Instant Story

Challenge #04988-M239: Trafficking Hazardous Materials

A coughing fit spreads throughout the ship. They find out a deregger smuggled in several pollinating plants instead of the seeds in stasis pods they said they had. -- BKF

It never would have happened if the scanners weren't down for maintenance. Later analysis would reveal that there was sabotage on them to manufacture a maintenance flaw.

It's amazing what malicious people can do with magnets, thumb drives, and a complete disregard for anyone's safety.

Slow Cruiser Vessel, the Idle Hours, took passengers at their word. To be completely fair, the alleged stasis pods that Passenger Fidendra brought aboard looked like functioning stasis pods. They used ship's power and submitted reports to the Idle Hours' safety monitoring logs. They even had expected normal fluctuations in the readouts. He thought of everything... except pollen.

Support me on Patreon / Buy me a Ko-fi

Prompts remaining: 37 Submit a Prompt!
Ask a question

Challenge #04987-M238: I Wanna Be Just Like You

"I want to be a Hellkin."

Why?

"Because they're the only ones who ever showed what real kindness is." -- BKF

Everyone thinks 'Hellkin' when they hear the phrase "Unwelcome People". The thing is, they're not the only Unwelcome People. It alters according to realm, politics, and local prejudice. But you can rely on Hellkin being among that number[1].

They accrete in ghettos or spend their years wandering from one locale to another. Trying for the most part to find somewhere

Challenge #04986-M237: Friendly Filter on Reality

They found a way to help a young who is dealing with severe social anxiety be able to get out a little at a time. A set of augmented reality goggles that gave everyone a friendly capybara look. And if crowds get too loud, it muted the noise to a soft muffle except, of course, for anything that might be dangerous. --BKF

When the demolition crews were carefully pulling the place to pieces, they called it Rabbit Warren Station. Not that it

Challenge #04985-M236: De-Escalation Tactics

people often yearn for what they loathe. It makes for good business opportunities for the beloathed, but you have to watch your back- or have other unwelcome watch it for you. -- Weirdlet

They called her Passion, though her name for herself was Reprieve. A statuesque beauty, even though she was a Hellkin. Poems had been written about her hair. Odes dedicated to her singing voice. People who would rebuke and revile Hellkin like her leaped to grovel in mud lest she

Challenge #04984-M235: Post Trauma Trauma Comfort

Sometimes you just need a teddy bear. -- Knitnan

Triage is a simple formula. Help is focused intensely on those whose condition could be improved by it. Those who would mend on their own and those who would fail no matter what were the ones left to bide. In triage, few are available to pick up or comfort a crying child.

Dar, youngest survivor of the Pelichant Incident, understood none of this. All they knew was that they were frightened and all

Challenge #04983-M234: Humble Little Sanctuary

She is only able to bear Hellkin despite being human. She doesn't care. She loves all of her children deeply and makes sure they know that, despite the prejudice far too many have toward them, they are innocent souls. And she, in turn, is very much loved by her children, both born and adopted. -- BKF

The nursery rhyme starts, There was an old woman who lived in a shoe... and it's nearly accurate. The 'shoe' was allegedly an ossified footbag that

Challenge #04982-M233: Redemption From Horror

Despite what the legends say, the boogeyman is very real. And instead of living underneath your bed or inside of your closet, this creature rests comfortably within your very own home. -- Luna

Superstition is very easily held in a world filled with magic. Especially when your species' default state is having none. Cross your fingers. Cross your heart. Hold your breath when passing the estates of the dead. Never step on cracks if you can help it. Be very careful with

Challenge #04981-M232: Trade With Strangers

Odd comics with no words circulate on this polluted world. It shows people giving ones wearing colorful clothes of red, yellow, and black a wide birth, and yet give them aid when asked. The other images were of the ones with those colors, and people wearing more soothing tones, opening cage doors where people can run free. -- BKF

It had rained paper again. It had also rained rain, staining everything a muddy yellow. Muddier than the yellow of the clouds or

Challenge #04980-M231: Something Snapped

they say you give away what was denied to you. It’s all in the name, really- Mercy, at your service. -- Weirdlet

[AN: In relation to Two Things Most Needed ]

Two hours had passed, and two Hellkin were into their cups. Of course, it was illegal for Hellkin to drink alcohol in Kahamkross. Thanks to some folks' interesting reactions to bread and pastry, it was not illegal for anyone to be drunk.

Both of them could honestly say that they'd only

Challenge #04979-M230: Unfamiliar Carer

Calm down, I won't hurt you. Yes I have horns, but I promise, I will help you get well, but you need to calm yourself with no stress. -- BKF

Tamasin didn't know if the battle was won or lost. They barely remembered the hit that took them down. One moment, they were fighting for the righteous cause, dimly aware that the line had broken. The next, they were staring at a roof made out of whatever happened to be closest to

Challenge #04978-M229: Just Like Kids in a -- Oh Dear

A ship of pirates who think that human kids are easy to manage, figured just give them snacks, and they'd be calm. Except... they gave the kids lots of sugary snacks and learned a new word. Hyperactivity. -- BKF

It was a very simple plan with one minor flaw. See if you can spot it. First, conquer a scholastic transit vessel and send the adults off to their origin point with the ransom demand. Second, abscond to a secure location whilst keeping

Challenge #04977-M228: New Dawn's Day

To celebrate the holy day of the Goddess of birth and renewal, people everywhere are called upon to show their children the way forward and share the day with them, teaching them, connecting with them.

The priests’ intention was a day of family bonding and learning for the next generation.

What they got was Bring-Your-Child-To-Work-Day for a fantasy setting. -- Tergon

[AN: Fun fact about Alfarell, the god of rebirth and sometimes fertility is Aurorus - the Dawn Lord...]

Some call the

Challenge #04976-M227: Two Things Most Needed

Justice (the paladin) getting to know Mercy -- Weirdlet

[AN: Calls back to Made With Feeling ]

A wandering Paladin is not entirely commonplace, but they are a possibility. Usually before they adopt a pack of Adventurers for reasons that quickly become obvious, the more you know about Adventurers. The same holds true for a wandering Hellkin.

A wandering Hellkin Paladin asks and answers a lot of questions. One that remains unanswered to many is, Why would a god welcome a Hellkin as

Challenge #04975-M226: Timey Wimey

Scramble learns his time magic allows him to 'see' briefly through time. It's allowed them to avoid a lot of trouble. -- BKF

It took months to spot it, on their way from one place to another, because it was very subtle. And it's terribly difficult to spy other time magic when time magic is already employed. In the case of Scramble, it was reacting to situations slightly before they unfolded.

The gap between reaction and stimulus was getting lighter by fractions

Challenge #04974-M225: Anti-Terror Campaign

You made a huge mistake. You hurt master Twii's young charge. He WILL be coming to talk to you. Firmly. -- BKF

There's always someone like the type in the Edge Territories. Someone's brat whose parents believe can do no wrong. The kind of kid who is endless torment to everyone in their general vicinity. The troublemaker, the prankster, the hangman... or the bully. Or any of the above, depending on their mood. The kind of kid who the N'Ozzies refer to

Menu

Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #04988-M239: Trafficking Hazardous Materials

Challenge #04987-M238: I Wanna Be Just Like You

Challenge #04986-M237: Friendly Filter on Reality

Challenge #04985-M236: De-Escalation Tactics

Challenge #04984-M235: Post Trauma Trauma Comfort

Challenge #04983-M234: Humble Little Sanctuary

Challenge #04982-M233: Redemption From Horror

Challenge #04981-M232: Trade With Strangers

Challenge #04980-M231: Something Snapped

Challenge #04979-M230: Unfamiliar Carer

Challenge #04978-M229: Just Like Kids in a -- Oh Dear

Challenge #04977-M228: New Dawn's Day

Challenge #04976-M227: Two Things Most Needed

Challenge #04975-M226: Timey Wimey

Challenge #04974-M225: Anti-Terror Campaign