Edge of the Oasis: Performance Issues – Part 3
You kneel, reach down, miss the surface entirely.She winces. “Yeah… that happens.”You try standing still—very still.She squints....
You kneel, reach down, miss the surface entirely.She winces. “Yeah… that happens.”You try standing still—very still.She squints....
You step closer, ready to explain the situation.She watches like you’re buffering.You ask for water; she tilts...
You cross the desert with confidence you no longer deserve.Water gone. Sun rude. Brain running on fumes.Then...
As night thickens, you’re ready to pick a new crew member.You hand her the offer note; she...
Next hangar, another woman—goggles up, grin sharp.“So, you rob kings or hearts for a living, flyboy?”“Depends who’s...
First candidate’s got oil on her cheek and thunder in her voice.“Your ship hums like a drunk...
Your ship drifts through cotton-white mist, belly full of stolen gold.Engines hiss, ropes snap taut, the skyport...
It’s getting late, but a new opportunity rises.“You smile like you know every secret in this room.”Her...
Near the candelabra, gold feathers shimmer.“You’re trouble,” you tell her,“I can tell from how you’re pretending not...
Next mask—black again, unreadable.“You’re the kind who breaks hearts just to see if the legend’s true.”She blinks,...
Candlelight paints halos on cracked marble.You lean on the rustic banister, scanning the masks—pick one.“Tell me,” you...
Lanterns low, air thick with perfume and smoke.She doesn’t look up—just murmurs, “Sit.”The sphere hums bright, painting...
Days pass. You visit more of them.Each tent shimmers, each promise warmer than the last.Another fortune teller,...
You believe—but still, you want a second opinion.Next tent, same glow, same velvet hush.“Careful, darlin’. The crystal...
The fair smells of rain, dust, and hot sugar.A tent hums low, light spilling like honey.She sits...
You walk alone, pack heavy, sky crimsoning.Those women would do anything for adornment.For a moment, you almost...
Behind the huts—piles of weapons, plundered from war.You weigh the steel, smell the death.Too fine for peace,...
They speak in whispers, trade in stares.Every glance a bargain, every sigh a toll.Your wares gleam under...
Mist clings to the trees like old guilt.You arrive with a satchel full of glittering junk—bones carved...
Sun’s slippin’ low, father leans back in his chair,“So… you picked her?” he says, eyebrow cocked.“She near...
Afternoon heat folds over like a blanket.One helper hums while skinning apples with a knife.“Most men want...
Second helper’s got boots older than sin.She leans on a fence, chewing a straw, eyes sharp.“Ya lookin’...
Sun burns the ranch gold and mean.Father says, “Boy, pick a helper, settle down.”You kick dust, pretending...
The skyline shimmers—glass and ghost lights.No guards, no people, only drones humming prayers.Gates scan, whisper, “Biological anomaly...
You pick one—because she laughs before she speaks.The others clap, half jealous, half relieved.Someone pops a can...
They camp in a broken casino, neon still flickering.Each woman promises comfort, chaos, or caffeine.A pilot, a...
City gates close for good, metal sighing like regret.Too many women, no order, no balance.They wait beyond...
You beam, lessons finished, a court now ready.Every woman poised, gleaming, transformed.Your scroll is closed, your task...
The water wheels grind, fountains thin to trickles.You pretend not to notice, fitting crowns instead.Bracelets clasped, necklaces...
You teach them the bow, the perfect sip of wine.How to smile without speaking, how to sit...
Babylon dusk, terraces heavy with jasmine.A new batch of women led through the gates.Gold dust on their...
A crack splits the heavens, rain pours.Voice of Hera shakes the marble air.“What kind of race is...
Crowds climb marble steps, anticipation roaring.Merchants cheer, flutes play, drums echo.Women stretch, poised like statues alive.Laurel crowns...
You stand before them in the temple hall.Explaining lanes, audience seating, routes to take.They nod, hair bound...
City in a rush, men already drawn to the grand arena.A whisper spreads: women’s race at the...
The battle has begun, but one angel stays behind.You see no smile, no serenity, just a familiar...
You’re just a handler.An eternal servant to the Angels of the End.They don’t appreciate you. They don’t...
Thousands of beautiful young angels.They show no emotion, eyes forward, purpose clear.They look at you — then...
Skellvyr and Drothgard are about to go to war.The Angels of the End have been awakened —divine...
The last spell failed miserably.But this time… it’s different.You speak. You blink. You ask why.None of them...
Created from candle wax, dragon teeth, and poor judgment.You’re the only man in Silverstream.And apparently, the witches...
Born of magic. Surrounded by witches.No men left… except you.The coven says you’re a mistake.But some of...
The last man died over 200 years ago.The witches of Silverstream made a new one — you.They...