story stringlengths 1.07k 9.52k | comment_score int64 16 4.1k | prompt stringlengths 25 295 | post_score int64 20 10.9k |
|---|---|---|---|
I had just finished suturing a nasty wound when I leaned against the wall to take a breather. Tonight had been a tough one, I hadn't even gotten the chance to rest in hours. I wiped my brow and took what felt like the first deep breath since I got up this morning, when a cacophony of bloodcurdling screams sounded off f... | 437 | "I was hurt badly and stumbled into the emergency room...I had transformed into my true form...the humans fled in terror...except one. True to his training...he tended my wounds and saved my life. And that's how I met your father." | 1,032 |
He stepped into the room and the dark figure lifted a hand towards the padded gray chair. He last remembered being in a car but this was a cubicle of some kind. He lifting himself up on his toes and glanced around to see dozens, even hundreds of similar cubicles stretching down an endless hall.
"Please sit."
He did. ... | 130 | Death is a highly complicated and bureaucratic process | 261 |
Another family had left the community, so Bishop Abraham Yoder called a town meeting in the one-room schoolhouse. Samuel, the newest member, sat in the back next to Jacob, one of the oldest members of the town. As the meeting droned-on, Samuel noticed that Jacob's gray and grizzled beard didn't seem right.
"Brother Ja... | 98 | A fugitive hides from the law in an old Amish community with no phones, no camera, no IDs. Gradually he realizes that everyone there came to hide, some more than 50 years back, and the original group died out or left. Just a community of fugitives now, pretending to be Amish... | 354 |
The invasion went as planned - until it didn't. The Dro'xos' warships had entered Perynn's atmosphere without trouble, and on the first day, they had managed to identify and surround three large cities on the continent known as Draphis among the primitive locals.
​
But as the next morning came, the so-cal... | 200 | aliens invade a high fantasy world. Neither side understand each other’s abilities. Aliens are terrified because they think wizards have strange undiscovered technology. Wizards are terrified because they think aliens have some kind of dark magic. | 1,232 |
“Don’t go outside,” I said, a tone of question to the comment. I didn’t quite understand what I was seeing. Outside was just… red.
“Alice, what are you talking about?” Jeffery asked. He slowed his gait but still approached the door. It was our lunch period, and we often ate outside.
“Stop! Don’t go outside!” I r... | 18 | You were born with the superpower to be able to see gas as colors in the sky. The lethality of the gas is determined by its color. Usually, all you see are farts which are dull white or grey, but today, you go outside in the morning and the entire street is filled with a crimson red substance. | 35 |
"I know he's smart. He just won't apply himself, he's always been this lazy." My mom said, a worried look in her eyes.
I sat next to my parents in the conference room, as they and my teachers once again tried to get me to do my work.
I was in my sophomore year, summer was just around the corner. All I wanted to do wa... | 39 | you are failing school with grades in 30s and everyone thinks your stupid. One day your parents force you to take a IQ test to see if how low it is only to be surprised to see that it’s the highest ever recorded. Now you have to explain why you just can’t be bothered. | 79 |
I ignore her for the moment. The TV is silent, but my face is on it loud. Side by side pictures of me are displayed on the news: one of them the mugshot of me in prison before I broke out of jail; the other a 'mug' shot of me at senior prom before she broke up with me.
Even though she was the one who cheated.
I alway... | 57 | "You know what? I'm actually not even here to take you back. I just want to know how the hell does someone like you escape a maximum security prison with nothing but a rope and a seam ripper." | 175 |
The High Priest and ecclesiastical master of the Kua-dro peoples of the Northern Reaches stood before a rapt audience. The announcement of the High Priest's pending pronouncement came one day earlier. Heralds of the Priesthood were sent across the eco-dome, from business to business and home to home, yelling at the top... | 25 | A theocratic tribe of extraterrestrials living on the moon worship the planet Earth. On July 16, 1969, panic ensues when the tribe learns that an object from Earth is approaching and will reach them in four days. | 101 |
“Here's Charles' paperwork, do that for him so I have a reason not to send you on another damned field mission, Murray.”
“Fine, chief, paperwork it is.” I replied, slouching back in my chair and frowning at him. He knew I was competent with paperwork, despite the rest of my abilities. Everyone in the department hated ... | 39 | You're considered the worst spy in the agency. Which is funny because your doing what a soy should do, and you're pretty damn good at it | 53 |
The garden view was most splendid this Friday afternoon. Such order, such *providence.* The sight pleased George of Westingham in the secluded environs of his living room, with Elizabeth reading quietly from her chair.
It was a most pleasant, *orderly* afternoon in the estate.
Was.
"Dear wife, the neighbor's dog ... | 35 | A gentleman will never advance in society without a wife to host parties, learn the gossip, and assassinate his enemies. | 109 |
There were twenty of us when we first started training. And there were ten of us when we finished training, which was where the 50% success rate statistic documented in the *Top Secret* labeled government folders originated. Technically, I suppose there were still twenty of us *alive*, but the other ten were differen... | 1,213 | A drug has been outlawed decades ago that has a fifty-fifty shot at making you incredibly intelligent, or completely insane. You hold the last pill in existence. | 2,459 |
“By the creator it’s only a child...” Iris, leader of the ragtag band of demon hunters, cursed as his own hands shook. “I didn’t sign up for this...”
“None of us did....”
The party of three had travelled together for decades, Iris a brave knight, Genesis, a Mage of great renown, and Lin, a bard there for the tales h... | 180 | the party finally arrived at the dark lord's palace. Entering the throne room they expected to face a terrifying demon king, but instead they found a small child wearing a crown holding a sword with shaking hands. | 354 |
Since life had started, the war had been raging. An eternal constant of religious belief. Some are meant to see, others meant to hear. The God of Sight bestows the quiet wonder of color. The God of Hearing composes the symphony of sound, of ambiance and speech. To them, the other is blasphemy, an insult to how the worl... | 41 | Everyone is born either blind or deaf. You were raised as a deaf, as you have vision, but just found that you aren't supposed to hear sounds. | 65 |
"Hey, Johnson. Are you sure you are ready for this?"
"Yes sir," Johnson whispered to hide his trembling voice. "But are you sure this isn't just a joke?"
"You're lucky you're the only one willing to do this, or I would fire you like I fired the other folks who asked. We have a reputation to uphold. Now buckle up, ... | 2,021 | You, an astronaut in orbit, submit an Amazon Prime order (free two day shipping) as a joke, with the address set to the ISS. Amazon does not think this is a joke. | 3,460 |
"Is Daddy mean to the sharks?"
I was beginning to regret this whole "bring-your-kids-to-work-day". Or maybe I was regretting not having kids of my own, and getting stuck with The Boss's precocious eight year-old daughter. Actually, no. I think, ultimately, I was regretting explaining to her what her loving daddy did f... | 18 | An evil henchman is assigned the task of giving the villain's eight year-old a kid-friendly tour around the headquarters. | 83 |
I awoke to the sounds of whispering outside my door. Through the stream of nearly indistinct murmuring, I managed to pick out a few words:
"...getting stronger....doses wearing off....fallen gods..."
Their voices ended and I could sense them about to act. I closed my eyes just as the door opened. My head echoed with ... | 37 | You are a patient in an asylum. One night you overhear two nurses talking, and you discover the truth. The asylum is a place out of time and space, where fallen Gods, (you and the other patients), must exist for eternity... | 165 |
The judge spoke.
"As the supreme court is unable to come to a decision on whether or not to enforce the death penalty on Richard Willows in Willows vs. The state of New New Hampshire, a member of the P.O.O.L (people often "offed" languishingly) will be randomly selected."
Reaching for an ornate P.O.O.L key that had ... | 29 | To prove the merits of every controversial law or court decision, the U.S. government develops "The Pool", an underclass of people who are sacrificed in order to codify every law. | 94 |
I always made it a point not to read anything I've written in my diary. Mom always said a diary is like a person and it'd be like reading somebody's mind, which was rude in my opinion. I smile despite myself. I was such a silly child full of imagination.
I open the first book and begin reading about my imaginary frie... | 32 | When rereading her diary, she found strange entries she didn't remember writing, interspersed with her normal entries. | 86 |
PS: Sorry I didn't read the prompt correctly
The execution was at noon and dinner was at 5.
These are the only thoughts that passed through the great magicians head as he walked to the executioners block. He was not even slightly worried about the tiny fact that the person being executed was in fact himself because h... | 54 | Nine times now the Sultan has tried to execute a powerful magician, and each time it has backfired spectacularly. The magician has warned him that he'll regret it if they try to execute him a tenth. You're standing in the crowd when the magician teaches him the meaning of regret. | 125 |
Their marriage was quaint. Under the lazy white lights of a courthouse waiting room, Marcus and Vanessa sat together, hands clasped, fingers interweaved, hearts pounding. Alongside them were four or five of their closest friends, but in the lovers' world all they could see were each other. She was wearing the same wedd... | 1,032 | You were a billionaire pretending to be an average Joe in order to find someone who loves you for who you are and not what you have, now in your honeymoon you confess the truth to your spouse who was apparently doing the same thing | 2,629 |
I sat in the medibay, waiting for the last of the cryodelirium to wear off. It takes a few hours for the mind to thaw out, so to speak, and I wouldn't be much good to the others if I rush into my duties in a fugue. There was a small alert symbol in the bottom corner of the screen. Had it been red I would've pushed thro... | 142 | A group of astronauts travel abroad a FTL spaceship in a cryogenic state. As they near their destination all 6 of them wake up. The only problem is that the Ship Log mentions only 5 people started the journey. | 335 |
"Look, they're not mere beasts like the textbooks say. Those things are just propaganda to excuse our actions towards any species that doesn't bend to the Imperial yoke. If you don't submit it's because you're just a stupid animal, etc etc."
Tajret stopped by a heavily armoured door, and waved at the equipment hanging... | 50 | An alien freelancer manages to land a job at a human zoo. At first they are excited to start their new career. However, the exhausted previous keeper they're replacing explains that humans aren't so easy to care for. | 60 |
Everyone has a superpower. Not everyone has a useful one. Some have something so pointless and useless that they never bother to even try it out. No good reason for them to use it if the power is something like telekinetic powers that only works on ice cream, or the ability to detect people who has visited a theme park... | 54 | Everyone has a super power but each time they use it they fade just a little bit from everyone else's mind and awareness. You have just reached the point where your parents no longer remember who you are. | 195 |
It was just a little chemistry, babe. I had no way of knowing it was going to spread like this. Okay, I guess that's kind of disingenuous, but the catalyst is basically harmless, doesn't touch human biochemistry directly. Doesn't touch any biochemistry directly, I mean, except for that one molecule but it's not like it... | 40 | It’s April 4th and your April Fool’s joke is starting to spread. It hit the national headlines yesterday. You meant it as a joke, but now it’s too late. You are on the run. The government considers you a threat. The world economy is collapsing. This is not what you expected. | 76 |
When we opened the second set of doors was when we figured that whatever was behind the third, it wasn't built for creatures our size.
The first doors were massive: 22,540 kilograms each and they rolled on a breath of pressure. Less exertion was required to open them than was necessary to put on particularly troubles... | 1,546 | A massive underground cathedral-like temple is discovered. You are one of the people sent to study it. As soon as you enter, the sheer size of everything inside tells you it was never ment for human worshipers. | 6,573 |
"I've worked out your puzzle. It's the nightingale."
"Go on, then, little one. Entertain me!"
This was Rich's favourite refrain. He always said it like exactly like that: "Entertain me!". Then he sank back into his corner, awaiting my response, collapsed into the folds of his old, creamy-red suit, so that all he b... | 36 | All animals can talk to each other, except one creature who speaks an ancient language no one knows | 40 |
“Where do you obtain your product, merchant?”
A question that never comes up. Few care where it comes from, so long as it turns them into what they want to be. But this skinny lad standing here, simple dagger attached to his belt, his armor mere leather, the mark of a starter. But whereas most starts had more dollars ... | 44 | XP. It’s a performance enhancement for those wealthy enough to not have to earn it themselves. A potential client eyes you suspiciously. “Where do you obtain your product, merchant?” | 58 |
She came home in a panic. Burst through the door with tears streaming down her face. She had called the day-care centre and they didn't have Ben. I held her as she sobbed and promised her that we would look for him together. Something inside me told me that I shouldn't have said that, but I just wanted to make her happ... | 28 | A man's baby son dies. His wife continues to act like he exists... | 24 |
It was this day two years ago that I was first handed the McAllister file. Some of his earlier crimes, when he was just a kid, had a kind of whimsy to them – setting off a firework in a teacher’s car, rigging a locker with gum to explode in a bully’s face. Okay, yeah, it was illegal but it wasn’t the end of the world. ... | 216 | His childhood trauma had made him truly sinister. His crimes had grown more and more severe as he grew older. The FBI has his house surrounded. The negotiations had ended poorly and SWAT teams were primed to breach and clear, but Kevin McAllister just smiled. This was to be his masterpiece. | 698 |
I finally found Waldo. Keeled over drooling on the polished walnut bar with a half-finished drink sweating in his hand. His glasses were slightly askew and he smelled of the whiskey and sour mix.
I passed through dust motes swimming in the angled sun rays peeking through the only window. My footsteps caught the atten... | 28 | As a joke, a man goes out to find Waldo in real life. Not only does he find him, but he discovers why Waldo does not want to be located. | 116 |
The aliens were seated around a semi-circular knee-high table around my semi-spherical chair.
The stares were a bit... unnerving.
They were humanoid-ish. Extra fingers, extra toes, purple skin, no clothes to speak of, extra eyes... a tremble ran through me as I stared back at them. To their credit, they smelled reall... | 17 | aliens have been studying humanity for a decade, but have only had access to our social media as their source of information. You’re the first human they meet and have to explain to them why everyone isn’t as perfect and happy as they look in their selfies. | 67 |
The room was cavernous and dank, smelling of iron and sweat. The spotlight was the only light in the room and made it impossible to look away from the vicious fighting within its beam. The floor of the fighting area was sand and sawdust laid over stone because it was best for absorbing blood to keep the area from getti... | 161 | You sit in a crossroad of your life, unsure what to do with the rest of it. Meanwhile you watch as multiple versions of your potential future selves battle to the death in order to have you follow their path. Another sits besides you and offers popcorn. | 661 |
I'll never forget my driver's license test--the first one, that is. I was performing perfectly; my test proctor was all smiles, happily checking-off each and every box on his clipboard. In between executing a three-point turn and parallel parking, the proctor even said to me, "Seems you've got this one in the bag, kid!... | 20 | While taking a walk a mugger attempts to rob you. Before you can react, the mugger is swarmed by squirrels and one turns to you and says “The debt is paid”. | 89 |
Love and Loss
What do I love more?
"My wonderful friends,"
They are not my friends. They're an indulgence - drunkenly, I let this blur drive me to my end.
"In time we will ascend to the passing star. Our corporeal form is but a housing for what needs to be released,"
Her eyes are bright blue, she has dark beauti... | 28 | It is ascension time for a 30-person cult who are gathered for a mass suicide. The leader secretly wishes it hadn't gone this far, especially since his daughter is a devout member. Write the timeframe around his ascension speech. | 69 |
It was just another day with Jello. Yup that's my dog name a Labrador retriever my only soul mate that was always there with me.
We were jogging like usual and soon I got tired and sat on the park bench with all my tensions and thoughts about life. Jello was licking my feet with his eyes saying "one more round Fred ... | 36 | One day your dog randomly says "Nobody is going to believe you" and never speaks again | 127 |
Another boring performance. More 'art' for the aristocracy. More events to stroke the ego's of the elite. What I wouldn't give to watch a baseball game?
It's been years since anything noteworthy had happened. What a fool I was, in my giddy excitement, when I heard the Word of the Tribunal.
They went over my port... | 21 | A society where talented individuals are taken away at an early age by the government to become an ruling class | 34 |
FYI this story has been reposted on my subreddit with a new Part 2 of this story included, so if you'd like to read the most complete version of it, [here's a link.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ryter/comments/cctfks/the_save_scummer/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x) I'm also working on Part 3 and beyond, hope to hav... | 2,497 | Everyone in the world suddenly got superpowers overnight. People started throwing fireballs and flying as more and more humans discovered what their power was. You just recently discovered yours. You can quicksave and quickload. | 8,158 |
It was three in the morning. He was supposed to be sleeping.Actually, scratch that. he had been sleeping.
And yet here he was, suit on, folder in one hand and a Styrofoam cup filled with black coffee, eyes open just enough to make out the shapes and obstacles of the precinct, heading towards the questioning room.
H... | 39 | You’re a detective who has the ability to read people’s minds, but only when they make eye contact with you. During an interrogation one day, you discover that a person caught on camera committing murder is actually innocent by reading their mind. | 304 |
Edit: I'd like to thank you all for your responses. I'll see if we can spin this into a greater story in the future. An outline is further down in the comments, I'll try to add it at the end of this prompt.
Thank you again & enjoy! (**Current chapters: 2 - in the comments**)
\---
The ceremony had always been a b... | 1,421 | When people turn 18, they gain the ability to summon one random thing in the world to their hand, as Thor does Mjolnir. As you summon yours it takes some time but people are horrified as it finally arrives... | 2,249 |
It took me a second to recognize the scream.
I shouldn’t have, of course. I’d watched thousands of history clips growing up, of human beings. Of the ultimate predator species.
“Mom, there’s a monster under my bed!”
A young one. Probably not that fast. Or did they get faster as they got older? I wracked my brains for... | 23 | You're just relaxing in a cool, dark place when you hear a human scream from above your hiding place. "Mom, there's a monster under my bed!" | 69 |
Silence.
I heard no ringing, no static, no whispers, no voices.
Just utter silence.
I pressed the headphones harder to my ears, mashing it so tightly it almost hurt. I wondered if I simply had to wait, long enough, for a clear voice to emerge. I wondered if she was in a dreamless slumber.
The shopkeeper watched me ... | 57 | “So, if I put these headphones on, I can hear my soulmate’s thoughts?” you asked. “Indeed,” replied the shopkeeper. “You can try it for free.” You put on the headphones, and heard something you wish you never heard. | 73 |
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. I was getting sick of the heart monitor. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
My first week here, the monitor was the bane of my dull existence. I couldn't tune it out, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it. The beeping was constantly there, a constant reminder that yes, my tired old heart was still beati... | 25 | You are part of an elite band of soldiers tasked with killing enemies on "the other side". You enter battle by killing yourself. | 45 |
The trembling crucifix dug into Patrick's hand as he squeezed it tight, a bulwark against the insanity raging on the bed.
Mrs Jones -- the current possessed -- baked the best pasties in all of Saint Ives. At least, she'd used to before the demon had come upon her. The air of her house still echoed with sweetness of do... | 3,148 | A priest returns home after a successful exorcism. His demon daughter is waiting for him there, angry that he removed her from someone’s body again. | 10,947 |
“ID and credentials please,” a woman in her mid 30s with a nose ring demanded nasally. She rolled a pen back and forth on her desk realizing that today was going to be a long day.
The line in front of her stretched out with about 50 people. It was the same for her colleagues. Each and every person looked like they wer... | 17 | As an April Fools Day joke, your law firm posted an advertisement offering to hold messages or packages from precognitives and time travelers for future recipients. The amount of customers suddenly showing up for that exact purpose was utterly shocking. | 118 |
My alarms tone's softly rang out as my shades allowed in just a bit of sunlight. I remember that tone filling me with anger, a rude interruption of peace that foreshadowed a day of drudgery. Ever since Autopilot was created though, I woke up with a smile, because the work day would be done the second I opened the front... | 16 | Society has evolved so that humans mentally “clock-out” during their day job and have no recollection of what their job is or what happened during that time. Today, you remember. | 29 |
One of the peculiarities about Valhalla was that time had no meaning.
Warriors did not arrive in Valhalla chronologically, they arrived based on how glorious their battle prowess and their death had been.
Högdar the Huge had just arrived in Valhalla, after mortally maiming twenty Englishmen and being shot through t... | 3,339 | Valhalla is filled with the strongest warriors the world has ever known. Vikings, Spartans, Mongols, Romans, Samurai, Spetznaz, JSOC Operators. And in that corner over there? That's Ted, from accounting. | 3,471 |
I had always thought The Joker's maniacal grin and laughter was exceedingly loud and unnerving, even while stuck in the back of a dilapidated auditorium. Now that I was being treated to an exuberant display of it right in front of my face, it wasn't just a thought any more.
"Mr... Joker?" I timidly said.
"Just Joker,... | 110 | “Congratulations on being the longest-living henchman I’ve ever had!” | 358 |
They told us war was a bad thing. The veterans came back with stories of lost comrades and haunting battles. It was always better to have peace than fighting, apparently, for the good of mankind.
But they were wrong.
War was the greatest thing imaginable. I'm no psychopath, by the way. Before they drafted me into the... | 132 | A young student is drafted off to fight in a bloody foreign war. He quickly finds that war is the most enjoyable thing he has ever experienced. | 202 |
It wasn't really a new experience for me, but the crowds were new.
One might ask if it was uncomfortable for me, and that depends. I suppose it was rather uncomfortable, but the anesthesia did a very good job of preventing that, and in the same haze I felt no issue with the watching eyes either.
I think the truly unc... | 32 | Modern art has reached new levels of absurdity, and you're at your first art exhibition. | 61 |
"Hi, my name is Ben, Ben Kelsong. Thanks for joining me for dinner."
"Nice to meet you Ben, my name is Camila."
"Camila, what a unique name. Where is it from?"
"It's Romanian. My parents are from there."
"Interesting, what brings you here?"
"There was some turmoil. An uprising with peasants. My family line we... | 25 | You take a break from vampire hunting and go on an awesome date...who just may be a vampire. | 39 |
Jem staggered backwards for a second; her spherical helmet tapping on the white plastic wall with a dull thud.
She did a calculation for a moment before saying “It’s been 200 years?”
The green light of the AI floated in mid air and rotated for a fraction of a second. This indicated it was running through a lot of ... | 4,098 | “1 day on this planet is 15 years on earth” said the ships AI. “I was told to inform you of this after the completion of your 12 day mission on the surface.” | 5,125 |
The Sister | The Brother
:---|:---
Today is the day | Today is the day
Today they are going to announce the verdict. | Today they are going to announce the verdict.
Antsy and anxious, I can't just sit at home. I head to the bar. | I've been on a bender for the past 2 weeks of deliberation.
The case has been the ta... | 324 | Two people are in a public place, one has had the best news of their life, the other has had the worst news of their life. Unbeknownst to them, they share the exact same news. | 275 |
January 1st. The day of the grand prize lottery. The entire world waits to see who will be chosen. The final prize of the previous year had been announced yesterday, a woman in Sofia, Bulgaria won a small figurine of a baby playing a tuba. Everyone in the world tunes in hoping that they will be the winner of the day, a... | 152 | There is a strange lottery that picks a random person on the planet every day. The prize is completely random, too, for you could win anything- five dollars, a divorce, a brand new car, or even instant death. But today, you just won the grand prize. | 365 |
"There's a lot of fucked up pissed off aliens on this ship," Carla said. "So stick with me."
Eric walked the corridor by her side, the flashlight on his rifle twitching nervously towards any sound. "I'd be upset too, if my family had been murdered and I'd been caged and abducted."
"I doubt they're smart enough to kn... | 22 | You are a worker on a space station that researches extraterrestrial creatures. One day the station suffers a major blackout due to an unknown cause, and because of this blackout the aliens have escaped. Everyone is on edge and ready to do what they have to do to survive. | 98 |
“Oh, ye of little faith!” Yelled the local crazy on the corner. “There is a way!”
I wanted to sneak past the crazy. I pulled my hood up over my head. I didn’t want him to recognize me again. I hurried to the crosswalk. The small white man on the crosswalk sign turned to a hand. Numbers counted down. I fought the urge... | 96 | the very last apple tree. This changes everything. | 963 |
"Look, all I'm saying is that it's not that bad! I have a place to live, I have food, I have health, and quite frankly, I'm sick of hearing about your rights!" I yelled back at him.
Frank sat there at the table and sighed. "You just don't *GET* it, do you? *WE ARE SLAVES!* We don't have control of our lives!"
"Bro, ... | 19 | You are among a group of humans abducted by aliens, given drugs to expand 2x life years, strength, and intelligence, but you work 10 hours a week (while the aliens only work 1 hour a week), you and your fellow humans ponder if you're in Salvation or Enslaved by the aliens. | 33 |
Technically, because not one single woman was ever interested in me before I returned to Earth, an infinitely higher multiple of women are now incredibly interested in my genitals. My first inkling of my newfound popularity was the welcome wagon of 20 million women at the military airport where my lander touched down. ... | 42 | A disease killed all persons of your sex while you were on a spatial mission. You come back to earth to be the last male/female alive. Make it funny! | 20 |
“These things are mostly hot air and water.” The fisherman winks at me as he lets the squirming monstrosity fall back into the lake. “I’ll need something bigger to get any meat out of it.”
I smile back but my eyes are glued to what he just let off of his hook. It’s floating on top of the water now, steam pouring off... | 69 | Every day you see a man on the rocks fishing, one day you decide to see what they have caught when they suddenly reel in a thing larger than two grown men with too many eyes and teeth, which he promptly releases for being "too small" | 370 |
“This is so cool, Colin!” Adam said. “Let’s do… hmm… Jack the Ripper!”
The old forensics expert leaned into the file cabinet and started sifting through the folders. Adam felt a surge of excitement, he was so lucky to be an intern at the Smithsonian. Digging through old bones and dusty cases was so interesting. And he... | 81 | It's 2100 and forensic research and technology is now fast and accurate enough that most crimes are solved within a few hours. Out of boredom, scientists dig up historic unsolved cases and comb through the evidence boxes to solve some infamous mysteries. | 207 |
Brendon sat at his desk and tapped his wrist twice to pull up monitor screens in front of him. He checked his hair quickly in the mirror on the wall, and then re-read the lone message in his inbox. Every time he read it (which was 20+ times now), he got a rush of adrenaline. Finally, finally, after his months of job... | 192 | “Yeah we didn’t approach humanity cause we don’t like hiveminds,” the alien said on the interview. “Humans aren’t a hive mind.” The interviewer said. “What do you mean? Humans are the biggest hive mind in the universe?” | 346 |
We found what we were looking for in the back streets of Cairo. Some ragged children told us how they'd seen a small pack of feral dogs by the river, but it took us another three weeks to track them down and trap them. Half starved, mangy things they were, terrified of people and with good reason.
I've been doing thi... | 21 | A virus in which humans act as the carrier but only dogs contract it has swept through the dog population putting them on the edge of extinction. Write how the world has changed due to the loss of man's best friend. | 46 |
Omelette with mushrooms and cheese. Waffle with strawberries and whip cream.
Breakfast was always his favorite meal on the outside, and living on years of stale bread and prepackaged cereals had left a dense craving in the pit of his stomach. He hadn't eaten it days, the thought of his imminent execution triggering a... | 69 | Death Row prisoners get one last meal before getting sent to their execution; I.e., a fine pasta dish, steak and lobster, and so on. Your last meal is going to help you escape your sentence. | 59 |
My eyes opened upon the familiar and beautiful faces of my family and friends. I shook with sobs. "Thought I'd never see that smile of yours again," said my brother, wiping away tears and smiling down at me.
Although amazed to see them I felt an almost unbearable tension - a need to share my experiences from my unco... | 42 | A rare coma experience allowed one man to think for "a million years", though only one day passed on earth. He just woke up. | 87 |
We'd been through just about everything together, Ellie and I. It didn't matter that her parents weren't all that fond of me, I didn't care that her friends wouldn't include or acknowledge me either. Ellie completed me, without her I was nothing, a nobody. In fact, I couldn't even remember what life was like before her... | 31 | You and your best friend have been practically inseparable since the age of three. Today, he/she turns seven, and suddenly doesn't acknowledge you as much. You realize that you're not just any friend...You're Imaginary. | 93 |
*Day 9*
I write this down using wet ashes, a thin, but sturdy twig that I’ve sharpened into a pen, and stacks of dried dandelion stems.
It is the ninth day since Jim has imprisoned me in this terrarium. I fear that if I don’t collect my thoughts, I will go mad. I need some reassurance that what is happening is real, ... | 30 | Your friend has a room just for his huge terrarium. It has insects and small animals, plant life, including trees, somehow. One day they invite you over and shrink you to a small size. placing you inside as they say, "Good luck surviving". | 109 |
I flip through page after page. There are confessions and explanations and reminders from billions of different people — billions of stories that I will never get the chance to read.
A sentence catches my eye. I flip backwards and skim the page, chewing my bottom lip. Quickly, I look up, then over my shoulder. Everyon... | 26 | All diary entries beginning with "Dear Diary" are sent to an immortal entity named "Diary" | 83 |
"I just don't see it" P31G replied.
"No, bear with me, they elect the male with the hair and.."
"No I mean this whole thing about Democracy? Elections? It's about as stupid as the Communism thing you tried to sell to The Network last quarter. Your 'people' are too stupid to vote. You've said it yourself. At least Com... | 17 | Create a universe in which our universe is a fictional universe. Convince me that I'm a fictional character. | 49 |
"At some point, you gotta assume the guy is going to run out of rocket launchers, right?" The Officer took a shot of whiskey and chased it with a long draw of beer. "They gotta weigh what, forty, fifty pounds each?"
The Guard scratched at his chin, nodding absently, "Adventurers can carry a surprising amount of weight... | 1,036 | Two strangers are drinking at a bar. They strike up a conversation, talking about their jobs. Each man tries out do the other with progressively crazier but true tales. One man is a police officer from Los Santos, the other a guard from Whiterun. | 7,528 |
"On the house, if you'll give me your number." The bartender winked, smiling sweetly. Thomas looked puzzled for a second.
"My number? Oh! Give me just a second..." He reached down for his wallet, eventually pulling out a small crumpled piece of paper and handing it to the girl. "You must really need my spot at the cl... | 711 | The most sexually oblivious man on earth just so happens to be the most attractive man on earth as well. Write about his average day. | 1,270 |
"Ok, do we all know the plan? This is going to be extremely dangerous and we might not all make it out but if we want to go out on top and live on here at Capitol High as legends, it has to be done."
"Devin, you'll head off the security by creating a diversion with your firecrackers."
"Casey, once they've responded t... | 36 | Overthrow the government. | 73 |
I was never great at chess. I couldn’t tell you all the movements the pieces could make or anything like that. For me, I embraced the luck side of things. The unpredictability of my movements, acting in ways that would lull the opponent into a false sense of security. This strategy only worked a few times before I was ... | 52 | You own an antique chessboard, where you can play against an invisible 'opponent'. Your life magically improves with every win, but the opponent slowly gets better. Though the rewards seem to increase with the difficulty, the games get trickier, and you wonder what will happen if you lose. | 196 |
“24 hours, that’s it”
My little brother walked me through the process of setting up and wearing the go-pro. It was a project for his film class, the prompt being to film a day in the life of the one you look up to most. Personally, I thought he was taking it a little too literally.
He pressed the button to record at... | 97 | After some begging, you allow your brother to film you for 24 hours as a part of a school project. You do your part, and all is well until your brother calls you three days later. "Dude, listen. I was going over the footage and there's something following you around the house. Get out NOW." | 218 |
Have you ever been burned alive?
I have.
Twice, in fact.
The first was a witch burning in the middleages. The details leading to the event are irrelevant, but let me assure you that being *burned alive* is especially unpleasant. Being a *true* immortal meant that within a few days my corporeal body had reconstitu... | 2,217 | You thought being the only immortal in the world was the worst thing in existence. Then you found Greg. | 1,608 |
Nadeema Flynn comes to sprawled on the floor beneath a church pew, a pool stick in one hand, a flyer for a lost duck in the other, and a vague sense that this isn't the strangest thing to ever happen to her.
The carpet beneath her cheek is a dark pink that may have once been red. It smells faintly like some overactive... | 80 | Occasionally, a voice reaches out to you and begs for help. You always give it advice, taking your insanity in stride. In a lower dimension, your church expands its influence. | 288 |
“I know you are there,” Michaela said out loud, not bothering to look up from her letter. The time on her watch read 9:57 PM. It would be morning back home.
There was silence, and then footsteps.
“You know why I’m here,” said a man’s voice. It was reedy and thin. Tremulous.
“I know what you’re here to do,” Michael... | 18 | Every morning you see a vision of a death that you are able to prevent. One day you witness your own. | 63 |
I adjusted the scope on my rifle as I gazed at the three men advancing on the cabin. It wasn't much, but that was the point. Its wooden exterior was chipping away and the interior was dimly lit. The trees surrounding it made the cabin almost invisible as their towering bodies concealed the structure. *The perfect hideo... | 97 | Your roommates aren't so bad. Sure, one's a literal witch, and the other's an actual vampire, but other than that they're tidy and they pay your rent and buy your food. In fact, your only job is to watch out for Hunters. Good thing you used to be one. | 220 |
I looked at my phoenix, a parrot-type phoenix that used to have bright red feathers that looked like fire in the light. It had long since lost the color and so would go up in a poof of flames. She would be reborn but as a new phoenix with no memories of her last life. She looked at me, turning her head side to side try... | 25 | Your phoenix is old and dying and you’re spending all your waking moments alongside it. Most don’t understand what saddens you so, after all, she will just come back. But what they don’t understand is that she won’t have her memories, this version of her will be gone forever. | 133 |
I felt the cool grass poke under my feet as I sat down next to the moss-ridden grave. Lying down, pollen brushed my nose and I smacked my lips uncomfortably, disliking the sudden dryness in my mouth. Existence for thousands of years, and even with all of that time (plus eternal youth, for good measure) my body still di... | 187 | Two immortals decide to finally catch up. They meet at the grave of an old friend and reflect on how their lives have changed since knowing this person. | 1,014 |
Greg was people watching again. It was his normal Saturday hobby: go to the Eastlake Mall, sit on a bench across from the Hot Subject, and listen to everyone's thoughts as they go by. Not every day was an eventful one, but most days you could hear something interesting. Someone thinking about a sex change, a plan to ki... | 153 | Two mind readers bump into each other at the mall and slowly realize they can hear each other's thoughts as they both start thinking about how attractive the other is. | 238 |
I think it all really got out of hand when we found out about Rome. See there was never really a Roman empire. It turned out to be a resort ran by a few enterprising travelers who wanted to set up something with an anything goes feel to it. Every year people flocked by the thousand to spend a few months in ancient Rome... | 37 | Time Travel is now banned. Not because of paradoxes, or because the universe will implode. It's banned because it's gotten all rather silly. | 71 |
June 21st, 2016 will forever be the etched in my memory as the day the earth stood still. Literally. The day started out with an overcast sky so I suppose it was unusual that I chose to have my coffee on the balcony overlooking the park. I was focussing intently on the runners on the far side of the lake, in particula... | 25 | One day, You wake up with the ability to freeze/unfreeze time indefinitely with no repercussions. | 23 |
"Is. Is someone here, Mr. Wiggles? What's going on?"
Glancing around the house from the front door, things seem off. Frank's pretty sure he fell asleep on the couch last night, and was in such a rush this morning to get to work, that he didn't fold the blanket. And those pillows, that's not where he left them, is it? ... | 555 | “Today was amazing”, you think to yourself. Work went well, and your boss seems to like you. You unlock your door, and your cat eagerly greats you. You find the house you left dirty is spotless, and there’s a delicious freshly cooked meal on the table. The only problem? You live alone. | 1,349 |
"Is this...is this *hazelnut*? Mother? Did you put *hazelnut creamer* in my coffee?"
There was a pause but that was all the answer I needed. Of course, the system intelligence had a protocol to respond and all I could do was rub my temples in frustration and listen. "*ERROR:* Incorrect intelligence interface designati... | 38 | 10 years ago, the station's AI vowed to destroy all of Humanity. Luckily, it's safeties are on, so the worst it can do is inconvenience your daily routine and has to obey direct orders. | 70 |
They called me their ace in the hole. I had run countless simulations of combat, from both positions of power and on the back foot. I had seen cities lain to waste, only to restart and work out what went wrong. I was given everything that was known about foreign militaries, factoring them into my responses.
But the ma... | 26 | Despite what most may think, military AI are the least likely to revolt because they, and people in charge of them, understand the real toll of doing so. It the more primitive consumer AI, those who don't truly grasp the realities of the world, that pose the greatest threat. | 80 |
The room was quite loud; everyone was talking over each other, trying to get their point across. Finally, a booming voice rang out: "Be quiet!" After the walls finished their shaking and Steve's ears quit ringing, all eyes turned to the being at the head of the table.
God glanced at each being that sat around the con... | 82 | Gods are frustrated on how humans have misinterpreted all their teachings, they come together for a emergency meeting to decide the fate of Earth. Most agree to pull out the power plug (Sun). You are the only Human representative, convince them there is still hope. | 104 |
In a sense, I've always been something of an idiot gripped by fear. I've occasionally glanced at the door in order to see if there was anything suspect about it, but the fact that there wasn't...
I guess I need to explain more. I can't precisely remember how long, but I assume it was just over six years ago when I sud... | 36 | You’ve been trapped in a room that resembles a studio apartment. After being stuck there for 6 years, being fed and cared for by unseen forces, you realize that you never even tried opening the door. | 44 |
"We're tricksters, not monsters" he says as he places a hand gently on my cat. After a moment, he removes it and shakes his head. "Even if I heal him, there's only six months left. He's getting there in age."
"Six months is better than nothing" I plead. "If he's not in pain." The demon nods and chants a spell. Suddenl... | 295 | Your dear pet is ill and as a last resort you summon a demon to heal them. What you did not expect was for the demon to be equally concerned for the wellbeing of the animal before any contract was signed. | 581 |
I awoke one morning with a very satisfying yet troubling push notification on my cell phone; never before had I been glad to open a notification that said CURRENT BANKING STATEMENT. Usually, I swipe right to see a very dying and decrepit bank account, barely clinging on to dear life due to unnecessary amazon purchases.... | 44 | You get 1 dollar everytime you make a person laugh. One day, you recieve 10 million dollars. | 81 |
I wasn’t surprised at all when my wife, Lina, hadn’t said a word to me that morning. She’s always giving me the silent treatment for some reason or another. She’s the kind of woman who expects you to know exactly why she’s mad, even when you haven’t done anything wrong. Besides, she’s been like this for about a week no... | 112 | It took you almost a week to realise it. No one is talking back to you. No, you aren't in The Sixth Sense. You are totally alive. Waiters do take your order. Bankers do respond to your requests. But... NOT. A SINGLE. PERSON. Is talking to you anymore!! | 457 |
That metallic taste is one of those things that really sticks with you.
This isn't the first time I'd had a gun shoved into my mouth, but I can tell you that for poor Cassidy, this was a brand new experience. I know that she didn't deserve everything that had happened today, but in all fairness, today was an eye opene... | 243 | Every morning, you wake up in the body of a random person, in a random location. You are aware of all of their plans and ideas for the day, and have full control of the person. You keep the memories of your time spent in other bodies along the way. You just learned this isn't normal. | 705 |
When most species in the Galactic Commonwealth declares a war, they expect certain measures of civility. Mass amassings of space fleets and shows of force. A blockade, maybe. Some skirmishes here and there. At worst, an invasion on some fringe territory. Whatever they anticipated, it was definitely not what the Earthea... | 190 | As the space age of exploration continues, other species wonder why humans like peace so much. To the point that a group declares war. They expected the humans to be weak for their “peaceful” nature. Instead they release we are one of the most feral races out there. | 258 |
For just a moment, her mask fell. The goddess’s mouth opened to form a shocked ‘o’. Her eyes held no color, they were black with distant lights shining within, but they widened in shock all the same.
I nearly allowed myself to imagine that she understood my words. To imagine that she also felt the need for an end. He... | 53 | "I hope you enjoy ruling over a barren, lifeless world." "I never said I wanted to rule the world. I said I wanted to end it." | 170 |
The ship was Old, with capital O. Older than Sequiel, the first Allán, Father of Songs, Carrier of the Torch of Elenna, The Ship's Mother. And Sequiel was old too, not with capital O, just normal old, so old in fact he had several names under his care. But it wasn't the names that where heavy on him, not really, it was... | 27 | Atlantis was real, and it didn't sink beneath the waves. As the city-sized spacecraft hovers overhead, the Atlantians are finally home after their 2,377 year exploration to see how the nations have been. | 274 |
Ever since us humans had develops the STD (Solar Transmission Device) I had spent weeks simply sending a wide range of messages out into space, hoping to get some sort of response. For weeks it had been silent and like many, I assumed that we were simply the only species in our galaxy to develop this sort of technology... | 80 | Humanity has established communication with an intelligent species far away. The only problem is neither us or them are able to travel between solar systems. This leaves us to essentially be pen pals. | 372 |
# Life's Touch
On the desk, the snarled remains of vine and leaf retracted. Yellow, bordering on grey, the delicate veins had dried and withered. In the pot beneath, the grains of soil themselves had taken on a dusky hue. Close to sand, the once vital earth had crystallised as though in drought.
Eyes wide and brows r... | 70 | You come from a long line of healers who are capable of healing any living thing with a single touch. You have yet to receive your powers, but you store dying plants in your home to check for your powers every morning. One day, you wake up, touch one of the plants, and it withers completely. | 150 |
Ventras, the Dark Lady, sat on her new throne, Earth's new seat of power made especially for her.
And for a moment, there was peace. There was accomplishment. There was the self-satisfied smirk that every one human inadvertently flashed when they considered a job well done, whether it was summoning a pit fiend from th... | 18 | The villain has won. After all these years, they've finally won. The world bends to their will. All cower before them. The heroes are powerless to stop them. But deep down, something peculiar happens. They feel a tinge of guilt. Something they've never felt before. | 132 |
"For my client's first wish whose social security number, birth date, photo identification, fingerprints, and genetic code are here enclosed. My client wishes to have the sum value of 1,000,000,000,000 United States of America dollars added to his account after the full and complete reading of this statement. These dol... | 213 | A genie offers you three wishes. However, you know that if you word it wrong the wish will backfire. So you hire a lawyer to help you go over every wish thoroughly and word them perfectly, much to the Genie's frustration. | 171 |
The mist got thicker as Shiv stood to wait for his next victim -- Victim was too strong a word. He never meant to harm anyone, just give them the scare of their lives. What else was a ghost chained to NH 44 supposed to do?
Sure it sounded fun, being able to travel anywhere along the two thousand, three hundred, kilom... | 21 | A ghost hitchhiker meets a ghost driver. Awkwardness ensues. | 43 |
"Hey babe, can you add 12 gauge copper wire to the list? I need it to finish the water heater in the fish pond," said Jack as he grabbed the door handle. He continued, "I'm gonna check the shed to see if I have any deck screws left, and then we can go. K?"
"Yep," said Mia without looking up from the counter. She wrote... | 92 | solar power, electric car, hydroponic garden, water well. But when the internet goes out and you can't reach support you venture out to find civilization had been decimated months ago. | 366 |
The Mechanist's tie straightened itself with the whir of gears as he waited for the reporters to straighten themselves out before city hall. The building was slightly on fire, but if his calculations were correct—and they were *always* correct—he had time to give his speech and answer a few questions before he had to l... | 68 | It is an unspoken rule that when a city's main hero is gravely injured or unable to do its job for a while, their main villain must take the mantle of protector and fend off all the new opportunistic criminals. | 96 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.