The Renegade D.O.R.K.S.
Storyfeather
An inexperienced crew of administrators aspiring to be field operators are assigned to a distant star system, where they encounter a sentient nebula. Genre: Science Fiction Excerpt: The newly appointed Captain Dorus gazed at his new crew, each one interviewed and hand-picked by him. The not-so-hotshot pilot, Orson, who retired early after she was nearly killed flying into a star during a practice maneuver. The experienced engineer, Rekha, whose tendency to tinker a little too much got her booted off the first four ships she was assigned to. A doctor, Shade, who had no specialty...
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The Reptilian Vaudevillians
Storyfeather
Every ninth full moon, the Reptilian Vaudevillians put on a spectacular show that for one audience member is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Genre: Fable Excerpt: No one will know of my crime. Tomorrow, I will die. And so will every one of my cohorts. The ones who came before are already dead. So none will know of my crime. Today, I should be searching for a mate. But instead, I am hiding in the shadows of leaves, having broken from tradition, from fate, from my duty. What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?There is no official writing prompt, but I was prompted to...
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The Drummer for Discordance
Storyfeather
After a young drummer commits the crime of “creativity without a license,” her bandmate discovers a way to protect her and all other unlicensed artists. Genre: Science Fiction Excerpt: “Tell me, as the band’s leader, what is the future of Discordance now? Will you find a new drummer? Will you disband and follow individual careers? The fans are dying to know.” Kavita seen herself in interviews dozens of times before, and she’d felt many different emotions at seeing herself. Mortification, dissatisfaction, pride, amusement. This time she felt only anxiety. But it...
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Evil Edie's Surprise Demise
Storyfeather
The unexpected demise of a witch on All Hallow’s Eve prompts her faithful assistant to seek the answer to the question, “Who killed Edith Evilez?” Genre: Horror Excerpt: “Who killed Edith Evilez?” the slightly malnourished young—or perhaps old—woman asked, as she thrust a dusty umbrella at a passing passerby. The asker’s name was Trudy Trubbeld. And she had been standing at the corner, asking the question—or rather accusing the question—to various passersby since the death of her mistress and mentor, the aforementioned Edith Evilez, known to her enemies as Edie,...
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Mausefalle Manor
Storyfeather
A young woman finally learns the truth about what happened when her grand-aunty accepted a dare to knock on the door of a mysterious manor. Genre: Horror Excerpt: Naomi clicked on her recorder, took a deep breath, and asked her grand-aunty Z about the one thing that her mother and grandmother told her to never, ever, never, never, ever ask her about. “Aunty, what did you see when you went into Mausefalle Manor? And how is it that you got out when so many other people never did?” Her aunty, whose full name was Zelda, responded by glancing down at the plate on the coffee table...
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The Curse of the Tooth Demon
Storyfeather
A family is haunted by a demon who collects the fallen baby teeth of the children, and who soon hungers for more and more teeth, even when there are none for them to offer. Genre: Horror Excerpt: Many doctors and healers had tended to him. But the family he left behind, to whom he was beloved, blamed only one. The doctor of teeth. For before he came, the patient appeared to be suffering some pain but in general was in good spirits. It was poor luck, on the part of the doctor of teeth. The infection had already taken hold. None could have stopped it. But the family did not know this....
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Through the Woods at Night
Storyfeather
Traveling on a road at night that cuts through the woods, one driver fears encountering dangers both natural and supernatural. Genre: Horror Excerpt: The car had been behind me for a while, even before we turned onto Dollortop, the road that just barely split the sprawling woods that separated the counties. I gripped the steering wheel at ten and two, and glanced at the rearview mirror, as I eased my foot off the accelerator. My car began to slow. What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Looks like this story was inspired by “Over the River and Through the...
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The Mad Tunnel
Storyfeather
Be advised: This episode contains some intense music and sound effects. A group of friends venture into an abandoned tunnel against the warnings of one of them, who senses there is something in the tunnel that won’t let them get to the other side. Genre: Horror Excerpt: Bradley rubbed his hands together and looked at Amora. “It’s show time.” Phoebe walked over to Amora, whose dark-eyed gaze was still staring ahead at the tunnel. “Take your time,” Phoebe said. She wanted to tell Bradley to stop staring, but she figured it would only make Amora feel more...
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That Which Dragons Guard
Storyfeather
A bard embarks on a quest to discover what it is that the dragons guard at the center of a maze made of the primal cosmic elements. Genre: Fantasy Excerpt: Once upon a time, there was an ocean of water and at the center of this ocean of water was an ocean of sand and at the center of this ocean of sand was an ocean of air and at the center of this ocean of air was an ocean of fire. This ocean of fire was the realm of the dragons. What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?Prompt: Write a short story beginning with the line “Once upon time…” Source: A...
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The Nimasterion
Storyfeather
A small team of marine explorers searches for a treasure from an arcane myth, a jewel that fell from the heavens. Genre: Science Fiction Excerpt: “So the gods order the sea fairies to wreck the ship,” Dalil continued. “I mean tear it apart until nothing is left, not even a single plank for the princess to grab onto to survive. But here’s the thing, the thing that the king didn’t know and the gods didn’t know—because they never paid attention to the girl. She was great friends with the fairies of the sea. She loved the beaches of her kingdom. And she loved the...
info_outlineWhen one flower asks for every passing creature to help her attain the gift of motion, she finds no luck, until she meets a cat named Serendipity.
Genre: Fairy Tale
Excerpt:
Once upon a time, flowers lived long lives. They are now known to be fleeting, for the most part. They bud. They bloom. They grace the world with their beauty. And then they die. But it was not always so. They lived long lives indeed. Longer than creatures with many legs. Longer than creatures with four legs. Longer than creatures with two legs. And sometimes, even longer than the long-lived beings of the deep.
What’s the Writing Prompt that inspired the story?
No prompt, another what if…?
What does a treacherous human, a compassionate cat, and a long-suffering rock have in common?
COMING SOON…my book!
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written? I have a method. I’ve put that method into my upcoming book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide. The book details how to write a short story from start to finish.
Want to get a t-shirt with my artwork on it? Or maybe get a mug, sticker, notebook, a baby onesie, and more?
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CREDITS
Story: “When Serendipity Met the Flower” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel
Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production: Nila L. Patel
Music:
“Trip-Hop Lounge Abstract Background” by Digital Emotions (Intro/Outro)
Music by JONATHAN SHAW*
“Thoughts”
“Afternoon Chat”
“Spinning Tavern”
“Checking Inventory”
“A Bitter Hope”
“Encounter of Misdeeds”
“Treading the Unknown”
“Cold Sanctuary”
“Lingering Evil”
“A Dream of First Flight”
“In Tranquil”
*These tracks were part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.
Music by Jonathan Shaw licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle and GameDevMarket
Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping to align with my narration.
Find more music by Digital_Emotions at audiojungle.net
Find more music by Jonathan Shaw at jshaw.co.uk and gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com
Episode Art Description: Digital drawing. A zinnia flower in bloom atop a bed of leaves. From the flower’s center emerges the top half of a humanoid woman with her head and shoulders thrown back and her arms stretched out to her side. From her back there emerge two diaphanous wings. Bright beams of light burst out behind her. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along top edge of her left wing. Image is made square with borders at top and bottom that contain streaks of color matching the drawing at center.