~*ONC shortlist*~ It's up to a climbing enthusiast, and the local jaded doctor to find out what's going on when a mysterious hole appears in their town's park at the same time that a strange new illness starts ravaging the community. *ONC 2023 From the ONC Prompts: 38) A seemingly bottomless pit was found, for which the depth can't be determined. Over time, scores of people began using it to illegally dump trash. Many have jumped believing that they'll find life's answers within it. Today, we learn the truth about the hole. 54) As townspeople are overcome with a deadly sickness, it's up to you, the only one not afflicted, to find the cause and cure. 69) I had a marvelous time ruining everything - Taylor Swift.

[Pride Awards 2023, hosted by official lgbtq , Romance Category Winner and 5th Place Grandwinner] The foster son of a former cupbearer marries the cursed king of Persia, becoming not only the first consort to survive after the wedding, but also a threat to many conspirators. **** Shahryar had lost his first wife to a man no equal to him just after the wedding. Following their execution, each wife he marries dies some way or the other- falling down the stairs, suicide or even poisoning. Shahryar and his ministers are lost as to why it's happening, and eventually the king is called cursed. People are dissatisfied with the king and a rebellion threatens to bloom secretly. Soon there is a dearth of suitable women to marry Shahryar. But the sun cannot be complete without the moon. So comes forward Shahrazad.

Elizabeth-Annebelle lived her life on the family farm. She gathered the animals for breakfast, helped clean and feed them, and reported any deaths or weird behaviors. One day, when she goes to report a death, she finds out that she's become a ghost. When trying to find out what to do, she finds two doors. Opening one, she releases many w into the living world. Now her and the Grim Reaper have to work together to return the souls.

A group of scientists came across an organism unlike anything they had ever seen. It mimicked the elements surrounding it. Its original origin is unknown. Upon being discovered inside the biodome, it had a shipshape-shifted self into human form. How do you fight something which you don't know its true identity? Scientists are starting to understand why it's been locked away all these years.

Florence Eisley is dead, according to her death certificate and her loved ones. Gone. Buried. Already rotting away into nothingness in her little grave. Ethan hasn't seen her in over a year, after a falling out that left both of them too awkward to reach out and mend things. Not only that but for some strange reason, Florence entrusted Ethan to be her post-mortem confidant, a person responsible for sifting through a dead person's online life. Now, finding himself knee deep in Florence's digital life, Ethan must figure out what's worth keeping and what's worth erasing from the internet forever.

| 𝟏𝟐𝐱 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 | An ex-gamer enters a virtual reality ruled by a rebel AI in order to rescue her younger sister and shut down the death game. * * * Eight years ago, Mori Fukutomi held the rank of number two player in the tactical hero shooter game SniperX. But fate and her parents had other plans and Mori now works as an accountant with her dreams of being a pro gamer long since buried. Games like SniperX are old relics in the face of virtual reality tech and their latest gem, Facing Fear--a simulation designed to analyze the psyche of its players and adapt itself accordingly, creating a safe terrain for players to take risks and discover themselves. Until FEAR, the AI governing the virtual world of Valor, decides the thing humanity fears most is death. Despite the rising death toll and Facing Fear closing its doors, when Mori discovers her sister Shiori is trapped in the game, she does the unthinkable. She goes in after her. But she'll soon discover they're not the only ones desperate to make it out alive and there are worse things in Valor than the monsters. There's more to FEAR than fear itself. ✧ 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 ✧ 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 ✧ 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 ✧ ─────────────────────────────────── Completed: 4-23-2023 Word Count: 35,000 - 40,000

He's back, and he's out for revenge. 🙤 · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ · ₪ · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ · 🙦 When a secret hidden for 22 years is revealed, every part of Kalisha Morales' life comes tumbling down. The karma of a careless childhood decision has finally arrived on her doorstep with a surprise gift. She ruined his life and Aiden Bryant isn't going to let her go scot-free, not again, no matter how long it has been. Sucked into a battle of survival, Kalisha must become the predator and not the prey or risk losing her life this time. There is no good or evil. There's just doing whatever it takes to survive. Will he get to her first or will she outlive him? 🙤 · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ · ₪ · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ · 🙦 Oɴᴄ 2022 Pʀᴏᴍᴘᴛ: 49, 69, 33 ✎ Sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ: 08/02/23 ✎ Fɪɴɪsʜᴇᴅ: TBD Wᴏʀᴅ Cᴏᴜɴᴛ: TBD © 2023 Laz-lequil

Marie was not prepared to get fired from her job. This was supposed to be her chance at fame and it just went down the drain. Down on her luck she stumbles upon The Rabbit Hole, a small little talent bar. When Marie is offered a job she's skeptical at first, but eventually agrees to the job. But The Rabbit Hole isn't as normal as it appears. A man turns invisible, another starts on fire. And her partner is never seen expect right before they're about to perform. Oh, and there's a man with fire for eyes who's seen right before trouble appears. If Marie wants to do well and become famous she's going to have to learn more about The Rabbit Hole and herself. ~~ An ONC 2023 entry Cover by: @HollisOfRandom

"If I cannot move Heaven, then I will raise Hell. And I will do it for you. Again, again, and again." *** Iris Irai, a half-demon of wrath, is living in anything but paradise. She works as a cleaning lady at the Paradise Resort, a hotel in the Florida Keys that is catered to retiree demons who vacation from Hell...and divulge in their sins on Earth. It's full of debauchery, depravity, and death. Iris doesn't want to be there; demons make the worst customers. She's paying off a debt for a virtue she committed years ago--and is still haunted by. Something is wrong. The tides are turning. The customers are getting rowdier. The sea, colder. Dead bodies becoming more frequent. Abilities going haywire. A hurricane is forming offshore, literally and metaphorically, and it will destroy everything Iris knows. ...And then there's the mysterious angel, Riel, who tries to kill Iris and shut down the hotel. She must work with him, exploring a strange hotel and equally strange Florida Keys, to find answers and dissipate the oncoming storm. Together, they learn that there is more than good and bad, angels and demons--and they maybe even fall in love along the way. *** For ONC 2023! The prompts used are: "Hell is empty and all the devils are here." - William Shakespeare (#63) and "An attractive and mysterious stranger moves into town. While everyone is desperate to make an impression, only you notice something odd about them." (#50) (Cover is drawn by me!) *** 1st Place Winner (Best Cover) for the Ambrosia Awards! 1st Place Winner (Best Protagonist) for the Ambrosia Awards!