Orwell King

“All in this together” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #280

“Why are we still here?”“Because we can’t leave. Not yet.”“Who says we can’t? We don’t even know what we’re waiting for.”“You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t about waiting. It’s about figuring things out.”“Figuring what out? We’ve been over this a hundred times. There’s nothing left to figure out!”“You’re wrong. There’s always something left. A piece of the puzzle we’re missing.”“Puzzles are for people with time. We don’t have time.”“Hey guys, what you doing?”“Don’t you dare say that. We have all the time we need.”“Then why do I feel like t...

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“To lie is to know” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #279

Elias hadn’t planned to spend his lunch break in a dusty used bookstore, but the rain had come down hard and fast, trapping him inside. He wandered the aisles, brushing his fingers over cracked spines, the musty smell of old paper pressing against him like a heavy coat.That was when he saw it: The Paradoxes of Identity.The title tugged at something deep and unsettled, a chord he didn’t know had been strung. Lately, he’d been feeling unmoored. His job, his relationships, his place in the world, none of it felt as solid as it once had. Ma...

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“When the World Falls Silent” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #278

The fluorescent lights buzzed faintly overhead, casting an unflattering pallor across the austere chamber. Callan Hargrave stood alone at the centre of the circular room, his reflection distorted in the glossy black floor beneath his bare feet. The air was heavy with the sterile scent of disinfectant.Rows of masked faces loomed in the shadows above him, their identities concealed behind smooth, featureless visors. They were the judges, the accusers, the audience—indistinguishable and united in their anonymity. Behind them, high on the wall, ...

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“And then there was nothing” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #265

The airport, once a bustling gateway to the world, had become a strange limbo. The familiar hum of engines and rhythmic announcements of departures and arrivals had faded into an eerie silence. The air was thick with the lingering smell of stale coffee and fast food, mingling with a faint scent of antiseptic. Monitors flickered with the same cold message: All Flights Canceled. The crowds, once lively with chatter and laughter, were now subdued, their voices lowered to anxious murmurs. Eyes met briefly before quickly darting away, as if afrai...

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“A Tattered Flag” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #263

The black-and-white footage flickered, casting a ghostly light over the dimly lit shack. Resistance fighters huddled around the makeshift television desk, their faces etched with weariness and resolve. The grainy images of the dense Bornean jungles and the devastation wrought by the Malaysian military filled the screen.“In the dense rainforests of Northern Borneo, conflict is brewing. Discontent with the new Malaysian government’s religious policies has sparked violent uprisings in the region of Sabah. What began as a few isolated prote...

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“The devil above” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #249

“At the roundabout, take the second exit.”  “Shut the fuck up Siri!” He screamed. “You’ve been driving us around in circles through this shit hole of a town for the last twenty minutes, for Christ sake!” He continued. I have never really seen him this angry, this upset. Usually he’s the cool, calm and collected head and I’m always the worry-wart. But today, today he’s just… off. Off more than one would expect to be off on a day like today.  “Turn left down Macquarie lane and then make a U-turn” Siri blurts out smugly. “Jesus H...

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“Desperate Remedies” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #248

I can still feel the weight of my daughter's frail body in my arms as I trudged through the dark, rain-soaked streets of New Orleans. Her sickness had defied every remedy, every doctor's prescription, every whispered prayer. My little girl, once full of laughter and mischief, had become a ghost of herself, pale and weak, her eyes haunted by pain.I had scoured every inch of this city for a cure, from the sterile clinics of uptown to the dingy bars of the French Quarter where rumours and shadows judged every footstep. It was in those shadowed ...

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“Not what we seem” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #247

As the deep space exploration drone, "Odyssey," approached Proxima Centauri, tension filled the control room. Engineers and scientists gathered around screens displaying the drone's telemetry and images from deep space. Months before the launch, the space agency had assembled a team of experts from various fields to work on the Odyssey project. Engineers, scientists, linguists, and even psychologists were brought together to ensure the mission's success. The team spent countless hours in simulations, testing every possible scenario and fine-...

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“Don't swallow porcupine fish” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #245

Under the cloak of a tranquil starlit night, beneath the vast canopy of the sky, a young girl named Liana sat beside her father, gazing up at the moon. sitting together outside their home in a small coastal village, they were nestled in a cozy spot near the shore, surrounded by the gentle sound of waves lapping against the beach and the soft glow of lanterns illuminating the night. It was an evening unlike any other, for the moon was gradually being enveloped by darkness.Fascinated yet perplexed, Liana turned to her father, her eyes wide wit...

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“Cage” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #232

In the lavish penthouse of the Luminara Dynamics Tower, Marcus Voss, the CEO, leaned against the panoramic window. The dying sun cast a feeble glow across his opulent office. "Our Dysonsphere," he mused, "is the salvation of humanity. We control the light, the energy, and therefore, the fate of this dying world."A man of impeccable taste and insatiable ambition, his journey to the top of the corporate ladder began in the slums, where scarcity was the mother of invention. With a keen intellect and a ruthless determination, Marcus seized oppor...

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“Two carrots” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #231

I overheard an intriguing conversation the other day. A child asked their mother, “What is the first thing you remember?” The more I pondered, the more I realised it's a complex question. The child’s mother replied, “The smell of Grandma’s apple pie.” A peculiar choice, as I've never experienced that aroma. The only thing I've ever smelled is carrot.The child’s mother turned the question to her own daughter, Sally. “Well, Sally, what is your first memory?” Sally's eyes lit up, “Dad’s music. BANANANANA, THUNDER! BANANANANA… he really likes th...

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“Tomorrow's Checklist” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #230

Definitely sensitive content, themes of murder, stalking, mental health etc.1 - Target Selection:Identify target: Emily Thompson, 28, lives alone, works late nights.Emily Thompson, a fleeting stranger in a crowded coffee shop, etched herself into my consciousness like an unsuspecting muse. Her silhouette, slender and unassuming, beckoned me to delve deeper into the mystery of her existence. In the dim glow of the café, I observed her solitary habits, the way she sipped her latte, and the rhythmic tap of her fingers against the keyboard as sh...

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“Been there, Done that. 5 - Christmas Revelations” by Orwell King

Mick's words hung in the air, the weight of his revelations settling around Isaac like an oppressive shroud. The living room, with dark green carpet and the mirror by the door that whispered of cosmic secrets, remained a realm of cosmic judgment.As Mick leisurely finished his coffee, his eyes pierced through the veil of Isaac's defences. "You aren't really a good person, mate... are you... Especially when it comes to relationships," Mick asserted with a cold matter-of-factness.Isaac, grappling with the uncomfortable truth Mick presented, re...

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“Been there, Done that. 4 - Whispers of Kuala Lumpur” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #228

"In the cosmic dance, the mirrors reflect not only the echoes of our past but also the shadows that dance on the tapestry of fate. In the embrace of love and darkness, choices echo through the celestial corridors, and every step is a dance with destiny."As Isaac stared at Mick's outstretched hand, the weight of the cosmic revelation sank deeper into his consciousness. The cosmic dance Mick spoke of seemed to mock him, and the mirrors from the pub reflected not only his past and potential futures but also the intricate threads of fate woven b...

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“Beneath frozen wings” by Orwell King

Submitted to Contest #227

The world outside my cozy abode in the attic was still wrapped in a blanket of winter's chill. My internal clock, however, seemed to have missed the memo about a prolonged nap. As I stirred from my slumber, the frost on the windows told a tale of a world not quite ready for my awakening.The first rays of dawn crept through the small gaps in the roof, casting a gentle glow on the unfamiliar surroundings. The air was crisp, and the silence of the sleeping household below was disturbed only by the faint hum of the heating system and the occasio...

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