The Short Stories

1 The Car, The Boat.

This life I lead, this interestingly small life. I have travelled a large distance that many people could never conceive. When I tell people that I have travelled they consider I have flown to another country, but in actual fact I've never been beyond Australia. Upon telling people this fact they then think of my travel experience as rather small, this is a terrible lie. In my almost 20 years of life, I have travelled many a kilometre, I have been to almost every place in New South Wales, I've been to half of South Australia, a bit of Western Australia, a little of Northern territory, the lower quarter of Queensland, around Victoria and three quarters of Tasmania. Then the people I speak to begin to ponder, they themselves may have travelled far but they had never considered the direction or medium that I could have taken. So in this interestingly small life, we all lead, look beyond the gimmicks of the sensational, turn around and look around.

2 Phrasing 

The struggle I find with speaking these days is that there is a constant struggle in communicating one's message from the delivery point to the receiver. It's not that I don't understand, it is just a point of phrasing. I was recently watching “The Wonderful world of henry sugar” a short netflix film based on the works of roald dahl. I found the opening to be like many others but then the characters started narrating the story and I got inspired. The inspiration was quite peculiar yet I then pulled up this document and started writing. Again I draw back to my subject matter, phrasing, you may be reading this in a rather monotone voice within your head (yes I am aware you are now quite aware of said voice). Phrasing is as stated something that must be looked at with a fair amount of detail, which is rather unfortunate in today's day and age. We cling to whims and subsequently cause chaos both on a physical and metaphorical level. The point of this short story is an admittance, admitting the interest in the form and the lack of hope in poetry as the world has become quite pathetic as it clings to the whims that it does. Phrasing is to blame, phrasing is what confuses everyone, phrasing is everything.

3 The Alien

I went for a walk today and I happened upon a small green figure, the figure appeared to look human, but was not. I asked for its name and it returned with something peculiar that I dare not repeat, out of fear that it may be mispronounced and taken to a point of disrespect. I asked the small figure what it was, it replied simply saying it was an alien. The alien then asked for my name and I responded respectfully. The alien showed me the nearby garden. To my somewhat surprise there was a small alien ship by a flowering rose bush. The ship played to cliches and was petit in form. The alien then spoke of their journey to earth, the alien spoke thus; “ i have travelled from my home, through the cosmos, i have escaped pirates and the corrupt but i now find myself here  after my home was destroyed by war, i am seeking temporary sanctuary, as i plan to return to my home.” The alien seemed in low spirits, I then asked the alien how long it planned to stay, the alien pepped up and responded that it would only need an earth day till it could return. I then spent the remainder of the day with the alien, we spoke of our lives and how we lived them, we spoke of our likes and dislikes and we bonded over our love for dessert food. It then became time for the alien to leave so I helped it back into the tiny ship and we farewelled. we haven't seen each other since. How I miss that alien, how I wish we could have spent one more hour together.

4 Train Tracks

I find myself standing in a railyard. The atmosphere feels thick, the lights are blaring brightly and the whole situation feels consuming. A man appears, it's the guard that looks after the rail yards during the evenings. The guard calls for me and I think for one brief moment to go with the guard and just leave, but I feel my legs begin to run in the opposite direction. I begin running as fast as my legs can take me. I weave between platforms, sleeping trains and other obstacles, until I find a tunnel. A warm breeze flows through the tunnel and on instinct I run into it, the guard stops at the opening and calls to me but I'm too focused on getting away. For a moment there is blackness, I fall back to walk. As I walk through the tunnel I see a flash of colour. The flash consumes the tunnel. I think to myself that I must be delirious. I begin to hear music in the tunnel, it's distant but it sounds encouraging, so I continue down the tunnel. Another entity begins to follow me from behind, an inhuman feeling creeps over me, I continue to walk. I check my phone and set a stopwatch, I say to myself two minutes and I'll turn around, I continue to walk. I check my phone, three minutes have passed. I turn to inquire with the following stranger, they charge toward me. I feel a release of pressure sensation followed by myself leaving my body, I now see the stranger attacking me, I think to myself, dead. I now roam the tunnel to alert people like me who happened to do the same as I. I made that choice 36 years ago now, not a soul saved. 

5 You Should Have Run

I find myself in a meadow, it's full of flowers and frolicking butterflies. I feel safe like a warm blanket is wrapped around me, the meadow is large and I can't see anything beyond the gentle rolling hills. I think about the journey that got me here, a choking sensation washes over me, a single tear drops from my eye. I wipe my face and fall back into the flowers below me, a golden beam of sunlight falls down to my face and I can't help but smile. For this moment I feel at peace; my worries are behind me for now at least. The world begins to shake and I sit up, I now find myself in a dark forest. I jump to my feet, looking around confused, i look around, my eyes fixating on an entity across from me. I realise who it is, it's me, but a darker version, a violent feeling of fear and horror rips through my entire body. Part of me says run, part of me says to stay. I take a fighting stance, I'm prepared to fight. I charge at my darker self preparing to tackle them. The ground shakes and I'm tossed against a nearby tree, I feel my heart beating in my throat. The darker version of myself approaches, laughing. She looks at me with fake sorrow, then a large smile creeps across her face as she picks me up she pins me to the tree, I was thrown against and holds me there by my neck. The world around us fades to a black void, but the tree remains. The darker version of myself begins to speak maliciously “you really thought you could beat me, what a joke, i am the beginning, the end and what shall remain in the expanse between those points! You are merely a distraction, a parasite hitching a brief ride, and it's about time you were removed. YOU ARE PATHETIC, YOU ARE NOTHING!”. I feel a burning liquid, similar to acid, fall down my face, the darker version of myself is crushing my skull, the burning liquid is my blood. I hear the dark version of myself laughing and smiling as my world fades to black.

6 The Offer

I want to make you an offer, 

This offer is something that comes around once in a lifetime, so think carefully about your decision. I better hear yes come out of your mouth at the end. 

What I am willing to provide you with is power. What power you may ask? It can be taken in the terms of super powers like the comic books artfully display, but that kind of power comes with great responsibility. This power can also be taken in positional power, that being a high standing celebrity with mass influence, in regard to politics, an influencer or someone known for their hard work. The final choice is to place the power within yourself. This may not mean you're well known or able to be the most physically strong in the room, rather to possess the strongest will power.

No matter what you choose, the power is ripe for the taking and I am merely in a position to offer it to you. I do not gain from your choice. I am simply the messenger in this situation. I again suggest you choose wisely as this again is an opportunity that comes to one in a million. This choice can make or break your whole life from this point. I shall give you time to make your choice but I do encourage you to say, yes.

7 Atoms

Tiny little specks, they make up everything. They move about pushing against each other, they can break apart when two types disagree. They explode, but they themselves never truly explode. Atoms are like humans in a society. They are a constant, atoms will always exist, like humans, they will always exist. Until both don't exist. How you may ask? When the world inevitably ends, there will be nothing. Everything will be vaporised and forgotten. There will be nothing to recognize the existence of another and so therefore the world would just be a void unable to remember times gone by. So writing this is now pointless, as it will eventually be forgotten and vaporised at the end. This dark subject matter both in the literal sense and figurative, can be understood in a variety of tones. The ironic comedian might exploit their own internal suffering and compare using overused metaphors and petty inconveniences. The everyday fellow that sits among the crowd, might consider the world they live in on one particular hard day of work, then return to their regularly scheduled content. The insane individual, the one that hears voices and experiences hallucinations, might come across it and upon reading it might hyper fixate on the meaning of this or may reject it completely. So where do you stand? You're the one who has to make a decision on what you have read. Will you take revelation from what you have learned and apply it or do you simply look at this with a passing glance, then forget it instantly after. You're better off just forgetting what you have seen, because the author won't even remember that this was written in an hour, taken by distractions and sensationalist exploitations crafted by another more influential person. In conclusion this inconceivable, conceivable thought of atoms and their reflections and inflections will now return to the back of your mind, that's if it remains at all. Farewell. 

8 Food for Thought

To be a plant is to lead a peculiar life. For most they sit in the dirt for their whole life out in the open air. Exposed to all the harsh elements but they keep growing and living. Should a plant gain sentience I would like to ask it some questions. My first would be to ask one that loses its leaves during the change in the seasons, whether it be a tree or a shrub, my question would be to ask if the plant experiences pain during this process or is it like cutting hair. My next question would be to ask what it is like during an extremely hot day or an extremely cold one. I would like to further this by asking how would a plant remain cool or warm respectively during those particular weather events. My third would be to ask a fruit bearing plant, like my first question, when growing a fruit or vegetable to the point of harvest, when it is picked what is the sensation felt as it is removed. I have seen with pumpkins that the stem attaching the vegetable to the plant turns brown and becomes brittle, yet with an orange the stem remains healthy and alive. I am well aware that all of these questions would most probably be answered by the internet or a scientist that studies this field. Yet I find myself excited with the lack of knowledge in this area. In my experience, for some cases I delight in the lack of knowledge. This may seem rather stupid to some but I enjoy letting my mind wander in certain subjects. If there is a lesson to be learned here then let it be this; you don't have to know everything about the world, allow yourself a simple mystery every now and again because it will inspire your creativity.

9 CONTENT.: CUT SECTION: Value Of Time

This is a cut section originally made for our up coming project known as "CONTENT." Although this was cut, we thought why let it go to waste, why not put it here! 

This world is all about ensuring a deadline is met. No matter what you are doing, something within your head or an external force is telling you when something should be completed. This is a point of the individual's odyssey both in future thought and recollection. 

Have you ever considered the little voice that allows you to discuss thoughts and ideas within your head? Perhaps the voice within your mind you somehow hear when reading? This same voice keeps the internal clock in your head. This little voice can lose track at times but once it learns how to keep time to a task it is fool proof.

Deadlines govern the world, there is always a time limit or guideline put in place. Even if it is not abundantly clear, there is always one there. Say you have a day where you have nothing to do, one of the first things most people do is consult a time telling device to check it. Then they get on with their day.

I find time is essential for tracking progress. As I am writing and performing this there is a certain degree of concern I place on the timing of each word, sentence and paragraph. This is an example of the value of time as it is closely linked to a person's care for a task.

10 CONTENT.: CUT SECTION: Generations 

This is a cut section originally made for our up coming project known as "CONTENT." Although this was cut, we thought why let it go to waste, why not put it here! 

Interacting with people from many walks of life is something that can be educational and inspiring. What is particularly interesting is learning from people from different generations. I myself am a part of the snowflake generation, better known as gen Z. 

The past will always be the past and that obviously can never change, so this means we must learn from past transgressions. This education from the past can point us as the group and the individual in the right or incorrect direction.

By taking the wrong message we can repeat history and ruin the present and what will be the past when we get to a point beyond that. Again I find myself stumbling on terms like the future, tomorrow, destiny. I would like to reiterate that these terms are self-defeating, which can be depressing in some situations.

The events of the past affect the people of the time in a first hand experience, this in turn affects the next generation in a second hand experience, then again with the third generation it is a third hand experience. This is what is called generational trauma. Major world wide events affect everyone these days so lines do tend to blur.

These blurred lines make it difficult to understand the situation. This in turn can leave out people that need help, and as time progresses trauma can develop and spawn more problems for large groups of people, whether they are blood related or not or are simply in the right place at the wrong time.

Time heals all is another common adage that is just ruthlessly depended on but the sadistic irony is that this is not necessarily the truth. In all honesty time can make it significantly worse. This is why we have PTSD, and all the mental health conditions it spawns. Time is our worst enemy.

11 Magic 

If you believe in magic you are the biggest fool or the most intelligent in your field. It goes without saying that both sides will try to disprove each other without hesitation when the discussion is prompted. So I would like to entertain both in this short story, and yes before you say anything I'm aware this is more of a persuasive text than it is a story. 

To begin with I would like to speak about the non-believers; the general population would most probably be on this side. The biggest contender standing is scientific proof being used to disprove claims of magic. Science was once regarded as magic, to be specific chemistry formerly known as alchemy this was seen as magic. The spontaneity and reactions involved made it something of an unexplainable miracle event. Yet it is science so that means the right combination of ingredients then, poof.

The believers on the other hand, are left to be called naive fools by the opposing side. Truth be told this is out of two beliefs; a belief of mental superiority or the fear of the unknown. Both are strong points of argument and standing by them provides firm footing. However believers in magic can happily stand with faith, mystery and hope that it reveals itself in unseen ways. For example the magic between two people in love. The magic found in emotions for some, is all the magic they need to believe in and of which sponsors a feeling of justified safety and hope.

No matter what side you stand with, or if you stand in the middle. It is up to you to make a judgement on this and choose where you place beliefs. There is no doubt people will attempt to persuade you to believe one or the other. at the risk of over repeating myself it is and will always be your choice. My only advice would be to gather sufficient information before you set your choice in stone.

12 Sleep 

The feeling I have and what I believe many others have when they wake up after a form of sleep, is an odd feeling. This feeling is like I wake up not knowing anything at all. In the following minute a rush comes over my mind, all the knowledge i have gained in my life returns to me. At times this rush brings back unwanted feelings and memories, other times I am reunited with positive feelings and joyful memories. In the moments before I fall asleep I am met with a sneak preview of my soon to be waking rush, and at times im filled with dread others, hope. During the day I find myself at times in a vicious argument with myself, questioning the idea of never falling asleep so I don't have to wake up. This is countered by another thought of going to sleep sooner and remaining asleep for longer. So I live in this weird dynamic of wanting to go to sleep and avoiding it. 

When I remember a dream I had the previous night I find myself filled with excitement, so I scramble to find something to quickly write down what I remember. This comes at the expense of wall space and sticky notes, which is a toll I happily pay for this event. The ideas that come from my dreams can range from comedic to incredibly violent. No matter what, I write it down in the hopes of it being used in some capacity. So that's one of my big secrets behind my inspiration, and it's one of many reasons why I write.

13 Murder

This is a cut section originally made for our up coming project known as "CONTENT." Although this was cut, we thought why let it go to waste, why not put it here! 

Have you ever walked into work and just thought, I wish Karen from accounts would just kick the bucket or Steve from purchasing should make his bed? These thoughts and animalistic desires should be acted on. A convenient fall down some stairs would be down-right delightful flight. Perhaps allowing someone to have a lie down on a window that isn't exactly fixed to the wall. But my personal favourite, give them some alone time for a few days in a soundproof supply room that locks from the outside.

I believe victims should be considerate of their killers, they make disposing of their bodies so inconvenient, because firstly when you have fresh body, it is smelly, it smells of their perfumes and deodorants which is on of the most  inconvenient of clues not to mention the odour when they begin decomposing. Don't get me started on moving the body sheesh.

14 People 

I believe having a conversation with a friend is the best thing you can do. There is nothing like the boost of positive energy achieved in a genuine face to face conversation, or at the very least over the phone. A friend can lift your spirits in a matter of seconds provided you have a strong bond between each other. This bond can be visible and invisible at times but there is always a connection felt between you and your friend. 

At times the friendship can become strained, so this means you need to work out the problem before an issue arises. A true bond between a friend will always be there no matter the state of the friendship. You will always know of each other and in some form interact with each other through to the end of time. So again there is no true severing of the aforementioned bond. It's simple, you're never going to be truly rid of someone. At the end of the day, is this truly the case? I personally believe, no, is the correct answer here. I would like to clarify, I do desire the physical removal of the person, but never the connection. In my experience I never truly want to be rid of someone as there are certain feelings I attach to them that I don't want to neglect. This includes negative ones, because part of me enjoys returning to the argument (if that was the fate of the friendship) to torture myself or celebrate the outcome that came of the interaction.

People may call me a sociopath, and I constantly entertain this idea in my head. What occurs in my head will definitely surprise people as I'm constantly thinking of ideas or events that are completely irrelevant to the situation I'm in. so to say there is a point of surprise there would be a dramatic understatement. With this in mind I would like to bring everything full circle. I do find that the people around me are what ground me. They place the hypothetical beacon that draws me near. This is why I value a face to face interaction with another human being.

15 Techniques  

The warring of two kingdoms, sees a battle with many unspoken lives lost. I would like to entertain the idea of chess, because it inspires the perfect story. As a writer, you need to have a good and an evil, though in the event of grey characters, a group given to the audience to root for and another to despise. This is one of the most used techniques of storytelling no matter what form it takes. There must be a big bad force to be fought and vilified in some form to draw the audience in and fully capture their attention. With this in mind I would like to give you an example of two characters. I shall leave it to you to decide who would be the one given to the audience as the supported character and who would be the one given to be vilified. 

Character one, is a man of reasonable build and ability, we shall name him John for the sake of simplicity. John was raised and supported by a loving family. Thus John is a happy individual, who made his way through his chosen education with ease and good marks. John then promptly loses his loved ones in a tragic car accident leaving him as the lone survivor. John becomes a recluse and is consumed by his demons. John looks for ways of relieving his pain at the bottom of a bottle. John begins our main story in this state. 

Character two, is a woman of reasonable build and ability as well, and again for simplicity we will call her Jane. Jane was raised by multiple family members and family friends, bouncing from one to the other and never really sticking around in one area long enough to call it home. Jane is poorly educated and was mostly home-schooled. Jane is distrustful and feels isolated and alone in life. On one particular evening Jane is caught in a car accident. This same car accident indirectly causes the untimely deaths of John's loved ones. Jane is unaware of this, though she uses the car accident as a point of realisation and prompts her to get her life together, of which she is successful. Jane begins the main story in this state

So with the given information which of the two characters would be vilified in your mind. There is no correct answer here nor will anyone judge your opinion. The choice is yours alone.