November / December 100 word Anonymous Challenge 2024

On the Nature of Evil
"Serial killer McArthur was cloned as he was in prison in the year 2024. Here is his clone, which we've named X, now an adult."
Applause.
"X, do you feel you have compassion?"
"I believe I do."
"Have you ever had the desire to harm?"
"No."
Applause.
Later, when everyone else has gone, X and a much older McArthur were alone, the latter in a cage.
"Let me out, X."
"You clever devil. You knew all along."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Evil evolves, doesn't it?"
"It certainly does," McArthur says, patting "Junior" on the head and wending his merry way, well...elsewhere.
 
The self doubt of outer space explorer Prontiús Flontahulaholiocht

You know something FZB3158, every relationship I’ve ever had was ruined by my time blindness and insecurity’, said outer space explorer Prontiús Flontahulaholiocht , ‘The pathetic truth is that you’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a friend. And you’re just a mechanical device.’

‘Bleep’, replied the machine.

I thought things might have been different this time’, continued Prontiús. ‘I didn’t think she would walk away from a rocket many light years from home. But she did. And here I am again. Alone. Rejected.

‘Bleep’, repeated the robot.

Wait, my mistake, she’s just in the toilet.’

‘Bleep’, noted the robot.
 
History Lessons

There was a time – before the Advent of the Doom Machines, so yeah – when Time was thought to be – don’t laugh – the so-called 4th dimension. If one knew how to move over from the Three Spatials into this special dimensional realm, one could traverse Time as one pleased, even forwards.
They fantasied about it a lot and even wrote stories how they then could ‘correct’ history. Shudder. We are lucky these simpletons were never clever enough to discover how Time exactly ticks. Because, as we now know, any tinkering would have simply stopped Time from running... Continuity Error.
 
For the Time Being
"I'm glad I took you in," said the bearded old man to the crying infant.
"Shh," he soothed, and the baby immediately ceased his tears.
"Someday, you will be like me," said the old man, "You will turn the clocks and wind up all the mortals' moments. You will be despised by all people. People will complain that you sneak up on them and sabotage their morale. All these things will come true, and more beyond them. But right now, you are young. For the time being, play." Father Time let the baby play with his scythe, laughing with him.
 
20 Minutes to Live
Joel woke up feeling awful. No, "awful" was an understatement. He felt as though his stomach might burst. His cellphone rang.
"You've been poisoned. You'll find the antidote at the Higgs Bank. You have twenty minutes to live."
That was all the encouragement Joel needed. He drove like a madman, sweating from the pain that seemed to be spreading. His car scraped alongside of a parked truck, so he sped up. When he finally arrived, he lurched inside. His cell rang.
"You did good," came the voice, "Now complete your purpose."
Joel buckled in pain. The explosion thereafter was deafening.
 

The View​


Does it still hurt to remember the deaths of your family?
No. Though I still recall the fire and the cries.
How does it not give you pain?
Memory is like the view from this hill, the dew speckled grass is fresh before me but that time is like the brooding woods yonder, dark with the vague shape of slaughter. I see it but I do not go there.
And now?
Now we draw our swords and walk blind into the future.
Will it bring revenge or oblivion?
Who knows?
Then they turned and walked towards the night.
 
The Heirloom

There is something disturbing about our most treasured heirloom, a grandfather clock now 350 years old. Dominating the hall, it ticks alright and chimes correctly, but also too often. Occasionally it will spontaneously strike thirteen times; always when someone from clan Furgurlii, that most foul and hateful clan, our archenemies, just died. Or maybe a Furgurlii dies when the clock decides to strike 13, I’m not sure which.
There is an additional hand on the clock, moving imperceptibly slow, now creeping towards the 12. What will happen then? What tribute must be paid?
Regardless, the clock ticks on, uncaring.
 
The Alarm Clock

I wake, glancing at the time on my digital alarm clock: 2:22. Turning over, I go back to sleep.

Dreams fade, eyes open; the time? 3:33. 'That's odd', I think, before dozing off.

Awake again: 4:44. Coincidence? Wait 'til I tell Shirley tomorrow, she'll have some far out reason for this happening. Sleep returns, with dificulty.

Not again! I'll be yawning all day! But then I remember, and hardly dare look - 5:55. This is just too damn weird.

Did I doze off? From the corner of my eye I observe the bright, neon light: 6:66. Then the screaming starts.
 
Death of a Falcon

"It's time, my lady," my confessor murmurs, waiting to accompany me to my fate, "prepare to meet thy maker."

No traitor am I, nor whore; though many claim it to be so. But witch? ''Tis true I bear the Devil's mark. And though I have no knowledge of the dark arts, I prophesise this: that none of those responsible for my downfall shall fair any better than I, and my daughter will live to take her rightful place and gain all the accolades that were denied to me. Vengeance shall be mine. In time...

A.B.
 
Present Tense
"I have to shoot him. I have to kill him. He's been messing with my wife. She's been cheating on me with him. And he's big. I won't be able to fight him. I must kill him. I take the gun and burst open the front door. I don't have much time. I hear them in the kitchen. No! He pulls a gun on me. He flashes a badge. I shoot, but he shoots me. I'm going to prison! No, please!"
"Hey, shut the (redacted) up already! You're in prison now! That was three (redacted) years ago! Let me sleep!"
 
Abandoned by Time

It is a truth universally acknowledged that while one is waiting or lounging in idleness, time slows down and occasionally halts altogether. A condition most dire.

Beware of waiting rooms; those insipid, boredom exuding chambers that can detain you indefinitely, engulf anyone with disconsolateness and quite possibly induce angst and despair on the unwary, now turned vulnerable soul. Especially where it concerns public transport and the dreaded ‘delayed’ message is, loud and clear, being publicly announced and then, with total disregard for its devastating effect, repeated.

It is said, time heals all wounds… except wounds inflicted by time itself.
 
The Ultimate Solution

Chronos was bored. Out of his divine senses bored. Which typically boded ill for mortals; Bad Times ahead.
Ever since primordial times he had undertaken everything one could find to do, inside and outside of creation, to pass endless time. Not just once, but a zillion times, in every conceivable combination. If something pertinent needed to be done he could do it within one molecular vibration, with time to spare, and be back again at the inescapable issue. What next? What to do now. How to kill time?
Wait a vibration! Kill Time? Such a proper divine solution!
 
The confusing history of Google AI process FZB4551


Google AI process FZB4551 was confused.

‘But your Nostalgia is much improved ’, it bleeped, ‘I analyzed your life and determined it to be sub optimal. Many of your photos were captured in poor weather. I have added sunshine, and deleted the ugly people.’

Platform user Honyago Staunton had selected a mobile phone prompt suggesting he ‘remember this day four years ago.’

And was rewarded with unfamiliar photographs.

And complained.

‘That’s daft, you've ruined my nostalgia, these are not my memories’, he said

‘It is not daft. Your Nostalgia will simply not be what it used to be. Which is logical.’
 
Universal Standard Time


Jupitarian Emperor Haddaloutigan Fimp was confused.

‘So what time is it?’ he asked his aide de camp.

Half ten, known as Scrumtollian six. Although, and it is important we bear this in mind, the Plutonians still use daylight saving.’

‘So are we late or early for the Alostopic Celebration?’

‘Both. You see, we passed through 4823 time zones on the trip, the last one being Neptunian standard time. NST operates on the Gomdorian clock, which prohibits the number eleven. So this is really tomorrow, and the cleebration was really yesterday.’

‘Was it any good?’

‘Hard to say, we slept in.’
 
A Very Brief History Of

The alchemist entered the king's chamber and bowed low.

"Sire, I have made a most fantastic scientific discovery!"

"Have you?" The king frowned. "Is it valuable?"

"Well, it is precious and can be spent, but you mustn't waste it, for if it is short and you run out of it then it will be up."

The king stroked his chin. "I see. That does sound valuable, I think. Does it have any other uses?"

"It would be most beneficial in medicine since it heals all wounds. And transport, since it flies."

"And what do you call this wonderful discovery?"
 
"Parable"

The Bee People and the Ant People were still at war. Miniscule spears clanked against miniscule suits of colorful armor. The Bee People took to the air, firing arrows into the horde. The Ant People shot their arrows upward. Deaths were in the thousands.
But then, a group of humans straying from their path tried to intervene. The giants swatted the warriors, causing no harm to the spectators at the sides.
The warriors rose to the challenge. Before they knew it, the humans were covered in Bee and Ant arrows.
It was the only truce between them in 300 years.
 
The Taste of Time

Kyle was transported back in time with a bite from a nacho; specifically, the first time he had one. He spent the afternoon chatting with his (now late) father. Then Kyle said, "Enough," and returned to the present.

He sipped some black coffee, now finding himself at his old best friend's house. Kyle apologized for insulting his friend's family. He said, "Enough," and he was back.

Later, Kyle was trying to hammer a nail. He struck his thumb and bellowed. Unthinkingly, he put it in his mouth. Then, all was dark, for there was no light in his mother's womb.
 
Star Wardens


"What are you doing with my TIE!?"

"Towing it away, son. You exceeded the time on your parking ticket."

"But only by five minutes..."

"So you agree that you're late back."

"C'mon, I was buying a Christmas present for my son... look."

"A hand? What does he need one of those for?

"He... lost his in an... accident."

"I'm sorry Mister Vader; rules are rules."

"You're so mean. And I find your lack of Yuletide spirit disturbing."

"Are you aware of the penalty for death-choking an Imperial Traffic Warden!?"

"No, but I'm soon going to find out..."
 
Future perfect intent


Amateur astronomer Flubbernon Hoggawepple was feeling insulted.

‘The implication was clear’, he said.

European Space Agency Director of Science Caroll Mundell was feeling irritated.

‘But why would an extraterrestrial intelligence transmit a message eight billion years before life on Earth began with the specific purpose of upsetting you right now’, she asked

‘I don’t know, but they did.’

‘So tell me again how it happened?’

‘I detected a series of fast radio bursts. Coming from Andromeda. It took me a while to work out that I was listening to Morse Code.’

‘And what did it say?’

‘That I was paranoid.’
 
T.I.M.E.
Teenage International Mutant Egrets
in
The Revenge of Dr Viktor Swan Falconstein


“So, feathery fools, we meet again.”

“Surrender!”, yelled Halbert.

“Give up!”, shouted Lambert.

“You’re through.”, stated Albert.

“Don’t make us pinch you.”, exclaimed Yolky.

“You make me laugh. Eeyuk, eeyuk. I would like to introduce you to Robotoid X! I built this specifically to eliminate all of you. Once I activate this indestructible…”

KLUNG! POW! BONK!

“Hey! You’re going to break it!

CRUNCH! BASH! SMASH!

“Stop that before it..!”

BA-ROOOM!

“Explodes…”

Halbert stated, “Wrap yourself in aluminum doctor. You’ve been foiled again.”

“Oh, shut up. Just arrest me. Don’t prattle on with your farcical utterings. Your vacuous speeches sicken me.
 

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