Then he could simply choose to stop the chief from trying right age him which was causing him to stay young. Instead he has two choices, snitch on her or leave. So I don't think he gets to chose when his power works or not.

Im guessing its a toggle power so they gotta choose for it to not work.

Sheesh, your writing is just awesome! 👍👍☺️☺️😌

Feel likenit doesn't maken sense. He is immune. Why would her ability work? Or the Scan of the doc?

We were on my bed going through our happy memories on her phone when my wife, Delisha, first pointed out that I didn’t seem to age. I told her it was nonsense and that I had photos of my childhood, growing from a small baby to the adult I was. I was wrong.

I loved her. She was the first love of my life. I had many lovers after her, and countless wives, but she never left the little sweet home at the bottom of my heart.

I took out a tattered photograph. She and I were so happy that day, we were on a beach, celebrating her birthday. I looked into her eyes and felt sorrow and regret. Regret of not dying with her.

There was no soul alive in the universe. It had been aeons since she had died. I didn’t remember anyone else from that era, not even my parents.

I didn’t regret my life. I was given immunity against other superpowers, a boon showered on me by the Grim Reaper himself. That didn’t mean I couldn’t die of old age but here I was. Had Grim Reaper given me that additional power unknowingly?

It was all meaningless for nothing mattered any more. I wanted to die. I had, in fact, attempted suicide countless times but it never worked. Was Grim Reaper blind to me?

I had even kissed a lot of superheroes. Not because I loved them, no. Grim Reaper had given me my powers on the condition that I wouldn’t get involved with anyone with supernatural abilities, or else he’d come for me.

I was never interested in superheroes. Delisha was also just another normal human being. A tear dropped over her face in the photo. I wished to see her again. It was painful to look at her static photo.

I cried loudly begging God to end me.

Suddenly there was a voice in my head

“I’ll give you what you want and more.”

“God?”

“Yes. Fulfil your task, do it with diligence, and then I’ll give you whatever you want.”

“What's the task?”

“You’ve to take the place of the Grim Reaper.”

“The Grim Reaper?”

“Yes, he is no more. He vanished ages ago.”

“But people still died. All of my friends are dead. Who was behind all those deaths?”

“You’ll know soon. Do you agree to the task?”

I agreed.

The next moment there was a bright flash of light flooding my vision. My eyes took some adjustment but then I was in a dark room floating like a ghost. There was a bed in front of me.

I looked at myself. I had dark robes on. I realised it was my first day of collecting souls.

To my horror. There she was, Delisha, sleeping peacefully, with her arm around me. I felt a mix of emotions churning in my guts.

I noticed something else, there was a humanoid figure floating prone in front of the bed wrapped in dark clothes.

The voice in my head was back.

“You’re here to collect the soul of the Grim Reaper.”

“Am I back in time?”

“Yes”

“Why did he die?”

“He tried to kill you, but the curse backfired.”

“Why?”

The voice was gone.

I spent ages collecting souls. God had promised me anything I wanted, and I wanted to go back and live a normal life with Delisha, growing old together, even if it meant working for billions of years again.

When I had collected the last soul of the universe, I heard the voice again

“You’ve been excellent. Tell me what you want?”

“I want to go back to Delisha and grow old with her.”

“I am not surprised. The girl was special. In fact, I was the one who gave her the power.”

“Power? You’re mistaken, she didn’t have any power.”

“I’m not mistaken, I am god. She had supernatural power. You both didn’t know of course.”

I connected the dots.

“That’s why Grim Reaper was there that night. It was the first time I had kissed her and that broke my promise to him.”

“Mm hmm.”

“Why don’t I age? Did you also give me that power?”

“No. When the curse back-fired the Grim Reaper’s time bubble transferred to you.”

I wondered to myself why it backfired. God heard.

“It back-fired because of Delisha of course.”

“Did she use her superpower to protect me?”

“Yes, but not knowingly.”

“What superpower did she have god?”

“To have an unbreakable bond. Now off you go.”

I went back to the night I was supposed to be killed. It was the night I had first kissed her. I looked at her sleeping face, knowing she wanted nobody else but me. She had unknowingly created a bond between us that even death couldn't break.

Decades later, we died together holding hands after a life full of happy memories.

A familiar face in black robes appeared after our souls left our bodies. He didn’t recognize us in our old wrinkly state, but I did. I greeted him like an old friend but not revealing who I was. He took me beyond the mortal world, with Delisha by my side.

He returned to collect more souls, hoping to return to her own Delisha soon – only billions of years more.

I'm assuming there's quite a few powers that can't be proven?

This mirrored my initial thoughts, very good work!

Oh, this is good! Thanks for sharing!

[Part 2 of 2]

“Yes, we do. A few retired heroes, I’m sure you have seen their files. Is that all?”

“No, not them. Anyone else?”

“We have you? Anyone else would be in the system. Just check that if you have some concerns.”

“I’ve seen everyone’s files, and no one has an ability that matches what I’m suspecting.”

“Suspicions are dangerous, Kyle. Especially in a workplace. What ability do you suspect someone is using?” She stopped her tapping, straightening out her tie as she focused on the conversation.

“The power to speed up someone’s aging. Well, speed up a normal person’s aging. Not mine.”

“You think a person is stopping you from aging? Why would that be a negative?”

“It’s against my will. Who says I want to stay this young for another decade or however long they keep doing this for?”

Holly sighed, leaning forward on her desk. Her medals flickering against her buttoned up shirt, decorated in some of the highest honors that someone in her position could get. She clasped her hands together before speaking.

“I say you want to stay like this. At least until I retire. I’m the one doing it. I could try to gaslight you into believing this is all in your head, but I respect your dedication to helping the public, so I’ll speak to you as an equal.”

“You’ve been doing this? Why?’

“Because you’re my golden goose. A person like you is a one in a million. You can resist any power and avoid whatever our enemies throw at us. Usually, a person with your talents would be on a hero’s salary, but you joined the police. Your service alone has saved the lives of thousands. I can’t risk aging, sending you to an early grave.”

“You’re taking away my freedom. I deserve to live as I please. What, do you think I’m going to retire when I hit forty? That you will be left without your golden goose?” He hissed that last part. What a crude thing to call him. He was more than some prized animal for her to carry around.

“No, because you won’t hit forty. Think about what I said for a moment while I print something.”

Kyle thought about her words until something stood out. An early grave. What did she mean by that? The crunching sound of paper going through the printer interrupted his thoughts, making it hard for him to think. When she placed the paper before him, he snatched it up, reading over it. It was a medical diagnosis for a brain tumor.

“In a few years, that tumor of yours is going to kill you. I’ve asked a few doctors and most say it’s inoperable. One said he was willing to try the surgery, but the success rate is low. Its developments are slow, but only because my powers have limited its growth.”

Kyle’s eyes flicked over the paper. How didn’t he know about this? It should have come up in his yearly medical tests. The doctor said he was healthy, that he looked as healthy as he did when he was in his twenties. How did she know about this? Then the answer hit him as he read over the bottom of the page. ‘This tumor has been discovered through the medical foresight of Dr. Ann Fania.’

Everyone knew that name. She was famous in the medical world, able to give you a rundown of any future medical issues you may face, allowing people to get an upper hand on their illnesses. She was too expensive for most people to afford, only aiding celebrities or public figures, but he had met her once before, when she had a brief appearance at the station to answer some questions about her house being broken into. Now that he thought about it, it was strange they never actually investigated her home, only taking notes and talking to her before they dropped the matter.

“Y-you tested me when Ann was here, didn’t you?”

“I did. She owed me a favor. Her results were unfortunate, to say the least. I’m sorry you have to find out this way, but I can’t afford to lose you.”

“So, what? You’re going to use me up? Make me fight your battles before I die?”

“You’re being emotional. Calm down and think about this. Yes, I’m using you, but by using you, I’m extending your life. You can have the family you’ve always wanted and spend a long, happy life with them. You’re getting a lot out of this. I’m giving you a chance to live.” Holly glanced at her keyboard, using the silence to continue typing up her report.

Kyle sat there, unable to find any words. He was going to die. Not only that, he was being kept alive by his boss, so she could continue catching criminals. He felt dirty, like he was no more important than the gun she wore on her hip. What could he do? If he complains or leaves, he dies. He was bound to her until either she retires or dies.

“I don’t know what to do.” Kyle placed his hands over his face, unsure why he was crying. Perhaps it was just a rush of emotion that needed to be released after a long day.

She handed him a tissue before returning to her keyboard. The printer went off again, and another document was placed before him. She took out a gold pen and scribbled her name on it, signing off on the document.

“I’ll tell you what you’re doing. You will take two weeks of paid leave. In those two weeks, you can consider everything we have discussed and then you can return to me and give me your true feelings on the matter. If you still hate what I’m doing, you can expose my abilities or leave. If you come to understand why I did this, you can return to work and we will be more open with one another moving forward.”

“But.”

“The leave is mandatory. I’m not asking you to take it, I’m telling you. I’m sure you will come to the right conclusion.”

Kyle took the paper and gave her a nod, holding it to his chest as he walked out of the office. James tried to stop him for a chat, but he brushed past him, keeping his head down as he walked to his car, not stopping for any idle chatter. He had a lot to think about, even if he felt he already knew what decision he would make.

     

(If you enjoyed this feel free to check out my subreddit /r/Sadnesslaughs where I'll be posting more of my writing.)

I leaned toward the mirror, inspecting my face under the harsh bathroom lights. Ever since Olivia had half-jokingly said that I wasn't aging, the thought kept niggling at me. My power wasn't immortality—it was immunity to others. If I was indeed not aging, the conclusion that followed seemed too ridiculous to pursue.

A clang from the living room made me frown; I lived alone and wasn't expecting guests. Stepping out of the bathroom, I killed the lights and walked warily toward the source of the noise.

Stepping through the doorway, I did a double-take. Before the ajar window stood a well-built, sharply dressed man with a handsome face everyone on the planet knew. My momentary panic was quickly replaced by giddy excitement.

"Holy shit," I exclaimed. "Universal Man? What are you doing here?"

He smiled, but it didn't reach his icy blue eyes. "Have a seat, Tom. We have a lot to talk about."

I hurried to the couch and sat down, not even questioning his ordering me around in my own home, or wondering how he knew my name. "Let me just say, it's an honor—"

He raised his palm as if to silence me, and a frown crossed his face. "So it's true."

"What is?" I asked, bemused.

"Your power—it blocks others. How... irritating." Shaking his head, he reached into his jacket. "Well, no matter. I read your friend's memories so I came prepared."

"My friend?"

He drew a gun, and I froze, more stunned than scared. Universal Man could crush concrete and lift cars without breaking a sweat. What would he want with a puny little pistol?

"What's going on?" I laughed nervously. "This is a joke, right?"

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." The gun sat awkwardly in his hand as he leveled it at my chest. "I never encountered anyone like you before. I never would've even known, had I not picked up your friend's thoughts. You're far too dangerous to be left alive."

I swallowed. "Olivia? What did you do to her?"

"I merely ensured she wouldn't remember the past few days. Much easier to deal with than you."

"I don't understand," I said in a trembling voice. "How am I dangerous? My power's so minor they gave it the lowest classification—"

He laughed, a high, chilling sound. "The idiots. Tell me, why do you think I have all these abilities?"

"Y-you're special, everyone knows that. The pinnacle of human evolution..."

"A convenient excuse. One power per person; the rule hasn't changed for millennia." He glanced down at his other hand and clenched a fist. "Mine is to take from others. Their powers, even their lifespan. Take from everyone... except, it seems, you."

"The whole world is growing old because of you?" I exclaimed, half-rising from my seat. "That's absurd! People have been dying for ages—"

His face rippled, shifting to another man's, then a woman's, his body following suit. "How long—do you think—I have lived?" asked an ever-changing voice.

I laughed because the truth was too much to bear. Gunshots rang loudly in my ears, and my chest suddenly burned. I slumped back, my eyes bulging out as I found myself unable to draw breath. The monster's icy eyes, the only feature that wasn't changing on that shifting face, watched me with detached satisfaction.

[Part 1 of 2]

“You’re looking good. How longs it been since we last got coffee? Five years now?” Kyle asked, sitting down at the nearly empty café. Only a few dedicated customers braving the hot weather to come grab a cup.

“More like ten. It’s strange how time flies. What are you talking about, anyway? You think I look good? Look at yourself. It’s like you haven’t aged in ten years. Did you get some surgery done?” Tricia leaned over the table, pinching Kyle’s cheek, testing the elasticity of his skin. In her mind, any surgery would have made it impossible to pull on his cheek, but her theory had some flaws. The more she pulled, the more his cheek stretched until she let go after noticing Kyle’s annoyed stare.

“Must be my diet of pizza and whiskey. Not that I’m an alcoholic or anything, I just like to indulge on the weekends. Works stressful, you know?”

“Oh, that’s right. You’re a big deal now, the swiss army knife of the police force. Able to walk into any situation and walk out alive.”

“Don’t say it like that. You make it sound like I’m some sort of weapon. I’m just there to make the other members of the force get to go home to their families. I’m nothing special.” Kyle said, sipping his coffee. He had ordered a triple shot today, but the taste felt more bitter than usual, making him scrunch his face up at the first sip.

“Nothing special? You have more medals than anyone else. Where do you even keep them at this point?” Tricia smirked, watching his brief look of disgust before he went back to his coffee, acting as though it hadn’t happened.

“I used to hang them up on a board or frame them, but now I just toss them into a box. It’s easier that way.”

“Wow, I wish I had that life. Best I get at work is a brief thank you before getting another load of work thrown on my desk. The hero's life sounds a lot more exciting.”

“I’m not a hero. I’m a public servant.” Kyle corrected.

“A public servant. Then can you serve the public by paying for my coffee today?”

“Not that kind of servant, unfortunately.”

The two shared a laugh before discussing a few idle pieces of conversation. They discussed friends, families, holidays, hobbies and eventually love lives before Kyle checked his watch, noticing he had to head back into the office.

“It’s been nice seeing you. Now that you’ve moved here, maybe we can see each other a little more? We can bring our partners next time; it will be fun.”

“I would love that. Seriously though, you haven’t aged a day since I last saw you. It’s weird. Maybe someone is using their powers to stop you from aging?”

“That wouldn’t work. My power stops abilities from affecting me. An ability like that would just be void. It wouldn’t age me quicker or slower, I would just continue to age as normal. Although, if someone tried to speed up my aging, that might stop it.”

Kyle didn’t like the little theory he was developing. He hadn’t really thought about it before. Sure, he still had a baby face, but some people just did, right? What was a thirty-five-year-old even meant to look like? Surely someone couldn’t be stopping him from aging. They would have to be in direct contact with him. Or at least close enough that their powers would reach him.

“Earth to Kyle. Did you hear me?”

“Huh? Sorry, must have zoned out.”

“I just said that it’s weird that you haven’t aged since you took the job. Maybe it’s all the running around you do. Well, See ya.”

“Yeah, See ya.”

Kyle finished the last of his drink, standing outside the coffee shop, reflecting on her words. He joined the force about ten years ago and in that time; he hadn’t shown many signs of aging. Was there a person with abilities in the force? That was pretty rare. Most people like him became heroes or villains to cash in on their abilities. Not police. Not to mention, there would be a record of their ability. They couldn’t have kept it hidden, could they?

When he returned to work, he was a little less cheerful, not giving his usual enthusiastic greetings as he passed by his colleagues. Instead, he went straight to his desk to test his theory. He twisted the lid of the coffee cup, making it sharp before giving his finger a small cut, watching the blood trickle down it. If someone was affecting his aging, the cut wouldn’t heal, it would just keep trickling.

Minutes passed, then an hour and still the cut trickled blood, becoming a little messy until a few others noticed the bloody tissues he was hiding under his desk. James, his partner on the force, lent over his desk, offering another box of tissues.

“What a nasty cut, little things really bleeding. Want me to get you bandaged up? Can’t have our star officer dying to a paper cut.”

“No, I’m fine. Just a little cut. That’s all.” Kyle didn’t want any attention on him. All this chatter and staring made it impossible to determine who was using their ability.

“If you say so. If it’s still bleeding when I get back to your desk, I’m patching it up, though. I’m not letting you die.”

“It’s just a cut.” Kyle argued, but James was already heading off to do something else. Another ten minutes passed, and the cut had stopped bleeding. The person must have found out he was hurt and stopped using their ability, at least that’s what Kyle concluded.

He quickly got up from his desk, heading into the police chief’s office. Most people would have been yelled at for entering without an email or appointment, but Kyle had earned the privilege of wandering in unannounced. He took a seat, noticing the stoic look of police chief Holly. She hadn’t said a word since he entered, just tapping away at her keyboard, paying him no mind.

“Chief. Do we have any people with abilities working for us?”

Part 2

Maybe people can have more than one power

Oh no...

But wouldn't people just need to show what their power is to avoid the mob of angry people?

That moment, a mirror shattered. The veil was pulled back, and light streamed through, giving utter clarity to the people of our world.

Somehow, aging was caused by a single person with a super power.

Chaos erupted, my brothers. Oh, my brothers, how the world was set on fire.

You see, brothers, we only had to kill one bloody man! How easy of a task that is, if you really put your mind to it.

“Stop!” Martha screamed, holding her hands in front of her face.

The metal pipe came crashing down first on her right wrist, which lay limply by her side. She wisely moved her left hand, taking the pipe on her left temple.

Several more blows rendered her mush.

Yet, people kept aging.

The man moved on throughout the hero academy in search of his next victim.

[removed]

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Not all weapons are made equal. The majority fall within a single bracket, that of mundane items. Sure, some are better crafted than others. They maybe used a different ore blend in the metal. But largely they were the same, instruments of violence and nothing more.

Of the non-mundane, they carry varying levels of enchantment. Some are slightly sharper or sturdier than the mundane. Others may adjust their trajectory, enhancing the wielder's abilities. Yet others have more interesting effects, like ever burning or instant necrosis of wounds they cause.

The rarest of all are the sentient weapons. They choose their users, and are not chosen. Any lucky enough to wield one was set on the path to becoming a legend, either as a hero or a villain. When not in use, they hide themselves away, only letting a worthy successor find them.

The Hero's Boon is one such weapon, but even more so. It strengths the body and mind of it's chosen, making them into natural legends. When resting it fed them experiences from its long history, making them better and better as time went on. Its form was mutable, shifting to fit their preferred weapon of choice. But despite these gifts, it had one flaw. Those it Chose, could not deny its goal.

Since the death of its last holder, the Boon had gone into hiding. It was made to protect the world, only arising when its very substance was threatened. It took on the form of a metallic mouse, hiding in cities and listening, waiting for its service to be required.

It heard of the rising of a frozen warlord. It heard of their advance, causing a perpetual winter to strike near its ambitions. People fought back, but the few reports to come back spoke of blood frozen in veins, before the frozen bodies reanimated with glowing blue eyes.

The Boon knew it was needed. The world could not survive in permanent snowfall. It instinctively knew where to find its required wielder, part of its multilayered enchantment. The mouse form secured away, leaving civilisation behind.

For days it travelled, never needing to rest. It avoided main routes, shying away from the unworthy. To be noticed would be to be delayed. With the world in dire straits, delays were inexcusable. It scurried onwards, drawing ever closer to its destination.

At last it found it, after delving into the heart of an unwelcoming mountain range. A cave, high on one peak, with a pile of gold inside. Atop this lay a crimson scaled dragon, with a lighter red belly. The dragon opened a single eye as the Boon approached, sniffing as it entered its lair.

"Hrmmm."

It could tell the worth of the Boon, even with one smell. A fortune beyond belief, in the form of a mouse. The weapon stood on its hind legs, staring at it. There was a connection there, even without the sealing of fate. The Boon darted towards the dragon, unafraid of its great claws.

The dragon casually swiped at it, feeling unthreatened by its sudden movement. This was a being that would lat for thousands of years. A little mouse, no matter how magical, could not defeat it. Yet as its paw touched the metal form, it broke apart like water. The liquid Boon flowed up its scales, weaving through them with a pleasurable heat.

The dragon snorted, as it tickled its mind. It was a surprise, but even so, it could sense no malicious intent. Instead it flowed down to its tail, wrapping around blunted spikes. From there it formed a pair of enormous axe-blades, sharpened to a razors edge.

You are Chosen. You are the one to stop the Frigid Expansion.

It spoke with certainty, no room for arguments. The dragon laughed, as it learned of the frozen warlord. They sought to extinguish all fire, and make the world an icy graveyard. With the Hero's Boon prodding, it swore to prove that fire was not so easily beaten. It would show the warlord that ice could not win.

Right?! I've been a longtime lurker. I love reading and seeing everyone's creative spins on things. I've always wanted to write but didn't know where to start. I decided "somewhere" is as good a place as any!

[removed]

Was it on fox?

Part 2

Alaina stared at the mirror: black lipstick, eyeliner, mascara as well as a plethora of other types of makeup that coated her face. Alaina's hair were two jewel covered braids running from the back of the head to the front and a hair tower coming up from the centre. Her jewellery was: a silver sapphire encrusted tiara, a pair of earrings and a necklace. Alaina puffed some perfume, black roses scented. She looked like a proper Lady.

Alaina glanced at the clock: "Oh gods!" She sputtered out, grabbing her boots and rushing towards the dinning hall. In three months she still hasn't gotten the routine quite right.

Alaina hobbled through the door, panting.

"Ah Princess, you're here. You had a good rest last night? I've made sure that your food is still hot. Come, take a seat." Queen Illet called across the hall. She was seated on the far side of the room at the centre of the table, with my new brother and sisters on either side of her.

"Yes mother!" Alaina called out, taking the seat beside the Queen.

"So, how was last night? I heard that you woke up last night, should we talk about that later?" Queen Illet placed her arms around Alaina.

"Hey where is Princess Milna?" Alaina deflected

"She's out: sorting out some internal disputes of the Farmers Guild. Now let's talk about last night later on if you don't want to talk about it right now." The Queen looked tenderly at Alaina.

Tea with a spritz of lemon?

Edit: there is also lemon tea, which would make even more sense

Maybe it’s for a competition. Who can make the best hand made pie for the least amount of money? Or something like that. Maybe the best tasting if that’s easier. It could be timed if that makes it easier to write as short story with. Like, he can only spend so much time shopping before he needs to get back to actually bake the pie on time.

Or since the prompt is more about gathering the ingredients than baking the pie, it could be for a special person. So he takes great care on picking the eggs and apples (or whatever filling) that will make the pie because quality matters in things involving love/respect lol (not in a bad way though, I mean, when I’m making something for someone as a gift because I like them, I want it to be perfect)

Of course! I love reading everyone's responses to this, helps get the creative juices flowing for my own novel

Thanks! :D