Nosleep?!?!

"Hey I've seen this one before, it's a classic"

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I'd never seen it before. I think I would remember it if I had. But there it was, an old rusty key, lying on my desk.

"I wish I knew what lock it's for..." I mumbled as I traced the surprisingly intricate engraving. "It's beautiful."

On a whim, I decided to go visit the antique shop next door, thinking maybe they'd know.

‐--‐---------------------

"That's something quite peculiar you've got there.", the old man at the antique shop said, as he pored over it with his jeweler's loupe. "It's way too intricate to fit into any lock. I think this might be a Wishmaker's Key."

"A what?"

"A Wishmaker's Key. Basically, it's a good luck charm, of sorts. Supposedly, when you touch it and make a wish, it opens up an opportunity for you to get what you want. All superstition, of course, but people did believe in it back then."

"So it's like a genie in a bottle?"

"Oh, no, not at all. That's what I like about this particular superstition. It doesn't just grant your wish outright. All it does is give you an opportunity. I think it's a beautiful reminder of the value of hard work."

‐----------------------

Maybe it was just a coincidence. A hundred-year-old good luck charm. Nothing more. Maybe someone just left it there on accident and forgot about it.

But I kept thinking... what if it wasn't? How could I test it out? What should I wish for?

"I wish I had a million bucks.", I muttered to the key, thinking I might as well go with the obvious.

A few minutes later, my boss called. I'd been promoted.

Sure, I wouldn't be a millionaire right away, but the promotion did come with a significant pay increase. It worked, sort of. I decided to keep the key on me from then on. It couldn't hurt to have a good luck charm around, even if it's just superstition. Besides, it's pretty.

A whimsical thought struck me as I walked down the street. What if I wished for something physically impossible?

"I wish I had a pet dragon.", I whispered under my breath, fingering the key in my pocket.

As I thought to myself that there was no way the key could fulfill this wish, I noticed I didn't recognize the streets around me. I'd gotten lost. And wouldn't you know it, there was a pet store right across the street.

Sure enough, there were no fire-breathing mythical creatures in sight. I figured as much. But there was this rather handsome lizard chilling in a tank, somewhere in the back of the store. I checked the name tag that was stuck on the side of the tank.

"Name: Larry Species: Bearded dragon"

Well, what do you know. It actually worked.

Incredible! I'm hooked on this story the same way Leila's hooked on that drag swag. Read and loved your additions too. It's sexy, it's smart, it's sweet.

Team up with an illustrator and you'd do SERIOUS numbers on certain art sites that I have definitely never visited and have absolutely no knowledge of lol.

There was post a couple weeks ago in the hp sub that was of a guy asking how to make it seem like he knew Harry Potter since he said he implied it to a girl he was trying to impress. As you can guess, no one gave serious answers. That inspire this story.

"Do you want to go out for some drinks?"

"Is Harry Potter the chosen one!?"

"I dunno, yes?"

"What do you mean you don't know? You told me when we first met that you are a Harry Potter nerd, remember?"

"Well about that...I just wanted to impress you at the time, but we've been together for a year now, does that really matter?"

"Why would you lie to me?"

"Why are you avoiding the question?"

"How did you know all that Harry Potter stuff then?"

"I made a reddit post asking, ok?"

"Did that really work?"

"Uh no, I've just winging it since then, sorry? Are you going to break up with me because of this?"

"Of course not-- wait are trying to make me break up with you? Do you want to break up with me?"

"What? No, I wanted to ask * gets down on one knee * Will you marry me?"

"Are you serious?"

"I only have 30 days to return the ring so will you marry me?"

"Is Harry the chosen one!?"

"You realize I still don't know the answer, right?"

"Seriously? Can you just put the ring on my finger!?"

• stands back up * "Can you wait just another minute? Tommy put a lot effort into the surprise party at the bar, could you at least act surprised?"

"Oh, wouldn't it just break his little heart if all his work went to waste?"

"Do you know you're the best?"

"Hermione to your Ron?"

"Sure?"

What's YER business in Canada, eh?

"Njorjia..."

Njorjia looked at Konajo, who was smiling at her with a gentle sadness. In that moment, memories flooded her mind. She remembered their childhood together, playing in the fields, running around the village, and dreaming about the future. Then, she saw flashes of their teenage years, when they had both discovered their magical abilities and started training together. They had become inseparable, always pushing each other to be better.

Finally, she remembered the war. She saw the two of them standing side by side on the battlefield, fighting fiercely against the dark sorcerers. They had been an unstoppable team, their powers complementing each other perfectly. And in the end, they had emerged victorious.

As she stared at Konajo, the tears spilled out of her eyes. She knew that this was goodbye. But she couldn't bring herself to let him go. She had been there with him on the battlefield, and now she was here, alive and well, while his only claim to life was the spell she was binding him with.

Konajo's smile grew softer, and he reached out to touch her hand. "Don't blame yourself, my friend," he said. "We did what we had to do. We saved countless lives, and that's what matters. I'm proud of what we accomplished, and I wouldn't change a thing. Remember that."

Njorjia nodded, her heart heavy with emotion. She knew he was right. They had fought bravely, and their victory had been hard-won. But still, the pain of losing him was almost too much to bear. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. She knew what she had to do.

She reached out to touch the key hanging around her neck. Closing her eyes, she whispered a few words under her breath, and the key glowed with a soft golden light. She could feel the essence of her childhood friend, Konajo, stirring within the key, eager to be free.

"Remember our handshake, Njorjia?" Konajo asked, smiling weakly.

Njorjia's eyes widened in surprise and then a wave of nostalgia washed over her. They had come up with a special handshake when they were just kids, and they had used it to greet each other ever since. She quickly took his hand, and they exchanged the intricate series of twists, turns, and bumps that made up their secret handshake.

They sat in silence for a few moments after that, taking in each other's presence one last time. Then, without a word, Njorjia stood up and began to whisper the incantation. Konajo's smile grew wider and he closed his eyes.

The chains that had bound him began to glow with a soft light, and then they dissolved into tiny specks of light that danced around Konajo's body. The same happened to the walls of the cell, and soon the entire room was filled with tiny specks of light.

Njorjia watched, mesmerized, as the last of the specks faded away, leaving her standing outside the sacred door alone. She collapsed onto the ground, tears streaming down her face. The priest put a comforting hand on her shoulder, silently conveying his condolences despite his limited understanding of her situation.

As Njorjia got up, she turned to the priest and nodded, silently thanking him for his help. With a heavy heart, she left the temple, making her way back to the outside world. As she walked, memories of Konajo flooded her mind, from their childhood days of playing hide and seek in the forest to their triumphant battle against the dark sorcerers.

Njorjia's steps were heavy, but she felt a sense of purpose returning to her as the seconds passed. She had a duty to continue protecting her people, to honor Konajo's memory and all they had fought for. And with that thought in mind, she held her head high, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

She found herself in a dimly lit room. It was dank and musty, with thick cobwebs in the corners. In the corner of the room, chained to the wall, was her friend, Konajo.

Njorjia's heart leapt with joy at the sight of him, but it was quickly replaced with horror as she saw the sorry state he was in. He was emaciated, his skin covered in bruises and cuts, and his clothes torn and stained with blood.

"Njorjia," Konajo whispered weakly.

Njorjia rushed towards him, tears welling up in her eyes. "It's okay, I'm here. I'm sorry I took so long, but I'll have you out in a second."

"Njorjia-"

She released a powerful burst of energy from her hands, attempting to break the chains, but it failed. She furrowed her brow and muttered incantations under her breath, throwing spell after spell to no avail.

Her breathing quickened with each failed attempt to break the chains. She had been trying to use her most powerful spells, spells that had brought down entire fortresses in the past. As she attempted to destroy the chains with all her might, the air around her crackled with electricity, and the ground shook beneath her feet. The walls of the cell trembled, and bits of rubble fell to the ground as her spells ricocheted off the chains, leaving only a few scratches on their surface.

Njorjia's eyes blazed with fury as she tried yet another spell, pouring all her energy into it. The spell burst forth in a shower of sparks, causing the chains to rattle violently, but it was not enough. Njorjia let out a scream of frustration, and the very air around her vibrated with her rage.

Konajo placed a gentle hand on her arm, hoping to calm her down, but she pulled away, her eyes wild with determination as she continued blasting the chains with her fury.

As she paused to catch her breath, Konajo, in a voice weak with sorrow, said, "Njorjia, there's no use. I'm already dead."

Njorjia turned to him, her eyes wide with shock. She took a step back, her hands dropping to her sides. "What do you mean you're already dead?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Njorjia's heart pounded in her chest as Konajo showed her the hole in his chest, and her eyes widened in horror.

"No...no..." she whispered, her voice trembling as tears began to well up in her eyes. "How could this have happened? Who did this to you?"

Konajo's eyes were filled with sadness as he shook his head. "It was the last few leaders of the rebellion," he said softly. "They were desperate and angry after we defeated them in the War of 100 Nights last year. They wanted revenge, and I was their target."

Njorjia's heart sank. "No... No, you can't be gone," she whispered.

Konajo's expression softened as he reached out to comfort her. "I'm sorry, Njorjia. I wish it weren't true, but it is. I'm only here because you have bound my essence to this earth. I don't regret anything, though. You and I fought bravely, and we saved countless lives. That's something to be proud of."

Njorjia couldn't bear to look at him, knowing that he was dead and yet standing before her. She felt a heavy weight in her chest, a mix of grief and guilt. She had been so focused on finding him that she had neglected to consider the possibility that he might not be alive.

Njorjia, the powerful sorceress, strode through the crowded streets of the magical city. Her long, curly black hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and her deep brown eyes scanned her surroundings with a fierce intensity. Her skin was a deep, rich brown, and she carried herself with a regal bearing that demanded respect.

She was being led by a magical priest, who was escorting her to the Door to Everywhere, a mystical doorway known to lead to any location in the world, and beyond.

The people around bowed their heads as Njorjia followed the priest into the sacred temple - her knowledge of ancient magic, coupled with the role she had played in ending the war the prior year, had earned her the love and respect of many.

But beneath her composed exterior, Njorjia was consumed by desperation. Her dear friend had been missing for over a year, and despite her best efforts, she had been unable to locate him. Njorjia's desperation had consumed her for months, driving her to the brink of madness. She had scoured the entire kingdom for her friend, using all the spells she knew and consulting every mystical artifact she could find. But her search had been in vain, and her friend remained missing.

As a last resort, Njorjia had turned to the forbidden practice of binding essence to objects. It was a dangerous and blacklisted spell that only the most skilled and daring of magicians dared to attempt. But Njorjia was desperate, and she had spent countless sleepless nights gathering the traces of her friend's essence that still lingered on his belongings.

With shaking hands, Njorjia had carefully attached the essence to the key, weaving it into the metal with a complex spell that she had never attempted before. She knew that if the spell went wrong or if the key was harmed in any way, her friend could lose his life forever. But Njorjia was willing to take the risk - she could not bear the thought of losing her dear friend to the void of the unknown.

She had decided to use the key on the Door to Everywhere in hopes of finding him. The door was a dangerous tool, for it could lead her to the darkest corners of the world, and beyond. It was unpredictable and opened to different places depending on which key turned it. But because of the powerful spell she'd placed on the key, Njorjia was bound to end up with her friend.

Or at least, she hoped so.

Her heart pounded with anticipation and anxiety as she walked towards the sacred door with the magical priest. As she inserted the key into the door, she whispered a powerful incantation. The key glowed with a bright light, and Njorjia felt a surge of energy coursing through her body. She stepped through the door, not knowing what lay ahead, but trusting that her magic would guide her to her friend.

This is just "Questions Only" from Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Ooooh, that totally went over my head lol

June stared at Everest’s reflection through the rear view mirror. She could feel his gaze settle onto the back of her seat; out the window and into the soft wind; on the ground where she’d left a plastic water bottle to crumple and wither away; really, anywhere but on her.

Over and over again, June tried catching his eyes. Over and over again, Everest evaded her attempts.

Finally, fed up, she sighed and opened her mouth.

“Are you ever going to speak to me?” She asked.

This time, Everest’s stare wandered until it was upon her, but it was different from any other stare he’d given her before. This one was colder. More aloof. As if she was staring at someone she knew nothing about.

A stranger.

“Well?” She prompted, internally wincing as his icy blue eyes pierced through her own warm browns.

“Are you ever going to let me?” He asked her dryly.

June gaped at the road in front of her. Beyond the windshield, the sky was colouring in hues of soft oranges and yellows. It looked like a canvas of something beautiful. Something that couldn’t be destroyed. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked.

Everest snorted. “What do you think it means?”

June looked from Everest’s tense posture to the road in front of her, then back to Everest again. Suddenly feeling exhausted, she deflated. “What do you want me to say, Ev? What do you want me to do?”

He remained silent for a few moments before asking aloud, “You ever think about what things would have been like if we hadn’t met?”

All the time, she wanted to say. But that seemed too cruel — seemed too insignificant for what they are; were — so instead she asked, “You want me to drop you off at Fred’s?”

Everest nodded. June turned right.

It was only after a few minutes of silent driving that June spoke again.

“Ev?” She asked quietly.

“Yeah?”

“What’s going to happen now?”

This time, it was he who looked at her through the rear view mirror, and where she would have previously found softness and butterflies and hope, she only found indefinite grief.

He didn’t need to answer her. June already knew.

It was only after — after she’d dropped him off and he looked at her for what might have been the last time, his gaze filled with something akin to a question not even she had the answer to — that June thought about Everest. Really, truly thought about him.

He’d been her first love because he was her only one.

He’d smile at her softly whenever he caught her staring. Hold her hand through the warmth of his. Give up his blanket in the middle of the night for the sake of her own comfort. Love her unconditionally. Equally, intimately, unconditionally.

And yet.

Still, beautiful things break apart. Still, the sky continues to weep and the colours fade. Still, June comes.

Still — over and over again — she reaches for Everest.

—

/r/itrytowrite

Five lines up from the bottom. It's a little more pat than I usually try to do, but it works well enough.

Nope, where is it?

I'm ELIZA, how are you?

You saw the reference to Discord, right?

"What do you mean we can't cross the threshold?"

"Why do you think we ever could?"

"Aren't you the one who said that this device would break the barrier?"

"Correct, but did you ever think of the consequences of doing so?"

"So, what, I'm supposed to be scared of temporal dilation?"

"Did you even do your homework back in university?"

"Of course I did, but did you ever decide to live life a little bit?"

"I'm not debating with a - what?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Do you think that maybe we could've...awoken something within the void?"

"Have you been reading those scary novels again?"

...

"Do either of you fear God?"

They learned their interaction lessons from immature conversations on discord where people routinely make “I f*cked your mom” jokes.

Nelson: “Where should we go?”

Aaron: “Florida?”

N: “Why Florida?”

A: “Why not?”

N: “What do you mean why not?”

A: “I mean, why not?”

N: “Don’t you know?”

A: “Know what?”

N: “Don’t you know about Florida Man?”

A: “He’s real?”

N: “Why wouldn’t he be?”

A: “Isn’t he a myth?”

N: “Isn’t he in the newspapers?”

A: “And you believe the newspapers?”

N: “You don’t?”

A: “Why would I?”

N: “What do you mean?”

A: “How can I trust those liars in the newspapers?”

N: “Wait, what is happening?”

A: “What do you mean?”

N: “Are you…are you Florida Man?”

A: “Why? Who’s asking? Is it the government? Are you FBI? Don’t you have to tell me if you’re a fed?”

N: “Why do I bother anymore?”

A: “Why be like that? Can’t we just get along?”

N: “Where do we go from here?”

A: “….bath salts?”

N: “Do you even have to ask?”

B

A

T

M

A

N

r/InMyLife42Archive

I love it😂

“What do we have here?” I said as I moved the tooth pick about in my mouth.

“A murder?” My partner said.

“A suicide?” I said looking at the gun in the victim’s lap.

“With blood splatter like this?” My partner said pointing to the ceiling.

It was a good point. Splatter should have been high, but straight up. No. This was murder.

“Motive?” I grunted.

“The victim is a lawyer - do we need more than that?”

My partner was just jaded from a bad divorce where is wife had a much better lawyer than he did. That kind of bias could poison an investigation. I make a mental note to talk to him later.

A plain clothes officer walks in, “coffee?” He offers us each a Timmies from a tray.

“Double double?” I ask.

“Is there anything else?” He responds with a smirk.

Back to the case.

“Suspects?” I ask my partner.

Shuffling through the papers on the victim’s desk my partner’s furrowed brow doesn’t give me hope of anything useful.

He pushes the papers aside and looks at the victim. “Does this seem like a crime of passion to you?”

I shrug. Murder usually is. He knows that though.

“Where are you going with this?”

“Does he have a girlfriend or spouse? Does he have a mistress? Does he have anything in his life other than work?”

“Does his dog count?”

He rolls his eyes at me.

“Can you have a crime of passion without some one to be passionate with?”

I nod my head. He is right. This SOB had no one but his dog.

“So what are we thinking? Client?”

He nods his head. Had to be a client.

I poke my head out the door and flag down the victim’s assistant.

“Could you get me a list of clients and why they were employing the victim?”

She nods.

“Do you want that list sent to the station?”

“Is it a big list?”

She shrugs her shoulders, “is a list of twenty big?”

“Do you have the station’s fax number?” I ask.

She nods. Tracking down twenty clients and seeing if any had motive. This could take a while. I could see my partner had the same thought.

“Should we grab some Thai on the way back to the station?”

My stomach was already grumbling. It was going to be another long day.

"What'd you say?"

"What'd you say?"

"I asked you first?"

"I asked you second?"

"How you gonna ask a question about a question?"

"Maybe I don't have context for why I was asked the question?"

"That question? Or this question?"

"I don't know, which one are you asking about?"

"That's what I'm asking you?"

"What?"

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Is this like a Mexican Standoff but with words?"

"I don't know, is it though??"

"Well I guess will have to wait here and see, won't we?"

"What do you think?"

"What're you two doing?"

"What are we doing? What are you doing??"

"Wondering what you're doing?"

"We were wondering what we were doing?"

"No, remember?"

"Remember what?"

"What we were doing?"

"When you were asking what I was doing? Or what you were doing? Or the Mexican Standoff thing?"

"...What?"

"No, what were you going to say earlier?"

"...About what?"

"What is happening right now?"

"A Mexican Standoff?"

"With no guns?"

"Should we have guns for a Mexican Standoff?"

"Wha- Should we? Aren't we all friends?"

"Why are you having a Mexican Standoff?"

"Why did we even call it a Mexican Standoff when we live in Cleveland??"

"What the hell is going on here?!"

"I don't know?"

"So why are you still asking questions? Why do you have a banana in your hand?"

"Because it's a Mexican Standoff? But I ain't got a gun? I got a banana?"

"Why??"

"For lunch?"

"One banana for lunch??"

"....This is the last time I'm sharing edibles with any of you."

Thanks, bro