Writing Prompt

“We’ve got to go looking!”

“He’s been getting farther and farther away. Nobody can talk to him for more than 5 minutes now.”

	“Now he’s gone! No one can find him!”
	
	

“No one can seem to get in contact with him either. I say we check the old woods, near the paths. He loved to go there when he was a kid.”

They set out on a manhunt.

But what I didn’t expect Was to walk out into the city Hear people talking about some “lost cause” And a “missing reject”.

What caught me most off guard though Was when we made it to the old woods Behind my childhood house Where I used to hunt for salamanders And go walking for hours sometimes And I found a kid

Curled up in a leafy opening

Sobbing to himself

And when he looked up

I looked into my eyes

And knew

‘I’m lost’.

(Inspired by this YouTube series I saw once, the first video is titled “being pretty” by the creator Dead Sound if you wanna check it out.)

She is pretty He is pretty They are a pretty family

She wears a mask of happiness He wears a mask of happiness They are a happy family

They have children, A boy and A girl

The children start their own families She is pretty He is pretty

She wears a mask of happiness He wears a mask of happiness They have their own happy families

What happens when someone is different? They are thrown away Labeled as, ‘ugly’ She is ugly He is ugly They have realized the truth They are ugly

I run, just trying to get out of this godforsaken city. They’re chasing me, right? I can’t look behind me, I can’t let anyone know. Maybe instead of ugly I’d be labeled ‘exceptional’ except I figured it out second, so I don’t get that luxury.

They say the outside is ruined, dystopian, apocalyptic, but there are no monsters here.

What if the monsters aren’t our enemies?

What if they’ve only ever thought back, never made the first strike? I told my husband all my theories, and that is why he was disposed of first. The regret runs through my whole body, pulsing in my veins. As soon as he was taken, I knew I would be too.

They’re gaining on me, I can’t run much longer! Oh how I wish I was the first, I’ve heard stories about her, so exceptional! So special.

I don’t want to be special, I want to get out of here!

Where did the exceptional girl go? Maybe she escaped, maybe I’ll find her! I’m so close to the wall, they can’t chase me after I get over it, right? Never gave I been more glad I’ve been digging a tunnel in my spare time for escaping if I ever needed to.

As soon as it’s in my sight I run faster, my heart pounds and I wonder if a heart can explode from beating to fast, if so them I’m in more trouble than I expected. I dive into the tunnel, hearing footsteps behind me, and I crawl as fast as I can.

Suddenly, something grabs my foot. I claw at the mud and dirt, so close to the other side!

But the metal hands gripping my foot are strong, and drag me out with barely any resistance.

“Stop! Please!”

I know better than to scream. That’ll just let more know my position. I kick and punch, but it does no difference, my breath catches as I suddenly supress tears. This is messed up!

I tear off my mask and throw it at them, but they are unrelentless, and my arms give out.

My fight is over. A new mask is given to me. One simply labeled, ‘ugly’. I’m tossed away, discarded.

This system cant be so easily ruined, I was stupid for thinking I could escape.

All I wish is that someone succeeds where I was too stupid to.

Dear reader, are you brave enough to try?

The actors were tired The writers phoned it in The plot kept going back to Where we’ve already been

The rumors were flying The producers were pissed Because the main character’s oomph Was now totally oomph-less

A show that was once light Dimmed into dark Because the show’s star got depressed And lost her spark

They didn’t jump the shark but She was lost at sea Now instead of enjoying the show They just yell at the TV

Try something different! Make a change! They found her reluctance to try So frustrating and strange

Let’s see There must be some special effects Some sound mixing we can do To make this dull version of her Entertaining too?

But after everything they tried They had to write her a final check
Because somehow she is the world’s first Boring train wreck

So the channels were changed People found more interesting TV She let everyone down But hey At least she was free

Or was she? To my friends and family I’m sorry my life Has become painful to watch I know you care and I know a great life like mine was A hard thing to botch

You yell but trust me I yell at me too It’s just it’s so hard to walk When there’s nowhere to walk to

I’ll just disappoint you I have nothing more to say There’s a new show on streaming That’s much cooler anyway

I’m sorry I let everyone down but There’s nothing else to do Please move on No matter how much you want it There will be no Season 2

She’s smiling And laughing Her friend cracked a joke She’s quick with her tongue, that one So with her words she builds and builds.

She’s weird, she’s wild! They say live in the moment, They say that she’s the definition, So fun, so spontaneous, And I watch her, With her blue eyes And her bouncy curls.

I watch her like I’m in the ceiling, Because even in a daydream, I can’t face my face.

I watch her like I’m in a movie, Like at any moment I could call cut and rewind and change things, Like there’s all the time in the world.

They say live in the moment. I live in the movies. I’m never more alive then when I’m someone else. So every now and then I come back to it, And I ask myself what it means to be alive. What it means to have meaning What it means to be happy. I’m sure I’m happy. I’m sure my body is pumping endorphins into my brain.

I’m sure I’ll leave a mark some day. I’m sure that all my mistakes will be overshadowed by one great thing. And they’ll say, Wow, She had a great life. And I will look down and ask them, Was I even alive?

They gaze into those eyes of hers; They only see the stars; they orate and smile, expecting reply, yet only hear the space between.

And when she talks, she doesn’t say; and when she walks, she doesn’t sway; further from edacious, she bore a soul impervious, with nothing to be said nor done to skew her empty heart.

                          ********

When they gaze, I fall apart; when they try, they wrench my heart; I look upon their warm embrace and meet it with an empty face.

I hope to feel the love they give, and smile just the same, but deep within an iceberg lies to smother rising flames; there it is to numb a wound once made— there I keep it lest the pain should rise again.

Aji leaped at the man while the other three went for Theo and Aarti.

The man disappeared from his spot and reappeared behind Aji. Aji gasped and managed to stop herself from falling. She spun around and growled at the man.

“You’ll never get close to me.” He sneered.

Aji leaped at him again and he disappeared. Aji stumbled.

Suddenly, Miles flew at the man and brought him to the ground.

“Pathetic.”

The man disappeared again, then reappeared and forced Miles to the ground.

“Ow.” Miles groaned.

Time Clock snapped and Miles disappeared. A groan from above told Aji where he was.

“Really Miles?” Gwen asked.

“Hey, to be fair, I’m not as young as I used to be. I would have totally gotten him if I was still fifteen.” Miles stood up.

Aji glanced at Ben, Aarin, and Chris in turn. They knew what she wanted, and they fulfilled it. They fired their webs at Time Clock. Time Clock struggled in them until he teleported away again. Aarin growled and swung at him. Time Clock easily got behind him and snapped again. Aarin was teleported into a cage.

“Hey!” He screamed out of the bars. “Get him, guys!”

Aji, Chris, and Ben lined up with Aji in front. Aarti opened her mouth to speak, and Ben fired webs to stop her. She narrowed her eyes.

“You two, get them in webs. When you’re done, join me with this guy.” Aji fired a web up and pushed herself against the ceiling and plummeted towards Time Clock. Fortunately, he didn’t notice and Aji managed to hit him. Then he teleported away again. Luckily, Ben and Chris were done webbing Aarti and Theo and brought Time Clock to the ground.

In one swift movement, Time Clock got up and got Ben and Chris in cages above.

Aji growled angrily. Then panic set in. There was no one else to help her. She couldn’t do this alone.

Aji leaped away every time Time Clock leaped at her.

“Aji! You got this! Don’t start panicking now!” Miles shouted down.

Aji swung herself up and landed on the ceiling. “A little too late for that!”

“Aji, you know you can do this.” Gwen smiled.

“Nobody here doesn’t believe in you.” Ben whispered.

“Aji, come over here.” Aarin whispered.

Aji crawled over there and positioned herself so that she was upside in front of him.

“I have something to tell you, Aji.” Aarin whispered. “And I know your parents want this. The thing is, I-“

Suddenly, a blast of light shot up and hit Aji in the back. She screamed and fell down to the floor. She tried to fire webs to stop herself, but they wouldn’t come out. She hit the ground with a thud. Aji groaned painfully. Her vision was slowly fading. Time Clock walked toward her. Aji backed away.

“How does it feel?” He asked. “Lying on the ground? Helpless?” Time Clock elongated the word ‘helpless’ purposefully.

Aji tried to growl, but it came out as a squeak.

Time Clock laughed. “Is that your growl? Really? How pathetic.”

A loud bang came from above them. Suddenly, everyone that was in the cages landed beside Aji.

“How does it feel, Time Clock? Being on the ground? Helpless?” Gwen elongated ’helpless’ like he had.

Time Clock stopped laughing as he looked at them. “Huh.”

Aarin carefully picked up Aji and carried her far away from the battle. He kneeled and placed her against a rock. He slowly lifted her mask up and off her head before putting it in her pocket.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

Aji groaned and leaned forward to grab her leg. Aarin stopped her.

“Let me.” He pulled a roll of bandages out of his suit.

“Why do you have those?” Aji asked.

“My sister gets hurt all the time. I always carry them around with me just in case.” Aarin tore a long strip off and wrapped it slowly around the part of her leg she had reached for.

“Thank you. That’s feels a little better.” Aji sighed and smiled.

Aarin gave a slight smile back.

Aji laughed at his attempt and turned to the battle with Time Clock. Gwen and Miles had him down, but he teleported away.

Aji watched Time Clock carefully. And sudden realized. “The clock…” she whispered.

“Huh?”

“The clock. In the middle of his chest. It has metal around it. That must be the source of his power. Destroy that and he’s powerless.”

Aarin stood up and shouted to them. “Guys! Go for the clock on his chest!”

Nobody said a word. They all rushed for it. Time Clock tried to stumble away, but all the Spiders were on top of him, tearing desperately at the metal clock. Soon enough, the clock had been destroyed, and every Spider stepped away from Time Clock.

He groaned painfully. “You guys got me.”

“Get up.” Gwen demanded.

He did.

“Take off that clock on your head.”

He did and placed it beside him. Under the mask was light brown hair and blue eyes.

“Ken?!” Aji shouted. “You?!”

Ken turned to her. “I’m sorry, Aji. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Aji scoffed. “Yeah right. I get it now. Cutting my suit and blaming it on your ‘dad’. I’ll never forgive you.”

Ken sighed. “I understand.”

Suddenly, Aarin lifted Aji up and slowly helped her walk over to the group.

“I still have something to tell you.” Aarin whispered.

“What?” Aji asked.

Gwen and Miles smiled at them happily. Pav nearly screamed. Mayday leaned against Peter. Ben and Chris giggled.

“I love you, Aji.” Aarin whispered. “Do you love me back?”

Aji almost fell over. “You love…me? I-I…” Aji stumbled backwards.

Aarin pulled her back close to him. Aji’s face flushed.

“You what?” Aarin smiled.

Aji laughed once. “I love you too, Aarin.”

He pulled her close to him and kissed her.

“I still don’t trust you, Ken. Not after what you did.” Aji said.

Ken sighed. “I told you, it was my dad that did that. I would never do anything to hurt you.”

Aji growled. “Really? Because I’m pretty sure I left YOU up there. No one else.”

Ken grabbed Aji’s hand suddenly. He fell to his knees.

“Stop being dramatic.” Aji rolled her eyes.

“I’m-“ Ken froze.

Aji rolled her eyes again. “Get up, Ken.”

When he didn’t, she kneeled in front of him and waved in front of him.

“Hello? Ken?” Aji asked. She started to feel her heartbeat speed up. “Ken?”

Suddenly, Ken took a gasping breath.

Aji stood up. “Get up Ken.”

He instantly got to his feet and left her room without saying anything. He went down the stairs and out the door. He shut it behind him.

Aji stared out the door with confusion. Then shook it away and went downstairs to her dad’s bedroom.

“Dad? What are you doing?” Aji asked.

Miles was leaning over. He held something in his hand. He turned to Aji when he heard her voice. He was forcing his eyes open and under his eyes were huge bags.

“Look.” He forced the thing in his hand into hers.

Aji grabbed it and started reading it aloud.

“To the Spiders, I have a few of your friends. They refuse to say their names, unfortunately. But fortunately for me, I have loyal sons. They’re among you. Closer than you think. I recommend not trusting each other until you figure out who. If you don’t find them in five days, your friends will die. And the city will be mine. Signed, Time Clock…” Aji trailed off.

Miles slumped down on his bed. “What are we going to do?”

A shadow covered Aji’s gaze. She crumbled the paper.

“I think I have and idea who this guys sons are.” Aji whispered.

Miles turned to her. “Who?”

“My friend Ken has kept telling me the accident with my suit was his dad’s fault. And I remember him telling me he had a brother. And his name starts with a T.” —————— “Theo!” Aji screamed. “Get out here, Theo! I know who your father is!”

A blur of green and black rushed at her. Aji fell under it. When she looked up, a furious Theo stared down at her.

“How? How do you know?” Theo demanded.

Aji sneered. “Your brother and father aren’t very good at keeping secrets.”

Suddenly, Aarin and Ben leaped from the shadows and pinned Theo.

“What the fuck, Theo?” Aarin growled. “We trusted you.”

Theo sneered at him. “Big mistake.”

Aji got to her feet. “Get him to his feet and in one of those glass things.”

Aarin looked up at her. “Why should we listen to you?”

“He’s all of our enemies. Not just yours. Now do it.” Aji pointed at the glass containers.

Suddenly, Aarti leaped at Aji. “No!” She screamed.

Aji pushed Aarti off of her. “Aarti! He’s on the bad side! You shouldn’t protect him!”

“I don’t care! He’s my boyfriend, and I’ll join him if I have to!” Aarti snapped. She walked over and pulled Theo away from her brother and Ben.

“Thank you, Aarti.” Theo kissed her cheek softly.

Aarti smiled at him.

Aarin, Ben, and Chris lined up beside Aji and stared Aarti and Theo down.

Both side continued growling at each other until a loud voice came from above them.

“Well, hello, Spiders!”

A man descended from the ceiling and landed behind Aarti and Theo. He had a large clock as his head. A brown suit ran over his body and smaller clocks lined it.

Theo and Aarti sneered at the four people in front of them.

“It seems our backup has come.”

Aji, Ben, Aarin, and Chris backed away as the man stepped in front of the duo.

“Don’t be scared. I just want to talk. Let me show you your friends.” The man raised his hand and cages lowered themselves from the ceiling slowly.

Aji looked up at them and spotted Gwen, Pav, Peter, and Mayday in them. There were five empty ones as well.

“You’re never going to get us in those.” Aji growled and looked back down at the man.

The man laughed and lowered his hand back to his side. “Try me.”

The sun beams down harshly upon the bloodied terrain. Several youth rush to the weapons scattered around the crumbling buildings. A sword on the ground, an axe embedded in the wall, all are swiftly taken.

The village of brackenbriar has a sacrificial ritual - made every sixth year - in which twenty one young adults are “elected.” Aged sixteen through twenty seven, the “elects” are forced to fight for their life in the old castle ruins until there is only one left. Stories are told of the monsters that roam the decrepit halls, but there is a secret to the ritual.

Ancient, wrathful spirits from a long forgotten war roam the halls as well. During the ritual, the spirits are able to possess the bodies of the elect and continue their centuries old fued. This fact is known only to the village elders, all of whom are survivors of past rituals. These elders hand pick the elects each year, selecting the fit and powerful so that the vengeful spirits may be appeased.

The elected are not told this until they are deposited at the ruins.

—————————————————————

The voice shouted a warning to

‘Watch out!’

I duck in an instant. A spear hisses violently over my head, where my vitals had been just a moment ago.

‘Stay alive.’ The voice spoke once again

I run to where the spear landed, grab it, and run as fast as I can to a ruined parapet.

‘What is this voice?’ I think to myself.

‘I am horn. I am one of the spirits that dwells here, and this is the land I once ruled.’

She runs from the shadows following after every corner She wakes every morning with a start When she’s alone she gets a little shiver And she always knows when’s she’s being watched.

You walk down the alley way, Your eyes playing sly. You’ve got your hand on some pepper spray And more shady surprises.

You’re on your way to meet a friend Who says she’s got some news. Could this shiny new boy with shiny toys Wind up being a massive tool?

She’s known for her detective skills, I’ve seen her hack into things online. She knows how to encode well, So why’d she insist we meet outside?

I take the big beige envelope Hid exactly where she said But the only thing I found inside Were letters big and red

D O N ‘ T G O W H E R E Y O U R ‘ E N O T WANTED

Some secrets have a price to keep Some things better left unsaid But a secret worth protecting Is one worth fighting for Because someone’s left to benefit If it stays dead. .

	.




		.

They were two young lovers. All they ever wanted in life was to live as they pleased and have the world see them as what they truly were: really truly infatuated with each other. Despite this, it seemed society saw them as nothing more than children playing at a relationship. It caused them to fracture to the point where they didn’t even know what love meant anymore. I never meant for it to be this way. All I wanted to do was love her. Because no one cared, I don’t know what to do. I don’t even know if I should stay with her anymore. I wish I wasn’t here like this. At first we had plans for our future but now we don’t know what we’re doing.