Instant Story

Challenge #04474-L090: Save the Starfish

The entire group were coughing, obviously, seriously, ill. Jay and his mentor Sunshine knew they needed treatment quickly, or they would not make it. But they were also hesitating, conditioned to remain lest their former overlords find out. Fortunately, they knew how to intimidate an individual into doing what needed to be done. In this case, scare them to entering the transport so they could get medical care, and off this forsaken rock. -- Fighting Fit

Jay always thought they were merciless. That was the way of the killer. To end lives without mercy. Maybe even with a little malice. Certainly with one judicial finger on the scales of justice.

It helped that the Alliance knew what Jay was, and set them aside for moments in which people like them could be useful.

Like getting rid of a tumor on two legs, like the CEOs that made entire planets suffer. Every time, it was like killing that shitheel that called himself Jay's father. Over and over again. It was catharsis. It was closure. It was relief.

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Challenge #04473-L089: Drama Balm

A wandering caravan has attracted a small friend that ensures that even the worst days still brings at least one smile. A small group of Cykets had decided to make their homes in the wagons and travel with the merchants.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04153-k135-to-breathe-clouds-of-joy -- Anon Guest

[AN: For those who don't want to look into the archives, a Cyket is a tiny gryphon-like creature that feature parts of a cygnet (baby swan) and a small monkey. The down from

Challenge #04472-L088: A Sign For Some

Friendly Local Paintball Game Garners Galactic Attention, blare the headlines! Warriors battle for supremacy! Human team is DEFEATED!

The day that shocked the whole of the Alliance, and caused entire worlds to break out in parties. To say that the humans had a Silly Season on Earth was the understatement of the century.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04168-k150-clever-move -- Anon Guest

The last moments were all over the infonets. For some reason, an archival image of a speed-skating victory emerged to

Challenge #04471-L087: Kindness Returned

They loved to sing. And would do so, gentle melodies, each time they went to harvest the hives. During that time, there always seemed to be other singers around them, the voices raised in gentle accompaniment. Even the bees seemed to calm during this. Once the honey was harvested, two small jars were left on the stoop, and the singer went to their home to process the rest. -- Anon Guest

Laurie sang to her bees. They were good company, and frequently

Challenge #04470-L086: Magical Gifts

A child's birthday wish is to ride on a dragon, just a little ride, maybe?

Bribrid, the gnome that is actually a dragon in disguise, agrees. -- Anon Guest

It's not every day a person turns ten. It's even rarer to turn ten after undoing the plans of a great evil by accident. Wort hadn't meant to break the idol, but their bad foot had turned them off balance and the Master had told them to hurry or get another whipping.

One

Challenge #04469-L085: When in Doubt...

A: are you sure this building is up to spec?

B: trust me I had the best engineers working on this project everything this geometrical perfect to ±0.003 tolerance.

A: I may be a lowly contractor, but the wall is 92° from where I’m standing.

B: I-impossible I had it tripled checked before installation!

A: there’s a mountain goat licking for salt around 90 m above us -- Anon Guest

Architect Blaine looked up. Sure enough, the beast in

Challenge #04468-L084: Everyone's Related

What happens when you invite everyone who are a part of your family through marriage and birth, invites everyone from THEIR families, for those individuals are your family as well, from marriage and birth, and THOSE individuals invite everyone from THEIR families through marriage and birth, and so forth?

You get everyone in the entire world going to one giant family reunion. Though figuring out all the branches of this family tree can be quite interesting. -- Anon Guest

"Did you know?

Challenge #04467-L083: Wastenaught

"What are you doing with all that plant waste and old clothing you're shredding?"

I'm going to make homemade paper.

"Paper out of clothing and old plants??"

Yep, it's going to be a very pretty soft green. -- Anon Guest

The thing about space travel is that it's difficult to take everything with you. Since it is the longest possible trip from A to B, taking everything for the trip means even more fuel expended to push it all towards B. Or

Challenge #04466-L082: Breakable But Better

In the early days, when humans were first officially recognized by the alliance, not a lot was known about them. Imagine the shock, and a little bit of fear, when injuries, including internal bruising, though no bleeding, and broken bones, not only didn't send the human into shock, but also didn't require full sedation or surgeries. And even more surprising was their recovery rate! -- New Guy

First, there were a few incidents. Close encounters, near misses, glimpses in unfamiliar territory. And

Challenge #04465-L081: For the Greater Good

The planet's population was quarantined due to an illness outbreak. "Pure Life" groups kept trying to stop the Galactics and their allies from going in, even trying to use force, because "adaptation is the only way for a population to become immune." The humans with common sense laugh at them and plow through, saving it from becoming a dead world. -- Anon Guest

For every advance in science, society, and technology, there's at least one band of lunatics willing to oppose it

Challenge #04464-L080: But My PyxtokGram!

It is a time of peril, so while others are doing preventative measures. Others are wandering in the most dangerous sorts, taking 'selfies' and going where they should not, just to see what it's like. -- She Who Knits

Emergency Response Teams are trained to deal with danger. They have to act quickly, lest the emergency turn into a disaster. On stations and ships, even the passengers know to get out of the way or get to safety. Preferably both.

Planetside is

Challenge #04463-L079: Sacrifice For Knowledge

And you can add the rest of the Gekk mantra if you like. Eye opener, heart starter, friend in Long nights assignments. Have fun. -- She Who Knits

[AN: Reminder that the titles of prompt posts do not count for the prompt. I have to use what you put inside the post]

"It is said that the Gekk knew a mantra that could restart hearts and open eyes. Friend of the long night. Alas, what is meant by that saying is lost.

Challenge #04462-L078: Obligate Carnivores

The humans laughed in amusement as the galactic visitors learn of carnivorous plants such as sundews, venus fly traps, and pitcher plants, and giant ones such as the Attenborough's pitcher plant, which is nearly large enough to trap a small human. -- Anon Guest

[AN: I tried to find some size comparisons, but I couldn't find any that would imperil a toddler. A guinea pig, yes. Toddler, no.]

The package was large and in stasis. There were several warnings that alarmingly included

Challenge #04461-L077: Where it's Safe

From those printed source books that helped Afro American's to safely travel to those real or mental lists of 'I know someone who has'. They are priceless and often weird. -- Anon Guest

[AN: I'm pretty sure the polite term was African American... back in the 1990's]

Resources are more than the base materials used to create something... or many somethings. More often than not, resources are sources of information. Secrets to relative success. Passed along by word of mouth, by sigils

Challenge #04460-L076: Protecting Dreams

Those that came enmasse were all known as the "unwelcome peoples." Didn't matter the race. They were given warm beds, or rather, sleeping rolls so thick and soft that one did not feel the hard floor, and special blankets enchanted with a magic that chased away bad dreams, and gave gentle ones. And if any came to harm those gathered here, they soon learned where those nightmares went. -- Anon Guest

The sign could be read even by those who did not

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Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #04474-L090: Save the Starfish

Challenge #04472-L088: A Sign For Some

Challenge #04471-L087: Kindness Returned

Challenge #04470-L086: Magical Gifts

Challenge #04469-L085: When in Doubt...

Challenge #04468-L084: Everyone's Related

Challenge #04467-L083: Wastenaught

Challenge #04466-L082: Breakable But Better

Challenge #04465-L081: For the Greater Good

Challenge #04464-L080: But My PyxtokGram!

Challenge #04463-L079: Sacrifice For Knowledge

Challenge #04462-L078: Obligate Carnivores

Challenge #04461-L077: Where it's Safe

Challenge #04460-L076: Protecting Dreams