Ernst Muller

“Dorothy's delight” by Ernst Muller

Submitted to Contest #93

“If this isn’t the most BORING party I’ve ever attended…! Dorothy surveys the scene with irritation. “Taking into account my years in a girls only school and 40 years of attending my husband’s work functions, it is a harsh judgement, but sadly true.” Dorothy is discreetly talking quietly to herself. She does not want to hurt the children’s feelings; they mean it well. “They know I’m not fond of big functions and even less of a fuss being made over me; however, seeing that this event wa...

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“Down Train” by Ernst Muller

Submitted to Contest #90

“How did I get here?” He wonders, utterly confused. “I remember leaving the city in a slow and dirty train.” he muses, “The scenes we passed were dismal and bleak, the very essence of the world we knew would come soon, which could have been avoided… and yet, we allowed, because we were so desperately in love with our own wealth, power, convenience and short-term profits! He finds himself alone in the railway carriage. The scene outside is of a wide, dry and yellow field. Far in the distance, he spots… what? A patch of green? He gets up...

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“MDCXCIX and counting” by Ernst Muller

Submitted to Contest #89

Joachim halts at the edge of the gangway. This is the moment of final decision. He has already officially committed to several years of service as a mercenary soldier for the VOC (United Dutch East Indian Company), which will take him away from Europe for a long period, if not for the rest of his life. However, if he backs down now, he may be able to get the contract cancelled or even flee back to Germany. Such a retreat is not an attractive option. Although circumstances had much improved since the end of the Thirty and Eighty Year Wars, s...

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“Reginald's Bane” by Ernst Muller

Submitted to Contest #88

“Give up... what!?” Prince Reginald turns red, then white, then greenish grey. “You’re serious!?” Seated in Marlin’s den, towering high above the land and palace, Reginald takes time to simmer down. He looks dejected. “What Sacrifice it’ll be!” he says, eventually. “Indeed! Think carefully. Things have a way to turn around and bite... I’m only a wizard, not clairvoyant; I can’t predict the ending of this tale.” Their fateful chat has started, that morning earlier. “What are you willing to give up for some degree of freedom?” asks...

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“DAWN OF THE DEPRANKINATORS” by Ernst Muller

Submitted to Contest #87

“Sir, sir… if you can spare a minute… I have a petition here… OK. I understand…” “Madam, may I ask your attention for just a moment? …of course, good bye.” “Hello, I have an important petition here… if I could have your attention….” If there had been an organisation called ‘Prankster Anonymous’, I would have been an honorary member, regularly seen at local meetings. I can just imagine the familiar scene: “Hello, my name is Henry and I am a prankster.” “Hello, Henry!” (times twelve or more). “I have been prank-free for five years no...

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“The Boon of being Tardi” by Ernst Muller

Submitted to Contest #86

“That was quite a nice nap, wasn’t it?” It feels life forces flowing back into its tiny body. It stretches its extremities in all directions as far as they can go. They are a bit stiff, but all still operational. “Boy, that feels good! Let’s see: where am I and when?” It activates its multiple sensory organs to their fullest functionality. Thousands of fine-tuned packets of information returns to its brain. Its primitive eyes do not have the same high resolution as ours, but hair-like sensors exceed all of our senses in sheer sensitivity...

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“Scaling down, spiralling out” by Ernst Muller

Submitted to Contest #84

If anything brings out the inner child in me, it’s tapping ‘home’ in GoogleEarth© and watch the screen zoom in, across the globe and Africa, country, province, city till, there it is: our place! But…                             when it                            &nbsp...

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“Ellison in Paradise” by Ernst Muller

Submitted to Contest #83

ELLISON IN PARADISE “Isn’t it just WONDERFUL to be able to live out your WHOLE life on a tropical ISLAND like this!” Ellison is one of those persons who do not ever really listen to other people; she does not need to. She KNOWS. Early in her life, she had made up her mind about life, the universe and everything. Not only is she certain about everything concerning herself, she also instinctively knows (so she is convinced) what others need or think. When she does (appear to) ‘listen’, it is merely to catch a keyword or two, as convenie...

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“u2pCuu? ” by Ernst Muller

"Kaì sú, téknon" ("You too, child") Julius Caesar’s (more likely) famous last words “u2pCuu?” I mindbeam© to the sleek device on my wrist, with little hope for a civil or honest reply to my cynical question. Given his/her/its inflated AI7©, s/he/it will not readily admit to participation in any underhanded revolt against my authority. To be fair, all our gadgets are spying on us all the time*, [*did I not recently catch my smartPot© sending black-mail to the smartKettle©?] but my PERSONALISED ComprehensiveUtilityUnit©* too!? [*general...

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