Bruno Lowagie

“Would You Follow your Love?” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #47

You ring the bell, but no one answers. You check the invitation on your smartphone. You’re at the right address on the right day. You are an hour late, but you are always late.You try calling the host, Timothy, but his phone goes straight to voice mail. You check his social media accounts. He’s checked in at home on Facebook; his Instagram account shows picture of today’s party. Why doesn't he open the door?You ring the bell once more; maybe nobody heard it the first time. It’s awfully quiet around the house. You check the time and wonder if...

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“J'accuse” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #46

I never thought I would write a story.I never knew a single story could have such an impact.Would I have written it if I had known I would lose my job over it?That’s not the right question, is it? The story needed to be told. I’m not sorry that I wrote it.In the months that followed me getting fired, one female colleague after the other left the company for another job. One of them left a message on the whiteboard that could hardly be misunderstood: “When the disgusted depart, there remains only the disgusting ones.”The s...

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“The Citizens of Taronia” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #45

Once upon a time, there was nothing but chaos in the world. Mankind was organized in tribes that were all each other’s enemy. It was an epoch of war, and the tribe that called itself the “Sons of Lawar” had managed to raise the largest army over time. This army was commanded by Lawar XII the Conqueror, King of the Sons of Lawar, son of Lawar XI the Great.Lawar XII won every battle he took on, bringing other tribes under his dominion, making his army even bigger, and expanding the territory over which he ruled.“Soon I will submit the whole wo...

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“Anates Ex Machina” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #45

Forget the Zapruder film that registered the shooting of President John F. Kennedy. Forget the footage of the Boeing 767s that crashed into the World Trade Center on 9/11. Those iconic images pale in comparison to the recordings of the Arrival.Everyone remembers where he was and what he was doing when the first news bulletins of the appearance of the UFOs were aired. The gigantic flying saucers showed up simultaneously in the sky at twelve different locations: Los Angeles, New York, Buenos Aires, Brasilia, London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Beij...

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“Every End is a New Beginning” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #44

Bad winds had blown us off course. We were in waters unknown to mankind. At present, there was no wind to bring us back on track. If anywhere, we were drifting further away from our destination.I noticed that this happened at an increasing speed. That didn't make sense to me and I worried about it. Both the helmsman and the captain were aware of this inexplicable phenomenon, but they asked me not to inform the other members of the crew to avoid unnecessary panic.All things considered, this was an excellent opportunity for me as a scholar —an...

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“Snow White and Ms. McQueen” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #43

16“I’m out of here as soon as I’m eighteen!” Snow White yelled at Ms. McQueen.“Wait until I tell your father,” Ms. McQueen warned her sixteen-year-old stepdaughter.“As if he cares!” Snow screamed. “He’s never home anyway!”Mr. White was the CEO of Fairyland, the largest amusement park in the world. His wife, Snow’s mother, had died when her daughter was only ten years old. When Snow turned thirteen, Mr. White’s secretary, Ms. McQueen, became the new Mrs. White.As far as Snow was concerned, the witch who had enchanted her father would forever ...

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“Gaming the System” by Bruno Lowagie

I am a huge fan of "gamification". In my previous life as a software developer, not a day passed without me paying a visit to the Stack Overflow website. For those who don’t know Stack Overflow: it’s the flagship of the Stack Exchange Network. It’s a place where developers go to ask and answer questions about programming languages, software libraries, and software development in general.I like the Stack Exchange Network because it applies game-design elements and game principles to all of its communities, be it a community that exchanges rec...

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“The Longest Night” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #42

With approving eyes, the high priest looked at the last of the four gatehouses he had to visit that day. Everyone —from outside as well as from inside the walls— had been working hard for several days to prepare for the grand finale of the festivities. The Longest Night would soon begin.As far as the high priest could tell, all living souls from a hundred miles around had gathered in town. The entire community had found a place to stay for the night within the safe boundaries of the city limits. It wasn’t always comfortable for anyone, but n...

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“Karma is a Bitch” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #42

Yesterday“I see that your name is Karma,” the old nurse said. “That’s an odd name.”“That’s the name my mother gave me, nurse Fletcher,” the young woman answered.“Your mother, eh? Didn’t your father have a say when it came to choose your name?”“My father wasn’t around anymore when I was born, nurse Fletcher. He left my mother the moment he knew she was expecting.”The old nurse looked up from Karma’s resume.“That’s a shame,” she said. “One wonders what type of man would make a woman pregnant, and then refuse to take responsibility.” “I gr...

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“Ants from Space” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #41

“How much is this spaceship?” Arnold asked the man behind the counter.“Doesn’t it have a price tag?” The man asked.“If it has, I can’t find it,” Arnold said.“Let me take a look at it.”The man behind the counter took the toy from the boy and examined it closely. He didn’t remember ever seeing the object in the toy store, nor in any catalog from which he ordered his merchandise.He pretended checking his computer, and then lied: “Ah, now I see! It’s an item from our old stock. We don’t sell those anymore. You can have it for the bargain price o...

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“How Animandrill saved his life… and mine too” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #41

I woke to the sound of pebbles tossed against my window. I looked at my clock. It was two in the morning. Who would wake me up this way at this ungodly hour? I got out of bed and opened the window. At first, I didn’t see anyone in the front lawn.“This isn’t funny,” I said in a suppressed voice. “Your prank worked. You got me out of my bed. Now show yourself! Don’t be a coward!”“But I’m here, don’t you see me?” a tiny voice whispered back. “Wait, I’ll put my light on.”Something started to glow in the dark shadows of the boxwood. I blinked my ...

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“Farewell My Heroine” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #40

I ring the bell. When no one answers, I let myself in.Her place looks abandoned. The table hasn’t been cleared; the cup of coffee on the table isn’t empty; the coffee is still lukewarm. I walk into her kitchen; the dishes of the previous day haven’t been done. I inspect her bedroom; the bed hasn’t been made.She must have left her apartment the moment I called her, telling her I wanted to talk about us and about our relationship. I enter the room she uses as her personal office. I notice that she didn’t even take her computer with her, yet so...

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“Flora and Nawar” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #40

Thursday“Hey Flora, are doing something special for your birthday?”Flora waits for a moment so that her friend Nawar can catch up with her on their way home from school.“No, I don't have anything special planned; I don't expect any surprises either,” Flora replies. “My mom will probably prepare my favorite meal, and that's it. I didn't ask for any presents; I hope I’ll get some money.”“But you're turning sixteen, aren't you?” Nawar says. “Doesn’t that call for a party?”“The most important thing about turning sixteen is that it brings me clos...

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“Time Paradox” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #39

“When am I?” was the first thing I said when I got out of the pod.I knew where I was. I was in the same room where I had been on June 10, 2020, the day I would travel to the future. If all went well, a team of scientists would be awaiting my arrival on June 10, 2050, thirty years in the future.“Something must have gone wrong,” I told myself; there was no one else to talk to.Water was dripping from the ceiling and there was a funky smell in the room. I tried a switch, but the light didn’t turn on. Apparently, there was no electricity. Fortuna...

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“The final portal” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #38

Something strange is happening to my house.When I plan to go to the attic, I suddenly find myself in the cellar. When I go to the kitchen, I end up in the bathroom. When I leave one room, there is no way of knowing which other room I’ll enter next. Nothing makes sense anymore. It’s as if every door is a portal that prevents me to reach the places where I want to go to. I’m exhausted from running from one room to the other in the hope that I finally end up in the place I want to be. Sometimes I walk into a strange woman on my quests. She...

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