The Freshwater Demon’s Hug

Submitted into Contest #83 in response to: Write a fantasy story about water gods or spirits.... view prompt

133 comments

Fantasy Funny

Author’s note: Alright, so, by the way, this story isn’t a brand-new one. I originally wrote this a few months ago and posted it on an alter account--so some of you may have already seen this. Seeing it perfectly matches one of the current prompts, I decided to freshen this up and resubmit on my main page. And...yeah, enjoy!


Nobody ever tells you about the awful secret agents.

I mean, movies and books have painted this image that secret agents are these super-cool spies with fancy constumes, ninja moves, and the perfect luck. Well, bad stuff is thrown their way, but they look heroic and beat the challenge, then BOOM! Successful agent.

Seriously, though, have you ever watched a movie about a screw-up spy? 

Maybe I’m just rambling. Maybe all secret agents are these über cool people that fight crime in a neat outfit. Maybe most really are amazing spies.

Not me.

My name is Trig Atkinson, and I’m a twenty-year-old secret agent who’s a hot mess. I live in the bustling United City, where there are plenty of times I should sport my ‘cool outfit’ (cough, black raincoat and my little sister’s combat boots, cough) and go bust some bad guys.

Instead, I sport my PJs as I go to the gym at two am.


*


Bump-ba-da-ba-bump-bump-bump!

My phone cheerfully sings my texting ringtone as I continue jogging on the treadmill at United Gym. The ringtone is called ‘typewriters’—reminding me of my dream to become a journalist. Alas, I have nothing interesting to write about. The only reason I joined the United Spies was to witness something worth taking to a publisher.

Double alas, life hates me and the most interesting thing I’ve seen as a spy is an orange watermelon at my Nana’s house (hey, secret agents need to have breaks, too!).

I sigh and snatch up my phone. The harsh lights of the gym hammer against my eyes as I check my texts:

ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ɢʀᴀʙ ɪᴄᴇ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴍ ᴀᴛ ᴜɴɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀs?

It’s Kokika, my hilarious friend who’s my partner in late-night ice cream visits.

I sigh again. I sigh too much but hey, sighing was invented for a reason. Life is worthy of sighs.

My fingers hover above my keyboard as I silently reply in my head:

ᴏʜ ᴍʏ ғʀᴇᴀᴋɪɴ’ ɢᴏᴅ, ʏᴇsssss! ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ 𝟸 ᴀᴍ ɪᴄᴇ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴍ!

Instead, I type out:

sᴏʀʀʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡᴇ’ᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ɪᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴅᴀʏ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀsᴛ ᴡᴇᴇᴋ. ʜᴏᴡ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ, sᴛᴀʀᴛɪɴɢ ɴᴏᴡ, ᴡᴇ ɢᴇᴛ ɪᴄᴇ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴍ ᴀs ᴄᴇʟᴇʙʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ғᴏʀ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ, ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ ᴏғ ᴀs ᴀ sɴᴀᴄᴋ?

Ugh. I hate being responsible for my sugar intake.

My brow is slick with sweat. My non-existent muscles are screaming at me. My logic is, if I did ten push-ups before I hopped on the treadmill and I’m still not seeing any 6-pack abs, the gym is useless.

In my tank top, shorts, and healthy layer of salty sweat, I abandon the gym. I walk right outside and—

Typical. It’s raining. Like, a full-on downpour: the street has a coat of water at least an inch thick, and sheets of liquid are still pouring down from the sky. God, the sky must be really sad.

The jet-black sky forms a dome over the silent United City. There are hundreds of thousands of residents in this place, but I’m the only one crazy enough to be outside, while it's raining, at two am.

My eyes drops to the ground. So. Much. Water. I’m not quite ready to leave the sheltered entrance to the gym yet. No umbrella, also typical. (I guess I inherited the bad luck of a ninja, but not the skills [i.e. being responsible and prepared] to fight it.) I guess I’ll have to make a run for it.

I’m about to let out a war cry and dash to my car when I notice something:

The water on the streets.

It’s not sliding towards the gutter.

Even though it’s a sharp slope down to the gutters built into the sidewalk, the water isn’t dripping down.

Instead, all of the water is moving up.

My gaze follows the moving water, and I finally see where the rainwater is going: up the United Mountain (by now, I’m sure you understand how creative the United Government is at naming things…).

A small mountain, more of a giant hill, is in the center of United City. The buildings are built around the wooded mountain, and the place is free for all to explore.

Nobody goes because god, United Mountain is freakish.

I shake my head to make sure I’m not hallucinating as I study the rainwater. As lukewarm rain attacks the streets, everything that hits the ground starts retreating up the mountain.      

It’s a very, very creepy sight. A layer of water just casually inching up the mountain. Where the water is going, I have no idea. The United Mountain is covered by a thick forest, so I can’t see far.

But, you know? I’m Agent Trig, who’s supposed to be investigating this kind of stuff. Besides, while the humid air isn’t the only thing making me sweat (gravity-defying water going up a spooky mountain at two A.M. while it’s raining? Not freaky at all….), I’m in need of an adventure.

“Agent Hot Mess reporting for duty,” I whisper under my breath as I start to twist into a runner's stance, then remember I’m going to get soaked anyway so the pose is useless. I walk into the rain and start towards the Mountain.


*


Anytime I trip, I curse then proclaim, “The ground is trying to make me fall.”

Cue the Boy-who-called-wolf (not that anybody would believe a magic ground, even if it was just said once). Kokika would always just snort and say, “Suuuure.”

But now, the ground really is trying to trip me.

As I hike up the Mountain, it’s hard enough to advance as it is. The huge hill is steep and slippery, so I need to sprint from tree-to-tree and clasp onto the trunks as I make my way up.

But, of course, it gets worse.

The ground is moving.

The restless soil shifts under my feet, and I don’t mean normal squishing-in-rain. The ground is legit moving, clumps of soil sliding around on the ground, rocks changing shape as they roll down the mountain, and craters magically appearing in the mountainside.

The hill is alive with the sound of pouring….

Also, yelling. Roaring and pouring are the sounds echoing in my ears as my sweaty body continues climbing. Up ahead, I hear deep hollers.

Magic water? Check.

Moving ground? Check.

Giant roars? Check.

Need of a change of pants? Check and double check.


*


Nearly half an hour of sweaty climbing later, I’m almost there.

To the summit.

It’s crazy windy by now, too. I’m fighting against wind, steepness, the ground, and an insane amount of rain as I continue my ascent. But I see it! The tip of the mountain!

One, two, three more steps, and I reach the top of United Mountain.

It’s a flat space, maybe the size of half a football field. Trees ring the clearing, and now all the elements are in on the let’s-be-magic action. The harsh wind whips around me as my eyes trace the path of the fire. Flames, dancing along the trees, not stifled in the least by the downpour.

And, standing in the center of the clearing, is a...water demon?

The monster could easily haunt my nightmares. The size of a small house, the figure made of water towers thirty feet over me. The bottom half is just a trunk of liquid, while the upper half of the beast is a muscular humanoid, its giant, chiseled face staring up into the storm.

Standing here, in the center of the mountain, my mouth falls open.

The tip of United Mountain at three am. is like nowhere I’ve ever been before. The wild wind. The moving ground. The flickering flames. And, of course, the water, straight from the streets of United City, pouring into the base of the monster.

The demon slowly grows bigger and bigger as my mind widens bigger and bigger, trying to expand to match the pace at how fast my world is growing.

Magic.

That’s what all this is.

“Magic,” I croak, my mouth dry but my body soaking as I scan my surroundings again. “How is this possible?”

WHY DID YOU JUST TALK?! my mind screams at me. 

I clasp my hands over my mouth as if to keep the words from escaping, but the damage is done.

The demon turns to me and…grins. A large, toothy grin of water, although it’s terrifying on lips the size of a bed. “Hello, young mortal.”

My next action proves how brave I am.

I black out.


*


I wake up by hacking, hacking, hacking.

I’m lying on my side, in a pool of soupy mud. Some gets in my mouth and yuck. The mud looks like melted chocolate, but it tastes like trash.

Luckily, I’m in the midest of Water Central.

I’m sweating, wetting my pants, and being rained on all at once. I turn to the one clean water source: the sky.

A minute passes as I rinse out my mouth. Then I remember the demon.

He’s right next to me, smiling again. I jump and land in the mud. “Holy Christ on a cracker!” I cry, delivering the expression that always pops out of my mouth when I’m startled.

“Hello,” the monster booms.

Big grin, but huge teeth and frightening features. Scary.

Panting, I start to back up. A rock juts out of the stupid magic ground and yeets me onto my butt. In more mud.

I groan. “I hate this magic.”

“Oh, it’s not magic,” the monster says, his water-eyes flashing yellow as the upper half crosses his arms. “It’s called the elements.”

My eyes dart around. The crazy wind, airUnstoppable flames, fireAnnoying ground—earth. And, of course, way too much water. “Last time I checked, the elements weren’t alive and magical,” I say nervously.

The water demon chuckles. “The elements aren’t alive. And not magic, boy. No, the elements are just out of hand, at this time on the United Mountain.”

“Why?

“Can’t you see, boy? Water.”

“Yeah. Lots of water.” I gesture to the downpour, which hasn’t eased since the gym. “What?”

“I’m doing great things to the water,” the beast says. “I’m manipulating it so I can be all-powerful. Because of all the water magic, the other elements will be—are currently—thrown out of balance.”

“Why?” I make out. “Why do you want to be all-powerful?”

(*Insert every book villain fainting dead away.*)

The giant figure laughs and ‘paces’—the stem of water that makes up his lower half gliding around. The demon continues growing as even more water adds to his body. “The same reason everyone does, boy. Starting with United City, I’ll rule the world.”

He ‘steps’ closer. “You seem like a smart young man.” More like a secret agent catastrophe, I think. “Care to join me as I march down and conquer this city?”

I gulp. Why did I ever follow the water? “No! No, of course not!”

“I won’t destroy the city,” the beast assures me, raising an eyebrow.

I meet his eye then rip my gaze away. I walk to the edge of the summit and stare down. From up here, I can see the entirety of United City—and the whole United Mountain.

Flames lick the trees as the fire makes its way down the hill. The ground is even more restless, sending trees flying into the air. The wind is forming mini tornadoes here and there. The elements are making their way down the hill, where… “They’re destroying it,” I say, my voice ragged. “The elements. They’re out of whack with you and your water business. They’ll destroy the city, the people, everything if you don't stop.”

I turn back to the monster. “I’m not going to join you.”

“Really?” He picks at his nails. “You should. I’m unstoppable. I don't even need you, boy, but you’re good company. If we join forces, I can be entertained by an other-species comrade as I conquer everywhere. Nothing stands in my way. As a powerful freshwater water demon, the only thing that can stop me is saltwater, and there’s none of that here.”

“No.” My voice is hard as steel as I glare at the demon. “I’m not joining you.”

“Alright. Your city will be destroyed by the elements then I’ll conquer the remains, and you’ll be destroyed by me.”

A wicked smile painted in his face, the monster advances on me. My hands are clammy with sweat, and my face is even damper. I’m about to wipe off the sweat when I remember:

Sweat is salty.

The freshwater demon said saltwater is his only weakness…well, buddy, you’ve got some Trig bodily liquids coming your way.

“Wait!” I yelp, pretending to be terrified of the monster. I mean, I am pretty scared, but after my lightbulb moment, I’m resisting a grin. 

“Yes?” The figure studies my face.

“I-I’ll join you,” I make out. “I’ll help you. I pledge my allegiance. Trig Atkinson at your service.”

A smile graces his lips. “Knew it.”

“But one more thing,” I say. “Can I, er, have a hug before we conquer the world?

That surprised him. Then the demon’s watery face softens. “Um, sure.”

We awkwardly embrace.

But.

I’m covered in sweat from the humidity. Salty sweat.

As soon as my body touches his, the monster starts to melt.

“No,” the demon snarls as he glances down. His body is shrinking, the water on the ground switching directions and pouring down the mountain. “No, no, no!”

He glances at me, his eyes full of panic. “Bro! You betrayed me!”

“You can’t destroy the world,” I say. I give a final, exaggerated wave, sending one last droplet of sweat onto the (now pretty smol and pathetic) monster. With that, the freshwater demon dissolves completely into a small puddle.

I smile, water still streaming down my face. The earth settles. The fire vanishes. The wind suddenly calms, and soon, I’m just one young spy at the top of a mountain, in the midst of a storm, wanting to go home and change into clean clothes.

I begin my walk down the mountain.


*


As soon as I get to my parents’ apartment, I shower, change into fresh clothes, and collapse on the bed.

It’s four am. Just two hours ago I was at the gym. Now, I’ve saved the world and the elements are at peace once again.

What an epic story that would be. Trig, failed spy, beats water demon. I can almost see it on the headlines of United Magazine, but I know I can’t submit this to a publisher.

Magic exists. Maybe not movie-magic, as in superpowers, by a water demon? Balance of elements? That stuff’s weird.

But not information that everyone should know.

I open up Messages and stare down at the latest text from Kokika. In response to my ice cream turn-down, she said:


☹️☹️☹️

😫😫😫

🥺🥺🥺


I smile. I may not have completed my journalist dream—that’s what I had in mind when I said something to celebrate—but I saved the freakin’ world. That sounded worthy of ice cream.

My thumbs get to work:

ʜᴇʏ, ᴅᴏᴇs ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏғғᴇʀ ғᴏʀ ɪᴄᴇ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴍ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ sᴛɪʟʟ sᴛᴀɴᴅ?

February 28, 2021 21:27

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133 comments

21:32 Feb 28, 2021

Soooo, like I said in the A/N, some of y’all may have already read this and left a comment on my other account. If so, thank you! If not...yeah, just so you know, this is some older writing :) A couple notesssss!: - ‘Typewriters’ is my real ringtone and I’m low-key obsessed with it lol - Sooo, one time like 9 months ago, a classmate named Noah responded to something in the group chat by explaining “Holy Christ on a cracker!” I screenshotted the text because that’s the kind of thing a writer loves to hoard, and yup, like half a year later I ...

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Mazie Gray
17:40 Apr 10, 2021

This was the first time I’ve read this, and it was awesome! Even though it was older, this story was just as good as your new ones. -I used to have that as my thing too lol -😂😂😂 That sounds like something I would do -I’ve never used that before but I want to so I can write something as amazing as this -I found zero mistakes! 😊 -I’m done now LOL You’re welcome! Byeeeeeeeeeeee! 😊😂😉

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Eeep thank you! Lol byeee

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Mazie Gray
20:12 Apr 10, 2021

You're welcome! hehe byeee

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B. W.
03:13 Mar 06, 2021

Hey with those puzzles that you have in your bio, I have a guess for 5. Is it Taco Tuesday?

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16:41 Mar 06, 2021

Yup, congrats!

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B. W.
18:30 Mar 06, 2021

Yay

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Keya M.
01:02 Mar 18, 2021

Nice story Aerin! Really great details.

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Hi there! If you have time, please upvote this writer. Her points got taken all away, and she was originally at 5,000, please help if you want to. (I understand if you don't wanna get involved into all the upvoting/downvoting.) Link: https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/writer-maniac/#

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21:51 Mar 06, 2021

Oh my gods, I knew the downvoters were low but I didn’t know they were THIS low!!!!!!! I just upvoted her 50 points and put her in my bio and now I’m going to log into my alter accounts to upvote her more...omg this sucks 😩😢

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Thank you sooo much!!

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22:28 Mar 06, 2021

My pleasure! Ughhh I honestly can’t believe this happened— I feel like times like this is when having way too many randomly-created accounts is useful lol (like, since has so many stories and I have too many accounts, I think I’ve upvoted her like 200 points total now purely from liking stories? Like, wow, Mania is so prolific!!)

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Lol, I have 3 accounts for upvoting! This is my main :)

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02:53 Mar 07, 2021

Oh, yay, I’m not the only one with a handful of random accounts! Noice :) P. S. WOOO WE’VE GOT MANIA TO 2K SO FAR!!! It’s honestly so fun to see how so many people have rallied and upvoted her. I love Reedsy’s community <33

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Yeah downvoters suck!

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22:28 Mar 06, 2021

FAX

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19:34 Mar 05, 2021

This is cool! I remember this from Samara. Hey, wanna be in my reedsy cast? Link's in my bio.

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01:34 Mar 06, 2021

Haha, thanks! Yes, I’d love to!

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21:33 Mar 06, 2021

Thank you!!!

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Angelina S.
13:01 Mar 05, 2021

Thanks for kinda killing my technical boredom hehe: 1. Dear Evan Hansen 2. once upon a time 3. School for Good and Evil (I used to be crazy 'bout this lol) 4. homework is tiresome 5. ehh idkk

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14:31 Mar 05, 2021

Hehehe my pleasure XD: Woo, all of them are right! I actually intended for 4 to be ‘homework is boring’ but since that emoji can translate to a lot of different things, I’ve just been giving it to the people who have the general idea. I can give you a hint for #5 if you wanna keep working on it or I can reveal the answer now!

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Angelina S.
18:19 Mar 05, 2021

I sure would like the hint!

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Amany Sayed
17:00 Mar 04, 2021

Thanks for the thanks <3

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22:30 Mar 04, 2021

Aw of course, there’s a reason why you’re #1 on the list 💖

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Niveeidha Palani
04:12 Mar 04, 2021

Thanks for putting me in your bio. 🤗 Really appreciate it 💗

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22:32 Mar 04, 2021

Aww of course! 💛

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Niveeidha Palani
00:22 Mar 05, 2021

:)

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14:15 Mar 03, 2021

1- Dear Evan Hansennnnnnnnnnn 3-School for Good and Evil

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20:53 Mar 03, 2021

Yuppp!

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19:34 Mar 05, 2021

YESSSSSS I LOVE THOSE SO BAD

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Niveeidha Palani
12:02 Mar 03, 2021

I know this one. Dear Evan Hansen. Such an aspiring musical and so touching.

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13:49 Mar 03, 2021

Yep, correct!

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23:41 Mar 02, 2021

hi Aerin! i know the answer for your 3rd emoji puzzle! :D

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02:45 Mar 03, 2021

Cool! What do you think it is? XD

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01:40 Mar 04, 2021

school for good and evil :) and number 5 I THINK is taco tuesday

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01:41 Mar 04, 2021

Yupppp! Yessss you got that one tight two! That one is the hardest so far so congrats! 😄

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01:45 Mar 04, 2021

YAYYYYYYYYYY :D is number 4 'homework is boring'?

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01:47 Mar 04, 2021

yaaas!

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B. W.
06:48 Mar 02, 2021

Hey how have you been doing?

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15:12 Mar 02, 2021

Hi! Pretty good, although the power went out for like 5 hours this morning, which meant no internet, no lights, and no heating on a freaking below-freezing day (it’s safe to say I’m wearing two sweatshirts as the house warms up again). Wbu?

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B. W.
17:20 Mar 02, 2021

I guess I've been doing fine recently, I've mostly just been relaxing and reading some horror books. I'm not sure if you knew or not, but I kind of had Writers Block for a couple of months. But I finally have some good news with that, I finally made a new story after several months :D

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01:23 Mar 04, 2021

Noice! Oh, yea, I think you told me—sameee 😭😂. YAYYY! That’s awesome! I’ll check it out soon :DD

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B. W.
02:44 Mar 04, 2021

Thanks, I hope you like it ^^ Do you ever get Writers Block a lot?

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02:49 Mar 04, 2021

Well, my writing existence is basically writers block sprinkled with stories. So: yes. XD

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Niveeidha Palani
11:13 Mar 01, 2021

Mhm, yes. I've read this one before. I rarely have time to drop by, but this was fantastic. Lovely. I have a new story out too if you're interested. :) Feel free to drop by anytime.

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19:40 Mar 01, 2021

Thank youuuu! Can’t wait to read it :D

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Niveeidha Palani
23:41 Mar 01, 2021

:)

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Tessa Takzikab
20:56 Mar 14, 2021

I enjoyed this story the first time, but it was a bit harder to get into the second. I love the changes, although there are still some typos... I also think maybe it's a good idea to cut down on the light-bulb moment. Maybe say but then something occurred to me, and leave out what it was until after they hug so people are more confused. I still love how the solution came about through a hug :)

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21:32 Mar 14, 2021

Thank you so much for the feedback! <3

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1. Dear Evan Hansennnn 2. Once Upon a Time 3.School for good and evil 4. Homework is @#$% 5. TACO TUESDAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

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01:30 Mar 06, 2021

YESSSSS (Although it’s *homework is boring*, lollll)

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Hey Aerin...Laila left Reedsy :(

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22:33 Mar 04, 2021

I knowww but, like Vayd Danish, Celeste, and many more, I still owe her thanks even if she’s not here right now 💛

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WOAH WOAH WOAH, CELESTE LEFT? I THOGUTH SHE WAS ONLY TEMPORARLY LEAVING

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00:01 Mar 05, 2021

Wait, lol, are we talking about the same Celeste? Because my close friend Celeste Jimenez left Reedsy months ago (she was my first friend to leave Reedsy, I think 😭), but she DID pop on twice to talk about the elections then repost a story and chat with friends. She’s currently like #65 on the leaderboard under the name ‘Jimmy’ (our nickname for her).

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19:34 Mar 05, 2021

So sad!!!!!

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Sia S
02:56 Mar 04, 2021

ONCE UPON A TIMEEEEEE

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22:32 Mar 04, 2021

YESSSSS

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Sia S
02:06 Mar 05, 2021

YAYYYYYY

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Amaya .
01:02 Mar 03, 2021

1. Dear Evan Hansen 2. Once Upon a Time 3. The School for Good and Evil 4. Homework is annoying/boring 5. Taco Tuesday!

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02:46 Mar 03, 2021

Yessss you got them all right! Congrats! 😆

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Sunny 🌼
21:47 Mar 02, 2021

I have the 1st 3 questions already! 1. Dear Evan Hansen (GOD I love that musical) 2. Once upon a time 3. The School for Good and Evil

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22:06 Mar 02, 2021

Yessss you got them all right, awesome job!

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Maraika!!! 😎
20:17 Mar 10, 2021

hey is number 2 of emoji quizz once upon a time?

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01:42 Mar 11, 2021

Yeppp!

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