swc megathread ➷ march 2024

sophcamps

✉ sun and moon
420 words

the beginning of dusk was near, inching infinitesimally closer. clouds swirled around the skyline, leaving their watercolour mark on the horizon. larks soared through the air, cawing, as the last wisps of sunlight faded to dark. alwyn let the cool breeze sweep through her hair as she listened to the quiet rustle of grass. the corners of her mouth tugged up as she watched the constant loll of the tide.

“backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards,” she mused. alwyn spread her clenched fingers, and with a leap, she flew. for a while, the beating of wings was the only thing that could be heard on the island of ilisla. the silvery shine of alwyn's wings reflected that of the moon's, and when she was airborne, bathed in its glow, she felt like the celestial body. a creation of the night, ethereal and forever immortalized in the sky.

until morning came.

the moment the first golden ray of the sun appeared on the land, she fell. the sky let her go from its grasp, and she plummeted into the ocean, a bird without its wings. the reign of night was over.

-

connell's calculating golden eyes bore into the spread of cerulean ocean. watching as the sun beat down relentlessly of the rocky shores, he wondered what would happen if he was to fail. connell shook the idea out of his mind, disgusted by simply the thought of it. he had been doing this for so many lifetimes, the number so large that it was incomprehensible to the human mind. he could do this.

connell took a deep breath and dove into the depths below. as he sank into the cool water, the iciness of it crisp and invigorating, connell felt the raw power of the sea as a wave crashed above him. it was certainly something to behold.

suddenly, a high-pitched shriek cut through the peace that came with being underwater. swiveling his head, connell peered into the darkness and saw the shadow of a body sinking further- and further- and further away from the surface. “alwyn!” connell screamed in desperation, reaching towards her hand - trying to save her from the wrath of the sea - trying to break the curse - trying to do anything to see her alive again, but it was all useless. alwyn vanished, simply another claimed by the ocean. it was too late. it had always been too late.

“backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards.” whispered connell as his head broke the surface. “'til dusk, my love.”

prompt: write at least 300 words using any line or comment from a host or daily team coordinator's profile

Last edited by sophcamps (March 13, 2024 23:41:01)

Rey_venclaw

I find it terribly ironic that, after having lived in Canada for so long, it’s not until I moved to the United States of America that I had the displeasure of being chased by a Canada goose.
Life has a lot of small ironies like this, but most aren’t nearly so funny.
I was perfectly safe of course, though rather shaken. Geese aren’t a laughing matter, especially when you’re running away from them and your only path of escape is a field they seem to think makes a lovely bathroom. I was safe, as I said. My shoes were not so lucky.
And then there’s the squawking. It’s ceaseless. It doesn’t stop. Squawk. Squawk. Squawk. At least you know a mad goose could never sneak up on you.
Though, they can fly. So I wouldn’t put it past them.
Geese might not seem very vicious to you, and if that’s the case, then count yourself lucky. You’ve clearly never been intimately familiar with the violent abilities of the Canada goose. Most notably, they have beaks. Then if you can somehow avoid the beak attack, there’s still wings and incessant squawking to contend with, and they can run. Oh boy can geese run.
So, the moral of my story, I suppose, is life is full of ironies, never trust a goose, and be sure to wear shoes you can clean.
If you don’t follow my instructions, you’ll regret it, and I am living proof of this. I had to work hard and suffer greatly to learn these lessons about geese and goosely antics, you don’t have to learn it the hard way. You get to learn from me. So count yourself lucky.
One day you might not end up so lucky, but I hope, for my sake, for your sake, and for the sake of all the geese in the world, you and these vicious, Canadian birds can stay out of each others way.

-vanillamochabear-

you asked me why i wasn't saying a word
i'm naming the stars in the sky after you
~ from starr but i'm pretty sure it's a lyric too <3

we snuggle closer together in the blankets and pillows, a lantern creating ripples of golden light under the moon's white glow. it's just us, nestled in the silence of wildflowers and grass. stella's vintage record player begins cranking out another song, and though the words are inaudible the tune is still catchy. i let out a long sigh, thoughts fixed on the night sky. it's filled with colors tonight, nothing like the black and blue she's always depicted as. no, she's swirled with hints of green, purple, silver and gold, speckled with dots of faraway life, shadows of galaxies, and… stars. oh, how the stars reminded me of stella - beautiful, radiant. when i eventually joined them, i wanted death to feel just like this; comfortable near-silence, lovingness, and above all, peace.

stella's first to move her gaze away. she looks at me, and her blue eyes are like liquid silver under the moonlight. her lips parted in a smile, one that's impossible not to return.
“you've been awfully silent,” she says playfully.
i roll my eyes lightheartedly. “what is there to say?”
“come on, there's always something to say - you're beautiful, for one.”
that catches me by surprise, and i laugh, turning to hide my blush. “and you're a star.”
“you really think so?” she grins, and i notice her glancing up again. i don't blame her - even i had never seen so much held at once in the sky. it's practically overflowing with treasures, each of them billions and billions of miles away yet seemingly so close.
“come on,” i nearly snort, “it's literally what your name means. which, for the record, i think you live up to perfectly.”
although i can't fully see it, i can tell she's blushing bright pink, trying hard to hold down another wave of giggles. and i know i've won the compliment wars.
“but there's so many of them - ” she starts.
“and you're the brightest.” i finish.
finally, she accepts it, and smiles. she meets my eyes once again, with that gaze of hers ethereal enough to belong to a fairie or a goddess.
“well, if i'm the stars, then you're the moon.”
it doesn't make much sense, but it's late enough to be the funniest thing we've both ever heard. our laughter filling the empty page of the meadow, our fingers intertwined, it's perfect.

Last edited by -vanillamochabear- (March 13, 2024 23:45:20)

-Choi-Sooeun-

Daily #13 (i forgot my old formatting lol)

Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.

It was all for a second, but to Astrid, that was more than enough. It finally happened, after all these years. To her, this moment meant something big. She’s found it- found him, to be precise.

You see, that’s how it is in Starfall. Destiny is revealed by these floods of light, and Astrid is certain this was it. She would run back to her family and tell them the good news. They would celebrate, and their families would get to know each other. The ceremonies would be planned, and everything would go perfectly.

Only, it can’t. To the people of Starfall, this, where she was right now, was enemy territory. By law, you’re not allowed to cross the boundary between their world and the human world. What if they found out? They can’t know that she’s been escaping. Most of all, what would they do, if they found out she was in love with a human, an enemy to their tribe?

No, she thought, this was her destiny. That light, it meant something. Something even more serious than she has first imagined. How was it even possible, that her destiny is set somewhere forbidden? There must be some sort of mistake. Without a second thought, she took off running. Away from what she knows is part of the path set out for her by fate, and in the direction of home.

She heard him calling, but all she could do was continue to run, and run, until finally, she reached the secret gateway back into her home realm. He won’t be able to find her here, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside.

Was this all a mistake, she thought, or is it really meant to be this way? Nothing could explain the heartbreaking feeling of having to leave, even if she knew it was the right thing to do.

Maybe it’s because it was the right thing to do.

AmazaEevee

Critique for Tilly
3/13/2024
369 words

I enjoyed this piece! I love seeing misunderstandings and the trouble that it can cause ahaha. It’s not perfect, but you have a lot of material to work with!

sweetcakefamily wrote:
#5
for critiquitaire

The saffron-steaked sky was slowly fading to twilight as the small group of armed travellers rode valiantly into unknown territory. Their horses’ hooves gently padding the long grass, and the gentle rustles of leaves in the breeze were the only sounds occupying the forest around them.

Starting off, I love the description of the sky here; it’s so colorful and it’s interesting word choice as well! The comma between ‘grass’ and ‘and’ is unnecessary, and also disrupts the flow of the sentence, which left me a bit confused as to what the sentence was talking about on a first read. Within the same sentence, you use ‘gently’ and ‘gentle’. I would suggest changing one of them, so it isn’t repetitive. Perhaps make it the ‘soft ruffle of the leaves’?

“Too quiet,” She agreed with an equally low voice.

Small mistake, but ‘she’ should be lowercased

The trepidation in the air made Finley’s steed begin to stamp nervously, and she stroked his smooth grey hide to keep him quiet as Xavier stared hard at something beyond a cluster of trees to their right.

Love the use of trepidation here! ‘Stare hard’ seems a bit out of place here and isn’t the best descriptor. You could replace the verb to help show what Xavier is doing. Some suggestions are glaring, observing, or gazing.

“What did you see?” Quinn asked, his striking blue eyes clouded with concern as he watched the place Xavier had been looking at before.

The end of the sentence is wordy and a bit redundant, as you could replace ‘the place Xavier has been looking at before’ with ‘the forest’ or ‘the trees’.

Finley turned to it, and her blood ran cold.

The added ‘to it’ is redundant and I think that it slows the pace down a bit. Removing it makes the suspense come quicker.

Without hesitation, Xavier drove his horse to a full gallop, his companions following suit, and the unmistakable sound of pursuing riders screamed in their ears as they raced through the trees.

I’m not sure if ‘screamed’ is the best verb to use here? Unless the riders after them are screaming bc, but I don’t think that’s the case. Ringing, resounding, or echoing are verbs that give off a similar meaning to what I think you wanted to achieve.

With their identities shadowed, they looked menacing, but the six stood firm, swords and bows readied, unfaltering.

I think that the wording here seems a bit off? ‘Identities shadowed’ isn’t very clear and I’m assuming you mean their faces? Replacing ‘identities’ with ‘faces’ makes it more clear as to what you’re taking about. You also put both ‘firm’ and ‘unfaltering’ here and because they are synonyms, it’s redundant to use both of them. I would suggest removing one of them and the same message will still be conveyed.

Finley winced a smile, trying to shake off her previous fear. “Of course! We’re happy to see you too, we thought you were enemies.”

The comma here should be a semicolon, as they are two separate sentences, but still related.

Overall, this was a good piece and you conveyed the tension of the situation well! I’m not sure if this is part of bigger story/world, but it seems really interesting and I would love to read more!

Last edited by AmazaEevee (March 13, 2024 23:57:05)

xXFierroOrFalafelXx

who took him by the hands led him out into a field and taught him how to dance barefoot in the flowers, how to lay in the grass and stare up at the sky and envision something bigger. They spent all the days together, falling in love despite their differences, but each night after she had k*ssed him goodbye she left to find her way into the land of dreams. Always an important ritual for her and he had not yet learned how to follow. He'd asked her once to bring him along but she'd always said he would come when he was ready and she would be back by morning. Colin sat with her on a cliff overlooking the sea, watching the sunset one evening and after she had left he sat there for a while, concentrating on all the little pieces that made her up, everything strange and wonderful she had done today. And then he tried to think about dreaming and what it really meant and how he could follow her and not be so lonely. The sun disappeared below the horizon and the moon took its place, cold and silver, brooding like a stern father and not the golden warmth of a generous mother sun Daisy had introduced him to. He tried to stay out, but as always his hatred of the night won over and he hiked back to his cabin. Every night his lantern was his only life line, so tonight when some dark force snatched away the flame in that lantern and would not allow him to light it again, he panicked. By now he was already deep in the woods and it was very dark. The gnarled branches he could see were like hands of tortured souls reaching far out of the earth scratching at him even as he tried to avoid them. Colin wasn't ditzy, this he knew, but he was a lover of the light, and the darkness was closing in on him. He pushed his way through the woods in his near blindness with only memory to guide him and found his way to the cabin where he spent his nights, and sometimes there was work to be done there in the day. He lit his fireplace, letting out a deep sigh of relief a the familiar warmth of those crackling orange flames. But a cold wind blew in and put the fire out. Tired, Colin decided to just go to sleep and wait for day to return. But it didn't. Colin had a clock, and he knew for certain that twelve hours had passed but the world was still cloaked in black and Daisy was nowhere to be found. Perhaps she was still dreaming. Colin waited thinking surely sunrise was just around the corner but it never came. Determined not to be so frightened of the night he thought about what Daisy had said about dreaming, it was an art and a magic finding a light to hold onto in the darkness, finding a key to untether your mind from doubt and worry. Colin had beautiful glass beads, they helped him worry a little less so he took some dark blue cloth he had and he sewed the beads onto it in different patterns , and tried to focus on the beauty of it he made images of Daisy and the parts of the world they had loved together and he poured in all his hope that the sun would rise again and Daisy would return and he would hold her in his arms. And then he began to dream. And while he was dreaming, the night crept into his cabin and took the beaded art. The night made them into the stars so everyone would be able to dream. And when day finally came Daisy and Colin rushed into each other's arms in that beautiful golden light.

-WildClan-

mar 13 https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/722471/?page=3#post-7859651

Ooh, intriguing… I think you were right to not describe the magic system too deeply at this point in the story. This particular scene didn’t need it, and in general, information should only be given when relevant to either plot or characterization (unless its foreshadowing or some such). Overall, this passage is mostly exposition and feels like a summarized part of a larger whole. If this were an entire book, I assume some of the details would have been given at different times, but as it stands, it’s pretty good. I think you could add a bit more description of the setting, aside from the main character’s past experiences with it. Include the things she’s seeing right now and help set the vibe for the location through showing rather than telling. You say a lot about the market’s reputation, but don’t show a lot via description. Use vivid, sensory words to really immerse the reader in the world! Also, some of the sentences probably should be rephrased, as saying things such as “a good sense of sensing” is rather awkward. The premise of the storyline, with a non-magical person navigating a magical world in order to help her brother, who may be ill due to foul play, is interesting, though a lot more information is needed to really provide structure for the plot. The passage moves quickly from one event to another without allowing enough time for the reader to fully absorb each moment. Slowing down the pacing and providing more detailed descriptions of the protagonist's surroundings, thoughts, and emotions could help build tension and suspense, particularly in moments of danger or decision-making.

xXFierroOrFalafelXx

I should have ended it better but I was in a time crunch

CherryMango17

—

The house stood in the silent embrace of the night, its windows like eyes watching the world outside. Shadows danced on the walls, flickering in the faint glow of the moon. In the stillness, a whisper echoed through the corridors, barely audible yet hauntingly present.

—

In the beginning, the house seemed like any other, with its quaint charm and inviting warmth. Sarah, eager for a fresh start after the loss of her husband, found solace in its quiet halls. She relished the solitude, the comforting silence that enveloped her like a protective cloak.

But soon, the silence began to whisper secrets, the shadows harboring unseen terrors. Sarah's nights turned restless as strange noises echoed through the house. Whispers chased her through the corridors, their words too faint to comprehend but filled with undeniable dread.

—

As days turned into weeks, Sarah's unease grew. She tried to rationalize the noises, blaming them on the old house settling or her own overactive imagination. Yet, deep down, she knew something was terribly wrong.

One night, as she lay in bed, the whispers seemed to converge, forming a cacophony of voices that clawed at her sanity. She curled into herself, seeking refuge from the unseen horrors that lurked just beyond her sight.

—

Desperate for answers, Sarah delved into the history of the house, uncovering dark secrets buried within its walls. Long ago, it was said to have been home to a reclusive family, their tragic demise shrouded in mystery. Some whispered of a curse that lingered, condemning any who dared to call the house their home.

Haunted by these revelations, Sarah resolved to confront whatever malevolent force inhabited the house. Armed with nothing but her courage, she ventured into the depths of its darkness, determined to break free from its grasp.

—

In the heart of the night, Sarah stood face to face with the source of her torment. A spectral figure materialized before her, its eyes hollow voids that seemed to pierce her very soul. With a voice like the whisper of the wind, it spoke of sorrow and longing, its words a chilling echo of the past.

Driven by fear and defiance, Sarah challenged the entity, demanding to be released from its grasp. But the ghostly apparition only smiled, its laughter echoing through the empty halls like a cruel mockery of her plight.

—

As the first light of dawn broke through the darkness, Sarah emerged from the house, her spirit battered but unbroken. With each step away from the haunted abode, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders, a sense of liberation washing over her weary soul.

Yet, even as she left the house behind, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, of unseen eyes following her every move. And in the silence of the morning, a whisper lingered, a haunting reminder of the horrors she had faced within those walls.

—

Years passed, and the house remained empty, a silent sentinel looming over the landscape. But one fateful night, a new resident arrived, drawn by the promise of solitude and serenity. Unaware of the darkness that lurked within, they stepped across the threshold, unknowingly sealing their fate.

And as the echoes of their footsteps faded into the night, the house stirred once more, its secrets waiting patiently to be revealed to the next unsuspecting soul who dared to call it home.

—
+559 words

-lxve-bug-

-lxve-bug- wrote:
pup's thread (boy am i late :skull: )

AYYYY IM 100TH LMAO

daily for pi day <33 570 words !!

She took a sip of water, unsticking her throat. She opened her mouth, trying to get one single word out. Nothing. She sighed, one of the only sounds she could make recently. She didn't know why she suddenly lost her ability to speak, all she knew was that she woke up one day last week and couldn’t say anything anymore. She’d been trying fruitlessly for the past week and a half to coax some sort of sound out, but no matter what she tried, nothing happened. She’d been to doctors; she’s tried everything in the book to say something again. She’d always been a rather quiet person, so at first it didn’t matter that much to her. Sure, it was a little strange, but it wasn’t too bothersome. She didn’t have many friends, but her close few made an effort to still include her, regardless of whether or not she could respond to them. But now that it’s been a while, she’s starting to get frustrated. She supposed it was because she didn’t have the ability to stay silent anymore. She didn’t have the option to talk. When she wanted to talk, she did, and when she didn’t, she didn’t and that was that. She didn’t want to get all sappy or inspirational or anything like that, but she thought that it was possible she didn’t realize how valuable talking was until she couldn’t do it anymore. She couldn’t speak up for herself even if she wanted to.

As mentioned earlier, she’s always been a very quiet person, in fact, she was so quiet her parents used to think she was mute until she was about 4 and asked for a pet unicorn. Through elementary school, she only spoke when strictly necessary, and though she had a friend, she didn’t really talk to them that much either. In middle school, she spoke up a bit more and made a few new friends, but even then she was unusually quiet. Now that she was in high school, she seemed to shrink even further into herself, rarely talking ever. But she was happy. She talked about her feelings and cared about her friends and her friends cared about her. She was a normal, happy, albeit rather quiet kid. Maybe her voice had just evaporated from lack of use. But that couldn’t be right, because she answered a question in math the day before her voice left. She sighed again, withdrawing from her thoughts back to the present. She attempted to hum, feeling the vibrations in her throat even though there was no sound. Maybe something would break loose in there and her voice would come back? She took a few deep breaths, trying to come to terms with her permanent silence. It wouldn’t be that bad, she can still text, and write. She could always learn sign language.

Eventually she got up from her perch on her bed, and walked down the stairs to the kitchen. Her mother asked if she wanted to refill her water. She nodded, and her mom walked over to the sink to put more water in the cup. She took it with a smile, unable to say thank you, and took the glass back up to her room. She took a seat on her bed once again, and took another gulp of water. See? She could still communicate with people even if she didn’t have a voice.

Scrollreader023

March 14th daily.
TW: Ghosts, death, bullets.
Word count: 523

You heard the footsteps echo across the cold tile floor downstairs.

Click. Click. Click.

He must be here. Isn’t that a bit early? The deal wasn’t specific.

Click. Click. Click.

Ragged breathing wormed through the halls, as if someone had a thing blocking up their throat. You should go check on whoever has come to fulfill their end of the deal, but something keeps you riveted to the spot. You are next to the window, chilled air swirling around you. Your bedroom is dark. It’s late at night, or is it early in the morning? You don’t know. You’ve been waiting for this person to arrive.

Click. Click. Click.

The footsteps are slow, decisive, almost like they were planned. Almost as if they knew their way around this house, having been here before and memorized every step. You shudder. That couldn’t be the case. No, that was impossible. No one had visited this house for a decade. Still, goosebumps make their way up your arm. Something isn’t right.

Click click, click click, click click.

Suddenly they increase speed, the clicking growing closer. Why haven’t they called out to you yet? This is not who you were supposed to meet. The realization breaks out into full view, and you scramble to open up the window more. You’re panicking, hands slipping as you try to heave open the heavy glass and frame.

Click click click click click

They’re in a run, they’re coming, they’re coming, you can’t escape. You let out a desperate scream for help, but there is no one around for miles. No one can hear you. No one will know. Did this person want her end of the deal? Did they know what she had done?
You scream to God for mercy. Let him forgive your miserable and unrighteous life. Save me, you cry out. Save me.

Silence.

They stop. In shock for a moment, you stop scrambling at the window. Where did they go? Your screams stop, but they still echo around the cold house. Cold, but surely not empty. It couldn’t be. That snaps you out of it, and with a strength you pull from somewhere deep inside, you wrench open your exit. You need to get out.

Click.

You shriek. That was right behind you. You dive for the window, hoping for an escape to your car and away from this place. Something slimy and chipped away at slithers across your ankle. You scream again, crying out in your panic.
“WHAT DO YOU WANT?!” You shout, trying to get out of the grip. But it just tightens. You look down.

Click.

“I want…” The ragged voice creaks. A girl lays below you, staring up with dead eyes. Dull. Gray. Lifeless. “Justice” She rasps, head turning at an unnatural angle. You stifle a sob. Two bullet holes in her neck. You stare at the markings. The markings you made, all those years ago. The first kill. “Justice for all.”
A flash of transparent figures, all staring at you with such loathing you flinch. Then they vanish.
“Goodbye.”

Drip. Drip. Drip.

You hear footsteps echo across the cold tile floor downstairs.

nerdyme2

Critique
Fairy Tales // @-NightGlow-
word count // 261

The part where it says, "as if to act as a sign to for comers who were joining This sentence is mysterious and sets the mood really well. I'm not sure if this is actually a problem, but when it says "a sign to for comers“ It's not repetitive,I just don't think the to and for are both needed. I would suggest just using the ”for in it.“

”The sites were clear as day as the sunset fell into the sky, a mix of blue and yellow as if it has been painted by hand.“ This is an amazing comparison that leaves anyone who reads it, wanting more. The only thing I saw, is that up until ”as if it has been,“ It is in the past tense. At that point it is in the present. Maybe if you replaced ”Has,“ with ”Had.“

Where it says ”Instead, it reeked of destruction and damage. I think this sentence works really well. The only thing is that destruction is a synonym for damage. It's slightly repetitive. Maybe If you took one out, and replaced it with something like chaos or confusion.

Overall

This was really good. I know I keep making comments on this, but you set the mood just right, so then I couldn't stop reading. You didn't come in too early or too late. I really like the comparisons you made with it, and the figurative language was just like *Chefs kiss* It was amazing. If really liked how it all came together, it left an image. It was really good.

--kitti-kat--

March 14th daily || 1098 words || This is what happens when I allow myself to write about Bug Fables, apparently

In the Ant City plaza, finally where I belong. Right? I wasn’t all that sure at this point. I felt like some kind of fly on the wall, with no real purpose, and nowhere that necessarily felt safe. Not that I am a fly, I’m actually a ladybug, though. A bright orange, nearly yellow one at that. Us ladybugs were used to this kind of feeling, unfortunately.
As I stood, conflicted on whether this was a good place to stay, a trio of bugs walked past me, chatting and just overall seeming to have a fantastic day, seeming to head towards the commercial area of the city. Explorers, perhaps? One of them, a moth, glanced at me strangely, as if I weren’t supposed to be there. Then, he continued walking along with his friends as if he didn’t notice me.
Honestly, I wasn’t too shocked by the whole silent exchange we shared for that brief moment. Ever since ladybugs were nearly banished from multiple kingdoms around the land, we’ve always been looked down upon. Especially by older bugs, which, despite the moth’s explorer status, he looked like.
Now that I thought about it, that’s what I’ve always wanted to be. An explorer. Someone whose entire life is dedicated to exploring the nooks and crannies of this world. I knew that was impossible though. I was in no shape to be one. I lacked a partner, which is required to be an explorer. The worst thing was that I was a ladybug. Why would they trust an aphid-eating beast with acquiring priceless artifacts for royalty? That’s… the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!
Stupid royalty… stupid ladybugs from a generation ago… ruining my life entirely…. Making an entire species oppressed for no reason…
You know, why was I thinking about being an explorer? Why was I trying to think that I’d ever feel at home anywhere? Why was I bothering trying to make a life for myself?

I threw my permit to stay in the Ant Kingdom away, going through the explorer’s association and out to the outskirts of the kingdom. Where I’d wander out to next, I had no idea.

Somehow, I ended up in the Lost Sands (which kind of makes sense, considering the entrance to it is attached to the outskirts, and it’s easy to get lost within it, hence the name). I looked behind myself, my trail of footprints disappearing as a breeze filled them with sand. What was I doing? I was wandering aimlessly, leaving no trace that I was anywhere. What a pathetic path I had chosen. No, I hadn’t chosen this path. Society chose it for me the moment I began existing as a ladybug.
“G- give it back!” I suddenly heard from nearby. I turned towards the voice, seeing a small, terrified mantis, confronted by a bunch of bandits. I had heard the bandits in the Lost Sands had been appearing more often. I couldn’t quite make out what most of the bandits were meant to be, though one of them was… a ladybug? Not all that surprising. If I had half the morals I did, I’d probably be ganging up on the poor mantis with them.
Just thinking about that was disappointing enough. The fact that society rejected us so much, several of us became rotten thieves, knowing it was one of the few ways we could actually fit in with other bugs.
As I became more infuriated with every thought that passed by, the ladybug bashed into the mantis, knocking him to the ground. The other bandits passed around a little green mask like they were playing Moth Fly in the Middle (Author's note, I made that up. I just thought it was a decent enough bug-like substitute of Monkey in the Middle). That was it.
I had never been much of a fighter, or really all that into running, but all these pent up emotions had made me feel more than enough. I raced towards the unsuspecting bandits at full speed, every single one of them, knocking them into the air, all of them quickly crashing back down to the sand. The mask slowly floated to the ground, and one of the bandits that could fly attempted to get up and grab it before anyone else could. Though, I snatched it before they could get close. I body slammed them back to the ground and looked over the mantis, who was staring at me in awe. I helped him up, handing him the mask.
“Th- thank y- you…” he stuttered. “A- are you an e- explorer, or something?”
An explorer? Had I just been called…. An explorer?
“Heh, I wish…” I laughed a little. “I don’t even have a partner or anything. It’s not like I have a good relationship with-”
“I could be your exploration partner!” The mantis interrupted. “…I- I mean… not that I have much to offer, but I’d like to think I’d try my best as an explorer.”
I couldn’t help but smile at his offer. And, honestly, I was deeply considering it. “I’d actually really like that….”
The mantis lit up. “Well, i- if that's the case, my name's Mun.”
“Cool… I'm Mango…”
In the distance, coincidentally, the trio of bugs I saw earlier were walking in our direction to get a closer look at the scene. “Huh… I guess ladybugs CAN be more selfless and respected than I thought…” I heard the moth mutter. The trio offered us help, and gave me applause. They even escorted us back to the Ant Kingdom, since they were on their way back there anyways. On the way back, Mun couldn’t hold back his excitement about possibly becoming an explorer, and revealed it to the trio of apparently famous explorers. At first, they were confused, but when we arrived at the Ant Kingdom, we all stopped at the Explorer's Association. There was Maki, the queen's blade. Definitely a surprise to see there. The explorers discussed with Maki for a couple of minutes.
“So, you two want to be explorers?” Maki asked, now facing us. I nodded, while Mun bounced around in his spot for a moment.
“Then, I ask you to prove your skills I've heard so much about.”

A long fight later, and it's decided. Mun and I left the Association together, an explorer's permit in our hands.
“A- and I thought it was crazy that recently the Ant Kingdom is in possession of our land's first explorer bee…” Mun said. “Now you're the first explorer ladybug!”
Finally, my footsteps felt meaningful, not just washed away moments after I took a step.
Now, Mun and I were in the Ant City Plaza, finally where I belonged.

-NightGlow-

Folklore - Magical Realism
In the deep woods, everything was surrounded by ferns and moss. It was a great sight to venture through those woods - it was filled with magic, a horizon of what seemed almost impossible. Although from the outside everything seemed somewhat dark and dreary, anyone who dared to enter the forest would say that it was everything but that. The leaves were colorful all scattered around creating this whimsical sense of tranquility, the stone pathway was all lit up, and above all that, there were talking animals who were not frightening at all! It was such a magical place, one that you could honestly just lose yourself in - and that, unfortunately, is what many ended up doing…

It was always lively and bright in the forest, but with every little bit of happiness that was shared, darkness inched closer, approaching quicker than ever. Amongst the animals, everyone living in joy - no one ever expected such a thing to happen. But with all the new travelers coming into the forest, it was losing its health and defense mechanisms bit by bit. The color from the plants began to die off, the shimmer that once illuminated the entire forest was fading away, and the animals that once ventured every part of the ancient woods were no more. It had all come to an unfortunate end, with no sense of beginning from the very start.

231 words

Last edited by -NightGlow- (March 15, 2024 17:24:27)

-NightGlow-

Word War
Recca :: Poetry
word count - 281 words

The darkness cloaked the kingdom, as if to ward off dark spirits. At least, that's what they told us it was doing. Little did we know of the sinister scheme that was occurring behind the scenes - a simple plot that unfolding right under our noses. My mother had always told me that it was rude to judge people without getting to know them, but in this case, I knew exactly who was to blame. The problem was that one was going to be foolish enough to stand by my side through this. Everyone was afraid of him, of the power he held so close to his heart. He kept it close, never outside the sight of his eyes, as if fear conquered him every time someone drew near. it was scary to think about, indeed. I often got nightmares when trying to drift off to sleep at night. It would keep me up for hours, simply just wondering what was going to happen to our world. If no one was going to stand up for change, we were going to fall down with the destruction that we all knew was to come any day now. The palace grew in light every day, however, and meanwhile us village folk were suffering from famine. Lack of resources, lack of support, it felt like society as we knew it was simply collapsing on itself. That's when I decided that I had to go on this journey alone. Explore the forbidden castle, uncover its secrets, and save my people. I knew that nothing was going to stop me from reaching my goal. That night, I scurried out of the house, only to be see these

“in the presence of ghosts, there was only one thing to do…”

nerdyme2

March 14 // Daily // Pie Day
Dystopian // 1123 words

“Anthony, come on! We are going to be late!”
“I’m coming.”
I rolled my eyes. “What is taking you so long?” He had been packing for four hours now, I was sure my grand kids were going to be waiting for his grandkids to be done packing.
After what felt like hours, he finally came down the stairs. “Ready!”
I rolled my eyes. “Anthony.”
“Yeah?”
“What is this?”
“Supplies.” He was holding at least three bags of bug-spray, sunscreen, and other things that we already had.
I grabbed a can of sunscreen. “Dude, we only need one of these.”
“One of what?”
“All of it.”
He frowned. “Well, what if we run out?”
“We can bring one extra. That is all we will need.” I pulled out one extra can of everything.
“But-”
“Nope.” I took the bag from him and threw it back up the stairs. “Now, come one! Everyone’s waiting for us.”
He hesitated and looked back at his bag, but then he followed.

At the campsite that night, we roasted marshmallows, and joked around. We also sang campfire songs, and told scary stories. Jacob’s story was so scary, I decided it would be funny if I scared Anthony.
I snuck up behind him and yelled, “Boo!”
He jumped so high, you could have mistaken him for a frog. Eventually, we became so tired we decided to set up our tents, and settle down for the night.
“Elena?”
“Yeah?” I asked, groggily.
“What time is it?”
“I don’t know,” I looked over at my watch. “Five thirty.”
He groaned. “Why can’t the sun just come up when we want it to?”
“I think that every morning.”
I passed out and dreamed about riding the sun.
“Elena. Elena!”
“What? What happened?”
“Out there.”
“What?”
“There is someone out there.”
I sat up, now fully awake. “What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said!”
I looked out the tent door and saw a figure. It looked like it could be a man, but it didn’t look completely human.
“Who is that?”
“I don't know.”
I hesitated, but it couldn’t have been anybody we didn’t know. It was probably just Tiffany, or Jacob. “Tiffany? Jacob?” I listened. “Stranger who wants to kill us?”
“What?” Anthony pulled me back in.
“Oh, come one! That’s funny.”
“What if it really is someone who wants to kill us?”
“They didn’t even look back.”
“Because they didn’t hear you.”
“Okay, back to seriousness.”
Anthony put up his hands. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do, but okay.”
“Maybe we should ask the group chat if anyone’s out of bed.
“Way ahead of you.” Anthony pulled out his phone. He typed for a minute then a whoosh sound came out of the phone. Not long after a dinging sound. “No one is out of their tent.”
“Then who is that?”
“This is getting freaky.”
“You know what?”
“What?”
“I’m going to figure it out.”
“Figure out what?”
“Figure out who that is.”
“What? But-”
Too late! I was already out of the tent and making my way over to the figure. Not long after, Anthony caught up to me. “If we die, I’m going to kill you.”
“For one, that’s a Harry Potter line, and two, why would we die?”
“Well, what if that dude’s crazy, or a murderer?”
“We’ll run.”
“What if he has a gun?’
“I don’t know. We’ll wing it!”
“Wing it?”
“You know? Improvise?”
“I know what winging it means, I just-” Anthony stopped dead in his tracks. His face was pale, almost like a ghost.
“Anthony, are you okay?”
He didn’t say anything. He pointed at something.
“What?” I looked back and saw a glowing…something. “What the-” I went to walk over, but Anthony grabbed my arm. “We don’t even know what that is, and where did that man go?”
“I don’t know, and I don't care.” I pulled him along. “Come on! Let’s find out what it is.”
“But…”
“Come on. What’s life without a little adventure?”
He looked worried, but gave in. “Okay.”
“Good choice.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have won even if I did fight.”
I laughed. “Well said.”
We came closer and closer, until you could feel the light it was giving off. No, really. The light from it was warm, kind of like the sun, but smaller, and blue.
“Should I?” I put my hand out.
“What? No!”
“Oh, come on!”
“No! What if it burns your hand off or something. There are a ton of different things that could happen.”
“Like what?”
“Again, the burning hand theory. Also, it could, I don't know, be poisonous.”
“Venomous you mean. Poison is when you ingest it.”
“Or you absorb it through your skin. Why do you think poison dart frogs are called that?”
“Whatever. Come on, it'll be fun.”
“Nope! No, I’m not doing it!”
“Here,” I grabbed his hand. “We’ll do it together.”
He groaned. “Okay.”
“Okay. Three, two-”
“Wait!”
“What?”
“What are we doing? What if something happens?”
His tone was making me nervous. I just had to shake it off. “Nothing will happen.”
“Elena, don't do this.”
“Don’t do what?
“This!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Elena, this is risky.”
“That’s what makes it fun.”
“No! It’s not fun to risk dying.”
“We’re not going to die.”
“This is reckless.”
“This is fun.”
“Elena, let me tell you something.”
“What?”
“You need to learn the difference between fun, and life threatening.”
An anger was building in me. “Well, you need to learn that not everythings dangerous, and that sometimes you need a little danger.”
“What are you saying?” He asked, angrily.
“I’m saying, you’re scared of everything.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
He grabbed my hand and put both of our hands on the orb, or tried to. Our hands went straight through.
Anthony’s expression showed how confused I felt. “What the-”

“Anthony, come on! We’re going to be late.” I shook my head. “Wait, didn’t we already do this?”
“Do what?” He asked, coming down the stairs.
“This!”
His face changed from confusion, dizziness, realization, and anger. “Did you mean what you said?”
I folded my arms. “Did you?”
We both nodded at the same time.
I sighed. “Maybe…”
“What?”
“Maybe you were right. I can be a bit reckless.”
“A bit?”
I laughed, and he laughed with me. “You were right too. I need to learn to live a little.”
We stood there, wondering what to do next.
“Well, we should be off.”
“What?”
“To the campsite?”
“Oh, yeah.” He looked down at his bag of bug-spray, spray-on sunscreen, and other things that we already had. “I won't be needing this.” He threw the bags back up the stairs.
“But we might want to bring an extra.”
He laughed. “Okay.”

AmazaEevee

Word War with Clev
3/14/2024
175 words

excuse anything that doesn't make sense :')

These pages smell of smoke. They always smell of smoke. And I hate it.
No matter what I do to try and expel the smell, the haught aroma sticks.
It doesn’t help that this is my favorite book.
I could never find out why this smelled of smoke. It just always has.
And I guess that’s something beautiful about it. The way that it is always constant and never changing. Though I guess not much else about books changes in general.
I tried spraying it and letting it sit in some of my favorite perfume for a while. Yeah, /not/ going to try that again. I’m not sure how it happened, but the scent grew stronger?

I didn’t look at it for months.

But I’m back here in my family’s ancient library. Looking through the books, and while leafing through them, stumbled upon my favorite book.
“Dragons of Old”. It never got old. From the story starting in a forest and a simple woodland village to large expeditions and flying in the air… She would

ChueyTheCat

Daily 012: 113 words, Bookshop

In a society where only graduates of a prestigious academy have any real social and political standing, Amethyst is thrilled to learn that she’s been accepted into the school. However, she soon becomes entangled in a web of deceit, trickery, and chaos, unveiling lies with every question she asks until she discovers the painful truth–they never really wanted her at all, but someone’s been pulling strings, someone with a darker purpose than anyone has realized. Along with her slightly quirky friends–Genna, whose best friend is a pink frying pan, and Bob, who has a strange fascination with palindromes–Amethyst must face prejudice and pride to topple the monstrous power that lurks behind the scenes.

theawesomemarbler

back to main post

March 14th Daily

The moon is beautiful tonight.

Is it true? I ask myself.

Of course it is. Why would ever you say that?

Japanese say that saying the moon is beautiful is saying ‘I love you’ but somehow I can never seem to get it in my head.

How is the moon associated with love?

I slowly walk down the path, along with the person who spoke that to me.

I looked into his eyes, and his eyes bore into mine.

I never felt so exposed nor unarmed.

Like his gaze is already passing through all my defenses.

'You know, you look so cute when you're expressionless.' He spoke out of a sudden, his face reddening each moment passed when the sentence blurted out.

I smirked, as he looked like a bright red tomato. My favorite vegetables and color.

'Hey, what's going on there?' He spoke suddenly, looking behind me.

I turned around, seeing two figures among bamboo thickets.

The wind carried their words, but yet they were too soft to hear.

'We should approach them.' He said first before I could speak and ran ahead.

I called his name, asking him to stay put.

What if those were criminals?

What if they were capable of murder?

Please don't take him away, please don't…

Darkness filled my mind suddenly, thinking of a world without him.

Without him, I am alone.

Without him, I will be tormented.

Without him, I will be harmed and unprotected.

I need him.

I called his name again, chasing him to grab his clothes just to pull him out of the forest.

But it was too late.

He's gone in, I can no longer see him.

I tried to go in, but bamboo shoots grew rapidly suddenly, blocking my path.

I am shut out of the bamboo forest; he is locked in the bamboo thickets.

I yelled, letting my frustration out.

Taking a knife probably owned by those criminals to chop down the bamboo thickets.

I cannot lose him again.

Each swing used all my energy, but my anger is never used up.

I swing the knife once more, coughing endlessly.

At once, the shoots fell down.

I ran in, ignoring whatever consequences that I would face.

I called him name, but felt something wet at my mouth.

Blood.

I coughed, and spat out blood.

All that yelling and chopping probably made my air passage bleed.

But I don't care about how my physical form is. I never did.

I only want you.

Trodding upon the unusually soft grass, I walked slowly as I tried to scan my surroundings.

It was too dark to see, as bamboo thickets were too thick it blocked the moonlight.

How will I ever know it was beautiful if I'm trapped here eternally?

However, I came across a clearing.

A clearing too clean to be natural.

My foot caught something, I looked at it as the horrors filled my eyes.

It's him. Dead.

I suppressed a yelp. It couldn't be… He was alive a few moments ago!

I started to think all that I feared, coming true one by one.

Making my living world a nightmare.

I stared to the moon, hoping for comfort.

Instead, I am provided with insanity in losing the only person that loved me.

'Hey, Darren. Just kill her already. Let her be like her boyfriend here who tried to bust into our business!'

He's right. Kill me already.

I want to see him in paradise, where both of us can view the moon together.

I felt a pain in my abdomen and I fell to the ground.

I lay with my back on the ground, my face towards the sky.

Towards the moon who watched every scene.

Now when I think about it, the moon should reflect all the dark times people face.

No one shows their struggles in the day, but darkness shines brightest in the night.

I smiled to myself, looking at the moon's uncanny beauty once more.

The moon is indeed beautiful tonight.

668 words (tried approaching a story in a different style. Hope it's okay)

Last edited by theawesomemarbler (March 14, 2024 19:45:16)

silverlynx-

Daily 14th March

I lay back in my bed, fiddling with a rusty, brown key. I closed my eyes in frustration. The end of it was sharp and pointy, glinting dangerously, yet whenever I looked closely, I could see something staring at me from the inside.
“Keep this safe.” My mother had said. That night, she disappeared, and I had been puzzling over her ever since. My heart yearned for her comforting warm hugs that smelled of cinnamon and pine needles, her radiant smile, her soft, smooth hands….

The moon pulsed outside my window, just a silver sliver in the starlit sky. It seemed to be waiting for something to happen. An owl shrieked, flapping clumsily over the dewy fields of long, waving grass. I rested my chin on my hands and rubbed the key in my hand distantly. Flakes of rust peeled off, spiralling to the floor. I stared as they landed gently.

A sudden light filled my room, blindingly white, and strangely cold. I spun around and glanced around me wildly. The moon pulsed brighter and brighter, it grew larger and larger until all I could see was a mountain of white, steadily rising in front of me. Jagged craters were embedded in the dusty rock and the only flash of colour was a faded American flag. What was happening?
I huddled in the corner of my room, shivering in fear as the milky light swallowed me up, embracing me with freezing arms.

“What’s going on up there, Charlotte?”
I saw the door of my room open violently and I screamed, trying to get his attention. His eyes pierced daggers into my heart, knowing that they would be the last thing I would ever see.
“Dad!” I croaked.
His eyes locked on mine. My hand was outstretched towards him and he streaked for me like lightning, but he was too late. The tips of his fingers brushed mine, but there was nothing he could do to pull me from the greedy light. I was gone.

I breathed in sharply. The air around me was musty and clogged up my lugs. I spluttered, coughs racking my chest. Starlight and moonlight erupted out of them, onto the floor. I tried to touch it, but my hand caught on thin air. The stars melted into the ground leaving me astonished and terrified, my emotions mixing together.

A high-pitched bark startled me and I turned my head to see a small dog pattering up to me. Instead of the normal fluffy tail, it had a heavily pronged spike, wagging ferociously. It nosed my legs and looked up at me, its eyes pools of love and kindness. I reached out my hand and scratched it in elation. It yapped at me and then fixed its eyes on me, sliding its paw onto my hand.
Go! You can’t be here! It isn’t safe for humans.
The voice echoed around my mind and I gaped.
I said go!
I ruffled its fleecy fur.
How do I go?
The key. It’s full of magic. Your mother controls it. To be able to yield the magic you must have some connection to her. Then you have to remember the most special memory you’ve shared with her.
I remembered the day my little brother was born, and how my mum had hugged me so hard I couldn’t breathe. She stayed there for so long that I felt like we were made for each other, myself slipping perfectly into her arms. At that moment, love illuminated my face like sunshine on a summer’s day.
Now what do I do?
Focus that memory on the key. Share that one moment with the key, let it flow into it. Then think of your family, your home. It should take you there.
I rubbed the key with my calloused hands and smiled, now knowing the true meaning of it. Now it was glossy and shiny, reflecting my face flawlessly. Its true meaning was love and magic and mystery. I treasured that.
I’ll come back.

Last edited by silverlynx- (March 14, 2024 20:42:14)

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