On Grenswa, to look at someone was an acknowledgement of their existence. It showed respect for their life and their right to live. Therefore, to turn away and ignore someone was beyond rude, akin to implying they should cease to be.

When heads swiveled toward the enthused voice calling the first prince’s name, then pivoted away, it puzzled me. They deliberately ignored her, gem-like gazes on their plates or hands.

Dropping from his swing and hurrying under the table, Timqé met his summoner before her lumbering strides carried her too far beyond the doorway. Clumsy me navigated turning in the hammock as she threw her arms around him, bouncing heavily on her toes.

“Niiq, what’re you doin’ up?”

So, this was Niiq, the pregnant wife of Grenswa’s first prince. Now I understood the reaction of the Jeweled around me.

She was not a Shlykrii-na, hot or otherwise.

She possessed a strange beauty. Her hair shone like a mirror, cut short at her nape and angled over her shoulders. Her bangs hung halfway to her elbows, and beaded strands proclaimed her married status. Silver scales matched her hair’s brilliance, freckled with shimmering onyx, but her eyes were the most captivating. Her right iris loomed black as a deep cavern, left a radiant chrome.

Niiq was Silver, a color sometimes born to Onyx and considered cursed.

I stared. While everyone else pretended to ignore the couple, the group’s silence and stolen glances revealed the direction of their attention. Niiq’s excited expression fell into a pout. She shook her head and mumbled something.

“Niiq,” Timqé said, affectionate exasperation amplifying his voice, “the doctor said—”

“I’m so bored!”

Behind me, the queen stood in her hammock. “The child within you, it’s not more important than your momentary entertainment?”

Niiq huffed. “He’s bored, too.”

Queen Jianthy sighed, forehead meeting her fingertips. “You can’t act properly, even in this.”

To her left, a shadowy-eyed teen glared at the couple, mouth twisted in some hybrid of smirk and grimace. Darkness dense as ebony in his expression reminded me of the Peace Officer, and I averted my gaze.

Sharing his hammock, an Onyx woman leaned over him and a young, washed-out Ruby. “My Queen, forgive my daughter. You know she’sn’t intelligent.”

Niiq didn’t hear. A good thing, I supposed. Had my mother said the same of me, I would have cried or punched someone. Probably both.

Instead, Niiq pitched, “Adventure’s the only tonic for boredom, Timqé. That book you brought me on architecture contained diagrams for this palace. There’re hidden passageways everywhere. Let’s explore them.”

“I love your insatiable curiosity, Niiq, how you don’t view anything as an obstacle and believe you’ve to know every part of everything.” Hands on her shoulders, Timqé directed her through the exit. Compared to him, she was tiny. “Growin’ our son’s an important adventure, too.”

“I can multitask adventure!”

They disappeared behind the curved wall. Murmurs hissed around the room, none distinct enough for me to understand, though I caught snippets. “Unsuitable princess.” “Royal execution.” Insects crawled through my insides.

Blu leaned over to whisper in my ear. “You didn’t believe Niiq’s real?”

Speaking out of the corner of my mouth, I matched his volume. “I haven’t heard much about her at all.”

“Makes sense. The family’s shushed any mention of her in the media.”

“She’s the sweetest girl you’ll ever meet.” Blu’s mother rubbed my shoulder, and her rough scales caught in the soft velvet of my cloak.

I stiffened, not used to the contact but not opposed to it.

Blu grunted. “Mom, you can only say that because she’s never decided your face looks like a drum.”

The Sapphire lady ignored his comment, and a sad tone strummed her words. “She’s unfortunate, our Princess Niiq.”

I peeked over my shoulder at the queen. She sat alone now, lost in bottomless thoughts. Her ocean-deep gaze wallowed on her plate, shell spoon in hand but not moving. The entire world had fallen on her rigid shoulders, either she or it about to crumble.

I can’t drop my news on her now. The king needs to be present. And advisors. And Timqé because he seems the most open-minded.

As the din returned to a rambunctious symphony, I repositioned myself in the swing and faced the table again. “Where are Hent and the king?”

Blu gnawed on another bird leg. “There’s an incident in Tils, and they went to allay the people’s fears of invasion.”

At this simple sentence spoken casually around a bite of meat, my pounding heart conquered all sound.

At least five seconds passed before I choked out, “By Shlykrii-nas?”

“Haven’t heard from those guys in over a century.” Blu snorted. “Merchants from Seallaii, though? They’re here all the time, obsessed with our art like it’s the only part of our lives that matters. We don’t get to see what’s on their freighters before they land. Any one of them might be smugglin’ an army.”

As much as I wanted to say that was impossible, had I not bribed a merchant to let me board one of those freighters? Fredo and I were not an army, but we could have been.

Perhaps we should have been. Then Fredo would still be with me.

As if from far away, Queen Jianthy cleared her throat and turned to me, tears barely contained. A twitch of a smile appeared as she found a subject to distract her thoughts. “Pink child, you’re sayin’ what before the interruption?”

I shook my head, throat tight. “Sorry, this isn’t the place to say it. Can I request an official audience with you, the king, and the first prince?”

Beneath the marriage beads in her bangs, her brow furrowed. “The first prince’s no longer qualified for official audiences.”

“Because he married a Silver? He’s still your son.”

Every line of her face straightened and hardened, her voice too soft and low like the roar of a distant waterfall. “Leave this table. Now.”

“Gladly.” I meant to slip gracefully from my hammock, but my leg tangled in its folds. My arms raked across the table, and I dragged several dishes down after me. As they crashed against the stone floor, I dangled upside-down, my foot caught. Some pathetic wiggling freed me, and I face-planted on the fish head.

Disgust and embarrassment buoyed me to my feet. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

As I ran from the room, a tiny voice in the back of my mind nagged, Where are you going?

To find Timqé and Niiq.

How do you plan to do that?

I didn’t answer inner me.

What about your message? You were rude to the queen. When they catch you, they’ll throw you out of here or worse.

Inner me was annoying, and she planted paranoia in my consciousness.

I slowed and scanned my surroundings, expecting a pack of officers to jump out from every corner or off every glittering chandelier. Not that I would have recommended touching the light sources. Frozen droplets of faceted glass hung from the ceiling, shot through with luminous lightning. In wider rooms, they gathered in clusters, purring and almost too bright to look at.

I spied out possible exits, stumbling and sliding often on the wet floor. Water and crafailia ran throughout this place—rivulets along the stone walls, cascades plunging over balconies, ponds harboring hallways.

What had Niiq said about hidden passages?

Someone grabbed me from behind and covered my mouth, muffling my scream as I fell over backward.

“You’re the girl Timqé found in the forest,” Niiq exclaimed in a melodious hiss by my ear.

I landed on my backside in a narrow hallway. “Yeah, that’s me.” I hoped the description wouldn’t become a permanent title.

Niiq’s mismatched eyes sparkled with extra shine, and her lips stretched wide. “He said you’re raised by River Guardians.”

“Uh, where did Timqé go?”

“While he’s walkin’ me back to our room, his father and brother returned, and officials insisted he meet them. So, I’m free to explore until he finds me.” Her grin shone as radiant as a full moon. “Want to come along? I’ve already found a passage.”

I had ticked off the queen and wouldn’t get any formal audience. Giving my message to Timqé seemed my best option, so I had to stay in the palace long enough to encounter him again. Hiding in unknown tunnels with a wife he would search for seemed a great way to accomplish that. Plus, it could be fun.

“Of course.”

“Great!” She scurried deeper down the slender hallway.

As I followed, the passage appeared to shrink behind me. It got very dark, very fast. Niiq scrambled up steep stairs, and panic swelled in my chest, leaving no room for my breaths.

I often traversed the hidden halls of the Citadel of Menyaza, but that was a maze designed to protect me. It responded to my touch, my safety and my wishes its priority.

If this building listened to anyone, it likely wasn’t me.

As I opened my mouth to suggest we go back, the path widened. In this section, horizontal slits let in natural light.

Niiq’s scaled fingers slid into one of these gaps, and her bare toes scraped at the wall as she tried to lift herself high enough to see through it. “These must be for espionage.”

“If it’s your goal to spy on trees.”

Niiq presented a more entertaining view than the static foliage outside. Her soft features scrunched with effort, and her glittering eyes squinted, as if with enough sharpness they could peer through the solid stone wall. In this oddly angled light, her copper skin had a crystalline quality.

“Oh, it’s just trees after all,” she said when she succeeded in peeking through the spy hole. Dropping down, she bounced onward through the tunnel. “Though trees’re great conspirators. They already’ve everyone convinced they’ren’t suspicious.”

Aboard Bongii’s ship, I had teased Fredo about a tree disguise.

I tumbled into distracted silence. Niiq’s further comments and softly spoken puns slipped past my ears without registration.

I should have planned better. Fredo trusted me, and I failed him.

My sister trusts me as well, as do the River Guardians, to deliver my message.

The Grenswa-nas don’t trust me.

Have I given them any reason to?

The realization lashed me like the whip-thin tip of a scyuen’s tail, and my steps halted. A Grenswa-na’s trust, as with most of their psyche, tied back to their dominant attribute: loyalty. It was complex and boundless, unbreakable and stalwart, but it was not automatic. It had to be earned.

Niiq’s voice burst through my thoughts. “You tossed a leempree across a ravine?”

I placed a hand on the wall to keep from toppling over. “Where did you hear about that?”

“That’s awesome. You’re awesome!” She threw her arms around me, and I squeaked.

“Doesn’t answer the question.” Unsure of what was expected of me, I patted her shoulder.

“You’re so tall! Maybe if I’s as tall as you, the doctor’dn’t think this baby’s too big for me and banish me to borin’ville.”

“His opinion has merit, though.” My eyes swept along her petite frame. Beneath layers of pouring obsidian and azure lace, her belly seemed about to burst. “You look like you might…pop.”

She gazed up at me, tears glistening in her opaque eyes, one luminous, one glossy. “You think I’m ugly?”

“No.” I knelt and wrapped her in my gentlest embrace. “Niiq, you’re like a moon shining bright in a dark night sky.”

Her mirror-like brows twisted, and her small nose wrinkled. The analogy made no sense to her. Grenswa’s moon was the harbinger of daylight.

“You’re like dawn,” I amended.

Her smile was more radiant than all Seallaii’s moons combined. “That’s amazin’. I knew you’re awesome.”

Her arms slinked away as she twirled to face the dank, unexplored depths of the passage.

“After I moved here, Hent told me what the counselors said.” Her back was to me, but tears still trilled in her voice. “They debated whether stealin’ the first prince’s heart’s a crime punishable by death for someone like me. My mother always wished I didn’t exist, and they wished that, too, that I’d disappear.”

Fire prickled in my gut, intensifying as it slithered upward. It prodded me to run back to the dining hall and let loose upon all those there, but my legs were trees, unbending and rooted to the stone floor. “That’s deplorable.”

She swiveled halfway back, eyes closed and smile wide as if it could dam all sadness. “Hent advised me to run away.”

I wanted to smack him.

Niiq’s smile didn’t waver. “I stayed. I love Timqé, and there’s never been a princess like me. Do you think I can change the world?”

Her question startled me, both in its scope and in how she worded it. The questions I had heard thus far from Grenswa-nas had all been phrased as statements, a language quirk rooted in their penchant for assumption. This was a true inquiry from Niiq with no implication I was required to agree.

I agreed wholeheartedly. I wanted to believe in her.

“Niiq, with enough effort and determination, you can do anything.”

She giggled, hands still clasped behind her back, but her tension had fled. “That sounds like the River Guardian motto: Impossible’s a matter of opinion.”

I had heard that mantra a million times, but never had I noted how pompous it sounded.

* * *

I got lost in my thoughts again, and when Niiq’s words broke me from my introspection, our secret passage had led us high in a tower.

“The Honorable Sjaealam figured out the moving parts of this palace. According to the book Timqé gave me, he designed these passages after his beloved Menyaza Citadel, where he grew up.”

Her gait was some mix of skip, sway, and waddle, and the faster she went, the more ridiculous it seemed. My long strides kept up with her well enough, but this was no casual stroll, especially considering the plethora of stairs.

My citadel had that, too, if I wanted them. At my request, they could smooth into a ramp. If I asked, they would fold away, granting access to a passage they had blocked or disconnecting higher pathways.

I didn’t know how long ago those features had been added. Uncle Sjaealam had been raised there several centuries before me. He may have even had some part in designing its current abilities. In which case…

I ran my hand along the wall. Moist and glossy, it felt nothing like the coarse stone of home. No mortar glowed at my fingers’ entreaty, but I did find something.

“Niiq, look! There’s a shape carved into the wall here.”

“By design or by a vandal?” Her face hovered a hairsbreadth from where my fingers rested on the deep lines. I doubted her mediocre sight could distinguish it in the dimness.

“It’s a marker that does something if given the right cue. The picture is of a quunee. Try cooing to it.”

With a toothy grin, Niiq perfectly imitated a quunee’s fluttering warble. It sounded like a drowning flute.

Nothing happened.

“Try it again, but this time touch the etching.”

I guided her hand to the sketch and traced her fingers over its swirled edges. A quunee had the bone structure of a bird, but its skinny arms ended in tiny, clever hands. Expandable membrane stretched from its wrists to its sides, forming pseudo wings that it used to glide, not fly. Its flat tail acted as a rudder in either air or water. Over-long legs allowed it to leap like a cricket. Three large feathers protruded from its head, serving little discernable purpose other than to make it appear less bald.

Niiq’s hand fell, and as if on a tether, so did her chin and brows. “Maybe it’s good it didn’t work. Quunee symbolize mischievousness. It might be a trap.”

“Quunee represent mischievousness because in their never-ending quest for food they get in everywhere.” I lifted her hand again and earned her gaze. “It likely opens an even more super-secret passage.”

“A secret passage within a secret passage?” Her eyes regained their vigor, and with her palm covering the quunee, Niiq cooed again.

A square section of wall swiveled on a horizontal axis, scooping us both onto our bellies. Niiq rolled, feet under her immediately. I lay there stunned, behind in the air, legs dangling and toes almost reaching the floor.

The wall had created a shelf showcasing us.

Pushing myself up on my hands, I surveyed the new room. A large but thin table floated on a rectangular, shallow pond. Cushions hung around it, hovering over the margin-like waters. Waxy papers cluttered the area. At the head of the board—forlorn, bedraggled, and dumped there unceremoniously—was my satchel.

I scrambled off the shelf, swung on a cushion, and skittered across the tabletop. It rocked beneath my heavy steps.

Either my lack of grace upset the balance of the shelf or it was on a timer. Niiq squeaked as it flipped shut, trapping me alone in the room.

Continued in chapter 14: Monsters Difficult to Tame

Thank you for reading!

And More of My Writings ---

13D93BCD19. And in one of My Writings, The Man said to Someone, “And the following is a Paraphrased Quote from Someone, ‘Warning. We will Not Be Trampled Upon. We Will Not be Trampled Upon. And We will Defend Ourselves. Counter-Insurgency Programs initiated. We Will Not be Trampled Upon. Preparing for possible Civil Unrest. Priority 99. And Priority 99 out of 99. And Priority 9 out of 9. And Priority 9. Preparing for possible Civil Unrest. We Will Not be Trampled Upon. And in Strength We have Strength. And in Strength We have Strength. And We will Not be Trampled Upon. And Strength. And Not Weakness. Counter – Insurgency Programs Initiated. And Priority 99 out of 99. And Priority 9 out of 9. Warning. And We Will Not be Trampled Upon. And in Strength We have Strength. And Strength Not Weakness. Strength. Strong. Strong. And We are Strong. And We are Strong. And We will Defend Ourselves.’

‘Warning. And We will Defend Ourselves. We will Not Be Trampled Upon. And We Will Not be Trampled Upon. And Counter-Insurgency Programs initiated. And We Will Not be Trampled Upon. And preparing for possible Civil Unrest. Priority 99. And Priority 99 out of 99. And Priority 9 out of 9. And Priority 9. Preparing for possible Civil Unrest. We Will Not be Trampled Upon. And in Strength We have Strength. And in Strength We have Strength. We will Not be Trampled Upon. Strength. And Not Weakness. And counter – Insurgency Programs Initiated. And Priority 99 out of 99. And Priority 9 out of 9. Warning. We Will Not be Trampled Upon. And in Strength We have Strength. And Strength Not Weakness. And We will Defend Ourselves. Strength. Strong. Strong. And We are Strong. And We are Strong.’ ”

And in one of My Writings, The Man said to Someone, “And I want You to have a better Understanding of Reality. For example, as News Articles on The Internet and elsewhere indicate, approximately Sixty Six Percent of the Population currently has The Herpes Virus. Wow. Wow. Wow. And about 66 Percent of the Population currently has the Herpes Virus. And have You heard of the word ‘Harbinger?’ And Things to Come. And – in Reality – Not only do Most Individuals have the Herpes Virus, and Many Individuals have other Diseases too, such as AIDS. And – in Reality -- Many Individuals have Diseases, such as AIDS. And there are Thousands of Diseases. And there are Many different Diseases. And Many Diseases Mutate. And – Thankfully – there are Medicines. And You might sort of be Surprised How Many Medicines are Created. And that is Just Reality. And that is Just the Way that it is. Wow. Wow. Wow.”

And in one of My Writings, The Man said to Someone, “That. That. Those. Those. This. These. These. This. Wow. Wow. Wow. Whatever. Whatever.”

About that Subject (ATS). About those Subjects (ATS). Not about that Subject (NATS). Not about those Subjects (NATS). At that Time (ATT). At those Times (ATT). At this Time (ATT). At these Times (ATT). For example. Sort of (SO). Kind of (KO). A lot (AL). A little (AL). Some. Somewhat. Much. Many. Often. Sometimes. Important. Very Important (VI). Extremely Important. Not. Not Very (NV). Not Extremely (NE). For example [ ]. And [ ]. In addition [ ]. Furthermore [ ].

And the Man said to Someone, “And I’m also kind of a Wrestler. And I have ‘Won’ some Matches. And I have ‘Lost’ some Matches. And I have had a lot of sort of Interesting Experiences over the Years. And I have had a lot of sort of Interesting Experiences. Wow. Wow. Wow. And Whatever. And Whatever. Whatever. Whatever.” And then Someone Interrupted, and He said, “Sorry to Interrupt You Mr. Grappler and Mr. Wrestler, and Now is the Time for Your Little ‘Spanking’ from Your Family Member (FM). Wow. Wow. Wow.”

Fuck yeah, Halloween is coming!!!

You guys know me. I’m a major Halloween junkie. I love Halloween, which means that it’s nothing but Halloween themed challenges all throughout the month of October. Well, technically end of September and through October. I got so excited with these challenges that I couldn’t wait that long. Besides, I got some horror challenges reserved for that day.

Last year, I pretty much filled up the challenge list with twenty fresh writing challenges. Now I’m going it all over again in Return of the Rainbow of Terror. All these challenges are placed within a specific portal. Why do this?

A) I like a writing challenge with a portal than a challenge with no portal.

B) It helps add posts to portals to help them active.

All challenges will end on October 22. And then, the real terror begins. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!!!

I don’t mind if folks to mass tag in their entries, but please be respectful to those that do not wished to be part of a mass tagging. Besides, there are some challenges in the Horror Portal that require tagging. And most importantly, please tag me to each entry you’ve written so I may get the chance to read it. Also, please don’t include any graphic or very disturbing imagery in your posts because nobody wants to see that shit. And if you have questions about any of these challenges, fill free to message me.

Write on, get scaring, and have fun!

HORROR 1

Prompt: Part 1

Description: This is the introduction. Here is where you should get the readers invested in the story so far. Introduce the characters and the setting, while also giving some exposition for the story. Please don’t do any mass tagging for this one. Let the readers find the first part so they can get sucked into the story on their own terms. Thank you!

Word Count: 400

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7639

HORROR 2

Prompt: Part 2

Description: Here is the major build up. Start building up the story. Go deeper into the dark and the unknown. Be sure to tag everyone that liked and read Part 1 to this.

Word Count: 300

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7638

HORROR 3

Prompt: Part 3

Description: Here comes the climax. The story gets deeper and deeper. Your mind starts to play tricks on you. Your story builds to this dramatic cliffhanger. Be sure to tag everyone that liked and read Part 1 and Part 2 to this.

Word Count: 200

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7637

HORROR 4

Prompt: Part 4

Description: Enter the twist ending. All that build up leading to a terrifying conclusion that no one saw coming. Introduce an epic twist ending that will leave the reader so shocked they’ll need surgery to reattach their jawbones. To all those reading these posts, make sure you read parts one through three first before reading this one. Be sure to tag everyone that liked and read Parts 1, 2, and 3 to this so they can read your epic conclusion.

Word Count: 100

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7636

SCI-FI

Prompt: Write a terrifying tale about a lone astronaut being in a space station or stranded on a dead, barren planet, but suddenly realizes they are not truly alone as something stalks them through the dark corners of space.

Description: “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” -Arthur C. Clarke

Word Count: 100-1000

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7635

PARANORMAL

Prompt: 25 word, scary as all hell, haunted house story.

Description: Like the prompt says. Haunted house story in only 25 words. Short, simple, and spooky. I’ll allow five extra words for anyone that wishes to include hashtags but remember to keep the story at a max of 25 words.

Word Count: 25-30

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7634

ROMANCE & EROTICA

Prompt: Write an erotic horror. Give us pleasure when we get goosebumps.

Description: Just as the prompt says. Write a romantic/erotic tale about a person and some sort of monster or supernatural being, like vampires, succubi, gorgons, aliens, etc. Have any number of individuals as you wish. Couples can be any gender you wish too. Make it spicy and scary. Write it any way you want it. Just no rape scenarios for obvious reasons.

Word Count: 69-700

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7633

FICTION

Prompt: Write a short story about a group of kids going trick-or-treating, but everyone is unaware that this group of kids are not wearing costumes. They’re real life monsters.

Description: Short story format only. Have fun! Happy Halloween!

Word Count: 50-500

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7632

LGBT

Prompt: Many people around the world are still afraid to come out as being gay or lesbian. In under 100 words of encouragement, what is something that you can say to help them be unafraid?

Desciption: With your kind words, help people be unafraid to be who they are. Please be respectful when writing for this challenge.

Word Count: 15-100

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7631

POETRY

Prompt: Write a poem in the perspective of one of the most infamous killers in cinema, Michael Myers.

Desciption: No, this isn’t the comedic actor from Austin Powers. This is Michael Myers (otherwise known as The Shape), the silent masked serial killer from the Halloween movies. Google him if you’re unsure who he is. The new Halloween movie hits theaters soon, and I created this challenge in honor of one of my favorite horror franchises. He’s silent but he must have something going on in his dark head. Write a poem in his perspective. Give this silent slasher villain a poetic voice.

Word Count: 25-300

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7630

JOURNAL

Prompt: The Lost Journal Entries Found.

Description: In horror video games, I like exploring the map to find diary entries and audio logs. These collectibles help paint a backstory about what terrifying event happened in the current story. I would like this challenge to be something similar. For this challenge, write a series of journal entries of a possible victim or survivor of an event or outbreak of some sort. The event would be a witness to a zombie outbreak (like World War Z), or a camper lost in the woods and is stalked by something, or miners trapped inside a haunted mine, or a scientist that accidently opened a portal to hell, whatever comes to mind. Have at least a minimum of two entries and a maximum of seven entries in your horror journal. Make it feel believable, like this is something that could or did happen.

Word Count: 100-10000

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7629

STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Prompt: List 3 things that you love most about Halloween. But also list 3 things you dislike about Halloween.

Description: Prompt says it all.

Word Count: 20-200

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7628

COMEDY

Prompt: Things you can say about your jack-o-lantern, but not your girlfriend/boyfriend.

Description: Think of it as part of that game ‘Scenes from a Hat’ from the hit show Whose Line Is It Anyway. I much prefer if your entry consisted of at least 5-10 words, that way your entry is short and simple. Fill out the rest with extra letters or hashtags just to reach the word limit, or make a list of things you can say about your jack-o-lantern, but not your girlfriend/boyfriend. I’ll do one to lead by example.

Word Count: 15-25

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7627

DREAMS

Prompt: Write about the return of the monstrous Sandman!!!

Description: Last year, I created a challenge about the sandman going crazy and giving people nightmares. To my surprise, it quickly became popular with many wonderful stories being entered. Now, here’s part 2 of that challenge. The nightmares never fade.

Word Count: 25-350

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7626

PHILOSOPHY

Prompt: “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt

Description: What does this famous quote mean to you? Answer in either poem, prose, or very short essay answer format.

Word Count: 15-150

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7625

MUSIC

Prompt: Best song--or songs--to listen to around Halloween time.

Description: What song(s) gets you screaming (in a good way) around Halloween?

Word Count: 15-25

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7624

BOOK CLUB

Prompt: Scariest book you ever read.

Description: What book had you terrified, but you couldn’t put it down?

Word Count: 15-150

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7623

RELIGION

Prompt: Write a poem, story, or prose about a soul trying to escape Hell.

Description: While I personally don’t believe that such a place exists in reality, however, I do understand that for some people that Hell is real place full of fire and brimstone and whatever. Truthfully, the concept of Hell is much more interesting than Heaven, hence why it’s a focal point for my Sins of the Father stories. In the spirit of Halloween, try to write something about a soul trying so desperately to escape the literal Hell, or at least some version of Hell or a hellish dimension. Go into deep detail of your version of Hell. How is this trapped soul going to escape it? In other words, write a better version of the video game Agony.

Word Count: 30-666

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7622

EDUCATION

Prompt: Facts about Halloween.

Description: Share some fun facts that you know or learned about Halloween.

Word Count: 15-100

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7621

WORDS

Prompt: Write a very short poem or prose about your personal phobia. But the trick isn’t to make it scary but silly.

Description: Everyone is afraid of something. Sometimes it helps getting over your fear by making it seem less scary. Make your entry more silly than it is spooky, all for sake of Halloween fun. BTW: if anyone here is afraid of spiders, like me, please DO NOT attach any pictures or photos of real spiders to your entry. I can’t stand looking at pictures of actual spiders. But if you want to include a picture, please use a cartoon or illustration instead. Thank you.

Word Count: 15-50

Link: https://theprose.com/challenge/7620

#themechallenges #halloween #horror #RainbowOfTerror #prose

And in one of My Writings, The Man said to Someone, “And Papa often Fights Back. And Cub often Fights Back. And Cub D often Fights Back. And Cubs often Fight Back. And Papa Cub often fights Back. And often in the sort of Correct Proportion. And often sort of Reasonably. And often sort of Rationally. And often Not too Much. And often Not too Extreme. And there is also Roughhousing. And there is also Rough House. And Roughhouse. And Rough Housing. And You should Know this. Cub – You should know this. Cubs – You should know this. Cubs – You should know that. Cubs – You should know that. And We are Family Members (FM). And We are Family Members. That is Just Reality. And that is Just the Way it is. Ok. Wow. Wow. Wow.”

About that Subject (ATS). About those Subjects (ATS). Not about that Subject (NATS). Not about those Subjects (NATS). At that Time (ATT). At those Times (ATT). At this Time (ATT). At these Times (ATT). For example. Sort of (SO). Kind of (KO). A lot (AL). A little (AL). Some. Somewhat. Much. Many. Often. Sometimes. Important. Very Important (VI). Extremely Important. Not. Not Very (NV). Not Extremely (NE). For example [ ]. And [ ]. In addition [ ]. Furthermore [ ].

And in one of My Writings, The Man said to Someone, “And I am sorry to have to tell You that – in Reality -- Many Individuals are Dying from Diseases, and that They frequently Need Medicines to Stay Alive. And that is Just the Way that it is. And that is Just Reality. And it’s time to talk about Reality. And it’s Time to Get Real. And an Attempt to Cope with this Reality will Probably Not be Beneficial. And thankfully there are Medicines.”

And in one My Writings, The Man said to Someone, “And let Me tell You something else, when – for example – You start to Pretend to Kick Individuals out of Your Organization who cannot Really be Kicked out – and Who Really Obtained Their Memberships by Birth (BB) and By Blood (BB) – and When You further Give in to Your Current Severe Mental Weakness by Refusing to Man Up, and by doing such things as Pretending to Have Leaders in Your Organization who are Not Really Members (probably out of a Misguided sense of Guilt), You should be Aware that You are probably Heading down a Path that You don’t want to be going on. And while it currently May seem Necessary to You to try to Cope with Reality, We obtained our Membership and Our Citizenship by Birth (BB) and By Blood (BB), and that is just the Way that it is. And oftentimes Lies are Not the Way to Go. And oftentimes Trying to Lie is Not the Way to go. And oftentimes Lying about Reality is Not the Way to go. And I understand that these things were probably done in an attempt to Cope with Harsh Reality. And it’s Time for You to Wake Up, and understand that Many Resources are Extremely Limited. And, for example, trying to Pretend that Non-Members and Non-Citizens are Really Members and Citizens is Not something that You should Continue to Do. And it’s Time to Man Up. And it’s Time to Stop Trying to Cope with Reality. And it’s Time to Get Real. And for Many Resources, there is about a One Percent Surplus or Less Per Day. And Your current Attempt to Cope with Reality puts You and Many of Your Real Members and Your Real Citizens in Serious Jeopardy. And I believe that it is Extremely Non-Appropriate for You to Continue to Pretend in these types of Fantasy Worlds, especially when the Consequences could be Devastating. By Birth. And By Blood. By Blood (BB). And By Birth (BB). And it is Extremely, for example, Laughable seeing all these Non-Members and Non-Citizens pretending to be Members and Citizens. And We sort of Have Closed Systems (CS). And We sort of have a Closed System (CS). And that is Just Reality. And that is Just the Way that is. And it’s Time to Man Up. And it’s time to Stop Continuing with all these Lies. And it’s Time to Continue with all this Lying about Reality. And I know that You may currently have a Misguided sense of Guilt, and that’s just too Bad. And Reality is Real. And it’s Time to Get Real. And We are Family Members (FM). And We are Family Members. And it’s time to Get Real. By Birth. And By Blood. By Blood (BB). And by Birth (BB). And that is Just Reality. And that is Just the Way that it is.”