The Hugoverse

[CW] Flash Fiction Challenge! Location: A Museum | Object: Lemonade [ Link to post .] "I don't see why I couldn't stay home," Oren complained to Eva. They stood in Grapefruit section of the Citrus Museum, surrounded by grapefruit themed sculptures and paintings. Everyone that walked by seemed to have either a smile or a refreshing drink, often both. Eva returned every smile that came her way.   "Because it's his birthday," Eva reminded the 9 year old boy. Oren wore dark black jeans and a black t-shirt. His hair met in a widow's peak on his forehead, but the rest of it was brushed back. "Quit complaining, here he comes," Eva said. Jake walked towards them holding a drink carrier with three plastic cups in it. "Everyone I've talked to on this Earth says this is the best lemonade around," Jake presented the drink carrier to allow Eva and Oren to grab a cup, then he grabbed the third one. They all took giant sips from their...

[WP] Sunday Free Write [ Link to post .] "Go ahead and take off,"  [ Jake](http://hserratafun.blogspot.com/p/jake-wilson-el-muerto.html) said to the pale boy. They talked in a dim cave while the sounds of battle echoed from up ahead. "We  need to finish up the demo, [Eva] (http://hserratafun.blogspot.com/p/eva-wilson-la-estrella.html)'s probably bored out of her mind by now." Jake's mention of Eva caused [ Oren](http://hserratafun.blogspot.com/p/oren-la-corona.html) to giggle.  "She's gonna smack you for taking so long already," Oren said. The boy's form dissipated into red glowing dust, his high pitched glee continued to echo off the stone walls even after he disappeared. Jake walked toward the cave's exit, and caught up with [Elle]( http://hserratafun.blogspot.com/p/elle-carlson-zero.html). Jake noted the last of the goblins from the fourth ambush disintegrating into dust.  "Where's Oren?" She asked Jake when she ...

Sunday Free Write [ Link to post .] Jake  the wizard dressed in black and red robes, Elle  the rogue dressed in a black leather coat, and Oren  the paladin  wielding two shields stared at the cave entrance.  "That's the cave where we'll find the goblin prince  that stole the little girl's lucky bead," Jake said. "Getting in is easy, but if we're holding the bead it'll trigger ambushes waiting for us on the way out. C'mon." Jake walked forward, Elle and Oren followed him.  The cave was deep and winding, but they stuck to the path and reached the end of the cave. An open treasure chest sat on a table surrounded by spilled gold and gems. On top of the golden mound a small clear glass jar held a tiny brilliant bead that glowed brighter than it had any right to in the dark, torch lit cave. Elle grabbed the jar, then her hand disappeared into her coat and came back empty.  "Got it. Let's go get ambushed," Elle said. She unsh...

Sunday Free Write [ Link to post .] Jake Wilson  led two others through the dense forest toward the cave of the Goblin Prince. He wore elegant red and black wizard robes. This was only a guided tutorial for Ms. Carlson 's benefit. Elle Carlson followed behind Jake wearing tight, dark leather clothes and a black leather trench coat. She had chosen to be a rogue., taking in the fantasy world around them. The trees of the forest were broader than a close family, and stood tall enough that she could not see the top of the forest canopy. All around them she heard unfamiliar sounds, and different colored lights darted through the air away from them. A single green glowing light was slow to move, and Elle caught a glimpse of wings within the glowing ball. "Are those fairies?" She asked Jake. Jake stopped walking and turned to face her with a smile on his face.  "Of course. Oren  and I put a lot of work into this place. It's as fantasy as can be. Of course fantasy...

[WP] "Welcome, we are so glad you are here. We've been expecting you." "What, where am I?" [ Link to post .] "Welcome, we are so glad you are here. We've been expecting you." The young pale boy greeted the blonde woman in a red dress. They stood outside in a field of swaying wheat.  "What, where am I?" The woman asked. She turned around to survey the field. It looked wrong somehow. The sky was a dark shade of purple, but bright sunlight illuminated the grains. She looked up and saw a golden sun high in the sky.  "This is the AlterNet ." A deeper male voice said behind the woman. She turned around and found Jake Wilson  standing behind her, next to the pale boy. She met Jake only minutes before, but he looked different. Instead of the navy blue business suit he wore to their meeting, he was now dressed in an elegant black silk shirt with golden detailing. He also wore black silk slacks, and a black cloak. She could not se...

[ Sunday Free Write ] Jake Wilson  opened the heavy glass door and strode into the imposing building, leading Eva  along by the hand. Eva carried a black briefcase. The couple dressed up for their presentation; Jake in smart navy blue business suit and Eva wore her favorite gold and black blouse and black skirt. After spending months researching the technology sector of that Earth, they decided on an indie company trying to break into the hardware market.  InnerTech successfully crowdfunded their first gaming console the previous year. Despite the polish of the hardware, the company struggled to attract developers for their platform thanks to the deeper pockets of their competitors. Jake was a game programmer on his Earth, and sympathized with their struggles. He decided to help them corner the market.  "Are you sure about this?" Eva asked when they stepped into the empty elevator.  "I mean, I know we're not time travelers, but it's pretty muc...

[WP] Reality is my playground... [ Link to post .] Eva  opened her eyes and smiled at the golden sunlight. She sat up in her small bed and stared at the field of golden wheat illuminated by the morning sun. Her bed rested in the middle of the field; she loved sleeping under the open sky.  "You're awake!" Oren  appeared at the side of Eva's bed, waist deep in wheat. The pale boy with the widow's peak smiled at Eva. "Let's play!" Eva brought her wrist up to check the time. A stream of red dots ran from her shoulder, down her arm and up her wrist. The time glowed in red on her wrist by the time she completed the motion.  "Sorry shortstuff, gotta start getting ready for work. Jake  should be back soon." Eva stretched her arms up to the bright blue sky, then slid herself out of bed. Oren kicked at the wheat. "You guys don't even need jobs... " Oren whined.  "We don't, but it's nice. It helps us feel normal. ...

Write a story about anything, using every single character on your keyboard. [ Link to post .] A dark purple hole appeared in the air above an overgrown wheat field. The portal floated vertically a couple of feet off the ground. A pale young child wearing all black clothes stepped out of it and fell on his face. When he looked up he revealed a widow's peak on his forehead. "OW!" The boy yelped and sat up on his knees to rub his face. He turned around and yelled into the purple abyss. "You're still  doing it super wrong, Eva ." His voice dripped with annoyance.  A blue jean clad leg stepped out of the portal followed by another. They belonged to a slender man wearing a black t-shirt and a rugged brown beard. His forearm showed a tattoo of a scythe with a golden number 14  on it. He reached a hand down to help the boy stand. "Settle down, Oren , she's still learning." The man turned around to face the portal, and reached his hand out. ...

Goodbye... [ Link to post .] "It's time. Bring the sword," Ballisea  said. She sat upright in a large, elegant four post bed. Her husband Allister sat next to her, holding her hand. Her order was acknowledged by a skeleton that nodded then walked out of the room. "Are you sure you want to do this, love?" He asked her, but she only glared in return. "We can -," Ballisea interrupted his statement. "No, we can't. You don't know what it was like, and I hope you never do." Ballisea reached up to caress her husband's cheek. "I can't stand to bring a reminder of the worst part of my life into the best part of my life." She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "You should leave. I don't want you to see me.. to see this." Allister grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I'll stay with you." A noise from the doorway distracted them. The skeleton returned holding a beautiful [ green g...

Eva calls her ability to travel between dimensions "Slip," and Slip is totally boring because every dimension is almost exactly the same until one day, one minor difference changes everything. [ Link to post .] Eva stepped out of her blue shimmering portal and stared around at the park, then sighed. She always landed in the park, no matter which Earth she landed on. She slid off her backpack and rooted around in it, then pulled out her notepad and pen. After hefting the sack on her back again, she looked around at the strangers enjoying the sunshine. She spotted a handsome man sitting on a bench alone watching people. He wore blue jeans and a black t-shirt. She smiled to herself when she spotted a tattoo on his forearm. "He'll do." Eva walked toward the man. He did not notice her until she stood in front of him. "Hi. I'm Eva, and I'm conducting a poll about current events. Do you mind if I asked you some questions?" Her speech was pr...

You have the ability to freeze time, you use this unlimited time to do whatever you want, but one day something else is moving even though time is currently frozen. [ Link to post. ] "Geeeeez, I left it at work again," I sighed to myself. It was pouring outside, and I left my umbrella hanging off one of my cubicle walls the previous day. I glanced at my watch. 7:59:10. Being able to stop time fostered some very lazy habits. I stepped out of my house and stopped the rain in mid-air. Getting to work without getting wet would be simple, but tedious. After walking for two blocks, being careful to walk around every rain drop, I realized I probably could have brought a change of clothes. I stopped and look back toward my house, then I turned and looked at the direction of work. "Eh, I'm already halfway there." I shrugged and continued toward work. On the next block I turned a corner and saw Susan from the Accounting department. Frozen in time, but obviously in a...

[Image Prompt] Corruption by ChrisCold "This'll be easy.” I pulled my wife’s bony hand to my lips and kissed it. “You’ll be flesh again by morning.” I felt the needles of her finger bones caress my cheek; and, she stared at me with black, empty eye holes. In my mind I still saw them as the same pools of liquid gold that I fell in love with when we met. “Congratulations. As trivial as the journey here was, I’ve no doubts of your success,” Monk said. He placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. “ Our success. You two can keep the king’s reward, my wife just wants to kill him.” I said and turned my focus back toward the entrance to the Demon King’s lair. “Me first,” Flutter said. The redheaded, mountainous woman walked forward, ahead of us. The few times I did see her fight were amazing. She was savage, and almost unstoppable. When she and Monk worked together they were a force of nature. And yet, I knew Flutter felt disappointed she’d seen such little ...