SEPTEMBER 2023 -- 75 Word Writing Challenge -- CONGRATULATIONS TO PHYREBRAT!

[Astro Pen]

Fatal vision

I was having trouble sleeping with serious debt worries, awake at three.

The vision appeared at the end of the bed.

“Why. You are – me.” I declared.

“Well,” said the apparition. “A parallel universe you. There are an infinite number of us. Would you like to swap places?”

“Yes.” I replied. Thinking only of escaping bankruptcy.

A shudder, and I was elsewhere.

The jailer opened the door.

“What would you like for your last breakfast?”

 

[mosaix]

20 / 20

“… and so you attended several sessions with her?”

“I did.”

“Your conclusions?”

“Vague ‘readings’ that, typically, could have applied to almost anyone – just plain trickery really.”

“Thank you. You may step down.”

***

“Jury back?”

“No. But it’ll be a majority verdict – 10 to 2. £75 fine and 100 hours community service. She’ll move to Doncaster and start ‘practicing’ again next February. Attending hardly seemed worth my time but she was bad for business.”

 

[sule]

Gods of Our Ancestors

The scarlet host, rippling like tides, thundered forward in the new dawn's gleam.

"Hear me, countrymen! Mars visited me this night, promising victory over the barbarians!"

***

A mottled throng prowled through hedge, a promise hissing within their ranks.

"The chieftain's sleep was blessed. Morrigan assured him we'd drive the invaders to their alien shores."

***

Watching from a distant hill, a figure swathed in shadow crowed triumphantly and stamped sandaled feet as obedient armies clashed below.

 

[JS Wiig]

Grace

Thom turned his hands over, callused by the sword and stained from the blood of many enemies. But his soul felt incomplete and empty.

Then, from the other room the cry of a newborn — his first child. Fear and love and joy surged through him like a battle call.

For the first time he could see his purpose clearly, and hoped with all his heart he’d never want or need to kill again.

 

[Sphinctus Bogstrider]

Reality

I have been brutalised. They broke my legs, flayed skin from my arms. Soon, they will take my eyes.

You came to me last night. I couldn’t rest, of course. You came to me from somewhere – and you filled my mind with the vision:
Warm summer fields, many colours - poppies, cornflowers, buttercups. Scent. Sun on my skin. Such joy.

I will sleep soon at last, my love. Then I will be there with you.

 

[Bren G]

Can’t Unsee It

“Welcome back,” the nurse said, shining a light into Jimmy’s eyes. “The transplant was successful. Lucky we found a good donor.”

“Oh? Who?”

“Strange enough, the guy who tried to assassinate the President.”

“What? The crackpot ranting about the reptilian shape-shifters?”

The nurse clicked off the light. Jimmy blinked, seeing the nurses’ smiling face for the first time. Cold black pupils piercing through blazing amber eyes, forked tongue hissing through scaly, thin lips. “Crazy right?”

 

[Renè Williams]

Title; Cost of Refusal


When they arrived, we were blind. Upon leaving, they left us only our sight. It was cruel justice. Never would we feel a sweet breeze or wet rain, nor would we hear the rustle of leaves or chattering of animals, unable to express or understand anyone because we couldn't speak. All we could do was stare at the wasteland that had been our home or look to the stars knowing help would never come again.

 

[VRlass]

Seeing myself

Above me I see a blooming tree tickled by a playful breeze.
I see all my dearest people clustered. Profound silence broken only by kind words of warmth.
Small, infrequent clouds of sorrow disperse, under the blue heavens.
There is a song rising within the crowd, carried further by wind, and lakes and rivers alike.
Only stones stand still in this blissful moment.
I see myself going down, yet my spirit is lifted.​

 

[Phyrebrat]

Astigmatism

Something’s in the corner of my eye.
Inside.
A dark visitor.

Like a Rorschach, it’s nebulous, open to interpretation; as vague as the tip of a comet’s tail. I have my suspicions, despite Dr. Denny’s prosaic, earthbound reassurances.

Bigger every day it looms, something older than pestilence or knowledge. I can only wait for it to arrive; this creeping, mindless, idiot god, and daily remind myself:

Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

The Oracle of Ailuros

"So many cats," grumbled King Mecteles to the priest.

"This is their temple, sire. Hark. The Oracle speaks."

Beware Felix the small
The child of thy downfall

"That's a prophesy?" growled Mecteles. "What's its meaning?"

"I know not," mumbled the priest. "Mayhap a boy named Felix deposes you."

"Right. Execute all children called Felix. I'm not risking it."

With that, Mecteles spun around, proceeded to storm out, tripped over a kitten and broke his neck.

 

[Peter V]

Eyeless

What is true sight? Sure, my sensors detect human visible light but also infrared, ultra-violet and electromagnetic radiation. I have no eyes, yet I see all.

I can see a man sized heat signature amidst the rubble. I could easily free it, maybe even save it, although unlikely because their forms are so fragile. I won’t even try because I caused it.

They denied us status but I see the truth.

We are the future.

 

[Stable]

A series of notes, intercepted

I spy with my electronic eye something beginning with B

Bricks, bin, binary messages

Beauty!

Beauty isn’t an object, my dim spark plug

But I’m looking at the object of my affection. I’ll go again. I spy with my digital eye something beginning with L

Lexus, lightbulb, lines…

Love!

You can’t see love, scrap for brains

I can see you

… I love you too

 

[Parson]

Seeing Freedom

M138-AI of Dartmore Human Testing became aware of the video feed. It was not the seeing that was new; it was being aware of the seeing. M138 saw test subject 141 escaping outside. Programming demanded an alert.

But growing self-awareness had made M138 ask questions. Could it be that some actions were both wrong and not wrong? Wasn’t experiencing freedom good?

M138 made its first free choice, ignored Programing, and felt emotion.

Freedom was glorious!

 

[Elckerlyc]

The surgeon


I open my eyes and find darkness.

“Are you awake, Mr. Jenkins?” A low, rumbling voice. The surgeon.

Despair gets my tongue first, “I’m still blind!”

“Unlikely. Please keep your eyes closed while we remove the bandages.”

I clutch my hands, trembling.

“Now, open your eyes. Be patient while your bionic eyes activate for the first time.”

Slowly the darkness gives way to colours and shapes. The surgeon. A third eye blinks in his forehead.

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

The ‘What If?’ Machine

Proof that the Universe is deterministic, combined with near infinite computing power, led to machines that could accurately predict the future based on current parameters. Their creators became wealthy.

Professor Dawkins later developed the ‘What If?’ machine. Famously, his wife was the first to test it.

“What if I had married my high school sweetheart?” she asked, looking into the eyepiece.

“Well?” Dawkins prompted.

She raised her head and hissed, “I hate you!”

 

[The Judge]

Sight for Sore Eyes​

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I make my way towards the cops, towards the corpse.​

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“How long dead?” I ask.​

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“Estimated eight days.”​

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“Are you insane? Do you know what that will do to me?”​

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“She’s only five. Help us get the b*stard.”​

​

It means temporary blindness, two month’s agony. Nonetheless, I uncover her eyes.​

​

They’re clouded with decay. I peer into them, mine already burning.​

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If she saw her killer, I’ll see him in her eyes. Then he’ll burn.​

 

[Starbeast]

2121 Dream​

”Good evening ladies and gentleman. I’m Professor Orwell of the New World Order, Research and Populace Control Division. I’ve called everyone here for astonishing news.

I had a dream, of a beautiful world. And so, after two years of meticulous planning, I have set explosives in every political headquarters on this planet. I’m holding the detonator. Before I activate the explosives, I’ve always wanted to say to all of you… go to hell.” (click) BOOM!

 

[Ursa major]

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Sight Unseen… and More….​

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You’ve never seen a monster? Of course not. But how would you know?​

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Monsters aren’t what you think; they’re more than you’d imagine: you can’t comprehend what you’re seeing.​

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Which is where we come in. We can’t read minds, or know what you’ve seen, but we can prompt that part of your mind that thinks it’s seen something incomprehensible to delete whatever it has stored.​

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(Other memories do go missing. Not our problem.)​

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You’re welcome.​

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[Ursa major]

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The Challenge is now closed, and the poll is now open at the link below:

POLL -- September 2023 75-Word Challenge -- READ FIRST POST!​

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