#MiniFiction

[smiegrin]

You're not really sure how you got here. You remember doing math homework. You guess you got stuck? You saw this girl across the campus library scribbling on a white board, something that looked a little bit like math. Or maybe it was something else? That's right, you walked up and asked for help. You don't remember what drove you to just walk up like that... but she seemed so excited you asked! Now you've got a table for two and you're making leaps and bounds together. You can tell she knows the answers almost as soon as she sees your questions, but she holds back. You thought she was just playing with you at first, but... the way she bounces... The way she leads you along with requests, with questions about what's right there at the tip of your tongue, Swaying and squeezing her lip, like she wants to shout the answer but wont. Because it's so much better when you say the answer. For you and her. So no matter how close you get or how much you beg for her to just let it out, She insists: but you're so close! Just a little further, c'mon! You guess -- just a burst of intuition. And she squeals! Nearly leaping out of her chair in a burst of joy! But she regains her composure quickly, planting herself right onto you again. That's great, you're getting it! See, you're really smart, you're just still learning the steps! Now, let's go again. The deadline for this assignment isn't until tomorrow, but you get the feeling it might be fun to go all night with this girl anyway.

A little something I drew and wrote almost a year ago that I guess I just... never posted here??? It was inspired by one of the first flirts my girlfriend played on me (complimenting my smarts). We're coming up on one year this week, and I love her so so much...

[bluemoonsim-blog]

[ 5/9 Part ] ไหนพี่ชวนมาเที่ยวน้ำตกไม่ใช่หรอคะ😳🏔💦

[inscrutablemachine]

Writing Prompt Results

I attend a monthly group that gives us a pen, a notepad, a writing prompt, and 15 minutes.  Today we were supposed to make up a character and write about falling in or out of love with them.  The words I got for reference were ‘doll, suture, knife, stab, glisten, sweat, perfume, fool.’

And here is what I wrote!

--------

I awoke to the sight of something crawling up onto my mattress, and when it raised the knife I knew I should never have bought a ‘haunted’ doll as a joke.

It breathed, the seams around its plastic torso stretching, and as I prepared to leap out of bed and run screaming, it... offered me the handle of the knife.

“Could you hold this please?” she asked, in a high, sweet voice.

Very carefully, and very firmly, I took the knife.  As the one with the weapon now, I felt able to wait as my midnight visitor leaned over the edge of my bed, pulling on a string until she raised a tray onto the mattress.  In the dark I only saw grey, but the smell of freshly baked chocolate and cookie dough filled the air like the sweetest perfume.

The little harlequin wiped her forehead with a multicolored arm, and complained, “Why must the living sleep so high - high - high - off - off -”

She stopped, putting her hands over her face.  In a scratchy, almost crying voice, she said, “I’m sorry.  I’m a little broken.”

Unable to be afraid anymore, I reached out and pulled her hands away, stroking my fingers over the sutures holding her cracked doll face together.  “It’s okay.”

What else could I say?

As I whispered, she snuck her little hands to the handle of the knife I’d forgotten.  Lifting it in the air, she twisted out of my grip and stabbed the blade into the cookie tray.  Her face carefully turned away from me, she stammered, “It’s just, I - I - this always goes so badly, so I thought if I started with a - a - a - a gift...”

Gently, I turned her around.  She lifted a cat shaped chocolate chip cookie to my mouth.  I took a bite.  Delicious.  Mumbling as I chewed, I reassured her, “I think you’re wonderful and misunderstood.”

The little plastic and cloth opera fool sniffed, smiled up at me, and mumbled, “Thank you.  Just - just - just one thing.”

Raising the knife again, she finished, “Don’t ever leave me.”

[pjmarvell]

Hellooo please may I have a conspiracy?

You know how all the big conspiracies have this trope where the Big Bad Powers That Be signal their Evil Intent in media? And how that's fucking weird, right? It makes no sense! Why would you do that? But they keep coming back to it!

........so it must have happened once, right? Which book, song, film or play is it? Where's the one piece of fiction that unlocks the secrets of the universe?

[gchatus]

Magic

Across the multiplanes, there were five kinds of magic.

White magic was life magic.

Black magic was death magic.

Blue magic was water magic.

Red magic was fire magic.

Green magic was plant magic.

If there were other kinds, they hadn't shown up yet.

[farever]

A Beautiful Stranger

Ada banyak hal yang mampu membawa manusia dan ingatannya kembali mengunjungi masa lalu untuk sesaat. Bagiku, salah satunya adalah lirik yang relatable dari sebuah lagu. Terlebih ketika ia diputar persis di momen-momen serupa. Seperti pagi ini, saat jam tanganku menunjukkan pukul 08.05. Sepagi itu sudah duduk manis di kursi pesawat, keluhku. Belum lagi momen sebelum keberangkatan yang selalu diiringi nyanyian merdu ibuku yang khawatir betul anaknya melewatkan jadwal penerbangannya.

Dengan mata sayu, aku duduk di sisi lorong, lengkap dengan earphone di telinga untuk berjaga-jaga akan kebosanan selama dua jam ke depan. Aku baru sadar kursi sisi jendela di sebelahku ternyata kosong saat pesawat hendak diterbangkan. Sementara daftar lagu terus berputar, layar gawai ku menampilkan sepotong lirik lagu Beautiful Stranger yang dinyanyikan Laufey. Pesawat lepas landas menuju langit lepas, namun penerbangan pagi itu bukan hanya membawaku ke negeri sebrang. Untuk ke-sekian kalinya, aku turut terbang ke masa lalu.

--- Senin pagi, setelah hampir telat check-in, aku berlari kecil menuju pesawat yang akan membawaku ke Kuala Lumpur. Sesampainya di dalam pesawat, aku duduk di kursi sesuai dengan nomor yang tertera di tiketku. Aisle section. Hatiku kecewa sedikit karena di penerbangan solo pertama ini aku tidak bisa memilih untuk duduk di sisi jendela, melihat langit favoritku dengan puas dari sudut pandang berbeda. Ku amati sekitarku, kursi sebelah masih kosong. Barangkali pemiliknya tidak hadir karena kesiangan, batinku. Saat itu sebagian besar penumpang lain sudah meletakkan bawaannya di kabin dan bersiap untuk duduk.

"permisi, maaf, saya duduk di sana"

Seorang lelaki tinggi bertopi hitam muncul sembari kerepotan mengatur napasnya, memberi isyarat kalau dialah pemilik kursi di sampingku. Aku pun beranjak sebentar dan mempersilakannya untuk duduk. Ternyata ada yang lebih tergesa-gesa dariku, pikirku. Untuk sesaat, diri ini kecewa karena posisi window section itu ternyata ada yang punya. Selain karena ingin memandang langit lewat jendela tanpa gangguan sepanjang penerbangan, sebagai introvert garis keras, diri ini lebih senang kalau duduk sendirian. Atau setidaknya berjarak cukup jauh dengan orang lain (iya, lain kali kalau sudah mampu akan ku beli tiket business itu!).

Pesawat lepas landas, dan begitu kondisinya stabil, aku mulai mengeluarkan buku dari tas ranselku, sejak kemarin aku berencana menghabiskan bacaan ini di atas pesawat. Entah kenapa duduk di kendaraan umum bersama buku terasa lebih menyenangkan bagiku. Ujung mataku kemudian menangkap lelaki di sisi jendela itu yang sedang memperhatikan gerak-gerik ku, alih-alih memastikan earphonenya terpasang, ia malah mengurungkannya.

"wah suka baca Orwell juga?" ujarnya, memecah kesunyian di antara kami "lebih tepatnya baru mulai suka kali ya" kataku, sembari menunjukkan buku dengan judul republik hewan yang memang cukup menarik ceritanya bagiku "saya suka banget sama cerita di animal farm, gimana ironinya tokoh yang digadang membawa perubahan akhirnya malah jadi sama seperti yang mereka benci awalnya, eh bentar, maaf banget jadi spoiler ya" katanya sambil tersenyum--yang entah kenapa membuatku sontak menyimpulkan senyum juga. "oh gapapa, udah mau selesai juga kok ini" ujarku, masih sedikit tersenyum "udah baca 1984 belum?" tentu aku menggeleng, jangankan judul yang baru disebut, buku yang kupegang saat ini pun kubeli semata karena diskon bulanan di toko buku terdekat, secara impulsif kumasukkan ke dalam tas belanja saat itu. Tak kusangka, percakapan terus berlanjut satu jam ke depan sampai ia menyinggung topik demokrasi spesifik di Indonesia, bidang penelitiannya, katanya. Ia menjelaskan panjang lebar bagaimana kondisi sekarang sebenarnya tidak jauh berbeda dengan apa yang Orwell tuliskan. Aku hanya bisa terdiam dan memperhatikan, entah kenapa dia berbicara dengan tempo yang sangat tepat. Tidak begitu bersemangat, tapi tetap membuat yang mendengarkannya hanyut dalam ketertarikannya akan apa yang ia lakukan. What an interesting person.

Aku memutar kepala, mencari celah yang bisa kutanggapi dari penjelasannya. Namun setiap kali aku ingin mengutarakannya, selalu saja diri ini urungkan kembali dan berujung mengangguk saja atau sedikit menimpali. Tau apa aku, yang sehari-hari bekerja di bidang STEM ini tentang demokrasi? pikirku--dengan bodohnya. Gosh, such a convo killer.

Entah setelah anggukan-ku yang keberapa, percakapan berakhir begitu saja, bahkan tanpa bertukar nama. Lelaki itu kini memastikan earphonenya terpasang benar dan menikmati pemandangan langit di sampingnya. Sesaat ketika aku ingin menanyakan namanya, lagi-lagi diri ini mengurungkannya, memikirkan bagaimana kalau aku mengganggunya, atau terlihat aneh di matanya (lagi-lagi, bodohnya).

Sampai saat pesawat mendarat, hanya ada keheningan yang mengisi ruang kosong di antara kami dan keramaian di kepalaku sendiri. Berkali-kali mempertimbangkan apakah aku harus mengajaknya berbicara sekali lagi? menanyakan namanya? meminta kontaknya? jalan beriringan saat keluar bandara?. Pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang takkan ada jawabnya. Kami pun berpisah sebagaimana mestinya.

Perpisahan pada umumnya akan dua orang yang tidak saling kenal, tapi anehnya, di hati ini ia menyisakan rasa sesal.

Satu jam yang menyenangkan, satu jam yang juga mengajarkan bahwa akan ada banyak kesempatan yang dilewatkan hanya karena diri ini berpikir belum punya cukup keberanian.

---

Lagu yang dibawakan oleh gadis Islandia itu kuputar sekali lagi. Pandanganku kini terpusat pada kursi kosong di sisi jendela, alih-alih megahnya langit biru yang dihiasi gumpalan awan di sampingnya.

♪ but my beautiful stranger, will have to remain a stranger until I see him again ♪

Penerbangan singkat menuju Kuala Lumpur akan selalu mengingatkanku pada satu sosok lelaki di sisi jendela, juga pada kenyataan bahwa diri ini pernah melewatkan kesempatan untuk mengenalnya.

[jaybarou]

In the book's long standing tradition of heaven commendating Crowley on things he didn't do, I was absolutely ready for a scene like:

"We saw what you did."

"Yes, weeeeeell..."

"You tempted an angel into thinking robbing graves is good, distracted him from healing an innocent and righteous soul, and planted the seed of the idea of material currency being the solution to everything instead of virtue."

"I... Yes! And on purpose! I did it on purpose!"

"That deserves at least two commendations and a half. Take some time off, don't come back to Earth for a while, stay and mentor the new recruits on how you did that!"

"The thing is, I'd rather..."

"Ḑ̴̔̇̓͝o̵̳͍̼̪͌̊̒͘ ̴̠̻͐̄̚i̸͇͗̉̃͝t̷͕͈̎"

I know the real answer to "why does Hell pull Crowley back down after his suicide prevention stunt when he's got away with so much other stuff before?" is "the show runs on what's funniest/most dramatic rather than what makes the most logical sense"

But I think it would be funny if it was completely unrelated. He gets down there ready to be tortured and they're like "you're late for the quarterly all hands meeting and it's your turn to give a team update"

[adhdo5]

I don't ask for much out of some cute amateur hour minifiction I see on Tumblr alright I'm not out for blood. I'm not even hatermoded when I'm reading that usually. It doesn't have to be great l I'm here for is like aw that's a cute concept. Interesting way to take that idea. Fun sentence if I'm lucky. But do we HAVE to be Kinda White Supremacist about it. This post brought to you by an otherwise fine if unremarkable prompt fill that decided, for no reason at all, to describe the evil goddess incarnation being brought up to be a good person as having blue eyes and explicitly lightening hair to code her as innocent and sweet

[misskamelie]

Who is watching the Mameli minifiction rai tonight

[fangedprinx]

just wanna say i love your work!! never seen such good world building with this :o take all the time ya need ^~^

Ahhhhh, thank you!! ☺️💖✨ This gave me a great boost yesterday 💫

I am working away on chapter 7! I have 4800 words roughly so far but I don't think I am quite at the halfway point yet. It feels good to be doing something creative (whether it's art or writing) for a bit in the evening so that helps! As well as knowing there's people waiting eagerly for the next chapter.

Hopefully I will have some little bits and pieces to post up soon, like metahuman artefact minifictions and the lines for a drawing of Conall I wanted to do to help promote chapter 7. (Wish me luck with lining the sketch without goofing anything up!) Being able to switch from writing to drawing when I need a little break seems to be good for my brain too.

[bluemoonsim-blog]

[ 9 Part ] ไหนพี่ชวนมาเที่ยวน้ำตกไม่ใช่หรอคะ😳🏔💦 COMING SOON

[microfinanseer]

My minifiction class in Mexico City ended last week and this was my last homework. I feel it was my best one yet and it got good reviews by classmates and my teacher, too. It's autobiographical and reflective, and leaves the reader thinking. It doesn't give too much away, yet is descriptive and emotional. These are all elements that can be part of good minifiction stories. We often learn the most when we least expect it, don't we? Translation below:

Travel Studies

To find ourselves and know where to go, we have to lose ourselves. And not just a little bit, if not truly and totally lose ourselves.

The last time I took classes in Mexico, I was in the fifth year of primary school. I was very lost even though I came with my mother to live where she was born. I tried to go to three different schools that year. One in Tepito, one in Coyoacan, and a private school that I don't remember where it was. The private school was the least useful. I always liked reading and learning, but I stopped going to school that year anyway. The classes did not feed my curiosity. I didn't understand the language, I didn't understand the people, let alone understand the customs of being a young girl in a new country. I learned a lot more outside of school. Outside of their rules and the impositions of teachers, who didn't understand me either. I think being curious is better than having the answer. But that's not the rule in elementary school, is it?

So, I left. I left to seek an education outside of school. Eventually, I finished elementary school, and the other grades to enter the university. But I never forget what my real education was. That time when I lost myself more, I learned a lot more. When I left myself open to the foreign and the strange, I saw only the possibilities. I understood better.

Until next week!

[letsstartafamilywellinvitewelove]

Imagine, if you will. You are moving, going to a new school. You have no friends there, but your mutuals are all very supportive.

Over time, you become friends with one person in your class. You slowly realize you are in love with them. You tell your mutuals about this new development. They cheer you on. Unknown to you, your crush is developing feelings for you as well.

After a good ten chapters of pining (from both ends), you two finally get your acts together and go out. Your partner tells you they have a tumblr. You excitedly say you do, too!

They tell you their url. You stare. It’s the url of the person you’ve been mutuals with for over three years.

Slowly, you tell them your’s. Their eyes go wide.

[radicalapollo]

Rock Howard: You know, dad, it’s weird. You showed me Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure when I was a kid, and now it’s becoming more and more popular, and it just occurred to me that we’re kind of living that life. Jojo’s cool and everything, but I’m pretty sure I know someone, in real life, that actually has a stand. What’s up with that? I guess life can be stranger than fiction sometimes, huh?

Terry Bogard: Wait, are you trying to tell me JJBA isn’t a documentary. Oh my god, my life has been a lie.

[ariqyraihan]

Pura-Pura

Kata Twitter, "Apa yang sedang terjadi?"  

Aku jawab, "Tidak ada apa-apa." 

Sembari jemari kananku menutupi luka di dada yang terus mengucurkan penyesalan. Begitu perih—begitu dingin.

[immortalscares]

“I Don’t Watch TV Anymore” 📺

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