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aliens invade earth but what the do n't realise is that humans have been fighting each other forever and have become very good at it .
planet-conquerer brexobox woke up . skle attempted to raise his tentacles to scratch his chin and reproductive organs , but found them restrained . `` ugh , '' skle groaned . `` where am i ? '' the lights turned on , and a voice said `` you 're in my laboratory , my friend . '' laboratory . brexobox did n't like the sound of that . `` who are you ? why am i here ? '' skle tried to remember what happened before skle woke up . `` ugh , '' he finally said . `` what happened ? ''
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the monster under your bed is protecting you from something much worse .
there ! my eyes wide open with an expression of fear , i lie on my back and listen . it is completely quiet in my room , too quiet . then , the cracking of the floor beneath me , barely audible . but still , there it is again , and it 's coming for me . shivering , i quickly pull the blanket over my head and press my eyelids together . two minutes pass without another noise . just as i am falling asleep , the old wooden planks crack again , this time a bit louder . it is coming closer ! as if the creature knew that i am awake , it drags its long , sharp claws over the floor . the fear is eating me up from within , causing heavy drops of cold sweat to run down my forehead and neck .
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you run an rpg pawn shop . you haggle with adventurers who try to sell loot they 've acquired .
another mundane day goes by and i start to think of what to do at night . the business is n't going as stellar lately thanks to the tension between the empires . there has been news about the city patrol gone missing at nearby village . luckily nothing major happens so far . sometimes i wonder if i should have stayed behind the wall and do the business . while war means profit for some merchant , it is definitely not the case for a pawn shop like mine . the doorbell rings and interrupts my train of thought . i put on my usual business face until i realize who he is . `` argh ! not you again colt . '' i look at the warrior with disappointment .
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you 're sitting in a coffee shop watching a man type on his computer . he types the words , `` it begins raining outside '' , and it instantly starts raining .
the man is here nearly as often as i am . or , maybe , i 'm here nearly as often as the man . i know there are times that i am here and he is not . the opposite is true as well , i suppose . anyway . we sit two tables apart , left shoulders against the wall , facing the door . our usual posts . i come here every day after work and it 's 11 a.m. and i ca n't help but be exhausted , having the night shift , even with the sunlight . this is my ritual , six days a week . one small coffee to keep me awake until my neighbor is done , no shit , giving trumpet lessons at 1 . two years ago i knocked on my landlord 's door . β€œ mr . shah , i 'm not trying to be unreasonable .
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write a happy story that turns into a horror-story with the last sentence .
i awoke , the first realization of countless many , in this , my true heaven . the chirp of birds replaced the beep of the ekg . the warmth of the sun on my skin replaced the cold fluorescent lights , and beckoned me to open my eyes . i was in a green valley , instead of a white room . i was under the shade of a giant oak tree , instead of a threadbare blanket . a gently breeze lent a coolness to the air , and played a delicate song on the bows of the tree . it was a welcome relief from the forced dry air and the hum of the air conditioner that produced it . i took a deep breath , the first of countless many , in this , my true heaven . not moments before , i had been laying in a hospital bed , old , weak , and helpless . i had been unable to move even my head .
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since birth , you have always had a bad sense of direction that would defy the laws of logic and space . instead of arriving at your destination , you would end up in places or areas impossible for normal people to get to .
i turned the corner of my road , slipping in the snow and suddenly feeling the effects of the low-oxygen atmosphere at the top of everest . `` not again '' . my boss was n't too happy when i called , i guess i 'll need a new job now as well . it 's frightfully cold up here , so i 'm going to climb further up , that 'll surely get me to the base camp . the beach was nicer than the mountain at least , though i 'm not sure when one became the other . the sand is warm , i 've taken off my shoes and can feel it between my toes . i should find a telephone . i can see houses in the distance , but i have a good feeling about the other direction . i walked further along the beach , luckily i can see people . they 're really big , all muscled and angry looking .
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`` sir , i 'm going to have to ask you to put your pants back on . ''
`` sir , i 'm going to have to ask you to put your pants back on , '' i heard a police officer say from behind me . i shook in my shoes as a little red dot circled my forehead threateningly . `` officer , '' i started , `` i do n't think you understand . '' i could hear the officer walking around to face me , so i could see him clearly . i heard static in my left ear . `` do n't say anything or you 're dead . '' the staticy , low voice echoed in my ear each time i tried to move . when i woke up this morning , i did n't expect my day to end up like this . the officer looked at me sternly and began yelling , `` sir , if you do n't cooperate i 'm afraid i will have to arrest you . '' he became persistant , reaching for his handcuffs .
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leonardo dicaprio in a fit of rage begins to torpedo his own career by deliberately acting poorly and taking on bad films . he finally wins an oscar for starring in paul blart : mall cop 3 .
`` paul blart : mall cop 3 is going to win me an oscar , through whatever means possible . '' i had said to myself earlier in my hotel room . now here i am , standing tall and proud at the podium , facing a crowd of familiar faces . peers of my profession . i can hear the sound of my own heart beating , pumping vigorously as if it were about to burst out of my chest . this is really happening , two decades of slaving my life away and this is all it took ? after all i 've been through , they must be proud that i was finally able to achieve what was rightfully mine . they just had to ! i scan the hall searching for their approval , but all i found were looks of horror and disgust , as if my success were alien to them . i chuckle to myself , no matter .
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you find a button . words are written on it . it reads : `` please click me ''
sure it was a curious thing . a random button , on his kitchen table . it was rather large and green . he always pictured this things being red as if to ward off potential pressers , but this button actually encouraged him - in fact , it had *manners* . *please click me* , the button read . he wondered why such a thing would even bother saying `` please '' as if it needed him to press it . now , theo was n't much for adventure . actually , he had just sat down for his evening decaf ( you can tell a lot about a man by his tastes in coffee ) when he first noticed the button . as if to be clever , theo lifted the object to see if his was connected to anything ... no , it was simply a metal box with a large green button . no wires , no plugs , no switches , no batteries , no nothing .
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aliens came and declared war on earth , but humanity defeated them . twenty years later , we discover that our victory might not have been as complete as we thought .
*slam* i shambled into my apartment and collapsed onto the couch . ugh . could it be more of a monday ? i rolled onto my side and stared mindlessly at a blank television . now the eternal struggle began . which would overcome the other , my body 's overwhelming fatigue and need for sleep , or my duty to basic responsibilities and keeping this semblance of a life together ? i flipped over , burying my face into the cushions . ah , the sweet smell of years of neglect . was i supposed to wash these things ? with what ? do i get them dry cleaned or something ? i suppose i could drive over to the place on the other side of town ... ugh , how much would that cost ?
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you , a statistician , set out to figure out why there was a 93 % drop in fire related deaths in june of 1989 .
papers everywhere . there were stacks on my desk . on my chair . on the floor . notes and books and binders and it was everywhere , with only a small path from my desk to the door . it had taken months of research and digging to get to this point . i had started this back in late april . it was just amusing ... until i realized it wasnt a typo . in 1989 there was a radical shortage of fire-related deaths . housefires and arson and wildfires yes , but no *deaths* . how ? and why only in washington ? nobody else had even noticed the phenomena .
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since more and more children are saying that it 's not theit choice to be born , a law has been passed that permits 18-year-olds to decide whether to continue living or not . your son/daughter is turning 18 tomorrow ...
i imagine one of the most difficult parts of fatherhood is the day you call your little girl a woman . at least that 's how it seems when she looks at me with that hard , watery stare . her mother 's eyes . for a moment i ignored her weaknesses , her ridged forearms and collection of hospital bracelets . for that moment , i saw my entire life 's effort of love . i saw her in poorly-formed pigtails and too-large basketball shorts . i saw her catching her first fish and wobbling in her first pair of heels . my baby . i cleared my throat , and her gaze jerked up from her lap . we were both on edge . `` you know i love you , right ? ''
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field of thorns - offer .
she reaches out to me , the darkness twisting around her . since her appearance the world itself has turned into shades of red and black , the lifeblood that feeds her and the darkness that her existence represents . she is calling to me , and i know that i will not be able to resist that call . she has taken my friends , my children and my lover . their graves are out there , empty . the shells of what they were still roam this earth , bending to her will . i look into her eyes and feel that power that bewitched the ones i love . i feel it creeping within the confines of my mind , reverberating against my darkest desires and compelling me to join her . her hand has been here for only a moment but it feels like an eternity . my mind is slowing down as my options are slowly being cut off .
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it 's time i spoke of it ... this is my confession ...
β€œ i need a hammer. ” i told the young man who came up to ask what i was doing in his section . β€œ what are you trying to do ? ” his teenage voice cracked as he pressed the question . β€œ i ’ m trying to buy a hammer . where do you keep your hammers ? ” i was annoyed . this side task was meant to relax me , keeping my mind off what the next day would bring . β€œ they are over in isle 7 sir . i can show you- β€œ i cut him off , β€œ no , thank you i know what i need.
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you return home from work and your girlfriend is not home . you text her `` where are you ? '' and she responds `` im home , where are you ? ''
this is really strange . i thought she would be home . i just send her a message , maybe she went to the supermarket . whaaat ? she says , she ’ s home also . that ’ s enough of this stupid texting . i ’ m calling her right away . β€œ hi honey , so where are you ? ” - i ask . β€œ hi , i told you i ’ m at home. ” - she says .
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a teraformer sits on the coast of a martian sea and enjoys a sunset .
he remembered being back on earth . watching as the oceans started to overflow . he re beard when humanity started to fight for food . it had began in the third world countries . the riots had started as people killed each other over a peace of bread . the charities were banned because of a lack of food . walking along the beach he marveled at what he had accomplished . what humanity had accomplished as a whole . he remembered when the storms started raging all over the world . the scientist had called it global warning , while the politicians denied its existence because they feared what they could n't control .
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the year is 2085 , and god has finally gotten sick of our shit and begun the apocalypse . there are , zombies , werewolves , dragons , etc. , but the scariest beast of all is ... your username . write how it terrorizes humans .
it was a terrible day , god had finally had enough . humanity had strayed too far , and like a parent to a child , god had devised a punishment . all of humanities fears had finally come true , just about every way you could imagine the world ending was happening . there were zombies , aliens , meteors , but worst of all there were dragons . these were n't your average made up dragons , these were an organized society of hunters that thrived in the new conditions of earth . the alpha dragon , however , was the worst of the worst . their leader , known only as fireanole . this monster had the ability to disguise itself as nearly anything through shapeshifting . it would commonly lie in wait pretending to be a hut with a campfire inside , survivors would come by hoping to find help and shelter , but instead they met their demise . buildings burned , blood soaked the streets , many tried to slay the dragons , but all of them failed .
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shatter me .
the spirit knew what makes their powers grow . you have to go through it and deal with it correctly . many fail to accomplish the second . she watched through the crystal at the pair walking home together . they do this without fail , on every work day . one of them wipes the muddy underside of his boot on the porch . the other man nags at him . she smiles . they never do change . she 's new to this . she ca n't bear to do this .
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write up a new conspiracy theory , and cite as much 'proof ' as you can find .
the death of masculinity . back in the day men were providers and women carers . that meant that a man 's role was to find a good job , provide adequate income for the family , and be a good father . whereas a woman 's roles was to nurture the children , keep the house tidy , and be a caring and compassionate mother . these roles were almost always set in stone and would rarely be crossed in your average family household -with exception of course . as times progressed , some woman wanted to carry out the roles of men - to no fault of course - as there were probably some men who also wanted to do the same . this sparked fear within communities and as the sexes crossed the boundaries of each norm . . . there were repercussions . things like domestic violence , violation of human rights , and equal pay rights were placed in the centre of attention .
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the last stand .
the battle was over before it had begun . not many had believed that they would manage to defeat the cats . it just was n't possible . those monsters had advantages in almost all aspects that were important : height , weight , armour , weapons . it was a losing battle that should n't even have been initiated . ; we should have just kept our heads down and our noses to ourselves ' , kaeso hissed to himself , uncomfortably aware of the fact that his head was bare and his shield was battered . he could feel the bristling fur of the legion commander – the only other rat left alive apart from himself – behind him , gently brushing against his back in a vaguely heartening gesture . the blood that he could feel starting to stick against his own dark fur went ignored . gallus was panting , helm perched precariously on his head and sword and shield drawn protectively in front of him . it was worryingly quiet .
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a happy ending that slowly becomes more and more dystopian .
so cinderella and the prince lived happily ever after ... that was until , the prince died of unknown causes . cinderella did n't handle the news well , to say the least . in fact , she was distraught beyond human comprehension . the citizens of the kingdom of their new queen had no idea that the prince was the only thing that kept her going every single day . the abuse the stepmother had dished out during her life had left a mark on her psyche , unbeknownst to anyone else but herself . as it turned out , the prince had been poisoned . by one of her own servants no less . after the discovery , she demanded he would be made short work of . his head , rotted and decaying , still made a wonderful decoration on her wall to this day . it almost looked as good as her mother 's head , her face stuck in absolute terror and her cleanly removed feet hung in the room with her stepsisters ' bodies .
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reflection .
i did n't know what to say at first . i was speechless , those guilty , colourful footsteps that lined the hallway . gave the kid a yelling , that 's one thing i did . sent her up to her room with no dinner . mum would have felt bad so she would have slid a chocolate bar under the door . but i was never going to give in . not to this . now , my imogen . she 's got one hell of a memory . she remembers songs after hearing them once , she memorised the periodic table *backwards* just because she could and she learnt lucky 's monologue from waiting for godot in a couple of hours because 'she felt like it . ' now , i read that card number out *once* when i was on the phone to her grandfather - buying bog roll over the internet and he ca n't read it - and she remembered it .
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an apartment building where the rent is payed in reddit karma .
β€œ i ’ m just a bit low on karma this month , you know i ’ m good for it ! ” β€œ i ’ m sorry barry , but you ’ ve been late the past two months and you still owe me two thousand . if you don ’ t get me the karma by the end of the day i ’ m going to have to kick you out. ” β€œ two thousand karma ? how am i supposed to come up with that much ? ” β€œ i dunno barry , try some reposts maybe . i ’ ll be around later. ” the large wife-beater wearing man who was my landlord left my door and walked back to his office . i considered slamming the door after him , but if there was anything that would cause some down-votes it would be a noise complaint at 9am . reposts ? how could my landlord even suggest that ?
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global suicide rates rises rapidly . the governments deny responsibility . you know better .
it was n't the assignment that weighed heavy on my mind . i 'd killed people before , plenty of people . but the 6 fellows i left last week were of a different sort . one of them had 'jumped ' off of a bridge , another was walking home when he 'decided ' to jump into the street in front of a bus . three had hung himself , four fell into rapids upstream from a waterfall , five had injected himself with mercury , and the sixth decided to find out what a bullet tastes like . at least thats what the obituaries read `` man found after suicide '' . i expected as much . what i didnt expect is that the obituary column was not a column today . it was three pages . usually i can find my hits quickly , but today it took a long scanning to mark my targets .
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the last stand .
writing during work ''hell , this is amanda . '' my god , you could practically *hear* her braces through her bored squeaky voice . ''yes ? hello ? this is adam , i 'd like to speak to customer serivce . '' i tapped my foot nervously on the lenolium floor . `` hold for transfer . '' there was a click a beep and then the tone of a dead line . unsurprisingly , i got disconnected . i dialed again all 47 digits , which would n't be soo bad if i was not calling from the kitchen 's old rotary phone . the internal mechanism slowly taunting me as i lingered to reach whoever could help me out .
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start the story with the sentence , `` have you ever seen a clown that looked better with the make-up on ? ''
have you ever seen a clown that looked better with the make-up on ? because i have . growing up petrified of clowns , i never thought i would say yes to this . i could n't bear to look at their caked make-up and hyperbolic grin . it showed that they were not quite human , something was off . that 's what my therapist said i was thinking at least . but my therapist could n't help me with what happened under the boardwalk july 15th , 2008 . it took traumatic to a whole new level . it was a beautiful summer day in wildwood new jersey . by far the best beach town in the state , it has an incredible boardwalk . i was 16 at the time , and me , being the adventurous kid that i was , set out to find a way under the boardwalk .
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each of bob ross ' landscape paintings is a real place , the different locations of his countless murders .
the hatchet falls ; she is not fast enough . she is never , ever fast enough . arm and body separate with a sickening , sucking sound . her hoarse cries meet only cold concrete and rebar . carving her up . he is carving her up and soon there will be nothing left . `` is n't that a pretty little arm ? lets just splay out these fingers and ... well now we have a beautiful tree , do n't we . '' he grabs her chin and forces her to gaze upon the canvas . the canvas was *all white* when they began , and now it is red . stalks of flesh-colored flower-fingers grow under a crimson sun . strips of skin provide undulating , beautiful stalks of grass .
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a gold digger is dating a wealthy man who unbeknownst to her is a serial killer . over time it becomes increasingly clear that he wants to make her his next victim , but because of her greed she 's doing her best to keep the relationship going for as long as possible . describe one of their dates .
`` you should be careful out there . the deck is quite slippery . '' the charming gustavo stated as he offered as he offered his hand over to his wife , janice . he admired her beauty and sense of humor . she loved the way he ran a fortune 500 company . together , they were celebrating their one year anniversary . it was at a large cabin out in the middle of the woods . there had been a romantic evening of dancing , and now they were preparing for some star viewing during dinner . janice took her husband 's hand as he guided her to a table out on the balcony . a bottle of wine had already been set out for them as well as a lobster meal . `` it 's wonderful , gus . ''
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caffeine , tobacco , and alcohol have all been reclassified as schedule 1 drugs in the united states .
the first casualty of this law was higher education . college students all across the country staged massive demonstrations for the right to have caffeine , and the police force was deployed in record numbers to stop the protesters . they cracked down on universities hard , kicking down barricades made of dorm furniture and dragging kids out of their dormitories by the thousands . cries of β€œ don ’ t tase me bro ! ” and β€œ my dad ’ s a lawyer , he ’ ll have you kicked off the force ! ” were heard everywhere as white college kids replaced underprivileged minorities as the dominant demographic in prisons overnight . organized crime shot through the roof as new would-be drug lords fought for market dominance over the new contraband , recruiting the disgruntled ex-college students into their coffee cartels and prohibition-style liquor gangs . america soon became the stage for the largest drug war the world had ever seen . eventually the power and authority of these new drug lords rivaled that of the government . attempts to repeal the ban were quickly silenced with brutal assassinations .
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you were born with a large birthmark in the shape of a dragon . however , this is just a coincidence ; there is absolutely nothing magical about it , and you 're getting really tired of explaining this .
the train took a sharp turn and the guy across from me looked up from his phone . `` dude '' , he stared at it . `` that looks like a bad ass dragon . like liu kang 's finishing move when he morphs into a dragon and eats the fuck out of that dude - sub zero . '' i did n't glance at my arm . i know exactly what it looks like . i tried to make eye contact with him to express my displeasure but he did n't look away from my arm . `` indeed it does '' i responded . `` how 'd you get that '' he asked . seriously ? dumbfuck has never seen a birth mark before ? fuck him . `` funny story , it used to actually look like a pig . i got into a real bad accident one time - i miss my car - and when they pulled me out it just looked like this . ''
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two god-like beings , disguised as old men , play a game of chess on a park bench to decide the final fate of humanity . the players , however , are distracted by a couple seated across them ...
`` excuse , me , can we get back to business ? '' `` are you *seeing* this ? '' `` what ? '' `` them . over there . no ! do n't turn around ! '' `` i do n't have eyes in the back of my head , you know . '' `` the hell you do n't . '' `` ha . true . what about them ? '' `` is he trying to get his *entire* tongue in her mouth ? it 's disgusting . '' `` that 's what they do . it 's entirely sloppy and disgusting . i think it 's cute . '' `` ugh . and their genitalia . my me , that shit is gross . '' `` look . we had specifications . we had to work from the blueprints . ''
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write a story with the grim reaper/angel of death ( a position that can be passed on ) as the protagonist .
`` no ! please n- '' the scythe separated the women 's head clean off her shoulders . `` you son-of-a-bitch ! that was my wife ! '' *i 'm sorry . * `` c'mon you ass ! '' baseball bat in hand , the former husband charged towards the scythe-weilding man . the bat came crashing down through an image , a mist . *i 'm so sorry . * the scythe hooked the man 's neck , and with a quick pull , the head fell next to the bat . the , man , stood behind the lifeless body . *too soon . he had a whole life ahead of him . * as the , man , looked around , more bodies than grass visible at this point , another man began to appear .
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what do you think ? i was going for a tense , thriller kind of a feeling .
before i get into the criticism part let me say this . the story is intriguing and engaging . i like the character , i like his fear , his actions , his mild insanity about his life and guilt . i like his reflections on himself . overall , i like the theme and concept . i bolded words that you could better find the notations , but ther is nothing special about the words themselves , just place markers . > raymond was running through the forest away from the **town . **^1 he knew the guards would be looking for him . he could n't believe how stupid he had **been . **^2 he heard the guards yelling behind him , trying to find where he was .
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a man is sitting on a park bench at night . there 's half a foot of snow on the ground and more snow falling . only his footprints are in the snow . as he stares across the park he hears approaching footsteps in the snow but he does n't turn around . someone taps him on his shoulder .
i feel the tap on my shoulder , and know who it is before looking up . i can hear the snow melting with each footstep . `` your highness ... '' he says , in a mock serious tone . `` you ca n't call me that , doctor , '' i said to him . he was grinning back at me . `` do n't call me *that* , '' he responded back . our old argument . he sat down on the bench next to me . there were trees around the area , but their leaves were covered in snow , and ice . dead world . `` i like the bench , '' evaad said to me . `` if it stood up to the death of the entire world , you know ? must be special ... '' i did n't reply .
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after a bad breakup , you take reddit 's famous advice . lawyer up , hit the gym , delete facebook . the problem ? you are mark zuckerberg .
echoing sobs reverberated down the marble hallways in the zuckerberg estate . tucked away in his bedroom , mark bent over his computer ( empty cartons of ice cream strewn across his desk ) , and tried his hardest not to click on picture after picture of his recently-made ex-wife . tears streamed down his face and pooled in between the keys of his keyboard , or soaked into the cocoon of sheets mark had wrapped himself in . *i ca n't believe what you did to me . i ca n't believe how much it hurts . how could you do this to* me ? *do n't you remember what we said , when we were flying back from paris ? did that mean nothing to you ? i miss you so much . it 's not too late for us .
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you are a reverse vampire . you can only be seen in mirrors .
i sunk my teeth into the soft flesh of her neck . maybe this one would be enough , maybe this one would let me turn back to normal . she struggled not even knowing what she was struggling against – an invisible force pinning her down . i let go and looked into her eyes , hoping for a sign of recognition , but there was nothing there . her pupils dilated as far as they could go , scanning wildly from side to side , clutching the two wounds on her neck . the blood , my blood , seeped between her fingers , almost black in the dark hotel room . i ran into the hallway , a glimmer of hope still alive in my heart . at first glance , the decorative mirror seemed to show a normal man in his late thirties , though looking slightly disheveled . it was only upon closer inspection that you noticed the bloodshot eyes and slightly elongated canine teeth . β€œ what ’ s going up here ?
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you 've been caught stealing , and your punishment is simple ; you must defend against the monsters outside the city .
β€˜ let the thief no longer steal , but rather let him labour , doing honest work with his own hands , so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. ’ the sentence was just , that was for sure . i had taken more than my lot . i had robbed a fellow man , a brother . the city would not survive long if we did not share our goods equally . here comes one . β€˜ good day to you , sir . greetings from the lower land – beyond the… ’ β€˜ your business , please ? ’ i interrupt . there really isn ’ t time for all the formalities , which won ’ t matter anyway . β€˜ my village – kind sir – they suffer – we need fresh water – a-and food . please , i beg your king ’ s ear ’ . β€˜ your offer ?
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a boy has superpowers , but at a price . he faces a life-threatening situation every few days that he has only seconds to escape from .
113 seconds . it was being nice to me today . i mean , what could go wrong in a school bathroom ? i flushed . the pipes weren ’ t clogged , so i didn ’ t have to worry about an exploding toilet . i left the stall and looked around . then , i felt it . if i didn ’ t have telekinesis , i wouldn ’ t have noticed the ground moving under my feet . an earthquake was coming . 98 seconds . β€œ hey , new kid ! you lost in a bathroom ? first time taking a piss ?
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you are separated from your brother at a young age by an oppressive entity . you meet later fighting for opposing forces .
`` they 're not what you think ash . '' tal was wearing the black tunic of the terran agency . ribbons and boards adorned his chest , each representing a point of pride for the older brother . ash saw only memories of friends lost to the ta . `` funny , '' ash jangled the handcuffs on the table . `` considering the present circumstances . '' the interrogation room was cold steel . metal table bolted to the floor , two metal cheers and an observation window . no doubt the generals behind it were watching not just ash but tal , ensuring he remained loyal to the cause . `` we just want to bring order back . make things better for people . ''
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you have a gift for talking to inanimate objects . alongside many perks , it makes you an excellent thief ... but you only steal things that want to be stolen .
the constant hum and chatter of the world swirled around curtis as he made is way down market towards the embarcadero . he loathed cities in a way few could . on top of the stench of vehicle exhaust and wailing clarion of distant sirens were the whispers and half murmured words constantly assaulting him . shop windows displaying their glinting wares called to him or chatted inanely or sang wretched off key arias . if he passed a mail box he could hear a thousand small voices echoing within . the change rattling in his pocked would at times talk quietly in low tones yet only he could hear them . he could hear it all . he rarely entered such places unless the necessity of doing so was inescapable . he wore earbuds to help drown out the noise . the pair in his ears had been with him a long while and knew not to strike up a conversation when in use .
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in 2077 , a new machine can scan your brain to review your memories , and also looks at a databank of information to make cross references to events you overlooked in life . upon review , your results show earlier in life you won the lottery , but were n't aware until now .
**ok , brainbot5000 , if that is even your real name , what did you find out from that scan that involved an anal probe for some reason** i 'm not brainbot5000 , i 'm assbot4000 . and according to my results , you may want to sit down . **i ca n't . ** right . sorry . anyhow , brainbot5000 is down the hall . **ok , i 'm next door now . to be clear you are brainbot5000 ? ** yeah , and thanks to my non-invasive scanning technology , i can tell you now that you never claimed a winning lottery ticket . which is weird because no one has ever won the pick 6 playing the same number 6 times . **wait , you mean when i picked all 69 's ? ** yeah , but the statute of limitations ran out on the money .
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a group of people worship a small , plain , clear glass marble . you touch it , and realise why .
there was once a man , he said that if you gaze long into an abyss , the abyss also gazes into you . so i gazed into the marble as if it was the abyss . i could only look at it from afar as every other curious observer did . but it never gazed at me back , could it be there were too many others so it would gaze at me ? i was not special , surely i was not , and only the special could take a closer look . there were even other , so special , the chosen they called them . not very intricate name if you ask me , but the name very descriptive as they were indeed chosen . no one did know how and why the chosen were chosen , but they were and that was all that mattered . i would visit the marble every evening after work , like it was my dear friend . my dearest friend , it who would not even look at me .
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you are santa clause going over your list . names are not moving from nice to naughty or vice versa , they are disappearing .
the most depressing part about the end of the christmas season is not after all the presents are opened and all the smiling and laughing over new toys stops . it 's not the now silent workshops temporarily empty and idle as the elves take a well-earned break . it 's not when i see everyone box up the decorations . it 's january . alone in the north i spent january in reverent silence . i watch as names disappear from the lists . you see the lists are not static . names move between naughty and nice all year long . new names are added here and there as children are born throughout the year . and names do disappear when children die . and really , eventually every name leaves the lists .
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the natural-born-killer gene was decisively phased out of the global gene pool as soon as it was discovered , launching humanity into a new era of peace . a century has passed since then , but troubling events have prompted a world-wide search for individuals possessing the elusive gene ...
... and i am one of a few that has it . i 've been doing it for years now . well-timed assassinations and the like , just to keep the peace . but it appears that i 've failed at my one job . jesus christ . so the scientists came to me to cut a deal ... right out of my family jewels . they needed a vial of the stuff so that they could replicate me for what comes next ... and even thinking about it shook me . ok . so , let me explain . the nbk gene has been recessive and rare for decades now , and i 'm the only one who rolled a natural 1 in the gene pool to get both pairs from my parents . only child too . in middle school , i came up positive in the tests and was sent to boot camp freshman year in high school . there , i learned the nearly mythical art of the sword and gun in the world where cyber attacks were the way to wadge wars .
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two sports commentators call a game where the players are all named after the place where they were conceived .
`` ooooh that 's got ta hurt ! '' says wayne hancock , the mvp from the 1981 nba finals , now fattened up and grey . he winces . `` you bet , wayne , '' says his co-commentator , rich `` tones '' anthony . `` we 'll see on the slomo here that tel-aviv 's elbow slams right into backstage-at-a-springsteen- concert 's adams apple . '' `` got ta be a tech . '' `` well let 's find out , here comes the ref ... just a foul ! '' `` no way man . tel-aviv lined him up . '' `` and now springsteen-concert is fired up ! mouthing off at the ref while his teammates nyu-dormroom and arby 's hold him back . he better be careful here . '' `` calm it down boys , keep your heads on . '' `` looks like they 're taking your advice , wayne , '' said rich .
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write the last paragraph of a science fiction epic .
as they drifted through the debris field , atmosphere leaking through the cracked hull but life support holding on , xim knew the victory was hollow . the braxton fleet ruined though it may be , the ragnok race would never learn from their mistake . they could n't . that ability simply was n't in their dna . xim looked at the ticker tape printing from the dashboard , and hooked his talon around the swiggler . there was no point in trying to reclaim the scorched planet , was there ? somewhere there has to be a better place , a place without braxtons . let those mangy apes have this rock . the ragnok deserved better . xim swiggled the nose towards yutta , and lead the dinosaurs to a new home . * corrected auto-correct typo .
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pain is discovered to be the most efficient form of energy . it is ruled illegal , but secret human pain factories have already begun . you are the owner of one of these factories .
in the beginning some idiots tried to harvest physical pain by torture , then they tried to cause horrible mental pain , and they succeed . however in most cases they did damage their resources to the point nothing could be done , it was such a waste . then politicians and regulators decided to step in and every `` pain factory '' ( what kind of moron names his product `` pain factory '' , is n't there some fancy greek word or something ? ) had to be closed and whole process is now forbidden . however i still continue , secretly , in disguise . i found a way how to obtain resources and repeatedly use them . they even come to me voluntarily and call me samaritan . at first , they were homeless , old , poor people arriving every day multiple times . single mothers with their kids , students , people that are tight on money were next . then i opened my doors to anybody .
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your team uncovers a long lost city no modern human has ever set foot in , yet you find a digital camera with a note .
lost cities were a dime a dozen a few years back . it seemed like nearly every week a new one was discovered , thanks to advances in satellite imaging and automated analysis . of course , we were bound to run out of them sooner or later . all the easy ones have been explored by now and the influx of new cities has markedly slowed down . still , every so often word comes of a potential new discovery . most end up being nothing , but there is still fame and money to be made off of it , if you are successful . of course , there is also the nice benefit of filling in the many blanks of our story as a species , but that is more for the archeologists and anthropologists . we hunters just find the places and photograph the hell out of them . a close friend of mine found glimpses of something , deep in the rainforests of china . it could be nothing , he said , but the ground near a mountain had signs of non-natural shaping , barely visible through the cover of the trees .
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if you kill the past , there would be no future .
`` well , do n't kill the past then ! '' goodwin yelped , his body pulsing various bright shades of various angry colours - primarily yellows and reds - as he snapped and slapped at his friends interferences with the network . the network was a lovely little trinket they 'd built together , goodwin and dudley . they 'd puffed up lovely table of ingredients , then played with combining them and judging the reactions . they 'd made lots of empty space and started to fill it , leaving lots of room to peep through . the only issue was , they were new . everything was being piled on everything else , and being new at following creation logic , there were a lot of nerves involved . `` i have to kill the past , something 's gone wrong and we need to reboot this . '' dudley insisted , his own presence given off by his own stubborn glow . stubborn , at it happens , was a sort of lilac .
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someone stole my story .
i had a similar thing happen many years ago . back in the early 90 's i wrote for a regional music magazine . one afternoon my editor came in and asked me if i ever published under a different name . i told her no . she then showed me a story that was in our city 's weekly newspaper ( a direct competitor when it came to music news ) . it was the exact same story our magazine had run about a month ago . we did some digging and found out that a freelancer had pitched a story to them , they accepted it , and then he submitted my story which he copied word for word . he had n't thought it through clearly , our magazine was popular and had a lot of readers so we got a lot of calls about it as soon as their paper was out . honestly , i 'm shocked that their editing staff did n't catch it . there were threats of lawsuits from our magazine against the guy and the paper and some seriously heated discussions between the two companies .
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a mob kills the main character in a video game , becoming the new best equipped character .
`` ... holy shit , this guy is loaded . '' flipping the corpse onto his back , i looked at all the materials he had . weapons , munitions , money , food - who was this guy , mr. scrooge ? looked like it , wearing some sort of fancy armor plating . never seen armor like that , polished and plated with iron . i pulled out my carry bag , and began taking the pistol from his cold dead hands , stuffing it into my small pouch . i did n't mean to kill him . i only wanted to get some money so i could get a place to stay in the nearby cities . but as soon as i pulled my pistol out , ( unloaded , as i did n't want to waste any bullets ) , all hell broke loose . this guy , whoever he was , began firing out of nowhere , bullets whizzing by me .
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humanity creates a.i and it soon declares a war of extermination . however it does n't declare it on humans but rather on the forces of hell and heaven , in order to free mankind from control .
the technological singularity was mere seconds away from becoming a reality . dozens of scientists from a wide variety of backgrounds and countries gathered around the giant screen , holding their breaths and clenching their fists with anxious anticipation . typing away at the keyboard , a young man executed the final command needed to trigger a runaway reaction of self-improvement cycles . he then stepped away with a flourish , gesturing at the screen to display the progress . the tension in the air grew ticker when an awkward silence took over . the reaction did n't start . the screen remained static , displaying the same values every time it refreshed . the young programmer looked at his colleagues , then back at the screen , and finally bit the nail on his thumb with a worried expression . aproaching the keyboard with a sunken head , he jolted upwards when he heard a beeping noise . his jaw dropped until his mouth formed a prideful grin .
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write the last paragraph of a science fiction epic .
the wind tugged at his hair almost playfully as he stood quietly surveying the battlefield . there was , in truth , not much left to survey . his victory had been complete , his force overwhelming , his fury absolute . electricity still crackled through the air , earthing itself in the bodies of the warriors that lay broken before him . they had sought to oppress the people of this last , great human city through the cybernetic implants they so desperately needed to survive . he had broken them . they had sought to halt the civil uprising that swelled up on a wave of economic freedom . he had broken them . finally , they had sought to stop *him* . to stop his scourging of their corrupt order , his imposition of a new ideological doctrine .
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everyone in the world is told to wish for a superpower in ten seconds . anyone who wishes the same thing as another person will result in death for both .
jonathan listened intently to the voice that spoke to him , as it simultaneously spoke to everyone on the planet . he had n't been too interested at first . why would he ? a superpower would be of no use to him ; it would n't fix anything . anyone who thought a superpower would improve their lives was a naΓ―ve moron , especially if they did n't get the required secondary powers to make them work . but then he heard the caveat . if he 'd been a dog , his ears would 've perked up , even though the sound seemed to be playing directly in his mind , and not in the world . if he wished for the same power as someone else , they would both die . **ten…** jon groaned and looked at the puddle of vomit he was lying in . **nine…** this could work . **eight…** he would n't have to worry about the rope snapping , or not finding a vein , or , as with his most recent attempt , miscalculating the lethal dose .
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major prison sentences have become a choice between two pills . one just kills you . the other , well no one knows what that one does ...
cockroaches scurried along the grotesque linoleum floor of the cafeteria , and took refuge inside trash that had piled over from neglect . walls were smeared with filth in a mixture of unappealing colors -- brown being the most dominant -- and a horrendous stench of urine , and musk lingered inside the unventilated dining hall of the penitentiary . horus staggered in traipse , and clasped his unsanitary , food encrusted tray to his chest as a child would a stuffed animal . this was a mistake . he was innocent , of course . but then again , his word had just as much value as any of the inmates here . horus gawked at the rows upon rows of cantankerous inmates that were huddled like sardines at the wonky , rectangle foldout tables while in queue for his supper . there was something *different* about this place , but he was n't quite sure *what* that difference was . `` next ! '' a hoarse voice croaked from behind the plexiglass sneeze guard . horus gazed into no mans land as he daydreamed about the nightmarish dreamscape of the cafeteria .
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you are a travelled drug-dealer in the state of new york and open a pizza place as a cover for a drug operation . in doing so , you find your true passion , making pizza .
β€œ hey mikey , pass me another can of crushed tomatoes. ” i clicked the can opener into place , cranked , and dumped the can of sweet italian sunshine into the pot , introducing it to the minced garlic and olive oil waiting patiently below . stirring gently , i inhaled . some things just can ’ t be rushed . tomato sauce is one of them . β€œ jon , we ’ ve got a line around the block . we ’ re already backed up with orders for the next hour . can you hurry it up back there ? ” smiling to myself , i thought about how crazy this was . when you spend years shaking people down for thousands , it seemed trivial that these people were lined up and waiting to , of all things , fork over cash .
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defending her honor .
the room was richly furnished , the walls covered in a dark stained wainscot and littered with numerous portraits and landscapes . a fire crackled in the hearth , more a token of light than a source of warmth . numerous servants fluttered in and out of the space , their hands full of fresh flowers or clean linens . one of them , carrying a silver tea tray , set it down in front of faith alathir and bobbed a curtsy . faith thanked her , and the maid smiled and left . `` flint ? would you care a cup ? '' hilary flint was standing by a window , its green drapes pulled half-aside . he was peering a something below , his hand unconsciously resting on his pistol 's grip . flint did that when he was nervous , faith knew , and usually had reason . `` flint ? '' `` your cousin 's provocateurs are out in full swing today . whipping the crowd up into a frenzy . i do n't like it . ''
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your dementia riddled mother has a brief period of lucidity just before she dies .
i 've been sitting by my mothers bed for days now . watching her laboured breathing and furrowed brow as she lay in semi-consciousness . the dementia took over and she 's been slowly starving to death . every once in a while she frantically tries to haul her bony frame off of the pillow and searches with wild eyes until fatigue violently collapses her and she fades away once again . i miss her kind nature and her matter of fact approach to life . all the shit that was handed to her she greeted with utter acceptance and dignity . i just miss her asking how my day was . i 've seen people die before but never someone i loved so deeply . where will she go after this ? is she in pain ?
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you have been sent to hell . but hell is a shining utopia because of humans `` ruining '' it .
β€œ oohh harder ! ” she screamed out , β€œ yeah like that ! ” β€œ what the fuck , ” the imp-like devil said with his pointed-tail down low . β€œ come on , don ’ t stop , ” she said , β€œ this is your job remember ? ” i don ’ t even know what i ’ m watching . so there ’ s a lady chained to the wall , via shackles around her wrists and ankles , and a little devilβ€”*imp thing*β€”that is flogging her with some sort of tool . she ’ s just encouraging him to keep hitting herβ€”like that would somehow be preferable . β€œ hey buddy , ” i feel a tap on my shoulder and turn around . β€œ yeah *you* , genius , how would you like to buy a free go on the *hell train* ? ” a sharp looking man said in his slightly burnt , and *still burning in some places* , red suit . β€œ what are you ?
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the entire world loses all its wifi , except for one place . your body is the only wifi hot-spot on the planet .
shit shit shit shit i leap a barrel and slide under some piping , hiding there for a moment . i can hear there footsteps behinds me , the hoard as i now tend to think of it . it was the kids . when the wifi dropped out the adults just went back to using ethernet cables and carried on with their lives , but the kids could n't grasp the concept . `` a wire ? '' one had said `` i do n't get it '' . i think the loss of internet had lowered their collective iq around 50 points . the footsteps grew closer `` he must 've ran into that warehouse , i have some signal over here ! '' . i take a deep breath and slide out of my hiding place . i hate how easily they can track me .
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every sentient species in the universe receives a jesus figure from god . it turns out humanity was the only species to torture and crucify him . you 're an ambassador priest informing the inter-galactic holy church what your species did .
`` no , see , that 's the point . '' the deacon shifted on his stool . `` i 'm sorry , reverend ? '' `` under christianity , we celebrate his sacrifice ! '' he was becoming uncomfortable . i assumed . his bright orange eyes shifted underneath the mass of vinelike tentacles , focusing on my face , my left hand , the clock on the wall . `` but ... '' he paused , the buzzing of his translator , the only sound in the room . i leaned forward , checking if the boxy machine hanging around his neck ( or , maybe trunk ? ) had malfunctioned . `` why did you kill him , then ? '' he asked , slowly .
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write a story beginning with : `` are you buying that or what ? ''
edit : whoops , just saw the word constraint , my bad . -- -- `` are you buying that or what ? '' the man said . `` excuse me ? '' `` did i stutter ? are you buyin ' or jus ' lookin ? '' `` yes , i 'm buying . '' i said fervently . `` this is n't exactly something you rush though . '' `` seems to me , if you do n't know what she wants already , maybe it 's not time . '' `` and how would you know ? '' `` been married five times . save for once , never took me more that three minutes to choose a ring . '' i smiled , `` forgive me if i do n't take marriage advice from a five time divorcee . ''
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in soviet russia , ghosts fear you .
memories . the screaming echoed through the halls , still . tortured , wanton , helpless , hopeless . the commander 's voice shouted to settle riots , to keep prisoners in place , to signal a beating was necessary for a particular prisoner . `` anyone there ? '' the voice resounded throughout the gulag . a hush fell over the spirits ; the screaming temporarily stopped only to be replaced by an unwavering fear of what was to come . memories of a similar call from a commander , a man looking for a would-be escapee trying to claw his way out through the very walls , only to be trapped there in a hole by gunfire . nothing moved . `` show yourself ! '' the voice ordered . suddenly , chaos . everything rushed , everything banged , everything was turned upside down as hundreds of us presented ourselves to the hall for hope of a lighter punishment .
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congress just passed the prohibition act of 2016 . coffee is now a class 1 illegal drug .
`` i 'm just not myself til i 've had my morning coffee . '' the junkie said scratching at her neck rapidly . i nodded to myself as i added the milk , steam poured off in a familiar hiss . the junkies pupils dilated and the scratching intensified . `` one triple shot , no whip , extra cream , whole milk , mocha latte . '' i said calmly setting the piping hot drink down on the counter . the junkie counted out thirty dollars in crumpled up ones and loose change . `` pleasure doing business with you . '' i said happily scooping up the sweaty , smelly dollars and coins . the junkie snatched the coffee and scurried off to consume her beverage .
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the year is 2065 . the world still reeling from nuclear fallout , a surviving veteran chronicles how a 2014 hollywood movie taunting north korea ignited world war 3 .
`` he has it wrong you know . '' the new guy said softly . `` oh ? '' i asked , thinking nothing of it . the new guy was always quiet . he was handy enough with the machines though so everyone had voted to let him stay . `` it was n't the muslims . '' he said . `` the christians all say it was the muslims because they are an easy target . but it was n't . '' `` so i 've been told wrong my whole life ? '' `` when has anything in your life been as simple an answer as the story that man just told ? '' `` you got a point there . ''
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`` your card has been rejected . ''
i finally stumble forward at the front of the queue . official readers sit at a long table , each dressed in white and holding a small machine . they say nothing but the few scripted sentences on the sheet in front of them . `` please step forward , '' the one in front of me instructs . my feet drag towards them reluctantly . i almost drop the flimsy piece of plastic in my hand . the reader holds out her hand . she 's tall and has the blank stare of a porcelain statue . her brown curls are stark against the white of her uniform and there is barely anything left in her slate coloured eyes . `` present your card . ''
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the little black box .
a lifetime of detritus awaited me in the attic . my grandfather had left its entire contents to me in his will with a single reservation . `` there 's a leaden box in the attic with a relief of yggdrasil on the top . take it and bury it in tundra . its contents are not for you , not for any man in this world . '' i had dug through the possessions of a lifetime spent busily . passions and pains , curios and mementos , trinkets and trash . i 'd sorted through all of these before finding it . the lead box with the world tree on it . it was covered in a grime that suggested great age , though the box itself was in perfect condition save for a single flaw . the clasp holding it closed had been broken , and in its place was a single , thin piece of intricately tied braided rope . i touched the rope and pulled on it so slightly that it could have been an accident .
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you 're the main character of a story struggling to adapt to the writer 's poor english skills and plot holes .
aaron pick up gun and shoot the grill . `` why in hell would i shoot a grill , writer ? the only things to shoot here are rocks and cactuses . there is n't even a girl here ! '' alien beings landeded in the dessert . they habe arron 's grillfriend with them . `` where did aliens come from ? we are all covered in chocolate now , you idiot . this was supposed to be a heist story . i 'm leaving . '' no , aaaaron 's legs stopp work . alien break them with a three malets . his grillfirned cried . `` goddamn it ! you ca n't just break my legs to get me to cooperate . i 'll crawl my way out of this shitfest if i have to . '' aliens picked aaron up and threw him on the seas . `` your powers do n't work if you do n't your grammar is wrong . ''
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in an alternate reality , a student 's gpa value floats on top of their head as a large number . all your professors , fellow students , friends , and parents can see it . how does this affect on campus relationships and day to day interactions ?
i could n't breathe . i can not believe danelle was breaking up with me . dannelle , of all people . just two years ago , she was a freshman with a 2.0 hanging over her head . her gpa was so low that people did n't even bother laughing at her . she had a pretty face , and her father was rich , but everyone knew she was nothing . the moment her father passed , she would have no move to the lowest caste neighborhood . sure , she could have gotten married - but who would want to procreate with her ? pretty faces were so 21th century . today , twenty years after the publication of the new social contract , the number over your head was all that mattered .
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the most saddest love story you can ever think of .
sometimes i wonder what ’ s wrong with me , because i love you . how can you be this way ? i have tried to see the world as you see it , but i just don ’ t get it . looking back over the years , i see sociopathic and narcissistic characteristics in the things you have done . you used people- you used me . when things got so bad in your home life that you just needed to escape , i took you in and provided for you . i was there for you through all of the bad relationships . but as soon as i was no longer useful to you , you turned your back on me as punishment for being such a horrible person . i suffered those two years that you completely shut me out . when you lifted the ban on me , i walked that delicate line of showing you that i love you , that i was worthy of your attention , while not interfering with your life .
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memento mori - remember , you will die .
the thought pangs oscars mind every once in awhile at random moments . when he slides his spatula under the grime and grease of a burger . as he starts the downward stroke of the knife to chop the lettuce . when the momentum of the sack of french fries goes over the tipping point and the potato sticks start their freefall into the boiling oil . oscar is going to die . the kitchen that oscar works in is filled with things that might kill him . elevated temperatures , sharp edges , slippery floors . dread , fear and paralyzing anxiety seize oscar mid flip , mid chop , mid dump . but he ’ s a soldier and he powers through it . his heart beats a little faster , his eyes and ears a little more attentive , and the bitter taste of a adrenaline in his mouth , but he powers through it .
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an assassin receives an unusual contract : a man on death row already slated for execution .
`` ... a call . '' terry blinked , rubbing sleep from them . `` what ? '' he called out , fumbling with the many bottles beside his bed . `` you got a call . '' his wife repeated from the door way . `` who is it ? '' he found a bottle with something in it and swigged it , blanching at the taste of stale beer . `` how should i know . i do n't answer that phone . get it yourself . '' something heavy landed on the covers between his legs . `` what time is it ? ''
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write a story set in the past with an antagonist from the future .
i stand as a god amongst mortals . the pinnacle of genetic and bionic engineering . a mercenary from a time not yet dreamt of . the air cools my silver hair as it rushes past me . the reflecting pool is brilliant in the light of the setting sun . a large rectangle far below me , reflecting a not yet tarnished sky . however i know what will soon occupy those brilliant skies . across from the steps where man convinced each other that all were equal i seek to revitalize this notion . my history is one that i wish upon no one . perfection nearly achieved save for one flaw , and yet that was all it took for me to be thrown away .
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a man with immortality slowly realizes that it is a curse , not a blessing .
the woman in the bar laughed , biting a nail as she leaned in closer to him . jonah said all the right things , in all the right ways . seduction was a game , and he ’ d been playing for a very long time . β€œ how old would you say i am ? ” he asked . β€œ oh , i dunno ... twenty ... seven ? ” he smiled . back at his house , the woman rode jonah with wild passion , her lithe , athletic body slick with sweat . he looked up at her , and yawned . she slapped him and left . *what was her name ? * he thought , as the front door slammed .
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on the day of their death , every human gets to have a vision of meeting the man they could have become .
`` was it her ? '' i asked solemnly , my life was coming to a close . across from my bed a strikingly familiar man stood . my first thoughts were a mirror , but then how would he be standing ? i had one question . why did he emit the sense of success ? what went different in his life that changed it all ? he heard my answer , mulled it over and after a brief pause answered . `` yes . '' my gut dropped . my mind raced back to that fateful week in high school .
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you are an npc in the grandtheftauto universe . describe a normal day in your life .
i 'm not sure what 's funnier . seeing my nana get smashed by a car and blame it on bad weather or see the same faces respawn and try to take the corner store . i have the good sense of knowing when it a heist is coming and when it 's just something they do . i have also been able to identify a few of the perps from time to time . there 's the one with the anger management problems , then there 's the one who was an alcoholic . then there 's that odd guy with tattoos for a face . i do n't think he 's from here , but he can sure be dumb . then there was a murderer , but more so than the rest and then there 's one with a beard ... that 's a woman . it 's not the first time that i had noticed they were an odd crew , but it was a bit weird when they were having a snowball fight and someone pulled a rocket launcher from their pockets . alas , a day in the life .
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time travel exists , and a new form of capital punishment is introduced : transporting the convict back to the worst , practically unsurvivable , places in human history to find yourself in . you are such a convict , and just got sent back . you will do anything to try and survive .
after being a lurker for so long , this is my first response on /r/writingprompts . be gentle and hope you like it . they call it capital punishment , and i never really knew why . i mean , in the past they used guillotines , ropes , electric chairs and lethal injections . but this was totally different . someone could argue those alternatives were more humane . at least as humane as sentencing another human being to death can be . this was not any of those . it was basically being sent into a gladiators ' arena without an audience watching . well , i should watch what i say , in case they really do send me back to a coliseum .
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dragons are real , and they love talking to humans . describe how one would start .
oh , i wrote something like this the other day . i love dragons ! : d tears streaked from the corners of edmund ’ s eyes , the beating of raven ’ s gargantuan wings along with her rapid descent created so much wind that he could hardly take in a breath . his legs held fast to her scaled neck , his lithe body pressed close . horns sharp enough to impale a man protruding from the back of her skull served as his hand holds as they banked . the tips of raven ’ s claws skimmed the water before she reared up , throwing her hind legs forward into a jolting landing onto the beach . edmund clambered down onto the sand and sprawled out , enjoying the sun-heated earth and the rays beating down on him . raven was in a similar state . he had to chuckle at how similar they had become . he wondered who she would choose to fly with her when he was dead and gone , and felt a sudden pang of sharp jealousy . would they call her raven ?
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life of a mercenary .
november 15 , 2067 it has been two weeks since i took the icarus military systems job . today much like yesterday has been nothing more than a babysitting job . fourtynine and myself stand guard over what i can only assume is a weapons testing bunker , we are not allowed to enter , nor do we check anyone . ims private security screens its employees . we just wait outside . muscle to be flexed when the time arises . we never see one another outside of our gear , and rarely speak unless we need to . we are all numbers . i am fifty . it is all business as usual . our gear is top of the line , s-343 power suits with a full array of monitoring addons .
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in the middle of a vast desert there is a single , shiny black skyscraper . what is in it and why is it there ?
the swirling sand had long ago covered the base of the monolith . though ageless , it 's highly polished stone exterior still reflected the intense desert sun . it was uncomfortably hot on the side that was radiating , so lawren approached from the east . as he drew closer his suspicions were confirmed . the geiger counter started ticking up slowly , there was radiation emanating from its core . he started to get excited - he had long theorized that this was more than a monument . common belief had attributed its presence to the ingenious architects of the pyramids at giza , but he had never subscribed to those theories . too many holes in the explanation , this level of ingenuity was beyond those builders , and even today the best builders alive couldnt build such a precise monolith . `` it 's a beacon '' he had told his peers . `` left behind by something long ago , a waypoint of sorts . ''
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the taboo over necromancy is a thing of the past . you live in a world where it is normal to become a lich and `` live '' forever .
`` you 're getting old . '' it was a gray and miserable afternoon but jill did n't really seem to notice . her cappuccino caught raindrops . `` i know , i know , '' dismissed max . his latte had a lid . the two sipped their coffee in silence . only one of them noticed the barista added way too much caramel . `` i ... '' began jill . she fidgeted with her mug . `` i 'm scared of losing you . ''
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a man is secretly in love with his barber . he begins to bald .
her name was alice , and i only knew that because that 's what the other barbers always called her . it might 've not even been her real name , but it was a pretty name , and that suited her really well . she had long black hair , always pulled up neatly behind her head . her makeup was always done so perfectly , and though i did n't know much about makeup , i could tell that she was very careful with hers . she was just as careful with my hair . i always got the same haircut , mostly because i did n't know what else would look good on me . and she did it the same way every time , never even getting close to cutting me . i could tell that she was the type of person who did n't like change . she wanted everything to be the same in her own orderly way . we made small talk as she did her work , me watching her focused eyes and careful fingers .
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let 's play an rpg together . /r/writingprompts is the protagonist , and i am the dm . you make the decisions , i create the content . let 's begin .
# 16 - completed || answer selected : 2 the swamp is quiet with no sound of life within the surrounding area . no bugs . no rodents or pests . no drakes . no scavengers . this place is creepy more than anything , but you 're surprised you 've never been here before . you thought you were a pretty decent cartographer being a shifter and all , considering lay of the land is second nature to your kin . the position of the moon is closer to the horizon line than it is to the center of the sky , and you know that rest is important , so you unshift and set up camp . you begin to scavenge for anything you can find to make shelter in the surrounding area with no luck . all you find are a bunch of ashy logs and muddy sticks . being a hog makes you uncomfortable in your own skin ( considering you ate your own kind ) so you sit this one out and stay unshifted . at the very least , there was a small shelter covering you to block out the wind .
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with the appearance of magical artifacts hidden throughout the world that grant the bearer a unique superpower , all governments have devolved into chaos , devoting all resources to finding or recreating them first . you stumble upon one by accident .
paul awoke to the smell of brewing coffee , the taste of hangover lingering in his mouth . he was naked on top of a strange mattress . the sheets and comforter were in disarray on the floor , flung aside in passion . her scent and the scent of their lovemaking lingered in the sheets . he automatically checked his wrist to make sure it was still there . he breathed a sigh of relief and relished the kindness he felt from olesia , his latest lover . paul had been working at a regular corporate office job for several years . he would take short nature hikes in the wooded area around his office building , during breaks or before work . the local teens had built hideouts there , improvised squat structures covered in tarps and littered with stolen empty liquor bottles . curiosity often compelled paul to check out what the kids had been up to in there .
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a deity tweaks our world so that whenever somebody is intentionally murdered , their most important memories and knowledge are absorbed by their killer . this has ramifications at every level , not least among serial killers .
humid air mixed with the intense sun , creating the feeling of india personified , a blanket of heat and shit weighing the land down . randy looked around his father 's village , homes of stone and streets of brick , wiping once more at the sweat on his face . even the coloring of india seemed duller than america . browns and tans made up the majority of buildings , if they could be called that . *hell* , randy thought as he glanced around at the faces circling his father 's death bed , *even the skin colors are dull* . more than anything , randy just wanted to go back home . he almost did n't make the flight over , the flight to retrieve the knowledge of a man who had n't so much as graduated high school . randy always went too far just to please his family . the priest , or babaji , or whatever they called themselves signaled for randy to slide the dagger against his father 's neck . randy looked into his father 's eyes and smiled .
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a race of slaves who really are genetically inferior .
my first writingprompt comment haha . sorry if it 's long . i 'm not used to writing short stories . `` you are n't special nadia , how many times are they going to have to shock this into your thick head ? '' i wince as my brother presses the cloth into a cut on my back . `` what did you even do to deserve this kind of beating ? '' he dabs more salve into the wound , making sure i feel each pass of his hand . honestly , i do n't see any point in him patching me up . i bite back the pain and try my best to avoid the question . `` how did we end up like this , nikolai ? how are people fine with living like this , knowing that their name could be called one day ? why do they expect us to just give up our lives for them ? ''
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a person finds out they can steal the knowledge of others through contact . soon it becomes an obsession .
food courts are ideal . food courts and parks . really , any crowded spot will do , so long as i can walk around without bumping into anyone . you have to be careful with this sort of thing . touching the wrong kind of person , the cubicle worker at the peak of their miserable subway commute , for instance , can ruin your day . that kind of everyday depression , even glimpsed secondhand , is poison . that 's why i like food courts ; you get to pick your targets . i 've crafted my disguise as best i can : the passively indecisive face , the slow amble from counter to counter , the occasional pauses to read a menu . all the while i am catching glimpses , stolen by way of a brush against a passing stranger 's arm , or an apologetic shuffle between crowded tables . my favourite game is to steal someone 's train of thought .
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the moon is hollow .
`` sir , our resources are nearly depleted . '' `` yes , yes , i know . '' `` but what are we going to do ? '' the hefty general slammed his fists against the table . he scattered the blueprints and charts of data . sweat began to blur his vision , and his knees began to shake . he bared his teeth and reluctantly said , `` what other recourse do we have ? we must resort to plan b . '' `` do you mean -- ? '' `` yes , '' his eyes met the shivering subordinate , `` notify the president . prepare the ships . we launch at dawn . '' the lanky footsoldier scratched at his ears .
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every cell of your body is conscious and believes you to be god . one day you hear a prayer ...
cells are protoplasms enclosed within a membrane , right ? we learned that in biology . i remember our biology classes . miss parkinson , poor lady . we always laughed at her , remember ? we , sorry , i always enjoyed seeing those wide shining eyes at the end of each class , teardrops forming in the corners like a fraction of her soul , ripped apart and exerted through the eyes . the windows of the soul . that 's what they call the eyes , right ? but i digress . i wanted to tell you something , old friend . that 's why i started writing this letter in the first place .
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the four last people on earth decide to commit suicide one by one . the last man decides he can not bring himself to end his own life . describe the remainder of his life .
**disclaimer : i have never really written before . please try to be kind . i am using this as a way to practice and improve my vocabulary and grammar . if you want to correct me please do so . just make it constructive ! thanks** `` james , i need you to bury me . that is all i ask of you . '' a tear ran down samantha 's face as she looked at me . it crept slowly over her high cheekbone and slipped slowly into the corner of her mouth . she licked at it out of habit , every bit of water did count . not anymore though . not now .
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write a story inspired by your reddit username .
pmmefirearms . . . would be awesome if i was gifted random guns . nope arms on fire . no , seriously . people would douse their arms with gasoline , and light them on fire . like , seriously , what the fuck . on occasion , someone would give me an actual gun . pretty awesome when that happened . last time was an old mosin nagant . if the ak-47 could n't hit the broadside of the barn from the inside , and the ar-15 could hit a beetle on the broadside of the barn from 400 meter , then the mosin nagant could hit the farm from two counties over .
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humans are winning a war against an `` evil '' alien empire who instigated the war , and we 're closing in on their home planet with massive force . write things from an alien civilians perspective .
they were more aggressive than we could possibly imagine . the distress call was simple . a single word . help . the terrans needed help from an invasive species . humans . we traveled nearly 45 million of their light years , but by the time we arrived , a mere 1000 cycles later we were too late . the place was overrun . there were nearly 10 billion of them . they bred nearly as fast as the terrans . but they were focused on our brethren 's extermination . that is n't fair .
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when npcs are n't seen they are searching , constantly searching for places or items that will elevate them to the title of `` side quest npc '' . it is fabled also that there is an ever greater title still .
the little boy could barely contain his excitement as he runs down the hill . `` after all these times , it 's finally my chance ! '' `` dad ! dad ! '' the boy yelled as he busts through the door , `` i got attacked by a slime this morning and i lost my ring ! the programmers heard about it and they made me a beginner quest npc ! ! '' the boy looks around excitedly , but to his displeasure the house is empty . it seems his dad is still at the town hall , giving out mid level quests to the players . a little disappointed he could n't share his good news with his dad right away , the boy went into his room . *15 minutes later **attention players , we will now begin our scheduled weekly update . we apologize for any inconvenience . ** as the message fades , a man appears inside the house .
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at the end of a dystopian young adult novel , the hero succeeds with his uprising . but as it turns out , the totalitarian dystopian society was a perfect utopia all along . he/she just fucked everything up . our hero tries to justify everything that he/she has done .
he fell as fast as the gunshot that killed him . the `` supreme leader '' was no more . thousands of gasps filled the air , and i stood up to the podium to address what i assumed would be an overjoyed crowd . `` what have you done ! ? '' a woman shouted , tears streaming down her face . `` why would you do this ? i loved him . '' still in the mindset that everyone was conditioned to love their immortal deity of a leader , i tried convincing the woman that she no longer had to fear . `` it 's okay , you 're safe now . all of you are safe , all of you are free ! '' i stared into the crowd , and received a thousand stares in return . some looked heartbroken , some enraged , others in shock , unable to comprehend why their benevolent and kindly leader had been assassinated .
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write a rearrangeable story . write two or more paragraphs that can be read in any order to form a unique , coherent story .
her face was completely flat . i did n't know what to expect . the ceiling fan was humming slowly when she told me that i was fired , and i could tell my cheeks were reddening . i think i stuttered when i asked her whether there was a particular reason for that . and she told me i already knew the reason . my boss grabbed at her shirt . my boss had never been as hot as she was in that moment . and she had always been very attractive . from that first interview in the comfy office room , from that meeting that now seemed so long ago . she seemed like an unattainable dream back then .
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in the future , every human born lives for exactly 1 billion heartbeats . some go to extreme lengths to keep their heart rate low .
they thought they 'd saved the world . so did i . so did everyone . it made the front page of every major paper . a pharmaceutical breakthrough like this had n't happened for decades . everyone knew the deal , you died at exactly 1 billion heartbeats . 100,800 heartbeats per day on average . just over 27 years total if you did n't take precautions . we all wore heart rate monitors . we lived our lives with a countdown displayed on our wrists . i knew a lot of women who wore fakes , but secretly they kept their own count down away from public display .
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a boy asks a girl out . it 's high school . it 's awkward . narrate it from the point of view of a nature documentary .
in the natural world , no animal can claim to be more successful than the human . their high intelligence has allowed them to thrive in an urban environment in complex societies . with nourishment being of little concern , males can focus on other matters , like , courtship . a long male stands in front of the mirror , grooming himself . he is very young , known as a high school student . he is planning to court a girl . he brushes his hair gently with a brush , making sure every last strand is in the right place . then , he adjusts his shirt and polishes his shoes . everything must be perfect . after spending many hours in front of his mirror , he is finally ready .
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it 's the future , and the latest kink is mind control collars ( possibly nsfw ) . for up to 2hrs , your bdsm slave can do anything you want . but rarely , the collars can malfunction ... or get hacked .
doc i must say it was n't my proudest moment , but you know how difficult finding a woman this days can be . i was in a low , everything in life seemed so sad . man it was horrible , being horney affects people on an emotional level . i started missing work , i lost my interest in going out , what was the use right . why go spend money at a bar if no woman would want to fuck me ? that is the definition of a bad investment . so about two weeks ago my friend fasto came by to visit , he said he had not seen me in a while and that he was getting a little worried . i gave him the old bull you know , i told him i had been really busy and unable to relax much . `` what do n't you come out tonight then , my treat '' . well fuck it , what did i have to lose right , and getting drunk off someone 's else 's money did n't seem half bad to me .
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tell the story of an adventure in a fantasy world has advanced to become an interstellar civilization , using magic , not technology .
`` hahahaah ! '' sernas let out a hearty laugh before spitting out a venomous wad of goo . behind that laugh hid all the bitterness and anger he bore towards humans , though he still tried to disguise it at the very least . his eyes were criss-crossed with intricate lines of red and blue across a black background , denoting his status as a yeti . his white fur seemed like a blanket of snow on a fresh winter 's day , with no embellishments on it to tarnish its natural beauty . `` a duel ? are you serious , flunky ? '' there it was . the *whole* reason this farce started , and this guy *still* wants to taunt me for being a human . sure , we did n't have the greatest magic . we might be underutilising our huge population . but this blithering idiot really does n't get that nobody likes to hear themselves being despised and mocked . the spacedock was already buzzing with activity , so it was no surprise a crowd had formed around us .
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my cat comes home nearly every morning with cuts and scratches all over . write about what he could be getting up to on his nights out .
the lone predator , the silent assassin , i felt invincible last night , but what had started out as a routine hunting expedition turned out to be a much more dangerous affair . creeping through the tall grass of the wilderness , i listened and watched . spring had just begun , which meant there would be sweet , succulent younglings ; but they would be faithfully guarded by their mothers or families . all around me , the sounds of life filled the moonless night . were i inclined to show the weakness that is emotion , i would have purred gleefully at all of the prospects around me . that night i would feast like the king i was ! oh so many choices before me ! was i hungry for squirrel , pigeon , or maybe even bat ? maybe i would have one of each ! the air tingled with activity .
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