Daily: March 20 - my part starts after the line of dashes

As midnight falls around the forest, a wisp-like, silvery mist weaves through the rustling treetops. The world between worlds remains at a impasse, a standstill of estrangement; its own version of peace.

At the farthest edge of the woods, the warrior keeps a keen watch on the forest as their battalion rests. Their paranoia doesn't let a single detail of the night pass their guard- until they hear a resounding shatter ring across the land.

In the distant thicket, the walls of the fortress erupt in panic as the protector races to the center of its clearing. As she comes to a halt, she stares aghast at the mahogany pedestal that once held the crown passed down for generations- a sole golden fragment remaining in its place.

Deep in the center of the forest, shouts of laughter and cheer emerge from the campfire as the adventurer regales the crowd with wild tales of old. But the jubilation is broken as one of her followers informs her of the night's events. Leaping from the hearth, the adventurer makes her way to the entry of the campsite- only to stagger back at the sight that beheld her.

Three separate factions, three separate locations, once united and now all experiencing the same enigma. Twin doors, covered in glowing runes and markings of indecipherable comprehension, unbeknownst of what laid on the other side. Their sacred crests stolen, a mark of holy betrayal that could only possibly be pinned on one of their former siblings.

And so, the age-old rivalry is resparked, and the competition begins.

———–

The three faction leaders all race across the forest, filled with rage at this crime and determined to bring the obvious culprits to justice. They meet - literally running into each other - in the centre of the forest.

The warrior is the first to lash out. They cannot stand being betrayed by those they once thought of as their friends. “One of you must have done this!” they say furiously.

The adventurer butts in - "None of us saw what happened, but I can safely say that all of my faction were around the campfire. Your groups were spread all around the forest. Any of them could have stolen the crests on, undoubtedly, your orders.“

”All of our crests are stolen!“ the protector yells. ”Why would I steal my own crest?“

”To cover up your crime!" the warrior shouts.

And so on. And so on. For hours on end.

For years, the trio - warrior, protector, adventurer - had lived in relative harmony. Separate - it would never be quite like the before times, when all three groups had lived together in perfect unity - but it had been peaceful. Ancient rivalries lay dormant. Until now, that is.

Because now, each has a crime to pin on the other. Surely it has to be one of the three who masterminded the theft. The forest was well-protected; it was the only task that the trio would share. So naturally, no invader could have snuck in to sabotage the crests. It simply wasn't possible. So it had to be a member of one of the three factions - and each of the three rivals was completely convinced that their own faction was not responsible.

The rivalry of the three faction leaders soon trickles down to the younger, more impressionable members of each group. Friends of different factions start making slightly snarky comments about the theft. Then eventually they simply drift apart. The three faction leaders want to try to keep the factions apart, of course. Each doesn't want their own members to mix with - and consequently be corrupted by - members of the other two factions.
So friendships, relationships - even families - caught in between this new divide between factions… just fall apart. Siblings and best friends who were once inseparable now have to find places to hide away from the watchful eyes of their respective faction leaders, just to spend time in the company of each other.

One day, a group of thirty children from the forest, about evenly mixed between the three factions, decides to get to the bottom of this. They have all been affected by the split in some way - whether that’s losing a friend, a relative, or even just a favourite place to spend time that has now been claimed by a different faction.

These thirty children are absolutely determined not only to solve the mystery of what happened to the crests and what is behind the portals, but also to reunite the forest and heal this divide.

One of the children in the group has done the calculations - how quickly people have suddenly become hostile towards the other factions they once tolerated or even admired - and come to the conclusion that if this rift is to be healed before it becomes irreversible, then this group of rebels has only a month to do so.

Only one month to fix an ancient rivalry and heal an entire forest.

3/20 Daily
527 words

You find yourself slightly startled by the eerie grace of the shadow ninjas before you, but you do your best to put up a front by nodding knowingly before admitting the truth. “I’m afraid I’m lost. I was looking for the old Legendary Turrets.”

“Oh, no.” Samurai Birdi assures you. “Do not worry. You are exactly where you need to be.” she says vaguely, a smile perking up on the corners of her lips.

Samurai Butter nods, gesturing toward the edifice you had previously observed on the mountainside. “The Monastery is right here. The legendary turrets are just on the other side of this mountain. If you like, you may join us for some rituals.”

“We can show you around the turrets. We have writing utensils and scrolls if you so need them.” Sensei Vi adds.

You glance at the ninjas, intrigued. You do enjoy writing. It’s why you wanted to come to the legendary turrets; the stories had said it was a haven for writers such as yourself. A place where the silence of the past coexisted with the chatter of the future, where one could reach such state of mind where their pen becomes a sword, their words slicing into the hearts of all those who read them. “All right.” You concede to the urge to find the turrets and your curiosity over the feeling of writing beneath the protection of the Monastery, despite the fact that these shadows are strangers. You do feel an odd connection to the landscape, though.

Sensei Vi seems to read your mind. “Everybody who comes to the Monastery always finds something they are looking for, as well as something they aren’t. You may be staying here a while.”

You smile thoughtfully. “Maybe so.”

The three ninjas vault onto a higher part of the cliff, closer to the edifice. You choose the easier route, going around on the path until you catch up with them. You follow them carefully along the rocky path until you reach the intricate door. Patterns are carved into the ancient building, but you barely have a second to admire them before the doors start to slowly swing open of their own accord. Samurai Butter walks in, gesturing for you to follow them.

You enter the Monastery, and the elaborate scope of the mountain-based architecture takes your breath away. The ceiling is decorated with chandeliers that reflect the red light of the sunset, creating a dappled effect on the floor. The dappled light perfectly highlights the stone murals engraved into the ground. You slide your foot forward over the smooth floor, in awe of the preservation of the ancient building.

“We are the last remaining ninjas, descended from those who came before us. Each generation has taken special care of this Monastery. We are still accepting visitors, as we have not yet found who we shall leave this place to once we tire of its proceedings.” Samurai Birdi explains.

Sensei Vi nods in agreement before turning to you and looking you over. “You do seem like you may be a good fit, though. Come, let’s visit the turrets. It’s time to put you to the test.”

3.20.22 - daily 20

Daily for Contemporary:

The Story

You lower your binoculars, enjoying your view of the night sky from your hilly vantage point. As you gaze at the inky blanket above you, twinkling with dots of light, you notice another light- this one emerging from the forest below you. It's a warm, somehow cozy spark, and you wonder what it is. Curious, you make up your mind to find out what it is. You travel in the direction of the light. When night falls, you decide to set up camp in the forest, and continue tomorrow. Just as you're about to fall asleep, the warm light begins to glow again. When you reach the source of the light, you stop in awe.

You're in what looks like a camp in a clearing… but the cabins aren't exactly cabins. All around you are tall, modern buildings that stretch into the sky for miles. Banners, bedecked with the colours, symbols and name of each lodge adorn the outside walls. In front of you is a tall, wood-roofed gazebo, fires blazing merrily inside, the columns entwisted with vines, string lights- the ones you must have seen from the hill- suspended on the rafters both inside and out. People. They must be campers, you think, are wandering the camp while chatting and laughing. As you gaze around, four people approach you.

“Oh, welcome to camp!” Daisy, the director announces.

“You'll love it here! I'm Eevee,” the girl to the right of Daisy proclaims.

“I'm Gigi. If you have any questions, just let one of us know.. this isn't really an ordinary camp.” Your eyes move to the person to the left of Daisy.

“CD. Prepare to be chaosed.. I mean, have fun!” A tall figure swinging down from the ceiling with a trapeze band shouts, but only a few words really register. Daisy waves you to a fireside.

“Come on!” she smiles. “Camp's about to start!”

My Continuation

“Ah, okay!” You exclaimed. It was your first time at a camp and you were so excited. You started following Daisy, Eevee, Gigi, and CD since you've never been here before.
“Um, where are we going?” You say as you follow them.
“Haha, this must be your first time, right?” Daisy acknowledges.
You nod.
“On the first day of camp we always gather around,” Gigi says, “in the center building of the entire camp. To introduce ourselves and all. Every camper makes a goal there that determines how many words they want to write for the month.”
“That's cool,” You reply, “but how do you count the words?”
“Don't worry!” CD says, “Camp Contemp is one of the most modern camps in the entire world of SWC, as you can tell by our buildings. Technology solves everything! Science!”
“Magic, too,” Eevee adds.
You laugh.
You see that you have reached a tall building with a large clock, kind of like ones in the city you lived in. The clock starts to ring loudly. DING, DING, DING! You realize it's already 12 o'clock. Midnight.
“Uh oh,” Eevee says, “It's already midnight! I guess we have to delay the introductions to tomorrow.”
Daisy sighs. “Yeah.”
“After all,” Eevee declares, “Sleep as always the most important thing!”
You laugh. “That's completely the opposite of what my teacher thinks at school. I'm glad school's over, though.”
Eevee immediately jumps up and meets you eye to eye. “What does your teacher think? Huh?”
“Well, she says that studying is really important-”
“Yes, but sleep is even more important! To keep you energized throughout the day! Who knows? Maybe you study all night but then the next day you fall asleep during a test, fail it ‘cause you missed it, and get detention!”
“You’re right.” You say, not wanting to argue with her.
“You don't want to get added onto my Tell-To-Sleep list.” Eevee continues, “I already have a few on it and it's only the first day! Geez!”
“Alright, alright,” CD says, “It's time to sleep now. Eevee, you don't want to delay their sleep even more because of your talking, do you?”
Eevee shakes her head quickly. “No, no, not at all! Sorry about all that. Just me fussing about sleep.”
Daisy points toward a small building that looked really cute. “There's your bedroom! It's a bit small, I know. Apologies for that. Most cabins are already taken up.”
“It's completely fine.” You say, since you think the cabin is quite nice and neat.
“That one's pretty special, though!” Gigi says, who hadn't said anything in quite a long time, “There's a decent clock in there that tells you exactly when one daily or weekly comes in. It shows really cool screens that you can't exactly touch but you can navigate using a TV remote that's next to the clock. You'll learn more about it when you actually go into the bedroom. Also, join Debate, the best extracurriculum club there is in Camp Contemporary!”
To stop her from saying more about it, Eevee interrupts, “Okay, okay, she really needs some sleep now! How about we leave her be and she can finally relax, even though there isn't a test tomorrow.”
You panic. “There's tests here?”
“Oh, no, of course not!” Daisy says. “Hehe. Nope.”
“O-Okay.” You shiver from the thought of a test at an almost-perfect camp. You believe Daisy. “Well, I should be going in! So excited for tomorrow! Bye!”
As you walk toward the bedroom assigned to you, Daisy, Gigi, Eevee, and CD all wave at you, and then disappear behind another building.
You sigh as you close the door of the cabin. Who knows what tomorrow has in store?

(618 words)

E n t r y 1:

♡ Heartless

My eyes met his warm brown gaze as we stared into each others' souls.
“ Raya, I- I love you. Ever since I met you, you've pushed me away, labeled me as a ‘just a friend’. But Raya, I love you and I want to be with you.”
I stared at him at shock, breaking out of my haze. How could he? He was Ollie, my best friend. I couldn't believe him.
“ Ollie, you know yourself that you mean nothing more to me than a friend.” I said, my voice aggressive,“ Besides, I'm with Brendan now. He actually doesn't betray me.” I turned my face away from his in anger.
“ Raya I-”
“ Don't say another word to me Ollie. You hear me? We're over.” I spat the words the words at him viciously, then swung around, my heels clicking on the pavement. I never wanted to see him again. He just couldn't be. He wouldn't. I turned back, my eyes softening at the sight of him staring back at me in sorrow. But I pushed my eyelids closed and turned back. He would. And I would never forgive him.
–
Dinner was lovely. Brendan had brought me to a swanky French cafe, and bought me all of the mouthwatering pastries I could ever eat. Right now, he was using the restroom so I was touching up my lipstick. Staring back at my reflection, I was hardly paying attention to my lips. Why, I was too busy dreaming about our children someday, and happy strolls at parks, when something suddenly glinted in my mirror. Glancing back at the display we had walked in, I saw a blonde-headed handsome man rush somewhere. He looked familiar. Was that Brendan? Where was he going?
Brendan would never betray me, I was sure of that. Maybe he was just secretly getting something for me. He was so sweet!
I let a dreamy sigh as I waited for Brendan to return. He didn't take long- or at least in my books, he didn't. He walked up to the table and gave me a peck on the cheek, which turned my face completely red. We didn't talk much for the rest of dinner, but I couldn't talk anyways. I was just so lost in his dreamy ocean-blue eyes…
But snapping out of my trance, I saw Brendan, all decked up in his suit, on his knee. I was surprised, shocked even. “ Brendan?” I asked in complete confusion.
“ Raya.. You know how much I love you, and I want to make this all official. Will you… marry me?”
My mind raced as I reeled in happiness. “ Yes!” I squealed as he slipped the beautiful emerald ring on my finger, smiling at me.
I couldn't believe it. I was going to be with the man of my dreams.
Walking home, I couldn't think of anything but Brendan's sweet smile. Heck, I couldn't even watch the romantic comedy that I had wanted to watch for ages.
Which is why I was really annoyed when I open the door to Ollie.
“ What are you doing here?” I said, my face annoyed.
“ I uh-”
My eyes scanned him for some kind of flower or chocolate.
“ Me and Brendan are engaged.” I said my tone rising “ So no more of your stupid act.”
Oliver looked really heartbroken, and it pierced my heart to see him like that. But Ollie was my friend, not my fiancee.
“ Look I know this sounds weird- and jealous but..” Ollie trailed off “ I saw Brendan at the parking lot behind C'est la Vie-”
“ So?” I interrupted.
“ He was making out with a blonde-haired girl.” Ollie said slowly.
I knew Ollie didn't like me dating Brendan, but he would go to this extent to make our lives miserable?!
“ Give me proof.” I crossed my hands and my eyes flamed.
“ Fine. If you don't believe me, here's the proof.” Ollie stuck his phone in my face, and the pictures on it surprised me. He was indeed right. Brendan had done this to me?
“ See Raya-” his speech was cut off as I ran into his arms, burying my face in his sweatshirt. Sobbing, I quietly said “ I'm sorry Ollie-”
But he pushed me away. Now he was definitely angry.
“ I have no time for your apologies Raya. ” Just then, a red haired girl with friendly green eyes walked in.
“ Oliver, we're going to dinner , right?”
“ Yes Alisha” he glanced at me.
The girl saw me and smiled. “ You're Raya, right? It's so nice to meet you, Ollie says you're a very good friend!”
“ Yeah” I mumbled incoherently.
“ Well, we should be going.” Alisha apologized. And linking arms with Ollie they walked off..
I couldn't believe it. Shame, embarrassment, and even pain burned inside of me. How could I have done this? I almost married a two-faced jerk.. but I only didn't because of Ollie. Ollie. He had saved me. I wasn't a good friend to him at all. I burst into tears all over again. Ollie… He truly loved me. I was the one too blind to see it all these days. I had hurt him. I didn't deserve, but I wish I did.
I was stuck in the middle.
( 896 words)

Dead Battery

I, at last, broke down.
I lived a very long life; I was very run down
The toy had stopped dancing, her face had stopped grinning
I was clearly incapable of making her sing.

I knew a dead battery was no use for a girl
Who wanted to play with her mechanical toy
That made her smile and sing and twirl.
A dead battery like me only existed to annoy.

I was ejected and thrown with the waste,
For it was my fate that I’d be replaced.
Oh, how it makes me want to cry,
All good friends must eventually say goodbye.

102 words

A little fun fact, I meant for this to be a metaphor for friendships ending (batteries running out) because I’m still ✨sour✨ about my friend replacing me with her boyfriend DD

Daily, March 20th
Go to your cabin and look at the top of the description. See that introduction story? Your task is to continue it! Write 500 words that continue on from the introduction of your cabin for 600 points, and a bonus 200 points if you share proof of your writing!

You look around the island, unimpressed for the most part. You were taken away from your warm, comfortable bed to come here? Really?

“Um…thanks for the welcome, I guess,” you start slowly, “but I really don't think that I should be here. This place is kinda giving that ‘chilled to the bone’ feeling you read about in books, y'know?”

You look to where the three figures had been standing formerly, but they've vanished into thin air, leaving behind only one…two…three…four shadows.

With a sigh, you start to walk along the shore-

Wait, what?

You retrace your steps, glancing down warily at the shadows engraved onto the sand.

Yep.

There's four of them, all right.

You gulp, confused as to why there are four shadows when there had only been three mysterious figures. In fact, you're confused as to why the shadows are there in the first place, bit that's not really important.

You'd seen strange things during your time, anyway.

A wave washes in, lapping up the sand near your toes. As it recedes, it takes the shadows with it, and you're almost certain that you can see three of them reaching back out to grab you, trying to resist the waves.

The fourth shadow just seems a little…floppy?

As though it has no choice in following where the waves take it. Unlike the other three, it doesn't try to resist.

It's the first to disappear under the water.

The others follow suit mere moments afterward, and you're certain that you can hear voices escaping their hypothetical, shadow lips.

You know, because shadows don't really tend to have lips.

They sink beneath the waves slowly, almost like they're trying to keep an eye on you.

A shiver dashes down your spine.

The second they're gone though, a cold mist surrounds the island, concealing the ocean from your sight. You don't know if this makes you feel unsettled or relieved, but you move away from the shore nonetheless, shivering.

“Hello?” You call. “Is anybody out there? Hello…?”

The only response you get is your voice echoing back to you, sounding more empty than when the words had left your lips. How that was possible, you didn't know, but what you were sure of was the fact that you weren't sure if you wanted to get used to it.

Your gaze doesn't settle on anything for more than a few moments, but the more your eyes dart to and fro, the more at ease you start to feel. Somehow, it seems as though this strange place is starting to grow on you a little…

That creeps you out even more.

You're cold.

You're tired.

You're a little hungry, too.

You find yourself craving overcooked salmon and immediately feeling guilty about it — though you don't know why.

Lightning flashes, accompanied by a roaring thunder, briefly illuminating the island for you.

There are footprints in the sand.

You gulp, knowing all too well exactly what that has to mean. For some reason, though, you find yourself going in that direction, walking deeper into the island.

Yes…

Deeper.

Deeper.

The mist clears. All the footprints are gone. It's almost like nobody had ever been there in the first place.

March 20, 2022

Word count: 600

You grin, following her to the side of the fire.

“S’mores?” Daisy offers, handing you a smore.

“Always,” you gush, taking a bite out of the s’more. “This- this is soo good-” you say between bites.

Eevee laughs, “She’s been practicing all month. ‘Gotta impress the campers!’ she said.” She leans closer, “Her s’mores are the best though.”

You finish up your s’more, getting out a stick and pulling a marshmallow out of the plastic bag. The next couple of hours go by with laughter, s’mores, and stories told around the fire.

Eevee checks her watch, “Uh, guys! GUYS!” she yells, “It’s almost 11; gosh, we all have to get to bed, right away.”

Gigi sighs. “Eevee…” they say, like this has happened before.

“Aww, Eevee!” Daisy perks up, “It’s not even the first day of camp yet. We can stay up a little longer.”

Eevee shakes her head. “It’ll be the first day of camp before we know it. It’s almost 11 and we need to be getting to bed. If we want to get up bright and early at 7 to start writing, sleep starts now. I don’t care if anyone else is going to sleep, but I’m going to bed.”

Daisy sighs, “Time for bed, everyone. Party resumes tomorrow~”

You follow Eevee to her clearing.

“You can take the bottom bunk here,” Eevee points to the bunk closest to the door, “Unless, you want the top. I mean, I don’t really care.”

“Ah, no; I don’t really mind either way.” You smile, setting your backpack down next to the frame. Sitting on the mattress, you think about the day that lies ahead. You eventually lie down, when Eevee turns off the lights, and fall sleep.

“CAMP CONTEMP, RISE AND SHINE!” you hear as you wake up.

“Okay, campers!” Eevee says, walking through the door. “Today’s the first day of Scratch Writing Camp. We’ve gotta get up on the leaderboard right away. The best way to do it now is writing daily, which isn’t worth any points, or writing. Writing is probably the best option. But you can also socialize with other campers.”

“Knock knock!” CD peeks their head in, “Hey! Up for a pog day?”

You grin, “Yes!”

“Oh, breakfast is ready. It’s at the main cabin though,” CD informs, “We’re planning on going in groups, so the night owls can sleep in a bit. Eevee, I believe you’re first.”

“Oh, right,” Eevee says, “If anyone is ready, you guys can come with me! I’ll be going in 10 minutes, so you have time to get ready.”

You grab your bag and get into the bathroom, changing your clothes and giving your hair a quick brush. As you pull your socks up, you bounce out of the bathroom. Then, slipping on your sneakers, you race out of the cabin.

“Oh, hey!” Eevee calls, “Just in time, we were about to get going, come on!”

You follow Eevee and the group of about 10 campers up the hill. Then taking a right, you see a clearing of bustling campers.

“Stay with me, this might get a bit chaotic!” Eevee laughs, picking up her pace.

You eventually get to Mess Hall, where many campers were already in line for breakfast.

“Hi!” a blonde haired girl comes up, “I’ll be stealing your leader for a while, I’m going to talk to her for a sec. I’m Paige, by the way. I’m the co-leader of Thriller.”

“Hey Paige! Oh guys, you can get in line, everything is really self explanatory. If you need help, you can ask anyone.” Eevee says, waving.

Rays of sunlight stream through your window, awakening you to the new day. Another day of this boring life you lead. But not for long…
When you reach your kitchen, you notice something is different. And someone unexpected is standing there. Three someones, that is.
All three seem wise and worn, but a hopeful light shines in their eyes.
“Follow the call, choose this adventure,” says the final, reaching out a hand to you, “and save our world.”

You were silent. What did they just say? Save our world? You ran out the door, they followed you.
“Wait!” the final yelled. “You don't have to be scared! I'm Lio, that's Finley, and that's Cettie. WAIT!”
You continued to run. You ran into the woods and climbed a tree. You stayed silent and took a moment to admire the scenery. You closed your eyes, zoning out from the world. You opened them again. Your chest was rising steadily in a repeating motion. You heard them coming. You continued to be
“Where is she?” the one named Cettie wondered.
“I don't think she's-” Finley stopped talking mid-sentence and looked up. Right at you. Lio followed where Finley was looking with her eyes.
“There she is!” Lio exclaimed. They started climbing the tree qucikly. You looked around frantically, trying to find a way out of the tree without getting caught by the people. You climbed higher and higher up the tree, they followed you just as fast. You soon reached the top. You looked down, coming to the conclusion that they were only six feet below you, aproaching quickly. You look around, seeking a route that you wouldn't get hurt on, and one that would also get you away from the people and prevent them from following you. You spot a branch that was close to another in size on another tree. You scoot across the branches in a odd repeating motion. You reach where the two branches overlap where they are. You stand up steadily as you prepare to jump. You gather your courage as you leap into the air. You land flat on your chest as you black out.

You wake up in a forest identical to the one you were in. Then it hits you. It's the same forest. You lean up, feeling dizzy. You see the people surrounding you.
“I don't think we got a good chance to introduce ourselves,” the one that is suppositally named Lio said. “I'm Lio, that's Finley, and that's Cettie.”
The one to the left of them was Cettie, and the one to the right of them was Finley. You look at each one individually, studying them each seperately. You think back to what they said when you first saw them. “Save our world”, what was that supposed to mean? You ask them.
“When I first saw you all, you said ”save our world“. What did that mean?”
They all look at each other. Cettie finally spoke, breaking th silence. “The world isn't okay anymore. You must save it.” They all looked at me patiently. “Well?” Lio asked. “Talk? Will you help us save the world, or not.”
They were silent while you thought. This is a risk-taking experience, you thought. Can you trust these people? You soon came to a conclusion.
“I'll help you.” you said.
“Thank you,” Lio said. “But we need you to take an oath.”
“Of course,” you promised. They all looked at each other. Finley finally spoke.
“You must promise to help this world, and to only make decicions that will benefit the greater good.”
You thought and reconsidered for a second before saying, “I swear to help this world and to only make desicions that will benefit the greater good.” They all looked at each other.
“Welcome to the cause.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

when I receive [SWC has started v]
                                                     

say [Adventure FTW!!!] 

Hi, I'm Cookie and I enjoy eating them
Hi, I'm Cookie and I enjoy writing, reading, and watching movies of books I've finished. Adventure FTW!!

Ravenclaw ▪ Author ▪ Writer ▪ Harry Potter ▪ Keeper of the Lost Cities
Adventure FTW! ▪ First SWC Session ▪ Violinist ▪ ❤Dogs

(proof doesn't count but whatever - daily 3/19/22 - mystery)

You take a step back, unsure of whether to continue forward or turn back. These people- Sensei- SENSEI Vi, she called herself, and the others, Samurai Birdi and Samurai Butter- had just, well, appeared in front of you. One moment there was only a pool of shadows, the next, this mysterious trio stood in front of you. Seeing you hesitate, Birdi steps forward, offering you her hand.

“It’s alright. We’re here to teach you,” she says kindly, smiling gently. Butter smiles reassuringly, and you relax a little. Taking Birdi’s outstretched hand, you step forward, prompting Vi to reach farther into the shadows, opening a door you hadn’t realized was there. If nothing else, you have a lot to learn. You can’t fully see the doorframe, but fortunately Birdi guides you forward, ensuring you don’t crash into it.

The door leads to a dimly lit wide room with a handful of couches. Shadows gather in the corners, while the middle of the room is slightly more visible. You shiver, realizing there isn’t an obvious heat source. No blasting heating system, no crackling inviting fireplace. Well, Vi did say this was the Mystery Monastery. After all, silence is far more eerie than the welcome crackle of a fireplace. Wishing you had brought a coat of some sort, you rub your arms, hoping the friction will warm you up a little.

Butter silently slips away, reappearing seconds later with a dark black coat. You gratefully slip it on, glad for the extra warmth. Either Butter has exceptionally keen eyesight, or they realize that others might find the room cold. You can’t actually see their clothing, it blends in so well with the walls surrounding them.

Birdi lets go of your hand, and the trio gathers into a huddle, discussing softly enough that you can’t hear them. Two of them nod, and Vi steps back towards you while the others remain where they are. She smiles.

“Congrats on being the first camper to arrive,” she says. “You’ll be in my group, but since you actually managed to find your way here on time, I’m going to wait for a few of your roommates before showing you your bunk and giving you a tour of the monastery.”

“You’re welcome to make yourself comfortable,” Butter adds, speaking for the first time. “By the way, what’s your name? As Vi said, I’m Butter.”

“I’m Moonlit,” you answer.

“Well then, welcome Moonlit,” Birdi says. “Oh, and by the way, we’ve got some ice cream hidden somewhere in this room if you’d like some entertainment.”

“Good luck finding it,” Vi adds with a wicked grin. You get the feeling you’re gonna need it in this room. There are an uncountable number of hiding spots… under the couches, inside the couches, in the shadows along the edges of the room, wherever the exits are, possibly secret compartments along the floor, couches, ceiling, doors, and wall, under the floorboards… the better question would be where she couldn’t hide the ice cream. Well, you think you’d better get to work then.

I see myself
in the house of mirrors
I find myself
Like i haven't before
I face myself
And all my fumbles
I reach myself
And hold my own gaze
I touch myself
And the tear streaked glass
I watch myself
And all my struggles
I forgive myself
As only I can do
I am kind to myself
As a new day dawns
I speak to myself
With words that are all my own
I change myself
the best I can hope to do
I see myself
And step through the glass
I am myself
And there's nothing wrong with that

♔ What You Deserve ♔

“-Because I don't need you in here to kill you-” Scott grit out.
“When I'm right here,”

He plunged the sword in. The world flashed.
Xornoth collapsed.


.


“Ugh,” Xornoth groaned, clutching their head. Bracing themself, they opened their eyes blearily, bright light flooding their senses. A sharp, dull pain in their chest flared. They winced. “Where- where am I?” they mumbled.
A moment passed. Their memories came flooding in.

Scott's sacrifice. The Rune Blade. The prophecy.

“Twin souls trapped in an endless battle since the beginning of time. Chaos and order, light and dark, hot and cold. One cannot exist without the other, for if one soul dies, the other is sure to follow.”

Xornoth scrambled to their feet, backing up against the wall, breaths heavy and hard. Heart pumping in their ears, louder than even Mezalea's defeaning drums. They gazed down at themself in disbelief. No charred, twisted, obsidian-black skin teaming with corruption vines. No sharp claws tipping their fingers, or purple-and-red viens running up their arm. No haze of red smothered over their eyes.

Tentatively, Xornoth reached up. They froze, stock still.
No high, curved demon horns.

They reached into their inner consciousness, where usually His presence loomed.
Exor? they whispered cautiously into their mind. No reply. No Exor.
Xornoth slid down, shaking with half-taken breaths. They stared into the distance, feeling as if the thing tethering their soul to their body had snapped.

No Exor. No malicious stag god, twisting them into a weapon against Aeor, against Scott - their own brother, against all those people they had hurt, shoving away the seeds of guilt at what they had done, whispering evil and power into their ears. No one there but Xornoth themself.

They laughed slightly, ignoring how off it sounded. “I'm free!” Xornoth cried in disbelief.

Yes, a voice reverberated in his mind, coming from nowhere but everywhere at once. You are free.

Xornoth squinted at the blinding light that, once again, shone in front of them.
That voice - vaguely reminiscent of Him, of Exor, yet so different. This one brought to mind thriving crops, cold winters in the Rivendell palace, organ music playing at the church, Winterfest nights huddled in their room swaddled in the kingdom's softest blankets, the freshly polished Rivendellian royal armour, and ice dripping from statue of-

“A-Aeor?” they breathed, eyes wide.
The light faded. In its place stood a stag, grand and steady, golden antlers glistening, fur preened and perfect, towering over him in a picture of might. Instantly, they dropped into a respectful half-bow.

Xornoth, the stag god acknowledged. Champion of Exor. Successor of Conall. Eldest Prince of Rivendell.
Xornoth paled. The last title… they gulped, a bitter taste in their mouth. Scott.

“Is-” they tried, daring to look up from where their eyes were fixed pointedly on the floor. Aeor turned, slightly. They trembled, shoving their fear deep down to their boots. “Please, Aeor, is Scott- is he- is my little brother okay?”
He has been granted the afterlife he wants and deserves, Aeor replied, nodding slightly to the wall to their right.

There, there was a screen-window, a space cut out from the whiteness, separating them and what was on the other side with a glass pane. Xornoth peeked through it, sighing in relief when they saw what was on the other side.
“Thank you,” they bowed to the stag god, looking away from the scene where his brother was, where Scott sat at his table, conversing warmly with the Codfather, the man he had loved so much.
Aeor dipped his head.

For seconds, they stood in comfortable silence, Aeor gazing curiously at them while they continued to watch the window to Scott's afterlife, as if to discern something about them, the elf who stood before him. Then, Xornoth turned, takin a dee breath.

“Am I… dead?” they asked, in a voice smaller than they had ever heard themself speak in before.


Aeor eyed them from above. What did the prophecy say?
Xornoth looked back at the window. “It said,” they began, confidence growing with each word. “It said that if one dies, the other is going to do so too.”
Yes, echoed Aeor. If one soul dies, the other is sure to follow.

They looked up at him, reminded of all the times they'd seen Aeor's golden antlers, from his own church, to the banner of Rivendell, to the last time they saw it, on Scott, bonded to him the way their horns had been bonded to them. A symbol of the gods that had claimed them.
Xornoth laughed. “So I'm dead?” they asked, fingers trailing on smooth glass.

Aeor turned around to the other end of the white limbo. He walked ahead, towards the ever expanding void. Perhaps, said his voice.

They trailed behind him, taking long strides in an attempt to keep up with the giant stag god's hoof-steps.
“Why am I here?” asked Xornoth, watching as more and more windows emerged from the blank white walls, each one flicking through different scenes.
Aeor clicked to a halt. He turned back around, gesturing at everything around them.

To be given a second chance.
Abruptly, their gears stopped grinding. “A- a second chance?” they echoed brokenly.
The stag god nodded as he came to stand slightly further away, observing silently.
You, too, deserve an afterlife of your choosing.
Xornoth inhaled sharply.

“Thank you, Aeor,” they said, wandering the hallway, searching the windows, heart thump-thump-thumping in their chest.
As they walked, they caught a familiar voice. Racing over to the window it came from, joy crossed their face, though regret followed soon after. “Joey,” Xornoth gasped, lighting up. The scene changed. They grinned even brighter. “Scott! Sausage!”

The great stag trotted up behind them. I see. He touched his antlers to the window. It glowed, bright and freezing like cold ice, a swirling abyss forming where the window once was. This one?
They nodded.

Aeor straightened, backing away to make room.
Farewell, Prince of Rivendell.

Xornoth smiled, and edged closer to the portal. “Thank you, Aeor,” they smile, initial fear vanished.
They stepped through the portal.


.


“What?” groaned Xornoth, standing up inside a teal pagoda. Whispers came from all around them. As their eyes focused enough to see the ring of people crowding around, a warmth blossomed in their heart. They'd made it to their afterlife.
This world's Shrub stepped forward.

“You're the new arrival, right?” she asked.
They nodded. “My name's Xornoth,”
Everyone stepped closer. Xornoth's eyes widened. So many familiar people… Joey, Scott, Sausage, The Codfather, even the King of Mezalea.

“I'm Shelby,” she smiled. “Welcome to Afterlife SMP!”

swc daily - march 21
words: 27

what, it's almost done?
the month sure flew right by me
ten days left in camp

one hundred points for
fantasy for doing the
daily with haikus

WEEKLY 3

Part 1 - total 828 words
Pomatter Pie, Waitress - 413 words
She walks home with a spring in her step and a smile etched across her face. The sun couldn’t be shining brighter above her head. The sky couldn’t be bluer. And she quite literally could not be happier. She twirls around, arms out, not caring whether the neighbors see her.
It feels like the entire world is applauding her as she dances down the sidewalk. Her shoes are scratched on the pavement, but she doesn’t mind the sound - or the deterioration of the soles as they’re rubbed on rocks. Because there’s nothing wrong with today or tomorrow or the day after that or the day after that. And if there is, it’ll be okay.
She leaps and spins from one gravelly square to the next, around fire hydrants and streetlights and overgrown bushes that should have been cut years ago. The front yards of each house are dotted with their own colorful flowers and trees - some have rows of succulents, some have lush green lawns, some have gates and fountains that bubble and burp joyfully. She’s approaching her own house.
She can see that a couple of the residents are staring out their windows. One woman with a watering can in one hand held over a garden waves to her and she waves back eagerly, calling out something that reaches for a mile before being lost in the breeze. These people, they all know her. There hasn’t been a day in her life where she didn’t know she could depend on Mrs. Valencia two doors down, or Mr. Woodson across the street. This is all she’s ever known but it’s enough.
The only thing that makes it not enough is the deployed-uncle-shaped hole in her heart. She’d like to think he’ll be home soon but it’s been months since her mother mentioned him.
She skips onto the driveway of her next door neighbor and there’s a green convertible out front of her own house. She takes a deep breath, staring at the car door as it opens, staring at the bald man who’s just gotten out.
She runs.
She runs to him and holds him tight. “You’re back,” she says, and her smile only grows as he musses her hair and they head inside the house.
Her eyes couldn’t be bluer. Her smile couldn't be shining brighter. And he quite literally could not be happier. They sit down on the sofa, not bothering to kick their shoes off, and they talk for hours.

Welcome to Jackson, Bring It On - 415 words
I enter the house quietly, stepping as lightly as I can to avoid the creaking floorboards. This place isn’t nearly as spooky as people say! There’s spiderwebs in the corners and the stairs are missing a couple steps, but otherwise it’s pretty normal. Other than the lack of good windows and lighting, I suppose. But I have a flashlight.
I switch it on and swing it around as I head into the living room. The sofa is torn and the back sags against the moth eaten pillows. The pillows that seem to portray strange scenes; is that one a silhouette of a dead body? I chuckle. Whoever lived here before had some really weird taste! I heard from a friend that it was a senile old man, but then she was the one who was terrified and kept telling me not to come in here.
I move on to the kitchen, illuminating utensils that look like they’re from the 1800s. There are some steak knives in an open drawer. There’s a fridge, but I decide to spare myself the possibility of smelling decade-old molding food. There’s probably a whole pile of bugs in there too. Ew. I shiver at the thought and shine my flashlight into a closet. A spider hanging from a web stares back at me with beady black eyes. Is this what people were scared of when they ran screaming out of here - a couple cobwebs and black widows?
I shut the closet and set my eyes on the staircase next. If I can scale it, I’ll be one of very few people to actually see the top floor of the Duster House. How cool would that be? I’d have eternal bragging rights.
I hop onto the lowest step and it breaks under my weight. Makes sense, I guess. I reach my foot to the second one and take a deep breath, then run straight up to the landing halfway up. This landing is connected to the ground, because it’s the top of that storage closet; the only reason I’m not falling to a splintered unconsciousness right now. Except to get down or up, if I fail, that’s what happens.
I decide to take a risk and I climb the banister, inching myself up. Almost there - and then I make it to the edge and linger for a second on the top stair before hopping to safety. I’m okay!
“Dorothy, is that you?” comes a withered old voice, and I nearly faint.

Part 2 - 725 words
taking inspiration from a butterfly picture on my wall
Click. Click. Click. The camera saves each moment as I point it in different directions. Click. Click. I set it down. I’m at a butterfly park, and I’m taking photos for a competition. It was my mom who suggested I come here, though I had my doubts. It’s so hard to get a focus on them when they’re flitting around faster than I can even think. I keep swinging the camera around; if it wasn’t on a strap around my neck it would have flown off and been broken by now.
There’s a pretty orange one on a flower; a monarch. It’s resting so peacefully that I think I finally have a shot. I check my camera and try to adjust it how I need. Now, to try and get close enough to take a good quality picture, before the butterfly decides it’s tired of me and it wants to go. I’m a few yards away, which is far too much if I want a good photo. I squat down, locking my camera on the butterfly when I find it. Then I inch closer, trying to not scare it off. My right foot goes a little forward, then my left, then my right, then my left. It’s a precarious process. I’m getting closer!
I fix the camera settings now that I have a better view. Oh - the butterfly went out of frame. I move the camera back up, trying to figure out where it is. I look up from it and realize that the butterfly is gone; it left when I wasn’t even looking. That split second, it escaped my sight. Of course! I sigh as I stand up, searching for another resting one. I don’t even have much time left. Five minutes, maybe, until my mom picks me up. And the entry is due tomorrow!
I don’t recognize any of these - I’m not some butterfly fanatic. I just know the monarch, which is what everyone knows. If I want to label the photo when I take it, I need to know what the photo is actually of! I brush my hair out of my face and take a deep breath. This is fine. This is fine. I just need to make sure my settings are right. I turn the dials again, zooming in and out and it and out until I realize it’s just a bored waste of time.
Then suddenly I spot another monarch flitting about near my head. I could get it! I bring up the camera to my eye, ready to pull the trigger on getting the shot perfectly. I think that I’ve finally lucked out on this and I’ll be ready to go when my mom comes. But no, it flies away before I can focus in on it. Why, why, why. A dark blue butterfly comes my way and although I don’t know its name, it looks absolutely stunning. It’s actually acting quite docile, moving slowly, and I manage to get the camera up in time to focus it.
Click. The camera takes a picture and I silently groan, worried that it somehow got messed up. But I got the focus, and the lighting was great, so it should be fine, right? I take a look at it and gasp. The photo looks perfect. The butterfly shines like a star in the center of the photo, wings out and showcasing their gorgeous design. I nod, satisfied. Now all I have to do is figure out the name of the type of butterfly, which is easier said than done. There are probably dozens it could be and I can’t enter without the name. A text comes in on my phone, from my mom. She’s out in the parking lot.
I hold the camera tightly to keep it from bouncing as I jog toward the exit. “Thank you!” I call to the man in the garden ticket booth, and he waves, though he looks confused. He doesn’t actually know me.
On the ride home, I stare down at the picture I took. I’m excited to enter it - excited for other people to see it. I feel like I just took a moment in time and saved it forever in a tiny digital camera that’s going to keep it like a treasure. The best thing about photos is that they don’t die.

Part 3 - 1065 words
continuing second story from part 1 - don’t judge a book by its cover, and always be willing to change your point of view based on evidence themes

Who said that? I look around frantically. There’s no one here. It must have just been my imagination. I breathe out, shaking my head. Like there would actually be a person living in a house that people have known is abandoned for decades. It’s strange that they didn’t try to take down the house and rebuild it, or at least redo it to sell. Realtors usually seem like they’d be happy to get their hands on an extra bit of land where they can modernize it and ramp up the price.
Anyway, I’m just thankful to have made it to the second floor without crashing to the ground. I look around. The carpet is far more vibrant than downstairs, and it’s colorful too. Red and yellow and green circles and swirls, not the slightest bit dusty from age. The wallpaper is peeling a bit, but it’s not dusty; strange. The same goes for the photos on the wall. There’s a picture of a wedding next to me, then a row of black and white photos that I think are taken of a child as they grow up. Further down is an abstract art piece with slashes and shouts of color. It glows in the afternoon light.
Afternoon light? I jerk around and see that yes, there’s a window here and it’s not boarded up or grime-covered like downstairs. The sunlight filters into the hallway and there are plants on the outside windowsill. I can’t believe I never noticed those before. How do they stay alive? They’re far overgrown, which means that they’re probably living off of the frequent weather changes. If it wasn’t for the rain they’d be dead by now because there’s no one here. No one here except me and my crazy hallucinations, that is!
Then I decide to go further in. The floor creaks under my feet just like it did with every step I took on the first floor. Signature feature of a haunted house, I guess. The first room is a child’s bedroom, and probably the child from those photos on the wall. It’s creepy how perfect this room is. The bed is made, a polka-dot patterned blanket lying perfectly ironed across it. The window is broken but messily covered with a sheet of plastic, and the windowsill has photos on it. They’re all black and white; are they really from so long ago? There’s a note in the corner of one.
“Patricia,” it reads, “never forget that the night you left us was the night we realized you couldn’t leave us completely. Our memories of you are our only records and it won’t be enough, but it’s all we can do.”
I flick my eyes to the newspaper clipping in the opposite corner. “Local resident Patricia Jackson, 14, declared dead after jumping out of her bedroom window.” There’s no date on it, but now it makes sense why the window is broken. And why it was covered so hastily. And it wouldn’t be a surprise if that was the reason that the room was left in such perfect condition - though I suppose it doesn’t explain why there’s not a thick layer of dust over everything in the room.
I go out of it, closing the door again. I step further down, into a second room - once again, not a speck of dust. This whole top floor differs completely from the ground floor; it’s like they’re not even in the same house. Where the bottom was dirty and filled with bugs, here it’s clean and colorful. There’s no one here to take care of it, unless some house cleaner has been secretly climbing a ladder onto the top floor every day and tidying up the place.
This room, the one I’m in now, isn’t nearly as colorful as the first. It’s more solemn. As well as more empty. A guest bedroom, I think. The mattress is adorned with a gray comforter, and a lamp sits precariously on a small bedside table. The closet is closed. When I slide it open I see that it’s mostly storage. There are multiple bins, all stacked and in strange angles so they fit. They surround a mahogany dresser with golden handles and completely empty drawers. But they’re all full. I’m too lazy to get them all out and go through them - plus, it would feel like an invasion of privacy.
So I just grab the two bins that are at the top of the lowest stacks and open those!
The first is stacked full of notebooks. They’re diaries, labeled with years on the front. The pages are filled with a messy scrawl - someone was writing quickly. And there’s not a single blank line anywhere in the stack of books. I put them back carefully. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had been in that bin in a specific order. Once people finally come to tear this house down, they’ll find the records of at least three decades of someone’s life. I wonder what they’ll do with it.
I shove that bin back into the closet after I latch the lid back onto it. Then I turn toward the second. When I open it I just see piles upon piles of feather dusters. There must be at least twenty or thirty all squished in here. I grab one and fluff it up with my fingers. It’s actually in great condition. This bin must be completely airtight to keep the dusters in such good quality. But it’s strange why they have so many.
I put that bin away and leave the room, ready to enter the master bedroom. As I push open the door, there’s a bit of movement that catches my eye. There’s a man standing there, feather duster in hand, dusting a single spot on the bookcase. He’s hunched over, and he has a head of patchy white hair. I nearly jump back in surprise.
“Dorothy, can you make me some tea? I miss Patricia.” he says, still dusting the same spot. He moves over by an inch and starts dusting there. Then he looks up. “You’re not Dorothy. Are you Patricia? I’ve missed you so much.” His face breaks out into a blissful grin and his eyes squint. “I’m gonna go lie down.” He heads over to the bed and promptly falls asleep, leaving you to figure out what exactly has just happened.

here is my daily- word count:72 ( this is my first poem tho)

The sun shining bright at my head and I had squinted to see the little boy's kite
made me in a jolly mode to see the sun raging
and laying down all the water with its rays.
I wish I could go with them and give a nice greeting to the sun.
But its-its not possible to visit.
I wish, you and I will have rainy monsoon season
But for now, adios!

Penny spawned in a forest. It's been a week since she did, and she is getting good at surviving. So far, she has all stone tools, a leather chestplate, and a decent underground house. Today she planned to finally build a proper house. She equipped a stack of wood, and started placing them in a square. Then she built another square on top of it, and another, and another. She then mined 2 blocks vertically, and walked in. She placed torches on the inside, then built the ceiling. She glanced at the two strange bars floating in front of her. The one on the right had 6 of the shapes gone, shaded in black, and the bar to the right had one of them shaded black. She shrugged it off. It probably didn’t matter. However, she was feeling this strange feeling in her stomach, like it wanted something. She chose to ignore it. She finished her house quickly, but it was almost sunset. She quickly headed into her old house, grabbed all of her belongings, and filled the house with dirt. She somehow felt sad, so she placed a sign onto the dirt saying, Here lies Penny’s house. The whole thing felt silly, but she chose to do it. After all, who would even see it?

Penny woke up, yawning the next morning. She glanced outside. No mobs in sight. Drawing out her sword, she carefully descended into the forest. She always felt a wriggle in her heart when she faced mobs, and avoided them as much as possible. She walked a long way, exploring. Suddenly, she felt pain. She glanced at her bars. The one on the right was down to one and shaking. Maybe it did matter. Her stomach was still asking for something. She pushed a block of wood at it, but nothing happened. Suddenly, something red fell to the ground. She drew her sword, expecting a mob, but instead it stood still. She slowly came forward. It seemed harmless. She looked up, and saw the leaves of a tree she’d broken. Cautiously she picked it up. It appeared in her inventory. She saw it was called ‘Apple’. Her stomach growled. Her mouth was watering, and she didn’t know why. She poked the apple into her mouth, and closed her teeth on it. It immediately disappeared, leaving her bar to increase. She pushed another one in her mouth. They were good! She also noticed that her other bar was increasing a little too. She continued to wander, punching at the leaves of the trees sometimes, looking for more apples. Soon she came across a grunting pink creature. It was down on 4 legs, and she immediately attacked it, sure it was a dangerous creature. But when her sword hit it, it flashed red, and began to run. Penny chased after it, finally hitting it a couple more times with her sword until it poofed, leaving a sort of pink, bent oval, floating on the ground. She picked it up. It was called pork chop. Well, if that was called raw pork chop, then the animal would be called Pork. She named other creatures like that as well, like the Barrows, which were this creature standing on 2 legs, holding bow and arrows. She named it Barrows, because they dropped arrows and bones, as well as bows. Then there were Rots, weird smelling creatures dropping rotten flesh, String, black creatures featuring red eyes, black body, and eight legs. They dropped a thin substance called string, therefore their name. Then, there is a Blow-up. When she first met a Blow-up, she was killed and respawned back where she started. From then on, she never went near them, never killing one, and coming up with the name Blow-up. She glanced at the pork. She shrugged, and poked it in her mouth. It didn’t taste that bad. She shrugged, and went on her way.

Like this did Penny discover the world of Minecraft!

Main Cabin Daily
Topic: poem
Words: 33 lol
Redirect to main page

Abandoned. (a poem by lemon)

Mother combed my hair when I was young
Locks streaming down my back
Mother is not here anymore
My hair is matted
Come back, mother
Heartache
Piercing though my soul

Goodbye cruel world.

I hid behind the house walls, keeping my distance, just as I always had. Everything was dead quiet, and the moon only lit the barren ground dimly. Soon, I know, it would disappear behind the invisible clouds. As I made my way upstairs, hearing my footsteps crunch on the color-less floor, I felt my head hit on something. I did not turn on the lights, I would never. Inching away, I continued climbing. The shallow waters softly rippled as I tried to sleep, but my eyes were open. I sat up, walking across the room. After all these years, I had found my way in the house without the light.
Why, you ask, had I shut myself in this prison of enveloping darkness? The light burned me. It made me restless. I couldn’t quite remember myself while in the light. And even though there’s nothing left to feel, I’d like to conceal how lonely I am. From myself.
Before I knew it, it was dawn. I did not see the light, though, because it was covered by the thick mass of trees that grew outside. My house was strictly locked, lest I get attacked by a ray of light when I go outside. I am frozen, the days never seem to pass, but you never know what the future beholds. That was what I thought as I took in the cold air, and the darkness in my mind.
But, I was not alone. The darkness was my friend, and light was my enemy. Sometimes I questioned the fact of being a human at all. What if I was, in actuality, a vampire? I was just growing up, maybe, and my future held blood and murder, like I’d been told once as a child.
Also, the production of food was simple for me. I would open the closet at the end of the house, and inside would be breakfast, lunch and dinner! I did not know the cause for this phenomena, of course, but I enjoyed a delicious meal while I could. Grabbing today’s meal, an omelete and orange juice, I sat down at the kitchen table. Today, the darkness felt much stranger. A weird sense crept over me as I ate. I kept the rest of the food for later. The darkness felt, well, darker, and not like the heaven I had always believed it to be. Although, I just deemed it a “phase” for who knows what.
Keeping my plate aside, I looked through the window, at the shadowy trees, enveloping a part of the forest in which I stayed. This used to be a resort, but two years ago, there was no one left but me, and I didn’t leave. I couldn’t leave after falling in love with this resort. Although I was bored of it now, I still did not leave, because there was no other place for me to go. It was a fancy hotel called “Clementine’s Forest Abode”. I don’t even know what attracted me to it, but when I got there, darkness took over, and I quite liked it, hence discovering my fear of light. The darkness was also what caused the other residents to flee. Their children used to be scared and they would always lose themselves in the dark. For those who did not have children, the reason to flee was the lack of sight and sense. Without the light to guide them, they could not make their way out of anything. So, they left. But the darkness is what compelled me to stay. I do not know why, but if anyone knew that a once budding young traveler who had recently hit adulthood would reach the clutches of darkness, resulting in herself being drowsy and bored of everything, they would laugh. And laugh. And laugh. I can almost imagine it. Their laughing, because they don’t believe it at all. But after two years of being like this, believing that darkness was my heaven, I understand why they laugh. I wish I could laugh too, but I’m not happy for it.
I also do not know why my mind was clouding with such disbelief towards darkness, towards all I had ever believed. Was I wrong? I decided to walk around the house because I had nothing else to do. And as I walked around, my toe hit a small bag. I looked down, but I could not see it clearly. So, I picked it up and examined it. Whose was it? I took it to the couch and opened it. It was well, mine. The me that had once come to this resort with budding hopes and dreams, and look what she had. I tried to shake the thought away. Shouldn’t I be thankful or everything I have? I should, I know, but I just did not have the desire to do so.
Inside the bag, there were old clothes that would be too tight on her now, a few books to read, a diary and a quill. I looked at the books. At least now I had something to do. But my main focus was on the diary. It would surely help me recall my blurry past. I flipped it open to a random page, and read as it described her arrival at the resort and the friendly staff and comfortable rooms, but it was too small. But wasn’t she too small, too?
I know what you are thinking. But I like to refer to my past self as “her”. It helps me to remember that I am not her anymore, and so many things have confirmed to me that I never will be.
I decided to walk around more, maybe I would find something more. And as I walked around, stretching my arms, because I had grown very stiff, I felt my finger hit something. I immediately retreated it, and with quite a creeping horror, that kept me in shock, I noticed the switched on light. I expected for my skin to burn, for me to feel uncomfortable, for me to not be able to recognise myself, but none of those things happened, Instead, I felt comfortable and like myself¬.
That’s when I realised I was changing. I was becoming better. I was becoming normal. And it felt good. Very good.
Suddenly, I felt something on my skin. It was a small piece of wood. I looked upwards, and my mouth dropped open at the sight. The resort was crumbling! Small chunks of wood fell by my side, and as soon as any of them touched the light, they caught on blazing fire, red, yellow and orange. One of them landed on my feet, and I gave a sudden yelp, jumping away from the light and stumbling towards the staircase. As soon as I reached the darkness, I felt raw and hollow. Somewhat empty. My skin started getting fainter, and fainter, as I dashed towards the closed door. It was locked. What had I even expected?
A black creature inched towards me. I ran up the stairs and saw how I was disappearing. Some part of me wanted to run, and so it did, through the black creature, and through the door. It seemed an utmost miracle as I walked through the sun-baked field outside, one that I had never bothered to notice over the towering forest trees.
One thing, I was sure of, though. The resort was history, and my future was a mystery, but today was my present, my gift to enjoy.

FOR WRITING COMP

———
Frankenstein Fanfic/Rewrite

The once marble-white floor was smeared with blood, strewn with needle-thin bones. Unwanted veins and useless arteries of such were simply scattered over the stains, rendering the room a ghastly sight. The only furniture inside the laboratory was filled with flakes of decaying skin hiding in every nook and cranny. On top of Victor’s experimenting table were hundreds and thousands of test tubes, all containing fatal liquids. Of the millions of shelves in the eerie room, all but one were cluttered with vials of decaying flesh - the exception contained the human organs.

A melancholy clap of thunder echoed across Dr. Frankenstein’s Experimenting Room, spreading a contagiously ominous aroma everywhere. The rain was louder than usual - the storm seemed… different. As fear struck Victor’s face, lightning struck the sky.

His gaunt, onyx eyes drifted around the room, and he set his gaze on the inhumane monstrosity of his creation.

Its face was viciously distorted into a heap of chaos, and all of the light that set its shine on the beast was instantly destroyed. A viridescent tinge lurked around its grotesque skin, setting an uncanny aroma. Gargantuan veins bulged out of its misshapen arms, and its hair had disintegrated, leaving just spots of dandruff resting on this monster’s head. The stench that protruded from the body was as odorous as bile left on the streets for days, as rancid as decaying flesh (which, of course, it was).

The creature’s eyelids were closed, but once Victor was as naive as to open them; they were the most gruesome thing that the doctor had ever seen. They were barely there at all. They had sunken so deep into their sockets, that it was like looking into an infinite abyss. The only eyes that he could see were a murky umber, vacant and vacuous.

This was Victor’s one chance - his only chance - to create life. Deliriously, he rushed around the vast hall, determined to succeed. At last, everything was ready. If Victor had scheduled correctly, he was about to become one of the foremost men the world had ever seen.

CRASH!

The clap of thunder hit the monster directly, temporarily blinding the triumphant doctor. Then it was gone, almost as quick as it had started.

“Please work, please,” Victor murmured under his shaky breath.

Edging warily, he crept over to the monster, curiosity overpowering his shrewd mind. He gingerly peeked over the top of the beast, and one eyelid flickered. Victor shielded his eyes, aware of the horrors that were beheld for him. The creature’s eye fluttered open, and … froze.

“No, no, NO!” Victor screamed, anger welling up in his body. The monster was dead again. After all of those years, devoted endlessly to his creation, and it was dead.

But slowly, something happened. The second eye opened, and the creature let out a guttural groan.

“Master,” the creature croaked. “Master, I do not belong here. Kill me again, and I shall rest,”

“No,” Victor cried impatiently. “No, I refuse! Think of what we could do together! And the money… think of it! We will practically bathe in it!” his face grew red, as the monster resistantly shook his head.

“Kill me, please! I have seen this world again, and of course it is a privilege, but I do not belong here. My spirit is restless - send me back!” he said. Victor stomped his foot petulantly, refusing to back down. He’d waited long enough. “Look at me,” continued the beast. “I am atrocious! I simply could not bear to be seen like this!” Yes, the monster was a barbaric sight even to glimpse, but did this ungrateful creature not appreciate Victor’s efforts?

609 words
———

In-cabin daily-
word count- 433 words.

One afternoon there was a shock to them, their very precious pillow was stolen! They were shocked as their parents were police officers. The villagers very well knew that grahita’s and Akshaya’s house was well secured and no one would dare to steal.

Who could have done such a nasty deed to them. It was again a shock when they got to know that every pillow was stolen. Even in their house there is not only their cosy pillow they made but also all the pillows in their village. Pillows were stolen from rich to poor people. Even from pillow shops and even from the extras in the hotel.

There was no sign of at least one pillow but thankfully, there was a little boy who saw the thief stealing and came forward to tell about the culprit who stole them.

The Little boys said, “ I was walking into my house and saw a beautiful rainbow haired girl, shining in the dark like a star and after taking a pillow she changed into a beautiful rainbow unicorn and flew away in the sky.”

Grahita and Akshaya were shocked to know about this as there was a tale that 5000 years ago these unicorns blessed them with the first pillow and told them to worship them once a week. If they fail, every pillow would be stolen and there would be a massacre in the village soon. Over the 4000 years they were worshipped but after the village got to know there were pillows in other countries and made by a man. They started to not believe and stopped worshipping them.

The tale must be true so they started to do a very important ritual which is the only solution to solve it. Priests started to practice the hymns for ritual. People started to arrange and collect all the necessary requirements for the ritual. It was so that there was a flower which only blooms every 5000 years which is required for the ritual. With its absence it is impossible to do the ritual.

5000 years ago, It was so that Pallanpur villagers were hunting and collecting food from the forest and found this flower which blooms every 5000 years named moonlit. With a wink of an eye emerged a unicorn and blessed them with the pillow.

In order to get there, they have to cross 2 oceans, 3 volcanoes and 50 mountains. It was almost impossible to get the flower but if they failed, a massacre could happen so they decided on this wonderful adventure but the question is, who will do it?

Writing Comp Entry
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Continued story from my excerpt in my co-leader app. Note: Marbles649's last three digits are numbers in his name, this means “You are horrible” in a language.

Prologue:

Marbles649 ran as fast as his legs could carry him, how did he get here in the first place? It's all started when… BONK!! Something hit me, but what? Marbles649 thought silently, tempted to turn around his head. “Don't look! Remember what (Spoiler) said?” Luna reminded him, Weren was tripping over to vines of the forest. It was damp and humid, it felt uncomfortable. Could things get any worse? Tears were forming in Marbles649's eyes and he thought. He was the reason why Luna and Weren have to suffer. Why in the world would they look onto someone like him? Even my name sucks, Marbles649 stood still, ignoring the calls of his friends. “Guys…” Marbles649 mumbled with a trembling voice, Weren and Luna stopped their track, but did not look back, “Let go.” Luna was shocked, but it was Weren who asked the question, “Why? We ca-” Weren looked back and Marbles649 tried to stop him, during the process Marbles649 took a step forward and it felt empty. As Marbles649 thought as he fell, he started looking back throughout the adventure…

Marbles649 ran away as fast as he could, “It's not worth it anymore, it's not worth to be friends with Luna and Weren. It just didn't feel right,” but Marbles649 believed that he isn't good enough, good enough for a friend… Still running away, he did not know that he was slowly running into the forbidden woods, where students go in never got out…

“Hey, Weren. Where's your friend Marbles649? I heard he hasn't turn in the project I gave yesterday. It's a good thing his latest project handed up to me was good, but if he isn't coming here, I'll still have to kick him from the club.” The teacher's words kept twirling and replaying over and over in Weren's head, he needs to find Marbles649, but it's been so long since he last saw him. “Luna, have you seen Marbles649?” Weren asked Luna who was just walking by with her friend Lisa, “No, Weren. I thought he was with you though…” Suddenly a voice boomed out, “Weren, why are you so caring over that nerd? Nobody but you and your friend likes him.” Martin, the bully, came out laughing at them, without any time wasted, the whole school laughed at them too, because they had been friends with a nerd. “Come, Weren. Let's go back. Lisa, I'll talk to you tomorrow.” Luna grabbed Weren's hand and dragged him out of the school and into their dorms. Once she was sure they were alone, Luna sat down with Weren, “We have to find Marbles649, he's been gone for almost a day. Do you have any idea where he is?” Weren was so deep in thought he almost miss out Luna's last sentence. “Oh! Sorry, just thinking about something. I'm not sure where Marbles649 went like the other times when we found him, maybe we should check his room for some clues where he is.” Luna nodded as they enter Marbles649's room, hoping they would find something useful.

Once they were inside his room, Luna and Weren tried looking for anything Marbles649 had left behind. “Well, there's nothing here…” Luna mumbled after searching his drawers. “I didn't know he was this organized…” Weren was admiring Marbles649's room on the other hand. Luna became furious with Weren for he wasn't doing anything useful so far. “Weren! Snap out of it because we have to find something useful!” Weren was shocked by the sudden anger from Luna he tripped on the carpet and revealed a letter underneath. Weren quickly grabbed the letter before Luna did and sat up, slowly opening the letter, “At least I found it.” Is what he told Luna after reading the letter, but he didn't say it jokingly, instead there was fear in his voice. Luna took the letter and immediately was paralyzed from shock after reading it. “Weren, we have to go, NOW.” With that, Luna and Weren dashed out of the dorm and ran to the woods, leaving the letter which shows words smudged with ink due to tears.



Weren never felt so worried before, never been so worried for somebody. Luna looked scared, but her impression of Marbles649 is just a best friend, while Weren's impression to him is… never mind… it's not the time right now. Not now. “Ouch!” Weren tripped on a unusual looking and large branch, “Weren! Are you okay? What's this branch anyway? It didn't appear before…” Luna started investigating the weird branch, and heard weird voices inside, “Weren, I think they're people inside here!” A tiny green figure jump on Luna's hand, “Hey! You there! Who are you, and why are you invading our village!? Answer me tall giant beasts!” he yelled in a squeaky voice, Luna and even Weren can tell he is the leader of these creatures. “Greetings, we are Luna and Weren. We're just trying to find our friend Marbles649 in the forest.” The tiny creature thought whether he should trust them, “My name is Pixiamos, we are pixies of the forest. We will help you find your friend, but we need to know how he looks like first.” Weren started describing him, “Let me think, he is very short-” “For you actually…” “Yes right, sorry. He wears a purple tie and a green bow, he is kinda cute…” Luna decided to explain instead, “Sorry, one more thing about Marbles649 is he is mostly sad, so if you see the features of someone who is lonely and crying, that's probably him.” Pixiamos finished writing every single detail of Marbles649 in his notebook. “Alright, we're done here. Pixies, find this young boy. Oh yeah, forgot to tell you two one more thing.” the leader of pixies turn towards Weren and Luna, “Don't look at the God of the Forest straight in the eye, or you'll be stuck here forever like what the missing students did. The God of the Forest is actually a mutated tree, so it has powers. Be careful of your surroundings, for it has many allies.” he warned. Luna put her hand to her chest, “We promise to be safe, thanks a lot for your help.” Pixiamos smiled, “If you need help, remember to call us by whistling!” that was the last sentence before Weren and Luna started finding their friend.

Marbles649 was wandering alone in the forest, hearing many tiny laughing sounds in the distance, but they seem so real. Marbles649 sighed, maybe it's something that he was suffering in the past, it's tormenting him now… HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS What was that sound? Marbles649 looked behind and saw a large eye staring at him, it looks like it just appeared, when he realized it belonged to a tree. Slowly backing away, scared, Marbles649 felt his couldn't move, his eyes couldn't take off the tree's strange eyes. When a blow came and Marbles649 blacked out. After a while, he felt himself running, with Luna guiding the way and Weren holding his hand. “What is going on?” Marbles649 asked Weren, still groggy. Luna then told everything to Marbles649, Pixiamos, the Guardian of the Forest and the lost students. “I saw the eye too, but I immediately tried to blink and it worked. Anyways, I didn't know that the eye was that big…” Luna told Marbles649 what happened, “We also helped you up by hitting your head, sorry…” she continued as Marbles649 rubbed his temple. “Whatever you do, don't look back or stop running, or we'll be missing too like the other kids.” Weren warned Marbles649, who nodded, knowing the escape will be hard and dangerous.

Marbles649 ran as fast as his legs could carry him, started regretting his actions of coming here. He told Luna and Weren not to come here, and here they are, in the situation along with him. And it's all… BONK!! Something hit me, but what? Marbles649 thought silently, tempted to turn around his head. “Don't look! Remember what Pixiamos said? The eye can make you stay here forever!” Luna reminded him, while Weren was tripping over to vines of the forest, creating a deep wound on him. It was damp and humid, it felt uncomfortable, especially with the running and the smell of blood through branches cutting through their legs while running. Could things get any worse? Tears were forming in Marbles649's eyes and he thought. He was the reason why Luna and Weren have to suffer. Why in the world would they look onto someone like him? Marbles649 wished he had time to recall on what happened, what had happened on that day. But now's not the time. “Even my name sucks, it means that I am horrible…” Eventually the tears came pouring down on Marbles649's face, he decided to do something, something that will get his friends to safety. Marbles649 stood still, ignoring the calls of his friends, “Marbles649! What are you doing? The Guardian is coming after you!” Through the pain, Marbles649 spat out the words he contained for so long, “Guys…” Marbles649 mumbled with a trembling voice, Weren and Luna stopped their track, but did not look back, “Let go.” Luna was shocked, they had cared for Marbles649 this long, but now he doesn't wanted to live. Luna wanted to protest but it was Weren who asked the question, “Why? We ca-” Weren looked back, looking at the eye and Marbles649 tried to stop him, during the process Marbles649 took a step forward and it felt empty.

Marbles649 got back to reality, he was still falling in the hole on the ground where neither one of the friends can even see, now he's falling down, towards his horrible demise. He closed his eyes, “Is this how it really ends?” Marbles649 muttered under his breath just before he got caught by some creatures that resembles… a pixie? “Pixiamos? Are you who my friends are talking about?” The leader of the pixies smiled, “Yes, it appears you've fallen into our territory, now we're calling the school to pick you all up.” Weren and Luna then jumped into the hole before the Guardian of the Forest got them, “Marbles649, You're safe!” Weren went to hug Marbles649, who smiled weakly. Pixiamos then told them, “The allies of the Guardian kept messing around you three while you all were running away by putting branches, throwing stuff at you and others. It's a miracle you all are safe.” Marbles649 became sad again, “Yeah, thank goodness…” He thought of dying in there, where no one will ever find his body, but his plan had failed. “Hello, is anyone there?” the school had found them, they are finally safe.

Valentine's day was coming, many people started dating in the school. Marbles649 walked between the corridor of happy couples, where it seemed that he is the only one not being accepted as a soulmate. He sighed, of course, he's a nerd, which nobody wants. Still deep in thought, Marbles649 didn't notice someone was calling him, “Marbles649? May I talk to you please?” It was Weren, the school heart taker. Marbles649 blushed and said, “Okay, sure. I also have something to tell you.” After school, they went back into their dorm room and Weren lock the door, “Hey! What about Luna?” Weren smiled nervously, “She's not involve with this.” Marbles649 nodded, then took a deep breath, “I like you, Weren. You're so attractive and handsome, I can't keep it anymore since it's almost Valentine's…” Oh no, what have I done? Marbles649 thought silently in his head, looking at Weren for his answer, “I don't like you, Marbles649. Not at all.” Marbles649's heart felt like it broke, was Weren hating him, after all this time? He wasn't a friend, but a foe? “Instead,” he continued, grabbing Marbles649's collar, who he thought Weren was threatening him, and his heart beating very fast. It felt warm, nice and… PAINFUL?? Muffled, Marbles649 tried to say, “Weren, you're hurting my lips!” Weren at one realized what he had done, “I-I'm sorry, I need to go now…” With that, Weren walked out of the dorm, embarrassed, ashamed and guilty, leaving Marbles649 paralyzed with shock of what just happened, even when the pain on his lips still throbbed.

The End

1935 words

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