Instant Story

Challenge #03144-H235: Change Cometh From Above

You can open the cage of oppression and break the chains of slavery, but it's up to the individual whenever or not they step outside. For what does freedom really mean when demanded of you by a god? -- Anon Guest

To live was to work. To work was to live. Only the newborn were permitted hours of rest and sloth. All of them spent their time in darkness. The light of the sun was a privilege granted by the one on high. Splurged on the indolent youth, they spent the rest of their lives earning it properly.

By the sweat of thy brow, shalt thou earn thy bread. It was in the hymns they sang to the one on high. It was in their prayers for mercy from any slight transgressions they may commit. For they must work perfectly, or be punished. At any point the one on high could withhold food, water, or a bed for the rest hours. The one on high made certain all knew who had earned punishment. Depending on the crime, the punishment would be swift and severe.

Destruction of property was always punishable by death. Anyone who stole from the manufacturing line would lose a digit from a random phalange until they had no fingers left. The last one to go would be the thumb. After that... their fate was sealed. Those who could not work... died slowly. Therefore it was wise to thank the one on high for any small mercy. That was -- until the gods came crashing down.

Support me on Patreon / Buy me a Ko-fi

Prompts remaining: 68 Submit a Prompt! Ask a question! Buy my stories!

Challenge #03143-H234: Call it an Infrastructure Issue

It was an artificial planet, the makers had kidnapped young Deathworlders, including small human children, as forced labor because they were small and able to get into tight places. Some of the kids died getting trapped in areas where the air would run out. CRC learned of this horror, Pax Humanis was called in. The madmen who kidnapped the kids soon learned WHY you don't mess with children in the alliance. Especially since one of those kids was the little daughter of

Challenge #03142-H233: Watch Out For the Little Ones

A crew of tough-as-nails space marines finds the lone survivor of a shipwreck that had been sending out distress signals. The planet itself was utterly uninhabitable, it was shocking the kid survived. The child, barely two years of age, became their mascot, and guarded treasure. This little child, a level 2 Deathworlder, would grow up with a large family, and space marines are a bit fierce about protecting those they love. -- Anon Guest

Trouble barely remembered life before they joined up

Challenge #03141-H232: Human Enrichment Duties

There is NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING in this universe that is more dangerous than telling a human that is completely bored out of their mind, that something, anything, is impossible. -- Lessons

There are some cosmic laws that are inviolate. Never ask what can go wrong. Never play finesse games with a cogniscent nicknamed 'Slick'. Never try to eat anything bigger than your own head... and never EVER tell a Human what's impossible.

Nature hates a vacuum, Humans hate monotony. Though some flourish

Challenge #03140-H231: Loco Parentis

"Knock Knock"

"Who's there?"

"Banana."

"Banana who?"

"Knock knock"

"Who's there?"

"Banana."

"Banana Who?"

"Knock Knock"

exasperated! "WHO'S THERE??"

"Orange"

sigh! "Orange who?'

"Orange you glad I didn't say Banana?"

GROAN!!!!! -- Anon Guest

Some stages of childhood development seem to be a test of the parental's endurance. Some of those kids really make strangers wonder how they survive to adulthood. Just one of those stages is the discovery of jokes.

"Hey... hey... hey... hey...? Why do beans like to live

Challenge #03139-H230: Pour Encourager l'Artistes

It took them a long time to get to the planet the Archivaas called home. But there was a reason they went there. Many, many generations of their family had been avid photographers, or as they jokingly called themselves, a whole family of "shutter-bugs". Photos and drawings from earth before the time of the shattering, before the first humans even went to the moon, albeit, very rough photos, all the way through the generations to digital media, saved in a large crate

Challenge #03138-H229: The Opening Volley

Poor Wraithvine, the trauma of trying to train, and protect, a young chosen one by the name of Kevin, and his strong-headed mother while Kevin was training, still fresh in his mind, and now yet another young one, this time even stronger, and even MORE reluctant, to leave his home. Destiny isn't kind though, not by a long shot. If it was, then why are those rather pissed off looking purists trying to raid the village and get rid of "monsters"? And

Challenge #03137-H228: Medicinal Herb Misuse

Despite being Deathworlders themselves, they hired a human who was an expert at debugging computer systems, at engineering, and at improvising fast solutions when things went south. They looked like large, bipedal, cats, including claws that could pull in or be exposed when needed. They made sure they hired a human who was not allergic to fur, or felines. However, when the human started growing catnip, using it to sooth himself when they had trouble sleeping at night, the beings realized it

Challenge #03136-H227: By the Gods

“He has to know. He'll never be whole without the truth. Look, I get it. You hate the gods. All gods. It’s no accident that includes yourself. And it includes your boy. Don’t you see that? He feels that! He can’t help what he is. He can’t begin to help it, because you haven’t even told him. It’s all connected man.” -- Anon Guest

Picture what it would be like for gods and deities to roam

Challenge #03135-H226: Incitement to Heroism

Amatu is reluctant to leave his home, the farm, the village he grew up in. A place where he is loved and accepted despite his odd appearance. The immortal mage decides to stick around for a while, since things about this young man are more than a little interesting, but thanks to one form of magic showing in the bell, the next starts to show in his abilities growing stronger. He yells at a crooked trader from another land to tell the

Challenge #03134-H225: Caution - Humans Running

It doesn’t matter what species you are. If the ship’s engineer start running you better follow -- Anon Guest

Only Humans ever invented running as a recreational activity. Which is why places with a jogging track also have large volumes of warning labels. Before Humans joined the Alliance, even possessing something that could pass as a jogging track was never a priority. When one cogniscent was running, it was generally a good idea to run with them. They obviously knew

Challenge #03133-H224: Learn From Mistakes

The four humans, on leave from the ships they work aboard, are sitting around a table with four boxes that simply read Dangerous Nuts High Scoville. Once known to humans as "The Death Nut Challenge". Grinning, and razzing each other, they're about to each see how much spiciness they can handle when a level 3 Deathworlder, full of arrogance, pulls up a chair and demands to join them. After all, these squishy, weak-looking, apes are eating what is just five little nuts,

Challenge #03132-H223: The Temple of Love

They were a large temple with many followers, Humans, Elven, Dwarves, Faerie, etc.. They carefully watered the blooming cherry trees and tended the gardens, and they were seen always aiding others with food and medical aid. And, oddly enough, the temple was very wealthy. But then again it should not be so odd. For the women of the temple, for all every single one of them was of immense beauty, refused all suitors unless that suitor was a Tiefling. The men of

Challenge #03131-H222: Artisinal Friend

They sat alone, quietly eating their meal. Their shoulders were slumped, their head was down, they had the forlorn look of a lonely, bereft, individual who'd completely given up on life itself. When a kind cogniscent tried to sit with them, they softly mumbled something apologetic and, quietly, obviously reluctantly, moved away to an even more distant, emptier, corner. The person went back to their friends, their eyes sad, filled with compassion.

"What did they say?"

"They said bad-luckers who cause their

Challenge #03130-H221: But We Love Them...

The crew ends up getting stuck on a Level 2 Deathworld and the Humans tame a few of the large omnivores and train them to be ridden. At least until rescue arrives.

"No you CAN'T bring it with, Humans!" -- Anon Guest

Over half of the plantlife was generically toxic. The other half had to be processed in order to be edible more than once[1]. The wildlife was neither shy nor retiring. So, of course, the Ships' Humans flakking loved it,

Menu

Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #03144-H235: Change Cometh From Above

Challenge #03143-H234: Call it an Infrastructure Issue

Challenge #03142-H233: Watch Out For the Little Ones

Challenge #03141-H232: Human Enrichment Duties

Challenge #03140-H231: Loco Parentis

Challenge #03139-H230: Pour Encourager l'Artistes

Challenge #03138-H229: The Opening Volley

Challenge #03137-H228: Medicinal Herb Misuse

Challenge #03136-H227: By the Gods

Challenge #03135-H226: Incitement to Heroism

Challenge #03134-H225: Caution - Humans Running

Challenge #03133-H224: Learn From Mistakes

Challenge #03132-H223: The Temple of Love

Challenge #03131-H222: Artisinal Friend

Challenge #03130-H221: But We Love Them...