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| 1
Liminal OutcastYes, a chair! There isn't always one where I end up, so I sit on a lot of floors. If I had some money, I would buy a light camping chair to keep at all times. But that would also require that I be able to be around others. As an outcast, that's just not possible. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsI have a pretty good idea of what Meredarchos is going to propose, but I'm obviously not going to give him any ideas. We need to go somewhere private, but preferably still near the bridge, so I have the advantage of being physically immortal. Maybe the desert? #NickFishermanLasts
NanostoryHi, I'm Nick Fisherman, and my friend, @TavisHighfill nominated me for the 99 Baby Carrot Challenge to raise awareness for Acute Chronic Dry Drowning Syndrome. I have 99 days to eat 99 baby carrots. I nominate @MiaSerafino to complete the challenge next. Here we go. One. "Blegh!"
Story Quote"She hates that she inherited this trait, but it was always going to be something, and she certainly doesn’t want to change. So she simply accepts the gift, and slips it into the pocket of her pants, which she laid out over the chair last night." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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2
Liminal OutcastAs soon as I sit down, I think I hear footsteps. It's not good to be sitting when the wind comes. It's not really wind. It doesn't hit my chest, and push me back. It's more of a pull from behind. Yeah, those are footsteps, and they're too close now. I disappear. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsNo, not the desert. We can't go to the middle of nowhere, because we'll stand out, and we can't find an empty room, because people might notice us go in, and we may not be allowed. No. "Let's just move over to the side, and talk quietly, but not suspiciously." #NickFishermanLasts
Random NothingKeep going, I'm fumfering.
Story Quote"So many potential threats here. The floor is a metal grate, which could be housing hidden flame-throwers underneath. The vents could release a noxious gas into the air. The sprinkler system on the ceiling could drop caustic acid onto their skin." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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3
Liminal OutcastThis place doesn't look too different than the last one, but the smell is. It's much staler, and less clean. That might sound bad, but the ultra-sweet scent of freshly cleaned surfaces can be overwhelming and sickening. I sigh and say, "goodbye, chair," out loud. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman Lasts"You go first," I say to Meredarchos once we're sufficiently far from others, but not too far. // "I know you wanna escape. Your precious immortality is unreliable. You need to find a universe that's much more conducive to your lifestyle. I can get you that." #NickFishermanLasts
NanostoryI once jumped into a pond and found myself in the past. It was so wild, coming back up, and seeing how different the world was five minutes ago. Everything suddenly made sense, since a guy who somehow looked exactly like me is the one who told me to jump in the first place.
Story Quote"Teaguardians were battleships that came from an outpost called Teagarden, which orbited Teegarden’s Star. They evidently didn’t stray far from the root word. They were only obligated to provide protection to the Core Worlds and the stellar neighborhood." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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| 4
Liminal OutcastI don't see anywhere to sit here, and the floor is extra dirty, so I guess I'm walking again. I'm starting to get a little hungry, which is a major problem, because this area doesn't just look empty, but abandoned. There may not be any vending machines for miles. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman Lasts"What do you want in return?" I know what he wants in return. // "Nothing," Meredarchos responds with a shoulder shrug. "You say the word, and I'll send you to a new home. I don't even have to go with you." // "Whose body is this?" // "Don't worry about it." #NickFishermanLasts
NanostoryLol, 26 years ago, I tried to compose a tweet that basically said, "new millennium, new me" but I couldn't get it to work. I'm telling you—not kidding—it took me almost fifteen minutes to realize that Twitter didn't exist yet. I was such an idiot. I know technology better now.
Story Quote"He always kept it somewhere in normal 3D space. The data drive module stored the specifications necessary to rebuild anything and everything from scratch, and an AI to process it all. It also came with starter nanites, and some other bells and whistles." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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5
Liminal OutcastI have a tactic of getting out of abandoned zones. I'm only allowed to exist in liminal spaces. That means no people, and no going outside. I've not felt the sun on my face since I was a kid. So if I try to break free, the gods will simply send me somewhere else. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsI just sigh through my nose, and don't say anything. // "Fine," Meredarchos relents. "Do you remember when you were trapped in that basement for a while, and when you finally escaped, you ended up in Boreverse?" // He knows too much about that. "I remember." #NickFishermanLasts
Random Nothing"It is easier to find a thimble in a desert than a cactus in the city." —The Friend of Trees, circa 2187 LDT
Story Quote"They will be coming at it from a place of disappointment. If they decide to quit right here, this will be the only source of information they have if they write a review of Spydome. Other visitors will hear about it. Other visitors won’t come." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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6
Liminal OutcastAirports are the best. They can be empty enough at night, and they have food hanging around. I don't mind stealing. They can pursue me all they want, it's literally impossible to catch me. No human contact allowed. I don't know why I'm like this; who did it to me. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman Lasts"Well," Meredarchos begins, "as it turns out, your captor suffers from a rare temporal condition that sends him through Westfall all the time. He's been to hundreds of universes. He was sick of it, so he tried to force you to take his place. It didn't work." #NickFishermanLasts
NanostoryI'm a triplet. On January 6, 1996, my older brother was born at 1:21, before our parents were married. They had a quick wedding before I was born at 1:47. They were divorced before my younger brother was born at 2:16. Neither of them is illegitimate. All children are legitimate.
Story Quote"When you’re basically immortal and you feel like you’ve exhausted everything there is to do on Earth, a world like Castlebourne is the best place to try something new—something you’ve never heard of before—something that couldn’t exist back home." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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7
Liminal OutcastIf I hear footsteps, and I don't wanna leave wherever I happen to be, I have to find a way to stay ahead of them. I don't know the exact minimum safe distance, but in practical terms, no seeing, and no hearing well enough to make out words. My life is just creepy. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman Lasts"After he pushed you through a door that was meant for him, he lasted there for another week, but the next door found him, and he ended up elsewhere. That's when I took his body over. He's a jerk. Don't shed a tear for him. If that's what's giving you pause…" #NickFishermanLasts
Random NothingI don't understand how any garbage truck worker could ever complain. They work once a week, and only have to come to my street. I know it's gross, but that sounds pretty cushy over all.
Story Quote"He doesn’t know why he’s even bothering to spin this yarn. They’re going to reset her memory, and tomorrow, she’ll start the whole charade over again with the same old script. This time, she’ll do it right, and help a new small group of visitors." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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8
Liminal OutcastI think this is why the gods use their "wind" to move me. I've attempted to call out for help just before they spirited me away, but I started choking. Seriously, it's a choking feeling, and but a slight scream ekes out. I've not tried any funny business in years. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman Lasts"A chronic Westfaller, huh?" I ask, mostly rhetorically, but also, I don't know if I can believe it. Statistically, there's more than enough room for an outlier such as the man who Meredarchos is describing to exist, but that doesn't mean he actually does." #NickFishermanLasts
Fictional Quote"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig four graves. We have to get these done before you leave for vacation, I can't do them all myself. Have a good trip. Now I have to go meet a client. We'll see you next week." --my boss at the cemetery
Story Quote"She doesn’t get all of the secrets that Libera is hinting at, but she recognizes the wisdom in the words just the same. To her, it must simply sound like poetry and metaphor, but it seems to be working. She looks down at her ratty, torn clothes." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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9
Liminal OutcastThis is my life. I'm alone, and that can't ever change. I occasionally find a cot to sleep on, but no beds. It's not that beds aren't allowed, I think. It's probably that people don't leave such things in empty public areas. Dirty mattresses, sure, but…no thanks. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsThere is no way for me to verify Meredarchos' claim. While the bridge is granting me access to enough bulk energy to be immortal here, I've still not received any updates from my alternate self. And anyway, that isn't what's giving me pause. It's everything. #NickFishermanLasts
Fake ConversationMy girlfriend, Lauren: "Let's shower together." // Me: "No, it's not very sexy. There are parts I don't want you to see me wash. I didn't used to wash one particular part, but I really get in there now." // Lauren: "Gross." // "I mean, it's not THAT gross. It's just my windpipe."
Story Quote"Renata’s mom helped her get this job after she decided she wanted to return to banking. It can’t be an NSD front, and if it was, why would they let her apply, let alone work here? They kicked her out. They made that incredibly clear a year ago." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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10
Liminal OutcastI'm always a little hungry, but I've grown used to it. I'm never starving. I think the gods who are toying with me are smart enough to understand that if I die, the torment ends, so they eventually let me find food. It's not always good food, but I can't be picky. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman Lasts"That's not really the issue," I tell him. "You are a world destroyer. I can't let you just keep on destroying worlds." // Meredarchos winces. "What I do to my own worlds is my business, and I've been doing it without your permission, so what does it matter?" #NickFishermanLasts
Random NothingJust watched a scene where a character lies down to go to sleep while it's dark, and wakes up when it's light, but they fake it to compress several hours into only a few seconds. She didn't move a millimeter. I don't need you rubbing it in my face that I somersault in my sleep.
Story Quote"Even with help, he was not the man for the job. He didn’t even ask to be on it in the first place. He simply didn’t have any choice. When they first arrived, and started establishing their rules, Hrockas insisted that every old world had representation." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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| 11
Liminal OutcastNot all footsteps are the same. I've learned to tell the difference. When it's a person, I'm not scared. They can't reach me anyway. But there's something else out there, just around the corners. I don't know if it's a monster, or what, but it doesn't sound right. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman Lasts"It matters," I try to explain, "because I'm here now. No, I can't stop you from annihilating the population of other planets, but I would if I could. In lieu of that, I can stop you from doing it to this one, so that's exactly what I'm going to do. No deal." #NickFishermanLasts
“Joke”Please go watch my new YouTube series called Watching One Film in the The Amazing Spider-Man Trilogy Every Day for Two Days.
Story Quote"The shooter was barely fazed. He pulled out a handgun, and started shooting Mateo instead, point blank. They were more powerful than the firearms of yesteryear, to be sure, but they weren’t even making a dent. Mateo stood there for a moment, taking it." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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12
Liminal OutcastWhen I hear the scary noises, I run the other way. I am not a runner, I don't run…unless I hear those creepy monster sounds. They're low-pitched and guttural. At least I think that's the right word to use. I didn't finish high school before this happened to me. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsMeredarchos laughs. "Okay, well, we need to get one thing clear. You can't actually stop me. This is a courtesy conversation, and I'm running out of patience. I may not be able to break into your head, but I can break into theirs." He looks over at my friends. #NickFishermanLasts
“Joke”Did they ever find out what Ultron's age was? I'm guessinnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggg…………………………twenty-four?
Story Quote"They don’t speak, they don’t coordinate. Renata handles the gunmen who are more on the left side as Quidel takes care of the right. They only fire as many times as necessary to get the job done, and they don’t take a single bullet for themselves." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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13
Liminal OutcastIt actually happened at my high school, and I've always wondered whether it was inevitable, or if that first night turned me into this. I had to stay late alone—for a reason I don't remember—so it was naturally a liminal space, and now I just can't escape them. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman Lasts"You think threatening my people is…helping you?" I ask, tilting my head to the side. // "Of course it is," Meredarchos claims. "Threatening ALWAYS works. You think you're the first renegade to try to go up against me? You think you're special? I always win." #NickFishermanLasts
Fake ConversationI am. If I were gone, you would see. At last. You would see. But then, await. Hark—the news. For you would also have been. But then maybe I never was. We all see in our dreams. All dreams are nightmares. And you. You were never there. Neither was I. #thirteensentencehorrorstories
Story Quote"Libera has been a part of this the whole time. It explains a lot about how she raised her child and why. These little secondary realizations are all presumably swimming around in her head right now as she watches her mom walk up to them in anger." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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14
Liminal OutcastI'm so tired. And I'm hungry, and I'm tired, and I just wanna sit down and eat something substantial. As I said, airports have better options, but it's not exactly fine dining. And I never have much time there, because there's always someone else wandering around. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman Lasts"If you try anything, I'll just kill you," I warn him. "I am aware that your consciousness won't really die, but you'll no longer have access to this body, so this world will at least be safe. I don't want to kill him, but I'll do it to protect my friends." #NickFishermanLasts
Uber PwnageMy genius neighbor invented a helmet that can temporarily rewire your brain to mirror the mind of someone else, or SOMETHING else. I tried a few things, like a hamster and a parakeet. They were about the same. I tried @elonmusk's brain after that. It was also about the same.
Story Quote"Unsure of all this, he sighs, but lifts the lid anyway. Inside is a radially symmetrical electronic device, mostly sleek metal black with blue glowing piping. It’s standing on short black legs that go all around the circumference on the bottom." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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15
Liminal OutcastI'm just about to look for an exit to force the evil gods to banish me elsewhere when I see it. It's the Holy Grail of vending machines. We're not talking just chips and candy. It has sandwiches. Oh my God, these are called sandwiches, right? And is that fruit? #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman Lasts"You don't understand how I operate," Meredarchos starts. "Now that I've seen this world, I can always come back. I've planted seeds in a few of the minds of the native population. You would have to kill them all, but you would have to identify them first." #NickFishermanLasts
Fake ConversationMAGAMan: "Wow, this pays $20,000? That's half a million." // Me: "No, it's not." // MAGAMan: "Lol, check your math, bud. Take 1,000,000 and divide by 50. That's 20,000." // Me: "Why would you divide by 50?" // MAGAMan: "You libtard, 50 means HALF."
Story Quote"It’s not the car that Libera drove up with, and it has its own driver, which suggests that she was planning to make off with the device the whole time. But Renata is not going to confront her about this, because right now, they have a job to do." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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16
Liminal OutcastHow is this possible? It's a fridge, just here in the hallway. Is it locked, or something? I take a step towards it, and hear the monster. I stop and listen for a moment before trying again. The monster roars. I can't forgo this opportunity. I have to ransack it. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsHe chuckles. "I suppose you could just kill everyone here to be sure that I could never return. But I'm guessing you don't wanna do that. Look, while I was trapped in that parallel dimension, I couldn't do anything, but one day was enough for me to dig in." #NickFishermanLasts
NanostoryI once dated a girl who tried to break my heart, but it didn't really work. It was too soft, so it just kind of ripped. She ripped my heart, and I guess that was good enough for her. Do normal people have really rigid hearts? Am I the weird one here? How do yours pump blood?
Story Quote"Renata knows this tone well. Libera doesn’t actually need help with anything, but wants to speak privately. She downs the rest of her tea, which has already gotten cold out here in the winter woods, and sets it precariously on the window sill." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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17
Liminal OutcastI don't have time to determine if the fridge is unlocked first, and then find a weapon, so I back up a little bit. Another monster sound, but behind me. They have me nearly surrounded. I have to do this now. I grab a metal pipe, and head for the food. More sounds. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsI look back at my friends, watching us with worry and interest. I look over at the crowds of people milling about, traveling back and forth between time periods like it's no big deal. Some of them might be timebombs. Maybe none of them, but maybe all of them. #NickFishermanLasts
NanostoryI got fired from my role as a main cast member in the original CSI because the script had "I could have swore" but I kept insisting that it should be "I could have sworn". The director couldn't handle my superior intelligence. #dodgedabullet
Story Quote"She glided over to the shower, which didn’t even have a curtain. So he wouldn’t keep staring, he went over to the machines, and started looking at the various components, as if his observations alone would give him any understanding of how they worked." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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| 18
Liminal OutcastThe fridge is unlocked. I drop the pipe and open my bag. Look at all these dumb little trinkets. Get rid of 'em. Get rid of 'em all! I dump them out, and scoop the food in to replace them. There's not enough room, though. That's unacceptable. I take my shirt off. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsI look down at my hands as if that's where my immortality is housed. I used to 'borrow' other characters' abilities, but once I got this one, I couldn't let it go. I can't die. I just can't. If I let go of it now to use something else, I'll never get it back. #NickFishermanLasts
NanostoryOh, and do you remember that mistake in an episode of LOST where you see a car driving in the background even though they're supposed to be on a remote island, and the audience didn't even know there were any cars at all? Lol, I was driving that car. I was just heading to school.
Story Quote"Mateo winced. 'That was a year ago. I’m over it.' Obviously, it hadn’t been a full year for the team, but he genuinely wasn’t holding onto any grudge. The guy was trying to protect his home, and the bullets were no match for their armor. Not a big deal." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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19
Liminal OutcastI only wear clothes because it's usually cold as there's no point in heating a floor where no one else is. There's also no point in covering my boobs when food is at stake, though. I hastily tie the sleeves over the neckhole and scoop the rest of the food into it. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsBut this man—this monster of a man—threatens not only this world, but all others. As I said, I can't save them all. And as Meredarchos said, I can't even save this one; not in my current state. I have to make a sacrifice. I have to let myself die…eventually. #NickFishermanLasts
Random NothingI have seen both #Dune movies twice, and I still can't figure out which one of the characters is the Dune. I mean, I know it's not anyone's real, legal name, but no one ever acts like a dune, and no one ever acts like someone ELSE is a dune. It's so confusing. Horribly written.
Story Quote"Renata knows that they should probably get the hell out of here, but she has so many questions, and for the first time in her—well, she has never had a real life, but those implanted memories are still there, and this still feels like a relief." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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20
Liminal OutcastThe monster sounds are louder than ever. I've still not gotten all the food, but most of the rest is candy, and mama don't need no more sugar. I swing the real bag back over my shoulder, squeeze my shirt closed as much as possible, and book it. The scene changes. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsI take a deep breath and walk past Meredarchos, towards the bridge. // "What? What is it?" he asks. "What are you doing?" // I ignore him. As I draw nearer, I feel the power. I feel the strength. And I start to get a little bit of information from my alt self. #NickFishermanLasts
NanostoryI too spent a year trying to figure out how to reverse engineer the recipe for Coca-Cola, but then I realized that I could go to the store anytime I wanted, and buy a 12-pack instead. So I just started doing that.
Story Quote"She smashes right through the glass, tipping Libera’s chin on the follow-through. Libera has to let go with her left hand, but manages to hold on with her right. She’s being dragged on the ground as Renata pulls the car onto the paved highway." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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21
Liminal OutcastI keep running for a bit even though I'm in a completely new liminal space. I stop and pant, then I take a second to check my booty. It's all still there—it wasn't a dream. Did I just do that? Did I just win at life? I don't even care that some of this will spoil. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsThe Superintendent has made some interesting creative choices, though really, they're not truly his. He's absorbing knowledge from the cosmos, and writing it down. But there's only one thing I care about now. Who can defeat Meredarchos for only this one time? #NickFishermanLasts
Random Nothing🎤Pup. Cup. Cup full of pup. Put your pup in a cup, and drink it all up!🎤
Story Quote"She takes it upon herself to lift his shirt, and for a second, feels a sense of attraction seeing his artificial muscles, before pulling it up further to reveal the gaping hole in his chest. It’s no longer bleeding, but you can still see metal." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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22
Liminal Outcast"Uh, hi," comes a voice. // I scream, dropping my food-filled shirt. Sandwiches everywhere. Who said that? Was it the monster? Who could have possibly said it? Panicked, I look around. And then I see him. It's a man. It's just a normal, everyday man. What the fu—? #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsI scour my new memories, looking for someone with the right power, who I didn't know before, or maybe I just didn't make the connection. There. There he is. Okay, I knew about this character, but not his powers. Or curse, rather. Let me take it off his hands. #NickFishermanLasts
Random NothingThe feminine form of el chupacabra is la chupacabro.
Story Quote"The motivations just aren’t there in a post-scarcity society. Furthermore, they’re mostly illegal for territorial protection. They’re seen as an expectation of violence, which could be what leads to unnecessary violence. This sector is different." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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23
Liminal OutcastThe man is normal, but what's behind him is not. This is another random empty hallway, but the one he's standing in front of is of completely different architecture. It's bright and white, and kept up. Is it, like, a different liminal space? Is this guy like me? #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsI take one more private, quiet moment to bid farewell to the immortality that I stole from Ambrosios when he had finally had enough himself. And then…I release it. For a few seconds, I'm just me again; a completely normal human. I'm simply Nick Fisherman IV. #NickFishermanLasts
Dumb Ditty🎶If you like clean empanadas // Kitten gout down the drain // If your yacht's in the no gum // If you live in a brane // If you lack taking doves shot on sight // In the ruins of landscapes // Then I'm the one who's a metaphor // For the concept of late🎶
Story Quote"While Quidel didn’t have the foresight to store a burner phone in his locker, he is aware of his surroundings, which means he knows that there is a no-tell motel just down this hill. He walks inside and slaps a hundred dollar bill on the counter." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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24
Liminal OutcastWas he shifting to a new place, but when I showed up, I broke the—oh, I'm still topless. "Sorry," I say with an awkward laugh. "I know I'm fat. It's not my fault. I mostly only eat junk food." // "Not to sound like a creeper but," he begins, "I'm not complaining." #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsI don't let it last too long, though. It's time I take on my new ability. Not only will this give me what I need to put a stop to Meredarchos, and protect this world from him forever, but I'll actually be doing the rightful owner of this psychic power a favor. #NickFishermanLasts
Fake ConversationReader: "Mister Fisherman? Hello! I bought your book." // Me: "Well, it's always nice to meet a fan." // Reader: *hands me the book* "Would you mind?" // Me: *opens it* // Reader: "Oh, no. I don't want you to sign it. I'm just trying to give it back. It. Was. Awful. Burn it."
Story Quote"She made eye contact. 'You were only on the Council because you had to be. You never participated.' // 'That—' Dreychan started to argue loudly. // It was Yunil’s turn to interrupt. She did so to say what he was about to, but in a more articulate way." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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| 25
Liminal OutcastI kneel down and collect the sandwiches. "I can't put my shirt back on, it's holding my food." // "You do what you gotta do." This guy isn't shocked or surprised by anything. // The wind is pulling me away. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no!" He's gone. Or rather, I am. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsHe's not a good guy because he absorbs the darkest psychic energy from everyone around. That's exactly what I need now. I need to push Meredarchos out of this universe, and cleanse the whole population of HIS dark psychic energy. I summon Waldemar Kristiansen. #NickFishermanLasts
NanostoryI opened the first dollar value store in 1856. Back then, $1 was worth around $75 in today's rates. It began as a high-end boutique, but inflation has caused its status to be downgraded over the years. Today, we've lost all markup potential, and have to close our doors for good.
Story Quote"Leona opted to leave. She didn’t want to watch the procedure. She didn’t know if she was in the right, or if there was nothing wrong with what Ramses was trying to do. She just didn’t want him regretting it, or doing something that couldn’t be reversed." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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26
Liminal OutcastNot only have I just lost the only freaking person I've seen in the last two decades, but I also lost my food. I don't even have my regular bag anymore. I don't have anything. I thought I won the lottery by finding that fridge. It turns out to have been a tease. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsOh. It already feels bad. I can't read thoughts, but I feel their impulses. Humans are inherently evil; I believe that more than ever today. I can help, though. I start pulling it in, away from all of them. // "What are you doing!" Meredarchos can sense it. #NickFishermanLasts
Fake ConversationWoman I saved who is destined to become embroiled in my underworld drama: "Don't sneak away through the shadows just yet. How will I find you if I need your help again? I have questions about all this." // Me: "Wherever you are, if you're in need, I'll find you…just drop a pin."
Story Quote"Your coffee maker has a chip in it, but I’m guessing you would never get mad that no one taught it to feel loved. Before you argue, I’m not saying that Exemplars are coffee makers, but it’s a spectrum, and you have to draw boundaries somewhere." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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27
Liminal Outcast"Is this what you like!" I scream to the heavens—or the ceiling, anyway. "You like to watch me suffer! Oh, the outcast is topless now! Ha! Look at that stupid topless fat outcast girl! Well f—" // "Are you talking to the Powers that Be?" It's the guy. He found me. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsPeople are starting to notice now. They don't understand what, but they know that something is happening, and that I am the center of it. They watch as I tense up and tremble. It's rough, it's awful. But I have to take everything, not just his 'seeds' of evil. #NickFishermanLasts
NanostoryOne time, I was so high that when I slipped over the edge, I fell really far down. I'm sure some form of this joke has been told a million times before, but you know what? I don't care, because I'm so high right now…ON LIFE! Actually I'm depressed. Any tips for quick fixes?
Story Quote"Dem smiles. 'The one you’ve really been after this whole time.' She takes her sunglasses off completely, and gets a better look at Renata, like a vet examining a pregnant cow. 'She understands where we are?' // Quidel notices Renata’s confusion." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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28
Liminal OutcastHe's no longer standing in front of the pristine hallway, but the last one that I was in. He has a full duffel bag in one hand, and my shirt in the other. "Here. You can put this back on, and have my bag." // "Who are you? How are you here?" // "Should I not be?"#LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsIt's almost over. One last pull, and I'm done. If Meredarchos left his mark on anyone here, those marks are gone now, and they're safe again. They should be healthier and happier than ever, in fact. Only one last thing to do. "Come here." // "No!" he screams. #NickFishermanLasts
Random NothingThey're called keytars, because they use keys instead of guis.
Story Quote"She pushed Quidel to explain what it’s really like before, but he insisted that everything was fine. Maybe Lycander will have a different answer, especially since he does still work. 'Sounds like a paradise. What’s the catch?' Was that offensive?" #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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29
Liminal OutcastI explain whole my situation, how I only live in liminal spaces. He is not surprised. These gods that I've been screaming at are apparently real, but he doesn't know much about them. He's not beholden to them, though. I reportedly have a pattern. He has a power. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsHe tries to run, but he doesn't get far. He's not used to having to escape. He's always in control, and he gets it without taking a step. I grab him by the shoulders, and stare into his eyes. I force the interloper out, and cleanse this apparent Westfaller. #NickFishermanLasts
Fake ConversationMe: "My favorite show is The Closer." // Friend: "You mean The Closer?" // Me: "That's what I said, The Closer." // Friend: "You're saying The Closer, but it's The Closer." // Me: "What? We're both saying The Closer." // Friend: "Closer." // Me: "Closer." // Friend: "Closer."
Story Quote"This is part of the job. Had she made it past one day in the program, her training would have prepared her to be a chameleon anywhere, rather than just a shadow in the shadows. It’s too late for that training now, though. She’s in the deep end." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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30
Liminal OutcastBefore he can teach me more, I feel the wind again. He thinks he's disrupting my pattern, but it can't hold forever. He raises his hands and the wind fights back. The PTB are trying to take me again, but he won't let them. "Step over the merge point!" he suggests. #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman Lasts"What the hell just happened?" the guy asks, now free from his psychic parasite. // "You're gonna be all right. I can't promise no more unwanted doors, but Meredarchos will never steal your body again." // "Thank you, and…I'm sorry." // I smile. "It's okay." #NickFishermanLasts
Fake ConversationMan: "I would like one sex with her, please." // Celebrity's Assistant: "I remember you from six years ago." // Man: "No, it's okay. I'm a nice guy now. I went to a seminar and read a book. Well…I heard about a seminar and read the back cover of a book." // C.A.: "Goodbye, sir."
Story Quote"Chaos ensues. The party-goers start to scream, and run in all directions, not knowing where the danger lies. The guards who have survived so far start shooting back. Renata and Libera duck away from the bullets, but both of them get shot anyway." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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31
Liminal OutcastYou don't have to ask me twice. I step out of the liminal hallway, and into a garden that he has summoned. The wind pull stops. For the first time ever, I feel…stable. // "Whew. We might have just broken your pattern. I'm Kayetan Glaston, by the way." // "Olive." #LiminalOutcast
Nick Fisherman LastsYikes. I look over at the crowd who have all stopped what they were doing, and are still trying to figure out what I just did, and if they should be pleased. I go back to my friends, and we stick together for about a year. But not every second of it is great. #NickFishermanLasts
Fake ConversationMe: "People these days have gotten so soft. They don't learn to do things that they don't like. If they don't immediately succeed at something, they just give up. All I'm saying is, teach your kids to eat the crust." // My ghost therapist: "Pizza or sliced bread?" // Me: "Earth."
Story Quote"A colony forty-two light years from Earth did not typically ask for aid from Earth because that aid would usually be at least forty-two years away. However, it was certainly possible, especially in terms of Teaguardians, which were always posted nearby." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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| February | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1
House of GlastonSome call me The Merger, but as an adult, I have no use for nicknames. You can call me Kayetan. Merging IS what I do, though. I can go to any place at anytime, but unlike other travelers, I do it by bringing my destination and departure point together. I'm unique. #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesI throw myself into my work. The organization I was training for actually still exists, and they accept me and Leonard back without question. I have to work. I have a lot of anger in me now, and this is the only way to get it out. It's exhausting, though. #NickFishermanLanguishes
“Joke”My wife said that she and my ex-girlfriend were "cool for the summer". What does that mean?
Story Quote"That wasn’t so far necessarily a bad thing as they weren’t in the business of being remote and isolated from others, but that was Linwood’s goal. They thought they could help him, but it was going to be much harder than they thought. They needed a ship." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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2
House of GlastonI don't go on missions, and I try to stay out of all other time travelers' drama. Of course, I get sucked into it sometimes, and that's what has just happened to me. I've met someone. She's a salmon, who didn't know of our world. It's my job to teach her, I guess. #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesThe tunnel has actually created a level of cooperation in this world that it was lacking before. That, and some other things happened shortly after my disappearance. But things are more dangerous than ever, because there is still a lot of disagreement. #NickFishermanLanguishes
“Joke”That movie, #GroundhogDay happened to me once. I only had to live through the day three times. I got Andie MacDowell to fall in love with me pretty much right away. All I had to do was tell her that it was still raining.
Story Quote"They’re going at maximum speed right now. She feels nothing. She could be going twice as fast and still have the mental acuity to maintain pace. Their pursuers have all the same bells and whistles, but they don’t know it, so they can’t keep up." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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3
House of GlastonOlive is wandering around the immediate vicinity of the botanical garden. She's feeling the giant leaves, and smelling the flowers. "It's been a long time, huh?" // "Liminal spaces don't have life," she explains. "I occasionally see a plant. It is always plastic." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesThe man whose psychic powers I took has been free for a year. I don't know what his life is like now, but I have to hold on as long as possible, even if that means the rest of his life. I can handle it. I can channel it into something positive. He can't. #NickFishermanLanguishes
NanostoryI'm a unique type of assassin specializing in self-defense. What I do is enter my target's dreams, and incept a passionate hatred for me. It sometimes takes a few restless nights for their rage to really boil over. Then—when they try to kill me in public—I can legally fight back.
Story Quote"He tosses his tablet onto the desk. 'How are you feeling?' // Renata, as ridiculous as it sounds, looks behind her in case there’s someone else in the room. There isn’t, and she knew that. She would have been able to detect them without her eyes." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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4
House of Glaston"We can stay as long as you want. I can't promise that the powers that be can't find you again, but I will always be able to find you too, so they better be ready for a fight." // "You're very kind," Olive says. // "I'll take you anywhere else you wanna see too." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesI have been fighting the good fight, and probably overdoing it. Leonard is my partner while I'm in the field, but Cricket still is at home. He's been taking care of my mental health. We've been meditating, which I have always struggled with. I still am. #NickFishermanLanguishes
NanostoryPeople are confused about why enough people would try to kill me that I could use it to cover up my own assassination missions. As I've tried to explain before, I'm the King of Earth. I survive no fewer than two attempts on my life every day. So no, it isn't unrealistic at all.
Story Quote"Evica takes some kind of wand and slips it into the cavity. She suddenly steps back in fear, dropping the wand on the floor. 'It’s worse than I thought.' // 'Worse than something called a freaking ATP bomb! What could be worse!' Renata questions." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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5
House of Glaston"Anywhere?" Olive asks. // "Yes, anywhere," I repeat. // She takes a breath and admires the nearby bubbling fountain. "Take me to someone else," she finally says. // "Your family," I guess. // "It's too late for that," Olive decides. "Let them assume I'm dead." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman Languishes"It's okay," Cricket tells me in his calm breathy voice. "You're safe." // "I know I'm safe," I reply. "That doesn't mean I'm centered." // "You don't have to be centered," he says. "You just have to know where you are…and accept it. Live in the moment." #NickFishermanLanguishes
NanostoryI just had a lovely vacation on a planet that's very much like ours, except of course they aren't humans, like us. Another difference is that they always lay their deceased on their faces. That way, when they're pulled up into heaven, they can wave goodbye to their loved ones.
Story Quote"Her nose bleeds as she attempts to teleport away, but they’ve blocked that too. They know too much about her. That’s why she came in quietly, so no one would even suspect that she was on the planet. This isn’t over, though. They can’t kill her." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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6
House of GlastonI'm surprised, but I don't judge. "Then who do you want me to take you to?" // "Someone like us," she requests. "Or like you, or me, since we're different. I don't know. I just want triangulation, I suppose." // I don't really wanna do that, but I think about it. #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman Languishes"I can't live in the moment," I argue with him. "This is where everyone's darkness is." // "Did it not help, moving out here?" // I sigh. "Of course it did. I'm not getting more psychic energy, but I can't purge what I do have either. I have to fight." #NickFishermanLanguishes
NanostoryDon't give me this BS about the "Mandela Effect". There is no way I just imagined seven sequels to "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", one failed TV pilot, and a prequel limited series set in the 1980s. I read an article LAST WEEK about a reboot focusing on their grandkids.
Story Quote"The room is dark and humid. Hrockas orders the lights to come on, and they do. They hear a sort of groan coming from the only object of note in here. It’s a…pod of some kind; translucent and shiny, hanging from the ceiling. It’s quite majestic." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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7
House of Glaston"The thing is," I begin, "I'm a bit of a misanthrope. I don't like people, and I especially dislike other time travelers." // "Am I a time traveler?" Olive poses. // "Yes, it's just a generic term, but before you ask, there are exceptions. You seem quite lovely." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman Languishes"I'm trying to teach you to purge the darkness without fighting," he says. "Fighting isn't the best way, it's just the only way you knew how. It is not sustainable. You're trying to free yourself from the darkness by going deeper in. You. Need. Light." #NickFishermanLanguishes
Fake ConversationDaisy: "Bark! Bark, bark, bark, bark, bark! BARK! HOWL! Yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap-yap!!!! Bark, bark, yap, yap! Woof! Growl." // Me: "What the hell are you doggin' about?"
Story Quote"So if Slain was also from there, he must have come to Castlebourne really, really recently. Why were people listening to him? Why were people following his lead when only a year ago, Dreychan was quite nearly murdered for being from the same Old World?" #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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| 8
House of Glaston"Maybe others are lovely too, if you just gave them half a chance. Maybe you would actually have a friend or two," Olive suggests. // I don't agree with that, and I don't want to like her less because of that disagreement. Not to be that guy, but she is so hot. #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman Languishes"That all makes sense from a metaphorical standpoint, but we're not talking about random bad thoughts. Psychic energy is an actual thing. It gets into your brain, and alters the chemicals. I need a medical solution." // "Combat isn't a medical solution." #NickFishermanLanguishes
“Joke”I once visited New York in the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the spring. I bet you read that sentence as "I once visited New York in the spring" but that's not what it says! Ha, your brain deletes the other 24 "the"s!
Story Quote"Romana gazed up at him with a sort of eureka smile. She kept it on her face as she looked over at the viewscreen, showing Linwood’s coin rotating twice a minute in the middle distance inside this icy planetesimal. 'Linwood’s love,' she said cryptically." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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9
House of GlastonI take a couple of deep breaths. "I suppose there's one other person in the timeline who doesn't make me tear my hair out." // "Yay, let's go!" Olive says excitedly. // "Give me a minute," I ask. "I'm better at finding places than people, as you would imagine." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman Languishes"It's cathartic—it releases energy," I claim. // "Do you want my help, or not?" he asks. // "I guess not." I get out of my crossed legs, which is difficult when I'm not immortal, which I never will be again unless I learn of a bad one who deserves to die. #NickFishermanLanguishes
Fake ConversationChris: "You just got off of a nineteen hour flight, stayed up for eleven more hours, and walked several kilometers to the museum. How are you still standing?" // Me: "That's my secret, Cap. […] I'm always jetlagged."
Story Quote"What she thought was only a column rotates open, revealing a shower. Meanwhile, a wardrobe materializes from the wall, and opens automatically, giving her some options. It will take her some time to choose the right outfit to wear to her debut." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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10
House of GlastonI shouldn't even be telling Olive that I can find people. It's not the rarest of powers, but it's highly sought after, for obvious reasons. I don't want people begging me to find them their long-lost brother, or cheating husband. But I feel like I can trust her. #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesI leave the room, angry, and angry that I'm so angry. Cricket is trying to help, which he has been doing for the last year. He should have left me long ago. They all should have. Violence helps purge the darkness, but not entirely. It just keeps coming. #NickFishermanLanguishes
Random NothingHilaria Baldwin is a really funny name.
Story Quote"Quidel sits up with a yawn, then sticks his tongue out like he’s just tasted something unpalatable, but he’s really just still tired. He shuts his eyes, and falls back on the bed. // 'I have a bit too much, uh…stamina for him,' Renata discloses." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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11
House of Glaston"Okay." I turn back around once I've locked onto the right coordinates. Olive is holding her hand out towards me. "What?" // "I'm ready to go." // "We don't have to hold hands to do it," I explain. "What I do is move space." // She shrugs. "Let's do it anyway." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesI find Leonard in the kitchen, sipping on his tea. We all bought a place together, because it made the most logistical sense. "Let me guess," he says. "It didn't work." // I shake my head. "I need to spar." // He shakes too. "I'm not your guy. Not today." #NickFishermanLanguishes
Dumb Ditty🎤She, she, she with her watermelon. You, you, you with your cactus.🎤
Story Quote"Someone came up with the idea of having each candidate wear a big hat so they’re easily spotted in the throng. Over time, these hats have evidently just gotten bigger and crazier. Most candidates are expending energy holding them on their heads." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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12
House of GlastonI take Olive's hand, and look forwards. "Wanna see something cool?" I don't wait for an answer. I just do it. I can merge two points in space together…or I can merge many of them. I turn the spot where we're standing into the center of a circle of destinations. #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman Languishes"Come on man," I plead. "I really need to let off some steam." // He's serious. He sets his mug down—not hard enough to break it, but not gently either. "I said I'm not doing it." // "Okay, fine. Jesus." // "Do you even know what today is?" // "Thursday?" #NickFishermanLanguishes
Fake ConversationMe: "Humans are so stupid…" // My alien handler: "Ha, how stupid are they?" // Me: "Humans are so stupid…they can only think in three dimensions. […] And they live in four! HA-HA-HA-HA!" // Alien handler: "HA-HA-HA-HA!" // Me: "HA-HA-HA-HA!" // Alien audience: "HA-HA-HA-HA!"
Story Quote"He stares at his daughter, afraid of what he has to say, but he does have to say it. 'Before you were born, I spoke with a seer, who said the son will one day flip out, and annihilate everything.' He pauses, even more nervous, but he must go on." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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13
House of GlastonShe watches in awe as the scenes flicker before us, and I realize that I have always wanted to do this for a pretty girl, I've just never met the right one. I never give myself the chance, I know that. I'm moving way too fast. This doesn't mean she's 'the one'. #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesLeonard shakes his head, fed up with me. He dumps his tea into the sink, but then just tosses the whole thing in there. It cracks. He leaves. // Claire walks in from the other room. "Dude. This is his mom's death anniversary. He never got to say goodbye." #NickFishermanLanguishes
Fake ConversationMe: *living my life* // Lady in car: *yells at me to pull out of her friend's driveway* // Me: *doesn't move* // Lady: *calls cops* // Cops: *threaten to arrest me* // House: *is actually mine* // Them: *argue I should have said something* // Me: *never had to clarify nothin'*
Story Quote"This is one of the very first structures built when humans began interstellar travel. It’s not just one of the first in this particular system, but ever. Proxima Centauri is the closest star to Sol, so Proxima Doma is naturally the oldest colony." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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14
House of Glaston"Pick one," I encourage. // "I thought you were taking me to a specific person." // "I am. They are all her, at different points in her life." I deftly summon a science professor's office, and steal his laser pointer. I hand it to her. "Your sceptre, my liege." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesClaire walks away after dropping the mic. Leonard never got to see his mother again because she died while he was gone. And the only reason he was gone was because he got mixed up in my shit. Now I really need to fight someone, and get these emotions out. #NickFishermanLanguishes
“Joke”I've never thought that there was any need for the character of Polonius in Hamlet. He serves absolutely no purpose. Seriously, take him completely out of the play, and the story doesn't change even a little bit. I wrote a book about it. Get your copy of Erroneous Polonius today!
Story Quote"His vision adjusted, and he was finally able to see where he was. As it turned out, he hadn’t moved. This was still the kangaroo court. Everyone was staring at him, equally confused, but there was something else different. Oh right, they were giants." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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| 15
House of GlastonOlive takes the laser pointer ceremoniously. She waves it before the carousel until settling on one. Everything stops. Then I make her selection expand, and all the others disappear. // A man behind us clears his throat. "Um, can I have my pointer back, please?" #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesI've never liked to run. My body doesn't get that high that avid runner's brag about. But when I'm feeling this way, and there's no outlet, running is the only thing that kinda sorta helps just a little bit. I rip my shirt off, and bolt out of the house. #NickFishermanLanguishes
Fake ConversationOh, yeah? Well, no one I follow on social media is making any claims about "echo chambers" so they must not exist.
Story Quote"It would require one piece of hardware to be kept in base reality at all times. Subpockets were possible, but not recommended, for various reasons, most importantly in this case was that it could get lost in the infinite forever if something went wrong." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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16
House of Glaston"Sorry, Duke," I say, handing the pen back before dismissing his merge point. // "Wait, can't I just meet that guy?" Olive asks. // "Andrews? Nah, he's not one of us. He just knows about us. I mean, I'll introduce you, if you want. He's actually okay too, but…" #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesIt's freezing cold today, but I deserve it. I didn't even bother to put on my shoes. The little icicles on the grass cut into my feet, but it's part of the catharsis. I keep running and running and running, deep into the woods, and I only stop to scream. #NickFishermanLanguishes
NanostoryOh, that scene was so gross. It made me throw up more than I did that one time when I found out that the dental filling I had in my tooth was once part of a rod that was used by a periodontist as a murder weapon before he melted it back down into feedstock to hide the evidence.
Story Quote"Breanna can’t rely on the computer to make the calculations as Its estimation of the distance to the planet was about 500 kilometers off. She hovers her hand over the button, forcing her mind to stay alert so she doesn’t succumb to the g-forces." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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17
House of Glaston"No, I want to meet someone with powers," Olive decides. // "Then let us step forward." We cross over the merge point. We seem to be in a park. The ambiance hasn't changed much, but my sort of friend is now behind us. "Kalisha, I would like you to meet someone." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesMy eyes are closed, of course. I scream a few more times before I start struggling to breathe, so I rest my palms on my knees, and try to recover. // "Are you okay?" It's a hiker. She looks concerned, but not afraid. // "Oh, sorry, I thought I was alone." #NickFishermanLanguishes
Random NothingHiya, Lauren! Ick, acid! *imaginary audience claps and cheers, gives me a standing ovation* Yes! Thank you, all! Thank you so much! This is what I do with my linguistics degree!
Story Quote"Breanna obviously already thought of that logic, but it’s not her place to delegate work. She has no rank, no authority. She was only on that ship as a passenger. To be fair, the same goes for Cashmere. Though, she is more of a nomadic tourist." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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18
House of Glaston"Hiya," Olive chirps. "Whoa, sorry, that was too much. Hello," she adds in a much lower voice. Then she clears her throat. "My name is Olive. This is Kayetan. Oh, wait, you already know that, don't you?" // Kalisha acts charmed. "It's nice to meet you. Kalisha." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman Languishes"It's all right," the hiker says sincerely. "That looked like a primal scream, but if you're genuinely in trouble, let me help. Helping others is sort of my thing." // "My other resources are not presently available, so I just needed a stopgap measure." #NickFishermanLanguishes
Fake ConversationMe: "You know what'll REALLY show 'em? If you mark your territory…right where you're standing. Then we'll go back in where it's warm." // Daisy: "No, I should keep jumping on the fence while the squirrels are on the other side of the neighbor's yard, and can't see me anymore."
Story Quote"He’s with a woman who looks similar to him, and is also walking around completely unprotected. She helps Breanna up while the man handles Cashmere. After he smiles and gives them both the a-okay sign, Breanna takes off her first stage air filter." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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19
House of Glaston"What can you do, Kalisha?" Olive asks. "Ooo, is that a taboo question? Is it like asking someone with a belly when they're due? Sorry, it's been a long time since I interacted with others." // "It's fine," Kalisha replies. "I'm a runner. I can run through time." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesThe hiker nods. "Are you thirsty? Hungry?" // I'm only now realizing that I'm getting nothing from her. Everyone has some dark psychic energy, but not her. She's clean…pure. This can't be real. My best guess is that she's twisted too, but also a psychic. #NickFishermanLanguishes
Random NothingIf the lion manages to be king of the jungle without even living in the jungle, then the jungle is The Colonies, and the lion is King George III. Don't @ me about Sanskrit.
Story Quote"They just have to save lives. It was one of those first settlers 300 years ago. It only stayed hoping that Proxima Doma would reach the level of unity that made it possible for humanity to even achieve interstellar migration in the first place." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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20
House of Glaston"That's cool," Olive says bashfully. // "I don't technically have to run," Kalisha goes on. "I just have to get my heartrate up. Higher the BPM, the greater my range. What can YOU do?" // Olive starts to explain what her salmon pattern is, or hopefully used to be. #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesI'm too curious to walk away from someone this interesting, whether she's a psychic, or somehow the only good person in a world of people constantly fighting against their own evil natures. "I ran, I screamed. They didn't really help. Maybe a hike will." #NickFishermanLanguishes
“Joke”People say that 69 is the sexiest number, but I've not found that. I would say that 4 is the sexiest number. Any more than that, and you're just splitting off into smaller groups anyway.
Story Quote"He’s nervous and hesitating. He looks around as if someone might be spying on them in here. If anyone could break into the simulation and do that, they would be able to do it without being detected, but his paranoia is not completely unfounded." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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21
House of GlastonOlive and Kalisha get to talking more about their experiences. Neither of them chose their path, but they both found a way to survive it. I smile softly, and create a merge, satisfied with my work, and believing that I'm done. // "Hey, wait, where are you going?" #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesI look like a weirdo, on a hike next to this stranger without a shirt, but we moved out here because it has a low population density, and this time of year, it's very cold, so it's odd enough that I ran into one person. We talk, but about nothing serious. #NickFishermanLanguishes
Random NothingWhy does my poop smell bad? Does anyone else have this problem? It started a couple of weeks ago. It used to smell just fine—warm honey with a hint of lilac, like it's supposed to—but now I think it smells like crap.
Story Quote"The pod, meanwhile, would be stuck with the Tangent, and when they commandeered the platform, all of those very important people could serve as hostages. It wasn’t going to be pretty or nice, but he wasn’t going to hurt anyone; not permanently, anyway." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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| 22
House of Glaston"I just thought, um…" I stammer. "Well, it looks like you two need to get to know each other. I was gonna go take a nap on the Sphinx in the 14th century." // "I don't want you to leave," Olive says. "I wanted to have a triangulation." // "A what?" I question. #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesI find this stranger far too easy to talk to. Before I know it, I'm giving away secrets that she shouldn't know about me, like where I'm from, and how I got here. I don't give her all the details, and I kind of use coded language, but I can't help myself. #NickFishermanLanguishes
Fake ConversationMe: "I'm not sellin' my farm! Fishermans have farmed this land for 600 generations!" // City Slicker: "Well, that's impossible. It would predate the origins of agriculture itself." // Me: "Yeah, my ancestors invented it. Ours was the first farm. We also came up with surnames."
Story Quote"A temporal battery this small would not be good enough for most people’s use, but they only ever needed the pocket dimension to be active while they were in the timestream. During their interim year, it could be recharging simply by the passage of time." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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23
House of Glaston"That may not be the right word," Olive goes on. "Here's the thing, you saved me from the liminal spaces, but we've not parted since then. I asked you to introduce me to someone else, so we could test whether that person would also be able to…anchor me, or not." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesI'm not even paying attention to where we're going, so I'm quite surprised when I look up from our conversation and realize that we're in our backyard. Cricket is outside, sunning himself completely naked despite the extremely cold weather. What do I say? #NickFishermanLanguishes
Fake ConversationMe: "I'm not sellin' my farm! Fishermans have farmed this land for 2 generations!" // City Slicker: "Well, that's not all that impressive, only two?" // Me: "That accounts for thousands of years. My dad invented agriculture 12,000 years ago, and I've been working the land since."
Story Quote"The angry horde of left behinders are screaming unintelligibly at her. She can’t tell what any one of them is saying, but she sure knows what they mean. She took responsibility for this…for them. She has to answer for the tragedy. But she can’t." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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24
House of Glaston"Oh, a control group," I realize. // "Yeah, sorry. I didn't graduate from high school. I'm kinda dumb." // "No, don't say that," Kalisha comforts her. "I didn't either." // "I didn't go," I admit. "I figured out what I could do, and bounced to explore the world." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman Languishes"Hi. I'm Veda." // Cricket sat up and grabbed a towel to wrap around himself. "Apologies. Cricket." // "No need to apologize. It's quite apropos. I live in a naturist community. I'm only wearing clothes right now because it's freezing. How are you alive?" #NickFishermanLanguishes
NanostoryMe: "I'm not sellin' my farm! Fishermans have farmed this land since yesterday!" // City Slicker: "That's not even your real name, and you don't live on a farm, and this isn't a farm, and you're in a mental hospital." // Me: "YOU'RE in a mental hospital!" // Doctor: "Yes, I am."
Story Quote"The Regent shakes his head. These people have no clue where they’re going. Those land vehicles were made for specific purposes. You don’t just hop in one, and take a trip because you feel like traversing the treacherous terrain outside the dome." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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25
House of Glaston"Wait, why did you stop me from leaving for Egypt if that's the point?" I ask. // "Because I needed to explain it to you first," Olive begins, "and I feel like you shouldn't go to the past, and what's the rush? Let's have some lunch. I have lots of sandwiches." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman Languishes"In that case, I need to get my back," Cricket drops his towel and lies back down. His biological enhancements help him survive a lot, but he requires sunlight to repair damage. He shouldn't need it right now, though. He hasn't been in harsh environments. #NickFishermanLanguishes
NanostoryMe: "I'm not sellin' my farm! I have to come up with four more jokes that fit this same format by the end of the week!" // City Slicker: "Does this one here count?" // Me: "No, it's not funny enough!" // City Slicker: "None of them is funny!" // Me: "Good point! Writing it down!"
Story Quote"Once these evacuees are secure, they will send a message to Summerspring, informing them that this garage is what they have been looking for. Until then, they’re going to prioritize the people who did not actively decline to help their neighbors." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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26
House of GlastonKalisha chuckles. "If you've been eating from vending machines most of your life, you're overdue for a real meal. Glaston will take us wherever you want. Won't ya, Glass?" // "No problem, but I don't have any money. I usually steal food from farms here and there." #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman LanguishesVeda smiles at Cricket, then over at me. "There is some work to be done here." // "And what work is that?" Cricket asks while on his stomach. // "Your relationships are strained. You need to get back on track." // "What would you be able to do?" I ask. #NickFishermanLanguishes
NanostoryMe: "I'm not sellin' my farm!" // Farmer: "You're the one trying to buy the land from ME. You just offered two billion dollars. I countered with 'you don't have two billion dollars.'" // Me: "I'm an airplane." // Farmer: Get the hell off my land, and get some psychological help!"
Story Quote"Even though the Levins have been advancing for 300 years, they don’t really understand concepts like the sun and tidal locking. This is the first time they’re even seeing outer space for real, and there are some misconceptions about how it works." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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27
House of Glaston"I know where we can get some food for free." Kalisha looks at me like I ought to know too. // I realize. "Oh. Oh, no, not there." The people who own this particular restaurant are pretty cool, but their customers…well, you never know who you're gonna run into. #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman Languishes"Well, I am a therapist," Veda claims. // "You are?" I literally gulp. We've been hiking together for an hour, and I barely asked her about herself. This isn't even because of the psychic darkness. I'm just not a sociable guy. "Well, we could use one." #NickFishermanLanguishes
NanostoryMe: "I'm not sellin' my farm! Do you have any idea what I went through to get this land? I had to murder the guy who owned it…I guess that's really it. His body is still in the kitchen. I've been so busy. Farming is so ha-a-a-ard! Take it off my hands. Just take it! TAKE IT!"
Story Quote"She keeps one eye on the release progress, and the other on Tertius’ beacon. He’s moving fast, but they’ll be able to catch up if this blasted thing ever gets going. 'Goddammit, let’s go!' She impatiently waits a little more, and a little more." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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28
House of GlastonOlive asks Kalisha if she could maybe take us to the restaurant using her own power, but Kalisha says it's not something that's good for her to do before a meal. So I create a merge point, and take us directly to Krill, but in the back, in the Salmon Civic Center. #HouseofGlaston
Nick Fisherman Languishes"Have fun with that," Cricket says, not moving at all. // "It doesn't work if we're not all involved," I tell him. "You wanted me to get better. This is me trying that. This is solid progress." // Now he turns over. "You're right. Let's give it a shot." #NickFishermanLanguishes
NanostoryMe: "I'm not sellin' my farm!" // City Slicker: "We just wanted to use it as a wedding venue." // Me: "Which one of you is getting married?" // City Slicker: "Uh…both. To each other. We're gay." // Me: "But you're just statues." // City Slicker: "Huh?" // Me: "I'm an airplane."
Story Quote"The bomb went off with a painful screeching sound, and pounded dents into the inside of the bulkhead. It was even more powerful than he had guessed. In a few seconds, it was over. Shasta was right, you would not want to be in there when that happened." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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| March | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1
Metro Flash FiresGarsea Moya is not an arson investigator, but this case intrigues him. He has to solve the mystery, even if that means investigating it on his own time. These fires…they defy the laws of physics, and he just happens to know a little something about that. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesFamily therapy! That's what we're doin' today. And it's all thanks to me: the one voted least likely to do something like this. I feel calmer than ever. Don't get me wrong, the darkness is still eating my heart piece by piece, but it's better than it was. #NickFishermanLibrates
Fake ConversationMy girlfriend, Lauren: "Oh my God! The land is burning, the sea is boiling, the moon exploded, and is falling down to Earth! It's the apocalypse, Armageddon, the end of the world as we know it! We gotta go! We gotta find some pocket of safety!" // Me: "Okay, but how is the Dow?"
Story Quote"There were so many of them, and it was impossible to tell what they could be walking into. Some of them were obviously major colonies, because they were centered on known star systems, but there were a lot more isolated establishments than they knew." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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2
Metro Flash FiresHe tried asking his boss if he could pitch in on the investigation, but no. He's not hated at the station, but he's not the most popular one there either. He's a little odd, but he hasn't always been that way, which is what makes the others even more suspicious. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman Librates"Now," our therapist, Veda begins. "I'm told that you four keep a lot of secrets, and that's fine for most people, but I'm afraid I require full honesty. I am bound my privilege, just as I would be for any other clients, so please do not fear the truth." #NickFishermanLibrates
NanostoryI was an oxy dealer on the moon, but it's not what it sounds like. Oxygen is the most precious elements on a barren world like that, and I was usually the only one with a working electrolysis system. I couldn't tell you why all of my competitors' machines kept breaking down.
Story Quote"There are no more questions to ask, and she can’t make any decisions without the passengers, so she commands her IMS to focus the padding to the back, then lies down to wait. A few hours later, Cash wakes her up, thinking that she’s the last one." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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3
Metro Flash Fires"Moya, get in here," the Chief demands. // "Yes, boss?" Garsea asks. // "I'm giving you some time off." // "Sir?" // "Now, I know it's not Tuesday…or all of July, but I think you need break." // "Sir, I'm good to go," Garsea insists. // "This is not a request." #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesCricket, Claire, and Leonard all give me that look. "We can trust her," I tell them. "And you can trust ME to know that, because knowing that sort of thing is sort of my thing now…if you catch my drift?" // "Please don't use coded language," Veda requests. #NickFishermanLibrates
NanostoryI used to work for ol' Hans. I was supposed to be there for the job on that fateful night, but I accidentally went to Nakatomi PIZZA four blocks down instead. My hostages and I had a good laugh when we watched the news, and realized my mistake. I've been working there since 1988.
Story Quote"None of them has done that before—except for Cash, who worked many split shifts on the Sentinel—but everyone has napped, and they understand the stakes, so they’re figuring it out. They have no choice. They would still rather find transportation." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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4
Metro Flash FiresI know when the Chief is serious, and he's serious. I would like to think that he's giving me time off with a wink and another wink so I can look into these bizarre flash fires in my free time, but I won't push it. I want his plausible deniability to be airtight. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesCricket has historically been laid back. He comes from a chill galaxy where the concept of worry has been relegated to a page in the dictionary that people don't turn to because looking up and studying words is so not chill. I destroyed that. I ruined him. #NickFishermanLibrates
NanostoryThe ONLY reason we traditionally release doves at weddings is because SOMEBODY (who shall not be named…MICHAEL!) misunderstood the lyrics that actually go, "love—love will keep us together." And then it just stuck. It's so dumb. BTdubs, you have to put the doves down afterwards.
Story Quote"Cash bends over and pats the beetloid on its head. 'Good girl, good girl. Now stay here, and try not to get swallowed up by the infinite abyss.' // 'It can’t hear you through the suit,' Breanna says. // 'She knows what I’m saying,' Cash claims." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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5
Metro Flash Fires"I appreciate your support." I grab what I need from my locker and leave the firehouse. I know shouldn't go straight to the most recent crime scene…so I don't. I go to the first one. It's still active, but there's no one there when I show up. This is impossible. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesI'm looking at Cricket, and just thinking about whether our relationship can be repaired. It's become so cold. He knows what happened to me, but this hasn't made it easier. We need help. This will help…but only if we're honest. "We're travelers," I begin. #NickFishermanLibrates
NanostoryLast week, I carried a chick's car to my house to fix it myself. I told her that it was as light as a feather. She started singing the Sabrina Carpenter song 'Feather' so I joined in. She was so impressed that we're married now, and the whole bus took their masks off and clapped.
Story Quote"One is under construction, but the other is the home to hundreds of thousands of people. Well, it used to be. They have since abandoned their precious tube in the evacuation, but unlike most, they didn’t do it by running towards the nearest pole." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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6
Metro Flash FiresI am no arson investigator, but the math isn't mathing. I look at the alligator charring, the powdered drywall, the melted steel basement support beams. I don't care how hot the fire is, this can't happen in only a minute. Yet, that's what the testimonies say. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesI tell Veda my whole story, and a little of theirs too. I keep one eye on them to make sure they're not upset with me for telling it. Eventually, without too much coaxing, they end up telling the majority of their own stories, so they can be told correctly. #NickFishermanLibrates
NanostoryI hated living during the early middle ages. It was so gross, but my boss told me that I wasn't allowed to introduce the humans to Islamic soap because—and I quote—"millions of humans must die before they can figure out how to do it on their own." Pshaw, I still used it myself.
Story Quote"Space is a dangerous and chaotic place. Things are flying every which way all the time. Why, Earth only supports life because a smaller planet once crashed into it, and ultimately made the moon. That was implausible too but it obviously happened." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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7
Metro Flash FiresThere have been seven fires so far, and no one can explain how they're possible. They go up and finish in a minute, but they all appear as if they burned for hours. No one has been hurt so far, and there don't seem to be any suspects, but they tell me nothing. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesLike most first sessions, we spend the hour on the basics. We don't get into our feelings and fears. We give an overview of where we're from, who we are, and what are goals are. I feel pretty good about it when we shake hands. Then Veda leaves, and I turn. #NickFishermanLibrates
Random NothingI once won a marathon. Clocked in at just over 28 hours. How did I do it? All of my competitors were penguins. Lol, they kept trying to slide on their bellies on the asphalt. HA! Stupid pingwings.
Story Quote"Again, he had no clue how it worked. Some unnamed singular genius invented it, and doled it out very selectively. At the end of the day, his Regulator could do or say whatever the hell she wanted, because everyone here was replaceable…except for her." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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| 8
Metro Flash FiresI know a little something about weird time stuff, and I don't say that to suggest that I actually know a lot. I always suspected that the world held other secrets, I just didn't know how to look for them. Solving this is about more than just stopping the damage. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesAs soon as Veda's car disappears, I begin to hyperventilate. Dark psychic energy—the kind I don't normally feel unless I'm in a crowd of particularly disturbed people—comes bubbling up in my soul. It overwhelms me. I don't know what I'll do. "Run," I urge. #NickFishermanLibrates
NanostoryI used a brontosaurus tooth as a backscratcher for over 30,000 years before anyone else discovered any other dinosaur bone. I didn't give it much thought, I just figured humans had gotten smaller over time. Boy was my boss P.O.'d that my human observation notes were inaccurate.
Story Quote"Ramses had dropped a sensor buoy near the gift. It needed time to assess the threat level, but he was quickly confident that it contained no explosive materials. His best guess was that it was some kind of communication device, so they pulled it inside." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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9
Metro Flash FiresI may be able to help who ever is setting the fires, and they may be able to help with my personal life. I don't know if they can be brought to justice. If they're from the future, it may be out of anyone's jurisdiction. So I'm not going to worry about that yet. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesMy friends don't move. "I mean it. RUN!" I yell. Finally, they bolt out of the room, and out of the house. I consider locking myself in the bathroom, but most accidental deaths happen in there. I need to destroy, but I wanna survive it. I choose my bedroom. #NickFishermanLibrates
Random NothingMe: "I only see 75 trombones! It won't be a good Ode To Broadway Legends if we don't get EVERYTHING right!" // Assistant: "You just walked in. How did you see that?" // Me: "Who do you think inspired Rain Man?" *walks away* // Assistant: "…weren't you a baby when that came out?"
Story Quote"He lifts his hand up. The head drone operator takes one last look at the launchers, but then focuses right on the tech. 'Hold…! Hold…!' No reason he can’t have a little fun with it. This is a momentous occasion. Finally, he slams his hand down." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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10
Metro Flash FiresThe crime scene has been exhausted, so return home. The first thing I do there is get a map of the Kansas City Metro area, and start plotting the fires. I'm sure my comrades in arson investigations have already done this, but I may see a pattern that they don't. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesMy cheek suddenly hurts. Claire's face is right in front of mine—she's lowering her hand. "I lost time," I tell her. // I hear Leonard say, "that's not all you lost." // I look around. We're in the open concept kitchen/dining area/living room. It's wrecked. #NickFishermanLibrates
Elevator PitchLegal has finally given me the go-ahead to announce that I've been tapped to pen the next installment in the #JurassicPark #JurassicWorld franchise. It will hopefully be the start of a new trilogy, beginning with Jurassic Galaxy: Dinosaaaaauuuuurrrrrsssss iiiinnnnn Spaaaaaaace!!!
Story Quote"It’s a specialized service drone. She’s not exactly an expert on them, but she wouldn’t have thought they programmed it with any sense of duty to rescue humans. But maybe they did, or maybe someone modified it aftermarket, or maybe it’s learning." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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11
Metro Flash FiresThere's a knock on my door. It's been another week, which means there's been another mysterious fire. They've still not caught the guy yet, and I'm no closer than they are. I put push-pins in a map, but I can't make heads or tails of any pattern. Another knock. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesI stand to inspect the damage. "I wasn't conscious for any of this. I don't even feel the memory. It's like it wasn't me. You could tell me that it was someone else, and I would have no way of proving you wrong." // "Those cuts on your arm," Claire says. #NickFishermanLibrates
Random NothingYeah, I was his college roommate for one semester centuries ago. We would all call him Egregious Philbin, because he was "remarkably good". That's what that word meant back then (archaic).
Story Quote"They have beacons and comms, so if they end up separated—which they probably will, because it’s safer to let that happen than to try to stick together, and risk losing altitude—they will be able to reunite somewhere. They were all good students." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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12
Metro Flash Fires"What is it…!" I open the door. "…Bran." // "Your friends are worried. I came to check on you." // "I'm okay," I lie. // "That looks like a murder board." // I stupidly step aside. "It's an arson board, idiot." // That gives him the space he needs to walk in. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesI look down at my arms, seeing the cuts, and only now feeling the sting. It looks like there's some glass embedded in my skin. I'm still so used to being invincible, I almost shrug it off. "Well…that's what I get." // "You have to stop," Cricket demands. #NickFishermanLibrates
“Joke”After visiting me and my wife in the hospital room where we're both dying of cancer, my son said, "I am feeling trepidation at the prospect of a parentless existence." He's two months old. Children are precious. No, I've never heard of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Is that a band, errr…?
Story Quote"The stranger says nothing for a moment, and as they are nowhere near him, the survivors can’t read his face to see which way he might be leaning. 'What is that thing you have with you? The robot thing.' // 'Heracles, our beetloid,' Notus answers." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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13
Metro Flash Fires"I don't see a pattern," I say as Bran is looking at my map. "I was looking for a big circle, but it all just seems random." // Bran nods. "You're not taking into account the streets." // "Huh?" // "Specifically the highways." He starts drawing on it with marker. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman Librates"I can't stop, Cricket," I argue. // "Yes, you can. You weren't built for this ability. You weren't born with it. Let it go." // "I couldn't let it go. I would have to give it back, which I can't do, because he'll abuse it. Maybe I'll try meditation again." #NickFishermanLibrates
“Joke”Here at Nick Fisherman's Coffee Shop, the name of our espresso is Expresso. That's what we call it, like McDonald's calls a particular burger of theirs the Big Mac. So come on in, and call it whichever you want. Either way, you'll be right. Don't be self-conscious. I love you.
Story Quote"And so the three of them get back on the road, and head to the dark side. It feels a little awkward, remembering that they warned a faction of their caravan to not go this way because it wasn’t safe. But to be fair, that was much farther south." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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14
Metro Flash FiresBran finishes marking up my map and steps back. "I need to see pictures of the crime scenes." // I supply them to him. // "Ah, yes. Look at these empty lots. They don't want the fires to spread. They choose small wooden houses—away from the city—that go up easy." #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman Librates"Meditation isn't working," Cricket argues. "Did you not hear Veda? Your pre-frontal cortex cannot be silenced. When you try to focus on essentially nothing, you end up thinking about everything. You have to purge the darkness forever. Please, I beg you." #NickFishermanLibrates
“Joke”I accidentally put on my job application that I was looking to get paid $19.00 per year, instead of per hour, so that's what I make now. I don't know what poor people are complaining about, I'm surviving on that just fine. I simply have my parents pay me the rest of what I need.
Story Quote"Reed could stick him in hock, but there was no guarantee that he would stay there for long. One ally would be all it took to set him free. This was a very delicate situation. He had a number of options, and each came with advantages and disadvantages." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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| 15
Metro Flash Fires"How do they do it?" I ask. "They only last a minute, but it's like they've burned for hours." // "What?" Bran asked, not like I'm crazy, but like he's genuinely concerned. // "Yeah. Poof." // Bran sighs. "I thought I was past all this." // "Past all what? What?" #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesI look at my friends one at a time, a few passes each. "I don't know what I am if I don't have some kind of power. I only knew of two characters who were better off without them." // Cricket takes my hand. "You'll be you again. Just like when we first met." #NickFishermanLibrates
“Joke”When they invented MRIs, scientists rejoiced. They thought it would unlock the secrets of the brain and body. The answers would be right there. But as the first tech stared at the first photos, he was, like, "what the hell am I looking at here?" Turns out, there was more to it.
Story Quote"Romana acted like she hadn’t even thought about it yet. She knew that she wanted the job, but now she was the dog that caught the car. She stood there awkwardly for so long that everyone just sort of faded away and moved on to other things for a while." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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16
Metro Flash FiresBran sighs and shakes his head. He examines the map again, scanning it to find something specific. Then he grabs a red marker and circles it. "What time are the fires?" // "Midnight Sunday morning." // "Every time? Exactly midnight?" // "Exactly." // "Come on." #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesClaire and Leonard agree, so I take a deep breath and look up to the ceiling. "Supes, I know you can hear me. I have to do this, so you better make it count. And I wouldn't mind you conceiving of another character whose ability I could guiltlessly steal." #NickFishermanLibrates
Random NothingEat it all, I'm maintaining.
Story Quote"The shape of the dome is still there, and in fact, may remain intact underneath, but it’s unclear how livable the environment would be inside of it. Molten lava has breached the canyon, some of it already having hardened into rock as it cooled." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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17
Metro Flash Fires"Where are we going?" I ask after we get into Bran's car. // "The Plaza." // "What's on the Plaza?" // "Something weird." // "Okay…you're freaking me out." // "You'll be more freaked out when you get there, but just know that I'm here, and it's gonna be okay." #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesAt last, just as Cricket asked, I let go. I don't have my psychic power anymore. I have no power at all. I'm just a regular human who not only can die, but will one day. Of course, I've been mortal for a year, but the dark psychic energy masked the dread. #NickFishermanLibrates
NanostoryI once fell asleep in an aquarium tank. When the first visitors came to see the sea creatures, everybody freaked out. They called the cops, it was a whole thing. Then they all freaked out even more when I woke up.
Story Quote"Tertius looks at his daughter, who faces her palms upwards in ignorance, because she hasn’t heard the conversation. He drops the filter to communicate with her in sign language. Aeterna nods, and holds up the a-okay sign to the rest of the group." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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18
Metro Flash FiresWe get to the Plaza, and park on the top level of a parking garage. We get out and walk a few blocks. "Oh, I love this restaurant. Please tell me where going in here." // Bran stops walking. "Yeah, we can go in that way if you want. We'll go through the kitchen." #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesI feel at peace. It almost is like being immortal, because most people don't feel their deaths coming on; they just live their lives. "Okay. But I need to be alone now." // "For how long? A few hours?" // I open the hall closet and grab the camping gear. #NickFishermanLibrates
“Joke”My girlfriend just told me that she loved me for the first time. I'm kidding, she left me. I'm kidding, my girlfriend is a pillow…but she did leave me. I'm kidding, I left her. I'm kidding, I couldn't afford the pillow.
Story Quote"They were on their way out here on foot, which was harder, but also would have placed them in a better position to be let in. So, he’s mad at Breanna for picking them up, as if she could have had any idea that the rover would harm their chances." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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19
Metro Flash FiresWe really do go through Krill's kitchen. Bran high-fives a guy who I think actually owns the place. Instead of ending up in an alley, it looks like the inside of a mall. There are other businesses here, like a post office, an apparent hotel, even a travel agency. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesThat was two weeks ago. I don't really even like camping all that much. I'm only about five kilometers from the house, and stay in contact with everyone by utilizing solar power, but only so they know I'm still alive. I needed the (almost) total isolation. #NickFishermanLibrates
Fake ConversationMe: "I'll gladly pay you today for a hamburger Tuesday." // Clerk: "You…wanna buy it ahead of time?" // Me: "I'd like to option the rights. I'm not sure yet if I'll ever wanna eat it. So I'll pay you half of what it's worth, and you can't sell it to anyone else until Wednesday."
Story Quote"They can see more pods dropping down from the sky. The survivors are directed to enter an inflatable habitat, where they are free to remove their helmets, and get in the queue. It’s already pretty long, but not as long as it will be soon enough." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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20
Metro Flash Fires"Let's go to Information," Bran suggests. Information about WHAT? // We walk up to the booth. "Good day, sirs. My name is Konstantin Orlov. First off, do you require any immediate medical attention?" // "We're investigating the Metro Flash Fires," Bran explains. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesMy friends have been leaving me be, and only asking for the proof of life pings, but Cricket is calling me now. "Hello?" // "It's time," he says. "You need to come home." // "Did something happen?" I ask. // "No. We miss you. You need to come back. Please." #NickFishermanLibrates
Fake ConversationI open the door. "Can I help you?" // "Hold this, please." // Only after I take it do I realize that it's an activated grenade. I stand there for two hours after he leaves, watching the birds feed on grubs in my lawn. // He returns, and takes it back. "Thanks!" // "No problem."
Story Quote"Valves open to let the fluid in. It’s the weirdest part. Humans evolved without the ability to breathe underwater. They are hardwired to not even try. It takes a great deal of will to force one’s self to overcome that impulse. Yet everyone does." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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21
Metro Flash Fires"I wouldn't know anything about that," Konstantin says. "We don't get much news in here. It would be too much to keep track of." // Bran explains the properties of the fire to him then asks, "who would be able to do that? Why?" // "You should talk with Dodge." #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesIf I'm being honest with myself, I didn't know if I ever COULD go back. Everything hurts. Physically, psychologically, emotionally. This isn't the first time I've wanted to escape my life, it's just the first time I actually did. "Okay. I'm packing up now." #NickFishermanLibrates
NanostorySo there I am, minding my own business in the Mediterranean Basin 5.33 million years ago—near where Gibraltar would later stand—when the land suddenly opens up, and a deluge of seawater comes flooding back in. I had lived there for 600,000 years, and it was gone in a few months.
Story Quote"They were sent to hock—probably while covering for other responsible parties—for twenty-four hours, and would be assigned tether testing duty. They accepted their fairly light punishment without any argument, and would not be a problem moving forward." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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Metro Flash Fires"Which one is Dodge?" Bran asks. // "Salmonday Club owner. If something is happening around town that no one sees, I would check there. They open a separate dimension every week." // "Separate dimension?" I ask. "Dowhat?" // "Yes, they're a thing," Bran tells me. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesI break camp and leave no trace. I walk back up to the house to find my friends sitting around a table like this is an intervention. "I'm okay," I tell them. "I'm just…aimless." // "We had an idea," Leonard says. // "Cricket had an idea," Claire corrects. #NickFishermanLibrates
Fake ConversationMe: "Careful. Slick." // Stranger: "What the hell did you call me? Don't give me a nickname. I'm not your "buddy", or "dudemeister", or "sport". I'm not your friend. Stay there, I'm gonna kick your ass." *falls on his own ass* // Me: "The floor. The floor is slick…tiger."
Story Quote"Below the words was a non-volumetric hologram of Mateo Matic himself, standing tall and looking outwards at an angle. It made him seem like some kind of hero head of state; like he was a modern-day Abraham Lincoln. It made him feel rather uncomfortable." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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23
Metro Flash FiresI just stare at Bran. "You know about weird time travel stuff." // He looks at me incredulously. "You do too." // "Not much. I don't wanna say how." // "You don't have to," he promises me. He looks over at the far end of this place. "Let's just solve this crime." #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesI sit down. I don't recognize the table, but then I realize that I destroyed the other one when I went crazy the other day. I clear my throat and wait patiently. // "We can't help you. We don't know who can, but something tells us…you do," Cricket begins. #NickFishermanLibrates
“Joke”I have died thousands of times over the course of the last 7 million years, but I have never been hit by a car. That's so pedestrian.
Story Quote"It’s not any more physical than anything else in this virtual world, but it’s the manifestation of the only thing that grants her access to some current knowledge out of base reality. It allows them to keep up with what’s going on, to a degree." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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24
Metro Flash FiresAs Bran and I walk towards this weird club that I know nothing about, I wonder if I should tell him about my son. He's so little, and can't defend himself. He needs me. I have never been able to trust anyone before. But if I CAN trust anyone, it would be Bran. #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman Librates"What do you mean?" I press. // "The abilities that you borrow," Claire says. "Early on, you only used them for a short while. Do you remember that? We think you should try that again; make contact with someone who might be able to help you permanently." #NickFishermanLibrates
“Joke”I drew a line in the sand, and my dog passed out. I've always been curious about whether she was actually a chicken, but there's no way to know. I can't tell the difference between a cluck and a bark, and I don't know what dog eggs should look like. I guess she needs a DNA test.
Story Quote"Mordred looks down at Mandica’s bioprinted facsimile. It’s state of the art, and looks just like her, down to the scars. A dedicated medical examiner could plausibly tell the difference, but they will hopefully not even bother with a post mortem." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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25
Metro Flash FiresBran knocks on the door. It's the middle of the day in the middle of the week, so the club isn't open. A man answers. "Not you again." // "It's not about permits this time," Bran explains. "You heard about these fires? Someone in YOUR dimension is setting them." #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman Librates"You want me to look for some multiversal, cosmic, superpowered shrink?" I question. // "We don't know exactly who it would be," Cricket explains, "but there has to be someone. Or someone who knows someone. No one in this universe can help, not even Veda." #NickFishermanLibrates
Fake ConversationDetective: "Wadya have for us?" // Coroner: "Based on libidity, I would say that this victim was horny." #sciencejokes
Story Quote"She won’t be able to ask for help. Even in an emergency—even if she’s willing to get caught—the arkship may be fully automated, and help may be difficult. Some bots don’t respond to black swan events. They won’t know how to respond to her pleas." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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Metro Flash FiresThe club guy, who I'm guessing is Dodge, looks between me and Bran. He clears his throat, then goes into this heavily recited disclaimer about how the Salmonday Club is not responsible for what its patrons do inside The Facsimile dimension and blah, blah, blah… #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman Librates"Well, I can't think of anyone right now," I say. "You know, my memory isn't so good, even with the time I just took in nature. But…I am willing to give it a try. I will need to return to the bridge to see if my alternate self has anything to say about it. #NickFishermanLibrates
AphoroidBefore you embark on a journey of revenge, don't worry about digging any graves. Someone will do that for you.
Story Quote"Those are the values that her family instilled in her. You’re born, you live, you die. That is the cycle. That is how humans have been doing it for millions of years. That’s what life is. She honors her ancestors by becoming one of them one day." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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27
Metro Flash FiresI decide that I need to take a more active role in this investigation. "We're not trying to hold you responsible. We're trying to find out who is doing this. Give us a name." // "I don't have a name," Dodge insists. "I'm not protecting them, I just don't know." #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesMy friends might have guessed that I would need to do that. "Why don't you take a shower," Claire begins, "and then go to sleep in a bed tonight?" She looks over at Cricket. "No sex. Then we'll all leave in the morning." // I stand. "Yeah, I'll do that." #NickFishermanLibrates
Fake ConversationMe: "I feel safe in this echo chamber!!!!!" // Echo 1: "I feel safe in this echo chamber!!!!" // Echo 2: "I feel safe in this echo chamber!!!" // Echo 3: "I feel safe in this echo chamber!!" // Echo 4: "I feel safe in this echo chamber!" // Echo 5: "You shouldn't."
Story Quote"Now that she’s down on the surface, her body needs to be flushed of them so she can stay focused and stay moving. But there have been consequences from the trip that are just kicking in now. She’s dizzy, sluggish, and more than a little confused." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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28
Metro Flash FiresThere's an awkward silence, but only for a moment before Dodge goes on, "look. It's Tuesday. Whoever is doing this, ain't here. The club only opens on Saturday nights. You're welcome to come back and run your little fire investigation then. Okay? On the house." #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesCricket lets me have our bed, while he crashes with Claire. Things are awkward between us. I don't know if we'll recover. I don't know what we are to each other anymore. I can't sleep when I'm stressed, even in a nice bed after two weeks of a sleeping bag. #NickFishermanLibrates
“Joke”I put cheese in the microwave for so long, entropy went full circle, and by the time I remembered to open the door, I found a tiny little water buffalo in there. He couldn't produce more mozzarella cheese, though, since he was a boy cow, so I threw him out.
Story Quote"Reed threw a tablet on the table hard enough to make it break in the real world, but it landed undamaged. 'If you already knew, then this won’t come as a surprise, but if you didn’t know, I encourage you to verify it…quietly.' He needed to test him." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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Metro Flash Fires"I don't understand," I admit. // Bran nods. "The dimension where our firebug is setting those fires only exists in the final moment between Saturday and Sunday every week. An extra 24 hours compressed into one minute. It explains everything. We have to wait." #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesI shower again in the morning, then go outside to sit in the car. Since I went to bed so early, it's still dark outside. I just sit there in my head while I wait for the others. They don't come out for another two hours. We drive to the bridge in silence. #NickFishermanLibrates
“Joke”I know that it's hard to hear, but smokers don't go to heaven. Neither do drunkards, racists, people from any town that's named after a body of water, your grandma, or the kindest people in the world. Heaven isn't real. Neither is Earth. Only I exist, you're all just NPCs.
Story Quote"Even though the team had since left, this meeting was still going on and going strong. It was a review of the prior year, and a general check-in for the planet’s administrative staff. Of course, they held meetings all the time, but this was the big one." #Salmonverse #Fishquotes
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30
Metro Flash Fires"Well, this was anticlimactic," I note. Bran agrees with me, then drives me back to my apartment. // "Wait, did Dodge say that it was Tuesday?" // "Oh, yeah, he did," he concurs. "Well, I know it can't be Tuesday because…" // "Because why?" Would he understand? #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesWe're at the bridge. I don't feel anything. Back when I had my immortality, I would be able to tell when I was close to a thinny like this, but now I'm just a normal guy…a normal asshole, that is. I'm not sure if this is even gonna work. "Okay, I'm here." #NickFishermanLibrates
“Joke”Have you ever wondered how they think of those really specific and niche stock photos, like "woman with an obvious toupee biting a flower" or "angry mailman with face tattoo"? Well, that's what I've been doing for the last 14 years. My job title is Stock Photo Comer Upper Wither.
Story Quote"He seems to have been right. People don’t even just ignore her. They smile and greet her as if she is just another regular person on this bizarrely accepting planet. She doesn’t see any giant beetle people, but a few who look decidedly unhuman." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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Metro Flash FiresBran doesn't think my statement is that big of a deal, but the fact that I always know when it's Tuesday is actually a core principle of my life. "Why don't you come up for some tea? I think I need to tell you about my son." // "You have a son?" // "Not always…" #MetroFlashFires
Nick Fisherman LibratesThe scenery around me begins to fall out of focus. I rub my eyes, thinking that I'm going blind. Once everything fades away, I'm left with nothing but an endless calming gray void. Two armchairs materialize before me…as does someone who looks just like me. #NickFishermanLibrates
“Joke”Sorry, I won't be able to make it to Easter brunch. Lol, I have to take another trip to the Sargasso Sea so I can escort the aliens who dump their extra eels there every year. The humans still can't figure out where eels come from. This prank never gets old.
Story Quote"As she enters the private pod alone, she looks back awkwardly at the waiting legion, but none of them seems bothered by her skipping the line. Immortals—they have no sense of urgency. She will never understand it, and honestly does not want to." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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| 1
The Good FireplaceI've made Bran his tea, and mine. We're sitting in my living room. I'm regretting not picking up before he came, but he did so unannounced, and now we're in it. // "You wanted to tell me something?" he asks. "About your son?" // "Right. Are you cold? I'm cold." #TheGoodFireplace
Nick Fisherman Lectures"Who are you?" I ask my alternate self. // "I'm Nick Fisherman III," he answers. // I can't believe him, but I also can't just assume he's lying, because then nothing moves forward. "Been a long time," I muse. // "Yes." // "Am I dreaming?" // "We both are." #NickFishermanLectures
NanostoryI decided to retire early (I'm 38) and start sitting on my porch, yelling at the kids to "get off my lawn!" I've always wanted to do this with my life, and I just couldn't wait any longer. What I didn't realize is that kids don't really get on my lawn. It's just not a thing here.
Story Quote"He is surprised by this too. “Well, I can do that.” He lifts his hand and begins to tap the tips of his fingers against his thumb in what appears to be a particular sequence. Once he is finished, the stone slides away and recedes into its pocket." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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2
The Good Fireplace"Should I turn on the fireplace?" I ask. // Bran looks around. "You don't have a fireplace." // "Right, I know that." God, I'm so nervous. // "Why are you so nervous?" he asks. "Are you a deadbeat dad? Do you have to co-parent with the mother? What's the deal?" #TheGoodFireplace
Nick Fisherman Lectures"Did you ever figure out how to get eight hours a night?" I ask him. // III chuckles. "Once or twice." // "I don't know why you're here," I tell him. "I know that I need help, but are you that help, or is this something else?" // "It absolutely is help." #NickFishermanLectures
“Joke”BREAKING: OpenAI is announcing plans to shut down its chatbot, along with its hardware plans, agentic AI services, toys, and government contracts. It will reportedly be focusing on its core business, which is tossing millions of dollars into a dumpster fire on the loading dock.
Story Quote"The superhero catches eyes with Mandica. She winks. 'Sup, gorgeous.' It’s then that the rock monster barrels into her. The blue hero is knocked over, but still smiling. She designed her substrate to be as invincible as real world physics allows." #WorldsWithinWorlds #Fishquotes
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3
The Good FireplaceI'm just gonna get into it. I've already piqued his interest, so if I stop now, he'll investigate, and probably figure it out. All he'll need to do is wait until Tuesday comes around, and he'll see Jeremy appear out of nowhere. "He's not really mine," I begin. #TheGoodFireplace
Nick Fisherman LecturesNick Fisherman III leans forward in his chair. "Why don't you have a seat?" // "Because it's not real, so I'm not tired." // "Dumb reasoning. Sit down, so it's not so awkward. This is a conversation." // "And it's starting out great. Sorry, I'm nervous." #NickFishermanLectures
Random NothingThat movie was so predictable. I was on the back of my seat the whole time.
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