Fable
The Covidian
Superhero Name: The Covidian Secret Identity/Alter Ego: Ill tempered Holiday Inn Express hotel manager Stephen Franks Origin Story: Stephen Franks is the only man in the world confirmed to have been infected with the original Covid-19 strain and all 26 known variants. During his 27th bought of the disease, he developed severe encephalitis and the resultant nerve damage in the brain caused him to develop a number of what have been characterized as "superhuman" abilities. He also developed a neurological disorder similar to Bells Palsy which resulted in a severe lisp, permanent paralysis of the left side of his face, drooping of his eyebrows and mouth, drooling from the right side of his mouth, difficulty closing one eyelid, and severe facial pain along with disordered movement of the muscles that control facial expressions, loss of the sense of taste on the front 2/3 of his tongue, and chronic tinnitus. He uses his superpowers to fight the greed and laziness of the hospitality industry whom he claims used Covid-19 an excuse to cut costs and reduce quality rather than as a source of severe disfigurement and painful disease as he did. He discovered his superpowers by accident on the day he learned of the new 5pm closing time for all hotel pools in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio which the hotel chains attributed to a shortage of lifeguards caused by Covid-19. The move was expected to save the hotels an estimated 1.5 billion dollars in combined labor and lawsuit avoidance costs. Stephen's anger at that policy caused two of his super abilities to activate. Eventually he would learn that all of his powers could be activated by anger and/or disgust.
By Everyday Junglistabout a year ago in Fiction
238 A Day at Dr. Grimm's Office Part 2
CINDERELLA, ET AL. "You've no self-esteem, Cinderella," Dr. Grimm said as she reclined on the psychiatrist couch. "Well, for starters," she mumbled, "look what they named me. After they gave me the job of sweeping the chimney cinders. Cinderella!"
By Gerard DiLeoabout a year ago in Fiction
The Last Voyage of the Morning Star
The sun was just rising when the Morning Star set sail from the small coastal village of Havenport. Captain Jonah, a grizzled man with salt-and-pepper hair, stood proudly at the helm. His crew, a mix of young men eager for adventure and older sailors seasoned by years at sea, busied themselves with the ropes and sails. Among them was Lily, a young woman with fiery red hair and bright green eyes, the captain’s niece.
By Abdul Quddusabout a year ago in Fiction
Gilded Apples; Chapter 6
I'm not grounded, but I certainly can't go. I can't tell Nadia and Celine why I couldn't go though. I suppose I could lie and say I got grounded, but that would also require coming up with a reason why I was grounded. I end up going with the easiest lie I can think of: the dinner party. Nona was coming for the day and some guests would be coming early. Family obligations, blah, blah, blah.
By Katarzyna Crevanabout a year ago in Fiction
Wet Feet…
The cruise ship roared and rumbled like some giant best ready to consume us all. I took one final look at land, and then watched the waves carry us away. As the ship left port the strange realization that nothing would ever be the same hit me like a hurricane tearing a tree from its roots.
By Kenneth cruzabout a year ago in Fiction
The Vine and the Dove
There was a man by the name of Perah who lived and worked on the Phonecian docks along the Mediterranean Sea. His face was kind, though his eyes were cursed with blindness. Despite this injury, Perah did well as a seaman. Many of his crew claimed he was the greatest of navigators because, even though he could not see, the ocean itself would speak to him.
By Emily Marie Concannonabout a year ago in Fiction
Velum. Top Story - August 2024.
Liss had not been assigned to a watch shift since the new captain had taken charge. When she used to take her turn, she always asked for the window that stretched from twilight through dawn. She would begin the shift with her belly stretched across the bow, head over the side, watching for haloes of bioluminescence to indicate the wildlife below. In addition to the size of the cloud of light, the changes in shape could show her the difference between the jerky forward pulse of a nocturnal squid and the glide of a sleek whale. At times, it was almost as if a spiral staircase descended into the depths. Nobody else could ever see it, though. At that time of night, there weren’t very many people around to try.
By Penny Fullerabout a year ago in Fiction
