Darvico Ulmeli

“THE EDGE OF DECEPTION” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #270

The aroma of rich espresso and freshly baked bread clung to the warm, dimly lit bistro, a hidden gem tucked away in a quiet Parisian alley. Candlelight flickered atop white linen tablecloths, casting restless shadows across the intimate space. At a secluded corner table, Sarah Monroe traced the rim of her coffee cup with a delicate finger, the porcelain cool against her skin. The soft hum of jazz music blended with the clinking of glassware, the air thick with unspoken tension, like the brief pause before lightning strikes.Across from her, V...

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“MINISERIES:" PEOPLE ARE STRANGE": EPISODE 4: "FACES IN THE RAIN"” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #270

DISCLAIMER:"THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO REAL EVENTS OR PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL. THE DOORS AND JIM MORRISON'S ARTISTIC WORKS ARE THE SOURCES OF INSPIRATION FOR THE STORY. STILL, IT IS IN NO WAY ASSOCIATED WITH, NOR DOES IT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT BY, THE BAND OR ITS MEMBERS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED, AND THIS STORY IS PURELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. ALL RIGHTS TO 'PEOPLE ARE STRANGE' BELONG TO THE ORIGINAL COPYRIGHT HOLDERS."(The episode opens with a rapid-fire montage, a vivid snapshot of d...

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“RECIPE FOR THE BIRTH OF THE UNIVERSE: THE BIG BANG” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #270

Warning: This recipe is not for the faint of heart. Once created, it cannot be undone. Proceed with extreme caution.Ingredients:1 Void of Absolute DarknessNote: This isn’t a simple absence of light. This Void is a suffocating, consuming emptiness, devoid of warmth, sound, and existence itself. Found lurking in the cracks between dimensions, it clings like a predator. Handle it with care. It will stick to you like cold, wet death; pulling yourself free might be impossible.1 Single Point of Infinite Density and Heat (handle delicately)Note: Th...

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“KILLER JOKES” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #269

"So, I told my doctor I broke my arm in two places. He said, 'Well, don't go back to those places!'"The break room burst into hysterics, Bob delivering yet another side-splitting punchline. People leaned on chairs and doubled over, wiping tears. The joy in the room was palpable. Like it had a life of its own.Except for Tom Greaves.He stood by the water cooler, staring expressionless into his mug of black coffee. Loud and overwhelming laughter swirled around him, but he was untouched by it. His mouth remained a thin, tight line, his face as b...

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“THE LIGHTER” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #269

The cold bites deeper and sharper than it ever has before. It’s not the kind that numbs; it’s the kind that finds its way into your bones, burrowing deeper with every gust of wind. Huddled against the brick wall, knees tucked tight against the chest, it’s impossible to escape. The cold wraps itself around everything. Every breath comes in shallow, weak clouds, hanging in the air for only a second before the wind rips them away. Across the street, the golden glow of windows spills onto the pavement. Inside, people laugh. Their faces are flush...

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“MINISERIES:" PEOPLE ARE STRANGE": EPISODE 3: "ECHOES OF THE LIZARD KING"” by Darvico Ulmeli

DISCLAIMER:"THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO REAL EVENTS OR PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL. THE DOORS AND JIM MORRISON'S ARTISTIC WORKS ARE THE SOURCES OF INSPIRATION FOR THE STORY. STILL, IT IS IN NO WAY ASSOCIATED WITH, NOR DOES IT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT BY THE BAND OR ITS MEMBERS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED, AND THIS STORY IS PURELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. ALL RIGHTS TO 'PEOPLE ARE STRANGE' BELONG TO THE ORIGINAL COPYRIGHT HOLDERS." Jared stands alone in the dim glow of a street lamp, the empty str...

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“BETWEEN THE LINES” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #268

You open me, expecting something. A story, a spark, an escape. Your fingers rest on my spine, pausing just long enough to feel the weight of me in your hands. I can sense the anticipation in your grip, that subtle quickening of your breath as your eyes trace the title on my cover. Adventure? Mystery? Or perhaps something deeper. Whatever it is, you’re ready to dive into my pages and find what lies hidden. And then, with a quiet crack, I begin to unfold.Words spill across the page, unfurling like a ribbon of ink, swirling before your eyes. T...

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“THE ANCHOR” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #268

I spilled coffee again.Of course, it had to happen while Rachel walked with legs on full display in that short skirt. The kind of skirt that makes your brain stop working. Not that my brain ever worked properly when she was around, but today was something else entirely.I stood by the coffee machine, staring at the dark liquid filling my mug, not really seeing it. My thoughts were elsewhere, specifically on how Rachel had walked past me earlier. I let my eyes drift over her for longer than I should have. My brain was short-circuiting, imagini...

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“MINISERIES: "PEOPLE ARE STRANGE": EPISODE 2: "DEAD MAN'S MELODY"” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #268

DISCLAIMER:"THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO REAL EVENTS OR PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL. THE STORY IS INSPIRED BY THE ARTISTIC WORKS OF JIM MORRISON AND THE DOORS. STILL, IT IS IN NO WAY ASSOCIATED WITH, NOR DOES IT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT BY, THE BAND OR ITS MEMBERS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED, AND THIS STORY IS PURELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. ALL RIGHTS TO 'PEOPLE ARE STRANGE' BELONG TO THE ORIGINAL COPYRIGHT HOLDERS."(The scene opens as the camera drifts slowly into Jared Melvin's apartment. The di...

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“MINISERIES: "PEOPLE ARE STRANGE", Episode 1: "Strange Invitation"” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #267

DISCLAIMER ):"THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO REAL EVENTS OR PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL. THE STORY IS INSPIRED BY THE ARTISTIC WORKS OF JIM MORRISON AND THE DOORS. STILL, IT IS IN NO WAY ASSOCIATED WITH, NOR DOES IT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT BY, THE BAND OR ITS MEMBERS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED, AND THIS STORY IS PURELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. ALL RIGHTS TO 'PEOPLE ARE STRANGE' BELONG TO THE ORIGINAL COPYRIGHT HOLDERS." EPISODE 1: "STRANGE INVITATION"(The sun filters through the canopy of trees, ca...

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“THE ICEBERG’S WHISPER” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #267

Chapter 1: Captain Edward Smith, Titanic The Atlantic wind bit at my cheeks as I gripped the icy railing of the Titanic. The sharpness of the cold seemed alive, seeping deeper into my bones with each passing second, clawing its way into my chest. My breath hung in the air, wisps torn away by the biting gusts that rolled off the sea. The starry sky above felt unnervingly low, as if the universe was sinking toward us, pulling the ship into the vast, black void. The ocean stretched out like an endless mirror, cold and smooth, deceptively calm, ...

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“THE PRICE OF FREEDOM” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #267

Ah, another glorious day in my cozy little brass prison. No windows, no air, and no company—just the suffocating quiet and the occasional spider. Even they don't stay long. Guess it's hard to make friends when you're an ancient being trapped in a cursed lamp for a few millennia.Honestly, I stopped counting the years. Occasionally, some poor fool rubs the lamp, and poof! I'm free for about five minutes. Grant some wishes, watch them waste their chance at greatness, and then it's back into the lamp. And every time, there's that one thought: Ma...

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“THE OTHER PREDATOR” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #267

The forest brimmed with shadows, every branch and vine curling as if they were skeletal fingers. The heavy and damp air clung to my skin, coating me like an unwanted second layer. In the distance, a crow cawed—a sharp, jarring cry that pierced through the trees, carried by the wind as a clear warning. The sound lingered, echoing too long in the stillness. I crouched low beneath the gnarled roots of an ancient oak, my body concealed in the thick underbrush. From my vantage point, I could see everything: the twisting path that snaked through t...

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“SHADOWS OF A GENIUS” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #266

The room is a tomb, its stillness suffocating, heavy with the scent of old books that have long surrendered their stories to the relentless march of time. The air is stale, thick with the weight of forgotten dreams, and every breath feels like an intrusion, an unwelcome disturbance in a place where silence reigns supreme. Dust clings to every surface, a fine gray blanket that dulls the once-sharp edges of my creations, now reduced to mere artifacts of a past that feels increasingly distant. A past where I was a titan of innovation, a master ...

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“IN THE AUTHOR'S GRASP” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #266

I was a detective. At least, I think I was. Or maybe I still am? But how can I trust that when my thoughts are nothing but twisted fragments, shattered reflections of what they once were? Each time I reach for a memory, it writhes away, slippery and foul, something decaying just beneath the surface of my mind. I was sure of myself once. My name, past, and how I stalked the city's dark alleys like a predator were all carved in stone. But now, everything's fluid, poisoned. The ground beneath me is quicksand, and my thoughts are treacherous, a ...

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