“I have a hard time making good decisions.”
“Yeah?”
“I always seem to pick the greater of two evils. Like yesterday I skipped my final exam to compete in a hot dog-eating contest.”
“I think I see your problem.”
“Really? What?”
“You consider writing an exam to be an ‘evil’…”
This story is based on a title suggested by Nathan Barber.
He stood amid chaos, tumult, and noise, hearing nothing.
A voice passed through his mind. “Speak your wish, and your hearing can be restored to you.”
He looked around him, at the lights, movement, and stone-eyed faces. “Do not restore my hearing,” he said. “Please take my sight, as well.”
This story is based on a title suggested by @PanzerVaughn.
Herb barely beat the deadline. The completed report was faxed at exactly 11:59. When the fax machine displayed “successfully sent,” he took a deep breath and smiled for the first time in weeks. Unfortunately, he hadn’t noticed the sign taped to the front of the fax machine: PLACE FACE UP.
Bruce Harris is the author of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson: ABout Type, published by The Battered Silicon Dispatch Box.
Every morning, as the sun comes up, the stars awaken.
Stars are not nocturnal, as many assume. They actually sleep all night and dance during the day, when their predators, the owls, can’t see them.
So when you see a shooting star, remember: a hungry owl is chasing after it.
This story is based on a title suggested by @facelesscog.
“So…”
“I messed up.”
“I know you did.”
“Will you forgive me?”
“I don’t know. Probably.”
“What do you mean, ‘probably’?”
“I just haven’t decided yet, I guess.”
“Honestly, I’m not sure how to respond to that.”
“Here’s an idea: fix things first, then ask again afterwards.”
Tough
Love
Christmas
Can you see the word picture?
This story was based on the prompt “messed up” on TypeTrigger.
Some kids always had to be told to “stay inside the lines.” Not Nancy: she had never liked colouring in the corners.
Her parents and her teachers said, “Don’t just paint the middles. You’re missing all the parts near the edges!”
“But really,” Nancy protested, “what’s so great about edges?”
This story was based on the prompt “in the corners” at TypeTrigger.
“Time for bed, princess!” trilled Mom.
Little Mia said, “Why?”
“So you can sleep, and have lots of energy tomorrow.”
“I don’t need sleep.”
“Of course you do, dear.”
Mia laid awake in her big-girl bed all night, wondering what sleep was and why everyone else did it so much.
This story was based on the prompt “what for” at TypeTrigger.
Mia will appear in Special People, my superhero-with-a-twist serial web fiction, in a future story.
The bear came through the door of his shack tent with a squeal of abused latchwork and snapping lumber.
He started up in his open sleeping bag. In the next frozen second, his eyes darted between his knife, hanging sheathed above his bed and the intruding bear.
Time ran out.
A longtime LRR fan, Alex works for a gold exploration and development company in Saskatchewan. This was written while in a shack tent, after having watched a bear safety video too late a night.
Editor: I worked with LRR for more than two years until I left in 2010 to finish school.
The cowboy drank until he’d had enough, then topped off his flask for later.
When he turned to go, a couple mean-looking gents had gathered.
“Had enough?” said one.
“Got my fill.”
“Well at this lemonade stand most folks pay before they drink. Now give the little girl her quarter.”
This story was based on the prompt “had my fill” at TypeTrigger.
Petunia and all the other ponies were excited for the royal parade.
In the morning, they were each given a pork chop and a pea. They devoured their delicious pork chops, all except Petunia. “Pork makes me bloaty,” said Petunia, and ate her pea.
The Princess chose to ride Petunia.
This story is dedicated to Mr. Denoncour’s 7th Grade class, which also provided the title as inspiration.