Attack of the Vacuum Machine Army
Storyfeather
Six kids explore the possibility that dogs have been trying to warn humanity about a terrible enemy in their midst…vacuum machines. Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy Excerpts: They were right all along. “What do they know that we don’t know?” “What are they trying to protect us from?” “This is my home too! And it is in danger…” “If the law won’t help us, we’ll have to turn to…the outlaw.” What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired by a...
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Galactic Ring of Wrestling Ladies
Storyfeather
The most popular wrestling show in five galaxies is in danger of being shut down, unless the wrestlers jump into action to save it. Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy Excerpt:“Sentient entities of the cosmos!” the announcer spoke, her voice booming through the arena that floated in free space. “Welcome…to GROWL! The audience cheered, waving their flags, waving their extremities, and shouting the names of their favored fighters. The announcer paused until they settled. “Our first contender on tonight’s mind-blasting roster, is also our first human ever. Hailing from Earth,...
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The Final Monster I Fight
Storyfeather
A hunter dedicated to keeping the world safe from monsters has one final monster to fight. Genre: Horror Excerpt: Curses and cures. Curses and cures. I’ve tried everything. …flecks of blood in my eye. My joints have started to ache... My vision has started to flicker. And…now I’m finally afraid. What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. This...
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The Eye in My Ceiling
Storyfeather
What starts as a curiosity, a light on the bedroom ceiling that seems to have no source, heralds the appearance of a huge eye that just watches and watches. Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction, Horror Excerpt: I yelled out. The hazel iris shifted toward me. I slowly slid off the bed... dashed to the door, flung it open, and pulled it closed behind me. Okay, okay, think. I have to… I had cried out. Someone must have heard. Someone would come knocking on my door. Normally I didn’t want that. But right now, right now I might want that. I might want that. What...
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The Infernal Bargain House
Storyfeather
Surely, a beautiful old house sold at a bargain must have a sinister history. One new homeowner is about to find out. Genre: Horror, Mystery Excerpt: “If afterlife spirits are real, they’re real whether I believe in them or not.” I shrugged. “And if they’re real, I’d rather not stir them up.” “So…she felt something?” “She said the place had a weird energy.” “What does that mean?” I shook my head. “Frustrated….” What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s...
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There Lived a Crooked Creature
Storyfeather
An apartment resident is recruited for help by four kids who claim that a demonic creature has just laid eggs in the laundry room. Genre: Horror Excerpt: “It’s like the thing from the poem that my first grade teacher told us about. ‘There Lived a Crooked Creature.’ Do you know the one? It lives in a corner—“ “—and it can touch us but we can’t touch it—“ “’In a corner it did lay; fourteen eggs every fourteen days.’” “’Nothing can destroy it. No weapon forged by human hand.’” What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? ...
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One Wicked Warlock
Storyfeather
There is a tall tower to the north. A warlock once lived there. Now the tower is abandoned. But that does not mean is it safe. Genre: Horror, Mystery Excerpt: There was a story told…of a little girl who went into the tower and came out unscathed... The bard who told the story sang in sweet and rising notes of how the girl was protected by her innocence. But when in the history of this tricksome world has innocence ever protected anyone from anything? This isn’t her story. It’s mine. I went into that tower. NOTE: There's a tech issue with my...
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The Misfortune of Repetition
Storyfeather
When Anushka was cursed to only repeat what others said, her only hope of escaping the curse was the only person who seemed to remember the curse. Genre: Fantasy Excerpt: Because Anushka could not convey her thoughts in any way that others could understand, it seemed to many that she did not have any thoughts of her own. But Mitra always told her cousin. “You are the bright one. And the quick one. Like lightning. Like your true name.” What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired...
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Mushrooms of the Underworld
Storyfeather
The living do not belong in the underworld. But all the paths of escape are horrific, save for one…the mushroom. Genre: Mythology Excerpt: There were a number of ways for the passage to be made—flesh-wrenching spells, maps that could only be read by those who had spent a lifetime studying magic, or aid given by the sovereign’s own siblings to some favored mortal, all of which were giving way to a new and much easier means…mushrooms. What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or...
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The Margin Alien
Storyfeather
To rescue her brother, a woman jumps into what she believes is a dimensional rift generated by a device that he has invented. Genre: Science Fantasy Excerpt: “You come from within the margins. Where there are well-defined boundaries... Reality.” "Isn’t this also real?” “It is for now.” What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode? Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on. I’ve...
info_outlineA merchant vessel enters a system with rigid laws about visitors, and almost succeeds in making a lucrative delivery, when it encounters a potentially deadly obstacle.
Genre: Science Fiction
Excerpt:
We had obtained the means of shielding certain sections of engineering and the crew quarters. Cargo, I was happy to be transparent about. But there were things aboard my ship that I needed to hide. And I couldn’t expect the crew to remove every questionable item. Our chief engineer would have disembarked if we didn’t fly with a sufficient supply of his favorite snack, mokkie-bars.
What story or stories am I revisiting in this episode?
Each Season 8 episode is a standalone story, but it’s connected to or inspired by a previous story through a character, a place, an object, a concept, a continuation of events (ahem, sequel), and so on.
This story is connected to the Year Seven story entitled “A Tale of Nine Lemons,” in which a young man, whose parents have given his siblings all manner of wondrous parting gifts to help them make their fortunes in the world, is given a basket of lemons to make his fortune. That story was the result of a writing prompt about…lemons.
MY FIRST BOOK (yay)
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written? I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.
It’s now available as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.
The book title takes you straight to the book on Amazon.
Or you can visit my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE
The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters:
Storyfeather Gazette (if you’d like to keep up with the fiction I create)
Fictioneer’s Field Guide (if you’d like writing tips and guidance from me)
Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)
MERCH!
Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork?
Please visit my Store page for updated info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE
CREDITS
Story: “The Lemonuclear Conductor” Copyright © 2020 by Nila L. Patel
Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production: Nila L. Patel
Music:
“Neon god” by NICHOLAS JEUDY (Intro & Outro)
“Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)
Music by NICHOLAS JEUDY
“Them droids”
“Neon god”
“Reloaded”
“Negociation”
“MDK”
“Bio hazard”
“Men in black”
“Under the mask”
“Trojan horse”
“Master”
“Virtual reality”
All these tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.
Music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle, and GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg)
Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.
Find more music by Nicholas Jeudy and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com
Episode Art Description:
Digital drawing of a humanoid person with a long-haired mohawk and scaly skin at left, facing away and looking at multiple glowing holographic displays with various readouts. The person points at the main display, which shows a containment or reactor vessel. Some text is readable. The word “engineering” at top, and “Lemonuclear Conductor: LNC Version 5.5.” Horizontal rectangular image is made square with borders at top and bottom with a textured pattern of square confetti and vertical bars in the same orange and yellow colors of the main image. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along left side of reactor vessel.