Writing Challenge: Word Economy

[Admin!]

It's writing challenge time! To enter, just post a ficlet (300-4000 words suggested) in this thread. When the voting for this month's OTM winners comes around, a voting poll will go up for this as well.

The Challenge: Be brief. Write a story of no more than 300 words.

The rules:

• Ficlets are not site canon.
  
• Characters must be Hammel canon.
  
• Entries must be less than 300 words.
  
• You can enter no more than five stories. Any ficlets posted after the original 5 will not be considered for voting. If you want to post more, however, have fun.
  
• Ficlets must be titled.

[Cameron Osiris]

Oh How We Regret Those Things We Do

Hammel Student Lounge
Two days before graduation.

“Hey Cam.” The blonde looked up at the other boy with a bright smile.

“Noah! What’s up?” He patted the spot next to him in the student lounge.

Noah smirked and took Cam up on his unspoken offer.

“Practicing?” Cam asked, nodding at Noah’s guitar.

“Something like that. Wanna help?”

Cam nodded vigorously and lifted up his Sparrow off the floor.

“You know I do.”

Noah began to play ‘Be My Escape’. Cam jumped in after he figured out what was going on, glad that Noah was willing to take on singing the lyrics.

“I’m stuck inside this rut that I fell into by mistake, and I’m being you to be my escape.”

Cam looked up at Noah every once in a while as the boy sang. They’d been friends for a long time, had jammed until the end of high school. He could tell by now, that Noah needed to talk to him about something.

The song ended and Noah let his guitar rest on his lap.

“Cam?”

Cameron raised an eyebrow at him.

Noah leaned in and pressed a kiss to Cam’s lips, unprovoked by a dare. Cam’s heart leapt and he deepened the kiss, their guitars touching as they scrambled towards one another. Sometimes life could be so sweet.

[Odion Martins]

A Stitch in Time

2021

“Chester.”

“Odion.”

“Can you help me?”

“Maybe.”

“Smart answers aren’t going to help either one of us.”

“Will dumb ones suffice?”

“...”

“Fine. What do you want?”

“Still rude as ever I see.”

“Still fucking assholes I see.”

“Aren’t you being recorded?”

“...”

“This is all rather amusing to me. You know, when I called I didn’t expect to hear your voice.”

“Yeah. Isn’t life hilarious?”

“More like ironic, but you’re still learning I suppose.”

“And you’re still a dick sucker.”

“And you’re still a twat.”

“How’s that brother of yours?”

“He’s great, thank you for asking.”

“You know I’ll never forgive you, either of you.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh don’t pretend like you don’t know. He wasn’t supposed to go to the same college as Cam and I. And you, you weren’t supposed to go back in time when I...”

“Isn’t that all water under the bridge Chester?”

“No. No it isn’t. And what’s stopping you from going back in time again? I hate this life.”

“And I really don’t care. If you win, I lose. Again, you’re still learning.”

“So you wouldn’t fix things if I killed myself right now?”

“I’d just bring you back, and keep bringing you back until you stop being pathetic.”

“What’s pathetic is you being so selfish.”

“I don’t really think so. After all, I’m seeking your counsel right now.”

“You knew I was working here!”

“Bravo Chester, would you like a reward? Or perhaps a salt lick? I know Lexus’ enjoys them.”

“I want my life back Hunter, got it?”

“Mmm, no.”

“Everyone will lose all faith in you once they realize what you’ve done.”

“You can refuse serving a customer. If you must.”

“Have a great day and thanks for calling Travel Agents For You.”

Click.

[Cameron Osiris]

So The World Didn’t End

2013

“It’s definitely,” she took a deep breath, “going to be,” she held back a scream, “a girl!”

Usually there weren’t so many people allowed into one hospital room at a time but itwasn’t like they all hated Tak.

“It’s probably going to be twins,” Carter said.

“They already know it’s only one baby,” Dom replied to his brother.

“And they don’t know the gender?” Cam asked.

Chester sighed. “She wanted it to be a surprise.”

Tak screamed aloud in pain and Kouji stroked her hair out of her face. “No matter what, I’m going to be here for you,” he cooed, and a chorus of rolled eyes followed.

“Are you almost done?” Chester asked.

Cam’s jaw dropped. “Chester! Seriously, calm your tits, she’s having a baby, not taking a shit.”

“We’ve been standing here for almost twenty four hours!” Chester yelled back, crossing his arms in front of him. “Longest shit of my life...” he said under his breath.

Dom shook his head and Carter snickered. “We’ve already decided on names,” they announced proudly.

“Like hell you have!” Piped in Kouji. “Who says it’s your baby, hm?”

“Who asked for your opinion?” Dom challenged.

Kouji stood up and poked his finger into Carter’s chest, finding the courage within himself from the situation they were all in. “You don’t even care about her or this baby, so if I were you-”

“All of you shut up right now or get out!” Tak yelled, giving another push and breathing hard.

Nearly a dozen eyes rested on her, and for that moment, reality settled in. Kouji went back to her side and kissed her forehead. Chester shook his head and left the room. Carter grabbed Cameron’s hand before he could go after Chester. “You’ve got to hear the name,” he insisted. Cam couldn’t help but smile. "Alright."

“Charmji!”

[Cameron Osiris]

Lifestyles

2017

“One day, when you’re famous, you’ll understand.”

---

The blonde had come a long way since Hammel. He, Mia, and Noah were a tight knit group, and along with a couple other graduate students, they had formed a band. After a while, they became very well known, and Cam was proud to send his dad a large cheque, just because he could.

Money wasn’t a problem now, it was definitely like living a dream. Cam had let the fame and fortune get to his head, and he’d also let a lot of people get into his bed too.

It was nice to get to Pilot Ridge once in a while and play shows for the high school students. Now he was the one imparting his favorite quote which he’d heard long ago to those who didn’t believe they couldn’t achieve their dreams.

But he wasn’t going to Hammel anymore, and he definitely was over the legal age.

Late night parties were a regular occurrence now, and not a single taxi wanted to bring him back to the hotel he was playing at next.

“Don’t you know who I am?!” He yelled at a passing blur, smacking the taxi’s trunk as it went by. Some people had no respect.

A bum held out his hand to Cam as he passed by, stumbling into the homeless man as he tried walking back to the local hotel instead.

“Oh, man! I am so sorry.” Cam held the shoulders of the man who was now desperately trying to get away from him. But he knew those eyes, and he knew that hair, even if it was covered in mud. They didn’t make his heart leap anymore. They’d stopped doing that a long time ago when Cameron could provide for himself. But the question leaped out of his drunken mouth before he could stop it.

“Chester?”

[Ravyn Rozanova]

How it Should Have Been

2013

"Kouji?" Ravyn stepped onto the empty soccer field, mildly confused.

"Here," he panted, running up from behind her. She gave him a smile. He looked like he had been running for miles. Why?

"Why did you ask me to come out here?" she asked.

"Because..." Kouji scratched his head, looking down at the ground. "I needed to tell you something."

"Well then, I'm all ears," she replied, laughing lightly. She couldn't help but notice the way his eyes wouldn't meet hers, though. Had she upset him somehow? Her heart twinged painfully at the thought - Kouji meant so much to her. If she had done something to hurt him -

Without warning, he reached out and latched his hands onto hers. Ravyn looked down. "Are you okay?" she murmured.

"I..." Kouji took a deep breath before lifting his head and meeting her gaze. "I've thought about this for a long time. And I don't know how to tell you, but..."

"Just tell me, silly," she replied, lifting one of her hands and cupping his chin with it. "You know you can tell me anything."

He nodded. Took another deep breath. "I'm in love with you," he finally blurted in a rush. Immediately he winced, as though he expected to be slapped.

Ravyn blinked a few times, processing the information. Oh. A moment later, a very wide, loving smile crossed her face. She had been waiting for this for a while.

"I love you too, Kouji," she replied; saying it made her feel like everything in the world was right for just that moment. "So much."

His eyes widened, and he looked up. "Really?" he whispered, the fear of rejection slowly leaving his face.

"Really," she promised, catching his chin once more and bringing their lips together for the first time.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

The Unlikely Pairing
2012
Note: Written in tandem with Nu.

---

“We’re more fucking creative than this...” Lucy and Chester sat together at a table in Home Economics class, decorating pens in hand and certain-sized blank onesie canvases to work with. “Brainstorm.”

“I’m a Bastard.” Chester picked up a red gel pen. “I Don’t Know Who my Daddy is.” Lucy nodded and picked up blue.

“My Mommy’s a Big Slut.” Lucy mused, looking over at Chester and frowning. “Too obvious? Am I supposed to be subtle?”

“She was never subtle... Hmm... I’ll Grow Up With Mommy/Daddy Issues.”

“Cartakdomstercamouji is my Daddy. That's what it's called, right?”

Chester was busy laughing to himself, adding the finishing touches to the phrase; Future Stripper.

“Mommy’s Little Mantrap.”

“I Won The Race but...” Chester paused, turning the material over. The phrase seemed to fit better on both sides; “All I Got Is My Mommy.”

“Not yellow. Use girly pink.” Lucy interjected, picking up the green pen; “Ha! Ca$hbag.”

“I’m With Slutty.” Chester offered, “With an arrow. Pointing up, probably.”

“My. Daddys’. Wallets. Love. Me.” Lucy spelled out, adding a flourish to her penmanship.

“Mommy’s Latest Screw Up.” Chester grinned into his work. Lucy seemed thoughtful for the moment before she interjected.

“Yeah but is it a screw up? Dude, she gets to own you for eighteen years. Eighteen years. She got one of your kids, got you for eighteen years- Hey!” Lucy stopped suddenly, grabbing the golden shimmering gel pen and articulating the words Future Gold Digger into the material. “Oh. And if that baby is yours, Tak gets to keep your balls for eighteen years.”

Chester’s response was somewhere between a snort, a laugh and an unamused grunt.

[Cobalt Weaver]

All These Things That I Have Done

Five important moments in five words.
-------

COBALT

“Hi! My name’s Danny Silverman!”

ESTELLE

“I think it’ll be okay.”

JANICE

Janice took her brother’s hand.

JACK

The violin started to sing.

WALTER

Then she said, “I do.”

[Lani Hunter]

Tricking the Trickster

“I can’t do it!” Lani screamed at the offending voice. Ever since the doctor had given him the life shattering news a few days ago all Lani had done was sit here and sulk.

“You’re not even trying,” the equally frustrated voice of Odion reached his ears, “Use your power.”

Lani shook his head and swung his face in the direction of the voice and attempted a glare at it. “You don’t understand,” Lani snarled through gritted teeth. It was the power that did this to him. Lani blinked and felt the accursed motion across his eyes but nothing the blinking did changed anything that he saw.

“Glaring at the plant is not going to get you out of bed.”

“Shut up,” Lani snapped unamused.

“Fine you don’t want try, just sit there. See if I care.” Odion said and Lani lay back on his pillows letting Odion know that he was going to do just that. He crossed his arms and turned his face to the ceiling. Was there even a ceiling? He heard the footsteps go out, and then he heard them come back. Time was a fickle thing in the darkness.

A hand fell on his and he jumped out of his skin with a yelp. Why did he have to keep doing that?

“Lani! It’s Caroline!” Odion’s alarmed voice told him as the phantom hand tugged him out of bed.

“What happened?” He asked alarmed and he swung himself out of bed staggering a little as his feet hit the cold tile. His power painted the room in his mind, there was the floor and there the door and the bed, there was Odion right next to him.

“She says ‘Hi’,” Odion said. Lani gaped in Odion’s general direction. “Told you so.”

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Virgil

Since he’s been here, he’s followed every rule...

As a child, Catholicism had resonated with Cobalt, the inevitable result of being raised in a Catholic orphanage. As an adult, he had internalized fears of Hell more than the promise of Heaven and salvation. Convinced that he was a terrible person, convinced that he had damned his closest friend and himself to Hell for a simple kiss as children, he became spiritually dead inside. Nearly drowning in guilt.

For decades.

The guilt would crush him bit by bit, and he knew that there was no hope for anything better.

Even when his life got better, he still believed, deep down, that he would lose everything. And that Hell awaited him at the end of his life.

Then, one day, Josh invited Cobalt over to his house for Passover. Danny was there, which went a long way in convincing the shadow manipulator, as well as Riley, Josh’s mother, and some of her friends from Temple. Despite having to deal with a group, it was a surprisingly enjoyable experience. The Hebrew reminded him of Latin mass from his childhood, and the customs held a familiar joy, reminding him of Easter.

Cobalt began attending Temple services with Josh and Danny every Saturday morning. The habit brought with it community, which he’d missed from church, as well as a cure for his spiritual angst. Judaism believed in neither Heaven nor Hell. Only in the importance of leading a good life.

Slowly, Cobalt came to see that he could live a good life. He just had to control his temper. Which was what brought him to Sean’s house one evening before Yom Kippur.

“What can I do for you?” The telepath asked in greeting.

“I want to apologize for everything I’ve done to you this past year...”

God would wipe his slate clean.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Amulet

“Is that a joint?”

Cobalt looked up in surprise and rushed to hide the offending item in his pocket.

“Where did you get that?”

Sean appeared disappointed, which concerned the teenager. It was easier to disappoint him than to make him angry, for instance, since nobody had ever managed to do that yet as far as he knew. Still, it was rare and he didn’t like being the cause.

“A kid at school.”

“I hope you didn’t pay for that. It’s technically a crime.”

Cobalt frowned up at him. “Is this where you lecture me about how you never used this and you don’t know what kids today are doing to themselves?”

That caused the disappointed expression to evaporate, replaced with a light smile. “This is where I remind you that people who want to grow up to be lawyers shouldn’t have police records.” The telepath then began to chuckle. “I’m also flattered that you think I’ve never smoked pot.”

Blue eyes widened behind a thick pair of glasses. “You’ve smoked pot?!?”

Sean’s smile widened. “I’ve been around the block. So I’m not going to lecture you about ‘morality’, especially since I think it should be legal. But it isn’t, and you need to be careful with what people see you do.”

It was a valid point, but the teenager hadn’t thought of that before. He was still at that age where real life consequences were more of an academic exercise. And besides... “Couldn’t you just make the police or the court or whatever forget for me?”

Sean’s smile evaporated, his eyes took on a far-away look and he was quiet for too long. Finally, he said, “We can’t use powers for personal gain. That’s why it’s just you and me.”

And not Josh.

“I’ll be careful,” Cobalt promised.

[Ethan White]

Pillow Talk

“Brax? You’re back early. I thought you’re going out drinking with Jack, Daniel and the others?”

“I did. See?” he said, pulling out a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels from the side of the bed.

“They ditched you?” The older boy asked as he sat beside Braxton, trying his hardest not to laugh.

“What? Me? No. No one ditches me.” The boy had the biggest pout on his face. His arms crossed in front of his chest only served to make him appear cuter. “Not my fault their girlfriends have them by the balls. Something about doing the dishes, helping cut the turkey. All those Thanksgiving bullshit. Whatever. I don’t care. They’re pussies.”

“Told you you should’ve come with. Ginny’s new boyfriend was a beast.” Arms instinctively wrapped around the younger boy’s waist, while Ethan placed his head lazily on the boy’s shoulders. “Jordan, Brea and I nearly got our asses handed to us.” They still won, as it’s always been for three years now, but it was close. Too close. “That, and you missed out on Brea’s apple-pecan pie. It was glorious.”

Braxton made a loud ‘blech!’ sound, making Ethan burst into laughter.

They stayed like that for a few more minutes, just sitting on the bed and staring blankly on the wall, until Ethan spoke.

“B?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you ever hold my hand in public?”

“…What?”

“Or at least let me hold yours when we’re out then?”

“Is this a trick question?”

“…”

“Know what, never mind.” Ethan felt that such was a futile effort – he doubts Braxton knew the answer himself anyway – so he simply gave the boy one last peck on the cheek and laid down on the bed, back to Braxton, and pulled the covers over his shoulders. “Go sleep. Long day tomorrow. Love you.”