Here’s another short story from 2013, or quite possibly earlier in fact. I realized, while pulling some stories from an old Scrivener file, that the dates had become jumbled. I know it was written earlier than March 18th, but that’s about it, and the same goes for That Thing which I republished a while back.

It matters little for small pieces like this, but it just goes to show that it’s important to keep system-agnostic logs of things you create.

Anyway, Palace Hotel is another short story originally published on the Opuss service. Newsletter subscribers got this one early, so that might be an incentive for you to subscribe, I guess?

(more…)

I haven’t thought about this short story for a long time. It was originally published on the short story site and app Opuss, but it is apparantly no more, as Norvard pointed out to me. He wanted to read it, for inspiration, and who am I to say no to such a thing?

That Thing was originally published March 18th, 2013. That’s a log time ago. And yes, it’s rather dark.

You know what? I’m not like other toys. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to you since I’m not a toy at all, but some people seem to hold on to that misconception. Of me being a toy I mean. Because I’m not.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about that thing. You know the one I mean, after all you committed it, didn’t you? I don’t blame you for what you’ve done, in fact I’m not passing judgment at all. That is not my place, that’s for society, and your conscience, perhaps. I wouldn’t know.

Still, it surely was an extreme thing, wasn’t it? So intense, so full of anger and wants and needs, and so forced. I’m sure you know this, have thought it over again and again. It all ended so abruptly, in ecstasy and despair. These are not feelings I’m familiar with, but I do believe I know them when I see them. Which I did, and that’s why we’re talking about that thing.

It shook me a bit you know. I have to confess this, although it wouldn’t be fair of me to pass judgment, as I said. And after all it probably shook her too, didn’t it? Until the very end I would say. I wonder where she is now, what happened to that shell of a girl? No, don’t try to tell me, I really don’t want to know. Just making conversation, I’m a bit nervous you see, so I keep rambling on. This is, after all, the first time I’m speaking to you after all those long years of silence. I still remember the time when I shared your bed, your warmth and your love. I gave it back you know, unconditionally.

Those were good times, weren’t they?

This room looks like it used to, before you moved out. It never turned into a den, an exercise room, and they never did rent it out like they talked about. Just as well, it’s a good room. I like it, it’s my whole world you know.

I was surprised to see you here with her. That you took her to this, our special place. But that’s fine of course, you do whatever you want. I was just surprised is all. I’d never seen you like that before, all grown up and naked with another person.

I wonder why she didn’t like you? She didn’t, right? Of course she didn’t, there was way too much screaming and crying and agony. I’m not versed in the acts of making love after all. Maybe I would’ve been if I had genitalia, but there you go. I still don’t think she wanted you to do to her what you did but that’s beside the point.

You do whatever you like.

I was even more surprised to see you again today. I’m happy that you’ve stayed for so long, although I wish we were in bed again, like we were all those years ago, just the two of us in the darkness trying not to think about the demons in the closet. You have new demons now I guess, but I’m sure you’re managing just fine.

I don’t expect a reply you know. I do wish you’d get into bed though, instead of swinging in the ceiling like that. You look cold, your lips are blue and you’re very still.

I think you’ll be here for a long time.

I saw it all you know, did I tell you that? This shelf is a great vantage point, I never miss a thing.