Some Weird Story

Why don’t I fast forward through all the boring bits?

Note: This fiction story was created within the allotted 30-minute time during Medium Day and as such is considered a finalist for TKL’s $5 prize. Stay tuned to find out if it’s a winner!

Now armed with this ultra super power, he winds his way through the corridors of the ice. He was going to meet his lover in…What time was it today? What year was it?

Dessl glanced around again at the completely snowy, icy environment. Somewhere in the distance, he saw a woolly creature, a mammoth? — lumber by. Okay, so this “superpower” isn’t as amazing as it seems. At least, he hasn’t quite mastered the art of time travel.

Dessl digs into the snow, and doesn’t realize how deep he can deep without hurting his fingers. Maybe his new powers involve more than just time manipulation. But a lightbulb goes off in his head. Why don’t I fast forward through all the boring bits?

With that in mind, he zooms through the digging, still with no frostbite or anything in his fingers. Soon, he hits a big, underground cavern. There’s a whole underground network here, reaching as far as the eye could see. Which is not very far, since Dessl is nearsighted but the time travel didn’t bring his glasses along, for some reason.

Dessl, after a while of gaping at the icy tunnels, gets very frustrated and impatient. He wants to see his lover now! Naturally, the only option is to fast-forward again.

Oops.

He fast-forwarded a bit too much. He must have been in the ice age earlier. But now…was this the Victorian era? The people around him, walking to and fro across what looks like a town square, sure look like the 19th century peeps.

Nearby, a gentleman wearing a fedora climbs into a carriage, and away the horse gallops, until they disappear into the distance.

Someone taps him on the shoulder. It’s a middle-aged man with black hair and a prominent moustache. “Sir, are you looking for a carriage?” He gestures at his own horse-drawn vehicle.

You slap your palm against your forehead. “No…I mean, no, thank you, I’m just waiting for someone.”

The man raises a bushy eyebrow at him and frowns. “Sir, you look like a man whose lady love is about to jilt him. Don’t bother with her.”

Dessl doesn’t want to correct him that his lover isn’t a woman. He just nods politely, mutters something, and shuffles away from the driver.

After a prolonged bout of walking, with his knees complaining of the pain, he comes across a tavern. He plops down at the nearby table, intending to order ale or something, and hoping that he would have the coins in his pocket. But sitting down and resting his legs is fine regardless.

The next thing he knows, he realizes that he’s not alone at the table. On the chair opposite him, is a small bassinet, with a baby sound asleep inside. Dessl is alarmed, as he’s always frightened of children, especially babies. He glances around for their parents. After a long time, no parent appears. Dessl is surprised that none of the servers bothered to ask him what to eat or drink. In fact, nobody seems to be paying much attention at all.

Dessl sulks. He would rather receive negative attention than to have nothing. Strangely, he gradually feels sleepy, and dozes off.

When Dessl wakes up, he’s tucked into a peculiar bed. How peculiar, he can’t say. But the walls, the furniture, everything feels wrong. When he reaches to open the door, his hand goes through it like the door is made of Jell-o! He can pass through the door, and even the walls, too.

Is it just him, or is he beginning to feel like a ghost?

Surel he can just rewind back the time or something, and he’ll get back home, in the arms of his beloved. He takes a deep breath, and rewinds.

When he opens his eyes, he gasps as he is flooded with cold. He’s back in the Ice Age! But this time, he’s not alone. He lies in bed, a bed made of ice. Wrapped all around him, is his beloved’s long tail. A snowy, feathery tail. His eyes were purple crystals as he blinks at Dessl, and winks.

The snow dragon puffs a breath on his cheeks. “Missed me, partner?” he coos.

His lover’s breath warms him from the inside out, and something in him starts to melt. He slumbers with absolute peace, not needing to worry about anything ever again. Humans were overrated.

Writing prompt:

Character gains a superpower (2 pts)

Dessl gains the power to manipulate time. And maybe turn into a ghost.

Constraints:

Extinct animal makes an appearance (1 pt)

Mammoth appears

Baby in a bassinet (1 pt)

A random baby was in a bassinet in the Victorian tavern.

Hardcore constraint:

Harsh or extreme environment like desert, volcano, undersea, space (2 pts)

Ice age glacial place.  Also this weird jello/ ghosty place.  And the general 
time travel mayhem.

Literary device:

plot twist or twist ending (5 pts)

Dessl's lover is a snow dragon, and he reveals that he's not into humans.

Tallied my own points (1 pt)

Total pts: 12 pts

If you want to read a revised version of this story, click here! The plot is the same, but the sentences are much improved.