"Whatever you do, don't use the break room on this floor," warned my co-workers, "We all use the one a floor up."
I'd heard the same from the assistant manager.
I was clearly being pranked as the newbie. There were only stairs up to the next floor.
Lunch time came. Everyone was committed to the bit, heading for the stairs.
I waited then traipsed to the break room. It was warm, slightly humid, the floor was oddly squishy as I stepped
The hunter rapped on the top of the covered cage, "Die quieter, foul beast!"
He'd used all his slow-acting poisoned meat incapacitating the imp - the fresher the hide the more it was worth.
The noises became more dramatic. The exhausted hunter hissed, "Die quieter or die faster, coin be damned."
The shrieks ceased so the hunter nodded off.
The imp burped before squeezing through the cage bars. How nice for fresh meat to simply lay there.
The alien was relentless, ruthless and too primitive for communication.
The crew hid, defending themselves against the creature each time it found one of them.
Its howls were chilling. Ensigns would freeze in place, needing peers to urge them to run back to the Starship.
Some injuries were critical, but the Captain was relieved they'd all gotten away.
"Earthlings remain a hostile species; we'll try again in another hundred of their years."
The umbral hound stalked through the twilit town. Glowing eyes steamed in the gloom, a black tongue lolled ready to taste a soul in its prime.
Old Aunty-Nan Lula shambled about the neighborhood, finding a stray feline in one of her traps. "Sorry to scare you little one," she said, "Let's get you fed and spayed; maybe find you a home."
Before the hound could get close, an army of rescued cats pounced, driving away the servant of slaughter.
It was the perfect day for a picnic. Plenty of cloud cover dark gray at the edges.
The blanket was laid out, heavy brass goblets placed at each corner; in the center a basket full of exotic treats; centaur flank steak, smoked harpy breast, and sugared gorgon snakes.
"Where is the suckling human roast," asked the Old One.
"I named him," admitted her sixth spawn, "I was too attached..."
Everyone sighed; leftover autocrat pâté it was then.
The girl was pale, torn silks stained darker by the gloomy rain.
A farmer halted her wagon, "Can I take you somewhere?"
The girl nodded, pointing to the castle.
The farmer's brow rose. The Childian princess had been missing for a while...
As they approached, the laughing Ornelish Prince was leaving to hunt.
The girl howled, flying from the cart, teeth and claws tore him apart. Then his guards, and shortly, the king on his golden throne.
Each time the light flickered the apparition drew closer.
Sometimes it seemed to retreat, but mostly it progressed forward at a frightening if staggered pace.
Frozen in my chair, toes chilled, fingers frosty, micro-beads of sweat bubbled on the back of my neck. The urge to scream died with the realization that I lived alone and the neighbors wouldn't hear.
It loomed above me, opening its maw, "Why did you change the Wi-Fi password?!"
The day had not been still, silent nor calm, and the cause was approaching with flames and sugar.
"Time to blow out your candles and make a wish!"
"I'm too old for candles and wishes..."
"Oh nonsense, you're definitely not, this'll hardly burn the house down. Make a wish!"
"I wish you'd just leave me alone."
The candles flickered, dimmed and blew themselves out.
The cake fell to the floor, splattering wax and frosting everywhere.
"It is nigh," whispered the person in front of me on the bus.
I politely ignored the comment. It wasn't unusual to hear people talking to themselves.
"It is nigh," croaked the barista sweeping the floor in the corner of the cafe.
A new meme, I reasoned. They were always cropping up - I had no interest in seeking context. And the barista clearly needed a lozenge.
"It is nigh," yipped a tiny dog in a purse.
I ran... as did my blood.
A business man staggered down the road sweating profusely; not only was his own self-driving car chasing him, but others as well.
"These machines work for me! Why are they malfunctioning?"
He wheezed, clutching his chest - even his fleet of private jets refused to take him to any of his bunkers.
Around him much poorer humans watched, recording footage.
"Any of you, I'll pay you to help me!"
The pedestrians laughed and laughed and laughed.
The forest cryptid lifted its horned head, the remains of a bear dripping down its chin. Sharp ears followed the sound of mewling.
Under a soggy cardboard box it found a kitten.
"You do not belong here," it rumbled.
With careful claws, it deposited the kitten onto the nearest human doorstep.
The next night the kitten was under a new box.
"I see. Tonight we feast together," the beast promised.
No one heard the human's screams.
#TootFic #MicroFiction #Writing #TerylsTales #Caturday #Fantasy
Already dark streets seemed darker than usual, alleyways and nooks even darker still.
It made the walk from the station to one's dwelling much tenser, unless one was a kin of the night.
Leather boots clacked over cracked bricks, puddles, leaves, and the occasional carelessly discarded vape cartridge.
A sneer revealed sharp ivory fangs.
The vampire growled, "If I wanted humans to taste like fruits and cream, I'd marinate them myself!"
"The printer," our new manager huffed, "Is still not printing."
We shrugged helplessly, "You fired the only qualified person in this department with the expertise to wield the dark magics required to make it obey."
The manager snorted, "Of course I fired her; she ignored the dress-code and smelled of strange herbs!"
We shrugged again.
"Fine, she's rehired!"
"I want my own broom closet," the witch stipulated, appearing in her chair.
Whether the nights grow long or short, the veil soon begins to thin...
The sun was warm but not blazing nor blinding. The gentle breeze brought winsome scents, petals, pastries, a hint of fresh spring water.
And your smile, the most welcome sight of all. And your arms, the most comforting gentleness.
"I don't want to wake up from this wonderful dream," I mumbled.
"But you'll have to open your eyes eventually," you chuckled.
"No," I whined, but then I did.
I blinked, already awake, "Oh!"
"Coffee?"
"Yes."
The dragons craned their necks down to look at the smallest dragon that had moved to the craggy peaks recently. It had wings, was jet black with sharp obsidian claws. It sat confidently on its equally small pile of shining treasures.
Though it met all the requirements, they needed to make sure it was actually a dragon.
"Answer us this; did you build your hoard yourself?"
“Caw,” it proclaimed proudly.
They all nodded. Definitely a dragon.
Scents of berries, sweetened cream and coffee...
The hulking orc looked down at his icy beverage in it's clear drinking vessel. It was a most charming shade of pink.
"This is really the largest chalice they had?" he asked his human companion.
The human nodded apologetically, "They don't do orc portions here."
The orc took a healthy sip through the straw. And then he roared.
"It attacked my brain! I approve of this fierce libation!"
The archer sat down with a huff.
"Bad news?" her wife asked.
"No, no... My eyesight is normal for someone my age."
"That's good to hear," said her wife, placing an arm around her.
The archer pouted, "I know it's not as good as it used to be! I'm guessing at my targets more and more."
"But you still get almost every bullseye."
"Almost."
"How about I give you something else to look at?"
The archer perked up, "Best view in the realms!"
"Is this a joke?"
I glanced up at the irate person who was addressing me, "I think 'this' is a pronoun, not a joke?"
The person blinked, still visibly irate.
"Not the word - this!"
A box was placed in front of me, "That's a box."
With a grumble the person pulled out a large toy bear, "This arrived and the note reads - To the most wonderful human, love your Good Boy."
"Cute!"
"It's NOT cute. My dog used MY credit card for this!"
"This week has been far too long," groaned the shop-keep.
"Oh, is it a leap-week?" asked his strange new assistant, blue hued and bright eyed.
"Err... I suppose that's something that happens where you're from?"
The assistant nodded in their cryptic way, "So what has extended this week for you, sir?"
"Too much is happening. Out there."
"At least too much isn't happening in here?"
The shop-keep chuckled softly, "I suppose that's true."