Defiance

Ash leaned into the rain, weaving down the street through garbage and derelict cars. The stench was overwhelming.

Twenty meters in the air, the artifact shimmered in the rain. For years, it hung there, humming, warping the minds of loved ones — first her mother’s, then her father’s.

“Don’t look too long, it’ll take your dreams,” her dad always warned. She pushed the thought away.

She centered herself under it, not looking up, waiting.

Then quiet. It knew she was there.

She looked up.

Her breaths quickened, her thoughts blurred.

As the artifact invaded her mind, she smiled defiantly.

Writers Note

I recently announced a desire to start writing my own stories. Until now, all the stories on this site have been AI-generated. This illustrated micro sci-fi story was written entirely by me.

I’m excited to see how well I can learn the craft of writing. Writing this story showed me I’m starting at ground zero. Currently, my toughest challenge is crafting clear and precise descriptions and sentences.

Here is my first draft of this story.

Ash navigated the garbage and junk cars littering the street, the odor thick in the air.