Physics of Gaming

Phil Harwell

Holly Hancock

Jay Knowles

Benjamin Chandler

Jacob Sherman

English

He looked at with eyes brimming with fury and malice. The moonlight glimmered apon his dimly lit eyes as he said, " You have to- no need to kill them, Henry." His voice starts to go frantic "I know they used to be your friends but they're beyond saving" His voice echos louder

and louder, until it became a cacophonous mass of sound.
Bart covered his ears with his hands. “But why?” said Bart. “You said they were redeemable back when we got our tacos! Why is it that now, suddenly that’s changed?”

The manager approached, eyes glowing and name tag vibrating with rage. 

“Expiry date.”

Bart’s eyes darted up as realisation dawned upon him. 

They had expired.

Bart unleashed his inner Karen and roared at the manager. “Expired? Expired? That’s why you do NOT teleport bread! I told you not to!” “Now calm down, Bart…” “Now we all have three days to live!” Bart looked at the calendar. Three days. Their days are numbered. “Any last wishes?”

Bart thought. There was only one thing he'd not yet done that he always figured he had time to do. But now with three days left to live, would he have enough time? "Listen," Bart said, "I need a waterbed, a can of Cherry Coke, Linda Ronstadt's phone number, & a Tamagotchi."

Anything is possible with Make A Wish. Okay, maybe except the illogical. Or any illegal activities. But still a waterbed, a can of Cherry Coke, Linda Ronstadt’s phone number and a Tamagotchi shouldn’t be too difficult. Bart lived for three days then rested in peace.

Expiry Date

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Chris Dodds

The funny thing about everyone loving you is that you’ll never feel more alone once you’ve arrived there. You smile and laugh and accept the slaps on your back in good stride, but the moment things get quiet you start to feel the room expand and the despair creep in.

Slinking around corners, staring through a facade of curtains, it comes all too sudden and hits you with a force that is insurmountable. “I am alone”. A cold shiver runs down your back as you begin to ask yourself if you were really ever here in the first place.

“No, that’s not quite it.” It is not that you are alone, but rather, you are alone with someone else out there, possibly around the corner. And the darkness certainly does little to soothe your fears. Is there someone out there? Or are you truly alone? “Hello? Anybody there?”

“No,” said a voice from around the corner. “Anybody over there?”
I didn’t know what to say. Whoever’s voice this is has me at a disadvantage.
“I-I don’t see anybody,” I said, hoping this voice had a sense of humor. I definitely heard a little giggling, so, I guess that worked.

And at that moment we were just two silly voices laughing in the darkness. It was quite the enlightening experience. I then remembered I had a flashlight in my hand. I flicked the switch and pointed it at the voice in the dark. To my surprise, who else could it be but

Babe-raham Lincoln, winner of the 2016 Hot President Lookalike Contest! I recognized her blue eyes & painted-on beard because I was one of the judges. Babe-raham famously vanished after winning, never even claiming her crown. "Where've you been?" I asked. She tapped on my heart.

Everything is fine

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Emma Mazzucco

Sean King

Sam Becker

“It’s green”. I mumbled, flipping it over in my hand a few times. “Why is it always green?”

“What did you expect?”

I look up at the sudden intrusion, shocked to see

a leprechaun puffing on a long thin pipe, a halo of emerald-colored smoke circling his head. "D'ye think we make ruby slippers for the faerie folk?" he said. "Wait," I stuttered, "Did you say faerie folk?" He nodded, "To be sure, lassie. Why d'ye think ye got them peculiar ears?"

“Thanks, little guy,” I thought. “Now you’ve made me self-conscious about my ears.”
I took a deep breath. “So just what is it you ARE here to do?”

" Give this letter to Santa". Tell him Emma sent you. I'm a elf he said. The boy said ok and

took the letter to the ninth circle of Hell. Which is just about the complete polar opposite of the North Pole. “H-here’s a letter for you sir,” the elf said to Satan Claws, “hey hold on isn’t it a little too hot-“ “Looks like you fell into my trap!” boomed the Wordplayer. Oh no!

“Sir, this is a postal uniform. Waterproof, wind proof, stain resistant, permanent press, of course. But also resistant to fire, brimstone, magic spells, golem grips, and demon claws. Your letter is delivered, good afternoon!” With that, he walked back to the ferry dock.

Your Letter is Delivered!

Matthew S

Balázs Réder

Balázs has always loved Cindy, an adorable wine drinker with blonde eyelashes and strong forearms. Balázs had a sidekick called Levi who was friendly and helped sloths cross the road.

Hungarian

, but not entirely. He didn’t really like the taste of shark, but it was a delicacy, and Francisca had taken him to a swanky restaurant, so he felt honor-bound to continue eating. “Are you enjoying the shark?” Francisca asked meekly.

I swallowed the rising bile and nodded, avoiding her eyes. Swallow it. Now. 

Gulp. 

My brother had died the same way, years ago. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. And now the burden of two lives pinned me down like a stone inthe ocean.

And that’s exactly how I died. She had me bound up with thick rope and thrown into water, and tried as I could to wriggle out of it I just couldn’t. The rope was too strong. At least they now know I was no witch. My brother? He jumped into a river according to Chinese legend.

There is a small island in the East China Sea where one can find a tiny hut made entirely of seashells. In that hut stands a wooden table with 2 items on its sand-eaten surface: the copper ring my brother wore on his pinky & a yellowed paper copy of the story you have just read.

Holly Hancock
@hollyhancock

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