Makeshift Floating Walkway Thingy

Amanda stood on the edge of a cliff over looking a snow-covered mountain. The wind played with her hair while snow collected on her exposed skin. Thomas stood next to Amanda sharing the breathtaking view.  A hundred feet above them an island floated in mid-air.

“How the hell are we suppose to get there?” screamed Amanda.

“Exactly how I said we would,” said Thomas as he shrugged out of his climbing gear.

“We’re going to float, right?” said Amanda oozing sarcasm.

“That’s right,” said Thomas with a smile.

“What? Are you cracked in the head? Do you need some oxygen, old man?” Mocked Amanda. “You can’t just invent a floating-thingy and then WHOOSH, you’re all floating around straight up to an impossible island in the middle of nowhere!”

Amanda threw her arms up in disgust and attempted to walk away from Thomas. When the drop to the mountain below presents itself for the final walk away, Amanda turned and glared at Thomas.

“I don’t have to invent anything,” said Thomas while he reached into his backpack. “Not if someone invented it before me.”

From the deep recesses of his pack, Thomas produced an object about the size of a bread box. Amanda was opening her mouth to laugh at Thomas, but instead her jaw just dropped.

The object burst from Thomas’ hand and flew into the sky where it instantly began to change shape. Spheres, cubes, dodecahedrons, every shape of both science and the imagination. After a few seconds of this fantastic display, the object disappeared.

“Where did it-” began Amanda until a flash of pure white and a sound like falling tuna sandwiches made her stop.

“Don’t close your eyes,” warned Thomas “This is the best part!”

Braving the brightness, Amanda looked back at the object. It was now a spiral staircase, each step floating just above the last, reaching up to the floating island.

“When I say go, you run,” said Thomas looking at Amanda. “Got it?”

“What? No!” said Amanda taking a step away from “This has to be some sort of hallucination, or something. There’s nothing there; there can’t be. Did you drug me, you sicko?”

“I’ll say this once,” said Thomas as he took Amanda’s hand. “You can come with me, and I’ll explain, or head back down the mountain alone.”

Amanda looked from the stairs to Thomas.

“Go,” said Thomas with a wink. He squeezed Amanda’s hand, let go and ran up the stairway.

After a brief thought about her personal safety, and what she would tell her best friend Shelly if she didn't see this adventure through, Amanda rushed after Thomas. As they ran up towards the island, the stairs began fading from sight behind them. 

© 2014 Mark Fiske

Save Point

BEEP BEEP chirped a digital alarm clock. With the grace of a turkey, a man's arm flew from the recesses of his blankets, slamming down on the snooze button. The arm retreated into the warmth of the blanket, and the man was just snuggling back into his pillows when the phone rang.

"Damn it," the man groaned while flinging the blanket off of him. With a grunt, he swung his large hairy feet onto the cold wooden floor.

"I'm coming," the man muttered as he crossed the room. "What's the damn rush? Calling a guy before he's had a proper breakfast."

"Hullo?" The man questioned with authority.

"Is this General Malcolm Roberts?" Said the voice on the other lin.

"Of course it is, damn it," spat General Malcolm Roberts. "Now Who the hell is this?"

"I apologize General," said the voice. "This is The President."

"What the hell do you mean by 'this is The President'?" Said Roberts with confusion in his voice.

"General Roberts," said The President. "I need you to believe me, and listen. This is of the utmost importance. Do you understand Roberts?"

"Yes, um, yes. Certainly Mr. President," said Roberts as he sat down on the bed before his legs gave out in fear of what he thought might be coming next.

"Good," said The President. "Now Roberts, listen carefully. I've heard from mutual friends that you have a dated Save Point from your younger days, correct?"

"Yes sir," said Roberts with sweat rolling down his face. "My save is from the day I met my late wife. I always wanted to return there, when I got Game Over that is. Why do you ask, sir?"

“Well Roberts," said The President. "In exactly 30 minutes, every nuke in the world will be fired. We are talking about a 90% casualty rate. The only way to stop this is by changing history through someone's Save Point, but you're the only member of Staff who has a Save from earlier than this year, let alone earlier this century."

"I understand sir," said Roberts running his fingers through his sweat soaked hair. "What is it exactly that I must do?"

"Well... Shit, this is hard to say," said The President with a catch in his throat. "I need to you to have me assassinated. But after I've become President. Do you understand General?"

"Yes, sir," said General Malcolm Roberts, Brigadier General of the first rank while saluting the small flag taped to his bedroom mirror. 

"Thank you General," said The President. "And my God have mercy on us both."

Roberts hung up the phone, and reached into his nightstand, producing his 9mm pistol. Thinking  only of his wife and being able to see her face for the first time in years, Roberts used the gun to get Game Over.

Continue Game: Yes/No

© 2014 Mark Fiske

The Waiting Game

BANG! A gun fired in the darkness, it's blinding light illuminating the inside of a cavernous space. The noise startled a colony of sleeping bats that took to the air screeching in protest of the loud noise. As the bats receded deeper into the cave, a silence fell. Somewhere a drop of water landed in a stagnate pool, causing silent ripples to spread out unobserved.

From the darkest shadow, two glowing red eyes opened, banishing the darkness, but what they revealed was a nightmare come to life; it's scales shimmered, it's claws gleamed. When it smiled, teeth like swords glowed in the red light.

On the ground, a bloodied, dismembered corpse of a man lay twisted and broken. A gun rested in the man's hand; the only fully intact body part left. The gruesome beast used a broken stalagmite and pushed the gun away from the man. It's massive jaw broke apart with a sound that drove the bats even further into the cave. The creature's jaw reformed into a man-sized hole, surrounded by thousands of teeth and an impossibly deep throat. In one gulp the man was devoured, his gun the only remaining sign of his existence. HICUP the creature blurted, causing something distasteful to pop into it's mouth. After a moment's thoughtful chew, the beast spit out a bullet in disgust; it landed next to the gun.

With a hell of a grin the monster closed its eyes and waited.

© 2014 Mark Fiske

The Elder Dragon

The elder dragon looked down at the assembled heroes: The Fighter in her gleaming Armour and long broad sword, the Mage in his black robe and jeweled staff, and the Healer in his white robe already conjuring spells of protection. They had traveled far and defeated many evils in order to face the dragon that stood before them. Each adventurer had lived a life of woe and given everything up in order to vanquish the foe before them, thus saving the villages in the surrounding mountains. With a bone chilling battle cry the heroes charged the dragon.

The dragon sat on his hunches in a nonchalant way regarding the miniscule band of heroes charging towards him. With more of a yawn than any actually treat, the dragon opened it's mouth and let forth and great burst of magical flame and smoke. Before the heroes could react, they were vaporized in a poof of hydrogen leaving three piles of dust in their place. The dragon, feeling bored, decided to destroy a few villages before settling down for a quite night's dinner of roasted townsfolk.

© 2014 Mark Fiske