Instant Story

Challenge #02300-F110: Cut-price Demon

You are happily going about your day when you vanish in a puff of smoke. Suddenly you’re standing in a ring of candles. A sorcerer holding a tome looks pleased at your arrival. Turns out Earth is hell, and we’re the demons, and you’ve just been summoned. -- Chara Dreemurr

Most low-wage jobs involve a stupid cardboard hat and the phrase, "can I take your order". None of them involve the chance to sit down because people like to see the underpaid working for their pittance. This one had equally daft plastic horns as part of the polyester uniform because Caf-fiend was that type of place.

So when Mar stepped through the steam of the bean roast and into a circle of runes, it was not quite obvious that things had gone awry. The stockroom was famously blowing out lights and the smell was similar to that of the dungeon. It was the feel of the cobblestone floor beneath her sandshoes that alerted her that something was off. That, and the robed figure with the enormous tome. Also the skulls currently being used as candleholders. The dead chicken on the stone altar was a definite violation of health and safety regs.

"Avaunt, foul fiend," said the hooded being. "Thou art mine and must therefore do my bidding."

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Challenge #02299-F109: I Smell Your Stink

Hey mom, hey dad.

Glad to hear everything's going well back at home. Hope lil sis is still practising for her band tour. Everything here's good, except for one thing. My roommate is kind if the equivalent of a sentient space skunk. I mean, I don't blame them, but you know how strong my nose is! I bet it's not even that bad! So yeah, everything else is fine.

Love you guys,

Katie -- Anon Guest

Humans tend to boldly go where

Challenge #02298-F108: Bowls of Fresh Air

And that was the day that they found a "havenworld" that was actually deadly to anyone not born there. -- Anon Guest

The Havenworld/Deathworld scale judges only how hazardous an origin planet is for its inhabitants. How many factors are in their favour or, in the case of Deathworlds, actively trying to kill them. For the Phyltrathi of Planet Fluff, their planetary abode was paradise. All they had to do was take a deep breath and the spores and threads in

Challenge #02297-F107: Wait for the Sanitation Cycle

I imagine the first few times Humans encountered other species there where a few, biological problems. I mean, at least one person must have touched something without testing it first. -- Anon Guest

There is a general rule for space: never enter an untrusted area without your livesuit. The corollary, of course, is: don't trust anywhere. Even the cleansing booths have to be checked thoroughly for compatibility before you should try bathing in them.

Some species can't go near the solid form

Challenge #02296-F106: Some Improvements

You are a therapist who insists that all are welcome. This is why you now know the identities of both heroes and villains. -- Anon Guest

Y'know, for a therapist, I'm... kind of unobservant. I mean, sure, I know I can't help everyone, but I listen well and I try my best, so it kind of works out. That, and I take doctor-patient confidentiality very seriously. I'm one of the few people who knows who Captain Magnificent is when he's not in

Challenge #02295-F105: A Morbid Fascination

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Huo3CtZaYMY is a Good example.

Humans are (at least in comparison to other species) obsessed with End-of-the-World-Scenarios.

Aliens find this strange/bizarre and question a human. -- Anon Guest

Human Raz was taking personal time to de-stress themselves. In this case, the relaxing activity involved yelling at a screen whilst their hands spasmed along the surface of a small, plastic interface. The Human's dialogue was not coherent or relaxed. It mostly consisted of things like, "Come

Challenge #02294-F104: Some Came Along

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxLa6QgqM2w -- Anon Guest

Terrans believe in ghosts. Well. Most of them do. There's some phenomena amongst those sensitive to infrasound, magnetic radiation from electronica, and liminal spaces. There's also the growing Esper population who are unaware of their native abilities and prescribe activities or voices to spirits.

However, there are more than a few... incidents... that defy the explanations of science. Echoes in dark corridors from feet that aren't there. Whispers just out of understanding.

Challenge #02293-F103: Not Easily Broken

“Everyone has a point where they snap. Question is, human, where’s yours?” -- Anon Guest

"Depends on what you mean by 'snap'," said Human Liss. They were already three-quarters broken. A thousand small injuries adding up to more than a few big ones. They had been caught without their livesuit during this particular raid and over half of those minor injuries were accidentally self-inflicted. The rest were acquired in a way that had "the other guy" in a whimpering ball of

Challenge #02292-F102: Dem Deathworlder Bones

'What do you mean, "Earth was more dangerous before humans arrived"?'

'One word of you bro; "Dinosaurs".' -- AmberFox

Here's the thing about Deathworlds - numerous extinction events make the surviving branches of the evolutionary scrublands stronger and more terrifying than the ones that got wiped out. Sometimes, that isn't always that obvious.

So when Havenworlders see the reconstructed skeletons of saurian life from the increasingly aptly-named Terra, it's understandable that they freak out more than a little. There's nothing

Challenge #02291-F101: Kitchen Parley

"Let's see how strong this little 'rebellion' is." I walked to my son's door and knocked. "I know you don't feel like talking to me, but I wanted to let you know there's pie in the kitchen." I set up the plates and took out the pie, and was very happy to hear the creak of his door. -- Anon Guest

Teenagers had to be the most misunderstood age grouping in the world. They were given all the responsibilities of adulthood but

Challenge #02290-F100: Celtic Legacy

There are some scientists that wants to make human look unbridled and untrustworthy. They make a bullet with weird mixture that makes humans aggressive and bloodthirsty.

Human [name] was spending some time with her co-workers when she feels a little pain in her neck, she blackout. When she wake up she was bonded by her friends and not her blood was on the floor, her and her co-worker. -- Anon Guest

Like all problems in the known universe, this one started with

Challenge #02289-F099: Not Any Old Djinn Joint

"There you are. We have to talk. I have another... project, for you."

"Victor Drath... yes... Something worthy of my services... or another one of your vendettas?"

"You spoke to me once of a... special item... which your organization had developed, one that could prove most beneficial for... certain goals of mine. Does that development still exist? More importantly, is it for sale?"

"This is the world, Mr. Drath. Everything is for sale." -- Anon Guest

Of course, the Shadowy Figure had

Challenge #02288-F098: All Nerds Together

There are many types of nerds. Science nerds, language nerds, sports nerds, food nerds, etc. -- Anon Guest

"NERD!"

Al ducked the incoming half-cup of fluid. This was the third time in as many minutes. This was, apparently, what they deserved for wearing a Steampunk shirt, a TARDIS cap, and carrying a Tote of Holding. Not helping were the rainbow socks and the cargo pants with the belt and braces.

Al took a deep breath. Glared at the jocks across the way,

Challenge #02287-F097: It Was Not Effective

A human goes to a Havenworld and an animal tries their very hardest to attack them. It is adorable! -- Anon Guest

If there wasn't a precedent for optimistically-named worlds turning into ironic hellscapes, Human Caer would have named this world Elysium. The air was sweet, the water contained zero pathogens, the fruit and vegetation were simple and not even remotely infused with all the subtle chemical weaponry that Caer was used to. It was bland, but nourishing, so it had her

Challenge #02286-F096: An Effective Apocollapse

"Interesting Times" the four horsemen of panic. "Misinformation, Rumour, Gossip and Denial". And Boy! does this remind me of politics, common and the more toxic. -- Knitnan

This is the way the world ends, T. S. Elliot wrote, Not with a bang, but a whimper. How sad, how tragic, that it almost came true. For the Horsemen to ride, it wasn't necessary to have War, Famine, Pestilence and Death in force. No, they started much, much smaller. After all, it is from

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Challenge #02300-F110: Cut-price Demon

Challenge #02299-F109: I Smell Your Stink

Challenge #02298-F108: Bowls of Fresh Air

Challenge #02297-F107: Wait for the Sanitation Cycle

Challenge #02296-F106: Some Improvements

Challenge #02295-F105: A Morbid Fascination

Challenge #02294-F104: Some Came Along

Challenge #02293-F103: Not Easily Broken

Challenge #02292-F102: Dem Deathworlder Bones

Challenge #02291-F101: Kitchen Parley

Challenge #02290-F100: Celtic Legacy

Challenge #02289-F099: Not Any Old Djinn Joint

Challenge #02288-F098: All Nerds Together

Challenge #02287-F097: It Was Not Effective

Challenge #02286-F096: An Effective Apocollapse