Category: Apr2018

[WP] You are able to see how long every person you come across has to live. As you walk through the city you come across someone with only one hour left. [Link to post.]


I glanced up from my phone as I reached the bus stop, to get a quick idea of the passengers. Even one dying on the bus ride would slow my day down, but all the times checked out fine. Most of them could look forward to several long years ahead of them. One of them, a beautiful young woman with light curly hair, had a week left to live. I decided the bus ride would be fine and focused on the game I played on my phone to wait for the bus. 

It wasn’t easy to get used to at first, but I became numb to it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone turn a corner with less than five seconds left on their clock. Being constantly aware that everyone is temporary brings a sort of peace with it. I could check my own clock as easy as glancing at a mirror, but over the years I trained my mind to ignore it like I ignored my nose.

The bus arrived then the crowd piled on. I ended up at the back, across from the woman with a week left. As I swiped and tapped on a phone game, a faint, dainty cough became apparent. I turned to look across the aisle at the woman. She held a white handkerchief up to her mouth while she coughed, the clock above her changed halved from a week to a few days.

“Are you okay?” I asked, then scooted closer to the aisle edge of my seat. She nodded, then pulled the handkerchief away; I saw a moist red spot on it before she hid it in her hand.

“Yes, thank you.” She nodded. “Just a bit weak, headed to the doctor right now.” She smiled.

“Oh is someone meeting you there?” I asked. 

“No. I’m new in town, haven’t had a chance to make friends.” After the word ‘friends’ her timer lost time again. Now her time of death was scheduled for the next hour. I made a decision quickly and crossed the aisle to sit next to her. 

“If you don’t mind I’ll keep you company. My day’s open and I want to make sure you can get there safely, in your weakened condition.” 

“Really? You’d do that for a total stranger?” Light filled her pale green eyes and a smile tugged up at the corner of her mouth. I nodded.

“If you don’t mind of course.” She smiled and shook her head. 

“Not at all.” I offered her my hand. When she shook it, her timer changed to a month. “My name’s Sean,” I said. 

“I’m Amanda,” she said. We rode the rest of the way making small talk. Amanda moved to the city last week to start a new job, but the company went under. Her health problems were complicating her job search. I sympathized where I could and listened the rest of the time. I moved to stand as we approached the stop at the Medical Center, but she stopped me with a hand on my thigh. 

“How about we go to lunch first?” She asked with a broad smile. “It’ll be my treat!” I glanced upward at the timer above her head. The blue numbers still showed a month.

“Yeah, alright. Lunch with a new friend sounds good,” I said. 

“Let’s get off at the next stop, I know a great hole in the wall,” Amanda said. 
I agreed, and once the bus came to a stop again we rose together and stepped out of the rear exit. I looked around, unfamiliar with that part of town. I thanked myself for daylight as I got a good look at the area. The words “dangerous” and  “ghetto” came to mind, but then I reminded myself she’d only been in town a week and already lost her job. I followed her across a block then we took a left turn into a darkened alleyway lit only by a single light above a single door beyond the abyss. The darkness swallowed Amanda as she walked towards the door, and I followed her. She winked at me and knocked at the door. A well dressed man opened the door. He looked at me then at Amanda and nodded at her, then he reached into his coat. Out of habit I glanced above his head. Instead of a time of death a blue ‘infinity’ sign floated above his head. My eyes went wide and I took a step back in shock, I’d never seen that before. Amanda rushed to my side and helped steady me with surprising strength. 

“Careful,” she said. I looked up and saw a blue infinity symbol hovering over her head also. “I don’t like my meat bruised,” she said. She playfully slapped my cheek, “Don’t worry about that doctor’s visit though. I’ve got plenty of time left.” The infinity sign above her head changed to a month, down to an hour, then back up to five years. “Now you, on the other hand,” she pointed above my head. “You should really pay more attention to your own timer.” She smiled as the gentleman at the door pulled a gun out of his coat and pointed it at me. 

[WP] Whenever a baby is born, he or she is taken to The Armory, an ancient alien temple where each child has a unique weapon bestowed upon them, for use their whole lives. You were given a key. [Link to post.]


“Sit still!” Sam’s father grabbed him by the scuff of his collar, and straightened him standing up. “Your brother’s going to get his next, then we can leave.” Sam tried peering over the crowd to watch his little brother’s ceremony, but he was too short. 

“Is he gonna get a key like me?” Sam asked a five year old’s innocent question. His father shook his head. 

“No. I’m sure he’ll get something useful.” Sam’s father let the statement hang. If his wife was there she would have reprimanded him but she was busy taking their other son, Simon, to get his weapon.

“Keys are useful!” Sam said. He excitedly pulled out his ‘weapon’ from his pocket. He waved it around like one might fly a toy airplane. It was a silver and gold key with fine etchings in the metal. They looked like some sort of language, but no one had ever been able to translate it. People lost interest in trying over the years. 

“Yeah they are. Why don’t you go find somewhere to use it, hm?” His father said. Sam nodded brightly then disappeared into the crowd. His father smiled to himself then focused his attention on his wife and son. Sam’s mother held baby Simon and walked forward towards the single pillar of blue light that rose from the ground. The woman placed Simon in a basket in the center of the light, then she stepped back.

The blue light switched to purple, while the alien technology scanned Simon. After several moments the light shifted back to blue. A platform descended from the ceiling riding the blue beam of light to deliver Simon’s weapon. An armored figure on the platform, referred to as “mannequins” by the people, held the weapon chosen for Simon. The mannequin wore a black metal suit of armor. It held a long white laser rifle. Simon’s dad cheered to himself in the crowd. Anyone assigned the laser rifle was headed for military service as soon as they could walk, and it meant a great financial boost for the family.

“Hey that’s a neat gun!” Sam said. He appeared next to his mom eyeing Simon’s weapon. Sam’s mom turned toward the crowd, and somehow knew exactly where to stare daggers at her husband. He melted into the crowd somewhat.

“Get down, Sammy,” His mother said.

“Okay, let me just get Simon’s gun.” Before she could argue Sam hopped on the platform and climbed up the mannequin’s armor. He climbed up its back trying to loosen it’s grip from behind. His foot caught something in the back of the mannequin.

“Hey, there’s a hole here!” Sam said. A chuckle ran through the crowd, his mother flushed red with embarrassment.

“Get down HERE. NOW.” Sam’s mother said.

“Hey I think it’s a keyhole!” Thinking quickly, Sam inserted his key and twisted. The mannequin dropped Simon’s laser rifle, then took a single step forward. It knelt on the grown, then its back opened wide revealing an empty interior full of flashing lights and screens. 

“Please step inside, your Majesty,” the suit said in a feminine robotic voice.

[WP] You wake up alone in a motel room with no idea who you are, where you are, or how you got there. On the bedside table is a map and a choose your own adventure book. [Link to post.]


I opened my eyes, soft yellow sunlight filled my vision. A quick inventory told me I was laying down on a bed, but I didn’t feel comfortable. I sat up and looked around. The place was instantly recognizable as a crappy motel room, one I wasn’t familiar with. I looked down at myself.

“Still got my pants on,” I thought. I didn’t see any clothes in the room other than the blue jeans and black t-shirt that I wore. “Guess I’m here alone.” I decided to wash my face, but I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw my reflection. I didn’t recognize the person looking back at me. His beard was grey and scraggly, his head was mostly bald. I tried remembering a better self image, but that grey bearded kook kept staring at me. He shook his head when I shook my head and we both gave up. I spramped water on my face several times, hoping the reflection would change. It didn’t. 

I sat on the bed to consider my next step when I saw a book on the bedside table. It was a brand new Choose Your Own Adventure book, the glossy cover caught the sunlight on the title. Choice of a Lifetime. Under the book I found a map with three locations circled on it. The biggest circle was around a handwritten note that said, “You are here. Page 27.”  Two lines extended from that circle to the others. One ran north and ended at a circled river that said “Page 138.” The other line ran east and ended at a railroad track that said, “Page 225.”

[CW] Flash Fiction Challenge! Location: A Museum | Object: Lemonade [Link to post.]

“I don’t see why I couldn’t stay home,” Oren complained to Eva. They stood in Grapefruit section of the Citrus Museum, surrounded by grapefruit themed sculptures and paintings. Everyone that walked by seemed to have either a smile or a refreshing drink, often both. Eva returned every smile that came her way.  

“Because it’s his birthday,” Eva reminded the 9 year old boy. Oren wore dark black jeans and a black t-shirt. His hair met in a widow’s peak on his forehead, but the rest of it was brushed back. “Quit complaining, here he comes,” Eva said. Jake walked towards them holding a drink carrier with three plastic cups in it.

“Everyone I’ve talked to on this Earth says this is the best lemonade around,” Jake presented the drink carrier to allow Eva and Oren to grab a cup, then he grabbed the third one. They all took giant sips from their straw, and they all made sour, disgusting faces. Oren could not fight the impulse to spit it out. 

“Bleaeeeeeeeeeeeaaaach,” Oren said loudly. Some of the patrons turned towards the noise, then made an effort to walk around him, or in the other direction. 

“They forgot the sugar,” Jake said. He collected the drinks back in the drink holder and carried them back to the stand. This time Eva and Oren followed him. Jake waited patiently in line until his turn came up again. 

“Something wrong, sir?” the clerk asked when he realized Jake’s intent to return the drinks. 

“Yeah, I think you forgot the sugar in this batch,” Jake said. He placed the carrier on the table in front of him. The clerk looked from Jake to his coworker. The two workers shrugged at each other, then one of them turned back to Jake. 

“What’s sugar?” 

[WP] Your job as a researcher in the facility isn’t too bad. The hours are shit and the coffee maker is broken, but at least the people are nice. And the job is easy: talk to the telepathic spider, run some tests on the witch, give the eldritch god his daily newspaper, basic stuff. Describe your day. [Link to post.]


Stephen Miller sighed as he clocked in. He felt a flash of disappointment when he saw the duty roster above the time clock; his name had all the worst boxes checked off. Supply run, Feed Spider, and Hide Spider. He chuckled to himself. “Might as well be my damn pet,” he thought. He bumped into Johnny, a youngish guy with dark hair, on his way out of the break room.

“Hey Johnny. We got any Spider food left?” Johnny nodded. 

“Yeah, I think there’s one left. Don’t slack on the supply run, or there’ll be trouble tomorrow.” Stephen nodded.

“Yeah I’ll take care of it. Hey, how bout a hand with the feeding before your break?” Johnny broke into a grin.

“Really? Man, I’d love it. I never get to help, and it looks so fun,” Johnny said. Stephen nodded at the weapon rank on the wall.

“Grab the shotgun,” The shotgun was the least exotic weapon, most of the others looked like futuristic laser rifles. Johnny grabbed the gun, then proceeded to eagerly point it at everything else in the room. 

“Alright, settle down. Gimme a couple minutes, then come help me move the food to Spider’s room. Got it?” Stephen asked. Johnny nodded, still fawning over his gun. Stephen left the break room. He navigated the labyrinthine halls by memory. He’d worked at the lab for years and knew the place like the back of his hand. 

He stopped walking when he heard crying. The sound came through a door to his right. He looked in and saw a young woman, about 20 or so, sitting on a bunk and crying into her knees. Stringy black hair covered her face, her knees were wet with tears. He tapped the glass.

“Hello? Hey. Who are you and what are you doing in there?” Stephen pulled a red keycard from his belt and swiped the lock to open the door. The girl looked up, but remained on the bed. She wore a black collar with the number 33 displayed on the tag. “Why are you here?”

“Because I’m a prisoner?” she asked. Stephen shook his head, then shrugged.

“I dunno it’s my first day today. If they’re keeping prisoners this gig ain’t for me. C’mon I’ll show you the way out. Stephen stretched his hand out, and she stood from the bed to clasp it.

“I’m Georgia Glass,” she said. Stephen nodded.

“I’m Steve. C’mon let’s hurry up before someone catches me letting you escape.” Stephen led Georgia through the halls, occasionally stopping to ‘get his bearings’. At one intersection Johnny walked by and raised his shotgun at them.

“HEY! Get back in your cell!” Johnny yelled at Georgia. 

“Damnit! This way!” Stephen grabbed Georgia’s hand and they ran down a corridor to their left. The shotgun went off, but neither of them got injured. He stopped in front of a large, grey metal door with the number 33 painted on its front. He looked both ways up and down the hall, both of them were breathing hard. 

“I think we lost him.” Stephen looked at the door then at Georgia’s collar. “Must be your lucky number,” he pointed at the 33 on the door. Georgia nodded. 

“It’s my favorite number,” she smiled.

“Okay, this is where you get off. As you can see, this is exit 33. There’s tons of them throughout the lab. Just go in there and climb the ladder up to the surface. I’ll head towards a different exit to throw that guy off your trail.” Stephen reached down and swiped his red key card through the digital lock. The light turned green. 

“Thank you so much! You saved my life,” Georgia hugged Stephen from the side as he moved to twist the heavy duty door handle. 

“No problem, miss. It’s all part of the job.” He opened the door wide enough to allow Georgia to slide in. Once she was half in the room he reached down to grab a device from his belt. “Oh, one more thing.” Stephen reached his closed hand outward, and held it as if he offered Georgia something. She held her open palm out waiting to receive whatever Stephen was going to give her. Stephen moved quickly. In one motion he grabbed her wrist with one hand and jammed a burning hot brand of the number 33 in her palm with his other hand. The burning tissue on her hand began to glow with golden light while she screamed at him. She fought to get away, and when he let her go she stumbled backwards into the room. A giant black and gold spider, bigger than Stephen’s proud 6′ frame, slid down from the dark space obscuring the ceiling, and Stephen closed the door to keep Georgia in the room. She reached the small porthole and frantically banged on the door. 

Johnny walked up next to Stephen and tapped on the glass to wave at Georgia. Her eyes registered betrayal and filled with despair during the last second of her life. Then, the spider bit her head off.