THIS...is the END...of the UNIVERSE
Endless nothingness
Utter silence
Complete, all-encompassing blackness
Eons pass. They are mere moments to the cosmos
A dazzling flash
Atoms vibrate in time to the rhythm of the universe
Molecules form, linked by unbreakable bonds
Stars blaze, sending rays outward, illuminating the vacuum
Arranged together, the stars shine within their galaxies, forming the teeth in broken smiles
Innumerable galaxies, each with their own precious planetary systems
YOU ARE HERE
The Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy within the Virgo Supercluster
Oort Cloud, Sol System. Planet: Earth
Photosynthesis devours Carbon Dioxide and exudes Oxygen
Climates change, rising and falling like the ocean tides
Epochs pass, seen by man as entire tomes, but mere paragraphs to the universe
New lives begin. Life endures, marking the planet as its own
Some species die out while others thrive
Humans dominate, continuing their reign for thousands of years
They take pride in their cities and towns. Extol their infrastructure
Men and women applaud their advancements and sing the praises of their ingenuity
Babies are born while the elderly pass on
Children play in the streets
Friends gather in bars
Families grow together, sharing meals, memories, and experiences
Laughter, rage, and sorrow permeate the air in equal measure
You are content and consider yourself lucky
You try not to dwell on the bad times, but they ring through your mind as you try to fall asleep
In daylight, negative thoughts disappear like forgotten dreams
Life is good but it could be better. You pray it does not become worse
You focus on your relationships. Your home. Your job
You set goals for yourself
You strive to improve
You follow your passions
You write until your hand cramps
Read until your eyes blur
Sing until your voice falters
Run until you are breathless
You revel in the challenge
Bathe in your sense of accomplishment
You continue to chase fulfillment
Times are tough but you forge ahead
Gratitude is fleeting but its vitalness is never completely lost
Failures, though inevitable, slow you down
You push past your failings, lest they drag you under
Success, no matter how minor, nourishes you
You press on
You watch clouds pass overhead
You track shooting stars as they streak across the heavens
You stop to smell the roses
You feel the raindrops on your skin
You fall asleep to the sound of the storm
You wake to the Sun's warm light
Cool air caresses your skin
You wish. You wonder. You worry
You dream. You dare. You dance
You forget, only to remember days later in an anxious flash
You make time for the things that matter
You make room for that which brings you joy
You push past those things that hold you back
You try not to dwell on the past
The future holds potential, but you linger in the present
You reach for possibilities and hold on dearly to what you already possess
Life goes on
There are busy days and lazy nights
There are tranquil mornings and hectic evenings
Weeks and months stretch out before you
Seasons pass in their cycles
Time is short but love is everlasting
THIS...IS EARTH...AS YOU KNOW IT
Time is short but love is everlasting
Seasons pass in their cycles
Weeks and months stretch out before you
There are tranquil mornings and hectic evenings
There are busy days and lazy nights
Life goes on
You reach for possibilities and hold on dearly to what you already possess
The future holds potential, but you linger in the present
You try not to dwell on the past
You push past those things that hold you back
You make room for that which brings you joy
You make time for the things that matter
You forget, only to remember days later in an anxious flash
You dream. You dare. You dance
You wish. You wonder. You worry
Cool air caresses your skin
You wake to the Sun's warm light
You fall asleep to the sound of the storm
You feel the raindrops on your skin
You stop to smell the roses
You track shooting stars as they streak across the heavens
You watch clouds pass overhead
You press on
Success, no matter how minor, nourishes you
You push past your failings, lest they drag you under
Failures, though inevitable, slow you down
Gratitude is fleeting but its vitalness is never completely lost
Times are tough but you forge ahead
You continue to chase fulfillment
Bathe in your sense of accomplishment
You revel in the challenge
Run until you are breathless
Sing until your voice falters
Read until your eyes blur
You write until your hand cramps
You follow your passions
You strive to improve
You set goals for yourself
You focus on your relationships. Your home. Your job
Life is good but it could be better. You pray it does not become worse
In daylight, negative thoughts disappear like forgotten dreams
You try not to dwell on the bad times, but they ring through your mind as you try to fall asleep
You are content and consider yourself lucky
Laughter, rage, and sorrow permeate the air in equal measure
Families grow together, sharing meals, memories, and experiences
Friends gather in bars
Children play in the streets
Babies are born while the elderly pass on
Men and women applaud their advancements and sing the praises of their ingenuity
They take pride in their cities and towns. Extol their infrastructure
Humans dominate, continuing their reign for thousands of years
Some species die out while others thrive
New lives begin. Life endures, marking the planet as its own
Epochs pass, seen by man as entire tomes, but mere paragraphs to the universe
Climates change, rising and falling like the ocean tides
Photosynthesis devours Carbon Dioxide and exudes Oxygen
Oort Cloud, Sol System. Planet: Earth
Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy within the Virgo Supercluster
YOU ARE HERE
Innumerable galaxies, each with their own precious planetary systems
Arranged together, the stars shine within their galaxies, forming the teeth in broken smiles
Stars blaze, sending rays outward, illuminating the vacuum
Molecules form, linked by unbreakable bonds
Atoms vibrate in time to the rhythm of the universe
A dazzling flash
Eons pass. They are mere moments to the cosmos
Complete, all-encompassing blackness
Utter silence
Endless nothingness
THIS...is the BEGINNING...of the UNIVERSE
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51 comments
I have one word and one emoji: HOW :0
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Lol. <3
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I absolutely loved this!! The repetition in the beginning and end, the short lines giving it a poetic feel... Coming full circle, the beginning being the same as the end, gave me chills. the palindrome concept is one that I saw a lot with this prompt, and I simply don't know how people do it; it would just confuse me! Amazing job!
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Thanks so much! I've seen others that are told backwards, but you've seen others for this prompt that are the same forward or backward like mine? I'd love to see how other people did it.
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This is amazing. I am speechless.
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Thanks so much
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Heyo!! Can you read my story "Sign of a Haunt"? It was the first story last week that I threw out because I had HORRIBLE Writer's Block😭. I think it turned out pretty great and I'd love to get feedback :DD
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I really love this. The feeling of quiet, determined optimism throughout the piece was astounding, like you were demanding I realize that I exist. Not only a wonderful feat, but a beautifully written piece that left me with a soft sort of contentment afterwards. Anyway, great work! And sorry for reading it so late.
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No worries. Thanks so much for the awesome comment.
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Wow, Michael. This is epic storytelling. The biggest short story of them all. It's metaphysical, profound, and mind blowing in its scope. You never fail to deliver. Superb work. : )
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Thanks so much
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Oh I LOVE this so, so much. I personally love this kind of writing - the one sentence a line style that just...encompasses everything you want to say yet still keeps the reader engaged! Wonderful job Michael, just simply wonderful!
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Thank you. I plan to check out your stories for this week later today, FYI
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Aw thanks! And of course! It was an amazing story to read :)
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I was like, how on earth did you manage that? I read it backward after I finished, trying to figure our your clever magic. Love that you're continuing the push the boundaries of the short story, perhaps you'll start an avant garde movement within Reedsy. Beautifully written, and technically dazzling. well done, well done.
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Thanks so much. Funnily enough, 'avant garde' is exactly what I was thinking to describe this piece as I was writing it
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