Summary

An aging assassin confronts his younger, troubled self on a metaphorical mountain, symbolizing personal growth and redemption, in a collaborative satirical tale by Fox and Smillew.

Abstract

The narrative unfolds on Local Mountain, where an experienced assassin, burdened by his past, encounters a younger version of himself, represented by a fallen teen. This teen, tattooed with self-accusatory labels, is a mirror to the protagonist's own failings. As the older assassin contemplates the boy's fate, he is faced with a choice: to let the boy die and potentially find redemption in the real world, or to save him by performing a symbolic act of consuming his heart, thus confronting his inner demons. The story is a blend of fantasy and introspection, exploring themes of self-discovery and the struggle against one's own flaws. It is the 25th installment in a series of collaborative tales, with previous parts available for readers to explore. The authors invite participation from their audience, proposing a creative exercise called "Two Headed Horse Tails," where two writers alternately contribute to a story, embodying the spirit of collaboration and shared storytelling.

Opinions

The authors suggest that confronting one's inner demons is a path to redemption and self-improvement.
The story implies that easy victories can lead to overconfidence and downfall, as seen with the overconfident teens on the mountain.
The narrative posits that personal growth often requires facing difficult truths about oneself, as symbolized by the protagonist's encounter with his doppelganger.
The collaborative nature of the tale, with its invitation for readers to engage in a similar writing exercise, emphasizes the value of community and shared creativity in the artistic process.
The story subtly critiques the idea of "pretend-play" in games, suggesting that real-life challenges and personal evolution are more meaningful.
By calling the tale a "satire," the authors may be commenting on the nature of self-reflection and personal struggle, often presenting them as absurd or exaggerated in the context of a fantastical narrative.

Two headed horse tails

Dear Assassin

Beasts in the Mirror

My heart works double overtime as I struggle up Local Mountain. Why I’m climbing is my secret. I feel my life will dissipate fully soon if I don’t do something. Teens in exotic revealing materials pass me on my left and right. I fight many demons ascending this twisted hill.

Killing them is too easy. They’re low-level at this time of the day. Hence the TikToked teens running everywhere. Easy preys attract simple-minded players. They grow overconfident and face the Evil of the Local Mountain without the needed focus. They get crushed. And I can pick them up.

I’ve two canteens. One with lemon-water, one with Holy. A third container, the one vitamin bottle shaped, contains the wayward life-force of these Nephilim-hearts whom the LORD separated from their bodies at the Great Drowning.

I see a lad fall, not 40 feet from me, another casualty.

I could save him still, but for what? Dying in-game is his chance at salvation. It might be the kick he needs to find himself and his way in the real world.

He calls for my help. Annoying.

I walk there and see my face. A doppelganger. How uncanny.

His legs are tattooed. I see the accusing inkmarks which declare him more than just my body double:

Sex Addict, Passive Coward, Self-Righteous, Gambler with other’s Lives

It dawns on me. This boy is me!

I grab the Lemon-water and start pouring it down his throat.

He coughs.

“I’m your chance at redemption, old man. You just have to rip off my heart and eat it. Are you ready to face your inner demons, or do you want to stay on the Local Mountain and pretend-play some more? You knew the real Evil was inside you, right?”

This story was co-written by Fox (the artist) and Smillew (top writer in satire).

It was our 25th tale! Here are the previous ones:

To celebrate the 25th tale, we would like to share a story written by one of our most supportive reader, BichoDoMato. Thanks, Bicho! :D

Your Finger Just Clicked Publish? You Have Been Perlmuttered Already!

I thought he was a bot, I thought I could trap the bot

medium.com

We call the concept the Two Headed Horse Tails.

As Fox (poet and digital art expert) describes it, Two Headed Horse Tails can be a tug of war. Two people (one of them could be YOU) are trying to get a tale into the corral, sometimes even against each other’s will.

Here are the rules (follow them or break them):

300 words total.
Someone starts and writes 50 words. Then the other takes the lead and writes 50 more. Till the 300 count is reached.
You can switch back and forth as to who starts the piece. (or not! We do.)

What about finding yourself another horse writer and giving it a try?

And now, a commercial for the publication — Microcosm. Tell us a tiny tale, filled with heart.

Updated Submission Guidelines

As we grow, our mandate grows with us

medium.com