I hope you guys get the old blog back @stories-by-rie here my pretty late entry.
The day of the selection. For years Talaina had worked towards this, toiling and training until she could take no more and beyond. Only the best of the best would be chosen for the ranks of warrior wives. Everywhere she looked, rods and ears twitched nervously as they all lined up. It was almost like roll call in the morning. Somewhere in the crowd would be Rishamela, who was also hoping to be selected, as were all the other three hundred women standing here, but only ten of them would be chosen. The instructor of the warrior wives walked slowly down the rows with narrowed eyes. As she did so, she kept stroking her whiskers. Talaina knew she stood out with her red fur, the fur that only lowly Kama'Bashat had. The instructor arrived at her row and stopped in amazement. Tipping her head back a little, she looked at Talaina longer. “What is your name, girl?” “Talaina.” “What clan?” “I don’t have a clan.” The astonished huff irritated Talaina. “Step forward, Talaina of Nobody.” “Zishi?”, Talaina addressed the instructor in confusion. At least she hadn’t forgotten to use the proper form of address. The instructor smirked and her whiskers twitched. “Let’s see if your training is enough. Now forward with you.” Talaina lowered her head and placed her guiding hand under her neck in salute. A moment later, she walked forward to where the palace guards were waiting for the chosen girls. She winced a little in surprise as someone stood next to her. A sideways glance revealed a priestess, clearly a Plitira with her furless body and pointed ears. “Can I help you, Adinishi?” The priestess smirked and looked up at Talaina. “I’m here to help you, child. You know this won’t be easy?” “I know.” “You also know that of the ten who will be chosen now, only four will make it?” “One of them will be me.” Where Talaina got that confidence, she couldn’t say, she just knew. The priestess nodded with her mouth pinched shut. “Being a warrior wife is not the fairy tale ending that everyone is told.” “Even if it were the dark sea in this life, it’s better than going back.” “I understand.” The priestess stood in front of her and took her hands. “Be careful Talaina of Nobody, you are only entering a world that just for fun, will use you and spit you out like a Tuhak spits out his bone. Be on your guard and act with care.” “Thanks…I think.” “If you need help send for Shiana.” Another chosen one stood by Talaina and the moment was over. She didn’t notice the other women either, so in thought, wondering what the priestess meant, until Rishamela joyfully jumped on her like a little kitten. “We both did it!” “Now comes the hard part, you know that?”, Talaina reminded her friend with a laugh. The odd warning forgotten in the joy of at least having a friendly face around.
(Hello and welcome back to flash fiction friday, where the official blog got randomly nerfed by Tumblr, so hi @stories-by-rie (and good luck dealing with staff). Time for Tragedy Couple? Time for Tragedy Couple)
Once upon a time, we were children who watched the stars.
You gasp softly as another star streaks across the sky. I watch it as it arcs towards the horizon. “Make a wish,” I whisper.
I glance over just in time to see you frown in concentration. I have to bite back a giggle at your expression. It’s cute.
Your face clears, and you nod with satisfaction. “There.”
“What’d you wish for?”
“You just told me it’s bad luck to say it out loud!”
“Yeah, but I’m curious.”
“Nope.” You shake your head, hair flying across the grass. “I’ll tell you when it comes true.”
It’s the exact deal I made with you earlier. I can’t fault you for learning from me.
“Fine.”
You smile at me, then turn back to the stars. I can see their reflections glimmering in your eyes, turning their dark color into a sky of their own. I’m struck by the thought that I would gladly get lost in those skies.
The thought makes me hot with embarrassment, but even that doesn’t stop me from reaching out and taking your hand before returning to watching the stars with you.
“Hurry up; they want to see you soon!” One of the maids lunged into Lili’s bedroom, almost tripping on her apron and landing askew. The princess, who curved over in a ball.
Her skirts lifted to showcase her ankles, yet only using her arms to cover her chest, Lili only lifted a hand down to reveal her face. She gaped at the twins with her saucer eyes–glistening in the few bits of sunlight, but without the tears she constantly bore during the fight.
And then she was snatched.
“What are you doing? Let me go!” Lili cried out, wiggling her arms to adjust her bodice.
“They’re calling out your name–why are you so afraid?” The maid on her left asked, adjusting Lili’s sleeve while the other flailed and kept the princess under control. Going down the stairs, they held down their charge as if she were a baby and not a grown lady who sauntered over the mountains with only herself and a magical sack. As they went lower and lower, Lili sunk into herself further.
Suddenly, they made it out into the foyer, spacious as it is meticulously decorated with art. Lili shook herself off as she kneeled down on the maroon carpet–sewn with the fine gold she stole and tempted others with. Like those who shouted from outside…
The maids opened the doors, and they all sung her name.
In her desk, Doctor Katherine Smith was thinking about the specimen that was a few laboratories down.
The beast – for it was the best qualifier – was a strange one. A strong one too. It had taken two darts with a sedative for elephants to bring it down. The laboratory where it was being held had the strongest metal bars and concrete. And she knew that they would have to sedate it so they could study it without trouble. Now, all they had to do was to calculate how often to use the sedatives and how often without killing it.
Normally, she would not object to kill the beast. She had killed others before to study. But for this one she decided to study it alive before killing it.
She leaned back into her chair, closing her eyes in relaxation.
That was until the blare of the alarm went off. She bolted upright, what was happening?
As if to answer to her silent question, through the communication system came the announcement, “Code Red! Specimen no. 1 has escaped. I repeat, Specimen no. 1 is out of containment. Lock yourselves and be careful!”
As soon as the voice died down, she heard the loud howl and screams of people. The screams chilled her to the bone. She knew why, the screams were ones of pain. And then, silence.
Frantically looking around her office for something to defend herself, she found herself dismayed that she did not have anything to do so.
She rushed to lock her door, and the very second she did, the door knob twisted. She began to tremble, the beast would kill her without a doubt, she hoped that the steel door would be strong enough to handle its force.
She could hear the sounds of sniffing and then, a strong body hit the door sending her a few steps forward. Over and over again, she – who had never been particularly religious, prayed – began shaking in fear.
A few moments later, the door flew of its hinges.
The next thing she saw, was a far too fanged smile. She did not have the time to scream.
This is my second time participating in Flash Fiction Friday, and the second time FFF has cured my writer’s block. Thank you @flashfictionfridayofficial!
DISCLAIMER:I kind of failed this Flash Fiction Friday, because this isn’t complete at all, I just ran out of time and decided to post what I had so far anyway. I really like this concept, so I’ll definitely continue working on it over the next few days. And if it turns out okay, I’ll post the whole thing when it’s done.
The ants and I had a lot in common. We were tiny, fragile things, all gangly limbs and dark, beady eyes set in heads too big for our bodies. He liked us like that: small and unassuming.
He kept us contained, as deadly things should be, trapped inside four walls, watchful eyes following our every move. I watched the ants, flat on my stomach to be on their level; he watched me, lingering in the shadows like a ghost.
He was very careful with the ants, not at all like he was with me. He revered them, I could tell; feared them too. Pogonomyrmex maricopa were one of the most venomous insects in the world, he’d explained to me in the early days, a couple hundred stings enough to kill a grown man. There were close to twenty thousand of them in the basement with me, nothing but thin panels of glass between their venom and my skin.
I did not fear them, though. Most days I felt more bug than human, and I often dreamed of the ants taking me in as one of their own. I was convinced that, given the chance, they would take his life and spare mine.
As I did not fear the ants, he did not fear me. We were both foolish for that. A word to the wise: always fear deadly things.
Crawling out the jar, Helena’s eyes gaped upon the fluorescent lighting all around her, before retreating into her little shell. After so many years of failed experiments in order to procreate, the little girl emerged from her shell, just half an hour after closing time.
With wings of flesh and webbing like a frog’s, Helena tried flapping her wings for a moment, but only went up a foot before falling down on the glass. Glancing at the stretch marks across it, Helena felt it rub against her like a smooth
Leaping off of her containment, she felt the slick, plasticine desks slide underneath her webbed claws; her reptailian form obscured from her humanoid body. The clock ticked with a calming precision, though with each second passing, Helena retreated down to the pit of the sink. The lights dimmed further as the people outside decided nothing else would happen that evening, though when Helena turned her face back to the ceiling, she snapped her neck back to the sink.
Although the steel drain didn’t showcase her reflection, she kept on spinning around it, trying to find a way to the bottom. A drop of water fell, and she retreated back to the edge, wondering about its substance. Crawling, with her limbs making sense of their power in this little environment.
All of a sudden, somebody knocked on the door. The thumps startled this little creature, and so she struggled to get out of the sink. Her webs caught on the handle, and unleashed the tap water in a continuous flow. Startled, she leapt once again, only this time, to the cabinets.
Her hands slid towards the handles, and she clung onto the handles like a monkey swinging on bars. Her hair breezed through her face, trying to get a better glimpse of the darkening room, with only a sliver of light remaining.
“Hello? Did something go wrong with our Generation A?” The voice came out. Helena swung for a little bit, but only remained in the same place. To launch is to hunt down the enemy, and wrench out the life needed for her to sustain her own.
Fandom: Star Trek (OC-centric, based on concepts from DS9) Rating: Teen Genre: Angst/Tragedy Words: 993 Characters: Original Vorta Characters Content Warnings: Religious indoctrination, implied minor character death at the end Summary: There comes a time during every Vorta’s first iteration when they learn what is expected of them if they are to be considered truly loyal servants of the Dominion.
Avelan smiled proudly, though his pride had less to do with Tayli’s answers and more to do with the fact that he was about to have another success in this particularly delicate part of his profession. “This will be your first test. While you’re on your walk today, I want you to observe the rest of the group for any signs of defective traits. I understand how difficult it can be to observe those you’ve grown to care for this way, but this is how we learn that loyalty to the Founders must come before any other loyalty. Do you understand this?”
“I– I think I do,” Tayli said, hoping that her hesitation was brief enough that her caretaker didn’t detect it.
“Perfect. I knew you were the right one for the job.”
John pressed the button again. Taking a deep breath. It was unusual for security - or at least Major Barrymore - to notbe at their station … ? He pressed it harder:
“HELLO!!! Is there ANYONE who can hear me??! Could you let me OUT please?!”
.
Even the static cut off abruptly in answer. Along with the power.
John leaned against the door. Knocking his head back and breathing hard. His eyes attempting to adjust to the almost perfectdark.
.
The past ten minutes had all been a blur.
He was still holding a mask … though he hardly remembered why,now. He dropped it. Scrubbing his hands through his hair.
He was just outside the clean room. Suited up to deal with the world’s first and only glowing rabbit … not exactly top security …
.
The doors had locked down before he had even heard the alarm! No time to follow safety protocols or even to ask what had happened … before he was locked in?
.
John heard the sounds of running, far down the hall and made to stand up. Checking through the narrow glass again.
Not that he could see his hands past his face.
.
He blinked and to his relief a red glow appeared. The emergency power. Kicking on exit lights down the hall, most likely.
Why it had taken this long, was a mystery …
“Hello?” He tried again, banging on the locked door with his fist and shaking the handle. He knew it was an exercise in futility … but he could at least try …
His ears picked up a faint movement outside the door … and he stopped. Looking out again at the soft red glow. Trying to distinguish anything that might be moving?
The red glow.
Did it? … feel closer … ?
John squinted his eyes, attempting to see better …
Then -
Out of strain -
He blinked.
.
The red glow blinked back.
.
John nearly jumped out of his skin! Hopping away from the door.
He was two meters away in one swift movement. Hands outstretched in a steady shielding gesture.
He heard movement again. Nearing…Shit!
.
He wasn’t entirely sure whyhe was worried. Nothing but a blow torch could get through that door …
. and yet …
.
The door handle jiggled. Causing John’s spine to tingle.
.
A rumble and clawing sound followed.
.
John ducked under the nearest table. Trying to steady his heart rate and calm his breathing …
Nothing could get in! Nothing … he told himself … But he was powerless to move as he heard the steel twist. He groaned - as ten centimeters of steel and mechanisms flew open on nowuselesshinges!
.
John held his hand over his mouth, trying to silence the rising panic.
HOW???!!!
.
There was a low rumble like a growl … and the soft padding of bare feet across the linoleum … John’s neck strained as he held himself tight against the wall. Mind slipping into a slowly gripping terror …
… There was nothing in Baskerville that was dangerous? Was there?!
.
10 Minutes.
Was that really all it had been?
.
.
“Jooohhhhhhhnnnnnhh …”
The name reverberated through the room as if a search … John caught a gasp and held his breath for three seconds. Unsure if he had just heard his own name? Or was it a trick of his overactive mind?
He risked a glance from beneath the table …
Watching … as the movement seemed to slow … ? The soft red glow blinking, more and more. Shaking … as if … whatever it was … was unsteady … ? Stumbling? Fumbling against cabinets, counters In the dark …
Lost … ?
“Waaaattsson!” The deep baritone shattered the silence. A loud thud making the doctor in John jolt to attention. There was no mistaking it this time! He had heard correctly.
… and something had just hit the floor like a ton of bricks!
.
John risked another hand forward. Slowly crawling into the room …
… as the FULL LIGHTS came blinking back on throughout the facility. John froze.
He could hear the pop and whir of electricity once humming through wires …
But now he could see.
Lying on the floor of the room was a man.
.
Not large.
Tall, but thin? …
and soft … somehow?
Fragile.
.
.
Lost.
.
His dark curly hair was matted to sweating temples …
Bare chested and wearing only torn suit trousers … and nothing on his feet? He should by all rights be freezingin this room??
.
“Help me.”
The voice drew John back down. Softly kneeling by his side … A barely audible whisper now … Torn from a man who was curling up. Shutting down.
John watched in confused silence. His mind confirming the rapidly reached sleep status. The action of the eyelids fluttered with the tension of REM sleep. Breathing calmed to a dream-like state …
.
He reached out a hand … the skin was hot to touch.
As he pressed and tested various points across the body for vital signs and eyed for any wounds … he could find nothing amiss besides the still alarming thermostasis.
This?
Thiswas the growling creature that had just opened a high security steel door by ripping it off the wall?
No.
.
John pulled back. Looking around in haste as his eyes fell on the medical kit. He needed something more.
He glanced again at the sleeping form.
His heart told him to protect … even as his mind was considering ways to lock the doors again and call for backup …
He decided to make a rash decision.
Hoisting the man onto his shoulders … John carried him out of the emptied facility to his waiting land rover.
.
.
And as he turn the key in the ignition,
He wondered …
How quickly could he get to the nearest hospital? And how long would he be in lock down, for this breach of security?
I’ve barely followed the prompt, but I wanted to write cute monster-human schmoop ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Thanks to @flashfictionfridayofficial for the prompt!
[Image ID: white text reading ‘FFF 155 Out Of Containment’ on a photo background of dark brown wood.
End ID]
and i believe, yes, i believe that you will see a better day
word count: 569
CWs: mentions of past mental health struggles, some mild catastrophizing
—
The thing is he’s happy. When he was stuck living with his sister because he quit his job and ran off into the Alaskan woods to prove demons were real, that was the worst. He loves his sister, he really does, but he was going to explode.
So new year, new job, new allegedly haunted apartment to cover up for the fifth-dimensional thing that he’s dating, new start! Great beginning to being an independent 27-year-old after a disastrous two years trying to summon Beelzebub.
shapeshifting marine biologist breaks out of supervillain prison
warnings: implications of violence just around the corner and mentions of blood
***
Two security guards stood in front of the tank, watching the passing fish with their hands hovering by their guns. More guards waited around every corner in the building, all armed to the teeth.
It wasn’t the fish they were worried about.
But while the atmosphere was tense, there was no cause for alarm. Not yet, anyway.
“So, what made you want to work in a supervillain prison?” the older guard asked. Mary had more experience than anyone else in the building. And more muscle.
Her new apprentice shrugged. “Honestly? Money.”
Mary smirked. “That’s what they all say.”
Chris threw his boss a sideways glance. “Well, I can’t imagine anyone signing up to do this for fun.”
“You’d be surprised.” Mary lifted a fist and banged it on the glass. “Hey, Sheldrake! You coming to get dinner, or what?”
The response came from behind them. “Ready when you are.”
In her desk, Doctor Katherine Smith was thinking about the specimen that was a few laboratories down.
The beast – for it was the best qualifier – was a strange one. A strong one too. It had taken two darts with a sedative for elephants to bring it down. The laboratory where it was being held had the strongest metal bars and concrete. And she knew that they would have to sedate it so they could study it without trouble. Now, all they had to do was to calculate how often to use the sedatives and how often without killing it.
Normally, she would not object to kill the beast. She had killed others before to study. But for this one she decided to study it alive before killing it.
She leaned back into her chair, closing her eyes in relaxation.
That was until the blare of the alarm went off. She bolted upright, what was happening?
As if to answer to her silent question, through the communication system came the announcement, “Code Red! Specimen no. 1 has escaped. I repeat, Specimen no. 1 is out of containment. Lock yourselves and be careful!”
As soon as the voice died down, she heard the loud howl and screams of people. The screams chilled her to the bone. She knew why, the screams were ones of pain. And then, silence.
Frantically looking around her office for something to defend herself, she found herself dismayed that she did not have anything to do so.
She rushed to lock her door, and the very second she did, the door knob twisted. She began to tremble, the beast would kill her without a doubt, she hoped that the steel door would be strong enough to handle its force.
She could hear the sounds of sniffing and then, a strong body hit the door sending her a few steps forward. Over and over again, she – who had never been particularly religious, prayed – began shaking in fear.
A few moments later, the door flew of its hinges.
The next thing she saw, was a far too fanged smile. She did not have the time to scream.
Aziraphale looked up from his book in alarm, chest instantly tight. Oh dear. What had Crowley gotten into this time? Another new plant that was toxic to demons? “Crowley?”
“Help!”
Oh no. Abandoning the book in an instant, Aziraphale leapt out of his armchair. He rushed through the cottage towards the plant room, analyzing possibilities. It could be a toxic plant, or hostile humans, or an attack from one of their old Sides. He had to be prepared for anything.
And yet, when he skidded to a halt in the doorway, he was still utterly unprepared for the sight that greeted him.
Hello! Haven’t been writing recently but realised hey it’s flash fiction friday, maybe i’ll have a look and this one got me excited! Thanks for doing this @flashfictionfridayofficial!
Containment Breach - 415 words
Alarms are blaring. So loud I know I shouldn’t stay. The warning lights are flashing. Big bold letters. Containment breach. Over and over, again and again. I clamp my hands over my ears and scream.
I hate the sound. I hate the words. The first time I heard them was when I saw a face through the window of my cell. I touched the door. My back smacked the wall. I didn’t know it had been electrified.
The next time I was more careful. When I saw a new face, I called out. He turned. He looked terrified. The alarm sounded. I cried.
The third was an experiment. They came in their white suits and yellow boots as they always did. They gave me my food and a fresh blue dress. I looked at the door. The open corridor. And only for a second I imgained walking through it. They tackled me before I could even try.
I didn’t notice you.
But after that, you left a note. I only read a few words before the noise started but they were plenty. “I’ll talk to you.”
I thought you’d never return but you did. It was notes at first. And then it was whispers. Actual words. The alarms got louder but your voice did too. It had a sweetness to it. Soothed. And I had to sit on my hands to stop myself reaching for you when you left.
But then I did.
I touched your glove and it was like the electricity from the door only it pulled instead of repelled. I leaned forward, looked into those velvet eyes and they didn’t dart. You were so close but then there was a crash.
And we were ripped apart.
The alarms blared and they dragged you away and my throat tore with the strength of my voice. You promised to return but you never did and now the alarms are screeching but your voice isn’t here and I never touched the door but my skin is burning and I haven’t left my room but-
You have my hand. Your fingers are warm. Your skin is calloused. Mine is tissue paper thin. I can hear the alarms. I can see the lights. But the door is open.
“We can go.” You say.
I squeeze your hand. “Is it safe?”
You smile. “I hope so.”
That’s when I realise you’re inside. You have no gloves. You have no mask. You have no fears.
Fandom: MCU/Marvel – Pairing: None – Rating: General – Word Count: 379
“Subject has breached containment! Subject has breached containment!” From over his shoulder, Steve heard the not-really-a-WAC shouting out the alert as he threw open the doors on the other side of the wall he’d thrown the two armed guards through.
He’d almost fallen for it, he had to admit. If it hadn’t been for the ball game on the radio that he just happened to have attended in person, Steve realized he’d most likely have gone along with whoever it was that had brought him back to life.
As he sprinted down a hallway where one wall was nothing but glass, knocking people out of the way, he looked around for any clue as to who his captors really were. After all, the fact that they’d tried to trick him into believing they were the SSR had him on high alert; perhaps Hydra had found him, or some other enemy he didn’t even know.
Steve slammed through a door to the outside, running out into the middle of the street where he was engulfed by strangeness: cars that looked nothing like the ones he knew and buildings made of steel and glass that soared high into the sky. Even the people looked very little like what he was accustomed to. How long had he been trapped in the Valkyrie?
Steve kept running, not knowing what else to do. He came to a stop a few minutes later in what felt like it could be Times Square, except the buildings were covered in illuminated movie screens. He turned a slow circle, overwhelmed by his surroundings. This was clearly not the city he remembered.
A half-dozen sleek black vehicles came to a stop around him, boxing him in. A deep commanding voice rang out from behind him. “Stand down, Soldier.” Steve turned to see it was a colored man who had addressed him. He was bald, wearing an eyepatch and seemed to be the one in charge.
The man proceeded to apologize for the ‘little show’, saying they thought it was best to break it to him gently. Steve had a terrible feeling he knew what the man meant, simply based on what he’d already seen. But he had to ask anyways. “Break what?” 
“You’ve been asleep, Cap. For almost seventy years.”
This time I wrote a bit for Jason and Kaz, characters of my original story. Though that scene would probably play a long while after the actualy story. This piece plays around 5-10 years after TCC.
Hell was, of course, always in chaos; chaos was all but in the very definition of Hell. But nonetheless, the situation at present was something out of the ordinary.
Nailu was running, didn’t know for how long but it was long for sure. She ran so far she appeared in a forest althought she wasn’t aware of the forest, she just ran as fast she could to outran her thoughts and her feelings. Nailu cried along her path, focusing on the blurry foreground before her.
Suddenly Nailu shoved into someone. They grabbed Nailu by her shoulders to steady both her and themselves. “Oh~ Look where you are going, silly~!”
Nailu looked at them, they were smiling wide at her, their smile full of sharp teeth. “You think I am evil, too?! That I killed them?! Right, you think that?!”
The someone, Toga, now watching Nailu in confusion. “Evil? Killed? Oho~ No, I don’t even know you, but you might be one of us~”
Nailu was out of her senses, she straight up ignored Toga’s responses and went on in her rambling. “I am bad, right?! I killed my family! Everyone sees me as the villain now! Am I the villain?!”
Toga smiled at Nailu again, squeezing Nailu’s shoulders she was still holding. “Then you should join us~! We would welcome a new member and a friend!” Toga gave Nailu one more sharp-wide grin before sliding her hands down to Nailu’s and happily dragging her off to LoV’s hideout.
Nailu didn’t even protest, loyally obeying and following Toga to wherever she was leading her to.
The blonde peeked behind her shoulder. “Don’t worry~ You’re already as if at home, you can get your feelings out of containment there~”
But Nailu didn’t react nor respond… being caught in her madness again.
This writing is a prelude (sort of) to Cardinal Sins! If you enjoy it, please feel free to ask to be added to the CS taglist, where you will be tagged in snippets, character sheets and playlists!
Within the heart of the forest, there is stillness. The trees stand tall and proud where no breeze dares to disturb them, their hulking figures drenching the forest floor in their protective shadows.
There is what was once a clearing, where wildlife carefully scamper around, clearly aware of the fact that they are on sacred ground. The sun streams through the dense forestry in sparse freckles of light, falling in a halo upon a coffin made of glass. Around it grows wild bushes of thorned roses, and, further out, tall strands of hemlock, warning off any creature that dares to approach it.
The silence stretches, broken only by the gentle chirps of a single Robin, who gently lays a berry at the base of the ring of hemlock, before fluttering away.
The wind begins to stir, gently, perhaps in warning, or something more excited. Moments away, there is the sound of a metal gate opening, a gate that no person should be able to open with their bare hands alone. The gate to the forest.
