Instant Story

Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #02537-F347: Many Ways to Pack Bond

The havenworlders hire a human who docks their ship to the havenworlder's own larger research vessel and uses that for their quarters rather than what the havenworlders have provided. When asked why, the human simply responds "It's better this way." But does not care to elaborate. The reason behind the why becomes clear when a havenworlder goes in to bring a gift to the human that has become such a kind friend and asset, when the havenworlder hears horrific screaming coming from the human's sleeping chamber. Hurrying over, they see the human sitting up, bare in bed, covered in sweat with eyes wide in fear. Once the human has calmed down, they explain to their havenworlder companion about night-terrors, and how some who've seen far too much in their life, can suffer from it. -- Anon Guest

At first, the crew of the Little Blue Bird thought that Human Pri valued their personal space. The alternate speculation was that Pri was one of those Humans who thrived in their own mess, or their own sense of order, and therefore had to keep everyone else segregated from it. They weren't expecting a rare mental disorder.

Somnambulism is not a survival trait in environments that require everyone present to leave the airlocks alone. That said, there are similar disorders that can be worse than disturbing for outside viewers. As Byarin found out when they ventured into the docked Human vessel.

Any unfamiliar ground is automatically liminal, especially when it was quiet. Everything is a shell of something unfamiliar. A shape of something that could be, but currently was not. It was a place where Byarin felt compelled to tread carefully, to mind hir step whilst seeking out Human Pri.

Support me on Patreon / Buy me a Ko-fi

Continue Reading

Prompts remaining: 62 Submit a Prompt! Ask a question! Buy my stories!

Challenge #02535-F345: One... Giant Leap

A human has fallen very much in love with another deathworlder. These deathworlders are only similar to humans in that they walk bipedal and have a human-ish shape to their faces, but that's about it. The human had been working aboard ship with the being for almost a year, the contract stated the human would be there for another four years, and they were trying to find out how to get the being to become interested in more than just .... well... friendship.

Read more »

Challenge #02534-F344: Designed For Disaster

There are reasons why humans coined the term “idiot proofing”, many MANY reasons -- Anon Guest

Make it idiot proof and the world will invent a better idiot -- Human engineering axiom.

It was a Human who came up with Murphy's Law, and further Humans who came up with all the associated corollaries. Humans investigated them all, invented science to prove them, and then invented science that provided vital analysis into the reasons why it was so.

All devices made by Humans

Read more »

Challenge #02533-F343: In the Eye of the Storm

Humans don't all celebrate Silly Seasons. Some find it disorienting, some have been damaged, some protest aspects of the culture/celebration in question, some just don't care, and occasionally they're not 'in the mood.' For those who've resigned themselves to the boisterous Silly Season, a human who doesn't conform to the human 'norm' is actually more alarming than everything else they've prepared to tolerate. -- Anon Guest

Silly Season is not a set festival, as many new to the Galactic Alliance

Read more »

Challenge #02532-F342: Soul's Music

The devil sit down on his throne moaning of what he lost, his own pride fell apart think of the cost. Whenever or not to rise again but came walking in a old man; scratching a itch, he pulled out a golden fiddle and said “remember me bitch” -- Anon Guest

Fire on the mountain, run boys run/ Devil's in the house of the rising sun -- Human Folk Song.

Humans love to tell stories about immortals. People who made a deal

Read more »

Challenge #02531-F341: Conflict of Interests

Don’t worry we’re completely safe

explosion

Relatively safe

laughter in the distance

As long we don’t move from here, we’re safe

door flies open

I think it’s best if we leave -- Anon Guest

[AN: Nonny, you have hit one of my favourite tropes - the chain of circumstantial self-correction. I confess to laughing out loud]

There used to be two absolute certainties in the universe - death and taxes. However, after the Humans entered the Galactic

Read more »

Challenge #02530-F340: Love for All Creatures

Humankind will happily share/shelter tiny pets with/from the universe. Hamsters, flying squirrels, cats, parrots, sugar gliders, lizards and snakes, even dogs. As an unsocial person, I will socialize the heck out off my girl despite my discomfort. As a nonviolent person, I will murder anyone who lays a hand on my baby. How much would I love someone who protected my pet for me? -- Anon Guest

This wasn't the first time Human An had woken up in a medbay.

Read more »

Challenge #02529-F339: The Truest Heroes

Human librarians, or "not every human is visually, vocally, or physically intimidating...or needs to be to be fearsome." -- Anon Guest

[AN: Have you met any librarians, Nonny? They only appear soft and weak. They lift tomes on the daily, have a vast knowledge of nearly everything, and a supernatural ability to put up with seventeen different kinds of horseshit at once. They are therefore minor gods.]

In a world of ignorance, a knowledgeable person is either king or crazy. In

Read more »

Challenge #02528-F338: Meeting Bip and Bop

A human is always highly protective of a large front pocket of his shirt. He makes sure, when he puts on his skins, always clear ones never opaque, or his armor, that there's a space there, rather inefficient, but it's when a tiny head pokes out that people realize, he has a pet there. A sweet little sugar-glider that is his constant companion. Sure they're almost as fragile as a level 4 Havenworlder, but he loves his little pet very much. He

Read more »

Challenge #02527-F337: Expression Day

They had a thought. All this time the gravity drives seemed to have their own thoughts, their own personalities. But they never before had been given their own voice. It seemed a shame, really. They couldn't tell when they were upset, hurt, or needed to be fixed, these vital parts of any ship. The parts that most people treated as mere objects and often had lonely existences despite going through the expanses of space. So why not give them a voice? Give

Read more »

Challenge #02526-F336: Every Good Boy Deserves Fondness

Hard to explain: basically this post. -- Anon Guest

[AN: I see the Terry Pratchett quote in that post. GNU.]

"So. You know about werewolves, right? Terrible curse, full moon, murder and devastation and all that shit?"

"I... think so. Um. Why are you leading me into your basement?" Gria grew increasingly alarmed as Thom lead her downstairs. "Why is your basement door made out of metal?" And from there to inside, "Why are there chains on the wall?"

"Babe... I'm a

Read more »

Challenge #02525-F335: Useful Obsession

Almost everyone has a collection of some sort. Some collect books, some do baseball cards, and others like stamps. Me? I love seeds. Every planet I've been to, and every ship I've been assigned to, one of the things I've always insisted upon as part of my contract as a bodyguard, or whatever, is this. In addition to my pay, I get ten packages of seeds. And they must be diverse packages, no duplicates. To ensure this, I give them a list

Read more »

Challenge #02524-F334: An Appeal

"On this show we talk about humans, and for the most part it's scary stuff. But not today. Because there is one thing you can't say to a human, "you can't"

Today we will tell the story of a human who was told, "You can't save everyone. You will just die trying" " -- Hyorky

Go hard or go home, -- Terran saying.

The two most fate-inducing words to say to a Human are, you can't. Humans will defy logic, reason, and the

Read more »

Challenge #02523-F333: Joy in the Season of Dying

He promised his avian friends a sight on Earth of breathtaking beauty. All they'd ever heard of, when it came to his home planet, was the horrible animals, the diseases, the terrors of trying to exist there. Of course, he knew those things were on Earth, but he loved his home planet even if his job kept him away for long periods of time. He got them dressed in warm clothing and took them to the northern hemisphere where autumn was in

Read more »

Challenge #02522-F332: One Way to See

What if humans sight was akin to fantasy elves sensitivities to mana, “I may not have electro receptors like you but I'm able to to detect light with my eyes within the general vicinity” and they were so coy and vague describing light. Also if aliens have electro receptors imagine if they detect our nervous system. -- Anon Guest

The semi-amphibious Anatins didn't need to see light as they were evolving. They could sense the electrical discharges of predators and prey alike

Read more »