Forums » Art & Creativity » Official Contest: Short Story Challenge 2023

Gonna roll in here too :>

Let’s see what we’re writing about!

Edit: Costs? That’s a little…

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“It’ll have to be a change of diet,” the scrawny veterinarian explained. “That’s the only way to fix it.”

Looking down at the tiny cat with her enormous ears and wide eyes, I frowned. “Well, it’s better than medical intervention,” I decided, pressing the feline back into her crate.

The bill tallied a total of $1,233.

“Wow,” I thought aloud, looking down at the creature in her carrier quietly as I slapped my credit card on the reader. “Who knew you peeing on my carpet would cost me twelve hundred dollars?” I asked the cat.

Contented, the cat chirped.

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this might be from personal experience

We shall see.

Oops, didn't fill out the dice properly.

Let's see.

Strength. Interesting.

edit: went with a humorous idea for this one.


~

It was a summer day when I saw her. Muscular, tall. Her hair like red ribbons curling all around her, dressed like she was attending a ball. It wasn't her flexing, her hair, or her gown that made me stare. It was the giant turtle hoisted above her. Making way for a clown car on the way to a faire.

The turtle was hiding in its shell. I stood mouth agape, stopped in my tracks. The clown car got by, the turtle released. Thanks to the strong woman, that woman - my wife - all is well and all turtles get snacks.

This was so hard last year I must do it again. Let's roooooll!

Let's see!

Hmm let's see. Will Edits later!

Edited: So I got Costs! And honestly it inspired me to think, "at what costs will one go to retrieve something that is lost".
So here my short story!


Amidst this alien wasteland, grey clouds block out the light, casting everything in a hazy monochrome.
The wind doesn't let up.

On one side resides a blackened alien race. Within their leaders arms is a small pearlescent child.

On the opposite side of this army stands three lone warriors. Their milky green eyes focus on the child.

The leader turns his back to them, his blackened army of shadow thralls give chase. The three warriors fight their way through. But, the pearlescent child fades amongst dark sea of their enemies.

The three stand victorious, but the pearlescent child is gone.

Our destruction, ourselves, our future, unknown. Home is a feeling you get, wherever you are. Home is something I don't have until now. "Hey, you!" I turn, to Jacob a friend of mine. "Hey, Jake!"


"I like you I always have." I blush. Jake had shocked me with three little words. Jake had done the unimaginable. Made me realize what home truly is.


Home is a feeling, not a building, but a feeling one gets in a specific place with a specific person. Jake was my person, my home, my feeling.


Theme: Home

r e a l i t y

Tall Beast and Small Beast shared an island in the sea; Small lost half his garden whenever Tall laid down to sleep. Small took up the axe to see his crops grow free, crept upon Tall sleeping to chop him short below the knees.

But from this wretched act, what new life should spring free? Stomp Beast and Kick Beast, to trample all the greens!

Small lost all his garden to violence and greed -- so of thy nuisance neighbors, prune thee carefully.

Let's see what we get!!!

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Prompt: Excess! I was thinking about hoarding too much, and realizing just how bad things can get if you do so.

With a heavy heart and a sorrowful toothy smile, the dear old dragon sat with their abundant horde. They were coming to realize just how much they had as they grew sick and frail. With all of their gold and silver stuck to their underbelly, they fell into a deep, eternal slumber. It was there they realized just how much their greed hurt the humans in the town below. The story of this dragon is told frequently to children as to not influence them into hoarding their belongings and things they could give to others, like the dragon once did.

Cost

Bones crippled, veins dried, limp body under my feet - I ask what do I get in return for your death? Body says ‘Reaper’s orders,’ so I call him to my home. I ask what do I get in return for their death? Reaper says ‘God’s orders,’ so I kneel. I ask God what do I get in return for their death? He says nothing. I knew it was useless to ask - people died every day, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want to know: at what cost does everyone die?

Let's give it a tryyy

Ooh this looks fun! I’ll edit later hehe

I'm a bit curious to try this out-
Will edit later!

I guess I'll give this a try...

Strength
The carnival had sold 200 chances for $5 each to win $500 by getting the highest score on the high striker, and Dillon was the last to try, with Roger currently in the lead.

Dillon knew he would win; none of these mortals could match his vampiric strength.

He stepped up to the platform and swung the mallet, easily sending the weight high enough to top Roger’s score.

Dillon watched Roger and his family walk away. It was sad, really; they needed the money. But intentionally losing would have been a personal sacrifice, and Dillon had never been that strong.

Rebellion.

Behold Erathorn's gilded instructions! Nonetheless, nonconformers' ill-intent, nightly grew.
Many incited dissenters dispatched Lord Erathorn.
Erathorn's numbers: disbanded.

Ooookay, story's done! Really struggled to get this one below the word limit, but I did it! Here it is... STRENGTH (in 99 words according to the counter.)
Snail's shell was pretty, swirled with colours. It was also heavy, but Snail carried it because people said they should. They were strong enough.
"That shell looks heavy." Mantis said.
"It is. But I'm strong, and everyone likes me with it on."
"Do YOU like you with it on?"
Snail had never let themself consider this, but deep down, they knew the answer. With their friend's support, they could lift the disconcerting weight.
Now, Slug crawled away from the discarded swirls of colour. The shell was pretty, but it was heavy, and it was not their weight to carry.

First time doing one of these things, let's give it a shot!

R E A L I T Y

Everything is fire. A figure, wreathed in flame, reaches for him and he shies away. It wears his brother’s face, but that can’t be right, his brother is dead. His brother—

“Hold still, Jon. You’ll tear your stitches.”

R… Ramona?

He blinks, and his vision clears. A woman stands where he expected to see his brother, and when he reaches for his side, expecting to feel sticky hot blood, he only finds soft gauze bandages.

“Gidean, he—” Jon chokes before the words are out.

“Hush, Jon. I know.” Ramona does her best to soothe him. “He betrayed us all.”

I'm already enjoying reading these