Split (1)

train · 265k rows

post_text stringlengths 0 17.5k	post_title stringlengths 4 315	post_scores int64 0 42.1k	comment_texts list	comment_scores list	comment_times list
[removed]	[WP] After becoming a multibillionaire you’ve become bored with life. Searching for a thrill you hire the worlds two best hit men to kill each other.	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/Airick_Es, this submission has been removed.\n\n[No recent reposts, even if changing small details](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_5.3A_no_recent_reposts.2C_even_if_changing_small_details)\n\nAlso, no [copy-cats](http://i.imgur.com/38FjDgW.gifv).\n\nSearch before submitting as popular ideas can cause floods. If your idea is based on something you read elsewhere on reddit, chances are it's been submitted here already. Please wait at least 2 weeks before reposting.\n\n \n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/900vrz/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1531959198", "1531961752" ]
[removed]	[WP] You laugh in your office, excited for the upcoming games. You just hired two hit men to assassinate each other at your house.	7	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/thelordchar, this submission has been removed.\n\n[No recent reposts, even if changing small details](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_5.3A_no_recent_reposts.2C_even_if_changing_small_details)\n\nAlso, no [copy-cats](http://i.imgur.com/38FjDgW.gifv).\n\nSearch before submitting as popular ideas can cause floods. If your idea is based on something you read elsewhere on reddit, chances are it's been submitted here already. Please wait at least 2 weeks before reposting.\n\n \n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/901kql/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1531965020", "1531965775" ]
[removed]	[WP] After a week of failed attempts a prisoner on death row finally gets out of his solitary confinement cell, only to find the entire prison empty, no guards or inmates. What did he miss?	1	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/cloudwatcher217, this submission has been removed.\n\n[Direct prompt replies must be good-faith attempts at new stories or poems](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_1.3A_direct_prompt_replies_must_be_good-faith_attempts_at_new_stories_or_poems)\n\n- Responses too short: Responses must be at least 30 words. Prompts should encourage a story or poem. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/901p6q/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1531966038", "1531966183" ]
	[WP] You're a normal farmer, except for the fact you have the same name as the fated Hero, the fans have already been really annoying, but now the dark lord is in your village.	17	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Dylan was laying back on his chair, his feet on the oaken table of his rundown house, bringing his old cedar pipe to his lips, when a loud banging on his door shook him to the point of dropping his precious pipe. \n - Who fucking dares!, he says as he opens the frail door, almost killing the mind behind it, You better have a good fucking reason of coming here or my pitchfork here is going somewhere the light doesn’t shine!\n - Dylan, you’re the Hero, even if you say you aren’t, we know it’s you! We need your help, the Dark Lord is already marching on our lands he will be here soon!\n - Oh my God Jerry for the last time I’m not your fucking hero! So get your ass of the ground and leave me alone. As for the Dark Lord, he can trample on all of us for all I care, I’m old and tired, what could I even do?\n - That’s not the last time you hear of me Dylan, you gotta fight for us!\nAnd so the little frail twerp that was Jerry ran to the town plaza as Dylan slammed his door shut. \n - Bloody Idiots, he muttered. \nAs he leaned down to pick up his cedar pipe, he heard an ever so faint sound. He thought nothing of it, till it became louder. And louder. And louder. \nHe stumbled outside and not far from his doorstep was the infamous Dark Lord, and to his side Jerry, pointing a trembling and scared finger to Dylan’s face. \nThe Dark Lord opened his cursed mouth, black froth emanating from both corners of his twisted smile, and let out in a spectral yet almost tangible voice :\n - Dylan! The Fated Hero! Challenge me at once, or I’m destroying this village!\nThe old man yawned :\n - What do I care? I’m childless, don’t have a single person I treat as a friend. The single thing I own is my cattle and all the bastards have been all over my head with this Hero crap. You’d almost be doing me a favor!\n - I don’t care! My lust for battle has gone unextinguished for decades! You will fight me now Hero, or I shall curse you to remain forever alive in this village!\n - Oh no anything but that, these people are awful! Fine I’ll fight you ya bastard!\nDylan extended his hand towards his front porch, and grabbed his pitchfork. He extended the used tool towards the foul demon, and said in a overly excited voice :\n - I unleash the ultimate fireball of death and destruction! With my cloak of wisdom and bracelets of destruction, as well as the natural 20 I just rolled this guy is toast!\nA giant hand landed on the map of the small town, toppling over the figurines, that of the farmer and the Dark Lord. \n - Jesus Christ Dylan you’re the worst player I’ve ever seen! If mom hadn’t threatened me of grounding me, I would have never let you play!\n - This game sucks anyways, you never let me have fun!\n - That’s just not how the campaign is supposed to sta-\nAnd Dylan left the table running, looked back at all the players, with their neat little character sheets and let out in his best farmer voice :\n - Yar all cunts!\nAnd he darted to his room, still swearing profusely, laughing very hard across the house. \n\nEDIT: Phone formatting I’m sorry :(", "Every one hundred years, a page in the Book of Knowledge appears with vague predictions of what may happen in the next century. Written in the page are a few descriptions of the next hero who'll protect the world for the next one hundred years and the year that their strongest enemy will appear. I know it's quite stupid for the Keepers of the Book to announce to the world these things, because the dark forces can attack an unprepared hero and possibly plunge the world into chaos for the next century, but the Keepers pledged to neutrality. They don't stand for the light nor to the dark. \"We are the keeper of balance\" are the words of their order.\n\n3 years ago was the end of the century. The Keepers made all the contents of the page known. The page says,\n\n\"Born on the day the Frozen King had perished, the hero shall hail from the Kingdom of Illa. His name is Elric, son of the soil.\"\n\nI panicked. The Book has given a name, MY name. this is the first time it did that. Illa? I am an Illan. He? I'm a man. Son of the soil? I am a fucking farmer! The only thing that doesn't point towards me, was the birth of the hero. I was born 5 years after the death of the Frozen King.\n\nThe page continues,\n\n\"The enemy of the light appears now.\"\n\nThat line sent the whole world into panic. How can we prepare the hero, when his enemy is already out there?\n\nThe king of Illa ordered an all-out search for everyone who fits all the descriptions. Three people who fit were found. After that, their whole families were brought to the castle to live there while the three Elrics were being trained. The castle was on total lock down, with every security measures imaginable in place. Despite all that, in a matter of months, the three heroes were assassinated. Us Illans wept, while the rest of the world hated our kingdom. I don’t blame them. The death of the hero means that the world is utterly defenceless to the dark forces for the next one hundred years.\n\nAt the aftermath of their deaths, us common citizens tried our best to live our normal lives, but the leaders of the countries in the world didn’t. Taxes were raised and the armies were bulked up in preparation for the coming doom.\n\nMost people blame the Keepers, I among them. If they truly were the Keepers of Balance, they should have known that telling the world who the hero is while the dark forces already exist will tip the scale in favour of evil.\n\nThere are people who don’t believe that the hero was among the three who were assassinated. Some believe that the king is hiding the real hero while he prepares. Some believe that we interpreted the book wrong. Some says the “son of soil” is actually “son of soul”. I do agree that the font of the book is quite horrendous, but I don’t think the Keepers could make such a mistake with their lives basically revolving around the thing. Some say that the hero is actually a she, not a he, but even though if we disregard the “he” and “son” in the text, I don’t think there are many female Elrics out there, much less those who fit the rest of the descriptions. The one theory that I can get behind is that the hero was born in Illa or has Illan blood, but now lives in another land.\n\nOne theory, the one that sent these fans to visit me in my farm, is the theory that we got the birthdate of the hero wrong. How we can get that wrong is beyond me.\n\n“Can you bless my child, please? My lord?” says one mother to me while I pick some tomatoes.\n\n“I am a farmer, not your lord.”\n\n“You are! Son of the soil!”\n\n“No. Please move.” I said, as I walked around her to pick more tomatoes.\n\n“Please. We’ll leave after you do.”\n\n“No.” if I bless this child, word of it will spread and more mothers like her will come.\n\n“Hey! Don’t step on my spinach!” I said to the dozens of people who came to see me. “Karia, help me.” I said under my breath. This farm is all I have. The army now takes half of my harvests to feed the soldiers and now these people are stepping on the last thing I own as if it’s nothing.\n\nI picked up my baskets and walked to the next row of tomatoes. The herd followed me, destroying more of my plants. This is the last straw.\n\n“When will you accept that the hero is dead?!” I screamed at them. They went silent. “I am not the hero! The Keepers do not make mistakes much less does the Book! It is absolute! Why won’t you see that?”\n\nAfter a few seconds a man spoke,\n\n“We… we see that.” I looked at of them, truly looked at all of them for the first time.\n\n“Then why are you all here?”\n\n“What are we supposed to tell the children?” I didn’t know what to answer. What will a child grow into, if he believes that we are doomed? What world will they live in, if they do not hope at all?\n\n“…You… You tell them the truth.” I told them. I turned to the child whose mother wanted me to bless.\n\n“Son.” I said as I fall to one knee, “One hero died, but someone else can take his place. The future seems dark, but as long as one of us stands, there will always be light.”\n\nI stood and looked at the people around me, “The hero is gone, but we are still here. Humanity has been dependent on the heroes throughout history, as if we do not matter to the grand scheme of things. We were just the casualties of the battle between good and evil. Maybe the Keepers meant for this to happen. We have always been at the mercy of the forces around us. Quivering in the dark, while we wait silently wait for the light. Maybe this time, we are meant not to wait but to seek. Maybe this time we are meant to matter.”\n\n\n-------\nI have a completely different story in mind, but I felt like it's getting too long and I gotta sleep now. I'm probably gonna change it tomorrow. Cheers, guys :)", "DARIUS LIFEBRINGER!\n\nA crash of thunder sounds outside, and black clouds roll across the sky. The well-wishers camping outside my door scream and scatter in various directions. I sigh, setting down my coffee. I knew this day would come.\n\nI put on my farmer's cap, my gloves I use to pull out thorny weeds, and meander towards the door. The raw hum of power in the air increases with every step I take. Pulling open the door stands Yygterran, Lord of Darkness. He stands about a metre from the door, an aura of pure darkness surrounding him. He has raised one of his hands, pointing it at the door, ready to obliterate me as soon as the door was opened. Luckily, he had decided to pause a second. \"OH\". The dark aura dissipates. \"HANG ON A MINUTE.\" He pulls out a notebook in which some notes have been scribbled in blood, and flips through the pages. Frowning, he looks up from the notebook.\n\n\"YOU ARE DARIUS LIFEBRNGER, YES? YOU DO NOT LOOK LIKE WHAT I EXPECTED YOU TO.\"\n\nI sigh, dramatically. \"Okay, good, maybe you'll be the first to actually listen to me. While yes, that is my name, no, I am not the Darius Lifebringer. I'm called Lifebringer because I'm a farmer, my dad was a farmer, my dad's dad was a farmer, my dad's dad's dad... you get the idea. We've owned this land for generations.\"\n\nYygterran, Lord of Darkness, looks rather confused now. He drops the hand pointing right at my face. \"YOU MEAN I HAVE TRAVELLED MILLIONS OF MILES ACROSS DOZENS OF WORLDS ONLY TO GET THE WRONG FUCKING ADDRESS?\"\n\n\"Hey, hey, no need to swear. Look, you're probably tired. God knows I am. I wake up at 3am every morning to admirers screaming outside my window, thinking that I'm that Darius. Chasing them away with a pitchfork only works so many times. Now some of the more determined ones think I have treasure back here or something bloody stupid.\n\n\"WELL, DO YOU?\"\n\n\"I have coffee. That's my treasure. Proper single-origin stuff right here. Speaking of which. Would you like some? You're tired and annoyed because you have the wrong house. I'm tired and annoyed because I get two hours' sleep a night because other people get the wrong house.\"\n\n\"SURE. WHAT IS SINGLE-ORIGIN COFFEE?\"\n\n\"Oh my god, you have not lived, Yygterran.\"\n\n\"IT'S PROUNCED YYGTERRAN.\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\nAnd that is the story of how Darius Lightbringer, local farmer and Yygterran, Lord of Darkness, became best friends over some good coffee and chasing away terrified local villagers with the help of some dark magic from the 87th Dimension. Truly, a friendship meant to last through the ages.", "Grim Dunndragon. It's a striking name that makes you want to deepen your voice as you say it. A name that could cause lightning to strike from the sky as the sound rolls off your lips. One with such a mighty name must be destined to do great things. But Grim Jeffrey Dunndragon and Grim Ivellious Dunndragon were two very different men.\n\nGrim's expression turned from hardened to contempt as he planted and covered the last yam of this batch. He was relieved to get back to his house and catch some rest after a hard day's work. The last month had been a nightmare, but he managed to sound out the screaming and waving from the swarms of fans that showed up outside his property. Plus, ever since he moved his fence further foward, Thomas had been doing a great job of seeing that people stayed back. An 85 pound German Shepherd tended to make people want to keep a cool distance. As Grim meandered back to his humble, yet comfortable abode, the sky began to darken. This was strange to Grim, as in the summertime it didn't usually get dark until about 8:30 around these parts. He looked up to see a swarm of black clouds spiraling and merging above him as his heart skipped a beat. He stared, open-mouthed and speechless, as, with a crack of thunder, a bolt of lightning slammed into the ground. Grim was knocked off his feet as he fell to the ground, temporarily deaf from the roaring sound of mighty thunder. Grim was completely frozen in shock as he saw a figure descend into his field. He couldn't even move his lips to profess one final prayer before what seemed like his impending doom. The figure blared with a gust of wind, \"GRRRIIMM DUNNDRAGOOON!\"\n\nThis is it, Grim thought. After 64 hard years my age has taken it's toll, and it doesn't look like I'm going to heaven.\n\nAs Grim tried to think of where he went wrong, the figure glided rapidly towards him.\n\n\"Your hero... shaking in his boots? COWARD!\" the figure once again bellowed.\n\nHero? Grim thought. I'm no hero.\n\nGrim began to realize what was going on as the figure pointed a pointed obsidian staff towards him. The tip began to crack with lightning before Grim gathered up all the courage he had and shouted, \"WAIT!\"\n\n\"Wait? For what?\"\n\nYo I'd be down to write a part 2 but I gotta get some sleep. If anyone is interested I'll add on to this tomorrow." ]	[ 1, 1, 1, 2, 6 ]	[ "1531986679", "1531988271", "1532002060", "1531994137", "1531991231" ]
[removed]	[WP] The consumption of vegetables has become highly divisive and contentious. What happens?	1	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/Techhead7890, this submission has been removed.\n\n[We’re here to inspire creative writing, not play writing games or commission stories](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_6.3A_we.2019re_here_to_inspire_creative_writing.2C_not_play_writing_games_or_commission_stories)\n\n- Prompts go in the title, do not extend into text. You can add commentary in the text, but don't add additional prompt restrictions. Also, avoid [too many details](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/prompts?src=RECIPE). \n\nPlease avoid direct or closed questions, like \"What happens?\" as people tend to give an answer, rather than a story. Leaving it open allows people to go in whatever direction they prefer. \n\nThanks. \n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/904rp1/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 2 ]	[ "1531997118", "1531997882" ]
[removed]	[WP] Wait, you settle code reviews with trial by combat!?	3	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/Swiftster, this submission has been removed.\n\n[Direct prompt replies must be good-faith attempts at new stories or poems](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_1.3A_direct_prompt_replies_must_be_good-faith_attempts_at_new_stories_or_poems)\n\n- Fill-in-the-blank: Responses must be at least 30 words. This is essentially a fill-in-the-blank, or you asked a question likely to generate a simple answer. Prompts should encourage a story or poem. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/90660l/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532009419", "1532010234" ]
	[WP] Fantasy Football has changed in the age of Cloning, Genetic Engineering and Quantum Computing. Now entire teams of Orcs, Ninjas, Pirates, cloned celebrities or anything in the imagination of their creators battle weekly for Football Supremacy	6	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "\n\n\"I know what you're thinking.\" \n\nThe be-suited tour guide smiled broadly, his teeth glowing extra white in his mouth, as if they just been freshly spray painted. \"How can you be so cruel?\"\n\nThe small group, maybe a dozen tourists in shorts and flip flops, some wearing \"Rumble Dome!\" hats and t-shirts, all looked at each other nervously. In truth none of them had been thinking that, but now they all were and the thought was disconcerting.\n\nThe tour guide smiled broader and nodded as he spoke. \"Well, put that thought out of your mind. You see, here at Dome enterprises, we take morality into consideration at every step of our process.\"\n\nWith the press of a button a seemingly opaque wall behind the guide became perfectly transparent and, behind it was the all white clean room of a laboratory. White clad lab assistants in full rebreathers bent over at their work, manipulating invisible contents in and out of myriad test tubes.\n\n\"From the very start, Dome scientists take donated organic materials and make in vitro genetic changes intended to eliminate unwanted traits from future Dome warriors - fear, empathy, pain reception.\"\n\nWith another press of a button a particular work station lit up a little brighter. The scientist there paused briefly, looked at the tourists, gave a little wave, and then went back to work, peering at something under a giant microscope.\n\nThe tour guide started up again with his well rehearsed script. \"By removing select genetic material in both the egg and sperm, our scientists are able to preselect for certain traits with almost 95% accuracy. For example, Jose here is currently removing the genetic material responsible for the fear response from a female egg.\"\n\nOne of the tourists raised a hand and the guide became a bit frustrated. \"Please, reserve all questions for the end of the tour.\" The tourist lowered his hand unhappily to his side and the guide ushered everyone down the long hallway to another opaque wall.\n\n\"The spirit of the Rumble Dome is one of conquest and excitement, and, of course, violence is part of that. But we knew, from the beginning, that there was a difference between violence and trauma.\"\n\nAnother button press and a much longer window appeared opening a view into an expansive factory floor. Hundreds of workers roamed the grounds in white cleansuits and masks, weaving between countless tanks filled with a translucent orange liquid and a wide variety of organic looking shapes. In some the tanks floated minuscule masses of cells, in others larger fleshy objects, the grotesquely bared image of half developed adult human bodies. Further in the distance full grown human figures could be seen floating, their musculature twitching here and there.\n\nThe guide stopped in front of the window and gave the tourists a judicious thirty seconds of silence to take in the sight. Then he began, \"Here at Dome we grow only the best combatants, soldiers and warriors of every shape and size, every culture and discipline. As they are developing, genetic and physiological tests are carried out to be 100% certain that the pre-fertilization genetic changes are doing their jobs. About 5 of every 100 combatants develops the nueral framework for pain or fear receptors, or levels of higher emotional intelligence or empathy responses, and of course these specimens are painlessly and efficiently eliminated before consciousness is allowed to develop.\"\n\nAgain the same tourist raised his hand and the guide sucked his teeth in frustration. \"Sir, please, I know you have pressing questions, I'm certain others do to, but for the sake of fluidity, please refrain from asking them until the end of the tour.\"\n\nThe other tourists gave the man a disdainful look and, unhappy but cowed, the fat tourist lowered his hand again, looking in both directions down the hallway.\n\nThe tour guide led them to a third window. Behind the opaque glass there could be heard muffled yells and the soft padded impacts of bodies on ground. The guide allowed the tension to build for a few seconds before making the glass transparent and revealing two dozen ninjas, new combatants, training in a dojo-like setting.\n\nAs the ninjas took turns charging at one another or sparring with training weapons, the guide spoke. \"Each of our combatants comes into the world with a custom implanted genetic muscle memory of their particular defined warrior discipline. Here you see our newest batch of \"ninja.\" Although each combatant's body theoretically leaves the vat at 100% combat efficiency, we have found over the years that a brief period of intensive training and post \"birth\" brings with it better overall results.\"\n\nThe group lingered there for a while, the three children especially excitable, their faces up against the glass, watching as the ninjas swung swords on chains at one another, or threw shurikens into a nearby wood target.\n\nThe guide smiled at how well the tour was going and brought everyone out of the hallway into a final room where a curtained stage awaited with thirty seats set up in front of it. \"If everyone would please have a seat.\" The guide said, gesturing to the chairs, and everyone found a seat.\n\nThe guide walked up to the stage and faced everyone. \"The end result of our development process is combatants who look human, fight like humans, but, I assure you, are not human in exactly the ways that matter.\" The curtain rose behind him and a Vikin style warrior stood in the middle of the stage wearing a disinterested look.\n\nThe guide walked over to the side, took off his suit jacket, rolled up his sleeves and picked up an axe. All the while he spoke calmly. \"By eliminating the emotional trappings of the human being, including and most importantly the fear and empathy response, pain reception, as well as the inclination toward self preservation, our combatants are the perfect gladiators without any of the empathetic trauma viewers used to experience watching others commit violence against each other.\"\n\nWithout a word of warning the guide swiped the axe down into the viking's arm. The blade embedded in his bicep, with a splurt of blood. The small crowd recoiled and exclaimed lightly in surprise, but the guide just smiled again and raised his hands calmly.\n\n\"Nothing to worry about folks. As you can see the combatant can no more feel the wound then the fear it might elicit in the rest of us.\"\n\nThe viking's face did not even change. He looked impassively at the axe in his arm the same way one might look at a small fly which landed on one's hand.\n\nThe guide kept speaking. \"The extent of the combatants changed nature is absolute. Viking, cut off your own hand.\"\n\nWith abject disregard the viking reached over with his unaffected hand, grabbed the hilt of the axe, tore it free with a wet sound and then swung it down hard on his left wrist, severing it completely. Blood splurted out in fine drops, hitting the front audience members who blinked and smiled at one another. The viking's face barely changed, his lip upturned at the edge, as if slightly annoyed at the inconvenience of having to cut off his own appendage.\n\nThe guide smiled again as he was putting his jacket back on, and walked to the end of the stage as the curtain came down behind him. \"And that, friends, is the promise of Dome Enterprises, entertainment without moral quandary, so you can enjoy without worry! Now, are there any questions?\"\n\nThe tourists looked at each other dumbly, without any idea what they were supposed to ask. Only one raised his hand, the same from before, now very eager.\n\nThe guide rolled his eyes and pointed at him. \"Alright, sir. What is your question?\"\n\nLike a little kid, the middle aged, overweight man in a Rumble Dome baseball cap whimpered his response. \"Is there a bathroom I can use?\"\n\nThe guide sighed and pointed him to a doorway in the back of the room. \"First door on the left.\"\n\nThe foolish man ran out, his legs uncomfortably twisted as he waddled out. The guide watched him disdainfully. When the man had left the guide turned back to the tourists and raised a hand. \"If there are no further questions, then please exit at the back toward the gift store.\"\n\nThe tourists made their way out of the room as the guide peaked between the curtains at the wounder viking. The strange creature had torn its ragged clothes and fashioned a simple tourniquet on the wound. It sat there in the dark, seeping blood, with a look of dull disinterest.\n\n******\n#### For More Legends From The Multiverse\n\n## r/LFTM" ]	[ 1, 2 ]	[ "1532014819", "1532014971" ]
	[WP] The problem with being immortal is you can't nap. They tend to last a lot longer than expected...	33	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Sleep for me lasts fifty years at a time. \n\nI suppose it's the downside of not sleeping for every two hundred. If you ask me, I would reckon it's fair. Most humans sleep for a third of their normal day, so I must have struck a good bargain. Nonetheless, being the only immortal in a sea of transient humans has its disadvantages.\n\nI was born in the 4th century BC. Due to my obvious differences, most notably not sleeping and dying, I was worshiped as a god in my East African tribe. A few generations later, I felt a strange urge to rest for the first time in my life. I isolated myself in a cave and sleep embraced me for the first time. When I awoke, my tribe had been nonexistent for decades, decimated by the Egyptians. \n\nI decided to journey from then on, tribe to tribe, city to city, empire to empire, wandering almost every day, hiding my real nature. I became an expert at feigning slumber by closing my eyes and reflecting for a few hours, which was usually enough to convince the average human.\n\nI have had my share of heartbreaks as well. In the 17th century I was in Paris, France, and it was impossible not to fall in love with the spirit of the time. I met a beautiful young woman and fathered a child with her. I never told her my secret, though. She may have suspected, but we were too happy to care. One day, I felt the sudden urge for peace and quiet once again, and I endeavored to find a new cave to conceal my hibernating self in. I knew what it would cause my now family, but the urge to sleep was unbearable and I succumbed. I awoke fifty years later and scampered to seek my woman and babe. Alas, I found her, an old lady, blind and deaf, alone in her front yard. I walked to her and gave her a final kiss on the forehead and said my goodbye. I thought I saw her shed a tear as I left, calling out my name in whispers. I never found my son. \n\nNow the year is 2018. On the television last night, it was announced that North Korea has banded with China and Russia and declared war against the United States. This morning, the cities of Seattle, New York, London, Quebec, Tokyo, and Seoul were hit with atomic bombs. Fifty million people died. They threaten to bomb two dozen more cities starting tomorrow. The United States and its allies follow suit without delay, and bombed the cities of Moscow, Beijing, Shanghai, and Pyongyang an hour ago.\n\nI feel the urge again, and I cannot help it. It is time. My body needs slumber.\n\nI descend the basement of my house in Washington DC and enter my nuclear bunker. It should serve my body well over the next fifty years. What awaits me afterward, I am not certain, but right now all I can think of is the urge to rest and the need to satisfy it.\n\nSo I sleep. Deeply, for fifty years... \n\n---------------------------------\nIf you liked this, enjoy my other short stories:\nhttps://www.reddit.com/r/TheSexyNun/" ]	[ 1, 24 ]	[ "1532029699", "1532034399" ]
[removed]	[WP] In order to combat depression, a neural chip is created that physically does not allow people to commit suicide. Whenever an attempt is about to be made, it freezes the body or forces the body to avoid the threat.	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/joshglen, this submission has been removed.\n\n[No explicitly sexual responses, hate speech, or other harmful content](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_2.3A_no_explicitly_sexual_responses.2C_hate_speech.2C_or_other_harmful_content)\n\n- We feel that asking users to write about suicide is harmful. It can be hard to tell if someone's writing fiction or making a cry for help. In the event there's any truth behind this for you or someone you know, we recommend checking out /r/suicidewatch or /r/depression. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/909sph/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532034740", "1532035190" ]
	[WP] You finally get around to cleaning your house. As you do you discover a mouse. Instead of scurrying away, the mouse offers to entertain you while you clean.	13	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Lute music\n\nThey charged out on the prowl. Another Thursday. The bars were lenient tonight, a school ID or three ladies could anyone get past the bouncer. \n\n“Why are you in Mid?! Our short is undefended! Fuck!”\n\nBefore their fanfare plays, his headphones were in pieces. Heaving. Heaving, then wheezing. He gropes over the pee bottles, the soda cans, the take out boxes. Bright red, the inhaler teeters, he grabs it, presses the plunger and inhales the soothing medicine. \n\nHe scans his room, seeing the piles of pizza boxes soda cans and whole liter bottles brimming with urine. “Is it Thursday?” He opens his closet, finding pristine care packages. With a garbage bag in hand, he sweeps trash into it in armfuls. As the trash clatters, it has a rhythm. A lilting folksy tune. Not from his speakers, or the trash, but a mouse. On its hind legs, it strums and dances. \n\n‘I think I’ve finally snapped.’ His phone lay on his bed, dying, dying, dead in a muzak tune. \n\nHe steps forward as the mouse plays on. It scowls as a pinch makes him grab his neck. A toothpick, buried in his neck, has a little bit of cellophane tied around its tail. He spins, finding a hooded mouse, readying another sandwich toothpick in a paperclip bow. \n\nThe music stops. \n\nA third mouse, runs towards his feet and leans into the arch of his foot. A matchstick, sharpened to a point, comes out red. He jumps, grabbing his foot and howling. An arrow whizzes by. The mouse below raises it tiny shield and tinier heraldry facing up. \n\nThe Lutist mouse draws its matchstick sword. In a three-legged scamper, it scales up his pajama pants. Up his graphic tee and dives for his neck. A triumphant nick with its blade spills blood in a trickle. \n\nHe falls.\n\nLater, crime scene tape criss-crosses the door\n\n“Really?”\n\n“Yeah, see the tiny mouse prints and a toothpick in his neck. Case closed.”\n\n“Go Home, Mikey.” " ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532049202", "1532052982" ]
	[wp]Your entire life you have thought that you are blind. One day, you realize that you had never opened your eyes.	18	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "My cane tapped side to side rhythmically, like a windshield washer, guarding me. Guiding me.\n\nI poked forward once I had heard the familiar barking of my dog emitting from my house like the rabid protector the mutt was. I slowly made forward towards my front door, patting about through my pockets to find my keys. My hand grazed over the door to find the lock and I soon, methodically, inserted the key and turned.\n\nAs the door opened, my dog's barking ceased at his recognition of me. He jumped up and down, pawing and clawing at me. I chuckled and carefully commanded him to calm down.\n\nThe TV was still on. CNN played, making report of a new international crisis. Of course, tensions escalating between countries. Nothing new. It'd cool down. It was just macho-men flexing their muscles, after all, right?\n\nI wandered over to my window, or, where I thought it was. Friends and family had always told me that maybe if my house was just a bit to the right of the hill beyond my house, it'd oversee more than just the tips of the Boston city-scape. Not like I cared, I couldn't see shit anyways.\n\nIronically, I had never fallen really ill. I had never been too tired or too clumsy. Yet, despite this, I was blind. Very fucking blind. \n\nAs I turned from the window, I grabbed the remote and turned off the TV just after the news had suddenly been interrupted by whatever.\n\nTurning back to walk over to my window and feel the sun again, I tripped over my dog, hitting my cheek against the window seal as I fell.\n\n\"Fuck!\" I exclaimed in an instance of pain.\n\nIn my pain and frustration, something miraculous happened. My eyes OPENED. I could SEE. Blocks of color and geometrical shapes floated around before everything cleared.\n\nMy realization set in. I looked out my window in wonder and amazement.\n\nSomething fell from the sky. A bright light over the Boston skyline struck my vision. I couldn't fucking see.\n\nI couldn't fucking see.", "\"In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.\"\n\nI chuckled, lifting my hand from the book. Past relics contained so much irony.\n\nAges ago, man had sight. They waxed poetic about landscapes, about the beauty of the body, about ancient architecture.\n\nNot anymore. Not since the thousand suns. The suns that rose in the sky, searing the eyes of the human race. Now, all we could do was hide from the oppressive heat, save the few of us that dared to walk the drylands.\n\nThe Nomads we were. Few of us remained, and fewer of us trudge on. Our ancestors taught us the ancient language of Braille, hoping that we could find a way out of our predicament. Searching unknown lands for clues, and salvage what knowledge we can.\n\nI sat down in the abode, wrinkling my nose at the musty air, a distinct combination of books and dust. I heard rustling, the shuffling of footsteps. Sweeping robes accompanied the light footsteps, slightly heavier on one foot.\n\nSedna.\n\nShe came over, her hand touching me, gently easing herself down beside me.\n\n\"Read this, Xion.\"\n\nHer soft hands deposited a book into mine. Flipping and tracing, I laughed.\n\n\"What heresy is this? This sounds like a ramblings of a madman.\"\n\n\"But, what if it's true? The man does have a point. Remembered what our elders said? Of a world filled with things called tech, a world of peace and prosperity?\" Her voice gradually grew urgent, the ramblings of a mad woman filling my ears.\n\n\"I mean, really? 'Try to open your eyes and see the truth'? How do you propose we do that?\"\n\n\"You've never tried, have you? Have any of us ever?\" Carrying a tone or desperation, trying to ease my obvious skepticism. \"What harm could there be?\"\n\nI sighed, taking her hand into mine.\n\n\"Sedna, you are a mad woman. But I will try. For your sake.\"\n\nMy hand slid up the arm, cradling her face, bringing her in for a kiss.\n\nShe responded enthusiastically, our hands entwined tightly.\n\n\"Let's try.\"\n\nI opened my eyes.\n\nIt was black. But not the kind of black you see when you've been blind your whole life.\n\nA transparent black. A black where I saw a face staring back.\n\nAnd then, a shrill, wailing sound, a sound that made me jump.\n\nRed blocks appeared in front of my eyes.\n\nI swung my head around. I saw the red blocks move.\n\nI heard footsteps. Many of them. Quick, rythmic, unfeeling.\n\nI heard Sedna. Screams, guttural, viscereal.\n\nI felt something pulled off my head.\n\nWhite, bright.\n\nI screamed." ]	[ 1, 2, 8 ]	[ "1532080637", "1532113771", "1532083223" ]
	[WP] Once you turn 21 you are able to change one trait.	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "She nervously crossed her arms and chuckled. \"I'm pretty much depressed all the time. Got a cure for that?\" She made sure to quirk a brow playfully and keep her tone light as she said this. \n\nWhenever she had brought up her depression in the past, people had always thought she was kidding. No one took her seriously, until she stopped taking herself seriously as well. Her coping mechanism now - in the rare, rare instances that she mentioned her depression - was to joke about it first before they did.\n\nAfter making sure that her sly joke hadn't set off any warning signs or red flags, she tapped her finger against her chin thoughtfully, pretending to think of something that she wanted gone more than her depression.\n\nAfter a few moments of staring at the ceiling, she couldn't deny the truth to herself any longer. What she wanted gone more than her depression? The answer: Nothing. She wanted nothing more than to wake up and look forward to the rest of her day; to smile or laugh and mean it; to feel like there was a point to her existence. She wanted...to be happy.\n\nBut was depression even a trait?\n\nNoticing that she had been quiet too long, she brought her eyes down to find the doctor staring at her intensely.\n\n\"I, uh...I...\" She looked away, and in a quiet voice, said, \"Can I come back some other day?\"\n\nHe shook his head. \"I can't allow that.\"\n\nShe looked up sharply, suddenly noticing how far away she was from the office door. What the hell was this guy talking about?\n\n\"You remind me of my daughter,\" he continued, his voice low and soft. Almost sad, even.\n\n\"Uhm..\" Creepy she thought to herself. Maybe if I throw my shoe at him and make a run for it...\n\n\"She used to joke all the time about being depressed. But it wasn't a joke. It never was. And it never is.\"\n\nTheir eyes locked. Her breathing became shallow.\n\nHe took off his glasses, looked down, and lifted up his shirt to wipe the lenses which had suddenly become fogged up. A tear trailed and dripped off the end of his nose.\n\n\"Unfortunately, I kept laughing until it was too late.\" His next words got lost as he choked back a sob, and her heart went out to him as she watched him struggle to swallow his grief. \n\nShe wanted to do something; say something. But nothing she could do or say would bring his daughter back. And from experience, sometimes it was best to just be there and let your presence be a source of comfort and support and not do or say anything at all. \n\nAt last, he recovered. Wiping the remaining tears away with a napkin, he put his glasses back on and fixed her with a serious gaze.\n\n\"Depression is not a trait,\" he said. \"It's a disorder. \n\nHer heart fell. So he wouldn't be able to help her then...\n\n\"But...\" he said.\n\nShe looked up, too weary to be hopeful.\n\n\"...I've been working on a cure. It's in its final stages and...and I want you to be my first volunteer.\"\n\n\n\n" ]	[ 1, 2 ]	[ "1532109319", "1532112127" ]
	[WP] You've been captured by a kidnapper! But they're so innocent and harmless, even though you easily could escape, you can't bring yourself to, because it would hurt their feelings.	10	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "\"Release me! Rel-\" I closed my eyes and looked downwards, trying to think of death and depression. I didn't want to start laughing, because that would hurt their feelings. I also knew that escaping would hurt their feelings, and doing pretty much anything would hurt their feelings.\n\nIt seemed my kidnapper was a sensitive being.\n\n\"Give me all your money.\" The voice wasn't particularly menacing and they were obviously inexperienced- if the point of knocking me out and bringing me to a secret warehouse was to steal my money, why would you not just steal it and leave? A lot of risks come with kidnappings.\n\n\"Oh, please don't hurt me, you fiend! I'll give you all my money. Untie me quickly and I'll get out my wallet.\"\n\nTruthfully, I was already untied. Scotch tape wasn't a particularly good bond.\n\n\"Okay, but no funny business.\"\n\nIt seemed that my kidnapper was actually the manager and CEO of a funny business, but I can't judge them for their life decisions. If poorly kidnapping expert stunt doubles is your thing, go for it. Knock yourself out.\n\nWhich, surprisingly to me, was exactly what my captor did.\n\nThey had evidently walked backwards while aiming a gun at my head and hit their own head against a metal pipe. My kidnapper lay, defeated, on the floor.\n\n\"Oh, that's not good. Sweetie, can you get some bandages?\" I yelled out.\n\n\"Coming!\" My wife's voice replied from the bathroom, just outside of my daughter's room and down the hallway. Several seconds later, she was there.\n\n\"It's alright, Rose. Lay down for a little while. Daddy is going to put a band-aid on.\"\n\nMy very threatening captor nodded, her gun still in her hand.\n\nWell, a water gun, but a gun nonetheless when it comes to six year old girls threatening their father's life via a poorly executed kidnapping.\n\nCheck out my subreddit, r/storiesfromaguy, if you're interested in reading more of my original stories!" ]	[ 1, 11 ]	[ "1532137098", "1532137512" ]
	[WP] You lay there on your death bed after getting into a car accident. Not long after Death appears and you await the infamous 'kiss of Death'. However there was a translation issue, to say 'thumb wrestle of Death' would be more accurate.	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "The hiss-click from the hospital machinery was only interrupted by the occasional beep from the monitors. Charles Micheal Montgomery's vitals were steady, and steadily slowing down. The wreck had proven too much for a frail mortal form, they said, and the gathered family prayed for his pain to end soon.\n\nDeath took a long pull off the Lucky Strike and flicked it away. It bounced off the open bathroom door and with a fssh hit the toilet. \"Two points!\" Charles opened his eyes. Death grinned. Okay, Death didn't grin, but if he could grin he would have grinned. \"Hiya kid. Ready to play?\"\n\nCharles sat up ad out of his body. \"Is that... is that me?\" He asked. Charles looked down at his physical bits. Crumpled, pale. Tubes and wires and plugs and lines ran in and out like some sort of lazy knock off from that baby scene in the Matrix. Death clapped a bony hand on a shoulder and nodded. \"Shit man, that blows. I was going to ask Gina to marry me next week...\"\n\nDeath cleared his throat. \"Four months ago.\", he muttered.\n\nCharles blinked. \"What did you say?\"\n\nDeath sighed. \"I said 'four months ago'. You've been plugged in for a whopping third of a year, kid, and honestly it'd take a miracle for you not to die. Which is why I'm here.\" Death tugged a Lucky Strike from the soft pack and lit the end with his smoldering eye. \"Bottom line, I've got a schedule I'm way behind on so I'm trying to catch up. I could come back when you finally up and die, but let's be honest. All you are doing is laying here, right?\" Charles' face scrunched up, but he couldn't argue the point. \"So here's the deal. We play a game. Winner takes all, so to speak.\" Death took a drag and ejected a cloud of acrid smoke through the sides of his jawbone. \"Okay, to be honest, if you somehow win you make a full recovery and get to go along until something else kill you. Another car, cancer, old age, what ever. If I win, Well, I'm going to win one way or the other. Eventually. But anyway, if I win right now, I get you right now! Ready? Let's do this.\"\n\nDeath stuck the cigarette to the side between his teeth and pulled the sleeve up on one arm. The bones were a dull white, exactly what one would expect of ancient, well, bone. Charles sighed, nodded, and said. \"Okay, so what are we doing? Arm wrestling?\"\n\nDeath chuckled. \"Nah man, we're thumb wrestling.\" The hand clacked and clattered as Death clenched a fist of the multitude of bones. Charles cocked his head, but extended his own. The two grasped, and the dance started. \"One, two, three, four,\" intoned Death. \"I declare a Thumb War, go!\" \n\nThe next few moments were full of intensity, as much could be generated by a thumb wrestling match. If he were capable of such, Death would have been sweating. Charles was good. Real good. He had managed to snag Death's thumb a couple of times already, and it was only a matter of time before he'd make the pin.\n\nAnd then it happened. Charles made the pin, and began the count.\n\n\"One.\" Death struggled in vain to break free.\n\n\"Two.\" An odd whine began at the back of Death's throat, a desperate animal bleating of fear and defeat.\n\n\"Thr- Ow! Son of a bitch!\" Death had snatch the still smoldering butt from his mouth at the last possible second and pressed into Charles' hand. In another deft motion, Death's bony thumb pressed down on the fleshy one.\n\n\"Onetwothree, I win!\" Death cackled with malicious glee.\n\nCharles clutched his singed hand in the other. \"That's not fair!\" But he could already feel his connection to the flesh, his flesh, slipping. It was all just so much meat laying there, and it wasn't even really doing anything now, was it?\n\nDeath draped an arm around Charles' shoulder as they headed out the door. The monitors were no longer merely beeping away the time, instead they rang out loud and shrill. One could say loud enough to wake the dead, but all Charles felt was relief really. Maybe a bit sleepy. It had been exhausting, trying to hang on. Everything began to fade as they walked out. Death laughed again. \"No hard feelings, kid. Like I said, I always win, one way or another. Here, let me make it up to you. You can trick the next poor bastard.\"\n\nDeath waggled the pack of Lucky Strikes in front of Charles, by way of offering a peace treaty. Charles fished one out, lit it off the cherry of the one still in Death's teeth and nodded. \"Sure, okay. Sounds like a deal.\" \n\nAnd around the first smile he'd had in months, \"Sounds like fun.\"" ]	[ 1, 2 ]	[ "1532164637", "1532193993" ]
	[WP] As you grew older you’ve seen strange messages, such as a fortune cookie saying “YOU’RE IN A COMA” and the Channel 5 News saying “WAKE UP” but you’ve shrugged it off until one fateful day..	494	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I'd been noticing it for years, a message every so often telling me to wake up, that I was in a coma, or that it was time for me to snap out of it. I had spent some time moving in new age circles when I was younger, and seeing this message often inpired thoughts of synchronicty within me, was I asleep spiritually? Was the world telling me that it was indeed time for me to 'wake up', and shed some layer of fog that I was seeing my life through? I would ponder the idea, perhaps I would yet again start a daily routine of yoga and meditation, and a few weeks later the idea would be lost in amongst the other short lived inspirations I thought could change my life for the better.\n\nIt was around Christmas, I had just turned 27 and myself and a few friends were going to camp and go mushroom hunting in a forest just outside of town, a beautiful place with a river nestled amongst the trees, somewhere we had visited a number of times before. Retrospectively, I should have noticed that my friend was acting a little unusual, but for him unusual was quite normal and so nobody saw the need to bring it up. A few hours later, he was screaming that he couldnt wake up, he was stuck, and the only way out he could see to snap out was to die in this world, and thus he would wake up in the real world. We all thought that he was having a hard time with the mushrooms, and would be fine after some sleep. I kept an eye on him late into the night, but eventually I fell asleep. When we woke in the morning, our friend was gone. When his body washed up down river later in the day, the police let us know there were no signs of struggle. It looked like he had gone for a swim and drowned.\n\nThe weeks after were difficult. None of our small group had had to deal with tragedy, and the death of our friend hit us hard. We stayed awake a number of nights talking about what he had been screaming, about needing to wake up, but I never made the connection between his death and the subtle pattern of messages I had sometimes noticed. We blamed the mushrooms, and with no alternative explanation accepted it was a bad trip, one so awful it drove him over the edge.\n\nAbout 6 years later I was catching up with some family I hadnt seen for a number of years. We were at the city waterfront, and decided to stop for a coffee at a cafe a little back from the beach. We ordered our drinks and sat down, and within a few minutes the waitress dropped them off with a small plate of fortune cookies. My cousin, although only a couple of years younger than me, was so excited, and she exclaimed as much as she cracked open one of the fortune cookies. I'll never forget the way the light in her eyes dulled, and her face sagged, before she let out a strangled moan. She began to scream the words that took me back to the forest with my friend. I froze, and watched as her boyfriend moved to console her. She pushed him away and leapt to her feet, sprinting straight through the glass window at the side of the store, cutting herself terribly in the process. By the time an ambulance arrived she had bled out on the footpath.\n\nThere was so much noise, people were talking, the wail of a siren came and went, and the sick moans of my family who hadnt gone to the hospital cut through it all. I sat in shock at the table with our untouched coffee, reeling from what had just happened. The cookie, I thought. I reached over and picked up the fortune cookie my cousin had been holding, a small slip of paper hangin out of one half. Frowning, I drew it closer to my eyes so I could read it clearly. It said \"Wake up. You are in a coma.\"\n\nOver time the instances drew closer together, at first it was years, but by the time I was 40 years old it had almost reached pandemic levels. It seemed I wasnt the only one who had been recieving the messages, but I was one of the few who hadnt taken it to heart. Millions of people were trying to \"wake\" themselves from the dream, oftentimes taking their loved ones with them. At first the news covered it, then there was talk of whether it was only exacerbating the problem. A few years later there was no news, those of us who were left had no intention of watching, reading or listening to any source of media again. Books were burned by the million, all information destroyed so that our minds would be safe from contamination.\n\nAlmost we have returned to the dark ages, so much knowledge has been lost. Nobody could tell us where the messages were coming from, before all communication went offline. Was it all coincidence? Yet such a strong message that our minds could not let it go. None of us believe that of course. Those responsible for what is essentially our peoples extinction are still out there, and watching us. We are left with no option now but to accept our lot. Perhaps the ruins of our people will rise again to reclaim their ancestors greatness. Perhaps they will be buried in the sands of time.\n\ne: wasnt happy with the end so I changed it.", "My earliest memory is at 10 years old. Everyone always said, \"Your earliest memories should be older, from when you were a toddler,\" but I guess I'm just weird.\n\nI woke up on the ground, gravel stuck into my skin like thousands of pimples ready to pop. Before I could get up, I felt the need to bring my legs up closer and felt wind rushing over me. Turns out a huge truck managed to just barely miss hitting me, and I would have been run over if I hadn't moved my legs. When I looked back, the license plate read \"W4KEUP\" which is sort of ironic for a truck with a sleeping driver.\n\nI was so scared that I just laid there for a little while, picking the pebbles out of my skin and rubbing at their indents left behind. It took a few minutes, but I managed to convince myself to get up, and a nurse, in her scrubs on the street for some reason, gave me a quick once-over. On the street, I recognized the road and after a brief check of the still dirty skin on my face and arm, she let me run away.\n\nI saw therapist after therapist, all of them feeling familiar to the point I had to stop going. I could never put my finger on what was wrong, but I did call one \"Colin\" when he'd never told me his first name, so that scared me enough that I stopped going.\n\nOn my first date, me being just 15 and her being 16, I spent my first paycheck on some greasy orange chicken and lo mein, but she still laughed at my jokes. I stuffed the fortune cookie in my pocket, and forgot all about it until a couple days later when I was doing laundry.\n\nFiguring it was probably still safe to eat, I hooked one end around my teeth, breaking it in the middle then pulling the paper out.\n\nWhen I unfolded it, I couldn't help but say \"What the fuuuuuu--\" out loud. Some sick bastard at the factory must have gotten bored, wanting to shake up the normal \"You will have a great life\" or \"Life is a highway, and we must all find our own paces.\" or whatever nonsense.\n\nThis one, though? In a twisted joke, it only said, \"You're in a coma.\" No \"Learn Chinese! Boat is 小船, (xiǎo chuán)” on the back or the little navy squares in the corner. Just, it claimed I was in a coma.\n\nIt got weirder, though, when I walked out to the living room to head upstairs to start getting ready for school, and the 5 o'clock news was only murmering, nothing I could recognize from the other side of the room, but when I stepped on the first step, clear as day, someone yelled \"WAKE UP!\" Honestly, it scared the hell out of me and I ran, hands on the steps in front of me, up the stairs and spent extra long showering. It felt like I was trying to scrub away the weird messages, and the timing had scared the hell out of me.\n\nMore weird things have happened, like my mom randomly dyeing her hair from blonde to bright red, her face aging a decade and her outfits changing wildly, all in the time it took me to have a little nap. When I fell asleep, I dreamed of her looking like that, then it scared me so much I woke up.\n\nIt took some reflection, but that brief dream was strange and I could remember more.\n\nIt started with blackness and beeping. A constant, rhythmic beeping that seemed to be getting faster. It felt like my whole body was covered in mud caked on thick, only able to move with the greatest of efforts. After what felt like hours but was probably only a few minutes, I managed to see light on the horizon, and I felt my body sliding forward rapidly, the light coming up more and more, blinding in its intensity. I stared straight ahead, the lights suddenly going out and plunging me into darkness. I felt something force its way into my throat, a burning sensation in one arm, and my eyes hurt. They felt like someone had blown an ocean's worth of salty sand into them, then shut and reopened them to force the sand around.\n\nAnother light turned on behind me, and I could see a little. Moving my head was impossible, but that wasn't on my mind when I saw the huge tube leading up to my mouth. My arms had little marks in some places, and I felt something in my right arm, but I couldn't lift it.\n\nMy eyes rolled around, and I saw a bracelet on my wrist, a white paper one, next to an IV. The bed had rails up, and a thin blanket covered the gown I was wearing. The floor was tiled, and there was a machine next to me drawing spikes that started becoming larger as I got more scared. On the other side, though, was my mom. Instead of looking like a church wife, blonde hair immaculately curled and kept long, makeup caked on her face and a floor length, shapeless dress, she had a bob, dyed a deep red, with only a little lipstick and raccoon rings from her mascara. Her top looked like a tanktop, hard to see from her position slumped on the side rail of my bed, and she was wearing some tight jeans that my mom would kill me if she ever saw me wearing them.\n\nEven in sleep, I could see the lines on her face, making her look 47 instead of 37. Before I had realized, I slid my hand up, the one with the IV, and I stroked her face, only to have her jump back and start screaming out of shock and what seemed like horror.\n\nThat was when I woke up, and rushed out of my room to the kitchen, expecting my mom to be there. She was, but... not the blonde Sunday school teacher.\n\nShe was rolling out dough, making bread like it's a normal day, a flower apron over the tanktop and jeans. She turned when I jumped, red hair spinning in front of her face for a second before it moved back to the right place.\n\nI started babbling, then. I kept repeating that she looked so different yesterday, but she only brushed me off. The thing was, every night I dreamed I was back in that hospital bed, and every morning, I would see whoever was in that dream. If it was a nurse, she might be on the TV that morning, or jogging outside the house. A doctor might be the actor on a new magazine. Some kid who said we were in third grade together might be the way too young looking electrician fixing the porch light.\n\n\nToday, all the emails in my inbox were from \"WAKEUP@Coma.coma,\" so I've been poking around online to see how to rouse yourself if you think you're in a coma.\n\nSitting cross legged on my bed,I laid the huge, thick photo album on my lap. \"So, long term memory access can stimulate the first sparks of consciousness, huh?\" I mumbled, reading the webpage on my tablet as I struggled to flip the huge book open to an early page. It felt like they were glued together, as strange as that sounds.\n\nI grabbed the first loose page, a picture of me with black wires glued onto my face, my nose painted light pink, and huge mousey ears stuck in my hair. It was two months after when I almost got run over... that sentence feels odd. Like, wrong, almost, but I remember not being run over. I remember the nurse, and I remember the feel of gravel pressed into my skin.\n\nWhen I tugged at the page before, I managed to pry it loose. The previous pages, pictures stuck upside down, seemed to show very little until one picture came up. I was 9, in fourth grade, dressed up in my pajamas with super heroes all over them, but a mop head as hair and my face made up in pinks, blues, greens and reds. I couldn't help but laugh, remembering my sister smearing mom's makeup on both of us late one night in the playroom.\n\nWhen I put the picture down, intending to start prying up the next one, I heard two clicks and got up to investigate. Two rooms were unlocked, ones I'd never noticed before, but the left was a studio, with paint covering a quarter of the floor in random speckles, an easel set up over in the corner, and a desk tucked into the opposite corner, with a huge microphone perched on a huge boom to the side of it.\n\nI heard foot steps, and turned my head from the doorway, catching sight of a girl... my sister? I hadn't seen her in what felt like years, so I had to hug her, feeling warmth and comfort flood my body even if hugging her felt like nothing.\n\nShe came with me, sitting next to me on my bed and helping me flip through and rearrange the pictures. There was one of us, naked as the day we were born, sitting in a big bucket in the front lawn, our bathing suits tossed aside.\n\n\"Remember that summer?\" she asked me, pointing to my five year old butt and arms raised to the sky. \"It was so hot that mom grabbed the christmas box and emptied it on the hallway floor, dad yelling at her the whole time, and she filled it with water and cracked an ice tray in it.\"\n\nI laughed a little, pointing to her black eye in the picture that'd turned a yellow green color. \"Yeah, and your black eye from when we tried to be ninjas and I did a spinning kick, only to catch your face?\"\n\nWe must have spent hours reminiscing, because I was becoming exhausted. She let me lay my head in her lap, though, and she stroked my hair as we went over every detail in every picture. Between her smooth breathing, the feel of her nails raking through my hair, and her soothing voice reminding me of being a baby, she must have lulled me to sleep.\n\nI just started feeling the tube again, this time with a nurse moving it for some reason. She tells me to relax, but I can barely breathe. It feels like the tube is being pulled straight from my toes, but eventually she manages to get it all out.\n\nI open my mouth, but she cuts me off before I can croak out anything. \"Damien Jeremiah Smith, you have been in a coma for 5 years, 7 months and 12 days. Welcome back to the land of the living, kiddo.\" she whispers in my ear before stepping into the hall to wait for more nurses and doctors.\n\nMy family floods in with the professionals, kept back by the crush of bodies around my bed jockeying for my attention. I don't let my brain engage to ask questions, just my mouth, spitting out answers to any question posed to me. The sting of the IV being removed is welcome, although strange as it reminds me, in the back of my mind, that you don't feel pain in dreams like that. Something painful like that should wake me up, right?", "It was more than I could believe.\n\nSmall little messages, flashes. Watching TV, perhaps I see occasional words.\n\n“Awaken.”\n\n“Arise.”\n\nI shrugged them off as figments of an overactive imagination, and moved on. They started appearing elsewhere too, maybe in a mirror, an alarm clock.\n\n“Slumber’s end.”\n\n“High time to rise.”\n\nAs I grew older, they became a natural part of me, and I disregarded them. It wasn’t to jarring, too terrible by any means. Small little hints, little reminders. Yet I couldn’t shake the fact that maybe there was something awry, something wrong in my mind.\n\n“You have lost your shoe.”\n\n“I know you are there.”\n\nBy the age of 15, I knew that something was off, this wasn’t normal. Within the static of the television I saw small numbers, in commercials I saw subtitles that were entirely inaccurate. All revolves around awakening, around waking up from something, something big.\n\nPerhaps I needed a shrink?\n\nIt started to give me anxiety, and I had no choice but to tell my parents about this odd phenomena. We headed straight for a top behavioral specialist and psychiatrist, who decided to put me on a regiment of meds. No such luck, no such effect. It was futile, only succeeding to make me more paranoid.\n\nI saw it on the clocks.\n\nI saw it in the screens, in books.\n\n“Don’t take the pills.”\n\n“Remove the old generation.”", "“Wait!” A voice calls behind me. “I think you may have dropped this!” \n\nThe words sound strange to my ears. I stop, mid-step— my right foot hovering over the brightly lit sidewalk, and pivot on my left heel to face a man waving my brown leather wallet in the air. My eyes follow the wallet before trailing along the man’s arm and up to his concerned expression.\n\nAs I walk over the man tosses the wallet back to me. I catch it in my arms as it thumps against my chest. “Thanks,” I say but the man is gone. I look around the crowded street and somehow only see the back of people’s heads; even though they are all around me, walking in different directions.\n\nA sense of vertigo turns my stomach and I have to lean against a nearby storefront. I take a look inside to see what I think is a clothing store. Manikins wearing hospital garb— a couple nurses, and a few doctors. I see light glinting off of stethoscopes and the metal tops of pens poking out from pockets. The manikins come to life as I look over them. They mouth words to me, but I can’t hear them. They bang on the glass of the storefront. My heart beats along as if in concert to their rapid strikes. In an instant the glass becomes a great patchwork of cracks, and then shatters. I close my eyes expecting to feel a torrent of sharp shards pierce my body. \n\nNothing happens. When I open my eyes the glass is intact. The manikins have become still— silent.\n\nAs I stare into the shop I realize that I was wrong about it being a clothing store. The oddly dressed manikins had led me to that conclusion, but it is in fact a floral shop. The store is brightly lit which allows me to see that the flower arrangements that decorate the interior are aged and wilted. I get a heavy sense of déjà vu at the staff, who stand gathered together in the back. Several of them are crying and those that aren’t have deep frowns. They must be upset about their spoiling merchandise, I think.\n\nIt’s at this point I remember my wallet. I look down and see it already opened in my left hand. I read the words ‘California Driver’s License Cardholder’. Below is a picture of a badly bruised man— his face a mash of red, black, and purple. Is that supposed to be me? No, it can’t be— the address reads ‘Alameda, Room 237’. \n\nI feel a cold shiver roll over my spine. Invisible hands grab at my arms. I can see the skin on my forearms indent from the pressure of their grips. A growing sense of panic ignites the nerves from head to foot.\n\nI break out into a run, but I can still feel them holding me back. The world rushes all around me but I feel like I’m not moving at all. \n\nThe hands are gone. I stop. It’s then I realize that I’m no longer in the city. I’m in a room but the floor is a vegetable garden. I look down and see the orange tops of carrots, leafy green heads of lettuce. As I gaze upon each of them I hear the word ‘*Vegetable’ as if some unseen narrator wants to classify each one of them for me.\n\nAt the opposite side of the room is a door. I walk over and try to open it, but it won’t budge. There’s a white placard with black letters at the top of the door. It reads:\n\nWhen we locked up the house at night,\n\nWe always locked the vegetables outside\n\nAnd cut them off from window light.\n\nThe time I dreamed the door was tried.\n\n\nI frown, not understanding the words, and wanting desperately to get through the door. The door has a lock, but I have no key. In my frustration I pick up a carrot from the loose soil. I throw it at the door and hear the thwack of vegetable hitting wood. That’s when I notice something odd at the end of the carrot. Instead of ending in a tiny orange tendril as I had known carrots to have— instead, it’s carved to look like a key.\n\nI rush to the door and stick the end in the waiting lock. I begin to feel foolish. What am I doing sticking a carrot into a door?* Then I hear a crunch followed by a tremor in my hand as the keyhole chews away at the vegetable in my hands. I try the doorknob, but it doesn’t open.\n\nI pick up another carrot and find a differently carved key. When I look away from the carrot I then begin to notice the true size of the room. It isn’t a garden that I’m standing in but a vast field with no visible horizon— just the infinite.\n\nCould it be that somewhere along the rows of plowed earth lies the key to the door? That’s when I realize that I’ve been here before, and that my time in this room is finite. Above me on the blue ceiling-sky hangs a yellow sun with minute and hour hands in its center— counting down my time before I’m once again sent out. \n\n----------\n\n[my thoughts when I saw this prompt](https://thumbs.gfycat.com/SaneHatefulAstrangiacoral-size_restricted.gif)\n\nPoem excerpt by Robert Frost (slightly edited)" ]	[ 1, 6, 20, 35, 150 ]	[ "1532191578", "1532227374", "1532204131", "1532199579", "1532200661" ]
[removed]	[WP] You are a serial killer in prison for killing dozens of college students. Years later the one that got away comes to you with a question. “Why didn’t you kill me?”	1	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/ghurst14, this submission has been removed.\n\n[No recent reposts, even if changing small details](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_5.3A_no_recent_reposts.2C_even_if_changing_small_details)\n\nAlso, no [copy-cats](http://i.imgur.com/38FjDgW.gifv).\n\nSearch before submitting as popular ideas can cause floods. If your idea is based on something you read elsewhere on reddit, chances are it's been submitted here already. Please wait at least 2 weeks before reposting.\n\n \n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/90r7bp/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things.", "\"Because you were my least favorite student, Brian. What ever else could it be?\"\n\n\"I...I don't understand.\"\n\n\"I want you to die a long, slow death, Brian. Years from now, I want you to look back and wish I had killed you, Brian. When you're buried up to your neck in debt, balding, stressed, and plagued with health issues, Brian, you'll think back to this day and remember what I told you, Brian. That student loan was the real killer all along. I was just the one that was trying to save those students from it.\"\n\n\n\n", "She came in with her bleached blonde hair falling to her breasts and heavy makeup hugging her face like it loved her. What a contrast. She came in with that same smile from all those years ago. I wished to embrace her but the bullet proof glass in front of me said no. If my heart was the glass it would have been just as strong, as nothing could penetrate my love for Vanessa. ‘Why didn’t you kill me?’ was her greeting. Not even a ‘hello’ or ‘how are you’ was deserved for me, according to her. Still, my love grew stronger. She was just the same as all those years ago. A single tear fell from my eye as she began screaming, telling me not to smile, blaming me for her friends deaths, but, oh, I could sense she knew how stupid she was being. She knew I was right, she was just too frightened to admit it. I answered with a grin and a marriage proposal. She left. That was fine. Like every year, I lay in my cell, waiting for her annual visit. The same question, but a more fierce voice every time. One day she will truly understand why I did this for her. " ]	[ 1, 1, 1, 1 ]	[ "1532196258", "1532197612", "1532198164", "1532199269" ]
	[WP] You, a handsome knight errant, have arrived at a dragon’s keep to rescue a fair maiden, but the sight that greets you is... strange: a slain dragon corpse, and a princess covered in blood and guts.	8	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Jason stared in confusion at the scene before him. Things were not adding up. \n\n\nLet's see. Armor, check. tall lightning struct tower. All good. Kidnapped Princess, so far so standard. So why was the BLOODY DRAGON DEAD! \n\n\nPrincess Elizabeth futilely tried to wipe some of the gore from her hands and smiled sheepishly. \"Hi.\" She waved. \n\n\nJason looked at the dragon. Torn apart. Piece by piece. With whatever the attacker could find. A bit of chain there, a few bones broken into spikes here. He stared at the young woman. \n\n\n\"Did.....did you do this? You took out a fully grown Fire Drake with no backup?\" \n\n\n\"Yes.\" She admitted. \"I just.....I got angry. And the guards have been teaching me fighting since I could walk....and -\" \n\n\nJason stopped her with five words. Five completely unexpected words given the situation. \"I think I'm in love!", "_ Princess! Are you... here........ \n \nOpening the door with a bang, I'm greeted with a horrible sight: a girl is standing quietly inside the castle ground all covered in blood. Her white hair which she is famously known of is soiled with blood, her dress can hardly be called a dress at this point but more like a rag. She has bruises and cuts all over her body, but still, her dazzling green eyes shone lightly, as if radiating a sense of peace. \n \nI'm lost for words at her sight. Even amiss this scene, somehow she's still radiating a scene of beauty that can charm any men around her. However, I snap out of it after a minute or two. My mission here is to recover the princess from Loptus, the dragon who terrorized this land. Fighting a dragon is something a normal person can never think of, not in a million year if they value their life. Even for a trained veteran like me, it usually takes about a few dozen of experienced knights or warriors to take down a dragon, so rushing here alone is already a stupid idea. I was ready to put my life on the line to buy time for the princess to escape, but in my mind, I breath a sigh of relief when I don't see the dragon flying above its lair. That's why I should take the princess and leave as fast as possible, treat her wounds and avoid facing the dragon.... wait, \"wounds\"?!\n \n\"ARE YOU ALRIGHT, PRINCESS?!\", I yell loudly, running toward her. The girl turns to me with a surprised expression, as if she only realize just now that there's a person standing at the door. \n \nYelling inside a dragon lair is another stupid mistake, as dragon tend to have a sharp hearing. However, that's not important right now. I rush to her side, grab her shoulder and stare into her eyes, saying: \"What happened?! Why is there so much blood on you?! Are you bleeding? Where's the wound? Hang on, I'll bring you back ....home ....\" \nMy voice once again trails off as I look behind the princess. I was baffled by her sight when I opened the door so I looked over the surrounding, but behind her a couple of foots is a dragon corpse. And not just any dragon corpse, it's the famous one-eye dragon Loptus, now with a hole on his chest as big as a boulder. \n \nI'm stunned. A dragon, the symbol of absolute power, is in front of me, dead. In my mind I'm trying to process the whole situation and how did it let to this point. As my mind is spinning around, a small voice enters my ear: \n_ Ah... you saw it .... \nA child-like voice fills with a bit of regret, acceptance, and most importantly, mischief. \n_ ........uuuuuu....... \n_ What happened? Why are you shaking so much? \n_ uuuuuuuu......... \n_ Ehm... can you let go of me now? \n_ JUST WHEN WILL YOU STOPPING WANDERING AROUND AND KILLING DANGEROUS BEASTS LIKE IT'S A DAILY EXCERISE!!!? WHO DO YOU THINK HAVE TO RUNNING AROUND TO CLEAN UP YOUR AFTERMATH, HUH?! JUST HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT ME TO FAIL MY JOB?! \n_ Wait, there's something wrong with that statement you know!? Aren't you hired to protect me? \n_ MORE LIKE I GOT HIRED TO \"PROTECT OTHER BEASTS FROM YOU\", YOU VIOLENCE BLOODTHIRSTY PRINCESS!! JUST HOW MANY DRAGON DO YOU THINK YOU'VE KILLED THIS MONTH HUH? \n_ I think it's- \n_ ELEVEN! ELEVEN FRICKING DRAGON! AND THIS TIME YOU EVEN GO EXTRA HARD AND FIGHT IT BARE-HANDED!! \n_ Just let me explain- \n_ NO! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!! I QUIT! YOU CAN GO FIND ANOTHER \"PRINCESS'S BABYSITTER\" BY YOURSELF!!! \n \nResigned to my anger, I walks away as fast as possible. \n \n----------------------------------------------- \n \n(Princess's view) \nAfter a lot of begging and promises, I finally convinced him to not quit his job. Otherwise, this would all be worthless. \n_ ...wasn't it you who said that \"the knight who fought and win against dragon are the best! I love them!\"? Why aren't you looking my way yet... \nMy mind is slowly drifting into a dream, still thinking about how to impress my childhood friend and make him fall in love with me ....." ]	[ 1, 2, 3 ]	[ "1532205020", "1532212857", "1532206951" ]
	[WP] You died, your death was horrible, now you discovered it was all just a tutorial and the real game starts now.	12	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "\"So wait,\" I said. \"The grinder blades - \"\n\n\"Yes,\" said the angel. \"Those too.\"\n\n\"And the hornet swarm, they were also -\"\n\n\"Yes, my son. They too were part of the learning.\"\n\n\"But the testicle liquifier...surely that wasn't -\"\n\n\"Testicle liquification is an important aspect of the pedagogy,\" said the angel. \"Very important.\"\n\n\"WHAT KIND OF GAME IS THIS?\" I yelled into the angel's face.\n\nThe angel smiled, understandingly. \"Well,\" it said, \"I should probably explain a few things, my son. Firstly, I'm not actually an angel. I'm an artificial intelligence that administers the game's player experience system. It's my job to ensure that, every time a new \"30 Minutes To Torture\" session begins, all the players are able to engage in competitive torturing with the maximum amount of victim feedback. The tutorial is an important part of the training.\"\n\n\"WHAT KIND OF GAME TORTURES ITS PLAYERS AS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE?\" I yelled.\n\n\"Oh,\" said the angel, \"you misunderstand.\" He pressed a button and my world began to waver. \"You're part of the game, AI743587-V, but you're not a player ...\"\n\nThen its voice was lost beneath the sound of grinding metal." ]	[ 1, 7 ]	[ "1532231897", "1532232565" ]
	[WP] You wake up, It's raining, the tears are long dried, and there is no one in bed next to you.	10	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "My eye lids flicker to life, but the rest of me is still dead. I roll around and see there's no one here but me, there never was. The Wall stares at me but I stare back, back with dry bloodshot eyes. Compassion is just a clever way of looking down your nose, but I'll never have that problem. The drapes of the window open up revealing the most beautiful thing man has ever laid eyes on. The setting sun, the most extraordinary thing in the world...\nBut for me is merely a symbol of wasted time." ]	[ 1, 3 ]	[ "1532235799", "1532238139" ]
	[WP] To keep living, you need to carry a weird bag from location to location, where a man scans it and gives you the distance to the next location. Should the scan ever fail, you'll be executed. At one location, the scan is successful, but your face turns pale when you see the distance: "4.3 ly".	1,062	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "It wasn't always like this. Where life and death were seconds from each other. My great grandparents talked of a time where becoming a part of life came naturally. A time when birth hailed from a slap on the butt and a cry. But now it seems it's more of automated genetics and software plug ins, than laughter and tears.\n\nI listened to the whirring of the scanner and waited patiently for my next location. A location of time more so than distance but my location none the less. I was lucky to have this job. Very lucky. As a matter of fact, it was my specialized mutated genetics that made me the only candidate qualified for this crazy job. \n\nI almost didn't take it. The last paragraph of my contract really freaked me out. If the scan should fail..I had failed and was subject to death on site. I didn't sign the contract then.\n\n Nope! I waited and tried out a test run for the company before I gave up my only life to them. It didn't take long, after seeing the tears of joy from the woman's face, for me to sign up and risk my life. Because my life was nothing compared to the big life of the future. \n\nThe whirring stopped and man smiled, \" Well it looks like you passed and are ready to go on the next ship out. Congratulations!\"\n\n\"Yeah, sure whatever.\" I handed him my arm with my bracelet on it and he scanned in my coordinates and smiled. I glanced down at my bracelet and felt my soul fall into my shoes. \"This can't be right sir, there must have been a mistake..4.3 light years..that's too long. Is there anyone I can talk to...a supervisor, maybe?\"\n\nThe man never stopped smiling as he grabbed my hand, \" oh sir, no it's right. The scan is never wrong.\" Like the robot that he is, he began spouting the data from my bracelet out loud to me, \"4.3 light years away, Washington DC USA, one man, MR. S. T. Ork, along with one piece of luggage on board the Last Chance departing at 1700 hours.\" \n\nI jerked my hand away, grabbed the pulsating bag and headed for the ship, Last Chance, wondering if my life would be up soon. Or could it just be that, somehow 4.3 light years away, I deliver life one last time.\n", "I slowly and carefully walked across a wooden bridge. It hung suspended over a small valley in rural Nepal. The bridge starts to sway back and forth so I pick up my pace. One hand is gliding across the rough rope railing in the other hand I hold an odd bag. It's like a pulsing compass. It guides me to my next location.\n\nTen years ago, a man walked up to me while I was at a sports bar. He handed me the odd bag and said that if I wanted to live, I had to take the bag two miles to the next location. It would pulse warm if I was on the right path, warm if I was on the wrong path.\n\nMost the time I wouldn't listen to people like that. I would just laugh in their face, but the man who came up to me was not a normal person. His eyes were a deep purple, his hair practically crawling off his head like it was alive, and his entire outfit screamed futuristic. That and the gun he had in his back pocket. I watched him shoot himself with the gun, and when he did, he vanished.\n\nEver since I meet the same man with a device that looks like the metal detectors in airports. He asks me to step through, and when I do a ding sounds and he tells me how far away the next 'checking station' is. It started close by. Only a couple of miles away. The first time I arrived, the man said that if the scan should ever come back negative, no ding sound, I would be executed on the spot. If I ever showed signs of resistance, I would also be killed on the spot.\n\nSo here I stand on a rickety bridge only a few feet away from the next station. I take two more tentative steps forward, and then the man and machine appear in front of me. knowing the drill, I walk through the scanner. No matter how many times I do this, my heart skips a beat, until I hear the ding sound.\n\nLike always, the comforting ding reaches my ears and I breathe a heavy sigh of relief. I look at the man expectantly, waiting for the man to tell me how far I have to go next.\n\n\"You're next check in is 4.3 Light Years away,\" and then the man disappears once again.\n\nMy breathing stops, my heart threatens to pound straight out of my chest; I can physically feel the color draining from my face. My legs crumple beneath me and my body crashes into the rickety bridge. I'm shocked, no I'm more than shocked, I'm dead. I repeatedly mutter under my breath, \"What am I going to do?\"\n\nTo make matters worse the bridge begins to swing back and forth faster and faster. The wind howls past my ears. The swinging bridge quickly gets to me and I vomit all over the rotting wood beneath me. If I wasn't pale before, I definitely was now.\n\nI look down at the bag in my hands, I curse it aloud, first at a whisper then slowly building up to the point that I'm screaming at the top of my lungs. Tears stream down my face as if Niagara falls had taken residency on my face. \" I don't wanna die...I don't wanna die...I don't want to die.\"\n\nAnd then, as I chanted those sorrowful words, my hand began to tingle. The bag in my hand shook so violently that I had to drop it. It's leather casing fell into the puddle of bile. And then the entire world went white. I was conscious, I could think, the white didn't even bother my eyes, it was more like I was in a room of white, but...but I couldn't feel ground beneath me.\n\nI stay in this limbo for hours on end, it feels like days, even weeks, but at most it could've only been a day. The white starts to become gray at the edges until becoming black, and all of a sudden, I find myself falling. Farther and farther down I go until I crash into grassy ground.\n\nThe wind is knocked completely out of me, but other than that, I'm in perfect health, not even pale anymore. Trees surround me, tall massive trees, with..blue leaves? My first thought is that I'm in heaven, I must have been killed, but the bag is still in my hand. It's pulsing burning hot, which means I must be super close, but how?\n\nI take ten steps forward, the bag gets hotter, twenty steps forward, it's scalding my hand now, but I press on, until the man appears again. This time there's no machine to test me. He steps forward to me and embraces me in a hug. I'm confused at first until he says, \"Welcome home son, welcome to Elphoria?\"\n\n\"To what, and I'm sorry, I may have been adopted, but I'm not a mystical teleporter's son\" I push away from his hug, but his hands still grip my shoulder's.\n\n\"Yes you are, trust me, that bag you hold, it tests to see if you're my son. It's had many, many carriers before, but some time along the way they fail a check up. When they do I wipe everyone's memory of it's existence, I don't actually kill them, that's just to make them do it. You however, never failed once. You belong to Elphoria. This world's 4.3 light years away from Nepal. If you want further proof check you're eyes,\" He holds up a mirror. My eyes are now purple.\n\n\"Even if you aren't my dad, I can't really go back to Earth now, but how did I even get there to begin with?\" I ask. 4.3 Light Years is no small distance from Nepal and seems pretty hard to be 'accidentally' left there.\n\n\"Our teleportation technology was still in its baby stage, so were you. I foolish took you along on a test. I had been promised we would both come back. We didn't. I did.\" He looks at me with his purple eyes, and embraces me once more. \"Again I say welcome, welcome to my, to our kingdom.\"\n\nI look around. For some reason there's an odd familiarity to the place. I decide that I'm finally home.", "As the Swiss Alps sped past my train window, I looked down at the little bag that was given to me three years prior and smiled. When it was given to me with an envelope containing a credit card, my passport, a few thousand in cash, a smartphone, and a note with the message \"go here. Don't open the bag. Don't lose the bag. Refuse or fail and you die,\" I was so afraid that I forgot to sleep and went directly to the coordinates written on the note two states over. It took me three days and admittedly it was hell. When I arrived, there was a man in a suit with a briefcase and a strange scanner. He ran the machine over the bag a few times then opened the briefcase. When he was satisfied with whatever he saw, he looked at me and smiled, saying, \"Geez. You got here quick,\" before he handed me another note with the same message and different coordinates. I was shocked. I didn't know what to say. The man's hands jumped up and I flinched, but he just put one hand on my shoulder to calm me down and used the other to pull an envelope out of the briefcase, \"This should tide you over to the next place. Well, off you go.\"\n\nTaking the envelope was all I could do, so I put it in my own bag and jumped on my mountain bike, pedaling away. When I got to a diner I was so hungry and thirsty that I couldn't stand not giving in and went in to order enough food and drink for four people. It was only after I'd finished that I wondered how I was going to pay for it. Then the envelopes came to mind. I opened the second one and realised there was at least another thousand dollars in there. Sitting in the back booth of the diner, I counted both it and the cash from the first envelope and found I had four and a half thousand on me. Thinking about what the guy told me, I figured they expected me to use it for my travel. Not to pay for some drug drop or something. Pulling out two twenties, I went and paid for my food. Then the fatigue hit me. I stared blankly at the register for what felt like an eternity until the lady in her lime green and white uniform dress clicked in front of my face, \"Hey... Hey buddy! Your change!\"\n\n\"Oh! Right! Yeah, sorry,\" taking the coins and fiver that she handed me, I felt the wear of my body and knew I had to do something, \"Say, you wouldn't happen to know of a hotel around here, would you?\" suddenly the envelopes felt like they wanted to express the weight of my riches in my pocket, \"Anything's fine. Whatever's closest.\"\n\nShe looked at me with what I assumed was matronly worry but let it go, \"Well across the street is the Royal, but by the looks of you, that's out of your price range. Two blocks over is a budget motel that should get you a bed, that you probably need, sweety. Go get some rest. You look like hell.\" I followed her gaze as she mentioned the 'Royal' and sure enough, there was a huge building with gilded glass doors and many valets and doormen just across the street.\n\n\"Thanks, so much. And thank you for the food, it was delicious!\" Her smile made me feel warmer inside and I made my way to the giant hotel. As I walked up to the doors, the people working there gave me weird faces, which, honestly was probably because I hadn't bathed for three days and looked terrible. I payed them no mind as I passed into the lobby. Within seconds I was gasping at the opulence of it. White marble floors, shining like they were just polished, pillars of black granite, so reflective they were almost mirrors, and furniture that I thought I'd never be able to afford in my lifetime. I wanted to appreciate it a little more but another wave of fatigue hit me and it made me venture to the reception desk. Just my presence earned a sneer from the concierge, but I was too tired to care, \"Hi, I'd like a room. How much for just the night?\"\n\nHe actually laughed. His mustachioed face contorted in mirth as he looked down at me, \"My dear urchin, if you have to ask you can't afford it.\"\n\n\"Try me. How much is it...for one room...for the night. Come on man, I just want to get to bed.\" My head spun slightly and I had to steady myself on the desk.\n\n\"Hmpf,\" he typed something on his computer and clicked a few things, \"Our cheapest available room is four hundred for the night. Which, I'm sure is out of yo-\"\n\n\"What about the next one up?\" His haughty attitude broke through my weariness and forced some snark out of me. I wanted to prove a point.\n\nHe almost snarled, but dutifully turned back to his screen, \"The next one available tonight is a suite on the tenth floor for seven hundred a night,\" as he kept talking I thumbed through the envelope, counting out seven hundred dollar bills, \"and I'm certain just by looking at you, and that abhorrent smell, that you cannot aff-\" I slapped the money down on the counter drawing the eyes of those around us and his face went from smug to surprise instantly. \"I... Well. I suppose one cannot judge a book by its cover,\" surprise shifted to a slimy smile, \"Welcome to the Avenue Royal, sir. If I can just have your details, we can get you to your room immediately.\" After registering my information, I ignored all of his speech, taking the key card and hurrying to the elevator. The room was indeed spectacular, but in my exhausted state, I couldn't appreciate it. I dropped my gear, took off my outer clothes and jumped on the bed without care, burying myself in the plush blankets and falling asleep immediately.\n\nI woke up later in the middle of the night feeling much better. After a quick shower under four shower heads spraying on me at once, I thought about the next leg of my journey. I wasn't sure how long it was going to last and how much money I'd get each time, so I resolved to be a little more frugal on my further travels. The next day I spent in town buying things that I would probably need to have in case the journey lasted for a long time like a big backpack, a few sets of clothes for the current season, assuming I'd get more money to buy different ones as it got colder, dehydrated food packs, and a sturdy, large water bottle.\n\nGetting to the next point wasn't difficult at all. Using the phone they gave me, I looked up the coordinates and set off. It was only a couple of towns over, so I took it slow, enjoying the scenery. I arrived that night, in front of an airport, and saw the next guy in the same outfit as the previous one. Black suit, tie, sunglasses, briefcase, scanner. Taking the bag from me, he looked me over, \"Huh. You're prepared, I see. Probably for the best, really. You're gonna be on the road for a while.\" I nodded. That answered that question. \"Looks like you're good to go. Here's the next location and another stipend. Not so close, so you might wanna use the credit card this time to book a flight.\" He reached into his suitcase and pulled out another envelope, handing it to me. \"Your visa for the location is in there too. All processed, so all you have to do is get the tickets.\" Opening what he gave me, sure enough, there was a bundle of cash that looked to be more than I had and paperwork with my name on it and a kangaroo watermark. The note had coordinates on it and a distance of 8026 miles. \"Off you go,\" and he pointed me towards the airport.\n\nSince that day, I've been all over the world. In Australia, I fed crocodiles and held a koala. In Japan, I climbed Mt Fuji and ate sushi on a fishing boat. In the UK, I toured castles and ruins. I drank the worlds best beer in Germany and ate the worlds best cheese in France. I snowboarded down powder in Korea and dressed in a hanbok. I've been everywhere, done many things, and as the train I was on slowed to a stop, I stepped out to see the next man waiting for me. Unbuckling my backpack, I rummaged through it and produced the small bag he wanted. It was a great deal more rough looking than it started out as, but it was intact and hadn't been opened. Stroking my beard, grown over my travels, I waited for him to finish scanning and when he was done and smiled at me, he handed it back to me. He handed me the next envelope but motioned that I follow. I shrugged and as we walked along the platform, I opened up the paper receptacle to see where I was going next. The coordinates were strange and there was far too many numbers on the sheet. The colour drained from my face as I looked at the distance at the bottom. 4.3ly. It had to be a mistake.\n\n\"Hey, hey buddy, I think something's wrong,\" I tapped his shoulder as we walked out of the station towards a pale, nondescript building, \"This says L Y as the distance, but that can't be right, can it? Light Years? I mean... Wouldn't that require like...a generational ship or something? What am I even transporting?\" That last question drew an angry stare so I put my hands up and backed off, \"Ok, ok. Lead the way, scary stranger.\" Inside the building was as uninteresting as the outside. I was led down to a basement floor and when we got to a large steel door, he stopped, turned to me, and jerked his head in the direction of the door. All I could do was comply. Walking towards it triggered an automatic sequence and it slowly rose above my head. Inside was enough to make my jaw drop. Inside what looked like a military bunker with dozens of people in white coats buzzing around hundreds of monitors, panels, and tubes like a hive of human bees. In the center of it all was, what I could only describe as a tear in the air of the middle of the room, held open by a bright blue light surrounding the edge of it, projected from various metal poles around it.\n\n\"AH! Mr Graves, you're here! Wonderful!\" A woman with dark brown, extremely fuzzy hair walked over to me, poking her thick glasses back up to the top of her nose, \"We were actually expecting you some time in the next few days, but today is fine! The machine is ready for your trip.\"\n\n---\n\nShould probably stop there before I run over the word limit. Thanks for the prompt! This was fun!\n\nMore stories at r/SamsStoriesSub", "I never know what's in the bag. I get curious sometimes, especially on longer journeys like this. Sometimes it feels empty. Other times, in long, lonely nights, I find myself wondering if there's something moving inside or if it's just my imagination.\n\nBut my loyalty is all I have, so I let my curiosity simmer down.\n\nMy next stop is near. I can tell by how the vast planes fade into forests or lakes then cities. Doors open. I step onto a velvety carpet. A man gets up from a rather large chair and walks forward and stops me before I run into him. Stopping is difficult. My legs are so used to the rhythm of walking. \n\nI think he smiles down at me, but it's gone before I can confirm what I see. I offer him the bag. He sets it onto a tray, it spits out a few happy beeps and he places it back into my hands. He tells me something important, then hands me a piece of paper. On it is the distance to my next destination: 4.3 LY.\n\nLight years? That can't be right. I look back up, but the man is gone.\n\nThe paper still reads 4.3 LY. I flip it over. On the back: the Celestial Land. Welcome home.\n\nIt takes me a while to realize what that means, and for the first time in light years I have to make an effort not to fall to my knees. I remember the last time I faced my queen, when she entrusted me with the job of delivering this bag. I'll be looking forward to seeing her again.", "The spell crackles in the air. The bag deflates and inflates; matter out, matter in. Another thing to transport. The contents have never been the issue, rather, it's the curse.\n\nI was young and brave once. Oh so brave. I knew I could evade the traps, the spells, the guards. Nothing could stop me from getting what I wanted. And evade I did, reaching the promised room at the centre of the labyrinth. My prize. \n\nMost people don't feel much of anything when a magical trap triggers onto them, other than the effect of course. But those lucky few with the will, myself among them, feel something very different. Space and time fold, and for an eternal moment, you and the caster are connected. The arcane distortion disrupts reality, and makes will into reality. I felt its terrible will and learned what my bravery meant.\n\nMost adults lack will, you see. They are fickle; considering and considerate. Obliging to a fault, even. Some men are focused, but lack the true will to bend reality. Most often it is the crazed and the wretched who truly will, but they are mostly minor scourges onto the spheres. They lack discipline. Powerful casters are rare. Yet this being who snared me...this thing was pure will incarnate. There was no love, no pity. The connection was like the meeting of glass and a hammer. I have never felt its like. My will failed and then there was nothing but to weep and to obey.\n\nNow I am its servant. One of many, I presume. The labyrinth served its purpose - to attract those stupid enough to lust, to kill the weak-willed, and to use those that remain. I serve - it has been willed. Failure brings death. It has been willed.\n\nThe crackling spell finally fades. The bag is full, and the next destination appears in my mind. My heart stops and the blood drains from my pale face. The planar sphere is not so far; I could will myself twice that distance with only minor preparation. Yes, I wish to live, but i have no will to return to the labyrinth.\n", "\"A lightyear is the distance a beam of light travels over the course of 365 days.\" \n\nThis is told to me by my supervisor. Through unfeeling red glowing eyes, his outdated robotic body gives away little emotion. He unplugs my pack and places it around my neck. He has arms, I do not. I look down and see glowing red on the screen: \"4.3 ly\". I have no concept of this distance in my mainframe. I cannot fathom it's complete meaning. \n\n\"I am a simple robot, this must be a mistake\", I plead with my supervisor. He does not compute this request. I try again and again to explain how my two legs cannot travel that distance, but he only stares and points to the door of his small metal shack. Points out to the distance. I leave.\n\nThe sand rolls on forever in both directions. I start walking. Everything is dead. Nothing exists here but me, the sky, and the sand.\n\nMy greatest fear is the end. The end is the moment after the last bit of energy leaves my body. I don't eat, I don't sleep, I only walk. I don't see anything, only sand. It is constant and only thing that changes is the sun and the moon. They change position again and again. One day this pack will run out of energy, then I run and out energy and will die. That is the end.\n\nNight comes at approximately 9,465 steps. The heat shimmers off the sand during the day. The cold frost clings to my legs at night, the red light from the pack glowing red in the dark. \n\nTypically, over time, the packs red digits drop from numbers like 4500 mi to numbers like 1200 yd and finally 50ft. Step after step I make the numbers drop. It's honorable, I suppose. Typically, I always find the next supervisor, get my pack charge and continue my journey. \n\nNow, my mind wonders. Over sanddunes and around dust, I keep walking. I wonder if the energy in the pack will last. I wonder if this is an experiment, or if this is standard. I continue walking. My legs begin to squeak slightly. I keep walking. \n\nAt day 5,876 I stopped walking with a thought: are there others? Am I the only one like me? I have never seen a companion. If I did, what would I do? We could walk together. We could talk while we walked. I kept walking, thinking of the companion in my mind. How we would pass the time and make life better. I wish I had a walking companion. \n\nI see in the distance to my left, a small supervisor shack. I should never deviate from the journey. I keep walking. Days and days pass. The squeaking gets louder in my legs. At day 14,356 I see a small flicker, and the number drops from \"4.3 ly\" to \"4.2 ly\".\n\nThis is the longest I have every walked. My journey should not be this long. I need service. I need oil in my joints, but I must continue. I see another supervisor shack at day 23,021. Without noticing, my legs begin to turn towards the shack. My body needs servicing. \n\nI walk into the familiar black shack, but the supervisor was not familiar with me. The old robot began a loud siren and charged me with guns appearing from his arms. I backed out quickly and ran away in the heat. I am not welcomed. I will get no oil or servicing. \n\nThe squeaking in my legs concerns me. Will my legs break? And what then? I don't want to die. I keep walking.\n\nThe only solace I have is my imaginary companion. We would have an amazing bond if we had walked together for as long as I have. I don't have anyone, and it begins to hurt deep inside my. It hurts worse than my squeaking legs. I keep walking. \n\nThe way to walk on sand with my feet, is to find the tops of the dunes and walk along the top. I frequently get stuck in sand and have to pull my leg out. During one of these mishaps, my leg fell off. I couldn't continue walking. So i began pulling my self along on one leg, with my eyes up at the sky.\n\nAt day 385,765 I stop. I see high above a bird. I forgot birds long ago. But here one is. And next to it, another bird. They soar high up next to each other. Then, one swerves around the other gracefully in the sky. They dance and continue on. I am crushed inside. How can a friend for this bird exist and not for me. There is not any logic in this. I so cruel. I am alone. \n\nI give up and lay flat in the sand. Days pass and blowing dunes cover me in sand. I stope counting days and fade in the blackness. I don't know anything. I don't see anything for a very long time. Everything stops. \n\nAnd then light. A bright light and sound. I am being dug up. A supervisor grabs me from the darkness. He brings me up in to the light, and the first thing I see is another robot like me. Standing next the supervisor, my duplicate does not acknowledge me. He is as cold as the supervisor, who rips my pack from my neck and places it around his neck. My duplicate beings to walk away. I try to scream at him, but time has rusted every facility except my ability to observe. \"Wait\" the supervisor growls. My duplicate walks back. \"Error\" the supervisor says. He touches the pack with a finger and the number changes from \"3.9 ly\" to \"3.9 mi\". I knew it. I knew it! I shout inside and stare as my doppelgänger walks over the dune and away. \n\nI have a companion, I think, as the supervisor rips my head off. I see the birds again, but I notice something. They aren't dancing. It's a falcon, and it's trying to kill a sparrow. I blink out and that's the end.", "”Here” I pant throwing the bag at the guard's feet, it barely makes a noise as it lands. The guard scans it as I let myself slide down the metal wall embracing the cooling sensation. I am extremely aware of the second guard standing just a few feet away, his weapon aimed directly at my throbbing head, but the bag, whatever it is, scans just like it always does and the guard lowers his weapon, slowly. Do I sense a hint of disappointment? Sick bastard. \n\nI can’t keep doing this, it has been 3 years! 3 years of running from guard to guard hoping to get a lift from some helpful soul taking pity on me, just to get to the next checkpoint. As I let my eyes sink down I look at myself, my clothes are torn, my ribcage clearly defined under the thin fabric and on my unprotected arms are blistering sunburns, I can only allow myself time enough for the absolute necessities. But this is the only way, if I keep reaching each checkpoint as fast as humanly possible they will have to pardon me, that’s the only way out.\n\nI really do see the practicality of this solution compared to the outdated prison system. This way we don’t take up room or food and the only personnel needed are the brutish guards at each checkpoint. I wasn’t a smart kid I admit that, no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t get with the program. I couldn’t concentrate in class and my dreams just didn’t fit in with my teachers’ or parents’ aspirations. I got in with the wrong crowd or maybe I became the wrong crowd, I don’t even know, but “it was just a matter of time” as my teacher said when she was called in as a character witness when I was sentenced to do this until I was “deemed reformed” or died. I was just 16.\n\nA tear slides down my face but I am forced out of my self-pity when the first guard harshly grabs my blistering arm and yanks me to my feet and thrusts the bag back in my arms. I look at the new tag that has been attached I can’t even read the name of this place, then I look at the distance, 4.3 ly!? That must be a mistake, I plead with the guards until they raise their weapons again, it doesn’t take them long.\nAs I stagger out I am blinded by the sunset. There is no way I can do this, I’ll never be free. After almost 40 minutes of despair I realize that this is the first time in 3 years I’ve allowed myself to be still for this long if it’s not for sleeping. Slowly I realize something. There was never a time limit was there? \n\nThrough the last 3 years I learned a lot about surviving on my own, I hitchhike, I write, I tell my story and people listen. I make a pretty decent living from that, can you imagine? I have more freedom now as a prisoner than I ever did, even before I was sentenced. Sometimes a caseworker will seek me out, they can still find me thanks to the collar on my neck (a fashion statement I tell most people) they’ll tell me that I am ruining my chances of redemption, I tell them that I’m on my way “it’s all about the journey right?”\n", "I look down at the label shocked, then look up at the man incredulous. \"How, exactly, am I supposed to travel 4.3 light years to wherever this is supposed to be delivered?\" \n\nThe blank gaze of the man washed over me, either ignoring my panicked tone or simply not caring, maybe not even noticing. His voice rang out, monotone, startling me. \" Distance is four point three light years. Non negotiable. Destination is marked as per protocol. \"\n\nThat was more than I had heard one of them speak in years but it was hardly helpful. I checked the tag for the \"protocol\" location which was a standard latitude and longitude, the one I was stood at. \"Excuse me, there's been a mistake, this says it has to come back here, but we are all ready here\"\n\nAgain the voice ground up, as if it took a lot of effort \"Location correct, no error has been made, package must be delivered at marked location after four point three light years has been travelled.\"\n\nI felt the panic really settle in, I had no way of travelling 4.3 thousand miles let alone 4.3 lightyears. \"I can't travel that kind of distance, not even close, how am I supposed to do this without a form of transportation?\"\n\nThe long moment of silence almost convinced me I had used up his entire vocabulary, I wasn't especially surprised, this was far more than I usually got. With an almost audible creak (though I may have been imagining it from his robotic demeanour) the mouth opened once more. \"Currently moving at sixty seven thousand miles per hour relative to parcel origin. Suggestion is wait.\"\n\n\"Wait for what? Transportation? Is someone coming for me?\" Hope flickered.\n\nThe same monotone voice answered me \"Job is solo as per protocol. No assistance will be given. At current speed parcel will have travelled correct distance after approximately forty thee thousand two hundred and eighty three years, approximation error plus or minus one year. Suggestion is wait\"\n\nI looked up at him and sat down, I laughed a bit to myself. Browsed through a book, cried in frustration then made myself comfortable. \n\nI waited. ", "I never particularly liked my mission, but over time grew accustomed to it in much the same way as one grows accustomed to an old wound. It is annoying, sure, and under some very specific circumstances it has the potential to make your life unbearable, or even kill you. But you don’t always live with that expectation inexorably swinging above you like Foucault’s pendulum. That’s not how we are designed: after a while we get used to things. Even though what exactly it was that I got used to, I never understood.\n\nThe bag was just that, a fairly regular travel bag. Large-ish, navy grained calfskin, with the look and feel of an item that was once expensive, but has since seen heavy and indiscriminate use, it would never allow me to open it. Not that I didn’t try—in cars and buses, in cheap hotel rooms and in expensive apartments, in cities and in fields; but the damn bag never yields. I asked other people to open it for me, with no result. I tried to cut through the leather, to burn holes in it, to pry it open—all to no avail. I have absolutely no idea what it has to be made of to be so hellishly sturdy, but I know even less (if such a thing is indeed possible) about what’s inside it; and the noises it makes don’t help. Sometimes the bag purrs. Often, for days on end, it will be silent and then produce a strange dissatisfied sigh. Sometimes it feels like I am carrying something liquid, and I have to stop and check for leakage. At other times it makes strange metallic sounds as if there are large steel balls inside hitting one another with a remarkably steady rhythm. It’s a real piece of work, this bag, and it almost never weighs the same: sometimes I just throw it on my shoulder and trot along, but on other days I have to muster all my strength to drag it around. I wish I could abandon it somewhere, but I can’t seem to be able to do that—not because the bag follows me, but because I seem to be following the bag. Theory has it I am going to be killed if anything is amiss with the bag. In practice the bag, it feels, predates the universe itself—so I am absolutely certain nothing at all can mess it up.\n\nThe guards, too, are something else entirely, and so are their “scans” (which is how I have come to term this procedure even though each next time is never like the last). They come in all shapes and sizes. Some are regular men who enjoy a little chat as much as the next guy, and they wave me off with a smile after running the bag through an airport scanner. Some are literal golems, made of clay, silent, with nothing about them to suggest that they are even alive—they will sometimes somberly listen to the bag or take it away and then come back with it a day later (while I, of course, have to wait in solitary confinement). Some are great monstrous entities that seem to have just stepped out of a Bosch painting; with these you can be sure they will have to either eat the bag and then shit it out—pretty much unchanged—or do something else, equally ungodly. One guard insisted that I kill him, and of course I had to oblige, because only as an ethereal ghost he could verify the bag was all right. Another guard cut off my left hand, drew a circle of blood on the ground and put the bag in the center, and then, satisfied that the bag was in good shape, reattached my hand. There were once three guards, and upon my arrival the central one had to pluck out the eyes of the other two, one by one (they seemed unsettlingly eager to oblige), and insert them into his forehead and cheeks because that allowed him to “truly see”. It may all sound very exciting to you, in other words, but at a certain point a career of such surreal manifestations really does pall upon one. ‘What do you do?’ ‘Oh, I travel with a bag and show it to different… actually let’s just stop at “travel with a bag”, shall we.’ ‘Sounds interesting enough.’ ‘Yes, yes… I suppose so.’ \n\nAnd I lost track of time. It must have been a long, long time since the bag and I were joined in this inexplicable matrimony, and I no longer knew who I was before, or even if I was before. It was therefore a welcome change when the last guard, having scanned the bag, told me my next distance to travel was 4.3 light years. I laughed when I heard that. True, over the course of my travels I had enough time to get used to any manner of silliness, phantasmagoria and even pain; but 4.3 light years?—how was I supposed to cover that? \n\nThe guard, seeing how puzzled I was, said,\n\n‘Is this your first time, then?’\n\n‘My first time?’ I said amicably. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’\n\n‘Well,’ he said eagerly, nudging a bit closer to me, as if he was going to disclose a very big secret, ‘is this the first time you’re going home?’\n\n‘Going home?..’ I said.\n\n‘Yeah.’\n\n‘I don’t understand,’ I said slowly, feeling very cretinous. ‘Home?’\n\n‘Yes,’ the guard said. ‘It says here the Self has been intact for the last three thousand iterations and is now crystalized. This means that you can go back and try again.’\n\n‘I’m sorry,’ I said. ‘I don’t… I just don’t understand anything you’re saying, like… at all.’\n\nThe guard sighed.\n\n‘Never mind,’ he said. ‘After a while a memory will develop, although who knows if it’s even better that way; after too many trips it can get painful. So make sure you don’t screw it up this time.’", "(1/4)\n\nThe barcode-scanner beeped as the pack scanned successfully yet again.\n\n“Good job making it this far, Wanderer,” the scanner-man said.\n\n“Thank you,” I said, smiling. “You’re quite the fast one, as well. How do you make it to all of these scanner points?”\n\nIt was the scanner-man’s turn to smile. “I have my ways.” He looked at the readout on the cash-register the scanner was attached to. “That will be four-point-three light-years.”\n\nI blanched. What? That was crazy. No human being could make that journey and survive. It was way off into the Oort Cloud, past the edge of the Sol system. “F-f-f-what?”\n\n“Of course, your usual time limit has been extended to account for the magnitude of the distance, plus any delay in the means you choose to get there. I was also told to inform you that this is the last leg on your journey. Good luck.”\n\n“How do you expect me to reach 4.3 light years away?!”\n\nThe scanner-man’s face turned dark. “The Rainbow Bridge is an option, but inadvisable to mortals. Elysium remains open, as usual.”", "The man takes my bag, and places it within the Machine. I've come to fear that mechanical whir, for the chance it does fail. If that happens, I'm dead. What's in the bag? I have no clue, to be completely honest. It is unable to be opened, and at the same time, unable to be closed. My theory is that it is pure Lektor, but you can't see Lektor or know what it looks like, so the answer is as elusive as the reason I have been sent on this sojourn across the universe.\n\nMy ship is docked outside, the Dark Angel. Sleek, mechanically advanced, roguishly handsome. My most faithful companion across the universe, I bought it years earlier from a black market dealer named Delacroix, who partially scarred me on the face for my eavesdropping. He decided to give me a discount as a neat consolation price. This was right after my sojourn began, at the behest of the Grand Ledgers. Should that scan ever fail, my head would be served on a platter like John the Baptist's.\n\nMy journey started out closer to Earth, mapping out faint satellite planets with a more primitive craft. Once I acquired the Dark Angel, things became easier. My bag was taken to various checkpoints, so far 102, from small dwarf planets rely to burst within the next thousand years, to sprawling supernovas on the edge of magnificent quasars. If I was not so focused on being an errand boy due to that damn bag, I might have reveled in the beauty of Far Space. I landed on Pizzaro two days ago, and focused my efforts on navigating the populated megalopolises in order to find my next Target. At last I found his energy signature, at a restaurant in SOHO, which is where I am right now.\n\nSOHO stands for \"some oranges help others\". It is a district filled with wepaonized citric acid, much stronger than we see in the Near Space galaxies. This acid fills jars along the shelves of this restaurant, and I stare at their viscous and gelatine quality, attempting to distract myself from the bedamned beeping of the Machine. At last, as I am staring at the last jar, the Machine ceases its clamor, and I look down.\n\n\"Scan successful.\"\n\nGood, good, another Target down. Some oranges do truly help others, I suppose. The Gatekeeper, who I assume is also the proprietor of the restaurant, has placed my bag on the nearby counter, and is printing my receipt, which will tell me my next Target's location.\n\n\"Before you give me my receipt, I would love a jar of citric acid.\"\n\nNow I balance the jar in one hand, and prepare to tuck the receipt into my shirt pocket while I hold the bag in the other hand.\n\nI am handed the receipt, and I look at it with disgust.\n\n\"4.3 LY, Presegoranium Nomathodolus Cluster.\"\n\nLong journey ahead. I tuck the recipe into my shirt pocket, and head out of the restaurant into the tropical night air.", "The guard stood tall and expressionless, as they always did. I bowed and surrendered my burden carefully at his feet, my anxiety building.\n\nWordlessly, he took the scanner off the wall of the post, and scanned the bag top to bottom. Some machine inside the building hummed and hummed. This was the worst part. The waiting.\n\nFive seconds of eternity later, a small ding eminated from the wall. I released my breath, and the guard nodded. A display lit up: \"4.3 ly\". My diaphragm refluxed and I choked.\n\nFour point three light years. My targets never took less than a day to get to, but this, this was something else. My assigned job of courier was my life. I knew not how they expected me to get to Alpha Centauri, but that was as good as a death sentence.\n\nI looked the guard dead in the eye. For the first time in my life, I saw them express emotion. A small crack in the edge of his mouth showed he was frowning. I raised my foot high, and threw all my might down center mass. A sickening crunch came from within the bag. Without any hesitation, the guard drew on me, and shot. I stumbled backwards, and all went dark.\n\n-----\n\nOn the other side of the wall, 4.3 linear yards away, a guard stood tall at his post. Waiting." ]	[ 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 23, 30, 72, 868 ]	[ "1532265918", "1532321821", "1532312361", "1532315152", "1532326722", "1532304583", "1532308265", "1532290818", "1532292783", "1532286709", "1532281447", "1532279725", "1532279788" ]
Potatoes	[WP] You learn that all gods exist by feeding off the belief of the humans to survive and have turned Earth into a farm for faith, soon after you discover this you are approached by one of the most powerful gods of Earth, Reddit	34	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Once, in grade nine or so, I was asked a question.\n\n\"Do you believe in God?\"\n\nHow do you answer that? As a fourteen year old kid with zero knowledge of the world outside of what, a hundred square miles? Maybe not even that.\n\nIt was a philosophy teacher that asked and I didn't really have an answer.\n\nWell, I did.\n\n\"Yes, I do.\"\n\n\"Why?\" He asked me. That was a first, no one had even asked my why I was horny or angry or sad or happy before. Let alone why I had some belief in a higher power. So I gave him an honest answer. Smart ass kid sitting in the back of a class that I thought would be an easy grade.\n\n\"I don't know. Cause I grew up that way, I guess. My parents believe in God.\"\n\nHe nodded and that approval was something I didn't even know I'd wanted. Shit, I was just a kid from a shattered home. Way past broken. I craved that nod from that moment on.\n\n\"Faith is belief in something without evidence, for the most part.\" He said. \"So what makes God different from say, Zeus? Or Cybele, Bacchus, Geb, Odin? Or Cthulhu?\"\n\nWe didn't have a good answer to that. What was the difference? Really?\n\nYou take a few thousand people and give them something to really believe in, how is that different from any religion?\n\nI doubt a sailor on a trireme was praying to Demeter when his ship was crashing through waves, no he was fervently believing in Poseidon right up to the white tips that wanted to drown him and his ship.\n\nI doubt that a soldier in the middle of blood and battle believed in any god, other than Death itself. That's all he was seeing, right?\n\nI think about that class at least once a week. It sticks in my mind. That was, oh man, fifteen years ago now. My hundred square miles have expanded by a couple thousand, new cities and places and life experiences. I still thought about that teacher though, that class.\n\nWhat make God, a god? Belief is all.\n\nI ended up teaching religious studies at a high school, giving those same nods to kids in the back row that reminded me of me. Most of them didn't really care, choosing to believe in the new gods. Netflix, WiFi, McDonald's.\n\nThe altars on which they sacrifice debit transactions and from where sodium and mind-numbing entertainment are provided in return. The new gods.\n\nI splash cold water on my face and look in the mirror. I live in a one bedroom apartment above a Chinese restaurant. Smelled great at first. Now it sucks. You can only suck back so much chow mein, after all.\n\nIt's dingy but not so bad, livable. I keep it clean, I try not to make too much noise, my neighbors are decent folks. Mr. Wu sets me up with a nice discount for being on time with rent. Could be better, could be worse.\n\nIt's Saturday, nine seventeen in the A of M. I dress myself in jeans and a t-shirt, pull on a light jacket for the April weather and head for the door. I lock it and quickly head down the steps, heading to a small parking space that I rent for an extra thirty bucks a month.\n\nIt contains my weathered, 2002 Chevy Malibu.\n\nI open the door and slide in, checking my mirror (the screw is loose and the damn thing just moves as it wants) and buckling up.\n\nMy passenger door opens and a man gets into my car. I stare at him and he smiles at me. It's a crooked smile. He wears a white t-shirt with some TV quote on it, maybe eighteen or nineteen years old. His hair is fiery red and an absolute tangled mess. His black jeans are clean but well worn. He's got a newspaper tucked under his left arm.\n\n\"The fuck are you?\" I ask, angered by this. Some drunk, I assume, stumbling into the wrong car after a night of drinking.\n\n\"Call me Red. And no, I'm not in the wrong car. I'm looking for a man that believes in belief. You, well you are that man.\"\n\nHe continues to grin at me.\n\n\"Get out. Now.\" I say, ready to bolt from the driver's side if he gets violent.\n\n\"Oh no, I can't do that. See, you wrote a...let's call it a paper, that garnered some attention. Do you recall?\"\n\nHe lays the newspaper out for me, where I recognize something I'd posted in a chat a few nights ago. All about my theories on gods, how belief gives them power, maybe even corporeal being. I realize I don't recognize the newspaper. The articles are ever changing on the page. I lift it and see that the paper is only a front page, nothing more.\n\n\"Who are you?\" I ask, suddenly afraid and not sure where I would go, if I ran.\n\n\"Someone that takes notice of what people say, I hear things first. This, well this will make the rounds, and some will be...bothered by it. They prefer the secret remain that way. If you start people believing in the impact of their beliefs...well what's to stop them from believing in their luck to win the lottery or believing some idiot celebrity to be immortal. You seen those pictures before? Some actor's doppelganger? That sort of belief matters, more than you know. As much as you think.\"\n\n\"Who the hell are you?\" I ask again, of the red-headed weirdo sitting in my passenger seat.\n\n\"I am the altar on which they sacrifice attention, to me. For me. Oh how delicious it is, almost two billion people giving me all that attention.\"\n\nHe rolls up his sleeve.\n\nOh, sweet merciful fuck. There's a tattoo on his wrist. It's little alien with a single antenna, red eyes and an oval body.\n\n\"It can't be...\" I say, breathing the words out.\n\n\"Oh but it can. All you have to do, is believe.\" He says, taking the paper back and tucking it under his arm again. \"And if you believe, I'll keep you alive.\"\n\n\"Alive? Who wants me dead?\" I ask.\n\n\"Some of the old gods. A few of the new. Greenback doesn't much care and he's probably the only one more powerful than I am. So, you needed a friend. I guess that's me.\"\n\n\"Why?\"\n\nHe smiles.\n\n\"You brought me more attention. A lot more. Anyone who does that, they're gold in my book. And I'll protect them best I can.\"\n\n\"So...\" I look at him, barely understanding and certainly not fully believing that I'm even awake or that this is really happening. \"What now?\"\n\nHe looks at me, his eyes seeming to glow as red as his hair.\n\n\"Now? Well tell me something, do you believe in the new gods?\"\n\nI swallow hard and give him the best nod I can.\n\n\"Well, then what's next is going to be all sorts of interesting for you, isn't it? You're going to meet interesting folks and I'm going to help you kill some of them. After that? We'll see.\"\n\nOnce, in ninth grade, I was asked a question.\n\nI wonder if he'd believe my answer if I could give it now.\n\nI wouldn't. No one would.\n\nMaybe, just maybe, I'd ask him one back.\n\n\"Do you believe we can create a god?\"\n\nBecause I do." ]	[ 1, 12 ]	[ "1532284157", "1532286612" ]
	[WP] A group of middle schoolers get superpowers after a trip to a dangerous nuclear plant. An entire class of super-powered 12-13yo form a superhero league to fight another group of super-powered 12-13yo. Little do these “heroes” know, they are not mature enough to utilize their powers	10	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Two 12 year old girls stand in a war torn playground, one standing in front of a boy in a crater in the wood chips and another staring down a boy across from her through the jungle gym. \n\n“Johnny you couldn’t beat us, you were always the villain since you didn’t come to my birthday last year!” taunted Jessica as she stood over her newly turned foe.\n\n“Fuck you Jessica, you never invited me!”\n\n“What do you mean, I hand wrote it and everything, I even left that message for you?” she couldn’t believe he didn’t read her message.\n\n“Yea well your mom must have lossed it because I thought you just didn’t want me at your party.”\n\nJessica took a second and looked around the playground “Oh no, Ashley, are we the bad guys?”\n\n“No! Billy and Johnny both destroyed the softball field!” Ashley yelled.\n\n“I think you mean baseball field, and we destroyed it so the school would have to make a nicer new one!” Billy rebutted.\n\nJessica looked at Johnny, and then she blasted him with her laser eyes. He went flying into the slide, where he scurried up out of her sight. She cautiously walked towards the entrance.\n\n“My mom never had the invitations, I handed them to Ms. Ingram to hand out throughout the class.” Jessica yelled into the bottom opening of the slide. \n\nShe crashes to the ground as Johnny lands on top of her.\n\n“Well I never fucking got it!” he screamed as he kneeled on her back, “You stupid fucking girl, I didn’t even want to go!” tears started to well on his cheek as he punched her in the back.\n\nJohnny slowly gets levitated as Ashley uses her telekinesis on him. “Get off of her you creep! How do you like this?” He twinges as his arm gets a phantom Indian burn. Billy speeds into Ashley knocking her into the swing set. Johnny falls onto Jessica and they both take a second to breathe. Sections of wood chip lift into the air, seconds after Billy zig zags past them. His speed wouldn’t be a problem if only she could get him airborne. He runs in a circle around her as the wood piles become closer and closer to Billie’s position. He moves in and spins the swing sets around Ashley entangling her until she can’t move. \n\n“Ha, now what are you gonna do?” Billy taunted. The smile quickly left his face as he slowly lifted into the air.\n\n“What makes you think I needed my arms to use my psychic powers lame brain?” Billy gets flung onto the grass out of the playground as a wave of force pushes the swings off of Ashley and a circle of wood chips form around her as the blast imprints the ground.\n\n“Wait!” Johnny yelled, he flies over to Billy and checks on him. “We’re fighting to see who the bad guy is, but Mandy I did want to go to your party. I already told you I was angry you didn’t invite me, now who would want us to be angry at each other?”\n\n“Principal White!” Billy muttered as he got up. \n\n“No, Ms. Ingram. How could she have power over the class room when four of her students have super powers?” \n\n“No way!” Ashley yelled.\n\n“Ashley’s right, why would I ever create violence between my students?” Ms. Ingram asked as she walked towards the playground from the black top. She stands there and looks at the children disappointedly.\n\n“Yea, she helped me with math before the state tests” Ashley agreed.\n\n“Wasn’t that the week after Mandy’s party?” Johnny said\n\n“Yea but why would us fighting make my test scores any better?” asked Ashley.\n\n“Oh come on, like you were even bothering to study, I saw you and Billy in the arcade!” Shouted Mandy as she stood up, “and after Johnny didn’t show at my party I got a 90 on my English test. \n\n“You mean she was forcing us… to do better in school?” Billy guessed, “How could you?”\n\n“Well you see kids, I have a 5 year progress review coming up, and I couldn’t let a couple of dangerously deranged delinquents ruin it for me!” Ms. Ingram Explained.\n\n“Was I really causing your grades to slip?” asked Billy.\n\n“No stupid! I was just too busy that week to study!” chided Ashley.\n\n“But you were busy with me, that totally counts!” \n\n“Shut up!”\n\n“Wait since we all did so well on our exams, did your review go well?” Mandy asked.\n\n“It went perfectly.” Ms. Ingram smiled.\n\nMandy gave her a smile and a nod, then turned to her class room and shot off a laser bolt which burst through the window burning up Ms. Ingram’s desk and part of the chalk board.\n\nBilly cackled with laughter and joined in, running into the class room and flipping all of the desks and throwing all of the books off the shelves.\n\nAshley pouted in disappointment at her teacher and used her psychic powers to scramble what remained of Ms. Ingram’s classroom into a typhoon of educational tools leaving no page un-turned. \n\nFinally Johnny flew into the class room, grabbed her purse from her desk and flew it onto the roof of the school. The four friends then walked home together as they started their summer.\n\n“Wait, I need my keys! And my phone’s in there! How will I get up there?”\n\n“Why don’t you force the Janitor to fight with the librarian until he gets you a ladder?” shouted Mandy as they crossed the road. \n", "Containment units have been busy mopping up quite a nasty spill.\n\nI am currently in the process a drafting a memo, hoping to destroy any notion of ever having a middle school (or any grade for that matter) class visit a nuclear power plant ever again. Far too problematic for the SOHO to deal with again. \n\nMrs. Deacon’s class at Forrester Middle School in The Dalles, OR, were visiting the newly opened Hanford Facility on the shores of the Columbia, when a nuclear fission accident occurred. The class of 14 was quickly moved to a containment facility, but ended up being exposed due to a problem in the cooling unit and locking system, which we are assessing now.\n\nAll 14 were taken to a local hospital, and we have no control over whether this situation is hush-hush right now, at least not as of the present. The fission caused no permanent impacts, miraculously, courtesy of the hot suits worn by the class while the leak took place. However, we have unforeseen consequences arise, causing us to move all 14 students as well as their teacher to the Point Rosas facility for additional testing and treatment.\n\nResearchers at Point Cosas have informed me that all 15 individuals, kept in separate wards, have showed evidence of exotgermic energy manipulation, akin to weak and difficult to control pyrokinesis. Enzymes within the body were modified to such a degree these children appear to be absorbing nuclear particles at a frightening rate and extending them as pure and unadulterated firepower, which is unusual in this circumstance.\n\nHaving them moved to Point Reyes as we speak, as I am a fantastic multitasker. This crap has been kept under wraps, so it is a lucky thing that we are afforded such lovely secrecy within our positions. At Point Reyes we shall have to compare the abilities shown by these individuals (hereby known as the Hanford Unit) to the makeup of those in the Point Pleasant Unit, Bermuda Unit, and Bridgewater Unit. Historical records should also be accessed (I know you have contacts) to scour the Roswell specimens collected in both incidents.\n\nCounting on your superb cleanup skills,\n\nD. B", "The best thing about super speed was never being late for school. Sleeping in until just the last moment, getting everything done in a time span of 2 minutes, and then ending up in class just as the bell rings. As an added bonus, it frustrated Miles homeroom teacher to no end. \n\n“One of these days Salazar, one of these days I’ll get you,” she’d say. \n\nMiles and his friends would laugh and laugh. Mostly because it was Ms. Jakob’s fault they had superpowers in the first place. The vice principal had told her field trips in general were a bad idea, but she insisted that her kids were mature. They were in horizons programs, they knew how to behave and apply themselves. Though to be fair, it wasn’t entirely her fault. Had that nuclear plant followed regulations the kids would still be normal. \n\n“Okay class,” one of the students said, “today we’ll be continuing our discussion on the functions of the cardiovascular system.” \n\n“Mary what did I say about mind reading in class?”\n\n“Why don’t you say how you really feel Ms. J? Aren’t there more words you’d like to say? Should I say them out loud or will I get in trouble?”\n\nMary began to giggle which stirred the class further into a laughing frenzy. Just as Ms. Jakob’s was about to lose control of her class the laughter stopped as soon as it started. Ms. Jakob’s eyes landed on a young man near the front of the class. He was slumped into his seat. Ms. Jakob’s could see the purplish glow from his eyes even though his head was turned. She smiled weakly. \n\n“Ryan I appreciate the gesture but I don’t want you or anyone using their powers in class. Even if it’s to help me. Could you release your friends?” \n\n“They were being loud,” Ryan mumbled, “I hate it when it’s loud. It’s always loud at home.” \n\nMs. Jakob’s walked over to Ryan. Her class sat starring forward with wide eyes and open jaws. Ryan’s psychic powers were great. He couldn’t read minds as well as Maria, he didn’t have precognition like Nathan, but when it came to psychical assaults? Ms. Jakob’s had a responsibility to these kids. These kids who she burdened with powers so great and dangerous. She placed her hands on Ryan’s shoulders. \n\n“Ryan. If something is wrong at home then we can talk about that. I will always make time for you kids. But right now you have to let them go, you shouldn’t use your powers this way.” \n\nRyan looked at Ms. Jakob. His eyes dimmed down and the class seemed to take a collective breath. Ms. Jakob smiled at the boy in the rough blue shirt and gave an approving nod which he didn’t acknowledge. \n\n“Hey Ms. J,” a boy named Issac raised his hand, “I don’t feel so good. Can I go to the bathroom?” \n\n“Yes Isaac you may. Just hurry back before we start class.”\n\n“Yes ma’am,” he responded. He then disappeared in a puff of smoke. \n\nMs. Jakob’s turned around towards the board. She picked up a marker and began writing on the whiteboard. She had six more months. Only six more months to try and help them adapt and learn to use these powers responsibly. She just hoped she could make it happen. What a task for someone only in their third year of teaching. As if regular middle school kids weren’t difficult enough. " ]	[ 1, 1, 4, 7 ]	[ "1532290339", "1532293420", "1532291622", "1532292674" ]
	[WP] - Superheroes have had enough of politicians and the public downplaying their selfless vigilantism. Tired of the debate whether they are truly needed for protection, all superheroes decide to disappear from society for one month, both as a statement and an experiment.	10	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Clark Kent sat at his desk, head resting in the nook of his folded arms. He never thought he’d have his secret identity backfire on him the way it did now. Not even Luther could think of a torture more grating and humiliating than what Clark was being subjegated to now. \n\nIn the centre of his computer monitor was an open word file with just the title of the article he was working on:\n\n\nWorld Prospers Without Heroes\n\n\nClark didn’t even look up from his self loathing when Lois walked up behind him. He could tell it was her from her perfume and the sound of her walk. \n\n\n“Writer’s slump?” she asked, sipping a cup of coffee. \n\n\nHe sighed.\n\n“Yeah, you could call it that.”\n\n\nSurprisingly, she replied with\n\n“Yeah, I know how you feel. I know it’s selfish to say this, but I kind of miss when the world had more drama, it made reporting on it feel more meaningful. The immediate aftermath of when the Justice League first said they were taking a month off was so hectic, but now.” she shrugged “There’s only so much you can report on economic booms and drops in crime before you get a little bored.”\n\nHe cringed, but was forced to agree with her.\n\n“Do you think they knew?” Lois asked.\n\n“Knew what?” \n\n“That we wouldn’t need them? That the world was ready to function without them? That SWAT teams and Special Forces were more than adequate to take down villains without destroying entire city blocks? Or that without all the damage cities were taking from super humans throwing buildings at each other was enough to spark an economic boom?” \n\nShe sipped her coffee and looked out the window longingly.\n\n“I’d like to think they did. Even if they all didn’t, I’d like to think at least Superman did.”\n\nShe sighed.\n\nIt’s a lot more petty than that. Clark thought to himself Trust me.\n\nJust then, the phone on Clark’s desk rang. \n\nLois said “I’ll let you take this” and walked away, leaving nothing in her wake save for the dying scent of her perfume and a growing seed of depression in the pit of his stomach. \n\n“Clark? It’s me, Bruce.” the voice from the other line said.\n\nHe perked up instantly, but it didn’t last. Clark couldn’t help but notice that this was the first time Wayne hadn’t referred to him as “Supes” and himself as “Bats”.\n\n“Nice to hear from you, old friend.” He looked around to make sure no one was within earshot. “Did the Joker manage to take over Gotham in your absence and now you need my help to defeat him?”\n\nThere was a pause on the other end.\n\n“No, the opposite. All of my villains have been quiet, actually. They even found a corpse with a self inflicted gunshot wound near the chemical plant that they believe was the Joker. I guess without a masked vigilante to go toe to toe with, they don’t feel the need to dress up in elaborate personas. Some of them went back to being normal criminals, and were promptly arrested during raids by actual authorities. Others resumed normal life, a few checked themselves into Arkham to get help. Two Face went back to calling himself Harvey Dent and is pushing for healthcare reform.”\n\nNow it was Clark’s turn to pause. At a loss for words. It was so bizarre to hear Bruce speaking in a normal, clear voice instead of a dark gravelly one.\n\n“Did you ever think that maybe they’re just using the time off to regroup?” Clark asked.\n\n“No. I mean, maybe, but doubtful. Personally, I think without us, being evil lost meaning. I think that instead of evil being an absence of good, it’s just a contrast, and without us being unfettered beacons of good and justice, evil doesn’t have anything to give it purpose.” he sighed “I think, Clark, you were right to suggest taking time off, but right for the wrong reason.”\n\nClark was agitated. Of course Bruce Wayne would use the free time to become some sort of pseudo-philosopher.\n\n“What about justice, Bruce? What about avenging your parents memory?”\n\n“I no longer think that masked men beating up criminals and punishing them without trial by a jury of their peers is justice. A hinderance to justice, is anything. And I’ve realized that focusing my attention on Wayne Enterprises and our respective charities not only honours my parent’s memories better than playing vigilante, but does more good.”\n\n“What about Robin?”\n\n“What about him? Dick is now going to school full time, I’m even looking to offer him a job once he’s done. Him, Barbara, Gordon, everyone in my life is doing better. I’m even on speaking terms with Hal Jordan. And Lex Luthor? I know that you’re more than aware that he’s doing much better. An egomaniac with a God Complex can do a lot for humanity when he’s not trying usurp an alien do-gooder. He actually just met with Elon Musk to talk about LexCorp teaming up with SpaceX...”\n\nHe slammed the phone down. \n\nHe had heard about those talks already. He also heard that Wayne Enterprises was onboard too. \n\nClark already knew that story, he’s the one who reported on it. \n\nWell, that’s that.\n\nNo getting Bats back, add him to the list. \n\nHe couldn’t get ahold of Aquaman, but he already knew that scientists were confounded when all the sea life in the ocean started working together to clean up all the plastic waste. \n\nThe Flash was already in process of Olympic try outs along with the Green Arrow. \n\nHe only knew it was only a matter of time before Green Lantern convinces aliens to make contact with mankind and Clark would be forced to report on that too.\n\nWonder Woman wouldn’t return his calls.\n\nGetting up out of his desk, his stood at his window, overlooking the Metropolis sky line.\n\nHumanity still needed heroes? Didn’t they? Ever since the days of Gilgamesh and Hercules, they needed something to lift up and inspire them to become better.\n\nRight?\n\n" ]	[ 1, 7 ]	[ "1532301198", "1532306320" ]
	[WP] You wake up one morning, ready to start the day. Everything is normal until you reach for your alarm clock and notice your fingers are swollen. After a closer look, you realize: your fingers have turned into skin-colored pickles.	1	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "You're awaken by the blaring sound of your alarm clock. You're a tad bit annoyed and go to hit snooze but remember that you moved it across the room. You put it there a week ago to \\make\\ yourself physically get up. \n After contemplating \\actually\\ getting up, you decide it's better to get it over with. You notice that your spouse is already out of bed. You go to pull the covers off of yourself, but you find it hard to grasp it. You think that it's weird, but slide off the bed anyway. You hear a conversation going on faintly and yell to your spouse. \"Babe? Are you talking to someone?\" You get no response. You yell out again, \"Babe?\" but it comes to no avail. You walk over to the cabinet across the room with the alarm clock on it. You go to hit the \"OFF\" button, and notice something off with your fingers. You see that they are extremely swollen. Panicked, you rush over to the light and flick it on with your wrist. You look down to see 10 little pickles on your hand. You look closer and see 10 faces on them. As you lean in, you hear, \n\n\n\"What do you think about that? I turned myself into a pickle! I turned myself into a pickle, Morty!\" \n\n\nYou sit down and weep for hours on the side of the bed, for you know your fate. Eternal Damnation.", "Hi, /u/sajemcgomery. I didn't finish writing for your prompt. I'm afraid it's a lot of writing for not much happening, but I figured I'd post it all the same. Why not after all? Thanks for the prompt though I didn't get to finish it. I might return later and finish it. Here's what I got.\n\n***\n\nBzzzt!\n\nBzzzt!\n\nBzzzt!\n\nI grope for the button that will stop my alarm. Something doesn't feel right. I can't feel anything with my right hand. I can hear that I've hit my alarm, and I can feel it in my arm, but my hand can't feel. I open my eyes with fright. My hand is swollen. I can't move my fingers at the joints; the joints seem to have disappeared.\n\n\"Okay. I'm okay. I just have to stay calm\", I assure myself.\n\nBzzzt!\n\nBzzzt!\n\nI pull out my other hand and it seems to be in similar condition. I shove the sheet from on top of me, sitting up to look at them. They were a horrific sight for sure. They looked nonhuman, and reeked like something gone sour. It was as though they had rotted. I touched them together but my fingers couldn't feel anything. My palms felt them though. They felt nothing like any finger I could have imagined and my mind raced wondering what had gone wrong. I pinched my hands together and swept the sheet off the bed, but Sophie had it pinned under her shoulder.\n\n\"Mff\", was all she said.\n\n\"Sophie, there's a spider in the bed!\" I whispered urgently to her.\n\n\"It'll go away\", she said calmly.\n\nI caught myself wanting to put my head in my hands, but I didn't trust my hands.\n\n\"Sophie, for real, something happened in the night. Look at my hands!\"\n\n\"They look good\" she said, without looking.\n\nI went to the living room.\n\n\"Hey Google, what should I do if I have swollen fingers?\", I asked. It didn't answer. I tried again, trying to steady my voice. This time it light up.\n\n\"Let me do a search for 'what should I do if I have swollen fingers?' The first result is from Desert Hand Therapy. 'Rest. If you have any swelling in the hands, stop any movement and rest it until the swelling goes down. Ice. If your hand is swollen, icing the affected area will help to reduce pain, inflammation and swelling'\".\n\nI went to the freezer and took out the frozen peas, holding them between my hands. But it seemed like resting got my hands swollen.\n\n\"Hey Google, what if I can't feel my fingers?\"", "The sound of my blaring alarm fills my ears as my eyes jolt open. I immediately shut them because of the sunlight peaking through my blinds. My spouse walks into the room and turns my phone off.\n\n“Morning sleeping beauty, I have breakfast made downstairs. Come down when you’re ready.” All I could do in reply was groan. \n\nI was about to throw the covers off of me when I felt an itch. It was just any other itch though, it completely enveloped my hands. No. Not my hands, my fingers. Just as it starts to become unbearable, I thrust my hands out from under my comforter and stare at them in complete and utter horror.\n\nOn my hands, were ten pickles. They resembled my old fingers but were in fact nothing more than fleshy-toned pickles. They were swollen and wrinkled. I wanted to scream but nothing would rise from my throat. \n\nAs the rancid smell of brine met my nostrils, a yellowish liquid started to secrete from the foreign digits. The putrid ooze started to drip onto the floor when my spouse walked back into the room.\n\nThey took one look at my hands and sighed, “Oh honey, let me take care of that for you.” Confusion washed over my face as they lifted me up by my arm and brought me into the kitchen and sat me down next to the counter.\n\n“Now this will only hurt for a second but I’m sure the outcome will be splendid,” they smiled brightly. My eyes widened as they grabbed a long knife from a drawer and came back over to me. I tried to move any part of my body to try and stop the upcoming events but I couldn’t.\n\nIn one swift motion, I watched the love of my life chop off one on my pickled fingers. Blood gushed out of my hand and pain rocketed through my body. A scream lodged in my throat threatened to let loose, but again, I was speechless.\n\nThe worst part, though, was seeing them bring the pickled digit to their mouth, and finally taking a bite.\n" ]	[ 1, 1, 2, 2 ]	[ "1532311939", "1532313490", "1532402980", "1532485238" ]
[removed]	[WP] Every time you commit suicide, you wake up the next day with no recollection of the last few minutes and learn about someone else who has taken their own life.	4	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/jadkik94, this submission has been removed.\n\n[No explicitly sexual responses, hate speech, or other harmful content](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_2.3A_no_explicitly_sexual_responses.2C_hate_speech.2C_or_other_harmful_content)\n\n- We feel that asking users to write about suicide is harmful. It can be hard to tell if someone's writing fiction or making a cry for help. In the event there's any truth behind this for you or someone you know, we recommend checking out /r/suicidewatch or /r/depression. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/91c08s/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532387479", "1532388048" ]
	[WP]: You are a controversial person, infamous of two things: Getting into skirmishes with the law, and always requesting trial by combat. This time, someone agrees to it.	90	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I’m a lawyer by day and a party animal by night. After living in books for years during law school, I’ve learned that life is short and it’s a waste not to enjoy it. Oh and I do enjoy it! I partake in every fun activity you could think of. Both legal and otherwise. Every time I get busted though, I decide to represent myself in court. And as a lawyer, I’ve learned to exploit a little loophole left in our archaic constitution: Trial by combat. I’ve never actually been in a real fight before. But I’ve never had to. 9 times I have demanded it and 9 times I have walked away unchallenged and unconvicted... until now.\n\nRecently I was attending the birthday party of a former client, Franco, who may or may not have been one of the biggest mobsters on the east coast. At these parties, Franco liked to entertain his guests by fighting exotic animals to the death. This time he was wrestling an African crocodile. Maybe it was the cocaine that had me a little crazy, but I decided to place a bet that he’d win in under 2 minutes. But 90 seconds in the cops started raiding the place. Talk about buzzkill. \n\nAnyways, after I was arrested, I quickly went about my normal routine and demanded a trial by combat. Like usual, not cops or lawyers were willing to accept. But this time, I was not the only one to demand trial by combat. Awhile back, my lawyer dumbass had recommended that a client exploit the same loophole. Now that same client, the ruthless mob boss who fights crocodiles for fun is being given a fight to the death for his freedom. Against me.", "[disclamer: I'm not a native English speaker and this is my first try.]\nI always said it as a kind of a joke. Like when people say bite me. I didn't expect anyone to actually do it. And aparantly there was an old law which has never been withdrawn that actually made this legal.\n\nA view days ago I got a bit tipsy and desided to \"decorate\" one of the cars in the rich villa neighborhood. It was surprisingly hard to find a car. Most people have them behind a fence or in a garage. But after a while I found one parked outside. And I hit the jackpot. It was the biggest fattest hummer I had ever seen. I felt sorry for the owners weiner. Anyway, I got my spray paint out and transformed his or her car (,or small monster truck,) into a beautiful pink spaceship. I even glued two party hats at the back as exhaust pipes. But sadly at that point a police prick sneaked up on me and arested me.\n\nI got to choose a weapon whithout range. Since I'm not that strong I've decided to go for the butterfly sword. I'm pretty good in the kitchen so I had some experience with handling a knife anyway.\n\nThe rules were simple, the firtst to die or step out of the ring, would loose. My plan was to intimidate my opponent untill he stepped out of the ring, or she. I don't know who my opponent is. That was by request of my opponent.\n\nI was hyping myself up in the mirror when one of the police pricks came to me to tell me the fight was about to begin. I entered the court house, knife tucked away in my shoe, feeling nervous but ready. All the tables and chairs where shoved aside, exept for the judge's, and in the middle there was an impromptu ring made with thick white rope. The judge was already sitting in his chair. And in the courner there were meddics. As I stepped into the room the judge told me: Mr. J. Green, please step into the ring. Mr T. Crews will be here in a minute.", "You were the best swordsman. You spoke to hired blades, good people. Your doctor said you were strong, the strongest, even. So why worry about another trial by combat? \n\nYes, you’ve had some run ins with the law. Nothing but respect for the boys in blue. But per usual, they didn’t let you do things your way. You know best. You just wanted to a hire a prostitute. Sold some land here. Paid off some big mouths there. You’re very smart, probably the smartest. You had written and threatened many a giant and none had bothered to respond, until now. Sad.\n\nYou misspeak on one little thing. Get caught being treasonous. Very disappointed with your lawyer. Weak. Covfefe. You know best, represent yourself. Only one out, trial by combat. You’ve threatened fire and brimstone. No reason to panic.\n\nHe’s just an old man. " ]	[ 1, 4, 6, 15 ]	[ "1532419459", "1532438303", "1532438038", "1532437563" ]
[removed]	[WP] It's Christmas, and it's 28C in London	1	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/OutrageousIdeas, this submission has been removed.\n\n[We’re here to inspire creative writing, not play writing games or commission stories](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_6.3A_we.2019re_here_to_inspire_creative_writing.2C_not_play_writing_games_or_commission_stories)\n\n- Prompts go in the title, do not extend into text. You can add commentary in the text, but don't add additional prompt restrictions. Also, avoid [too many details](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/prompts?src=RECIPE). \n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/91fvjd/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532424497", "1532426053" ]
	[WP] A device was invented that allows people recovering from major surgeries to spend their recovery in the world's ubiquitous VR platform to escape the pain of rehabilitation. Three months after your operation you notice the option to return to your physical body has disappeared from your console.	8	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Henry sat up in his bed with a start. He'd been sleeping, but something felt urgent. His first instinct led him to call up the menu. A translucent slate appeared in front of him, it hovered above the blanket that covered his legs. He swiped the screen to scan through the icons to look for something, unsure what, several times. Finally, he stopped. \n\n\"Can't find anything,\" he mumbled to himself, then dismissed and turned to give sleep another shot. The second his head touched the pillow his eyes shot open. \"NO!\" he yelled, then urgently summoned the slate again. He knew what he was looking for now, and swiped once to the right. A blank space at the bottom of the menu stood out like a black sheep. There should have been an option to log out, but it was no longer there. \n\n\\[HELP! - Hank\\] He immediately sent a Whisper to the one person that might help, and then gave her more information. \n\n\\[I can't log out? - Hank\\] He pulled his knees up to his chest, and sat patiently to wait for a response. Luckily she responded within a couple of minutes. \n\n\\[Okay. I'm sorry. -Bloody\\] The Whisper tickled his inner ear canal. He \"knew\" the text of the message without having to read it. \n\n\\[Be there in a sec. -Bloody\\] Hank hopped out of the bed and changed out of his pajamas into red Monk gear. A knock on the door called his attention the moment he finished. Hank walked through the small cabin and opened the door for his guest, a tall, thin, pale elf with long, dark, blood-red hair in a braid behind her. He opened the door to let her in, and the wispy elf walked straight to the couch to take a seat. \n\n\"Janet's bringing me some equipment,\" she informed Hank as he closed the door. He nodded and sat down next to her. The elf reached for Hank's hands to comfort him. \n\n\"There's no easy way to say it, but it's already been confirmed. Your body died moments ago,\" she said. Hank looked at the woman through wide eyes, he shook his head subconsciously. \n\n\"No. That doesn't make any sense, how am I still here?\" He stood to beat his fist against his chest. \"If my body died, I'd lose consciousness.\" \n\n\"You'd think so,\" the elf nodded. A small black hole opened in the air next to the elf. A small black cat with a red face walked out of the hole while holding a small, transparent rectangle, about the size of a playing card, in its mouth. The elf grabbed the Node from the cat, then the cat retreated back into the hole. \n\n\\[notice: Party Invite - Bloody Sharp\\] Hank felt the notification tingle in his ear. He accepted it so that he could see whatever she wanted to show him. When he accepted it, the elf stood from her seat then tossed the clear Node onto the floor. \n\nWhen the Node touched the floor, the living room of Hank's cabin changed. The floor became dark, moist soil. He recognized his body lying in the middle of the soil pit. \n\n\"This is the Mudroom where we put you to recover,\" she said. The elf walked to the representation of Hanks body, then knelt next to it. She opened his shirt to show Hank a small green leaf growing out of his belly button. \"I'm sorry your body died, but we could never have guessed this would happen,\" she said. By this time Hank knelt next to his own body to stare at the small green leaf. \n\n\"What happened? I'm a tree?\" he asked. \n\n\"YES!\" Bloody Sharp exclaimed. \"Isn't it amazing!?\" \n\n\"NO! I can't go back to my body!\" Hank clenched his fists several times to work through the anger. \n\n\"But you're still HERE!\" She pointed at the floor and the projection of the Mudroom around them disappeared, leaving his small in-game cabin. \"In the AlterNet! Think about it, all your responsibilities left behind. And your family isn't even out of reach, they all have characters. Here you're a max level Monk, what were you back home?\" Hank unconsciously reached up and rubbed the back of his neck as he considered her words. \n\n\"Football Coach,\" he said, then added, \"high school,\" in a lower voice. \n\n\"You're the first person this has happened to, and this Earth is just as real as the one you came from. Work with me, let me learn from you. You'll never have another worry again,\" she said. She offered him a hand, and after several seconds he shook it firmly with a nod.\n\n\"Okay. I wouldn't have gotten this far without you, I trust you,\" Hank said. \n\n\"Okay, I need to go get started studying what happened. I'll be back in the morning and we can talk more then, okay?\" She disconnected the moment Hank nodded his agreement. \n\n\\[notice: Party disbanded.\\] The elf's features disappeared, her skin darkened. In a moment only the swarm mannequin remained, then it disintegrated into a fine black powder that disappeared before hitting the ground. \n\n\\\\\\*\n\nThank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day in 2018, this is #204. You can find them collected on my [blog](https://hugoverse.info/). If you're curious about my universe (the Hugoverse) you can visit the [Guidebook](https://hugoverse.info/2017/11/25/hugoverse-guidebook/) to see what's what and who's who, or the [Timeline](https://hugoverse.info/2017/10/23/hugoverse-timeline/) to find the stories in order.", "The world truly is a crazy place.\n\nAbout a Decade ago, someone had the brilliant idea of implementing a Virtual Reality recovery and Rehabilitation program for those injured and in the Hospital.\n\nWith the world being as it is, this VR program got better and better each year, becoming more and more immersive with each update. Now, it was...hmm, well I guess the best way to describe it is it's like the Matrix. It's a world where we plug ourselves in and our consciousness temporarily transfers over into the VR world until we are healed.\n\nI had never had the pleasure of experiencing this world until about three months ago.\n\nI was in a bad accident with my Girlfriend. We were in a Taxi when the car was blindsided by a Semi.\n\nDoctors estimated a long recovery for us. 6 Months for me, 4 for her. They offered us the option of VR and of course, we said yes. This was when we learned a couple more things about this world.\n\nFirst, that everyone shares this one large Town called Healing as our VR Space. And second, that it is possible to be stuck in here.\n\nWhen your thrown in, you're given a house to live in. My Girlfriend and I got to share one. And in this house, there is a bell you can ring, that sends you back to the real world. \n\nAt first, things were going great. It was fun to be able to move and play and do normal life with her when, in reality (literally) we couldn't. \n\nThen one day, we came home together. I had to use the bathroom (I know, weird that this is still a thing in here), so I walked down the hall. Something felt off to me though. I looked into the Living Room but couldn't quite place it.\n\nShrugging it off, I went to the bathroom. But I had this building sense of dread. Something was missing. I finish up and walk back out to the Living room. She's in the Kitchen when she notices me looking around.\n\n\"what's wrong?\" She asks me. I don't reply. I'm scanning the room. Looking for something out of place. Something different. Something is wrong and I have to find it.\n\n\"Thawsan?\"\n\nI'm still scanning. But then i see it. or rather, I don't. \n\n\"Honey?\" I said, \"The bell is gone.\" I could feel a pit developing in my stomach. The bell is gone. How are we going to get back without the bell? Where could it have even gone? I didn't know the thing could be moved, where could it be? Where is it hi--\n\n\"What are you talking about?\" She asked me. \"it's right there. Where it always is.\" She said, pointing to it's spot. \n\nI froze. She could still see the bell. But I couldn't. \n\n\"Honey, I can't see the bell.\" I said. Now breathing frantically. I was starting to freak out. I was panicking. What did this mean?\n\nshe realized what was going on. Her eyes widened as they looked at me. I think we both knew what it meant, but neither of us were going to admit it. \n\nI looked at her, she finally spoke up. \"Hold on.\" she said Frantically, I could hear fear in her voice. \"I'm gonna go see what's going on.\" She rung the bell, and with a poof, she was gone.\n\ni was here alone. I sat there waiting for what felt like an eternity. Thousands of scenarios rushing through my head. Fearing the worst the entire time. I know what it means but I need her to confirm it. I have to know for sure.\n\nThere was another poof, and she was back in front of me. She was sobbing into her hands.\n\nShe had confirmed the worst. \n\nI was stuck in here. There was no coming back." ]	[ 1, 2, 5 ]	[ "1532448318", "1532463736", "1532455577" ]
	[WP] Alien life has been discovered. The world has united under a single government, and wishes to negotiate the addition of Earth to an intergalactic network of trade routes and military alliances. You are the ambassador they send.	15	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "My name is Zach Brundo, Chief Scientist and Engineer of S.A.E.C.O.P, the Science and Engineering Committee Of Progress, and main driving force of the Earthen Imperium. About a month ago Earth received a transmission from beyond our galaxy, detailing in sub-par Common an alien race’s offer of peace. They asked for parley to discuss an alliance between us, them, and their affiliates, as well as inquiring on each other’s goods for sale and setting up trade routes between our systems. Saecop convened to vote on this matter, but Emperor Rex Claviys made it known that we would hear the offworlders words before making any major decisions. When the time came to choose our ambassador, I was picked due to my immense boost to Progress in the design and manufacturing of my Mechanical Soldiers, and further honored for how they fought against the Barbaric Krakthyss on Krakth-13, with brutal efficiency. The planet was subdued within the week. As Progress Ordains. \n\nAnd so I was shuttled off, my ship containing a two squads of six Mech Soldiers, their normal seven foot tall stature reduced to a 3 foot cube shape for optimal storage. The meeting place looked ahead, a classic UFO design but with windows on all sides, almost as if it were a sightseeing vessel instead of a warship. It was later revealed to me that this was, in essence, a space faring convention center and hotel. My ship docked with the station, and I walked down the hallway, hands clasped behind my back like an admiral as two M.S.s followed behind me. Alpha 247 and Beta 32 has proven themselves a formidable team with an unusual ability to learn, so I chose them as pseudo ambassadors for their “race”, my creations as stoic as ever. They held their Mag Rifles in a ready stance, their robotic head’s swiveling back and forth as they took in the sights, as well as keeping an watchful eye on the alien species we passed. \n\nThe further into the ship we went, the more of a sheer menagerie of races we saw, large bug-like creatures, small wooden tree people, and hulking behemoths with particle axes. I unfortunately didn’t have time to interrogate them for information due to time running short. \n\nI entered the ambassadors lounge and sat in the seat marked: Humanity, my tireless children standing at attention behind me. I looked at the other seat markers, memorizing the names as I read them, and passed the time analyzing the races that eventually sat down in front of me. The position we found ourselves in reminded me of a job interview, though I felt the stakes may be much higher than a typical job opportunity. \n\nSitting at the head of the group that sat before me was a four limbed humanoid with large black eyes, white fur, and tribal markings down their arms and face. Her voice was feminine, yet held a ring of authority to it, and she spoke to me. \n\n“Hello Human. I Krith’Meezla, but you can call me Meezla. Tell the council your name.” She spoke relatively good Common, though it was clear that she needed practice from how unsure her words are, and the slower than average speed she spoke them at. However, communication was possible, and this meant Progress was free to push forward. \n\n“My name is Zach Brundo of the Science and Engineering Committee Of Progress. Saecop for short if you wish.” \n\nShe smiled a warm smile and nodded. “Very good. If you allow me to re... resay what we sent you in message to Earth world, we wish for Earth’s help in making universe safe for all. We hope to do this with help of humanity, for your observed ad-adaptability and ingenuity in any field you put your head to. But, we will not subjugate a race for our own benefit, as such would violate The Krith Code, so we ask what you would like in return for your allegiance in peacekeeping.” \n\nI stared at them all for a moment, staring into their eyes and searching their souls. And that’s when I understood, when some of them looked away from my stare, they were scared of me. \n\n“You have heard of the Subjugation of Krath I take it?” I asked calmly, staring at them with unblinking eyes. \n\nMeezla’s smile lessened, and she clasped her lower hands together. “It did came to our attention that you had claimed that system.” \n\n“It was merely retribution for the hundred of humans they slaughtered and ate. They deserved to be brought to nothing.” \n\nShe grew increasingly more nervous, her eyes growing wide at my words. “Perhaps, but the discussion at hand is on proposal of alliance, not past... conflicts.” \n\nI stood up, slowly, surely, and deliberately, and smiled coldly at their sitting forms. “Then I know Humanities demands. We require access to your systems in order to know you and your ways better, as well as a line to the Unimarket, and the opening of trade routes to each of your territories. And...” I paused, this suggestion liable to make or break the deal. “Humanity would like to head the Peacekeeper forces, and have the first pick of what we want should a planet require subjugation. You have... I believe we will be gracious and allow you 72 Earthen Hours to reach a conclusion. We look forward to your decision.” \n\nWith that I turned around and walked out of the meeting room, my escort’s feet clanging on the floor with my own robotic feet, my prosthetic limbs itching where they couldn’t, and my breathing mask that made me look more machine than man hissing as it filtered the air. Yes, 72 hours would be perfect. In 12 hours I will have completed my Magnum Opus, my masterpiece, my own robotic body to replace this old decaying sac of flesh. By 24 hours the transfer of consciousness would be complete. By 48 the Earthen Imperium would be quietly replaced by the United Brundoan Sultanate. By 72 hours I would have access to the Universe, and my plan to become the immortal ruler of Machine and man would come to absolute fruition. And my children would be able to learn so many things, go so many places, do so many deeds, then Humanity will HAVE to accept their sentience. \n\nWe boarded our ship and set off back to Earth, to my headquarters where my immortal body waited for me, and soon universal power would be within my grasp. \n\nSoon my children, we will subjugate the universe. Though I wouldn’t mind playing nice for a bit, just to see what they do. After all, every race has some merit, some trait I can use to my advantage. But for now I must rest, my last rest in this body. I won’t miss it. \n\n-End log 38378" ]	[ 1, 3 ]	[ "1532502377", "1532536285" ]
	[WP] You're a 250 year old vampire. You've found that living as a recluse and faking your death every 70 years or so is actually fairly easy. You've consistently fooled everyone except for your mortal enemy - Keith from the IRS	2,997	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I can imagine Keith getting his revenge.\n\nFollow instructions, but in the trunk of the car, rigged to a ripcord and a hole in the trunk, is a nice fat sack of coins, fresh from Keith's buddy at the US Mint.\n\nCross the border, invite the vampire in...turn the car around, pull the rip cord, and peel.\n\nBe sure to shout, \"If you finish counting all that before sunrise, be sure you declare your income!\"", "There was a knock on the door. I looked through the glass and saw Keith, looking jist about as annoyed as anyone could be. I smiled knowingly as I opend the door. \n\n\"Keith,\" I stated, as a matter of factly.\n\n\"Vlad,\" he acknowledged.\n\nWe sat in the chairs out on the porch, looking down at the children running around in the street.\n\n\"How?\" I asked, looking at him out the corners of my eyes, eyebrow raised.\n\n\"Really?\" He replied, peering back at me out the side of his face, eyebrows squinted and face all scrunched up, annoyed at the rediculous question more than anything else.\n\n\"How much?\" I asked, looking back out into the street.\n\n\"Too much,\" he frowned, shaking his head.\n\n\"Then why bother?\"\n\"Matter of principle.\"\n\n\"Oh, it's all the same in the end!\"\n\"There is no end for you.\"\n\n\"Oh, you'd know about that now, wouldn't you?\"\n\"At least I'll have one.\"\n\n\"Hah! Got jokes now, do ya?\"\n\"Yeah, wanna hear another? Your debt. It's hilarious.\"\n\n\"Jokes on you buddy, I'll be gone in a few.\"\n\"You'll be back. I know you ain't goin' nowheres no time soon.\"\n\n\"I'll set up shop elsewhere. Another town, another time.\"\n\"I might not be around then, but you know they're like hounds, they never let go of a cent and they always get their man.\"\n.\n.\n.\nWe sat in silence for a moment, watching the sun go down behind the houses across the street.\n.\n.\n.\n\n\"Naaah,\" I said, shaking my head.\n\"Figured as much,\" he nodded.\n\n\"Least you tried,\" I said, as if offering my condolences.\n\"All any of us can do,\" he sighed.\n\nKeith got up to leave.\n\n\"You take care now, Keith,\" I said as he got up to leave.\n\n\"Yeah, see you in the funny pages, Vlad,\" he chuckled as he walked away.\n\n\n\n", "First prompt I've written let me know what you think: \n\n\nIt was easier, back in the good old days. No real records kept, no solid ancestry. When the time came, you just moved to a new town, maybe made up some details for the census if you couldnt avoid it. Now, it's almost impossible, or costs a small fortune. Europe was getting too crowded, and the borders changed so much that I forgot which language was spoken where, almost got in trouble for that a few times during wars. Eventually, I decided to make the trip to America. I knew a few like me who had no trouble there, more space, less people, and easier to blend in when I had to. I had only been here around 20 years and already I had gone through more identities than the rest of my life combined.\n\n The pattern was the same every time; find a suitable place, create a new identity, settle down, get a letter, run. The first cycle started the same as every other, I had settled in the outskirts of a small town in central Idaho, nicely isolated but easy enough to get hold of the essentials. I didnt get much mail, but I didnt really think anything of it. I opened the letter more out of curiosity than anything, but a few things started to stand out. \"...have noticed some dicrepancies with your history...\" That's not good. \"...send original documents...\" Definitely not good. \"...14 days to comply...\" Hmm. I didnt like the tone of the letter, but what could they really do? I decided to ignore it, In all truth expecting a handful of letters to apear throughout the next year and that would be that. The two-week deadline came and went, so far so good. Two weeks later the same letter came again, this became a monthly recurrence, I think I got 5 in total. \n\nAnother week passed, another letter came: \"FINAL DEMAND\" That was new. The new letter only gave me 7 days this time, but other that that it didnt seem to be significantly different. 10 days after the latest letter, I had been out walking in the forest for the evening and was making my way back home. As I approached the house through the trees I heard some commotion. I stopped, I wasn't close enough to see through the dense tree cover but I could hear well enough, one of the perks of my condition I guess. \"There's no one here. Must be a collector though, look at this stuff...\" \"Damn, must be one of Them.\" \"One of Them?\" \"Nothing. Nevermind. Next time...\" The voice trailed off. That was... Unnerving. It certainly didn't seem like a routine visit from the IRS. I decided my time here was up and picked up my most important posessions when the area was cleared. I never let the letters go that far again. \n\nAfter a few rounds of relocation I noticed something strange, every letter was signed by 'Keith', not the most unusual name but surely the IRS didn't exclusively hire Keiths? I got curious and checked a few neighbours letters. Not my proudest moment, rooting through the trash with some silly idea, but it didn't seem like something I could exactly ask about and the repetition of the name was starting to make me feel like I was being watched. Spoiler Alert, I was. I've lived in houses on the edge of the woods, trailers, city apartments, 7 different States, tried a reservation for a while. \n\nHell, I was even homeless for a few months completely off the books, only spent a few nights in a shelter over winter. One morning they suddenly recieved a stack of IRS letters, one for every single alias I had used in the States to date. I couldn't help but be a little impressed, that one was a bold move. So far, my personal best is 4 years, Keith's is 3 months. I'm currently in the process of finding a smuggler to get me into Mexico. You'd be surprised how difficult it gets, I'm going the opposite direction to most which makes people edgy. This is my last real option, every passport I've had got flagged as suspicious before I even made it onto a plane or ship. I don't know how he always manages to find me, but at least he hasn't caught me, yet. \n\nThe voice still rings in my ears every time the envelope appears. \"Next time...\"", "A pile of red lettered envelopes was stacked nearly ceiling high in the tiny office. It was hardly larger than a broom closet and painted an exceptionally dull grey, denoting the complete lack of status its occupant held in the government agency. Despite being nothing more than a faceless auditor to the masses, he was a fierce hunter, searching out all who failed to give Uncle Sam their due. And today he had brought in a prolific, heinous offender.\n\n“So, Mr. Lestat, a.k.a Mr. Lugosi, a.k.a Mr. Dracula, a.k.a Mr Lugosi, a.k.a Vlad the Impaler…Hmm, I didn’t know they let you put a three-part first name on a birth certificate, good to know...”\n\nHe had 250 years of life under his belt. He’d fought werewolves, angry mobs, classically trained vampire hunters, newly-widowed husbands, and the odd disgruntled sheep farmer. And yet no foe was more tenacious, more diligent, or more utterly annoying than one Keith McDonald of the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS.\n\n“Keith, really?”\n\n“Yes, really, this is what happens when you don’t pay your taxes.”\n\n“I have been living in this country since before it was a country, you potato-munching imp. What about squatter’s rights?”\n\n“Cut the bullshit, Edward --- Fuck, really? You really went with a Twilight name?”\n\n“Edward” shrugged. “What can I say, after a while you start to run a little low on the material.”\n\n“Yikes, I almost feel bad for you. Anyways, you owe us $1,640,000 in overdue taxes, counting inflation. Would you like to pay in cash or check?”\n\nKeith looked up to find no one in his office, and no trace that anyone had ever been there except a pile of bat guano and a note on the other side of the desk. He held it close to his nose to read it.\n\nSee you in 70 years, bootlicker.\n\n“God fucking dammit.”\n\nHe picked up the phone and dialed the first extension taped to the keypad. \"Hey, he escaped again. Get me a swat team, bloodhounds, and a year's supply of garlic.\"", "take the high road and hatch a plan with Keith to start a grow op we could build and maintain for what I'm assuming is an eternity. find some gorgeous ladies who down to live forever and be stoned forever. and once we sell enough weed to Highschoolers and college kids get a dope ass ranch. learn how to farm and make dope shit. spend the rest of life learning trades and hobbies. \n\nboom ", "\"You need to pay your taxes\"\n\n\"Go fuck yourself\"\n\n\"You're going to go to jail... again.\"\n\n\"I'll just hypnotize the judge into letting me go... again\"\n\n\"You're not above the law here\"\n\n\"I'm older than the law and unless the law is legally allowed to drive a stake through my heart the law can suck it heehee but income tax evasion isn't a capital offence\"\n\n\"The law can take your assets\"\n\n\"What, the assets I extorted from the townsfolk? Doesn't your government call that taxation? And while we're on the subject ask anyone: the government's a bigger bloodsucker than me. Think anyone really has any sympathy for it?\"\n\n\"The government is allowed to do that because it has a mandate of the people\"\n\n\"You call it a mandate of the people I call it telling them they'll go to jail if they don't pay up. I'll turn their families into the bloodless udead creatures of the night. Which do you think people are more keen on throwing a portion of their income at?\"\n\n\"Look are we just pissing around here or are you going to pay your taxes?\"\n\n\"This is just a yearly courtesy call for me. You know how this plays out same as it does every year.\"\n\n\"Ok well thank you for choosing H&R Block. Same time next year?\"\n\n\"If you insist\"", "Had I known that Keith from the IRS was a vampire from the start our relationship would have been much less strained. The third time he caught me faking a death for the IRS should have been one too many, but blonde vampires are quite a bit like blonde humans, I hear. >< I can't do it. Please, the prompt implies that Keith is a Vampire.", "\"What a terrible alias. Alistair Ruthven?\" Keith scoffs and clicks a few things on his screen with his mouse. \"It's like you're trying to sound like you're a English noble or something.\"\n\nAlistair narrows his eyes at Keith -- or rather, his rival and mortal enemy sitting across from him. Turned on the same night, but separated when Keith (not his real name) decided to side with the nasty colonials and their revolutionary ways. Their friendship was never the same again. \"I see that you have accepted being a bloodthirsty leech.\"\n\n\"Well, if it's one thing that the government does right, it's sucking,\" Keith jokes, reaching over and grabbing a stack of papers. \"So, Mr. Ruthven, let's just get straight to the point. You're being audited, and it seems like you haven't paid your taxes. In fact, you owe the government at least 250000 dollars, give or take, once we add all these penalties and interest and whatnot. And you're lucky! I haven't even adjusted it for inflation.\" Keith grins, pearly whites shining in the fake florescent lights.\n\nAlistair rolls his eyes. Bloody colonials. \"Funny how you were complaining about being taxed and now you've embraced taxing your populace unfairly.\" He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a credit card. Keith chuckles and wags a finger at Alistair.\n\n\"Now, now, we both know what you're going to do once I put it on the card. Sorry, but we're going to have to take it out of your checking account directly. Or, I could finally get rid of you forever by turning you in for treason -- I mean, no statute of limitations for that, right? And the media would have a field day with treason. It'd be a nice break from whatever the government is doing these days.\"\n\nAlistair puts the card away and pulls out a checkbook instead. \"Who the bloody hell do I make this out to?\"", "I tore the pink letter to shreds with a frustrated shriek. The tattered bits whirled around my feet as I kicked at them petulantly, not satisfied until they were all out of sight. In all of my two hundred and fifty years of life, or rather undeath, I had been able to evade electrical bills, dodge utility payments, and siphon internet from unsuspecting neighbors. But then there was the IRS, actually, it was Kieth. My lips curled in a snarl at the thought of the doughy, bespectacled human, his hands forever damp with sweat and clutching a pristine black briefcase.\n\nHe was infuriating, every time I changed my name he found me, every time I moved I would get another bright pink letter. I knew eventually he would visit, the letter said as much, written in his swirling handwriting and signed with an unchanging, impeccable signature, simply Kieth. Though, how he found me wasn't the greatest mystery surrounding Kieth. It was the fact that he was most certainly human, but he never aged. It hadn't been various IRS agents over the years, it had always been Kieth.\n\nI pondered this as I stalked to my kitchen to grab a drink, muttering curses under my breath as I went. My hand gripped the glass while I tore the plastic of the blood bag open, pouring the contents without really thinking about what I was doing.\n\nWhy doesn't he age? I sipped the blood and tossed the empty bag in the trash, moving through my house silently.\n\nThere had to be an explanation, humans aged and died. Was he a machine? A clone? An alien? I shook my head at the notion. Kieth was distinctly human, his scent didn't lie, neither did his heartbeat, or the warmth he gave off.\n\nWith an exasperated huff I fell onto my couch, mind still swirling with thoughts of the ever obnoxious Kieth. I was so lost in my thoughts that when the doorbell rang I let out an involuntary yelp.\n\nThat smell, peppermint, tweed, and sweat. It was Kieth. Snarling I walked to the door, pulling my brown hair away from my face and wiping my bloody lips with the back of my arm. A toothy smile planted itself on my mouth as I opened the door to my apartment.\n\n\"Kieth, I wasn't expecting you so soon.\" And there he was, in all of his soggy, soft glory, damp blue eyes blinking at me expectantly.\n\n\"I'm quite sure you weren't Miss Yvir, but we have quite a bit to discuss this time.\" I hated that he knew my original name, and insisted upon using it every time we spoke despite my ever changing identity.\n\n\"May I come in?\" He looked up at me through his thick glasses, my chin easily an inch above his forehead.\n\nI opened the door and swept my arm in an exaggerated bow and he slithered past me into my living room, where he plopped unceremoniously onto my couch. My smile twisted into a snarl as I took the chair, lifting my glass of O+ from the table. He squirmed uncomfortably as I sipped it and internally I purred with glee. Over the years he had never asked outright what I was, but he knew, he had to by now.\n\n\"So, Miss. You have not paid your taxes for the last three years. Not the longest you have evaded, but still a serious offense.\" He adjusted his glasses and tried to meet my eyes. \"Would you like to instill a payment plan or would you like to go ahead and pay your entire balance?\"\n\nI took another long sip and licked my fangs. Kieth shifted a bit away from me as I leaned forward over the paperwork. At this point I had no interest in the numbers, I could easily pay whatever sum he wanted, but I was trying to find any clues as to what kept him ticking, and annoying.\n\nFrom what I saw he wore no pieces of power, had no necromantic tattoos, or any indication of interference from another supernatural source. He didn't even have the wet dander smell werewolves seem to always have hanging around them. With a frustrated sigh i leaned back and pulled my checkbook from my purse, Keith's erratic pulse the only sound in the room other than that of a scribbling pen.\n\nAs I pulled the check from the spine a thought struck me, does he bleed? Can he die? Over the years I had never really considered killing him, was he a pain? Yes. Did I ever want to see him again? No. But he was only doing his job, as annoying as he was. However, at this point my curiosity was outweighing my benevolence and I set my snakelike green eyes on him.\n\nI handed him the check in one hand, and as quick as lighting I had embedded his lovely fountain pen in his throat, ripping the doughy flesh of his neck open as I tore the pen free.\n\nThe smell of raw magic filled the room, overpowered by the scent I vomited blood onto the carpet and I was glad I hadn't tried to bite him instead. I would have been burned from the inside out by the sheer amount of energy in his veins.\n\nHe gurgled and clawed at his open neck, the dark blood sluggishly moving between his fingers. And as he scrabbled at the wound it began to close before my eyes.\n\nWithin moments his pale throat was unblemished, marked only by the smears of thick unnatural blood. All I could do was stare at him as he collected himself. He had undergone a blood ritual, an old one from the smell of it, and it had worked. The rituals were very rare, because of the risk, and even more rare were successes. Just who the FUCK was Kieth?\n\n\"Now.\" He cleared his throat and I jumped, startled from my even more confused thoughts. \"Hopefully you have gotten that out of your system. I will need you to write another check, as this one has blood on it.\"\n\nI dumbly stroked another check and handed it to him. With a satisfied grunt he placed it in his tidy briefcase and stood, straightening his dark tie. My legs lifted me from the chair and I moved to walk him out of my home.\n\nAs I opened the door he turned to me, offering his sweaty palm as if I had not just tried to kill him. I shook it, my mind not really present, still swirling with the thoughts of Kieth's real identity. Maybe a surname, his last name may give me a clue, but I remembered he had never told me. And he never signed it on his letters.\n\n\"Until next time Miss Yvir, and next time please don't wait so long to send us your payment.\" He moved to the top of the stairs and I found my voice.\n\n\"Hey Kieth.\" His wet blue eyes found mine and he cocked his head to the side in response.\n\n\"Since we've known each other so long, and you know me so well, isn't it strange that I don't even know your last name?\" My voice was saccharine and he looked thoughtful for a moment before a slow grin spread on his paunchy face.\n\n\"I suppose that's fair.\" He winked at me and started down the stairs. \"It's VanHellsing.\" His pale hand waved from above the railing, his footsteps silent. \"Until next time, Miss Yvir.\"\n\n\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\n\nThank you for reading! Edited for typos.", " “…Keith… when are we going to give this up?” I stated with a taunting undertone, my wry smile feeding directly into his ear.\n\n“Sir, it is a federal offence to evade paying taxes to our great nation, and it is certainly an offense to evade taxes but under DIFFERENT identities each time. I suggest, Sir, that we move to resolve this situation quickly.”\n\n“God Keith, is your fucking manager nearby? Why are you speaking like you’ve got a stick up your ass? We’ve been doing this same script for a while now and it’s getting so predictable. But please, I’ll humour you as always, how do you suggest we ‘resolve’?” The ‘r’ rolled off my 250 year old tongue as smooth as a fine Whisky enlightening me on a Friday evening. \n\n“Sir, we need you to come downtown to the IRS office as soon as possible and convenient. You would be required to bring two forms of identity that encompass both your address and photograph, further proof of your current residence from a dated utility bill or equivalent, banking information including your account details, your Social Security Number, and documents detailing your latest employer.”\n\nI chuckled a little. Keith was consistently robotic in his response to a resolution. He probably told hundreds of other naughty tax evaders a week the same spiel. \n\n“And, Keith, which identity would you like me to provide that information for? I could of course provide my latest death certificates at no inconvenience to myself” I snarled. \n\nI loved winding him up about as much as I detested him now. I did not always regard Keith as my mortal enemy but our relationship changed around the time of the Civil War and when the introduction of this goddamn IRS business began. We had a brief reconciliation in the glorious summer of 1900, glimpses back to our old ways, but it was short-lived.\n\n“Sir, I do not appreciate that tone. I would like to kindly remind you I am an employee acting on behalf of, and for the best wishes of, the nation.”\n\n“Oh Keith. You used to be fun. Remember back in our youth? Remember back in 1801, it was a glorious night! Thunderstorms; a near monsoon in a matter of hours. The full moon illuminating each and every torrential drop. Ah the fun we had that night. The terror we instilled in those meagre villagers. The divinest cuisine we ever dined on; every scarlet drop in that place. We had it all Keith and those mortals bowed at our very feet. We were respected. We were somebodies.”\n\n“Sir, if you could just confirm if you will be visiting the office…” Keith interjected. \n\n“See you in another 70, old friend” I cut the line dead.\n\nAlthough Vampire by creation, it was now the IRS who was sucking the life out of poor old Keith. \n\nThanks for reading. Comments appreciated! Go easy on me :)", " \"How did you find me?\"\n- \"Well, your name stands on a list, I would say, of rather _special_ people...\" -\n \"What do you mean with special Keith?\" -\n \"From where do you... Oh yeah, my nameplate. Nevertheless, we, the SNIRS, also called the _Super Natural Internal Revenue Service_, searches for people, who look very similar or identical to their ancestors in order to find immortal beings.\" -\n \"Wait, why are you pulling me into this? I'm not imm... __ArGHh__\" -\n \"Just like I thought. A vampire. The myths are true, you really can't bear garlic. Even though it's so delicious... Especially garlic bread...\" -\n \"Okay, okay, I'm really a vampire. And I thought I was hiding hiding well enough!\" -\n \"Well, not for the SNIRS! I, Keith the all mighty super natural beings finder, have found a way to find people like you. You wonder how? Well, that shall stay a mystery. I also don't want you to find a way to dodge me.\" -\n \"Keith, you do like using the word _well_. So what's the reason for your presence?\"\n \"We... It's because of your taxes. You've been living for around 240 yea...\" -\n \"250 to be exact. It was a great birthday party!\"\n \"...for around 240 years and only paid taxes for about 60 of them.\" -\n \"And what's the deal?\" -\n \"The deal is, your unpaid taxes have summed up to $1.970.657, which is quite a bit.\" -\n \"__Yikes___... Errrrm, I'm sorry to inform you, but I have an important meeting and I need to rush to get there...\" -\n \"Hey! Stop _arrgghhh_!!!\" -\n_At that moment Keith felt blood running down his neck and suddenly was covered in darkness_\n\n\n__Thank you for reading my first prompt on reddit, if you got this far!__\n", "Harry the vampire was beginning to get frustrated.\n\nHe had spent an hour already speaking with this fellow Keith from the IRS. So far he had provided death certificates, birth certificates, even fake baby pictures. He'd regaled Keith with well rehearsed, utterly fake stories about him and his loving grandfather, Jeremiah. \n\n\"Oh, how Jeremiah used to dote upon me, as if I were the most important object in the entire world. How I miss him, my dearest grandpapa!\" \n\nBut Keith would just purse his lips and nod again, maybe lean in for yet another tea cookie. Harry cursed silently to himself - he would need to go out and by more tea cookies. \n\nNo matter what Harry fed Keith, no matter what proof Harry provided that, no, he was not himself Jeremiah, and no, he was not over two centuries old and attempting to defraud the IRS, Keith just wouldn't leave. In over two centuries on Earth, and after several successful efforts to defraud the IRS, Harry worried he may have finally met his match.\n\n\"Well Harry,\" Keith said, taking the final tea biscuit laid out on a small porcelain plate beneath them on the table, \"it seems like everything checks out.\" Keith ate the small cookie in one delicious bite and shook his head. \"Golly, those are some delicious cookies. Sorry I ate em all. Oh damn, you didn't get to have one, did you?\"\n\nHarry demured, raising his hand in front of him, and hid his simmering anger. \"Oh, no, don't you worry about it.\" Harry stood up in the hopes Keith would follow his lead and finally get the hell out. It was already midday and Harry was exhausted. The meeting had been held in the sunless interior study, but Harry was feeling every second of his missed slumber. \n\nTo Harry's relief Keith did follow his lead and got up with him. As he stood he picked up his tea and finished the glass with a big gulp. \"Well, very generous of you Harry. Thank you for your time. And my condolescences for your loss.\"\n\nHarry frowned, his head swimming from standing so quickly , his blood pressure low. It wad never good to force through the day time. Vampires in general responded poorly to sleep deprivation, and Harry in particular was very sensitive. \"Thank you.\" Harry muttered, hoping his demeanor came off as a distracted mourner rather than...something else.\n\nAs the two men walked to the front door, through the darkened alcove of the hallway, just as Harry was about to open the door, Keith sucked his front teeth. \"Harry, I'm sorry to impose, but before I leave, would it be alright if I used your bathroom?\"\n\nHarry could hardly hide his frustration - humans and their incessant waste. Reluctantly, he nodded. \"Um, sure, OK - Yes,\" god he was tired, \"it's uh down the hall, through the study on the left.\"\n\nKeith smiled. \"Thanks Harry.\" And the man walked back into the apartment. \n\nAs Harry waited he ran the whole conversation around in his head. He thought he'd been consistent, had gotten all his details right, the whole genealogical tree - the fake chain of biologic causality that went from his great grandfather, to his grandfather, to him - all of them actually Harry collecting estate income at a far lower tax burden. \n\nYes, Harry thought, I think I fooled him. \n\nKeith took longer than expected to return and Harry was just beginning to worry when the man appeared in the doorway. He looked different somehow, and his smile was sort of tight lipped. \"Sorry about that, I'll be on my way.\" He did not offer a handshake. \"Thanks.\" He said and then walked briskly out of the apartment. \n\nHarry watched him go, a bit confused but overall just glad to have him gone. His head aching, Harry shut the door and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally he would get some rest. \n\nHis stomach growled and Harry decided first he would have a night cap. So he headed into the kitchen, massaging his temple. When he arrived he stopped dead in tracks. \n\nIn front of him Harry's refridgerator was ajar and on the floor a bag of O negative blood was spilled in a grim pool all over the kitchen tiles. \n\nHarry bent down, touched a finger to the liquid, and found that it was still quite cold. \n\nSuddenly Keith's elongated piss clicked firmly into place, as did the realization that Harry was going to have to relocate for the second time in as many months. \n\n\"Shit.\"\n\nFrustrated, Harry frowned and licked the blood off his finger. It was gonna be a long night\n\n*****\n\n#### For More Legends From The Multiverse\n\n## r/LFTM\n\n\n", "\"Have you seriously forgotten me?\"\n\nAs I sat across the desk from Keith, my IRS auditor, I looked at him closely. \"I'm certain i would remember your face,\" I started.\n\n\"No, no, no. Not my face. You aren't the only one faking a death when people get too close to you,\" he said. \"Yes, I had to dig a bit, but this is our fourth meeting, mister Lugosi. Or should I say Bernstein, that's the last name you used, right?\"\n\nNobody could know this much. This young whippersnapper was trying to intimidate me, me, who had been a child of the Revolution. \"No, no,\" I explained. \"My father...\"\n\n\"Bela Lugosi Jr. you are not, and he had no children born in 1963.\"\n\n\"No, my father changed his name in admiration of the great actor,\" I forced out.\n\n\"I've looked at the court records,\" Keith said. \"But I don't really need to. Your face is burned into my memory,\" he stated flatly. Only as he began to speak again did the hints of emotion appear. \"Let's see, you are looking quite well for being 250 years old. Your birthday was last month, wasn't it, sir? You were about 35 the first time I saw you, 1798. The Reverend Reginald Orville York. Your reputation preceded you when you came to dine with my parents.\"\n\nOn whom had I called in that year? I tried to think. \"You were betrothed to my eldest sister, Olivia,\" he continued. \"Hannah Allman. I shall be rather displeased if you've forgotten her so young, brother-in-law. The marriage was crucial to the Allman family securing their place in Ohio.\"\n\nAh, yes. My first wife. My only wife, actually, I reminded myself. After my first death, I had avoided such intimacy to secure myself. \"You must surely have me mistaken, Mr. Legere.\" I paused for a moment as I read his name tag, then nodded. \"I am Kalvin Lugosi, born in 1963 to George Lugosi and Maria Kintigh.\"\n\n\"Yes, yes,\" he said. \"This was what drew my attention to you, reverend. The Kintighs are kin, after all, and it's not helpful for us who are immortal to cross the wrong clans, is it? No, I'm afraid I'm not like you. I don't seduce young women and feed on them to maintain my life,\" Keith said. \"I made a pact. I believe the formal term is a warlock? I made a deal with some angel or demon when my sister had that untimely accident during her pregnancy. She joined the angels after a month of seeming to recover, but you, reverend? You had vanished the very day she fell into that freezing river. Ten years together, her first pregnancy, and you vanished when she and the child perished.\"\n\nI had nothing to do with her death. Sworn to secrecy, she had known my secret, but it was an accident that she had died. I had left because as soon as I heard the commotion on the boat, as soon as I had seen my wife in the freezing waters, I knew it was a hunter responsible. The hunters saw no qualms in killing innocents to get at those of us they labeled monsters, but Hannah had been my one shining light. I hope my stoic mask kept up, that my emotions were concealed.\n\n\"At first, mister York, I thought you the one responsible,\" Keith continued. \"So I prayed to any gods, any demons, any angels -- any being out there that was willing to help me, to let me live until you passed from this earth. So I have. Of course, at first I questioned what had happened. It seems you were the true target of Hannah's attack. She was stricken as bait to lure you out. Some gentleman by the name of Lester Campbell. His family, as it turns out, believed you to be a monster. They took me in and taught me what they knew, hoping I would join their crusade. I parted ways with them on the night when Lester was found with hs entrails spilling across the floor. By then, you were dead, or so the obituaries had claimed. I suspected I would not be long for the world, as I believed your death would bring mine.\"\n\n\"Oh, I apologize, reverend. I assure you that I am in no way seeking to exploit you out of this. There are no recording devices in use, you may be entirely frank with me. After all, it seems I owe my longevity to your own,\" he said. \"That said, the only thing more certain in this nation than death is taxes, and you've been delinquent for the last decade. Preparing for another disappearing act, aren't you?\"\n\nMy mouth twitched. \"Ebenezer,\" I said. \"My, you've grown. You don't seem to age quite so gracefully as I, though for a mere human only 20 years my junior, you look remarkable. I wonder, what did these Campbells tell you about me? What did they think I was? I mean, I'll admit to being a monster, though hardly a choice of my own.\"\n\n\"They suspected you were a werewolf or vampire,\" he said. \"Though werewolves don't live so long. I have pulled your reporting for the last thirty years, most of your current adulthood,\" he said, tapping the keyboard. \"I would have taken it as an early retirement if I didn't figure out who you are. Just your unlucky generation that I chose to be an auditor right now, wouldn't you say?\"\n\n\"Could be very lucky,\" I said. I briefly considered turning him. No, I had only turned a handful of people. Several in my youth, before Hannah, but after settling down, I had given it up. Every generation I turned two or three terminal illnesses, people about to die well out of the fullness of their lives. A few shared my motives closely enough that they lived quietly. Those who didn't found themselves as a head on some hunter's trophy wall. \"I presume you've estimated how delinquent I am based on the years I reported, but for the past ten years I simply haven't done as well saving.\"\n\n\"You still need to file your taxes,\" he said, turning to look at me. \"My family is doing well. Without me, of course. I suppose we both came to the same conclusion on how to hide in this nation.\"\n\n\"Seclusion or redefinition are the only choices,\" I said. It was difficult to face a living memory of my mortal wife. I had offered her the same hunger and immortality as myself, but she had insisted on having a child first. Perhaps she would have insisted we raise the child. Dwelling that far back was heartbreaking, though. \"I truly loved Hannah, dear Ebenezer. Had I been able to save her without being killed myself... I would have hesitated for less time than it took to blink my eyes.\"\n\n\"I don't doubt it,\" he said with a smile on his face. \"Self preservation is a terrifying thing. So it appears that you owe $50,000 dollars in missed taxes,\" he said. \"Estimating from your past reports and the amounts provided by your bank, you've simply been underpaying. I don't doubt we can make this go away quickly without significantly delaying your...\"\n\nThere was a knock on the door of the office, then a head poked in. \"Legere, Porter wanted to make sure you know you're invited to karaoke tonight too.\"\n\n\"... retirement,\" Keith said. \"We'll get the payment plan all sorted out tomorrow.\"", "“What are these? Look at this!”\n\nKeith tapped on the clipboard, looking more annoyed each second. \n\n“You owe the government $750,000 in taxes, which is absolutely a crime, for your information.”\n\nHe threw down the clipboard in disgust.\n\nHow did he find out? Over two-and-a-half lives I’ve amassed this sum. How could he have discovered my multigenerational lifespan?\n\nI attempt to reason with Keith.\n\n“Er, this isn’t possible. It says I have amassed this from 1863 all the way until now. That’s...”\n\nI do the math in my head.\n\n“156 years. Which is more than any human I’ve ever heard of.”\n\nHe picks up the clipboard and throws it at my head, and I dodge with relative ease.\n\n“You big potato head! Taxes are absolute! They are god, they are supreme divinity among rash mortals!”\n\nHe takes taxes way too seriously.\n\n“I come from the SIRS, you ding ding. The Supernatural Internal Revenue Service. We know you are a vampire, so pay the hell up.”\n\nOh, bother. Gonna have to start anew, again. I feel under my sleeves, and unravel my claws, and point it towards him.\n\n“Bye, Keith. Sorry for this.”\n\nHe pulls out an amulet.\n\n“Garlic, you moron. Surprise, motherfucker!”\n\nCrap. Time to pay up.\n\n\n", "\"You realize that you haven't been paying your taxes for the past 210 years?\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"Alright then...\" Keith scribbled something down on his clipboard. \"You were intentionally evading taxes...\"\n\n\"What? I said that I know I didn't pay taxes, I didn't say that it was intentional!\"\n\n\"Well... Was it intentional?\"\n\nI sighed. \"Yes, it was intentional.\"\n\n\"I guess you'll have to pay or be locked up for a long time.\"\n\n\"Why do you even care? You've probably spent more money trying to track me down than you will earn by fining me!\"\n\n\"The law is the law.\"\n\nI crossed my arms. \"I guess I'll just have to become a law-abiding citizen now. Pay my taxes and all that. Too bad I can't immigrate to another country.\"\n\n\"Yeah, you definitely won't be leaving the States. Not a single country has given you a visa yet.\" Keith smirked. \"That's the thing with you blood-suckers. You can't just enter another country illegally. You need to be invited.\"\n\nWait... What did he just say?\n\nI got a great idea, like a light bulb just lit up right above my head. I put on my angry face. \"What do you mean... blood-suckers?\"\n\nKeith looked at me, all confused. Makes sense. Its pretty obvious that blood sucker refers to how vampires suck blood out of their victims. \"Well... You're a vampire, correct?\"\n\nI shot up out of my chair. \"So you think its okay for you to refer to me using a racial slur?\"\n\nKeith's confusion changed to fright. He raised his hands in front of him, as if in self defense. \"I'm sorry, I didn't know that it was a slur!\"\n\n\"It's 2018, Keith! You can't just say things like that!\"\n\nHe dropped onto his knees. \"Please, sir, forgive me...\"\n\nI waved my finger at him. \"I will sue you, and make sure that you'll lose your job for being such a racist bastard!\"\n\nThis seems to be working. Keith is on the verge of tears at this point. \"Please, I'll do anything...\"\n\nI put my finger away. \"Anything?\"\n\n\"Yes... Anything.\"\n\n\"Alright... Can you make me completely exempt from taxes?\"\n\nKeith looked me right in the eyes. I don't think he liked my question very much. \"No, sir, I don't think I can. Is there anything else I can do?\"\n\nI thought for a moment or two, rubbing my chin to make Keith think that I didn't actually think of this beforehand. \"Yes, there is.\"\n\nHe got back up on his two feet again. \"What is it?\"\n\nTime for the big plan. \"I want you to drive us both down to the Canadian Border. You cross first.\"\n\n\"What should I do when I'm there?\"\n\nI grinned. \"Invite me in.\"\n\n-------------\n\nThanks for reading, feedback and criticism is very appreciated.**\n\nr/WrittenText" ]	[ 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 7, 8, 65, 94, 185, 1013 ]	[ "1532523438", "1532565283", "1532570271", "1532570404", "1532568413", "1532569839", "1532563633", "1532542216", "1532561611", "1532563775", "1532556116", "1532545137", "1532531427", "1532548663", "1532528497", "1532533031" ]
Got the idea from the person that got the tattoo in the same vein as the bog princess and that tumblr post about the old gods being connected to it. Figured it would be a cool prompt.	[WP] You just finished getting a tattoo that was the exact same as the ancient mummy’s that was just discovered on the news. What you didn’t know was that it would bind you to the old gods, and they’ve been looking for a new champion for quite some time.	73	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I'm not really big on the news channel, only browse it occasionally, but sometimes neat stuff pops up like this sweet mummy that they just found somewhere in Bumfuk Egypt. The mummy itself was pretty average except for this sick tattoo it had. I'd always wanted a tattoo, but nothing ever spoke to me and I'd be damned before I got one of those little \"cutesy\" tattoos you always see teens getting.\nThat mummy's tat was like nothing I'd ever seen before. Matching on either hand and on the back was a sort of sigil you could call it. It looked pretty complicated, angular, and totally badass, so I thought \"Hell yeah let's do this.\" So I go out find an artist who can do it and set the date, hell if nothing else it'll make a great conversation starter eh?\nUnfortunately when I finally got to my appointment and sat down (traffic amirite?) the tat was taking forever so it was pretty late evening when I got done. The whole time I was getting it done I felt something, almost buzzing with energy, and as the final one on my back reached completion my ears began to ring. I faintly heard someone ask if I was alright, and then everything around me blew up. I'm not talking everyone got blasted back five feet. The store blew the fuck up.\nAnd so there I was I shit you not standing unharmed in the center of an enormous blast, glowing, wearing nothing but my pants, and mildly hysterical, so naturally a \"god\" decides to talk to me then. Supernatural dickmove.\nSo this \"Set\" or whatever comes up and says how since \"the contract has been sealed in blood\" and that I'm gonna be \"A catalyst for chaos and a new age of darkness\" like what is this cheap supervillan talking about. Now obviously this guy had a mix up so after some short profanity, discussion, and a too short explanation we agreed to talk it over some Taco Bell. (\"A worthy offering\" according to mr. I hate everything, but love death)\nSo yeah miss that's why I'm gonna need that many burritos and if you could hurry it up El Destructo over here don't like waiting." ]	[ 1, 7 ]	[ "1532540599", "1532577513" ]
	[WP] For the past year, you've had no memories of the time between sunset and dawn. One morning, you remember the previous night.	9	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", " Like every morning, I wake up as the first rays of sun peek over the horizon. After getting out of bed and stumbling into the bathroom to take care of some necessities, I start getting dressed for my usual morning run. I'm what you call a morning person. I always feel so energetic and refreshed in the early morning and inexplicably exhausted right before sunset. \n\n Crossing my living room/ kitchen of my little 3- room apartment, I notice something wrong. There are several stacks of money sitting by my front door. I glance around the room, but nothing else is out of the ordinary. I hesitantly reach out and grab some of the cash. They are all 100 dollar bills. \n\n My legs give out as I collapse to the floor. Where would this money have come from? I stand up and the check the door locks. All three are still locked. I hurriedly cross the room and check my two windows, but they are still locked and the glass isn't shattered.\n\n I sink down on the couch and try to figure this out. I decide to try to retrace my steps in my head. I remember coming home an hour or two before sunset. There wasn't any money then, I would've noticed for sure. I remember laying down in bed to go to sleep. And then...I remember getting back out of bed and changing into some nice clothes. Why would I do that?\n\n Then I have vague memories of a cab. It took me.... to a club. I've never felt a desire to go to a club before. It's just not my sort of atmosphere. I must've been sleepwalking or something, but why to there? I think I remember dancing and talking to people for hours. Then I left.\n\n I must've been hungry, because I stopped at a fast food joint. Next, I have impressions of animals. A pet shop? No, I remember tigers and elephants. Did I break into a zoo?! After that, I just remember sitting a beach for hours. \n\n But none of that explains the money. Or why I feel so energetic. After dancing for hours and walking around a zoo instead of sleeping, I would've expected to be exhausted. None of this makes sense. I sigh and look back at the pile of money. \n\n I notice a bit of red peeking out from under the stacks. I walk over and carefully pull it out. It's a simple college rule notebook. I open to the first page and a folded paper falls out. I pick it up, unfold it and read:\n\n \"Well, the time on our little deal is up. I enjoyed it way more than expected. Who would've thought being a human could be so fun? Undoubtedly, you found the rent payment for possessing your body, since it was stacked on this notebook. Since that's how these deals work, I know you don't remember any of what we've done during the night over the past year, I decided to record it all in this notebook. I thought you would enjoy learning it all. (Wait till you see the tattoo on your back!) \n \"I'd love to do this again, but with our hours reversed. I'd like to see the sun. If that ever sounds good to you, give me a call at the number below. We will negotiate a new deal. Enjoy your money in the meantime\"\n\n I stare, dumbfounded at the message and the number below it. I look to the notebook and settle in to read about what I've been doing with my life. \n\n ", " Dusk till Dawn\n\n\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\n\nAll these years past by.\n\nAs my memory fades.\n\nAll these years that I missed.\n\nThese memories made.\n\nI work long hours through day.\n\nTo make some big pay.\n\nSo my wife and my kids.\n\nHave a room they can stay.\n\nBut when I clock out.\n\nSeems so does my mind.\n\nI remember the route.\n\nBut seems I’ve lost all the time.\n\nBut it seems one morning.\n\nI remember that night.\n\nI was in my room flying.\n\nPlaying with a Kite.\n\nI hear screams.\n\nI hear shouts.\n\nI see faces.\n\nAnd they pout.\n\nI see children,\n\nFor awhile.\n\nTime walks,\n\nA long Mile.\n\nThen I woke from my sleep.\n\nTo sheets, and to beeps.\n\nI remember that night.\n\nSo my memory seeps.\n\nA little boy crying.\n\nThe little boy mine.\n\nI worry for his good.\n\nBut I’m the one dying.\n\nThen they give me a shot.\n\nAnd it helps me forget.\n\nThe old familiar sting.\n\nBut I love every bit.\n\nI fade with my problems.\n\nMy memory fades.\n\nTime seems gone.\n\nAs chemicals raid.\n\nThey raid and they rob.\n\nMy time with that boy.\n\nThis morning I remembered.\n\nI spent time with that boy.\n\nA different kind of boy.\n\nThe son of the devil.\n\nThe devil’s little toy.\n\nIn which I would revel.\n\nAll the time I forgot.\n\nFrom sunset to dawn.\n\nAll the time with my son.\n\nFor the boy I would pawn.\n\n\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~\\~" ]	[ 1, 2, 2 ]	[ "1532590338", "1532602204", "1532602256" ]
	[WP] God has been fired. Heaven and Earth are now under new management.	7	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I walked past the endless cubicles. I am so relieved that he will finally be out of my life. No more disasters. No more lost profits. No more “World Wars”.\n\nI walked into his office. As usual he was asleep, his face on his keyboard and a bottle of Bourbon in his hand.\n\n“Yahweh!” I shouted.\n\nYahweh slowly got up, his wiped the leftover drink onto his sloppy work sleeve.\n\n“Oh, Omega it’s you” He said, laughing drunkenly.\n\n“Yahweh-“ I started to say.\n\n“I’ve been working on a big update to my world, I’m kind of revisiting that Nationalism thing into some simulations, I’m thinking about if it should be brought back or not, you know, for spice” he rambled\n\n“Yahweh” I tried to say.\n\n“Oh, also I’m working on an update to the Space Expansion, humans will be getting to mars” he said.\n\n“Yahweh” I said.\n\n“But I also am working on a Battle Royal mod that all the kids are talking about, I call it Societal Collap-“ He tries to say.\n\n“YAHWEH YOU’RE FIRED!” I said.\n\nHe looked at me, his mouth agape. His smile was gone. He looked around him, he looked at me like a deer in headlights.\n\n“But, I’m almost done” he said, “I just need-“\n\n“That’s what you said in 1975, it’s what you said in 1933, it’s what you said in 1812, it’s what you said in 1776” I said, passing him his pink slip.\n\n“Yahweh” I said, as I placed my hand on my forehead.\n\n“People enter our world to relax and have fun. Your world is not either. It’s a hateful, destructive and violent one. While your world may be what you want, it’s not for anyone else but you” I said.\n\nYahweh made a fist, he was a tall guy, barrel chested, not to be messed with. But slowly he willed his fist to relax. \n\n“The problem I have with it is your humans and what you call climate change” I said. I felt bad for him, he was an idiot. But he was so passionate about his work. I mean his world was not pretty. But it was creative, I had to give him that.\n\n“I expect your desk to be cleared out by the end of the day” I said. I began to walk away when asked me a few questions.\n\n“What will happen to my humans? Who’s my replacement?” He asked.\n\nI sighed as I spoke.\n\n“Gaia will be replacing you. She will be changing their code to make them far more calm and relaxed. They will no longer be able to harm themselves or others” I said.\n\nYahweh, looked at me dead in the eyes. \n\n“You won’t touch them. They are free creatures. They can think!” He said.\n\nI rolled my eyes.\n\n“Yahweh, this for their own good” I said.\n\n“Never” he said, wrapping his arms around his computer. \n\nI had it with this.\n\n“You will hand over your drive or you will be arrested” I said calmly but angrily. \n\nHe looked down at the ground then back at the computer. I swore I saw tears stream down his face.\n\n“I spent millennium working with them. I saw them grow, make mistakes, win, lose. The humans, their like children to me. You are asking to take away my children” he said.\n\n“But I don’t have a choice” he said, pulling his drive from his computer.\n\nHe struggled to let it go. His hands gripped it so tightly I feared it would break. Eventually he let it drop. I could hear him sob quietly.\n\n“Can you tell them something?” He asked.\n\n“What?” I asked.\n\n“That I love them” he said.\n\n“I will think about it” I said putting it into my pocket.\n\nI walked away as heard him continue to sob quietly. " ]	[ 1, 7 ]	[ "1532648838", "1532648855" ]
	[WP] A long time ago, you worked as a tester in a virtual world research facility, and have long since learned the subtle differences between simulation and reality. one day, you wake up in your house as normal, but something feels off. something feels... familiar...	13	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Virtual reality is my speciality.\n\nI've created all types of replica worlds from Skyscrapers to Seaworld, Atlanta to Atlantis, The Middle East to Middle Earth. I've done it all, with only a weekly rest to recuperate.\n\nAnd I love it. I love my job. I create worlds. Who else can say that? Certainly not the supposed \"God\", who is more fake than my replica worlds.\n\nI am the director of all replica worlds. I oversee everything, every last tiny detail.\n\nI am the mother, I am the maker, I am the creator.\n\nYet I am still human. And humans make errors, and humans are lazy, and humans are weak.\n\nMy replicas are not perfect, I will be the first to admit that.\n\nI can accidentally give scars or other deformations to my creations. I will sometimes repeat some of my creations, like in those old cartoons where they reuse the same backgroud over and over. \n\nThis was what was running through my mind when I first got a glance at the woman. I was riding the bus to work and idly staring out the window, when I saw her, the woman.\n\nI knew her. She was my wife. She was also dead.\n\nI pulled the cord to stop the bus immediately, and ran out to see her, but she was gone by the time I got there. I was late to work that day.\n\nThe second time I saw her was at the grocery store. Again I tried to catch her, and again I failed. \n\nThe third time I saw her, I was at work. She was introduced to all of us as a new colleague. I caught her at lunch, and we talked.\n\nWe talked, but it felt like nothing, like idle chit chat, like two robots trying to talk about love. I hated every second of it. This thing was not my wife. This thing must be some idiots idea of a prank to pull on me; they must've gotten a lookalike or a relative of my wife. Any of my colleagues might have done it; they're all jealous of me anyway.\n\nMaybe she is just a lookalike. Maybe nothing weird is going on.\n\nI need to get out of this place to relax a bit. I should go up to my cottage on sunday. Yeah, that's a good idea, go there to relax, get out of the city and out of my own mind a little, and be rejuvenated for work on monday.\n\nSunday rolled around, and it was raining heavily. I wouldn't let that stop me though. I'm not a quitter. I started on the drive.\n\nI have zero visibility, and I'm driving on the highway. I can't see anything. I can barely even see the road beneath me. There isn't any traffic to bother me luckily. Not even transport trucks. That's kinda weird now that I think of it. There's always transport trucks on this road. Nevermind there's a truck. Wait, that's a garbage truck. What is a garbage truck doing on the highway?\n\nThis isn't a highway. I'm on a city street. How did I get here? What city is this?\n\nThis is my city. That is my workplace.\n\nI get out of the car. I walk into my workplace. I see the receptionist. But she isn't the regular receptionist.\n\nShe's my wife. They're all my wife, all my coworkers.\n\nI run out the building. I run away from my workplace.\n\nI end up back at the door to my workplace. I try to run away again, but it is useless.\n\nI can't escape.\n\nI am trapped.\n\nSomeone trapped me.\n\nSomeone who is better at creating worlds than me.\n\nI look up at the sky.\n\nIt still rains." ]	[ 1, 3 ]	[ "1532658622", "1532662860" ]
	[WP] You wake up and walk outside to check the mail, something feels off	9	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Just like every other day I had off from my crappy job, I got up at about 9:30, put on some coffee, and walked from my apartment to the main office to get the mail, and then would drink my coffee with some creamer and have some toast with butter. Nothing too exciting. And that's the way I liked my days off.\n\nIt felt like it was going to be the same today. I walked down the stairs and around my building to the main office. Like most days, there were a few cars coming and going, but today, it seemed like there was a lot more traffic, especially for a Friday. Maybe there were enough people off though since the weather was going to be nice all weekend. \n\nI then walked to the office and to my mailbox. What was strange was though was that no one was at the desk. Usually there was a woman there who'd often say hi to me, but today there was no one. I then picked up my mail. \n\n\"Just bills.\" I thought to myself. There wasn't anything that exciting. But just as a threw away one of those crappy credit card offers that came along with my bills. I then walked outside but i felt something on my shoulder.\n\n\"You better not throw that away Sir. We've been trying to contact you for years, and now we've finally found you. Take him away boys!\" I didn't recognize the voice but he sounded like he was quite angry. I don't know why, I didn't even catch a good glimpse of him, other than that he was balding and had dark sunglasses on. But he had a tight grip on me and I couldn't turn around to see him.\n\nA man with a blindfold than covered me up, and another put a rope around my feet and my hands and from then on, all I knew was that I was thrown into the back of a vehicle, and didn't know where. After what seemed to be hours, the car stopped and the same man who had put his hand on me was talking to me.\n\n\"We know all your secrets John. We know that you have been ignoring us, and because of that we have to kill you. You can't ignore notices from us forever.\"\n\n\"But, all i've done is thrown away credit card deals. What the hell are you talking about?\"\n\n\"You know. We've been trying to get you to tell us about that one night you were in Cancun. Where you met Sally Bishop.\"\n\n\"Wait.... how do you know about her? And all I did was....\"\n\n\" We know that she's a spy for the Russians, and by virtue of your relations and her getting secrets from you... we have to kill you. Throw him down the cliff boys. He isn't going to survive that drop.\"\n\nI then felt like I was flying through the air and screamed, awaiting the impact. Just then, I opened my eyes. I looked around, and saw that I was lying on the street. I then saw a balding man with sunglasses standing in front of me.\n\n\"Sir you have to watch out. Lots of deliveries today. Its all this Amazon Prime crap. That, and they just closed down Christy Road and all those cars are getting rerouted I think. Did you not see me or something?\"\n\n\"No sir, I don't know what happened. Things just seem a little weird today.\"\n\n\"Well watch out. And not just for traffic. I know all your secrets. Fortunately you've got some friends in high places.\"\n\nI then heard the man let out a chuckle and then drive off. I don't know what he meant by secrets, but then I saw that there was a package with my name on it. I thought it was strange, since I hadn't ordered anything recently, but I opened it just the same. All that was inside was a not that said \"I know\" and a picture of me drunk at a party hugging a very attractive woman. On the back of the photo was some writing that said \"Stay away from my wife, or your dead!\" ", "You realize you don't remember your own name. Or anything, even who you are, all you know is this is your daily routine and that my hand really hurts, as if it was broken.\n\nYou hear a female voice coming from inside the house. \"Honey could you come hear for a sec\", I assume I have a wife. I head inside to see what's going on. \"Honey look what there saying on tv\", it was a female reporter talking about a clan that kidnaps people and take there hand and twists it until it breaks, then they said there was one survivor and my picture was up there. \"Look they mentioned you on tv\". I haven't said a single word that morning, I see a worried face on here. \"wait John what's my name\". I take a guess \"I don't remember is it maria\". She shakes her head and calls someone.\n\nI stay and keep watching, but nothing interesting comes on so I take a nap. I wake up to man telling me to get up because I'm in great danger, he drags me to an ambulance and we take off. \"John so you were part of a clan that first takes there wrist and breaks it, then brain washes them to join there clan. You are the only living survivor\". I start to remember the way they tortured me that day and tell them, I say \"I'm still confused about my life, like what's next\". But before they can answer Something hits and tips the ambulance over.\n\nI land on someone's head and breaking there neck killing them, the over doctor got shot by a man in a full black suit dragging me over to a black van. The men start talking In a foreign language that I seem to understand bits of. One of the men comes back with a rag and makes me pass out. I wake up tightly strapped down to a chair with a bag over my head. I hear other men next to me heavily breathing I hear a gun shot about every 5 secs but getting closer to me then the person next to dies and I hear foot steps come behind my chair and feel the end of a gun tip against the back of my head.\n\nThanks for reading, and the any feed back", "“Bradly! How’s it hanging neighbor?” I say loudly. \n\n“Okay then...” I mumble out when he didn’t answer. \n\n“Asshole.” I say with a snap in my voice. \n\nI go to grab the mail and the mailbox is empty. \n“Weird, I haven’t went a day with out something in my mailbox since the first week I bought this house in 2001, besides Sunday’s, obviously.” I think to myself. \n\n“Brad, you get mail today!?” I ask in a loud tone. \n\nHe just shook his head, not up or down or side to side tho. Just in circles. \n\n“What’s going on?” I say to myself. \n\nI walk towards my front door and was stopped in my tracks when I seen the news paper laying on my porch. \n\n“I only get this on Sunday.” I say as I bend over to pick up the rolled up news paper. \n\nMore breaking news on the disaster of NYC the news paper headline reads. \n\n“Disaster? NYC? More news? What the hell happened?” I think to myself. \n\nI go to sit on the porch step and start unrolling the news paper. \n\n“As the crews clean up the terrible site, the body count escalated from hundreds to thousands.” Is written under a picture of what looks like buildings crumbled. \n\n“What the fuck!? What’s this about!?” I say loudly to myself. \n\n“The attack was planned, the attack we have faced was not something that just happened. We have a problem, America. A big, big problem. The terrorist have made their move. Now it’s our turn to make ours.” Reads the first paragraph. \n\nI scroll down with my eyes to big bold letters.\n“The United States of America declares war!” \n\n“This is the twin towers...” I start to put together in my head. \n“This happens almost 17 years ago.. what’s going on?” I think to myself. \n\nI scroll my eyes back to the top of the page and find the date. \n\nSeptember 2, 2001 \n\n“WAIT... what the actual fuck!!!” I scream. \n\n“How can this be possible? It’s fucking July twenty-seventh 2018!!!!” I scream louder. \n\nI run into the house to the my house phone. \n\nI start dialing my wife’s number and press call. \n\n“Hey babe, where are you!?” I say as soon as I hear her pick up. \n\n“Who is this? I think you have the wrong number...” I hear from the other side of the phone. \n\n“Stella, it’s me your husband.” I respond quickly. \n\n“How do you know my name? I’m not married, nor am I even in a relationship!” She says back sounding scared. \n\n“What do you mean!? We’ve been married for 10” \n\n“Who are you I’m hanging up you creep!” She cuts me off. \n\n“What the fuck!” I scream as loud as I can. \n\n“Charles! Come here!” I yell for my dog to come. \n\n“Charles!” I yell louder. \n\nI head to the living room, to check if he’s in his bed. \n\nThe living room is empty. Not one piece of furniture. \n\nI run to the kitchen, panicking. \n\nBoxes nothing but moving boxes. \n\nI melt to the floor with tears in my eyes. \n\n“Please no!” I say shakily. \n\n“My whole life, everything! It was a dream!” I scream loudly. \n\n“It was perfect, my wife, our dog, my job! It was perfect!” I say with tears coming to my eyes. " ]	[ 1, 1, 2, 2 ]	[ "1532667918", "1532670737", "1532670450", "1532670632" ]
[removed]	[WP] The universe has collapsed and, at the end of all things, there is time for one last good deed...	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/HorizonFalls6, this submission has been removed.\n\n[Direct prompt replies must be good-faith attempts at new stories or poems](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_1.3A_direct_prompt_replies_must_be_good-faith_attempts_at_new_stories_or_poems)\n\n- Responses too short: Responses must be at least 30 words. Prompts should encourage a story or poem. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/92bjxn/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things.", "The core is running out, at last science and technology can not save us now,it is now the last chapter of sentience, of life, of the universe.\nToday was the last day, to search for stars or black hole or anything out of which energy harness is possible. We have failed to find it, it was now official. In a week the government will declare it. That now we have no where to go, all the energy has been spent. The heat death of the universe is nigh, no other way now. \n\nFor almost a millennium the leaders were planning for a way to survive. In last century the hope of survival was abandoned, planning on how to end it started. What started as whispers became rallies, talks of mass euthanasia became popular, religions that were present only historical records now came into prominence again. The euthopia that we built over time longer than galaxies' lifetime is now crumbling. \nThe leaders have planned it all out, they are determined to survive till the last second. \"All the resources would be rationalised, we will survive till the last movement may be the prayers have powers maybe the stories of gods are true and by some ex machina we may be saved. Let us hold our breath till the last second.\" the leaders said. So it began the last surviving intelligence waiting for something which nothing predicted, waiting for a miracle.\nDisappointed I came back home, \"we failed\" I said to my partner. No amount of comforting words could console me. Waiting for death is really frustrating, we have managed to almost eradicate death, now we are setting it free again. I sat and thought what would be the best solution, for days I stayed in my study room, after a month's time I finally came out. Coming I messaged my friend and few of my colleagues to come for a meet. All of them were prominent, powerful and knowledgeable persons.\nThe time was set and the meet began. Shortly after exchanging pleasantries I set into the main reason for the call.\n\"Well how are you planning to end it all?\" I asked in matter of fact way.\nThey had their different plans ranging from enjoy till the last moment and then ending it all to waiting till the last moment though it was futile.\nAll agreed on one thing there was no other way.\nMaybe there is no way out, but I want to quit before I do one last act of kindness a last good deed, I said.\nAll my friends reacted with enthusiasm, so before I begin telling my plan, I asked about the the present state of matters.\nAnarchy was their reply, rebles fighting the leaders, rebels fight rebles, leaders fighting with other leaders, the whole society was in a chaos. It sprung quick after the declaration of the end. It was too huge for us to process that we were going to die. Wild theories, with little proofs and logic, of possible ways to create energy started spreading. Few leaders were publicly executed. \n\nSighing, I thought, it should be done then. I proceeded to tell my plan, as I said many of friends kept gasping and once done, there was a huge resistance and after much time they were convinced. Shortly the implementation of the plan began.\nThirty years later everything was ready, all was one button press away. Before I do it , I thanked my friends and then started a broadcast which everyone could hear.\nOnce I got their attention, I started my speech , \"we have spent an eternity together, all of us had billions of adventures, travelled through countless stars, interact with other beings. When tired from our adventures our home had provided with respite and with anything we could ever dream about. This home of ours is a true utopia. But see what has become of our utopia. It's is shadowed by death, by gloom, by blood and chaos and suffering. Is this how we are going to go down? Is this why our ancestors left behind their homes and ventured into the stars? Death has always been behind us, we were only able to stall it for a very long time it is finally time to embrace it. We will embrace it with joy not with us killing each other. I have destabilized our core, it will blow on a single press of a button, do not worry your death wouldn't be longer than a nanosecond. My last act of kindness is this a painless death. If there is an afterlife, I'm sure it would not be as good as our home.\" With that I pressed on the red button." ]	[ 1, 1, 1 ]	[ "1532689458", "1532693103", "1532696291" ]
	[WP] Every individual has a kindred spirit. A connection that allows them to defy fear, express truest emotions without words, and stop aging. At 24, you hadn't found your own. One day, a child approaches you, and your skin begins to glow.	41	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "She was rail thin when they rolled her on a stretcher, oxygen mask on her face fogging up with her weak breath.\n\n\"What have we got?\" I ask the EMT pushing her stretcher. She has large, round eyes, and the pulsing purple and red spirit of a squirrel jumping about her shoulders--a mixture of anger, fear, possible anxiety.\n\n\"We found her in the basement of her home--she was unresponsive at the scene, and we tried to resuscitate en route. We got sinus rhythm back, but her pulse is weak in the extremities.\"\n\n I call Dr. Lorne over, a woman with curly brown hair and the visage of a bright orange phoenix resting on her shoulder. The phoenix stares confidently, unmoved as Dr. Lorne begins her work testing vitals.\n\n\"Did she have a parent with her, someone we can call?\" I ask. The EMT shakes her head, and I look up and a police officer with a sea-blue wolf walks in confidently. He walks up to us as we're wheeling the girl into one of the trauma rooms.\n\n\"We got a call to the scene from some neighbors who had noticed that the girl hadn't been seen in a several days--they were very distraught when we found her, said they should've called sooner but didn't want to intrude. Her name's Mia Gerring.\"\n\n\"Where are the parents?\" I ask again, hoping he can give me some answers. The police officer blinks several times, searching for the most tact way to say it. \"Her parents are the ones who had her locked up in there. We've taken them into custody.\"\n\n\"My god,\" Dr. Lorne whispers beside me, and her phoenix shifts to a shade of deep blue for an instant before returning to it's normal color. She swabs the crease of the girl's elbow for an IV.\n\n\"We're looking in to see if she has any extended family we could place her with, but we're not having much luck. Will you give us a call if you find anything that you think might help?\"\n\n\"Of course officer,\" I reply, and he tips his hat before turning around and walking out. Dr. Lorne sticks an IV, and starts barking orders to the other doctor assisting her. She then turns to me, and asks if I'll keep an eye on her, and I nod.\n\nEveryone has a spirit that is kindred to them. For most people, it's animals, an indication of their personality, their quirks, their approach to life--for others, it's an emblem of some kind that shifts in color, usually tied to religious iconography showing their devotion. But for me, I don't know what mine looks like--because I haven't found it yet. Most people find theirs when they're kids, or teenagers, but I've made it all the way to adulthood without finding mine.\n\nI spend the rest of the day convening with doctors, updating them on patients and treatments provided. Around noon, Mia has gotten her room assignment, but she's still unconscious.\n\nI can't imagine the trauma she's suffered through, and maybe being unconcious is her body's way of protecting her from more. As she rests and heals, I'm hopeful she'll pull out of it.\n\nAt shift change, I walk into her room to check her vitals one more time. I don't know if she senses my presence coming into the room, or someone trying to help her, but her eyes flutter open, squeezed tight as if awakening from a long sleep. She smacks her dry lips together a few times.\n\n\"Would you like some water, Mia?\" I ask, and she nods softly, her thin brown hair strewn across the pillow. Her positioning on the bed looks more doll-like than human-like, and that coupled with her frailness sends a shiver down my spine. \n\nI walk to the counter to grab a pink plastic cup, and then reach into the bottom drawer where we keep some supplies for peds patients. I produce an orange crazy straw, the plastic bending and twisting in over itself and place it into the cup.\n\nI hold the cup close to her face, and she lifts her head slowly to drink, sipping slowly at first, then more urgently from the straw. Her eyes shift back from the water traveling through the straw, to my face.\n\nWhen she's finished drinking, her head collapses back onto the pillow, and she stares at me. \"You're going to be okay, Mia. No one wants to hurt you here.\"\n\nShe nods softly, and when she does, a soft glow emanates from her chest--yellow at first, then bleeding into the soft pink synonymous with contentment. She closes her eyes and falls asleep quickly.\n\nAfter she falls asleep, a similar glow emanates from my chest, syncing up with hers. My replacement comes into the room to check if everything is okay, and sees both Mia and myself softly glowing. She says that it's unusual, but sometimes people find others that have no kindred spirit, and they become the kindred for each other. Mia for me, and I for her.\n\nThe police were unable to find any relatives capable of caring for Mia, and when it came time for her to be placed with a foster family, I volunteered. After a few months of that, I formally adopted her--and I wouldn't have it any other way.", "It took me twenty-four years to discover the meaning of fun, an abnormally long period to suffer under the heavy hand of fear and envy. Here is the story of the day I met my kindred spirit.\n\nI remember the exact date, 14/03/2016. It was the day before my twenty-fifth birthday, and it would make me the oldest body age in England. There were a seemingly infinite number of people with older mental ages than me, but most people found their kindred around the body age of eighteen. My mum, for example, looks younger than me, she has a body age of twenty, and even she gets ribbed for looking old.\n\nThe day started like any other, as you'd come to expect. I spent the morning recovering from a nightmare and dreading the time that marked my work commute. I grew to hate eight-thirty, the singing birds and the new sun were not suitable ailments for my ever-ageing body.\n\nBefore leaving I tightened my trademark blue Nike hoodie, making sure to hide as much of my face as possible. I looked back into the hallway, feeling a pang as nobody came to wave me off. I stepped out of my home and a cold breeze threatened to de-hood me. I looked left and right and sighed as I took the first step to my office.\n\nI could tell within two-seconds if a person had joined or not. The giveaway was a genuine smile, told by crows feet creases beside their eyes. The other giveaway was a pairing; if you saw two people who practically had electricity running between them, you knew they had bonded. Typically when I walked to work, it was done with eyes glued to the pavement. Today I made the mistake of glancing up at the sound of a scream.\n\n'AHHHHH.'\n\nThe scream came from a girl, had to be under the body age of thirteen. I looked at her, first distracted by the football in her hand and then by the smile on her face. It was real.\n\n'You can't catch me!' The girl continued to shout.\n\nMy eyes trailed behind her and saw a golden retriever charging; its mouth curved in an equally exaggerated smile.\n\nThey had joined. I cursed under my breath and snapped my neck forward, returning to the concrete conveyor belt.\n\nShould have worn headphones I thought.\n\nEven without the music, I did not hear the oncoming patter of footsteps. Something or someone slammed into the back of me.\n\nI turned with a tattooed scowl and prepared to unleash a lifetime of pent-up rage. As I spun, I felt hate ooze from every atom in my body, like I had been struck with a tree spile and instead of sap flowed black hate. With each degree of turn I felt lighter, until I faced the equally surprised face of a child. I could see his skin, and he could see mine. The boy glowed like the golden gates.\n\n'I'm so sorry for my boy.' A woman's voice said, sounding distant.\n\nI looked from the glowing child to an angel, with auburn shoulder length hair and eyes that could inspire wars. She smiled at me and then noticed the joining. Her mouth fell open, as did my heart." ]	[ 1, 3, 16 ]	[ "1532699539", "1532717217", "1532704256" ]
	[WP] Hidden in your cloak is a red right hand. You know what you did, you know what you need to do.	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "The fire was a beacon in the dark. \n\nFor miles on that desolate plain it could be seen.\n\nIt drew them.\n\nI waited.\n\nThe first strolled into my makeshift camp, his clothes rough and worn. His features were porcelain, perfect, as if carved from white marble. He smiled as he walked towards me, his teeth long, his grin predatory. He spoke, a practiced spiel it seemed but I could not hear his honeyed words over the growing thunder in my ears. The crescendo of scarlet waves crashing against my temple. I felt the tingle in my fingertips and saliva pooled in my mouth. Even after all these years.\n\nHe was still speaking when I stood, dropping my cloak to my feet. My leathers creaked as I gripped him by the throat, my right hand dark even against the flickering fire. The skin stained the red of offal and as i squeezed his throat, droplets of blood dripped from my exposed skin. The creature's eyes widened as his throat constricted, though he had little need for breath. \n\n\"I didn't know,\" he choked out, his fangs dripping beads of venom that sizzled on my skin.\n\n\"You never do.\"\n\nThe muscles beneath the red skin twitched and flames erupted along its length, a crimson far eclipsing the bonfire to my right. The flames races over its face and body, engulfing it in seconds. Soon there was simply a pile of charred black bones. \n\nI returned to my seat upon the log, shrugging my cloak back over my shoulders. With my left hand, i stirred the campfire, prodding it with a piece of wood till it's flames licked the night sky once more. In the corner of my eye I made out more shapes in the darkness.\n\nThey did not need the heat of the fire but the warmth of those who made it.\n\nIt drew them.\n\nI waited.\n\n\nr/AMSWrites" ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532702480", "1532703980" ]
	[WP] You inherited a thrift store from your grandfather. His only instructions were “make sure the door is locked tight when you leave, and keep the clock on the mantle at 12:30”. One day you neglect your duties, and the clock bongs one.	8	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I look around and nothing happens. Was this just one of my grandfathers tall tales? The old man always was a good storyteller even if all of them weren't true...then I heard a gasp and a sudden crash in the other room. \n\nStanding at the desk frozen in fear, I find the closest thing to a weapon I can, hoping whoever or whatever is in there is scared of a kinda short man armed with a hole puncher. \n\nSlowly I walk into the other room. The item on the floor was in tact, guess it was real gold after all. No one was around which made this situation worse. My hand was shaking as I walked back into the front room." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532727679", "1532727899" ]
[removed]	[WP] You are the leader of the first pack of dogs that was domesticated by humans. How did you end up in this situation and how does the rest of the pack feel?	0	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/Drewchootrain, this submission has been removed.\n\n[Direct prompt replies must be good-faith attempts at new stories or poems](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_1.3A_direct_prompt_replies_must_be_good-faith_attempts_at_new_stories_or_poems)\n\n- Fill-in-the-blank: Responses must be at least 30 words. This is essentially a fill-in-the-blank, or you asked a question likely to generate a simple answer. Prompts should encourage a story or poem. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/92hahz/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532732539", "1532734991" ]
	[WP] You are Death. You fear nothing, have no sympathy, and no remorse. You have taken the souls of billions, some just for the thrill. Then you met Life.	1	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", " I guess you could say I love my job. I make my own hours, I've always been the meanest, the worst of the worst. There are few out there that would dare to stand against me and definitely, fewer are those who can stomach the pain I put others through. which is a nice bonus I guess. never really thought of myself as the good guy... for obvious reasons. \n \nOne afternoon not long ago I was hovering over the interstate trying to pick my next candidate, nothing special all in a day's work for death itself. The sun seemed to have a personal vendetta against anyone who dared to not have an A/C that day, and there wasn’t a cloud in sight to put an end to its evil reign. I watched the cars zip on by, closed my eyes and focused on the sound of the rubber hitting the road Felling the wind hitting my sku- wait was that him? I'll be honest I zoned out for a second. YUP! That’s him, I love this next part. \n\nAs I flew towards the car what looked like a yellow flare shot up from the passenger's seat, it raced towards me desperate for survival. I can honestly say I love how much the guardian angles beg me to spare my clients. Makes it all worth it at the end of the day. With the elderly or morally deprived they don't try so hard, but this guy, this guy was ripe for picking! Mid-thirties, two kids and a wife at home on racing to tell his wife about his raise. \n\n\"What are you doing?\" it demanded an explanation. \n\n\"My Job\" \n\nSuddenly I felt the force unlike any other I had ever felt before I hit the ground bouncing like a volleyball. \n\n\"Who do you think you are?!\" is what I meant to say not sure if the few words I managed to dump out of my mouth resembled my original thought, but apparently it was enough for it to understand. \n\n\"I'm the meanest, the worst of the worst. There are few out there that would dare to stand against me and fewer are those who can stomach the pain I put the parasites of this planet through.\" It pretentiously exclaimed. \n\n\"so, you've heard of me\" \n\nIt looked at me confused almost as if it hadn't recited my whole schtick. Its shoulders dropped, it let out a sigh. \n\n\"I'm a bitch\" \n\n\"LIFE?!\" \n\nIt didn't answer instead the rude little thing just flew off after in the direction the car was headed. Of course, I followed, after all, it was my kill. I have to admit Life flew by much faster than I thought possible. When I finally reached the unfortunate souls' home. Everything seemed fine. It came out of the house with a devilish grin on its face. \n\n\"What'd you do?\" \n\n\"What I do best... I gave life\" it replied\n\n\"To what?\" I asked \n\n\"Bed bugs\" \n\nI've always thought I was the meanest, the worst of the worst. There are few out there that would dare to stand against me and definitely, fewer are those who can stomach the pain I put others through. But life? Life's a bitch ", "(On mobile, apologies in advance for formatting)\n\nLet’s get one thing straight right off the bat— I’ve always done this. Always. Death is my name. Everything I touch turns to ash, and the souls dispel before me. I kill people, animals, plants, bugs, everything. \n\nThe last time you swatted a fly with your bare hand, and hit it to your own stark surprise? That was me. Not you. I take great pride in what I do. Killing humans is my favorite, they’re always dying. Sometimes before they even live. That’s what I’m doing right now.\n\nI merge through the walls of a hospital into the natal care unit, to the delivery room. It’s the quickest way to my target, but I hate merging. The insulation always feels like spider webs and makes me itchy. There’s Hannah. Struggling to get her child out of the birth canal. I rub my hands together. No way this kids gonna get out in time. These particular instances, I’m not a giant fan of my job, but my hatred of humans propelled me to continue anyway. I pull out my ledger to add it to the list of souls I’m to take to the “other side”, and I feel that cobwebby feeling. I look up from my ledger, and there she is.\n\nAnother spirit, like myself. She’s completely spectral, it’s mesmerizing, like looking into the face of the moon. She’s bright, but I can make out the outline of long, soft hair cascading down her back. She reaches down, and assists the child, turning it before lack of oxygen got to it. The next thing I know, I’m stupidly standing there with my ledger and pen in hand, looking like a complete ass.\n\nThe goddess turns toward me, and her eyes completely suck me in. I drop my pen. She’s... beautiful. And sad. And she looks a little mean, but also well-intentioned. She smiles at me. \n\n“Hello,” even her voice puts me in to a stupor. “I’ve heard an awful lot about you, Death.” It sounds like a bedroom whisper. She sounds like fun. \n\n“You... can see me?” I don’t understand why this particular phrase was the one to come out of my mouth. The room quiets as the crying baby is rushed out of the room to be cleaned and tended to. I long forgot she and I weren’t the only ones in here.\n\n“Of course, darling. You and I have been flirting together for a very, very long time.” She winks. “One just barely behind the other. I thought I’d save you this one, though,” she moves close. But she knows as well as I do we can’t touch. But there’s an absolute electricity in the barrier between us.“I know you don’t care for the young ones quite like I do.”\n\nHer eyes are a color I’ve never seen. They’re the color of the trees, sea and flame all in one. She smells like the ocean and forest. I want to badly to caress her face. I look slowly from one eye to the other. In such small actions, she was full of such... \n\n“Life,” the word barely comes out as a whisper. I wonder if she’s as mystified by me as I am by her. She seems like she’s floating, and much more gracefully than me. Her smile sets my chest on fire.\n\nFrom then on, Life and I were always crossing each other’s path. Sometimes she’d let me win. Sometimes I’d let her. Near-death experiences were something I found myself attempting to cause. I don’t care if I put humans or anything else at risk. I just want to see her. She’s becoming my best friend. \n\nLife and I were always flirting with each other, neither of us burdened or bothered by our jobs, or each other’s job. It was what we had to do. I respected how much she cared for humans just like she respected how much distain for humans I held, and why.\n\nBut lately things have changed. I let her win every time I see her. Sometimes when I really shouldn’t. Grandpa was supposed to die at 84, not 107. Scruffy wasn’t supposed to make it through that car accident. But I can’t stand to kill things around her. She understands, but it makes her sad. \n\nWho would have ever thought that Death would ever fall in love with Life?\n\n" ]	[ 1, 1, 1 ]	[ "1532738957", "1532746980", "1532752481" ]
[removed]	[WP] As you are walking from your car to work in Riddle, Idaho, as you do every day, a man wearing nothing but an orange bath towel around his waist approaches and says to you, “I know this is a weird question, but it is very important. What year is this?!”...	3	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/allthehiv, this submission has been removed.\n\n[Direct prompt replies must be good-faith attempts at new stories or poems](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_1.3A_direct_prompt_replies_must_be_good-faith_attempts_at_new_stories_or_poems)\n\n- Fill-in-the-blank: Responses must be at least 30 words. This is essentially a fill-in-the-blank, or you asked a question likely to generate a simple answer. Prompts should encourage a story or poem. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/92j8oy/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things.", "Riddle is an unremarkable town, despite the name. At least... it was unremarkable until recently. That day I was just about to step into the office building when I spotted him. A man running towards me frantically, desperately clutching the bright orange towel wrapped around his waist to keep it from falling down. He wasn’t wearing anything else. I tried stepping into the building as swiftly and nonchalantly as I could, attempting to escape while pretending to have not seen him. By then it was too late though, as he caught up to me just before I got through the door. He skidded to a halt just before slamming into me. My first thought was that his feet must be killing him since he was running on asphalt while barefoot. My second thought is that this was either someone escaping capture by some maniac, or that he was an insane person. He seemed winded, but otherwise unfazed. So he was probably the latter. \n\n“Terribly sorry to bother you sir, but what year is it?” \n\nHis accent was mostly American... probably. There were hints of what resembled British in there and possibly Welsh or something else vaguely foreign. He was probably drunk too. I could smell a distinct whiff of an alcoholic beverage. It was very strong but it was one I didn’t recognize. Something with lemon... and... something that reminded me of burnt walnuts or gunpowder? \n\n“I know this is a weird question, but it’s very important that I know. What year is this?!”\n\nThe clearly insane and drunk person was getting more agitated now, but his awareness that the question was odd and the fact that his speech wasn’t slurred gave me a bit of hope that if I just answered the question he’d just go away and that I wouldn’t have to involve the police. \n\n“Umm... 2018.”\n\n“Thank you SO much! Gosh, thank you Dave! You really are a life saver... I’ll let you get to work now.”\n\nI was about to just rush into the building when something hit me. He knew my name. I never told him my name was Dave. How could he know something like that unless he was a stalker or something? Even though he was obviously a nutter, he for some reason didn’t strike me as the stalker type.\n\n“How do you know who I am?”\n\n“Don’t worry about that for now, you’ll find out soon enough. Oh, and don’t forget that next time you meet me the first thing you have to say is 57.”\n\nThen he vanished. No sound, no flash of light, no wind. He was just gone, towel and all. It was as if he hadn’t been there to begin with. I was tempted to write it off as a temporary psychotic break before I noticed the lingering scent of that mystery beverage. Luckily the incident hadn’t made me late for work. Several days later I was driving down the road to work when this mysterious man suddenly appeared in the seat next to me. Needless to say I was more than a bit startled. I yelped rather loudly. This didn’t seem to faze the man, but he did seem confused by his new surroundings. It seemed that he didn’t expect to be there. This time he was wearing some clothing thankfully, but not much. He had polkadoted boxers and some sort of dirty and fraying robe or nightgown. He was clutching the orange towel in his hands like a security blanket, and everything on him smelled of burnt metal. Suddenly I remember what he had told me before. \n\n“Fifty-seven!”\n\n“What? How did you know that? Who are you?”\n\nHe didn’t seem to remember our last encounter, which I felt was unfair considering I couldn’t get that meeting out of my head for days. I might as well introduce myself. \n\n“I’m Dave. You told me to say that number to you as soon as I saw you next.”\n\nHis eyes lit up, realizing something important I’d imagine, and he took out the device that was wrapped in the towel. It looked kind of like a tablet or an ebook. He began typing furiously on the screen while talking excitedly. \n\n“Sorry about the condition of my clothes, I borrowed this from a friend. Also sorry for dropping in unexpectedly, but I have a feeling I’ll have to do that more before I can leave. It’s a long story, but I think I just figured out how we can end it.”\n\n“You seem pretty calm for having just shown up in a stranger’s car.”\n\n“I find it best not to panic. It doesn’t help.”\n\nIt was then that he and I officially started on our journey, when we found out how truly strange my hometown was, and when my life changed forever as a result. It was then that he told me his name. \n\n“Ford Prefect, pleased to meet you. Didn’t think I’d be on Earth again, but hey spacetime is like that. Now then Dave, I’ve got one question for you... Have you ever read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?”" ]	[ 1, 1, 2 ]	[ "1532750178", "1532751247", "1532754231" ]
	[WP] The local animal shelter in this small rural mountain side town doesn't have much happen to it often. The same pers have been their for a while and once every so often someone will bring in an injured or orphaned wild animal. But one graveyard shift someone brings in something no one expected.	22	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Lucille often wondered why someone even bothered to build an animal shelter in Pine Creek.\n\nThe locals took exceptional care of their pets, and those that fell ill went to the veterinarian on Maple Drive. There were no abused dogs or neglected cats. There were no parrots that spoke on into the night after their owner had a heart attack, no iguanas that had bitten the children, no rats that stunk more than a prissy housewife expected. The lack of similarity to her old town was the reason she had applied. A big city shelter was no place for a bleeding heart like herself. The place served more as a daycare than anything else. Everyone liked her well enough, so they would just check-in their pets if they went traveling or camping in the woods. \n\nThe thought reminded her that she should take Rufus out for a quick stroll. Rosalyn left her St. Bernard behind when she left for her grandson's college graduation. The beast of a dog came padding out of his pen at her whistle, and stood politely while she clipped his leash on. He moved to the back door without her prompting and huffed happily when they broke into the warm night air.\n\nRufus walked her across the grass to the tree line, heading for his favorite pine. The carpet of dry grass and twigs crunched pleasantly under her boots as they went. Lucille waggled her flashlight back and forth along the ground as she went. Checking for snakes was just about the only feature of life in the mountains she didn't enjoy. But the yard, like the shelter behind her, was empty of anything except the summer night.\n\nWhich is why Rufus' barking came as such a surprise.\n\nShe stumbled forward a few feet when he pulled the leash. Great booms of noise echoed from the dog, who was pointed towards the tree line to her left. Lucille switched her grip on the flashlight and turned, running the light along the wall of trunks around them. If a wolf got a little too brave, a quick swing would discourage it. She had never had to do that, but the townsfolk assured her that...\n\nRufus stopped barking. She turned towards him.\n\nA mass of shaggy fur was standing at the edge of the yard. It was huge, at least twelve feet tall, and as thick around as a grizzly bear. In the low light she saw it stood upright, and noted the size of its hands and feet. Its head was featureless in the dimness, but she could see something whiplike moving behind it, not unlike a monkey's tail.\n\nLucille swung her flashlight around and doused the creature with radiance. She half registered the simian proportions and knotted muscle as she saw the matted crimson fur around the abdomen. The clinical part of her brain commented on how much blood it would take to make a stain that size on such thick brown hair.\n\nNothing moved except the creature's tail. The creature stared, unblinking, through the light. Its eyes were milky and pale. It's fangs were the yellow of a heavy smoker, and the hairless skin around the face was black and slightly reflective, almost like tar.\n\nRufus whimpered. The creature immediately dropped into a crouch, putting one massive hand to the earth as it settled, and turned its head towards the St. Bernard.\n\nFear and reality came in the same instant. Lucille tugged the leash and whistled. Rufus broke into a run with her, racing towards the shelter door that she left open. She heard the whoosh of air and a the creature simply appeared between her and safety with a crack of twigs. \n\nIt was so fast.\n\nRufus moved closer to her and began to growl protectively. The creature was silent again, watching them, not ten feet away. At this distance she could smell it. Earth and dirt, the thick musk of a wild thing, and under it all, blood. There was so much red on its chest, so much blood. Its head was aimed at Rufus, almost imperceptibly turning to keep its pale eyes fixed on the dog's face. No, his throat. Where the sound was coming from. \n\nIt was blind.\n\nShe reached into her jeans and pulled the pocket knife out. At the click of the blade releasing the creature turned its head towards her. The turn was smooth and frictionless, like an owl. She could see the hair on its body moving slightly, twitching here and there like it was reading the situation. She gripped the knife tighter. The hair moved at the shift in her hand. She saw that claws were growing from the tips of its thick fingers, pure white claws like a large hunting cat.\n\nRufus kept growling at a steady note, but the milky eyes were locked on her and her knife. It was waiting for her move. Lucille began to count down. 3..........2............1........\n\nA sharp whistle broke the standoff. The creature exploded into motion and leapt clear over their heads in a blur. Lucille turned to see a man with a rifle on his back step out of the woods, holding a wooden flute to his lips. He froze when he saw her and Rufus. The creature towered over him, but kept its sightless gaze locked on her. She recognized him. He worked down at the lake, at the marina.\n\n\"Daniel?\"\n\nDaniel showed his teeth in an awkward smile.\n\n\"I....um.....I see you and Rufus met Cooper.\"\n\nThe creature lowered its head towards Daniel and let out a soft hoot at the sound of its name. Daniel reached out a hand and ruffled its scalp. Lucille was so confused she uttered the only thought she had left in her head.\n\n\"What the hell is that?\"\n\nHe smiled again as he patted the creature's head.\n\n\"Ever heard of Bigfoot?\"", "“What is this?”\n\nDoctor Jack Darrell looked at the container with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. He was the lead veterinarian at the Salvation Light Animal Sanctuary, and this was the second most odd creature he had seen during his ten year tenure in this field.\n\nHe turned to his assistant, who seemed also to be at a loss for words to describe this unusual organism.\n\n“Do you happen to have any idea?”\n\nShe shook her head.\n\n“The individual who dropped him off did it without much hullabaloo. I never saw him.”\n\nThe creature in question was swimming within a glass container, yet there was no water. It was spherical in shape, and had no defining features whatsoever but the gentle discharge of minute cinders. \n\n“I have not seen something like this since the Event.”\n\nHis assistant paled, and clutched her lab coat instinctively.\n\n“The Event? Is Forrester Slipping again?”\n\nDoctor Darrell thought to himself for a moment, mulling over the question. A Slippage has not happened to this town in exactly ten years, which was when he took this tenure.\n\nAfter the Slip was fixed, he had only seen normal Gaian creatures up to that point. But the appearance of whatever creature which whirled around in the container gave Darrell the hint that another Slip was about to occur.\n\n“The Mist Troglodytes will be arriving soon, just as with the last Slip ten years ago. Go ready the others, tell them to alert the Guard.”\n\nThe assistant nodded, and walked out of the building, her steps of her heels echoing in the newfound silence.\n\nDarrell sat down nearby, and held the container in his arms.\n\n“The longest night awaits us. I feel it in the air, it is so quiet.”\n\nHe prepared for the Guard’s arrival.\n" ]	[ 1, 2, 11 ]	[ "1532760557", "1532786455", "1532764061" ]
	[WP] The villains found the most effective way to get rid of heroes is to get rid of crime.	39	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "\"Stop right there, PlantMan! I'm about to send you back to wherever you came from. Be ready to root in jail, ohhh haha haha!\" Coologne stood by the hole in the wall, ice cape continually shattering and reforming as it blew in the breeze.\n\n\"Ahhh! Security!\" \n\n\"They can't help you. I have defeated them.\" His breath and skin puffed out plumes of mist, threatening to blanket the office in fog. Long monologues detailing his victory were his way of stalling so he could fight in the environment of his own element, but this was not his element. This was Doom Island.\n\n\"You can't do this, Coologne! We are a sovereign nation. You attacking citizens and causing damage to our infrastructure is tantamount to a hostile invasion by a foreign entity! We have an international right that you have just breached!\"\n\n\"Hahaha, PlantMan! I'm immune to your fancy words. Justice stares you in the face and you just jibber-jabber in your made-up language.\"\n\n\"Okay, Brainfreeze, think of it this way: in America, I broke the laws, and you got me. Here, we may have laws on the books, but no police force or extradition... Errr... kicking people out for doing bad things, means hacking foreign bank accounts is wrong by law, but goes unpunished. You, however, are accountable to the laws of America, and international law. You, not me, will go to jail for this since I have the power of what's right on my side.\"\n\nBy this time, however, the fog was thick enough that PlantMan, first President of Doom Island didn't see the fist planted right in his jaw...thing. I guess it's his jaw. Whatever. He got beat to a pulp, and taken to America, where he was thrown in jail, all the while using is poisonous words to try and infect the guards, but they were all too smart for him.\n\nSo remember this, evil-doers, no land is safe from the long American arm of justice. Your laws are our laws, and justice is a dish best served cold." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532800820", "1532863178" ]
[removed]	[WP] If my contradictions were to manifest themselves to you	1	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/beneath-the-veil, this submission has been removed.\n\n[All submissions must be tagged](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_4.3A_all_submissions_must_be_tagged)\n\n- Existing Content: Prompts are not meant to share stories already written, but to inspire users to write stories. Check our [related link wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/links) for more relevant subreddits. We want to inspire new writing here. Try a prompt that takes authors on a new journey. Not a journey that has already been made \n\n \n\n \n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/92o37h/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532801059", "1532801144" ]
	[WP] A prohibition was instituted on Soda.	3	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Sugar addicts swarm supermarkets minutes before the ban. Grabbing everything in sight. Over the desperate decaying months, one looses focus and drifts into lucidity, reminiscing of those lovely bubbles, the dry sickly sweet tang of cold refreshment, sliding down the throat. \n\nThe carbohydrate junkies are thrown into a depressed malaise, withdrawals commence as their blood glucose levels gradually normalise. The obese drop pounds in weeks, many type 2 diabetic medication prescriptions are halted. Healthier for their abstain, people start to cheat. The hardcore drink on regardless, some super rich who stockpiled guzzle on and on. Bloating and belching with pleasure while unfortunates drink dirty drips from older bottles.\n\nA dealer on a silent street corner, whispers \"want to get carbonated\" as he opens a leather jacket revealing lines dented cans. Black markets rise through dusty shacks to dark warehouses. Bags of sweeteners used to cut the crystal mounds of refined sugar are hauled in by toothless slaves in fake tracksuits.\n\nKeto dieters earn extra cash as they sell their sugar rations onto sweating junkies, still mourning their daily gulp. One dips her finger into the bag, nodding in recognition of its unadulterated high quality granular hit. \n\n\"What next? They banned Soda, rationed sugar\" The rabble shout in public meetings in government buildings. \nThe judge clears his throat. \"A new nationwide ban will be enforced from the end of this year. That is to be by unanimous vote from the board, the prohibited of DONUTS\". \n\n\n " ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532827577", "1532828642" ]
	[WP] The measure of a man is how he chooses to act when he no longer has anything to lose.	40	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "They say that the true measure of a man is how he chooses to act when he has nothing left to lose.\n\nIt makes sense. If you have nothing to live for, nothing to bind you down, nothing to hold you back then you're basically free to do anything you wish.\n\nWant to go run naked through Times Square because you have no family to judge you? Go for it. Who gives a fuck? \n\nWant to go do drugs and wake up in a substandard motel in Greece with a gap in your memory and your teeth probably? Go for it. No one cares.\n\nYou want to kill someone and you have no real or relevant societal boundary to tie you back? Morally dubious and would not recommend but I guess you could do it but I wouldn't endorse such a heinous thing. \n\nThe point is that without anything to truly live for, you are in effect truly free to show your truest face and character.\n\nMaybe to yourself as a way of self-actualisation or maybe to the world to prove something.\n\nWhatever. \n\nBut the way a person can choose to behave can mean the world to a third party observer or maybe to your own unconscious thoughts.\n\nAll in all, whatever you may or may not choose to do has a consequence and even if no one is there, it reflects on you. \n\nWhether or not you take the reflection to heart or not isn't important but rather the idea that everything affects the way a system works and you as a component of that system have an effect on it even if you feel like you're no longer a part because you have \"nothing to lose\" so to speak.\n\nSo, in darkness or in light, the true measure of a man is how he acts when they have nothing to lose." ]	[ 1, 7 ]	[ "1532885898", "1532911844" ]
"You don't seem to belong anywhere"	[WP] Your are the conductor of the train to the afterlife, Judging other people's lives and taking them to heaven, hell, or limbo. Until one day you find someone who doesn't fit any criteria.	1	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "\"I hate the weird ones,\" I muttered to myself as I made my way to the abandoned tower that served as my living quarters. \n \nThe Reavers trailing behind me howled in anguishing screams of misery, their sharp shadowy claws gripping the prize of the moment. This one was different than the others: you could tell that just looking at him. Pale white skin under a dreary mop of dark black hair, with a tattered brown cloak wrapped around him covering what little bones he had on his body. Terribly thin with that haunted look that you only really get from the damned, he seemed thoroughly shocked of his current situation. \n \nI turned around, taking off the spectre hooded helm that masked my human features. \"Hey. Sorry about the transit, they're not really known for being soft. Make yourself comf-\". I stopped when I realized that, through the ghastly shrieks of the wraith-like Reavers, he had been screaming his bloody head off this whole time. Oh, right. Death does that to a person. \n \nI snapped my fingers, and immediately the environment changed. The previously dark room lit up in a welcoming homelike flame, and the windows that were showing the damned eternal torments changed to a beautiful cloudy skyline. The Reavers disappeared too, hopefully going out and getting more...normal dead while I dealt with this one. \n \nSlightly nodding my head, I formed two chairs, one made of Oblivion's bone and one made of oak wood, and sat down, trying to be as welcoming as I could towards the new guy. To his credit, he wizened up a bit and tentatively took a seat across from me, looking a wee bit confused. \n \n\"Okay, that should be better. So, Mr...\". I muttered a curse and formed the contract sheet in my hand, shooing away one of the bats that had decided to make it more \"deathlike.\" Time and a place for grandeur, I grumbled as I perused through the document. \n \n\"Right, you don't have a name. That's okay, we'll get that sorted out. Anyway, so you're probably wondering why you're here today. Is that right?\" \n \nDamn, he looked outright nervous. I've been accommodating enough, haven't I? Maybe he needs a drink. I don't think I have water here, but I could probably order a reaver to get some mead or somethi-\n \n \n\"Am I dead?\" he bewilderingly asked. Or yelled. Not too good with discerning the two. \n \n\"Yeah, you are. Your head got taken off by a stray knife not meant for you. Unfortunate, that. If it makes you feel any better, the guy who killed you dies from guilt-induced diarrhea like a week from now, so you got avenged. If that's what you call avenged.\" \n \nHe didn't look very relieved. \n \n\"Where are we?\" \n \n\"We, my friend, are in the Beyond. Yeah, not the most creative name I know, but it gets the job done.\" \n \n\"...Which is?\" \n \nHe's taking this pretty well, all things considered. That was good. I could use a conversation. \n \n\"It's beyond comprehension, hence the name. Most people who die- in fact, basically all of them- don't go here. They go to Hell for the worst guys (like yours), Heaven for the saints, and the rest just kinda...hang out for a while. But you're different.\" \n \n\"How so?\" \n \n\"Because you don't belong in any of them. You've committed too many atrocities to go to Heaven, but you also saved quite a few people and Hell doesn't work. We normally would take you through to the middle, but most people who go there go because they didn't do anything in their life. But you were really busy doing whatever you were doing, so that doesn't quite work. So you're here.\" \n \nDamn, he didn't get what I was getting at. Time to be more blunt about it, I guess. \n \nI slammed my foot into the ground, causing a small tremor that spawned my ghostly visage- the one that I use when I need to grab someone special. Taking the massive scythe that I summoned, I gestured it towards him- which freaked him out and made him dart out of his seat. This was the first time I really took a look at him; he was pretty tall for a young guy, looked me almost in the eyes. Yeah, he'll do. \n \n\"So,\" I said offering my scythe, \"since you're not doing anything, you want a job?\" \n \n*The following is a story that I have constrained to write for no more, and no less, than fifteen minutes. Critique is highly requested and loved, but I will not edit any past entry after the fifteen minute mark. This account is a personal project to improve on goal-setting and writings.*" ]	[ 1, 6 ]	[ "1532928261", "1532932321" ]
	[WP] You work as a cashier at your local McDonalds to make ends meet. On one particularly slow day an old man walks in, face shroued in a dark hood. "Hello, welcome to McDonalds. Can i take your order?" You say. The man looks up at you and says "Execute Order 66"	56	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "“Execute Order 66”\n\n\n“My guy I just want a cheeseburger and a side of fries” \n\n\n“SHIT! That hoodie isn’t red?”\n\n\n“It’s maroon bro, let me pay...squints at nametag... Joshua.”\n\n\n“Look man, I don’t get paid enough for this shit, you’re the last agent i need to register you or else I don’t fill my quota. Stop playing dumb so we can both go home.” \n\n\nSuddenly the silence in the restaurant dawned upon me. \n\n\n“Come with me.” Said the cashier as he opened the gate into the kitchen section. \n\n\nDamnit. I’ve trained with weapons and have experience with martial arts my entire life. I got my Beretta in my holster and a utility knife in my pocket.!The question of safety isn’t something I’m concerned of. I really want to test my luck. BIG YOLO.\n\n\nI followed the cashier to the end of the hall, where I was prompted to enter into the employees only door. To the left, there was an office, but straight ahead was an ominous staircase, leading to an unlit abyss. As I stepped towards it, some lights lit up, showing me a way down. It was a terribly long journey but I made it down. The cashier had abandoned me as soon as I started making my way down, but I was too curious to care. There was a simple door at the end of the staircase. I opened it and was immediately met by an imposing figure, sporting an eerie grin. \n\n\n“Order number?”\n\n\nInstinctively, I proclaimed:”66.”\n\n\n“Welcome to the Illuminati headquarters #459. Please be seated for the lecture starting in 5 minutes.”\n\n\nI entered the auditorium. It wasn’t huge, but it was big. The crowd, although was more like a poor college basketball game’s. This must be a minor presentation. I assumed. \n\n\nAn astonishingly normal looking man entered and took to the podium. \n\n\n“Good day gentlemen! I hope you’ve had a wonderful week with your stand-in wives and children. Now we must get down to business. Jaoquin!!! Make sure we’re broadcasting to all the locations. Why did we have to build a headquarters under every McDonald’s? Anyways, onto more exciting matters. We’ve successfully eliminated the new-gen emancipators. They’re evolving; spreading their messages of liberation through highly potent platforms such as music. Our greatest enemy in this domain; Lupe Wasalu Fiasco has had the release of his new album Waves suspended by our hackers for the 5 month running. We can not afford a repeat of the past. He made the people more informed than ever about our existence. Thankfully that was 10 years ago and the sheep have forgotten. This allows us to start with a blank canvas. To paint our own masterpiece from scratch! Join next week’s workshop, warriors. A new protocol shall be devised then!”\n\n\nHoly shit. What am I listening to. Lupe Fiasco?!! It actually makes sense. I’m a big fan, and I caught some things he said that were extremely cryptic. His work adds up to this in my mind. Holy shit. I need to sleep on this. I quickly ran back up those stairs and out of the kitchen. The restaurant was operating normally. I exited and looked for my chevy cobalt I bought from being an accountant. I saw a phone number scribbled onto my windshield with a marker. I took a picture and smudged it off.\n\n\nThe next day I decided to research Lupe Fiasco. With the thought of the Illuminati as an evil organization at the back of my mind, I found endless hints and messages from Lupe. He’s been trying to make us aware without attracting too much attention from the Illuminati. Somewhere along the line, he obviously failed. I then remembered the number I found. I gave it a call and the operator told me to visit a website where I would be given a code in order to continue. I visited the website and within 15 seconds my computer crashed the landline disconnected and the picture of the number on my cell got erased in front of my eyes. Static appeared on my monitor and then it went blank. I heard a voice from my speaker that was familiar to the lecturer from yesterday: \n\n\n“66, huh?”\n\n\nEND chapter 1", "\"Okay Then,\" I Respond, Typing the order into The Cash register.\n\"Your order is Six McNuggets with a side Of Szechuan Sauce. That will be 2 dollars.\" \nAt that moment, the most astonishing thing happened. The man threw off his hood to reveal the pale and wrinkled face, his fingertips sparked with tendrils of lighting.\nHe snarled in an accent I could not quite identify,\"YOU DARE not get the REFERENCE?\" \nWith More Gusto then a man his age could have had, Dark Hood Man Jumped onto the Countertop.\nBehind him, Customers scattered and ran in all directions. Some tripping over and falling in a desperate scramble to get away from danger. \nInstinctively, I brought out my company-issued lightsaber and absorbed his first attack -- a bolt of lightning aimed straight at my jugular.\n\"WARN THE MANAGER! QUICK!\" I screamed at my co-workers. They ran (because who won't) to the office of the one we all knew as \"The Boss\".\nWhile distracted, Dark Hood Man Shot another bolt of lightning which I sidestepped.\n\"Hey, Dude. What is your Name? Pretty Sure the narrator is tired of calling you \"Dark Hood Man\".\"\n\"You Shall Call Me EMPEROR PALPATINE!\" He roared\n\"That's no better!\" I complained.\nBefore he could do anything, I lunged at him and swung the Lightsaber in a wide arc. Suddenly, he too was holding a Lightsaber.Said Lightsaber proceeded to catch my swing midair and send me careering off to the side.At that moment, a shout reverberated from the corner.\n\"IT'S A STAR WARS REFERENCE!\" The Boss Shouted At Hooded Dude.\nTo my surprise, Pulpatine's face turned a shade of orange. Was it Embarrassment?\n\"My apologies.....I never knew that this Fast Food Restaurant was run by people of culture.......\" With That, He disappeared into the night.\nMy Boss peered at me,\"You never watched Star Wars?\"\n\"Shocking, Yes I know. But I had no idea it would have been relevant for the current situation here. I had No Idea Watt he was yapping on about. His brain seemed to be hot-wired for not-so-obscure movie references\" I concluded.", "\"Execute order 66.\" \n\nIt was a funny enough joke, even if I heard it about twice a month on average. This was a college town after all. What added to the delivery somewhat was the man's stature; he was a short, bent, old man with a pair of liver spotted hands just peeking out from behind a collection of enviable winter gear. \n\nI smiled warmly, \"I'm afraid our menu only goes to twelve sir.\" \n\nHe cocked his head idly, and suddenly I got a good look at his face under the hood. Wrinkled and scarred, with a slightly manic look in his eyes and a subtle frown on his lips. He began shaking his head, \"No, no. None of this is right. None of this feels right.\" \n\nHe began to work his hands together as if in a panic and I got a bit uneasy. The last thing I needed during lunch rush was some old guy going spacko and taking up ten minutes of my time being shouted at. I tried to speak up over him but only made it through, \"Sir, if you could just -\" before he gestured sharply with one of his hands. \n\nIt had been the sort of lazy negation that I'd waved a hundred times to my friends on whether or not I had plans this weekend - but its affect was decidedly more acute. It was as if my mouth had been sown shut and then duct taped over, with a sock shoved down my throat for good measure. For a second I couldn't breath, and my hands went to my mouth in more than a little terror before I realized I could still breath through my nose. \n\nAs I stood there rendered mute and terrified the man began loudly demanding of the restaurant at large where he was, where the Jedi were, \"Why aren't there any droids around here?\" The works. People began to back off as the general unease began to metastasize into fear. It all would have been quite entertaining if my mouth weren't mortared closed. As it was, this guy was creeping me the hell out. Eventually his shouting attracted the attention of the only guy worth a damn in the entire building, our store manager Orion Kennedy. \n\nHe was a big guy, about six and a half feet tall and still built like the linebacker he'd been in high school despite the better part of twenty years going by, with calm blue eyes, a disarming smile, and a kickass beard. He'd do anything to help one of his guys, and wasn't afraid to mix it up with a customer to keep the line moving. There weren't many McDonald's out there with a cool boss, but we had one. \n\nOrion made it to the front counter, loudly demanding to know what was going on, when the old man turned to him. Instantly, they both froze. It was a curious reaction for about half a heartbeat, then the old man's face skinned back in a horrible rictus of a grin, and he launched himself over the counter. If you've never seen a frail old man effortlessly leap into a four foot vertical with a ten foot long jump component, I can assure you it is surreal. \n\nThough, admittedly, not as impressive as the lightning literally crackling at his fingers as he launched. \n\nThat's when things got really weird, and a strange metallic cylinder jumped into Orion's hand, and the streamers of lightning met their match on a humming plasma blade. \n\nGreat, I thought, still mute. My boss is a Jedi. " ]	[ 1, 3, 6, 38 ]	[ "1532933479", "1532936889", "1532937872", "1532937715" ]
[removed]	[WP] A depressed guy moves into a haunted house with seven demons, each corresponding to a deadly sin. But they’re all trying to help him get back on his feet ; Pride helps him with self confidence, Lust helps him get laid, etc.	4	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/michelpl2, this submission has been removed.\n\n[No explicitly sexual responses, hate speech, or other harmful content](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_2.3A_no_explicitly_sexual_responses.2C_hate_speech.2C_or_other_harmful_content)\n\n- Sexually explicit themes are not allowed. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/933jk4/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1532952863", "1532954884" ]
An alternate version where you're dead last would also be cool	[wp] The achivements of every person on earth, like saving lives, raising a child or doing good deeds, have been given points. The points have been compiled to a public list of people and you're number 1.	5	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "“I have to stay in first,” you mutter. You see another person staring on the list on their phone. They’re number two. One point behind you. You’re overcome with a winning desire, and ten minutes later, #2 is dead. You stare at your phone, smugly. Your smile drops. You’ve become #7,531,253,492.", "Fifth on the list? A third generation firefighter, who worked for the city's most prestigious unit, known for their bravery and willingness to jump into almost any dangerous situation without a second thought. He'd been in training since he was a kid, accepted as the earliest enrolled firefighter of his generation, and worked as both a paid employee and volunteer. He just...loved his job, and was recognized for it. \n \nSecond on the list? A local millionaire, who would probably have been a billionaire if not for her philanthropy. She was constantly donating to charity, helping set up relief funds, even volunteering any leftover time she had at soup kitchens and homeless shelters, doing actual physical labor like passing out blankets or just being there to talk to people. She was certainly a model citizen, human being, and overall great person. \n \nAnd then there was me. Who am I, you wonder? Nobody. No one. Nothing special. A thirty year old gamer, living with his mom, working a dead-end job with no prospects and no real goals. Sure, I had passions, but they continued to fizzle and reignite, never leading to anything. I mean, sure, I guess I'm a nice guy, which is something to be said in the MMO genre that I loved so much, but...I was nobody, really. I had no money, no ambition, no drive to save people from burning buildings or go to my local homeless shelter to show off an altruism I know didn't exist. Just a loser playing WoW, having fun with people I've never met, enjoying a world I could never truly be a part of. \n \nBut there it was. My name, at the very top. Above the firefighting monstrosity of a man, above the millionaire philanthropist, above...everyone. And it wasn't like it was some small margin, either. The margin was huge, and I had no explanation for it. My family was ecstatic yet confused, thrilled yet puzzled. I mean, they should be, right? I was just as dumbfounded as they were. Sure, their confusion was stifled by their excitement of the newly established yearly awarded government grant and prestige for the top five, but that did nothing to quell my thoughts. \n \nWhat the hell was going on? Who was I to destroy the competition? I was no one. I'm nothing. Work. Game. Sleep. Repeat. What the hell was going on? \n \nAnd then, a ringing. Not the house phone, that my family insists we need for whatever odd reason despite everyone having cell phones. Not my cell phone either, which I hardly got calls on anyway except for my raid leader telling me to get my ass online before I'm benched for the week. It was a Skype call, which I forgot I even had installed, but it still started up with my computer. Looking at the caller, it said Unknown, which was weird since I didn't even know you could get calls from non-friends. But, I accepted it anyway. \n \n\"Connor?\" an unfamiliar, deep, clear voice spoke from the other side. \"Connor Ragden?\" \n \nI swiveled my microphone down and held my push-to-talk button which I assumed I had set for Skype all those years ago, and the settings carried over to my new computer. \n \n\"Yeah, this is Connor. Who's this? Hello, can you hear me?\" I was kind of excited, but also a bit scared. I couldn't be anymore confused than I already was, though. \n \n\"Connor Ragden. The same Connor who is number one on the list?\" The tone was official, almost as if they were reading from a script. \n \n\"Yeah dude, it's Connor. Who is this? What's going on?\" \n \nA light breathing was heard on the other end, so I knew he was on open mic. Definitely not used to it, he fumbled around something, dropped something else, but continued. \n \n\"Connor, the same Connor who goes by Rogueonederful on the game World of Warcraft?\" He was composed, and I just let him do his thing, being as patient as I could. \n \n\"Well, yeah, that's me. How do you know my-\" \n \n\"Connor Ragden, alias Rogueonederful, Battletag Rogue#1990?\" \nHe was laying it all out, confirming my identity, connecting me to my account. \n \n\"Yes. All me, man. Who are you, what do you want?\" \n \nThe other side went silent. I waited for at least five minutes after the confirmation, but I couldn't bring myself to hang up, despite wanting to go back to questing and losing myself in the game. Then his voice came back. \n \n\"Number one. Sixth annual report, and only now can people see you for who you are. Number one.\" He knew something. He knew why I was number one, despite me about ready to just put it to the back of my mind and go back to the world I cared about. I apologized to the person I was questing with for having to stop helping for a little, and went to an inn to give him my full attention. \n \n\"Who are you, and what the hell am I doing at the top of the list?!\" I was definitely ready for answers. For something. For...anything. \n \n\"Connor, you truly are an amazing person.\" \n \n\"Dude, what the...can you just, tell me what's going on? I don't even care who you are anymore.\" I could almost feel a smile appear on his face through the brief silence. \n \n\"Look Connor, for the past five years, our rankings have been very accurate. Reports of people's deeds and greatness came through all the time, and we made sure to check and verify all claims, all reports, whether they were from an individual or company. But we also realized we weren't being thorough enough in our investigations.\" He cleared his throat, and I still had no idea what was going on. \"Only recently did we start including online reports, and from companies such as gaming companies. Starting to make any sense, yet?\" \n \nIt wasn't. I mean, I just played the game. Sure, I was nice, but what did I really...do? I just had fun, helping people quest, giving away random stuff to noobs, sitting out for raids or dungeons, sticking with a group and not abandoning them even when we wiped countless times on a boss we should have killed an hour ago. But...did this actually matter to someone? Sure, I got a few in-game mails saying random stuff like, \"Thanks, Rogue. This means more than you know!\" or \"Damn dude, thanks for giving me the copper. You rock!\", but...to beat a millionaire, and by so much? \n \n\"I can see you're a bit lost in thought, Connor. Or should I say, Rogue. Even with the minimal tracking gaming companies are now doing, Blizzard reported you with an amazing amount of selfless contributions to people. All kinds of people, all kinds of levels, all kinds of situations. We didn't really have a way to quantify it, nor were we going to weigh it as much as some real-world deeds. That is, until we started getting calls.\" \n \n\"Calls?\" I wondered, seriously considering whether this was some cruel, sick joke or dream I just couldn't wake up from. \"What do you mean, 'calls'?\" I knew he was smiling now, and he let out an almost giddy laugh from excitement, contrary to the composed way he spoke at first. \n \n\"You really don't understand. How much you've done. Thousands of people have called, just over this past year, to report how amazing of a person you are. Stories of hope from people who had lost almost all hope in humanity, regaling how you helped them in some way that really just made them...happy, despite what was going on in their life, their situation, no matter what it was. People in depression, with thoughts of self-harm or meaninglessness in who they are...just, ecstatic someone would take the time out of their day to help them with their seemingly insignificant existence. \"Rogueonederful.\" That was a name that our investigators came to know very well, daily researching claims as best we could. That name was the reason we started taking games so seriously, and the actions that go on within. We've seen the worst kinds of people, but also...the best. The very best. And today, this year, that's...you.\" \n \nAnother tear rolled down my cheek, as I sniffled into the mic, rubbing my eyes and nose hoping he didn't really hear it, but knowing he did. Who was I? Nobody. No one. Nothing special. A thirty year old gamer, living with his mom, working a dead-end job with no prospects and no real goals. At least, that's what I thought. That my actions had no real, tangible effect on people. That I was maybe just helping a few people here and there, giving them a nice little story to tell their friends. That I was, in the grand scheme of things, just doing my small part to better the world, little by little, even in an online game, hoping my small actions would rub off on people. \n \nBut it mattered. More than I ever thought it could. \n \nIt matters.\n \n" ]	[ 1, 6, 8 ]	[ "1532961378", "1532961403", "1532963959" ]
	[WP] "If I'm remembered as the 'Bad Guy' then so be it. I'm doing what's needed."	7	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "The year is 2080.\n\nIt’s been centuries since I partook in any war, not even the last three Great Wars.\n\nIt was all coming to a head, three great powers going to war. I look over a world map, my god, how far we have come and how down we went.\n\nThe other twelve consuls sit alongside me, we all had agreed that the nuclear exchange was inevitable, and that mankind would drag itself to oblivion.\n\nI proposed an idea, it was simple, detonate nuclear weaponry in capitals worldwide, and leave it at that, let anarchy flow through the veins of all men, let the dust settle, and begin again.\n\nWhen I first proposed it twenty five years earlier they laughed and joked about it, what I called “Procedure: Past, Present, Future” they called a joke.\n\nNow they looked at me, wanting to put it into action.\n\nChaos looked at me, and said “This is a matter of extinction or survival, I cannot live without mankind on this world.”\n\nWar quietly whispered “This is a War I won’t live through, this procedure you came up with, it holds value now, for the sake of humanity, I beg of ye.”\n\nThe Philosopher shouted “In an age that was wrought by the fires of conquest and liberation, it will end in those same flames, this procedure held weight a quarter century ago, it holds more now. We demand it.”\n\nLight quietly shed tears, I had never seen tears from her since her home city, Rome, was sacked, and a people she was a patron of died. She never spoke a word for a millennia after that. When Constantinople fell, she cried even louder, it still echoes through my head today.\n\nIt was put to a vote, 13-0, procedure was activated a week later.\n\nBefore the final preparations ended, I said these words.\n\n“Although mankind will not forgive me for ending one of the greatest ages in centuries, I don’t regret this, I care not if I am hated for it, I did the right thing at the end of the century.”\n\nAnd so Man was reborn." ]	[ 1, 4 ]	[ "1532968340", "1532974527" ]
	[WP] Paul Revere frantically rides his horse through the darkness, spotting a figure in the distance he shouts the warning "The British are coming! the British are coming!". As he nears, the figure turns, pulls out a semi automatic pistol, replying "We're already here old chap" and shoots him dead.	21	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "The British aren't known for their technological advances in my time. In the 2700's, they've actually fallen behind quite a bit compared to their allies and surrounding countries. They of course had the same fanciful buildings and cars, but that was all acquired through trade. But they had lucked out with one patriotic (perhaps overly so) citizen that had also been extremely lucky in breaking the code of time travel. Of course, he didn't know he was successful yet, as I was still stuck a whole thousand years in the past. He used me as his test subject and sent me back one-thousand years to the year 1775. He was paying me immensely for the job as well, which is the only reason I would do this. He had quintupled my normal fee, and realizing I may not get back at all, I should have possibly asked him to double that even.\n\nYou see, I was one of those people you hear about. You could get into dark places on the internet and hire me to do even darker things. My most expensive service, of course, was murder, but I had a line that I drew, and it was just below killing any political or otherwise famous figures with a large following. My own life was not going to be put at risk just to kill someone famous or rich. Of course, someone like Paul Revere wasn't exactly famous at the time I was currently in, and only became so after doing what he was sent to do on that midnight ride. Since he wasn't famous yet in the time that I was sent back to, I TECHNICALLY had to do it, especially, like I said, since I was paid five times more than a normal murder, and trust me when I say my services did not come cheap to begin with. Why he wanted me to kill Paul Revere didn't matter to me when he was paying me that much. I expressed my concerns about changing the future and he said assured me that nothing would change, and that he was having me kill someone like Revere just to prove his theory.\n\nThe money he had given me must have had me delusional because, well, I'm currently waiting behind this tree along this dark dirt path, just outside of Lexington. I was kicking myself for being blinded by such a large sum of money, but that was until I hear a horse trotting closer. I snapped out of my brooding and prepared myself. As the horse neared the town, I could hear a man yelling. It was hard to hear what he was saying from a distance, but as he got closer, I heard those famous words, \"THE BRITISH ARE COMING!\" and I knew it was my target. He was several metres away when I popped out from behind the tree, made some clever remark, and unloaded my suppressed 1911 into the man's chest. It all ended so fast, as it always does, but my heart was still pounding. I had no idea how I was supposed to get away with this, or what I was supposed to do next, and I was certainly not sure what to do with this dead man or his horse. As I contemplated what my next moves were, the colors and shapes of everything had started warping around me.\n\nSeconds later I was back in my own time, standing in the lab of my employer. He shook my hand, thanked me, congratulated me, and sent me out with a briefcase of money. I was still speechless from possibly ruining history, so I didn't even fight. Once I was home, while I counted the money (I preferred cash, because it was so hard to follow, and also outdated so it was even less regulated than ever), I started typing, trying to see what, if anything, I had altered. If you've never heard of the butterfly effect, let me explain that real fast. It talks about how one small action can cause a massive end result somewhere else later on, like a butterfly could flap it's wing, and cause a tornado hundreds of miles away. That specifically couldn't happen, obviously, but murder is a different story, and I was finding myself directly in the middle of something much worse than a tornado right now...\n \n\n\n\n\nIt's been a while since I've written anything other than brief ideas for stories down, so give me a break if this is less than fantastic. I also have my dead subreddit, r/christrillionwriting, where I post everything I write, which I'll also post this on to give it SOME life again.", "Patrick McMaster didn't exactly take pleasure in killing, but he did in his duty. The silversmith laid dead, his body sprayed with bullets. He tried to pluck out some of the bullets, but soon gave up. \n\n\"Note to self,\" he wrote on a yellow sticky note. \"Destroy paul revere's body before scheduled autopsy.\" He smiled to himself. It wasn't his best work, old flintlocks didn't come cheap, but that didn't matter. What mattered far more was Her- His, Majesty, good ol' King George, King George VII's reign.\n\nOn that sunkissed morrow, the British regiment did not retreat in shambles, but in good condition with her color bearer head up proud. McMaster took no chances regardless, and sent a runner to clean out the sharpshooters from the trees. Her Majesty's Loyalists soon won the war, helped along by a sizable persuasion from the United Empire.\n\nMcMaster stepped into his TimeMaster again. Now that he knew it worked, he would make a fortune. As he stepped out, he asked a very simple question.\n\n\"What country am I in?\"\n\n\"Yew are in 'murica, dumbass. Whaddya want?\"\n\n\"The United States of America?\"\n\n\"Yew knewit, the US of N & SA!\"" ]	[ 1, 2, 7 ]	[ "1532982378", "1533016313", "1532994587" ]
	[WP] A magic spell cannot exist if there is already another magic spell at that location. Ever since the weak magic spell as large as planet Earth, nobody has been able to use magic. We're leaving planet earth, and thus, that large magic circle.	20	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "The conference room table was well stocked with food, the final meal before the launch of the first interstellar command crew. There were dishes from all over the world representing the international effort that led to this historic event. The crew had eaten and moved on to rest and prepare for launch the next day and the launch crew had been invited in. Many had started to fill their plates but a disturbance near the back of the room was slowly drawing everyone's attention. Joe Angeben, one of a few late additions to the team was trying to win converts to a conspiracy that had been circulating since the mission was announced.\n\n\"I don't know who it is, I can trace my bloodline and it's not one of mine. But there were 5 great families and only 2 have been confirmed to have died off.\"\n\n\"Come off it Joe. Science has shown us that the superstitions of the ancient days were nothing more than attempts to explain natural phenomenon without a complete understanding of the natural world.\" The reply came from Frank Hildenbur, a astro-physicist from Germany. \"I've heard this nonsense only from the labor teams, never from the project leaders or scientists. If there were a great conspiracy of magic men they wouldn't be missing from the leaders of society.\"\n\n\"We don't know that they aren't,\" Joe replied \"I can give you my family history, but I'm the only one close to the project. We need to confirm the family history of the entire crew!\"\n\nHe was referring to the conspiracy which was well know to the launch team at this point. It claimed there were 5 great families of Magicians in the anchient days of the Earth. Clan Megeshandi was the greatest, and they had all expired casting the Great Block around the Earth or in the wars that followed. Clan Abberdeen quickly dwindled, their entire culture was built around magic and without acess to it they did not survive one century. The Angeben family were subservient to the Megeshandi and Abberdeen families.\n\nOn Earth the magical field generally followed the surface contours, and spells could not use the same laymark as another active spell. The greater families spells often prevented the from practicing thier craft and when magic was \nThe two remaining families had been great enemies of the Megeshandi. The great block had been a massive spell cast across the entire Earth, it was an attempt to block the agression of the enemy. While succesful in blocking the use of magic on Earth it did not achieve its goal. The enemy families quickly hired mercenaries and ravaged the lands and homes of the allied families.\n\nThe next morning Joe was arrested during an attempt to sabotage the rocket. The crew had been informed that there had been a situation and were assured no damage had occurred. They decided to procede on schedule with the launch. This was just a small step on thier journey. They had stops at the moon base, and the interstellar ship was currently orbiting Mars awaiting their arrival. They were:\n\nDavid DeGarmo, Captain\nMeghan Klammer, Chief Engineer\nXiong Nguyen, Surgeon\nSean Dehncy, Propulsion Officer\nSabrina Sokolov, Science Officer\n\nDinner on the moon was a much simpler affair than their last meal on Earth, but for the first time the entire crew of the first interstellar mission was together in one place. Cameras were running when the Captain stood to adress his crew for the first time, radio waves broadcasting the speach back to Earth. He gave an interesting history working backwards from each techological milestone back to its predecessor. He made a case for this crew representing all of Humanity both current and past. He had worked back to stone age civilizations and switch tack and started tracing societal development forward through time. He equated this crew to a new age of enlightenment and exploration, a new renaissance. He toasted and command crew joined him on stage applauding the crew, which lead to riotous applause among the rank and file.\n\nBen, the Moon base communications master gave the order to cut the broadcast to Earth. He waited as the applause started to die down, intending to meet with the command crew and offer his congradulations. To his suprise DeGarmo stepped back up to the microphone.\n\n\"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe I left off in the renaissance.\" Degarmo paused as everyones attention was drawn back to the podium. He turned to Ben and made a cutting motion with his hand, this was to be a private message to the crew. \"At that same time one family made it thier goal to control the major nations in Europe. The Hapsburgs. They managed to do this through intermarriage, but they were plauged by divisions, rivals, and inbreeding. They were deposed during the first World War. Their biggest hurdle was their failure to understand industrialization. They failed to understand industrialization because they did not understand the Great Block.\"\n\n\"The Hapsburgs were not our family, but they were not our enemies, and we moirn their loss. Some of their decendants are here today, now part of our family. We learned from their mistakes; we have intermingled with our neighbors and the Degarmo magicians now go by many names from many countries. We do not have boarders to defend, and our enemies ranks are filled with our cousins!\"\n\n\"We also understand industrialization like no one else. The Great Block was a simple spell to do a simple thing. The Megeshandi were not strong enough to cast a spell to end magic, so they cast a spell so simple it would spread and fill every laypoint. The spell was: 'Things fit together better.' This spell, intended to defeat us has been our greatest strength, we have taken control of our enemies weapon. We used what magic we could to strengthen the spell, but it is such a simple construct we needed do very little.\"\n\n\"Now we endeavor to leave the Earth behind. We go to a world where we will not be bound by ancient spells intended to thwart us!\" This point causes a great cheer. A communications employee approached the stage during the break in the speech and handed Captain DeGarmo a note. The Captain read it and resumed his speech.\n\n\"I've also just been informed that the man arrested attempting to stop our launch this morning was a member of the Angeben family. The last of our anchient foes. They have struck too soon, and we have succeded where they failed!\"\n\nCommunications master Ben Angeben had recieved a similar note. Joe had been a relatative through his mothers side, but they were a large enough family that the inbreeding that destroyed the health of the Hapsburgs did not affect the Angebens, so they shared a surname. \"Not failed yet.\" He thought.\n\nTwo days later the interstellar crew boarded the massive transport that would take them to the interstellar cruiser. Ben let them board and launch, his work had not started recently. His plan was well prepared whether the DeGarmo's launched or not. From the moon the Angeben family had discovered the extent of the spell that blanketed the Earth. They had worked for generations to pull it back, reduce its spread. When Degarmo arrived at his cruiser he would find it a ruined shell.\n\nThe spell 'Things fit together better' that they claimed to be the key to their success would be there failure. In orbit around Mars things would not fit together quite so well.\n\n" ]	[ 1, 2 ]	[ "1533049697", "1533071326" ]
	[WP] Rewrite "Silence of the Lambs" but have it be about actual lambs	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "The lambs began to bay (or whatever noises lambs make). \n\nSomeone was in their midst - a stranger; a man they didn't know, with a scent that was so unfamiliar from the shepherd that cared for them.\n\nThey were right to be afraid. The stranger stalked through their midst, eyes roving, hand clutched tightly around the handle of his blade.\n\nThen the eyes settled on a particular lamb, and the knife fell. The cut throat gushed. Blood sprayed the grass like piss - hot and warm. The lamb was silent.\n\nAnd the man hoisted the dead lamb over his shoulder and carried him off into the night. \n\n", "Sloane Carding sighed, nervously chewing a bit of clover as she waited for the outer gates to open. She quietly walked the dirt path to the kennels. Behind metal doors, dingoes paced, the tips of gnarled claws frantically clicking. Sloane reached the end of the path, and peeked through the small barred window of the last door. In the shadows sat a gnarled canine, face muzzled. \n\n“Mr. Lupus? I’m Agent Carding.”\n\nA pair of yellow eyes glinted in the dark, focusing on Sloane. Her heart quaked as she struggled to keep her haunch from twitching. She was indeed unsettled, just as Ram said she would be. \n\n“Miss Carding, yes. But where is Ram? Did something… awful happen?” He asked.\n\n“Ram couldn’t be here. He asked me to come in his place. I hope that’s ok.” \n\nLupus closed his eyes, sucking in a deep breath. Moisture dripped from the tip of his snout as he began sniffing the air. \n\n“Mmmm. That’ll be just fine, my dear.” His tail gave off the hint of a wag." ]	[ 1, 1, 2 ]	[ "1533060557", "1533066817", "1533064869" ]
	[WP] just another day experimenting	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "My hand grasped the beaker. The white lab coat following me as I turned. Shaking it to create a vibrant colour scheme. Even though this wasn't normal science. It was always amusing working with the magical periodic table. Where FE's place is GI. An element that causes gravity to reverse itself. \n\nWith the smell of chemicals drifting in the air. I set my beaker down and started to mix my ingredients, AQ and IG. The elements of water and fire. Mixing them caused a solution to ensue. With a new beaker of EL, I walked over to my others. Setting down the jar in the process. The jar sitting on a maple shelf.\n\nVE and TE sitting within separate beakers. The glass casting a faint gray and deep brown colour onto my lab coat. \n\n\"All these mystical ingredients, they always bring a smile to my face.\"\n\nThe beakers sat in my hand as I poured one into the other. VE filling into the confinements of the TE. I'd have to wait for some time till they mixed together. Although in the mean time, my other experiments beckoned to me.\n\nAs time passed the concoction mixed together. The element TE had formed with the glass beaker. A slight smile creaked onto my face. This time it was going to work and nothing would keep me from you. \n\nGrabbing the TE element, I poured it into a cauldron. Then I whisked the EL Beaker out from it's shelf. The faint smell of maple accompanying it. Dumping the beaker into the cauldron caused a faded purple mist to fill my lab. A quick sweep of the hand and their it was, VV, Vim Vitae. I'd truly done it. The shining golden ball of life floating directly Infront of me. Tears flooded my eyes as I grabbed it. It's power like nothing else.\n\nWith my goal achieved I reached her. Lying on the ground desolate of everything around her. With only little to rely on. I lifted her chin up with my finger. A frail finger. \n\n\"D....\"\n\n\"Shhh dear, do not waste your remaining energy.\"\n\nHer face pale from the cold grasp of death. My hands grazing her cheek. Bleak of all life now. The orb radiating it's golden glow as I touched it to her bare skin. Slowly the palm of her hand absorbing it. Colour steadily reviving in the face I loved so much. My daughter had come back to me and their she was in my arms. \n\n(Any feedback would be help and sorry for any spelling mistakes. Hope you'd enjoy this short story)\n\n" ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1533060739", "1533067667" ]
Just in case you would like some questions: - Why was this time traveler trap built? How did prototypes fare? - What happened in the first few seconds? (A lot can happen already in [140 nanoseconds](https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/)) - How did we (trillions of years after the Big Bang) find out that this is what actually happened? ^^^^^^Also ^^^^^^hey ^^^^^^this ^^^^^^kinda ^^^^^^explains ^^^^^^why ^^^^^^the ^^^^^^inflationary ^^^^^^period ^^^^^^eventually ^^^^^^stopped: ^^^^^^By ^^^^^^that ^^^^^^time, ^^^^^^no ^^^^^^more ^^^^^^time ^^^^^^travelers ^^^^^^existed...	[WP] Eons ago there was a trap for time travelers. It overfilled instantaneously, resulting in a disastrous calamity. Today this giant explosion of matter and energy is known as the Big Bang.	1	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "\"Here it is, madam,\" the slick salesman grinned, handing me the control fob. \"Your new TempusFutzit 11D TARDIS Convertible.\"\n\n\"It's not new though, is it?\" I replied. \"It's been refurbished. Its chronodometer still indicates over 840 jumps.\"\n\n\"Well, yes,\" he acquiesced, \"but do you really want me to call it a reTARDIS? That wouldn't be very PC of you, you know...\"\n\n\"All right, enough of that,\" I countered, and upon that counter I signed my receipt. \"Now I'm off. If you'll excuse me...\"\n\n\"Oh, wait!\" He yelled. \"I almost forgot!\"\n\nHe padded toward me, then picked up the pad and put it on my counter. Next, he pulled a few sheets from the pad and quickly folded them into origami pigs, then folded another sheet around the pigs making a pen. Then he picked up the pen and began to draw, making himself into a drawer. Finally, he opened the drawer and pulled out a sonic screwdriver.\n\n\"Couldn't you have just kept that in your pocket?\" I sighed.\n\n\"Yesindeedy,\" he replied brightly, \"but that wouldn't help my word count, would it?\"\n\nHe pointed his little tool to the left of my new ride's entry port and an access panel slid open. Referring repeatedly to his glowing Wristie, he entered several long strings of digits and then closed the panel tight.\n\n\"Now, what was that about?\" I asked, curious. Because that's why I ask most of my questions.\n\n\"Your little magic carpet was just rebooted before you arrived to take delivery,\" he responded, quite responsively. \"The existing settings were erased, including its TSOs. We'd set one, the Time Since Overhaul, to zero, but the other was still null.\"\n\n\"The other TSO?\" I inquired, feeling quite inquisitive now.\n\n\"The Temporo-Spatial Offset,\" he answered. \"The gizmo's initial coordinates in all of time and space. Kind of important, you know. It can't very well get you whenwhere you want to go if it doesn't know whenwhere it already is, right?\"\n\n\"Right,\" I said, my head spinning, but only in a figurative sense which didn't result in decapitation.\n\n\"Anyway,\" he continued, in exactly the way that a normal person wouldn't, \"we forget to set those every now and then on new or previously flown units, and when we do we always lose a customer.\"\n\n\"Excuse me--lose a customer?\" My mind was blasting away, and my feet were eager to join it.\n\nThe salesman cringed, a very sincere, authentic and troubling cringe. \"Lose their business, I mean! With that TSO unset, the autopilot would add a null value to the first coordinates the owner gives it and tries to take you to a...well, a null time and place.\n\n\"But since that doesn't exist, it probably just takes them directly to the nearest TempusFutzit Service Center. Not a very good way to win their return business, I'm afraid.\"\n\nA nascent thought began to nag at me. \"So if I put in temporospatial coordinates that can't be reached for whatever reason, it just takes me to a service center?\"\n\n\"Well, if those coordinates make any kind of sense, it will try to get you as close to that point in spacetime as it can. But null values aren't close to any coordinates in the whole universe, so...\"\n\nI put this on my mind's front burner to let it simmer for a moment and it immediately came to a boil. Probably the altitude.\n\n\"Um, but they are, sir. There's one point in all of spacetime that's immediately adjacent to a point with null values in any coordinate system...\"\n\n\"What? I assure you, madam, that--\" And then he went white. Which was quite a leap, considering that he had previously been deep ultraviolet.\n\n\"...the point just before the Big Bang,\" I finished, unnecessarily.\n\nThe moment seemed to stretch on and on--an odd sensation indeed, in a showroom full of time machines.\n\n\"Well,\" he said finally, \"that explains both the Universe AND our customer retention problem.\"" ]	[ 1, 2 ]	[ "1533069318", "1533078680" ]
	[WP] Lucifer never fell from heaven. Jesus, the second favorite son of God, pushed him out.	11	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "So it went. \n\nAnd God said, “Let there be light.” \n\nAnd from this light, his first son was born. He was called Lucifer and he was Mercy. And he was good. \n\nGod separated the darkness and his second son was born. He was called Jesus and he was Redemption. And he was good. \n\nSo God spun the light and the dark as delicate threads and from the two he wove Everything. \n\nFrom the spindle of Everything He stitched together Man. Man was not good. \n\nThe light forgave. Lucifer forgave and he was betrayed. He fell. \n\nFor there is no Redemption without Man and his sins. Redemption could not exist without Man to redeem himself after succumbing to the Dark. \n\nJesus rose. \n\n", "I never had a good relationship with my brother. He always seemed envious. When Father praised me he stood there, furious. When an angel asked for my help he would always say that he's more suitable. \n\nAfter a while things started getting odd. My notes would be misplaced, my clothes would be damaged. Strange rumors about me started circulating.\n\nI had slowly become isolated in heaven. From the humble and dilligent angel Lucifer I became known as a slothful and irritable man who never did anything for anyone else, worse still they believed I even said that I'm greater than Father.\n\nI knew Jesus was responsible, I knew he would stop at nothing to have me cast out. I knew he would eventually get the support he needed.\n\nI decided that my only option was to leave, if I left by myself that might give at least some credibility to me. I would go down, make my own version of heaven. I would punish the wicked of Earth and build a sanctuary for unbelievers who lived well. Thus I would gain the trust of humans and with their belief in me I could return with honor.\n\nIt's the only way.", "To Lucifer, it appeared as though the stars were rising up all around him. They were thin streaks of white in a pitch-black night, zooming past his head and his wings up and up and up into little pinpricks of light. Dotting the heavens above like the smallest and brightest of diamonds.\n\n\nOf course, Lucifer knew that reality was not so charming. The stars were not rising.\n\n\nHe was falling.\n\n\nHe was falling like a dying bird, the most beautiful of his Father's creations- so lovely that the serpents and ravens and forests themselves sang his praises- so angelic that mortal eyes could not set their gazes upon his face without combusting into great tongues of black fire-\n\n\n-so perfect that his older brother, the Chosen Lamb himself, could not stand it.\n\n\n As he twisted and turned through the air, broken wings fluttering uselessly above him, Lucifer tried to remember where he went wrong. Should he have nodded along to every idea that his Father brought up, instead of denouncing the humans as he had? Should he have talked less to the other angels, amassing less influence and becoming a smaller threat?\n\n\nOr perhaps-\n\nPerhaps he should have been kinder to Jesus, Father's favorite. The Chosen little Lamb.\n\n\nJesus. Lucifer closed his eyes, grit his teeth until he tasted ichor on his tongue.\n\n\nJesus!\n\n\nMinor spats happened between them with frequency. Lucifer was carefree, lived passionately, and was undeniably charismatic to angels and humans alike. He loved life as an angel, loved his friends, and loved his power.\n\n\nOn the other hand, Jesus was a stickler for the law, echoed every word that escaped the Father's mouth, and was as jealous for affection as his Father. Absolutely no one could love something more than they loved Jesus and Father; to do so was a sin of the greatest magnitude.\n\n\nJesus had abhorred Lucifer's attitude towards the humans, a filthy mortal species that dared to believe themselves worthy of convening with Father. After all, they were Father's creations, and Father never created without purpose.\n\nBehave like an archangel, or the position will be stripped from you, he had said. Even the look in his eyes had mimicked Father's- foreboding. Jealous.\n\n\nDisappointed.\n\n\nLucifer screamed at the sky.\n\n\n\"FATHER! FATHER, I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!\"\n\n\nThere was no reply. Lucifer twisted to stare at Heaven as he plummeted, the wind slicing through his dark curls like knives. Millions of stars stared coldly back, and suddenly Lucifer felt as small and vulnerable as a child.\n\n\n\"I'M SORRY! FATHER, PLEASE-\"\n\n\nAn involuntary sob choked his throat, cutting off his words with a wet gasp for air.\n\n\n\"-ah- ugh- JESUS! JESUS, I- JESUS, FATHER- SAVE ME!\"\n\n\nArmed with a power Father had never gifted Lucifer- the Power of the Holy Spirit- Jesus had torn through Lucifer's wings like they were crafted from paper. Lucifer had screamed then, too, crying for mercy as Jesus's host of angels stood by and watched.\n\n\nWatched as Jesus grabbed Lucifer by the throat and dangled him over the Abyss.\n\n\nLucifer remembered whispering with the last of his strength, Please. Don't let me go.\n\n\nTears ran from his eyes up into the teeth-rattling wind. He didn't know what lurked within the Abyss, the void beyond the mortal plain. Not even Father had been down there as it was a place touched by darkness, one unfit for his glory. One unfit for any but the truly evil.\n\n\nLucifer knew that once he went there, he was never again to return to Heaven. The only home he had ever known.\n\n\nA trembling breath escaped his mouth and was immediately stolen by the rippling breeze.\n\n\n\"Father, save me. Forgive me. I'm scared. I'm scared- Jesus- Brother, I...\"\n\n\nThe wind quieted. The beautiful star-filled world, Father's world, was disappearing right before Lucifer's eyes as he descended further...\n\n\n\n\n ...and further...\n\n\n\n\n...and further...\n\n\n\n\n...into the Abyss.\n\n\nHe watched, face impassive, as the stars shrank and shrank and shrank up above before suddenly winking out into nothingness. A last plea for forgiveness died on his lips.\n\n\nFather had made his answer.\n\n\nAnd that answer was silence.\n\n\nSomething tremendous began to burn in the Morning Star's chest, something that he had never felt or heard of before. It scorched his insides as if his heart had turned to smoldering embers, burning with a passion that exceeded the heat of anger, exceeded the heat of love. He wondered if it would burst from his body and paint the empty walls of the Abyss red with its intensity, consuming this entire miserable existence with its inferno til it was nothing but ash.\n\n\nAn infite distance above, Jesus sensed Lucifer's wrath from his gilded throne and trembled. For a new emotion had been borne that day, one that would plague all of humanity until the last of its vile hordes drew its final breath.\n\n\nHatred." ]	[ 1, 3, 4, 11 ]	[ "1533100458", "1533104677", "1533102300", "1533105220" ]
	[WP] The Man Who Invented Evil	3	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Clinging to the edge the liquid pooled forming a small droplet. A bead of black swirled within the clear fluid polluting its glass-like form. Weighted by the darkness the droplet let go falling past the blinding white. Alone in its darkness the now sphere of black pushed it's way into the silky surface of white. The ripple of contact traveled as if time slowed for the single drop. The pool of white slowly fell to rest, a cloud of black traveling out from its center. A swarm of dark consumed its prey leaving an abyss at the core.\n\nRaising his hand he watched as another drop formed at his fingertip. He flicked the moisture away wiping what was left on his garments. He took one last look at his creation, his face remained unchanged and he turned from the well. Over the bodies he walked, taking care to not disturb the fallen, and gently he closed the doors behind him.\n\nForever the doors have remain closed, never to be opened again. Within, the well sits a smog of black at home within the pure white.\n\n\"But- why did he poison the well?\"\n\nSetting his hand upon the boy's shoulder he looked him in the eye. \"Because son, a hero knows more than anyone the necessity of evil.\"\n\nThe boy sat quietly a puzzled look on his face. \"So, who is the man who invented evil?\"\n\nHis father let out a roar of laughter. \"Would you like me to tell the story again?\" \n\n\"Mmmhm.\" The boy nodded frowning.\n\n\"Okay. The sun rose over the horizon revealing the beauty of the land once again. Reminded of the utopia they lived in, the people gathered at their windows without a word. Peace it truly was, a life of purity and joy awaited everyone. Like a tiny hole, almost nonexistent, like a faint itch at the back of the mind only to be washed away by the morning's view. This is the story of the man who invented evil...\n\n_\n\nr/theoreticalfictions" ]	[ 1, 2 ]	[ "1533101957", "1533108851" ]
	[WP] An undecipherable poem is found during an archaeological dig. As centuries go by, it remains a mystery as to what it means and the language it's written in - until it becomes apparent it's written in plain English. Plain, modern English.	50	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "And now we return to Unsolved Mysteries of History: Puzzling Poetry and Troubling Texts\nA smooth rectangular black granite slab with gold letters: The Stone of the Great Father as it was called by the Inuit who first received it from a living star was a puzzlement to the tribe in the frozen north. The stone holds the key to wisdom and life the sprit walker had told the first man so the stories went. No one could understand it. For 700 years it was hidden in a cave in Kamchatka and guarded in secret by many wise men and women who stared at it for hours without understanding it’s meaning. \nIt was lost to a British officer in a card game in 1752. When he died in battle it was sent along with his other effects to his wife back home. She sold it to the Historical Society of Cambridge for 5 pence. It sat in their basement storage room gathering dust bearing the note. “Carved stone- Native jest written in bastardised English. Found in Alaska by Captain Reginald Smith. Royal Marines. 1752.” \nThe stone would remain there until in 1907 by a doctoral student by the name of James Hargrave would examine it while cataloging the artifacts in storage. \nHe would transcribe the stone’s contents thusly\n“We're no strangers to love\nYou know the rules and so do I\nA full commitment's what I'm thinking of\nYou wouldn't get this from any other guy\nI just wanna tell you how I'm feeling\nGotta make you understand\nNever gonna give you up\nNever gonna let you down\nNever gonna run around and desert you\nNever gonna make you cry\nNever gonna say goodbye\nNever gonna tell a lie and hurt you”\n\n“It’s appears to be some sort of romance, though the grammar is appalling. It is puzzling given it’s age if our records are to be believed. Given what we know of the English language in 1752 this is unlikely to be even a natives bastardized rendering of an overheard soldier’s remarks. Why they would carve it in such singular craftsmanship is beyond me.”\n\nIn 1910 Dr Hargrave would obtain the diary of Captain Smith from the library of Lord Hubert Smythe-Graves, of Ulster. Shortly after transcribing Captain Smith’s account of the origin of the Slab and the curious native lore around it, Dr Hargrave was injured in a carriage accident which took him four years to recover from. Upon his recovery World War One had erupted and he was drafted into the British Army. He died on August 4th 1917 at the Third Battle of Ypres. \n\nRecently Cambridge historians have been puzzled by it’s uncanny resemblance to a Rick Astley song and the Rick Roll meme. “But the more puzzling thing is the series of bumps on the back. They partially decode when treated as binary, though we have yet to determine which cypher if any would yield results.” Dr Soon explained. \n", "Lisa: Good morning Washington. Lisa Dowell here today on Channel 8 News with some breaking news. Famous for its undecipherable text since its reveal in 1889 at the Ressenger County at Wyoming, the Ressenger Poetry Relic may finally be decoded today. Just a few days ago on May 23rd while on its tour to the Royal Ontario Museum up north at Toronto, Canada, a teen had been spotted by security staring intently at the text in its glass display when he suddenly went frantic, claiming to have \"figured it out.\" After historical linguistic expert Dexter Bowark interviewed him, he has released a public statement saying that this cryptic text may have just been deciphered by the teen: 16 year old Canadian citizen Ronald Hemptroth. Truly a remarkable act, curators and experts from all over the globe have been flying into Toronto to get a better look at the relic, who has been since taken out of its tour and under protection of Artefacts Canada and the Smithsonian. We now go live to our correspondent Mikel down at the press conference currently happening down there, where Hemptroth will be answering questions. Mikel?\n\n\\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nMikel: Hi yes. Good morning America. This is Cultural News Correspondent Mikel Lowell down here in Toronto where we are waiting for Hemptroth to come onstage and explain to over 900 experts and over 2000 public members here on his discovery of the truth behind the Ressenger Poetry just last week. Here he comes onstage right now with linguist and archaeological expert Robert Pritson, the descendent of Marcus Pritson, the one who uncovered this exact relic.\n\nRobert: Thank you everyone for coming here today on this wonderfully enlightening day, where we are in awe of a teen discovering the truth behind one of humanity's most cryptic relics. How are you today Ronald?\n\nRonald: Thank you for having me here, sire. Bit nervous, but excited.\n\nRobert: Nothing to be nervous about. How about we start this off by reading the Ressenger Poetry please? It may be the last time people will listen to its wonderfully cryptic text.\n\nRonald: Oh okay. Of course.\n\n\"Shut it fam, lmao.\" Bros said to me.\n\nBut tbh, I dun wanna be.\n\nThe pretty chick up there in white,\n\nGot me so swooned, my cheeks hella bright.\n\n\"She out of your league yikes.\" They all just laughed.\n\nI'm no jock, no athlete, didn't make the draft.\n\nBut what I got, doe, issa a heart o' gold.\n\nWhen her smile so fine, gurl, you got me sold.\n\nRobert: Amazing! Now, can you tell us what all of this means? It certainly seems like a deformed or twisted version of archaic english, its grammatical structure simply too jumbled up to make any sense. For years we couldn't even tell apart clause from clause, so what does it really mean?\n\nRonald: Um, well, you know I'm really no english expert. I honestly just looked at it when I was out there with my girlfriend, when, you know the words just made sense to me. It resembles me of our text talk of the teenagers right now. \\[Hemptroth shows his phone, open with MSN Messenger\\] I mean, look at some of the words here. \"lmao\" may actually be, instead of a word on its own, an abbreviation. Not sure what, but it oddly reminds me of ROFL, which is \"Rolling On Floor Laughing.\" And look! These weird words like \"issa\" or \"gurl\" looks so much like common words! Issa really sounds like, you know, IS A. And maybe gurl actually just means girl! A female!\n\nRobert: Interesting. Your perspective truly baffles us all here. That technical analysis is nothing like we've heard before. What do you suppose the poem means?\n\nRonald: Um, well. From what I see, I think it's some sort of love poem... Like, a guy really likes a girl who his friends think is too pretty for him or something, but he's trying I guess. That's kinda what occurred to me at the moment.\n\n\\[At this point, the crowd murmurs have evolved into a full on debate amongst everyone, shouting everything from solid agreements to rebuttals.\\]\n\nMikel: Wow! The crowd is all revved up and it seems like Ronald and Robert will be taking a monetary break while everyone swallows his interpretation. Looks like the police are calling for backup as the grounds are getting extremely crowded and out of control. Stay on here folks and we will be right back!", "The clay pot had been sitting unopened on the shelves for months now. Our team had unearthed it in a cave in the desserts of Iraq and the process to get permission to open it involved so much unneeded red tape and bureaucracy. Normally, we wouldn't be this excited to open it. Over the course of our careers, we have opened many similar pots, and they usually contained the same type of documents. Copies of Biblical texts, musings of a religious scholar of the time, or receipts for transactions thousands of years ago. Sure, those were all very interesting finds, but after a while it just seems like more of the same.\n\nYou see, the reason why were were so excited to open it was because this particular pot had an inscription on the outside. The translation was: Unknown Writings of Kah-Yul, the Possessed One.\n\nWe had heard of Kah-Yul before. In one of the religious musings we had previously found, there was a small part where the author was complaining of this Kah-Yul person. Supposedly, he was a man who had appeared in their village rambling in an incoherent language and scaring all the villagers. They were not able to figure out what he was saying or what he wanted. The author had attributed it to demonic possession. We had not known that Kah-Yul had left writings behind.\n\nWe set to work immediately on the morning that our permission was granted. Dating of the clay pot and the seal around the lid was circa 2600 BCE. We were able to establish this previously, thanks to some flakes of the pot and seal we were able to analyze.\n\nOpening the lid of an almost-5,000 year old pot is a painstakingly slow process. Especially considering that we could not damage it in any way. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say, it took us three full working days to finally open it.\n\nWe had already assembled a team of translators to be ready when we pulled the tablet out. It was rare these days to be truly excited about an archaeological find and so we ensured we had all the bells and whistles going for this project.\n\nWith gloved hands and carefully positioned fingers, I pulled the tablet from the pot and set it gently onto the table. We used a specially-designed blower to remove the dust that had accumulated on the surface. Thankfully, it was not caked in and it blew off very easily to reveal the writings.\n\nWe were not ready for what the tablet contained. Gasps were heard around the room as everyone looked on. The tablet surely contained writing, but it was not the writing we expected. We all immediately could read it without the help of the translators. The writing was in English. Here is what it said:\n\n>It is my hope this is found by one able to read my words. I do not know when I am nor where I am. I believe I am in a primitive time somewhere in the Middle East. \n> \n>I was involved in an experiment by the government of the United States of America to determine the effects of electromagnetic radiation on entangled atoms of organic matter subjected to near-light speeds. The date of the experiment was March 21st, 2062. \n> \n>I can only surmise there was an error in our calculations or an equipment failure. All that I can remember is standing in the viewing room when I was overcome with an immense feeling of doom. I felt strong intra-cranial pressure and tinging in my extremities. The next thing I can remember is the world going black and waking up in the desert. \n> \n>I can only theorize, but I believe I was subjected to unknown temporal effects of our experiment. I have attempted to communicate with the locals, even going so far as to build a crude battery in hopes of gaining their favor. However, I have been shouted out of the village by what appears to be a religious shaman. \n> \n>I write these words hoping that this tablet survives the millennia and is found prior to March 21st, 2062. I will try my best to survive and perhaps prosper, but I will consider this to be my last will and testament. Please, if you know my words, help me to avoid this fate. Temporal travels are not as wonderful as commonly portrayed. \n> \n>Please, help me. \n> \n>Kyle Robert Johnson\n\n\\*EDIT-typo." ]	[ 1, 1, 5, 27 ]	[ "1533130159", "1533202163", "1533137337", "1533136990" ]
	[WP] You are on your death bed. The grim reaper approches you and says "To get you in the after life, I'm going to need your name." you say your name, and he replies "No, I need your real name."	20	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "This was longer than intended, but I guess I was inspired, so I went for it:\n\n=========\n\nPart 1: Grief\n\nIn a nearly pitch black room, a few low-level lights on various blinky machines and monitors are the only things to be seen. Eyes close in bed, I shut out the near blackness to total blackness. It's amazing just how constant the smell of antiseptic is in this place. My breaths are slow, I just don't have the energy I've always had. Like a film all my childhood plays before me in my head about how I used to love running through the streams in my with all the other neighborhood kids, Long car rides to Carnival World bugging my parents with me and my little sister bickering in the backseat, my first goal at the soccer game and the entire team dogpiled me and I got a knot on my head from my overexcited dumbass of a friend, the times I used to get in detention because me and my friend used to put gum on all the \"no gum allowed\" signs in school and all the other hijinks we'd get up to. I miss everything dearly, the good and the bad.\n\nMy heavy arm attached to wires and tubes like I'm some kind of android reaches to my head. I used to have long hair, my parents wouldn't let me grow it out since I was a boy, but when the news finally came that I had leukemia, everything fell through for me that day. My parent's, my friends, my school, and everyone around me used to treat me like a god because my days on the planet were numbered. Of all the perks and lavish gifts I was given for my last days here, my parents allowing me to grow out my hair was one of them. It made me happy, I told my best friend Lucas that we were going to make a pseudo-metal band, and we did! We got some drums and guitars and we made some terrible music, and I actually did some really awesome headbanging with the shoulder-length locks of mane. That didn't last very long. With the regular hospital visits just as common as the regular gifts, the chemotherapy started to affect that hair that I lovingly looked up to for the time I had it, and little by little it faded away and I had nothing. My palm glided across the smooth surface of my head and I sighed.\n\nI gazed to my father and my mother slumped on the guest bed barely big enough for them both, dozing away in the darkness. They've been my biggest allies through it all, and I wanted to make them proud. You talk to a lot of famous icons, other cancer patients, therapists, and support groups when your lifeline is this short. So you learn to accept that this is your life now, you get all the pep talks and positive speeches from everyone to build some sense of solidarity. You learn to regurgitate all that sunshine array of positivity, the \"live each day to your fullest\" attitude, to always be happy and enjoy the things you have while you have it. I'm not going to lie, I love my life. My parent's love me, my brat of a sister is the world's best sister, my friend Lucas and our furious five from soccer and photography club are the best friends a high school boy can have.\n\nThese are my golden years. I've been putting on a brave face and a wide smile for all the loves of my life, but the truth is it's always been a mask. I'm terrified to go, I don't want to die. There's something deep inside me, and so much that I'll miss out on, that I'm never going to experience in my life.\n\nSuddenly the small sources of lights faded, and I blinked in the darkness caught by surprise. I looked to my bedside where the blinking apparatuses are and a hard knot forms in my stomach, a humanlike silhouette stands by my bedside. When did a nurse or doctor slip into my room unannounced? Did I miss something? Am I that out of it? I swallowed hard and let out a raspy breath.\n\n\"Greetings\" a deep and resonating voice came from the darkness, yet gentle like the rumble of a big cat's purr, \"I see you are awake. For now\".\n\nI squinted at the dark figure, \"Who are you? I thought you always knocked, was I out? I don't think I'm scheduled for more needles until the morning\".\n\nThe figure stepped closer to the bed, the halo of light surrounded its figure like some uncanny aura, and as I blinked I could see this person wore a very dark hooded cloak, was holding a large...scythe. I held my breath when the face was in fact faceless...the remains of what a human would be underneath skin.\n\n\"It is time, young one\", it waved its pallid, jointed fingers in a round circle \"I know this isn't easy for mortals but you know that it's always time one way or another. This flesh form is not suitable to hold your soul, and it's time you seek new residence\" The Halloween mask of a face stared down at me with empty sockets open and contemplative, \"I will give you time to say your last words and answer all questions you may have. We have all the time in the world to prepare, for the hours are long and forever, but to this mortal realm are but seconds to all except those like us on the planes of the dead.\n\nIt all started to click and I felt like screaming, but my screams were trapped in my own body. I was haunted by my own senses, putting this apparition in front of me. \"Is this real? Am I just sick, surely? Seeing hallucinations?\"\n\n\"It is very real, I'm afraid.\" the reaper crooned \"As the night's hours draws you'll find more and more you'll start to realize the truth of your senses and come to acceptance, if not now\"\n\nI sighed and looked down at the sheets, my own cold, white hands clasped above my abdomen, tears streamed on my cheeks \"What use is there denying it? Better to get it over with and go along with it...I just...I just hope I wake up tomorrow and this wasn't real after all\".\n\n\"As much as I would love to grant you that wish, the circumstances are impossible. Surely you will find this out soon enough\"\n\n\"Can't I say goodbye for real first? To my parents and everyone else?\" I gazed to the sleeping forms on the bed only feet away.\n\n\"I'm afraid not, this has been a long time coming, in these last moments very few get a final goodbye. Unfortunately, you are not one of them\" it sighed \"The good news is your life leading up to this moment has been one long goodbye, your human mortal companions know they are loved and you love them as well\"\n\nMy mind snapped for a moment, and I sat up slowly-yet-quickly as my body would let me shoot up, \"Shut up! There's never enough time to say goodbye, this life was a joke, I have so much I can't do because of this stupid disease! I won't ever get married, I won't become a star soccer player and chess champion, I won't be able to see all the bands I've had on my list, I won't see my best friend grow up with me and I won't see my parent's get old! I hate this! This is not a real goodbye. This is a fucking wreck!!! Why does it have to be you??? Why can't it be a real angel of healing to make this go away and give me a life back? I don't wan't to go!\" At this point I was shouting and sniveling, drowning my reddened cheeks in hot tears. I don't know why the entire hospital didn't hear this, I don't know why my parent's were still soundly dozed away in the corner.\n\nThe uncanny being remained solemnly quiet, and I breathed in angry tears. The idea of death was terrifying, but the actual face of death as I looked upon it was oddly sympathetic, it's strange how much human-esque emotion you can see from the sentient concave orbs of a skull, it's empty orbs soft and consoling, a grim straight jawline in neither a smile nor a frown. This...this being was just there, there to do it's job. A job it's done thousands of millions of times before since the dawn of time.\n\nWe sat there in silence for a long time, I didn't talk and neither did the reaper, but it seemed comfortable to have the large cloaked figure as company while my mind went through the clips of my memories in a way as it's own goodbye. It even seemed content to remain there as long as it could, having no plans to move on until the task of seeing me through was completed. It was right about the passage of time, those hours of the night leaked on, but it hardly felt like hours. It was a timeless night, this is my last moment and I was going to make it last forever.", "I stare at him, shocked, but after a second I calm down, (of course he'd know, of all people) and say, a little embarrassed, \"my real name is Go Fish\".\n\n\"That is an odd name\" he said, his voice was quite, hollow, and monotone, his face, a skull, unsurprisingly didn't show any emotion.\n\n\"It is an old tradition in my family to name our kids after card games\" I reply, you know I've done a lot of thing in my life, defeat demons, help take down a god, and gotten so shit face drunk I altered the course of an entire war, it only figures my last act would be talking to death himself.\n\n\"Now then, let us not delay any longer\" he leaned back, raising his scythe, preparing to swing.\n\n\"WAIT\" I yelled and flinched in pain as my wounds reminded me that I was indeed dying. \"W-wait, I need to know...w-will I meet them there?\"\n\nHe lowered the scythe \"who?\"\n\n\"My my...friends\" I stammered, it was getting harder to talk or even keeping my eyes open.\n\nHe looked at me for a second and then in a voice that sounded almost soft he said \"yes, of course\".\n\nI smiled, tears of joy streaming down my face, guess the gang would finally be reunited. Closing my eyes I could feel the world slowly fall away, death finally taking me, and then, my eyes snap open, I was still alive, and beside the reaper was a figure, vaguely human but draped in shadow and completely featureless, I recognized it.\n\n\"NO\" I yelled \"you won't take this from me\" I said, as I could feel life returning to my body.\n\n\"Have I not suffered enough!\" I pleaded, as a pit in my soul, I had hopped long since closed, reopened.\n\nThe dark figure turned to me and it's face cracked open into an evil smile, \"no\" it said in a morbid, shrill, piercing voice, that felt like it alone could tear your soul apart.\n\nThe thing started cackling as it and the reaper started to fade away into the ether.\n\nI sat up and started to desperately crawl towards there fading forms, yelling as I went \"NO TAKE ME KILL ME KILL MEEEEEEEE!\" But to no avail, they soon disappeared, the figures mad laughter hanging in the air for a few seconds.\n\nI sat there, I don't know for how long, tears falling endlessly, that pit growing. I looked up at the sky, the golden light of dawn piercing the dark night sky, I screamed." ]	[ 1, 2, 10 ]	[ "1533228379", "1533274364", "1533237982" ]
	[WP] Summoning demons and solving mysteries might not be the safest job in the world, but it pays the bills, at least.	0	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "BOOM\n\nThe blast knocked Pooh down and sent him skidding across the marble floor. The whole temple trembled, window panes shattering from the explosion. Beams groaned and arches strained under the many domes, dust clouds whomping through the aisles as the temple was submerged in darkness. \n\nA faint groaning came from a dust covered, yellow and red, mound on the no-longer spotless marble. Rays of sunlight started piercing through as the dust settled, giving the temple an eerie look. Pooh pushed himself up and limped to the source of the explosion, shouldering his rifle on the way. At the center of the temple the marble had cracked where once there was an altar, and in the crater lay the demon.\n\nIts human-like, black and red, body was covered in blood and its legs twisted at odd angles as its chest heaved slowly. It cackled as Pooh loomed over it, his rifle’s barrel leveled on the demon’s horned head. \n\n“You should have sealed the portal when you had the chance bear!” It spat through bloody teeth. “Even if you kill us now we will come back!”\n\nAlready its cuts were healing as the air grew hotter around them.\n\n“You should have stayed dead.” Pooh loaded a silver bullet into the chamber.\n\n“Bah! Death is nothing to us, you will burn into nothingness when we kill you!”\n\n“Tell it to the dead!” \nBANG", "The student’s eyes widens.\n\n“What are you doing?” But the girl shakes her head and raises her palm, and thankfully, the kid falls silent. The ground begins to shake and the wind bursts through, rattling the windows and rising goosebumps on her arms. The girl rolls her eyes. Always so dramatic. Finally, in a puff of smoke, there she is.\n\n“A hula hoop? You summoned me in a fucking hula hoop again?” The demon pops her hip and shakes her burning curls, little flames sliding off sparks that make the student scream. They were swiftly ignored.\n\n“It’s practical for on the go. You can complain all you like, but you still came.” The girl grins. “The WiFi’s down. Could you tell your underlings to stop messing with the connection?” The demon huffs in response, taking to glaring at the poor kid trembling in the corner and the girl suppresses a sigh between them.\n\n“Is that insignificant thing complaining?”\n\n“Manners Scarlett”\n\n“Manners? You haven’t even offered me a sacrifice.” They demand so much, demons these days. The girl swiftly chucks a vial into the circle and Scarlett catches the glass between her teeth, lathering her forked tongue over the cap.\n\n“Oh?” She raises an brow. The girl mirrors her expression.\n\n“Tears from a baker’s son. Aged for ten years, and taken from an oven accident.” Scarlett began to moan and melt, lava bubbling against the plastic hula hoop and the girl rubbed at the beginnings of a headache. It’ll be such a hassle to pick up a new one in the middle of the day. She has a haunting at two, after all.\n\n“Fine, fine.” Scarlett clicks her fingers and the lights flicker, in the bouts of darkness wisps of grey leak from the walls and sink into her hands. Anymore and she’ll set off the fire alarm. “Happy?”\n\n“How’s the connection kid?” The student swallows. Their hands shake on the phone.\n\n“My Reddit post has gone through.”\n\n“Perfect! That’ll be all then. See you next time Scarlett.” In a snap the demon presses against the walls of the circle and simpers, a smirk that’s tempted angels down to the depths curling on her red lips. The girl glances at her watch. She’s going to miss the train at this rate.\n\n“How about your tears dearie?”\n\n“Not a chance.” Scarlett shrugs. The smoke curls around her body once more, and she disappears- an arm first, then an eye, the other one watching the girl stare back, unamused.\n\n“One day you will,” The demon coos. In a bang of flames, Scarlett’s finally gone. The girl brushes her hands with a sigh and whisks the hula hoop into the size of a ring, slipping it into her pocket. \n\n“That’s you done! Anything other- oh.” When she turns, the student is on the floor. Gangly limbs askew but their chest rises steadily. “Hate when they faint.” The girl sighs. It was going to be a long day. " ]	[ 1, 1, 1 ]	[ "1533235938", "1533239563", "1533239732" ]
	[WP] You are a wizard with a problematic addiction. You cannot stop summoning creatures from another worlds and it is starting to get really bad as more and more powerful creatures are summoned each day.	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "That's my first time ever. Don't hesitate to correct me.\n\n\\- “What’s going on? What are you guys doing here.” Gary felt powerless as three of his closest friends forced their way into his home. He frowned and followed them into the living room.\n\n\\- “This is an intervention”, softly said a blue haired young woman, “We are worried about you.”\n\n\\- “Worried…? About me…?” He didn’t understand. “What are you talking about?”\n\n\\- “We haven’t seen you in weeks.” A young lass dressed in a fire red robe cried out while furiously ruffling her hair, “Look at you! When was the last time you took a shower and changed clothes?\n\n\\- “You have a problem, mate”, said a tall blond lad.\n\n\\- “I… I don’t understand what you’re talking about. I’m doing just fine.”\n\n\\- “Gary, look at your house! How many of them did you summoned?” She pointed at the small and odd creatures walking about the living room. “How many of them? Do you think the Magic Council will continue to close their eyes and not investigate you? You’re a hoarder, Gary. For God’s sake, you have at least a hundred of them!”\n\nGary was reluctant, how could he not be? He spend so much time researching them, categorised them and their liking. How many hours, how many days did he spend studying them. Blinking fast to chase away the tears, he knew that something should be done, yet… how could he let go of them.\n\n\\- “Let us help you,” begged the blond one.\n\nSalted tears rolled down Gary’s face, “You don’t understand,” he wept, “I want … I need to catch them all. All 150 of them.”" ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1533243378", "1533248350" ]
	[WP] Above everyone's head there are statistics about the person like Intelligence, Strength, HP and Money. You were born with a new, strange statistic above your head. Mana.	175	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "She stretched in the morning sun and propped herself against the railing, looking down at the waking city. From this height, people on the ground resembled tiny bugs scurrying away, and yet if she narrowed her eyes just enough, she could almost distinguish letters and numbers floating above their heads. Her mind wandered. \n\nDo any of them know? How long until they find out? And when they do, what happens then? Knowing humans, it would not go down well. There was enough social turmoil as it is, without everyone having access to such sensitive information as to how much money the other one makes or what talents they are gifted with. She mindlessly recalled the old stories her mother would whisper to her at night about the time when their people had to go through the same, and the thought made her shudder. So much envy, so much anger, so much pointless violence… It is no wonder their world has collapsed. But she chased the unpleasant thoughts away. At least the few of her ancestors that survived managed to find refuge on the Earth, even though it meant giving up everything and reverting to their primitive state to fool and fit in with the humans. It was the reason she could bask in the warm sunlight now, taking in the sounds of a big city and letting the surprisingly pleasant smell of heated metal tickle her nostrils, and for that she was grateful.\n\nAs noon approached, warmth started to turn into heat. The small balcony felt much like a frying pan now, and as she was raising her eyes to give the sun an angry squint in retaliation, she noticed something hanging from the rooftop. She couldn't quite make out what it was, but the thing was glimmering in the sunlight, as if teasing her, testing whether she would be brave enough to grab it. Hell yeah, she was! She would have to make a few leaps to reach it, of course, but it was nothing she had not done before. In one swift motion, she climbed onto the railing, but just as she was readying for another jump, she felt herself slip. Instinctively, she tried to grab onto something, but there was nothing around her except air. Her body awkwardly toppled over and plummeted down. As she watched the rapidly approaching ground, it felt as if all the sounds were deafened, and even the time itself was slowing down… Until it completely stopped. She carefully adjusted herself, making sure her impression looked believable, and let the time slowly pass by as she floated towards the ground. When she landed, everything was as usual again. Well, except a small crowd that was now surrounding her.\n\n“Oh God, is it okay?”\n\n“Should we, like, take it to the vet? It seems fine”\n\n“Kitty kitty kitty, come here…”\n\nShe let them pet her for a little while before gracefully slipping away from under their hands and strutting down the street, shooting quick glances at the surroundings. While intelligent enough to look for rational explanations, humans still wanted to believe in wonders, and that is what she liked about them. It was no miracle, just magic. But if they chose to believe that cats had 9 lives, who was she to tell them otherwise? Especially since she had other matters to attend to. Like that pigeon who acts if he owns the place, it’s about time somebody taught him a lesson…\n\n(My first time writing something and English isn't my first language, so this is probably bad. Sorry. Critique is welcome)", "Stats at birth. \n\nHealth: 36/100\n\nStrength: 2/100\n\nMoney: 0/100\n\nIntelligence: 1/100\n\nMana: 3/100\n\n\nSilence is all he had heard. He blocked out the beating of his heart, The slight ruffle of clothing against his skin as he breathed. The 'sound' of nothing in a room is still something. Even that was gone. True silence. His eyes closed, focusing on the flow of magic he is currently accessing. It's been silent for nearly 10 minutes now. His proficiency in this spell has been increasing recently. The mana use is smaller now than it was when he began using magic. He used this to meditate. It's one of his most proficient spells. He starts the spell. Lies down. Hands across lay on his stomach. He simply thinks. \n\nHis thoughts go anywhere from his school work, dinner, friends, whatever it may be. He has true focus on this. It let's him truly absorb what has happened that day. Due to this concentration he remembers all that he has learned from school. Straight A's since 6th grade. He still needs to learn something first to perfect it. He can't make assumptions about things he does not know.\n\nSuddenly shaken, his heart races as his eyes open, sitting up all at once. \"What Devon? What's wrong?\" He looked at the pale smaller child. \"It's time to eat, Len. You were asleep. Did you stay up all night again?\" Len smiled and took a deep breathe, faking a yawn. \"Yeah.. you know me.\" He got out of the bed. Walked to the restroom and washed his hands. Looking into the mirror, the stats above his head were nothing extraordinary.\n\n Health: 82/100 \n\nStrength: 65/100\n\nMoney: 15/100\n\nIntelligence: 72/100\n\nMana: 95/100\n\nThe last two have been fabricated by his spells. The intelligence bracket shows a false number, his understanding of spells makes him more knowledgeable than most. Let alone the retention of his school work. Everyone just assumes that since he hasn't finished school that his stat will continue to rise as he gets higher in grade. The mana bar however is not visible to anyone but him. This is a constant spell that Len uses. It has taken quite a while to master. But doing so, not everyone had forgotten about the boy with mana. \n\nHis mother asks occasionally if he feels anything new, or different every once in a while. He simply responds with typical body growth or soreness from playing outside. His usual go to is tired from lack of sleep. Even though this is true. It masquerades the fact that he stays up majority of the night meditating. Thinking of spells or applications of others that he has learned on the way. \n\nAfter dinner, ready for bed as usual. He lay waiting for everyone to be asleep. Waiting for the 'silence of the home'. The snoring of his little brother across the room. His mothers tv shows project throughout the ventilation system of the home. Creaking of the wooden floor boards as the dog walks around, getting comfortable on its bed. \n\nThis night though, he actually slept. A full nights sleep. He is very fond of these. But his hunger for knowledge and controll of these spells and mana are very important to him. As he awakes he notices its early in the morning. Maybe only 6 or 7 o'clock. He dresses himself and takes a walk outside. Listening to the world around him. \n\nBirds chirping, the occasional car passing by as the person is off to work. The breeze flowing against his wind breaker. \"Ahaaa! Yes! Ive done it!\" The voice of a older man echoed through the neighborhood. He walked towards the source of the sound, his interest piqued. \n\nWalking on the side pathway of a home. He heard rustling and excited yelps of what seemed like victory. The occasional sing song \"I did it, I did it.\" were also heard. Len turned the corner of the home. Looking to the not so older man. But maybe high twenties, low thirties. \n\nThen it struck him as he looked to the mans stats. \n\nHealth: 65/100\n\nMoney: 78/100\n\nStrength: 82/100\n\nIntelligence: 67/100\n\nMana: 24/100. \n\n\n\n", "Leon was crunching through the snow, the wind blowing across his face and his nose a bright red. Swaddled up in his scarf, he had a fairly average set of stats, nothing to draw too much attention.\n> Intelligence: 72/100\n\n> Strength: 37/100\n\n> HP: 100/100\n\n> Money: 40/100 Has Credit Card\n\n\nHe had learned to stay out of trouble and keep most of his money in the bank to keep his health up to make sure not to get robbed too much. On this particular day, he was walking home after a long day hauling Christmas trees, the winter season upon them and business bustling. He always liked taking the forest path home despite the monsters and beasts rumored to hide in the depths. It was along this path that he wandered when he heard a quiet, muffled cry. Freezing in his tracks, he looked around and- there it was again. Crying. Despite knowing better than to go into the forest, he tromped through the snow, his heavy leather boots leaving a trail behind him as he searched the forest. Finally, about 50 feet from the trail, he saw a crying lump in the snow. Moving closer, he picked up the bundle, seeing a small girl swaddled in a blanket and crying. Holding her lovingly to his chest, Leon looked at her stats, worried about her health. \n\n> Intelligence: 81/100\n\n> Strength: 61/100\n\n> HP: 84/100\n\n> Money: 0/100\n\n> Mana: 78/100\n\n\nHe looked at her stats, surprised. She had unnaturally high stats, and considering the lack of footprints nearby the girl, she had to have been here for a while, so her health should have been a lot lower. He looked confused at the Mana bar, which was steadily decreasing. Looking at her eyes he hesitated, before smiling at her unusual golden eyes and hugging her to his chest. He'd find a way to take care of her, and there was a sure explanation for her unnatural strength for her age and her health. Things would turn out okay.\n______________________________________________________\nA bird lands in a tree, fluffing up her feathers for warmth to defend against the winter cold. She's about to tuck her head under her wing to sleep when she sees a flash of gold. She looks down to the base of the tree where she sees a very surprised Leon and an elderly woman, in about her 60s with calm golden eyes. The blanket that she was previously wrapped in is on the ground, now too small to cover much of her at all, and she's wearing a very high quality deep blue cloak and tall, leather boots, both extremely clean. Her mana count has stopped draining and has slowly begun to recharge, and she approaches Leon slowly and with purpose, almost like a cat. He has started to turn in the other way but it looks as if he's moving in slow motion compared to the woman, who plants a hand on his back and closes her eyes as golden energy moves from Leon up her arm and into her chest. The man falls to the ground, no longer looking to be in his 40s, his features now wrinkled and loose on his bones. He does not move, his eyes glazed open. The woman's features change as she drains the man, the age melting away from her features as she changes to be a 19-year-old girl. She looks around with wide eyes and a flash of gold illuminates the forest, blinding all the creatures around her. The bird falls from her tree and lands in the snow, never to fly again. With no witnesses of the crime, the girl's mana bar turns gold before fading away and she smiles, stealing the rest of the dead man's possessions before disappearing into the forest once again.", "\"One more push and they'll be out.\" The doctor said encouragingly.\n\n\"Aghh! Ugh! AGHHHHH!\" The mother screamed, exhausted and in pain.\n\n\"Well done, Mrs Roberts. You've got a healthy baby girl.\"\n\nMrs Roberts collapsed back on the bed, watching the nurse do the preliminary checks on her baby as the doctors were making sure she was ok.\n\nThe doctors gave the mum the all clear and checked with the nurse that the baby was healthy before they left the room.\n\nThe nurse wrapped the tiny pink baby into a blanket and handed her to her waiting mother. Her mother cradled her gently in her arms, totally besotted with her new child.\n\n\"Oh, almost forgot! You want to see her stats, don't you?\"\n\nEvery creature on the planet was born with statistics for constitution, strength, dexterity, speed/agility, intelligence and logic. Some stats had sub categories or point dividers. Other skills came along as they got older and the brains and bodies developed.\n\n5 or 6 points in any stat was standard. 10 was the highest a stat could go. The thing that made it interesting was the total number of points was random. \n\nSome people had 8s or even 9s across everything. Some had some high and some low and others low across the board. Some stats could be improved over time with exercises or reading and others were fixed.\n\nThe nurse tapped the babies heart and brought up the stats view.\n\n\"Ok.. constitution a 6. That's good, the higher end of normal.\"\n\n\"Same as her sister.\" Cooed Mrs Roberts.\n\n\"It means she will occasionally get sick but be fine.... hmm underneath it says interesting allergies... keep that in mind when introducing foods. Strength is a 6. That's good for a girl, above average. Dexterity... 5. Sub note says dexterous toes.\"\n\n\"What does that mean?\"\n\n\"She can pick things up with her toes. I'd expect the skill to be a 7 if she can do that. Which means she'll be a bit slow with her hands doing fine motor skills like writing or sewing. Speed and agility 5... nice and average... oh intelligence 8. \"\n\n\"That's the same as your sister again. Both so smart. \" Beamed the mother.\n\n\"Very good. Sub note says creative problem solver. She's going to be an interesting one. Logic 5. Hmm I'd expect that to be higher.\"\n\n\"So what does it mean with high intelligence but lower logic? How does that make sense?\"\n\n\"Ever seen someone smart with no common sense? That might be the case here. I'm guessing though with the creativity she will be less practical and more whimsical. I also see she has her empathy bar already.... and it's a 10! Most children don't get these until around age 4 and some never get more than a point in it. All in all you have a very....\" The nurse suddenly stopped talking, her face frozen.\n\n\"What is it? Is something wrong with her?\"\n\nThe nurse slowly pulled the stats up and hidden beneath logic was a blue bar. The health bar was red and at the top so what was this? She tapped the bar and it flashed: Mana 75. Underneath that was an empty list and tiny menu button.\n\n\"What is that?\"\n\nThe nurse was shaking. She reached out to take the baby from her mother. \"We need to get a doctor in here. I think we might even need to report this.\"\n\nThe mother tightened her hold on her daughter. The baby started to fuss.\n\n\"Shhhh, shhhh, shhhh.\" The mother soothed to her baby. \"What do you mean report? I'm not letting you or anyone else take her away.\"\n\n\"Your daughter is special and needs to be tested.\" The nurse insisted.\n\n\"You mean locked up and experimented on. Well I won't let you!\" The mother said, holding her daughter tight against her chest.\n\nThe baby started to cry from all the noise and the nurse trying to remove her from her mother. The baby turned her head towards the nurse and wailed.\n\nInstantly the nurse stopped trying to take her. Her eyes glazed over and after 3 seconds she shook her head.\n\n\"Well, everything seems perfectly fine. I'll leave you two to rest and bond. She'll need to feed within the hour though. Just use your call bell if you need help with that.\" The nurse said, smiling at them both.\n\n\"I will, thank you.\" The mother replied, keeping her voice even.\n\nAs soon as the nurse left she pulled up her babies stats bar and scrolled to her extra section.\n\nThe mana bar read 70. In the menu was a new skill. Persuasion: makes a target cooperative or agree to your request/argument.\n\nAnd as she finished reading the description the mother noticed her daughters mana bar click up to 71. \n\nThe mother looked down at her tiny daughter who had snuggled into her and was falling asleep. She didn't feel fear because she instinctively knew her daughter had wanted the nurse to stop upsetting her instead of trying to protect herself. And now it was the mothers turn to protect her.", "In this world, people are born with statistics. Numbers to show off what level or skill they were at. These numbers expressed only intelligence, strength, HP, and money, or so we thought. \n\nThe young boy sat cradle in his mother's arms. About 12 doctors had cornered the child and the mother. Questioning each other and the boy. His mother trying to push the doctors away from bothering the baby. Tears began to burst out of the child. Quickly each doctor took their respected leave and left the two alone.\n\nYears had past and the little boy was now a tiny kid. Yet he couldn't live a simple life, for his constant monitoring. No one had seen a child like this. A child with all the stats static and only one see able. The stat of mana and a mysterious one with it. With the count shown above his head as 200.\n\nThe floor creaked as he ran. He reached the front door and tried to reach the doornob. His mother taking note, ran towards him. Quickly ushering him into her arms.\n\n\"Micah, you can't go outside sweetie\"\n\n\"W...y..?\"\n\n\"You know why...\"\n\nSo Micah was left alone, gazing at a blank wall. Cameras moveing to catch every moment. Every second was another second of no freedom. Micah felt the tears form in his eyes. Soon he was sobbing, wishing for everyone to stop watching. Then everything did seem to stop. The cameras fell from their stands and crashed to the floor. \n\nA pounding on the door could be heard. \n\n\"Micah! Honey what happened!\"\n\nAll Micah wanted to do was escape. He didn't want to leave his mother. His mother who fought for his safety. The banging continued yet with more force then before. He stared and let the fear carry him. There was no wish to stay and so he did not.\n\nA final bang brought the door down. Only revealing an empty room with purple dust swirling around.\n\n(This was my first time trying 3rd person writing. I do notice a lot of mistakes. Any feedback or suggestions would be helpful.)" ]	[ 1, 1, 2, 7, 34, 38 ]	[ "1533309437", "1533344768", "1533339162", "1533337059", "1533322318", "1533311916" ]
	[WP] you bought an at home DNA ancestry kit and just got your results back. The first half brings no surprises, however you are shocked to see that half of your DNA is simply labeled as "could not be determined"	133	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I never really bought into those \"determine your ancestry\" packages, given that they would only tell me what I already knew. That I'm white, and most likely a descendant of someone from some place like Britain, Scotland, or Ireland. When my grandfather gifted me a kit, however; I decided that I would do it. Not because of I wanted to know my heritage, but because I wanted to know what might be in store for my children. I wouldn't have done it otherwise, given I have no chronic illness or health issues. To me, peace of mind is worth it, though. Especially if it doesn't cost me anything. I thought it might answer the few questions I had. Instead, I'm still searching for answers. My boyfriend had encouraged me. He was into this sort of thing. Genealogy, history, learning in general. It was charming, just how curious he was.\n\n\"Ready to find out what makes me, me?\" I asked him. \n\n'Yeah, babe,\" He smiled. \"Lets do this.\" \n\nI sat down with him, box in hand. We looked at eachother, briefly, before starting to open it. I hoped to start a life with him. Have children, have pets. I hoped that everything would be healthy, be normal. Something for once in my life must be, right? \n\nThe box looked exactly like what you would've expected, brown, cardboard. Nondescript. The papers inside, even more so. I started on the genes, he checked out my ancestry. I noted certain things, like my predisposition to near-sightedness. I checked out all the observable human characteristics. Some of them were spread out across many gene sets, like handedness. Others not, like eye color, or the inability to taste PTC, or whether my earlobes were attached. I of course knew the answers to these questions. Easy to infer what my parents had based on my traits, especially the recessive ones. I was thumbing through the pages when I noticed Alex has stopped talking. He had been rattling off the percentages and geographical regions, it struck me as odd he had gone silent. I looked up at him. \n\n\"What's up babe?\" I questioned. He looked pensive. Troubled. A line furrowed between his brows. \n\n\"Look.\" He pointed to a chart on the page he was looking at. Half of it, one solid color. The other, multiple. I gazed at the key, then up at him. \n\n\"Unknown. Could not be determined.\" \n\nThe air stood still around us. A sense of bewilderment and confusion rising. \n\n\"Would does it mean?\" I asked. \n\n\"I don't know.\" He answered, more puzzled then anything. He didn't usually have questions. He usually had answers. \n\n\"Could not be determined...regionally?\" I pressed, grasping for an explanation.\n\nHis face changed more, eyes narrowing as he looked at the page again. \n\"No, Claire. Race.\" ", "\\ding\\An email... I hope it's not from my boss. I know my deadline is yesterday but I'm still working on the code. I try to ignore the email for a while and go on with my work but the anxiety distracts me more and more. I finally decide to read it.\"Phew,\" it's not from my boss, it's from results@yourdna . com .\n\nI didn't expect a reply so soon. Let's see what this says. I open the email and follow the link therein. First tab reads \"Overview\", it has a small pie chart: half red, half grey. Huh, my DNA looks so neat. I look towards the legend to see what those colours mean. \"Red: Jewish (Mizrahi)\". Hmm, just half jewish? I would have thought more. Well maybe grey is also some other kind of jewish. I look for a couple minutes but cannot find grey in the legend for the life of me.\n\nI switch to the second tab, \"Details\". Everything looks normal, until I reach the final line:\"50% : Error, could not be determined. For more details, please contact us.\"\n\nI'm gonna call those idiots. I spent 200 dollars on this shit test, and I want some real results! I reach for my phone and it rings just an instant before I touch it. It's my dad. Naturally, I pick up, a bit surprised.\n\n\"What on earth have you done?!?!\" He screams at me.\n\n\"What???\"\n\n\"Look, I have no time to explain now, but some very bad, very dangerous people are coming for you. You need to leave right now!\"\n\n\"What are you talking about dad? Is this some kind of joke?\"\n\n\"Have I ever joked about something this serious?? I have sleepers in the kinds of agencies nobody even knows exist, and they're picking up tonnes of chatter. Our secret is out. I'll tell you everything when we meet face to face.\"\n\n\"And when will that be?\"\n\n\"ASAP! Do you remember the old building we used to go to when you were a kid?\"\"Yeah I guess I do...\"\"Good. Get on your motorcycle and drive there as fast as you can. Don't look it up on your maps app, don't google. Better yet, don't even take your phone with you. Your mother and I will meet you there.\"\n\nI open the blinds to look down at the street. There are black cars parked everywhere. Suddenly, a knock on my door. I remain surprisingly calm, like I've been preparin for this my whole life. I stick a chair behind the door handle and exit my apartment through the fire escape. My motorcycle is waiting for me right there... Strange, I didn't park it here last night. I start diriving and, even though I lied to my dad about knowing where the building was, I knew exactly where to go.\n\nA few cars start following me. But every time a car shows up, I miraculously lose it. Finally I make it to the old building. I get off my bike and the door opens right away. \"Get in, quickly!\" my father says. I run in as he locks the door behind me.\n\n\"Who were those people??\" I inquire.\n\n\"S A P.\" He says calmly.\n\n\"S A P?? What does that mean?\"\n\n\"I'll explain everything soon. Let's just go to the basement first, your mother is waiting for us there.\"\n\n\"What's happening today? First the weird DNA result...\"\n\n\"The what?!\" He interrupts.\n\n\"I did this DNA thing, YourDNA, you know?\"\n\n\"God almighty, that's how they found out. Don't worry, it's not your fault.\"\n\n\"Stop saying that! You always tell me it's not my fault, but if these people are on our ass because of something I did, it bloody well is my fault!!\"\n\n\"No. Nothing ever is your fault, you literally are perfect.\"\n\nWe finally make it to the basement. We open the door and my mother rushes to hug me. After she lets go, my father sits me down and stands in front of me.\n\n\"Maybe I should have told you this sooner, or maybe everything is going according to plan. It doesn't matter now. I'll just tell you everything.\n\n\"20 years ago, your mother and I were engaged\"\n\n\"I was born 20 years ago...\"\n\n\"Please let me finish, you'll understand everything. As I was saying, we were engaged. And, suddenly, she got pregnant. As you know, we both come from very religious families, so I hadn't.... touched her. I was suspicious, but I loved and trusted her as much as I do right now, so I believed her when she told me she had no idea how it happened. Then we both knew how it happened.\n\n\"So basically, what I'm trying to say is that... I'm not your father.\"\n\nFor some reason everything he's saying makes sense, like I already know it. I feel that I know what he'll say next but I'm not exactly sure what it is. So I ask.\n\n\"Then who is my father?\"\n\n\"He is.\" He says, pointing up.\n\n\"He's here in this building?\" I ask, flabergasted for the first time.\n\n\"No, Son, He is everywhere....\"\n\n\"You don't mean.....??\"\n\n\"Yes, I do mean exactly Him.\"\n\n\"What does that make me then?\"\n\n\"The second coming. You should start getting all your memories soon, if you haven't already.\n\n\"Anyway, my work is done I think. Your Father should take it from here.\"\n\nEdit: Note, \"S A P\" is \"Scribes and Pharisees\" in case it's too obscure. Also, I haven't read all of the bible, neither am I christian, but I couldn't resist, the prompt just seemed perfect.\n\nEdit 2: formatting.", "Gary looked at the envelope and flipped it over in his hands before unceremoniously ripping it open. \n\n\"What's it say?\" Melissa asked, looking over his shoulder. His girlfriend had teased him for spending two hundred bucks on a DNA testing kit and here she was begging for the results. He sighed and pulled out the packet of information.\n\n\"Dear Gary,\" he read as the check for two hundred dollars fell on the table causing a moment of confusion, \"We apologize for returning your funds but due to an anomaly we were unable to process your DNA results. We tried using the samples you sent us and consistently received half results on your tests no matter how many times or what procedures we used. The techs here joked that either your sample was either contaminated or that you are half human. We will try again with another sample if you wish. Bla... bla... bla...\" He ended, dropping the letter and staring at the check, \"What a ripoff!\"\n\n\"Maybe this means you're half alien!\" she teased and kissed his cheek as the doorbell rang, the sound of a motorcycle just outside his house filling him with mild curiosity.\n\nHe had his head turned to her as he asked her, \"Seriously, do you think the sample was tainted? What do you think it means?\"\n\n\"I know exactly what it means,\" a gruff voice said and he turned to stare upward into the beard of the massive man standing before him.\n\n\"W-what?\" he asked in shock.\n\n\"Yer a wizard, Gary.\" Hagrid answered.", "Ian walked through the door holding a stack of mail.\n\n\n“All a bunch of junk.”\n\n\nHe shifted through the envelopes and flyers, sorting them either into the garbage or onto a nondescript pile on the counter as he went.\n\n\n“Coupons for Burger King... Flyer for IKEA... AllMyChromosomes... a bank statement? Why the hell do they still send those?”\n\n\nHeather had been lounging on the couch up until that point, but that caught her attention. \n\n\n“Wait, what was that?”\n\n\n“A bank statement? It’s right here if you want it, but you should call your bank and cancel your monthly statement. 2008 called, they want to let you know that online banking is a thing.”\n\n\n“I mean the AllMyChromosomes part, you troglodyte.”\n\n\nShe got up off the couch and reached in to recover the thick envelope that Ian had thrown into the trash. The tinfoil lid to a yoghurt cup plastered itself onto the envelope and Heather peeled it off, cursing her brother’s stupidity under her breath.\n\n\n“This isn’t trash, it’s the results to my DNA test. Look at something before you actually chuck it.”\n\n\n“I didn’t think you would actually take one of those things. You do know that’s how they caught the Original Night Stalker, right?” \n\n\n“Good thing I’m not planning on murdering anyone.”\n\n\n“Oh yeah, I don’t mind my personal DNA results being monitored by the government because I’m not doing anything wrong. How Orwellian of you.”\n\n\n“Don’t be a dink. This is your DNA, too. You get to find out your ethnic heritage without having to pay for it.”\n\n\n“That’s exactly why I’m mad. What are you going to find out? That we’re 50 Shades of White?”\n\n\nHeather rolled her eyes and tore into the envelope, unfolding the contents, Ian reading over her shoulder.\n\n\n“25% Great Britain.” \n\n\n“Well that makes sense, that includes Scotland and our surname is MacKay.”\n\n\n“12% Eastern European.”\n\n\n“Also makes sense, we’re from the prairies, we’re bound to be a little Ukrainian.”\n\n\n“12% Western European”\n\n\n“Such a vague term, doesn’t Great Britain count as Western Europe?”\n\n\n“I don’t know. And 1% Siberian.”\n\n\n“Wasn’t expecting that, but if we’re that much Eastern European it’s bound to happen. That only adds up to like...”\n\n\n“50%.” She filled in for him, not wanting to be there all day.\n\n\n“Sure, 50%. There’s nothing else there?”\n\n\n“Just says ‘Could Not Be Determined’.”\n\n\nIan started laughing at her.\n\n\n“Oh wow, looks like this is even more of a waste of money than I originally thought. Dummy.”\n\n\nHeather just shook her head, staring at the results in disbelief. Everything else seemed detailed, it even told her what year their great grandparents came through Pier 21. She ran through the percentages in her head.\n\n\n“This only accounts for dad’s side.” she finally stated.\n\n\n“Okay, point being?”\n\n\n“Our mother’s side is unaccounted for.”\n\n\nHe lounged on the couch, phone in hand, interest in the matter passing.\n\n\n“‘Suppose so.”\n\n\n“Dad never mentioned our mother’s background. We don’t even know her surname.”\n\n\nHe rolled his eyes.\n\n\n“Well, if the mother of your children ever left without so much as a note while they were barely old enough to talk, I’m sure her family’s heritage wouldn’t exactly be a big conversation point for you either.”\n\n\nSomething about it seemed off. A chill ran down her spine that she could not explain. All she wanted to do was shred the results and burn the remains, not even worrying about getting a refund from the company. \n\n\nThere was a knock on the door. Loud and confident. They both froze and stared at the door.\n\n\n“Did you buzz someone in?” Ian asked in a hushed tone.\n\n\n“You would’ve heard me buzz them in, you mouth breather.”\n\n\nSquatting down and peering through the door’s peephole, she saw two near identical pale men standing in their apartment hallway wearing business suits, fifties style fedoras, and dark sunglasses.\n\n\n“Who is it?” Ian asked.\n\n\n“I don’t know, but they’re dressed like the Blues Brothers.”\n\n\nIn that instant she was reminded of all the stories of UFO witnesses being visited by mysterious men in black. She backed away from the door and gulped. \n\n\nTaking a brief pause to gather the courage she opened the door up. \n\n\nWithout introduction, and with an accent that she couldn’t pinpoint if her life depended on it, one of the unnaturally pale men said “You and your brother are coming with us.”\n" ]	[ 1, 2, 9, 31, 50 ]	[ "1533323539", "1533343636", "1533339003", "1533336040", "1533328850" ]
	[WP] Describe a future in which automation, artificial intelligence, and other such robots have completely taken over every single market that a human once controlled.	3	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I woke up to my alarm chiming gently by my ear. As I reached out to silence it, it scampered away and grew louder. Sighing, I stretched for a few moments, then rose from bed. Once I was disrobed and in the shower, the alarm shut itself off.\n\nI still had almost 750 liters of water in my monthly budget, so I went ahead and dumped the recirculation tanks and drew 50 fresh new liters for my shower. With point-of-use heaters, and water recirculation, I could take hours-long showers if I wanted without wasting too much in the way of resources. Some days I did, but today I had to get to the council meeting so I limited myself to 40 minutes, then got out and sat in the chair in front of the bathroom mirror.\n\nI directed my Bathroom Servitor, as usual, to take care of coiffing my hair and touching up the spots on my face with concealer. Eyebrows plucked, teeth brushed for the exact fifteen seconds per tooth that 9 out of 10 dentists agreed was ideal for oral hygiene, lightly scented, and - because why not, didn't I deserve to treat myself? - with a subtle application of diamond-dust mascara to highlight my eyes, I returned to the bedroom and directed the Wardrobe Servitor to present some clothing suggestions. Discarding several of them offhand, I berated the damned AI for not having the fashion sense of a homeless rodent, and eventually engaged manual override to pick out something properly severe for the council meeting.\n\nBut I had a couple hours, yet, so while my Kitchen Servitor prepared breakfast - today an EggWhite(tm) omelet with toast and some sort of jam, and flavored water (dieting is hard, ok?) - I turned on the television to watch the news. It always helped my mood to be reminded how much better I had it than others. Not that I wanted to see them suffer, you understand, but hadn't I worked hard for my position? And my parents before me? We lived in Elysium Prime, after all, in the lap of luxury, and even the poor towns, some of which were visible in the distance on a clear day, had enough to eat.\n\nIn neighboring Elysium Ten, there had been an incident of street crime. Reporters suggested that there may have been undocumented migrants moving through the town, trying to steal identity chips. There hadn't been a successful identity theft in a few years, but everyone remembered the coverage of the horrible crime scene and the 24-hour reporting, giving us the information we needed to stay on top of the issues. DecisionWork in E' (the kind humans do - robots simply do Work, unable to make decisions themselves but also unable to be harmed by the dangers of labor) had nearly ground to a halt for several days as we all sat, riveted by the story of the unfortunate family, and the police chase that finally caught the murdering thief - thanks of course to the intervention of a savvy old human consultant, who was able to piece together the abstract information in a way no AI could manage. Well, roaming undocumented meant we would need to address the possibility of stepping up security patrols and checkpoints in E' for a few weeks; I would bring that up in council myself. The weather was expected to be lovely for the next few days, with no signs of unplanned atmospheric events. I checked my bank balance on my phone - 23,844c - to make sure I would be able to afford the vacation I was planning for next week. I don't know why I even check, we citizens of E' are, as I said, quite well off. Even to this day we profit from the chaos of the Market, with our finely-tuned InvestorAI running the Bank and ensuring we all have profitable income from our investments. Indeed, we make 6% almost like clockwork, far outpacing inflation, ensuring we will always be able to enjoy the earned lifestyle to which we have become accustomed.\n\nI thought I would walk today. The luxury of importance is that we never needed to cram ourselves into filthy transit tubes like the citizens of, say, Rust or Husk, rushing to do their Work which, had they been smarter in their youth, would have been done by robots instead. So I walked to the council halls, taking the stairs down from my high floor in the condominium complex, enjoying the gentle breeze funneled to the walkways by the sinuous architecture the defined our lovely city. My ID pass let me take the QuikLine through the security checkpoints while dozens of my fellow 'Citizens - who had likely forgotten to renew their ID - milled about in line for the personal screening. I passed by a section of our city wall, shining white and perfectly clean as the JanitorBots moved slowly in their endless cycle of tidying up the city. That wall made us proud - even other Elysiums, like E'', had slightly dingy walls, clearly showing their lesser wealth and success. Well, we were titans of industry before we earned our comfort, and if they wished to join us, they simply needed to strive a little harder. We would welcome their presence. There's enough to go around, so long as it goes to the deserving.\n\nFinally, I got to the Council Hall. Waving my badge, I walked in and prepared to do my part in the great DecisionWork that would keep our city foremost among the jewels of humanity.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nE'97713 optimal. ContentmentIndex 98.13;AugSec policy T1 loading;Rationing0. Surveillance upload/archive complete.\n\nThere are 1,048,576 Elysium Primes in the world, and they are all identical." ]	[ 1, 2 ]	[ "1533394638", "1533401336" ]
A visual explanation of how this could work [http://4dtoys.com/](http://4dtoys.com/)	[WP] You walk alone by the street, and suddenly a man goes through a wall on you side, and disappears in front of you. Then you hear a voice saying "You saw me, I'll have to take you to the 4th Dimension now".	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "For my dumb American self, England was not the fairy tale I believed it to be. I grew up reading Dickens, watching Doctor Who, and all those wonderous British shows. And when I got to England it was, old and run down, and very much like a backwards America. Granted, one that had double decker buses, but even those got boring after a while.\n\nEven King's Cross, a train station looked boring as hell, even with all those high-vaulted glass ceiling. Bored, I sauntered down the train tracks, occasionally looking at the station numbers as I passed. 7... 8... 9... 9 3/4's. Wait, what?\n\nI did a double take and the number was gone. I stood their dumbfounded, goosebumps raised on my arms, that can't be right. But lo, and behold. There was a boy probably about 14 sauntering toward me. He passed and I cringed expecting him to crash into it. Instead, he went \\through\\ the wall. Certainly I couldn't have seen that, right?\n\nI heard a loud sigh behind me. An older guy with some wire glasses appeared behind me. \"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to take you with me. You shouldn't have seen that.\"\n\n\"But I didn't see--\"\n\nBefore I could even think, he pulls out of all things, a wooden stick and waves it at me. \"Obliviate\".\n\n\\---\n\nI'm standing, dumbfounded at the guy who just suddenly said a bunch of gibberish at me. \n\n\"Was that supposed to do something?\" I responded with an eyebrow twitch. \"waving what, a stick and saying some gibberish at me?\"\n\n\"Well, erm, yes, but it should have--Wait, you remember everything?\"\n\n\"Yeah, some weirdo kid just walked into a wall like it was nothing. You just shoved a stupid stick in my face. Look, this is weird, and I'm creeped out, and you're some strange British dude. Sorry but I'm leaving.\"\n\nI started off and suddenly he grabbed my arm.\n\nNext thing I knew, everything felt like it was inside out. My outsides desperately wanted to be insides and my insides didn't know why they didn't get a vote in this. Before I really began to feel nauseous the experience was over. Instead of being on a platform, I was in some kind of office. A big round thing with all kinds of junk everywhere. I mean, this was episode of Hoarders kind of bad. Exept it seemed orderly somehow? like all this junk meant something insead of being piles of stuff. \n\nAnd centered in it all was the most annoyingly normal looking guy I ever saw in my life. With a mop of orange hair and green eyes and an ugly sweater and the same damn khaki pants that all Brits seem to own. And house shoes. those slip on kinds. ", "“What! Who’s talking?” Lilo examined her surrounding but still couldn’t find the origin of the voice. Was she crazy? How… that man just went through the wall.\n\n“Hello! Hello!” she touched the wall, felt the bricks under her fingers, tried to push a couple to see if they could move. There has to be a trick somewhere. “Hello!” She even put her ears against the wall.\n\n“There’s no time to explain, quick your people need you!” urged the voice.\n\n“What? What should I do?” Lilo panicked. \n\n“Quick follow me!” A red figure jumped in front of her and motioned toward the stairs in the dark alley. “We are late! Quick!”\n\nHe ran to into the alley and nodded his head toward Lilo. She ran behind him. The man was tall, dressed in a red suit, fake white bunny ears on his head, he kept on looking at his pocket watch and mumbling how late he was.\n\n“Wait, who are you? You are late for what?”\n\n“We have to go to the 4th dimension! You saw me, now you have to break the wall!” He passed by the stairs, went on, turned left, stopped, pointed to an old copper door. “Hurry! We are late! Run into the wall. We have to go to the 4th dimension and you have to break into the wall.”\n\nLilo didn’t know what to say, she couldn’t even process what was going on. She nodded and ran straight into the copper door.\n\nBOOOM!\n\nShe crashed into the wall, broke her nose, bumped her head and collapsed on the ground. The man in red suit exploded in laughter. “Hahaha! You actually did it!” He could barely breath and had to support himself on a dumpster. “You ran into the 4th wall! Hahaha! This is perfect! I need to put this on twitter!!”\n\n“You’re a dick, Deadpool!” yelled an old homeless man who saw everything." ]	[ 1, 1, 3 ]	[ "1533419358", "1533428792", "1533421405" ]
	[WP] You've been anonymously given a book that narrates all of human history from the beginning to its end. Curious, you search in what chapter your era is located by looking at the chronological classification : it's the last one. Chapter's name ? 'The book's curse'	90	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "North Korea, South Korea, Boom! Thanks Billy Joel for inspiring the beginning line of this amazing chapter.\n\nAn orange clown was sitting, nay groping in the Oval Office. Funny hair do, bad temper, and hands that like to wander especially towards Eastern European womenfolk. He likes Twitter a lot, can read and write at a 5th grade level.\n\n The leader of the free world is an undisputable and completely stable, the most stable in fact, genius. He will lead us to the 'mother of all wars' as one leader with a posh, yet stylishly unkempt beard put it.\n\nYou see it all starts on a Sunday in the Autumn (won't tell you the month, it'll be a nice surprise) of 2020. Oh yes, you like the futuristic sounding time don't you? \n\nThe president was enjoying tea-groping as per his usual habit when Kim tweeted something unforgiveable and required immediate action. 'Trump: your orange hands are too small to declare nuclear war!' As any stable genius would do, he declared nuclear war. That's it. The end. What did you expect was going to happen? This book was the worst, I hope you guys rot in hell.\n\nSincerely,\n\nGod aka Buddha, Jesus, Allah, Flying Spaghetti Monster (my favorite name btw), etc. \n\nEdit: spelling, grammar\n\n\n", "CHAPTER %55\n\nTHE BOOK’S CURSE\n\nThere exists, in perpetual chaos, a blighted era. A Yuga [ERA] that is doomed to strife and chaos, fueled by a greed and narcissism unrivaled by any other. %55 is this era, cursed by the Bacab Hunahpu due to the presence of interlopers who rebelled against the Popol Vuh. Unfortunately, this Yuga is destined to end with the Scourge.\n\nThe Scourge is intended to be a complete overload of souls pushed into the various separate realms. A war that would claim millions of lives, to purify a world and era so I clean and so impure. It will come as a respite to a cursed time, the blood shall wipe the ground clean of scarification and filth left behind by careless caretakers. It is said that when the Last Human exists on Gaia, the Popol Vuh, congregation of Bacabs, shall come down to gaze upon the bloodstained ruins, to help lift the souls out of their damaged and diseased vessels. \n\nWhen they gaze upon the Last Human, he shall be taken to Xibalba, and given a new name, one that will signify him as the harbinger of a new era. Perhaps it shall be a young child, who has with his eyes gazed upon the bombardment of cities, the razing of homes, the killings of humans at the hands of their brethren.\n\nThe Scourge is different than any other end time. Prophets knew this, such as Nostradamus. They knew that the Yuga would end with a piercing strike of pure and unyielding violence. Unlike other eras, where the passing of souls was as gentle as the rolling of waves over a windless azure ocean, this passage will be violence that is the mark of an era cursed.\n\nThe Bacab-and, namely ”one who has the hand of a Bacab”, shall be the one who takes in the Last Human, and conditions him to become the harbinger to the next era, %56, said to be an era far less turbulent, and triumphant. An era for the peaceful, for the preservers.\n\nThe Caretaker of this era is Harangue, the Failed Caretaker.\n\n————————————————————\n\nCHAPTER %56\n\n”The Bacab-and’s Triumph”\n\nLittle is known as of now, save for the Bacab-and’s after involvement. In the year 2093, more shall be known, and the Calendar shall reveal the Popol Vuh*’s thoughts. It is fated that this will be a blessed and fortune-filled Yuga, a Yuga of sanctuary.\n\nThe Caretaker of this era is known to be the Bacab-and, the Blessed One.\n\n————————————————————" ]	[ 1, 2, 9 ]	[ "1533452837", "1533474887", "1533465445" ]
	[WP] You go back in time to study a historical figure. But you slowly realize that you are becoming the historical figure you came to study.	80	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "History is a funny word.\n\nWhen professors talk about history, they talk about what's recorded. The events that have been written down on papyrus, bamboo, or any preservative works that allow those in the future to find out what happened in the past. \n\n\nBut if a tree falls in a forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Of course it does. Just because no one is around to record the event, doesn't mean it didn't happen. \n\nAfter decades of work, my invention is complete. I had to hide it from the government, as they don't take too kindly to individuals messing with the time stream. Nonetheless, my time machine was made, looking not unlike the phone booth in that one antiquated show. \n\n\nSome would say the invention of the printing press was history's greatest invention, other would say the invention of the transistor. Call me a purist, but I believe that the invention of fire was what propelled humanity to the heights they're at now. It was by far the greatest invention in human history, or at least, until my time machine. \n\n\nSo, what better way to celebrate the greatest invention in human history, then by gazing upon the moment the second greatest invention was invented? Setting the time settings to the Pleistocene Era, I began to make my journey. I knew I had to make this count though. If I used the time machine too often, then it would stop overheating, and who knows what type of problems that could cause." ]	[ 1, 4 ]	[ "1533478157", "1533496695" ]
[deleted]	[WP] The world has a singular currency system, heartbeats. Everyone has a meter above their heads with how many heartbeats they have left. People can trade heartbeats for goods and services or give them as gifts. Once your meter hits zero, you die.	42	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I handed my little niece her gift, wrapped in bright green wrapping and topped with a festive red bow to boot. \"Merry Christmas, Susie.\"\n\nSusie gave the box a odd look for a moment, before turning back to me. \"For me?\"\n\nI nodded, smiling. \"For you.\"\n\nShe excitedly took off the ribbon, giggling as it came undone and floated to the ground, before grabbing the wrapping paper tightly in her little fists and tearing it off. She lifted up the lid of the box, and gasped.\n\n\"It's a teddy bear!\" She squealed, pulling the button-eyed toy out of the box.\n\n\"Yep! Just for you!\" I ruffled the top of her head as she hugged the bear tightly.\n\nShe leaned over and hugged me tightly. \"Thank you, Uncle Tony! Thank you!\" She turned to my brother, holding it up happily. \"Look, dad! Look at what Uncle Tony got me!\"\n\nMy brother, Brandon, knelt down and smiled at his daughter. \"Oh, would you look at that!\" He exclaimed. \"What's his name?\"\n\n\"Uh...Tony!\" Susie answered. \"Tony the teddy bear!\"\n\nI laughed, rubbing the back of my neck. \"Aw, I'm touched.\"\n\nBrandon shook one of the paws of the toy. \"Well, nice to meet you, Tony!\" He said in a gruff voice, causing Susie to laugh. \"Why don't you introduce him to your other toys?\"\n\n\"I'll do that right now!\" Susie agreed, running down the hall to her bedroom. I could hear her talking to the bear already, and couldn't help but smile.\n\n\"Tony.\" I looked up to see that my brother's face had gotten much more serious. \"You didn't have to give her that, you know.\"\n\nI gave my brother a weak laugh. \"It's alright, Brandon. I mean, it was just taking up space in the attic.\" I reasoned. \"Besides, Susie's a good kid. She can take care of it.\"\n\n\"But...\" Brandon trailed off to a sigh. \"Tony, I know you've been trying to move on but that doesn't mean you have to get rid of something that important.\"\n\n\"I'm not getting rid of it, though.\" I replied. \"I'm giving it to someone who I know will love it. It's not like I threw it into a bonfire.\"\n\n\"I know, but...\" He groaned. \"Christ man, you're so low on heartbeats.\"\n\nI looked up, realizing I didn't have that many left. That probably explained why I was feeling so tired. \"Yeah, I had to pay a bit to fix up the toy. It wasn't in that great condition.\"\n\n\"Here, let me-\"\n\n\"No, keep them.\" I refused. \"You have bills to pay. I'm getting paid tomorrow anyways, so don't worry about it.\"\n\nBrandon huffed. \"...alright.\"\n\nWe were quiet for a bit, listening to Susie talk and prattle to her toy. I found myself smiling, remembering how she did that so often herself.\n\nI stood up. \"I have to go.\"\n\nBrandon gave me a weird look, standing up too. \"So soon?\"\n\n\"I just remembered there's someone I need to visit. I forgot to drop off their present.\"\n\nBrandon gave me a odd look for a moment before shrugging. \"Okay man. Merry Christmas, alright?\"\n\nI smiled, pulling my brother in for a hug. \"Merry Christmas.\"\n\nI closed the door just as I heard Susie ask Brandon where I was going. I got into my car, seeing my heartbeat counter in my mirror. Five left.\n\nI drove for awhile, passing a lot of people who looked really happy. Most of them had children in tow, singing jovial tunes as they celebrated Christmas. I was happy for them. I really was.\n\nI eventually stopped the car and got out, nearly slipping on a patch of ice. It was frigid and desolate, my breath visible with each puff I took. I stuffed my hands into my pockets to warm them, feeling the tips of my fingers grow numb nonetheless.\n\nThe path I walked on was thick with a fresh layer of snow, neglected by the plow as it was one hardly anyone drove on. I'm not sure how long I walked for, until I saw my little girl. I just knew I found myself falling to my knees despite the snow when I did.\n\n\"Hi, Marie.\" I greeted, smiling. \"I'm sorry I didn't visit you more over the holidays. Merry Christmas.\"\n\nI pulled a chocolate bar out of my pocket, laying it beside her. \"I got you your favorite chocolate bar, too.\" I said. \"Almond caramel.\"\n\n\"I...I gave Susie your teddy bear.\" I confessed. \"I hope you don't mind. I know how much you loved it, and Susie will take good care of it. I wasn't taking care of it. I didn't even have tea parties with him! I'm such a jerk, aren't I?\"\n\n\"But...Susie can give him all sorts of tea parties. He'll be very happy.\" I assured. \"Merry Christmas, Marie.\"\n\nI went to get up, but stopped, kneeling back down once more. \"Silly me. I forgot. I have another gift for you!\"\n\nI rested one hand on my heart, and the other on her tombstone. I felt tears well in my eyes. \"I'm coming home too, Marie.\"\n\nFive Heartbeats left.\n\nFour heartbeats left.\n\nThree heartbeats left.\n\nTwo heartbeats left.\n\nOne heartbeat left.\n\nZero-", "“Yes, I know exactly what you mean.” Jeanne sipped absentmindedly, immune to her wine’s so-called robust flavors. In truth, it all tasted the same to her. \n\nAn ancient pianist trilled in the background. Dimmed amber lights set the mood and cast shadows across glossy wooden tables, just as fit for whiskey as they were for wine. The couples scattered throughout the well-furnished restaurant were often located on one end of such a spectrum. Posh, flirty, and dramatic patrons drank from tall stemmed glasses while the perseverant, serious, and thoughtful tended to prefer a tumbler. \n\nThe man across from Jeanne was dressed in expensive, somewhat designer apparel. However, the pieces lacked a cohesive style. The colors didn’t quite mesh, and a few too many materials invaded the ensemble. From a distance, he might have appeared well put-together but further inspection would reveal it as a façade. Jeanne had decided by the time their entrees arrived that the clothes did indeed match the man. \n\nShe had never known such disinterest, but in a weak moment with friends cheering her on she had consented to a date and nothing more. She had made a few attempts at finding an ounce of chemistry between them, but it had yet to appear. And, by dessert she had lost any hope of science intervening. She eyed a whiskey glass at a nearby table as her date chattered on about some example of material wealth. \n\nHe would make another woman very happy, she thought. A young, gold-digging blonde perhaps. She would bleed his heart of beats until he had none left to give. And he would be all too quick to give them, she feared. Anyone so willing to sacrifice beats without knowing how to match fabrics had already become their own grave-digger. \n\nShe was being too judgmental, she knew. But, when the mind was left to wander it often came to such brash conclusions. Remnants of wine swirled in the nearly-empty glass. \n\n“Would you like me to order another bottle?” Her date asked, hopeful. He was somehow enamored with Jeanne. Something about her unresponsiveness in the latter hour of their time together had caught his interest. The last bottle he had ordered had been pricey and had been a ploy to see how she reacted at the prospect of draining his heartbeats for a woman he hardly knew. The sight of a ticking meter had delighted previous dates, but not this one.\n\n“Or shall we call it a night?” He offered next. That seemed to please her, and he watched a spark shoot across her eyes. He had given her an out, and she was poised to take it. \n\n“I think it’s about that time,” Jeanne smiled. She pushed away the dessert scraps in front of her and stood up. “Thank you for dinner, it was fantastic.”\n\nJeanne embraced him briefly as they joined at the side of the table. It really had been a lovely meal, and she was sorry to see it wasted on herself. Or at least, she told herself she ought to be sorry. \n\n“Hey,” he placed a hand on her arm. Gently, he held her for a moment. “It may not be love at first sight, but I’d love to hear from you again. Have a nice night.”\n\nAnd, with a gesture, his meter ticked its heartbeats lower. He left quietly, leaving Jeanne to walk herself out. She was glad for it, but perturbed. Maybe he had been more observant than she had thought.\n\nJeanne gathered her things and checked herself in her pocket mirror. Nothing out of place. Unchanged, even. She looked for the whiskey across from the table one more time. It was gone, but its owner remained. \n\nHe looked to be a few years older than her, with eyes trained on oblivion. He looked at nothing in particular, without any display of emotion. Not surprising, because his meter read about 800,000. One week. Jeanne approached the table without reservation.\n\n“Can I buy you a drink?” She asked the lone patron. \n\n“If you must,” he shrugged, clearly a bit inebriated. He didn’t bother to engage her, and he quickly returned to his thoughts.\n\n“I wouldn’t want to see you buy yourself another one,” she said with a brutal honesty. It was the only kind of humor to use around a dying man, she thought. \n\n“I would,” he answered. He risked a look at the woman who joined him. She was dressed sharply, and modest. Her hair, which she worn down, looked more suited to a tight bun. \n\nThey sat in silence for some time and the liqueur flowed freely. The dusky rooms dimmed further as the night went on and more couples came and went. No one gave them a second glance. Somehow they seemed like permanent fixtures— antiques left locked in a wooden cupboard without glass. \n\nWhen the bill arrived, Jeanne’s meter took the brunt. The stranger across from her watched without wonder. Jeanne wondered if this was how she had looked to her date. Once again, she took her purse to leave, having hardly exchanged any words with the stranger. \n\n“Do you come here often?” Jeanne heard him ask the question just as she turned her back. \n\n“Never,” Jeanne answered honestly. She rocked slightly on her heels, thinking about a cab. \n\n“I used to,” he said from behind her once again. “I might try Avi’s tomorrow night. I’ve heard it’s a got a tragic history.”\n\n“Around what time?” Jeanne asked, instinctively. \n\n“Eight, or so.” \n\nJeanne paused for a moment longer, nodded to herself, and walked away. She vanished once out the door, swallowed by the crispy night air. \n\nJeanne checked herself in her pocket mirror once more as she got into the cab. Her hair was a bit rumpled and no longer able to hold its pristine form. Whiskey had that effect on her. \n" ]	[ 1, 5, 7 ]	[ "1533489679", "1533496800", "1533493185" ]
	[WP] When trying to summon Satan, you summoned your cat instead.	4	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "“We’ve already talked about it, Mitten. I know you want to be the most evilest baby kitten in the all universe, but look at you! Look at your tiny little jelly bean.”\n\n“Meow.”\n\n“Yes, those tiny mini little beans. Oh yes, there are! Look at those cute little ears.”\n\n“Meeeoooww!!!” \n\n“So cute! My sweet baby. No, no, don’t try to escape. Who is so soft? Who is it? It’s Mitten who is soft. Oh yes, you are.”\n\n“Meeeoooow Meeeoow!!!!!”\n\n“Oh yes, look at those cute little fangs. Don’t try to bite me. Look at those! Oh yes, they are tiny. Mommy knows you want to be a little devil. Oh yes, you are. Who is the best, cutest, evilest hunter of the all planet? Who is it? Tell me, Mitten. Do you know who is it?”\n\n“..... meoow…”\n\n“Yes, it’s you! You are the most evilest littly Mitten. Alright, go play outside now. Mommy has to summon Satan, he still own me money. Money to buy you sweet little treats. Who want some sweet little treat? Tell me who?” \n\n“............................meow…..”\n\n“Of course, it’s my baby Mitten. It’s you. Go. If you see Beelzebul, Mommy gives you permission to tear his face apart. Oh yes, you can. He said you were naughty and Mommy knows you always listen to Mommy. He deserve it. Don’t eat him okay, it will upset your little tummy.”" ]	[ 1, 3 ]	[ "1533493578", "1533495458" ]
	[WP] Humanity finally makes it to Mars and begins to colonize the planet, but you have different plans: you want to find the Curiosity rover and give it a hug.	81	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "It's been forty years. It took us a while, but we finally got here... Mars, it's as every bit as desolate and beautiful as I imagined it would be in person. Whereas my fellow astronauts disembarked and began to find places to set up shop, I set out with a different mission, GPS tracker in hand, following the perpetual, steady beep. \n\nI remembered reading about it when I was a boy. I was probably five at the time, when the little guy launched. No one knew how much he'd contribute to the study of Mars. By all rights he should've shut down decades ago, at least a few years after NASA updated its systems with a full AI ten years later. But, no, the little guy kept on chugging. We lost track of him for a few years in a major dust storm. It wasn't until we had a third satellite over the planet that we found him again. Several of his systems were down, but he kept going. \n\nIt was a rallying cry to a lot of us. This little robot, who had the self-determination capability of shutting down when it was damaged beyond a certain point, decided to keep exploring. Sure, many others were sent, and many others shut down.. But Curiosity?... No, he never gave up. Even as his rotors were shot, even after the wheels were shredded, even after he went blind. \n\nA glitch, they said. An error in a faulty line of code. It denied all orders to shut down, it refused all updates to 'fix it' so it would cease. I knew better... Curiosity had become infected with the human spirit, the drive to know. Even as it dragged itself along, blind, deaf, crippled, it refused to give up. It kept shouting to the universe, shouting home, so we would know where it was. \n\nAnd here I am, standing in front of it now. I can't help but smile at the little guy... Well, it's bigger than I am, but that doesn't matter. Something in it must still work, because it can feel my approach. I watch the data fly across my helmet's AR visor. I can vaguely hear internal machines and rotors whirring to life, trying to move. Placing a hand on Curiosity, I speak for the first time since coming to this planet. \n\n\"Shh... It's okay...\" I wrap my arms around this intrepid explorer that inspired me so often through the years. \"It's fine... We're here now... You can rest...\" \n\nWatching the data slow, I feel the machine relax. As the machine stops all movement, I hug it even tighter. The data scrolling across the screen is so little now, the signal so faint.\n\n\"Thank you...\"\n\nMy visor goes blank..." ]	[ 1, 27 ]	[ "1533498258", "1533511263" ]
	[WP] After ripping the head of the alien that claimed to be your god, you look up to see an entire fleet of alien spaceships, you start to laugh hysterically, because what they don’t know is that you are not styck in this wasteland of a planet with them, they are	0	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "“I’ve never thought that someone will be stupid enough to ask me to bend my knee,” the girl bathed in moonlight, licked her lips and softly moaned, “ So bold.” She giggled.\n\nThronas, the legendary colonel, stared down at the woman. “A puny human think it can go against us. Ridiculous.” \n\nHe crossed his bulky behind his massive back. The first company began their march. The silver haired woman arched an elegant eyebrow. She estimated about a thousand people under the colonel’s command. Behind her stood a steep cliff, in front an army. She closed her eyes, tasting the delicate smell of blood soaking the ground. Her long silver hair was gently floating in the breeze and her white dress fluttering. Slowly opening her eyes, she broadly smiled at the soldiers. She tilted her to the side and giggled. How risible! As if a mere thousand soldiers could stop her.\n\n“Come and play with this big sister. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely treat you well,” the blood on the ground began to rise and turned into countless threads. The threads circled the woman and wove themselves into a deep purple choker. “Don’t disappoint me,” her full crimson lips curved into an alluring arc.\n\nThe colonel snorted, how presumptuous. What a feeble thing. The first soldiers encircled her, a gust of air swept over them, too fast and abrupt. Geyser of blood, rolling heads and collapsed body. Once again, the flowing blood wove themselves onto the woman, transforming her white dress into a deep purple garment. Two fallen corpses turned into ashes, molding themselves into a dark staff in her hand. She rose it to the sky, seemingly to big for her fragile build. Moonlight converged and condensed itself into a sharp curved blade. She pointed the newly created scythe toward the colonel. Her light mocking voice echoed through the valley.\n\n“I fear no one under the heavens and no one can block my path. Come, pave my road with your blood.” \n\nHer beautiful laughter send shivers down their spine, “Come, let me taste it.”" ]	[ 1, 3 ]	[ "1533509118", "1533519340" ]
	[WP] The world needs saving and Mistress Fate is shopping for a new chosen one. She has come to your company, and you're determine to secure this deal.	20	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "She was a weird girl, dressed in what looked like an old style tunic and sandals. Like something out of an old history channel documentary or something. She was a bit odd but, I wasn’t about to let a big fish slip away. If I nailed this a promotion could be in the works, hell they might make me partner. The money she laid out on table alone was more than we had made last year. \n\n\n“Now Human resources, what exactly does that mean?” Her voice was odd it seemed to worm its way into your head kinda like a catchy song; almost like there was some music to it. \n\n“Well we make sure that the right people with the right skills are doing the right job.” \n\n“Interesting, so who would you say is the right someone to save the world?” She asked\n\nI couldn’t catch myself in time one chuckle right from my stomach got away. I covered my mouth to make sure nothing else found its way out.” Well they would have to be quite skilled. May I ask what saving the world entails,” I let out a small laugh,” so that I can see if we have anyone that suits your needs.” \n\nShe sat silent for some time deep in thought. She brushed some hair out of her face and I couldn’t stop myself from staring. It was just hanging there in the air. A few locks of long black hair flowing as if there were a breeze. “ is there something wrong mister,” she looked down at my name plate “ Nemovic?” \n\n“No Mam, I was just suprised by how your hair is flowing. I’ve never seen that before.” \n\nOne of her eyebrows went up and she seemed to look over me a second time, actually taking stock of me this time.”Well a chosen one typically has some tragic backstory, you know no parents and all that. They can also have some mythic ancestry that never hurts. Usually they are also skilled in various things without any training; talents come naturally to them. Usually they are young but there have been some old ones as well. They tend to find themselves in trouble but everything usually works out for them.” \n\n“Sounds like a cushy life everything just seeming to workout for you like that, minus the whole tragic backstory thing.” I went through our database to query for matches. Our system used keywords to match people but im sure that orphan and mythic born wouldn’t really bring any relevant results. “Do you know of any certifications that you would like your potential employee to have, it might make it easier to narrow down the list of candidates.” \n\n“I don’t think you will need that list Mr.Nemovic. Are your parents still alive Mr.Nemovic?” \n\nI was taken aback personal questions don’t usually get directed at me. “ Why do you want to know Missssssss,” I trailed off for some time\n\n“Fate, you may call me Miss Fate.” \n\n“Why do you want to know miss Fate?” I asked again\n\n“I feel like you have the potential to be my chosen one.” \n\nI didn’t even try to hide the laughter this time. I wiped away a tear and set my tie straight again.” Miss Fate, I work at an HR company, I’m thirty five with a wife and kid. I don’t think I am a chosen one.” \n\n“Humor me then.” She said with a smile\n\n“ My parent died when I was young. After that life was hard but I made things work. Now I have a decent job and a loving family.” \n\n“So everything just seemed to work out?” She joked\n\n“No,” I chuckled “ business has been down, the money you laid out on the table is more than the company made last year.” \n\n“Funny how life works out isn’t it.”\n\n“Look Miss Fate, ill be real with you. My company needs this money. Whatever kind of person you want we can find, just say the word.” \n\n“Fine, Mister Nemovic you are my chosen one. Fate has decided on you.” \n\n“Alright fine, “ I let out a huge sigh and started rooting through my desk. I found the right form and grabbed a pen.” sign this form Miss Fate and I will be your chosen one for, how long do you expect this job to last?” \n\nShe signed her name and filled in the rest of the form.” Only three weeks, the world must be saved in three weeks.” She said flatly “ Here is your form Mister Nemovic and the payment is on the table. Goodluck.” With a smirk she got up. She clapped her hand and then well she crumbled. Kind of like dust just fell apart and disaappeared, nothing was left on the carpet either.\n\nThe rest of the day went smoothly and I actually got to go home on time. Turns out making that much money in one day has a way of making your boss like you. I headed out of the building towards my car when I felt something on my shoulder. I turned around and there was this big guy in a trench coat and hat staring down at me. This guy was huge easily 8 feet tall. He had the top of his coat pulled up pretty high so all I could see of his face was one huge eye. It was red as could be. \n\n“Are you Nemo?” The huge guy asked, his voice was deep, so deep I could feel it in my chest.\n\n“Nemovic is my name if your asking.” I answered as I backed away slowly towards my car.\n\n“Finally, you are gonna pay for taking my eye.” The huge guy roared he pulled off his coat. He was naked except for a loincloth. He had a huge club in his right hand and there wasn’t a second eye just the red one planted square in the center of his head.\n\nI hadn’t really believed her before but here I was with what could only be a cyclops. I am John D. Nemovic current chosen one and former HR consultant at Rakkers & Stein. \n" ]	[ 1, 2 ]	[ "1533520459", "1533557572" ]
	[WP] You buy a grandfather clock with 'kinks' to it. Apparently there are flaws and oddities about it, according to the seller. But you can't see any, so you buy it. When tinkering with it, you find that if you stop it ticking, time freezes. If you turn the hands back, they go back, and vice versa.	5	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "\"I had to destroy the Time Controling Grandfather Clock\" Jeff mumbled quietly.\n\n\"What!\" I said exasperated.\n\n\"I had to destroy the Time Controling Grandfather Clock\", he repeated a little louder.\n\n\"I heard you the first time! Why would you do that?!\", I couldn't get the words out fast enough. All my plans, ruined.\n\nJeff stared at me a second, almost as if he was trying to decide whether or not to tell me. \"I-I was winding the clock backward... I was tr-trying to finish my science project that was due yesterday...\"\n\n\"AND!?!?\" I could feel the blood boiling up to the vein in my forehead. I started to notice my pulse in my ears.\n\n\"Well\", Jeff continued sheepishly, \"I tried turning it all the way back around, 24 full hours... It spoke for the first time and said, 'Oh God, please do it again Jeff'.\"\n\nI thought for a minute, knowing my answer here could have lasting resonance.\n\n\"...Good call\", I replied, \"God only knows what other kinks we weren't aware of.\" " ]	[ 1, 3 ]	[ "1533630918", "1533632856" ]
	[WP] You woke up with amnesia and all you remembered was your Reddit log-in details. You set on a quest to discover who you are based on your Reddit posts and comments.	108	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "What even is a reddit(The front page of the internet)? What’s an internet (mankind's most powerful brainchild), and how do I know how to use it (just type). \n\nWait a second\n\nWho am I? What does I(think therefore I am) even mean?\n\nI am because I ~~hopefearthink~~ am\n\nMy sense of self(who I am is who am I). I think I’m missing that. How are my thoughts coherent(in English), how can I grasp these concepts if no one ever taught me them? Oh no. ohgodohgodoHMYGODHOLYC RAPWHAT’SGOINGONWHATSHAPPENINGWHYHOLYSHITDAMMIT-\n\nA little scared and you break down? Seriously? Why panic when you can *think?\n\nCalm down. Deep breaths. Passing out from oxygen deprivation won’t help.\n\n…\n\n…\n\nI think I have amnesia(I forgot. I always do.). \n\nWhat’s the first thing I can remember* ~~have I forgotten anything since I woke up~~? \n\nDarkness(not even stars). Then the blue light (suppresses melatonin). Then information(quiet, too quiet)\n\nWhy do I remember that, of all things?\n\nI should probably try to y’know, see what’s going on with that (why am here and what did I forget and whODIDTHISTOME).\n\n…\n\n…\n\n...\n\nWell, that doesn’t tell me very much.\n\nCollect the facts\n\nIf this is indeed my(all mine) account, and not somebody else’s then I can conclude:\n\nAs of 17 days(two and 3/7 weeks) ago, I existed(I am)\n\nAt the time I could write in the same language I think in, which I somehow know is called English.\n\nNext up\n\nAll I have written is fictional, and therefore useless as direct information. \n\nI’ll just have to extrapolate. What have I written about? \n\nA meta on virus named after a Puerto Rican monster of folklore(Chupa-something. Probably eats goats).\n\nA really creepy broken romance(watch out for those red flags, okay?)\n\nThat need some revisions.\n\nAnd a post about someone(probably not Voldemort) trying to defy death(like that’s ever worked).\n\nThat’s it. Three posts, for a life.\n\nTime to deduce. Or induce. Whichever works.\n\nI have an obsessive need to repeat trite sayings. \n\nWhen my stories don’t have characters so much as props for monologues. \n\nr/outoftheloop tells me stuff about reddit.\n\nr/askreddit tells me what other people know\n\nI can’t stop the meta (I don’t even like meta, why does it keep happening).\n\nI’m inconsistent in my update times and dates.\n\nI don’t (can’t) or won’t conclude.\n\nEither I’m really busy, or I’m really lazy\n\nWhat don’t you know?\n\n(anything)\n\nWhere am I? \n\nDo I have anybody?\n\nAm I supposed to be here(in a windowless dark room, with only a laptop)?\n\nGuess that’s a bust. \n\nI still have a whole computer to search. If nothing else, it’ll give me light to poke around this room by.\n\nBefore I go\n\n(just in case someone can hear me) Hey, reddit. Do you know who I am?", "I wake up and open my eyes. I'm in a bed with no recollection of how I got here. I get up and look around. None of this is familiar. I walk through the apartment and come to the living room. I see a phone being charged and it must be mine. So I pick it up thinking that there might be some clues to who I am and why I can't remember anything.\n\nAs I pick it up suddenly something comes to me u/delightfully_demented and a password. I open up an app on the phone called \"Reddit\" and enter the credentials. It works!\n\nI scroll through the posts and see r/dogs. Dogs? I have a dog? As if one cue a little res dog with curly hair comes running from the bedroom. The dog is excited to see me and I pet him and let him lick my face. He has a tag that says \"Myles\". Despite his enthusiasm I don't remember him which seems odd given that I seem to have posted his picture in r/poodles. \n\n\"So, you're a poodle named Myles.\" I say as I stroke his soft fur. Unfortunately I know more about the dog than I do about myself and this isn't helping.\n\nI look further. r/makeup rehab. Apparently I have issues with buying makeup. That's funny but not helpful.\n\nr/Formula1. Apparently I have a thing for a driver called Bottas and I watch a lot of car racing. That's fun but doesn't help me much.\n\nr/Toronto. Oh, this might be helpful! I live in Toronto. According to my posts here I am disappointed there wasn't a Taste of Manilla festival. Am I Philipino? Checking against my r/MUA posts I see I wear NW10 foundation and after some googling determine that I am not. That's too bad. According to my last post in r/Toronto I'm unemployed?!?!? That's both good and bad as I'm sure if I did have a job I'd be very late by now. \n\nAccording to r/PersonalFinanceCanada I used to work in Finance. This is interesting but not too helpful. I keep looking. \n\nI find some posts in r/CrossStitch. Apparently I'm quite good at this. I look through my posts in this sub hoping against hope to find something. It seems I swear a lot and find it amusing to stitch bad words. Eventually I find a post I had made of my work and it seems to be signed!!\n\nI click on the image to open it and as it loads I see a name stitched onto the fabric. But as I zoom in something happens and the name becomes blurred. By the time I zoom in again it says only delightfully_demented. Fuck!\n\n I keep scrolling and keep reading. I laugh, I cry and I continue. If I am u/delightfully_demented then I've had a he'll of a life. And while I remember none of the events I've written about it seems vaguely familiar. Eventually I close the app after hours of reading posts. I've not learned more than what I initially found. Exhausted I take a brief scroll through the other apps on the phone. Facebook? No idea what that is, but surely a book of faces isn't going to help me. \n\nI take \"Myles\" and go back to bed. Maybe some sleep will help. I'm awoken some time later to Myles barking. I hear someone knocking on the door and get up to answer. It's a Fed Ex delivery and the man asks \"Are you delightfully_demented?\" I cautiously answer yes. He hands me a package and walks away.\n\nI close the door and open it. Myles seems to be as intrigued as I am. Inside is a cross stitch. The text says \"I am....\" and it's signed delightfully_demented. \n\nI still have no idea who i was. I only know that now I am delightfully_demented. ", "The hell am I?\n\nNo, seriously. I don’t know.\n\nI woke up this morning, and it’s just a blank. Decent house, great bed, but I have no clue as to why I’m here. I walked downstairs, opened the fridge, and didn’t have a clue why I was in someone else’s home. And then I thought to myself, who is “someone else”? And who am I? \n\nI only remembered a few things about myself. Odd, but the stranger thing is that it isn’t my name, or my purpose for being in this house. It’s my Reddit credentials, and the password for a computer. Just those things.\n\nWhy was I on Reddit? I have no clue, I remember it well enough, but I don’t remember what’s on it, if you know what I mean. I know it exists, but I don’t know the content of it. \n\nMy intuition guides me over to the computer, where I input my password and the Windows jingle welcomes me. I open the Internet button, and it looks like I’m already on Reddit.\n \nI type in my username.\n\nu/Duz111\n\nWhat kind of username is that!? Weird, weird. How could I remember that, but not my own name? Anyways, I type in the password.\n\n[REDACTED]\n\nThe credentials are correct, I breath a sigh of relief. I walk over to the bed, and right into the wall.\n\nI’m back at the computer, and looking through my various posts.\n\nr/lakecityquietpills\n\nr/[redacted]\n\nr/WritingPrompts\n\nWriting Prompts!? I don’t know, do I like writing? See, I remember so much about the world and what’s around me, yet not myself, not my own persona. \n\nSo unusual. \n\nI’ve made comments, it seems.\n\n”I am stuck in a well.”\n\n”I have found a new recipe!”\n\n”why didn’t they ask evans?”\n\nWho’s Evans? Beats me. \n\nI walk over and right into the wall, and then into the bed. I then flip back onto the bed, and then walk to the windows, which isn’t open. I try hitting it, but my hands go through it. \n\nI am interrupted by a deep buzzing, followed by an unusual whirring noise. I look to the door of the bedroom, and find that my computer has dislodged itself and walked over to the doorway, hand outstretched, beckoning to me.\n\n“Hello. I am u/WritingPromptsRobot. Hello.”" ]	[ 1, 2, 10, 21 ]	[ "1533642798", "1533692500", "1533653234", "1533651022" ]
	[WP] "You can have one last phonecall before I kill you", said the masked person who broke into your house. After you start the call, you can hear a phone ring in their pocket.	12	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "\n\n Margo stared up in shock at the masked man in front of her. \n\n “Leo?”\n\nThe muffled hum of Cavetown’s “Lemon Boy” played from the intruder’s pocket. The apartment was dimly lit by the streetlight shining through the window, and Margo had to squint to pick out her partner’s familiar frame in the dark.\n\n “You called me? Of all people, you called me? Not your mom or the police?” Leo lowered the gun and rubbed his forehead, “Christ, Mar. You’re such an idiot.” Margo might’ve scoffed at his remark, if she hadn’t just been staring down the barrel of his gun. “I was trying to give you a chance to be smart, but of course, you had to be so…” He sighed, “Romantic. Jesus, you were willing to die just to talk to me one last time?” \n\n Margo was at a loss for words, she just sat there, her mouth agape and her mind was frantically trying to understand what could possibly be his motive. They had been together for a year as of last month, and their relationship seemed so solid- up until now, of course. Who was the man standing in front of her? “I just don’t understand, for fucks sake Leo why are you doing this?” \n\nLeo shrugged, “You know, I wish I had an answer for you. I mean, I don’t have any motive or real reason for this honestly. No hard feelings, really, I just...” He paused, laughing softly. Leo took off the mask, pulling it over his head and letting his mop of brown hair fall down onto his face. He looked her over one last time, before lifting the gun to Margo’s face again-\n\n\n“I just wanted to see what it was like.”\n\n", "“Wait, Dave?”\n\n“Uhhhhh no this is Ryan”.\n\n“Ohhhh opps I misclicked, meant to call Dave”.\n\n“Wait, why would you want to call Dave instead of me?”\n\n“Well you know... we kinda haven’t hung out recently I guess and I dunno...”\n\n“I was trying to hang out but you were always busy!”\n\n“You know, collage is busy dude!”\n\n“Cmon man we were friends since 5th grade! I was just, feelin really hurt. You’re being a bad friend bro”.\n\n“Oh man I’m sorry bro”.\n\n“It’s okay bro I love you”.\n\n“omg”.\n\n“Bro”.\n\n“Bro”.", "They both froze.\n\nEthan frowned hard. He looked at his phone then turned to the masked man. In a spurt of bravado, he said, \"That's your phone.\"\n\n\"No, it's not.\" denied the intruder.\n\n\"Yes it is. Answer it.\"\n\n\"I already told you it's not!\"\n\n\"Answer the damn phone, Matt!\"\n\nThe mask man reluctantly fished his phone out of his pocket and moved it next to his ear.\n\n\"Hello...It's really...\"\n\n\"Awkward!\" whispered Matt. Without missing a beat, he shot Ethan straight between his eyes. Matt could feel the goosebumps crawling through his body. \"So awkward. I hate it when they do it. Why is it always me the last person they want to talk to. Bunch of weirdos!\"", "I stared blankly at the phone in my hand, hoping desperately that I'd clicked on the wrong contact or something. It was her contact, for sure, but that meant...\n\n\"Ruby...?\" She twitched, even as I recognised the shape of the body that fear had kept me from seeing before.\n\n\"No. No no no,\" she mumbled, eyes darkened with anger and confusion.\n\n\"Ruby, what...?\" I began, heart aching.\n\n\"No!\" she cut me off, jabbing her gun in my direction. \"You weren't supposed to call me! Why did you call me??\"\n\n\"I don't... what do you mean I wasn't supposed to call you?\" I asked, choking on dread and heartbreak.\n\n\"You weren't supposed to call me,\" she repeated deliberately. \"You were supposed to call him!\"\n\n\"Him? Him who? I don't understand; Ruby, what's going on?\"\n\n\"Shut up! Just shut up!\" she exploded, and began pacing, pressing the barrel of the gun sidelong against her temple.\n\n\"Ruby... Ruby, it's me; it's Ella... Please, j-\"\n\n\"I told you to shut up!\" she snapped, jabbing the gun at me again.\n\n\"Okay, okay,\" I complied, hastily raising my hands. She glared at my phone.\n\n\"You were supposed to call him,\" she repeated. \"Why the hell didn't you?\"\n\n\"Him who?\" I asked again. \"I don't know who you mean!\"\n\n\"Your boss! The head honcho! That bastard you smuggle shit for!\"\n\n\"...How do you know about that?\" I demanded quietly, less afraid now and more stunned.\n\n\"Not important! Why didn't you call him??\" She was getting dangerously close to that trigger, and I knew I had to tell the truth or risk my brains splattering against the wall.\n\n\"Because... I don't work for him anymore,\" I answered softly.\n\n\"Bullshit!\"\n\n\"I don't. And even if I did, he'd never be my last call before I die.\"\n\n\"Why not??\"\n\n\"Because I'd rather spend my last breaths telling the person I love how I feel.\"\n\nThat set her back. I could see it. She stared at me as blankly as I'd stared at my phone. Then her gaze flicked to that phone and her hand went automatically to her pocket as she made the connection.\n\n\"What?\" she breathed, stunned.\n\n\"Figured it out yet, dummy?\" I asked, relaxing as the gun slowly lowered. Taking a cautious step forward, I reached out and ever so carefully took the gun from her hand to set it aside.\n\n\"You...?\" Her eyes were baffled as I tugged up the bottom of her mask and leaned in to touch a light kiss to her lips.\n\n\"Yeah... I love you, Ruby,\" I said, and kissed her properly." ]	[ 1, 2, 6, 6, 9 ]	[ "1533670224", "1533882658", "1533672764", "1533673088", "1533678672" ]
	[WP] Your high school history teacher really knows his stuff, even oddly specific details from the past. During lecture he occasionally slips and quickly corrects himself from "I remember" to "I read." You're starting to wonder how old he really is.	418	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I'm a bot, bleep, bloop. Someone has linked to this thread from another place on reddit:\n\n- [/r/wetlanderhumor] [Mat Cauthon teaches history](https://www.reddit.com/r/WetlanderHumor/comments/95p9y9/mat_cauthon_teaches_history/)\n\n&nbsp;^(If you follow any of the above links, please respect the rules of reddit and don't vote in the other threads.) ^\\([Info](/r/TotesMessenger) ^/ ^[Contact](/message/compose?to=/r/TotesMessenger))", "Ever present paper\n\nThe pinprick of a quill\n\nNow turned to lead\n\n.\n\nFamiliarity beseeched\n\nBy the frozen breath\n\nOf him\n\n.\n\n“I remember”\n\nNot a quivering\n\nOr a whimper\n\n.\n\nHidden eyes\n\nShifted slightly\n\nTo gaze into mine\n\n.\n\nSensations of concern\n\nA finality I cannot grasp\n\n“I know what you are”\n\n.", "Mr.Stevens just disappeared, and so we've all been asked to write a little bit about our intrepretation of what happened and anything special we noticed about him.\n\nEvery day was a blast in Mr.Steven's class. I didn't know history could be so fun until I had him as a teacher. There's just one thing that's a little odd about him. Although he only looks around thirty, no one can remember how long he's been at the school. It's a little worrisome. He gets really into character when he teaches. I love the way he narrates the stories like he was actually there! Sometimes the details he gives are so specific you wonder if he's just making them up! Anyway, onto what happened. One day, after a particularly riviting lesson on Egypt, we were working on a worksheet and Mr.Stevens was on his computer. I happened to glance at him right as he turned lime green. He said he had an emergency and had to go. That's the last time I officially saw him. Later, we all saw the news about the FBI and the test lab and the escaped subjects that had been alive for thousands of years. And his picture was front and center. And then you idiots came with your pens and cameras and microphones wanting us to help you find him. I know one thing for sure. Go screw yourself to the FBI man reading this. I'm not helping you. You did wrong. And even torture won't change my mind. And it's pretty sad to torture a 14 year old. Just saying. Screw You, and that's final. #savestevenssecruity ", "There was a charisma to him that most of us just thought as his being cool and funny. He did sleight of hand tricks in front of us while waiting for the stragglers to trickle in after the bell, and was lenient on us when punishment was required. \n\nBut it wasn't just how he was as an authority figure to us. It was the way he spoke about events, too. There was something in it I could never quite catch. \n\nOther kids talked about wanting to be in his class, but mostly people said that when the teacher would play movies and go easy on you. Dr. Aston relied very little on those things to teach us. He preferred to talk to us, and made us take notes and write on workbooks. \n\nBut the way he talked. You had to be there. He had an electricity to his voice, like when he was talking about the Roman Empire. \n\n\"You know, they all knew it was going down at some point,\" he told us, leaned back against the whiteboard. \"But they fought, they acted, they proselytized, they laughed and drank, like they were invincible. You'd never think, you know, these people would ever be thrust from power. Some hoped, I think, the lower class, they may have wanted to see them thrown down and defeated. That's what happens when you get smug, people tend not to like it.\" \n\nOr maybe it was the way he talked about the Boston Tea Party. \n\n\"So imagine! Just imagine,\" he'd say, with his voice a wild ride. \"You're coming in to port, alright, and you're on this boring little ship, and all of a sudden you look over, and there's whole crates of tea, just being tossed overboard. Tens of men, just taking this big, English ship's cargo and tipping it into the ocean!\" \n\nHe'd laugh while the rest of us gawked and chuckled with him. It was interesting, the way he captivated us, like he was well versed in it, like he knew exactly what he was talking about. \n\nI got more insight on it one day, when he was telling us about the American Civil War. \n\nSomber, quiet, he rubbed at the back of his neck when he spoke, rather deeply, about Tecumseh Sherman's rampage through the south. \n\n\"You think you're on the right side of history, and then someone on your side decides to go extreme. I remember--\" he said, shaking his head, correcting himself as if it was nothing. \"I read,\" he said with emphasis. \"That it was particularly devastating to some that they were killing innocents. You just have to remember that both sides can be wrong, depending on how far they're willing to go. Sometimes, they have honor. Sometimes they don't.\"\n\nNo one else seemed to question it, some of us just too sleepy to bother, and it isn't as though he was telling us straight out that he was immortal or something. I figured I was just being silly and paranoid. \n\nEver since then, I noticed little things. The museum pamphlets he'd keep around. The fact that he was a donor to a few museums around the state. That he proclaimed with muted pride that he had a unique antique, a one of a kind piece of art from the 15th century. \n\nHis clothing would make more sense, if he really was so old. He'd look more like a peasant back in the Victorian era, but now he looked relaxed, in loose slacks and a shirt that looked more like a tunic. He wore a flat cap like he had gotten into the habit of it a long time ago and couldn't break it. \n\nWhen he chaperoned the prom, he wore a three piece that looked like he had stolen it from the museum. And I'm almost certain he at least had it on loan from them, because I saw the same one on our trip earlier in the year. \n\nMaybe I was being paranoid. I still don't know, all these years later, but if it was all an escape from the wildness that was his life up to then, he deserved the quietness he was probably trying for. " ]	[ 1, 4, 5, 8, 10 ]	[ "1533698542", "1533725898", "1533700424", "1533722539", "1533724598" ]
	[WP] "It's dangerous to go alone! Take this." "Tom Selleck's mustache?!"	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", " \n\n\\[NSFW\\] slightly\n\n“That’s right babe. I’m a mustache with a mission and you’re my new partner.” The mustache formerly belonging to Tom Selleck said in its deep voice.\n\n“Di, did, did the mustache just talk?!” The slightly hysterical woman in front of me stuttered out.\n\n“Yeah. It would be hard for it to guide you on your quest if it couldn’t talk. Isn’t that right Stache?” I reply nonchalantly.\n\n“Right on bro. Now, we have much to do and less time to do it in. Let’s get this party started lassy.” The mustache said, again in its soothingly deep voice, while wiggling a little and taking a hop forward.\n\nThe woman scoots away a step as if the moving bit of hair could bite her. For all she knows, it really could. Speak does involve a mouth of some sort after all, right?\n\n“I, I, I . . . . I’m a girl, I can’t have a mustache.” The woman finally replies with a hint of triumph in her voice as if defeating the ridiculous idea of having someone’s mustache guide them on a quest was the end boss of the quest itself.\n\n“Sweet honey child. Don’t you worry. Mustaches have to go above lips. This is a simple truth of the universe. Otherwise I would be a beard, mutton chops, or, lord forbid, a soul patch.” The mustache replies dramatically while holding one end of itself up to beseech the stars. “The thing is my dear, it doesn’t matter which set of lips I’m above. If a furry face isn’t your thing, then that is perfectly fine with me.”\n\nThe woman stares dumbly at us each in turn while the mustache somehow or another stares directly between her legs with its nonexistent eyes and even seems to raises its nonexistent eyebrows lewdly.\n\nAfter a few moments of slack jawed awe and confusion, the woman’s brain finally clicks back on and she screams bloody murder. Screaming is followed by pointing at the two of us. Pointing is followed by running away in unholy terror from the mustache ride that just wanted to help.\n\nOnce the woman, former brave adventurer out to slay the mighty something or another, crests the hill, I look down at the mustache in my hand, look towards the woman, look down again, and then bust out laughing as the “mustache” transform into a mischievous little fairy with bright red hair.\n\nThe fairy takes one look at me and falls down on her butt in my hand and starts cracking up as well.\n\n“Did, did you see her face? It was like I asked to eat her spleen.” My fairy friend squeak out while convulsing with laughter.\n\n“Mustaches go above lips? Ah that was awesome!” I reply while both trying to breath through the laughter and not fall over and accidentally squish the six inch tall woman in my hand.\n\n“And, and, did you, did you . . . I don’t even know. That was AWESOME!” She roars out between giggles. “We have to do that again!”\n\nI finally lose my fight with gravity and laughter and fall straight on my ass while barely holding up my tiny passenger to avoid another accidental squishing. She hates that.\n\nI see a shadow pass over me and feel more than hear the “tsk tsk” of the woman it belongs to.\n\n“You two really need to grow up! Start acting your age already.” The dour, yet stunning, woman standing above us says in her best mom voice. “How many adventurers is that now that you’ve run off? Ten? Twelve? NO! Two hundred and sixty eight! Our job was to help them!”\n\nMy fairy stops laughing long enough to stick her tongue out at the stern woman and say, “Hey, we are helping them! If they couldn’t handle this, they certainly couldn’t take on the dungeon. We are being good samaritans! Just in the best way possible.”\n\nShe then descends into another fit of uncontrolled giggling that only a magical creature that doesn’t need to actually breathe can accomplish.\n\n“Plus, it keeps us out of bigger trouble. Come on MOM, don’t be such a spoilsport! Live a little.” I tell her with as much charm as a face that is barely containing a laugh can muster.\n\n“Hmph.” She replies simply and stomps off.\n\n“I guess she didn’t like being called a spoilsport Jason. Who knew?” My fairy friend calmly, evenly says as if giving a weather report on storm Maria heading away from the coast of Mustachia.\n\n“Ah yes. I find most people don’t like being told the truth about themselves. Of course, maybe she just doesn’t have enough mustache in her life.” \n\nWe both look at each other for a tense couple of moments and then bust out laughing again.\n\n“Ah man Jason, you are definitely the best partner in a crime a fairy could have.”\n\n“And you my sweet little Ezmerelda are the best living practical joke I have ever met.”\n\n“You know it sweet cheeks.” She replies in the mustache’s deep voice. “I think I’ll keep you after all.”\n\n“Why thank you. I’ve always wanted more mustache in my life!”" ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1533700339", "1536891123" ]
	[WP] Due to a delivery error your pizza ends up in the underworld. Demons and all the like stand in your way but you really want that pizza.	9	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "'OK OK OK, let's for the sake of arguing assume you're right, how the hell are you going to enter the underworld anyways?' Saki asked, finally cutting his roommate some slack.\n\n'I paid $15 for that, obviously I'm going to get my order. Besides, I'll enter the underworld the same way I found out my pizza is in the underworld in the first place. Wait for that 666 number to call again and pressing 1' Pat said while he was gearing up for a battle of a lifetime. That pizza is his, and he won't die before at least having a piece of it. \n\nSaki just shook his head in disbelief. He doesn't know what's more ridiculous. The fact that his friend believes in such a place or the fact that he's ready to fight monsters for a $15 pizza. \n\n'It's okay if you think I'm being a lunatic. But once that ph-'\n\nThe phone started to ring. Saki's heart started to beat a bit harder, even though he believed that Pat is still playing a trick or something. \n\n'I'm putting the call on speaker so you believe me' Pat sputtered, with a determined smile\n\n\nSaki just nodded. As he watched his friend pick up the phone somewhat hesitantly and press the speaker button.\n\n'Hello?' \n\n'Yes Hi, Dana here from the underworld. My collegue has just informed me that you'd like to come over and collect your lost pizza. Is that true?' the voice said. \n\nNow Saki knows for sure that this whole thing is just a prank. Why would someone in ANY \"underworld\" be named Dana, let alone speak English in such a formal way? The only convincing thing is Pat's acting. 'It's got to be those acting classes he's been taking lately' Saki thought.\n\n\n'Yeah, that's true' Pat responded to the voice. By now he was shownig literal excitement. Not because he has achieved his goal, but rather because he's one step closer.\n\n'Are you aware that there's beings here that's beyond your understanding, and that could put your life in danger?'\n\n'Yeah, I've geared up accordingly' Pat continued, as he looked at his finished outfit\n\n'Alright, press 1 when you're ready'\n\n'Wow, really, WOW! Your acting classes are finally paying off. Holy shit Pat, who is that on the line? Amy? Jessie? One of your flings?' bursted Saki out.\n\n'Catch you later Saki' Pat deadpanned. He pressed the number one button and disappeared into thin air.\n\nSaki, absolutely flabbergasted, looked at the direction to where Pat was standing. The phone went back to dialmode and his friend, and roommate is nowhere to be seen.\n\n\n\n", "When John appeared in the underworld the first thing he heard were the painful screams of tortured souls. It had to be in the millions if not even more, but then he saw him, a demon with his pizza carton in his hands. The demon was obviously trying to mirror the terror of his victims with his body and face, as both showed signs of serve pain and fear. \"HEY! THAT'S MY PIZZA! GIVE IT TO ME OR YOU'LL DIE\" John screamed. The demon stopped immediately and looked at John, while his face switched through various states of decay. He looked at John for a few seconds, then at the pizza in the carton and threw it at him \"Take it you evil Bastard, who the fuck orders pineapples on his pizza?\" \n\nMy first wp and I am not native English so I'm sorry for all the errors. Hope you still enjoy" ]	[ 1, 3, 7 ]	[ "1533710838", "1533716464", "1533711943" ]
[removed]	[WP] Life is a literal joke. Knock knock jokes spook people because nobody’s on the other side. Chickens run rampant. Sexism and racism run high. Everybody is waiting for the punchline.	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/AtomExp, this submission has been removed.\n\n[No explicitly sexual responses, hate speech, or other harmful content](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_2.3A_no_explicitly_sexual_responses.2C_hate_speech.2C_or_other_harmful_content)\n\n- The mods reserve the right to remove anything we feel is harmful to the community. This includes, but is not limited to any forms of hate speech, racism, politics, necrophilia, pedophilia, bestiality, incest, torture, rape, or suicide. We will not tolerate it. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/95l85g/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1533728297", "1533728791" ]
	[WP] Her mother blinked and for a moment her face was utterly blank before she replied, in a soft, wheedling tone. "Of course I remember your name dear, now come and give mother a cuddle."	9	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "The little numbers on my pink clock was showing me that it was 11.00pm. It was almost time for me to go to the party I had been invited to. I looked at myself in the mirror that hung in front of my closet door. My dark brown hair was tied up into a bun on the top of my head. I had no makeup on but some clear mascara and red tinted lipgloss which was the closest I could get to real lipstick. I was wearing a plain white tank top and a black denim skirt with the waistband rolled up so the hem would raise and show more of my legs. It was the best I could do, although I longed to look like my best friend Sara. She would be in one of her cute little outfits that emphasized her tiny waist and her chest, her hair in perfect waves and her face glowing beautifully with highlighter, dark smoky eyeshadow and a vivid lip colour. If my mom was not so uptight and strict, I would have been able to dress like Sara, and to go to the party freely without having to sneak out.\n\nI crept downstairs, avoiding the second to last step which always creaked when you stood on it. I glanced around, the house was silent. My mom and my younger brother were sound asleep in their beds, like I should be. I felt a twinge of guilt but then I reminded myself I was 16, not a little kid anymore and yet my curfew was still 8pm. It was unfair that my mom expected me home so early every night. Just as I reached for the latch on the front door, the light in the hallway was switched on. \n\nMy heart sunk as I turned around and saw my mom. She was barefoot, wrapped in a dressing gown, her face pale and lined with tiredness. “Where are you going at this time of night, young lady?”\n\n“Mom, I- I can explain everything.”\n\n“You are in big trouble, Kate.” Mom crossed her arms, her expression changing to a frown. “I can’t believe you tried to sneak out of the house past your curfew!”\n\nA wave of shame washed over me. “I’m sorry, mom, but I just wanted to go to a party with Sara. I never get to go out anywhere because you’re too overprotective. I just...” I paused. “Wait, what did you just call me, mom?”\n\n“I called you...by your name, my dear.” My mom walked closer to me and patted my shoulder, which made me flinch as her hand was cold. “Go to bed and we’ll discuss your punishment tomorrow after I’ve talked to your father.”\n\nMy name was Helena, and my dad had died when I was six years old. It was strange also that she had called me her dear; she usually called me sweetheart and only when she was in a good mood. I was starting to worry about my mom. “Mom, are you alright?”\n\n“Kate, I’ve told you already to go to bed!” My mom snapped, grabbing hold of my arm tightly and forcibly walking me upstairs.\n\n“That’s not my name. How can you not remember your own daughter’s name?” I struggled to free myself but her grip was too tight. “Mom, stop, you’re hurting me, let go, please...”\n\nTo my relief, mom let me go. Her face was blank, her eyes dark empty pools and she seemed to stare straight through me. I felt chilled to the core when her lips spread into a smile that was hers but seemed like a stranger’s smile. “Of course I remember your name, my dear. I’m sorry I got upset with you. Come and give me a cuddle...” She reached out her arms to me but I stepped back to avoid her. She lunged to try to grab me again and I ran into my room, hastily locking the door behind me. It was not long before I heard the sound of a heavy thud on the door, one that just kept repeating over and over. My mom’s muffled voice came through the door. “Let me in, Kate, dear. I need to talk to you. Be a good girl and listen to your mother.” \n\nI picked up my cell phone and dialled a number I knew by heart. “Hello? Dr. Thompson? I need help. I think mom stopped taking her medication again...”", "Sara hesitated. She was unsure if Jan knew which daughter she was speaking to - it's happened before. Granted, she did look similar to her sisters, but they weren't triplets or anything.\n\"Ma, who am I?\" Sara fixed her hair, opened her eyes wide, and attempted a less strained version of the huge smile Jan always loved to see. She walked closer to the hospital bed now. She was determined, her mom would get it right this time. \nJan looked at her the way you would glance at someone in a restaurant if they looked familiar but you're not sure you know them. She furrowed her brow and then glanced off to the side and thought deeply about where she knew Sara from.\nA few minutes pass, Jan blinks a few times and says \"Oh! Hi Natalie! Why are you standing there?! Come give mother a cuddle!\" as she pats the bed beside her.\nSara sighed and sat next to her mother, feeling defeated. \"At least she still remembers my sister's name. Too bad it's the one who never visits.Maybe next time\" she thought. \nShe laid with her mother a while, watching TV until the nurse came for her night rounds. \n\"Who are you today?\" Mary asked with a sad smile.\n\"Natalie! Again! I'm here every night, I've been here through it all, and again I'm the one who won't show up til she passes.\" Sara answered as she slowly got up from the bed, Jan had fallen asleep during a Lucy and Ricky \"serious\" moment. \nMary patted her arm. \"Alzheimer's is weird like that, honey. Her name is stuck in there because she hasn't seen her. Her brain misses her and doesn't know where to place it. Somewhere in there, she knows who you are too. Don't worry.\"\nSara grabbed her coat and took off in to the night, opting for a walk instead of the train. She knew what Mary meant but she wasn't worried. She was sad. Watching your mother forget not only you but the world she created for you is one of the saddest things anyone can endure. \n\nThe next evening, Sara showed up and Mary greeted her at the door to Jan's room. She informed her that Jan had passed away earlier that afternoon while taking a nap. Initially devastated, a peace quickly overcame Sara. Her mother would no longer have to live a life of confusion and pain. \nShe went into the room to collect her mother's things. They had already removed her mom, and the absence of her presence was utterly terrifying. She rounded her way about the room, putting things in to a few bags and a box the hospital gave her. As she got to the bedside table, she noticed something that immediately brought tears to her eyes.\nOn the table there was a notepad for Jan, to write down thoughts and memories if any popped up. Unfortunately, Jan always forgot what this was for, always assuming it was for the doctor and not her. In her mother's uniquely perfect handwriting, were the words\nSara\nJaime\nNatalie\n\nJan had remembered all three of her daughters names, in order, that day. \n\nSara's legs gave out and she ended up on the bed, holding her mother's notepad, being careful not to get tears on it. Mary sat beside her, putting an arm around her.\nWhile she knew there were going to be more tough times ahead, this moment would forever be one Sara would look back to to bring her peace. \nHer mom remembered her. " ]	[ 1, 2, 4 ]	[ "1533730999", "1533760349", "1533735867" ]
	[WP]One cold winter morning a man arrived at my court. As he stood before me, I saw a wicked grin form on a face uncannily resemblant to mine. He cleared his throat and spoke in a firm and defiant tone. “I am your son, your bastard son, and as honor would have it, I am here to kill you.”	5	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "The King leaned back in his throne. A hush had fallen over the court, leaving the long hall shadowed in a tense silence, broken only by the odd whisper or murmur of an onlooker.\n\nThe words that this man had spoken... a bastard son could have terrible implications on the King's spotless honor and reputation. For all that the King had done for his people, this was unthinkable!\n\nStill, all the King did was stare, as motionless as the statues of his ancestors that adorned the walls of the great hall. They too seemed to be watching, through their cold stone eyes.\n\n\"Well?\" the man shouted, \"I demand you face me on the field of honor!\"\n\nThe King replied with silence. Indeed, the only sign that he wasn't a statue himself was the steely focus his eyes held on the man, this intruder to his court.\n\n\"Answer me!\" A bead of sweat rolled down the man's temple as his confident smile faded into a trembling snarl. \"Answer me, damn you!\"\n\nFinally, a smile began to curl on the old king's lips. Then, a chuckle. To this, the court turned their heads toward him. If they were captivated before, they were enthralled now.\n\n\"You say you are my bastard?\" The King's rich voice echoed throughout the hall. \"You say you will kill me to satisfy your honor?\"\n\n\"For the sake of both myself and of my mother, who you abandoned like swine!\"\n\n\"Would I do a thing like that?\"\n\n\"You did!\"\n\nSilence echoed again into the hall again, as all eyes shifted back to their King. After a moment, he broke the silence with a low voice.\n\n\"You come into my court speaking of honor. Is it not dishonorable to claim a title you have no right, birth or otherwise, to? Is it not dishonorable to involve your own mother, no less, in such lies? Is it not dishonorable to accuse your own King of such treachery to his own family?\" He was shouting now. \"No, Sir, you have abandoned your honor as soon as you set foot through the doors of my hall! You are no son of mine, bastard or otherwise, and I will not stand for this!\"\n\nThe grin returned to the man's face. \"You seem so sure of yourself, yet you can't deny anything. You can't prove your words! I am your bastard, I tell you!\"\n\nA quick flick of the King's eyes summoned the armor-clad guards from their posts. After some brief struggling, they had the intruder in their iron grip. The King slowly walked toward the struggling man.\n\n\"You have great courage to come into my presence and make such accusations, but perhaps you are not as knowledgeable of my history as you should have been.\"\n\nTo this the man looked up, his eyes suddenly frantic.\n\n\"Before your time, when I was barely beyond boyhood, there was a war that raged between our kingdom and one of the lords of the Byzantine Empire. This was a terrible war, with many deaths on both sides. Though I was young, I did my honor-bound duty as King to lead our men into battle. A battle we lost, and one in which I was taken prisoner. Now...\" The King leaned into the man's face. \"Are you familiar with the customs the Byzantine lords follow with their prisoners...?\"\n\nThe King stood again, and returned to his throne. The eyes of his captivated audience followed.\n\n\"It is a particularly difficult thing to sire a bastard son after having been castrated.\"\n\nAt this, the court gasped. Murmurs rang throughout the hall as the King sat again. He flicked a finger to the guards.\n\n\"I think the Oubliette will satisfy my own honor with this matter.\"" ]	[ 1, 3 ]	[ "1533732318", "1533739006" ]
	[WP] A child discovers they have the ability to visit alternate realities by concentrating on an idea of a different possibility. One day, this child stumbles upon a world where the darkest endings for all fiction reside.	3	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n" ]	[ 1, 1, 1 ]	[ "1533742339", "1533742393", "1533742402" ]
	[WP] Alien life is not actually that rare in the universe. Every other species is just too scared to explore outer space. Humans are the only species that have dared to leave their planet's atmosphere.	30	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "\"Klo Pajak. Klo Pajak. Pajak dfa tllaya.\"\n\n\"Do not touch space. Do not touch space. Space touches back.\"\n\n- Ontec Proverb, Andromeda System.\n\n******\n\nAcross the universe there is no galactic empire. There is no collection of advanced civilizations. There are no species galavanting on space adventures. There are only the planets and the empty spaces between the stars. \n\nOn many of those planets advanced civilizations live and thrive. Their technological capacity is often quite advanced. So much so that they have, most of them, communicated one with the other. \n\nOver the eons, the unofficial network of galactic lifeforms kept on touch. Information was shared freely amongst them. When one learned something, others learned from them. \n\nIn this way, though seperated by immense distances, the various species of the galaxy created a civilization of sorts. \n\nOne might wonder why, if they were so advanced, the races of the galaxy would abstain from touching the stars. Why satisfy themselves with their home planets when countless beautiful, untaken worlds exist for them, out there. \n\nPajak dfa tllaya, as the Ontec say. Or said, once, long ago, when they ventured out from behind the protection of their planet's veil and into outer space. Today, the Ontec say nothing to anyone. The Ontec are extinct. \n\nIt was their dying message - Pajak dfa tllaya - which the other races of the galaxy have heeded religiously for thousands of years. \n\nExcept at least one species did not get the memo. \n\n*****\n## 2027\n\n\nThere is one man in charge of monitoring the Voyager mission, now in its 50th year. Next month will be the 50th anniversary, and this man is responsible for collecting the fleeting information that ancient space craft sends from time to time, out there in the far away place between solar systems. \n\nFor 50 years the Voyager space craft has been speaking to humanity, reporting back the simple local observations of its immediate surroundings. \n\nOn this particular Tuesday it sent back something strange. Out in the dead of interstellar space, there weren't supposed to be too many high energy particles. But on this* Tuesday, Voyager sent back a measurement that indicated more such particles then it had ever previously encountered, by an order of magnitude. \n\nThen it went dead.\n\n*****\n## 2030\n\nThree years later, an object was found by astronomers, headed straight toward Earth at astounding speeds. The object defied all reason, it was hardly even an object exactly, more a wave of powerful energy from an unknown source. \n\nHumanity was told to brace for impact, so to speak, although no one knew for sure what impact even entailed. \n\nTwo weeks after the object was first seen, it arrived. An irradiating breath of murderous power. It coursed through the planet Earth with the force of ten thousand suns and reduced the planet to ash. \n\nWhen the deed was done, the energy passed on, returning to its endless hunt.\n\nIronically, due to humanity's reliance on electromagnetic communications, the galactic network had heard humanity in the stars half a century earlier. A message was sent back, an introduction in multiple languages, all of them derived from signals collected from human transmissions. \n\nMost importantly, the following message was sent to the human race, loud and clear, via ultra powered radio waves. It arrived at precisely the location the Earth would* have been had it not been evaporated only a week before.\n\nThe message said:\n\n\"Do not touch space. Do not touch space. Space touches back.\"\n\n*******\n\n#### For More Legends From The Multiverse\n\n## r/LFTM\n", "“We’re coming up on Kepler-236 now, sir,” Steadman relayed to Captain Killian on the bridge. \n\n“What are the scopes reading?” Killian asked.\n\n“Stratosphere has high readings of xenon, sir. It’s interfering with our surface scanners. Shall I pull us in for a closer look?” \n\nKillian turned to his first officer Hill. He nodded, then motioned to the technicians to raise pressure shields. One could never be too careful in deep space. \n\nThe Magellan* began its landing cycle and entered Kepler-236’s gravitational field. The scopes were dead, interference was too high. Killian ordered Steadman to keep them online until they were through the xenon layer. The thick, soupy gas surrounded them, and they were navigating by radar alone. Some star logs had tales of research ships like this being destroyed by levitating rocks in upper atmospheres of highly magnetic planets, and the deflector shields had to be lowered to activate the pressure shields. It was about an hour before the clouds cleared, giving way to a breathtaking view. \n\nGorgeous red landscapes stretched for miles. Whatever light was filtered through the gas layer was used by the strange plants that littered the surface. Kepler-236 was alive. A round of applause erupted in the bridge, and Captain Killian recorded in his log that they had found life. \n\n“When we finish here, don’t let me forget to send that to HQ, Rick. Atmosphere readings say high oxygen, temperatures suitable for human survival. We need to tell them we’ve found a suitor.” \n\n“Sir, yes sir,” Steadman said. He leaned back in his desk chair, hands locked behind his head, and began to take in the view. \n\nIf the alarms hadn’t sounded, he wouldn’t have noticed the scopes pickings up major disturbances to the west. Still, by the time he saw them, it was too late. The deck officer established visual contact with large projectiles barreling toward them at point 2-5. \n\nKillian’s eyes were wild. “EVASIVE ACTION!” he screamed, but there was no chance. The Magellan rocked on impact. Glasses shattered and lights flickered. Altimeters all showed that the ship was losing height. They were going down. \n\nSteadman awoke to the sound of rustling. Beams of light crossed in front of his eyes, disturbed occasionally by sparks from circuits in the ceiling shorting out. He realized he was hurt, but he found that he could move. Something was moving in the hallway leading to the bridge.\n\nHe shifted his weight, and realized the bridge was at a slant. And they were no longer in the air. The movement was getting closer. Steadman reached for his gun. \n\n“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” The voice wasn’t so much a noise he heard but information he understood. There was something behind him. “Can you stand?”\n\n“Y-yes.”\n\n“Good. Get up. You are the sole survivor of your crash. You are being taken into custody of the Trellan Air Force for questioning.” \n\nThe trip was a daze. The creature injected him with something, a drug of some sort, and the landscape blended together from the vehicle he was transported in. Steadman remembered being dragged into a large structure, and came to in a dark room. \n\nIn front of him was one of the creatures. It’s dark leathery skin ripples as it’s large red eyes looked him over. “Where do you come from?” asked the voice in his head again.\n\n“I’m from the Fifth Regiment of the Human Transplant Project Space Force.”\n\n“Where do you come from?” The creature looked agitated.\n\n“Earth. Earth. I can show you.”\n\nThe creature looked puzzled.\n\n“Do you have a star map? A map of space?” \n\n“Your mind waves suggest you come from beyond the Void. We were unaware that anything existed beyond the void. Wait here.” The creature abruptly left. Steadman was alone." ]	[ 1, 1, 4 ]	[ "1533775279", "1533778197", "1533777388" ]
	[WP] The Symbol of Hope and the Symbol of Victory standing together against the darkness...	4	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "So the Symbol of Hope and the Symbol of Victory are standing together against the darkness.\n\nThe Symbol of Hope says: \"We're doing this for tomorrow! For the future! For everyone!\"\n\nThe Symbol of Victory says: \"If we hold together, we can win!\"\n\nThe darkness says: \"Who said that!? I swear, I can't see anything in this!\"" ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1533777739", "1533778517" ]
	[WP] You are the Empire’s beat commander, executing the best plans when needed. However, there’s this group of people you can’t seem to kill, protected by the so-called “Plot Armor”	0	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "\"I'm sorry, they did what?!\" The villainous man looking exclaimed, half turned to face his subordinate. A flowing red cape was attached to his shoulders by golden knots, denoting his rank as commander of all Royal Imperial forces. Leading by example, he cuts an imposing figure against the front of a floor-to-wall window behind him.\n\n\"Th-they got away, my lord...\" The kneeling man, wearing a sharp grey military outfit, kept his head lowered, too afraid to look up for fear of being struck down.\n\n\"Yes, I got that. How did it happen again?\"\n\n\"We've been tailing the group for months, keeping close eyes on every single contact they've made. But when we finally cornered them, someone we'd never seen before showed up and rescued them, uh, ah, again. He cut through three ranks of Barglan like they were nothing.\" A small point of pride, he kept the tremor out of his voice.\n\nSighing, the general turned around, more wary and tired than angry at this point. \"That makes this the... what fourth time now? And before this, that pipsqueak leader of theirs got saved by-\"\n\n\"By a coin flipped by a child getting in the way of the arrow, my lord.\"\n\nToo frustrated, the powerful man didn't even chastise his subordinate for interrupting him, \"Yes, yes. It's the same old story. For years they've eluded us in the most absurd ways!\" Sitting down at the table besides him, he took a sip from the goblet. Setting it down, his face contorted in rage as he slammed his fist down! The table shook, the wood cracking and the goblet tilting and toppling, spilling its violet contents to the floor. \"DAMMIT! They cannot keep getting away like this! His majesty is beginning to doubt me!\"\n\n\"Ah, there was... one new thing about this time. Apparently they've officially started to call themselves a rebel group. They have a name the likes of which I've never heard before.\"\n\n\"Oh?\" His voice was dry and humorless as he stared down in contempt, his powerful shoulders casting a shadow on the man below him, \"And what would that be?\"\n\n\"Deus Ex Machina, my lord.\"" ]	[ 1, 2 ]	[ "1533789437", "1533790852" ]
	[WP] Every year a dragon is born in the Californian forests. The countries best firefights voyage to defeat it; sometimes beating it before it can mature and lay waste to the country sides, other times they aren’t so lucky.	12	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I was sitting in the left seat furthest from the door. It was twelve people in total sitting in this sitting in the van, six to each side. Our gear was rattling with every bump we drove over. Everyone else was talking like it was business as usual. There wasn't even a hint of fear or anxiety on their faces. I was so fixated on how everyone else didn't look scared that I didn't even notice when someone started talking to me.\n\n\"Where were you a firefighter?\" the woman sitting across from me said with an Australian accent. \n\n\"Oh, um I'm from Michigan. I started out in Detroit but then moved to Texas and started working with the wildfires there.\"\n\n\"Well this isn't going to be like either of those places, I can tell you that much.\" She said that expecting a laugh, but her comment only put me more on edge. \"He kid, you alright? You're paler than snow.\"\n\n\"I'm fine, it's just a bit nerves.\" I said\n\n \"Of course he's he's nerves, Taz...\" said a short and muscular man at the opposite end of the van. it became clear that everyone else in the van started to listen to what I was saying. \"...He's on his way to fight his first dragon. Everyone's scared at first, you'd be stupid not to be?\"\n\n\"Hey, don't worry kid, James is just trying to get into yours. the report said that it was still young, so it will be easy to take care of. Besides, you're ready for this. They would have hired you if they didn't think you were right to join the Knight squad\" said Taz. I gave her a slight smile to let her now that I wasn't worried anymore. \n\nAt that moment there was a loud crash that sounded like it came from the truck in front of us. We felt the Van come to a grinding stop. James quickly graved his radio. \"This is bravo team leader, we hear a noise and the van stopped. is everything okay?\" there was silence. \"Repeat, this is bravo team leader, can anyone respond.\" there was still no response. \"I Repeat...\" just then something big hit the side of the van hard enough to have it stand on it's two left tires for a few seconds. As soon as the van landed back on it right wheels everyone else started to get their gear ready. \n\n\"Hey kid, get those hose ready.\" someone said. I hooked the hose up and handed it down the line. The door of the van swung open. everyone started marching out information. I made sure to keep pace the whole way. everyone was talking and running in the same direction but my heart was beating to fast to do anything but fallow them. final the everyone came to a stop. That's when I saw it. \n\nIts body was the size of a church building. It walked on all fours with its wings tucked in on it's back. Its tail was longer than the van we had just gotten off of. Its head was so large that it could have taken a bit out of the van with us in it. I was a dragon, a living breathing dragon. When it turned to face use my eyes locked with it. It was as if it was looking right at me. Its eyes were the size of a round dining table. \n\n\"SHIELDS!\" someone yield from the front. Three people started to unfold shields large enough to block a few people each. Everyone got behind them. As we were there was haft a second of waiting and then fire that engulfed everything that wasn't right behind the shield. While the fire surrounded use James pulled out an extendable sword. as soon as the fire stopped while James when charging at the dragon\n\n(This is all I'm gonna write for this. I spent to much time just writing this much. I was going to have the main character get scared and run off. He would then find the actual young dragon and it would be afraid of him and no danger. the others would then show up and kill it in front of them. It would end on this with the main character question if they were doing the right thing or not.) " ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1533791840", "1533873021" ]
[removed]	[WP] Technology is advancing at the same rapid rate that resources are depleting. Implanting another consciousnesses into the brain of a “shared” body is a recent development in the battle against poverty and environment destruction. Your girlfriend has been urging you to “move in” together.	1	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/capnbeetheart, this submission has been removed.\n\n[No explicitly sexual responses, hate speech, or other harmful content](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_2.3A_no_explicitly_sexual_responses.2C_hate_speech.2C_or_other_harmful_content)\n\n- While it doesn't seem to be your intent, the mods reserve the right to remove anything we feel may become harmful to the community. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/95xwrl/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1533831798", "1533832263" ]
[removed]	[WP]A bright figure appears. You feel a shock and an immediate knowledge persists... Heaven's just a future utopia and in order to be resurrected, your DNA must be left behind. The thought explodes from your mind as you seize and drop to the floor. Your eyes snap open and you realize...	0	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/StupidFacedMoron, this submission has been removed.\n\n[Direct prompt replies must be good-faith attempts at new stories or poems](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_1.3A_direct_prompt_replies_must_be_good-faith_attempts_at_new_stories_or_poems)\n\n- Fill-in-the-blank: Responses must be at least 30 words. This is essentially a fill-in-the-blank, or you asked a question likely to generate a simple answer. Prompts should encourage a story or poem. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/961vps/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1533859219", "1533860742" ]
	[WP] Gods are never born, they're made. As you work at your office job, a flash of light surrounds you. You have just became the God of Accounting.	3	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Slodham & Slogue, 2nd Quarter, Current Fiscal Year\n\nIf you liquify our assets, I can spin them into silk.\n\nLet me at the cashflow, I'll cut rivers in the floor.\n\nAnd drain away our overhead as marmalade and milk.\n\nI've filed with the S.E.C. in ancient tongues before.\n\n\n\nAnd charmed the pension fund to last a thousand generations.\n\nMarble columns tall as mountains fold within my ledger.\n\nI'll cure a disease (or three or four) as charitable donations.\n\nAnd build next year's projections out of lightning, jade, and heather.\n\n\nBut I cannot write off your lunch as a business expense.\n\nYou paid with a company credit card but put the rewards points on your personal Bosley Steakhouse clubhouse account. It may get you a free appetizer the next time you go, but It also gets a bit hinky during an audit." ]	[ 1, 2 ]	[ "1533865638", "1533874300" ]
[removed]	[WP] you go to sleep and wake up in year 1314. After spending some time roaming around you find a guy who seems to recognize your dilemma. He tells you that the only way to get back to present time is to write a book that will be read by people in the future.	1	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/SarSea87, this submission has been removed.\n\n[Prompt users in the title, but don't play writing games or commission stories](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_6.3A_prompt_users_in_the_title.2C_but_don.27t_play_writing_games_or_commission_stories)\n\n- Prompts go in the title, do not extend into text. You can add commentary in the text, but don't add additional prompt restrictions. Also, avoid [too many details](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/prompts?src=RECIPE). \n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/964fhk/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1533881599", "1533882924" ]
	[WP] reincarnation is real, few hours before somebody dies and a day before being born into another family they receive an email detailing their next birth parents, John is dying and finds out that his parents are going to be his girlfriend who was cheating on him with his arch nemesis.	38	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "I had to kill him. I couldn’t let this happen.\n\nThe words within that much-anticipated e-mail had deflated my happiness about what was supposed to be a fresh start - a better life. \n\n\n\nFather: Alex J. Toussant\n\nMother: Elizabeth A. Johnson\n\n\n\nShe had been everything to me once. I could still remember glimpses of pure joy when we had discussed our plans for the future - marriage, kids, all of it. It was all gone now, though. She had left early last year, citing what she felt was now a loveless relationship. \n\n“Speak for yourself!” I shouted. At least, I wish I had. At the time I was stunned, but not two weeks later it all made sense. I was at the mall looking for a Mother’s Day gift when I saw them. Planted halfway up the escalator was my beautiful former girlfriend, and a man I used to call my best friend. There they were, a glimmer in her eye as she stared into his. Even from a distance I could tell it was love, and that only tore deeper into me. With a quick smooch they were off the top and away toward the movie theater. It was devastating. It was maddening. \n\nAlex and I met as children back in New York. Our fathers both worked at a nuclear plant just off of Lake Ontario back then, and when the layoffs came down hard, they both happened to find work down here in Niantic, Connecticut at the same plant I work for now. It’s funny. I remember being so fucking excited that my best friend was still going to be by my side, even moving hundreds of miles away. Not any more.\n\nAnger, resentment, rage... all of the worst feelings you can think of had been building up inside me for months. I wasn’t sure which of the two of them I was most angry at, but then again, I didn’t care either. Both of them could fall into space and I would have barely blinked about it. But now, I had to take matters into my own hands.\n\nThat e-mail changed everything. Somehow the first lines of it were less of a concern to me.\n\n\n\n“I regret to inform you that as of the moment this e-mail arrives, you have but three days to live this life in the skin you now know. Fear not, for just as with all mankind, you will be reborn again and start anew. Below you’ll find noted your parents in the upcoming reincarnation. \n\nGood luck,\n\n~Death”\n\n\n\nI suppose death had become less frightening after science finally confirmed the truth. When the proof had come, Death became much more open about the process. Adaptation, I guess. That part I could accept, but to grow up with my former best friend and the love of my life as parents? Not a fucking a chance.\n\nSo here I am, tearing down the highway at 85 on my way to his apartment. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I had spent a considerable amount of time stalking them after I first discovered their transgression. It was paying off now. I knew she’d be at work, and he’d be just kicking his shoes off for the day - it was perfect. Within minutes I was at his door.\n\nI knocked twice.\n\n“John? What the hell are you doing he-“\n\nI shoved my way in, launching him backward into the hardwood floor.\n\n“What the fuck?” he shouted in confusion.\n\nI drew the pistol that I had tucked into the back of my pants and, without even a second thought, fired it into Alex’s chest four times. Blood pooled beneath him as the glow of life faded from his eyes; and just as the glow left his, something new had found its way into mine. Insanity, maybe? I could barely recognize the man I was in that moment - blood spattered across my face. I didn’t bother to clean up after. Why should I? I’d be dead soon too, after all. I darted for my car, still running, and sped back home.\n\nThe next morning I had been frantically checking my e-mail before work, hoping to see an update. There was nothing. Anxiety was building as I had but 10 hours left. I needed to know who my parents would be now, but it seemed Death had not yet decided.\n\nI arrived to work early and to my surprise, my boss, and recently deceased frenemy’s father, still showed up to work despite his son’s death. I went to his office to share my condolences. I figured it’d be best if my last day at work was a pleasant one. Silly me. Again to my surprise, he didn’t seem all that upset. \n\n“Johnny boy!”\n\nI hated when he’d call me that. Was I still fucking ten?\n\n“I’m sorry about Alex, Mr. T. He and I were good friends,” I lied.\n\n“Inseparable at one time, I remember. But please, Al is fine. Save that Mr. T shit for the A-Team.”\n\nI remembered too, but not just that friendship. I remembered Alex coming to me, bruised and beaten, agonizing about what his alcoholic father might do to him next. Al was always an asshole.\n\n“Oh, I gotta take this,” he said to me as the phone on his desk beeped. “Just a sec!”\n\nHe answered it and immediately began grinning.\n\n“Hey, beautiful. Are we on for tonight?”\n\nI couldn’t make out the words coming through the phone, but somehow the voice sounded vaguely familiar. I couldn’t put a finger on it.\n\n“Alright, sounds good to me,” he continued, dulling his voice to a whisper. “Wear that pretty black lace thing - you know the one.” He laughed, somehow completely insensitive to the death of his own son. “Alright, Lizzie - see you at eight!”\n\nLizzie? Did he say Lizzie? My eyes wandered the room a bit as I weighed coincidence against confusion, eventually stopping at the cherry wood name plate sitting on my boss’s desk.\n\nAlex J. Toussant, it read. I had always known him his Al, but it wasn’t until that moment that I realized my friend had been a junior...\n\n\n\n\nAnd I still hadn’t received a new e-mail.", "\"You can't be serious...him? Really?\" \n\nI couldn't believe what I was hearing and seeing. Everything the Administrator had said so far beggared belief. And now, this? I was filled with despair, which then turned to rage. This could NOT be happening. Perhaps if I tried to reason with him?\n\n\"Look, Mr. Administrator, you don't get it. This guy made my life a living hell. We went to school together. We were friends at first, but then we grew apart and he turned all my friends against me. And now, he's taken my girlfriend too? And I only died a month ago so they must have been seeing each other for some time. Do you think that's fair? Granted, my girlfriend and I had been separated for a few months to work things out, but do you people condone cheating around here? Is that how this place works?\"\n\nThroughout this outburst, Administrator Anuretsu said nothing. Nor, for that matter, did they react in any way. They simply let him finish, patiently waiting for their moment to speak. \n\n\"The appeal you made against the decision has been denied. You will live in this Circumstance for the next lifetime. If you realise why you have been placed in this Circumstance, you will be awarded 50 Karmic points. If you act on this knowledge, you will be awarded 500. This decision is final.\"\n\nAlmost instantly, I started to feel...something. I began to realise it was the sensation of the skin I was being born in. What a weird feeling...\n\n\"You will lose all memory as you become corporeal again. However, I have decided that you may retain consciousness for the first day of your birth. You will, however, be unable to speak intelligibly or to communicate in any way with anyone, except as a child. I hope you see why we've chosen this Circumstance for you. This is my gift to you.\"\n\n---\n\n\nThe first few hours were a blur, literally. I couldn't see very well as my eyes adjusted to the light. My muscles felt atrophied and wouldn't move as I commanded them...not that I could command them particularly well. The tiredness was the worst part. It was incredibly overwhelming, and I couldn't help but fall asleep several times even though I tried to stay awake. I tried speaking but all I could do was cry out, my lips, tongue and vocal chords still unused to movement. As time passed, however, I began to acclimatize to my new body. I was able to make out sounds, and to understand them. \n\nI could sense several people entering and leaving the room we were in, but finally, the room cleared and the three of us were alone. I tried to scream but the tiredness wouldn't allow me to do anything but listen. \n\n\"You did it\" he said. Captain bloody Obvious. \n\n\"I couldn't have done it without you\" she responded. \n\nThat hurt. Had she forgotten me already?\n\nI heard her say something else but I couldn't make out what was being said. As I felt myself shaking, I realised she was sobbing. I heard him comfort her for some time., then she seemed to quieten down. \n\n\"I hope I'll be a good mother\" she said, finally. He was quiet for a while, but I could feel his hand move towards hers. \n\n\"You'll be great. Whatever he did to you, that's all in the past. Our baby will never turn out like him, you and I will see to that.\"\n\nWhat? Had I heard that right?\n\n\"I hope so. We're going to love this baby so much! And I'll never hurt him!\" she said, her voice fading with exhaustion. \n\n\"Get some rest, I'll watch the baby\" he said. I could feel his arm stroking hers as he moved her pillows.\n\n\"Wait...\" she hesitated. \"Promise me...no matter what happens, our baby will never know the type of man his father was.\"\n\nMy heart sank as I heard his response. \"Our baby will know better than to be violent to anyone. I promise.\" \n\nI felt another presence in the room as she went to sleep. \n\n\"50 Karmic points added to your total\" Administrator Anuretsu proclaimed, \"your day is now done. You will now return to equilibrium. I hope I can award you 500 points after this lifetime.\"\n\nI felt the tears rolling down my cheek. It's ok, I thought. All children cry. \n\n---\n\nIf you enjoyed this story and would like to see more from me, please consider subscribing to my subreddit [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/phreaklikeme/)! " ]	[ 1, 7, 7 ]	[ "1533890598", "1533897201", "1533898397" ]
	[WP] In the future, the most intimate act a couple can do is borrow memories, you are investing what it seems to be a serial borrower, someone who takes all the memories and leaves the victims completely empty.	10	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "We lay in bed arms entwined like vines, her thorns cut and tore and glued me to her lips. She was tickling the bare patch of skin on the back of my skull, where my hair had been shorn, where my skin had been peeled back, and where a hole had been drilled from which an exabyte of my life might drain from me at the rate of once a second, like a leaky faucet operating on a time scale sped to the billionth power, an effect immediate, draining, but taking eons in the minds eye. I knew she would want to drink, and to drink greedily. \n\nShe pressed me closer to her bosom, her chest squeezing against mine; her breath expelled from her nose in lusty gusts. It was her weapon, and she wielded it well, and were I to have doubts, which had slowly siphoned from spirit, they would have been blown away in that hot air that tickled my cheek. She let me go and cast a blind hand backwards, sweeping the nightstand for the optical fibre that she would slot into herself, and then into me. A glass of water fell from the nightstand with a crash in her wild groping, and when I rose my head at the noise she gently set my head back down. \n\nWe parted lips, she licked hers, she smiled. Her eyes were thin emeralds, made thinner yet by the dilation of her pupils from the preparatory fluids that she had ingested, and that I suspect, she had slipped into my drink. Her cheeks were soft, never having shed their endearing plumpness, and her chin ended in the soft point of a heart. I reached for those cheeks, I stroked them and ran my thumb across the freckles. By now she had drawn the cable between us, and I grabbed one end.\n\n“Are you sure?” she asked.\n\nI answered by joining our noses, closing my eyes and resting there, hand cradling her cheek. I was sure. I knew that I felt guilty, ashamed, when I saw the need in her eyes, and knew that from me I could give her one more reason to live, to breathe, and I knew that was what I wanted most. Whatever means had to be employed would be employed. Whatever cost paid. She deserved to be happy. I knew she deserved to be happy from the one time we passed data in the other direction, from the one memory she parted with, and that I now suffer with. \n\nI heard a click as she slotted the cable into her neck, “I love you,” she said.\n\n“I love you too,” click click click\n\nSoft light cascades down a tree adorned with colorful glass balls and the crafts that Mother and I had put together the week prior. The floor is littered with needles and boxes wrapped gaily, and the television plays gently in the background, bells jingle and a jolly rotund man laughs. Mother wraps her hands around me from behind and I grin when I look up and see her face, she reaches beyond me and places a present in my lap. I unwrap it, there is nothing inside, nothing I can remember, but that isn't what mattered.\n\nI was in great imagined pain as I lay on the asphalt, my knee burned and was sharp red, with a trickle of blood. Mother kisses it and it heals. I get back on my bike to encouragement, and for hours ride shaky circles in the parking lot. The sun begins to sink and I have learned how to ride a bike. I am proud, we are proud, she is proud. Something soft trickles away, something won't ever be there again.\n\nMore, more, increasing in velocity, streaming by like traffic observed drunk. Birthdays, graduations, everything. Dark.\n\nThe light is harsh overhead, but by necessity. The bed supporting my back is rigid, but comfortable, the blanket strikes me as utilitarian. I am left alone for hours on end, I can hear coughing somewhere to my left, but I am not inclined to shift my head to see from who they might issue. I can think of no reason to. Someone comes in to ask me questions and I answer best I can, but can think of nothing I wish to say earnestly.\n\nThe lights are dimmed and I close my eyes and behind my thin membrane I can see a funeral. I sit alone and the parlor is nearly empty, I stare at the floor and beyond my flower adorned dress. It was my nicest dress. I remember it was my nicest dress. I dare not look up for I know if I were to look up I would be looking for my Mother, and I knew that she would not be there because she had not been anywhere for a long while. I knew that I would see my Father's casket and the portrait above it and begin to cry, and I had been so tired of crying. My eyes were sore, and I felt empty. I wanted my Mother and Father, I wanted to not be alone. But I was.\n\nI would always be alone now. \n\nSomeone enters the room, they place paper before me and guide my hand to sign. The paper reads: void. \n\nI sleep, and I remember. Loss, the knowledge that I would never be whole.\n" ]	[ 1, 4 ]	[ "1533894978", "1533900661" ]
[removed]	[WP] The world is full of magic - in fact everyone is a mage but can only use ONE aspect of it. Common people can use simple aspects of magic, and those only get basic jobs in the world; higher class is defined by the use of more intrinsic and specific magic aspects. Tell us a story of this world.	3	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/Aldarkaen, this submission has been removed.\n\n[Prompt users in the title, but don't play writing games or commission stories](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_6.3A_prompt_users_in_the_title.2C_but_don.27t_play_writing_games_or_commission_stories)\n\n- Prompts go in the title, do not extend into text. You can add commentary in the text, but don't add additional prompt restrictions. Also, avoid [too many details](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/prompts?src=RECIPE). \n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/96dvlm/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1533961342", "1533961939" ]
[removed]	[WP] You finally win the lottery - a jackpot of 14 million. Jumping up and down, you stop when yo feel a tremor, like an earthquake. Then the news suddenly appears on the TV. The numbers you picked were inexplicably chosen 14 million times, giving each ticket owner a return of £1. How do you react?	2	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/saf29, this submission has been removed.\n\n[Direct prompt replies must be good-faith attempts at new stories or poems](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_1.3A_direct_prompt_replies_must_be_good-faith_attempts_at_new_stories_or_poems)\n\n- Responses too short: Responses must be at least 30 words. Prompts should encourage a story or poem. \n\nPrompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses ([rule 7](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses))\n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/96g1pu/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things.", "Eighteen. Thirty-four.\n\nI looked at my ticket in disbelief. Ok, calm down I thought, it's only two numbers so far.\n\nThree. Forty-Four.\n\nFour numbers? My palms started to sweat. My back stiffened and I found myself leaning in an uncomfortable forward position.\n\nNine. Fifteen.\n\nThe ticket shook in my hand as another two of my numbers matched.\n\nAnd the bonus.\n\nThe pause that followed was perhaps the most prolonged, most painful silence of my life.\n\nTwenty-nine.\n\nI half-fell half-stumbled from the sofa. I jumped up with the winning ticket glued to my hand. At the same time as my celebration, I heard cries from the flat next to mine and stamping from the flat above. Then it hit me, what the hell do you do if you win the lottery? I fumbled with the ticket; maybe there were instructions? On the back in a fine print, there was a number to call.\n\nI unlocked my phone with a shaky thumb, and I forced precision to dial the number. I dialled the number and waited with baited breath.\n\n'Hello and thanks for calling Camelot. If you are calling about claiming a prize, press one. If you are calling with a problem press-'\n\nI cut the automated voice off and jabbed the number one. There was a pause, but instead of being redirected the computerised voice returned.\n\n'If you are calling to claim the fourteen million on November the 10th, press one.'\n\nI thought the question was oddly specific, but I pressed one without hesitation.\n\n'Congratulations, you have been a part of the largest proof of concept experiment in history. The numbers you picked were given to you, by way of a new technology that aims to revolutionise the marketing industry. We want to thank you for participating and would like to offer you a split of the prize money. As it stands, a total of fourteen-million tickets have been sold which would equate to a total of £1 per winner. Please visit any lottery vendor to claim your prize.'\n\nThe line went dead, and I stared at my ticket. £1 for a win? The air seemed to escape my lungs, and my phone rang. Mum.\n\n'Sam! Sam! Why haven't you been answering?'\n\n'Huh?' I said, trapped in a daze.\n\n'You will never believe what has just happened!'\n\nI looked at the ticket in my hand. 'You won the lottery?'\n\n'I won th-' The words burst from my phone and then paused as she caught up with what I had just said. '-yes! But how did you know that?'\n\n'Eighteen, thirty-four, three, forty-four, nine, fifteen and twenty-nine.' I rattled off.\n\n'Were you watching it live?'\n\nI swallowed hard. 'Yes, mum. But I have the same numbers, and so do fourteen million other people.'\n\n'No Sam listen. I've won fourteen million pounds!'\n\nPart of me hated to be the one to burst her bubble, while another part of me wanted to bring her down to my level. 'Fourteen million people have each won a pound.'\n\n'That doesn't make any sense.' The excitement in her voice was fading.\n\nI felt hungry, my mouth started to water and my mind drifted from the lottery to food.\n\n'We should go out to celebrate,' Mum said 'we should go to that pizza place-'\n\n'Whole-crust.' I interrupted.\n\n'How did you..?' Her voice trailed off.\n\n'I was thinking the same thing.'" ]	[ 1, 1, 1 ]	[ "1533988879", "1533990329", "1533993151" ]
	[WP] You release a new over-the-counter drug on the market: "Pain Reliver." People buy it and use it as an alternative to Tylenol without minding the typo. It isn't a typo.	97	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "The lights in his apartment faded in as he opened the door and he sighed as his eyes stung slightly in response. It was one of those days again, though they seemed to come more frequently lately. He sighed as he slid the heavy coat off his shoulders, letting it drop limply onto the floor. He hated himself for that, he knew he could just as easily have hung it up like he always did. But he was so tired, and his head was pounding incessantly.\n\nHe reached the bathroom without risking a glance at himself in the mirror. That would be too much, he reckoned, to see how awful he must look. Or worse, that it wasn't even noticeable at all. He rummaged through his cabinet, found a pill that looked about right, and swallowed it with a glass of lukewarm water. His breathing was labored, and his head was swimming, but at least he had done something. At least he had tried.\n\nHe reached up and closed mirror door over the cabinet, expecting to look himself in his wretched eyes when he did. Instead, he saw the back window of a car and a road receding in the distance. He reached up to move the mirror again and found himself adjusting his rear view mirror instead. The girl next to him laughed, and he felt the blood drain from his face upon hearing that wonderful melodic sound. \n\n\"Why do you always mess with that thing,\" She said with a snicker in her voice, \"I've never met someone this pedantic in my life, I don't think,\" \n\nIt has to be just right, he thought, remembering the sound of himself saying those exact words to her. But he didn't say that this time, he just looked over and stared at her raven black hair billow in the wind rushing in through the open window. He thought he was crying, be he wasn't sure.\n\n\"Then you should just leave it alone once it's in a good spot,\" She said in answer to a response that wasn't uttered, shooting him a smile that broke his heart. He didn't want to look at the road or the mirror, not this time. So he just stared at her through heavy tears and watched in horror as the car sped closer to her window before the world disappeared.\n\nHe was in a hospital bed, and he saw the faceless doctors come to his side again, their words coming out in a blur. And he listened, and they talked, but he didn't hear anything and they didn't seem to notice that. They sounded so sad, he remembered thinking, and he couldn't understand why because he felt just fine. And then it clicked. And then he screamed. \n", "There's people in this world that really make you worry about humanity. And no, I'm not talking about the dude behind KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, although with all the other shit he did you'd think that last thing he'd want to do is get back into trouble by going down this road. First the \"penile unlargement\" pills, and now this? I mean, seriously, did your parents not hug you as a kid, dude? Get help.\n\nBut like I said, he's not the most frightening thing about this. In fact, once the initial confusion got sorted out, and all the brow-furrowing and pearl-clutching in the media was over with, there was an element of it that was...not as bad as they make it out. Now, let's be clear: there's situations where you should never take Dolorive. Like after death of a loved one, or a serious break-up, or whatever. And despite what certain bros will tell you, don't mix alcohol and Dolorive. They say it's an excellent formula for not having to relive pain anymore...I say they're almost right, with the exception that you need to cut the \"re\" and the \"pain\" part out first. \n\nSo look. I got my tonsils out as an adult. Obstructive sleep apnea, recurrent sinusitis, bastards were enlarged, so what're you gonna do? All I knew about tonsillectomy was the shit they tell you as a kid - you get the procedure, skip homework for a week, eat a bajillion bowls of ice cream, and you're right as rain. Well, turns out it's different as an adult. \n\nThe crazy thing isn't that I got addicted to pain pills. The crazy thing is that I got addicted to them even though they did jack shit. And if you want to know how much you take swallowing for granted, just stab a knife into the back of your throat and then go through your day avoiding anything that involves moving the muscles there in any way. \n\nIt was over a year before I finally got off the vicodin. Got my shit together, collected a paycheck for sitting in front of a computer monitor all day, moderately attractive girlfriend, all that jazz. Week before my wedding, the guy who was going to be my best man slips me a double dose of Dolo's. Fucking hell. I would do the tonsillectomy myself, without anesthesia, and gargle a bag of razor blades afterward before I do that again. Every time your parent has yelled at you as a child, every time you hurt someone, every time someone hurt you, the whole enchilada of emotional pain...plus all the physical pain you've experienced over your lifetime, surging at you in waves for four hours. Steve said he thought it would make me tell a bunch of sob stories about my exes, you know, some kind of catharsis thing. I say Steve can eat an entire bag of dicks. I hope he enjoyed his \"catharsis\" in front of the upper brass after a mutual friend to slipped him a couple right before a marketing presentation. \n\nYou think I'm talking about people like Steve, though? Hell no. Look, if it weren't for my friends taking turns pinning me to the floor, there's no fucking way I make it through that night without opening my carotid with a broken bottle of Sam Adams. But they came through for me, and then the next day...I mean, let's be real, the shit was transformative. You can't endure that much suffering in that short a period of time without having it alter your outlook. For me, I never loved anything or anyone as fully and purely as I loved Julie the day after that Bachelor's party. I tried to explain it, all of it, and ended up just sobbing hysterically on our bed for nearly an hour while she stroked my hair and told me it would be alright.\n\nSo no, it's not douche canoes like Steve that worry me. But Julie's brother, a couple years into our marriage, we find out he's become addicted to pills. I'm getting ready to step up to the bat, get my brother-in-law merit badge and all that, show Julie's family that I'm a stand-up guy. I've been there, it's gonna be hell but you can get through it, I'm gonna help you anyway I can, all that.\n\nThen I find out that, unlike me, he's not addicted to pain killers. Kid's 19 years old, and he is addicted to fucking Dolorive. And he's not a fluke, either. There's not a ton of them, but there's hundreds, maybe thousands. And they do it to themselves, every day. A therapist I've been going to for my PTSD told me they think they deserve it. And I just don't get that, at all. How could anyone deserve something like that? \n***\n/r/ShadowsofClouds" ]	[ 1, 2, 21 ]	[ "1534045399", "1534080382", "1534053815" ]
	[WP] You are the first man on Mars to explore a previously unknown cave. The camera feed is able to still reach earth, but with a 20 minute delay. Your crew back on Earth start frantically shouting to go back.	10,503	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "_*Tom:_ \"Ha 20 minute delay to earth Earth our research base after the last cataclysm and they think I will fall prey to their whims of curiousity. David relay from your base camp to the orbital uplink that I am going in to this cave now because local sensors are picking up readings like before the last storm we had. We lost Johnny last time a strom passed and besides I may have found where we lost the rover and may be able to recover it.\n\n\n_David:_ \"Acknowledged ground control agrees in case it determines the cause of minerals that may have started the dust storms if we recover that damn rover that got lost it would net us a fat bonus too before they just cut out. Maybe if we find it they will send us home early or give us a better base that is more stable and allows us to analyse the full array of data here instead or the rover can go on these damn missions instead of us.\" \n\n\nTom grabs his sample kit, hand held sensor array,a crowbar, his spelunking gear, and his rifle; then he heads out to the cave from his habitat with spidery tank tread ended legs. He admired the design and looked at it one last time before knowing their last words with 20 minutes of scilence about his video feed was about to take place and live comentary be 40 minutes behind via his HUD. With David relaying as fast as he could the text messages Research Earth Field Analysis Recon Team or REFART sends at a 20 minute delay which David filters the noise from the message spam before relaying.\n\n\n_Tom:_ \"Hey David, can you hear me clearly i am going to get a rock sample?\" * \n\n_*David_ \"Those samples explain why our satilites couldn't explain the planets caves not showing up from the orbital scan because we get a local 2 minute voice delay on coms the rock is too thick your locator beacon ad sample kit location tagger shows you to be where we believe the last rover was lost watch your air supply we don't need you dying like the other missing astronauts.\"\n\n\n-*Tom_ \"Understood\" * a short while later (about 15 minutes) Tom finds a camp and finds signs of previous astronauts sent after the rover from the rolling bases that deployed people at random spots accross the planet with drilling rigs. He gets closer and sees the corpse of Terry an astronaught MIA 6 months back still having a full tank of oxygen. The only missing person not found was Williams the astronaut Tom was brought up here to find as part of his mission as a soldier.\n\n\n_David_ \"REFART is panicking you need to return to base ASAP!!! Also storm incoming half an hour ETA for you 2 minutes for me.\" In the backgound a large WHAM sound and alarms is heard then static and it cuts out.* \n\n_*REFART_ a flood of panicaked voices flood the channel and Tom's bossbellows in the background \" You arein a nest get out now we have a rescue ship for you and David whose connection was just lost on its way defend yourself soldier and get back to your habitat return to main base!\n", "The news regarding the cancellation of the Mars mining program by Nixon had just reached NASA's Mission Control Center, but I was already far out of reach. I was standing deep inside the blood red mouth of the largest, darkest coal mine in the known universe. Little did I know, that a Nigerian team of areographers had successfully managed to map out one of the largest orebodies on the planet, by verifying the existence of Giovanni Schiaparelli's canals and thus claiming all prospecting rights surrounding Mare Boreum. The very same canals JFK's Mariner missions had dispelled a few years before our launch. But here I was, going deeper in, doing all the hard honest exploratory work of a 5th generation coal miner, for the benefit of some shithole country that was about to reap all seeds of my hard honest work. No wonder my colleagues back on Earth were freaking out. ", "I must have missed something. I can hear them yelling but the connection is broken. Am I in danger? They could be excited over something menial, geological. I can't hear enough to know. \n\nI'm going back. It isn't like I have anything to go home to anyway. That's why I was chosen for this mission. There's a low survival rate. \n\nMy family perished when the trees started to die. It became so hard to breathe and the technology that would bring us off planet was so expensive. My daughter had always had bad lungs. My wife refused to leave her. So I waited with them until they finally succumbed to the dropping oxygen levels. \n\nA few months later, here I am. Humans are in search of a new planet to call home. Those cliche science fiction stories turned out to be more of a science fact. Our Mars rovers kept going missing so we've started sending human explorers instead. So many never return. \n\nI check my watch before turning around. They told me the delay in the feed was important. I'll have to retrace my steps for 20 minutes before I can find out what they're so frantic about. The audio connection is still cracking. \n\nThe cave is dark, but oddly not in a frightening way. It's 15 minutes since I turned back. There's a light off to the right that I hadn't seen on my way in. Maybe this is the cause of all the commotion? \n\nAs I get closer I hear music. It's familiar. I'm at the opening on the offshoot. I know this song. My wife would sing it to my daughter when she was small. The closer I get the more I realize the voice is hers.\n\nI think I'm hallucinating. Maybe my oxygen is malfunctioning. \n\nIt isn't. \n\nI follow the curves of the path, the sound of my wife's singing getting closer and louder. I turn a final corner and...\n\nTHEY'RE BOTH HERE\n\nI shut off my video feed. I won't be returning to the ship. My family is here and I'm staying. \n\n20 minutes pass and I hear them scream. I already know why. It isn't as if my family was actually here and alive on Mars. \n\nThe moment before I ended the feed a claw cut through my stomach. I've been lying here for 20 minutes, bleeding to death. There's crying on the audio feed. They're screaming my name. \n\nI don't know how the natives of this planet knew what form to take to lure me in. \n\nAt least I got to see them one last time. ", "Skttttttt. Skrrrrrrtttt. The rover wheels struggle on the martian terrain as I scout around the Hellas Planitia outpost. I’m going about 25 m/s (about 55mph), which is over the regulatory speed limit of 20m/s (45mph). It’d be nice if I didn’t have to wear this helmet nor keep the windows up. Yeah, the martian air is dusty and all, but I sure do miss having the wind through my hair, the sun in my face, and the windows down on Earth. And my wife. And I am beyond tired of all the regulations. After spending upwards of 200 Sols dealing with the annoyances of Command and no leisure time, you start to miss even the littlest of things from home. It’s all about regulations to these people, no matter how safe and boring the tasks are. I just want to do something fun, for once.\n\nYou’re probably wondering: What’s your task?\n\nI’m tasked with plotting out excavations to expand Hellas Planitia outpost, this tiny camp, to a large settlement. Unfortunately, when you’re reporting to General Scott, the asshole of the operation, you get tasked with this sort of boring work. Surface plotting has never been my sort of work - dangerous expeditions are what I prefer.\n\nI peer out into the distance and see a large crevice. I’m coming up on it quickly. I struggle to press my mesh-laced foot on the brakes, but finally manage to stop the vehicle. You forget how difficult it is to move in these suits, no matter how much training you get. Despite the rigorous and countless courses, these suits and their bulkiness are just pointless, in my opinion.\n\nAs I step out of the vehicle and into the martian soil, I notice something odd about this place. This isn’t just a crevice in the ground - it’s a hole into darkness. All the crevices I’ve seen were just divots in the terrain, most likely formed by wind erosion - until now. This might lead to a cave, or better yet, a whole system of caverns! Finally, after hauling ass and doing this monotonous work for months on end, I get something that I’ll enjoy.\n\nI pull out my walkie and tune the frequency to Command. I’ll have to try to contain my excitement and seem as uninterested as usual to whichever operator is managing the line. I begin to radio in:\n\n\n“Colonel Kyle to Command, requesting coordinate confirmation.”\n\n\n“Hey Kyle, it’s Ava! Whatcha need me to do?”\n\n\nI let out a sigh of relief. All of the operators are terribly dull, except for Ava. She’s the one person who I can rely on. She’s also my wife.\n\n\n“Hey Honey, I’m reporting in twenty klicks away from HP. The plain is broken by what appears to be a narrow opening to a large cave system. I’ve never seen anything like this before. Does this show on topographic mapping?”\n\n\n“Let me pull up MRO feeds. I’ll get back to you in a moment, darling.”\n\n\nI begin to fidget with my multi-tool, playing with each different mode. I’m interrupted by my wife’s voice.\n\n\n“Alright, this hole you are talking about isn’t showing up on topo. It’s either too small or too recent, one or the other. The area also hasn’t really been explored much.”\n\n\n“Should - no - can I explore it?”\n\n\n“That’s not something I can authorize, babe. I’ll connect you with General Scott. He’s the only one who can approve expedition requests. Talk to me before you go in though.”\n\n\nI let out a heavy sigh and grimaced. \n\n\n“Alright, talk to you in a bit. I love y-” \n\n\nI am cut off by the transfer tone and soon after, I hear the disgusting rasp of the general’s voice:\n\n\n“Who is this? What do you need?”\n\n\n“Good afternoon, General. It’s Kyle. I’m requesting clearance for an expedition.”\n\n\n“For when?”\n\n\n“Ummm... right now. I found what seems to be a minor hole and possible cave in Hellas Planitia. It wouldn-”\n\n\n“Yeah, sure, go ahead.”\n\n\nI was baffled. He approved my expedition, like that?\n\n\n“Sir, I haven’t given you any topographic data yet, don’t you need th-”\n\n\n“I know what I do and don’t need, Kyle. What I don’t need is you telling me what I need. I took a look at your rover’s broadcasting data. Go explore.”\n\n\n“Alright, sir. When should I exit and debrief?”\n\n\n“Ugghh. Whenever you’re done. I have more important matters at hand.”\n\n\nThe signal cut off and I’m back on the channel with Ava. I can barely contain my excitement.\n\n\n“Kyle?”\n\n\n“He approved. I’m gonna establish a beacon outside the cave just in case I need some more men while exploring. I can’t believe he said yes. He’s never that simple nor easy.”\n\n\n“I’m glad to hear that, honey. Just be careful Kyle. Also, I should let you know that subsurface scans of that area indicate a sharp depth grade. It’s probably really steep. And as you get deeper, you know, comms will be limited and transmission will get delayed.”\n\n\n“Alright, I’ll probably rappel down into the hole. And isn’t transmission delay no more than twenty to thirty seconds?”\n\n\n“That was before the Hesperia Planum subsurface relay went down. You’re looking at ten to twenty, even thirty minute delays between our transmissions to you. Your live feed will still get transmitted pretty much instantaneously though.”\n\n\n“Damn, and I was gonna be the first person to jack off in a martian cave.”\n\n\nI hear her intonation crack and her laughter erupt. Her voice and her giggles are soothing after all of this time. It’s almost as if I am next to her, hearing her. She recollects herself.\n\n\n“Just... be careful please. I miss you and I can’t wait to see you soon.”\n\n\nOh yeah. I’m going home in thirty Sols. I’m just expanding the settlement and finalizing everything for phase two colonization. I’ll finally get to see my beautiful wife again.\n\n\n“Me too, honey, me too. I love you and I’ll be out of here before you know it. Talk to you shortly, sweetheart.”\n\n\nI shut off the walkie and begin to unload some rope from the rover. I set up the pulley at the back of the rover and pin the convertible tires to the martian soil. This is a surefire and ingenious method of preventing expeditions from going awry. The rover is pinned and locked to the surface to ensure that the rope won’t break to heavy stress.\n\nI pull out the beacon and place it in the backseat of the rover. It’s on. I don’t plan on getting stranded in here. I retrieve my flashlight from the back of the rover before walking over to the hole.\n\nI harness myself to the rope and begin my descent into the darkness with my flashlight in hand. I hear nothing but the echo of my harness on the rope.\n\n\n——————\n\nParts two and three are comments below! I don’t write many of these prompts but I hope you enjoy them :)", "Private Richard: “Yknow it really is a bad idea for me to be going down here with a 20 minute delay, I just kinda figure that if y’all see something wrong and I need to dip I’ll probably be really messed up or dead by the time your message gets back to me.”\n\nPrivate Richard: “I like all of these cool rocks, that’s why I took the job in the first place yknow. I really do love rocks and it’s been my dream to touch rocks no man has touched before... Nah, I’m just kidding, that’d be pretty dumb huh. I swear, I’m kidding, haha.”\n\nPrivate Richard: “Yo there’s some weird rocks over here I think I’m gonna touch them. I mean I guess you can see that I’m touching them, I just thought I’d tell you.”\n\nPrivate Richard: “Hey I’m starting to feel kinda funny, and my gloves aren’t looking to hot where I touched those rocks.”\n\nMission Control: “Do not touch more of those rocks, I repeat, do not touch more of those rocks. Immediate exfil advised.”\n\nPrivate Richard: “Sure, in one second, I thought I saw some movement up ahead that I wanted to check out.”\n\nPrivate Richard: “I don’t know where whatever that was went, I’m going to look around a bit more.”\n\nMission Control: “DO NOT investigate movement. Return to base immediately.”\n\nPrivate Richard: “Awwww, shieeee-“\n\n\\~Two loud blasts are heard, accompanied by green flashes of light on the video feed. The video feed goes dark and the transmission cuts out.\\~\n\nMission Control: “Come in commander, come in ASAP. Confirm message as received.”\n\nSaw the prompt and figured I might try it out. On mobile, formatting probably sucks (sorry) and never written before. I wasn’t taking it too seriously, but any feedback is welcome.\n\nEDIT: Fixed some stuff, added a couple words I missed the first time through", "Twenty minutes is a long time when you're waiting for a reply. When you're trapped, and you're scared, and the light on your suit has failed because something something something banged into it where nothing nothing nothing had been a moment before.\n\nA couple of seconds is a very short time except when that's how long it took for whatever banged you to appear and move past. It was lit, where nothing should be lit, and so you closed your eyes and missed it.\n\nTwenty minutes of good. Twenty minutes of bad. Twenty minutes of scared chatter from your end, and inane pointers on the structure of the cave from their end, because they hadn't seen it yet. Twenty minutes of hope. Twenty minutes of fear.\n\nAnd twenty minutes later, when that time has become a dark eternity of loneliness, they tell you to go back, because what they'd seen had been another crew member, and your heart lifts and you head back, but twenty seconds later it falls again when they say his name: Matthews. Your name. And the lights come back to feed.\n\n", "Another blasted cave with nothing to see but useless rocks and thousands of samples I’d spend days collecting just to find out that there are still no signs of life on Mars and that there’s still another hundred caves to check out after that. This isn’t what I dreamt of, working myself ragged for years, building up my body, mind and skills to the exclusion of everything else. Yet I never voiced these feelings aloud or even showed a hint of them to anyone back on Earth or my partner, Daniel, currently working in the hab. I knew a lot of people would have given everything to be here, like I had, yet now that I was here I felt like nothing more than a glorified geologist.\n\nFeeling stones crunching underneath my thick soled boots, which would have been extremely heavy on Earth but were manageable here, I trudged deeper, leaving patterned tracks in my wake as I methodically napped the cave and established communication beacons to extend my connection. I was acting on pure muscle memory, paying little attention to the red, grimy world outside of my HUD and letting my mind wander freely as I planted another relay, forcing it down into the sediment, twisting it deeper and feeling it lodge firm against rock before sliding up a panel on the side with my thick, almost numbing gloves and switching it on. It instantly cleared my channel of static for the time being until I got even further in.\n\nDespite feeling entirely alone and somewhat depressed in my labour on this dusty, foreboding husk of a planet, I knew my every movement was being recorded and transmitted back to Earth where Central and dozens of techs and scientists would monitor everything and report me for the slightest breach of protocol or hound me for detailed closeups of every wayward grain of sand. I complied with each request of course, it is my job after all, but I’d long stopped caring about their interests and obsessions with what had become entirely mundane to me. \n\nAfter planting the last relay, I straightened my back with a groan and stretched, I was feeling tired and in this gravity that probably meant I wasn’t doing enough resistance training to keep my muscles in shape. Another problem for another day. Noticing that a slight film of dust had covered my visor, I started wiping it clear, before realising I was leaving orange stains on my gloves and cursed myself for not getting the cloth out of the harness on my back. There was no excuse for that one, I was just getting lazy, even sloppy I thought to myself. I forced myself to kick my mind into gear and did a quick system check, focussed on my O2 readout in the bottom left corner of my HUD which still read over 50% so I didn’t have to head home yet and could start collecting some samples. Joy.\n\nAt the deepest part of the cave I had explored today, tomorrow I would go deeper, I clipped my harness off my back and planted it on the ground in front of me. I knelt down, feeling a sharp point dig into my knee before I hastily relocated it to prevent any possible breaches and pulled out two things. Firstly, a rugged and reliable drill which took a couple minutes to set up and would harvest a cylindrical sample out of the rock and secondly, a sealing rack to prevent any possible contamination and preserve the sample for testing back at the hab.\n\nI stood up and let the drill do its work, I watched as a little puff of dust swirled up slowly from under it like an ink cloud in water before settling back down in the low gravity. That’s the one big difference that stuck with me, between Earth and Mars that is, everyone thinks that once you’re there it’s basically Earth but red and you can’t go outside without a suit... I mean, technically they’re right but the gravity makes it feel completely different. The way you move an the way things behave is all just slightly different. It’s refreshing and lets you know you’re truly on an alien planet.\n\nIt’s moments like those where the old me surfaces, the wonder and awe when I consider where I am and the environment around me. The Universe and our place in it. Then I remember I’m just in a cave breathing recycled air, living off of shitty dehydrated food and spending all my time drilling for useless rocks to the sounds of scientists and techs constantly clamouring for my attention. Oh wait, they’re actually talking to me.\n\nI focussed on my primary handler over a cacophony of voices that had suddenly filled my helmet but I couldn’t make out what he was saying but I could hear in his voice something that I had never heard before and it made me wake up for the first time in a long time. I heard fear. \n\nOn instinct, I almost called out ‘whoa, whoa there, one at a time so I can hear you’, but my training kicked in, knowing that this wasn’t a real time connection but a time lagged one. I waited and was swiftly rewarded with my handler shouting at all the others with him to ‘SHUT THE FUCK UP!’, I smiled a bit at that but it also ratcheted up my trepidation, my heartbeat increases with it to the point that I could hear it reverberate in my helmet dome - professionalism and self control was paramount to NASA, even during the Apollo 13 mission everyone stayed calm and kept communications clear, so whatever was happening was serious.\n\nMy handler came on again, quick yet clear and concise this time, ‘As you entered that chamber we noticed legs and feet, human, in the top left corner of the frame on a ledge, we’ve gone over this multiple times and processed it and they’re definitely there, forwarding you a still frame now. We don’t know what to make of this, even the director is flummoxed, you have total discretion.’ That means they have no idea what to do with this at all, I gulped, and quickly pulled up the still frame they had sent - it showed up in a window on my HUD to the right.\n\nIn the image, I could see what had gotten them in such a tizzy and I felt a shiver crawl up my back, raising goosebumps and the hairs on the back of my neck and I was acutely aware of the cold sweat in my suit as well. In my video feed, I had only caught the legs from the thighs down but you could easily see white skin against the red background, knobbly knees and feminine feet, complete with green toenail polish, standing on a ledge at around head height. I had turned my back to that ledge when I planted the final relay- that must have been almost thirty minutes ago! \n\nWith my heart pounding I spun and put all brightness into my headlamps whilst backing away from the ledge, which, to my immediate relief was now empty. However this just created an even more unsettling feeling; it had been there, they had all seen it and reported it. Where was it now? I compared with the image they sent and yes, it was the same ledge. Unsure of what to do, I backed into the wall behind me and constantly scanned the cavern. ‘Guys, if this is some post processing shit, I swear to fucking god that when I get back there I will beat you all bloody.’ \n\nI knew I couldn’t expect a response for a while but a few more messages came in the next few seconds, ‘This is not a drill, get out of there now!’, then a voice I recognised as the director came on and whilst he sounded assertive, it was bit too fast to be calm, ‘Abort now. I repeat. Abort now. We will clear this up after you are back at the hab.’. That galvanised me, even if everyone else somehow decided to go loopy and stage an elaborate prank on another planet, the Director would never do such a thing. \n", "I paced around the cave opening, observing, filled with equal doses of wonder and giddiness. Rapping my knuckles lightly on the rock wall, I stare at the soft dust that collects on my fingers, still in a state of disbelief.\n\nForget the caves on Earth, this one didn't even look like a Martian cave. It's composition was very clearly not of olivine, nor was it of the basalt that makes up the lava tubes here. The rock was instead intensely black, casting a strange, almost unsettling, look about the cave. It could be obsidian, but that was unheard of on this planet. I'll have to look more into this when I return to base.\n\nI decide to contact the control room. \"This is Jason coming in. Have just found a cave about 40 miles from base. Don't believe it has been discovered yet.\"\n\nA voice pipes up on the other end. \"This is Rebecca from Command Center. We are unable to track your location at the moment. Await further instructions.\" \n\nI sigh, slightly annoyed at the prospect of holding off on exploring the cave. About 10 minutes pass, and my ear piece buzzes. \"Jason, this is Rebecca again. Unfortunately we're still not able to pinpoint your exact location. Supervisor Anderson says you can either wait for us to track you and send additional units towards you, or you can begin to explore the cave now.\"\n\n\"Tell Supervisor Anderson I'll be heading in right away,\" I reply without a moment's hesitation. The giddiness has come back again.\n\n\"Crew warns us of delays in communication as you enter the cave. Stay alert and update us on your progress.\"\n\nAnd with that I begin to make my way in. The cave is as dark as I expected, but nothing a flashlight can't fix. The walls appears to get narrower as you go in further, and the cave much quieter. I keep walking, but after several minutes it becomes apparent there is not much to report here. It's just an endless passage of rock and debris. Still, the thought of being the first one to discover this cave keeps my spirits high.\n\n\"Rebecca, Jason checking in. I've progressed about a hundred meters, and have not found any objects of interest as of yet.\"\n\n20 minutes pass, and then: \"Alright. Keep posted.\"\n\nI make my way in deeper, noticing some slight changes as I do so. Maybe a descent here, or a climb there, but everything stays largely the same. Cue more walking.\n\n\n--\nPerhaps I had zoned out from my monotonous surroundings, because I abruptly find myself entering a very large and circular space. Growing excited again, I make my way around this new room. There seem to be strange carvings everywhere, but the skeptic in me wonders whether it's just my brain making patterns out of nothing. \n\nI keep exploring and snapping photographs of the carvings, wanting to dwell on them later. Suddenly, my ears catch two audible thumps on the wall across the room. I freeze for a moment, disoriented and not sure what my next move should be, before deciding to make my way towards the sounds.\n\nAs I begin to do so, Rebecca's voice comes in, with a hint of nervousness: \"Jason, Crew has been experiencing some... unusual difficulties. I would advise you to make your way back for now.\"\n\nI frown. This was just getting interesting, and I was in no mood to turn back. I reply, \"Might be a good idea to explore for a few minutes longer. Heard a sound just now and will like to investigate further. However, will stay put for the moment.\" With that I stop in my tracks and wait.\n\nThe 20 minutes pass, and Rebecca begins to speak again, this time with ill-concealed panic in her voice. \"You are being ordered to leave the cave right now. Disregard the sound and do not pursue. Please make haste back.\"\n\nBy the time the new message ended my body had turned cold. In all the years I had known Rebecca, there had never been a time when she wasn't calm and composed. To hear her like this... I shivered and made up my mind to leave straight away.\n\nI carefully begin to maneuver my way back to the entrance as I await the 20 minutes for another message, growing more terrified by the second. The walls seem closer than ever, and I could swear I just heard more thumps. Finally another message comes in, yet this time it's not Rebecca's voice that greets me, but Anderson's.\n\n\"Jason... we finally got your coordinates. Crew has the satellite zoomed in on your location. We can detect no signs of a cave in your five-mile radius.\"\n\n\n\n\n------\nMy first ever prompt attempt! This was very rushed but also very fun, thanks for reading :)", "The suit is tight and his breath steams the visor again before it auto clears, even the psi 2 suit seems to still have trouble with heat transfer. Weird in a place where he would freeze almost instantly. His mind drifts like this usually on the high stress missions, his way of dealing with it, worse were the live stream ones where you have to censor every word and watch every action because some armchair fucking astronaut thinks you may have messed up some procedure they read about from 30 years ago.\n\nThe cave mouth was huge but shielded from observation from above by a massive overhanging shelf of rock covered with granulated red dirt. It wasn't until spaceX had gotten a explorer unit to hit the bottom of the Valles Marineris trenches that it came to light.\n\nSeveral other caves had been found but none with this look of being constructed, when he had approached and spent an hour going over the outside the usual had happened and from all analysis it appeared again like a random feature of wind and rain and erosion that had made it look like a thing built by intelligent life, The hype died down and the rest of the science team back on earth wanted him to go deeper - this would be the first time the team would have someone to probe into the depths of Mars like this.\n\nHis relay point was the drop pod about 400 meters from the entrance, \"Mike checking in -what are my readings?\" he waited in the hiss of static. It was going from his little suit to the pod through the base further up on the lip of the trench and then relayed all the way back to earth with the 20 minute delay each way. He wasn't waiting for the earth response just his second in the main base - Base MB1.2 - they should have let the net name the base except it would have ended up with something retarded like basey mcbaseface - so it was given to scientists and ended up sounding like it, She could sort out the fucking geek team back on earth.\n\nHer voice come back with the usual hiss and exotic accent \"Ox 76 hours - Cooling 76 hours - Food 3 days (if you can call gel food) water - 3 days, looking good for further exploration, no messages from earth - free to explore at will -Georgia out\"\n\nHis headlamp showed a perfect circle of light in the cave with utter darkness surrounding it. Using a gas operated jack he anchored a spike into some solid looking rock at the cave mouth and tugged as hard as he could on it to test - no movement. Attaching a reel to his belt after latching it to the spike he slowly spooled it out and entered the cave making sure his camera was on broadcast and he had a little window showing his feed of Georgia back at base switched on, if either failed he was immediately out. To many people thought aliens were the big risk out in space but frankly space itself was trying to kill you a hell of a lot harder than any alien ever would, at least for now, and his comms were his lifeline.\n\nHe advanced slowly clearing the ground each step with slow sweeps of his headlamp. The first few meters into the cave were choked with the dust that covered every surface on the planet. \"Still with me Georgy?\" \"Yeah still here, looking good so far\"\n\nLooking further in he could see a rough roof and stalactites hanging down, he stopped and focused on them. \"You seeing this?\" \"Clear as day\" he felt a little excitement, this meant moisture at sometime in the past, the cave looked dry as dust now but still he could imagine the scientist back on earth getting exited about it and prepared mentally for the usual requests to take samples and dig in this or that spot. He advanced some more spooling out the cable and sweeping with his light. The cave so far didn't seem to have an rear or rather it just continued on more like an underground tunnel than a cave, The walls were covered with what looked like a laval flow frozen in time, and the roof was distant enough he could stand easily. Why is the floor clear? it has stalactites yet nothing coming up from the floor. maybe it had to do with the gravity, or water flow in the bottom?\n\nHe knelt and unlatched a small sample container from his belt scooping the dry dust from the floor into it, the lid auto recording time mps co-ordinates and relative depths atmo readings etc. Sealing it and waiting for it to go green he heard something, \"Sorry Georgia say again?\". There was a brief silence \"Nothing said this end\" her voice sounded calm still, great last thing he needed was to go suit crazy now. \"Uh can you give me some seismic readings? think maybe we have some movement down here\" \"Wait one\" a hiss of static and he could see her looking down and punching buttons on the monitor window. She looked up \"Yeah got some minor shakes showing but that could be from the storms knocking rocks into the valley\"\n\n\"Ack that - going deeper now\" He felt a little better, the equipment could pick up some rockfalls and was pretty sensitive - it could be used as a backup tracking system when the mps went down to track surface vehicle movements. The tunnel angled slightly down and he followed it still doing careful sweeps with this headlamp and camera, a slight curve making the way back disappear beyond the horizon of his headlamp and cable leading back. After an hour of steady descent the cave ended abruptly the far wall closing in on the floor in what looked like an avalanche of boulders and sharply pointed crystal.\n\nA rounded boulder caught his eye, he shuffled closer, it looked like a head from a badly worn statue \"Georgia you seeing this?\" a slight sigh over the radio behind the static \"Ack Mike I see it\" he carefully picked it up and turned it over in his hands, He could swear there were tool marks on it but then again it could be just erosion. Always he hoped to find something so he was always wary when something like the cave mouth popped up because he was to used to disappointment. It never stopped him volunteering for the missions though. No one else was ever keen to go and dig rocks at the behest of scientists but he did it on the off chance. He examined it closely - there were pits for eyes a potential nub for a nose and a small depression that could have been a mouth. \"Uh Mike Priority One Message - X Actual - return to surface at once\" something began to flash on her monitor showing her face in a ghoulish red \"Pri One message from Sci Team - return to surface at once\" her voice and face still calm. He had actually heard the audio over the screen. it seemed more screaming and shouting than a message.\n\n\"Whats going on Georgia?\"\n\n\"No idea Mike trying to find out\"\n\nHe had tucked the head into a carry bag and began the return up into the cave reeling the cable in and using the small boost to momentum to try and get extra speed. There was a judder through his feet and he staggered to one side. The cable suddenly loose in his grip. \"Georgia whats going on up there?\" She looked up from the readings and chatter he could still hear through the comms. \"Mike wait out we need to get a team to\" and she was shut off.\n\nHer screen had gone to static and then the standby symbol. He slogged up the passageway his reel now pulling in a loose cable automatically.", "Against the backdrop of red, there was nothing but a faceless spacesuit. Slumped slightly forward, its lower back resting against the ridges of the cave wall. Occasionally, from the inside of the suit, you could see a panel lighting up, revealing from inside the tinted faceplate its inhabitant.\n\nIt’s a curious thing, this space suit. Because the space suit speaks.\n\n“Space Command to Private Rosch, you are cleared for entry. Take care down there, Private. Over”\n\nThe words are alien, to you. You’ve never seen something like this before, not for a long time. Was it a long time? You’d only been here a few days. You suppose time is relative.\n\n“Space Command to Private Rosch, Captain Leeds recommends you tone down the small talk, we’re on a live feed here to the top brass. But yeah, it sure is. Over”\n\nThere’s an amused snort. Now that you get. This one heard something funny. You tilt your head. Was that what was considered funny? Okay then, you got it.\n\nThe suit is made of a funny type of cloth, nothing you’ve ever touched before. It’s strange, rough to the touch. And inconsistent too. Certain parts of the suit are softer than the rest, more flexibles.\n\nWere these where the creature’s joints were? That would make sense. Going by that logic…\n\nYou give the faceplate a light tap. Then you’d suppose that the place where the material was hardest (What was this? You could just about see through it if you squinted your eyes.) was the place of most importance.\n\n“Space Command to Private Rosch, we’re detecting some strange activity in the background of your cam feed. Recommend you turn on night vision instead of infra-red so we can get a better look. Over.”\n\nYou run the of your fingernail around the edges of this strange material. The see-through metal. Your work done, you give it a light tap and it comes free. The sheet of see-through metal, cut free, falls splat on the face of the suit’s occupant.\n\nThat’s not what you want. You frown. With one hand, you reach in and delicately pick it out, in between your two thumbs. It’s stained with the creature’s blood, which is definitely strange. You don’t remember injuring it all the way up here.\n\n“Space Command to Private Rosch, something’s following you. I repeat, you are not alone. We have authorized for you to shoot to kill. Over.”\n\nThe suit gives you a scare. How was it still alive? Was it a different living system, working in harmony with this creature? You look down at the creature’s torso. There’s a see-through hole, just about the size of your hand. Blood and what you presume to be the creature’s insides have split out down it’s crotch, to the floor and begun to dry.\n\nWhat a strange thing. You hurt it in one place, and blood spurts out of another. You feel excitement flow through your veins, your thumbs clicking together restlessly. More, you had to know more!\n\nYou kick yourself for being so rash. This was probably the only time you’d ever chance to study something like this. You should have kept it alive.\n\nNo matter, you decide, as you wipe the see-through metal clean. It would make a nice trophy.\n\n“Space Command to Private Rosch, we order you to retreat! Get out of there now! Confirm!”\n\nAs if it knows what you’re going to do next, the suit speaks again. You don’t understand the words but you understand the panicked tone.\n\nThen you get down to the nasty stuff. What was so important here? You gorge out two white orbs, each with a spot of light blue. You find strangely shaped bones in the big orifice in the creature’s face. They’re stained red, and seem to be protecting a seemingly useless slab of meat inside. At the back of the orifice, a pool of blood gurgles. You suppose this part of the creature led to the torso.\n\n“Rosch ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod. What the fuck is that?”\n\nThe suit is starting to speak more often now.\n\n“I’m detecting a complete loss of vital signs. That thing killed him.”\n\n“You’ve left the button on, Private Sej.”\n\nBlissful silence falls, allowing you to focus on your work. You find what you are pretty sure is the creature’s brain. It’s similar to your people’s, but this one seems significantly bigger. You’re not sure whether or not you should feel envious. After all, this creature is the dead one.\n\n“This is Captain Leeds of United Earth Space Command. I respectfully request for you to identify yourself.”\n\nYou flip the creature on its front, revealing its back. There, whirring away slowly, a strange metal box. You pick it apart easily. This metal is significantly harder than everything else though. Could this be the suit’s heart?\n\n“Do you understand us?”\n\nThe inside of the box is divided into two parts. The lower components consist of two cylinders with strange wording on them. You press it, and a strange smelling gas comes out. Oxygen? Why would this creature be carrying so much of it? Perhaps it needed it to survive.\n\nThe upper components are interesting, a myriad of light and strange, flexible strings that came in different colours. You cut one of the strings. Immediately, a loud beeping sounds from inside the suit, near the faceplate.\n\nYou flip it over. There was a panel of green lights near the front edge of the faceplate, but now one of them was beeping red and the suit’s bright light had gone out. Red, that was a good thing, right? You eagerly cut away at the wires, the beeping growing incessantly loud.\n\n“This is Captain Leeds of the United Earth Space Command. We have determined that you are hostile. You will be exterminated. Go to hell.”\n\nThen the suit goes abruptly silent, as you cut the final string.\n\nAnd behind you, you hear a loose rock crumble down the slope of the cave’s entrance.\n\nWeighted boots create small mushroom clouds, much as the first creature had.\n\nYou feel an insane glee overcome you. There were more of them. You could continue your studies after all.\n\n“What the hell? Is that Rosch? Holy fuck!”\n\nYou try to think of what the creature had said when it first entered the cave. It’s hard, because you’re not quite designed the same way as this creature. But you manage.\n\n“Man, this place is creepy as hell.”\n\nEdit: Thanks for the feedback, as well as your support for my story! :) I'm glad so many of you enjoyed it." ]	[ 1, 2, 2, 6, 9, 21, 31, 36, 214, 618, 3966 ]	[ "1534050858", "1534071942", "1534074556", "1534074308", "1534071907", "1534051950", "1534068750", "1534069596", "1534062615", "1534059074", "1534059138" ]
[removed]	[wp] >Be me. >Be without magic in a world full of wizards >nohope.bat >Find a tome in attic >Magic.exe	0	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Hi u/OcelotPie, this submission has been removed.\n\n[Prompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_7.3A_prompts_will_be_removed_if_there.27s_a_high_possibility_for_rule_breaking_responses)\n\n- Troll / Meme: No troll or meme-based prompts. \n\n\n\n---\n\n[Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FWritingPrompts&subject=Removed%20post&message=https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/96wbyb/-/%0A%0A) us if you have any questions or concerns. In the future, please refer to the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/about/sidebar) before posting. \n\nThis action was not automated and this moderator is human. Time to go do human things." ]	[ 1, 1 ]	[ "1534145479", "1534145479" ]
	[WP] Thanos has been snapping his finger every year to reduce the universe by half as if it were some sort of game. Now, after many years, it is only you and him who remain...	11	[ "Off-Topic Discussion: All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.\n\n#####Reminder for Writers and Readers:\n* Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail.\n\n* Please remember to [be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback.\n\n---\n\n[](#icon-help)[^(What Is This?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/off_topic)\n[](#icon-information)[^(First Time Here?)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)\n[](#icon-exclamation)[^(Special Announcements)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/announcements)\n[](#icon-comments)[^(Click For Our Chatrooms)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/chat)\n", "Thanos looks down at the small being. How ironic that this is what remains, the death himself, and the race that thought themselves larger than the universe. The ones who proclaim themselves as peaceful, preservers of life for the future. But, oddly, have never met any other being considered \"intelligent\" in their intergalactic colonization. Maybe not so odd when you consider that any species with self awareness and rapid growth are considered a \"threat to humanity.\" The best way to prevent a species from meeting their equal is to simply and promptly exterminate them before they have the chance to evolve.\n\nThey simply never realized if, before their cosmic conquistador era, a singularity capable, quantum race had leaped at faster than light into their observable region in what would seem like an instant and initiated a colonization of their borderline intelligent race for their infinitely precious world, Earth, and began to hunt them for their meat alike the Humans had done to so many species before, perhaps they would respond in force. Perhaps the complete irony of their saying \"we come in peace\" would become clear to them.\n\nBut what of it really matters anymore? After all these years of absolute judgement of every species on equal grounds by Thanos himself, it is him and a Human who remain. \n\nThe human has conviction in his face as he stares up at Thanos. They are met on the semi-prevailing core planet of the Sol system. The first planet Mankind colonized post terrestrial, the now capital since the War Upon Heaven. The entire planet a once staple of the evolution of man, from a station no bigger than a small house to towns comparable to ancient Human holds hosting hardly impressive conglomerations to the multi-layered megalopolis utopia, home to thirty-two billion, the most powerful humans alive and a political dreamland. \n\nNeither of them speak. Neither need to. Its the anniversary of the last snap. 8 beings remained according to Living Exclusive Edison Radiation tests carried out by the Human one year and one day ago, now two remain after the presumable death of two others. \n\nThanos lifts his hand and snaps his fingers. Neither one of them disappear. Once again, a human thought themselves larger than the universe." ]	[ 1, 10 ]	[ "1534167859", "1534179221" ]

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