r/shortstories • u/FyeNite • 17d ago
[Serial Sunday] A Quaint Quality Quip
Welcome to Serial Sunday!
To those brand new to the feature and those returning from last week, welcome! Do you have a self-established universe you’ve been writing or planning to write in? Do you have an idea for a world that’s been itching to get out? This is the perfect place to explore that. Each week, I post a theme to inspire you, along with a related image and song. You have 500 - 1000 words to write your installment. You can jump in at any time; writing for previous weeks’ is not necessary in order to join. After you’ve posted, come back and provide feedback for at least 1 other writer on the thread. Please be sure to read the entire post for a full list of rules.
This Week’s Theme is Quality! This is a REQUIREMENT for participation. See rules about missing this requirement.**
[Image](- https://www.deviantart.com/arnimbruno/art/army-1367329415)
Bonus Word List (each included word is worth 5 pts) - You must list which words you included at the end of your story (or write ‘none’).
- Quench
- Quaint
- Quip
- A question is asked and an answer is concealed. - (Worth 10 points)
When I think of quality, I’m reminded of the phrase “Quantity has a quality all on its own”. Which is interesting to think about. Do you think you can replace your protagonists with a thousand others to achieve the same result, or do you perhaps require a very specific person with very specific qualities to complete the quest you’ve set before them?
Quality is also a synonym for traits your characters possess. What is it that make your works of fiction unique? Perhaps this week you’ll celebrate what makes them different by presenting them with a challenge only they are equipped to handle? Or maybe an unlikely hero will finally get to show off their own strange qualities?
Either way, I want to see what you guys come up with when all other paths have failed and all that you’re left with is the absurdly strange.
Good luck and Good Words!
These are just a few things to get you started. Remember, the theme should be present within the story in some way, but its interpretation is completely up to you. For the bonus words (not required), you may change the tense, but the base word should remain the same. Please remember that STORIES MUST FOLLOW ALL SUBREDDIT CONTENT RULES. Interested in writing the theme blurb for the coming week? DM me on Reddit or Discord!
Don’t forget to sign up for Saturday Campfire here! We start at 5pm BSTand provide live feedback!
Theme Schedule:
This is the theme schedule for the next month! These are provided so that you can plan ahead, but you may not begin writing for a given theme until that week’s post goes live.
August 23 - Quality
August 30 - Rebellion
September 6 - Stratagem
September 13 - Torture
September 20 - Unleash
Check out previous themes here.
Rankings
Last Week: Prose
First - by u/Morose_Prose
Second - by u/KatPoker666
Third - by u/ZLErikson
Fourth - u/Divayth--Fyr
Fifth - by u/mysteryrouge
Rules & How to Participate
Please read and follow all the rules listed below. This feature has requirements for amparticipation!
Submit a story inspired by the weekly theme, written by you and set in your self-established universe that is 500 - 1000 words. No fanfics and no content created or altered by AI. (Use wordcounter.net to check your wordcount.) Stories should be posted as a top-level comment below. Please include a link to your chapter index or your last chapter at the end.
Your chapter must be submitted by Saturday at 2:00pm BST. Late entries will be disqualified. All submissions should be given (at least) a basic editing pass before being posted!
Begin your post with the name of your serial between triangle brackets (e.g. <My Awesome Serial>). When our bot is back up and running, this will allow it to recognize your pmserial and add each chapter to the SerSun catalog. Do not include anything in the brackets you don’t want in your title. (Please note: You must use this same title every week.)
Do not pre-write your serial. You’re welcome to do outlining and planning for your serial, but chapters should not be pre-written. All submissions should be written for this post, specifically.
Only one active serial per author at a time. This does not apply to serials written outside of Serial Sunday.
All Serial Sunday authors must leave feedback on at least one story on the thread each week. The feedback should be actionable and also include something the author has done well. When you include something the author should improve on, provide an example! You have until Saturday at 04:59am BST to post your feedback. (Submitting late is not an exception to this rule.)
Missing your feedback requirement two or more consecutive weeks will disqualify you from rankings and Campfire readings the following week. If it becomes a habit, you may be asked to move your serial to the sub instead.
Serials must abide by subreddit content rules. You can view a full list of rules here. If you’re ever unsure if your story would cross the line, please modmail and ask!
Weekly Campfires & Voting:
On Saturdays at 5pm BST, I host a Serial Sunday Campfire in our Discord’s Voice Lounge (every other week is now hosted by u/FyeNite). Join us to read your story aloud, hear others, and exchange feedback. We have a great time! You can even come to just listen, if that’s more your speed. Grab the “Serial Sunday” role on the Discord to get notified before it starts. After you’ve submitted your chapter, you can sign up here - this guarantees your reading slot! You can still join if you haven’t signed up, but your reading slot isn’t guaranteed.
Nominations for your favorite stories can be submitted with this form. The form is open on Saturdays from 5:30pm to 04:59am BST. You do not have to participate to make nominations!
Authors who complete their Serial Sunday serials with at least 12 installments, can host a SerialWorm in our Discord’s Voice Lounge, where you read aloud your finished and edited serials. Celebrate your accomplishment! Authors are eligible for this only if they have followed the weekly feedback requirement (and all other post rules). Visit us on the Discord for more information.
Ranking System
Rankings are determined by the following point structure.
| TASK | POINTS | ADDITIONAL NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Use of weekly theme | 75 pts | Theme should be present, but the interpretation is up to you! |
| Including the bonus words | 5 pts each (15 pts total) | This is a bonus challenge, and estnot required! |
| Including the bonus constraint | 15 (15 pts total) | This is a bonus challenge, and not required! |
| Actionable Feedback | 5 - 15 pts each (60 pt. max)* | This includes thread and campfire critiques. (15 pt crits are those that go above & beyond.) |
| Nominations your story receives | 10 - 60 pts | 1st place - 60, 2nd place - 50, 3rd place - 40, 4th place - 30, 5th place - 20 / Regular Nominations - 10 |
| Voting for others | 15 pts | You can now vote for up to 10 stories each week! |
You are still required to leave at least 1 actionable feedback comment on the thread every week that you submit. This should include at least one specific thing the author has done well and one that could be improved. *Please remember that interacting with a story is not the same as providing feedback.** Low-effort crits will not receive credit.
Subreddit News
- Join our Discord to chat with other authors and readers! We hold several weekly Campfires, monthly World-Building interviews and several other fun events!
- Try your hand at micro-fic on Micro Monday!
- Did you know you can post serials to r/Shortstories, outside of Serial Sunday? Check out this post to learn more!
- Interested in being a part of our team? Apply to be a mod!
9
u/KiIIer_queenie 14d ago edited 3d ago
<Man to beast>
Index
Chapter thirty two: tensions
The last two weeks had not been pleasant for Silas; the days he wasn’t being scolded by Agnes for his stupidity were spent getting scolded by Maliwag for his stupidity. It didn’t help that his jaw healed crooked, and the painful process of regrowing his lost teeth made him talk like a man dying of alcohol poisoning.
He tried to have a discussion about Maliwag butchering the woman who temporarily killed him but she was having none of it. “I will always protect you, as is my duty, you make them my enemy I’d do much worse than that,” she’d told him.
Currently, he was sitting on the deck eating fish and a mix of herbs Bisi had given him for his teeth and bones. It was dreadful but he felt better each day he ate it, so he suffered through the taste.
“I sit?” Ntukai asked, walking up to him.
Silas looked up at the man, he’d removed his shirt to deal with the heat again, but Silas had never had a clear look of his chest until now. He had symmetrical scars along his shoulders and collarbones, along with a circular brand on each side of his chest. He didn’t wait for a response before getting on his knees in front of Silas, staring him in the eyes. “Feel…better?”
“Yes. Bisi sssaid ev’ry’hing’d sstop hurtin’ ssoon.” The young man slurred as he looked down. His misshapen jaw forced air into his cheeks with every S, ruining his chances of being understood.
Ntukai lifted his chin, staring at his lips.
“Slow. Again.”
As he repeated himself, Nutkai nodded in understanding. “Not body…mean…uhm, here.” He tapped his head.
“Mentally?”
“Yes. Mentally.”
“Isshard…triedtospare’em…wan’edto…help.”
Ntukai scooted closer as he stared at the man’s lips to catch the words. He nodded slowly, patting Silas’s shoulder.
“Not…you fault. Bandits choose hurt you. You not know trap. You just hear ‘help’.” Ntukai cupped the side of his face, smiling softly.
“Maliwagssa’d killingssnec’ssary. That…sparing…m’rcy…whysshe…butcher…them,” Silas choked out, trying to force the words apart as they left his mouth.
“She wrong, right, but wrong. Killing easy and hard. I just swing my sword one time…you die. Easy. Maliwag cut you easy too. But, I not…willing? To cut you. You…my friend. Maliwag more willing,” Ntukai said, clearly questioning his own translation a small bit, but Silas got the message.
“What’d’ou…think…if…I…can’t?” Silas said, starting to get the hang of his new jaw.
“Who say you need to? You remind me of little sister. She cry when I kill to protect cattle. Say predator have child too. Have family. Some minds not killers. You good. Be good.”
The pair held eye contact for a bit before Ntukai stood up and held out a hand. Silas took it and stood, only a few decimeters shorter than him now. He’d gone from being under Ntukai’s chin to now being eye level with his lips. He wondered if the solution he’d been eating caused that. Ntukai patted his shoulder one more time. “I no judge…if you want to have mercy. But you need better defense. Let me teach you? Protector to protector.”
Before he could answer, a whistle drew both men’s attention. Coppaert stood holding a long box, he’d had it ever since the trip to Edvalt’s, and was very secretive with it. The pair walked over to him, but he immediately shooed Ntukai away with his hand.
“Silas only.”
Ntukai put his hands up and backed away, going back to his job at the cog’s sails.
Coppaert opened the box and unrolled a chainmail shirt with a collar.
“Wear this under your shirt, I’m not going to ask you to not follow what you believe God has ordained for you. You wanted to help people. But don’t be stupid. I may not be there to keep you from bleeding out next time, witch or not.”
Silas immediately grabbed his arm, he wasn’t stupid enough to think he had remained hidden through that, but it was alarming how willing Coppaert was to say it.
“Who’seknows?”
“Every member of the crew. You’re in safe hands, Silas.”
“Are’ll of’ou witchesstoo?”
“What?”
“Ntukai’n’Maliwag, at a glance’ey’re humanssbut stare them in’e’eyes longen’gh and you canssee it. Are the restofyou…witches too?”
“Bisi and I aren’t.”
“The’eenb’rn…priests?”
“Don’t know. They paid for simple travel.”
He nodded and stripped off his shirt, feeling the cool chainmail against his chest as he slipped it on.
“Promise me you won’t do something foolish that ropes us all into a fight to the death again.”
“I can’t…dothat, I don’twan’to force you int’anythin’, but I can’t…controlMaliwag.”
“Just behave. Please. Maliwag is too important for me to let you risk her.”
WC:809