Omnibus

 

Avatar Games

The omnibus edition included three of eight books. The release would take place in a week. However, the printing took longer than expected. The printer kept having to reprint everything. Odd pages would appear. After a few attempts, the editor decided to just print it and see what happened. We'll say it's a special remixed edition, he said. Right before the release, the editor leafed through the book. There was nothing wrong. And then he noticed it. There were not three but four books included, all in perfect order. Sometimes, we just have to let magic happen on its own.

100 Word Stories

Roger

Bridgetown

Wrench, he said. Roger, she replied. Screwdriver. Roger. Spark plug gapper. The what? Spark plug gapper. What did he mean? She searched the tool box and couldn't find... what exactly? Quick, the spark plug gapper, he shouted. She looked at him in a panic. The what, the what? And then, it was too late. He had lost his human form. Well, now you know, he said. The spark plug gapper was the code to reset her brain-vision connection. For some reason, it hadn't worked this time. He would have to complain to management, because he did like his human helper.

100 Word Stories

Beginning

bwc village

 

Many years later, he went back up the hill. The tire swings were still there. He swayed his legs back and forth as they had done. Why did it have to happen? Why? The cold night embraced him, cuddling him in its arms. He started to cry. Why can't I go back and undo everything? In the distance, he heard a train. Their train. The train that would take them away one day. The train that had killed her... At sunrise, he dried his tears and finally summoned the courage to take the train. For you. For us, he shouted.

100 Word Stories

Dirty

 

bwc village

A guitar case and no guitar, plus a sleeping bag. A trip to the mountain gone wrong. The police searched everywhere. Nothing. One day, he was back, holding his guitar. The police asked him questions. "The guitar code was dirty again," he said. "I planned to go to horse days." Horse days? "Yes. A historical field trip, not this garbage." The police had no clue what he meant, but they were offended. A nutcase, no doubt. The moment they tried to grab him, he held his guitar up and... disappeared. One wonders where he ended up on a corrupted code.

100 Word Stories

Pathetic

 

Binemist

Pathetic. The word reverberated in her mind. The beach house was nearly empty now. He moved on and got offended when she found out. He begged for "a second chance". But she packed up her stuff and walked away. Deal with it. The problem was, he didn't want his "new life" anymore. "It wasn't fun". Get a house, have kids, go to work, come back home. Suddenly, what he had with her was what he had with the other one. Boring. Shame the beach house was one of the casualties. She moved on. It's nice to be free, she thought.

100 Word Stories

A Stable Tin of Beans

Milk Wood

Fix fence, check how stable the tin of beans is, she typed. Stable tin of beans? Where had that come from? She continued typing her To-Do list. She shook her head. Then, she realized she was stuck. She couldn't think of anything else to add. Tin of beans. Tin of beans. Check. Check, check if stable. She decided to check the cupboard. A tin of beans, check. Stable... Oh. It was cracked open. Something was growing inside. She took a closer look and a voice in her head said "Thank you". The green spores were the last thing she remembered.

100 Word Stories

Gemstone

Milk Wood

The art installation Gemstone featured a naked mannequin with a television for a head, holding a megaphone. Its right arm was missing. Find meaning mode activated. Broadcasting television slogans while the body suffers the pain. Pleased with his interpretation, he approached the artist and shared his view. The artist looked at him, puzzled. He nodded, trying to prompt the artist to say something. The artist said "No, we got the mannequin on sale. They had lost the head and an arm, so they gave us an old tv and a megaphone.” Gemstone?! They should've named it Lacking a Gemstone, then.

100 Word Stories

An Empty Cup

Fenris Isle

 The café was still closed. "The clients are outside." The stress. Let them wait, said the manager. Wait?! The clients will leave. The manager, furious, slammed the door open, letting a flood of people in. "Line up, ladies and gentlemen." Some of the clients left. And like so, day after day, the café went bankrupt. "Now we're unemployed." The manager sneered. "I've got a job for you." The staff looked surprised. "I have a... parallel business in the basement." Six people were counting bills. Millions. "Where is this money coming from?!" The manager smiled. "No one knows." And he winked.

100 Word Stories

Tokyo

 

Missing Melody

He booked a trip to Japan. He wanted to visit Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe. He wanted to just sit and enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms. So, he landed in Tokyo. He was hungry. He went to a street vendor and sat down to eat. And he stayed. He ate and stayed some more. The food was so good, Kyoto and everywhere else would have to wait. A few months later, he moved to Tokyo, and his life changed. Strange guys with massive tattoos hired him to be a bouncer. He'd do anything for that food, even go to jail.

100 Word Stories

An Old Postcard

 

Milk Wood

Dear You,

Here's an unrequested update that will cause a sudden flare-up of indigestion, I know.

He took everything. The jewels, the money, even the hand-painted dishes no one liked.

He did leave a rather offensive note behind that I'll refrain from copying here.

Now, how do you want to roll? Shall we hunt him down or simply ignore him?

Crazy question, I know. I can hear your swearing from the future. I know your answer.

I've gathered a team. I know where he hangs out.

Meet you at the usual place. Tomorrow, midnight.

Bring the meat grinder.

Yours truly.

100 Word Stories