WEBVTT 00:00:04.510 --> 00:00:18.010 One more short story. Hello and welcome to episode 00:00:18.010 --> 00:00:21.730 8 of One More Short Story with me, Chris Fulwell, 00:00:21.929 --> 00:00:24.410 the show where we take stories from the world 00:00:24.410 --> 00:00:27.050 of writing battle, we get them narrated and we 00:00:27.050 --> 00:00:29.550 put them out into the world for you good people 00:00:29.550 --> 00:00:32.630 to enjoy. Looking forward to sharing the stories 00:00:32.630 --> 00:00:35.439 with you today. If you're someone that's been 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:38.100 introduced to the podcast but hasn't taken part 00:00:38.100 --> 00:00:40.460 in Writing Battle yourself, you're very welcome 00:00:40.460 --> 00:00:44.100 here. It's a lot of fun. You draw your prompts 00:00:44.100 --> 00:00:46.619 to get your story writing going. You get a genre. 00:00:46.780 --> 00:00:50.280 You might get a character or a location or an 00:00:50.280 --> 00:00:53.219 object, a mixture of those things. And you're 00:00:53.219 --> 00:00:55.780 off. And then it's a knockout tournament. Check 00:00:55.780 --> 00:00:59.539 out writingbattle .com for more details. Part 00:00:59.539 --> 00:01:02.159 of the writing battle system is you choose your 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:06.780 class in advance of a battle starting. They're 00:01:06.780 --> 00:01:09.780 D &D sort of themed, so you might get out a cleric 00:01:09.780 --> 00:01:14.340 or a wizard or a warlock or a fighter. Now this 00:01:14.340 --> 00:01:18.299 episode is themed around... fighters and those 00:01:18.299 --> 00:01:20.939 of you who have taken part in a few battles will 00:01:20.939 --> 00:01:23.060 be thinking what on earth is he on about because 00:01:23.060 --> 00:01:26.019 the fighter just means you get extra redraws 00:01:26.019 --> 00:01:28.560 extra opportunities for genres to look at and 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:31.459 you're you're throwing yourself in randomly now 00:01:31.459 --> 00:01:33.599 these stories are not random by any stretch of 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:38.299 the imagination however they do all contain people 00:01:38.299 --> 00:01:41.959 fighting back the characters in this are absolutely 00:01:41.959 --> 00:01:45.709 fighters uh well yeah They're going to stay with 00:01:45.709 --> 00:01:48.969 you, these stories. A quick heads up that the 00:01:48.969 --> 00:01:51.750 stories in Writing Battle and other podcasts 00:01:51.750 --> 00:01:55.810 will contain, you know, adult, grown -up stuff. 00:01:56.129 --> 00:02:02.390 That doesn't mean graphic, shall we say, X -rated 00:02:02.390 --> 00:02:04.969 material, but it does mean that there will be 00:02:04.969 --> 00:02:09.389 stories intended for a mature audience. And, 00:02:09.389 --> 00:02:14.969 yeah, just a heads up on that. Our first story 00:02:14.969 --> 00:02:20.789 today is Ruthless by Nicole Calero. And Ruthless 00:02:20.789 --> 00:02:24.909 featured in the 2025 Autumn Short Story competition 00:02:24.909 --> 00:02:29.409 in the Heist category. A 2000 word short story 00:02:29.409 --> 00:02:34.949 and her prompts were Heist, Secret Room and Propagandist. 00:02:35.150 --> 00:02:38.710 Now Ruthless is narrated by Maverick Jones who's 00:02:38.710 --> 00:02:41.569 done a really good job as always. And the main 00:02:41.569 --> 00:02:44.259 character in this is... is one who really stands 00:02:44.259 --> 00:02:46.639 their ground. You're going to enjoy this one. 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:51.439 So, here we go. Here is Ruthless by Nicole Calero, 00:02:51.639 --> 00:02:57.340 read by Maverick Jones. Brothers and sisters, 00:02:57.719 --> 00:03:01.379 we gather in the promise of New Eden, where the 00:03:01.379 --> 00:03:04.319 garden is restored and the serpent is crushed 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:07.919 beneath the heels of the righteous. We remember 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:11.280 Reverend Silas Boone, though his own daughter 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:14.719 was lost to darkness he offered up his grief 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:18.360 and built this refuge so no child of god would 00:03:18.360 --> 00:03:23.319 be swallowed again out there the world worships 00:03:23.319 --> 00:03:28.939 chaos women unled children unbroken men stripped 00:03:28.939 --> 00:03:33.599 of their holy dominion but here we return to 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:37.199 order here the faithful flourish by surrender 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:43.979 Let your will fall away like the chaff. Let your 00:03:43.979 --> 00:03:47.900 father tend to you. Only obedience plants the 00:03:47.900 --> 00:03:52.979 seeds of blessing. The man at the pulpit takes 00:03:52.979 --> 00:03:56.199 a moment to get choked up, his eyes shining. 00:03:56.860 --> 00:03:59.599 He puts a hand on his heart and takes a deep 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:04.300 breath. Give me your fear, your heart, your will, 00:04:04.460 --> 00:04:12.539 and I will make you whole. Fuck that shit, I 00:04:12.539 --> 00:04:16.920 think to myself. Women weep. Men puff out their 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:22.319 chests. Children sit blank and obedient. Not 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:27.040 me. I scan for one face. Dark hair. Fifteen. 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:33.899 Too quiet. But I don't see her. Not yet. I know 00:04:33.899 --> 00:04:37.100 men like Eli Goodwin. A narcissist, corrupt, 00:04:37.439 --> 00:04:40.920 money -hungry, small -dipped waste of space. 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:45.699 Not that I'm biased or anything. I have a job 00:04:45.699 --> 00:04:51.060 to do. I look the part. I act the part. Applause 00:04:51.060 --> 00:04:56.480 swells. Lights dim. Someone yells, CUT! The cameras 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:59.600 go out, but the glazed faces of followers remain 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:02.519 speckled with sweat from the hot industrial lights 00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:06.899 of the church's studio. every one files out and 00:05:06.899 --> 00:05:09.579 brother eli nods as he heads up the aisle towards 00:05:09.579 --> 00:05:15.519 me some beam at his attention others cower his 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:19.680 smile is television broadcast perfect and i wonder 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:22.420 how much tithing paid for the shiny caps taking 00:05:22.420 --> 00:05:26.959 up a residence in his mouth miss sloane we are 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:29.779 so pleased you are able to join us on this holy 00:05:29.779 --> 00:05:35.209 day holy day my ass was the only day his people 00:05:35.209 --> 00:05:37.310 would allow him to sit down for an interview 00:05:37.310 --> 00:05:41.250 with sloane dawkins the actual sloane dawkins 00:05:41.250 --> 00:05:44.250 of kingdom life media is having some car trouble 00:05:44.250 --> 00:05:47.550 outside of waco her purse and phone are also 00:05:47.550 --> 00:05:51.810 missing poor thing of course when i'm finished 00:05:51.810 --> 00:05:54.230 here i'm sure they'll find their way back to 00:05:54.230 --> 00:05:58.850 her thank you mr goodwin i say intentionally 00:05:58.850 --> 00:06:02.750 getting his name wrong please Call me Brother 00:06:02.750 --> 00:06:06.949 Eli, he corrects, kind but irritated. When we 00:06:06.949 --> 00:06:09.750 pledge our lives to New Eden, we abandon our 00:06:09.750 --> 00:06:13.509 legal names. Of course, Brother Eli, I'm sorry. 00:06:13.689 --> 00:06:17.769 Thank you for having me. I lower my eyes to imply 00:06:17.769 --> 00:06:21.550 I'm ashamed of my misstep. I feel him soften. 00:06:21.930 --> 00:06:25.750 So predictable. There's nothing religious men 00:06:25.750 --> 00:06:28.350 like more than a woman they believe they've put 00:06:28.350 --> 00:06:32.920 in her place. i wonder briefly what time it is 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:36.360 where we're at in the countdown phones watches 00:06:36.360 --> 00:06:39.379 and clocks of any kind are all surrendered upon 00:06:39.379 --> 00:06:43.459 entering the temple if the timing is right the 00:06:43.459 --> 00:06:47.639 signal will come any second i just pray i'm upstairs 00:06:47.639 --> 00:06:52.420 before the fireworks start miss sloane would 00:06:52.420 --> 00:06:55.220 you like to accompany me to my chambers it's 00:06:55.220 --> 00:06:57.939 a bit more personal there and we want to make 00:06:57.939 --> 00:07:01.019 sure you see the real new eden We want you to 00:07:01.019 --> 00:07:06.740 have full access and transparency. This is obviously 00:07:06.740 --> 00:07:09.879 a lie, but I play along. I want to get upstairs. 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:14.279 I want to find Nora. He walks me through the 00:07:14.279 --> 00:07:17.620 gardens, the temple, the prayer room, and up 00:07:17.620 --> 00:07:20.439 a staircase to the second floor where his personal 00:07:20.439 --> 00:07:24.319 chambers spill out onto a sprawling veranda overlooking 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:27.779 hill country. I'm guessing they're going for 00:07:27.779 --> 00:07:31.639 a Vatican City vibe. But it reeks of a McMansion. 00:07:32.259 --> 00:07:35.300 I imagine this is what SNL would come up with 00:07:35.300 --> 00:07:38.480 if they were spoofing the Pope. He settles into 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:41.300 a plush, crimson chair and motions for me to 00:07:41.300 --> 00:07:44.560 sit. If you're comfortable, Miss Sloan, please 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:49.120 feel free to begin. I cross my ankles, sit up 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:51.920 straight, and clear my throat, reaching to be 00:07:51.920 --> 00:07:56.860 at my most demure. Of course, Brother Eli. Where 00:07:56.860 --> 00:08:00.420 did you get the idea for New Eden? there was 00:08:00.420 --> 00:08:04.980 no idea for new eden my dear all our practices 00:08:04.980 --> 00:08:08.519 sermons and beliefs stem entirely from the same 00:08:08.519 --> 00:08:11.660 holy scripture our ancestors have studied for 00:08:11.660 --> 00:08:17.100 centuries well yes to a degree but many of the 00:08:17.100 --> 00:08:19.759 practices said to take place are controversial 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:24.000 to those on the outside purity interviews isolation 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.959 pods we help the devote connect with god he replies 00:08:29.840 --> 00:08:33.659 there is no one -size -fits -all way to worship 00:08:33.659 --> 00:08:38.220 everything we do is safe consensual and law -abiding 00:08:38.220 --> 00:08:41.580 and what do you say to those in the mainstream 00:08:41.580 --> 00:08:46.379 media who claim new eden is a cult there will 00:08:46.379 --> 00:08:49.440 always be those who fear what they don't understand 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:53.539 i invite any skeptics to come to one of our services 00:08:53.539 --> 00:08:57.080 and decide for themselves all our practices are 00:08:57.080 --> 00:09:00.139 voluntary and rooted firmly in biblical teachings 00:09:00.139 --> 00:09:03.940 we provide structure and purpose and those who 00:09:03.940 --> 00:09:06.860 spend time with us give freely as they wish in 00:09:06.860 --> 00:09:09.440 thanks for the spiritual awakening they've experienced 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:13.259 and of course for those who prefer this language 00:09:13.259 --> 00:09:16.220 we're recognized by the i r s as a church and 00:09:16.220 --> 00:09:20.299 are constitutionally protected gotta love that 00:09:20.299 --> 00:09:25.009 constitution i say my character slipping Eli 00:09:25.009 --> 00:09:27.590 pauses for a moment at that and takes a sip of 00:09:27.590 --> 00:09:32.190 tea. I let my eyes scan the plush room, wondering 00:09:32.190 --> 00:09:36.370 what horrors have taken place here. Are you married, 00:09:36.409 --> 00:09:41.870 Miss Sloan? No. Why? I haven't found the right 00:09:41.870 --> 00:09:46.250 person. That's a myth of the secular world. The 00:09:46.250 --> 00:09:48.830 right person is a God -fearing man, willing and 00:09:48.830 --> 00:09:51.710 able to provide for you financially, spiritually, 00:09:52.009 --> 00:09:56.200 and reproductively. Would you consider yourself 00:09:56.200 --> 00:10:01.419 a feminist? No, sir, I say. I'm thrilled to hear 00:10:01.419 --> 00:10:04.480 it. Though even the most devout women have feminist 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:07.419 tendencies from traditional schooling, they don't 00:10:07.419 --> 00:10:10.679 recognize our coloring their judgment. We'd be 00:10:10.679 --> 00:10:13.039 happy to have you join one of our classes on 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:15.460 the feminine divine to awaken your womanly powers. 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:21.399 That's very interesting. And who teaches that 00:10:21.399 --> 00:10:26.529 course? Brother Jonah, Brother David, and sometimes 00:10:26.529 --> 00:10:30.649 myself. He puts his hand on my knee. I wonder 00:10:30.649 --> 00:10:32.769 if the girl I'm looking for ended up in one of 00:10:32.769 --> 00:10:36.669 these courses. Only God knows what's best for 00:10:36.669 --> 00:10:40.169 you. Why so many women, I ask, tilting my head 00:10:40.169 --> 00:10:43.049 innocently to the side. Free women for every 00:10:43.049 --> 00:10:46.049 man. Why do you think your teaching speaks more 00:10:46.049 --> 00:10:49.029 to women? I see that he likes this question, 00:10:49.190 --> 00:10:52.120 but he doesn't have time to answer. Gunshots 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:55.539 crack from the north side of the compound. Two 00:10:55.539 --> 00:11:00.879 o 'clock. Here it comes. We freeze. An alarm 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:05.460 screams. The chamber door bursts. A man slams 00:11:05.460 --> 00:11:09.279 in, grabs Eli, and hauls him away. Stay down, 00:11:09.299 --> 00:11:14.620 he snarls. I stay. The door slams closed. I'm 00:11:14.620 --> 00:11:19.799 locked inside. That's all of that. If all goes 00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:22.940 well, chaos and gunfire will continue for several 00:11:22.940 --> 00:11:26.940 more minutes. I have a dozen armed agitators 00:11:26.940 --> 00:11:30.179 at the front, painstakingly collected from a 00:11:30.179 --> 00:11:33.539 network of former New Eden survivors across the 00:11:33.539 --> 00:11:37.600 country, and a getaway car closing in at the 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:42.840 back. Now devoid of its usual guards. I find 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:45.559 the lever by the bed. One quick yank and the 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:50.870 far wall pops open. I step into a candlelit octagonal 00:11:50.870 --> 00:11:54.169 room with large paintings of women on each wall. 00:11:55.730 --> 00:11:59.549 I recognize them from childhood. Jezebel, Delilah, 00:11:59.690 --> 00:12:04.730 Eve. I've been away for decades, but the images 00:12:04.730 --> 00:12:07.470 of the fallen women are still burned into my 00:12:07.470 --> 00:12:11.889 brain. The floor is made of yellow tiles circling 00:12:11.889 --> 00:12:15.519 a large industrial drain. The tiles closest to 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:20.480 the drain are stained a deep rust red. Photos 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:23.960 fill the back wall. Brother Eli, Brother David, 00:12:24.179 --> 00:12:27.799 Brother Jonah. Photo after photo of them with 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:32.259 other powerful men in this very room. An Oscar 00:12:32.259 --> 00:12:35.899 winner. A sitting senator. A former president. 00:12:36.220 --> 00:12:39.379 One of the guys from the Hallmark movie channel. 00:12:40.059 --> 00:12:44.450 And then, of course, unsurprisingly, My father. 00:12:45.409 --> 00:12:49.190 Reverend Silas Boone. The motherfucker to end 00:12:49.190 --> 00:12:53.710 all motherfuckers. I haven't seen his face in 00:12:53.710 --> 00:12:57.509 years. But the moment I see it, the scar on my 00:12:57.509 --> 00:13:03.789 back tingles. I was 13. I hadn't been bleeding 00:13:03.789 --> 00:13:06.250 for even an hour when my father and the elders 00:13:06.250 --> 00:13:08.970 held me down and branded me with the iron rod. 00:13:10.090 --> 00:13:15.000 Ready for marriage. Even now. All these years 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:19.620 later, it still makes me laugh to think of how 00:13:19.620 --> 00:13:23.639 angry my father would be to learn I never married, 00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:29.399 secular or not. But today isn't about Silas Boone, 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:34.159 and it's not even about me. It's about Nora. 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:38.179 She's my purpose, my paycheck, and her mother's 00:13:38.179 --> 00:13:42.360 just outside of Austin waiting for her. I feel 00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:45.159 the walls around the paintings, looking for buttons, 00:13:45.419 --> 00:13:48.539 levers, anything that might reveal another room 00:13:48.539 --> 00:13:53.360 or compartment. Beneath each painting is a drawer. 00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:59.360 I open one. The drawer is full of grey ash. I 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:02.059 pull at something small and burgundy emerging 00:14:02.059 --> 00:14:07.259 from the ash and find a passport. Elena Petrova. 00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:10.240 I recognize the name. She has been officially 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:15.850 missing for... For years now. I move to the next 00:14:15.850 --> 00:14:19.710 drawer. More ash. This time with a small, stuck 00:14:19.710 --> 00:14:25.870 animal. Bile rises in my throat. I quickly check 00:14:25.870 --> 00:14:30.169 the other drawers. A ring. A hair tie. A rainbow 00:14:30.169 --> 00:14:34.730 pencil eraser. More momentum. More missing women. 00:14:36.649 --> 00:14:43.860 The last drawer. No ashes. Only a key. A key 00:14:43.860 --> 00:14:48.419 to what? All of a sudden, I'm hit with silence. 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:54.980 The alarms have stopped. Fuck. Hello? A voice 00:14:54.980 --> 00:15:02.039 calls. Nora? I ask. Who's there? Nora Shelton, 00:15:02.200 --> 00:15:05.000 right? Your mother, Nancy, hired me to find you. 00:15:05.059 --> 00:15:11.639 Are you okay? Yes. I just can't get out. I look 00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:14.039 around for the source of the voice. Her voice 00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:17.200 echoes like it's coming from every corner. I 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:20.820 ask her to keep talking. At the drain, I fit 00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:24.659 the key. It turns with a gritty click. The grate 00:15:24.659 --> 00:15:28.440 pops open. A pair of eyes reflects in the dark. 00:15:28.740 --> 00:15:32.259 I haul her up. She's fifteen, but could pass 00:15:32.259 --> 00:15:37.460 for twelve. Thin, dirty, terrified. I try to 00:15:37.460 --> 00:15:40.379 stand her up, but she winces. Her feet are red 00:15:40.379 --> 00:15:44.879 and bloody. They cut my feet so I can't run. 00:15:46.139 --> 00:15:49.200 Don't worry. I'll get you out of here, I say. 00:15:50.379 --> 00:15:53.539 Sister Ruth, Eli's voice calls from the entrance. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:59.059 Ruth? Noya asks, looking at me confused. He's 00:15:59.059 --> 00:16:04.279 talking about me, I answer. Eli smiles. I recognized 00:16:04.279 --> 00:16:08.460 you the moment I saw you. Yeah, I remember you 00:16:08.460 --> 00:16:13.820 too, Eli. Brother Eli, he corrects with sanctimony. 00:16:14.299 --> 00:16:18.820 Go fuck yourself, I tell him. His smile tightens. 00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:23.080 I see you're still resisting God's plan, he says. 00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:26.100 Your father would be so disappointed in you. 00:16:26.899 --> 00:16:30.179 I'm sure you're right. From the moment you were 00:16:30.179 --> 00:16:34.480 branded, you were trouble. Oh, I was trouble 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:37.950 long before that. There's still time for you 00:16:37.950 --> 00:16:41.710 to repent, fulfill your purpose, honor God with 00:16:41.710 --> 00:16:48.070 your life, your body. I pause. Really? Yes, he 00:16:48.070 --> 00:16:50.789 steps forward. Repent now while you can still 00:16:50.789 --> 00:16:55.509 bear children and save your soul. Are you sure? 00:16:55.669 --> 00:17:01.029 I ask. He takes another step towards me and puts 00:17:01.029 --> 00:17:04.289 a hand on my shoulder. I reach for the crucifix 00:17:04.289 --> 00:17:08.730 around my neck and bow my head. Yes, be fruitful 00:17:08.730 --> 00:17:12.609 with God. The cross in my hand collapses, a blade 00:17:12.609 --> 00:17:17.349 sliding free. I twist and plunge. The steel finds 00:17:17.349 --> 00:17:22.130 a soft place in his neck. His eyes widen, shocked. 00:17:22.650 --> 00:17:27.930 He makes a wet little sound. Good. Let it hurt. 00:17:29.890 --> 00:17:32.589 Blood runs down the drain to join the remnants 00:17:32.589 --> 00:17:35.230 of all the women and girls who died in this room 00:17:35.230 --> 00:17:42.109 before him. Are you ready to go? So, you're her? 00:17:42.809 --> 00:17:50.430 You're Ruth? Nora asks. I was. Not anymore. I 00:17:50.430 --> 00:17:53.630 kneel, drag the iron from Boone's wall, and cup 00:17:53.630 --> 00:17:56.710 it to a votive candle until the metal smokes. 00:17:57.849 --> 00:18:02.650 I press it to what's left of his throat. It hisses, 00:18:02.650 --> 00:18:06.789 and he goes quiet. I shoulder Nora, step over 00:18:06.789 --> 00:18:09.400 him. And for the second time in my life, I race 00:18:09.400 --> 00:18:13.160 out of the compound. This time with a small girl 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:15.900 on my back and an ash -streaked passport in my 00:18:15.900 --> 00:18:30.980 fist. Next time, I burn it to the ground. Powerful 00:18:30.980 --> 00:18:33.960 stuff there from Nicole, read by Maverick. Thank 00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:36.890 you both very, very much. There is something 00:18:36.890 --> 00:18:40.269 sort of gruesomely satisfying about hearing characters 00:18:40.269 --> 00:18:44.569 like that getting it in the neck, quite literally, 00:18:44.670 --> 00:18:48.410 about seeing or hearing, in this case, the protagonist 00:18:48.410 --> 00:18:50.710 coming out on top over some deeply unpleasant 00:18:50.710 --> 00:18:54.670 people. I was rooting for Ruth to succeed all 00:18:54.670 --> 00:18:56.549 the way through that, and I'm very, very glad 00:18:56.549 --> 00:18:59.769 she did. Nicole got all the way to the ferocious 00:18:59.769 --> 00:19:03.210 four with that one in a hugely competitive genre. 00:19:03.390 --> 00:19:07.000 So the final four, semi -finals. out of hundreds 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:09.480 and hundreds and hundreds of writers, and very 00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:12.039 well -deserved success. Well done, Nicole. Our 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:17.500 next story is Life is But a Dream by Ashley Riot. 00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:20.980 With this story, it was from the summer nanofiction 00:19:20.980 --> 00:19:25.240 in the Under the Bed category last year. What 00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:27.259 Ashley's done is she's had the prompts Under 00:19:27.259 --> 00:19:32.339 the Bed, Psychopath, and Raft, and she's created 00:19:32.339 --> 00:19:37.099 something rather haunting. Very poetic and intense. 00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:41.099 And I mean that in the best way. It's narrated 00:19:41.099 --> 00:19:45.180 by Melanie York. Yeah, I don't want to say too 00:19:45.180 --> 00:19:48.119 much more about this. I want you to enjoy it, 00:19:48.119 --> 00:19:50.640 take it in. It's a very powerful piece of storytelling. 00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:56.220 Here we go. This is Life is But a Dream by Ashley 00:19:56.220 --> 00:20:04.569 Riott, read by Melanie York. I was 13 when I 00:20:04.569 --> 00:20:07.990 finally slew the sea monster beneath my bed. 00:20:09.849 --> 00:20:12.650 Darkness poured through the window that night, 00:20:12.809 --> 00:20:16.589 rising like black water until my mattress bobbed 00:20:16.589 --> 00:20:21.549 alone on miles of ocean. Mother always said a 00:20:21.549 --> 00:20:24.750 bed can be a raft, and a raft is a fortress, 00:20:25.069 --> 00:20:29.720 so I gripped the blankets, singing softly. trying 00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:36.039 to calm the fear rising within. Row, row, row 00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:42.339 your boat. Above, something slid across the roof, 00:20:42.539 --> 00:20:47.400 scraping shingles like passing tentacles. Panic 00:20:47.400 --> 00:20:54.839 cinched my throat. Stomach. Bladder. Hot ink 00:20:54.839 --> 00:20:59.980 spilt, soaking pajamas. briny stench rising. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:05.079 Drenched blankets lapped at my ankles, slick, 00:21:05.339 --> 00:21:10.160 alive, and I thrashed, sure the beast had breached 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:16.339 the hole, tumbling to the floor. Gently down 00:21:16.339 --> 00:21:22.579 the stream. Planks groaned as the leviathan hauled 00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:26.559 itself up from below, belly sloshing bud -like 00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:32.369 tides. Door kicked open, mouth full of foam curses, 00:21:32.589 --> 00:21:38.630 barley breath washing over me. A tsunami. His 00:21:38.630 --> 00:21:43.109 belt, a kraken's lash, snapped across shame -soaked 00:21:43.109 --> 00:21:49.710 skin. Bruises for ballast. Merrily, merrily, 00:21:49.710 --> 00:21:55.049 merrily, merrily. I scuttled to the table and 00:21:55.049 --> 00:21:59.180 seized scissors as the creature lunged. Wheeling 00:21:59.180 --> 00:22:03.000 around, I found myself facing the storming psychosis 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:08.720 of its eye. Steel first. Blades punched pupil 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:15.980 with a wet The orb popped, and translucent jellyfish 00:22:15.980 --> 00:22:21.339 dribbled down on us both. I struck again, harpooning 00:22:21.339 --> 00:22:25.119 the second socket. The leviathan lurched, slipping 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:29.000 on its red tide. spilling us across the carpet. 00:22:29.779 --> 00:22:40.480 Silence and stillness pooled. I exhaled. Crawling 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:45.019 back onto my raft, I folded into myself and rocked, 00:22:45.019 --> 00:22:52.200 slow and oarless, singing softly. Life is but 00:22:52.200 --> 00:23:16.109 a dream. It's really something. It's a heck of 00:23:16.109 --> 00:23:19.309 a piece. It really does conjure up all kinds 00:23:19.309 --> 00:23:23.029 of images and how the main character has dealt 00:23:23.029 --> 00:23:27.150 with so much and just takes their... their violent 00:23:27.150 --> 00:23:30.930 revenge uh i did and this is a really important 00:23:30.930 --> 00:23:33.490 point actually because when i was setting this 00:23:33.490 --> 00:23:36.670 podcast up and grouping it with the other stories 00:23:36.670 --> 00:23:42.549 i had grouped the pieces by stories of of women 00:23:42.549 --> 00:23:44.630 you don't mess with you know sort of though she 00:23:44.630 --> 00:23:47.930 be but little she is fierce i put this to the 00:23:47.930 --> 00:23:49.849 writers and said this is how i'm grouping you 00:23:49.849 --> 00:23:52.450 together and ashley very gently and very kindly 00:23:52.450 --> 00:23:56.299 pointed out to me that at nowhere in the story 00:23:56.299 --> 00:23:59.940 does it say the gender of the main character 00:23:59.940 --> 00:24:04.480 what i'd done is i'd read it and with it being 00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:09.039 a female author i'd done what my brain and i 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:11.119 imagine a fair few other people's brains do too 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:14.059 is to assume that the gender of the person writing 00:24:14.059 --> 00:24:17.980 it is the same as the character within the story 00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:21.700 and that of course is not true sometimes it is 00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:25.069 but not always And in the absence of any identifying 00:24:25.069 --> 00:24:27.670 information, that's just where my brain leapt. 00:24:27.769 --> 00:24:29.630 Now I'm grateful to Ashley for pointing that 00:24:29.630 --> 00:24:32.809 out to me, because even though it was read by 00:24:32.809 --> 00:24:35.329 a female narrator, who did a great job, really 00:24:35.329 --> 00:24:38.329 haunting, lovely singing, lovely singing from 00:24:38.329 --> 00:24:40.769 Melanie, but a very haunting quality to it too. 00:24:41.509 --> 00:24:44.390 Obviously people who go through those horrendous 00:24:44.390 --> 00:24:47.049 experiences, as alluded to in that story, are 00:24:47.049 --> 00:24:52.089 absolutely not just female. And yeah, it's important 00:24:52.089 --> 00:24:56.000 that we remember that. It's made me pay attention 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:58.279 to when I'm reading stories that don't make the 00:24:58.279 --> 00:25:01.680 details of the main character clear, not to assume 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:05.619 too much. There we go. It's education for me 00:25:05.619 --> 00:25:10.220 as well. Now, Ashley got herself to the Thrilling 00:25:10.220 --> 00:25:14.799 32 in the Summer Nanofiction competition, which 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:18.380 is fantastic. Again, huge competition, huge amounts 00:25:18.380 --> 00:25:21.740 of writers out there. and she should be deservedly 00:25:21.740 --> 00:25:26.740 proud of this. Our last story today, our third 00:25:26.740 --> 00:25:30.420 and final one, is Last Laugh by Robert Dyer. 00:25:30.599 --> 00:25:35.140 Now, this was in the mystery genre from the Fear 00:25:35.140 --> 00:25:39.960 Battle in 2025, and Robert's prompts were mystery, 00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:44.720 clown, and soap. Robert's done a fantastic job 00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:47.880 with this one. He really has. It's a hugely enjoyable 00:25:47.880 --> 00:25:52.690 story. It is narrated by Ryan Page. Ryan's first 00:25:52.690 --> 00:25:55.950 narration for us on One More Short Story. And 00:25:55.950 --> 00:25:58.650 now Ryan and his wife run an audio production 00:25:58.650 --> 00:26:01.809 company called PageVox. They're really good. 00:26:01.930 --> 00:26:03.390 They're really quite something. If you're looking 00:26:03.390 --> 00:26:05.789 for an audio production company for your business 00:26:05.789 --> 00:26:07.730 or for anything else you're running, I recommend 00:26:07.730 --> 00:26:10.509 checking them out. I'll put their details on 00:26:10.509 --> 00:26:13.230 social media and things. He's also on the Writing 00:26:13.230 --> 00:26:15.589 Battle Forum, I should add. But yeah, Robert's 00:26:15.589 --> 00:26:17.190 done a really, really good job here. And I'm 00:26:17.190 --> 00:26:19.210 not going to spoil the story because I think 00:26:19.210 --> 00:26:22.109 you're really going to enjoy this. I know I did. 00:26:22.549 --> 00:26:28.289 So here is Last Laugh by Robert Dyer, narrated 00:26:28.289 --> 00:26:34.609 by Ryan Page. In his long career as a mortician, 00:26:35.049 --> 00:26:37.910 Horace Grayson had seen grief in many forms, 00:26:38.089 --> 00:26:44.079 but never like this. You heard me. I want him 00:26:44.079 --> 00:26:48.339 made up like a clown. Opposite him sat a widow 00:26:48.339 --> 00:26:52.019 with a face radiating warmth. Her dry eyes showed 00:26:52.019 --> 00:26:55.319 no signs of redness. With her gray hair and sweet 00:26:55.319 --> 00:26:57.500 smile, she looked as if she should have been 00:26:57.500 --> 00:26:59.619 offering Horace a plate of cookies instead of 00:26:59.619 --> 00:27:04.119 planning a funeral. Was this a last request from 00:27:04.119 --> 00:27:07.740 your husband? Her slight chuckle shook Horace's 00:27:07.740 --> 00:27:12.730 professional disposition. No, as a matter of 00:27:12.730 --> 00:27:15.809 fact, I don't recall Malcolm expressing an opinion 00:27:15.809 --> 00:27:20.589 one way or another about clowns. Then, why - 00:27:20.589 --> 00:27:24.230 The smile remained, but a firmness took root 00:27:24.230 --> 00:27:27.630 in her tone. If my request makes you uncomfortable, 00:27:28.109 --> 00:27:30.849 I'll be happy to try another establishment in 00:27:30.849 --> 00:27:34.170 town. Horace knew it didn't matter where Mrs. 00:27:34.250 --> 00:27:37.390 Abernathy would go. Every funeral director in 00:27:37.390 --> 00:27:40.289 town would be talking about this for a long time. 00:27:41.170 --> 00:27:45.490 Mother, stop being unreasonable. Her well -tailored 00:27:45.490 --> 00:27:48.509 son and even more stylish daughter -in -law sat 00:27:48.509 --> 00:27:51.170 with features of grim horror etched on their 00:27:51.170 --> 00:27:55.190 faces. Father doesn't deserve this. It's crazy. 00:27:56.029 --> 00:27:58.670 Her serenity remained as she patted his hand. 00:27:59.450 --> 00:28:02.430 Michael, I was married to your father for more 00:28:02.430 --> 00:28:06.829 than 40 years. I know what I'm doing. Horace 00:28:06.829 --> 00:28:08.950 watched Michael's wife twisting her handkerchief 00:28:08.950 --> 00:28:13.069 in knots. At least agree to close the casket 00:28:13.069 --> 00:28:15.410 for the visitation in the funeral. Think of the 00:28:15.410 --> 00:28:19.769 people in the church, she pleaded. Betsy, I am 00:28:19.769 --> 00:28:24.089 thinking of them, in my own way, of course. The 00:28:24.089 --> 00:28:27.309 widow stood and offered her hand to Horace. Thank 00:28:27.309 --> 00:28:30.109 you for your help, Mr. Grayson. I'll have what 00:28:30.109 --> 00:28:33.029 you need sent over this afternoon. You may drive 00:28:33.029 --> 00:28:36.890 me home now, Michael. Horace watched the three 00:28:36.890 --> 00:28:40.529 exit his office. The widow moved with quiet composure 00:28:40.529 --> 00:28:43.009 while Michael and Betsy tried to get her to reconsider. 00:28:43.910 --> 00:28:46.869 Once their voices faded, he picked up the phone. 00:28:47.630 --> 00:28:50.490 Ted, stop whatever you're doing on Abernathy. 00:28:50.789 --> 00:28:55.970 You're not gonna believe this. The visitation 00:28:55.970 --> 00:28:58.690 line at the funeral home stretched around the 00:28:58.690 --> 00:29:02.069 block. It had started out small, but once word 00:29:02.069 --> 00:29:05.220 spread of the deceased's appearance, people flocked 00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:10.420 to get a look. In his open $7 ,500 imperial casket 00:29:10.420 --> 00:29:13.019 lay someone who looked like a refugee from the 00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:17.500 Big Top. Malcolm Abernathy, bank president, sported 00:29:17.500 --> 00:29:19.940 a bright red wig that threatened to escape the 00:29:19.940 --> 00:29:22.940 casket's confines. The white grease paint covering 00:29:22.940 --> 00:29:25.519 his face smoothed his features as it filled all 00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:29.460 the wrinkles of age. That's one benefit of clownhood, 00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:33.630 thought Horace. Mrs. Abernathy was insistent 00:29:33.630 --> 00:29:35.849 that his mouth have the whitest smile possible, 00:29:36.230 --> 00:29:40.490 along with the traditional red nose. No sad clown 00:29:40.490 --> 00:29:44.730 for Malcolm. I want him smiling. Horace fought 00:29:44.730 --> 00:29:47.789 an internal battle about asking where Helen Abernathy, 00:29:47.930 --> 00:29:50.569 pillar of local society, would have gotten the 00:29:50.569 --> 00:29:53.970 outfit she supplied. He had never seen a shirt 00:29:53.970 --> 00:29:56.390 with a cacophony of colors fighting for dominance. 00:29:56.789 --> 00:30:00.430 An oversized boutonniere was pinned to it. More 00:30:00.430 --> 00:30:02.529 than one person whispered about whether or not 00:30:02.529 --> 00:30:05.630 they were in danger of being squirted. Baggy 00:30:05.630 --> 00:30:08.230 purple pants and oversized bright yellow shoes 00:30:08.230 --> 00:30:11.910 completed the outfit. Horace tested the footwear 00:30:11.910 --> 00:30:14.029 for flexibility so they would fold when the lid 00:30:14.029 --> 00:30:17.569 finally closed. Malcolm's hands clutched not 00:30:17.569 --> 00:30:20.450 a bouquet, but a balloon animal resembling a 00:30:20.450 --> 00:30:23.970 dachshund. Throughout the visitation, Horace 00:30:23.970 --> 00:30:26.609 watched Mrs. Abernathy dodge questions from inquisitive 00:30:26.609 --> 00:30:29.990 minds. Who's to say what's unusual these days? 00:30:30.569 --> 00:30:32.650 Michael and Betsy aren't here tonight because 00:30:32.650 --> 00:30:36.529 of illness. I'm doing very well, thank you. No, 00:30:36.609 --> 00:30:40.789 I'm not on any medication. The question no one 00:30:40.789 --> 00:30:46.349 dared ask but all wanted to know was, why? The 00:30:46.349 --> 00:30:48.890 next day, the church was packed like it was Christmas 00:30:48.890 --> 00:30:51.829 Eve and Easter combined. No one wanted to miss 00:30:51.829 --> 00:30:55.049 the grand finale. In the front pew sat the widow. 00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:57.519 accompanied by her son and daughter -in -law. 00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:00.839 Helen Abernathy maintained her tranquil nature, 00:31:01.019 --> 00:31:03.559 while Michael kept his eyes riveted anywhere 00:31:03.559 --> 00:31:06.960 but on his father. Betsy found refuge behind 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:08.839 a veil thick enough to serve as a protective 00:31:08.839 --> 00:31:12.440 shield. Horace stood in the back watching the 00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:15.900 service. Despite Malcolm Abernathy looking like 00:31:15.900 --> 00:31:17.839 he belonged in the center ring instead of in 00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:20.200 front of an altar, the proceedings were no different 00:31:20.200 --> 00:31:22.039 from the countless last rites he had attended. 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:25.579 Hymns were sung, prayers were offered, and the 00:31:25.579 --> 00:31:29.160 minister extolled the deceased's virtues. Until 00:31:29.160 --> 00:31:33.539 the pulpit was turned over to the widow. Malcolm 00:31:33.539 --> 00:31:36.859 would be pleased so many of you came today. I 00:31:36.859 --> 00:31:39.059 know some of you, but many of you are strangers 00:31:39.059 --> 00:31:42.019 to me. No doubt you're probably here out of curiosity. 00:31:43.460 --> 00:31:47.599 Horace watched Michael twist in his seat. I loved 00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:51.809 him dearly for 43 years. Malcolm's wish was my 00:31:51.809 --> 00:31:55.710 command, and I never resented that role. His 00:31:55.710 --> 00:31:58.349 death by slipping on soap in the club locker 00:31:58.349 --> 00:32:02.329 room was a shock to me, to Michael, and to all 00:32:02.329 --> 00:32:06.990 who knew him. He hadn't planned to die. If he 00:32:06.990 --> 00:32:12.710 had, I'm sure he wouldn't have left these. Every 00:32:12.710 --> 00:32:15.690 neck in the church craned as Helen pulled a stack 00:32:15.690 --> 00:32:19.220 of letters from her handbag. A ripple of hushed 00:32:19.220 --> 00:32:23.019 conversation spread like a gentle wave. Love 00:32:23.019 --> 00:32:27.720 letters from not one, not two, but dozens of 00:32:27.720 --> 00:32:30.880 women that he treasured over the years. Some 00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:35.519 of you are here today. The smile never left her 00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:39.900 face. I know this town, so I know many of you 00:32:39.900 --> 00:32:43.779 knew, but never told me. Her gaze settled on 00:32:43.779 --> 00:32:46.950 Michael. Despite the distance, Horace thought 00:32:46.950 --> 00:32:51.089 he could hear Michael's gulp. Malcolm made me 00:32:51.089 --> 00:32:55.190 a laughingstock with your help. The last laugh, 00:32:55.329 --> 00:32:59.890 though, is mine. She reached into the pulpit, 00:33:00.009 --> 00:33:03.650 removed a cream pie, and approached her husband's 00:33:03.650 --> 00:33:06.630 body. Michael jumped to his feet to stop the 00:33:06.630 --> 00:33:11.029 final desecration. With perfect aim, Helen deftly 00:33:11.029 --> 00:33:14.319 tossed it, not at Malcolm. but scored a direct 00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:18.799 hit in her son's face. Then, with shoulders erect 00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:22.200 and chin held high, Helen marched down the aisle 00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:27.619 and out of the church. Yes, Horace thought, this 00:33:27.619 --> 00:33:41.880 one will be talked about for a long time. Absolutely 00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:45.059 wonderful stuff. Really, really good story. Very, 00:33:45.160 --> 00:33:47.240 very well written by Robert. You can see why 00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:50.980 it got as far as it did. The story placed runner 00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:55.400 -up. Runner -up in the entire competition. Absolutely 00:33:55.400 --> 00:33:58.220 glorious work. And on a different day it may 00:33:58.220 --> 00:34:01.000 have taken the whole thing. And Ryan, excellent 00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:03.359 narration. I'm sure we'll be working with Ryan 00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:06.319 more in the future. I just love that story. It's 00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:10.949 just the idea of something so... heartbreakingly 00:34:10.949 --> 00:34:13.650 plausible of the widow finding out what she does 00:34:13.650 --> 00:34:17.710 and then just cranking up the intensity and the 00:34:17.710 --> 00:34:20.750 absurdity of that into the clown makeup and everything 00:34:20.750 --> 00:34:24.769 she does at the funeral is it's a great kind 00:34:24.769 --> 00:34:27.670 of comedy it's grounded in a kind of sharp pain 00:34:27.670 --> 00:34:31.309 of reality and then it's just cranked up so you 00:34:31.309 --> 00:34:35.130 can't help but laugh it's it's extremely well 00:34:35.130 --> 00:34:40.210 done okay three stories with the theme of fighter 00:34:40.210 --> 00:34:44.570 that brings us to the end of episode eight of 00:34:44.570 --> 00:34:48.030 one more short story with me chris fullwell thank 00:34:48.030 --> 00:34:49.750 you so much for listening we really appreciate 00:34:49.750 --> 00:34:52.449 it and we will see you again next time