APRIL 2020 85-Word Story -- VICTORY TO MOUSE!

[LittleStar]

What Dreams May

When I sleep I dream,
and when I dream,
I walk with you again,

hand in hand
through the barely
where we used to dance.
These are my nights, my life, in your world.
And when I walk with you,
I’m safe.

You wake me
with soft sleep whispers
on the back of my neck... it burns
to know we slept
holding each other.
But your indent is fading,
and I can’t turn to see your face.
I won’t
believe I’ve woken
to another nightmare.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Planet of Exile​

The ship landed and the door irised open. Sick with fear, Tara descended the stairs. But …

Green leaves everywhere. A fresh breeze. “It’s for life,” they’d said. “But we’re not inhumane.”

“Have an apple,” said a voice. “They’re really very good.”

Surprised, Tara turned. She was supposed to be the first. “You!” she said to a bright green snake curled around a branch. “Not a chance!”

It sighed. “I suppose you’ve read that book?”

Tara nodded.

“Rats! I hope other prisoners won’t be from Earth.”

 

[The Judge]

The Land of Cockaigne​

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A handprint. A single handprint on the bare rock.​

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Every night she dreamed of it glistening in the mine’s darkness.​

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Every night she heard its promise of green woods and cool grass and birdsong, of wine and meat, comfort and laughter.​

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Every dawn she woke to pain and fear and endless, backbreaking work.​

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The other slaves drugged themselves rather than dream. Survival, they said, lay in accepting reality – beauty and ease didn’t exist.​

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But every night she touched the handprint, and it fulfilled its promise.​

 

[Abernovo]

The Physics of Snow Globes


Professor Ko held out the sphere.

"It contains a tiny interstitial universe, existing between dimensions."

"But that…"

Ko cut in. "Rewrites the laws of science? Yes."

The jump into the other world was uncomfortable, but worth it. The city was so alien, so beautiful.

"Be careful," Ko said. "Our suits separate us from this plane. If the universes mix, it could be very bad."

#​

"Doctor Philips?"

"Hmm?"

"In the background static, seconds after the Big Bang, there's a discrete noise"

"Hmm?"

"Like a million screams."

 

[Ursa major]

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Dwarf World II – Halek Makes a Sale​

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“It’s that human, Halek.”​

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“Which human?”​

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“That Mr I’m No Mere Plutocrat you keep mentioning. He’s seen something he actually wants to purchase.”​

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“It’s been seventeen years.”​

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“Exactly ten Earth years. He’s on line three.”​

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Halek took the call. “Afternoon, sir.”​

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“I’ve seen a tiny planet you’re selling. Still your speciality, I see.”​

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“I thought you didn’t like small.”​

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“Not as gift for my wife. This is for her mother. She’s getting married… again. I want her to know precisely how much I like her.”​

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[jacksimmons]

Ganymede

The tendrils wrote themselves across the sky, incandescent and ever-moving, and though they were the death throes of an impending sun, warping dust into magic green fingers in the Ganymede sky, Jay Koenig smiled. A brilliant, beautiful river of star death. The stars glimmered dutifully in their bright belts, and ships arched down from them on fibrous statite sails, bronze insects with shimmering wings open on the breeze. He put his hand to his heart. Still beating. At times like this he liked to check.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Greener Grass


“I wish…” Ellie looked longingly out the library window. Three months, since anyone had been outside.

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“I wish…” Tia looked longingly past the glade. A dryad couldn’t leave her tree, but she wanted to travel.

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A bookcase shimmered and changed. Ellie ducked through into a bright, beautiful world. This doesn’t count as outside, she thought, it’s in the library.

***

Leaves shimmered and changed. Tia gleefully jumped into an amazing room. I’m still in my tree, she thought, but oh, the worlds I can visit here!

 

[Ursa major]

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