The Hugoverse

[WP] You fall asleep Wednesday. You wake up, arrive to work, and your co-workers begin to talk about their weekend plans. You look at your computer and the calendar reads Friday. You have no idea where Thursday went. [ Link to post .] "What about you, Larry? Any plans for the three day weekend?" Lou leaned over my cubicle, his coffee cup tilted enough to spill some drops on my desk.  "What?" I asked, glancing at the date in the corner of the monitor. The date seemed right, but Lou didn't normally start yapping about his weekend plans till Friday.  "Me, I'm gonna sleep late tomorrow. Get up around noon and light the pit. You should totally come by," he said.  "Don't you have work to do? Wait, tomorrow?" I looked up at him to start my reprimand, but he waved me off and turned away.  "Yeah, you're right. See ya tomorrow!"  He waved backward at me. I clicked the date in the corner of the screen. It said Friday.  ...

[WP] You fail to realize that your favorite restaurant is actually a front. One day you decide to try that one weird entree that you keep overhearing others order. [ Link to post .] "Adventure awaits the adventurous," the hag  told me. I nodded at the disguised young woman, paid my five dollars, then walked out of the fortune teller's tent. I let loose the chuckle I'd been holding in since the woman's nose began to slip revealing her real nose underneath, and surveyed the crowd flowing through the carnival grounds. My stomach growled, but a turkey leg and some kettle corn wouldn't be enough. I walked towards my car and figured I'd decide on the way. When I slammed the door shut a single menu fell from the small stack I kept in the passenger side visor. I saw the menu, but didn't bother to put it back. I started my car and headed towards the Chinese restaurant, my favorite restaurant, pictured on the menu. Donna Chang's. Their sweet and sour ch...

[WP] Your story begins with the following sentence: I have been dead a million times. [ Link to post .] "I have been dead a million times," Milton said. He loosened his black tie while he spoke to the officer directing traffic. His dark suit no longer looked its best; now it was covered in wrinkles and dust. His full head of grey hair looked tangled, he'd been through a few things. "Pal, we got a lot going on here," the portly officer said. His hands waved steadily guiding cars around the five car pileup behind him. "I'm gonna ignore that and let you walk away, unless you want me to arrange a straitjacket for you. Milton nodded, and left his head hanging low as he walked away. He shook his head as he reached the edge of the freeway. "Not here either," he said. He jumped off the upper freeway without hesitation, and splattered himself against an oncoming semi trailer. He woke up holding a steering wheel, driving down down a long straight...

[CW] Flash Fiction Challenge! Location: A Birthday Party | Object: A Radio "Are you sure about this?" Posie asked his wife. She carried their daughter, Threnody, while they walked into a large, black portal floating in their living room. Two men awaited them in the dust covered wasteland on the other side. The tall one wore a polka dot party hat on his wavy, golden mane. The short one wore his party hat to the side of his bright blue mohawk. Its top tips barely reached the tall man’s armpits. "Relax, honey. It'll be fun," Robin reassured her husband. She set Threnody on the ground and the toddler bolted to the short man. "Besides, it's her birthday and she wanted to." " VEGAS !" the little girl yelled with glee. The short man knelt, ignoring the dirt, to give the little girl a hug. "Threnny!" Vegas smiled and lifted the orange eyed girl to swing her around. "How's the birthday girl?" "I...

[WP] You have the ability to take over someone's body by merely touching them, one day you find someone who you cannot take over. [ Link to post .] I stretched in the large bed even before I opened my eyes. Once I greeted the bright orange sunlight I smiled and turned to get myself out of the bed. My foot knocked over a large, empty wine bottle. Mike had a bit of a drinking problem, which meant I could could stay in him pretty regularly. His apartment was beautiful, and I did my part to help him keep it. I got out of bed and got him ready for work.  I hated using mirrors at first, but over the years I got used to staring at new faces. I couldn't remember anything about my original body, but I grew to love this new freedom once I embraced it. I showered, shaved, and dressed Mike, then took us out the door to the bus stop. I scanned the crowd looking for someone interesting. A cute young, tattooed woman with bright pink hair drew my attention and I hoped she got on the bus. ...

[WP] No exit [ Link to post .] "Yeah, I'll be there in five minutes," Fred said to his wife through the cellphone. He left work late, which delayed their dinner plans. She was not happy with him. "I'm turning off no- ah shit." Orange and white barrels blocked the freeway exit. "I'm gonna be a bit longer. Yes EVEN LONGER! It's not my fault they closed the exit. Big sign said 'No Exit'. Yes, I KNOW  they weren't doing construction this morning, but what do you want me to do? It's blocked off. I'll be there as soon as I can." Fred hung up the phone and tossed it to the passenger seat. He shook his head and chuckled to himself for consolation. "When did she get so bad?" He asked himself, then turned the radio up for company.  Half a mile later, more orange and white barrels interfered with his escape. "No Exit" displayed on a flashing yellow and black sign. His cellphone rang. He glanced to the pass...

[WP] Sunday Free Write [ Link to post .] Abby practiced switching views from spider to spider while they tended to her. She named the large black widow that spoke to her first "Skeeter". Her parents promised her a dog after they got settled in their new town. She planned to name it Skeeter, but Abby decided having a pet black widow that she could talk to was way better. Thinking about her parents made Abby realize the sun was starting to dip below the trees. She needed to get home. "Alright guys, that's good enough. Let me up," Abby said to her spider pit crew. A mixture of wolf spiders, tarantulas, black widows, brown recluses began undoing the webs that held her down, she watched it all from Skeeter's eyes. She moved to stand up, but Skeeter stood on her chest. His view disoriented her, and she fell on her butt. "Ow." She thought for a second, then decided on a solution. "Hey Skeeter, get in my eye hole." "Yes....

[WP] "We've been best friends since kindergarten, and out of all the years you've known me, you literally didn't understand a word I said?" [ Link to post .] "Well, not *none* of what you said," I tried to explain to Juan. It was graduation night, and I didn't want to start the next phase of our lives without coming clean. We sat in his parent's room drinking and talking while the party continued downstairs without its host. "I've picked up some words from you over the years, like 'Hola' and 'Tacos'." I laughed and sighed with relief when he laughed too. "I don't believe you, you're speaking perfect Spanish right now." I shook my head and stared at his dark brown eyes. "Watch my lips," I said. His eyes focused on the bottom portion of my face. "I'm not actually saying anything, I'm just moving my lips. You're hearing me in your head." I stopped moving my lips to...

[WP] You now live in a world where music mp3 files are treated like trading card games, some songs are rare and some are common. [ Link to post .] "Class, we have a new student. This is uh, Jerko ," Mr. Willow introduced the boy to his Musical Mayhem class, causing an uproar of laughter.  "It's Jericho," the brown haired boy corrected his new teacher. The laughter rolling through the class did not faze him.  "Sorry, Jericho." Mr. Willow stared at the list of names and used his pencil to draw in the extra 'i'. "Office typo. Anyway, it seems that at his previous school, Jericho reached Bard level Five, let's all give him a hand." Mr. Willow, and only Mr. Willow, clapped. Then, he turned to Jericho. "I'm sure you understand that rank won't earn you any special treatment from me." Jericho nodded. "I wouldn't expect it."  "Good lad. Go grab a seat and we'll start class." Mr. Will...

[WP] you were left for dead in the middle of an unknown forest, you pass out thinking this is it. All of the sudden you wake up and all your wounds are stitched with what looks like spider webs. [ Link to post .] Abby woke up in darkness. Despite opening and re-opening her eyes several times, her vision remained pitch black. She attempted to wipe her eyes clean, but discovered she could not move her arms. She felt a tightness around them, as if something kept her tied down. She tried to move her legs, but found them bound as well. Abby pulled at the soft bindings, then discovered she lacked the strength to free herself. "Hello??" She questioned the darkness, unsure whether she wanted to hear a response or not. She received one. "Hello," a small voice said to her right. She turned her head toward the sound, but no light met her eyes. She did not know who spoke.  "Hello? Who are you? Where am I?" Abby asked, facing the direction of the first respon...

[WP] Technically, I’m a dragon. [ Link to post .] [Felix](http://hserratafun.blogspot.com/2018/03/bright-light-bright-light-3-6-18.html) sat in the corner of his darkened cell and waited. No matter how comfortable he felt sitting on the large bed, he was a prisoner. They treated him well. Instead of bars, a clear wall with air holes kept him in the pleasant prison. No torture or interrogation. Delicious food or drink any time he wanted, he only needed to ask. After the first day he assumed they were trying to starve him until he asked why he hadn't been fed yet.  "You didn't ask," his guard said. He learned her name, [Flutter](http://hserratafun.blogspot.com/p/flutter-la-calavera.html), the first time they met. The giant woman stood at least seven feet tall. Her pale skin made the coppery red hair atop her head even more fiery. She kept her hair in a long red braid that hung straight down her back. The first time she fed him she brought him a simple brown wooden ...

[WP] "You know what sucks? Being right." [ Link to post .] "I caught something!" Jeff leapt up from the grassy canal bank yelling in excitement, his camping chair fell backward. He fought to keep the fishing rod up, though whatever he hooked threatened to snap the rod or line at any moment. "Help me!" His head whipped toward Matt, who sat next to him holding his own fishing rod. Matt shrugged. "It's probably just a boot, man," Matt said, then reached into the ice chest for another soda. Jeff kept fighting against the unseen opponent, thankful that his rod remained intact.  "Are you crazy?! Look how much it's fighting!" To make his point Jeff relaxed his grip to show that he wasn't fighting *nothing*. The rod almost flew out of his hands. He tightened his hands again, and the rod almost pulled him in with it. He stumbled a couple of feet forward before he found his footing. "HELP ME, IDIOT!" Jeff yelled...