Recent comments in /f/WritingPrompts

Zoutaleaux t1_ixklmzs wrote

Reply to [WP] Out of the blue, your spouse asked you if you would still love them if they turned into a worm. Thinking it was a little odd, you said that yes, of course you would. It was a short time later when you realized that they actually meant “wyrm.” by Maximum_Pootis

"Baby," I said, with a hint of exasperation in my voice, "I would love you even if you were a little worm, or whatever."

"But what about a big wyrm?"

I suppressed a sigh. "Yes baby, even if you were a big worm. Now would you please get your cute little wormy butt in gear, we are going to miss our reservation!"

Elena's laugh echoed down the stairs. "You get so uptight about that stuff. Relax, honey! I'll be down in a minute."

I try not to start pacing.

"I can hear your teeth grinding from here, Bobby. There, was that worth the wait?"

Elena's heels clacked down the stairs as she came in to view wearing a simple but elegant little black dress. She paused for a moment, looking over at me. God, she was stunning. She walked over to me, blushing a little. As she stepped close in front of me, she reached her hand up and caressed the side of my face. And then down at my pants. "Well, it's certainly nice to be appreciated."

She stepped back and looked uncertain, and a little sad.

"What's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing, Bobby." She took a breath. "I ... I believe you." Resolve settled over her features. "Honey, change of plans. Take me over to the Wilton formation. There's something I want to show you there."

"The ... The limestone outcropping in the state park? Now? Seriously?"

"Yep. I'm serious. It'll all make sense when we get there, I promise. I'm not going to put this off any longer."

I looked at her. She looked at me with those big damn eyes of hers. I always thought they almost glittered in the dark. I threw up my hands. "Fine, fine. You know, some husbands don't have weirdos for wives who drag them all over creation for no reason, you know that right?? Sheesh." I continued with my good-natured grumbling as Elena rolled her eyes at me and we headed out to the car.

About an hour later I found myself standing with Elena in front of a cave.

"I've never seen this cave before. I don't think it's on the map."

Elena glanced over at me. "No, it's not. C'mon honey, not much further now."

The starlight quickly faded as we walked into the cave. The ceiling was pretty high, thank god. Wasn't a fan of tight spaces.

"Baby, it's getting really dark. I can't see anything."

"I know. It's ok though - I can see fine." She stretched out her hand in the darkness and found mine. "It's ok, honey. Trust me."

I did, of course. Even in these bizarre circumstances, I did. I said nothing but tightened my grip on her hand. She led us further into the cave and down a tunnel, which seemed to slope down. It was surprisingly smooth going. After walking for about 5 minutes, she paused.

"You'll feel a tingling sensation. It's normal, don't worry about it."

Before I could react, she pulled me through an opening I couldn't see. As I crossed the threshold, it did indeed tingle. I gasped as I entered a huge cavern. It was lit by glowing fungus on the walls and rocks, and I could hear a small river burbling nearby. Minerals glinted in the dim light, studding the ceiling and increasing the visibility. Strange and colorful plants grew along a clear path further in.

It was breathtaking.

"Baby, what is this place?"

"Go on honey, just a little further."

She dropped back a step or two as I continued down the path. Rounding a corner I entered a large chamber carved out of the rock. It was lit similarly to the larger cavern, but had no undergrowth. Something glinted in the dim light, something metal. Something like ... "Holy shit." Before me, towards the back of the chamber, was a pile of treasure. Gold coins, chests with gems spilling out of them, assorted swords and other weapons.

Behind me, I heard Elena's voice. Only it was somehow much more resonant than it normally was. I felt something huge looming behind me, but for some reason, I wasn't scared as it coiled around my body. It was warm, almost hot. A massive head leaned over my body and twisted on a long neck.

"It's me, honey. Your Elena."

Her scales gleamed in the dim light, as the sinuous curves of her body undulated around me. She has the same big, beautiful eyes. And they definitely glittered in the dark. Her teeth looked very sharp. But she looked uncertain, even afraid.

"Oh. You meant 'Wyrm.' "

She cocked her head at me. "Yes."

"Oh." "Elena... I love you."

Her head sagged, and a few tears rolled down her face and splashed on the ground, sizzling lightly. "Oh Bobby. Thank you."

I cleared my throat. "Well, now that that's out of the way. Uh, do you think you could squeeze a little harder? And maybe, uhhhhh. Use your teeth on me a little?"

Elena threw back her head and laughed. Then she drew in close. "Bobby Brighton, you are incorrigible! Is that a gold bar in your pocket or are you happy to see me?" She squeezed a little tighter and bared her teeth.

God she was stunning.

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Reply to [PM] Give me a genre and a plot twist, I'll de-twist it by [deleted]

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escher4096 t1_ixkkz8f wrote

Reply to [WP] As a mall santa you hear both sweet and heartbreaking wishes. But this one is different. by nozendk

For a month a year, I have the greatest job in the world. I am a mall Santa.

The mall is decked out in its holiday finery. Trees, and lights and garland and Christmas music playing. The hallways are bustling. Parents want to shop and get out. The kids want to come and see me, to tell me their wishes and secrets. It is truly a magical time of year.

“Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!”, I say cheerily from my chair. My voice gets swallowed by the busy din of the mall. One of the helper elves brings a little girl out to my chair. I looked up to the second helper elf who has the child’s name on a little white board that only I can see. It is the little things that let me bring the magic to these kids.

“Hello Mary!”, I say as the child gets close.

Her eyes get wide. I see her turn back to her mom and say, “he knows my name!” She says excitedly.

“Of course, I know your name. You have been a very good girl this year.”, I reach out a hand and welcome her to my chair. “Tell me Mary, what would you like for Christmas this year?”

Mary is a shy girl and looks down and then whispers, “I want a pony.”

“Ho Ho Ho! Oh my, that is a big wish.”, she nods in agreement. “Do you have a place to keep a pony?”

“I don’t know. Maybe in the garage.”

“Do you have a place for the pony to run and exercise?”

“No”, she says sadly

“Mmmmm…. Maybe something a little smaller would be better?”

“I want a Sally talks allot dolly”, she says after some serious thought.

“Oh, that is a great dolly. I really like that one! She has long blonde hair just like yours and she says so many different things. That is a great gift idea.”, little Mary grinned from ear to ear. While I make small talk with Mary, I use my right hand to spell out the gift she wants in sign language to one of my elves to tell the parents. “You have a great Christmas Mary!”, I say, as I send her on her way.

Little Billy is next. He is not sure if he is a believer or not.

“My friend Steve says that Santa isn’t real.”, he says sadly

“I will tell you a secret Billy. Santa isn’t a single person. Santa is the spirit of hope, and innocence, and wonder, and childhood. That spirit lives in you and in me and in all of us. If you do something that gives a child hope or sparks their wonder…. Then in that moment, you are Santa.”, I said as seriously as I could. “But remember, that is a secret.”, I tapped my nose and winked at him and sent him on his way.

The rest of the evening is a blur of children and impossible wishes. Some sweet kids, some bratty kids, some entitled parents and everything in between. A typical evening in the mall.

We were just about to shut it down for the evening and there was one more kid. A young boy, a little older than my usual kids.

He ignores the helper elf and comes out to the chair and sits beside me. “Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas little man. What would you like for Christmas this year?”

“I know you aren’t really Santa. I know Santa isn’t real. I just… I just need some one to see me. To know I am trying.”, he voice breaks and he is about to cry, “ I am trying as hard as I can but he still hits me.”, a tear rolls down his cheek. “I don’t know what else I can do….”

I reach over and give him a hug and he sobs, and then pushes me off and runs away.

I wish I could say it was the first time I had heard a heart breaker but it happens too often.

The chime played on the mail speakers followed by the mall is closing soon message. We pack it in and shutdown for the night. In the backroom, I change into my street clothes. I look in the mirror…. The big beard is natural. I need the glasses and I have a full head of grey hair. Even without the red suit I still look like Santa. “Ho ho ho”, I say sadly to my reflection. That last kid really got to me.

I head out to the bus stop and I see that same kid waiting outside trying to keep warm by a vent. I watch him as I wait for my bus and I see a tall man walk out of a pub a couple of doors away from the kid. He walks up behind the kid and slaps the back of his head.

“Come on you little shit. Let’s go home”, he says drunkenly. The boy visibly shrinks back from him as they walk down the street.

My bus comes and goes and I am still standing there… watching them walk down the street. I start following them. Out of the down town core. Out into the warehouse district. Out into the low income, high density housing…. The high class slums of the city.

They get to a building and he opens the door for the kid and pushes him in. “Get the fuck up stairs you…. Burrrrrrp…. Fuck…”. He leans against the building and lights a cigarette and starts smoking.

I walk right up to this drunk guy. “You need to stop hitting that kid.”, I say in my meanest voice.

“Fuck off Santa.”, he says and spits to the side.

I sucker punch him in the stomach, doubling him over. “I said, you need to stop hitting that kid.”, I lift his head up by his hair, “did you hear me, you fucking drunk? You can Fuck up your life, but that kid still has a future. It is your job to protect him and help him. You don’t fucking hit him. Got it‽”

“Fuck you!”, he yells and he punches me in the gut. It should have doubled me over but it felt like nothing.

I feel cold. Ice cold. My fist is steaming like it is made of dry ice. I hit him in the face and I see ice form on his cheek where I struck him. I hit him again and again…. Left, right, left, right. My hands are literal blocks of ice.

“Who, who the fuck are you?”, he says. His lip is split and cheeks are red and raw.

“I am Santa Clause, motherfucker!”, I say slowly. My breath coming out like thick steam. I grab him by the collar and easily lift him off the ground. “I will know if you have been good. I will know if you have been bad. So you better be good or I will be back and I will fuck you up. Are we clear?”

“Yeah. Yeah. We are clear.”, he whimpered.

“Merry fucking Christmas, asshole.” I say as I drop him. He stumbles. He fumbles for his keys and runs into the apartment building.

I let out a frosty breath and start walking back to my bus stop, humming ‘Santa Clause is coming to town” under my breath.

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AutoModerator t1_ixkh9mr wrote

Reply to [CW] Write a murder mystery, but you have to include a turtle with a monocle somewhere in the story. by Ox_of_Dox

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NoIDontwanttobeknown t1_ixkfng3 wrote

Reply to [WP] Overnight, everyone in the world has swapped bodies and you wake up as a different person in a different country by Possible-Law9651

"Who are you?!"

I ran to the first door I could find, it's the bathroom it seems. I don't recognize this place nor that man in the bed I just woke up in. Did I have to much to drink last night? I was just celebrating my wife's big promotion that she got after working a year in China.

"Excuse me, but do you know where I am?" Said the man behind the door.

Did I go to some guys apartment? I've been curious but I'm a faithful man I wouldn't cheat on my wife, much less with a guy for a one night stand. I slowly open the door.

"I'm sorry man but I don't want you get the wrong idea but I'm married."

"Um it's ma'am I just don't know where I am, last I knew I was gaming with the bros then I was here."

Ma'am? I know I'm not the biggest guy but I'm no--- Behind him was my wife

"Honey!" I pushed past him to go to wife, expect it was a mirror That can't be I start freaking out in my confusion until I looked over and saw the picture. A picture of my wife and this man at an alter.

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YOMGuitar t1_ixk5rso wrote

Reply to comment by escher4096 in [WP] The ritual calls for 100 sacrifices, but after reading it carefully you realize that it never specified they had to be human. Deciding to be the smartass that you are, you got a petri dish full of bacteria and sacrificed them instead. by Prompt_Dude

A universal constant of magic is that the greater the magic to be performed, the greater the sacrifice that must be made. This is because wizards perform magic by sacrificing part of their life force. Over time, this takes its toll and wizards don't live long lives. Consequently, in times of war, when there are many injured people and not enough life force to heal them all, wizards have to make difficult decisions about who to heal and who to let die.

The Prince was wounded and chose not to use a wizard's healing powers because it would require too great a sacrifice on his part. However, his wound became infected and he was brought back for treatment. The wizard cleaning up the Prince's wound realized that the infection is alive (made up of tiny organisms) and decided it might be worth sacrificing them instead. By sacrificing the infection, rather than the Prince, the wizard was able to save the Prince's life without requiring too great a sacrifice.

Sacrificing something of value is always a difficult decision, but sometimes it is necessary in ordering to save something even more valuable. When faced with a decision like this, it is important to weigh all options and choose what you believe is best.

Brilliant piece 👏

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