《Nanostar Short Stories》 Miracles Not far from the location of a recent hit and run, I found a charm bracelet on the ground. This is probably a normal bracelet a kid lost or something, but seeing the dark spots on its leather skin feel ominous. Shrugging of my discomfort, I placedit in my pocket. It would look much better after I gave it a clean or something. Holy Shit! That was so close. Shit. Is that his friend? I¡¯m screwed if it¡¯s a 2 on 1! fuck that guy is so close now ¡°uh.. I was just trying to grab my wallet¡± Shit, shit, I gasped for air. What a miracle. Thank the lords I found this bracelet! BANG! the guy behind him suddenly shot the bus driver. The bus was full of screams as it skewed from the road and hit a nearby building. The impact caused me to fall from my seats and several others followed, pinning me to the floor, unable to breathe. I can hear the shooter laughed a crazy, pained laugh of self-ridicule and then, another loud bang. It''s hot. Ah.. A miracle, huh. Feels like I heard that before... Guess the others simply aren''t as lucky... Good, it shouldn''t be able to save me now. Unconstrained (and bonus story, White) A short story: Unconstrained "WOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!" The wind hits my face, refreshing me, I closed my eyes to enjoy the moment, free from all thoughts, from any burdens, from the past. I gripped the handle tighter and leaned forward, ready to go fast, faster than anything. The road had a bump and I flew to the sky. Not held down by anything, I felt unrestricted and my laugh lifted me up. As I landed, my bike skid and slid, and we rolled downhill. Fear tightened around me and I gripped the handle tightly. I couldn''t shake myself off the momentum and I continued rolling down with my motorcycle. We hit several branches and finally stopped upon hitting a big tree. "Aaaagggghhh," I can feel the motorcycle weighing down upon me. Crushing me further as I tried to shift myself from under it. "Hee.. Heeelpp" I tried to get sound out of my troath, but it felt painful to scream. Wheezing, my breath feels warm. In fact, my whole body feels hot against the motorcycle. Ugh, get it off me. I tried pushing it away but to no avail as strength escapes my arms. I see my arms falling to me as I remember the trophies I left at home. Those trophies which I carried on my shoulders. Those trophies which will haunt me forever. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Unconstrained," the word slipped from my mouth as I coughed. Ah, this is the real feeling of being actually unconstrained. I closed my eyes and laughed. - - - Bonus, another short one: White I was caught. I dont know where i am, but I''m confined to a small white room. Everyday I''m fed white foods on a white plate, and a salty drink to complete the dish. Slowly slowly the food i got reduced. The things i can do lessened. My days becoming shorter. Or is it longer? I''m not even sure of days anymore. Again, today''s food is salty drink. Salt is good for you! Yeah! But I''m still thirsty, arent there more? ah, my skinny stomach wants more. I can hear my bones creaking. More, more i want to drink more. I cough. Red. Oohhhh something not white for a chance! Thats rare! Ah, i dropped my glass. Ah well. I felt myself get closer to the floor. Huh? I dont wanna sleep, lets get back... u.... Just Another Adventure "Raider couldn''t come back yesterday" "Did we get back the body?" "Nah, taken by the Yeti to their cave" I scratched my chin. Getting eaten by yetis isn''t the nicest story to say to the family. There''s no glory in that, just gruesome death, torn apart and eaten alive. "Who''s gonna deliver the news?" "The boss is going, since he''s a close friend. It should have been Crimson tho." "Oh, he came back?" "Yeah, just him. he''s there holding on to Risa''s staff." "First death he''s seen I guess," shrugging I went to the staff to take my usual quest. Raider''s death is a pity. She just started settling down and rising up. "Comes with the job, sadly." "Hmm? Yes?" The young staff was surprised by my solemn greeting. "Morning Mr. Brown. The usual boar today?" "Yeah, just my usual Tuesday." "Alright, I''ve registered you for that, please stay safe." "Always," I turned and headed straight to the forest. My steps showing my familiarity with my route. Just my usual Tuesday. I''ve made a plan to stay safe and alive, to ensure that tomorrow will exist and I''ll have another day ahead.Mondays start off nice and easy, going to the mountain for herbs. Tuesdays are for boars. Wednesdays are for some goblins, so on Thursdays I go to the lake to get herbs and magical waters. On Fridays, I do construction work and odd jobs. Saturdays are for mining and I get to rest on Sundays and only set up traps. "It''s a dangerous world, doesn''t mean I have to live dangerously." This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Arriving at the eastern forest, I went to check on the traps I laid last Sunday. This part of the forest has always been a place with many boars and a day or two is enough to catch them. Bam. Bam. I hid behind trees and bushes and slowly approached the sound. It''s right where I had set up my trap. Bam. It was a young boar. Ramming the trees nearby. Suspicious, I looked up to my trap. As expected, there''s a boar there squealing at the smaller boar below it. Sigh. A mother huh. Sorry kiddo, a man''s gotta eat. I pointed my rifle at it and carefully aims for when it rams the tree in front of it before pulling the trigger. Bang. "Squeee" Clack. Slip. Clack. Kachick. Bang. Creak creak. The rope creak from the momentum of the shot. I quickly took down the boar hanging from my trap and disassembled the trap, storing it in my bag. Bringing 2 boars will be troublesome alone, but I''ll manage. I tied the bigger boar to carry it over my back and carried the smaller one on my arm. Throwing my bag and gun on my shoulder, I headed back. Another day, another adventure done. And another day to look forward to, tomorrow. Our Last Smiles Luck POV _____________________________________________________ I''m meeting him! I''m finally meeting him! Like Romeo and Juliet.. Though I really don''t like using them as a comparison, I have a secret lover. And he''s a radiant. Oh dear Father Fate. Why do you do this to me. But we decided to meet just before the great war. Maybe we can survive together. Maybe we''ll emerge victorious. May be we can m.. Ma.. Marry >////< Aaahhhh my heart is beating so faasssttt I waited in the tree peony park, his favorite place at the city. All dressed up of course! This is our first date after all, even if hidden by the shadows of the night. And slowly, a footstep approach. All calm, and gentle. A sweet aroma filled the air. It''s him. I turned to see my lover''s face for the first time, and I''d recognize that face anywhere. "Carm..." Carm POV ________________________________ Looking at my watch I waited for my lover to come from the shadows. We decided to meet at the tree peony park, my favorite place. Why? Because the delicate flowers reminded me so much of her. Oh why has god forsaken me so, making such a wonderful women a Dire? Nevertheless, we will surpass this doomed fate. Whenever I thought of her, I felt as if my fate, my destiny would be eternally fortunate. I walked slowly towards the one. As she saw me she said with her delicate lips. "Carm..." I responded in kind as I looked into her eyes. "Luck.." Luck POV _________________________________________________ Since that day, we''ve been having our secret meetings. Talking about who is dangerous or not, sharing information. I was hesitant to tell him the locations where my family hid.. But, if it''s to be with him, I have to accept that my family will simply have to die. Reluctantly, I told him the location of the family head, Sir Choco de Dire. That night, he finally met my father. Not to ask for my hand.. But to kill him. I''m sorry papa. Carm POV _________________________________________________ After our first secret meeting we continued our endeavors. Meeting one and another under the guise of the night, where the daylight could not shed it''s horridness on our forbidden love. Tonight she told me where her father presided, I knew that he would not accept our love, our destiny. So I did what I had too, to make our love, our dream continue. I killed him. Even though she was hesitant on telling me where he was, she finally relented, but I already had a gist of where he was, and she only confirmed my suspicions. I''m sorry my love, but this is for our future. Luck POV __________________________________________________ It was a bit hard after that. The sadness of losing a family.. He would console me when we meet and I know he has it harder, being the one to kill him, and having his family die one by one. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. "I shouldn''t let him bear this alone! This is for our future! I''ll.. I''ll take up the sword! I''ll do it! I''ll..." I realize I can''t do it. Not the way he did it, I''m simply... weak.... The townsfolk gathered at dawn. The night has had its death, another of his family. Looking around at the quiet atmosphere, I thought that this is my chance. I may not be able to bear the arm, but at least this I can do! I rose and walked to the center. And how wrong I was. Carm POV ________________________________________________ I watched in horror as the others one by one voted against my love, as she just made things worse for herself, a mistake I could''ve prevented if only I was awake then. I slowly came to the realization that she would not live. She would not be there tonight, be in our spot, be next to me. Is this how it''ll end for her? Is this how it''ll end for our love? I cannot accept this. I will not accept this! I try my best, I desperately tried to convince the others of her innocence. Yet it was all for naught. I watched in horror as one by one, the sands in the hourglass trickled down, the countdown to her demise, and the end of my love. SO BE IT. If she isn''t in this world with me, what purpose do I have? I came to that conclusion, to that inevitable decision. If we cannot be together in this world, may we be with each other in the next. Luck POV _____________________________________________________ This... This can''t be... I...... I try stifling my tears, show no fear, but the attacks on me were too great. I try to look around, to find hope, only to see my darling''s pained face. Ah... I guess... this is it.... I''m sorry, Carm.. Realizing my end is inevitable, I tightened my grip. Let no one realize our relationship! Let him live! With renewed spirit, I shouted out, the desperate wails of the dying, "I''ll tell you where all the Dire family are! Kill them all!" Kill. Kill them all, my family, my circumstances, this entire war. Those that does not allow me to be with him. Let it all burn and die. I shouted my last wail, upon my last stage, waiting for my last breath. But a Radiant walked to my side and embraced me. The calm and gentle steps. The man with the smell of peonies. The smile that meant my world. The one I love. With him in my arms, the townfolks shouts are of no importance. Though it pains me to know he''ll have to die, I feel braver and calmer with him. As if everything that''s happening is of no importance. For only him and our embrace matter. Softly, I said my sorry. Slowly, I loosed my hold. Looking into his determined eyes, I leaned closer and shared our first and last kiss, under the blessing of the sun. What a blissful moment it is. I closed my eyes for the last time, as the bullet passed through us. Let''s be together in the next life, he smiled.