William Jones
Stories
10
Chapters
3,868
Words
2.6 M
Comments
0
Reading
8 d, 21 h
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If any of the workers didn't wake up from the rooster crowing, they got a second chance from Rolly cursing at the cock and throwing rocks. The rooster didn't mind; he was used to performing for harsh audiences, and the irate human was a bad shot. A surprisingly bad shot, with no rock even coming within six feet of the amused bird. After tossing a few dozen rocks, Rolly gave up. The cock gave a loud cock-a-doodle-piss-on-you of victory and ran off to check on his hens. Ozzy and Ben joined a grumpy Rolly…-
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ACME didn’t like to be second in anything, and all 625 Contract Workers and 25 managers were in their pods and ready to log into the game the first second the game became available to them. The managers would be in and out of the pods each day, but for the workers, this was the start of five long years. Each group would be arriving at a different location somewhere in the Northern area of the Empire. For them, the procedure was different. After their pods were securely shut, they were filled with a…
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The scene changed, and Ozzy appeared in the middle of a small village along with the two-dozen people in his group. He quickly found Rolly, Ben, and Suzette. All of them had elected to look like their younger selves, with Rolly turning back the years to twenty or less. Being only 5’6” tall made him look even younger, helped by short, sandy hair that defied any comb and a casual way of going through life that disguised a sharp brain. Ben and Suzette looked like they had at twenty-five. Ben was tall…
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The initial half-hour spent in the pod was familiar to everyone: Lay still and stay quiet while the pod checks over your body for any serious problems and is calibrated to your nervous system. Next came the robotic arms with needles and tubes that would provide nutrients to your system and keep you healthy. The process was normally painful and nerve-wracking, but the new pods made the process smooth and painless, with music playing in the background. After another half-hour, Ozzy was given the signal that…
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Billy’s first big break at ACME had been during mediated contract negotiations when a group of aligned labor unions accused ACME of breaking promises made during the last round of negotiations. The head of the ACME delegation was late; the judge was angry and about to rule in favor of the unions. Billy had stood up and, with little knowledge of the details, made an impassioned speech that swayed the judge in their favor. That had been his big break and got him moved from obscurity and a small paycheck…
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I am rewriting the early chapters of Butcher of Gadobhra as part of the process of getting the story ready to publish. The essential story isn't changing, although some small details might. Overall, it will be a much better story. When I started writing, it was on a whim, and while I had some themes and ideas, it wasn't well planned at the chapter level. I wrote and tossed it up, thrilled when one or two people read it. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the…
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In its day, the Grand Malkavian Hotel had been one of the top ten meeting places in any online game world. Weddings, parties, and corporate events had booked it solid. Thousands of computer-generated NPCs had waited on the guests, along with over one hundred human servants. That day was long past. A fading game meant a fading game world without much need for extravagantly decorated, fifty-story hotels. Its usual staff consisted of a dozen human workers and a hundred two-dimensional NPCs. But tonight, it…
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Done with his main job playing the butler in a VR adventure and his side job selling information he skimmed from his client's conversation, Ozzy logged out for the day and slowly woke up inside his rented pod. His heart rate sped up and returned to normal, and he became aware of his body again. He knew better than to open the pod and get out too fast. First, he stretched out his sore muscles and gave himself another two minutes to steady his breathing. He’d pulled a triple shift and spent thirty-six…
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The evening sun was setting across the inner sea as one of Her Majesty's sleek airships cruised the skies after another successful adventure. Ozymandias, the only servant on board, was relieved that this adventure was finally over. He wanted the credits in his account and a few hours to relax. Keeping his hosts comfortable and alive during their adventures was a lot of work. His duties included the roles of butler, cook, navigator, trailblazer, dishwasher, and sherpa. And if he wanted to earn his bonus,…
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Marco slowly grew larger, something he could barely tell from his limited point of view, unable to move and facing a stone wall, in a dark corner. Then, with a rush, the potion effects ended, restoring him to full size, and he could move again. During the time he'd been immobile he'd heard the unmistakable voice of Bobby-Chuck as he fought with someone. He recovered just in time to see the barbarian floating away like a giant balloon and then explode, filling the sky with fireworks. He hoped the drunken…
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