A Note To Myself

You can justify it all you like, the notion that you know how messed up you are, that you can see how little you can offer any hypothetical woman that would in theory be able to fall in love with you. And that therefore you're doing everyone a favor by not even trying to pursue anyone.

But deep down, you're just too lazy to put in the effort, and too egotistical to be happy with anyone who doesn't live up to your ludicrous standards.

But you know that already.

And so you're stuck in a loop.

Only you though, thankfully.

A Father's Pride

The Queen knelt before the King's tomb, the Royal Priest a few steps behind her.

"Father, it has been six months since you passed. I have done all I can to make you proud of me. You did not get to lead our troops into battle, alas, but I have taken the armies and I have conquered so much, so fast. It has not been easy, many people have died, but all in your name. I hope you... I just want my father to be proud of me."

Her actual father was a few steps behind her, unsheathing a dagger.

Cheating Death

He ruled the galaxy with a black hole fist, subjugating systems with his seemingly endless waves of robotic supersoldiers. He demanded tribute, loyalty, worship.

But he was not immortal, despite all his plans. So after a particularly scrappy band of 'heroes' managed to mortally wound him, his medical droids placed him in suspended animation, so the decades of nanobotic work to repair and cure him could be done.

He awaits, silently, to be awoken to rule once again.

Which, given that he's now technically the only living thing in the universe at this point, will probably take a fair while.

Balancing Act

It was a balancing act to get Billy to attempt his. We couldn't just dare him to walk across the cable strung between the school buildings. We had to say that it was impossible, so Billy would declare it was easy. We had to mention how the guy we saw at the circus had a big stick, so Billy said he could do it solo. Someone asked where we could get a net, Billy declared he didn't need one.

All of this was important, so that when the teacher came running, we could truthfully say it was all Billy's idea.

The Five Best Assassins

The five best assassins in the world had agreed not to accept contracts on each other, mainly so they could catch up over drinks with other people who understood their lives.

The five were seated around a table in Morocco when talk turned to the most unusual weapons they'd ever used to kill.

Paula once used a banana, the target was allergic.

Amos once beat a guy to death with a stone bangle.

The Mordin twins thought the milk crate was a winner.

Bret claimed he could kill with an order.

"Amos, tell me again about you killing Momma Mordin."

Support Group

I had been warned by Neph that I would have to speak, but it still surprised me when Nick, after introducing me to the group seated in cheap plastic chairs in a rough circle, told me to say a few words about myself.

I slowly stood up, glancing around the group. Most of them were male and of color. That had kinda thrown me, before I finally agreed to come along I'd have assumed they would mostly be, well like me. But I'd have time to fix that.

"Hi, my name is Danny, and like you all I'm now immortal..."

4/4 Beat

They had danced around the topic for years. Both of them recognized the song, knew the steps, saw how this would end.

Both of them knew that they couldn't lead, their would-be partner wouldn't abide them taking control like that. And while plenty of mutual friends would have loved to welcome them into their dance squares, when they pushed, it just separated the pseudo couple.

But eventually the pull of the dancefloor was enough that they came together, finding a compromise to settle into a tempo both could live with.

Unfortunately though, after one song the beating began to happen.