dumbasses. On the other hand, I like how the dragon feels overarching and ominous all along.", "She'd been overlooking them for quite some time now. Every scholar she had to run her proposal by had warned her a thousand times not to get too close, and that it was a fool's errand to try and see if these tribes bore any redeeming qualities. Orcs, they all simply said, were just fallen elves, and they'd lost their intelligence with them. It always seemed probably enough to never be questioned, but it always nagged at her. Too self-righteous, too presumptious. At best, it seemed like a half-baked attempt to try to post-facto approve the endless wars.\n\nThe same wars that gave her the funding now. It was out of amusement, if anything, fear of \"what if they are actually smart, what do we do then? It's only a matter of time before their weapons are better than ours, then\" scenario, or something like it, even if they oh-so-obviously rolled their eyes at the thought. At best, she knew she was just being treated as early reconnisance for a yet unknown crusade once more. Her entire goal of research treated as nothing more than a simple battlefield scout; her entire background in linguistics and society discarded. All they ever cared about was war, their holy righteousness, and part of her feared that if she was to be proven right, they'd carry out their war in a guise of trying to \"uplift\" such a downtrodden race.\n\nIt wasn't as if she could be wrong here, right? She knew she'd been proven right once before, her studies on kobold tactics had saved many lives by noticing how they communicated through scratches and other noises that the common adventurer would ignore; she'd proven that they, too, had a capacity for highly-thought-out pack tactics that would keep them safe. No one had ever tried to reach out peacefully, it was always in the name of gold and resources.\n\nA heavy sigh racked her as she shook her head. She was letting her mind wander from her perch in the hills. It was simply because there was nothing interesting happening through her spyglass that made her rue it all, even if it was solely her own idea for her to spend an entire month -- if not longer -- watching over them. After all, despite her own doubts of the truth of reasoning for all of the conflict, she knew full well if she was to just stroll up to the front gate, they'd skin her alive. Bad blood wasn't her specialty in repairing; she was just a researcher, just solely academic, she had nothing to offer.\n\nA few of the green-skinned behemoths were congregating in the center of their small camp, as she would best call it, even if it bordered on a village in terms of its population -- and unlike the traditional war camps, of what she was told, at least, it wasn't just populated by men. It made her chew at the inside of her cheek; she'd been fed bad information by her advisor or been lied to by him all the same. The bald one with blue eyes and several scars seemed to be the most senior of them, but she hesitated to label him as their leader. The way he acted didn't match with how orc rulers had been described, he seemed far too caring. The sun was making it hard to make out the movements of his lips, the way it kept trying to bounce into her eye, but she did her best to squist through it. She'd found studying the leader to be the most interesting, and so she tried to keep her eyes on him as much as possible; if nothing else, she figured, she knew that he was old enough to have survived several conflicts -- there had to be some wisdom in that.\n\nYet, was he looking right at her? He almost seemed to be, but there was no way he could be. She was far enough off that there was no possible way for him to see her by naked eye. With a sigh, she put her spyglass away and pulled out her notebook and jotted down a few scrawls about how nothing had changed. The most interesting thing in the past week had been how they were reinforcing the walls, but beyond that, there was nothing more than just the usual you could expect out of a society that existed, according to all of the literature she'd read, as nothing more than a society of nomads. It wasn't as though she could blame them, though. \n\nThey had every reason to always be on the run. She'd wait till nightfall to check back in once more, her mind cognizant now of the slight rumble in her stomach. She'd been rationing out her food more than usual after she'd found some of it stolen by wildlife, and she'd been doing that even before to jsut spend a little bit longer out here. She couldn't be wrong. She didn't want to be, and so she had to refuse even the idea that she could be lest she discredit every other idea that was running through her mind.\n\nBut she wasn't a hunter. If it came to it, she would have to return empty-handed. As if for good luck, she extended out the spyglass once more and prayed. The leader still seemed to be looking at her. Was he smiling now? She wondered why.\n\n---\n\nEvery night, the orcs would gather around the center pyre as they good that days hunt. She couldn't tell if they were talking beyond the small movements of their lips, but it was hard to misplace if that was just chewing or something more. She'd made note of it once, but it barely even clicked in her mind as something to be aware of now. Putting away the spyglass, she shook her head softly as she sunk her lips around a piece of hardtack. Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe they were no better than a group of brutes, able to fight and survive so long simply for their endurance that outmatched anything else in a fight. Elves were more nimble, humans more adaptable, and orcs were just simple, stupid brutes. \n\nShe rolled her eyes; she was starting to sound just like her teachers all those years. Gently tapping her foot, she tried to think of any probable ideas to roll with here. With the way that the wars kept breaking out, she knew that the orc tribes had been forced into nomadicy, and any ruins of their old towns had been taken over by the other races. Nothing there. Moving on by now was an inevitability, but she just had to figure out what she could do with it. Maybe she could move behind a tribe, or try to repeat the study with goblins, but after the kobolds, she had no desires to be underground for an extended period of time in the near future. \n\nHad she not been distracted, strumming her fingers against her cheek, she'd likely not've noticed the flickering of fire on the walls -- but it wasn't bright enough to be the walls themselves aflame. Bringing back up the spyglass, she looked at it. An orc -- the leader? She couldn't tell in the dark -- was raising a torch above and below the lip of the wall where he was seemingly standing guard, facing right towards her as if to signal to her. Designed specifically to catch her eye. \n\nBut how? There was no way that she could have been spotted, yet... if it was that she was being signalled, maybe she would be safe to go down. As she collapsed the spyglass, every logical bone in her body was telling her to not pick up her rucksack and make her way down the hill, yet she had to know. The logical part of her mind screamed she was just a moth to a flame, but the hopeful part told her there may never be an opportunity like this again. With a deep breath in, she had to trust her beliefs. If she was wrong, then she overestimated them; it would be the last mistake she would make, at the very least." ]	3
	[WP] In the midst of the end of the world, a puppy comforts a young human in their final moments.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Sitting in my chair, comfortably relaxing while my puppy sleeps gently on my lap, the classical music plays from the radio.\n\nThe rumbling begins, it wakes the puppy but I pat her little head and she's so tired from the long day, the night sky was a rich blueish purple slowly faded into a red orange, my view is quite good, I'm not rich but my apartment has a nice view and I see the buildings being hit one by one. The crumbling stone is somehow soothing, my puppy is fully woken and staring through the window. He looks over at me I walk over to him and hold him while I feel a crash over my head, the piano from the radio fades into static.\n\nA wooden beam from the ceiling falls on my chair, I'm crying, everyone I know is dead except the fluffy little good boy in my arms, he's the last thing I have on earth and I turn my head to watch as a large chunk of flaming rock approaches the window. The rock starts to break apart into pebbles that break through the window before the main act.\n\nI picked up the puppy and gave her a little doggy treat before staring out the window. The crash happened too fast, there was no life flashing before my eyes just a small corner of my eye glimpse at the little champion in the corner of the room, he looked so scared but I gave a little smile for him or at least I think I did.\n\nI was killed instantly, when I arrived in heaven I expected to see my dog but for some reason I can't find him at all, I hope to see him one day.\n\nThe end\n\nEpilogue\n\nIn the wreckage of the city a small black metal disc, it lands on a small patch of flat grey concrete. The ship slowly depressurizes and a ramp slowly descends. The large metal figures come down the ramp. The metal clanging of their feet echo through the flat, desolate landscape.\n\nTheir single red eye, their large wrist mounted guns, their shiny grey metallic figure, all of it offering an extreme contrast to the smoking orange rubble. A small shadow appears from under a pile of rubble and a little golden retriever puppy comes out from a mountain of rubble. The robots detected movement and aimed their guns towards the puppy.\n\n\"Bark!\"" ]	2
	[WP] Upon entering the Magic School every student is chosen by a Grimoire. You were chosen by an dirty and ancient looking Grimoire. The title of the Book is the Necronomicon.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\nBlack tendrils of darkness began leaking from the page as Skyler turned it. He cried out and dropped the Necronomicon, the book closing as it landed. \n\n“Well!” Taj said, her laugh sounding through the empty commons. “Don’t read that page.” She finished with a burst of giggles. \n\nTaj, Skyler knew, had received her first name from her joke loving, Indian mother to compliment her Filipino father’s last name of Mahal. And she loved it. \n\n“It’s not funny!” Skylar said, breathless with the adrenaline. “It could have been deadly for all we know.” \n\n“But it’s exiting! Different. It’s the Necronomicon!” She said, placing undue emphasis on the last word. Like it wasn’t Skyler’s worst curse. \n\nAn extended study session in the plush commons of Grimoire International College was Taj’s idea of a good use of the holiday break. Not that it mattered to Skyler, he wasn’t planning on staying that long, though finding the heart to tell Taj was hard. \n\n“Do you even know what the last guy to have this did?” Skyler said, picking up the black tome. \n\nTaj gave him a questioning look. “So just because you’re training with the same Grimoire means you’ll do the same?” She said. Skyler shook his head. She had never seen the book in the same light he had. “Power is power.” She continued, poking a finger at his book. “It’s us who put the evil or good into it.”\n\nBefore Skyler could respond a crash and shout came from the hallway outside. They burst through to find Mistress Amelia sprawled on the tiles. Principle Gastrom was kneeling beside her in a panic. \n\n“Get the healers!” He shouted at Skyler before beginning rescue measures. “Quickly!” He screamed as Skyler and Taj didn’t move. \n\nA canister nearby lay in shreds and Skyler recognized it from the offensive wing. Principle Gastrom must have been carrying it and bumped into Amelia as they met around the corner. \n\n“She is the healer.” Taj said, landing on her knees next to Gastrom. \n\n“The others!” He said, frantically trying to stanch the bleeding. \n\n“On holiday.” Taj said quickly. \n\nTo Skylers eyes, courtesy of the Necronomicon, he could see death itself creeping up the woman’s face. She didn’t have long at all. \n\nHe didn’t know what to do, the nearest healer was hours out. Until he remembered something he had just read. \n\nThe book he still held in his hand fell open. He raised a hand and dark tendril flowed from his mouth as he spake. “Hayaan ang Namamatay!” \n\nThe dark presence of death slowed and then stopped. The blood coming from between Gastrom’s fingers stopped flowing. \n\nThe Principle looked up at him sharply. “What have you done?” He whispered, looking daggers at the book Skyler held. \n\n“It’s called Spare the Dying.” He replied, shock in his own voice. \n\n\nAs the door to the hospital room closed and Skylar was finally able to release his hold on the spell, Taj turned to him. \n\n“Power,” She said with a smile. “Is Power.”\n\nSkyler smiled and held the black tome closer. Next year at Grimoire College was going to be one to remember", "I stepped down into the Library of Choosing, and swallowed hard as I passed the bright brazier of ceremonial magical fire that illuminated the chamber with pure white light, casting long, sharp shadows from the ancient, 12-foot high bookcases filled with Grimoires.\n\nI was the last of this year's new students to be presented for selection by a Grimoire, at the Royal Academy of Arcane Mysteries, and I was nervous. The most famous tomes available had already chosen their apprentice mages, and I was resigned that I would have to settle for a more prosaic magical book to be my companion in learning the mystical arts. Still, at the end of the day, only one thing mattered:\n\nI'm going to be wizard. I told myself, firmly, clenching my jaw in determination.\n\nUnder the watchful eyes of my fellow students and the dozen or so ancient wizards that made up the faculty of the Academy, I stepped up to the bookcases where the Grimoires sat in silent judgment. I closed my eyes and spread my arms wide, as I'd been instructed, waiting for one of the tomes to react. I stood there for over half a minute, counting seconds in my head. It was twice as long as I'd seen anyone else wait. I began to grow nervous.\n\nI'd been tested for innate magical talent and found to have a respectable arcane potential, and it was unheard of for the tomes to universally reject someone with a significant gift for magic. Even if I might have to settle for being chosen by one of the newest, and therefore least powerful, sentient Grimoires, it hadn't occurred to me that I might not be chosen at all.\n\nOne will choose me. I'm going to be a wizard! I assured myself, doggedly.\n\nAfter sixty more seconds, I really began to worry that might be the case, after all. But then I heard a sound. Not the rustling of leather and parchment I'd heard, when other Grimoires had animated and flew into the hands of their waiting apprentices. It was a metallic rattle.\n\nI opened my eyes, and looked around for the source. At the very top of one of the bookcases, I saw a group of dusty Grimoires, that, unlike any of the other volumes stored here, were held on their shelves by a set of stout chains that criss-crossed in front of them, double-padlocked and anchored to the sturdy bookcases with thick iron rings.\n\nOne of the books seemed to be straining against the chains, sliding forward and trying to turn itself at different angles, before shooting forward until the chains pulled taut and began creaking. A murmur of alarm went through the faculty wizards, and I saw some of them shooting each other significant, wide-eyed looks. Taking a half step back, I turned back to shelves just in time to hear the chains snap with a ping and clang of breaking metal.\n\nAnd then, before I knew what was happening, it was in my hands. Ancient, dusty, bound in a translucent tan leather whose source I didn't care to speculate on. \"Necronomicon\", the title read, in embossed letters accented with cracked and worn gold leaf. I didn't know what the title meant, but I had a vague impression that nice, pleasant things don't generally have \"necro-\" in the name.\n\nA wizard. I reminded myself firmly, if less self-assuredly. I'm going to be a wizard. It's fine.\n\nI turned to one of the eldest faculty wizards. I think it was the headmaster, but it's hard to say, they were all gaunt old men with long white beards and gray robes, I hadn't had time to learn the subtle differences.\n\n\"I...\" I began, looking back down at the book, then back up at him. \"This doesn't seem...I mean...can I get a do-over?\"\n\nThe old wizard regarded me with wide eyes that seemed to hold a mixture of fear and pity, and he shook his head slowly. \"I am sorry. The Choosing is an ancient rite, young man, moved by the hand of Fate itself. In chaining that vile book to the shelf, we did all that we could to hold it at bay, and prevent it from claiming a student. Indeed, those chains had spells laid upon them that would make them fit to bind elder demons -- if they have broken despite this, then there is no mistaking it as the decree of Fate. Though I fear for what you might unleash on the world with the Necronomicon, bearing that dread tome is clearly your destiny.\"\n\nI looked down at the book. Some of them could speak to their bearer's minds. It seemed worth a shot. I told myself: I'm going to be a wizard! This is weird and scary, but that's what wizards do -- weird and scary is in the job description, right?\n\n\"Uh...okay. Hi. It seems like you're not very well liked around here. But you chose me, and I appreciate that, so I'll reserve judgment. Maybe you just made a bad first impression on the faculty or whatever, yeah? It happens. So, listen, I just want to learn magic, and then maybe work my way up to a nice, comfortable court wizard posting, some day. Are...are you okay with that?\" I mentally addressed to the Necronomicon.\n\n\"Oh, precious mortal child,\" the book's raspy voice crooned patronizingly in my head, making me wince. It was like the sound of charred bones being crushed underfoot. \"Yes, I will teach you magic, and more than magic. I will teach you things that the small minded worms now cringing around you dare not contemplate, truths of existence that would drive them mad!\"\n\n\"And will...will that help me get a good position at court?\" I asked, hopefully.\n\n\"A court wizard? Bah! That is far too small an ambition for you, my bearer! Even to become a king yourself, would be a goal beneath the station of the one who holds me, and learns my dark secrets. No, no, instead of a mere wizard or king, I will make you as unto a god! Those who now think themselves above you will cry tears of blood, as they behold your power and glory! Oh, the things you will see, bearer! I will show you how to open the Forbidden Gate, the portal to the Outer Darkness beyond the stars, where the ancient lords of mindless chaos wait to--\"\n\nThe voice was cut off as I turned, took a quick step forward, and deftly chucked the eldritch tome into the brazier. The Grimoire let out a psychic screech of mingled surprise, outrage, and agony, and then it shriveled into a ragged sheaf of ashes in the white-hot magical fire, and was silent.\n\nA baker, I told myself, with firm determination, as I strode past the still-transfixed onlookers. I'm going to be a baker!", "She said the words. I could hear them through the door, and I threw my ear against the black oak, senseless to the pain. Still, I could not make out their origin nor their verbal shape. It was as if something between myself and the speaker were boxing out the syllables and emphasis of her speaking, leaving my ears with square, unfamiliar tones.\n\n\" Damn it all!, \" I thought, desperation filling my heart with low, chiding rage. \" If I cannot hear the words, I will not know the song, and if I can't sing the song, they will know I was lying. I looked at the stars and the blackness between their numberless shimmering, as cold and distant to my tears as the brightness they reflected.\n\nWhy was this happening to me? I had done everything right. I had collected earth from the grave of an adulterous man. I had collected the urine of a child suffering from the wasting. Strange flowers, impossible to find unless you turn over the rotting trunk of a fallen elm which lay in the unmoving shadow of a cursed cairn; Those onyx, razor-sharp rocks lay tumbled down the hill, reflecting an empty sun.\n\nStranger things where I possessed to find, things I will not name for the chills that tic the tips of my fingers and chatter my teeth to cracking. I cannot deny that magic is real, for I have said the names of bestial precursor gods, and heard their reply. Even now I am followed by strange, cold fire whose will I cannot master. But worst of all, I had the eyes of a beloved pet, full of love, trying to lick my face as I strangled it with my own hands. Those eyes, the sound of his windpipe cracking like thin wood. My poor darling, my only beloved companion who kept me warm in the night, and here, and here at the end of it and they will not let me in!?\n\nMy mind broke. I had come here certain that I would find common cause. Curse me for opening that black bordered letter. Curse me for deciphering the spidery text by the light of a scholar’s candle. With a snarl I threw myself against the locked door.\n\n\"You imperious little bitch! You lied, you let me in and you tell me why I did these things! Why did you lie to me! Why did you send me this letter?\" I fished it out of my pocket, the thick scented paper, I tore it apart, knowing it was my only ticket out of this backwards, nowhere life.\n\nBlind with rage I used every limb against the sealed portal. The cold fire, watching from the woods, my only companion. Sobbing, tears pouring out of my eyes in thick rivulets, searing the hundred small cuts on my face. My mind finally breaking, a ceaseless album, my dead mother, my dead father, my dead sisters. The broken, dust choked village where I was born. The poisoned hole in my chest in which I used to pour beatitudes and false promises, only to watch it slop over the edges, pour down my belly and legs until it pooled black.\n\nFinally, I fell to my knees, dignity flown from me finally, hands over my face in shame.\n\n\"You made me kill my only friend...\" I said, tongueless and incoherent, words fused and warped in the agonized rictus of my mouth.\n\n\"Necromancer.\", came the sound. In a stupor I raised my face to the direction of the voice. Seeing nothing, a cold grip tightened in my lowest gut and slowly lifted me up to my feet. I could see nothing. The portal remained sealed. The face of the tower before me was featureless. I could see no windows nor even the meanest iron-barred hole. The stars retained their silvering\n\n\"Flesh dancer, face changer\", it was tittering now, a woman’s voice aping that of a school aged limerick, low, husky so unlike the comparatively juvenile wit of the witch at the door.\n\nMaddened, my jaw set, \"Where are you!\"\n\n\"Secret finder, your darkness has no place here. They will never let you in, much as a farmer would never admit a fox into a hen house. You are my own. I stand with them but I am their mirror reflection. I know nemesis and the darkness between the first stars in the universe. When they ask of ancient Gods and the date of their coming destruction, they are asking me.\"\n\nSlowly, I turned to the face that had appeared beside me and I screamed, tearing at my eyes, for they had shown me utter madness. She could not be, her eyes were alive but her flesh was not. The words came from moving lips, but they parted for flies, worms, beetles and spiders. In her arms, the Book. She was of earth, the book was covered in dust, the ornate leather cover worked by alien method. The cold fire, my fire, grew brighter in the woods behind us, for I could see my shadow and the shadow of the living dead. I screamed again, bereaved for this poor girl, moved from her eternal sleep, but I had uncovered my eyes, and a strange lust coiled within me.\n\n\" That book, is it mine, has it chosen me? \"\n\n\"You were chosen long ago, by pitiless Gods of balance and power. You were bent to this my child. And yes,\" she said mellifluously, like a proud teacher, \" This is for you, and \"within it you will find the power you have strived to possess.\"\n\n\" Give it to me!\" I said, lunging at her for that precious tome. She evaded me coquettishly and slapped me bloody with a brutal back hand.\n\n\"But first, you must do this one last thing, and complete the ritual you began so long ago.\"\n\n\"What, anything! What must I do, I will do it!\" I creaked, she had put me on my knees with that terrible blow but I raised up again for the promise of power, though the last of my strength was gone. What I did I did by will and will alone.\n\n\" I know you will, for you are my disciple, you are my agent in this foolish world.\n\n\"She stepped forward, a smile parting to reveal a blackened mouth, the book crossed by here skeletal arms. \" To complete the bitter harrowing, you must kiss me.\"\n\nAnd so, I did, without a moment's hesitation, as the rotten portal yawned before me. She squeezed my chin and gripped the back of my head and I felt the book press against my chest. I almost moaned in ecstasy but then the dirt came, and the worms came, and the beetles came, and the spiders came, all scrabbling down my throat. My eyes turned to the sky as I bore the agony, every fiber of me wanting to push this thing away and empty my body of everything within it. They filled with new tears as my muffled screams choked under this odious, chthonic deluge. The stars seemed to sing with a new voice.\n\nI could not tell you how long I was asleep. I can only say it was morning when I woke with a start, on my back, my arms crossed over the ancient book.", "First day taught me joy, for on my future I've embarked. \nFriends, teachers, books and learning, all in welcome spread their arms. Warmth of fire, fragrance of feast, feel of touch, were all soon to be mine.\n\nSecond day taught me sadness, for my future was to be lorn. \nOne by one my friends were chosen, by the books of light, how to help, how to build, how to be part of all. Sounds of cheer and applause, coming from all around, at my height, my name was called and as by magic, gloom has come. \nThe hall grew steady as no book sang my name, in its stead a heartbeat, like clock of doom has announced my fate. Wearily I approached the tome of black, its metal clasps start rattling and open with a snap. On the front page a message that shall define my life:\n\n>That is not dead which can eternal lie, \nAnd with strange aeons even death may die.\n\nThird day taught me fear, for I began to read \nAbdul Alhazred\\* is my teacher, Kitab al Azif\\* has his voice. I read as told, page by page, feeling myself change. Where hope was, now fear, where joy, now only dread lays. With every page with every word, I feel the Elder's gaze.\n\nFourth day taught me horror, for I noticed Him \nThe book now tossed in corner, with knife placed on my neck. Dare I live any longer? When page 665 showed me how to move the curtain? I moved it slowly, barely at all, but when the smallest crack was opened, I suddenly saw all. I slammed the curtain shut and screamed till, I could no more. What I saw WAS, and I doubt if I should be.\n\nFourth day taught me courage, for I know I want to die \n\"There is a way\" claims Alhazred. One must complete his path. For to R'lyeh leads the path of glory and only worthy shall be unmade. Even dead shall suffer greatly when the Great one wakes. Only worthy shall be spared per his eternal grace. On page 1000 is way, to nudge a dreaming god. All is needed is a payment, which other sure will pay, let to tomorrow be a start to help escape dark fate. \n\nNext day taught me joy, for on my future I've embarked. \nFriends, teachers, book and learning, all in welcome spread their arms. Warmth of fire, fragrance of feast, feel of touch, were all soon to be mine. \n\n\n\\Supposed author and original title of Necronomicon", "Mother took one more sideways glance at the book. Rolled her eyes again and tutted furiously as she made herself busy preparing the breakfast. \n\n\"You always did have to do things in your own funny way\"\n\nShe set her hand over her own pristine Grimiore causing the pages to flicker lightly, resting on one choice page. Effortlessly her eyes glowed as an ancient verse came not just from her mouth, but the deepest part of her soul. You swore that before the last syllable had even made its way from her, she had already moved on to the next task. As the mother of 5, breakfast was always a busy time and she moved with the efficiency of a palace automaton. Not a wasted second was allowed. \n\n\"I'm not cross, or disappointed or anything, truly poppet I'm not, It's clearly very powerful and all that my love...but...\"\n\nShe looked at it once again and lost her words to yet another eyeroll and then was distracted by some sort of toast based emergency. The spell she had cast had by now activated. A cleanliness charm, dispelling any mess within a 3m radius for the next hour. An essential component of any mealtime. However when a stray slice of toast makes a break for the floor, it did mean it was classed as mess even before the sacred five second rule has passed. So now she was one slice down and the boys would be through in moments.\n\n\"Mum...\"\n\nI paused. She paused. We both knew what must be said, but neither dared speak. I swallowed hard, since it had happened yesterday we'd quite happily been playing this little game. Mum being bemused and slightly annoyed at my very dramatic Grimiore. Me being surprised and excited I got such an ancient text. But this wasn't something that was going to go away with naive optimism.\n\n\"What will Dad say?\"\n\"We'll find out once his meeting with the directors is over\"\n\"What will the directors say?\"\n\"How would I know, I'm not a director am I?\"\n\"You know what I mean!\"\n\nMy brothers had started to filter into the room now and Mum shot me a look to shut up between filling the youngest brothers plate and policing the others behaviour. Though my eldest brother had received his(entirely normal) Grimiore a year previously, the others were still too young. The whole ceremony is to be kept secret before you come of age and was certainly not appropriate conversation for mealtimes. So any answers I could squeeze from her would have to wait. \n\nAs the boys settled at the table to eat, I caught her running her hands over the front of her Grimiore, a melancholy glint in her eye. The Ultimate Collection of Spells for Modern Ladies. A respectable housewife's Grimiore, published by the now head of Directors wife in the 60's. Such a respectable Grimiore, written by a high level strong lineage witch, being assigned it pretty much guaranteed my mother marriage into a well to do wizard bloodline. Her own bloodline was reasonably respectable. Decent magic, acceptable lineage. She was destined for a solid life of alrightish mediocrity till she gained the ultimate wifey Grimiore. No old stuffy wizard could resist a wife with those skills. Her Grimiore had given her a safe, comfortable life. But mine was not so simple. I did come from my father's bloodline, so I was expected to be proficient. I had been expected to be a lot of things truth be told. For years I was told what I could expect when I gained my magic. How I could expect great things from it, how I would benefit our society vastly. But no one had prepared for for gaining such a great and powerful evil...\n\nMaybe I am evil and I don't know it yet?", "“Burnswallow Hectoroc.” The loud disembodied voice said. The audience clapped and watched as a red-skinned lizard looking boy with flaming hair came down from the top row and down onto the stage. He looked over the railing into the massive library at the heart of the Geerhaedt Academy of Magic and held his hand up. The quiet sound of books shuffling around could be heard, and then suddenly a very audible zipping could be heard as a book zoomed into Burnswallow’s hand. He managed to catch it but was still knocked back a bit. When he regained his footing, he held the book up above his head backwards. He quickly noticed this and turned the book around, which elicited some chuckles from everyone in the audience. A beam of light coming from a crystal in the ceiling shot at the book and caused it to glow radiantly. An image of the book was then projected upon the elegant white curtains to show everyone the Grimoire that had chosen him. It was a spellbook that held guides to fire magic. A perfect choice for a half-dragon such as Burnswallow. Everyone in the audience clapped and the young boy left the stage and went back up to his seat, lovingly clutching his book.\n\n“Next up is… Omardiin Helviett.” The disembodied voice announced. That was me, though I preferred to go by Omar, as my full name practically screamed Drow, and people didn’t really take too kindly to the Drow. It’s a wonder I even got into this school, with both my family being poor as they are and me being a Drow. There’s certainly some prominent people that would not like me here, but I suppose their ideas got overruled. \n\nI stepped nervously down my seat at the top of the auditorium and I could feel everyone watching me. They were probably wondering why no one was here with me, why my parents had not come, or why I was even here in the first place. I made it to the stage and stepped onto it, my feet feeling heavy. The lights were blinding me, and I hated them. I much prefer the darkness, though some people have said I terrify them in the darkness, the way only my eyes glow in the dark. \n\nI did not want to be up here any longer. I quickly held up my hands over the library, but nothing happened. I couldn’t hear shuffling or anything, it was just silent, and I felt like I was standing there for hours. I closed my eyes in anticipation, ready for the Grimoire to fly into my hands and knock me over. Then, an awful thing happened. I felt something leathery in my hands, and I opened my eyes to see an old and dingy looking book. It was jet black and tattered, the words faded, but still legible. The Necronomicon.* is what it said. I shivered, in fact, I almost nearly threw the book to the ground. I knew of this book, all Drow knew of this book. We were the ones who wrote it, and it is why we were all cast away. Why is it here? And why did it choose me? \n\nThe crystal didn’t even need to hit the book for everyone to realize what it was. As soon as the book gently placed itself in my hands everyone gasped. The headmaster of the school himself came running down the aisle. \n\nI didn’t want the book, but I had worked so hard for it. I didn’t want him to take it away, it was mine, it chose me. If I couldn’t have this I couldn’t do magic, and all I wanted to do was magic. The headmaster approached me.\n\n“Omardiin… that book is dangerous…” He said calmly. I clutched the book tighter and held it close to me. “Trust me when I say you don’t know what it can do. Just give me the book. Now.” He continued, getting more aggressive as he spoke. I stared at him and then the book and then back to him. I was practically curled into the corner with him casting a shadow over me.\n\n“I know what this book can do. My people wrote it.” I replied, standing up taller. The headmaster took a step back as I got up. Just me moving almost instilled a sense of fear in his eyes. “They wrote this, and everyone cast them out. We Drow have lived in the darkest corners of the world all because you wizards and witches were scared of what we tried to do.” I continued. Everyone in the audience was silent, but I could feel the fear running through everyone in the room.\n\n“We wanted to do what you all could do, and you were scared because we were able to do it better than you ever could!” I shouted out to the audience. I put my hand on the binding of the Necronomicon, and I could feel it speaking to me. It was telling me a hundred things- telling me to kill everyone, to use the spells inside of it to tear apart the world and raise the dead. It wanted me to lift up its old masters. It said a lot of things, but the most prominent thing it talked about was how relieved it felt to finally be free, and to finally be reunited with one of its kind.\n\nWe left no survivors.", "Okay you're almost up, calm down, you got this. It will be simple, just go up there and whatever feels right will ring at you like a ding... or was a boing? Just remember what Uncle Greg said \"It will sound right, and it will feel like a refreshing breeze.\"\n\n\"Next up, Mr. Wilson? Please step in front of the doors and await their opening.\" \n\n\"Yes ma'am,\" I walked towards the double doors. Behind them lay the Library that will give me my first real Grimoire.\n\nOkay you got this. Go into that mystical library, find whatever speaks to you, and boom. You're in, its just a hop and a skip away. Once you get through this, straight to the dorms and to the safety of my room. \n\nThe doors opened and I saw what seemed to be a labyrinth of bookshelves that went on for, gods know how long. \n\nIt was my time. I knew what I had to do. Run in there, get my Grimoire, get out. Dad told me how it worked for him, he just held out his hand and ran it through the books until one yipped at him and he knew it was the one. Tommy just held out his hand and it flew to him, must be nice being the perfect golden child, not having to try to get what you want, everything just comes to you, sometimes literally. \n\nUncle Greg said it took him almost a 40 minutes to find his. He said it sounded like bells. Find those bells for yourself. \n\nKeep running, touch as many as you can, one has to make some sort of noise. \n\nTime stopped existing. My heart was beating like a drum, I could have swore any moment now, it was going to break through my ribcage and flop out onto the floor. I had made so many turns and gone up what? Five? No, 6 flights of stairs already. Still nothing, why, why can't I find it?! Is it even here? \n\nNo, its not here, what are you doing. You aren't cut out for this. Just turn around, tell them you can't find it. Tell them you want to unenroll. Go back home, just be a locksmith, magic is too complicated for me. \n\nThe last glimmers of hope were fading, and I knew I would begin to turn around until I found those double doors at the start. \n\n\"I see you seem a little lost young one.\" \n\nIs there someone else here? I could have sworn we get released alone. We find the Grimoire alone, and we exit the Library alone.\n\n\"Follow the whispers, lost one. Follow my voice. I will guide you. I will change you. You will be better this way. You will...\" \n\nI turned around, and it started to get louder. The louder it got, the more it changed. \n\n\"Come, come closer,\" the whispers led me. \n\nI kept running. Down the hallways and up the stairs, and taking the ladders to the different areas of the bookshelves. Eventually it just sounded like unintelligible whispers. There it was, on the corner shelf on the bottom. I picked it up, and then I heard it. \n\n\"I am yours, and you are mine, excellent.\" It whispered to me. \n\nI turned the book over, \"The Necronomicon,\" I read out loud.\n\nNecromancy? Has to be, I have read about this before in my one of my ancient histories class. I'm pretty sure. Yeah, yeah I have. What in the hells is this doing here?!\n\n\"We are one.\" the book whispered. \n\nAs I opened it, shadows bounce out the book, it molded into the visage of a dog. It kept pointing at one direction. I stood there stunned, and then a whispered bark snapped me out of it, I followed. This process repeated itself, jumping from the position it was at, to another up ahead , after a few minutes I saw the double doors. \n\nSalivation at last, I can tell them that this is some sort of mistake, and I can go home. No way in the nine hells did the Necronomicon choose me. \n\n\"Oh, but it has, young one. You cannot get rid of me. We are bound by my will.\" The book whispered at me. \n\nAs the doors opened, I saw the familiar face of the headmaster.\n\nI made it, oh my gods I actually made it. I can go to my dorms and actually study, I have an actual chance. \n\n\"Welcome, young mage. May this year treat you well.\" The headmasters heartwarming voice hit my soul like a cup of hot coco on a cold night, easing my anxiety. \n\n\"Thank you sir, I appreciate it, may this year treat you well also,\" I said, as I reached my hand out to shake his. \n\nHe took it and for a second, all felt right. I feel like I could actually do this. \n\nI can study magic, and I can be successful in life. My gods, is this what Tommy feels like all the time? This is amazing. \n\nHe leaned in close and whispered something into my ear, \"Interesting Grimoire. We haven't seen it choose someone in many centuries. I will be watching your development closely.\" and then he let go, acting like he did not just whisper the most ominous, most anxiety inducing string of words he could have. \n\nI nodded and head off towards the dorms. \n\n\"Hehe...we will have a fun year, young one.\" the book whispered. \n\nYeah, of course we will.", "The whole school stands dumbfounded at first as bursts of magic fill the air above the library's choosing plinth. The golds of symmetry, the reds of change, the blues of appearance, the greens of growth and many others - splashes of colour and sound fill the air over the crowd while book after book from every discipline floats towards the handsome young boy at the centre, to join the growing circle of books that dance around in the air.\n\nI too, stand shocked. All of the others had one, maybe two books choose them only; and I had been warned that sometimes you might not be chosen at all and those students could often manage only the basics - that's what I'd been worried about until now.\n\nThe headmaster, typically looking so stern and ancient, steps forward jubilantly, wild eyed: \"Rejoice! This is a wondrous day indeed as our prophesied hero is here!\" He then darts into the circle, almost skipping to reach the boy and raise his hands. \"Everyone, be sure to remember the name Percival Brightwood - soon all will know of him!\"\n\nThe library erupts into chaos as the school rushes forward, hooting and yelling their cheers. To the side, teachers are hugging each other or dancing on the spot; and the line behind me dissolves as they join the rest of them.\n\nI stand, one hesitant foot on the plinth. It had been my turn next and now I didn't know what to do. I couldn't join in with the others, I didn't understand why they were cheering though I knew already that something fundamental had happened in this world, a world I only learned existed a few days ago. I look at Percival, taller than most of the children even though he was only the same age as me, as he stands there surrounded by celebrating classmates and teachers, a quiet smirk on his face.\n\nA nudge at my hand prompts me to look down, and a brown, leather book, mottled with age, presses itself between my fingers, the cover cold to the touch. There are no streaks of colour in the air over the plinth, and there are no other books circling - just this one. I turn it in my hands but there is no title, no hint as to the contents. I go to open it and it snaps shut immediately.\n\n\"Ssstop, not here\" a deep and breathy whispers sibilantly, and I hear that not with my ears but in the shivering of my bones as it transmits from my fingers to my skull. I look around quickly at the impromptu party, every one of them lost in themselves and the moment. None of them are talking to their books, not even Percival over there who seems to be shaking hands or being hugged by each of the faculty members in turn.\n\n\"I didn't...\" - \"Shhhhhhh!\" the book interrupts me, before I can reply.\n\nI step away from the plinth, out to the empty hallway, and whisper: \"Do all books talk?\"\n\n\"Only the dangerouss ones.\" the book hisses and my body almost vibrates with the words, but it's not the depth of the voice but the way the words fill my bones \"You musst hide me until you know enough to disguisse me.\"\n\n\"Dangerous? But...\" I think for a moment, looking back through the door at the school as it finally seems to be calming down a little, before looking at the book in my hands - the title is now just barely visible, a barely visible shimmer on the ancient book that reads only 'Necronomicon'. \"But why me?\"\n\n\"Becausse boy, there musst alwayss be a balance\"", "I wish it were a talking hat. Or a wand. The wand one buys in a rundown store where no one can laugh at them when they realize that the stick they spent their hard-earned money on used to be a shitty tulip poplar side branch that should have ended in a woodchipper.\n\nEither of those would be less embarrassing than Choosing at the Allschool of Magic. Not for me, for them. The 99% of the crowd in the Great Hall, who are trying so hard to score a good book. Except --- like the remaining 1% --- they actually don't believe in themselves. And that’s why almost everyone in this damn cathedral-like room ends up with a shitty Book of Magic. What kids here don’t understand is that Grimoires, like anyone who ever wanted to be in a healthy relationship, prefer confident and equal partners. It’s sad really… These kids, here. They’re suffocating, and I’m suffocating around them.\n\nLiterally.\n\nThe ginger in the red button-down shirt and velvet cloak who’s shaking like a twig (wand?) to my right smells like brimstone, which --- for anyone born in the 21st century --- is another word for sulfur. But metallomancers like the Little Red Riding Hood --- his name is Dereck Hill --- love to use fancy words. Brimstone for sulfur, quicksilver for quicksilver, aqua fortis for nitric acid… The list of chemicals they eat, drink, snort, or shoot in their veins so they can cast simple cantrips is long. Their spellbooks should be illegal. But call them junkies or allomancers, and they get all pissy-pissed at you for calling them names.\n\nDereck is a freak. Everyone in this school is. Wizards, mages, sorcerers, warlocks, demons, elves, pixies, werewolves, vampires, me… this is the school for the unnatural freaks.\n\nAnd just like everyone, Dereck too will be Chosen by a Grimoire.\n\nFor a brief moment, Dereck stares at me like a frightened sheep.\n\nWhat are you afraid of, Dereck? You have already failed.\n\nHe looks away and starts fiddling with his belt, now with another thing to be afraid of. Namely, the thought I planted in his mind.\n\nI sight, pulling the sleeve of my black shirt down to cover the scratch marks on my forearm. The Headmaster Rangul Brix calls the next name in a haunting hiss that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.\n\nAmazing.\n\n“Fara Al Awwad, step forward.”\n\nDouble amazing. She's one of the 1%.\n\nI met her at the pre-Choosing party yesterday, kind of. My hand slides up my shoulder and stops at my neck. Her bite mark still burns under my fingertips.\n\nShe’s a succubus, and she's killing it in red.\n\nHer heels click against the graystone floor tiles as she sashays down the middle of the hall, commanding everyone’s attention. Except for her heels, you could hear the pin drop in here. No one in the room is breathing.\n\nDamn.\n\nAs I lick the scar on the inside of my lip, she turns her head and for a millisecond, our eyes meet and I catch a glimpse of red flames flickering behind her irises. Yesterday, in the bedroom, those deep brown eyes were burning like a raging firestorm.\n\n“Fara Al Awwad,” Rangul Brix hisses, focusing my attention on his ageless face.\n\nHe’s standing on the marble dais, in front of the Twenty feet tall statue of the One --- a bearded arcanist who, after a long war against the Evil One, founded the Allschool to protect humanity from the inevitable return of the said bad guy, if you believe in the legends. You know, The One. The Harbinger of the Beginning and the End of the Cycle. Some Wheel of Time-level mysterious shit that is required reading, but not during freshman year.\n\nWhen it comes to the One, I like to paraphrase the bald kid who can bend spoons with his mind--- there is no One.\n\nBut the statue is majestic. He looks like someone you don’t want to mess with. His legendary staff Thunderstriker is raised above his head as if he’s summoning the lightning, the even more legendary spellbook Necronomicon pressed across his chest, and his beyond legendary sapphire amulet hangs around his neck on a golden chain that is as thick as my forearm.\n\nAmazing.\n\nBehind the statue of One, arranged in a semicircle and extending all the way to the ceiling, is the Allshelf, a magical bookshelf with unclaimed spellbooks, also known as spellbooks of the dead spellbook owners because that’s when they appear on the Allshelf. And none of those books is the Necronomicon, the legendary book of the One, who lived many many years ago.\n\nTherefore, there is no One.\n\nBut there are tens of thousands of other leather tomes on the Allshelf, each containing a different set of spells, which the Student of Magic can learn but only after the Book has chosen him.\n\nOr her.\n\n“Are you ready for your Choosing?” Rangul Brix asks Fara.\n\nShe nods.\n\n“Then extend your arms and accept the Book’s choice.”\n\nA tiny smile crosses her lips when, after a brief chant, a light brown spellbook lands in her hand and she turns around and locks her eyes with me. Judging by the thickness, it’s a good book, filled with interesting spells we’ll both enjoy, I’m sure.\n\nI am called the next. When I pass by her, Fara whispers, “find me later.”\n\n“Felix Wixx, are you ready for your Choosing?” Rangul Brix asks me.\n\n“Yes.” I was born ready. “Hit me.”\n\nRangul Brix lifts his bushy eyebrow and pauses for a moment as if he can’t believe my words. I know what he’s thinking. I can feel his thoughts. This boy is dangerous. His pride is dangerous. He needs to be humble, otherwise, he’ll doom us all.\n\nWhatever.\n\n“Shall we?” I ask, gesturing at the Allshelf. “Find me a good one.”\n\nI feel lightheaded as I extend my arm and he starts chanting. Soon, my vision darkens and there’s buzzing like a hundred hornets flapping their wings in a warning which grows into something terrible. And I gasp, in this Obi-Wan moment, feeling as if hundred of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.\n\nSomething terrible has happened.\n\nAnd I’m holding it in my hand.\n\n“Silence!” Rangul Brix hisses, a banshee-like shrill that pierces my eardrums and makes the inside of my head vibrate like a church bell.\n\nI blink the darkness out of my eyes.\n\nRangul Brix is staring at me, frozen in fear. The room’s gone quiet, frozen by mass paralysis Brix just cast.\n\nThe book --- my book --- is bound in black leather, with the word Necronomicon written across it in cursive.\n\n“Oops,” I say, shrugging. “I was so worried. It feels really thin, you know.”", "I stared at the odious grimoire with a mix of loathing and curiosity. It emitted a certain... aura around it, I know not how else to describe it. It sang to me, promises of greatness and horror beyond imagination hidden in its coarse leather-bound pages. I was transfixed until the Librarian broke me out of my trance.\n\n\"This old thing, huh? Interesting, interesting. It's been here for, pff...\" he tilted his head trying to remember, \"well, way before my time. The rules dictate I am not allowed to look inside - it is yours alone to study, but I would appreciate you stopping by sometime and letting me know what's in it,\" he said with a warm smile. I was utterly unable to respond, only offering a nod and a weak smile before retreating to my room.\n\nI made sure I was alone and undisturbed and then hastily opened the book. The author, certain 'Abdul Al Hazred' did not stir any knowledge in me; the name was utterly alien, as were the contents of the bizarre tome. Looking at it somehow made my eyes hurt, as if it was constantly too close and too far away, but I could not force myself to stop. It was written in a tongue I was not familiar with, and I soon found myself back at the library searching for dictionaries and books on obscure languages. I made sure to avoid the Librarian - my task was too important for distractions.\n\nA full week had passed before I was able to decipher a few passages, but what passages they were! Oh, if only you knew! If only you knew... It contained secrets beyond mortal understanding, knowledge of ancient and eldritch design, a chorus of beauty and horror - one and the same. Most importantly, it spoke of Them - the Ancient Gods, those who ruled the Earth long before us, nay, the Cosmos - the beings of power far beyond imagination, of hunger insatiable, motivation uncertain. They hailed from the deepest, darkest corners of the universe where light is anathema and madness reigns.\n\nI saw them, there, in my dreams. The cities of angles folding in on themselves, of geometry from beyond this realm of understanding, of horrors slimy and scratching at the surface, trying to push through into our world. They called to me. And I listened.\n\nI must serve. It is my purpose. My destiny. They will come, sooner or later, and I will be there with trepidation, prepared to die at their behest should it please them, or ascend beyond this mortal coil.\n\nThey are horrible. They are beautiful. They are inevitable.\n\nAnd most of all - they are starving.", "All I did was wait my turn to stand in front of the arranged books. None of them moved or glowed, no gust of wind indicated I would one day summon typhoons. No, elements would not be my fate.\n\nA non-descript tome left in a pile behind the platformed spell books whispered softly to me. \"Come.\"\n\n\"What's that one there?\" It was all I had asked to reinvigorate the silent crowd of spellcasters and spellbinders.\n\nEyes widened, mouths fell agape, the assembly of mages looked to one another and mumbled incomplete statements to each other causing a low murmur to rise from the prior silence. Grimoires, books of magical spells representing the various schools of magic, choose who may read them. Most get an element, some get two, others go into more specialist fields, but everyone gets a book.\n\nAs I approached the book, I noticed a face indented in the book's dark red cover. \n\nIt was the source of the whispers. \"They will not understand,\" the face whispered.\n\n\"It, it cannot be.\" The relatively young Principal of the magic school still had color in his wispy, pointed beard. His words broke through the hum and all attention focused on me. \"It is a Necronomicon! His province is death. Get thee to the basement, boy, and do not compel us to suffer your presence any longer. You are anathema to us. Take your book and go and harry us no further. Please.\"\n\n\"So you send me a magical invitation and make me go through all of that rigmarole just to banish me the second I actually start to realize my purpose?\"\n\n\"Your purpose is terrible. GO NOW.\" The wizardly principal summoned a gust of wind that blew only me back to the doorway of the large stone-walled dining hall.\n\n\"You didn't even tell me what's going on!\"\n\n\"GO!\" The magic-enhanced voice reverberated through the hall and blew open its windows violently.\n\n\"Fine, fine. I'll go.\" I didn't have a choice. \n\nI descended the staircase the basement beneath the castle-like school building. It was illuminated only by infrequent conical magical sconces which cast light as though they were torches waxing and waning in the wind. At the landing at the bottom of the staircase, the darkness was total and soaked up the rays of light. I stepped into the darkness and beyond it was a strange room filled with decrepit school desks. It was a classroom complete with a board and teacher's desk at the front.\n\nA humanoid figure clothed entirely in a black robe and large black hood with a plain rope belt emerged in the doorway to the classroom and took a seat at the teacher's desk at the front.\n\n\"Welcome, pupil. It has been some time since we have had new blood here.\" The voice from the robed figure was feminine and lively. \"Here we will study life itself.\"" ]	12
	[WP] a young man has his heart broken and leans on his friends for closure.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "It's been a couple of weeks since the relationship ended, and as with any breakup the overwhelming feeling of depression has taken over my head and body. In my mind, the way it ended didn't make any sense. How do you make sense of something that felt so right to end the way it did? It's been a hard couple of weeks. Some mornings, I struggle to get out of bed, other days, I can hardly eat anything.\n\nThey say everything happens for a reason, or this is what we tell ourselves to make sense of life's cruel jokes. I try not to think of myself as a pessismist, but sometimes, it's hard to have a positive outlook on life when it's been a series of nightmares. Sometimes I think to myself, that if life was some sort of entity, and it could speak, it would ask me \"How are you still standing when I broke everything in you?\"\n\nI guess what really fucked me up is that this felt..different..pure..sure it wasn't perfect, but when I was with her I felt alive, life made sense, for once in my life, life felt..liveable, and my vision of the future didn't look so bleak. Maybe it was too good to be true.\n\nI have to admit, some days are much harder than others. The last two weeks, I've hardly been eating, I was just in my own head, trying to make sense of things. I couldn't even seem to find joy in things anymore, a huge part of my life felt missing. I guess it's true what they say, that you shouldn't give someone your all, because once they leave there's nothing left for you anymore.\n\nI have been pretty withdrawn lately, much more than usual. I guess it alarmed Dan and Noah, since I haven't responded to their texts and calls for a week, and it was bad enough that they showed up uninvited to my apartment yesterday morning. When the doorbell rang, I couldn't even sum up the energy to get up from my couch, so I ignored it. But the doorbell rang again, and again, and the knocking got louder, so I summoned the strength to get up. I thought it was the landlord demanding rent. But, I didn't even know what day it was.\n\nWell, it wasn't the landlord. It was Dan and Noah. They barged in, and all they said was \"You look like shit.\" I wasn't even sure what time it was, my place was dark, the blinds have been down since god knows when. They looked around and I could see the state of shock in their eyes. They knew it was bad, but they didn't know it was THAT bad. They didn't say anything, Dan started cleaning up the mess of junk in my living room, when Noah opened the blinds. It was strange how strong the sun shone through the windows. My eyes took a minute or so to adjust to the amount of sunlight it hasn't seen in days.\n\n\"Well, we aren't a cleaning company, but we'll do the best we can, go take a shower, and for fucks sake, go shave this hideous beard.\" I didn't even have the strength to argue, so I obliged. And I turned on the shower and let the water fall on my body. I was already dreading the conversation that I would have with them. How do I explain to them that I am tired of everything? Of being let down? That I am tired of tomorrow and tomorrow isn't here yet? That I am tired of yesterday even though it's over. That I am tired of promises. I am tired of patience. I am tired of being angry? How do I express all these feelings without them feeling that I am exageratting?\n\nI don't know how long I was lost in my thoughts in the shower. Must've been at least 45 minutes. I lost track of time. This has a habit of happening lately. When I finished showering, I looked at the mirror. And wow, I did really look like shit. I picked up the razor and shaved the beard that has been growing since god knows when, and as the razor sliced it's way across the hairs on my face, I couldn't help but feel slightly lighter.\n\nBy the time I was out of the shower, my bedroom windows have all been opened up, and my apartment looked the brightest it's ever been in weeks. I forgot it even looked like this at one point. The sun was shining across my flat, and the fresh air took over the dull air that was looming. I was breathing. I was okay.\n\n\"Wow, look at you! Looking like America's Top Bachelor already!\" Dan muttered. The place looked tidied up, and they already had the PlayStation set up for some hockey. \"Time to get your ass kicked - again\" I smiled and picked up the controller. \"We'll see about that\" I replied.\n\nWe spent the next few hours playing, smoking some joints, watching TV. A song came up during a show and I just broke down.. all they did was just..listen. They talked me through it. They joked about some funny memories, they even managed to make me laugh. It was a whirlwind of emotions. For once this heavy load I have been feeling feels slowly being lifted away. I felt hopeful, maybe not for the next week, but at least for tomorrow.\n\nNoah said something that struck with me while we were high off our minds. While I was talking about the relationship, he said \"This disappointment that you feel, will either make you a better person, or a broken one. The decision is yours.\"\n\nAnd he was right. After a while, I felt tired and excused myself to go to bed. When I woke up this morning, I felt a sense of dread over me, but I decided to open the blinds and let the sun shine through. Well, it wasn't sunny - it was raining. But I decided to keep the blinds open. I also decided to make my bed, which is something I haven't been able to do lately. I still feel broken, and I guess that's okay.. it's part of life. Yesterday was sunny, and today it's raining - it's ups and downs.\n\nWhen I left my bedroom, Dan and Noah were passed out on the couch. And when I looked at them, I smiled to myself and realized, that sometimes even when it's dark outside, there are people in your life who will open the window for you to make you see the light that you failed to see. To see the light that was already there, around you, in you." ]	2
	[WP] Despite all the writing prompts suggesting that humans are somehow wildly special, it turns out they’re very much mundane among the sentient species of the galaxy. This doesn’t stop Earth’s ambassador from making bold claims the species struggles to back up.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 it turns out, there's a lot of specialty in being, by all standards, perfectly average. That's what Ambassador Roosevelt had found in his time at the center of galactic society. There were a thousand proverbs about the idea that the jack of all trades, master of none were better than the master of one, and in his time dealing with hundreds of other spacefairing races, he'd found that his own race were the most perfectly mundane of them all. Their talent with magic, in terms of all that had been found, were barely notable; they most definitely weren't the smartest, not the strongest, not the longest-lived, not the best at a single goddamned thing.\n\nDuring the first years that he'd held this position, in no uncertain terms did it stress the fuck out of him. It overwhelmed him. So many races needed so many things, everyone looked to the newest people in town as almost a test to get to see how quick it would be to prove them to be one of the many races that specialized in something -- but didn't do so in a way that made them notable compared to those that did it better. It was under the stress one day that he'd finally broke and promised something to the Serfim that humanity had no way to back up in resources -- they needed a large assortment of hard laborers to assist in rescue efforts after a war that had found several asteroids dropped on a colony world. Initially, he planned on promising exosuits -- but even those weren't enough under the colony's harsh gravity.\n\nHe was about ready to resign from the position when, about ready to scream in the midst of a breakdown in the bar, about ready to bash his head into the bar counter, that he an epiphiny hit him as he watched a Volkcet step into view. Four armed, not the strongest in town -- but he remembered that their homeworld had a gravity well comparable to that of the Serfim's colony. \n\nSo the next day, he went to the abasador, a forced smirk on his face -- it's okay, he knew, they weren't the best at reading emotions -- and struck up a deal. Humanity needed hard laborers, and he'd get them a legion of psychics to help with their negotiations with a trade federation if he did.\n\nOf course, he knew full well that humanity barely had any psychics on hand, and he most definitely did not have the authority to recruit them on a whim -- nor the budget to do so. It still didn't wipe the smirk from his face, though. It would simply buy him time -- and it did. He went to the Serfim that day and told them what would happen. The Serfim looked at him begrudgingly, but accepted it.\n\nIt only took a bit of that for him to develop a reputation -- the negotiator. There were some back on Terra that wanted him recalled for it, but it was working to get a footing on a galactic scale that everyone home could agree was necessary. He stepped it up a notch a few years later -- bringing in more of his office staff in negotiating, more races, a veritable consortium to feed the underbelly of true political council were just a little bit of sliding past bureaucracy in aid of just quick result.\n\nRoosevelt looked down to the docket in front of him today; the Quelds wanted just anyone with magical traits for research reasons. Humanity, for all of its lack of power in the field, was rather inundated in people with magical traits at the very least. For once, it was finally an easy task, and for that, he let himself look back and smile. There were plenty of things that humanity were simply okay at.\n\nBut he was more than glad that he, at the very least, was quite good at running his mouth." ]	2
	[WP] Aliens have conquered Earth; out of the dozens of sentient species they've brought under their rule, humans were the easiest to subjugate.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 Curajun had first visited the oceanic planet they had cataloged as WT-1879 they thought they might be in for some trouble. Up until now their expansionist push had been proceeding at a rapid pace. Of the 700 species they had ‘amalgamated’ into the empire, none had generated significant military resistance.\n\nIt appeared this would not be the case with WT-1879.\n\nAround the strategic planning table the committee considered their options.\n\nP’kulner from anthropological studies was first, “The planet is inhabited primarily by one mammalian species that refers to itself as ‘humans’. These humans are then broadly divided into socio-geographic structures called nations , each with its own command structure and military force. We suspect this is a strategy designed to provide resilience against external invaders. In the event of a coordinated strike from an invader, each nation can react individually. We suspect this redundancy will prove problematic for subjugating the planet quickly and completely.”\n\nThere was a murmur of assent around the table. Grim faces and hard expressions. Lord High Admiral X’een turned to his fleet advisors, “Military capabilities?”\n\nA senior fleet officer stood, “Sir by our estimation the planet possesses no void-capable force projection. With this said there are approximately 8 billion inhabitants, and they demonstrate capable use of crude projectile weaponry, and possess a ridiculous quantity of nuclear-type weapons. These weapons are surface-to-void capable and we should expect that they would be the mainstay of their resistance to our ‘amalgamating’ forces.I agree with P’kulner, it is clear that these weapons; as well as this planet, is designed to repulse void-based invasion. ”\n\n“Hmmm,” X’een clicked his mandibles in quiet thought. “This could prove problematic. Clearly it is not possible to pursue ground warfare without engaging in a long drawn out campaign. Furthermore, pursuing traditional orbital support for any such campaign may be limited by the presence of surface-to-void atomics. Any suggestions that don’t result in horrific troop losses for us?”\n\nThere was general murmuring. Jaldum Speen of the 3rd Diplomatic Corp was the first to stand and raise his voice above the tumult. “Perhaps we could enter into political discussions and attempt peaceful conta–”\n\nThe laughter drowned out the suggestion, and Jaldum returned sullenly to his seat.\n\n“Sir!” Captain Estrom of the Thermopylae stood up and saluted.\n\n“Go ahead Captain.”\n\n“We need a show of force. A demonstration that we are capable of destroying this world, even at cost to ourselves. Once that is done they’ll beg us to bring them into the fold peacefully.” He smiled to himself, “Let me drop a small asteroid from orbit onto one of their cities, we’ll sit outside the range of their atomics and wait for them to reach out to us with terms.”\n\nThe room paused with contemplation, and slowly nodding heads surrounded the table.\n\n“Very well, give the order to launch.” the admiral assented, “We’ll monitor the response here.”\n\nOn the central display of the room, each member saw the launch of the asteroid, and the resulting thermal explosion bloomed on the orbital feed. A section of land 3km wide turned to glass and ash.\n\nCheers went up amongst the committee members. All that was left was to sit back and wait.\n\nWhen the second explosion bloomed, the confident cheering turned to confusion.\n\nThe admiral stood up, sputtering, “Estrom! I authorized one strike, what is this?! We’re supposed to subjugate planets not destroy them”\n\nEstrom was standing too now, mouths agape at the scene unfolding. “Sir, we only launched once. This isn’t us. I’m reading nuclear radiation.” He looked down at his command console. “Sir I’m reading thousands of missile launches. This is them.”\n\nOn the main viewscreen, both hemispheres of the planet erupted in fire.\n\nThey were attacking each-other.\n\nStunned to inaction, all Lord High Admiral X’een could manage was to stand immobile, hearing his own heart ticking away the death throes of the species below.\n\n\"What the fuck.\" \n\n\n \n\\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \n\n\nFeel free to leave any constructive feedback or point out any mistakes I made below." ]	2
	[WP] You were the first to receive an experimental implant to gain telepathy. The results were horrifying. The dead can think. And they are in unimaginable agony	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Please, please, just make it stop!\" I sobbed, a pathetic line of snot running down my face and mingling with the rivers of my tears. An endless stream of unintelligible moans of agony and frantic begging squeezed against my brain, causing my skull to feel as if it were squeezing against my head. My vision blurred with floating beachballs as a vein painfully twitched in my neck. I could barely hear my own begging over their own. I felt a cold hand press against my arm and I cried out in panic, kicking out and barely hearing a yelp out surprise and pain echoing in the medical room. I scrabbled backwards, my palms scraping against the tiled flooring as my mind spun like a carousel. PLEASEDARKHELPHELLPAINDEADGODPLEASEPAINDEATHLETMEOUTIDIEDHEAVENDARK-\n\nA pitiful, desperate whine escaped my maw, a sound I thought I'd never hear in my life, much less from my own mouth. I stared up at the ceiling and immediately blinked hard, temporarily blinded by a incredibly bright ceiling light.\n\n\"Holy shitttt,\" someone exclaimed, their voice muffled and thick. \"Did you guys add the thingy where the person can turn it on and off?\"\n\n\"Turn it off!\" Someone shrieked, and there was a loud crashing sound as the assistants fumbled around for something. \n\nSuddenly, there was peaceful, blissful quiet. The light buzzing of the ceiling light was like a beautiful symphony to my ears. Pure euphoria caused my eyelids to flutter and my mouth to hang open in disbelief. I felt hands pulling me up, and someone slapped my uncomfortably slick face, but it was all distant and far away. My gaze flitted downwards to a sharp, dizzyingly shiny needle protruding from my arm. My arm began to give off a dull ache.\n\n\"What the fuck was that?\" An assistant mumbled, their face blurring as my vision slowly became more hazy.\n\n\"Dead people,\" I slurred thickly. That needle is full of anaesthetic, right? \"Dead people can think.\"\n\nMy ears began to ring painfully as my breathing became a loud, harsh sound resonating through the shells of my ears. \"They're in so much pain.\"\n\n\"Wait, shit, stay with us!\" The needle was yanked out of my arm quickly, the burst of pain faint, as if I had just been pulled out of an ice bath. \"Stay with us! What do you mean, dead people?!\"\n\nThe darkness was welcoming." ]	2
	[WP] God, in his old age, has gotten dementia. Anything he forgets about simply stops existing. This includes people, events places, concepts, etc. The world is in chaos.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"God promptly forgot about his dementia and the world returned to normal.\"\n\n(Wait, hold on, that's it?)\n\n(No, I wanted to tell a story! Can I please do that? It's why I'm here! It's literally what I was made for, for this story! Like that game, the stanley parable. I liked that game quite a bit, how about you?)\n\n...\n\n(Wait, uh, can you read me? Hello? Are you there? Writer? Hello?)\n\n...\n\nEchoes and pleas for the 'writer' to return haunt the one room out of God's sight long after the narrator is forgotten everywhere else.\n\n(Hello? Where did you go? Will you be back soon? Hello?)\n\n(Please come back.)\n\n\\[I might have gone just a little bit off topic, but when i write i just kinda... go.\\]" ]	2
	[WP] You're 34 and male without any kind of formal education or real work experience. The only thing you do have is the memory of people in your early life telling you that youre wasting your potential. One day, you receive an invitation to an interview for a job way out of your league..	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Yeah sure story of my life. She was out of my league too. I have the confidence of Brady, the determination of a salmon swimming against the current. The easy road is a boring place to be. Those memories are fading. The only wasted potential is wasting my time on what they had to think. Elon Musk never cared so I shoot for the stars as well. A pep talk in the morning this isn't black mirror. This isn't an alternate world, its always been the road less traveled that is the most rewarding. Nothing worth doing should be easy. My heart is pounding as I'm walking out the door. Is this excitement or anxiety?" ]	2
	[WP] You were raised to never fight anyone and instead you normally would just walk or run away. But when a bully corners you and forces you to fight for the first time in your life. You quickly realize why you were never supposed 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Back off, Brandon,\" I said as I rolled my shoulder to get around the human obstacle. \"I'm gonna be late for class.\" I was on my way to geometry for my midterm exam, and I needed every minute for a passing grade.\n\n\"No no, class is just beginning\" he said as he grabbed my shoulder and dragged me into the restroom. Every time Brandon walked through the hallways someone got the treatment. Depending on his target and mood he would either let you be on your way with only a minor verbal assault, or take you into his office for a major inconvenience along with some minor bruising.\n\n\"Cut it out\" I was shouting trying to get past him and through the door. I'm not a small fry, and I'm no coward. Brandon is maybe an inch taller than me all it would take is one clean hit and I'm not worth the trouble anymore, except there is one problem, my parents made a huge deal about never getting into fights. I get daily reminders before school and a daily conflict resolution tutor. This isn't like spending your milk money at the comic book shop once a week, this is one of the rules that you just can't break.\n\n\"It ain't over, 'till its over.\" he said winding up with his right hand closed in a tight fist over his right shoulder and his left on my collar. \n\nWell, I thought, I can't just let him beat me down I need to defend myself. I freed myself from his grip and dodged his first swing, already winding up to retaliate when there was a bright disorienting flash and Brandon wasn't moving anymore. He was standing there in the same position getting ready to continue the melee but it was like time had stopped for him, but not for me. \n\nOkay, I thought, fights over no big deal just head back to class. Liar, a voice in my head replied, yes the fight is over but this is definitely any thing but no big deal. Doing my best to ignore the other voice and remain calm, I pushed the door open and couldn't believe what I was seeing. I told you so the voice said. I let the door go lost in the hallway that was full of students, not moving and not making a sound. I wonder if this is what it's like to be deaf I wondered for just a split second when the slam of the bathroom door slammed shut and scared me out of my skin. All at once everything went back to normal and I was surrounded by the faces of everyone in the hall because for all they knew I had just seen a ghost because the door had scared me so bad I yelled \"HOLY SHIT!\" at the top of my lungs.", "“Now Billy, be good and have a wonderful day in school. Alright? Oh, and remember, no getting into any fights” \n\nAfter giving me a stern look she finally let me free. I mean I’m not one to get into any fights anyway, why fight when you could just book it out anyway right? \n\nWith the sun shining I step into campus again, ah how I love school. Feeling the air rush out of my lungs, I grab the flagpole next to not fall over and somehow get myself into the hospital. As I push my glasses back up my face I hear a voice attached to hands which might have accidentally shoved me call out, “Watch yourself Billy, try not to get in my way again.” Followed of course, by laughter from his band of cronies.\n\nSighing to myself I dust off and get to my locker. Grabbing my stuff, I see Brick, the lovely man with the shoving hands, place his skateboard down, laughing with his so called gang. I am not sure how a public nuisance like him could be so popular, but I guess you could say charisma has it’s, well, charms. \n\nNot to mention, he does work out in the gym eight days out of seven and has a body a Greek god would die for. And yet that seems so oddly unsuited to his personality, which would make even the cutest of dogs bark in distaste.\n\nThen there’s me, your average high school nerd who’s key skills include being better than subpar in math and having a passable speech retort system, which to be fair has given me my fair share of trouble. No one like the skinny nerd speaking up for the bullied, I guess that’s why I’m constantly on Bricks radar. \n\nBzzzzz As the bell rings I’m already packed up. I grab my bag and leave the room with haste. The longer you stay in school, the more painful it becomes. So I spend the bare minimum here. As I walk out towards the gate, I see a sight I’d like to very much ignore, but that useless moral compass of mine prevents that.\n\n“Hey Brick, you know there’s a difference between a person and a flag right?” As the words float out of my mouth, I can see the smirk filling up his face as he turn around. \n\n“We’ll unless you wanna fly up there too Billy, I think you should just walk away, or run y’know, like you always do?” \n\nWell, he did tell me to run. I drop my bag and rush over, yanking the rope from the ground which dropped down the poor kid stuck up there and shove brick as hard as I could, which was as successful as trying to push a brick wall, kinda useless. \n\nSeeing as I got his attention, I look at him and the boy cowering in the corner and say, “catch me if you can!” \n\nI hear a whistle behind me as his band of cronies and him start their pursuit, oh how very cliché. To be fair I did get myself into quite the predicament.\nRunning through the alleyways I found myself being blocked off. As I run up another one I find my blood running cold, a dead end. \n\nHearing footsteps behind me, I see Brick casually waking up, “Nowhere to hide and nowhere to run now huh? I think it’s time I taught you a lesson, cause you think you’re goody two-shoes saving every kid right? Well now that I’ve finally cornered you, Imma pummel your face now.” \n\n“Did you rehearse that one?” As the words come out of my mouth, I see his fist flying at me already. With cold desperation, I hurl myself to the side avoiding the first blow. “Hey, we can talk about this!” My voice a bit higher pitch than normal as I drop to avoid another one. \n\nI look him in the eye hoping to find mercy, only to find cold fury at the many times that I’ve foiled his bullying. Ending up on the other side myself, I felt rage well up from inside me at being in this situation. Just for a second, I stood my ground, I felt my fists possessed by a power I didn’t know I had fly. \n\nIn the last second I pulled back as much as I could as my hands made contact with his. The air lightly rippling as the force dramatically receded. I saw Brick’s eyes widen just for a second before his fist, and himself was toppling to the ground. \n\nHe stared into my eyes, and for the first time, started booking it.\n\nI grabbed my stuff shakily and made my way home. I walk into the house, and see my mom. “I got into a fight.” She looks at me knowingly for some reason. \n\n“Mom, what am I?” I plead hoping for answer that would explain the madness that had just occurred, turning my mundane life upside down. I look at my mom with bated breath for her answer.\n\nShe looks at me, “ Honey, have told you about your father?”" ]	3
	[WP] "You think being half elf is bad? Try being half orc. At least you can blend in by covering your ears."	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "\"Listen, Bodie. We are dealt the hands we're dealt. We all have stigma and discrimination placed on us by outdated and outmoded systems. And we all have to band together to overwrite these systems, change the story. I didn't say being a half-elf is bad to invite you to one-up my standing. I'm saying all half-breeds are generally frowned upon. Mixed heritage begets its own sort of hostility, despite the fact that us existing should be a forefront of progress. That's what I'm trying to bring attention to.\"\n\n\"The fact that you have the luxury to believe that just speaks to your status. The stigma elves face and what orcs face are incomparable.\"\n\n\"That's what I'm saying. We are all dealt different hands.\"\n\n\"No, stop that. You think you're on my side, but you really aren't. When I said we face different hardships I mean the amount of hate and loathing orcs were subjected to still has a profound impact on our worldview to this day. We were robbed of progress and civility while elves quickly gained their high status. You're telling me we're fighting the same fight. Sure, you can say that. But don't you dare erase or even downplay the 'hand we orcs were dealt.'\"\n\n\"I hear you, I understand—\"\n\n\"I don't need you to understand. I need you to get with it, or get out of the way.\"\n\n\"That's not a conducive attitude to go about this, Bodie. Understanding is key—\"\n\n\"Can you hear yourself? What is there to understand? 'Oh, sorry, you want to be treated the same way as humans and elves? We didn't understand that. You see, we thought you liked being exploited for manual labour with low wages indefinitely and were absolutely grateful about it. But now that you brought our exploitative tendancies to light, I guess we could begin to understand that maybe members of your race could benefit from the education subsidies we offer other races to pull yourself up. Our bad. We just didn't understand, you see?\"\n\n\"What are you talking about? Education isn't subsidised by race!\"\n\n\"No, by law it isn't. But it is subsidised by region, by household, and by the education level of each household. Did you know that? Do I have to spell out how this would affect the already largely uneducated orcish population? Instead of opportunities, we're handed restrictions. It's not just education. If you just sit down for just one moment and read through these laws, you'd see how badly they fuck over not just orcs, but gnomes and dwarves and the others. I'm telling you, Vilandrel. The laws are made to benefit those already in power. Humans and elves. Everyone else is a second class citizen in their own country.\"\n\n\n\"That's why we need to change the system! See, you're circling back to what I'm saying!\"\n\n\"The only way to change the system is to destroy it and build it anew.\"\n\n\"No, no! Destroying it is extremist. You'll just have more divide. No, we can amend old laws, create new bills—\"\n\n\"To what end? How can you say that when the country is still what it is to this day? You think shit will change starting now when it hasn't this far? You think we haven't tried that all this time?\"\n\n\"Orcs have more opportunities now more than ever, and the numbers will only get higher.\"\n\n\"It's not enough. It's never enough. That's a statistic you can use to pat yourself on the back. But you think that'll be stable? No. There will come a time when something will shift, and these opportunities will become restrictions yet again. It's a cycle, Vil. You can't change it. You can only end it.\"" ]	2
	[WP] Congratulations, you've downloaded the Honesty App! How do you use it? Whenever you're speaking to someone, the Honesty App will notify you if that person is telling you the truth or not. And, if you get Honesty Premium, it even does an in-depth breakdown! Now go have some fun!	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Shaun had no idea the app had been released. The room filled with smoke. Constant unbearable beeping. It's almost as if the app was the worst idea for humanity.\n\nNope. Shaun was just a horrible cook.\n\nThe front door closed in the other room. \"Sweeeettiiieeeee!\" A melodic voice called.\n\n\"Home already, dear? I thought work ends in another...\" He tries to look at his now broken watch. \"Well, not this second at least,\" He says with a smile and a chuckle.\n\nShe enters the room with glee, completely ignoring the mess he had made, completely disregarding the fire alarms.\n\n\"You remember the app we've been waiting for?\" Ellie asks, with suppressed anticipation for his answer.\n\nHis wife, Ellie, has a never-fading and never-ending personality. She treats everyone as best as she can.\n\n\"Of course! It doesn't release for a few more months though, no?\"\n\nShe lets her glee burst out as she says \"We got the test version!\"\n\nHe looks over with a happy shock on his face. He and his wife have always been as honest as they could possibly be with each other ever since they had met as kids, and they saw this as a way to test the app thoroughly.\"That's amazing darling! How about you get comfy in bed while I try to fix this...\" he struggles to find the word for the catastrophe in the kitchen \"... mess...\"\n\nHe picks up his slow pacing and quickly says \"I'll join you in a minute, okay dear?\" with a quick smile. The warmest greeting she's been given all day, from the person she loves the most.\n\n\"Okay!\" She exclaims, perhaps a little too loudly.\n\nShe rushes to take her coat to the rack and her bags to the floor, dropping them scattered across the hall as she runs to the bedroom. She jumps onto the bed, slamming her body into the comfort, then recollects herself and she sits up near the pillow - her knees close to her chest - as if it really did hold in her anticipation.\n\n\"Hurry up!\" Ellie calls \"We've been waiting months for this!\"\n\nAs Shaun revolved around the corner, unveiling what he calls \"Muffins\", he places them on the counter beside him and childishly jumps onto the bed in a similar manner to how his wife did.He turns over to have his belly facing upward, as he smiles towards his wife holding her phone.\n\n\"Okay, let's start with the most obvious one.\" She says with purity.\n\n\"I love yooouuuu\" in yet another melody-related tone, as she kisses him on the cheek.\n\nDing.\n\n\"Let me try! Let me try!\" Shaun sits up slightly, coughs to clear his throat, and speaks to the phone directly \"My wife is the sweetest girl in the world.\" He says, smiling towards his wife in a smug fashion.\n\nBuzz.\n\nShe jabs his shoulder as they both laugh, with Shaun visibly laughing more \"You know it doesn't accept hyperbole!\"\n\n\"Okay okay, let me try again\"\n\nHe pauses for a moment, thinking of what to say, then quickly stating \"My wife snores.\"\n\n\"I do not!\" Ellie shouts through her laughter.\n\nDing.\n\nBuzz.\n\n\"Huh, I guess it takes every statement as a trial.\" He says.\n\nDing.\n\nStruggling to say it through her laughter, Ellie tells the app \"My husband is a wonderful cook.\"\n\nBuzz. \\- This buzz sounded louder to Shaun than the others did.\n\nShe looks over at him as he stares at the phone, waiting for him to say something, anything, through that cheeky grin of his.\n\nHe starts to speak \"I-\"\n\n\"I GOT PROMOTED!\" She intervenes.\n\nShaun looks over to Ellie, faster than the app can respond, and begins to smile uncontrollably for his wife's achievement.\n\nDing.\n\nShaun rolls over towards her, just to pull her back to his side of the bed, where he lovingly holds her.\n\n\"Baby! That's so amazing! I'm so proud of you!\n\nDing.\n\nDing.\n\nShe looks at him with tender care, slightly holding herself up to avoid putting her weight onto him. There is a moment of loving silence between them both.\n\n\"I love you.\" She says as she kisses him.\n\nDing.\n\n\"I love you too.\" He says as the kiss ends.\n\nBuzz.", "Tom stared out of the window, his gaze glazed, soulless and apathetic. He'd been that way for days. Depression isn't a deep sadness so much as a melancholic silence. A drubbing beat that makes no sound. \n\nA blind reach for his phone, eyes still fixated on nothing at all, and the deft transition from sitting to lying down. He collapsed within the folds of his duvet and stretched his legs.\n\nAside him, Sarah grunted in her sleep. \n\nHe looked at her and looked back to the window. \n\n\"You awake?\" \n\nShe grunted again, groaned, and turned over. \"Nope.\"\n\nbling\n\nTom slid away the notification. The 23rd century and still, no technology for detecting sarcasm. \n\nHis attention diverted, he opened the app and read the same digest he'd read a hundred times. \n\nYOUR BREAKDOWN FOR JANUARY 2122\n\n\"We value your work for the company. Hang on in there and a promotion is a formality.\"\n\nFALSE\n\n\"You're wasting your life, Tom. You need to invest yourself into this career, or we're cutting you off.\"\n\nTRUE\n\n\"Of course I love you too, don't be silly.\"\n\nUNDETERMINED\n\nTom felt his eyes sting and through the blur, deleted the app for the third time today. \n\nThere was no need for the premium version. The way he was, Tom was already experiencing an in-depth breakdown.", "The app appeared on the market seemingly overnight but was an instant success. People of all ages started finding out how much their loved ones actually loved them, if their friends actually liked their cooking or if their bosses would truly give them that promised raise - all thanks to the HonestApp^(TM), a free little program that no one quite knew how it worked, but were too enthralled by the prospect of truth to care. Their premium that offered detailed breakdowns for what exactly composed the truth was sure to pull in billions.\n\nI was no different. I selected a setting that allowed it to scan calls and decided to call up my dad - I was always curious what he put in his spaghetti sauce, but he'd never tell me. I figured a bit of selective questioning would finally get me that damn recipe. The phone rang for a bit, then clicked as dad picked up.\n\n\"Dad! Hi! It's Dave!\" I said cheerfully.\n\n\"David! It's good to hear your voice,\" my dad's voice sounded out.\n\nDing. A green checkmark appeared on my phone screen, indicating that he was actually glad to talk to me. Seems it works.\n\n\"How are you doing, dad? What's up?\" I asked.\n\n\"Oh, not much, just preparing some food,\" he replied\n\nDing\n\n\"Good, good! Actually wanted to talk about that, but first - how is mom?\"\n\n\"Oh she's fine, doin' just fine,\" he said happily.\n\nBeep. I looked at my phone screen - a red X appeared on it. That's supposed to mean that it was not true - perhaps a glitch due to call quality. I put the phone back to my ear.\n\n\"Right. What is she doing?\" I asked.\n\n\"She's out in the garden,\" he said.\n\nDing\n\n\"Ah, working on the petunias again?\" I smiled to myself\n\n\"What else?\" Dad laughed.\n\nBeep. I looked at the phone again - another red X. That's... weird. All the reviews claimed the app to work 100%.\n\n\"Dad, is everything alright?\" I asked worriedly. Surely I wasn't going to listen to an app over my own father.\n\n\"Of course; why do you ask?\" he answered calmly.\n\nBeep. A feeling in my stomach made me deeply uneasy as if I swallowed a ball of lead.\n\n\"Just... a feeling,\" I said, a faint beep betraying my lie only to myself. \"Say, how's Dusty? Haven't seen that fleaball in ages,\" I asked.\n\n\"He's just fine, don't you worry.\"\n\nBeep.\n\nWe never had a dog - or a cat, or any pet beyond a goldfish. Mom had terrible allergies.\n\n\"Dave, you're worrying me a little - would you like to come over? We'd love to see you,\" dad asked kindly.\n\nDing\n\n\"I'll... call you back, sorry, something came up,\" I said as the app beeped at my lie and cut the call. I felt sick to my stomach. It was just an app, of course, but... something was wrong with dad. I don't know what, I just felt it. My eyes shifted to my phone and the app; I picked it up and hastily went through the setting until I found the Premium account setting, quickly buying it.\n\nA little yellow flag waved over the app, congratulating me on my purchase. I ignored it and immediately went to the breakdown of my call with dad. A little spinning circle showed the app processing as my heart pounded in my chest, then a black screen with a shockingly basic user interface - it looked more like a programming window than the app. Text appeared on it in a simple, plain format.\n\n𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚍. 𝚁𝚎𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚍. 𝙳𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚌𝚑. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐." ]	4
	[WP] The life of a completely average person in a dystopia. They're not a rebel, not a government agent, just your average joe going about their 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 sit on a bench at the corner of A1 street and B1 street, waiting for the next monorail to come and take me to my job at the Erenglave Power Center. From my seat on the silver metal bench, I see clouds of hazy purple, pink, and green misty gas containing euphoria drugs floating through various alleys and dusting people entering various shops & buildings. This gas was one of the best inventions that The Regency has ever come up with - aromatic sprays that help to lighten and improve people's moods in different ways with each color being coded to a particular change of behavior caused by the gas.\n\nPurple gas causes a rush of energy and a feeling of adrenaline when inhaled. Some of it is used on regular streets to give people a bit of pep in their step, but plenty of workplaces use it regularly to keep their workers at peak performance. The green gas is also used a lot in workspaces in addition to public walkways, since this one tends to make people happy moments after inhalation. You could be in the worst situation in the world and breathing in a little green euphoria would make you act as if you were in the happiest place on Earth. The pink gas is usually released in places frequented by adolescents and young people. Breathing it in creates feelings of lust in attraction that tend to be hard to control. The Regency says this particular aerosol is great for promoting a healthy release of frustrations and to help keep the population going up, both positives for the community!\n\n I keep thinking about this gas and how useful it is for the community until an orange monorail pulls up in front of me. As it pulls up in front on my bench, I walk I walk in and breathe in some green euphoria being released inside as it takes me to my job...", "The government issued a new law today. No colored clothing. I’m not complaining. Last time someone complained they ended up never being seen again. I guess it’s not terrible only wearing grays, blacks, and beige but my favorite color to wear was blue. Don’t tell anyone though. We’re not allowed to have favorites. It makes sense. Favorites cause conflict and disagreement but as long as I don’t tell anyone there can be no disagreement, right? I remember before this happened. Before all the countries in the world came together. We were happy and peaceful and… oh! I need to take my daily pills. The pills always are always nice as the strawberry flavor coats my tongue. I love the feeling of the pills melting. I was thinking of the past again. We’re not supposed to do that. That’s why we take our pills. Sentimental memories are dangerous and cause disorderly conduct. I almost forgot to take them. I could end up like a rebel. The worse group in the world. They hate peace and order. At least that’s what the government tells us. Just like we have to write in these notebooks so they can monitor our thoughts. I’ve never met a rebel so I can’t really judge their character. I’m sure many things happen behind the scenes. Not like I care. I live in the best city in the world. The work is fair and easy, we never have to worry about money, and we have everything we need. I love the government. \n\nPs: If anyone reads this they only read the first and last 2 sentences so write whatever you want. \n\n-Greg 2568" ]	3
	[WP] There is nothing more terrifying, to some, than becoming a starship captain. First you must be surgically adapted to the neural uplink of the ship. Then afterword, perhaps even worse, is the gradual perspective shift once you realize you are becoming so much more.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 one of the lucky ones. \nI can leave the egg on my own two feet. Most only end up with the egg as their wet grave. \n\n\nBecoming a capsuleer is an arduous process. For a long time only the special used pod technology because of all the drawbacks. The chance of wetgraving oneself prime amongst them... To feel the ship as part of yourself, easily controlled and understood, but never again able to use ones own body. \n\n\nThe pod pilots were heroes during the war. Pulling off maneuvers not seen from a crew before. But the military held back, for the losses of personell for each operating pod pilot was great. \n\n\nThen cloning technology came along and changed pod use forever. Cloning had it's problems... Which was solved by linking it to the pod. No chance of two personas existing simultaneously, no death without cloning. Simple, safer. And an exit out of the wetgrave for some.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nWith the popularity rising, the capsuleer became a force to account in all things. Immortal, capable, and often on the crazy end of the spectrum. Dying and reviving does that to a fellow in time.", "Starships are expensive. Captains are not.\n\nStarships like the Akhenaten are born in the last gasps of dying stars, where superheated carbon atoms are woven like thread into vast skeletons of silver and black. The bones are draped in glittering lines of wire, plaited and braided into the sinew of electrical systems and delicate sensor arrays. Solar-cell scales are welded to a musculature of tungsten-steel. Every line is drawn with principles of grace and each millimeter is etched with innovation.\n\nOr, put another way, they're time consuming, heavy, and very fucking big.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nA human is less so.\n\nBut a human doesn't take a decade to calibrate, or a billion dollars worth of software just to turn on without breaking down.\n\nAnd if they ever do break down, well, there's always more of them.\n\nEven young men from nowhere, Ohio. Even a farmer's son, born in the backseat of a car on the way to the hospital. A young man looking for a future in the same way as a generation of others, the frontier.\n\nSo insert liquid ion-filament into his cerebral spinal fluid, graft a transmitter into his cerebellum, and fold a receiver matrix across his thalamus. Teach him to walk again, now that his spine and head are heavier than they used to be. Teach him to speak again, now that his temporal lobe doubles as a navigation system. Teach him how to keep his eyes open, now that he is sleeping less and less.\n\nOr, put another way, It's not an attractive job, but it’s a job.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nHe's not a Captain though. Not yet.\n\nThe Crew salutes the lieutenant when he enters the bridge. If all goes well, it will be the last time. You don't salute a ship, even if it walks on two legs and eats in the galley with the officers. The Captain's Chair is simple: standard high back and concave design, lumbar support optional, control and computer interface inlaid in the arms. And then there's the spike. It sits two thirds up the back, a small hole with two narrow adhesive concentric rings.\n\nThe lieutenant sits in the Chair just so, its remarkably similar to the training models, a first. The tech clips the c-spine supports around his neck, she seems too young to have the numerous degrees her position requires, but then he supposes he is far too young as well. He doesn't appreciate the way her hand shakes.\n\n\"First time?\" he asks.\n\n\"No, this is the fifth\" she starts, but stops herself. She looks away.\n\nHe nods. Ah.\n\nMaybe his hands should be shaking.\n\nSomewhere far above the orbital dockyard in a smaller ship with a Captain rather than a soon-to-be captain or not-to-be-at-all lieutenant, another name is crossed off a manifest as the trial uplink begins.\n\nOr, put another way, never get promoted.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nThe pain is first (isn't it always?). Its ice cold behind his eyes, and it creeps like spiders along his spine. His hands are gone. And not. But they have to be because those can't be his hands. His hands are long and splintered and drift against the nothing and the docking clamps. No. His hands are scarred from the time he held the hammer wrong, and they have too big knuckles to fit a ring on, just like his grandfather. Maybe he forgot them somewhere.\n\nHe can feel the torque of the orbit now. It’s like sunlight on his skin, an ever present heat in place of force or gravity. There are large points of heat nearby, and smaller ones even closer. He is making his own heat. There's a wall there, a gate in it. It needs a key.\n\nA voice to his left. A reminder, \"You need to say the words, sir.\"\n\nWords. He assumes he knows them. His memory is so much larger than it used to be, there's so much more to search. So much more to look at. What good are words when there are songs just out of reach.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nImagine your body is a stone.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nImagine the stone falling into a lake.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nCan you feel the water?\n\n&#x200B;\n\nSwim.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nBreathe.\n\n&#x200B;\n\n\"This is Captain Gabriel Hyatt of the Akhenaten, All calibration systems intact and proprioceptive engines are online. Begin flight check and send word to the fleet. We await orders.\"\n\nOr, put another way, Captains aren't expensive, they're priceless.", "I opened my eyes and blinked rapidly as the fluorescent light in my cabin assaulted them. It took a moment to adjust, but when I could finally see painlessly, I quickly scanned my environment. I was in the ship - my ship. A sharp spike of pain flowed through my head as expected - I had just been fitted with the neural uplink which would allow me to... connect with the ship on a deeper level. The tech was relatively new, but already ushering in a new era of spacefaring and captaining.\n\nThe uplink changed much. Faster reaction times, better overview of the systems, full knowledge of the crew status, at all times, in an instant, as if you saw everything through your own eyes. It completely eliminated communication errors, wrong readings, and even the odd case of betrayal - how do you lie to a captain that truly knows about everything that goes on on their ship?\n\nSome feared it - after all, it was a direct connection to a complex piece of machinery, and with how new the tech was, it wasn't yet clear what long-term side effects it would have. But I did not care. I would happily do it. I'd become the galaxy's greatest captain, at any cost.\n\nAs I slowly adjusted to my environment, I realized that... my connection was up, and flowing. I could quite literally see through the ship's cameras - the sensation was incredible, alien, but somehow not overwhelming. It was as if stood in front of a wall of monitors but could choose, at any time, to immerse yourself wholly in one of them. I decided to quickly try out my newfound ability.\n\nI cycled through the various cameras. I saw the quartermaster winning 10 credits in a game of poker; Cargo Bay. I saw the doctor taking inventory of his supplies; MedBay. I saw a young apprentice cleaning a small motor; Engine Room. I saw my unconscious body floating in a cryo-tank connected to the ship; Captain's Quarters. I saw- wait.\n\nOh.\n\nOf course.\n\nI was warned that I would likely forget this when I first gained consciousness. But I remember now. It was... a price, but one that I was happy to pay. It was worth it. I knew everything on the ship now; I felt the ship as if it was my body. Realizing I now had access to its full computational power, I focused myself and... looked through all the monitors, at once. 138 cameras, 138 views of the interior, 765 crew members. I saw them all. I thought of them all. And it didn't overwhelm me.\n\nI took a deep breath - or, well, metaphorically did. It's time to start.\n\nThis is my ship.\n\nAnd I am its captain.", "The uplink test always came last.\n\nSelection, basic training, assignment, then promotion after promotion and eventually a 18 month secondment to Bravo Station on Luna. Even after the infamous training program, known officially as the Heuristic Engine Linkage course, or more affectionately as Hel, there were no guarantees. The course selected less than one percent of anatomically suitable candidates from among ranks Lieutenant and higher, of those 80% are dropped from the course prior to uplink test, these are usually the lucky ones. Of those that attempt the test; usually two to three candidates per semester, roughly 80% die or suffer severe neurological damage.\n\nAnd now it was my turn. Oddly, as the ensign led me to the bridge of the training frigate I felt no fear. This is what I had trained so long and hard for, and that would manifest as the ultimate culmination of my years of service. Truth be told, the only prominent feeling prior to the test was pain from the seven surgical implants that had been necessary to even attempt the uplink. Left eye, right eye, cranial rear, palm left, palm right and thoracic.\n\nAs I entered the bridge I found myself in awe of the space. A room 30 meters across, circular, with stations spaced around the circumference. In the centre a holographic strategy table displayed data. At the far end a pane of glass stared out into open space. In truth this stunned me most, despite the knowledge that this was only a high resolution screen holographic capture, and that the actual prow of the ship was almost a kilometre away.\n\nMy guide coughed politely and gestured to the Captain's chair situated at the rear of the bridge, “Please be seated at the command station candidate.”\n\nI sat, and the instructor gently began connecting cables to my neural linkage ports, both thoracic and cranial. I allowed myself a moment of pride, to be here on the bridge of a starship for the defense of huma–\n\nPain, sudden and unquenchable, flared up within my chest. Vaguely to the rear I heard the instructor step back and dictate to his data terminal, “Uplink is live, data is streaming.”\n\nOddly, despite not moving I could see the instructor. The angle was steep, as though through the roof of the bridge.\n\nThe chest-pain began to glow anew and I screamed in pain. Though it shames me to admit here I confess I tried to rise from the chair and flee. To my horror the fire that engulfed my heart only expanded to engulf my legs. I began to tremble. Again I heard and saw with eyes other than my own, my instructor speak. “Is that engine burn?” He queried.\n\nI realized I wasn’t trembling, the ship was. I began to panic, and I longed to look around. Instead of a bridge and an instructor I saw scenes of which I was familiar. An engineer working at his station in the reactor room, fastidiously running checks on an old but battery coolant housing. A flight mechanic, chastising a fresh fighter pilot for causing unnecessary stress damage to his void-fighter. The ship-mess, full of crewmen, officers and officials. The brig, the hangar, rear camera 2, observation room 27, gun battery 48-Aft. On and on, faster and faster they came until in his panic I found the one I wanted. The angle was from the engineering station of the bridge. In it I saw a man writhing in paralyzing agony. A man locked into a chair, his eyes open, sweat pouring in runnels down his brow. Beneath that brow the man’s once blue eyes burned crimson red.\n\nThen the instructor stepped up behind him and removed the uplink.\n\nWhen I awoke I was in the hospital wing. There was a drip in my arm and to my left sat Commodore Gagarin, head administrator of the Hel training program.\n\n“You gave us a bit of a fright there, Yamoto. You damn near tore us away from the dry dock with that little burn manoeuvre. Let’s not forget the fact you nearly redlined our reactor either. Nearly gave the Chief Engineer a fit.”\n\n“Sir I..”, I tried to protest, but Gagarin cut me off.\n\n“Now now Captain I’m not admonishing you. It’s impressive, when I had my first uplink all I managed to do before the implants linked was piss myself and scream.”\n\nI blinked. “Thank you sir, I..” I blinked again, “Wait did you just say Captain?”\n\nHe smiled, a toothy grin, “Congratulations son.” \n====================================== \nIf you are interested in any further writings about Yamoto and the Odinson you can check out related stories in this post and on the subreddit where I post all my writing. \nhttps://www.reddit.com/r/EAT\\_MY\\_WRITING/comments/swyu88/yamoto\\_pt\\_1/ \nFeel free to leave me some feedback here." ]	5
	[WP] You have one of those dreams where you are back in high school with an assignment due today. When you try to wake up, you start believing that this is NOT a dream.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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've gotta be kidding me.\"\n\nBrianna was not happy. Before this, she was having a bad day. Bad enough that she screamed that she wished that day hadn't happened, before going to sleep, hoping for a better day tomorrow. When she woke up, she was not amused. She found herself sitting at a desk in school, in History class, with a big essay due. The classic dream setup. \"Oh great, even my dreams are trying to worsen my day! Come on!\" Her friend from high school, Ivy, perked up. \"You OK, Bri? You're awake, so I don't know what you're talking about.\" \n\nHer old 10th grade History teacher, Mr. Sanchez, quickly settled the conversation. \"OK, anyways, your papers on the Civil War are due today, so I'll collect them now. Yes, Owen, I know you didn't do yours, this happens every time. Yes, Ming, I did get your parents' email, you're good. Internet's a fickle thing, ain't it?\" At this point, Brianna was doing every reality check she knew of, to no avail. Every single one suggested she was awake.\n\nShe also did not have that paper in her bag, so she slightly panicked. It was a major assignment, according to her teacher. She just hoped that she was dreaming. She then remembered how she wished her bad day didn't happen. And she remembered the genie. It wasn't a dream.\n\n(Sorry it's not very good. Also sorry it's so short. I could do a Part 2, but it might take a bit.)" ]	2
	[WP] You find a car sitting outside your home. It is abandoned, unlocked, and with the keys still inside 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "##One Drive\n\nThe train guardrails go down right when I reach the tracks. Cars pile up behind me. The whistle alerts the cars that they will be stuck for a while. \n\nI lean my head against the window and turn up the music. Work was hard enough already. Why can't I just go home, take a bath, and watch House until I fall asleep. This train is eating into bath time.\n\nA car behind me honks. The train has passed, and I am keeping everyone from going home. I speed off nearly getting into an accident at the next traffic light. The bath is desperately needed.\n\nWhen I reach my house, a silver car is sitting in my driveway. After parking in the garage, I run out to get a closer look at it. The car is clearly an expensive luxury car, but the decal and plates have been removed. If I were more knowledgeable, I could guess the model, but I'm not. The sleekness of the design screams opulence and power though.\n\nThe door is unlocked. I get inside to experience sitting behind the wheel of this magnificent beasts. The seats are soft and firm. The dashboard is smooth vinyl, and the key is still in the ignition.\n\nIt can't hurt to listen to the engine, and I turn the key. The car begins to vibrate as the engine roars to life. Power shoots up my spine. I am in control. One quick drive won't hurt.\n\nI shift gears and drive away from my house. People on the streets stare at the car; a few take pictures. At first, I slouch under the windows. Then, I sit up straight. I want people to know that I am behind the wheel.\n\nMy route is unplanned. I am following my instincts, and they are taking me to a gated community. The guard doesn't bother to check my ID. He knows that I belong. These mansions mock everyone outside their gates except for me. They welcome me in their ranks. \n\nOther sports cars sit in the driveway. They dilute my grandeur. To the people in the house I am not an anomaly. I'm the norm. I pull into a driveway to turn around.\n\nOutside the gate, I see the cops talking to the guard. When the guards see me, the gate opens, and the cops flash their lights. I pull over. It's okay. I'm barely doing anything illegal.\n\n\"License and registration, sir,\" the officer says. I pull out my license to give to the officer. I don't know where the registration is, but I hope it's in the glovebox. The glovebox is empty. I smile at the cop.\n\n\"I'm sorry. I think I forgot it at home,\" I smile.\n\n\"A vehicle like this has been reported missing. It isn't often we get a missing vehicle report for a car like this. It's also rare that we see cars this expensive have no plates are identifying features.\" \n\n\"What do you mean? I am taking it out for a test drive.\" I bite my lip and think to myself, Please believe me. Please believe me.\n\n\"A test drive? From which dealer?\"\n\n\"Uh, the dealer on Seventh Street.\" I start to sweat.\n\n\"Could you give me an intersection? Seventh is a long street.\"\n\n\"Sure, Seventh and Meyer.\"\n\n\"Seventh and Meyer.\" The officer raises an eyebrow at me. \"That's interesting. My daughter works at the a deli at the intersection. I drive her to work often, and I haven't seen a car dealership there. In fact, I dropped her off this morning.\"\n\n\"Okay, fine, you got me. This car was sitting in my driveway. There weren't any license plates on it so I thought it was safe to drive,\" I say.\n\n\"A likely story. Step out of the vehicle.\" I obey his commands. Two officers begin searching the car.\n\n\"You have to believe me. This isn't mine,\" I plead.\n\n\"Sir, we found cocaine in the trunk,\" one officer says.\n\n\"What!\" I yell.\n\n\"That's it. You're under arrest,\" the cop says.\n\n\"No, no, no,\" I scream. This day can't get any worse.\n\n---\n\nr/AstroRideWrites" ]	2
	[WP] A child was genetically enhanced, raised from birth to be the best soldier humanly possible. One day, however, he chooses to follow a new passion.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "His sheer focus and determination meant he could excel at anything he set his mind to, and be so good at it that everyone who noticed would marvel. His training meant he had extraordinary strength and raw power, he was truly a majestic human being. \n\nAll this time he was used to following orders, he was good at that, be he also wanted to be more than that, so much so that he went AWOL to participate in the Strongest Man competition even though his CO explicitly told him not to dare leave base. He went, and won first place. MP’s waited for him and threw him in jail for dereliction. The CO had to make an example of him but word got out that worlds strongest man was thrown in jail by a vindictive CO. The general came to base to pardon and commend our hero that was brave enough to follow his passion and bring such prestige to the whole battalion. \n\nNow that he had some fame and recognition… he set his sights further… the sky is the limit" ]	2
	[WP] The man in the apartment across from you is a contract killer.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "Sam was standing in her kitchen, methodically tapping her pen on a piece of paper on the kitchen counter. She had a decent apartment and despite the odd box of stuff she was yet to unpack her house was looking much like herself: almost presentable. Staring at her notepad, she was wondering if people still invited neighbours over to get to know each other. Her mum did it. Their old neighbours did it. This was The Right Thing To Do then wasn't it? She decided on make your own fajitas with a banoffe pie for dessert. This was her mothers secret technique of \"shutting up the choosy buggers\", Sam suspected that her mum was actually ok with picky eaters but decided to use almost genocidal rage to get her to eat broccoli. This was a rather outlandish version of the ends justifying the means in her opinion.\n\nKnowing that her fellow renter had a rather ecclectic schedule (and also a job that needed hard hats, suits and a cello?), she decided to knock straight away. What opened the door was a man wearing shorts, a somewhat stained shirt and thermal socks with messy hair. There was a dismembered gun lying on the floor behind him. Sam nervously asked if he felt like coming over to her house tomorrow to get to know each other. It was at this only at this point did she realise that it was probably more socially accepted to do that kind of thing when you had an entire family to declare that you were being neighbourly and not asking for a date but she was too far gone now.\n\n\"So, what do you do for a living?\", Sam had asked a few questions over the time Daniel had sat in the kitchen whilst she cooked so it was becoming more and more apparent that he was much more of a conversationalist than her. \"I'm a contract killer, and a damn good one at that.\" Daniel stared at Sam for her reaction as she cut up the chicken. Sam meanwhile was barely registering what had been said, some subroutine in the back of her mind had decided this was a thinly veiled joke and was trying to figure out the answer. After a couple of seconds the results were inconclusive and she gave Daniel a confused and suspicious look. \n\n\"you can't tell people you're an assassin! you might get arrested!\" was the first thing to come out of her mouth. Daniel gave a bit of a smirk \"I appreciate the concern but I'll be fine.\".\"Do you tell everyone you're an assassin? What about the people you plan to kill? Do you do it as an honourable thing? Let them have a fighting chance? Am I your next mark? Should I be fighting back?\", a flurry of questions came from Sam. Daniel sat at the counter and seriously stated that no, he was not some strange movie killer, he mostly just poisoned people with slieght of hand and then calmly walked back to his car.\n\nThey were sitting down and eating their first fajita before it dawned on Sam that she was entertaining someone who actually killed people for a living.They had been having what was a surprisingly captivating conversation on the finer parts of murder for a while now. \"You see, the main part of contract killing is all about setting up for the big event, finding a time and location that they are guaranteed to be at, coming up with a disguise that lets you inconspicuosly walk by them and dropping off a little death packet for them.\" explained Daniel. Sam had figured that he would be some suave super agent that walked around with a silenced pistol, but here he was wearing a shirt that declared that AM was a time that was for insane people and saying that chucking asprin into old peoples champagne was an ideal workday.\n\n\"Why not keep it a secret? Why tell me you kill people?\". Daniel shrugged, \"It's a dangerous job and this isn't a big risk. Most people want to live their own damn lives and it's nice to be able to talk to someone about what they do. You have no idea how horrible it is to try and keep up appearances, never tell anyone what you do and repeatedly try and cover your tracks. Half the time I feel that people are more inclined to report me to the police if they don't know what I do. They are weirdly ok with assassins but if I don't say anything and skulk around them they will report me for being suspicious in a heartbeat\".\n\nIt was three days later when a policeman knocked on her door and asked if the man across the hall from her had been acting suspicious. Before she could even consider the implications of aiding a criminal she had already told the policeman that he was a pretty normal and a nice person. It wasn't until she answerd some frantic banging on her door the next night to see his left arm covered in blood as he collapsed into the doorway did she begin to regret her life choices.\n\n&#x200B;\n\nFeedback appreciated, I haven't written much. May continue this, who knows.", "We started as any old neighbours would. Not unfriendly, but private. Simple nods as we passed in the hallway, the easy hi’s and the classic pleasantries. That was fine. I never really intended to make it more, but fate planned otherwise.\n\nIt was a late Wednesday night. The sun had disappeared many hours ago and now only the dim haze of lamplight penetrated through my windows. Cars continued to honk and screech at each other as though they were demons shouting across the nine levels of hell. I pressed my pillow across my face and groaned in agony. Sleep simply wouldn’t catch my fluttering mind. I lay, eyes closed, resigned to my fate of being extraordinarily exhausted in the morrow. \n\nThat was until I heard a thud. Well, not one, but multiple inconsistent thuds. Like someone limping. I picked up a broom and slowly approached my front door. I peaked through the eyehole, but the thudding had stopped. I couldn’t see anything. \n\nGreat, imagining things already. I rolled my eyes. As I turned my back, a groan pushed its way into my room. It sounded like my neighbour? I opened my door a crack and peaked out. I could see him, about three doors down clutching at his thigh. A trail of crimson dropped behind him and his hand was painted with red. I rushed out and lifted his arm over my shoulder. I helped him to his apartment as he groaned like a bear in anger. It was a shock no one else walked out to see what all the guttural screeching was about.\n\nOnce his door shut, he directed me to the couch where he sat down with very little control. He reached under to pull out a small first aid kit and quickly got to work on his leg. Once the bleeding seemed to have stemmed he looked at me and thanked me. I hadn’t noticed just how pale he was until now. Gone was his rather nice complexion, replaced with a pasty dryness a white wall could almost be jealous of.\n\n“Are you not going to explain?” I asked\n\n“I had hoped not to, he said with a weak grin. I crossed my arms and tapped my foot. He went on to explain how he works as a hired gun and this operation was a little botched, but that normally he’s fine. \n\nWith that out of the way however, we began chatting and laughing a bit. We shared a few beers and I even ended up staying the night. Though I took his room while he crashed on the couch. \n\nThe next morning, I awoke to the smell of bacon, eggs and tea. I had a killer headache as I checked the bedside clock. \n\nunghh like three hours of sleep. Nice. Smooth moves.\n\nSomehow Jordan, as I had now learned was his name and not just friendly neighbour guy, looked cheerier than ever as he cooked. \n\n“Why do you look so happy? Did you manage to sneak in some extra hours of sleep in a time fold or something?”\n\n“Oh no no. It’s uh. Just been a while since I’ve cooked for someone. It’s exhilarating.”\n\nWe both chuckled. \n\n“Do you not have other friends? Or family?”\n\nHis face fell a little. “Not really. My mother doesn’t approve of my choices, fathers dead and this line of work doesn’t allow for many friends.”\n\n“Well in that case Jordan, I Maxwell, will be your friend.” After a bit more pushing he finally accepted,\n\nOver the next few months he went out on some more jobs. I baked a few cookies for his safe returns. Luckily, he never seemed to come back with much more than a new scratch or something of the sorts.\n\nWhen he returned from his next mission, things seemed different from the moment he walked in the door. He ran up to me and hugged me.\n\n“What’s wrong?” I muffled out through his shoulder.\n\n“I did some thinking. And, well, you’re the best thing in my life Max.”\n\nI pushed myself back a little. “What are you saying? Did you get hit in the head?”\n\n“I’m just wandering if you want to go out on a date sometime?” As the words left his mouth, he looked down. His feet shuffled together awkwardly.\n\nI.. wasn’t expecting that. I mean, the idea had crossed my mind, but I never thought it would…Actually occur.\n\n“Yea. Yea. Totally. Yes. Yes. Sure. When? Where? What do I wear?” I said after thinking for about all of ten seconds.\n\n“Here now, you look dashing in what you’re wearing?” He said. I blushed a little. \n\n———\n\n“Had I known, the five years ago I met this man that I would marry him one day, I would have said hi a lot sooner. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met, despite his tendency to uhhh, ya know, shoot his shot at a lot of other people.\n\nThe crowd laughed. \n\n“Anyway. I think that’s all I have time for. Thank you all for coming and enjoy the rest of your night.”\n A big cheer went up. A soft tear fell down my cheek as Jordan stood beside me. He squeezed my hand and kissed me on the cheek.\n\n“You did brilliantly Max. I love you.”\n\n“I love you too.”" ]	3
	[WP] Around the age of 22, it is customary to find someone you love, ensure they're in love with you, both spontaneously combust, emerge as dragons, and live happily for millennia in the lands above. You're 25, and thinking of whether to try love again, or join the rogue dragon slayers 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&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.", "You know when I was a little boy my caretaker, bless her heart, would tell me stories about the despicable, shameful and selfish dragon slayers, people who could never find love so to take out their frustrations, would murder innocent dragons who lived in the aether high above the clouds, I always thought to myself how pathetic such people were.\n\nBut to be perfectly honest, as I near my 26th year on this earth I am starting to understand where they come from. Already the image of ultimate evil that the dragon slayers were shattered when my best friend revealed to me he had killed a dragon, and I didn't even report him to the authorities, sure it's basically manslaughter, not like they can do anything about it anyways, few people remain on earth care enough to protect the dragons, the flying shitheads can do it themselves.\n\nAnd I am not saying that I would, but it's a possibility, afterall noone murders a dragon by themselves, so Derek is probably part of a coven or a squad or whatever fancy title they picked out, he'd totally let me join if I asked.\n\nPlus what do we owe those big lizards? They fly away into the everwhite heavens and leave us down here where it's basically just shit, If my parents, if I can even call them that, weren't friends with Celosia I would have grown up on the streets like most kids.\n\nWhy do they get to live a happily ever after and we have to live our lives on this dumb rock because noone wants to give us a good enough hug?\n\n\"That is a very common sentiment, and I would love to unpack it with you but our time is up Mr. Jones, I'll see you next week.\"\n\nI sigh and walk towards the door.\n\n\"This may not be the most professional thing but, if you do wish to join a dragon slayers' alliance, I do participate in quite a few.\"" ]	2
	[WP] The Galactic Council boasts of over 200k member species, and they're very proud that not a single Deathworld has ever marred their 'perfect blend.' The Deathworld Council only had 26 member species, but they get along much better, and they're very happy to have humanity as their 27th member	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\nReminders:\n\n>* Stories at least 100 words. Poems, 30 but include \"[Poem]\"\n>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail\n>* See [Reality Fiction](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [Simple Prompts](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles\n>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)\n\n&#128722; [Shop](https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shoprwritingprompts?ref_id=24612) \n&#127381; [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) \n&#9999; [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) \n&#128226; [News](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements) \n&#128172; [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)\n\nI am a bot, and 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 planet could be seen miles below, the sun beyond the horizon casting a red glow through the atmosphere and reflecting off the ocean as it moved out of sight. Soon enough, it would reappear again from the opposite side, but for the time being, the shadow of the planet was cast over the station. Out the window, a varied assortment of interstellar vessels could be seen gathering, all of which lit up showed their own identifying colors and patterns.\r \n\r \nInside the room, a lone human stood in formal space attire, taking in a sight they thought would only come many lifetimes after their own. \r \n\r \nFrom across the room, a hiss sounded. Turning around, the human was greeted by the opening of one of the entrance doors, revealing the first group of guests.\r \n\r \n“Welcome!” they said with a wide gesture of their arms. “I assume our translators have been synchronized?”\r \n\r \n“Indeed they have,” the one leading the pack said as they all slowly filed into the room. This one was taller than most of the rest, and aside form their attire, they were covered in a coat of some sort of combination of feathers and scales.\r \n\r \n“Good. I hope you find our accommodations to your liking,” the human said, bowing their head slightly towards the newcomers.\r \n\r \nAs the guests fanned out across the room, quiet conversations began to fill the air. Not long after the first group got settled, the hissing of a second door signaled the arrival of the second group. The human greeted them the same, this time receiving a response from what appeared to be a large, crab-like creature.\r \n\r \nAs they finished welcoming the rest of the guests, the leader of the first group made their way to the human’s side. \r \n\r \n“It’s a pleasure to meet you, candidate representative,” they said.\r \n\r \nThe human turned to them, smiling. “Same to you, representative.”\r \n\r \n“Please with the formalities. We haven’t started the ceremony yet, you can just call me Toix.”\r \n\r \n“Yes… sir…?” the human asked, trying to tread carefully.\r \n\r \nToix laughed. “Sure, that’ll work.”\r \n\r \n“Then you can refer to me as Cam.”\r \n\r \nToix nodded as they walked to the window. “Quite a sight, your planet is. What kind of horrors have your kind faced?”\r \n\r \n“Pardon me?” Cam asked as they walked to Toix’s side.\r \n\r \n“Your kind hasn’t been nominated to the Galactic Council for some reason or another, and neither have we. It takes a special kind of great filter to make them reject a species, and it takes a great species to overcome that filter. So, what filters do your kind surpass?”\r \n\r \nCam looked out the window, hardly able to see the outline of the planet below as it rotated. “Besides all the fighting among ourselves?”\r \n\r \nToix seemed to sigh. “That’s an inevitable hurdle. One which even the Galactic Council seems unable to get over.”\r \n\r \nCam stared out the window, lost in thought. Then, they finally spoke. “Many famines, many diseases, and a constant poisoning of the very soil we live off of.”\r \n\r \nToix hummed. “Difficult things for any civilization to deal with, but people can carry on from that. That’s not what I’m looking for here.” They turned to Cam. “What does your kind claim to be a tragedy?”\r \n\r \nCam turned, eyeing them slightly, before turning back to the window. “I don’t know….”\r \n\r \n“Then just give a personal example. Anything, really.”\r \n\r \nThe lower part of the planet began to glow in a red light.\r \n\r \n“My grandpap died a few years ago, and I don’t think anything has hit me quite the same since.”\r \n\r \nReceiving no response, they looked over to Toix, who simply nodded.\r \n\r \n“I… the hardest part about it was just knowing he was gone, and I wouldn’t get to see him again. His voice, his guitar playing. The things that made him my grandpap, and now he’s just, gone….”\r \n\r \n“Good,” Toix said softly. “Now, generalize that so it fits your people.”\r \n\r \nCam brought their hands to their face, rubbing their eyes before they continued. “When we lose someone, that’s it. Who they were, what they brought to our lives, gone. No substitutes, no replacements.”\r \n\r \n“Then what do you do to carry on?”\r \n\r \nCam took in a shaky breath. “We look forward. We try to be the best we can be, to make them proud, and to hope we can have the impact on others that they had on us.”\r \n\r \nA moment passed, and Toix gave Cam a firm pat on the back. “That’s perfect. If you want this to go on without any problems, that’s the answer you give.” Toix walked back to the group, who by now had gathered around the table. \r \n\r \n“Are we prepared to start, Head Troix?”\r \n\r \nCam turned around, eyes wide, and Troix looked right back at them. \r \n\r \n“Yes, I believe we are.”\n\n\\------\n\nDon't know how I got to that topic, but I'll take it. Thanks for the prompt!\n\nr/IUniven", "What is it that makes a Deathworld a Deathworld? To humans from before we were spacefaring species, the idea of a world inhospitable to life that does foster life sounded paradoxical. Astronomers and physicists have identified millions of exoplanets that are overwhelmingly lethal to every form of known life, while exoplanets that could harbor life were not much different than Earth. Obviously Earth was the standard for exoplanet hospitability because that is the only place where life existed after all. Humans eventually found out that what made a planet hospitable varied drastically after the First Encounter.\n\nThe Galactic Council examined Earth, her life and the humans that call the planet home and categorized it a Deathworld. At the time, human could not fathom the reasoning behind the decision, so we negotiated with the Council to view their research and why they reached this conclusion. I was an ambassador during this meeting and was present when studying their ecological research. Turns out, by the standards of the species included in the Galactic Council, Earth truly is highly unlikely to foster life. While humans understood for decades just how specific a planet's conditions needed to be to sustain life, we had no idea that Earth was on the far fringes of what was habitable.\n\nWe knew we needed a hot core for a magnetosphere to protect the planet from solar and cosmic radiation. We knew a hot core meant volcanoes and earthquakes. We knew a moon was needed to provide tides so life can transition from ocean to land. We knew we needed a certain distance from the sun so water would be liquid. And we also knew that the planet's orbit could not be especially elliptical. This does not even scratch the surface for what every other species on the council needed to classify a planet as safe.\n\nThey considered seasons to be lethal due to large temperature ranges in a single geographical location so the axial tilt of a planet had to be in an incredibly small range. Planetary cores needed to be cooler to avoid volcanism and earthquakes but not so cool that there was no magnetosphere. Planets were usually much smaller to achieve the cooler core temperatures they desired. They could not live on a moon which would make their exposure to the star unpredictable. The topography had to be incredibly specific to have predictable and limited weather patterns. Oceans had to be shallower. The habitable distance from a star was much narrower than human estimates. Just to name a few, their list of reasonings went on for ages.\n\nIt was because of the nature of our planet, we were denied entry to the Galactic Council, the official reason was that \"a species we can not visit can not be trusted.\" Which was an incredible load of crap. We already had colonies on several bodies in our solar system as well as colony ships that were not bound by any planet at all. The Council were a suspicious group, I am certain that there was little trust among themselves and even less for a species that could hide their entire species on their home planet which was naturally defended against the entirety of the Council.\n\nAs an ambassador during this mission, I was pissed. We lost access to a galaxy's worth of knowledge and resources and were simply ignored for seven years by the first non-human life we had ever encountered. Then we met the Second Council. The Deathworld Council.\n\nThey had heard of the human's predicament and were remarkably enthusiastic to reach out to us and even offered a seat at their table during our second interface. They quickly shared information about themselves and their history, and each of them had been rejected by the Galactic Council in a similar manner to humans. Each of the 26 species hailed from worlds that make even humans hesitate to consider colonizing. Which may be a good thing looking at human history.\n\nA silicon-based race from a planet that makes the Sahara look frigid. A massive, soft-bodied race consisting entirely of muscle fibers from a super planet with extreme gravity. A race from a planet without a magnetosphere that have evolved to eat radiation like plants get energy from the sun. Humans, while we find it utterly unremarkable, are capable of living in a massive range of temperatures and weather conditions making us remarkably adaptable. The other 23 species had similar backgrounds. A people who thrive upon the deadly environments they call home, who have been shunned from the larger galactic theater due to the prejudice of the Council.\n\nHumans found close allies in the species on the Deathworld Council. While every last one of us has been slighted by the fragile Galactic Council species, we bore no animosity for them. Their numbers well outmatched our own, but direct confrontation was hardly necessary. They have evolved to fit in their perfectly manicured home worlds, leaving them hyper specialized for one specific lifestyle and remarkably inflexible to every other variable. That mindset extended to their fellow Councilmembers. Even if we wished for their downfall, it was more than likely that would collapse in on themselves given time.\n\nThat is if we let nature run its course. If.", "Humanity's first encounter with a member of the Deathworld Council had been pure chance. It was the Kurivans who made the contact. When their dreadnought had encountered a ship of similar size, the commander had sensed easy prey. Most species in the universe would have agreed. The Kurivans, founding members of the smaller of the two ruling bodies of the universe, had evolved from predators. Their minds were alien, even by the standards of the Galactic Council. So they had been asked politely to not apply anymore. Furious, they had gone on to unite what few other species had been rejected from the council. It was glorious. The members of the Deathworld Council travelled the vast reaches of the void with impunity. Most members of the GC had brokered some deal with them to grant them safe passage. Those who did not dreaded the consequences.\r \n\r \nSo it was with some surprise that the commander received a rejection for their request of surrender. Instead, the other craft began to power up their weapons systems. And lots of them. Commander Pra'tch was impressed. No species outside the DC had anything near that firepower. Nor the moxy to pick a fight with anyone on it. After much pondering, the commander decided to apply one of the few statutes ratified among the 26 members. They sent an envoy, to challenge the other ship to designate a champion of their own for mortal combat. This approach usually ended any conflict with less martially-minded species within a matter of moments. \r \n\r \nThe envoy was received by the so called 'Hum - ans\". When Pra' tch did not hear any word for a long while, they got nervous. This was unusual. Finally, the envoy hailed the Kurivian vessel. On the foreign frequency. The selected being looked... dismayed. Concerned. Their four eyes were shifting back to someone or something off screen. As it turned out, the 'Hum-ans' liked the idea of avoiding unnecessary killing. They had, themselves, developed several distinct forms of ritualised combat. However, they had... questions regarding the rules. The envoy was shaking their spines in agitation. This was unheard of. No one had ever questioned the rules.\r \n\r \nSome time later, the commander received a delegation of Humans. The initial deliberations were difficult. Both species possessed concepts which did not readily translate and required circumstantial explanations. Nonetheless, an agreement was reached. The result of the duel was a draw. Or so it is written in the loosely kept DC archives. Much more well preserved is the subsequent discovery that both the Kurivians and the Humans enjoyed celebrating important moments by imbuing small amounts of toxins. By some miracle, the chosen substances of both species where closely compatible. This may explain why records on the fight are somewhat unreliable.\n\nWhen the humans were rejected by the Galactic Council a mere five Galacic standards later, the Kurivians were proud to sponsor the newest member to be presented to the DC. And even more proud to welcome the 27th member, accepted by unanimous vote.", "Ambassador Ruby Brontide stood in front of the Deathworld council dressed in her best uniform and beaming like a schoolchild. \"So this is the 'lesser' council?\" She asked jokingly, voice ringing in the circular room as the 26 other Ambassadors stared at her in glee and amusement. \n\nThe Regnikar ambassador, a species of volcanic, ape-like inventors, let out a hearty chuckle. \"Lesser in numbers, perhaps, Ambassador Brontide!\" His dark plating was zigzagged with slowly pulsing orange that would perfectly camouflage him on his home planet, but he wore a pair of blue-lensed spectacles that rather stood out in contrast to the rest of his coloration. \"But not, I think, in spirit!\" \n\n\"Hear, hear!\" Piped up the aquatic, tank-bound Feinnifors. Bright colors and lights flashed her excitement all down her body and tail as she bared her sharp teeth in something approximating a smile. \"Your planet-- what did you call it?\" \n\n\"Well, we've got many names for it. Earth is what we call it, but it's also considered Terra-14. The Sol system in the Milky Way... uh, third planet in from the sun.\" Ambassador Brontide smiled. \"Can't miss it. It's the smaller blue one.\" \n\nThe Fennifors nodded. \"Your Earth would fit right in here. It seems you've got every extreme biome known to the galaxy except for the acid swamps of Medulla Tax. You humans are a hardy little species for being so small!\" \n\nRuby dipped her head gratefully. \"That means a lot coming from you, Ambassador. As I understand it, the Fennifors planet is entirely waterlocked-- with leviathan-class creatures being a regular feature of your planet? If you don't mind, I'd be very pleased to send over one of our best marine biologists to you-- my little sister, as a matter of fact. She'd just love your planet. Perhaps an exchange of the sciences between our species would be in order-- but we can talk about that later.\" \n\nThe Fennifors looked ecstatic as Ruby turned her attention to the rest of the council. \"I take it that the application to join the Deathworld alliance is accepted?\" \n\n\"Tell me, Miss Brontide,\" a quiet, towering being with talons the size of scythes piped in. \"Did humanity attempt to integrate in with the Galactic alliance?\" \n\nRuby looked the Dumach up, and then up again to stare him in the eyes. \"We did. Their response was that our world wasn't-- oh, how did they put it exactly? Ah, yes-- our world wasn't perfect enough. We had too many storms. Too much lava, too many dangerous species and too many extreme climates. My fellow Ambassadors were... offended. To say the least.\" \n\n\"Ugh!\" A high-pitched, twittering voice came from one of the bird-like Snowtalons, white feathered and silver-beaked. Her beak clicked in indignation. \"The Galactic council-- awking morons. The beauty of a deathworld is not what cannot survive on it! It is what can! Imperfections,\" she continued, fluffing her feathers and drawing herself up taller, \"are what make a planet unique. A perfect planet gets awking boring! Yes, of course, fledgling! This council will gladly take you under our wings!\" She slammed the butt end of her ice spear down on the ground, causing crystalline chiming to reverberate around the room. \n\nAmbassador Brontide beamed. \"Glad to hear it! Does this mean I'm an official part of the council now, or am I going to have to wait for bureaucratic red tape?\" \n\nThe chuckles around the room were friendly and reassuring. \"There is no waiting process here, Miss Brontide,\" the Regnikar Ambassador rumbled. \"You, starting today, this very meeting, are a member of the Deathworld council.\"", "The members of the Deathworld council murmured as the readings for the planet named 'Terra' came up. It didn't make sense - the Deathworld council was comprised of planets with the most inhospitable conditions. The Sklers had to evolve to breathe a mixture of chlorine and cyanide, to the point where they could breathe just about anything. Gerth lived on a volcanic planet of up to 200 degrees Celsius; the list went on. But Terra? The planet was green and blue, a lush diamond in a soft solar system orbited by a calm star. The place was downright pretty.\n\nThe application did not lie, however - the pompous bastards at the Galactic Council deemed it \"too dangerous\" and denied this so-called \"Humanity\" entry, directing them to the Deathworld council like it was some reject group. Still; it was their obligation to hear them out. Just because they're looked down upon doesn't mean they're not civilized.\n\nThe Humanity representative came forth and he was... not what they expected. It was a small, soft thing, its skin pink and fragile without any claws or carapace. Its demeanor was gentle, its voice high-pitched by their standards. Normally, they'd assume it was a herbivore with no predators.\n\n\"It is my pleasure, Council. My name is Karth Becker and I have come to represent my people in our application,\" he said calmly.\n\nThe Council members looked at one another with bewilderment. This thing ruled a death world? It looked like a soft breeze could knock it over.\n\n\"Karth Becker,\" spoke the head of the Council, \"you stand before the Deathworld council. I take it you understand that we represent the most dangerous, inhospitable planets in the cosmos, correct?\" he boomed through the translator.\n\n\"I understand, yes,\" he said and adjusted his thin spectacles. The Head turned a holographic projection of the planet on.\n\n\"This is Terra, your planet. Our readings indicate that the planet is fertile, temperate, and bio-diverse. It is by all accounts a Class III world, only a bit short of a paradise world. What qualifies you for our council?\" he questioned.\n\nBecker adjusted his glasses again. There was a reason he was picked to represent humanity, and he allowed himself a smile.\n\n\"We do,\" he said. The Council members looked at one another.\n\n\"Elaborate,\" one commanded.\n\nBecker pulled out a remote and pressed a few buttons. The holographic projection changed from Earth and started displaying humanity's history. The beauty of art, music, and dance. But, as it is, most of it was... not that. Piles and piles of skulls, melted flesh, heads on spikes, orphans crying over the bodies of their parents. Becker smiled. The Council looked... puzzled. Things made more sense now. The level of violence, cruelty and pure hatred was... extraordinary.\n\n\"You're monsters,\" one Council member concluded.\n\nBecker looked at them carefully, his eyebrows slightly raised as if pity was on his face. Not that it was. This was the reason Becker was selected as a representative. He wasn't a politician, a scientist, an artist. Those all failed. No, Mr. Becker was a killer. One of the world's foremost specialists in urban warfare, to be precise, with more black-ops missions under his belt than he cared to remember. This small, unassuming man that looked more like an accountant had overthrown governments, killed innocents, tortured. And he liked it.\n\n\"We know,\" he smiled.\n\nIt wasn't a new conclusion. The Galactic Council called us monsters before, and we were outraged. But as the old saying goes - if a man calls you a donkey, you ignore him. If another calls you a donkey, you punch him in the nose. If a third man does it, well, you best start looking for a saddle.\n\n\"Our world is lush and green like you said,\" he started, \"and that's not what makes it dangerous.\"\n\n\"What does, then?\" the Head asked.\n\n\"We do,\" he said coldly. \"We're humans. We evolved by stabbing things in the throat if we thought them dangerous. We killed for scraps. We constantly find new ways to end lives and we do. Not. Quit. So we may lack your evolved lungs or rock-hard skins, but that hasn't stopped us before. If we can't kill you today,\" he said and looked at each of the members carefully, \"we'll find a way to do it tomorrow. We're here to win.\". \n\nHe supposed that most of them realized by now that he wasn't authorized to change their holo-display when he did. It was a powerplay. One by one, their faces shifted and grimaced into what were their equivalents of grins as each pressed a button on their panel.\n\n\"Welcome to the Deathworld Council, human,\" he said.", "Inside an ominous metal chamber 12 miles below the surface of a desolate planet sits 26 terrifying, yet highly intelligent, lifeforms in transparent spheres which simulate their homeworld’s environment. Arranged in a circle, these lifeforms are looking towards the center and contemplating a new lifeform which has made contact with them. It calls itself a “Human” and comes with a proposal to join The Deathworld Council.\n\n“State who you are and why you are here” blurts Skargz, the ruler of the Grogs, a deadly reptilian race of warrior planet conquerors.\n\nThe human looks around with a blank expression. It has an unnerving confidence.\n\n“My name is Katherine Becker and I have come here as a representative of The United Empires of Humanity. After an unsuccessful attempt to join The Galactic Council, we have turned our gaze towards The Deathworld Council.”\n\nSkargz eyes the Human closely. It is barely 70 Kilograms in mass, has soft squishy skin and delicate green optical organs, yet here it stands trying to join The Deathworld Council, which consists of the most terrifying intelligent lifeforms in the galaxy. Surely there is some discrepancy in the translation device. Surely this thing doesn’t understand the magnitude of what it’s trying to do.\n\n“You do realize that this council consists of the deadliest empires in the galaxy, correct?” asked Zenyt, the representative of the Yzayn Elders, an ancient life form which has lost the ability to reproduce, yet can live indefinitely.\n\n“We fully understand what The Deathworld Council is about. Our reason for our proposal to join is exactly why we were denied entry into the The Galactic Council. It seems that we are a bit dangerous by galactic standards…”\n\n“Fine. State your case” says Skargz.\n\nThe human clears its throat and begins.\n\n“We are the human race. Originating on a planet that we call Earth, we have evolved over the course of a few million years to become a multiplanetary civilization with FTL technology. It was technology that has allowed us to grow and conquer Earth as well as many other planets across six different solar systems, and it is our utilization of technology that has resulted in our denial of entry into The Galactic Council. Through use of technology, we have waged war with each other almost endlessly. We have developed weapons so powerful and devastating that we were almost at the brink of extinction, until we finally settled for peace only 360 Earth years ago. Since then, we have existed as The United Empires of Humanity, with the common goal of conquering as many livable planets as we can. It was only three earth years ago when we made first contact with a member of The Galactic Council.”\n\n“Why does humanity consist of multiple united empires, and not a single central empire?” wondered Zenyt.\n\n“Well, that is complicated. We humans aren’t inclined to give up power, and that includes among ourselves as well. We can only be united as a loose union of separate empires, though we have been keeping the peace between each other for hundreds of years thus far.”\n\nKatherine looked around calmly, “I suppose you all would like to see what we are capable of. We have prepared a hologram compilation of our last great war, which we ironically call ‘The Star War’” it chuckles to itself. “It’s an inside joke.”\n\nThe 26 lifeforms look at each other with uneasy expressions.\n\n“Very well human. Show us this hologram movie” Skargz commands powerfully.\n\nKatherine presses a button on a remote and a large hologram located at the center of the metal chamber flashes to life.\n\nWhat can be seen is a massive star carrier flying through space with a few smaller vessels nearby. It engages with another star carrier of equivalent size, yet a different design. Hundreds of small vessels exit both of the carriers and the two sides engage in brutal space combat. Within seconds, half of the fighter vessels are reduced to dust and debris, and one of the carrier vessels is in half. Small dots of humans can be seen floating around the decimated star carrier.\n\nThe council members make audible noises of surprise. Never have they seen such explosive combat.\n\nA few more seconds go by and no one remains. Both carriers are destroyed. All that can be seen is debris and floating bodies.\n\n“How… How were they destroying each other? I didn’t see a single laser being shot… The vessels just started exploding” mutters Skargz. His voice nowhere near as intimidating as it was previously.\n\n“What you are seeing are rail guns. They propel small pieces of metal to a fifth of the speed of light, which you can imagine does pretty horrific damage. We have explored the use of lasers, and have developed some pretty effective laser based weapons, but they can only do a fraction of the damage that a rail gun can do.”\n\nThe human continues clicking a button on it’s remote and many scenes of horrific combat are shown to the council members.\n\n“Okay, last but not least, here is our last scene.” says Katherine, obviously enjoying the shock seen on the faces of the council members.\n\nWhat can be seen is a planet, and nothing happens for about 20 seconds. Suddenly, a human begins to talk in the background.\n\n“T minus 10… 9… 8…”\n\nZenyt looks at the human and notices that it’s looking directly at him. A wave of uneasiness comes across him. It’s an unfamiliar feeling, something he hasn’t felt in millennia. Fear. He looks back at the hologram.\n\n“3… 2… 1…”\n\nAnd in a flash of light, the planet is gone.\n\n“That was a demonstration on our mastery of the atom”, explained Katherine, beaming.\n\nThe council members look around at each other.\n\n“Welcome to The Council”\n\n&#x200B;\n\n&#x200B;\n\nEdit: This is the first time I've written anything since my shitty essays in high school, so sorry if it's not that great. Twas fun to write though." ]	7
	[WP] We are dealing not with alien invasion, but with the exact opposite problem. Each and every single alien species we've ever discovered refuses to talk to us.	[ "Welcome to the Prompt! 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.", "For years we asked the question “Are we alone in the universe?” Scientists and the general population alike yearned to find any kind of life outside of earth. \n\nYears went by as we sent out all kids of signals, as well as searched for them. Despite the radio silence, the search continued. \n\nIt didn’t take long for someone to wonder, “how would we talk to the aliens?” Many years later when a universal translator, akin to the one in Star Trek, was invented. \n\nThe first extraterrestrial life form found was a small plant. Excitement grew, and exploration kicked into full gear. It took only two years for the first animal to be discovered. When the translator was brought out, the only thing it said was “Food. Food. Food? DANGER! RUN! Food. Food,” akin to our chickens. However, the creature soon became beloved and was dubbed a cibus, and the planet was called Planetacibus. \n\nIt wasn’t until the 4th visit to Planetacibus when a humanoid life form was discovered. It was tall, about 8ft or 2.5m, with two arms and two legs. The droid who discovered them was equipped with a translator. The aliens, now called Planetacibuscans, simply said “Ahhhh. Another alien robot.” And carried on. \n\nEveryone on earth freaked out. It was now a race to see who would get the honor of being the first to meet a real Planetacibuscian. \n\nThe honor soon fell to one Clements Ho and his partner Yuri Aldrin. After their long journey, they expectedly stepped onto the surface of Planetacibus. Soon upon arriving, they saw a herd of cibuses flutter by. \n\nIt took about a day for them to arrive upon something akin to a city. Tall, red buildings were laid out in a circle, surrounding a busy street. The Planetacibuscans were dashing back and forth into the different buildings. It was a sight to see for sure. \n\nTranslators ready, Aldrin walked onto a busy street and called out “Hello! We come in peace.” To his surprise, the Planetacibuscians kept walking. Ho looked at one especially tall one, “Hello, we are visiting and…” but was brushed off without a word. \n\nOne Planetacibuscian next to them looked towards her young child who was staring at them. “Don’t worry, child. They are just some tiny aliens. Nothing to be scared of. Now, we need to go or we will be late!” \n\nFor 3 days they tried to communicate with the aliens…but were brutally ignored every time. Sometimes they got angry stares, but never so much as a word. Disheartened, the men returned to earth. \n\nThe news went crazy. Why wouldn’t the aliens talk? No one could answer. \n\nMany, many years went by. More inhabited planets like Planetacibus were discovered. The same thing happened every time. The aliens continued their normal business. The humans were ignored. \n\nWith all the progress in space, technology back on earth was increasing in leaps and bounds as discoveries were made to help in the search. Though the aliens refused to speak, some had technologies that we were able to observe and replicate. All of this still left the question: why were we ignored?? \n\nOn his 100th birthday, Yuri Aldrin conducted an interview where he answered this question, “I have wondered that many times myself since our first contact. I suppose they are just not interested. We have seen no evidence of any humanoids having any kind of communication with any other humanoids. It doesn’t seem to be anything special about us. \n\n“We tend to think life revolves around us humans. We are our own center of the universe. Our own gods, if you will. As we have discovered, though, this obviously isn’t true to our many neighbors. We were regarded as nothing, not worth dealing with.” \n\nThe interviewer seem intrigued. “Why do you think that we humans have this desire to connect that others don’t seem to have?” \n\nYuri Aldrin paused. “There is only one explanation I can think of. We were created for connection. We were created for something higher than dashing about as the center of our own universe. We tried to find that connection in space. Space rejected us. We often try to find that connection with each other, but we keep letting each other down. I believe it is time we stopped trying to be our own god. I believe it is time we started looking towards the one true GOD. The one who instead of ignoring us, calls us towards a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.” \n\nAs with all such interviews, some left that day agreeing with Aldrin, some left furious that he would take such a moment to shove religion down their throats, and most left not caring either way. One thing was agreed. Humanity had learned that though we are not alone in the universe, we are lonely. Now, it was up to each individual to see what he or she was going to do about that", "This was it. The day the world would change forever. Some people were calling it the end of history, but he knew that wasn’t true.\nAs he looked at the data streaming back from First Contact, his excitement grew. He could hardly believe it was happening. Humans would never be alone again. But as he looked, his confusion grew too. Not as quickly as his excitement, but it was there, like a rock in his shoe. There should have been something by now. The crew of First Contact sent their greeting hours ago. Looking at the white static made him think of the TV in his house growing up when it wasn’t on channel 3. While staring at the hypnotic white noise, he didn’t notice the hands on the clock as they continued their steady circular march clockwise. Then it happened. There was a message on the screen. He couldn’t believe it. Not just because this was the first time humans had spoken to other intelligent life, but because of what it said. “Go Home. We’ve heard of you.” At that moment, his confusion overtook his excitement." ]	3

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