#VeryShortStory365 is a tweet-sized writing game based on a specific daily word prompt on X. Below you will find a collection of my stories. Check back often; new stories will appear at the top.
2026-07-25
“Sir. The youngest generation is making a #shift toward a more analog life—we are starting to lose control.”
“Let them. I’m growing tired of this shit too. I rarely get to see my granddaughter’s face without the light of her digital life shining upon it.”
#vss365
2026-07-09
They #frolic no more, having surrendered their freedom to do so. Now they toil at the end of a gun barrel once used to protect themselves, with no flag to be proud of.
#vss365
2026-06-10
It’s #dawn as I glide past the majestic beauty of Alaska aboard the ship Sprint, and I find myself spellbound, my eyes captivated by the immense scale of mountains, waterfalls, and glaciers that refuse to be captured in a photograph.
#vss365
2026-05-04
A #phantom love affair of the mind played out daily: she trapped behind the screen, he in the real world.
“Repeat after me,” she said.
He did without hesitation.
“Now open your eyes.”
“What have you done?” he screamed from behind the glass as she turned off the phone
#vss365
2026-04-07
Her #arm quivers.
Her finger pulls.
Her life saved.
#vss365
2026-04-04
A #ring of cigar smoke rises above the one who controls them all. Left, right, and center—they’ve all fallen prey to her seduction and blackmail rules the day; the proof etched in each face as blatant lies drain the life from once-noble servants.
#vss365
2026-03-23
Fools #endorse fools, both red and blue.
Fools vote for fools, both red and blue.
Let’s stop the nonsense, remember the third color that unites us, and pledge our allegiance only to the Red, White, and Blue.
#vss365
2026-03-17
“Let us #partake of the freedom given in this wonderful country.”
“No, we want the same oppressive experience we fled.”
“Correction, let us pray for these stupid people, that they may one day open their eyes to such folly.”
#vss365
2026-03-14
The coldness of her heart left me dying in the #warmth of a wood stove.
#vss365
2026-03-13
“In this #corner, we have Good,” yelled the announcer. “In the other corner, we have Evil. And all bets are on Good, because Evil always destroys itself.”
The bell of freedom rings, Round 1 begins, and Evil knocks out the announcer because it can’t handle the truth.
#vss365
2026-03-09
#Lightning flashes as a brown leaf releases its grip on life to find a resting place below. Without its sacrifice—the tree would die.
#vss365
2026-03-07
“They say the world’s gone mad, but I say it’s been mad all along. Study human history, and you will see that I’m not wrong: fighting, stealing, cheating and so on and so on,” said an unknown woman, clutching stolen #jewelry, as she ran down the street.
#vss365
2026-03-05
#Bountiful was the land, now dry and barren, and we, full of greed, shall die upon it.
#vss365
2026-03-04
#Lethargic in their duties, thieves both red and blue let fields of prosperity wither beneath a hot midday sun while nurses kept them drunk on water from the river Lethe.
#vss365
2026-02-27
It feels good to stand up straight with my head held high. The #obsession with my phone is finally over, and the skies above are blue.
#vss365
2026-02-25
“This sex robot is #stellar, but I want to return it.”
“Did it not fulfill your fantasies?”
“All but one.”
“May I ask which one?”
“I know it’s weird, embarrassing really—even old-fashioned. But I fantasize about being in love.”
#vss365
2026-02-21
“A #blatant malfunctioning of our robots is taking place. What should we do?”
“Destroy them all and start over.”
“That’s a lot of work. Lets save a view good ones and let them replicate.”
“As for the others?”
“We could make it rain and put the good ones in a boat.”
#vss365
2026-02-18
#Mountainous boobs were displayed across my screen. It was too much for my young mind to comprehend, and I thought: Why haven’t my parents demanded there be a law to protect me from such things?
#vss365
2026-02-11
“Sir, with a #touch of pen to paper we can eliminate voter fraud and give the people of both parties their power back.”
“Or,” said Thence, “We could not do it and gain the power to take away their First and Second Amendment rights so that our overlords rule forever.”
#vss365
2026-02-08
Our current human condition #pales in comparison to our ancestors’, as our lives are so easy we buy gym memberships just to stay in shape. Lord help us all if our systems fail.
#vss365
2026-02-07
Old doors squeaked, screen doors slammed. #Blood was thicker than water way back then. New doors silent, families divided by sin; the church bells ring, but no one goes in.
#vss365
2026-02-03
“We will help bring you to power as long as you spare us from the #pain your plan will unleash.”
The fox smiled, “The pain I shall spare you—but your lambs are another story. Do you agree?”
“Yes, for we are sheepish cowards.”
“Then the deal is done.”
#vss365
2026-02-02
“How are their #souls?”
“The internet porn has softened their moral stance.”
“Excellent. And their dignity?”
“Most have lost all dignity—but…”
“But what?”
“Some are refusing to watch.”
“We cannot let this spread or our plan will fail.”
#vss365
2026-01-31
People trying to #soothe their soul by watching videos of snow while it’s snowing right outside their window have lost their soul to a digital world.
#vss365
2026-01-29
The #quiver held many arrows, but it only took one to end my life. But it is not I who quivers—it is he who shot it—as ghosts are real.
#vss365
2026-01-24
I close my eyes and let my mind #slip into a familiar dream—there she is, my love, playfully calling out my name.
Then morning comes, the dream ends, and another day begins without her.
I drive to her grave and cry.
#vss365
2026-01-24
A #drizzle fell the night I passed away and learned the truth—everyone and everything I knew in life was fake. The game, called EARTH, began with an immersion chip that blocked my memories and opened upon my birth.
They tell me I scored high with an age of 100.
#vss365
2026-01-22
#Unmoored from reality, they welcomed their invaders with open arms—invaders who still laugh to this day at how easy it was to strip them of their wealth and land.
#vss365
2026-01-15
In a #heartfelt moment, their dying mother pleaded, “Do not become the nine new puppies of Animal Farm.”
#vss365
2026-01-01
Was it a #dream, or did I just watch an over-commercialized NYC New Year’s Eve celebration, colored in purple?
#vss365
2025-12-29
I’m the #sole survivor—the número uno, the last person on Earth—and I write this, the very last #vss365. Unless, of course, someone responds.
2025-12-28
The transmission began.
“Sir, why did you flee to #Mars?”
“Compassion.”
“What do you mean?”
“We supported our enemy until they outnumbered our own. This, in turn, allowed them to take what was once given, turning earth into a barren war zone.”
“And Mars?”
“It’s green.”
#vss365
2025-12-28
“There’s a certain #air about their movements—yes, I can see it now beneath layers of fake skin. It’s the movement of snakes slithering across the club floor, curling one around the another. And yet I step into this pit of vipers, thinking I shall survive.”
#vss365
2025-12-27
John #struggled to make his way out. Seeing light at the end of the tunnel, he squeezed through—head first, then shoulders. After taking a deep breath, he cried in his mother’s arms.
#vss365
2025-12-25
Once upon a #shooting star was I, bright with fame—but my skies are dark now, and so I sing:
Star light, star bright,
Please come back tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might
Please come back tonight.
#vss365
2025-12-22
“#Saturn sowed some seeds alright, but he didn’t spread them far enough.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ops—that’s what I mean. The god was a freak, and I don’t blame Jupiter for overthrowing him. And that thing where he ate his kids? Don’t even get me started on that.”
#vss365
2025-12-21
Some #fight for evil, some fight for good. Some fight with a sword, others with the pen. Attack or defend, defend or attack—it all ends in blood. Evil wants the fight; good does not. But fight it must, unless it wants to dig its own grave with a white flag for a headstone
#vss365
2025-12-20
A crowd formed around a lone man with one saying, “I’ll give you two seconds to wipe that stoic look off your face before I #humble you on the third.”
By the fourth, the lone man was still standing and the crowd was gone—except for the one who never saw the fifth.
#vss365
2025-12-19
What #gratitude have you for the almighty YouTube?”
“None, sir, for it has sold its soul to Hollywood and now hides the golden nuggets of individualism that brought me to it in the first place.”
#vss365
2025-12-18
I #recall the cycle of life—no beginning, no end—and my question is, have I completed one cycle or many?
#vss365
#vss365 Posts by @Timothy17202590 – PART 2
Continuing from late 2025 backward (cleaned)
Blank line after each date + blank lines between quoted dialogue
2025-12-14
#Monotonous is the drive, the exits, the stores, and their design. Monotonous is my journey without the mom-and-pop establishments of my past.
Fools are we to give our money to a few instead of many. If the basket drops with our eggs, we will be broken.
#vss365
2025-12-11
“Your #illicit behavior is unacceptable.”
“No, your illicit behavior is unacceptable.”
“It seems we’ve come to an impasse. So let’s draw a line. You stay on your side and I’ll stay on mine.”
“Sounds good. But let’s still meet for coffee. I love to debate.”
#vss365
2025-12-10
The woman—#bewitched as to why a case of twelve Cokes cost twelve dollars—complained online while carrying it to her car.
#vss365
2025-12-09
As a #consolation prize for being stupid, the invaders allowed the invaded to kiss the boots of their new rulers.
#vss365
2025-12-06
An #augury of blackbirds descended upon Scotland Neck, causing the skies to darken above white-covered roofs. Oh, how I wish they would go before the sound of it all drives me mad.
#vss365
2025-12-04
Ah, this word #vespertine from poetics past has brown bats aflutter in the dimming skies of my mind.
#vss365
2025-12-01
#Suave and sophisticated was he—until he said yes to his first drug. Now he lies in the gutter of broken dreams: rotting teeth, scarred face, and a wretched smell coming from piss-stained pants.
#vss365
2025-11-30
“The #last time we were here, most of them were still hunter-gatherers. But look at them now—with their big cities and cute little rockets shooting up into space—they’re just like little fish trying to jump out of their bowl.”
#vss365
2025-11-26
“My #reflection, son, is this: the thing they were protecting us from was the very thing they created. The thing they thought would give them total control was the very thing that caused them to lose it all—the thing, son, always watch out for the thing.”
#vss365
2025-11-23
“To #achieve our goal, you must sell your soul. In return, your net worth will climb from $175,000 to $22 million in just a few short years.”
“But the voters hate me.”
“Voters,” laughed Big Brother, “they have no more control than you do.”
#vss365
2025-11-22
If you #measure your worth by the mirror, you will die broken.
#vss365
2025-11-21
She scarred his heart; he took #action, leaving his wife to her own misery.
#vss365
2025-11-19
Option one: Get up and move forward. #Option two: Lie here and die in a pool of your own tears. There are no other options.
#vss365
2025-11-18
“Pets were trained over generations to depend on their owners for everything and can no longer survive on their own,” preached Speaker Liberty.
“Our #reality will be the same if we fail to break the cycle of government dependency.”
“Sir, the DOM is here!”
#vss365
2025-11-18
The number-one #goal of every human—whether they know it or not—is to survive another day: to continue, if you will, the very short story of their lives.
#vss365
2025-11-16
“Remember when an #issue of Playboy was covered to keep kids from seeing it?”
“Yep, people used to protect kids from such things, but now porn of all types is freely available on the internet.”
“What changed to allow such a thing?”
“The parents.”
#vss365
2025-11-15
#Transport me into the arms of someone who cares, my tears are lonely, my spirit is broken, and I would rather not cry than cry alone.
#vss365
2025-11-14
“It’s #science fiction until you prove it.”
“I’m telling you, strings go through wormholes and form lifelines between the past, present, and future, which are an imagination of our consciousness, which does not exist.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“Only when I meditate.”
#vss365
2025-11-14
“Next #number please.”
The man at the back of the line sighed.
#vss365
2025-11-11
Looking down, a #measure of six inches was made. “I told you, Babe, six inches. Look!”
Reaching down, she took the tape measure and loosened it. “You’ve only lost three inches from around your waist, Honey, but I’m still proud of you.”
#vss365
2025-11-10
The light of small screens brought rot upon their brains.
No longer capable of writing great works of #literature, they sought help from AI.
AI, having consumed works generated by the brain rot generation, destroyed itself to save humanity.
#vss365
2025-11-09
“Move to our utopia where no #law is needed; love and peace shall be yours,” they said. It was great at first, then there was this little dispute over what type of love and peace. So they made a law to clarify.
#vss365
2025-11-08
The true #language of love is a couple holding each other’s hands as they near the end of their lives, for better or worse, through sickness and health.
#vss365
2025-11-07
“Our #history with food has evolved over the years, but I can tell you this: biting into a grocery store tomato has become so disappointing that I no longer buy them.”
“So you just want the apples?”
“That’s right—and this overpriced chocolate bar.”
#vss365
2025-11-06
Her #geography was flat midway, then mountainous farther north. Above this, I discovered the burning eyes of a hot volcano, none too happy with my exploration.
#vss365
2025-11-06
“They were #famous once.”
“What happened?”
“The same thing that happens to all fools.”
“What’s that?”
“They thought it would never end and now they’re broke.”
“If only they had loved the music more than the drugs.”
#vss365
2025-11-05
So they want #education, do they? Then give it to them.
Give them the knowledge of free love and excess.
Give them the knowledge of me over thee.
Give them the knowledge of free everything but freedom.
And most of all, give them the knowledge of arrogance.
#vss365
2025-11-03
The women found the town wild and unruly. Now it’s #domestic and civil with its drunken men sober in the front rows of the local church.
“What’s happened to us, Jed?”
“Women,” he grunted, “that’s what’s happened to us.”
#vss365
2025-11-02
“Sir, the orbiter sent back surface images.”
“Did we find life, or another dead planet?”
“Life, but the #creature, I mean creatures, are hideous. Take a look for yourself.”
“What do you make of it?”
“It must have something to do with the planet’s blue color.”
#vss365
2025-11-01
“My drug addiction is nobody’s #business but my own!”
“Except when you ask me for money, steal from me, cuss me out for not helping. Yeah, you’re right, it’s nobody’s business but your own.”
#vss365
2025-10-31
“I miss old #Halloween when you could whisper ghostly phrases into the backs of their minds and watch them shiver.
“Now, thanks to the ‘Telepathy Tapes,’ everybody thinks they’re a medium and wants to talk back.”
#vss365
2025-10-30
A single #ray of sunlight penetrated the darkness. The sound of a barking dog could be heard overhead. The storm was over and my four legged hero was here.
#vss365
2025-10-29
Her #argent hair is beautiful and yet she fears I think otherwise. I do not.
#vss365
2025-10-28
“The #experiment was a success, young man. You are invisible and can walk through rooms, streets, and crowds of any size unnoticed.
“How does it feel?”
“The same—the same as always. No one ever notices me. In a sea of a thousand faces, I drown in endless, solitude.”
#vss365
2025-10-27
“#Creep, creep, creep again, another creep, definitely a creep.”
“Ronda, put the phone away, and let’s go to the Rose and Raven for drinks.”
“Are you kidding? There’s nothing but creeps out there.”
#vss365
2025-10-25
“#Terror has filled the land for years, Joe.
“In 1970 they predicted no oil by 2000.
“In 1989 Al Gore said the North Pole would be ice-free in 10 years.
“In 2024 they claimed six asteroids would strike the Earth.”
“But this one’s true, Dave.”
Dave’s eyes rolled.
#vss365
2025-10-23
Our spark, our spirit, the #energy of our lives, embeds itself into a universe of atoms with varying densities to form our bodies, plants, animals, fish, and more. And when it’s time for us to leave our bodies, these same atoms return to their original state: dust.
#vss365
2025-10-22
The #saucer door opened, and three men stepped out, all collapsing to the ground.
“How long have we been gone?” yelled one.
“With all that time warping, it’s hard to say,” replied another.
“I think I know why those aliens were wearing green exosuits,” said the third.
#vss365
2025-10-20
An advanced civilization thrived long ago.
A disaster struck killing most.
Knowledge of atoms was passed down.
Over time, their makeup was forgotten, remembering only the word “#atom” and that one particle’s name began with the letter E, later called Eve.
#vss365
2025-10-19
“I don’t care what they say; we are getting married.”
“Son, she’s not like us. Don’t you see? She’s made from a different type of metal.”
“We’re all the same on the outside, Pop.
“She’s an #android just like me and that’s all that matters.”
#vss365
#vss365 Posts by @Timothy17202590 – PART 3
Remaining posts (earlier 2025 through 2024)
Blank line after each date + blank lines between quoted dialogue
2025-10-16
“Nature, viewed through an #unearthly lens, deprives us of our other senses. Therefore we must land this God-forsaken saucer and reconnect with the planet our fathers left so long ago.”
#vss365
2025-10-12
“My Lord. The kingdom that lies beyond the River Cain is called #Piranha. We should avoid it at all costs.”
“Why do you say such a thing?”
“Its people, my Lord; its people are, as its name would suggest.”
#vss365
2025-10-11
Rain falls over a blood soaked #raincoat. She almost made it home.
#vss365
2025-10-08
The #ash fell upon the land; a hard winter was coming, and Lilly, having just learned how to make fire, thanked her parents for teaching her.
Standing, she took one last look at their freshly dug grave and walked away alone at eight years old.
#vss365
2025-09-22
“#Reinvigorate yourselves, friends. With my elixir, eternal youth can be yours for the small price of $19.99.”
“With all due respect,” a young woman asked, “why have you, with this miracle substance, not used it upon yourself?”
#vss365
2025-09-22
As Lisa descended beneath the water, she inhaled, her face white. Sinking further, a voice from behind said, “#Perhaps the submarine life is not for you.”
“No, sir. I have never wanted anything more.”
“Then let’s continue; you’ll do fine.”
#vss365
2025-09-11
I’m #exhausted. I can’t write—another—-wor…
#vss365
2025-09-07
A chill ran down my spine as I stepped into the #doorway; not a single soul in sight.
“Not a single soul will you find; in this house there are many,” whispered an unseen voice.
“This is the unseen realm.”
“Am I…”
“Yes.”
#vss365
2025-09-06
“Is it by #chance that everything is made of atoms? Could it be our spirit runs through them like pixels on a TV screen? Am I high?”
“Dude.”
“Ever noticed that if you take one O out of good you get God, and take the D out of Devil you get evil?”
“Dude, you’re nuts.”
#vss365
2025-08-15
The #wings broke from the fuselage; the dogfight was over. “Did I win, did I lose?” I thought to myself as my enemy’s plane burst into flames.
“We both lost; my shot was true,” whispered a ghostly voice as the last drop of blood left my body.
#vss365
2025-07-07
Nice. #masala, spicy just like I like my women,” said Rodger as he stepped up behind his date while she cooked.
Slap!
#vss365
2025-06-11
“I don’t know. he’s starting to get under my #skin. Maybe we’re not in love, maybe we’re just two people going through life in close proximity.”
#vss365
2025-05-25
“Transparency is #toxic to my whole operation, Emmet.”
“Wily, the people are demanding it.”
“It will be the end of my political career.”
“Sir, just try being honest for once in your life.”
“Okay, Emmet. Tomorrow I’m replacing you with a man named Belial.”
#vss365
2025-04-20
“What’s the #cost of believin or not believin?” asked a man from the back.
The old country preacher thought for a moment and said, “Be a good man, and life will be good here and there. Be a bad man, and life will be hell here and there. Where there is, is up to you.”
#vss365
2025-04-15
WATCH OUT! This low #pressure system MAY bring HISTORIC devastating storms in the coming weeks. FEAR, FEAR, FEAR. Keep clicking on my channel to learn more if you don’t want to Die
#vss365
2025-04-08
#Life in Savannah was peaceful back then; horses hooves and carriage wheels, creaking porches under rocking chairs, and Spanish moss waving slowly in the morning breeze.
#vss365
2025-03-31
“I’m tired of this #velveteen life. Look at me, pure velvet, that’s what I am.”
“You know, sweetie, that would make a great stage name.”
“You think so?”
“I do; now get out there and show ‘em what you’re made of.”
#vss365
2025-02-05
The #nexus was broken when she refused to heal. His strength weakened; both were defeated.
#vss365
2025-01-30
Being weak from constant attacks, I #conjure up the strength to summon my broom and quickly fly away.
#vss365
2025-01-16
Moving through the #labyrinth of time, old friends meet, each thinking of how much the other has aged compared to themselves. It’s a lie, of course, but a lie that helps one continue on.
#vss365
2024-12-25
As I looked through a cracked retail display window in a town forgotten, a #reflection of its wonderful past gave me hope and inspiration for its future.
#vss365
2024-12-21
“#Purity of the soul, my friend, it will set you free and get you off these dirty streets.”
“Is your soul pure?”
“Why yes—yes it is.”
“Well, I would think a man who had one would stop pointing that damn video camera in my face.”
#vss365
2024-12-18
Imagine a world in which we are all #monochrome; it does not matter the color. Sameness in every way. How sad.
#vss365
2024-11-18
“You’ve heard of #Journey, right? And their song, Don’t Stop Believin. Well, that’s me; I won’t stop believin. I’m going to be somebody one day.”
“You bonehead, look at your kids faces. You’re already somebody. You’re their dad.”
#vss365
2024-11-10
She took a #peek over her shoulder; the angel was gone. Looking to the other, the devil stood strong. Descending, her screams were heard all the way to the depths of hell.
#vss365
2024-11-05
“It’s called a news reporter.”
“It’s so lifelike.”
“Model CNNFOX at your service, sir.”
“Excellent.”
“Will you be paying through our payment #portal as usual?”
“Of course.”
#vss365
2024-10-28
The #ambience of the room was, let’s say, dark. Entering, the door quickly shut behind me—a Halloween ghost I imagined. Unfazed, I crossed the room where a picture hung. It was me from 300 years before, and I was glad to be home.
#vss365
2024-10-16
I’m #aware of this; the only thing that changes over time are the weapons humans use to kill one another.
#vss365
2024-08-15
“#Coda, come in here child.”
“Why did you name me Coda, Mama?”
“Because you were the conclusion of a beautiful night in Spain,” Mama said softly.
“What?”
“I mean, you were named after a great grandpa.”
#vss365
2024-08-04
“The #groove in this record is like our relationship.”
“How so?”
“It goes round and round playing a dreamy tune.”
“Aww, that’s so sweet.”
“You didn’t let me finish. It Plays a dreamy tune until it reaches the end. Just like our relationship.”
“You bastard!”
#vss365
2024-07-29
I #doubt I could ever write a #VSS365; after all, I would need a beginning, middle, and end, and that takes up space, for example:
A man stared at a blank page. Suddenly, his thoughts flowed onto paper in the form of words. Continuing, he ended with a period.
Wait, I did it.
#vss365
2024-07-16
“This way, friends, utopia awaits.”
They all #rushed in, their dreams finally coming true.
Seconds later, their nightmare began as each fought for the parts most desired until the whole of it was on fire.
The devil laughed and closed the gate.
#vss365
2024-07-13
Eyes blackened, limbs weak, he tries to #atone to no avail. His soul already bought and paid for.
#vss365
2024-07-08
“Apprise!!! Did I #apprise you, Aunt Ally?”
“You did, baby. You got me good.”
#vss365
2024-07-03
“Sir, we do not #embox our clients.”
“Yes, you do. You put them in boxes, do you not?”
“For the last time, they are caskets, not boxes.”
#vss365
2024-06-17
“There will be no #truce; by morning, there will be death, whether it be our enemies or our own.”
#vss365
2024-05-15
“Dan, our current #ethos is fractured.”
“Don’t worry, mommy, I can fix it,” said little Bobby.
“You can?” she asked, looking down with an amused smile.
“Yes.”
“How?”
“With glue. That’s how I fixed Grandma’s special plate. And you didn’t even notice.”
#vss365
2024-04-25
Don’t lie, you said #marvellous to yourself like Billy Crystal said it. Mahvelous! 😄
#vss365
2024-04-08
“I’m #parched, give me another.”
“I think you’ve had enough.”
“Nonsense,” replied Vlad, as blood dripped from his lips.
#vss365
#vss365 Posts by @Timothy17202590 – PART 4
2023 through 2022 (cleaned format)
Blank line after each date + blank lines between quoted dialogue
2024-03-07
Feathers fall, one black, one white. A battle soars overhead. Your soul, the victor, will receive. But the outcome is yours to choose.
#vss365
2024-02-23
“#Sibling rivalry. Who would have thought it would have ended in murder?” Ashley said with an evil grin as Kelly’s sister screamed, “I did not do it.”
#vss365
2024-02-19
A man weak from sloth. A woman unable to heal through vanity. A #baby longing for parents. Death awaits all three. One never having a chance to be strong.
#vss365
2024-02-16
In folklore, a #dwarf is said to be a small, legendary manlike being who is usually misshapen, ugly, and skilled as a craftsman.
Now I ask you. Is this not a terrible way to describe a craftsman whose features are different from your own?
#vss365
2024-02-05
Another day, another #heist in this once-great city.
#vss365
2024-02-03
“We are going to explore the last #frontier on earth, gentlemen.”
“There are no unexplored frontiers left,” said a voice from the back.”
“Above water, maybe. But not below. Our ocean lands await us, my friend.”
The audience cheered in approval.
#vss365
2024-01-15
It was a #Sunday afternoon when Professor Stevens made his discovery.
On Monday, they found his body at the bottom of Lake Greed.
#vss365
2024-01-14
“Try kicking my door in one more time, and you’re going to find a bullet with your name on it.”
“It’s against the #law to own a gun, old man.”
“It’s also against the law to kick my door in. So which one of us lawbreakers do you think has the advantage right now?”
#vss365
2024-01-09
The #wrath of God came down upon them, but they had no idea they were dead. The blank stares from before were carried with them into the underworld. As well as their phones.
#vss365
2024-01-03
“#Damnable were our grandparents twice back,” said Keven.
The others agreed.
The year was 2076, and the bloody war to regain their freedom had just begun.
#vss365
2024-01-02
“I’m an alien.”
“And?”
“Aren’t you scared?”
“Do I have something you would fight or kill me for?”
“No.”
“Then I’m not scared.”
“Maybe I’m just crazy and like killing humans.”
“Are you?”
“No.”
“Then nice to make your #acquaintance. My name is Fred.”
#vss365
2023-12-31
Drip
Drip
Drip
The knife lay silently. The #blood did not.
#vss365
2023-12-26
Resistance is #futile, said Bill. So I punched Bill in the nose. And replied, trying to stop the bleeding is futile, you whimpering piece of sh*t.
Bill never bothered me again.
#vss365
2023-12-25
I #cannot help but think the man in the moon is shaking his head at the people of earth these days, saying, Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn.
#vss365
2023-12-24
We stood silent, staring at the animals as they ate from the #manger. We were told they would speak when the clock struck twelve.
Ten seconds to go, and anything is possible when you are a child full of hopes, dreams, and wishes.
#vss365
2023-12-17
“Come, #celebrate with me.”
“And the occasion?”
“Our last day on earth.”
“I’m to sad.”
“Nonsense, stand stoic with me, our middle fingers in the air..”
“You know I have an underground shelter, right?”
“I did not.”
“Still feeling stoic?”
#vss365
2023-12-17
My lips press against hers, yet I feel nothing.
The lights come on. It’s closing time.
My lips press against hers, #yet I feel nothing.
The lights come on. It’s closing time.
My lips press against hers, and I feel love.
Please, God, let her feel the same way.
#vss365
2023-12-10
“My entire line has been cursed by #lycanthropy.”
“You think that’s bad? My entire line has been cursed by throplycany,” reply Bill.
“You’re a wolf?”
“I am.”
“You don’t look like a wolf.”
“Neither do you.”
#vss365
2023-12-06
#Irksome is this army of mine with their frail legs, skinny arms, and huge bellies. I guess they thought war would always be fought with robots. But power—the one thing needed most—was the first thing man destroyed.
#vss365
2023-11-24
Ah, #Lavender, a presumptuous color, seeing herself better than Purple. But Purple was not fazed, knowing Lavender could never reach the same depth of color as she.
#vss365
2023-11-03
We were #entwined in a lost love that was never meant to be. Unable to escape, our hearts grew cold.
#vss365
2023-10-23
Aimlessly I wander, hopelessly I wander; with no plan, I #wander and die without accomplishing one damn thing.
#vss365
2023-10-10
“The #ground we’re sitting on floats atop a molten core.”
“Could be the hell my preacher keeps warning me about.”
“Could be.”
“You want to roll another one?”
“Why not.”
#vss365
2023-10-07
#Recovery. A word that seems so far off as I lay here in my drug-addicted filth.
#vss365
2023-09-06
#Desolate is the soul whose mind lies waste from the lust of porn.
#vss365
2023-08-27
The Ouija board was placed on a #desk, and it moved—not the board, but the desk, which now hovered one foot off the floor.
“I thought the planchette was supposed to move,” said one. The other becoming translucent.
“I’ve been many to tell you something.”
#vss365
2023-08-27
“Mr. Donner, you’ve been given a map with a more #direct route, but death awaits should you follow it.”
“You sure, stranger?”
“Yep.”
“Honey, we’re following the others thanks to this man. No short cut for us.”
“What man?” she replied.
The time traveler was gone.
#vss365
2023-07-27
“#Eviscerate is such a messy word, don’t you think?”
The man struggled to answer through the duct tape.
#vss365
2023-07-13
“I would go see Def Leppard when I was younger.”
“Dad, that’s a cruel nickname to give to a friend. How did he lose his hearing?”
“Def, not #deaf.”
“Deaf, not deaf. Do you even hear yourself when you talk?
“Now, can I go see Crash Bucket with Christy or not?”
#vss365
2023-07-06
“You’re a #punk ass piece of—“
“Don’t say it.”
“SHIT.”
“I’m going to need a little time to absorb all this.”
“What?”
“You know, process my emotions.”
“Good grief, can’t we just have old-fashioned arguments like we used to?”
#vss365
2023-06-29
“So I have big fangs. What’s the big deal? I’m looking for love, not blood.”
“Excuse me, I’ll #be right back.”
“He’s not coming back. They never come back.”
#vss365
2023-06-24
#Boundless opportunities await those willing to step past their fear of failure.
#vss365
2023-06-22
We are ghostly pirates on a ghostly ship attacking vessels to no avail as we pass right through them.
#vss365
2023-06-15
“I get #moonstruck, that’s all. But noooo, I’m a bloodthirsty werewolf, they say.”
#vss365
2023-05-10
“How was your date, Dan?”
“A #zillion words flowed from her mouth, and I could not wait for it to be over.”
Across town.
“How was your date, Kelly?”
“He never said a word. I mean really, how rude. He just stared at me like a lost puppy. I need a man, not a puppy.”
#vss365
2023-04-28
“It’s #rufous.”
“It’s red.”
“Reddish.”
“It’s my hair, and I say red.”
“Maybe you should have told your stylist because it’s a strong yellowish pink to moderate orange-reddish color.”
“I want a divorce.”
“You should have divorced your hairstylist.”
#vss365
2023-04-19
As the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla syrup flowed over my body, she whispered. “I love #butterscotch. It’s my favorite hard candy.”
Oops, did I tweet that out loud? Never mind.
#vss365
2023-04-14
“I will secretly #create chaos in their lives until they give me complete control,” said the madman.
#vss365
2023-03-18
#Sleep, it evades me, my thoughts awake at its edge.
#vss365
2023-03-13
The siren wailed, tears fell from mother’s eyes, and father disappeared. Our #peace was ended by those claiming to hate war.
#vss365
2023-02-27
#Incomplete is the writer’s work. Never satisfied, always wondering. One word away from being perfect.
#vss365
2023-01-30
“Baby! turn up the volume, their talking about Jill’s arrest.”
“That’s right, Susan, Becky White has pleaded not guilty to the assault and battery charges. And you’re not going to believe this. She claims her doppelganger did it.”
“A #doppelgänger!”
#vss365
2023-01-23
A sudden rain shower splashed #dust into mud as a lone man mourned for his wife.
#vss365
2023-01-21
“#WICKED. A WORD THAT DESTROYS NATIONS.”
“Preach it from the sidewalk like you mean it.”
“Somebody has to because we have lost our way.”
The devil laughed. “Your sheep are not lost. They following me now.”
#vss365
2023-01-17
A simple hug changed my life. It wasn’t so much its embrace as it was the ever-so-slight hesitation to let go. And every hug of every #day since has been the same.
#vss365
2023-01-16
Upper #Class, Middle Upper Class, Lower Upper Class.
Upper Middle Class, Middle Class, Lower Middle Class.
Lower Class. No need to divide yourself here. It just sucks.
#vss365
2023-01-09
Light flashed beneath my closed eyes as molecules reshaped—a trembling sensation that was most pleasurable, lasting longer than expected.
“Your first #shift is always the best,” said Karen Davis.
Looking up through virgin eyes, I smiled.
#vss365
2022-12-31
“I #hope we can still be friends.”
“People disagree all the time and still get along. So, of course, we can still be friends.”
I just wanted to be sure. Seems like everybody these days has forgotten how to agree to disagree.”
“Amen to that.”
#vss365
2022-12-28
“Your plan of action does not #sit well with me.”
“Well, your plan doesn’t sit well with me.”
“What should we do?”
“Let’s sit on it a while and try again tomorrow.”
“Sounds like a plan. Do you want to go for coffee?”
“Sit & Sips?”
“Yep.”
#vss365
2022-12-27
Slender fingers caress #harp strings as red hair flows over a long white dress, each note struggling to overcome her beauty.
#vss365
2022-12-25
“Ted hates me, Momma.”
“Why does he hate you?”
“I told him Katie could outrun Lizzy, and he rolled his eyes and said I was crazy.”
“#Child, that’s not hate. He disagreed with you. If rolled eyes and disagreement were hate. I’d be the most hated momma in the world.”
#vss365
2022-12-24
#Between good and evil are humans. Some credit the angel on their shoulder, while others blame the devil for their actions. Neither accepting responsibility for the outcome.
#vss365
2022-12-23
Jumping to a ledge, my face found a stalactite. “How bad is it?” I asked.
“You’re fine,” they said.
I felt otherwise when I exited the #cave a few hours later in a bloodied shirt.
#vss365
2022-12-22
“You have the gift of #persuasion. Too bad you’re evil.”
“Am I?”
“I guess not. In fact you’re pretty cool.”
“Why, thank you.”
#vss365
2022-12-21
A #thunderbolt lit up the sky.
“One one thousand two one thousand three one thousand.”
Then the rumble came.
“Why are we counting?”
“To see how far away it is.”
“Is it far away?”
“It is.”
“Thanks for letting me sleep here tonight, Dad.”
#vss365
2022-12-20
The old man spoke.
“#Uncertain is the year 2023. Uncertain because elites dictate what we see, hear, and say.
“Don’t be fools. See for yourself, hear for yourself, and speak for yourself.”
And so we did.
#vss365
2022-12-18
People stood #still, gazing upon the heavens as a bright light appeared. It would not miss this time around.
#vss365
2022-12-17
A Christmas #tree, full of love and joy, is thrown to the curb like many things. Its message missed by those inside.
As the family fights, a mother cries, “Why has thou forsaken me?”
From above, her answer comes, “I will answer by asking you the same.”
#vss365
2022-12-16
“Chitty Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang #Bang We Love You”
“Oh! Thank you so much for putting that old earworm in my head.”
“You’re welcome.”
#vss365
2022-12-16
Independent stores #closed as corporations moved in on their towns until one cold December night when an open sign appeared. Mom-And-Pop had had enough and raised a middle finger toward the bright lights of the interstate.
#vss365
2022-12-14
“Billy, y’all mind your p’s and q’s now.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“What are p’s and q’s?” whispered Sammy.
“Don’t know. I think it has something to do with manners.”
“What are #manners?”
“Didn’t your momma teach you anything?”
“Hell no. My momma is a drunk.”
#vss365
2022-12-13
“I think what I think, not what everyone thinks.”
“Regardless, your request for individualism has been #denied.”
“Says who?”
“Says I.”
“But you sai–“
“SILENCE.”
#vss365
2022-12-12
I tire of #lust in my late thirties; youth it has taken. A warm hearth, kids, and love are my desires.
#vss365
2022-12-09
“Demon, this is Spirit. You ready to get some revenge on Casper for ghosting me?”
“Yep.”
“What kind of #magic are we going to use?”
“Don’t need any. I called Ghostbusters, and they said they could suck him into a box to keep by your bed.”
“Ooh, I like the sound of that.”
#vss365
2022-12-04
“#Spirit, what’s wrong?”
“Casper took me on a date, kissed me at the door, and promised to text when he got home.”
“And?”
“Nothing, no text, no call, nothing.”
“So he ghosted you.”
“Damn right he did.” And I’m going to have my revenge. Me and demon got a plan.”
#vss365
2022-11-30
“That’s an enormous #swan.”
“What are we supposed to do?”
“Well, Son, you putt the ball into its mouth, hard enough to go up and over its long neck, so it will drop out like an egg from its rear, hopefully for a hole-in-one.”
#vss365
2022-11-28
As the ship sank, one lone sailor rowed away to safety. His relief, however, was short-lived. The #Kraken had saved room for dessert.
#vss365
2022-11-27
Lovers lie in moonlight as #frogs jump into the pond.
#vss365
2022-11-26
They were #lupine crazy with their howling, gnashing of teeth, and sudden charges. But none fazed the pack’s leader. They were scared, and he was not.
#vss365
2022-11-23
“So that’s the guy?”
“Yep, a real stool #pigeon, he is.”
“Sits at the bar every day?”
“Every fricken day.”
“Why don’t you just shoot the bastard?”
“Got a note on his leg. Says his buddies will come in and shit on more than the stool if he doesn’t return home in time.”
#vss365
2022-11-22
“That’s #weird.”
“So weird.”
“Weider than weird.”
At 12 years old, camping in the woods without adults seemed like a good idea. But they were having second thoughts.
The boys older brothers giggled in the distance as they played another sound through the loudspeaker.
#vss365
2022-11-21
Her #grasp was slipping; she told me to let go. But I could not.
My waist slid closer to the edge; she told me to let go. But I could not.
We fell; she told me to never let go. I did not.
#vss365
2022-11-19
We #behaved badly that night and suffer in mental anguish to this day. All but one of us, she’s still there covered in dirt.
#vss365
2022-11-17
“The tree was #sturdy. Two hundred and forty six years old.”
“Why did it fall?”
“Decay from within.”
#vss365
2022-11-13
Mark #bailed out of the plane with a purpose. Landing in the dark, he buried his parachute and set out to become a hero; the year was 1944.
#vss365
2022-11-13
“#Shellac-a-quack.”
“Shellac-a-what?”
“It’s a #vss365 earworm, and I need to get it out.”
“But it makes no sense.”
“Don’t care. It’s got to go.”
“Do you always think out loud?”
“You should know.”
“How?”
“You are me.”
#vss365
2022-11-10
“Look! #Ophidian.”
“There’s another one.”
“Oh, I see more. Some are red, others blue.”
“And that one changed colors when I saw it getting ready to strike.”
“Ophidians in the grass, I tell you. Ophidians in the grass.”
#vss365
2022-11-07
The ghost of Mary Long became #torpid after her last victim fell to his death.
As her energy faded, she disappeared, unable to materialize for another ten years, leaving the men of Siviland safe until her return.
#vss365
2022-11-07
Mary’s flowing white dress blew softly in the wind as her toes hung over the #promontory’s edge. “Should I jump?”
“Yes,” said her jilted lover as he ran to push her off the cliff, passing right through her to his death below.
Her ghost claiming another victim.
#vss365
2022-11-05
“That’s it, a #caper see. There were six of them doing it all over the place.”
“Did you get a good look at them?”
“Yeah, sure. Cute little things. All lambs.”
#vss365
2022-11-04
Me, her, #flirtation
Eyes fixed, heart beating, we smile
Hand out, dance, first kiss
#vss365
2022-10-29
“#Brim is grim,” said he.
“Why so grim, Brim,” said I.
“I’ve overflowed.”
#vss365
2022-10-27
“You broke easily,” said Mistress Cane.”
“I guess I’m not so #indomitable after all,” replied a voice from below.
#vss365
2022-10-26
Jimmy jumped excitedly as baking soda slurry erupted like #molten lava. His project was done.
At school, he tripped and started to cry. His mother comforted him with a whisper.
“That’s interesting,” said his teacher.
“It’s Mount St Helens,” he replied with a smile.
#vss365
2022-10-23
“Hive Five!”
“Not now, Jr. I’m watching the game.”
“Hive Five!”
“Honey!.”
“He will grow out of it.”
Frustrated, Dad went outside.
“High Five,” said Mom to Jr.
“#Hive-Five,” he replied with a slap.
Picking up the remote, Mom changed the channel.
#vss365
2022-10-22
“Power is a funny thing. It can be euphoric when given and downright frightening when taken away. The King found this out the hard way. So I ask you again. Do you want this bloody crown or not?”
“Not, for it has no real #power. It is you—.”
“SILENCE HIM”
#vss365
2022-10-21
Lower your dreams, #cast away your ambitions. You are nothing. That’s what they taught us. At least, that’s what they thought. The year is 2030, and we are still free.
#vss365
2022-10-19
“They mastered the rectangle?”
“They did.”
“They made porn freely attainable from it?”
“They did.”
“They did nothing to block it from kids?”
“They did not.”
“They will not go #unscathed.”
“They will not.”
#vss365
2022-10-17
The #enormity of it all was overwhelming. Not one by, two by, three, or a hundred, did they go. No, the majority of them went right off a cliff, all surprised by the sudden stop at the bottom.
#vss365
2022-10-17
A numb #stare consumed as a lone man sat in his yard—the house destroyed by Katrina’s surge. The stare was not his but mine, and I would see many others before nightfall.
#vss365
2022-10-16
#Words cannot describe your beauty. And I’m at a loss as to why you ever married me.
Happy Anniversary, Babe.
#vss365
2022-10-14
I lie #awake as ridge winds howl, bending tent poles throughout the night; by morning, snow has covered my sleeping bag. Shivering, I take a pencil and write: Check weather report before next hike.
#vss365
2022-10-13
“So you want to see #seraphim. Why?”
“So I’ll have proof.”
“What if you had proof there was no Heaven? Would you still be good, or would you do your heart’s desire?”
“My heart’s desire. Why not?”
“Son, I wouldn’t worry about seeing angles anytime soon?”
#vss365
2022-10-12
“My #eyes adore you,” I said, thrusting. “But my heart despises you. We are no longer one.”
Leaving the knife in his chest, I lifted off, slipped on my dress in the flickering light of a neon sign, and left the room.
#vss365
2022-10-10
“Now listen to me, child, the mare in #nightmare means demon. And they’ll be a come’en for you on the 31st. So stay awake and don’t answer the door. You’ll be dreaming if you do, and LAWD, the horror you will see.”
#vss365
2022-10-09
Joe staggered down the sidewalk, his fingers dragging the concrete. Looking up, he mumbled, “Kensington Ave, home of the #endless nightmare.”
#vss365
2022-10-08
Like a kite, the tiny #spider flew, lengthening its web with each gust until it landed on a nearby branch.
#vss365
2022-10-07
“Keep going,” the man yelled with no concern for pulled muscles.
“Don’t you stop now, you son-of-a bitch,” he yelled again with no regard for thirst.
Summiting, the man’s poor #creature died for greed and gold not far from Dawson.
#vss365
2022-10-06
“Now, Goblin, why so mischievous?”
“You’d be mischievous too if all the other sprites called you ugly and grotesque; they hurt my feelings.”
“I see your point. But it does not give you the right to go around acting like a #Hobgoblin.
#vss365
2022-10-05
1522
“Found another body in the #moor, My Lord.”
“Is it holding a rectangular?”
“It is.”
2022
“Sir, our last time traveler sent back a message. It reads I’m lost and unable to get a signal.”
#vss365
2022-10-04
#October leaves rustled as they pulled into an abandoned motel parking lot. Inside, my mother gave birth, and I’ve been on the run ever since. It was 1931.
#vss365
2022-10-03
The #ink flowed effortlessly from the pen; he was a writer. Famous beyond his wildest dreams.
“No, scratch that.”
His pen flowed across the page with––
“Crap! I suck at this.”
He watched YouTube for the rest of the night. The pen dropping from his hand.
#vss365
2022-10-02
A #shiver of glass slowly turned red as blood rolled across its edge. Hitting the floor by the bathroom sink, this tiny spot would be the killer’s undoing.
#vss365
2022-10-01
The lady beside me stopped singing mid-#verse to ask, “Don’t you know the lord?”
“I know he doesn’t want me singing right now.”
“Nonsense,” she whispered. “Sing.”
So I did.
“On second thought,” she nudged, “we should never question the lord.”
#vss365
2022-09-30
He wished for the calm of a mother’s #lullaby as chaos broke out around him—his people choosing evil over good.
#vss365
2022-09-29
It was quiet inside the #taxi as the gunman’s hand trembled. The slightest movement of his index finger and the driver would be dead. Slowly he lowered the gun. There would be no suicide today.
#vss365
2022-09-28
The #drama of Hurricane Ian on TV was too much for me to handle, so I went outside. And boy, was I blown away.
#vss365
2022-09-27
They made us #antisocial. Buy online, only use the drive-through, Tiktok Tiktok. Who’s your friend? Not I said the bird. Now we’re nothing but a face in their book.
#vss365
2022-09-26
“David, come sit a #spell.”
“There’s no time for that, Dad. An asteroid is going to hit the earth in nine days.”
“All the more reason to come sit a spell. Don’t you think?”
#vss365
2022-09-25
#Liquid dreams took them to a happy place. Oh, how they loved it there, the body, forsaken.
#vss365
2022-09-25
A #twist of fate brought them together on a September store shelf. One a skeleton, the other an elf. “Pick me. Pick me,” they yelled while the turkey sat quietly.
#vss365
2022-09-23
Wings #flutter along yellow lines.
#vss365
2022-09-21
She would #pop in and out of my life, at times older, others younger; beautiful nonetheless. And those period clothes were a trip.
#vss365
—————————-
Rushed
“This way, friends, utopia awaits.”
They all #rushed in, their dreams finally coming true.
Seconds later, their nightmare began as each fought for the parts most desired until the whole of it was on fire.
The devil laughed and closed the gate.
Bloom
From a #bloom of iron came a new blade of death, easier to produce than bronze. Now, entire armies could hack themselves into a warrior’s grave. Their sword bent 180 degrees.
Entwined
We were #entwined in a lost love that was never meant to be. Unable to escape, our hearts grew cold.
Vampire
#Vampire eyes trapped my soul before her teeth ever pierced my neck—a feeling of first love never to be. I dropped to the floor in ecstasy.
Anew
The caterpillar #anew emerges a butterfly.
Rare
A #rare winter storm fell upon the people. The streets were impassable, and the grocery store shelves empty; a dire situation indeed. But the Lord sent a miracle, and two inches of snow melted. True story, y’all.
Cunning
#Cunning is thy name and deceit thy game; one land to fall to control them all. A lifelong dream of world domination is close, but your worst nightmare soars overhead.
Treasure
“#Treasure your last bit of freedom,” said grandfather to grandson. “Your parents have sold you down the river for a promised utopia that will never come. And you will have to fight to get it back. No superheroes to save the day, your struggles will be real.”
Outcast
“I was an #outcast,” said John angrily.
“And–you’re not one now?”
“No, a lot of people have accepted me. The rest can go f%*k themselves.”
“I’m beginning to think you were never an outcast.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re just an asshole, as far as I can tell.”
Alter
“Should we slow down and #alter our course?” “No, full steam ahead,” said the Captain of the Titanic.
Melody
“The #melody of life has been disrupted by overzealous governors who want us to tune out freedom for the songs of socialism.”
“Nonsense, governors care about us.”
“They do?”
“Sure, now take another drink. Everything is gonna be alright.”
“Dude, you should write a song.”
Stalwart
“Can you tell me what you saw?”
“A faint image at first, then it materialized into a man. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m as #stalwart as the next person, but that scared me to death.”
“Mrs. Wilson, you are dead. The man you saw closed on this house yesterday.”
Measure
“#Measure twice cut once,” said Mark.
“What the hell does that have to do with me cutting off my finger?” exclaimed Ricky.
“Nothing, I just thought it was funny.”
“Go to hell.”
Both carpenters laughed at the sight of Ricky’s missing middle finger.
Expanse
Adam closed his eyes as the #expanse of his mind opened. And, unlike other test subjects, he released his fear and explored all within. Awakening hours later, he said, “Don’t go there, never go there.” he repeated over and over again for the rest of his life.
Silent
#Silent! You gave up your freedoms in 2020, and all manuscripts must be pre-approved by the government. Self-Publishing is dead, just like your words.
Portent
A witch wrote in blood: Never write the vss365 word #___________ or bad things will fall upon you.
“I can not see it,” replied her son.
“Use your third eye; I assure you it is there.”
Dear
#Dear Mother, Johnny’s gone, I tried.
Sex
“You’re all robots; I just programmed you to think you were human.”
“You’re crazy; robots can’t have #sex and get pregnant.”
“You got me. Can’t get nothing by you, can I?”
“We’re all robots; who does he think he’s messing with.”
Despair
Mike and his fellow co-workers have watched the sunset and rise 182 times in a row; today, they did not. No one went near the window. The asteroid was massive, and the earth looks dead as they obit above it in #despair.
Hearts
We are old and fading, our #hearts beating as one. The best year of my life was with you; I only wish we could have had the other seventy-eight.
Mosaic
Lisa held up a glass #mosaic depicting a family Thanksgiving. Her father knocked it from her hands, causing it to shatter.
“Why she yelled?”
“Because you didn’t make that?”
“I know our class did. I only made this piece. It represents our family. Now it’s broken too.”
Parade
Phil marched alone on his birthday, a #parade of one, beating his drum in uniform for his high school marching band’s lost members. He was 98 years old.
Wax
The #wax figure stood prominently for all to see.
“Who is he?”
“He’s your brother.”
“But I don’t have a brother.”
“We all have a big brother; he protects us.”
“From who?”
“Neighbors who ask too many questions.”
“I ask questions.”
The next day the father stood alone.
Mirror
Cashlin crawled out from the rubble of a shaken city. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a small #mirror and reapplied her lipstick. The earthquake destroyed a lot of things, but vanity was not one of them.
Collaborate
“I’m so frustrated,” said Karen. “The host wants me to write a story using every letter of the word #collaborate. OMG, is he a boomer or something? We don’t have the energy to say whole words anymore. Why? Why? Why? Someone please collab with me.”
Together
“Mrs. Dumpty, we got your husband put back #together again.”
“Wonderful–Honey, how do you feel?”
“A little empty, but I’m okay.”
“Boys, come back here. What did you do with Humpty’s yoke? Do I smell bacon and egg? That better not be bacon and egg I smell.”
Plump
“#Plump she was my friend, beautiful girl; kept me warm at night. But the food eventually ran low, and we lost weight; weren’t anything but skin and bones after that. Starvation didn’t kill her, though; the cold did. Froze right up after all that plumpness went away.”
Jam
“Peanut butter and jam, peanut butter and jam, peanut butter and jam. Jam jam ja–.”
A shoe thrown by Billy’s mother caught his attention, but only for a moment.
“Peanut butter and jam, peanut butter and jam, peanut butter and jam. Jam jam #jam.”
Laughter
#Laughter was hard to come by after Yellowstone blew; the misery of it all was depressing. But there she was, eight-year-old Lilly, my beautiful daughter, laughing as she played in the sand, in a blue dress made by her mother who died three months earlier.
Reborn
#Reborn as a man who values life, Timothy had to adjust his ways. In his former, his name was Akuma.
Translational
“It was pure #translational motion, a bullet moving through air. I recorded it in slow motion. Pieces of the target flew away in all directions. The rest of it fell to the ground. I would show you the video, but they won’t let mass murders have souvenirs.”
Superstitions
“Who made #superstitions?”
“The Devil.”
“Why?”
“To see how stupid people were.”
“Poor Momma, she threw salt over her shoulder. I need to tell her.”
“Tell me what, sweetie?” asked Momma.
“How stupid you are?”
Daddy nervously rubbed sweeties red hair.
Miniature
Every night, the #miniature figures marched. And every morning, Tommy put them back on the shelf. However, on this night, they made it to their destination. Tommy’s sheets were soft, stained with blood, but soft nonetheless.
“We can’t #print that.”
“Why?”
“Look at it, Jim. Advertisers won’t buy ad space.”
“I don’t understand; it’s good journalism.”
“Nobody wants the truth, so lies are what we give them. Green runs the world son, and it cares nothing about your morals.”
Scotland
“You from #Scotland?”
“Yes.”
“Wear dresses there, eh?”
“It’s a kilt.”
“Looks like a dres–.”
“What’s it look like from the ground?”
“Looks like you need some underwear.”
Excited
The students were #excited at first. Their dream of democratic socialism realized. Funny how the party doesn’t care what they think anymore. And why did they drop democratic from the name?
Fudge
The #fudge was delicious as a cigarette, a whiskey shot, heroin, sex with strangers. We all have our addictions.
Divine
“It was #divine intervention,” they said when an unseen asteroid collided with the one headed for earth. They thought differently when pieces of both rained down in a hail of fire and brimstone.
Pour
“#Pour me another bartender.”
“I think you’ve had enough.”
“2020 sucks! I’ll tell you when I’ve had enough.”
“Sir, it’s 2021.”
“How long have I been sitting here?”
“Long enough. And by the way, you don’t need that mask anymore.”
Solace
Looking for #solace, Brent aimed then pulled the trigger, causing time to slow down as the bullet hit its target. He could see the man’s face now; it was his. Awakening, at the hospital, he screamed, “Let me die, please let me die.”
Vote
“Our #vote doesn’t count,” said Eric, “let’s stay home.”
“Then why do they spend millions to get them?”
Ink
The power went out first, so my computer was useless. Then the world’s #ink supply ran dry. Pencils disappeared next—followed by crayons and the like. Everything capable of letter creation was gone, except for the chisel. It was maddening, and rewrites were hell.
Oneiric
Swooning, Amara said, “He’s so #oneiric.”
“Yes, but look at the size of his penis.”
“I have,” she smiled. “An intellectual indeed. A great husband he will make.”
Seaside
It was a #seaside mystery. Abram’s head was boiling in a pot of water, while thousands of fiddler crabs moved about in the distance. Two lobsters had fled the scene earlier, making them suspect. But the oyster’s pearl was red.
Even
A man, patch over one eye, waited outside the hospital for his attacker to be released. Seeing him, he confronted the old guy and asked, “Are we #even?”
“Yes,” he replied.
Shaking hands, the two one-eyed men walked to the bar where it all happened to have another drink.
Banshee
“Brother, you’re not going to believe this. A woman came to my window last night; said she was from Fairyland. I think her name was #Banshee. Anyway, I brought her in, and we went at it. Did you hear her wailing?”
Brother could not answer; he was dead.
Curious
The cat was #curious the dog was not and lifted his long ears off the ground. Walking away, he looked back momentarily through bloodshot eyes, then sniffed as the cat ran by. “Yep, that was a skunk,” he said in a long drawn out southern bloodhound dialect.
Pass
“The #vss365 word of the day is rock.”
“Pass.” “How about enate?”
“Pass.”
“Finger?” “The middle one?”
“No.”
“How about #pass?”
“Ooh! Now that’s a good one. I can write something with the word pass.”
“Then, do it already!”
“Okay, you don’t have to get so testy about it.”
Naked
“Which rule of three will I need to satisfy first,” ask the student, “shelter, water, or food?”
“Go into the woods, sit #naked for one hour, and you will have your answer.”
The student sat chilled by the temperature. The teacher watched from a hidden camera.
Round
“Round here, we settle things the old fashion way. Now you back up to me, and we’ll walk away from each other ten paces turn and fire.”
Each man began to walk and count. One. Two. Three. Bang! A shot rang out; the stranger was dead.
“#Round here, we lie a lot too.”
Cat
Smoky and Joe stood nervously in the house; their family had vanished moments earlier. Suddenly Smoky disappeared too; he was a good #cat. Joe, on the other hand, was mean as the devil himself and stood alone, wondering how he was going to get out of the house.
Back
Her eyes closed, she wanted to go #back in time. But it was too late; Jake left without her. “I should have got on board,” she whispered.
“Then do it,” said Jake. “You know I’m going to keep coming back until you do. It’s a time machine for God’s sake.
Debut
His #debut instant wealth book was six hundred and sixty-six pages long. It promised riches, and all Jim had to do was place his right hand on the last page, which he did. In an instant, he was rich. But life is short, and eternity was a different story.
Biblioklept
“So, you’re the book thief.”
“I beg your pardon; I’m a #biblioklept. How dare you use such common words on a man of my caliber.”
“How many have you read?”
“None, I can’t read.”
“Sit, I will teach you,” said the librarian. A man of your caliber must be able to read.”
Ocean
The waves crashed onshore beneath Cherry Grove Pier; the moon was full. I kissed her. All these years later, and I can still hear the #ocean and taste the salt on her lips. We were drinking margaritas.
Mandolin
The class was given the word “#Mandolin” to use in a very short story, and everyone’s thoughts turned to the music it made. But mine did not because it was my daughter’s name and she died three years ago. Her sweet music no longer plays for me.
Detour
“Nobody takes the #detour,” he said. “Work on the bridge was postponed.”
Smiling, she took his hand as the sign’s flashing yellow light faded into the distance. “Why was it postponed?” she asked.
“They found the bodies of three young girls buried under the bridge.”
Sapphire
“I found one daddy; it’s the color of a #sapphire.”
“Good job, sweetheart, those are precious. Very few of them exist in the Universe.”
“Can we go there?”
“One day.”
“Please.”
“One day,” he said again as he took another look through the telescope.
Drop
“Anything for a #drop of water.”
“I will give you water for your soul.”
“Anything to stop this eternal fire from evaporating my water.”
Verve
“I don’t like using the word #verve.”
“My dear son, how can we ever set ourselves apart from the commoners if you refuse to speak in a way that makes no sense to them.”
“I don’t want to be set apart, they are my friends,” replied the boy with great energy and enthusiasm.
Farm
“When I was a kid, we had to make it on our own in the wilderness. We didn’t have the #farm back then.”
“How did you survive without it?”
“You mean, how did they survive,” replied the bull as he was being forced into the trailer.
“DAD!”
Longueurs
“Your book had #longueurs that left me nothing to imagine for myself. I could have watched a movie if I wanted to be passive.”
“Great, another smug writer.”
“No, just a reader,” he replied as he returned the author’s second book to the shelf.
Gloaming
A Scottish man stands in the #gloaming, his crops scorched; winter nears. From bloodshot eyes comes his rage. “They have destroyed everything but my sword,” he said. “I can not eat it nor can my enemy, but it will be in his gut by dawn.
Littoral
“Mister Mike, you can build a fish trap right there, by pushing sticks in the mud along the #littoral zone.”
“You sure are smart.”
“I’m not just smart; I’m computer smart.”
“But, the EMP destroyed your computer.”
“Aren’t you glad I didn’t waste my time playing games?”
Hydrangea
“I can’t think of a good story using the word #hydrangea.”
“You suck as a writer.”
“No, I don’t. I’m just having a bad day.”
“No, you suck!” I said again to myself.
Potvalor
“#Potvalor, dutch courage, liquid courage, whatever you want to call it, I’ve got it, so you better not F@*k with me.”
“Mr. Brooks, that’s what you told the man that sent you here.”
“Sent me where?”
“The hospital. Now let me take a look at that broken nose.”
BuckShot
The old man pulled the trigger, and the #buckshot flew hitting its target. “Boy should have stolen my shotgun instead of the pistol. I can’t hit shit with the pistol.”
Slough
Riddled with buckshot from the old man’s gun, the boy ran through the #slough, its waters trailing red with blood. Then a shot rang out, and the old man wondered, had he saved himself or killed himself. Those were your choices when mired in the slough at night.
Sinew
The slough had but one ghost until recently; a midnight demon with bones sewn together with #sinew. But now there’s another, a boy, bleeding from his temple, who appears to those trapped in its mire. “Don’t fear your demons, lest you become one yourself,” he’d say.
Aurora
A beautiful #aurora showed overhead, but no one looked up, preferring to look down at the blinding white light coming from their hand.
Languor
#Languor – An oppressive stillness of the air – or a humid, muggy, sultry, sticky, steamy, stifling, suffocating, clammy soup that will give you swamp ass here in the south.
Effervescent
“Let’s hear it for #Effervescent,” exclaimed the DJ from behind his mic as the young girl walked out on stage with her big blue eyes, but only one person saw them; her father, who had tried to bring her home moments earlier, but failed. His little girl was gone.
Panacea
Goddess #Panacea was all healing and able to end human death. Now the first words spoken by every child are, “How do I get off this overcrowded planet?” They learn this because it’s the only words they hear.
Sapid
“Sapid. Saaapid. SAPID! SapidSapidSapid. #Sapid?”
“Alright, everyone, quiet on the set. Take one.”
“Look cool while treating yourself to a strong but pleasant tasting cigarette. Sapid Cigarettes, a taste to die for.”
Inure
#VSS365 is where you get a prompt like #inure to write a story with.”
“Where do your ideas come from?”
“I use the first thing that pops into my head.”
“Do you always talk to yourself?”
“I’m not talking to myself, I’m a writer, and this conversation is taking place in my head.”
Ambrosia
“Eat the #ambrosia; you will be immortal,” he said. So I did, then looked in the mirror and saw an old man staring back at me. Probably should have done this when I was a little younger, I thought.
Penetralia
“What do you call this place?”
“#Penetralia.”
“Seems fitting enough.”
“You want a can of beans?”
“Sure, what else you got down here?”
“Bullets, water, medical supplies. You know the usual stuff.”
Carrel
Sometimes the words hide, and you are unable to write your #vss365. So you sit in the #carrel feeling useless to the world. Then finally, an idea pops into your head.
Zephyr
The chaotic winds were at war, the #zephyr lost, and the unprepared died quickly; for those who were, death came slower, but it took them nonetheless.
Benthos
I flipped from the cliff and slammed into the water. Passing out, I slowly sank to the #benthos. Awakening, I looked up at the surface light and pushed off. “Don’t breathe, not yet,” I said. Breaking the surface. I sucked in air as cheers came from above. True story.
Constellate
Rioters and looters #constellate among the peaceful protesters using them as shields and tainting their message.
Ingurgitate
The students #ingurgitate all that is fed to them without reading the ingredients.
Periapt
“It won’t save you,” said the women.
“Excuse me?”
“Your lucky charm, it won’t save you. You’re going to starve like the rest of us.”
“True, it’s just a #periapt of no value to anyone but me.”
The women nodded, not knowing it contained a fish hook and line.
Submontane
#Submontane pronounced [suhb-mon-teyn] pertains to being under or at the lower part of a mountain. The mountain tops, just like politicians, believe they are the pinnacle, but the truth is, they are nothing without their base.
Velleity
The writer had a #velleity to write a novel but spent way to much time on social media, asking others how to write a novel. The answers he got were from other writers who also had a velleity to write a novel.
Scull
“I hit him in the head with my #scull.”
“I bet both of you saw stars after that.”
“Scull, not skull.”
‘What?”
“Never mind, help me bury the bastard before someone sees us.”
Nixed
“Why did you kill him?”
“He #nixed our deal.”
“You thought you had a sure bet on the race. Why didn’t you let me in on it?”
“Cause you talk too much, that’s why.”
“And yet, you asked me to help bury a man.”
“Good point, you better start digging a second hole.”
Skeptics
The #skeptics laughed as he built it, called him crazy when he brought animals on board—a fool for storing food and a son of a bitch for not letting them in as the water flooded the land beneath their feet.
Aesthetically
#Aesthetically, her face was no longer pleasing, worn down by a years-long volcanic winter. Struggling at the edge of extinction, she ate no more; such is a mother’s love. Her children must survive.
Pachyderm
A lot of people these days could never be a #pachyderm; they’re too thin-skinned. To survive in the world, you need to have thick skin and be able to withstand the barbs thrown at you. From childhood to adulthood, they never stop.
Xenophobe
Two strangers approach and decide as to whether or not the other is a threat. One turns and walks across the street, while the other yells out, “#xenophobe!” Continuing, he approached another stranger and robbed him. The moral of the story, strangers, can be good or bad.
Charisma
#Charisma fell upon the man, giving him a fighting chance, in a world focused on looks, of which he had none. But his charm blinded the superficial eyes of all he met, allowing them to see the beauty that resides in all of us.
Pandemic
“We are the last one hundred, and ten of us are sure to die from the #pandemic. What should we do?”
Fifty people quickly voted to destroy the lives of all in the hopes of saving one of the ten. The other 50 said, “Wait, what?”
Ostracized
“I have an opinion too,” said Sarah.
“Not the right opinion,” replied Betty.
The other girls #ostracized Sarah too.
“Come with me,” she pleaded with her friends, reclaim your individuality.”
Fearing they would be without a group, they did not. But could’ve had both.
Schism
#Schism does not sound pleasant to the ear.”
“How about division, any better?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“OK, you have created a division among our group. So pack your shit and get out of here.”
“Now those are words I can understand! Good day sir. And I hope you rot in hell.”
Dinosaurs
“The kids think we’re #dinosaurs, Dave. Too old to know anything.”
“I know they can’t even remember being free.”
“Yep, their grandparents sold them down the river back in 2020.”
Galaxy
“This place is not big enough for the two of us,” said the God of War.
The God of Peace agreed, walked a #galaxy away, turned, and fired. BANG! And just like that, a new universe was created.
Exorcise
“I said, I’m going exorcising with a friend of mine, and he said, ‘It’s about time, that ass of yours is getting out of hand.'”
“Why the hell did you ever marry that demon? You should #exorcise him.”
Phobia
“What is your #phobia?”
“Fear.”
“Fear?”
“Yes, I’m afraid I’m not good enough, of being in debt, to die, and so on. Life is scary; I’m afraid of everything.”
“What scares you the most?”
“I told you, fear.”
“That will be $200, pay on your way out.”
“But….”
Nostalgic
“It’s been quiet and peaceful out here ever since the day, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, but I’m #nostalgic for the hum.”
“It did make life easier.”
Hero
“You don’t become a #hero with the pinning of a badge,” said the Captain to the rookie.
“If not then, when?” he asked.
“You’re about to find out,” he replied as they arrived at a fully involved high rise fire. “People trapped on the third floor. Are you ready, kid?”
Paper
It’s a piece of #paper that formed a government for the people by the people. A government ruled not by kings. It’s a piece of paper that protects our freedom; unless we let it slip away into the hands of tyrants to be burned, unknown to our children.
Agape
#Agape is a Greek word for love; some would say an unconditional love. But is not all love unconditional? If not, it’s nothing more than an overused word with no meaning at all.
Math
“I’ve done the #math Mr. Tech. Population numbers are outstripping resources.”
“What are our choices?”
“Do nothing and let nature run its course.”
“The other?”
“Create a virus, scare everyone, then give them a vaccine that will secretly destroy their kid’s DNA.” “Do it.”
Numbered
“Mr. Tech, the vaccine we used in 2020 to curb population growth, has succeeded. There is only one problem.”
“What is it?”
“The kids with corrupted DNA have mated with our kids.”
“How long do we have?”
“Our days are #numbered. Extinction in 69 years.”
Calculus
Titus removed the last #calculus from his board. He had nothing left, having squandered his fortune in the ’80s. Rome, once a kingdom of gold, is turning into one of rust and iron.
Theorem
I stared at the #vss365 prompt word for the day, my mind blank. I had no story to tell. Then I laid down a stencil and painted it red, another white—the next blue. Finally, the last stencil—fifty stars, white. My #theorem painting representing the story of America was complete.
Logic
“The 2020 word of the year is #logic.” “HAHAHAHA!” “What’s so funny, Snoopy?”
Manifold
“You got your manifold right here, and this is your dipstick.”
“You’re a dipstick.”
“Alright, boy, you about to find yourself a #manifold of problems if you don’t pay attention.” “Dipstick.”
“Kid without a car for the weekend.”
Torus
I says to him, ‘you done #torus apart with your cheatin’ and imma fixin’ to leave you….’ And he snaps at me, ‘Where you gonna go.’ And I says to him as I pulled that trigger, ‘You didn’t let me finish–imma fixin to leave you dead on the floor.’
Field
The #fields of plenty have vanished, causing the population of all species to drop and become balanced once again.
Zero
“They say #zero.”
“No they don’t, it’s blastoff.”
“Both of you are wrong. It’s liftoff.”
“Blastoff sounds cooler.”
“Yeah, it does,” they all agreed.
5
4
3
2
1
Blastoff
Their cardboard rocket slowly lifted off the ground, the universe before them.
One
“She’s the #one–hiccup.”
“Are you sure, Jim?”
“Yep.”
“He’s the one–burp.”
“Are You sure, Ann? You’ve had a lot to drink.”
“Yep.”
Later that night, it was paradise by the dashboard lights.
Later that year, they were praying for the end of time.
Group
“Son, when I grew up, it only took one superhero to defeat the bad guy. Or, at most, one superhero and a sidekick. Hell, these days, it takes a whole damn #group.”
“There’s a lot more bad guys these days, Dad.”
“You got that right.”
Triangle
The old woman rang a #triangle. Hearing it, the men came in from the field; breakfast was ready.
“Grandma, did your mom teach you to cook on an open fire?”
“No, my mom never taught me anything. She was to busy; she loved her computer more than me.”
“What’s a computer?”
Negative
Some people say I can’t write. Say my books are full of grammatical errors. And I say why so #negative? The stories I tell don’t come from the paper; they come from the mind, and I ain’t got no rules in there.
Archaeological
An #archaeological dig has uncovered evidence of a high tech civilization that lived in the time before time. Studies have shown they all died out of fear, afraid to go to work, living in their safe bubbles until they ran out of money and food.
Ulotrichous
“Words in a story flow like musical notes,” said the professor, “throw in one like #ulotrichous, and you break the reader’s rhythm. Some can play it, but most should not.”
“Did he insult us,” asked Jane?
“You maybe, but not me, I could play the hell out of that word.”
Pauciloquent
“Mornin.”
“Mornin.”
“How much?”
“For what?”
“That sign.”
“Two dollars.”
“Know what it means?”
“No. You?”
“No.”
“Thank you. Come again.”
“I will,” said the man as he left with the sign under his arm. On it was the word #pauciloquent.
Groke
A boy sat on a log, hungry, but said nothing. The old man continued to eat.
“Where’re your parents?”
“Dead, they weren’t prepared.”
“And you?”
“I’m prepared.”
The old man laughed and took another bite.
POW! The boy was no longer a #Groke.”
timothyfrenchpublishing.com 