A whole world on a single page!
The short story morsels of One Page Worlds are flash fiction adventures of all flavors. Every Wednesday will feature a complete story in one page, or the first page of what could be a novel or novelette.
Sharing the fun and geekery is the best part of writing! Please tweet or comment with your guesses on what genre, character, and job is central to each tale. Enjoy touring new universes each week with One Page Worlds!
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“Who has time to think?” The Tailor says. “You need to look classy while you’re out there racking up a competitive Vidscore. It’s doers who earn every spot in today’s e-sports. Better hurry up and pick one.”
You scroll through every skin, power suit, and set of space armor in The Tailor’s wardrobe. Winning means memorizing strategy and developing the right reflexes. That can only be done by clashing in the trenches with the millions of live players and learning how to adapt on the fly.
Billing information and real-world stuff didn’t matter. A headshot on any map killed everyone the same. That’s how the Top Tenners lose the prize money.
“Last month’s Vidscore top-ten wore form-fitting kevlar tuxedos,” The Tailor announces with a flourish. “The month before that, everyone donned atomic phalanx armor.”
All the skins that give the illusion of being bulletproof.
If life's about who you help, then why do empty your debit account for these—
“The Tenners'll go down in history,” The Tailor blurts. “Because they felt like they could take on the world.”
It has been a long time since you felt that good.
“Don’t waste time with petty chores. All that matters is the next win.”
You do think more clearly when someone puts a goal in front of you.
“The top-ten have been auto-buying skins from me since the beta. Don’t you want them to remember you when you trounce them?”
Helping others gets you attacked. Dismissed. Misunderstood.
Can’t win if you don’t keep playing.
That shadow cloak would be thrilling. You pick it.